Sherlolly Appreciation Week, Day 5: Movie Star AU
Not in love with this title, but it is what it is. And I’m a few min late getting this in for day 5, but hey that’s ok. 🤷♀️ this one is a touch longer since I worked in more nods to canon, so I’ll add a read more. Hope you guys like it!
That’s a Wrap (👈 AO3)
“Are you ok?”
Sherlock’s eyes lifted from his phone and into the mirror to meet Molly’s gaze, fixed intensely upon him even as she continued carefully arranging his curls. Sherlock opened his lips, but she quickly cut in.
“Don’t just say you are. I can tell you’re not. It’s just… you look sad, when you think he can’t see you.”
Sherlock glanced at his agent, John, who was at the other end of the room chatting with the director and completely unaware.
“You can see me.”
“I don’t count.”
That gave him pause. What did she mean by that?
“Anyway, it’s an intense role, y’know? You really put your all into a character, and that can take a toll after a while. This one especially,” Molly continued, twisting some of the tendrils around her fingers. “So if there’s anything I can do, anything you need, anything at all… you can have me.”
Sherlock lifted a brow and she backpedaled a bit at her own wording.
“No, I mean- what I mean is, if there’s anything you need…” Molly shook her head, words trailing off.
“What could I need from you?” Sherlock questioned softly
“I dunno. Nothing.” She shrugged, grabbing the hairspray and spritzing a few times before stepping back. “It’s ok, you can just say thank you, actually.”
Sherlock’s eyes narrowed. “Thank you.”
“Sherlock, you ready?” John called out. “They’re waiting for you on set.”
Still reeling and trying to process what his hairdresser had just said, Sherlock stood from the chair, hesitating for a breath.
“It’s fine, go ahead,” Molly prompted with a tight smile before turning away to start cleaning up the station.
Not quite knowing what else to say or do, Sherlock walked out of hair and makeup, ready to shoot the very last scene… ready to finally be done with this film.
Sherlock sat there in the darkness, fingers tapping on the arm of the chair. The aftershoot party was long over and now he was left with the emptiness of his own thoughts. That was always the very worst time. It was when reality came flooding back. All his worries, all his fears, all his insecurities, all his demons reminding him that they were still there and he’d never shake them. At least, that was how it felt.
And so he went to the only place that felt safe.
The door to the hair and makeup trailer swung open, but Sherlock didn’t move, didn’t even look over. He already knew who it was.
“You were wrong, you know.”
He heard Molly gasp softly at the sound of his voice, then she switched on a light.
“Sherlock?”
“You do count. You’ve always counted and I’ve always trusted you. You’ve always been there for me. And I don’t just mean with all this.” He flicked a comb across the hairdressing station. “It’s more than that… you’re more than that. You’ve been with me on countless sets now, and the truth is that I don’t know what I’d do without you. Not the work you do. Just you.”
He turned to see her standing there a few feet away, so perfectly Molly, and that alone was comforting. Just the sight of her in those ratty jeans she loved and a tank top covered with a loose plaid shirt. She’d clearly come back to pick up her coat and purse from inside the trailer, but now she set them down again.
“But you were right,” Sherlock added, a little catch in his voice. “I’m not ok.”
Of course he wasn’t ok, hadn’t been in a long while. But this was the first time he’d admitted it aloud, or even to himself. He’d been a mess even before this film. But playing this wild and unhinged, albeit brilliant character who lied and used drugs and even bloody leapt from building tops certainly hadn’t helped. The vices he was becoming drawn to on and off set scared him more than he’d cared to admit until now.
Molly slowly approached the chair where he sat. “What do you need?”
Sherlock swallowed thickly as she got closer. “I’m a star to the world, that’s how they see me. What if that’s all just a lie? If I wasn’t the man that everyone thinks I am, the man that you think I am, would you still-“
Her hand shot out to cover over his, halting his still tapping fingers as she repeated, “What do you need?”
Sherlock didn’t truly know what to say to this woman who had been his silent and steady rock for years now. He didn’t even really know what to ask for. All he knew was that he needed…
“You.”
There was a breath of silence after he spoke that single word, neither of them moving a muscle. But then Sherlock shifted his hand, closing it around hers and tugging ever so slightly. But it was more than enough.
Everything became a blur after that. In a split second Molly was perched atop his lap in that chair, hands in his hair and lips pressed against his. Sherlock’s hands moved deftly over her, smoothing their way under the plaid shirt and pressing against her back to pull her little body in tighter. Perhaps deep down he’d always wanted to do this. Because every time she’d stood behind this chair and helped transform him into whoever he had to be to entertain the public, she’d always seen the real man, the man behind the wigs or makeup or costumes. She could see him. He’d been the one too blind to see the best thing that had ever come into his life. He wasn’t going to keep making that mistake.
Sherlock cradled her face, finally tugging his lips away from hers. “Come away with me,” he panted.
“What?” Molly looked dazed, and not just because of the rumpled hair and swollen lips he’d just given her. “Away where?”
“After the film promo, I’m taking time off, maybe even for a year. I need to forget about being someone else and remember who I really am.” He caressed her lip with his thumb. “But I don’t want to do that without you.”
“B-but if people see and they realize who I am and it starts to get around, won’t people wonder why-“
“You’re worth more than dozens of the A list celebrities I could be seen with,” Sherlock cut in sternly, knowing exactly where she was going. “I don’t care what anyone says. And if there’s a tabloid mess to be cleaned up, I’ll let John and the rest of the team handle that. None of that is going to stop me. Unless of course… you don’t want to deal with-“
Molly swooped in and swallowed his words, pulling him back into the euphoria that was her mouth and very effectively silencing his brief concern that perhaps she wasn’t willing to take on everything that would be included in a relationship with him.
“Don’t… forget… I can always… disguise you… wherever we go,” Molly offered, kissing her way along his neck and jaw as he held onto her hips for dear life.
“Mm, I knew your talent would continue to be useful.”
“By the way…” Molly gave his neck one more slow kiss before lifting her head to gaze at him. “Where would we be going?”
Sherlock tilted his head in thought, considering all the options that were open to him. Part of him didn’t much care about location. All he really wanted was to be away from prying eyes and schedules and expectations, and to be completely alone with Molly. But then again, perhaps he did have one idea.
“Come to think of it… I’ve always wanted to go to Sweden.”
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