America (Irene Adler and S.Holmes)

"It's okay." Sherlock stated after a long silence. He was standing in the centre of a flat they were viewing, fingers laced together in front of him. He wasn't lying either, it was okay. Fully furnished, two functional bedrooms, centre of the city- only a few blocks away from Central Park- and reasonably priced- not that that was an issue though.

"We'll take it," he turned on the spot and swept towards the door where Irene and the landlord were stood, observing him from a safe distance.
The landlord started to babble on about a deposit but he cut him off by fishing a wad of notes from his suit pocket and pressing them it into the other man's hand. "That should cover it and any inconveniences. We'll move in immediately." he flashed a false smile at the now beaming man.

As the landlord hurried back down to the ground floor Sherlock stole a quick glance at Irene. She'd said nothing since they'd entered the flat and he had frustratingly hadn't been able to conclude anything from her silence.

Sherlock had maintained the whole time that it was in their best interests to live together over here. His argument being that he didn't want to have to fish her out of trouble again, but to be honest it was more to do with the crushing loneliness he felt stuck on this vast continent, an Atlantic Ocean too far away from John Watson. But also he felt an obligation to her somehow, ridiculous and sentimental he knew, but none the less he had to admit he cared what happened to her now, even if he would never openly admit it.

"Happy?" he asked, voice low, worried eyes studying her pale face for a reaction; as she, much like Sherlock, was never usually silent for long.

"I thought you'd have learnt by now Miss Adler that sentiment is dangerous; the living room will stay as it is." he said coolly, expression blank as ever. He let her straighten out his collar, catching her gaze for a moment or two before heading back down the stairs and out of the apartment block.
A few days later they we're completely settled in. The few possessions they did still own had been arranged about the apartment and Sherlock had shifted the kitchen furniture to make room for his microscope and lab equipment. However the experiments he did do seemed tedious and trivial now there was no need to carry them out to solve a case. Despite the flat's location right in the centre of the buzzing city, Sherlock quickly fell into absolute boredom.
"Bored." he found himself saying out loud as Irene returned from what he assumed would have been a shopping trip, although to be honest had she not just made such a noise coming in he wouldn't have noticed her absence at all.

Yes, she had returned from shopping for groceries needed and also she wanted out of that apartment several hours to be away from Sherlock. Not that coexistence is difficult, but it was hard to be next to the man who loved her and could not and did not kiss or touch. That was what happened to Irene. So the less time she was on the floor better.

She entered the room with the direction of the kitchen, her hands four bags of food. Irene smiled to hear Sherlock say 'bored'. It was normal, keep a racing engine which his brain was not working was devastating. "How are you, honey?". Asked from the kitchen while getting into the refrigerator milk bottles. "If you want we can go out to dinner later. I invite you to an Italian or Chinese. Do you say?". She returned to the living room and went to Sherlock with intertwined arms around her chest as she looked at him suggestively. "C'mon ... Do not you bored?. Might find some entertainment outside these walls"

Sherlock let out a snort at being called 'honey', however he wasn't quite sure if he found the pet name sickening or endearing- perhaps a strange mixture of the two.

Back at 221B he would have mocked Irene for such a ridiculous term- something his mother might have called him and got away with it-; but out here, alone except for her in the city, it seemed slightly less shamefully weak to show some affection.

"Don't call me that." he replied despite himself, but in a half hearted tone. He let out a shaky exhale as she wrapped warm hands around his back and he was left looking down into her eyes.

Pupils dilated; a small part of his brain registered.

"Hmm." he grumbled at her suggestion before smirking and adding, "I doubt it."
He broke away from her arms and turned to grab his coat from the couch, pulling it on as he made his way towards the door.