in a heap of people

[she_sells_seashells]

They go home after a couple of days, without incident. The colors in Bell's hair are fading, albeit incompletely.

A bit later, when there is not the question of whether Sherlock can accompany her unnoticed, Tony finds a door and in they go.

Other Sherlock - whether this is their other Sherlock or some other other Sherlock, Bell cannot be immediately sure - is in the main bar area. Bell waves!

Comments

[ferratus]

"...Oh, man," says Tony. "I wanna hug you. Can I hug you?"

[she_sells_seashells]

"Yeah," says Bell, putting her mug on her nightstand.

[ferratus]

Tony hugs her.

"So, you probably know this by now, but I really like you," he says.

[she_sells_seashells]

"I like you too," she murmurs.

[ferratus]

"Well, great," he says with a tiny smile, "we've got that much going for us."

[she_sells_seashells]

"Yeah," she says with a weak chuckle.

She snuggles up. Snuggling isn't weird, right? She was in the entire Stark-cuddle-pile that one time for a while.

[ferratus]

Snuggling is so not weird!

Except maybe when he says, still snuggling: "So, the sex thing. Do you want to?"

[she_sells_seashells]

"With all aforementioned caveats," says Bell, "I can give you a... maybe? I don't know. I've been avoiding thinking about it."

[ferratus]

"...Why? Have you been avoiding thinking about it, I mean."

[she_sells_seashells]

"Because I'd decided not to do anything, so it was unproductive, at least until circumstances changed."

[ferratus]

"Well. Do you wanna think about it now?"

[she_sells_seashells]

"I usually -" She gestures at the recorder. "Do my thinking alone, aloud. I'm estimating half an hour, will you be terribly bored?"

[ferratus]

"We've got hot chocolate and snuggles," says Tony. "We'll keep. You want us to clear out and wait for you downstairs?"

[she_sells_seashells]

"If you don't mind. You could check the Belltower, if you do get bored or if I take longer than expected or something."

[sicaria]

"All right," says Sherlock. She gives Bell a hug and a quick kiss, then detaches, leading Tony out.

[she_sells_seashells]

Bell talks to herself.

[sicaria]

Tony and Sherlock head downstairs.

They finish their hot chocolate. They snuggle.

They have another round.

[self_composed]

They observe a familiar face. (And her also-familiar, oddly pale companion.)

[sicaria]

"Hm," says Sherlock.

[ferratus]

"Is that...? No, hey, it's totally a new one!"

Tony waves.

[self_composed]

"...Does one of me know you?" Bella asks Tony, tilting her head. "Hello."

[ferratus]

"Hi!" he says. "Yes, one of you does! How many of you have you met? Are you new? Have you been to the Belltower?"

[self_composed]

"Just one other. Why, are there lots? My personnel officer ran into her kid and we've been interacting since. I've been here several times. What's the Belltower?"

[ferratus]

"I've met two!" says Tony. "You're number three! And Shell Bell, that's ours, she's heard of tons more. She made the Belltower it's for yous to congregate in we can show you if you want come see come see."

He runs out of breath and stops babbling excitedly.

[self_composed]

"Shell Bell? Oh my word that's precious," laughs Bella. "Belltower? Is it a literal tower in the backyard or something? Because that's what I would do, assuming I could get Bar to give me the local equivalent of a building permit."