Disclaimer: I don't own a thing, as usual. A. N. Bless Hades Lord of the Dead for faithfully organising this challenge every year despite real life getting in the way. My first prompt comes from Winter Winks 221: Heartfelt memories. Thank you!
It was the first time I visited Holmes in the spring, after his move to Sussex, and – even if he hadn't wanted to expound on it (which he did) – it would have been impossible not to notice his new companions. The bees were softly buzzing all over the garden, and I thanked my lucky stars that I wasn't allergic. I couldn't help myself, and asked, "So…whence did the idea for this new fascinating project of yours come, my dear?"
Holmes half smiled. "You don't believe that their complex social structure would have been enough to tempt me into investigating bees' mores, then?" he countered.
I didn't exactly have a rational argument for why I felt the story was longer than that, so I just shrugged.
"You know me too well by now, old boy," my friend acknowledged, making my heart swell with pride. "Actually, it's a sort of a family tradition."
"Oh, really?" I queried, eager as always for more insight on Holmes.
"Really, I did tell you about my French ancestors, Watson. My favourite – not just on my mother's side of the family, but my favourite relative in general, I confess – was mémé…I mean, my French grandmother. She was a brilliant woman, and a sweet one at the same time. Combining the two is more than most people manage to attain, me included. She lived in Provence, near Avignon, and she would welcome us every summer, if we liked, and never forgot to send us the honey of her hives for Christmas. Both Mycroft and I were fonder of it than it might be wise, I admit. I know I cannot possibly hope to recreate it, as our flora is wildly different from the one found in the south of France. Still, it seemed like a worthy pursuit for my retirement," the former sleuth recounted, an unusually warm light in his grey eyes.
"That is a lovely goal, Holmes," I acknowledged. "I would offer my contribution, but I'm afraid I wouldn't be capable to do much more than taste-test."
He laughed. "That, my friend, will be quite enough, I assure you."