A.N. Prompt from Spockologist: An unexpected death. Ok, sorry this is a drabble, but I struggled with this one. Mostly because, for once, I didn't feel like murdering people. XD But friends come to help in times of need, even when they don't know, so I remembered a bit of trivia shared by KnightFury a long time ago. Thanks for solving my quandary, my dear!
Holmes had missed his Watson very much, during his retirement years. So, when he fell prey to a summer cold (these ones where always the worst), if he called his doctor instead of going to the village's medical practitioner, he could be excused.
Despite the years gone by, his former flatmate hadn't lost the habit to come whenever summoned, and by the evening he was installed in the cottage. He wouldn't say as much, but he was worried – illness at their age was never to be shrugged off, and Holmes especially had taxed his body for decades.
Luckily, be it Watson's medical prowess or his sheer companionship strengthening the former detective – mood and will to heal often had as much to do with healing than medicines – in a few days Holmes was feeling better, and able to take a walk in the garden.
He was in for an unpleasant surprise, though. One of his hives (thankfully only one) had been ravaged, so many tiny dead bodies littering the ground. The murderers were quickly located – wasps had dared to invade his sanctuary. Holmes couldn't help it. "I asked you to overlook the hives while I was ill!" he chided his companion. After all, he hadn't needed constant supervision. Watson had all the time, while he rested, to take a walk in the garden and check no catastrophes happened.
"Sorry," his friend apologised. "As long as something yellow and black is flying around, I'm afraid I don't get the difference. I know, I know, I see but I don't observe."
Feeling guilty for his outburst – he knew it was unwarranted, and honestly, Watson should have chided him – the beekeper quipped, "No, sorry, I should have known. It just means you'll have to stay a bit longer, if you can. Or we could plan some other holiday for you. We need to teach you the basics, if I'm ever going to need your help again, after all."