My final story! Thank you for everyone who has continued to read and leave reviews, your patience is amazing and I appreciate it more than I can say!
Prompt from W. Y. Traveller: The first New Year's Eve at 221B.
By the time of New Year's Eve 1881, I had known Sherlock Holmes for only some months, and had not been accustomed to his habit of being so different from any other man in London. Even that first Christmas, which Holmes had noted only by ruing that all of the city should be shut down for the day, was not enough to convince me. Therefore, it was with great astonishment that I saw Holmes head off to his bed at only eight o'clock on New Year's Eve.
"Why, Holmes, going to bed already?" I exclaimed.
Holmes looked at me with some surprise. You should know, my dear readers, that even with so short an acquaintance as we'd had at the time, I had already been very clear in my preference for early nights. Holmes, who was much more of a night owl than I, had waved me off to bed more nights than not, and it wasn't uncommon for me to find him still there the next morning, thus his surprise at my sudden change of heart. "It has been a long few nights on this latest case, Watson. I would have thought you would be in favour of me turning in early."
"On any other night, Holmes, but this is New Year's Eve." He did not look affected, so I continued, "My tradition from childhood has been to stay up until midnight, to see in the New Year."
"I wish you well with it," Holmes told me, and proceeded to his bedroom.
I thought for a moment to call him back, but did not know what I would say. As fascinating as I found him, I was not yet sure if Holmes and I were even friends, and a mere flatmate had no reason to stay up to see in the New Year with me. Instead, I settled back into my chair, bringing out a book to read until the clock struck midnight, and I could say goodbye to 1881 and all it had brought me, both good and ill.
It may have been childish of me, but I made a wish when that moment finally came, and I still remember it to this day. I wished that next New Year's Eve, I would have a friend to welcome in the year beside me.
My wish has come true every year since.