1. We Finish Each Other's Sandwiches
Universe: Sherlock Holmes – Arthur Conan Doyle
Characters: John Watson, Sherlock Holmes, Lestrade, Mycroft Holmes
Warning: NA
Word Count: 780 words
Summary: Watson notices this about the Holmes brothers: they finish each others' sentences. (I have somehow established a precedent of posting stories on Christmas– Merry Christmas!)
"An old soldier, I perceive," said Sherlock.
"And very recently discharged," remarked the brother.
"Served in India, I see."
"And a non-commissioned officer."
"Royal Artillery, I fancy," said Sherlock.
"And a widower."
"But with a child."
"Children, my dear boy, children."
"Come," said I, laughing, "this is a little too much."
- The Greek Interpreter
Watson notices this about the Holmes brothers: they finish each other's sentences, he thinks, half-awed.
He tries it with Holmes the next time, on a case.
"The Montague family needs to be–" Holmes starts to say to Lestrade, and Watson tries to pre-empt what Holmes is thinking.
The family is in obvious danger, threatened by the worst of men with no qualms at all about violence, the answer is obvious–
"Barricaded in their homes for the next week or so," he says, just as Holmes says: "evacuated to the south of Plymouth immediately."
Holmes stares at him oddly, and repeats himself.
Watson feels shame-faced, and tries to pretend nothing has happened. He gives a careless tilt of his hat, and excuses himself before either Holmes or Lestrade can comment on his aberration.
They spend a gruelling day travelling from London to Plymouth, and Holmes is too pre-occupied with setting a trap to catch the blackmailers that he barely glances at Watson, for which he is grateful. Watson thinks that Holmes will pick the abandoned cottage by the seaside as the hideout, but he chooses the apartment in the heart of the small city, where he pays the local urchin to keep a lookout. He thinks Holmes will ambush the blackmailers in the apartment itself, but Holmes plans the operation at the train station, where he calculates that the men will arrive before the week is up. Dejected, Watson stops trying to anticipate any of Holmes' commands, and keeps his head down for the rest of the day. He does not give his opinion even when Holmes asks for his thought on the case.
Holmes shoots him concerned looks for the rest of the day, but doesn't comment on his behaviour. Lestrade is blissfully unaware of his petulance, and continues blustering around.
Finally, Holmes concludes the operations when the sun has long set, and Watson's teeth are left chattering as he freezes in his coat. On the train in their carriage, Holmes and Lestrade trade opinions on the case– mostly Holmes correcting Lestrade, although the man does offer some insights which make Holmes pause. Watson feigns an unprecedented interest in the scenery flashing by his eyes– although, really, it is too dark to see anything.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Holmes beckons at Watson.
"It's really dark, outside," Watson says, unthinkingly. "Moreso than London, I've noticed."
"Ah, light pollution," Lestrade says, sagely.
"Light pollution?" Holmes turns to Lestrade, and Watson is relieved when the thread of conversation changes.
They part ways with Lestrade back at the station in London. Watson dreads being alone with Holmes, and he feigns sleep on the carriage back to Baker Street. He knows he is overreacting, but he doesn't want to have to explain that, I saw your brother and you complete each others' sentences and I tried to do the same, but obviously it didn't work, did it?
Watson does not know when he falls asleep, but when he wakes up, he is back in his own room and in bed, and he realises that Holmes must have carried him up the seventeen steps to their apartment and put him down on his bed.
Oh.
He's distracted by the growl of his stomach, and he pads out of his room to find something in the kitchen, when he finds Holmes sitting by the fire in the living room.
"What time is it?" he asks blearily.
"Oh, three," Holmes says nonchalantly, and Watson realises that there is a sandwich on a plate balanced precariously on the armrest.
"Why are you up?"
"Thinking about what our next move should be, once the criminals realise that the Montagues have evacuated."
Of course.
There is a silence, and Watson almost waits for Holmes to ask about his dejection today.
Instead, Holmes holds out the plate towards him.
"Do you want the rest of my sandwich?" Holmes asked. "You haven't eaten dinner."
Watson's stomach growls again, and he laughs, embarrassed.
"Yeah, that'd be great," he says, smiling.
He takes the half of the sandwich that Holmes hadn't eaten, and sits at his usual chair. The fire is roaring, and he feels warm and sated sitting across Holmes.
Finally Holmes gives a long yawn, stretching his feet towards the fire.
"Goodnight, o' Watson," he murmurs. Then, "tell me about it tomorrow."
Yeah, Watson thinks, smiling at his retreating back, I will.
-END-