December 2: "Talented" (from Wordwielder)
"How does she do it?" Watson intoned, holding his mug of hot cocoa up to his face, steam rising up to warm his chilled nose.
"Chocolate, liquid, and a little bit of combustion, I expect," Holmes replied.
Watson shook his head. "No, I can make a basic hot cocoa. Mrs. Hudson's fare is in another category entirely. Perhaps there's a secret ingredient."
Holmes cocked an eyebrow. "Is that a mystery I smell?"
"The Case of the Landlady's Cocoa?" Watson suggested.
The detective threw his head back and laughed. "You and your colorful imagination could certainly turn that molehill into a mountain!"
The door opened and Mrs. Hudson stepped in, "tsk, tsk"-ing. "It isn't proper to talk about a lady behind her back, gentlemen."
"All good things, I assure you," Watson replied. "We were merely speculating about how you make your hot cocoa so divine."
Mrs. Hudson waved off the compliment.
"Cocaine perhaps?" Holmes suggested.
Mrs. Hudson and Watson both scoffed.
"Mr. Holmes! You are insufferable!" the landlady exclaimed, but without malice.
"How about that, Watson?" Holmes said with a grin. "That would be worthy of The Strand."
"Oh, hush," the Doctor replied, and took a long sip of his delicious warming drink.