SHVoLB 3

(A/N: Thanks so much to everyone that has been reviewing! They all mean a lot to me!)

They heard the front door close and heard the car's engine roar to life. Watson twirled his cane through his fingers absently as he looked around the room, at a loss for what to do next. Holmes had already begun to snoop about but didn't seem particularly enthralled with any discovery he made. Finally, Watson just decided to have a seat on the bed and was content to watch Sherlock inspect curious devices that he found laying about.

He came across a black electronic thing with a cord that plugged into the wall and fearlessly pressed the "power" button. He took a step back in surprise when loud clanging music blared from the thing, nearly startling Watson off the bed.

"What in the…" he began but the detective had already switched it back off.

"Just as I figured," he remarked with a sniff, "It's a new version of a gramophone…with new music to boot," he commented, wriggling a finger in his ear as if he was afraid he had gone deaf.

Suddenly he turned, facing Watson with a look of seriousness on his face, "Are you hungry, Watson?"

"What?" he blinked at the abruptness of the question.

"Well it's a simple enough question, dear. Tuesfaim?"

"What does it matter? It's not like we can waltz down the street for some fish and chips is it? …If that even still exists…" he added, locking a solemn gaze with Holmes.

Sherlock looked positively horrified at the suggestion, "Come now, Watson! This is an advanced world…surely they still have it…Perfected it even…" He didn't sound as sure as he meant to be.

There followed a grim silence where they each secretly contemplated a world where fish and chips didn't exist before, "Right. Let's go then."

"You mean out? You can't be serious!" Watson protested.

"No, no, no…not yet at least," Holmes replied, heading for the door, "I was referring to the kitchen, old chap."

"Holmes, we can't just go rifling through their kitchen like hounds!"

"I'll be discrete," he replied nonchalantly.

Watson snorted, "You? Discrete?"

"Hah hah, you've had your fun. Let's go."

The doctor opened his mouth for another retort when Holmes seized his hand and tugged him from the bed and out the door. Whatever he was about to say went flying out of his head the moment it happened and for a reason he could not fathom, he could not stop staring at their joined hands as they walked down the stairs. They soon found themselves in the middle of the Marsh's kitchen and Holmes was already planning his next action when he realized he was still holding onto Watson.

He hastily dropped his friend's hand and Watson thought he could see the barest bit of blush on the detective's face. Holmes cleared his throat and went about his task quite normally, save for almost tripping over a step-stool and embarrassing himself even further. Watson really tried quite hard not to laugh but a chuckle still managed to work its way through his lips.

Holmes cast him a glare as he brushed imaginary dirt from his waistcoat and set about studying a shiny silver colored contraption with slots that was plugged into the wall and sat atop the counter.

He ran his finger along the counter at the base of it and flicked off what he found, "Bread crumbs… just as I thought, Watson. This is a modernized toaster."

"Well I could have figured that one out," Watson teased, leaning back against the refrigerator and grinning.

Holmes looked slightly rebuffed but continued on his way to the pantry. "Ah," he exclaimed after a moment and brought out a loaf of bread wrapped in a brightly colored bag. He deposited it on the counter and started working on the tie that bound the sack together. "Well would you look at that…already sliced! Well that's convenient; one of the most practical things yet!"

He then took two pieces of bread and slid them into the slots of the toaster. "You sure you know what you're doing?" Watson asked.

"Watson, it's a toaster. I think I can manage." John merely gave a roll of his eyes and stood well out of the way in case something was to explode.

Holmes examined the thing for a moment before using the little lever on the side to lower the bread into the toaster. It seemed to click on then, a little red light appearing. He stood back, looking pleased enough before something else dawned on him. He approached it again, peering down into the slots at the bread and the hot coils. He gave a little frustrated sound, "Well how exactly am I supposed to tell when they're done if I can't- WAAHH!"

The toaster gave a ding and the bread popped back up, scaring Holmes half to death. He had stumbled backward, one hand groping at Watson's shoulder for support.

"Dear God! It should give you a bit of warning at least!" Watson had already dissolved into an uncontrollable fit of laughter, leaving Holmes to search for the preserves himself.

He scouted the pantry and a cupboard before he came to a halt at the refrigerator. He pulled it open and was surprised to see a light on. "Huh…" he remarked quietly, shutting it. He yanked it open more quickly this time, only to be greeted by the light once again. He tapped his foot for a moment, in thought, before inspecting the inside of the fridge where door would touch in closing. There he located a tiny switch, making a noise of triumph before going back to his original task.

There he located the jar of strawberry preserves he was looking for, remarking that it was queer to find them in the refrigerator before grabbing a knife from the silverware drawer he had come across earlier. Watson watched all this in amusement and when the toast was done, Holmes began to fill the kettle that had been sitting on the stove.

"Glad to see some things haven't changed," he said, smiling back at Watson amicably, obviously past the toaster incident.

They ate and drank their tea in the comfortable silence of people who have been together for a long time and Holmes leafed through the thin newspaper that was lying on the kitchen table. "Ah," he said after a moment, "nine people rescued from a plane crash…"

"…What's a plane?"

"No idea."

(A/N: Sorry that one was kinda short but hopefully you enjoyed it! …Right? XD Please review!)