Author's Note: YES! It's Friday and I'm UPDATING! Being back on schedule is a wonderful thing, no? Anyways, this chapter is a bit lighter than the rest. A slight break in angst. :D I figured all you guys deserved it. And I had a lot of fun writing it, after watching my Dad teach my brother how to tie a tie. And I also noticed in the show that Sherlock never wears ties. He even says it in "Riechenbach Fall. "I don't wear ties." There was one exception. John's wedding. Thought that was interesting to note. So anyway, enjoy some slight fluff while it lasts! More emotional stress in upcoming chapters. :-D
"I don't understand why you don't want to wear it, dear."
"Mrs. Hudson. Have you ever seen me wear a tie?"
"No, which is even more reason for you to wear it. I imagine you'd be quite dashing."
Sherlock rolled his eyes and let his head flop back on the headrest of the armchair. Impossible woman. Enough that she thought she had to come bring him breakfast at seven-thirty in the morning, made the bed for him as he ate, chattered incessantly the whole twenty minutes she'd been there; now she was trying to get him to wear a tie to the trial. A striped one. He'd never even understood the point of ties.
"John's wearing one."
"Good for him."
"Sherlock…"
"I don't do ties, Mrs. Hudson."
"…Well, I'd better get off home, then. Glad you're feeling better, dear. You and John are coming back to Baker Street later, aren't you? After the trial's over for the day? Or are you going to spend another night here?"
"We'll be back."
"Good. I'll try to have the place tidied up when you get back." She said it lightly, but Sherlock detected a distinct note of mischief in her voice.
"Tidied up?"
"Good heavens, dear, don't pretend you don't know it's a disaster zone up there. But don't worry, I'll have everything straightened and sparkling when you-"
Sherlock felt a twinge of panic.
"You know how I feel about people touching my things, Mrs. Hudson. And moving them. How am I supposed to find anything if people are always moving them?"
"Well I do have an awful lot to do…maybe I could put it off until another day…" her glance flicked meaningfully at the tie lying on the foot of the bed and back at Sherlock. He made a face. Of course. Having raised several sons, she would have had to be a Master Manipulator.
"Fine. I'll wear it and you won't touch anything. Deal?"
She grinned broadly.
"I suppose that's fair. I'll see you later at Baker Street. I'll bring you boys up something to eat when I hear you come in; just this once you know. Have fun!" She waved at him and left the room, closing the door behind her.
Sherlock huffed and bounced to his feet, striding over to the heavily-curtained windows. Gingerly, he moved one of them aside, allowing a thin ray of yellow morning sun to enter the room. It was bright. But it didn't hurt. He smirked a little with satisfaction and threw back both curtains. He had a trial today.
Trials were fun.
Turning back to the room, he snatched his clothes up as he passed the chair and swept into the bathroom for a shower. Ten minutes later he was sitting on the bed, in a classy navy button up and black slacks, struggling with the hateful tie.
There was a special knot, he knew…how did you do it? Was it…no, it went this way…and then you went over…okay. That wasn't right. Sherlock ripped it off with a snarl, throwing it down on the bed next to him. He reached for his phone. Maybe there was a tutorial on YouTube.
John straightened his collar and knocked on the door. He was wearing a suit and tie for the occasion. They had to leave in fifteen minutes, and he hadn't yet seen Sherlock that morning.
"Yeah…yeah, come in," Sherlock said, sounding distracted. John curiously opened the door and stopped in his tracks.
"What are you doing?" he asked. Sherlock had a tie draped around his neck, looking at his phone intently. Sherlock glanced up.
"Nothing, apparently. There's nothing at all helpful on here. Can't people even draw a decent diagram?"
"Diagram for what…is that a tie, Sherlock? You're wearing a tie?" John couldn't believe it. He grinned. Sherlock scowled.
"Correction: I'm attempting to wear a tie."
"You don't know how to tie it. That's what you're looking up on your phone." It wasn't a question. "Didn't your Dad or someone ever teach you?"
Sherlock stared at him.
John shook his head. One of his favorite memories was his dad teaching him to do his tie…Dr. Watson Sr. had died of a stroke before John had gone to the army, but John still remembered watching his Dad's every move and trying to imitate them in the mirror. Sherlock had never had that.
"Here," John said, undoing his own tie and moving across the room to sit beside Sherlock.
"What are you doing?" Sherlock asked, looking genuinely curious.
"You want to do the tie, right? Time someone showed you how."
Author's Note: Well? What do you think? Besides the obvious "short". It was kind of short, I'm sorry about that. But that really was the best place to stop before the next...um...thing happened. :) Was it sweet? Or just boring? And how was Mrs. Hudson? I don't have much experience writing her. Leave a review! They brighten my life. ;)