come back, acd!holmes

[mustbethetruth]

So you are considering letting me out once again, are you? [He smirks and draws from his cigarette.]

Only a matter of time, I suppose, and I must say I'm looking forward to the opportunity. Stagnation and I -- but, well, you already know that, don't you? At least, I should hope you know. You haven't forgotten me, have you?

[He lifts his eyebrows, curiosity and amusement in his eyes, before his expression evens out into a playful smile.]

Don't fret, my dear mun. I'll come scurrying back to you now that you've beckoned.

Comments

[lightconductor]

It's about damn time. I was beginning to wonder about your mun.

[He cracks a smile.]

Good to have you back, anyway.

[mustbethetruth]

Yes, she has been quite distracted of late with this strange new fellow. He's a puzzle, I can assure you, but he's rather crowded out the rest of us. The height of rudeness.

What do you think, my dear? Is it to be another beach vacation for us?

[lightconductor]

The last one turned out rather well, all considered, or at least as far as we were concerned. I rather do like the seaside.

[mustbethetruth]

Will you leave me for this twentieth century man parading about with my name? I do think I'd be much more fun at a party, for what it's worth.

[lightconductor]

[He scoffs.]

My dear Holmes, I would love to see anyone attempt to imitate you and succeed to any degree. I don't believe it can be done. I don't know who this chap thinks he is, but he certainly cannot be you.

[mustbethetruth]

But he is, my dear fellow, he is. How will you handle the two of us? We shall simply have to work out custody.

[lightconductor]

[Watson looks thoroughly unamused.]

You will do no such thing. I am not a spaniel whose leash may be passed back and forth.

[mustbethetruth]

[Holmes, on the other hand, is close to laughing. He presses his hand to his mouth briefly, to keep from smiling too widely.]

You aren't a spaniel? But you heel so nicely.

[lightconductor]

That is not funny.

[He scowls, crosses his arms over his chest, one eyebrow quirked.]

Maybe I'll get you a dog and see if this futuristic imposter has any use for me after all.

[mustbethetruth]

[Au contraire, Watson; this is hilarious. He doesn't want to actually upset Watson though, so he relents and tilts his head, smiling more gently.]

Come, come. Don't be such a sourpuss.

[He smiles a little longer, pursing his lips, and then...]

Or I might pawn you off to the other one to be rid of you. [He grins brightly. Completely kidding!]

[lightconductor]

Oh, you keep this up, you won't have to work to be rid of me.

[He huffs. Pride wounded, he half-turns away.]

Just imagine what I could learn from someone a century ahead of me.

[mustbethetruth]

[Rude. Holmes's expression falters and he looks away too, fingers tracing the arm of his chair.]

Yes. You have a point. In this new environment, I shall be quite... obsolete.

[lightconductor]

[He sighs, turns back, regretting his show of temper. He falls into a chair beside Holmes.]

No more obsolete than I am, old fellow. Maybe less so. I'm sorry I said that, dear chap. I didn't mean it.

[mustbethetruth]

[Can't there be a place out there set in his era? He appreciates the opportunity to learn more about the world at large, to find new situations and people to read, but he dislikes feeling so out of his depth at all. He sits quietly in a brown study a moment longer before he lifts his eyes to Watson; his lips twitch in a small smile, and then he extends his hand out to him.]

I shall be very fortunate to have you there with me. I'm sure I couldn't handle such a scenario without you to be impressed by my dramatics.

[lightconductor]

[He takes Holmes's hand, though he rolls his eyes, too.]

Very well. Your own personal audience will continue to follow you about, spaniel or not. Someone's got to keep you in check.

[mustbethetruth]

What? That was sincere. [He smiles and lifts Watson's hand to his lips, pressing a kiss against his knuckles.]

I would be lost without you, my dear Watson.

[lightconductor]

[His smile softens. He might get fiercely irritated by Holmes at times, but Holmes also has Watson's heart in the palm of his hand, whether he knows it or not.]

And that is why if you end up on any more beach vacations, I shall be there as well.

[mustbethetruth]

Splendid. [He links their fingers together and settles back in his chair, turned to face him.]

I can think of nothing more charming than taking another turn at the ocean with you, though I would prefer if it came with fewer murderous monsters. At the very least we shall have matters to investigate beyond our creativity in the bedroom.

[lightconductor]

Well, I don't know. I rather liked investigating those matters.

[His grin is absolutely shameless.]

I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have other things to investigate.