After John and Mary both ran away for their little honeymoon in the countryside, he had been left alone. Much the same as before John had come into his life. Only the appearance of Mrs. Hudson was a constant, oft berating him about his mess in the flat, or the cigarettes stumped out and left in the ashtray.

He never thought he would take a liking to another little companion to fill up the loneliness. But here you were. You caught his eye while he was on a jaunt around the city. He had yet to really understand why he offered for you to tag along. You were different to John, and maybe that was refreshing to him. Someone else who could tolerate his childish behaviours, his overactive mind.

A hot summers day came across London. He had been away for a while, called away on a solo case. As per usual, he solved it. Classic locked room murder. He loved those sorts of things, possibly got off on them. But the heat… He never really managed well in the heat. It affected his mind, hindering his ability to think clearly. But luckily, the case was solved and eventually, he returned to 221B.

The familiar space welcomed him— that homely scent, mixed with the lingering aftertaste of the cigarettes he smoked. It was all there. It was nice to be back home. But something was immediately off.

You weren’t at your desk.

Had you taken that chance to run? To sneak away while he was out? All his anxieties were quashed thankfully when he heard rustling in the kitchen.

Slumping down in his usual chair by the fireplace, he leaned his head back, tugging at his collar to peel the fabric from his skin. Not long after he settled, you unearthed from the kitchen. Two fresh glasses of cold juice and the mornings newspaper under your arm.

“And here I thought you’d done a runner on me…”

He soon spoke, breaking that silence, if only barely. He was appreciating your presence more and more.