Sherlock Holmes [Reader Insert]

Chapter 2

It had taken you some time that night to fall asleep as Mr. Holmes had decided to practice his violin until late into the night, but you were tired enough that you did eventually fall asleep. You were awoken in the morning by the sound of another crash. This one was quieter than the others you had heard the previous day. You got ready, this time opting for a lighter, simpler dress and your hair up in a ponytail, during which there were a few more crashes. You exited your room just as Mrs. Hudson was coming up the stairs.

"Oh, [Name]," she said, surprised. "Good morning. I was just coming up to let you know that breakfast is ready."

"Good morning. Thank you, Mrs. Hudson," you smiled at her.

"I'll just tell Mr. Holmes." She turned to knock on his door.

"That's alright," you stopped her. "I'll let him know."

She looked you over, surprised again. "Thank you, dear. I'll set the table." She went back down the stairs and you turned to Mr. Holmes' door.

You knocked twice before hearing an, "Enter."

You took a deep breath and swung the door open hard. You had been planning to push it past the cables underneath it, but you now noticed that they weren't there. There was a click and then a crash as a bocce ball flew past you and collided with the couch. You pulled your head back in surprise. The ball bounced off the cushions and rolled across the floor. Mr. Holmes sat behind his desk in an old, tattered robe with the remote in his hand. He looked over at you boredly.

"Good morning," you greeted. "Mrs. Hudson has breakfast ready." You looked down and noticed the plate of food you had brought in last night, half-eaten. Against the opposite wall was a pile of cables.

Mr. Holmes did not respond.

"Did you sleep at all last night, Mr. Holmes? And you never finished your dinner..."

He stood up and set the remote on his desk. "I slept enough and ate enough. You can let Mrs. Hudson know I'll be down in a minute."

You nodded and shut the door before going downstairs.

You were halfway through your food when Mr. Holmes finally joined you. Mrs. Hudson greeted him with a cheer-y, "Good morning!"

He only nodded at her before sitting and beginning to eat. He was shoveling the food down, either hungry or pressed for time.

"Are you alright, Mr. Holmes?" you asked.

He barely glanced up at you as he continued to eat. "I am fine."

You weren't sure if you should rebuke him for his poor table manners, or give him more food, so you decided to ignore him for the time being and turn back to Mrs. Hudson for conversation. "Thank you for the wonderful food. I've only had two meals, but I think you may be one of the best cooks in London."

"Oh, thank you, dear," she smiled bashfully. "My late husband liked to eat, and we were always trying new things. I'm glad you like it, although I'm sure you've had just as wonderful meals at home."

"My mother enjoys cooking, but I always preferred the nights we ate by the campfire. It's a different experience, eating under the stars."

"It sounds lovely. You live very far out of town, then?"

You nodded. "There's a small town close by, but our land is outside of it a good distance."

"I've never lived in the country," Mrs. Hudson told you. "What's it like?"

You shrugged. "I spent a lot of time with the few horses we have and taking care of it all. I'm all my parents had, so I had to help out." You glanced at Holmes, who seemed to be slowing down. "I don't mind working with my hands. I fix a lot of things around the house. I like figuring out how to put them back together, and I usually try to improve them if I can."