Work Text:
Christmas Eve night: Baker Street.
“I found something for us.” Sherlock called out as he dug around in the kitchen cabinets.
“Is it actually for us or are you just going to destroy it again.” John asked from his place sitting in his chair taking bites of biscuit and sips of tea.
“Would you stop bringing that up?” Sherlock said dramatically with a roll of his eyes. “It was hideous, you said so yourself. You should be thanking me for getting rid of it.”
“It wasn’t that bad. It was outdated, that's all.” John tried to reason, wincing as he heard a loud crash and looked behind him to see Sherlock come up from behind the island.
“A grandfather clock? Who would ever need a grandfather clock.” Sherlock scowled before disappearing once again. “It didn’t fit in the flat and we already have a clock anyway.”
“That clock is broken too.” John pointed out before going back to his tea. “It was a family heirloom according to her letter and you just pushed it down the stairs.”
“Heirloom.” Sherlock scoffed coming back into the living room with a bottle in hand. “That’s just Mummy’s way of saying it’s time for a visit. If it was important she wouldn't have sent it at all.”
“It was a Christmas present.”
“Well than Mycroft will enjoy it.”
“Is that where that ended up? I was cooking with Mrs Hudson at the time.”
“Yes. He’s going to piece it together and put it in his armory.” Sherlock said placing the bottle down before going back into the kitchen to get tumbler glasses for them.
“He works for the government, he’s not a General.” John said and leaned over taking up the bottle Sherlock had set down inspecting it, finding it to be whiskey. His own whiskey.
“That’s what you think.” Sherlock said coming back over with two glasses for them.
“Sherlock..” John said with an exasperated sigh rubbing a hand over his face.
“Just something to think about.” Sherlock shrugged sitting down across from John.
“Not that. I bought this.” John said holding up the bottle of whiskey.
“I didn’t say I bought it, I said I found it.”
“And here I thought you’d done something nice.”
“I did. This is certainly nicer than the wine bottle holder that Molly got you. You don’t even drink wine but I know you drink whiskey.”
“Yeah cause I bought it. At least she went out and bought something for me you just dug around in the cupboards until you found this. I actually worked hard on finding your gift.”
“Yes, I know. I didn’t buy you anything but I did get you something and worked hard on it.”
“If you’re still talking about the whiskey I’m going to strangle you.”
“I’m not, one moment.” Sherlock said and stood going into his bedroom and returning a moment later with a small box that he placed in Johns palm. “There’s your heirloom.”
“What?” John asked surprised looking up at Sherlock. “How did you know I had one?”
“I read your emails when I’m bored but that doesn’t matter, go on open it.” Sherlock said sitting back down in his chair waiting for John to open his gift.
John shook his head looking down at the small box turning it over in his hands gently before removing the ribbon around it and lifting the top.
“The fob watch..” John breathed out picking it up gently as if it might shatter in his hands. “I broke this months ago, how did you fix it?” He asked turning the old Victorian style watch in his hands, it was perfectly intact and ticking away as he opened it up.
They had been on a case and John was going to take it to get the glass fixed afterwards but ended up dropping it, breaking the chain and the outer shell. He was devastated as the watch had been in his family for years.
“It wasn’t that difficult, I only replaced a few things so most of the mechanism is original. Do you like it?” Sherlock asked watching him as he looked it over.
“Of course I do.” John says admiring the watch in awe of how it looked almost identical to before and yet it seemed to have more detail. “You did all this yourself?”
“Yes while you were at the clinic each day I worked on it. I dug out some of the old engraving as well from the top.” Sherlock said as John flipped it to get a better look.
“It’s incredible Sherlock. Thank you, really this is amazing.” John said in unbelievable awe of how he had done this without his knowledge. “It’s perfect.”
“Not as perfect as a wine holder.” Sherlock said rolling his eyes and taking up the whiskey bottle again.
“Not quite as perfect as that.” John said with a soft smile. “Bloody close though.”
“To an almost perfect present?” Sherlock asked with a raised eyebrow as he poured a small amount of whiskey into each of the glasses for a toast.
“No, no. I don’t think so.” John said shaking his head though a smile came onto his lips.
“To what then..?” Sherlock asked as he handed John his glass.
“Christmas, a brilliant Christmas that is.” John replied taking his glass up.
“Happy Christmas, John.” Sherlock said amusedly and lifted his glass up to John's own.
“Happy Christmas, Sherlock.” John said in return with a small smile, clinking their glasses together lightly.
That night the residents of Baker Street slept a little more soundly, a little more safely and much more importantly a little more happily. In the morning Mrs Hudson made pies and let them have them for breakfast before dashing off to their next case.
So let’s just say they had a very Happy Christmas.