Chapter Text
"I'm afraid that I must depart in the near future, my Love, for a most puzzling mystery has been presented to me from a most puzzling source. Indeed, this most curious venture shall take me to Cairo." You had already hazarded a guess that your lover would be departing for somewhere when the ruckus coming from his room led you to him haphazardly tossing things into his travelling case. That's how he packs his bags, as chaotic as it is.
"It sounds like quite the adventure." You remark, helping to pack his various deductive and detective equipment into his trunk in a more, space-efficient manner. Sholmes is grateful for your contribution, as he always is. It's a sort of system the two of you quietly worked out. Sholmes more or less gathers what he needs and you help to pack everything together so that he can actually shut his trunk when it's ready.
"Quite the adventure it shall be. I have always wanted to return to Egypt ever since that exhilarating case that took me to the center of one of the great pyramids. It was quite a thrill, having to outwit deadly boobytraps at every turn." Sholmes continues to regale you with the tale of his time in Egypt as the two of you pack his trunk full of necessities and self-invented investigative oddities. Between poisoned arrows, false floors leading to near bottomless pits, and man-eating crocodiles, you begin to consider it a miracle that Herlock hasn't been put out of commission yet. Or, at least, lost an arm or a leg.
"Well, I think that about does it." Herlock tosses a pair of socks into the trunk before shutting it with finality, "I shall have to leave terribly early in the morning to catch my train. You needn't concern yourself with seeing me off." Your heart sinks a bit at his words. You know he means well, and that all he wants is for you to get some proper sleep, which can be a bit difficult living with the Great Detective.
"I suppose this is goodbye for now, then." Sholmes has most likely already said his goodbyes to Iris, though you suspect she may also try as you will to sneak in another goodbye to Herlock before he leaves for Egypt.
"Indeed, I will most likely be gone for a month, maybe two or three. Will you and Iris be alright in my absence?"
"I'm sure Iris and I will be able to hold down the fort while you are gone." You giggle, placing your hands gently on his chest. The irony seems to be lost on him, given he is the person most likely to cause trouble in his own home.
"Excellent, it would be quite a shame for me to return to my lovely home and have it be in a state of disarray." The Great Detective rests his hands on the small of your back, drawing you close to him. Pushing yourself up onto the tips of your toes, you place a tender to kiss to his cheek.
"Good luck." You murmur sweetly.
"Thank you, my love. I feel that I may need it." Sholmes rests his head on top of yours as you rest yours on his chest. The two of you linger for a while, basking in the warmth and company in each's other's arms. Though he is the most eccentric (and obnoxious) man you had ever known, you would be the biggest liar in all of London were you to say that you did not miss him when he had to leave for his grand adventures.
"Could I perhaps implore you to give me another? Just in case something should go terribly awry when I am on my journey." You pull back slightly from the embrace, smiling warmly as you move your hands to cup his cheeks.
"You can have as many as you want, Herlock."