It Started With Stealing | Sherlock Holmes

94 - The White Knight Is Taken

A/N - Am I still determined to finish this before 100 chapters? YES.

Am I gonna do it? Failure is not an option 😂

Warnings - some violence 🙃

Hope you enjoy!

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"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!" Elizabeth and Mrs Hudson sang in unison.

"Dear God, make it stop." Sherlock muttered to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose, destesting the out-of-tune singing from the two women.

"Happy birthday, dear John...happy birthday to you!"

"Hip hip!"

"Hooray!"

"Hip hip!"

"Hooray!" Elizabeth finally ended with, "Happy Birthday, John."

Mrs Hudson placed the freshly baked coffee cake, decorated with candles, on the coffee table beside John who sat in his chair like a child at Christmas. Elizabeth handed John a stripy blue gift bag, with a wide smile on her face, shared by the birthday boy himself.

"Might want to blow out your candles soon, dear, before the wax gets on the icing."

"Good point, Mrs Hudson." John turned to blow out the three candles on his cake (Mrs Hudson thought thirty-three candles would be a bit much for the cake to handle).

They cheered, albeit Sherlock's joyful cry was very halfhearted. To try and cheer him up, as Elizabeth often tried to do, she stood by Sherlock's chair, resting her hand on his shoulder and gently squeezing it, subtly massaging him. The detective didn't want to like the action but found he did appreciate it so. Why did his heart still persist in liking her?

"Okay," Elizabeth said, a little nervous as she watched John go back to his gift bag, "Now it's not much from me but I do hope you like it."

The doctor nodded in understanding, peeking into the bag to pull out a cosy, expensive, burgundy jumper. It was soft and thick and just emanated the feel of home. John smiled at Elizabeth.

"This is wonderful, thank you, Elizabeth. Come here!"

"Awh!" Elizabeth stepped over to lean down and embrace John, giving him a friendly birthday peck on the cheek, "I know how much you love your jumpers and while you can't wear it in the middle of August, I thought it would make a nice addition to your winter clothes."

"It's brilliant and so soft!"

"I know! I was sad they didn't make any for women." She chuckled.

Mrs Hudson presented John with a wrapped gift. The most surprising part about it was that Sherlock was able to keep himself from ruining the surprise. The doctor found it was book, set in wartime era that Mrs Hudson thought he would be fond of and he truly was. War stories (and crime stories) were his thing, after all.

"Thank you so much, Mrs Hudson." He stood to give the landlady a hug and kiss on the cheek, "And thank you for the cake too."

"Oh! My pleasure, John."

Lastly, Sherlock reached over the side of his chair to pick up a black case. Even Elizabeth raised her eyebrows at it curiously and John's eyebrows raised even more so when he turned to see Sherlock holding it on his lap. The detective offered a small smile.

"I remember you said you wanted to take it up again." Sherlock offered his closest friend the case.

The doctor studied the plain case, deeply intrigued for even he couldn't remember what he had said he wished to take up again. His gaze met with Sherlock's, appreciative of the gift and set it down on his chair to open.