Sherlock fandom
The Greatest Gift
Sherlock still remembers the day like it was yesterday. The sixth day of July. He turned seven and a half years that day. And every birthday gift up until then had never come close to this marvellous surprise.
“Open your eyes, darling,” Mummy said, her voice filled with restrained excitement.
He did as she asked, but slow because he didn’t know what awaited him when his eyes were wide open. How could he have predicted that his life would change forever after that moment. He wonders if his parents knew all those years ago, that they literally gifted him his first best friend.
Sherlock opened his eyes and on the floor in front of him was a basket. Inside the basket was a dog. A living breathing dog. His dog he realised after a while. When those chocolate-brown eyes met his, Sherlock zoomed out anything but the puppy who struggled to get out of his prison.
His fur was wavy and some places curly. The colour of it was auburn. An Irish Setter.
“What will you call him?” Father prompted.
Sherlock startled, having been totally engrossed in watching the dog’s pathetic tries to get his small frame over the top of the basket.
“I get to name him?” Sherlock asked incredulously.
“Of course, Sherlock. It’s your dog,” Father told him.
“Do you like him?” his mother coaxed.
By the tone of her voice, Sherlock discerned that it wasn’t the first time she had asked the question.
“Yes,” Sherlock whispered.
“You can pick him up, you know,” his father said mirthfully. “It’s clear that he won’t be able to get out of there by himself.”
Careful, so he didn’t frighten the animal, Sherlock sat on his knees and leaned over the basket to lift the dog up. Seconds after an eager tongue licked his face and Sherlock giggled.
“It tickles!” he exclaimed.
His parents chuckled and told him he had to train the dog to obey, to teach him what was allowed and what wasn’t.
“In due course. Today you can play all you want with him,” Father assured him when Sherlock looked sceptically at his parents by the mentioning of rules.
Every morning after that, when Sherlock opened his eyes to a new day, Redbeard was there, ready to follow him wherever the day would take them. They became inseparable and Redbeard was quite obedient and didn’t need all the training and commanding his parents had mentioned. The dog was happy to follow Sherlock everywhere and if his master told him no, Redbeard refrained from doing whatever shenanigans he’d been up to at the time.
***
“Open your eyes, love,” John whispers.
Sherlock gets a sudden flashback to a certain July day almost six decades ago. Just like then, he opens his eyes slowly, and just like then he’s gobsmacked by what awaits him. At his feet, in their Sussex cottage, is a basket with an English Cocker Spaniel, red in colour, inside, looking expectantly up at Sherlock.
“John.”
It’s all Sherlock’s capable of uttering. In a fluid motion, unsuitable for his age, Sherlock seats himself on the floor beside the basket and stretches out his arms. The puppy comes eagerly and just like Redbeard did all those years ago, licks Sherlock’s face with fervour.
“Easy, my sweet,” Sherlock coos burying his hands in the soft and curly fur.
He looks over at his husband who’s seated himself beside Sherlock, with a bit more effort.
“The kiss will have to wait, I’m afraid,” Sherlock says, his face still damp from the greeting.
John chuckles.
“You always make it up to me. Do you like her?”
“Oh, yes, John. She’s adorable. How did you keep this a secret?”
“A puzzle you can figure out later, my heart,” John teases. “What will you name her?”
“Hudders, would be appropriate, but I’m afraid our former landlady’s ghost would hunt me for eternity if I did. Hm…how about Queenie?”
“Perfect,” John agrees. “One drama queen and one…what role would she…”
“John!” Sherlock exclaims affronted, which makes the puppy bark.
“Ah, I see…she’ll be your protector,” John quips.
“Mm. I guess one more couldn’t hurt,” Sherlock ponders.
“Agreed,” John says emphatically. “Now, let’s get up and you can wash that beautiful face of yours so I can get that kiss you promised me.”
Another absolute beauty from lisbeth-kk. I'm ... melting.
What a lovely wee story to wake up to!
Thank you, @lisbeth-kk
