Drabble: A Minor Misunderstanding
I was just dropping off to sleep when the drabble bug bit for the Friday challenge. *Sigh* It's like cricket, the key wicket is taken when you pop to the loo.
Title: A Minor Misunderstanding
Rating: PG
Synopsis: Response to challenge #2: "Watson is hurt; Holmes tries to comfort, but fails miserably."
A Minor Misunderstanding
I leaned heavily on Holmes as he helped me up the stairs at 221b Baker Street. It was inevitable that during the course of our investigations one of us would be injured at some time, and on this occasion it was my turn.
As I had wrestled our murderer to the ground I had felt a hot steaming pain just above my left knee. It seemed that I had fallen on broken glass and a shard had been sharp enough to penetrate the wool of my trousers. I hardly noticed it at first, not until Holmes had held his hand out to help me up and Lestrade had carted his prisoner away.
When I stood, my knee collapsed under me and the sudden change in my balance threw my weight against Holmes and caused him to stumble and then fall, with me on top of him. We had looked at each other and laughed at the absurdity of the situation, he was unhurt but winded. We were still laughing about it as he helped me into a cab.
I lay back on Holmes's bed as he disappeared into the sitting room to fetch my medical bag. Mrs Hudson brought up some hot water and hovered at my bedside like a mother goose observing her brood. With an apologetic smile Holmes returned with his pocket knife in hand.
"I do hope they were not an expensive pair."
"Oh...er...no...no." I glanced at Mrs Hudson. It would be impossible for Holmes to treat my injury without not only removing my trousers, but my undergarments as well.
Perhaps sensing my discomfort, Holmes turned to Mrs Hudson. "Mrs Hudson, would you mind giving us some privacy?"
"Of course, sir." She gave me a reassuring smile and left, closing the door behind her.
"Thank you." I said.
"Not at all." With a swift motion he cut through the material of my trousers and underclothes. Pealing back the fabric he quickly examined the cut above my knee.
"It seems straight enough, do you agree?"
"Yes." I was relieved, the wound did not require stitching. "Just clean and dress, Holmes."
"Of course." I winced slightly as he began to clean the wound. "Thanks to your efforts our killer wasn't able to out run the Inspector and myself. I should have never underestimated your natural skill as a rugby player."
"I'll take that as a compliment." I said a little dryly than I should. I knew that somewhere in that sentence had been a compliment.
"It really was rather careless of me to put you in such a position, with your bad leg and all. He could have easily out run you and then where would we have been?"
"Ouch!"
"Sorry."
He stopped cleaning the wound and went to collect a bandage. He had a strange way of showing affection to anyone, and it was rather trying at times. In normal situations I was quite capable of understanding his comments, but I was in pain and feeling a little exposed and my humour was perhaps not what it should.
"I'm sorry the room is a little cold, I should have asked Mrs Hudson to light the fire."
"What?" I followed his eye line and it took me a few moments to understand what he was saying. "That's it - out!"
"Watson, I... I was only trying to help."
"Insulting my manhood is not helping - go on, out!"
"That is not what I meant... I meant that you appeared to be shivering..."
"OUT!"
Maybe I cheated slightly...
I'd like to say a quick hello to calliopes_pen who has recently added me to their friends list. Mae'n braf i'ch gweld chi* :-D
*er... sorry, it means 'nice to meet you' in Welsh. Spending the day in a Welsh rugby shirt does funny things to your brain.