The Baker Street Nativity Advent Calendar (4/24)

[swissmarg]

Title: The Baker Street Nativity Advent Calendar (4/24)
Author: swissmarg
Prompters: getoffmysheet on AO3, a-cumberbatch-of-cookies on AO3, rifleman_s, and sabrinaphynn, who all wanted something about Sherlock and John missing (or arriving late to) Christmas dinner.
Rating: G
Word count: Every installment has 221 words (on my computer)
Characters: John/Sherlock, Mycroft, Mummy
Timeline: Several hours after the end of chapter 23
Disclaimer: This is a transformative work inspired by the BBC television series Sherlock, created by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat, and the 2009 movie Nativity! from Mirrorball Films.
Summary: This is a series of 221b drabbles set in and around The Baker Street Nativity and will make very little sense without having read that first. These drabbles may also contain spoilers for the main story. They are not posted in any particular order, and will jump around in time. I will try to give you some idea of where each drabble fits within (or before or after) the main story in the 'Timeline' field in the header. This series has not been beta read.

Four: Arriving Late to Christmas Dinner

"Dinner was at four. It's now ten." Mycroft steps aside to let them in.

"Happy Christmas to you too," Sherlock says, brushing past. John follows.

"One thing is asked of you, once a year."

"I'm fine, thanks for asking."

Mycroft looks them over, wrinkling his nose. "Couldn't you at least have changed? Have you been climbing through bins?"

"Nothing gets past you."

"Look, Sherlock," John says, "maybe we should come back."

"Not at all, Doctor Watson," Mycroft says with a tiny smile. "Please, come in. Mummy won't want to miss meeting you."

He ushers them into another room, where an older woman is seated by the fire. She stands when they enter.

"Sherlock!"

Sherlock kisses her on the cheek. "Happy Christmas, Mummy. This is John. Watson. Doctor John Watson." He brushes John's back, but drops his hand quickly.

John shakes her hand.

"So you're my son's lover," she says.

John's eyes dart to Sherlock. "Erm... We're together, yes. I'm sorry, I've been looking forward to meeting you, Mrs Holmes."

"I was so disappointed you couldn't make it for dinner."

"We were too. We had something of a run-in. But Sherlock was amazing. He deduced all sort of things about a woman who'd been murdered just from her clothes, then tracked the killer through her phone. It was incredible."

"It sounds beastly."

Comments

[rifleman-s.livejournal.com]

Hee! Snidey Mycroft and understanding Mummy; exactly right!!

Thanks so much! *hug*

[swissmarg]

Did she really come across as understanding? I meant her to be quite disapproving, while still maintaining a thin veneer of politeness. I guess it's hard to get across all the nuances in 221 words.

[rifleman-s.livejournal.com]

You're so right about the 221 words!

But I thought when she said "It sounds beastly" she was being sympathetic . . . I guess it's all down to interpretation!! *grin*

[kitmerlot1213.livejournal.com]

Of course John and Sherlock would have to track down a killer on Christmas--I'm surprised that Mycroft's surprised :)

[swissmarg]

Remember that in this verse, they are not detectives (yet). Sherlock was, until the previous week, a primary school teacher. So, yes, it's a bit out of left field for Mycroft and Mummy.

[sabrinaphynn.livejournal.com]

Big grin over here. Mummy is so not amused.
She'll probably be resigned to this behavior by next Christmas, but never ever be happy about it.
:D

[swissmarg]

I agree, I don't think she will ever approve.

[frodosweetstuff.livejournal.com]

Oooooh, I sense a disapproving relative. *wibbles*

Mycroft looks them over, wrinkling his nose. "Couldn't you at least have changed? Have you been climbing through bins?"

"Nothing gets past you."
You know, for a second there I thought that was a joke but at the end I realized this is your version of ASIP and that it's true. :D

Anyway, Mummy's very direct "So you're my son's lover" had me all a-wibble. I hope she'll fall for the Watsom charm soon, so that Sherlock won't have to feel unsure (at least that's what I'm interpreting the dropping his hand quickly thing as).

Anyway, great!

[swissmarg]

I guess I was trying to squeeze too much into this, but you're right on all counts. They were actually dumpster diving earlier in the day, looking for the pink suitcase. I looked at the time line of the episode and figured it was possible to fit everything from the first crime scene visit to the shooting in 6 hours, including John going back home to get his gun.

Mummy's use of the word 'lover' was complicated. It was supposed to reflect the label I thought a woman of her era would use, as well as having the connotation of the relationship being, in her mind, illicit, mainly physical, and temporary. I don't think that she really understands what homosexuality is, and that it's possible for two men to honestly love each other the way a man and a woman might. She thinks that Sherlock is once again doing shocking things simply for the shock value and to get attention, like his drug use in his youth (which she never saw as a sign of a deeper inner turmoil or desperation, but just as Sherlock trying to embarrass her and being ungrateful for all the advantages he'd been given).

And absolutely, Sherlock's hand-dropping thing was him being insecure, both about Mummy's reaction and about his own feelings on the matter: does he want to present John as his boyfriend or merely as an acquaintance? But of course Mummy saw right through that, and/or Mycroft briefed her beforehand.

And this comment is already longer than 221 words, so you see how hard it is! ;)

[frodosweetstuff.livejournal.com]

No no no! That you squeezed in so much made it all the more interesting!

I understood her choice of the word 'lover' the way you meant it. I mean, the fact alone that it's Mycroft who greets them and Mummy remaining sitting by the fire when new guests arrive speaks volumes.

It's great to look inside your head... :D Thank you!

[mildred-bobbin.livejournal.com]

that definitely came through

[swissmarg]

Oh good. I was a bit worried after the first couple of comments... (and I am racing you to see who can comment faster, lol)

[mildred-bobbin.livejournal.com]

lol damn I had to leave so you win :P

[mildred-bobbin.livejournal.com]

lol awkward meeting of the inlaws, perfect!

[swissmarg]

One would hope she would warm to John as time passes. I imagine she does eventually accept him as Sherlock's 'special friend'.

[mildred-bobbin.livejournal.com]

I can imagine her even, as the type of person, once the shock has worn off and she has accepted John and realised he's a positive influence on Sherlock, to embrace it and flaunt her son's 'progressive' relationship.