Work Text:
“Mr. Sholmes, what’s Christmas?”
Herlock looked at Ryuunosuke in surprise, who had approached him that morning in the suite. Ryuunosuke and Susato were visiting London again for a few weeks, and the suite always felt fuller with those two. Especially Ryuunosuke, though he was impulsive and blurted out every thought he had, he was sharp as a razor, and thoughtful and kind. Iris was always happier when the two were there, excitedly dragging them into helping her with whatever invention she was making, or having them try her newest tea blends.
It happened that they were visiting during the months of December, around a year after Herlock and Iris had met the two. The streets of London were covered in a soft blanket of snow, and Ryuunosuke looked adorable wearing the little striped scarf that Iris had knitted him. For some reason, Herlock was thinking that Ryuunosuke was adorable more often, though he had no idea why.
“Oh! It’s a holiday! Why do you ask, my good fellow?” Herlock asked.
“Well, I overheard some people talk about it on my way to the confectionary store, and I was wondering what Christmas actually celebrates.” Ryuunosuke answered.
“My dear fellow, you mean to tell me you don’t know what Christmas is?” Herlock asked, stunned when Ryuunosuke nodded. “Do you not celebrate Christmas in Japan?”
Ryuunosuke raised a brow at him. “Mr. Sholmes, how can I celebrate it if I don’t even know what it is?”
“Hah! That is a good point, Mr. Naruhodo!” Herlock said, then adding. “What do you know about our dearly beloved winter holiday?”
“I’ve heard of it, and that it’s celebrated during December, but I’m not quite sure what it even is.” Ryuunosuke said.
“Well, my dear fellow, it’s a holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ!” Herlock said.
“…You mean the Jesus from the bible?”
“Exactly!”
“Huh.”
“Tell you what, Mr. Naruhodo.” Herlock was grinning. “Why don’t I hold a little Christmas dinner with you and Miss Susato? I think it’d be quite splendid for you to share your first Christmas dinner with us!”
“Oh, that’s not necessary.” Ryuunosuke said, sheepishly smiling. “I wouldn’t want to be a bother.”
“My dear fellow, it’s no bother at all! We already have a Christmas feast every year, I’ll just make sure it’s especially grand!” Herlock said.
“Mr. Sholmes, it’s really quite alright-” Ryuunosuke tried, but Herlock ignored him.
“I must get the finest Cochin chicken at once!” Herlock burst out, before he practically booked it down the stairs.
Ryuunosuke was left standing in the suite by himself, before he smiled.
“Well, guess I’m having a feast.” He said to himself, laughing a bit.
━━━━ ❰ ･ ❉ ･ ❱ ━━━━
“Oh, Iris! This feast is absolutely wonderful!”
Herlock smiled at the assortment of foods on the dining table, all that he had cooked. It had taken almost the whole day, so he’d sent Ryuunosuke and Susato out to run errands while he cooked with Iris. He liked cooking, it was almost like a science, keeping a close eye on every pot and pan he had, even though Iris repeatedly scolded him for multitasking too much. When finally, the last food had stopped cooking—the Cochin chicken, he had to make sure it was perfect—he was proud to have plated it. Their dining table looked like something straight out of a painting.
And he did all of that…without burning the suite down!
That was a success in his books.
As soon as Susato and Ryuunosuke had walked into the room, they stopped and stared in awe at the Christmas feast. They sat at their tables, and he could tell they were dying to taste everything.
“Thanks, Susie!” Iris said, grinning. “Though thank Hurley for that, he’s the one who cooked most of it.”
“I didn’t know you were a good cook, Mr. Sholmes.” Susato said.
“Thank you, Miss Susato! But unfortunately, I’m not much of a good cook. These dishes aren’t that difficult, why do you think I chose them?” Herlock said.
Iris shook her head. “Oh, stop being modest Hurley!”
“It really is a marvelous feast, Mr. Sholmes.” Ryuunosuke said.
“Aw, why thank you, Mr. Naruhodo! I must say, you’re very good for the ego.” Herlock said.
Ryuunosuke rolled his eyes, though he was smiling.
“You’ll accept flattery from Susie but not Runo?” Iris questioned, raising a brow.
“Did you not hear me thank her too, Iris?”
“…True.”
Susato laughed.
They all ate the Christmas feast, talking and laughing with each other, the room filled with warm chatter and camaraderie. Iris told Christmas stories and answered any of Susato and Ryuunosuke’s questions about the holiday, and Herlock would chime in every now and again. The suite felt so warm and welcoming whenever Ryuunosuke and Susato were visiting, but now? Herlock had never felt quite so much cheer and joy as he did, when Ryuunosuke laughed and smiled so adorably.
A few hours later, and the feast was over. Susato had gone off to her room to sleep, apparently the heaviness of the Christmas feast left her stuffed and tired. Herlock helped Iris wash the dishes at first, but she soon chased him away with a bar of soap. He went to the doorway, where Ryuunosuke was, looking up at the mistletoe hanging from the top of the doorway.
“Hello, Mr. Naruhodo!” Herlock greeted, going next to him. “What are you doing?”
“Just wondering what the name of that plant is.” Ryuunosuke replied.
“Ah, that’s mistletoe, my good fellow!” Herlock said.
Ryuunosuke turned to him, curious. “Mistletoe?”
“Yes, mistletoe. And now that we’re under it, we have to kiss!”
“Wh-What?!”
Herlock laughed at Ryuunosuke’s embarrassment. “It’s a Christmas tradition, my dear fellow! Two people underneath mistletoe have to kiss. A silly tradition, but a tradition nonetheless.”
“Oh, um…” Ryuunosuke blushed. “You don’t want me to kiss you, Mr. Sholmes.”
“Why not? You kiss other men, don’t you?”
“Th-That’s beside the point, Mr. Sholmes!”
“My point is, my dear fellow, is that you have no trouble kissing other men!” Herlock said, adding at Ryuunosuke’s thoughtful frown. “So why have trouble kissing me?”
“Well, true…” Ryuunosuke trailed off, before shyly smiling. He walked up to Herlock. “I think…that I’d like to kiss you, then.”
“Perfect!”
Herlock suddenly grabbed Ryuunosuke by the scarf and captured his lips in a kiss. Though Ryuunosuke was surprised at first, he leaned into it. The kiss was soft and gentle, and Herlock could still taste the warm citrusy sweetness of the lemon tarts that Ryuunosuke had finished his Christmas meal with. In fact, everything about him was sweet and warm, his smile and laugh, the way he’d blurt out every word, his kindness and thoughtfulness. Herlock knew that Ryuunosuke had many male suitors, and he didn’t blame them! Why wouldn’t they want him? He was a kind, handsome, and intelligent man. It was only logical!
The two separated from the kiss, and Herlock grinned. “Wow! Now I know why people are so fixated on first kisses!”
“W-Wait! Mr. Sholmes…I was your first kiss?!” Ryuunosuke asked, stunned.
“Yes, you were! And my, you’re a good kisser!” Herlock replied.
Ryuunosuke went even redder, before he quickly ran upstairs to his study. Herlock just watched this all, mostly confused. Why was Ryuunosuke so embarrassed? It was just a kiss. Though, he couldn’t deny that there was some sort of…warm feeling in his chest, similar to joy but not quite. He’d never felt this before, but when he saw the adorable way Ryuunosuke blushed, he felt…warm, almost calming. And why was his face so warm too?
Iris walked up to him, and she said. “Hey, Hurley.” She then asked. “Where’s Runo?”
“He went to his study.” Herlock replied.
“I see!” Iris said.
“Iris.” Herlock turned to Iris, who raised a brow at him. “I feel a warm fuzzy feeling in my heart, what is that?”
“That’s probably just the smoking bishop, Hurley.” Iris replied.
“Ah, that explains it! I had too much to drink, after all.”
Iris smiled at him.
Herlock smiled back at her, then saying. “This was the most fun Christmas we’ve had yet, wasn’t it Iris?”
“Yes.” Iris grinned. “It was a very merry Christmas!”