Chapter Text
It hasn't been long since my dear friend and I reunited.
I never could have dreamt that I would find myself residing at 221B Baker Street again after so many years. When Holmes had begged me to stay, I happily obliged. Though there was one thing that I was worried about.
The young girl that I had left in Holmes' care all those years ago. I wasn't sure how she'd react to my presence.
"Watson, no need to be such a worrywart!" He had responded with a roll of his eyes. "She'd be more than happy to finally get the chance to bond with her father." And as time passed, he had proven to be correct.
The little girl was thrilled to get to know me better.
Such a talented, lovely young lady...
..Who went by the name of Iris Watson.
Iris was happily tending to her herbs. Once she finished watering her plants, she took a quick look at her pocket watch. It was 11PM.
She quickly took off her apron and gloves, and ran downstairs to the kitchen. She set up a pot of tea to brew. In the meantime, she bussied herself with cleaning up the make-shift coffee table and placed all sorts of various treats ontop of it which she prepared herself. After a minute or two had passed, she heard someone hurry down the stairs. By the specific sound of the person's heels, she could already tell excatly who it was.
She hurried to the front of the stairs, and did a curtsy with a big smile on her face: "Good day, papa Mikotoba!"
Yuujin brushed his hair back, and greeted the little girl with a bow of his own: "Good afternoon, Iris. I must apologize for being late. I was writing something and I seemed to have completely forgotten the time." Iris giggled, and placed her hands behind her back: "Don't worry about it! I already prepared everything in advance. If you go sit down, I will grab the tea, okay?" Yuujin smiled. He made his way down the stairs fully and walked into the living room: "Well, if you insist...But do let me know if you need any help, please. This was my idea after all. I'd hate for you to do all the work every time we do this." Iris shooed the other into the living room: "Don't worry about it, please. I promise that I will be fine. Just sit tight and let me do the rest." Once she saw Yuujin take his seat in the living room iris made her way into the kitchen once more, and poured two cups of tea.
This had become a regular activity for the two. When Iris had learned about the truth behind the great detective's partner, she had been shocked. Though she wasn't angry or resentful of Yuujin. She became intrigued. Although this man may not be her biological father...She still saw him as such for many years, albeit under a different name. She isn't intrested in learning more about the Van Zieks, or Baskerville family for that matter. Though she may be related to them by blood, that is the only connection she as to them. She is intrested however in learning more about the man who shares custody over her with Ho-with her papa. The man who Sherlock saw in such a high regard that he let Iris believe that he was her father. The man who saved her life, and took care of her without even questioning it once. The man who her papa has been growing closer and closer to every single day. Her father.
Iris had talked to Yuujin about her wishes before. He was a little surprised that she wanted to spend more time with him after he was forced to leave her. Though he was more than happy to abide her wishes. He too, wanted to build up a proper relationship with her. He tried to distance himself at first in fear of her not wanting anything to do with him after learning the truth. But Iris was actually more thrilled to spend time with him now. And who was he disagree with her?
He missed several years with Susato because of his decision to study in the British Empire. He hadn't been allowed to look for contact with Kazuma, despite his worries. And iris, who he had to leave in Holmes' care after he was forced to return to Japan. He had many regrets. He constantly felt as if he failed his children, either by fate or by his own stupid decisions. He wouldn't make that mistake again.
Yuujin had come up with the idea of them having tea every day at a specific time so they'd have time to bond and talk things through. Iris had been thrilled by the idea. And by now, it had become a tradition of sorts.
Iris placed the two tea cups on a tray and made her way into the living room, where Yuujin was waiting for her on the couch. She placed the tray down, and picked up her own cup as she took her seat. She sat across from him with a easy going smile on her face: "How has your day been so far, Papa Mikotoba?"
They spend around an hour talking abour several things that intrest them. Iris talked about a new kind of tea she has been inventing, while Yuujin talked about a new case file he had written about his and Sherlock's latest adventure.
After a moment of silence passed, Yuujin placed his cup down with a serious expression on his face. When Iris saw him do so, she placed down her own cup with a raised eyebrow. She tilted her head ever so slightly as she frowned: "Is there something bothering you?"
Yuujin sighed and straightened his composure. He let out a halfhearted laugh: "I promise that the thing I wish to talk to you about isn't anything bad, iris. Well, I suppose it could be, depending on your reaction..."
Iris stood up from the opposite couch, and made her way over to Yuujin. She climbed onto the seat next to him, and took his hand. She looked up at him with determined eyes: "Please...! I promise that I won't react badly to whatever you want to tell me." She took off her gloves and squeezed his hand gently. She had a bright smile on her face: "I'm perfectly capable of handling myself. There is no need to worry about me. What would you like to tell me?"
Yuujin looked at the young girl with admiration. She's so young, and yet so incredibly wise, so incredibly grown up...A part of him is proud of her. A different part is scolding him, saying how one of the reasons that she had to grow up so quickly was his very own fault.
She shook his head and took a deep breath. His self deprecating thoughts could wait for a different time. He had planned to ask her this for a while now, and he was not going to chicken out now. He clutched her hands with a small smile on his face. He could do this.
"You see, iris...The thing I wanted to talk to you about is...As you know, Sherlock and I have been in a relationship for quite some time now-"
Iris let out a small surprised sound. Although he hadn't gotten to the most important part, it looks like she already had an idea where this would be going.
"I...Lost my wife. A very long time ago. I was in a lot of pain, and it was a very difficult time for me. I blamed myself for what happend to her. I...Decided to sign up for an exchange program. I thought that perhaps that would help me find some sort if peace, that it could distract me from my grief.
It was...A cowardly decision. I ended up leaving Susato with her grandmother, while I ran away from my problems and tried my hardest to focusing on my studies instead. What I hadn't expected was that I would end up sharing lodgings with this young, clumsy but extremely intelligent man who was a aspiring detective. He became a dear friend to me as I experienced many adventures with him, and as years passed, I began to feel...Enamored by that man. I started to feel 'butterflies' in my stomache, many would describe it as. Due to...A series of unfortunate events, I was forced to return to my home. I felt devastated.
We were seperated for several years, but those feelings never went away. If anything, the great distance only made those feelings stronger. We kept in contact through letters and shared our experiences with one another.
When I returned to our...Our home, we practically picked up right where we left off. We were still as much two sides of the same coin as we were all those years ago. And as time passed after our reuinion, we...Formed a relationship, as you know. Something that I could have never imagined, after the tragic events that occured with Ayame."
Iris shifted a little so she'd be seated ontop of Yuujin's lap. She hugged his chest, as she continued to listen to his story. She tried her best to let her expression remain neutral, though she was having a hard time hiding the smile that was forming on her face.
Yuujin instinctively wrapped his arms around her and continued: "I...Sherlock made me long for things which I had thought had left my mind a while ago. I feel like I can be myself around him. Like I...Like we are equals, as should be normal among partners." I felt as though my bad opinions of myself may be wrong after all, though he refrained from sharing those thoughts with Iris: "We were already torn apart once due to unforeseen circumstances. And that time apart made me realise that I simply cannot imagine a life without Sherlock Holmes."
Yuujin found himself chucking at the cheesiness of it all. He faced iris with a easy going smile on his face: "I suppose what I am asking you is...Would you be okay with me proposing to Holmes, Iris?"
He didn't even need to wait for a response. The moment those words left his mouth, he was met with two small arms wrapping around his neck. Iris was hugging him so tightly that he wasn't sure if he would be able to breath normally in a few seconds. He felt the collar of his blouse grow wetter, and he took that as a sign that iris was crying. He was about to apologize, but fell silent when she spoke up:
"I-I...Am thankful that you trusted me so much with this, Professor M-Mikotoba...." She pulled away from the hug, and quickly wiped away her tears with her discarded gloves. She chuckled as she did, and looked up at her foster father: "Though I don't believe that you needed to ask this of me, really. I mean...I already see Susie as my big sister! And Kazumie as my big brother...And of course, you're already my papa aswell, aren't you...? Though I believe that I shall call you...Father! Otherwise it will get too confusing, and we can't have that happening now can we?" Iris placed her hand on her chin, and snapped her fingers afterwards: "My! Susie and I could even plan the wedding! Though I never believed that Holmesie would find a romantic partner, I still had some ideas prepared just in case. You never know what life may throw at our doorstep next, you know?" Iris shrugged nonchalantly.
Yuujin looked at the young girl with a look of adoration. He simply knew that she would be a force to be reconned with when she gets older. Hell, she already is that right now.
Iris had been rambling about multiple ideas for the wedding already. He hugged her once more, which seemed to stop her. She hugged him back tightly and giggled.
Yuujin gently patted her head and looked at her: "My, you already have this entire thing planned out, don't you...? If I may ask, what did you have in mind for decor?"
Iris looked up at her father with a cheeky smile on her face. She pulled down her goggles as she continued to talk:
"My idea was...Many, many flowers! I think they would be fitting, seeing as the language can express all kinds of things, and it seems that our family isn't quite as good at expressing things through words. I would like to mix that with a industrial aesthetic, as a reference to papa's intrest in engineering. There would need to be lots and lots of cherry blossoms everywhere, obviously. But the center piece should be a bouquet with all different sorts of irises!"