Sherlock advent drabbles :D

Today's word is: Rainbow

In the sunshine, the mass of glassware on the kitchen table throws coloured lights onto the kitchen walls.

It's almost pretty, thinks Mrs Hudson, as she wipes down the counter with a cloth. Maybe that's why John seems to put up with it all.

Finishing with the counter, and then the sink, Mrs Hudson turns to the table. She doesn't normally touch it, to be honest; everything always looks so intricate and delicate. Still, the remains of half a sandwich beside a conical flask settles it; if they eat on the table, then it needs to be clean.

She hums while she goes about it; not too loudly, mind, because Sherlock's asleep on the sofa in the next room. The colours on the wall shift as Mrs Hudson moves flasks and tubes and things she doesn't even know the names of.

Some of the beakers are full, and Mrs Hudson is careful not to disturb those too much. All these complicated bits and pieces and experiments. Sherlock is so clever, bless him. John is too, come to think of it, just less likely to spill over onto the kitchen table than his flatmate.

Once the table has been wiped clean and the equipment dusted, Mrs Hudson stands back to survey her handiwork. The table's still full but it looks a bit more useable now. How the boys would manage without her, she doesn't know.

She hums some more as she finishes off the other work-surfaces and rinses her cloths in the sink. The sound of footsteps makes her pause.

Sherlock's standing in the doorway to the kitchen in his dressing gown, looking rather bedraggled.

"Oh, are you up, dear?" Mrs Hudson gives him a smile. "Don't mind me. I was doing my own kitchen so I thought I may as well do yours while I'm at it."

Sherlock looks at the kitchen and the tabletop, then his gaze moves to Mrs Hudson. He smiles. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it, dear." Mrs Hudson hits him playfully with the duster and heads out to do the living room too.