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“Holmes, would you like to go out?” Watson asked, watching Holmes with concern.
It had been quite some time since Holmes had a case and he had not been doing well. Holmes had retreated into himself, barely eating, sleeping, or even speaking. Today he had come out into the sitting room at least and was currently bundled in blankets on his armchair. Watson had wrapped him up, hoping it would help cheer Holmes up and while Holmes certainly appreciated the blankets, he was clearly feeling quite miserable.
Holmes was also clearly suffering from a lingering migraine. He had occasionally suffered from them on and off for years, usually due to stress or illness. But the years Holmes had spent in hiding had worsened his health and he often suffered from migraines now, especially when not on a case. Watson could clearly see the pain on his face and how he was avoiding looking at any light. Watson had made sure to keep his voice quiet as well, as Holmes was quite sensitive to noise, especially when he had a migraine.
Holmes did not respond to him immediately, and Watson patiently waited for him to answer. He knew it could be difficult for Holmes to speak when he was in this state.
“I only wish for a case, or perhaps for my mind to finally completely wither away,” Holmes said eventually.
“It is cloudy outside. I was thinking of going for a walk to the stables,” Watson said.
That caught Holmes’ attention. Watson knew Holmes adored horses and loved spending time with them. He knew it was unlikely Holmes would turn down an opportunity to see them.
“I am not dressed,” Holmes said.
“I can help you get ready, old man,” Watson said.
Holmes gave him a quick smile of permission, so Watson stood and went into Holmes’ room to gather Holmes’ clothes and a comb. He brought them back out to the sitting room and locked the door before handing Holmes his clothes so he could change. Once Holmes was dressed, Watson gently ran the comb through Holmes’ hair and arranged it so it would not fall into his face. He did not fully style Holmes' hair as Holmes would be wearing his hat. It was a honor to be allowed to help Holmes and Watson found great satisfaction in fixing Holmes’ hair, wrapping Holmes’ crocheted blanket around his shoulders, and placing Holmes’ hat on his head.
Holmes gave Watson another smile as Watson handed Holmes his cane and picked up his own before they headed out. They walked together arm in arm as they were both slightly unsteady. It was a bit of a chilly day and Watson’s leg was slightly sore, but a walk would help him stretch his leg.
They walked in silence to the stables. It was clear Holmes was having trouble speaking and Watson did not mind the silence. He enjoyed Holmes’ company regardless of if they were speaking or not.
It did not take long for them to arrive at the stables. The owners knew Holmes and Watson well and were fine with Holmes coming by just to visit the horses. As such, they both walked directly to the horses and Watson was glad to see the smile on Holmes’ face upon seeing them. Watson lingered back a bit and watched as Holmes approached the horses. Some of the horses also wandered over to greet Holmes as soon as he arrived. Holmes reached into his pocket and pulled out some treats for them. Watson had not noticed Holmes grabbing treats, but he was not surprised to see them. Watson smiled as Holmes fed the horses treats and let them sniff his hand. Holmes quite enjoyed the horses’ soft noses, especially when they wiggled them on his hand and Watson was glad to see Holmes enjoying himself.
Another horse approached Holmes and used his nose to push Holmes’ hat off of his head before lowering his head to chew on the hat. Holmes laughed before freeing his hat from the horse’s grip and putting it back on his head. Watson had not heard Holmes laugh in quite some time now and it was quite nice to hear the sound of it. It seemed as if some of Holmes' melancholy had lifted upon being around the horses.
Watson joined Holmes’ side and was pleased to see a smile still on his face. Holmes turned to him and gave him an appreciative smile as well and a quick pat on his arm before turning his attention back to the horses. Watson knew that Holmes would not truly feel better until he had a case, but horses were beneficial for him to be around and were certainly improving his mood. And Watson was more than willing to do whatever it took to help Holmes feel better. He would gladly remain here at the stables with Holmes for as long as Holmes wanted.