earlgreytea68: (Sherlock)
earlgreytea68 ([personal profile] earlgreytea68) wrote2012-10-16 08:19 pm

Saving Sherlock Holmes (8/43)

Title - Saving Sherlock Holmes (8/43)
Author -[livejournal.com profile] earlgreytea68
Rating - General (eventually as high as Adult, which will be adjusted on a chapter-by-chapter basis)
Characters - Mycroft, Sherlock, John, Harry
Spoilers - Through "The Reichenbach Fall"
Disclaimer - I don't own them and I don't make money off of them, but I don't like to dwell on that, so let's move on. 
Summary - Sherlock Holmes, schoolboy. Yeah, that basically sums it up. 
Author's Notes - Thank yous! To [livejournal.com profile] flawedamythystand [livejournal.com profile] sensiblecatfor the Britpick; to the readers who read as this was being written, including [livejournal.com profile] chicklet73; and to [livejournal.com profile] arctacuda, who uncomplainingly betas massive amounts of fic. 

Thank you for all the good thoughts! I think the interviews went well, so fingers crossed now!

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7



Chapter Eight

John had been dreading going home for the short leave. He really didn’t want to go. And then he felt guilty about that, because he knew Harry wanted to see him, and he did miss Harry, but he felt as if the past month at Eton had been rare magic, and he was afraid of someone at home pointing out to him that this life couldn’t possibly belong to him.

Sherlock had been dreading going home for the short leave, too, but Sherlock’s dread was over lost time in the solving of the Taman Shud murder. Sherlock considered any time not spent in active pursuit of a forty-four-year-old-murder culprit to be wasted time. John would say Sherlock was driving him spare with keeping mad hours in his “laboratory” working on the case, except that John had grown so used to having Sherlock constantly underfoot that he practically couldn’t imagine an entire weekend without him.

It turned out that there was little time to miss Sherlock when he was busy dealing with his mother’s never-ending litany of disapproval of his activities. His activities being, mainly, his audacity in taking himself off to Eton and absenting himself from all the work he could have been doing around the flat.

John, fixing a leaky tap in the bathroom sink, said, “Why couldn’t you just hire someone for this?”

“Oh, you think we’re just made of money now, don’t you?”

“Of course not, but there’s enough of it to hire someone every once in a while,” John replied, and his mother’s silence was telling. He paused in what he was doing and looked over at her, reading the truth of it on her face before he asked the question. “Haven’t you any of your share left?”

“Of course I have,” she said, defensively. “I just don’t want to waste it.”

But she was obviously lying, and John waited until she had passed out in an alcoholic stupor before asking Harry about it.

“I have no idea where it went,” Harry said, pouring them both generous glasses of the cheap vodka Mum had been drinking. “Booze? Gambling? Who the hell knows? But I’m pretty sure it’s gone.”

“How much have you been drinking?” John asked, noting the ease with which Harry knocked the vodka back.

Harry shrugged and grinned at him. “Come on, no wild parties at that fancy school you go to now? Or do they all drink champagne all the time?”

“Dom Perignon,” John said to her. “Endlessly. I’m slumming it here with you.” He sipped the vodka and made an overdramatic face at its quality, earning him a playful shove from Harry, and they laughed together for a second before John sobered and said, “Your money’s safe though, right?”

Harry nodded. “The trust is ironclad. Mum can’t get at it.”

John was relieved. “Good. That money’s for us.”

“Cheers to that.” Harry clinked her glass against his enthusiastically.

“And not to be wasted,” John warned her.

“Education. Got it. I’m on it.”

“Are you?” John worried about her. She hadn’t wanted to move away, and John had wanted it desperately, and she had told him to go, but John still experienced guilt over leaving her to fend for herself. “How’s school?”

“Good. It’s fine. I’m more interested in your school. I told Sarah you would be home this weekend, and she said she never wants to see your face again, and I told her she probably didn’t have to worry about that because you were probably going to fall in love with some posh git and turn gay.”

“Thanks, Harry,” John told her, dryly, “that definitely helped the Sarah situation.”

Harry shrugged, unrepentant. “Tell me how Eton’s going.”

“It’s fine, it’s…amazing. I’ve chosen my courses, you know. Sticking to London. I’m not even going near Oxbridge. University College is my first choice. I’ll need stunning results though; I’m not totally confident.”

“You’ll get them.” Harry had all the confidence for him that he lacked. “I know you will. Tell me what everyone’s like there. Are they terrible?”

“They’re…” John considered. “They’re not so very different than here, really. I mean, they’re still people, and they have stupid cliques and petty feuds, except it’s a bit worse because they’re all stuck in the same buildings all the time, so they can’t get away from each other. But the schools are fantastic, Harry. They’re really interesting. Biology is a dream. We do so much hands-on dissection, it’s amazing. I’m learning so much, seriously.” John realized he was gushing and told himself to shut up.

“And you’re playing rugby,” Harry noted. “You’re looking fit. Are the rugby chaps nice?”

“Nice enough,” John allowed.

“You’re not lonely, are you?” Harry fretted. “I worry about you.”

John went to tell her about Sherlock. It was on the tip of his tongue. No, I’m not lonely. I have this brilliant, frustrating, fascinating, amazing friend who guarantees I am never bored. But he didn’t. He had this idea she wouldn’t understand Sherlock, would mock his oddities and make light of his genius, and Sherlock was too…too…something, for John to let anyone make less of him. Sherlock belonged to him, to this life he was building where he was merely John Watson, As He Wished To Be, instead of John Watson, As Everyone Else Wished Him To Be. He wanted to be selfish about Sherlock, to keep him all to himself and not allow the fact of him to be poked and prodded and criticized and judged by the people who occupied the rest of John’s life.

So he just said, truthfully, “I’m not lonely.”

***

Sherlock was a captive audience in the car on the way back to Eton, and Mycroft was delighted about that. Not that it wasn’t clear that Sherlock still intended to ignore him as much as he could. He was curled up in the passenger seat reading a book about the early stages of the Cold War, which meant he must have finished The Rubaiyat.

Mycroft let him read. Well, if Mycroft was going to be fair, he was putting off starting the conversation. Sherlock was radiating that unusual amount of contentment that Mycroft couldn’t quite get used to. He thought it possible Sherlock was actually breathing more deeply.

Eventually, though, he ventured, “Tell me about your new tutor.”

Sherlock hmm’d without looking up from his book. “What about him?”

“Do you like him?”

“He’s tolerable. He’s the best of a bad lot, I suppose.”

Which was high praise, coming from Sherlock. “He has you working on the Taman Shud case?”

From the corner of his eye he saw Sherlock look up at him suspiciously. “How do you know that?”

“You’re reading The Rubaiyat and books about the Cold War. It’s an easy deduction. Have you got anywhere?”

Sherlock hesitated, and then he launched into what turned out to be a virtual monologue about the case: his theories and conclusions and the idiotic mishandling done by the police and the fact that clearly the man had died of digitalis, there was no other option. Mycroft listened to him and tried not to let his astonishment show on his face, because Sherlock never spoke at such great length unless he was complaining, and this was definitely not a complaint. Sherlock kept talking even as Mycroft drove them straight into Eton, explaining the work he had done to crack the code that had been found in the suitcase, and then he cut himself off abruptly.

Mycroft glanced at him, wondering if Sherlock had just realized they were at their destination, that he had been talking an uncharacteristic amount, but Sherlock was looking at someone with an odd, fixed expression on his face, somewhere between joy and dread. Mycroft parked the car and followed Sherlock’s gaze, to a boy with sandy-blonde hair who had just come around the corner of Holland House. He was fairly unremarkable looking, except for the truly hideous jumper he was wearing.

Mycroft looked from him to Sherlock and needed to ask no questions. He had never seen Sherlock look at someone like that in his life. That was clearly John Watson.

Sherlock moved suddenly, unbuckling his seatbelt. “Well, it was good to see you, Mycroft. I’ll see you in a few weeks for the long leave.”

Sherlock obviously wanted to avoid an introduction, and Mycroft definitely wasn’t leaving without an introduction. Mycroft took off his own seatbelt and stepped out of the car and turned back to Sherlock and said, very loudly, “Here we are, Sherlock!”

Which, as expected, caused the blonde boy to stop walking and turn expectantly in their direction.

Sherlock gave Mycroft a look that made him grateful Sherlock didn’t have superpowers, or else Mycroft would definitely be dead. Then, resigned, he opened his door.

“Hi,” said the boy who was clearly John Watson, looking more pleased to see Sherlock Holmes than Mycroft had ever seen anyone look before. There was almost a bounce to the boy’s step as he came over to him.

“Hi,” said Sherlock, mostly sullen but with a trace of odd shyness to him. Mycroft had never seen Sherlock be shy. Mycroft thought everything about this situation was testing the limits of his belief.

John held a book up. “Got this for you. Untraceable Poisons. No one would let Sherlock Holmes sign it out, but they didn’t bat an eyelash at John Watson doing it.”

Sherlock said, “Idiots,” but he said it reverently, with a look in his eyes as if he thought it possible the sun rose and set on John Watson and his ability to sign out library books for him.

John beamed a smile at him and said, “In exchange, you have to eat a full meal tonight.”

Sod it, thought Mycroft, at that. He loved John Watson. Mycroft cleared his throat pointedly.

A frown of displeasure flickered over Sherlock’s otherwise adoring face. “You know how I told you I don’t have parents, I have a Mycroft?” he said to John. “And you said, ‘What’s a Mycroft?’”

John looked amused. “Yes.”

Sherlock nodded in Mycroft’s direction. “That’s a Mycroft.”

John looked at Mycroft, startled. “Oh,” he said. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t even realize…but a driver came to get Sherlock on Friday, so I didn’t think…Sorry, sorry, sorry.” He rushed hastily to Mycroft’s side of the car. “I’m so sorry. I’m John Watson. I’ve heard…almost nothing at all about you.” John smiled winningly and held out his hand.

“Ah, that’s mutual,” said Mycroft, and politely shook his hand. “Surely you know by now that if you’re going to give him a book on untraceable poisons, you’d better make sure not to eat or drink anything he’s been near?”

“Yes, sir,” John agreed, gravely.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Sherlock sulked. “I would never poison John.”

“Much,” said John, grinning at him and looking fond. Mycroft felt almost dizzy with bewilderment.

Sherlock looked at him in confusion. “What?”

“You would never poison me much. I have no illusions.”

Sherlock looked deeply annoyed and even more deeply star-struck, and Mycroft, who had never seen Sherlock be impressed by anyone ever, studied John Watson carefully and tried to figure out what it was about him that had managed to snag the attention of the world’s most demanding human being. On the outside, Mycroft could see absolutely nothing out of the ordinary about him. He wished desperately that Sherlock weren’t standing right there, because he wanted to have a conversation with John Watson, he wanted to listen carefully to all his replies and figure out what made him tick and what drew Sherlock to him and whether this was going to be the making of his brother or make him worse than ever.

“You should come and stay for a bit over the long leave,” he suggested, and watched Sherlock stiffen with panic. “Sherlock would enjoy that.” He would, too, Mycroft decided, although Sherlock was too unused to the idea of enjoying anyone’s company to realize that he would. And if it just so happened that Mycroft might get a chance to corner John at some point during that week, well, all the better.

Next Chapter

[identity profile] winstonmom.livejournal.com 2012-10-17 12:58 am (UTC)(link)
I just saw this post showing up! Please don't think I was stalking your journal or anthing (at least not much :)
Oh! I love Mycroft's bewilderment regarding meeting John! This was an amazing chapter because I say so!
Love the interaction of John and Sherlock, but I honestly love Mycroft trying to figure out what is so special about John to have captured Sherlock's attention.
Thanks again for sharing the story with us (I am not a writer,but I am a good commenter)so appreciate the effort that goes into writing because I can't write worth beans.

[identity profile] earlgreytea68.livejournal.com 2012-10-18 03:31 am (UTC)(link)
Don't worry, I don't think you're stalking!

I think the great, eternal mystery of the character of John Watson *is* why Sherlock Holmes loves him so much, and I think that Mycroft is as intrigued by that as the rest of us.

I'm so glad you're enjoying the story!

[identity profile] ladyprydian.livejournal.com 2012-10-17 01:32 am (UTC)(link)
“You know how I told you I don’t have parents, I have a Mycroft?” he said to John. “And you said, ‘What’s a Mycroft?’”

John looked amused. “Yes.”

Sherlock nodded in Mycroft’s direction. “That’s a Mycroft.”

*roars with laughter*

Excellent chapter! Ooo what are those boys going to get into over the long break!

Poor John though, both Harry and his Mum having alcohol issues. I hope his part of the money is tied up tight!

[identity profile] earlgreytea68.livejournal.com 2012-10-18 03:31 am (UTC)(link)
Ha! I love that little exchange!

And poor John. He doesn't have war trauma in this version of himself, so I had to give him *some* kind of trauma. I'm terrible that way.

[identity profile] tracker-lucifer.livejournal.com 2012-10-17 01:34 am (UTC)(link)
You have made my day (by a lot). I admit, I am constantly looking at your lj in case you posted up another chapter because I looooovveee it.

Your Mycroft is truly a Holmes in his own way and has his own charm. I cannot wait for Lestrade to finally meet him in person and see how well that goes.

Sherlock and John, spot on despite them being young. I love that Sherlock is fawning (in his own way) over John and John is John. I like how he is being selfish by keeping the knowledge of Sherlock away from his sister.

Character execution, spot on. I love your execution of each of these characters and I feel charmed by them as I did in the actual show. Bravo, much bravo.

I have one question though, how old is John. I am not used to the British school system so I vaguely have an idea how old he is. Can you explain that one to me?

Also.... please please put up the next chapter soon. I am dying in anticipation!

Much hugz-n-snugz

Tracker_Lucifer

[identity profile] earlgreytea68.livejournal.com 2012-10-18 03:38 am (UTC)(link)
I am so delighted to have made your day!

I love to write Mycroft. Love love love him. So I'm glad you love him, too.

And I'm having such fun writing John and Sherlock younger, but keeping their same dynamic. I think all Holmeses and Watsons should adore each other.

John is seventeen. Mycroft is going to name his age in a chapter coming up shortly, but that's how old he is. Sherlock is sixteen.

And the next chapter will be up soon, I promise!

[identity profile] rte-175.livejournal.com 2012-10-17 01:43 am (UTC)(link)
This is the most...just...sqeeish update, if I may invent a word! Just delightful--Sherlock's shyness and being awe-struck by John; John's unbridled excitement at Sherlock's return to school, Mycroft loving John on the spot. Adorable, adorable, adorable! My favorite installment yet!

[identity profile] earlgreytea68.livejournal.com 2012-10-18 03:39 am (UTC)(link)
I love that new word! It's a fabulous word! And this is a chapter that is just full of love all-around, even if nobody (well, none of the characters) is calling it that yet.

[identity profile] kholly.livejournal.com 2012-10-17 02:57 am (UTC)(link)
Forget giving the boys a hug, I want to hug you for how much I love this story. I can't even pull out a line or two, I'd be pasting the whole darn chapter.

[identity profile] earlgreytea68.livejournal.com 2012-10-18 03:46 am (UTC)(link)
Awwww, hugs, hugs all around! :-)

[identity profile] azriona.livejournal.com 2012-10-17 04:11 am (UTC)(link)
Eventually, though, he ventured, “Tell me about your new tutor.”

i.e., "Tell me everything about Greg Lestrade like what color are his eyes and does he like long walks along the beach and is he ticklish and does he have a girlfriend and what's his favorite color and do you think I stand a chance?"

(Because whether or not this actually happens, I am fully planning to tease you mercilessly about it. BECAUSE I CAN. If opportunity arises, I may try to wedge in a leopard.)

You’re reading The Rubaiyat and books about the Cold War. It’s an easy deduction.

Oh, interesting. Because we know Mycroft knows because Greg told him, but he's not going to admit that he's been talking to Greg behind Sherlock's back (even though Sherlock must know he's allowed), so CLEARLY Mycroft is feeling shy about his feelings regarding Greg, just as Sherlock is later shy about his feelings regarding John, so OBVIOUSLY there is something going on with those feelings Mycroft is having. SO I'M RIGHT. Ha.

(Don't think I didn't see that parallel.)

Now I really want to see the long break, even though we just had the short break. Because a young John Watson, before he learns army discipline, is sure to react differently to Mycroft's offers and observations than canon John Watson, and I'm awfully curious to see how that will go down.

[identity profile] earlgreytea68.livejournal.com 2012-10-18 03:48 am (UTC)(link)
Hahahahahahaha! I love so much that you can read so much Mystrade into every single thing that Mycroft does! I don't even want to tell you what *I* intended from those lines, because I feel like I prefer your interpretation.

I hope you like my retelling of the first John/Mycroft scene when it comes around!

[identity profile] azriona.livejournal.com 2012-10-18 04:07 am (UTC)(link)
If you wrote it, then I'm sure I will adore it. And probably read all sorts of Mystrade into it.

I feel like I prefer your interpretation.

That is because my interpretation is AWESOME.

(Sorry, I just woke up, I'm feeling a little slap-happy.)

[identity profile] 1trackmind.livejournal.com 2012-10-17 04:48 am (UTC)(link)
Mycroft is so delightfully evil!

[identity profile] earlgreytea68.livejournal.com 2012-10-18 03:48 am (UTC)(link)
But in the best kind of way!

(Anonymous) 2012-10-17 05:52 am (UTC)(link)
I can't stop snickering at the adorableness of the interactions between Mycroft & Sherlock, and especially between Mycroft, Sherlock & John. I particularly love how bewildered Mycroft is watching John & Sherlock together. They are all just so CUTE without ever really meaning to be. And I can't wait to see what happens when John visits on the long holiday. ...What will Molly think of him?

[identity profile] earlgreytea68.livejournal.com 2012-10-18 03:49 am (UTC)(link)
"Cute" is the perfect word for all of them. They're kind of ridiculous that way. So delighted that you loved this so much!
swtalmnd: baby bunny and a cup of tea (sherlock done being bored)

[personal profile] swtalmnd 2012-10-17 07:36 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, I am so full of love for this chapter, though I do ache just a bit for Mycroft. He tries so hard for Sherlock, and here's this John Watson just waltzing in and making him happy. Absolutely lovely.

Has John let Sherlock index his socks yet, I wonder? (And why, now that I ask that, does it sound like a euphemism? Hah!)

[identity profile] earlgreytea68.livejournal.com 2012-10-18 03:58 am (UTC)(link)
You put your finger exactly on the pulse of why Mycroft is so conflicted here. He wants to just be happy for Sherlock, because he loves Sherlock very much, but he can't help being a little bit hurt at how easy it seems to have been for John.

Hahahaha! Everything sounds like a euphemism when it comes to these two!

[identity profile] obsessionality.livejournal.com 2012-10-17 07:38 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah, no, you've got me making undignified noises again. The bit where Mycroft thought *he* loved John, it made me clutch my heart and I had to get and walk around for a bit because oh my god. I bet Mycroft is like, FINALLY SOMEONE ON MY SIDE FFS. Only more posh, but whatever. Gorgeous update. Very telling in the details. I enjoyed it very much. The bit about John's mum, and Harry pouring them drinks, that's very worrying too. As the readers, we know what's going to happen, but if we were in John's place idk if we'd be lying to ourselves or if we'd have resigned ourselves to it. It's very... ouchy, if that makes sense. Anyway, I'm looking forward to more! xx LM

[identity profile] earlgreytea68.livejournal.com 2012-10-18 03:59 am (UTC)(link)
Hahahahaha! I love your description of Mycroft's internal monologue, because: YES. Mycroft is always desperate for allies, and John Watson is a very welcome addition to the army.

I really enjoyed writing the alcohol in the Watson family, because I feel like it's dread I borrowed from canon, you know?

Glad to have provoked undignified noises again!

[identity profile] ltco.livejournal.com 2012-10-17 10:42 am (UTC)(link)
MORE NAO! MORE NAO! MORE NAO! MORE NAO! MORE NAO! (etc.)



:D

[identity profile] earlgreytea68.livejournal.com 2012-10-18 03:59 am (UTC)(link)
Hee! Soon, I promise!

[identity profile] hatheny.livejournal.com 2012-10-17 01:19 pm (UTC)(link)
This is such a wonderful fanfic! I've read it all in one go, I couldn't stop. The characters, story, atmosphere etc are all just perfect. I love it! Brilliant story :) :) :)

[identity profile] earlgreytea68.livejournal.com 2012-10-18 04:00 am (UTC)(link)
Awww, thank you! I'm so happy that you loved it so much!

[identity profile] willidan.livejournal.com 2012-10-17 01:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, I love this fic more with each new chapter.

[identity profile] earlgreytea68.livejournal.com 2012-10-18 04:00 am (UTC)(link)
Why, thank you!! :-)

[identity profile] wickedgillie.livejournal.com 2012-10-17 06:11 pm (UTC)(link)
And instantly, my day is 100% better. This, all of this, is SO them!

[identity profile] earlgreytea68.livejournal.com 2012-10-18 04:00 am (UTC)(link)
Awww, thanks! I'm delighted I could improve your day!

[identity profile] beatlejessie.livejournal.com 2012-10-18 12:52 am (UTC)(link)
There are so very many things I love about this chapter, but mostly how both John and Sherlock light up when they meet back up at school. They are just so adorably oblivious, and I want to give them a big squishy hug!!

LOVING this story!

[identity profile] earlgreytea68.livejournal.com 2012-10-18 04:02 am (UTC)(link)
"Adorably oblivious" is a good way to describe them! I'm glad that you're enjoying this so much!

[identity profile] chicklet73.livejournal.com 2012-10-18 05:51 pm (UTC)(link)
This never fails to make me laugh:

He was fairly unremarkable looking, except for the truly hideous jumper he was wearing.

Neither does this:

Mycroft took off his own seatbelt and stepped out of the car and turned back to Sherlock and said, very loudly, “Here we are, Sherlock!”

Which, as expected, caused the blonde boy to stop walking and turn expectantly in their direction.

Sherlock gave Mycroft a look that made him grateful Sherlock didn’t have superpowers, or else Mycroft would definitely be dead.


Heh. I love Mycroft. And I love how Mycroft and John immediately hit it off. GOOD TIMES.

[identity profile] earlgreytea68.livejournal.com 2012-10-22 03:33 am (UTC)(link)
I think Mycroft is *hilarious.* His sense of humor is severely underrated!

And yeah, I kind of like the idea that, really, Mycroft and John like each other almost immediately.

[identity profile] aadarshinah.livejournal.com 2012-10-18 06:47 pm (UTC)(link)
i'm loving this series so much. I can't wait for the next installment!

[identity profile] earlgreytea68.livejournal.com 2012-10-22 03:41 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you! I'm delighted that you're enjoying it!

[identity profile] quirkies.livejournal.com 2012-10-18 07:24 pm (UTC)(link)
I love how Mycroft reads Sherlock's so-restrained reactions to John. Those two are just adorable around each other!

[identity profile] earlgreytea68.livejournal.com 2012-10-22 03:41 am (UTC)(link)
It's true, any little reaction from Sherlock is an amazing open book to Mycroft. Anyone else might not see anything at all to decipher.

[identity profile] rifleman-s.livejournal.com 2012-10-18 08:43 pm (UTC)(link)
"...and Sherlock was too…too…something, for John to let anyone make less of him."

Oh that's lovely - I guess we are all, sometimes, lost for words in how to describe Sherlock!

A Mycroft!!!! Brilliant!

Actually, despite Sherlock's misgivings, it might be nice for John to see him in another setting . . .

[identity profile] earlgreytea68.livejournal.com 2012-10-22 03:42 am (UTC)(link)
I really think that the amazing thing about Sherlock, to John, is exactly how indescribably he is, always.

And yeah, Sherlock is just not used to the idea of having a friend, I think John is really looking forward to getting away from the stifling atmosphere of the school.
ext_9800: (Default)

[identity profile] issen4.livejournal.com 2012-10-19 04:35 am (UTC)(link)
Forgot to comment, but I really loved this so much. Mycroft being fascinated at how happy Sherlock is, and a bit hurt that Sherlock had never been that way with him, and liking (loving) John right away. And how devious he is by inviting John - because he knows that Sherlock will like it, and that he'd have a chance to talk to John. Two birds with one stone.

[identity profile] earlgreytea68.livejournal.com 2012-10-22 03:54 am (UTC)(link)
Mycroft's emotions on the subject of John are very complex. He is, as you point out, fascinated because he's never seen Sherlock this way, and hurt that's true, and suspicious, and alarmed, and, also, thrilled to death, because Sherlock has a *friend,* even if Mycroft realizes that Sherlock himself doesn't seem to know it yet.

[identity profile] mariole.livejournal.com 2012-10-27 07:09 pm (UTC)(link)
> John Watson, As He Wished To Be, instead of John Watson

You've touched it there: the heart of the enduring Holmes and Watson fantasy. Lovely.

[identity profile] earlgreytea68.livejournal.com 2012-10-29 02:32 am (UTC)(link)
You're so right, it's a fantasy for both of them, and they get to live it together.