#villain!mycroft

[a-map-of-gays]

I'm so normal about the Holmes siblings (visibly shaking)

[itsbenedict]

what the fuck mandy you can't just say who carlyle's biological parents are that's LITERALLY ILLEGAL

But yeah, this is a tricky one! In part because like, it's been a while since I read those books, but also because Carlyle is so temperamentally a cinnamon roll. And the plot isn't fresh enough in my mind to figure out the perfect place for them to go off the deep end...

I think probably the easiest way to do this is to just have Julia Doria-Pamphili get to them. Carlyle goes through like five different crises of faith in these books, so it's probably not hard to have one of them resolve in a less healthy way. They break, one of the many times they had the opportunity to break but didn't in canon, and Julia makes them into exactly the weapon she intended them to be. Probably works best if, like, this happens before Bridger does what Bridger does at the end of Too Like the Lightning, and they kidnap him and really fuck up his conversation with J.E.D.D. Mason. Theologically speaking, they can do a lot of damage.

[conduitstreetcat]

Book 2 Chapter 18: Funny Little Feelings

Warmth. Skin. Leg under mine. Arms - around me?

My eyes fly open.

Sebastian.

You’re *home*. And -

Oh - god -

Everything streams back slowly like a film -

I find myself cringing at the things I’ve done and said. I feel my face flushing hotly -

And then I remember the most important thing - I’m Jim Fucking Moriarty. And I do as I like. If I want to wear a cat onesie and do the Time Warp Dance in front of Buckingham Palace, then I will - because I - will - it. My lips twist wryly at the image that arises - me dancing full out, while you stand stoically behind me - playing the song, and wearing a tiger onesie. And staring threateningly at anyone who dares get too close…

Aww… so lovely to have a fiercely protective tiger by me at all times…

And oh wouldn’t that little display mess with MI5… Mycroft would heighten security and begin assigning agents immediately to try to understand what it could possibly mean -

Makes me almost consider it - I chuckle softly.

Read it now on AO3!

[musical-chick-13]

unpopular opinion: I loved Eurus Holmes. She made s4 so much better and she had great chemistry with Sherlock. I feel like people only dislike her due to the old “a woman wrote by Moffay?? must hate!”

BIG AGREE!!

I mean, this is basically the Problematic Women Blog, so this comes as no surprise to anyone, probably, but as many issues as I had with season 4 (one of which, I will admit, was the way they hand-waved how she could, for all intents and purposes, mind control people), I greatly enjoyed watching her. She was smart, she was terrifying, and she was incredibly vulnerable too! All of which is a hard balance to strike well, but I think it really worked here.

The reveal of her identity-and that she was the woman John had been texting-was wonderfully done, and the scene where Sherlock hugs her while she's having her breakdown legitimately had me in tears the first time I saw it. She added a lot to the Holmes family dynamic, and Siân Brooke did a fantastic job of not making Eurus a direct clone of either of her brothers.

One of my biggest pet peeves is how people immediately dismiss (or actively, vitriolically spew hatred at) any woman in a Steven Moffat property just for the sake of talking about how much they hate Steven Moffat. Which it's fine if you hate him or think he's a terrible writer. But I think it's reductive and unhelpful to automatically write off every single female character in his shows and to refuse to consider them on even the slightest deeper level.

send me controversial or unpopular opinions and I'll tell you if I agree or disagree

[theredheadinquestion]

Folks in my older lesbian/queer social group were talking about exes when one posted this:

My immediate thoughts:

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Hi Steph! I turn to your wisdom, do you know any fics with Mycroft being a good brother, helping Johnlock to be together? Or with Mycroft taking care of Mary before Sherlock returns to London? I’ve always wanted to read a fic where Mycroft investigates Mary because of his surveillance on John, and finds out who she really is and tells her in very clear terms that John Watson is off limits.

(submitted by hesperydesm)

——

Hi Lovely!

Ahhhh, I’m CERTAIN I do, LOL, but my brain is not remembering at all. Good brother Myc:

Mycroft Flirts With John

Mycroft Plays a Role in This Fic

Mycroft Plays a Role Pt. 2

Mycroft Plays a Role Pt. 3

Matchmaker Mycroft

Big-Brother Mycroft

Big Brother Mycroft Pt 2

Big Brother Mycroft Pt. 3

Holmes Brothers’ Relationship

As for Myc vs Mary, I know of this one:

A Study In Auto-Signatures, Sniper Dolphins, and Sex Holidays by cwb (E, 32,689 w., 8 Ch. || Case Fic, Post S3, Evil Mary, Dev. Rel., Beach Holidays, Confused Sherlock, Friends to Lovers, Honeymoon, Epistolary, Bottomlock, First Kiss / Time, Fluff, Secret Agents, BAMF!John) – John and Mary go on their sex holiday, and Sherlock is grumpy and pining about it. Part 1 of HOT DOLPHIN SEX

And there might be more on my Evil / Not-Nice / Villain Mary list!

Feel free, friends, to add some more that I am totally missing. Would love to have more!

[atamh]

Mycroft, who is you hero? Or someone you aspire to be like?

Heroes and villains don't exist. It's all a matter of perspective. How one acts is largely depended on motivation, perseverance, and especially on situational circumstances and influences, such as one's upbringing, social network, group dynamics and social rules.

[herbirdglitter]

Something that irks me about the Enola Holmes movies is the fact that Mycroft is supposed to have a much higher opinion of women than Sherlock does.

It doesn’t make sense. Just because Henry Cavill is pretty, he has to be a feminist to so that people can thirst after him without their consciousness getting in the way, and Mycroft is sexist because he’s low key a villain in the story.

But I think it would have been way more interesting if they’d stuck to canon, at least for the beginnings of the stories, and had Sherlock not be merely detached and uninvolved in politics, but actually think men are superior.

And it would have added way more nuance to Mycroft’s character to have him actually respect women. All of the major plot points could have been kept, but their characters would have more depth and Sherlock could have a bit of a character arc.

All that aside, I demand justice for feminist Mycroft.

They did him so dirty in those movies.

[joanquill]

Post Time Skip Relationship Headcanons with Sherlock

Headcanons of what your relationship with Sherlock will be like after the time skip.

Sherlock Holmes

Tag/s: Fem!Reader, Established Relationship, Headcanons, Long Warning/s: MANGA SPOILERS! The story takes place after the three-year time-skip (as stated above)

You and Sherlock were in a serious relationship for some time, and you knew him like the back of his hand.

You were his safe space and confidant, trusting you with his whole life and telling you everything.

So when the news broke out about the Lord of Crime, William James Moriarty, you knew Sherlock would be involved in the grand finale.

While everyone was outraged and cursed the Lord of Crime, you and Sherlock knew something was missing. One final clue.

You didn't know why, but you could tell Sherlock was getting more anxious with how tightly he held your hand during the investigation.

The whole time, you were by his side. But from the palace visit to William's letter, you knew Sherlock was hiding something from you.

Whenever Sherlock was deep in thought, he would grab your hand and turn to you, telling you how much you mean to him.

You tried to ask him why so suddenly, but he would just sadly smile and say he just wanted to let you know.

It all became apparent on the night of the Reichenbach Fall.

While others saw a hero sacrificing himself to defeat the villainous killer, you saw your lover and friend falling to their deaths.

John, Miss Hudson, and even Mycroft were consoling you, hoping to find comfort in each other.

But what shocked you was that sometime after the funeral, someone delivered you irises and lilies with a note, a message only you and Sherlock understood, with a promise of returning.

You ran up to 221B Baker Street, finding out Sherlock had also sent a letter to John indicating his survival.

You fell to your knees from shock and relief, releasing the tears and emotions you'd been holding back the whole time.

You continued to live on, patiently waiting for Sherlock and William with John, Miss Hudson, and Mycroft.

During anniversaries and your birthday, it was almost clockwork with the deliveries of gifts and flowers with small notes.

On the other hand, you would keep your gifts in a safe place to give to Sherlock when he returns, even though you were not sure when that would be.

Until one day, you found a familiar man with long hair standing and fidgeting on your porch with a bouquet and gift box.

Out of impulse, you called out Sherlock's name, making the man turn around and confirm it was Sherlock.

Your body moved on its own as you ran to him, hugging him tightly as if he would vanish if you let him go.

And from how his whole body wrapped around you, it seemed he felt the same way.

You lightly joked about his changes, from the long hair to the cleaner attire, saying how William must have been a good influence on him.

Sherlock smiled as he reassured you he was still him, and his feelings for you were unwavering.

He apologized for the sudden appearance and explained why, telling you William sent him on a mission and needed your help as he gave you a letter from William.

Seeing how dire the situation is, you agreed and followed their plan.

After stopping Sebastian Moran, you felt Sherlock reach for your hand, squeezing it tightly.

You smiled as you entangled your fingers with him, rubbing his knuckles reassuringly.

You and Sherlock rode a carriage back to 221B Baker Street, and Sherlock never let go of your hand.

You joked at how nervous he seemed, reassuring him they would be more than ecstatic to see him again.

Sherlock kept quiet the whole time as he suddenly asked how you felt about him, knowing how he made you wait and how much he changed.

Caught by surprise, you asked if that was why he was so nervous this whole time, and he confirmed your suspicions.

You breathed out a smile as you gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, saying you still loved him after all this time, and even if he changed, that just meant you would get to know and fall in love with the new sides of him.

You felt Sherlock loosen up as he sighed in relief, leaning towards you as he breathed out: "That's good to hear..."

After the reunion with everyone, Sherlock walked you home, hoping to spend more time with you.

You talked about what happened during the three years, how you've been, his adventures and travels.

What surprised you was how he was planning to travel again despite just arriving back in London, this time with you by his side, showing you to places he thought you would or wanted you to see.

It was quite evident with how much souvenir he got for you (he hid it behind some bushes by your place so you wouldn't get overwhelmed and it wouldn't get stolen)

And how he even bought you a new dress made with the best fabric abroad, hoping you would wear it for the dinner so you would match.

Even during dinner, Sherlock stayed by your side and practically shielded you from Billy the Kid... who happily told you how much the great detective missed you during your absence, even with William confirming his claims.

Despite how awkward it is to hear how much Sherlock shared about you with his friends, it made you happy how Sherlock never stopped thinking about you.

During dinner, you noticed how Billy and William would glance at Sherlock as if waiting for something.

You asked the two what was going on, but they would deny it or brush it off as nothing.

Sherlock, on the other hand, regrets getting caught ring shopping by the two back in America.

Sherlock had to pull the two away after dinner, saying to keep it a secret from you until he felt it was the right time.

Sherlock knew he had a lot to make up with you with how he left, and he plans to make it right.

He already has dates planned to rekindle the fire, hoping to slowly dissolve the distance between you two as he waits for you to reach the same place he is now.

No matter how long it is, even if it's another three years, he plans to prove how much he loves you and ask for your hand in marriage when you both feel ready.

[kahuunknown]

The "Normal" one - BBC Sherlock sibling fanfic

!NOTE!: Non-specified reader/insert, inspiration from SHERLOCK TV Show

~~~

The normal one

(Y/n) Holmes.

That was your name. Of course you loved your family, you held them all dear and close to your heart, but that name came with a lot of baggage and responsibility. You’d often wonder what living life normally would be like, being born under a different name. These were just thoughts however, you knew in the end, you wouldn’t change a thing.

You were smart; there was no doubt in that fact, being born a Holmes provides such natural intelligence with ease. However, you would argue that you were anything but. You were a humble, gentle and modest soul, you were adamant in arguing that both your brother’s surpassed your measly intelligence without effort. Of course, the IQ tests would prove otherwise, but they were rid from the world quickly after there creation.

Living a normal life wasn’t something you detested, rather you grew rather fond of the mundane routines people lived day-to-day, it was funny watching them fuss over little mistakes, or creating the emotion of happiness with simple gifts and pleasures. You worked as a psychologist funnily enough. You could deduce much like the rest of your siblings, and decided to apply that skill toward something complimentary.

You were a young prodigy with a psychology major at only 26 years old; you lived a very financially stable life with your own private at-home psychology firm. You were comfortable with you life within London, you enjoyed being close to your family, and so it was never an option to live anywhere else. Often as a well respected personal to the community and the police, you were requested to provide psychoanalysis on victims, suspects or even the criminals themselves. You’d get paid of course, but your real motivation was helping you middle brother with his detective cases. Sometimes even the eldest would request your help, those were rare favours however.

Your brother’s wouldn’t admit it, but they absolutely adored you, you were the baby of the family and the most normal of them all. Your parents didn’t like to pick favourites but you were always the exception. Mycroft and Sherlock treated you like a child most often, they couldn’t wrap their heads around the thought of you growing up and maturing, when they looked at you, all they could see were those innocent orbs staring right back at them. This admittedly made them overprotective, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it was restricting.

You proved your intelligence and maturity every now-and-again, but you honestly didn’t mind their dotting. It showed the world that Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes were human too.

So when the two were on the way to your house, they were honestly surprised and both mortified when the Consulting Criminal Jim Moriarty of all people stepped outside of your house with a laugh and bid you farewell, hopping into a awaiting sleek black car and driving off smoothly. Sherlock and Mycroft had hidden themselves upon the sight, they weren’t stupid, but they were terrified for your safety. Did you even know the true identity of the criminal you’d invited inside?

Neither brother remembered if they’d disclosed that information to you or not, they tried they upmost hardest to give you the privacy you desired, as hard as that was. They weren’t very good at it, but they did try their best to shield you from their enemies. You were untrained in any sort of defensive arts like they were; you were utterly defenceless if someone attacked you.

Nodding to each other, once they were satisfied with the distance Moriarty’s car had driven away; they quickly made their way to your doorstep and hurriedly rang your doorbell. You needed to be warned straight away, you needed to cut your ties with the villain immediately. Your safety was compromised.

You greeted them with a kind smile as always, both brothers nearly forgot the urgency and softened upon your sweetness, but reality was quick to return to them. They ushered you to let them inside, which you calmly did so, asking if they wanted any snacks or tea. Mycroft paused and politely requested some sweets and both brothers of course agreed to some tea. You chuckled at them, reminding them to make themselves at home; they were family of course, no matter how dysfunctional. The two elder Holmes watched you like hawks as you waddled around the kitchen. It was cute that you inherited their mother’s much shorter height, leaving you struggling and whining about reaching items on the top shelf. Though your brothers were more than willing to help, they teased you often about this fact.

Returning to the living room, you gently placed down the tray with balanced drinks and sweets situated on top.

“So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?” Theo chimed, cradling his own cup of tea close and bringing his legs to his chest, curling into his usual ball-like position on his single seated couch.

Sherlock was first to speak, “Well, originally we both decided to check-in on you, we hadn’t seen you in a while.”

You chuckle, “Yes, well I was having a fantastic time in New Zealand. You should visit if you have the chance, it’s beautiful country.”

Sherlock rolls his eyes, completely disinterested in the idea. But he admired your simplicity.

“Like Sherlock said, that was ‘originally’.” Mycroft pressed, narrowing his eyes at the detective.

“Who was that man that left your house moments before we arrived?” Sherlock questioned, though he already knew, he wanted to see if you were aware.

You rolled your eyes at the two overbearing brothers, “That was one of my clients, of course.”

“He’s dangerous, (Y/n-“

“Jim Moriarty.” You finished, “A charming man, to say the least. The infamous consulting criminal.”

Mycroft and Sherlock frowned, this couldn’t be good.

“You know who he is.” Sherlock stated.

“Of course, I do.” You retorted, “But that’s not my business, is it? I’m a psychiatrist and psychologist; my client’s background means nothing to me. That is my work.”

“Yes, but it’s also a hazard-“

You interrupted Mycroft, “Without Moriarty confessing to future crimes in the motion, I have no legal standing. Past crimes are useless.”

“A scientific priest.” Sherlock grumbles.

“In some ways.” You agreed absentmindedly. “I’m bound by my word.”

“Then I suppose there is no use asking you to share some details.” Mycroft sighs.

“None at all.” You chirped, “Now, if you two are free this afternoon, would you care for some fish ‘n chips? It’s been a long while since we’ve talked like this.”

Mycroft pursed his lips, it was his favourite food. A Holmes delicacy in some ways, as even Sherlock was fond of the food as well. Mycroft frowned, a defeated expression forming on his face, “I suppose, I have time.” He admitted.

Sherlock narrowed his eyes at your happy face, you were sweet and innocent, but boy did you now how to use that to your advantage. Those damn puppy eyes.

“Fine.” Sherlock sighed.

Suddenly a knock sounded at the polished wood of your door, you furrowed your brows in confusion, not expecting any clients or guests over at this time. Standing, you gestured for your brothers to stay put while you answered the door.

Sherlock and Mycroft tensed as Moriarty waltzed into the house, smirking at the two of them confidently. He looked more than comfortable in your home, and both the protective brothers felt their instincts flare in that instant.

“Sorry to intrude, I believe I forgot my jacket.” Jim swooned, slinging his arm over your shoulder as you rolled your eyes and led him away from your siblings and into the office/ library room, where all your clients reveals their deepest secrets and feelings. Sure enough, Moriarty returned to the front door with his suit jacket under one arm.

He seemed to be talking normally to you, joking and laughing as if he were just a mundane human male, like all the rest. It was obvious to the brothers, that you and Moriarty knew each other quite well, they didn’t like that one bit.

Jumping to his feet, Sherlock decided he’d had enough of seeing that smug face and those evil beady little eyes looking at his youngest sibling.

“Leave.” Sherlock simply ordered, holding open the door for the mastermind to exit. Jim raised an accusing eyebrow at the new emotions Sherlock provided him with, but decided to play nice and do as he was told, for now at least. He left quietly, ignoring the slam of the wooden door after him; he was far too satisfied with this new discovery to care about rude behaviour.

He was originally just curious about you, intrigued and fascinated. He didn’t even know you existed; it wasn’t until Eurus cooed about you during his visit. She was smitten by you, couldn’t stop remembering all those memories as young children, when you’d follow her around, listen to her every tale with admiration and love. She talked about you as if perhaps you were a god, a higher being that she prayed to- or a rare exotic creature like most thought fantasy. You seemed too good to be true.

Yet here he was, obsessed with it all. Obsessed with you.

The expression of your brother’s were both the same, stern beyond belief. And you sighed, anticipating the emerging argument to take place.

“This is my job.” You stated, smile vanishing with the seriousness of your tone.

Mycroft and Sherlock almost didn’t recognise you, you looked different without the aura of sweetness drifting around you like a halo. They’d never seen this side of you.

Mycroft clears his throat, “He is dangerous, (Y/n). We would be fools to-“

“Then be fools.” You hissed, “This is my job. The career I’ve strived for, and Jim Moriarty is a normal client. You will not drag me around under the guise of your ‘safety’.”

Sherlock watched you carefully, scanning your expression and body language, trying to deduce you. Yet he came up with nothing. Normally you were so open to him and Mycroft, usually it was so easy to pull you apart, dissect every emotion and activity you’d been up to for the past week or so. But you’d shut down that gate, preventing any clue to find.

But then your shoulders slumped, and suddenly everything came flooding back, he could read you like an open book once more.

Sighing you looked them both in the eye, “I propose this.” Instantly you had your brothers intrigued, “I’ll install a camera within my office. You may have access to its feed at any time, and I’ll send you both my schedule, if you so desire as well. However, due to patient-confidentiality, the audio will be wiped, you will hear nothing.”

Sherlock scowls at the idea, obviously wanting to hear the conversations you and Moriarty had, he wanted to know everything. Mycroft on the other hand was more open to the idea; he eventually gave a slow nod.

“Deal.”

“Great.” You clapped your hands together, smiling once more and instantly relieving the tenseness in your brother’s posture, “Now, how about that fish ‘n chips, eh?

In the end, perhaps you were not as normal as everyone believed.

[miwhotep]

JAMES BOND REFERENCES IN MORIARTY THE PATRIOT

I am a big fan of James Bond since my early teenage years. I watched every movies and read all books, so when the Moriarty the Patriot manga first started using James Bond references, I basically screamed. And my voice got 100x louder when the iconic My name is Bond. James Bond. scene happened.

I always wanted to write an analysis of YuuMori's James Bond connections, so now here we are.

First, let's talk a bit about the actual James Bond universe. The character of James Bond - the MI6 agent numbered 007 with a license to kill - got created by Ian Fleming in 1953. He first appeared in the novel called Casino Royale. Fleming wrote 12 novels and two short story collections with the character. The novels soon got movie adaptations, too, the first James Bond movie was Dr. No in 1962, where Sean Connery played Bond. Currently there are 25 Bond movies.

The James Bond movies can be classified into eras by the actor who played Bond. In order, these follow:

Sean Connery

(George Lazenby - but everyone tends to pretend this movie never happened)

Roger Moore

Timothy Dalton

Pierce Brosnan

Daniel Craig

The movies didn't come out in chronological order when it comes to James Bond's life-happenings. Most movies can be watched as stand-alones - but the Daniel Craig era tried to built up a storyline, where the movies are tied to each other. The James Bond movies always have an iconic intro, sing by a popular singer of the current era (the last movie's intro song was by Billie Eilish.)

The James Bond movie universe started to fuse with the Sherlock Holmes universe thanks to the Alan Moore comic book series, The League of Extraordinary Gentleman (1999). Professor Moriarty appeared here as M - the title what later ended up with Mycroft. The Elementary series (and somewhat BBC Sherlock) continued this tendency, featuring Mycroft as someone who has ties to the MI5/MI6.

Professor Moriarty in TLoEG

The Moriarty the Patriot series features most characters who are important in James Bond movies. They are..

M - the leader of the MI6, which role was fullfilled by Albert and Louis.

Q - the inventor who keeps coming up with weapons and cars for James Bond. In YuuMori, Q is Von Herder, the blind mechanic mentioned in the Empty House Conan Doyle story.

Ms. Moneypenny - a secretary working personally for M. In the Daniel Craig era, she started as a field agent, but later moved to do office work. James Bond always gives her flowers and little souvenirs.

When it comes to James Bond, his personality in Moriarty the Patriot is similar to the canon one: loving good cars and guns, flirting with woman (especially Moneypenny) and while it's not vodka martini he orders in the pub when he met with Patterson, he asks for the drink shaken, not stirren. (On the other hand, the Macallan scotch he asks for is a reference to what James Bond drank in the Skyfall movie.)

The location of the MI6 in YuuMori is also similar to the James Bond movies: underground and underwater in the Thames.

The headquarter in Skyfall

The Q-sector

The Man with the Golden Army arc features other references for the James Bond universe. The arc's title refers to the movie/book The Man with the Golden Gun (Roger Moore-era) - the two stories only similarity is that both deal with special guns. In that arc, Sebastian Moran takes on the identity of the 006, Alec Trevelyan. The character originally appeared in the Goldeneye James Bond movie (Pierce Brosnan-era) played by Sean Bean. He had the number 006 and he was the mentor of James Bond (like Moran later on). He seemingly got killed off at the start of the movie (but later returned as a villain).

Alec Trevelyan in Goldeneye

Maybe not an intentional reference, but still interesting: the James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies features an evil media mogul, Elliot Carver as a villain who likes orchestrating catastrophic incidents so his newspaper can be the first to write about them, manipulating people that way and gaining control in the media - kind of similar to Milverton (yes, the media mogul Milverton thing is from Sherlock, but still), who was the mastermind behind the Jack the Ripper murders then manipulated the public through the news he created. (I can actually see him orchestrating incidents in order to gain more power and become the King of Media, too.)

Elliot Carver in Tomorrow Never Dies

We've yet to see the main villain of James Bond: Ernst Stavro Blofeld, (first appearing in the Thunderball book) the head of the crime organization called Spectre. I wander when he will appear in YuuMori, if they appear at all, but I really wish!

I hope in the next stories YuuMori's James Bond world keeps expanding - that's such an interesting aspect of the series, I love to see more references!

[lisbeth-kk]

Sherlock fandom.

Hold Me

Sherlock thought his heart broke when his grandmother died. He was wrong. It got a crack, sure, but it was nothing compared to the heartbreak he felt when Victor walked out of his life without any explanation. 

Please, tell me what I’ve done wrong! I can fix this. I promise you. Anything, Victor. Please. Sherlock.

The letter was never answered.

Sherlock wanted to drown himself in the nearest river or rob the medical cabinet in Matron’s office and OD on whichever substances it contained. He never got the chance to do either because Mycroft turned up at Cambridge and took him away to their favourite place in France, their grandmother’s family home. 

After a week of fresh air, delicious food and Mycroft’s advice, Sherlock was able to shut the door to his heart. Infinitely.

“Seal it tight, brother mine. Only then can you be certain to never get hurt again. Sentiment is never an advantage.”

Sherlock was grateful to his brother for the advice. It worked and slowly the thought of Victor and what they had faded, and he was almost successful in deleting it. Almost.

He was always confident when he faced danger and criminals. Every word he spoke was the truth, unless he was lying to get a confession or trick said criminals. But that kind of lie came out easy and confident as well, because it was part of the game. His voice never faltered or showed signs of distress. He was quite certain he would pass a lie detector test if required.

***

It came as a shock to him that lying to Moriarty was futile. When he told the villain that he had no heart and Moriarty contradicted him, Sherlock knew he was beaten. 

John Hamish Watson, who thought himself to be ordinary and unworthy, did something no one had ever accomplished. By being himself, never put off by Sherlock’s odd behaviour, always praising his deductions, protecting him from harm’s way from day one, he’d torn the seal over Sherlock’s heart to shreds. It lay bare for anyone to crush and break, and Moriarty knew. The most dangerous man Sherlock had ever encountered knew his weak point, that he was human and not a stranger to sentiment and love. 

Sherlock could barely breathe after he’d tossed away the bomb jacket John had been wearing. John who’d urged Sherlock to run. John who’d been willing to die so Sherlock could live. 

He tried to stand up, but his feet wouldn’t cooperate, and he sunk to the floor, his head slumped forward. Meeting John’s eyes was out of the question. His own eyes would reveal too much now that he was utterly shaken and out of control.

A sound broke the silence. It was a choked sob. Sherlock realised it came from his own throat and tried to fight his transport to regain his normal superior posture but in vain. He was trembling all over. 

Warm hands on his shoulders startled him and all his defences broke when John spoke.

“Come here,” he said softly and pulled Sherlock to him.

Without hesitating or giving his movements a second thought, Sherlock encircled John’s back with his arms and held on for dear life. He rested his head on John’s shoulder finding comfort in the familiar scent from John’s skin.

“Hold me,” Sherlock whispered almost inaudible. “Please, John.”

And John held him as tight as Sherlock had ever been held. Sweet words were murmured into his hair.

“I’ve got you. Always. Don’t shut me out anymore, Sherlock. Let me love you the way you deserve. Please?”

*** 

Sherlock had thought it would be awkward once they returned to Baker Street, but John was nothing but determined when he’d set his mind to something. John showered first and when Sherlock came out from the bathroom, John was waiting for him and simply took his hand and led him to the bedroom.

Before Sherlock fell asleep in John’s arms, he asked John to promise something.

“Keep my heart safe, John. It won’t survive another break.”

And John, wonderful John, promised. Without blinking or hesitating. 

“I promise, my love. Your heart is safe with me. Always.”

@flashfictionfridayofficial @totallysilvergirl @keirgreeneyes @calaisreno @a-victorian-girl @phoenix27884 @peanitbear @safedistancefrombeingsmart @gregorovitchworld @helloliriels @topsyturvy-turtely @raina-at @7-percent @ninasnakie @sabsi221b

[thefisherqueen]

My top 12 Sherlock Holmes short stories

Time for a bit of reflection! Now I've read all the Sherlock Holmes short stories, which ones are my favourites, and why? It was a hard choice, but these 12 are my favourites. If you haven't read Sherlock Holmes yet any of these stories might be a good place to start.

The priory school. I love this story for its twists and turns, lots of countryside field work by Holmes and Watson, and the delightful passenges of Sherlock Holmes daring to stand up against a rich, powerful man

The six Napoleons. This story is just good fun all around: delightful interactions between Holmes and Watson and Lestrade, a gruesome murder, an original story idea, and a suprisingly touching ending

Silver blaze. This is just an excellent mystery, with many clever hidden details to catch. A quite wholesome countryside adventure overall

The Abbey Grange. Domestic abuse and addiction are examined with much empathy in this story. The two female characters are amazing, and the ending shows Holmes as a caring man that is oriented towards justice instead of punishment

The illustrious client. All the characters in this story are just great, from the frightful abusive, to the infuriating, to the delightful and fierce, and the ending left me quite shaken. Of course the opening scene with Holmes and Watson visiting the Turkish Baths iconic

Charles Augustus Milverton. Milverton is the most creepy villain to ever exist. I hated him so much I made him even worse in a fic I'm currently working on. Oh, and Holmes and Watson acting gay and doing crimes, of course!

The solitairy cyclist. This story does an actually good job of examining the vulnerable position of domestic staff, especially of women. The young female client is a delight. I got so invested in this story towards the end

The red headed league. A very funny story with an unexpected, exciting ending. Holmes and Watson drop everything to go on a date in the middle of it and that is very valid of them

A scandal in Bohemia. The original Irene Adler story that is somehow more feminist than its modern adoptations

The Bruce-Partington plans. In my opinion, this story has the most cleverly put together mystery of all. Also, trains. Also, Mycroft Holmes! :)

The Northwood builder. Sherlock Holmes' desperation and fear for the sake of his client is tangable throughout this whole story, it showcases excellently how much he cares. Also a great commentary of how vulnerable suspects are to the whims and biases of the police. And Holmes is being iconically overdramatic at the end

The blue carbuncle. A very wholesome christmas themed story, funny, with memorable interactions and a thought-provoking, radical ending

[squish--squash]

The best Sherlock Holmes adaptation (that people hardly know)

The stories and adventures of Sherlock Holmes is probably one of the most well-known, most referenced, and most recognizable series out there, as well as one with an insane number of adaptations. Hell, Sherlock Holmes even holds the world record of being the literary character with the most screen adaptations.

This has led to many, many people making ranked lists of their favorite adaptations, and I've looked at a lot of them to see if my favorite one appears. It doesn't. Not here, here, here, here, here, here, or here.

On the Wikipedia page for Sherlock Holmes adaptations, it is listed...in the external links section, at the very bottom of the webpage; it's only visible by expanding the "screen adaptations of Sherlock Holmes" panel

On here, under the three names it's regularly tagged as, there are a collective 13.9k followers (the breakdown is 5.2-1.9-6.8). In comparison, the "bbc sherlock" tag has 47k followers, "sherlock" has 644k, and "john watson" has 13k followers. Pretty underrated, if you ask me.

And so, you're probably wondering what this adaptation is, and why I think it's the best. Wonder no further!

The best Sherlock Holmes adaptation (at least, to me) that is criminally underrated is called Yuukoku no Moriarty, or Moriarty the Patriot. (and before you ask, yes, it's a manga! with its own anime!)

Now, because this post is already long enough, and because there is going to be A LOT OF BIG SPOILER WARNINGS, I'll be defending my claim under the read-more. But with that out of the way, let me begin...

Reason #1: Wait, Moriarty??

Moriarty is well-known to be the arch nemesis of Sherlock Holmes. He's the big baddie of the original series. So why in the world is this adaptation named after the villain? Because the plot is focused around Moriarty. As far as I am aware, this could be the ONLY adaptation so far that has done this (please correct me if I'm wrong! I'd love to find more). Furthermore, the "James Moriarty" in question is actually three brothers: Albert, Louis, and William (the "main" Moriarty), and the overarching plot follows their schemes as "the Lord of Crime" to... change 19th century England for the better?

Reason #2: The Premise is INTERESTING as FUCK

Yeah, you heard me! The big baddie in this adaptation is trying to do what they deem as "good"! It's called Moriarty the Patriot because William, Louis, and Albert are trying to make England a better country in their own ways; they view the class system of 19th century England to be, quite frankly, shit, and want to lessen the abuse and dehumanization of the lower class caused by the nobles. And, well, they do this by killing corrupt nobles. Or, well, more accurately, they help people commit crimes to kill the nobles, and stage it to look like an accident or make it extremely difficult to solve. It's actually really fun and cathartic to watch imo, especially in the early episodes of the anime and the early chapters of the manga. I'll come back to the plot later, but for now, I think it's time to get back to the characters.

Reason #3: The Gang's all Here!

The three Jame Moriarty brothers aren't the only characters: you also have the baker street gang (Sherlock Holmes, John Watson, and Ms Hudson), the Baker Street Irregulars, Mycroft, Sebastian Moran from the original series, Lestrade, Irene Adler, Herder (another character from the original series), and interestingly enough, Billy the Kid (in the manga). And these characters aren't just one-dimensional name-drops, but characters with so much personality, backstory, and motives. Take, for example, Sebastian Moran: he's a sniper who works for the Lord of Crime, yeah, but it's because he has a long-earned loyalty to William; both of them have a keepsake from the other, and after William's supposed death during this adaptation's version of "The Final Problem", it's the keepsake he gave to William that saves him from a dark path (there's much more to this story in particular, but you'll have to find out more yourself if you're interested). Also, there's Moneypenny in the manga. But why the hell is she here?

Reason #4: His name is James. James Bond (and he's trans!)

NAME ONE OTHER FUCKING SHERLOCK HOLMES ADAPTATION THAT HAS JAMES BOND, I'LL WAIT. YOU CANNOT. But yes, James fucking Bond is in Moriarty the Patriot, and is one of the best characters for many reasons. One of them? We actually meet him as a woman. And who is that woman, you might ask?

Irene Adler.

(note: the version I read calls him James Bond, but from what I've heard, his name is actually spelled "James Bonde" to avoid copywrite issues. However, for this post, I'll use "Bond") It's...incredible. The entire arc introducing Irene Adler and her arc into becoming James Bond is one of my favorite arcs in Moriarty the Patriot. It takes the original "A Scandal in Bohemia" and sprints with it. Like, the entire Bohemian-king-wanting-that-photograph with Sherlock and Watson is just a ploy, so Irene can be under the protection of public-hero Sherlock by tricking him into thinking he blew up her house with his smoke-bomb trick. Because she stole ENGLISH GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS SO CLASSIFIED, THE GOVERNMENT WANTS HER DEAD. It's just the way the series builds off the original works by Doyle in a way that not only stays true to the original, but is also its own thing. Because yeah, we don't see Irene Adler again after her "scandal" is solved; and that's because she fakes her death as Irene, and starts working under the Moriarty brothers as James Bond, now a man. Additionally, Moriarty the Patriot handles Bond being trans in an amazing way. Him being trans is no joke! The Moriarty group accept him as a man the moment he tells them (except for Sebastian Moran, who's confused about it at first before he warms up to it; in all actuality, it's his confusion and reluctance that's joked about, not Bond's manhood, which is a refreshing thing to see as a queer person myself). Even when reuniting with Sherlock, John Watson, and Ms Hudson, the three are respectful and understanding. Oh my god wait a minute I just realized I haven't even mentioned Sherlock yet-

Reason #5: Benedict Cumberbatch WHO

Sherlock Holmes in this adaptation is the best Sherlock, hands down. Why? Because he's fun, goddammit! So many Sherlock adaptations see the genius personality of Sherlock Holmes and see nothing else. They make him cold, uncaring, calculative. A lot of Sherlocks would shoot a man dead for a lead on a case. But not this Sherlock. Is this the face of a man who's cold and uncaring?

HELL FUCKING NO! And he's literally presented with the opportunity to shoot a man for a lead on a case, and he turns it down! Because he's good! Yeah, he's prideful. Yeah, he can be a prick. He treats Scotland Yard like a joke. But he's also silly. He's kind to the people he cares about. He wants to help people. He's hilarious with Ms Hudson and Mycroft, and his interactions with William Moriarty is one of the best things to read about in this adaptation, because their cat-and-mouse game matters so, so much in this story.

Reason #6: Cat and mouse; puppet and puppeteer; friend and...friend?

Sherlock has a very interesting role in Moriarty the Patriot as a whole. Sure, he's the detective. But he's so much more. When he's introduced (in episode 6 of the anime, mind you!) to the story, the overarching plan of William and his brothers shift to include him: William wants him to be the hero of the play they're setting for the country, because in the end, William plans to be defeated as a common enemy of the people. And so, the game begins. The Lord of Crime starts setting up crimes for Sherlock to solve, so he gains publicity. So he's recognized as the hero. He's the only man smart enough to solve the trail of breadcrumbs Moriarty leaves, after all. Sherlock starts as just a puppet in the plan of things. Led along on strings from crime-to-crime, slowly piecing things together. And Sherlock hates it. But...Sherlock and William meet outside of being a simple detective and criminal. They meet on a ship, and for the first time, William finds his mind not drafting up plans or thinking as the Lord of Crime the first time they speak to each other. And for the first time, Sherlock finds someone with a mind equal to his own. They meet again, on a train, and solve a murder together (one William was NOT behind). And behind this game of cat-and-mouse, behind the puppet and puppeteer, something blooms. When Sherlock learns that yes, the William James Moriarty he's grown to known is indeed the Lord of Crime, he's not mad. He's...glad.

(note: Sherlock calls William Moriarty "Liam", beginning with their meet on the train; he's the only character in the series who does this. Not even the other Moriarty brothers call their brother "Liam")

He's glad it was William; it couldn't have been anyone else, in his opinion. It wouldn't have been worth it otherwise. It all comes to head in this series' version of "The Final Problem", where Sherlock finally confronts Moriarty, once and for all. It's where William plans to be defeated by his nemesis, the hero. Because he's the self-proclaimed villain. "Catch me if you can, Mr Holmes", is what he challenged to Sherlock on the train, after he joked about William being the Lord of Crime. And Sherlock catches him, in the end. But not as a detective. He catches him, as a companion, after William jumps to his death into the river Thames to set his defeat to Sherlock in stone.

Reason #7: What Comes After

The anime ends after "The Final Problem", but the manga continues. And this is where I really, really think this adaptation shines its brightest, with the aftermath of everything the series has been building to. The main reason Moriarty chooses his death is because of the bad things he's done his entire life. He never enjoyed killing people, but felt he had to, and felt his death was the proper "punishment" for it. But through Sherlock, he finds that that isn't the answer. It's obvious that Sherlock would live through the fall into the Thames. But what about William? In most adaptations, he dies. In the original, he died. But in this? They both live. They both survive. Some big ideas floating around before "The Final Problem" involved revenge. An eye for an eye, if you will. Judgement, and delivering it. But afterwards? It's atonement. It's forgiveness, and the lack of it. It's growth, and redemption. They're saved and taken to America to recover and start new lives. William Moriarty finds ways to atone for his actions without choosing death. Sherlock does too, for his own crimes. They decide, together, to begin anew, find new purposes.

and it's beautiful. When they return to England, three years after their disappearances, their growth is obvious and amazing to see; the other members of the Moriarty gang have also chosen their own paths of redemption, and seeing it all come together is something I'll always enjoy rereading over and over. And the redemption and reunion with England is just the end of part 1 of the story. There's more to be made with this series.

Reason #8: Made With Love

It's so, so obvious that Moriarty the Patriot was made with love for the original series. The way details of the original stories are kept and built off of to work flawlessly as it's own story is something I will be continously impressed by. There was so much thought, heart, and soul put into this adaptation, and you can tell it by reading and watching it. There are so, so much more I could go into—like the music in the anime, deeper dives into the arcs of the main cast, how well the relationships between characters are formed and established—but I think it'd be better for you to just find out all of these things by yourself.

So please, if you've gotten this far, give Moriarty the Patriot a try. Let it prove to you how good it is. Let it show you that it really is the best Sherlock Holmes adaptation out there.

[starr-251]

Da Vinci Code Alcroft AU

Mycroft Holmes, an Oxford symbolism professor, is suddenly involved in a murder case.

The victim? Sebastian Moran, the curator of the Louvre.

The prime suspect? Mycroft himself.

All gets more complicated when Albert Moriarty, a french cryptologist, gets involved.

Mycroft discovers that Albert has personal stakes in the case. Sebastian was his best friend and legal guardian.

He took Albert in after a car crash killed his parents and his three younger brothers.

But Sebastian left clues in the Museum about a secret society related to the Holy Grail, and it's their job to find it and find his murderer.

Ok, now I'm tired. A few more highlights:

James is Sebastian's partner and the one who raised Albert's younger brothers, William and Louis, in secret.

That's right, they didn't die. The parents and the original William did though.

The guardians are Fred Porlock, Jack Renfield and Vivian Moneypenny (let's pretend women can be guardians).

The crazy monk is Billy (don't worry, he lives), and the bishop is Zach Patterson.

Sherlock is the Holy Grail expert that they consult, and John is his loyal servant.

In this AU, he's not a villain. He and William are working together to protect the Grail from everyone, and Sebastian and the guardians were planning to divulge the secret, so they were killed.

Albert and Mycroft have to choose between their brothers and justice.

However, before they decide on anything, James reports that Sherlock and William ran away to America, to never be seen again.

Sebastian's and the guardian's memory lives on in Mycroft and Albert.

Also, big thanks to @neversleepingagain , for planting this idea rent-free in my mind.

[ohifonlyx33]

Oh oh I've got another one

The way Sherlock has a lucid hallucination of the 19th century in which Molly is there as a competent pathologist disguised as a man, but the John that Sherlock's subconscious conjured (to look for the things he might miss) is able to see her as a woman...

Then the Mycroft in his mind says something like "sometimes we have to let the villains win because they are right"

Remember every role in this scenario, every line written, is conjured by Sherlock FOR Sherlock.

And there she is again... at last revealed to be a woman... its Molly Hooper who is swapping dead bodies and helping other scorned women commit crimes... it's Molly Hooper being clever and strongwilled. And It's Molly Hooper who is the "villain" that Sherlock concedes has been wronged by him.

And then following that experience, there is Molly Hooper again threatening to undo the very foundation of Sherlock Holmes in the finale when he is trying to save her. And Eurus declares he DID lose... so in a way that makes Molly the villain from his subconscious... the one who makes him lose.

Not even "The Woman" could really do that... Sure, she can distract him--throw him off guard for a bit, but when Irene Adler plays her games, it's a battle of wills. Not a partnership or a friendship... and so ultimately he tells her that sentiment is the chemical defect of a loser. And he beats her game. Even when he saves her, he's not beat.

But he loses the battle entirely when Eurus phones Molly. And all Molly did was ask Sherlock if he was ok, slap him in the face when he deserved it, and save his life, and help him fake his death... of course it had to be true when he said those words to Molly...

Molly is the villain of the show. And she was right.