MUSG: Lessons Learned and STUD: The Reality of Roommates

[snycock.livejournal.com]

Oops, missed posting last week, so I'm catching up...

Canon story: The Musgrave Ritual
Title: Lessons Learned
Author: snycock
Category: Gen
Rating: G

What I did not tell my friend was that this case had done more than set my feet on the path of my life’s work. That an emotion such as love could so unstring reason struck me cold to the depths of my soul. Watson, as tender-hearted as he is, believes the risk is worth the profit. I do not.


Canon story: A Study in Scarlet
Title: The Reality of Roommates
Author: snycock
Category: Gen
Rating: G

A/N: I was struck by how cheerfully accepting Watson was of Holmes' self-professed vices, given some of his complaints later in the canon. I wonder if he was so pleased to find a flatshare that he wasn't really listening to what Holmes said.

“Holmes! Must you make so much noise?”

“I did tell you before we took rooms together that I occasionally did experiments.”

“Chemical experiments, you said; not explosive.”

“As I recall, I did not specify. Never mind. My research today is unproductive. Shall we have some music, since I have tried your patience?”

“Mendelssohn, if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all.”

Comments

[smoothe1.livejournal.com]

Your STUD piece reminded me a little of Oscar & Felix. Perhaps Holmes & Watson were the original Odd Couple? Nicely done!

[debriswoman]

Both pieces are striking-Holmes reflecting on the differences between them; and the constant balance of the positive and negative which goes with sharing a flat with Holmes:-)

Nicely done!

[ennui-enigma.livejournal.com]

Both well written! MUSG piece does strike me as ironic when I think about 3GAR where we learn Holmes does have a heart and can love.
I too wondered what Watson thought later on as time passed and he writes about these annoying habits of Holmes that he was warned about from the beginning. Smiled at Holmes retorts - esp. the chemical, not explosive ... I did not specify, bit :)

[hisietari.livejournal.com]

Ah, another hint at something ACD would never have thought (of writing down), had it ever occurred to him. The Musgraves might indeed have served as path-setters in several ways.

Watson should rejoice though. Not many people in that time had a musicbox at their disposal, may it have its excentricies or not.

[hardboiledbaby]

Heh, it's one thing to be hear a list of vices recited, quite another, I think, to have them enacted. Especially explosively :)

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Poor Watson, he cannot have expected quite what he had let himself in for - a reasonable man does not blow up the rooms he is living in.

[mistyzeo.livejournal.com]

The MUSG ficlet is so ominous. And to think that Holmes could be swayed so completely by one case-- one suspects he was looking for a reason.

Also the second one made me laugh. I love how patiently indignant Watson is!

[spacemutineer.livejournal.com]

Your STUD 60 is so cute, both in Watson's frustration and Holmes' willingness to play to make up for it.

But I confess, I always love darker pieces, so I am drawn to your MUSG 60 the most.

I do not.

So much meaning in those three little words. Excellent.

[impulsereader.livejournal.com]

Holmes's intentions were certainly good, but it would be hard to convey what life as his flatmate would actually entail. :-) Very nice, both of these.

[bwblack.livejournal.com]

I love this because it is so plausible! What Watson must assume when he is introduced to holmes and what must over the course of those first several months begin to come to light... ah... and as it moves on and Watson is more and more involved even more revelations to be had. Too true. Lovely!

And the Musgrave Ritual piece is such an interesting take on the early thought process of Sherlock Holmes, it says so much about the man he is in so few words. Well done.

[snycock.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Who knows, maybe they were one of the sources for the show? Although Watson says he is messy and lazy, he certainly seems to be more worked up about it than Holmes. :-)

[snycock.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed them.

[snycock.livejournal.com]

Well, maybe by 3GAR he'll realize that he was wrong about the worth of that emotion... ;-)

It does seem funny to me to read of Watson's annoyance when Holmes was pretty clear at the start. Although not detailed...

Thanks for the lovely feedback!

[snycock.livejournal.com]

Heh. Holmes' music was undoubtedly one of the big positives on the ledger of having him as a roommate. And the romantic aspect of the Musgrave Ritual really leapt out at me this time. So many of their cases have to do with the effects of thwarted love...

Thanks for the lovely comments!

[snycock.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think the reality was a bit more than Watson expected. :-) Glad you enjoyed!

[snycock.livejournal.com]

You just know Holmes' experiments would not have been limited to safe and quiet areas of study... ;-)

[snycock.livejournal.com]

It could be - I'm sure he'd seen the kinds of havoc emotion wrought on people when he was at school. This case might have just cemented his beliefs. And I'm not sure Watson really knew what he was in for - that whole conversation between them about vices goes so smoothly, you know there had to be some disturbances!

Thanks for reading!

[snycock.livejournal.com]

Thank you! That aspect of that story really struck me this time around. But he'll feel differently by the time we get to 3GAR, I bet. :-)

[snycock.livejournal.com]

Thank you! And probably Holmes himself, although he obviously has some idea of what is tolerable to others, doesn't fully realize how annoying some of his habits can be, since they're not annoying to him. I imagine him somewhat surprised by Watson's outburst. :-)

[snycock.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I can't help but think that he wasn't quite prepared for the reality of living with Holmes, no matter how honest Holmes was about his vices. :-)

[ennui-enigma.livejournal.com]

You're welcome! Sometimes it takes a dramatic event to help us realize the true depths of our emotions.