The Empty House

[flawedamythyst.livejournal.com]

Canon Story: The Empty House
Author: flawedamythyst
Rating: PG
Author's Note: Missed the last two weeks due to being on holiday. I will be trying to catch up with them when I have a chance, but for now there's two for this week to sort of make up for it. Both gen - how did that happen?

I knew this story was incomplete without mention of my wife's death, but every time I set my pen down with the intention of writing the words, I found myself stilling, unable to put my sorrow down in black ink. It was only with great fortitude that I was finally able to allude to it in a rather vague manner.

****

Three years is a long time to plan a revelation on the level of the one I gave Watson that day in his office. He complains of the unnecessary drama I did it with, but some of the ideas I had for it were far more sensational, and called for special effects that I did not have time to prepare.


*

Comments

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

The reference to Mrs Watson's death is beautifully made. I always feel sad for Watson.

[flawedamythyst.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Yes, it really is a very shit few years he has. Poor guy.

[castiron.livejournal.com]

Nice! Poor Watson. And Holmes is so lucky that he didn't get a punch in the face as it is.

[hardboiledbaby]

Ah, the first is so touching, and very much in keeping with that part of the narrative. The second—Holmes and his 'flair for the dramatic'! *snort* Thank goodness for Watson's sake there was no time, the poor man.

[flawedamythyst.livejournal.com]

Oh, you know he did, and that Watson just didn't mention it in the published version.

Thank you!

[flawedamythyst.livejournal.com]

I have images of him dressing as Jesus and descending through the window, with dry ice, whilst Watson FREAKS THE FUCK OUT. Oh, Holmes.

[hardboiledbaby]

Bwahahahaha! I like the way you think. ;D

[spacemutineer.livejournal.com]

I love that second one. Three years is an incredibly long time for Holmes to be planning something. I can only imagine the extensive lists of reveals he thought up and rejected!

[methylviolet10b]

I really love the angle you took on the first one. Mary deserved more of a mention than she got, but I can totally understand how Watson couldn't face it. Lovely!

[tweedisgood.livejournal.com]

Seconding the love for no 1 in particular. Oh, Watson.

[flawedamythyst.livejournal.com]

He had a top 5, all plotted out and waiting for him to pick one, and then he saw Watson and they all flew out of his head in favour of just taking his disguise off.

[flawedamythyst.livejournal.com]

Yes, exactly. Not being more specific on his bereavement is such an English way of being grief-stricken.

[flawedamythyst.livejournal.com]

Thank you! This story really does just end with Watson needing all the hugs, right?

[shouldboverthis.livejournal.com]

Such sadness in the first one, but the second just cracks me up. Oh, Holmes--what insane thing would you have come up with? Fireworks? Sock-puppets?

[flawedamythyst.livejournal.com]

OH. SOCK-PUPPETS. GENIUS!

Elderly Bookseller: If you could just sit in that chair, Doctor, I shall crawl behind your sofa, and...*produces sock-puppets*

Watson: What are you doing?! Are you sure you're feeling quite well?

Elderly Bookseller: Perfectly fine, thank you. Attend.

Sock-Puppet Holmes: Here I am, standing at the top of a waterfall after having sent my dearest friend and companion back to our hotel.

Sock-Puppet Moriarty: Ahahaha!! I am an evil genius, and I intend to kill you!

Watson: *standing up* I will not sit here and watch a show about my friend's death!

Elderly Bookseller: *head pops up to unleash glare* Sit. Down.

Watson: *sits*

Sock-Puppet Holmes: Not if I kill you first! FOR JUSTICE! *rushes at Sock-Puppet Moriarty*

Sock-Puppets: *fight*

Sock-Puppet Holmes: Take THAT, you FIEND! *throws Sock-Puppet Moriarty off the back of the sofa*

Sock-Puppet Moriarty: NOOOoooooo!! To think that all my evil genius should end like this!

Elderly Bookseller: *Surprisingly realistic sound effect of a body hitting a waterfall*

Sock-Puppet Holmes: Ahaha! I have lived to fight crime another day! I shall return to the hotel and have tea and crumpets with my dearest friend and companion.

Watson: *fighting back tears* This is cruelty. That is not how it happened.

Elderly Bookseller: Isn't it? We are not finished yet.

Sock-Puppet Holmes: Ah, but there are still some of Moriarty's most evil lieutenants seeking my death. Perhaps London would not be the safest place for me, and they might threaten my friend if they think I am alive. What a conundrum.

Sock-Puppet Moran: *pops up*

Sock-Puppet Holmes: And there is one of them!

Sock-Puppet Moran: *angry cry* You have killed my criminal mastermind! I shall throw rocks at you!

Sock-Puppet Holmes: Ah! Rocks! *ducks down* He will never stop until I have killed him, and his compatriots. Alas and alack, I shall have to abandon my home, and my dearest friend, and hunt them all down.

Watson: *stares* What?! How does that make any sense?

Elderly Bookseller: *glares* If you were a genius, you would understand.

Watson: No, I bloody wouldn't.

Sock-Puppet Holmes: I'm in Tibet! And Persia! And Khartoum! And Montpellier! *sad voice* I miss my dearest friend in all these places, but must not write to him, or he will be in grave danger.

Sock-Puppet Moran: I am still trying to kill you! And also-

Watson: *stands up* *marches over* *hauls up Elderly Bookseller by his shirt* *rips off his wig* *gasps* Holmes!

HolmeS: My dear friend-

Watson: *faints*

Holmes: Well, damn. I thought the sock-puppets would prevent that.

[wild-huntress.livejournal.com]

Wow, I love those two drabbles... and love the sock puppet narrative too, lol! Nice!

[shouldboverthis.livejournal.com]

Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha! Love what you did with it. And the last line. Yeah, Holmes, sock puppets would help soothe the shock. Not.

Someone needs to draw this--and have a barefoot Holmes using his own socks. Would his have a little deerstalker? Would Moriarty have an evil moustache?

[flawedamythyst.livejournal.com]

Heh, thank you! I couldn't resist once she'd mentioned it.

[flawedamythyst.livejournal.com]

Holmes has proven that he has no idea what would or wouldn't soothe a shock, I think.

Oh, YES, of course they'd be his actual socks! Hah, art would be hilarious.

[wallhaditcoming.livejournal.com]

*uproarious laughter*

Oh my god. What is air?

This is hilarious and perfect. And of *course* Holmes would thinks sock puppets would ease the shock, what with having barely enough emotional savvy to fill a thimble.

Actually, my roommate is well aware of the fact that I am insane, so she'd probably only look at me funny for a second or two before shrugging and moving on with her life. So, not really important one way or the other that she isn't here

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Brilliant. Clearly this should have happened, although obviously the end result would be the same. This is why Sherlock Holmes was not named Subtle Holmes.

[flawedamythyst.livejournal.com]

Haha! I kinda wish I could fit this into 60 words and use it as my actual ficlet. Can't you just see how confused Holmes would be when Watson woke up and told him, in no uncertain terms, just what a bad way to break big news sock-puppets are?

[flawedamythyst.livejournal.com]

'Subtle Homes' made me laugh like a drain. Oh, Holmes, keep trying.

[trillsabells.livejournal.com]

THIS. IS. BRILLIANT.

Have you any idea of how brilliant you are? I would pay good money - GOOD money - to see the characters do this.

Especially with the Surprisingly realistic sound effect of a body hitting a waterfall.

Amazing.

[flawedamythyst.livejournal.com]

Hahaha! Thank you. I can't take all the credit - it was shouldboverthis's idea.

[veronamay.livejournal.com]

WHAT IS THIS I DON'T EVEN. ♥______♥