Sherlock is profoundly uncomfortable around children. They are small and vulnerable and easily led astray, and he hates being around them, because their very presence is enough to make something dark in him stir, and he hates it.
Dead children he can handle -- there's nothing left to hurt, so there's no fear of making a mistake, a misstep. It's the living ones he can't stand, Lestrade's boys, or primary school students, or the small figures walking with their parents through the streets.
He doesn't think about it when he's so high out of his mind that he barely remembers he has a body, let alone what it wants. He doesn't think about it when he has a case (only the case matters when he has one, and he pursues cases with a relentless, single-minded determination).
But when he's bored, it's the only thing he can think about, popping up as unwelcome thoughts while he's conducting an experiment, or stray ideas when he's fetching himself takeaway.
I'm too smart to get caught. They'd never find
( ... )
3/3 (fucking character limit)
anonymous
November 1 2010, 09:07:33 UTC
They send the child to Harriet, and John never brings it up again.
But when the case comes where the only eyewitness to the murder is a mute ten-year-old girl, John offers smoothly to do the questioning on his own while Sherlock searches the victim's flat, and the flats of all the attendees at the party the victim held, for the murder weapon.
Re: 3/3 (fucking character limit)
anonymous
November 1 2010, 14:58:27 UTC
Oh man, that was so good. I work with people who struggle with an attraction to children, and often they don't have any kind of support or anyone willing to look beyond the instinctive horror or it to see someone who doesn't want to hurt kids and needs help. I loved the hand on the shoulder, and the silent way John helps Sherlock after he finds out, it's just really great. Thank you for writing this respectfully!
Re: 3/3 (fucking character limit)
anonymous
November 2 2010, 06:10:15 UTC
Oh man. Oh man. I literally held my breath during parts of this. Like another anon said, Sherlock comes off really sympathetic here - as someone fearful of his own desires. This is all kinds of well done.
Re: 3/3 (fucking character limit)
anonymous
November 27 2010, 22:32:04 UTC
My God, that is so fantastic. Just... yeah.
Right level of uncomfortableness. And loved Sherlock's confidence that he wouldn't get caught and how he makes sure he isn't put in that position as a result.
Re: 3/3 (fucking character limit)
anonymous
January 29 2011, 18:25:37 UTC
...oh. my struggles are different, i always wanted to hurt people. to bend them and break them and kill them. to kiss tear-stained cheeks and listen to them cry.
i got lucky. i have support, not from my family, but from my boyfriend, from the twins. sherlock doesn't even know how lucky he is.
you write so well, and you have so much respect for your subject matter. i'm crying, now.
Re: :( 1/2
anonymous
November 1 2010, 10:25:12 UTC
Amazing. I can't believe how incredibly sympathetic Sherlock is here, and how much I beleive John's response. Bravo/a.
One thing, though: a child born in '93 would be 17 now, not 7. Or, more to the point for this fic, the child ought to have been born in '03, not '93, in order for him to be 7 years old.
Sherlock is profoundly uncomfortable around children. They are small and vulnerable and easily led astray, and he hates being around them, because their very presence is enough to make something dark in him stir, and he hates it.
Dead children he can handle -- there's nothing left to hurt, so there's no fear of making a mistake, a misstep. It's the living ones he can't stand, Lestrade's boys, or primary school students, or the small figures walking with their parents through the streets.
He doesn't think about it when he's so high out of his mind that he barely remembers he has a body, let alone what it wants. He doesn't think about it when he has a case (only the case matters when he has one, and he pursues cases with a relentless, single-minded determination).
But when he's bored, it's the only thing he can think about, popping up as unwelcome thoughts while he's conducting an experiment, or stray ideas when he's fetching himself takeaway.
I'm too smart to get caught. They'd never find ( ... )
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They send the child to Harriet, and John never brings it up again.
But when the case comes where the only eyewitness to the murder is a mute ten-year-old girl, John offers smoothly to do the questioning on his own while Sherlock searches the victim's flat, and the flats of all the attendees at the party the victim held, for the murder weapon.
He's grateful.
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Right level of uncomfortableness. And loved Sherlock's confidence that he wouldn't get caught and how he makes sure he isn't put in that position as a result.
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i got lucky. i have support, not from my family, but from my boyfriend, from the twins. sherlock doesn't even know how lucky he is.
you write so well, and you have so much respect for your subject matter. i'm crying, now.
TL;DR - THANK YOU
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One thing, though: a child born in '93 would be 17 now, not 7. Or, more to the point for this fic, the child ought to have been born in '03, not '93, in order for him to be 7 years old.
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i'm bad at math
Yeah, I meant '03 and now can't edit it. :< Ugh, sorry.
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