Reasons to Love Adlock #3
I was going to answer @aurora-borealisss on her post when she said: “we actually got stuck because we couldn’t indicate when exactly it all started. I mean when did Sherlock fall for her and who, in the end, was the first one to fall in love with another?”
I’d say just go to my tag: Reasons to Love Adlock. It’s just some “metas” I wrote about Adlock and stuff.
She said to feel free about details… It was supposed to be short but…
FACTORS ON HOW SHERLOCK AND IRENE STARTED THEIR CHEMISTRY
I don’t think Sherlock and Irene fell in love quickly, but we can never really pinpoint the exact moment they felt their own definition of “love”. I personally think they both felt the something after their first meeting. It wasn’t love at first sight. It was more on something after first connection. It just so happened that they had a deep connection immediately on the day they met.
I don’t think love perfectly suits Sherlock and Irene. They’re them. Somehow, it just makes sense. How do you explain Adlock? It’s Adlock. The name itself explains their relationship… A relationship too complicated for us to comprehend, but it’s too simple for either of them.
I never believed they were confused with their feelings. They knew exactly what happened to them… They just don’t like it.
But there is only one exact moment where they addressed it… confessed it, even. That scene where Sherlock opened Irene’s phone.
But how did they get there?
Happened the moment they made business with royalty.
Sherlock was directed by the Queen of England to get the photographs from Irene. Irene was directed by the Napoleon of Crime to get the meaning of the codes from Sherlock.
Sherlock was intrigued with…
Irene’s cunning personality
how Irene handled with the authority (royal family, informing them of the existence of the photographs)
how bold Irene is to ensure her protection against the royal family
how she intimidates people with her power play
with Sherlock’s stubborn personality
with how Sherlock handled with the authority (royal family, refusing to be decent because he doesn’t like anonymity)
with how bold Sherlock is for going in public wearing nothing but a sheet
with how he intimidates people with his unpredictability
Happened on the first twenty seconds (I timed them) after meeting for the first time.
Even though they had twenty seconds before being interrupted, they had already started a huge game and when they don’t plan on losing.
with her audacity to be entirely nude
when he knew she was doing this to put him off balance
when she kept flirting with him to intimidate him
Irene was fascinated with…
with his stoicism at the face of her nudity
when she knew he was doing this to tell her he’s not going to lose
when he kept eye-contact with her to intimidate her
Happened when CIA trained killers attacked Belgravia.
Most of these happened nonverbally (which says a lot tbh).
Sherlock harmonised with Irene…
when he looked at Irene to point out that she’s involved with something bigger than just clients
when he looked at her to stop her from continuing after she tried to tell the agents that Sherlock doesn’t know her combination so he and John won’t stand in the crossfire
when he looked at her in desperation for help in opening the safe
when he looked at her to ask if there is a trap in the safe
Irene harmonised with Sherlock…
when she looked at Sherlock to point out she doesn’t know how truly dangerous her phone is
when she looked at him to tell him that she tried all she could to keep them both out of this mess she had created for herself but had not gone as well as she’d hope
when she looked at her own body to tell him her body’s the answer
when she nudged her head to tell him to dock under the safe
Here’s a GIFset of this exact whole thing: LINK
Happened when the other took domination.
Sherlock respected Irene…
when she managed to render an agent unconscious using her element (knowing the human body)
when she threw him unbalance by touching him
when she was a full-on dominatrix again, using her whip
when she proved him wrong (surprising him by not going down without a fight for her advantage, something he usually does)
when she managed to beat him
Irene respected Sherlock…
when he managed to open her safe using his element (knowing whatever the hell he knows)
when he threw her unbalanced by accusing her
when he was a full-on detective again, using his wit
when he proved her wrong (surprising her by observing her physical body for his advantage, something she usually does)
when he managed to engage her
Happened immediately after Belgravia.
shared his mind palace (something he values so much)
listened to her intently despite already solving the case (he could have easily filtered her out)
made her physical form wear his coat in his mind palace because he felt that they were equals
tried looking for her frantically when he woke
shared her time (something she needs, being on the run)
stayed beside his bed to talk to him despite him being unconscious and her running away from the police
went out of her way to bring his coat back
More meta about this: LINK (more words + ugly and first GIFs I ever made)
Another link about their behaviour in this scene: LINK (less words + GIF)
Happened after the day they met.
I believe this is when they felt something for the other.
In between those times, something happened between them that even I cannot explain. In between those times, they’ve delved deep into the other. I doubt they were confused with their feelings. I think they are perfectly aware of what’s happened to them… that they’ve grown a something for the other.
Irene knows what love is. Sherlock knows what love is.
They know something shifted between them after their first meeting. It was attraction but as they had distance, they started to reflect on more about the other, thought too much about the other… until attraction became something more than what they bargained for.
From their first meeting alone, they found out more about the other than they’d like to have or what they were planning to have. Irene wasn’t just a woman to steal photographs from. Sherlock wasn’t just a man to remove out of her way. They’ve grown an interest with the other…
…and as they had that distance, I think they started to realise how crazy they are, how alike they are… and they both know they’ve felt it, whatever “it” is for the other, but they didn’t want that.
Them being them… It made several reasons why they can’t address it besides the fact that they are stubborn and don’t want to admit that they both lost a war they tried to start.
he’s a detective with many powerful enemies
he’s going against Moriarty
he’s earned the reputation of not falling victim to emotions
he identifies himself as married to his work and work alone
she’s a businesswoman with many powerful clients
she’s working with Moriarty
she’s earned the reputation of not falling victim to emotions
she identifies herself as someone who likes women a little bit more
With that, they try to supress and brush everyone else off when they try to question them. They are not machines, though. They show enough to others. They’re humans, too. It happens. They just don’t try to be bold about it. It just is.
Happened before Christmas until Christmas itself.
I think, after they realised what’s happening to them…
the government (Mycroft) by hiding important information/property
his previous desire to stay stoic about her death
his own integrity of not taking a cigarette over anything
himself by submitting to his grief over her
the network (Moriarty) by trying to get out of her deal with Moriarty
her previous desire to not grow attached to him
her own integrity of not trusting her phone to anyone ever
herself by submitting her life in his hands
I have made a more detailed meta about this part here: LINK
It shows more on their defiance against Mycroft and Moriarty. How Sherlock actually withheld information even when it was unnecessary and the reason why Irene actually faked her death.
Happened on New Year’s Eve.
when he has to accept that she had actually died
enough to write a violin composition in her name
when he was forced by his own emotions to express his grief
and broke John’s belief that he would never be heartbroken over a woman
enough to make John realise he cares about her
when she has to accept that she can’t convince John
enough to take her phone back for his own safety
when she was forced by John to confess that she’s not dead
and broke John’s belief that she’s only using Sherlock to mess with him
enough to make John realise she cares about him
At that point, they had already lost on each other. John was already a witness to the downfall of Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler against each other.
They’re already showing signs of something with each other, and they both know it. They have to force themselves to admit to it at that point because there’s no point in denying it to themselves. This is the point where they address to themselves that this is definitely something they can just suppress. They’ve done so much. It’s too stupid to deny something blatantly obvious to themselves.
And I think they were both aware of how the other was taking it at the same day.
Irene felt Sherlock has feelings for her…
when he let himself be known that he was there at Battersea (he could have easily left the building when Irene sent that text but he didn’t)
Sherlock felt Irene has feelings for him…
when she let herself go and admitted to John about her own feelings about Sherlock (when she said “Look at us both” to John, that did it)
But even then, they were both uncertain about the other, but they had sensed that there is some mutual connections involving either of them.
Happened after Battersea.
that he needed some time alone to process the fact that she’s alive and was in shock, which is why she stopped John from following Sherlock
that she wanted an intial text from him instead of a reply as a small indication that he wants to keep contact which is why he greeted her
After New Year’s, they both probably were now more sure that the other has reciprocated their feelings… and they are both very pleased with it… because they had just gone through hell denying it to themselves so it must have been freeing to know that both of them were torturing themselves because of what has happened.
I think they both blame each other for being like this HAHAHAHHA
Happened when they saw each other again until now.
When they saw each other again, there’s no doubt they’re already aware of each other’s feelings… and they’re both elated to seeing each other again.
They’re much more playful with each other via sass.
“I assumed you’d pick something more specific than that but thanks anyway.”
They’re both not adhere to complimenting each other.
“Oh, you’re rather good.”
AND OH GOD, THE EYE SEX
THEY HAVE TOO MUCH EYE SEX AT THIS POINT
What happened in that fireplace scene… They’re already aware of what is going on between them but I think they had different agendas at that point.
checked her pulse and pupils to confirm that she truly has feelings for him… he didn’t know he was tricked… he didn’t have a reason to check her feelings at this point… he just wanted to make sure for himself… why? because he wants to know it’s legit
“It’s not the end of the world.”
After confirming her feelings, to him, it’s not the end of the world, it’s not their very last night… He’s finally taking her up on her offer. He’s telling her that they probably even might.
wanted to have that dinner because she knew she had betrayed him and this is the only chance she has left with being with him before he shuns her away for hurting him… she knows that if he leaves 221B by then, she would never have dinner with him. ever.
It’s the end of the world for her. Mrs Hudson calling Sherlock means that Sherlock will be sent to Mycroft. Sherlock will know what she’s done. It’s the end of the world.
Meta on how their physical affection changed since this scene: LINK
At the end of the scene with the negotiation with Mycroft…
At that point, they are both hurting. Sherlock is confused because he was pretty fcking sure Irene had feelings for him… Irene is sure Sherlock will never forgive her what she’s done… Both of them were sure. They were a giant almost but Moriarty had to meddle with both of them…
…and here, they both address and do not deny that they have feelings for each other… and…
ive gone down to adlock hell too much…
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