Your thoughts about sherliam relationship ? Friendship? Love? Romantic love, platonic love?
Ahhh...well.
Thereās going to be a lot of links in this, and I encourage you to read through them.
Canonically, they think of each other as āfriends.ā And if they were real people, I would be like āOkay, youāre friends, whatever the actual content of your relationship is, you get to label it whatever the goddamn hell you want and absolutely no one has any right to deny you that.ā I am a strong believer in relationship anarchy and the actual contents of relationships with other people making you happy matters far more than them fitting neatly into a category.
And Sherlock and William certainly are friends (or want to be), and care about each other as friends.
However, considering the authorsā choices is also necessary here, because they are not real people, they are fictional constructs that are made of choices informed by intertextual awareness (especially so, given this is an adaptation of other material!)
And textually, their own words aside...they...are...A Lot. And much of the time they interact, it doesnāt quite have the flavor of what people would typically call āfriendship.ā And of course, there are always spaces for feelings that are neither romantic nor platonic, although Sherliam doesnāt really ring my āalterousā bells.
We have Sherlock talking about some Scarlet Thread of Destiny leading him to William...the Red Thread of Fate is not a platonic concept. It just isnāt. Yeah, okay, people subvert that sometimes, but this doesnāt feel like a subversion. And William talking about being reborn together, and their flashback lead-up to (not?) dying together fits perfectly into the exact pattern of a shinjuu story, which is also typically a romantic tale.
So the authors have intentionally picked multiple very specifically romantic tropes to lay on these two. There are more than the ones I've listed, like using the bridge pieces to mimic the common sakura-blossom-effect seen in romantic shoujo manga a lot, that are less explicitly clear in their meaning, and many things smaller and more subtle. It's repeated. It has been repeated since early on in their relationship.
Ignoring these intentional choices is flatly ridiculous. This was not an accident. There was no way this couldāve been an accident, and even if it somehow in some parallel universe, was, it would not matter because it is in the text anyway.
And the text is asking us to consider their feelings romantic.
For all that Sherlock calls William his friend, he also doesnāt seem to have any understanding of romance or marriage or any of it, and is seen asking about these things, because he doesnāt understand what any of it means. And Liam is equally the same, although less vocal about his confusion. So the idea of them calling each other friends, lacking any understanding that there might be other words, that this might be something else? Is entirely believable.
Fandom: Moriarty The Patrot
Characters: Sherlock Holmes | William James Moriarty
Lee!Sherlock Ler!William
Summary: William finally finds the solution to one of the biggest problems of his life: convincing Sherlock Holmes to take care of himself and get some rest. Unfortunately for Sherlock, the strategy works perfectly.
[Read also on Ao3]
William leaned discreetly against the doorframe, watching in silence.
Sherlock had his back turned, hunched over the desk, surrounded by papers, open books, and hastily scribbled notes. The lamp illuminated only part of the study, casting long shadows across the floor. He didn't seem to notice William's presence, he was too focused, as he had been for days.
"You know," William began, his voice calm, almost casual. "that human beings need sleep, don't you?"
Sherlock didn't turn around. "I need answers, not sleep" He replied distractedly, scribbling something down with more force than necessary.
William sighed and stepped closer. "You've been working non-stop since last week" He said, his eyes analyzing Sherlock's posture and noting the excessive tension in his shoulders. "Even for you, this is excessive"
Sherlock finally looked up, a crooked smile playing on his lips. "Are you worried about me, Liam? How charming"
"I'm being practical" William retorted, crossing his arms. "You're clearly tens, it affects your judgment"
"My judgment is impeccable, don't worry" Sherlock replied dismissively.
William narrowed his eyes slightly, he knew that tone all too well. "Even so," He said, moving up behind him, "let me insist"
Before Sherlock could protest, William placed his hands firmly on Sherlock's shoulders and began to massage them with slow, precise movements.
"What are you doing?" Sherlock asked, raising an eyebrow, though he didn't pull away.
"Stopping you from turning into a statue of tension" William replied, unable to suppress a faint smile. "Relax, Sherly"
Sherlock let out an involuntary sigh. "Hm... this isn't part of some evil plan of yours, is it?"
"It depends on your point of view" William said calmly, deepening the pressure along his shoulders and moving down his back.
For a few seconds, Sherlock remained silent. Then, a slight shiver ran through his body. "Nngg... No..."
William tilted his head, curious. "What?"
"That..." Sherlock replied, stifling a laugh as he tried to maintain his composure. "You know perfectly well"
William repeated the movement, this time more lightly, his fingers slid along the side of Sherlock's back, eliciting a short, involuntary laugh. "Ah" William smiled, satisfied. "So, that's the spot"
"I-It isn't" He retorted quickly, but another laugh escaped, betraying him.
William seized the opportunity, alternating the massage with lighter touches, deliberately teasing. "Fascinating" He remarked.
"L-Liam" He warned, though his voice lacked any real authority, trying to turn his face to look at him. "I can deduce exactly what you'reāaahahahahahaha!" A few touches near his ribs cut off any logical threat. Sherlock burst into laughter, bracing himself against the table to keep his balance. "That's low!" He protested between laughs.
"I disagree" William replied, openly amused now. "It's educational, I'm learning a lot"
"About me?"
"About how to get you to stop working" He corrected.
Sherlock took a deep breath, conceding, and rested his elbows on the table. "Very well..." He admitted, still smiling. "Perhaps I am a bit tense"
William then stopped the teasing and stepped back slightly. "I'm glad you admitted the obvious" He said, drawing a grumble from Sherlock that was half-annoyed, half-amused. William observed the way he remained leaning against the table, his shoulders still rigid despite the brief, evident relief. His smile softened, losing its teasing edge for a moment. "I can continue" He said casually. "Somewhere more suitable"
Sherlock opened one eye, wary. "That sounded dangerously ambiguous, Liam"
"I'm talking about the sofa," He replied, impeccably calm. "Or the bed, your choice"
Sherlock studied him for a few seconds, as if trying to detect an invisible or well-hidden trap. He found nothing but that serene expression, the kind that usually preceded carefully calculated plans, though he couldn't prove it. "Five minutes. No tricks" He decided at last.
Moments later, Sherlock was lying face-down on the sofa, his coat cast aside and his face partially buried in a cushion. William sat beside him, carefully adjusting his position before placing his hands on Sherlock's back. This time, the movements were slow, firm, and precise. No light touches, no teasing.
Sherlock let out a long, involuntary sigh. "Hm..." He murmured. "I admit, this is acceptable"
"Acceptable" William repeated, slightly amused. "I'm honored"
Minutes passed in a rare, comfortable silence. The tension in Sherlock's shoulders gradually ebbed away, his posture relaxing against the sofa. "You should do this more often" He remarked, his voice dropping a notch. "It's strangely effective"
William tilted his head slightly, watching him. "Interesting that you say that now"
Before Sherlock could process the comment, he felt the pressure of the hands shift. The movements became more subtle; fingers slid outward, tracing down his sides with a touch that felt suspiciously light. "Liam..." He warned, eyes still closed. "Don't even think about it"
"I'm just adjusting my technique" He replied, looking far too innocent to be trusted, as his fingers found a sensitive spot near the ribs once more. Sherlock let out a stifled laugh and tried to move, only to realize he was in a terrible position for any escape attempt, with William now strategically positioned right beside him.
"Ah," William smiled. "So this was the spot"
"N-No, it wasn't" Sherlock protested, laughing. "You promised no tricks!"
"I promised to continue the massage," He corrected calmly, alternating firm pressure with light, teasing touches. "You deduced the rest incorrectly"
Sherlock tried to turn over, but William anticipated the move, placing a hand between his shoulder blades to hold him in place, not with force, but enough to make any attempt futile.
"Thatāsāhahahahaha! Unfair, extremely unfair!" Sherlock complained, his laughter now unrestrained.
"And yet," William said, amused, "you seem much more relaxed"
"I-Iām going toāhahahahaha!" Sherlock cut his own threat short with another laugh. "Iām going to get you back for this!"
William leaned a little closer, his voice low, amused, and warm against Sherlock's ear. "I look forward to it"
After a few more seconds, perhaps deliberately prolonged, he stopped the playful movements, returning to a firm, soothing pressure.
Sherlock took a deep breath, still smiling against the cushion. "You're insufferable" He murmured.
William just smiled, satisfied. "And youāre still working too hard"
William remained silent for a few moments, watching the way Sherlock was still breathing deeply against the cushion, clearly more relaxed, and dangerously vulnerable. A slow smile spread across his lips, the kind Sherlock had already learned to recognize as bad news.
"You know," He remarked, in a tone that was far too casual, "you still seem a bit tense"
Sherlockās eyes snapped open immediately. "No" He replied hastily. "Whatever youāre thinking, no"
William tilted his head. "What? Iām just considering a full massage, it would be negligent of me to stop now" He said, moving his hand along Sherlockās leg toward his feet.
"Liam..." Sherlock tried to turn over, but lying face-down on the narrow sofa worked against him. "If you get anywhere near my feet, I swear I'llā"
"Swear you'll what, Sherly?"
Sherlock tried to pull his legs away, but it was too late, William easily gripped his ankles and lifted them slightly. "Absolutely not" He protested, laughing before the touch even happened. "That wasn't part of the deal!"
"There was no deal" William countered. "Just trust, clearly misplaced"
His fingers soon touched the soles of Sherlock's feet, and the reaction was immediate. "Hahahahahaha! No, nahahahahaha!" Sherlock thrashed, nearly kicking the air, laughing too loudly for any protest to sound serious. "Not the feet!"
William could barely contain his own laughter while keeping a firm grip on the ankles, his fingers now moving with teasing lightness. "Fascinating" He remarked. "You react even faster here"
"Damn the-hahahahahaha nervous system! Hahahahahahaha!" Sherlock said between laughs, trying to squirm away.
A sudden, sharp movement almost worked, the sofa creaked dangerously as Sherlock shifted sideways, and William lost his balance for a moment. "Careful" He laughed, nearly being pushed off the sofa.
"I told you!" Sherlock replied, roaring with laughter, his legs thrashing so wildly that he finally managed to pull one foot free. William let go before they both ended up on the floor, stepping back with an amused smile as Sherlock turned around, still laughing and breathless. "You're a menace" He declared, pointing an accusing finger at him. "A real villain"
William straightened his coat, his composure intact despite the near-tumble. "And yet," He replied calmly, "I managed to make you forget about work for several minutes"
Sherlock fell silent for a moment, then smiled, conceding the point. "I hate to admit it, but you have a point"
William smiled back, satisfied. "Always"
Sherlock grimaced, though he was still laughing, deciding he wouldn't let that slide. In a swift movement, faster than William expected, he grabbed his wrist and pulled hard enough to throw him off balance, dragging him down onto the sofa. "Oh, don't think this is over" He said with a sharp grin, already reaching out to attack. "My turn"
William landed somewhat clumsily beside him, surprised for only an instant; Sherlock wasted no time, sliding his fingers along William's sides and then his ribs, confident it would have the same effect.
William simply watched him, far too composed.
Sherlock blinked. "Wait," He murmured, frowning. "That should work." He tried again, putting more effort into it.
"Should it?" William asked, tilting his head slightly. "An interesting hypothesis"
"You're not ticklish?" Sherlock asked, genuinely incredulous.
"Not in a way that causes a problem" He replied calmly.
But that split second of hesitation was all he needed. With a precise movement, William reversed their positions, pushing Sherlock back against the sofa and firmly pinning his wrists above his head.
"L-Liam" He began, already laughing nervously. "Wait, let's talk like adultsā"
But Williamās fingers darted down, and the moment they touched Sherlockās armpits, the effect was immediate and absolute.
"AHAHAHAHAHAA! NO-HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" He arched his body sharply, laughing too loudly, his arms flailing uselessly as he tried to pull away. "NOT THERE, NOT THERE!"
William didn't just continue, he experimented. His fingers moved with almost cruel precision, alternating between quick, light touches and slightly firmer movements, as if mapping out every reaction. "Fascinating," He remarked, watching intently, as though conducting an experiment. "You lose all control"
"LIAHAHAHAHAHAM, PLEASE!" Sherlock protested, his legs kicking against the sofa. He tried to arch his body away, but the position only left him more exposed. Each new touch wrung another peal of uncontrolled laughter from him, his voice breaking amidst the mirth.
"You should see your face right now" William said, clearly amused. "Weak spot confirmed"
"STOP IT-HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Sherlock shouted, incredulous at his own laughter. "I'LL DO ANYTHING!"
William raised an eyebrow. "Anything? Thatās a dangerous promise, Sherly" He said, slowing his pace.
"Whatever you want!" He gasped, nearly out of breath.
William leaned a little closer, though he didn't stop completely just yet. "Promise you'll work less" He said, his voice low and steady despite his amused tone. "That you'll sleep, eat, and not destroy yourself over a case"
Sherlock laughed a little more, defeated, his face flushed and his eyes watering. "Okay, okahahahahahay! I promise!"
William finally ceased the assault and let go of Sherlock's wrists, but he remained there, watching as Sherlock chuckled softly while trying to catch his breath. "Excellent" He said simply.
"You are..." Sherlock began, taking a deep breath. "Absolutely relentless and infuriating"
William adjusted his coat as he stood up, his composure intact. "And you are too stubborn for your own good, but now I know how to handle you, Sherly"
Sherlock pointed an accusing finger at him again. "Don't you dare do that again!"
William smiled. "Just don't give me a reason to, and keep your promise" He said, though he intended to do it again anyway, but Sherlock didn't need to know that part just yet.
See, I donāt think thatās the case, either. I do not think at any point, they stop being intelligent, clever men who overthink just about everything.
(Although I think John and Moran and Ms. Hudson are the only characters in this series with an EQ consistently higher than that of an average block of cement)
William knows William is fond of Sherlock. Sherlock knows Sherlock is fond of William. Thatās about all they understand, but who cares; thatās the important part. They have a fair understanding of what they want (time together, conversations together, etc.).
They do not have a fair understanding of how to make that happen.
Being smart doesnāt mean there arenāt things youāre just unskilled at. They have no instinct or gift for this, really. William can be charming, but Williamās charming side also has about as much of his actual self in it as homeopathic medicine has medicine. And he doesnāt turn it on Sherlock really ever because he just wants to be real, actual, true friends with Sherlock and you cannot do that through mask.
(Sherlock doesnāt have a mask, so his weird awkwardness is just hanging out for everyone to see and run away from)
Friendship is not a thing they are good at. It is not a thing either of them have any practice at. It is not a thing either could probably make a stab at of normally anyway because they are both incredibly weird fucking people.
Intelligence isnāt magic. You still have to practice skills you want to be good at. You still have information to piece together. They donāt have any of those things in the realm of āEnjoyable Human Interaction.ā
Sherlock starts picking it up pretty quickly once he has a John to teach him.
This whole thing made me wonder why Liam, who is surrounded by at least two people who ostensibly care about him, doesnāt pick this up while Sherlock does.
And then I thought about it a little more and realized that where John looks to Sherlock for companionship and company (which Sherlock returns by dragging John into his messes, though as John seems eager enough thatās really neither here nor there), Liam does not have friends in his brothers.Ā He does not confide in them, does not ask them for personal advice, does not share the things that bring him joy with them. Heās a General to Albert and a mentor/guardian figure to Louis (who at the point yuumori begins, lbr, does not need it and probably hasnāt for a while) and is a source of Orders and Explanations but very little else. Albert strikes me as probably fine with this dynamic, but it makes me positively acheĀ for Louis, who clearly adores his brother.
It makes me a little angry at Liam, actually. Your brother cooks and cleans and runs your life for you out of concern for your wellbeing and you canāt reciprocate that, not even a little bit? Iirc we see Louis ask Liam once to be let in on the plans, to be allowed to help, and from this framing it feels like Louis has learned that the only way into Liamās life is to facilitate his murders. This is the only truly personal connection Liam has with other people. God.
No wonder his plan for Sherlock involves folding him into the Moriarty plan. It might be the only way Liam knows how to relate to people at this point.
William is Made of transactional relationships that he pretty intentionally sets up as transactional, because heās not capable of understanding another kind of relationship. Even wayyy back when he met Albert, he was expecting Albert to want something from him in exchange for Louisās surgery (and Albertā¦did not prove him wrong. Nothing in the world has ever proved William wrong on this note except for Sherlock. Sherlock doesnāt need him, has never needed him).
I think he got a little lost in the sauce of thinking of himself this director, this actor, this dramatic mythological figure, to accomplish his Great Purpose that he sort of forgot, um, that heās also Liam-whatever-your-birth name-is. The story he is trying to tell does not require him to be more than a cardboard cutout of a person, so he doesnāt bother nourishing any other part of him that does not service the plan.
He sort of. Cut off every piece of him he didnāt think he needed and hope they died, because all those human pieces of him were soft and tender and hurting and traumatized and he is not good at dealing with pain.
(Kind of like how Dissociative Identity Disorder often manifests, when it does, as a function of trauma and trying to create a mental shield to defend against it and somewhere else to deflect it that Isnāt You.)
He didnāt need friends, because The Lord of Crime did not need friends. So he did not learn how to make them. And the Lord of Crime was strong and heartless and safe for him to retreat into when everything else hurt too much. The Lord of Crime doesnāt hurt.
Liam-whatever-your-birth name-is hurts.
Sherlock sort of defibrillated parts of him heād already built a grave for because Sherlock could not be confined to a transactional relationship even when William tried to force them into one where William gave Sherlock puzzles he wanted and Sherlock happily solved them for him to advance the Purpose.
But Sherlock showed up to āReichenbachā as Williamās friend and not a detective and took down Williamās entire defensive wall, what thin shell remained of his view of himself, The Lord of Crime.
I'm a Willliam fell first, and Sherlock fell (a bit) harder person myself, at least based on what was shown in the anime finale. Sherlock finding the letter, that letter itself making me feel like Will developed an interest first. Then Sherlock literally falling harder when he jumps off that bridge to save him :P
My HC is def in the minority. Maybe I need to rewatch/reread it's been a hot minute
ETA: Ain't no way it ended in a tie with Sherlock and William both falln first and harder š¤£
The existence of the The Two Detectives and The Two Criminals arcs in YuuMori always makes me giddy.
Yes, yes, let's show that William is just as capable of ferreting out a perpetrator and bringing them to justice as the Great Detective is. Yes, yes, let's show that Sherlock is just as capable of digging up an abusive asshole and committing a Perfect Crime to murder him as William is.
And, in fact, The Two Detectives ends with William getting the upper hand on Sherlock and (via trickery) managing to catch the perpetrator where Sherlock stalled out. And in The Two Criminals, Sherlock murdered Milverton before William could even get around to pulling the trigger.
Oh, oh I love them.
They are equals. They are the same. They are both equally capable of Detectiving. They are both Detectives. They were both equally capable of elegant, seamless murderer. They are both Criminals.
Iāve spoken a few times about Louisās leadership of MI6, most extensively here, and while I stand by that fully, part two has made his leadership a new part of his arc with a whole host of complications galore, so letās talk about it once again.
This is a good time to talk about this particular topic, because Louis finally directly addressed it this chapter (talking to Albert). Itās also diving directly into the chained up-ness of William Sherlock was mooning about.
As much as the complications sadden me, they feel realistic, and theyāre being engaged with fully, so Iām interested. Iām at the pre-planned course restaurant waiting eagerly for what Iām about to be served.
I know itās been a while since Iāve written a good long YuuMori meta. Part two has been slow to take off, okay? And no one has really been sending asks asking for them. But Iām back, baby!
(I weep at the thought of how badly I need to update The Masterlists. Should I make new ones for part two? But my old method of doing so isn't going to work at this point; it's been too long)
Louis really shone while his brothers were away. He grew into a fantastic leader, the Morifam grew to really trust and listen to him, and things were actually going pretty well. And then everyone was finally reunited and it was all very lovely and wonderful.
And then things get complicated as they get back into the swing of business.
Because...well...while the break from having their cult leader around was good for everyone involved, he is back now. And, well. At least Jesus didnāt stick around. Things get weird when Jesus sticks around. Things also get messy when Jesus doesnāt stick around (lmao the schisms of the Church...), but we already had that dealio solved with dragging Albert and Moran back into the fold.
This most recent chapter illustrated this with mostly low-stakes stuff, so letās start there: Moran and Herder straight up forgot they had to pack. And they both went, āWell, itās not a mission, right?ā after Fred and Jack were both very judgmental about their failure to actually execute on something.
And Louis is like, āDoes an order from me not make it a mission?ā
At this point, I would like to remind us all of another detail: while the Morifam grew to respect Louisās authority, the Morifam was also not whole at the time. Albert and Moran were notably missing, as well as William, although in this situation Williamās got a whole other thing going.
So Moran and Albert never actually really submitted to Louisās authority. Moran required Williamās request of sorts to fall in line.
And what Louis does, immediately, is delegate the authority and task to William. Who is startled, because itās been made clear even in part one that William fully views Louis as in charge of MI6 now. Ā In part one, we see Louis instinctively giving orders, even to William, and then backing down, only to be reassured by William it was fine.
This is a good moment to keep in mind for part two: Louis completely understands how everyone else is behaving. And because Louis knows how to use that to his advantage. Because Louis is a strategian of dreams.
So Louis assigns William to get everyone who failed back in line, because they would none of them fail William. Ā The fact is, itās hard to listen to someone when the person youāre used to listening to is also in the room saying nothing. Itās habit. And as Louis points out...he canāt become that person overnight. He canāt instantly build up the trust that William earned. He had three years, and those three years mattered a lotāespecially to people like Bond, who are newer to the family. And for people like Moran? Heās had basically no time at all, and even in early parts of part one, William had to step in to get him to listen to Louis. William is used to this, but it seems, from his bafflement that Louis is delegating authority back to him, that William expected things had changed.
But William, oh my beloved sweet dork, may be aware of almost everything, but as Albert points out, he will never be aware of how much people love him, how securely people are drawn to him. He doesnāt even seem to realize this might be an issue.
Well. Mostly.
Weāve certainly seen him use Moranās loyalty to him in part two already. He knows Moran will pick him over Louis, if it came down to it. So as much as this habitual deference to William is how heās ended up so chained up now for his own protection, because his little cult relies so deeply on him, itās also something he instinctively pulls on and seems to be not loathe to give it up, but not quite practiced, either. As Albert said: William isnāt even aware of his own charisma. Itās like asking him not to use his own hand.
William seems to be trying to obey Louis (er. You know. As much as he listens to anyone). He definitely views Louis as in charge now, at least of everyone else. Heck, even in this chapter, he agreed to Louisās demands to stay inside and safe, at least after this mission is over.
(I canāt imagine thatās actually going to work out, but he did agree)
And that is going to be interesting, especially as Sherlock tries to break this whole situation open wide once again.
It ended with a newspaper article including a statement from the Lord of Crime James Moriarty and accusations against Sherlock.
Someone is up to Something and they're pretending to be Liam in a very disconcerting way.
But you know what, I like this. Forces them out of their status quo to actually do something that will change things. Good, good, good.
But Patterson and Bond talking so much about how horrible it would be for William to be seen as a religious figures and all the parallels and how people would find that as an answer had me in hysterics. Guys, the hypocrisy. The hypocrisy.
Also.
"Those who lie and those who deceive." Oooooh that's getting rich. Good. Yes.
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