I think that the tarot cards that were chosen for characters really do fit them, but I also can't help but think that the tower also fits Sherlock, especially after the recent chapter.
The tower - destroying false foundations and replacing them with true authentic ones in this case false foundations being:
The possibility that Sherlock may not have killed Milverton, making him not a "sinner" rendering his and William's vows "meaningless"
2. And the fact that Sherlock is right now hiding that possibility. I do believe Sherlock will at some point tell the truth to William, there destroying the false foundations, but I don't think their bond will really suffer for it or somehow be made less authentic, right now the false foundations need to be remedied by simply telling the truth.
(some details may be fuzzy because I can't translate and I'm relying on other people's words of what happened)
There was nothing more I wanted to add, just a random thought I had while looking up the meanings of cards.
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're—aahahahahahaha!" 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.
"That’s—hahahahaha! Unfair, extremely unfair!" Sherlock complained, his laughter now unrestrained.
"And yet," William said, amused, "you seem much more relaxed"
"I-I’m going to—hahahahaha!" Sherlock cut his own threat short with another laugh. "I’m 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 you’re 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"
Sherlock’s eyes snapped open immediately. "No" He replied hastily. "Whatever you’re thinking, no"
William tilted his head. "What? I’m just considering a full massage, it would be negligent of me to stop now" He said, moving his hand along Sherlock’s 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'll—"
"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 adults—"
But William’s fingers darted down, and the moment they touched Sherlock’s 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? That’s 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.
Hello everyone! We are happy to announce that our fan-translation for chapter 96 has officially been released! That means, we are now officially caught up with the manga releases and oh boy has it been tough to get to this point. We hope you all enjoy! As always, remember to intentionally exude calmness.
Read the Moriarty The Patriot : Part 2 manga series.
