RIGHT SO - This little thing revolves around the idea that Sherlock and James work cases together like Sherlock and Watson.
This is a poly relationship and the reader is gender neutral.
First of all it took FOREVER for James and Sherlock to get together. Mostly because Sherlock was oblivious. He can pick up on so much happening outside himself, but as soon as it comes to anything involving himself I fear he is out of his depth.
Especially when it comes to James.
It was a lot of little moments that ended with James aching for more and Sherlock just happy James did/noticed something. (IE - That smile that Sherlock had when James started ranting about all the things he deduced in episode one. He LOVES being noticed.)
Eventually it all built up to James getting frusterated and just grabbing Sherlock and kissing him.
Needless to say, once they do get together, they are a power couple.
And then you come along
For purposes, they meet you through a case. Another detective, who at first wants nothing to do with them, but they keep showing up and you have no choice but to work with them.
Throughout the case they constantly try to one up eachother. Sometimes for your benefit, but most of the time they just want to out do the other.
Then you end up joining in, because someone needs to knock then down a bit, which they both happily take too.
A lot of banter and late night talks, leads to a lot of conflicted feelings.
James notices it first, which throws him into a spiral. Sure he still flirts with others, but its all mindless fun and Sherlock knows that. But now here comes someone who he can actually see himself with and it tears him up inside.
He pulls away from you and Sherlock out of guilt and in hopes of squashing whatever thing he feels, because he refuses to not be loyal to Sherlock.
Sherlock, thankfully, picks up on this and confronts James.
There's a lot of coaxing, reassuring, and patience before James finally talks about it.
Sherlock isnt suprised, he picked up on it almost immediately after meeting you, and how James reacted.
He admits he has feelings for you as well, which immediately puts James more at ease, but they take a lot of time to discuss how to move forward before breaching the subject with you.
When they do eventually decide to tell you, its the most serious you've ever seen them.
It starts with Sherlock trying to ease into it, very polite, "after some discussions, we have come to realize that we both harbor feelings for you-"
And ends with James interrupting "for fucks sake- we both wanta be with you, as in partners, as in if you dont say no I'll kiss you right now"
Sherlock sputteres for a moment and the decides on just a nod.
You of course express that you return their affections, and after more talking, the conversation derails into familiar banter.
The reason? Them arguing who deserves to kiss you first.
James just ends up deciding that he won, and cups your face, leaning in. He waits, allowing you to pull away if you wanted, and when you invested lean closer, he kisses you.
Sherlock allows him to habe his moment but as soon as there's an opening he slides himself next to you, coaxing your lips towards his with a single finger guiding your chin.
People thought Sherlock and James as friends was unbearable. It became worse when they got together. Worse when you joined.
Three incredibly intelligent people incredibly devoted to eachother and have no real care for the consequences of their actions when it comes to one another.
Wu Zetian from Iron Widow is intersex and canonically bisexual, polyamorous in a relationship with Gao Yizhi and Li Shimin, and disabled (chronic pain and mobility limitations as a result of foot binding, uses both a cane and wheelchair), and her variation is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)!
So my friend has gotten me into z nation, and Im floored. We just got to season five and you can't belive the joy and shock when the man who has been my favorite character since season one says he's polyamorous right before a man kisses his cheek and then a woman. I'm so freaking happy. Characters so rarely have the chance to be poly, but here he is, Alvin Murphy, Zombie Messiah and Poly icon. I just love him sm y'all.
This is a general rant but includes talk of Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao and Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White. Mild spoilers ahead
I think there needs to be more depictions of some of the less accepted/more "demonized" sexualities and identities, specifically polyamorous relationships and aromantic characters. One of the only books I've read with an aromantic (and not aroace) character is Compound Fracture and I think he's written really well. Miles isn't portrayed as a "slut" or just looking to get laid or heartless despite being aromantic but not asexual, and I think that kind of depiction and representation is really important. I've read quite a few books with asexual or aroace characters but almost none with just aromantic ones. Another rare representation is polyamorous relationships and I think there should be more. My favourite example is Iron Widow due to how, despite not exactly having words for their relationship or explicitly saying "polyamorous", it shows how polyam isn't very different from a monogamous relationship and talks about how the love of one person doesn't limit the love available for another. It even says that the triangle is the strongest shape, saying their unconventional relationship just makes them stronger. It's very sweet and I wish there was more representation like that.
