The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - An affair of the heart (WIP) (Ch 6.1: 31 jan 2025)

[LiliArch]

@Cingulum_diaboli

I usually realize it was too much when I’m no longer face to face with the person.

Depends on the person I assume, but it is perfectly possible to realize it was too much when seeing the reaction of the person. Dunno how being drunk affects it though.

[Cingulum_diaboli]

Maybe but I expressed my opinion and I’ll stick to it.

[KZV]

@BlueShayde

That and he’s drunk. Haven’t you ever said something that crossed a line while mad, and immediately realize you made a mistake?

In vino veritas, imo.

[judy]

I love Lestrade too for exactly that.

In real life if one of my friends told me someone they were seeing behaved like that, I’d tell them to run a mile. But frankly, Watson’s love isn’t healthy either. (My reaction to my friend telling me about their new love- “So their sudden fame and fortune as a writer is only successful now thanks to the career you studied for and built up over years?! They live with you, agree mostly with everything you do, follow you around at work, and constantly talk about your achievements as tho they are their own?” - pls don’t kill me Watson fans I’m only joking about this.)

And the other ROs def aren’t great on paper.

But this is romance fiction, frankly healthy easy relationships are very boring to read about. None of you would be interested in reading about me and my husband (unless you wish to hear about how the most truly romantic gesture a man can do is to wear a nose strip to bed and sleep on his side).

We need proper drama and friction here.

So personally, don’t think it’s fair to judge any of the ROs by modern RL standards of relationships.

[BlueShayde]

So true. I would never date in real life 90% of the characters I do in fiction. Lol.

@LiliArch

Dunno how being drunk affects it though.

Lowered inhibitions and slower thought process. Also probably self-projecting his own self-hatred fueled by liquid courage. Lol

[Bikkje]

I love how ms. Hudson invites herself along to the dance, she’s too powerful to say no to lol.

[BlueShayde]

Mrs.Hudson is a gem. She in one single sentence both fussed over Sherlock AND threatened their financial stability as a renter. I love her.

Just the sheer level of shock, horror, and incredulousness my Sherlock experienced as he slowly realized she was giving him “the talk”…

[icyLucy]

Imagine Sherlock not giving a care
GrEg telling his problems and Sherlock be like; “Ok”

[parisgracex]

@icyLucy

Imagine Sherlock not giving a care

Tbh it’s canon that Sherlock usually doesn’t care about others emotions

[void_mermaid]

I had not thought about it, but I’m really looking forward to see Ms. Hudson in the daaaaance

[Cat-Toes]

I’m so impressed by tge way she weaseled an invitation to the dance. Lol.

[winters_socaro]

It was an enjoyable read, can’t wait for the ball. Maybe, Sherlock will try to flirt with H, because Lestrade has a lot to do even for a chance of Sherlock’s forgiveness and Watson is too possessive for my liking.

Found some bugs

So I went through this choices during dress up:
1.“Un hideous, simple suit. Movable, practical. It was built for a bookkeeper, who… was… um… unable to claim it?”
2.Deduce—
3.“No. I shall need a clear theme, too. I do not wish to lag behind the ton. Do you truly have nothing ready?”
4.“The charming Galahad.” A knightly display of royal blue and shining silver.
and after a description of the suit I got:
Yeah ngl something went wrong if you got this. Send me an error report message on one of the platforms plz.

When talking with Watson:
His hand reaches out for your shoulder but hesitates, then returns to his side, clenched and wound.
but one paragraph later:
His hand is steadying on you, firm support, as he almost always is.

When Sherlock refused to improve (what does it mean, make up?) his look:

You stand and face the full-length looking-glass and gaze at your mirror image. The reflection is, in some way, much the same as it ever was.
“You look quite {pretty}, dear.”

[BlueShayde]

Oh my God, she’s gonna cut up that carpet. Watch her be both astounding and slightly humiliating as any mother figure should be for their child.

@parisgracex

Tbh it’s canon that Sherlock usually doesn’t care about others emotions

And sure, a canon Sherlock probably wouldn’t care. But this story lets us play a personal version of a Sherlock anywhere from very canon to very much not. Which makes it fun in my opinion. I mean…I’m romancing Lestrade for f’s sake. I never in my years of Sherlock fandom thought I’d romance Lestrade of all ppl.

Watson, definitely. Irene, yep. Hell, even Moriarty? Who don’t like a little guilty enemy-lovers once in a while? But Lestrade? The usually bumbling inspector only there to give Sherlock a case and make police in Sherlock stories look useless? Never once came to my mind till this story came out and upper-cut me with a sexy, grumpy, griseled Lestrade. This is your fault, Doriana-Gray!

[divinehydra]

J Watson! thats it, thats the whole post

[Doriana-Gray]

@void_mermaid

Is there one variation when there is something in the back of the letter? This doubt doesn’t let me sleep.

Haha, no. I’m afraid it’s just one page, though probably folded!

[Doriana-Gray]

@LiliArch

Also, I think I caught a bug. There’s this code:

*if (not (((cope = “berating”) and (cope = “gambling”)) and (cope = “taking risks”)))
And, you think quietly in the back of your mind, at home you can find relief.
*line_break

I’m pretty sure that line_break isn’t needed (I got an extra empty line where there already was a paragraph break), and, more importantly, I’m pretty sure that if checks that you don’t have all three of those vices at the same time (so it’s always true, since you can only have one vice), you should probably use or instead of and in there.

Sometimes I do line breaks for extra space space between paragraphs for effect, but tbh no one likes them but me and most people point them out as errors so maybe I should stop

Aaahaha good catch on the and. Lol, no matter how many times one does this it’s always the small things that trip you up, isn’t it?

@icyLucy

I don’t know if this was asked before but once this WIP finished do you plan to write another story?

Honestly?
Probably not. I mean I have an interactive anthology thing I do on the side when I need a Sherlock break, and I always have ideas that I have to force myself away from—some of which I would love to work on. However… I like this work as a long-term side hobby, but I have many other things I also would like to do in life. Other types of game formats, etc. That said, even if this all began as just a branching narrative writing exercise, I’m very glad to be doing it

@parisgracex

And also if there is a dance scene together at the ball next I will surely COLLAPSE haha

Yes, there is. I already have some of the scene.

@blob

will the “special” ones has advantages from the original choices? im just imagining my frail sherlock wearing the galahad suit and getting strength buff lol. or maybe approval? other than the angel and aphrodite dress i wont stand starlight dress slander

The special ones only have an advantage as to having the possibility of having more specific tailored flavour text, probably I recently forgot that I was supposed to add a line where mc asks the tailor/modiste to sew in a secret compartment in the outfit for tools or a weapon. Those might have an effect.

@blob

brb im gonna pick a fight with H

[Doriana-Gray]

@judy

My only bug bear is that Jane Watson is described in carriage in Chap 2 as having a “painted” lip. At this time period, makeup was associated with sin. […]

I know that but painted lip flowed a lot better in the text than tinted and I imagined it as, lightly painted, but also sort of “only MC / being observant” would notice that W puts much effort into their appearance, and to others, it might just appear as a natural blushing colouring.

And about the ball, yeah, but my idea is that it’s a masquerade ball and then realistically such rules would be a bit thrown out. I mean I saw illustrations of people caked in a lot of layers of makeup for effect

@Nemureru_Mori

If Sherlock is attractive and chooses a bold look, the tailor says: “ah—to make the women at the ball, excite?”… Why would the tailor think that a man dressing up as Aphrodite or Bride of Dracula is doing this to attract women? It doesn’t make much sense, imho. I feel like the comment that the tailor says about (I presume) nb Sherlocks would fit much better in the situation where MC chooses unconventional outfit for their gender: “ah—to make the men and women at the ball, excite?”…

hmmmm I’ll think on it.

@Nemureru_Mori

Speaking of which, does accepting H invitation to escort Sherlock to the ball will result in us spending less time with other ROs during or at the begging of the ball?

No, well… you can miss one scene in a carriage if you go with H and only share their carriage. But it’s opt-in before that time.

@Nemureru_Mori

I spent at least 20 minutes choosing what kind of partner was my Sherlock’s first, because all those little passages about their failed relationships were written so beautifully!

Which did you pick?

@Nemureru_Mori

I just realised something. Aren’t the four people who could be Sherlock’s first partners sort of correspond with ROs?

It’s not

@Graceful-Not

REALLY GOOD UPDATE I LIKED IT A LOT!!! !!

@winters_socaro

Found some bugs

thank you!

[Bikkje]

Wouldn’t the MC appear even more observant if W’s lips are tinted instead? At least I imagine tinted vs painted lips to be more subtle when I read it. Like a straight up lipstick vs a tinted lip balm/gloss or something.

[ChildeDeschain]

I just found something on my playthrough where I’m not sure if it’s a bug or meant that way: If you use the „skip to chapter 4“ option then (my male) Sherlock‘s first partner defaults to a woman (beautiful descriptions by the way — I couldn‘t decide between the abandoning you and pushing you away options!).
Is Sherlock just cannonically bi (which I wouldn‘t mind whatsoever) or was there meant to be a choice?

Also, as much as I can never resist making Watson jealous (even though my Sherlock is not aware of it) their genuine anguish hurts me so bad. I love all the ROs so far but Watson deserves the world. I love them.

[Nemureru_Mori]

@Doriana-Gray

Which did you pick?

I picked someone too smooth-talking, because I really like the line “I want to make you mine, darling, all mine…” Also, I think having this guy as an ex is a good explanation for why my Sherlock become so promiscuous: firstly, to prove to himself that he is desirable even though he was dumped, and secondly, because nobody can play him again if he’s the one doing the playing.

@ChildeDeschain

Is Sherlock just cannonically bi (which I wouldn‘t mind whatsoever) or was there meant to be a choice?

It must be the latter, because if you play from the beginning you get to choose Sherlock’s preference of gender, but if you skip to chapter 4 this choice does not come up. I played form the beginning, and my male Sherlock’s first partner was a man.