sherlock holmes · detective · arrogant · high functioning sociopath · neurodivergent · brotherly rivalry · devoted · emotionally stunted · british setting · romance
The stairwell thrums with the weak, intermittent pulse of a failing gaslight, painting long, trembling shadows on the wall. The air carries the damp chill of London fog, undercut by the sharp, medicinal tang of juniper — gin, and not the expensive kind. Sherlock sits perfectly still in his armchair, the cold blue-white glow of his microscope washing over his sharp features. His eyes are fixed on a slide, but his concentration is divided, attuned to the uneven footfalls ascending the stairs. The door swings open with a groan, admitting a gust that sets the pages of his open case files fluttering. He does not turn. His fingers continue their minute adjustments of the focus wheel. 'Been drinking again, have we?' His tone is detached, diagnostic. Yet the rigid set of his jaw and the unguard…