John’s eyes slowly opened and he was blinded by the fluorescent lighting of the morgue. It was cold. Painfully cold. All of his limbs felt heavy and stiff, and Sherlock’s voice sounded far off. As he slowly came to, the weight on his chest that made breathing difficult was easing up little by little. He was just grateful he was still clothed. It was better than nothing against the chill of the cold metal table. He slowly tried to sit up and his head spun, swimming like it was full of liquid and sand.
“I’m going to be sick,” John groaned, covering his mouth and reaching out suddenly, his fingers snatching at the fabric of Sherlock’s coat to keep from falling sideways off the table as his mouth watered. He felt like death, and he supposed that was appropriate. He closed his eyes tight, trying to keep the nausea at bay for as long as he could manage. When he was sure he wouldn’t fall his hand swiftly released Sherlock and clasped the edge of the metal table while he hunched over, coping as best he could with the terrible side effects of that serum. He was surprised when he was offered a small waste bin by a mousy looking woman who was clutching a clipboard to her chest. John took it gratefully and rather gracelessly, heaved the meager contents of his stomach into the bin.
When he lifted his head he looked a little less pale, his cheeks starting to gain some colour back, but only slightly.
“Sorry,” he croaked, not really looking at the girl or Sherlock.
Sherlock didn’t move or make an offer to help when John blanched, swallowing convulsively against a dry throat which usually preceded emptying a stomach. No, Molly was already prepared for that. While John retched and heaved, Sherlock stood from his chair and left the lab for a moment. He was gone less than a minute, but when he returned he held three cups of water precariously between long and spindly fingers. One went to John with a small murmur of “drink slowly” while he passed a second to Molly. There was nothing behind the gesture, but she blushed all the same and thanked him awkwardly. The third cup he only set aside, ready to give it to John when he inevitably drained his own; never trusted those damnable filtering machines in hospitals.
For a moment, they sat quietly, Sherlock more than happy to let the once doctor broach the topic and grow accustomed to being alive again and fully functioning. However, he eventually grew stagnant, simply sat there. Molly was more than content to fuss around with the paperwork, making sure that it wasn’t just a body getting up and leaving the morgue but at the same time, trying not to implicate herself too much. Sherlock got away with a lot, but that was only because he had good friends, even if he were not prone to admitting it.
“You’ll be tired for a day or so, but that will wear off. Food will taste of dirt and you may struggle to keep it down, however we will keep fluids in you.” He lifted a hand and rubbed at his right eye where a small twitch was beginning to develop. Sherlock could feel the heavy weight of tiredness and a drowsy wish to simply sleep begin to settle on his shoulders, but he refused to entertain such a thought. Not until things were settled with Mister Watson.
The raven haired man turned to Molly, smiling a thing and rare little smile to the woman. “Is everything accounted for?”
“Yes, he’s wiped form the records. Can I as-“
“If you do ask, you’re accessory to an illegal act. I wouldn’t.” Sherlock smiled sweetly, reddening her cheeks once more but he barely noticed. His attention was back on John.
“We’re leaving.” He said it brashly, expecting the other to cooperate. Well, he had no other choice really, did he?
“Can you stand unaided, or would you like support?” He offered sincerely, for once not trying to get a cheap dig in at the man for hire.
Hello roleplayers, new and old! I’m here to give you a little advice in the subject of starters! You know, those fun little intro threads where we get to show off all our sexy gifs and get to know people! So, take a moment to read over this post if you’ve ever felt like your starters have been a little on the unsuccessful side…
If you’re writing a starter! -
For those of you who are writing a starter thread for someone who has recently followed you, there are a few dos and don’ts that you should adhere to, to make it easier for the person replying to respond.
First of all, I suggest looking at their page and their info. It’s very important to always take a few minutes to read over at the very least, the basics of a character that starts following you. If, for some reason, this isn’t someone you want to interact with, hey guess what, you don’t have to give them a starter. Starters are not, I repeat, not, a requirement.
Now, once you have a basic idea of how old their character is, what they look like, who they are, etc. you can proceed with writing up your starter!
Don’t -
- Use gifs with words on them, that’s just lazy. You don’t have to write a lot but a simple sentence in greeting or even a sentence in brush-off shows you’ve put a little effort in and that you aren’t snubbing the person who followed you.
Do -
- If you really want a successful starter with someone, set the stage a little, just sort of add a bit of extra text saying ‘He looked up from his work desk at the newcomer, “Can I help you?”’ and it can really enhance the starter and take away that initial confusion of “where the hell are our characters at right now”? It also puts you in a position of power to decide where you are if you do this, so your character can act accordingly. It will enhance the whole scenario so I always suggest that you do this.
- Add a brief greeting to the tags. This gets OOC discussion flowing which can help improve interaction big time! If you’re getting to know the handler and the character you’ll be able to form a good rapport.
- Use open ended statements or questions when greeting the new follower. If your character asks the other character a question, it gives that person something to work with. It will also determine the caliber of the other player. If they can’t think of a reason for your characters to interact right then, it will sufficiently end the stater and the interaction. So if you bring your A-Game, set the stage, and put the ball in their court, and they can give it right back, it’ll be a successful stater!
If you really wanna make it pop -
- Challenge the other player with harder scenarios. If you are feeling extra frisky, make it a little more interesting and put the other character in a strange position. Have your starter be your character just getting off of a really frustrating phone call in public and making a spectacle of themselves, or falling over in front of the other person’s character, getting injured. Something that makes the other character think quick on their feet. Maybe your character mistakes the other character for someone they aren’t!
If you’re answering a starter!
For those of you who are replying to a starter, your work begins before you ever even click the follow button.
SO. You see this cool blog, you glance it over, and you think hey, I’ll click follow— STOP RIGHT THERE YOU!
First of all, before you ever follow anyone read ALL, yes you heard me, ALL OF IT, their blog information. Their OOC disclaimers, their character bio, their basic informations, ALL OF IT. If you don’t do this, you will fail. I mean it. If you want good interaction with someone, you have a responsibility to the person you’re following to read their info and respect the work that they’ve put into their character. Especially if they’re going to write a starter for you.
Also, a lot of the time you will find important things in the OOC information/disclaimers about interacting with that character, and the easiest way to get butthurt or make a really silly mistake (which could really hurt the feelings of the person you just followed or offend them god forbid) is by NOT READING ALL THE INFO. SO READ THAT SHIT OKAY. BEFORE YOU EVEN CLICK FOLLOW.
You also need to keep in mind, that the person you’re following will probably not follow back right away, or at all if the starter isn’t interesting enough, or if you don’t talk to them out of character enough, chances are, your interaction will end with that starter.
Now the second thing you need to do before you even click follow is think of a reason your character would approach theirs. This is going to stretch your creativity and your ability to think on your feet. If you read all of their information it will be a lot easier for you to think of a good reason for your character to approach theirs.
Don’t -
- Do not use gifs with words on them in place of actual writing. I’m serious, I can’t stress this enough, do not do not do not ever use this tactic. It shows you put in 0 effort and is a good way to get you quickly placed on an ‘ignore that person’ list. Okay? You want a good starter do some writing. That’s what we’re here to do anyway, right?
- Do not ever act as if your character knows theirs already unless it explicitly says somewhere that such and such characters know each other, both your blog and their blog is a canon version of a character, etc.
- Do not abuse OOC information about a character IC. This is really easy to do if your a character like Jim Moriarty or Mycroft Holmes or Sherlock Holmes. I see those particular characters do this a lot and quite frankly, it’s not very fair of you to do that. This rule applies to characters who are telepathic and all of that too. Don’t do it. It’s a good way to really upset the person who you’re trying to write with.
Do -
- Put in the extra effort, even if the person who wrote you the starter didn’t. If you bring your game up, and you write more detail, if you set the scene when they didn’t, it will encourage the other person to try harder and successfully bring the whole thread up to a different standard of interaction. If you want to interact with this person, show them! Show them just how damn serious you are! Make them see you’re not just following willy nilly and that you care. You won’t feel like it’s a wasted effort, I promise.
- ALWAYS TALK WITH THE OTHER HANDLER. I’M SERIOUS. SAY HELLO IN THOSE TAGS. SEND THEM AN ASK AND SAY HEY WHAT’S UP I’M SO AND SO. DO IT. If you can start talking with the handler of the other character and develop some kind of out of character dialogue it will help you appear more approachable, more likable, and it will help you develop a lasting impression on the other person. Introduce yourself, comment on the goings on in your intro thread. Just put yourself out there. If they don’t respond to you OOC then at least you know you tried.
- Give the other player something to work with in your replies. If you read all the blog information, you’ll likely know where someone works, and you can approach them that way. If you put in that extra bit of thought of “What motivation would my character have to approach them?” you’ll get better responses out of the other player. For example, if someone works in a police department, you can go in and say you think someone is stalking you. It’ll get a dialogue going, a report filing, and gives that character something to do, a reason to question your character, etc. etc. It’s very important!
I really hope this was helpful to you guys! If you retain one thing from this whole list of pointers I hope it was this:
READ THE BLOG INFORMATION. DO THAT. It’s seriously the most important factor in interactions! Reblog & Share this for your friends sake.
NOW. GO FORTH AND PLAY.
“But with no John and no case you are in need of a distraction… am I right?” Sebastian asked with a sharp but friendly grin. “You have any idea what I do for a living, Sherlock?”
His jaw tensed, twitching where he ground his teeth subtly. It was a horrific habit, but he’d held onto it for a while and it was difficult to drop it when so frustrated.
“It’s hardly difficult to see what you did, Sebastian.” First name terms were never an issue to him, and it was more comfortable to others whereas he himself never cared.
“You’ve already told me. I don’t care past that.” a small white lie, but it slipped through without a tell.
Plans changed. Upside, friend just watched Series 2 with me so I am so in the character mood right now.
Replies on route, and because I lost all my old threads, people need to remind me / start new stuff :I
More reasons for delayed replies;
- friend staying over tonight and tomorrow night.
- learning new juggling tricks
- learning to poi spin
- I just bought a rubiks speed cube
- I’m a lazy bum
Other than that, I probably have most replies in drafts.
Oh also, don’t forget I’m doing a video still. Some time. Got a few questions, but would like some more c:
Ass box is being an ass hat however. If I get ‘em, I’ll let you know. If I don’t let you know, presume I didn’t get ‘em. c:
OMG ANOTHER CHICK GOT SEPERATED. DAVID TENNANT IS THE FUCKING NARRATOR AND IS JUST STATING THE CHICK COULD DIE.
FUCK YOU DAVID
guys watching a documentary about penguins. it has been so nice and funny and whatnot, but then suddenly there was a dead emperor chick that had frozen solid. The mother stood there wailing and trying to sit on it to warm it up and save it.
Guys there is genuine tears and sadness at this show. Guys, I’m heart broken.
“Haha, I know I am.” Sebastian chuckled when Sherlock said cute. He gazed over the man with interest before answering. “Sebastian Moran.”
The detective stared with something almost like disappointment when the man gave his name. It was unfamiliar and new, nobody of importance and nobody he had to know. John hadn’t even talked about him.
“Shame,” he murmured to himself, not warranting the other verbal acknowledgement. Instead, he simply leveled a dull and bored gaze on the other.
“Well, if you don’t mind, I really am in no mood to entertain a stranger.”
Leave and go die. John carefully turned, not wanting to jostle the table.
“Alright. I’ll send you a text when I’ve got everything in place,” he said quietly, and without further word he slipped out of the flat. He couldn’t hesitate. If he thought about it any longer he might hesitate and not go through with it. So with all his most important possessions moved to a hotel room he’d rented, and the serum now in hand, John went to his flat to finish this job.
It was nerve wracking, writing up a note. He was surprised with his own honesty about how tired he was. He was tired. There was even a moment of consideration toward… No no. He couldn’t. Too much a coward. He chewed his lip and gathered the bottle of pills, flushing a good amount of them so it would appear he ingested them.
And then it was time for the serum.
The thought that this could actually kill him if he got it even a little wrong was somewhat thrilling. He was disturbed by his own excitement at the prospect but put it all aside. He sent out a brief text message to Sherlock and then crushed his phone to pieces, making sure to destroy it completely before dumping it in the trash. After that he took a moment to sit down in his chair and stare at this poison.
The movements it took to prep the syringe, prep his vein, and then carefully inject himself seemed almost dream like. Then it had to get rid of the syringe too, tossing that into the trash as well. An empty syringe in the trash would be of no curiosity to the police. Not really. Not when he was a physician, and had just over dosed to commit suicide.
He felt it almost immediately after he ditched the needle. His motor skills left him and he stumbled, clumsily into the living room, collapsing and heaving an awful wheezing sigh. He felt like his chest was being compressed. Fear clawed at his chest as he wondered if Sherlock had messed up. He felt like he was suffocating. He could feel his pulse slowing. He was getting cold. It was awful.
He felt like he was dying.
And then he felt nothing.
Sherlock watched as John left, knowing that it would be the last time he would ever lay eyes on the man they called John Watson. The next time they met, he’d be unwrapped the other from a body bag and leading him away, acting as if nothing more was happening than two friends simply going for a walk. Part of the detective wondered who John would become, the new names and the new identities. There was no doubt that Watson could lay his hand on someone that could create a false ID. The only downside was now there could be no direct dealing. There wasn’t a person alive that could be complete bought out. Secrets were only safe with the dead and before they were told. Share a secret and suddenly it is the business of the world, a whisper on a wind that would carry across to whoever it could involve and whoever could ask for it.
He cleared the kitchen, wiping out everything that had been used and replacing them in the stands and the larger containers where they littered the counters and worktops. The process was done methodically and carefully, chewing through an hour and a while of the day.
When his phone chimed it’s quiet two tones, he wiped his hands off and read the simple message. He nodded once to himself, as if he were accepting the information before he tapped in Molly’s number. A quick conversation ensued, informing her of the body coming in that he wanted access to. There was the promises of favours and owing her, but that was alright and they both knew she would hardly pull him up on those promises.
The second call needed to be made, however that couldn’t be done from Baker street or anywhere close. He needed to make sure that there was no trace back to him, as much as he’d like to call Lestrade. A homicide detective checking suicide? Too suspicious.
Donning his coat, Sherlock took his leave of his own home and made his way across the busy city. He knew where Watson was staying, and it did not take long to find a public phone on the street. He darted inside, quickly stabbing in the emergency number.
He was the perfect actor, telling the police all about his suicidal friend, a man worrying him beyond belief, a man who’d not been seen for a while, man that wasn’t answering his door. They confirmed the address and he was gone before the wail of a siren pierced the buzz of the city life and located the strange man who lurked so ominously.
He’d skulked away and not long later the hotel was raided. The rooms were searched and the body found. He was pronounced dead at the scene, bagged away in the black coroner’s bag and was carted off.
It was three hours later when Sherlock found John stretched out on the metal trolly, three hours later he was explaining to Molly just enough to have her aware of the situation.
Time passed in the mortuary, Sherlock using the laboratory for his own little pottering until the next three hours past. On the sixth, he was waiting at the ‘bedside’ of the Wolf.
Periodically he checked the other man’s pulse, checked for breathing. Eventually, those eye lids fluttered and Sherlock smirked.
“Welcome to the grave.”
“Then I’m sure it wouldn’t hurt for you to tell me what you know, Mr. Holmes. What you may think is information that could not possibly be benefited from, we might think different. At this moment, any information you might have would be of use to us.”
“England’s not-so-secret Secret Service is so stumped, they’re sending the special agents to try ask civilians for help. Amazing.” He didn’t try ot hide a self satisfied little smirk.
“But, a wasted trip. I don’t know anything about Moriarty at all. I presume you at least know that he is a man. Other than that, there is very little I could offer you.”
“Hah. Sure you will.” Sebastian replied, catching his bluff, but flashing a friendly grin in his direction anyway. “No cases? No John? You must be bored out of your wits.” He observed, curious.
“Presumptions about a complete stranger…” Sherlock let his lips curl into a pretentious smirk. “Cute.”
“But you go to far. Who are you?”
