009 || written/dictated;

[workaphilic]

[ Private ]

[The journal opens to Sherlock already talking. The sentence stutters before the filter is written in, then continues smoothly as soon as the restrictions of his loss are appeased.]

-- clearly a hardy subspecies, then, at least in terms of temperature patterns. Fitting, given the circumstances of the "gift." Interesting choice, actually, managed not to be completely boring. More interesting that the castle seems to care all of the sudden about my entertainment.

[The bees have been moved back into the sitting room because, well, John's not here anymore to complain about it, is he? Good for the bees, because the dampness of the bathroom was threatening to damage the integrity of the hive. Good for Sherlock, because he's already deciphered the duties and movement patterns of worker bees based on their relative age and the needs of the colony.]

Probably a placation, and a good one. Most residents receive mementos or objects of emotional significance from home. Makes them feel nostalgic, but it's the safe kind of nostalgia, something they have the castle to thank for.

[He gets so much more done when he's alone. Far too many petty restrictions to adhere to otherwise.

It's better, supposed to be better, should be better.]

Provides them with a sense of normalcy and ingratiates them to the castle without interrupting the status quo. Obvious. But apparently effective.

[Except he's going on three days without sleep, now, and it isn't because the bees are captivating enough to warrant it. (Though they are that, too. Fascinating creatures.) There's a nagging in the back of his mind, nagging, nagging, nagging. Persistent and annoying. Keeps him from thinking, keeps him from not thinking.

A pause, and he exhales noisily.]

Status quo.

----

[ John Watson ]

Stop being an idiot.

SH

[........ Okay, well. Not the best start, admittedly. Baby steps.]

----

[When he's finished, he lingers, letting the tip of his pen tap rapidly against the page. He's been distracted, hasn't been as up-to-date on the journal as he usually is. But now that's he's skimming it again -- god, sometimes he really just CAN'T STAND you people.]

Tell me, residents. What is it like?

[There's an edge in his tone that he's not really bothering to hide -- not overtly malicious but certainly not all sunshine and daisies, either. Might as well hang a signpost reading HERE BE DOUCHEBAGGERY, PROCEED WITH CAUTION.]

Comments

[workaphilic]

[He shrugs again. Haven't you been paying attention, John? He's casual. So goddamn casual.

Or maybe feeling just a touch possessive in the wake of recent events. But no one can prove that.]

I'm not. I said it was the most likely explanation. Do you have a better one?

[confidente]

[ He's far too casual, it's making John a little suspicious. ]

Yes, actually, I've been keeping an eye on someone.

[workaphilic]

Not the obvious. [By which he means a patient. Talking around stuff is annoying.] Who, then?

[confidente]

His name is House, a doctor, and almost as much of an annoying dick as you.

[workaphilic]

And he needs you to babysit him?

[confidente]

I'm not babysitting anyone. [ Well he is... sort of. ]

[workaphilic]

I'm sorry, is that not what "keeping an eye on" means?

[confidente]

[ YOU'RE JUST JEALOUS JOHN IS SPENDING MORE TIME WITH HIM THAN HE IS SPENDING WITH YOU. ]

That's not-- Does it really mater?

[workaphilic]

[Yes. B(

It does when you're spending that much time over there. B(

It does when you've just spent three days over there while actively shunning him. B(

He shrugs. Again.]

Suppose not. Can't say it's surprising, though.

[confidente]

What do you mean it isn't surprising? [ Don't be so childish, you should know that John will forever like you the best. ]

[workaphilic]

You, letting yourself be roped into fussing after everyone else? Never surprising.

[confidente]

Someone has to.

[workaphilic]

Yes, of course. Just so happens that the "someone" is almost always you.

[confidente]

Does that bother you?

[workaphilic]

No.

[Well. Not usually.]

Just an impressive waste of time, that's all.

[confidente]

Is that so? [ He doesn't sound that convinced. ]

Sadly there aren't any serial killers running around, so there really isn't much else for me to do.

[workaphilic]

[Oh, look, a new conversation topic. He likes that a lot better.

Musing:]

Maybe they just need encouragement....

[He's kidding. Right? He's totally kidding. ... Right?]

[confidente]

[ ...He better be kidding. ]

Whatever it is your thinking? No.

[workaphilic]

[He SIGHS.]

Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything. What would be the point of that? Hardly interesting if I had to help it along in the first place.

[confidente]

Thank god for that.

[workaphilic]

Still boring, though. I'd take anything at this point, John. [He says it like the very idea is offensive to him.] I'd take a hit and run. That's how desperate I've gotten.

[confidente]

Christ, you really are desperate. [ That's, not good. Not good at all. They need to get him something before he starts climbing the walls. ] I'll go down to town tomorrow to see if anything has popped up, hopefully there will be something that can tide you over for a day or two.

[workaphilic]

[Climbing the walls sounds fun. He could test the structure and composition of the stone and note likely methods of construction and if he wished for supplies he could test the reliability of castle-generated objects and--]

The townspeople couldn't be interesting if they tried. I'll bet they all die from hopelessly pedestrian things like illness and old age.

[confidente]

[ No, that sounds stupid and dangerous and frankly John doesn't want to witness his best friend slip and fall to his death. ]

It wouldn't hurt to at least take a look, you might be surprised, someone may have died from something mildly interesting. Like a pike to the back of the head.

[workaphilic]

[AWKWARD.....]

That would only be interesting if it wasn't... oh, I don't know. Jilted husband taking his wife's lover out of the picture. God, that'd be even worse than the hit and run.