#I am lost without my Boswell

[granadahvlmes]

"The Five Orange Pips" and the Burden of Failure

Another entry in a series of short essays inspired by @fruitviking on the following prompt:

Someone (I would like it to be me but I don't have the time right now) ought to write an essay on the recontextualising of the Adventures and Memoirs stories in light of the fact that they are written posthumously.

Of all their adventures, The Five Orange Pips may weigh most heavily on Watson’s memory. It is a tale marked by failure as much as danger. Holmes’s inability to save John Openshaw reveals a rare crack in his facade of infallibility. Holmes’s grim silence, clenched fists, and restrained fury after Openshaw’s murder suggest more than frustration—they hint at vulnerabilities Watson only recognized too late.

Holmes, known for his logic and precision, rarely faced failures as absolute as this one. Openshaw’s death was not a simple miscalculation but a devastating blow—a life lost because Holmes misjudged time, danger, and malice. For Watson, Holmes’s silence in the aftermath was unbearable, a moment of chilling foreshadowing.

Was this the first glimpse of the weight Holmes carried? A burden Watson would only fully grasp after Holmes’s apparent death? In hindsight, Holmes’s fury seems less like frustration and more like a reflection of a fragility even the great detective could not escape.

For Watson, the case is also one of personal regret. At the time, he trusted Holmes’s assurances that Openshaw would be safe, that logic and forewarning would protect him. But in hindsight, those reassurances ring hollow. Writing after Holmes’s death, Watson questions if his deference to Holmes’s judgment played a role in Openshaw’s fate.

He may find himself asking the same questions he later asked about Reichenbach: Could I have stayed? Could I have prevented this?

The macabre climax—Openshaw’s body recovered, the orange pips a grim token of his death—serves as a chilling precursor to a future loss Watson could neither foresee nor prevent. Holmes, so often in control, is shown here as powerless against the chaos of human violence and the inexorable march of time. This failure foreshadows Reichenbach, where even Holmes’s brilliance could not save him.

Watson’s retelling transforms the case into a meditation on fragility. Holmes’s failure in The Five Orange Pips, once an isolated event, becomes part of a larger pattern of vulnerability—a pattern Watson feels he failed to confront. Beneath his clinical prose lies a whisper of guilt. Should he have acted differently? Could his presence have saved Openshaw, just as he often wonders if it might have saved Holmes?

The frantic search for answers, the logical unraveling of Openshaw’s danger—all of it seemed so purposeful at the time. But after Openshaw’s death, Watson might realize the futility of their efforts. It is a chilling precursor to the helplessness he felt at Reichenbach. No deduction, no brilliance, could undo the losses they endured. Watson is left grappling with the bitter truth of their limitations.

For Watson, recording The Five Orange Pips is more than a tribute to Holmes’s methods—it is an act of preservation. It immortalizes a brilliance that could not always triumph over the forces it faced. He cannot escape the quiet anguish that shadows his prose: the fear that no account, no detail, can truly convey the weight of Holmes’s struggles or the depth of their bond. The story is a reminder of the cost of genius, the fragility of even the strongest partnerships, and the questions that linger long after the last pip has fallen.

[mckittericks]

Just re-read "A Scandal in Bohemia" and hot damn. Our boy Sherlock Holmes was one queer-ass motherfucker. Like Kinsey 5 at worst.

[sherlock-is-ace]

One of my favorite things about Granada Holmes is the fact that it starts with the relationship between Holmes and Watson already established. They've been living together a few years already, and we get a fast yet wonderful glimpse at what that relationship is within the first few minutes of the first episode.

Watson comes in worried about Holmes' mood and then his health (when he thinks he's been on the drugs).

We have Holmes sort of playing a little prank on Watson. Going on and on about how he hates being bored and that's why he uses drugs, only to reveal that he actually has a case and hadn't touched the syringe at all.

He asks Watson for his deductions and celebrates when he's right.

Holmes bought Watson some cigars!! "You see, I was not unmindful of your return".

Then they get to meet the client together as partners. "I am lost without my Boswell"

In quite rapid succession we have a series of little moments and interactions that lay out exactly who these characters are and what their relationship is like. Not even 10 minutes in and you feel like you've known these characters for years. That's wonderful writing imo

[moonlightandpalmtrees]

“ ohhh, why does Holmes put up with Watson he’s not even useful (WRONG) “ “ ohhh why does Watson put up with Holmes he’s such a jerk (ALSO WRONG) “ BECAUSE THEY LIKE EACH OTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Holmes respects Watsons skills as a doctor and an army man. He enjoys his company, and Watson makes an EFFORT to understand him in a way very few people have done before. He genuinely cares for Watson and way too many adaptions seem to forget that detail. He plays violin to help him fall asleep, he‘s always tries to bring Watson along with him on cases, “it’s both or none”, “You're not hurt, Watson? For god's sake say that you are not hurt!”, “I am lost without my Boswell”

Watson finds Holmes interesting and we have years of him cataloguing all of Holmes’ mannerisms and habits to prove it! If he found Holmes’ bad habits or quirks annoying, he wouldn’t follow him around like a puppy just to call him brilliant. If he didn’t want to go on cases with him, he wouldn’t go on the cases simple as that. “I won’t leave you, not unless you order me to”, “It was worth a wound, it was worth many wounds”, “During my long and intimate acquaintance with Mr. Sherlock Holmes-“

[riddlerosehearts]

list of acd canon sherlock holmes things i absolutely love

(and am going to mostly put under a readmore because i made most of this list while rereading the entire canon so it is very long! listen i just think sherlock holmes is the best character ever and i need to share my love for him--)

immediately upon being introduced to watson he grabs him by the sleeve, starts excitedly showing off his bloodstain testing experiment, and claps his hands “looking as delighted as a child with a new toy”. once he finishes, his eyes glitter and he puts his hand on his heart and bows “as if to some applauding crowd conjured up by his imagination”.

watson: “i object to rows because my nerves are shaken”

holmes: “do you include violin playing in your category of rows?” he asked, anxiously

he’s noted to be extraordinarily knowledgeable and zealous in his studies, and yet on the same page it’s stated that he doesn’t know the earth travels around the sun and once watson tells him about it he immediately decides to forget about it because it’s not relevant to his work. this is where the famous “brain attic” monologue comes in.

watson writes this list about him and then throws it into the fire in despair:

has a habit of laughing in a way that’s described as bursting into an “explosion” or “roar” of laughter

frequently does this at crime scenes:

enlists a gang of street orphans to help him on his cases, pays them for their work, and generally treats them as equals but also playfully talks to them like a general to his soldiers

plays the violin for watson to help him get to sleep

is incredibly knowledgable on anything from different types of tobacco, to the ways one's trade can influence the form of their hands, to medieval pottery and stradivarus violins. and yet, i reiterate, does not know the earth revolves around the sun.

has a tendency of waxing poetic about the meaningless of existence, particularly when he’s bored from not having any cases to work on

once said about a dog “i would rather have toby’s help than that of the whole detective force of london”

used the word “doggy” when speaking to toby

once told watson “i don’t wish to be theatrical” despite all evidence to the contrary

disguises himself as an old man just to play a prank on watson

watson: “i think i had better go”

holmes: “not at all, doctor. stay where you are. i am lost without my boswell.”

is known to wiggle in his chair when he gets excited about a case

discovers that a man has tricked his own stepdaughter into a fake marriage so he can keep her at home and control her life and inheritance. acknowledges that said man hasn’t done anything illegal but still tells him “there never was a man who deserved punishment more” and that he ought to get whipped for what he did, and then goes to actually get his hunting crop, causing the man to run out the door at top speed

let a criminal go free because it turned out the man he murdered was trying to force said criminal’s daughter into an unwanted marriage

was suddenly made to participate in the wedding of someone he was tracking for a case, came home and laughed about it for several minutes, exclaimed “well, really!”, laughed for several more minutes, and only then did he actually tell watson what happened

responds to the king of bohemia insulting irene adler and saying she’s not on his level by saying coldly: “from what i have seen of the lady, she seems indeed to be on a very different level to your majesty”, which is basically him saying “actually she’s way better than you, so fuck off”

refused to shake said king’s hand

built a pillow fort in a client’s house so he could think better

let a poor jewel thief go because he cried, because it was christmas and therefore it was the season of forgiveness, and because the case was really easy anyway so it’s not his fault if the police are too stupid to solve it themselves

always reassures clients that they can trust him and watson and speak freely around them

is willing to waive his fee for clients who can’t afford to pay him, because according to him his profession is its own reward

this entire scene from speckled band when he gets confronted by his client’s abusive stepfather:

this nice little example of the gentleness he often displays with his clients:

the adventure of the copper beeches. just, all of it. a woman he doesn’t know comes to holmes for advice about a potential job she’s interviewed for and they both agree it sounds incredibly sketchy, she says she’s gonna take it anyway because she needs the money, and he’s like “well i wouldn’t want any sister of mine doing something like this but FINE i guess, just please write to us and let us know if you’re okay and if anything bad happens we’ll drop everything and come help you immediately”, and then the job does in fact turn out to be super sketchy and they drop everything and get on a train as soon as she writes to them

sometimes spends several hours out on walks through the park or the town with watson just relaxing and talking with him for the sake of it, despite watson frequently noting that holmes doesn’t have much appreciation for nature

“we have had the good fortune to bring peace to many troubled souls. i trust that we may do the same for you,” he says “in his easy, genial way” to a potential client who’s clearly very upset and sleep-deprived

is completely wrong about a particular case and asks watson to remind him of that case next time he gets overconfident

is noted by watson to be very neat and methodical in his methods and way of dress, while simultaneously being one of the messiest people ever who keeps his tobacco inside a persian slipper and his unopened letters held up by a knife in the center of his mantelpiece, keeps tons of criminal relics which apparently somehow end up in the butter dish sometimes, and keeps countless stacks of papers and documents all over the place

tells watson anecdotes about his past just to avoid cleaning up said documents

deliberately knocks over a table, shattering a glass fruit bowl which then sends oranges rolling all over the room, and then blames it on watson and runs away

says snarky things like “when gregson or lestrade are out of their depth–which, by the way, is their normal state” and “you’ve done very well, watson! it’s too bad you’ve missed everything of importance”

laughs when watson suggests he’s being modest about his abilities

picked up a rose and got all sappy and poetic about it

more specifically, picked up a rose and said that religion can be a science which involves a lot of careful deduction, and that flowers are a source of hope and proof of the goodness of god due to the fact that they aren’t a necessary part of life but are still so beautiful anyway

recovered an incredibly valuable government treaty for a client and had it served to him on a platter at breakfast because, in his own words, he “never can resist a touch of the dramatic”

faked his death and then revealed to watson that he was still alive in a manner that even he admitted was unnecessarily dramatic

had a full-scale wax model of himself created and used it to fool his enemies

made a diagram out of breadcrumbs to explain something to watson

broke into a blackmailer’s house for a case because he believed it to be morally justifiable, and admitted that he always thought he might make a good criminal

held watson’s hand while they were burgling said house together

twice

allowed said blackmailer to be murdered in front of him by one of his victims and then refused to take the case when asked because he just hated the guy that much

“flushed up with pleasure” when watson complimented him

asked watson to sell his medical practice and move back into 221b with him after the death of his wife. and then secretly gave a relative of his a ton of money to buy watson’s medical practice at the highest price watson would ask for, just so they could live together again

was nearly brought to tears by lestrade saying he was proud of him

let a dog lead him around on a case, multiple times in different stories

was very gentle with a client who he knew to be the victim of an abusive marriage and allowed the man who killed her husband to go free out of sympathy for their situation

noticed watson looking sad and touching his war wound and tried to cheer him up by echoing his thoughts and providing a deduction of how he knew what he was thinking

mentioned watson’s sparkling eyes in said deduction

talked about nothing but violins and his favorite violinist for an hour while he and watson had lunch together

likes going to classical music concerts and getting lost in the music

does scrapbooking

chuckles and rubs his hands together when he’s happy

this:

takes getting called "the devil himself" as a compliment

let a killer go because he had only killed in retaliation for the unjust murder of his lover, and holmes felt that he might’ve done the same if someone were to kill the woman he loved

on a completely unrelated note tells a guy who shoots watson “if you had killed watson you would not have got out of this room alive”

also reacted like this when watson got shot:

went undercover to supposedly give a guy secret government intelligence documents, and then gave him a book about bees instead

frequently disguised himself either for cases or just to fool watson and was noted to be a great actor

once disguised himself as an old woman with a parasol

tried the best he could to talk a young woman out of marrying a man who had a history of “collecting” women for sport and destroying their lives, and admitted to watson that he thought of her as he would think of his own daughter

was prone to “imp-like moods”

sent watson a message to come over at once ("if convenient--if inconvenient come all the same") just so he could infodump to him about dogs

wasn’t surprised that a dog died of grief shortly after its owner’s death, because of “the beautiful, faithful nature of dogs”

listened with great sympathy to a depressed woman who wanted to tell him her tragic story, picked up on hints that she was planning to commit suicide, talked her out of it by convincing her that her life does have value and then called her brave for choosing to live

got lost in thought looking out the window at the publicly funded elementary schools and randomly went on about how he believes they and the children who attend them are beacons of a brighter future

made hot cocoa for watson

shook hands with a baby

retired to the countryside to live on a farm and become a beekeeper.

[anneangel]

The way Watson in Victorian-era canon says "oh, god, yes! Take me to one of your dangerous cases!" goes like this:

“Well, I don’t like it, but I suppose it must be,” said I. “When do we start?”

“You are not coming.” (Said Sherlock).

“Then you are not going,” said I. “I give you my word of honour, and I never broke it in my life, that I will take a cab straight to the police-station and give you away, unless you let me share this adventure with you".

The way Sherlock in Victorian era canon says "I need a partner!" and like this:

"I think that I had better go, Holmes." Said Watson.

"Not a bit, Doctor. Stay where you are. I am lost without my Boswell. And this promises to be interesting. It would be a pity to miss it."

"But your client --"

"Never mind him. I may want your help, and so may he. Here he comes. Sit down in that armchair, Doctor, and give us your best attention." (...)

"If not, I should much prefer to communicate with you alone." Said the client.

I rose to go, but Holmes caught me by the wrist and pushed me back into my chair. "It is both, or none," said he. "You may say before this gentleman anything which you may say to me."

And other:

With an apology for my intrusion, I was about to withdraw when Holmes pulled me abruptly into the room and closed the door behind me.

"You could not possibly have come at a better time, my dear Watson," he said cordially.

"I was afraid that you were busy."

"So I am. Very much so."

"Then I can wait in the next room."

"Not at all. This gentleman has been my partner and helper in many of my most successful cases, and I have no doubt that he will be of the utmost use to me in yours also." [explains Holmes to the client].

The stout gentleman half rose from his chair and gave a bob of greeting, with a quick little questioning glance from his eyes.

"Try the settee," said Holmes to Watson, relapsing into his armchair and putting his fingertips together, as was his custom when in judicial moods. "I know, my dear Watson, that you share my love of all that is bizarre and outside the conventions and humdrum routine of everyday life. You have shown your relish for it by the enthusiasm which has prompted you to chronicle, and, if you will excuse my saying so, somewhat to embellish so many of my own little adventures."

[beekeeperspicnic]

Sneak Peek at the Art Book!

We're approaching the final few days of the Beekeeper's Picnic Kickstarter, so I thought I'd share a few pages of the art book as a sneak peek!

You can get the artbook at the Artist and Scholar tier and above!

Text:

Sherlock Holmes' brother Mycroft only appears in a few stories, but he's one of my favourite characters! His powers of observation surpass his brother's, but he lacks the energy and drive for detective work.

Instead he seems to function as a human computer for the government, using his mind to store and process vast amounts of information.

Sherlock does pop over to see him for advice, however, so I thought he would be the perfect hint system for the game.

Mycroft Holmes, the British Government (retired)

By the way, Sherlock, I expected to see you round last week, to consult me over that Manor House case. I thought you might be a little out of your depth.”

Animals

Hodge (Cat)

Hodge is named after 18th century intellectual Samuel Johnson's beloved pet who he describes as "a very fine cat".

Johnson was a well known popular figure in his day but fame was secured by the work of his friend and biographer James Boswell, who noted down lots of his witticisms.

This relationship between Johnson and Boswell is referenced by Holmes in A Scandal in Bohemia, with him putting himself in Johnson's role:

“I think that I had better go, Holmes.”

“Not a bit, Doctor. Stay where you are. I am lost without my Boswell.

Toby the Third (Dog)

In 'The Sign of Four' we find out that Holmes seems to regularly borrow a dog named 'Toby' from the eccentric Mr. Sherman in order to track scents. He says he would "rather have Toby's help than that of the whole detective force in London."

I liked the idea that in his rustic retirement, Holmes would feel able to keep a dog himself. Of course he would name it and its descendants after the original Toby.

At first I was unsure whether we should be able to read Toby's thoughts in the game, or whether that would seem out of place. In the end I decided to embrace a bit of silliness!

[what-thisiscrazzzy]

“I think I had better go, Holmes.”

“Not a bit, Doctor. Stay where you are. I am lost without my Boswell. And this promises to be interesting. It would be a pity to miss it.”

“But your client—“

“Never mind him. I May want your help, and so may he. Here he comes. Sit down in that armchair, Doctor, and give us your best attention.”

(He just needs to make sure Watson can see him do impressive stuff, can’t let Watson miss him being smart)

[dathen]

"Not a bit, Doctor. Stay where you are. I am lost without my Boswell. And this promises to be interesting. It would be a pity to miss it."

"But your client --"

"Never mind him. I may want your help, and so may he. Here he comes. Sit down in that armchair, Doctor, and give us your best attention."

GODDDDD Watson clearly just thinking he’ll get in the way and shouldn’t interrupt such an important visit, and Holmes just casually throwing “I am lost without you” in there as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world and not the confession it is

Holmes is more than a little bossy here but you can FEEL the desperation to draw Watson back into his life. Watson admits to being perfectly happy without Holmes, while Holmes admits he’s lost without Watson.

[i-dont-talk-for-days-on-end]

I get it, Doyle was really bad with the chronology of his stories ... But still it feels weird to read Scandal in Bohemia directly after Reigate Squires. (Although I think Sign of Four happened between the two?) They were so close, and now Watson has moved out and doesn't have any contact with Holmes, barely assumes he must be alternating drugs and crime solving which is ... It just doesn't go together with anything in Reigate Squires.

Watson wouldn't be indifferent to this. There must be something else; a man who crossed half of Europe to get to his sick friend's side wouldn't just say Sorry I'm Married And Busy Now if he knew his friend (who lives in the same city) wasn't doing well. There's also no reason for not getting in touch at all. So, taking aside that Doyle didn't really know what he was doing, I'd think there was a row before, or that something else didn't happen as described.

Anyway, I love how Watson passes Baker Street and suddenly misses Holmes (yes), and is relieved when he takes his unannounced arrival well. And Holmes immediately starts showing of his deduction skills and recruiting Watson for a case: "Stay where you are. I am lost without my Boswell."

But this isn't true, at least not concerning the case, right? As we know, Holmes has solved some impressive cases in the past months without Watson's help. So, whatever happened between those two, I read this as a more general and more heartfelt plea of Holmes: Stay. I am lost without you.

[m0th-t33th]

i love sherlock holmes and fucking hate bbc sherlock . please rant about "id be lost without my favourite blogger"

OHHHH MMY GOOOD LORD. OKAY. FUUCK DUDE.

ok. ok. so. the change from 'i am lost without my boswell' -sherlock holmes, a scandal in bohemia to 'i'd be lost without my Blogger.' -bbc sherlock, the great game makes me SO MAD.

so. in a scandal in bohemia its been like... a While since holmes and watson have been together, yeah? cuz watson got the wife and whatnot. and generally, holmes is a bit stand-offish. just a bit weird, kind of rude and whatnot. watsons a bit.. unsure, of where he stands with holmes most of the time because of it. so. when he says the Best Line Ever, its holmes like.. actually being nice. and actually wants watson there. (plus also, keep in mind this is like.. not THAT long after theyve met. watson doesnt have the proper vibe on holmes yet)

and it doesnt stop with that, either. he gets PHYSICAL with watson. making him stay. and says to the client, who was a bit iffy with having watson there, 'no. you talk to both of us or you get no help.'

so. he clearly wants watson to stick around, yeah? 'i am lost without my boswell' is clearly him being genuine, yeah?

now we look at bbc sherlock. (horrible, by the way)

whats the context. um... sherlock was taking the piss out of mycroft (???) and is bored or something. gets a phonecall from lestrade saying they have a case, so he gets up and grabs his blazer or whatever. he asks if john is coming. john responds with 'of course. if you want me to?' uneasy. probly doesnt think sherlock actually wants him there (why would he? sherlocks forever pissy at him and fully just acts like he hates him. insults him and everything) and sherlock responds with.. 'id be lost without my blogger.' ok. in text it seems... fine? bit weird but... fine, i guess. HOWEVER. watch a clip of his line delivery.

he sounds... sarcastic. as if hes taking the piss a bit. 'id be lost. without my Blogger.' doesnt sound sincere. and yeah, ok maybe this is cumberbatch butchering the line but like.. if we even Look at the past interactions between sherlock and john?

sherlock insults john, pretty much always calling him an idiot or something similar. not ONCE has he been kind to him. he doesnt NEED john to be here, either. he doesnt have to talk cases out with him - sherlock doesnt have to talk to ANYONE. he just has to talk out loud (hence the skull). all john does when joining sherlock is just... stands there. he just fukcing stands there and calls sherlock brilliant and Thats It.

whereas, in the books, holmes really does benefit from talking things out with watson. he needs someone to bounce off of, and i doubt the inspectors were very helpful with that, given how they run off with the stupidest solutions (a study in scarlet - rachel) plus, im pretty sure watson being a doctor is actually helpful, too.

so. when sherlock says the phrase 'id be lost without my blogger' hes just... taking the piss. hes not using it as a secret way to be kind. its just.... nothing. to him. sherlock doesmt even LIKE johns blog. doesnt like him typing up cases either, i dont think.

and like. he hasnt. been without john, either. this line makes no sense with how its used in the show. hes saying he would be lost without john but he... wouldnt be. he has no reason to htink he would be, either. [points back to the fact john does fuck all while on cases] he has no reason to say this. if he was without john, hed still get cases done. if anything, hed probably get them done faster because hes not whinging about how stupid john is.

again, in the original story, holmes says this AFTER hes already experienced working cases without watson again, and we quite easily get the impression that it fucking sucks - working cases without watson. he wouldnt be extremely eager to have watson join in on this case if he didnt care that much, if he thought he could do it on his own.

but with bbc sherlock, sherlock hasnt worked a case solo since meeting john, because they fucked with the timeline. this episode came BEFORE the episode based on the story where the damn fucking line came from, for fucks sake. so sherlock has literally no reason to think hed be lost without john.

so its clearly just a piss take. and you can Tell with the tone of the clip, too. its just. [PUNCHES THE WALL]

fuck dude. 'i am lost without my boswell' has so much love and care shoved into it. holmes CLEARLY cares about his friend watson and he MISSED HIM. HES SO EAGER TO HAVE HIM BACK FOR A CASE LIKE COME ONNN.

and they ruined it. fucking ruined it by turning it into a sarcastic piss take of 'id be lost without my blogger' like FUUUCKKK OOFFFFF. SHUUT UUPPPPPPP, NO ONE LIKES YOUUUU.

god. um. anyway. yeah. thats my rant. bbc sherlock pisses me off so bad and its kind of insane! this is only ONE of my big boy complaints about the show, too. like christ dude. its so bad.

i need everyone who watched bbc sherlock to go back and actually read the original stories because fuckign hell. they are pure GOLD compared to the complete and total bullshit that is the show.

[granadahvlmes]

"A Scandal in Bohemia" and Watson's Loyalty

This is (hopefully) the first in a series of short essays inspired by @fruitviking on the following prompt:

Someone (I would like it to be me but I don't have the time right now) ought to write an essay on the recontextualising of the Adventures and Memoirs stories in light of the fact that they are written posthumously.

[dusts off English lit degree]

In A Scandal in Bohemia, when Holmes says, “I am lost without my Boswell,” the moment reveals a rare vulnerability in a man known for his logic and detachment. At first, it might seem like a wry compliment, gentle teasing between companions, a simple nod to Watson’s steady presence. But through the lens of grief, this statement becomes deeper—a quiet acknowledgment of need.

In Watson’s retelling, this moment sharpens, infused with regret and the weight of hindsight. Holmes’s composed words might conceal a hidden desperation, a recognition that even the sharpest mind is not immune to loneliness. To Watson, this may appear not only as a compliment but as a glimpse into Holmes’s unspoken fears: that his brilliance was both his gift and his burden, with Watson as the one who helped carry it.

Holmes’s insistence that Watson stay for the case, despite Watson’s new marriage and independent life, feels urgent—a plea from a man who knows the power of his own solitude, and its limits. Does Watson recall this moment as proof of their unbreakable bond, or because it reminds him of the times he wasn’t there? Does this request, framed as practical, linger in Watson’s memory as one of Holmes’s unspoken vulnerabilities—left unanswered?

Holmes famously immortalizes Irene Adler as “the woman,” the one who outsmarted him and forever altered his perception of her. In that same moment, Holmes immortalizes Watson—not just as his chronicler but as the companion who makes the crushing weight of genius bearable. For Watson, this elevation is bittersweet. Being Holmes’s “Boswell” is both an honor and an unbearable standard, one he tried to meet but that feels incomplete in Holmes’s absence.

Watson may not ask outright, but certain questions haunt his memories: Did I notice the strain in his words? Did I stay when I should have, or leave too quickly for my own life’s comforts? These unspoken doubts turn happy recollections into shadows of regret.

The story’s final scenes grow more poignant through the lens of Watson’s grief. Irene Adler’s escape, which Holmes accepts with his usual stoicism, mirrors Watson’s quiet futility in revisiting their cases. He can record them, preserve them, even celebrate them—but he cannot relive them. In this light, Holmes’s insistence that Watson stay feels less about Adler’s mystery and more about their shared legacy. Watson, writing later with the ache of loss, might linger on this moment because it represents what he fears he overlooked: the quiet but profound reliance Holmes placed on him.

For Holmes, Adler was a woman who surpassed his expectations. For Watson, he was the man who grounded Holmes. Yet in looking back, Watson’s reflections are laced with anguish. Did Holmes lean on him too much, or did Watson fail to see the needs Holmes hid behind his brilliance? If Holmes was lost without his Boswell, Watson now finds himself equally lost—haunted by the thought that he never fully grasped how much his presence mattered.

The story’s ending, set against the eventual shadow of Reichenbach, shifts from triumph to quiet devastation. Holmes’s request that Watson stay echoes as a memory Watson cannot release—a lingering question without resolution. It serves as a reminder not just of their bond but of time’s fragility, of the chances Watson fears he missed to do more or be more.

Watson’s recollections carry an undercurrent of unease, a subtle sense that the connection he shared with Holmes was fleeting. The specter of Reichenbach looms just out of reach, turning A Scandal in Bohemia from a clever victory over an adversary into a poignant elegy for moments Watson never realized were slipping away.

In the end, Holmes’s declaration—“I am lost without my Boswell”—resonates throughout Watson’s narrative, a refrain of need he cannot silence. It is a reminder of the times he stood by Holmes and the moments he could not, of the irrevocable cost of those silences, made heavier by the weight of grief.

[lxvenderjewel]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Ted Lasso (TV) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Trent Crimm/Ted Lasso, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Sherlock Holmes/John Watson (implied) Characters: Trent Crimm, Ted Lasso, Rebecca Welton, Coach Beard (Ted Lasso), Keeley Jones Additional Tags: Crack, Self-Indulgent, Attempt at Humor, Sherlock Holmes References, Awkward Flirting, Miscommunication, but like. funny, Awkwardness, Awkward Conversations Summary:

“Gosh, Trent, you’re like my personal Watson!” - the most self indulgent crack ive ever written . ENJOY

[nebs-shitposts]

yall, grenada?? this show does nOT skimp on the angst holy shit. when the opening scenes of SCAN are holmes being passive aggressive about Watson leaving for a week and Watson chastising him about using. AND THE COMFORT immediately afterwards. i am lost without my Boswell I've only been watching this show for ten minutes you cant do this to me

[neverquiteeden]

ok but the contrast between "my formaer friend and companion", whom watson has not seen in months, and "I am lost without my boswell"

just. giove me a minute. give me a minute

[zealouscanonindeer]

Pretentiousness and Packing

Dr John Watson:

Holmes returned after, in my estimate, an hour or so later bearing no remarkable findings than before. He passed me the slip, the laconic message leaving me further discombobulated. What a strange happening this was turning out to be!

“What do you make of it Holmes?”

“Watson, pray do not vocalise your confusion.” 

With that he picked up the latest edition of the times, swiftly scanning the pages until he happened to land on the latest establishment in Scotland yards heroic attempt in dissolving the fearfully elusive age-old crime syndicate of London. Presently, he returned to reality, commenting with an air of light conceit.  

“Lestrade would have been better off coming to me, I have no apprehensions regarding the innocence of these so-called criminals. I shall only pity at the humiliation the yard shall face at the court hearing.”

Before I could inquire at his remark, he continued. 

“An establishment of skilled and well-worn men in the games of crime, with their resources and acquaintances in the undergrounds of London would hardly be unable to protect themselves from a clumsy trap such as this. No, Watson they are very much alive and zealous in their dubious workings, only now they reside their evils elsewhere. Lestrade, the imbecile is truly oblivious to the presence of the plainest facts, even if they are right under his nose.”

“Really now, Holmes” I countered rather tartly. 

I sprang to my feet seizing the slip of paper and placing it neatly on the table before us, gently smoothening it over with my hand. Next, I grabbed the curiously positioned numbers and placed it next to the slip. Lastly, I added the list of imprinted words, jotted down by Holmes, and gave him a look of reproach.

“There, I lay the facts before you, right under your very nose. I am too obtuse of any of them, I do hope you shall shed some light on the matter.”

I sat watching my friend study the contents intensely when a sudden change grasped him. His angular countenance reflective of his concentration, his jaw clenched. His eyes narrowed and he clicked his fingers three times in a fervent fashion. With a cry of elation, sprang to his feet, shaking in excitement and grasped me by my shoulders. 

“Truly, I would be lost without my Boswell.”

He then threw himself into various texts of cryptology and remained immersed there until I took myself to bed. The morning came with nervous anticipation as no sooner had my eyes opened and adjusted to the tepid sunlit room than I was on my feet and scurrying to see what the previous evenings scrutiny had mustered. Holmes, was quite unusually passed out on the chaise lounge, his smoking pipe next to his hand. He seemed to have dropped it when he lulled to sleep. After all, he was only human too. My rush had been rather noisy and he stirred, his sleep ridden eyes dark against the sallow skin pulled over his aquiline cheekbones.  

“Aha, Watson. I must admit I have been rather dense in underestimating Emily. Never again, never again.” He muttered more to himself than me.

“You see it was never meant to be a letter, it was a cipher, quite a neat little one. Very clever indeed. Posed a challenge even to a mind such as mine, however once the pattern was established the rest fell into place.”

“These words arranged in particular order, the boxes correspond to the words and the number inside to the alphabet placed at that position. There you have a secret message. Try it for yourself.”

I scrambled to attain a pencil and began jotting down the letters as per the instructing numbers. 

“Surely this can’t make much sense, this reads as oriart nwerne doutwindowfra”

“Precisely, this is termed as what one would call a betwixillary cipher, fairly new I presume for even I was somewhat a stranger to it. I must learn where Emily came across this interesting piece herself.”

“Now look. The words My Dear Holmes must be divided right down the middle and placed at the far ends of your written letters. And hullo! There is the message.”

The incoherent words transformed to comprehension; they ran thus- Moriarty Denwer near holdout window-frames.

“Whatever is this Moriarty? Something is amiss Holmes. Denver is spelt with a ‘v’ not a ‘w’.”

“Indeed, it is ingenious. Emily, concealed her cipher commendably with a simple misspelling. A person looking for any inkling would be alerted by the v and could unscramble her efficient code. By simply disguising it she alluded her pursuer from any signs of Denver at all. A classic case of creative misdirection.”

“As for this Moriarty, it is in every way, I am convinced connected to our sinister syndicate. The source of it all? Or merely an accomplice? Or their secret to success? We shall soon know. The enormous pile of paper accounts for her attempts at ciphering I surmise and their incineration a rather clumsy move. I am still, however quite uncertain of a few aspects of our singular case. We must hurry to Denver, the rest on our way.” 

He patted me on the shoulder and shrugged out of his dressing gown and proceeded to clasp his breeches into position and tucked his shirtsleeves, pulling on his jacket and reaching for his inverness when he sharply turned to face me.

“Come now, hurry up man. We haven’t a moment to lose. Where the deuce is my overnight bag?”

“It is, I believe still lying packed since our previous journey. Mrs. Hudson’s weariness shoved in under your chemistry table.”

“There it is! Saved me the trouble of packing. Now Watson, if you shall arm yourself with your revolver and toothbrush and cover up against the country side chill, we shall be fit to leave.”

“Off to Denver then.” I announced, clicking my revolver into place.