#this is where the whole Holmes is mean and watson is his sidekick cliché comes from

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

As much as Holmes likes clear facts, he isn't usually very good at being direct about any of his feelings. He hates sentimentality. Even if he wanted to, I don't think he could directly express his regards for Watson without the safety of irony.

I think I love the H-W friendship as much as anyone but tbh I do worry for some people's reading comprehension when I see them treating some of Holmes' comments to Watson -- like the famous "conductor of light" or "one fixed point" quotes -- as if they were fully sincere and touching compliments instead of rather backhanded ones.