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AU! No summary so far. It's about music, show business and a new life after a disaster. John+Sherlock. Slowburn.
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14237516/1/Soft-silk-is-hard-to-tear
https://archiveofourown.org/works/47086126
Emil, thanks for the preliminary reading.
Jim Moriarty hated the internet. This is the territory of uncontrollability. He poured so much money into the Sherlock Holmes scandal, but just one video appeared from a semi-amateur provincial studio and with a crappy video sequence from a set of stock photo landscapes — and the world is again at the feet of Sherlock Holmes.
Moriarty couldn't help but admire the grace of the move. To give a song to a simple being, an empty place, so that this thing will lift him to the top. It's only world-famous for fifteen minutes, of course, but it's enough to send Sherlock inundated with offers to write video game soundtracks. And it's not funny. This is the most profitable segment of the market. Not only the entertainment sector but the entire market as a whole.
Moriarty never could capture even part of the game world. Investments brought income but did not give control. This is not a movie business or the making of musical stars, where everything and everyone depends on the manager. Here, Moriarty was a king. He is just one of the kings, not the only ruler, but there is a springboard for conquering the entire show world.
And Sherlock Holmes is an excellent weapon. Everything he touches turns not even into gold but into diamonds.
However, Sherlock Holmes slipped away again. And not only this. He got carte blanche. Anoraks from all over the planet who spend fifty-two billion dollars a year (15) on video games are not interested in the blogosphere and media scandals. On the contrary. Out of principle, they will buy something that makes the "proper" world dissatisfied. Even if the specific video games in the making in which Sherlock will take part don't sell well, their soundtrack album will be at the top of the charts. And then it is enough for game-makers to mould a full-length cartoon from fragments of the game — even a schoolboy armed with a free video editor can handle this task in a couple of days. And they can conquer cinemas and Internet TV.
Molly Hooper said that Sherlock, despite the displeasure of Scotland Garden Records, is considering options for video games, the trailer for which will be in the form of a full-length song. This fool girl was sure that Jim Moriarty would run to invest in games and an album.
And, contrary to the expectations of the mass media and the blogosphere, Sherlock didn't make a scandal because of Anderson, who arranged his song, or because of the disc that Moriarty Records is preparing to release. "If someone likes to eat rotten products, it's only their problem. I throw away my mistakes and don't try to make jewellery out of slag."
A long line of singers has already lined up, dreaming of singing a song for the trailer. And they are all stars. Not super-values, but real stars. However, Sherlock didn't even consider candidates. But he discusses games and trailers with this, a little unkilled from the village.
But what if this John Watson isn't that simple? What if he is that gold that does not glitter? And are his roots deeper than this stupid world sees and that is this old strong did not wither? After all, the decrowned again becomes king not without the help of John Watson.
It's not for entertainment that Sherlock, who could not live outside the big city, spent three weeks in the countryside and returned with John Watson. He even settled him into his apartment!
And how many weeks did Sherlock spend looking for a singer to whom he could entrust this song?
[I need to find out everything about this soldier fellow.] Jim Moriarty decided. [A person who spent so much time in the war can't help but have a pile of dirty secrets that will cause hatred of the townsfolk and their press. And with a successful scenario, Watson is waiting for a prison.]
***
Molly Hooper loved Sherlock Holmes. And she loved music. But she hated musicians.
Everything about them was false. They speak in one range and sing in another. They look like gods on stage; they are goblins in life. Their poems are about high passions and philosophy, but their interests are low to the point of dejection in reality.
John Watson was also a fake. There was something extremely dangerous in his colorlessness and spinelessness. Molly, barely out of the recording room, couldn't remember what the man looked like or what his name was. But even three days later, she remembered everything he said. Molly didn't remember how Sherlock — Sherlock! — introduced them to each other, as the sound engineer was talking about the remastering of last year's Sherlock song and that Sherlock answered him, but every word of John Watson stuck in her head like a self-tapping screw.
And John Watson had no right to sing like that! Such magic and power should only belong to Sherlock. He is special, a true star, he is an elf of legends. And Watson is nobody. He's not even ugly. This is only empty space.
But.
Molly turned the song back on. It's impossible not to listen. And she understood why Sherlock changed so many things in the song. And why did he say that there were actually two songs.
Molly desperately wanted John Watson to sing the second song, too. And she wished that he never existed just as much.
***
The killer didn't care that Sherlock Holmes didn't give "Still Waters" his song. It's not a value. And given Holmes' reputation and the upcoming scandals that will soon fall on him, it is better for the band to stay away from such a person. There are many geniuses in the world, but only one reputation.
It is better to rejoice at how gracefully they managed to throw Nancy Walker out of the band. Now no one, anywhere, will ever listen to a single word of hers. For the world, she is just a slut who initially stuck to the drug addict, and then laid down under the old man only to have the club's managers let her appear on stage with her mediocre guitar strumming. Nancy got a job singing and playing solo in the best nightclub in that insignificant town, which the pre-contest job search brought the band.
Of course, John Watson didn't even think of sleeping with her, even his nurse didn't believe it for a second, but the whole world believes. Against the background of the fact that the nurse suddenly began to leave the hospital to work on the Egyptian archaeological expedition, people will consider Nancy the destroyer of the family. She can yell as much as she wants that one of the members of the band killed Tim Rogers, but no one will listen to her. For the world, she is just a devourer of hype who even uses the death of her lover to promote herself.
And John Watson is in London, and it's for a long time. Sherlock Holmes intends to squeeze the most advantage out of his song. Watson needs to get help for the shelter, which means an increase to his miserable salary, and therefore he will not come off Holmes. This champion of justice will not be up to the death of Tim Rogers.
The "Still Waters" were expelled from the village and from the town, but England is big, and in the wake of the image of the victim, they received very fat contracts for their status with two nightclubs in Bath. The uproar over Tim's death has given them the opportunity to get a good job in London, but now the resort town is more profitable: the group will receive more attention from foreigners and English indie game developers, who for some reason fell in love with Bath this year. There is a chance to get a contract for soundtracks. And the band has a free rehearsal room to work out for the contest. "Still Waters" won't win it; that's out of the question — it's impossible with such a line-up and songs, but Tim's death and the crowd's love for sad stories have already dramatically increased sales of the first album and pre-orders for the second, so they will necessarily get a contract with a good promoter. And then the promoter will take care of the replacement members of the band. [And that the brand "Still Waters" will belong only to me,] thought the killer. [It's easier to do business with one person than with a crowd.]
***
Sherlock Holmes could never complain about the lack of delight in the audience. And those who wanted to get his songs were always in abundance.
But only the admiration of John Watson caused a sweet thrill in the chest, which spread through the body in a wonderful, intoxicating wave. This is because only John could distinguish true masterpieces from trash. And only he noticed even what Sherlock himself didn't see: what touches should be added or removed in order for the song to become alive. His grading system fascinated Sherlock, but he couldn't calculate it out.
[This isn't pharmacology or road building,] John's voice echoed in his head again. [Don't calculate! Do feel.]
Sherlock didn't understand. Feelings are always primitive, chaotic, ugly and stupid. And Sherlock's songs are deep and perfect. Because he knows the truth. Music is mathematics. Poetry is mathematics. Impact on the public is math. He never made mistakes in calculations.
But it was the last songs that Sherlock created without mathematics, just thinking about John, being angry at this impossible person and admiring him, fearing losing the world of music and hating the rules of show business, that became masterpieces.
John.
This man persuaded his girlfriend to part with him for the sake of the expedition. What kind of man does that?
"It is impossible to be happy next to a person whose dreams didn't come true. There are many loves, women, and men, but there is only one dream. Jeanette always wanted to visit Egypt, live there, see enough of its antiquities, and study them. However, it was necessary to help the divorced mother feed the younger children. Jeanette's father drank while on welfare, and his alimony was negligible. The dream was forgotten but didn't disappear. And now that Jeanette is free from obligations, she can fulfil this thing. Or be miserable for the rest of her life. The choice is obvious, isn't it?"
Sherlock saw nothing obvious. He also didn't understand why John, who easily starts an affair with anyone (Dimmock! This capricious narcissistic snob jumped into John's bed as soon as he smiled at him), categorically doesn't accept any love proposals from Sherlock.
"You don't need it".
But why?! What is Sherlock doing wrong?
**********
(15) 2010-12 data.
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14237516/1/Soft-silk-is-hard-to-tear
https://archiveofourown.org/works/47086126
Emil, thanks for the preliminary reading.
Jim Moriarty hated the internet. This is the territory of uncontrollability. He poured so much money into the Sherlock Holmes scandal, but just one video appeared from a semi-amateur provincial studio and with a crappy video sequence from a set of stock photo landscapes — and the world is again at the feet of Sherlock Holmes.
Moriarty couldn't help but admire the grace of the move. To give a song to a simple being, an empty place, so that this thing will lift him to the top. It's only world-famous for fifteen minutes, of course, but it's enough to send Sherlock inundated with offers to write video game soundtracks. And it's not funny. This is the most profitable segment of the market. Not only the entertainment sector but the entire market as a whole.
Moriarty never could capture even part of the game world. Investments brought income but did not give control. This is not a movie business or the making of musical stars, where everything and everyone depends on the manager. Here, Moriarty was a king. He is just one of the kings, not the only ruler, but there is a springboard for conquering the entire show world.
And Sherlock Holmes is an excellent weapon. Everything he touches turns not even into gold but into diamonds.
However, Sherlock Holmes slipped away again. And not only this. He got carte blanche. Anoraks from all over the planet who spend fifty-two billion dollars a year (15) on video games are not interested in the blogosphere and media scandals. On the contrary. Out of principle, they will buy something that makes the "proper" world dissatisfied. Even if the specific video games in the making in which Sherlock will take part don't sell well, their soundtrack album will be at the top of the charts. And then it is enough for game-makers to mould a full-length cartoon from fragments of the game — even a schoolboy armed with a free video editor can handle this task in a couple of days. And they can conquer cinemas and Internet TV.
Molly Hooper said that Sherlock, despite the displeasure of Scotland Garden Records, is considering options for video games, the trailer for which will be in the form of a full-length song. This fool girl was sure that Jim Moriarty would run to invest in games and an album.
And, contrary to the expectations of the mass media and the blogosphere, Sherlock didn't make a scandal because of Anderson, who arranged his song, or because of the disc that Moriarty Records is preparing to release. "If someone likes to eat rotten products, it's only their problem. I throw away my mistakes and don't try to make jewellery out of slag."
A long line of singers has already lined up, dreaming of singing a song for the trailer. And they are all stars. Not super-values, but real stars. However, Sherlock didn't even consider candidates. But he discusses games and trailers with this, a little unkilled from the village.
But what if this John Watson isn't that simple? What if he is that gold that does not glitter? And are his roots deeper than this stupid world sees and that is this old strong did not wither? After all, the decrowned again becomes king not without the help of John Watson.
It's not for entertainment that Sherlock, who could not live outside the big city, spent three weeks in the countryside and returned with John Watson. He even settled him into his apartment!
And how many weeks did Sherlock spend looking for a singer to whom he could entrust this song?
[I need to find out everything about this soldier fellow.] Jim Moriarty decided. [A person who spent so much time in the war can't help but have a pile of dirty secrets that will cause hatred of the townsfolk and their press. And with a successful scenario, Watson is waiting for a prison.]
***
Molly Hooper loved Sherlock Holmes. And she loved music. But she hated musicians.
Everything about them was false. They speak in one range and sing in another. They look like gods on stage; they are goblins in life. Their poems are about high passions and philosophy, but their interests are low to the point of dejection in reality.
John Watson was also a fake. There was something extremely dangerous in his colorlessness and spinelessness. Molly, barely out of the recording room, couldn't remember what the man looked like or what his name was. But even three days later, she remembered everything he said. Molly didn't remember how Sherlock — Sherlock! — introduced them to each other, as the sound engineer was talking about the remastering of last year's Sherlock song and that Sherlock answered him, but every word of John Watson stuck in her head like a self-tapping screw.
And John Watson had no right to sing like that! Such magic and power should only belong to Sherlock. He is special, a true star, he is an elf of legends. And Watson is nobody. He's not even ugly. This is only empty space.
But.
Molly turned the song back on. It's impossible not to listen. And she understood why Sherlock changed so many things in the song. And why did he say that there were actually two songs.
Molly desperately wanted John Watson to sing the second song, too. And she wished that he never existed just as much.
***
The killer didn't care that Sherlock Holmes didn't give "Still Waters" his song. It's not a value. And given Holmes' reputation and the upcoming scandals that will soon fall on him, it is better for the band to stay away from such a person. There are many geniuses in the world, but only one reputation.
It is better to rejoice at how gracefully they managed to throw Nancy Walker out of the band. Now no one, anywhere, will ever listen to a single word of hers. For the world, she is just a slut who initially stuck to the drug addict, and then laid down under the old man only to have the club's managers let her appear on stage with her mediocre guitar strumming. Nancy got a job singing and playing solo in the best nightclub in that insignificant town, which the pre-contest job search brought the band.
Of course, John Watson didn't even think of sleeping with her, even his nurse didn't believe it for a second, but the whole world believes. Against the background of the fact that the nurse suddenly began to leave the hospital to work on the Egyptian archaeological expedition, people will consider Nancy the destroyer of the family. She can yell as much as she wants that one of the members of the band killed Tim Rogers, but no one will listen to her. For the world, she is just a devourer of hype who even uses the death of her lover to promote herself.
And John Watson is in London, and it's for a long time. Sherlock Holmes intends to squeeze the most advantage out of his song. Watson needs to get help for the shelter, which means an increase to his miserable salary, and therefore he will not come off Holmes. This champion of justice will not be up to the death of Tim Rogers.
The "Still Waters" were expelled from the village and from the town, but England is big, and in the wake of the image of the victim, they received very fat contracts for their status with two nightclubs in Bath. The uproar over Tim's death has given them the opportunity to get a good job in London, but now the resort town is more profitable: the group will receive more attention from foreigners and English indie game developers, who for some reason fell in love with Bath this year. There is a chance to get a contract for soundtracks. And the band has a free rehearsal room to work out for the contest. "Still Waters" won't win it; that's out of the question — it's impossible with such a line-up and songs, but Tim's death and the crowd's love for sad stories have already dramatically increased sales of the first album and pre-orders for the second, so they will necessarily get a contract with a good promoter. And then the promoter will take care of the replacement members of the band. [And that the brand "Still Waters" will belong only to me,] thought the killer. [It's easier to do business with one person than with a crowd.]
***
Sherlock Holmes could never complain about the lack of delight in the audience. And those who wanted to get his songs were always in abundance.
But only the admiration of John Watson caused a sweet thrill in the chest, which spread through the body in a wonderful, intoxicating wave. This is because only John could distinguish true masterpieces from trash. And only he noticed even what Sherlock himself didn't see: what touches should be added or removed in order for the song to become alive. His grading system fascinated Sherlock, but he couldn't calculate it out.
[This isn't pharmacology or road building,] John's voice echoed in his head again. [Don't calculate! Do feel.]
Sherlock didn't understand. Feelings are always primitive, chaotic, ugly and stupid. And Sherlock's songs are deep and perfect. Because he knows the truth. Music is mathematics. Poetry is mathematics. Impact on the public is math. He never made mistakes in calculations.
But it was the last songs that Sherlock created without mathematics, just thinking about John, being angry at this impossible person and admiring him, fearing losing the world of music and hating the rules of show business, that became masterpieces.
John.
This man persuaded his girlfriend to part with him for the sake of the expedition. What kind of man does that?
"It is impossible to be happy next to a person whose dreams didn't come true. There are many loves, women, and men, but there is only one dream. Jeanette always wanted to visit Egypt, live there, see enough of its antiquities, and study them. However, it was necessary to help the divorced mother feed the younger children. Jeanette's father drank while on welfare, and his alimony was negligible. The dream was forgotten but didn't disappear. And now that Jeanette is free from obligations, she can fulfil this thing. Or be miserable for the rest of her life. The choice is obvious, isn't it?"
Sherlock saw nothing obvious. He also didn't understand why John, who easily starts an affair with anyone (Dimmock! This capricious narcissistic snob jumped into John's bed as soon as he smiled at him), categorically doesn't accept any love proposals from Sherlock.
"You don't need it".
But why?! What is Sherlock doing wrong?
**********
(15) 2010-12 data.
