Post by chess on Apr 10, 2010 17:16:40 GMT -5
Hi, my name is Chess and this is my First character. I found this site through a Google search for something else. Something you should know about me is that I am a happy little Brit *munches crumpets*.
Canon: The stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Custom Title: The Ever Faithful Sidekick
PHYSICAL
Age: physically mid- to late twenties
Gender: male
Appearance: Watson is a neat, military man, which is clear within his appearance, as he usually keeps his hair short and his clothes neat. Once upon a time, he was of a slightly bigger build than he is now, having been bulkier during his time in the army, but due to injury being discharged and his physical build declining due to a long time having to be spent recovering and nothing else. He still has his natural strong build, something he grew into in his teenage years, so it's not like he's as think as a stick as his old friend, Holmes, is. Don't let the intermittent limp and the walking stick fool you, he can still pack a punch, a lot of his power remaining in his arms from when he was incapable of using both of his legs. If he doesn't punch you in the face, he can still whack you good with his stick. Not that either make him seem anything like the sort of person you would want to fight with in the first place. Don't judge a book by it's cover couldn't apply more than it does to Watson because under that neatly presented form, there's an animal trying to get out and rip you to pieces if you cross him.
Eyes: every changing hazel-brown
Complexion: once nicely tanned, now noticeably quite a lot paler
Height: 5'11''
Weight: 175lbs
Body: once very athletic and physically fit, though this declined due to injury, now more thin, though with a strong build and good stature and constitution despite injury
Other distinguishing features: an intermittent limp due to injury
Wardrobe: nice, yet inexpensive clothes, nothing too brightly coloured, generally very neatly presented, nothing too unusual about his clothes, favours a walking stick from time to time[/ul]
Play By: Adam Brody
PERSONALITY
General personality: Watson would personally describe himself with a lazy person with very little motivation...this is more especially true to him ever since the incident during his time in the army. He knows he shouldn't let the injury disbelieve in himself as he also knows he's more than capable to do anything he pleases, but that still doesn't stop him thinking about it. If it hadn't have been for another soldier dragging him away, he would have been more than moping around because his leg wasn't quite what it used to be. He had known the danger of being an army surgeon and he should have known better than to go and put himself further into danger like he did, so for that, he has no one to blame, but himself, even though he shouldn't be dwelling on the past so much. Despite what he thinks of himself as being lazy and unmotivated, his actions on behalf of Holmes certainly prove otherwise. He is a very brave, intelligent, though rather naïve individual, even if he is lacking Holmes' overall insight into the little details of things. This is something else he is aware of in himself: he has limited abilities compared to his friend, even though Holmes relies on him a lot.
He is certainly a very loyal person, loyal enough to believe that any wound received in the line of duty, more especially when he is helping Holmes, is completely worth it. He may be an intelligent man, but for different reasons to Holmes, a lot of people seeing Watson as the brawn to Holmes being the brain. He is quite an open and straightforward sort of person, contrasting Holmes who can be quite secretive and devious. In terms of his views on things in general, he lies somewhere between being an optimist and a pessimist, though he is often seen as being more of a pessimist at times, something which largely revolves around his own self doubt. He is not really either a introvert or extrovert, but he certainly doesn't like to make a show of himself or have someone make a show of him, though that doesn't have anything to do with him being shy about it, more that he doesn't like being made to look like a complete fool. He can be both logical and emotional, though in comparison to Holmes, it is clear that he is more of an emotional person.
He is very methodical and neat, something that he learnt at an early age and developed further into his medical education and training, realising the importance of getting every little step right on the first attempt. He prefers to be working than sitting around, knowing that, generally, if he is working, Holmes is working, so he doesn't have to keep him occupied by himself, knowing how Holmes can seem to slip into old habits when he has no work and gets bored. When he isn't working, he enjoys taking notes about the cases they have been working on, although, in some opinions, he seems to romanticise the things Holmes does and cleverly dodging giving away who he is writing about because if anyone were to get a hold of his notes, he would be in a lot of trouble if people were picked off because of the things that were on the paper. He is confident in his own trade, rarely doubting his abilities as a doctor, but he is certainly a little unsure of himself when it comes to his detective abilities, knowing that he'll never even come close to being as good as Holmes is at it.
Quotes, frequently used expressions: Relax, I'm a doctor.
Likes:
Dislikes:
Fears:
Goals:
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
BACKGROUND
Alias/Nickname: Jay, Johnny, James, Wats
Family: Henry Watson (father); Jane Watson (mother); Mary Morstan (girlfriend)
Associates: Sherlock Holmes
Rivals: James Moriarty, Sebastian Moran
Date of Birth: December 29th
Place of Birth: Bishopthorpe, York, England
Education: attended Wellington College, attended University of London and received a medical degree, attended Netley Army Surgeons' course and received appropriate training
Occupation: doctor and general practitioner, formerly an army surgeon
Pet: Gladstone, a male bulldog
Worst past experience: There are several past experiences that Watson sees as being the 'worst'. There is no way of separating them into an order, other than chronologically. Despite not remembering her, he does remember the loss of his mother and how it affected his father. Seeing his father in such a state was certainly one of the worst experiences in his life. His childhood was relatively unscathed. There were very few bumps in the road for him, so there wasn't much that he could see as any of the worst past experiences happening in his childhood. It was his time in the army that led him to the first of two of the absolute worst experiences in his life. He was shot down trying to help another solider, finding himself in a worse state than the soldier he was trying to save. The time incapacitated and the idea that he would never be able to do what he enjoyed again was heartbreaking. The second of the absolute worst experiences in his life was his father's decline towards his death. He had declined as well, allowing the emotion to consume him and lead him to alcohol.
Best past experience: As with his worst past experiences, there are several past experiences that Watson sees as being the 'best'. Again, as with his worst past experiences, there is no way of separating them into an order, other than chronologically. Firstly, being accepted into the army as a surgeon and being deployed to the war. He felt that it was his best moment in terms of how proud he thought he was making his father. Secondly, finding a job and finding a home of his own with the great Sherlock Holmes. Meeting Sherlock is still up there as one of his best past experiences as well. Getting Gladstone was a good experience for him too, being reminded of his time as a boy in Australia and having a faithful pet of his own to have around. There were several smaller good experiences during the time he spent at work and helping Holmes, being able to help sick people get better and the corrupt people put behind bars. Meeting and finally getting engaged to Mary is still one of the many best experiences for him, despite all the arguments. His latest good experience was returning to New York.
Image: As the brave and reliable sidekick type, Watson is a sort of contrast to Holmes, his general obtuseness making Holmes' deductions seem more brilliant, and can be counted on to save them both from various dangerous situations. He is the brawn to Holmes' brain, though you must remember that Watson is a doctor, therefore, is regarded as an intelligent man as well...though you should be worried about how many different ways he could kill you if he had to and how well he'd be able to cover it all up and never get caught for it. He is clearly not your average kind of doctor, though because of his well established place in medicine, a lot of people can only see him as a doctor, unable to believe that he helps Holmes with cases. Not a lot of people would be able to realise that he would put himself in that danger as some people don't realise that his medical training led him to his army medical training. A lot those that do, out of his patients, are still unable to believe it, considering how well he holds himself and keeps a focus when he's doing his work.
History: Born in Bishopthorpe in York to parents Henry and Jane Watson, John didn't have very long to appreciate England or the love of his mother. Jane Watson died when he was very young, perhaps a year or so. Even then and especially now, he doesn't remember her at all, having the odd displaced picture of the pair of them still hidden away in his books, given to him by various members of his family. After the passing of his mother, he and his father moved to Gladstone in Australia, a name that would later be heralded to his pet bulldog. They spent some time in Australia whilst Henry Watson built up a small fortune, which then led them back to England, having gotten John into a good school. Even being back in England didn't spark his memory about his mother. As he got older, he placed it down to the mind is a great healer of itself, hiding away the things it doesn't think the general form would be able to cope with. He didn't let this disturb his childhood, he couldn't. He wanted to do his father proud as he was being provided for, so couldn't let him down.
Due to the fact his father had the money, he didn't find it difficult getting into the schools that he wanted, finishing up his education in the University of London where he received his medical degree. After that, wishing to do a service for the country he had grown to love, he attended a Netley Army Surgeons' course, receiving the appropriate training, to join the army as a surgeon. He continued his training whilst being changed through various base camps whilst still in England before being deployed to the war. John managed one tour of duty before returning home on leave for a week. Returning to the war after the break found him thinking about what they were still fighting for. He couldn't quite understand it. Half way through this second tour of duty, he found himself actually out in the field when he was shot in the leg, knocking him to the ground. He tried to retreat himself, but the pain was certainly more than he anticipated and he was losing a lot of blood. He honestly thought he was going to die there and then, but was found by another soldier who retrieved him and returned him to the base camp hospital.
With the state he was in, he spent a great deal of time in that hospital, contracting a horrible fever with his immune system being shot to pieces by the accident. Through that recovery time, he spent a lot of time hallucinating because of the amount of drugs that were being pumped into his system to help him. It was very hit and miss as to whether he would survive that too. The doctors around him persisted with the treatment, knowing he would do the same if it was any of them and, after about two months, he was full well again...with the exception of still being unable to walk on his own. Whilst he had been feverish, it had been discussed what was going to happen to him and it had sadly been decided that they would have to discharge him and send him back home. The gun shot had rendered him unable to walk and the fever had diminished his general health, losing a lot of weight and appropriate muscle due to the length of time he spent doing nothing. They honestly held very little hope about him walking again. John insisted that he let him stay a little longer, to see if he could try rehabilitate himself.
Admiring his spark, they permitted him one month to see if any progress could be made. In that month alone, John spent more time out of bed that he did even thinking about being asleep. He had started to walk, but it was still clear that, to the army, he would be no good as a doctor anymore. He was officially discharged and sent home. He spent some time hiding away in a private hotel, whilst he could still afford, informing his father of his accident and spending the time trying to further his recovery before he returned to the proper civilized world. A few months after his return to England, he turned up on his father's doorstep, finding his father and a few of his old University friends there waiting for him. It was good to be home. It wasn't long before he was looking for a job and a home of his own, unable to see himself living off of his father like that. In his quest, he was introduced to Sherlock Holmes through a mutual friend who was helping John find a home. Sherlock and John took up a residence together, quickly becoming very close friends, John even helping Sherlock in his field of work. Sherlock was a detective.
John had found a job in a small surgery, working there several hours a week and when he wasn't at the surgery he was with Sherlock, helping him with various cases. It was suggested to him, by his father, that he should take a holiday from work and from Sherlock, to which John appropriately responds by going to America for a couple of months, spending a lot of time in New York. His holiday was cut short when he was informed that his father was sick, which brings him straight back to England. He spends as much time as he can with his father, his job and his hobby with Sherlock waiting in the wings. As his father slipped away from life, so did John, though in a less literal sense of sorts. His father was dying and John was letting life leave him behind. The time he didn't spend with his father, he generally spent alone, locked away in his room with as much alcohol as he could find, a vice he still turns to now. His father's death hit him extremely hard, spending a good couple of weeks locked in his room, never leaving for any reason, simply lying around in a hazy state.
Despite how unfocused and inhibited by alcohol he was through this time, he knew it was unfair to wallow into himself when he had Sherlock around to consider. He should have known his father wouldn't have been there his entire life after all. Sherlock was still there: why couldn't he appreciate that? During a state of recovery, he resigned his position at the surgery, deciding it was about time to work for himself, meaning that he would have more time to spend with Sherlock on cases. One of the cases led him to meeting Mary Morstan. During the time of the case, of course, he was obliged not to make any move towards her, knowing it would be a conflict of interest, but as soon as the case was over, he started spending more and more time with her, falling harder and harder for her. This did not amuse Sherlock. Despite his annoyance with how childish it started to make Sherlock seem, John could honestly understand why he was taking it the way he was: Sherlock and John were the best of friends, close enough to be brothers. John's attachment to Mary led him, after a great deal of time and consideration, to propose to her.
Many argument was had between John and Mary over Sherlock. The arguments followed many themes: how childish Sherlock was, how John would be gone for days at a time helping him, how Sherlock spent a lot of time around them still, how John would return with various injuries and never explain what went on...the list went on, largely revolving around Sherlock and how he seemed to dictate what John did with his time. It was another argument over Sherlock with Mary that led John to following Sherlock to New York, Sherlock having left some time earlier due to the lack of interesting cases in England. John hadn't seen it as a good idea when Sherlock had brought it up, but he had felt it was his duty to remain behind with Mary. After further consideration, John felt it was his duty to be with Sherlock and make sure he stayed out of trouble. He knew what he was like when he was left to his own devices. He takes a stand against Mary, telling her that he was leaving whether she liked it or not, how he knew that she had always disliked Sherlock as much as he had disliked her, though Sherlock was just more open about it.
Gathering up various things and, most especially, Gladstone, the bulldog he had gotten just before he had moved in with Sherlock, John Watson was returning to New York for the first time since before his father's death. The dog, having seen various Sherlock-inflicted ailments and been the subject of many of Sherlock's tests and experiments, was just another part of their little team and couldn't be left behind with Mary. Gladstone had a sort of sentimental value about his for John and Sherlock, so it wouldn't have been right to deny any of them the presence of one another. He did, of course, feel guilty for leaving Mary alone, but she shouldn't have chosen to argue with him the way that she did. It had only a matter of time before he would have snapped at her the way she snapped at him about Sherlock and their cases. He couldn't face the arguments anymore. Yes, from some perspective, he was running away from a problem instead of trying to solve it, but it had been a long running problem. Sherlock could have been getting into so much trouble when he was trying to solve it. Sherlock made more sense than the argument did.
THE SAMPLE
In Character Sample:
John Hamish Watson
| High Class |
| High Class |
Canon: The stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Custom Title: The Ever Faithful Sidekick
PHYSICAL
Age: physically mid- to late twenties
Gender: male
Appearance: Watson is a neat, military man, which is clear within his appearance, as he usually keeps his hair short and his clothes neat. Once upon a time, he was of a slightly bigger build than he is now, having been bulkier during his time in the army, but due to injury being discharged and his physical build declining due to a long time having to be spent recovering and nothing else. He still has his natural strong build, something he grew into in his teenage years, so it's not like he's as think as a stick as his old friend, Holmes, is. Don't let the intermittent limp and the walking stick fool you, he can still pack a punch, a lot of his power remaining in his arms from when he was incapable of using both of his legs. If he doesn't punch you in the face, he can still whack you good with his stick. Not that either make him seem anything like the sort of person you would want to fight with in the first place. Don't judge a book by it's cover couldn't apply more than it does to Watson because under that neatly presented form, there's an animal trying to get out and rip you to pieces if you cross him.
Eyes: every changing hazel-brown
Complexion: once nicely tanned, now noticeably quite a lot paler
Height: 5'11''
Weight: 175lbs
Body: once very athletic and physically fit, though this declined due to injury, now more thin, though with a strong build and good stature and constitution despite injury
Other distinguishing features: an intermittent limp due to injury
Wardrobe: nice, yet inexpensive clothes, nothing too brightly coloured, generally very neatly presented, nothing too unusual about his clothes, favours a walking stick from time to time[/ul]
Play By: Adam Brody
PERSONALITY
General personality: Watson would personally describe himself with a lazy person with very little motivation...this is more especially true to him ever since the incident during his time in the army. He knows he shouldn't let the injury disbelieve in himself as he also knows he's more than capable to do anything he pleases, but that still doesn't stop him thinking about it. If it hadn't have been for another soldier dragging him away, he would have been more than moping around because his leg wasn't quite what it used to be. He had known the danger of being an army surgeon and he should have known better than to go and put himself further into danger like he did, so for that, he has no one to blame, but himself, even though he shouldn't be dwelling on the past so much. Despite what he thinks of himself as being lazy and unmotivated, his actions on behalf of Holmes certainly prove otherwise. He is a very brave, intelligent, though rather naïve individual, even if he is lacking Holmes' overall insight into the little details of things. This is something else he is aware of in himself: he has limited abilities compared to his friend, even though Holmes relies on him a lot.
He is certainly a very loyal person, loyal enough to believe that any wound received in the line of duty, more especially when he is helping Holmes, is completely worth it. He may be an intelligent man, but for different reasons to Holmes, a lot of people seeing Watson as the brawn to Holmes being the brain. He is quite an open and straightforward sort of person, contrasting Holmes who can be quite secretive and devious. In terms of his views on things in general, he lies somewhere between being an optimist and a pessimist, though he is often seen as being more of a pessimist at times, something which largely revolves around his own self doubt. He is not really either a introvert or extrovert, but he certainly doesn't like to make a show of himself or have someone make a show of him, though that doesn't have anything to do with him being shy about it, more that he doesn't like being made to look like a complete fool. He can be both logical and emotional, though in comparison to Holmes, it is clear that he is more of an emotional person.
He is very methodical and neat, something that he learnt at an early age and developed further into his medical education and training, realising the importance of getting every little step right on the first attempt. He prefers to be working than sitting around, knowing that, generally, if he is working, Holmes is working, so he doesn't have to keep him occupied by himself, knowing how Holmes can seem to slip into old habits when he has no work and gets bored. When he isn't working, he enjoys taking notes about the cases they have been working on, although, in some opinions, he seems to romanticise the things Holmes does and cleverly dodging giving away who he is writing about because if anyone were to get a hold of his notes, he would be in a lot of trouble if people were picked off because of the things that were on the paper. He is confident in his own trade, rarely doubting his abilities as a doctor, but he is certainly a little unsure of himself when it comes to his detective abilities, knowing that he'll never even come close to being as good as Holmes is at it.
Quotes, frequently used expressions: Relax, I'm a doctor.
Likes:
- rugby
- attempting to use Holmes' detective methods
- chronicling cases
Dislikes:
- Holmes playing the violin at inconsiderate times
- being made to look like a fool
- Holmes' drug habits
- Holmes' experimenting on Gladstone
Fears:
- losing medical skills
- losing Holmes
- losing Mary
Goals:
- deal with Moriarty in a suitable fashion
- better detective ability
- ensure Holmes stays out of trouble
Strengths:
- good shot with a pistol
- excellent doctor/surgeon
- first rate bedside manner
- highly intelligent
- vast knowledge base
- a passable amateur detective
- very loyal
- quite patient
- forgiving
- very reliable
- good levels of eagerness
- completely honest
- blurring case details where it's needed
- good at prioritising
Weaknesses:
- lacks Holmes' eye for the very minor details
- a very dry sense of humour
- failure to duplicate Holmes' detective methods
- getting frustrated with Holmes
- romanticising Holmes' detective methods
- very sentimental
- methodically slow
- limited success of solving cases himself
- can be unimaginative
- can be naïve
- self doubting
- gorgeous women
- self deprecating
- can be quite frank
- excessive alcohol consumption
- gambling
BACKGROUND
Alias/Nickname: Jay, Johnny, James, Wats
Family: Henry Watson (father); Jane Watson (mother); Mary Morstan (girlfriend)
Associates: Sherlock Holmes
Rivals: James Moriarty, Sebastian Moran
Date of Birth: December 29th
Place of Birth: Bishopthorpe, York, England
Education: attended Wellington College, attended University of London and received a medical degree, attended Netley Army Surgeons' course and received appropriate training
Occupation: doctor and general practitioner, formerly an army surgeon
Pet: Gladstone, a male bulldog
Worst past experience: There are several past experiences that Watson sees as being the 'worst'. There is no way of separating them into an order, other than chronologically. Despite not remembering her, he does remember the loss of his mother and how it affected his father. Seeing his father in such a state was certainly one of the worst experiences in his life. His childhood was relatively unscathed. There were very few bumps in the road for him, so there wasn't much that he could see as any of the worst past experiences happening in his childhood. It was his time in the army that led him to the first of two of the absolute worst experiences in his life. He was shot down trying to help another solider, finding himself in a worse state than the soldier he was trying to save. The time incapacitated and the idea that he would never be able to do what he enjoyed again was heartbreaking. The second of the absolute worst experiences in his life was his father's decline towards his death. He had declined as well, allowing the emotion to consume him and lead him to alcohol.
Best past experience: As with his worst past experiences, there are several past experiences that Watson sees as being the 'best'. Again, as with his worst past experiences, there is no way of separating them into an order, other than chronologically. Firstly, being accepted into the army as a surgeon and being deployed to the war. He felt that it was his best moment in terms of how proud he thought he was making his father. Secondly, finding a job and finding a home of his own with the great Sherlock Holmes. Meeting Sherlock is still up there as one of his best past experiences as well. Getting Gladstone was a good experience for him too, being reminded of his time as a boy in Australia and having a faithful pet of his own to have around. There were several smaller good experiences during the time he spent at work and helping Holmes, being able to help sick people get better and the corrupt people put behind bars. Meeting and finally getting engaged to Mary is still one of the many best experiences for him, despite all the arguments. His latest good experience was returning to New York.
Image: As the brave and reliable sidekick type, Watson is a sort of contrast to Holmes, his general obtuseness making Holmes' deductions seem more brilliant, and can be counted on to save them both from various dangerous situations. He is the brawn to Holmes' brain, though you must remember that Watson is a doctor, therefore, is regarded as an intelligent man as well...though you should be worried about how many different ways he could kill you if he had to and how well he'd be able to cover it all up and never get caught for it. He is clearly not your average kind of doctor, though because of his well established place in medicine, a lot of people can only see him as a doctor, unable to believe that he helps Holmes with cases. Not a lot of people would be able to realise that he would put himself in that danger as some people don't realise that his medical training led him to his army medical training. A lot those that do, out of his patients, are still unable to believe it, considering how well he holds himself and keeps a focus when he's doing his work.
History: Born in Bishopthorpe in York to parents Henry and Jane Watson, John didn't have very long to appreciate England or the love of his mother. Jane Watson died when he was very young, perhaps a year or so. Even then and especially now, he doesn't remember her at all, having the odd displaced picture of the pair of them still hidden away in his books, given to him by various members of his family. After the passing of his mother, he and his father moved to Gladstone in Australia, a name that would later be heralded to his pet bulldog. They spent some time in Australia whilst Henry Watson built up a small fortune, which then led them back to England, having gotten John into a good school. Even being back in England didn't spark his memory about his mother. As he got older, he placed it down to the mind is a great healer of itself, hiding away the things it doesn't think the general form would be able to cope with. He didn't let this disturb his childhood, he couldn't. He wanted to do his father proud as he was being provided for, so couldn't let him down.
Due to the fact his father had the money, he didn't find it difficult getting into the schools that he wanted, finishing up his education in the University of London where he received his medical degree. After that, wishing to do a service for the country he had grown to love, he attended a Netley Army Surgeons' course, receiving the appropriate training, to join the army as a surgeon. He continued his training whilst being changed through various base camps whilst still in England before being deployed to the war. John managed one tour of duty before returning home on leave for a week. Returning to the war after the break found him thinking about what they were still fighting for. He couldn't quite understand it. Half way through this second tour of duty, he found himself actually out in the field when he was shot in the leg, knocking him to the ground. He tried to retreat himself, but the pain was certainly more than he anticipated and he was losing a lot of blood. He honestly thought he was going to die there and then, but was found by another soldier who retrieved him and returned him to the base camp hospital.
With the state he was in, he spent a great deal of time in that hospital, contracting a horrible fever with his immune system being shot to pieces by the accident. Through that recovery time, he spent a lot of time hallucinating because of the amount of drugs that were being pumped into his system to help him. It was very hit and miss as to whether he would survive that too. The doctors around him persisted with the treatment, knowing he would do the same if it was any of them and, after about two months, he was full well again...with the exception of still being unable to walk on his own. Whilst he had been feverish, it had been discussed what was going to happen to him and it had sadly been decided that they would have to discharge him and send him back home. The gun shot had rendered him unable to walk and the fever had diminished his general health, losing a lot of weight and appropriate muscle due to the length of time he spent doing nothing. They honestly held very little hope about him walking again. John insisted that he let him stay a little longer, to see if he could try rehabilitate himself.
Admiring his spark, they permitted him one month to see if any progress could be made. In that month alone, John spent more time out of bed that he did even thinking about being asleep. He had started to walk, but it was still clear that, to the army, he would be no good as a doctor anymore. He was officially discharged and sent home. He spent some time hiding away in a private hotel, whilst he could still afford, informing his father of his accident and spending the time trying to further his recovery before he returned to the proper civilized world. A few months after his return to England, he turned up on his father's doorstep, finding his father and a few of his old University friends there waiting for him. It was good to be home. It wasn't long before he was looking for a job and a home of his own, unable to see himself living off of his father like that. In his quest, he was introduced to Sherlock Holmes through a mutual friend who was helping John find a home. Sherlock and John took up a residence together, quickly becoming very close friends, John even helping Sherlock in his field of work. Sherlock was a detective.
John had found a job in a small surgery, working there several hours a week and when he wasn't at the surgery he was with Sherlock, helping him with various cases. It was suggested to him, by his father, that he should take a holiday from work and from Sherlock, to which John appropriately responds by going to America for a couple of months, spending a lot of time in New York. His holiday was cut short when he was informed that his father was sick, which brings him straight back to England. He spends as much time as he can with his father, his job and his hobby with Sherlock waiting in the wings. As his father slipped away from life, so did John, though in a less literal sense of sorts. His father was dying and John was letting life leave him behind. The time he didn't spend with his father, he generally spent alone, locked away in his room with as much alcohol as he could find, a vice he still turns to now. His father's death hit him extremely hard, spending a good couple of weeks locked in his room, never leaving for any reason, simply lying around in a hazy state.
Despite how unfocused and inhibited by alcohol he was through this time, he knew it was unfair to wallow into himself when he had Sherlock around to consider. He should have known his father wouldn't have been there his entire life after all. Sherlock was still there: why couldn't he appreciate that? During a state of recovery, he resigned his position at the surgery, deciding it was about time to work for himself, meaning that he would have more time to spend with Sherlock on cases. One of the cases led him to meeting Mary Morstan. During the time of the case, of course, he was obliged not to make any move towards her, knowing it would be a conflict of interest, but as soon as the case was over, he started spending more and more time with her, falling harder and harder for her. This did not amuse Sherlock. Despite his annoyance with how childish it started to make Sherlock seem, John could honestly understand why he was taking it the way he was: Sherlock and John were the best of friends, close enough to be brothers. John's attachment to Mary led him, after a great deal of time and consideration, to propose to her.
Many argument was had between John and Mary over Sherlock. The arguments followed many themes: how childish Sherlock was, how John would be gone for days at a time helping him, how Sherlock spent a lot of time around them still, how John would return with various injuries and never explain what went on...the list went on, largely revolving around Sherlock and how he seemed to dictate what John did with his time. It was another argument over Sherlock with Mary that led John to following Sherlock to New York, Sherlock having left some time earlier due to the lack of interesting cases in England. John hadn't seen it as a good idea when Sherlock had brought it up, but he had felt it was his duty to remain behind with Mary. After further consideration, John felt it was his duty to be with Sherlock and make sure he stayed out of trouble. He knew what he was like when he was left to his own devices. He takes a stand against Mary, telling her that he was leaving whether she liked it or not, how he knew that she had always disliked Sherlock as much as he had disliked her, though Sherlock was just more open about it.
Gathering up various things and, most especially, Gladstone, the bulldog he had gotten just before he had moved in with Sherlock, John Watson was returning to New York for the first time since before his father's death. The dog, having seen various Sherlock-inflicted ailments and been the subject of many of Sherlock's tests and experiments, was just another part of their little team and couldn't be left behind with Mary. Gladstone had a sort of sentimental value about his for John and Sherlock, so it wouldn't have been right to deny any of them the presence of one another. He did, of course, feel guilty for leaving Mary alone, but she shouldn't have chosen to argue with him the way that she did. It had only a matter of time before he would have snapped at her the way she snapped at him about Sherlock and their cases. He couldn't face the arguments anymore. Yes, from some perspective, he was running away from a problem instead of trying to solve it, but it had been a long running problem. Sherlock could have been getting into so much trouble when he was trying to solve it. Sherlock made more sense than the argument did.
THE SAMPLE
In Character Sample:
After his father's death, John Watson never thought he would find himself back here, in New York of all places as it was where he was when he had last been alone and he had been told about his father's bad health. Yet, now, here he was, living with Holmes again, as if they had never been apart in the first place. He always felt sort of 'at home' with Holmes around. He was so used to having him around. It was nice being with Mary, but he often missed Holmes' presence. Holmes had been here roughly two months before Jay had finally snapped, both with himself for not following him in the first place and with Mary for telling him that he couldn't go. She was his wife and, in some respects, yeah, maybe she was his boss of sorts, but not when it came to his decisions about Holmes. He had pack everything he could manage to in boxes and bags and made his way to New York. It may not have been his wisest decision, considering he had left Mary behind following a massive argument, but he was here now and he was stubborn enough not to go back to her...well, at least for a little while.
All of this crossed his mind when it was late and night and he was trying to catch up on medical journals, which is what he found he was doing right now. Lounging back in his chair, a reading lamp lighting up a small place situated around his hands and the journal he was holding. He had his feet up on a foot stool, Gladstone snoring softly as he slept at his master's feet. The dim light made his eyes feel tired, but he had spent the better part of the evening in the charge and he was partially afraid of getting up at this point. Besides, he was very comfortable right about now and Gladstone was obviously just as comfortable because he was already asleep. What was the point in spoiling a beautiful thing? He could feel sleep drawing him under, but he wanted to get the last few sections of this journal read before he finally ventured to his bed. His eyes were growing heavy, spending longer between blinks as tiredness consumed him, pulling him under. His head rolled to the side and his hands and the journal in them fell against his chest and he fell asleep.
Random images filled his currently generally clouded mind. It had been a long day. He spent the better part of the day either wondering where the hell in New York area Holmes had crawled off to or wondering what Mary was doing back home in England. This taken into account, it didn't seem particularly surprising as a lot of the random images were in fact Holmes and Mary or things that revolved around the two of them. It probably seemed very weird that the pair of them clouded his mind, but they often clouded more than his mind...they clouded his life, they were his life: Holmes being his best friend, brother, partner and Mary being his fiancée, lover, lifeline. He couldn't let either of them go, he wouldn't let either of them go...ever...but they tore him apart on a frequent basis. He wished he could focus on the good times, but they were quickly pushed aside by the raised voices and angry rants of the arguments he'd had with Sherlock over Mary and Mary over Sherlock. They seemed to blend into one another, so he was no longer the middle man. He was just the outsider watching his two worlds collide.
His body shifted uncomfortably in his chair as his mind continued to rattle his metaphorical cage. As he slumbered, Gladstone shifted, shaking himself to consciousness at his master's unease. He got to his feet, whimpering and whining slightly as Jay continued to shift around as the arguments flashed behind his eyes. A loud rattling bang shocked Jay to consciousness finally, causing Gladstone to bark twice. Jay rubbed his eyes and face vigorously. “Hush, Gladstone,” he whispered, considering the banging noise as he heard the sounds of shuffling and hushing. He closed his eyes, letting out an exasperated sigh, throwing the medical journal down onto the side table before getting up from his chair. “HOLMES!” he shouted angrily as he limped across the room to his door. “Sherlock Holmes, that better be you!” he threatened as he opened his door and looked out into the hallway. He rubbed his tired eyes again as he made his way to Holmes' door. He considered banging loudly for a moment, considering how he would wake anyone else up nearby, but that was quickly followed by his consideration as to where the hell Holmes had been all damn day.
He let out another sigh before trying the door handle. The door was locked. That settled it then, didn't it? He raised a fist, a heavy scowl on his face, banging on the door. “Let me in, right now," he shouted, being distracted by the sounds of more shuffling beside him. Gladstone had eventually followed him out into the hall and was now situating himself at his feet beside the door. He lazily pawed and scratched at the bottom of the door as Jay continued to bang and knock. “As your doctor, I demand...” he began. He realised the 'as your doctor...' line rarely worked with Holmes, even though, a lot of the times, he needed to address him as such. Furthermore, 'demanding' things of Holmes rarely got things done. “As your friend,” he restarted, sounding much better. “I wish you'd open this door and talk to me,” he went on, trying to sound concerned, but certainly not as concerned as he truly felt about his friend's welfare, pressing his hands on either side of the door frame, leaning his head towards the door, listening for signs of life. “Please?” he said in a low tone, resting his forehead against the door in defeat.
