sherlockbbc_fic | Prompting Part XXXIV

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Prompting Part XXXIV

S3 SPOILER POLICY
THE MEME NEEDS ARCHIVISTS!

GUIDELINES

Anon posting is not required, but most definitely allowed. If you think you recognise an anon, keep it to yourself and don’t out them. IP tracking is off, and will remain that way.

Multiple fills are encouraged, and all kinds of fills are accepted! Fic, art, vids, cosplay, interpretive dance — whatever. Go wild! :D

Don’t reprompt until TWO parts after the last posting of the prompt.

RPF (real person fic, i.e. fic involving the actors themselves) is not supported at this meme.

Concrit is welcome, but kinkshaming, hijacking, and flaming are not tolerated.

THE FILLED PROMPTS POST
When you fill a prompt, please use the appropriate Filled Prompts Post to archive your fill (there are instructions on the actual post).

If the part you wanted isn't up yet, just wait and one of the archivists will get to it, but please, once it is up, make sure you post your fills there according to the guidelines. DO NOT skip out on doing this because it seems like too much effort. If you want your fill to make it to the Delicious archive, that’s the way to do it.

Do not be afraid to ask questions about how it works if you are confused! The mods will be happy to explain.

WARNINGS/OFFENSIVE WORDING IN PROMPTS
Please consider warning for prompts that may trigger people (and also for fills, because some people read in flat view) and phrasing prompts in a manner that strives to be respectful.

Things which you might want to consider warning for include: Rape/Non-Con, Death, Suicidal Thoughts, Self-Harm, Underage Relationships, among others.

That being said, this is a kink meme. As such, there will be prompts that could offend you in a number of different ways. Not every prompt will have a trigger warning, and not every prompt will rub you the right way. If you have an issue with a specific prompt, feel free to bring it up in a discussion that takes place off the meme. However, flaming will not be tolerated regardless of origin.

You are highly encouraged to scroll past any prompt that you dislike.

Remember: be civil, be friendly, but don’t be shy!

THINGS THAT MAKE BROWSING THE MEME EASIER FOR EVERYONE
Please nest your fills. Doing so will make it easier for archivists to save your fills to the Delicious archive. Using subject lines will also help people reading the meme in flatview keep track of what’s happening. Finally, titling your fills (even if it’s something silly) will be helpful to those tracking a lot of prompts or scrolling through the meme.

PROMPT FREEZES
Depending on the rate of activity, there may or may not be a prompt freeze when a part reaches 2000 and 4500 comments. However, there will be one when it reaches 7000. After the 7000 comments freeze, a new part will be posted, and all prompting should happen on the new part.

CONTACTING MODS
Your mods for this meme are

ellie_hell,

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MEME LINKS
Pinboard Archive - Delicious Archive - Guide to the Archive
Filled Prompts Posts: Parts 1-23 - Parts 24+ - Spoiler Free
The Glorious FAQ - Page-A-Mod

Flat View of This Page - Newest Page in Flatview - Newest Page of the Meme

Love Post - Chatter Post - Searching Post
Concrit Post - Story Announcement Post - Orphan Post
Spoiler Free Prompt Post - Overflow Post

Links to previous prompting parts

OTHER LINKS AND AFFILIATES

sherlock_rant: A place to rant about or discuss anything with few to no restrictions.

sherlock_rpf: This is a kinkmeme for RPF about the show.

sherlockcrit: A multi-fandom betaing/concrit community, with a focus on BBC Sherlock.

sherlockbbc: A community dedicated to the BBC adaptation of Sherlock Holmes.
Useful resources for Sherlock and LiveJournal.
Sherlock screencaps.

NOTICE: All links on the meme are now being screened because of spambot issues. When you submit a comment containing a link, it will be marked as spam. Please don't worry, the mods will unscreen it as soon as they can.

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To both nonnies - I am sure the scene can be interpreted both ways - I, for instance,can agree wit the OP(Sherlock deliberately relapsing for a CASE could be read as in control of the cravings as far as I am concerned)

I do not know what made nonnie#2 say that control over cocaine intake is an illusion - and I respect all the unsaid reasons - but there is an ongoing debate about this issue and therefore presenting it as an universal fact is a bit of an oversimplification.
But my point is something else-
This is a kink meme, OP nonnie read the scene that way - and they were trying to prompt a fic based on that reading, so please let's not dismiss their interpretation of events just because it is different from yours.

P.S. I am sure there is a place where this can be discussed in more detail and I'd love to visit it and talk about this some more but alas I have no idea where to even start looking.

To the third anon - thank you for coming to my defence. I agree that there is not enough evidence to make a solid conclusion either way, but I think the evidence does lean towards Sherlock being in control. That's just my reading, anyway, so feel free to fill my prompt or leave it.

As for discussion of the drug issue, there's a fairly good one here: http://sherlock.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?id=4230. And I side with the excellent opinion of one user who put it this way:

You will find that the canon Holmes did indeed use drugs wholly & solely for the purpose of sharpening his mind. This is a natural phenomenon of the substance. Unfortunately in today's world, people associate drug taking with 'a need to get high'. Like so many other things nowadays, nothing is worth doing unless it's in excess it seems.

But going back to its original use, it can be very addictive to most people, however those with the mindset needed to resist addiction as Holmes (canon) has, even Sherlock (BBC) has (which many refuse to see) were quite able to use it when needed and leave it as well.

There have been no actual references to Sherlock being a drug addict, the references that you are all screaming at me as you read this have NOT been shown to be related to a drug addiction, just an addiction. And as these fora pages show, addictions can come in many shapes & sizes.

Yes, certainly the morphine adjustment that Sherlock made was a obvious attempt to show the viewers that he CAN control himself, again however this will be overlooked by many who do not know the canon well and hence the assumptions come thick & fast that he's a junkie or a recovering one.

So his excuse for being there (to gain CAM's attention) was in fact true, he gained it in a different way than he thought he would, but the result was satisfactory for his needs.

To the first anon - yes, I believe he was putting on an act. That he was using the drugs as a means to an end (as a ruse to protect John from CAM), not an end in itself (chasing the high). I believe his explicit statement to Mycroft that he was high was used more as an excuse to act out than anything else.

Sure, we know he wasn't clean. But that doesn't necessarily mean he was high, or would suffer severe withdrawal or cravings. We don't know how much he took, what he took, or for how long he was taking it, for example. He could control these factors. Physiologically, he doesn't even display the symptoms of being high on smack (his pupils are normal, for example).

His mind palace has also shown that he can exercise extraordinary control over his body by thought alone, to the point of overcoming a bullet wound. Surely this suggests his mental discipline is such as to overcome drug cravings.

To the second anon - Sherlock subsequently lowers his morphine intake again in the same scene. This implies he has enough discipline over his drug use not to let it interfere with his case.

To the third anon - thank you for coming to my defence. I agree that there is not enough evidence to make a solid conclusion either way, but I think the evidence does lean towards Sherlock being in control. That's just my reading, anyway, so feel free to fill my prompt or leave it.

As for discussion of the drug issue, there's a fairly good one on a BBC Sherlock fan forum. And I side with the excellent opinion of one user who put it this way:

You will find that the canon Holmes did indeed use drugs wholly & solely for the purpose of sharpening his mind. This is a natural phenomenon of the substance. Unfortunately in today's world, people associate drug taking with 'a need to get high'. Like so many other things nowadays, nothing is worth doing unless it's in excess it seems.

But going back to its original use, it can be very addictive to most people, however those with the mindset needed to resist addiction as Holmes (canon) has, even Sherlock (BBC) has (which many refuse to see) were quite able to use it when needed and leave it as well.

There have been no actual references to Sherlock being a drug addict, the references that you are all screaming at me as you read this have NOT been shown to be related to a drug addiction, just an addiction. And as these fora pages show, addictions can come in many shapes & sizes.

Yes, certainly the morphine adjustment that Sherlock made was a obvious attempt to show the viewers that he CAN control himself, again however this will be overlooked by many who do not know the canon well and hence the assumptions come thick & fast that he's a junkie or a recovering one.

So his excuse for being there (to gain CAM's attention) was in fact true, he gained it in a different way than he thought he would, but the result was satisfactory for his needs.

To the first anon - yes, I believe he was putting on an act. That he was using the drugs as a means to an end (as a ruse to protect John from CAM), not an end in itself (chasing the high). I believe his explicit statement to Mycroft that he was high was used more as an excuse to act out than anything else.

Sure, we know he wasn't clean. But that doesn't necessarily mean he was high, or would suffer severe withdrawal or cravings. We don't know how much he took, what he took, or for how long he was taking it, for example. He could control these factors. Physiologically, he doesn't even display the symptoms of being high on smack (his pupils are normal, for example).

His mind palace has also shown that he can exercise extraordinary control over his body by thought alone, to the point of overcoming a bullet wound. Surely this suggests his mental discipline is such as to overcome drug cravings.

To the second anon - Sherlock subsequently lowers his morphine intake again in the same scene. This implies he has enough discipline over his drug use not to let it interfere with his case.

Glad to have helped OP, but I am afraid I am an atrocious writer - I would love to see your prompt filled though as much as I would like to, I really can't do it myself. Sorry :(
In any case, thank you for the forums link - what a nice place that is :) and I do like the argument you cited here - its pretty much how I see him and that's why I generally avoid reading the 'Sherlock is a junkie' or 'Sherlock relapses (for whatever reason)' fics - there are a few gems there, ofc, but to me, its just not worth it, the wading through heaps of PSA-ads reasoning.
Also, can't help saying this - to me he uses the drugs in HLV to make himself seem like less of a threat to CAM - he even says something like that at one point - not to manufacture a fake pressure point (he obviously doesn't care who knows) or to wallow in self-pity. How effective the strategy is, well, that's another thing entirely.

OP here.

There's a few gems in the mountains of junkie Sherlock fic, you say? Wouldn't mind a rec or two. :)

Exactly as you said, Sherlock only uses the drugs as a red herring for CAM. I'd also argue he uses it as an artful way to reunite with John post-wedding, because the smack house meeting is just too stunning a coincidence... but I'll not go off on a ramble about meta.

I suppose my prompt is not attractive as it doesn't provide the same scope for tears and drama as a junkie fic. But I think there is good potential here too.

I mean, John's reaction to Sherlock's drug use was barely addressed in HLV. He'd surely be doing more. Perhaps dropping NA pamphlets on Sherlock's table. Or devising wacky methods to address Sherlock's boredom / so-called drug triggers. Or round up the gang to stage a formal intervention.

Sherlock might start concealing his drug use in response. Or he might be more brazen about it just to spite John. Actually, I could see Sherlock going to an NA meeting just to troll everyone there, haha. I'd like to see that.

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