there is room here to expand

[cross_and_bow]

When Juliet leaves the party, she goes to meet the new Jarvis.

She knocks, to be polite.

Comments

[eversomuchfun]

"It does not easily submit to description," he says.

[cross_and_bow]

"I guess it wouldn't." She snuggles up. "I'm sorry she's sad. Amariah seems to think that's - really worrying."

[eversomuchfun]

"It's an accurate representation of what I used to be like," he says. "And apparently still am, underneath it all." He sighs. "Perhaps I shouldn't have merged my soul back in. I was getting along just fine without it."

[cross_and_bow]

"You were," agrees Juliet.

And:

"You could unstick it."

And:

"She's - if you really don't want her, if she doesn't really want her - she's probably not hooked into your torching."

[eversomuchfun]

"No," he agrees slowly, "I suppose she isn't."

[cross_and_bow]

"Seems sad, though," Juliet murmurs.

She sighs and adjusts her snuggling position and is silent for a bit, and then says, "I'm not planning to go get one, but I wonder what he'd be." She lets out a soft, brief chuckle. "I can guess what he'd do, though, if I had an independently ambulatory soul he'd go right up to you and want to be held."

[eversomuchfun]

Sherlock very carefully evicts the violin from his lap, and turns to Juliet, and hugs her.

[cross_and_bow]

Hugs!

[eversomuchfun]

Hugs.

[cross_and_bow]

"I love you," she murmurs.

[eversomuchfun]

"I love you too, dear Juliet."

[cross_and_bow]

Snuggles!

[eversomuchfun]

Yes. Those.

[cross_and_bow]

"If you're going to torch her gone," Juliet murmurs, "I'm not sure if I want to meet her at least once - or not so I don't miss her."

[eversomuchfun]

"I'm not sure if I'm going to torch her gone."

[cross_and_bow]

Juliet nods. Just a little; she's pleasantly constrained by snuggles. "But you might."

[eversomuchfun]

"But I might. If she is immovably determined."

[cross_and_bow]

"Does that seem likely?"

[eversomuchfun]

"Am I meant to have a guess?"

[cross_and_bow]

"She's yours. She's you. Maybe it's more complicated than I'm thinking, though."

[eversomuchfun]

"I'm beginning to suspect that the entire trouble with Steph, my inability to predict her included, is symptomatic of a problem with my original merge," he says.

[cross_and_bow]

"...Did I do something wrong? I think I was careful..."

[eversomuchfun]

"No. I asked for the impossible. Apparently I cannot have the soul without the self-hatred."

[cross_and_bow]

Bella squeezes him tight.

[eversomuchfun]

He hugs her back.