sortinghat_logs | Hogsmeade Weekend

May as well make the most of this trip. Never know when I'll end up in detention again.

[Sherlock smirked and stood up, his food picked at and mostly forgotten.]

[John made a note of how little Sherlock ate and made a mental note to see about improving his eating habits in the future. Sherlock was skinny enough as is, often looking like a stiff wind could blow him away.]

Have you considered not doing some of the things that get you tossed into detention over and over? Just, y'know, as a thought.

You mean like just taking orders and limiting free thought? Honestly, no, I haven't. Doesn't seem likely I will, either.

[He took the lead, holding the door open for him.]

Just because someone doesn't act on every impulse that drifts through their head doesn't mean they don't have free thought.

[John nodded in thanks, going through the door and waiting for Sherlock.]

It's about knowing when to pick your battles.

I've heard of it. How does one know when they're being insubordinate or making a good case, though? It' really rather subjective on the teacher's part.

[Sherlock strolled down the main street, not walking very fast at all.]

It can be a little arbitrary, I admit. But usually if what you're about to say is pretty insulting and personal, it might be best to hold your tongue, especially if you're talking to someone in authority. Generally it's all about picking up on the right social cues.

[Sherlock gave that some thought.]

So any mention of the teacher or his future wive's potential infidelity is to be considered an inappropriate response across the board because it deals with their personal lives?

Are most people so sensitive?

[Social cues?]

Yeah, that is more or less the definitive example of what not to do. ... and I'm guessing it's not hypothetical at all.

Well, yeah, people are sensitive about things in their life. Can't you think of anything about you you'd rather not have dragged out and discussed?

[Sherlock's slightly proud smirk at, yeah, not having given him a hypothetical example faded to a bored, almost annoyed look shot directly at John.]

After that shade event that's a rather ridiculous question to ask.

So how do you tell what's a sensitive subject and what's normal information?

Oh, don't give me that look. That's my point. The fact that you've got things you don't want talked about means that others do as well, so it's not good to drag them through something that makes them uncomfortable unless they really have it coming. It's the Golden Rule.

Now that's trickier. It'll vary from person to person, so you just have to see what subjects make them uncomfortable... without actively prying for that, mind you... and go off from there.

[Sherlock pursed his lips, giving that a think.]

How do you do it?

Er, well. I suppose it's a bit like when you make your deductions, only instead of looking at a person's face for the type of mold and dust they trampled through in the last 2 hours, you read their facial expressions for whatever emotion they're feeling. Or listen to their tone of voice to see if they're getting annoyed or distressed. And you apologize if you accidentally offended them and leave it at that.

[Sherlock scowled.]

In other words, try and exhibit a bit of empathy?

[Bit of a problem there...]

Well... yeah.

[John held up his hands.]

And I know, I know. Sociopath, not happening, etc.

Edited 2012-11-26 04:10 (UTC)

It's not 'not happening' it's 'can't happen'. You make it sound like I willfully decide not to emphasize with others rather than exhibit an inability to. With enough observation I could probably develop an intellectual equivalent but for now it's simply not a priority. It hasn't been a necessary skill thus far and I'm sure I can continue to do just fine into the future as well.

[John held Sherlock's gaze for a moment as he realized how unintentionally cruel his words may have sounded. He briefly looked down at his feet, shame on his face, and after a moment, he looked up to meet Sherlock's eyes again. He might not believe Sherlock to be a sociopath, but what he said was still a bit out of line.

He hadn't set out to be an example of appropriate social behavior for Sherlock, but maybe it was happening anyway.]

I didn't mean it that way, but it sounds pretty low now that I think about it. I really am sorry that I made it sound like you're doing it willfully. I know you're not.

[Sherlock was a little taken aback by the apology and made a face, waving aside the sentiments.]

Don’t start that. I’ll lose all respect for you if you do. You don’t believe I’m a sociopath, so your logic is sound. Flippancy is in your nature as being contrary often is in mine. Start apologizing for your opinions and the next thing you know I’m playing ‘how can I make John feel like a tit today’ with a score sheet in the back of my notebook.

[Sherlock straightened slightly.]

Oh... nevermind; that was an example, wasn’t it? Oh, excellent, John. Wouldn’t it get very annoying to have to apologize all the time for every misstep, though?

[John shrugged, and smirked a little. He really had meant the apology, but he really had no say if Sherlock wanted one or not.]

Let's make a deal then. You don't start that Make Me a Tit game, and I won't write up a bingo sheet of ways you might step on others' toes. It'd be pretty embarrassing to have to throw up my arms in the middle of the dining hall and yell "BINGO!" during breakfast because you deduced that someone gained half a stone over the past few weeks.

And besides, you don't have to make a serious apology over every little thing. A simple sorry does a lot for the smallest cases. You just make it clear when you know you've really gone and stepped in it.

[Sherlock chuckled at the Bingo bit. Ah, he liked John. John was rather fantastic.]

Alright. Given a failure to produce the correct response which may provoke a negative emotional reaction: sorry. Unless intentional. Wouldn’t want to make myself too insincere.

There you go, that'll do. Especially about the meaning it part. There's not much out there worse than someone who's dead-set on being insincere.

[He turned when a cloud parted, hitting his peripheral vision with a ray of light from the now low-hanging sun. He squinted.]

Huh, guess we chatted longer than I thought. I don't know how many of the shops will still be open.

How time flies.

[Sherlock smirked to himself. For not actually getting to go inside and look at the haunted shack and steel into anyone’s basement, this was…. enjoyable. Quite so.]

Well, I should probably leave you to your evening. I’ve seen pretty much all that needs to be seen of this place for now.

Yeah, I think the professors will be rounding everyone up to return to the castle soon anyway. Even though we didn't make any grand discoveries or get to the bottom of the shade thing, it was still pretty fun.

Keep in mind what I said about trying to avoid detention, yeah? It'd be a shame if we didn't get to do something like this again because some professor's got you scrubbing floors.

[Sherlock nodded, trying not to look too pleased.]

I promise to put a bit more effort into the whole emotional response part of observation.

Thank you for being my guide.

[John flushed a bit. Because with the sun setting, it was starting to get cold. And John always flushed a bit in the cold. Yeah. Yeah, that's it, nothing else.]

Er, I dunno if I'd go that far; I didn't really do all that much. But still. Thanks.

[Sherlock smiled and spun round back towards the castle in a little twirl of robes. This was an excellent trip.]

Hogsmeade Weekend

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