Fic: Blue Star Confession: G

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Title: Blue Star Confession
Rating: G
Length: 500
Content Notes: pre-Holmes/Watson
Summary: A home laboratory mishap lead to an accidental confession.
Author's Note: Blue is the most difficult colour to achieve in fireworks. More about that here, if you're interested. The pellets of metal salts that make up fireworks are called 'stars.' For the November prompt: fireworks.

BANG!

I rushed to open a window.

“Did you see that, Watson?!”

“I may not be the most observant man in the world—or the room,” I called behind me, “but even I could not miss an exploding star of blue flame!”

“Not the goal I had in mind, but still significant,” said Holmes.

“What?” I asked, coughing and waving at the smoke. “Good Lord, Holmes! Your eyebrows!”

“Casualties in the crusade for the truth, my dear Watson. But, no, my victory is for art, not science. My azure blood is singing!”
The last was, indeed, sung.

I stifled a laugh. “Are you certain your blood isn’t singed?”

Ignoring my quip, he waltzed about the fog.

“Blue, Watson! Blue is rare. Strontium carbonate creates red; calcium chloride, orange; sodium nitrate, yellow; and barium chloride, green. All simple and straightforward. But, oh, that tricky copper chloride. Copper creates blue, and the temperature must be within a very narrow range. Too hot or too cool, nothing, but when the elements are just right—BOOM!”

He made a theatrical flourish.

“My dear man,” his face fell, “I hope that the explosion did not cause you any undo distress.”

“I’m quite all right,” I reassured him, touching my face and confirming that my own eyebrows were still attached.

“Good. Sometimes returned soldiers find such noises quite detrimental to their peace of mind.”

“Oh,” I breathed, realising the source of his concern. “It’s true that noises in the street can have an unsettling effect.” I considered the question further, then added, “But I think in those cases it is surprise that contributes to the distress. When I see you at work in your laboratory,” I gestured to the apparatus strewn across tables and floor, “I know that such hazards are very likely, if not imminent, and therefore I suppose I am somewhat prepared for it.”

He smiled. “Good. I should not want to contribute to your nightmares.”

I laughed and retorted, “The way you contribute to my dreams.” I made to sit, shuffling newspapers, and it wasn’t until I was settled in my armchair that I realised the full import of my words.

Good Lord. I could not meet his eyes. I waved an arm and coughed. “This blue smoke, it’s quite thick, isn’t it? I feel a bit addled,” I said weakly, then shuffled more papers.

I caught a flash of plaid flannel dressing gown, and when I finally summon the courage to look up, Holmes was at the open window, his back to me.

“Indeed,” he said. “Perhaps it’s best if we remove ourselves from the rooms for the evening. Marcini’s for supper, then a concert?”

I exhaled. “It’d be a lovely way to celebrate your artistic achievement.”

He turned sharply and with a rueful expression, said,

“And mourn the loss of my eyebrows.”

Our eyes met, and we both burst into laughter.

“The illustrator will be very cross,” I added as we retreated to our respective bedrooms to change.

Comments

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Glorious! Watson being prepared for an explosion, the accidental confession, and the cross illustrator.

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Thank you. It's only a surprise the first time and that blue smoke muddled Watson's Victorian resolve, and illustrator is quite the tyrant, no?

[debriswoman]

This is a lovely mix of the scientific and the accidentally emotional:-)

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I once wanted to make my own :)

[debriswoman]

Somehow...I am not surprised:-p

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this charming and seasonal ficlet. I must quote confirming that my own eyebrows were still attached. And I love the bit about blue fireworks - a fine extra!

The ending is so good, too.

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Thank you for reading! And yes, there's all right and then there's all right (with eyebrows). They really are tough to get. If you see them, you know you're watching a top-shelf show.

Thank you. Nothing too dramatic, just a bit of fresh air.

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

I didn't know that about blue fireworks! How fascinating...

Favourite lines ^_^ :

“Good Lord, Holmes! Your eyebrows!” “Casualties in the crusade for the truth, my dear Watson. (^____^)

My azure blood is singing!” The last was, indeed, sung. I stifled a laugh. “Are you certain your blood isn’t singed?”

A lovely and so happy story ^^ The fireworks seem both sort of a parallel for and also a background contrast to Holmes and Watson's feelings. A parallel because they have passionate feelings for each other which have burst out in confession, but a contrast because they're gently and carefully moving towards each other.

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Growing up with fireworks, you always know someone who gets their eyebrows singed (or worse, a missing bit of finger!).

Bit of word play, spelling play, really. Thank you.

Yeah, it's a confession, but it's not STOP THE WORLD! kind of moment. These are Victorian men and I think it's more realistic that they move very slowly towards...whatever.

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

If the illustrator can take liberties with dressing gowns and moustache sizes, he can jolly well pencil in a pair of respectable false eyebrows for his favourite test subject.

Do like the inadvertent confession and the possibility that this dinner-and-concert may be their first unofficial date.

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

I imagine the illustrator will do just that, after huffing and rolling his eyes.

Thank you and, yes, first date.