Write him as an asexual romantic, and I will, umm. Text Cass or Jilli and bitch about it. A lot. With irritated handmotions that are hard to convey with just thumbs and words.

But he's so possessive of John -- doesn't that read as a type of romantic-ness, rather than aromantic?

CRY INTO HIS PILLOW BECAUSE HE LONGS TO CUDDLE JOHN AND HOLD HIS HAND

Is that what being romantic is, or is that being emo?

Hmm, other than the "everything else is transport" line, the two scenes read quite similarly to me. I don't read the unaired pilot as more ace than the aired scene; both read pretty ace to me. I'd say the biggest differences are in blocking and camera angles, which are pretty awkward in the pilot.

More as a shorthand for celibate by choice instead of as orientation.

That's what I was thinking. So bound up in the life of the mind that those pesky bodily urges are annoying interruptions. I didn't read the previous definition discussion, so is the Cliff Notes version that asexual is sort of the same thing as "does not feel sexual desire" as opposed to "not acting on sexual desire"?

Holmes would have made a terrific monk.

As for possessiveness of John, is it for John-as-person or John-as-useful-and-familiar-object?

But he's so possessive of John -- doesn't that read as a type of romantic-ness, rather than aromantic?

Not really, no. Possessive and desiring to be someone's main focus doesn't have to be romantic. It's frequently not. I've been jealously possessive of friends when they get new partners/love interests, but it's not always been because I've got any romantic stirrings for them. Often, it's because I enjoy their company, I'm lazy, and I'm selfish.

Hmm, other than the "everything else is transport" line, the two scenes read quite similarly to me. I don't read the unaired pilot as more ace than the aired scene; both read pretty ace to me. I'd say the biggest differences are in blocking and camera angles, which are pretty awkward in the pilot.

The pilot does, but obviously, for me, ASiP doesn't. The blocking, camera angles, acting choices, they all throw a more ho-yay frame around it. For which I blame Gatiss.

so is the Cliff Notes version that asexual is sort of the same thing as "does not feel sexual desire" as opposed to "not acting on sexual desire"?

More or less.

Is that what being romantic is, or is that being emo?

My shorthand for "writing him as wanting the standard and stereotypical trappings of romance, as defined by Every Kiss begins with Kay and the floral industry."

My shorthand for "writing him as wanting the standard and stereotypical trappings of romance, as defined by Every Kiss begins with Kay and the floral industry."

Does that mean you twitch when he's written homoromantic, or when he's written emoromantic?

Is that what being romantic is, or is that being emo?

My shorthand for "writing him as wanting the standard and stereotypical trappings of romance, as defined by Every Kiss begins with Kay and the floral industry."

Ah. That's why I have no trouble seeing him as asexual homoromantic, because I don't see "romance" as needing to be as described by your shorthand. It doesn't work for me as a demi/grey A/whateversexual, but I am not short on romance. So I figure Sherlock's "romance" would not look like DeBeers would like it to.