I really enjoyed reading this! Would be nice to read all 23 rules!

Loved it! ! Would like to read more about the different rules and Sherlock trying to follow them or not. LOL

Snicker. Giggle. But you wouldn't need the rule book if you'd internalized the rules earlier ... bright blink. Enjoyed this thoroughly. Quite nice.

sweet :)

Ha! Love it!

Wonderfully sweet and funny fic! Well done!

lol this was so funny! good job!

I am disappointed that it ended. That was very fun and interesting to read. Nice touch, by the way, with The Consulting 5-year-olds' Rule Book - very funny...

All your stories seem to leave me speechless... This are super good... Probably won't post more 'till chap. 9, though. It's really good!

Marvelous story, especially parts where Sherlock tries to figure out how to talk to John. Shows how much he really cares for his blogger-doctor-flatmate and is willing to adjust how he engages with the world outside his own mind, but only for John. Like Sherlock trying to make his face do what he thinks John wants to see (a smile) even though all his face really wants to do is scowl.

Also illustrates why it is so difficult for Sherlock to interact with most people. For one thing, he really does not care enough to make the effort at adjusting his behavior to comform to social conventions. For another thing, it is very hard for him to do it, and takes a lot out of him. And lastly, he gets so little reward for even trying, no matter how much effort he puts in.

He has learned not to bother, because after encountering the version of his personality dialed all the way back from 11 to 8, most people say "Piss off," anyway. Because most people are operating somewhere around a 4. So, frustrated by all this fake caring lark, Sherlock gave up on it long ago.

But he has discovered that John is worth the effort, even though it is still hard. Because John is himself the reward. For John he will aim for a 7, because John is a 6.

And the rule book? As if, Optimist!John. Rules are made to be broken. Solicitor!Sherlock will have a great time figuring out all the different ways to do just that.

Awesome ending!

Great chapter!

Loved the way you wrote Sherlock's confused thought processes!

Lol

Hey Rylie,

It's understandable why a rule book might be deemed necessary in the case of the distinctly different Sherlock, and the circumstances leading up to the occasion and the application of said rule book would be relevant to the plot. Found the lengthy emphasis Sherlock's mental and physical condition dragged out and to one who was drawn in by the rule book, that bit seemed to take up the majority of this fic. Can understand that it was probably written out to bring across the need for a rule book in the first place, given the manner Sherlock's mind functions and the extent of harm done to himself, along with John's concern for him.

Of course, how like Sherlock to genuinely try to comply in his adorable way.

Shadow