Work Text:
A deer stalker. A hunting garment for a man who made his living hunting down the criminals and, more importantly, the answers to the riddles of the world. It was appropriate, perhaps serendipitous, if you were the sort who was vulnerable to the fantasy of an intertwining string of destiny. Coincidence, if you were more vulnerable to the suggestion that any event was independent of a rational string of cause and effect.
Sherlock was neither, and he saw the hat merely in the practical context of an annoyance. Comprehending the greater scale of the cosmos was of no help to him in this case.
He doesn't wear the hat, and yet it was a symbol now synonymous with the detective's unique line of work. A Sherlock Holmes hat, as John had said. Which brought about distinct complications in the face of the public and, more specifically, the media. A considerable force, as John Watson was wise enough to comprehend.
The media was a useful tool to be manipulated in Sherlock's schemes, which at times escaped John's comprehension -most times, but then John Watson was delightfully simple, however more interesting than the general populace of creatures of which he was a part. He was nearly as easily manipulated, and the media was, at its core, a force for manipulating the population.
Sherlock was more than aware of the narrative that could be created by a public image, and he had seen how John observed as theirs were created. John often surprised Sherlock with his emotional insight, especially where Sherlock was concerned -he had not previously imagined that someone would bother to commit themselves so to the case of his person- and he often saw through the image of the detective that was created by others. Even the image that Sherlock created for himself. However, he was not immune to suggestion.
His companion was not completely immune to the fantasy of the perfect detective. Or to that of the funny man in the hat. Sherlock was unsure of the accuracy of either story, and he was not generally inclined to indulging in any fantasy. He found that he had a different opinion when it came to indulging John Watson.
Sherlock did not actually wear the hat, but on the occasion that he did, it was for the benefit of John Watson.