Fic Rec: The Wrong Tree

[lielabell.livejournal.com]

Title: The Wrong Tree
Author: Laura JV (jacquez)
Pairing: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Length: 3,669
Rating: Mature
Warnings: None listed
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: He didn't see why John wouldn't be interested, but John was peculiarly picky about some things (such as firing guns in the flat and going on dates with people who were not Sherlock), and he did not have enough data to know for certain whether John was, perhaps, only interested in burly men, or blond men, or non-sociopathic men. (On the other hand, John found shooting people pleasant and steadying, so he didn't have any room at all to object.)

Reccer's comments: Brilliantly done Sherlock POV, to the point where I could actually hear Sherlock's voice while reading it. The plot pretty much boils down to Sherlock being interested, but not knowing if John is and not want to risk making a move in case John isn't. Which... isn't anything new. But what is new is the way that it's written, starting with a thorough examining of Sherlock's sexuality and sexual history. John, in this, is equally enjoyable to read. Though we never get a glimpse into his head, it is clear that he is, in turns, annoyed, amused, and intrigued by the antics of his flatmate. And the pay off, when it comes, is satisfying in the extreme.

Snippet: He considered simply propositioning John, but discarded the idea; it would be far more entertaining to find out through observation and experimentation. He nicked John's gun and let it dangle carelessly from his fingers as he lounged on the sofa; John came home from work, grabbed it from him (the touch of his hand against Sherlock's like a spark), and said "If Lestrade ever finds this during one of his fake drugs busts, we're in for it. Leave it be." He carried the gun away, no doubt back to its clever hiding place; it had taken Sherlock two days to find it, so he doubted Lestrade would ever uncover it. (John's hand had not caressed Sherlock's, accidentally or otherwise, when he grabbed the gun. Merely touched, impersonally. Inconclusive.)

He took to speaking in low tones, over John's shoulder, close enough to bite John's ear. John never flinched, or breathed faster, though he sometimes batted Sherlock away in annoyance. He cancelled several of John's dates, by text; when John found out, Sherlock thought for a moment that John might actually punch him. (The thought was surprisingly appealing; Sherlock was fond of boxing but had never before considered it as potential foreplay.) Next, he tried standing next to John, so closely that their shoulders brushed, and the backs of their hands. When he did that in front of Molly, John waited until she left the room and said "Look, I don't mind if you want to pretend to be gay with me to deflect attention, but I think Molly could take it if you just told her you weren't interested." (Inconclusive. Unsatisfactory.)