221b_recs | Fic Rec: Inexplicable

Title: Inexplicable
Author:

emmagrant01
Pairing: John/Sherlock, background John/Mary
Length: 34,664 words
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: None
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: So what was in that matchbox, anyway? John and Sherlock find out, the hard way.

Reccer's comments: This is set during series 3, so contains some spoilers although not for the major events.

This is a bodyswap fic with a slight twist to it that I've never seen before which makes it stand out for me, and that is that the bodies themselves end up having a say in things. It's as if only the higher brain functions were switched, but the lizard brain remained wired to the original body. This means that things like hunger, the need for sleep, and - most piquantly - physical attraction run on their original programs. The subsequent insights John and Sherlock get into each other's existence - John realises that Sherlock isn't just being difficult when he picks the tomatoes out of things, for example - are sometimes funny, often enlightening, and in a couple of instances, revelatory.

"I'm serious, Sherlock. We need to talk about this. We need to make a plan. At what point do we tell Mary, and Mrs. Hudson? Or Greg? At what point do we give up trying to fix it?"

"I don't know."

"Why don't you know? You always know." John heard the whinge in his voice, but couldn't stop it.

"If only that were true." Sherlock sighed. "It's getting late. Why don't we sleep on it, get back to work in the morning?"

John turned his head to look up at him. "Sleep? Are you out of your mind? How can you possibly think of sleeping right now?"

"Because I'm tired. And staring at the computer screen for the last few hours has only proved to me that you really need a vision check."

"There is nothing wrong with my vision!"

"Wait until you get it back."

There are other things that are apparently hard-wired into the bodies as well, so we get Sherlock swearing (it apparently just slips out without him thinking about it), John being distracted by constantly noticing things, and a discussion of penis size having exactly the opposite effect on each man than you'd expect. I won't give away whose is bigger.

It's nominally a casefic, with the bodyswap integrally related to the case, but the plot mainly explores Sherlock and John finding out about each other and their relationship through having to exist in each other's bodies. And there's sex.

The other thing that made me squeal with delight is the discovery that this is actually a crossover. I won't tell you what the other fandom is, as it is never stated explicitly and it's a bit of a spoiler, but it should become clear to anyone familiar with the other fandom by the end. And for those who don't know it, it's no big deal, it's just a clever little tweak that gives everything an additional dimension.

There is infidelity, in case that makes you uncomfortable, and the ending - although brilliant - went in a direction I wasn't expecting at all. But if you're up for a fresh take on an old standby, this is a fun way to spend an afternoon.