swissmarg: Mrs Hudson (Default)
[personal profile] swissmarg
Title: Unwind
Author: illwick
Pairing: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Length: 450K+
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Some very rough sex, including scenes gone awry; check individual tags
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: None provided by author, but this follows John and Sherlock post-series 4 as they expand their relationship to include BDSM practices.

Reccer's comments: On the surface, this looks like lots of filthy smut. And it is. But it's also so much more than that. The installments range from pure PWP to hurt/comfort, fluff, and casefics. Throughout, John and Sherlock deepen and reinforce their emotional connection through an exploration of a variety of kinks. They also work through issues from both their individual pasts and the trauma they've been through together. With very smart, sophisticated writing and consistently high emotional payoffs, this series definitely delivered far more than I expected.

The author is still adding to the series, but each installment can be read as a standalone.

rachelindeed: Paget waterfall Reichenbach (Paget waterfall Reichenbach)
[personal profile] rachelindeed
Title: The Men Who Talked Between the Words
Author: Odamaki
Pairing: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Mycroft Holmes/Greg Lestrade, brief John Watson/Mary Morstan, Harry Watson/OFC, James Sholto/OMC, Billy Wiggins/OFC
Length: @460,000 words
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: past abuse (including implied/referenced child abuse), implied/referenced suicide (not of any character from the TV show), implied/referenced drug use
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: John expected to be a father some day; he expected to have the house, and the wife and the nice suburban job. Sherlock never expected to have children, in part because he never expected to make it past 30. As it turns out, you don't get a choice. Crammed into Baker Street with a baby, John struggles with single-parenthood and his own fears, while Sherlock treads the fine line between doing too little and saying too much.

Reccer's comments: It's hard to think of what I can say about this fic that hasn't already been said. Four years in the making, of a length comparable to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, this story took extraordinary commitment to create and the end result is simply astonishing. I've been reading Holmesian fiction for quite a long time, and I've never run across another story that felt quite like this one. There's something so authentic and keenly observed about the details. There's a realism here that reaches out and never lets me go. The characters - both the main and the secondary ones - have such distinct voices, and their lives and relationships are deeply grounded and believable.

This is a realistic parentlock fic, and it's the deliciously slowest of slow-burn romances, and that heart of the story is beautiful. But that's really not all there is to it. Odamaki doesn't allow Sherlock, John, and the baby to live in a bubble. The story is full to bursting with the many other people who know them, who affect and are affected by them. Both Sherlock and John have important inward work to do before either is ready to think about romance. It's a story about growth, about healing, about hard-fought and hard-won maturity. About friendships and familiar places that won't stay neatly unchanged, and about painful habits and histories that won't fade away without long and deliberate effort.

When I think of this fic, the love story and the family Sherlock and John make together stands at the center. But I also think of Sherlock and Molly's quiet happiness working on her research together at Barts; James Sholto walking John through his fledgling orchard; Billy playing chess in hospital; Harry lounging with her girlfriend on the couch; Greg's tiepin; the moms in John's playgroup; the voice at the other end of a helpline.

This is a compelling fic about love and family, but it's also about all those other nooks and crannies of life that too often get left out of love stories. There's a village of vivid people wrapped up in this story, and I love them all.

(Also, I should add: 1) the story is complete. It ends at chapter 27. There are still new chapters going up, but they are 'bonus material' like deleted scenes and FAQ responses from the author. 2) The story goes AU after series 3, and incorporates no elements of series 4. The baby is a girl, but she is not the canonical 'Rosie' of the TV show).
rachelindeed: Havelock Island (Default)
[personal profile] rachelindeed
Title: Private Friends
Author: orchid314
Pairing: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Length: 7,000 words
Rating: T
Warnings: none
Verse: ACD Books
Author's summary: John Watson tries to make sense of words and desire. Sometimes, he finds, that’s not such a simple task.

Reccer's comments: This is an exceptionally beautiful and tender love story. At times it has an almost dreamlike tone, perhaps aided by its non-linear structure as Watson drifts in and out of different precious and private memories. At moments it is imaginatively and delicately sensual, at other times it's bickering and delightfully funny - the rhyming dictionary! - and at still other times it can be shyly romantic or quietly sad. It offers up a gentle kaleidoscope of emotion and character insight as we trace the shift from friendship to romance, and the way that shift must bridge the painful gap of Reichenbach.

The dialogue is often elegantly simple and understated. The settings are vivid, etched in period detail but never cluttered. The portrait of love at the story's heart feels genuine - at times courtly, at times frustrated, at times peaceful - and on a meta level the fic deliberately plays with words. It's a gently and pleasantly ironic twist that, even as Watson comes to see the value in leaving the most private parts of their shared life unwritten, the fic itself writes these very moments with grace and power.

It's a lovely story that I hope will move you as it did me.
pipmer1: (Default)
[personal profile] pipmer1
Title: Christmas With You
Author: MissDavis
Pairing: Sherlock/John
Length: 23,000 words
Rating: Teen
Warnings: None
Verse: Sherlock BBC

Author's summary: Watch Sherlock, John and Rosie over the years as they celebrate the season as only they can.

Reccer's comments: This charming series of ficlets was written for a 31-day December challenge, using specific prompts for each chapter. The ficlets do make up an entire story, but it is not a linear telling. It jumps back and forth through time, but there is a common thread throughout: how Sherlock, John and Rosie spend and celebrate Christmas together as they work towards forming a family unit. Some chapters take place before John and Sherlock are a couple, and some take place during their established relationship. No matter; it works in a delightful way.

Mary does appear in a couple of chapters, but only as a ghost and a memory.

Yes, I know it's almost May, but that doesn't mean we all don't need some festive cheer to get us through our days, now more than ever!

[personal profile] unovis  could I have a Rosie Watson tag, please? Thank you!
pipmer1: (Default)
[personal profile] pipmer1
Title: Signs Following
Author: vulgarweed
Pairing: Sherlock/John
Length: 24,285 words
Rating: Explicit
Verse: BBC Sherlock

Author's summary: 1976. Bone Fiddle-verse; Appalachian AU. A couple years into their relationship, John and Sherlock are cozily setting up for spring with Mrs. Hudson's expert guidance when a distraught young woman appeals to them for help and sends them on one of their strangest cases yet - in order to solve one murder and prevent another, they must tangle with a sinister preacher and enter the much-sensationalized, little-understood world of Pentecostal Holiness believers who strictly observe Mark 16: 17-18:

(And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.)

Reccer's comments: This takes place in the awesome Bonefiddle 'verse, an AU set in 1970's Appalachia. Considering how well known this verse is, I'm surprised at the comparatively low kudos and hits, so I thought it deserved a shout-out here.

Sherlock and John are an established couple here in rural West Virginia. Don't let the American setting put you off: these are the Sherlock and John that we know and love, just transplanted into a different culture. They are still very much themselves. John is a doctor and a war veteran, and Sherlock is a self-proclaimed detective. Together they solve crimes. For this specific story, it is a retelling of The Speckled Band, using a most unique twist. Here, the villain is a Holy-Roller snake handling preacher who preys upon his flock's vulnerabilities in order to commit murder. It never descends into religion bashing, though. The author deftly navigates between good old Sherlockian skepticism and sensitivity to good people's sincerely held beliefs. It's manipulative evil that is the true villain here.

The reader will surely enjoy John's reaction to Sherlock's prowess with a tire iron, as well as his BAMFness when it comes time to save Sherlock from himself.
discordantwords: (Default)
[personal profile] discordantwords

Title: Parhelion
Author: Tripodion
Pairing:  Sherlock/John
Length: 50k words
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Contemplation of suicide, some vampire-typical blood and gore
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: The darkness is coming again, and when you've lived as a member of the undead for over five hundred years together, you know a thing or two about handling it. Forever is a long way to fall.

 Reccer's comments: You know how sometimes you read a fic and find yourself with a lump in your throat, choking back a flood of unexpected emotion? This beautiful, heartbreaking fic is one of those, and it had me both weepy and edge-of-my-seat riveted in turns. It's flown under the radar since being posted back near the end of 2017 (less than 100 kudos!), but it's definitely worth a closer look.

John couldn’t help it – he laughed in his face, a dark, incredulous laugh at the absurdity of what he was hearing. “You’re telling me that after I left you, you seriously contemplated over throwing the human race." 

John and Sherlock are vampires, and they have been together for centuries. In a way that feels painfully true to the characters they love each other deeply, but are not always happy. Sherlock is frequently bored and morose, and John finds himself feeling trapped and restless with the need to do something. They spend years together and years apart, with John indulging his wanderlust and desire for action and Sherlock slowly falling to pieces in John's absence and unable to articulate why.

Sherlock finds himself contemplating an out from his seemingly endless cycle of boredom and loneliness, but circumstances conspire to place John in grave danger instead. While desperately trying to save John's life, Sherlock considers all of the years that came before, the hurts large and small that they have dealt one another, and most importantly the strength of the bond between them.

rachelindeed: Havelock Island (Default)
[personal profile] rachelindeed
Title: Autumn in Wimpole
Author: sanspatronymic
Pairing: Holmes/Watson
Length: 2,100 words
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: none
Verse: ACD Books
Author's summary: Watson struggles to uncover a mystery in a seaside village. Holmes is less than helpful.

Reccer's comments: The ACD Holmesfest is underway with so many delightful entries already and more to come! While this comm has an open recs post for the fest, it's also nice to have some more detailed recs. So let me start by calling your attention to this unique and lovely piece.

Here is a glimpse of Holmes and Watson, on the cusp of retirement, making their way through what Watson considers a lack-luster investigation amid the chilly ambience of a seaside resort town well past its summer prime. The author creates the details of the scene - the emptying streets, the dusty police station, the cramped local pub, the dark cliffside path - with an excellent eye for the most telling details.

The real marvel, though, is the keen and convincing take this story offers on Holmes and Watson's relationship, obviously established for many long years and deeply imbued with both affection and irritation. It is comfortable and prickly, teasing and sharp, boring on one level while obviously content and loving in its fundamentals. Here are two men who have made a life together for so long that they get on each other's nerves precisely because they know each other so well and are so completely synchronous in their routines.

Heart-warming with a tinge of melancholy, this fic left me feeling as if I had gotten a realistic and affectionate glimpse at this couple who, even ensconced in the mild aggravations of daily life, clearly can't live without each other.
rachelindeed: Havelock Island (Default)
[personal profile] rachelindeed
Title: To Join These Men in Holy Matrimony
Author: a_candle_for_sherlock
Pairing: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Sherrinford Holmes/OMC
Length: 10,000 words
Rating: T
Warnings: family estrangement, period-appropriate homophobia (including internalized)
Verse: ACD Holmes
Author's summary: Sherlock Holmes is a contradiction, an enigma, a force; at once the most generous spirit and the most self-contained man I have ever known. I've known more of him, I think, than anyone on earth. Yet for years I'd learned nothing about his boyhood, nor his fears, nor his future hopes, nor his father’s name. I never felt it as a lack until I knew he loved me.

Reccer's comments: Hello, everyone! I'm so happy to be a recc'er here with so many great new fanworks to look forward to this month as part of both the inktober art challenge and the ACD Holmesfest exchange! It's going to be an amazing October :) I want to start my recs, though, with this gorgeous new story from a_candle_for_sherlock, whose ACD fics consistently amaze me with their beauty, elegance, complexity, and tenderness.

This fic introduces us to the third Holmes brother in an unexpected way and delves into the painful family history surrounding the brothers' estrangement. The story crafts a subtle, loving portrait of Watson and Holmes's relationship as Watson begins to understand more about Holmes's formative experiences and his struggle to reconcile himself to his own identity.

The story is compassionate toward all its characters; I particularly love the quietly courageous and loyal role that Mycroft plays. Watson's narrative voice is utterly convincing in its delicate inquisitiveness, patience, and honest devotion. The fic portrays the painful fracturing of a family, but its central themes are those of healing, recovery, self-acceptance and the deepening of intimate connections. It also offers interesting glimpses into some of the historical realities of gay life in Victorian London.

This is a lovely, gentle story of both romance and brotherhood. I highly recommend it.
ancientreader: sebastian stan as bucky looking pensive (Default)
[personal profile] ancientreader
Title: The Giant Rat of Sumatra, for Which the World Is Not Yet Prepared
Author:  tibididim
Length: ~2300 words
'Verse: BBC
Pairing: John/Sherlock
Rating: R (the author says T, but I say the brief sex scene is a bit more explicit than that)
Author's summary: "I don't think you should write about this one," said Sherlock.

Reccer's remarks: Oh, gosh. Remember the dear dead days when you could write comedy BBC John Watson/Sherlock Holmes without ignoring canon? *sighs wistfully*

This gem dates from the 2010 (inaugural!) Holmestice exchange, and I present it as an amuse-bouche for the beginning of this month's reccing stint. How shall I describe it? Once upon a time there was a coypu, that is to say an animal of the species otherwise known as a nutria. Never you mind how it got to Sumatra, or exactly by what means it then traveled to London; but, naturally, having arrived in London, it went on to a rendezvous with Sherlock and John. As fans of Arthur Conan Doyle will already suspect, the story is TOO HORRIBLE TO TELL, except to a certain select audience. Spoiler: the coypu has gone to join the choir invisible.
 

Excerpt:

"People like this sort of thing,” John said, studiously tapping out three more words. “Slight urban legend element, bit of disgustingness, happy ending - a man facing down a coypu -”

“They’re also known as nutria,” Sherlock said.

“Armed with nothing but a vastly superior intellect, man versus beast,” John continued.

“You’re starting to convince me, John,” said Sherlock, thoughtfully, “It seems much more dramatic now.”

swissmarg: Mrs Hudson (Default)
[personal profile] swissmarg
Title: The Lying Detective (alternative) 
Author: 221b_hound
Pairing: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, past Sherlock Holmes/John Watson/Mary Morstan
Length: 20K
Rating: Mature
Warnings: None
Verse: BBC
Author's summary: Mary was the bridge between them. Without her, is there still an 'us'? Perhaps, if John and Sherlock can survive the guilt, the grief, the game.

Reccer's comments: This is part of an AU series 3 & 4 that takes the basic plot of the episodes, adds Johnlockary, and changes a few other things, some minor and some more major. I’ve found it surprisingly engaging despite not being a Johnlockary fan and generally disparaging fics that re-hash the aired episodes in much detail. I also admit I haven’t read all of the parts, but you can dive in at any point, really, if you are familiar with the episode in question.

This one is a terrific slog through the depths of grief and despair in the wake of Mary’s death, made more painful and eviscerating by the fact that the Mary in this was genuinely likable and the three of them were involved in a loving and happy polyamoric relationship. (We only see one brief and sketchy flashback scene of the three of them in bed together, which is easily skipped if you are only here for the Johnlock.) At the same time, the Culverton Smith plot is revamped to work more authentically, a far cry from the broadcast “go to hell/save John Watson” scenario that viewers were confronted with.

The characters are all treated with respect and depth, with a marvelous ensemble cast involving several secondary characters in meaty and important roles. Harry Watson in particular is a shining star of an OC with a potty mouth and a heart of tarnished gold.

I really encourage anyone who was unhappy with series 4 – and especially the whiplash treatment of Mary’s character and gutting of John and Sherlock’s friendship – to give this series a try. It’s gutsy and bold, drawing on real emotion rather than flash and showmanship, and truly allowing the characters and their stories to touch hearts.
swissmarg: Mrs Hudson (Default)
[personal profile] swissmarg
Title: On the Rack
Author: 7PercentSolution, J_Baillier
Pairing: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Length: 286,966 words
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: None
Verse: BBC
Author's summary: The sequel to The Breaking Wheel, in which Sherlock goes to rehab (of the other sort), starts scraping his life back together, attempts to solve a case, and tries to make sense of what it actually means to be in a relationship.

Reccer's comments: This is the second part of a series, and although I would recommend reading the first part for best understanding (and because it’s an awesome fic), all of the most important points are explained within this installment so it could also be read as a standalone.

This is quite simply an incredible journey into the mind and body of Sherlock Holmes, charting the physical and emotional journey of the aftermath of Sherlock being stricken by Guillain-Barré syndrome, an autoimmune disorder of the nervous system. We really get a vivid picture of Sherlock’s frustration and fear over the weeks and months, not just at his physical and mental condition but also at his fledgling romantic relationship with John. To add to the angst-mix, Sherlock is depicted as neurodivergent, bringing a lifetime’s worth of baggage and mishandling that needs to be dealt with before any of the hated “Progress” can be made.

What I really liked is that this fic tackled the problem from several angles, involving athletics, music, chemistry, and a new case. I thought at first that the title referenced a torture rack (which it might also do) but there is also a beautiful metaphor that’s developed through the course of the story which I didn’t pick up on until quite near the end, adding another layer of brilliance to an already masterful piece of writing. Sherlock’s past, especially relating to his brother, is also given a particularly good exploration. With obscure poisons, flashback nightmares, a twice-murdered corpse, drug dealing, and fresh medical drama to twist the knife just a little more.


discordantwords: (Default)
[personal profile] discordantwords

Title: The Illustrious Client
Author: Arabella Strange
Pairing: Sherlock/John
Length: 113,288
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Violence, case-related references to human trafficking/sexual abuse
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: ‘We’re a couple!' John burst out, bluntly. His face was nearly twitching with rage. He hadn’t even meant to say anything, to anybody, because he wanted what they had for himself just a bit longer, for a million reasons half-romantic and half-defensive, and yet here he was, gripping Chez Francine’s thick cream tablecloth with enough force to tear it in half, suddenly wanting nothing more than to tell everyone within earshot that Sherlock was absolutely infuriating, surprisingly good at blowjobs, and probably in love with him.

Reccer's comments:  Where do I start? This incredible case fic is the third in a series (Ode to Broken Things.) It's not strictly necessary to read the first two stories in order to appreciate this one, although doing so provides a richer context and background for the state of John and Sherlock's relationship. Also, they're excellent, and well worth the read!

The universe this story is set in diverges from canon prior to the start of Series 3, though it remains very much informed by canon events—picking and choosing from the established storyline to weave an entirely different tale. Essentially: John broke things off with Mary prior to Sherlock's return, and he and Sherlock have subsequently fallen into a sexual relationship. John is in love with Sherlock, Sherlock is in love with John—should be simple, right? Instead, our heroes struggle under the weight of their own insecurities and worries, navigating a relationship fraught with miscommunications and misinterpreted intentions, with neither one quite willing to show his hand. This alone would make for a compelling read, but there's also a case that needs solving and a truly heinous villain to be vanquished.

And yet John had marched unevenly into a lab in Bart’s Hospital and Sherlock had, within seconds, begun devising the plan to rid of him that abhorrent cane. Not only because it was unseemly (though it did nothing to flatter the too-young man who had no sound need for it), but because John — clearly — hated it. And John had loved the run from Angelo’s after the cab, even the wrong cab; had laughed against the wall until Angelo himself had appeared and delivered the punchline to the night’s best joke.

In spite of all subsequent efforts of Sherlock’s to undo this one shining act of generosity, John stood here, on two healthy feet, breathing like a bull facing off against a red flag (and the moron who was waving it), hating to the depths of his being the person who had relished, even for a moment, the opportunity to take the wind out of Sherlock’s insensitive, selfish ego.

‘Many would disagree with you,’ Sherlock muttered.

‘Yeah, well, sod them, all right, because —’

‘I love you,’ said Sherlock.

Had he said it purely to watch the incredibly plasticity of John’s face change arrangements at the speed of lightning, he would not have been in the least disappointed; equally, had he blurted it out in order to test the fortitude of his still-recovering bowels, it would have been a compelling experiment.

John was still standing there, watching him, stranded amidst a sea of tile and sterilised furniture, but some of the warmth in his expression seemed to be receding.

‘Is that meant to be a joke?’ John began, stiffly, eyes scanning Sherlock’s face. 

There was no clear grammatical way to refute what John said whilst reasserting Sherlock’s statement, but nor was there any plausibility to blaming the thudding in his chest on his recent cardiac history.


I could go on forever about how much I love this story. It's long, intricately plotted and well researched, sprinkled with loving references to canon events. The character voices are spot on, for John and Sherlock both. The dialogue is snappy, witty, and at times heartbreaking. And perhaps my favorite thing is that it has a wonderful happy ending that feels earned, true to the characters and their circumstances. I can't help but feel that it's tragically underappreciated (not even 200 kudos as of the time of this post!), and that it deserves mention right alongside many of the other beloved casefics in the fandom. 

Do be sure to read the author's tags. The villain is, as I mentioned, heinous, and descriptions of his crimes could be potentially upsetting or triggering. Nothing is shown explicitly in the story itself.

[identity profile] bowl-of-glow.livejournal.com
Title: Breakable
Author: MissDavis on AO3
Pairings: Sherlock/John (established)
Length: 117627 words
Rating: Explicit
Verse: BBC Sherlock
Author's summary: After John is seriously injured, Sherlock struggles to figure out how to help him, keep himself sane, and maybe, just maybe, get their life back to the way it's supposed to be.

Reccer's comments: John gets injured during a case, remaining paralyzed from the waist down. Both he and Sherlock have to come to terms with their new situation – as John learns how to live with his disability, Sherlock tries to cope with the guilt that is eating away at him.
I loved the way this fic portrayed Sherlock’s and John’s emotional journey, going through grief, anger, sadness, and ultimately acceptance. I also loved that there were moments of tension between Sherlock and John even when it was clear how much the two loved each other and how determined they were to stay together. I found the portrayal of emotions realistic, sometimes even raw, and definitely touching.

Excerpt )
amindamazed: bare tree and full moon against the sky (elementary)
[personal profile] amindamazed
Title: Smitty [series]
Author: NairobiWonders
Pairing: Joan Watson/Sherlock Holmes
Length: 9440
Rating: T
Warnings: N/A
Verse: Elementary
Author's summary: "What Smitty Saw" - A just for fun fic, humor (hopefully), joanlock. "A Small Plus" - a sort of continuation...I swore I would never do a pregnancy story with these characters. It always seemed so OOC to imagine them as parents but cadencelili asked about it and started me thinking that perhaps with this lighter version of Sherlock and Joan it might work. It's just for fun so uhm ... Here goes.

Reccer's comments: The trials and entirely amusing tribulations of poor Officer Smitty, who has the consistent bad luck to inadvertently interrupt Sherlock and Watson - here in a previously-established, if secret, sexual relationship — in various compromising positions. That said, the author's teen rating is appropriate; sexual content is implied, not explicit. The second story is a pregnancy AU with both comic and serious elements (one of which neatly explains why Sherlock and Mycroft look nothing alike). It ends with the baby's birth; this is not kid!fic. There's a little bit of everything else though: some fluff, some case work, some curtain fic, some bickering, some hurt/comfort, some romance. The series is listed as incomplete, but both stories are finished, and nothing's been added in almost 2 years.

excerpt )
[identity profile] dioscureantwins.livejournal.com
Title: mutatis mutandis
Author: SarahT
Pairing: Sherlock/Mycroft
Length: approx. 4,100 words
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: none
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: No one ever gets to him.

Reccer's comments: With Mycroft playing for the other side it would be rather hard to imagine anyone ever getting to him. Except for his little brother, of course.

For even in a universe where the name of Holmes inspires terror for all the wrong reasons Mycroft still worries over him, constantly. Hence, he’s made sure Sherlock can only turn to him to find some relief for the perpetual boredom and Mycroft is willing to supply him with everything Sherlock needs… on his brotherly terms.

Exquisitely written, this fic will have you shivering with delight and make you feel glad in the series both brothers are on the side of the angels for this dark scenario might be all too likely.
swissmarg: Mrs Hudson (Molly)
[personal profile] swissmarg
Title: The Doubtful Comforts of Human Love
Author: PoppyAlexander
Pairing: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Length: 61,500 words
Rating: Mature
Warnings: None
Verse: BBC
Author's summary: Or, The Adventure of the Red Shoes. UK Ballet principal dancer Sherlock Holmes and assistant rugby coach John Watson met and fell in love as ambitious, optimistic teenagers. Twenty years on, they are entering midlife, facing the break-down of their bodies and the ending of their careers, and contemplating what the future holds for two middle-aged men forced to start over. With a frightening crisis unfolding at the Ballet, Sherlock must balance the demands of his career, his friendships, and his marriage with his own struggle against bitterness and discontent, while John takes a long-overdue glance from the outside, in, and stutter-steps toward making a kind of peace. AU - ballet!lock/rugby!john

Reccer's comments: If the ballet!lock/rugby!john note makes you want to nope out, then you are precisely the audience for this fic. This takes all the tropes from the popular AU and blows them out of the water.

I thought this was an especially brave story to write because it doesn’t portray Sherlock and John as an ‘opposites attract’ odd couple who only find true happiness in each other, or star-crossed lovers who are destined to be together. This is a startlingly mature and stark story of two very flawed individuals who struggle with both themselves and each other, and the weight of their shared history. There are some very difficult scenes, emotionally speaking, and I don’t think I’m spoiling anything by saying that there is no fairytale ending. (But it’s hopeful! The author promises it in the tags… ;))

The dance scenes are some of the most powerful ones in the story, but it’s not a prettified, sugarplum version of ballet; it’s tough, gritty, and powerful in a very earthy way, full of sweat, anger, and blood. And speaking of blood…

On top of the frankly masterful study of Sherlock and John’s dual mid-life crises, the author has been bold enough to add a full-fledged casefic, loosely leaning on Hans Christian Andersen’s ‘The Red Shoes’. It’s beautifully (and creepily) done, and is definitely not for the faint of heart.

[identity profile] lijahlover.livejournal.com
Title: The Starving Faithful
Author: nothingislittle
Pairing: Johnlock
Length:4438
Rating:Explicit
Warnings: Blood play, Knife play and sex in a church
Verse: Sherlock BBC,
Author's summary:"Hungry. He’s hungry for Sherlock. There’s no other word for it. He wants to devour, be devoured, kneel and be kneeled for, pray and be prayed to. He goes to church and takes communion and crosses himself and recites the liturgy but he doesn’t believe in any of it. He believes in Sherlock. He’d sacrifice everything for him, to him — he wants to see everything that has kept them apart burning on an altar before him, Sherlock just visible through the flames, holding the matches. This is what he thinks about on his walk, during Mass, at meals, in the night when he should be sleeping. He is consumed."

Reccer's comments:This was such a *delicious* and naughty fic. It hit my kinky sex at a church perfectly. I have such a thing for that plus a hungry John never getting enough of Sherlock...wanting to devour him *swoons*

More than a pwp she created a gorgeous relationship between them and it's filled with obsession, passion and love. They have a dark twisted relationship. The images she conjured up - of Sherlock reciting prayers and psalms by heart, John whispering amen into his mouth, Sherlock on the altar - were so vivid and raw that they were at once visceral as well as gut-wrenchingly erotic. I've always felt that there is something darkly sensual about religious worshipping and I loved Hozier's "Take Me To Church" quote at the beginning and Margaret Atwood's at end.

This is a must read if you are after some kinky super hot sex that makes you forget to breath. :)
[identity profile] lijahlover.livejournal.com
Title:Standstill
Author: pandoras_chaos
Pairing:Sherlock/John
Length:13413
Rating:Explicit
Warnings: None
Verse: Sherlock BBC,
Author's summary:“You can boss me around all you want out there,” John said, tipping his head towards the open window, “But in here, like this, you belong to me. Is that understood?” Sherlock shivered in spite of himself and nodded, John’s simple words finally giving him the permission to be what he needed. It was uncomplicated perfection, and Sherlock felt something warm and unexpectedly pleasant expanding beneath his ribs.

Reccer's comments:This was gorgeous one of the sexiest and hottest fics I have ever read. It made me forget things like oxygen I adored each word of this yummy story. John was at his dominant best so perfect in all ways. Sherlock was reckless and needy he has a ( size kink) *rawr*. So much is right with this story...steamy dialogue, sweet emotion and lots of exquisite detail. She has hit so many of my go to kinks. This fic is gorgeous and so beautiful it makes you feel all kind of feels.

I swear you will need a cold shower after this story and you will want to save it to read it over and over again.
sanguinity: woodcut by M.C. Escher, "Snakes" (Escher Snakes)
[personal profile] sanguinity
Title: Egg Hunt (series)
Author: [livejournal.com profile] gardnerhill
Pairing: Basil of Baker Street / Dr. Dawson
Length: 11,800 words across all four stories
Rating: G for the first three stories; T for the last
Warnings: No standard warnings apply (but see notes below)
Verse: Great Mouse Detective
Author's summary: Basil of Baker Street is a friend to all animals in Great Britain, not just the mice.

Reccer's comments: Basil may have learned deduction at the feet of the Great Detective, but no one knows more about courage and heroism than Basil of Baker Street and his dearest companion, Dr. Dawson. After all, while Holmes and Watson enjoy the considerable advantage of being apex predators in the great cityscape of London, Basil and Dawson are merely mice, tasty bite-sized morsels for nearly any comer. And yet, god love his valiant heart, Basil will take as his client any creature in Great Britain that has need of him:

“I will not ask you to aid me in this venture, Doctor.” His ‘business’ voice – the one he always used when he tried to dissuade me from coming along. “Not only is this case an extremely dangerous one, but I have a strong suspicion that my failure will result in my clients attempting to eat me.”
(*snerk* Yeah, right, Basil. Has a Watson — or a Dawson! — ever opted to stay home were it was safe??)

The first three stories are a serialized adventure of ingenuity and raw physical courage, as enjoyable for its quirkiness as our protagonists' devotion to each other. (No criminal masterminds here, just an unusual and challenging problem, accepted out of compassion for the clients.) The last story in the series, “The Cage,” is a years-later epilogue, featuring a brave and clever Dawson, inadvertently on his own and fiercely determined to prevent any harm to Basil.

Content Warnings: While no standard warnings apply, the first case centers on infertility, and the series is unsentimental about predator/prey relationships. I feel it would be disingenuous to tag this “animal harm” or “harm to children,” and yet there are parts that might be difficult for some readers.

(Mods: do we need a Basil/Dawson tag, or do you want the sh/jw tag on this?)
[identity profile] dioscureantwins.livejournal.com
Title: Now it is September, and Change is on the Wind
Author: [livejournal.com profile] beesandbrews
Pairing: Sherlock/Irene
Length: approx. 2,500 words
Rating: teen and up
Warnings: none
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: It's the end of an era as Sherlock's life at Baker Street, and his days as a detective draw to a close. Summoned to Paris by Irene Adler, he can't resist one final stroll down the road not taken.

Reccer's comments: A retirement fic with a twist and a lovingly crafted outlook on a relationship between Sherlock and Irene that is actually conceivable. Both are sadder and wiser and yet they’ve remained themselves. Irene is as playful and sly as when we first met her and Sherlock just as weary of her, but also, as much in love with her wit.

The tone is mellow, the language beautiful.

This story is a perfect little gem told by a talented author at the top of her form. A gift to enjoy… and cherish many times.

Profile

221b_recs: (Default)
A Sherlock Holmes Recs Community

November 2018

S M T W T F S
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930 

Syndicate

RSS Atom

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jun. 6th, 2025 10:02 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios