221B Recs

Title: The Adventure of the Delirious Detective
Author: Mithen (AO3)
Pairing: Sherlock/John
Length: 6066 words
Rating: G /Pre-Slash
Verse: BBC Sherlock
Author's summary: Sherlock is back in 221B, but John isn't yet--until he receives a frantic phone call from Mrs. Hudson begging for his help.

Reccer's comments: This fic is based on ACD’s The Adventure of the Dying Detective and was written post Season 2. I like the underlying humour of this piece, and even if Sherlock’s way of trying to earn John’s forgiveness is very… Sherlock, it still feels a bit less manipulative than what happened in canon (it’s what needs to be done to solve a case!) and it’s a less angsty reconciliation than many written before TEH.

Excerpt: "I need you to find someone for me," Sherlock said. "William Culverton-Smith. He is my only hope, John. If you can't convince him to help me..."

John rolled his eyes. "Let's not get melodramatic, Sherlock. I am a doctor, you know. If you'd just let me take a look at you--"

Sherlock laughed, a sharp bark. "Forgive me, John, but I need someone who has a good grasp of rare diseases, and you are not that person. Let me prove my point: what do you know of Rockhill's Disease? Or Andimeshk Fever?"

John pursed his lips. "I've never heard of them."

"Exactly. And what I suffer from now is more obscure than either of them, a disease so rare that--what are you doing?"

John had his cell phone out. "There isn't a single hit in Google for either of them, Sherlock."

"Well--" Sherlock seemed for a moment nonplussed; he made an angry huffing noise like an annoyed cat. "I said they were obscure. Discussion about them is limited to a few highly selective, invitation-only mailing lists. Don't even think of mentioning them to Mycroft or he'd threaten to kill me before I... My point is, Culverton-Smith is my only chance, John." He took a wheezing breath, wincing in pain. "My last hope."