221b_recs | Entries tagged with content: ust

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

Title: Maintenance and Repair
Author: patternofdefiance
Pairing: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson; brief John Watson/OFC
Length: 106,000 words
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: graphic depictions of violence/gore; amputation; body dysphoria; ableism
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: John wants to explain the rush of sensation and data, which is just another form of sensation (or is it the other way around?). John wants to say: Augmentation circuits report temperature, pressure, various forms of quantitative input. Sudden changes are reported as pain, since sudden changes are dangerous, and pain is the quickest way to encourage reflexive extraction. But all John can manage is, “Nng.” Because this sudden touch is not reporting as pain.

Reccer's comments: This wonderful fic was five years in the making, and I'm so excited to be able to share it here on this comm now that it is finally finished! Patternofdefiance is a terrific writer, and this story is full of rich characterization, internal struggle, complex emotional and interpersonal dynamics, utterly convincing world-building, and well-realized original characters. This is a science-fiction, dystopic AU, but it's set in the very near future and the social, political, and psychological elements are convincing because they're only a few degrees removed from those of the world today. In this slightly more technologically advanced future, it's become possible to repair previously incurable injuries by grafting sensitive but short-term technology into the bodies and brains of the wounded. These disabled persons, who appear close to cyborgs, then have to deal with the ableism of a society that regards them uneasily and a medical profession that considers them violently unstable. Most of the care they receive is limited to 'maintenance and repair,' with the goal of preparing them for death once their augmentations fail - usually within two years - and ensuring they take no one else with them in their slow descent.

John enters the story as one of these disabled veterans, struggling in the aftermath of invasive procedures that were undertaken without his consent and which have transformed his body and his life in ways he finds hard to accept. It is in this state that he meets Sherlock and becomes his flatmate, friend, and colleague. Gradually they are both drawn into a series of mysteries surrounding other 'augmented' people, and they begin to realize that the information about John's condition peddled by the medical and political establishments may not be trustworthy.

This story has it all: insightful social commentary, an intelligent cast of characters -- John's ex, Mona, is one of the best OFCs I've encountered in the fandom -- and a slow-burn romance between Sherlock and John that, though fraught with miscommunication, manages to be both passionate and analytical, and above all superlatively in character.

pipmer1

Title: The Consequences of Misidentifying a Corpse
Author: darkest_bird
Pairing: Sherlock/John
Length: 12,535 words
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No major warnings, but references to past child abuse
Verse: Sherlock BBC

Author's summary: It all began because Sherlock didn't know Irene's body as well as he thought. He's determined not to make the same mistake with John's.

Reccer's comments: From the title and summary, one would think this fic is based on a slightly cracky premise, and it sort of is. It starts out mostly lighthearted, but then veers into more serious, angsty territory before resolving in a satisfying manner. The author has a knack for drawing out the sexual tension that leaves you breathless for more at the end of each chapter, so reading this while it was a WIP was a special kind of delicious torture!

This story is by the same author who wrote the incredible omegaverse AU "A Fold in the Universe". It takes place mid-ASiB, right after Sherlock finds out that Irene Adler is actually still alive after misidentifying her corpse. Being Sherlock, he gets it into his head that he needs to convince John to let him examine his body so that if, god forbid, something were to happen then Sherlock could be secure in the knowledge that he could correctly identify John's body. At least, that's the excuse he gives John.

In the middle of all of this lighthearted humor, Sherlock discovers something unexpected and sobering that helps bring the two of them together in the most intimate of ways.

A bit of a sneak peek to whet your appetite:

( Sneak peek )

rachelindeed

Title: Number 94
Author: tweedisgood
Pairing: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Length: 7,200 words
Rating: M (for a character's erotic thoughts; there's no sex or violence in the events of the story)
Warnings: none
Verse: ACD Books
Author's summary: Appearances deceive. That is, one might say, their chief function.

Reccer's comments: I have fallen woefully behind in recc'ing the many wonderful fics in this month's ACD Holmesfest, so at this point I will plan to leave thumbnail recs for most of my favorites in this comm's open recs post. But I couldn't finish out my month as a recc'er here without giving a bit more in-depth attention to this remarkable story.

Amid deep historicity and attention to period detail, this fic reconnects us with Kitty Winters and Violet de Merville as the entrepreneurs of a uniquely Victorian business venture. Although they were antagonists in The Illustrious Client, they have now joined forces to make their own way in the world. However, their business has become the target of a strange and disturbing series of attacks, and Holmes and Watson's investigation raises questions that skirt close to some of their own long-hidden secrets and desires.

With a strong case fic as its backbone, this story gives us pining of the very finest vintage. Holmes's delicate yearning throughout the ins and outs of his work and his daily life is beautifully expressed. The language is confident and balances lyricism and metaphor with great doses of humor and practicality. An engrossing and moving treat for the heart as well as the head, with a sublime and romantic ending.

Sample this masterful writing -- I think you will be glad that you did!

rachelindeed

Title: BBC Sherlock - Rubiks Cube
Music Title & Artist: "Rubik's Cube" by Athlete
Vidder: Loony Lovegood
Pairing or Character: Sherlock/John
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Link: This is a YouTube link: Rubiks Cube vid

Reccer's Comments: This vid kind of leaves me speechless. The song is so painfully perfect, the sound of it a gentle mix of hope and melancholy. The vidder has found images and visual parallels that really touch my heart. The vid builds up to the Reichenbach climax with all the emotional weight the story deserves. This is a vid about both Sherlock and John chasing the solutions to their cases while a more important mystery builds silently between the two of them. They each search their own feelings, trying to understand themselves, but they run out of time before they get to share any sort of answer.

It's a beautiful, beautiful summation of the first two series of this show, and only has about 50 views! I hope you will give this vid a try, it deserves more attention and I believe you won't regret it.

Excerpt of the song's lyrics:

The world is too heavy
Too big for my shoulders
Come take this weight off me now

Thousands of answers
To one simple question
Come take this weight off me now

Oh I'm like a kid who just won't let it go
Twisting and turning the colors in rows
I'm so intent to find out what it is
This is my Rubik's cube
I know I will figure it out.

~~

verdant_fire

Title: Out There
Author: DiscordantWords
Pairing: Sherlock/John
Length: 131695 words
Rating: Teen
Verse: BBC
Author's summary: FBI Special Agent John Watson, medical doctor and army veteran, is assigned to assist eccentric genius Sherlock Holmes with paranormal investigations on the X Files project.

Reccer's comments: This fantastic X-Files fusion made me giddy with fannish glee. I was wary at first, since I love both fandoms and wasn't sure if a mashup would work, but it actually works incredibly well, not least because DiscordantWords is such a skillful writer. Seeing the way the two universes were mapped onto each other with creativity and confidence was immensely fun, and Sherlock and John and their relationship are the stars here. Watching their growing trust in and necessity to each other is just as compelling as Mulder/Scully was back in the day, and I was rooting for them every step of the way. It's an immensely entertaining, engrossing, and well-executed fic. Happy new year, and happy reading!

lijahlover.livejournal.com

Hello everyone I am one of the reccers for November with my first must read story.

Title:Till death Do Us Part
Author:prettysailorsoldier
Pairing: Sherlock/John
Length:15,390
Rating:Mature
Warnings: None
Verse: [e.g. Sherlock BBC
Author's summary:When Sherlock links a recent spree of murder-suicides to a psychologist who specializes in marriage counseling, there's really only one thing to do: Go undercover as a couple in hopes of drawing the killer out. Faking a relationship seems easy enough, but things take a turn when their real issues start to creep into the sessions, and, all the while, a killer is watching, waiting in the shadows for their chance to strike.
Reccer's comments:Ohhhhhhh I do adore fake relationship troupes sooooooo much and this is wonderful. Boy do these two need counseling and in this story it works for the best. Make those two idiots talk to each other with nice results. :)))))))

This author was brilliant with how well she wrote their longing with a build up of emotions that you know will have to blow up sometime. Then add in all the tension and action *swoons*

This line here was one of many I adored...."Only once he was kissing Sherlock Holmes did he realize how many times he’d imagined it, and, though it was unlike every hypothetical scenario he’d concocted, it was also exactly what it should have been." We are alike John, I always looooove to imagine you two kissing and it is always as it should be ;))))))))

You should check out this gem of a story, you won't be sorry. :)

rachelindeed.livejournal.com

Title: Wait
Author: roseselavy
Pairing: Sherlock/John
Length: 78,000 words
Rating: Mature
Warnings: drug addiction, discussion of emotionally abusive past relationship
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: Liberal arts AU. Sherlock Holmes is a reclusive literary writer in need of a flatmate after burning through his latest book advance, John Watson is midway through a PhD in art history.

Reccer's comments: This story is very dear to my heart. I am so happy to be able to recommend it here at last -- it was abandoned for several years and I honestly thought it would never be finished. But the author saw that it had a few readers who wanted to see an ending, and very kindly came back and wrote a beautiful conclusion for it.

The story starts out with a number of fairly familiar elements: intense mutual pining, hurt/comfort, and an evil ex (in this case from John's past, not Sherlock's). But for me, the internal narrative voices the author creates for John and Sherlock are so convincing that familiar story elements took on new life and reality. These are not quite the versions of Sherlock and John that we know from the series, but they are not as far removed as the story summary might imply. Sherlock still acts as a consulting detective on the side, and John still documents his work and shares his cases. But without the same history of war and depression and adrenaline addiction as BBC!canon, this John finds different ways to be a BAMF and draws clearer lines about what he will and won't stand for on the job. The communication between these characters throughout this story is difficult, but they work very hard at it and I find it compelling to see them work through their feelings and needs honestly.

The real heart of this story, especially once John and Sherlock declare themselves to each other after the first few chapters, is relationship negotiation. Sherlock is a recovering addict, not all that far into sobriety yet. His sexual history is, for him, inextricably and miserably entwined with using, and that area of his life so repulses him that he is not sure if he will ever be able to be with John in a way that satisfies them both. This fic takes the issue of sexual incompatibility seriously, it delves into the guilt that can dog people who love each other yet worry that they are respectively asking too much or offering too little. It does not rush to resolve these problems, but rather paints a 'one step forward, two steps back' pattern that honors the complexity of the characters and the situation.

The story also deals with the effect that Sherlock's professional life has on his sobriety, and in particular considers the issue of anonymity and the way that doxxing can do terrible damage to a person whose mental health relies on having the freedom to vanish into their writing. The story allows John and Sherlock to be flawed, to handle their relationship as well as their individual personal problems imperfectly, but their love for one another is unquestionably profound. I like that they acknowledge their mistakes, and get angry, and I like that they keep trying. In the end, they haven't worked through everything that needs to be addressed, but in the midst of their problems they are able to realize that they can actually be sure of each other's commitment and trust that the rest will come with time. So, to me, this is ultimately a very happy story. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

solrosan.livejournal.com

Title: The Youth of the Heart
Author:

persiflager
Pairing: John Watson/Mike Stamford
Length: 2852 words
Rating: Teen
Warnings: No warnings apply
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: Written for a prompt on the kinkmeme: Sherlock "helps" John go through his boxes of stuff and comes across a photo album from his uni days. Mike's in a few of the photos.

"He was in love with you."

Reccer's comments: This one is just so precious and adorable. There are far too few fics about Mike Stamford, even fewer that shows him as anything other than Cupid(TM). In this short fic he gets substance, a past, and his own life, even though very little is set from his POV. It also gives background to Mike's smile when John comments "Who’d want me for a flatmate?" since we get to see small tidbits from John and Mike's relationship from their first meeting to after John has moved in with Sherlock.

On top of that, Sherlock shows great understanding and insight about both love and relationships, which is always refreshing to read!

dioscureantwins.livejournal.com

Title: The Case of the Green Gown
Author:

splix
Pairing: Sherlock/John, John/Mary
Length: about 209,000 words
Rating: explicit
Warnings: graphic depictions of violence, torture
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: ...Watson had at that time deserted me for a wife, the only selfish action which I can recall in our association. I was alone.
---Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier

Reccer's comments: Wow,

splix has done it again! Enriched the Sherlock fandom with a marvellously clever story, literally hefty in almost every sense of the word.

Make sure you’ll have nothing important on for the next few days when you start reading this for you’ll be hooked and oblivious to the demands of reality. You’ll find yourself laughing and cheering, and grappling with the most horrendous angst, swearing and recovering from punches that go straight for the solar plexus and sobbing. Oh, there’s so much delicious bittersweet sobbing in this fic.

Then there’s the great characterisation throughout. All the well-known players completely IC there’s a whole array of fascinating OC’s. As usual everything is written in that exquisite language that’s this author’s special trademark.

Apart from an incredibly tightly plotted casefic that contains more than enough intrigue to fill at least two seasons of Sherlock this is a wonderfully crafted psychological study of the human condition and all those feelings that shape us into what we are: love, friendship, grief, greed, jealousy. Greatness and despicable flaws, both are shown in every character. And throughout it all both Holmes brothers suffer so nobly. After all, no one is better aware than they are that caring isn’t an advantage.

After the havoc Moftiss wreaked with S3 this fic helped me to recover my love for Sherlock the series, even long before Moftiss made it all better again with TAB. Everyone who has got huge problems with Mary should read this fic just to admire the nuanced approach to her personage. In this fic I often loathed her, despised her and really, really didn’t like her but throughout

splix managed to make me sympathise with her plight. After all, Sherlock returning from the dead wasn’t exactly what she had bargained for.

But what’s the fic about? That I’m not going to tell for I don’t want to spoil your fun. Just start reading like I did and be mesmerised and enchanted like I was. You won’t be disappointed.

Highly, highly recommended!

pipmer1.livejournal.com

Title: Public, Private, Secret
Author: 221b_careful_what_you_wish_for
Pairing: Sherlock/John
Length: 14,000 words
Rating: Mature
Warnings: None
Verse: Sherlock BBC

Author's summary: To the outside world, Sherlock and John are just friends. In private, they're much, much more. They've agreed to keep their relationship a secret to protect John's daughter, but it's not going to be as simple as they hoped.

(Or, bittersweet, hot, angsty, secret-relationship-while-coming-to-terms-with-emotional-baggage johnlock with parentlock as a background.)

Reccer's comments: This is a companion piece to the story Coming of Age, which is told from John's daughter's POV. In my opinion this story stands just fine on its own, although "Coming of Age" will provide additional context. In fact, if you're someone who generally doesn't care for parentlock it may be just your cup of tea, because Olivia doesn't have much of a physical presence in this one. The story's focus is on Sherlock and John, and how they navigate the minefield of a secret relationship that spans several years, and told from their points of view.

I like the sense of inevitability that we feel throughout this story. It's series 3 compliant, and at the start we find John as a single parent to six-year old Olivia. There's a lot of pining and yearning going on, and it doesn't help that John is initially firmly resistant to entering into a romantic relationship with Sherlock. But of course it happens that the two of them just can't stay away from each other for long. The angst is bumped up a notch just from the very fact they decide to keep their relationship 'private and secret'- from everybody, not just Olivia, and for a variety of reasons. Several years pass - over a decade - before a conversation happens that teaches them they had nothing to fear after all.

A lovely story that ends with Retirementlock, I hope you enjoy!

rachelindeed.livejournal.com

Title: The Case of the Fleeing Frenchman
Author: PenelopeWaits
Pairing: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, past Sherlock Holmes/OMC
Length: 26,000 words
Rating: E
Warnings: period-typical homophobia and anti-Semitism (the story begins in 19th century France)
Verse: Sherlock BBC, crossover with the myth of the Flying Dutchman and specifically Wagner's opera on the subject
Author's summary: Captain James Watson and his son John have been protecting each other and their beloved Harriet for years. Where will true safety reside when a handsome sailing ship and her haunted captain arrive and he makes a shadowy proposal? This is a crossover with the myth of the Flying Dutchman. John is Senta.

Reccer's comments: I have no familiarity with the Flying Dutchman myth or opera, but it turned out to be a perfect fit with the Sherlock characters. Reminiscent of both Beauty and the Beast & Brigadoon, with ghostly, century-spanning piracy and self-sabotaging love thrown in, this tale is a delight! The author has done a marvelous job of capturing the feel of a small seaside town and the risky lives of fishermen, and they have drawn each of the characters with depth, mixed motives, and originality. Particularly complex is Harry, whose secrets we gradually uncover but who keeps managing to surprise. The John of this story never went to war, but he and Sherlock help each other to win their oldest battles nonetheless.

Sexy, exciting, with heart-felt pining and beautiful action sequences that capture the wonder and danger of sail, this is a gem that I hope you will enjoy as much as I did!

(Editing to add: for those worried about the warnings, or about Wagner, I should add that the author wrote this fic in critique of Wagner's racist attitudes and changed the original story in order to make the injustice of those views a central theme).

rachelindeed.livejournal.com

Title: Cameo
Author: what_alchemy
Pairing: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Length: 8,300 words
Rating: T
Warnings: period-typical homophobia, some of which is internalized
Verse: ACD
Author's summary: Holmes and Watson become embroiled in a case Scotland Yard refuses to acknowledge. A soulmate AU.

Reccer's comments: I adore magical realism fics set in the ACD universe. Rare though they are, this story shows just how poignant and lovely they can be. It offers an inventive and particularly Victorian variation on the soulmate trope, with the silhouette of one's beloved appearing in a cameo frame imprinted on the skin. This makes it more difficult to hide one's orientation from the prejudices of society, and a violent criminal is taking advantage of that. Holmes and Watson are on the case. But, at its heart, this fic is about years of devoted pining at last finding their tender reward.

theanglophile.livejournal.com

Title: Dr. Watson's Inner Monologue
Artist & Author: HarrietKaarre & Elina-elsu
Pairing: Holmes/Watson
Length: 24 pages
Rating: R (language, drug use, nudity)
Warnings: none
Verse: Canon
Author's summary:
Me and my sister's Sherlock Holmes fanart series: Dr. Watson's inner monologue.
Plot written by my dear sis. Art by me.

Reccer's comments:
Here is a comic series which forms a coherent narrative if read in order, though each strip can also be enjoyed individually. One thing to be aware of about this series is that it is absolutely hilarious, so you might want to read it in a location where loud laughter would not be a problem! Dr. Watson's Inner Monologue is based on the premise that both Watson and Holmes are longing for each other, but neither is aware of the other's feelings. Angst and hilarity ensues! Highlights include Holmes's drugged fever-dream of Watson in a bathing suit, among other delights. Lots of sexually-frustrated Watson!rage and sighing, gooey-eyed Holmes.

The drawings have an almost art nouveau feel to them, with their swirling, stylised flourishes and harmonious limited palettes, and the writing is just as effective as in any professional comic strip.

Here are a few choice strips from the collection:
Page 3 Page 5 Page 10 Page 19 Page 20

And you can read the whole series here!

verdant_fire

Title: History, Repeating Itself
Author: gyzym
Pairing: Sherlock/John, Mycroft/Irene
Length: 45489 words
Rating: Mature
Verse: BBC
Author's summary: John Watson is a med student, a war veteran, and, by and large, a fairly sensible person. He had every chance to run.

Reccer's comments: Perhaps fittingly for Leap Day, this fic is a bit of an odd one, but I've never forgotten it. Though it's tagged as RDJ-verse, I think it's really more of an original fic based on ACD's characters than it is any established verse, but it's fantastic writing no matter how you categorize it. This is a sort of Unilock, with John and Sherlock meeting as post-grads and moving in together while Sherlock does a lot of chemistry and gets in over his head, both professionally and romantically. Mycroft and Irene are also great in this, even though, again, they're not really the ACD characters but an original version of them. John's long-suffering affection and pining over his manic, stoner, genius Sherlock is really well-written, and Sherlock is both endearing and exasperating (and also instigates one of the best Johnlock clubbing scenes I've read). It's an engaging and unique take on them and their relationship.

rachelindeed.livejournal.com

Title: Watershed
Author: finangler
Pairing: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Length: 40,000 words
Rating: E
Warnings: the crimes investigated include human trafficking, rape, and murder, though none are graphically portrayed; also has themes of drug use/abuse
Verse: other
Author's summary: In the year 2207, John Watson went to war. (Written in response to the shkinkmeme anon-prompt: SH in Space.)

Reccer's comments: This fic is remarkable for many reasons. It combines economical yet expansive world-building, clever plot twists which impact both the case and the relationship of the characters, a gritty futuristic setting, and a love story which does not run smoothly and is all the better for its frictions and false starts. Its happy ending, once reached, feels earned.

It is also remarkable because it presents a version of these characters which does not fit entirely within any particular established 'verse. The story was completed several months before the BBC series first aired in 2010, and this author independently undertook, not only a modernization of the Doyle characters, but a projection of them into the future. It is fascinating to see the characterization decisions here made, and to meet versions of Holmes and Watson who are in some ways quite similar to what the BBC characters became (in some instances the parallels are astonishing), but who remain in some respects unique, while at other times reminiscent of the Ritchie or Granada versions.

This fic begins as a version of Doyle's "Man with the Twisted Lip," but the case quickly takes on a life of its own. It offers a new version of Holmes and Watson's first meeting, and throughout the story Watson's issues surrounding self-perception, illness, and trust are dealt with in a complex and compelling way. I find this a rich and rewarding read.

It should be noted that the story is a complete and satisfying whole, but although it is listed as being part of a series, the sequel fic was abandoned after only one chapter so you may be happier simply stopping at the end of this story. (The sequel makes quite an interesting epilogue, though it raises important character issues which are never resolved). If you are interested in seeing more of this author's work, and in particular how they engaged with the BBC characters once that series aired, their excellent BBC adaptation of "The Devil's Foot" has already been recc'd on this comm. Authors who can skillfully entwine original mysteries with nuanced relationship and character drama are treasures, and I hope you enjoy finangler's work as much as I have.

rachelindeed.livejournal.com

Title: Bound to You
Music Title & Artist: "Bound to You" by Christina Aguilera
Vidder: duchesscloverly
Pairing or Character: Mystrade, Johnlock
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Rating: NOTE: although I would not call this vid anything above PG13/T at most, it does contain footage of bedroom kisses and implied sex which makes it NSFW
Link: Bound to You vid

Reccer's Comments: One last 11th-hour rec! I am in awe of fanvids that combine footage from multiple sources to create their own stories, I just can't imagine how time consuming it must be to find disparate shots and clips of dialogue that can be edited together holistically to create new scenes and plots. This vid is a beautifully organized and triumphant piece of magical realism. Here is the author's summary of the story which the vid tells:

"Mycroft and Sherlock were cursed to live forever. If they fall in love the curse will be broken. If their feelings are not returned they will die. Unable to cope with the idea of living forever alone they try to dissuade the other from forming attachments to John Watson and Greg Lestrade. Unfortunately they can’t help themselves and when the curse starts to weaken them they have no choice but to admit their secret."

Not only does this vid succeed in intelligibly unfolding the brothers' long history of emotionally barren immortality and their tentative blossoming romances, it manages to incorporate and build upon the lyrics of the underlying song to help tell the story ("How do you know that you can trust him?" Sherlock asks, just as the music affirms "I've found a man I can trust." The 1973 section is particularly unexpected and clever, in my opinion.) As the story plays out, when Lestrade and John prove unwilling to believe that the Holmes brothers are immortal, they decide to prove it by dying and returning to life. The panic and abandonment which result are painful to watch, but the story ends on a lovely note of hope, love, and anticipation.

This whole thing is just tremendously creative and meticulously crafted. Bravo!

dioscureantwins.livejournal.com

Title: Compromising Positions
Author:

daasgrrl
Pairing: Mycroft/OMC, Mycroft/Sherlock
Length: approx. 3,600 words
Rating: explicit
Warnings: none
Verse: BBC Sherlock
Author's summary: Mycroft makes do.

Reccer's comments: I’ll continue to lament the relative lack of Holmescest fics when compared to the ocean of Johnlock fics spanning the Sherlock fandom. Thank god for dependable authors like the excellent

daasgrrl for providing those with Holmescestian needs with a safe harbour regularly replenished with excellent stuff.

This is her newest and the summary perfectly sums up the fic’s contents… for the first half. Then, in an excellent move that took my breath away a new player crops up. With this move all the reader’s assumptions and… for the soppy romantics like yours truly, hopes of a happy ending are razed to the ground, turning a story that was already brimming with angst into a veritable angst fest.

This story left me almost crying over all the misguided pride and achingly deep longing. In short, it accomplished everything one could want from this particular pairing. In just 3,600 words. Wow!

Mods. Could we have a tag for Mycroft/omc please?

verdant_fire

Title: Arcana
Author: rosa_acicularis
Pairing: Sherlock/John, Sherlock/fem!John
Length: 46159 words
Rating: Mature
Verse: BBC
Author's summary: Sometimes, her grandmother has said, in the simplest, strongest of magics that’s all that’s required – a sacrifice and an intent. Her blood, and his words: I want to forget.

In which Joanna Watson is a witch, Sherlock Holmes is himself, and every spell has its price.

Reccer's comments: I really have never read another fic like this one. The descriptions of magic and the feel of it in this fic are truly astonishing; it's one of the best magical stories I've read anywhere, published or not. The language is frequently so beautiful that it stole my breath (as did the UST!), the razored loveliness of the emotions and relationships cuts like mirror-glass, and the worldbuilding is indelible. It makes my mouth fall open in wonder every time. It's a stunningly beautiful piece of storytelling, and I remain a bit gratefully in awe of it.

Warning: this is a WIP and hasn't been updated since June 2013.

rosa_acicularis hasn't forgotten about it, but please don't let its status put you off; the current chapters stop at a natural pausing point, and while there's no true resolution yet, there's no cliffhanger either.

verdant_fire

Title: Swoon
Author: cathedral_carver
Pairing: Sherlock/John
Length: 3482 words
Rating: Teen
Warnings: N/A
Verse: BBC
Author's summary: Sherlock keeps fainting. There are approximately five different reasons why this might be happening. Possibly six.

Reccer's comments: This is another gorgeous fic from

cathedralcarver. Sherlock is endearingly terrible at knowing what to do about his Feelings for John, and John is warm and wry and steady and a bit bewildered. I loved the way Sherlock sees John in this fic; it says so much about Sherlock's state of mind without being obvious. The writing is so quiet, and there's so much feeling in so few words. The imagery and structure in this are excellent--the former is arresting and emotionally raw, and the way the story comes full circle and uses definitions as section headings only adds to the effect. It's sweet and sad and funny, all rolled into one.

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A Sherlock Holmes Recs Community

Entries tagged with content: ust

Fic Rec: The Men Who Talked Between the Words

Fic Rec: Maintenance and Repair

Fic Rec: The Consequences of Misidentifying a Corpse

Fic Rec: Number 94

Vid Rec: Rubiks Cube

fic rec: Out There

Fic rec-Till Death Do Us Part

Fic Rec: Wait

Fic rec: The Youth of the Heart

Fic Rec: The Case of the Green Gown

Fic Rec: Public, Private, Secret

Fic Rec: The Case of the Fleeing Frenchman

Fic Rec: Cameo

Art Rec: Dr. Watson's Inner Monologue by HarrietKaarre & Elina-elsu

fic rec: History, Repeating Itself

Fic Rec: Watershed

Vid Rec: Bound to You

Fic Rec: Compromising Positions

fic rec: Arcana

fic rec: Swoon

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