Fic Rec: Murderous Imprint
Title: Murderous Imprint
Author: MojoFlower
Pairing: John/Sherlock
Length: 52,632 words
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: None
Verse: Sherlock (BBC)
Author's summary: Sherlock should be focusing on the series of brutal vivisections Lestrade has brought to him. Instead he's distracted by a most amazing and unexpected experimental opportunity from the basement apartment of 221C. Will he figure out the one in time to stop the other? And does he need help in order to do it? An AU. Eventual Johnlock.
Reccer's comments: Honestly, wing!fic doesn't generally do it for me. Something about over-romantization and the Mary Sue - or in this fandom, Gary Stu - factor. But this one actually has a motivation for it which, while not entirely explaining things in a scientific manner (you'll want to check your real-world sensibilities at the door anyway), did provide enough character-based justification that it worked for me.
Also, there's absolutely splendid, anatomically correct wing!porn.
I don't want to make all too much of the wings aspect, however, as that's not really the point of the fic. It's more about the connection between John and Sherlock, with both the 'experiment' and the case mentioned in the summary working as the dual plot engine. We get to see their relationship develop from a slightly different beginning, one that very cleverly circumvents most of the physical and mental barriers that usually stand between them becoming intimately involved right away, although there is no sexual aspect until much later.
Excerpt:
Sherlock bumps his shoulder into John's and turns on him with a flashing smile and glowing eyes. “Because it's fun, John. It's exciting. Don't you want to see what it is that I do?”
John grins back. “Of course. But I don't want to be in the way.”
“You can't be,” Sherlock assures him. “Conceivably, you might even be helpful.” He takes up one of John's hands, staring thoughtfully at where the skillfully handled knives could appear in need.
John laughs, and flashes a knife in the palm of his other hand. “This?” he asks. Something stirs low in Sherlock's belly at the laugh, the competently handled weapon, but he ignores it. The game, after all, is on.
Basically, this takes what could have been either a cracky or unbelievable premise and makes it into something very worthwhile that made me think about the bond between Sherlock and John in a new way. And the ending was a great surprise which, in retrospect, was the only logical conclusion.
A note for the easily confused reader (such as myself): the fic begins before John and Sherlock have met. I was wondering in the first chapter where John was and why nothing was being said about his reaction to Sherlock's startling discovery, only to realize later that he didn't live there yet. ;)
Author: MojoFlower
Pairing: John/Sherlock
Length: 52,632 words
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: None
Verse: Sherlock (BBC)
Author's summary: Sherlock should be focusing on the series of brutal vivisections Lestrade has brought to him. Instead he's distracted by a most amazing and unexpected experimental opportunity from the basement apartment of 221C. Will he figure out the one in time to stop the other? And does he need help in order to do it? An AU. Eventual Johnlock.
Reccer's comments: Honestly, wing!fic doesn't generally do it for me. Something about over-romantization and the Mary Sue - or in this fandom, Gary Stu - factor. But this one actually has a motivation for it which, while not entirely explaining things in a scientific manner (you'll want to check your real-world sensibilities at the door anyway), did provide enough character-based justification that it worked for me.
Also, there's absolutely splendid, anatomically correct wing!porn.
I don't want to make all too much of the wings aspect, however, as that's not really the point of the fic. It's more about the connection between John and Sherlock, with both the 'experiment' and the case mentioned in the summary working as the dual plot engine. We get to see their relationship develop from a slightly different beginning, one that very cleverly circumvents most of the physical and mental barriers that usually stand between them becoming intimately involved right away, although there is no sexual aspect until much later.
Excerpt:
Sherlock bumps his shoulder into John's and turns on him with a flashing smile and glowing eyes. “Because it's fun, John. It's exciting. Don't you want to see what it is that I do?”
John grins back. “Of course. But I don't want to be in the way.”
“You can't be,” Sherlock assures him. “Conceivably, you might even be helpful.” He takes up one of John's hands, staring thoughtfully at where the skillfully handled knives could appear in need.
John laughs, and flashes a knife in the palm of his other hand. “This?” he asks. Something stirs low in Sherlock's belly at the laugh, the competently handled weapon, but he ignores it. The game, after all, is on.
Basically, this takes what could have been either a cracky or unbelievable premise and makes it into something very worthwhile that made me think about the bond between Sherlock and John in a new way. And the ending was a great surprise which, in retrospect, was the only logical conclusion.
A note for the easily confused reader (such as myself): the fic begins before John and Sherlock have met. I was wondering in the first chapter where John was and why nothing was being said about his reaction to Sherlock's startling discovery, only to realize later that he didn't live there yet. ;)