sherlock fic recs
i've been reading a lot of sherlock fic lately and decided to make a reclist! yay! a note about the categories: pre-s2 refers to fics that were written before s2 but don't necessarily conflict with it (at least, not in a major way). post-tgg refers to fics that were written before s2 and deal with/mention the resolution of the pool scene and so aren't compatible with s2 in that way. i guess they could be considered aus, but since they weren't intended to be i don't want to put them in that category, so. i still have a number of fics bookmarked to read, and i'll update this list (and mark the additions) as necessary. anyway,
pre-s2:
Give Me The Quiet Things (Sherlock/John) by lady_t_220
John had never been afraid of asking "What's the worst that can happen?" He was pretty sure he'd already seen it. // john has amnesia.
*Amenable (Sherlock/John) by resonant8
You certainly never forgot who you were kissing with Sherlock. // this author writes possibly my favorite sherlock. it feels so right to me.
Acts of God (Sherlock) (ao3) by thehoyden
John came to realise rather quickly that Sherlock had absolutely zero interest in their household affairs.
Two Points (Sherlock/John) by cesperanza
"Look," Sherlock began again, "you keep saving my life. And touching me," and hm, that wasn’t as conclusive as it had seemed in his head.
34 Minutes (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by bendingsignpost
An experiment in eye contact.
The Art of Flat-Sharing (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by out_there
Everybody likes John Watson. He's down-to-earth and unassuming, and standing next to Sherlock, well... It's no wonder everyone assumes Sherlock's the horrific flatmate. It's as irritating as any false assumption. Sherlock may be difficult at times, but John is hardly the flat-sharing ideal.
* Let You Kiss Me (So Sweet and So Soft) (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by out_there
The first time Sherlock kisses him, John keeps his eyes open, and so does Sherlock, and mostly, he wonders what Sherlock could possibly be up to. There'll be some logic to this. Some ridiculous experiment about body warmth or respiratory rates or testing a new way of picking pockets. Sherlock does the unimaginable for bizarre reasons, but behind it, there's always logic and curiosity. Sometimes, it just takes him a while to explain it to John.
Lead Me To The Truth (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by lavellington
John didn’t mind following two steps behind: two steps behind Sherlock was still miles ahead of everyone else.
* There's A First Time For Everything (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by kate_lear
A series of 'firsts' in Sherlock's life. // SO GOOD.
Signs Of Attachment (Sherlock/John) by lady_t_220
All the reasons Sherlock's a crap flatmate (but clearly articulates his intentions).
A Little Competition (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by entangled_now
"Still, John, a ghost story at Halloween, during a power cut, in a thunderstorm. The terribly predictable cliche of it all." Sherlock slides down in the chair until his chin touches his chest.
The Whore of Babylon Was a Perfectly Nice Girl (Sherlock/John) by out_there
Sherlock walks into a room and takes all the space right out of it. He does the same inside John's head.
Fever Of The Bone (Sherlock/John) by theumbrellaseller
There are two-hundred-and-six bones in the human body. Sherlock can name them all. // this fic was weirdly touching and like, kind of beautiful.
The Perils of Urban Warfare (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by phantomjam
The problems of acclimatising to civilian life a.k.a the travails of John, his therapist and Sherlock.
*Lab Book (Sherlock/John) by copperbadge
"The likelihood of finding a cab on Christmas Eve is fast approaching nil." "So was the likelihood of you kissing me in the middle of the pavement, and yet." // perfection.
Turn Up the Signal (Wipe Out the Noise) (dw ao3) (Sherlock/John) by dsudis
John opened his eyes and Sherlock was there.
* A Slowly Dawning Attraction (Sherlock/John) by mitsuruaki
5 times Sherlock and John nearly kissed at work, and 1 time they did. :D // the sherlock/john dynamic here is so well done, and the ust! hfdkasjdla.
(new) Like Leaves & Kings (All Things Must Fall) (Sherlock/John) by gyzym
Sherlock is the worst roommate in the world. John suffers him less gladly than he could, but better than most.
(new) A Quiet Murmuration (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by cathedralcarver
Just pay me back with one thousand kisses. // sweet but not too sweet, and kind of angsty and just lovely.
post-tgg:
Lacuna (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by coloredink
God, it must have been terrible, to think that he would never have this again. // john has amnesia.
A City on the Head of a Pin (ao3) by 10leaguesbeyond
For once, John sees something that Sherlock doesn't. // wing!fic.
Light Our Own Fires (Sherlock/John) by black_eyedgirl
Sherlock won't give up looking for Moriarty; John is losing patience. Neither of them are coping as well as they would like.
Leave The Signs And The Sirens (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by out_there
After John's released and back home at Baker St, Sherlock still feels it. Down the centre of his chest there's an ache like a healing wound. A physical awareness of a body he usually ignores as much as he can. It's psychosomatic, nothing more interesting than that.
Shadows On The Wall by arasigyrn
John came back from Afghanistan psychic.
Five Things John Watson Will Never Tell Anyone (Sherlock/John-ish) by raina_at
There are things about himself that John Watson will never, ever, tell anyone. Not even consulting detectives who might already know.
Five Things Sherlock Will Never Admit Out Loud (Sherlock/John) by raina_at
companion piece to above.
* The Fundamental Things Apply (Sherlock/John) by raina_at
"Kisses that are easily obtained are easily forgotten." - Proverb
(new)* here, our minutes grow hours (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by the_arc5
In between corpses and embezzlement cases and grand thefts, it’s all very comfortable and domestic. Which means it’s only a matter of time before something explodes.
(new)* until the second hand stops (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by the_arc5
The morning after the night before, and a few mornings and nights after that. // sequel to here, our minutes grow hours.
(new) Dates of Vast Importance (Sherlock/John) by mia6363
John made everything comfortable.
s2:
*Truly Madly Deeply (Sherlock/John) by astolat
John knew something was terribly, deeply wrong when he came back to the flat and found that Sherlock had made dinner. // kind of perfect.
Messages Unspoken (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by kate_lear
A look at Sherlock and John in the immediate aftermath of the Hounds of Baskerville case, with particular attention to John's knowledge of Morse code.
echoes through time (Sherlock/John) by chellefic
Mummy sends a trunk from the Holmes cottage in Sussex to 221B. Its contents alter the way John and Sherlock see themselves and one another.
post-reichenbach:
**The Sensation of Falling as You Just Hit Sleep (Sherlock/John) by greywash
Love is a much more vicious motivator. // this is the second sherlock fic i read (the first being another by the same author), and it's still one of the best. it's everything you could want in a post-reichenbach fic. and it has an awesome soundtrack.
(new)**in deed accomplish our designs (Sherlock/John) by greywash
When I don't touch you it's a mistake in any life, in each place and forever. // sequel to sensation. and the amazingness continues! love love love this sherlock and john, the characterization rings very true.
As Though His Heart Were Breaking (ao3) by veronamay
John has an unexpected visitor. His reaction is also unexpected, to say the least. // sherlock comes back.
*Acceptable Risk (Sherlock/John) by astolat
The door wasn't locked. He stopped just inside and drank in the flood of data, like the first rush of a cigarette after weeks without, or the even sweeter rush of heroin. // i love this.
Minds Like Ours Dream Up (Sherlock/John) by black_eyedgirl
John can't write up the case until he finds out why. He needs to write their story true.
And the Cat Came Back (ao3) by call_me_ishmael
He names the cat “Stupid.” Well, not so much names as keeps calling until it sticks. Not that the cat responds to it any more than idiot, twit, clod, or whatever other insult John comes up with. It doesn’t respond to anything at all. He’s briefly tempted to name it after the last insufferable, arrogant dick he lived with but- There are enough people thinking he’s daft as it is. John Watson is not a cat person. That doesn’t seem to matter to this particular cat.
Walked Out In Rain - And Back In Rain (John/Mary) by whitefang3927
For three years Sherlock did what he had to. Now he's coming home. // i like this because it really gets into what sherlock does while he's away, taking down moriarty's web and all that.
From a little spark (ao3) by thisprettywren
Sherlock’s world, at that moment, was quite small indeed: a small, white hospital room, a small bed, a small screen that held the rest of it. // a post-tgg reichenbach fic.
May come a flame (ao3) by thisprettywren
They thought he was dead for three years; they weren't entirely wrong about that. // follows from a little spark.
This House is Full of Noise (ao3) (Sherlock/John-ish) by thisprettywren
That was how he’d got into this spot in the first place; he did as Sherlock asked of him. // follows may come a flame. i'm going to include the author's warning here: graphic violence, potential psychological triggers, character death. this is a dark series, but it gets better. it left me like, emotionally drained, but i still enjoyed it? or was engaged. yeah.
the rose; the prince; the fox (ao3) (Sherlock/John, Sherlock/Irene, etc) by leiascully
Sherlock Holmes finds his way back to the land of the living, if he was ever there to begin with. // this fic left me kind of conflicted. there were parts i liked, and parts i was kind of iffy about. but the parts i liked i really liked, and overall i enjoyed it, so it's here.
The Deepest Secret Nobody Knows (Sherlock/John) by raina_at
Sherlock has been gone from Baker Street for exactly 388 days. When he returns, nothing is quite the way he expected it to be. // a pre-s2 reichenbach fic.
Spaces Between (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by aubkae
John watches Sherlock wander through the flat staring at everything like it's all new, touching random objects as if they can tell him something he doesn't already know. Their eyes meet. They look away. // i especially like this sherlock. could be seen as a sequel to this.
(new)** walk through ghosts (ao3) (John/Mary, one-sided Sherlock/John) by augustbird
The thing is: Sherlock thought that the two of them would have forever to figure it out. // heed the tags! i did not and was hoping it would not turn out the way it did, but it did, and oh god. this is the actual saddest fic i've ever read. for whatever reason, unrequited love hits me harder even than death!fic. i don't cry very often when reading fic, but this killed me. if you think you can handle it, definitely read it. it's so well done and just so perfect. terrible, and realistic, but perfect.
rule 63:
pre-s2:
Nothing But What God Gave You (ao3) by lettered
Co-ed means compromise. Apparently. // girl!sherlock.
The Anatomical Difference (ao3) by lettered
John broke up with his girlfriend. Sherlock doesn't comfort him. // more girl!sherlock. ugh these are so good, i wish there were more! i want all the girl!sherlock fic in the world.
In Arduis Fidelis (ao3) by 10leaguesbeyond
Jane Watson likes to think of herself, deep down inside, as a good girl. She is not a drunken mess like Harry. She did not get fat like Mike. Unlike 327 British soldiers and contractors, she is not dead. She got top marks and she served her country and she has not got a selfish bone in her body. That may actually be part of her problem. // girl!sherlockandjohn.
post-tgg:
The Gravity Between Us (Sherlock/John) by sciosophia
Mycroft runs his eyes over her, expression caught between unreadable and pity. “You are something of a bargaining chip where my brother is concerned. No, better to stay away, let you live a-normal life.” Sherlock goes missing, and Joan Watson is getting tired of people making her decisions for her. // girl!john.
you remind me of a firework, boy (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by ladyofthelog
Joanna Watson has had a lot of girlfriends, and they've all had different soundtracks.
Op. 13 Sonata in A Minor, 'Cantatio Ioannae' (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by nox_candida
Sherlock knows all about the biochemistry involved in love and emotion. She does her best to stay above it all, but it’s no mystery to her. // remix of you remind me of a firework.
au:
Make Whole What Has Been Smashed (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by gigantic
"Don't look that way, John. Blank stares are already a dreadful reminder of how hopeless other people are," Sherlock said. "Since most people aren't maintaining a home with Merlin living backwards, I think I'm doing alright at going with it so far," John said. // sherlock is living backwards. this fic breaks my heart.
* The World On His Wrist (ao3) by bendingsignpost
First, he is shot in Afghanistan. Second, he wakes to a phone call in Chelmsford, Essex. Third is pain, fourth is normalcy, fifth is agony and sixth is confusion. By the eighth, he's lost track. // john-centric au in which john wakes up in different universes. kind of confusing at first, but gets really interesting.
* Elsewhere Come Morning (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by bendingsignpost
On second thought, flirting with an alternate reality version of his flatmate may have been a bad idea. // sequel to the world on his wrist. both of these parts are complete, but the series is a wip as there are meant to be more installments in this verse.
* I Used to Live Alone Before I Knew You (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by etothepii
Where Mycroft is an angel, Sherlock is a demon, and John is still John. // good omens fusion. ahkdfjkljdflas this fic is SO GOOD.
Fairytale of London (ao3) by thirdbird_fic
What if John and Sherlock had met five years earlier?
The Correspondence (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by thirdbird_fic
In 2005-2008, military doctor John Watson strikes up a long-distance correspondence with that funny bloke whose life he'd once saved in a bar in London. // follows fairytale of london.
The Damage Done (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by thirdbird_fic
John makes his way home from Afghanistan. // follows the correspondence.
everything you won't tell me (is mapped in your scars) (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by etothepii
It's never felt like this before, like wanting to say, “I'd rather not, but if you wanted, I'd get on my knees for you.” Because John is a dom, and Sherlock is a dom, and John wants him anyways. Except, one of these things is not quite true. // bdsm!au. this normally isn't really my thing, but i really like the way the author wrote the relationship between sherlock and john. preceded by you need someone and it's easy (sherlock/lestrade).
(new)Capital H-i-m by cridecoeur
The first time John Watson sees Sherlock Holmes, he’s just been hit by a car. “Bloody fuck,” John says, then looks down at his watch, pops out the winding mechanism, and sets the minute hand back. // john is sherlock's guardian angel. so freaking great, i wish there was more of it.
(new)* The Theory Of Narrative Causality (Sherlock/John) by falling_voices
Things happen because the plot says they should. // sherlock and john are bnfs in the sherlock holmes fandom. OH MY GOD this fic is amazing. i wasn't going to read it because i was convinced it wasn't something i'd like, but then i accidentally started reading it and i'm so glad i did. it's hilarious, and creative, and feels so very much like fandom it's ridiculous. read it!
(new) It Feels like Home when I'm With You (ao3) by etothepii
John still gets nightmares about Afghanistan. That's the worst part of it all, he thinks -- he still has dreams about sand and drowning to death in his own blood. But they're more memory than nightmare. // ghost!john.
other:
*Murderous, Co-Dependent by rageprufrock
It's an uncomfortable and telling measure of the depth of Lestrade's parental guilt that he acquires not one, but two kittens. // cat!sherlockandjohn. yes.
Captain Sherlock Holmes of the Good Ship Borealis (ao3) by what_alchemy
"Initially, he wanted to be a pirate." - Mycroft Holmes, A Scandal in Belgravia. Sherlock is six years old when he begins to travel the world collecting treasure. // kid!sherlock. i am very picky when it comes to kidfic, but this is believable. it kind of made me cry.
Stay (Sherlock/John) by esterbrook
Retirement wasn't quite what they'd expected. For one thing, they hadn't been in the same room for two years. // sherlock has moved to the country to keep bees.
Practical Johnkeeping (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by what_alchemy
Sherlock predicts nectar flow the same way he deduces a murder, but he harvests the honey like John coddles the dog. // sherlock and john in retirement.
Battle Stratagem for the Domesticated British Male (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by what_alchemy
Age happens. This is not Sherlock’s area. // not explicitly a prequel to practical johnkeeping, but feels like one.
Like Bad Wallpaper (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by flawedamythyst
In which John discovers that family weddings really are the worst way to spend an evening, and Sherlock solves a mystery.
(new)The Sign of Three by emungere
Mycroft takes his little brother to the park, where they meet John and pretend to be pirates. // so sad but so good.
The Breeze Deep on the Inside (ao3) (Lestrade/Molly) by seren_ccd
When Molly and DI Lestrade share a drink at a pub, a part of her wonders why he’s talking to her. The rest of her doesn’t care.
Your moves are so raw (ao3) (Lestrade/Molly) by seren_ccd
Five times Molly and DI Lestrade make love, the one time they’re interrupted and the one time they simply don't. // idk i just have a thing for lestrade/molly, and they're written so well here.
pre-s2:
Give Me The Quiet Things (Sherlock/John) by lady_t_220
John had never been afraid of asking "What's the worst that can happen?" He was pretty sure he'd already seen it. // john has amnesia.
*Amenable (Sherlock/John) by resonant8
You certainly never forgot who you were kissing with Sherlock. // this author writes possibly my favorite sherlock. it feels so right to me.
Acts of God (Sherlock) (ao3) by thehoyden
John came to realise rather quickly that Sherlock had absolutely zero interest in their household affairs.
Two Points (Sherlock/John) by cesperanza
"Look," Sherlock began again, "you keep saving my life. And touching me," and hm, that wasn’t as conclusive as it had seemed in his head.
34 Minutes (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by bendingsignpost
An experiment in eye contact.
The Art of Flat-Sharing (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by out_there
Everybody likes John Watson. He's down-to-earth and unassuming, and standing next to Sherlock, well... It's no wonder everyone assumes Sherlock's the horrific flatmate. It's as irritating as any false assumption. Sherlock may be difficult at times, but John is hardly the flat-sharing ideal.
* Let You Kiss Me (So Sweet and So Soft) (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by out_there
The first time Sherlock kisses him, John keeps his eyes open, and so does Sherlock, and mostly, he wonders what Sherlock could possibly be up to. There'll be some logic to this. Some ridiculous experiment about body warmth or respiratory rates or testing a new way of picking pockets. Sherlock does the unimaginable for bizarre reasons, but behind it, there's always logic and curiosity. Sometimes, it just takes him a while to explain it to John.
Lead Me To The Truth (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by lavellington
John didn’t mind following two steps behind: two steps behind Sherlock was still miles ahead of everyone else.
* There's A First Time For Everything (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by kate_lear
A series of 'firsts' in Sherlock's life. // SO GOOD.
Signs Of Attachment (Sherlock/John) by lady_t_220
All the reasons Sherlock's a crap flatmate (but clearly articulates his intentions).
A Little Competition (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by entangled_now
"Still, John, a ghost story at Halloween, during a power cut, in a thunderstorm. The terribly predictable cliche of it all." Sherlock slides down in the chair until his chin touches his chest.
The Whore of Babylon Was a Perfectly Nice Girl (Sherlock/John) by out_there
Sherlock walks into a room and takes all the space right out of it. He does the same inside John's head.
Fever Of The Bone (Sherlock/John) by theumbrellaseller
There are two-hundred-and-six bones in the human body. Sherlock can name them all. // this fic was weirdly touching and like, kind of beautiful.
The Perils of Urban Warfare (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by phantomjam
The problems of acclimatising to civilian life a.k.a the travails of John, his therapist and Sherlock.
*Lab Book (Sherlock/John) by copperbadge
"The likelihood of finding a cab on Christmas Eve is fast approaching nil." "So was the likelihood of you kissing me in the middle of the pavement, and yet." // perfection.
Turn Up the Signal (Wipe Out the Noise) (dw ao3) (Sherlock/John) by dsudis
John opened his eyes and Sherlock was there.
* A Slowly Dawning Attraction (Sherlock/John) by mitsuruaki
5 times Sherlock and John nearly kissed at work, and 1 time they did. :D // the sherlock/john dynamic here is so well done, and the ust! hfdkasjdla.
(new) Like Leaves & Kings (All Things Must Fall) (Sherlock/John) by gyzym
Sherlock is the worst roommate in the world. John suffers him less gladly than he could, but better than most.
(new) A Quiet Murmuration (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by cathedralcarver
Just pay me back with one thousand kisses. // sweet but not too sweet, and kind of angsty and just lovely.
post-tgg:
Lacuna (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by coloredink
God, it must have been terrible, to think that he would never have this again. // john has amnesia.
A City on the Head of a Pin (ao3) by 10leaguesbeyond
For once, John sees something that Sherlock doesn't. // wing!fic.
Light Our Own Fires (Sherlock/John) by black_eyedgirl
Sherlock won't give up looking for Moriarty; John is losing patience. Neither of them are coping as well as they would like.
Leave The Signs And The Sirens (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by out_there
After John's released and back home at Baker St, Sherlock still feels it. Down the centre of his chest there's an ache like a healing wound. A physical awareness of a body he usually ignores as much as he can. It's psychosomatic, nothing more interesting than that.
Shadows On The Wall by arasigyrn
John came back from Afghanistan psychic.
Five Things John Watson Will Never Tell Anyone (Sherlock/John-ish) by raina_at
There are things about himself that John Watson will never, ever, tell anyone. Not even consulting detectives who might already know.
Five Things Sherlock Will Never Admit Out Loud (Sherlock/John) by raina_at
companion piece to above.
* The Fundamental Things Apply (Sherlock/John) by raina_at
"Kisses that are easily obtained are easily forgotten." - Proverb
(new)* here, our minutes grow hours (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by the_arc5
In between corpses and embezzlement cases and grand thefts, it’s all very comfortable and domestic. Which means it’s only a matter of time before something explodes.
(new)* until the second hand stops (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by the_arc5
The morning after the night before, and a few mornings and nights after that. // sequel to here, our minutes grow hours.
(new) Dates of Vast Importance (Sherlock/John) by mia6363
John made everything comfortable.
s2:
*Truly Madly Deeply (Sherlock/John) by astolat
John knew something was terribly, deeply wrong when he came back to the flat and found that Sherlock had made dinner. // kind of perfect.
Messages Unspoken (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by kate_lear
A look at Sherlock and John in the immediate aftermath of the Hounds of Baskerville case, with particular attention to John's knowledge of Morse code.
echoes through time (Sherlock/John) by chellefic
Mummy sends a trunk from the Holmes cottage in Sussex to 221B. Its contents alter the way John and Sherlock see themselves and one another.
post-reichenbach:
**The Sensation of Falling as You Just Hit Sleep (Sherlock/John) by greywash
Love is a much more vicious motivator. // this is the second sherlock fic i read (the first being another by the same author), and it's still one of the best. it's everything you could want in a post-reichenbach fic. and it has an awesome soundtrack.
(new)**in deed accomplish our designs (Sherlock/John) by greywash
When I don't touch you it's a mistake in any life, in each place and forever. // sequel to sensation. and the amazingness continues! love love love this sherlock and john, the characterization rings very true.
As Though His Heart Were Breaking (ao3) by veronamay
John has an unexpected visitor. His reaction is also unexpected, to say the least. // sherlock comes back.
*Acceptable Risk (Sherlock/John) by astolat
The door wasn't locked. He stopped just inside and drank in the flood of data, like the first rush of a cigarette after weeks without, or the even sweeter rush of heroin. // i love this.
Minds Like Ours Dream Up (Sherlock/John) by black_eyedgirl
John can't write up the case until he finds out why. He needs to write their story true.
And the Cat Came Back (ao3) by call_me_ishmael
He names the cat “Stupid.” Well, not so much names as keeps calling until it sticks. Not that the cat responds to it any more than idiot, twit, clod, or whatever other insult John comes up with. It doesn’t respond to anything at all. He’s briefly tempted to name it after the last insufferable, arrogant dick he lived with but- There are enough people thinking he’s daft as it is. John Watson is not a cat person. That doesn’t seem to matter to this particular cat.
Walked Out In Rain - And Back In Rain (John/Mary) by whitefang3927
For three years Sherlock did what he had to. Now he's coming home. // i like this because it really gets into what sherlock does while he's away, taking down moriarty's web and all that.
From a little spark (ao3) by thisprettywren
Sherlock’s world, at that moment, was quite small indeed: a small, white hospital room, a small bed, a small screen that held the rest of it. // a post-tgg reichenbach fic.
May come a flame (ao3) by thisprettywren
They thought he was dead for three years; they weren't entirely wrong about that. // follows from a little spark.
This House is Full of Noise (ao3) (Sherlock/John-ish) by thisprettywren
That was how he’d got into this spot in the first place; he did as Sherlock asked of him. // follows may come a flame. i'm going to include the author's warning here: graphic violence, potential psychological triggers, character death. this is a dark series, but it gets better. it left me like, emotionally drained, but i still enjoyed it? or was engaged. yeah.
the rose; the prince; the fox (ao3) (Sherlock/John, Sherlock/Irene, etc) by leiascully
Sherlock Holmes finds his way back to the land of the living, if he was ever there to begin with. // this fic left me kind of conflicted. there were parts i liked, and parts i was kind of iffy about. but the parts i liked i really liked, and overall i enjoyed it, so it's here.
The Deepest Secret Nobody Knows (Sherlock/John) by raina_at
Sherlock has been gone from Baker Street for exactly 388 days. When he returns, nothing is quite the way he expected it to be. // a pre-s2 reichenbach fic.
Spaces Between (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by aubkae
John watches Sherlock wander through the flat staring at everything like it's all new, touching random objects as if they can tell him something he doesn't already know. Their eyes meet. They look away. // i especially like this sherlock. could be seen as a sequel to this.
(new)** walk through ghosts (ao3) (John/Mary, one-sided Sherlock/John) by augustbird
The thing is: Sherlock thought that the two of them would have forever to figure it out. // heed the tags! i did not and was hoping it would not turn out the way it did, but it did, and oh god. this is the actual saddest fic i've ever read. for whatever reason, unrequited love hits me harder even than death!fic. i don't cry very often when reading fic, but this killed me. if you think you can handle it, definitely read it. it's so well done and just so perfect. terrible, and realistic, but perfect.
rule 63:
pre-s2:
Nothing But What God Gave You (ao3) by lettered
Co-ed means compromise. Apparently. // girl!sherlock.
The Anatomical Difference (ao3) by lettered
John broke up with his girlfriend. Sherlock doesn't comfort him. // more girl!sherlock. ugh these are so good, i wish there were more! i want all the girl!sherlock fic in the world.
In Arduis Fidelis (ao3) by 10leaguesbeyond
Jane Watson likes to think of herself, deep down inside, as a good girl. She is not a drunken mess like Harry. She did not get fat like Mike. Unlike 327 British soldiers and contractors, she is not dead. She got top marks and she served her country and she has not got a selfish bone in her body. That may actually be part of her problem. // girl!sherlockandjohn.
post-tgg:
The Gravity Between Us (Sherlock/John) by sciosophia
Mycroft runs his eyes over her, expression caught between unreadable and pity. “You are something of a bargaining chip where my brother is concerned. No, better to stay away, let you live a-normal life.” Sherlock goes missing, and Joan Watson is getting tired of people making her decisions for her. // girl!john.
you remind me of a firework, boy (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by ladyofthelog
Joanna Watson has had a lot of girlfriends, and they've all had different soundtracks.
Op. 13 Sonata in A Minor, 'Cantatio Ioannae' (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by nox_candida
Sherlock knows all about the biochemistry involved in love and emotion. She does her best to stay above it all, but it’s no mystery to her. // remix of you remind me of a firework.
au:
Make Whole What Has Been Smashed (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by gigantic
"Don't look that way, John. Blank stares are already a dreadful reminder of how hopeless other people are," Sherlock said. "Since most people aren't maintaining a home with Merlin living backwards, I think I'm doing alright at going with it so far," John said. // sherlock is living backwards. this fic breaks my heart.
* The World On His Wrist (ao3) by bendingsignpost
First, he is shot in Afghanistan. Second, he wakes to a phone call in Chelmsford, Essex. Third is pain, fourth is normalcy, fifth is agony and sixth is confusion. By the eighth, he's lost track. // john-centric au in which john wakes up in different universes. kind of confusing at first, but gets really interesting.
* Elsewhere Come Morning (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by bendingsignpost
On second thought, flirting with an alternate reality version of his flatmate may have been a bad idea. // sequel to the world on his wrist. both of these parts are complete, but the series is a wip as there are meant to be more installments in this verse.
* I Used to Live Alone Before I Knew You (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by etothepii
Where Mycroft is an angel, Sherlock is a demon, and John is still John. // good omens fusion. ahkdfjkljdflas this fic is SO GOOD.
Fairytale of London (ao3) by thirdbird_fic
What if John and Sherlock had met five years earlier?
The Correspondence (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by thirdbird_fic
In 2005-2008, military doctor John Watson strikes up a long-distance correspondence with that funny bloke whose life he'd once saved in a bar in London. // follows fairytale of london.
The Damage Done (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by thirdbird_fic
John makes his way home from Afghanistan. // follows the correspondence.
everything you won't tell me (is mapped in your scars) (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by etothepii
It's never felt like this before, like wanting to say, “I'd rather not, but if you wanted, I'd get on my knees for you.” Because John is a dom, and Sherlock is a dom, and John wants him anyways. Except, one of these things is not quite true. // bdsm!au. this normally isn't really my thing, but i really like the way the author wrote the relationship between sherlock and john. preceded by you need someone and it's easy (sherlock/lestrade).
(new)Capital H-i-m by cridecoeur
The first time John Watson sees Sherlock Holmes, he’s just been hit by a car. “Bloody fuck,” John says, then looks down at his watch, pops out the winding mechanism, and sets the minute hand back. // john is sherlock's guardian angel. so freaking great, i wish there was more of it.
(new)* The Theory Of Narrative Causality (Sherlock/John) by falling_voices
Things happen because the plot says they should. // sherlock and john are bnfs in the sherlock holmes fandom. OH MY GOD this fic is amazing. i wasn't going to read it because i was convinced it wasn't something i'd like, but then i accidentally started reading it and i'm so glad i did. it's hilarious, and creative, and feels so very much like fandom it's ridiculous. read it!
(new) It Feels like Home when I'm With You (ao3) by etothepii
John still gets nightmares about Afghanistan. That's the worst part of it all, he thinks -- he still has dreams about sand and drowning to death in his own blood. But they're more memory than nightmare. // ghost!john.
other:
*Murderous, Co-Dependent by rageprufrock
It's an uncomfortable and telling measure of the depth of Lestrade's parental guilt that he acquires not one, but two kittens. // cat!sherlockandjohn. yes.
Captain Sherlock Holmes of the Good Ship Borealis (ao3) by what_alchemy
"Initially, he wanted to be a pirate." - Mycroft Holmes, A Scandal in Belgravia. Sherlock is six years old when he begins to travel the world collecting treasure. // kid!sherlock. i am very picky when it comes to kidfic, but this is believable. it kind of made me cry.
Stay (Sherlock/John) by esterbrook
Retirement wasn't quite what they'd expected. For one thing, they hadn't been in the same room for two years. // sherlock has moved to the country to keep bees.
Practical Johnkeeping (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by what_alchemy
Sherlock predicts nectar flow the same way he deduces a murder, but he harvests the honey like John coddles the dog. // sherlock and john in retirement.
Battle Stratagem for the Domesticated British Male (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by what_alchemy
Age happens. This is not Sherlock’s area. // not explicitly a prequel to practical johnkeeping, but feels like one.
Like Bad Wallpaper (ao3) (Sherlock/John) by flawedamythyst
In which John discovers that family weddings really are the worst way to spend an evening, and Sherlock solves a mystery.
(new)The Sign of Three by emungere
Mycroft takes his little brother to the park, where they meet John and pretend to be pirates. // so sad but so good.
The Breeze Deep on the Inside (ao3) (Lestrade/Molly) by seren_ccd
When Molly and DI Lestrade share a drink at a pub, a part of her wonders why he’s talking to her. The rest of her doesn’t care.
Your moves are so raw (ao3) (Lestrade/Molly) by seren_ccd
Five times Molly and DI Lestrade make love, the one time they’re interrupted and the one time they simply don't. // idk i just have a thing for lestrade/molly, and they're written so well here.