Title:
Sic Gorgiamos Allos Subjectatos NuncAuthor:
etothepiiPairing: None
Summary: John learnt to be ordinary.
Until they are too old to fit comfortably, his mother puts he and Harry in the washing machine for their baths -- not all the time, but sometimes, when there are also clothes to be washed. When she takes them out after the spin cycle, they giggle with delight and blow bubbles in the air.
She puts them in the dryer once too, but only once because afterwards Harry had had a rash from the fabric softener and John's hair had stuck out uncontrollably.
John doesn't remember very much about it -- only that it happened, only that he remembers his father telling the judge once during the trial that he'd seen John playing in the machine with the dirty clothes, where anything could have happened if his mother had been careless.
She hadn't been careless. She'd kissed the top of his head and told him to have fun. Then, she'd closed the lid and turned on the machine. John had spent the wash cycle pretending he could fly.
There are fics that are well written, interesting, and fun to read. This is one of them. Then, there are fics that actively reach out and grab at that small part of you that just wants to read something unique. This is also one of them. What this means is that this fic is special, very special, and it should be treasured and petted and loved by many people (who are not me... because I'm giving it heaps of love, but I'm still only one person :)
For those of you who read the excerpt above and were intrigued, go read the fic now! For those who need more convincing... what are you still doing here?
As a concept this fic seems deceptively simple. Take Fandom A and fuse tightly with Fandom B and there, you have it: a fandom fusion for all to enjoy. But fusions are generally good, bad... or really bad. And this fic manages to be amazing. Fandom A here is Sherlock, while Fandom B is The Addams Family. (And if that doesn't have you intrigued, I don't know what will.) In the hands of a lesser author that could be the ultimate crack crossover. But in the hands of
etothepii it become something more. Something visceral and strange and just a little bit gory. But excellent all the same.
This fic stayed with me for a very long time after reading. It was thought provoking, and reminded me that as writers we can build any world we damn well please. It left me a little sad too... because I don't think we make the most of the amazing world of story-telling that exists at our fingertips, instead we just rewrite the same old cliches, using the same old hackneyed phrases. (Don't get me wrong... I love those cliches, and those phrases :) This fic, despite being so very short, was anything but cliched.
I'd say enjoy... but this time I think I'll also add that I expect you to appreciate.
(Also, it's nearly four in the morning and I really should be in bed. So if any of this doesn't make sense, I apologise in advance...)