Sherlock recs masterlist
Not presented in any particular order. Mix of slash, gen, incarnations (canon, Ritchie and BBC) and various pairings, athlhough primarily Sherlock/John.
It's Complicated. Sherlock/John friendship or possible romance (left up to the reader whether they're headed for anything physical, but there's no doubt about the love), Sherlock/Victor-Trevor-but basically-an-OMC. I love so many things about this - John's protectiveness of Sherlock in the face of an utterly toxic ex, Mycroft being a BAMF, even though we only see him in flashback*, John being a BAMF, and the humour. Oh goodness, this fic is FUNNY. Its crowning moment comes in the final chapter, however. True laugh-out-loud stuff - what TV Tropes would refer to as a CMOA and a CMOF all in one.
Bridging the Void. Gen. Lestrade talks a girl down from the rail of a bridge.
Triangulations
Lestrade/John, Sherlock. this fic addresses how an asexual love relationship between John and Sherlock might work if John had a partner he was equally committed to. Absolutely lovely read.
Synthetic: Blade Runner AU. John is a blade runner, Sherlock a replicant. Has a bit of a sting in it's tail, this one.
John's Dragon. This is a delightful fusion of Sherlock and How To Train Your Dragon, of all things. Sherlock is a Night Fury. Kind of an annoying one ;-) It made me keen to watch the film again - it's certainly one of the best things that emerged this year, movie-wise.
Impact. Lestrade/Mycroft, obviously several years before the show is set. They meet via traffic accident.
Two companion fics, Wounds and Grace, dealing with psychological aftermath of rape.
Show Me How To Stop Running. Werewolf fic. 1) I love werewolf stuff and 2) not bloody bad at all.
Something Understood by tukumbe. I do love how much mileage fandom has gotten out of the "what exactly was it between Sherlock and Sebastian at Oxford?" trope.
The Velveteen Doctor by lantean_drift. Lovely, lovely, lovely fic about Sherlock gradually perceiving John, and his world, in clearer and clearer colour.
A Dissociated Experience by jupiter_ash. John comes back from Afghanistan detached and without connection to anything or anyone. Then he meets Sherlock Holmes.
In the Belfry by ariadnes_string. Gen, adventure, h/c. John has his work cut out with an injured Lestrade and a phobic Sherlock. Not so much BAMF!John (although he IS) as Competent!John. I have a competency kink so it all works for me.
Days on End by irisbleufic. Recommending irisbleu is like recommending entangled_now and flawed_amythyst - kind of redundant because everything they write is brilliant. Sherlock stops speaking after the events of TGG.
The Paradox Series by wordstrings. This is a bit of a weird one. I'll admit that I tried it a few weeks ago and couldn't get into it. On the advice of a friend (hey, veronamay :-)) I gave it another try and...yeah. Look, it's hard to put this one into words. There are a million reasons why it probably shouldn't work. The relationship is downright unhealthy - or at least it probably should be, but it's kind of not. Sherlock is clearly mad, or at least has some issues. There's a weird possessive vibe that ought to be distasteful or even abusive but is really sort of the opposite. ARGH, I don't know.
Roll Away Your Stone Boarding school AU. Ritchieverse.
How Do You Solve A Problem Like Sherlock by trillsabells. Mycroft/Lestrade (and how much do I love that two characters who have yet to share screentime can work together SO WELL?) and pre-John. They decide Sherlock REALLY needs a friend, and Mycroft sets out to find him one. Come on, John IS a little scarily perfect for Sherlock, you thought that was an accident? ;-)
The Shape I Found You In by irisbleufic and moony. I read this on the train today and had to keep myself from flailing out loud. John/Sherlock, it's their first real separation since they've met (Sherlock's in Sweden on a case) and they discover they're madly in love with each other. Over email and text. ADORED this.
Crossfire, from the anonmeme. BAMF!John comes to Sherlock's rescue. WITH A KATANA. /flails
Untitled kinkmeme fill - Sherlock orgasms from being anally penetrated only.
Untitled kinkmeme fill - Sherlock's lovers have all verbally abused him in bed and he expects the same from John. John surprises him, of course.
The Hardy Boys Boading school AU, title should be self-explanatory.
Honeymoon Period by thinkpink20. Sarah is marrying John despite some doubts about whether she is actually the most important person in his life.
The Standup's the Thing by flecalicious. We've seen Sherlock fall into and out of character effortlessly when it suits him - seeing him being funny kind of breaks John's brain.
Because by colebaltblue. A look at what may have happened between Sherlock and Sebastian back at uni. Sebastian is such a dick in the canon that this isn't difficult to buy at all. I adore John in this story.
Taking Advantage by bronwynferchdai. SOMEONE had to write this. Based around the scene in the unaired pilot where the creepy-ass cabbie tells the drugged and helpless Sherlock that he could do anything he liked with him at that moment. Attempted rape. John to the rescue.
Breakfast at 221B by AJ Hall. Asexual Sherlock/John friendship. Sherlock tells John of a painful event from his teen years, where a well-meaning Mycroft took him to a brothel. Really adored this, sweet friendship story.
How Gladstone Came To Live At Baker Street by dogpoet. Slash, but the sweetest, fluffiest, mildest slash you'll ever come across.
You're A Song I'd Play Again by dysnomiae. Asexual!Sherlock/John slash. Violin kink. HOT. I love the imaginiative ways this fandom manages to write romance and sexiness involving an asexual character.
Intemperance by Basingstoke. I realised partway into this one that it was set in the universe of the Robert Downey, Jr movie, but by then I was enjoying it. And I rather like the RDJ flick anyway, even if it is no BBC Sherlock. MPREG, sort of, but not in the usual sense. Probably the most obvious and logical solution to MPREG, though. I am not partial to MPREG as a rule, mainly due to disinterest rather than dislike, but I rather loved this. Holmes was born female, so not the usual MPREG nonsense I love Mary Watson in this, she often gets the short end of the stick in fanfic, but not here.
That Thing You Like by misspamela. Sherlock takes John home for Christmas.
Timeline, by entangled_now. It's getting to the point where recommending entangled_now's stories is redundant, her stuff is always wonderful.
A Study in Sexuality by jupiter_ash. John is straight. Not closeted, bi-curious, heteroflexible or repressed. Simply straight. He goes and has a bit of a personal crisis once he realises he's in love with Sherlock.
M Is For Mummy by laurab1. James Bond crossover. M is Mycroft and Sherlock's mother, naturally. Genius idea ;-) Gen (ish?)
Broke, by quamquam20. They're broke. They're approached by a pornographer...yeah, I KNOW, it sounds horrible, but it's really not. The author has managed to get the tone of this story just right - it's funny and awkward and hot and uncomfortable and sweet and completely in character. *is a puddle*
The Refining Fire by arwen_kenobi. Another post-TGG fic. I think I'm going to be a little bit disappointed when the series finally returns and at least half of these lovely post-TGG stories end up Jossed. But some might get Kripke'd too, I guess ;-) Enjoy them while you can, we've got ages yet. /groans
Drowning Man by irisbleufic. Yep, post-TGG again. The guys go into hiding, but Moriarty managed to make his presence known. It's a WIP, but she's been updating regularly.
Homemaking by rageprufrock. Author's summary: The original plan for returning to England involved fucking around being shellshocked and suffering mandatory post-combat counseling and physical therapy to dissect the shattered mosaic of his feelings. That's not quite how it goes.
The Story of How Mycroft Holmes Got Demoted by lavvyan. Have I mentioned how much I adore Mycroft stories? Especially when Sherlock is forced to admit his brother may not be such a Big Bad after all? Yeah. *happysigh*
The Perils of Urban Warfare by phantomjam. Sherlock is much better at helping John readjust to civilian life than his therapist is.
The Vast Perhaps, by moony. A series of deaths in the life of John Watson.
One Time Mycroft Said I Told You So and Five Times He Resisted, from the anonmeme.
A Mile in His Shoes Bodyswap!! Cute, sad, angsty, funny, hot bodyswap! And part 2 is here.
Eggcrate, by basingstoke. John visits Sherlock's family and discovers that Sherlock is only the tip of the iceberg of weird. Funny as hell ;-)
It's a sequel, but I think it reads perfectly well as a standalone. The two prior chapters are Black Books crossovers, but this one isn't.
There and Back Again and What Happened After by Eleanor K. Gen, maybe leaning into slash, but it's open to interpretation. One of the loveliest things about this fandom is that it doesn't even matter whether the fic is slash or gen. I certainly don't care either way. The love and the commitment are there regardless, whether or not it gets physical is completely irrelevant.
Practical Angora Goat Raising by lavvyan. Author's note: The title is from a book on, you've guessed it, the raising of (possibly practical) angora goats; an undertaking I imagine to be as harrowing and demanding as trying to maintain a relationship with Sherlock Holmes. They're in love, John wants some but Sherlock's asexual. What to do?
A Marriage of Inconvenience by waketosleep. Another platonic marriage story. This fandom does that well. There is a much more popular line from the story getting about, but I like this one:
"Your phone is ready for the rubbish heap, and I knew you'd never spend actual money on a decent replacement," Sherlock called, and then he appeared in the kitchen doorway and leaned on it, taking an enormous bite of his sandwich. "I really can't abide your having a shit phone when I need to use it for some reason."
Explosions, Literal and Otherwise by starjenni. Sherlock thinks John is dead. He doesn't react all that well.
What Friends Do by mariole. (Warning - it's a WIP as of 1/9/10 but she HAS been updating regularly). Yet another "immediate aftermath of The Great Game" story. In this scenario, the bomb did go off, John and Sherlock are buried under rubble, Sherlock with a suspected broken back. In the ambulance, Sherlock convinces Lestrade to help him fake his own death, rightly pointing out that it's the only way to protect John. Let's hope she doesn't let John think it's true as long as ACD did ;-)
Thought Experiments by entangled now. Sherlock finds interpersonal relationships confusing. He just needs more data.
And Then The Darkness by calicokat. Sherlock gets himself committed to investigate a patient in an asylum. Still in progress. A bloodletting scene - Sherlock fakes a suicide attempt to get in. With John's help. It's actually a gorgeous scene, gentle and loving, but, well. Could be problematic for some.
Space Travel by candle_beck (ellipses are mine)
So there was this lunatic that John had moved in with...He was rude and abrupt and callous beyond belief...But he also poured a cup of tea for someone else when he wasn't actively engaged in appearing magisterial, and he gave up his scarf when John was standing barefoot in the road, and he said, "it's all right, all right now," to shivering trauma victims--small moments, trifles, but wasn't it supposed to be all about the details? Sherlock wasn't a sociopath; there was almost certainly a better diagnosis.
Not Even Half Time by lantean_drift. One of the many set directly during and after the end of The Great Game. Bit of h/c, nothing too intense.
Mea Culpa from the anonmeme. John accidentally takes some LSD Sherlock had carelessly stored. Contains bonus awesome!Lestrade and contrite for once!Sherlock.
Intimacy, by thinkpink20. Sherlock/Lestrade, sort of UST but not quite slash. Sad.
untitled crack by lilapaddy. Great Mouse Detective x-over. Sherlock and John discuss the fact that the mice of 221B Baker Street are a little...odd. Well, Sherlock does. John just thinks he's mad.
Control by yminga. John doesn't like to be touched by anyone but Sherlock. It's a control thing. *Loved* this.
A Friendly Government Official. John/Mycroft. Just some dreadfully fluffy fluff :-D
untitled from the anonmeme. Lestrade and co. accidentally barge in on some cuddling. Sherlock is...Sherlock ;-)
Secondary Education by lady t 20. This one won't appeal to everyone, but if you like your h/c...there is a LOT of H to plough through, though. Graphic abuse, rape, violence. On the plus side, the girl knows how to write.
Padding by basingstoke. Hilarious Black Books crossover. You need to be familiar with both shows to get just how funny this fic is. (Hint: Martin Freeman played Manny's doctor in episode 1 ;-)) Now with a sequel!
Making Room by Sarren. Sherlock/John/Lestrade. Don't look at me like that, this one really works.
Clearly John isn't comfortable with the idea of Sherlock watching them have sex, so Lestrade figures he's got nothing to lose when he says tiredly, "Sherlock, no offence but either sod off to bed or get over here and show us some of that execution if you think you can do better."
Horse and Carriage by flawed amethyst. Sherlock proposes to John. For a series of soundly logical reasons, none of which are to do with sex or romance, because Sherlock is interested in neither. So why is Sherlock so hurt when John refuses?
He strode for the door and John sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. He usually tried to remain patient with Sherlock's more extreme demands and eccentricities and talk him down from them carefully, because he knew that he was the only person who could genuinely hurt Sherlock's feelings, but this one had blind-sided him at a difficult time, and now he was regretting some of the things he'd said.
Domesticity For A Sociopath, or The Man Who Tells Sherlock Holmes No Light and funny. There are some things Watson puts his foot down over.
Tuesday Morning. It's Sherlock's birthday. Sherlock HATES his birthday. Only this one is different. Contains one or two hilarious mental images ;-)
Chanson de Geste, from the anonmeme. Sherlock/Mycroft gen. Just read it, it's sweet ;-)
Proportionate Response. Don't hurt Mycroft's little brother, he may have to do something unpleasant to you. Gen.
Discoveries Mycroft/Lestrade. Sherlock is suitably horrified. Don't listen to him, he's wrong.
Teatime Mycroft/Mrs Hudson. Don't look at me like that, this is adorable! Mycroft treats Mrs Hudson like the lady she is. Sherlock is even more horrified.
untitled kinkmeme fic by anon. Sherlock/OC, Sherlock/John, Sherlock/Lestrade friendship. Before John comes into the picture, Sherlock is in an abusive relationship. Lestrade helps him. rape, non graphic.
Working in Absolutes Riding crop. Unf.
Midway Sherlock/John. Sherlock has little interest in sex physically, but participates out of an emotional connection. Loved this.
Mr. Holmes. Hurt John Watson and Sherlock will end you. I like how the criminal describes Mr. Holmes to his mate, almost like he's a boogeyman.
Autopsis explores the darker side of that "sociopath" claim. description of animal cruelty, blood- and knifeplay
Lab Book. "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."
5 Times Sherlock Cried Alone, and Once He Didn't. The man does have feelings, you know ;-) Gorgeous. Brief, non graphic allusion to date rape. Animal cruelty
Testing Sherlock's laziness in the "doing for himself" department goes futher than John anticipated. I LOL'ed ;-)
Who Wants To Be Normal, Anyway? In which Sherlock is infuriating, John is exasperated and nobody notices they're not actually dating.
Grey, by thinkpink20 Sherlock/Lestrade. Sherlock likes Lestrade's hair. SO DO I. UNF. (Oh, Rupert fucking Graves, I think it's time to go and rewatch you shagging James Wilby in Maurice. It's been a while.)
It Was Worth A Wound by viridian violet. Watson gets shot. Sherlock loses his shit. This fic contains Lestrade being awesome. I like Lestrade being awesome.
Oh, But You're An Explosion by mardia. Sherlock/John. Kink, bdsm, HOT. Like, SERIOUSLY hot. /fans self
untitled, by torakowalski. Sherlock/Sebastian, Sherlock/John friendship. Fifteen years after Sherlock had his heart broken, John wants to go bust the guy's head. It's adorable.
Height, or Lack Thereof by flying android. Sherlock loves that John is such a wee thing.
The Second Law of Thermodynamics, by libraryofsol. OK, so it's one of those "someone's cold and we need to exchange body heat" fics, but there's a reason they're so popular, right? Sherlock/John. Now has a sequel!
Headache, by chocolate limes. Um. This is a slight rec of shame. On the one hand, shameless, brazen h/c. OTOH, I think it infantilizes Sherlock far too much. OTOH, IT'S SHAMELESS, BRAZEN H/C! Sherlock/Mycroft gen.
Tea and Sympathy, by doodle writes. More h/c. You expect Sherlock to take ANY care of himself when he's sick? Sherlock/John.
The Realities of War by lisson17. Soo-Lin's death affects John badly. Sherlock/John h/c.
Freak, from the anonmeme. Being called a freak by Donovan and Anderson doesn't matter, because they don't matter. John, OTOH...
The More Things Change, by anon. A fic that shows how goddamned impossible Sherlock is. Sherlock/John.
Extraordinary by anon. Sherlock loves John's compliments. He wants more of them.
The Year, by saharajara. A year in the life. Odd style, very easy to go wrong when writing like this, but I thought it was great. Sherlock/John.
TWO fills for this prompt - BOTH ARE WIPS AT THIS STAGE. I'm liking them, but you may not. Read the prompt first. Lestrade's gay. Nobody knows - it's still pretty frowned upon in the police force and Sherlock honestly hasn't paid all that much attention to the DI's private life. Despite this, there's no real problem. He's in a nice relationship and nobody's got any reason to suspect that something's up. That is, until Lestrade start turning up to work with black eyes and split lips, and is acting rather skittish and seems really reluctant to go home. Then Holmes starts paying attention. Basically, I would like Lestrade to be in midst of an abusive relationship, Sherlock and John notice and as things begin to get really out of control, come to the rescue. John/Lestrade/Sherlock would be awesome but is up to you
http://sherlockbbc-fic.livejournal.com/575.html?thread=241215#t241215
http://sherlockbbc-fic.livejournal.com/575.html?thread=298047#t298047
Apotheosis by mad_maudlin. John goes all 007 on Moriarty after the events at the pool. Gen, I think. I can't remember because it doesn't matter.
Ghosts of Days Gone Past. John goes into witness protection but he can't stand being away from Sherlock and tires of running. Warning - character death.
Give Me The Quiet Things. Beautifully executed amnesia fic.
And because that's a LOT of angst, I'll give you one more, of the complete opposite:
((U+C+I) x (10-S))/20 x A x 1/(1-sin(F/10)) Hysterical gen piece, heavily influenced by The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Mycroft is abducted by aliens.
Those poor aliens.
Some People Find Dodgy Dancing Sexy by mistyzeo. John has dragged Sherlock to the Yard Christmas party. Contains dodgy dancing and rough sex over someone's desk. OH MY GOODNESS. /runs off for cold shower