#introspections and dreams and missing scenes and reunions
Text
we together make a limb (jonathan byers/nancy wheeler)
rating: light teen
word count: 6,004
She feels like she could float right off her bed and into the ether forever, until he finds her again and puts his forehead to hers, brushes his nose against the space between her eyebrows, tucks the knobs of her shoulders into his palms and brings her back down to earth.
[what happened in the Two Days Later]
missing scenes from vol. 2.
read it on ao3
They were supposed to win.
The late March evening is still cool, nearly cold, but Nancy lays on top of her covers with her windows open. She can still feel the heat of Henry— (Vecna— One— Henry—) Vecna’s body, covered with flaming gasoline and bubbling, on her skin as she advanced. Can still feel the kickback of the shotgun, the burning in her bicep as she pumped the barrel to discharge each empty shell, as she riddled his body with buckshot.
He was supposed to die. Not Max. Him.
Sirens still wail intermittently in the distance. Red and blue lights occasionally reflect off her bedroom ceiling. In the dark the purple wallpaper reads nearly gray.
Or maybe that’s the Upside Down, sucking color and life from everything around her.
Four deaths, four rings, four cracks, all converging in an X-Marks-The-Spot of doom. She’s not sure what was supposed to happen; if this was it, or if they did anything at all to prevent his final plan. Maybe Hawkins was supposed to fall right into the Upside Down. Or maybe it was supposed to rush over them like a tidal wave.
In the end it was neither. Instead the rifts pulsate and glow, then go quiet and dark. She couldn’t take her eyes off them on the way home from the hospital.
She doesn’t know how far the cracks reach. She imagines them growing and growing, reaching out of Hawkins and west, due west, seeking, searching, finding. The Upside Down is stuck on the day Will Byers disappeared, and no one at the Byers household is picking up their phone.
Maybe it’s already swallowed them whole.
She reaches out, right hand onto empty covers. Squeezes her eyes tight and lets her fingertips extend a touch further. She remembers the way his weight held down her comforter that night after she went into the Upside Down for the first time, entirely by accident.
He barely moved as he slept, gun tucked between them, but he kept the covers tight on her, made them less like blankets and more like a shield. Closing the gaps where evil could sneak in between cotton and skin, keeping her safe.
She had ventured only the smallest touches that night; a finger to his watch strap or the edge of his t-shirt sleeve, inanimate decorations on his body that couldn’t respond. She couldn’t risk waking him, couldn’t fathom how she’d possibly explain what she was doing.
Behind her reddened eyelids she thrusts herself further back in the memory, the roughness of his denim jacket and the tightness of his arms and the way he rocked her as he murmured in her ear over and over, I’ve got you. I’ve got you.
Unbidden, unwanted, she thinks of Max’s mangled body, the blood dripping down her face and Lucas’s, his hoarse sobbing as he cradled her in his arms. They didn’t save her. They couldn’t.
The doctors don’t know how her heart started beating again. Nancy can think of only one thing and it’s the last shred of hope she has to hang onto. Because if that’s what saved her, even moments too late, then maybe—just maybe—
Her fingertips find nothing. In the center of her chest she feels another crack, another rift, not bones breaking but spirit, as she reaches for a hand that isn’t there.
++++
In the dim light she drifts through time like it’s made of powdery snow undulating over hills and valleys of memory.
The winter after Will’s return, bedroom phone clutched in trembling hand and whispers down the line to him after nightmares, lost and scared and alone. Telling him each object she saw in her room until the shadows turned from monsters back into discarded jackets and backpacks.
A motel room in central Illinois bathed in sickly bedside light, hands together on the grimy little table, scars set end to end to form a single line. A string, a tether, pulling them to each other, tightening slack no matter how much she tried to loosen it, no matter how much he let her. Back to back when she finally pulled honesty from him and found it even less flattering than the yellow lampshade.
Grimy sheets and a scratchy blanket on an unfamiliar, too-bouncy mattress but it didn’t matter, no it didn’t matter at all because all that was in that room was them and there was nothing between them anymore. Not lies, not denials, not even clothes. The first time she felt his weight on top of her – not her covers but her – and how hot his skin was, how the heat they made together was even better than the shield of her comforter the year before.
Hopper’s dusty cabin and its hopelessly deflated futon, stuffed onto a loft that hadn’t been swept in at least a decade, and the sweat soaking through their clothes, leaving salt crystals on their skin as he sobbed and she rocked him this time, her turn to hold and protect and reassure, I’ve got you, I’ve got you.
His bed, bruised and bloodied, trembling with fear and smeared with whatever bodily fluids a monster made of amalgamated flesh oozes, running hands over cuts and lesions just to be sure they are actually still whole. Apologies falling from lips, more jumble of words than composed thoughts, desperation to make sure he knows how much she loves him, how much she never wants to fight with him again, never again, not when they could lose each other in the blink of an eye, at the hand of a man or a monster, it doesn’t matter. His hands in her hair, his forehead against hers, grounding her, keeping her present, keeping her sane.
She feels like she could float right off her bed and into the ether forever, until he finds her again and puts his forehead to hers, brushes his nose against the space between her eyebrows, tucks the knobs of her shoulders into his palms and brings her back down to earth.
She fists her hands in the covers until her knuckles turn white to try to hold onto an planet that is spinning too fast.
++++
She is not sure if she sleeps. Her brain circles and spirals, and wonders.
What if she had gone with Mike? Taken the initiative, surprised him for once? Found out what was going on to make him so distant and fuzzy over the long-distance telephone line.
Would it have been better? Worse? Would there have been another girl? Another life he’d built filled with friends and activities; no time left for Nancy Wheeler?
Would they have found out about what was going on in Hawkins? Would Fred have gone to investigate Chrissy’s death? Would he have died anyway? (No, her mind whispers, that’s just you, that’s only because you know what lurks under this town and you brought him with you, you dragged him along, you killed him too. Add him to your list, Nancy.)
Would Max have lived as long as she did, would she have made her miraculous recovery? (It’s not a recovery if she’s in a coma, her brain reminds her, but she shoves it away; she has to count not dead as a victory, maybe the only one they have.)
Would Eddie have been crucified by Jason and the basketball team? Lynched in town square only for Patrick to die anyway?
Would Dustin and Robin and Steve have figured out what to do? Would they have found Vecna, fought him? Would they have survived?
What if Jonathan had come like they had planned? Would the phone in Lenora still be off the hook? Would her brother be dead, like Henry showed her?
Would Jonathan have died following her into the Upside Down, fighting by her side?
Would Hawkins be doomed without her or with her?
She tries to imagine his voice, what he’d say, how he’d reassure her. Because he can – he always can. But he’s not here and she’s too scared to say the words to herself, even in his gentle tenor.
It’s too much weight, too much on her thin shoulders, her delicate spine. There is no one at her back to hold her up, trust her, believe in her. Only more cracks in her insides.
++++
Her mother’s voice is soft and gentle as it slips into the inky blackness of her unconsciousness.
“Nancy, sweetheart? Are you awake? I made pancakes.”
It takes her a moment to wake up, to come to, and in that liminal space his voice is there too.
Your mom doesn’t knock?
“Nancy?”
Her eyelids feel like lead, but she pushes them open anyway and finds her mother standing over her.
No, she doesn’t knock. Never has.
“Come on, sweetheart, you look pale. You need to eat, OK?”
She dresses slowly, in comfortable house clothes that are loose and soft, clean of the viscera of the nightmare dimension she’s spent two days in. Downstairs, Holly sits at the kitchen table, her mother stands at the stove, her father is settled in his favorite chair watching the news.
It’s so normal she wants to scream. Maybe throw things.
She walks into the kitchen instead and picks up the phone. She’s dialed the number so many times she doesn’t even have to think about it; her fingers fly over the buttons.
The busy signal blares out of the earpiece and she thinks about throwing things again.
“Nance, honey, come get some breakfast,” her mom says and she hangs it up instead.
“An earthquake,” her father mutters. “An earthquake in Indiana and they’re just now thinking to send the National Guard…”
Anger seethes inside her at his willful ignorance. On the TV she can see one of the cracks in the earth; at its center is the barest red glow. What kind of fucking earthquake glows?
Saying anything would be useless. So she goes to her mother instead and accepts the plate of pancakes.
“I know it’s a bit late for this, but it seemed like a blueberry pancake kind of day, what with everything going on,” her mom says and only then does Nancy think to look at the clock.
Nearly 3 p.m. How long did she lay awake in bed last night? How long did she sleep? The world feels muddled, fuzzy.
“Have you heard from Mike?” she asks and hopes against hope she just slept through a phone call.
Her mother huffs, turns so her back is to Holly. Her little sister doesn’t even look up from her coloring.
“No, and when he gets home from this visit I am going to murder him for this. Or lock him in his room forever, I haven’t decided yet.”
(We could hide you in our basement. Like El.)
“Still,” her mother is still talking, “I’m sure he must be fine. I know Joyce just got that new job, selling encyclopedias over the phone, so maybe the timing has just been bad. And she would absolutely call us if something happened to him, so he’s got to be safe. Maybe they haven’t heard the news yet. I mean, you’d think an earthquake in Indiana would be national news but, maybe it’s not.”
You would think that, wouldn’t you? Nancy’s stomach goes sour at the thought, and she grips her plate a little tighter. The thought of sitting down to eat feels so unappealing but she can’t remember the last time she did, and she feels the weakness from hunger. Her arms hurt and her chest does too, not just from the fear and the worry but from how the vines wrapped around her, held her against that wall and tried to choke the life from her.
She wonders if her mom can see the shadow around her neck. If she recognizes what it is. If she wonders how her daughter got it. Or if it’s too faint and her mother is too good at ignoring the strange.
“Right yeah,” she picks up a fork automatically, looks over at the table. Holly has gotten up and wandered over to her father, fitting herself next to him in the recliner to watch TV with him. “Do you mind if I eat in my room? I’m still really tired.
A furrow appears on her mother’s forehead; maybe she doesn’t see everything, but she also doesn’t see nothing at all.
“Sure, Nance,” she says slowly. “Just bring your plate back down when you’re done.”
She picks at the pancakes, the silence in her room unsettling. Opens a book, reads the same sentence six times and sets it down again. Turns the radio on and lays on her bed with her eyes closed, wondering if maybe she can sleep more, until a news report breaks in and sends her heart plummeting to her knees.
She snaps it off.
She feels useless. She feels stuck. She feels terrified, and she doesn’t know what to do next.
The phone on her nightstand rings and she lunges for it, nearly falls off the bed snatching it off its cradle.
"Jonathan?!" she can't keep the frantic note out of her voice.
There is a pause, silence, and as she holds her breath it nearly rends her in two.
"I was right about you having the same number." The voice is male but it's wrong, it's so wrong and she chokes on it. Bites her tongue to hold it in but the smallest sob manages to escape anyway, tasting like blood. "Sorry, Nance. Still can't get him?"
"No." She breathes it more than speaks it, but her voice still shakes on the same beats of her pounding heart. "I don't know where he is. Where any of them are. Mike is with them, and he hasn’t called, he hasn’t tried to get in touch. And I don't understand--"
"Nancy? Hey Nancy, Nance, it's OK," Robin's voice is high and female and sweet, sweet relief. She spent a year hearing one boy's voice when she so desperately wished for it to be the other's and it's like she's back there all over again. She feels cold, so very cold. "It's OK, Nance, they're OK. They have to be. We would have heard if they weren't. I promise, we would have heard."
Robin doesn't know that, doesn't have the authority to say it, but Nancy takes her at face value because to not would break her, she is sure of it.
Unbidden an image pops into her mind’s eye: Chief Powell, standing solemn on their front stoop hat in hand. Mr. Wheeler, Mrs. Wheeler, can we talk privately? I’m afraid I have some news about your son—
They told Joyce Byers they found her son’s body; they made it real enough that when she went to find Jonathan for help, she found him at a funeral home picking out caskets. She wonders if he was there when Hopper came to his mother’s doorstep to deliver the news. She wonders how he reacted; she’s never asked him. She wonders how she would react if they came to her doorstep; would she rise with righteous anger or would she shatter in a million pieces, never to be whole again?
She shoves the thought violently away before it can get any further.
"Yeah," she replies on a long, shuddering breath. "I'm sure you're right."
"I'm so sorry, Nancy. We didn't mean to..." the other girl trails off, and Nancy's not sure what word to sub in for her silence. "We didn't mean to."
"It's okay, I know... I know." She closes her eyes. Behind her forehead, a pounding starts up. "Why did you call?"
"You know how they're sheltering the people who lost their homes at the gym? Dustin had the idea to bring some stuff over to them. He's been going through his old games and toys all day, Steve and I are gonna get some stuff together too and take it over there tomorrow. We wanted to know if you wanted to help?"
Help. The word breaks through the panic fogging her brain, lets her muscles relax enough that she slides the rest of the way off the bed and onto the floor, folding herself into a little ball in the corner where her nightstand meets her bed. Yes, she can help. Helping is what she's best at. She can straighten her spine and put on a brave face and gather old clothes and toys from a life that seems more over than she could have ever dreamed and give them to people who need them. She can spring to action, step in to save day.
If she doesn't she will sit here and she will wonder and she will crumble to dust.
"Yeah. Yes." it comes out more confident than she feels, steel over open wounds and broken veins. "Yes, I want to help."
"OK great. Wonderful." Robin sounds oddly hesitant like she knows she is lying. "We'll come by your house in the morning, yeah?"
"Sure. Sounds great."
She doesn't wait for the goodbye, just gently sets the phone back in its cradle. For a moment she lets herself stare at it, focuses her entire consciousness on one thought: Find me.
The image of the phone blurs and doubles, but it stays stubbornly silent.
She rises on fawn-like legs and goes to talk to her mother.
++++
Nancy dreams.
She is back in Steve’s pool. Barbara’s corpse is still cocooned to the curve in the deep end.
Nancy…
Vecna’s voice beckons her. She ignores it. Walks over to her friend instead.
“Barbara,” she whispers, crouching in front of her. “Barb. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I never meant for this to happen. I didn’t know. But I didn’t forget. And I didn’t let the world forget you, either.”
Nancy…
“Shut up,” she mutters, touches Barbara’s arm. It is sticky and slick and cold, but she keeps her hand there for a moment. “I miss you, Barb. Goodbye.”
Nancy…
“Alright you freak, I’m coming,” she snaps, stands and ascends the ladder. This time nothing pulls her back or impedes her way. When she reaches the deck she sees Steve’s patio set, beyond it a set of headlights. They’re too far off the ground to be his BMW, or Jonathan’s Ford. There is a person in the front seat, but she can only make out a vague silhouette.
I want to show you…
“Yeah, yeah,” she sighs, and looks down as a crack opens between her feet.
…where I am going…
The crack expands, splitting the earth before her in a long, glowing line. A taunt. A path.
“Follow the yellow brick road,” she murmurs, and takes a step forward. A horn honks twice, deeper and more resonant than a normal car. More like a camper van, or a Winnebago.
A ride could be faster, but the crack is not a road. It splits the earth with the inevitability of a compass, ignoring manmade paths and spaces and buildings, guiding true. Straying from it will only lead her to distraction.
She takes another step. Nothing gets in her way.
Nancy walks. She follows the crack through Hawkins and then out of town, into the forest and beyond until the landscape drops away and all there is left is dust and a cloudless, endless night. She doesn’t know where the light comes from; she cannot see a moon.
A demodog crosses her path, pauses. She stops, holding her breath. It looks around with its eyeless, faceless head, as if it’s searching for something beyond her. Sits down just like any other dog she’s seen. The familiarity of the motion almost makes her laugh.
“If I ask nicely, will you not eat me?”
The chuckle behind her almost scares her out of her skin.
“I’ve been told he likes nougat.”
Jonathan’s hair is shorter, and he is wearing the blue sweater she remembers from that night in the woods. The one she keeps at the top of her closet, next to the box that holds his father’s gun. All missing in this funhouse mirror world, stuck in a day that started everything that ended everything she knew.
“Are you real?” She reaches out as she says it, and her fingers pass right through the wry grin that twists his lips.
“No,” he says, and she wants to sob and scream at the same time. “Not here. But out there, yes. I’m real.”
“You won’t answer your phone! I can’t find you anywhere!”
“That weight? That you’re carrying around with you, all the time?” he reaches out, fingertips passing through her chest and she swears she can feel them inside her, cupping her heart. “I feel it too.”
“Jonathan—”
His fingers move up, to her neck, to her pulse, to her cheek. And she does feel something, she’s certain of it. Like spiderwebs, or the kiss of a ghost.
“You found me once, when you were trapped in this place. Now it’s my turn to find you. X-marks-the-spot, remember?"
"I don’t understand.”
“You will. Every time they think they’ve got the best of us, we always come out on top, don’t we?”
“Not this time. Jonathan, this time—”
“Tom and Bruce. The Mind Flayer. The Demogorgon. They all thought they had us beat. But they’re no match for us.”
“Jonathan—”
Suddenly his hand is real. Very, very real. It is warm and rough against her cheek and it steals her words, her breath.
“Remember: Straight into Will’s room. And don’t step on the trap.”
She awakens with a gasp, rocketing up in bed, hand clutched to her own face. She cannot tell if it’s the blurring between sleep and consciousness, but she swears her cheek is warm.
And for the first time since this nightmare of a week began, she lets herself cry.
++++
She wakes easier the next morning but stays in bed a long time. Snatches of her dream and confused thoughts are tumbling through her head, and instead of trying to push them away she takes a moment to sit with them.
When she’d opened her diary in the Upside Down, seen the date in the past, she’d also seen the entry.
OK! So, Steve and I, we made up today. And Barb definitely knows now. But I guess I feel better with her knowing. It’s just not anything serious—
For a moment, she misses the girl who wrote that with a pang so deep in her chest, it feels like a knife wound. Not for the first time that week, that month, that year, or any of the years since Will Byers went missing, she wonders what it would have been like to stay that girl. A girl whose life revolved around school and boys, who had a best friend since childhood and straight As.
Who would that girl have become? Would she have stayed smart, would she have been kind? Would she have been pulled into Steve’s circle with Tommy and Carol and become cutting? Cruel? Would they have made her popular, and would she have become callous? Would she have brought Barb along with her, or would she have left Barb behind?
Would she have become brave?
She remembers seeing Jonathan in the school hallway, carefully pinning his brother’s missing poster to corkboard. How Steve and Tommy had scoffed, called him pathetic, depressing. How she’d felt pulled in two directions – one to stay with the popular crowd, with King Steve and his influence, his tall frame and his charm, and another to go toward a tawny-haired boy she’d known since she was a small child, whose little brother had always been kind and polite, had always offered her a smile when he came over and never bugged her the way Dustin or Lucas or Mike would. Whose parents had split up and made him the weird kid, the school pariah, a fuck-up by association.
Whose shoulders were stooped with worry and whose eyes were even puffier than usual from exhaustion and panic.
It had taken courage to step away from her little group, to approach him and say something, and even then all she had managed was It sucks. And he’d looked at her, past her, and waited for the cruelty to come, because that’s what he was accustomed to.
He’d still listened to her and helped her. No questions asked.
God, she misses him.
Nancy scrubs her hands over her face. Behind her eyes, the pressure of her tears spreads and makes her throat tighten and ache.
“Fuck,” she whispers. She doesn’t want to cry again; her sob session in the middle of the night had felt like scraping out her insides, and she’s just now finding ways to put them back into place. What she really wants, if she’s willing to be honest with herself, is just a hug. A hug from him, if the universe could oblige.
She is not, she knows, the girl who wrote that diary entry anymore. Not just because of the supernatural, not just because she has worked to thwart four apocalypses so far by her count (three and a half, she corrects herself; she wants to pretend the rifts running through Hawkins don’t exist but denial’s never gotten her anywhere useful).
It doesn’t matter who that girl would have become. The girl she is has been shaped by each of those fights, by great loss and by great love. She is much braver, much stronger, than that girl could have ever imagined being.
The shape she has grown into is not the one she would have predicted. But she likes it more.
“Come on, Nancy,” she tells herself. “Get up. Get dressed. You’re going to go help some people today, and that’s going to feel good. And then, when you get back, you’re going to steal Mom’s car and drive west until you find your fucking boyfriend if it kills you.”
It’s an absurd plan; it’ll never work, she’ll never get away with it. And she loves it.
When she smiles it is light and true, and the pressure is gone from behind her eyes.
++++
She applies her makeup with careful touches, concealer and blush and eyeshadow, her favorite purple, and carefully tames her curls and clips them back from her face. She regards herself in the mirror, coiffed and covered, the optimistic colors of her shirt, the practicality of pants and sneakers, and gives a nod. Yes. This is the brave face she will present to the world.
Then she opens her closet and begins to sort.
She pulls out clothes from girlhood, frills and dresses and ribbons she used to favor for its mix of innocence and acquiescence. Nancy’s never been an idiot; she’s always known how to get what she wants. But the girl who chose these clothes asked for things sideways, through fluttering lashes and roundabout hinting.
The girl she is now, the woman she’s about to become, asks for forgiveness, not permission.
It is oddly fitting that Mr. Rabbit is on top of the box of toys her mother brings to Steve’s car; another piece of Nancy Who Was not Nancy Who Is. She expects the nostalgia pain to be sharp, but is pleasantly surprised to find it’s not.
“It’s OK if you want to save him, you know,” her mother offers.
Something inside her wants to laugh wildly. Here she is again in the middle – behind her is a boy with big hair and big eyes, big dreams of a small life with a big family and not much else, and somewhere out in front of her is a boy who is much quieter, much more careful with his heart and his dreams, who is difficult and challenging and devoted to the people he loves more fiercely than anyone she has ever met, and who she knows loves her – her favorite childhood stuffed animal in her hand and a choice in front of her once again. The only difference is Jonathan isn’t standing there, tacking a missing poster to a corkboard.
His words from her dream, from years ago, come back in a rush, from the one moment he felt real. Don’t step on the trap.
“No,” It’s an easy answer. “He’ll be more loved in a new home.”
Her mother follows her as she takes the box over to the car to join the others, expects to hear her say something about how proud she is of her, or about how glad she is they’re helping their neighbors. Anything but what actually comes out of her mouth.
“Did somebody order a pizza?”
The dust-coated yellow van and its massive red sign are out of place in the neighborhood. In reality, she thinks. For a moment they all freeze, trying to make sense of it.
Surfer Boy Pizza. She’s never heard of that before. Why would anyone brand pizza for surfers in Indiana? There’s no water here. No surfers. Surfers are in places like California, like—
Her brain stutters to a halt, and she swears her heart joins it. She can’t blink, she can’t even breathe, as the van door slides open.
And suddenly they are there. All of them. Mike and Will and El (where is her hair? What happened to her hair?) and a long-haired boy she doesn’t recognize and there, just behind her brother’s shoulder, is Jonathan. His hair is long, much longer than she remembers, much longer than her dream, and she thinks it’s blonde almost, (California sun, she thinks and then, inexplicably, Surf’s up, dudes) but she knows his face, knows his eyes and the slope of his shoulders and it’s impossible but it’s unmistakable: it’s him.
She only realizes she’s running when the shock of sneakers hitting pavement travels up to her knees.
They’re all running; Mike to her mom, Will and El past her to Dustin, and Jonathan to her and when he’s there, right there, nearly close enough to touch, she finds herself slowing. Hesitating. Because what if she’s dreaming. What if Vecna is in her head again, what if this is all a hallucination?
Are you real? She’d asked him in her dream and he’d said No. She thinks if she reaches out just to pass through him like a ghost again, it might kill her.
And then suddenly his arms are around her, lifting her off the ground and holy shit, holy fuck, he is real, he is so real. Her arms go around his neck instinctively, holding on for dear life as her heart and her brain both restart and then take off, flying a mile a minute.
His grip on her is so tight it squeezes all the air out of her lungs and when she can breathe back in again the air is filled with him. His hair and his skin, the sour undertones of sweat and grime, of cheap shampoo and cheaper soap. How long have they been driving? Days, it must be days, at least. As he sets her down his stubble brushes her cheek and she nearly swoons from it. Rubs her face against his cotton shirt and the soft skin of his neck.
It feels like home.
When he pulls back she almost wants to scream, but his hands are firm on her shoulders. Her eyes rove over his face, every line and spot and bit of stubble; he looks tired and he looks worried in that way that makes him seem angry, brow furrowed and mouth tight as he searches her face in return.
“Are you OK?”
“Yeah,” she answers automatically, without thinking, but his mouth tightens more and she snaps back to attention. “Yeah, I’m OK.”
Her fingers flex around his forearm – it’s so warm, warmer than he usually is, warm like sand under hot desert sun – slide up to his elbow and back. Checking, making sure he’s still tangible. God, she has so much she wants to tell him. So much she has to tell him.
“But Jonathan—”
“This isn’t an earthquake,” mouth so tight now there’s just a line where his lips should be and how is she supposed to kiss him if he’s tucking them away like that, “I know. I know a lot more than you think.”
That’s not what she’s expecting to hear.
“How?” How could he possibly know, who told him if it wasn’t them and she knows it wasn’t them because she’s been trying to call him. “We’ve been trying to call you—”
“I know. I’m sorry. We couldn’t risk contact.”
What?! Her hands stop their desperate moving, grip onto his forearms hard. Holding him there, like her nails digging into flesh will ensure he maintains corporeal form; will ensure he doesn’t just disappear again. She still isn’t quite ready to trust her senses.
“Couldn’t risk contact?!” she hopes it doesn’t come out as hysterical as she feels.
“Hey, hey,” his face softens, lips return from their hiding place. Oops. Maybe it did. “I’ll tell you everything, OK? I promise. But for now… I’m just glad you’re safe.”
She nods because she doesn’t know where to even start to refute him, to tell him safe is just an illusion, a brave face she’s putting on because the town is split in four and the Upside Down is controlled by a monster and that monster might be dead or it might just be hurt and really angry and now he’s got a way into their world so no, she is not safe, he is not safe, none of them are safe—
And then his lips find her forehead and suddenly she is safe.
She forgot. It’s been such a long, long time since she’s been this close to him. She forgot that his own heat doesn’t just warm her, it suffuses her; that his strength doesn’t harden her, it bolsters her. That his touch, his grip, doesn’t hold her down or in place; it steadies her on her own two feet so she can move forward with confidence and ease.
Her eyes flutter shut and she leans into his kiss, into his strength, and finds for the first time in days she can really, properly feel the ground beneath her feet again.
When he scoops her into a hug once more, she’s present and ready, her arms flying around his neck and her lips finding his ear so her whispered I love you can reach him loud and clear.
++++
She thought they’d have more time. She’s not sure why; maybe because the sun was shining when she walked into the cabin, because Jonathan had kept his hand in hers or his shoulder at her back since he’d reappeared at the end of her driveway.
Because having him there and by her side made the most impossible of tasks seem possible again.
And then it started to snow.
They trek out to the field in a cautious line; she brings up the back, unwilling to let him out of her sight. The tall grass is speckled with bright early spring flowers until suddenly it isn’t. Instead there is a line of gray, of fuzzy rot.
She knows this rot. They all do.
In the distance a plume of smoke has grown and crackles red with lightning. In front of her, Eleven crouches at a flower, examines it closely, then rises. Nancy can’t see her face but she knows the fury and determination in every line of the young girl’s body. She feels it in her own, wrapped into a triple helix with bone-deep terror.
The world blurs, tilts a bit off its axis. She reaches for his hand and this time it is there.
Jonathan is warm and solid and real beside her. His fingers lace with hers with the same iron grip. He is breathing hard, his own fear and his own anger, and she feels her lungs start to sync with his.
The world has gone wrong and yet, and yet, and yet. Inside she feels so right.
And something deep inside her chest starts to knit together again.
#jancy fic#jonathan x nancy#jancy#nancy wheeler#jonathan byers#introspections and dreams and missing scenes and reunions#and two teenagers in love#them against the world#season 4 vol. 2 fic#this one is somewhat terrifying to put out there#as a first statement#but i hope y'all enjoy
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hey hey steph! good morning or afternoon, wherever you are . just seeing if you have any fic lists that center mainly around sherlock’s time away/sherl in serbia?
Hey Nonny!
Ah, I have made a community post here before called Aftermath of Serbia / Serbia Fics (Dec 2022) that have several fics on it that you may enjoy, as well as some fics on my blog tag here that has some other fics not on the above Community post. AND I also have some similar lists linked below!
I went through my bookmarks and my MFL lists, and did a keyword search and organized them below, so I hope this satisfies the need!
And these aren't meant to be confused with Post-S2 fics! These are fics that deal SPECIFICALLY with Sherlock's time away and the trauma it caused! If you have a fic that fits that bill, please add it! This is a list that's been long-time coming, since I've been asked a lot for them :)
SERBIA / AFTERMATH OF HIATUS FICS
See also:
John Finds Out About Hiatus
John Joins Sherlock During Hiatus
Sherlock Returns from Hiatus Injured
Sherlock’s PTSD
The Death of Doubt by Gingerhermit (E, 6,584 w., 1 Ch. || Alternate Canon, BAMF John, POV Sherlock, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Hurt/Comfort, Angst/Drama, Meddling Mycroft) – Mycroft asks for John’s help in rescuing Sherlock from his Serbian captors.
Both Sides Now by Silvergirl (M, 14,724 w., 5 Ch. || Post-TEH / Reunion Fix-It, Bed Sharing, First Kiss / Time, Undercover John, Couple for a Case, Assassin Mary, Big Brother Mycroft, Norfolk Coast, Angry John, First Kiss, Worried Sherlock, Pining Sherlock, Hand Holding, Bed Sharing, Alternating POV, Infidelity, Meddling Mycroft, Emotional Love Making, Matchmaker Mycroft) – Sherlock, undercover on the Norfolk coast, texts that he needs help; John is still seething after Sherlock’s gambit in the train car, and he refuses. When Sherlock goes missing, Mycroft sends John in to pose as Sherlock’s bit on the side.
Your Perfect Offering by CaitlinFairchild (E, 44,609 w., 6 Ch. || Hurt / Comfort, First Time, Romance, Angst With Happy Ending, Rape Recovery, Oral Sex, Hand Jobs, Past Rape/Non-con, Psychological Trauma) – “Sherlock,” John continues, careful and quiet. “I’ve seen your back. I know you were hurt. I don’t want to pry, I don’t want to cause you discomfort but...I’m starting to think something else happened there. In Serbia. ”Sherlock rolls away and sits up on the edge of the bed, his back to John. “A great many things happened in Serbia,” he says, flat and remote. “None of them were pleasant.”
Winter’s Storm by LoloLolly (M, 51,812 w., 11 Ch. || Canon Compliant Through TFP/S4 Is Canon, Alternating POV, Established / New Relationship, Parentlock with Rosie, Explicit Torture, Mentions of Sherlock’s PTSD, Mentions of Human Trafficking, References to Child Abuse, Violence, Kidnapping, Captivity, Angst with Happy Ending, Fluff, Case Fic, BAMF / Soldier John, Sherlock Whump, Mycroft and John Work Together, Marriage Proposal, Autistic Sherlock, Lestrade Finds Out, Polyglot Sherlock, Aftermath of Serbia) – Sherlock had buried the past. Shut Serbia away in the attic of his mind palace. Muddy footprints at a heinous crime scene, however, have led him right back to old enemies. And right back to captivity. For God’s sake, Mycroft. Part 2 of the Earthly Pomp (Is But a Dream) series
Against the Rest of the World by SilentAuror (E, 151,714 w., 20 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Post-TRF, Hiatus Fic, POV First Person Sherlock, Present Tense, First Kiss/Time, Big Brother Mycroft, Escaping from Capture, Soft Sherlock, Toplock, Insecurity, Infidelity, Travelling, Introspection, Pining Sherlock, Depression, Fantasies, Yearning for the Past, PTSD Sherlock, Suicidal Ideation) – Sherlock has been away from London for nine hundred and twelve days and counting, and has no idea what sort of reception to expect when he finally returns.
MARKED FOR LATER
And one day you'll see the scars by thepurplewombat (T, 1,550 w., 1 Ch. || Post TEH, Aftermath of Torture, Angry John, Scars, Sherlock Whump) – songofages and I had a conversation about Sherlock's back in TEH, because really, how much must it have hurt to let John slam him into the floor like that after everything he'd gone through, and this happened. It turned out more angsty than I'd intended, and more Mrs Hudson-focussed, but I don't think you can ever have too much angst, or too much Mrs Hudson, for that matter.
English as a Foreign Language by standbygo (G, 1,739 w., 2 Ch. || Post-TRF, PTSD Sherlock, Reunion) – Sherlock is not quite right after Mycroft pulls him out of Serbia.
He Is Different, This One by ASilvergirl (G, 2,691 w., 1 Ch. || TEH Canon Divergence, Hurt/Comfort, Serbia, Neuroatypical/Autistic Sherlock, Snarky Sherlock, Big Brother Mycroft, Pining Sherlock) – How would the Serbian "interrogation" go if his captors knew that Sherlock was neuroatypical and had synaesthesia? This is an alternate version of the scene from "The Empty Hearse."
Wounded by Gregorovitch (T, 3,309 w., 1 Ch. || TEH Fic, Aftermath of Violence, Awkward Conversations, Sherlock’s Scars, Angst with Happy Ending) – John accidentally gets to see all of Sherlock's wounds after the Fall. Time for both of them to have a serious talk.
By the Rivers of Babylon by verdant_fire (T, 3,359 w., 1 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Post HLV Canon Divergence, Love Declarations, Exile, Pining Sherlock, Longing, Angst, POV Sherlock, Reunions, First Kiss) – Sherlock goes back to Serbia, and endures exile, boredom/torture, and a certain chemical defect, for the sake of one person and three improbable words.
Maybe I'am amazed by honeybee_motorcyles (T, 3,448+ w., 3/7 Ch. || WIP || Post TRF, Implied Rape/Non Con, Sherlock’s Not Okay, Implied/Referenced Torture, Implied Sexual Content, HIV/AIDS, POV John) – In which what happened to Sherlock in Serbia had a consequence that lasted a lifetime, (literally).
Places in the Mind by Calais_Reno (T, 4,411 w., 1 Ch. || Post HLV, POV First Person Sherlock, BAMF John, Hurt Sherlock, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Memory Loss, Pining, Heavy Angst, Regret, Hurt/Comfort, Rescue, Protective John, Love Confessions, Drugs) – John rescues Sherlock in Serbia after he is wounded. This takes place after the Tarmac scene. Part 7 of Just Johnlock
The Great Escape by Castiel_For_King (M, 22,299 w., 8 Ch. || PTSD Sherlock, Sherlock is Not Okay, Unstable Sherlock, Aftermath of Torture, Flashbacks, Protective John, Dissociation, Suicide Attempt, Big Brother Mycroft, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss) – Sherlock's mind has ruptured...and he didn't even notice until it was spilling it's contents like a broken jello mold. The lines between what he thought was real and what he wished was real start to unravel and Sherlock finds himself trapped in the clutches of his own broken mind, with no way to escape. Luckily, he has his conductor of light to lead him out of the darkness.
Learn My Scars by meet_me_in_samarra (M, 38,075 w., 31 Ch. || Post-TRF, TEH Divergence, Aftermath of Serbia, Sherlock Whump, Caring John, Sherlock-centric, Big Brother Mycroft, POV First Person Sherlock, Graphic Depictions of Violence, Injuries / Scars) – After being thrown down and strangled, Sherlock leaves John in the restaurant, angry and deeply hurt. When John follows Sherlock to 221b, he learns that Sherlock's scars have not been acquired by “gallivanting around” for two years.
An Aftertaste Of Memory by Raithwithwings57 (M, 39,009+ w., 20/? Ch. || Post TRF, Rosie is in this Fic, Hurt/Comfort, Angst with Happy Ending, Amnesia (Sherlock), Torture, Scars, PTSD, Divorced John, Divorced Lestrade, Misunderstandings) – Sherlock Holmes was believed by most to have died by jumping to his death. A few people, Mycroft Holmes included believed he died in somewhere in Serbia, tortured to death, though his body was never found. Sherlock Holmes himself doesn't believe either of the above, obviously. After being extensively tortured in Serbia, he suffered a traumatic brain injury that left him with amnesia, and deafness. But the doctors say that the deafness is psychological in nature. It doesn't matter much to him. All he knows is that his name is William, and that he was once (and it seems he always will be) in love with a man by the name of John Watson. John has suffered much in the last eight years. Losing his best friend to suicide, marrying and then later being divorced by his wife, battling for joint custody of his child, and generally trying to forge ahead and figure out what the seemingly bleak future holds in store for him. But what he could never expect is Sherlock's sudden return. Nor the man's conviction that once upon a time they were madly in love.
Not the King's Men by StoneWingedAngel (T, 56,183 w., 25 Ch. || Aftermath of Torture, Swearing) – John finds Sherlock three years after he thought he'd buried him, scared and injured; broken to such an extent he can barely recognise those trying to help him. Battling against too many unanswered questions and his own feelings, John sets out to put him back together, but never stops to consider Sherlock's return may be part of a greater punishment in store for the both of them.
Flesh and Blood and Bone and Heart by SilentAuror (E, 59,990 w., 3 Ch. || Post S3/TAB Fix It, Romance, Terrorism, Bombs, Suspense, Kissing, Indfidelity, Murder, POV John) – As John takes Sherlock back to Baker Street rather than seeing him off to his mission in Serbia, Sherlock decides to reveal how very human he is, after all, and the fall-out will have enormous consequences for them both...
I want to go home. Series by IwillbeReichenbach (E, 82,514+ w. across 3 works || Series WiP || TEH / Post-Serbia, Canon Compliant, Graphic Depictions of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Sherlock-centric, Torture, Violence, BAMF Sherlock, Sherlock Whump, Canon Compliant, Mycroft To The Rescue, Dark, Pain/Hurt, Injury, Waterboarding, Electricity Misuse, Rape Aftermath/Recovery, Humiliation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Physical Abuse, Broken Sherlock) – A version of the events that occur in Serbia and shortly thereafter. Sherlock is in for a rough time. I have tried my best to keep it canon compliant.
Shatter Me by Loveismyrevolution (E, 171,074+ w., 21/26 Ch. || WiP || Sherlock Dances, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Angst with Happy Ending, Misunderstandings, Introspection, Mutual Pining, UST, Idiots in Love, Big Brother Mycroft, Implied Drug Use, Suicidal Thoughts, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions) – This is a story about two men trying to find their way back into the comfort of their companionship. No easy task in the aftermath of the events of Reichenbach, a wedding and a shot through the heart. They are facing a very rocky road ahead with a lot of introspection, misunderstandings, angst and pining. They each try to cope in their own particular way. Eventually, they'll find a way to communicate and learn about the true nature of their feelings.
Scheherezade by sgam76 (G, 197,576 w., 45 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Post-TRF/Pre-TSo3, PTSD Sherlock, Implied/Referenced Torture, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Humour, Protective John, Papa Lestrade, Big Brother Mycroft, BAMF John, BAMF Sherlock, Aftermath of Serbia, Past Child Abuse, Childhood Memories, Drunk Sherlock, Canon Compliant, Suicidal Thoughts / Attempt) – Sherlock is home, he and John are returning to cases, and all's right with the world--right? But a series of minor mishaps and injuries makes two things very clear to his friends and family: first, Sherlock's time away wasn't the grand adventure everyone has assumed it was; and second, that time has left Sherlock with a legacy that's bleeding into his life today. Sherlock is Not Okay, and it's not going away. Part 1 of the Scheherezade 'verse series
Define Vulnerabilty by TheGracefulBlueCat (T, 240,606 w. 97 Ch. || Canon Compliant, Aftermath of Torture, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Scars, Sherlock's Violin, Doctor John, John is a Good Friend, Flashbacks, Case Fic, Sedation, Sherlock is a Mess / Not Okay, Nightmares, Big Brother Mycroft, Asperger's Sherlock, Fainting, Sherlock's Mind Palace, Triggers, Panic Attacks, Hurt Sherlock, Suicidal Ideation, Blood and Gore, Drugs / Drug Use, Helpless / Vulnerable Sherlock, Protective John, Painful Repressed Memories, PTSD Sherlock, Medical Procedures, Drugged Lestrade, Lestrade Whump, Drugged Sherlock, Recovery, Crying Sherlock, Dissociation, Forehead Touching) – Shortly after Sherlock's return John realises something is very wrong with his friend. He, Greg and Mycroft try to help Sherlock as he falls deeper and deeper into the abyss called PTSD. But Sherlock is not ready to allow anyone in, but then the events of the current case cause him to hit bottom hard. Part 8 of the Lessons in Friendship series, Part 1 of the Hiatus series
#steph replies#johnlock fic recs#my fic recs#aftermath of serbia fics#hiatus fics#serbia fics#sherlock's ptsd
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LUNARIX’S DEBUT MINI ALBUM “ THE MOONDUST CATALOG ” TRACK SAMPLER !
After much trials and tribulations, LUNARIX formerly known as ANGELGIRLZ made their debut with the mini album "THE MOONDUST CATALOG" featuring six tracks written by the members of Lunarix themselves.
The mini album hosts an impressive list of producers from the musical return of Son Jinhwa to the reunion of producing dup SUGA + Noir. Many HYBE producers were featured on the album including M.I.A, Noir, and SUGA. The album also features Supersonic's Choi Sookyung AKA HONEYTRAP (@bttrflyeffekt) as a producer and Angelico artists Elliot and Zasha on the producers' list.
LUNARIX Unveils "THE MOONDUST CATALOG": A Cosmic Exploration with Room to Grow
Rating: 6.8/10
LUNARIX, the six-member powerhouse from Angelico Entertainment, makes a celestial splash with their debut mini-album "THE MOONDUST CATALOG." Bursting onto the K-pop scene with an impressive display of creative energy, the group's six tracks showcase both their lyrical ingenuity and rhythmic experimentation. Pitchfork's critical ear takes a keen listen, delivering a rating of 6.8 out of 10 – a score that reflects the group's promising debut while acknowledging the spaces for growth.
"ATTENTION!" - Familiar Echoes with a Fresh Spin
"ATTENTION!" ignites the journey with a sound reminiscent of K-pop's glorious past. The group treads on familiar ground, paying homage to the infectious energy of f(x)'s "Rum Pum Pum Pum." While the track's rhythm and beats capture attention, it's the lyrics that raise an eyebrow. LUNARIX cleverly weaves a narrative of unexpected first love, presenting it like a riddle waiting to be solved. The lyrical delivery mirrors the track's heartbeat, brimming with playful curiosity.
"So Pitiful" - Assertive Resilience Amidst Familiarity
In "So Pitiful," LUNARIX empowers themselves through assertive lyrics that evoke the feistiness of 2NE1's "Go Away." The rhythmic architecture amplifies the song's resolve, creating a sonic realm that's both audacious and resolute. This time, it's not the rhythm but the lyrical narrative that raises a contemplative eyebrow. While the empowerment anthem resonates with unapologetic authenticity, occasional lyrical clichés dim the song's brilliance.
"No Words, All Silence" - Vulnerability in Sonic Elegance
LUNARIX delves into the realm of vulnerability with "No Words, All Silence." The ethereal rhythm blankets the track, reminiscent of the softer moments in Red Velvet's discography. It's a song where the lyrics take center stage, capturing the essence of a communication breakdown within a relationship. The melancholic beats harmonize with the bittersweet storytelling, invoking a sense of nostalgia and introspection.
"Our Miracle" - Dreams and Rhythms Intertwined
"Our Miracle" soars on dreamy rhythms that encapsulate the sensation of flight, echoing F(x)'s "Airplane." The lyrics paint a picture of unity and shared aspirations, but it's the song's rhythmic journey that sometimes falters. While LUNARIX's harmonies ride high, there's a lingering desire for the rhythm to be as audacious as the group's dreams.
"Endless Falling" - Echoes of Longing in Rhythmic Quandary
The melancholic cadence of "Endless Falling" mirrors the sensation of drifting through a starlit abyss, akin to Red Velvet's "Kingdom Come." Lyrically, the track excels in conveying the anguish of love's persistence, but the rhythm occasionally loses its grip. The beats meander through the emotional expanse, creating a yearning ambiance that could benefit from a more defined sonic trajectory.
"Missed Call" - Sonic Connections and Unfulfilled Promise
"Missed Call" transmits its message through intricate rhythmic transmissions, echoing the electronic currents of F(x)'s "Signal." The lyrics embody longing and missed opportunities, resonating with anyone familiar with the pangs of communication gone astray. While LUNARIX's vocals navigate the intricate rhythms adeptly, the track feels on the precipice of fully realizing its sonic potential.
A Promising Voyage into the Cosmos...
LUNARIX's debut mini-album "THE MOONDUST CATALOG" beams with creative spark and potential. Their songwriting prowess shines through in the carefully crafted lyrics, which often serve as poignant reflections of human emotion. The album navigates the cosmos of K-pop with varied rhythmic choices, at times venturing into familiar territories while occasionally pushing towards uncharted horizons. With a critical yet hopeful rating of 6.8/10, LUNARIX's celestial journey has just begun, promising a future where they may truly soar among the stars of the K-pop galaxy.
#˖˵˵˵˵˵˵ଘ( ꈍᴗꈍ)⋆ DISCOGRAPHY#ficnetfairy#oc kpop group#fictional idol community#kpop oc#fake kpop oc#idol oc#oc girl group#fake kpop idol#idolverse#fictional idol group#idol au#bts addition#kpop addition#kpop au#fake kpop girl group#fake kpop group
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Heyyyy! 2, 11 and 15 for the unfinished business ;)
Thanks for the questions! It's always fun to talk about my wips :D
I feel like maybe I should've posted a list with the ask meme with my many many unwritten or unpublished fics for you to choose from xD so for future askers, here goes, my main current and future projects at the moment:
- Bering and Wells days 12, 16 and 18 of the Advent Calendar
- Star Trek college AU continuation
- chaos scifi dystopia idea
Plus some ideas I might or might not ever write:
- twilight SIOC
- Berena continuation to the matchmaker fic
- St Clare's (for example something introspective about wlw Alison... or reader x headmistress Theobald smut because reasons xDxD or some character studies!)
- Malory towers Clarissa x Bill or Billx Miss Peters or Miss Peters x Self insert… so many options xD
- St Clare’s or Mallory Towers SIOC (like the stories where readers end up in the world of Twilight as Bella or in middle earth or the galaxy far far away? Except you end up a boarding school girl in the 40s. both fun and very very unfun I’d say)
- Emily Lake Trauma
~
but as this ask is still open to interpretation I'll go with my most recent dumb idea, it'll probably be a Milippa fic but more to why I'm not entirely sure on that point in the actual answers!
2. How did you get the idea to write this?
It came to me in a dream!
No, seriously.
I don't usually remember much from my dreams, or when I do it's just a jumbled mess of scenes that don't make any sense or don't fit together or both, but yesterday (day before? idk) I woke up and had a fully fledged dystopia novel in my head. Well, not really, it still was dream-like and chaotic, for example I wasn't entirely sure whether it was aliens taking over the world or some kind of robot and that seems like a major plot point doesn't it xD plus
11. Is there any scene you can't wait for people to react to when reading? Why?
Already answered something for that particular fic here, so how about I'll talk about a Bering and Wells WIP, that's probably more what you're here for anyway! :D
I haven't written this one at all yet, but I'm really excited to get to Myka noticing how it isn't just a crush, she's falling in love with Helena, and her panicking and all the feels! And I'm also excited to see what people will think of whatever I'll come up with for that one!
15. Do you have any unwritten scene that you think about a lot?
At the moment it's the reunion of the main characters of the (maybe)Milippa fic! But that's just right now really. I have tons of scenes I keep thinking about - but most of the ones that I think about again and again have a tendancy to be very removed from canon, after juggling them in my brain for years and years xD and that way it gets even less likely for me to write the fic, because it would have a target audience of 1 person namely me!
unfinished fic ask meme
#ask the blogger#answered#viharistenno#lilo writes behind the scenes#ask meme ask#lilo writes#mine#non anon#not f#dec'23#05.12.23#dream dystopia turned milippa au#bering and wells#berena#unfinished fic ask
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Megalist of Tropes and Themes to Tag Your Story With
If you’re prone to staring at your tags on AO3 wondering “what the hell do I put here?”, knowing you want to add a tag like “friends to lovers” or “found family” but not remembering all the popular tropes and themes everyone is into, this is for you. I basically spent an entire night on this so I hope it helps.
Notes:
I tried to keep it general and avoid really obscure tags no one would ever use.
This is made for AO3 and thus there’s a lot of fandom or fannish stuff in here.
I didn’t include any “inappropriate” tags. Feel free to make your own list.
Romance tropes and themes at the bottom. (Not all of them have to be romantic, but if they’re generally associated with romance and there are very few gen fics with that tag, it went there.)
Under cut because I’m probably going to edit this often and I’d like reblogs to be up to date. Please suggest any ideas you have.
Genre: Action, Adventure, Apocalypse/Post-Apocalypse, Contemporary, Comedy/Humor/Parody/Satire, Coming of Age, Crime, Cyberpunk/Steampunk, Drama, Dystopian/Utopia, Fairy Tale, Fantasy/High Fantasy/Low Fantasy/Urban Fantasy/Isekai, Family, Friendship, Gothic, Historical Fiction/Alternate History/Period Piece, Horror/Slasher, Mystery/Murder Mystery, Paranormal, Philosophical, Poetry, Romance, Slice of Life, Supernatural, Surreal, Suspense, Sci-Fi/Science Fiction/Space Opera, Spiritual, Thriller/Psychological Thriller, Tragedy, Urban, Western
Genre (Fandom): Angst/Light Angst, Case Fic, Crack Fic, Crossover/Fusion, Dark Fic, Fix Fic/Fix-It/Deconstruction, Fluff/Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Kid Fic, Podfic, Missing Scene/Gap Filler, Self-Insert, Shipping, Sickfic, Songfic, Whump
Length: Drabble, Ficlet, Flash Fiction, Short Story, Novella, Novel, Epic, One-Shot/Two-Shot/etc, Series/Duology/Trilogy/Saga/etc, Long, Short
Pairing: M/F - F/M - M/M - F/F - F/F/M - You get the idea. Also [Character] x [Character], Slash, Yaoi/Yuri (if people still use those...)
POV: POV Alternating, POV Multiple, POV First Person, POV Second Person, POV Third Person, POV Outsider
Ending: Happy Ending, Sad Ending, Bittersweet Ending, Ambiguous Ending
Diverse Characters: Gay Character/Nonbinary Character/Asian Character/Disabled Character/Autistic Character/Jewish Character/etc.
AU/Alternate Universe: (I do not have the time to list out Coffee Shop AU/High School AU/Canon Divergence/What-If/etc, I assume if you’re writing one then you already know to tag it lol)
Abuse
Adoption
Afterlife
Aftermath
Aged Up
Alcohol
Aliens
Amnesia
Androids
Angels
Animal Transformation
Anti-Hero
Awkwardness
Babysitting
Backstory/Origin Story
Band of Misfits
Best Friends
Betrayal
Blood
Bodyswap
Bodyguard
Bonding
Bounty Hunters
Bromance
Bullying
Canon Compliant
Character Development
Character Study
Childhood Friends
Children
Chosen One
College/University/Higher Education
Corruption
Criminals
Crying
Curses
Cute
Death
Delinquents
Demons
Depression
Destiny/Fate
Disability
Domestic/Curtainfic
Dragons
Dreams/Dreamscape
Drugs
Education
Ensemble Cast
Epilogue
Fanon/Headcanon
Father Figure/Mother Figure
Feelings
Feels
Fights
Flashbacks
Forgiveness
Found Family
Freedom Fighters
Frenemies
Future
Genderswap/Gender Change
Ghosts
Gods
Good Versus Evil
Gore
Grief/Mourning
Growing Up
Healing
Heartwarming
Heroes to Villains/Villains to Heroes
Holidays
Homesickness
Hospital
Hurt
I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping (A very legitimate tag.)
Imprisonment
Injury
Introspection
Illness/Sick Character
Immortality
Isolation
Jealousy
Kidnapping
LGBTQ/LGBTQ Character/LGBTQ Themes
Light-Hearted
Locked In
Loss
Love
Mafia
Magic
Magical Girl(s)
Major Character Death/Minor Character Death
Manipulation
Medieval
Medical
Melancholy
Mental Health Issues
Mentors
Merpeople
Mind Control
Military
Misunderstandings
Modern
Monsters
Morally Grey/Ambiguous Characters
Murder
Mythical Beings & Creatures
Mythology
Neighbors
Next Gen/Next Generation
Nightmares
Original Character/OC/OCs
Orphans/Orphanage
Out of Character/OOC
Parenthood
Past Lives
Peggy Sue
Pen Pals
Pirates
Platonic Relationships/No Romance
Platonic Soulmates
Plot Twists
Politics
Possession
Post-Canon/Pre-Canon/Mid-Canon/Bad Ending/etc.
Prompt Fill/Prompt Fic
Protectiveness
Rags to Riches
Rebels
Recovery
Redemption/Redemption Arc
Regret
Reincarnation/Resurrection/Rebirth
Rejection
Relationships
Religion
Rescue/Rescue Missions
Restaurants
Reunion
Revenge
Revolution
Rivalry
Road Trip
Robots
Roommates
Royalty
Sad
School
Secrets
Secret Identity
Self-Discovery
Self-Harm
Shapeshifting
Siblings
Single Parents
Slow Build
Soft
Spies
Spoilers
Substance Abuse
Suicide
Superheroes
Sweet
Sympathetic Villain
Teamwork
Team as Family
Team Bonding
Team Dynamics
Teenagers
Tension
Time Loop
Time Travel
Training
Trapped
Trauma
Travel
Undercover
Unreliable Narrator
Vampires
Villains
Violence
War
Weapons
Wedding
Wilderness
Witchcraft
Worldbuilding
xxx to Friends (Rivals to Friends/Enemies to Friends/etc.)
Zombies
ROMANCE TROPES
Battle Couple
Blind Date
Breakup
Confessions
Dating
Divorce
Dorks in Love
Drunken Confessions
Established Relationship
Eventual Romance
Falling in Love
Fake Relationship/Fake Dating/Pretend Relationship/Pretend Couple
First Kiss
First Love
Forbidden Love
Heartbreak
Idiots in Love
Long-Distance Relationship
Long-Term Relationship
Love/Hate
Love at First Sight
Love Confessions
Love Potion/Love Spell
Love Triangle
Marriage/Accidental Marriage/Arranged Marriage/Marriage of Convenience
Marriage Proposal
Mutual Pining/Pining
OTP
Pregnancy
Rarepair
Secret Relationship
Sharing a Bed
Slow Burn/Slow Romance
Soulmate/Soulmate AU
Tsundere/all of the other -deres
Unrequited Love/One-Sided Attraction
xxx to Lovers (Enemies to Lovers/Friends to Lovers/etc.)
#tagging#archive of our own#ao3#tumblr#tropes#trope list#tag list#tag ideas#writing#writing resources#toodles talks
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What are your favorite NicoMaki doujins? (Totally not asking for recommendations)
Oh dear, where to start? ... Uhm... all of them? Well, I suppose there are a few with plots I’m not particularly crazy about and some with art styles that do little for me, but I suppose I can make a quick list here.
I’ll divide up the list based on (N)SFW status for those wishing to avoid such stuff.
And it apparently got really long. I was originally just going to put the NSFW stuff under the cut, but there’s just so much awesome NicoMaki stuff out there, and I’ve even been skipping stuff, and only sticking to what can be found on Dynasty Reader... so I guess the whole thing needs to go under the cut now.
Safe (and probably quite fluffy)
- Happy Family - Easily earns its “Moe up the butt” tag. Set in the manga’s universe where Nico only has sisters, no brother.
- You Can’t Escape the Yazawas!! - Another by the same author. Flustered Maki is always adorable.
- Never Let Me Go - A short, cute taste of angst.
- NICONICO MAXIMUM double happiness - Created before the anime and deals with the couple’s use of honorifics back then.
- NicoMaki Dating Life: 1 Week, 2 Weeks, 3 Months - Tiny glimpses into the early dating life of NicoMaki. (4 months is NSFW and will be linked below)
- Colorful Shuffle - An interesting take on events from S2 E06. I will never have enough NicoMaki as portrayed by RinPana
- Scandal - tmfly draws adorable NicoMaki (same author as above)
- Let Us Stay For Longer - So of course I need to include more tmfly
- Don't Accept Unpardonable Acts at a Public Place! - and still more tmfly
- Blanket - More moe up the butt
- 365 - A nice collection of adorableness
- NicoMaki Manga - Feels like a chapter left out of the collection above
- Home Sweet Home - More adorableness with the twins
- Oblivious Nishikino Maki - Three chapters of Kou’s utter adorableness
- Kou - Honestly all of Kou’s work is awesome, so I’ll just link it all
- Your Ring Finger - Maki got a ring from...?
- Drill - Another artist who’s NicoMaki work is amazing. I think their portrayal of Nico is a bit more dense than I personally headcanon - I see Maki as being slower on the emotional uptake - but all of the NicoMaki tags on this page are worth checking out, as well as this image in particular, as it was what inspired part of my scene Reconstructed Reunion.
- NicoMaki Relaxed Manga - I doubt I will ever tire of casual, slice of life, domestic NicoMaki
- NicoMaki An Easygoing Birthday - More of the same. Murata has three other on Dynasty Reader, but I’m not quite as crazy about them as I am about these two, so I’ll leave them off this list. Fair warning that two are NSFW
- Maki-chan Kawaii Ka Ki Ku Ke Ko - Flustered Maki is Adorable Maki
- Nico Maki Maki - Probably the best gift one could give to Maki
- NicoMaki Interdict - By the gods do I love this one. The fact that Umi, of all people, is picking up on the NicoMaki vibes, is enough to make me laugh. A lot. And I believe I’ve mentioned that at least once in HtHaN.
- Magnetic Box - An adorable collection from the same author as the last two
- No, 1 - Three long chapters filled with amazing art, a pinch of angst, a sprinkle of spiritual power and many wonderful NicoMaki moments.
- Karuha - I cannot tell you how many times I’ve reread this author’s works. Even the NSFW entries are “porn with plot” and are the kind of thing I would want to emulate should I include such a scene in HtHaN. Honestly, just having linked these here makes me want to reread them all again.
- NicoMaki!! - Tsundere’ish Maki is adorable
- Not a Lover NicoMaki - Never enough cute domestic NicoMaki. I have a handful of notes for future scenes in HtHaN because of this doujin. And someday I may even write them.
- NicoMaki Kiss - A cute depiction of the couple’s first kiss
- NicoMaki Kiss (part 2) - One is never enough
- Springtime Chocolate Day - Honesty may be the best policy, but that doesn’t make it any easier
- NicoMaki Days - A wonderful collection of 4-koma that takes us from Friends, to Dating to Living Together and finally to Married. Always worth a reread.
- Adult NicoMaki - An interesting take on the couple grown up
- My Idol, My Star - I’m not crying, it’s just raining
- Happy Wedding Vacation - Probably the safest Ooshima Tomo work there is. And among my favorite, though Honeymoon Baby down in the Mostly Safe’ish section holds strong in first place for me.
- Nico Senpai Was Hypnotized - Another amazingly safe Tomo work.
Canon Works
- Love Live! School Idol Diary ch06: The Seven Mysteries of Otonokizaka Academy - Maki is afraid of ghosts. And someone else might be as well...
- Love Live! School Idol Diary ch02: Work, Summer Girl - Nico sells softserve and Maki visits. Adorableness ensues.
- Love Live! School Idol Diary ch04: On The Night Of The Fireworks - NicoMaki wearing yukatas, watching fireworks and being cute together.
Mostly Safe’ish:
- Sotto Okoshite Yume Misete - Cute short little dream thing. In this set due to a couple camera angles.
- Itsumo Doori ni Dekinai - Is technically SFW, but I put it here because it’s a direct sequel to the one above.
- NicoMaki Had a Baby With iPS Cell Technology - Maternal NicoMaki is always welcome, imho
- NicoMaki Had a Baby With iPS Cell Technology 2 - Thankfully, Tomo feels the same way I do about more maternal NicoMaki
- Honeymoon Baby - One of my all time favorite NicoMaki doujins, so much so that it’s directly influenced many of my headcanons as well as plot points in HtHaN. Also, this is about as SFW as Ooshima Tomo gets.
- Back-and-Forth Initiative - Perhaps could be placed on the Safe list, but just in case I’ll put it here. I’ll probably be borrowing some of the ideas here for HtHaN.
- NicoMaki Medical Check - I love the premise and the plot, but one line from Maki makes my eye twitch a bit and thus it ends up in this section of the list.
- Pickle Love - Safer than the inuendo implies. Only dirty minds make it necessary to put in this part of the list
- Nico-chan Wants to Push You Down Too!! - Pretty safe Tomo work.
NSFW
- NicoMaki Dating Life: 4 Months - The conclusion of the clips from above.
- Rabbit-like Girlfriend - Nico knows how to get what she wants from Maki
- Want Me! - Awkward first time. I’ll likely draw a bit from this should I ever write such a scene for HtHaN.
- Udon - Udon’s work is a mixed bag of Safe and NSFW, but pretty much all cute. I linked my favorite Safe work up above. My favorite NSFW is Good Morning, Good Night.
- Of Course I know How to Use the Public Bath! - Ecchi rather than hentai, but still probably belongs in this section.
- Ooshima Tomo - Most of her doujins are NSFW, but I like the characterizations presented in them. I’m not particularly fond of Offering a Poem of Love to the Upside Down Sun as the tone feels off to me and Limited Edition Yuri Book is futanari, which has never really been a kink of mine. Also, many of her works seem to share a timeline, but she did a team project with EERR which is the next entry
- Crystal Sugar and Machine Gun - A multi-chapter introspective angst fest with a NSFW ending. I hesitate to call this work one of my favorites, but I’ve reread it multiple times nonetheless. Each time it makes me think about the directions I’m taking HtHaN and makes me wonder if I shouldn’t include more angst from time to time. And even if I don’t include it directly, I might reference it via Nico or Maki being introspective and considering less-than-desirable alternatives to how their lives are.
So, yeah... there you have it; what was intended to be a quick and dirty little list of my favorite NicoMaki doujin. And I didn’t even get around to linking to stuff I’ve found on other sites, though some I’m not sure I’d want to link directly to anyway; I’m hoping that stuff will end up on better sites eventually. And for every translated NicoMaki, there are at least half a dozen that remain untranslated; enough that I’m seriously considering learning Japanese just to read them.
There is just so much out there; 9 pages on Dynasty Reader. Compare that to the 5 for NozoEli, 2 for KotoUmi and RinPana. We’re pretty lucky as NicoMaki fans when it comes to quantity of awesome fanworks. I’d highly encourage exploring the rest of the works on Dynasty Reader to see if there is a diamond in the rough that I missed or appeals more to your tastes or whatever.
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~Sasusaku analysis ~
~~ Sasuke and Sakura - - pair analysis ~~
~THE BRIDGE SCENE~
(Team 7 Reunion - - after the Five Kage Summit)
--- PART 4---
How would anyone act when given an impossible choice: be a shinobi or a lover.
This scene suggests that one can't be both (Zabuza states that they can't be both and the human wins every time, albeit Naruto begs to differ and state that it is realistic and achievable to balance the two antithetical perspectives).
"Kill her and I'll accept your offer." Sasuke gives her a pill of her own medicine. Because he doesn't speak randomly for the sake of conversation, cruelly with seemingly no remorse lingering in his heart, Sasuke gives Sakura one example of how her life would be if she were to join him; the life of an outlaw where murder and disposing of people like nothing would be ordinary.
Plus, the scene is also symbolic; Sasuke asks a famous medic - - his following sentence is more than revealing for he knows very well that Sakura is a medic - - to kill a suffering person, when the very essence of her jobs nature AND her symbolism in the manga as the representative of rebirth and regeneration is to heal, to cure, to lessen one's pain.
By joining him, Sakura would give up on her own self (Naruto answers to her shrouded confession that no sentient bring should event lose himself and betray his own morals, principles and feelings "I hate people who lie to themselves"). Hypothetically, Sasuke shows Sakura a glimpse into how her future beside him would look like.
Albeit is kosher and nuanced, barely noticeable, Sasuke still has a good nature and he proves he cares; he doesn't snap at her, he doesn't launch an attack, he takes his time to lecture her in his own blunt and sarcastic manner.
In the light of the most recent events - - Itachi’s death, the Kage summit, Danzo, Obito and his confession about Uchiha - - Sasuke might arguably have his ration altered, with interlaced moments of lucidity and madness, triggered by the emotional trauma, extreme stress and because he is being provoked. And that makes his moves seem mad, unusually erratic and exaggerated (his famous mad laughing moment when he shouts to Kakashi that no one could ever bring his family back and restore that status quo - - a doctrine that the manga embraces).
But that's not the case; not with Sasuke and not in this scene.
The overly popular consent postulates that "Sasuke went mad/ he is crazy". Which isn't the truth at all, but it's so facile to superficially judge a character with no proper introspection.
He is not mad at all. Nothing in his demeanor reveal that Sasuke lost the clarity or the ration and his furious state must not be mistaken for insanity.
Sasuke is perfectly lucid. He's, calm, composed, enigmatic, his words have double meaning, he is coherent, analytical, tactical and he knows perfectly well what he is saying; he has complete control of his thoughts.
The fact that his following conversation with Team 7 steals exacerbated reactions from him is due to the fact that he's more emotionally attached to them and thus his emotions would be pushed to extreme; he'd be more expressive and his rage would be more evident.
Sasuke is less reserved with Team 7 because he's emotionally involved; it’s very personal. But that doesn't make him a mentally deranged man.
He even kept his lucidity and perfectly placated Danzo with a sparkling strategy; he had enough lucidity to analyze Danzo's attacks and outsmart him, despite the emotional trump card of psychological upper hand that Danzo supposingly had on him. Even Obito himself thought at some point that Sasuke has lost it and he's only launching at Danzo erratically, aimlessly in his crazed mind, like Juugo. But it wasn't the suicidal rampage of a crazed man. Sasuke fooled everyone into thinking that he does not know what he is doing / that he lost it.
Nowhere in his attitude or his manner of speaking does Sasuke seem crazy and that's luckily to Sakura because she exposed herself to a ridiculously deadly situation. She came before him like it's a cakewalk with a confusing and conflicting strategy - - if it even existed.
That's the beauty of this pair. It's refreshing and novel, the dynamics are exciting, it lefts the reader constantly guessing and the finale isn't predictable. They aren't a cliché couple. Their movements, the inner feelings, the evident indecision and introspective turmoil is fabulous.
Sakura's ambiguous intentions and Sasuke's personal manner of speaking, his body language, her evident conflict and bedraggled approach are confusing and enigmatic. We keep in guessing what did she hope to accomplish?
Her presence alone holding a lethal weapon that she plans to use on Sasuke and the mention of the word "kill" on her lips when talking about Sasuke the man she loves might be symbolic for how much she treasures the bond with Naruto and how much she regrets for her innocent, naïve plea to bring Sasuke back.
A bond of blood, pain, rancor and emotional torment that she created, a harpoon of tm emotional trauma and torture for Naruto who didn't deserve it. Her present alone with murder intent is an attempt to free Naruto her best friend from this curse (a repentine decision taken after her "confession" failed - - her attempt to free Naruto from that promise failed because Naruto suggests that the supposed burden of her promise was also a conjoined personal motivation).
And maybe Sakura wants to confirm her own feelings and proceed from there: does she love him now when he's gone to this lengths or did her feelings changed for this new Sasuke and she'll be able to fulfill her shinobi duty?
That's how her disarrayed moves and the lack of any proper prior plan could be explained. She wanted to confront her own emotions and the best way to do so was to meet Sasuke herself and assess the situation with her own eyes and her suspicions coupled with the rumors about him lead to the verdict: he is not the same Sasuke that she fell in love with.
Solidifying Sasuke's role as a character with great development in the Manga (a Bildungsroman which follows the evolution of a character from childhood to adulthood, which emphasizes and supports the moral of the story). In antithesis with Naruto who is a linear character who didn't change in the bit, Uchiha is a dynamic character who evolves and never stays the same.
Both Sakura and Karin make it perfectly clear that Sasuke is not static like an unperturbed lake with no ripple to break the mirror-like stillness of its surface. He's a vivacious ocean - - unpredictable and fulminant with constant vicissitudes between tranquility and serenity and turbulent storms.
Sakura confronts her own feelings by approaching Sasuke and realization almost costs her life - - her heart gives us the painful confirmation that she loves him, still helplessly loves him ardently, in a moment when there's no safe turning back.
A moment of hesitation is lethal for a shinobi. A moment of indecision or unfortunate choice comes with devastating consequences.
She reveals her poisoned kunai from under her clothes while indecision takes control over her reeling emotions and fogged lucidity. Simultaneously, Sasuke prepares his Chidori and prepares to strike his attack.
The manga is very descriptive and suggestive. The transitions denote melodious cursively and the flow and cohesion of their interplay is assured by the constant introspection into the characters minds and hearts as the silent face expressions and body language emphasize their dialogue.
Sasuke sees Sakura's internal turmoil. He notices how she reviews her own feelings for he did the same when he heard the truth about Itachi. She's analyzing her feelings for him as he silently allow her to make a decision, up to the very last moment - - he wait for her to get close to him while he won't let any other enemy with murder intent to get so close to him.
Waiting for her to decide, to make up her mind, to choose the road to take and dictate the course of action. Up to the last moment when she reveals her kunai and her mind decides that "she doesn't matter", meaning that she won't comply with his request to kill Karin and "prove" her loyalty and feelings to him.
The implicit dubiety in Sasuke's voice has a moral purpose behind: in a couple, trust is fundamental for a healthy relationship. Love isn't enough when it’s not coupled with trust and respect.
When trust misses, there can't be any romance between two parties and that's what Sasuke's ironic and daring words mean when he dares Sakura to prove her loyalties and back up her confession.
Yes, she might love him but she won't do everything he asks and she does not NEED to comply to his requests. Sasuke tells Sakura that she does not BELONG to his world now. To this version of reality, according to the script of this play he can't be her lover, the one she dreams of.
His eyes, the mirrors of the soul as the symbols of the Third Eye in Buddhism - - the omnipotence of the one who beholds all the wisdom and knowledge / the spiritual part represented by Sasuke's Yin avatar - - are always scrutinizing and introspective. Sasuke is following Sakura's mimics, gesture and reactions with hawkish diligence, attentive and meticulous.
He sees right through her deception; he might not have accumulated enough life-experience, wisdom and information to unravel Itachi's truth ("how far can you see with that Sharingan of yours, Sasuke?"), but he sees right through Sakura's soul, reading her like an open book, every page and every line. She's transparent in front of the man she loves.
It can't be any different because romantic bonds are unique; nothing can begin to compare or come close to. There's nothing else tangible to compare romantic love with, nothing that can offer such a complete body and soul experience.
It's very difficult to draw a kokeshi doll mask on the face of a lover because primal instinct makes one react differently, in a peculiar manner in the presence of the loved one.
Is primal, animal instinct to entice and attract the attention of a potential match and thus it makes it difficult to fight against such strong innate reflexes.
For both Sasuke and Sakura, the primeval instinct to be a couple is very difficult to placate and hide. Sasuke makes it obvious from his tempered gestures, for how he allows her closer to him than anyone, and from he way he talks to her - - the syntax of the phrase and the choice of words are all very intimate, very personal.
And Sakura's pendulating actions shine with confusion and indecision, the inner turmoil revealing as theatrical and dramatic: she alternates between blubbing and shouting, rasping and barking at him and getting emotional and mellower with him.
The look in their eyes is one of this pair’s most symbolic feature. Since Japanese people aren't overtly extroverts with displaying emotions in public, subtlety is the key of this representative pair. There is an entire repertoire that composed the aria of love songs between this pair. There are heated glances, angst stares, incredulity and confusion. This time Sakura does not eschew her eyes from Sasuke; she doesn't glance shyly and flirtatiously aside from him like she does at the end of the manga. She holds Sasuke's gaze, leveling his piercing gaze as she knows she risks a lot because this man's eyes can see through everything.
He... Was always capable to see right through her deception. She can never hide from him.
Sasuke instead can perfectly mask his emotions, but chooses not to.
Considering how this couple's love story is embroidered into the tapestry of scorching passion, it’s no wonder that Sasuke is the one who initiates most the innuendos between them. No pronouns are more idoneous than the repetitive "Me" and "you" and the syntax of their dialogue; the flow of the conversation, the order of the words and the feelings elicited are extremely intimate.
There is history behind this couple and their now earmark stares and glances exchange support it.
Sasuke and Sakura are subtle but their body language is unique and a expressive. No fustian description can give their story justice, for it's far too complex.
That's why passion and intimacy scorch like a pyre with this pair. Every feeling, every emotion and every sentiment is augmented and exacerbated.
While he's clearly deranged by the women's litany of flirts and attempts to seduce him, he listens to Sakura's every word. He doesn't brush off her confession, he doesn't ask her to keep her distance from him, and he doesn't repay her confession with brusque scowls or growls (like he does to Karin, Ino and Mei).
Sasuke and Sakura's love story is very reminiscent to the compelling elements of Shakespeare drama in terms of its characteristic elements: the tragic hero who's suffering is the product of a peculiar trait of fate or an extraneous force (the Uchiha curse/ manipulation and lies that surround HIM); his inner struggle (the struggle between good or bad), darkness and hatred and evil that destroys any iota of goodness in the hero's heart, the stupendous internal and external conflict and the effect of catharsis that their feelings produce.
The strong, Naruto-esque happy ending is the only thing that differs, as Sasuke and Sakura don't end in a veritable tragedy, emphasizing the triumph of good in the manga.
I'd end by citing Obito and Hagoromo's hermeneutics: "When a man learns how to love he must shoulder the burden of hatred."
The negativism and pessimism that attributes a negative connotation to life and suggests that pain and suffering are inherent to life and win over positive emotions - - the reign of pain and suffering.
... In conjunction with:
"I hope that this time is hatred which turns into love."
The positive overview of the humanist manga conclusion.
The positive, idealist triumph of peace, love and happiness, with love winning over pain.
It's Sakura who returned the lost peace and gave Sasuke happiness. It's her love that turned his hatred (Sasuke set on redemption journey because of lingering Uchiha demons he's scared to hurt people).
#Sasusaku romance#Sasusaku pair#Sasusaku explained#Sasusaku analysis#sasusaku#sasuke and sakura love#Sasuke and Sakura pair
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i was playing through chapter 14 again and always found barret and tifa quite interesting in this part but initially didn't understand why. barret says, "you don't know how much someone means to you until they're gone," and, "don't give up on them." tifa talks about the flower pendant meaning leslie's fiance will find him again. cas like to think it's about their ship, but given cloud's lack of real emotional response to reuniting with aerith, i don't think this scene is about them at all. 1/2
instead i think it's foreshadowing for tifa after cloud disappears. we know tifa becomes despondent about the entire situation and his absence and the team's basically written him off. so i think she'll remember barret's words and won't give up on finding cloud. also, *if* cloti becomes indisputable canon, i think this is the part where tifa might realize she's in love with cloud. this is all a big if of course, but i like it especially since ct are described as reuniting in the lifesream 2/2.
I love how sympathetic Barrett is towards Leslie in this when at the start he had no issues with killing him if he betrayed them. It kind of mirrors how he develops over the game with Cloud. He’s met this guy he thinks is a dick, but then he learns stuff about him and his opinion changes. Barrett’s a cool guy.
Also, I just love how “I got you” is a thing with all these minor characters. Biggs says it too and it just gives me all the supportive feels!
I mean, the flashback has its place and we don’t know if we’ll see Leslie again -- I hope so, I liked him -- but his fiancee making a point of giving the flower back and saying it’s all a dream could refer to Aerith’s resolution since, ykno all flowers are Aerith and so are dreams (excuse me while I roll my eyes). The fact Leslie’s fiancee even says no to the vague hope they’d be together “one day” is something else I guess they ignore in that scene. She even says, “time to wake up and forget” and there’s a tear from the same eye as Cloud had back during his flash about Aerith’s death. But, ykno, none of that works for them, so moving on...
So, the fact that Tifa tells Leslie to go looking for his fiancee could be foreshadowing when Aerith leaves the party and Cloud wants to find her. That’s if it’s part of the Remake plot still. This Tifa is way more supportive towards her friends’ goals than OG Tifa. It also goes to her overall personality traits that she won’t give up hope on those she holds dear -- no matter whatever toxic af reasons people wanna throw down to reduce her role to nothing. She used a flower as a symbol of reunion for her and Cloud after he went missing, so it’s safe to say she’s thinking of it in a positive light -- that nobody is really lost if you take the time to look for them.
Cloud for his part looks like he wants to draw attention to the same thing, but his real persona is warring with his SOLDIER one and this time the latter wins. Not surprising when it could lead to a very intimate moment between Cloud and Tifa where he has to admit a few things he’s not ready to.
It could definitely lead into foreshadowing about her search for Cloud after he’s lost at the Northern Crater. The devs would purposely add lines and moments like this so they can recall them later, so nothing is without meaning.
Barrett’s words might resonate with Tifa and drive her to continue the search when she’s feeling discouraged. It might be the introspection she needs to admit to herself just how much she loves Cloud and wants him in her life. I mean, after she finds him she literally gives up helping the party to take care of him with no guarantee he’ll ever recover. If that’s not love Idk what is.
#final fantasy 7 remake spoilers#cloti#Leslie's resolve#I love this side quest#Leslie's cool#Misplaced Chocobro
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So this is more of a cool down chapter after the last one, as you would well expect. Another car ride, a lot of introspection, and a look into Xavier and Malcolm. One tough part of writing this is that I want to give every member of the family a good section to shine, as well as keeping those moments organic. That said, Xavi and Malc were fun to write for, especially the contrast between the two of them. I just hope that you readers think they feel natural the way they play off each other. This was also a good chapter to more or less explain Animalia's perception on differing species, diets, and couplings, which i never had a chance to kind of clearly lay out before.
Shout out to my patreon backers whose input helped shape and correct this chapter. They get access to the story chapters early as a perk and the fact that the take the time to note errors and so on is super helpful and greatly appreciated. Thanks to Warwolf416 and Unformed8 for their contributions, you guys are great. And if you guys are interested in sneak peeks and other stuff behind the scenes of my art and fiction, well I've got a Patreon. So please consider donating. Every little bit helps keep me fed and living, and that means it's easier to write and draw.
https://www.patreon.com/wastedtimeee
Alright, that's enough shilling for myself. Go ahead and read.
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Chapter Twenty One: The Odd Couple
Aside from the clatter of various implements into drawers, and the occasional droning hum of hand truck wheels, the closing of the Hunter family stall was a largely silent affair. There was little warm and friendly chatter between the family members short of simple directions from Audrey. What to put where, and how to pack what, and so on. Dawn did what she could to assist, but her small stature lent her to very few tasks that could be handled more simply by the larger mammals among the family. At the very least Dawn could take solace in the fact that she wasn't the only one 'short changed' when it came to helping out, as Qali seemed to be more or less in the same boat. Between her and the little fox they were only moving a single case at a time while the others carried three or four. Or in the case of Vanna, a towering seven cases of leftover pies at a time.
Dawn could tell this was supposed to be something that normally was a fun, playful task between the Hunters. But the standoff that had taken place just moments ago seemed to have drained any exuberance the family had right out of them. Dawn could see it on the faces of the various members of the Hunter family as they went about their task. There was a sad resignation behind their eyes, hidden behind terse and irritated grimaces. There wasn't a one among them that didn't have some sort of visual tell alerting to the fact that they were stewing below the surface. Drooped ears, sagging tails, and slumping gaits plagued the Hunters as they silently packed away supplies. Vernon was no exception, his expression seemingly stuck somewhere between angry and wounded. The ewe had never seen his ears bow as sharply as they were now, and she was sure she could hear the occasional soft whine escape his muzzle as he moved about the stall. It was clear there was a lot weighing on the wolf's mind, and unlike the other Hunters, Dawn at least had some idea as to what was going on in the wolf's head. But the ewe had agreed to hold off questioning the wolf until they were alone again. It was clear that whatever he was waiting to say had a great deal of emotion behind it, and it was something he did not want the others to see.
Even so, it wasn't as if Dawn was free from her own miserable woe stricken thoughts. She imagined she must have looked as equally dismal as the rest of the family as she went about her share of the work. It made it easier to understand why no one had spoken. The thoughts that stewed below the ewe's surface were screaming to get out, eager for the ewe to continue to prostrate herself before Audrey and the others in a pathetic heap. To apologize again and again for things she had already been forgiven for, and lament the trouble she had caused. And Dawn was worried if she opened her mouth the words would simply come pouring out and she would be unable to stop.
It was her fault after all, at least that's how Dawn was starting to see it. Every argument, every fight, every single little problem could be easily traced back to her as its source in some form or another. It was as if she were a dark shroud that had descended over the Hunter household and tore the family asunder. And regardless of what Audrey, Vernon, or any of the other Hunters could say to try to convince her of the contrary, it would do little to dissipate the mountain of guilt the ewe felt hanging over her head. The weight of it seeming to grow more and more as her mind swam with the countless ways in which she had managed to hurt the family. The anxiety and pressure building as her perceived sins all flowed into one thought that rang louder than any other, the simple conclusion that her attendance at the family reunion was a terrible idea.
Dawn had been skeptical at the very notion of meeting Vernon's family all at once, let alone at something that was seen as a 'tradition' among the Hunters. To Dawn it seemed to be inappropriate for many reasons. There was the fact that they had only been officially an 'item' for just above three months. As well as surprising Vernon's family by revealing he had taken a prey mammal as a mate. After all, Vernon had never shown an interest in prey before she had come back into his life, and so how was his family supposed to respond to that. The ewe imagined that even the most tolerant of families would still find such a predicament a bit of a tough pill to swallow. The there was of course her criminal past. Regardless of her work to reform and her recent actions in Zootopia, it still made for an unpleasant chapter in her history all the same. And any mammal still willing to hold it against her would have been well within there rights to do so. It had all seemed like far too much to expect or put upon the mammals that she had only heard a very little amount about.
But she couldn't say no to her Puppy. Not with his drooping ears and his pleading eyes. For every negative possibility the wolf was quick to assure her of the contrary, and it wasn't as if the wolf was without his fair share of reasonable points. Vernon had already met her Mother Clover, and aside from accidently hitting his head entering the older ewe's home the whole affair had went exceedingly well. Her mother couldn't say enough nice things about the wolf, even when it came to private texts and emails. Of course Clover was one mammal, and they had only spent an afternoon there. By comparison the Hunter reunion seemed a more daunting task, even if it had been limited to simply Audrey and Dorian. But according to Vernon, Audrey was even softer than Clover was in many respects, and with his brothers almost all dating outside their species the wolf seemed adamant that the fact that she was prey would play no part in his families reception of her. Dawn's criminal past was the only thing that seemed to trip the wolf up slightly when it came to his unwavering confidence going to the family reunion. But the wolf was quick to sweep it aside in favor of sharing his ideas on picturesque experiences the two would get to share away from the family.
The picture he had painted was so dreamy and wonderful. Fairs, barbeques, fall sunsets and picnics in the meadows. The excitement behind the wolf's pitch was instantly infectious as was always the case. Dawn would meet his family, and get a real taste of the life she had missed out on. The one she had been denied for so many years. And her logical fears began to waiver under Vernon's emotional appeal. She loved her mate, her Darling Puppy, but the wolf had a terrible habit of thinking purely in idealistic terms. It was normally something Dawn considered a healthy counterbalance to her own 'glass half empty' perception of life that had been cultivated growing up under her Father's hoof. But when faced with situations like the one they were now in, the wolf's lack of planning for the possibility of things not quite going the way he expected clearly left him struggling for ideas on how to turn the situation around.
She could see hints of it behind his eyes the moment that Wade had told them Giselle wasn't going to be coming along on the trip. A brief lost and confused look, as he was evidently trying to re-appraise the situation and course correct for the unexpected turn. It was a look that became more and more prolonged and pronounced with each wrench that had been thrown into Puppy's overall plan, and as of now it still hadn't left his face. She knew she should have been more adamant when it came to planning for the worst, to pull her Puppy Love back down to Animalia and place his paws firmly back on the ground. Then perhaps they could have navigated more easily through the seemingly endless rough patches the trip had thrown them.
But she was greedy, at least part of her felt that way. For wanting all that Vernon said he planned out. The hunger to live that fantasy beating her doubts and uncertainties into submission and getting her to agree to it with significantly less protest than she should have put up. If introducing Vernon to her Mother had been so easy, certainly it would have been just as easy to meet the Hunters. And even if she hadn't won over the Hunters on the first trip, she could still have a great time with her mate. To have everything Vernon had talked about, everything they wanted, that she wanted. Memories that would last forever.
But then reality came crashing down around them, around the little dream bubble Vernon had fought so desperately to protect. There were so many things they had ignored, and worse, things she had failed to even take into account among her own laundry list of presumptions. The most egregious of which being the ewe had failed to consider exactly what their relationship being so public would do for those closest to them. Vernon was proud to be her mate, and she was equally proud to be his. But he often ignored the risks of being so brazen about the two of them being together, always certain he could handle whatever fallout would come. That together they could stand up to anything. And what could have possibly come from meeting his folks that they couldn't handle? How big a deal could it have been?
But that was the point. They had made the choice to stand against the world when it came to their relationship, and accept what came with that. But their parents hadn't made that choice, nor had Vernon's siblings. It was simply something they had to accept, either with joy or disdain. And now the Hunters were forced to face the consequences for Dawn and Vernon's choice to live as they chose. The Hunter and Bellwether names were now to be directly associated with prey-chasing, pred-baiting, crossing, and what ever other slang the mammals of the world could come up with. And Dawn was only set to make it worse when the book she was writing was finally released. Then there would be no more reasonable doubt as to the nature of their relationship. From blurry pictures and speculation from the rumor mill that was the 'Zootopian Query' straight to the top story on ZNN. Her proud stance along side her Puppy Love would throw every member of their families into the public eye, and with it their names and public image. Dawn imagined whatever would come after that would pale in comparison to the scene that had played out today in front of the Hunter stall. And the ewe was becoming more and more skeptical of the idea of risking doing such a thing to a family that had mostly accepted her with open paws.
She could already hear Audrey's reply should she even mention such fears to the she-wolf.
"Darlin', you have to put that book out! I'll be insulted if ya'll don't."
Just looking at the She-wolf from across the stall she could practically imagine her current stern countenance turning on a dime if Dawn even approached her. Audrey would never stand for the ewe to be silenced, she had proven as much just moments before. And that's what made it all so much worse for Dawn.
She knew the Hunters now, she cared about them. Aside from Dorian, Yuri and Ulric, the family had simply embraced her, and stood up for her at every opportunity. And what had she managed to do in the two short days she had been visiting? Dawn had managed to drive a wedge between Vernon and his Father, as well as Dorian and the Hunters at large. Not only that, but she had hurt the families livelihood. It made it feel even more so that Dawn had stabbed them in the back somehow, that because they were forced to stand up for her due to circumstances she caused simply just by being there. Regardless of whether the mob was justified or not, the ewe had hurt the Hunter family. Especially Ada, who looked as though she was set to be in lock-up for who knows how long, all because Dawn had failed to stand up for herself.
The ewe bit her tongue as she ruminated on that thought, nearly dropping the case of pies she was carrying as she cringed. It was bad enough she had caused that scene, and had fed into Ana's tirade. But the fact that once again she needed a bigger mammal to step in and save her. Granted she hadn't asked for the help, but still relied on it to salvage the situation. Her resolve had once again proven too weak, even after everything she had been through, she still managed to loose her nerve when it came to the confrontation. And the end of everything saw her once again simpering into Vernon's side like a helpless, timid failure.
Her therapist, Dr. Gnu had long told her that the path to better self confidence was not one that could be easily traversed overnight. After all, not even mammals with the strongest of wills could rise to the occasion every time. But the ewe had felt so much stronger after coming back from the brink, she was so certain she was no longer the meek little sheep she had been before. But the wildebeest had ultimately proven right once again as the sheep found herself still taking the easiest way out more often than not when the opportunity arose.
She should have spoken up, used her political prowess to take command of the situation and fix it. To keep Ada out of jail and manage to diffuse everything before Dorian was forced to intercept it. But it was too late, the ewe had missed her chance, and the entire Hunter clan was now suffering for her own perceived weakness. The weekend was a complete and utter disaster, and the ewe was certain now more than ever that Dorian would never accept her as part of the hunter family. Perhaps, the ewe mused, the time had come to simply throw in the towel. To give up on the dream that Vernon had, and simply return to the city in shame, never to return to the Ranch after all the trouble she caused.
"Alright, who's riding with me?" Audrey's voice broke the sullen silence hanging over the stall, snapping Dawn out of her malaised stupor. She nearly dropped the case she was loading into the pie truck as the she-wolf called the family to attention. Setting the crate down, the ewe made her way back toward the she-wolf that was now gesturing the family to group up. She had only gotten a few steps away before she felt a strong paw grip her on the shoulder.
"We'll ride in the back of your truck Ma, if that's fine." Vernon spoke, giving the ewe a gentle squeeze. The wolf's flashed the ewe a warm smile despite his sad eyes. Dawn lifted a hoof and placed it gingerly on his paw, giving it a soft squeeze in response as she flashed a meek smile of her own. Vernon let out a soft whine as he rubbed the back of his head with his other paw. She could tell her poor little Sheepdog was suffering as much as she was, and it made the ewe even more eager to get to their picnic so he could get his troubles off his chest.
"We might as well handle the Van." Zach added, gesturing to Vanna and himself. " If ya'll want we can unpack it ourselves too, that way-"
"Nothin' doing." Trenton interjected. "Ain't like we can all fit in Ma's truck anyway, and it's not me and Qails got any big plans for the rest of the night."
"I take it that means yer ridin' with them?' Audrey asked.
"Yeah, me and Qails will ride in the back." Trenton asserted.
"Do you want me in the va-?"
"No!" Trenton and Zach cut Ulric off before he could even finish his question, both seemingly unwilling to even hear the wolf out.
Ulric's ears drooped as the dark grey wolf let out a soft whine. But it was short lived as his Mother wrapped a paw around him, pulling him in and giving the wolf a playful tussle of his fur.
"Aw, that's alright sweetheart, ya'll can ride up front with yer Ma." Audrey smiled as Ulric tried to pull away. It took him a few pulls before he stumbled out of her grasp, playfully swatting at his Mother.
"And ya'll can talk my ear off about whatever ya'll want. As much as you want." Audrey added.
Ulric seemed to beam at this, clapping his paws together excitedly.
"R-really! Oh Ma you're gonna love the stuff I got to tell you! I've got a whole bunch of new UFO stories I th-"
"I guess that means the rest of us are riding in the back Mom?" Xavier asked, taking a step next to Vernon and Dawn. The well dressed wolf gestured to the pair, as well as Malcolm and Wade.
"'Suppose ya'll will have to." Audrey chuckled. "Unless any of ya'll want to squeeze in front with us?"
"Please, Dawn's the only one who could even fit." Xavier replied.
"Well she's more than welcome to!" Audrey cooed as she bent down and gave the ewe a playful nudge. " Although I ain't sure she wants to hear about ghosts."
"Aliens Ma, UFOS?" Ulric enunciated the acronym, clearly distressed that his Mother had seemingly confused the topic.
"Oh sorry Darlin'." Audrey tutted.
"We're fine in the back Ma." Vernon asserted. The wolf leaned forward slightly, squeezing Dawn's shoulder as he spoke. It was clear the wolf was still in protective mode, despite Audrey's non threatening demeanor.
"Alright, alright." The wolfess placed her paws up defensively. "I hear ya."
With that the she wolf turned her back to the group, making her way toward the back of the stall.
"Ya'll can head to the cars, I just have to lock up before we can go." The she-wolf waved them off as she continued her walk. "I'll catch up to ya'll in a bit."
As the other Hunters began to depart, Dawn could feel the wolf's grasp on her shoulder tighten slightly, drawing her attention. As she looked up at Vernon, the wolf looked away, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.
"Y-ya want a lift Floofs?" Vernon murmured.
Dawn was slightly taken aback. "Y-you're asking me?" Dawn replied.
"W-well you're the one who told me to warn ya next time, weren't ya?' Vernon flashed the ewe a weak grin.
It was true, Dawn had told the wolf hundreds of times to give her a warning before lifting her up on his shoulders. But she would be lying if she said she didn't secretly enjoy it. She knew the reason Vernon rarely asked was out of simple forgetfulness, his excitement and exuberance making him act before even thinking. That said, the fact that he had even thought to ask was a clear indication he was not in a great state of mind.
"I-I'm fine down here for now Puppy." Dawn said reluctantly. She didn't want to further depress the wolf, but she certainly wasn't feeling up to the ride in her current state.
Vernon let out a sad whine, but nodded in agreement. However Dawn was quick to take his paw, gripping it tightly in her hoof.
"I'd prefer to hold your paw for a while, if that's okay." Dawn smiled.
Dawn watched Vernon's ears perk slightly, a genuine smile cutting through the gloom for a moment as he squeezed back.
Unlike the van, which had been parked behind the stall for easy loading and unloading, Audrey had parked the truck on the edge of the parking lot. Granted that was only a short walk from the stand as it was. The Hunter stall was situated relatively close to the entrance of the fair. Prime real estate, Dawn thought, as it allowed 'Hunter's Bounty' to be one of the first names patrons got to see as they entered the fairground. It was also a painful reminder to the ewe of the fact that she had put the stand in jeopardy. Who knows how long the family stand had been a part of the festivals traditions. If Audrey's story about meeting Dorian was anything to go by, that number was at least thirty years if not longer. And now Dawn was left to worry about what would become of it. Would this be the last year the stall was allowed to run at the fair because of her and Vernon?
The hard thunk of the truck bed door opening drew Dawn's attention back to the wolves in front of her. Wade was already half way into the truck bed, sliding his way toward the back of the cab while Malcolm was easing his way up onto the flap. Dawn watched as the pudgy wolf awkwardly flopped onto the bed. He blushed slightly through his fur as he righted himself, scratching the back of his head as he tried to play it off.
"As elegant as always Darling." Xavier chuckled.
"Don't be fresh, or I won't help ya up." Malcolm retorted as he offered the dapper wolf a paw.
Xavier adjusted his glasses, glaring at the truck apprehensively before taking his mates paw. As the well dressed wolf climbed on to the back of the truck, he seemed to walk with care, his eyes studying the floor briefly before he carefully took a seat.
"Honestly, if ya'll are so worried about mussin' up yer clothes you should have taken the front seat!" Malcolm chortled.
"And leave all of you at the mercy of Ulric's sparkling conversational skills? Even I'm not that cruel." Xavier replied as his mate leaned into him. The dowdy wolf wrapped an arm around the husky chef, pulling him in close.
Despite her general mood, Dawn couldn't help but giggle slightly at the pairs back and forth. She wasn't sure how long they had been an item, but the way they spoke made it seem like they had been together for years.
As Vernon walked Dawn to the edge of the truck, the wolf kneeled by the side of it, offering his free paw as a stepping stool to boost her into the truck. Still clasping his other paw tightly Dawn carefully eased her way into the truck bed. Once she was safely inside, the ewe slid down the bed to make room for Vernon. Satisfied with the amount of space she had provided, the petite sheep leaned an arm on the lip of the trunk, peeking over the side at the at the entrance of the fair. Yet again she could spy the Hunter stand, barely obscured by a few other food and game stalls in the distance. By now Audrey was making her way back toward them, the business of locking up evidently taken care of. But the she-wolf's face was still stuck in a sharp grimace, causing Dawn to form a deep frown of her own. Audrey had been nothing but welcoming and caring when it came to Dawn, and it hurt the ewe that much more to know that she was the reason the she-wolf was in such a state. It was almost alien to the ewe seeing the normally cheerful wolf so dour.
Dawn let out a surprised yelp as she felt a pair of paws clasp around her, pulling her away from the edge of the truck. Out of sheer force of habit the ewe protested for a split second before her mind reasoned exactly who was grasping her, and summarily relaxed as she soon found herself comfortably seated in Vernon's lap. The ewe glared up at the wolf for a moment.
"You didn't ask that time Puppy." She said, letting out a huff.
"I needed it." Vernon smiled back, wrapping his arms around the ewe and squeezing her tightly into his chest.
Dawn blushed slightly as she caved into the backwards hug. It was impossible to even pretend to be mad when she knew the wolf was in such a funk.
"Alright ya'll, tuck in." Audrey called as she gave a heavy rap on the side of the truck. Ulric had already taken his seat in the cab as Audrey opened the driver's side door. From where the ewe was seated, she couldn't get a good look at Audrey's face as she entered the car. But she imagined it remained much the same.
"I suggest ya'll brace yerselves a bit." Wade said, leaning both his arms on the lip of the truck bed and clasping the sides slightly. "Ma tends to get a bit of the lead foot when she's upset, especially when it involves Pa."
"Lead foot?" Dawn asked, looking up at Vernon worriedly.
"I had more than one reason for buckling you into this 'wolf harness'." Vernon chuckled weakly as he gave the ewe another squeeze.
Dawn let out a quiet gulp, her eyes darting around as the truck rumbled to life. As she heard the tires start to squeal she dug her hooves into Vernon's arms, bracing herself for what was to come. She wasn't sure how fast the she-wolf intended to go, but the ewe prayed it wasn't fast enough to make her motion sick. The diminutive ewe had a poor track record when it came to high speed movement. On top of the many reasons why her last trip on something fast moving was nothing short or nightmarish, as it was associated with being chased by police and nearly driving into a ravine. The ewe also had to contend with keeping her stomach contents from ending up all over Vernon's shirt as they sped down the subway lines. It was why she had shot down every ride Vernon had suggested that appeared vaguely too roller coaster-ey for her liking.
As the truck lurched forward, Dawn could feel her stomach drop, and she tightened her grip on Vernon as she tightly closed her eyes. All of her previous fears were suddenly wiped from her mind as they became replaced by the more urgent and pressing need to will her stomach chambers into behaving as the truck sped out of the parking lot.
Despite the lack of vision caused by her tightly shut eyes, the ewe could vaguely tell every move the vehicle made through its series of terse starts and stops. It stopped sharply at each turn, letting off a honk at what she assumed was another car in the lot before coming to a hard stop. Dawn forced an eye open long enough to see that Audrey had stopped at the mouth of the lot, and was just about to turn back on to the country road that brought them there. It wouldn't be long before they were back on the highway, and Dawn gulped as she imagined just how fast the she-wolf would be driving once she got to it.
As the vehicle lurched forward again, Dawn slammed her eyes shut and began to silently pray to herself as the car picked up speed.
"Don't throw up" She muttered quietly to herself. "Don't throw up, don't throw up." again and again she continued the mantra as she felt the cars speed continue to build.
"Honey Lamb?" She could hear Vernon's voice, but she couldn't respond. Breaking her focus now could spell disaster for those within vomiting distance. She could feel the chambers in her stomach doing back flips.
"MA!" Thunk! Thunk! Came a heavy rapping from somewhere in the back. She could tell that was Wade's voice. "Slow down will ya! Yer making us sick back here!"
Dawn wasn't sure if Audrey had heard her son, or simply had gotten the message through the heavy pounding against the truck, but slowly she felt the speed of the vehicle begin to ease. As it drew slower and slower Dawn could feel her stomach start to settle, and soon the ewe was able to release her vice like grip on Vernon's arms as the speed finally arrived at something more reasonable. Dawn let out a sigh as she finally opened her eyes again.
They were now back on the highway, although thankfully obeying the speed limit at this point. The ewe wiped her brow before placing a hoof to her head.
"Ugh..." Dawn murmured.
"Sorry Darlin'." Vernon replied, gently brushing back the ewe's head wool as Dawn steadied herself.
"Mother has always been quite the...emotional mammal." Xavier added.
Dawn tilted her head toward the sky, laying it back against Vernon's chest as she regained her bearings. She could feel the mixture of cotton candy and other fair foods that had risen up into the back of her gullet slowly sliding back down where it belonged.
It took a few moments of cloud gazing before Dawn could finally bring her focus back to the truck beds occupants. Now that the excitement had died down, the rest of the Hunters had returned to the simple silence that had permeated the clan during the closing of the stall. Wade continued to hold the sides of the bed, staring off at nothing in particular, while Malcolm and Xavier seemed to be doing little more than simply enjoying each others embrace.
Dawn wanted to speak, say something to try to liven up the mood that had returned from the previous altercation with Dorian. But the ewe couldn't bring herself to do it. Her thoughts had returned to her own general glumness about everything she had caused. And thus it seemed that much more inappropriate to act as though the Hunter's needed her to cheer them up. Instead, the ewe decided it was better to take a page from Wade, and simply let her mind wander as she stared out at nothing in particular.
The ewe turned her half hearted attention to the other lane of the highway across from them, watching a few stray cars stream by. By all intents and purposes it was practically rush hour, yet despite it neither side of the highway seemed particularly cluttered. Dawn chalked that up to the pros of rural living. Even with Zootopia as close as it was, the North Meadowlands simply didn't have enough mammals living in it to ever have to worry about congestion. She imagined that if one were to take the entire population of the North Meadowlands and stick them into an emptied Zootopia, they would barely fill up Savanna Square.
The familiar squeal of a police siren broke Dawn from her reverie, and as she continued to watch the lane opposite the Hunter truck the ewe caught sight of a local squad car. The ewe watched as a North meadowlands police cruiser passed on the other side of the highway. Her eyes lingered after it until it was well out of sight as her thoughts drifted back to Ada. Granted the car clearly wasn't Dorian's. She could only assume it was well at the station by now. But she couldn't help but find herself worried for the large, slightly abrasive canid. Here was a mammal that accepted Dawn as her 'sister' without a moments hesitation, and she had jumped to Dawn's defense in much the same way. Dawn barely knew Ada, yet here she rose to the ewe's defense as readily as Vernon would. Now the hyena was in who knew how much trouble. Even if she got out on bail fairly easily, Dawn was certain that nasty she-wolf Ana would do everything she could to make it worse for her.
Dawn could feel the immense guilt returning as she imagined the poor mammal being dragged through an endless slew of hearings, and the possibility of jail time, all at the expense of a dumb ewe who couldn't stand up for herself. Even if they were to decide to return to Zootopia and call the trip a failure, she was certain she couldn't leave Ada in the lurch after what she had done for her. Dawn knew she had to do something, anything to make things square with the hyeness.
"I can tell you're worried about Ada." Xavier said, causing Dawn to snap her head in the wolf's direction. The ewe twiddled her hooves slightly as she shimmied deeper into Vernon's chest.
"Y-yes." Dawn muttered. "After what she did for me..." Dawn trailed off, glancing up at the wolf above her. "For us...I'm just, I ca-"
Xavier chuckled slightly, shaking his head. "She'll be fine Ms. Bellwether, I can assure you."
"Yeah, it's not exactly her first rodeo Darlin'." Malcolm laughed, nudging his partner playfully.
"But still, we have to do something." Dawn turned her attention back to Vernon, clasping a hoof to his chest. "M-Maybe we can pay her back for the bail. It's the least we can do!"
"She'd never accept it." Wade interjected.
Dawn's frowned sharply. "W-what, why?"
"That girl is far too proud to take money from any mammal." Wade continued. "Even more so when it's a fight she jumped into, that stuff is fun for ol' Ada."
"B-but she did it for us!" Dawn protested.
"She chose to do it for ya'll." Malcolm said. "That's how she's gonna see it anyhow."
"B-but what about down the road?" Dawn asked. "Surely someone as tenacious and vindictive as Ana seems to be isn't going to let Ada go that easily. If she drags it into court I can't imagine what kind of compensation she's pursue." Dawn shook her head briskly. "Or worse yet, jail time."
"Well I supposed that all depends on the type of lawyer she can get a hold of." Xavier replied.
"Aw heck, that don't matter none!" Malcolm chirped, giving his partner another affectionate nudge. "My Xavi ain't gonna let nuthin' stick to Ada. He can laywer circles around any bumpkin' from the Meadowlands Ana can git her paws on! Ain't that right Darlin'?"
Xavier let out an awkward cough. "Well, if Ana ends up stick with little more than local legal representation, then yes I imagine I could get Ada off with little more than a slap on the wrist." The wolf adjusted his glasses.
"Y-you'd represent Ada?" Dawn asked.
"I try to step in whenever my family needs legal help. So naturally that last thing I would do was leave Ada to twist in the wind." Xavier replied. "We Hunters look out for one another, as my brother so proudly boasted earlier."
"B-but what if she gets a lawyer outside of the Meadowlands, maybe someone through Loupon?" Dawn said, chewing at her hoof.
"Considering Loupon's attitude toward the end of our little confrontation, I doubt Ana's going to have the connections to pull a decent lawyer."
"Pftt, like that would matter!" Malcolm crossed his paws. "Nobody beats my Xavi when it comes to fightin' in the courtroom! I bet he could run circles around Zootopia's best legal mammals if'n he had to."
Xavier bowed his head slightly, his ears flattening out as he looked toward his lap. Dawn could see the hint of a blush forming below the fur on the wolf's muzzle.
"P-Please Malcolm, you've said enough." Xavier coughed again.
"Ain't no how I did!" Malcolm chortled. "Ya'll just need to learn to accept praise when it's due!"
"Speaking of..." Vernon added. "You made partner? When did that happen?"
Xavier perked up slightly, his blush fading under a creeping prideful grin.
"I-It was last month, give or take a few days." Xavier swelled his chest, flashing a broad smile. "I just hadn't really had a chance to mention it to everyone yet. To be honest I'm still getting used to it myself."
"Fienstag, Goldram, and Hunter..." Malcolm trailed off, letting out an appreciative sigh. "I can't tell you how overjoyed I am to see Xavi's name in big gold letters on the side of their office building. I'm so proud of my little Fluffybuns!"
Vernon and Wade let out sputtering laughs while Dawn did her best to hold in a giggle of her own. She could see Xavier's face flush a deep crimson as his eyes widened. His shock and embarrassment quickly turned into an irritated glare directed toward his mate. Malcolm shrank slightly, trying to suppress a smile of his own as he placed a paw to his mouth.
"S-Sorry Xavi honey..." Malcolm murmured.
"'Fluffybuns', 'huh?" Vernon asked, arching an eyebrow as he grinned mischievously.
"Like you have any room to talk 'Puppy Love'." Xavier retorted, letting out a snort as he crossed his arms.
"Alright fellas, we all have embarrassin' pet names." Wade interjected. " No need to get yer hackles up over it."
"Mine ain't embarrasin'." Vernon added, crossing his paws and drawing Dawn more tightly into his chest. "I like it."
Dawn let out another giggle as she hugged the wolf's arms tightly in response. However she could see that Xavier was still flustered, and rather than continue to allow the Hunter boys to tease each other, the ewe thought it best to change the subject and give the legal wolf an out.
"I must confess, I was surprised when Vernon told me you were a lawyer Xavier." Dawn said, adjusting her own spectacles. "I mean, he told me before he was the only one out of all of you who hadn't went into police work."
Xavier seemed to relax slightly, uncrossing his arms and placing his paws on his lap.
"Well, being a lawyer is still more or less police work." Xavier replied. "Except my beat is in a courtroom and my battles are fought with words. At least that's how I was able to pitch it to my Father to more or less get him to go along with it."
"He wasn't receptive to the idea?' Dawn asked.
"Well, I'll put it to you this way Miss Bellwether." Xavier sighed. " Name me one mammal who has a high opinion of a lawyer." Xavier said with a chuckle.
"I do!" Malcolm raised a paw, again giving his mate a playful nudge to make sure he noticed. Xavier let out a groan, but Dawn could see the hint of a smile on his muzzle despite it.
"But I told him that being a lawyer was to best way possible for me to be able to help other mammals." Xavier ran a paw through the fur on his scalp. "That while my brothers would be out there catching bad mammals, I would be the one making sure they were properly punished for their actions." Xavier nodded. "It was hard for Dad not to see my side of it."
"Well you do have a real way with words Xave." Vernon added. " I imagine a mammal like you could have convinced Pa that being a musician was somehow going to protect innocent mammals."
Xavier chuckled, shaking his head dismissively. "Please, you know I don't use my 'powers' to manipulate Vernon, I don't lie." Xavier rolled his eyes for a moment, scratching his chin. "Even if most mammals consider my job to be a professional 'bullshitter' as Dad would call it." Xavier laughed.
"Well, I'm sure Pa wasn't thinking you'd mostly be taking civil cases rather than criminal ones." Vernon replied with a smirk. "If anything I'd call that a lie of omission."
Xavier stabbed a finger at Vernon. "Hey, it's still an avenue that helps mammals." The wolf said sharply. Slowly he lowered his paw before easing back into a comfortable position against the edge of the truck bed. "Besides, it certainly helped you today did it not?"
Vernon gave a quiet nod.
"Xavier, if you don't mind me asking.." Dawn trailed off, waiting for the wolf to indicate for her to continue. Xavier gave her a simple, affirmative nod. "Were you always keen on taking civil cases, or is it because of your own...well...I mean..." Dawn couldn't manage to say the words. The ewe as fearful of upsetting the couple accidently. All she could manage was gesturing to the pair as she struggled to get the words out, but fortunately Xavier seemed to get the gist rather quickly.
"Of our relationship? Oh hardly..."
"Well, lah-dee-dah." Malcolm huffed. "I certainly feel important now."
Xavier simply rolled his eyes at Malcolm before continuing. "Like the rest of my family I've always felt a need to stand up for smaller mammals as if it were a sense of personal duty. But not every mammal is small in a literal sense. Many are simply smaller metaphorically when pit against a corporation or a township. Even Mega fauna can find themselves trampled underneath the roar of pubic opinion. So that is the main reason I became deeply invested in the art of legal defense." Xavier said.
"And what's the other 'reason'?" Malcolm added, giving the mammal another nudge to emphasize his statement. Xavier glanced at the red wolf next to him, letting out a defeated sigh before turning back to Dawn.
"Yes well, ahem..." Xavier cleared his throat. "That isn't to say our relationship hasn't made it easier to sympathize with clients who are in unconventional relationships like Malcolm and I." The wolf adjusted his jacket slightly, letting out another rolling cough. "Over time that connection formulated a rather soft spot in me for mammals stuck in those circumstances. And I tended to favor helping them out above general civil cases."
"It's why Fienstag and Goldram were keen to dump 'em strictly on you after a while!" Malcolm chirped, still quite eager to cheerlead his mate's achievements loudly.
"W-well they said I had a knack for them, that I was capable of getting emotionally invested in such cases more than they could ever hope to." The wolf asserted.
"Because you are more understanding due to being in a relationship like that yourself?" Dawn asked.
Xavier nodded. "I wouldn't say we have it particularly hard personally. San Francisgoat is a very progressive city, and even so same sex couplings aren't exactly the highest type of relationship on the totem pole of public scorn. The most hassle Malcolm and myself have had to endure usually comes from wolves." Xavier shrugged. "I assume it's because they have an easier time of telling the difference between wolves that are just hanging out together and wolves that are a couple. Perhaps through smell or some other innate intuition. Even so it's usually more of a Native Wolf thing with regards to calling us out. "
Dawn raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Totem pole of public scorn?"
Xavier chuckled, extending a paw out. He held it high in the air.
"At the top you have prey and prey couples." Xavier lowered his paw slightly. "Slightly below that you got preds in general. Considering prey are more numerous and preds used to hunt them there's bad blood there, as you already know."
Dawn grimaced slightly, nodding in acknowledgment.
"Below that you have your Omnivores, you'd be surprised to hear they get a lot of flack because of their unique diet. Mammals, both pred and prey seem to share a mutual distrust of those who can't pick a side of the dietary scale to stick to."
"Below that ya'll got mammals like us." Malcolm interrupted, hovering his own paw below Xavier's.
Xavier looked at Malcolm briefly, letting out another sigh. "Same sex couplings mostly get flack from members of their own species, what with the inability to reproduce usually being a main point of contention."
Xavier brought his paw below Malcolms. "Then we have interspecies couplings of prey and prey, and pred and pred, as well as the rare offspring of those unions such a ligers and zhorses." Xavier stated. "A bulk of my discrimination cases come from couples like these, and it's truly distressing what some of them have had to endure just to be allowed to love the mammal they wanted to." Xavier pressed the center band of his glasses, sliding them back up his nose.
"And then?" Dawn asked knowingly. She could already assume what was to come next.
Xavier let out another sigh as he lowered his paw again, it was now getting dangerously close to the floor of the truck bed.
"Then you have pred and prey couples like..." Xavier shook his head before gesturing toward Dawn and Vernon.
"I figured..." Dawn muttered.
"The cases with pred and prey couples are few and far between." The wolf sighed, scratching he head. "I think it has to do with a combination of the fact that there are so few of them, as well as the amount of shame such a coupling carries keeping them in hiding when it comes to being seen in public. I can only imagine some of the horror stories couples like those have to tell." The wolf shook his head. "Especially those living out in the sticks."
"Can't get much lower than us huh?" Vernon said with a chuckle.
"Maybe if ya'll were a liger and a zhorse in a gay interspecies relationship." Malcolm laughed, sliding a paw across the truckbed floor until it was below Xavier's. "Then I imagine ya'll'd be here."
Dawn felt the truck shift, and turning her attention back to the road she could see Audrey's truck was now pulling away from the highway. She watched as the cement drifted out of sight, only to be replaced by long, amber stalks of grain. She imagined it wasn't much longer until they would be back at the ranch. Dawn couldn't help but ruminate on Xavier's talk of about the ladder of societal outcasts, and the suffering of all the mammals who simply wanted nothing more than to live their lives the way they chose in peace. She wanted the same, with Vernon, with her Mother, with the Hunters. But at the moment it all seemed so frustrating, so hard. How could she and Vernon have that simple peace without jeopardizing the rest of their families.
"It must be such a struggle..." Dawn mumbled. It hadn't been directed at anyone, it had simply slipped out before Dawn knew what she was saying.
"It can be." Xavier replied, drawing Dawn's attention to the fact she had spoken out loud. The ewe placed a hoof to her muzzle, blushing slightly in embarrassment.
"I've spoken to numerous clients who've told me so many miserable and horrific stories." Xavier shook his head in disappointment. "Ex-communicated by families, by friends and loved ones. Vandalism, physical abuse, in rare cases a death. Just because of their strong desire to simply be with the mammal they love."
Xavier let out a sad sigh, and for a moment the wolf remained silent, allowing the quiet ambience of the wind to dominate the truck bed. Dawn watched the wolf turn to glance at his partner before a small smile crawled across his muzzle. Xavier leaned over to Malcolm, planting a gentle kiss on his forehead before pulling him in with one arm. Malcolm let out an affection sigh as he leaned into his mate.
"But they fought, and when they needed help they came to me so they could keep fighting." Xavier said confidently. "Being in an unusual relationship like you or I, or the rest of my brothers can be a struggle, but so is anything worth fighting for." The well dressed wolf squeezed his mate into a hug.
Dawn could feel tears start to well as Xavier's words hit home inside her. Glancing up at the wolf above her, she could see his own glistening eyes looking back. And as Vernon's grip around her tightened into a hug of it's own the ewe began to feel something burning inside. A flicker of heat similar to what she had felt in her dreams while comatose in the hospital. Determination.
Xavier was right, his simple but effective statement encapsulated everything Dawn should have been thinking all along. Aside from Dorian, Yuri, and possibly Ulric, most of Vernon's family were stalwart in their support of the two of them being together. Despite Dawn's past, despite the difference in species, and in apparent spite of the risks that were associated with fraternizing with mixed species couples. She and Vernon had the fortune that despite it all they were still lucky enough to be surrounded by so many loving and supportive mammals. Nick, Judy, her Mother, Audrey, Vanna, the list expanded far beyond the capacity for Dawn to count on her own hooves. These were luxuries the mammals that went to seek Xavier's help most likely didn't have. Yet they didn't turn and run away, back into the dark. They stood, and they fought to be able to simply live a relatively normal life. Not only did Dawn owe the completion of her book to herself and Vernon, but she owed it to all the other mammals whose struggles the book would help shed light on. Something they could rally behind and get the attention they deserved.
But the ewe also knew she had to fight for her new family. Despite all that had happened over the first two days of the re-union, every encounter gone awry or misstep, there had always been a Hunter to stand up and defend them. The family had even gone so far to stand against the head of their household all for her and Vernon's sake, and it had been fractured because of it. Dawn couldn't simply give up now, simply turn tail and run back to Zootopia as fast as her hooves could carry her. She owed it to her new family to try to fix the problem, to heal the rift she had created. Even if she couldn't, at the very least she owed it to the Hunter family to try. But the question that now hung in the ewe's mind was simply 'how'?
"Which is why I am still so surprised at my Father for his supposed 'solution'!" Xavier huffed.
"Oh hush now Xavi." Malcolm cooed. "Dori ain't worth getting flustered over."
Xavier let out a scoff. "It is when he's behaving in such a manner, I swear."
"W-well it is his job to keep the peace." Wade stuttered slightly. "Things were getting a bit out of paw there, you were kind of losing it Xave."
Xavier snorted, throwing his brother a glare.
"Oh do not get all 'peace maker' on me Wade." The wolf made air quoting gestures as he emphasized 'peace maker'.
" His actions were completely untenable!" Xavier hissed, crossing his paws. "I've never seen Father behave in such a manner! Let alone side with mammals who were clearly in the wrong."
"He has been actin' different hasn't he?" Malcolm mused, placing a finger to his chin. "Seems like he's all riled up, like something's got under his fur."
"Yeah, us." Vernon muttered tersely.
"That's preposterous!" Xavier cried, gesturing to the two of them. "If you and Dawn are the reason for his behavior, then as I said early it is a slap in the face to the rest of us." Xavier huffed. "How can he approve of our relationships if he seems to take issue with yours? How can he accept Vanna, Qali, Ada or even Malcolm and spurn your mate?"
"M-maybe..." Dawn murmured. She could feel cud rising in her throat as she once again had to think about her own horrible misdeeds. She was averse to bringing it up again, but it seemed like the most obvious answer.
"Maybe it's because of my involvement in the 'Night Howler' plot." Dawn sighed.
Xavier shook his head decisively in dismissal. "Nonsense." the dowdy wolf replied without hesitation. "Father was a champion of rehabilitation, he believed in the idea even more than anyone else in this family."
"And after what ya'll did in Zootopia months ago, I'd think that'd be enough proof to the ol' wolf you were on the level Darlin'." Malcolm added.
"W-what else can it be then?" Dawn replied firmly, drawing back slightly in surprise of her own statements. But it was true, if it had nothing to do with the species difference, than it had to be Dawn's history as an ex-criminal. But the ewe's certainty began to waiver as she recalled a previous conversation with the Hunter girls earlier that day.
Ada and Qali had vastly disagreed about Dorian's true personality because they had met him at different times. And Vanna explained that Dorian had become reclusive and colder in the past few months, even before Dawn had been dating his son in an official sense. Perhaps there was something deeper there that Dawn was simply missing, and Vernon and her showing up had simply been an inopportune time to meet the wolf. As if to confirm her suspicions, the next words out of Malcolm's mouth seemed to add to the story Vanna had painted before.
"Last time I was out to visit he wasn't anything like this. Hell, he was the first one to hug me!" Xavier lamented.
"Ada said something very similar to me today." Dawn responded, scratching her chin.
"Oh?" Xavier asked, seemingly intrigued.
"Yes."" Dawn nodded. "When did the two of you last visit?"
Xavier placed a paw to his chin, rolling his eyes as he searched his thoughts.
"Hmm...I'd say..." The wolf trailed off as he tapped a finger against his chin repeatedly. " A little under a year ago, during 'Courtship Day' break I believe."
Dawn nodded in affirmation. "That lines up with what Ada, Vanna and Qali said. That Dorian's only been acting this way for the last few months."
"Well either way." Xavier huffed. "Good luck getting the real reason out of him when he's acting like such a mongrel, he's more stubborn that Vernon!" The well dressed wolf smirked as he gestured to his brother.
"Hey!" Vernon snapped. " I ain't that stubborn!"
Dawn chuckled, patting the wolf on the leg as she eyed him doubtfully. "Vernon, you made us part of a police chase because you weren't willing to let the police take me in for questioning."
"That's different!" The wolf sputtered. "They were trying to frame you!"
"Oh now this is one I absolutely have to hear the details on." Xavier grinned mischievously as he crossed his paws.
Dawn was about to open her mouth, to retell the harrowing story in earnest, but Vernon cut her off.
"Hey look! Were home!" The wolf cried loudly, drawing the ewes attention to her surroundings.
The ewe could see the car was in the process of slowing to a stop as the Hunter Family Ranch pulled into sight. The large sprawling cabin loomed over the old truck as it finally parked, and the rumble of the engine died away. Vernon had popped the trunk door open even before the truck had managed to come to a full stop. The wolf only paused to slide Dawn off his lap and back onto the truck bed before sliding his way off of the vehicle.
"Welp, I better head inside and get the picnic stuff!" The wolf announced abruptly as he adjusted the hem of his jeans.
Xavier simply chuckled as Wade began to make his way toward the trunk flap, shaking his head as the wolf passed. As Malcolm helped the well dressed wolf to his feet, he turned his attention back to Dawn, flashing the ewe a warm smile.
"Promise me you will tell me later, I really want to hear what kind of trouble my poor little brother got himself into."
Dawn smiled, nodding briskly at Xavier before the couple made their way off the back of the truck and onto the gravel drive. As Xavier passed by Vernon, he gave him a firm pat on the shoulder, letting out another laugh before leaving the couple alone.
Dawn eyed the wolf with a smirk of her own, which cause Vernon to turn his attention to the floor in shame.
"I...I said I was sorry for it." Vernon muttered.
Dawn scooted over to the edge of the trunk, giving the wolf an affection pat on the chest.
"I know." She cooed, extending a hoof to the wolf to help her down. "But that doesn't mean I'm not going to tell it to others." Dawn giggled as Vernon clasped her hoof tightly. The wolf brought his other arm under her legs, effectively making a lower ledge for her to slide off from. "Especially family."
Dawn hopped to the ground with ease, letting out a grunt as her hooves impacted the uncomfortable gravel. She never usually gave much thought to investing in a pair of 'solepads' like the ones Judy wore, but being in the rough terrain of the country rather than the smooth streets of Zootopia was certainly making her think twice about the idea. The ewe dusted her skirt off before turning her attention toward the now towering wolf.
Vernon was still clearly embarrassed. His teeth were clenched into a firm cringe as he let out a soft whine.
"Y-you ain't really gonna tell 'em all are ya?" Vernon muttered.
Dawn smirked, flicking a hoof toward the wolf. "I suppose it depends on how the picnic goes." Dawn said with a grin.
With that, the wolf's ears perked up, and Dawn could see his tail begin to wag.
"O-Oh the picnic!" The wolf yelped. The way he had said it made it seem as though he had temporarily forgotten it. "Yeah! I have to get all the gear."
Vernon turned, taking a step toward the house before turning back toward Dawn. Reaching down, the wolf gave Dawn's wooly poof a playful tousle. Dawn did her best to swat him away, giggling all the while. But it did little to stop the wolf.
"You wait here, and I'll be back in two shakes of..." Vernon shook his head, letting out a chuckle. "In two shakes of yer tail." The wolf flashed a cheesy grin.
Dawn let out a snorting laugh. "That's not funny."
Vernon pointed a finger toward the ewe as he began to walk backward toward the ranch. "But you laughed!"
Dawn shook her head as the wolf turned away from her and began a swift jog toward the front door. The wolf was nearly at the house when the slamming of car doors and excited gibbering drew Dawn's attention back to the truck cab. In all the excitement the ewe had nearly forgotten about Audrey and Ulric.
"Alright Ulric, I love ya. But seriously yer Ma has a headache." Audrey sighed as she marched passed Dawn toward the door. The she-wolf had a paw clasped to her head, her faced twisted up into a painful wince. Ulric was following close behind, practically hopping in place with excitement. Despite his Mother's declaration, it seemed to do little to slow the wolf down.
"Because that's where sheep came from Ma!' The wolf protested. "That's why they got those weird eyes!"
Dawn suppressed a giggle as she watched the pair continue to trudge toward the house, Audrey looking increasingly tired with each woeful step. All the while Ulric's rant growing quieter and quieter with only a few loud phrases popping out like 'UFO's' and something about 'wool transmitters' before they finally disappeared inside. Now Dawn was alone, left with nothing but the soothing hum of the light breeze wafting across the Meadowlands. The ewe took a moment to lean against the car, letting out a sigh as she began to think back to the matter at hoof once more.
Now that Dawn was set on staying and trying to make up for the trouble she had caused. But the ewe remained uncertain of just how to even begin to go about it. She kept coming back to the talk she had with the other members of the family, about how Dorian had changed seemingly overnight with no provocation. Surely there was a reason, surely some catalyst had to have forced the wolf to change. It was in that moment it became clear to Dawn. Like a brilliant flash through her mind, it became instantly apparent as to what she had to do.
She knew she had to talk to Dorian, alone. It was the only way to possibly mend the situation. Should any of the Hunter's go with her, especially Vernon, it would only end in an explosive argument. She had to face the head of the family, and remain calm and rational in the face of anything the wolf might throw at her. She had to prove to Dorian that she could stand up to him, to stand up for the mammal she loved, and prove that love. Maybe then she could earn the wolf's respect, or at the very least learn the exact reason why he seemed to have it out for her. She had failed to hold her ground at the fair, but she was damn well going to hold her ground now. She had to, for the Hunters, for Vernon, and for herself.
#Zootopia#dawn bellwether#Assistant Mayor Bellwether#fanfiction#furry#fan character#wasted time#ask blog
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Top 5 / Bottom 5
I wasn’t Tagged but I did steal this off @handful-ofdust
Rules: Tag the person who tagged you, always post the rules, answer the questions, and add the date!
As of: August 16, 2017
What are your five most popular works? (starting with the most kudos)
1. To Take Him Under Your Protection
Game Of Thrones, Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth (1,309 words)
Brienne "The Beauty" of Tarth is summoned to Casterly Rock to bear witness to the engagement of one sulking, childish, Jaime Lannister.
Originally written to appease @singing-hedgehog back when we were still watching the show. I got emotionally attached to the symbolism in Westeros weddings with the cloak. Because I get attached to stupid details.
2. Endearments
Dragon Age 2, Fenris/Fem!Hawke (1,974 words)
Every Thedan language has a different word for what she is to him, and Fenris can't seem to voice any of them.
A language studies fic I wrote for @lovesexxdeath focusing on 3 canon words for “beloved” and a portmanteau I made up with @the-vaudevillain.
3. Thanas Ara Miren (Use My Fingers)
Dragon Age Inquisition, Solas/Lavellan (2,886 words)
Freezing cold while camped in Emprise du Lion, Alanenain Lavellan decides that she would be warmer in Solas's tent. Things get steamy (pun intended and I'm so sorry).
It’s porn. It’s also porn mostly written in the Elvhen Conlang developed by @fenxshiral. Mostly though, it’s porn.
4. Dwarves Don’t Dream
Dragon Age, Platonic Hawke/Varric (3,177 words)
Varric struggles with loss after Hawke is left behind in the Fade at Adamant.
Notable mostly for being the first of my sad Varric + Hawke QPP fics. I enjoy overthinking his reaction of Hawke being trapped in the Fade. Probably because I’m a bad person
5. Devilless Details
Star Wars: The Old Republic, Malavai Quinn/Female Sith Warrior (2,100 words)
Approaching the same scene from two different directions, Malavai Quinn and Fallon Noicrothatch are reunited on Iokath.
The first thing I posted for Fallon’s Canon, mostly introspective from both her and Quinn’s POVs.
What are your five least popular works by kudos?
1. Flowers For Her
Dragon Age (1,046 words)
Dragon Age one-shots inspired by flowers and other plants. The tags will be updated as I write more.
It’s what it says. Currently I have two up, one relating to the Flowers For Senna quest and the other one about Alistair leaving for templar training. I’m really not surprised it’s unloved.
2. Going Broke
Star Wars: The Old Republic, Female Bounty Hunter + Gault Rennow (1,234 words)
But when Gault thought about the monetary cost of finding Hrafnhar and worked out a budget behind his eyes, he realized there was more he was willing to spend. He could call it an investment. She was the muscle and he was the charm and together they could make back everything he’d spent.
He . . . missed her.
And that was horrifying.
Gault flat out says in chapter 13 that they were “going broke” looking for the Bounty Hunter and then I had some emotions about that, because Gault loves money. He loves money most.
3. Public Displays Of Affection
Star Wars: The Old Republic, Female Bounty Hunter/Torian Cadera (531 words)
Hrafnhar and Torian are one of those obnoxious married couples even when they're working. But Mandalorians are anything but subtle and having a marriage that is done all in words means spending a lot of time reaffirming it.
Tiny introspective drabble about the relationship between my bounty hunter and her husband and the different ways people say “I love you”
4. Mhi Ganar Mhi (We Have Us)
Star Wars: The Old Republic, Female Bounty Hunter/Torian Cadera (1,099 words)
Hrafnhar follows Darth Cred-Stick (Katsulas) and Commander No-Shirt (Marlitharn) to Darvannis because that's her job. And in so doing, is reunited with the love of her life.
Sappy reunion fics HOOOOOOOO
5. Weird Fade Shit
Dragon Age, Platonic Hawke/Varric (1,791 words)
“Once again, Hawke is in danger because of you, Varric. You found the red lyrium. You brought them here…"
Varric-centric focusing on the Night Terrors Quest and his apology to Hawke afterwards, bleeding in to Here Lies The Abyss.
More “if Aki was sad about it, you have to be sad about it” Hawke and Varric stuff because I was overthinking parallels between the Night Terrors Quest and the Demon at Adamant. And so I tried to write a hurt/comfort fic. . . . and then I killed Hawke because I’m bad at the comfort part.
Weirdly none of my Brick fanfic made the bottom 5. I’m . . . impressed? We’re going with impressed.
Tagging (if you’re interested)
@darth-char, @singing-hedgehog, @hardly-questionable, @d-a-f-punk (I don’t know if you write but you seem neat) and whomever else writes fic and is bored.
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Music I Liked in 2019
Every year I reflect on the pop culture I enjoyed and put it in some sort of order.
2019 was a great year for music, at least among the pop-leaning alt and indie rock I enjoy. Several favorite bands came back and knocked their latest efforts out of the park and I gained new appreciation for some artists that I’d never really connected with before. In fact, there was so much good music this year, I stretched my self-imposed Top 15 to get a few more records in. Of the three lists I write up each year, music is easily the most subjective because there’s a lot more of it out there and it’s even more fragmented, so I definitely don’t make any claims that these are the best albums of the year; they’re just my favorites and come highly recommended.
15. Better Oblivion Community Center – Better Oblivion Community Center
Phoebe Bridgers and Conner Oberst teamed up for this surprise release which merges both of their styles. The record is more electric/grungy than Bridgers’ solo output and though I’m not a big Oberst fan, there is still much to like here, especially the lovely ode to musical discovery “Chesapeake.”
14. Native Tongue – Switchfoot
Switchfoot have established a pattern of alternating records I adore (Hello Hurricane, Fading West) with records that do almost nothing for me (Vice Verses, Where The Light Shines Through). Native Tongue swings back to the positive column with a mix of shiny anthems and contemplative balladry. Maybe the next one will break the cycle and stay in the “win” column?
13. New Jersey EP – Geographer / Let’s Try the After EPs – Broken Social Scene
The digital-age trend of artists dropping EPs rather than full-lengths continued in earnest this year with a lot of decent short-form offerings. Geographer’s New Jersey EP is my favorite thing he’s done in years and Broken Social Scene’s two Let’s Try The After releases continue the revitalized kick begun with 2017’s Hug of Thunder.
12. (I Am) Origami Pt. 3 – A Catacomb Hymn – John Van Deusen
Former Lonely Forest frontman Van Deusen released the third in a series of solo records last year, this one reconciling the alt-rock angst of Pt. 1 and the spiritual introspection of Pt. 2. There’s a lot to dig into here, but I’m especially fond of “Fly Away to Hell,” an appeal to finding hope through the natural world’s beauty in the midst of despair.
11. Without Fear – Dermot Kennedy
Kennedy’s first full-length record comes on the heels of a series of EPs and includes several tracks cherry-picked from those yet still coheres as a whole. Mixing singer-songwriter guitar folk with modern pop production (including vocal distortion effects and massive percussion) yields a sound that is simultaneously raw and polished – and immediate. Highlights include “All My Friends,” “Moments Passed,” “Lost” and “Dancing Under Red Skies.”
10. Everyday Life – Coldplay / Hyperspace – Beck
The latest albums from these two alt-rock luminaries were released on the same day and both have a lot to recommend them, even if they don’t quite reach the heights of the artists’ best work. Everyday Life is an interesting grab bag of ideas that doesn’t quite gel, but it is far better than anything on the prior A Head Full of Dreams. Tracks like the quietly pretty “Èkó,” the Owl John-interpolating “Champion of the World” and the Afrobeat breakdown “Arabesque” are peak Coldplay. Hyperspace is Beck doing vaporwave, a mostly chill dive into existentialism that finds a medium between the neon pop of Colors and the mellow beauty of Morning Phase.
9. Rattlesnake – The Strumbellas
While even Mumford & Sons have tired of the banjo-rock trend they re-popularized, there are still some terrific folk-leaning bands keeping the tradition alive. The most recent record from the Strumbellas is a collection of upbeat anthems that celebrate life and hope with an honest tinge of existentialism. This is perfectly encapsulated on closer “All My Life,” an ode to the paradoxical nature of love (whether divine or romantic) as both heart-breaking and life-giving force.
8. I Am Easy to Find – The National
I Am Easy to Find is the National at their more gorgeously languid. With the inclusion of a chorus of female vocalists (one of three in a trend on this list), the music here expands in new directions. As a sister piece to a short film by artist/designer Mike Mills (Beginners), this record has the feel of a curated museum piece – in the best possible way. “Not in Kansas” references my favorite R.E.M. album, “Where Is Her Head” is all propulsive stream-of-consciousness, and the closing sequence from “Hairpin Turns” through “Light Years” is as strong as anything else in the band’s catalog. (If you like this record, I strongly recommend “Think You Can Wait,” their earlier collaboration with Sharon Van Etten for the soundtrack to Win Win.)
7. Surviving – Jimmy Eat World
2016’s Integrity Blues marked a return to form for Jimmy Eat World after a couple uneven efforts and Surviving sets the bar even higher. Zach Lind’s percussion comes through as clearly and strongly as the robust guitar riffs, making this one of the best rock records of the year. The album’s middle stretch – from the synthy staccato of “555” to the quiet-loud dynamism of “One Mil” to the Futures-esque “All The Way (Stay)” to the soaring immediacy of “Diamond” – may be my favorite 4-song sequence of any album this year.
6. In the Morse Code of Break Lights – The New Pornographers
Another dose of shimmering power-pop from the Canadian collective, In the Morse Code of Break Lights finds A.C. Newman at his most lyrically direct, confronting the current political landscape with comparisons to fallen empires of antiquity on the likes of “Colossus of Rhodes” & “One Kind of Solomon.” Standouts include those tracks as well as the rhythmic pulse of “Falling Down the Stairs of Your Smile” & “Opening Ceremony” and Simi Stone’s dynamic violin flourishes on “Dreamlike And On The Rush” & “Leather On The Seat.
5. Norman Fucking Rockwell! – Lana Del Rey
I’ve been on the fence about Lana Del Rey to this point, appreciating some of the singles I’ve heard but never fully engaging with her brand of arch romanticism. Whether her casually profane and resigned lyrics are authentically her or an ironic persona, NFR! is undeniable, reflecting the fatalism of young adulthood in Trump’s America with excellent songcraft. Jack Antonoff’s production floats her dreamy vocals over spare but lush instrumentation, creating a hazy atmosphere of malaise with maybe some glimmers of hope flickering through.
4. My Finest Work Yet – Andrew Bird
Another reflection of the times from an artist I’ve never quite connected with before, Bird’s wryly titled My Finest Work Yet focuses his droll wit on deconstructing American exceptionalism and imperialism. The wordplay throughout this record is ingenious, but it’s the compositions that really sell everything, with hooks a-plenty and warm jazz orchestration to counterbalance the heavy subject matter. And yes, there is some whistling.
3. NINE – blink-182 / Strange Love EP – Simple Creatures
If 2016’s California was preoccupied with recapturing the bratty pop-punk rush of Enema of the State, then NINE is blink-182’s return to the more experimental emo leanings of their self-titled 2003 release. While not quite as adventurous as that record, it’s definitely their best work since, featuring introspective lyrics, plenty of Whoa-Oh-Oh sing-a-longs and full integration of newest member Matt Skiba (who is deployed as much more than a Tom DeLonge surrogate this time out). Personal favorites include “Heaven,” “I Really Wish I Hated You,” “No Heart To Speak Of” and “Hungover You,” but this is a solid front-to-back listen.
2019 also saw Mark Hoppus team up with All Time Low’s Alex Gaskarth for two EPs under the moniker Simple Creatures. Strange Love is the stronger of the two and leans into synthpop territory with bright choruses, providing a nice complement to NINE.
2. Father of the Bride – Vampire Weekend
Aside from the stellar “Harmony Hall,” the pre-release singles from Vampire Weekend’s latest didn’t really wow me and I worried that this record (the first without Rostam Batmanglij as a full member) would end their unimpeachable run. However, in the context of the album, everything works brilliantly, a clear case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. Ezra Koenig is at both his most experimental (see “Sympathy” and “Flower Moon”) and most traditional (see “Unbearably White” and “We Belong Together”) here, to great effect. Danielle Haim contributes vocals to several songs (two of three of the trend), tying everything together and adding a new dimension to the sound, which is still recognizably VW while expanding in new directions.
1. American Football (LP3) – American Football
Though I missed American Football’s initial late-90s run, I was glad to catch up with the band upon the release of their 2016 reunion album. Their music lives somewhere at the nexus of emo, post-rock, shoegaze and jazz, with instrumental motifs that call to mind Jimmy Eat World’s Clarity opus “Goodbye Sky Harbor.” 2019 brought a third LP (fortunately without a 17-year wait) that I believe is their best yet. Featuring female vocalists on several tracks (three of three of the trend), this set of songs has more immediate hooks without sacrificing lush guitar cascades or meditative polyrhythms. A perfect record to get lost in on a quiet morning drive – or any other time, really.
You know what’s better than reading about music? Listening to it. Here’s a sampling of songs from each of these records if you want an easily-digestible mix:
Bonus! Reinterpretation Albums:
Reworked – Snow Patrol – For Snow Patrol’s 25th year, they put out this album of new recordings of some of their greatest hits (and a few new songs for good measure). These reinterpretations aren’t drastically different from the originals, but they share a consistent coffeehouse vibe that makes for nice Sunday morning listening and a fresh approach to a typical “Best Of” record (which, to be fair, they have done before).
Tiny Changes: A Celebration of Frightened Rabbit’s ‘The Midnight Organ Fight’ – Various Artists – One of the final projects Scott Hutchison was involved with before his death, Tiny Changes bucks the trend of reissuing a landmark album on its anniversary. Instead, to commemorate 10 years of their breakthrough release, Frightened Rabbit tapped some of their favorite artists and friends (including the likes of Ben Gibbard, Manchester Orchestra and Julien Baker) to record cover versions of the whole thing. While nothing can touch the raw emotion of the originals, these interpretations reveal new dimensions to many of the songs, especially Daughter’s hauntingly beautiful and gut-wrenching take on “Poke.”
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hey Steph, really adore your blog. I saw your ask about s3 and s4 John and his anger. do you have any pics that deal with that? I think his anger is caused by his jealousy. he loves Sherlock and is deeply insecure about S's love for him. I'd love to find some fics that actually deal with all of that. thank you. x
Hey Nonny!!
I DO!!! Been waiting for another ask to finally get this list up and out! Hope you find something you enjoy on this one! <3
ANGRY / CRANKY JOHN
See also:
Jealous John b/c of Other People
Jealous John
Jealous John Pt. 2 and Jealous Sherlock Pt 2
Jealous John Pt 3 and Jealous Sherlock Pt 3
Jealous John and Sherlock Pt. 4
Jealous John and Sherlock Pt. 5
Texts and Tea by JillianWatson1058 (K, 959 w., 1 Ch. || Friendship, Texting, Humour, Fluff, POV John, Cranky John) – A John who is woken up at 2:30 in the morning is not a happy John. Sherlock, frankly, doesn’t care. He just wants his tea.
And, Usually, He's the One Who GIVES Me a Headache by Cumberbatch Critter (T, 1,315 w., 1 Ch. || Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, POV John, Cranky John, Headaches, Head Massage) – A migraine is never fun.
Hallucinations can't open doors by Bespectacled dreamer (K+, 1,330 w., 1 Ch. || Reunion, Hurt / Comfort, Friendship, Hallucinations, John’s Wedding, Light Humour) – In which John gets married and Sherlock gets a broken nose.
The 3x John Carried Sherlock, and Once ViceVersa by ShinkonoKokoro (K+, 1,673 w., 1 Ch. || Fluff, Friendship, Three and One, BAMF John, Sherlock Whump, Worried Sherlock, John Gets Shot) – It happens more than he suspects.
Baskerville After Dark by Ttime42 (T, 1,921 w., 1 Ch. || THoB, Friendship, Humor, Bed Sharing, Missing Scenes, Cranky John, Cuddles) – John and Sherlock have to share a bed at Baskerville. Gen, but can be preslash.
Stay by sussexbound (M, 2,067 w., 1 Ch. || Post TAB, Suicidal Ideation Mention, Implied / Referenced Drug Use, Kissing, Love Confessions, Frottage, Coming in Pants) – “Why? Why did you do it? Hmm…?” He takes a deep breath, waits, lets it out again. “Look at me.” There’s no denying him when he takes this tone. “Why did you kill him? Hmm…? For her? After…” A muscle twitches in the corner of John’s eye, and he clamps his jaw down tightly, swallows and sniffs a little before continuing. “For her? After everything she’s done?” “For you.” Before he can even stop himself. Just like that.
Denial Isn’t Just a River in Egypt by satanatemycat (T, 2,107 w., 1 Ch. || Humour, Friendship, Texting, Bored/Cranky Sherlock) – In which John makes a bet with a co-worker. If he wins, she shuts up about him and Sherlock being a couple. If he loses… well, that doesn’t matter, because he won’t lose. Because he and Sherlock ARE NOT a couple. Right?
Nothing Left Untouched by ForeverShippingJohnlock (K+, 2,617 w., 1 Ch. || Friendship, Romance, Bed Sharing, Oblivious Sherlock, Anxious/Worried Sherlock, Grumpy John, Fluff and Cuddles) – Sherlock rearranges the flat. So what if John's bedroom is now a research library. It's not like John needs a bedroom, he can share with Sherlock. They're friends and John has obviously slept in close quarters with men before and it's not like Sherlock sleeps much anyway. It'll be fine.
Those Days by StillWaters1 (T, 2,663 w., 1 Ch. || Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, PTSD / Sensory Attacks, Caring Sherlock) – If Sherlock had danger nights, then these were John's danger days.
Extraordinary by ardenteurophile (T, 2,739 w., 7 Ch. || Angst, Pining, Romance, Second Person POV Sherlock, Pre-Slash) – Sherlock tries to understand his preoccupation with one Doctor John Watson - the one case he can never solve.
BBCSH 'The Comfort of Company' by tigersilver (T, 2,769 w., 1 Ch. || Post-TRF/Mary, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Bed Sharing, Grumpy John, Touching, Clingy/Handsy Sherlock, Cranky Sherlock, Fluff and Light Angst) – It's a trope that John and Sherlock end up sharing in the same bed eventually and I admit I do adore it unconditionally, along with all it infers as to the lowering of defenses and the heightening of trust. I put forth for your consideration that the notion persists because those who think about these things realize these two men are each in dire need of some good company.
Unquantifiable by 221b_hound (M, 2,799 w. 1 Ch. || Est. Rel., Grumpy John, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Pet Names, Texting, Sweet Sherlock, Princess Bride References) – John remains a terrible and foul-tempered patient, but he does try to make up for it with pet names and text message silliness. In the meantime, Sally Donovan visits Baker Street for a hint about the Milverton case, and has to deal with a Sherlock Holmes who can't find words big enough to thank her for saving John's life at the warehouse. For afters, there's a viewing of The Princess Bride. Part 33 of the Unkissed series
Bathroom Accessories by Evenlodes_Friend (E, 3,324 w., 1 Ch. || Sex Toys, Butt Plug, First Kiss / Time, Romance, Horny Sherlock, John’s Patience Wears Thin, Humour, Bottomlock) – John discovers that Sherlock has been playing with some very adult toys in the bath.
After the Bombs by VampirePam (T, 3,337 w., 2 Ch. || THoB AU, Drugs, John’s PTSD, Panic Attack, Nightmares, Caring Sherlock, Cuddles, Bed Sharing, Angst, Hurt/Comfort) – In which the drugs Sherlock used to dose John trigger a severe episode of PTSD. When terrors old and new cause John to fall apart, Sherlock must rectify his mistake and pick up the pieces.
Breakfast, acronyms and brotherhood by Rose de Sharon (K+, 4,074 w., 1 Ch. || TBB Fic, Friendship/Bromance, Hurt/Comfort, Protective John, Fluff) – Set after The Blind Banker: my take of Sherlock and John's conversation over breakfast. S/J friendship, bromance, no slash.
Afghanistan in Baskerville by Amaya Ramiel (K+, 4,357 w., 1 Ch. || THoB Fic, Hurt/Comfort, Drugged John, PTSD / Panic Attack, Hallucinations, Worried Sherlock, John’s Past, Friendship) – What if John hadn't seen the hound when Sherlock trapped him in the lab? What if instead, his very real nightmares of the war had materialized all around him? Trapped and drugged, John can't tell what's real and what's not. How will Sherlock react?
What John Doesn't Know (Won't Hurt Him) by blueink3 (NR [T], 4,392 w., 1 Ch, || S3 Fix It, Pining Sherlock, Snippets of Life, Hurt/Comfort, Scars, Fluff and Angst, Five and One, Hopeful Ending, POV Sherlock) – Five people who see Sherlock's scars before John Watson. But Sherlock's secrets were never something he could keep from his blogger for long.
Overture by Kate_Lear (M, 4,435 w., 1 Ch. || First Kiss / Time, Friends to Lovers, Angry John, Introspection, Dev. Rel., Embarassed / Insecure Sherlock, Morning After, Bed Sharing, Cuddles / Limpet Sherlock) – A short snippet on how John and Sherlock might have got together.
When Your Belly's in the Trench by Morgan_Stuart (T, 4,743 w., 1 Ch. || PTSD, Character Study, Rescue, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Torture, Trauma, Danger, Drama, Kidnapping/Captivity) – The next time that door opens, John Watson will kill the person on the other side.
Given In Evidence by verityburns (M, 5,034 w., 19 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Post-TRF, Angst, Drama, Case Fic, Romance, BAMF!John, Submissive Sherlock, First Kiss, Humour) – Coming back from the dead can be a complicated business. With a new case on the horizon, rebuilding a life is one thing... rebuilding a friendship quite another. For Sherlock and John, things may never be just the same...
This Year by DiscordantWords (T, 6,283 w., 2 Ch. || TEH Divergence / No Mary, New Year’s Eve, John’s A Mess, Jealous John, Awkward Conversations, Trapped in a Closet, Estranged After Return, John POV, Semi-Reunion, Angry John, First Kiss, Reconciliation, Clueless Sherlock, Happy Ending) – Last year, Sherlock Holmes showed up at the Landmark with a fake moustache and a bad French accent and threw John's entire life into disarray with two words: "Not dead." This year, there are more surprises in store.
An Interpretation of Viewing Habits by akitsuko (E, 6,653 w., 1 Ch. || Porn Watching, Masturbation, Anal, Friends to Lovers, First Kiss / Time, Declarations of Love, Jealous Sherlock, Fantasizing, John in Denial / Internalized Homophobia, Bottomlock, Pining Idiots, Sherlock Has No Boundaries, Cockblocking Sherlock) – John watches porn. It's a perfectly normal thing to do.If every video he watches happens to feature actors with remarkable physical similarities to his flatmate, well, that's no one's business but his own. Or: John is in denial, until his infatuation with Sherlock is impossible to deny anymore.
BANG by ElvendorkInfinity (T, 7,016 w., 3 Ch. || Post-TGG AU, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Worried / Scared Sherlock, Alternating POV, Whump, Hospital Recovery, Open Ending) – 'I should warn you,' Sherlock says, his voice steady and his eyes fixed on Moriarty. 'You are sadly misinformed.' And he fires. Prequel to M Is For Moriarty
Stranded by BeautifulFiction (T, 5, 798 w., 1 Ch. || First Kiss, Communication / Relationship Discussion, Pining Sherlock, Sherlock POV, BAMF John, Doctor John, Case Fic, Drinking, Huddling For Warmth, Friends to More) – When stranded on a derelict barge at high tide, John and Sherlock reconsider their friendship.
London Gods by a_different_equation (E, 11,092 w., 5 Ch. || American Gods Fusion || Magical Realism, Sex Magic, True Love, PTSD John, First Kiss/Time, Marathon Sex, Sensuality, Genie Sherlock, Human John, Internalize Homophobia, Star-Crossed Lovers, Soul Mates) – Sherlock Holmes is a jinn who does not grant wishes. However, when Dr. John H. Watson, recently returned from the war in Afghanistan, gets into his cab by "accident", it might not even need magic to grant both men their deepest wish: love.
There's So Much Labour Just in Breathing Lately by Susan (E, 12,708 w., 1 Ch. || Post-TRF / Mentions of S3 Events, Romance, Angst, Grief/Mourning, Grieving John, Mutual Pining, Meddling Mycroft, Therapy, Ambiguous Hopeful Ending, Infidelity) – The dreams he hated most – the ones that left him a sweating, shaking mess when he woke – were the ones in which Sherlock was just Sherlock. Laughing or drinking tea. Sitting across the table from him at Angelo’s eating pasta. Trailing his open hand behind him on the way to the bedroom. “C’mon, John. I’m about to have my way with you.”
Shuteye Shenanigans by Ayakae (K+, 13,263 w., 8 Ch. || Post-TRF, Friendship / Epic Bromance, John’s Nightmares, Angsty Fluff, Bed Sharing, Humour, Cuddles, Taking Care of Each Other, Domestics) – John Watson has never slept with Sherlock Holmes. Never ever ever. And never will, thank you very much. Well, there was that one time, but John didn't count that. It was completely different, just like the second time it happened. And the third. And the fourth. Epic bromance, but it can be read as pre-slash if you wish.
The Palmyra Atoll by elwinglyre (E, 16,609 w., 3 Ch. || TSo3 Divergence / Episode Fix-It, Stockholm Syndrome, Kidnapped John Watson, John Whump, Evil Mary, Angst, Cuddling & Snuggling, Toplock, Limited 3rd John POV) – As John's preparing for the wedding, Sherlock is preparing to have his heart broken, and Mary is prepared to do the unthinkable. Intervention required. Enter Sherlock. Set before Sign of Three with a far different outcome. John is drugged, kidnapped, and left on an island, but not just any old island.
Wonderful, Etcetera. by VictoryCandescence (T, 16,955 w., 3 Ch. || Wonderful Life AU || Alternate Timelines, Brotherhood, Homophobia, Suicidal Ideations, Mentions of Drug Use, Friendship, Different TRF, Sherlock’s Past, Victor Trevor is Past Boyfriend, Depression, Hallucination?, Love Confessions, Christmas, First Kiss) – Sherlock thinks everyone would be better off if he had never existed, including and especially himself. When he finds himself in a world in which his wish has been granted, he begins to think perhaps even he could be wrong – but it takes an unlikely chaperone to make him not only observe, but understand.
I Think I've Come A Long Long Way To Sit Before You Here Today by ArwenKenobi (T, 18,251 w., 3 Ch. || Grief/Mourning, Passage of Time, Major Character Death, Alternating POV, Sherlock Whump, Pining Sherlock, Hospitalization, Coma, Revenge Murders, Hallucinations, Love Confessions, Brutal Accident, Mystrade, Ghost John) – One year after John is killed Sherlock starts to wonder whether John has actually gone anywhere.
Out of the Woods by SilentAuror (E, 20,471 w., 1 Ch. || Post S4, Romance, Slow Burn, Flirting, Drunk Sex, Practical Jokes, POV Sherlock, Bottomlock, Possessive John, Pining Sherlock, Frustrated Wanking, Frottage, Hand Jobs, Blow Jobs, First Kiss/Time, Virgin Sherlock, Love Confessions, Soft Sherlock, Dancing, Bum Appreciation, Hanging out with the Yard) – Sherlock is fairly certain that John has taken to flirting with him of late, but can't be entirely certain of it. At least, not until a case takes them into a forest, along with Lestrade's team and something happens that will change everything about their lives...
A Quiet Life by DiscordantWords (M, 25,176 w., 6 Ch. || Post S4, Retirement, POV Sherlock, Awkwardness, Established Relationship, Family Dynamics, Minor Character Death, Questionable Parenting Choices, Non-Linear Narrative, 20 Year Old Rosie, Meddling Mycroft, Pining Sherlock, First Kiss, Love Confessions, Angst, Sherlock Whump) – There had been three days of silence and a funeral. Sherlock had the terrible feeling that whatever happened next would depend, entirely, on him.
To Mend Icarus by AlessNox (T, 28,347 w., 14 Ch. || Post-TRF / Pre-S3 Divergence, BAMF John, Anger, Fighting, Sex, Bed Sharing, Stalking, Case Fic, John’s Past, Introspection, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Crime, Mythology, Darkness) – After a case lands John Watson in court, he tells Sherlock that he is leaving. Not understanding why, Sherlock decides that the only way to learn the truth is to investigate his flatmate, Dr. John Watson. Sherlock finds that coming back is not enough to fix all of the damage that he caused by leaving. A post Reichenbach, post reunion re-discovery fic.
Hellfire by testosterone_tea (E, 28,596 w., 9 Ch. || Fantasy / Magic / Mages / Elementals AU || Mage Sherlock, Elemental John, Developing Relationship, Torture, Powerful / BAMF John, POV Alternating, Dark / Blood Magic, UST, First Kiss) – Sherlock is a Mage that gets involved with a case involving Dark Summoning rituals, leading him to John Watson, a man with Berserker blood. The only thing is, Berserkers have been extinct for centuries. And of course, nothing involving Mycroft and his interfering ways is ever simple. This time, even Sherlock may have bitten off more than he can chew.
A Home for Us by sussexbound (M, 30,581 w., 12 Ch. || Scars, Bedsharing, Grief, Doctor John, Hurt/Comfort, Post-TRF, Implied/Referenced Torture, Sherlock POV, Pining Sherlock, Suicidal Ideation, Heavy Emotions, Clingy Sherlock, Hallucinations, Disassociation, Emotional Turmoil) – He has been on the road for two years, and he is exhausted. He’s almost accepted that he will never see London (John) again—almost. But then there are nights like tonight, where he is weak, and all he can think of is the warmth of the flat they once shared, the crackle of the fire in the hearth, the teasing smile playing at the corner of John’s lips, the boxes of half-eaten Chinese takeaway balanced precariously in their laps. He aches at the memory of it, at the realisation that it is something he may never experience again.
carrying up his morning tea by darcylindbergh (E, 34,504 w., 5 Ch. || Post S3, Minor Character Death, Grief/Mourning, Wakes/Funerals, Estranged John, Pining Sherlock, Depression/Insecurity, Slow Burn, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Chronic Pain/Injury, Reconciliation, Awkwardness, Loneliness, Scars, Angst With Happy Ending) – His fingers tremble as he dials and he can’t force them steady. Familiar number, even though he hasn’t used it in two years. He isn’t even sure he should be calling it now, but she’d asked. She’d made him promise.
(Never) Turn Your Back to the Sea by DiscordantWords (M, 39,968 w., 7 Ch. || Post S4 Fix It || Grief / Mourning, Victor Trevor, Friendship, Sherlock is Not Okay, Nightmares/Flashbacks/Panic Attacks, Parentlock, Pining Sherlock, Angst with Happy Ending, John Comes Home) – Baker Street is very much the same. Only different. And Sherlock is just trying not to drown.
Only To Be With You by SinceWhenDoYouCallMe_John (M, 40,768 w., 4 Ch. || Black Mirror / Future AU || Character Death, Future Technology, Sickness/Cancer/Illness, Heavy Angst with Happy Ending, First Person POV John, Pining John, Heart-Wrenching Angst) – I tell myself that next time I’ll come near this same place again. Wait around for the mysterious stranger in his coat to dash past me, hot on the heels of a new criminal in black. I think this all the way back to my Exit, planning where I’ll wait and what I’ll say when I see him. Scheming on how to get his name. It’s only once I reach the Exit Point door that I realize two hours and forty-five minutes have passed, and I realize that this won’t be the last time I Visit. It won’t be the last time at all.
Guidelines by WithLoweredVoices (M, 43,018 w., 15 Ch. || Winglock || Angels, Fantasy, Angst, BAMF! John, War, Jealous Sherlock, Possessive Sherlock, Jealous John, Falling in Various Ways) – The Good Soldier, one of the oldest and strongest of the fallen, is offered a bargain: to live as John Watson and to Guide a fledgling archangel so that he will stay on the path of good. Of course, Sherlock Holmes has different ideas about his destiny. Fantasy AU. Warnings for violence, occasional gore, and a whole load of hurt and angst.
The Real Great Perfumers by shelleysprometheus (E, 45,355 w., 68 Ch. || Case Fic, Alternating POV, Gay Sherlock / Bi John, Canon Compliant with Divergence at TRF, Friends to Lovers, Oral / Anal, Pining, First Kiss / Time, Dev. Rel., Drugging, Body Worship, Bathing, Love Confessions, Travelling, Bottomlock, Cranky Sherlock, BJ’s, Alternating POV, Jealous John) – The case, this case. This extraordinary, fascinating, scintillating case. A house. Designed entirely by its eccentric owner, built by no less than five hundred expert tradesmen in the heart of Marrakesh. A house that had, seemingly not only driven its owner out, but also to his quite unpleasant death. And a perfumer, a chemist no less, the very thought of the secrets that house could reveal, would reveal was irresistible. Sherlock had to have this case ... and it seems, he also had to have John! Part 1 of the Forethought and Fire series
Inscrutable to the Last by DiscordantWords (M, 48,842 w., 6 Ch. || Post-TRF, Alternate S3, John’s Blog/S3 is a Story By John, Divorce, Marital Difficulties, John is a Mess, Emotional Reunion, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Grief / Mourning, Pining John, First Kiss, Adorably Clueless Sherlock, Nostalgia, Love Confessions, Eventual Happy Ending) – He wasn't Sherlock, he couldn't work miracles. All he'd ever been able to do was write about them.
Impossible to Feign by achray (M, 49,204 w., 12 Ch. || TRF Rewrite / Reverse Reichenbach, Suicidal Ideations / Discussions, Drug Use/Abuse, Mutual Pining, Friends With Benefits, John Accepts his Sexuality, Anxious Sherlock, Meddling Mycroft, Depression, Hallucinations, Secret Agent John, BAMF John, Reunion, Make-Up Sex, Ambiguous Ending) – Sherlock leant forward, his long fingers curving round to grip John’s.“I won’t let him win,” he said, eyes hard. “I will do whatever it takes to get you out.”
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse by SilentAuror (E, 50,635 w., 1 Ch. || Post-S4/S4 Divergence, Case Fic, For a Case / Reverse Fake-Relationship, Conferences, Marriage Equality, Travelling / New York, Pride, Homophobia, Bottomlock, Marriage Proposal, John POV, Sexuality, Love Confessions, Emotional Love Making, Public Hand Jobs, Blow Jobs, Passionate Kissing, Needy/Clingy Sherlock, Virgin Sherlock, Touching / Hand Holding, Bed Sharing, Little Spoon Sherlock, Intense Orgasms) – John and Sherlock go to New York to attend a conference run by the National Defence of Traditional Marriage Coalition in order to investigate the potential bombing of the annual Manhattan Pride parade. As the conference unfolds, John finds himself repulsed by the toxic ideology being presented, which becomes relevent to his own unacknowledged issues and his friendship with Sherlock...
Repairing the Broken Things by BakerTumblings (M, 75,252 w., 15 Ch. || S4 Compliant, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Medical Trauma, Hospitals, Big Brother Mycroft, Misunderstandings, Realizations, Severe Accident, John Whump, Pneumonia, Medical Procedures, Bed Sharing, First Time, Healing, Happy Ending) – "I'm calling today to notify you that there's been an accident."
The Hollow Woman by ScopesMonkey (M, 51,335 w., 22 Ch. || Post-TRF, Major Character Death, Mystery, Romance, Friendship, Family, Angst, Crime, Reunion, First Kiss / Time, Nightmares, Doctor John, Jealous Sherlock, Jealous John, BAMF John, Angry John, Dub-Con, Rough Sex, Bottomlock, Possessive John, Villain Mary, Open Ending) – Forced to return to London sooner than expected, Sherlock falls into a case too close to home. Part 1 of the Hollowverse series
A Goose Quill Dipped in Venom by Polyphony (M, 52,748 w., 16 Ch. || Celebrity John AU || Alternate First Meeting, TV Host John, Supermodel Mary, Character Death, Mystery, Romance, Case Fic, First Kiss/Time, Meddling Mycroft, Drug Abuse, Doctor John, PDA, Deductions, POV Sherlock, Toplock, Sexual Tension, Angry/Rough Sex, Hopeful Ending, Asperger’s Sherlock) – Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective, is called in to a very ordinary although brutal murder. Something is badly out of tune with the whole scenario and Sherlock finds himself becoming more and more obsessed with the crime - and also with the victim.
Points by lifeonmars (E, 53,791 w., 42 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || HLV Rewrite / Canon Divergence, Married Life, Pregnancy / Baby Watson, Drinking to Cope, Boxing / Fisticuffs, Clueless John, Angst, Minor Medical Drama, Tattoos, Christmas, First Kiss/Time, Eventual Happy Ending, Love Confessions, Doctor John, Sexuality Crisis, Slow Burn, Case Fic, Drugging, Blow/Hand Job, Emotional Love Making, Parenthood, Passage of Time) – What if His Last Vow never happened? This fic picks up a few months after John and Mary's wedding, in an alternate universe where Magnussen doesn't exist, but Mary is still pregnant. Life continues -- just in a different direction. And slowly, Sherlock and John find their way to each other.
Never Change a Running System by Lorelei_Lee (E, 54,246 w., 18 Ch. || Pre-TRF, Romance, Humour, Drama, Sex Toys, Anal, Rimming, Masturbation, Frottage, Blow Jobs, Public Sex, First Kiss / Time, Virgin Sherlock / Loss of Virginity, Accidental Voyeurism, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Experiments, Naive Sherlock, Pining Sherlock, Jealous Sherlock, Possessive Sherlock, Straight With an Exception John, Hand Jobs) – Sherlock discovers his sexuality – with far-reaching consequences for John.
Albion and the Woodsman by Glenmore (NR [E], 54,437 w., 50 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Post S3, Parentlock, Pining Sherlock, Angst, Family, Drug Use, Depression, Sherlock POV, Light Humour, Reconnecting, Declarations of Love) – Sherlock and John are devastated after Mary Morstan makes her final moves. Sherlock relapses at the crack house, John walks around the world … and a lot happens in between. Parentlock, in the good way.
The Thing Is by TSylvestris (E, 56,743 w., 21 Ch. || Case Fic, Dev. Rel., Anal/Oral, Blow Jobs, Meddling Mycroft, Drama, Romance, Humour, Casual Encounters, Pining Idiots, Possessive Sherlock, Orgasm Delay, Rough / Alley Sex, Public Sex, John Whump, Drugged John, Emotional Love Making, Awkward Relationship, Marriage of Convenience, Switchlock) – The problem with living with Sherlock, John thought, was that you never, never, ever knew the significance of anything. Like your flatmate's nose buried in your hair. Whilst you're in bed. Part 1 of Nitroglycerine
Lunar Landscapes by J_Baillier (M, 57,046 w., 21 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || S3/TAB Fix-It, Slow Burn Angst, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Confessions, Drugs, Pain, Medical, Injury, Sherlock Whump, Mental Health Issues, Panic Attacks, Romance, Secrets, Tragedy, Trauma, BAMF John, Doctor!John, Drug Addict Sherlock, Injured Sherlock, Grieving John, Idiots In Love, Protective John, POV John Watson, PTSD Sherlock, Sherlock is a Mess, Medical Realism) – An accident forces John to face the fact that Sherlock's downward spiral had started long before his flight to exile even left the tarmac.
The Bells of King's College by SilentAuror (E, 64,019 w., 5 Ch. || Post-S4, Missed Opportunities, Angst with Happy Ending, Fake Relationship, Case Fic, John POV, Jealous John, John in Denial, Travelling / Holidays, Virgin Sherlock, Wedding Proposals) – It's only been two weeks since Eurus Holmes disrupted their lives when Mycroft sends John and Sherlock to Cambridge to pose as an engaged couple at a wedding show in the hopes of solving six unsolved deaths...
Hell Sent, Heaven Bound by ConsultingHound (M, 64,381 w, 16 Ch. || Angels / Demons AU || Fallen Angel Sherlock / Angel Cop John, Alternate First Meeting, Slow Burn, Case Fic, John & Lestrade are Friends Before Sherlock, BAMF John, Mind Palace John, Friends to Lovers, John in Denial, Sherlock Picks Out John’s Clothing, Clubbing / Dancing, Mildly Jealous John, Awkwardness, Kidnapping, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Sacrifice, Worried / Anxious Sherlock, Angst with Happy Ending, Immortal to Mortal) – Ex-War healer and current angelic guard John Watson is not having the best day. He overslept, he’s underpaid, and now there’s someone tagging the Council’s building walls. However things may be about to get interesting: there’s an unusual stranger hanging around (the definition of tall, dark, and handsome), a literal underground cult is brewing, and rumblings are coming from hell. Can he keep his neighbourhood safe, how and why is he being connected to all this, and who the hell is Sherlock Holmes?
White Knight by DiscordantWords (M, 69,840 w., 13 Ch. || S4 Compliant/Post S4, Marriage For a Case, Jealous John, Pining John, Janine / Sherlock Fake Relationship, Serial Killers, Case Fic, Undercover as a Couple, Weddings, John is a Mess, Misunderstandings, Wedding Planning, Jealousy, Drunkenness, Love Confessions, Angst with Happy Ending) – Green. The word green was used to convey a great many things. Illness. Envy. Inexperience. Standing there amidst Janine's chattering bridesmaids, watching Sherlock furrow his brow and study fabric swatches, watching him smile and simper and flirt, John thought it a remarkably apt colour choice. Because he felt quite sick to his stomach, he feared the source of said sickness might very well be jealousy, and he had absolutely no idea at all what to do about it. Or: Sherlock needs to fake a relationship for a case. He doesn't ask John.
Just To Hold You Close by sussexbound (E, 70,841 w., 18 Ch. || Alternate First Meeting, Sherlock POV, ASD Sherlock, PTSD John, Demisexual Sherlock, Bisexual John, Cuddling/Snuggling, Platonic Cuddling, Enthusiastic Consent, Bed Sharing, Love Confessions, First Kiss/Time, Sexual Tension, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Cuddle Negotiations, For a Case Until It Isn’t, Hair Petting, Sexual Negotiation, Anxiety, Trust Issues, Slow Burn, Panic Attacks, Frottage, Hand/Blow Jobs, Referenced Self Harm / Abuse / Suicidal Ideation, First Kiss/Time, Anal) – When a woman is murdered and the last person to see her alive is recently invalided army vet turned reluctant (and prickly) professional cuddler, John Watson, Sherlock Holmes is pulled into a world of intimacy and intrigue he never could have imagined. John is a conundrum and mystery: frank yet reserved, tender yet angry, open yet afraid. Sherlock is instantly drawn into his orbit, and begins to feel and desire things he never has before.
The Vapor Variant by 88thParallel (CanadaHolm) (M, 72,684 w., 18 Ch. || Post-THoB, John Whump, Protective Sherlock, Guilty Sherlock, Anxious/Worried Sherlock, Virgin Sherlock, Angst with Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, PTSD John, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining, Suspense, Virus, Sickfic, Big Brother Mycroft) – They stood face to face in the middle of a clearing. The dim light of the moon barely allowed Sherlock to see the glassy terror in John’s eyes and the sweat that glistened off his forehead. His nose was bleeding again, blood dripping in a slow stream from his right nostril. They were both gasping for air, John’s eyes locked on Sherlock’s. There was no recognition there, just wild animal fear. Time stood still for an eternal few seconds, and Sherlock took a shaky breath. “John—”Spell broken, John spun and bolted back into the woods. Still heaving for air, Sherlock took off after him.
The Monument of Memory by J_Baillier (M, 79,663 w., 14 Ch. || Post S4 Fix It Fic / S4 is Canon, Angst, Family Drama, Guilt, Case Fic, John Loves Sherlock, Complicated Feelings, Mentalism / Hypnosis, Murder, Grieving John, Sherlock is a Bit Not Good, Team Work, Trust Issues, BAMF John, Psychological Trauma, Protective John, Autistic-Spectrum Sherlock, Parentlock, John POV) – A genius traumatised by a past he's only beginning to recall. The psychopath sister that time forgot. A missing woman and a mentalist who may or may not be a murderer. And, in the middle of it all, stands John Watson.
Thermocline by J_Baillier (M, 83,557 w., 14 Ch. || Scuba Diving AU || Adventure, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Marine Archaeology, Asexual Sherlock, Horny John, Relationship Drama, Technical/Scuba/Wreck Diving, Slow Burn, Underwater / Medical Peril, Doctor John, Hurt Sherlock, Anxious Sherlock, John POV, Protective John, Body Appreciation) – John "Five Oceans" Watson — technical dive instructor, dive accident analyst and weapon of mass seduction — meets recluse professor of maritime archaeology Holmes. As they head out to a remote archipelago off the coast of Guatemala to study and film its shipwrecks for a documentary, will sparks fly or fizzle out?
Not Broken, Just Bent by Schmiezi (E, 87,585 w., 43 Ch. || Pining, Love Confessions, Rape/Sexual Assault, Torture, Hurt/Comfort, Heavy Angst, Villain!Mary, Suicidal Ideations, Main Character Death, Sherlock First Person POV, Parentlock, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Grief/Mourning, Emotional Love Making, Possessiveness, Depression, PTSD, Kidnapping, Virgin Sherlock, Eventual Happy Ending) – "For a second, I allow myself to remember teaching John how to waltz. There is a special room in my mind palace for it. A big one, with a proper parquet dance floor. For a second, I go there. I remember holding him, closer than the World Dance Council asks for, excusing it with the fact that we are training for a wedding, not for a competition. For a second, I feel his hand on mine again, smell his sweat, hear the song we used. For a second, I allow myself to love him deeply. For a second, only a second, that love reflects on my face." Fix-it for S3, starting at the end of TSoT. Evil Mary.
Kintsukuroi by sussexbound (E, 91,823 w., 20 Ch. || S4 Compliant / Post-TLD, Grief / Mourning, PTSD, Internalized Homophobia, Therapy, Past Abuse, Alcohol Abuse, Nightmares, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Depression, Anxiety, Bed Sharing, Love Confessions, Cuddling, Suicidal Ideation, Masturbation, Minor Character Death, Sexting, Frottage, Inexperienced Sherlock, Rimming / Anal / BJ’s, Emotional Turmoil, Finding Each Other) – “I love you.” Sherlock sees the words hit John with almost physical force. He reels back a little, jaw twitching and eyes filling. “I love you,” he repeats, a little softer, a little more gentle, as earnest as he possibly can. Because they’ve been teetering on the brink of this thing for years, and it had become painfully obvious over the last few months that they were at a tipping point. This had to happen. Now it has. Now they can see where they end up. The tears in John’s eyes spill over, and he wipes at them angrily. “Do you even know what that means?”
The Summer Boy by khorazir (T, 94,706 w., 6 Ch. || Post S3/Post TAB/Alternate S4, Friends to Lovers, Asexual Sherlock, POV Sherlock, Flashbacks, Bullying, 1980′s Kid Sherlock, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Inexperienced Sherlock, Grief/Mourning, Pining Sherlock, Case Fic, Sherlock’s Past, Awkward Conversations, Anxious Sherlock, John Separated From His Child) – About half a year after the fateful events at Appledore, Sherlock and John embark on a private case in Sussex. For Sherlock, it’s a journey into his past, bringing up memories both happy and sad that he has locked away for almost thirty years. For John, it means coming to terms with the present – and a potential future with Sherlock. Part 1 of the The Summer Boy series
Northwest Passage by Kryptaria (E, 95,157 w., 27 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Canadian AU || BAMF!John, Canadian John, PTSD, Anal / Oral Sex, Rimming, Emotional Hurt / Comfort, Drug Rehab, Falling in Love, Pining Sherlock, Love Confessions, Sherlock’s Violin, Panic Attacks, Switching, Anxious / Protective Sherlock, Hugs for Comfort, Suicide Mentions, Healing Each Other) – Seven years ago, Captain John Watson of the Canadian Forces Medical Service withdrew from society, seeking a simple, isolated life in the distant northern wilderness of Canada. Though he survives from one day to the next, he doesn't truly live until someone from his dark past calls in a favor and turns his world upside-down with the introduction of Sherlock Holmes." Part 1 of Tales from the Northwest
The Cost of a Wish by slashscribe (E, 102,493 w., 12 Ch. || xxxHolic Fusion || Spirits / Ghosts and Magic, Love Confessions, Slow Burn, Soul Mates / Fated Lovers, Adventure, Immortal Sherlock, Powerful John, POV John, Frottage, Wish Granting, Angst with Happy Ending, Nightmares) – John has been plagued by a secret his entire life that has made him feel hopeless until he meets a mysterious, seemingly omniscient man named Sherlock Holmes who owns a wish-granting shop. Their meeting sets off a series of inevitable events that will change the course of both of their lives forever.
Two Two One Bravo Baker by abundantlyqueer (E, 114,574 w., 27 Ch. || Military AU || Afghanistan, War Story, Thriller) – Captain John Watson of 40 Commando, the Royal Marines, is assigned to protect and assist Sherlock Holmes as he investigates what appears to be a simple war atrocity in Afghanistan. An intense attraction ignites between the two men as they uncover a conspiracy that threatens everything they’ve ever known, but Sherlock is as much hunted as hunter, and everyone close to him is in deadly danger. Can he solve the case in time to save himself and John? Part 1 of Two Two One Bravo Baker Universe
A Further Sea by i_ship_an_armada & ShinySherlock (E, 125,492 w., 23 Ch. || Historical Pirates AU || Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Doctor John / Pirate Captain Sherlock, Sailing, UST / RST, Masturbation, Action / Adventure, Mild Angst & Peril, Romance, Shaving, Molly/Janine, Bottomlock, Past Drug Use, Slow Burn, Mild Violence, Happy Ending) – Here be a tale of adventure for both body and soul, but beware if ye be not of stout heart, for this be piratelock, ya savvy? Luckless ship's surgeon John Watson takes a chance, and finds himself eye to eye with The Ghost, the scourge of the seven seas and a definite thorn in the side of the blaggard, James Moriarty. But when John finds there's more to this most cunning pirate than be meetin' the eye, he has to choose... is it a pirate's life for him?
The Bang and the Clatter by earlgreytea68 (M, 137,049 w., 37 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Baseball AU || Slow Burn / Dev. Rel., Possessive/Obsessive Sherlock, Jealous Sherlock, Mutual Pining, Body Appreciation, Depression, Closeted Sexuality, Family, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Ogling Each Other, Anxious Sherlock, Panic Attack, Drunkenness, Talk of Forever, Big Feelings™) – Sherlock Holmes is a pitcher and John Watson is a catcher. No, no, no, it's a baseball AU. Part 1 of Baseball
The Adventure of the Silver Scars by tangledblue (NR [M], 142,458 w., 41 Ch. || S3 Fix-It, Post-HLV/ Post-TAB / Canon Compliant, Case Fic, No Baby, Angst, Humour, UST, Slow Burn, Angry John, Reconciliation, Not Nice Mary / Leaving Mary, Dependent Sherlock, Pining Sherlock, Caretaker John, Fist Fights, It’s An Experiment, Virgin Sherlock, Dancing, Drugging, John Whump, Pet Names, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Scars) – It’s been thirteen months since Mary shot Sherlock and John finds he’s still pissed off about it. Sherlock had thought everything was settled: John and Mary, domestic bliss. But when John turns up at Baker Street with suitcases, the world’s only consulting detective might not be prepared for the consequences. A new case. Some old scores to settle. Certain danger. Concertos, waltzes, and whisky.
The Lost Special: Family Matters (As Do Relationships) by ShirleyCarlton (M, 144,688 w., 40 Ch. || S4 Fix It Fic / Meta Fic, Unreliable Narrator, John’s Mind Bungalow, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, Demisexual Sherlock, Holmes Family, John Whump, Gay Mycroft, Misunderstandings, Drug Addiction, Parenting, TFP is a Nightmare, Virgin Sherlock, Slow Burn, Minor Character Death, Switchlock, John’s Past, Sherlock’s Past, Eurus, Love Confessions) – Sherrinford is not really the name of some high security prison. That was just a figment of John’s frantic coma dream. And Eurus is not actually Sherlock’s sister. That’s just something random she said to John before shooting him. Sherlock and John were never actually estranged. That was just their act to cover up what really happened to Mary – or Rosamund Moran, as her real name has turned out to be. Sherlock does have a secret sibling, though, and his name is Sherrinford. After finally eliminating Moran – though in a rather dramatically different way than they had envisioned – and exposing the truth about Eurus, John encourages Sherlock to delve into his past and to find out whether the reasons to keep Sherrinford away from Sherlock were the right ones, and to discover what really happened in 1981. Along the way, Sherlock and John gradually, finally, stop keeping each other at a distance, and eventually become a proper family of their own.
Against the Rest of the World by SilentAuror (E, 151,714 w., 20 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Post-TRF, Hiatus Fic, POV First Person Sherlock, Present Tense, First Kiss/Time, Big Brother Mycroft, Escaping from Capture, Soft Sherlock, Toplock, Insecurity, Infidelity, Travelling, Introspection, Pining Sherlock, Depression, Fantasies, Yearning for the Past, PTSD Sherlock, Suicidal Ideation) – Sherlock has been away from London for nine hundred and twelve days and counting, and has no idea what sort of reception to expect when he finally returns.
Proving A Point by elldotsee & J_Baillier (E, 186,270 w., 28 Ch. || Me Before You Fusion || Medical Realism, Insecure John, Depression, Romance, Angst, POV John, Sherlock Whump, Serious Illness, Doctor John, Injury Recovery, Assisted Suicide, Sherlock’s Violin, Awkward Sexual Situations, Alcoholism, Drugs, Idiots in Love, Slow Burn, Body Image, Friends to Lovers, Hurt / Comfort, Pain, Big Brother Mycroft, Intimacy, Anxiety, PTSD, Family Issues, Psychological Trauma, John Whump, Case Fics, Loneliness, Pain) – Invalided home from Afghanistan, running out of funds and convinced that his surgical career is over, John Watson accepts a mysterious job offer to provide care and companionship for a disabled person. Little does he know how much hangs in the balance of his performance as he settles into his new life at Musgrave Court.
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Trick or Treat letter
Likes: worldbuilding, slice of life (doubly so if the event the fic focuses on is made up but canon-specific), missing moments, 5+1 and the likes, bonding and emotional support/intimacy, physical intimacy, lingering touches, loyalty, casefic, surrealism, established relationships, future fic, hurt/comfort or just comfort from the ample canon hurt, throwing characters into non-canon environments, banter, functional relationships between dysfunctional individuals, unexplained mysteries, bittersweet moods, journal/epistolary fic where applicable, dreams and memories and identities, tropey plots when they make the uniqueness of the characterization and/or relationship shine
For art, I like works that feel more like a book illustration than a book cover, if you know what I mean? Regardless of the level of skill and detail involved, I like it a lot better when the picture feels like a candid photo of the character(s) than when it’s a pose.
Cool with: what-ifs, AUs, any tense, any pov, any rating, plotty, not plotty, IF, nerdy canon references, unrequested characters popping up
DNW: non-canonical rape, non-canonical children, unrequested ships, canon retellings
Ghost Trick
I love Cabanela being fierce and dazzling bright and determined and loyal to the very end, dancing to his own rhythm, so sure of himself and of his ideas that he doesn’t even need to prove to anyone that he’s right. Too sure of the wrong idea, once, and everything crashed and burned.
And I love Jowd being the immovable object to Cabanela’s unstoppable force, a self-depreciating asshole with a penchant for gallows humor that grows more morbid by the hour, and also incredibly smart (both assholes figured out Sissel’s powers better than Sissel did) and athletic and with an unsuspected talent for stealth.
I love how they work as a team, as best friends (with Jowd being the most important person for Cabanela, but Alma and Kamila being the most important for Jowd), I love how Jowd keeps his memories but Cabanela doesn’t and how this probably changes their dynamic in the new timeline. And what about the opposite, what about an alternate scenario where Cabanela is the one who keeps his memories? And I also ship them very much, especially in the new timeline with Alma (married couple+1) (honestly, Jowd knowing how much Cabs did for him and remembering him broken and bloodied is A Lot. especially if he’s a lil into it) or just the two of them when she is dead (no-reset scenarios etc).
But I also love how they play off other characters. Sissel has a great dynamic with both of them, Missile is also fierce and determined and loyal to the very end, Pigeon Man always needs more love especially from either or both his two canon friends, Jowd mentoring Lynne is a wonderful thing and so is their Special Investigation Unit equivalent aka Cabanela mentoring Memry… I like Yomiel’s potential with Jowd, they’re great foils with imho potential for a great odd friendship, while I’d ask for no Cabanela and Yomiel fic of any kind.
I also nominated Emma due to a Discord-induced plot bunny: it’s a pity she never learned that the annoying dog next door was in fact a wonderful, noble soul, so… could she ever find out? And then switch to writing about furries Maybe a slight what-if during game events where she dies and Missile saves her? Or just Emma being Emma, writing her gloriously trashy novels and living the life. I love her so.
Gorogoa
I'm interested in worldbuilding and connections between all the situations in the game. Both in fic and art, pick a corner, any corner (or more!) of this journey and explore it in any way that rings true for you. How is Gorogoa's presence palpable in the very fabric of this world, and how does the boy perceive it? How is... literally anyone and/or anything... connected to anyone and/or anything else? Pick a scene and run with it, really, I’m enchanted by the whole thing and curious to see more.
Obduction
Worldbuilding worldbuilding worldbuilding! And journals, if you like the format. I love all three mains and all possible friendships or… one-sided strained friendships between them. How does Farley live with the consequences of her plan? What did Josef do before he was elected, or after someone else succeeds him, or does he turn out to be an incredibly effective mayor after the game’s events when people need his brand of unrelenting enthusiasm to start a new life on a new planet? When does CW accept that he’s not going home again? How was Farley elected and why did she step down immediately? Do CW and/or Josef get to meditate with the Arai at some point? How’s friendship with a Villein? What do they find on this new world?
Out of all the possibilities given by OC obductees, one of my favorites is some unwitting D’ni getting pinecone’d during the Fall. Josef does greet us in D’ni after all, who taught him that? Just imagine the possibilities. Would they fit in? How? What would they think of the seeds as opposed to linking books? How would they take the fake Myst linking book and Unwritten rulebook that also got pinecone’d to Hunrath?
And what about Karl Hunrath himself? As soon as I found out that he was a real UFO enthusiast, I was hooked. This skirts close to RPF which usually isn’t my thing, but as an Uru fan sometimes you gotta draw the line a lot farther than usual. Just give me anything about this complicated man who threw away his life looking for aliens and ended up confined in an Earth bubble with a whole alien world outside… and eventually changed that place’s society so much that it was named after him.
From the Playstation patch: how’s Hunrath’s night life at the pub and what kind of barista is Farley (the recipes show her handwriting)? How did CW react to a whole-ass Russian submarine being pinecone’d right under his workshop?
Syberia
First game only please, no spoilers beyond that, although I hope to have at least started the sequel by the time the collection goes live. I just liked it so much that I had to request it… I like the mood of this world, how it feels weird to Kate but not too weird, and I like to imagine that her New York, too, was a little more fanciful than the one we know. The train, too, is a wonderful setting and always a joy to go back to. So I would ask for any kind of scene taking place on the train or focused on the train. Any character or platonic combination of characters – Oscar and Kate have an established odd friendship that I adore, they’re both fascinating characters in their own right and Oscar gets no solo focus while Kate’s more introspective moments are tied to her phone calls and her old life in NY, so I think there’s fertile ground for more fannish explorations. And Helena! Oh how I loved Helena. Did she and Kate bond during her trip? What kind of shenanigans could they be up to? Or what about Helena and Oscar, how does talking to a second automaton change her perception of both of them?
The Last Remnant
I love how distinct all these characters managed to be thanks to their battle quotes, their red bubble dialogues, and even their unique stat (‘authority’ is a natural fit for David but 'romance’ tells me something new about Sibal!). I fell in love with the overall feeling of this weird setting and especially with these characters, so I’m mostly asking for fic that explores their personalities, with a sprinkle of worldbuilding if you feel like it, or art that shows them living their daily lives.
Any and all Qsiti: just give me the deets on Qsiti worlduilding and I’ll be a happy camper. I ship these three very much but I’m also invested in their friendship and in each of them as a singular character. The fact that Pagus is a goddamn catch is one of my favorite things, and he can be a smart cookie with any of the other smart cookies in the party, or be a history buff with Glenys, or tutor Yuniver. Proud, paranoid chatterbox Maddox entrenched in his cover-up stories, finding it hard to stop being a spy and relax, maybe spending time with someone very simple, like Sheryl, or a very different kind of fellow veteran like Roberto. Self-assured Sibal who probably knows a lot about the mysteries of the underground world and is also the most romantic soul out of the entire cast, talking volcanoes with Paris or discussing the Rainbow Bond with Haruko? If you also like all three of them, either as old friends or as a ship, who of them comes up with what excuse to reconnect again now that Remnants are no more, or do they drop all pretenses and admit they just want to make up for lost time?
David: The outstanding cinnamon roll who accomplished so much, but at what cost :( I’m interested in post-canon for him, adjusting to a life without remnants - how did it feel to be bound to one or two of them anyway, and what’s it like without, and suddenly knowing you’ll be the first Nassau in who knows how long who’ll reach old age? - and without Rush. Speaking of whom, I’m cool with the ship and I love Rush’s role in the plot but I mostly didn’t connect with how Rush himself was actually written, so if you want to write him in I’d like a much bigger focus on his supernatural nature, how he was a strange boy with a good heart (Things Unchangeable meant so much to me!) who ignored human social conventions because he was not in fact human. If you wanna do a “Rush comes back” reunion fic, romantic or not, I’d like it to be more than a decade into the future and with emphasis on Rush’s Remnant nature. Back to David, who otoh is very much entrenched in human social conventions, I’d like to see him find support and friendship even outside his trusted Generals. I’d be interested in seeing him get closer to any unique leader you might like, I can easily see half the characters absolutely adoring him sooner or later. From the Duke of Ghor to Roberto, to sweet Zolean who knows what it’s like to lose someone dear and hope he comes back, or Rhagoh & Remnant Kate, or Paris or Jager or, eventually, even Allan…
Kate: identity shenanigans and characters who are not real in the conventional sense are always a fave topic of mine and Kate delivers. Is she still around after the Remnant that created her disappeared? Yes? No? Somewhere in between? Does she feel freed by this new development? In trying to find her own sense of self separate from Rhagoh’s, who does she reach out to?
Zolean: just give my boy something nice. Some extended closure. A found family who loves him. Someone to talk military strategies with. A pupil. Someone who knows the deepest roads of Siebenbur. A boyfriend. All of the above. This fish is too nice and too sad, please help him.
Twin Peaks
I figured Trick or Treat would be the best exchange to have a snowball’s chance in Hell of getting fanworks about the secondary characters of TPTR, so, here goes… I like the whole canon, books included, and the whole cast up to and including James, so feel free to add whomever your fanwork idea may require, nominated or not.
Cyril Pons: after he got unceremoniously booted from TV and had to adapt to living at the trailer park, what’s he like? Is he still a journalist at heart, has he ever walked into something news-worthy in the woods? Is he chummy with other good folks who like to venture into the woods (Hawk, Margaret etc)? Did the internet offer him new opportunities like it did Jacoby? How Mark Frost-like is he?
Freddie Sykes: used by supernatural forces beyond our comprehension, being made to kill a man and ? dissolve ? a demon, and then discarded like a, well, used glove, what’s next for One-Punch Brit? I’m interested in little surreal scenarios that could occur because of his glove and also any kind of bonding with other folks in town. We only see him with James, but if he’s here to stay, he’s gotta meet more people! Maybe he hits it off with Wally? The baseline for me would be that this glove is cool but also a responsibility, a disability, and has already packed quite some trauma on the guy.
Marjorie Green: Right off the bat, I thought she was adorable. I still think that and, after seeing people jokingly call her “the Dog Lady”, I noticed a few parallels between her and the more widely known Log Lady. Marjorie is another version of Margaret, the color green appears to be connected to the connections between worlds, and little Armstrong did tell her something that only he could perceive, jumpstarting the whole Buckhorn plot. Therefore: what other strange happenings did this unlikely duo stumble into? What does Marjorie see that we do not?
Maggie Brown: oh look it’s the Mandatory Sensible Person at the Sheriff’s station. Or is she? We don’t know much except that she looks so cool and sensible and I love her. Does she hang out with Andy and Lucy? What’s her relationship with the sheriffs? What about Chad? What weird things does she get to listen to through those headphones?
Jesse Holcomb: the yin to Maggie’s yang, this is still a request for Sheriff’s Station shenanigans but he’s the weirdo of the new crop and I love him. What the hell was that about… everything about him, really? Does he just appear at crime scenes out of seemingly nowhere? What???
Wally Brando: the king. Just give me anything Wally. Wally being Wally with Lucy and Andy being Lucy and Andy. Harry godfathering him and getting him into the whole Marlon Brando aesthetic (or Andy and Lucy themselves, heck, they’re the ones who named him that). Young Wally vs young Richard. Wally crossing through worlds on his cool motorcycle. Frank who just does. not. get. him. but Harry says he’s a good kid so he rolls with it. Wally being otherworldly cool in general.
Monica Bellucci: I’m equally down with “that dream was a spirit – maybe even Phil - communicating with Gordon by wearing a Monica Bellucci mask because beautiful women are all he understands” and “actual Monica Bellucci was a spirit all along. That’s just how things are”. Or any other even more ridiculous contextualization of that scene. The more batshit scenarios narrated with a completely straight face the better. Where does she hang out, and with whom? What were Gordon’s other Monica Bellucci dreams like?
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hi steph, is there any mycroft-centric fic?? i just have mycroft feelings recently
Hi Nonny!
Ahhhh, most, if not all, of my recs are Johnlock centred :( BUT do have some where Mycroft is in the fic or plays a part in Johnlock, so I shall direct you to this list below, AND take an opportunity to update another Mycroft List I have had ready-to-go for awhile now, Pt. 2 to my “Mycroft Plays a Role” list :)
Here are the ones more focussed on Mycroft:
Mycroft Flirts With John
Matchmaker Mycroft
Big-Brother Mycroft
Big Brother Mycroft Pt 2
Whereas in this list below, Mycroft helps Sherlock as a character to move along a plot or helps Johnlock happen (hence the difference in Big Brother and Playing a Role... it makes sense in my head lol). I hope it’s okay I’m using your ask to launch this part 2! <3 I just really like having excuses to post lists I already have done LOL.
As always gang, if you have a fic that Mycroft plays a significant role to help move the plot along, please add them below! I genuinely like Mycroft in fics as the deus ex Mycroft, LOL. :D Enjoy!
MYCROFT PLAYS A ROLE Pt. 2
See also: Mycroft Plays a Role in This Fic
Black Cars by johnsarmylady (T, 1,186 w., 5 Ch. || Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Post-TRF) – John is getting on with his life...if only he didn't see black cars everywhere! A short Post Reichenbach tale in 221B style in 5 parts.
3:00 in the Morning is a Great Time to Talk by Aztecwarfareandcrumping (K+, 1,775 w., 1 Ch. || Hurt / Comfort, Friendship, Bed Sharing, First Person POV John, Cuddling, Worried Sherlock, Comforting John, Platonic Affection/Love) – "Are you trying to talk your way into my bed?" "Obviously."
Crisis Averted by Spartangal22 (T, 2,188 w., 1 Ch. || HLV Fic, Missing Scene After Confronting Mary, Canon Compliant, Sherlock Whump / Mary Shot Sherlock, Family / Friendship, Hospitalization, Sherlock POV, Holmes Brothers) – Lying in the hospital, Sherlock receives some surprising visitors, and manages to deal with two problems he's been having lately. A missing scene from HLV about a formal introduction that was never made and a visit that was never shown.
As You Wish by PipMer (K, 3,311 w., 1 Ch. || Bromance/Pre-Slash/Epic Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, John Whump, Hospitals) – When John woke from his coma, he wasn't at all surprised to see the wrong Holmes brother sitting at his bedside. Disappointed, but not surprised.
Caffeine and Adaptive Programming by DemonicSymphony (E, 5,540 w., 1 Ch. || Androids AU / Bond Fusion || Android Sherlock, Coffee Shop AU, Pining John Hinted Bond / Q, Toplock) – Sherlock is a coffee shop android slowly falling for a regular customer. But he's not supposed to be able to feel emotions.
Hide and Seek by Arwen Jade Kenobi (T, 6,934 w., 1 Ch. || Angst, Rev. Reich-ish, Mycroft is a Dick, Depression, Case Fic-ish, Friendship, Reunion) – Pseudo sequel to "The Refining Fire." "You owe him the truth, and you owe me the proof that will convince him that I had no part in this."
What Did I Do Wrong? by Starlight05 (T, 7,880 w., 5 Ch. || Hurt Comfort, Angst, John Whump, Hospitalization, Worried Sherlock, Emotional Turmoil, Nightmares, Sherlock Being Dumb) - After John almost dies on a case, Sherlock disappears. So John is left to figure out what he can do to get his best friend back. Meanwhile Sherlock, guilt-ridden and willingly alone, is doing everything he can to stay away.
There's So Much Labour Just in Breathing Lately by Susan (E, 12,708 w., 1 Ch. || Post-TRF / Mentions of S3 Events, Romance, Angst, Grief/Mourning, Grieving John, Mutual Pining, Meddling Mycroft, Therapy, Ambiguous Hopeful Ending, Infidelity) – The dreams he hated most – the ones that left him a sweating, shaking mess when he woke – were the ones in which Sherlock was just Sherlock. Laughing or drinking tea. Sitting across the table from him at Angelo’s eating pasta. Trailing his open hand behind him on the way to the bedroom. “C’mon, John. I’m about to have my way with you.”
Shuteye Shenanigans by Ayakae (K+, 13,263 w., 8 Ch. || Post-TRF, Friendship / Epic Bromance, John’s Nightmares, Angsty Fluff, Bed Sharing, Humour, Cuddles, Taking Care of Each Other, Domestics) – John Watson has never slept with Sherlock Holmes. Never ever ever. And never will, thank you very much. Well, there was that one time, but John didn't count that. It was completely different, just like the second time it happened. And the third. And the fourth. Epic bromance, but it can be read as pre-slash if you wish.
The Palmyra Atoll by elwinglyre (E, 16,609 w., 3 Ch. || TSo3 Divergence / Episode Fix-It, Stockholm Syndrome, Kidnapped John Watson, John Whump, Evil Mary, Angst, Cuddling & Snuggling, Toplock, Limited 3rd John POV) – As John's preparing for the wedding, Sherlock is preparing to have his heart broken, and Mary is prepared to do the unthinkable. Intervention required. Enter Sherlock. Set before Sign of Three with a far different outcome. John is drugged, kidnapped, and left on an island, but not just any old island.
Hope for Heroes by Richefic (K+, 16,887 w., 5 Ch. || Post-TGG Fic, Introspection / Flashbacks, Friendship/Epic Bromance, Hurt/Comfort, Worried/Anxious Sherlock, Sherlock Admires John, BAMF John, John Deduces, Fancy Party, John’s Self Esteem, Domestics) – In the final moments of "The Great Game" Holmes hopes he will have the chance to tell his flatmate that he was wrong. Heroes do exist after all and the one in front of him is called Dr John Watson.
I Think I've Come A Long Long Way To Sit Before You Here Today by ArwenKenobi (T, 18,251 w., 3 Ch. || Grief/Mourning, Passage of Time, Major Character Death, Alternating POV, Sherlock Whump, Pining Sherlock, Hospitalization, Coma, Revenge Murders, Hallucinations, Love Confessions, Brutal Accident, Mystrade, Ghost John) – One year after John is killed Sherlock starts to wonder whether John has actually gone anywhere.
The Kepler Problem by kinklock (E, 24,270 w., 1 Ch. || Sci-Fi AU, Alien Sherlock, Space Repairman John, Alien Biology, Horny John) – Working in uncharted space exploration was not as exciting as John had hoped, especially when it turned out to be mostly bot maintenance on uninhabited planets. However, the mystery of the repeated, unexplained malfunctions on planet BAK 2212 might turn out to be exactly the kind of adventure he'd been craving.
The Winter Garden by Callie4180 (T, 31,213 w., 13 Ch. || Post-S4, Retirement, Christmas, Slow Burn, Grown-Up Rosie, Parenthood, Rosie’s Cat, Angst with Happy Ending, Holidays, Beekeeping, Magical Realism, Sherlock POV, Sherlock’s Violin, Future Fic, Sussex, Honey, Magical Healing Honey, Love Confessions, Sherlock’s Scar, First Kiss, Touching, Mycroft is Dying) – As Sherlock nears the end of his career, he's given the gift of a cottage in Sussex. The honey from the beehives out back is amazing. Almost...magical.
The Whore of Babylon Was a Perfectly Nice Girl by out_there (E, 32,897 w., 1 Ch. || Past Drug Use, Blowjobs, Toplock, Mentions of Switching, Rough Sex, Background Cases, Sherlock’s Past, Sherlock’s Sexual History, Experienced Sherlock, Past One Night Stands, Fingering, Cuddling, Possessive Sherlock, Paris Holiday, Bed Sharing, Naked Lie-Ins, Bathing Together, Confessions, Worried Sherlock, Laying in Bed All Day, Meddling Mycroft, Naked Lazy Day) – Sherlock walks into a room and takes all the space right out of it. He does the same inside John's head.
carrying up his morning tea by darcylindbergh (E, 34,504 w., 5 Ch. || Post S3, Minor Character Death, Grief/Mourning, Wakes/Funerals, Estranged John, Pining Sherlock, Depression/Insecurity, Slow Burn, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Chronic Pain/Injury, Reconciliation, Awkwardness, Loneliness, Scars, Angst With Happy Ending) – His fingers tremble as he dials and he can’t force them steady. Familiar number, even though he hasn’t used it in two years. He isn’t even sure he should be calling it now, but she’d asked. She’d made him promise.
we have never seen a greater day than this by Lediona (T, 36,420 w., 7 Ch. || A Royal Night Out AU || WWII / VE Day, Prince Sherlock, Soldier John, Alternating POV, First Kiss, Bittersweet Ending, Homophobia, Dancing) – Peace. At long last. It’s VE Day and Prince William desires to join the celebrations. It is a night of excitement, danger and the first flutters of romance.
A Week is Just Seven Days Isn't It? by scifigrl47 (T, 39,906 w., 4 Ch. || Humour, Friendship/Bromance, Stroppy/Bored Sherlock, Undercover/Army John, Texting, Pining-ish Sherlock, John Whump) – When John heads overseas for a week, Sherlock's forced to fend for himself. It goes about as well as anyone could have anticipated. Which is to say, very, very poorly. Don't worry, things'll be fine in just seven days.
(Never) Turn Your Back to the Sea by DiscordantWords (M, 39,968 w., 7 Ch. || Post S4 Fix It || Grief / Mourning, Victor Trevor, Friendship, Sherlock is Not Okay, Nightmares/Flashbacks/Panic Attacks, Parentlock, Pining Sherlock, Angst with Happy Ending, John Comes Home) – Baker Street is very much the same. Only different. And Sherlock is just trying not to drown.
Guidelines by WithLoweredVoices (M, 43,018 w., 15 Ch. || Winglock || Angels, Fantasy, Angst, BAMF! John, War, Jealous Sherlock, Possessive Sherlock, Jealous John, Falling in Various Ways, Needy Sherlock, Wings) – The Good Soldier, one of the oldest and strongest of the fallen, is offered a bargain: to live as John Watson and to Guide a fledgling archangel so that he will stay on the path of good. Of course, Sherlock Holmes has different ideas about his destiny. Fantasy AU. Warnings for violence, occasional gore, and a whole load of hurt and angst.
The Real Great Perfumers by shelleysprometheus (E, 45,355 w., 68 Ch. || Case Fic, Alternating POV, Gay Sherlock / Bi John, Canon Compliant with Divergence at TRF, Friends to Lovers, Oral / Anal, Pining, First Kiss / Time, Dev. Rel., Drugging, Body Worship, Bathing, Love Confessions, Travelling, Bottomlock, Cranky Sherlock, BJ’s, Alternating POV, Jealous John) – The case, this case. This extraordinary, fascinating, scintillating case. A house. Designed entirely by its eccentric owner, built by no less than five hundred expert tradesmen in the heart of Marrakesh. A house that had, seemingly not only driven its owner out, but also to his quite unpleasant death. And a perfumer, a chemist no less, the very thought of the secrets that house could reveal, would reveal was irresistible. Sherlock had to have this case ... and it seems, he also had to have John! Part 1 of the Forethought and Fire series
Impossible to Feign by achray (M, 49,204 w., 12 Ch. || TRF Rewrite / Reverse Reichenbach, Suicidal Ideations / Discussions, Drug Use/Abuse, Mutual Pining, Friends With Benefits, John Accepts his Sexuality, Anxious Sherlock, Meddling Mycroft, Depression, Hallucinations, Secret Agent John, BAMF John, Reunion, Make-Up Sex, Ambiguous Ending) – Sherlock leant forward, his long fingers curving round to grip John’s.“I won’t let him win,” he said, eyes hard. “I will do whatever it takes to get you out.”
Anchor Point by trickybonmot (E, 49,856 w., 80 Ch. || Truman Show AU || Psychological Drama, Suspense, Slow Burn, Dark Characters / Fic, Alternating First/Third Person, Protective John, Anxious/Worried Sherlock, Tender Moments, Love Confessions, Hand/Blow Jobs, Cuddling, Jealous John, First Kiss/Time) – The world tunes in nightly for Sherlock, the ultimate in reality TV: Sherlock Holmes, a real person with a legendary name, unknowingly lives out his life in a staged setting contrived by his brother. Things get complicated when a retired army doctor joins the show to play the part of Sherlock's closest friend. This fic borrows its concept from the 1998 film, the Truman Show. However, you don't need to have any knowledge of the movie to enjoy this story.
Repairing the Broken Things by BakerTumblings (M, 75,252 w., 15 Ch. || S4 Compliant, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Medical Trauma, Hospitals, Big Brother Mycroft, Misunderstandings, Realizations, Severe Accident, John Whump, Pneumonia, Medical Procedures, Bed Sharing, First Time, Healing, Happy Ending) – "I'm calling today to notify you that there's been an accident."
Points by lifeonmars (E, 53,791 w., 42 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || HLV Rewrite / Canon Divergence, Married Life, Pregnancy / Baby Watson, Drinking to Cope, Boxing / Fisticuffs, Clueless John, Angst, Minor Medical Drama, Tattoos, Christmas, First Kiss/Time, Eventual Happy Ending, Love Confessions, Doctor John, Sexuality Crisis, Slow Burn, Case Fic, Drugging, Blow/Hand Job, Emotional Love Making, Parenthood, Passage of Time) – What if His Last Vow never happened? This fic picks up a few months after John and Mary's wedding, in an alternate universe where Magnussen doesn't exist, but Mary is still pregnant. Life continues -- just in a different direction. And slowly, Sherlock and John find their way to each other.
Never Change a Running System by Lorelei_Lee (E, 54,246 w., 18 Ch. || Pre-TRF, Romance, Humour, Drama, Sex Toys, Anal, Rimming, Masturbation, Frottage, Blow Jobs, Public Sex, First Kiss / Time, Virgin Sherlock / Loss of Virginity, Accidental Voyeurism, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Experiments, Naive Sherlock, Pining Sherlock, Jealous Sherlock, Possessive Sherlock, Straight With an Exception John, Hand Jobs) – Sherlock discovers his sexuality – with far-reaching consequences for John.
A Hundred Crimson Sols by elldotsee (E, 55,536 w., 16 Ch. || Astronauts AU || Mars Exploration / Space Travel, Slow Burn, Shy Sherlock, Scientist Sherlock / Biomed Engineer John, Alternating POV, Mutual Pining, UST, Angst with Happy Ending, Domestic Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Injuries, Suicidal Ideation, Zero-G Sex) – Will Holmes is a chemical researcher recognized widely for his contributions to the new Mars exploration program. Thanks to his ground-breaking developments, the IMMC (International Mars Mission Corporation) is one step closer to Martian colonization. Will and his team of scientists are headed out on the first of three manned missions before the first group of settlers arrive. Three days before launch, one of the crew has to be replaced. Will panics because...new people. The replacement is of course one John Watson, biomedical engineer and space hottie who was pretty sure he had retired from actual space exploration and was now content to work in the nice, quiet research lab. Can the crew survive this TOTALLY ROUTINE trip? Will they be able to endure each other for the looooooong trip in close quarters? Gonna be a wild ride... prepare for blast off. Part 1 of the SpaceBois go to Space series
The Thing Is by TSylvestris (E, 56,743 w., 21 Ch. || Case Fic, Dev. Rel., Anal/Oral, Blow Jobs, Meddling Mycroft, Drama, Romance, Humour, Casual Encounters, Pining Idiots, Possessive Sherlock, Orgasm Delay, Rough / Alley Sex, Public Sex, John Whump, Drugged John, Emotional Love Making, Awkward Relationship, Marriage of Convenience, Switchlock, BAMF John) – The problem with living with Sherlock, John thought, was that you never, never, ever knew the significance of anything. Like your flatmate's nose buried in your hair. Whilst you're in bed. Part 1 of Nitroglycerine
Lunar Landscapes by J_Baillier (M, 57,046 w., 21 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || S3/TAB Fix-It, Slow Burn Angst, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Confessions, Drugs, Pain, Medical, Injury, Sherlock Whump, Mental Health Issues, Panic Attacks, Romance, Secrets, Tragedy, Trauma, BAMF John, Doctor!John, Drug Addict Sherlock, Injured Sherlock, Grieving John, Idiots In Love, Protective John, POV John Watson, PTSD Sherlock, Sherlock is a Mess, Medical Realism) – An accident forces John to face the fact that Sherlock's downward spiral had started long before his flight to exile even left the tarmac.
The Burning by SrebrnaFH (M, 60,658 w., 24 Ch. || Reverse Reichenbach, Suicide, Depression, Hurt Sherlock / John, Separation, BAMF John, Good Big Brother Mycroft, Angst, Implied/Referenced Torture, Fake Character Death, Rescue Mission, Reconciliation / Reunion, Hospitalization, Marriage Proposal, Illnesses, Physical Therapy, Happily Ever After) – Something went very, very wrong. John had seemed, if not happy, then reasonably content with his life. Sherlock had never predicted something like THIS might have happened. Not in his worst nightmares. He was the lousiest friend ever, apparently. At least Mycroft found him something to occupy his mind with, so that he didn't have to go back to 221B and stare at the walls and the chair, where John Watson would never sit again.
The Bells of King's College by SilentAuror (E, 64,019 w., 5 Ch. || Post-S4, Missed Opportunities, Angst, Fake Relationship, Case Fic, John POV, Jealous John, John in Denial, Travelling / Holidays) – It's only been two weeks since Eurus Holmes disrupted their lives when Mycroft sends John and Sherlock to Cambridge to pose as an engaged couple at a wedding show in the hopes of solving six unsolved deaths...
Hell Sent, Heaven Bound by ConsultingHound (M, 64,381 w, 16 Ch. || Angels / Demons AU || Fallen Angel Sherlock / Angel Cop John, Alternate First Meeting, Slow Burn, Case Fic, John & Lestrade are Friends Before Sherlock, BAMF John, Mind Palace John, Friends to Lovers, John in Denial, Sherlock Picks Out John’s Clothing, Clubbing / Dancing, Mildly Jealous John, Awkwardness, Kidnapping, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Sacrifice, Worried / Anxious Sherlock, Angst with Happy Ending, Immortal to Mortal) – Ex-War healer and current angelic guard John Watson is not having the best day. He overslept, he’s underpaid, and now there’s someone tagging the Council’s building walls. However things may be about to get interesting: there’s an unusual stranger hanging around (the definition of tall, dark, and handsome), a literal underground cult is brewing, and rumblings are coming from hell. Can he keep his neighbourhood safe, how and why is he being connected to all this, and who the hell is Sherlock Holmes?
Being John Watson-ish by elwinglyre (E, 69,902 w., 17 Ch. || Bodysnatcher AU || Author John, Cranky Sherlock, Angst, Sexual Tension, First Kiss / Time, Falling in Love, BAMF John, Past Soldier John, Feelings, Inside Someone’s Brain, Shy Sherlock, Sherlock Loves John, POV Sherlock, Switchlock, Slow Burn, Internal Dialogue, Mental Turmoil) – When consulting detective Sherlock Holmes steps on one toe too many at a crime scene, he's consigned to a desk job in an archaic office on the seventh-and-a-half floor of the New Scotland Yard. It’s in this bleak office that Sherlock discovers a portal into the mind of renowned author John Watson. Grander than his mind palace, this new wonderland affords Sherlock new vistas of experimentation. To learn more about the mystery behind the portal, Sherlock seeks out and befriends Watson. But then it all goes wrong when others find the secret portal door—including the man whose brain he visits.
The Vapor Variant by 88thParallel (CanadaHolm) (M, 72,684 w., 18 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Post-THoB, John Whump, Protective Sherlock, Guilty Sherlock, Anxious/Worried Sherlock, Virgin Sherlock, Angst with Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, PTSD John, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining, Suspense, Virus, Sick Fic, Big Brother Mycroft) – They stood face to face in the middle of a clearing. The dim light of the moon barely allowed Sherlock to see the glassy terror in John’s eyes and the sweat that glistened off his forehead. His nose was bleeding again, blood dripping in a slow stream from his right nostril. They were both gasping for air, John’s eyes locked on Sherlock’s. There was no recognition there, just wild animal fear. Time stood still for an eternal few seconds, and Sherlock took a shaky breath. “John—”Spell broken, John spun and bolted back into the woods. Still heaving for air, Sherlock took off after him.
The Monument of Memory by J_Baillier (M, 79,663 w., 14 Ch. || Post S4 Fix It Fic / S4 is Canon, Angst, Family Drama, Guilt, Case Fic, John Loves Sherlock, Complicated Feelings, Mentalism / Hypnosis, Murder, Grieving John, Sherlock is a Bit Not Good, Team Work, Trust Issues, BAMF John, Psychological Trauma, Protective John, Autistic-Spectrum Sherlock, Parentlock, John POV) – A genius traumatised by a past he's only beginning to recall. The psychopath sister that time forgot. A missing woman and a mentalist who may or may not be a murderer. And, in the middle of it all, stands John Watson.
The Summer Boy by khorazir (T, 94,706 w., 6 Ch. || Post S3/Post TAB/Alternate S4, Friends to Lovers, Asexual Sherlock, POV Sherlock, Flashbacks, Bullying, 1980′s Kid Sherlock, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Inexperienced Sherlock, Grief/Mourning, Pining Sherlock, Case Fic, Sherlock’s Past, Awkward Conversations, Anxious Sherlock, Mycroft Involved with Baby’s Separation from John) – About half a year after the fateful events at Appledore, Sherlock and John embark on a private case in Sussex. For Sherlock, it’s a journey into his past, bringing up memories both happy and sad that he has locked away for almost thirty years. For John, it means coming to terms with the present – and a potential future with Sherlock. Part 1 of the The Summer Boy series
Northwest Passage by Kryptaria (E, 95,157 w., 27 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Canadian AU || BAMF!John, Canadian John, PTSD, Anal / Oral Sex, Rimming, Emotional Hurt / Comfort, Drug Rehab, Falling in Love, Pining Sherlock, Love Confessions, Sherlock’s Violin, Panic Attacks, Switching, Anxious / Protective Sherlock, Hugs for Comfort, Suicide Mentions, Healing Each Other) – Seven years ago, Captain John Watson of the Canadian Forces Medical Service withdrew from society, seeking a simple, isolated life in the distant northern wilderness of Canada. Though he survives from one day to the next, he doesn't truly live until someone from his dark past calls in a favor and turns his world upside-down with the introduction of Sherlock Holmes." Part 1 of Tales from the Northwest
Given In Evidence by verityburns (M, 97,884 w., 19 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Post-TRF, Angst, Drama, Case Fic, Romance, BAMF!John, Submissive Sherlock, First Kiss, Humour) – Coming back from the dead can be a complicated business. With a new case on the horizon, rebuilding a life is one thing... rebuilding a friendship quite another. For Sherlock and John, things may never be just the same...
The Cost of a Wish by slashscribe (E, 102,493 w., 12 Ch. || xxxHolic Fusion || Spirits / Ghosts and Magic, Love Confessions, Slow Burn, Soul Mates / Fated Lovers, Adventure, Immortal Sherlock, Powerful John, POV John, Frottage, Wish Granting, Angst with Happy Ending, Nightmares) – John has been plagued by a secret his entire life that has made him feel hopeless until he meets a mysterious, seemingly omniscient man named Sherlock Holmes who owns a wish-granting shop. Their meeting sets off a series of inevitable events that will change the course of both of their lives forever.
Two Two One Bravo Baker by abundantlyqueer (E, 114,574 w., 27 Ch. || Military AU || Afghanistan, War Story, Thriller, Switchlock, Rimming, Emotional Lovemaking, Lots of Sex, HJ/BJ’s) – Captain John Watson of 40 Commando, the Royal Marines, is assigned to protect and assist Sherlock Holmes as he investigates what appears to be a simple war atrocity in Afghanistan. An intense attraction ignites between the two men as they uncover a conspiracy that threatens everything they’ve ever known, but Sherlock is as much hunted as hunter, and everyone close to him is in deadly danger. Can he solve the case in time to save himself and John? Part 1 of Two Two One Bravo Baker Universe
The Bang and the Clatter by earlgreytea68 (M, 137,049 w., 37 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Baseball AU || Slow Burn / Dev. Rel., Possessive/Obsessive Sherlock, Jealous Sherlock, Mutual Pining, Body Appreciation, Depression, Closeted Sexuality, Family, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Ogling Each Other, Anxious Sherlock, Panic Attack, Drunkenness, Talk of Forever, Big Feelings™) – Sherlock Holmes is a pitcher and John Watson is a catcher. No, no, no, it's a baseball AU. Part 1 of Baseball
Proving A Point by elldotsee & J_Baillier (E, 186,270 w., 28 Ch. || Me Before You Fusion || Medical Realism, Insecure John, Depression, Romance, Angst, POV John, Sherlock Whump, Serious Illness, Doctor John, Injury Recovery, Assisted Suicide, Sherlock’s Violin, Awkward Sexual Situations, Alcoholism, Drugs, Idiots in Love, Slow Burn, Body Image, Friends to Lovers, Hurt / Comfort, Pain, Big Brother Mycroft, Intimacy, Anxiety, PTSD, Family Issues, Psychological Trauma, John Whump, Case Fics, Loneliness, Pain) – Invalided home from Afghanistan, running out of funds and convinced that his surgical career is over, John Watson accepts a mysterious job offer to provide care and companionship for a disabled person. Little does he know how much hangs in the balance of his performance as he settles into his new life at Musgrave Court.
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Do you know any fics with 3g moments where Sherlock gets hurt instead of John?
Hi Lovely!!
Ahh, I don’t have anything necessarily 3G, but I have a lot of Sherlock Whump so we’ll just classify it all in the same blurb, LOL.
SHERLOCK IS SICK / HURT (WHUMP)
See also:
Doctor / Caretaker John
Doctor / Caretaker John Pt. 2
Promise of Sussex by LittleLongHairedOutlaw (T, 705 w. || First Person POV Sherlock, Sherlock Whump, Angst, Pining, Ambiguous Ending) – John tries to keep Sherlock conscious after he’s been shot on a case.
Concussions And Good Old Fashioned Awkwardness by Belldere (K+, 894 w. || Humour, Hospitals, Mild John Whump, Misunderstandings, Platonic Relationship, Concussions, Not-Gay John, Possessive Sherlock) – When John lands himself in hospital… again, all he wants is to just get out of there as soon as possible, too bad his doctor has other ideas about where John may be getting his injuries. Good thing concussions make everything strangely funnier.
Usefulness of Having Friends by ObservationofTrifles (K, 1,052 w. || Friendship) – Sherlock is sick and John is bringing him to the doctor’s. On the way there in the tram, John decides to play a deduction game to cheer Sherlock up.
Idiot by Anesthesiologist (T, 1,229 w. || Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Alternate TGG / Explosion, BAMF John, Sherlock Whump, Inner Monologue, John Saves Sherlock, POV Sherlock) – What the heck happened? He remembered the pool and Moriarty, but then what? Had he been dying?
Giveaway Fic #9 - Angsty Sick Fic/Sherlock is Sick by ConsultingPurplePants (T, 1,734 || Hypothermia, Love Declarations) – The next time he awakens is even more chaotic. Two doctors are shouting at each other in the corner, and John is holding his hand so tightly Sherlock is worried he’ll break it. Part 9 of 1000 Tumblr Followers Giveaway Fics
Quite Contrary by Hollyesque (T, 1,805 w. || HLV Fic, Sherlock Whump / After Mary Shot Sherlock, Hallucinations / Flashbacks / PTSD, Hospitalization, Hurt/Comfort, Lestrade POV, ) – A short one-shot, alternate scene to Greg’s hospital visit in HLV. Instead of Sherlock disappearing, Greg is faced with an unexpected reaction to a hospitalized Sherlock and winds up figuring out something that he really would have rather not known.
BBCSH ‘Poor Mary’ by tigersilver (M, 1,839 w.|| HLV Fic, Canon Compliant, Sherlock Whump / Mary Shot Sherlock, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Pining Sherlock, Hospitalization, Missing Scene, Sherlock POV) – As the tin says above, this is a missing scene, set directly after Sherlock awakens in hospital after having been shot by his best mate’s wife. Minor angst, some pining, nothing nasty; please don’t be alarmed unduly.
Crisis Averted by Spartangal22 (T, 2,188 w. || HLV Fic, Missing Scene After Confronting Mary, Canon Compliant, Sherlock Whump / Mary Shot Sherlock, Family / Friendship, Hospitalization, Sherlock POV, Holmes Brothers) – Lying in the hospital, Sherlock receives some surprising visitors, and manages to deal with two problems he’s been having lately. A missing scene from HLV about a formal introduction that was never made and a visit that was never shown.
Love Hurts by Grac3 (T, 2,215 w.|| Magical Realism, Pining Sherlock, One-Sided Pining / URT, Sherlock / John Whump, Angst, Ambiguous Ending) – In a world where someone’s physical injuries manifest themselves on the person who is in love with them, John didn’t think that there would ever be anyone who was willing to risk falling in love with him - until he got shot on a case, and it didn’t hurt. Unrequited Johnlock.
Q 1 HR by StillWaters1 (K+, 2,234 w. || Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Sick John, Fluff, New Year’s Eve) – On New Year’s Eve, Sherlock discovers that sometimes it’s the seemingly innocuous, rather than life-threatening, conditions that can keep John from The Work. And John is reminded just how deeply their friendship runs.
In My Life (and dreams, you take my breath away) by Nina36 (NR, 2,847 w. || Post-TRF/TEH, Angst, Pining Sherlock) – The first time he had dreamt about John he had been in Peru. He had been “dead” a little over a month, squatting in a tiny rented room, the heat and the stains on the walls making him slightly claustrophobic. It had been a nice dream: John and he eating take away Chinese in their kitchen, a song coming from Mrs. Hudson’s radio downstairs, something about friends and lovers and how no one compared with him, his mind supplied in his dream.
The Rational Machine by Solstice Zero (K, 2,924 w. || Hurt / Comfort, Malnourishment / Fainting, Doctor / Minder John) – Sherlock passes out. John muses on the reasons why. Containing an absorbing case, two bags of shopping, and a few apples.
Entanglement by orphan_account (G, 3,218 w. || Pining, Confessions) - On Christmas Eve, snow covers London, John visits Harry, and Sherlock and Mrs. Hudson untangle some knots.
Five Times John Cooked Something with Peas and One First Kiss by 221b_careful_what_you_wish_for (T, 3,915 w. || 5 and Ones, Friends to Lovers, Mutual Pining, Cooking / Food, Sick Sherlock, Music, Domestic Fluff, First Kiss) – After John cooks five dinners that slowly reveal their hunger for each other, Sherlock and John finally share a first kiss.
Welcome Home, John by slashscribe (G, 5,504 w. || Post-S3, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Awkwardness, Stabbed Sherlock, Protective Sherlock, Panic Attack (Sherlock), Self Esteem Issues, Love Confessions, First Kiss) – When John moves back to 221B, he thinks he’s the broken one, but after a while, it becomes clear that he might not be correct.
The Dying Detective Remix by SailorChibi (K, 6,563 w. || Friendship & Family) – No one hates admitting illness or wounds more than Sherlock… perhaps that’s why no one believes him when he actually gets sick. Fortunately, when he can’t do it himself any longer, John and Lestrade are there to pick up the slack. Features Paternal!Lestrade and Gen John and Sherlock. One-shot.
Until I See the Sun by Vintage Tea Party (T, 8,194 w. || Nightmares, Mild Whump, Friendship, Mild Violence, Angst) – After a particularly dangerous case, John suffers from night terrors. Will Sherlock be able to comfort him? Will he be able to find out what is really troubling John?
Incapacitation by Cumberbatch Critter (T, 9,424 w. || Hurt / Comfort, Friendship, Sick Sherlock, Doctor John, Appendicitis) – The doctor had just asked how bad the pain was when the pain spiked. Sherlock’s initial response was a gasp that evolved into a whimper. “Ten,” he gasped. “Ten…”
I See You Through by belovedmuerto (T, 12,078 w. || Psychic AU || Empath John, Alternate TGG, Whump, Nightmares, Bedsharing, Slow Burn, Pre-Slash) –John has never asked Sherlock about his past, his childhood, the reason he quails in lonely misery almost every time he sees his brother. He’s never needed to. Part 2 of An Experiment in Empathy
First Response by Arwen Jade Kenobi (T, 13,516 w. || Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Five and Ones, Whump / Injury) – Five times John had to perform first aid on Sherlock and one time Sherlock had to perform it on John.
I Will Take Care Of You by SailorChibi (T, 16,664 w. || Hurt/Comfort, Sick Sherlock, BAMF John, BAMF Lestrade, Reunion Fic) – Two years after Sherlock’s death, John comes to find him on the sofa. Wounded and ill, Sherlock is convinced he’s hallucinating and refuses to share any details about Moran or the fact that Mycroft has been compromised. That doesn’t stop John from stepping up and taking care of the last of Moriarty’s web, BAMF-style.
Checkmate to a Castled King by LaSuen (T, 18,290 w. || Friendship, Hurt / Comfort, Sick Sherlock) - John dies. Or at least everyone thinks he does. (REVERSE-TRF, FAVE)
Another Auld Lang Syne by DiscordantWords (M, 30,234 w. || Post S4, Mutual Pining, Alternating POV, Introspection, Parentlock, Christmas, New Year’s, First Kiss, Past Drug Use, Angst with Happy Ending, Drinking, Sherlock Whump) – There had been years of missed chances.
The Kissing Disease by cottonballz_of_death (E, 30,856 || Sickfic, Angst with Happy Ending, Case Fic, Self-Harm, Slow Burn, Jealous Sherlock, Body Image Issues, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional H/C, POV Sherlock, Oral / Anal, Thong, Frottage) – John brings home a boyfriend, shocking Sherlock, who long ago gave up hope that his straight flatmate would ever take a romantic interest in him. In a bid to reconnect with John, he tries to infect himself with a “harmless” virus. Neither of them is prepared for the emotional fallout that results.
Our Enthusiasms Which Cannot Always Be Explained by withoutawish (M, 32,961 w. || Christmas, Fluff and Angst, H/C, Post-TRF, Case Fic, Mild Gore, Sherlock Whump) – The list that is tacked haphazardly on the refrigerator of 221B reads, ‘Kidney(s), and/or a full cadaver (preferably male, late 30s, under six feet tall), bag of fresh toes, sixteen cow’s eyes (corneas retained), dual exhaust hand –held flame thrower, an unopened first edition copy of Joseph Conrad’s 'Heart of Darkness’, and no less than ten abhorrently gruesome murders in the upcoming month.” The one neatly hanging next to it simply reads, “Sex.” One of these lists is not John Watson’s. If John Watson were to put what he really wanted in list form, to live in a land somewhere beyond ‘almosts’ now that Sherlock Holmes has indeed returned to him, he would never be able to look his flatmate in the eye ever again.
Electric Pink Hand Grenade by BeautifulFiction (E, 67,718 w. || First Time / Kiss, Seizures, Headaches) – “If Sherlock’s brain is a hard drive, then these attacks are an electro-magnetic pulse.” Sherlock Holmes does not do anything by half, not even a migraine. It falls to John to witness one of the greatest minds he has ever known tear itself apart, and he must do his best to help Sherlock pick up the pieces.
Summit Fever by J_Baillier (M, 78,802 w. || Mountain Climber AU || POV John, Angst, Tragedy, Suicidal Ideation, The Himalayas, Mountain Guide / Doctor John, Mount Climber Sherlock, Loneliness, Drama, Suspense, Slow Burn, Injured Sherlock / Sherlock Whump, Pining John) – After graduating from medical school, John Watson followed his heart to the Himalayas. Ten years later, he’s a haunted cynic working for his ex-lover’s trekking and mountaineering company. Will leading an expedition to Annapurna I—the most lethal of all the world’s highest mountains—shake John out of his reverie, and who is the mystery client added to the group at the last minute?
To Light Another’s Path by BeautifulFiction (E, 128,654 w. || Post-TGG, Sick Fic, Hurt/Comfort, Drug Addiction / Recreational Drug Use, First Time / Kiss, Case Fic) – Teaching John to observe seems to be a losing battle, but when Sherlock falls ill and submits himself to John’s care, will he realise that there is more to life than the science of deduction? Meanwhile, there is a murder to solve, and John must try and convince Sherlock not to sacrifice his own health for the sake of the case.
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sup steph! can u plz recommend some short johnlock fics? (short as in 1-2 chapters) ik this is incredibly vague but just give me ones that you may like hehe thanks :D
Hi Lovely!
OHHHHH Gosh, I have so many short Johnlock fics… and I know single chapter fics that are 30K words LOL LOL! So I’ll assume you’re looking for a shorter wordcount fics, as opposed to chapter count, LOL.
First of all, you can check out these past “short fic lists” I’ve done!
Ten Fave Short Johnlock Fics (Easy Reads April 2018)
25 Fave Johnlock One Shots (April 2018)
Fics Under 2000 w.
I think I’ll take this opportunity to post up the next set of “Under 2000 w.” fic list, how about that? :) If you want something other than that, let me know, and I’ll look for something else for you :P As a side note, on every one of my personal rec lists, all my shorter fics are always listed first, so if you like the topic but just want a quick read, go ahead and check out the first few fics until you hit a word count too big for ya
FICS UNDER 2,000w. PT. 2
When Morning Comes by Youarethelightoftheworld (T, 423 w. || Christmas Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Lazy Mornings/Morning After, Fluff and Angst, Sleepy Cuddles, Domestic Fluff, Cuddling / Snuggling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort) – “Sherlock,” says John solemnly, “I’m not sure we can go anywhere today.”
The Moment When by drekadair (K, 509 w. || TGG Fic, Friendship, First Person POV Sherlock, Introspection, Worried Sherlock) – Sherlock sees John in the pool, and doubts. Set during the end of “The Great Game.”
Do You Love Me? by whitchry9 (K, 641 w. || Friendship, Family, Epic Bromance) – John asks Sherlock perhaps the most important question.
New World, Old Words by thedeafwriter (G, 641 w. || Deaf Sherlock, Sherlock Whump, Pining Sherlock, Marriage Proposal, Fluff, Always John) – It was disconcerting to experience. One second, he was laying on the table, breathing in the gas that would make him sleep, the next, he was dragging his eyes open to look around the bright room, trying to wake up.
Promise of Sussex by LittleLongHairedOutlaw (T, 705 w. || First Person POV Sherlock, Sherlock Whump, Angst, Pining, Ambiguous Ending) – John tries to keep Sherlock conscious after he’s been shot on a case.
Promises Kept by grannysknitting (K+, 844 w. || John POV, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship / Pre-Slash, Sherlock’s Violin, Worried Sherlock, John Whump, Post-TGG) – When they were in hospital, Sherlock made a promise to himself. Now he’s keeping it. Set after ’Polygamous Marriage’ but before ’Back in the Saddle’
Possessive by Fang323 (T, 850 w. || John Whump, Hospitalization, Possessive / Protective Sherlock, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort) – His John did not belong. Not here. Not in this blasted hospital. It simply was not logical.
Concussions And Good Old Fashioned Awkwardness by Belldere (K+, 894 w. || Humour, Hospitals, Mild John Whump, Misunderstandings, Platonic Relationship, Concussions, Not-Gay John, Possessive Sherlock) – When John lands himself in hospital… again, all he wants is to just get out of there as soon as possible, too bad his doctor has other ideas about where John may be getting his injuries. Good thing concussions make everything strangely funnier.
Burn Burn by Jenn1984 (K+, 925 w. || Post-TGG, Angst, Worried / Panicked / Possessive Sherlock) – A week after the events of “The Great Game”, Sherlock returns to 221B Baker Street to find it empty.
Devil’s in the Details (Isn’t that what you always say?) by Rae Himura (K, 976 w. || Angst, Sarah POV) – It was the little things Sarah noticed. (Or, some things even the world’s only consulting detective can’t see.)
Sherlock Is Not The One You Should Worry About by AllesandraQuartermaine (K, 1,077 w. || Sally POV, Character Reflection, Praising John) – Sally Donovan’s eyes are opened about a certain Doctor John Watson.
Sherlock’s Mind Palace by Valkyrie Of The Dead (K+, 1,091 w. || Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Major Character Deaths, Self Reflection) – Sherlock needs to change his mind-palace once again. He had hoped he wouldn’t, he had thought he wouldn’t, because they were invincible, weren’t they?
Idiot by Anesthesiologist (T, 1,229 w. || Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Alternate TGG / Explosion, BAMF John, Sherlock Whump, Inner Monologue, John Saves Sherlock, POV Sherlock) – What the heck happened? He remembered the pool and Moriarty, but then what? Had he been dying?
The Simple Separation Will Not Come Between Us by The Circus (T, 1,278 w. || Hurt/Comfort, MCD, Violence, Heavy Angst, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Prose) – The choice is simple. Real, and No John. Or Not Real, and John. For a prompt that says ‘John dies and Sherlock loses himself in his Mind Palace’
God Save The Queen by Alice Day (K+, 1,398 w. || Humour, Mystery, Friendship) – Sherlock has a new case. John is petrified. The Queen is amused.
I Was Wrong by AllesandraQuartermaine (K, 1,496 w. || TGG AU, Friendship, Hospitalization / Injury, John’s Self Esteem, Sleepy Sherlock) – Sherlock and John have a conversation a few days after the pool face off with Moriarty. And John hears something quite surprising.
Left In The Ashes by zoltargirl (T, 1,497 w. || Angst, MCD, Angry Sherlock, Brutal Violence) – Rage is a unique quality in all human beings. In Sherlock Holmes, it’s terrifying.
Angel by MrsNoggin (T, 1,513 w. || Winglock, Friendship, Chromoesthesia, Drugging) – John is an angel. That can be the only explanation. A response to the challenging request for a realistic wingfic one-shot.
Together is What we Have, Together Protects Us by Phantom of the Black Pearl (K+, 1,566 w. || Post-TRF, Friendship / Platonic or Slash, Hurt/Comfort, Insecure Sherlock, Worried Sherlock, Slice of Life) – After a case one evening in the flat Sherlock voices a concern that causes the pair to consider why they’ve chosen to stick together after all that’s happened.
A Long Way To Home by PeaceLoveAndCheese (T, 1,568 w. || Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Reunion Fic) – Human emotions are tiring, troublesome things. And Sherlock wants to be known as anything but that. No matter how hard you try though, you’re only human. And it’s been a long year.
Quite Contrary by Hollyesque (T, 1,805 w. || HLV Fic, Sherlock Whump / After Mary Shot Sherlock, Hallucinations / Flashbacks / PTSD, Hospitalization, Hurt/Comfort, Lestrade POV, ) – A short one-shot, alternate scene to Greg’s hospital visit in HLV. Instead of Sherlock disappearing, Greg is faced with an unexpected reaction to a hospitalized Sherlock and winds up figuring out something that he really would have rather not known.
BBCSH 'Poor Mary’ by tigersilver (M, 1,839 w.|| HLV Fic, Canon Compliant, Sherlock Whump / Mary Shot Sherlock, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Pining Sherlock, Hospitalization, Missing Scene, Sherlock POV) – As the tin says above, this is a missing scene, set directly after Sherlock awakens in hospital after having been shot by his best mate’s wife. Minor angst, some pining, nothing nasty; please don’t be alarmed unduly.
Like Euphoria and Scotch by FinAmour (M, 1,856 w. || Five and One, Alchohol / Drinking, POV Second Person Sherlock, Pining Sherlock, Sherlock’s Imagination, Armchair Sex, Fluff, Happy Ending) – 5 different ways it all could have gone + the one way it actually works itself out.
One in Ten Thousand by Blind Author (K+, 1,856 w. || Post-TGG, Friendship / Pre-Slash, Discussions of Violence, Worried then Curious Sherlock, Scars/John’s Bullet Wound, Medical Anomolies) – John seems to have unusual mobility for a shoulder wound…
Caught by Salambo06 (E, 1,859 w. || Frottage, First Time / Kiss, Bed Sharing, Wet Dreams, POV John, Masturbation) – A hotel room. They’re here for a case, hadn’t planned to spend the night and ended up sharing a room. No, sharing a bed. Suddenly John is very much aware of his own hand closed around his hard cock and the ragged breathing next to him. Closing his eyes for the briefest second, John dares to turn his head just enough to confirm what he already knows. Sherlock, on his side, watching him.
Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil by PipMer (T, 1,895 w. || Deaf John, Mute Sherlock, Friends to Lovers, Romance, Fluff and Angst, Character Study, Morse Code, Love Confessions) – John is deaf. Sherlock is mute. There are no two people more suited for each other.
The Adventure of the Mysterious Appearance of Tissues by Gwen’s Blue Box (K+, 1,910 w. || Fluff, Humour, Sick John, Caring Sherlock, Hurt/Comfort) – In which there is a case, John has caught a cold and is not interested in investigating, Mrs Hudson is away and Sherlock does the shopping.
They’re Taking My Wisdom by whitchry9 (K+, 1,939 w. || Hurt/Comfort, Drugging, Dentists, Friendship, Anxious Sherlock, Humour) – Sherlock goes to the dentist. Of course, being Sherlock, things have to be complicated. Oh and drugs. They’re always fun.
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