#kate_lear

[inevitably-johnlocked]

I haven't checked in a lot lately (real life is busy as hell), but hi! hello! Do you maybe have some good fics where Sherlock and/or John are multilingual? <33

p.s. this feels sooo nostalgic.

Hi Lovely!

I do have a selection of fics on this post here... it's a bit messy so here are the fics on that post, plus others I know of :)

L'Instinct Suffit by Kate_Lear (E, 2,360 w., 1 Ch. || Sherlock Speaks French) – A shamelessly smutty fill for a prompt on sherlockbbc_fic that just said ‘Sherlock speaks French during sex’.

Coup de Foudre by prettysailorsoldier (T, 6,446 w., 1 Ch. || Teenager/University AU || Alternate First Meeting, Skiing, Winter, Sherlock Speaks French, Christmas Fluff) – When John and his friends decide to blow off some steam after finals with a holiday to the Swiss Alps, he's expecting a week of roaring fires, hot chocolate, and snow as far as the eye can see. He is not expecting to fall head over heels for a fellow guest--a young Frenchman known only as "Blue Scarf"--but John's not one to let a little language barrier get in the way, and, with the help of Google Translate, it might just be a Christmas to remember after all. Part 7 of 25 Days of Johnlock

Pardon my French by archea2 (E, 8,232 w., 3 Ch. || Christmas, Fluff, Language Kink, Voice Kink, John in Afghanistan, Fever, Drunk Sherlock, Paternal Lestrade, Clothed Sex, Drunken Confessions, Humour) – Sherlock's closet Jekyll resurfaces when he's drunk, making him tender, earnest and extremely talkative with John. It's all fine with John - or would be, if Sherlock's Subconscious bloody let him speak English on these occasions.

Not Your Average Roman Holiday by StarlightAndFireflies (M, 11,253 w., 1 Ch. || Alternate First Meeting || Rome, Vacation, Flirting, Romance, First Kiss / Time, International Crime Solving, Language Barrier) – After his relationship with Mary falls apart, John finds himself on what should have been his honeymoon, alone and directionless. Then, a chance encounter with a handsome, intelligent stranger changes his entire outlook -- but this gorgeous man doesn't seem to speak any English... AU in which John is a tourist and Sherlock is working on an international case, and they meet by chance. Sparks fly.

A Gossamer Dream by CarmillaCarmine (E, 15,985 w., 4 Ch. || Writer/Teacher AU || First Meetings, Friends to Lovers, Writer John / Teacher Sherlock, Fluff, London, Holding Hands, Online Friendship / Romance, Phone Sex, Anal Sex, Happy Ending, Alternating POV, Scottish John, Online Relationship, Internalized Homophobia, Hand Holding, Forehead Touching, First Kiss/Time, Texting/Sexting, Rimming, Toplock, Sherlock Speaks French) – Sherlock had never realised one could care so much about someone they'd never met in person. Now he is about to meet the friend with whom he's been chatting online for months and his anticipation is reaching a crescendo. Part 19 of Johnlock Smut (with Feels)

Common Tongues: Unassuming Brilliance by jinglebell (E, 41,174 w., 11 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Anal, Rimming, Snowballing, Language Kink, Blow Jobs, BAMF John, Size Difference, Height Difference, Sapiosexual Sherlock, Barebacking, Size Queen) – John may be predictably average in most things, but there are a handful of areas in which he knows he is uncommonly skilled. He can make a great cup of tea, for one. He's also good at patching folks up, putting bullets precisely where he wants them, and listening.The one skill that John is perhaps most exceptional in, though, is language. John is a polyglot.

A Study in Winning by Jupiter_Ash (E, 106,658 w., 11 Ch. || Tennis AU || John POV, Dirty Talk, Mutual Pining, Misunderstandings, Happy Ending, Sherlock Speaks French, Switchlock, Wimbledon) – John and Sherlock are professional tennis players and it’s Wimbledon. One is a broken almost was at the end of his career, the other an arrogant rising star tipped for greatness. It should have been a straightforward tournament. It really should have been. How were they to know that a chance encounter would change everything? Part 1 of Tennis

====

If anyone has any more, please do add them!!

[thetimemoves]

Recommend a fic with an interesting premise/concept.

Recommend a fic that is more than 10 years old.

Recommend a fic you think is a hidden gem/deserves more reads.

Recommend a fic that formed or changed your opinion on something (characterization, backstory, relationship, etc.)

Recommend a fic you've re-read multiple times.

(Seems so demanding without the numbers but I lost them in translation. I hope you saw some flowers today! xoxox--Poppy)

I saw all sorts of pretty flowers today! <3 Thank you for the ask!

Recommend a fic with an interesting premise/concept.

Capital H-i-m by cridecoeur. John as Sherlock's avenging angel. Hilarious, amazing.

Recommend a fic that is more than 10 years old.

The Frayed Edge by hyacinth_sky747. The Fall from Lestrade's perspective. Oh god, this one is so good.

Recommend a fic you think is a hidden gem/deserves more reads.

Spider stories by rachelindeed/@educatedinyellow. A 221B Baker Towers 'verse vignettes based on one-word prompts that is absolutely genius. Moriarty as a web/systemic inequality. Friends, you have to read this one. There's even a fanvid to go along with. A snippet (John POV) that slays me:

What it is, right, I got my English sorted. The accent's dead obvious still. Always will be. But on paper, on a screen, there's no telling. Can't properly hear me, can you? All the fiddly little rules finally stuck, and as long as I don't sign my name, every word I put down'll sound native in your head. Got the articles straight and the verb conjugations. Swallowed the dictionary and learned to pretzel it, pub style. In writing, I could have lived here all my life. Mission accomplished, absolute scenes. Too late to count for anything, of course, but there it is. I sound proper English. Takes the 'me' right out of me, yeah?  Funny how that works.

Recommend a fic that formed or changed your opinion on something (characterization, backstory, relationship, etc.)

Beneath the Stains by afrogeekgoddess. How John gets his tattoo. Short, but gut-wrenching. Headcanon from the moment I first read this.

Recommend a fic you've re-read multiple times.

The Love Song of Dr. John H. Watson by takepenandink (formerly Kate_Lear). How many times have I read this?? Many, many times. John takes Sherlock out for an unconventional Valentine's Day evening. Newly established relationship fic that makes me indescribably happy. It's funny, sweet, HOT.

More Fic Rec Asks here!

[swissmissficrecs]

Hey, I'm looking for a Johnlock fic, but i dont recall the plot. What I remember is, John has a conversation near the end with sherlock about how Sherlock doesnt respect his boundaries. John says that when he says no, because Sherlock can read john's body language well, he just continues to override his verbal command. John refers back to a scene earlier in the fic where sherlock had hidden the fact that the library had a second door when they were getting intimate and mycroft walked in. TIA!

Reply: I thought at first this might be Winter's Delights by Kate_Lear, which has a scene in which they get walked in on while kissing but it's in the conservatory (not library) and it's a cousin who walks in, not Mycroft. I also don't see the boundaries conversation. Anyway, maybe have a look at it yourself, and maybe someone else has a better idea.

[myrecs]

Long Is The Way, And Hard by Kate_Lear

Aziraphale/Crowley

The first time Crawley meets the angel, the celestial being is twisting its shining white robe in its fingers and looking wretched. It hardly spares him a glance as he shifts from snake to human, and Crawley is a touch put-out. It’s taken some practice to be able to do it so fluidly.

[drowninginfanfics]

Written for this prompt on the  kinkmeme: ‘John got scared off men by an abusive past relationship. Sherlock has to try and woo him while not scaring him off with protective possessive rage.’

[genshos]

@incorrectquotesconaisseur I think number 2 is Long Is The Way and Hard by Kate_Lear? https://archiveofourown.org/works/19345675/chapters/46022983

Lost Fic #133

1. Lost fic: Aziraphale and Crowley try something new resulting on Aziraphale falling pregnant and they are trying to hide from Heaven and Hell. They exchange magical rings and baby glows… There’s even a fanart of Preg Azira with his flaming sword. - anon

2. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOU AND NOW I NEED HELP I lost a fic on ao3 that had a slightly more demonic Crowley who spent his time in Eden as a snake and spied on Aziraphale for a whilr and at some point he bit his hand, then Crowley brought Aziraphale Guttenberg’s bible as an apology for having tried to seduce him and then Aziraphale doesn’t trust him on that for a long while… AND I CAN’T FIND IT 😭😭😭😭 do you happen to know which one it is??? Thank you soo much ! - @incorrectquotesconaisseur

3. Hello, i am lookong for a fic where Crowley is a vampire and Aziraphale is a female vampire hunter and they got accidentally married or engaged but aziraphales family doesnt know that crowley is a vampire. Ive been trying to look for it. - anon

4. Hi I’m looking for a lost AO3 fic that was non-sexual age regression and had both Hastur and Crowley as Littles. (Also any fics with Little!Hastur.) Please and thanks in advance!🙂 - anon

5. hello! i’m looking for a fic that follows crowley and aziraphale through time, and the event that i can remember most clearly is aziraphale being trapped in a container by a human at some point, and eventually being set free by crowley after a day. they end up sleeping together after and crowley reveals that he’s been tempting aziraphale and it causes a falling out between them, but they later make up. it’s a long fic and was unfinished when i was reading it, but i’ve been looking for it for like a year so i figured i would turn here! thank you! - anon

If you know any of these fics please include the number in your reply! Thank you :)

- Mod D

[thegildedbee]

The rec that launched this post is @standbygo’s En Pointe, a shiny new 2022 fic that I’ve subtitled in my mind as “the unbearable eroticism of a gorgeous man in toe shoes.” 🩰 Anything by @standbygo is an absolute pleasure to read (and inevitably re-read and then re-re-read) and this one is a giddy rush of dancing at the edge of a delightful mixture of desires of all kinds -- bodily cravings and mind-blowing sensuality and emotional exhilaration and a innocent wonder at contentment amidst a joyful wickedness at driving each other crazy with longing to get as close as possible.

And all of that in 3687 words! Which got me remembering when I first started reading fic eons ago and realized an invented genre existed that I’d never encountered before: "exquisitely short, sassy, steamy renditions of toe-curling sexuality." 😘❤️‍🔥 So here are four more circa 5000 words or less from those early days of discovery – in rising /cough, cough/ order – to make five. (All the set-ups seeming to indicate that I have a kink for expert instruction of various kinds leading to out-of-body sexual encounters – the things one learns from reading fic, lol 😜). Each on its own is undeniably fun, but they’re all short enough that reading two or more together is even more fun.

En Pointe by standbygo [E, 2022 / 3687 words] https://archiveofourown.org/works/37177972 ..............

L’Instinct Suffit by Kate_Lear [E, 2010 / 2360 words] https://archiveofourown.org/works/183772 A classic rendition of “Sherlock speaking French drives John wild”, and (for me at least) the ur-text of this fic category: “It might, John reflected, have given Madame Poirrier some pleasure to know that, almost twenty years later, her worst pupil had at last discovered an enthusiasm for the study of French. But then again, considering the context, perhaps not.” Multilingually extraordinaire. ..............

I Lay With You by trickybonmot [E, 2012 / 1952 words] https://archiveofourown.org/works/470804 An uninvited grammar lesson by someone critiquing your writing is undeniably irritating, but who knew that it could also be so playful and so hot? Well, if it’s coming out of the mouth of the hitherto untouched object of your desire . . . who has decided to join you in bed in order to do so . . . then apparently absofuckinglutely yes! ...............

Just Browsing by bendingsignpost [E, 2013 / 3869 words] https://archiveofourown.org/works/1009546 Sherlock’s powers of deduction have never been put toward a more rapid and productive end than in this meet-cute-pwp. Between Sherlock’s snark and John’s cheek these two manage to proposition each other within minutes of exchanging glances. Sherlock allows John the chance to audition with a kiss and then it's off to the races. (Note: No bookshelves or office doors were actually harmed in the course of the characters’ activities.) ...............

Floor 6 by NerdyMind [E, 2014 / 5171 words] https://archiveofourown.org/works/2467898 Forbiddingly austere art restorer Sherlock Holmes disdains contemporary art -- until the creative mind of John Watson schools him (by scrambling his brains in the midst of the most arousing art session of all time). The intro makes good on its advisory that “obviously this can only end in snark and sex," and the teasing is puddle-meltingly-wonderful in the midst of John’s master class in seduction, as they find there is so very very much to admire in each other. .............. *fic repost recruits, perhaps??? ❤️ @totallysilvergirl @7-percent @discordantwords

[amyreadsandstresses]

Sherlock Mid-March Fics Rec

Since I've read plenty of good fics this month, I am going to divide the recs into two parts (at least). Here is part one:

*Among the Secret Thing - Kate_Lear

2 works, 33k, Johnlock, Amnesia, Recovery, Angst. Excrutiating and so good.

Sherlock would be the last person to describe himself as given to flights of fancy, but at the look on Lestrade’s face he could swear that something inside him curls up and dies.

*A Sign of Four - hobbitsdoitbetter

4k, 1/1, Grey Romantic Sherlock, Sherlolly, Post S4. Lovely Aro rep (as a grey romantic myself).

Grey romantic Sherlock discovers the many ways one can love Molly Hooper

*as if not spoken in the act of love - coloredink

8k, 1/1, Johnlock, Codependency, Consent Issues, Aspec Sherlock. TW.

Sherlock endures the indignities, bodies squirming against one another, the sweat, the saliva, because of John's jam in the fridge and sour-breathed kisses in the morning.

*Kiss the Tin Man - hyacinth_sky747

3k, 1/1, Johnlock, Hurt/Comfort, The Wizard of Oz references.

Sherlock is not human. Sherlock has no heart. Sherlock is in love.

*Lead me to the Truth - Lavellington

8k, 1/1, Johnlock, John Watson, Harry Watson, Character Study. Drug Use, Addiction, Hurt/Comfort.

John didn’t mind following two steps behind: two steps behind Sherlock was still miles ahead of everyone else.

*Trapped and Upside Down on the M6 - BootsnBlossoms

4k, 1/1, Car Accident, Johnlock, Greg Lestrade, Angst with a Happy Ending.

Everything felt wrong. His hair was going the wrong way. His arms were bent in ways he wouldn’t choose to bend them. His neck hurt and he couldn’t really feel his toes. Something was dripping on his face – and rolling up.

No, this definitely wasn’t right.

“Sherlock? Sherlock!” a frantic and pained voice whispered next to his ear. Sherlock groaned and turned his head, hissing as the muscles at the juncture of his neck and shoulder flared with pain.

“All right, it’s all right, it’s fine.” Sherlock couldn’t finish turning his head for fear of the muscle seizing completely, but the rest of his senses were kicking back in. Metallic creaks and groans, cracking glass, the distinct smell of petrol and burnt rubber.

A car crash. He had been in a car crash.

*Cabin Fever - awanderingbard

6k, 1/1, Sherlock Holmes, John Watson, Mrs. Hudson, Friendship, Fluff.

A massive storm keeps John trapped in Baker Street with a half-blind (for science!), very bored Sherlock Holmes.

*Mozart - holyfant

3k, 1/1, Sherlock Holmes, John Watson, Molly Hooper, Substance Abuse, Hurt/Comfort.

John doesn't want to be, but he's worried.

*And It Just Got Worse - VelvetMace

6k, 1/1, Sally Donovan, Sherlock Holmes, Torture, Hurt/Comfort, Developing Friendship.

Sally and Sherlock wake to find themselves locked together, naked, in a tiny stinking closet, at the mercy of some very bad people. If either is to survive, they have to learn to put aside their differences and trust each other. Given their history, this is not an easy thing to do.

*System Restart - Radon65

9k, 1/1, Character Injury, Hurt Sherlock, John Watson, Greg Lestrade, Sally Donovan, Angst, Character Study.

"Sally had always said that someday, they'd be standing around a body and Sherlock Holmes would be the one who put it there. But now they were standing around his body and what it was doing to John Watson was more than she could bear." Unrelated to Reichenbach. No character death.

*saying it out loud is hard (and words are futile devices) - verity

1k, 1/1, A/B/O, Trans Character, Asexual Sherlock.

Sherlock went to dance lessons when he was young and more easily bribed, the kind where the omegas wore delicate white gloves and orbited the alphas like electrons around a nucleus. It was no different; everything was chemistry.

[inevitably-johnlocked]

hello! im looking for a fic that i know ive seen on here where one of the boys (i think john) was scared off of relationships with men because of a bad past relationship but the other (i believe sherlock) is trying to convince him they should date

Hi Nonny!

OHHHHH Uh, I want to say it's this one?

A Life Well-Lived by Kate_Lear (E, 20,121 w., 1 Ch. || Original Male Character, Sherlock Woos John, Jealous Sherlock, Reluctant Bi-John, Past Abuse, Insecure John, Reassuring / Caring Sherlock, Protective Sherlock, Understanding Sherlock) – John got scared off men by an abusive past relationship. Sherlock has to try and woo him while not scaring him off with protective possessive rage.

====

This is the one that immediately came to mind!! I hope it's the right one!! It's been awhile since I've read it but the description fits!

And if it's not, please let me know and I'll keep this post on the call-out cycle!!

[slow-burn-sally]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/19345675/chapters/46022983

Seriously one of the most amazing GO fics I've ever read, from a beloved Sherlock author. So so so so so good!

Long Is The Way, And Hard by Kate_Lear

Fic Back Friday

Make a post recommending a fic you love from at least a year ago. Dust off the archives, dig through your AO3 history and share those old fics with newer fans who might not have seen them - and the fans who’ve been around forever and might want to revisit an old fave.

Reblog art, edits, and gifsets from seasons past. Dig out those hold headcanon and meta posts and bring them back. What were the popular fan theories? What was everyone writing fic about 2 years ago? Five? Go comment on an old fanvid that got you right in the feels. Queue up that OTP playlist and break out the tissues.

[antikate]

The Wrecking List vol 1

I’m always chasing a certain state when I’m reading anything, but especially fanfic, and that feeling is ... emotionally wrecked, but in a good way. So I’m going to start a fic rec list on Wednesdays (probably) of my favourite “this made me feel lots of feelings” Good Omens fics. I’m aware that this is a highly subjective thing, and one person’s “this fic left me feeling like a wrung out hanky and I liked it” is another person’s “what a romp” but I hope you enjoy these fics nevertheless.

I’m going to try to find some lesser known gems, and both longer and shorter pieces, and I’ll mark any WIPs. And I’ll try to rec 3-5 works a week, if time and reality co-operate. 

And, of course, please send me further recommendations! I want to feel the feelings!

Fair warning: many of these fics contain at least a soupçon of angst. As always, heed the tags!

Long is the way and hard: by Kate_Lear

I love this fic so much. I love the journey, the characterization, the realisation, and the redemption. I don’t want to say too much more so I don’t spoil it in it, but it’s absolutely about a truly demonic Crowley—untrustworthy, wily, and utterly deluded. 

Give me your illusions: by @ashfae

What was Crowley doing in the years after the Holy Water fight? I’ve never accepted the nap as anything other than a half-truth, because the late 19th and early 20th Century was one of the most turbulent times in history, and I love how this fic moves through these tumultuous times with such beautiful precision and longing. 

Some strangeness in the proportion: by @trailingoff

Somehow this fic manages to be both wry and funny and also quietly devastating. The Tesco laundry gel and Sputnik Sweetheart references leave me in agony every time. The ending, and the angel’s choice, is stunning. 

Doubt thou the stars are fire: by @princip1914

Princip is so good at capturing an incredibly specific time and place in their fics and this is no exception, except the times and places are... many times, and many places. The melancholy and sweetness of the section in the desert is something that I think about quite regularly, as is the concept of Aziraphale and Crowley discovering their love for each other again and again, across time and corporations. 

Your mirror: by equestrianstatue (@justlikeeddie)

I love the circling, reflective structure of this fic, which is so perfect for its emotional journey of love and longing in and out of time. I love how much is left unsaid, and how much it costs both Crowley and Aziraphale to finally say what they mean after the world doesn’t end (I especially adore a difficult, weighty love confession). 

[swissmissficrecs]

hello! i love your blog (and thank you so much for the recent fic rec ❤️). do you know of any fics that take place during s02e02 “the hounds of baskerville”, or immediately after it? something about removing the boys from london + creepy + hallucinations just opens up a fun dynamic. thank you!

Reply: Thank you for the kind words. It is nice to hear.

I can offer you these that are related to THOB:

Equilibrium by augustbird (12K, M, Johnlock) At Baskerville, John is infected by a virus that turns him into a genius. But when the infection progresses into neurodegeneration, it's a race against time to save himself. Flowers for Algernon fusion.

Messages Unspoken by Kate_Lear (12K, E, Johnlock) A look at Sherlock and John in the immediate aftermath of the Hounds of Baskerville case, with particular attention to John's knowledge of Morse code.

Obsidian and Moonlight by PenelopeWaits (11K, T, Johnlock) John and Sherlock make a detour on the way home from Baskerville. The question is, which is more inexplicable, the rites of human violence or the depths of human love?

Old Haunts by DiscordantWords (14K, M, Johnlock) In the days following their return from Dartmoor, with the uncertain threat of Moriarty still hanging overhead, Sherlock and John take a case that changes everything.

Our Next Journey by bloodlessdandy (4K, G, Johnlock) It all began with a joke, a date on a calendar and Mrs Hudson’s old gambling addiction. Then, a road trip. New steps towards an old destination. A destination well-preserved in Sherlock's best memories.

Privacy in the Digital Age by lunanimal (10K, T, Johnlock) Just back from Baskerville, John discovers a strange new ability: he can hear Sherlock's thoughts. What he overhears will challenge the way he understands Sherlock- and their relationship.

The Bite by Laur (48K, E, Johnlock) Days, months, even years in the future, Sherlock’s oversight during the Baskerville case will continue to torment him, but nothing about that night will ever be as painfully vivid as the memory of John’s screams.

The Vapor Variant by 88thParallel (72K, M, Johnlock, Mystrade) 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.

Words of One Syllable by GwendolynnFiction (49K, M, Johnlock) The landmine at Baskerville leaves Sherlock deafened. Sherlock teaches John to sign by finally learning to talk to him, while everyone asks why John is willing to do so much for the man.

[cupidford]

The Love Song of Dr. John H. Watson by Kate_Lear

Johnlock Love Letters #1838

John takes Sherlock out for the evening on Valentine's Day.

[thanks-mike-stamford]

Fics that inspire my writing - Part III

This is Part III (the last). Click for Part I or Part II.

So... hahaha I forgot to post the last part. Also: when I was finishing the last paragraph my browser refreshed tumblr and deleted almost the whole post, so this is a rewrite *deaded*.

I also kept changing the shortlist. Choosing just 10 fics was painful, there are just so many great works out there.

Reminder, this is a fic about writing, not necessarily favourites. This is explained better in Part I.

Here we go.

Part III

Collared by VelvetMace

Let's not talk about how Chameleon was never finished when it was right on the story climax and never brought from live-journal to AO3 like this author's other fics. In some ways I feel like Collared is Chameleon's kid, getting all the ambiguous feelings it's supposed to create on the reader, but making it better.

While both fics are supposed to make the reader uncomfortable, Collared made it better by removing a clear villain. Mycroft and Sherlock are still pretty on the fence, you can't quite place if they are supposed to be good or not. But the absence of someone clearly bad to contrast with them is genius. This fic makes me think a lot about morals in stories. While moral lessons seem a good idea for educational purposes, it's also a tiny bit patronising. They are for children's stories. This is not a story for kids at all. Mind me, there's definitely an entity of evil, namely the institutions that maintain slavery. But this is an abstract thing that you can't quite touch. There's no way to single out someone responsible for it. This means that both sides have ways to deal with it that will spillover to people that have nothing to do with it. There's also the factor of the romantic tension happening between John and Sherlock, that makes you oh so conflicted. It's not supposed to be right. It's probably not a relationship you'd approve in real life. And yet you want it to happen. It makes you be critical of some of John's decisions against better judgement. Suddenly you realise you're not thinking about the morality of the situation at all.

For appreciation of fiction in its pure form - removes your obligation of trying to be good and makes you just enjoy whatever is happening, this is the fic to go. I really want to work with something on this area in the future.

Among the Secret Things by Kate_Lear

You all must know that this fic is actually inspired by Lacuna by coloredink. It's actually the same story, except that the original one is told from John's POV and this one is Sherlock's POV. In the story, John loses all his memory from after he's deployed, including Sherlock.

I actually went with this one instead of the original exactly because of the change in POV, which is my main point here. In some stories the change in POV honestly doesn't matter, as the events are experienced in the same way. In those stories the only difference is the inner monologue. But not this one. Here the change of narrator perspective is essential. In the original one there's a plot twist that can only happen in John's POV, it wouldn't work otherwise, so I understand why the author went with that. But for me, the emotional impact is always what grabs me in a story, more than plot intricacies, even if they are satisfying and clever. And for the emotional impact to happen, we needed Sherlock to be the narrator. Mind me, of course John is going through a difficult time, but thanks to amnesia, he doesn't really know why. If he had chosen to move out and restart his life somewhere else along with his new memories, it wouldn't have made a difference. But Sherlock remembers what he lost, even with John still living with him, he's the one who hurts about their past, which they can't recover. We know what's going to happen in this fic, of course, because we read the original one, but that's not the point. Since we have Sherlock's POV, the same story becomes a different experience, this time more from the emotional side. It's genius.

This fic has taught me about the importance of choosing well your POV. If you want a specific type of impact, you need to know who in the story can deliver that.

Comorbidity by merripestin

It's funny, and it happens a lot to me, when you realise that you think you don't know an author and then you check your bookmarks and there are several fics from them. When I was shortlisting for this post, I noticed that there were two fics from this author. I ended up choosing this one (the other was Safe Distance by the way).

The two fics are not very similar, except for the fact that John indulges Sherlock just to keep him happy. Comorbidity is not so much about a kink considered deviant even by the kinky person themselves, but about the feelings of everyone involved. I feel like this fic specifically embodies everything I talked about in this series of posts. It uses sort of a dark theme, conflicted feelings from both the characters and the readers, plays with the morality of the situation, changes POV when it's important for the flow, uses non-linear narrative in a very clever way, it even shows character development and it's a short story. Some would say it's fucked up, but I feel like despite everything it proposes, it's so tender. A study in contradictions. The deviant kink is treated with respect, with conflicting views. There's no judgement, it's just "ok let's try to understand this". There's no characters compromising to each other or negotiation, instead we have "I want to do this for you even if I don't entirely approve of it myself". Nobody asks for anything, but they are given anyway. A fic about a kink but not in a sexual way, even if there's a lot of sex. During sex scenes the focus is mainly on their emotions and perceptions about each other than the acts themselves. It's a short story, but it has all the complexity that some novel-length works lack.

And because of this, it's the one that closes this series of posts. I wish I could write something like this.

If you missed the previous posts, just click: Part I or Part II.

[ineffablegame]

what are your top 5 GO fanfics??

I started making this list and realized a majority of the fic were book!GO.  So, I’m making a little list for both! I apologize because most of these are dated, as I haven’t had time to read as much fic as I’d like.  Also, I’m looking for book!GO recs for myself - I could only think of four!

Top 4 Book GO fanfiction:

Bad Grace by quantum_witch

"Good Omens" sequel - In which there is a stolen book of prophecies, a plot to bring about the Second Coming of Christ and thus truly end the world, an Antichrist heading into puberty, a demon and angel facing complicated emotional entanglement, and Horsepersons and Sins and Disciples, oh my!”

(Btw, this fic has one of the loveliest reunion scenes I’ve ever read, in books or fic.)  

The Internal Rhyme series by Vulgarweed, illustrated by Quantum_Witch.  

This action-packed, spicy romp follows Aziraphale and Crowley through history, from the Dark Ages to the Crusades to Elizabethan England.  Aziraphale and Crowley have a sort of friends with benefits situation that keeps tipping into Real Feelings(tm).  The dialogue is witty, the settings immersive, and the sex is loads of fun. 

Revenge of the Houseplants by HJ Bender

“FACT: Crowley's houseplants have been suffering for years at the hands of their merciless master. QUESTION: What happens when Hastur offers them a chance to avenge their misery? ANSWER: (read fic)”

My true favorite in this trilogy is Operation Salvation, but Revenge of the Houseplants is the first in that trilogy.  HJ Bender captures Aziraphale and Crowley perfectly, with witty dialogue and incredible action scenes.  (TW for attempted rape in Operation Salvation.)

Manchester Lost by Aisene

“//novel sequel// Our heroes have managed to make everything worse, as the Apocalypse is starting... again. Drama! Action! Humour! Adventure! Snark! Tea! Romance! Beta'd by Quantum_Witch.”

This novel-length follow-up to the book is hilarious (sometimes at a crack-y level), sweet, and emotional by turns.  With a completely different (and endearing) take on the Archangels, the cast is full of characters to love.  

Top 5 TV GO fanfiction:

You, Soft and Only by thehoyden

“He hadn’t expected a sudden lapful of angel.

‘Very sorry about this,’ Aziraphale said, and kissed him.”

This fic follows Crowley and Aziraphale as their relationship slowly progresses from adversaries to friends to friends-with-benefits and beyond.  Lush and emotional, You, Soft and Only gives you a bit of everything:  Roman bathhouses, nunneries, fake marriage in Venice, and more.  Also available as a podfic by @podfixx.

these three remain by weatheredlaw

“but the greatest of these is love

or: aziraphale struggles with faith after the world doesn't end. crowley's got some experience with that.”

This gorgeous fic follows Aziraphale and Crowley as they recover from the events of Armageddon on a remote Greek island.  Aziraphale struggles with PTSD and Crowley tries his best.  (Honestly, read everything by weatheredlaw.)  Also available as a podfic by @podfixx.

with all your delights by weatheredlaw

“Crowley laughed. ‘I thought you’d have realized by now. I am no ordinary king.’

‘No,’ Aziraphale said. ‘You certainly are not.’

or: aziraphale is sent as a gift to the southern king to smooth over trade negotiations. they both find themselves in over their heads.”

Another from Cat!  This AU features Crowley as a king and Aziraphale as his consort.  Misunderstandings and sexytimes abound, but the best part of this is how two people from incredibly different backgrounds learn to compromise and love one another.  

Long is the Way, and Hard by kate_lear

“The first time Crawley meets the angel, the celestial being is twisting its shining white robe in its fingers and looking wretched. It hardly spares him a glance as he shifts from snake to human, and Crawley is a touch put-out. It’s taken some practice to be able to do it so fluidly.

A story of Crowley's thoughts about Aziraphale, from the Beginning to the present day.

And also of temptation, and want, and whether - for a Fallen Angel - redemption is possible after all.”

Another fic following the two throughout history, Long is the Way features Crowley attempting to Fall Aziraphale over the years.  Of course, this turns into feelings.  Of course it will murder you with tenderness.  This incredible story is also available as a podfic by @podfixx.

For the Longest Time by darlingred1

“‘You…’ Aziraphale sounded baffled, and suddenly quite sober. ‘You liked that? But, my dear, you said it was torturous. “Six thousand years of torture,” as I recall.’

‘Yeah. Yeah, but the anticipation, and the yearning, and…and how every moment with you was so maddeningly intense, and…’

And what else could Crowley say? How could he expect Aziraphale to understand that after six thousand years of torture he’d actually got a bit used to it? That he’d felt like a band strained further and further, and now he found himself permanently stretched, flopping about with too much slack and no way to hold on to what he’d been reaching towards for so long?

(Crowley kind of misses the pining when it's gone. Aziraphale comes up with a solution.)”

This is so fucking hot omg.  Darlingred1 must be a wizard at kinks because they write some of the best sex I’ve ever read.  Aside from spicy scenes, this fic features misunderstandings, tenderness, and compromise.  

[kaeltale]

Ineffable Fic Rec List

Happy Fanfiction Author Appreciation Day! I’m having a heck of a time trying to focus enough to read, so I thought I’d put together a list of my favorite Good Omens fics (all Aziraphale/Crowley). Please check them out and shower the authors with love!

Rated-G:

You Know My Name by @dotstronaut​ (WIP) 5.6K words. Role-reversal AU, Forced Amnesia, Animal Aspects. This fic is written by an artist who also draws scenes from it, and I am in love with the whole thing. Tortoise!Aziraphale and Snake!Crowley, starting in the Garden of Eden.

Build Our Kingdom by Mackem 9.3K words. Post-canon, Picnic, First Kiss, Fluff, So Much Fluff. They go on a picnic together, and it’s just 100% adorable fluff.

An Angel who did not so much Fall In Love as Settle Into It Gradually by TheLadyZephyr 7.5K words. Canon-Compliant, Missing Scenes, Historical References. Aziraphale slowly but surely falling in love. Podfic available!

Stopgap by RC_McLachlan 3.1K words. Missing Scene in Episode 6. Basically just Crowley hating on Gabriel during the “Shut your stupid mouth and die already” scene.

Rated-T:

Something to do with these sacred words by Solshine 11.3K words. Pining Out Loud, Declarations of Love, Happy Ending. Crowley confesses early, and Crowley confesses often. Aziraphale takes a Long Time to catch up.

Archangel of Healing by Nnm 9.3K words. Crowley Was Raphael Before He Fell, Post-canon, mild Angst, Recipe for Stew. Aziraphale figures out Crowley’s pre-Fall identity and A Lot Of Feelings are confronted. There’s so much delicious humor in this fic, despite it being a little angsty, and it feels SO MUCH like it belongs in the GO canon.

He No Longer Needs to Wonder by FinAmour 1.1K. Fluff, First Kiss, Sharing A Bed, Comedic Misunderstandings. Sweet and poetic. It all begins with a forbidden fruit.

Gravity by kaeltale 13.8K words. Fallen!Aziraphale, mild Hurt/Comfort, Getting Together, Post-canon. That’s right, I practice self-love by plugging my own fics! An exploration of what it means to be Fallen. Aziraphale helps Crowley see himself in kinder ways. God is a lovable bastard, and She ships it.

Across the Universe by kaeltale (WIP) 6.8K words. Moments In Time, Historical References, Pining. A collection of loosely-tied glimpses into Aziraphale and Crowley’s history together.

Rated-M:

In the (Second) Beginning by cherryfeather 2.6K words. Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss, Post-canon, Wings. Aziraphale realises Crowley's been saying something rather loudly for a week.

good for the soul by singingtomysoul 3.6K words. Getting Together, Post-canon, Confessions. Aziraphale doesn't feel guilty, for once, but has some things to confess. Crowley doesn't think he has guilt, and doesn't plan to confess anything. On both counts, he's wrong.

Touch by kaeltale 3.8K words. Compantion Fic, Non-sexual Intimacy, Music, Poetry, Fluff. Missing scene from Gravity in which Crowley is very overwhelmed, and Aziraphale is an angel... even if he's a demon.

Rated-E:

Lead me to the banquet hall by obstinatrix and wishwellingtons 14.7K words. First Time, Post-canon, Food, Pining, Resolved Sexual Tension, Bottom Crowley. Aziraphale gets flustered when he finds out that Crowley does eat, but doesn’t want to eat with him. Confessions ensue.

There's Nowhere Else On Earth That I Would Rather Be by CartWrite 8K words. Post-canon, Love Confessions, First Time, Body Swap Fallout. Sequel to Taking The Liberty in which Aziraphale takes (guilt-ridden) advantage of the Body Swap to explore Crowley’s body while he’s in it. Aziraphale confesses his transgressions. Crowley has some confessions of his own.

the voice under all silences by ShadyCakes 12K words. First Time, Mutual Pining, Missing Scene, Service Top Crowley, Aftercare, Telepathy, Tender Sex with Feelings, Classical Music. After the bus ride back from Tadfield and the erstwhile End of the World, Aziraphale reaches his breaking point.

You Forget We Were In Love by CaptainSlow 51.3K words. First Time, Historical References, Slow Burn, Pining, Soulmates AU, Amnesia, Questionable Consent (that gets addressed). Aziraphale and Crowley were soulmates in Heaven. After the Fall, everyone has forgotten the Fallen, except for Aziraphale. BAMF Aziraphale.

Chiaroscuro (series) by @drawlight 18K words total. Pining, Forbidden Love, Feelings Realization, Love Confessions, Missing Scene, First Time, Body Worship, Stars, Poetry. If you haven’t heard of Salinity by now, you are in for such a treat!! Ad Astra is probably my favourite so far, because Carl Sagan quotes. The whole series is just pure poetry and I am in love! So read it, ok? (Podfics by @podfixx are available here.)

The One With The Love Letters by Davechicken 7.5K words. First Time, Grey-Asexuality, Demisexuality, Past Abuse (non-explicit), Healthy Communication, Explicit Consent. Aziraphale thinks they are dating. Crowley thinks so too. Aziraphale thinks he knows what follows. Crowley absolutely does not. An exploration of demisexuality evolving through a relationship. Brilliant, and humourous at times.

Rebuild you from clay. by JMA 8.5K words. DARK FIC, Betrayal, Angst, Philosophy, Good and Evil, Demonic!Crowley, Unrequited Love, Recovery. Sequel to Apple in which Crowley plays a long game with Aziraphale. Fuck, it hurts. Evil!Crowley warning (he’s learning, but nowhere near Good). “Crowley has a naked fallen Angel in his bed. And hands around his throat.” Exploration of Art and Pain, and it’s beautiful in a really disturbing way. Be Warned!

Long Is The Way, And Hard by Kate_Lear 27K words. Historical, Friends to Lovers, Pining, Angst, Redemption. A story of Crowley's thoughts about Aziraphale, from the Beginning to the present day. And also of temptation, and want, and whether - for a Fallen Angel - redemption is possible after all. SO MUCH PINING, and also, apologies. Aziraphale is BAMF! (Podfic available by @podfixx)