favorite fanfiction as movie posters (4/?)

Inspired by a Johnlock fanfic Oxidation by abbykate

johnlockficrecommendations’ favorite underappreciated fics, in celebration of reaching my next hundred (!).

Oxidation by abbykate: A gorgeously angsty magical realism fic in which Sherlock is an artist and John is his subject, with a twist - John died in the war, and Sherlock attempts to paint him solely from descriptions. The writing is exquisite and the characterizations are perfect. Watch out for the tags (major character death, suicidal ideation, and drug use among them), but otherwise, absolutely give this a read.

God Rest Ye Drunk Detectives by Chryse: This is a fantastic scene from A River Without Banks. In a nutshell, Greg’s habit of taking videos of Sherlock while compromised backfires on him in a spectacular manner. Even if you haven’t read ARWB, read this; it is short and sweet and laugh-out-loud-at-an-inappropriate-time-and-place hilarious.

In Confidence by emmadelosnardos: This is a wonderful epistolary fic told through documents and transcripts from when Sherlock was in rehab. Slightly AU-ish in that Sherlock meets John because Harry is at the same center, but it’s very much a character study. The view into Sherlock’s mind is nothing short of fascinating. I very much recommend it, but give it until the third chapter (where the session transcripts start) to win you over. Seriously, I found myself thinking about this fic for months after reading it.

And Oceans Drowned by YankingAwry: Oh my god, this is gorgeous. The writing is nothing short of incredible. Listen to this: If Sherlock survives, he’ll either quit smoking, or smoke two packs a day. Living and dying are, after all, the same equation, they tend to the same limit, and having the process conducted on one’s own terms now seems a squandered extravagance. And this: The thumb stops at his lower lip, and rests there, heavy as wired explosives wrapped in a parka. If that doesn’t convince you, I don’t know what will. Short and sweet and angsty (but with a happy ending), this is a must read.

A Diseased Fancy by J_Baillier: Do you like Lovecraftian horror? I didn’t think I would, but I adore this fic. Following an aborted almost-kiss between John and Sherlock, Sherlock turns to an archaic and dangerous field of study that appears to be destroying him. You don’t need to know anything about H.P. Lovecraft to read this fic (I didn’t)- it explains what you need to know quite well, the basic gist of which is: Sherlock meets the paranormal. This is a fantastic yet creepy slow burn told from John’s point of view, and I absolutely recommend it.

the safety in the spaces of your mouth by darcylindbergh: This is such a lovely fic, angsty as it may be. This short story tells the origins of “bumble” as Sherlock’s pet name. Their love is so lovely in this fic, and so terribly real as well. I absolutely adore this fic, it reminds me of why I fell in love with the pairing in the first place. My only advice for this one is this: go read it!

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