Hello Steph! Long-time follower, first time asker. I absolutely LOVED That’s Not What Happened At All by queerholmcs, and I’d love more of this kind of fic. I wonder if you have a list of more meta-forward fics that lean into investigating the events of series 4, explaining them, or predicting what a series 5 could be like? Thanks!
Welcome to my blog!! I'm happy you enjoy your time here!! :D
First off, the fic you suggested:
That's Not What Happened At All by queerholmcs (M, 121,851 w., 19 Ch. || S4 Fix-It, Miscommunication, Recreational Drug Use, Self-Harm, Suicidal Ideations, Slow Burn, Love Confessions, Hallucinations, Depression, Oscar Wilde References, Angst with Happy Ending) – John Watson is an unreliable narrator: this much we know. And so it follows that his account of the events of series four is, shall we say, less than accurate—not least of which because he’s spending most of it having a breakdown the likes of which is rarely seen on this earth. But the question remains: what really happened after Moriarty’s face popped up on every screen in the country and Sherlock stepped back onto that tarmac?
Secondly, I personally haven't read this fic so I can't give you PERSONAL recommendations, but I do have a small chunk of meta-fics you can check out that are pretty close to your request relating to S4, I think:
The first time I ever saw your face by Vanimelda4 (G, 2,164 w., 1 Ch. || 1895 Victorian AU / TABlock || PODFIC AVAILABLE || POV Sherlock, Fluff and Angst, Meta Fic) – "Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while."
Brothers by strollingamongbooks (T, 3,426 w., 1 Ch. || S4 Meta Fic, Implied / Referenced Child Abuse, Autistic Sherlock, Season 4, Childhood, Holmes Brothers, Protective Mycroft) – Mycroft and Sherlock are brothers, in every way that counts except blood. It isn't something they talk about, their early days at the orphanage. After all, they were still relatively young when the Holmes showed up and adopted them. What came before doesn't matter anymore. It really doesn't. They've locked it away in their mind palaces, at least until Culverton Smith showed up.
Sacré Coeur by Mamaorion (M, 95,235 w., 27 Ch. || S4 Fix It Rewrite, First Kiss, UST / RST, Eventual Happy Ending, Coming Out, Holmes Family, Marriage Proposal, Husbands, Healing, Evil Mary, Beekeeping, Caretaker Sherlock, Mind Palace, Alzheimer’s Disease, Protective / Big Brother Mycroft, TD-12) – In this s4 fixit, John must piece together the gaps in his altered memory if he and Sherlock are to face the terror that has plagued Sherlock since childhood. As they untangle the web, seven years of hidden love ignite.
From a Drop of Water by victorianpining (M, 95,891 w.,13 Ch. || Post-TAB / S4 Fix-It Fic, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining, Friends to Lovers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Case Fic, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Canon-Typical Violence, Villain Character Death, Angst With Happy Ending) – Sherlock is certain that James Moriarty is dead and he already has a theory for the person behind his apparent return. Considering Sherlock was overdosing at the time, it's only to be expected that he overlooked a few details in coming to his conclusions. John meanwhile has moved back in with Mary after reconciling with her at Christmas, but finds himself agonising over why Sherlock would have thrown away everything he cares about to keep her safe. Could Sherlock be in love? (TRANSLATIONS: ä¸ć–‡-普通话國語)
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. (This is the only one I've read on this list, so I can guarantee this one is a speculative S4 rewrite)
Sorry I'm not much help otherwise, Nonny. Hopefully others will be able to chime in with fics closer to what you're looking for!! Hope you enjoy otherwise!!
