#stopthat

Sting by stopthat

Johnlock Love Letters #2396

Chapters: 1/3 Fandom: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson Characters: Sherlock Holmes, John Watson, Original Characters Additional Tags: POV Alternating, Case Fic, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fake Marriage, Idiots in Love, Friendship/Love, Friends to Lovers, Fluff and Angst, It's For a Case, Pre-Reichenbach, Lighthearted, Attempt at Humor, Banter, Travel, California, Jealous Sherlock Holmes, Sharing a Bed, Cuddling & Snuggling, Headaches & Migraines Summary:

It Will Fall

by stopthat

Rating: Mature

Fandoms: Sherlock (TV)

Relationship: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson

Words: 4,194

Chapters: 1/1

Published: 2025-12-23

Author summary:

They’ve slipped into a life that feels more right than any he’s lived before. When the apple is ripe, it will fall.

My thoughts:

Wdym this isn't what happened at the end? I remember it clearly! They lived happily ever after with Rosie, a formed family full of love lmao. I loved them so much in this one.

Ending quote:

stopthat (and there's a new fic)

I bailed on most SM platforms, so maybe the writers I’m going to feature are promoting their fics like mad where I don’t see them.

But on the very off chance that anyone on tumblr hasn’t found their way to them yet, here goes. (And if you DO love them, thanks for reblogging to spread the love!)

First up: stopthat

I would read a stopthat fic shipping two ants in an ant farm. Fortunately, today they started posting another Johnlock story, no ants. My heart leaped up when I got the notification from AO3, and again when I read the chapter quickly, and yet again (several times) when I read it slowly a few hours later.

Tapestry (1/4 chapters, 2149 words so far).

Summary: John and Rosie are away, maybe just far enough away for John and Sherlock to come clean with each other.

Excerpt:

The flirtation is something new between them—barefaced and blatant beneath a thinning mask of banter, often cut short and ultimately ignored.  This candid side of John—this exhilarating openness—will spark a million little fires all across his skin, burning points of frisson.  The searing shock of it will launch his heart straight through the ceiling—always just a bit frustrating when it flops back down into his chest.

John knows full well he isn’t interested in sex, and he is all too aware John isn’t interested in men.

And yet.

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Stopthat writes so beautifully, and the portrait of Sherlock in a newly-empty home, consoling himself with a John t-shirt and a visit to John's bed--poignant and insightful. Their banter that darts in so close to unveiled honesty, stopping in also to wave at bravado flirting (but still taking shelter in the cul de sac of plausible deniability--!), and finally pulling up to the courage of self-revelation: I'd take every day of the week. And the range in their skills--! How quickly they telegraph body positions and associated expressions and emotions. How deft, their bark-with-laughter quips and their knife-in-my-ribs tenderness.

More recs follow, including the new fic:

A couple of short one-shots to get a sense of stopthat’s themes and style:

2878 words.

Summary: Sherlock plans a romantic date with John but the weather ruins it. But it still goes the way he wanted. Better, even.

Tags: POV Sherlock Holmes, romantic friendship, asexual Sherlock Holmes, straight John Watson, Sherlock hates labels, John Watson loves Sherlock Holmes, homoromantic characters, cuddling and snuggling, touching, post-Reichenbach, love confessions, fluff, first kiss, developing Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, insecure Sherlock Holmes

Now (1213 words)

Summary: John has only caught glimpses of it before.  He’s seen flashes of it, in Sherlock’s less guarded moments, only to doubt it all completely once it’s been carefully shuttered away. But Sherlock is not hiding now.

If I quoted every sentence that made me say "oh that, now THAT is just perfect" I'd be copy-pasting the whole thing. I love how this builds and crests and ebbs with such uncertain inevitability. Just a few gems:

• John stares at him, bemused, drinking him in, stealing this opportunity to bask in the beginnings of an unprecedented transparency that’s been developing between them.

• It’s part of their routine, he supposes, to pretend he’s finding some level of fulfillment with the carousel of women he spends his evenings trying to woo. His heart isn’t in it. His heart is lying here beside him on their sitting room floor.

• They look like two people whose fates have been woven together rather quickly and quite irreversibly through many shared traumas and some sort of unnamable bond.

Stopthat has 30 works posted on AO3. Here’s a knockout, featuring a demisexual Sherlock and a gay John Watson:

Anything at All (7/12 chapters, 31K words so far)

Summary: London, 1998. In a time of hollowness and upheaval, two wayward young men wander into each other's lives, forever altering the course of history.

And here's a new one:

Summary: Being so far from home makes things feel different somehow. A bit lighter, he supposes. A bit heavier, as well.

tags: Case FicFake/Pretend RelationshipFake MarriageIdiots in LoveFriendship/LoveFriends to LoversFluff and AngstIt's For a CasePre-ReichenbachLightheartedAttempt at HumorBanterTravelCaliforniaJealous Sherlock HolmesSharing a BedCuddling & SnugglingHeadaches & Migraines

Again, thanks for reblogging!

Words:15,151 Chapters: 5/5 Fandom: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson Characters: Sherlock Holmes, John Watson, Rosie Watson, Harry Watson, Clara Additional Tags: POV Sherlock Holmes, Domestic Fluff, Family Feels, Unconventional Relationship, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Slice of Life, Harry/Clara's Wedding, Texting, Post-Season/Series 04, Cuddling & Snuggling, Love Confessions, Parenthood, Conversations, Family Dynamics, First Kiss, First Time Summary:

“People would talk,” he tries, repurposing an old line, a shortcut to a recurring theme in their lives.

“They do little else.” John dutifully completes the circuit with a sigh. “Sherlock,” he continues haltingly, eyes falling back to his hands as he considers his words. “Would they be wrong, though, really?”

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Rec: When John goes out of town for Harry’s wedding, it causes him and Sherlock to realize what they are missing. 

subliminalmineral said: Hi! This is random, but ages ago (before I deleted my sherlock tumblr) you'd posted something about fake/pretend relationship from Sherlock's POV being your fav trope. I remember because it's mine too and I was surprised! I had a WIP that fit the bill at the time and you said to send it your way when it was finished. Finally is, so I wanted to share. If you like it, a rec/boost would mean everything, but no pressure and no need to post this rambling message, lol. <3

https://archiveofourown.org/works/34623982

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L'amour Toujours by stopthat (M, 31,408 w., 26 Ch. || Post-TRF, Fake Relationship for a Case, Sherlock POV, Angst and Feels, Pining, Codependency, John is a Mess, Hurt/Comfort, No Mary, Declarations of Love, Church/Religion, Homophobia/Hate Crimes, Internalized Homophobia, Summer Camp, Awkward Conversations, Misunderstanding, Hand Holding, Slow Burn, Idiots in Love, Friends to Lovers, First Kiss, Therapy/Talking) – There's a wolf amongst the sheep at Wisteria Lutheran Church. Sherlock and John must go undercover—as two men in love—to find out who has been mercilessly executing the church's queer community. As with everything else involving John Watson, it's not nearly as straightforward as Sherlock had hoped it would be. [TRANSLATION: Français]

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LOVELY. 

YES. YES. YAAAAASSS!!!!!

These tags are hitting ALL my buttons and I look forward to stop being lazy and read it already!!! Thank you so much for the heads up!!!

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson Characters: Sherlock Holmes, John Watson Additional Tags: POV John Watson, Feelings Realization, Denial, Idiots in Love, Sherlock Holmes Has Feelings, John Watson Being an Idiot, Season/Series 01, Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Tea, talking in circles, John's Thought Process, Friends to Lovers, First Kiss, One Shot Summary:

It hits him on a Monday, shuddering through his chest like a thunderclap.  “Oh,” he breathes.  And then: “Oh, no.”

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