#fyjff team
Sherlock is only doing what’s necessary to keep John safe. John is doing what’s necessary to keep going.
Following the events at St Bartholomew’s, John struggles to resume normalcy without the influential factor of Sherlock Holmes on his life. He becomes solitary, angry, and determined not to loose the faint remainders of Sherlock in his possession. As John attempts to take on cases to honor Sherlock and keep away the demons of his solitude (there are references to depressive and suicidal thoughts which might be distressing to some readers), Sherlock takes on his own agenda to dismantle the web of crime built by Moriarty.
Despite their individual efforts to protect each other circumstances arise which cause their reunion, wounded and weary, in a hospital bed. John’s resulting trauma as a result of Sherlock’s death is heartbreaking and solemnly plausible. Accepting his loyalty-cum-adoration for Sherlock leads John to a dark place. Similarly, Sherlock is forced to grow accustomed to the consequences of his actions and reevaluation of his moral foundation. After enduring such trials John and Sherlock reunite in a culmination of frantic relief.
I greatly enjoyed the vulnerability of John’s emotional state, the brotherly alliance between Sherlock and Mycroft, the incredible reunion scene, and the preserved integrity of minor characters in this piece. Great care also seems to have been taken in the explicit scenes between John and Sherlock, leaning heavily on the emotional intimacy. Other than infrequent speech or mannerisms which seemed out of character (one such example is Sherlock’s hand gesture toward John in the hospital) and formatting inconsistencies, I was incredibly impressed by the interpretation of events post-Reichenbach. MATURE READERS ONLY.
Word Count: 17221
My Rating: B+
Read it here, fic by taelynhawker.
Reviewed by: Becka
Sherlock Holmes is fine with problems. More than fine. Problems are his job. More than his job. Problems are his life. Sherlock really wants to ask John something. Only, he’s not sure what…
In his frantic determination to complete his sensory catalog of John, Sherlock hits the boundary of social niceties by asking to gather insight from taste receptors. Oral fixation at its finest brings John and Sherlock past the point of platonic flatmates experimenting for quantifiable data into much more sexual territory. As Sherlock struggles to express his desires John faithfully waits for the opportune moment to participate.
Sherlock’s obsessive attention to gathering minutiae is brilliantly utilized in his approach toward initiating a dalliance with potential for growth. Third person narration alternates between Sherlock and John but does not interfere with the flow or clarity of the text. Despite his efforts to mask internal processing of his feelings, Sherlock is an open book for John who has been waiting just as patiently (if less compulsively). What I enjoy about this piece is the tension which carries through the first few chapters, blossoms at the actual tasting, and lingers through the resolution along with a certain levity. MATURE READERS ONLY.
Word Count: 6161
My Rating: A-
Read it here, fic by MrsNoggin.
Reviewed by: Becka
Cooking’s just chemistry and time management.
Sherlock loves John, dislikes eating, and hates margarine. In attempts to demonstrate his feelings toward these three factors Sherlock makes John a glorious feast. Some aspects go over better than others in his preparation of said meal. In true single-mindedness Sherlock seeks to feed John up well with flair while catering to John’s spartan nature.
One of my personal favorites, this piece showcases Sherlock’s voice in perhaps the most endearing way. His mind is mercury quick between details, filing away John’s individual sounds and smiles, but lingers dotingly on ways in which to please the object of his devotion. Stylistically, the author uses lush vocabulary for Sherlock’s inner monologue and utilizes paragraph breaks to jump along with Sherlock’s focus. I wholeheartedly adore this piece and the attention to detail in providing links to the recipes Sherlock chooses.
Word Count: 2351
My Rating: A
Read it here, fic by what_alchemy.
Review by: Becka
John’s gay, American secret comes to town. Sherlock only pretends to find it dull.
Don’t let the title fool you into thinking this isn’t something you would be interested in. It’s not crack, it’s case. My first way to describe this is “something a little different”. I expected to find a gay bar fic (which, don’t get me wrong, that is a trope I enj0y), but this was not any sort of typical. John opens the door to find an old fling, but Sean is not there to see him. He needs Sherlock, and what he needs him for leads John and Sherlock to the football field and the poker tables. It’s a short fic but it accomplishes quite a lot, establishing a case that is not too hard to follow, believable backstories, and a smooth transition from friends to a little bit more. I am going to give major props to the author for doing what I think are awesome deductions. It’s always hard to write Sherlock’s observations but furthermore the reasons for the observations, and this fic has those. Basically, this is a very well-rounded fic; an interesting case, realistic progression, and it all starts with a drag queen. MATURE READERS ONLY.
Words: 7,847
My Rating: B+
Read it here, fic by Unloyal_Ohio
Review by: Taylor
But at those moments, with Sherlock pressed against his body, arms wrapped around John, John’s hand in Sherlock’s hair, the feeling of Sherlock’s mouth against John’s bare flesh, John could know Sherlock was back, could ground himself in his presence in a way that helped banish his lingering nightmares.
Looking for a little vampy Sherlock to whet your appetite? Look no further. It’s a short one, but a good one, managing to encompass some fairly complex emotions within a few sentences. This fic, unlike most, doesn’t go into too much detail on the how or the technical aspects of Sherlock’s being a vampire. It’s more a fic focused on John, after the Reichenbach return and willing to give his flatmate anything, including his blood, to just have the security that Sherlock is really there. There is a lovely scene in which Sherlock rules out other feeding sources, but what really makes it for me is one of the last few lines, in which Sherlock describes what John tastes like and it is entirely Sherlock. It shouldn’t be one of the sexiest things I’ve ever read, but it is. There is a second chapter, and while the author honestly could have stopped at one, there was a clear desire to give readers a bit of smutty goodness. MATURE READERS ONLY.
Words: 3,110
My Rating: B+
Read it here, fic by Winter_of_our_Discontent
Review by: Taylor
In all pasts and presents and futures and other lives: Sherlock loves John, even when John does not love him back.
Oh wow. Some fanfics are more like gorgeous pieces of tangibly visible artwork than simple writings. This would be one such pieces of work. But don’t be fooled by its immense beauty. It’s a tragic piece. The best way I can describe it is if you take a shard of glass, jam it into your chest, and just make a rough incision across your sternum. Because that’s what I feel like at this moment. Sherlock comes back to find John doesn’t remember him, but this is not like other fics with amnesia. I’ll say no more on that and instead move on to the writing itself, because that is what makes this fic utterly unique. It’s written from Sherlock’s perspective, giving a look into his mind as he comes to terms with what has happened. It makes the reader see everything through his eyes and feel right alongside him and it hurts. There are vivid descriptions of his inner thoughts, ones that only Sherlock would have and wouldn’t be terrifying, because it’s Sherlock. His emotions are as raw and as jagged as the wound left into your chest. Definitely one for super angst lovers and fans of jellyfish. A special thanks to Rachel for the suggestion. A warning of brief sexual content and mentions of gore.
Words: 7,671
My Rating: A
Review by: Taylor
“I can’t,” John breathes again, pained because he does so want to taste Sherlock. To be this close and come away with nothing will be a tragedy.
There are many adjectives that could be used to describe this fic: tender, sexy, hot, sweet, salacious etc. But the adjective that I keep wanting to use is “heavy”. The fic begins and there is just a weight on the entire encounter. It’s a precursor, almost, to the weight of what John and Sherlock are about to do, to cross the line from flatmates to so much more in the form of humanity’s favorite pastime. The fic is more of an artistic piece, trying to accurately describe the emotions and thought processes of the exchange, more so of John’s workings and his appreciation of Sherlock deepening. It’s very sweet and delicate and just all around artistically accomplished. MATURE READERS ONLY.
Words: 3,880
My Rating: A-/B+
Read it here, fic by scullyseviltwin
Review by: Taylor
John might be touching Sherlock a little more often than is strictly necessary. Sherlock probably hasn’t even noticed. Right…?
Don’t let the super cheesy title make you think this is just super cheesy. Well, it is a little, but in the best way. Set after Sherlock’s return, the ball gets set in motion when Sherlock finally calls John out on his recent obsession with touching Sherlock. A single sentence and John and Sherlock are faced with the reality that they aren’t quite better yet and start the path to getting there. The tension between them is almost able to be felt by the reader. It’s a bit more realistic in pointing out that, even after the initial conversations, there will still be things that leave their mark. The reason this fic deserves a read is primarily the voice. The author writes a great John, sometimes giving way to a more, dare I say, cheesy line of thought. The “crouching panther” comment is the best example of this. I must say, however, the epilogue is (in my opinion) an accurate summary of what Sherlock would truly be like when promised something of that nature. A very nice read and an excellent use of the internal monologue. MATURE READERS ONLY.
Words: 7,755
My Rating: B
Review by: Taylor
This is the end of the world, and beginning of something wider, warmer, better. And Sherlock, for all that it breaks him, doesn’t believe that anything less will ever again suffice. In which Sherlock sucks, licks, and generally worships John’s femoral pulse until John comes.
Sherlock indulges in unabashed body worship detailing John. In technical, anatomical language their unconventional round of oral sex never reads as clinical. With minimal contact to John’s sexual organs Sherlock takes him apart and is overwhelmed in the process.
It is clear in the balance of knowing what John needs and taking time to catalog every detail for himself that Sherlock in this piece is completely consumed with devotion to John. At times it seems as if his observations of John’s responses serve as attempts to anchor himself in the moment without losing his focus and control. It is raw and passionate as much as it is vulnerable (especially near the end where Sherlock is unable to respond coherently). I find it difficult to provide an accurate summary of this piece because so much of the impact from reading this comes from the dedication to emotional impact. MATURE READERS ONLY.
Word Count: 2590
My Rating: A-
Read it here, fic by hitlikehammers.
Thanks to petrichoriousparalian for your submission.
Review by: Becka
