#acd johnlock fic rec

[weast-of-eden]

I've been thinking about how I could contribute to the ACD/Granada Sherlock Holmes fandom for a while, seeing as I'm neither an artist, a writer, or anything actually useful lol. But then I realized something I myself always treasure are curated fic recs, which I could actually do! I've read probably like 25% of all the h/w ACD and Granada fics on ao3, so I compiled a short list for anyone who is just starting out with the fandom. Without further ado, may I present

Eden’s Top Picks for Beginning ACD/Granada Fics:

(edit: i made a second list here!!)

The Adventure of the Doctor's Heart by mistyzeo 12k | Rated E Summary: Holmes has observed much of Watson's habits and tastes over time, which is why it surprises him when his friend objects strangely to a folk song sung at the conclusion of a case. Disturbed by the Doctor's unexpected display of emotion, Holmes becomes determined to lift his spirits by any means necessary, with mixed results. Notes: obviously if you're going to read canonverse h/w, you are going to read mistyzeo. this one is just so good and angsty and features music (!!). it's got some steaminess but it also has wooing. basically it has everything you ever need. this is my odyssey, my iliad, my hamlet, etc.

Cameo by what_alchemy 8k | Rated M | For Archive Users Only Summary: Holmes and Watson become embroiled in a case Scotland Yard refuses to acknowledge. A soulmate AU. Notes: i honestly skipped over this fic for a while, since i'm not the biggest fan of soulmate aus. do not make the same mistake i did, because this shit HITS. this fic has hit after hit: soulmate-mark based case for our main duo, angst, hiatus feels, MORE ANGST, and ofc a happy ending. ugh. read this fic if you enjoy being happy.

A Tide That Does Not Turn by tweedisgood 3k | Rated T Summary: Holmes is a very bad patient with a devoted doctor who adores him. Watson wishes it was safe to speak up, but his friend is a tide that does not turn. Notes: do NOT read this if you don't like angst... ok now i'm sensing a pattern. anyways this is the first hurt/no comfort fic i read for this tag and i literally have cried more than enough tears over it. poor, poor watson :( iconic author though, read everything they write!

The Adventure of the Glad Outlaw by radondoran 7k | Rated T Summary: While Sherlock Holmes solves the mystery of a student's disappearance, Dr. Watson is more puzzled by the changing dynamic between his flatmate and himself. Notes: cute pastiche! a nice little mystery and a nice little get-together. ahhhhhh.... this fic is like cotton candy to me, so sweet and fluffy. defo recommend

Hands by MinorObsessions (draculard) 1.4k | Rated T Summary: Naturally, there are some things Watson thinks about Holmes that don't make it into the books. Notes: i'm also in the star trek fandom, so if you know anything about that then you know that hands are kind of A Thing in both circles and ergo i now Have A Thing about hands. so this is a nice little ode to holmes' hands, featuring some doctoring by watson AND a nice reverse appraisal at the end. it's so sweet :)

Conductor of Light by ColebaltBlue  1.4k | Rated T Summary: A Victorian stiff upper lip won't prevent you from falling in love, but it might prevent you from realizing it. Notes: they finally get their shit together! honestly i would recommend this fic to anyone just starting out with h/w fics in any medium. the characterization and dialogue is A1, and their argument is really realistic to me, idk. also features the iconic HOUN quote for its title so props to that!

A (Mis)fortunate Man by sans_patronymic 1.5k | Rated T Summary: December, 1880. Watson writes a note which may be his last. December, 1899. Watson writes back. Notes: READ THE TAGS BEFORE READING. this was a gut-wrenching read but god i cried at the end for watson. don't worry, this one has a happy ending. ugh now i wish there was a second chapter where watson lets holmes read the letters. to sum up: oof, my heart

The Second Smartest Man in London by FairSinner 73k | Rated E Summary: Dr John Watson returns from Afghanistan to Victorian London, wounded, traumatised and alone. When he meets Sherlock Holmes, his life begins to seem worth living again. But Holmes is a man who despises sentiment and Watson cannot seem to expunge it from his heart. Notes: congrats, you've made it to the end!! so now i must confess that it's been a loooong time since i've read this fic, but the private note i left on my bookmark was just "holy shit", so i'm sure it's a banger. i'm also sure it has angst because i love angst and i love bookmarking angst so i can read it again and again and suffer infinitely. enjoy :)

anyways, now that i've put these all here i realized how much i enjoy angst and hurt/no comfort fics. if any of you guys have a favorite fic you want to link or want to plug your own writing, feel free to!

[haedraulics]

Do you know some fics about sherlock holmes that are not the BBC version that you would recommend?

yeah i've got a whole ton! i'm still working through bookmarking everything i've read, but you can find some of the fics i've enjoyed on my ao3 bookmarks tab. overall i've been really impressed by the quality and creativity of ACD holmes/watson writers!

in particular i've been captivated by Since First I Saw Your Face, which is one of the most heart-wrenching, technically astounding fic projects i've ever had the pleasure of reading from any fandom. the scope and depth of this series elevates it so much so that i consider it a full-on holmes adaptation, especially with the human depth it brings to both holmes and watson as characters. highly recommend!

another notable shout-out is One Week (rated E) which does a magnificent job of drawing out the tension between h/w while being witty, in-character, and shamelessly horny. speaking of shamelessly horny, an eternity in three weeks, An Unconventional Treatment, and His True Gift are all brilliant and their authors each have more lovely work on their accounts.

there are so many various scenes from ACD h/w fics that i want to sketch out or something because they're so tender and well-written, i appreciate the skill it takes to write prose and dialogue and old man sex in a victorian pastiche style! very excited to read more! :D

[jonkwatson]

Holmes and I were exposed, though I imagined we presented a fairly convincing portrait of a couple in flagrante . Holmes moved suddenly, his hands cupping my face, and he looked deep into my eyes for the barest moment before he kissed me.

But Why Turkish - mistyzeo

Read it on AO3!

[hellobitches990]

spot the difference ...

[iamdefinitelyreal]

Ace-Friendly Sherlock

Hi, it's me again! I did a sex-averse friendly Good Omens post a bit ago, and thought I might follow up with a Sherlock one! But I do want to make something clear: As with Aziraphale and Crowley, I know that some people head cannon Sherlock as Ace or Aro/Ace. Please, don't shame people for their separate head canons! That's the great thing and fan fiction: talented writers can share their own ideas about a show, please, let's be friendly!

Fics

Through a Glass, Darkly  By Calais_Reno (@calaisreno)

Rated: T

Chapters: 5/11

BBC!Johnlock and ACD!Johnlock

Time Travel Mystery, dual perspective with BBC being John and ACD being Sherlock

TW: Light violence, hospitals, mentions of death and murder, non-fatal major character injury

Notes: Really amazing! And of course, this fic goes with the theme that BBC!Johnlock has yet to confess by ACD!Johnlock has been all but married for years, and it’s wonderful! I can’t wait to read more updates!

Gifts Woven in HeartStrings By Seamless_Boundaries

Rated: G

Chapters: 5/5

BBC!Johnlock

Multiperspective 

TW: Slight homophobia, slight alcoholism

Notes: All fluff, and so beautiful. 

Solitude, and me By HopelessAndWandering

Rated: T

Chapters: 1/1

BBC! Johnlock (S2 EP3)

John’s Perspective

TW: Talk of death, unhealthy responses to grief, and slight blood warning

Notes: ANGST. This fic took the part of me that never healed from John’s reaction to 

Reichenbach and mutilated it. 

The Problem With Secrets By Charlie26 

Rated: T 

Chapters: 4/4

BBC!Mystrade (S4 EP3)

Omniscient Third Person Perspective

TW: Physiological torute, mention of child abuse, SH

Notes: Though I’m not a huge fan of Mystrade, this fic is fantastic! And it does a very good job (in my opinion of course) in portraying Mycroft’s personality!

Break it to Fix it - A Johnlock Fanfiction By jawnscoffee

Rated: T

Chapters: 2/?

BBC!Johnlock (The Dance Lesson)

TW: None

Notes: THE DANCE SCENE 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Comics

Closeted by @anotherwellkeptsecret

On Tumblr

Finished

Completely SFW, but there is a follow up (Naked) that is NSFW

Also a fic (Closeted by sussexbound)

Change of Pace by @anotherwellkeptsecret

On Tumblr

Finished

SFW and NSFW version (SFW only on Tumblr)

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Hi there! Just wanted to let you know that you are my first stop when I'm attempting to find a fic with our favorite guys. You are also my first recommendation when I run across anyone who is wanting to find a fic about same. You are truly a fandom treasure.

That said, I know you have an ACD canon list. Could you please add my just completed fic to it? It's Wolfhound and is work #54568060 on AO3. (I'm KtwoNtwo over on AO3).

Thanks much.

Wolfhound by KtwoNtwo (M, 20,783 w., 9 Ch. || ACD Canon || Canon-Typical Violence, Werewolves, Period-Typical Homophobia) – The Baskerville family curse has allegedly taken a victim and Sherlock Holmes has taken the case. Unfortunately the case itself threatens to expose Dr. Watson's most closely held secrets. Secrets that he has somehow managed to conceal so far from Holmes. A retelling of the Hound of the Baskervilles in a universe where Lycanthropy is not only known but is also a death sentence.

=====

Hi Lovely!

Thank you so much for your kind words, oh gosh. I am humbled!!

Secondly, I'll do you one better and signal boost your fic on its own post!! It sounds like a fantastic read, so I implore everyone to go give this one some love!!! :D

Thank you so much!!

[cupidford]

From the diaries of John Watson, 221B Baker Street by Elofant

ACD/Victorian. After a case, Doctor Watson gets a lecture on the art of deduction by one Sherlock Holmes, that takes an unexpected turn...

Johnlock Love Letters #2297

[therobotprofonvacation]

Fic Rec Friday

Happy new year, happy full public domain for Sherlock Holmes, and happy Sherlock Holmes' birthday!  This week, I'm recommending "Notes On A Love Story" by @A_Candle_For_Sherlock.  Friends to lovers johnlock in the ACD canon setting.

Notes On A Love Story

Author: A_Candle_For_Sherlock Rating: General Audiences AO3 archive warnings: No archive warnings apply Words: 4013 Status: Complete

Summary:

Watson finds a copy of The Picture of Dorian Gray in Holmes' room. Or: what happens when a queer novel upends Baker Street.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/8367163

[aslanzounder]

Since I’m experiencing a Holmes revival this evening I’m bringing this old post back. After all these years I still get notifications in my email for updates on “Since first I saw your face” and it makes me so happy they’re still working on it so diligently and with so much love. One of these days I will reread it from the start. That fic seriously should be published as a book.

Victorian Johnlock Fic Recs

This is not a comprehensive list by any means, it’s just my personal favourites.

Since First I Saw Your Face by Stavia_Scott_Grayson. 92 k, Mature.  During the Great Hiatus, Holmes, studying in Tibet, reflects on his first meeting with Dr John Watson. - It’s so meticulously written, with a lot of research put into it, and there’s cases! It feels like an extension of the canon, simply beautiful. (ongoing)

My Greatest Joy and Privilege by apliddell. 2414 words, General. Watson solves Holmes, and then Holmes solves Watson. - Post-Reichenbach. Very short and tender. Liddy has a way with victorian language.

Upstanding Books and Sorrowful Diaries by Heurtebizzz (hertie). 16k, Mature. In the summer 1894, Mycroft Holmes requests his brother’s help in the search of a noble foreigner gone missing. Watson writes up what looks like an interesting case. Holmes has been keeping a journal, too. - This one contrasts Watson’s narration to Holmes’ diary and plays with the concept of an unreliable narrator. A case is the catalyst for romance. Amazing.

five times sherlock holmes lied to john watson (and one time he finally told the truth) by miss_frankenstein. 5948 words, General. “Something in Wilde’s persecution has touched a nerve in Sherlock – snapped that tenuous thread of hope holding him upright – and it feels as if he has taken to bleeding internally. ”Set in “The Abominable Bride” universe, this piece adopts a familiar format to chronicle Sherlock’s quiet suffering in the wake of the 1895 Oscar Wilde trials and the particular way they affect his relationship with (and feelings for) John. - Don’t let the trope-y title dissuade you, it’s brilliant.

Poets Lie by A_Candle_For_Sherlock. 5588 words, General.  Love was a proven irrationality for men of his kind. To say to anyone, “My heart is yours,” would bring on his beloved the permanent threat of being cast off from society, safety, home–Unconscionable. He’d thought the impulse long conquered. Now he saw that time had only distilled it. It was no wild, unfocused longing now, but a concentrated need. To touch a loved face tenderly–it was such a simple thing to be so entirely out of reach. - It expands on the stories by interspacing bits into canon cases, “filling in the gaps”.

As Yes to If by daisynorbury. 3020 words, General. “Leave for your own sake if you must, but on no account shall you leave for mine. I can imagine no sadder outcome of the insight you have gained tonight. "Epilogue to "The Devil’s Foot”, and includes spoilers for that episode. It languished in my files for years, and yesterday it was Callicat49’s lovely user icon that inspired me to finally finish it. The title’s from my favorite piece of e.e. cummings. - I’ve yet to read this one since I haven’t read The Devil’s Foot yet.

Silver Gaze by daisynorbury. 4837 words, Teen.  “It wasn’t the future I’d imagined as a young man, but what of it? Holmes often seemed to think me immovably conventional, and a month ago I might have accepted that judgement without comment, but it seems now that I am not so old that I can’t adapt, and not so staid that I can’t heed the call of love, even if its voice rings deeper than I dreamed.”

Floriography Lessons by Waid. 1091 words, Not Rated. Now that they are in a “romantic relationship”, Watson subjects Holmes to the intricacies of Victorian courtship. Holmes learns about the Language of Flowers, among other things

The Language of Flowers by fleetwood_mouse. 11k, Teen.  A case leaves Watson wondering about a series of strange messages he received years ago, when he believed Holmes to be dead. - Ingenious and lovely (You need an ao3 account for this one).

It seems I tend to favour short and general-rated fics. Anyway, enjoy.

@alwaysanoriginal @norburylibrary @skulls-and-tea @sidealonq @data-plays-viola @worriesconstantly @spaceolddirty @atikiology @isitandwonder

[weast-of-eden]

Victorian Holmes/Watson Murder Mysteries Fic Rec

aka people are DYING and you two are making out??? actually i just noticed that all of these have the explicit rating so not only are they making out they're getting busy while people are, again, DYING.

enjoy <3

The False and True by Rhuia 9k | Rated E Summary: Dead men tell no lies. The living do it for them. Based on a real murder. And just plain based.

Witness and Testimony by Violsva 11k | Rated E Summary: Men of certain dispositions should not take up residence with consulting detectives. Having done so anyway, Watson is finally forced to face the consequences. Not quite the consequences he expected, however. TFW your best friend’s boyfriend is framed for murder so you prove his innocence then take his man

The Case of the Kidnapped Corpses by Ferryman 10k | Rated E (No Summary) Holmes can you please stop almost killing yourself for the sake of a case you’re going to give your doctor a heart attack.

To see ourselves by Citrine (orphan_account) 9k | Rated E Summary: Victorian London - Odd notions of sexuality, Holmes' fetish and some unsolved murders. And men falling in love, even if they won't admit it. Me *opening this fic*: what is it finna play-- WOAH

[hellobitches990]

" A message will not arrive"

One shot :- holmes x watson

Sherlock Holmes has been in hiding for months.

His fake death allowed him to disappear into the shadows and out of reach of his worst enemies

"Jim Moriarty"

But it also meant that he was separated from the one person who was always there for him,

his dear doctor and partner, Dr. John Watson.

As days turn into weeks and weeks into months,

Holmes finds himself increasingly overwhelmed by his loneliness and longing for his friend and his first and only love.

He longed for Watson's warm, comfortable company

Where he understood him from a mere look, and his unique intelligence,

And his unwavering loyalty.

He missed their conversations and adventures together.

one evening, As he sat alone in his lair,

Holmes decided to drop his guard and send a letter to Watson.

He knew it was risky, but he couldn't bear the thought of never communicating with a fellow of his age again.

Or even explain things to him

In the letter, he poured out all his heart's content,

Tell him how much he loved him and how much he misses him now, and how much he regrets the pain he caused him.

How he longs to see him

And embrace him in his arms again.

When he finished writing the letter,

Holmes was suddenly overwhelmed with a feeling of despair...

He knew his enemies were still there,

and that his return would endanger Watson again.

He couldn't bear the thought of putting his partner in danger, not after everything he'd already been through.

With a heavy heart and trembling hands,

Holmes tore up the letter, ripping his heart out with it

And he threw it aside.

He buried his face in his palms and wept.

Tears flowed from his eyes until it soaked his shirt

He cried - for the first time in his life - until he felt his lungs running out of air

The idea that he might never see him again hurt him

The pain in his heart was a constant reminder of the love he had lost, and the tears were a testament to his grief and the pain of his separation from Watson.

Hours later, as he lay in his bed,

Holmes knew he had made the right decision,

But that brought him little relief.

He always loved Watson,

and always misses him, always feeling the pain of their separation.

But he also knew that his love for Watson would keep him going strong, even in the darkest of times,

And he knows that one day, somehow,

They will reunite again.

He swore then that he would never allow any creature to separate him from Watson's side again

♡

[meetinginsamarra]

Fanfics I Really Liked in March 2024

So. Since I keep a list of what I´ve read anyway (there´s always a list), I will rec all the fics I´ve wholly enjoyed on a monthly basis. Old and new, canon or AU, big or small authors, long or short but nearly always Johnlock (-ish).

+++++

Adrift by BakerTumblings

John Watson has certainly been dealt a rough hand. And there are some choices he's made that aren't helping his state of mind. Neither is the alcohol. Sherlock Holmes has been dealt a rough hand, as well. His choices, also not always the best. Neither are the substances. Certainly, once a person has hit rock bottom, the only place left to go is up, right? With a lot of support from friends, family, and - eventually - each other, they'll do more than manage. They'll thrive.

A very painful beginning after the events of TLD but it slowly gets better until a happy (and dramatic) end.

Through a Glass, Darkly by Calais_Reno @calaisreno

It begins in an alley. Two alleys, to be accurate. John and Sherlock, chasing a suspect. Holmes and Watson running for their lives. While John and Sherlock try to clear their names in ACD universe, Holmes and Watson are solving a missing persons case.

Another timey-whimey fic and I absolutely loved the juxtaposition of the BBC and ACD incarnations and what they do to solve the case.

Because Blah Blah Blah Happy by cwb

John is entirely done with the milk situation and gives Sherlock a list of shit he's pissed about. Sherlock sets out to make John happy. John is happy. Sherlock makes his own list. They are both very, very happy.

This is so much fun!

Landscape With The Fall Of Icarus by CaitlinFairchild

Closing his eyes, Sherlock allows himself a brief swell of feeling--let’s not put a name on it, just call it a feeling--for his big brother. He knows that when Mycroft opens that steel door again, every man now inside will be a fresh corpse.

Serbia and its aftermath and a BAMF Mycroft.

many of horror by hailholylight

Sherlock traces the pattern of the bruises under the dim light of a lamp to the right of him. It's the only light he can stand being on. They're the last traces of Victor he has left on his body.

Sherlock is in a bad place after the abusive relationship with Victor but a caring Lestrade and meeting an ex-soldier help him with coping.

[notkitty]

GOOD NEWS. I WROTE ONE

hmmm not enough johnlock fics where the pipe is a dick standin on purpose. not enough johnlock fics acknowledging that Sherlock is like metatextually always sucking dick

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Howdy do! I was wondering if you happen to have any fics that crossover with other Sherlock Holmes adaptations. The idea of them meeting other versions of themselves is so fun to me. I recently read The Inexplicable Matchbox by Jay Harriet, in which BBC John and Sherlock end up in the universe of the Sherlock and Co podcast, which was a delight. And also The Curious Case of the Dr.s Watson by Shiny Sherlock, which has BBC John and ACD Watson switch places. (Both are on ao3)

The concept is facinating, and I would love to see more stories like it :)

Hi Lovely!

First the fic you recced because I don't think anyone's ever recced it to me before:

The Inexplicable Matchbox by Jaye Harriet (AlJeDd) (G, 9,535 w., 1 Ch. || Sherlock & Co. Fusion || Emotional Hurt / Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Case Fic, Time Travel) – Sherlock is gifted a strange matchbox, one that glows brighter than a thousand suns. But what does it do? Where has it taken them? And why are there alternate versions of themselves living in their house?

===

As for Johnlock Meets Johnlock fics, I've got my list of Victorian Meets Modern Johnlock fics that I think you will enjoy!! :D

This one you recced me is the first Modern meets Modern Johnlock fic I think I have, so thank you!!

If anyone has some new fics I can add to my list, please let me know!!

[adventureofthedancinggirl]

This is primarily a fandom blog, currently focused on BNHA, previously active in BBC Sherlock.

Here you'll find fandom things, headcanons, rambling about fics (and writing in general), occasional meta & translations, as well as other miscellaneous things I find interesting. (See the index below if you're looking for my old posts.)

Writing updates are tagged: dancing girl writes.

AdventureOfTheDancingGirl on AO3.

@/dancinggirl221b on x & bsky

Sideblogs:

@seeyouafter a collection of my thoughts and various ephemera related to my ongoing tdbk epistolary fic "See You After"

@ordinaryoffensivemagic various content related to the manga/anime 葬送のフリーレン (Sousou no Frieren)

Notes and helpful tags:

Asks are open if you want to chat. Give me an excuse to talk about my writing notes or headcanons if you want to make my day. Anon is usually on but be kind. There is a real human on the other side of the screen.

Replies are tagged as dancing girl asks. If you want to say hi but don't know what to say, feel free to check out the ask games tag.

🏷️Tag Index:

I have a comprehensive tag index that I finally updated but these are the tags that I'm using most often these days:

💜Personal Tags:

dancing girl rambles - random thoughts, generally not fandom related

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also: see you after fic, sya writing log

dancing girl's reblog themes - sometimes I go down a rabbit hole and reblog a bunch of related posts. It's a fun time.

🩵General writing & fandom stuff

on writing, writing reference, fandom life, AO3 tips, tumblr tips

💚BNHA Content

dancing girl’s bnha thoughts - includes my personal reactions, headcanons, misc. thoughts related to bnha

bnha fanfic - includes my fics and others I recommend

I use the tag bnha for all my hero academia related reblogs. spoilers are tagged bnha manga spoilers

Chapter reactions/thoughts are tagged with the chapter number as bnha xxx,  see also: bnha meta (not all meta is mine)

images: bnha manga, bnha anime, bnha art (for my favorite bnha fanart)

Multi-ship, but TDBK is my OTP. (that being said, a lot of my reblogs with "ship" tags are purely for organization purposes and many can be viewed as platonic.)

I just want a happy todofam au so I made a tag for it (other favorite AUs: fantasy au, winter au, childhood friends au)

The ladies of this series don't get enough love so I like to highlight them with the tag bnha girls

Todoroki Shouto tags: shouto loves cats, sleepy shouto, todofam, shouto art, shoutocat, strawberry shouto-cake, shouto birthday

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Other commonly used character tags: class 1a, origin trio, remedial squad, dadzawa, eri-chan (If you're searching for someone specific I generally just tag the character’s name as it shows up in AO3’s tagging system) 

misc collections: 2023 bnha xmas sketch

💛BBC Sherlock

Main tags: sherlock, johnlock

Sherlock Fic Recs - Mostly BBC Sherlock universe. Most of my own Sherlock fics are under the My Writing tag

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Original Canon: acd canon, AStudyInCanonBookClub, acd parallels, sherlock analysis

see tag index for additional tags and other fandoms

🧡Misc. Tags (not fandom)

mental health, reminders, encouragement

otterly adorable, cute animals, beautiful things, reasons to smile

bookish things, reading log, quotes

💭Random Facts:

I share my birthday with Dabi and Burnin'

My username is a play on the Sherlock Holmes story "Adventure of the Dancing Men".

Even though I'm not active in the Sherlock fandom anymore, I decided to keep the same username because dancing is part of my IRL identity and I didn't want to keep track of a separate account. Also, Mina is my dancing (alien) queen so the name still works.

[johnlockfan2021]

Can u recommend me a good victorian/ granada Holmes johnlock fanfiction pls ??