#breath4soul

[thegildedbee]

Sherlock Fic Recs: Christmas Edition {2023}

❄️ Gather ~ ☃️ ☃️ ☃️ ~ 'round and 🎉 make 🎷merry🍹, all ye fic-loving fandom elves -- 'tis the season to shine a spotlight🕯️on Sherlockian Christmas fics!!! Here are some of my favorites -- I tried to pick ones that I haven't seen mentioned in recent lists that have been in my tumblr stream. Whether they're new to you, or just a reminder to re-visit faves, enjoy!!! ❄️ [In order of the year they were published.] ........................................................... 1. I'm Not His Date [2014] by objetpetita [ 17,029 words / T ] :: It all starts in a Boston coffee shop, where English professor Sherlock Holmes upends a visiting John Watson in a clever and fun "meet cute" (or "meet irritating-pompous-insufferable") in a whirlwind of Sherlockian proportions, and we're off to the races. There is a snowfight on the Common, Death Driving Miss Daisy: Lacan and Popular Culture, a Harry & Clara Christmas Eve wedding, witches, and a very boozy department party. It's as adorable as my favorite Christmas rom-com film, The Holiday. And it starts off with a corker of a first sentence: "It was morning, it was zero bloody degrees, everything around him was unfamiliar and American and cold, and John Watson was right on that inhuman precipice between still drunk and terribly hung over."

2. 5,687 (Approximately) [2015] by prettysailorsoldier [ 6,771 words / T ] :: Just a few years post-uni, Sherlock is enduring the agonies of a long-distance relationship with his boyfriend, who is on deployment in Afghanistan. During those times when John's on leave, the last people Sherlock wants to see are the idiots at the Met, so they've never caught sight of John and think he is a figment of Sherlock's imagination -- especially since he can't get home that Christmas. The set-up is sketched out with delightful fic flair, and the ending is not only sweet, but satisfyingly punitive [ c/o a very bamf John ]. The text messaging is some of my favorite writing in the Sherlock fandom -- their relationship in all of its multi-dimensionality comes through beautifully.

3. The 12 Truths of Christmas [2016] by @breath4soul [ 3,321 words / T ] :: This is a fic that has at its core the surfacing of unspoken emotional attraction betweenJohn and Sherlock via a very fun concept: “In place of some appalling or imbecilic gift inflicted upon me in the name of tradition on Christmas day, I propose that you provide me with one previously unknown fact about you for each day leading up to Christmas. 12 in total, John.” #9 has all the feels, and is a tour de force -- every time I re-read it it makes me break out in a smile, even though I know what's coming. Sherlock breaks out somewhat more: "Sherlock feels a flood of heat in several places at once. He stands up quickly and walks to his violin. He plays wild, erratic snaps of quick-paced music." The author has a whimsical and entirely understandable note to add: "You may fall in love with John reading this - I did." 4. The Romance Was There [2017] by @apliddell [ 4,011 words / G ] :: The author deserves an award for this being one of the best uses of Harry Watson in a fic, and of HW by Sherlock in a fic :-) 221B has never been cozier, Sherlock has never been more winsome, and John is a species type model of John in all of his clueless Johnness. The narrative dances along and sparkles and shines as seduction evolves, and Sherlock's rogueish charm is on full display. There's a poignant and endearing confessional letter, plus there's a Sherlock/Jeremy Brett reference that is absolute perfection in serving its role in helping the narrative quickstep the night away. 5. The Man in Aisle Ten [2020] by @blogstandbygo [ 1395 words / G ] :: Sherlock has several mysteries to unravel in the midst of Harrod's on Christmas Eve: what is the perfect gift for John? why is he having so much trouble identifying the perfect gift for John? and, incidentally, along the way to solving those, a local one. Luckily, Sherlock has Moira, master department store sleuth, to lead him to the solution. This fic is a small, perfect gift -- rather like the story's denouement --and is as witty as all of SBG's fics are. This is a veritable Peppermint Schnapps Hot Chocolate of a fic, warm, rich, sweet, delicious, tingly, and you'll find you reach the last bit much too fast, immediately requiring a refill. [ And there's a splendid podfic by @podfixx ! ]

..........................

*fic repost recruits, perhaps??? ❤️ @totallysilvergirl, @7-percent, @discordantwords, @helloliriels, @elwinglyre, @mydogwatson

[discordantwords]

fic recs - may & june 2024

So it's been a challenging few months for me and I'm extremely behind in my reading. But even though I'm still catching up, I wanted to share some of the things that I've read and enjoyed over this past May & June.

First things first-- @calaisreno put together the wonderful May Prompts 2024 challenge (be sure to check out the collection on AO3!)

2024 May Prompts by thegildedbee

A Good Man by carelesspeaches

Andante, andante by Ibbyliv

Blood and Stone by Goldt_39

Come What May by weeesi

examine me (or 5 Times Sherlock Required Medical Attention & 1 Time He Didn't But Got It Anyway) by Ibbyliv

Hidden Beauties by A_Candle_For_Sherlock

Hungerford Bridge by Jolie_Black

Lies of Omission by Breath4Soul

Mary Keeps House by tepidspongebath

May Has 31 Days by SophB_Holmes

May is for Limericks by helloliriels

May Prompts 2024 Ficlets by Raina_at

Ninety-Nine Percent by amaruuk

No Desire to Run by Ibbyliv

Open Your Eyes by JRow

Penitence by amaruuk

Plants' May Prompts 2024 by PlantsAreNeat

Ravelling by Calais_Reno

Sandbox by CopperBeech

The Disappointed Optimist's Guide to Sharing a Flat with a Madman by Calais_Reno

The Lost Detective by mydogwatson

The Luckiest Girl in the World by Lock_John_Silver

The Perfect Place by meet_me_in_samarra

Trifles 3 (May Prompts 2024) by Calais_Reno

Two Dozen Kilometres North of Berlin by stopthat

What Hands Hath Wrought by emilycare

You're Not Designed to be Alone by thalialunacy

Happy reading!

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Five Fics Friday: May 16/25

Happy Canadian Long Weekend Friday, my friends!! Let's celebrate the official start of Summer with a nice Margarita and an amazing fic!!! ENJOY!!

SIGNAL BOOSTING

To Feel It In My Bones by Ewebie (M, 3,057 w., 1 Ch. || John and Sholto || Jolto, Army John, Touch Starvation, Prompt Fics) – At first, he told himself it was a slight discomfort with proximity. Sure he’d been in close quarters with his family before, with some of his mates in Uni, the doctors’ res was tiny in any hospital, the odd bed he’d shared with one of his flings. But this was different. This was practically living on top of each other. It was brushing past in small bunks, shoulder nudges, literally bumping into each other in the mess. It must have been the immediacy. That was all. But it didn’t ease.

RECENT MFLs

More Goodbyes By poetanddidntknowit34 (K+, 1,746 w., 1 Ch. || Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Service Dogs) – Sherlock and Red Beard went everywhere together, and as far as the young Holmes was concerned, he was a friend, not just a service dog. FFNet

The Game by Enterthetadpole (E, 3,332 + w., 4/? Ch. || WiP || Future Gamer AU || Alternate First Meeting, Games, Game-centric Easter Eggs, Crime Drama) – A convicted murderer, John is thrown into a futuristic online game of life and death to serve out his sentence ... only to find that he has no control over his actions here and that few in this game will survive! But when the woman he is accused of having murdered, suddenly appears in the game also ... John begins to question who is playing who? Meanwhile Sherlock Holmes may have just found something a thousand times more interesting than 'The Game' at last! ... and decides to leave the comfort of his mansion to jump in and Save John Watson.

Out of the Dark by Breath4Soul (M, 9,379+ w., 5/? Ch. || WiP || Alternate First Meeting AU || Blind John, Mental Health Issues, Healing, Physical Disability, Podcast, Disabled Character, BAMF John, Service Dogs, Grumpy John, Sneaky Sherlock, Meet Ugly / Meet Cute) – Rather than a psychosomatic limp, John returns from the war with a different manifestation of his trauma, Functional Neurologic Symptom Disorder (or what was once commonly known as "Hysterical Blindness"). As if struggling to acclimate to life with unpredictably limited vision isn't challenging enough, an unpridictable genius who sees everything turns his world upside down.

The Puppeteer by Sakshi_S (T, 11,488 w., 6 Ch. || Post S4, Slow Burn, Humour, Protective Sherlock, Found Family, Murder Mystery, Serial Killers, Case Fic, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst with Happy Ending, Caring Mycroft, First Kiss, Rosie-Centric) – John, Sherlock, and Rosie were having a quiet afternoon at 221B when Greg summons them for a case: a serial murderer is leaving puppet dolls—handmade, grotesque, and chilling—at every crime scene. As Sherlock digs deeper, the case becomes more personal than he ever expected. Twisted clues, theatrical performances, and a killer who knows how to bait a detective. And somewhere in all the chaos, something long-buried between Sherlock and John begins to surface.

[thalialunacy]

Thalia's Sherlock Recs pt 5

(back to rec index)

L

L'amour Toujours by stopthat

Lacuna by coloredink

Laid Bare by esplanade

Last Christmas by Mazarin221b

Learning Curve by thpontiacbandit

Leave the Signs and the Sirens by out_there

Left by lifeonmars

Lessons in Astronomy by CaitlinFairchild

Let You Kiss Me (So Sweet and So Soft) by out_there

Let’s Make a Bed Out in the Rain by Anonymous

Letting Go by SilendAuror

libertine by light

Licence to Kiss by fellshish

Lies of Omission by Breath4Soul

A Life Well-Lived by TakePenAndInk

A Lifetime Together by LondonSpirit

Light the fuse by elf_on_the_shelf

Like Euphoria and Scotch by FinAmour

Like Glue by goseaward

Lines in the Sand by JRow

Lines Written In Kensington Gardens by CaitlinFairchild

the lingering taste of orange juice by darcylindbergh

Live from the Morgue by disfinctional

The Logical Solution by ArabellaFaith

Love Is by SilentAuror

Love Like Ours by Berty

Luminosity by what_alchemy

M

Maintaining A Personal Life by AuburnRecluse

Man and Beast by Jupiter_Ash

The Man With the Cartier Frames by JRow

Manifest by causidicus

Manual Dexterity by wearitcounts

Matchmaking for Solitary Animals by ArwaMachine

Matters of National Security by mistyzeo

Maybe We Could Change His Mind by thalialunacy

The Measure of a Gentleman by i_ship_an_armada

Measuring Damage With the Fujita Scale by teahigh

The Meeting Place by standbygo

Mental by Boeshane42

Messy by pukajen

The Midas Touch by flawedamythyst

Midnight Blue Serenity by BeautifulFiction

Midnight Clear by khorazir

Midnight Plowboy by weeesi

Mightier Than by emmagrant01

Military--kink? by Silvergirl

Minds Like Ours Dream Up by BlackEyedGirl

Miscommunication by SrebrnaFH

Mise en Place by azriona

Missing the (Fixed) Point by DiscordantWords

The Moment Pleasantly Frightful by teahigh

moon earth sun by orphicsun

The Most Dangerous Thing is to Love by CorvidCordelia

most people start with ‘i love you’ by queerholmcs

Mountebank by Odamaki

Move in by Strange_johnlock

MR# 1430155 by blueink3

My Fingers Drip With Myrrh by songlin

My First, My Only, and My Forever by vintagelilacs

N

the napoleon by darcylindbergh

Never Have I Ever by hudders-and-hiddles

Never Turn Your Back to the Sea by DiscordantWords

Nightjet by khorazir

nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands by miss_frankenstein

Nocturn by Atiki

The Norwood Love Builders by flawedamythyst

Northwest Passage by Kryptaria

Not Always 1895 by esplanade

Notes by Kryptaria

Nothing Else Matters by achray

Nothing to Make a Song About by emmagrant01

(back to rec index)

[leosficlist]

Johnlock Fluff rec list (so far!)

These will all include heartwarming sweet times, most will include love confessions and first times as well. I tried to make it not-so porny. I am a bit of a stickler for things feeling in character, so if you share that with me then you are in good hands <3

Fluff 2, Fluff 3 ,Fluff 4

A Quiet Murmuration by cathedral_carver 4.6k words

“Just pay me back with one thousand kisses”

notes: domestic, getting together, lots of touches and lingering looks

You Fit Me, Sherlock Holmes by orphan_account 10k words

It feels natural when John slips under the covers as well, and scoots in closer to Sherlock. As Sherlock's arms envelope him tightly, he breathes a sigh of relief. They don't speak and it only takes John five minutes before he starts to drift off. His breathing gets deep and he feels oblivion starting to crawl in on him at the edges. His inhibitions are almost gone as he whispers, "I've missed you," into Sherlock's skin.

Sherlock doesn't reply immediately. Instead he removes a strand of hair from John's forehead.

John is almost completely lost to the world when Sherlock whispers back, "I've missed you, too."

notes: cuddling for an experiment, sherlock writes up a report at the end

Upon Reflection, Tenable Frippery by emmagrant01 1.3k words

“John was, inexplicably, growing a beard.”

notes: first kiss, sherlock loves the beard

Succulent by FinAmour 8.8k words 🔒

“You look nice tonight,” John says, and it all goes downhill from there.

About Sleep and Coffee and the Existence of Fate by Atiki 17.4k words

Naturally, John was startled when suddenly the ultimate solution occurred to him: Marriage. This was, of course, a bit of a fundamental problem rather than an actual solution. One didn't simply use the words “Sherlock” and “marriage” within the same sentence. Not even in a hypothetical context. (Five times John kind of wanted to propose to Sherlock, and one time he didn’t have to.)

A Hesitation Waltz by UrbanHymnal 5.5k words

“He lets the vibrato speak for him: love and loss, triumph and failure, longing for water and a bit of rest after so long a journey. He would follow John into the desert, walk through fire, sacrifice to any God. He would gladly kneel at John’s feet, if only given the chance, and worship him with each breath.”

notes: sherlock’s violin playing

A Lifetime Together by LondonSpirit 🔒 8.8k

“John and Sherlock falling in love.”

The Man in Aisle Ten by standbygo 🔒 1.3k words

“It's Christmas Eve, the busiest day for shopping at Harrod's, and there's a guy in aisle ten who's snapping at every sales associate who dares to approach him. It's up to Moira to help him find the perfect present.”

notes: I love seeing Sherlock through other people’s perspectives, and I can sympathize with holiday retail

Things That You Can’t Say Tomorrow Day by PsychGirl 4k words

“Things go horribly wrong while John and Sherlock are on a mission for Mycroft. Now they're out in the woods in the middle of winter with no coats and no shelter. However will they stay warm?”

notes: post-mary, no baby mention, getting together while sharing body heat

Easy by stopthat 2.8k words

“Something, it seems, has broken down between them. Something good.”

notes: asexual sherlock

Your Love by stopthat 1.5k

“Sherlock breathes in the scent of roses, feels the wind on his skin, tastes John on his tongue.”

notes: John calls Sherlock “love” by accident

The 12 Truths of Christmas by Breath4Soul 3.3k

“It’s a simple construct, John. There is nothing I value more than data. Facts, John.” Sherlock flourishes a long, thin hand, then steeples his fingers together over his lap. He scans John with steel blue eyes. “In place of some appalling or imbecilic gift inflicted upon me in the name of tradition on Christmas day, I propose that you provide me with one previously unknown fact about you for each day leading up to Christmas.12 in total, John.”

Nightfall by CKLizzy 8k words gen (part one of the amazing Solace Series)

“Awoken by nightmares, John and Sherlock seek each other's company at night. They find more than either of them knew they were missing.”

Loss of the Senses by goddess_of_the_ night 18.5k words

or "Five Times Sherlock Lost his Senses and One Time He Used Them All to Worship John"

Over the course of two years, Sherlock loses each of his five senses: Taste, Smell, Touch, Sound, and Sight. John is a saint who takes care of him despite Sherlock's insistence to push him away.

notes: can be read as gen if you stop before the last chapter

[helloliriels]

Just Like A Tattoo (I'll Always Have You) by helloliriels for @sherlockchallenge June prompt: Tattoo

🥀 Based on song lyrics from: Rose Tattoo by Dropkick Murphys; and ofc Tattoo by Jordan Sparks; couldn't decide, so I went with a bit o' both 🥀

John walks in on Sherlock after the fall, only to discover ... Sherlock wasn't quite as heartless ... or as clueless about love as he had imagined ...

tagging peeps! @johnlocky @ohlooktheresabee @fluffbyday-smutbynight @rhasima @chinike @spooksicl-e @justanobsessedpan @totallysilvergirl @whatnext2020 @topsyturvy-turtely @chriscalledmesweetie @safedistancefrombeingsmart @gaylilsherlock @sarahthecoat @inevitably-johnlocked @kettykika78 @khorazir @kaursblog11 @john-smiths-jawline @mrb488 @jobooksncoffee @carla-creates @wizama @sgam76 @gregorovitchworld @arwamachine @discordantwords @raina-at @simplyclockwork @janetm74 @bertytravelsfar @7-percent @missdeliadili @peanitbear @meetinginsamarra @breath4soul @blogstandbygo @iamjustreading @1-800-get-sherlocked @impalaparkedat221b @calaisreno @lisbeth-kk @solarmama @momma2boys

[meetinginsamarra]

Fanfics I really liked in June 2023

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).

There I Saw You, Night by esplanade

Struggling with writer`s block, poet Sherlock meets successful crime writer John by chance in a bookshop. Lots of deep conversations happen and in the end both have found their passion for writing again and each other, too. Lovely, light, poetic fic with a bit of hurt/comfort.

The Meeting Place by standbygo @blogstandbygo​

Sherlock is supposed to meet the guy at the meeting place. So is Sherlock. Shenanigans happen. Funny, fluffy romantic comedy.

Aim for the Head by Breath4Soul @breath4soul​

Long ongoing WIP. Set in a zombie apocalypse, John sort of abducts Sherlock and his car and an at first unwilling but then developing relationship starts. Could have been all so much easier if the zombies were not out to get them. 

The Lost Myth of True Love series by All_I_need @the-reading-lemon​

Three delightful fics that gave me nearly sleepless nights because I had to know what happens next. Now I am eagerly awaiting part 4 that is about to get published. Sherlock x Victor Trevor, no Johnlock so far.

The Last Shred of Truth and The Choiceless Hope and  Imagine being loved (by me)

Sherlock returns and confesses his love to John but John cannot reciprocate although he loves Sherlock back. He has to marry Mary and both are unhappy. John will be mostly out of the picture during the three fics. Sherlock meets his old child and uni friend Victor Trevor again and they start a really lovely relationship even if both men mourn their past love. Sherlock will be mainly happy and grow in the relationship which is so nice to see (read) and Victor is a gem of a human. Sherlock grows a lot emotionally in these fics and in part two he builds an unexpected but awesome friendship with a really likeable Sally Donovan. 

[breath4soul]

Chapter 19: Transformation Fandom: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson,  Tags: Johnlock Fluff, Tumblr Prompt, Prompt Fill, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Drunk John, Sherlock Wearing A Sheet, Horny John,, (ಠ‿↼), Sharing a Bed, First Kiss, Virgin Sherlock, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Doctor John Watson, Hurt Sherlock Holmes, Hurt/Comfort, Bi-Curiosity, Idiots in Love, Sherlock Being an Idiot, John Watson Being an Idiot, John is a Mess, Rugby Captain John Watson, Sherlock Holmes Has Feelings, everyone makes mistakes, Body Image, Apologies, Posted to AO3 Summary:

A light little AU ficlet about John and Sherlock's first meeting at uni when John gets drunk and pounds on the wrong door thinking it is his room. It turns out to be Sherlock's.

--------------------------

“You’re bloody gorgeous. I’ve died and gone to heaven.” John blinks serenely up at the figure.

“You’re wasted,” the figure growls. “You should know I can kill you most creatively and dispose of your body in a thousand inventive ways so that you will never be found. I assure you that I will never get caught. So unless you want me to extinguish your pathetic, little existence this very moment you better tell me who the hell you are and what the hell you are doing in my room.”

“Yes, that… That… That is amazing. Keep talking, Love.” John grins and stares up into those green-blue eyes, dazed. He presses his lips together in an effort to look patient and blinks slowly, staring expectantly at the lips that spilled all those elegant words with such precise diction and in an amazing rumbly voice. “Come on, then, I could listen to you for hours.” John offers a smile. “Tell me again how you’re going to kill me, I like that bit.”

-----------------------

[nottoolateforthegame]

Tagging @breath4soul @sweetpeapod @1jet2unknown and anyone else who wants to participate (and if you'd like me to tag you in future, just lmk)

if we lived in a world where u had to do the career u were first interested in as a child what would u be doing, id be a firefighter

[cupidford]

Know When You've Been Beaten by Breath4Soul

Johnlock Love Letters #1581

ASIB fix it. A drugged Sherlock confesses some things about his sexual history and feelings towards John. 

[inevitably-johnlocked]

With so many of the greatest writers leaving the writing in our fandom, I was wondering if you could recommend some newer or even older fic authors that are of the same level? I don't want to stop reading Johnlock, it's basically all I read anymore! I know I'm spoiled with having read fics by @chryse @breath4soul @arwamachine @7-percent @therealsaintscully @ohlooktheresabee @runnfromtheak @meetinginsamarra and @jbaillier

I understand that not everyone wants to dedicate their lives to writing fanfic, or have outgrown the fandom, or real life has become overwhelming. By no way am I demanding more fic from these amazing writers. I'd really just like to know of any other wonderful writers that are just as good. I need to feed my addiction hahaha! Thank you for your advice and suggestions, I love you!

Hey Nonny!

Ah, I get what you mean :) Our authors are people too, who have lives that keep them busy, AND they still provide us with amazing fics for free!! <3

That said, because I ALWAYS feel like I'm going to miss some great authors, I'm gonna once again default to: you can always be guaranteed "newer" fics in the fandom by checking out my weekly #FiveFicsFriday posts!! It's a weekly collection of new fics suggested to me, often brand new stories in the fandom! Here are over 1000 fics for you to check out on these lists:

YEAR ONE MASTERPOST (Sept 29/19 to Sept 25/20)

YEAR TWO MASTERPOST (Sept 25/20 to Sept 24/21)

YEAR THREE MASTERPOST (Oct 1/21 to Sept 23/22)

YEAR FOUR MASTERPOST (Sept 30/22 to Sept 22/23)

But honestly, I think every author is amazing here!!! Without them we wouldn't have the amazing content we have! Always support our authors and artists <3

If anyone wants Nonny to check them or their faves out, please don't hesitate to add themselves to the notes!!

(and if you don't think you "deserve" to be listed among these authors, STOP BEING SILLY!! We love you!! <3)

[chriscalledmesweetie]

Allow me to counter with The Mole - cover art by @breath4soul

AU where things are the same but they are on a reality TV show.

Close enough.

[itislove]

Johnlock Fic Rec 10-12/ 2021

This year was packed full with up and downs for me, but I'm thankful for all the great Stories I could read and so I'm going to share the last bunch with you, if you want to see the others just search #fic rec 2021 on my blog

Halving Infinity by sophiahelix, Explicit, ~9,8k, Friends to Lovers

Pride & Providence by janeofarc, GA, ~5,4k, Victorianlock, Post TRF

Royalty by tzarobin, NR, ~3k, Teenlock, Sherlock is Royalty

Beautiful Deception by Nymeria578, Explicit, ~112k, Pretty Woman AU

In Arduis Fidelis by Raliena, Teen and Up, ~18,6k, this fic is solely about Soldier John, no Sherlock in it but worth the read!

Capturing Perfection by Breath4Soul, Explicit, ~41,5k, Collegelock, Virginlock, Photography

[bluebellofbakerstreet]

Fanwork Round-up for 2020

BluebellofBakerStreet’s Year in Review

Thank you for the tag, @elwinglyre​

This format has been adapted so that I can include fan art, because I’m. not really a writer.  :)

Total number of completed works: 1 fic on AO3, 36 all-new drawings posted to Tumblr

Total word count: 4,901 

Fandoms written in: BBC Sherlock mostly, with a smattering of Granada Holmes, James Bond and some not-really-fandom stuff

Looking back, did you create more than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you’d expected?

Less than I wanted to, but then I always do.  Overall there was less art than in an average year.

What’s your own favorite work of the year?

Really?  Just one?  Maybe this one.  Everything just kind of came together.

Did you take any creative risks this year?

Writing a fic with an actual plot, and a case and a prominent OC.  So, yeah, my muse was having a bad year, and I worked around it by creating things that aren’t quite what I usually post. This fic is illustrated by many of my previously published Victorian!lock drawings, but was also an excuse to create many drawings (and create a wardrobe for) a Victorian OFC.  I enjoyed doing that, and it did seem to unstick my muse a bit.

The Adventure of the Misguided Merchant

Do you have any creative goals for the new year?

So many.  The art bunnies are bouncing around inside my head - and they breed like rabbits.  

I have a fic (about 500 words) written that is a sequel to my punklock fic.  So I need to make more pictures for that.  I also have a couple other fic ideas that haven’t coalesced yet.  

And the art bunnies - there are so many!  Fic covers that are trying to form themselves in my brain, parentlock, victorian dressing gowns, and one particularly persistent Mystrade idea.

And I need to find a new genre of Johnlock so that I'm not drawing the same thing all the time.

We’ll see which bunnies fight their way to the front.

Most popular work of the year?

This guy.  Many of the comments focussed on the Wm Morris inspired pattern on the dressing gown.  And I freely admit that sometimes when I’m feeling low I draw dressing gown patterns.

Story of mine most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion:

Honestly, if I were math-y enough to write up an algorithm based on popularity of characters, AUs, and tropes, and then factor in how well something turned out, I could have pretty much predicted how much attention each of my arts would have gotten this year.  No big surprises.

What work was the most fun to create?:

Well, here are four that were fun:

Could be Dangerous:  I planned this one out in my head (as well as its sequel - not yet created) on a road trip down to my dad’s

Cover for left: I listened to this long-time favorite fic on a another road trip down to Dad’s, and the idea came into my head.  Also the glass was fun to draw.

Rainy: Drawing Rosie is always fun. And the rain. And the Joy.

Lupita Nyong’o Paper dolls:  And now for something completely different.  An inktober whim that was so fun and so quick that I made two more.

Most unintentionally telling story:

No idea.

Biggest disappointment:

That I’m still publishing Inksolation prompts.  

Biggest surprise:

No idea

I'm tagging (if you like to join and haven't done it yet): @anyawen​, @iwantthatbelstaffanditsoccupant​, @breath4soul​, @totallysilvergirl​, @ceruleanmindpalace​,   And anyone else who would like to.  Yes, of course I mean you. 💙 Tag me. I wanna see.

Happy New Year, everyone.  May 2021 be kinder to us all.💙💙💙

[helloliriels]

Hiiii! How are you? What's got you feeling icky? Idk if this will work as a distraction but FAV Johnlock fic? I know it's gonna be hard to choose one so choose how many ever you want :) Tell me all of your all time favourite fics.

Ooh ... ugh yeah pain today. (Getting thru ty for the ask)

YeS, aLL TiMe FAVE gosh ... I think that has to go to The Quiet Man / ivyblossom (shocking no one) ... read SO many times now!!!

Top top after that (so far! Out of reading 200+ and counting ... ?) Most memorable ones, hands down (can recite without viewing my history on ao3):

Juxtaposition / Clueda , The Wedding Gift / Calais_Reno , How to Date Your Flatmate / EchoSilverWolf , Take Off Your Shirt / KittenKin , The Repeated Image / Teatrolley, Sunday Evening 6 p.m. / SilverGirl , Bakers With Benefits (!!!!! Amazing go read ) / Raina_at , My Favorite Mistake / Breath4Soul , and Sensory Science / sussexbound - If just for the finale alone! omg (E rated fic tho fair warning), and a fic called Quiet (now orphaned) will link here.

Hope that's some good reading for you!! 💋🌹

[breath4soul]

You pause, splayed limbs trembling with both the cold that is beginning to seep through your clothing from the ice below, and the strain of pulling yourself, inch by inch, over the surface of the frozen lake. The crackling sound of the ice straining beneath you echos over the smooth surface for a moment before the world falls silent and goes eerily still. You let your forehead drop and your breath fans out over the surface of the ice, fogging it for a moment, and then, as it dissipates, seeming to leave a mirror surface of your own reflection gazing back at you. Nose to nose with yourself, you blink back tears, your mind whirring with bleak thoughts. As you stare into the ghostly reflection of your own eyes, you can't help wondering if this is how it's all going to end. 

@write-it-motherfuckers

It takes a fraction of a second for you to process that your brain has caught onto something unsettling that you can't quite pinpoint. First, it's only a nameless, uneasy clenching in your stomach, a prickle on the back of your neck, and the sensation of cold fingers tracing down your spine. Then, as your eyes snap over the ice below, it hits you.

Your reflection.

It did not blink.  

You blink again, deliberately slow, and shake your head a little from side-to-side, but your reflection does not mirror the movement. It seems frozen, like a snapshot, with its still and unwavering gaze locked on yours.

You suck in a breath, pulling back in confusion, and watch in horror as a toothy grin spreads slowly over your reflection's face. The teeth are sharp, decidedly inhuman and, as you watch, the hand that had been resting against your own right hand draws back into the darkness, becomes a fist and strikes against the ice. The crackling is loud, shattering the quiet of the frozen lake, overlapping with your startled scream. A spiderweb of cracks spread below you from where the reflection's fist had struck. 

As you frantically scramble away, It is moving with you. Your screaming face is contorted into a silent, almost mocking, laugh stretched over its gastly facade. The reflection draws back and strikes again thump and the whole ice resonates with the blow. An ominous series of snaps and pops are joined by a high pitched whine, steadily growing in volume. 

A laugh or battle cry? You can't tell. 

Your limbs can't move fast enough. The ice fractures in increasingly larger veins below you. 

Thump

The shore is too far away. You can't possibly make it in time. You try to get to your hands and knees.

Thump

You fall flat. Flail. Slip. Scrabble at the slick surface. The reflection is outpacing you. Dashing ahead to block your path. It's face is angry now.

THump

The ice breaks in an upward spray two paces in front of you. You try to veer towards the shore on the right.  You're still scrambling along on your stomach. It's inhumanly fast and apparently has a strategy. You've nothing but fear.

THUmp!

To your left the lake falls away. The wailing noise is unbearable. You've only a slim and unstable path between the two holes but you're too close to the shore to stop. You scramble forward. 

THUMP!!

The world is upended. 

A cold embrace and then the icy rush of water surrounds you. When you open your eyes, there at first only seems to be the darkness. Your scream escapes as a bubble that floats up and, as you watch, it spreads against the smooth of a surface. You flail your limbs against the pull of gravity until your hands meet against the hard surface of ice. You splay your hands and arms out, desperately seeking in all directions the hole you'd fallen through. There is no way the lake could have frozen over again so quickly. Yet, you can't find it. You're beginning to panic when there is a movement from above. You stop and look through the ice to find you're staring up at yourself. Above you, there is a you lying on the ice looking down. 

As you watch, the being blinks, shakes its head from side-to-side, and then a slow smile spreads across its face. 

You try to scream but it's captured within more bubbles that escape to silently crawl along the surface above. The cold water slows your limbs as you try to claw and then pound against the sheet of ice above. Your lungs are aching and your vision is blurring. Not-you just continues to watch and smile as your body grows numb and heavy with cold and lack of oxygen.

As you sink away into darkness you watch the being begin to move again, sliding across the surface, leaving you behind below the ice.

Your heart hammered in your chest as you listened to the ominous cracking beneath you, desperately hoping that you managed to get to safety before it gave way. You had known it was a risk when you had seen the frightened child out there, but still you hadn’t even paused for a moment before racing out and carefully inching your way towards them. Luckily with the use of your scarf, you were able to get the child to safety, even as your own weight slowly started to put you in exactly the same perilous position.

Swallowing thickly, you carefully laid down and spread your limbs out, hoping to increase your surface area and lessen the strain on the ice. Instantly the cracking sounds lessened in number, and you began the painstakingly slow process of inching your way to safety, your mind focused on the task at hand.

The child had long since reached the shore and raced back home entirely unharmed, much to your relief, but it did mean that you were completely alone now as you slowly struggled your way back to surer ground. Dread filled you as you listened to a few particularly deep sounding cracks, but strangely enough your focus wasn’t entirely on that sound anymore.

The sudden sensation of being watched, was somehow so much more chilling than the ice you laid upon.

Something was wrong about that gaze….very very wrong.