nia_kantorka | Rectober No. 11 – New Playground Sherlock Holmes

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capitu
Sometimes people leave a fandom behind, but that doesn’t mean they are writing not as good as they always have. And maybe you are curious and interested enough to take a look at

silentauror’s new playground and its wonderful pairing Sherlock Holmes/John Watson.

Title: At the Heart of it All
Author/Artist:

silentauror
Pairing(s) Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Rating: NR-17
Word Count: 19,811
Tags: POV John Watson, POV Third Person, Romance, unabashed romance, You Have Been Warned, So much kissing, First Time, Virgin!Sherlock, post-series 3, post-Mary, Post-Divorce, questions of sexuality, New Relationship, Domesticy
Summary: John has been back at Baker Street for four months now and thinks it's about time they had the Talk to see whether or not they could be more than friends. Sherlock has a lot of uncertainty about this concept for multiple reasons. Unabashed romance.

Why I loved it:
First of all I have to admit two things– and I hope you don’t stop reading after my next sentence.

I’ve never seen a single minute of the Sherlock TV series- my flesh is willing but my spirit is weak (aka I’ve so many things to read ~~and watch~~ at home before I can start a series I haven’t already bought/borrowed/whatever) and that probably won’t change in the foreseeable future.

In my defence, I have read every Sherlock Holmes story by ACD and not only once. So, I know ‘the other canon’. And though I can see the appeal of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, both are not in the slightest like my beloved head-canon of these two.

It doesn’t really matter because their characters in Silentauror’s stories are just gorgeous. And it’s irrelevant how they look in my head if they are going to look in other people’s heads like they want. If that’s settled, I can tell you why I love these two stories.

Their whole relationship is so wonderfully tender. It was like watching a little plant who thought it would be a good idea to grow on a stormy cliff. You want to encourage and cheer it on, you feel and see it fighting against the elements, and you are beyond happy when it has grown successfully into a strong plant with deep roots. Maybe I should apologise for such a bad metaphor but I really felt that way while reading.

It is a real treat to see these two putting their relationship on another level. Both have already fallen for one another, they are best friends, partners in dealing with criminal cases, but now they start to explore each other physically and… well, you need to read that for yourself. How John asks a whole lot of questions because he knows Sherlock would feel even more awkward without them, how Sherlock gives explanations about his physical reactions even in the heat of the moment, how they learn to be together with body, soul, mind and heart.

I’ve read more Sherlock/John and some Harry/Draco stories by this author as well. So far they’ve all been unique, woven with extraordinary skills, and even the sadder ones have left me with a feeling of gratitude that I've just been able to read them.

Excerpt:
It wasn’t rocket science. He’d known from day one that he’d always been attracted to Sherlock. Very attracted. But he’d never gone that way, never sought out another bloke before. Sexuality is a sliding scale for some, he’s always known, but he’d never bothered exploring the other side. And he hadn’t thought he could feel romantic attraction for a man. He liked women. Still likes them, in principle, at least. But he loves Sherlock and has for a very long time. And now, with the Mary mess and his disastrous marriage behind him, John can finally pursue this.

Only he isn’t at all sure that Sherlock wants to pursue it. He’s meant to have the Talk, the “now that we’re back together again and do everything together, including sharing a career and a house and pretty much everything else, what would you think about us becoming lovers about now?” sort of talk.

Title: The Final Proof
Author/Artist:

silentauror
Pairing(s) Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 4,468
Tags: POV John Watson, POV Third Person, Character Death, Kleenex alert, SO SORRY, Sequel to At the Heart of it All, retirement fic, Sussex
Summary: Sequel to At the Heart of it All, set late into their retirement. This time it's easier for John, though it's never easy.

Why I loved it:
Yes, another character death fic. But it’s so, so beautiful. And it won’t leave you grieving, just being in awe about the power of love– even fictional one. So, go and embrace its beauty.

Excerpt:
Sherlock presses his face into John’s chest, a gnarled, long-fingered hand grasping at John’s arm. “Do you remember what I said?” he asks after a moment, turning those eyes back up to John’s, as blue as they were the day they met.

John has to clear his throat. He remembers as though it was yesterday. “You showed me the brains of the people who’d lived lives where they’d loved and been loved and told me that you wanted yours to look that way when you d – ” He stops, unable to say the word. He swallows hard. “It was the day you asked me to marry you.”

Sherlock smiles at him, his lips tremulous and still so beautiful. “And you said yes.”

“I’ll never forget,” John says softly. “Sherlock – ” His throat closes again.

“Don’t, John,” Sherlock says, reaching up to touch his face. “Please. We’ve had years and years. Really good ones. And I’ve – cheated death – so many times – ” He coughs, grimacing slightly. “Thanks to you. But maybe this time we can’t escape it.”