Nia's DW

Autumn has arrived, the nights get shorter (at least in the nothern hemisphere), and that's the time to spend with a good book or fic on the sofa, candles flickering in the background and a mug of hot tea to stay all warm and cosy. If you'll need some inspiration what to read, take a look at all the rectober recs which are currently being posted.

This first week of Rectober I like to share a few gorgeous fusion fics. I want to focus mostly on multifandom recs because I think there will be enough H/D and other HP fics recced this month.


banner by raitala

Title: Your Body Before Me 3rd and last part of the Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc series
Author/Artist: etothepii
Fandom: Sherlock BBC
Pairing(s): Sherlock/John
Rating: R
Word Count: 3,476 (of 20,213)
Warnings/Tags: The author choose no warnings and no tags, but I'd like to tag dark humour, and warn about various forms of removing body parts and digesting poisons.
Summary: Sherlock experiments on John.

Why I loved it: This is a fusion with The Addams Family and it's so wonderfully done. Geez, I'm still so glad that I found this series. John and Harry are related to the Addams family by their mother's side and they've inherited a lot of their special abilities. If you know the story, you can guess some of the things John (and Harry) can do. In the second part John's nature is revealed to Sherlock because of a case (of course) and in the third part Sherlock wants to know all about it. So, Sherlock's invited by John to do a autopsy on him. Yepp, an autopsy on the living John. And it's strange, and a bit medical, and gross, and heartwarming and if you take that literally, you're not wrong either - I loved it to pieces.

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xox

Title: I Seem to Be a Verb
Author/Artist: Aja
Fandom: Inception
Pairing(s) Arthur/Eames
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 93,873
Warnings/Tags: Notting Hill AU, Celebrity AU, London, Bookstores, Celebrities, RPF, architecture, Buckminster Fuller, Schmoop, Hipsters, Arthur's life is so hard, But not as hard as Ariadne's, Science, Bookstore AU, Social Anxiety, Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Falling In Love, Relationship Issues, Things are ok then really happy then really sad then slowly better then really happy again I promise
Summary: Notting Hill AU, written for the i_k prompt, "I'm just a girl standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her." Arthur owns a quirky hipster science bookstore. Eames is a world-famous mega-celebrity.

Clearly this calls for a meet-cute.

Why I loved it: This is not only a fic about Arthur and Eames, as one would assume reading an Inception fic. No, it's also a fic about words, books, authors, book titles, and Arhtur's wonder of a bookshop, The Robie House. And that bookshop, Jesus, I wish it was real. I'd love to go and take a look. If I could choose, I'd have taken a look at its version before Arthur even met Eames, but I'm sure the version Ariadne and Mal designed and reconstructed would be a fabulous place too.
Arthur and Eames are fabulous and funny in this story, and dorks because they talk a lot but not enough about things that matter.

Yeah, this fic has a lot of wonderful scenes: ridiculous ones about the bookshop owner and the celebrity being together or seperated in public, and some more wonderful and hurtful ones when they are on their own. Arthur does a lot of mistakes, Eames too, so there's heartbreak and getting over it and - don't worry - a lovely happy ending as well. It's one of my favourite Inception fics and if you take a look at its amount of kudos and bookmarks I'm not the only one in love with this long and brilliant story.

If you love books and loved Inception, you'll have a hell of a good time with this story.


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xox

Title: Kings Among Runaways series
Author/Artist: dfotw
Fandom: Avengers/Hellboy (Marvel/Dark Horse)
Pairing(s) Loki/Nuada
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 20,564
Warnings/Tags: Avengers Hellboy crossover
Summary:
The Avengers/Hellboy villain crossover you never knew you wanted.
Or,
Loki meets Nuada at a young age; the consequences of this encounter reverberate along both their lives until they meet again... and we get to see what these fallen princes can do together.

Why I loved it: It all started with alby_mangroves pic For I Shall Watch Over You which I saw and fell in love with from the start. Of course I had to read the story behind this picture. And boy, did I fall in love again.
I have a soft spot for the outcast, the ones not fitting in, and the ones who make a lot of wrong decisions because that's what the deeply hurt ones do. These two princes are so lost and misunderstood and alone until they meet. They don't are easy on another, proud princes that they are with all their hidden agendas. But they'll get there, being lovers and partners in crime and that's fabulous. Three parts out of four are told from Loki's pov, one from Nuada's. Both are done so well with their voices a bit strange and unhuman and very different from another. If you're up for a rare pairing and two MC's with intruiging voices, take a look at it. This series is a little gem.

Oh, you can totally read it without knowing much about Hellboy and if you know who's who in the Avenger's movies that's enought to enjoy this series. At least I did, and I'm one of this crazy chicks who often get their canon knowledge from reading fics...

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Ok, you might remember my rambling about not reading Work in Progress. Really, I hate it and try to avoid it like the plague. But, and that's a huge BUT, I love epistolary fics. There's been this one, (Dear John), where I missed the whole ordeal of real time posting and the back and forth between them.

And then I found Letters from Sussex by Sussex Bound actually on the day the first chapters were posted. And I loved some other fics by said author and just started and OMG...

Now, I try to be more coherent here.

Title: Letters from Sussex
Author: sussexbound │ Sussex Bound
Fandom: Sherlock
Pairing(s) Sherlock/John
Rating: NR-17
Word Count: ~21,5k (after 40 chapters)
Tags: Epistolary, Retirementlock, takes place immediately post Season 5
Summary: In the wake of the Mary/Moriarty affair, John and Sherlock have fallen out, and are living apart. But Sherlock isn't content with this state of affairs--not one bit. He's tired of dancing around the obvious. The wooing of John Watson starts now!

Why I loved it: I just need to rec it. I mean, it started on the 16th of June and that's been only a week now, but my whole life is rotating around this fic. Do you think I'm exaggerating? Nope. See for yourself; I'm checking my phone first thing in the morning for nightly updates (thankfully there are always between 1-3). After indulging in those chapters I leave a more or less coherent comment on the latest chapter and bring myself uptodate with the comments from the crowd. During the afternoon (sussex bound's morning) an update is coming. Then I squeal with joy, stop everything I'm doing and ingrain the next part. If it's Sherlock's, I know I'll can swoon and melt into a puddle of goo. If it's John's, it depends on his mood (lately his emails/texts/ideas) make me flail too. Those two are wonderful! During the night I'll check my phone for AO3 notifications or (better) sb's tumblr for updates. So, that's how my days and nights go at the moment. I'm planning to keep this up as long as it takes those two to to get their HEA. And it's pretty visible from the nearly 1400 comments (at 23.50 pm June 23th CEST) that I'm not the only one.
But really, this story is written with such beauty. There are tender and kind parts and others are rough and hard to read. There's humour, anger, sadness, a cutepie of a dog, a cottage in Sussex, a flat in London, a friendship hanging by a threat (at least in the beginning) and so much love. It's worth every waiting minute, because it's such a joy at the same time. If you can stand a communication through letters, emails and texts and have the patience to read a WiP...what are you waiting for? Go and read it! I'm sure you'll love it.

Excerpt: (That's part of a message by Sherlock)

I have wanted you here from the start.

From the moment I laid eyes on this cottage, I knew it was for you. There is a bedroom on the ground floor. That is so uncommon in these old houses. I think that it must have been a morning room before, or something of the kind, and been converted later. But when I saw that room, I knew that it would be yours.

You will have no need to climb the steep, narrow staircase to the upper floors when your leg aches in poor weather. It’s why I took the room upstairs. I left that room waiting for you. It is yours John, or perhaps it could be ‘ours’ if you prefer.

There is the garden, of course. It is desperate for attention, and you always seemed to have a way with those little potted herbs at the flat. I imagine your skill in this area surpasses mine. It was barely more than intuition, but something seemed to call to me when I first saw it. ‘This is for John,’ some inner voice said.

You have a way with slightly wild and stubborn things. Everything yields to your skill and care, everything blooms beneath your touch. And soon you will be here, and we shall see...

Will I bloom beneath your touch? Oh, I think so. I long to find out. All the things I long to explore, to discover... So many things...

Will you let me tell you? You said you wanted to know.

I’m still unsure how much is too much, or if, perhaps, my desires are too simple to satisfy you. I want everything you have to give, and I want to give you everything you desire. You must tell me if I get it wrong. I will learn. We can learn one another together.

Do you know what I would like, when you are sure, when you are ready? I would like you to invite me to your bed. Not in the dark of night, but in the early morning, when that room of yours will be golden, and warm, with lace-shadows of the lilac leaves outside the window dancing against the pale, cream walls, and the sound of bird song drifting in from the garden. I want you to invite me to your bed, and I want you to let me worship you.

Title: Swoon originally posted on Summer holmestice 2015
Author: cathedralcarver │ cathedral_carver
Pairing(s) Sherlock/John
Rating: R
Word Count: ~3500
Content/Warnings: none
Summary: Sherlock keeps fainting. There are approximately five different reasons why this might be happening. Possibly six.

Why I loved it: Jesus, just take a look at the scene titles. I'm such a sucker for a unique way to name parts of a story. Sherlock was so IC here, blunt, awkward, rude and a force on his own. But he was also very much and deeply in love with John. God, it really made my heart ache when he said to himself that he could wait three times. And the ending. You'll swoon over it, that's for sure. Such a wonderful ending. I hope the author will upload it on AO3 because this story should get all the kudos. *nods*
ETA after the reveals: The author uploaded Swoon on AO3 some days ago. Best go and read all the stories- they might not be the lightest, but so worth it.


Title: Big Brother Is Watching You
Author: flawedamythyst │ flawedamythyst
Pairing(s) Sherlock/John
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 5,595
Content/Warnings: crack
Summary: Sherlock and John enter the Big Brother house.

Why I loved it: Be warned and don't read Big Brother Is Watching You somewhere where you have a reputation to lose. Because, you know, you're going to lose it. And you'll have a hell of a good time in doing so. This story will make you cry tears of laughter. It's absolutely hilarious and, yeah, it's a little piece of utter brilliance.
It's an old story and was published in 2011 after the first season aired. Therefore it takes place after The Great Game and 'the swimming pool' scene. Sherlock wants to keep John safe, so he and Mycroft persuade John to enter the Big Brother house. Well, let's just say that somehow Mycroft gets Sherlock to move into the house too. And with that the other contestants get a bit more than they can handle. Between Sherlock sulking on every available surface in the house, John being nice, John being not so nice when someone insults Sherlock, jam and cigarettes their relationship grows. I won't tell anymore because that would just spoil the fun.
I love the author's imagination and humour and can happily say that she has written a lot of fics. There are great long ones too, and this is 'just' a little gem among all the others, but it's more than enough to become a fangirl.


Title: Alone On the Water
Author: madlori │ Mad_Lori
Pairing(s) Sherlock/John
Rating: PG
Word Count: 7725
Content/Warnings: Angst, Unrequited Love, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Euthanasia, Deathfic, Love Confessions, Grief
Summary: Sherlock Holmes never expected to live a long life, but he never imagined that it would end like this.

Why I loved it: This was (and is) one of the hardest stories to read. And yet I still keep to come back to it. It took me ages to pluck up my courage and read it about two months ago (in 4/2015). Since then I've read it five or six times. It's a stunning story and I'm still amazed about its ways to invade a person's soul, to be warm and tender even when Sherlock's death will cut one as deeply as John in the story. God, it's hard to find the right words about 'Alone On the Water' without sounding like a walking cliché. If you can stand a major character death story, you should go and read Sherlock's and John's story. Be aware that it might will make you cry. The comments on AO3 show that one isn't alone with sobbing, loving it to pieces and coming back to read it again and again. You know, Madlori (also a published author under the pseudonym Jane Seville) has the most wonderful way with words.


Title: Dear John
Author: wendymarlowe
Pairing(s) Sherlock/John
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 23,028
Content/Warnings: Epistolary, Online-Dating, Post-Reichenbach, Cybersex, Long-distance Romance, Sherlock is gonna be so screwed when John finds out, And yes you can take that multiple ways
Summary: With Sherlock dead, John eventually (under duress) makes a profile on an online dating site. And falls into a long-distance relationship with an enigmatic partner who reminds him of Sherlock in all the right ways. (Hint: it turns out to be Sherlock.)

Why I loved it: Sadly, very sadly I saw it on tubmlr, but only took a first look the day it ended. And though I should be the last one to complain (because I really hate to read WiP and always try to wait until fics are complete), this fic would have been different. It's special, because the author updated it in real time. It's written in epistolary form and one follows the online romance of John and William (which is Sherlock's frist name btw). It must have been a blast and torture at the same time to follow their progress. So, yes, everyone who reads it now will miss a thing. The author advises on that matter to read through the comments on AO3, and yes, it really shows the atmosphere during its posting.
Nevertheless, it's a brilliant fic which captured both their characters so well. Oh, and there are two shorter sequels which are perfect too. One more is going to come, but as wendymarlowe writes the sequels backward in time, there's no need to worry- one gets a brilliant ending.


Title: Love Is and The Things That Matter (Love Is series)
Author: silentauror │ SilentAuror
Pairing(s) Sherlock/John
Rating: both NR-17
Word Count: 21,508 + 15,396 (36,904)
Content/Warnings: Love Is - POV: 3rd person Sherlock, Angst, Unrequited Love, Romance, post-series 3, post-Mary, post-Divorce
The Things That Matter - POV: 3rd person John, Angst, Unrequited Love, Romance, Terrible Realisations
Summary: Love Is - At Mrs Hudson's urging, Sherlock finally decides to tell John how he feels about him.
The Things That Matter - Companion story to Love Is.

Why I loved it: I love how silentauror writes her Sherlock and John. It's like starting with a big Russian doll and exposing one more filigree as the other. And in the end the smallest holds their hearts and one sees they just fit. It's rarely an easy journey for them, but always worth it. In Love Is we follow Sherlock from being urged by Mrs Hudson and giving in to tell John about his feelings. And, boy, it doesn't go well. Tbh, John totally sucks at the start. He brushes Sherlock of like one would do with a stranger and not with one's best friend. And he just keeps stabbing into the wound. That part was hard to read and at first I was miffed that Sherlock forgave him 'so soon'. But- thank you, dear author- there is the second part, The Things That Matter, told from John's pov. And even though one knows what's going to come, it was perfect. It showed John's suffering about his own doings so wonderfully. And in the end all my vengeful feelings were soothed and I was happy- very happy for both of them. And the writing style was just brilliant- the letter, the text messages, the next morning. I'm in love with both parts of the Love Is series. Oh, and I highly recommend to read ALL other fics by this author as well.


Title: A Study in Auto-Signatures, Sniper Dolphins, and Sex Holidays and The Allowables (Hot Dolphin Sex series)
Author: cwb│ conversationswithbenedict
Pairing(s) Sherlock/John
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 32,690 + 14,803 (47,493)
Content/Warnings: A Study in Auto-Signatures - sex holiday, Dolphins & Whales, Texting, Sexting,
Hot Dolphin Sex, Sherlock Dreaming of Psychotic Dolphins, Lots of Fluff, Lots of Sex
The Allowables - Boys in Love, Idiots in Love, Epistolary (Letters, E-Mails, Lists), Wedding, Oaths & Vows, Lots of Fluff, Lots of Sex
Summary:
A Study in Auto-Signatures -
What's next on the sex holiday agenda? Bingo or shuffleboard? SH
You don't want to know.
Now you have to tell me. SH

The Allowables -
Got your email. Your idea of whispering filth to me in public is genius. ALWAYS
I thought you might like that. CBTM

Why I loved it: I'm following conversationswithbenedict on tumblr (for the record, I follow a lot of my favourite Sherlock authors over there) and love her witty humour. So, I have no excuse why it took me ages to read some of her fics. Well, now I did and I needed to put those two immediately on this list. They are fabulous! So funny, a bit heartbreaking, hot as hell and - awww - the feels. But the best thing, the texting, more precise (Sherlock's) auto-signatures. Jesus, I'm giggling like a lunatic just thinking about them. And when John started to pick some too, Gosh, that moment I loved the whole idea even more. So, yes the titles of both stories make sense- the signatures, the dolphins, the holidays and the allowables. If you are in dire need of some cheering up, just pick those fics and you're going to feel better afterwards. I swear. Man, I'm so glad there are still some fics by this author I can read myself.


♥ Title: A Cure for Boredom
Author: emmagrant01│ Emma Grant
Pairing(s) Sherlock/John, John/OMCs
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 81,665
Content/Warnings: Voyeurism, Het and Slash, Double Penentration, Threesome M/M/F, Threesome F/F/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Light Dom/sub, Light Bondage, Rimming, Blow Jobs, Dirty Talk, UST, Mild Angst, Anal Sex, Anal Play, Masturbation
Summary: They'd never talked about sex in the year they'd known each other. Well, that wasn't quite correct: Sherlock had never said a word about sex; John had bemoaned his personal dearth of it on many occasions.

Why I loved it: This is THE smut fic. Really, it's famous for being the smut fic of all smut fics in Sherlock fandom. And on top of all the hot sex between John and others (female and male) there's so much UST between him and Sherlock. It drives one crazy. And it all starts with the well ment advise from John to a bored Sherlock to 'just shut up and go have a wank like a normal person'. I can only think of two other fics as hot as this one. But those don't show such a variety of sex and UST at the same time.
And it's been written by Emma Grant - Do I need to say more? So, go and read it. If you want to complain about something, one could say they are a bit OoC, but not very much, and tbh, I don't fucking care. I love this fic!
I'm kind of glad it took me so long to read it otherwise I would have probably developed an unhealthy relationship with this fic. It's bad enough as it is; I started to read it again after I was finished, then I read the extra scenes from Sherlock's pov (still WiP) and then I read it for the third time. And I'm seriously tempted... nope, later or ... soon.


Title: The Edinburgh Problem
Author: Snorklepie
Pairing(s) Sherlock/John
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 152,131
Content/Warnings: excerpt, because the author said herself that she got carried away with tagging, Friends to Lovers, Edinburgh, Cousin Violet, Post-His Last Vow, Post-Season/Series 03 Fix-It, Case Fic, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Secrets, ridiculous murders, First time, Slash, Jealous Sherlock, Jealous John, slow build, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con but it's not graphic and (very important) archivists are NOT the same as librarians
Summary: “A nice holiday, just a bit more...murdery. ” John said drily.
“Yes! The best kind of holiday!” Sherlock beamed. “So we won’t get bored!”
After he separates from Mary, John returns to Baker Street. Following a request for help from Sherlock's cousin Violet, the detective and his blogger take a trip to Edinburgh. John discovers more about the Holmes family and Sherlock than he bargained for, but tries not to run screaming.

Why I loved it: This story is a gem.
First of all it takes place in Edinburgh which is such a gorgeous city (you should pay a visit if you've never been there). It's not the most important part of this fic, but the descriptions of the town and its atmosphere made me feel like I was following Sherlock and John through it's streets and alleys, up its hills and down into its valleys. I've only visited Edinburgh once, but I really got wanderlust reading this fic.
Next there's Vi, Violet Holmes, the most amazing female OC ever. She was so wonderful. Sherlock and her were throwing insults at each other all the times, but it was clear from the start that they were all endearments. Her backstory was captivating and her excistence was seamlessly woven into Sherlock's life. God, I really loved her character, her art, her clothes and her house- it would be awesome if one could meet her for real.
Then there was the relationship between John and Sherlock. The story is told from John's pov and he had such a great inner voice. The friendship and love he held for Sherlock, the knowledge he had about both their flaws, the way his strength came to surpass all my expectations the more he learned about Sherlock's and Vi's past.
The case and that house full of art students made an interesting study in society; what people motivates and what they are willing to do out of love, jealousy, hate and ambition. It was really interesting and more than once I groaned in frustration about some parts or cheered on the MCs.
This is the first story the author posted on AO3. How she was able to write such a stunning thing? I wish I knew. And between all the hurt and comfort it's funny on top. I loved it and can't wait for more (the sequel is on the go).
One of the rare stories I could have started to re-read right again after I finished.


Title: The Quiet Man
Author: ivyblossom│ Ivy Blossom
Pairing(s) Sherlock/John, John/Mary
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 157,369
Content/Warnings: Post-Reichenbach, First Person pov, Present Tense, Memories are flexible, Imaginary!Sherlock, Grief/Mourning, Angst
Summary: "Do you just carry on talking when I'm away?"

Why I loved it: If you've read The Progress of Sherlock Holmes, you need to read this one too. If you haven't read any of them, go and read them! They are both fabulous. And though I normally love Sherlock's pov a bit more (The Progress of Sherlock Holmes is written from his pov), I fell so hard for John's narrative style in The Quiet Man. It's enticing like a bedtime story or like an adventure tale that would be told around a camp fire. One gets absorbed, lulled into a world of 157k before one gets spit out at the end. And as often as Post-Reichenbach stories are, this one was hard to digest. John was such a wreck here. He heard Sherlock all the time and in a way it helped him dealing with his grief, in other ways it cut him off from life. And when he started to 'get better' and lost Sherlocks's voice in his head, he recognised that someone had placed messages for him in Londond's newspaper ads. And everything turned upside down again.
Just thinking about this story wants to make me read it all over again. I loved it- the plotline, John's way of seeing the world through his own, and a bit through Sherlock eyes and the wonderful way it all fit together. This fic is a high-praised classic of Sherlock fandom and deservedly so.

Title: Working on the Edges
Author/Artist: earlgreytea68
Fandom: Sherlock Holmes (TV)
Pairing(s) Sherlock/John, Mycroft/Greg
Rating: R
Word Count: 56089
Tags: Olympics

Summary:
No matter where you put Sherlock and John, they click. Including the Winter Olympics.
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Oh, and Mr. Kantorka and I've started to watch the series today. It was a very bizarre and hilarious to see all the things from fics finally come to live on a screen. And even Mr. Kantorka, who don't mind slash at all, said those two were literally calling for it.

Yay, one can get lost in between all the fests and Advent fics and it is likely that we all miss some wonderful things. Here are some I've found these last days.
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