Recs: Sherlock Holmes and Merlin

[ariadnes_string]

So, the Sherlock Holmes movieverse seems to have eaten my brain for the past couple of weeks. I mean, I’d always suspected that Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes was going to be a treat, but who knew giving Jude Law a mustache, a sword-cane and an inconsistent limp was going to be such a boon to humanity? Or something like that.

I can’t say I’ve read exhaustively through the reams of fic that have been coming out, or even dipped into the impressive century's worth of previous stories (it was the first fandom, after all), but I wanted to pass on a few things I’ve enjoyed. Y’all probably know my tastes: hurt, then comfort, and then, apparently, in this case, sex.

The slash is working for me in this pairing more than it usually does. I blame RDJ and JL again—you just look at those guys and know they’ve done everything. Twice.

Recs below cut:

untitled ficlet from the sherlockkink meme by attentat. I think the prompt was for bathtub sex, but this is amazing Holmes-fighting-turns-Watson-on!porn. Beautifully written porn, too.

Quite Enough by circadienne (at AO3). Author’s summary: It's my version of the angry bantery hurt/comfort and makeup sex scene which was obviously cut from the latter part of the 2009 film. With more bathtub!sex. And great characterization of the intense, strained relationship between Holmes and Watson.

This Day to the Ending of the World by candle_beck. Okay, if you know the author’s SPN fic, you’ve probably already clicked on the link. This is a great AU of how Holmes and Watson met, with wonderful stuff about Watson’s war experiences and his dissolute London homecoming. The best part, though, is the intense charge the story builds between them. No bathtub this time, but pretty hot all the same.

Also, if you haven’t read it (I hadn’t), you can download Neil Gaiman’s wonderful Holmes/Lovecraft story, “A Study in Emerald” here . It finally made me see what all the fuss is about—and I don’t even know (or like) Lovecraft.

Finally, I haven’t read much Merlin fic at all lately, but I did enjoy Ulfyn’s Gift by lavvyan (also AO3). Author’s summary: It was a dark and wintry night… A young peasant has to deal with a black knight, a wounded boy, a gift he mustn't use, and someone who might well be the Crown Prince of Camelot. Oh, and his goats keep running off. Excellent, unusual outside POV. Very mild slash, really only implied.

Let me know if you’ve read anything good lately!

Comments

[yourlibrarian]

As a teenager someone had given me the complete Holmes set, and I read it all. That's quite some time ago though, so I'm no longer much of a judge on the characterization.