In a world where the British Empire is still strong and slavery is her economic backbone, John has become a terrorist for the abolitionist movement. He is caught by Mycroft, enslaved, and given to Sherlock for training. The goal: To test a new kind of slave collar with the power to break even the strongest willed fighter. One that will make even John learn to love being a slave.
Oh my God this fic made my head spin. In this universe, slavery is totally okay. Slaves wear collars. John, a man resolutely against slavery, is a violent abolitionist. However, he gets caught and Mycroft Holmes decides to use his brother to “break” John. Now, I’ll be honest: I wanted to punch Mycroft in the teeth. But, like John and typical of psychological breakdowns, Stockholm Syndrome takes place. As John has to learn to accept that, despite his best efforts, this is where he is, so does the reader. And then, just as I was ready to go “GODDAMN IT THIS IS NOT OKAY”, some things start not adding up. What the hell is Mycroft’s agenda? What does Sherlock know? When it all comes together, the feeling of “OH!” is almost as satisfactory as the collar’s burst of euphoria. I won’t spoil it for you, but the ending was, as I said, satisfactory. That being said, the whole thing is still pretty damn unethical (which IS covered as to why, at least). So this is something dub-con and I’d go so far as to slap a non-con on this one. Just in case. I mean, John is a slave and he has to listen. Come on, kids. Make the jump. You know what happens. Anyways, it’s a good read. It kept me at it, despite the length of it, and I didn’t put it down. It has a lot of interesting aspects: cases, underlying politics, and plenty of action. The emotions are messy, which is perfect for the fic, since the whole thing is messy. I give massive credit to the author, because that is a huge web to string together on top of keeping the balance. The fic could have easily been “whoa that is way not okay” to “that’s far too nice for a supposed slave”. The reader experiences things through John’s eyes, and the fic is just like that too: a delicate perch of reward and punishment. It’s a little dark, but I think it could have been a LOT worse. Definitely worth taking the time to read (and possible reread to understand). MATURE READERS ONLY
Words: 83,028
My Rating: A
Read it here, fic by VelvetMace
Review by: Taylor
Sherlock meets up with an old friend
I’m not usually one for Victor Trevor fics, but I really liked how this was written. It’s basically a giant headcanon, telling the back story of Sherlock and Victor. Their dynamic is an interesting one, and I like how this one is explored. Victor isn’t necessarily an asshole and Sherlock isn’t necessarily in the right, which is rare for Victor/Sherlock fics. My favorite element to it is definitely how Sherlock just eases into realizing what John means to him. SPOILER: This is not a fic to read if you want anything between Sherlock or John, so it ends with massive UST. There is also mentions of drug use. Just a warning. MATURE READERS ONLY
Words: 7,256
My Rating: B
Read it here, fic by linpatootie
Review by: Taylor
When Sherlock is forced to share his eyrie, he is determined to make the best of it. However, he has no intentions of ever pair-mating. It’s a pity his body has other ideas.
John Watson cannot believe his luck when he meets Sherlock Holmes. But then, who would ever want a flightless Tiercel with PTSD who can’t even manage a courtship flight?
At this point it should come as no surprise that I’m the one reviewing wing!fic… There’s just something about people with wings that I find utterly fascinating. That being said, I absolutely adored this fic. It was detailed without being overly graphic and descriptive without being too word-heavy or poetic.
I appreciated the characterizations in this story; they seemed pretty spot-on for the universe these characters are placed in. I love how Sherlock doesn’t realize at first he’s responding to John’s advances, and how Mike had to point out to John that Sherlock was making advances of his own… Absolutely clueless, our boys. Sherlock’s reluctance also seemed very in character; he didn’t want to lose himself in the rush of lust/love/heat his body produced whenever John was around, and that seemed right for such a controlled person. John seemed a bit out of character at first, but then I read the second chapter and things made a lot more sense. The author does a great job while telling this story; giving us the relevant details in flash-backs without making the plot drag or providing too much exposition. I also really enjoyed that the characters were modeled off various birds of prey, and had personalities and courting styles to match. The author clearly did her homework, and it makes for a much more engaging and interesting read.
MATURE READERS ONLY FOR SEXUAL CONTENT.
Word Count: 26,646
My Rating: B+
Read it here, fic by JessamyGriffith
John Watson walks into his apartment to find an apparition sitting at the kitchen table. After that, they start trying to put their lives back together.
As a post Reichenbach piece, this fic does a fantastic job of hinting at Sherlock’s successfully faked death without allowing specifics to dominate the plot. First and foremost, this is about John attempting to move on after Sherlock. His lingering anger and fear are portrayed with believable emotion, but I don’t wholeheartedly agree with the suicidal feelings he begins to feel. Although Sherlock was — and is — his best friend, John is still a soldier and canonically assured Sherlock that he has seen good men die and been able to sublimate that pain. Within the scope of the entire fic, it is a small detail easily woven into the process of his emotional healing, which includes moving out of 221B and his dangerous dependency on drink.
I love that Sherlock’s return physically shakes John and reveals the hesitation between these men despite their past friendship. It confirms that they are not the same men they once were before Moriarty ruined Sherlock’s reputation. They take their time moving back to Baker Street, sorting out the legal consequences of their behaviors with Lestrade and the Chief Superintendent, and initiating a sexual relationship. Despite being between two grown men, the sex is very sweet and would more accurately be called love-making in how they dote on each other. Perhaps the strongest moment I will take away from this fic is the recurring obsession with each other’s pulses. MATURE READERS ONLY
Word Count: 10338
My Rating: A-
Read it here, fic by twisting_vine_x.
Thanks to madlyscout for your submission.
Review by: Becka
John must be naturally heat-tolerant, Sherlock supposes, and three years stationed near a desert probably increased his ability to deal with the heat tenfold. But his cool poise in the hottest part of the summer irks Sherlock’s stretched nerves in a way he can’t define, and in the certainty of a great idea that only comes in the middle of the night Sherlock is determined to make John sweat.
Is it hot in here or is it just this fic? Everything about this fic is hot; the writing completely embodies those summer days when you feel like you’re going to melt and this story is unbelievably sexy! I love how much of a BAMF John is here, there are so many pleasant little references to his army days which I adored. Sweaty Sherlock was completely perfect for me, that’s definitely one of my headcanons! Just how he’ll sweat buckets and be a little brat during the summer. It’s especially cute when you think back to Ben’s napkin covered forehead! As always with Maz’s work this is wonderfully written, there are so many really beautiful and poetic lines tucked into this story, which makes it just a really great reading experience. The imagery is amazing throughout the story as well, I honestly could feel the heat from this story! I think the porn is a bit rushed in this one though, there’s this amazing sexual tension and it ends up being over too fast for me. Just a bit more detail in the climax (pun intended) of this story would have made it perfect! Gosh though, this is one sexy fic! Mature readers please!
Word Count: 2,734
My Rating: A-
Read it here, fic by Mazarin221b
Former army doctor John Watson is a daylighter, a specialist bodyguard for vampires. When he’s hired to be the bodyguard for a vampire’s younger brother - a vampire who doesn’t fit the usual vampire stereotypes of lazy aristocrat in a remote manor or wealthy, indolent playboy - John is intrigued. To his surprise, Sherlock seems intrigued by him as well
This fic has quite the list of awesome factors: it’s a vampire AU, with Sherlock as an unconventional sort of vampire and John his new daylighter. The fic masters the art of explanation of the type of world they are in without being utterly boring. The case they take up is multilayered and I’m sure was difficult to craft, but it was done extraordinarily well. My favorite part is the bit about Sherlock’s hair, which I am not going to reveal, but it’s pretty fabulous. Then there is the sexual tension. It somewhat sneaks up, but once established, it drives you mad. John is a total BAMF! throughout. It’s tricky to tell who’s sexier. Because, and there is no getting around this, the sex scene is probably one of the hottest I’ve read in ages. It might just be hot to me, but considering you become numb to it after a while, this is one STILL manages to make me go scarlet. I suppose I should warn that, yes, Sherlock is a vampire. So there’s a bit of blood talk and biting etc I don’t think I’ll have to explain it. Also, I want art on the little hitch with Sherlock’s hair. Someone get on that. Definitely going under one of my new favorites! MATURE READERS ONLY
Words: 26,126
My Rating: A
Read it here, fic by corpsereviver2
Review by: Taylor
He had to admit that he had a problem. John was starting to have a serious sexual connection with Sherlock’s voice.
Let’s be honest: when it comes to Sherlock Holmes, everyone has a voice kink. It’s no surprise that John Watson is going to eventually fall prey to it too. This is definitely for those with serious voice kinks. I really liked how John’s mind works in this one. Sure, Sherlock’s voice does something to him, but he assesses whether or not the rest of Sherlock does anything, which a lot of fics seem to blatantly ignore. It’s fun to see Sherlock’s way of revealing he figured it out. I believe I actually laughed, until I registered what was being said and heard it played back in my head, at which point it becomes quite sexy. It could use a little bit of general editing, but other than that, it’s a fabulous fic and a fantastic one if you like some ‘debauched domesticity’ and dirty talk. MATURE READERS ONLY
Words: 1,671
My Rating: B+
Read it here, fic by homosociallyyours
Review by: Taylor
A quiet, warm evening in. Takeaway and tension, so much neither wants to break it.
Seriously loving the imagery here. It’s really really lovely, creating a softness throughout the entire fic. It’s…comforting, is that weird? Like I wanted to curl up with my blankets and kind of just snuggle in. It’s an interesting combination of this beautiful gentle quiet and then wonderful building tension. Usually I’m itching for the tension to break but in this case I was hoping it would last longer. It was so fantastic. They kind of quietly fall into bed together and again that softness is there and I’m glad John noted that it was so unreal seeing Sherlock like that because he’s usually just a flurry of motion and thought. Here Sherlock’s slowed down and I guess you’d say thoughtful. Relishing John in the state he has him in. I think this fic deserves way more reads, it’s wonderful! Mature readers for sexy times.
Word Count: 4810
My Rating: A-
Read it here, fic by scullyseviltwin
“Horrible men can watch me masturbate from across the room and suffer.”
“Can horrible men try to convince you otherwise?”
“Horrible men can try.”
Okay so I’m absolutely in love with the back-and-forth banter between John and Sherlock here. It’s so playful and amusing and really a great reminder that sex isn’t just…sexy. It can be fun and lighthearted. The entire fic kept a smile on my face, because while it’s incredibly sexy (like whoa), it still keeps up the light tone and ugh I kind of just love this fic. It’s sweet and fluffy but still hot with a hint of mischief. And you should read it. Mature readers because porn! Beautiful, fun, adorable (yes it’s adorable shhh there are tickles) sexy times.
Word Count: 3049
My Rating: A
…And Now for Something Completely Different by chucksauce
Post-case sleep deprivation and suggestive Monty Python songs lead to Special Adult Times for John and Sherlock.
Earlier this morning I prompted with Johnlock sexytimes with Monty Python and it got filled! Chucksauce did an excellent job of blending sexy with funny, which was everything I could have hoped for! Thanks so much!
