Fifty* Favorite Johnlock Fics
Here are some fics that I love! They’re all Johnlock, and all completed (I am too impatient for WiPs). I’ve mostly grouped fics from the same author together under “Other recs from the same author” except in cases where it’s physically painful for me to pick a single favorite fic. I tagged every author whose tumblr I could find but please let me know if I’ve missed anyone and I can add them.
Okay! Enough prefacing! More recommending!
The Same River Twice by @plaidadder: This series of fics has everything - intriguing central cases inspired by ACD canon, spot on characterization, understated angst, hilarious dialogue and, to top it all off, the best Harry Watson I have ever come across. 151,255 words spread across two stories, “Empty Houses” and its sequel “Young Men Carbuncular”. Other recs for this author: Law Like Love, a post-HLV fix-it-fic told in reverse chronological order; Prior Engagements, plot-heavy parentlock sequel to Law Like Love.
Safe Distance by @merripestin: So much post-TRF fic is an attempt to grapple with the impossible emotions John must be feeling after Sherlock’s return from the dead. Merripestin’s John is dealing with a change in sexual identity as well. He’s angry, loving, broken, healing, confused, determined, numb, raw and, eventually, at peace. Beautifully done. 114,956 words. Other recs for this author: London Orbital, in which John, Sherlock, Lestrade, and Sally Donovan spend all night driving round the M25 looking for a killer.
The Norwood Love Builders by flawedamythyst: I’m not usually a fan of the “going undercover as lovers” trope but the author quickly won me over with clever dialogue and a solid central mystery. It’s a unique blend of undercover romantic comedy-style shenanigans and the subtle, painful work of dealing with John’s emotional turmoil post-Fall. 47,798 words.
The Edinburgh Problem by @snorklepie: This fic has Sherlock, John, and a whole suite of well-drawn original characters, including Violet Vernet, one of the best original characters I’ve come across in Sherlock fandom. Not to mention sparkling dialogue and a cracking good murder. There’s a sequel currently in progress, but the fic stands alone if you’re like me and too impatient for WiPs. 152,095 words.
Infiltrate by @ladyflowdi and MirrorSkippy: This fic drops you in media res and never quite lets you catch your breath. The creeping menace of Moriarty, the complicated family relationships and of course, a Sherlock and John who are struggling to figure out both each other and themselves. Gorgeous. 117,422 words across three stories.
Midnight Blue Serenity by @the-pen-pot: John and Sherlock go undercover at a club. This is a masterful work of tension - between the club setting, the slow burn romance, the totally in character but agonizing miscommunication, and an excellent murder mystery, this fic will have your heart pounding from start to finish. 151,907 words. Other recs for this author: To Light Another’s Path, which is a delightful combination of case fic and hurt/comfort fic both; Electric Pink Hand Grenade, in which Sherlock gets migraines.
Thirst by @holmesianpose: Set after the Great Game, John struggles to accept his attraction to Sherlock. This story features multiple cases, both gruesome and thrilling, as well as a particularly unsettling Moriarty (the author captures his disturbing sense of humor perfectly) and a slow-burn romance that turns scorching halfway through. Unmissable. 122,257 words.
On the Ice by @berlynn-wohl: John and Sherlock have a case in Antarctica! Happy nerdy fun with a solid mystery, excellent characterization, and the scenes of Sherlock Holmes playing D&D you never knew you wanted. 35,437 words. Other recs for this author: Mycobacterium Marinum, which has mysteries and sex scenes and just dozens of lines that will make you giggle; ROT-13, which is not a fic about basic encryption, but rather an adorable Sherlock-is-an-alien-and-John-has-crashlanded-on-his-planet AU.
If You Can’t Move Heaven, Raise Hell by @splix71: So this is Name of the Rose-inspired case fic, which is delightful, because The Name of the Rose is Sherlock Holmes-inspired case fic of a sort. I would recommend it for that fact alone, but the plot, setting, and characterization are also well done, and Splix has an intriguing take on a gender-swapped “Ian” Adler. 83,084 words.
Given In Evidence by @verity-burns: This fic has one of my very favorite John characterizations. Post-Fall, John has developed a tendency to patch up homeless kids and to recklessly intervene in fights. Sherlock returns just in time to keep the latter from getting John killed, and to investigate a mystery with the former. Other recs for this author: First Night Out, in which John and Sherlock dance at the Yard’s Christmas party.
Our Enthusiasms Which Cannot Always Be Explained by @withoutawish: This is case fic, but also and perhaps more importantly, it’s a Christmas wish list fic. The author’s John voice is unique - poetic and long-suffering - and the denouement is one of my very favorites. 32,961 words.
Parallel by @brbsoulnomming: Sherlock and John try to solve a series of murders on a local university campus, with help/interference from two girls who just happen to share a lot of similarities. It’s essentially unilock/femlock AU as case fic and it’s completely adorable. 77,397 words.
26 Pieces by Lanning: Mycroft gives Sherlock a puzzle box to solve, and it makes for one hell of a story. This is a breathtakingly good piece of fiction. Plot, pacing, characterization, dialogue, all incredible. Every line serves its purpose and so many of them will stick with you long after you finish. 28,236 words.
A River Without Banks by Chryse: This story uses a simple scifi premise to spool out some of the best character work that fandom has to offer. Brilliant plotting, magnificent writing and a Sherlock that will make your heart ache. If you have somehow missed this fandom classic, which is devastating and comforting by turns, but always beautiful, please go read it now. 203,286 words.
The Frost is All Over by Chryse: More AU brilliance from Chryse. They describe it as “John and Sherlock in a Dickensian orphanage (with sex!)“ which is really only a third of the story but regardless, it’s one of those AUs that manages to capture everything of importance about John and Sherlock while also taking you on a strange and wild ride. 148,518 words. Other recs for this author: Everything. Seriously, though, zie’s got 13 fics on AO3 and you won’t regret any of them.
The Bang and the Clatter by @earlgreytea68: I have no idea how enjoyable this fic is for someone who hasn’t loved baseball since they were a small child, but for me it was magical. Bless you, earlgreytea. It’s Bull Durham meets, well, Sherlock Holmes. 137,048 words. Other recs for this author: Keep the Car Running a brilliant and nail-biting Inception cross-over; Saving Sherlock Holmes, a teenagelock AU with one of the best Mycroft characterizations I’ve ever read. See also under “Everything Else”.
The Next Great Adventure by @frightfullytreeish: I am just astonished by how seamlessly this author slides Sherlock and John into the wizarding world. John as a weary veteran of the second wizarding war is perfect, and Sherlock is utterly believable as a squib who returns the condescension of magical folk tenfold. Simply excellent. 38,982 words.
The World on His Wrist and Elsewhere Come Morning by @bendingsignpost: In which John Watson changes realities every time he goes to sleep. The author does a spectacular job of grounding a fantastical premise with humor, tense plotting, and perfect characterization. 66,905 words total. Other recs for this author: Bel Canto, an atmospheric and plotty Phantom of the Opera fusion; Cooperative Principle, a character-driven realistic-AU re-imagining of Sherlock’s meeting with John “Trust Issues” Watson; Stranger at the Gate, a vampire fantasy AU and I don’t even like vampire fic but damn it I love this one; and No Fixed Point which is an AU of several of the authors’ AUs and you have to read the other stuff first but it’s worth it. Oh, is it worth it. Basically do yourself a favor and go read everything @bendingsignpost has ever written.
Names for the Galaxy by @firesdone: John teaches Sherlock how to be human - literally. This story is brilliant on so many levels: as creative, fascinating sci-fi, as intriguing case fic, as a character study, as an exploration of identity, as a thriller. I wish I’d never read it, just so I could have the delight of reading it again for the first time. 191,101 words.
A Vintage Exceptionally To Your Liking by @emmyangua: Another multiple universes fic, but with an entirely different and equally brilliant premise. (How are the writers in this fandom so damn creative? It’s obscene.) This fic tears your heart out multiple times but it’s just so interesting – and well-written, and well-characterized – that you want to keep going. 95,334 words. Other recs for this author: see also under “Everything Else”.
Mary by @kinklock: A fusion with Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, which I’ve actually never read. A well-written psychological thriller which twists all of the characters in very interesting ways. 136,145 words. Other recs for this author: The Red Dianthus, aka gloriously fluffy case fic; Just Transport, a cute little AU with one line that I still crack up thinking about; Living Sculptures, a TAB continuation.
Lucidity by @almostvirginia: Sherlock’s jump off the roof in TRF goes wrong, and he ends up in a coma. John must enter his subconscious to get him out. This is a premise that just begs for melodrama but the author delivers a pragmatic John and a fascinating but limited view into Sherlock’s psyche. Quietly riveting. 65,460 words.
Embers series by @what-alchemy: Sherlock is made of maple, willow and spruce. Strange and exquisite. 31,228 words across five stories. Other recs for this author: Hitting the Water at Sixty Miles an Hour, in which John goes on a road trip with the Holmses for Mummy’s birthday; The Syntax of Things, “When John looked at him, Sherlock felt whole.”
The Paradox Series by wordstrings: This fic is just gorgeous, some of the best writing, line by line, in any kind of fiction I’ve read. The author’s characterization of Sherlock is devastating and unique and impossible to look away from. 98,863 words across 8 works.
Renegades by @augustbird: What if Sherlock took John with him when he went after Moriarty? It’s a rather dark story in places, and yet oddly light when you consider the alternative we got in canon. My favorite part is the brilliant denouement. 39,405 words. Other recs for this author: walk through ghosts, pre-S3, Sherlock watches John and Mary get together and it’s all so beautifully unhappy.
Grownups by @emmyangua: Did you know you wanted an Archie PoV coming of age story? I didn’t! It’s hilarious and bittersweet and perfect. 18,571 words.
Nature and Nurture by @earlgreytea68: Okay so the premise of this one is “John and Sherlock raise Sherlock’s clone” and I thought it was going to be a very long crackfic and almost skipped it. “But Toby, it’s earlygreytea,” I told myself and I’m glad I did. This fic is nuanced and genuine and sweet as hell. Well-characterized, well-plotted, and just all around well-done parentlock. Give it a go. 203,273 words. Other recs for this author: The Adventures of a Single Girl in London (Plus a Consulting Detective), another ridiculous premise, another ridiculously good story.
Empty Houses by theumbrellaseller: A short and fascinating exploration of the different ways Sherlock and John approach dead bodies. 7,003 words.
Up or Artistic Lush by @cesperanza: I’m not sure how the author managed to fit so many interesting plot ideas and perfect lines of dialogue into such a short fic but damn. If this doesn’t make you giggle, you may be a high-functioning sociopath. 8,223 words.
Modus Operandi by @joolabee: Not demolished yet? Try this equally painful post-Fall John PoV fic. Completely different but also gorgeous in a way that leaves you empty inside. 22,428 words. Other recs for this author: Ease Your Way Into Occupied Spaces, which is practically fluff compared to Modus Operandi but, you know, still hell.
Home by Resonant: This author has several short fics in the same style, and what a style they are - sharply written, erotic, first-time stories with a brilliant, self-protective Sherlock and a brave and steady John. 3,397 words. Other recs for this author: Amenable is another favorite of mine.
Leave the Signs and the Sirens by out_there: After John nearly dies at the pool, Sherlock works through PTSD. A measured, lovely fic with perhaps the kindest John I’ve ever read. 24,574 words. Other recs for this author: The Whore of Babylon Was a Perfectly Nice Girl, in which John tries to navigate his new relationship with Sherlock.
Vital Organs by @firstdrafted: John and Sherlock celebrate Valentine’s Day with arguing, miscommunication, and serious injury. Beautifully written and characterized, and sweet without being sappy. 8,128 words.
Needs Must by @jenthesweetie: A S3 “missing scenes” fic that extends past canon about halfway through. A solid, thoughtful plot, with a Sherlock voice that tends towards the hilarious, but the focus is on characterization. There are a few scenes in here that just knocked me over. 10,624 words.
HOT DOLPHIN SEX by @conversationswithbenedict: This fic is neither as cracky nor as smutty as the title makes it sound, but it’s not exactly serious or PG either. It has an enjoyable plot which nevertheless takes back seat to feelings, orgasms, and some hilarious texting. Save this for an evening when you need cheering up. 47,487 words across two fics. Other recs for this author: The Very Unlikely Existence of a Flightless Bird in a Tuxedo, which may have the most adorable Sherlock to be found on ao3.
A Serious Mistake by Waldo: A short post-Hounds fic in which Sherlock deals with the consequences of drugging and terrifying John. Understated and totally compelling. I particularly love the author’s characterization of John here. 5,238 words. Other recs for this author: A Serious Mistake is actually the final installment of a series of short fics, A Series of Mistakes. They’re all very good, A Serious Mistake is just my favorite of them.
the sensation of falling as you just hit sleep by @fizzygins: This densely plotted novel-length fic alternates between John and Sherlock’s PoV, immediately after TRF. It alternates between funny and hot and devastatingly sad, but in the end it revolves around a central question: just what kind of fucked up person fake-suicides in front of their best friend, and how do you move past that? 83,290 words. Other recs for this author: Immortal Beloved which is - I don’t even know if I can describe this one, it is bewildering, unsettling, mesmerizing.
Common Tongues by jinglebell: This is a quasi-AU where John is a polyglot and Sherlock finds that rather hot. Well written, with a straightforward but unusual premise, this was a pleasure to read. 41,174 words.
The Halloween Party by @xistentialangst: John and Sherlock track a vampire to a costume party, and try to prevent him from killing again. Thrilling fights! Erotic costumes! Bad puns! It’s really the best of all possible worlds. Other recs for this author: if you like well-characterized, hilarious smut, then you should just go ahead and read everything of theirs.
Loosed Reins by AggressiveWhenStartled: If you like inappropriate sarcasm, deeply awkward situations, and lots and lots of startlingly funny yelling, then oh boy do I have a fic for you. 35,095 words.
