#cypress_tree

[ionlyreadjohnlock]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

[drowninginfanfics]

John helps Sherlock with an experiment: for an entire month, they are not allowed to touch each other and must remain at least one metre apart at all times. Meanwhile, I conduct my own experiment: how much UST can I shove into a single fic?

[swissmissficrecs]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Word count: 10,669

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Sherlock (TV) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson Characters: Sherlock Holmes, John Watson Additional Tags: Unresolved Sexual Tension, it's for an experiment John, Resolved Sexual Tension Summary:

John helps Sherlock with an experiment: for an entire month, they are not allowed to touch each other and must remain at least one metre apart at all times. Meanwhile, I conduct my own experiment: how much UST can I shove into a single fic?

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Rec: This was so much fun, with a positively volcanic level of UST. With a hot and sweet resolution.

[another-adoring-fan]

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder (10669 words) by cypress_tree

Sherlock pursed his lips and carried the bag into the kitchen, pushing aside a pile of papers to set it on the table. He paused when he saw his notebook, but didn’t say anything.

“I know what you’re doing, you know. I read your notes,” John said. Sherlock jumped a bit at the sound of his voice. “You’ve purposefully been trying not to touch me so you can see our reactions to a complete loss of physical contact.”

Sherlock’s expression didn’t change. He looked up at John, then down at his notebook. “I’ve read studies that say a lack of physical contact from one's parents in childhood can cause anxiety and emotional discomfort. It made me wonder about the effects of a lack of physical contact on other sorts of relationships.”

“And you didn’t think to fill me in on this?”

“Well I must admit, I wasn’t sure you would notice.”

John frowned. “You didn’t think I would notice that you were constantly keeping yourself one metre away from me for an entire month?” Sherlock shrugged. “Alright, that was stupid of you. I noticed by day three.”

Sherlock hid a pleased smile as he pulled boxes of food out of the paper bag.

“So I was thinking...” began John, tentatively. “I can help.”

Sherlock raised an eyebrow. “Help?”

“With the experiment. I won’t touch you. I’ll stay as far away from you as I can.”

“No reason to be farther than across the room,’ said Sherlock, quickly. “One metre was the ideal minimum, but really, it’s unnecessary for us to be separated completely.”

John grinned. “Alright,” he said. “I’ll stay at least one metre away from you at all times. We can go about our lives normally, but no touching each other. We should strive to be a good distance apart as often as we can, but not to the point where it’s hard to get around. If I have to come closer to get into the kitchen, I will.”

“You’ll just make sure not to come into contact with me?”

“I shouldn’t need to touch you in order to get into the kitchen anyway.”

Sherlock stared at John, thoughtfully, then nodded. “Alright. We’ll do it. For the remainder of the month.”

“Alright,” said John. “Deal.” He waited until Sherlock had left the kitchen before he went in to get dinner.

[swissmissficrecs]

Word count: 16,884 Chapters: 5/5 Fandom: Sherlock (TV) Rating: Mature Warnings: Major Character Death Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson Characters: Sherlock Holmes, John Watson, Harry Watson, Mycroft Holmes Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Alternate Universe - Magical Realism, Immortality, Angst, Fluff, First Time, First Meetings Summary:

Most lives end. A Tuck Everlasting fusion, in which the Holmes brothers have lived for a very, very long time.

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Rec: One of those fics that's just beautiful and then it makes you cry and it can't really get better but it's still not all awful. Read when you're in a good place.

[swissmissficrecs]

Word count: 63,844 Chapters: 15/15 Fandom: Sherlock (TV) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson Characters: Sherlock Holmes, John Watson, Molly Hooper, Greg Lestrade, Sally Donovan, Mycroft Holmes Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Alternate Universe - Thieves, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Heist, Action/Adventure, Romance, First Meetings Summary:

(In Time AU) In 2169, time is money—literally. Humans are genetically engineered to stop aging at 25, when the numbers on their arm start counting down from one year. When that time is up, they die. The only way to get more time is to earn it, borrow it, or steal it.

John Watson lives day-to-day in the crowded slums of Zone 13. He never imagined living any differently—until he meets the practically-immortal Sherlock, and helps him on a case to track a local time-thief...

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Rec: This is a crossover/fusion with the movie In Time. I never saw the movie but that did not detract from my enjoyment of the fic. I don't know if you might be spoiled if you have seen the movie though. Either way, it's a fantastically well executed sci fi adventure in which Sherlock and John are on the wrong side of the law... or are they?

[hamishholmess]

Porcelain

Sherlock sat back, slightly stunned. He had made fun of the poetry that John sent his girlfriends, but this...this was something else entirely. The knowledge that it was written about him was flattering. But there was also the fact that it was tangible evidence of John’s thoughts and emotions; a textual explanation of what was going through John’s mind when he looked at Sherlock. It may not make much sense on the surface, but it was like a glimpse into John’s brain and its symbolic process.

Sherlock read the poem dozens of times over, until he was sure he had it memorized.

[please, for all that is good and holy in this world, go read this truly breathtaking fic by cypress_tree.]

[another-adoring-fan]

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder (10669 words) by cypress_tree

It was twenty days into the month, and John's longing had become intense and heated. Every day he would notice something new: the way Sherlock’s hair fell just above his eyes, the way his pupils would dilate when he came near John, how his skin was ghostly pale compared to the golden glow of John’s own. There was a phantom feeling in John’s fingertips whenever he looked at Sherlock. When he caught Sherlock looking back at him, clenching one fist surreptitiously, he realized that the tension was mutual. They both knew it.