Eggs, by woe_in_a_hoodie (PG-13)

[unovis.livejournal.com]

Fandom: SHERLOCK BBC
Pairing: None; Sherlock and John featured
Length: 2780 words
Author on LJ: woe_in_a_hoodie
Author Website: fanfiction tag on LJ on AO3
Why this must be read:
Stories exploring neurotic, psychotic, sociopathic, or otherwise psychologically non-regular Sherlock are also a strong feature of Sherlock fic-dom. They may not portray the character seen onscreen. They don't have to.

This story gives us an obsessive Sherlock, one terrified of and disgusted with loss of control. Involuntary actions were to be conquered, mastered. It's a futile and frustrating endeavor. To soothe himself, he thinks of eggs; eggs, which featured in a childhood accident. Eggs, which represent learned truths. By the story's end, Sherlock, truth, and eggs have a breakthrough.
I love this author's work. It's thoughtful, daring, carefully constructed, and extreme to my taste.


***

At times when Sherlock was at all disturbed in his thoughts, incapable of sleep or unable to concentrate, he would think of eggs. There were countless eggs in countless markets, nests and factories the world over, he told himself—brown eggs, white eggs, vibrant blue robins’ eggs, speckled eggs, eggs of varying sizes and prices—and countless more eggs were coming into being every second. Some were good, their yolks bright and opaque; some were rotten, diseased or half-formed; some would incubate life which would carry on to become something far more complex and important than a frail shell and a slop of proteins.

Mostly, in recent years, Sherlock thought these things to reassure himself, and to prevent involuntary actions when in the presence of others. He could beat down this yawn, he could quash this inconvenient emotion, even if his tested methods failed him, so long as he thought of eggs. The thought of a world full of eggs, perfect ones, many of which were tawny-brown, utterly calmed him and soothed his spirit in the same way some people find comfort in religion or wealth or a trusted friend.

***


This story may and can be read as a stand-alone. It is one of several in the "Two Tins of Beans, Half a Dozen Eggs, Tomatoes" universe designated by the author. Some of the other stories in this universe carry warnings for more extreme content. This is, as I said, an original, fascinating, interpretation of Sherlock.

Eggs