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Language:
English
Series:
Part 2 of Forethought and Fire
Collections:
HolmesCon Writers Collection
Stats:
Published:
2018-10-21
Completed:
2019-09-19
Words:
61,689
Chapters:
59/59
Comments:
540
Kudos:
133
Bookmarks:
46
Hits:
5,417

A Dead Man's Money

Summary:

There's a reckonin' a-comin'
And it burns beyond the grave
Lead inside my belly
'cause my soul has lost its way
Oh, Lazarus
How did your debts get paid?
Oh, Lazarus
Were you so afraid?
~ Blood on my Name ~ The Brothers Bright

Sherlock knows. Sherlock knows what this will do to John. Sherlock knows what he will do to John. John. Honest, brave, dependable John. Trusting, warm, passionate John. Moral, righteous, true John. Sherlock is going to break his heart to save his life.

Inspired by the unanswerable poetry of The Brothers Bright and the viscerality of Andrew Scott's portrayal of Moriarty. A Dead Man's Money is the the second work in the Forethought and Fire series.

Playlist for A Dead Man's Money by Dovahlock221

Notes:

The story takes up where The Real Great Perfumers left off. Sherlock and John are back in London navigating their recently revised cohabitation arrangements when Sherlock catches a case in Ireland, and John catches the attention of dark-haired, dark-eyed stranger. The desolation of the Irish countryside and the approaching winter, both omens of the disaster that will eventually befall them. And in the end, Sherlock will make the ultimate sacrifice and John will be left wondering whether it is actually better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all …

As always, and ever, this work is beta-ed by my conductor of light, my wonderful friend, the brilliant 88thParallel (on Tumblr)/88thParallel (CanadaHolm) (on AO3).

But this time round, we have the pleasure of being joined by johnlocklover221 (on Tumblr)/Dovahlock221 (on AO3) for something a bit different.

If you have already had the privilege of experiencing johnlocklover221's work, you will be familiar with her YouTube channel - Baker Street Edits; that most exquisite combination of imagery and song which serves to count the beats between the dialogue of the original; filling it, swelling it; living it. And by some miracle, johnlocklover221 has most graciously agreed to “score” this work, pairing the chapters with music and creating an “emotional playlist” for the fic which you can find on Spotify:

(See the end of the work for other works inspired by this one.)

Chapter 1: Preface

Notes:

Music for Chapter 1 by johnlocklover221 (on Tumblr)/Dovahlock221 (on AO3)

Blood on My Name
The Brothers Bright • Blood on My Names
On YouTube On Spotify

Chapter Text

Listen to the entire fic playlist on Spotify

 

And the Chimera appeared, with the strength of a lion, the cunning of a goat, and the venom of a snake.

An omen, of the disaster that would befall him. And no twist of plot or manipulation of fate would save him, for the Chimera, the Chimera breathed fire.

Fire to devastate any who would follow and any who would find. And in the pool of darkness, he found her (him).

There were no sacred stars to guide him, and the fires rose under his skin, down to his bone, surrounding him, consuming him.

And the whole wide world came after him, the Hounds of Hell came after him. And then there was nowhere to run.

Cursed.

Finally.

In the grey, on the roof of the world; a lead spear, thrust down her fiery throat. Melting, spreading, burning from the inside out.

Only, the spear. The spear thrust in his belly too, and it burned unbroken in them both, burned beyond the grave

The reckoning had come. And there was blood on his name.