#cherik fit rec

[jackyjango]

Cherik LJ recs

I realised that I forgot to post my stash of cherik LJ recs. So here they are:

Fics recced by @gerec and @eugeline earlier can be found here

I've been reading and adding these fics to my list since before the dawn of time. So the descriptions on many of the fics are somewhat wonky. Plus, you know how the kink meme works on LJ *shrugs*. So read them at your own risk.

I'll start with one of my favourites:

Desperate Measures https://temperance-k.livejournal.com/37682.html The inhabitants of Charles' estate (Charles, his conniving younger sister Raven, his adorable but mischievous adopted children, and their live-in handyman Erik) have been growing restless. To keep the children (who range in age from kindergarten to fifth or sixth grade) from destroying everything in sight, Charles comes up with a scavenger hunt of sorts. The objective? To find his "heart" (which is actually a heart-shaped photo of everyone)

1. Shelter https://niched.livejournal.com/1456.html ‎Prompt: In his attempts to help Erik let go of his anger Charles manages to break/unlock something in him and Erik takes it out on him in bed, taking him extremely roughly Erik is too rough, and Charles is too tender. They almost get it right. But the realms of each other's bodies are foreign, incomprehensibly difficult to conquer

2. Mehrdeutiges Lächeln https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/4418.html?thread=5842242#t5842242 Erik's smile frightens the children but Charles loves it

3. Silent Music a. https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/6527.html?thread=10707327#t10707327 b. https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/6527.html?thread=10707583#t10707583  domestic!Cherik dancing in the kitchen

4. photography http://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/3115.html?thread=3334699#t3334699 photography in bed

5. Five Packages Charles Xavier Did Not Order [and one he did] https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/2292.html?thread=4030196#t4030196 It all started, Charles thought to himself sometimes, with that damned catalogue. It arrived with the day's mail addressed to one "Anon Y. Mouse", which was such an obvious pseudonym his immediate reaction was to wonder which of the students had sent for it. After deciding that there were some things he was better off not knowing, he hastily did a mental sweep of the house to make sure there was no one heading his way and slowly began to flip through the pages.

6. Night Time Friends https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/806.html?thread=4288294#t4288294 Erik helping Charles through his headaches

7. Cheers https://zamwessell.livejournal.com/2532.html Charles is drunk. Slightly less drunk Erik finds it oddly endearing

8. (we're) a beautiful mess https://dastardlywords.livejournal.com/925.html The longing Erik can feel coming of Charles in waves now is not charity nor friendship nor some misguided attempt to con Erik out of his ideals: it feels selfish and human and so clearly irrational that it can’t be mistaken for anything but stupid, helpless love.

9. shake it baby now (let me know you're mine) https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/3115.html?thread=4509995#t4509995 Charles makes Erik listen to pop music (especially 'Wild Thing' or 'The Twist'), and Erik is like "how is this even music, etc etc etc" but he secretly really likes it, especially when Charles tries to teach him to do the twist.

10. The Methods (are always the same) https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/806.html?thread=384038#t384038 Charles is taken in by the government (who managed to block his abilities). He's brutally interrogated, tortured and raped until he finally breaks. Erik finds out and he's on the warpath, saving Charles and taking him to his lair to nurse him back to help and put the pieces back together.

11. Surprise! https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/4418.html?thread=6809666#t6809666 They are halfway to the bed/or any available surface, tugging at each others' clothes before they noticed the kids were in the room, hosting a surprise party for them. So much for being discreet.

12. Hush-a-bye https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/6084.html?thread=8283332#t8283332 One of the guys is shirtless and holding a baby? And the other is all, 'that is both dawww and hot'?

13. Not Wrecked with the Day's Work https://saavikam77.livejournal.com/324815.html Charles falls asleep on Erik while they're waiting for a bus on their mutant-recruiting road trip

14. The One About The Turtleneck a. https://zamwessell.livejournal.com/2910.html b. https://zamwessell.livejournal.com/3149.html c. https://zamwessell.livejournal.com/3335.html d. https://zamwessell.livejournal.com/3689.html e. https://zamwessell.livejournal.com/3892.html Charles borrows one of Erik's turtlenecks. Things quickly get out of hand

15. Be Not Ashamed https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/6527.html?thread=9819775#t9819775 Charles and Erik inadvertently.... ok probably during sex or snuggles... figure out that one of them (you pick which one, I'm not too choosy!) finds suckling the other's nipples is comforting and arousing. So they fall into a routine where (dry or wet, doesn't matter to me) nursing becomes their go to for foreplay and for soothing away fear/stress/ upset/angry feelings. But I want it to be a special thing just between them, so obviously not something the children know about; and for them to remain adults throughout (i.e. different from "adult baby")

16. Blue Sniffles https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/6527.html?thread=10166911#t10166911 Charles sneezing a lot? And Erik's just like "Are you all right?" and all bemused by it.

17. dirty morning sex https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/6527.html?thread=11974271#t11974271 18. Vanilla https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/7315.html?thread=11897491#t11897491 Still sexy and affectionate but Erik's still got his business socks on and Charles is maybe thinking about what's for breakfast and they're both so comfortable with each other that they don't really mind when someone yawns in the middle or if someone gets called on for bad morning breath? 19. Charles yelling at Erik https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/7315.html?thread=14084755#t14084755

20. Charles is protective of Erik https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/7315.html?thread=14201491#t14201491

21. it's a disaster (but that's all right) https://freezer-penguin.livejournal.com/8256.html domestic cookery failure

22. Magneto analysing sleepy!Charles a. https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/7761.html?thread=15216465#t15216465%2F b. https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/7761.html?thread=15213393#t15213393%2F

23. Erik likes to make Charles squeal https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/7761.html?thread=15539281#t15539281 Charles is naturally a very talkative person, and that dribbles over into the bed scene a bit; he whimpers, mewls, moans and groans, laughs, and makes every little sound in between. But what Erik loves the most is when he draws out Charles' undeniably, absolutely girly squeal, because he knows Charles finds it utterly embarrassing

24. Just a Star in Your Sky https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/7761.html?thread=14945361#t14945361 Charles may have felt more for Erik than Erik did for him

25. Fast as I can https://neriwind.livejournal.com/546.html#cutid1 Erik can't say: I love you

26. Razor Sharp https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/7761.html?thread=15779921#t15779921 Erik boxing with bloody knuckles. h/c

27. Childish Things https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/7761.html?thread=14844497#t14844497 Charles is extremely ticklish. This gives Erik ideas

28. this constant state of war https://pidgeoned.livejournal.com/11844.html#cutid1 Charles and Erik are the Odd Couple. Quasi-cracky, teeth rottingly fluffy

29. My Arms Will Hold You https://koala-ecrit.livejournal.com/26907.html Charles brings three young recruits to the mansion: Ororo, Scott, and Jean. Much to Erik's dismay and annoyance, the children - especially Ororo - take up all of Charles' time. Erik realizes, however, that he and Ororo may have more in common than what first meets the eye, and that he has hidden parenting skills that he never knew about

30. A little soft https://themadwritings.livejournal.com/44817.html Erik likes sleeping on Charles' pudgy stomach

31. Try, Try Again https://and-backagain.livejournal.com/6669.html Except that this has happened before, he thinks with a start, and something in his throat closes up as he revolves on the spot, already knowing what he's going to see. Charles' back is arching as he falls, his eyes wide, and the crumpled bullet falls to the sand beside him like a calling card. X-Men: First Class Groundhog Day!AU

32. mutant school AU https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/806.html?thread=100390#t100390 Future AU in which Erik stays with Charles and helps him establish his school/teach new mutants.

33. I CAN NEVER TELL https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/806.html?thread=23078#t23078 Charles still gets shot and is crying in Erik's arms- but instead of leaving, Erik realizes that being vengeful will only ever hurt the man he loves. So he stays with Charles and confesses his ~feelings~ and kisses him and takes care of him as he gets better and they're beautiful and in love.

34. Belonging a. https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/806.html?thread=258342 b. https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/806.html?thread=258598 Charles and the Children celebrate Erik's birthday

35. Response https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/806.html?thread=560166#t560166 Charles and Erik have to attend a black tie event (to spy on an evil dude, maybe) together. Before they leave, the others mention to Charles that Erik looks dapper as fuck, and Charles is all "mhmm didn't really notice," and the others are like, "uh-huh denial is not just a river in egypt" and he's all like "wut." But Erik's tux is tailored to his body, and throughout the night, Charles is unable to resist stealing glances. Maybe they end up having sex? Maybe they end up making out in the backseat of the car like teenagers on prom night?

36. Held Taut https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/806.html?thread=615206#t615206 Erik is bleeding out fast, but help is on the way. he just needs to stay conscious, which is getting increasingly difficult. It feels like he hasn't slept in years, if only he could close his eyes for just a few moments...luckily Charles is there with his telepathy to help him out.

37. Technicolor a. https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/806.html?thread=2301222#t2301222 b. https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/806.html?thread=2302246#t2302246 c. https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/806.html?thread=2302502#t2302502 Charles don't know the meaning of 'excess'

38. Lemon Twist https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/806.html?thread=386598#t386598 Charles is the one with the nightmares, and Erik has to bring him out and comfort him. Maybe when he sleeps, Charles can tap into random minds. Or maybe he just remembers people he's touched.

39. Molten https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/2292.html?thread=3559156#t3559156 Metal Sex Toys

40. Scarred a. https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/2292.html?thread=1129972#t1129972 b. https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/2292.html?thread=1133044#t1133044 Charles wonders about Erik's scars

41. coming back for even more of exactly the same https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/2292.html?thread=1115380#t1115380 Chess turns into something more

42. wait to watch the fire https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/2292.html?thread=1315060#t1315060 something tear-inducing and horribly tragic. Maybe they only realise their feelings for each other just before Erik's changing of sides?

43. Five Times Charles Taught the Younger Mutants An Important Lesson/One Time They Taught Him One https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/2292.html?thread=1207796#t1207796

44. Overload https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/2292.html?thread=2603252#t2603252 Sex and Telepathy

45. Language Kink https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/2292.html?thread=2515700#t2515700 Charles gets turned on when Erik talks to him dirty in the many languages he knows

46. speed-dating https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/2292.html?thread=9705716#t9705716 Charles and run a speed-dating service, and Charles participated

47. Entangled https://1stclass-kink.livejournal.com/2292.html?thread=1565428#t1565428 It's ridiculously hot and humid where I am and I just have this image of Erik and Charles tangled together in bedsheets, sticky and hot but unwilling to separate because they want/need to be close.

[periru3]

Better to Have Loved and Lost (Vidshow)

A vidshow for all the loves that were never meant to last (and maybe a few that shouldn't have even started to begin with). Made for VidUKon 2024.

Bad Blood (Never Ever), a Multi-Fandom fanvid by Fiercynn & Scribe We are never, ever, ever getting back together (like, ever).

Hate Me, an Interview with the Vampire fanvid by Killabeez I hate me for loving you.

Bottom of the River, a Due South fanvid by Scribe Hold my hand, ooh baby, it's a long way down to the bottom of the river.

Rolling in the Deep, an X-Men fanvid by Arefadedaway I can't help thinking, we could've had it all.

(I'm Not Calling You a) Liar, a Steven Universe fanvid by Butterfly I love you so much I'm gonna let you kill me.

The Lost Sky, a Xena: Warrior Princess fanvid by Ohvienna Why would you say those words to me if you could not follow through?

This Is Everything, a Star Trek fanvid by Morrigan291 No, I'm not aware of how I could possibly love you without aching.

When We're Dancing, an 11.22.63 fanvid by Periru3 Let's pretend this song won't end, and we never have to go home.

La Noyée, a Portrait of a Lady on Fire fanvid by Tafadhali Running along the shore, I call to you to come back.

Personal Jesus, a Fleabag fanvid by Findmeinthealps & Teyla Someone to hear your prayers, someone who cares.

No Children, a Community fanvid by Xandra You are coming down with me, hand in unlovable hand.

Lucky Me, a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fanvid by Milly And you're sad, and you're sorry. Let it all out. What are you waiting for?

Till the World Ends, a Titanic fanvid by Rhoboat If you feel it, let it happen, keep on dancing til the world ends.

Thank U, Next, a Crazy Ex-Girlfriend fanvid by Ultraviolet Catastrophe I'm so fucking grateful for my ex.

Would've Been You, a Multi-Fandom fanvid by BeatriceEagle You know the greatest loves of all time are over now.

A whole bunch of bonus vids - cut for time, or for duplicate songs, vidders, or fandoms:

Dante's Prayer, a Titanic fanvid by Thevetia & Morgandawn

Destroying Angels, a Yellowjackets fanvid by Tafadhali

Everything Stops, a Star Trek fanvid by BeatriceEagle

Exile, a Xena: Warrior Princess/Multi-Fandom fanvid by Ultraviolet Catastrophe

Let Me Live, a Multi-Fandom fanvid by BeatriceEagle

Mowgli's Road, a Brideshead Revisited fanvid by Obsessive24

Some Fantastic, a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fanvid by Laura Shapiro

Something Just Like This, a Game of Thrones fanvid by Sisabet

The World You Thought You Lived In, a Multi-Fandom fanvid by BeatriceEagle

This Is Everything, a Torchwood/Doctor Who fanvid by 24SE

Where Did You Sleep Last Night, a Yellowjackets fanvid by Ohvienna

Writing Notes, a Buffy the Vampire Slayer fanvid by Here's Luck

[phandompenny]

1990 Phantom Fic Recs

Since the lovely @wheel-of-fish's stream of the 1990 TV production of POTO, I have been unable to stop thinking about Cherik and know there are countless others who likely feel the same.

Perhaps the only thing more tragic than the ending is the fact that there's so few 1990 fics! And among those tagged many of them take some character inspiration but don't really use the unique premise and setup and characters provided in the Y/K miniseries. So I've decided to compile this list of a few of my favourites! Enjoy!

what i would best like to see by queeenciri

A much gentler and happier picnic unmasking, where Christine reacts a little differently! I love the character work in this fic; the thoughts and emotions of the characters feel so real, and it really breaks down their motivations.

Together We Dream by Anonymous

This one is brand new and I'm in love with the prose and writing style of it! An extra conversation between Erik and Christine, one that could fit into canon or be a turning point. Christine reflects on some similarities between them, and it leads to this emotional conversation with angst and joy entwined gorgeously.

How Deep the Bullet Lies by oprhan__account

This is more of a hurt/comfort and whump fic, where Erik survives the ending of the miniseries. It's mainly him processing the events of the show and musing on what comes next, and does have a ending that is pointing towards things improving! Currently listed as chapter 1/? , but it's still worth reading as a fantastic exploration of an intriguing concept.

Sunflowers by CottagecoreCandlelight

Incredibly fluffy E/C, where Christine gifts Erik some sunflowers. Filled with the adorable shyness and sweetness that this couple has, and I'm in love with the visual image of 1990 Erik and his bouquet of sunflowers. They suit him very well!

Understatement by BrendaDaaeDestler

Erik takes Christine on their first date together! Fluff including a candlelit dinner and slow dancing. This is an AU where Gerard is willing to set up such a date, but the main focus is the budding romance between Erik and Christine.

A Magical World by pippa-writes

This is actually a collection of four ficlets! They're mostly canon compliant, and range from Christmas fluff to Christine regretting the picnic unmasking. The first one is even a Phillipe centric look at Christine's grief post canon (unfortunately with the canon ending), which I find quite unique and fascinating.

Rêver by trace-of-rouge

Somewhat tragic and angsty one shot, this is Erik musing on the nature of dreams and his feelings for Christine. It's a very good short character study, and I really enjoy the insight into Erik's thoughts.

The Strange Case of Monsieur Belladova by NPennyworth

If I constantly reread my own story then I'm allowed to put it on my own phic rec list, and I am seriously quite proud of how this one turned out! I wanted to explore a happier AU where Erik gets to just work at the opera house; this is written from the perspective of the opera company as they debate whether to say anything about the mask, but it seems rude to point it out when nobody else has. Mostly humor and fluff, with background E/C.

[gerec]

TOP 10 CHERIK FICS GO!

Also Xaverine would do too! >:'D

Well I'm finally caught up with these fic rec asks (just one more to go after this one woo hoo!) and this is going to be a LONNNNNGGGG post. I tried very, VERY hard to come up with a top 10 list of my favorite Cherik fics and it was utterly impossible; even top 20 was hard as hell but that's what you're getting here Anon lol. (I've also included a top 10 Xavierine list for you too!)

I have read every single one of the stories on this list a dozen times or more - I can't thank the authors enough for the absolute joy they've given me with their amazing hard work :D :D :D (And not just these particular authors but all of you who've written wonderful stories I've loved!)

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Top 10 20 Cherik Fics

(Not listed in any particular order.)

1. Timeline by Unforgotten (series)

After Magneto of an X2-ish future succeeds in the unthinkable, Charles sends his consciousness back to 1962 to guide Erik away from the path that will lead to the genocide of the human race forty years hence.

Charles knows that Erik has always loved him, and intends to use this knowledge + sex to seduce Erik away from his ideals in his youth.

There's no way this well-thought-out, sensible, debugged and 100% bulletproof plan can possibly go wrong.

2. Your Heart Just Couldn't Wait by Pookaseraph

Charles and his BFF Tony Stark have the life - they're co-valedictorians at the most prestigious high school in the city, they have their own condo in Manhattan, and they get to go to all the awesome parties. Charles just wished he understood relationships and sex as well as Tony does. His theoretical bisexuality starts to feel a lot less theoretical when he and Tony end up in Professor Lehnsherr's Physics III course at Columbia University, but Charles' decision to take their relationship further leaves both student and professor with more than they bargained for.

Features an enthusiastically-consenting!16-year-old!Charles

3. Erik Lehnsherr's Guide to Parenting by keire_ke (series)

Alex disapproves of school car washes, despite the abundance of wet bikinis on pretty girls. Erik doesn’t approve of his son shirking money-making duties.

4. When We Two Parted by nekosmuse

At the end of X3, a still depowered Erik travels back in time to meet 1962 Charles. Cue angst, desperate kissing and happy endings for all. Written for the x-men kink meme.

5. Age Difference AU by grim_lupine (series)

Raven is six years older than Charles; Charles has never really considered this age difference vitally important in one way or another, except to decide that even if Raven were six years younger than Charles, she would probably boss him around in the exact same way. He doesn’t really think much of the difference between fifteen and twenty-one, until Raven comes home from college for a study weekend with her new best friend in tow, introduces him cheerfully as Erik Lehnsherr, and Charles finds himself falling head-over-heels into a train wreck of doomed lust.

6. never too late to be who you might have been by acetamide

Erik wakes suddenly and takes a deep breath, and realises that there is nothing.

7. Curve Fitting by kianspo

The weird thing is, Charles always introduces Raven as his sister, but he never calls Erik his brother. Erik would be bothered, except he prefers not to think of Charles as his brother, either. He can’t figure it out for four years, and then suddenly he can.

8. Space Oddity by maimo, MonstrousRegiment, Pangea, Yaegaki (series)

Prince Charles Xavier is Deputy Commander of the TEF Heartsteel and the newest mission they've been assigned starts out less than desirable and quickly goes downhill from there. It's alright, though, he'll cope.

It doesn't help, though, that he's in unrequited love with his best friend and Commander of the Heartsteel, War-Prince Erik Lehnsherr.

9. Humane Society by smilebackwards (series)

Once Erik finally allows himself to decide that Charles is pretty much the best thing since sliced bread, he spends the next week being incredibly bitter that he's Charles' cat and not his boyfriend.

10. and these, from atoms by kay_cricketed (unfinished)

Five years after the Cuban Missile Crisis, Charles and Erik find themselves in a situation where they must rely on each other for survival. Trapped in a coal mine deep beneath the earth's surface, and having lost his wheelchair to a disaster, Charles fights the nature of his physical limitations while Erik struggles to remain distant. Ironically, in the dark, it is impossible to hide your heart.

11. Confetti In My Mouth by paperclipbitch

AU. “I’ve slept with all your models except for the one I’m related to,” Charles responds carelessly. “And so have you, before you make that face at me.”

12. Math Reasons by pearl_o, pocky_slash (series)

"Mom says Erik always knows what he wants, it just sometimes takes him a little while to actually realize it," Ruth said.

Charles fell in love with Erik the first night they met, the first week of freshman year. Two years of friendship, adventures, arguments, hijinks, secrets, and summer visits later, Erik is starting to catch up.

13. One Summer's End by furius, motleystitches (furius)

Erik Lehnsherr, successful businessman, has been the muse to the artist Charles Xavier for the last twenty years. They'll readily confess to loving each other through art, but at the last show Charles Xavier is holding in New York before he heads over to England, everyone else around them realises that it's not enough.

A tale of friends, lovers, and busybodies.

14. Other Life Challenges by professor (series)

“Why am I here again?” Erik groans.

“I need you to lift things and glower at people over my shoulder when I tell people that it’s not ‘politically correct’ or a ‘war on Christmas’ to have a non-denominational winter holiday festival,” says Theresa Pryde.

Well, at least those are two things he’s good at.

15. Quiet Like a Fire by kianspo

Charles has been in love with his best friend for years without realizing it. When he finally figures it out, Erik is married to a wonderful woman and has an adorable daughter, who thinks the world of Charles. Erik has the perfect life that Charles helped him build, so there is only one thing for it - get over his feelings. So what if his methods are unhealthy or if Erik has an opinion on the matter? Charles is determined to do the right thing.

16. All We Are We Are by kianspo

Charles's boyfriend breaks up with him days before the holidays. Not willing to ruin anyone else's festive mood, Charles hides this fact from his sister and his friends, and retreats into the family mansion, letting the world move on without him. He's flirting with depression when a one-time ex and a long-term friend surprises him. Long-kept secrets are revealed, and it turns out, Charles hasn't been paying attention to the right things.

17. soul of my soul by ikeracity

You can imprint on your soulmate anywhere — school, work, on the street, in a restaurant, on the subway.

Charles and Erik imprint on each other just in time for the holidays.

18. One big family by ximeria

There is a house in New York (no, only Charles calls it a house, and his perception of such is a little warped, so let's try that again)...

... There's a building in New York, owned by XavierMedCorp that caters to mutant tenants, their families and a handful of humans. You need to know someone who knows someone who knows someone to get an apartment there. Or maybe just be very lucky. Or have a mutant son who has the tenacity of a pit bull. Anyway, Edie Lehnsherr has moved in and she is slowly getting to know the other tenants, the superintendent and the owner.

19. Wednesday by Red

Getting confined to a nursing facility for a six-week course of iv antibiotics would have been dreadfully dull, had Charles not found a way to "occupy his time."

In which Erik Lehnsherr, retired nazi hunter, becomes the latest victim of Charles Xavier's charms.

20. A Nice Boy (The Family Matters Edition) by pocky_slash for pearl_o

Erik's not sure whether the problem is that he doesn't want his parents to meet Charles or that he doesn't want Charles to meet his parents. Either way, he never invites Charles to brunch. Why should he? It's not like they're dating.

-----

Top 10 Xavierine Fics

1. South of the Border by sneakertime

Post-Divorce AU. Charles Xavier saves Logan from Emma Frost in Mexico. They have a lot of sex, and things get progressively more complicated.

2. Alone, With You by lachatblanche

Logan encounters a stranger while out in the cold and somehow ends up taking him home with him.

3. Secrets And Meetings by dictionarywrites

Logan comes to visit, and Charles gives into temptation as he too often does these days.

4. Insomnia by Rellanka

Charles had never made that confession to anyone before. People already regarded his telepathy with distaste and suspicion; if he was lucky, they were willing to trust him to use it only when necessary. He had never let anyone else know how invasive their own mind was.

Or: Charles's telepathy is more difficult to deal with than you think. He just wants to sleep.

5. Keep On Walking by Nevcolleil

"I want this while I can still have it," Charles says, sounding clear-headed enough.

Something in his voice stops Logan's breath. Logan swallows. "You can't have-" 

"I am capable of having sex without the serum," Charles tells him and doesn't look away. "But I'm not talking about my paralysis."

6. Life, As It Happens by kianspo

When Charles first meets Logan he's scared of him. He's not proud of that. But Logan needs help with Laura, and there is no shorter way to Charles's heart.

7. The B Team by lachatblanche

In which Charles and Logan are SHIELD agents who are present at the Battle of New York.

8. Brick by Brick by Ponderosa (ponderosa121)

At his family's yearly retreat in the mountains, Charles takes an interest in the new groundskeeper.

9. How All Hell Breaks Loose by Mixk

Logan and Charles' relationship status is revealed one morning over a wardrobe mishap, during their sixth year. Erik is furious, Logan is ecstatic, and Charles is exasperated.

10. Love Won't Save You by TurtleTotem

Guarding Charles has been Logan's purpose for over half his life. Now, with the twins to protect, an Empire to fight, and the love of Charles's life turned to the Dark Side, they have only each other to lean on. Can Logan ever be enough?

[roosterbox]

Fic Rec Friday 6/23/23

Title: My Apologies Your Father is An Incompetent Bastard

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Category: M/M

Fandom: Inception (2010)

Relationship: Arthur/Eames (Inception)

Characters: Arthur (Inception), Eames (Inception)

Additional Tags: Mpreg, Kink Meme

Summary: Arthur and Eames are on the run from a job gone wrong when Arthur goes into labor.

———

Ah, mpreg. Probably the strangest trope I love. But this has always been so - when I started reading fic, it was a much more rare plot to see (and of course ABO wasn’t a twinkle in someone’s eye yet), but every time I found it, I loved it. These days I like to joke that mpreg is the gateway drug to get me to like a ship, which to be fair… is accurate. I could probably list off several ships that I was indifferent towards at best before stumbling upon a cute mpreg fic. But today, I’m talking about a ship I already loved, that just so happened to have a great mpreg fic written for it.

The characterization in this story is spot on. Arthur and Eames still feel close enough to their canon counterparts, but with a unique artistic flair, which I always appreciate (with how little actual canon there is for them, you kinda have to get creative). One aspect that rings so true is the state of their relationship, and how they both feel about it. More than one person has compared their canon dynamic to bitter exes who may or may not reconcile by the end of the movie, and that feeling comes across in this story very well.

I think Arthur’s characterization is my favorite. Eames is of course as amiable and jocular as always, but Arthur is much more bitter. And angry. Which is understandable given the, ahem, “state” he was left in by Eames. But there’s also a silly side to him, such as him refusing to acknowledge that he’s in labor because if he doesn’t acknowledge it, it isn’t happening, right? Oh Arthur - honey bear, boo child - that’s not how that works, lol.

As stated by the little preview I gave last week, the fact that the pregnancy isn’t explained is another thing I love. Oh sure, we know HOW Arthur got pregnant (you see, when a Forger and a Point Man love each other very much…), but just how men in general can get pregnant is open to interpretation; you’re left to draw your own conclusions, which I greatly appreciate. Same with the birth itself - how exactly the child came out of Arthur and into the world is not super elaborated upon, other than, obviously, it was a natural birth. Fill in the blanks as you see fit.

And, of course, happy ending. Maybe a bit ambiguous (there is still danger afoot), but for at least a moment, they can just exist as a family of three. It’s very sweet.

Last note, for one of my all-time favorite lines in any Inception fic ever:

Sometimes (most of the time) Arthur just really wanted to punch Eames in the nuts.

Beautiful.

———

Next Week: How about some Cherik again? And this one is a nice little non-mutant AU, featuring paralyzed soldier!Charles and catatonic Holocaust survivor!Erik. It hurts before it gets better, but the hurt is so good.

Until next time!

[clockworkspider]

@romancedeldiablo omg thanks for tagging me! <3

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

113. Tho this count is a bit odd cause I write A LOT of tiny ficlets, and in my first fandom I posted most of them individually and in my current one a lot more of them are in a collection.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

281,571 (the 500 words ficlets sure adds up... Tho my longest fic is actually a translation of a chinese fic series, and I feared that added 40k to my count.)

3. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

I'm always a bit surprised that Deus Ex Machina is on there, cause I'm a bit embarrassed by that fic actually, it was one of my firsts. But I think the Good Omens fandom is very good with fic rec lists and that fic ended on one.

4. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Most of them, yeah. I respond to every comment on more recent fics cause I like to talk to other fans and make friends in my current fandom. For fics in my previous fandom I respond to longer ones or comments with inquiries. (Here's a reminder to myself and other readers that you're allowed to ask writers questions other than "do you plan to continue this", it's a great conversation starter.)

5. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

Hopeful ending is my bread and butter. Even my darkfics have hopeful endings cause that's how much of a sap I am.

But What is love? for Sk8 Adam really wrecked me personally after writing it. It's about teenage Adam running away from home after getting his skateboard burnt and finding out he have to go overseas for university. Of course in the end of the fic he had to go home and he had to go to university. I couldn't make him not return to his abusive home and that really killed me a little...

I think the fic gives him a bit of comfort and emotional catharsis, but doesn't change the situation. And such is the inherent powerlessness of being a teenager.

6. What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

Oh definitely Keep Your Friends Close. I gave a happy ending to WRH for god's sake. I really wanted to give everyone closure without compromising the morality of any of them OR changing their nature, ya know? I'm a happy ending fan.

7. Do you write crossovers?

I use to love those when I was a teen, but no, sadly.

8. Have you ever received hate on a fic?

lol yeah, not for my fic but for the character the fic is about. And then I responded with "okay but why are you here? Read a different fic?" like honestly people have too much time to hate-read.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I think I've written one? I'm not very good at it. I left the sex scenes in Of Choice to potato for a reason (who is the better half of that collab, actually, I'm not even being humble here)

10. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

no

11. Have you ever had a fic translated?

A few, yeah. Always to russian. The russian fans are ON IT.

12. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Of Choice, with @romancedeldiablo

13. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

None they change every year. But 10051 and cherik are the roadmap.

14. What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

Um... Of Choice. I had like... thoughts for the end. But I think potato can agree with me that we both ran out of steam for that one

15. What are your writing strengths?

minimalism (fitting more meanings per word)

16. What are your writing weaknesses?

I don't know how to fucking plot.

17. What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

I'm not going to do that. In the case where I know the other language well I'll translate it in the fic and leave a footnote. (I tried to keep most of the dialogues in Keep Your Friend Close was in Chinese in my brain first and then translated as I wrote, so they retain some Chinese flavour.)

18. What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Yu Yu Hakusho... If you count parody crack fics written by 11 years olds. (When you get old enough you begun to realize that just because something is a parody doesn't make it funny.)

Magi, when I actually knew how to write.

19. What’s a fandom/ship you haven’t written for yet but want to?

I know I've written eiritsu but I wanna write more eiritsu. But they're so hard to write. (I kinda wanna write keichi and nagiiba cause I like the ships so much but when I think of it, not really. Akira-sensei fed me so well.)

20. What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

Keep Your Friend Close is my baby. I got to air out some of my complex feelings about cultural revolution and modern day china, and I gave everyone mandatory happy endings.

For those of my enstars mutuals who happen to be into mdzs, it's a reincarnation fic where characters seems to meet their enemies first. So Wei Ying, Meng Yao, Xue Yang, and Nie Huaisang met in elementary school and make a pack to survive together in case they meet other people who have a grudge against them from their past life. Oh and they're forced to help Wei Ying search for Lan Zhan. It's set between early 2000s China (like, when I was last there lol) to present time. It's a fun time.

I'll be tagging... Heh. @squidcandy you're up. Also @stierhai. I've never grilled you about this before.

[joshriku]

Hello! do you have any cherik fic recs?

i have . so many. (pukes and cries) this is gonna be long but to start off i'm gonna give you my ultimate faves of like. each iteration. so i can be insane. i won't make summaries bc im bad i will just tell you how insane i am.

general thing that none of these have a sad ending or triggering topics bc im. im . I Like Happiness

-curses that can't be lifted by sotano: see. this is about cherik early comics canon right. when they just met in haifa. AND OOOOOOO GH oGH oghghgOGOH I LOVE LEAVING COMMENTS. I LEAVE LONG COMMENTS. I AM VERY ILL IN THE BRAIN WHEN IT COMES TO LEAVING COMMENTS. BUT I LITERALLY STILL CANT FIGURE OUT WHAT TO SAY IN THIS BC I LOVE IT SO MUCH. LIKE ILL COME AROUND EVENTUALLY OF COURSE. BUT IVE READ IT LIKE 50 TIMES AND ITS SO GOOD ITS SO GOOD IT MAKES ME DERANGED i was reading it yesterday again. as i do. and i had to close the tab bc it made me so unwell. i'm so normal

-afterlife by anna: this fic is so good but for my mental health it's in shambles. You don't get it. i'll be pacing around my room thinking back of scenes in this and im like ALRIGHT. PAUSE TO THROW UP AND CRY. EVER SINCE IVE READ THIS I HAVEN'T BEEN THE SAME DO YOU UNDERSTAND. IT'S POST DAYS OF FUTURE PAST AND THAT MAKES ME SO ILLLLLLL I LOVE DOFP SO BAD AND I LOVE CHARLES IN IT AND im like oh man i need something to make me cry and puke and shit myself and cure my depression im gonna read that fic again. And i do it. and i am cured. after i cry myself out to this i am so normal again

-someplace that is green by mugsandpugs: oh my god. Also bad for my mental health like (pucnhign myself) YOU DONT UNDERSTAND. it's technically x-men evolution but if you know cherik you'll understand it either way so. just. wow. erik can fit so much trauma. I can fit so many emotions. i can be so mentally ill. IREAD IT SO MUCH LIEK THE SLOOOOOWWBWBURRNNNNNNNNN AHH AHH AHH (PUKES AND CRIES) AHH WANDA AND PIETRO. AH. DEAR GOD. U DONT GET IT !!!!!! THE WORLDBUILDIGN!! (curls up and cries)

ok yeah. i'll put under the cut all the other recs i have sorry for being unwell

you should read everything by ao3 user sotano btw. not to be demented or deranged. but they never miss. everything they ever write is so . Oh my god. U dont get it. im ill. i will buy them a house

-tabula rasa by o2doko: the telepathy exploration of this goes so fucking hard

-fair verona by ha_neul: i love gender so much you don't ungerstand trans fics are the world to me they really arre

-tesselation by nekosmuse: oh my god. i mean it's a popular fic so it's probably been read. BUT THE SLAY. GOD. THE WRITING. PUKES AND DIES

-travel advisory by penknife: SORRY FOR RECCING 2003 FICS BUT FLOGOGHGOGOGH THE 2003 PEOPLE GOT IT IN WAYS NOBODY ELSE DIDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!

-no capes by dedkake: this just hits all the spots of needing lighthearted comedy and keeping the magneto / professor x dynamic i so desperately crave. i love when authors play around with their identities while loosely sticking to canon hehe

-all these miles (just to get back home) by isthiswhatiam: you gotta read everything he posts tbh BUT this one is my personal fav i love post dark phoenix u_u

-in dreams begin responsibility by kass: im telling u the pre 2011 fics go so hard. and for what. My god. uim ill it's so good

-sweet by sadbigchungus: its so good. Do u know how fukcing hard it is to get krakoa cherik content. hard. but this hits all the sweet spots i love it so much it's so good

-a good night's sleep by insertsthmeaningful: Can i just say this author writes so much good fic and i am absolutely obsessed. as well as im obsessed w post assassination in xforce cherik like aoghogogjogghOGGH

-the way it travels in and keeps emitting light by populuxe: it's OGHGOGH i love reading this one. it's so hard to find fics that actually talk about disabilities and this one does it SO well and erik is SO perfect in this fic im sick!!

-a nice boy (the family matters edition) by pocky_slash: i don't wanna talk about how hard i cry when i reread this one i might have family issues of sorts.

-a winter's journey by red: i love old cheirk so mcuh it makes me want to eat my ownf oot

-the trouble with trilbies by obstrinatix: I LOVE. OLD MEN. CHERIK

-& other words by questors: this is so good like the worldbuilding genuinely floors and runs me over until im nothing but an useless dough

-necessary downtime by unforgotten: i . old cherik. Ogjjgjkrlgjlslkfd

-bug on a plate by lindstrom: ANOTHER ONE THAT ACTUALLY DESCRIBES DISABILITIES SUPER WELL AND DOESNT SHY AWAY FROM THEM ITS A HITTTT AND MIDDLE AGED CHERIK JUST HTIS DIFF SORRY

-the last love song and testament of charles f xavier by midrashic: u know what i said about liking afic so much u cant actually bring urself to properly word the comment so youre just waiting and waiting to properly say smth. Yea thats me w this fic too. why's it so fucking good. how am i meant to word my emotions. but hey if i got around to commenting on Afterlife i will to this

-one second and a million miles by madneto: nothing has ever put me through such a slowburn like this fic like it was so insane and crazy i felt like god was slapping me. PLUS. IRENE AND RAVEN ARE IN IT......SLAY!

-bloodbound by ikeracity: u know i didnt care about vampire fics until THIS ONE. WHERE I WAS LIKE. OH. OKAY. THEYRE GOOD ACTUALLY I SEE THE LIGHT IT MAKES SENSE NOW.

-the golden mean by somuchmorethanyouknow: IT'S SO GOOD OK. THE WAY I WISH THIS FIC WAS CANON JSUT BC IT WAS SO GOOD. THE GENOSHA BUILDING OF IT ALL. MY GODDDDDD! I LOVED IT. SO PAINFULLY GOOD. THE WRITING OF CHARLES AND EIRK IS SO EXCEPTIONAL BUT SO IS EVERYONE ELSE IN THE FIC TOO. AH

-make me stay by lynds: well. what can i say. who's to say no to a little telepathy play. sorry for liking bottom erik. as if it's my fault

-before you attempt me (fair warning) by kianspo: i read this one time i was really sad and i shouldnt have because i started crying about never being able to find a love like the one in this fic. anyway it's super good

-everything about it is a love song by pocky_slash: its bad for me. old cherik makes me go through itnso much. i cant believe ill never find love like this

-feels like you're mine by annejumps: Sorry for bottom erik enthusiast. AS IF ITS MY FAULTNTO HAVE SUCH GOOD TASTE

-because it's you that sets the test by equestrianstatue: [DERANGED NOISES] IM LIKEBSO CASUAL ABOUT THIS FIC IM NOT EVEN MENTALLH ILL.

-special studies in mutant topics by populuxe: my ao3 bookmark says "filed under fics i read while having a mental breakdown and saved my mental health" you can bet its so good and sexy and Oghgogngntnntnngng i will have to marry this authors writing style. SUBBING TO THIS AUTHOR ISNT ENOUGH I HAVE TO BUY THEM DINNER IDK

but also the sex thing: this fic ruined my ability to watch dofp. no matter how many times i watch it ill be quoting this fic along to it

thats it. for Now. i actually have more but some of them are just the real popular ones so im like. Yeah youve read it. BUT THE REST MIGHT BE FOR NEXT TIME. I GUESS. SORRY. THIS GOT OUT OF HAND

[earnestly-endlessly]

Hey! I've seen some of your cherik recs and I wondering if you could rec any which touch on ideas of isolation. I've read some lighthouse keeper!Erik fics which were beautiful, and I've kind of fallen in love with that kind of feel. If you have any recs, I would be very grateful. Thank you :)

Hi anon, thanks for the ask. There are several fics that fit the bill. I'm sure there are more out there, but these are the ones that I found and really enjoy. This is such an underrated trope (can you call this a trope?), anyway, I hope you enjoy this list anon!!

The sea, the sea, it calls to me – ikeracity

Summary: When lighthouse keeper Erik finds an injured boy washed up on the shore of his isolated island, the last thing he expects is for the boy to harbor a fantastical secret that blows open all his preconceived notions of the world — and of love.

Hook, Line and Sinker – Tawabids

Summary: Erik is a grumpy fisherman who lives in a cosy cottage near the beach and Charles is the man he finds in his net one day with a bump on his head and a too cheerful demeanour."

And Charles is getting hunted by evil government agents, but all that is just an excuse to ensure Erik fishes Charles out of the sea.

Island, Island – pibroch (littleblackdog)

Summary: Erik is a fisherman who lives in a cottage by the sea; it's a quiet, secluded life, and he enjoys it that way. Charles has a bump on his head, with no memory of why he was dangling off the side of a dock, unconscious and nearly frozen to death. Based on a kink meme prompt.

Note: Unfinished, but highly recommended. 

April – nextraordinaire 

Summary: In the sharp, unforgiving plains of the Canadian Arctic, Erik is since long adapted to solitude and silence. Separated from civilization, dedicated to nothing but his research, he has formed a life that suits him. There is nothing he would ever want to change. So, naturally, the arrival of grad student Charles Xavier upends everything Erik ever thought he wanted, for better or for worse.

Seekers of Truth - Penguina

Summary: Charles spent his entire life on Genosha island -- a secluded piece of land, hidden away from the rest of the world, isolated for the last 200 years. He’s devoted himself to the priesthood of the Genosha religion and is expected to take his Divine Vows soon. However when the Outsider Erik Lehnsherr crashes on the shores of the islands Charles' whole life is turned upside down as he begins to question the Truths he’d been told by Divine Master Shaw and the rest of his people. Perhaps Charles and Erik were destined to meet to rid the islanders of great evil.

Five Nights in Nuremberg – FuryRed

Summary: When Charles escapes from the mutant prison he has been held in for the last two years he knows that he’s going to need help to avoid being recaptured. 

What he doesn’t expect is that help will come in the form of a mysterious German man who rescues Charles and takes him to his home; a handsome stranger who, frustratingly, doesn’t speak a single word of English…

Skin Deep – manic_intent

Summary:  Everyone-is-a-werewolf AU. Erik happens upon a seemingly abandoned mansion in Westchester during a full moon and finds an insanely clueless werewolf living in isolation.

[midrashic]

self-rec meme. reply with your favorite five fics that you’ve written, then pass it on to at least five other writers.

tagged by the glorious, the incredible, the inimitable @x-populuxe, whose fics you should check out immediately, starting with their favorites. everytime i see a new populuxe story @ikeracity​ & i throw a little party on discord. my examples are not so illustrious & also come embarrassingly close to the meme i did in 2021 about the fics i was proudest of having written in 2020! but here they are regardless.

KATABASIS

supernatural | destiel | 47k

Fortunately for the newly-condemned Dean Winchester, there's more than one way to resurrect an angel. Love, hell, and other myths.

originally for 2016 deancas reverse bang | this still might be my magnum opus, actually. it was my first moderately long fic, took me two years to finish (obviously, it did not get posted for the reverse bang), & gave me fits, & i still love what i did with the symbolism, the many layers of references, & dean’s voice. too bad none of my friends will touch supernatural with a ten-foot pole 😢 i mean. not that i blame them.

THE LAST LOVE SONG & TESTAMENT OF CHARLES F. XAVIER

x-men | cherik | 20k

When Erik is accused of domestic terrorism, Charles has no choice but to marry him to keep him out of jail.

for cherik week 2020 | actually i was on the fence about this one! ike almost had to bully me into picking a fifth fic at all, even though i felt the top tier of my fics was really only represented by four. then i remembered that erik likes starbucks pink drinks & count chocula cereal in this fic and was like. you know what? you did a good job with this.

A KRITIK OF PURE REASON

x-men | cherik | 27k

Texas: When Erik and Charles collide during their senior year of high school, they swiftly find out they make the perfect debate partners. But as secrets come out—and as they draw inexorably closer—more turns out to be at stake than the State championship.

for x-men remix 2020 | i’ve wanted to write a debate au since 2014, which i know because that’s when sherlock s3 aired & my first version of this plot was with sherlock & john. policy debate is--difficult--to explain to people who didn’t debate; it’s not so much debate as it is a highly ordered logic game, something rather like verbal chess--obviously charles & erik would’ve loved it. i’m extremely proud of all the comments that said that i somehow managed to make it comprehensible (with thanks to ben lerner, who also did policy debate in high school, & whose book the topeka school, in which he described spreading at the time of its invention, convinced me it was not in fact impossible to describe adequately), but what i really love about this fic is that it’s so! nostalgic! i poured the best parts of my adolescence into this fic & rereading it is reliving it.

AN AMATEUR PSYCHIC’S GUIDE TO REMEMBERING WHAT WAS LOST

x-men | cherik | 32k

Hong Kong, 2011. Erik Lehnsherr lives in limbo: scrounging up money to pay rent from gambling dens or the scrapyard, not using his psychic powers, not dealing with his PTSD. When a teenage fellow psychic shows up at his shithole apartment with a get-rich-quick scheme, he's pulled into a world he thought he left behind—a world of brutal powers, deadly government experiments, and a mysterious man with a suitcase who is going to change his life… again.

for cherik big bang 2020 | for a fusion with the terrible 2009 chris evans movie push, this still holds up! i keep going back to this again & again despite it being one of my least popular with the masses. i ended up really loving some of the side characters that i don’t normally play with, like irene & daken, and erik’s flashback to his romance with charles is one of my favorite portraits of a romance i’ve ever written. this was the last really action-packed thing i wrote, & i forgot how much i loved doing the pacing & the scene headings. i’ve gotta get back to long fics soon!

AS CLOSE TO HELL

james bond (craig movies) | 00q | 19k

O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do. They pray: grant thou, lest faith turn to despair. —Romeo, Romeo & Juliet I.v.114-115 Or: Another day, another haunted house. But this time, it's James's.

for 007fest 2020 | a month ago, i don’t know if any james bond fic would’ve made this list, but honestly, the epistolary elements--as close as i’ve ever gotten (so far!) to writing the epistolary fic of my dreams--& a few of the lines from the final confrontation are, i think, some of my best! also, solomon the ghost cat: best oc of all time? perhaps.

tagging! @ikeracity, @insertmeaningfulusername, @castillon02, @redring91, & @lavender-lotion.

[adiarosefandoms]

Potential Pride Posts

These are some of the ships I can do Pride posts on. If you comment one you’d like to see I can make a point to do it, otherwise I’ll just do whatever will fit into the month.

Destiel- Dean Winchester and Castiel Cherik- Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr Malec- Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood (canonically gay + bi) Reddie- Richie Tozier and Eddie Kaspbrack  Wolfstar- Remus Lupin and Sirius Black Grindeldore- Gellert Grindelwald and Albus Dumbledore Johnlock- Sherlock and John Watson Batlantern- Batman (Bruce Wayne) and Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) PoisonQuinn- Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn (confirmed LGBTQIA) Deadpool-... no explanation

Also, looking at this list I clearly need to get to know more femslash ships, so I’m eager for fandom recs with female ships present.

[lilydalexf]

Old School X is a project interviewing X-Files fanfic authors who were posting fic during the original run of the show. New interviews are posted every Tuesday.

Interview with MustangSally

MustangSally has 33 stories at Gossamer. Even if you haven’t read it, you’ve probably heard of at least one of them, Iolokus, since it’s an X-Files fanfic classic. All her fics hit big and are well worth your time. I’ve recced some of my favorites here before, including And Dance by the Light of the Moon, All the Children are Insane, and Iolokus. Big thanks to MustangSally for doing this interview.

What's the story behind your pen name?

I could tell you but then I would have to kill you.

Does it surprise you that people are still interested in reading your X-Files fanfics and others that were posted during the original run of the show (1993-2002)?

Yes and no. Yes, because life has moved on since the early nineties and the characters and the fans are in vastly different places now. Our current tech would make the premise of the X-Files impossible. No, because of the longevity of some of the Star Trek TOS work (there’s an archive of hard copy fanzines at the University of Iowa). Top-drawer authors started out in TOS fandom.

I’m just greatly saddened that my physical body is showing wear and tear while the fic doesn’t. Fic gets to stay smooth-skinned and muscular, captured at the peak of perfection.

What do you think of when you think about your X-Files fandom experience? What did you take away from it?

At the risk of sounding atrociously trite, I think of the friends I made.  I met some very remarkable women that I’ve been able to stay friends with online for over twenty-five years.  We may have moved to Facebook and post entirely too much about our pets and which of our body parts has sagged this week, but we’re friends.  It’s a furiously funny, feminist, and well-educated group of women with jobs in the highest levels of academia, finance, communications, and media.  I’m amused by the fact that if I have a question about how a virus replicates, I can ask a PhD I’ve been drunk with in Las Vegas.

Back in the day, I had a job that sent me traveling around major cities in the US and UK. I could post on a message board and within ten minutes there were people I could go out for dinner and drinks with. We already knew we had something we could talk about for at least a couple of hours. Additionally, most of these people were women so there was an added level of security. Social media didn't really exist during the show's original run. How were you most involved with the X-Files online (atxc, message board, email mailing list, etc.)?

Well, it was mostly atxc and the Yahoo! groups mailing lists that spiraled out into Geocities sites and, eventually, LiveJournal. The amusing thing is that getting in on the ground floor of social media and the Internet has helped me get jobs!  When I look at a new piece of software, I think, ‘this is hella easier than uploading to Geocities.’  We had to walk uphill both ways, in the snow, on dial-up, fighting off dinosaurs with our AOL CDs while writing HTML code. What did you take away from your experience with X-Files fic or with the fandom in general?

DO NOT FEED THE TROLLS.

The past four years in politics have basically been the ugliest online kerfuffle the world has ever seen. I survived the Shipper Wars of ’96 and I thought those were brutal, but that was NOTHING. The only way to win an argument online is to not have the argument at all. Arguing with a troll is like mudwrestling a pig: You both get filthy and only the pig is happy.

Also, READ THE FUCKING TERMS OF SERVICE.

What was it that got you hooked on the X-Files as a show?

I had the most terrible straight-girl crush on Scully. I wanted to be her best friend, I wanted to BE her.  I wanted to order Chinese food and paint each other’s nails and talk about bones.  Scully and Princess Leia and I could all just hang out poolside with hot and cold running waiters and poolboys, drink margaritas, and bitch about how unfair it all was – if the stupid men would just get OUT OF THE WAY AND LET US DO OUR JOBS, the world would be so much better. What got you involved with X-Files fanfic?

This question is really about Iolokus, isn’t it?  You can’t fool me. [Lilydale note: I can neither confirm nor deny the motivation for this question, but I cannot complain about the answer.]

Simply put, I was enraged. The moment it was revealed that Scully’s ova had been used in experimentation, I lost my feminist mind. It was the most obscene defilement imaginable.  Scully wasn’t nearly as angry as I was.  What I thought needed to happen was for Scully to become a fiery force of vengeance against the MEN who had done this to her.  Clearly, I was not going to get that level of satisfaction from the show, as I was imagining Kali-like carnage on a global scale. I emailed RivkaT (whom I did not know well at that point) with a proposition that we work together. Strangely enough, we didn’t meet face to face until we were well into the project, but we did talk on the phone quite a bit. The rules were simple – everyone had to be punished in truly horrific ways, and at some point, we had to see if we could write a car chase (only because that seemed impossible).  Then it basically turned into a very twisted game of chicken to see who could be the most outrageous in terms of killing people off or writing really horrific things that fit within the structure of the narrative.  I did, in the end, write the car chase, but RivkaT one-upped me by throwing in a helicopter (a FOX News helicopter, at that).  

Really, RivkaT?  A helicopter? What is your relationship like now to X-Files fandom? I am terribly proud of what I wrote, pleased that it brought pain and pleasure in equal amount to people, and, again, thrilled by the people I became friends with. I admit that I stopped watching the show when Scully announced her pregnancy.  I could only see a long jump over a shark tank for the rest of the series. I haven’t watched the new episodes, either.  It is complete in my mind and doesn’t need to be continued.  I wouldn’t say no to having a reunion with some of my fic friends, although we’re still chatting online like everyone does.   Were you involved with any fandoms after the X-Files? If so, what was it like compared to X-Files?

Rivka and I wrote in the Buffy fandom for a few years, but then we moved on to real adult jobs that left absolutely no time for me to write. I’m in education, and I regularly sweat blood for fear that someone is going to find my old fic. The Buffy people were fun; there was a certain *shininess* to them that I really enjoyed. The X-men authors were just batshit and delightful, and some amazing stuff came out of Marvel fandom, particularly in the Thor/Loki and Steve/Bucky subgenres. I’ve learned to appreciate a good coffee shop AU and one famous Erik/Charles fic where all the main characters are crabs. Seriously, crabs—it’s hysterical. [Lilydale note: Other Crabs Cannot Be Trusted by groovyphilia currently has almost 2,500 kudos at AO3.]

Every few years, I’ll have a student try to explain to me what fandom is and I just smirk. Do you ever still watch The X-Files or think about Mulder and Scully? No. Not really. Do you ever still read X-Files fic? Fic in another fandom? I fell into an X-Men hole a few years back and had a great old time wallowing in the Cherik muck, and there was a flirtation with BBC Sherlock as well. Strangely enough, I became interested in A/B/O fics only because of what they were saying about the role of women in our society. The limitations on the male omegas seem absurd and then you realize those are the same limitations put on women all. the. time.

Is there a place online (tumblr, twitter, AO3, etc.) where people can find you and/or your stories now?

RivkaT very nicely formatted everything and put it up on AO3. What is your favorite of your own fics, X-Files and/or otherwise?

I will always be stupidly proud of how shocked and horrified people were by Iolokus. The truth of the matter is that Iolokus has Greek drama at its core. Scully is Medea, and the entire story is lousy with “blood on the threshing floor” and Dionysian rites. The everyday is subverted into horror, and wives and daughters will tear men limb from limb like the Maenads. Since I was ultimately disappointed with what Chris Carter did with the entire show, that approach seemed appropriate.

At a certain level, all fic is corrective fic.  Like critic Anne Jamison said, “Irritated fans produce fanfic like irritated oysters produce pearls.”  And because fic has fallen so much into women’s sphere, a pure form of correction is not just the death of the author but the MURDER, a new creation springing up from the spilled blood like Cadmus sowing dragon’s teeth.

Okay, that’s a bit much. Maybe I should just take myself back to the isle of Goth Amazons or something. Do you still write fic now? Or other creative work?

I had to write a self-evaluation and a reflection on pedagogy today. If that’s not fiction, I don’t know what the fuck is.

All my creativity is caught up in trying to pretend to be a normal middle-aged white woman so no one knows I am really a lizard.

Is there anything else you'd like to share with fans of X-Files fic?

Keep writing, keep reading, keep fighting the commercialization of narratives. As things grow more and more commodified, all our dreams and desires reduced to tchotchkes made in China, it’s a revolutionary act to separate your work from the marketplace. Be bold, take chances, turn the trope on its ear and kick it in the ass. Take everything the creators have done to make a work palatable to the unwashed masses and set it on fire.

Be subversive.

Be mean.

Have a great fucking time.

(Posted by Lilydale on March 2, 2021)

[cherikwine]

CURRENTLY THINKING OF RECENTLY DISCOVERED FANFIC I SAW THIS IM-

(the fics):

The Genoshan Prince that I recently finished and another similar fic I just subscribed to:

Bright Metal on A Sullen Ground

~Centurion~

[lindstromm]

Cherik fic rec

The awesome Cherik WIP that you’re not reading yet is The House on Graymalkin Lane by @runawaymarbles . T-rated, 15 chapters posted with 3 to go (regular updates), and good writing that checks all the boxes: layered plot, clever dialogue, character development and funny. The reason you’re not reading it is because two OCs are the main characters. But *these* OCs deserve better. Cherikland does not have enough teenage girls, and Ashe and Lia are fabulous, well-written characters. Lia’s mutation is completely original, one I’ve never seen before, and fits tightly into the plot the way things do in good writing. Ashe is baseline and trying hard to be the friend Lia needs, with too much guilt about how much she enjoys gossip and general nosiness. I love these girls! Old Cherik from the POV of teenage girls!! How can you resist?!

Chapter 1

Charles hadn’t heard them coming.

At any other point in his life, it would have been easy. Nearly a hundred minds, intent on his school, his house, on his friends and children. But now, they only come into focus when they reach the gates, and it’s going to be too late, too late—

He sends out a warning to the others. Storm and Logan are up instantly— oh, Logan never went to sleep: Charles catches a glimpse of the television before moving on, looking for the rest of the X-Men. But there is no rest of the X-Men. Just Kitty, Marie, Bobby and Warren and it’s so hard not to think of them as children— it’s hard to think at all, because there are so many minds and all they want is—

GET THE STUDENTS OUT, he projects, with none of his usual finesse. TUNNELS, CARS, RUN—

The door to his room opens and for a moment he expects guns, but it’s Storm. In her pajamas, with lightning dancing around her fingertips. “Come on.”

Charles hasn’t even left his bed. “The children.”

“We’re working on it. Logan and I will hold them off—”

NO. He doesn’t know if he says it aloud. “There’s too many, they’ll capture him, Logan needs to protect—” protect the children, Raven and Alex and Darwin and Sean and Angel— no, they’re all long gone and never children— Charles needs to keep it together—

“Hey. Hey. Professor.” Storm grabs his hand. Shocks him a little, but she doesn’t mean to. “Keep it together, okay?” Keep it together. That was her thought, not his.

“I need Cerebro.”

“You’re not strong enough yet.”

He’s not. He’s only six months un-dissolved, and he’s been trying to straighten out his mind. Trying to get anywhere near where he was when Jean— little Jeanie Grey— tore him apart. But he doesn’t have time anymore.

He and Erik will protect the children.

No—

Erik can barely lift a bucket these days, and anyway, he’s… he’s somewhere else.

“We don’t have any other options.” He thinks he sounds calm when he says it. “I’ll go to Cerebro and slow them down, and then I’ll follow you. Don’t worry. They won’t be able to reach me down there.” They’ll be able to reach him everywhere, he will be everywhere, but he will be able to get them too and that’s what matters right now.

Storm hesitates. But she’s practical, and she knows what’s important. Maybe that’s why she’s the only one left.

keep reading

[gerec]

hello! do you know if there are any gone girl au fics in the x men/cherik fandom? or just a good old mariticide/framing for murder fic? :’)

Hi Anon!

I don't believe I've ever read a Gone Girl au in this fandom or fics framing a spouse for murder. I do however have this awesome fic to rec that sort of fits the bill! Hope you like it!!!

my old man is a bad man by faerie_ground

Sebastian Shaw dies at two am in the morning with a dagger embedded in his forehead. Detective Erik Lehnsherr is on the case, and the number one suspect is the recently widowed Dr Charles Xavier, Sebastian Shaw's husband.

[luninosity]

And a Cherik fic rec! :D

I wasn’t really expecting anything from the X-Men Remix - I’d made all my fic available, but didn’t have time to write anything - but the marvelous @seb787 gifted me a beautiful fic in Remix Madness! <3

Friends (Now You Know You Know It Now Remix), G, 677 words. After the fight in the park, Edie brings both Erik and Charles home for dinner.

I love this so much - Edie’s mothering, Erik’s awkwardness about Having A Friend, the way Erik and Charles naturally fit together despite some awkwardness, and Charles’ delight over Erik’s powers... *sighs happily*

It’s so sweet, and I smiled so much while reading, and thank you again!!! to @seb787 for this! <33333

[dedkake]

for @authorsworkshop pre-thinking. join us, guys--signups are still open :)

Think: What are 3-5 of your favorite pieces that you’ve written? (Can be fanfic or not…)

Bonus Prompt: Write yourself a positive review, perhaps as if you were a separate fan reading it for the first (or fiftieth) time. As you did for the last prompt, try to make it effusive, specific, and encouraging. Again, extra bonus points for posting it publicly and linking it. (If you’re afraid of coming off as self-important or conceited, you can blame this workshop for the self-plug. In our experience, a healthy ego helps in doing the vulnerable work of editing and publishing. ;)

Favorite Overall: better without olives | T, 13k | SGA, John/Rodney

John doesn’t let himself imagine coming out anymore, but if he ever did let himself wonder, he never would have thought it would be like this.

Or, John uses pizza as a metaphor to explain his sexual and romantic orientations to Rodney.

this fic means so much to me. i once wrote 2k explaining why. let’s see if i can make my feelings shorter.

a) the aspects of coming out covered--being accepting of yourself, communicating with others, setting boundaries--it’s all deeply personal. these characters aren’t me, their experience and preferences aren’t mine--not exactly--but it’s still one of the most personal things i’ve ever written. 

b) telling a story about romantic and sexual orientation from the pov of someone who wouldn’t use the language the community uses today, someone who wouldn’t be so tied to labels, allowed me to dig deep. 

c) the actual writing process i went through while writing this was exciting--this took 6 months, it had multiple beta readers, i rewrote every line at least once, taking to heart the feedback i received. this story was work in a very different way than other fic i’ve written, and it was a great experience. (when i reread it now, i still want to change things lol)

d) the aro part of this fic!! i’ve wanted to tell an aro story for so long. i never really articulated that, never really understood that that’s what i wanted. this is part of my identity that i am just beginning to come to terms with and this fic has helped me with that. i never knew before why ace stories weren’t everything i needed. now i’ve got my answer. (the most liberating line i’ve ever written: He loves Rodney, but he’s not in love with him and that makes a difference.) 

e) the reception it received warms my heart. it was so overwhelming to me i couldn’t even respond to people.

Most Fun to Write: Precautionary Measures | T, 2k | X-Men, Charles/Erik

“Erik, I am under orders from your mother the queen to use whatever force necessary to make sure you attend this meeting. Do you really want to test me?”

OR the one where Charles handcuffs Erik to himself for safekeeping.

a) written for a great prompt and a lovely person, which made it fun from the get-go. combining the prompt for royal/bodyguard and handcuffed together was a no-brainer. delightful.

b) i adore modern cherik and having them tease each other and respect each other x1000 was fun. also, the fact that they’re lifelong friends warms my heart. actually makes it one of my favorites to go back and reread, too!

c) glad i made the decision to cut out the larger plot (you can read it here), but i really enjoyed writing even the parts of it that didn’t make the final cut. they helped me do my worldbuilding. 

Challenging, but Fun: it’s no secret | T, 2k | X-Men, Charles/Erik

Erik sees Charles at the gym and he can't get the image out of his head, even after he learns that Charles is The Worst Ever. He might be a little bit in love.

a) i had to do research for this one! minimal, but still. dancing isn’t really my thing. because dancing isn’t my thing, i didn’t really have high expectations for this prompt or what i wrote for it.

b) i was a very boring person in college, but i used my own college experiences to help build up the setting of this story. it was great to revisit that place and have charles and erik play there.

c) this fic let me play with some of my favorite characterizations of charles and erik. charles being super confident and arrogant and extroverted--erik being awkward and ridiculous and all-in. i’ve always liked this idea of erik being so awkward and all-in in relationships that he always proposes to every person he decides to date because why else would he be dating if it wasn’t for the long game??? love it.

d) still can’t quite believe the reception this got. thanks guys. you made me blush.

Creative Spin: Service Position | E, 1.5k | X-Men, Charles/Erik

Erik, heir to Lord Shaw, hires on a new valet. Shaw does not approve.

a) fantastic prompt. stellar material to work with. and it made me think of downton abbey. playing with these two ideas and creating a world where they worked together with charles and erik was fun. it made me feel inspired. creative. etc.

b) i got to play around with the narrative here. it was originally written with alternating paragraphs between the two scenes, but i made the breaks longer on my beta’s suggestion. it was a fun way to write the story and i like the layering when reading as well.

Most Surprising: every sunrise | T, 2k | X-Men, Charles/Erik

"You didn't need to feel jealous. You never need to feel jealous."

a) this was honestly incredibly difficult for me to get going. even after posting it, i wasn’t feeling too confident about it. but over time, this fic has come to stand out to me from my other work.

b) this really was a chance for me to explore charles and erik’s relationship within the canon parameters but--after the fact. after seeing how their relationship progressed in canon, to go back to the beginning and give them a foundation was very satisfying. 

c) this fic, along with to the end, and yet must be, and after everything really get to the heart of how i understand these characters and their relationship. they don’t quite all fit together timeline-wise, but they have this feel together. and i love it.

a different time i was asked to rec my top five! i didn’t check that post until after i’d chosen these ones. interesting that the list is so different three years later.