#mimic117

[randomfoggytiger]

X-Files Collector's Edition: S9, The Season of Secret Dad (Long Fics)

There will never be enough content to make up for the robbery of canon post S8-- parenthood and readjustment and healing for Mulder and Scully with their son, whether that has a Conspiracy attached to it or not. These fics try to bridge that gap (and shoutout to @welsharcher's coining of the phrase "Season of Secret Dad".)

These might be repeats from other lists; but I wanted to be thorough~.

**Note**: Will ghost edit later~.

Loose chronological order below~

Fics Where Mulder Stays

MissAnnThropic's Not the Same

""Awww..." Lela made the tight sound of womanly adoration, "you have a baby? Do you have a picture of him?"

Mulder flashed her a bright smile a moment, his expression saying as clear as anything 'of course I do, I'm a new father, aren't I?' and he reached into his back pocket and withdrew his wallet....

Tom leaned over to look and Miranda leaned over him to see the picture too.

It was a picture of a very small baby on his back, a stuffed green alien toy in his hand's limp grip as it rested against his belly. Tom smiled at that, despite his earlier attitude toward Fox Mulder and the whole little green men business.""

Colton is floored by how much Fox Mulder has matured.

Tess's (Ao3) The New Truth, A Project 09x00

""Startled, Scully's eyes popped open. She had been enjoying the quiet coziness of the day; tucked into the apartment with the two people she loved most in the world while rain tapped in a steady beat against the windows. She felt Mulder's steady gaze, even as she steadfastly refused to meet it and she knew that the time of living in a world of 'let's pretend' had just come to a crashing end.

"These last few weeks of being a normal little family have been wonderful," Mulder said softly. "But, Scully..." he scooted across the cushions and leaned into her side. "We're not normal people.""

Mulder and Scully have a tough conversation weighing all their options. He's not leaving; but Scully will have to return to the FBI parttime to keep its resources at their fingertips.

Lapsed_Scholar's Season 9 Rewrites and Musings

MASTERFUL fill-in series: Mulder is a stay-at-home dad during the entire events of S9. Love this to death. Below are the reworked episodes:

A Devil's Office

""Monica nodded, and they sat in contemplative silence for a few moments, before Mulder broke it.

“You know, he looks like my sister.”

She looked up—he was looking down at William again. She couldn’t see his expression, but his voice was soft and tender, full of wonder and tinged with nostalgia. Fox Mulder the man was turning out to be a very different entity from Spooky Mulder the legend.

“His eyes are hers—Dana’s, I mean—but... Maybe my mother would have told you that he looks like me, I don’t know; I never saw myself as a baby. But I remember how my sister looked. It was thirty-five years ago, but I still remember looking down at her in amazement when my parents brought her home....”

Mulder looked back down at William, ran his finger along his son’s cheek.""

Mulder is settling into stay-at-home parenthood, overcoming his feelings of uselessness with a very contented baby... and finally giving in to a consultation request from John Doggett.

Dispatches

""Hey, Scully. You’re interrupting a monumental construction project. It’s the tallest tower of blocks yet built by man.”

“Mmhm. And what is William doing while you’re assembling this feat of modern engineering?”

“I’ll have you know this is a joint project. William is...in charge of grabbing the construction material and sticking it in his mouth.""

A dialogue only piece (but it's one of my absolute favorites) featuring a VERY ticked off Scully fuming over a pain-in-her-side bug doctor and a VERY amused Mulder having a blast sympathizing and egging her on.

Semper Fi

""Speaking of... A familiar form flops itself into the chair next to his. He honestly should have expected this.

“Fancy meeting you here, sir.” Fox Mulder has a peculiar way of delivering inane pleasantries. His expression and tone are bland enough to pass scrutiny, but something in his bearing always implies that a lively mind is humming away under the surface.""

Scully rants to Mulder about Kersh purposefully interfering in Reyes and Skinner's attempts to bring Doggett home. He's on the case.

Denial

""She calls home because she needs a break from the existential, or maybe because she needs another opinion on it. She sits in the hospital cafeteria and leans her head against a window.

She asks Mulder for stories of William, and because they are who they are, he innately understands why she’s asking and indulges her thoroughly."" 

Mulder understands that Scully is denying her gut; and convinces her to look deeper into Doggett's claims that Reyes isn't dead.

Extreme Probabilities

""The two of them might have made an impressive pair of dashing FBI agents for that Bureau recruiting pamphlet, except they both looked bedraggled. John clearly hadn’t slept in awhile. He had dark circles under red eyes and the look of exhausted intensity that comes from staring at evidence for too long. His suit was wrinkled and rumpled, and there was a coffee stain on his shirt. Mulder had clearly been asleep not too long ago. His hair was sleep-mussed, and he was wearing what he usually wore to bed (an undershirt and lounge pants) coupled with running shoes and a holster. His serious and tense expression made for a marked contrast with the ridiculous outfit.

Reality usually is quite different from the pamphlet.""

Mulder doesn't believe in numerology; but he does gets pulled into this crack case about God and Burt Reynolds anyway.

A Quiet Friday Evening

""The phone rings. Scully frowns.

“That must be the sheriff. Here, Mulder, hold this open and keep the abdominal wall spread.” She hands him the salad tongs before he can ask if maybe he can answer the phone instead. He stares after her in speechless misery.

He is going to buy new kitchen utensils. They are throwing all of these away, and absolutely nothing Scully can say about boiling water or exceedingly high temperatures or using the autoclave at work will convince him otherwise.""

Mulder gets roped into a cat autopsy. Yes, it's gold.

Valor (Discretion)

""You’ve had a lot going on lately, Mulder,” Frohike gestured toward the baby. He also meant to include, of course, the whole abduction-death-and-resurrection ordeal. Most of the people who loved Mulder didn’t want to reference it directly, so, despite how centrally traumatic it was, it predominately remained in alluded subtext. “We didn’t think our problems should add to yours.”

Mulder stared for a moment. He had the audacity to look hurt. “I thought we were friends. If you have problems this serious—especially ones I can help you solve—I want to know about them. After all you’ve done for me—all you’ve done for Scully—how could you not tell me when you needed help?""

A biohazard, TLG running around like chickens, Morris Fletcher... and Mulder insisting his friends call the authorities and act rationally.

Catastrophe

""He didn’t have to wait for long. About five minutes after he had arrived, the doors to the elevator slid open, and Mulder emerged, maneuvering a stroller carefully over the gap between elevator and floor. His eyebrows raised fractionally with surprise when he saw John, but he otherwise kept his composure. John studied him. He was looking better these days, although he still had a slightly uneasy air about him, a man who wasn’t fully confident of his place in the world, not entirely grounded. But he was clearly trying, and he looked more at home in his own skin than John had ever seen him. At this moment, in fact, he appeared steadier than John felt.

“Agent Doggett,” greeted Mulder, quietly, once he had reached the apartment door. John glanced down into the stroller; William was peacefully asleep, his head turned to the side and his mouth moving occasionally in the phantom nursing of sleeping infants."" 

Doggett asks Mulder to write a profile on his son's killer, while Scully is there to support her partner after he gets sucked into the brutal randomness of the crime. The rest of the fic winds up to her disappearance while on a case Mulder asked her not work on: postpartum depression, Mulder's feelings of displacement in her life, and unfinished conversations between them. (Unfinished fic.)

Jenna Tooms/misslucyjane’s (Ao3, mulderscreek)

An Acceptable Level of Happiness (Site)

""Sunday afternoon I spread an old sheet on the kitchen floor and tie a dishtowel around Mulder's neck. He sits stiffly in the kitchen chair, his eyes on Malcolm. "Warn me," he says, his hands clenching.

"I know." I run my fingers through his hair, combing it out. I never start cutting right away. First I rub his temples and massage his scalp with my fingertips, trying to soothe him until his eyes close. I rub the base of his neck and his shoulders too, trying to reassure him that nothing's going to hurt him here. He often says he'd know my hands anywhere.

"I'm picking up the scissors now," I say when he's relaxed. He acknowledges this with a grunt, his head tilted forward....

I keep one hand in his hair as I trim it, scraping my nails lightly against his scalp. There is one scar on his head and every time my fingertips pass over it my hands tremble. They cut him open everywhere.""

Mulder and Scully are struggling with their separate PTSDs but willing to stick it out, thick or thin. She processes most of her emotions and draws closer to her partner at the Scully family Christmas; and he gets to meet Charlie and feel like a human again.

ML/ML_is_me’s (Ao3, Gossamer, DW, Invidiosa)  

Project:TruthSeekers Alt Season Nine: Home Fires, Part One (Goss)

Project:TruthSeekers Alt Season Nine: Home Fires, Part Two (Goss)

""Mulder had the door open before she got there, holding a squalling William in his arms. He raised his eyebrows at her slightly.

"Sorry," Scully said. "You got my message, didn't you?" She set the groceries down on the kitchen table, pushing aside an array of toys and teething rings to do so. She could see what kind of day her men had.

"Yeah," Mulder said. "I was here, I just couldn't get Limpet Boy to let go so I could answer the phone.""

Mulder is a stay-at-home dad battling the Conspiracy. Scully and their new partner get a call and drop-in from Phoebe, who is relatives with a higher-up in the Syndicate.

155 Words - Thankful

""Not long ago, he discovered that all he cared about had been pared down to a few essentials, and it wasn't hard to leave the rest behind.

Perhaps dying and returning is responsible for such clarity; but he hasn't analyzed it.""

Mulder marvels that Scully tracked him down with a baby in tow.

maybeamandaxffics/maybe_amanda/MaybeAmanda's (LJ)

Chataqalan - 1

Chataqalan - 2 (Goss)

Chataqalan - 3

""Who was that?" Mulder asked.

"Monica."

"Reyes? What's she doing there?"

"No one is quite sure," Scully said, settling herself on the bunk. "Least of all her."

There was a brief pause. "Excuse me?

"She asked if you could call John about her boots."

Another pause, this one a little longer. "I'm supposed to make a booty-call to John Doggett?""

Scully and Reyes team up on an investigation in Mexico: while Scully catches Mulder up on suspicious connections to Russians and Tunguska, Monica meets a possible love interest and starts to notice weird, suspicious activities from some of the other workers.

Under Construction (Goss)

""Then I got the arms. The *pick-me-up* arms. The *you're-my-dad- and-the-toes-of-my-tiny-little-Reeboks-belong-in-your-abs-pick-me-up* arms. I shouldn't hesitate - I shouldn't have to hesitate - but I always do. Anytime Scully noticed, she tried hard to look like she was trying hard not to look pained, but I saw it, anyway. It wasn't that I didn't want to hold William - hold my son. It was just that, every time I reached for him, for an instant I was sure my arms were going to pass right through him and I'd find myself passed out on the cold cement floor of my cell again, clutching my chest and aching for all I'd lost. If the price I had to pay to keep this dream up and running was never really holding it, I was prepared to accept that.

But William wasn't. "Up!" he insisted, so I accommodated.

He was solid. Real. I'm his dad. His toes do belong in my abs.

I kissed his forehead. Why isn't everything this simple?""

Mulder is returned with muddled memories of S8/S9 events, a truckload of PTSD, and a boatload of feeling that he's in everyone's way. Will already loves him; but Maggie hates his guts, and Scully isn't ready yet to smooth over that problem. And, Mulder finds out, everyone had been matchmaking her with Ellen's brother-in-law.

jeri's (MC) Ahonis (MC)

""Oh sure, Mulder could come by the office anytime and visit. Doggett often asked Scully to bring Mulder and William along on lunch breaks, or just have them drop in for a change of pace. But both Scully and Mulder felt it was best if he and the baby stayed clear of the FBI; Kersh may have left the Bureau, but he was still out there, reporting to someone. There was no guarantee that the new Deputy Director wasn't just as dirty as Kersh was.""

Doggett and Reyes work on bustin' a case that has connections to Marita Covarrubias. Mulder is only mentioned by Scully as a stay-at-home dad here and there.

@aloysiavirgata's (Ao3, WBM, Gossamer, LJ, Alt. LJ)

By Falling In and In

LiveJournal 2

LiveJournal 3

LiveJournal 4

LiveJournal 5

""Mulder sprawls across the black leather sofa in what is shortly to be his new home office. "It's so good to see you," he tells it. "We'll never be parted again."

"A boy and his couch. It's like a Norman Rockwell painting," Scully says, setting down a cardboard box on the desk. She picks up a container of fish food and taps a few flakes into the aquarium which is, for now, resting on the desk.

"She's just jealous," Mulder murmurs to the armrest. "She doesn't understand our love.""

These fics focus on Mulder and Scully parenting their magically-abled child in the leadup to an, unfortunately, successful Colonization (though the latter isn't the series' focus.) For my personal reading I skip part one and enjoy the rest of it (because Mulder running off to Mexico still makes me mad); but that's how I read everything, so it's nothing against this series.

A Heart of Star

""Mulder secures the baby into his bouncer seat on the dining room table, passing him a rubber duck to gnaw on. He then spreads his files out across the table, an assortment of highlighters next to him in a cup. He taps his chin with a pencil.

“Your mother says this is the result of clever editing, but I think we have pretty clear evidence of a ghostly apparition. There’s no sign of the film being altered. I mean, look at this. Mama is out of her mind.” Mulder holds a series of stills up for William to peruse.

“Ma,” yells William, reaching for the paper. “Mamamamamama!”

Mulder scowls. “I can’t believe you’re taking her side.""

Mulder's bonding moments with his growin' boy.

Elysium

""This is so cool,” William breathes, gripping the steering wheel.

Scully smiles, promising herself she will be calm even as she half-wishes he were still in a car seat.

“You wanna say the rosary first?” Mulder pipes up from the back seat. “To Our Blessed Lady of Brake Pads?”

“Daaaaaad,” William says. “I am a licensed driver now. I am a master of my craft.""

Scully's bonding moments with her miracle (and Mulder.)

mimicsmusings/mimic117's (Lost and Found)

Chip Off The Old Block 03 - Veracity

Chip Off The Old Block 04

""Hey, Charlie. Taste this."

Charles Scully cast a dubious eye on the bubbling mass of ham, beans and spices in the pot on the stove. He reared his head back, away from the spoon being poked toward his face.

"It smells fine, Mulder. Why don't you taste it yourself?"

The spoon followed his retreat at mouth level.

"I never taste while I'm cooking. How do you think I keep my girlish figure?""

Turns out, Will's magic baby powers are all in the family-- and not Mulder's. Charlie is telekinetic, too; and Maggie knew about it the whole time. (Bill is also here, and annoyed.)

Malibusunset's Terra Firma

""William plopped down onto the kitchen tiles in a seated position and stared after Mulder with a frown on his face.  Then he picked up his bottle in one hand, crawled a few feet awkwardly, then sat back down, tilted his head back, and plugged the bottle back in. He sucked voraciously and stared up at Mulder as if to say, "I can't do both, so I'm just gonna hang out here and eat instead."

"Right," said Mulder, bending down to a kneeling position. "How about you concentrate on transporting yourself and the bottle can catch a ride on the tray." William trustingly relinquished the bottle and Mulder placed it on the tray next to the orange juice and continued on. William followed eagerly on all fours. When he got to the stairs that led to the second floor, Mulder stopped and extended his arm down to his son.

"Will, UP," he said, offering his left arm while balancing the tray with his right. William pulled himself up on Mulder's leg, clutching handfuls of his pajama pants. Mulder lifted him like a sack of potatoes and hauled the baby and the tray up the stairs. Cooking breakfast with a baby wasn't for wimps.""

Mulder and Scully patch their lives together as new parents, buying a home, getting engaged, and expecting a second baby. The nuances of parenthood for a driven workaholic Scully and a stay-at-home writer-and-once-out-of-town consultant Mulder weave up and down; and is an entertaining read. (The way I read: Parts 1, 2, the first third of 3-- skipping the plotline-- then Parts 4... onward?) Notable moment: I particularly remember Mulder unable to speak after Scully's pregnancy announcement-- in Part 3-- because I was struck with how strikingly Mulder that is.

dlynn's Scully, NORAD called

""Mulder grabbed one of the pillows beneath his head and swatted Scully. When he reached to get his pillow back, Scully plopped the feathered cushion underneath her arms and glanced between her two men: Mulder, all rumpled and lanky, lying across the faded quilt -- his shirt untucked and sloppy, his jeans stained where Will's hands had wiped worm guts on his father's pants. Mulder's bare feet slid against each other as he rubbed the mosquito bites he'd accumulated last night fishing off the pier with their son. Will, the spitting image of his father, from the way he said, 'Oh, Mom' in the same plaintive voice that Mulder whined 'Sculleee' to the way he spit sunflower seeds with all the finesse of a pro, lay curled on his side, butted up against Mulder's chest. His wet hair stuck up like he'd been hacked with a wild weedwacker. Definitely, a Scully- Mulder.""

A Mulder family moment of bee stings and bedtime stories is interrupted by a call for him to hit the road for necessary Colonization-prevention work. Will knows he'll always be back.

thextruth's Our Next Path

""If someone had told Fox William Mulder that he would marry Dana Katherine Scully and that he would have two children with her. He wouldn’t have believed it, he never saw himself as a normal man, much less as a family man, but that's something that he wouldn’t change for anything in the world, his family is all his happiness, and see Scully give a kiss to that little one who is half her and half him, is always surreal, after all, he is a simple man who loves those little daily moments that fill his whole life."" 

This long fic is a series of family fluff-- the type with nothing but cozy family drama, a couple kids, and a twinkling happily-ever-after.

Mulder Left but Scully Joined Him

 touchstonea’s

Amor Fati: Destinata (The Fated Love), Act One: Desiderium (The Longing)

Amor Fati: Destinata (The Fated Love), Act Two: Et Perierat et Inventus Est (The Lost and the Found)

Amor Fati: The Fated Love, Act Three: Tres Discendens (The Leaving of the Three)

""From the other side of the connecting door, a complicated sequence of long and short knocks.  T…R…U…S…T…N…O…1…pause.  Mulder.  Or…

Taking a deep breath, Scully raised her fist again, and her knuckles tapped out her own sequence.   O…B…F…U…S…C…A…T…E…pause.  She turned the lock on the door and stepped back.

Holding her gun at the ready, she listened to the muffled sounds as the door on the far side opening slightly… then a little more.  It creaked.  She held her position, not sparing a glance at Will behind her on the bed.

Another breathless moment, and she was watching her knob turn, ever so slowly."" 

This epic diverges from canon after William was rescued from his kidnapping. Part 1 focuses on Scully's long, conflicted back-and-forth plans with TLG, Skinner, Doggett, and Reyes before she hits the road to reunite with Mulder. Part 2 is her journey and reunion: Mulder's fierce love and devotion, Will's uncanny abilities saving their hides, and reconnection while constantly being tagged and tailed by the Conspiracy. Part 3 kicks it up a notch: Scully insists they address Mulder's abduction PTSD and rescue other Super Soldier victims, barely escaping the Alien Bounty Hunter, and stumbling into Gibson's coalition in the woods with an alien faction. (This author writes spectacular and well-thought out logical connections that weave the misshapen mytharc back together.)

Revely's Unfinished Universe (Goss)

""They have a private evening ritual - nose to nose on the bed they practice telepathic communication.

Scully disappears into the motel bathroom for their soft-shelled display of male bonding, shutting the door behind her with aggravating finality - boys' side, girl's side. Mulder immediately stops casting out brain waves and begins to wonder what she's doing in there. She's awfully quiet. The baby just dozes and tries to nurse Mulder's nose until he manages to work one of his fists into his mouth.""

Does this count? Mulder is returned after Will is born; and Scully drives her son out to him. The three reconnect in gentle fits-and-starts on the long journey back. (LOVE this-- one of the first fics I'd ever read; and still a favorite.)

Gillian Leigh's (MC) Visitor in the Desert (MC)

""You have no other proof?" he asked, seemingly disappointed.

"No," she said, quietly.

"I'm supposed to take the word of a total stranger as the Gospel Truth?" he asked, almost mockingly. "I'm sorry, Rhiannon. But in my line of work, I've learned not to trust people." Rhiannon's eyes filled with tears again, and she looked down at her hands before speaking again.

"If you don't stop Scully from giving William up from adoption, I am an example of what will become of every human being on this planet," she said, calmly. "I may look like a human being on the exterior, but I am thirty- three and one-third percent alien.""

Mulder gets a vision while hiding out in the desert-- a girl from the future warns him against Scully adopting out William. He rushes back, reclaims his family, and drags them all (and friends) to an underground bunker civilization preparing for Colonization-- where he finds not only Scully's brothers, but also Samantha. The girl in his vision keeps appearing to him, and is eventually revealed to his daughter.

Honorable Mentions

@we-mad-guys’s forgetting the future

Skinner, TLG, and the Scullys take turns caring for Will when his parents are forced to work out of town secretly on anti-Colonization measures. (Love this fic; but I already included it in my Dad!Mulder sports fics.)

WordsSpillFromMyOpenVeins_89’s Weekend At Martha’s Vineyard

A vacation at the Vineyard for Mulder, Scully, their son, and his dog (which leads up to a proposal.)

Beduini/beduini's Hurricane Season

Not a favorite, but it fits the bill. Featuring unresolved tensions and PTSD crackling between new parents Mulder and Scully and among the Scully family at large, this fic explodes with mess and tensions every chapter or so, forcing everyone to get along in the midst of a sudden hurricane.

AND~ my previous Dad!Mulder fic lists here--

S9 Mulder Stays or Returns While the Mytharc Barrels On  

Fics That Fit My Niche “Dad!Mulder” Likes 

MORE Fics That Fit My Niche “Dad!Mulder” Likes

Dad!Mulder, His “Mini Me"s, and Sports 

Thanks for reading~

Enjoy!

[lilydalexf]

I've been searching for a week for a fic i thought i saved but didn't...i don't remember what the post/summary said except that it was "extremely nc-17" of Mulder giving Scully oral... does this ring any bells? i know this is so vague lmao. Thank you for your amazing fic rec posts!

Thank YOU!

You might be looking for Driven Away by mimic117. Its summary (referring to Mulder and Scully): He's driving her crazy.

That fic's rating is not "extremely NC-17" when you look at the fic, but the Away series it's a part of is described that way by the author: This series ushered in the SexPig!Mulder category. Insistent, persistent, and doesn't take "later" for an answer. Not non-con or rape, just an insatiable man who wants what he wants when he wants it. All stories are extremely NC-17.

[audiofanficpod]

Jaded by Mimic117

Read by @msrtheatre0223

Please leave the author a comment if you enjoyed their story 😘

[xfilesfanficexchange]

✨Humbug Fanfiction Reading List✨

worship by tenius

in which workplace crushes evolve into something else entirely.

Saturday Morning by TabithaJean

Set in season 2, post Humbug. Saturday morning after movie night. Just a bit of Friday Fluff to help us all through lockdown....Honestly, I just like the idea that Mulder has nice things.

Truth is out Dare by AnonymousFijiMermaid

After a tough case, Mulder and Scully return to their office and find the best way to blow off steam is with an erotic game of Truth or Dare.

Something they Drank by @kikocrystalball 

Mulder and Scully have a movie night at Mulder’s place following the episode Humbug. They have a few drinks as they unwind and discuss the underlying current of the movie Mulder has chosen.

Entrenched by 2plumsandagherkin

From a Tumblr prompt where Mulder seduces Scully wearing nothing but a trench coat.

Nothing Wicked by @discordantwords

"Somehow I doubt that the late, great Hepcat Helm would put his stamp of approval on such an establishment."

Humbuggery by mimic117 [archived by spookyawards_archivist]

Everyone has to grow up sometime.

Humbug by @leiascully

Self-made freaks, she thought, their outsides polished into respectability. Humbug by @30xf

One Shot

Humbug by @scullywolf

One Shot

Gossamer Fics Tagged “Humbug”

[jamofappreciation]

Fan Fic Rec List Part 4

I love fic. I love all the writers on this list (and not on this list) and I want to thank them for continuing to write and give us amazing stories to read over and over. I’ve chosen this list based on the writers and stories that have stood out to me over the last months, though I love literally everything I reblog, so if you need more to read then definitely look there (under the ‘fanfic’ tag). 

- By the Dim and Flaring Lamps by @sunflowerseedsandscience​ - If you’re not reading this...well, I just don’t know what to say. It isn’t even finished yet but it’s already one of my favorite stories ever. Please, please, give this a read so you can wait with me in agony for each new chapter. :)

- Unquiet Grave by mimic117 - (15K, Rated NC-17) Basically a glorified one-bed fic where Mulder and Scully are caught in an abandoned house (or is it?) during a snow storm, forcing them to deal with “them.”

- Tiny by @baronessblixen​ - Written during the December fic challenge, this is a super sweet story involving William. It just leaves you warm and fuzzy and convinced that this is real life. 

- Phantom Pains by @skepticalshoulderpads​ - (M) Some seriously sexy phone action while Scully is missing Mulder.

- Imperfectly Perfect by @allyinthekeyofx​ - It takes something special to make All Things fic stand out since it’s been done so much, but this is just that. So special and sweet.

- Paracelsus by Prufrock’s Love - (~900K, NC-17) I needed something to satisfy my AU cravings in between chapters of By the Dim and Flaring Lamps, and @kateyes224 recommended this. It is another Civil War-era AU and it totally delivered. The tone and plot are completely different, but it’s amazing in its own way. It’s a long one, and tumultuous, and made me yell at our favorite characters several times, but in the end I loved it. (This link takes you to the first part, and there are three others).

- Chocolate Glazed with Sprinkles by @tatooedlaura-blog​ - This is short, a ‘Mulder coming over to veg at Scully’s’ story, and the details feel SO complete and right and cozy. It’s just one of those perfect glimpses at a day in the life of Mulder and Scully.

- How He Asked by @mangokiwitropicalswirl​ - (7 ch., M) All about wifegate up in here. :) I absolutely love this story!!

- Tabulae Anatomicae by @lepus-arcticus​ - (M) Okay so I was not convinced that I’d buy an art school AU, but now I’m shamelessly asking for a second chapter, event though I think I saw you say that you don’t generally do continuations. But please?? ;)

- Embers by @syntax6​ - I was sure I had rec’d this story before, but I can’t see that I have, so here you go. Seeing who the author is should be enough of an incentive to read, or read again. :)

[skullsmuldon]

Cycles series by prufrock's love

Half-Light by Elizabeth Rowandale {G} [R]

In Heels by bellefleur {G} [PG]

Mileage by mimic117 {G} [PG]

Playing the Game by Rowan Darkstar {G} [R]

Secret World by Bonetree {G}{M} [NC-17]

That’s the lost and found lost for protective Mulder Fics 🤗 @filemeunderx

Dark Mulder Fics?

Hey guys, I love when Mulder goes a little crazy trying to protect Scully. Can anyone recommend some good fics like that? Also if anyone doesn’t like being tagged, please let me know and I won’t tag you in the future. I don’t want to annoy anybody. : )

@baronessblixen @wholeperson @skullsmuldon @spookydarlablack @peacenik0 @frangipanidownunder @dana-katherine-sculder @gaycrouton @leiascully @lilydalexf @today-in-fic

[xfilesnews]

FanWorks Wednesdays - mimic117

by Keva Andersen

If you’ve ever needed help finding a fic you’ve read but can’t remember the full title or author, chances are this week’s author has helped you find it. Meet mimic117! She’s a wonderful author and also a prolific beta who helped shape some of your favorite stories. Mimic117 also runs The X-Files Lost and Found which is a great resource if you ever need help tracking down a story.

Look through her extensive list of work and you’ll find everything from casefiles, Mulder Torture, and heavy angst, to humor, family fic, and even an X-Men crossover. And there’s a little *ahem* adult activity as well if that’s what you’re looking for. One of my personal favorites is the “Chip Off the Old Block” series which brings Charlie Scully back into the picture shortly after the start of Season 9. But don’t let that S9 throw you, Mulder is still there. If terror is more your thing, “Only Skin Deep” dives into the mind of an obsessive stalker and it may just keep you up at night.

I could offer more recommendations of her work but this week I prefer to let our author do the talking. Mimic117 is a long-time member of the fandom and has done a lot to preserve many of the stories we first read on geocities and other sites that are now long-gone. We talked about writing, fandom, and how fanfiction has changed over the years and I hope you enjoy her perspective as much as I did.

How long have you been a Phile?

I didn't start watching the program until season 4 because Friday was always grocery shopping night. We only had one car so I didn't go shopping until Mr. Mims got home from work. Then we'd eat supper, throw the kids in the car, and not get back home until after 9 PM. I distinctly remember #1 son running inside to watch as soon as we pulled in, which is why he never helped unload groceries because "The X-Files is on!" He kept telling me how good it was and that I should watch. I finally got the chance when they moved to Sunday night and watched all the way through to the bitter end.

What was your first episode?

“F-Emasculata” – the one with the exploding boils. ~gag~ I have no idea why I continued after that but I did. I've always been more of a MOTW fan than the mytharc but I do wish they hadn't written so many with exploding boils and maggots.

How long have you been writing fic?

I actually had to look it up on Gossamer. LOL, I posted my first story in 2000. It seems like I wrote for a much longer time than that but I think overall it was almost 10 years. I just posted the second half of a story last year that was actually five years overdue, but nothing between about 2009 and then.

What inspired you to start writing?

I came to fanfic late too, and read obsessively for a good three years, encountering a lot of frogs in with the princes, before I said, "I can do better than that." I'm not really sure I did considering how out of character Mulder is in that first story, but the fire was lit and I just kept going. I like to think that leaving my oldest immature/flawed stories up helps to show how much my writing has improved but I have to admit it's kind of embarrassing when somebody recommends one of those.

Who is your favorite XF character to write?

Mulder. Always. I love his snarky dialog and the way he views the world. I was a lot less comfortable with Scully early on, although giving her the flu in "Getting By" was great fun, and using her POV in "Unfolding" felt very natural. I became more comfortable with her the older I got. I did a short piece from Frohike's POV in "Bare Ruin'd Choirs," which I really enjoyed, and I've got a decent start on a long piece from Doggett's POV. I've enjoyed being in his head and hope to get that one done some day.

Are there any XF characters you dislike or find too difficult to write?

As much as I like Skinner, I've never tried his POV because I'm not sure I understand him well enough. I'd be too afraid of getting him wrong. I've always disliked CSM and would never even consider writing from his POV. I'm not even sure I want to write about someone else encountering him. ~brr~ There are so many XF authors who do both beautifully that I'll leave these guys to them. I'm not sure I'd ever write Reyes either, for the same reasons as staying away from Skinner. She never appealed to me as a character.

Is there a story you're most proud of or that's a favorite?

Geez, that's like asking which son I like best. In general, I tend to like my original-character stories best. Maybe that's because *everyone* writes M and S and Sk, but only I write my OCs. Out of the stories I've done, I think I'm most proud of "Only Skin Deep," the stalker story. That was a very intense piece to write for many reasons, most of them having to do with getting inside the head of an obsessive psycho stalker. I loved it in there! It also scared the crap out of me. I've always read mysteries/casefiles, both in fanfic and RL novels, and I've wanted to write one for years. This story gave me the chance to try, even in a short format, and I found out how hard it is. I had to figure out all of the mechanics of the casefile, set the pacing, deliver the thoughts and dialog, make sure there weren't any loose ends – it took close to a year to complete. I'd have to say it was worth the work and this is probably my favorite story as a result. I've had a sequel planned for years but now that I know what to expect from getting into Julie's head, I'm finding it hard to commit.

With so many archives to choose from these days, where is the best place to find your work?

I've still got my own site, recently stripped down, renovated, and moved off Wordpress (I HATED the way the stories were displayed there!). http://mimicsmusings.com  I decided the overhaul was needed when Gossamer stopped updating and I realized that I'd forgotten how to post at Wordpress. LOL, I know a lot of authors are gravitating to Archive of Our Own these days, but I prefer to keep as much as I can in one place. That used to be Gossamer, but my newest stories were missing from there and my old site, so moving it seemed like a good idea. I may get around to adding my stuff on AO3 when I need a new challenge. I do have a Live Journal but there's not a blessed thing on it. In fact, the screen even says, "Nothing to see here. Move along please."

You've been well known in the fandom for a long time, do you still write for XF or have your skills been focused elsewhere?

As I mentioned before, I haven't written anything in about 6 years, other than to finish something that was due 5 years ago. When I hit my senior level of college around 2008, I started having less time and motivation to write fic. Then I went on to grad school in 2011 and lost what little urge I had left. All of my writing was focused on my thesis, but I often looked longingly at my stash of WIPs and wished I could work on them instead. I've been out of school for almost three years now and have only picked at old stories every so often. I suspect if other things in my life ever settle down, I'll definitely go back to it. I've got a solid dozen WIPs on my hard drive and new ideas aren't gone, just the urge to write them down.

Is there anything in particular that caused you to stop writing?

Grad school, plus Mr. Mims needing two major surgeries in as many years, were the first things to put a real crimp in my fic writing. Trying to come up with ways of earning a living so that he can retire without having to worry about bills. Branching out into photography, which didn't go quite the way I'd hoped but did satisfy my creative urge. Just kind of life, in general, some days. In an old interview that's up on my website, I said I didn't see myself stopping. Ever. Boy, when I get it wrong...!

Have you written your own original characters outside of fandom?

I've had a supernatural mystery/thriller in process for a good 20 years now. The heroine is weak and I haven't even written a hero yet. The best thing about it is the bad guy and the secondary characters. I've written an entire scene with the villain and another with the bit players but other than that, the novel is going nowhere fast. I suspect I'm not cut out to be a best-selling novelist.

Anything you’d like to share about your writing process?

I've never been a very efficient writer, but grad school taught me a lot about what works for me and gave me a couple of better habits. I've only ever written one outline because the research paper I was doing would have been hell to keep straight without it. For most other pieces I write what comes to me, as it comes to me, then stitch it together when I've got enough. Sometimes this means that I've written something good but put it in the wrong place, so moving text "Legos" is a big part of the process. If things get too complicated, I've even printed out a piece, cut it apart, and then taped it in the right order. I often finish the end first, because I have to know where I'm going. Sometimes it changes, most of the time it doesn't. Many stories come to me through the title. The right one will tell me what the story is about, so I usually have the title before I even start writing. Other than that, it's a question of not pushing it. Trying to force myself to write often means not being able to write, so if I'm not in the mood or the words won't come, I do something else unless that changes.

What do you find most difficult about writing?

Getting started. I'm always beginning pieces in my head, then something comes up so that I can't write it down. I frequently get great ideas/lines as I'm trying to fall asleep, which means I either have to get back up and write it down or accept that it'll be gone in the morning. Getting started is a daily struggle when actually in the process too. Our brains are lazy and will find anything to avoid doing what we want. The Internet is great for wasting time so when I'm writing, I can't even go online for a few minutes or I'll be there for hours.

Do you have a favorite author? (fanfic or published!)

Another "pick a favorite child" question! I think I need to split this up a bit. Published authors: Since I'm a huge mystery/thriller fan, right now my favorites are Sandra Brown and Mark de Castrique. I got free books by both through daily download sites and I'm hooked. Sandra does really good romantic thriller characters, and Mark has two incredible thriller series set in NC with amazing characters and settings. I've read every book he's published and I'm jonesing for more.

Fanfic authors: This one is really really tough. For overall quality of plot, dialog, characters, settings, etc. it's gotta be aka "Jake." Her casefiles are so spot-on I can see them as if I'm watching the show. Brandon Ray is right up there, too. He really understands Scully and writes her so well a lot of readers didn't realize he was a guy. David Hearne is the master of humor and quirkiness. dee_ayy, Jo-Ann Lassiter, and Peggy did medical Mulder!Torture that isn't over the top. Yeah, picking one ain't gonna happen. LOL, I've heard of some really good newer authors, too. I need to check out some of them.

Is there any advice you'd give to aspiring writers?

Go for it. If you sit around wondering if you should, you can save time by just jumping in and doing it. Don't try to figure the "right" way to work. Do it your way, and do it whenever you have time, even if it's just a few minutes in between doing something else.

When you're not writing, think about what you want to write. Go over it in your mind, set up the dialog, see the scenes, then consciously put it away. When you sit down to write again, something will be there. It might not be exactly what you were thinking of, but you'll have something. This is what your brain does best. It's often called the "Eureka!" effect, but it's really just your subconscious working in the background. Trust it and learn to rely on it.

Don't fight the story. I think the biggest mistake fic writers (especially) make is asking "What do I want these characters to do?" If you're working with canon characters, the question should be "What *would* these characters do?" All characters have their own personalities, motivations, moral sense, background, especially characters that were created for a show. Know who your characters are, even the ones you create yourself. You'll only use a tiny portion of their background, but you have to know it ahead of time so you'll know how they would react in a particular situation. I found many times that a story I was having trouble with came from not listening to what the characters wanted to do. That usually meant I was trying to go in the wrong direction, and once I listened to the character, the writing became easier.

Do you think fic has changed over the years? You run a popular message board, X-Files Lost and Found, that helps track down missing fic....has the demand for that changed at all?

Oh, fic has definitely changed! For one thing, NoRoMo was the accepted standard back in the early days of the fandom. Shippers were the minority, and not necessarily well thought of. After the first movie, things started to swing the other way until the 'ship was the primary genre for XF fic and UST fell by the wayside. The advent of binge watching the series on DVD/Netflix/whatever resulted in a new genre of fic based on M&S-were-meant-to-be-together-and-have-a-baby (or a bunch of them). The newer writers didn't experience the weekly relationship struggle and sort of just skipped right to doing the wild thing and having William. The fic coming out of this viewpoint is radically different from the previous 15 years or more of Phile fic.

All of the message boards are seeing less traffic these days, although Lost & Found can always count on someone showing up with a description or title for us to hunt down. It appears the action is now on Tumblr and AO3 rather than L&F or Haven, but there's still enough interest to make it worth keeping the board open. My only problem is that I haven't read a lot of the newer authors so my rep as a fic-finding guru is suffering.

Anything else you'd like to share that I missed?

I'd like to extend a challenge to all Philes – help us save the stories. Yes, AO3 is doing a fantastic job of archiving these days, but they can't possibly hang onto everything out there. It seems like it's mostly new stories being added, while a lot of the older fic either languishes in obscurity or disappears into a black hole. Slash and Doggett fiction have always been the ugly ducklings in the fandom, which makes those kinds of stories much harder to find. Something that each of us can do is to create collections of fic on our computers, in a cloud storage device, or elsewhere. If you like a particular story, save it, then track down the rest of what the author wrote and save that too. A few of us are still gathering old sites to rebuild and we always need people who can either find a fic or have a copy to share. Some day the fandom may be mostly on peoples' hard drives, but at least it would still exist. This is one of the longest-running fandoms out there. Let's do our best to keep it that way.

Thanks to mimic117 for talking with us!

[skullsmuldon]

different anon here but i also want to get more into the world of fan fic and was looking for your recommendations. I love me some quality msr fluffy smut ;)

Okay so there is like a ton of fic... http://www.2momsmakearight.com/post/154151612183/my-fanfic-master-posthttp://raytracings.xffics.com/AllMyRecs5.htmlhttp://2close4comfort.xphilefic.com/hotels.html Or you can always search on http://fluky.gossamer.org/author.htmlI like Karen rasch, mimic117, sara b., Erin m Blair,shannono fics... and I know I'm missing so many other great writers...

[randomfoggytiger]

X-Files Collector's Edition: Friendship Fix (According to Various Authors) Part 1

Mulder and Scully didn't just gaze into each other's eyes and fall madly in love-- they had a relationship built on friendship before their switch flipped. These fics are a collection of different authorial takes on that friendship.

Loose chronological order below~

@we-mad-guys

Mulder is still distrustful of Scully; but she gives him a genuine compliment when they run into each other at the mall.

@sarie-fairy (Ao3)

Scully is still distant from her werid new partner; but she is still going to reach out to support him during an emotionally fraught meeting.

@ringsidehoney/kittenscully

Mulder is tense when Scully comes to his apartment for the first time. She, unlike Diana, likes it. (Ao3)

Solia (FFN)

Scully hates the sneers Mulder endures from his peers, feeling pressured to stand up for him. She does. (FFN)

@mldrgrl (Ao3)

Mulder engages Scully in a stakeout car game, fuming over her first crush and telling her his pet names.

Scully pet sits ONCE and Mulder's fish dies. She runs around trying to replace it in the 15 min. she has until his return.

@scullysexual/PostApocolypticAlien

Scully only sleeps on Mulder's shoulder in moving vehicles. (Ao3)

Scully shoves an agent mocking Mulder.

Mulder's nightmare drives him to call Scully. She talks to him all night.

Scully re-wraps Mulder's sloppy gift; and is surprised it's for her.

@debbierhea/thexfilesbabe/i-am-alittle-on-edge (WBM)

Mulder enjoys Scully "spying"-- she sees him all too clearly, and doesn't hold anything against him.

@msrafterdark (Ao3)

Scully is so stressed after a bad date that Mulder covers for her at work.

Alcott

Scully supports her dying friend. Mulder is shaken at how peaceful her passing was.

@muldertxf (Ao3)

Mulder has a no show witness-- but he runs into Scully, they dance, and he drives her home. (Ao3)

@melforbes/@claup/everydaymsr (Ao3, WBM)

Mulder surprises his new partner with a Christmas gift, sending Scully into a last-minute shopping spree.

@minuete-blog (Ao3)

Mulder tells Scully about his failure to save a little girl. She assures him he at least brought her family justice.

Scully and Mulder help a pooped-out Frohike after his intesively unsuccessful surveillance. (Ao3)

@agent-starbuck (Ao3, WBM)

Mulder and Scully swap never-done-before trivia.

Mulder concludes that North Dakota stares back at you.

mimic117 (Gossamer, xflostnfound)

Mulder is sent on a period run for Scully; and wants to shoot the perky assistant.

@scully/humancredentials's

Mulder is incredibly smug that competitive Scully is losing in a board game.

I would continue; but life (and sanity) is cutting me short. Rest assured, this project will be completed soon~

In the meantime--

Enjoy!

[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 Piper Sargasso

Piper Sargasso has 25 stories at Gossamer, but don’t miss her website where the fics each have cover collage art. If you are a fan of Mulder/Scully romance, there are a lot of MSR fics to read that are set in different seasons of the show. But like the show that never stuck to one type of story, Piper’s stories have variety, so you can also find AUs and /Other.  Big thanks to Piper for doing this interview.

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)?

It does, but I love that people are still into it! Writers back in the day put so much work and love into their writing, and it's nice to know that the stories are still being appreciated to this day. As for my own stories, it puts a huge smile on my face to know there are still people out there checking them out and hopefully enjoying them.

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

It was such a positive period of my life. I made some amazing friends who became something like older sisters (and some brothers) to me, even though I was a little ridiculous when I was in my early to mid-twenties. It was also a much-needed confidence booster. I was a pretty shy person and loved writing, but never had the nerve to show anything to anyone. My first fanfic was completely horrible, but because of it I made my first XF friend and super beta, Mimic117. Between her guidance and the encouraging words from my Yahoo group I was able to do something I really loved and felt great about myself and my abilities for the first time. That will stay with me forever. That first story was truly atrocious, but it was a catalyst for great things in my life when I needed them the most.

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.)?

I remember trying this cool new thing called an AOL chat room, but they were more interested in perving on each other than talking about the show. Once I knew about fanfiction I kept seeing that some of my favorite authors kept mentioning IWTBXF in their notes, a Yahoo group named I Want to Believe. I looked it up, joined, and with great trepidation made my introductory post. Everyone was so warm and welcoming, and talking to my favorite authors in the group was a little like meeting a celebrity and finding out that they're awesome in real life. After IWTBXF fell apart, an off-shoot called Beyond the Sea was created with almost all of the original group transferring over. I stuck to my little family there and didn't branch out into much else, other than the rare dip into Haven. Ephemeral and Gossamer, of course.

What did you take away from your experience with X-Files fic or with the fandom in general?

Mostly the overwhelming feeling of acceptance and confidence to write, something I was sorely lacking before in my life. I fell in with the best group, that's for sure! They made me feel like being a professional writer could be an achievable goal.

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

The commercial advertising. The pilot spoke to my supernatural-loving, angsty 15 year-old soul. I watched it religiously every week. There was nothing like it. It was off-beat, but serious (most of the time) and fulfilled my insatiable craving for the paranormal and weird. You just couldn't get that from Melrose Place and Beavis and Butthead, you know? It definitely helped that David Duchovny was adorable and the character of Scully was the strong and intelligent icon we needed in the 90's and beyond.

What got you involved with X-Files fanfic?

In high school I had a friend who was as obsessed with the show as I was. Maybe more, since she once had a slumber party that was exclusively to binge watch her taped episodes (the other girls who wanted to mess around with spells and the Ouija board weren't thrilled that she couldn't be swayed away from it) and she often drove me from play rehearsals in her convertible with the top down and the theme song blasting to the heavens, much to my delight and mortification. A couple years after we graduated she told me about the piece of fanfic she wrote. Insert a record screech here. What?! You mean there are thousands of stories dedicated to my favorite show? And hundreds more get added every month?! I was obsessed. If I could've stopped working and slept at my computer desk I would have.

What is your relationship like now to X-Files fandom?

Sadly it's nonexistent these days. I have great memories and it holds a big piece of my heart, but I haven't been active in a long time. I would love to see a huge revival, and would definitely want to be involved in that in some way, were it to happen.

Were you involved with any fandoms after the X-Files? If so, what was it like compared to X-Files?

I read a lot of Harry Potter fanfiction for a while, but I never could expend the kind of energy and time I did for the X-Files fandom. It came at a perfect time in my life, and so far nothing else has measured up to it.

Who are some of your favorite fictional characters? Why?

Besides XF characters? Off the top of my head I really love Hermione Granger, Buffy Summers, Elizabeth Bennet, and Claire Fraser for their sass and strength of character, Severus Snape for his complexity, and Christina Ricci's version of Wednesday Addams for her pure awesomeness. She's pretty much my spirit animal.

Do you ever still watch The X-Files or think about Mulder and Scully?

I do occasionally. I watched the series from season 1-7 so many times that I started to burn out, but I get on my X-Files kicks sometimes and binge it again.

Do you ever still read X-Files fic? Fic in another fandom?

Like with the show, I'll get nostalgic and need to consume all the fanfics my greedy little eyes can behold until I move on to something else. It can feel a little lonely though, if you'll excuse the drama. We're not in the heyday anymore, so it feels a little like walking through a ghost town. Many of the stories out there are suspended in time because the show ended, or people stopped writing.

Do you have any favorite X-Files fanfic stories or authors?

I know I have dozens, but I'm drawing a blank. My ultimate favorite is any well-written MSR casefile with UST finally resulting in RST. Those are my unicorns!

What is your favorite of your own fics, X-Files and/or otherwise?

I have a silly one called Baby, It's Cold Outside that I sometimes read around Christmastime. It was a fluffy song-fic, but I can see the scene so clearly in my mind when I read it and it's just pure fun. I also like my Donnie Pfaster series. I can see the potential in my writing with those, which makes me feel I could really write something special someday. Plus, he's such an interesting little slimeball to write and read about. Bless his heart.

Do you think you'll ever write another X-Files story? Or dust off and post an oldie that for whatever reason never made it online?

I still think about the two WIPs I haven't finished. I wrote myself into a corner with This Mortal Coil, and honestly I think it needs a total overhaul. I think Dana Scully's Diary would be a fun one to finish. I hate that I never finished them.

Do you still write fic now? Or other creative work?

I think about writing fanfic now and then and I've had a couple original novels sketched out, but there are so many other demands on my time that I haven't gotten very far. I still plan to see the novels through, even if no one but interested friends and family read them.  

Where do you get ideas for stories?

I used to watch an episode and really study the actors' expressions and actions, always trying to find new angles to the stories we all know. A lot of times things would just come to me and I'd get so excited I couldn't sleep until I wrote a good chunk of it down.

What's the story behind your pen name?

The friend who introduced me to fanfic told me the best way to choose a pen name was to make sure it derives from the show. For a couple days I looked at the titles and summaries of episodes and agonized over just the right name. Finally Piper Maru and the summary from Triangle, which mentions the Sargasso sea, stood out and just clicked.

Do your friends and family know about your fic and, if so, what have been their reactions?

My now husband always knew, and he thought it was cool that I had a hobby that made me so happy, but he was never a reader. My parents found out when I was about 24 and my step-dad would tell EVERYONE about it, much to my horror. Most reactions were of the bland, "Oh yeah? That's nice." variety but I definitely got some weird looks from others. The worst was when I found out how much of my racier MSR stories my parents read. My step-dad thought it was hilarious and teased me a little. My usually open-minded mom was uncomfortable, but tried to be supportive. It's all fun and games until your daughter starts writing psuedo-erotica for anyone to see!

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

Circe Invidiosa very generously hosts a page for me at http://pipers.invidiosa.com.

(Posted by Lilydale on January 26, 2021)

[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 aka "Jake"

aka "Jake" has 83 stories at Gossamer, but don't miss her website for fics because a number of them come with cover images and/or illustrations you can't see at Gossamer. She's written some of the most epic and well-known stories in the fandom, including Abaddon's Reign and The Mastodon Diaries. Big thanks to aka "Jake" for doing this interview.

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)?

It does surprise me! It just goes to show the series has amazing staying power and there are many excellent writers in the fandom who were able to capture the essence of Mulder and Scully and expand on XF canon every bit as successfully as the writers of the TV show. Some even more so.

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

Like any online community, there were upsides and downsides. But what impressed me most were the lasting friendships that spilled into real life. Overall, the folks I encountered in the fandom were kind, helpful, talented, and inspiring. I’m still in contact with many of them and even meet up regularly with a couple of people who I consider my closest friends now, though we live far apart. Readers could be especially encouraging, poking authors with virtual sticks to get them to write more and faster. An amazing group called the Mastoholics formed to spur me on while I was posting The Mastodon Diaries as a work in progress. Several of them traveled to my house for a mini-con after the story was finished. Other folks called betas provided invaluable editing advice to authors. I was lucky to have several very good ones, but especially appreciated mimic117 and xdksfan. They went beyond proofreading; they pointed out confusing passages, missing plot points, and anything that seemed OOC (out of character). This polishing was a vital step before posting. To think they did it for nothing but the love of fanfic. It was a considerable time commitment.

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.)?

There were several key sites for posting and discussing fic when I started writing in 1997. These included Ephemeral, Gossamer, and Haven. Several sites issued writing challenges, like Haven, The Project, and The Church of X. Others gave out awards, like P1013 [Lilydale note: short for Prometheus1013] and the Spookys. I Made This! Productions invited authors, including me, to write episodes for virtual seasons of the show. I recall joining a couple of listservs early on, too.

What did you take away from your experience with X-Files fic or with the fandom in general?

Overall, it was an uplifting experience. My writing improved tremendously thanks to honest feedback and several key collaborations, particularly with co-authors Brandon D. Ray and the Secret Squirrels. I’d never written anything longer than an office memo when I started my first fic. I had nowhere to go but up. These gifted and generous authors helped me grow as a writer. Collaborating with them made the experience of writing even more creative, exciting, and special.

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

The first episode I watched was The Field Where I Died. It hooked me immediately. Back then, there was no way to go back and watch the earlier episodes. It wasn’t until several years later I was finally able to watch the first 3 seasons on DVDs.

What got you involved with X-Files fanfic?

I stumbled upon Ephemeral where I read a fic called Acadia by RivkaT, which was set in Acadia National Park in Maine. If I recall correctly, it was a casefile with an emphasis on Mulder and Scully’s relationship. It felt like an episode of the show. I was thrilled to find a seemingly endless supply of XF stories that allowed me to extend my enjoyment of the TV series. It wasn’t long before I considered writing a story myself, a case file, although as mentioned above, I had no previous writing experience, just the desire to write down and share my ideas about Mulder and Scully.

What is your relationship like now to X-Files fandom?

I haven’t been active in the fandom for quite some time. I have no idea where writers post or readers go to find fic. That said, to keep my mind off the pandemic and other disheartening news this year, I began writing a new fic, which I plan to add to my site in September.

Were you involved with any fandoms after the X-Files? If so, what was it like compared to X-Files?

No, I never joined any other fandoms.

Who are some of your favorite fictional characters? Why?

Sadly, no fictional characters have captured my heart and attention the way Mulder and Scully did.

Do you ever still watch The X-Files or think about Mulder and Scully?

Yes, I do still watch XF. Before Seasons 10-11 aired, I rewatched the entire series and both movies. I enjoy the stories as much now as I did back in the day.

Do you ever still read X-Files fic? Fic in another fandom?

No, not for ages. I’ve never read any stories from other fandoms.

Do you have any favorite X-Files fanfic stories or authors?

There are so many great authors and I’m hesitant to name them for fear of leaving someone out and hurting their feelings. Like a lot of fic writers, I was inspired by Prufrock’s Love beautiful way with words. Mountainphile wrote taut, realistic case files that I admired. David Hearne took on unique perspectives. To name just three.

What is your favorite of your own fics, X-Files and/or otherwise?

I think my best writing may be in my long, post-col story Abaddon’s Reign. The story I most enjoyed writing was The Case of the Exuberant G-Man. It was a fun story that seemed to write itself.

Do you think you'll ever write another X-Files story? Or dust off and post an oldie that for whatever reason never made it online?

As mentioned above, I’m finishing up a new fic now and plan to post it on my site on or near the anniversary of the airdate of Season 1’s episode Squeeze. My story takes place in 2023, 30 years after Eugene Tooms was mangled to death in an elevator. I wanted to explore the idea of Tooms returning. How would that be possible? And what would Mulder’s and Scully’s lives be like five years after losing their son at the hands of CGB Spender and learning Scully was pregnant once again? I honestly thought I’d never write another fic but here we are.

Where do you get ideas for stories?

Often from the unanswered questions left by the show, the off-screen scenes we didn’t get to see.

Do your friends and family know about your fic and, if so, what have been their reactions?

The majority, no. Years ago, I told my sister I was writing XF fanfic and she looked at me like I’d grown two heads. We didn’t speak of it again. More recently, my sister-in-law discovered my work. She’s a big XF fan and still reads fanfic, so her reaction was very accepting. Back in the early days, fanfic wasn’t considered serious writing and had a pretty bad reputation, which honestly didn’t jibe with the truly fine quality of some of the writing in the fandom. Sure, it wasn’t all good but there were some real gems.

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

All of my stories are on my site at akajake.net.

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

Just that I’m pleased there are folks like you who are helping to continue the tradition and fun! Thank you for interviewing me and giving me the opportunity to stroll down memory lane.

(Posted by Lilydale on September 1, 2020)

[txf-fic-chicks-blog]

Post Colonization / AU Tuesday

*Insert imaginary gif of Patty and Kristin doing the happy dance* 

Philes, we have another Master Post for you!  We don’t know about you, but we are obsessed with lists of fantastic fic, because what better way to keep track of great fic to read/reread??

A quickie reminder: this list is really a mixed bag.  We have pre-colonization, current colonization, post colonization, and, of course, alternate universe. Now, we here at Txf Fic Chicks consider pretty much anything that strays away from what we know as canon to be AU (secretly, some of our favies are season 8&9 rewrites, though), so it covers a vast amount of fic. 

Save this list, Philes, as it’s months worth of stories in one post.  And as always, the links take you to our original posts that contain the rating, length, and trigger warnings.

Love you, mean it xo

Hurricane Season by Rah and Beduini 

Abaddon’s Reign by Aka Jake

Song of Innocence by Christy

A Boy and His Fox by 6hoursgirl

The Other Man by Jess M.

White Ink by Bonetree

Fathom’s Five by Penumbra

All the Mulders by Alloway

The Seventh Age by David Hearne

One One-thousand by Nevdull

Lives Reclaimed by Vickey Mosely and Donna

Running Lessons by Maybeamanda and Spookey247

After the Future by Donna

Glass Landscape by Annie Sewell-Jennings

All Which It Inherit by Brandon D. Ray

Atomic-Powered Sex by Ten

Before Them by Donna

The Family G-Man by Neoxphile and FelineFemme

Rocky Mountain Interlude by Char Chaffin and Tess

The Unfinished Universe by Revely

Night Giving Off Flames by Jet

Eines Tages by Revilo Witts

Patient by Gwendolyn

Tempo by Jess

False Memories by Zuffy

Portions of Eternity by Dianora

Beating the Darkness Back by Anjou

Mexican Fried Ice Cream by Mish

Meeting Charlie by Donna

Where There’s a Will by Andrea

Chip Off the Old Block by Mimic117

A Madness Called Love by David Hearne

Winterlong Series by Neoxphile

Smoke on the Horizon by Paige Caldwell

Operation Clean House / Won and Lost by Sarah Segretti and Branwell

The Eleventh Hour by Rachel Anton

Full Reward by Bonetree

Foux by Alanna

Diary of the Second Holocaust by Megan Reilly

Wearing Icicles by Annie Sewell-Jennings

Last Call by Frogdoggie

Cunegund’s Restoration, or, The Best of All Possible Worlds, Really by Livia Balaban

[txf-fic-chicks-blog]

Casefile Monday

Happy Monday, or as we are calling it this week, Casefile Monday Recap!  We know how you guys love these posts, recapping every recommended subgenre fic we’ve rec’d thus far.  It makes for some great reading, and is especially great if you’re like us and prefer to stay home and read rather than have an active social life. 

The list is long, as some of these rec’s are all the way from last March.  March! Almost a year ago!  We aren’t sure what to say about the fact that we’ve been posting fic recommendations that we’ve actually read and loved almost daily for almost a year...  Let’s put a positive spin on it and call us dedicated. 

There are some seriously amazing stories listed below, and we know you haven’t read all of them.  So, get comfy (we suggest sweatpants and a vintage feel t-shirt with fuzzy socks and a glass of wine/champagne), scroll through to find one you haven’t had the chance to enjoy yet, and READ. 

Please note: each link takes you back to the original post which provides you with the length, rating, trigger warnings, and our occasionally witty intro. 

Brought to You by the Letter X by Stablergirl

Finding Rokovoko by Prufrock’s Love

Locusts by Synnerx

A Thin Veneer by Analise

Secret Santa by Jennifer Marie Brady

Speechless and Perfect by Anjou

Chips of When by Alanna

Things Intangible by Mimic117

Acadia by @rivkat​

“Malus Genius, vel Hoc Lemma Nequiquam Latine Scribitur" (The Evil Spirit, or This Title Is Written In Latin for No Reason) by MaybeAmanda and Plausible Deniability

Antidote by Rachel Howard and Karen Rasch

Yo Creo by Elanor G

1000 Rainy Days by R. L. Montoya

Above Rubies by Rachel Howard

Renovatio by MaybeAmanda and Lisby

Waiting in Motion by Mountainphile

Heart’s Desire by @malibu-x-blog

The Ghost of You by Julie Fortune

Gypsy by Rachel Howard

Miraculous Manifestation by Mountainphile

Silver Cornet by Bonetree

The Professional by @dashakay and Plausible Deniability

Sticks and Stones by Aka Jake

Tabula Rasa by dtg

What Happens to the Dreamers by Buckingham

Spooked by Suzanne Bickerstaffe and Melody

Theory and Practice by Nascent

 A Case of Compromise by Joann Humby

The Second-to-Last 7-11 by Sab and Punk Maneuverability 

Empathy by Swikstr

All the Way Home by @syntax6

Head Over Heels by @syntax6

Every Evil by @syntax6

Backlash by Joann Humby

Lacuna by @aloysiavirgata

Desideratum by Rachel Anton and Laura Blaurosen

Mind Games by Spider

Kinesthesia by Amy (Spookey247)

Basketball Therapy by Kel

Seeds of Synchronicity by Mountainphile

Bonus:

We are throwing in an extra because the casefile is THAT amazing, and it’s honestly our absolute favorite casefile.  Like ever. 

Homicidal Tendencies by Swikstr

[skullsmuldon]

Fan fic anon here! I like MSR and Gillovny, smut, fluffy and minor angst if it ends happily. Thanks for taking the time!

Okay so here we go http://www.2momsmakearight.com/post/154151612183/my-fanfic-master-posthttp://raytracings.xffics.com/AllMyRecs5.htmlhttp://2close4comfort.xphilefic.com/hotels.htmlOr you can always search on http://fluky.gossamer.org/author.htmlI like Karen rasch, mimic117, sara b., Erin m Blair,shannono fics… and I know I’m missing so many other great writers…Also for rpf go to http://archiveofourown.org/tags/The%20X-Files%20RPF/works?commit=Sort+and+Filter&page=1&utf8=✓&work_search%5Bcomplete%5D=0&work_search%5Blanguage_id%5D=1&work_search%5Bother_tag_names%5D=&work_search%5Bquery%5D=&work_search%5Bsort_column%5D=revised_at Have fun 🤗

[txf-fic-chicks-blog]

Post Colonization / AU Tuesday

Philes, we wanted to apologize for not posting yesterday.  With all of the Halloween festivities between the two of us, we needed to take the day off.  But we are back today with some serious AU goodness, and it appears the fandom needs it right now.  

In today’s recommendation, Charlie Scully is exactly how we love to picture him: the fun younger brother who’s super tight with Scully and quickly bonds with Mulder and William (yes, there is quite a bit of domestic!Mulder and Scully). 

Bonus: there’s a twist/crossover at the end that we totally didn’t see coming, but thoroughly enjoyed :)

Title:  Chip Off the Old Block 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Author:  Mimic117

Rating: PG-NC-17

Length: 157K / Word Count: 80,000 +

Synopsis:   Scully learns something she didn't know about her younger brother.  But is she ready to believe?

Spoilers:  Through Season 8

Possible Triggers:   References of rape in part 4, though not graphic.