X-men fic recs
After seeing the films, I realised that there was as much chance of getting Gen in this fandom as there was in Merlin. It's there, but it's seriously difficult to find, and Sturgeon's Law means there's very little to go on. Instead, as in Merlin, I've been skimming everything, looking for stories that focus on character and plot rather than romance. And there's not a bad number of these.
Also, while I came to X-men in the first place because of Gambit, I am definitely staying because of Charles. A main character who's British and a telepath? Be still my heart. Although at some point, I will write a long ranty post about how higher education in Oxford doesn't work like that. A good amount of handwavium is required to get me through those parts of the film.
Anyway, while I've read more than this, and have more bookmarked at AO3, these are the fics that have stayed with me:
The 'if you read nothing else' rec:
Gods and Monsters by ashurbadaktu
Summary: Charles teaches Erik a lesson about power the hard way.
Rec: askjf;slkjfklasddjf;a.
Ahem.
Yes. This. The amiable portrayal of Charles in the first film, and his fragility in the second mean we warm to him. What I like is that fandom took what the film gave them in terms of his powers and ran with it, showing just how damn scary he really is, or could be, if he were a different man. The story's short but packs a serious punch.
~
Boden's Mate by Kaydeefalls
Summary: "Shaw has information that we need, and we need him alive to extract it," Moira says, and there it is: the job is on the table. Extraction.
XMFC/Inception fusion AU. Erik is an extractor, Alex is his point man. They're assembling a team to go after the most dangerous mind in dreamsharing: Sebastian Shaw. But unless Alex and the team can keep him in check, Erik's desire for vengeance might just rip the whole job apart around them -- and then there's the shade that haunts his dreams...
[Authors notes contain warnings]
Rec: One of the fun things about coming into a new fandom is that you start recognising names, and so have a starting place for reading. I remember Kaydeefalls from Torchwood fandom, and the fic's only got better. I've never seen Inception but didn't need to. This is a brilliant fusion - another thing I have a weakness for - with a taut plot and tight writing. The cleverness of translating powers into skills in the dreamscape really pulled me in, and I'm setting some time aside to read the sequel as well.
~
Meta-Sexual (or How Deadpool Failed to Get Charles and Erik to Declare Their Undying Love For Each Other) by IrenaK
Summary: "I ship Cherik," Wade tells him, as if this explains everything. "I've even got a t-shirt that says so."
Rec: I'm not a Deadpool reader (and the new film is far too violent for me), but I know him from cameos in other comics and wow, the author has caught him perfectly. Not to be read in public due to likelihood of giggling.
~
Nickel Content by Unforgotten
Summary:"Oh, there you are, Charles," Erik says in a slurred voice. Then, "Do you know what this is, Charles?"
It's then that Charles notices the coin that is orbiting Erik's outstretched fingers one by one.
~~~~
In which Erik is talky/depressive when drunk, and somewhat obsessive over the coin he carries in his pocket.
Rec: When you're researching for writing, you sometimes stumble across something that just DEMANDS to be a fic all of its own. I love how the author takes a titbit of information and crafts something perfectly in character and suitably chilling.
~
fathers and sons by M_Leigh
Summary: "I have an - interest - in Peter Maximoff," Erik said, somewhat grudgingly, glaring. "A - familial - interest -"
Everybody stared at him.
"In that - mutantkind is one - large - family -" Erik said valiantly, if pathetically.
"Oh, shit," Alex said. "No way. No way."
Rec: Normally I shy away from stories like this, but Quicksilver more or less stole the movie, so who doesn't want more? Also, the character voices sounded exactly right to me, and it made me smile.
Also, while I came to X-men in the first place because of Gambit, I am definitely staying because of Charles. A main character who's British and a telepath? Be still my heart. Although at some point, I will write a long ranty post about how higher education in Oxford doesn't work like that. A good amount of handwavium is required to get me through those parts of the film.
Anyway, while I've read more than this, and have more bookmarked at AO3, these are the fics that have stayed with me:
The 'if you read nothing else' rec:
Gods and Monsters by ashurbadaktu
Summary: Charles teaches Erik a lesson about power the hard way.
Rec: askjf;slkjfklasddjf;a.
Ahem.
Yes. This. The amiable portrayal of Charles in the first film, and his fragility in the second mean we warm to him. What I like is that fandom took what the film gave them in terms of his powers and ran with it, showing just how damn scary he really is, or could be, if he were a different man. The story's short but packs a serious punch.
~
Boden's Mate by Kaydeefalls
Summary: "Shaw has information that we need, and we need him alive to extract it," Moira says, and there it is: the job is on the table. Extraction.
XMFC/Inception fusion AU. Erik is an extractor, Alex is his point man. They're assembling a team to go after the most dangerous mind in dreamsharing: Sebastian Shaw. But unless Alex and the team can keep him in check, Erik's desire for vengeance might just rip the whole job apart around them -- and then there's the shade that haunts his dreams...
[Authors notes contain warnings]
Rec: One of the fun things about coming into a new fandom is that you start recognising names, and so have a starting place for reading. I remember Kaydeefalls from Torchwood fandom, and the fic's only got better. I've never seen Inception but didn't need to. This is a brilliant fusion - another thing I have a weakness for - with a taut plot and tight writing. The cleverness of translating powers into skills in the dreamscape really pulled me in, and I'm setting some time aside to read the sequel as well.
~
Meta-Sexual (or How Deadpool Failed to Get Charles and Erik to Declare Their Undying Love For Each Other) by IrenaK
Summary: "I ship Cherik," Wade tells him, as if this explains everything. "I've even got a t-shirt that says so."
Rec: I'm not a Deadpool reader (and the new film is far too violent for me), but I know him from cameos in other comics and wow, the author has caught him perfectly. Not to be read in public due to likelihood of giggling.
~
Nickel Content by Unforgotten
Summary:"Oh, there you are, Charles," Erik says in a slurred voice. Then, "Do you know what this is, Charles?"
It's then that Charles notices the coin that is orbiting Erik's outstretched fingers one by one.
~~~~
In which Erik is talky/depressive when drunk, and somewhat obsessive over the coin he carries in his pocket.
Rec: When you're researching for writing, you sometimes stumble across something that just DEMANDS to be a fic all of its own. I love how the author takes a titbit of information and crafts something perfectly in character and suitably chilling.
~
fathers and sons by M_Leigh
Summary: "I have an - interest - in Peter Maximoff," Erik said, somewhat grudgingly, glaring. "A - familial - interest -"
Everybody stared at him.
"In that - mutantkind is one - large - family -" Erik said valiantly, if pathetically.
"Oh, shit," Alex said. "No way. No way."
Rec: Normally I shy away from stories like this, but Quicksilver more or less stole the movie, so who doesn't want more? Also, the character voices sounded exactly right to me, and it made me smile.