X-Men First Class: fic recs
Mostly Charles/Erik unless otherwise noted. Assume they're explicit.
Fix-It
lay down beside me (so still and so soft), by c-gracewood. Complete. The most emotionally mature re-telling of the movie that I have read: a believable happy ending, and every scene advances the plot. Also, chock-full of non-gratuitous amazing sex.
Time To Grow. Erik isn't as much of a heartless dick after the Beach Divorce, and following is a lovely long-distance re-acquaintance that turns into chess dates. Charles is dense with regards to his own heart, of course.
Fairy-tale Retelling
Nine Eleven Ten, by subtilior. Work in progress, but such a substantial work, you should get started on the first 30+ chapters now. This is a dark, Grimm-style fairytale set in a post-apocalyptic nuclear winter, and the crux of the story is Charles' slow and at times unwilling, unaware, even ill-motivated rehumanization of Erik. Dubious consent all over the place -- it is, after all, a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I read it wearing my navy blue wool sweater, curled up in my library with paintings of birds all around me. THAT is how much I love this one.
More First than Sun, More Last than Star, by Etirabys. You'd think Erik is the one who's all messed up from the war against Shaw, but no, Queen Raven sends him north to rescue her brother Charles from The Snow Queen, not realizing that he must also be rescued from what he has become under her care. Portions of this one remind me of Patricia A. McKillip's fantasies, except... darker. But such a lovely ending!
The Fisher King's Son, by spikeface. It's The Little Mermaid, only it's actually a merman, and the merman is Charles. It starts with Erik being tossed in the water off the Caspartina and ends at the Beach, and when you get there you look back over what was written before and you say "Oh," because yes, it all makes sense, and just like Erik you didn't see it coming, but you should have. It's that well-written. Also sad, just like the stories it's based on.
Parent Traps
Lean on Me, by. It's a close retelling of the Parent Trap, complete with starting at summer camp, but it's also got a great Reveal, where Erik discovers that Charles has been paralyzed. His reaction is just priceless. And when the realization hits, some people have been known to cry. But it's a good cry. (Also Alex/Hank, for those who like that.) No powers AU.
Some Assembly Required, by Manic_Intent. The kids are trying to keep Erik and Charles apart, and really, they should know better -- and when Erik says "Game on, brats," it's hard not to smile wickedly, because you know who's going to win. Well, they all will, in the end. Powers!
Quick Pick-Me-Ups
Of kittens and teacups and love by renrenren3. Erik and Charles are college students and flatmates, and it's a classic everyone-knows-they're-in-love-but-them sort of story. And it has kittens. No Powers AU.
Do Something for Yourself, by Pookaseraph. Erik is a single dad (of Wanda and Pietro) who works too much, Charles works at the community center the kids go to after school. Of course it's love at first sight, and as usual, neither have working gaydar. No Powers AU.
Smut, or Porn Without (needing much) Plot
Cheers, by zamwessel. Best drunk!Charles this side of forever.
Good Boys, by zamwessel again. Charles is repressed, and Erik shows him the way.
Mutants Do It Better, also by zamwessel. Erik convinces Charles to have sex with a fellow mutant, but really, the only option is Erik, so, purely in the interest of science, they do.
The One About the Turtleneck, by, yes, zamwessel. This one is a fandom classic, because -- look, guys, it's the turtleneck, okay?
Fix-It
lay down beside me (so still and so soft), by c-gracewood. Complete. The most emotionally mature re-telling of the movie that I have read: a believable happy ending, and every scene advances the plot. Also, chock-full of non-gratuitous amazing sex.
Time To Grow. Erik isn't as much of a heartless dick after the Beach Divorce, and following is a lovely long-distance re-acquaintance that turns into chess dates. Charles is dense with regards to his own heart, of course.
Fairy-tale Retelling
Nine Eleven Ten, by subtilior. Work in progress, but such a substantial work, you should get started on the first 30+ chapters now. This is a dark, Grimm-style fairytale set in a post-apocalyptic nuclear winter, and the crux of the story is Charles' slow and at times unwilling, unaware, even ill-motivated rehumanization of Erik. Dubious consent all over the place -- it is, after all, a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I read it wearing my navy blue wool sweater, curled up in my library with paintings of birds all around me. THAT is how much I love this one.
More First than Sun, More Last than Star, by Etirabys. You'd think Erik is the one who's all messed up from the war against Shaw, but no, Queen Raven sends him north to rescue her brother Charles from The Snow Queen, not realizing that he must also be rescued from what he has become under her care. Portions of this one remind me of Patricia A. McKillip's fantasies, except... darker. But such a lovely ending!
The Fisher King's Son, by spikeface. It's The Little Mermaid, only it's actually a merman, and the merman is Charles. It starts with Erik being tossed in the water off the Caspartina and ends at the Beach, and when you get there you look back over what was written before and you say "Oh," because yes, it all makes sense, and just like Erik you didn't see it coming, but you should have. It's that well-written. Also sad, just like the stories it's based on.
Parent Traps
Lean on Me, by. It's a close retelling of the Parent Trap, complete with starting at summer camp, but it's also got a great Reveal, where Erik discovers that Charles has been paralyzed. His reaction is just priceless. And when the realization hits, some people have been known to cry. But it's a good cry. (Also Alex/Hank, for those who like that.) No powers AU.
Some Assembly Required, by Manic_Intent. The kids are trying to keep Erik and Charles apart, and really, they should know better -- and when Erik says "Game on, brats," it's hard not to smile wickedly, because you know who's going to win. Well, they all will, in the end. Powers!
Quick Pick-Me-Ups
Of kittens and teacups and love by renrenren3. Erik and Charles are college students and flatmates, and it's a classic everyone-knows-they're-in-love-but-them sort of story. And it has kittens. No Powers AU.
Do Something for Yourself, by Pookaseraph. Erik is a single dad (of Wanda and Pietro) who works too much, Charles works at the community center the kids go to after school. Of course it's love at first sight, and as usual, neither have working gaydar. No Powers AU.
Smut, or Porn Without (needing much) Plot
Cheers, by zamwessel. Best drunk!Charles this side of forever.
Good Boys, by zamwessel again. Charles is repressed, and Erik shows him the way.
Mutants Do It Better, also by zamwessel. Erik convinces Charles to have sex with a fellow mutant, but really, the only option is Erik, so, purely in the interest of science, they do.
The One About the Turtleneck, by, yes, zamwessel. This one is a fandom classic, because -- look, guys, it's the turtleneck, okay?