X-Men Fic Rec List (Erik/Charles)
A Few Of My Favorite Things
Erik/Charles: Then and Now
So here is my big X-Men rec list. You may notice that my taste tends toward fics that expand on canon or patch up canon holes and continuity issues. A lot of this is backstory people imagined for this pair before XMFC came out, or people trying to bridge XMFC with the first trilogy. (I also tend to find prolific authors and get addicted to their work. I'll try branching out some more and adding some variety to this list soon, but for now... I think everything here is excellent.) (Also, I like arranging things in more-or-less chronological order.)
Fanfiction
X-Men: First Class Compliant/Inspired
Better Out Than In by st_aurafina - XMFC missing scene between Charles finding Erik in the ocean and their arrival at the CIA base
*break a silver lining by littledust - Erik and Charles on their recruiting road-trip, playing chess in a motel room
*the light is no mystery by littledust - Charles and Erik spend a quiet morning together
you fit into me by penknife - Erik has never believed in the future [NC-17]
like a hook into an eye by penknife - Charles has never been in love
Apple Seeds by pprfaith - Charles observes Erik (and himself) during XMFC [R]
*How Deep the Bullet Lies by littledust - Erik and Charles come closer over the course of events in XMFC [NC-17]
This Too by electrumqueen - Raven and Erik in the aftermath of XMFC; some Erik/Emma [R]
Kick At The Darkness Til It Bleeds Daylight by penknife - XMFC aftermath: Xavier and his fledgling school; Erik and his Brotherhood of Mutants
Safe House - by penknife - Erik/Raven after XMFC [NC-17]
A Stubborn Breed by irony_rocks - they've been having this argument for decades; Erik/Charles, Erik/Raven, Raven/Charles [R]
X-Men Original Trilogy Leave or Take X3 Compliant/Inspired
* Laws of Motion by ion_bond - the beginning of Charles and Erik, set in New York where they are both college students [R; multi-chapter]
*Six Lessons in Living In Sin by penknife - Erik moves in with Charles when they're both still young
WMD (Five Things That Probably Didn't Happen While Charles and Erik Were Building Cerebro) by C Elisa - fairly self-explanatory (although I think these scenarios are all quite plausible, XMFC notwithstanding) [NC-17]
Taste by sionnain - Erik, Charles and Cerebro
Symbiotic Metamorphosis by cousinshelley and brighteyedcat - This assumes Mystique was never Charles' sister, but instead was brought to "Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters," but who is teaching what to whom?
The Last of the Jedi by artaxastra - Jean's first two years with Charles and Erik
Exit Lines by penknife - Erik leaves (could be a sort of prologue to "Fear the Rest")
* Fear the Rest by penknife - After working and living together at the Xavier Institute for many years, Erik and Charles struggle to resolve/end their on/off relationship for good; meanwhile, political tension rises and Erik sets down his path toward becoming Magneto. Features Erik and Charles obviously, but also Raven, Scott and Jean. (One of many reasons why I love this story is the way it interweaves the gay rights movement and onset of AIDS in the US with a mutant rights movement.) [NC-17; multi-chapter]
Blue by artaxastra - alternate backstory for Mystique; Erik/Mystique with impied past Erik/Charles [R]
As Imperceptible as Grief by Sarah T - probably takes place some time shortly before the first of the X-Men movie trilogy; Charles and Erik play a game of chess on Erik's 75th birthday
Stalemate by cousinshelley - after X1, Charles patiently makes his way through red tape to visit Erik in prison
Stalemate by st_aurafina - Charles visits Erik in prison [NC-17]
* Toward Zero by penknife - 50 brief glimpses into then (the year Erik and Charles met) and now (the year Erik is imprisoned)
*Freefall by penknife - alternative to X2, featuring the whole cast of characters; what would have happened if Scott had been a little quicker on the uptake and Xavier and Magneto had escaped from Magneto's prison at the same time instead of Xavier being captured by Stryker? [R; multi-chapter]
Reunion Season by jjtaylor - Erik pays Charles a visit at the mansion in the aftermath of X2 (the canon X2, that is)
Travel Advisory by penknife - a temporary truce until the weather clears up
dragonflies draw flame by Sarah T - Pyro is learning from Magneto and Mystique (I find Pyro/Magneto to be squicky and yet... can't resist the sense it makes, when sold by some writers) [R]
His Terrible Swift Sword by yahtzee63 - takes place after X2, alternating between current events, featuring Rogue and Logan, and the long-gone past with Erik and Charles [multi-chapter]
The Winter of Banked Fires by yahtzee63 - Charles comes back to life after X3, incorporating some XMFC changes to canon [multi-chapter]
Canon-based AU? (It's a weird line to draw with a lot of the fics on this list, because many ask, "What if...?" but this is how I'm doing it.)
* Iterations by st_aurafina - Jason Stryker (a student of the Xavier institute) weaves some powerful illusions of what might have been [R]
Chase Your Shadow by lilacsigil - set after X2; Jean doesn't like how everything has turned out (Storm, Xavier, Erik, Mystique, Emma, Callisto)
Stay by ion_bond - Mystique/Destiny and Erik/Charles; Destiny decides to tweak the timeline of reality a tad
Chess Problems by penknife - five things that could have happened to Erik and Charles, but didn't
Imaginary Life Journey by renata_kedavra - two different might-have-beens for Kurt in the XMFC universe (Erik/Charles, Erik/Mystique) [R]
Soon to Become by sullensiren- after the Cuban missile crisis debacle, Erik goes back to the school with Charles anyway... but is it really a happy ending?
Any Measure of Peace by manic_intent - the bombs don't get aimed at the mutants on the beach at the end of XMFC; crossover with "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" and "The Avengers" (kind of) [R; long]
Utopia by Takma'rierah - what would Erik (and still-young Erik at that) do if he actually succeeded and became the leader of a mutant-ruled world? [NC-17; multi-chapter]
Possible Worlds by trailingoff - what if Charles had a chance to go back? (XMFC) [R]
Undone by yahtzee63 -... no, really, what if Charles had a chance to go back? (XMFC) [NC-17]
Enigma by yahtzee63 - what if Erik had a chance to go back? (XMFC) [R]
Fanvids
*Breathe Me by yunaaokki91 - Erik tries to escape his past. Charles tells him to run faster. (XMFC)
All the Same by YunaAokki91 - Charles wants all of who Erik is (XMFC)
Change (In The House of Flies) by Cleuq - Erik and his darkness (XMFC)
Over by... me (yes, I'm reccing myself -- I'm sorry if that's douchey) - Erik is haunted by the past (mostly XMFC)
*It's Not To Be by VilyaXxX0llwyna - Charles fears for his friend and regrets that they'll never be together (all films)
The Crow by signed_aislynn - Erik-centric; Charles is Erik's conscience (XMFC)
You Know You're Better Than This by FreakArashii - Charles tries to convince Erik to be the better man
Red by SecretlyToDream - tribute to Magneto (all films)
Iris by WeirdIsUs - sad, sweet Erik/Charles vid and I have a sentimental weakness for this song (XMFC)
*The War Inside by VilyaXxX0llwyna - Erik and Charles over the years, fighting each other, fighting themselves (all films)
Rolling in the Deep by arefadedaway - they could have had it all, you know (all films)
Battlefield by jedijanine2 - their love is a battlefield (all films)
*I'll Be Keeping You Safe by aramish182 - Charles and Erik both want to keep each other safe (and hide from each other) (all films)
Ocean of Violence by me - Erik and Charles and their opposing ideologies (all films)
*Chasing Cars by VilyaXxX0llwyna, xDarkSerpentx and AngelLoverGirl24 - if they actually could "just forget the world," they'd be happy together (but then they wouldn't be them, would they?) (all films)
You Do What You Have To Do by trelkez - Erik and Charles can't be together but can't quite let each other go (all films)
Life in Technicolor by In This Light - meanwhile, in reality, James McCavoy and Michael Fassbender are ridiculously fun and adorable -- they are going to "spray [spread?] love all over the universe" (as they put it); it's almost like they saw the way Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr. handled their press interviews for "Sherlock Holmes" and decided to top them with outrageous co-star love
Tapp by xDarkSerpentX - XMFC made more badass
Evolution Leaps Forward by di_br - badass tribute to X-Men (XMFC), not really Erik/Charles, but awesome regardless
We Danced On Tabletops by InThisLight - ok, we're getting very off topic here, but this vid is funny and well-done
Like A Boss by forgerness - ok, one last bit of wonderful crack
(and many more recced E/C vids here)
Erik/Charles: Then and Now
So here is my big X-Men rec list. You may notice that my taste tends toward fics that expand on canon or patch up canon holes and continuity issues. A lot of this is backstory people imagined for this pair before XMFC came out, or people trying to bridge XMFC with the first trilogy. (I also tend to find prolific authors and get addicted to their work. I'll try branching out some more and adding some variety to this list soon, but for now... I think everything here is excellent.) (Also, I like arranging things in more-or-less chronological order.)
Fanfiction
X-Men: First Class Compliant/Inspired
Better Out Than In by st_aurafina - XMFC missing scene between Charles finding Erik in the ocean and their arrival at the CIA base
*break a silver lining by littledust - Erik and Charles on their recruiting road-trip, playing chess in a motel room
*the light is no mystery by littledust - Charles and Erik spend a quiet morning together
you fit into me by penknife - Erik has never believed in the future [NC-17]
like a hook into an eye by penknife - Charles has never been in love
Apple Seeds by pprfaith - Charles observes Erik (and himself) during XMFC [R]
*How Deep the Bullet Lies by littledust - Erik and Charles come closer over the course of events in XMFC [NC-17]
This Too by electrumqueen - Raven and Erik in the aftermath of XMFC; some Erik/Emma [R]
Kick At The Darkness Til It Bleeds Daylight by penknife - XMFC aftermath: Xavier and his fledgling school; Erik and his Brotherhood of Mutants
Safe House - by penknife - Erik/Raven after XMFC [NC-17]
A Stubborn Breed by irony_rocks - they've been having this argument for decades; Erik/Charles, Erik/Raven, Raven/Charles [R]
X-Men Original Trilogy Leave or Take X3 Compliant/Inspired
* Laws of Motion by ion_bond - the beginning of Charles and Erik, set in New York where they are both college students [R; multi-chapter]
*Six Lessons in Living In Sin by penknife - Erik moves in with Charles when they're both still young
WMD (Five Things That Probably Didn't Happen While Charles and Erik Were Building Cerebro) by C Elisa - fairly self-explanatory (although I think these scenarios are all quite plausible, XMFC notwithstanding) [NC-17]
Taste by sionnain - Erik, Charles and Cerebro
Symbiotic Metamorphosis by cousinshelley and brighteyedcat - This assumes Mystique was never Charles' sister, but instead was brought to "Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters," but who is teaching what to whom?
The Last of the Jedi by artaxastra - Jean's first two years with Charles and Erik
Exit Lines by penknife - Erik leaves (could be a sort of prologue to "Fear the Rest")
* Fear the Rest by penknife - After working and living together at the Xavier Institute for many years, Erik and Charles struggle to resolve/end their on/off relationship for good; meanwhile, political tension rises and Erik sets down his path toward becoming Magneto. Features Erik and Charles obviously, but also Raven, Scott and Jean. (One of many reasons why I love this story is the way it interweaves the gay rights movement and onset of AIDS in the US with a mutant rights movement.) [NC-17; multi-chapter]
Blue by artaxastra - alternate backstory for Mystique; Erik/Mystique with impied past Erik/Charles [R]
As Imperceptible as Grief by Sarah T - probably takes place some time shortly before the first of the X-Men movie trilogy; Charles and Erik play a game of chess on Erik's 75th birthday
Stalemate by cousinshelley - after X1, Charles patiently makes his way through red tape to visit Erik in prison
Stalemate by st_aurafina - Charles visits Erik in prison [NC-17]
* Toward Zero by penknife - 50 brief glimpses into then (the year Erik and Charles met) and now (the year Erik is imprisoned)
*Freefall by penknife - alternative to X2, featuring the whole cast of characters; what would have happened if Scott had been a little quicker on the uptake and Xavier and Magneto had escaped from Magneto's prison at the same time instead of Xavier being captured by Stryker? [R; multi-chapter]
Reunion Season by jjtaylor - Erik pays Charles a visit at the mansion in the aftermath of X2 (the canon X2, that is)
Travel Advisory by penknife - a temporary truce until the weather clears up
dragonflies draw flame by Sarah T - Pyro is learning from Magneto and Mystique (I find Pyro/Magneto to be squicky and yet... can't resist the sense it makes, when sold by some writers) [R]
His Terrible Swift Sword by yahtzee63 - takes place after X2, alternating between current events, featuring Rogue and Logan, and the long-gone past with Erik and Charles [multi-chapter]
The Winter of Banked Fires by yahtzee63 - Charles comes back to life after X3, incorporating some XMFC changes to canon [multi-chapter]
Canon-based AU? (It's a weird line to draw with a lot of the fics on this list, because many ask, "What if...?" but this is how I'm doing it.)
* Iterations by st_aurafina - Jason Stryker (a student of the Xavier institute) weaves some powerful illusions of what might have been [R]
Chase Your Shadow by lilacsigil - set after X2; Jean doesn't like how everything has turned out (Storm, Xavier, Erik, Mystique, Emma, Callisto)
Stay by ion_bond - Mystique/Destiny and Erik/Charles; Destiny decides to tweak the timeline of reality a tad
Chess Problems by penknife - five things that could have happened to Erik and Charles, but didn't
Imaginary Life Journey by renata_kedavra - two different might-have-beens for Kurt in the XMFC universe (Erik/Charles, Erik/Mystique) [R]
Soon to Become by sullensiren- after the Cuban missile crisis debacle, Erik goes back to the school with Charles anyway... but is it really a happy ending?
Any Measure of Peace by manic_intent - the bombs don't get aimed at the mutants on the beach at the end of XMFC; crossover with "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" and "The Avengers" (kind of) [R; long]
Utopia by Takma'rierah - what would Erik (and still-young Erik at that) do if he actually succeeded and became the leader of a mutant-ruled world? [NC-17; multi-chapter]
Possible Worlds by trailingoff - what if Charles had a chance to go back? (XMFC) [R]
Undone by yahtzee63 -... no, really, what if Charles had a chance to go back? (XMFC) [NC-17]
Enigma by yahtzee63 - what if Erik had a chance to go back? (XMFC) [R]
Fanvids
*Breathe Me by yunaaokki91 - Erik tries to escape his past. Charles tells him to run faster. (XMFC)
All the Same by YunaAokki91 - Charles wants all of who Erik is (XMFC)
Change (In The House of Flies) by Cleuq - Erik and his darkness (XMFC)
Over by... me (yes, I'm reccing myself -- I'm sorry if that's douchey) - Erik is haunted by the past (mostly XMFC)
*It's Not To Be by VilyaXxX0llwyna - Charles fears for his friend and regrets that they'll never be together (all films)
The Crow by signed_aislynn - Erik-centric; Charles is Erik's conscience (XMFC)
You Know You're Better Than This by FreakArashii - Charles tries to convince Erik to be the better man
Red by SecretlyToDream - tribute to Magneto (all films)
Iris by WeirdIsUs - sad, sweet Erik/Charles vid and I have a sentimental weakness for this song (XMFC)
*The War Inside by VilyaXxX0llwyna - Erik and Charles over the years, fighting each other, fighting themselves (all films)
Rolling in the Deep by arefadedaway - they could have had it all, you know (all films)
Battlefield by jedijanine2 - their love is a battlefield (all films)
*I'll Be Keeping You Safe by aramish182 - Charles and Erik both want to keep each other safe (and hide from each other) (all films)
Ocean of Violence by me - Erik and Charles and their opposing ideologies (all films)
*Chasing Cars by VilyaXxX0llwyna, xDarkSerpentx and AngelLoverGirl24 - if they actually could "just forget the world," they'd be happy together (but then they wouldn't be them, would they?) (all films)
You Do What You Have To Do by trelkez - Erik and Charles can't be together but can't quite let each other go (all films)
Life in Technicolor by In This Light - meanwhile, in reality, James McCavoy and Michael Fassbender are ridiculously fun and adorable -- they are going to "spray [spread?] love all over the universe" (as they put it); it's almost like they saw the way Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr. handled their press interviews for "Sherlock Holmes" and decided to top them with outrageous co-star love
Tapp by xDarkSerpentX - XMFC made more badass
Evolution Leaps Forward by di_br - badass tribute to X-Men (XMFC), not really Erik/Charles, but awesome regardless
We Danced On Tabletops by InThisLight - ok, we're getting very off topic here, but this vid is funny and well-done
Like A Boss by forgerness - ok, one last bit of wonderful crack
(and many more recced E/C vids here)