In the mood for...
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1. hello! as always thank you for the good work! I’m looking for ‘seraph of the end’ au fics or something that goes like that, specifically wangxian.
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2. Hi! Any recs for arranged marriage fics, of the sort in which lwj marries a fearsome yiling patriarch but once he gets to know him he falls in love? Thank you!!!
Caught Between Sun and Shadows by Alliandra (E, 71k, wangxian, LXC & LWJ, grapshic depictions of violence, sunshot campaign, arranged marriage, YLLZ WWX, pining, battle husbands, versatile wangxian, falling in love, resentacles, sex pollen, fuck or die, golden core reveal, politics, hurt/comfort)
💖 love, in fire and blood by cicer (E, 360k, wangxian, immortal WWX, slow burn, pining, arranged marriages)
what price is duty, what cost is love by thunderwear (G, 18k, wangxian, canon divergence, WWX was never adopted to Jiang, war prize, YLLZ WWX, pining, first kiss, first time, falling in love, angst w/ happy ending)
holding hands with you in this rain-flooded street by puddingcatbeans (M, 12k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Arranged Marriage, husbands to lovers?, LWJ Stays at the Burial Mounds, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fix-It of Sorts, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Everybody Lives)
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3. For the next ITMF, I'm interested in people's favorite fics from the last six months (ish)! There's so much good fic in this fandom that it's hard to keep up with the new stuff. (I hope this kind of request is ok) @ehyde
💙 Wish I could forget the taste of your skin and the feel of your hands pinning me down by KizuKatana (E, 63k, wangxian, WQ & WWX & WN, modern w/ cultivation, getting back together, BAMF WWX, BAMF LWJ, case fic, pining)
all the problems we could solve by Stratisphyre (T, 20k, wangxian, modern, getting together, somewhat non-linear, fluff, humor, violence, meet-cute, identity porn, thieves au)
born under unlucky stars by RoseThorne (M, 1k, JZX & MXY, JZX & QS, wangxian, WQ & WWX & WN, major character death, canonical character death, ghosts, brotherly love, spells & enchantments, MXY pov, anger, revenge)
Ominous by 3neetee (T, 5k, wangxian, pre-relationship, established relationship, character death, fae & fairies, changelings, dark wangxian, BAMF WWX, graphic depictions, suicide, implied/referenced domestic violence)
Hear a song this deeply by so_shhy (T, 87k, wangxian, modern w/ cultivation, academia au, kid fic, music, action/adventure, canon-typical violence, slow burn, fluff & angst, canon-typical JGY behavior, happy ending)
The Sculptor by Eleanor_Fenyx (M, 27k, wangxian, LQY/WQ, LWJ & WQ, SL/XXC, modern, lavender marriage, period typical attituted and terminology, mute SL, queer themes, queer families, slow burn, getting together, intimacy, artist WWX, professor LWJ)
For A Gentleman, Ten Years Is Not Too Long by Cerusee (G, 10k, NHS & WWX, JC & WWX, A murder mystery I guess, canon-typical ambiguity, Ambiguous/Open Ending)
What We Grew in this Forsaken Place by Admiranda (T, 27k, WangXian, Modern Cultivation, Shapeshifter LWJ, bottle episode fic, bunny crimes, WWX Has a Fear of Dogs, WWX is a genius, unexpected pet owner WWX)
Foxsong by Admiranda (T, 41k, A-Qing & WWX & LWJ, Yi City trio, WangXian, SongXiao, fox a-qing, Fox Spirit WWX, Dragon LWJ, Dragon LWJ/Fox WWX, XY causes problems, High Fantasy, mythical beasts in human forms, Found Family, background wangxian, married wangxian)
to explore strange new worlds...! Series by AlfAlfAlfAlfAlf, tardigradeschool (G/T, 44k, NieLan, WangXian, Star Trek Fusion, Vulcan LWJ, Vulcan LXC, Vulcan Culture, Child LWJ, Child LXC, Medical Procedures, Lán Family Feels, POV LQR, LXC Needs a Hug, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Neglect, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Bad Parenting, Chronic Pain, Disability, College/University, POV Alternating, PTSD, Mutual Pining, Friends to Lovers, Panic attacks, Vulcan mind meld)
Love Buns by Czeriahx (G, 2k, JYL/JZX, wangxian, fluff, cooking adventures with Jin Zixuan)
your bones don't rust by curiositea (M, 2k, wangxian, modern, established relationship, fluff, light angst, anxiety, panic attacks, kissing, hand-feeding, WIP)
when you love somebody, bite your tongue by sophiahelix (E, 17k, wangxian, cloud recesses study arc, first time, horny teenagers, sharing a bed, fantasizing, size kink)
A storm without a warning by Spodumene (E, 22k, wangxian, modern, compulsory heterosexuality, masturbation, eventual smut, pining, denial, drunkenness, jealousy, not actually unrequited love, angst w/ happy ending)
Fakespeare in the Park by Scrippio (T, 58k, wangxian, JC/WQ, JYL/JZX, modern, theatre au, fluff, accidental baby acquisation, light angst, WIP)
This Time Around by KouriArashi (T, 83k, JGY & NHS, NHS & WWX, JGY & WWX, time travel fix-it, kid fic, families of choice, angst, grief/mourning, class issues, past child abuse, politics, moral ambiguity, everyone lives, happy ending)
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4. Heyy! For the next ITMF can you please recommend
A) some fics about wangxian friendly sparring where they are both equals in swordfighting.
B) fics with WWX sparring with Madam Yu (not Jiang friendly if possible). And WWX wins the fight (obviously).
Thanks for your hardwork! @iwhateveryou2331
4A)
somehow, someway, we all get to someday by Stratisphyre (T, 76k, CSSR/LQR/WCZ, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Role Reversal, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Parenthood, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, Family Feels, Not JFM Friendly, Not Lan Sect Friendly, past emotional abuse, Demisexual Character, Inclusive discussions of reproductive rights) this one is strong with the ‘wangxian equality’ vibe; there’s a great wangxian sword fight somewhere in there, too
the earthquake in the room by phnelt (E, 39k, WangXian, College/University, Modern: No Powers, Canada, Getting Together, Mentions of lwj/others, inter-faculty romance, strangers to lovers to frenemies to lovers, mostly book characterisation) not swordfighting but martial arts however it is well done!
4B)
❤️ I Started From the Bottom/And Now I’m Rich by x_los (E, 57k, WangXian, WWX/Others, Mutual Pining, Marriage of Convenience, Arranged Marriage, No Sunshot Campaign, Fix-It, WQ Lives, Transmigration, Time Travel, Weddings, Sugar Daddy, Sugar Daddy, Black Widow, Protective Siblings, Dysfunctional Family, Family Bonding, Sugar Babyconsort, Politics, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Crack Treated Seriously) can't promise not-Jiang friendly, but there's a great sparring session between WWX and Madam Yu.
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5. Do you know any fics where wwx leaves the wen remnants after they go to the burial mounds to go back to yunmeng for something??
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6. Hello! Hope you're all doing great so far this holiday season! I was hoping to make a request for a future itmf. Do you have any recs for some pokemon AUs?? I found my old copy of pokemon moon right before I bought pokemon violet, and now I'm playing both and have a huge craving for some pokemon crossovers! Preferably wangxian and it'd be great if it's completed but I'll be happy with anything! Thank you so much! @suibian800
This Tumblr post
A Journey in the Making by DawnCloud (G, 6k, wangxian, Pokémon au)
of ghosts and graveyards by DiRoxy (T, 10k, wangxian, Pokémon au, pre-relationship, case fic, ghost WWX, happy ending, LWJ & JC working together, depictions of science experiments on pokemon)
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7. Have you come across any fics with lwj and wwx just. Adventuring and traveling post-canon? Like solving mysteries and maybe some whump and protective lwj when wwx tries to save the day? @shiro-tora3
build me no shrines by occultings (microcomets) (M, 54k, WangXian, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining, First Time, Getting Together, Confessions, Sharing a Bed, Hair Washing, Sentient Burial Mounds, Case Fic, Post-Canon, CQL Compliant, Hurt/Comfort, Whump, Light Angst, Flashbacks, mild body horror, foot washing, Happy Ending, Non-Sexual Intimacy, …then sexual intimacy)
Wearing Down Every Bone by CSHfic & VSfic (E, 30k, wangxian, case fic, time loop)
爱不释手; never let me go by yiqie (E, 68k, wangxian, case fic, demons)
Linger in the Sun by etymologyplayground (T, 39k, WangXian, JC & WWX, Case Fic, Intimacy, Curses, Canon Compliant, Post-Canon, Cuddling & Snuggling, Getting Together, Romance, Sexual Tension, Scent Kink, m.. maybe??, its not as intense as a kink, Fluff, Scars, Sharing a Bed, Nonverbal Communication)
The envy of the world by vulnerable_bead (E, 48k, wangxian, LWJ & LSZ & WWX, LJY & LSZ, post-canon, case fic, smut, fluff, established relationship, wangxian as teachers, wangxian as musicians, spellweaving) poetic fairytale prose; a casefic of unfurling complexity with an intelligent, subtle, and tragic antagonist; mysterious uncharted musical magic; a climactic confrontation that deserves to be animated. And then there’s the famous Windowsill Papapa Scene.
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8. Hi guys! Happy holidays, hope you enjoy them 🤗 I was hoping for the next ITMF post you could recommend some wangxian fics where they’re already sleeping together and WWX thinks it’s just casual and he’s very angsty about it because he’s hopelessly in love with LWJ. Bonus points if LWJ gets to do an epic love confession. 🙏
(our friendship) up against the ropes by daltoneering (E, 36k, WangXian, Modern AU, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, lan zhan FUCKS, Fluff and Smut, Experienced LWJ, Oblivious WWX, Mutual Pining, Friends With Benefits, Pining while fucking, Oral Sex, Anal Sex, Masturbation, Spit Kink, Dirty Talk, Light Bondage, Praise Kink, Dom/sub Undertones, Kink Negotiation, Pride and Prejudice 2005 (dir. Joe Wright), mentions of Wei Ying/others and Lan Zhan/others)
You'd Break Your Heart to Make It Bigger by vesna (mrsronweasley) (E, 32k, WangXian, soulbonding, First Time, Case Fic if You Squint, Fools in Love, soul boning, soft fools in love, Pining while fucking)
Introduction to Floating by cupofwater (E, 13k, WangXian, Modern AU, Sex Pollen, Mildly Dubious Consent, Getting Together, Pining while fucking, Love Confessions, Modern Cultivation, PWP)
Treat you right by airinshaw (E, 20k, WangXian, Modern AU, Sex Work, Anal Sex, Getting Together, Pining while fucking, Consensual Non-Consent, Light Dom/sub, Sexual role play)
↑ these are tagged 'pining while fucking' , I can't promise a big LZ confession tho
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9. Hello, I am in the mood for soft E rated fics! Please no fics where wangxian is not together!
Catharsis by sevenless (E, 3k, WangXian, Incense Burner, Post-Canon, Established Relationship, Porn with Feelings, Body Dysphoria, Body Worship)
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10. Itmf civilian or rogue cultivator wwx (never part of Jiang or other sects) ends up at qiongqi wen prison post sunshot (Maybe he was minor wen or wen servant/civilian, or had wen friends or wrong place wrong time etc) and ends up escaping
~*~
11. ITMF some Nie Mingjue centric fics. Gen or slash, but no niecest, please!
shades of grey spill from my veins (bleeding ink all over the page) by Reverie (cl410) (M, 58k, NieLan, WangXian, SangNing, POV NMJ, Canon Divergence, Hurt/Comfort, Accidental Sibling Acquisition, Single Dad NMJ, Fluff, Humor, Happy Ending, Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Protective NMJ, Some angst, Blood and Injury, Kidnapping, Protective Siblings, Found Family)
Once Upon A Time in Qinghe by paranoid_fridge (T, 22k, NHS & NMJ, WangXian, NMJ & LXC, Angst, Humor, Spoilers, Post-Canon Fix-It, Sort Of)
The Quiet Room by nirejseki (T, 37k, NieLan, XiYao, Sensory Deprivation, Partner Betrayal, Consent Issues, Manipulation, Medical Trauma, Canon Divergence, not very friendly to LXC, Infidelity, Gaslighting, Mental Health Issues, denial of agency, Willful Blindness)
a *lot* of nirejseki’s stuff is nie mingjue heavy, and their nie bros stuff is familial
The Veil Between by staringatstars (T, 1k, NHS & NMJ, Character Turned Into a Ghost, Canon Divergence, Protective Siblings)
Empathy by clockwork_spider (M, 30k, JGY & NMJ, time travel fix-it, second-hand trauma, empathy, hurt/comfort)
~*~
12. Is there some good junior centric fics there? I’d love to read ones espescially with all four of them!
grow by cafecliche (T, 14k, LSZ & WWX, LSZ & LWJ, WangXian, Age Regression/De-Aging, Character Study, Post-Canon, [Podfic] Grow by jellyfishfire)
Time Travel, Obviously by nirejseki (Not Rated, 1k, Time Travel, Crack) short, funny, and very on point characterisation for all four of them
autonomous by captain_apostrophe (E, 34k, LJY & LSZ & OYZZ & JL, LJY/LSZ, scifi au, cyberpunk, polyamory negotiations, complicated relationships, developing relationships, tattoo as self-defense, epilepsy warning for flashing title gif card, on hiatus)
matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match by mowochi (T, 21k, LJY & LSZ & OYZZ & JL, JC/NHS, post-canon, outsider pov, canon compliant, matchmaking, fluff, junior quartet dynamics, family bonding, JL pov, getting together)
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13. Could you please recommend some angst fics? I want the most heart wrenching angst that will make me sob :)
We do actually have a Heavy Angst Comp that you can also look at ^^
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14. IITMF request: A) are there any fics where WWX is not the son of Cangse Sanren and Wei Changze ?
B) fics similar to 'To the Heavens and the Earth'
Thanks so much!!
~*~
15. Hello! Thank you for your hard work getting fics for all of us deprived souls. I would like to ask for a few fics because I'm in the mood for fics where weiying got all the love he deserved, especially while growing up. I'd like for his childhood to be happy and loved by the family who get him out of the streets (either the jiangs or it can be anyone). Once again, thank you and have a nice day.
❤️ the thing with feathers by RoseThorne (G, 43k, wangxian, Transmigration, Time Travel Fix-It, Illnesses, Family, Scars, Memory Loss, Angst, Fear, Recovery, Sharing a Bed, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Good Parent YZY, Referenced Sexual Slavery, Blood and Gore, Sexual Tension, Arranged Marriage, Grief, Adoption, POV Third Person, POV Alternating, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Good Parent LQR, Clairvoyance, Butterfly Effect) sort of
somehow, someway, we all get to someday by Stratisphyre (T, 76k, CSSR/LQR/WCZ, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Role Reversal, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Parenthood, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, Family Feels, Not JFM Friendly, Not Lan Sect Friendly, past emotional abuse, Demisexual Character, Inclusive discussions of reproductive rights) (link in 4A) canon divergent fic in which he gets all the love from his actual mom and dad (they don’t die)
Flowers Blooming by Ilona22 (M, 35k, WangXian, Adoption, Prostitution, Family Fluff, Family Drama, Growing Up)
~*~
16. Hi! For the next ITMF, can you recommend fics about wwx' genius? Like everybody realize and are in awe because of it? I mean, he invented a lot of things. Preferably post canon, but i'm open to anything. Thanks for your hard work♥
🧡 Stunted, Starving Juvenility by TomatenMark (E, 508k, WangXian, WIP, Fix-it of sorts, Talisman master WWX, Not JFM Friendly, Study Arc, Getting together, Fluff and Angst, Engagement)
Instead by apathyinreverie (T, 12k, WIP, WangXian, Fix-It, like self-indulgently so, by way of dark(er) gusu lan, manipulative elders, but in a good way?, Golden Core Reveal, Golden Core Transfer Fix-It, of sorts, not Jiang friendly, not really gusu lan friendly either, not particularly friendly towards anyone really, Cultivation World Critical, Sunshot campaign, Fluff, Politics, Courting Rituals, possibly implied mpreg, Genius WWX, Talismans, No demonic cultivation, Possessive LWJ, Protective LWJ, Canon Divergence)
The River Runs Forever by Cerusee (T, 136k, WIP, WangXian, SangLi, Badass WWX, Inventor WWX, Jiang/Nie sibling power quartet, Dead JC, Jiang Sect Leader WWX)
finding you always, all ways by BlueFrogs (T, 31k, WangXian, ChengQing, Reincarnation, Fix-It, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Romance, Memory Loss, Age Difference, due to reincarnation)
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17. Hello! I can't decide wether i should be proud or embarrassed of myself, i just finished your whole jiang bashing comp list and i crave some more. Can you please share some more? Thank you!!!
sukob by Anonymous (M, 7k, wangxian, JC/LXC, royalty au, revenge, banishment, forced seclusion, amanesia, running away, mpreg, miscarriage, concubines, not JC friendly, not LXC friendly, not gusu lan friendly, dark LWJ, happy ending for wangxian)
Lie for Love by sether1n3 (E, 65k, wangxian, LWJ/MXY, modern, secret (2013) au, angst w/ happy ending, hurt/comfort, mpreg, hit & run, WWX goes to prison, hurt WWX, depressed WWX, panic attacks, grief/mourning, not JC friendly, enemies to lovers, WIP)
Hua Xianle by Tiffany_Guinne (Not rated, 49k, hualian, wangxian, not jiang friendly, not YZY friendly, not JC friendly, not JFM friendly, WWX adopted by hualian, no golden core transfer, WIP)
One more time with feeling by Hauntcats (Not rated, 19k, wangxian, JYL/JZX, time travel fix-it, not JC friendly, not Jiang friendly (aside from JYL), angst w/ happy ending, no golden core transfer, WIP)
Attack a Bear In Its Den by Hauntcats (T, 6k, JC & WWX, wangxian, major character death, time travel, not JC friendly, no golden core transfer, angst w/ happy ending)
The Debts of a Child by Hauntcats (M, 115k, WWX & Jiangs, wangxian, not Jiang friendly, angst w/ happy ending, dark)
The Wei of family by HikariNoHimeWriter (E, 46k, wangxian, CSSR/WCZ, ABO, rogue cultivator WWX, everyone lives au, omega WWX, alpha LWJ, genius WWX, WWX & CSSR has ADHD, falling in love, hurt/comfort, fluff, eventual smut, not JC friendly, not YZY friendly)
Ad Oblivione by Baph & HikariNoHimeWriter (M, 71k, wangxian, time travel fix-it, temporary character death, canon-typical violence, multiple pov, hurt/comfort, identity reveal, golden core reveal, cultivation world critical, not JC friendly, not YZY friendly, angst w/ happy ending)
Turnabout by miixz (T, 32k, wangxian, time travel fix-it, post sunshot, fluff, not everyone dies au, outsider pov on time travel, parent wangxian, wen remnants live, misunderstandings, getting together, not JC friendly)
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If you didn’t get an answer to your ask here, don’t forget to make use of @mdzs-kinkmeme and MDZS KINK MEME on Dreamwidth. Authors actually do use them for ideas. You may get what you order!***Your prompt doesn’t have to be kink! Fluff, crack, whatever - it’s all good!***
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X-Files Collector’s Edition: Meet The Mulders
Mulder’s childhood is only touched on briefly in the series; but it’s enough: stern, cold handshakes and cool, unanswered questions with a silencing slap to punctuate. These fics dive into the Mulder family dynamics as it rips horrifically in half. (A separate post shall be made for fics that deal exclusively with Bill Mulder, Tena Mulder, or Samantha Mulder.)
**Note: I spell Teena as “Tena” because that was how it was spelled in a Two Fathers/One Son script, and if that’s what Chris Carter wants... *shrugs*.*)
I attempted to keep these in “chronological order by author”’; but-- c’est la vie.
(Gossamer links are acting weird, but they’re worth the extra step to read.)
Childhood and Pre-S1 Fics
Dryad’s (Ao3)
Bird Song
““Is he asleep yet?" Bill asked, peering over her shoulder.
She smiled. "Almost. He's so tired he can barely keep his little peepers open, but he keeps trying nonetheless.””
A look at new, proud parents. Lullabies and newspaper clippings.
2790 Vine St. (Gossamer)
“Fox idly kicked the settle's bottom panel, unable to decide which was worse, staying at home or going to the party.”
The parties of polite society in the wake of Sam’s abduction are empty, vapid, torturous. Mulder observes the party, disconnected without a tangible anchor.
Though It Be Winter, Still Our Heart Beats
“She was a different woman now. Only the faint pinking of her cheeks and the subtle flare of her nostrils betrayed her emotion.
"Bill, you promised!" As always, he was helpless in the face of her anger.”
Mulder has joined the FBI, and Bill dreads telling Tena. Both begin to plot how to derail their son from his goal.
pokeitlikejello’s Baby Loves Pain
“He tried everything to calm her. He made faces, he made funny noises, he tickled her. But nothing worked. It was then that Fox spotted his father’s fishing boots and hat near the hall closet.”
Little boy Mulder is left to watch after toddler Samantha. This short shows his touchingly sacrificial nature. The adult tensions build quietly in the background.
muldertorture’s (Alt. Ao3, FFN) Chilmark MA 02535
“Fox looks like an average young man.” A beat. “Looks, however, are quite often deceptive, aren’t they Teena?”
Tena begs for assurances from CSM while he observes Mulder and Samantha playing. As with CSM, there are no guarantees, and plans always change.
@leiascully’s (Ao3) Armada
“But the boat sailed on, one of so many, beyond his reach.”
As so often with neglected children, Mulder’s zest for play takes a macabre turn as he seeks attention from his already disconnected mother. Tena’s nature is one of distance even before Samantha’s abduction.
MistressKat’s Summer of ‘73
“Something about Fox’s expression shifts and softens; he knows exactly what she’s talking about. Over the last few weeks, they’ve spent a lot of evenings huddled together on the landing, listening to their parents fighting in hushed voices.”
Samantha wants desperately to escape the mounting weirdness at home. Mulder’s heartfelt promise of “next time” is one he ultimately can’t keep. Tena’s resigned willingness to give up Samantha simmers in the background.
@agirlcallednarelle/Tabith Jean‘s
But You Said (Ao3)
““See? I told you he would come if we needed him!’ Samantha hissed loudly. Fox grinned the same pursed smile he had seen on Samantha a moment before....”
No one likes bullies, and little spitfire Samantha tolerates them even less. She holds her brother to his promise; and is proud when he keeps his word.
Absolution
“His footsteps echo through the hall louder than they did before. Though he never thrived on exuberance, it came as part of the package of having young children, and this new, restrictive silence unnerves him.”
Bill Mulder is hollowly seeking redemption through his work, unable to bridge the gap with his furious wife and troubled, driven son.
Foxsong’s Sins of the Father
“Knowing he would only lose him, Bill had steeled himself from the beginning against loving this child too well, and his reticence toward Fox had been made all the more painfully apparent when Samantha was born. He had loved Samantha with a ferocity that shocked him.”
A twist on the family dynamic: Mulder had been part of the inoculation program from a young age in what was-- Bill had assumed-- prep work for his abduction. When CSM switches up the children, Bill is left floundering: he has no relationship with his son to build, and whatever one he has left with Tena (who is portrayed as the loving glue of their family) will deteriorate if CSM makes good on his threat to tell the truth.
Anonymous/Rebecca Rusnak’s (mulderscreek) Black is the Color
“Bill is my friend, possibly my only true friend. Certainly the only friend who knows who I was. And I know this is dangerous, but I feel a connection to Bill and his family that I cannot force myself to break.”
CSM’s POV-- it’s fascinating to ingest fics posed as sympathetic reads, because it cuts to the heart of this man’s martyr complex. This one is particularly poignant because it mixes in shame from the fallout of the Syndicate’s actions and self-righteous superiority at “filling the hole” left in Mulder’s life. What’s even more fascinating is that CSM isn’t Mulder’s father, just a sympathetic “mentor.”
ijustknew’s Before and After (Tumblr)
“One night, after nearly a month of deafening silence, Mulder’s father announced that Mulder was going back to school. Mulder wanted to protest that he couldn’t bear it, that he couldn’t stand the people and the questions, but his father’s word was law, so Mulder nodded and went to bed.”
Mulder’s status as funny older brother and distinguished student crumbles in the wake of Samantha’s abduction.
@badforthefish/Scarlet’s With Fortune and Men’s Eyes
“She did try to tell herself that she was only being strong for her remaining child, but deep down, she knew the ugly truth: she simply didn’t love her little girl enough to crash and burn.”
A fascinating deep dive into Tena’s POV after Sam’s abduction. Bill, shattered at the loss of his favorite, begins to hate Tena’s unaffected attitude. Tena, glad she kept her favorite, by turns soothes and shuts out her son.
I love this particularly because it taps into my niche XF belief: CSM was Sam’s father, not Mulder’s, and Tena strongly suspected it.
Joann Humby’s Half Life- 1976
“Problems solved are battles won. In retrospect, perhaps it has been for the best. Unable to cling to me, Fox has learned self-reliance, independence, strength. My young man, my pride and joy.”
Tena’s callousness dressed up as gentile unconcern shines like a giant, gaping beacon of selfishness. She is so ingrained in her excuses that she disregards the silent censure of the responsible people around her.
Sarah Johnson/RaEnright’s
How to Catch an Alien 01
How to Catch an Alien 02
““Don't use them fifty-cent words with me, Fox boy. All ye need to say is yer sister's missin and you saw them grey men steal her."
"Yeah." Fox scuffed his shoe. "You think I'm crazy now."
"Not't'all. You come with me, son, and I'll help ye. I seen them grey men too....”
Young Mulder meets an old man in a bookstore; and the two become friends in their quest to gain answers from extraterrestrials. Mulder’s new radio works so well it intercepts a military plane and almost get him in big trouble.
Vickie Moseley’s (Ao3, Gossamer) Consequences (Gossamer link)
“The anger turned to dread. It was the one thing that he'd thought about, the one option he'd taken hours to consider. He couldn't let Fox anywhere near him for longer than the length of a weekend. If the syndicate decided to test him again, this time they would surely go for the boy. ...So he had to keep the boy at arm's length, shuffle him off to his mother, where he'd be safe. At least, that was what Bill prayed he was doing. “
Vickie’s specialty is Mulder hurtfic, not a genre I care much for (and it must be done well.) However! This was quite the character study into the conflicted, tortured mind of Bill. He forgot his weekend, then forgot his son’s birthday, then realized his son was gravely ill. His depth of reined-in heartbreak and failure is explored interestingly.
stellar_dust’s (Ao3) Home for Christmas (Ao3)
“When Teena walked in with her packages twenty minutes later, she couldn't believe her eyes - Fox and Samantha, curled up together beside the Christmas tree, reading. She paused at the door and smiled, watching unseen, on her way upstairs to wrap the last few presents. I'm so blessed, she thought, and turned away, unwilling to disturb them. Now if only Bill weren't working late, everything would be perfect. ~*~ That was the year they got Stratego.”
The long-term effects of Samantha’s loss. Mulder’s happy Christmases devolve into avoidance, and perpetual pain and loss through Pheobe and Diana. Scully and TLG eventually improve his outlook; and even Tena finally sends a gift and an invite, though pitiful and empty. (The fic ends with Mulder telling Scully about his history, but that’s extra reading~. I usually stop after Tena’s death.)
Canon Divergent and AU Fics
Deannie’s Best Loved
“The unspoken threat was unmistakable. They'd already given him his choice--his best loved, or everyone. They'd make good on the threat if he left now. And not only would his son be gone, but his wife and daughter as well... “
A canon-divergent fic starring Bill and Tena being unwitting victims. CSM intercepts the two of them at party and prevents them from saving their children. Bill chooses Tena’s safety above the kids, eventually destroying their marriage.
The story leads up to Bill’s death-- where I like to stop reading-- before it continues into Anasazi plot.
memories_child’s Four Ways Teena’s Life May Have Turned Out Differently
“She wonders, every day, if she made the right decision. And then Samantha calls her name.”
These vignettes-- sought-after socialite to sober wife to sorrowful mother -- work great separately but even better as a whole. It turns canon-divergent after the abduction, since it was Mulder who was taken, not Sam.
@cecilysass‘s (Ao3) The Boy on the Beach (Ao3)
“There was a tightness in Scully’s chest as she watched the boy’s face, the set of his jaw. How could she ever explain why she wanted him to be nothing but endlessly kind to his sister? How could she convey to a twelve-year old boy the brokenness of a thirty-two year old man — a man who would sit on a motel room floor, speaking to his new partner in hushed tones about the defining loss of his life?”
This time travel casefile (set post Amor Fati) quickly derails, trapping Scully in the past. Realizing there is time to save Samantha from being abducted, she travels to Martha’s Vineyard and helps them evade CSM and his goons. Adult Mulder, wracked with guilt over his cruel words in their last fight, reaches her just in time. CSM is finally dealt with, and all’s as well as can be in their universe.
Although the present-day content is canon-divergent (according to my headcanon), and I skip any ~spicy~ adult moments (because that’s not my cup of tea), the intensity of the writing and the character voices is fascinating. Standouts moments were: Scully and the kids hiding in the tree, and Mulder crying over the newest faxed photo.
Most of these fics (and authors) are already well-loved; but they still deserved to be highlighted for their quality and interesting perspectives.
Enjoy!
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