#sunflowerseedsandscience

[randomfoggytiger]

X-Files Collector's Fic: IVF Successes (Poll Results 3rd)

This list was inspired by this poll, sharing 3rd place with post-Tithonus Mother Hen Mulder.

Successful IVF fics are my life's blood (...okay, all of these Poll Result Fics are my favorites, but--); and there are, fortunately, so many good ones that I love to reread over and over.

I could go on and on about each and every detail I love about each and every one of these fics; but it would take eons. Instead, let's go!

Loose chronological order below~

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

@o6666666's (Ao3) Untitled

""Which room tonight?”

She smiles, eyes closed. “Living room.”

He starts, slowly, to scratch her back. “The older kids have a soccer tournament this weekend,” he begins, speaking in the soft monotone that feels like a back scratch in itself. “They came in with their cleats on and tracked mud everywhere and you got mad.”

He feels her grin and gathers her closer.""

Mulder weaves bedtime stories about their Imaginary House filled with kids, a dog, filling food, and a skylight window on the first floor of a two story-house.

@sunflowerseedsandscience’s (Ao3)

2016 Fictober Drabbles - Chapter 8 (Ao3)

""The first time, Mulder had stayed in their basement office during the procedure, and later, when she’d learned that it hadn’t taken, she’d informed him by phone.  The second time, he’d driven her to the doctor’s and waited in the car.  He’d offered to come in with her,  but she’d turned him down.  There had still been no discussion regarding what they’ll do if the procedure works- she hadn’t seen any point in making any decisions when they didn’t even know if it would be necessary- and with his potential involvement still undecided, she’s not completely comfortable having him there.""

Mulder prevents Scully from giving in to despair, asking to pay for her third IVF attempt and opening up their relationship to more.

Someday Your Child May Cry

""Mulder blows straight past Dr. Parenti’s receptionist, with Scully doing her best to ignore the sharp pains in her gut and keep up. In his fury, he’s forgotten her still-healing injury, and from the look he’d had on his face when he’d gotten out of the car, he’s not likely to remember it anytime soon.

She’s never seen him this furious.

Inside Parenti’s office, Mulder doesn’t pause before grabbing the doctor, lifting him bodily from his desk chair, and slamming him against the wall. He brandishes the test results in the terrified man’s face.

“Who do you work for?” Mulder demands. “Whose orders were you following when you did this to my partner? To our child?""

A S6 chapter by chapter epic where Mulder and Scully battle their way through their failing IVF attempts and loss of the X-Files; but what almost breaks them is when Mulder slips up to Diana, who then sells this information to her Consortium higher-ups. (The Tithonus and Sixth Extinction chapters left an imprint on my mind forever. Stunning work, @sunflowerseedsandscience-- you left a mark on my mind forever~.)

AweburnPhoenix's Every Monday

""Two large, thank you," Scully ordered once they reached the end of the line. "Oh, make one decaf," she added. 

Mulder smiled for a second. It would be hard for her to adjust, that was for sure. Probably even more difficult for him. Cranky, no-caffeine, morning Scully was not something he was looking forward to. But they would manage. It was for a good cause.""

Post Monday Mulder is certain that the IVF took, not letting Scully's nerves dimmer their hope. Pam's legacy lives on.

@crossedbeams/CrossedBeams's Pink (Ao3)

""Look inside.’

Mulder had forgotten about the bag, and in the minute he’s been holding it has managed to reduce to top to a sweaty, balled-up mess. It takes him thirty seconds to open it and another thirty to process what’s inside. As he fumbles, Scully’s agitation grows. He can feel her gaze boring into him as he reaches into the paper sack and pulls out the contents.

‘Well?!’ Scully’s voice is as crumpled as the paper. ‘What does it say?’

Mulder looks down at the three pregnancy tests in his hands. He’d thought she was going to the doctors on Monday. He’d been dreading it. The last judgement on a last chance.""

Scully BANGS her way into Mulder's apartment, hyperventilating on his floor and begging him to look at the test results for her.

@frogsmulder/Brynstein's The Day That Never Came (Ao3)

""He bursts through the door, and sees Scully on her knees, leaning against the bath. She looks pale, frightfully so, and although she is staring down, he can see the tears streaking down her face. It's obvious she collapsed in that position and his immediate thought is that the cancer has returned. Kneeling down beside her, Mulder cautiously raises her chin with his finger, ready to catch the blood dripping from her nose with his thumb.

But her nose is clean and she looks up at him with shock and wonder in her eyes, a smile poking through like sunshine through cloud cover.""

Scully terrifies Mulder by yelling for him from the next room.

@atths–twice‘s (Ao3, Alt. Ao3, FFN) Successful Undertakings

""Pacing the room, he waited for her to return, rubbing his hand across his face. Finally, he heard the door open and she walked over to him.

“This is it,” she said quietly and he saw tears in her eyes. “Whatever happens, Mulder, thank you. Thank you for…”

“My contribution?’ he joked, clenching his jaw.

“Yes,” she said seriously, touching his arm. “There is no one else I would have even considered asking.”

“Not even Skinner?” He tried another joke needing to break the heavy seriousness.

“Mulder,” she whispered, shaking her head and wrapping her arms around him, burying into his chest. She sighed as he held her tightly, his eyes closed. “A baby with Skinner would have always been bald."" 

Mulder and Scully are a bundle of nerves at this their last chance; and are both elated when the nurse tells them the good new.

@sisterspooky1013/SisterSpooky1013/Sister Spooky's Everything

""I love you” he whispered so quietly she wasn’t sure if she’d imagined it. She tucked her face back into his chest to conceal a yawn.

“Am I boring you?” He joked, and she chuckled, facing him again while she shook her head.

“I’m just suddenly exhausted” she remarked. How much had her life changed in the past couple hours? It’s was a lot to absorb.

“Wanna take a nap?!” He proposed with the same level of excitement he might normally ask “wanna go to Kentucky?!” Except this time, what he was offering actually sounded good.""

Scully is awed at Mulder's reactions each step of their IVF journey: being struck dumb at her request, scooping her up and comforting her when he thinks the IVF has failed, and alternating between tenderness at her "go big or go home" confession and keen interest in their baby's development. She leaves no doubts regarding "them."

@baronessblixen​‘s (Ao3) 

Against the Odds (Ao3)

""It didn’t take, did it?”

Mulder has spent hours trying to come up with the right words for each outcome. He walked through her kitchen as if taking inventory. As if the fact that she owned three sizes of coffee cups meant anything at all, made any kind of difference. The last hour he spent here, on her couch. A familiar spot. The lumps and indentions fitting his body perfectly as if he belonged there. So he stayed. Stayed and let his thoughts run wild. There were only two outcomes. Two. It’s either one or the other; success or failure. Whatever news she carried with her, though, he knew he needed to be prepared. He fell asleep halfway through thinking up his speech for when it didn’t take. He didn’t even get the chance to consider the idea that it might have worked."" 

Mulder is so overjoyed at the news that he shifts their relationship immediately; and further surprises Scully with a celebratory alien onesie.

Five Minutes

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

""He’s been hovering, lately. In a case of worst timing ever, Scully started having morning sickness right after their first tentative step towards a more intimate relationship on New Year’s Eve. When he walked into his bathroom hours later, hair sticking into every direction, his eyes wide as saucers, she could see in his face that he blamed himself for her sitting there on the cold tiles, hunched over his toilet. As if his shy, careful kiss had caused this. Only her Mulder could conclude something as inane as that. But since that night, he’s become a shadow at her side, making sure she’s fine. Most of the time, she is.

The morning sickness has since passed and has been replaced by this giddiness. Scully glances at Mulder again. Perfectly still, like a statue. Not a peep out of him about how he wants to go home, why this is taking so long and isn’t there a way to speed this up? All these questions run through her mind, though. It’s as though this particular trait of his has been transferred to her, along with a good chunk of his genetic material, currently growing a baby inside of her.

Scully can't wait, buying a pregnancy test early; and, as if reading her mind, Mulder drops in just in time to read the results. She ruminates on this new restlessness of hers after The Goldberg Variation, baffled that their normal rates of patience have swapped; but this is all resolved when she finally, finally, spells out what she wants for their relationship. (One of my all-time favorite IVF pieces is Chapter 2. Can't rave about it enough.)

@ghostbustermelanieking/skuls’s

Successful IVF miniseries

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

I love every. single. line. from Part 2. The best part, to me, was too long to pull out one single quote (the section about holding Matthew and almost getting caught by Bill), so I made do.

""The Christmas tree is unplugged, dark, and she can see Mulder on his side on the couch bed. She isn’t sure that he’s even awake until she draws close to the edge of the cot, and Mulder immediately turns over. “Scully, hey,” he says, his voice somewhere between sweet and worried. “Are you okay? Is it morning sickness?”

Scully chuckles quietly, sitting down on the bed gingerly, one leg folded under her. “Oh, no, Mulder. That’s still a few weeks away, fortunately.”

“Oh.” He extracts an arm out from under the blanket and reaches up to cup her cheek. “What’s up?”

“Oh...” She is suddenly embarrassed.... “I dunno,” she says quietly. “I guess I just got...”

“Cold?” Mulder tugs the sleeve of her sweatshirt between two fingers. 

She nods gratefully. "Cold.""

My all-time favorite IVF success series. Mulder and Scully become a thing the MINUTE that they get their successful news. Slowly, he nudges his way into her apartment, true; but they're an undoubted fixture in each other's life throughout the whole experience. (Part 2 is my all-time favorite IVF fic: it can never be topped, and it was what started my XF fic cataloguing and filing journey. My love for it is boundless; and it is perfection.)

under the star (Ao3)

""Scully, I want this, he says. I wouldn’t have said yes if I didn’t.

She smiles again, eyes welling up, and buries her head in his shoulder.""

AUs where Mulder and Scully might have been happy-- IVF success is one of them. (Love these little vignettes~.)

effywho's Astra Inclinant

""He doesn't know what that means. She removes her jacket, and he peers at her, trying to make out her expression as nonchalantly as he manage. Happy, heartbroken? She is indecipherable. Mulder tries to still his bouncing leg and bites his nails into his palms in an effort to keep them to himself, though they want her magnetically.

"Hey?" he whispers. Scully is almost upon him, her blue eyes are swimming with tears. He touches her cheek softly, afraid to break this spell, afraid to know. "Is it...is it bad news?" Scully blinks, and a fat tear falls down her face that has inexplicably broken into a dizzying smile. She clutches his biceps, hanging onto him as though she might fall. "No," she chokes out the word.

The breath is knocked swiftly from his lungs, he gapes at her in shock. "No?""

Mulder is speechless with delight at the IVF success; and follows it up with an "I love you." Scully, of course, takes the reigns.

amorfati3215/Amorfati32’s (FFN)

AU headcanons: the IVF works (Alt. link, alt. link)

""Aha, you said “he!” You know it’s a boy!”

“I have no idea Mulder, it’s too early to tell. We can findout the sex next time if we want to.”

Mulder likes the sound of “we”. They’re not a couple, but they’re already embracing co-parenting. He has no idea how it’s going to work when the baby’s born but they have six months to figure it out.""

Mulder is overjoyed when Scully tells him their successful news; and, all told, they have a conversation about everything at least in the first trimester. Bill even cools down enough to let them be happy.

Donna’s (Gossamer, mulderscreek) 

Per Manum Interruptus (Site)

""He thought he had this whole thing thought out. He'd certainly told himself he had. He hadn't just agreed to something like this blind . . . had he?

They hadn't discussed anything in reality. No logistics at all.

"I know I'm babbling, Mulder. There're just so many things going through my mind."

He was able to nod at that.""

The IVF is successful... and Mulder immediately panics. His inner near-hysteria coupled with Scully's serene happiness is a beautiful conversation. Their relationship is a whirlwind before the baby is born... but it all melts away in a washed-up dream (or doesn't if you skip the ending.) The humor in this is spectacular.

Destiny (Site)

""He started to speak when they both heard Katy scream.

He was on his feet and racing for her before Scully had time to process the sound. Katy had gotten herself caught behind the toy basket and didn't have the concept of backing out firmly in her head. Her tears dried magically in his arms.

He turned to look at Scully, still a little shaky. "Am I good to her?""

AU-- Mulder is shot into a future where he and Scully married, the IVF worked, and they have a daughter. He spends the day acclimating, falling in love with this life, and shaking up his own life to help achieve that future.

@blackcoffeeandteardrops's (Ao3) An AU where the IVF works?

""I like it better than the dandelion. I don’t want something too yellow,” she muses. “Which do you like?”

“The green is good,” he says, resting a hand at the small of her back.. She ropes an arm around his waist and it nearly makes him jump, but he quickly settles into it. There’s an invigorated feeling about being close to her, an energy brought forward by the new physical closeness of their relationship, that makes him nearly giddy, “It’s good for a girl or a boy, you know.”

“We don’t need to find out,” she replies, shaking her head, knowing he was trying to goad her into telling him her suspicions.""

This fic covers a little of everything: elation at their success, nervousness while getting ready to tell Maggie, tense anticipation at the "next step" talk, banter over wall swatch colors, and a rewarding little ten-finger-and-toed baby at the end.

@sigritandtheelves/DarlaBlack's Unnamed

""He didn’t come with her because they weren’t… well, they weren’t doing this kind of thing together yet. They were Figuring Things Out, and he’d touched her belly several times (still mostly flat but for bloating, though she let herself pretend it was the swell of life already) and he’d kissed just the corner of her mouth, and his eyes had looked so needy. But. He was buying no “Proud Dad” sweatshirts, nor was he asking her for daily updates or buying onesies. Watching, though. He was always watching her.

And he did seem proud. He’d have come if she’d asked.""

Scully breaks the successful IVF news to Maggie, who immediately reads between the lines.

@sixhours/6hoursgirl's (FFN)

A Boy and His Fox (FFN)

""He squints, tilts his head again. “What I don’t get is how you can look at twenty photos of genuine paranormal phenomena and dub them fakes, then present me with a picture that looks like it was taken by a drunk with a broken camera and claim it’s a baby.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Chronic morning sickness isn’t proof enough?”

“I’m just saying, how do we know this isn’t an elaborate hoax perpetuated by government officials who don’t want the public to know the truth?”

“The truth about what?” she asks, folding her arms over her chest in mock skepticism.

“The scam that is the medical ultrasound industry. Seriously, Scully,” he says, gesturing to the photo. “I saw something like this during a Rorschach test once.""

Mulder is a detached but interested party to Scully's successful IVF journey; and is even swept in as Maggie's replacement when it's go-time. Slow, slooooooow burn into an actual relationship. (I love to pause just after the baby is born; but I reread fics patchily.)

Lucidity (FFN)

""Kids?” he asks, pressing his eyes shut against the inevitable answer.

She softens, stroking the baby’s cheek with the back of her fingers as he coos and wiggles against her. “Emma and Will.”

Good names, he thinks, fixating on the ring around his finger. He slips it off, passing it from one hand to the other.

“You’re saying you don’t remember anything. Not even our children.”

“It’s like I’ve stepped into another life.”

She makes a disapproving sound in the back of her throat. The expression on her face reminds him of a much younger version of his partner—one who stood in the rain and laughed at his theories, who followed him as he chased lights in the sky.""

AU-- Post Triangle? Mulder is stressing out over Scully's IVF request; but bigger problems come his way when he dreams himself into an alternate universe as a family man: baby son, suspicious older daughter, disbelieving wife, and doting boss-father-in-law in tow.

TeaGirl42's Born to Be My Baby

""We want you to understand that if it were anyone else, I mean if you were anyone else we wouldn't even be having this conversation," Mulder said cryptically.

"Well no..." Skinner replied dryly. "If I were anyone else we wouldn't be..."

Scully rolled her eyes and smiled at their boss patiently, "We're asking you to keep this confidential…for now at least."

"Is this…?" Skinner started to say and looked cautiously around the room signalling to the possibility that someone could be listening in.

"No, nothing like that," Scully assured. "This is all available to anyone who has access to my medical records…this isn't business, this is personal.""

The IVF works; and Mulder and Scully are launched into a soft famfic: admitting their love, telling Skinner (because), first dates at planetariums, having a daughter, getting married, and all the et cetera's of a happier life.

FatCat's Eggnog

""Scully is tired and sore from all the work of labor, but nothing is bothering her too much. I once again have feeling in my fingers on my left hand. I am drowsy, happy, and ready to join my family in sleep when I hear Scully muttering.

"What? Scully? What did you say?"

" ... didn't get any."

"What, Baby? What didn't you get?"

"Eggnog. I still didn't get any Eggnog. What's a New Year's Eve without eggnog?" she mumbles.""

Mulder and Scully are stuck in a stickup at the end of her third trimester; but it gives them time to ruminate on their glaring lack of communication. Both decide that Scully tearing her brothers to bits in Mulder's defense (and dropping the "love" word) is enough to, at least, open the conversation. Their relationship is thwarted, however, just as it begins-- but in a good way.

WildwingSuz/Suzanne Feld's Fruition (Ao3)

""Mulder…” I half-whimpered, not sure who I was angrier with more, the annoyingly cheerful doctor or the man who’d done this to me. So I had asked my partner to be the father, but that was beside the point at the moment....

I gathered my flagging strength as much as I could, feeling Mulder tense behind me. “This is it, Kate, one good push and it’s over,” Dr. Towhees said in that all-too-cheerful voice. “Let’s get this over with; you’re almost done.”

I swore I would strangle him when this was over.""

Post Millennium Mulder and Scully have to go into hiding after their IVF is successful; but both don't care as long as they're together with their son. In noncommunicative fashion, they only say these things after he's born, of course.

Enjoy!

[asifyoudidntknow]

All Time Favs

I began reading fanfic in my teens during the original run of the show. There were lonnng breaks from it, but coming back to the fandom in 2017 reignited my interest. I now keep a spreadsheet as well as a "to read" list. I already have almost 600 logged (not including 5 years), so I wanted to share my top favorites. Divided into my 4 favorite genres (AU, casefic, angst + romance, and smut + romance) and in no particular order...

*Alternate Universe*

I used to wonder why someone would choose to read AU. Then I read one of these and was completely blown away.

Katherine of Ireland by Jenna Tooms (gossamer)

Katherine, princess of Ireland is married to Walter, king of Angora. When Walter is killed during battle, Katherine is taken by the enemy, FitzJames. William is FitzJames right hand. When FitzJames orders her to be beaten (even after discovering her pregnancy) William devises a plan to save her, heal her and get her back to Ireland. Will William always be seen as the enemy or will Katherine come to see him for who he truly is?

By the dim and flaring lamps by @sunflowerseedsandscience (ao3)

Civil war AU’s are my jam and this was one of the first ones I read.  When Mulder discovers (disguised boy) Scully bathing in a waterfall by darkness and realizes what he is dealing with will remain etched in my brain forever.

In darkness by DKSculder (ao3)

What if Scully was married to Daniel?  What if Daniel was a serial killer?  What if Mulder was a VCU agent still?   This is an unfinished work, but the idea is unlike any other I’ve come across.

Blinded by the white light by DashaK (ao3)

Need I say more?  When Mulder and Scully find each other after colonization, will they remember each other and will they act on it?

The second side of light by @scapegrace74-blog (ao3)

Oregon Trail.  Mulder is leading scully and Melissa across the trail when Melissa dies.  They end up getting very close to one another on the journey.

Paracelsus by profuckslove (ao3)

Another amazing civil war AU.  When Mulder goes looking for his lost son and comes across a pregnant scully what will happen to them?

Hiareth by profuckslove (gossamer)

Wales 1215.  Scully escapes the king by marrying Mulder, the prince of wales.  Marriage leads to love and fighting off dangerous men.

Paracosm by @softnow (ao3)

This is an unfinished work.  College AU.  Mulder has a crush on the library girl, will she return his advances?

A companion unobtrusive by @slippinmickeys (ao3)

A college AU where scully is looking for a roommate and Mulder is looking for a room.  Melissa introduces them and the rest is history.

Qui Si by Trixie (gossamer)

After accepting an offer from a gypsy to go back to a life with Samantha in it, Mulder, a child psychologist, helps Scully, a PhD, get over her past.

You he did not fail by extraordinarily_ordinary (ao3)

Scully abruptly leaves TXF after surviving cancer and moves to LA to start anew.  She is dating when Mulder is assigned as a profiler to a case she is working and they have to deal with things left undealt with.

Five years and a lifetime by @monikafilefan (ao3)

Mulder is a Peds psychiatrist. Scully is a Peds neurologist. They meet at a conference and have a one night stand.  What happens when they come to work together 5 years later and Scully is a single mom?

Amish country by lolabeegood (gossamer)

Mulder and Scully go undercover in Amish country trying to catch a serial rapist while navigating very traditional values and roles.

You and me by lolabeegood (gossamer)

Mulder leaves his wealthy parents to serve under Scully’s father in the military.  In order for her to stay safe, fed, and clothed she needs to marry.

The mountain man by aka Jake (gossamer)

Scully is sent from nyc (where she was becoming a doctor) to Montana at her father’s wishes.  He wants her to marry a lieutenant under his command and not practice medicine, but she becomes intrigued with a local mountain man.

The countess/the earl by @slippinmickeys (ao3)

When scully is to be married to an old duke in order to save her family from financial ruin, a strange, alluring earl steps in to save her.

*Case*

There is nothing quite like a casefic. It's classic x-files and I am here for it. Writers in this fandom are so talented with their abilities to create a fic that rivals/trumps actual episodes.

Perchitor by @aloysiavirgata (ao3)

A little girl goes missing in the mountains with the superstition of Jenny Greenteeth to blame.  Mulder and Scully investigate while navigating a new physical relationship.

Omens by @lepus-arcticus (ao3)

I read this one as a WIP and was anxiously checking for an update every night.  There were several lines in this fic that made me gasp.  Cancer arc angst. Give me it alllll.

XII by fragilevixen (ao3)

A killer that romanticizes every victim.  His next target?  Guess who.  *coughSCULLYcough*

Hearts desire by malibusunset (ao3)

While in a small town scully runs into an old BF and starts wondering why she doesn’t prioritize her dating.  She decides to go for it.  The author makes me like Scully’s old flame.  That says something.  When the MSR convo finally does come, I thought I’d die from the slow burn.

Resurgam by opheila_interrupted (ao3)

One of the most xfiles like cases I have ever read.  Remains unsolved at the end and has our agents investigating ghosts near Mulder’s hometown while dealing with their own (Emily & Teena).

Universal invariants/laws of motion by @syntax6

Scully is engaged to Ethan throughout the first season while her and Mulder’s relationship is deepening and then consummated right before she is abducted.  How do two guys in love handle Scully’s abduction and what happens when she is returned?  

All the way home/head over heels by @syntax6

Mulder is pulled into a past unsolved VCU case of a killer with a shoe fetish while navigating a new physical relationship with scully.  When scully is targeted, Mulder has to gamble with his personal feelings while working to find the killer.

Queens gambit by Suzanne Schramm (gossamer)

Under Kersh, Mulder and Scully are assigned to a VCU case Mulder worked in Utah in 89’.  The killer was put to death and then revenge began.  Local mines and children involved.

*angst + romance*

This is my crux. Angst in any way, shape, or form. Add in some slow burn/ust and finally the rst *chefs kiss* particularly fond of Ethan fics and cancer arc.

Contact high by penumbra (gossamer)

Still feeling the residual effects of the spores post field trip, our agents try out Mulder’s new waterbed.

Early on by @sunflowerseedsandscience (ao3)

10 vignettes set during season 1.  Our baby agents are becoming close, but Ethan is still around.  How does scully navigate her relationship with Ethan while working with Mulder?

Center Mass by @kateyes224 (ao3)

Another Ethan fic set in season 1.  Mulder and Scully make an effort to get to know one another… in more ways than one.  And when Mulder gets aroused at Scully’s marksmanship it’s all over for me. 

One blue line by sarie_fairy (ao3)

IVF arc.  Scully is defeated by a negative pregnancy test.  When Mulder tries to comfort her, she suggests having sex.  I just remember wondering if I was reading or actually doing the act myself considering how detailed it was.

Salt by anjou (gossamer)

I remember reading this and being like WTF is happening to only have it all make sense at the end leaving me speechless.

Triptych by @iconicscullyoutfits (ao3)

My favorite FTF, post bee, how the f*ck did they get out of anarctica fic.

Snowbound by malibusunset (gossamer)

After missing their flight and being snowed in their rental on the side of the road, discussions lead to their relationship.  Once they’re recused they are put up in an inn with 1 room.  Dun, dun, dunnnn.

The ache by @storybycorey (ao3)

1999 Mulder has a visit with 2015 Mulder to urge him to get help with his depression and not lose scully.

Love bites by living_underground (ao3)

A review of vampirism cases throughout the years.  Hickeys from Ed.  Love bites from Mulder.

Goshen by bonetree (ao3)

Mulder and Scully are in a car accident where their car can’t be seen.  Major injuries lead to near death experiences and visions of Emily.

All that our senses can perceive by wonderland (ao3)

Mulder’s POV looking over Scully’s transformation from girl to woman and how all of his senses perceive her.

Caught in the Act I by parrotfish (gossamer)

Although the whole series is amazing, the first part is my favorite.  I love when scully lays into the review panel about being sexist.

The things she carries by @edierone (ao3)

One of my favorite cancer arc fics.  When Mulder confronts Scully 3 years later on the porch I literally stopped breathing.

Red valerian series by dashakay (ao3)

Scully looks to skinner for comfort during a grueling case, starting a 6 month affair.  Will scully ever love him or will the buried truth prevail?

Sex and Loathing by malibusunset (ao3)

Scully takes a drunk Mulder home after Roche.  He makes a move and they have terrible sex.  After 2 years of poking at each other they face things head on after Mulder almost dies in PBV.

Snakebitten by @onpaperfirst (ao3)

Set throughout season 5.  My favorite season. Say no more.

Five years and one night by Shalimar (gossamer)

When Scully transfers to LA and Mulder finds more babies like Emily, can they work together again to get to the bottom of this conspiracy?

The letter by Shalimar (gossamer)

Post TFWID, scully goes searching for more clues to her and Mulder’s past lives when she comes across a letter in a local Apison museum she sent to Mulder.

*smut + romance*

It's hard to have just smut when it comes to MSR, am I right? these two idiots are so in love that my smut category must also be romantic.

Undercover swing by 2momsmakearight (ao3)

What if Mulder and Scully go undercover as a married couple interested in swinging?  Can they both keep their jealously in check?  

Be kind, rewind by OnlyTheInevitable (ao3)

To help catch a suspect, skinner requests our agents watch porn together.  While watching, conversation leads to critiques about the performance and comments about personal preferences.

Girl 77 by mojo

A stripper is found dead with Mulder’s card on her.  She looks exactly like Scully.  Scully notices and confronts Mulder about it.

Dropped call series by @phillippadgettwrites (ao3)

Phone sex, but make it “not them”

December 31, 1984 by @phillippadgettwrites (ao3)

When Mulder saves an unimpressed scully from some jerk on NYE, they end up at her apartment having a one night stand.

Damsels by @sisterspooky1013 (ao3)

Scully is sent undercover as a stripper to find a missing woman.  Mulder is kept in the dark regarding her case, but pieces together where she is and what she’s doing and sets out to find her.

The Shirt by Audrey Roget (gossamer)

Skinner reconciles with Sharon leading to a vow renewal celebration. Skinner asks mulder and Scully to stand with him as his best agents. After slow dancing together, mulder bolts out of the celebration before scully catches the bridal bouquet and he crosses a line. When they end up in an accident while driving in a storm, things come to a head in an Elvis inspired motel suite out in the middle of nowhere PA.

[cecilysass]

Hello! You once told me that I could always ask you for fic recs so here I am! I’ve only seen up to S2E17 so idk if you have anything that doesn’t deal too heavily after that. Minor spoilers/references are okay, just nothing major. I’m also not a smut person generally. If you can’t think of anything that fits those criteria, feel free to ignore this! I hope you have a lovely day:)

Okay, I am SO EXCITED about this question, but also nervous, because I don’t want to accidentally include something that will spoil you. I am going to throw a few recs out, and maybe others will think of more?

Universal Invariants by syntax6 This is so, so good. It’s a classic. A novel-length casefile, plus an AU riff on season 1 and 2 through the abduction arc, so I think you are entirely good with spoilers. The big change from canon is that Scully is still with her boyfriend, Ethan. (If you don't know Ethan, he is a character that was originally in the Pilot but cut from the actual show.) There are... other changes from canon, but you’ll see. There's some smut, but it’s not the focus. And there's a sequel to this, too, which you will definitely eventually want to read, but you're going to have to finish season 5 first.

the progression (and regression) of first names by skuls Scully works through some early identity issues in relation to Mulder. This author (skuls) is always delightful, always recommended.

Center Mass by kateyes224 This fic provides a painful, in character explanation for what might have happened between them after the Pilot that could have resulted in so much subsequent slow burn. Hot and angsty, but not really smutty.

Early On by sunflowerseedsandscience This is also an AU season 1 with Ethan, but this one is more focused on Scully slowly feeling her attention stray from Ethan as her relationship with Mulder develops. It's a series with ten (short) parts. It's very engaging. There are some smutty parts.

Eight Things That Could Have Happened In Oregon by Stephen Greenwood No spoilers here, only things that didn't happen but might sound like spoilers. This is wistful, a little sad, beautiful, odd. The First Year by mldrgrl Their first New Year's Eve, not long after the Pilot. I love the hesitant vibe here.

Still Feeling My Father Ascend - cecily_sass This is my own fic, so I am being kind of a self promoter recommending it to you. But it’s a Beyond the Sea post ep, and I know my own work pretty well lol, so I know there’s no later spoilers, or only really minor things that won’t be meaningful until later. It was written for a prompt for an early season fic exchange.

And I'm not going to recommend it exactly, but I do want to mention that one of the first works of XF fanfic was actually written in 1993 and published online in 1994, so during season one. It's called The Sound of Windchimes by Sarah Stegall. It's got some serious CW (noncon) and some pretty wild content (I've read it), but if you're brave or curious and interested in fan history, you can check it out. Here's the fanlore page, which includes links.

***

Obviously I can come up with SO MANY MORE fics as you get further along. So just let me know. I would say most XF fic is probably written about seasons 5 / 6 / 7 for whatever reason, so once you're in that range, everyone can give you tons. Anyone have any other favorite early season fic they can recommend? It's sometimes tricky because sometimes early MSR has later details embedded in it...

[enigmaticxbee]

XF AU - Fic Recs

When the world was unrecognizable and upside down, there was one thing that remained the same. You... were my friend, and you told me the truth. Even when the world was falling apart, you were my constant... my touchstone (or, alternate universe and canon-divergent fics):

Contemporary AUs:

A Companion Unobtrusive by @slippinmickeys - She needed a roommate. He needed a room.

The Annapolis Grant by @slippinmickeys - Fake relationship! Scully hires Mulder to pretend to be her boyfriend.

Aprons and Scrubs by @lokisgame - Scully’s a doctor and Mulder runs a bar.

Five Years and a Lifetime by @monikafilefan @slippinmickeys - One night stand AU. Five years later, Scully and Mulder work at the same pediatric hospital, and Scully's four year old daughter bears a striking resemblance to the picture of a dark haired girl that sits on Mulder's desk...

Skin by Annie Sewell-Jennings - In a world where Mulder and Scully have never met, fate intervenes and brings two worlds colliding in the city of Charleston, as a vicious murderer reigns and a storm approaches.

Sinners Come Down by aster_risk - Six years into her marriage to Daniel, Scully meets Fox Mulder at a bar one night, and they get talking and fucking over alcohol and self-pity.

In the Best Interest of the Child by @mldrgrl - When tragedy strikes, Mulder is forced to take guardianship of his young niece, but the matter is complicated by the arrival of a sister-in-law he's never met.

Historical AUs:

By the Dim and Flaring Lamps by @sunflowerseedsandscience - Civil War AU. Captain Mulder befriends Private Scully who’s hiding a secret…

The Countess and The Earl by @slippinmickeys - Regency Romance!

Old Growth Forest by Andrea - Mulder and Scully travel back to frontier times

Rocky Mountain Interlude Part 1 and Part 2 by Jacquie LaVa and Tess - Mulder and Scully travel back in time to solve the case of a Colorado mining ghost

The Science of Sex by @if-the-seascatchfire - Masters of Sex AU. Mulder and Scully are doctors in the late 1950s who undertake a years-long study about human sexuality, and as part of the research, they also have sex with each other - you know, for the science.

Out of this World:

The Magician by Suzanne Bickerstaffe and Jennifer Lyon - Fantasy series where Mulder and Scully travel to another world full of magic (one of the first fanfics I ever remember reading!)

Out of the Little Grove by @slippinmickeys - Crossover with His Dark Materials (a mashup truly made just for me, my 13 year old self would have been over the moon)

Blinded by White Light by @dashakay - Post-colonization. What are we, but the sum of our memories? A classic.

Julia and Gabriel by Mish - Post-colonization. A new identity, a new, dangerous society, an unchanged heart and soul. Gave me Hunger Games vibes for some reason (although written years before that was published)

Canon-Divergent: Pre or Early Series

Eleventh Hour by Rachel Anton - Mulder travels back in time to find college-aged Scully and change everything.

Belphagor’s Prime by Prufrock’s Love - When Scully disappears Mulder travels back in time to a pre-X-Files Scully for help.

In Another Life by @mldrgrl - What if there was no conspiracy? What if Mulder was just a regular FBI Agent? What if Scully was just a bureau pathologist?

How They Met by @peacenik0 - After an encounter at Scully’s FBI academy graduation party they must determine how to deal with their past and their undeniable attraction to one another when partnered up.

One Week at Quantico by CrossedBeams - What if Mulder had been teaching at the Academy when Scully was training…

Paging Dr. Scully by @mangokiwitropicalswirl - Mulder keeps ending up in Dr Scully’s ER.

Only One Choice by @sisterspooky1013 - Scully was never assigned to The X Files.

The Way Things Are by Sukie Tawdry - A season 1 one night stand changes everything. Baby-fic.

Departures & Arrivals by anarchybeauty - After the X Files are closed in 1994, Scully moves on. Two years later, she runs into Mulder in an airport.

Right Hand Return by humphreywrites - Scully is returned from her abduction with a baby, no memories of anything prior to her captivity and some PTSD.

12 Rites of Passage and 12 Degrees of Separation by Anne Hayes - mytharc story written very early in the series run.

parent_1 by @markwatneyandenesemble - It’s 1996, Mulder’s been off the X-Files for three years, and not speaking to Scully. They’ve almost moved on with their lives. Almost.

Canon-Divergent: Mid Series

A Different Place by @myownsuperintendent - When Mulder successfully brings one of the Samantha clones back from the farm with him in Herrenvolk, she must learn to adapt to a different life.

Once More With Feeling by skinfull - While on a stakeout Mulder is shot in the head and loses his memory.

Iolokus by rivkat and MustangSally - Mytharc AU. Painted across the barren and desolate reaches of Texas, the shadows of the Project put additional pressure on Scully and Mulder's already fragile relationship. After a hostage crisis raises more questions about the Project's breeding program, Scully begins her own investigation, leaving Mulder to choose between saving her and saving himself. Pretty disturbing but fascinating, a classic.

Arizona Highways by Fialka - Mytharc AU. Visions of Melissa lead Our Heroes on a case confirming the existence of a series of Emilys. But does Melissa really have a message, or is it all in Scully’s head? Another classic.

Heuvelmans' On the Track by @mashnotesofthemythopoeic - post-FTF mytharc AU, truly a ride you’ll never forget.

The Leap and Landfall by Ambress - Scully has a one time opportunity for motherhood, given to her by the Kurt Crawfords.

All That Is Dark and Bright by @malibusunset-xf-blog - Emily lives AU.

Five Years and One Night by Shalimar - Scully leaves the X-Files post-Emily but gets drawn back in when Mulder discovers Emily wasn’t the only child created.

Cubed by Louise Marin - Mid-season 6 Scully does a little body-swapping of her own. Can she and Mulder make it back to each other? Do they want to?

The Boy on the Beach and Tonight We're Gonna Party Like It's 1999 by @cecilysass - One moment she was sitting in the chair. Her chin up, her expression ice. And the next moment she was gone. Fantastic exploration of the Samantha storyline.

Canon-Divergent: Late or Post Series

40 Weeks by @malibusunset-xf-blog - What if the IVF attempt in Per Manum had been successful?

Mobius by L.A. Ward - Post-Requiem while investigating the disappearance of a physicist, Scully finds someone she didn't expect - Mulder. But is it her Mulder?

By the Wind Grieved by Karen Rasch - Mulder is returned several months post Requiem but he doesn't know who he is or what Scully and he are to each other. Together they must reclaim the past before their enemies take away their future.

Deadalive AU by @markwatneyandenesemble - Mulder is returned but is missing several years of memory.

The 13th Sign and 7 Days in May by Prufrock’s Love - Post-Deadalive. Mulder saw no reason for life, death, sex, Armageddon, or emotional dysfunction to stand in the way of true love.

Hurricane Season by rah and beduini - Post-Existence week at the beach with the Scully family and baby Wim.

Terra Firma series by @malibusunset-xf-blog - Post-Existence domestic family drama, a classic comfort read for me.

2008 by MystPhile - With the quest at an end, the X-Files closed in the year 2000. Our heroes went their separate ways. In 2008, they meet in Bloomingdale's and the past, present, and future are explored.

Dr. Scully's School for Exceptional Boys by Prufrock’s Love - More than a decade had passed. Mulder had no reason to hole up in his apartment alone, wearing a Three Dog Night T-shirt with dried mustard on the hem and blue jeans that had seen better days. He wasn't "saving himself" for anyone. Especially not Her. Though she remained epically, beautifully, brilliantly kick-A-S-S.

Machines of Freedom by Amal Nahurriyeh - post-IWTB. The end of the world is coming. And they're doing everything in their power to stop it.

North of Zero by @slippinmickeys - Post-IWTB, post-colonization. The bombs have fallen. The aliens have come. What’s next?

Canon Parallel AUs:

I've got you under my skin by cuits - In a universe where soulmate identifying marks exist and affect a part of the population, would Mulder and Scully's relationship evolve any different? Unfinished but complete through Existence so it still ends in a satisfying place.

Half-light by skuls - Mulder and Scully get a second chance.

The Family G-Man by Neoxphile and FelineFemme - A double tragedy strikes Mulder the week before Christmas of 2003. What if he could go back and change things, save the son one lost and give the other the family she wanted? Could it keep them safe?

[lilydalexf]

Looking for a casefile fic

Hi, can you help me find a particular X-Files fanfic? It's a casefic where the killer turns out to be a coycat of Jack the Ripper and his victims have similar names to the original Jack's victims.

Thanks in advance!

Sounds like you're looking for Ripper Weather by @sunflowerseedsandscience. It's a season 6 casefile with the summary: Mulder and Scully return to the City of Brotherly Love to assist in the capture of a murderer who seems to be taking his inspiration from the most famous serial killer of all time.

[leiascully]

Twenty Questions for Fanfic Writers

Tagged by @sunflowerseedsandscience! Thank you!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

740, but I have a few ficlets I have yet to add.

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

1,708,613

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Uhhhh, a lot. Here are the top 10:

The X-Files (279)

Battlestar Galactica (2003) (91)

Doctor Who (2005) (79)

House M.D. (78)

Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling (46) (I don't write for this anymore, but I haven't orphaned my stuff)

The West Wing (23)

Leverage (US TV 2008) (20)

The Avengers (Marvel Movies) (18) (I don't write Marvel anymore either)

Welcome to Night Vale (18)

Green Wing (15)

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

I'm sticking just to XF fics here:

Visitor

Baseball Metaphors

Resident

I Want To Believe (It's Not Lead Poisoning) (XF/WtNV crossover)

Ceremony of Innocence

5. Do you respond to comments?

Yep, pretty much every single one, even if it's just :). If someone takes the time to comment, I try to at least thank them. But I totally understand why other authors don't have the bandwidth. I'm also not a popular author in a juggernaut fandom getting hundreds of comments a week - I set aside a little time a few times a month if needed.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I've written a bunch of apocalyptic fic(lets) where it's heavily implied they die at the end or at least that death is imminent, so probably those.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Probably Baseball Metaphors.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not often. Sometimes people will leave rude comments, but it's rare.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Yes, I believe it's a fascinating way to explore characters.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the wildest one you’ve written?

Yeah, I do. I wrote a Battlestar Galactica/XF crossover once with @dashakay. I wrote a House MD/XF crossover too, and the Welcome to Night Vale crossover mentioned above, and one for The Fall.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not as far as I know in terms of things that had my name scrubbed off them. I've had other writing stolen or borrowed, and people have uploaded my fics to other sites without permission.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

I think so, but I can't remember which one(s).

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Many times! My wife and I used to co-write fic all the time when we were young and silly and wrote hundreds of thousands of words of self-insert universes.

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

MSR has lasted the longest besides Han/Leia. Also I strongly ship River/Doctor. The big vibe is "ships that feel queer".

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I mean at this point literally anything. I'd love to finish The FBI's Most Unwanted.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Banter, character voice, poetic prose, ambiance.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I keep hearing about this thing called plot. Never met her, though.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I've written a whole fic in another language, so why not.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Star Wars. Nothing worth reading, though.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

Oh gosh, I can't choose.

@suitablyaggrieved I would love to hear your answers! And anyone else who's intrigued.

[lotzzoforangezoutside]

30-Fic Rec Challenge

I did this last year.

Here’s my list for 30 recommended X-Files fanfic. I’ll try to not repeat on the authors. 

and they are, of course, all MSR.

1. Currently reading: Genius by Kipler. Summary: The story of a young girl who disappears and returns smarter than she was before.

2. A short fic you like: the truth or a Pomeranian by seek_its_opposite (@seek-its-opposite​) Summary: It occurs to them both too late that nice suburban couples don’t have dogs named after Melville characters.

3. A novel-length fic you like: Puppets by Madeleine Partous Summary: None provided by the author.

4. An AU fic that you like: By the Dim and Flaring Lamps by sunflowerseedsandscience  ( @sunflowerseedsandscience) Summary: Captain Fox Mulder, the abolitionist son of a Virginia plantation owner and slaveholder, has turned his back on his family and everything he's ever known in order to fight for the Union, rather than joining the ranks of the Confederacy alongside his fellow Virginians. He runs off to Pennsylvania to join a newly-formed regiment in the spring of 1863, and there, he meets and quickly befriends the enigmatic young Daniel Scully, a private under his command. Private Scully's steady shooting and bravery in battle have proven him to be a far more capable soldier than his age would suggest. But in the days immediately following Gettysburg, Mulder discovers that Private Scully is hiding a secret, one that could change their friendship- and Mulder's entire life- in ways he couldn't possibly imagine.              

5. A fic you like that has a person’s name in the title: The Divine Professor M. by Flynn Summary: "They exist as separate individuals .... but they aren't truly complete until they're together."

6. A fic that made you feel nostalgic: Energy and Light by Oracle Summary: our girls have vanished, each one on a different night. Each one by the light of a full moon. Is it just a coincidence? 

7. A fic that made you cried: 7 Days in May by prufrock's love Summary: It might be the end of the world. Fox Mulder had a psychic vampire on the loose, a six-year-old son in tow, a ton of emotional baggage, and an FBI budget, but at least he wasn't dead. Mulder felt things were looking up - romantically and apocalyptically.

8. A fic you like that’s written by an author that’s passed away: Past is Prologue by Brandon D. Ray Summary: An encounter with two strangers changes Dana Scully's life forever. Pre-XF.

9. A fic you like that has a title of less than three words: Ghosts by Anjou Summary: An early December 2002 tale, originally supposed to be a drabble, totally spun out of control. A post-series 'what if' where Mulder was irrevocably altered, replicants were the new reality, and the clock was ticking down to 2012.

10.A post-episode fic you like: A Less Certain World by Sarah Segretti Summary: A fragile and frightened Mulder, traumatized by the events of "Biogenesis," turns to an unexpected source for help.

11.A fic that you wish to be televise: The Boy on the Beach by cecily_sass ( (@cecilysass) Summary: One moment she was sitting in the chair. Her chin up, her expression ice. And the next moment she was gone.No one had to tell Mulder something had gone wrong. No one had to tell him the difference between having Scully and lacking Scully. In that distinction he was expert.

12.A cute fic: Home, home by onpaperfirst Summary: post-the truth, pre-iwtb, weirdo domesticitywhere seldom is heard a discouraging word, and the skies are not cloudy all day

13.A fic that made your heart raced: Miracle by Tesla Summary: None provided by the author.

14.A scary fic: then the bomb by all_these_ghosts (@all-these-ghosts) Summary: "Do you ever worry about the end of the world, Scully?" "Yes," she said. "But I don't think it's going to happen fast." She would remember that, later.

15.A fic you like that has the word love in the title: Love's Savage Sea Spray by MaybeAmanda & Foxsong & LaVa, Jacquie Summary: The dashing Lt. Fox Mulder saves the Lady Dana Scully from the  lustful clutches of the pirate Captain Skinner and other assorted meanies.

16. One of the first fics you remember really liking: Dumbo by Chimerical Chameleon Summary: Mulder's obsession...(it's not what you think it is)

17. A good casefile: In a Flash by TCS 1121 Summary: In a flash, life changes.

18. A fic you like that has a color in the title: Gold and Silver by dreamingofscully (@dreamingofscully) Summary: Scully does something spontaneous to honor her sister’s memory.

19. A fic you that you’ve read several times: No More Demons by Penny Daza Summary: Mulder and Scully find a way to keep the nightmares away. 20. A fic in your ‘to-read’ list: Love In All The Wrong Places by SisterSpooky1013 (@sisterspooky1013​ ) Summary: Mulder and Scully try their hand at online chat rooms, and each meet a compelling stranger who is perhaps no stranger after all.

21. A *classic* fic that you’ve not read but have been meaning to read: Memorial Day by Brandon D. Ray and shannono Summary: The Date is here ...

22. A fic you read as a WIP or the author did not finish: Speechless by Anjou Summary: A road trip with Mulder and Scully; a trip inside their heads and hearts.  While on assignment to A.D. Kersh on a seemingly innocuous case in Nebraska, Mulder and Scully reflect on their relationship and its progress. Slots into the US6 timeline post-Tithonus, and assumes a general level of knowledge of all preceding action and, unlike what we saw onscreen, there is sufficient time for Scully to have healed between cases.

23. A fic you’d recommend to a Phile who doesn’t read fic: 20 by syntax6 Summary: 20 years in the life of Mulder and Scully, one year at a time.

24. A dark fic: After the Colors Fade by Deborah L. Wells   Summary: Mulder must fulfill a desperate promise he made to Scully. Which could cost them both their lives.

25. A fic you like that has an element of time in the title: if I had to perish twice  by seek_its_opposite Summary: He thinks maybe they’re working backwards to something like new love.

26. A fic you like that was written before 2000: Tinfoil by Loch Ness Summary: None provided by the author.

27. A fic you read a while ago that stayed in your head: Objects Are Closer Than They Appear by Wayward Summary: Arcadia post-ep story

28. A fic that you wish was longer, or hope for sequels: Knock by Gnatalie Summary: "They were a perfect match, since neither of them was getting what they really wanted."

29. The last fic you finished: The Great Outdoors by agoodwoman Summary:Picking up a few weeks after Planes Trains and Automobiles left off, Mulder and Scully have met the luckiest man alive and faced off with Pfaster again. This story begins after Mulder and Scully decide to pack a bag and get out of her apartment. Except they don't spend another weekend in bed together - they deal with the demons from Pfaster and the wake of his turmoil in their lives. They also, of course, get sent on another assignment to The Great Outdoors.

30. A fic you want to recommend just because: The Fox Mulder Phonetic Alphabet by storybycorey (@storybycorey) Summary:The ABC’s, as told by Fox Mulder.

**Bonus: Light Don't Sleep by wonderland (@amplifyme) Summary: " ... I don't want this to end. I want to stay like this forever. Just the three of us, right here in this bed. Not a care in the world." REASON: I have a feeling not many people have read this. But it’s so cute.

[laurencem]

I was going to weed the garden and do some canning while the littles were at camp, but then I discovered "Between Sorrow and Bliss" by @sunflowerseedsandscience and now I'm burning through her ao3 catalog and also I might be crying a lot. Damn. Bravo. 👏

[settle-down-frohike]

Rules: in a new post, show the last line you wrote and tag as many people as there are words.

Tagged by @randomfoggytiger and @amplifyme

Guys I have not written in SO. LONG. Years. I won’t say how many. But maybe this will inspire me to give it another go? I honestly had to search my notes.

“The wistful mourning dove, the evening cicadas with their velvet, rhythmic scritch—they made her selfish, and hadn’t they earned the right to be?”

Tagging @teethnbone @mashnotesofthemythopoeic @onpaperfirst @sunflowerseedsandscience @piecesofscully @thegrotesckque @mangokiwitropicalswirl @storybycorey @onpaperfirst @sunflowerseedsandscience @scully-loves-ruthie @solia-dreams @darwin-xf @kateyes224 @syntax6 @suitablyaggrieved @lilydalexf @jamofappreciation @lyndsaybones @scapegrace74-blog @baronessblixen @all-these-ghosts @lepus-arcticus @msrafterdark @syntax6

I think I went over. Let’s say I counted for punctuation and we all know I love my commas. 🥴 But I am genuinely curious about so many of you. Especially from the olden days. What are y’all up to? Do tell.

(If you tagged me and I didn’t tag back consider it included, I just didn’t want to be redundant, I’m weird about rules)

[contrivedcoincidences6]

10 Favorite Songs

Thank you @virtie333 for the tag!

So I am TERRIBLE with favorite anythings so I’m just going to do what my current favorites are. They change all the time but here are songs I’ve always loved and songs I’m currently obsessed with. 

1. Heartache by Relient K

2. Rhiannon by Fleetwood Mac

3. Cold War by Janelle Monáe

4. It Keeps Us Dancing by The Family Crest

5. Local Construction by Relient K

6. Spillways by Ghost

7. Faith by Semler

8. Turn to Stone by ELO 

9. Running on Empty by Jackson Browne

10. Sparks by The Family Crest

No pressure tag: @alittlemissfit @sunflowerseedsandscience @soloorganaas @otterandterrier @lajulie24 @organanation @graciecatfamilyband @cyb3rpeach

[numinousmysteries]

Twenty questions for fanfic writers

Thanks to @baronessblixen for the tag!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

23

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

77,697

3. What fandoms do you write for?

The X-Files

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Dancing the Tandava

Not Tonight 

Handfesta

Vanquish by Wisdom Hellish Wiles 

Déjà Vu 

5. Do you respond to comments?

Not usually but if there's a question or something specific that resonates with me I'll respond. I absolutely love and cherish every single comment I get but I don't want to muddy the waters with too much authorial intrusion.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Unforgiven

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

His Heritage

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Fortunately, I haven't yet. This fandom has been incredibly supportive which I truly appreciate.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Sometimes! I'm not sure how to classify it. Usually pretty vanilla but with the occasional angstiness. My biggest goal for any smut is for it to be sexy and in character.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

Nope

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

No

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No, but I'd love to!

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

Mulder and Scully, always and forever.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I have about 3-4 WIPs brewing right now. I'd like to finish all of them, ideally, but there is a Kaddish post-ep I feel like I might not get around to.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I hope it's writing in-character dialogue because that's probably what I focus on the most.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Oh my goodness, everything else. I suck at describing settings and anything that's very plot-driven is a challenge for me. I think my sentence structure is formulaic and my word choice is generally pretty blah.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I don't really do it? If a word or phrase comes up, it's usually relevant to the story and explained within.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

I definitely scribbled some Star Wars scenes in my childhood journal before I knew was fanfic was.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

It's one of my least popular fics but I love Devil's Advocate because it's so ridiculous. I'm also very proud of Dancing the Tandava because it took me out of my comfort zone in terms of a multi-chapter, plot-driven story. I don't think it fully succeeded but it was a good first try.

Tagging @aloysiavirgata, @sixhours @cecilysass @sisterspooky1013 @sunflowerseedsandscience @admiralty-xfd and @phillippadgettwrites in case any of you have any interest!

[storybycorey]

I’d get you a life-size Gillian cutout

Omg, do you remember when @sunflowerseedsandscience actually got one??? I was so jealous!

[asifyoudidntknow]

When you are scrolling back in your camera roll and you are reminded of that one time when you first read By the Dim and Flaring Lamps by @sunflowerseedsandscience

[audiofanficpod]

AFP Episode 2x8

Author Series: sunflowerseedsandscience

Sit down with @anniexami & @msrtheatre0223 as they interview fan favorite @sunflowerseedsandscience aka Natalie. Then dive into some of her audio fics with links below.

And a holiday fic...

[lilydalexf]

👽 X-Files Crossover Fic Recs

The theme of International Fanworks Day in 2023 is When Fandoms Collide. So here are a bunch of very good X-Files crossover fics. Enjoy! Abner by Anonymous Mulder and Scully are assigned to investigate a possible serial killing in a small, very suburban neighborhood. The Beast Within by Yahtzee Also from the department of twisted crossovers comes this story – but I’ll leave the crossover for you to figure out as you go. Mulder and Scully’s journey to a troubled Louisiana town leads Scully to an encounter with a far more troubled man. Birdsong by @chekcough The plot of Silence of the Lambs, with Dana Scully replacing Clarice Starling, and a younger Agent Mulder, working in the B.S.U, assigned to help her. It is not at all necessary to have seen/read either 'The Silence of the Lambs' or 'The X-Files' to enjoy this. The Glimmering Girl by Tesla Mulder works a child abduction with Frank Black, while Scully is away for the weekend, but very much on Mulder’s mind. Homicidal Tendencies by Swikstr What begins as a typical ritual murder case with supernatural overtones for Mulder and Scully in Baltimore becomes something else as the two are forced to interact with some of the unique personalities on Charm City's murder squad. Scully's developing connection with a Baltimore homicide detective has far-reaching consequences in the evolution of her relationship with Mulder. Interagency (Mulder and Scully Meet the Director) by pinebluffvariant "You're wanted on a task force." Leap of Faith, parts 1 and 2 by Livengoo Sam Beckett has to keep Fox Mulder from becoming one more abductee, but when he leaps into Dana Scully's size fours he finds that might not be such an easy job. Letting Go by Joann Humby Mulder goes solo on a case in San Francisco. But when the killer isn’t what he was expecting, he needs the SF PD and the FBI’s finest to help him out. Lucky X in the City by @lilydalexf Samantha Jones meets Mulder in a bar. Fox hunting ensues. It’s more serious than it sounds. Samsara by Alicia K. Crossover of sorts, MSR of sorts. I don't want to say anything more, so we'll just let it go at that. Out of the Little Grove by @slippinmickeys I got an anon Tumblr prompt asking for an X-Files/His Dark Materials crossover in which Mulder & Scully were detectives in Lyra’s world. There may be some small liberties I took within the HDM world’s canon to make this story work for M&S, which I ask you to please forgive. Road Fools by denynothing1 Only one of the reasons that the X-File on a little town in Kansas is so thick it occupies its own drawer in the filing cabinet. She's Beauty, She's Grace by @sunflowerseedsandscience I was asked to write a Miss Congeniality/The X-Files mash-up… so here goes nothing. Travelling with Children by @seepunkrun and Sab In the armory we have: one revolver, some rope, a candlestick, a knife, a wrench, and a fork. Twilight, parts 1 and 2 by Shannon A serial killer is on the loose in Baltimore. Mulder and Scully are called in to assist the Homicide Squad in profiling and finding the killer before he strikes again.

[leiascully]

@suitablyaggrieved tagged me for fanfic bingo!

I'm too old to have been on Wattpad and too lazy to RP, but I've done most of the rest!

Tagging @rosenkranz-isnt-dead @cecilysass @brenayla @sunflowerseedsandscience @mashnotesofthemythopoeic @teethnbone and anyone else who wants to do it. Here's a clean copy.