Just Here For The Fics

[roarkeve]

After a much longer than anticipated break from running I’m trying to get my miles and stamina back. My new distraction is relating songs to MSR- and let me tell you, it’s been quite fun! Some songs relate to canon some more to fics I’ve read. But this is much better than the fake one sided arguments I used to have in my head.

Also there are some songs that seem to have been written for them. Next workout give it a try.

[cecilysass]

Fic Recommendations: DeadAlive

So I really like post-DeadAlive fics. Not because I’m a big resurrection story fan (Jesus / Osiris stans, no offense) but because I can’t get enough of angst, repressed feelings and baby daddy reveal drama. I am going to post a version of my very own later this week. Meanwhile, I read a lot of these, so I thought I would share some recs. Here are a few of my favorites.

Slow Returns - o666666  You just don’t know how often I reread this. I love it so, so much. This one puts the emphasis on Scully’s trauma, and it’s so angsty, and it’s so sweeeeeet. I tear up every time.

DeadAlive AU - @markwatneyandenesemble I always say I actually think this should probably be called Three Words Canon Divergence or something, but whatever it is, I love it. The premise is two specific changes to canon. When Mulder comes back from the dead: (1) he has memories only to 1996 and (2) Scully isn’t visibly pregnant yet.

Author Skuls seems to feel about about this subgenre like I do, because she seems to have written a lot of post-DeadAlive, and I’m not complaining. Here’s a little DeadAlive Skuls tasting trio:

the smaller odysseys - skuls (@ghostbustermelanieking)  An AU DeadAlive fic in which Doggett convinces Skinner to keep Mulder’s resurrection a secret from Scully for longer. This ends like awwwwwwwww.

ashes and dust - skuls (@ghostbustermelanieking)  A largely canon-compliant DeadAlive / Three Words deep dive.

inches between them - skuls (@ghostbustermelanieking)  Another Skuls fic on this subject, also exceptionally sweet.

Doctor, Copper, Sailer, Corpse - Scarlet Baldy This is a series of first person vignettes from Scully POV. Extremely angsty and a little painful, with a very self-destructive version of Mulder here, but ultimately a hopeful ending. 

Ray of Light - OnlyTheInevitable (@gaycrouton) Honest conversation, then hot pregnancy sex—a Three Words fic we can all get behind. Which I think is actually one of the suggested positions for pregnancy sex.

Words, Words, Words - Circe Invidiosa (@invidiosa ) I’m not much of a Doggett fan, but I love this fic about Doggett breaking things down for Mulder. This is subtly written and moving— a heartbreaking Mulder characterization, in my opinion. home run - kittenscully Another great “Doggett gets involved” fic. Also very moving. Apparently this is how I like my Doggett. The Laws of Coming and Going - Buckingham A gentle Mulder-centric fic focused on his good intentions and slow moves back towards connecting with Scully. Very in-character and sweet. Hour of Lead - DarlaBlack (@sigritandtheelves) This is an excellent read — but watch out for the bleak, tear-out-your-heart ending. It's only painful because it’s canon compliant, so warning: you have to remember what happens with Scully’s longed-for miracle baby in canon. Waaaaah. So much angst. Untitled - @wtfmulder I see you, you wildly touching little drabble. This is set between Three Words and Empedocles, and it’s meant to explain the seeming change in Mulder’s attitude, and why does this make me cry?

What have I missed? Y’all have other post-DeadAlive fics you like? Have you written any? SEND THEM MY WAY.

[randomfoggytiger]

I'll add some DeadAlive flavored fics, why not?

REALLY rough notes below:

TINH/DeadAlive/ThreeWords/Skinner the silent MVP/supports Scully through her burial decisions/tells Mulder truth about what she went through/knows PTSD/never leaves an agent behind--That Day Is Done - Lapsed_Scholar

Pre-DeadAlive/Scully buys roses/burying “her love”-- "155 Words - Gather Ye Rosebuds" by Shelba 

Pre-DeadAlive/ISTJ talks to Mulder’s grave/wishes she had been there to help him somehow)-- We Always Reveled in the Pain - Chapter 8 - BananaChef

Pre-DeadAlive/Mulder torments himself w/ grim satisfaction at ruining ISTJ’s life/”dig further into coffin”/looking down from above-- @scully-loves-ruthie's Tumblr

Pre-Deadalive/Scully refuses to finish moving out of Mulder’s apt-- @baronessblixen's Tumblr Ao3 Not Today

Pre-DeadAlive/Scully doesn’t feel like he’s completely gone/remembers their harmonious banter Frohike calls/she feels alive-- "An Unexpected Song, An" by Rain, Gina Ao3 Unexpected Song, An

DeadAlive/Scully waits by his bedside/ENTJ “I feel old”/so does she/she won’t give up on Mulder-- "Scene 13 - Alone" by Diadem

AUish/Post Deadalive/Scully tells Mulder/the happy before the PTSD/twitches to touch-- The In-Between - Chapter 30 - BananaChef

DeadAlive/Scully rushes to bedside/Mulder happy/drifts before explanations-- @agentwhalesong's Could It Be Any Harder? - Chapter 4

DeadAlive/ISTJ heartened by Mulder’s mouth L word/ready for both to be alive-- "Silent Confessions" by Bishop, T.

Post DeadAlive/Scully tells Mulder in hospital/happy/BEFORE THE DARK TIMES-- "Do You Know?" by ML

Post Deadalive/Mulder knows he’s the dad/before PTSD sets in-- @greycoupon's Baring Fruit

AUish/Post DeadAlive-Three Words/Scully immediately tells him about kid/Mulder has severe PTSD/afraid of hurting her, withdraws/Scully scrambling to unlock his normal side-- @alldolleduppink-blog's Reditum

[cecilysass]

Two more additions for 2026:

Shirts - mytardisisparked Scully wears Mulder’s shirts instead of maternity shirts.

Three Words More - kateyes224 This fic leans into Mulder’s cold behavior and allows the two of them to have a confrontation.

[mamuscript]

TXF Fic Recs

Not that I'm an expert or anything—and I'm sure all of these are ice-cold takes—but mostly so I have it to update as I fall in love with new ones: here are the TXF fics (all linked) that have moved me the most:

Lots and Lots of Files by Fandomme: the first TXF fic I fell in love with. Still (as of 1/2026) being updated, but there's plenty there to love already (240k atm). Internally consistent, canon-compliant, following the length of the series in (mostly post-ep) vignette form.

Incrementum by lepusarcticus: Absolute sexual poetry. Just unbelievable stuff. Lit a fire in my brain that has not gone out, months later.

Omens by lepusarcticus: A casefile with deeply satisfying UST—> RST MSR.

Blood Rush by danidedarcy: A fun college AU vampire story. Very good UST.

A Ponderous House by @cecilysass: Recently completed, but instant classic. The angst, you guys. So, so good.

The Marriage Spectacular by @cecilysass. I don't want to include too many by the same author(s), but it's easy to to do with cecilysass's work. Her fics are consistently great, and she excels at that border between yearning and angst. This one was sweet and funny and very satisfying.

Never Enough by ee_ombra_ombra: Not complete, but absolutely captivating. There's dark stuff here, so proceed with caution; it probably isn't for everyone. But the characterization and the prose are mesmerizing.

Goshen by Bonetree: I don't even know how to describe this one, other than must-read. Beautiful and sweet and intense.

Edges of the Night by oohnotvery: Incredibly angsty. Honestly makes me wonder if I should even be writing, myself, with how perfect and liquid the prose is. Very satisfying, great plot choices. A fun and moving read.

Love in all the Wrong Places by SisterSpooky1013: I went into this not knowing what to expect, and what a great time! I giggled with delight multiple times. Fun and sexy, and a great ending.

Days Off for Saving the World by lonegunga1: A post-Millenium fic that takes such time and care in its exploration. Sexy, fun, sweet, intense. Like slipping into a warm bath. There's plenty to savor—and the quality of the prose is stunning.

The Haiku Files by geekgirl25: Updating (at least) daily right now. A single haiku per episode from Scully's POV. Sweet, quick, and straight to the heart, like a little daily fun-sized candy bar.

isn't it messed up (how i'm just dying to be him?) by lovesprings: A post-Small Potatoes fic (which might be my favorite category; I'm a sucker for SP) in which Mulder is an absolute sopping mess over Scully in the best way. Very well-written smut.

Later by Soronia: In-sane-ly hot 🔥, you guys. Also mesmerizing prose. Possibly my favorite characterization of DKS that I've read, hands down.

One Week at Quantico by CrossedBeams: incredible yearning. A fun pre-series AU in which Mulder is teaching at Quantico while Scully is in training. Hits the sweet spot at 33k.

---------------

Obligatory? Masturbatory? Who knows. Here's me: mamuscript on ao3

[cecilysass]

Fic Recommendations: DeadAlive

So I really like post-DeadAlive fics. Not because I’m a big resurrection story fan (Jesus / Osiris stans, no offense) but because I can’t get enough of angst, repressed feelings and baby daddy reveal drama. I am going to post a version of my very own later this week. Meanwhile, I read a lot of these, so I thought I would share some recs. Here are a few of my favorites.

Slow Returns - o666666  You just don’t know how often I reread this. I love it so, so much. This one puts the emphasis on Scully’s trauma, and it’s so angsty, and it’s so sweeeeeet. I tear up every time.

DeadAlive AU - @markwatneyandenesemble I always say I actually think this should probably be called Three Words Canon Divergence or something, but whatever it is, I love it. The premise is two specific changes to canon. When Mulder comes back from the dead: (1) he has memories only to 1996 and (2) Scully isn’t visibly pregnant yet.

Author Skuls seems to feel about about this subgenre like I do, because she seems to have written a lot of post-DeadAlive, and I’m not complaining. Here’s a little DeadAlive Skuls tasting trio:

the smaller odysseys - skuls (@ghostbustermelanieking)  An AU DeadAlive fic in which Doggett convinces Skinner to keep Mulder’s resurrection a secret from Scully for longer. This ends like awwwwwwwww.

ashes and dust - skuls (@ghostbustermelanieking)  A largely canon-compliant DeadAlive / Three Words deep dive.

inches between them - skuls (@ghostbustermelanieking)  Another Skuls fic on this subject, also exceptionally sweet.

Doctor, Copper, Sailer, Corpse - Scarlet Baldy This is a series of first person vignettes from Scully POV. Extremely angsty and a little painful, with a very self-destructive version of Mulder here, but ultimately a hopeful ending. 

Ray of Light - OnlyTheInevitable (@gaycrouton) Honest conversation, then hot pregnancy sex—a Three Words fic we can all get behind. Which I think is actually one of the suggested positions for pregnancy sex.

Words, Words, Words - Circe Invidiosa (@invidiosa ) I’m not much of a Doggett fan, but I love this fic about Doggett breaking things down for Mulder. This is subtly written and moving— a heartbreaking Mulder characterization, in my opinion. home run - kittenscully Another great “Doggett gets involved” fic. Also very moving. Apparently this is how I like my Doggett. The Laws of Coming and Going - Buckingham A gentle Mulder-centric fic focused on his good intentions and slow moves back towards connecting with Scully. Very in-character and sweet. Hour of Lead - DarlaBlack (@sigritandtheelves) This is an excellent read — but watch out for the bleak, tear-out-your-heart ending. It's only painful because it’s canon compliant, so warning: you have to remember what happens with Scully’s longed-for miracle baby in canon. Waaaaah. So much angst. Untitled - @wtfmulder I see you, you wildly touching little drabble. This is set between Three Words and Empedocles, and it’s meant to explain the seeming change in Mulder’s attitude, and why does this make me cry?

What have I missed? Y’all have other post-DeadAlive fics you like? Have you written any? SEND THEM MY WAY.

[roarkeve]

I started a new fic and it’s really good and I don’t know if I want to binge read it or savor it… knowing me I’ll binge it and ruin my sleep cycle for the week.

Timeless Fidelity

By: FlipTheScript123

https://archiveofourown.org/works/54855487?view_adult=true&view_full_work=true

[lilydalexf]

I had a third ask for fics about the X-Files episode "This Is Not Happening" but can't find it now (sorry, anon!). Some or all of these asks are pretty old, but hopefully people are still interested. Here are a lot of very good fics involving "This Is Not Happening." Some (most) of these fics are angsty or depressing, a genre of MSR fics I have liked very much over the years.

Alive by @monikafilefan A glimpse into Scully’s emotional state of mind during those missing moments before and after Mulder’s death. Mulder leaves behind something special for Scully to cling to besides their son.

Artifact by @dashakay The ruins of a once-great civilization.

At Your Feet, His Emblems Fall by M. Sebasky Post-episode

Becoming Fox Mulder by lots_of_oranges_outside @lotsoforangesoutside Scully misses Mulder.

Before Their Eyes by DSc1110 The Lone Gunmen learn of what happened to Mulder.

Dead Fish by Rachel Wilder Another death makes it hard for Scully to move on.

En L'aire by Branwell It's been months since that night in Montana.

Enigmatic Nexus by DM “Despite the man holding her gently to his chest, I sense she is still very much everything I was not too long ago.”

Eventually by @agentwhalesong Scully and Doggett end up briefly talking about their partnership.

Gate 23 by TabithaJean @agirlcallednarelle Scully waits to board the flight back home after This Is Not Happening. It’s hard to get on the plane.

Gone by Anonymous What happened when Scully thought Mulder was dead?

Gravity, Oh Gravity by thegoodthebadandthenerdy @cauldronoflove They put the call out in the dead of the night, and just as he was taken so is he returned.

Grief by Donna Now what?

He Left the Light On by Jamie Lyn What do you do with death? Time passes in moments…

He Moved Through the Fair by Ambress My old love came to me.

Hieroglyphs of Memory by Zuffy Mulder didn't forget his sister, Scully knows whose baby it is, Maggie still cares about her daughter, and the brain disease makes sense after all. This story is for anyone who has gnashed their teeth at the inexplicable holes in Season 8.

How Glory Goes by Marguerite A night of vigilant mourning.

I wish I could do something by bravest_person_in_Wonderland @swinging-stars-from-satellites Monica is familiar with the grief of others, but there's nothing she can do to ease Dana Scully's pain.

Light Don't Sleep by wonderland @amplifyme "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."

My Life Is in the Falling Leaf by DarlaBlack @sigritandtheelves What difference would five minutes have made?

The Mystery of George Harrison by TabithaJean @agirlcallednarelle Scully and Skinner are sorting out Mulder's apartment when she learns something new about him.

Pray the Light by all_these_ghosts @all-these-ghosts She doesn’t want his father’s money or the house where his mother died. She doesn’t want his books except that they hold the memory of his hands; she doesn’t want his clothes except that some of them, fewer and fewer now, still smell like him.

Sacred Time by Innisfree Time expands when ghosts come to call.

Slow Returns by o666666 @o6666666 The best day of her life, she thinks: when Mulder comes back. She argues and argues to treat him and to save him, as though running slow, through water. “Who are you?” he jokes when he wakes up, and she is so grateful. She wants to tell him Go easy, I am barely off the sauce, and Please only be exactly yourself. (Bonus: author commentary here and here)

Something Less by Meredith Not quite pity; not quite love; not quite life.

Stay by emmbright He lost Mulder by not paying attention; he won't lose her the same way.

Sunset Visitation by mountainphile Her pregnant body beckons to him...

Things Happen by se_parsons Things happen, and then there are consequences. And, for this one, let's just play it 1013's way.

This Is Happening by littlemisfit5290 @alittlemissfit He picks up on the squelching sound her boots make in the grass and the mud, turns to see her, and promptly stands.

To Absent Friends by Lara Means @larameansxf "You lost more than just an agent, didn't you? You considered Agent Mulder a friend too."

Untitled by @o6666666 Over and over again, ‘til it’s nothing but a senseless babble

Untitled by skuls @skuls-s This is Not Happening AU. Prompts: “Marry me?” and “I thought you were dead.”

whispering images by skuls @skuls-s During his abduction, Mulder realizes that Scully’s daughter, Emily, is still alive.

The Widow and the Orphan by aka_Jake Mulder returns several months after disappearing in Bellefleur, but not as we saw in "DeadAlive." Danger follows him. He needs a place to hide. To protect Scully, he reaches out to Margaret Scully instead. We learn lots of stuff CC neglected to mention.

[roarkeve]

Heading out on vacation looking for some novel length fics to download-

I’ve read a loooooot of what’s readily out there so older more obscure would be great!

Always looking to find new authors!

Thank you all in advance!! 📚

[cecilysass]

Trust snow one: fic recs for snowed in / very cold MSR

It's that time of year ... well, okay, where I live. If you're in a hemisphere where it is summer right now, I apologize and maybe you can bookmark for later. I'm here to do cold fic recs for warm hearts.

I'm doing three categories here: AntarcticaFic (and there's obviously much more, but I stopped at 3 faves); Classic Snowed In and Chilly One Bed Fic (DEFINITELY more of that, but I would break Tumblr); and Cold or Snow Figured Prominently In Plot (not something easy to search, so I'm just randomly thinking of it and probably forgetting something obvious).

You will notice I don't have a IWTB category, and obviously that's a very snowy film. This is only because I don't read a ton of IWTB fic, and I just didn't want to go down that rabbit hole. If you have some IWTB recs, please do chime in.

(Actually, chime in with ANY recs because that's more fun.)

AntarcticaFic

Terra Australis - @sisterspooky1013 A  little hurt/comfort, naked bodies generating heat, actual research into base stations in Antarctica, bunk bed love. This has it all. SisterSpooky1013 does not miss. You will not regret this read. Four Days on the 63rd Parallel - @frostbitepandaaaaa This imagines the practical details of surviving in a Snowcat in a plausible way (she says with utter confidence like she has any fucking idea how to survive in a Snowcat). A completely enjoyable read.

Certitude - Justin Glasser A more casefile-y survival story. After Mulder rescues Scully from the spaceship in Antarctica, they end up in a military hospital in quarantine. Good, right? Maybe not. The hospital is not perhaps what it should be. A suspenseful adventure plot, and also, very sweet MSR. (Author sometimes is listed elsewhere as Justine Glasser – not sure which is preferred or came first, and if anyone knows, please let me know.)

Good Old Fashioned Snowed-In plus Chilly One Beds

It Could Be a Heart-Shaped World, If She Let it, And If He Asked - @mldrgrl This one is one bed and snowed-in trope, but with heart and brain. Our agents are stuck in a honeymoon suite in the Poconos. There’s some character-revealing conversation.

How Many Tropes Can One Story Hold? - @mldrgrl Listen, call me a simple girl, but it turns out I love a story that is crammed with as many tropes as one story can hold. Snowed in, sickfic, drunken confessions: the story of stories.

Keep Christmas With You (All Through The Year) - @leiascully  A not-really-Christmas story that uses Christmas as a metaphor. It’s also got good juicy tropes (first time, snowed in, just one room) but this is especially sweet, hot and sensitively written. It’s just so atmospheric. And there are some character choices that are surprising but in character, too. Mulder POV. 

Let it Snow - @leiascully Scully rescues a partner who makes bad choices (in other words, The X-Files.) Short but absolutely perfect, perfect dialogue.

a cabin in the woods - @monikafilefan They’re stranded in the snowy woods, worried about the dropping temperature, and oh look, a hunter’s cabin! Snowed-in and super hot first time. Classic set-up done beautifully. A delight. 

Cold Is The Night - oohnotvery I debated whether this was classic snowed-in trope or not—it’s really a slight variation, more “we’re in a very cold outdoor tent and need to share”—but I went with this category because it’s the right spirit for sure. Delicious Diana angst. The cold / Diana angst combo is this one of this talented author’s specialties – see below.

The Coldest Night of the Year - oohnotvery Mulder and Scully snowed in … with Diana. Angsty, jealous times. (But ultimately very sweet MSR.) This author is gooooood at this. All the Warmth in the World - oohnotvery  One more oohnotvery story about cooooooold Diana angst and waaaaarm MSR. The three of them have to share a cold jail cell overnight. Diana offers to share a cot with Mulder (booooo). Is Mulder going to get his shit together in time?

Just Getting Warmed Up - @xfmaweezy They’re still early partners, there’s a rare March blizzard, and there’s a chance to get one another better. So sweet, gentle and full of little well-observed details / Easter eggs. 

Frozen - @dashakay After a case, two new friends offer to share a weekend cabin with Mulder and Scully so they can unwind, and even to their surprise, they agree. The weather takes this plot in another direction. This is a tropey set-up and absolutely gorgeously written, by the badass author of the classic Blinded by White Light, which you should also read if you haven't. 

Still Feeling My Father Ascend - cecilysass (me me me) I wrote this one and I always inelegantly include my own work on rec lists. Post-Beyond the Sea. A more serious snowed-in about daddy issues and grief. 

Snow or Cold Involved Substantively In Plot

By the Wind Grieved - Karen Rasch Mulder returns six months after his abduction with complete amnesia. Scully is eager to help him remember who he is, but for noble / misguided reasons conceals the nature of their relationship and his connection to her visible pregnancy. All this and they have a snowy Christmas in a safe house.

white winter hymnal - audries Twelve Christmases over twelve years, a series of vignettes – many which involve snow. Plus the name of this lovely work, hence its inclusion here. 

A Winter’s Tale -  Anjou Scully and Mulder are chilly post-One Son. When Mulder seems to be disappearing oddly, Scully is not even sure he isn’t secretly meeting Diana. He isn’t, and the truth takes them on a tense cross-country winter trip. This is a long, satisfying MSR adventure.

You keep me honest. You make me a snowperson.

[roarkeve]

I have multiple ways of watching or streaming The X-Files- but there’s something so satisfying about “tuning in” to it being played on Pluto and not knowing what episode will be on. Just some fun X-Files roulette- no decisions- no starting from the beginning- just jumping in at any point and being thrown back to that point and enjoying the decision made for you.

My 11 year old self never could have imagined an X-Files only channel but wanted one! My 43 year old self is beyond happy about it. Adolescent dreams do come true.

[cecilysass]

As a Diana angst lover, I was wondering what are your favourite S6/One Son/Diana angst fics. I love the emotional baggage, but I think some aspects were poorly executed, like the feeling of incompleteness

Making It Personal: Fic Recs for Two Fathers, One Son and Diana Angst

Anon, this is definitely one of my fic weaknesses. I cannot resist a Diana angst fic, and more specifically, I can't resist a One Son fixit fic.

Two Fathers / One Son is a very flawed mythology two-parter, in my opinion. I have watched season six so many times, and I still struggle to follow all that’s happening in these episodes, which means either I'm slow, the show's storytelling has gaps, or both. I completely agree there is a feeling of incompleteness. I know originally there were supposed to be more flashbacks to CSM and Bill Mulder—scenes they had to cut—and that might have added some needed layers. 

And—okay, this is about to be controversial, and younger me would be horrified—but I also just wish they would have committed one way or the other with the Diana storyline. Like, if you want to show us that Mulder has a thing with Diana, then just show it. If you want him to obviously suspect her after Scully’s warnings, show that. Go one way or the other, but choose a lane and commit. While you’re at it, give more definition to Diana’s character, too. Is she sincere in any way—or no? What are her motives?

That’s not even focusing on the most frustrating part of One Son, which is that at best Mulder and Scully painfully miscommunicate, and at worst Mulder treats Scully very badly. There’s not really ever a direct resolution of that. We don’t ever get to see that put right in any satisfying way. But … that’s definitely where fic steps in. (It also helps with giving the decontamination shower scene more of a spotlight, and I'm in favor). 

I’m focusing my recs on One Son fics particularly, but I’ll include a few more generic Diana angst fics, too. There’s absolutely no way I’m going to create a complete list of these, so please forgive any obvious omissions. Hopefully people can chime in with other favorites. 

The Recs

Absolution - SlippinMickeys (@slippinmickeys)This fic fits within the events of One Son perfectly. Scully is still angry, obviously. Angry sex and apology sex. Completely lovely. 

Car Ride by JLB The awkward car ride back from the hangar. Poor Scully’s suffering as she has to deal with Mulder’s continued obliviousness.

The Coldest Night of the Year - oohnotvery This is not One Son specific, but it is some angsty angsty Diana angst. When a snowstorm hits town, Scully goes to Mulder's to shelter in place, but discovers Diana is there with them. World's most awkward sleepover.

Deluge - OnlyFoxMulder While taking shelter from the hurricane in Florida during Agua Mala, Mulder pushes Scully to talk about her anger towards him. I like the dialogue in this, and it’s a good balance between allowing Scully to be angry and still caring about Mulder.

the guts - wtfmulder This fic and its sequels are dark chocolate angst, the kind that says 80% bitter on the wrapper.  It’s not for the faint of heart: both Mulder and Scully behave badly, and the pain, the pain. It starts when Mulder accidentally drops an empty condom wrapper after One Son. It does go in more hopeful directions eventually. 

Hot Shower - Suzanne Barringer This is an AU version of the decontamination shower scene. Interestingly, this is because it was written when the scene was rumored but had not yet aired—and given that, it’s closer to the actual scene than you might think. Still, it focuses on… some different aspects of the scene. A fun and hot read.

Hurt’s Hopeful Plunder - DarlaBlack This is a very satisfying wrap-up to the Mulder being an asshole plot of One Son. 

in this metallic silence - light_loves_the_dark In the aftermath of One Son, Diana manipulates an oblivious Mulder and it results in Scully being physically hurt. This is Angst Level High, but it has a happy ending. It also includes a scene of Mulder really comprehensively taking Diana to task, which is something the author points out is fairly rare.

(In)Visible - 13starbuck42 A shorter piece in which Scully drinks a bottle of wine and plausibly takes Mulder to task in a satisfying way. 

Mulder, Scully, and Diana Fucking Fowley - Sarie_Fairy This fic is post-Milagro, but it is really about the damage wrought during One Son. Sarie_Fairy can construct such a good emotional build-up in her dialogue.

Never Cold With You By My Side - Baroness Blixen Diana requires Mulder and Scully to stay overnight in Fort Marlene after their decontamination shower, which has … effects she may not have intended. 

Pilgrims creeping towards the dawn- softnow  This is one of my favorite Diana angst fics. It's not One Son specific, but still. This one gives it to you pure and unfiltered. Beautifully written little heartbreaker. Ouchy ouch.

Sinking Ships - Benduini A post ep written right after the ep. Scully makes peace with the fact she’s going to lose Mulder to Diana, only to have things turn out unexpectedly.

the waffle house index - audries Subtle, beautifully written story about the aftermath of One Son. It doesn’t mention the events of One Son, yet somehow is entirely about them. It’s also about a partnership that is straining under years of failure to communicate well and a tendency to lean too hard on comfortable patterns. This fic has one of my favorite tags: “Waffle House is a metaphor, Hazel Grace.” (The author says in notes she’s never been to a Waffle House, which is unimaginable for me, honestly.)

A Winter’s Tale - Anjou Scully and Mulder are chilly post-One Son. When Mulder is oddly absent, Scully is not even sure he isn’t secretly meeting Diana. He isn’t, and the truth takes them on a tense cross-country trip. This is a satisfying MSR adventure.

wishbone - light_loves_the_dark This fic imagines a scene where Mulder and Diana go to pick Scully up to go to El Rico. In an intense, angsty conversation, Mulder tries to convince Scully to get into the car. Talking about his feelings just feels manipulative to Scully. Painful, moving, satisfying.

One Hand Tied - me me me (cecilysass) This is my own take on post-One Son with some canon divergence. After One Son, Mulder and his suitcase disappear, last seen with Diana. Scully assumes they have gone away somewhere together, but there’s more going on than that.  Other fics of mine that feature Diana prominently, but not necessarily in One Son context: Honest Man, Pause, The Kaleidoscope, The Marriage Spectacular, Unobserved.

What'd I miss?

[roarkeve]

When I was 11 I started watching the X-Files and was instantly hooked - I’ve been watching consistently since 1993- tonight I started watching with my 11 year old and am very happy to say - we got another one- she’s HOOKED!!

[randomfoggytiger]

fav gossamer authors?

Hm, that's a tough call. It's very rare that I love a collection completely, even my own work (I adore "Hiraeth", for example, but struggle with prufrocklove's other iterations.)

I'll do my best, though.

Loose chronological order (by fic rec) below~

Sukie Tawdry

Sukie Tawdry's The Way Things Are (Part 1 and 2) was a gradual, slow-building obsession. One of my favorite aspects of this story is Scully's voice: Tawdry nails Season 1 Scully (though Skinner, Maggie, Melissa, Bill, and Tara are not far behind.) It took me a while to warm to Mulder, but not because he was out of character or poorly written-- far from it. (Part 2 truly brings everything together.) There are so many moments that have rooted themselves into my psyche-- Scully and Mulder's conversation the morning after, Scully sitting against Mulder's bathroom wall, Mulder in a crisp, clean shirt offering Scully "his" breakfast, the little apple and pear sweater, Scully cleaning up Mulder after he'd been beaten up, dinner at the Mulders, etc.-- and shall remain there. My favorite chapters are probably "As He Is" and "Mount St. Scully."

shannono

shannono has a plethora of shorter fics-- AUs (Herrenvolk's "Goodbye"), cancer arc ("Shield of Lies"), peaceful walks ("CHECK GAGES"), support during tragedies ("Empathic", "Getting Closer", "In the Loop", "A Phone Call", "A House Divided"), bonding ("Centerfield", "Honesty", "Battles Won)-- as well as a series titled Lessons Learned.

@amplifyme/Lydia Bower

One of the OG legends around these parts, I highly recommend amplifyme's work for those that love maturer, contemplative pieces with a touch of Mulder irreverence (and tenderness) and a touch of Scully's measured intelligence (and soul.) "Dance Without Sleeping" covers the cancer arc (while dipping into AU territory), "Burning in Heaven" picks up where Redux II left off, and "Reconciliation" respectfully tackles their beliefs post-All Souls. Also, you'll find other, more recent work on Ao3 and Tumblr. (I favor "Light Don't Sleep", a post-Deadalive fic which perfectly blends reconnection, old habits, and new territory.)

Annie Sewell-Jennings

Sewell-Jennings creates reality bordering on surrealism: chance or carnage unnavoidable, conversations honest yet guarded and layered. Recommendations: cancer arc dark realities in "Enough" and "Wallpaper"; Italian food and lines crossed (then retreated) in "Artificial Star Light"; Scully's trauma post-Tithonus in "Achromatic"; forced retirement and separation (and yearning) in "Erosion"; quiet, simmering guilt (and skipping stones) in "Ripples"); and Colonization-style choices (Mulder's delayed return from the aliens in "Glass Landscape;" Mulder and Scully still themselves despite the world falling apart "Snow Blindness"; and their and their child's assisted suicide before the world is destroyed in "On the Beach".)

syntax6

Syntax is well known and regularly recced (and not without good reason); so, I shall simply nudge you to read post-Redux II's "The Queen of Hearts", a post-Redux II case file titled "Ember", a glimpse of Valentine's Day each year in 20 (on FFN) and my personal favorite The Birthday Stories (here.) You can find syntax6's full catalog here.

Livia Balaban

Balaban touches on grief and hopeful second chances, with Mulder and Scully processing and moving forward from their struggles. Post-Redux II Samantha proves it's her in "18- Words - Samantha's Fate"; Scully and Bill come to an agreement in "Dana vs. Bill"; and Mulder discusses his new investigative path forward (post-Vienen) in "Fox Versus the Volcano." But my favorite piece is the two-parter "Cunegard's Restoration (or, The Best of All Possible Worlds, Really)", which reunites a pregnant Scully with an abducted Mulder and Samantha (along with others who secret the four of them to a bunker for safekeeping.)

Malibusunset

Malibusunset is a name oft bandied about if one is looking for longer famfic ("Terra Firma", AU after Existence-- read in full on Ao3) or 'free spirit Mulder and reluctant Scully slowly navigate domesticity together' slices of life. Other than the aforementioned, I'd recommend her Emily AU "All That is Dark and Bright" and her IVF arc AU "40 Weeks" (also on Ao3.)

Joyce

Joyce's "Revenant" and "The Ghost In Her Life", "The Ghost at Her Side," and "The Ghost in the Dark" follow the same theme (brilliantly, might I add): Mulder is killed, but comes back in some form. In the former's case, his body shambles to prevent an impending danger to Scully's life; and in the latter's Mulder stays by his partner's side as a ghost, helping her solve x-files as a ghost. These fics elegantly swing from visceral to moving, from supernatural to human-- I never get tired of reading her work.

Shoshana

Shoshana has a full and overflowing catalog to choose from, with a specialty towards Mulder and Scully on the same page (or very near it.) "Called" (post-The Red and the Black), "A Modest Proposal", "The Cheering Section", and series following Mulder and Scully on the run (with Bill's two cents are Maggie and William go into hiding)-- "Mr. Mulder" , "Mother Maggie", "Daughter Dana", "Professor Morris", "Doctor Morris", "Empty Place Settings", and "Dead Letter"-- are great starting points.

Leyla Harrison

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Leyla Harrison, whose passing during the original series was honored by Agent Harrison in Alone. Perhaps start with "Flames" (a post-All Souls realization for Mulder) or "The Star" (a post-How the Ghosts Stole Christmas addition.) If you'd like to search for more stories, they're also housed here.

Dawn

Dawn characterizes Mulder and Scully in a way that agreeably suits my tastes. "Broken" and "One on One" keeps pace with a loopy Mulder and his guardian partner, "Trivia Pursuits" sits with Mulder and Scully on one of their many stakeouts, "Bereft" depicts the hard night after Teena Mulder's death, "Smoked" details Mulder's peril in Brand X, and "Last Kiss" throws Mulder and Scully into the snow (where Teena's ghost communes with her son.)

Ten

Ten appears to prefer into fill-in fics, be they canon-compliant, canon-divergent, or entirely AU. Mulder is taken by Duane Barry instead of Scully in "Why Her - Why Not Me"; post-One Breath Mulder is taken care of by the Scully women in "Learning to Breathe"; End Game Scully spends her birthday waiting for Mulder to wake in "Candles of Ice"; "To Follow the Gypsy Rover" and "Trying to Catch the Fox" show Anasazi Scully and TLG attempting to catch and restrain Mulder; "Scully Gets Fed Up With Being the Ditch Witch" Scully refuses to let Mulder pursue Marita's tip alone; "Beneath the Surface" post-The Beginning Scully realizes her partner is suffering a health crisis; "Having a Happy X-mas" post-HTGSC Mulder sees a familiar Triangle face at Scully's family's part; "The Fallout from Arcadia" post-Arcadia Mulder is injured (and comedically suffers from temporary amnesia); "A Fuller Canvas" allows Mulder to take a peak at his post-Deadalive partner unawares; and the unnamed (but loosely referred to as Daniel/Couch) series in collaboration with Macspooky gives Mulder, Scully, and their family a happier ending.

(Sidenote: Macspooky's Couch Series, an AU branching off sometime after Emily, begins with "The Couch", follows up with "A Christmas Miracle", and ends with "Unexpected Arrivals.")

Jamie Greco

Greco managed to do what few can: make me invested in dialogue-only fics. "Truth or Dare", "Truth AND Dare", and "Breathing" are spectacular (with the latter being my favorite.) Other "traditional" fics I'd recommend are "Scarlet" and "Someday He'llj Laugh" (Mulder loopy on meds and Mulder in BIogenesis torment, respectively.)

LuvTheBeez

LuvTheBeez (and slippinmickeys, see below) are both OGs that master familial MSR without sacrificing Mulder and Scully's characterization, deftly balancing the changes in their relationship, priorities, and perspectives. In Luv's case, Mulder and Scully remain the same no matter their circumstances: be it in labor during a robbery gone wrong ("Snow") or trekking through the wilderness towards safety in a post-Colonization world after Mulder's return ("Equanimity".) Their humor and personal quirks, interests and expressions, talents and abilities stay true to their canonical core. And family aside, she does a really great job capturing Mulder's emotions while sorting through the Vineyard house ("Packing".)

As an aside, "Snow" and FatCat's "Eggnog" have a similar premise (Mulder and heavily-pregnant Scully caught up in a robbery) with different outcomes: the former couple are married, and the latter aren't even a couple yet (though that's taken care of by the time their IVF child is born.)

@tatooedlaura-blog/Laura Spry

Another author that still has a presence in the fandom, Spry explores characterization that speaks more to communion than antagonism. I recommend starting with "Walk" (Mulder and Scully run out of gas), "Another Sunrise" (Mulder and Scully assist the recovery of deceased little boys) and "Always Been Yours" (Maggie Scully unexpectedly dies) before heading to her Ao3 to read the "Life" series (an AU branching off the cancer arc, or thereabouts.)

Revely

Revely deftly highlights Mulder and Scully's hesitant, shy side-- a fear of rejection buried under dedication to the work (and unspoken devotion to each other.) "The Dreaming Sea" is a case file fic about a local (fish) boy's whereabouts; and "The Unfinished Universe" branches off Requiem by a year, following Mulder and Scully (and William's) slow drive home (and reconnection.)

Spooky2u2

Spooky2u2 writes shorter pieces of Mulder and Scully working through emotional turmoil gently. "Needing a Miracle" (Milagro), "The Words" (Sein Und Zeit), and "Only Death Would Stop Me" (post-Requiem AU) are my repeat reads.

FabulousMonster

FabulousMonster does well cracking open Mulder's psyche and spilling it (via post-Closure's "Hoop Dreams" and post-Deadalive's "It's Been Awhile")-- but lest Mulder have all the fun, FM also captures Scully's hilarious inner commentary in "Hair Wars."

Lysandra

Lysandra is excellent at giving us readers glimpses of the conversations M and S must have had off-screen: "Truncated" opens with Scully (and Mulder) waking in the trunk of a car while "Inside Straight" begins during their tete-a-tete card game.

Maria Nicole/mn_x

Nicole's work has emotional range, most often about healing or exploratory emotions aided and abetted by externalized circumstances. Her penultimate, to me, is "Bridge" (a continuation from Field Trip and Folie a Deux), but I would be remiss if I didn't mention "Maybe Today" and "Yesterday" (Scully's new scar post-Tithonus), "Subcutaneous 02" (Scully stays with Charlie's family for the impending the birth of his next child), "The Opposite of Impulse" (a hot summer's day, popsicles, and next steps) and the "Life During Wartime" series (familial reflections as Colonization begins) in collaboration with marasmus/finisterre, and cofax (also on Ao3.)

dee_ayy

dee_ayy's "Victory Cap" is fantastic (and even better if you read it after "The Watchman".) Her specialty seems to be disorderly Mulder: more specifically, stubborn or begrudging Mulder. And even more precisely, injured!Mulder, a category that can easily tip into tropes if not handled just right.

JET/jessemiesevil twin

JET does well dabbling with heavier material-- be it Scully finding a case with Mulder while at Charlie's, post-Je Souhaite Mulder reclaiming Christmas ("Small Lives Awake"), AU S9 on-the-run William not yet bonding with Mulder ("Quiescence" and "Scenes for Quiescence"), or an AU Scully refusing to believe Mulder isn't a creature planning to torture her ("Night Giving Off Flames") -- without depressing the characters or readers.

@cecilysass/Cecily Sasserbaum

Cecily is another of the OGs still writing (and present on Ao3) with a myriad of canon-compliant, canon-divergent, and AU fics to choose from. She excels in restrained, repressed MSR-- coded looks or glances often glimpsed, then lost through a veil of self-doubt. I highly recommend you thumb through all her work, too; but maybe start with Gossamer's "The Gentle Art of Dream Interpretation" (where Mulder and Scully discuss his disturbing dream in the late or early hours of the night) or "Opposition and Synthesis" (S8 Scully weighs the loss of her partner while recalling all things.) Or, perhaps check out a list of her work here.

@slippinmickeys/Slippin' Mickeys

slippinmickeys has a fic for possibly every genre, and is still writing. Her work dips into grounded, tactile, rounded-out MSR. Sticking strictly to Gossamer, I'd recommend "The Cannibal King and the Dusty Maid" (post-all things: Scully shaves Mulder) first; but, for your own sake, head on over to Ao3 and check out her catalog. (I'm not kidding when I say possibly every genre.) Or perhaps check out a curated list of her work here.

Buckingham

Buckingham effortlessly puts Mulder's complications into simple terms. Recommendations: "Where to Look" dives into a history of Mulder noticing Scully's clothes (and trying to get her to wear a blue dress), "The Laws of Coming and Going" (S8 Mulder weathering his trauma-- including physical pain-- pre-Empedocles), and "The Great Beyond" (Mulder happily embraces fatherhood.)

Lolabeegood

Lolabeegood has a whole catalogue of IWTB-based fic to choose from (and all good); however, my favorite of her fics are "Five Months Gone" (an AU where Mulder is returned pre-TINH with false memories) and "The Silent Spaces" (a post-Deadalive fic of Mulder sorting through his trauma.) On a less "serious" note, I'd also recommend "The First Time - Agua Mala" (where Scully is looking for feminine signs in Mulder's apartment) and "Breadcrumbs" (where Scully keeps outing her relationship with Mulder to... well, everyone.)

Jenna Tooms

Jenna's fics (also under misslucyjane) are cornerstones if you want open hearts, fragile wounds, and new beginnings-- particularly, if you love S8 AUs (as I do.) "An Acceptable Level of Happiness" depicts Mulder, Scully, and baby Malcolm's first Christmas together while "Shooting Star" brings Mulder back after 17 years (with amnesia and brain damage.) If neither is your cup of tea, might I recommend "Waiting for Dawn" (a post-Kill Switch AU), "All We Know of Heaven" (Scully caring for Mulder after a case), "Monster Under the Bed" (a short casefic on other dimensions), "Better Things Than Counting Sheep" (Mulder helping Scully beat insomnia over the phone), or an AU aptly titled "Katherine of Ireland"?

@aloysiavirgata/Aloysia Virgata

aloysiavirgata, another OG phile still writing fic. Her MSR is sharp, withholding, uniquely bound to each other-- spinning symbolism or poetry or false assumptions from side profiles and softened edges. "By Falling In and In" (which chronicles Mulder and Scully, her family, and their magical son as Colonization looms) is the fic series I naturally gravitate to; but each of her pieces are worth diving into at least once.

BONUS

stellar_dust's "Empathy and "Heaven's Ashes" are two short fics that wrestle with heavy, complicated emotions (post-Conduit and FTF AU, respectively.) I recommend those as well as the multi-part Requiem AU series "Threnody."

Alcott's "How Soon" and "Exit" describe medical loss with different circumstances: Mulder watches as his partner support her dying friend early Season 1 and Mulder arrives in time (disguised) to witness his child be born (and temporarily secreted away) post-Requiem, respectively.

Madeleine Partous skips around from gentle to fluffy to intense ("The Rock, In A Blink Of An Eye", "Unbound", and "Floaters", respectively) with just the right touch of wit to keep both characters believable.

Anonymous's "Lament" follows Mulder back to his childhood summer home, where he ends up finding his mother (and celebrating his birthday.)

Frey/chalkboxkid is more of a Live journal than Gossamer author (to me, at least); but I had to include a mention because "Nightbirds" is worth a read.

Meredith's "The Favor" and "Transition" unfolds a cancer arc era case involving Langly's family member, a psychic, and the Herrenvolk children; while "Brave New World" follows post-Requiem Scully back to Bellefleur (where she awaits her partner.)

Rachel Howard's fic "Gypsy" finally addresses the distance and longing hanging between Mulder and Scully during the cancer arc (even if there isn't complete romantic resolution.)

Karen Rasch seared herself onto my psyche with her S8 fix-it fic "By the Wind Grieved" (Mulder is returned, with amnesia); though I also want to mention her "Wonderland" cancer arc series, which details many heartfelt conversations between Mulder and Scully.

Jennifer Maurer's "Witness" bleakness struck me: the pain of demanding dignity for Scully on her deathbed is powerful stuff-- a counterbalance, perhaps, to her earlier recovery in "Yellow Chair."

Amatia's fics featuring Krycek intrigued me-- would recommend checking out "The Seventh Day", "Paper and Amber Liquid", and "Midnight on the Firing Line."

@writingwell/RocketMan's "Craven" is gripping: Scully and Mulder discovering clones in the bowels of the earth under modern medicine and steel, with Scully facing the truth alone by the climax.

OKayVal's "Grey Visions" convinces Mulder he's seen his sister in an attic.

Lea Nicci's AU of Mulder tackling depression ("West of Sunrise") and exploration of Mulder and Scully's new territory as romantic partners ("A Sideways Figure of Eight") are definite rereads.

Jess Mabe's "The Other Man" is so good: Scully is told her partner is a clone.

Philiater's dark, contemplative "Songs of the Dead" dredges up prophetic quotes from Scully's past after the death of her daughter.

Jennifer Brady's "Secret Santa" (an early S6 AU of Scully deciding to move their relationship forward) is a fun romp when contrasted with the heartache to happy ending of "Laughing Out Loud" (a post-One Son honest discussion.)

J. T. Filipek's fic "Beautiful" changed how I viewed Milagro (particularly with what Mulder discovers by the end.)

Zephathah's "Breathing in Time" and "Waking in Fere" could be sexual, but isn't: Mulder wanders into Scully's motel room, needing to know she's alive. Scully is fine, and reciprocates the next night. Pair that with "A Detour to Felicity" (which is hilarious), and you're good to go.

barb (alter ego)'s "You'll Be in My Heart" culminates a case fic with Mulder and Scully captured, the latter developing a nasty health condition, and Diana Fowley, of course, knowing all.

Brandon D. Ray teeters between tongue-in-cheek retellings (Never Again's "There's No Place Like Home"), comedic accidental meetings (Arcadia's "That You For Shopping at K-Mart"), and dark reflections (post-Tithonus's "I Can't Bear to Look".)

Keleka's "Gray Ghosts" is a case fic set after Amor Fati, featuring Mulder, Scully, TLG, and the legend of the 47th Brigade ghost.

Punk Maneuverability's "Opsis" touches on what Colonization might be like for those still able to functionally live as a society, battling fires (internally and externally) day and night.

Suzanne Feld has banter and dramatic hijinks down pat-- but do not be deceived, her work ties emotional weight into every interaction. And ironically, my two favorite fics-- "Fruition" (Mulder and Scully disappear to have their IVF baby undercover) and "Going Solo" (Scully did not survive Existence)-- are rather serious for my tastes. If you want panic-turned-relief, I'd recommend "Efterladt" (found on Ao3.)

Darwin's a bit of a cheat because this author's work is found on Ao3; yet, the fics are good enough to break my strict promise (with "Vox Mulder: Fired and Wired" nosing around in the IVF and brain disease arcs-- with incredible footnotes debunking the latter-- and "SSSSStakeout" Scully enjoying her hooker disguise.)

Xanthe's "Just a Secretary" veers into Kim and Skinner territory, but I didn't mind this one-off in the least.

MystPhile's taps into a facet of Scully that is rarely explored in S8 fic: her desperation and hasty decisions to get Mulder back (in "Scully's Choices", for good and ill.)

Gwinne's fic "Breathe" sank into my mind and stayed there for a couple weeks straight: something about exploring S8 Mulder and Scully's distance through her Lamaze practices was both simple and just right.

Neoxphile either creates a haunting one-off ("The Unkindest Cut") or longer fics dabbling with the dropped-ball concept of William ("Birthday Week.") A particularly interesting take digs into an AU with Doggett's POV ("Snow and Mistletoe.")

Christy's "Inerstice" and "Song of Innocence" explore Mulder and Scully as parents to William amid broader family miscommunications (the former) and abductions and disappearances (the latter.)

XSketch's "There's A Different Kind Of Hush" and "Surviving A Different Kind Of Birth" keep up with Mulder, Scully, and their special son on the run (wtith Melissa's misinterpreted message, a surprise, and a potential medical disaster throwing wrenches in their happiness.) Another William fic takes a different direction: their son finding his parents years after Colonization, with anger and questions and, finally, understanding.

prufrock's love's "Hiraeth" is the first of a historical AU series exploring the past lives that Mulder (Prince of Wales) and Scully (Dana of Ireland) lived-- and happens to be my favorite of pl's fics. A close second would be "Belphegor’s Prime", which follows father-of-two Mulder into the past to find his wife, the missing Dr. Dana Scully.

CONCLUSION

These are probably far from all, but that's the best I can scrummage together for now.

At any rate--

Thanks for reading~

Enjoy!

[kdgril]

The Gillovny Eras Tour: A Longitudinal Study In Whatever This Is

ERA 1: “Oh No, That’s Actual Chemistry” Era (1993–1995)

Vibe: Accidental chemistry. And lots of it.

Two young actors accidentally invent one of the most unhinged slow burn dynamics in television history while fully believing they are just coworkers.

Neither of them knows what is happening yet. Everyone else absolutely does.

ERA 2: The “Held Together By Spite and Sexual Tension” Era (1996–1998)

Vibe: Peak onscreen magic and open hostility.

Production stress. Tabloid tension. Legendary stories about them barely speaking off camera.

And legendary stories of a friendlier variety.

Meanwhile they are out here redefining eye contact as a romantic weapon.

ERA 3: The “Emotional War Veterans” Era (1999–2002)

Vibe: survival bonded with a hint of mutual respect

They have survived each other, the show, lawsuits, fame, and filming schedules that qualify as psychological experiments.

The visible irritation mellows into something suspiciously resembling deep professional soulmate energy.

Bonded by shared television trench warfare.

ERA 4: The “Divorced But Still Shares The Dog” Era (2003–2007)

Vibe: Professionally independent, spiritually co-signed.

Separate careers. Separate lives. Public distance.

The X-Files becomes legacy media and fandom quietly places Gillovny into a carefully labeled emotional archive box.

Contents: complicated. Do not shake.

ERA 5: The “Wait Why Are They Flirting Again” Era (2008–2013)

Vibe: Reunited and it feels so good. No, but really.

Reunion press tours reintroduce them as suspiciously comfortable ex-partners who remember every inside joke and also every single one of each other’s mannerisms.

Fandom begins cautiously reopening 400 archived emotional folders.

This was supposed to be professional.

ERA 6: The “Unhinged Convention Renaissance” Era (2014–2018)

Vibe: Convention chaos meets peak public affection.

Hand holding. Couch interviews. Panel chaos. HD cameras capturing thirty years of shared nonsense.

The internet gains visual evidence and immediately loses structural integrity.

They knew. We knew. Everyone knew.

ERA 7: The “Emotionally Codependent Constellation” Era (2019–Present)

Vibe: Settled into long term gravitational nonsense.

Less spectacle. More quiet mutual admiration. Long-term orbit behavior.

No labels. Just gravitational pull and three decades of shared cultural mythology.

Some dynamics simply become permanent fixtures in television history.

ENCORE: The “Someone Is Going To Write A Dissertation About This” Era

Vibe: No longer a ship. Fully a case study.

Currently ongoing.

[cecilysass]

Hiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!!! i wanted to ask for some canon-compliant YEARNING fics for x files. uuuhhhh not sure exactly how to explain, but like fics where they build upon scenes with ust and give some more background into the characters' perspectives.

First of all, thank you for this ask, because I truly do love coming up with fic recs, and it's so flattering to be asked. This was fun, although I admit I also found it a little tricky, as the elements of (1) canon-compliant and (2) building on UST and (3) lots of yearning felt oddly difficult to piece together. So I think some of my recs really have 2 out of 3 of these elements. I felt like you might be asking for a nice LONG slow burn fic, but I found it hard to think of longer canon compliant slow burns. (Am I wrong? Am I just missing obvious fics? People can definitely tell me if I am wrong.)

Parts of your request made me think of things like Nuptiae Sub Rosa or All That is Dark and Bright -- both great fics -- but I didn’t include those because they either have way more RST (Nuptial Sub Rosa) or have way more divergent elements (All That Is Dark and Bright). 

“Canon compliant” turned out to be the hardest ingredient, both because there are so many more divergent fics and because I’m not always sure what people mean when they say it. I hope it counts for you as "canon compliant" if they’re on a case that wasn’t on the show, but that seems like a case they could have had. In other words, I hope it counts if the plot is just not obviously canon divergent or AU. Some of these fics are longer and some are shorter.

Yearning in A Casefile

Syntax6’s Casefiles. Some people might think this is a strange recommendation for your request, but Syntax6 writes Mulder and Scully doing FBI agent / X-files work very much like in canon, dealing with UST and repressed feelings of yearning … until they stop repressing. Now some of her fics are really canon divergent, plot wise, but some are less so.  These fics are definitely casefiles, so they’re about serial killers and what have you, too. (Syntax6 is a professional crime novelist now, so she’s really very good at this kind of plot. This is her site with all her fic. Two specific Syntax6 recs: Overnight Sensation - After One Son, Mulder and Scully go to Boston to chase a serial killer. Diana involved, too. This is more on the canon compliant side of the spectrum. Original Sin - More canon divergent. Scully has moved to Utah after Fight the Future, but finds something important she feels like Mulder needs to see, so she gets in touch.

The Summoning of Nikola Price -  alienqueequeg  This is a creepy horror story,  legitimately scary, in which their UST / unresolved feelings play a role in the case. I don’t know if it’s exactly what you’re looking for, but it is definitely directly about yearning in some way. 

More than a Feeling - SisterSpooky1013 Mulder and Scully go undercover in a carnival/fair. Lots of repressed yearning every which way. This is a SisterSpooky1013 banger.

Behind the Looking Glass - Wendiae This is a casefile and a Never Again post ep. Scully goes undercover. Mulder is a profiler of a serial killer, and he goes undercover eventually, too. They’re doing really angsty post-Never Again pining. There is this really electric, tense scene where undercover M&S are supposedly pretending to have a hot-and-heavy jealous lovers’ argument for a voyeur killer’s benefit – but you know, it’s really the truth, too.

Amish Country - lolabeegood Mulder and Scully go undercover in Amish country. This is UST to RST, and a classic fic beloved by many—do pay attention to the CW, as there is some sexual assault.

Yearning in Angsty or Sweet Fics That Could Happen In Canon But Did Not

Dance Without Sleeping - Lydia Bowers / wonderland / @amplifyme  This might be the fic that I feel best about meeting your criteria, although it isn’t exactly canon compliant either lol. But this is a gorgeous classic cancer arc fic that won all the fanfic awards back in the day. 

Love In All The Wrong Places - SisterSpooky1013 Well, first of all, this is just an amazing fic, but I would also say it’s about your criteria, although kind of indirectly. This is basically You’ve Got Mail but with Mulder and Scully. They both, on their own, go on to online dating chat rooms under assumed names. They start having conversations with one another, not realizing who it is. They talk to one another about their secret feelings for co-workers and… well, you can imagine.  

One Weekend In Georgetown  - LibbyT Scully tries to spend a quiet weekend at home. Mulder won’t stop calling. They’re at a time when it feels like their relationship is at a crossroads, post-Amor Fati. There is a lot of delightful conversation in this. Yearning galore.

Dividends - Suzanne Schramm Scully comes into Mulder’s motel room too wired to sleep, and they drink some motel booze. A smart variation on a very common trope–this one is an older fic. I especially enjoy Mulder’s gradual realizations here that Scully shares some of the same motivations as him. 

The Third - Susanne Barringer They’re on a stakeout having awkward conversations circa 6. It’s Scully POV, and I especially enjoy how Scully seems to misread Mulder’s reactions in this fic until it’s clear he’s being more serious than he first seems. An amazing ending.

You Send Me - spooky_nerd This is very specifically about Mulder’s yearning, but it’s great: the X-file is about the yearning. Mulder finds himself suddenly faced with randomly opening portals that take him to Scully’s apartment. This is a shorter piece, but very witty, smart, and so deeply romantic. 

Fox Mulder, Closet Romantic - SilhouetteofaCedar I feel like I have to put this on the list on the off chance you haven’t read it, even though it’s got four billion kudos and is a widely beloved fic. It's beloved for a reason. Definitely heavy on the pining Mulder, as the title suggests. 

A Few Canon-Based Post-Eps

Tiger Lily - Eleanore This is a real vintage fic, from 1996, and one reason I like it is that it is so understated and focused on character. There's just something delicate about it. It’s a post-War of the Coprophages jealousy fic written just a few weeks after the episode aired. Mulder remains smitten with Bambi, and a pining Scully provides him with advice despite her own feelings.

The sunlight that leaks out of your darkness (and into my world) - bayloriffic A post-ep for Never Again. Mulder is trying. Scully is trying. Everyone’s so full of longing.

Just the Thing - pinebluffvariant Post-ep for How The Ghosts Stole Christmas that I picked because you can practically taste Mulder’s loneliness and longing in it.

Still Life - Seek_Its_Opposite This is a Milagro post ep, more focused on Scully’s yearning, but giving us crucial insight into Mulder, too. Beautifully written.

We’re Not Here To Get Involved In Personal Problems - me me (cecilysass) This is a post-ep for X-Cops, but I think it actually fits what your request is pretty well, and it is canon compliant. 

Anyway, I do hope I managed to hit the spot in here somewhere...? If this isn’t quite what you had in mind, please send me another ask and I’ll try to fine tune. And if someone else thinks of something, don't be shy.

[roarkeve]

Watching the chapters of @slippinmickeys “Familiar” keep getting higher is part killing me as I patiently wait for the conclusion and part excitement that there’s more than anticipated!!

🤍🧙🏻‍♀️🦊🧙🏼🖤

[impulsive-astrophile]

Post-ep fic recs for days

@muldaaah as promised, here’s a post-episode fic rec list! 

It’s not comprehensive by any means, but it will probably be pretty long! Nothing past the end of s7 as that’s where I stopped. (if there are any eps I don’t include that you would like me to, let me know)

Recs will be sorted into categories (in bold, linked to their corresponding tags on AO3 for a comprehensive list for that ep) by episode, will not include tags, and can be found under the cut to save your dash. All recs have MSR and are hosted on Ao3 unless otherwise stated.

As always, make sure you read the tags on the work before reading to make sure it’s content you want to consume!

Keep reading

[roarkeve]

All the recs

[cecilysass]

Spooky Award Winners 1998 - full list!

The Spooky Awards were the annual awards given to X-Files fan fiction from 1995-2004 (except for, strangely, the year 1997). They were voted on by readers in a process that's a little unclear to me now--I know it must have been occasionally controversial, because there were sometimes concerns about "ballot stuffing." Full disclosure, I'm getting most of my info about this from Fanlore, although as an aged person I do remember the Spookys being a big deal back in the day. I might have even voted for them at some point, but I really don't remember how it worked. I sure af know we didn't have Google Forms. From year to year the categories changed, sometimes drastically, and sometimes they awarded honorable mentions. In the earlier years, from my point of view, it looks like a lot of the same fics and authors won again and again in lots of categories, but by the later years, it seems like it was a much more varied group of winners. I find the Spooky winners really fascinating to look at now because (1) they show what people liked to write and read back when the show was on; (2) they're an interesting documentation of early online fandom / fanfic, including how people liked to categorize fic and pairings; (3) there are a lot of fics and authors on these lists that people still read and recommend; (4) there are some fics that people really don't read and recommend, and I'm always curious why (some might deserve to be remembered more!). I'm going to list the 1998 Spooky winners below and link each fic as best I can so other people can explore them. I chose 1998 because there were a lot of familiar fics to me on this list--honestly, some real bangers--but maybe I'll do another year later. I found every fic but one still online. (Unacceptable by Justin Glasser anyone? - update: found, thanks to @lilydalexf !) A few random observations about 1998: obviously lots of movie fic. Less of a focus on strictly MSR, and plenty of same sex pairings, including Scully slash. More male fic authors / author names than we typically see nowadays. Also, in googling for a hard-to-find fic, I think I discovered another XF fanfic author who went pro (Saundra Mitchell). Look these over and give me your thoughts!

Outstanding Portrayal of Mulder Angst

First Place - Iolokus series - Mustang Sally and RivkaT

Second Place - The Cry of the Truth - A. I. Irving

Third Place - Eleventh Hour - Rachel Anton

Outstanding Mulder Characterization

First Place - Reach - Khyber

Second Place - Antidote - Karen Rasch and Rachel Howard

Third Place - Tangible - Blueswirl

Outstanding Original Character

First Place - Miranda Scully -- Iolokus IV - MustangSally and RivkaT

Second Place - Audrey--A Show of Strength - Meredith

Outstanding Original Villain

First Place - George Naxos --- Iolokus - MustangSally and Rivka T

Second Place - Mark Dupree --- ELS - Dawson Rambo

Third Place - Mr. Chancy/Simon Moloch -- Kevin Justin Glasser

Outstanding Portrayal of Scully Angst

First Place - Wallpaper - Annie Sewell-Jennings

Second Place - Primal Sympathy - Lydia Bower

Outstanding Scully Characterization

First Place - Reach - Khyber

Second Place - Antidote - Karen Rasch and Rachel Howard

Outstanding Characterization of a Recurring TV Character

First Place - Worth her Weight - Marguerite

Second Place - Smoke Gets in Your Eyes - Plausible Deniability

Outstanding Vignette

First Place - Fast Hard Screw on the Main Deck - Bidie McCucholl

Second Place - The Shadow of His Wings - Marguerite

Outstanding Humor Story

First Place - Your Platonic Relationship: An Owner's Manual - Lilla Vaughan

Second Place - The Carrot and the Stick - Plausible Deniability

Outstanding Author

First Place - Dawson Rambo

Second Place (tie)- Lydia Bower

Second Place (tie)- Nascent

Outstanding New Author

First Place - Bidie McCucholl

Second Place - Annie Sewell-Jennings

Outstanding Drama

First Place - The Iolokus Series - MustangSally & RivkaT

Second Place - A Show of Strength - Meredith

Outstanding Mulder/Scully Friendship

First Place - Worth Her Weight - Marguerite

Second Place (tie) - The Abyss Looks Back - Kronos

Second Place (tie) - And Chaos Shall Reign - Kronos

Outstanding NC-17 Romance

First Place - Metamorphosis - Annie Sewell-Jennings

Second Place - Momentary Lapses Series - Dasha K. & Plausible Deniability

Outstanding Non-NC-17 Romance

First Place - Reach - Khyber

Second Place - Merry Christmas, Scully - Stephanie Kaiser

Outstanding Other Romance

First Place - Smoke Gets in Your Eyes - Plausible Deniability

Second Place - Loners - Anne Haynes

Outstanding Mulder/Other Romance

First Place - Banging Your Head Against a Red-Haired Brick Wall - Blair Provence

Second Place - Venture Forth - Punk Maneuverability

Outstanding Scully/Other Romance

First Place - Half a World Away - Jane St. Clair

Second Place - Wheels of Iscariot - Emilie Renee Karr

Third Place - Homicidal Tendencies - Swikstr

Outstanding Skinner/Mulder Romance

First Place - Baton Rouge - Frogdoggie

Second Place (tie) - Challenges - Te

Second Place (tie) - Lasting Consequences - Debra Fran Baker

Second Place (tie) - Rarest Man Series (Body of Evidence, Duty Before Pleasure, Feast and Famine, Resolution, Test of Endurance, Wet Dream) - Sergeeva

Second Place (tie) - Unacceptable - Justin Glasser

Second Place (tie) - Wakened by Silence - JiM Page

Outstanding Skinner/Scully Romance

First Place - A Cold Angel Eye - Jordan

Second Place - Red Valerian Series - Dasha K.

Outstanding Platonic Mulder/Scully Romance

First Place (tie) - The Shadow of His Wings - Marguerite

First Place (tie) - Theory and Practice - Nascent

Outstanding Mulder/Scully UST

First Place - Your Platonic Relationship: An Owner's Manual - Lilla Vaughan

Second Place - Ninth Circle - Tim Scott

Outstanding Slash Story

First Place - Nightclub Girls - Dasha K

Second Place - Nightclub Jitters - Dasha K

Most Chris Carter

First Place - Kevin - Justin Glasser

Second Place (tie) - Antidote - Karen Rasch and Rachel Howard

Second Place (tie) - ELS - Dawson Rambo

Outstanding Series

First Place (tie) - The Iolokus Series - MustangSally and RivkaT

First Place (tie) - Momentary Lapses Series - Dasha K and Plausible Deniability

Outstanding Short Story

First Place - Day 17 - Khyber

Second Place - Fast Hard Screw on the Main Deck - Bidie McCucholl

Third Place (tie) - Camp - Shalimar

Third Place (tie) - All the Children are Insane - MustangSally

Outstanding Long Story

First Place - Antidote - Karen Rasch and Rachel Howard

Second Place (tie) - Reach - Khyber

Second Place (tie) - ELS - Dawson Rambo

Outstanding Story in a Series

First Place - Said the Spider to the Fly - Dark Nascent

Second Place - The Ghost at Her Side - Joyce McKibben

Third Place - Iolokus IV - MustangSally and Rivka T

Outstanding Unfinished Work

First Place - Paper Saints - Jill Selby

Second Place - Above Rubies - Rachel Howard

Outstanding Post-Episode Story

First Place - Camp - Shalimar

Second Place - All the Children are Insane - MustangSally

Outstanding Movie Fic

First Place - Worth her Weight - Marguerite

Second Place - A Makeshift Kiss - Jill Selby

Outstanding Action/Adventure Story

First Place (tie) - Antidote - Karen Rasch and Rachel Howard

First Place (tie) - Iolokus - MustangSally and RivkaT

Outstanding X-File

First Place - ELS - Dawson Rambo

Second Place - Antidote - Karen Rasch and Rachel Howard

Outstanding Crossover

First Place - Homicidal Tendencies - Swikstr

Second Place - The Flash Forward Series/ Slash Evidence Series (Young Blooded, Signature, Worst Case Scenario, Segue: Litany and Requiem) - Saundra Mitchell