Title: of the nature of the wound
Fandom: Check, Please!/Hockey RPF
Pairing: Eric Bittle/Jack Zimmermann, Larissa “Lardo” Duan/Shitty Knight, Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews, Jamie Benn/Tyler Seguin, Past Kent Parson/Jack Zimmermann
Categories/Genres: Angst, AU, Drama, Epistolary, Established Relationship, First Time, Fluff, Friendship, Humor, Romance
Length: Long (33936 words)
Warnings: Homophobic language by hockey players

Author on LJ: N/A
Author Website: buchanan

Summary:

His first year in the NHL isn't easy, but Jack has spent his entire life playing through the hurt.

Review:

Note: While Check, Please! doesn't require knowing anything about hockey beyond the fact that it's a team sport played on ice, of the nature of the wound does require a functional knowledge of professional hockey and how its seasons are scheduled. Being a hockey RPF crossover, this fic does incorporate real hockey players, and knowledge of those players provides useful context for their roles in the fic.

A lot of the Check, Please! fic I read tends to be of the lighter variety. Humorous and/or cute, and generally threaded through with the pervasive sense of, 'oh, you adorable boys'. Considering how light-hearted the canon is, it's probably not surprising that the fanfiction I choose to read follows in that direction.

of the nature of the wound is not one of those fics. It's also not an easy fic to get through, namely because it focuses on Jack's anxieties about being a closeted professional hockey player. You could, uncharitably if honestly, call it Jack's downward spiral of anxiety and loneliness.

buchanan's fic exemplifies the proverb “it is always darkest just before the dawn” in that it feels very much like the very beginning of a story that we are not (yet) privy to, not just in terms of Jack and Bitty's burgeoning relationship, but also the NHL as a whole upon the coming out of one of its most recognized hockey duos. Hopefully more of that will unfold in buchanan's expected sequel.

And now that I've given you a lot of reasons not to read the fic, I suppose I should mention why I am actually reccing it: buchanan does a fantastic job of weaving the fluffy and fictional Check, Please! microcosm into the much colder real world, where people change and move past who they were and sometimes grow apart, and where they succeed, fail, break, and struggle to mend what is broken. Jack Zimmermann does not feel like a fictional character as buchanan writes him. Nor does Eric Bittle, nor even Chowder, who is something of a caricature even in the comic's canon. It truly is a testament to buchanan's grasp of emotional complexity that I clung, riveted until the end, in spite of the fic's darker tone and truly annoying ten-line section breaks. (No, seriously, keep a finger on the space bar or page down key.)

of the nature of the wound

Title: Draco Malfoy and the Trials of Single Parenthood

Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: gen-ish, background Ron/Hermione, Harry/Ginny
Categories: drama, kidfic, diary, angst, humour
Length: long, 26,588 words
Warnings: I don't think so? See the bit about cynical-me and sobbing.

Author on LJ: estora
Author Website: estora on AO3

Summary: Draco Malfoy: ex-Death Eater, former bigot, divorcee, and single father. His wife left him for Viktor Krum, his children worship the Weasleys who clash with the décor, something is rotten at Hogwarts, and he doesn't really know what he's doing. But maybe he's getting the hang of it.

Review: HP isn't really one of my fandoms, but reccing it last week made me want to re-read the previous really good HP fic I remembered reading. This rec is uncharacteristic for me, since I emphatically don't seek out kid fic. Yet evidently this story has some mysterious capacity to melt the cynical and hard-hearted. It has a couple of things working against it, actually, because I'm not a fan of the faux journal/diary style of narrative, and yet I did find that here I could get used to it after a while and still like the story very much.

Harry's generation are now in their mid thirties. As the story starts out it seems that Draco is still a prat, but a prat who loves his kids -- enough to disregard his own dignity and humiliate himself in front of his old enemies to provide parental comfort to them. And over the course of the story we get to see him mellow somewhat through the fronts he has to present and the stands he has to take for the sake of his children.

Perhaps the reason it works so well is that despite putting such an unlikely (and-yet-somehow-not) character in this situation, despite the magical world twist, the problems are real problems and the fic doesn't overplay things for angst, but takes on its situations with a genuineness and honesty. The impact of a parental separation. The way the parents' politics and actions and status impact upon their children. How parents have to fight for their children when they are different.

I suspect this has something to do with why this story reduced me to a sobbing mess in at least three places even on re-read. Really I don't know how to explain that.

Don't let that dissuade you from reading. It's actually a pretty funny story, too. Bring on the running jokes about Draco's receeding hairline.

Draco Malfoy and the Trials of Single Parenthood

Title: Exclusive
Fandom: Marvel MCU
Pairing: Gen
Categories: AU, Epistolary, Friends,
Length: Long (30k)
Warnings: Outsider POV

Author on LJ: copperbadge
Author Website: Copperbadge’s Ao3

Summary: Heroes In Manhattan: From Captain America's Hidden Talents To The Truth About The Hulk, We Debunk The Myths And Expose The Daily Lives Of The Avengers.

Review: This is an interesting take on the Avengers Slice of Life Fic. Narrated by a reporter as they works to write an article about the Avengers, it shows some interesting bits and pieces of the Avengers lives.

Copperbadge is one of the big names in Avengers fanfics and for good reason. All of the Avengers and are both in character and engaging.

Exclusive

Title: A Glittering Abyss
Fandom: Hobbit
Pairing: Thorin/Bilbo
Categories: AU, Epistolary, Hurt/Comfort, Romance,
Length: Medium (18.5k)
Warnings: PTSD

Author on LJ: salvia_g
Website: Salvia_G

Summary:After the Battle of the Five Armies, Thorin has forgiven Bilbo; but Bilbo finds he cannot forgive Thorin.

Review: I love this fic. After the events of the journey and the battle of the five armies, the company is actually allowed to have long-term damage done to them even though everybody lives.

Bilbo has PTSD, Thorin has to live with his past insanity, Fili is in a coma, and Kili has lost an arm. None of them just bounce back over night. It takes many years and many good friends to make things work out and even then it isn't an instant fix.

There is something to be said for a fic that takes the long-way-round to healing, but still gives you a satisfyingly sweet happily ever after.

A Glittering Abyss

Our Epistolary / Historical theme week has come to an end and we would love to hear from you. Do you have any favorite historical fiction or epistolary fics you recommend? We'd be so pleased if you'd share with us!

• Recced stories can feature any pairing as long as they match the theme. Fan art, podfic, and fan vid recs are also welcome.
• You don't need to write a review (unless you want to). All you need to include are title, author, and a link to the story.
• Fic or media as a single file are preferred, if available.
• If you'd like to use our reccing template, you can find it under the cut.
  
  WE'RE CURRENTLY SEEKING A NEW RECCER! Invitations to rec for the comm are issued based on responses to these RR posts. If you're interested in reccing once each week, please respond to this post (or another recent RR post) with a full rec, including everything in our rec template: Title, Author, Rating, Pairing, Genres, Length, Summary, and your Review. Gen, Het, Slash, and Femslash are all welcome.
  
  If you'd like to use our reccing template, you can find it under the cut.
  
  

( Totally Optional Rec Template )

Previous Readers' Recs topics can be found here.

Title: Return to Sender
Fandom: Pet Shop of Horrors
Pairing: Leon/D
Genres: AU, Epistolary, Humour, Fluff, Romance, Family, Post-Canon
Length: Medium (2,854 words)
Warnings: None

Author on LJ: N/A
Author Website: who_la_hoop @ AO3

Author's Summary:
Sometimes, all it takes is an insult or two to get the right results. (In which Leon finds satisfaction in pen and ink, D learns the true meaning of irritation, and Chris gets entirely the wrong idea about the efficacy of USPS.)

Review:
After D leaves the pet shop, Leon tries to not care; but, of course, he does. As a result, he decides that he needs to get D to come back. Only so Chris will be happy and Leon can tell D to his face how pissed off he is. Not because Leon LIKES D or anything.

This fic contains the endlessly entertaining thing that is a smitten Leon in denial of his feelings, unwilling to admit how much he misses D. D himself is just as repressed, and is in the midst of trying to convince himself that he doesn't miss Leon when he starts receiving letters from him. It's these repressed feelings and Chris's bright suggestion that Leon write letters to the absent D that combine to create a funny, fluffy fix-it fic that gives the pair a cute happily ever after.

Return to Sender

Title: By No Ordinary Means of Communication
Fandom: James Bond
Pairing: James Bond/Q
Categories/Genres: Epistolary, Humor, Miscommunication, Pining, Romance
Length: Medium (7902 words)
Warnings: N/A

Author on LJ: laughtershock
Author Website: laughtershock

Summary:

Q can’t help but wonder how, exactly, his life has come to this.

(The one where Bond discovers post-it notes, Q discovers how not to talk about feelings, and together, they fight crime make things far more complicated than necessary.)

Review:

I have a deep-seated weakness for pining!Bond, but an admittedly stupid reluctance to read epistolary fic, which is why I'm very grateful for this month's themed rec. Without it, I would probably have never read this particular gem.

By No Ordinary Means of Communication circumvents the usual problem I have with epistolary fic, the focus on isolated messages as opposed to prose, by using one-sentence, or even one-word scraps that will fit on your average Post-it, or can be picked out in word magnets. Additionally, they're the focus of the story without being the main method of storytelling. They punctuate the narrative rather than embodying it, adding humor and flavor and quirky charm without obstructing the story's very natural flow.

laughtershock also uses the medium to demonstrate one of its very real flaws: that written communication is no true substitute for the expressiveness of verbal communication. It's something that we're all familiar with in this electronic age, where texts and tweets and have become a staple of communication. While it's easy to communicate information and meaning in 140 characters, or in the space on a Post-It, the intention behind those brief messages sometimes gets lost somewhere along the way. It's that very miscommunication of intention that fosters the additional complications Bond and Q's developing relationship in that same way it has left all of us staring down at our phones, wondering how the hell we're meant to respond to those uncharacteristic-seeming texts from the people we thought we knew well.

All in all, hats off to the mods for forcing me to stumble out of my comfort zone only to trip over this excellent fic. I'll definitely give the next epistolary fic I come across a second glance!

By No Ordinary Means of Communication

Title: We Can't Buy Freedom
Fandom: Death Race
Pairing: Jensen/Joe; Case
Categories: Epistolary, Family, Friendship, Post-Canon, Romance
Length: Medium (14k)
Warnings:Fandom Typical Violence;

Author on LJ: subluxate
Website: Subluxate

Summary:After their escape from Terminal Island, Jensen and Joe part ways in Long Beach; Joe plans to see his family, and Jensen intends to get Piper back. Two and a half months later, they meet back up in Santa Rosalía.

When Case joins them, Jensen finds he's starting to have a family again.

Review: I like how this story keeps the three main characters in play through their emails, even though a large portion of the story follows Jensen when he is on his own.

Once their stories start merging, the epistolary portions aren't as heavily represented, but they taper off in a way that feels natural to the story. Joe and Jensen are both kept in character throughout, right down to their antagonistic take on friendship that turns into an antagonistic and competitive romantic relationship.

We Can't Buy Freedom

Title: Living In Your Letters
Fandom: Teen Wolf
Pairing: Derek/Stiles
Categories: Epistolary
Length: Medium (9,678)
Warnings: None

Author on LJ:  N/A
Author Website:  the_misfortune_teller

Summary: Stiles starts writing to Derek after he and Cora leave town.

~
He gets a few more letters after that, mostly full of Stiles complaining about life in Beacon Hills, telling him what everyone else is up to. Derek likes getting mail from Stiles but isn’t sure if he likes hearing about the humdrum dramas of Beacon Hills all the time. It makes him feel like he’s never left, and not in a good way.


Stiles asks him questions in his letters, questions about what he’s been doing since he’s back in Brooklyn, if Cora is doing OK, what his favorite flavor ice cream is. Derek spreads the letters out on his bed and re-reads them all, before picking up a pen and starting to answer all of Stiles’ questions.

Review: This is a contemporary take on the epistolary story. After Derek leaves Beacon Hills after the season two finale, Stiles begins writing to him. Their relationship progresses through letters and text messages. I like the way the_misfortune_teller distinguishes the tone of the different mediums -- text messages for insults and flirting, letters for more serious confessions. The images embedded in the story are a great touch! I really liked watching their relationship unfold throughout the course of the story, and I'm glad the author chose not to end with the obligatory sex scene. This slow-build felt a lot more realistic to the relationship dynamics the_misfortune_teller established through the epistolary format. But if you do want sex, make sure to check out the sequel! It also gives us a deeper look it gave us at Derek and Cora's relationship, and of Derek and Laura's old life in New York.

Living In Your Letters

Title: Something Worth Fighting For
Fandom: Merlin
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Categories: Historical AU, epistolary, friends to lovers, first time, romance, pining, angst, war
Length: Long (20,921 words)
Warnings: Non-explicit references to off-screen violence

Author on LJ: N/A
Author Website: TheAvalonian

Author's Summary:
Set during World War II. Arthur is sent to the front lines to fight for Britain, while Merlin is left behind, struggling to cope with the absence of his best friend. Seeking to give Arthur some comfort, Merlin begins to send him pieces of a story, which tells of a legendary King and his devoted manservant.

Through their letters, Arthur and Merlin grow closer, and perhaps begin to discover feelings that they could not put into words before. But will Arthur make it through the war? And what will happen if he does?

Review:
It begins with goodbye -- with Merlin's painful farewell to Arthur, as Arthur departs to serve in His Majesty's Armed Forces. The emotions are readily apparent, and while Arthur and Merlin are "only" friends at this point, the potential for something so much deeper and more intense is quickly revealed.

While not told exclusively through letters, the correspondence between Arthur and Merlin plays a key role in this story. We see the depth of Merlin's emotion expressed through the letters he lovingly crafts for Arthur to give him comfort and succor as he endures the horrors of war. The stories of the King and his Wizard that Merlin creates are my favorite element, and I loved the parallels that were drawn between both the events that Arthur was experiencing as well as Merlin canon.

The highlight, of course, is the emotional reunion between Arthur and Merlin when the war finally ends. After experiencing Merlin's realization of the true nature of his feelings for Arthur and his deep longing to be with him once more, I found myself on the edge of my metaphorical seat as Merlin rushed to see a newly-returned Arthur. The integration of Merlin's story into the revelation of their true feelings for one another was a lovely touch and an excellent way of tying everything together.

At long last, seeing the reunited men consummate their love was the perfect ending. If you love historical AUs, letter writing, and/or pining with a happy resolution, please give this one a try.

Something Worth Fighting For

It's Epistolary/Historical theme week!

Title: Inevitable as Tragedy
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Harry/Draco (mention of Harry/Ginny)
Categories: Post-War, EWE, Epistolary, Drama, Recovery
Length: Medium (8,084)
Warnings: Minor character death, mention of suicidal thoughts

Author on LJ: lomonaaeren
Author on AO3: Lomonaaeren

Author's summary: Physical separation is possible for Harry and Draco. Mental separation is not.

Review:
More than any other Harry/Draco story, this is the one that's head-canon for me, because Lomonaaeren spotlights the resentment that lies between them, plus their differences in personality and beliefs, yet Harry and Draco still move from antagonism to truce to reliance and finally understanding.

They find common ground in their shared trauma from the war. And at the heart of their transition is the curse on Narcissa. It leaves Draco open and brings out Harry's drive to act. After that, any guardedness Draco feels is gone, and what's left is Harry's emotional upheaval. With no Voldemort to defeat, he's facing up to his neglectful childhood, his adulthood and his sexuality all at once.

I found this story uplifting. Without sweeping anything under the carpet, it pushes inevitably toward connection and fierce protectiveness. Though there are setbacks, each letter moves through and past obstacles until there's nothing left but the two of them.

Inevitable as Tragedy (AO3)
On LJ

It's Small Fandom week here at ER!
We'll be reccing in fandoms that have 5 or fewer reviews here, regardless of actual fandom size.


Title: (o>------
Fandom: Solar System (anthropomorphic)
Pairings: Ison/Dark Matter, Ison/Neptune, Ison/Jupiter, Ison/Sol
Categories: Journal entries, self discovery, crack that turns more serious, humor, loneliness, romance
Length: Medium (5,177 words)
Warnings: Discussion of future major character death

Author on LJ: fresne
Author Websites: fresne

Author's Summary: So, hey I'm ISON, or you know Ison, not to be all shouty at you, because I'm not a shouty Comet. Not like some. I also go by C/2012 S1, but I like totally prefer Ison.

I use this journal for writing about my thoughts and dreams and stuff. Okay, mostly my love life, which... gets complicated.

But I'm looking for that special someone, who makes me light up.

Review:
I'm a sucker for anthropomorphism; give me a mitten on a quest to find a lost mate or a deflated old basketball remembering the glory days, and I feel compelled to give it a look. So the first thing I read from Yuletide this year was the comet Ison's online chronicle of the trip through our solar system.

The glib way Ison speaks had me thinking I was in for a quick, funny read, and it is that, in part. But as Ison grows through disappointing experiences and moves from darkness toward light, we end up with a relatable story about loneliness and connection. Even as a young sounding Ison never drops the use of "like" and "dude," there's a depth to this story that has me thinking back to it weeks later. Ison finds serial monogamy a bit soul crushing, and Sol talks about the creation of the universe and the events leading up to Ison's one way journey, about the stuff that made us all coming from the same place.

But back to the humor... Earth especially made me laugh, and the images from 'LOL-stars' and online quizzes add to the cracky charm. Plus I loved the way Ison's up and down posts reminded me of LJ journals.

(Shout out to margi_lynn whose rec led me to this.)

(o>------

Title: why don't we get together and call ourselves an institute
Fandom: Person of Interest
Pairing: Harold Finch/John Reese
Categories: Humor, Romance, Pre-slash, Fluff, Domestic, Epistolary, Outside POV, Office, Undercover
Length: Medium (4282 words)
Warnings: N/A

Author on LJ: leupagus
Author Website: leupagus

Author's Summary:
“It’s perfectly logical. We’re bound to be caught at some point together, and as far as I can see there’s no downside to connecting Mr. Warren to Mr. Wren socially. We’ll have an easier time explaining ourselves being together if we’re observed being together, and since you’ve vetoed all of my suggestions for activities that you could take up—“

“I’m not joining a bowling league, Harold,” John says firmly.

Review:
One of my (many) pet peeves is trying to explain shipping to “non-shippers,” because they all seem to operate under this one mistaken assumption: that there is such a thing as a “non-shipper” and that they are one of them. But the truth is, all people are shippers, though it may not take a form that is popularly recognized as shipping. why don't we get together and call ourselves an institute is a Person of Interest fic by shippers, for shippers, about shippers, which takes us through the alias-maintenance of our intrepid heroes Finch and Reese, mingled with the perspectives of their respective assistants and coworkers, who promptly form wild (though occasionally perceptive) ideas about the nature of their relationship.

And sure, this is a story about Finch and Reese and how donuts and nosy assistants brought them together, but more importantly, it's a story about the shipper in all of us.


why don't we get together and call ourselves an institute

Hi all. Sorry for my long unannounced hiatus. I hit a reccing dry-spell, and super busyness in RL. I'm back after revisiting some beloved fandoms, and hopefully can hit my reccing stride again.

Title: Dear Soong
Fandom: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Pairing: gen, with background Juliana Tainer/Noonian Soong & OFC/OMC
Categories: AU, Canon Fix-it, Drama, Family Relationships, Fluff, Epistolary
Length: Short (1,379 words)
Warnings: n/a except spoilers for practically every Data-centric TNG episode (especially 3x16 The Offspring and 7x10 Inheritance)

Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: KiranInBlue (at AO3)

Summary:
In which Dr. Soong chooses a friendlier colony on which to finish his work - and Lore is given the chance to live, and never develops a psychotic streak in order to survive. Lore never kills Dr. Soong, and Dr. Soong is there to help guide Data in building Lal. And Juliana gets the daughter she always wanted.

Review:
This is the canon fix-it I always wanted for Data and his family, particularly after the events of The Offspring, the episode in which Data creates (and looses) a daughter. I love the sweetness of the family interactions via letter. The Soong family was never broken apart by tragedy or Lore's mental illness, and instead are living happy lives in the Federation 'verse. The sheer amount of worldbuilding the author sneaks in in so few words is boggling, and I wish they'd been inspired to write an epic about the family's continued adventures. Though that was not to be, the idea of Lore working as an artificial intelligence rights lawyer, Noonian's antics with the Daystrom Institute, hints at Spot's future appearance, and the addition of Data and Lore's sister Memory are so much fun.

Dear Soong

It's that time of the week again! Here's another wonderful rec from our Recapalooza post. Enjoy!

Rec by alex51324: 

Title: Letters from the Trenches
Fandom: Downton Abbey
Pairing: Thomas & O'Brien, platonic
Categories: Humor with a soupcon of angst. Epistolary.
Length: Short
Warnings: None

Author on LJ: masterofhentzau
Author Website: None.

Summary: What exactly did Thomas and O'Brien write to each other during the war?

Review:
As it says on the tin, this fic is an exchange of letters between former-first-footman Thomas O'Brien and lady's maid Sarah O'Brien, during the war. They are their usual snarky selves, but near the end of the fic, Thomas's fear and O'Brien's concern for him shine through. There are very few Thomas fics out there, and, IMHO, this is the best of the lot.

Letters from the Trenches

It's that time of the week again! Here's another wonderful rec from our Recapalooza post. Enjoy!

Rec by alex51324: 

Title: Letters from the Trenches
Fandom: Downton Abbey
Pairing: Thomas & O'Brien, platonic
Categories: Humor with a soupcon of angst. Epistolary.
Length: Short
Warnings: None

Author on LJ: masterofhentzau
Author Website: None.

Summary: What exactly did Thomas and O'Brien write to each other during the war?

Review:
As it says on the tin, this fic is an exchange of letters between former-first-footman Thomas O'Brien and lady's maid Sarah O'Brien, during the war. They are their usual snarky selves, but near the end of the fic, Thomas's fear and O'Brien's concern for him shine through. There are very few Thomas fics out there, and, IMHO, this is the best of the lot.

Letters from the Trenches

It's that time of the week again! Here's another wonderful rec from our Recapalooza post. Enjoy!

Rec by alex51324: 

Title: Letters from the Trenches
Fandom: Downton Abbey
Pairing: Thomas & O'Brien, platonic
Categories: Humor with a soupcon of angst. Epistolary.
Length: Short
Warnings: None

Author on LJ: masterofhentzau
Author Website: None.

Summary: What exactly did Thomas and O'Brien write to each other during the war?

Review:
As it says on the tin, this fic is an exchange of letters between former-first-footman Thomas O'Brien and lady's maid Sarah O'Brien, during the war. They are their usual snarky selves, but near the end of the fic, Thomas's fear and O'Brien's concern for him shine through. There are very few Thomas fics out there, and, IMHO, this is the best of the lot.

Letters from the Trenches

It's that time of the week again! Here's another wonderful rec from our Recapalooza post. Enjoy!

Rec by alex51324: 

Title: Letters from the Trenches
Fandom: Downton Abbey
Pairing: Thomas & O'Brien, platonic
Categories: Humor with a soupcon of angst. Epistolary.
Length: Short
Warnings: None

Author on LJ: masterofhentzau
Author Website: None.

Summary: What exactly did Thomas and O'Brien write to each other during the war?

Review:
As it says on the tin, this fic is an exchange of letters between former-first-footman Thomas O'Brien and lady's maid Sarah O'Brien, during the war. They are their usual snarky selves, but near the end of the fic, Thomas's fear and O'Brien's concern for him shine through. There are very few Thomas fics out there, and, IMHO, this is the best of the lot.

Letters from the Trenches

Title: An absence which could not be more there
Fandom: X-Men: First Class (with teeny tiny Iron Man crossover)
Pairing: Charles/Erik
Categories: AU, Angst, Drama, Romance, Epistolary
Length: Long (18,201 words)
Warnings: difficult breakup, canon character deaths in the past, unpleasant childhood (including implied possible child abuse)

Author on LJ: aesc
Author Website: aesc

Author's Summary:
He prepared to shift another half-step over to the Current Events section (which would, of course, enrage him) when the teaser positioned by the model's left elbow caught his eye: DATING WHILE TELEPATHIC: WHY I DON'T DO IT.

Review:
In this modern day AU, Erik and Charles have had a messy breakup, primarily due to Erik's (mis)understanding of the way Charles's powers work. When Erik is browsing through a mutant-focused bookstore, he sees an article in a Cosmo-like magazine about telepath's and dating that causes him to revisit his relationship with Charles and why it went wrong.

The emotions feel so real, both Erik's and Charles's. You can see the mistakes Erik made and how both parties, while they loved each other, were at odds. While the story is an AU, it explores the crux of the "beach divorce" scene, where Erik decides he ultimately can't trust Charles with himself. Post-breakup, Erik finding out more about telepaths and how psionic abilities work, as well as realizing why he couldn't deal with that at the time, is an intense ride. While Erik is the PoV character, Charles has an equal presence via flashbacks and in person.

The author makes telepathy seem like a real thing, with sections of the various magazines articles, books, and websites written by and about telepaths inserted into the story. These segments each have a different voice and tone, and conceptualize psionics for both Erik and the reader. Equally interesting are the sections where Erik uses his own abilities, feeling buildings and trains around him and sensing a familiar pen, showing how deeply his experience of the world is filtered through them.

One warning: if you find realistic stories about the emotional difficulties of relationships and bad breakups upsetting, you may want to avoid the story. However, the story does have a happy ending for both Charles and Erik, so the angst has a good payoff.

An absence which could not be more there

Title: An absence which could not be more there
Fandom: X-Men: First Class (with teeny tiny Iron Man crossover)
Pairing: Charles/Erik
Categories: AU, Angst, Drama, Romance, Epistolary
Length: Long (18,201 words)
Warnings: difficult breakup, canon character deaths in the past, unpleasant childhood (including implied possible child abuse)

Author on LJ: aesc
Author Website: aesc

Author's Summary:
He prepared to shift another half-step over to the Current Events section (which would, of course, enrage him) when the teaser positioned by the model's left elbow caught his eye: DATING WHILE TELEPATHIC: WHY I DON'T DO IT.

Review:
In this modern day AU, Erik and Charles have had a messy breakup, primarily due to Erik's (mis)understanding of the way Charles's powers work. When Erik is browsing through a mutant-focused bookstore, he sees an article in a Cosmo-like magazine about telepath's and dating that causes him to revisit his relationship with Charles and why it went wrong.

The emotions feel so real, both Erik's and Charles's. You can see the mistakes Erik made and how both parties, while they loved each other, were at odds. While the story is an AU, it explores the crux of the "beach divorce" scene, where Erik decides he ultimately can't trust Charles with himself. Post-breakup, Erik finding out more about telepaths and how psionic abilities work, as well as realizing why he couldn't deal with that at the time, is an intense ride. While Erik is the PoV character, Charles has an equal presence via flashbacks and in person.

The author makes telepathy seem like a real thing, with sections of the various magazines articles, books, and websites written by and about telepaths inserted into the story. These segments each have a different voice and tone, and conceptualize psionics for both Erik and the reader. Equally interesting are the sections where Erik uses his own abilities, feeling buildings and trains around him and sensing a familiar pen, showing how deeply his experience of the world is filtered through them.

One warning: if you find realistic stories about the emotional difficulties of relationships and bad breakups upsetting, you may want to avoid the story. However, the story does have a happy ending for both Charles and Erik, so the angst has a good payoff.

An absence which could not be more there