Story 221: "In a Dark Time" by eliade

[wendelah1]

"In a Dark Time" by eliade is one of the first Mulder/Krycek stories I read, and it's still one of my all-time favorite XF fics, in any genre. It fulfills every requirement of mine for good M/K: it's set during season two, prior to Scully's abduction, it's by turns violent, twisted and passionate—and so is the sex. If you haven't watched "Sleepless," "Duane Barry" and "Ascension" recently, this story will let you see the episodes in an entirely different light. I have reread this compelling story many times, because it is just that good.

The link is to her X-Files fic page, way-backed; the story links are on the right. You can also find this at the Basement but I believe this is a more recent version, plus it includes a unfinished sequel.

The X-Files fanfic of Anna S

You can try sending feedback to the author via her LiveJournal address. Please let us know what you think of the story. The nomination post is always open for your suggestions.

Comments

[andrea-deer.livejournal.com]

I read that story now and it was a really weird experience, because it turned out I've already read it once. This time around, while obviously reading a fic, I was still more focused on my messed up memory of it. First of all I did not remember the actual plot, just the witty dialouges. I had no idea how it goes, where it ends (or that it sort of doesn't end, because only the Sleepless part ends properly Duane Barry one is only started). Then I started to wonder why do I remember certain parts, while I completely didn't recognize the fic after title, summary or even plenty of paragraphs at the begining. And the answer is pretty simple: I don't really like this story.

I admit that the author has a good, well practiced style, but it is also a specific style. She writes realistically, with brutal, coarse descriptions and dialouges. I know it is what some people look for in fiction, but I'm afraid I'm one of them. I'm not a fan of overly sweet, utopic, domestic bliss in fiction either, but some sort of a balance between the two. Around the level of the show, actually. Hard times mixed with good ones. Even if something is drastic, it's never shown in too drastic way. Interactions are often violent, but rarely crude.

As I said, some may look for something like this style. I know plenty of people who prefer it, usually argumenting that it's more realistic. Perhaps. But I usually don't come to fiction to find reality, that would be a bit redundant in my opinion.

So, yes, the style puts me off. Also, Krycek in second season. I've read some good stories about it, (Ha, I recomended one here, ages ago! XD) but in general I'm not a fan of stories put in this place on the timeline. I usually read stories set around Tunguska/TERMA or The Red and The Black. Prefer to write them then as well. Perhaps it's easier to get them together, when Alex is still young and as innocent as we can get him, perhaps it's more believable as well, but I hate how always the future we already know of hangs over their heads. For some reason I prefer, when it's all out in the open and they have to get through it (yes, I'm a sucker for a happy ending, rare and unbelievable as they are), than when it's this darkness they're heading towards to.

Also, I really don't like the way Scully is shown here. I usually suffer through Scully portrayals in slash fics, because I am a slasher, but my favourite character is still Dana Scully, which makes some stories really painful to get through. (And I've been known to abandon promisingly looking slash story, because I couldn't stand the way Scully was shown.) In this story she seems so jealous and constantly angry and mean. I think Scully was in a way jealous through Mulder's partnership with Krycek, simply because she couldn't be there and the whoel situation was difficult for her, I don't doubt that. But I think it belittles her to show her so petty. Was she irritated with the way things went? Sure. Was she taking ot out on almost everyone, but especially Krycek? Highly doubt so. As far as I recall she only really snaps at him once and to be fair to her Mulder is than dealing with Duanne and she's scarred for him. I don't think she was so bitter and angry because Alex as it was shown in this fic, that's all.

Still, the story has some really great dialouges and is and interesting show of Sleepless episode. It just isn't what I like in the stories and it's not by far one of my most liked ones.

Part One

[wendelah1]

Well, I think we are just about diametrically opposed when it comes to our reactions to this story, on every level. Since you disliked it so much, I am sorry to have recommended it to you, but I appreciate your candid responses. I hope it's okay for me to respond with equal candor.

She writes realistically, with brutal, coarse descriptions and dialouges. I know it is what some people look for in fiction, but I'm afraid I'm one of them. I'm not a fan of overly sweet, utopic, domestic bliss in fiction either, but some sort of a balance between the two. Around the level of the show, actually. Hard times mixed with good ones. Even if something is drastic, it's never shown in too drastic way. Interactions are often violent, but rarely crude.

She is a realistic writer. eliade spends a lot of time carefully filling in the blanks in "Sleepless," getting us into the heads of the characters. However, I don't think it's her style (her sentences, story structure and vocabulary) that you're objecting to so much as her content. When you refer to the interactions that you find crude and violent, you aren't specific but since most of their non sex scenes are centered around solving the case and so much of that dialog is taken straight from the episode itself, I am assuming you must mean the sex scenes. This is a matter of taste, so there isn't much I can say to defend them. If it's not the sex scenes, I'm at a loss. You'll have to give examples.

Perhaps it's easier to get them together, when Alex is still young and as innocent as we can get him, perhaps it's more believable as well, but I hate how always the future we already know of hangs over their heads. For some reason I prefer, when it's all out in the open and they have to get through it (yes, I'm a sucker for a happy ending, rare and unbelievable as they are), than when it's this darkness they're heading towards to.

Personally, I find the sex scenes between the two men believable and compelling. By comparison, I find most Mulder/Krycek stories that feature romance with a happy ending not at all credible, even more so if they are set later in the series. But that's okay. You love the pairing, you ship the pairing, so you want to read happy endings. You have different taste in sex scenes. Fair enough.

On the other hand, I love the abduction arc, I love the drama and the conflict and the messiness eliade shows us, a story of two lovers who are drawn together by passion, and who are separated, not by fate, but by the choices they've made. Yes, it's dark but I think this story is an honest, accurate portrait of both men, in a sexual, intellectual and emotional relationship that's completely consistent with who they appear to be at this point in the series. YMMV.

Part Two

[wendelah1]

In this story she seems so jealous and constantly angry and mean. But I think it belittles her to show her so petty. Was she irritated with the way things went? Sure. Was she taking ot out on almost everyone, but especially Krycek? Highly doubt so. As far as I recall she only really snaps at him once and to be fair to her Mulder is than dealing with Duanne and she's scarred for him. I don't think she was so bitter and angry because Alex as it was shown in this fic, that's all.

As an avowed Scullyist, I was quite taken aback by your reaction to eliade's portrayal of Scully. I re-watched the episode to see if she was different on screen than I'd remembered. I don't see her as bitter or angry or taking it out on Alex in this story, or even particularly jealous of him. In "Sleepless," much more than in this story, the working dyad is Mulder and Scully, with Krycek as the outsider. Scully is suspicious of Krycek, lonely and misses Mulder. She isn't nice to Krycek in "Sleepless" but she's not mean to him. He doesn't matter to her. The person who matters is Mulder. She's self-reflective, she's thinking about her choices, her loyalty to Mulder. Given all that has happened, it isn't surprising that she's conflicted, but it's not about Krycek, not yet anyway.

Mulder and Scully were standing very close and had, perhaps unconsciously, turned their own bodies into an enclosure that shut Alex out. They'd established a private, intimate space that didn't strike him as particularly professional. If there'd been a Cone of Silence available in the lab, they'd have activated it, Alex thought resentfully. He wondered if they were lovers. The chairman said no, but hell, maybe they did it in the lab, on the autopsy tables. Who'd be the wiser?

Ironically, Krycek is wrong about them. Their relationship is completely platonic. It's Krycek and Mulder who end up crossing the line.

In the scene in McDonald's, she's been working since early in the morning, she stayed late at Mulder's request to do the autopsy. She's tired and she thinks Mulder is being ridiculous and rude. I, for one, happen to agree with her.

"Mulder. . .I don't mean to cut short your lecture, but I'm very tired." A building wave of exhaustion and exasperation had suddenly crested, bringing her patience to an end. The hurt in his eyes made her heart twinge, but she held her ground. "Unless it's about the autopsy, my brain is in no state to be picked right now. . .it would probably crumble into a soggy mass if you tried."

"Sorry, Scully."

Mulder's voice was quiet, and his face had taken on that expressionless quality that she knew all too well. Reflexively, before he even spoke again, Scully had tensed for the inevitable retaliation.

"You suggested that I come down here. I came. I was under the impression you had some information about the examination you wanted to communicate personally. Maybe I haven't been paying close enough attention--have I heard anything yet that you couldn't have faxed me?" His voice was bland, seemingly conveying nothing but a mild and professional curiosity. It was, in her unexpressed opinion, his deadliest tone of voice.

Scully glanced at the watchful Krycek. "Can we speak alone? Outside?" At Mulder's brief nod, she rose, pulling her purse over her shoulder. She gave Krycek a tiny, perfunctory smile. "Nice meeting you."

When they were outside, Mulder stared at her testily. "You want to tell me what that was all about?"

Scully matched his gaze coolly, wondering if he ever guessed how much forbearance she exercised at his offhand rudeness. If he were her brother, she'd have smacked him; if he were a stranger, she'd have reamed him out and left him quaking in his wing-tips; but, he being Mulder, she put up with it. Sometimes she couldn't even recall why.

Her irritation at him is both perfectly understandable and perfectly in character. If anything, as portrayed here, she is a little too nice. Scully's never hesitated to give Mulder shit when she thinks he's out of line. And he is jerking her around. Isn't he?

Part Three

[wendelah1]

The scene in Duane Barry where she yells at Krycek doesn't appear in this story at all. And it's canon. There is no scene in this story I can find where Scully is portrayed as bitter or angry at Krycek. In fact, the last conversation she and Mulder have concerning him is quite conciliatory.

"Don't worry about it, Mulder." Scully's voice, wry and kinder than expected, touched his ear. "I'm glad that you've finally broken the shrinkwrap on your social calendar."

Startled into laughter, Mulder said, "Yes, but--"

"I'll just have to remember I'm taking my chances when I call you in the evenings--gone are the days when even your most pressing engagements carried you no further than your couch."

"Oh, I don't know--Tiffany's Erotic Safaris carried me a lot farther than that some nights." Mulder was grinning into the phone.

"I hope real life is shaping up better than adventures in video, Mulder."

Mulder made a tiny choking sound, then swallowed this new astonishment, deciding not to think about the implications. "Um. . .I don't think I'm going to pursue that remark, Scully."

"Chicken," Scully drawled.

She doesn't sound angry or bitter at all. Then we have the scene where Mulder goes to Quantico to take her the implant they found in Duane Barry.

"Well if it was ... that would mean Duane Barry's telling the truth."

"Or some version of the truth."

Mulder's jaw tightened fractionally. There it was again; the immutable wall of Scully doubt. He said nothing.

After a moment, she sighed. "Look, I'll. . .I'll take this down to Ballistics. We can have this cleared up in a second."

Mulder grudged a nod. He'd come down her with more than one purpose; in the back of his mind had been the intention of inviting her to dinner as Alex had suggested, something to ease her into an acquaintance with him, even if presenting the man as his lover wasn't in the cards at such a stage. Now, given the Dana Scully treatment, he was distracted into muted anger, and left without further speech.

It was only as he exited the building that he regretted, for a moment, his moodiness, his readiness to succumb to tension and perpetuate it. His abrupt departure weighed on him and he almost turned back--stood, hand on car handle, looking up at the brick of her building. They were still close, but were they close enough, now, that he could leave without even a word of farewell, without it seeming, somehow, too final?

He came to no sure decision, but he did not return to her. It would be too awkward; such replays always were. She would already be busy again, doctored up in her lab coat, her neutral professional face resumed. And he wasn't without his own business to attend to. His hand was moving to unlock the car. Let her call him this time. When she did, he would right things, or they'd right themselves. Things always did.

Well, we know how that turned out.

If anyone seems bitter and angry here, if anyone is being petty, it's Mulder, which is kind of weird given how he's getting some. You think he'd be in a better mood somehow. You can take issue with eliade's take on how Mulder feels about Scully if you want but you can't blame it on her Scully. Her Scully is canon season two Scully: skeptical, rational, calm, and in control when the situation warrants it, raising hell when she thinks Mulder's life is threatened, i.e. when Mulder is taken hostage by Duane Barry. And Mulder does walk out on her, looking pretty pissed off in "Duane Barry," so I think that section is justified. The other relationshippy stuff is all eliade's. Mulder is acting a little immature here but that seems in character, too.

[andrea-deer.livejournal.com]

Since you disliked it so much, I am sorry to have recommended it to you, but I appreciate your candid responses. I hope it's okay for me to respond with equal candor.

I'm sorry if my comment offended you in any way. I thought the point of talking about the read stories is to say if one liked them or not and why is that so. I tried my best to pinpoint the things that I'm not fond of in this story and I was hoping I didn't do it in an offending way.

Still, as I said, it was interesting to me to re-read the story and so I am glad you recommended it to me. Trust me, if I had truly hated it, I simply would stop reading and that certainly was not the case.

She is a realistic writer. eliade spends a lot of time carefully filling in the blanks in "Sleepless," getting us into the heads of the characters.

As I said, I'm not a fan of overly realistic way of writing. And while I appreciate the thoroughness with which she retells the episode, I honestly have to say I haven't read many stories attempting this with such detail and focus, it's still her interpretation of the episodes and I for one don't have to (and don't) agree with all of it. Yes, it's really well done how she gets into the heads of the characters, but since her look at them is different than mine, she finds in their heads completely different things and motives than I would've. It's not a bad thing, obviously, once again, I don't consider this to be a bad story. Just one that does not agree with my tastes in stories, that's all. (Probably some weight in this also has a fact that I'm not overly fond of re-telling episodes, but I've read stories that I loved doing just that, so it's not like I can't be persuaded if the fic hits all my other buttons.)

However, I don't think it's her style (her sentences, story structure and vocabulary) that you're objecting to so much as her content. When you refer to the interactions that you find crude and violent, you aren't specific but since most of their non sex scenes are centered around solving the case and so much of that dialog is taken straight from the episode itself, I am assuming you must mean the sex scenes. This is a matter of taste, so there isn't much I can say to defend them. If it's not the sex scenes, I'm at a loss. You'll have to give examples.

First of all: It's not about the sex scenes. While again, they're not written like I usually love to read them (there's too many of them for me at least, I get bored if there's too many, and they're too emotionless and 'right down to it' for me to like them), they're by far not off putting. And I have to say that Mulder talking about hamster's during sex is one of my favourite sex-scene-dialouges ever.

Second of all: I do actually mean both content and the actual writing style.

Yes, I'm not fond of plot developing into Mulder and Krycek as fuck buddies. I don't find it convincing in this story. And while I love a well written story about Alex harboring deeper feelings for Mulder and not being only driven by lust, I've read several stories, where lust is all they have in common and I still found them more captivating than the relation they have in this story. While it's also lust here, it seems almost clinical at places. Boys trying to up themselves, 'you tease me in a car, I tease you on a crime scene'.

[wendelah1]

I'm not offended at all. Now that I know what you're looking for in fic, I'll know better what to recommend.

If you don't agree with her characterizations, it makes perfect sense that you wouldn't like the fic.

They line up well enough with mine that I do like it very much.

[andrea-deer.livejournal.com]

As for the 'sentences' and 'vocabulary' it also shows in the story. Which is actually a really good thing, because it shows how well the author controls the style and makes it fit the content of the story. While I appreciate the writing prowess, if I'm not fond of the content and storyline, I will obviously not be fond of the writing style that matches them. The style is rather dry, which seems to fit the theme of the case fic, and then sometimes it turns crude, yes, especially in the dialouges, yes, because eliade writes the male characters more like guys actually act than as they act in the show, in my opinion. Which, again, is one more plus for her as a realistic writer, but again, not really what I look for. I prefer the characters hold the show's level of realism. And why occasional f-bomb is not going to annoy me in most characters, dropping it constantly might. And no, I don't mean that what I mind is that they swear too much. It's just a part of how they talk which is the easiest to notice and explain.

But since you asked for examples, here are few (just a few, because it isn't always explicit, sometimes it's just the general feeling of their interactions, but I tried to find a few, where it's more obvious, I think):

Alex sat bolt upright in his seat. "What the fuck--"

"Full moon."

"No shit--what the--? You a werewolf, Mulder? You have a reason for being this fucking crazy?"

"Relax. Shut up." Mulder's voice was placid, toneless. Vastly calm.

-

And if you think that great ass of yours redeems the asshole it's shipped with, you've got another thing coming, pal.

-

"Yeah. Right. No problem. I love driving uptown this time of day and standing around holding my dick just so's I can hand off a bullshit report to a coupla' HQ joyriders."

-

Alex looked at him, an irritated, disbelieving scowl twisting his lips. "Mulder. Like I'm really going to pull some swooning faggot shit--is that what you think?"

-

As I said, it's not something terribly off-putting, but it's just not the way I like the characters written, that's it. We simply seem to have different tastes in this and I really don't see how that would be a problem.

[andrea-deer.livejournal.com]

You love the pairing, you ship the pairing, so you want to read happy endings.

I am not even pretending to hide that yes, this is a major thing against this story as well in my book. Yes, I like happy endings. I am also frequently mocked, because I tend to pick one of the most violent, dark, twisted pairings in the fandom and then look for fluffy fics for it and be surprised there are so very few.

And as I mentioned, I'm not very fond of 2nd season plot line nor Alex's character in it. I wouldn't go as far as to say I don't like it, but it's not what I like the most about the show or Alex in particular. Young!Alex often annoys me, especially in fics, and it'd be hard for me to like him in a story that so closely retells the canon.

As for Dana part of our discussion, I do read her in this story as bitter and needy one.

What was he doing chuckling at this twerp's weak pitch of wit? Inanely she thought of that old commercial in which the disgruntled wife wonders why her husband never asks for another cup of her coffee. He never laughs at my jokes, she thought self-mockingly.

Okay. . .so he did. Now and then. But not lately.

She notices it herself and mocks herself for it, but she keeps on doing it.

Dana smiled again. But it hurt more than it should to smile. She could not help but fear there was some grain of truth to Mulder's dry, gently jabbing remark. She paused, searching for some response appropriate to his teasing, but found none. What could she say? There were no words for all that she wanted to say, for the feelings that seethed like dark, restless snakes in her depths. There never were.

I know that at the beginning of season two their partnership/friending was shaky and she couldn't yet be quite so sure of him as she will be later on. I get it, really. But in her lines, in her thoughts in this story she sounds like a bitter and needy, pinning love interest and that's not how I see her and so yes, I dislike her portrayal in this story. Perhaps our views on Scully just differ or simply we look at her part in this fic differently.

If anyone seems bitter and angry here, if anyone is being petty, it's Mulder, which is kind of weird given how he's getting some. You think he'd be in a better mood somehow.

Yes, obviously 'getting some' would cure his natural, long hosted bitterness. I guess if we look at it this way it makes little sense than he's even more bitter than Scully in this story.

I guess we simply have different tastes in stories and quite probably also differently view canon, which is a given really, every fan usually views it a bit differently :) Once again I hope you didn't mind me actually speaking my mind about the story, I've done this in conviction that it's better to express one's true opinions than write down some vague sweet nonsense to avoid confrontation.

[wendelah1]

Of course I don't mind you expressing your feelings about the fic. That's what the community is for. Having people with different taste who are willing to talk about what they like and don't like is what makes this community work. We need you!

I hope you don't think I'm mocking you. It's perfectly fine to like happy ending stories. Given how things worked out in canon, they must be pretty rare in M/K fic, but heck, if I find one I think would be worth discussing, I'll put it in the queue for you, and let you know. Hate sex seems to be more what I find in M/K fic and this story isn't that exactly, either.

Re: Scully. To me, there is no sense of romantic yearning in those lines you quote, only a degree of loneliness and uncertainty about her place in Mulder's life, which doesn't seem out of place. I don't see her feeling bitter toward Krycek though, just suspicious. As it turns out, she is right about him. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on that one.

[andrea-deer.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I'm glad you're not mad or anything :) I just didn't expect such vehement protection of the fic, since I really didn't think I was insulting it, simply saying it's not in my taste :)

As for happy ending in M/K, I admit I haven't read huge amount of stories (tough plenty), but yeah, they seem rare, especially in well written stories. Out of my three favourite stories only one really has a happy ending, in other Krycek has to leave anyway, even if he and Mulder resolved most of their issues.

BTW, going offtopic, my three favourite stories are "The Chemical Agents (http://strangeplaces.net/ratadder/index.html#agent)" by ratadder (which actually includes my favourite portrayal of Scully in a slash fanfiction), Ghosts&Lovers by torch (I actually managed to find a working link, to the archive on the basement, but it's not working now, argh, what I hate the most from the things that last from pre-LJ and pre-AO3 days it's unreliable archives and how hard it is sometimes to find a fic.) (Still, it's a great fic, though I admit I've reread it last a while ago.) and of course, the only favourite of mine with a true, unquestionable happy ending: The animal I wanted (http://squidge.org/ratb/fic/ladyluck_theanimaliwanted1.htm) by Ladyluck. (Nice plot, well written and OMG, THERE IS A HAPPY ENDING! XD)

I wouldn't recomend any of those for the community, because those are really long and I doubt people not into this pairing would appreciate that ;) I just wanted to drop those titles here in sort of explenation "if the rec fic is not my type, what is" and heck, maybe you will be curious and want to read them or whatever :) It gave me the excuse to look for them anyway, which is good, 'cause I've missed them :)

Anyway, I look forward to the next rec. I hope I will have the time to read it and properly comment on it :)

[szgrey.livejournal.com]

I haven't finished my reread of/comments on "In a Dark Time" yet, but I just wanted to jump in here in response to this-

I wouldn't recomend any of those for the community, because those are really long and I doubt people not into this pairing would appreciate that

I like those fics too, and I think that long fics like that might actually be the best kind of M/K for people who don't already ship them, because they spend so much time developing the characters and their relationship. If you don't ship them, you won't be convinced by stories that start from the premise that Mulder & Krycek are totally into each other; it's more believable if it starts in a way that feels consistent with their canon relationship and then builds gradually. At least, that's my impression. You may be right that people wouldn't want to tackle a long story unless they were already invested in the pairing. I know this community hasn't had a lot of slash recs in the past & I suppose there are not a whole lot of M/K shippers here, but I want to believe I'm not the only polyshipper who'd be happy to read & discuss all sorts of pairings. :)

[andrea-deer.livejournal.com]

That's the thing, isn't it? While I believe a longer story can convince way better to a pairing, someone who's not into the pairing probably won't be willing to read it :/

And while I'm not sure I classify as a polyshipper in this fandom, I think I'm pretty close to it. ;) Yes, M/K is my favourite, but I read all kinds of parings. I've read even some lovely Mulder/Scully stories, though I admit I rarely go for this pairing or enjoy reading it. *shrugs* Not my thing, I guess :)

Btw, and completely offtopic, would you mind if I friended you? I'd like to have more friends from X-Files fandom especially the ones that don't mind different ships and characters :)

[szgrey.livejournal.com]

Not at all! I pretty much only use my LJ to post fics and participate in comms (I'm more active on tumblr where I'm keepingtrackoflosttime), but I'm all in favor of friends. :)

[andrea-deer.livejournal.com]

yay! :)

i'm 5th baronet on tumblr :)

[wendelah1]

I agree that long fics might be the best kind of M/K for people who don't ship the pairing. I need a long fic, preferably with a complete AND believable character arc. The issues between the two men seem nearly insurmountable to me, and most short stories don't convince me, probably because they are written for an audience who doesn't need convincing.

I don't know if TXF ever had that many polyshippers to begin with. I'd like to think there are people out there who want to discuss interesting fic, regardless of the pairing, or lack of same. But length is an issue for a lot of people who read here. I prefer long fic but sometimes I hesitate to post something in any genre that's too long because I'm worried no one will try it.

As I said to andrea_deer, I would be willing to give "Ghosts" another chance since (1.) she liked it and (2.) it's a fandom classic.

[wendelah1]

I recced this fic because it was so convincing to me that M/K could work, depending on the writer and the setting. It completely changed how I viewed the pairing.

True confession: I never made it past the first chapter of Ghosts because I was bored, not because of the slash, which hadn't made an appearance. But that was years ago. I'd be willing to give it another try if other people want to read and discuss it. It's a beloved classic, and one of the first M/K fics written, I believe. I am pretty sure I can find a working link to it.

I had issues with the characterizations of both Mulder and Scully in Lady Luck's story, so I didn't get past the first chapter.

I haven't tried "Chemical Agents" so that will be next on my list. Thank you!

[andrea-deer.livejournal.com]

Ha, if that doesn't prove we have completely different tastes I don't know what does XD Still, it sure will make discussing fics with you more interesting :)

[wendelah1]

Here is a working link to Ghosts: http://www.doubleagent.org/torch/ghosts.html

[andrea-deer.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :)

[mogster495.livejournal.com]

I have never read slash, and I'm kinda scared. Is this something I might like even if I don't already like slash?

I think I'm just chicken sh--

[wendelah1]

You have never read slash? I had already read slash in Stargate SG-1, and even some terribly written Kirk/Spock my husband found on the internet, so I'm not sure what to tell you. I mean, I'm really a gen person, especially now, but I still love this story. I don't ship M/K at all. If anything I'm a really hard sell on the pairing because I don't like Krycek as a character and don't believe Mulder would ever have sex with him, let alone fall in love with him after what happened to Scully, and Melissa, and his father. But eliade still convinces me that this could have happened during "Sleepless," for which I give her mad props. However, I like doomed ships, and M/K is a train-wreck in the making, which is probably why I love this story even though I don't care for the pairing. And one reason why Andrea dislikes it so much, since she ships them.

There isn't anything to be afraid of. This is "Sleepless" with the addition of a developing relationship between Mulder and Krycek, which (obviously) is aborted by Mulder's discovery of Krycek's betrayal. You get both character's POV, and even some Scully. There is plenty of very hot, and at times, very kinky sex.

There is profanity. The guys talk like (some) guys in real life, not like guys do on tv. Andrea described the story's language as crude, I defended it as realistic.

There is a lot of sex in this story but there is also a very detailed recounting of the casefile of "Sleepless." We spend a lot of time being in the heads of the characters, listening to them think: about the case, and about each other. The psychological insight is excellent. I felt like I understood all of the characters better by the end.

If you aren't enjoying the story, just stop reading it, unless you are under 18, in which case, don't be reading it at all. (;

[mogster495.livejournal.com]

Im a strange fan fic reader sometimes. It took me years to actually get the courage to read fanfic, and still some types makes me feel too embarassed for the characters.

I've started this story several times and I wish I could get through it, if only to say something about it.

[wendelah1]

Why don't you try section 1? There is no sex at all in it, just mutual, unexpressed lust. It will give you the flavor of the writing and of eliade's characterizations, so you can comment if you want. If you want, you can keep going, if not, I'm going to post a new story tomorrow.

This is supposed to be fun. No pressure. OK?

[estella-c.livejournal.com]

Okay, I've finished part 1, officially, and kinda skimmed it a long time ago and I know it's fabulous writing and W says it's the best and I assume she's telling the truth. The problem is that I don't enjoy slash, normally. It's not my kink--I'm old school, you shouldn't know how old--and I feel that I can't possibly make a judicious judgment.

Well, fuck that. THIS IS GREAT. I was seduced. By the prose. Just as Krycek was seduced by Mulder, although he thought HE was in the driver's seat.

As things stand now, I think that Mulder--older, wiser, but so much more frustrated--has impressed our callow villain-in-training by simply admitting to a needy humanity. They're both hot and all, but sex doesn't have to go deep; it's an effective manipulating machine, as K knows well. Yet he is confronted by a complex, suffering, SMART man who eludes not manipulation, but his own desire to manipulate. Krycek is at present undone.

This writer, whatever she calls herself, does lust description better than anyone except two or three shippers. Khyber springs to mind.

Part 1. I'm not asking you to wait for me to finish part 4. Maybe I'll change my mind. Maybe it isn't the masterwork W claims. But remember that I don't do slash and, well, I think it probably is too.

[wendelah1]

I was seduced too. You know how I feel about Krycek. eliade is just such a great writer. She gives the reader such a nice slow build toward the sex. That's the best part and without it, there's just no point, you know?

I like how smart both characters are here, and how well-matched they are as investigators, too. I love how they are both drawn into this thing they have, despite Mulder's inability to trust him and Alex's better judgment. It pushed all of my doomed ship buttons perfectly.

I wonder if anyone wrote an AU where Krycek's role in Scully's abduction doesn't come to light almost immediately so that when she's returned, Krycek is still Mulder's partner...

[estella-c.livejournal.com]

I would SO read that.

I finished four and am confused. Will be in touch.

[wendelah1]

I just found out the title is from this poem by Theodore Roethke:
In a Dark Time.