icarusancalion

Winter of Banked Fires by Yahtzee, adult, Erik/Charles

Spent an enjoyable two days reading this fic at odd moments. The story is rich, detailed, takes unexpected turns even as it gives you (and the characters) everything you (and they) want. Wish fulfillment doesn't feel like wish fulfillment when you have to work very hard to get there.

This year I did ... things. Retreat and stuff. Some original fic. And got involved in a time-consuming relationship.

I didn't think I wrote any fic. But hey, yeah, I did.

( This won't take much of your time. )

Yup. That's it.

For the record, I like both Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr (I had to look up the spelling of that).

I came out of the movie respecting both men. Erik is right about the likely reaction of humans toward mutants: no, they would not respond well. He's true to himself and his kind. Charles is right about ethics, keeping their personal standards high: no one should let the reaction of others determine who they're going to be.

Charles' "Everything...." is my favorite line of the movie. The actor says so much in that one passionate word: acceptance of Erik, admiration, compassion, humor, delight, arrogance, sensual pleasure in his own abilities (he's practically high), and something strange. A kind of absorption in the other person, like he loses himself in living through the experiences of others.

I don't think that Charles should understand everything about everyone. He may know everything, but there's a difference between the intellect and the emotions. A telepath isn't the same thing as an empath.

Reading someone's mind ... well, someone might think, "I am tired." But the emotional content is the important part. Is the tired person whiny? Rebellious? Irritated? Accepting?

I like how his powers make him know a great deal, but not everything. Especially not while he's young. Mind reading must be a skill that grows more sophisticated with experience, learning to pick up the subtle clues that give away the emotional content, the way we learn to read body language.

So I find myself startled, taken aback at little swipes at Charles that seem to be based on the assumption that he should know everything, being a telepath.

I find myself reading and going -- yes, he's not perfect. That's great! Who wants a Gary Stu?

What I've fallen for in Charles (yes, I have a crush on both men; yes, I know they're fictional) is the fact that he's chosen to use his ability to understand others. He has this hunger and curiosity to know, and know deeply.

At least I think it's a choice. It might inherent to the extent of his gift. He might tap into a deeper strata than other telepaths who use telepathy to attack. I know when I learned something about an enemy of mine in grade school, I couldn't hate him anymore. Maybe that's what happens with Charles. He knows too much to hate anyone.

Yes, I have an X-Men: First Class fic. Yes, already.

It's short, gen, Erick/Charles.

Any interested in beta-ing.