Fic rec: X-Men: First Class

"the hazards of love" by pidgeoned | AU | Charles/Erik | Hospital!AU. Charles and Erik are attendings, Hank is the chief resident, and the rest of the kids are residents/interns/medical students just trying to save lives. | 6.500 words

Erik let out a rueful laugh. Happy? “I can never be happy.” This was true. The interns were enough to drive him mad most days. Earlier this afternoon, Cassidy administered the wrong dosage of heparin and almost killed a patient in the process. And there was McCoy who kept hovering over his shoulder, like an expectant dog seeking validation.

His mother rubbed his cheek in sympathy. “Well, it’s hereditary, of course,” she explained to him, sighing. “You got it from your father’s side of the family; they were all broody, problematic men, some driven to suicide. Frankly, I’m quite surprised you’ve lived until thirty four.”

This is marvelous. And as non-angsty as it gets. I just adored Erik's fatalistic mother and Charles being so bright and cheerful that it set Erik's teeth on edge. Ha!

The Three Musketeers - new trailer

It IS steam punk! New trailer!. Flying ships! Deliciously evil Buckingham - man, Orlando Bloom's having a field day with that part! And swords fights like whoa! Can't wait, peeps, can't wait! Just don't screw up my favorite musketeer, Aramis...

Book #43

"Clamp School Detectives Vol. 1" by Clamp

2 stars out of 5

Too silly for me. I admit that I can't suspend my disbelief that much anymore. I did like the idea better than the execution. I know that this is a series for kids but compared to Clamp's later works for children, this was just way too silly. Though I did like Suoh's dry sense of humor, his comments on Nokoru's antics were the best part of this manga.

Fic rec: X-Men: First Class

"Any Measure of Peace" by manic_intent | AU | An AU where USA and Russia do not suddenly have a collective case of stupid by firing missiles at people who can lift submarines out of the water. | ~19.300 words

But Charles needed him, not because of his physical disability, but because it was now clear to Erik that Charles' ridiculous ideals would continue to consume him, inch by inch, because the world was hungry that way, because humanity was ruthless like any animal caught in a corner. Because it was now evident that Charles didn't understand the world that he lived in, even after it had done him violence. And until Charles finally understood, he would need Erik, and if Charles needed him, Charles could be trusted.

This fic was so sad. Amazing, but incredibly sad. The way the reality of our world kept chipping away at Charles' ideals, yet he tried so hard to hold onto them. The fact that Erik didn't trust Charles because of his telepathy when all Charles had ever wanted to do was good... It did have a happy ending, yet you couldn't but come away feeling just how ugly the world was.

XMFC: favorite scenes 10

( More tea, vicar? )