A Boy and His Rat by C.M. Decarnin (NC-17)

[isagel.livejournal.com]

Fandom: THE X-FILES
Pairing: Fox Mulder/Alex Krycek
Author Website: The Garret
Why this must be read:

Given the canonical relationship between Mulder and Krycek, it's hardly surprising that violence and abuse are common components in M/K slash. A Boy and His Rat is a fic which delves deep into these dark aspects of the pairing, while being at the same time a beautiful, even romantic, love story. It takes the on-screen Mulder who never thinks twice about beating Alex up even when he's in handcuffs, and lets us look inside his mind as he comes to discover what those impulses really say about him, sexually and emotionally. And it gives us a Krycek who worships his G-man with a near religious fervour, willing and eager to sacrifice everything he is - everything that remains of him after a life-time of horrors - on the altar of his love. It's a tale of two men so damaged by life that there is nothing normal left about the way they seek love, but who nevertheless discover that they can love, and perhaps be loved back, with a depth and a passion they didn't know themselves capable of.

This is a long story, but the further you get into it, the more moving it becomes, and the better the writing is, so make sure you stick with it till the end. For me, this is one of those reads which are utterly, devastatingly mesmerizing while you are in the middle of them, and which stay with you long after the final sentence is over. As an example of Mulder/Krycek fic, it illustrates the intermingling of violence and passion, love and hate which for many people lies at the core of this fandom, but it does so in a way uniquely its own, stretching the borders of the characters while keeping them true to themselves. It remains one of the greatest, and most disturbed, love stories I've ever read.

A Boy and His Rat

Comments

[twigged.livejournal.com]

Sweet! I can't wait to read this. *smooches*

[carenejeans.livejournal.com]

Update! Update! C.M. Decarnin does now have a site of her own (well, that she shares with me), called the Garret (http://garret.slashcity.net). All of her stories are there, including "A Boy and His Rat."

[djinanna.livejournal.com]

*squee*

The Garret, she has been bookmarked. Oh, yeah!

And I absolutely loved your essay about "10 Thoughts on Writing Realistic Men". (( And then there's country music. *hee* I'm still wiping laugh-tears from my eyes!))

[isagel.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is great! I've changed the links in the rec so they lead to The Garret. Thanks for letting me know!

[carenejeans.livejournal.com]

You're welcome! Thanks for changing the link. And note Decarnin is now writing in Smallville... *g*

[carenejeans.livejournal.com]

Thank yew, thank yew. Someday I mean to put up a list of stuff by men to use as examples, just so that when we get flack for writing "unrealistic" men that no *man* would ever write, we can whip out some gushy guy writing and say, "HA! How to you explain THIS, bub!" *g*

[isagel.livejournal.com]

It's already noted. *g* I loved Justice: With a Vengeance; it's one of her best stories.