Required Reading: Inception

So the Inception fandom is moving so fast, it’s hard to even keep up! I know we don’t all have the time to read everything out there or even all the stuff that I post here, so here’s a list of the best fics out that that you NEED TO READ. (Of course, this is all my opinion. You may not agree that these fics are the best, but hopefully you still consider it good.)

Last Updated December 15, 2010 @ 1:00PM

There’s so many good fics that I’m going to break it down to types of fics (though fics will probably fit in more than one type, they’ll just be listed once). Fics are in no particular order, except probably the order I discovered them in, LOL.

(Newly added fics within the last few days will be marked *NEW*)

Pre-Movie

[Gen] beat_fu & prosodi – The Longshot
One of the first long Inception fics. Arthur-centric fic that builds his background and his relationship to Dom and Mal. Great prelude to the movie.

[Gen] Fahye – Autoimmunity
Eames-centric fic that develops his background and how he got into forgery.

[Arthur/Eames] hackthis – The Question is Not Whether I Treat You Rudely, But Whether You Ever Heard Me Treat Anyone Else Better
In which Arthur and Eames met in the military and Arthur has good timing.

[Arthur/Eames] apiphile – Everything You Never Wanted To Know About Lying
Eames character study with dinosaurs, the occasional pirate, and a violent Mickey Mouse! XP

[Arthur/Mal/Dom, Arthur/Eames] liketheroad – The Democracy of Sleep
In which Arthur loves Dom and Mal, despite knowing he will never be a half of their whole. Also in which Eames exhibits admirable patience while waiting for Arthur to realize he has options other than spending his whole life loving two people who can never love him back.

[Arthur/Eames] liketheroad – Conspirators in Living
In which Arthur’s mother teaches him everything he knows about the dreamworld and he has to find a new partner after she retires. Can be read as prequel to movie or as an AU.

[Arthur/Eames] Mirabella – Towards Zero
Arthur meets Eames’ projection before he meets Eames. It’s done so well!

[Eames/Arthur] syllic – Je Ne Veux Pas Travailler
Arthur figures if Eames just finally gets what he wants–Arthur’s undivided attention–he’ll get bored and go away. He’s proven spectacularly wrong.

[Gen] jibrailis – Small Song
Yusuf backstory that is amazing.

[Arthur/Eames, Dom/Mal] airgiodslv – Amazing Grace
After Mal wakes up. I love how detailed it is and how it ties with the movie so well.

[Arthur/Eames] gyzym – Between My Reflex and My Resolve
People you kiss in an airport baggage claim and then don’t talk to for thirteen months shouldn’t be able exist, let alone make your chest do the things Arthur’s chest is doing. There are rules. (Prequel to This Live Looks Good On You)

[Arthur/Eames, Dom/Mal] Pru – Presque Vu
70k words of backstory goodness all from Arthur’s POV. THIS FIC IS PRETTY MUCH CANON, SO GET TO READING IT!

[Eames/Arthur] cobweb_diamond – Weltschmerz
How to come to terms with the unsatisfactory nature of physical reality, featuring FTM!Arthur being totally BAMF, as usual. XD

 

Missing Scenes (During Movie)

[Saito/Cobb] zoi_no_miko – La Rêve
Cobb searching for Saito in Limbo — the missing scenes before the end of the movie.

[Arthur/Ariadne] SomeInstant – Everybody Rolls With Their Fingers Crossed
This is mostly Ariadne-centric, focusing on her interaction and training with the other members on the team.

[Arthur/Eames] tequilideas – Well, Alright, Okay, You Win
Either Arthur has an unrequited crush on Eames or Eames has one on Arthur. Also, Cobb is single-minded, Ariadne feels awkward, Eames is naked, Yusuf listens to Madonna, Saito buys a country, and Arthur might have rage blackouts.

 

Post-Movie

[Fischer/Ariadne, Arthur/Ariadne] cloudydaise – Your Gentle Eyes Like a Razorblade
[Fischer/Ariadne] cloudydaise – Give My Gun Away When It’s Loaded
Ariadne is the girl of Robert Fischer’s dreams. Full of angst (I cried!), but the end is satisfyingly hopeful.

[Dom/Mal] electrumqueen – I Am the Hero of This Story (Don’t Need to Be Saved)
Mal, after the fall. This is pretty much the Mal fic I’d been waiting for since I watched the movie.

[Arthur/Ariadne] seimaisin – Walking On My Skin Again
Ariadne-centered fic in which she grows and finds herself, with a bit of Arthur/Ariadne on the side. Pretty much the Ariadne fic I’d been wanting.

[Gen] starkraves – A Great Disappointment
A character study of Robert Fischer and encountering Cobb after Inception.

[Arthur/Eames] liketheroad – Nothing’s Gonna Change My World
Universe swap fic in which Eames wakes up in a parallel universe. Wonderfully done and full of pining, just the way I like it!

[Arthur/Eames] gyzym – This Life Looks Good On You
There are only four rules in Arthur’s house. (Sequel to Between My Reflex and My Resolve)

[Eames/Arthur] halflinen – Metaphors As Mixed As You Can Make Them
Eames tries to incept Arthur. A story of forgiveness, family, fancy suits, and ~feelings. This is pretty much full of angst and heart-clenching, but it definitely puts your heart back together at the end. Beware of the premise though, it might not be for everyone…

[Eames/Arthur] eleveninches – Don’t Fall In Love With A Dreamer
Arthur joins the mile high club, Cobb joins the broken hearts club, Eames joins the smug extractors’ club, and Yusuf just wants to club everyone. Or, Eames steals Cobb’s point man.

 

Crossovers / Fusions

[Eames/Arthur] vega_writes – Where You Belong
Hogwarts!AU in which Eames and Arthur are prefects making their rounds.

[Arthur/Eames] jibrailis – The Incepted Bride: C. Nolanstern’s Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure
Fusion with The Princess Bride.

[Eames/Arthur] weatherfront – I Have Not Yet Forgot Myself to Stone
Fusion with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Pretty much amazing!

[Arthur/Eames] liketheroad – You Can’t Deny You Want the Happy Ending, OR: (500) Days of Eames
Fusion with (500) Days of Summer.

 

AUs

[Eames/Arthur] pyrimidine – Any Way You Choose To Give It
Boarding school AU, in which Arthur gets in a fight, ends up in detention, and becomes friends with Eames.

[Eames/Arthur] staraflur – You Know I Would, or: My Cow Just Died (I Don’t Need Your Bull)
Another boarding school AU in which Eames is the new kid and is fixated on Arthur.

[Arthur/Eames] andrealyn – Fire Favoured
Mutant AU in which Arthur is a fire-starter.

[Arthur/Ariadne] poptartmuse – Kiss With A Fist
In which Ariadne is a dream assassin.

[Eames/Arthur] weatherfront – En Route to Transylvania
In which Arthur is a vampire, Eames is a farmer, and you’re waiting for a palfrey! XD

[Arthur/Eames] atomicskull – Our Shiny City
College AU where Eames is a painter and Arthur is an art history student.

[Eames/Arthur] The Hoyden – Waiting On
In which Eames owns a diner and Arthur is a regular. Sweet and adorable!

[Eames/Arthur] pyrimidine – Ready, Aim, Misfire
In which Arthur is a firefighter and Eames accidently sets his apartment on fire… multiple times!

[Arthur/Eames] foxxcub – Dreams Are For Rookies
High school AU with Seven Minutes in Heaven! Featuring drunk!Arthur, hot!senior!Eames and lots of pining (with mentions of stalking)! Pretty much the best thing ever. XP

[Arthur/Eames] syllic – A Fool From Any Direction
In which Eames is the bastard nephew of a nobleman and Arthur is a stableboy.

[Eames/Arthur] atomicskull – To Take Root Among the Stars
The year is 2212, and for the first time in their lives, R and E have just been unplugged from the system. Dystopia AU with awesome worldbuilding.

[Eames/Arthur] jibrailis – His Lordship Makes a Match
Regency AU in which Eames is a disreputable, rakish lord and Arthur is his long-suffering butler, with bonus awesome Ariadne being Eames’ sister. XD

[Eames/Arthur] The Hoyden – Incipit
In which Eames is a novelist and Arthur is his editor. ♥

Arthur/Eames] candidlily – You’re Waiting for a Stranger
College AU in which Arthur is pre-law, meets Eames online, and they are internet boyfriends (until they become real boyfriends). ♥

 

Fluff

[Arthur/Eames] meiface – Cuddleslut
In which Eames doesn’t know how to cuddle, Arthur finds himself giving lessons, and arguments are won by cheating.

[Arthur/Eames] deepsix – Five Times Eames Was (Shockingly) A Gentleman
Five times Eames was (shockingly) a gentleman and ignored Arthur’s sloppy-drunk advances, and the one time Arthur finally got fed up enough to just jump him sober.

[Arthur/Eames] ifeelbetter – Two Steps Towards Make Believe
In which Arthur is an insomniac and figures out he can actually sleep with Eames.

[Arthur/Eames] pyrimidine – Sort of Revolution
In which Arthur isn’t a morning person and Eames has to Arthur-proof his flat. ♥

[Eames/Arthur] ifeelbetter – Are You Working Up To Something?
In which everyone thinks that Arthur and Eames are a thing and Arthur is annoyed. XD

[Arthur/Eames] jibrailis – Flannel: A Love Story
A sweet and hilarious fic in which Arthur doesn’t actually like wearing suits as much as people think!

[Eames/Arthur] cherrybina – Five Times Eames Made Arthur Smile During Sex (and One Time Arthur Made Eames Smile)
Eames never expected a smile to be his undoing.

[Arthur/Eames] liketheroad – Maybe Arthur
In which Eames embarks on a campaign of seduction and Arthur mostly just wants someone to hang out with other than Cobb.

[Eames/Arthur] ffodder – Wake Up (It’s No Use Pretending)
Arthur and Eames are snowed into their Parisian apartment and can’t go to work. They make the most of their day off. Domestic kink. Fluff, smut, crossword puzzles, a snowball fight, good food.

[Eames/Arthur] jibrailis – The Big Sleep
Arthur is a violent sleeper but Eames knows just how to soothe him. (Everything about this is awesome, but most especially Yusuf!)

[Arthur/Eames] foxxcub – Glow Glow Melt and Flow
In which Arthur dreams of half-naked Eames in order to fall asleep. ♥

 

Crack / Humor

[Gen] liberateourtime – Old Spice!Arthur
Old Spice!Arthur

[Gen] weatheredlaw – Sassy Gay Eames
Eames is the token Sassy Gay Friend.

[Eames/Arthur] moonythestrals – Thank You for Your Interest
Corporate Culture as Applied to Extractors.

[Eames/Arthur] moonythestrals – When No One is Around You, Say Baby I Love You
In which Ariadne and Yusuf attempt to find out Eames’ first name.

Eames/Arthur] rhombal – You’re Waiting For a Fill… & A Fill That Will Take Your Prompt Away…
In which Eames finds the kink meme. XD

[Arthur/Eames] tailoredshirt – Yusuf Writes Arthur/Eames Fanfic
Yusuf writes Arthur/Eames Fanfic. Cobb is his beta. Ariadne finds out.

[Eames/Arthur] tequilideas – Tu Es La Belle Et Moi La Bête
In which Eames forges a dog and there are consequences. XD

[Eames/Arthur] rhombal – THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND I SHOULD FEEL RIDICULOUS
Crack!fic in which Eames ends up only being able to speak in LOLCATS!

[Arthur/Eames] jibrailis – PASIV/ACTIV
The PASIV made them do it! XD

[Arthur/Eames] jibrailis – Shake It, Arthur, Shake It
Arthur shops at Wal-Mart. Contains a purple velour tracksuit, plaid shirts, and ridiculous Jersey Shore boxers. Pretty much THE BEST THING EVER!

[Gen] jibrailis – The Adventures of Yusuf, Best Superhero Ever *NEW*
Yusuf had not expected the process that would start with him being bitten by a cat and end up with him becoming a superhero, but to be fair, he hadn’t expected Casual Friday either. SO AMAZING!

 

Angst

[Eames/Arthur] imogenedisease – Gimme Sympathy
The thing is, Eames just wants something to call his own.

[Arthur/Eames] chibi_lurrel – Arthur Loses His Totem
In which Arthur is captured by Fischer. Very ambigious!

[Eames/Arthur] imogenedisease – You Were Right About the End
In which Eames and Arthur fall into a relationship which worked until one day it didn’t. =(

[Arthur/Ariadne] weatherfront – Ne Solvitur Quidem Ambulando
Ariadne’s dying in the warehouse. Arthur’s going under to meet her in the dream. Love, death, and Zeno’s dichotomy paradox.

[Cobb/Ariadne] vinylroad – The Resurrected
In which Cobb and Ariadne are stuck in limbo…

 

Other (AKA Everything Else)

[Arthur/Ariadne] cloudydaise – Mistaken For Strangers (Five Ways They Never Met)
Five ways that Arthur and Ariadne never met — awesome scenerios and characterizations.

[Arthur/Eames] zarathuse – A Slap in the Face of Public Taste
In which Eames is smart and Arthur is into that. With bonus linguistics and Russian futurist poetry!

[Arthur/Eames] weatherfront – Das Vorbewusste
In which Eames is smart and Arthur is into that.

[Gen] lanyon – The Cold Side of the Pillow
Very intricate and layered fic that intertwines so many different narratives seamlessly.

[Eames/Arthur] weatherfront – It’s Automatic
In which Arthur and Eames pull heists together, have sex in a bathtub full of money, there is much pining and angst, followed by an awesome love confession/conversation. ♥

[Arthur/Eames, Saito/Ariadne] fahye – OH&S
Yusuf being awesome and lecturing the team about workplace safety. XD

[Arthur/Eames] tequilideas – Les Jeux Sont Faits
There are only a handful of stupid things Arthur has done in his life and one of those things is Eames. Full of book love and pining, just the way I like it. XP

[Eames/Arthur] addandsubtract – Please Take Care of Yourself
Five times Eames called Arthur whilst mixed up in a dire situation, with a bonus semi-cracky one. XD

[Arthur/Eames] suaine – A Permanent Condition
Love is easy, it’s the living that’s hard.

[Arthur/Eames] Anonymous – With Precision
Eames gets in trouble in real life and Arthur comes to his rescue. Arthur is so BAMF in this. *___*

[Arthur/Eames] persephone_il – Allowed *NEW*
It’s like there’s an Eames-shaped hole in Arthur’s defenses, or the one where Eames is asexual. I basically love everything about this. ♥

 

After finishing all those, be sure to also check out the MUST READ tag for more awesome fics that I like. =)

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