Story 63: "Aspirations of Closure" by Jill Selby

[wendelah1]

This is a short week due to my preoccupation with the election here, so instead of the long casefile nominated by kukkaseksi, we are reading the cute short story instead. Next week, I promise. If anyone wants to get a head start, next we are going to read "The Pact" by Madeleine Partous. The link is to her page at Gossamer, where you can find it in three,

Comments

[hlbr]

I loved it! It's fun, but also an interesting analysis if the partnership.

I had read it before, I think (a long time ago).

It reminds me slightly of Bad Blood, but obviously Scully's account is the right one in this case. And it's more about the typo of stuff Never Again is about than the BB anyway.

I tend to think that, despite the ending, Scully doesn't say all that stuff in the end, just really really wants to.

I laughed in three places:

"I can see how that might cramp your style."

"Well, maybe he only does the eye thing on special occasions."

and,

"Well, maybe he only does the eye thing on special occasions."

But otherwise it seemed mostly very bitter. I think both have a lot of stuff to endure from each other, but I guess... except on some occasions, they don't seem to resent it this much. Which I like, because the alternative is just sad.

[hlbr]

Damn, that serves me for c&p, I guess, the third place was:

"If you're trying to woo me with your attributes, I'd suggest you
take off your shirt. There's just something about a man's chest .
. . well, anyway . . . I'm glad you're healing."

[wendelah1]

I really liked this story, too. It does seem a little bitter, but by season four, maybe a little bitterness on Scully's part is understandable.

[wendelah1]

If you want to read more by this author, I am editing the original post to put in a link to her old site, way-backed.

[bardsmaid]

I always enjoy the creativity of Jill's humor pieces... and the fresh angle this story gave to laying out a case file. I also am immensely grateful for stories that reflect the XF universe we saw on-screen. It seems these days nearly everything coming out is MSR2 (post-IWTB) where it's all/only about the relationship, and the XF universe has been sucked away.

[wendelah1]

I am likewise a little bored with post-IWTB fic. And MSR2.

[estella_c]

This is a clever, crafty piece (loved the ending). I do think it's over-saturated in irony, however. We can get the point with subtler sarcasm.

Maybe, though, "Asperations" is a kind of declaration of exasperation dating from the days when Scullyists had had enough of Mulder's punkish, ditchish (no, cannot be pronounced), or do I mean dickish lack of attention to the practicalities of his job and the feelings of his partner. It seems like a tempest in a test tube now, and always did to me, but the fans really went at it hot and heavy for a while. So this is documenting fic evidence, maybe.

I didn't check when it was posted, however, so what do I know? Just a theory for fun.

[wendelah1]

Just for fun, I way-backed her old site. Jill Selby Fanfic. According to it, August 1997 is the date she posted the fic, which would be the end of season four, if I've done my math correctly. As the resident Scullyist here, I admit I am in sympathy with the exasperation. Thanks to our beloved 1013 writers, Mulder is an insensitive pain in the ass during much of this season. But it doesn't matter --now that they're together forever.(sound of teeth grinding)

[rollsofrice]

The link to the author's site doesn't seem to be working, but here's one that does: Jill Selby Fanfic.

[wendelah1]

Thank you, I will edit that in, and credit you. I thought there must be a site, but I couldn't find it. The Way Back machine is so useful and so frustrating. I was reading fic off that now dead link just last night.

Edit: the link in the comment above works and I thought it was the same address.
Edit the second: Now both links are working.
????

[rollsofrice]

Yep, now both links are working. The first wasn't last night. Well, the Web's weird like that. ;-)