Story 184: "Other Night" by Punk Maneuverability

[wendelah1]

It's nearly Halloween and amyhit has been hard at work searching for some holiday fic for your enjoyment. "Other Night" by Punk is well-written, light-hearted genfic with a side of UST. Read it fast because amyhit is going to post another Halloween story in few days time, something with a little more substance. Life is short and so is this story; let's enjoy

Comments

[write_out]

I'm piling on the love with the rest of you. This is a great little story. Really, not a false note here for me. I love love love Mulder's awkwardness and Scully's cool banter, so in character for the both of them.

I can't pin down my absolute favorite part, but this comes pretty close:

"Would you have dinner with me?" he asked.

"Dinner?" she repeated, feeling like the word had a different meaning now, one she'd never understood before.

"Yeah, you know, dinner? It comes on a plate--"

She interrupted him before he grew too cocky. "Will you change your socks?"

He stopped abruptly and focused on his exposed socks. "You don't like my socks?"

She smiled at him, suddenly seduced by his weirdness. "I'll have dinner with you, Mulder. Pick you up at seven?"

He straightened, taking his feet down from his desk. He seemed disoriented, like he had just woken up and was unsure of where he was.

"Is that okay, Mulder?" she prodded him.

"Sure, that's fine," he said. He sat for a moment longer, staring at the space behind her, then started shuffling through the papers on his desk.

Scully returned to her report. Mulder was no longer watching her, and for the rest of the day he would only sneak glances at her when he thought she wasn't looking.

Perfection.

[wendelah1]

It is really perfect, isn't it? How is it I've never read this story before? Oh wait, maybe it's because I don't read holiday fic unless it's written by Syntax6 or Oracle, okay maybe Rivkat and Mustang Sally. I think Kel wrote a cute Halloween story, too, also a grim Thanksgiving fic, now that I think about it.

I confess I've always seen holiday stories as something to avoid--like babyfic, I guess. But reading this was just like watching the show--if it had been written by someone with a less adolescent approach to romance than 1013.

I feel like bursting into applause or song or something.

You did hit the kudos button, right?

[write_out]

Oh yes, I gave kudos. Had to. I should leave a comment, but I always get so intimated by that for some stupid reason.

This story is just stellar though. I do like holiday fic (can't think of Thanksgiving ones right now, though), but I agree that those are treacherous waters filled with tons of badfic sharks.

[amyhit]

can't think of Thanksgiving ones right now, though

Small Lives Awake!!!! Has there ever been a better holiday fic than SLA? Not in my books, not that I've read. Even October Skies can't touch SLA, not for me.

[wendelah1]

"Small Lives Awake" is pretty damn brilliant. I should reread it every year.

[write_out]

Well DUH. How could I have forgotten that one?? It's only one of my most favorite stories.

[estella_c]

Also a wacko one by Martin Ross: "Dark Meat." Perhaps not to every taste, but I found it toothsome.

[write_out]

I just read it and I don't even know what to say. I think I need to read it again.

[wendelah1]

The depressing Thanksgiving story by Kel is Hollow Day. It's seriously creepy.

[estella_c]

It is, however, seriously excellent and stands up to deep-massage analysis. (I made up that term. Wonder what it means.)

And why am I talking? There's no one here.