Story 207: "Vehicle and Tenor" by Suture

[amyhit]

There aren’t that many season nine fics out there, and for me "Vehicle and Tenor" is literally the only one that springs readily and fondly to mind. It’s quite short, as all of Suture's fics are, but it clearly demonstrates Suture’s almost signature knack for writing from secondary character’s POVs. In this case, we’re seeing Mulder through the

Comments

[infinitlight]

I really liked this. Gibson is a hard character to understand, and I like that here he's more than just a mind reader, he's a character in his own right. He tends to be a plot device in a lot of fanfic. The details of each little scene (snapshot?) are well done, memorable and believable but not overwritten (the sound of the tests, the teacher's description, the comparison with a baby when Gibson wakes up from a nightmare). In keeping with the title.

Even having said that, though, he is the vehicle here (isn't he?). The basketball scene is lovely but of course, it's not really about him.

The scene that worked least for me was the "Angel" scene. It might be because I never really watched the show but I feel like I missed a lot of nuance. Without knowing the show, that scene read to me like the writer wanted to tell me something about the tv show, and it was going to be shoehorned into this fic whether it fit or didn't.

[wendelah1]

Even having said that, though, he is the vehicle here (isn't he?). The basketball scene is lovely but of course, it's not really about him.

"Not everything is about you, Mulder."

Except with The X-Files, it kind of is, don't you think? Mulder is crowding Gibson, by taking over part of his trailer, by inserting unwanted commentary, verbal and non-verbal, into everything that he does. Mulder's thoughts are so loud that Gibson can't sleep. Gibson comes to care about Mulder but he also resents him. The story is about Gibson's relationship with Mulder, about their differences and but also their similarities. I think it's also about how Gibson is changed by his time with Mulder. As good as Suture is, I'm not sure we'd be reading "Vehicle and Tenor" ten years after the series finale if it was only about Gibson.

The scene that worked least for me was the "Angel" scene. It might be because I never really watched the show but I feel like I missed a lot of nuance. Without knowing the show, that scene read to me like the writer wanted to

[infinitlight]

Yeah, I think I lost the bigger picture in that scene because I was busy trying to figure out what part of the other character mentions were important.

And yeah, I do think everything in The X-Files revolves around Mulder. Look at the cancer arc, which are stories about Scully that become as much about Mulder's reactions as anything.

I like to think I'd read a good story about a minor character ten years on, even if it wouldn't be here for public discussion.

[wendelah1]

I was busy trying to figure out what part of the other character mentions were important.

You might have lost the bigger picture even if you had known the series inside out. Maybe the scene did go on too long. If you couldn't follow it without getting distracted, that's the logical conclusion. I still think it was a deliberate choice on the part of Suture; I'm just not sure it was the best one.

I like to think I'd read a good story about a minor character ten years on, even if it wouldn't be here for public discussion.

You would and a few others, and of course, I'd like to think I would too, since I've written one. But having done so, I know how little attention that kind of story usually gets, even from the people who ostensibly might appreciate it.

And yeah, I do think everything in The X-Files revolves around Mulder. Look at the cancer arc, which are stories about Scully that become as much about Mulder's reactions as anything.

Yeah, I know. It bothers me. It used to bother me more. Even most of the fanfic about Scully's

[estella_c]

The show had fallen apart at that point, which is why there are no answers to your questions. No one bothered to imagine them

[wendelah1]

The show had fallen apart at that point, which is why there are no answers to your questions. No one bothered to imagine them.

Yeah, I can see that. There were some people writing fic but just not about Mulder's absence. It just seems like a lost opportunity. I'd like to try to write it but I'm not sure I have enough imagination to create a story that would sustain interest. I don't think anyone has written a great novel about Mulder and Scully after "The Truth" but before "IWTB." I thought there were some great short stories but nothing long. Again, it's coming up with enough plot, especially since the ending is fixed, unless you want to do an AU.