i see what you're saying about "never again," but i got the impression from this story that mulder and scully had always been this way towards each other. i don't know, it didn't feel truthful to me. and that's totally fine, but it's not what i like in a fic.

as for the payoff, it was partially that i wanted mulder and scully to profess their undying love for one another (when do i ever want anything else?), but mostly that after what felt like an oppressive few hours reading about all this torture and cruelty, i wanted to feel something a little fuzzier. i'm sure the intent was to leave the reader feeling unsettled, and i get the merit in that, but it doesn't mean i like how it feels.

still, i'm glad i read it. it was nothing if not interesting.