Story 88: "The Opposite of Impulse" by Maria Nicole

[wendelah1]

Nominated by yours truly, this charming, sexy, short story by Maria Nicole is perfect reading for a hot summer day. Pour yourself some ice cold lemonade, put your feet up, get comfortable and enjoy! A big hug for estella_c for helping to remember the author of this cute fic.

When the link goes dead after geocities closes this October, you can find the story at Gossamer. Sending the author some feedback might help encourage her to move her fan fiction site or to at least archive her fic elsewhere.

Edit: Thank you, reocities.

Unless there is a massive display of commenting enthusiasm, I am going to assume you've all gone to the south of France for the month of August and am putting the community on hiatus. If you are worried about running out of things to read, we posted a STORY A DAY last year from July 11 to August 4 and I know you haven't read them all. You can always read more of Maria Nicole's stories, too.

Suggestions for when we resume can be made here. I'll see you in September!

"The Opposite of Impulse"

Comments

[leucocrystal]

Ooh, I definitely recall enjoying this one. A reread should be fun!

[wendelah1]

I'm sure you'll enjoy the second time around, too.

[leucocrystal]

I definitely did! A nice little treat I (not so smartly) indulged in during a boring work shift. ;) As you said below, it's "subtly sexy and sweetly romantic". I'm a big sucker for tone like that, when done right.

[infinitlight.livejournal.com]

I remember reading this back in the day. I love roadtrip-fic and stories about traveling (Unfinished Universe by Revely is another story I remember reading and loving from around the same time). I really like how well Maria Nicole describes taste and feeling.

I thought it was interesting that in this story, Maria Nicole brings up the idea that M & S might want to "retire" and move to a small town, and Scully completely dismisses the idea. I think this idea got brought up a lot in fanfic but the writers' conclusions were usually that the X-files were something that the characters *couldn't* walk away from, that this was something they had to do (from a saving-the-world perspective as well as from a personal imperative). It's strange to look back at that now, having seen IWTB.

[wendelah1]

It's strange to look back at that now, having seen IWTB.

This is one of the problems I had with IWTB. I didn't want to see Mulder and Scully as civilians, living out in the sticks, not even working together. It was a horrible disappointment to me.

I love the way Maria Nicole uses the heat of summer to get our duo to take off some clothing and generate a little heat with one another. The story is subtly sexy and sweetly romantic.

[infinitlight.livejournal.com]

I agree on IWTB, although I was the only one of my friends to see it that way. Although I enjoyed seeing my old "friends", the characters, again, I found the movie quite sad. They seemed so broken and pale--when they were working at the FBI there was always this undercurrent of energy, even when terrible things were happening. They seemed more alive. I guess it's realistic though--people change and move on, and things that were vitally important to us at one point fade into the background, or we have to give them up because they hurt us so badly.

I don't think I have read any of Maria Nicole's other stories--I will definitely check them out.

[hummingfly67.livejournal.com]

I just re-read this and Bridge (http://fluky.gossamer.org/display.php?Bridge.Nicole) a couple weeks ago!

She has a lovely way with descriptions, and I like her Mulder & Scully voices.

[wendelah1]

She has an excellent ear for dialogue and her Mulder/Scully banter is perfect. I love "Bridge," too. Have you read "Subcutaneous and Splinter" yet?

[hummingfly67.livejournal.com]

Bridge gets re-read periodically, as does Subcutaneous and Splinter (that one just cut right at me, you know?)

[wendelah1]

(that one just cut right at me, you know?)

Yes. That's my next reread for this weekend.

[leucocrystal]

Ooh, "Bridge". That story is so excellent. Definitely one of my favorites.

[wendelah1]

That story is so excellent. Definitely one of my favorites.

Also one of mine. Have you tried "Subcutaneous and Splinter" yet?

[leucocrystal]

No, I haven't! I assume that's another of M. Nicole's? If so, I'll have to take a look at that.

[riddledfate.livejournal.com]

I second the rec of Subcutaneous! It's quite a delicious read :)

[leucocrystal]

Ack, I see it's a longer story than I was expecting! I'll have to try and squeeze that in somewhere. I always have a hell of a time motivating myself to even start longer stories, heh. So few of them have ever really paid off for me.

[riddledfate.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, it is a bit longish, but I found that once you start reading it you kind of lose time, haha, because I finished it in a day :D This one is really good, you'll see it's worth giving it a try.

[hummingfly67.livejournal.com]

Yes! All those dream sequences, and their discussions about dreams, etc!

[leucocrystal]

Plus, it's tied in to two of my favorite episodes, Folie a Deux and Field Trip!

[amyhit.livejournal.com]

Plus, it's tied in to two of my favorite episodes, Folie a Deux and Field Trip!

i've actually become confused over this fic before. i've been talking with someone about Folie a Deux, and started to mention the follow up episode and had them go "huh? what follow up episode? there was no follow up episode to FaD," at which point i felt oh-so geeky.

and then it tied in with Field Trip so well. i think i actually preferred their weird 'thought transference' moments even more than the dreams.

[wendelah1]

I have turned "Bridge" into canon in my own mind, too. It so perfectly ties up all of the loose threads of those two episodes, plus she makes it look so easy to do.

[riddledfate.livejournal.com]

I just re-read this and Bridge a couple weeks ago!

Whee! Bridge is one of my favorite fanfics EVER. It's so good I can't even begin to tell you what I love the most about it. Guh, and the fact that it's about my favorite episode (Field Trip) makes it even better :D

[wendelah1]

Mine, too! I really liked "Field Trip," too, except for the ending which is really lame. Just dump them in the ambulance, why don't you? Just because they nearly died doesn't mean there is any need for a nurse or a paramedic, let alone IV fluids or some O2. Argh!

[riddledfate.livejournal.com]

I love the plot, and I admit I'm very fond of the ending, but I agree: they should have paid a bit more of attention to the fact that they probably had some serious injuries (they were underground for quite a few hours after all, right?). To just shove them in the back of the ambulance like that, all alone for who knows how long until they got to the hospital, without any assistance...a bit odd, indeed. O.o

[hummingfly67.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's pretty high on my top fics list. And I'm the same, it's kind of hard to describe why I love it.

Ah, Field Trip...I love that look on Mulder's face when he shows Scully the alien in his apartment.

[riddledfate.livejournal.com]

I think Maria Nicole is among my top 10 favorite writers because of that story :)

I love that look on Mulder's face when he shows Scully the alien in his apartment.
YES. That scene, and the conversation previous and after it are so much love. It's kind of heart wrenching to see that the only time when Mulder finally has proof positive of his beliefs, it had to be a hallucination. At least he shares it with the only person he cares about proving those beliefs to ♥

[hummingfly67.livejournal.com]

It's kind of heart wrenching to see that the only time when Mulder finally has proof positive of his beliefs, it had to be a hallucination. At least he shares it with the only person he cares about proving those beliefs to ♥

word

[amyhit.livejournal.com]

Oh excellent! I love Maria Nicole. There's just something - i dont' know, friendly i guess, about her narrative voice. Usually i'd be put off by that sweetness, that kindness in juxtaposition with canon which can be so stern - and with this fic in particular there is a relatively easy going tone which is largely foreign within the fandom - yet MN makes it work, and well. Her characterizations seem subtly drawn, but not in the least bit weak, and she manages to strike me as being rather romantic towards the pairing, without having the characters melt into schmoopiness.

I'll have to read this again to remember the details, though.

[wendelah1]

I'll have to read this again to remember the details, though.

Go ahead. It's short. I'll wait. <3

[amyhit.livejournal.com]

okay, yup, definitely a cute little read. 'cute' like scully-sweaty-in-a-ponytail-with-green-lips cute, which is, incidentally, my favorite image from this fic, i think, though mulder sprawled out on the picnic table bench is a close second. i love how this fic manages to be really quite sexy (the ice water massage bit), but also really low key and innocent.

a strange bit of anti-fanon:

She had found that the only way to deal with these impulses was to let
them run their course, allowing them to crystallize into a clear
image that she could then neatly dismiss.

usually scully is characterized as firmly and swiftly denying and compartmentalizing her impulses of this nature. it struck me as very unusual to see her characterized this way for once: accept fully and move on. it's a lot more practical this way, though i'm not sure i agree with the characterization.

and this means everything was a pretty great line. i can picture them, sitting there in the sun and the dappling shade, turning the picnic table into their own little world, to the exclusion of the oppressive and public surroundings.

[wendelah1]

I like the last scene, too, where they are dressed in their suits again, standing two feet apart, but they-- can't-- stop-- smiling. <3 The line about Mulder reading Scully's palm being the paranormal excuse for holding hands was adorable too. Eeep. I love this story.

[estella-c.livejournal.com]

I definitely agree with all the positive things people feel about this fic--so easy to check in late and just do that. It's gentle without being shapeless and sugery, and the emotions are clearly demarcated. The talk was good, too, all those food memories. And one thing about-to-be-could-be-thinking-about-being lovers should do is exchange childhoods. (Come to think of it, Mulder was providing his past in the pilot.)

The only soft spot in "The Opposite of Impulse" was the talking following the kiss, which was of the "what does that mean" variety. I hate that kind of awkward moment, though Maria Nicole does it pretty well. Call it a personal allergy.

[wendelah1]

I hate that kind of awkward moment, though Maria Nicole does it pretty well. Call it a personal allergy.

That's the little climax that gets you to the denouement, which wouldn't be nearly as sweet without that bit of hesitation. This fic is perfectly paced. She makes this look so easy, doesn't she?

[riddledfate.livejournal.com]

Oh Maria Nicole. It's been a while since I've read her stories, but they're all so good! A re-read of this one sounds like a great idea right now :)

[wendelah1]

I'm sure you'll enjoy it. It was just as good as I remembered.

edited for typos