Mulder didn't even get a chance to talk to Scully about it
because she decided to go visit her bother and his family.
Mulder just hoped she didn't run into another clone child.
She'd tried to convince him to go with her, saying some
time in the sun would do him good, but the thought of Bill
Scully was enough to convince Mulder what a bad idea that
was. Besides which, he didn't think they were ready for
vacations together, especially not with her family. The
very idea was enough to give him hives.
After a few days of moping around his apartment, Mulder
decided that if they were going to force him to take a
vacation, he was damned well going to take a real one. He
sent an email to Skinner informing him that he was taking
four weeks of his accumulated vacation time. He purposely
didn't say where he was going or how he could be reached.
He would, of course, have his cell phone with him, but he
intended to leave it off. He had to see what he could do,
who he was, without the X-files.
Not wanting to be traced, he had the Lone Gunmen make his
travel arrangements for him, leaving his destination up to
them. Two days later, he woke up in his stateroom aboard a
Mediterranean cruise ship and decided he should have been
more specific, rather than simply stating that he didn't
want to be found and otherwise giving them carte blanche.
He looked around, sinking back into the luxurious softness
of the pillows, and grumbled at the lack of videos, adult
stations, and phone sex operators. He didn't even have
someone on the other side of the bed to share this with
him and make it bearable.
He tried to picture Scully beside him, but the blue eyes
persisted in changing to green, the red hair to sable, the
body elongating and changing until... He leapt out of bed
with a snarl, refusing to let the metamorphosis reach its
conclusion. Scully was the one he wanted a relationship
with, no one else!
Mulder hastily showered and dressed in his favorite
Speedo. It was early enough that he should be able to get
in a few laps before the pool filled up. He headed up to
the pool on the top deck and dove in. He never noticed the
man off to one side who'd frozen when he'd appeared.
No. No way. It cannot be! Shit, it is. I'd recognize
that red Speedo anywhere. Goddamnit, there's no way off
this fucking ship till we dock at the next port. Krycek
put down his coffee and quietly retreated to his room
before Mulder could see him.
He called to find out Mulder's seating assignment, hoping
to be able to leave his cabin for meals at least. Although
the crewmember was very helpful in trying to find the old
friend that Mr. Arntzen thought he'd seen, there was no
Fox Mulder listed among the passengers.
Krycek swore again, something he seemed to do a lot
whenever Mulder was involved. It seemed he was trapped in
his cabin until he could make his escape. Then he'd have
the joy of trying to get himself off the island without
alerting the Consortium to his whereabouts.
Damnit, Mulder, do you even have to fuck up my
vacation? Krycek snarled mentally. He sprang to his feet
and paced the beautifully appointed stateroom with all the
pleasure he'd have felt in the meanest prison cell.
Krycek's plans to avoid Mulder, however, were ruined by
the one thing he had to come out of his cabin for—a
lifeboat drill. Of course, despite his desperate prayers,
he and Mulder were in the same section, and, it being
virtually impossible for a six-foot-tall man to hide in
the open, Mulder spotted him. Krycek offered him a sickly
smile, then wondered what god he had pissed off when he
and Mulder were assigned to be buddies.
Mulder eyed Krycek furiously and vowed to keep hold of the
slippery rat bastard. This time, he wasn't getting away,
and Mulder was going to get some answers.
After the drill, Mulder quite literally kept a grip on
Krycek and hauled him back to his cabin.
"You know," Krycek pointed out, "if I dig my heels in and
yell for help, you'll probably get arrested for attempted
mugging or something."
Mulder snorted. "Right up until I pull out my ID, Krycek.
You'll end up rotting in prison."
Krycek laughed bitterly. "I'll be dead, you mean. You know
damned well that every time you've caught up with anyone
even remotely associated with the Consortium, that person
has come down with a serious case of dead."
"And how is that, Krycek? How do they always find out so
quickly?"
Krycek gaped at him. "Are you really that blind? Jesus,
Mulder, for someone who's supposedly looking for the
truth, you're real good at not seeing what you don't want
to. Who is it that always knows what you're doing?"
"Oh, so now I'm supposed to suspect Scully?" Mulder
sneered.
"Don't be an ass," Krycek snapped. "Saint Scully is almost
as devoted to you as you are to her. No, think about it,
Mulder. Someone who works closely with you, who takes you
seriously, who's saved your life and gained your trust...
They were working from a template when they sent me in,
for fuck's sake!"
"Enough with the riddles!"
"Skinner, you stupid fuck!"
The next thing Krycek knew, he was flat on his back on the
floor, where he'd landed when Mulder clocked him.
"You couldn't tell the truth to save your life, could you?
You're living proof that the Consortium is no good at
keeping moles hidden."
"Christ, Mulder, hasn't it occurred to you yet that it was
a little too easy to make me?! That black-lunged bastard
blew me on purpose!"
"And why would he do that?"
Krycek looked away and refused to answer. Infuriated,
Mulder grabbed hold of the front of his shirt, yanked him
to his feet and shook him like a terrier with a rat.
"Answer me, damn you!" He slammed Krycek up against a wall
and glared into his face.
"Because I wouldn't kill you," Krycek mumbled sullenly,
once again refusing to meet Mulder's gaze.
"Yeah, right," Mulder scoffed. "That's why I nearly got
killed on the cable car."
"That was your own damned fault! What the fuck possessed
you to climb around the outside of the fucking thing? I
was trying to save your ungrateful hide, and I did. I
mean, Jesus, Mulder, do you honestly think they really
wanted Scully? You were their target, and I'd've
killed a dozen tram operators if that's what it took to
slow you down!" Furious green eyes glared into hazel ones
only inches away, and Mulder was startled to see no hint
of dissembling.
"So now I'm supposed to believe that you actually give a
damn what happens to me?" Mulder sneered, but with the
faintest undertone of uncertainty.
Krycek let out a growl of frustration and kissed him.
Hard. It was hard to say which of them was more surprised
when Mulder's lips parted and he sucked Krycek's tongue
into his mouth. Mulder took the half step necessary to
press his body against Krycek's, and both men could feel
the matching, rock-hard erections throbbing between their
bellies. Alex moaned into Mulder's mouth, and Mulder
suddenly tore free.
"Fuck! I didn't fall for your act then, and I won't now.
You are the traitor, and Skinner is one of the few
people I can trust."
"Trust to kill you! Damnit, I've been trying to keep you
alive for years. Who the hell do you think torched your
precious X-files? Who could walk around the Hoover
Building unchallenged? Walter Sergei Skinner, that's who!"
"Fuck you, Krycek! If Skinner were the traitor, he's had
plenty of opportunities to kill me."
"Let me try to get this through to you in words of one
syllable. Skinner wants to keep you out of the
Consortium's... hair, for lack of a better word. He won't
kill you unless there's no choice because, for whatever
reason, one faction of the Consortium wants you alive."
"Oh, of course. Silly me. How could I've doubted you?"
"Look, you asked me. Don't blame me if you don't like
the answers," Krycek sulked.
"And you, of course, always tell the truth. Like about
killing my father, like in Tunguska. Which, by the way, I
see you survived none the worse for wear."
Krycek gaped at him for an instant before tearing his
shirt off. "'None the worse for wear'?! Does this look
like nothing to you? I nearly lost an arm thanks to you!
Fortunately for me, the soldiers from the camp had
followed us after your little jailbreak, and they heard me
screaming and interrupted before those damned peasants
could complete the job of hacking my arm off!"
Mulder stared at the horrific scars on Krycek's left arm,
and he could see that it had been a near thing. He slowly
placed one hand over the scars, feeling the warmth of the
living flesh beneath his palm.
Krycek gasped and trembled at Mulder's touch, and his
cock, which had not yet fully subsided, throbbed anew. He
shifted slightly, unconsciously spreading his legs wider,
and a light kindled in Mulder's eyes.
One hand still on Krycek's arm, Mulder raised his other
one and skimmed it along the other man's torso. He watched
the nipples begin to pucker under the stimulation, and
suddenly, he couldn't wait any longer. He had to touch
Krycek, taste him as he'd been wanting to do for years.
The hand on Alex's arm moved upward to bury itself in the
thick, dark hair that was even softer than Mulder'd
imagined. He gripped it in his fist and pulled Krycek's
head back to bare his throat.
Alex stood motionless, unable to believe this was really
happening. He felt Mulder lick his throat with long swipes
of his tongue interspersed with short teasing flicks, and
he heard Mulder's hum of pleasure. When Mulder's mouth
fastened on one spot, first biting then sucking, Alex
moaned and finally dared raise his hands to rest them on
Mulder's hips. Mulder responded by thrusting against him,
his hard cock rubbing against Alex's, very much like that
brief moment in the Hong Kong airport that they'd both
relived so many times in their fantasies. Krycek arched
into him and sobbed Fox's name.
Hearing his hated first name uttered by that husky voice
in tones of desperate pleading, for the first time in his
life, Mulder liked it and wanted to hear it again.
Abandoning the purpling flesh on Krycek's throat, Mulder
nipped and nibbled his way to the moaning man's chest,
where he rubbed his face over the already erect nipples.
A deep groan tore from Alex at the rasp of Mulder's
stubble on his sensitive nipples, and his grip on Mulder's
hips tightened enough to bruise. Mulder chuckled and
caught one of the rigid buds of flesh between his teeth,
suckling hard while Alex writhed against him, trapped
between him and the wall.
Krycek's whimpers increased in pitch and frequency, and he
squirmed, his hands coming up to clutch Mulder's head and
hold it to him. He yanked at Mulder's clothes, wanting to
feel his skin beneath his hands, but he couldn't manage to
get them off without Mulder's cooperation. "Fox,
please," he moaned, tugging at the offending garments
until Mulder let go of him long enough to yank off his
shirt.
Pressing his now bare chest against Krycek's, Mulder
decided he had the start of a good idea. He was absolutely
certain that if their chests felt this good, completely
naked bodies would feel even better, so he unfastened
Alex's pants and pushed them down along with the boxer
briefs beneath. Then he stepped back slightly and stared
at Alex with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. A wicked grin
appeared on Krycek's face and he traced a finger teasingly
along the waistband of Mulder's slacks, pausing to toy
with the button at the fly.
Mulder pushed forward against Krycek's hand, trying to
entice him to continue. He covered Krycek's hand with his
own, holding it against him for an instant. "Touch me," he
demanded, suddenly greedy.
Alex slowly unfastened him, still teasing despite his own
eagerness. The hardened flesh sprang forth as soon as he
freed it, and Alex instantly dropped to his knees to get
closer. He nuzzled against the blood-engorged length,
smiling when Mulder whimpered at the sensation of his
day's growth of stubble rubbing the sensitive flesh. He
pressed close, inhaling Mulder's scent, and his tongue
flicked over the head to taste him. Once he had his first
taste of Mulder, several years' worth of repressed desires
and fantasies burst forth, and he couldn't get enough of
him. He tore at Mulder's slacks and boxers, yanking them
over the lean hips and letting them drop in a tangle
around the older man's ankles.
Alex caressed the newly revealed flesh, learning every
peak and valley of Mulder's body. He filled his palms with
the firm ass cheeks and let his finger tips explore the
intriguing crevasse between them. Mulder practically
purred with contentment, and Alex gasped his pleasure at
his partner's responsiveness. He rubbed his aching cock
against Mulder's leg, momentarily distracting him until he
slid his mouth over Mulder's rigid length.
Mulder let out a deep moan when he felt his cock taken
inside the moist warmth of Krycek's mouth. He could feel
minute twitches of Alex's tongue against him, teeth
lightly pressing, but all Krycek did was hold him. No
sucking, no licking, but somehow, it was the most arousing
thing he'd ever felt. His hips twitched involuntarily,
pushing a little deeper into that welcoming haven, and
Krycek took it. He made no movement of acceptance or
refusal, but Mulder's cock slid in a little deeper with
each movement of his hips.
Mulder stared down through heavy-lidded eyes, seeing
himself slide between the slightly swollen, pink lips of
his nemesis, and a shudder of extreme arousal ran through
him. He pulled out to rub his cock over Krycek's face,
leaving strands of precome along his cheeks, marking him
as Mulder's, then pushed back inside the eager mouth. He
started moving more, thrusting harder into Alex's mouth,
and he felt Alex begin to take an active part in the
proceedings. Rather than him fucking Krycek's mouth,
suddenly Alex was sucking him and had a finger in his ass.
Mulder moaned and dropped his head back against the wall,
barely even noticing when he banged it. The sensations
shooting through his body from his groin and ass were more
than enough to distract him from a minor thing like a
fractured skull. His hands clenched in Alex's hair, but he
didn't attempt to direct him in any way. Krycek clearly
knew exactly what he was doing, and he didn't need any
help from Mulder.
Mulder whimpered, feeling his orgasm rushing upon him, and
he yanked Krycek off him, ignoring his snarl of protest.
"What the fuck, Fox? Suddenly decide I'm not good enough
to suck your cock?"
Mulder glared at him but let it slide, knowing that it was
frustration talking. Alex thought he'd changed his mind.
Not fucking likely, baby. I've got you now.
"Guess you really are a cocksucker, huh, Krycek?" Mulder
said in a near purr. "Well, some other time, baby.
Fantastic as your mouth is, I want to come in your ass
this time."
Taken completely by surprise, Alex was left speechless,
gaping at Fox with his mouth hanging open. Mulder leaned
down to kiss him thoroughly, enjoying the taste of himself
mixed with Alex. He still might not be able to trust the
little bastard, but he was tired of lying to himself about
wanting him. He was going to have him.
Mulder stepped out of the tangled clothing around his
ankles and drew Krycek over to the bed, pushing him down
on it. He urged Alex onto his belly, then pulled him up
onto all fours. He paused for a moment to appreciate the
sight of Krycek's ass waiting for him, but looking was
not what he wanted just then. He knelt behind Krycek,
his dripping cock pressed against the puckered ring of
muscle, and he rubbed the head around, spreading the scant
lubrication of his precome. That and the saliva from the
aborted blowjob were all the lube Krycek was getting.
He pressed against the resisting muscle, wanting in but
not wanting to hurt Alex, afraid to push harder. Finally,
Alex, desperate to feel Mulder inside him, thrust back
abruptly, forcing the head of Mulder's cock inside
himself. Both men froze, Mulder waiting until Alex relaxed
as his body slowly accustomed itself to the welcome
intrusion. Only when Alex pushed back against him, trying
to get him to move, did Mulder start to thrust into him.
He heard Alex's gasp at the burning sensation that filled
him, but there was no reluctance in the body beneath him,
only eagerness. When he reached around with one hand, the
heavy erection lying tight against Krycek's belly
dispelled the last of his fears.
They began to move, slowly finding the rhythm, their
bodies slapping together, and Mulder groaned aloud at the
sheer rightness of the feeling. Being inside Krycek felt
like coming home. He pumped Alex's cock as he thrust into
him, wanting to make him come, to feel his pleasure before
he came.
"Come for me, Alex," he murmured in his ear, tongue
tracing the sensitive whorls. "Let it go, baby, give it to
me."
Alex's body quivered as he fought to hold on for another
moment, not wanting it to end. After all the years of
wanting him, Fox Mulder was inside him, was fucking him,
and he was going to make it last as long as humanly
possible. He whimpered unhappily when he felt his orgasm
rising through his body, but Mulder suddenly sat back on
his haunches, drawing Alex with him, and wrapped his arms
around him, holding him tightly as he came. Even through
his own orgasm, Alex felt Mulder's body tense as he
exploded deep inside him, and he thought he could never be
happier than he was in that moment.
Alex remained motionless, held to Mulder's chest with his
softening cock still inside him. He tucked his head under
Mulder's chin and tried to snuggle a little closer. A sigh
escaped him when Mulder slipped out of him, and he waited
for Mulder's reaction now that he was satisfied. He was
startled when Mulder shifted them to lie down on their
sides, Fox still spooned up behind him, but he luxuriated
in the moment of closeness.
Alex was aware of a moment of hurt at Mulder's continued
disbelief before he buried it. "I already told you,
Mulder. Skinner."
"Give it a rest, Krycek. Try telling the truth for once in
your miserable existence."
Krycek pulled away, moving to the edge of the bed, where
he sat up. He reached for his pants, intending to get
dressed and out of there, but Mulder grabbed his arm and
yanked him back, then rolled over on top of him.
"Where the hell do you think you're going?"
"Oh, sorry, was I supposed to let you fuck me, then fuck
with my mind? Didn't realize I was just supposed to lie
back and take it."
Mulder snarled down into his face. "This had nothing to do
with that, you little shit. But I suppose you were just
trying to get me to trust you again. Too bad, Krycek, just
because I want you doesn't mean I trust you." At that
distance he couldn't miss the quick flash of hurt in
Krycek's eyes, and he began to wonder if maybe, just this
once, Alex wasn't playing a game. He shifted position
suddenly so that he was lying between Krycek's legs,
holding the younger man's wrists beside his head. He
settled himself comfortably, then said, "Convince me."
"What?" Krycek seemed distracted by their position, and
Mulder smiled faintly.
"You keep telling me that you're on my side and Skinner's
the enemy. Prove it. Convince me that you're telling the
truth."
"How the hell am I supposed to do that? It's not like I
have photographic evidence, you know. It comes down to my
word against his, and you don't want to believe me."
Mulder frowned. "You haven't given me a single shred of
anything solid to convince me to believe you, just a bald
statement of supposed fact. I need details, babe."
"Don't!" Krycek sounded frantic, and Mulder stared at him
in honest bewilderment.
"What? What'd I do?"
"Don't call me pet names, then treat me like a whore,
Mulder. I don't deserve that." He closed his eyes,
refusing to look at Mulder anymore.
That sounded like the most honest reaction he'd ever
gotten from Krycek, and Mulder was starting to believe
him, at least some of what he said. If he was telling the
truth about caring about Mulder, then he'd probably hurt
Krycek badly. The blank expression on his face, like the
frantic tone of voice he'd used, could be hiding pain.
Mulder sighed and kissed him softly, startled when Krycek
turned his head to the side, pulling away. Either he was
an even better actor than Mulder had ever given him credit
for, or he was emotionally involved this time. It was the
only explanation for a man who'd been taught to use his
sex appeal to draw back.
"Alex. Look at me, Alex," Mulder demanded when the other
man's eyes remained stubbornly shut. He shrugged slightly
and lowered his mouth to the curve of Alex's jaw, nibbling
along it and enjoying the rasp of the stubble against his
tongue. When he reached Alex's ear and nipped at the lobe,
a moan escaped Krycek, and unhappy green eyes opened and
focused on him.
"You're just like all the others, aren't you? I thought
you were different, but you're not."
Mulder suddenly felt guilty. He was trying to make
Krycek take all the risks while maintaining his own
emotional distance, and it wasn't fair. He lowered his
head, pressing his forehead against Alex's, and sighed.
"I'm sorry. I want to believe you. That's the problem. I
trusted you once before, and you betrayed me. I don't
think I could take that again, not from you."
Alex blinked in surprise, squirming to try to get Mulder
to raise his head so he could see him. "Why not from me in
particular?"
Mulder smiled wryly. "Because I was more than half in love
with you."
Alex just stared at him, completely speechless.
"What, just because I didn't try to fuck you, you didn't
realize? I didn't want to take a chance on getting us both
fired, not until I was sure. And then you were gone, and I
knew you'd betrayed me. "
"I didn't want to. I tried not to. I didn't give them any
more than I absolutely had to. But once Smokey left the
cigarette butts for you to find, I knew you'd realize that
I was working for him. " He took a deep breath. "And I
didn't think you would believe me if I tried to tell you
the truth, not after they took Scully away from you. "
Mulder sighed. "We'll never know, will we?" He pressed
another kiss on Alex's mouth. "Tell me about Skinner."
Alex gazed at him searchingly, gauging the depth of his
willingness to listen. Finally he smiled, seeing that
Mulder was, at least, going to listen with an open mind.
"Think about it, Fox." Mulder noticed the slip in using
his name but didn't comment. "Skinner is the AD of your
section. He had to at least approve if not actively
promote Scully's and my appointments to the X-files. And
you know damned well that we were both supposed to
discredit your work, Scully through scientific method and
hopefully by getting you involved in a sexual
relationship, and me through sex and separating you from
Scully once they realized what a mistake they'd made in
putting the two of you together. Why would Skinner allow
that?"
"He didn't know," Mulder argued.
Krycek just looked at him. "Wally boy is not the innocent
you seem to want to think he is. He's been working with
the Consortium since he started with the Bureau. They
recruited him out of the military, paid for his education
and directed him to the FBI. He's been theirs since day
one. Who do you think assigned you the Duane Barry case if
not your immediate supervisor?"
Mulder had no answer.
"He sent you there to be killed, Mulder. You were meant to
die at Barry's hands, or at best, or maybe worst, be taken
when Scully was. She was just an added bonus for them. One
more human female to harvest. The fact that you weren't
taken and were damn near incapacitated by her kidnapping
was serendipitous from their perspective. But with her out
of the picture, there was no way they were going to leave
me to get closer to you. That was Skinner's job, to gain
your complete trust. And he did.
"Jesus, Fox! The man has refused to believe you, has
condoned or possibly instigated your commitment to a
mental institution and constantly backtracked from his
supposed support of you whenever you really needed it. Has
he ever spoken up publicly in support of you or your
theories? I don't think so."
Mulder frowned. Little as he liked to admit it, Krycek was
making sense. He knew for a fact that Cancerman had some
sort of hold over Skinner; he'd seen the man in his office
himself. What if it wasn't unwilling as he'd always
thought, but some sort of alliance? Had he placed his
trust in the wrong man? He stared into pleading green
eyes, wondering if Krycek was a good enough actor to put
that expression of honesty into his gaze if he was lying
to him again.
Alex sighed heavily and closed his eyes, hiding from
Mulder's disbelief. He'd given it his best shot, but as
always, happiness was just that little bit out of reach
for Aleksei Krycek. He should have known that Mulder would
never believe him. Why should he? Alex had betrayed him,
and so far as he knew, Skinner never had.
Mulder watched Alex closely, seeing the unhappiness and
withdrawal in the other man's face and posture. He'd never
have believed that he could feel so distant from a man
when he was lying naked on top of him. Clearly, Alex had
given up on trying to regain his trust, which meant he
might never see him again if he let him leave. Up till
now, Krycek had had some hope because he hadn't laid all
his cards on the table and been rejected, but that was
what had happened tonight.
So make up your mind, Mulder. Am I really willing never
to see him again? Somehow, I've always known that he'd
reappear after a few weeks or months, so I never really
had to make a decision. He made it easy for me, but he's
not going to come back this time. This time I hurt him.
He watched Alex, who lay motionless beneath him, his head
again turned away and his eyes closed. I guess the fact
that it bothers me that I hurt him, that I'm not jumping
for joy, should tell me something. Jesus, when did I fall
in love with Alex Krycek?
"If you're lying to me again, Alex, please don't let me
find out. I'd rather you just killed me."
Alex's eyes shot open at that, and he looked at Mulder,
afraid to hope. He couldn't believe the warmth he saw in
the hazel gaze. "Mulder?"
Mulder smiled and kissed him softly, his tongue licking at
Alex's lips, stroking the soft skin before sliding inside.
He explored every inch while Alex's tongue eagerly met
his, and his hips moved against Alex at the same time,
arousing both of them. Alex finally tore his mouth free,
panting, his wrists twisting in the grip Mulder still had
on him.
"God, F—Mulder," he gasped.
"It's okay," Mulder murmured, nibbling on his throat, "you
can call me Fox. In bed at least. I like the way you say
it, all desperate and pleading."
Alex moaned and writhed under him.
"Come on, baby, I want to hear you," Mulder coaxed.
"Fox, please. I lo—I want you."
Mulder heard the abortive statement and smiled. "Only
want, baby?" he purred, his teeth closing around a
hardened nipple.
Alex's back arched even as he looked at Fox, fear clear in
his eyes. Mulder closed his own eyes for a moment at this
evidence of Alex's wariness. He knew he'd given the other
man no reason to trust him.
"I love you, Alex," he said clearly, meeting his lover's
gaze forthrightly.
Alex opened his mouth to reply, then paused, not sure if
Mulder was setting him up to belittle him again. Mulder
smiled sadly, knowing that as much as Alex had betrayed
his trust, he'd made it even harder for Alex to trust him.
"I do love you, Alex, and I'm going to make you believe
it, no matter how long it takes." He paused, that bringing
another problem to mind. "Uh, just how deep are you into
the Consortium? Are you just going to disappear again when
this cruise is over?"
Alex chewed his lip, wondering how to answer him. It
sounded like Fox wanted him to stay around, but how could
that be? "I, uh, I'm pretty much a free agent now. The
Brit took me under his wing, and he doesn't keep me on too
short a leash. In fact, if I had any reason to, I could
probably get myself all the way out with a little effort."
Mulder sighed. "I want you to stay with me, for us to work
everything out and have a life like normal people, but not
at the expense of your safety. I'd rather have you once in
while than for you to get killed because I got greedy."
"You really mean it," Alex said slowly in tones of
disbelief.
"Yeah, I do. We've wasted a lot of time, but I want to try
to get it right now."
"What about your job... Scully? She won't be happy if I
suddenly show up in your life," Alex warned.
"My job, well, technically they can't fire me for getting
involved in a same-sex relationship. And if they do,
first, it'll make an interesting court case and headlines,
which, come to think of it, would not be such a bad thing.
If we're in the headlines, they won't dare move against
you. Besides, if Skinner really is a plant, then I'm
probably better off working outside the Bureau."
Alex winced. "You know you need the Bureau's resources,
Fox. I don't want you to hate me again because I made you
lose the job you love."
Mulder nuzzled against him briefly. "There's no guarantee
that there will ever be an X-files division again, Alex.
Since the fire destroyed most of the files, Skinner's been
talking about reassigning Scully and me elsewhere.
Apparently other divisions could benefit from our high
solve rate."
"Please. You expect me to believe that you, Mr. Paranoid
himself, don't have back-up copies of the files
somewhere?"
Mulder grinned. "Not officially, I don't. That would be
against procedures."
"Just... don't burn your bridges before you have to."
"That much I can promise." Mulder smiled. "As for Scully,
I think she'll support me if I explain it all to her."
"And if she doesn't?" Alex asked carefully.
"Then I won't make the same mistake again. I choose you,
Alex." He looked straight into his eyes. "Please don't
make me regret it. I'll live with whatever happens with my
job and with Scully as long as we're together." He
realized he was giving Krycek the opportunity to destroy
him if this was another trick, but he was determined to
take the chance. This time he was going to believe.
Alex gasped, knowing as well as Mulder what he was telling
him. He'd never believed that he'd see the day that Fox
chose him over Scully, but that was what he'd just done.
He smiled happily up into his lover's eyes. "I love you,
Fox."
Mulder's eyes closed in relief. He covered Alex's lips
with his own in a deep, searching kiss, finally releasing
Alex's wrists and cupping one palm tenderly along his jaw.
Alex wrapped his arms around Fox, slowly tracing the
length of his back. He reveled in the freedom to touch
this man as he wanted, knowing that Fox wanted him too. He
wriggled under Mulder, wanting more, wanting to be
touched, and Mulder gave him what he wanted.
Hands stroked, mouths tasted, eyes swept over each other,
and both men concentrated on making the other feel
pleasure. With his teeth, Mulder tugged on one of Alex's
nipples, remembering the reaction he'd gotten earlier, and
once again Alex arched into the touch. Fox kept that up
for a while, switching back and forth until both nipples
were reddened, aching, and rigid, and Alex was whimpering
constantly. He smiled at the sight of Alex's writhing
body, lost in sensation, his hands clenched in the sheets.
He sat back for a moment, just enjoying the vision laid
out before him.
Green eyes opened and focused on him in frustration. "What
are you waiting for?"
"You're so beautiful," Fox said in tones of wonder,
tracing the length of his body with slightly trembling
fingertips. "I can't believe you're mine."
Alex caught one hand and drew it to his lips to press a
kiss on it. "All yours," he vowed just before taking
Mulder's fingers inside his mouth and suckling on them.
Mulder watched those lips wrap around him, and he groaned
thinking of them around his cock. Alex was staring into
his eyes while giving his hand a blowjob, and it was
incredibly erotic. He suddenly pulled away from Alex and
got up to head into the washroom, leaving Alex staring
after him in disbelief.
He was back in moments, flourishing the bottle of baby oil
he'd grabbed, and Alex looked happy again. Fox climbed
back on top of him and kissed him while their hands ran
over each other's body. Alex moaned and nipped hard at
Fox's lower lip.
"I want you in me, Fox." His hands trembled on Mulder's
back.
"No." Baldly, and Alex's eyes flew open in shock. He
stared at Mulder in stunned dismay, thinking that it had
all been a trick. Then Mulder smiled, poured a bit of the
oil into his palm, and stroked it onto Alex's rigid cock.
Alex caught his breath, not daring to believe, not until
Fox rose up and slowly lowered himself against Alex,
gasping as the bulbous head pressed against his opening.
The oil eased his entrance, and Alex felt himself
gradually slide inside Mulder, who didn't stop the long
glide until his ass was pressed against his lover.
Alex gripped Fox's thighs while he remained motionless,
letting his body get accustomed to the presence inside
him. It had been a long time, but he loved the sensation
of Alex filling him. Finally, his eyes opened again and
met Alex's, and he began to move. Alex gasped and barely
restrained himself from thrusting up into that tight heat,
somehow managing to let Fox retain control. He raised his
hands to Fox's chest, and Mulder caught them in his own,
their fingers meshing together while he rose and fell on
Alex.
Alex moaned desperately, held on the knife edge of
pleasure by Fox's slow movements, loving every second but
feeling he'd die if he didn't come soon. Mulder grinned
down at him, knowing what he was feeling and enjoying
every second of it.
"What's wrong, Alex? Do you need something else?" he
asked, trying not to laugh as he spoke.
Alex snarled at him and flipped them over so he was on
top. Fox's taunt had been the last straw, and he intended
to show the older man who was in charge. Then Fox moved
under him, and when Alex could think again, he knew that
Mulder was. He laughed, lowering his head to kiss his
lover, and thrust into him, Fox's cock being stimulated
between them, both of them trembling as the pleasure began
to wash through them. As they came, Alex groaned Fox's
name into his mouth, hearing him cry something that might
have been his own name.
Alex lay on top of Fox, Mulder's arms wrapped tightly
around him, holding him close, and he'd never felt better
in his life. He was still inside his lover, and he never
wanted the moment to end. Mulder was rubbing his cheek
lightly against his chest as if he, too, couldn't get
enough of the other man.
"We're really going to do this, aren't we?" he said, still
stunned by the rapid, complete reversal of their
relationship.
"Yes. If you want to," Mulder replied, still nuzzling
against him.
"If I want to?" Alex laughed incredulously. "You're
offering me what I've always wanted and never thought I
could have."
Mulder pressed a kiss onto the nipple only inches from
where his head had been pillowed. "Then I'd say we're
definitely doing this. So let's just enjoy the cruise, and
we'll deal with everything when we get back."
"Done."
At the Washington airport two weeks later, Alex sent
Mulder for a cart while he got their luggage, and Mulder
almost walked right into Skinner.
"Sir," he said, startled.
"You do not tell me that you're taking additional time
off, Agent Mulder; you ask my permission," the angry AD
bit out.
"How did you know where to find me?"
Skinner blinked. "In case it's escaped your notice, I am
an assistant director of the FBI... you know,
investigation."
Mulder just looked at him. He strongly doubted that the
FBI could find something the Gunmen wanted to keep hidden,
at least not without a full scale investigation. Mulder
let it go, not prepared to discuss Skinner's involvement
in the Consortium. Out of the corner of his eye he could
see Alex heading toward them, his face carefully blank.
"Hey, babe, no carts?" was Alex's greeting.
"Krycek!" Skinner took a single step toward him, and
Mulder moved into his path. "Step aside, Agent Mulder;
this man is a wanted felon."
"Wanted for what? Better still, by whom? You don't have a
single shred of evidence that he's actually broken any
laws."
"This man is a traitor! Not to mention that you've been
saying for years that he killed your father."
Mulder looked straight at him. "But then, I've been known
to misjudge people, haven't I?"
Skinner remained silent, shooting a hard glance in Alex's
direction. Mulder nodded slowly. He hadn't been sure until
just then, but as far as he was concerned, Skinner's
reaction proved that what Alex had said was true.
"If you'll excuse us," his expression made it clear that
he didn't particularly care whether Skinner objected or
not, "it was a long flight, and we're tired. We're going
home."
As Krycek stepped past him, Skinner grabbed his arm. "What
the hell did you tell him?"
Krycek smirked. "The truth."
Skinner swore viciously, his hand tightening on Krycek's
arm.
"Get your hands off me," Alex rasped.
Instead he balled his free hand into a fist.
"Let go of him, Skinner." Mulder's voice reminded him of
where they were, and he slowly released the younger man.
"This isn't over."
"Yes, it is," Mulder stated coldly. He and Alex gathered
their luggage and left without another word, leaving
Skinner to fume impotently.
The Englishman breathed a sigh of satisfaction where he
stood concealed by the crowds.
"Finally!" he exulted, watching Mulder and Krycek walk
away together.
Altered Perceptions
by Orithain
Two weeks after his life went up in flames, Mulder was
still stunned. So much of his life, his very identity, was
tied up in the X-files. Without them, he was rudderless,
lost. Rather than giving them a temporary reassignment,
Skinner had ordered him and Scully to take some time off
while the future of the division was 'evaluated.' Mulder
felt lost and betrayed, deprived of support from the two
people he trusted to be there for him. He'd turned to
Skinner the day after the fire, expecting understanding
and sympathy, and instead he'd gotten a brusque command to
stay away from the Bureau until he could act
professionally.
Mulder held Krycek against his chest, and he wondered what
the hell they were supposed to do next. Since he didn't
have the slightest idea, he fell back on his old favorite
of interrogating the other man. Of course, doing it naked
did give it a certain added spice. "So who's the current
mole in the Bureau, Krycek?"
