Weather or Not
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Chris Carter, et al. I am merely using the characters hypothetically, in order to take part in an intellectual discussion about certain finer parts of the series. (Oh, yeah. That'll work.)
Author's E-mail:
Feedback: Always. Please, please, pretty please? But be gentle, my muses are very fragile right now.
Pairing: Mulder/Skinner
Category: First Time, PWP, maybe schmoopy
Ratings: R? NC-17 ? I'm not good with ratings. It has fairly graphic m/m sex, you decide.
Archive: Slashing Mulder, Down In The Basement, all others with permission only.
Warnings: There is a vague reference to one episode. I don't know the name of the episode, but it's just one little line, so it should be okay. That's all I can think of, honest.
Story Notes: No plot. No spoilers, except for one vague reference. No beta.
Dedicated to Gaby and Xanthe, who got me into this mess, and to my darling husband, who reads my stuff with one eye closed because he knows it's important to me, and that makes it important to him. This started out as a response to the Weather snippet challenge, but RL and the story got a little out of hand.
Mulder had never driven so slowly in his life. Twenty-seven miles an hour, and he knew he was pushing it. Skinner exchanged a weary glance with him, squinted out his half of the windshield, and said resignedly,
"I think there's an exit up ahead on the right. It's worth a try. And slow down."
Mulder cut it down to twenty, and he relaxed a bit. They crawled off the ramp, heading for a yellow blur that they thought might promise lodging. Mulder eased into the lot, shutting off the car with a grateful sigh.
Skinner went in, and Mulder just sank back against the seat, resting his aching neck muscles. The strain of the last forty minutes had kept him awake and aware, but now he was feeling the fatigue. He was practically dozing by the time Skinner returned.
"Good news and bad news. They are open and they do have a room. Unfortunately, they have one room, with one double bed."
"Sir, no offense, but you take up a double bed with just your shoulders."
"Yeah, and your legs do the same, so we'll sleep on our sides. It's too dangerous to drive in this fog anymore."
"Fog? This isn't fog, sir. This is cloud cover with conviction. This is water vapor with a milk moustache, this is.."
"Mulder, shut up."
Mulder nodded his acceptance of and agreement with the mild rebuke, as Skinner took the keys and got both their bags out of the trunk. He then came around and opened Mulder's door.
"Get out of the car, Agent, and follow me."
"Yes, sir."
He did, and soon they were inside one of the smallest rooms Mulder had ever seen, and he'd stayed in some real closets. The space was almost completely filled up with the bed, only a narrow space allowing someone to actually enter the room . A slightly wider space at the foot would be taken up by the bathroom door opening, but that was it. The television was mounted on a bracket from the ceiling.
"It's like a scene out of Gulliver's travels."
"I had more room in my bunk at basic."
Skinner put the bags on hooks provided along the wall, since there was no closet, and motioned with his head toward what passed for the shower.
"Take the first shower, Mulder, you drove."
Mulder didn't argue. He grabbed his things, hit the shower and his toothbrush, and gave Skinner his turn. The shower had revived him a bit and now, as he literally squeezed past Skinner, he eyed the bigger man and the small bed. Skinner caught the look, and mentally echoed Mulder's doubts as he went to take his own shower. There was no way that bed was more than a super-single, despite the billing as a double.
When he came out, Mulder was sitting cross-legged at the foot of the bed, remote in hand.
He looked up when Skinner came out, intending to warn him that the sound was out, but one glance, and he burst out laughing.
"Oh, god, I hope there isn't a fire." He saw that Skinner was regarding him with a mix of curiosity and annoyance, and hastened to explain.
"Sir, we're wearing matching jammies." He nodded at his sleep pants, and Skinner stared in disbelief at his own lower half, clad in an exactly matching blue green plaid.
"These were a present from Scully's mom."
"Mine, too. Remind me to have a talk with my partner when we get back."
"Noted."
Mulder stood, clicking off the silent television. He stretched as best he could, then asked quietly,
"Uhm, which side of the bed do you prefer, sir?"
"Why, Agent Mulder, I thought you'd never ask." Skinner asked it mock-coyly, even batting his lashes. The look on Mulder's face was worth the small moment of embarrassment, and he couldn't help but chuckle, even as he pointed to the far side.
"By the door, if you don't mind."
"That's fine, sir."
Mulder crawled up the bed, slipping under the covers and turning toward the wall. He felt the bed dip alarmingly as Skinner climbed in, and then the lights were out. Mulder's earlier fatigue had fled. He was still tired, but now he was wide awake as well, and only too aware of the man moving beside him, settling down after putting his glasses on the floor beside the bed.
They started out back to back, typical male positioning, but with their knees drawn up, Mulder's legs made it too crowded, and with them down, it wasn't comfortable. Face to face was worse, the problems magnified by the fact that they could see each other in the low gray light coming through the thin curtains. On their backs, Skinner's shoulders crowded them out.
After several fruitless minutes of tossing and turning, Skinner sat up, swearing softly. Mulder tensed, but his boss wasn't angry at him, his voice pitched softly, speaking almost apologetically.
"Look, we both know there's only one way we're both going to even half-way fit on this bed together, so let's just get it over with and get some sleep. Inside or outside spoon?"
Mulder answered immediately, choosing inside, but then Skinner could feel him tensing beside him. He ignored it, rolling over and wrapping one arm around Mulder's torso, pulling the younger man snugly against him, strong legs tucked under Mulder's long lean ones. The slender body was all but vibrating with tension, and Skinner sighed, his voice full of a determined regret, despite the gentleness.
"I'm sorry, Mulder. I know I'm the last person on earth you want to be stuck with, especially this intimately, but we have no choice. If it helps, tonight never happened. Anything we say or do to get through this just happens, and tomorrow, we'll never say another word about it, okay? But we're both exhausted, so let's just make the best of it."
Mulder didn't say anything, but Skinner felt the lean body relax a bit. After a moment, the younger man spoke, so low as to be barely a whisper.
"You're wrong."
"About what?" Skinner whispered back, even though he wasn't sure why.
"You- you aren't the last person on earth I'd want to sleep with this way. Maybe the last one I expected, but not my last choice. I think Kersh takes that prize."
"No shit. I'd rather wake up with another dead hooker."
The laugh burst out of Mulder, shocked as he was by the reference. Skinner felt the tension ease even more, and allowed himself to relax a bit, too. They explored the concept of last person on earth for a few lighter moments, Skinner just starting to unwind fully, when Mulder suddenly gasped, jerking hard and clutching his neck.
"What's wrong?"
"My neck, cramp. Shit, that hurts!"
Mulder had sat up, rubbing at the back of his neck furiously. Skinner sat up beside him, and hesitated only a moment before batting Mulder's hands away and taking over with a firm massage. Mulder was startled, but it simply felt too damn good for him to care.
He moaned his appreciation as Skinner worked on the knot, tilting his head just a bit to give the large hands more access.
"Oh, yeah, right there, oh god, yes." The strong fingers had found a particularly sore spot, and dug in carefully.
"Ow!" The hands lifted immediately.
"I'm sorry, Mulder, I didn't mean..."
"No, don't stop! I mean, it hurts, but it's a good hurt. It's starting to loosen up, and you're a lot better at this than I am. If- If you don't mind, would you..."
Skinner's hands returned their task, and he worked on Mulder's straining neck muscles quietly. He was completely absorbed in his task, but aware, too, of the skin under his fingertips, of the silken hair brushing the backs of his hands, and the sounds of grateful pleasure coming from Mulder. He was very aware of those sounds. Small moans and sighs, a rumble that sounded suspiciously like a purr, and a humming that seemed to vibrate through Skinner's hands.
Skinner allowed himself to get lost in the sounds and the feel, enjoying the warm muscles moving under his palms. He felt those muscles gradually loosen, felt Mulder relax back against him just a little. His hands stilled, but didn't move from Mulder's shoulders, Skinner unable to make himself let go. In fact, his willpower was rapidly fading, and he let his head drop so that his forehead was resting on the back of Mulder's head. Mulder rubbed his head back and forth a bit, and his breathing deepened.
"Did you mean it?" Mulder's voice was hushed, and rough.
"What?"
"When you said that tonight never happened, that we'd never mention it."
"Yes."
Mulder's arms came up and back, pulling Skinner's head down toward him in a blatant invitation. Skinner took it, sliding his own arms around Mulder's waist, and placing the lightest of kisses along Mulder's shoulder. He nuzzled the younger man for a moment, then half turned Mulder to face him. The younger man's eyes were huge, but knowing, and Skinner gave a small gentle smile before lowering his mouth to Mulder's. The kiss was sweet and warm, and they were both trembling when it ended.
"My name." Skinner rumbled it against the lush bottom lip, stroking the same lip with his tongue.
" Hmm?"
"Say my name, please?"
"Walter." Skinner groaned and pounced at the lust-laden sound, ending up on top of Mulder, pressed full length against him. He took Mulder's mouth, there was no other word to describe it, and Mulder gave as good as he got. Mulder kissed like Skinner had known he would, putting his whole being in it. It was fantastic, but Skinner couldn't ignore the tiny part of his brain that was still functioning at a higher level.
"Mulder, are you sure? I need to know, while I can still stop." He gave a trace of a grin, both men knowing he'd stop anytime Mulder wanted. The hazel eyes were heavy-lidded, and long arms were wrapped around his neck. Mulder looked him dead in the eyes and then shifted, spreading his thighs just a bit, letting Skinner's aching hardness rest atop his own. Skinner groaned at the feeling, and forced himself not to move.
"I'm sure, sir. I want this. I want you, Walter, even if I only get you for one night. I'm a big boy, I know what I'm doing. Are you sure, sir?" Walter saw the insecurity under the need, and pressed a kiss to Mulder's forehead.
"I've wanted this for five years, Mulder. I'm sure. I'm sure of something else, too."
"What's that?"
"You call me sir in this bed one more time, and I'm going to spank you. Hard." Mulder gave a soft chuckle, and cupped the stern face between his palms, loving the way Skinner closed his eyes, leaning into the touch, wanting his kiss.
Mulder gave it to him, willingly. They kissed for a long time, each man hungry for the taste of the other, needing the slow introduction to each other's bodies. It wasn't simple sex. It was making love, and both of them were aware of that as they began to explore. They undressed each other patiently, neither man hiding the fact that he was looking and appreciating the revealed flesh.
Mulder's fingers trailed the path of Skinner's shoulders and back, following the heavy layer of muscle, coming back around to end up with his palms on the solid chest. He palmed the nipples hiding in the thick curls, felt Skinner in turn run a hand from Mulder's shoulder to his waist, and then down over his hip. Exerting just enough pressure there to ask Mulder to be still, he began to feed on the younger man's neck and shoulders, before moving down to the almost hairless chest. He licked at one flat brown nipple, drew it between firm lips and strong teeth, but mouthed it gently.
Mulder groaned, and his hands settled at Skinner's waist, hesitated only briefly, and then curved around the firm muscles of Skinner's rear, cupping it meaningfully. Skinner sighed, his tongue getting to know the other nipple now. Mulder's hands tightened, pulling Skinner's groin roughly against his own, while Mulder's mouth sought Skinner's ears and neck. The bigger man shuddered, and when Mulder's legs wrapped around his waist, he stilled them both.
"Jesus, Fox." Skinner breathed it out, then paused, licking his lips.
"It- it is okay if I call you that, isn't it? " He looked wonderfully uncertain, and Mulder chuckled, his hands lightly squeezing the backside under them.
"Fox is fine. Mulder's a little formal considering the fact that I'm about to roll us over so I can suck your cock."
Skinner caught his breath at that, and while he was mentally off balance, still struggling with the image, Mulder easily rolled them over.
"Oh, god..." Skinner mumbled it as Mulder kissed his way down Skinner's body, teasing and tasting every inch, even as one hand reached for Skinner's heavy erection. Those long slender fingers stroked him slowly and gently, until Mulder's mouth arrived to take over.
Mulder's mouth turned out to be a world class erotic experience. His tongue seemed to be a dozen places at once, his hands continuing to stroke and tease, tickling lightly under Skinner's balls. The mouth was hot and lush and demanding, and Skinner found any attempt at reciprocation thwarted.
"Lie back. Let me do this for you, Walter, please?"
Skinner nodded, seeing that it was import to Mulder for some reason. He relaxed back, giving himself up to the intense pleasure until his need to touch as well as be touched overcame him. Besides, he didn't want it to end this way, so he reached down, taking Mulder's shoulders in his hands, urging him up and sitting up himself.
" Fox, stop, stop."
Mulder did at once, concern marking his features as he rose up to look at Skinner.
"Walter, what's wrong? Have you changed your mind?" Skinner's hands pulled him close, and the hungry, powerful kiss he bestowed let Mulder know that was not the case. The fact that Skinner was also gently lowering him back down on the mattress was also reassuring.
"No, babe, nothing like that. No, I was just way too close, and I wasn't ready to be done yet. I wanted my turn to play." Mulder looked a little embarrassed, but said impishly,
"You used a pet name." Skinner smiled down at him then, a wide honest smile of pleasure.
"Yes, I did. Care to make something of it?"
"No, sir." Mulder said it absently, distracted by the smile, and Skinner raised an eyebrow threateningly.
"I thought I warned you about that."
Mulder looked briefly confused, then grinned.
"Don't you think it's a little soon to trade fantasies?"
Skinner laughed, lowering his mouth to capture Mulder's once again. He mapped the younger man's body with his lips and tongue, then zeroed in on Mulder's cock. It was like the body it was attached to, long and slender, but gracefully formed. Skinner all but sang to it, five years of repressed love and longing finding release through the swirl of a tongue, the squeeze of a throat, the gentlest of bites.
Mulder was writhing, gasping and moaning. His hands alternately gripped the thick shoulders and stroked the smooth scalp, interspersed with kneading both like a kitten finding a spot.
"Oh, god, Walter! Please?"
"What, Fox? What do you need? Do you want to have me? Or do you want me to have you? It's your choice, Fox, just let me know."
"Me. I want you inside me."
Skinner placed a last kiss on Mulder's straining cock, before reaching over the side of the bed toward the wall, into his bag. He only fumbled for a moment, before pulling out a condom and lubricant. Mulder made a brief mental reference to Boy Scouts, before Walter was leaning over him, staring intently into his face, searching.
"Are you sure?"
The strong voice was laced with concern and care, and Mulder was moved by it to admit the truth.
"Like you said earlier, I've wanted this for five years. I'm sure. Do it, Walter, make love to me, please?"
He ended the entreaty by sliding his long legs up Skinner's broad back, draping them over Skinner's shoulders instead, opening himself up.
"How do you want me, Walter? Like this, or on my hands and knees?"
"Like this. I want to see your face, watch your eyes. I want to be able to kiss you as I slide inside you." The words affected them both, and Walter's fingers were trembling as he prepared Mulder. For his part, the younger man's breathing shifted rapidly with each finger added, until Walter was pressing the head of his cock at the entrance.
He hesitated, knowing there was no going back, knowing that despite their promise to forget about tonight, he'd never be able to do so. He wanted this, wanted it with everything in him, but he was scared, for Mulder as much as for himself. Mulder read it all in his eyes, and spoke determinedly, despite the echoing fear within himself.
"I don't care, Walter. I don't care about tomorrow or the day after that. I only care about right now, about this. I care about us, Walter, nothing else. So do it, Walter. Do it, and at least we'll be damned together."
Walter said nothing, but dropped his mouth to cover Mulder's, swallowing their mutual moan as he slowly eased inside.
It was a little awkward, a little rough in places. It was strangely familiar, newly different. It was a first time, with everything implied by the phrase. It was perfect.
Walter had never heard anything that moved him the way his own name had, when shouted hoarsely by Fox Mulder at the height of passion. For his part, Mulder had never seen anything like the sight of Walter Skinner, head thrown back but eyes determinedly kept open, sharing his soul as he gave of his body.
They had no trouble fitting in the bed now, Mulder all but lying on top of Skinner, both of them heaving like draft horses, but holding as tenderly as any new lovers. They fell asleep that way, sated and content, however temporarily.
Daylight streamed in through the thin curtains, rousing Skinner the way it always had. He blinked drowsily, becoming aware of a warm weight on his chest and in his arms. He looked down, seeing chestnut hair and a very familiar nose. He gave a tiny startle, and the head resting on his chest turned the slightest, made a vague kissing gesture and then settled back down.
"Walter." It was an unconscious sleepy murmur, but it let Walter Skinner begin to breathe again. In fact, he began to smile, and tried his best to soak up every subtle nuance of waking up with Mulder in his arms. At last, he pressed a soft kiss to the top of Mulder's head, rubbing his hands across the sleep-warmed skin, gently waking him.
"Fox? Hey, c'mon, time to wake up." Mulder stirred, cuddling closer, then as he became aware, raising his head with almost comic slowness. He looked up, seeing a slightly nervous but smiling Walter, looked back down at their entwined nudity, and then back up again. Walter wasn't aware of it, but he was almost holding his breath again, anxiously awaiting Mulder's reaction. He'd play it anyway the younger man needed to, he'd promised as much last night, but when Mulder's face softened , an almost shy smile gracing that full mouth, Walter was immensely grateful and relieved.
"Good morning, Walter." It was an offering, and Walter treated it with the reverence it deserved. He cupped Mulder's face in one broad palm, the other hand sliding down Mulder to rest at the small of his back..
"Good morning, Fox." And then, in the light of day, fully awake and aware, with no extenuating circumstances, Walter kissed him. There was no hesitancy but no demand either, simply an acknowledgment of what they had done and what he was willing to do. It was brief, but sincere, and when Walter pulled back to look at Mulder, the other man knew it was now his turn
to make a move.
He stared at Walter for a moment, eyes full of his thoughts and fears, then slid up, straddling Walter's hips with his legs and leaning forward to kiss him back.
It was a good answer, Walter decided, in addition to being the nicest way he'd ever been awakened. Fox couldn't have agreed more, and as Walter's hands slid down to cup his bottom, he couldn't help but think how grateful he was to whomever or whatever was responsible for fog and tiny hotel rooms.
A small shop in a smaller alley in D.C.
"Ms. Scully? A check of the weather service will confirm dense fog in the specified area at the requested time. A similar check with the hotel management will confirm that one and only one room was rented by Mr. Skinner, and listed as double-occupancy. Yes, ma'am, they were still checked in as of an hour ago. I believe that fulfills our part of the contract completely, therefore we will be processing your credit card within the hour. That's right, ma'am, it will be listed on your bill as Weather or Not Climate Controls and Accessories. However, there has been a slight change to your benefit. The priestess said that it required mostly opportunity and only a modicum of desire compulsion, therefore labor will be discounted 10%. Yes, ma'am, we try to be fair, our work has enough bad publicity, as you can imagine. Anyway, we thank you for your business, and look forward to helping you again in the future. Thanks for shopping with us."
FINI