BACCARAT PIECE:  WITH THIS...
By Sean Spencer
seans13@hotmail.com

CATEGORY:  VRA

RATING:  NC-17

KEYWORDS:  Mulder/Skinner Slash

SUMMARY: Skinner relishes some time away from his desk. SkinnerAngst
and MulderComfort thrown in for good measure.

DISCLAIMER: Fox Mulder, Dana Scully and Walter Skinner are the
properties of Chris Carter, Fox Television and 1013 Productions. No
copyright infringement is intended or implied in their use in this work
of fiction.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The story takes place a few months after Skinner's
abduction. Major mush alert. Turn back if you can't stand sap between
two men. Turn back too if you're offended by explicit descriptions of
consensual loving sexual activity between two men.

...........................................


Mulder drummed the dashboard in a crazy rhythmic tattoo.  Scully for
the life of her couldn't identify the song in her partner's head.  And
it was driving her crazy!

"Mulder, quit it!" she cried.  She was tempted to stop the car and let
him out.

They were on their way to the regional field office to check in.  They
concluded the usual round of repeat interviews with witnesses.  Mulder
was crowing about the evidence of poltergeist activity but Scully still
had her expected reservations on the matter.

Mulder grew quiet.  At first, she thought that he was raring for a
fight with her regarding the evidence they gathered that day.  But as
she turned into the regional Bureau headquarters, the reason for
Mulder's silence was apparent after they entered the offices.

As they passed through the hallway, Scully spotted a conference room
filled with agents.   The big meeting was for some field bust and the
participants were in those dark blue FBI jackets, the sitting-duck
jackets she personally called it.  Scully heard the distinctive voice
commanding the whole operation.

"He's here?"  Scully didn't need to say who "he" was.  No wonder Mulder
was hyperactive in the car on the way here.

"Yes." Mulder nodded .  "But he's not checking up on us or anything.
This bust was planned months ago."

"Yeah, sure, Mulder," She avoided rolling her eyes.  "But we know who
he's checking up on.  And it's definitely not me."

Scully immediately bit her lip at what her remark implied.  But to her
amazement, Mulder just laughed lightly and playfully pushed her.  This
caused her to lose her balance but her partner immediately apologized
and righted her with a hand on her shoulder.

Great, now I'm one of the boys, Scully ruefully thought as she walked
down the hallway.

They found a room with an empty table.  It was one of the interrogation
rooms and with Scully's laptop set up, they had a temporary office.
For the next hour, they argued back and forth.  Mulder was convinced
that a poltergeist was involved while Scully was more than convinced
that it was a group of teenaged pranksters.  Both of them forgot who
was in the conference room down the hall, as their argument grew more
heated.

They were so engrossed that they were surprised at the sound of a
throat being cleared.

"Agents Scully and Mulder," Skinner nodded at them.

Scully stood up and said a good afternoon.  Mulder was already standing
by the whiteboard, beside his diagram of evidence and events.  Skinner
asked a few polite questions regarding their progress on the case and
later asked to see Mulder alone in the hallway.

Scully tried not to look.  She almost succeeded.  But her curiosity got
the better of her.

She peered through her lashes at them.  She had a clear view from the
glass window of the small room.   She couldn't tell what they were
talking about, but if she didn't know that they were supposed to be a
Deputy Director with his subordinate, she would have mistaken them for
friends.  Very, very good friends from the negligible distance between
the two men.  Scully hastily looked away when Mulder glanced back at
her.  Then when she felt the coast was clear, she surreptitiously gazed
back at them.

After what seemed to be a fairly long conversation between Skinner and
Mulder, her partner went back to their makeshift office.  To her
surprise, Skinner gave her a perfunctory half-salute as he left.

Both of them went back to work.  It was mostly paperwork for tonight.
The special sensors and scanners for "poltergeist-hunting" would arrive
tomorrow.  They agreed that tomorrow was the night to prove or disprove
Mulder's theories of poltergeists.

...................

The steak and ribs place wasn't fancy but it was the best place to eat
in this small town.  Mulder's mouth watered as he caught a whiff
emanating from the restaurant.  He could tell that Scully was starving,
too, from the pinched look of her nostrils.  The place was pretty
crowded and he took it as a good sign that the place was filled with
locals.

The hostess was about to seat them at a table for two when Scully
looked up and saw someone waving his arms at them.

"Hey, Spooky!"

The large restaurant was filled to the rafters.  Mulder squinted
through the smoke that filled even the no smoking section.  From his
vantage point, Mulder saw the long table filled with suits.  Inwardly,
he groaned.

It wasn't pleasant to end a long day with the Bureau boys, especially
when they'd start to talk shop.  Especially when they'd ask about their
case and his present pet theory that involved poltergeists.   He could
see in his mind the image of Scully sinking low in her seat as he
lectured on documented poltergeist activity.

Regional Bureau people were notorious for misinterpreting the behavior
of HQ folks.  They always had a feeling that they were second best.
They resorted to all sorts of defense mechanisms to make up for feeling
that they have to prove themselves all the time.  And one of their
defenses was finding snubs where none existed.   Mulder and Scully
certainly didn't need to ruffle any feathers so they reluctantly made
their way to the Bureau men.

Introductions were made at their end of the table. They managed to
squeeze at one end.

They fielded the usual teasings about the X-files, but mercifully no
one lingered on that topic.  They were all excited about the successful
raid that afternoon.  It was only a few minutes into the meal before
Mulder saw Skinner at the opposite end of the table.

Skinner had that amused glint in his eye. How could he have missed that
distinctive bald head anywhere?  It was clear the DD had been watching
him all this time.  To cover up his embarrassment, Mulder nudged Scully
to draw her attention to the DD.

Scully smiled at him teasingly then gave a wave to Skinner, who
acknowledged it with a nod.  The men in their immediate area noticed
how familiar Scully was with the Deputy Director.  The gesture wasn't
lost on them.  Their estimation of Scully rose by leaps and bound.
Most didn't know that the DD was their former boss.

"Mulder, he's looking at you," Scully leaned over to his ear.

"He is not!"

"Yes, he is," Scully nodded.  They continued to whisper with their
heads very close to each other, as was their habit.  It was only later
when their side of the table was abruptly silent that Scully realized
that the people were looking at their posture in amusement.  This time
she blushed and pretended to look like she was caught.

Well, this was one way to deflect attention from the real relationship
going on right under everyone's noses, she thought.

"So, who was the one who thought of checking the warehouse?" Scully
asked innocently to the group.  The conversation flowed once again.

Mulder marveled at his partner's facility in changing the subject.
The agents around Scully started strutting their stuff to catch her
attention.  This hapless group was under the Scully Spell again.

The rest of the dinner went off without a hitch.   Once in a while,
Mulder glanced at Skinner's way but he studiously avoided smiling too
much at his lover.  After countless ribs were consumed, beer guzzled
down and testosteronal posturings made, the Bureau people stood up and
left the restaurant in one drove.  Good-byes were said and they got
into their rental cars.

Scully took the wheel again.  She fiddled with the rear view mirrors.
She glanced over at her partner and smiled when she saw Mulder eyeing
Skinner through the window as the DD got into his own rental car with
his set of agents.  Scully refrained from saying anything as she drove
back to the motel.

"Why is Walter here, Mulder?" Scully finally thought to ask.  Deputy
Directors in fieldwork were unheard of.

"He's been on this case for years, Scully," Mulder yawned.  "Five
years.  He wants to finish it through.  This drug bust will cut off big
time dealers for most of the southeast."

They were soon back at the motel parking lot.  Scully killed the
engine.

"Uhm...ah...Scully," Mulder began.  He couldn't finish what he wanted
to say.

This time Scully decided to be kind.

"Okay, Mulder," she said.  "It's all right with me if Skinner and I
switch rooms."

"How'd you know I was going to...?" Mulder's voice trailed off.

"Mulder, I know true love when I see it," Scully said with a note of
irony in her voice.  "And I distinctly remember the connecting door
between our rooms."

Once back at the motel, they transferred pieces of luggage to the
appropriate rooms.  Scully shook her head when Mulder jiggled Skinner's
room key in his hand.  The DD had given it to Mulder in the hallway
that afternoon when Scully was studiously avoiding looking in their
direction.  She wondered what would have happened if she'd said no.

.................


Mulder relaxed once Scully was safely ensconced in her new room.   He
opened the connecting door and proceeded with his second shower for the
day.

The DD's trek down south was totally unexpected.  Scully and Mulder had
been here two days already.  Mulder received three phone calls from the
DD in that time.  It was the usual checking up on Mulder calls and the
agent was beginning to chafe at the long arm of Skinner all the way
from DC.

Then a call came again from his lover last night.  Skinner's voice was
light but Mulder could tell that the older man was looking forward to
this bust as fruition of five year's worth of work.  Plus sneaking
around could prove to be exciting.

The DD finally knocked softly on the door a few hours later.

Skinner was well weary but triumphant.  A lot of successful leads for
cases throughout the country were obtained from this afternoon's work.
Once the door was shut behind them, the DD swept a very surprised
Mulder into his arms.  The older man tore off his glasses, then dipped
Mulder and kissed him.

"I needed to do that," Skinner said at the gasping Mulder.  The older
man reached into his coat pocket.  Mulder was stunned at the tiny rose
bud that Skinner held out at him.

"For you," Skinner said simply.

This time, Mulder was awake, very much awake.  Wordlessly, he took the
rose from Skinner.  The DD kissed him again before going back to "his"
room and continuing with his night ablutions.

Mulder looked at the rose, twirling it around and around.  They had
never given each other flowers before.  Flowers only lasted a few days
at the most and created a mess as they slowly wilted in the vase.  And
flowers were frilly and feminine and--frilly.

Where did Skinner get this anyway?  Mulder hadn't noticed a florist in
the small town and certainly, no florist was open this time of night.

The rose was so--red.  It was without a flaw.  He tentatively sniffed
at it.

Of course it smells like a rose, he berated himself.  What else should
it smell like?  He decided not to think too much about this.   Instead,
he tossed off his T-shirt and boxers.  Most likely this rose was going
to lead to something interesting.

Skinner walked back in the room with a towel around his shoulders but
nothing else.  The DD pitched his carry on bag at the floor by his side
of the bed.  His well- toned physique never failed to light up Mulder's
interest.

"Hello, beautiful," Mulder purred then laughed.  He drew his arms wide
in open invitation.

"It's time for some serious loving," Skinner breathed.

The raid was carried off without hitches this afternoon and the success
of the whole operation definitely fueled Skinner's ardor.  The slow
sweet stuff wasn't for tonight.  The urgency he felt inside him
couldn't be denied.

He took Mulder's face in his hands and pried the agent's mouth open
with his own tongue.  The kissing was intense and he wondered if they
were both going to have swollen lips tomorrow.  Skinner chuckled
happily when he felt Mulder's hands straying to his groin and buttocks.
Mulder was trying to push Skinner back on the bed but the DD wouldn't
give in.

"No, Fox, I want to have you my way."

Before Mulder could do anything, Skinner took the younger man's wrists
above his head and kept it there.  He groaned as Mulder's mouth opened
willingly and their tongues began sparring for control.  With him on
top and Mulder at the bottom, it was no contest.  He smiled to himself
as Mulder groaned.    The younger man literally shivered as Skinner's
tongue frantically licked his ear and moved down to his neck.

Arousing Mulder to incoherence was his all time favorite sport.
Basketball was a far second.

The DD could feel Mulder's erection against his belly but he had other
plans at the moment.  He lightly flicked his tongue on each of the
agent's nipples.  Mulder's eyes closed as the older man's mouth
continued its wet course down his body.  They were going about quickly
and Skinner could see that Mulder might shoot any second.  He took
Mulder in his mouth and sucked on the agent for a few seconds.  The
agent's writhing on the bed with his legs splayed out as pleasure
coursed through his body was soon accompanied by high pitched cries.

"Ssshh...baby," Skinner hastily put a hand over the agent's mouth.  "We
need to be quiet."

Mulder shut his eyes and nodded frantically but he lost himself again
when Skinner's hand pumped him.  The younger man's cries were getting
loud again and Skinner had no choice but to clamp his own mouth over
the agent's.  Mulder's swollen testicles were drawing high in their
sac, as the pleasure culminated.

"Walter, I'm gonna come."

Sure enough, the hot sticky wetness was all over the DD's hand.  He
pumped Mulder a few more times until the agent's shuddering ceased.

Skinner caressed the younger man's torso until he calmed down then
Mulder turned over to his belly.  The AD reached down to the floor
where his carry on luggage was.  Skinner warmed the Astroglide and
applied a very generous amount of the stuff.

"My turn," he muttered.  He was so hard that it was a miracle that he
could even wait.  A happy sigh came over him as Mulder's warmth easily
accommodated his single deep thrust, a result of Mulder's post-orgasmic
pliancy.  From his vantage point, Skinner had a clear view of Mulder's
face.  The DD leaned forward some more, taking in Mulder's face
embedded in the softness of the white pillow, eyes closed in bliss.  He
lightly licked his lover's ear.

"Like it?"

"Uh-huh," Mulder moaned.

"Me, too. It's good here."

Skinner's heavy breathing filled the room and he could feel himself
grow ever bigger and larger. Mulder's heat, tightness and friction
intermittently sucked him in and released him.  Skinner's reined in
grunts and moans as he pounded into his lover accompanied the slapping
sound of their flesh.  Heat actually emanated from the point at which
they were one and spread out to Skinner's heaving body.  The throbbing
built to a fever pitch at each thrust.  He attempted to elicit another
erection out of Mulder by reaching underneath, but he wasn't
successful.    Then it was his turn to shudder and his high-pitched
gasp escaped as the bright points of pleasure filled his senses.

Skinner's panting eventually subsided.  He rolled over and was
beginning to drift off to sleep.  The anticipation of the raid,
culmination of years' work, the overall success of a clean operation
with no untoward incidents, the night's company at dinner, capped by a
great time in bed wore him out.

He felt Mulder get up and a minute later, the agent returned.

"Walter..."

Mulder had to shake him awake twice.  When Skinner opened his eyes, he
found Mulder seated on the bed with his glasses in his hand.  The
younger man was back in his boxers and T-shirt.

"What?"  Skinner accepted the wire rims and fumbled it in place.  His
eyes widened when he saw what Mulder had in his hand.

It was a small velvet box.

"For you," Mulder said simply.

Skinner was speechless as he took it from the younger man.

"You didn't tell me you were going to get me this," Skinner gruffly
said.  The box contained a signet ring.  "Mulder family crest?"

Mulder nodded solemnly.

"You didn't tell me in advance either when you gave me mine years ago,
Walter."

Skinner squinted at the interior surface of the ring.

"Forever, too. F," said the engraving.

The DD lay back stunned.  Mulder took his left hand and put it on his
smallest finger.  It was a perfect fit, the same way Mulder's years-old
ring was a perfect fit.

"I love you, Walter."  Mulder kissed him tenderly over both eyes and
cheeks.  A tear or two escaped from under Skinner's lids. "Yeah, I
know.  This is one of the happiest days of your life...drug bust, back
in the field after such a long time, this ring, me."

"I guess you know me too well," Skinner sniffed.  The last months, he'd
been too emotional.  His therapist said it was a natural stage in his
recovery.  But it left him feeling disoriented.  Mulder sensed his
unease at shedding tears.  Wordlessly, he took Skinner in his arms and
hugged.


..............................


Skinner flew back to DC the next day.  It was up to the regional field
office to carry on with the clean up operation from the drug bust.
This very brief foray back in the field was an experience he'd like to
repeat if he could.  But he knew it was wishful thinking on his part.

They exchanged heated frantic kisses by the connecting door just as the
DD's security agents came to pick him up for the hop to the airport.
In the car to the airport, Skinner glanced down at his hand and smiled.

Scully raised her eyebrow at the small rose pinned to her partner's
lapel.  But Mulder chose to say nothing about it, nor did Scully ask.
The agents who sighted the rose bud nudged each other and then look at
Scully.  She herself didn't correct the misconception that the rose
came from her.

Let the rumors fly fast and wild around them.  All that mattered was
that she had John and Mulder had Skinner and that was that.

Kim Cooke took note of the new ring on her boss' hand.  He didn't say
anything about it and neither did she.  The brief stint of field work
was a blessing for her desk-bound boss, but this good mood was due to
more than the drug bust.


END OF BACCARAT PIECE:  WITH THIS...

Feedback highly appreciated seans13@hotmail.com

BFU:  http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Dimension/1367/index.html


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"A beacon in the night"

	Mulder in reference to Skinner
	Nisei
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