Title: Insecurity of Looks Author: Erin M. Blair E-Mail: eblair@sonic.net Classification: VRA--Vignette, Romance, Angst Content: Mulder/Scully Romance Spoiler: Sanguinarium. Jersey Devil. Rating: PG Archive: DO NOT forward to ATXC. OK to archive at: Gossamer, Xemplary, EMXC, FWMfanfic Archive, and Soulmates Eternal. All others, ask me first. Disclaimer: The characters of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully don't belong to me. They belong to Chris Carter, 1013 Productions, and the FOX network. No infringement is intended. Author's Note: This is just a character mood vignette about Mulder's insecurity about his nose. Scully will make a comment on what she said in the episode "The Jersey Devil" during Season One. This story takes place during early Season Four. Feedback: Sure. I love feedback. Summary: Mulder worries about his looks during the episode while Scully reassures him that he's rather "cute". Missing Scene from Sanguinarium.

-------------------------------------- INSECURITY OF LOOKS Written by: Erin M. Blair --------------------------------------

Mulder peered at the mirror to see his face. His nose had always been a sore issue to him. Ever since grade school when some nasty comments were made about his nose, he had always felt insecure about his nose. Although he loved his sister, Samantha, she used to say to him, "you have such a big nose!" He pushed on his nose, and he tried to straighten out the bumpiness.

No such luck.

"Mulder, what are you doing?" Scully asked, as she walked through their adjoining hotel room door. She looked at him looking at the mirror, and she frowned.

"Scully, what do you think of my nose?" Mulder asked, as he turned around to face her.

"Your nose?" Scully asked, concerned, and a bit taken aback, "Mulder, what's wrong?"

"I don't know..."

Scully watched Mulder sit down on the bed, and she went towards him. "There's nothing wrong with your nose, Mulder. Why do you think that there's something wrong with it?"

"It's kind of bumpy..."

Scully looked at his face, and she took a deep breath. "Mulder, that's from wearing glasses. It's just a crease. Look, I have one too." She touched the bridge of her nose. "See?"

Mulder nodded. "I know. You don't know how much I was teased when I was a kid."

"You're still teased at work, you know. They call you "Spooky" near the elevators."

"I know," Mulder said, with a sigh. "Are you sure that there's nothing's wrong with my nose?"

"Absolutely nothing," Scully said assuringly. She had always thought that Mulder was attractive. She smiled as she recalled when she told her best friend, Ellen, about how Mulder was cute. That was when she was first paired with him, and she smiled to herself as she remembered that conversation. "I think that there's something that I need to tell you..."

"What?" Mulder asked with interest.

"I'd always thought that you're very handsome, Mulder."

"Scully, really?"

Scully nodded. "When I first saw you, I thought how you were so good looking." She saw Mulder smile and give her a little leer. "In fact, I told my friend that I think that you're cute."

"You want me, don't you?" Mulder asked with dawning surprise.

"Yes, I do..."

"Umm, Scully, I want you too. When you walked into my life, I thought you were hot," Mulder said with a smile. "So you think that I'm cute?"

"Yes, I do," Scully said with a nod. "Mulder? Do you still think that I'm hot?"

"Always."

End of Vignette