Disclaimer: Not mine.
Spoilers: None
A/N: At end.
Sometimes I feel like no matter what I do, this man will never love me. It's not like he's oblivious to my affection for him. I've made eyes at him several times. I always greet him with a smile. Sure, there are probably other men in the world. But this is the man I want. His acceptance matters to me more than even my mother's does.
He usually just ignores me, but sometimes he gives me that look of derision. I hate that look. Like I'm not good enough, like I don't matter. Sometimes I think that if he knew how it made me feel, he would stop doing it. But deep down I know he wouldn't care. He's never cared before, and he's not going to start because I give him the puppy eyes.
Mom says that men are just aloof. Of course I know that. It's not like I was born yesterday. But she obviously has more life experience than I do, so I try to listen to what she tells me. I wish she would just smack him over the head for me, tell him to open his eyes and realize what's right in front of him. Several times I've had to talk myself out of jumping into his lap and kissing him into submission. That would probably be counter productive.
I don't mean to portray him as a jerk. He's really not. He does care about me, deep down. The few times he's brushed back my coppery hair when he thought no one was looking, or the times he's rubbed my back absentmindedly while we watched a movie. He just hasn't realized all this yet. I guess I just have to be patient.
And then there are other times when he really makes me mad. He does things just to annoy me, like kicking my butt as I walk by, or hiding my favorite things. He even teases me with food, which is just about crossing the line.
Just a few minutes ago, he offered me some peanut butter. I shouldn't have fallen into the trap, but I did. You can teach an old dog new tricks, but only if he's learned them the hard way several times already.
He's glancing down at me now, chuckling as I try to rid my mouth of the peanut butter. Crushed, rejected, and sticky, I run into the other room and jump on the couch next to my mother.
"Mulder," she bellows. "Why'd you feed Queequeg peanut butter again?"
"It's funny!" he answers as he comes into the room. "He likes it."
"Be nice to my dog or I'm kicking you out of this apartment."
I smile around the peanut butter and wag my tail. Mom may be in love with the man, but she always takes my side over his. I snuggle into her lap, and even though I still crave his affection, hers is good enough for now.
I smack my tongue against the roof of my mouth, trying to rid myself of the nutty betrayal. Charles M. Schulz said it best. "Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter quite like unrequited love."
A/N: I must have nothing in my life if my tears of laughter while I was writing this are any indication. Anyway, challenge fic, based on the above quote. Thought I would put a little spin on it.