Title: Anything To Avoid Paperwork
Author: Dana E. Vassy
Rating: PG
Category: MSR, A/U
Spoilers: None, just my wicked little mind at work
Disclaimer: How much more apparent does it have to become
for you to accept it? They're simply not mine, darlings.
Feedback: I'll just put it in my feedback folder with all
those other messages that aren't yours. C'mon – send to:
scullys_no_slut@viceprez.fsnet.co.uk
Disclaimer: Yes to Legacy, Gossamer, Ephemeral. Anyone
else, ask first through the above addy.
Summary: You want me to read it to you? Hurry up and get on
with it...




"No."

"Please?"

"No."

I sigh much more loudly than the situation requires.
Feigning defeat, I slump back into the throw cushions. But
the way she is watching doesn't escape me. I see a new
emotion traverse her eyes, one I've only recently come to
recognise. A look of raw passion conflicting with
practised restraint. For once, Agent Scully is in danger
of losing control. And it thrills me to know I cause that
reaction in her.

She turns away, nibbling once more on her sandwich. We are
both seated on the large sofa in her immaculate sitting
room. The space between us is minimal, but attention is
supposed to be diverted to the mountain of paperwork strewn
across the table. It's fairly typical for a Wednesday
night; the only difference is that we now do paperwork in
each other's apartments after the office day.

I still can't ascertain exactly why Scully and I embarked
on this romantic relationship. She's always been the
consummate professional, wary of office romance due to
previous bad experiences. And I have a certain aversion to
any sort of commitment. Until now.

Maybe we both realised that this would make us happy.
Maybe it was a natural development, with neither rhyme nor
reason. Or maybe we both got sick of being mistaken for a
couple, and decided to at least get some happiness out of
all the gossip and assumptions.

Whatever the cause, I'm thankful. She's my every fantasy
come true, and I know she won't abuse my trust like so many
others have in the past. I think it's true for both of us
that we missed human comfort more than we could admit.
There are some days that only a loving touch can brighten.
Luckily, I seem to receive that loving touch on a regular
basis, and I'm always willing to reciprocate.

Which is why yet another expense report is the furthest
thing from my mind. Scully is but a few inches from my
lap, dressed only in a silk dressing gown. My early
arrival interrupted her bath. She smells divine, fresh and
soapy, with a light breeze of the perfume I bought her. I
get the impression that she quickly applied that because
she still likes to make an effort to be alluring, even
after all these months. I'm no better, having changed
three times before coming over. Yet we both love each
other without these frivolities.

The request she turned down so flatly was a proposed breach
of our ground rules. She sits there, practically edible,
and says we have to follow the 'no sex with work
outstanding' rule. I swear she's trying to kill me.
Fortunately, there are ways to break those stoic defences.

Seizing my opportunity, I move over and start to kiss her
neck as she tries to concentrate on a car rental receipt.
I know Scully, she'll resist, but she can't hide how her
breathing just quickened. Nor can she conceal the slight
quiver in her hand. I just hope her increasing
impulsiveness comes through for me tonight.

"Mulder.."

Not quite a whine, and not quite reproaching enough. I
move my focus to her sweet little earlobe, gradually
working through the spots I know she loves.

"Mulder, stop."

This time she means it. I curse my misfortune and retreat
with a parting kiss to her partially exposed shoulder. As
she turns, I see hurt in her eyes.

"Can't you respect the boundaries?"

Uh oh. Never a good conversation opener.

"I happen to disagree with the rigid nature of your
theory Ms Scully."

"Well I happen to think it's well-founded."

She's testing me somehow. I think she senses something
strange about me, God knows she should. I've never been
more in love or more nervous than I am tonight. With a
smile, I attempt to relieve the tension.

"Are you going to disagree with me over everything for
the rest of my life?"

Her turn for a good-natured smile.

"Yes, I am."

"Well, if you're going to stick around that long, I
might as well do the decent thing."

It's fun to watch her eyes go saucer-like as I shift from
the couch to the floor. As I kneel up on one leg and
remove the little box from my pocket, she looks even more
shocked. It seems a happy kind of shock, judging by the
smile forming on her open mouth.

"Dana Katherine Scully, you make me happier than I
thought possible. I love you more than anything in the
world. There's only one thing that could make me happier.
Will you marry me?"

I agonised for weeks over that speech, ever since I found
this beautiful ring in a tiny jewellers out of town. I
almost bottled out a few times, unsure when would be
appropriate. And tonight I told myself, in the King's
words, it's now or never.

She takes my hand, lightly, and stares at the floor. For
the first time I consider she may turn me down. I don't
deserve her after all. We have work to consider, and
perhaps I took this too seriously, too quickly.

But when she finally looks at me, when I see the beaming
smile and watery eyes, I know she has the right answer. I
dive forward and take her in my arms, feeling her
whispering 'yes' over and over again into my chest. She
manages to soak my new shirt with her tears, and I'm just
relieved these are happy tears at last.

I give her the time she needs to compose herself, with her
body trapped under mine on the plush couch. Then she
moves, reaching up to give me the most breathless and
passionate kiss I've ever experienced. For an
immeasurable amount of time, we're both lost in that
sensational meshing of mouths and duelling of tongues.
But I haven't forgotten her earlier teasing.

"Better stop there. We have got all that work to
finish."

She toys with her ring, sitting perfectly on her slim
finger. The mock-scandalised look on Scully's face is most
amusing.

"Nice try. New rules if we're engaged."

She stands up, now freed from the pressure of my body.
Offering her hand, she inclines her head in the direction
of the bedroom.

"And what do those rules say?"

"That we should have mad, passionate sex at every
opportunity."

I'm almost stunned by her forthright answer. Not like the
demure Scully I'm used to. But knowing how non-demure she
is in bed, I'm very willing to be led through to let her
have her wicked way..

And for once, there are no monsters hiding. Just unspoiled
happiness.