Chapter 3 - Toothbrush
Mulder was in his bathroom, wearing a half-buttoned shiny black shirt on black jeans -all brand new for the occasion- facing the mirror and about to brush his teeth.
Scully had invited him tonight. She wanted him to accompany her to a social gathering downtown he didn't even remember what it was about. When she had casually asked him out in the office a few days ago -was it even a date? he wondered- Mulder had been so stunned that of all the details she had launched to him, the day and the hour were the only things he had remembered.
Scully would soon pick him up and he would let her lead him wherever, and make him do whatever she would want him to do.
He just knew that he would spend the evening with her, and evenings are always better when shared. When shared with Scully.
Mulder stretched his arm to reach the toothbrush holder, and made a pause, holding his hand a few inches over the brush.
A few years ago, there were two items in the holder, always ending with their bristles entwined, how matter they would be dropped in the glass. A day-to-day X File in the bathroom that made them often smile. Now, the little toothbrush felt lonely and miserable, maybe because it had done its time and should be replaced, but surely because it would have felt better if it were sharing its nest with another of its kind. Scully's one.
Mulder took the brush and put some toothpaste on. Then, from the colors of the rays coming through the window, he realized that the sun was setting. Not wanting to miss what had become a new habit, he moved downstairs then stepped outside on the porch, while brushing his teeth.
Fox Mulder was now standing on his porch, doing nothing but watching the sunset and mindlessly moving his right hand.
And, doing so, he travelled through time in his mind and came back to his childhood, at a time he was fairly happy, at a time he could share little things with someone he cherished. When he and Samantha could brush their teeth side by side.
The two of them had done many silly things while brushing their teeth, but there was one particular thing that was standing out right now. The day, or rather the evening, when he had wanted to disgust Samantha just for the sake of it. When he had swallowed all the toothpaste he had in his mouth -and that was a lot, as he had anticipated the prank when squeezing the tube. To his great pleasure it had worked as planned, and he had asked: 'Do you think I'm yucky?'. Samantha had been half-shocked half-amused, then had launched: 'You're just a gross Fox!'.
Afterwards, it had become a little game between them, happy moments that unfortunately ended too early with Samantha's disappearance. A little game among a lot of other little things he hadn't been able to share anymore with his sister, and that had made him feel sad and heartbroken for years -and, for some, the feeling would last forever.
As the sun facing him on the porch was about to disappear, he heard a noise he had learned to recognize these last months. Scully's car.
At this moment, he realized there were two little things he wouldn't want to miss. Two little things that would make him feel happy and lighthearted, the last glorious rays of the sun and Scully's arrival at their once shared house -the conjunction of the two events promising a heavenly vision of aflame hair and skin.
So he stayed on the porch, standing and waiting for Scully, swallowed the whole toothpaste still filling his mouth and wiped his face with the back of his left hand.
As anticipated, Scully's arrival was beautiful and made his heart beat a little faster.
"Hi, handsome," Scully said when stepping up on the porch.
"Hi, my goddess Sekhmet. You're wearing the Sun on your head so beautifully tonight," Mulder replied.
Scully smiled and, as she was reaching him, she raised her left hand towards his face.
"Always icky, as I can see," she said while thumbing the right corner of his mouth where spots of foam had remained.
"Well," Mulder grinned. "I might return to the bathroom then complete my dressing."
Mulder quickly moved upstairs, properly finished his tooth brushing then entered his bedroom.
Meanwhile, Scully had quietly and cautiously followed him on the upper floor. That was always an overwhelming path for her to step on, but she was trying to gradually immunize her feelings and to appropriate each part of the house again. Especially upstairs.
In the bedroom Mulder was uncertain about the clothes he should wear. He should have asked Scully what was the dress code -if there were one- but now it seemed too late. Remembering how she was dressed -a not-so-chic casual- he dismissed the tie but wanted to wear an appropriate nice jacket.
He left the bedroom and called from the hallway: "Scully, would you mind giving me a jacket tip?"
"Sure," Scully replied from the bathroom.
Mulder moved forward. The door of the bathroom was ajar and, thinking that Scully was readjusting her make-up, he poked his head in. Scanning the room, he found her sitting on the toilet.
"Wow, Scully! You have to warn me!" he said while pulling back his head.
"Come on, Mulder. As if you never saw me sitting here," Scully replied.
Mulder realized that it was indeed one of the little intimate things they had shared when they were a couple. Years ago. Right now, it didn't seem right.
Scully flushed the toilet and moved toward the sink.
"You can come in!" she yelled to Mulder who was waiting outside.
He stepped in, his two jackets hanging over his left arm, and came close to Scully who was washing her hands. He noticed that she seemed to explore her teeth with her tongue.
"Mulder, would you have a spare toothbrush for me?" Scully asked.
"Sure. Same place," he replied.
Scully then opened the drawer on her right and found a packaged toothbrush. She picked it up and took the little brush out of the package.
Mulder was watching Scully in awe.
His little toothbrush wouldn't feel alone and miserable anymore in its nest.
For he was certain that, in a few minutes, Scully would drop down the toothbrush she was now using in the holder, leaving there the item for another occasion she would need it.
It could be in two weeks or two months, it didn't matter right now.
Because his little toothbrush would feel better sharing his glass and entwining its bristles with its other kind.
Because soon Mulder would feel better brushing his teeth side by side with Scully in their shared bathroom.
Because that was Mulder's hope and he believed it would happen. Eventually.