Advice - Requested by filemeunderx - November 19th, 2019
Any Season - Someone asks Mulder and Scully for romance advice
There were many pitfalls to having an office in the Hoover basement. Poor air circulation, temperamental heating and air conditioning, being low on the priority list for custodians, but more importantly, being hidden away to the point they were unfamiliar with most of their colleagues yet being enigmatic enough to be known by all of them.
The short, young, blonde agent had introduced herself twice already, but Scully couldn't remember her name no matter how hard she tried. Kimberly? Danielle? Financial Crimes? VCU?
"That's really interesting Agent…I'm so sorry," Mulder apologized in embarrassment, clearly just as bad as she was.
"Please, call me Susan," she beamed, extending the invitation to the both of them.
"So, Susan. Is there something we can help you with?" she asked, readjusting the files she was carrying so they lay more comfortably on her hip.
She'd been running an errand with Mulder to grab some documents from storage when they bumped into the younger agent. They'd stood there awkwardly as she showered them with enthusiastic praise, exclaiming that she and her partner had heard about some of their latest cases and thought they were fascinating.
It was nice, but her arm was killing her from the bundle and she wanted to get back to her office before her coffee went to waste. But Mulder was smiling and excited, and she wasn't going to take this moment of appreciation away from him – her arm's circulation be damned.
At Scully's question, the girl turned pink and started to fumble on her words, a stark contrast to the bubbly enthusiasm from a moment ago. She was about to apologize for possibly offending her, but she raised her head and looked between them both again. "I hope I'm not crossing a line."
Scully felt an eyebrow quirk up in response as Mulder chuckled lightly. "Well, usually when we're on this floor we're getting our asses handed to us, so this is already a far more pleasant experience than normal."
Susan smiled at the encouragement and tucked her hair behind her ear before asking. "How do you guys make your relationship work so well?"
There was a moment of silence following her question as the words rang heavy in the air. There was a distinct beat where her and Mulder waited for the other to say something, only to result in them speaking at the same time.
"We ju-"
"I think-"
"You go," Scully nudged.
"No, you," Mulder replied.
Scully exhaled an awkward laugh as she tried to articulate her thoughts. "Our relationship works so well because we respect each other first and foremost. It's a relationship built on respect. We value what the other brings to the table, even if we don't personally agree with it," she explained thoughtfully before turning to Mulder and encouraging him to add.
He was looking at her and nodded as she said this and turned to Susan and continued with, "Yes. I think it also works because we trust each other. She's saved my ass more times than I can count. I know I don't have to watch my back, because she's got it covered."
To hide her smile at his admission, she bumped the files up onto her hip once again. This time, however, it caught Mulder's attention. "Here, pile that on top of my stack," he offered, lowering his own collection of files.
"No, thank you. I can handle it," she replied.
"Scully, at least give me half of your stack."
"It's not even that much. I just needed to adjust."
"But isn't it hard being romantically involved with your coworker?"
"See? The top few are slipping."
"What did you say?" Scully asked the woman, ignoring Mulder stealing envelopes from her side.
"How are you able to keep your work and home life separate?" she asked earnestly.
"Well it's easier for her than it is for me," Mulder joked, not having heard the original phrasing of the question. "Half of these files will be coming home with me," he explained, raising the now towering stack in his arms as if it was nothing.
"Does it ever get hard remaining professional at work?" she followed up, asking in a slightly lower tone filled with implications.
"According to Scully here, I'm never professional," Mulder admitted with a breathy laugh.
Susan's eyes widened in pleasant surprise while her mouth made a small 'o'.
Scully, watching the misunderstanding taking place as Mulder unknowingly shoved his foot down her throat, started shaking her head to dismiss his words. "W-w-wait a minute," she rushed.
Mulder looked at her with a bemused expression and smiled at her, "What? You tell me all the time." Then turning to the engrossed younger agent, joked, "She claims I break at least a dozen rules in our office a day."
"Wow," Susan sighed, in awe of the nonexistent escapades she was envisioning in her head.
"We aren't romantically involved," Scully blurted, a little too loudly as Agents passing by turned their heads. Clearing her throat, she lowered her volume and reiterated, "We aren't together…like that."
"Wait, what?" Mulder asked, trying to catch up, but only exceeding in making it look like she was trying to cover something up.
"It's okay Agent Scully, I won't tell anyone. I was just curious because I'm starting to have feelings for my partner, and you both seem to have it all figured out," Susan explained.
"But Agent Mulder and I aren't-," she started, only to get cut off by the young girl leaning in and clasping her wrist in a show of confidence.
"It's okay. Your secret is safe with me. Well- if it is a secret. You guys are just so perfect together. You're like the dream couple!" She gushed.
Scully felt her jaw drop in shock and she turned to Mulder whose face was starting to turn an embarrassing shade of pink. "There he is!" Susan whispered confidentially, directing their attention to an equally younger male agent with glasses too big for his face and curly brown hair.
"This made me feel so much better," she sighed in relief as Mulder and Scully stood there in mutual shock. "I just wish I had a basement office like you guys. I can only imagine the sorts of fun we could have," she joked with a hint of sincerity.
"There are always other places," Mulder joked, ignoring the daggers Scully sent his way.
The agent laughed and nodded before bidding them farewell and running over to her partner, who met her with a beaming smile and a sparkle in his eye.
There was an awkward silence as they both stood there, processing what just happened. "I didn't know we were together, Mulder," Scully chastised playfully.
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize what she-"
"Usually men have to buy me dinner first," she winked playfully, letting him know she truly wasn't mad – much to his relief.
"Well I think you still have that lukewarm coffee I bought you waiting downstairs. What's more romantic than that?" he teased, a familiar gleam in his eye.
