May 1999

Scully turned her head and listened, frowning as she heard the muffled sounds of the television through Mulder's door. She tried knocking again, but there was still no answer.

"Well," she said under her breath, taking out her phone and calling him, waiting for him to pick up.

She could hear it ringing on the other side of the door, but he did not answer it. Sighing, she disconnected the call and put it back into her pocket. Pulling out her keys, she placed his into the lock and opened the door.

Closing the door softly behind her, she put her keys back into her pocket and walked into the dimly lit apartment. His phone was on the table and the television was playing an old movie, but Mulder was nowhere to be seen.

Glancing at his half closed bedroom door, she wondered if she should enter, or leave and never tell him she had stopped by.

What if he was not alone? What if…

She licked her lips, let out a deep breath, and knocked on his bedroom door.

"Mulder?" she called, but heard nothing in reply.

Pushing the door open, she stepped into his nearly equally dim bedroom and frowned, still not seeing him.

A noise from his bathroom gave her pause, but then she stepped forward, sure she would finally find him in there.

"Mulder?" she asked, rapping gently on the closed door.

"Sc… Scully?" he asked, as she heard something hit the floor.

"Yeah, it's me. I tried knocking and then calling you, but you didn't answer," she explained, now feeling almost silly for stopping by unannounced.

"Yeah, I uh… uh…"

"I should've called first," she said, shaking her head. "I was leaving my mom's after having dinner there and thought I'd stop by. But, I'm gonna go. I'll talk to you later."

"No!" he called out, as something dropped again and he swore. "I'm glad you're here, I was just…" He sighed loudly and she frowned, wondering what was going on in there.

"Mulder, it's fine. You continue what you're doing. It wasn't anything important. I'll let you get back to it."

She took one step back and he opened the door at the same time. When she looked at him, her eyes widened in surprise.

"Ohhhh," she breathed, laughter being choked down as she stared at him, fighting back a smile even as she felt it stretching across her face.

"Yeah, I know," he grumbled and the laughter she tried to contain came bubbling out, bending her forward, as he crossed his arms and sighed deeply.

"Mulder," she laughed, shaking her head as she looked at him again, taking in the green clay mask on his face, thicker in some spots and thinner in others. Thin streaks of it were even in his hair. "What are you doing, Mulder?"

"I…" he said with a sigh.

"Have you… have you…" She laughed and then tried to sober up, still snickering softly. "I… I'm sorry. I shouldn't laugh."

"No, you shouldn't," he said, attempting to look angry, but with the clay mask covering his face so unevenly, it did not come across that way.

"Mulder," she said, laughing as she shook her head again. "What? How long have you been doing this?"

"Well, in case you couldn't tell," he said, turning around and walking back into the bathroom, looking into the mirror as she followed him, smiling at his reflection. "I've never done this before. I think I did it wrong."

"It's just…" she said, stepping closer to him and tilting her head, pointing to the left side of his face. "It needs to be a little thicker on that side. You've also got it in your hair. A headband would help that from happening."

"Oh right. I should have used that headband I have lying around," he said sarcastically, looking at her as she smiled.

"I think I have an extra one if you'd like to borrow it. For next time," she offered and he shook his head.

"I think this may be the only time. I don't know if it's for me."

"Come on," she said, picking up the container and opening it. Taking a sniff of the familiar scent, she smiled and handed it to him. "Put it on the rest of the way and let it sit the full twenty minutes. Then decide if you don't want to do it again."

"Fair enough, I suppose," he said, dipping his fingers into the container and scooping up more of the clay, applying it to his face as he followed her directions of where to put more, even taking her suggestion to add it halfway down his neck.

"There. How does that feel?" she asked when he was done and he washed his hands as she closed the container.

"Hmm, it's starting to feel slightly… tingly?"

"Yeah. That'll be from the mint. It'll start feeling tighter as it dries and then you can wash it off."

He stared in the mirror, tilting his head from side to side and then back as he looked at his neck. Cutting his eyes to her, she smiled at him and nodded.

"You'll like it."

"Hmm."

"How about some tea while you wait? Or a beer?" she asked with a laugh when he made a face.

"I think I have some in the fridge."

"I'm almost certain that's all you have," she teased.

"Nah, I've also got some leftover Chinese from the other night."

They went into the kitchen and he took out containers of food and two beers while she grabbed utensils, plates, and napkins. At the table, he sat down and she smiled behind her hand as she watched him filling his plate, his face and half his neck covered in the clay mask.

Stabbing an egg roll with a fork, he ate it carefully, chewing slowly.

"So," she said, taking an egg roll for herself. "What made you decide to do this?" She waved to his face with the egg roll, crossing her legs as she sat forward in her chair and took a bite and began to chew.

"Well," he said, setting his egg roll down and wiping his hands on his napkin. "I needed some shaving cream and as I was walking down one of the aisles, the sight of the container caught my eye. I stopped and picked it up, reading what it did exactly and well…" He shrugged and then frowned slightly. "Oh, I feel it tightening a little."

"Hmm," she said, setting her egg roll on a napkin and reaching for the container of chow mein, eating a forkful of the cold noodles right from the carton.

"It's a really odd feeling," he said, touching his face gently. "It's drying in some spots and still a little damp in others." Tilting his head back, he touched his neck and hummed.

"Don't touch it so much," she said, laughing softly as she pulled his hand away from his neck. "Just let it dry."

"How often do you do this?"

"Uh, once a month usually. Two times, if I feel like it."

He moved his mouth from side to side and raised his eyebrows up and down which caused her to laugh, his expression quite comical.

"I really wasn't sure why you weren't answering my many attempts to reach you, but I admit, this never crossed my mind."

"Always gotta keep you on your toes, Scully," he said, taking another bite of egg roll and smiling, the skin on his face stretching to accommodate the movement.

"That you do, Mulder. That you do," she said, laughing as she stared at him and he winked.

March 2003

A late winter storm blew in, forcing them to extend their stay in a cabin they had planned to leave after their prepaid two weeks. They had food, firewood, and some bottles of wine to tide them over, so they did not view the storm as a hindrance.

When the power went out and the generator kicked on, the lights dimming somewhat, they decided to turn off the movie they had been watching to conserve power. Mulder stood up to search for some candles while she stirred the fire and added another couple of logs to it.

"So," Mulder said, walking back into the room with his arms full of candles in varying shapes and sizes. "I have an idea of what we can do to pass the evening now that the movie is off the table."

"Really?" she asked, an eyebrow raised as she looked at him. "The whole evening?"

"Not that," he laughed, reaching for the matches and handing them to her. "I mean, unless…" He raised his eyebrows, jerking his head toward the bedroom.

"Hmm, maybe later," she said, smiling as she started lighting the candles.

"Then I'll be right back," he said and she watched him walk to the bedroom, wondering what he had in mind.

He was back quickly with his hands behind his back, a happy smile on his face.

"Pick a hand," he said, coming closer to her. She smiled and pointed to his left hand. Pulling it from behind his back, he presented her with the container of her clay face mask.

"What?" she asked with a laugh. "What else have you got hidden back there?"

Showing her his other hand, he held the three bottles of nail polish from her makeup bag, along with her stretchy headband, which was hanging from his wrist.

"Face masks and pedicures?" she asked, looking from one hand to the other. "That's what you want to do?"

"Or we could…" He gestured to the bedroom again and she laughed, shaking her head.

"If I can paint your toes, then I'm in."

"I choose the red one," he said, setting everything onto the table, except the bottle of red nail polish that he began to shake as she laughed.

Pouring them each a glass of wine, she sat down as she pulled her hair back and put her headband on, looking up at him expectantly. He grinned and picked up the container, removed the lid and scooped out some of the clay. He rubbed it in his hands and then began to apply it to her face, massaging as he did.

"That feels really good," she said, closing her eyes and tilting her head back further.

"Good," he said, rubbing the clay across her chin and down her throat. "And if at any time this becomes too erotic for you and you do want to head to the bedroom, I have no doubt that this can be washed off quite quickly."

She scoffed as she opened her eyes, smiling and then rolled her eyes at him.

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind."

"Good," he said again as he kissed her softly and she closed her eyes, concentrating on the relaxing feel of the mask being applied, even as her heart beat faster.

His mask application took longer as he stopped her many times for a kiss, some lasting longer than the others, his hands at her waist and traveling down further before she stepped out of his reach and he groaned in protest.

"You think you can make it?" she teased and he hummed as he shook his head.

"I honestly don't know," he admitted and she laughed quietly as she stepped close to him again and rubbed the clay onto his forehead.

They sat on the couch, his feet resting in her lap, and she smiled as she covered his previously bare toenails with red polish. Blowing on them, she heard his sharp intake of breath and looked up at him.

"No," he said firmly and she chuckled with a nod of understanding.

Switching positions, she placed her feet in his lap. He painted her toenails a light blue and she smiled at the focused attention he put into it, making sure it was done well. He looked up at her when he was finished and he smiled.

"Oh, I forgot about the mask," he said, touching his cheek. "It's already nearly dry."

"Well, you can wash it off soon. Unless you want to wait until our polish has dried and we could wash it off in the shower."

"The shower? To wash off a face mask?" he asked with a frown.

"Yeah," she said, raising her eyebrows.

"Oh. You meant… together," he said, raising his own eyebrows.

"That is what I had in mind, yes."

"After the polish has dried," he reiterated.

"Mm-hmm," she hummed with a smile, her own mask feeling almost dry as well.

"Well…" he said, making sure the bottle of polish was closed tightly before he set it on the coffee table. Lifting her foot, he blew gently across her toes and it was her turn to draw in a sharp breath.

"Fi… five minutes," she whispered, licking her lips.

"Let's see if we can't cut that in half," he said, blowing on her toes again and she nodded.

"I'm also not opposed to simply redoing them tomorrow, should they not have time to dry. Just so you're aware," she informed him.

"Yeah, that works much better for me," he said, moving her feet and rising from the couch.

Reaching for her hand, he pulled her up and toward the bedroom as she laughed; the face mask stretching as she did.

Her toenails would most certainly need to be redone tomorrow, but she did not care. At that moment, her desire for the man she loved took precedence over all else.

Especially smudged toes.

Or face masks that had not quite dried.