This was originally just these two chapters as a one off then I wanted to merge them with another fic I have in the pipeline but have ultimately decided against that so I'm reposting this as a two shot. ️
Skinner couldn't keep his eyes away from Scully's chest she was enticing him he wasn't egotistical enough to think she was dressing solely from him, but a man could dream. Her creamy skin almost perfectly matched the shade of her nude camisole making her look perfectly naked. He could barely pay attention to Mulder's justification of their expenses for a case that was ridiculously far fetched; although it had a very positive result with a mountain of evidence against the perpetrators.
"I don't need to hear anymore, just make sure the case report is on my desk by the end of the day. I'll deal with any questions about the expenses." Skinner demands hoping the end of the meeting will mean he can see Scully's perfectly shaped rear end walking away from him. Her tantalising tight black skirt making him glad he's still at his desk or his erection would be more obvious than Pendrell's crush on Scully.
Back in the basement Mulder can't stop thinking about the looks Scully had been receiving all day.
"I think you should keep wearing that camisole Scully, our expenses would thank you."
"I don't know what you mean."
"I mean, Skinner couldn't stop staring at your chest. Little unprofessional if you ask me."
"Firstly Mulder, no one is asking you and secondly considering the collection of porn you keep in this office him staring at my breasts is nothing." Scully's says with finality.
Mulder had gone to the bathroom leaving Scully to finish off their report when someone knocked on their door.
"Is the report ready, Agent Scully?" Skinner asks trying not to stare at her exposed skin, she wasn't wearing her blazer.
"Yeah just printing it off. I could've brought it up to you."
"It's okay, I've had meetings all day I needed to stretch my legs."
"Here you go." She responds handing him the file.
"So, do you have any plans for your birthday tonight?"
"My moms having some of the family round on Saturday for dinner but I've got nothing planned tonight."
"So you'll be alone?"
"Well I'll be joined by a pizza and a bottle of wine. But after I turned twenty five I stopped caring." She laughs but it doesn't reach her eyes.
"I'll take you out for dinner tonight, if you'd you know, like." He stammers.
"I'd like that." She replies grinning at his youthful bashfulness.
"Shall I meet you at your apartment tonight, say seven?"
"That works for me."
"Okay. Any preference for dinner?"
"I'm just happy to be going out with you."
"Sir." Mulder greets coming back into the room.
"Thanks for the report Agent Scully, I'll see you tonight." Skinner says leaving the room.
Mulder stares at the door Skinner had just left from trying to find his voice. He can't think of anything to say so busies himself at his desk. There's only twenty minutes left of the work day.
"You're really going on a date with Skin man?" Mulder asks as they reach their respective cars in the parking lot.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Why shouldn't I?"
"He's…" Mulder stutters.
"He's an attractive, decent man. What I know of him I like and I want to find out more."
"People will talk."
"People don't have to know. And even if they did, the entire building things we've been sleeping together for years and I couldn't care less about that fake gossip."
"I just don't get why tonight." Mulder mumbles. Scully gets in her car and prepares to drive away before ending her conversation with Mulder.
"So you think I should be alone on my birthday?"
Skinner made his way to Scully's door bouquet of red roses in hand, he was early but couldn't wait any longer. This could be the start of something amazing, he has been staring at Scully for years he's always respected her and his crush has only gotten deeper. Every time she becomes a victim in her own case all he wants is to rush to her apartment to hold her close before gunning down anyone willing to hurt a single beautiful hair on her head. He brushes some lint off of his charcoal suit pants, glad he wore this charcoal grey outfit thinking it'll likely match whatever she's wearing without looking too formal. He raps on the door checking his watch knowing it's only quarter to six and not the seven o'clock they had planned.
"You're early." She greets from her front door wearing a bathrobe.
"You're beautiful. Although I don't think the robe is the best fashion choice Dana."
"Very funny Walter, will I see your editorial in the next issue of vogue?"
They share a laugh as he walks into her comfortable home.
"These are for you. Happy birthday." He hands her the roses enthralled by the smile on her face.
"Make yourself comfortable, I'll put these in some water then I'll put my dress on. We're not having a toga party."
She busies herself as he looks around the cosy home, he can't help but feel the stark differences between his home and hers. His home feels so cold and clinical whereas this apartment is warm and inviting. The soft couches and matching chairs, the family photos gracing the walls. His musing gets interrupted by Dana.
"Is this more appropriate?" She grins from her bedroom door. Her dark green dress compliments her soft red hair, the silver clutch bag and sandals matching the silver straps on the dress and its belt like detailing.
"Definitely more appropriate you are stunning." He manages to say.
"Tell me about the restaurant we're going to." Scully's asks when they've gotten into his expensive BMW.
"It's a steakhouse, there's other things on the menu but their steaks are legendary. The starters and desserts are delicious as well. I got dragged here for a birthday a couple of months ago and I didn't care that I didn't like anyone I was sat with because the food was so good." He laughs.
"Living the dream."
"Better than a pizza?"
"We'll see, I'll have to have you round and you can try my special homemade pizza."
"Do you make it all from scratch?" He asks intrigued.
"Yep. Fresh dough, fresh sauce made using fresh tomatoes, if I've been to my moms recently enough, sometimes if I have the time and energy I'll even make my own mozzarella." She brags enjoying his wonder.
They hold hands as they exit the car, Walter throwing his keys into the welcome palm of the valet.
"Should I bother with wine?" She muses.
"I'm just having one glass, because I'm driving so maybe have one with me."
"I think I will. You've been here before, are the nachos decent nachos?"
"They're delicious, the chips are freshly fried, the cheese sauce is the best I've ever had."
"You've sold me, I'm having nachos."
"Would you like to do a sharer portion?"
"Yes."
Over delicious and a glass each of wine they regale tales of college, Walter was surprised to learn about Dana's punk rebellious phase including jet black hair. He talked about how he shaved his head for the marines but when he was discharged tried to grow his hair out again and his friends nicknamed him patches. I'd rather just be bald he laughed.
"You suit bald, my brother Bill went bald once for a dare and he looked dreadful, he thought since so many people compare him to my father that he'd look like dad who suited bald. He didn't. It was tragic. We've never let him live that down."
"The only thing in my family like that is my brother growing his hair out, he's always had shortish hair but when he grew it he looked creepy."
"Did you nickname him Jesus?"
"No, this was the seventies, he was Ozzy Osbourne."
"That's hilarious, did you get him toy bats for his birthdays?"
"I wish we'd have thought of that, that's genius."
"My goth phase dubbed me Alice Cooper." Dana laughs
"I'd have loved to have seen that. You'd be hot as hell with black hair, did you wear a lot of leather too?"
"Too much black leather for someone who lived in San Diego." They laughed.
Their conversation flowed throughout their dinner as they shared more stories from their childhoods. In the car on the way to Dana's home Walter admits he's hasn't been this open with someone for a very long time.
"Even your wife?" Dana asks
"I always found it difficult to open up about my time in the marines, and when I joined the FBI it was easy to just say it was a difficult case and bury my emotions."
"You want to talk about your trauma but it's trauma so it's hard to do."
"Exactly."
"And you can't talk to people at work in case anyone thinks you're not up for the job, it's so easy for someone to diminish your work."
"There's always someone hoping for your failure."
"I still have nightmares about Donnie Phaster, the death fetishist."
"He ran you off the road and tied you up wanting to rape then kill you, I'd have nightmares just thinking about that happening to you." He confessed not wanting to let her know he actually did have a nightmare after reading their case report.
"I sometimes see a therapist, maybe you should too."
"It's not something I've ever thought about doing. Not seriously anyways."
"I was forced to after my abduction, otherwise I wouldn't have taken the jump myself. But I'm glad I did. Think of it as going to the doctors for a checkup but for your mind."
"Maybe."
"I'm not going to push you into therapy, Walter, I'm happy being the person you can confide in no matter what."
"I'll think about it."
"The hardest think you can do isn't admitting you need help, its actually getting help."