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"What's the matter? I'm not your type?" The young man facing him smiled confidently and moved closer.  

"Thanks anyhow. I'm not looking for a date." He scanned the Bureau regulations in his mind and, as usual when he really needed help, there wasn't anything appropriate. 

"No? You've been up and down this street three times. I've been watching you." The street was full of attractive young men mingling and talking and, from the sounds, getting better acquainted in the shadows. Not quite the neighborhood he had anticipated. 

Scully insisted that the August crazy season was the probable explanation for the dozens of reports. Everything from UFO's to rabid dogs to sightings of Elvis. Official opinion, meaning Assistant Director Walter Skinner, had agreed. So Mulder was out here on his own time, alone.  

"At least you're thinking about it. That's encouraging." The young man flashed him a brilliant smile, well aware of his own attractions. 

"No." Mulder's tone was more definite this time. Enough is enough.

"Well, I'll be around." His admirer eyed him regretfully, then surprised him with a quick, warm kiss. "If you change your mind." 

Mulder watched with appreciation as the stranger walked off, his hips swinging jauntily. That young man wouldn't have trouble finding someone else. 

"This is an interesting picture." Skinner, his appearance as awkward as it was unexpected. Looking good. Looking pissed. How long had he been there? 

"What are you doing here?" Attack. The best form of defense.  

"I might ask you the same question, Agent Mulder." There was a veiled fury in those dark eyes that promised his answer had better be a good one. Unfortunately....

"I was...looking for aliens?" 

"Really? And was that one of your...suspects?"  Skinner threw a dark look toward the crowd where Mulder's youthful admirer had disappeared.

"It wasn't what it looked like." Weak. Very weak. 

"You were kissing him," Skinner said flatly. 

"No. He was kissing me." Shit On the defensive already. 

"Of course. Explain to me again what you're doing here."  

"I might ask you the same question. Again."  

" I'm here because I'm familiar with your complete inability to follow orders, Agent Mulder." Skinner's eyes, still smoldering, raked over him like a lightning strike. 

"Yes, sir." Mulder decided to err on the side of caution for the time being. At least until he knew just how much trouble he was in. One false step and his hopes for the rest of the weekend were history. 

"Not only are you pursuing an unauthorized investigation, but when I arrive, I walk around a corner and find you practically having sex with a complete stranger on a public street."  

Mulder reluctantly resisted the impulse to mention that the other man had no way of knowing that it was a 'complete stranger'. He had the feeling it wasn't a point that would make the next few minutes any more pleasant. "Don't you think that's a slight exaggeration? Anyhow, you know why I'm here or I'm assuming you wouldn't be here."

"I certainly thought I did, Agent Mulder. Of course, that was before I saw how you were spending your time."  Skinner had to know he was being unfair, but the angry words spilled out of him anyhow.

"I'm just keeping an eye on things. If you don't stop calling me 'Agent Mulder' you're going to blow my cover."  

"What cover?" Skinner glanced around in contempt, then grabbed his arm and dragged him into the alley. Of course, Mulder thought. We wouldn't want to be seen. Two men talking on a public street. Give me a break, Walter. With that look on your face, no one would suspect your little secret.  

"Look around," he protested aloud. "I'm just one of the crowd." 

"I suppose that explains your behavior."

Ouch

"I didn't invite the guy to make a pass at me. I didn't do anything." 

"You never do." The anger was fading from his lover's eyes but his tone was bitter. 

Mulder risked a smile. "Jealous?"  

"Hanging out on street corners picking up young men is a good way to lose your job, Agent Mulder. Or are you unaware of Bureau policy on this matter?"  

"That was a cheap shot, Walter. Are you going to lecture me on correct professional behavior? Or did you traipse out to this unsavory neighborhood just to keep me from investigating a few Elvis sightings?" Mulder watched the exasperated look on his lover's face. Surely not. I hope not. 

Skinner rubbed his head, looking tired and frustrated, and Mulder felt a stab of remorse. Nothing like a guilty conscience to make a guy act like a total shit.  

"I spent two hours looking for you earlier. You weren't in your office and Kim didn't know what time you'd be back." 

"I was in a meeting. Do you expect me to leave special instructions with my secretary that I'm unavailable to everyone except you?" 

Mulder grinned involuntarily. "That would be a nice touch." 

"Bureau policy. Your job. My job. Cancer Man. The Consortium. Do any of these things sound familiar to you?" 

"Maybe that's not the problem."  

"Meaning, what?"  

"Maybe you didn't know I was here," Mulder challenged. "What are you doing here, Walter? Looking for a date?" 

Skinner stared at him. "You're full of shit, Mulder. And you're changing the subject." 

"I'm trying. Is it working?" 

"No." 

"What was the topic?" 

Skinner gave up. They both knew that Mulder wouldn't have invited the kiss. "Why were you looking for me? Were you planning to invite me to accompany you on this little expedition?"

"I was thinking about it." Mulder hadn't considered the possibility until now, but....

"I should have known." 

"Meaning...." 

"Why can't you ask me out to dinner, like any normal person?" 

Mulder leaned against the wall and smiled at him mockingly. "You want normal, call Oprah," he said. 

Skinner looked around. "This is insane. It's the stupidest thing you've ever done." 

"Walter, considering the nature of the cases I investigate, the possibility of getting caught necking with my boss in a dark alley seems less than catastrophic." 

"We're not necking." Skinner issued the denial too quickly.

"That's because you're playing hard to get. Again." Mulder laughed at him quietly. "Just once, Walter, can't we do this the easy way?" 

He looked incredulous. "This is a public place, Mulder." 

"So?"  

"Obviously this is some new definition of 'the easy way'...."  

'Was that an invitation?" Mulder lived for the moment when his lover caved in to the inevitable although he didn't expect to win this one. Still, whatever he could get....

"Are you sure you won't reconsider about dinner?" Skinner wrapped his arms around Mulder's waist and kissed him quickly. Then again, much more slowly.  

"No."  

"Fine. If you ruin that tie you can buy me another one just like it." 

Mulder finished untying the knot more carefully. "I won't. This is my favorite one." 

"What the hell does that mean?' Skinner backed off perceptibly. "You're not going to start picking out my clothes are you?" 

"Do you know you're almost always wearing this tie when we have sex?" 

"What?"

"It's true. You get up in the morning and decide what mood you're in before you get dressed. When you're wearing this tie, I'm pretty sure I'm going to get lucky." 

"You've beaten your own record. That is now the dumbest thing I've ever heard." 

"It's true. I get lucky about half the time when you wear the spotted one. And when you wear the pink one, I never get lucky." 

"I don't own a pink tie." 

"That's good," Mulder said solemnly. "Never is a long time." 

Skinner tried to pull away but Mulder was holding him too firmly. Finally he gave up and buried his face against the other man's neck, laughing. "You asshole. I'm never going to be able to wear my favorite tie again." 

"Hey, it was just a theory." 

"I can't believe I stood here and listened to that." 

"You don't understand, Walter."  

"What?" 

"I like this tie. Do you want to hear my theory about your suits?" 

"No." Skinner kissed him gently. "One more word about my clothes and I'm leaving." 

"I can be flexible. What do you want to talk about?" 

"Don't talk and I'll be happy." 

"You're easy to please."  

"Which would explain why I'm with you." The words were muffled against Mulder's neck, reminding him there were better things to do than tease his serious lover into rare laughter. 

"That hurt." But it didn't. It felt good. So good.  

"You asked for it. How long were you planning on staying here?" Skinner's hands slid under Mulder's shirt and down his spine slowly, pulling their hips together until they could feel each other's erections.  

"Alien visitations can't be rushed, Walter. I don't have a timetable." Mulder knew it was crazy to do this here but he was starting not to care. No one would notice them among the dozens of other couples in alleys along the street. For a change, his lover seemed to be oblivious of their surroundings. 

"There isn't going to be one." Skinner pushed him against the wall, kissing him persuasively. 

"Are you?" He was breathless, anxious, delirious. 

"What? An alien visitation?" That soft laugh curled around his spine and lit a fire inside of him. The feel of Walter's hips rocking against his fanned the flames, making it hard to talk. 

"With me."  

"So to speak." He offered another kiss like the last one and Mulder fell into it helplessly. Do you know how much I need this?  

"Disclaimers. Caveats. Denials. Reservations. This is all I get from you," Mulder complained. "Your commitment to this affair isn't very convincing."  

"Are we having an affair?" Skinner's hands knew just how to touch him and where, contradicting the doubt in his words. 

"When I can talk you into it. Which isn't very damned often. What are you...oh... oh yes." Mulder was finally quiet for a few minutes.

"Very pathetic. Especially from a man who planned to spend this evening alone in a dark alley," Skinner pointed out maliciously. He slid Mulder's jeans out of the way impatiently.

"Are you telling me I have a choice? Ahh...do that again and you'll be sorry. Or not...."  

"Not any more."  

"Walter, you aren't going to...oh god . . . you are...." 

"I am. We are." 

****

The end