Building Blocks
Being a child of a Navy man means leaving those you care about behind. But not always forever…
I absolutely loooove this one. I hope you do too.
Kittery, Maine
Naval Housing
Late October, 1973
The leaves crunched under her feet as she ran to the wooded area just past the last row of houses. She turned around and checked to see if anyone was watching her before she slipped past the big tree and kept running, her breath coming out in white puffs.
Stopping in front of the small, rather warped shed that her father had moved back into the woods for her to use as a fort, she turned the handle with cold fingers. Her mother would tut when she saw that she had once again forgotten her gloves.
“It’s fall now, Dana,” her mother had said many times recently. “You need to wear your gloves. And your hat.”
Whoops. She had forgotten the hat as well.
But it would be fine once she was inside the shed, as it was slightly warmer than outside.
She opened the door and let out a deep breath before stepping inside and taking off her backpack. Moving the two folding chairs and collapsible tv tray to the center of the space, she opened her backpack and took out the food and items she had brought with her.
Two chocolate Ding Dongs, a canteen full of water, and a bag of tortilla chips were placed on the now open tray. She had wanted to bring the Doritos as she was partial to them, but she knew her mother would notice if they and the Ding Dongs went missing.
The chairs opened and arranged, she sat down to wait, her mouth watering at the thought of biting into the chocolate treat in the foil wrapper.
A whistle sounded, the one she had taught him, and she looked out the open door to see him walking toward her. She grinned even as she felt her heart speed up, something it had been doing lately when she saw him, though she did not understand why.
“Hello there, Dana Scully,” he said with his lopsided smile, his hands in his jacket pockets.
“Hello to you, Fox Mulder,” she replied, suddenly feeling very nervous.
“Oh, Ding Dongs… those are my favorite,” he said as he stepped inside.
She knew they were. Of course she did.
“I was going to grab different chips, but…”
“You mean these?” he asked, pulling Doritos from his backpack and handing them to her. She grinned and nodded as he sat down, taking out his own canteen. “I know you like those.”
“I do.”
“Yeah.” He smiled at her as he picked up a Ding Dong, unwrapped it and handed it to her.
“Thanks,” she said, taking it from him and feeling her stomach jump when his fingers brushed hers.
“So what’s the plan for today?” he asked, unwrapping his own treat and taking a bite.
As they ate, she showed him the drawings she had made, discussing what she wanted to do, her nerves falling away as she spoke.
“Wow. It looks really good.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re the smartest person I know, the way you figure out all of those plans,” he said and she stared at him in disbelief, as she always did when he said stuff like that to her. “Even better than some of the boys in my class. And your brother for sure.” He smiled and she felt her cheeks getting warm.
“He doesn’t listen to me,” she said quietly.
“Because he’s dumb. Not smart like you. Come on, let’s get to work.”
They left the little shed and walked further into the woods where they had been building a treehouse over the summer. The other kids living on the base had been around to help when they were all out of school, but had since lost interest.
Some of the older boys, like Fox, who at eleven was two years older than her, had left because they had not wanted to listen to her ideas. They teased her and called her drawings and plans girlie and dumb.
“What’s girlie about it?” she had demanded, tears pricking at her eyes though she would not let them fall.
“Oh no, she’s getting mad,” Paul, one of the oldest boys had said while the others laughed. “Watch out for the tiny thing.”
“You shut up,” Dana had yelled and they had laughed even more.
“Let’s go. Who wants to be listening to a little girl anyway. We’ll make our own treehouse. Much better than this baby one.”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
And they had left, laughing and mocking her as they did.
All of them except for Fox, who had walked over and wordlessly picked up the paper Paul had crumbled and tossed on the ground. Fox had smoothed it out against his pant leg and handed it back to Dana.
“Where should we start?” he had asked and she had turned around to wipe her eyes so he would not see her tears.
As the weather began to change, they were the only two who continued to venture out into the woods, gathering fallen branches and bringing items they found at home to add to the treehouse.
Truth be told, the shed was better, but the treehouse required work and figuring things out like a puzzle. Dana loved puzzles and building things with her hands, something most other girls, including her older sister, did not want to do.
Fox, an only child, spent a lot of time on his own, exploring the woods or reading. Occasionally he joined the older boys, playing whatever sport was popular at the moment. It being fall, football was taking over and he was a good addition when they needed an extra body.
Paul had teased him when they first started playing, telling him he was spending too much time with Dana and calling her a baby. They had a fight, Paul gaining a black eye from it and Fox a busted lip, but after that, Paul never said anything to Fox about her.
Dana had been furious at first, telling Fox that fighting was stupid.
“What if he had knocked out your teeth? Or busted your head instead of your lip?”
“He wouldn’t. He’s bigger, but I’m faster. He’s lucky it was just his eye that I hit.”
“But, Fox-”
“He shouldn’t say things like that,” he had interrupted, staring at her with a serious expression. “Not about anyone, but especially about you. You’re a hundred times smarter than him and he knows it. He won’t bother you or talk about you anymore. I promise.”
And in that moment, when she had not been expecting it, not truly understanding what was happening, she had fallen in love for the first time.
“You know,” Fox said, as they climbed up the ladder they had made from pieces of scrap wood nailed to the tree. “I think we could maybe somehow connect this treehouse to the other tree there.” He pointed as Dana stood on the landing and followed his finger. “Do you think we could?”
“Mmm… maybe. If we…” She stepped closer and looked at the tree with its wide branches and thick trunk. “We could make a… like a bridge? I think it might be difficult, but I could draw something up tonight. What do you think?”
“I think it would be great. Make Paul eat his words.” He bumped his shoulder into her and she grinned.
“Yeah. It would.”
“Come on. It’ll be dark soon.”
When the light began to fade and her fingers had long since remembered how it felt to be warm, Fox had dropped the hammer back into the small toolbox.
“Well, it’s the most we can do for today.”
“Yeah,” she agreed, blowing on her hands to warm them.
They climbed down and walked back to the shed. They put away the chairs and tray, put on their backpacks, and walked out the door, closing it securely.
He walked her to her house and then waved as he walked away, whistling the whistle she had taught him once again. She watched him until he turned the corner and he was out of sight.
At her desk in the bedroom she shared with her sister, Melissa, she drew up plans to connect the trees and make a large treehouse. She was happy with how it turned out. Her eyes scanned the paper to look for any mistakes before she placed it into a protective folder to show Fox the next day.
_________________
She waited for him, Twinkies sitting on the table this time, but for the first time ever, he did not show up. When it got too dark to see, she used her flashlight to guide her way back home, her heart aching and tears clogging her throat.
Melissa was over at a friend's house and Dana was thankful she had the room to herself so she could cry without being seen.
After her cry, as she lay in the dark, she heard something hit her window. Looking over, she saw when it happened again. Getting up, she opened the window and looked down to find Fox standing on the lawn.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there today,” he said, dropping the small rocks in his hands onto the ground.
“It doesn’t matter,” she said, not wanting him to know how much it had hurt her.
“It does. Can you come down? I need to talk to you.”
“You already said sorry.”
“Please, Dana,” he said softly and she nodded before she closed the window and left the bedroom.
She left out the back door and walked around the side of the yard, meeting him on the front lawn.
“I am sorry I wasn’t there today. I wanted to be, but there was a good reason.”
“What reason?”
“My dad got new orders,” he said, staring at her with sad eyes. “We’re leaving.”
“What?”
“Yeah,” he whispered. “My parents have known for a couple of days, but they just told me this afternoon.”
“You’re leaving? Where are you going?” she asked, tears clogging her throat again.
“Overseas. Japan.”
“Japan…” Dana breathed. “That’s so far away.”
“I know.”
“When are you leaving?”
“Two days.”
“Two days?” she asked, unable to hold back the tears that fell down her cheeks.
“They need my dad quickly. I don’t understand it all, but we leave in two days.”
“I… I don’t want you to go,” she whispered, wiping her face.
“I don’t want to go either.”
“But you have to,” she said, knowing how life worked in the Navy- you went where you were told without question.
“I have to,” he replied, nodding his head.
The front door opened and Dana’s mother stood on the threshold, surprised to find them both standing there.
“Fox? Is everything okay? Your parents are alright?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said with a tight smile. “I… I didn’t meet up with Dana earlier and I came over to apologize.”
“Oh, well that was kind of you.”
“I have to get back home now,” he said, nodding at her mother and then looking at Dana. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yeah,” she whispered, nodding her head.
He turned around and walked in the direction of his house, never looking back at them.
“He’s such a nice boy,” her mother said and Dana began to cry, her hands covering her face. “Dana? What is it, honey?”
Dana ran to her mother and threw her arms around her waist, crying into the long sweater she wore that smelled of cinnamon.
___________
“We won’t finish the treehouse,” Dana said the next day as they stood staring at it.
“We could try to get as much done as we can,” he suggested and she shook her head.
“I don’t really feel like it,” she said softly.
“Me either. And I have to be home soon anyway,” he admitted. “I have to pack up my stuff. My mom said she could, but I want to be the one to do it.”
“I would too,” Dana whispered, thinking about someone else packing her most prized possessions and how much it would bother her.
“I hate that we won’t be able to try to connect those trees. I’m sure whatever you came up with would have done it.”
She looked at him and he stepped closer to her, hugging her for the first time ever. It stunned her for a second and then she was hugging him back, closing her eyes as she tried to memorize how it felt to have him so close.
He stepped back and let her go, smiling sadly as he let out a deep breath.
“See you tomorrow, Dana Scully.”
“Yeah. Tomorrow, Fox Mulder,” she said, forcing herself to not cry.
He inhaled and nodded before he walked away, the special whistle the last thing she heard.
____________
Dana’s whole family, along with a few other neighbors, stood on the street saying goodbye to the Mulder family the next afternoon. The women gave them food they had baked while the men offered advice that was already known by everyone. The kids in the neighborhood said goodbye, giving Fox small trinkets he could carry with him in his bag. He nodded his thanks, his eyes often finding Dana’s in the small crowd.
“Alright,” Bill Mulder said, shaking Dana’s father’s hand for the last time. “We have to get going. Time to shove off.” Everyone laughed out a groan and stepped away from the car calling out for safe travels.
Fox walked up to Dana and smiled, his hands in his pockets.
“I’ll write to you,” he said. “Once we get there, I’ll send you a letter.”
“Okay,” she whispered.
“Here,” he said softly. “I want you to have this.” From his pocket, he took out a smooth, flat, black stone. “I found this one day out in the woods and I really liked it. I was going to put it in the treehouse, but now… you’ll have to do it… when it’s finished.”
“Thank you,” she said, taking it from him and nodding as she looked at it. “It’s beautiful.”
“Fox! Come on!” his father shouted and Fox sighed.
“I have to go. Goodbye.”
“Wait! I have something for you too.” She took a folded piece of paper from her own pocket and handed it to him. “It’s a drawing of the treehouse.” He opened it quickly and she watched him as he looked at it.
“You finished it,” he said with a smile. “It’s perfect.”
“No. But it’s good.”
“It’s perfect,” he said again, smiling with a nod.
“Fox,” his mother said. “We have to get to the airport.”
“Okay, Mom.” He stepped forward and hugged Dana for the last time. “Goodbye, Dana Scully.”
“Goodbye, Fox Mulder,” she whispered.
He stepped back and hurried to the car, getting in and closing the door. He waved to her and she waved back, holding her tears in until their car had left the neighborhood and he could no longer see her.
___________
She never did finish the treehouse. Her heart was no longer in it.
And six months later, when her family was relocated to the state of Washington, she broke off one of the ladder rungs to take as a keepsake. Adding it to her ‘Fox Mulder’ box, which consisted of the rock he had given her when he left and the three letters he had sent her from Japan, she walked out of the house and did not look back.
___________
June 1977
San Diego, California
Dana locked the bathroom door and took the Polaroid picture out from where she had hidden it under her shirt, her heart thumping almost painfully in her chest. There had been a few pictures and she took the one that she felt would not be missed.
Seeing him so unexpectedly, as she and some other girls in the neighborhood had come to meet the new family, had made her freeze in place. Her ears rang and the conversation had suddenly sounded far away.
Fox Mulder, four years older than the last time she had seen him, was smiling at the camera with the same lopsided grin. His hair was longer and his face leaner, looking more like a man. But she could still see the boy she once knew.
“Did you take these pictures?” she had asked Susan, the older of the two sisters they had just met.
“Umm,” Susan had said, looking at what Dana was showing her. “Yeah! Well, no. I didn’t take them, but I was there. Isn’t he dreamy? You’ll never guess what his name is!”
“What?” Dana had said, not letting on just yet that she knew him.
“Fox! Isn’t that a hoot?” Susan had said, laughing with the other girls. “He was so sweet. He wasn’t really attached to any of the girls, but he danced and talked to all of us. One of the girls at the party had my camera and took those pictures. He was a good sport, but I don’t think he really wanted his picture taken.”
”When was this?” Dana had asked, looking through all the pictures again.
“About six months ago, at a Christmas party at the base we just left.”
Six months ago, Dana thought, touching his face in the picture. And two years since I’ve heard from him.
But… he still had the ability to make her stomach flip and her heart race. Even more so now as she could recognize the feelings for what they were and what they had always been.
She loved him. He had been the first boy she ever loved and the one by which she measured all others.
And how she missed him.
Putting the picture back under her shirt, she splashed some water on her face and left the bathroom to ask Susan if she knew how to get in touch with Fox once again.
_____________
June 1981
Annapolis, Maryland
Dear Dana,
I still can’t believe I heard from you after all this time. I’m so sorry we lost touch. You have no idea how sorry.
It’s going to sound crazy, but the day your letter arrived, I had been thinking about that old treehouse and wondering if any children played in it or had added to it. I’m sure if they have, it won’t look anything like your vision. Only you could create something like it.
“Dana! Come on! You’re going to be late!”
“Yeah! I’m coming!” Dana called back, putting the letter she knew by heart after all these years back into the ‘Fox Mulder’ box with a smile.
She checked her hair one last time, grabbed her cap and gown hanging on the back of her door and her shoes from the floor, before she ran down the stairs.
“It’s your graduation and you’re the last one out the door,” her father said, tapping his watch with his eyebrows raised.
“Looking good takes time, Daddy,” she said, smiling impishly as she hung the gown up on the small hook and went around to get in on the other side of the car. “We have plenty of time.”
“Hmm,” he hummed and shook his head, checking his watch again as he too got in the car.
______________
October 1982
Cornell University
Dana was reading as she walked to her dorm, checking to see if the answer she had put down in a test was correct. She stopped walking as she scanned the pages, holding her breath until she let it out as relief washed over her.
“Not that I doubted myself,” she said quietly, closing the book. “And now you’re talking to yourself. Stop it or people will think you’re crazy.” She struggled to get the book back into her bag and when she finally did, she turned and ran directly into someone.
“Oh my God, I am so sorry,” she said, stepping back with an embarrassed chuckle. “I need to watch where I’m go-”
She stopped speaking as her eyes widened and she took another step back.
“Hello there, Dana Scully,” came the familiar words that were now spoken in a much deeper tone.
“Hello to you too… Fox Mulder,” she whispered, shaking her head in disbelief as he grinned the lopsided smile she loved so much, his hands in his pockets. “What? How are you here? How did you know where to find me? What are you doing here?”
“I called my mom, who then hunted up the number and called your mom, who then called me back and could not stop gushing over her incredibly brilliant daughter who was currently at Cornell University studying to become an engineer. Well… when I told her I wasn’t at all surprised to hear that, she laughed and said no, she supposed I wasn’t.” He grinned at her and she shook her head again.
“So you’re… you’re just here? Here?” she asked, her brain not quite understanding what her eyes were clearly seeing.
“Yeah. I’m here.”
They stared at one another, taking in the new faces they saw, while also seeing the friend they had once known so long ago. She smiled slowly and then threw her arms around his neck, crying and laughing at the same time.
“I have missed you so much,” she whispered.
“I’ve missed you too,” he said and she laughed as he squeezed her tightly, lifting her off her feet and spinning them in the crisp autumn air.
“Please don’t leave again anytime soon,” she said and he laughed as he set her down.
“I have absolutely no intention of doing any such thing.”
“Good,” she said, staring at him and still feeling as if it was all a dream.
“How about we get a cup of coffee? I think we have some catching up to do.”
“Yeah, we do,” she agreed and he grinned.
Gesturing for her to lead the way, she began to walk and he fell into step beside her. His hand brushed hers and her stomach flipped as a flush crept over her body. When his fingers intertwined with hers, she exhaled a deep breath, closing her eyes for a brief second, a smile tugging at her lips.
“Do you think the place we’re going to will have Ding Dongs?” he asked and her eyes flew open as she laughed.
“Not likely, but I know a place close by that sells them.”
“Good,” he said, squeezing her hand as they continued on the path.
No, she thought with a smile and almost imperceptible shake of her head. It’s more than good. So much more than good.
_________
November 1990
Boston, Massachusetts
It was late, but she was nearly finished with her project. She had drawn and redrawn it so many times, the lines were beginning to blur.
Stepping back, she looked at it and nodded, feeling that sense of completion she did every time she got it just right.
Leaving the papers laid out so she could check them over one more time in the morning, she laid the rock Fox had given her so long ago directly in the middle. Pressing two fingers to her lips, she kissed them and then touched the rock before reaching to turn off the light above her large drafting desk.
Before she did, her eyes landed on the drawing of the treehouse she had made and given to Fox to take with him when he left for Japan. He had saved it, always keeping it pressed in one of his favorite books so it did not get lost. He had carefully traced over her pencil lines with a black pen when it had begun to fade, wanting to preserve it.
He had surprised her with it the first night in their first apartment.
“That’s been all around the world,” he had said, touching the black frame as they both looked at it and her eyes filled with tears. “And now it’s finally back home.”
It had sat on a shelf until it was the first picture they hung in their new home.
The second was their wedding picture and some days she was not sure which one she loved more.
Leaving the office, she intended to head to bed, seeking Fox’s warm body to snuggle into, but a light coming from the backyard porch stopped her.
She walked through the kitchen and smiled when she saw Fox wrapping multicolored Christmas lights around the railings. Grabbing her jacket, she put it on as she opened the door and stepped outside.
“What are you doing out here, you crazy man?” she whispered, mindful of the late hour.
“Adding ambience to our little corner of the world,” he replied, smiling at her before returning to his task.
“And you couldn’t wait until tomorrow?”
“No. No time like the present,” he stated, reaching for the last strand and beginning to wind it around the handrail.
She watched him as she shook her head, too many emotions suddenly nearing the surface.
“Hey,” she said softly.
“Yeah?” he replied just as softly.
“I love you.”
He looked up and smiled, abandoning the lights and walking over to her. She tilted her head back to look at him and his eyes dropped to her lips.
Pushing onto her tiptoes as he lowered his head, their lips met in the middle, her hands pressed gently to his cold cheeks. He pulled her closer and she wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Still the smartest person I know,” he whispered against her lips and she exhaled a chuckle.
“And?” she prompted teasingly, pulling back to look at him.
“And,” he said, smiling the smile that would forever make her feel weak in the knees. “I love you too.”
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𝗞𝗜𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗜
⊹ ⋆゚꒰ఎ ♡ ໒꒱ ⋆゚⊹"Aren't you the sweetest thing that i've ever seen?"
•♡•SEX: male, but he can shapeshift if wants to
•♡•SEXUAL ORIENTATION: yes :)
•♡•SPECIES: kitsune/deity
•♡•NICKNAMES: kisu, pink boy, boytoy
•♡•OCCUPATIONS: currently at uni studying fashion design, deity of all forms of love, messenger of love (equivalent to eros, the erotes, cupid and yue lao).
•♡•AGE: 689
•♡•BIRTHDAY: 14th feb
•♡•HOMETOWN: gods realm, house of love
•♡•MBTI: ESTP
•♡•HEIGHT: 182 cm
•♡•EYECOLOR: pink with hints of red and a heart shaped pupil
•♡•HAIR: dark pink to baby pink in a jellyfish cut
•♡•SKINCOLOR: he's tan, (unfortunately I didn't find a tan photoplayer with pink hair)
•♡•ABOUT KISUMI: Kisumi is a social butterfly, always happy and excited to meet new people, he is the type who pays attention to everyone and everything around him, and will always do his best to make everyone comfortable and happy. Still, he's not afraid to get into a fight if necessary.
As a messenger of love, he can be horni and enter lovegame mode very quickly. When this happens, his eyes become brighter and turn from pink to bright red.
He looks like the typical fuckboy, and indeed he is, but not the toxic type. I think he's more like a jock, stupid but nice and sweet and a caring one, also he's super gentle with animals, almost like a Disney princess. If you be lucky enough to catch Kisumi's eyes, oh bestie you'll be treated like royalty for an entire night, and he'll only have you on his mind at that moment. Also don't worry, he drinks respect woman juice every day and always spreads the word about the importance of aftercare.
•♡•POWERS: Kisumi is a messenger of all forms of love: fraternal love, love between friends, love between lovers, self love, love for wisdom, etc. most of times he knows when and with who people will fall in love, and he's the responsible to bring the love for them, very much like eros, but he uses his hand or a pink shotgun instead of arrows to do his job. he can't choose with who the person will fall in love, this means that even if the relationship is fated to end in tragic way, he can't interfere.
that amount of power comes with a price: even if it's a blessing to feel the love of all humans and creatures, this also means that doesn't matter how strong or obsessive it is, he will feel it. but he can also feel the pain, the sadness and the rage when the love is gone (yes he do have yanderish behavior sometimes due the amount of love and other feelings he carries all the time) it's his blessing, but also his curse. it's the price that comes with his power. to deal with this, he meditate and fight a lot, trying to use his energy in something all the time and engaging in all types of activities. His favorite at the moment is american football.
•♡•LIKES: pink, bunnies, heart shaped glasses, dance, ice cream cake, milkshakes, juices made of tropical fruits, handicraft (he's a DIY bitch), romcoms films, makeup, playing football, the gym (yep hes also a gym whore), pearls and touching grass :D
•♡•DISLIKES: overly dramatic people, you see, he is a attention whore and drama queen, but its only a joke. people that like to complain and play the victim in everything really upsets him. pot a big fan of doritos, he hates the smell, bad gossip, the kind of gossip that can ruin someone's life, he likes gossip but not the extremely harmful one. toxic man, cockroaches.
•♡•TRIVIA:
messenger kiitsunes have 5 forms:
spiritual: the first and easiest, they are born that way, they are like little floating souls. do small jobs like carrying letters between the gods, and helping lost souls or children or even protecting forests and temples
half fox: when they already have a physical body, having the human body with a fox tail and ears
physical fox: name says it all, they can transform into foxes
complete human life: at least 400 years of cultivation (meditation and study) to achieve
spiritual core: can be unlocked through the spirit form if you become a great entity, in which case you create a domain of your own, almost as if it were a dimension to accumulate your powers, and it becomes the your own magical/spiritual core. it is very difficult to reach this point, only high-ranking entities or foxes, such as the Counselor and elder leaders with about 750 years of cultivation, achieve this form.
Kisumi and his brother Karakuri however managed to master the 5th form, the spiritual core with 32 years of existence. Many say that the ability the brothers have is due to the fact that they were born from the spiritual union of two women, Inari and Kadanke.
the creator of akai ito with his mom
able to seduce people with just one look
even if he looks like just came out of "mean girls" he's 100% golden hearted himbo
he's the mom's friend type of guy, all moms and kids love him ( i ask myself why)
bullying problems? no more, call Kisumi and see your bullies cry in misery and beg your forgiveness
foxes used to be messengers only for Inari, but Inari wanted to help her brothers and sisters gods and decided to turn the foxes into helpers of all deities
kisumi is a one of the many messengers of love, currently the leader of them, but he became so powerfull that he can be considered a deity and some people worship him as a god
his name is inspired by japanese pronunciation of "kiss me"
he usually pranks his brother karakuri
hates cockroaches and will use fireballs and guns to kill them
while his brother use a spear to fight, kisumi use his fists, and unlike eros that use a bow and arrow to shot the mortals with love, kisumi use a shotgun
PERSONAL NOTE: I created Kisumi as a form to comfort myself. He's the type of man that one day I want to know and fall in love with. He's like my own therapy and friend that I would love to have. I really like Kisumi very much and I hope you dear reader like him too.
Do not copy or use as your own.
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