#ice cream parlor | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

blackcherryvelvet0909 · 9 months

Text

Lovers' Lookout (Malleus x GN!Reader)

“How does one choose?” Malleus thought to himself, chin held by his thumb and forefinger. His gaze was set upon the menu before him - the one listing all the ice cream flavors available, to be exact. They took up the whole half of the board, each one just as good as the other. The fae had stood there for a while now, perplexed on how to choose just one. It was too bad they didn’t have a way to sample every one.

“Do you have a favorite flavor?” you asked, neck craned up to look at him.

“I have a few,” he replied. “I wish to try something new, however.”

“Well, which one looks most interesting?”

“All of them.” Well, that sure helped, didn’t it. “There are some I have not heard of till now, such as caf…caf-ee..”

“Café au lait?”

“Yes, that one.” He looked at you as though you held all the knowledge in the world. “What is it?”

“It’s a type of coffee,” you said. “It’s pretty good! I think you’d like it.”

“Hm,” Malleus contemplated some more, then pointed down at one of the ice cream tubs behind the glass counter. “And what is that?”

“Mmn…” You looked up at the menu to try and figure that out yourself. “Cotton candy, I think.” You pointed to the two adjacent to it. “I think those two are blue moon and banana split.”

“Blue moon?” Malleus tilted his head in question - he looked almost like a cat.

You shrugged your shoulders, “I don’t know why they call it that. It’s pretty good though; Cater had me try it a little while ago.”

Malleus nodded, once again in contemplation. He seemed to grow more frustrated by the minute. He couldn’t choose just one! He’d suggested buying one of each, but you reminded him what happened the last time he did that: brain freeze central. At least Lilia got a good laugh out of it. Just then, an idea popped into your head. You tugged on the sleeve of Malleus’s bodysuit to get his attention.

“Would you like me to choose for you?”

Those chartreuse eyes sparkled as though out of your mouth came the most brilliant idea in the world. “You can do that?”

You laughed at his question. “Yes! It’s not like they’ll get mad if I do.”

A small pout formed on the dragon’s lips as he mumbled to himself. “As though such a scolding would frighten me.” You knew it wouldn’t - but it’d probably make him feel like the size of an ant. That pout turned into a smile as he nodded. “I trust in your choice, Child of Man.”

Your smile widened as he gave his trust to you, as he often did. You gave his wrist a small squeeze before you released it and walked up to the man at the counter. You didn’t have to think much - you knew exactly what flavor to get. Once you handed the man your madol, you stepped back to let him work. You peered up to see Malleus had yet another pout on his face. “I told you I would pay for them,” he said.

“I know.” You gave his arm a small pat. “But you always buy stuff for me; I want to get you things when I can.”

You knew the notion was silly - Malleus had more money than you could dream. Even so, you loved to get him little things every now and again, whatever you could afford. It wasn’t just because you wanted to, but because you loved the expressions he wore whenever you came to him with those little presents and treats. He always looked like a kid on Christmas for how excited he was! What you didn’t see, however, was the soft look in his eyes when you walked back to get your ice cream. Would you ever know how much he adored you…

You thanked the man at the counter before you walked back to Malleus. As you handed Malleus his milkshake (he’d wanted to try it instead of an ice cream cone), he eyed it curiously. “What kind did you get me?”

Nothing was given away as you grinned. “You’ll just have to try it and find out!” Before he could, you took his wrist gently and began to pull him along with you. “Let’s sit outside - it’s so pretty out!”

“Yes,” Malleus’s gaze was centered on you as he spoke, “it certainly is.”

That soft gaze, once again, was unnoticed by you as you opened the door out onto the parlor’s shaded patio. You sat yourselves at a small table in the corner, which overlooked the beach below. It was such a wonderful day outside - it wasn’t too hot, and there was a constant cool breeze. The sound of the waves crashing onto shore in the distance filled your ears, and the smell of the salty sea mixed with that of the creamy treat before you. Your eyes fixed on Malleus as he adjusted himself in his chair. It was still a little odd to see him in such casual beach attire: a black bodysuit hugged his torso, while below he wore black swim trunks with green highlights and a pair of black sandals. Aside from the horns atop his head and the slits of his pupils, he appeared like any normal man at the beach.

You watched as he brought the straw of his milkshake to his lips. He sucked in a small bit of the ice cream that came up the thin tube; to your delight, his eyes widened in surprise as a wide smile crossed his lips. “This is wonderful!” His gaze settled on you, once again resembling an excited child. “What is it?”

“[Favorite flavor]!” His smile was contagious, for you soon found yourself grinning. “It’s my usual go-to. I’m so happy you like it!”

As you sipped your own milkshake and relished the cream on your tongue, Malleus let out a soft chuckle. “Thus why I said I place my complete trust in your decisions.” He leaned forward, arms folded in front of him on the table. He looked so casual like this…you could almost forget he was a prince. “You never cease to amaze me, Child of Man~”

His gaze was intense - you couldn’t help but shy away as your cheeks reddened. Malleus did not tease you for it, simply releasing another chuckle before he, too, took another sip of his milkshake. Then he took another, and another…and another. You quickly swallowed your own gulp as you protested, “Malleus, don’t drink it so fast! You’ll get another brain freeze!”

Immediately, Malleus ceased his persistent slurping. His eyes went wide as he stalled in the action, as though Lilia’s laughs from the past incident echoed in his head. He swallowed down the gulp in his mouth and let out a deep exhale, then sat down the styrofoam cup on the table. “I apologize, I…got too carried away by the taste, I suppose.”

You giggled, “It’s okay, Mal.” You reached out and took his hand from across the table. The shining green pools that were his eyes locked with yours as you spoke to him softly. “You were just excited, that’s all. There’s no shame in that - I think it’s cute.”

There was no magic in the world that could hide the pink that ghosted Malleus’s pale cheeks. His pupils dilated like a cat’s would, which only amplified his adorableness. Soon, he smiled from ear to ear and gave your hand a gentle squeeze. His voice held all the affection in the world for you. “Thank you, [Y/n].” Malleus didn’t speak your name too often…it was nice to hear it again. His eyes narrowed in amusement as he added one other thought, “I find you just as endearing, if not more~”

It was your turn to blush. A deep chuckle rumbled in his chest as he watched you shy away from his gaze and take another sip of your milkshake. As you leaned back in your chair, so did he; as your hands parted, Malleus replaced the contact by brushing his foot with yours. The next few minutes were filled with idle chatter, mostly about what the two of you should do next. Before a decision could be made, there came a loud voice somewhere in the distance - it made you and Malleus abruptly turn your heads in that direction.

“Wakasama!!”

Oh Seven, here he comes! Both you and Malleus’s hearts sunk at the thought of Sebek finding you, Silver likely in tow. Malleus turned to you with panicked eyes, as though to ask you for another idea. Sadly, you had none. There was nowhere to hide; you couldn’t run either, as the only way to was in Sebek’s direction. You didn’t want your time alone with Malleus to end so soon - you both spent long enough trying to get away!

In a flash, Malleus bolted up from his chair. It slammed against the railing of the patio as he stepped around the table and over to you. Suddenly, his milkshake was shoved into your arms. You clutched both of yours as you looked up at Malleus for an answer as to what he was doing. “Hold tight to the milkshakes,” he said. A yelp left your lips as he lifted you out of the chair and into his arms, grip on you firm yet gentle. “If you get scared, close your eyes; know I will not drop you.”

Before you could ask anything, Malleus jumped clear over the patio. You forgot how high he could jump. A scream tugged at your throat, but you kept it in for fear of Sebek hearing you. As gravity set in and you both began to fall to the ground far below, you did as Malleus said and closed your eyes. For a moment, you were in a freefall. The wind licked at your skin, whipped your hair; you gripped the drinks tightly, but not too strong for fear of the styrofoam giving way. The moment Malleus’s feet hit the ground, he took off running into the brush.

When you opened your eyes again, it was as though you were in a car. Palm trees passed by you in a flash, vision blurry as Malleus raced to find a spot to hide. Finally, after a few minutes of searching, he’d found it. You didn’t quite know where you were; you seemed to be somewhere in the hills, for how far away the waves were now. How fast had Malleus been going?! That question quickly fluttered out of your mind as you took in the view before you. It was no short of breathtaking.

The sea glittered like a gemstone in the sunlight; the beach resembled a bed of silken gold; the little figures of people in the town below bustled about like ants on parade. The scene was framed by the vegetation around you, little trees and large bushes of different types. Malleus gently knelt down onto the grassy hill that overlooked the area and sat you beside him, just as another cool breeze blew.

“It will take some time for anyone to find us here.” He gently took his milkshake from your hand and got comfortable on the grass. “At least, I hope so.”

At first, words were lost to you. Your eyes still took in the view, breath still thoroughly stolen from you. Malleus glanced down at you, then out at the world beyond your hiding spot, then back at you again. A triumphant smirk played on his lips, “I trust this spot is to your liking?”

“It’s…it’s beautiful,” you breathed out. You pried your gaze from the outlook to focus on him. “Have you been to this spot before?”

“I have not.” He sipped his milkshake before he continued, “I simply came upon it while we ran; I thought it was out of the way enough, and that it would please you.”

You smiled and nodded. “It does.” You giggled as you thought about the escape you two just made. “Just…next time, if you can, warn me before you go off sprinting one hundred miles an hour.”

Malleus let out a small laugh. “If time should present, rest assured that I will.”

The two of you sat in silence for a short while, simply taking in the view as you enjoyed each other's company. Without thinking, you scooted closer to Malleus and leaned your head against his bicep. His eyes widened and he glanced over at you, just as you glanced up at him. Your smile, the twinkle of your eye, how the sun hit your skin through the shaded natural overlook…had his heart ever beat so fast?

“Thank you for spending the day with me, Malleus. I know we’ll spend more time together in the future, but…this. I’ll never forget this.”

Malleus felt his heart swell; it felt as though his soul would ascend from his body and offer itself to you. Should you request it, he would hand over both happily, for you already held them in the palm of your hand. He took that palm as he smiled and gave your hand a loving squeeze. “Nor will I, [Y/n].”

There was so much more he wanted to say, but for now he kept it to himself. He could tell you another day - for now, he simply sat with you on that grassy hill, in your secret hideaway, and basked in the moment. The two of you were unaware of the crimson eyes that watched you, high above in one of the trees, knees bent in a crouch as to keep himself from being seen. It wasn’t hard to track the two of you down - he’d spotted you both on the patio minutes before. As he lingered there, the man smiled, fangs poking out as he let out the quietest chuckle of delight. Adorable, the both of you. Ah, how wonderful the throes of young love could be.

Lilia quietly climbed out of the tree and left the two of you alone to bask in that unspoken love.

#Twisted Wonderland: Beach Episode Mini Series #my work #twisted wonderland #twst x reader #gender neutral reader #twst #twst malleus #malleus draconia #malleus draconia x reader #twst malleus x reader #twst sebek #sebek zigvolt #twst lilia #lilia vanrouge #twst silver #ice cream parlor #milkshakes #overlook

379 notes · View notes

atths--twice · 3 months

Text

Chapter Two

Chemistry 101- A Study In Organic Interactions

Mulder and Scully have made plans for a first date after their school trip to the forest. What will be on the agenda?

Mulder took a deep breath as he walked up the stairs to Scully’s dorm room, his hands sweaty and his mouth suddenly dry. He willed his body to calm down before he arrived at her door.

They had been talking on the phone for the past few days and every conversation they had was better than the last. Her sense of humor was wickedly funny and she was wonderfully intelligent.

One night, he had found a late night movie he had seen many times. As he had it playing in the background at a low volume, she excitedly found the same movie and suggested he turn it on and they could watch it together. He had smiled and agreed, not telling her he was already watching it. He had not paid any attention to the movie, however, choosing instead to listen to her talk about the movie. He knew it by heart and hearing about her favorite parts had made him smile.

Thursday they had been in class together, the majority of which was spent discussing the weekend they had all spent together. She had smiled at him a lot, rolling her eyes when Kyle and Brian spoke about what they had liked, even going so far as to ask if falling in the mud had been a favorite moment for him. He had glared at her as everyone else had laughed and she had shrugged her shoulders.

When class was over, Hannah had pulled her away before they could talk, following after Craig and laughing. She had looked back at him and mimed calling him and he had nodded, his heart pounding and hands sweaty. Even after the weekend and all the time they spent speaking on the phone, seeing her in person still made him feel nervous.

When his phone had rung that night, she had apologized for running out earlier and he had asked her out to dinner. Silence ran down the phone line, as he had waited, listening to her breathing.

“Well… I wasn’t expecting that as a response to my apology, but to your question, my answer is… finally.”

“Is that a yes?”

“No. It’s a hell yes.”

He had grinned and punched the air, before they settled on Saturday evening for their first date.

Now as he approached her door, he let out a deep breath, nervous and excited for the date. Taking another steadying breath, he knocked on her door and waited, wiping his hands on his pants.

The door flew open and before he could utter a word, she grabbed his shirt and pulled him into the room. He stumbled and looked back at her, as she stuck her head out of the door, looking left and right down the hall. She closed the door and hurriedly walked past him to the window, looking through the blinds.

“Did anyone see you coming in here?” she asked, glancing back at him. He stood there dumbstruck, not knowing how to respond to her question. “Mulder? Did anyone see you?”

“I… I don’t think so… I didn’t see anyone,” he answered truthfully.

“We’re not allowed to have men in our dorm, or even on the floor.” She checked out the window again and then closed the blinds.

“What? Oh my god. I… I had no idea. I could have waited for you outside. If you had said…” He stopped as he saw the smile slowly crossing her face. “Oh… you’re… you’re joking with me?” She shrugged and he exhaled a nervous breath, shaking his head, as she laughed.

“I thought it would be a funny icebreaker.”

“Yeah… hilarious.”

“I knew it would be,” she said with a grin. “I just need to put on my shoes and we can get going. Have a seat,” she said, gesturing towards a desk as she grabbed a pair of black Converse and sat on a bed.

He sat down at the desk and looked around the room. There were two beds, each with different bedding. A large light blue rug was between the beds and each side of the room had the same identical desks. Her roommate, Kimberly, whom he had heard speaking to her as they spoke on the phone one night, seemed to be more messy, her desk piled with papers and books, while Scully’s was tidy.

There were two dressers and two small closets with storage space above. It was decorated minimally and the overall feeling of it was comfortable, which he appreciated as he calmed down from her little prank.

He looked at her as she sat on the bed. She was wearing dark jeans and a black sweater with light pink, purple, and blue stripes. Her hair was down and falling forward as she tightened her laces and tied her shoes.

“Okay! Ready!” She stood up and smiled, pushing her hair back and tucking it behind her ears. “What are you sitting around for?”

“You’re just a regular comedian aren’t you?” he asked, as he stood up, smiling as she picked up her purse and placed it over her head and across her chest.

“I am pretty funny.”

“Hmm,” he hummed, unable to stop smiling as he headed toward the door.

“Wait,” she said softly and he turned around. She stepped closer to him and put her hand on his arm, staring into his eyes.

Pushing up on tiptoes, she kissed him and he pulled back in surprise. Staring at her, he bent his head and kissed her again, softly and slightly longer than the first one.

“Good,” she whispered with a smile. “I didn’t want to miss it this time.” He laughed nervously and nodded, putting his hands in his pockets, his heart racing.

Taking a jacket from her closet, she laid it over her arm and smiled at him, as she cleared her throat softly. He nodded again and stepped back so she could walk out the door first.

“Keep an eye out for any resident advisors,” she said as she locked the door. “We may need to make a run for it.”

“Nope, not falling for that again,” he said as they walked down the hall and down the stairs to his car.

“Well, I’ll have to think of something else then,” she teased as he opened the car door for her.

“Bring it on,” he said with a shrug and she grinned.

“Oh. I will.”

Driving away from her dorm room, he could not stop smiling. The fact that she was with him and would be for the next few hours, filled him with happiness. Already he was feeling less tongue tied and comfortable.

It was nearly sunset, his favorite time of day. Glancing over at her, he saw that she was smiling, and the beauty of the day could not compare to the happiness he saw on her face.

“So I was thinking,” she said, looking at him, and breaking into his thoughts.

“Oh yeah, what about?”

“Well, ever since you told me the story of Maurice and Lyda, I’ve been thinking about it.”

“Oh you mean the cursed house on Larkspur Lane?”

“Wait. The cursed house? Cursed? It’s not enough that it’s haunted, it has to be cursed too?” she teased and he smiled.

“Well, I mean…” He made a scale weighing motion with his hands and she laughed with a shrug.

“Are you comparing a curse to a haunting? Because, well, I’d have to say that the two are very different,” she stated, running her fingers through her hair.

“Please elaborate,” he said with a grin and she nodded with a smile.

“Well, being a layman- or laywoman- my explanation may not be up to scratch compared to yours, but I’ll give it a shot.” She smiled at him again and he slowed down at a stop sign, nearly going through it as he stared at her.

Quickly glancing around and finding that no cars were approaching, he raised his eyebrows, waiting for her to continue. She licked her lips and bit the bottom one before smiling at him and taking his breath away.

“So, by my way of thinking, and I am pretty intelligent, if I do say so myself,” she said, with a shrug. “A haunted house tends to indicate that there is the potential of spirits or ghosts, but a cursed house… well, that just implies scary twins in a hallway, an elevator full of blood, and a dead naked woman in a bathtub. I mean that just screams cursed as opposed to haunted.” She raised her eyebrows back at him and smiled.

He shook his head slowly and had to physically stop himself from kissing her thoroughly. She tilted her head and he nodded with a smile.

“Does that explanation suffice?” she asked, twirling her hair in her fingers. He could smell her shampoo and he took a deep breath, breathing it in.

“Yeah, it’ll suffice,” he said and she bit her lip again, staring into his eyes. She started to lean toward him and a horn honked behind them, causing them to jump and then laugh.

He cleared his throat and turned left, heading to the restaurant he had picked for dinner. As they pulled up, she sighed and he looked over at her.

“Did you want to go somewhere different?” he asked and she looked at him, sighing again. “You want to go check out the house, don’t you?”

Her eyes widened and she actually stuck out her bottom lip in a pout. He laughed and nodded, putting the car in reverse and backing up.

“Yes…” she breathed and he laughed again. She looked at him and grinned as he shook his head.

“You tell me you don’t believe in ghosts or ghost stories and yet you want to go explore a haunted house.”

“A seemingly haunted house,” she said, giving him a look. “And one that just so happens to be close by.”

“So, what? You want to prove me wrong?” he teased and she shrugged with a smile. “Okay, let’s go check out the house.” Again she said yes under her breath and he laughed.

They were quiet as they drove over, comfortably quiet. The fact that she was there, that he could smell her shampoo and perfume, that she had kissed him, and nearly had done so again, made him unable to stop smiling.

It was not far to the house, a place he had driven to a few times, his own curiosity piqued by the idea of it. Turning down the street, he glanced at her as they approached the house. Stopping the car, he parked and shut it off, and they sat in silence as they stared at it.

“This is it?” she asked after a few seconds and he nodded. She looked out the windshield and grinned. He smiled as he watched her, the house in his peripheral. “Well, it does have a spooky feel to it, but that’s probably because I know it has a story behind it. Any other time, I wouldn’t have looked at it twice.”

She unbuckled her seatbelt and opened her door. Scrambling after her, he felt his heart pounding. He had never gotten out of the car before, nor been this close to the house.

“Wait!” he called out to her and she turned around.

“What? Don’t you want to see if it’s actually haunted?” She smiled and he sighed, looking at the house. “I mean, I know you said it was just on Christmas, but shouldn’t we check? Just to be sure?”

“It’s just…”

“Oh,” she said, her eyes shining. “You’re scared.”

“Pfft. Scared? Hardly.” He shook his head, glancing at the house.

“You are! Oh my God, that’s so cute,” she said, stepping closer to him as she folded her hands by her mouth, and grinning adorably.

“It’s not that I’m scared,” he said with a deep sigh. “I just, okay fine… I… I am a little scared.” She giggled, covering her mouth, trying to hold it in, as he shook his head with a sigh. “It’s an irrational fear, but…”

She moved her hand and nodded, looking at him with a smile. Glancing at the house and back at him she nodded again.

“So, we won’t go inside. We could just… walk around the perimeter? Peek in the windows?” she asked and he smiled with a relieved sigh.

Stepping back, she nodded again and then glanced down, her eyes seeming to land on his hand. Looking back up at him, she made to step towards the house, but he stopped her with a touch on her arm. She stared as he moved his hand down to grasp hers, giving her a nervous smile, as she bit her lip. Giving her hand a squeeze, they walked up to the house.

”Question,” she said as they arrived at the front door. “You said Maurice and Lyda died in 1917.” She looked at him and he frowned with a nod. “1917. And yet, the house looks nearly perfect and it’s been over 60 years. How is that possible? Do they have a caretaker? Why has this place been kept at all? I mean, a big place like this…” She gestured and he looked around at the house and the grounds.

“Good questions, all,” he said with a grin and squeezed her hand again.

“I mean, it seems like a strange thing to keep a house like this, with no one living in it and… what?” she asked, looking at him in confusion.

“Live here? Would you want to live here?” he asked with a smile. She stared at him and then grinned wickedly.

“Well, I know you wouldn’t,” she retorted and he raised his eyebrows.

“You’re damn right,” he said with a shudder and she giggled.

Letting go of his hand, they walked around, looking in the windows and exclaiming over the way it appeared to be in very good repair, considering the amount of time it had been sitting there uninhabited. He had actually been imagining a classic type haunted house setting: one full of cobwebs, broken windows and ripped billowing curtains.

“It looks... okay. Safe even. Sure you don’t want to go inside?” she asked, as they stood by the front door, her hand on the door knob. She raised an eyebrow at him and he shook his head with a grin.

“Fine,” she sighed, moving her hand and smiling. “Next time, I get to tell the interesting story.”

“Hey, you asked me for a story,” he countered and she laughed.

“To be fair though, I didn’t expect a story that would be true or at a place that is practically in our backyard. How could we not come out and investigate it, even if you’re too scared to go inside?” She raised her eyebrows with a smirk.

He stared at her, shaking his head at the happiness he saw on her face every time she teased him. He smiled and nodded.

“Okay, you’re on. Although, I don’t know if any story you tell could top… Jesus Christ!” he yelled and jumped back, her laughter ringing nearly as loudly as the door just had.

“Oh… you are so easy,” she said between fits of giggles.

Shaking his head, he looked at her hand on the door knob where he had not noticed she had placed it again. His gaze had been on her and he had not seen her reach out for it. While he was distracted, she took advantage and shook the door violently; the sound scaring the absolute shit out of him.

She laughed and then let out a satisfied sigh, staring at him with a huge smile. Despite the fact that she had nearly scared him to death, he had an overwhelming desire to kiss her. He worried it would seem too forward, regardless that they had already done so.

Licking her lips, she stepped closer and then bit her bottom one, staring at his own. The scent of her shampoo blew in the breeze and he felt his knees buckle slightly, propelling him forward.

She placed her hand lightly on his chest and he gripped her elbow as their lips met in a soft kiss. She clenched his shirt as he kissed her twice, the tip of her tongue touching his, causing him to pull back, both of them breathing hard.

She pressed her lips together, her eyes closed as she took a deep breath.

“You’re a really good kisser, Fox Mulder,” she breathed, opening her eyes slowly as she smiled.

“I… thank you,” he said, clearing his throat, and taking a deep breath.

“I can’t be the first person to have told you that,” she said with a smile staring at him, her head tilted to the side.

“Umm… I haven’t dated much, to be completely honest with you.”

“You don’t have to “date” to kiss someone,” she said, crossing her arms and smiling at him. “There are parties and… games…”

“Not really the places you would find me.”

“You? The country club boy?” she asked, stepping past him and going down the stairs. “I find it hard to believe you’ve never found a hidden corner for a bit of debauchery at those cotillions you told me about.”

“Debauchery?” He stopped walking and stared at her. “What do you think goes on at those parties?”

“I don’t know. I’m not a country club girl.” She grabbed a handful of her hair, bringing it over her shoulder, twisting it as she shrugged.

“Debauchery…” he said again, taking his car keys from his pocket. “It sounds so dark and seedy.”

“All those women in jewels and fancy dresses, with a young Fox Mulder in their sights… ” She shrugged again and he shook his head. He knew she was just teasing, but he also did not want her to have the wrong idea about him.

“Nah. No debauchery for me.”

“Well, I’m sure there are many women who are sorry to have missed out on some of that debauchery.” She smiled with that dimple showing, her hair still being twisted around her fingers, and he shook his head with a chuckle.

She walked to the passenger door and got in the car. Shaking his head again, he walked over and got in, starting the car and glancing at her.

“You’re a good… you... a good kisser too,” he said with a sigh. She turned to look at him and smiled slowly, her entire face lighting up.

“I know,” she replied and he raised his eyebrows at her.

“Ohhhhkay…” he said with a smile, drawing it out, as he put the car in reverse and backed up.

They got on the main road and he headed toward the restaurants in the college part of town, foregoing the original plan he had for dinner.

“Do you have a preference? I was thinking Italian, but I can go for whatever,” he asked, glancing at her at a stoplight.

“Italian sounds good,” she agreed. He nodded and when the light changed, he pulled into the parking area.

They walked across the street and before they walked into Zona’s, the best Italian restaurant in the area, she stopped him with a hand on his arm, and a nervous look on her face.

“I… I haven’t kissed that many men.”

“What?” he asked her in genuine confusion.

“You said I was a good kisser and I said I knew, which may have implied I had been told before, or I knew because I had kissed a lot of men and therefore they must enjoy kissing me, so I figured I was good at it.” She took a deep breath, her tumble of words coming to a halt. “I just… I didn’t want you to have the wrong impression of me.”

“Dana… Scully,” he said with a smile. “I… none of that was… that was the furthest thing from my mind.” She let out a sigh and smiled tightly. He put a hand on her upper arm and squeezed gently.

“No debauchery on my end either,” she said softly and he smiled. “But, if I had been at those country club parties with you, I think we may have changed that.”

“You would have terrified me,” he whispered, not realizing he said it out loud until her eyes widened. “Oh, I… I didn’t mean…” He stopped speaking as she smiled, the biggest one he had seen yet and his heart pounded hard in his chest.

“You have no idea,” she whispered back and he let out a shaky breath. She turned around and walked toward the restaurant, leaving him standing there feeling almost dizzy.

How much more enjoyable those countless cotillions and holiday parties would have been with a redheaded young woman causing his heart to race, her blue eyes full of mischief as she looked for some hidden corner to drag him into…

“Mulder? Are we going to dinner or not?”

He looked up at her and grinned slowly, nodding his head as he joined her, opening the door of the restaurant and placing his hand on the small of her back as they stepped inside.

______________

As they walked out of the restaurant, she reached for his hand and bumped her head lightly against his shoulder. He squeezed her hand and she looked up at him with a smile.

“So, where to next?” she asked and he smiled.

“How about some dessert?” He pointed towards an ice cream parlor and she nodded with a squeeze of his hand.

They walked into the shop and waited in the line of families who must have been visiting for the weekend with younger children running around excitedly with chocolate on their faces.

“Which flavor will you choose?” he asked, looking up at the menu.

“The answer to that question is always chocolate,” she said with a grin. “With hot fudge and whipped cream whenever possible.”

“So, I take it you like chocolate?” he teased and she nodded happily.

“No. I don’t like it. I love it,” she answered as she stepped forward and gave her order. Taking her wallet out of her purse, he stopped her with a shake of his head, and a hand on her arm.

“You paid for dinner,” she argued and he shook his head again. “I also nearly scared you to death. The least I can do is pay for our ice creams.” She smiled and then scrunched her chin in such a cute way, he would have kissed her, if not for the large crowd of people bustling around them.

“Okay,” he agreed quietly. “Although, I wasn’t that scared.” She gave him a look and raised an eyebrow at him.

“Order your ice cream, you liar.” She moved aside so he could step past her to the counter, shaking her head with a smile.

Placing his order for butterscotch ice cream, with no toppings, she paid for their treats, watching as the ice cream was scooped and put into two large waffle cups.

Picking them up, they walked past the families, Mulder grabbing a handful of napkins on the way and shoving them in his pocket as they headed outside to an empty table.

It was warm out and many people were enjoying the evening. They were quiet as they ate their ice cream, looking around at fellow classmates, families, and children all sitting around in the spring air.

Looking over at her, he saw she had chocolate on the corner of her mouth. Taking a napkin out of his pocket, he handed it to her and she took it with a smile. Wiping at her mouth, she missed the spot entirely. Chuckling, he shook his head and pointed at it. Foregoing the napkin, she ran her tongue along the corner of her mouth and then across her lips to the other corner, staring at him before wiping her mouth with a napkin.

He swallowed hard, knowing how soft her lips were and remembering the feel of her tongue touching his briefly. Her eyes were on his and his heart raced as he thought of kissing her again.

“Did I get it?” she asked softly and he nodded, swallowing again. She smiled and put the napkin on the table, taking a bite of her ice cream. Letting out of breath, he shook his head and continued eating his as well.

When they were finished, they walked back to his car. As he opened the door for her, he paused and looked at her.

“I didn’t plan anything past this, not exactly sure what you would want to do besides dinner, and possibly dessert. Visiting a haunted house had not been on the planned agenda.”

“Or, was it cursed? We never went inside to find out for sure. Some of us were too scared.” She shrugged and he shook his head, giving her a half smile.

“What I’m trying to say is…” He took a deep breath and cleared his throat. “Unless you want, I’m not quite ready to take you home, but I don’t have anything planned and I don’t…” He stopped talking as she suddenly leaned forward and kissed him softly, grabbing a hold of his shirt and holding tightly.

This time as her tongue touched his, he did not pull back, but placed his hands on her hips and pulled her closer. His head began to spin at the sweet taste of the chocolate ice cream lingering in her mouth. Her hands began moving up to his neck, when he heard someone loudly clearing their throat, followed by an even louder “excuse me.”

He broke from their kiss, breathing hard, but not releasing his grip on her. Looking up, he saw a middle-aged man standing in front of the car parked beside his own. He raised his eyebrows and smiled at Mulder, nodding at his car.

“Would you mind pausing for just a quick moment and allow me to get into my car?” he asked, his keys spinning on his finger.

Scully’s head fell onto his chest and he held onto her as he stepped back, allowing the man to close Mulder’s open passenger door, and get into his own car. Backing up, he smiled as he flashed them a peace sign, and drove away.

“That was so embarrassing,” she said, her voice muffled in his chest. Pulling back, she looked up at him, and he laughed bringing a hand up to cup her cheek.

“Doubt we’ll ever see him again, so who cares?�� She licked her lips with a nod and he took a deep breath. “So… what do you say?”

She reached up and kissed him softly before stepping back and tucking her hair behind her ears.

“I know it’s not too late, but I go with my family to mass on Sundays and then we go out to lunch. I have to be up early to get ready and then take the bus over to my parents house, so… it’s probably best if we call it a night.” She seemed almost nervous at her words and he did not like seeing her that way.

“I understand. Would you… I could maybe pick you up in the morning? Give you a ride over to your parents house?” He shrugged, offering but doubtful she would accept.

“Are you asking to join us for mass?”

“God, no!” he said with a scoffing laugh, until he saw her raised eyebrows and serious expression. “I mean… I’m not Catholic and I uh… church isn’t exactly my thing. I uh…”

“Oh,” she said, looking down. “I didn’t realize.”

His heart sank at the thought that maybe that was a dealbreaker for her. Maybe she wanted someone who was religious, or at least had some interest in it. As he opened his mouth to say he could at least try it, see what the hype was about, she looked up with a grin and he exhaled.

She got him again.

“You are so easy, Fox Mulder,” she whispered, shaking her head with a smile.

“Hmm,” he agreed with a chuckle, opening her door and stepping back. She rubbed his arm as she got in the car and he walked around to the other side. As he started the car, he looked at her and smiled.

“Well, how about a ride over tonight? Then you don’t have to get up so early. Or take the bus.”

“You would do that? Really?” She stared at him, searching his face.

“Yeah,” he said with a shrug. “Like I said, I don’t exactly want to take you home just yet.” She smiled and reached for his hand.

“Okay then. I accept your offer.”

“Good,” he laughed, squeezing her hand, backing up the car one-handed.

___________

Walking into her dorm room, he waited as she gathered her things to stay the night at her parents: a couple of bags of dirty laundry, her backpack, a dress and cardigan on a hanger, and a pair of low heels.

Handing him the bags of laundry, she put her backpack on, laid her dress over her arm, hung the heels from her fingers, and grabbed a toiletry bag. Giving him a nod, they walked out the door, and she locked it behind them.

Putting all of her things in the backseat, they got in the car and headed to her parents house. She fiddled with the radio, finding a station she liked, quietly humming along with the song.

Glancing at her, he smiled before looking back at the road. He had fun with her tonight, a lot of fun. They could have done it a while ago, if he had not been so awkward with women and afraid to make a move. What a fool he had been, missing out on spending time with her.

“I had fun tonight,” she said, the song ending as she turned to look at him with a smile, almost as though she could read his mind.

“Me too,” he grinned, reaching for her hand.

“Turn left and then take the second right,” she said, squeezing his hand. He followed her directions and stopped when she pointed to the Cape Cod style house on the left.

Parking the car, he shut off the engine and turned to look at her with a smile. She smiled back and then bit her lip as she stared at him.

They both leaned forward at the same time, his hand cupping her cheek and moving to her neck, his fingers tangling in her hair as they kissed. Her hand was on his mid thigh and the kiss deepened, unable to control himself.

“Ohhh…” she exhaled, pulling back and breathing hard, her hand moving to his knee. He was breathing hard too, his fingers still in her hair.

“Hmm,” she hummed, letting out her breath and shaking her head. “I should go inside. I think that’s enough debauchery for one night.” Giving his knee a squeeze, she pulled back further and licked her lips.

Letting go of her hair, he pulled back too, opening the door and getting out to grab her bags of laundry. She gathered the things on her side and they walked quietly up the brick walkway, mindful of the late hour. Up three steps, they stood in front of the door where he set her bags down and smiled at her.

“So, I guess I’ll talk to you on Monday?”

“Why not tomorrow?”

“You said you’d be at church and then lunch with your family,” he reminded her. “I don’t want to infringe on that and besides, I don’t have your parent’s phone number.” He smiled as he raised his eyebrows.

Laying her dress on the railing and setting her shoes down beside it, she took off her backpack. Searching inside, she found a pen, and set it down.

Reaching for his right hand, she wrote: Scully home- 555-6627 and then drew a small heart beside it. She blew on the ink to dry it and that simple act shot desire straight through him.

“I usually stay over on Sundays, because I don’t have classes on Monday, and it gives me time to do my laundry,” she said quietly, staring at him as she still held onto his hand. “You have the number here now. I don’t want to wait until Monday to talk to you.”

She let go of his hand and capped the pen, putting it back inside of her backpack. He nodded with a smile as she put her backpack on again, and picked up her dress and shoes. She reached inside her purse and took out her keys, staring at him, her eyes intense.

“I really like you,” she whispered and he grinned.

“We have that in common,” he whispered back.

“You really like yourself?”

He laughed quietly, shaking his head at her quick wit. “I do, but I obviously meant you, smart ass.”

“Hmm,” she hummed with a smile.

They stared at one another, the quiet of the night settling around them, until her watch beeped, announcing it was midnight.

“Time to head inside Cinderella. It’s getting late and you're literally holding a pair of heels. Don’t want to tempt fate and lose one.” He grinned and she looked down at the black heels swinging from her fingers.

“Seems like your task to find me would be pretty easy if I did, you’re literally standing right here in front of me.”

“Are you implying that I’m your Prince Charming?”

“Depends. I know you know how to dance, but do they teach you country club boys how to wield a sword?”

“I learned in fencing class, yeah.”

She stared at him, her face running a gamut of emotions and expressions, her mouth opening and closing. Until he smiled at her and she laughed softly as she shook her head.

He finally got her.

“All right, don’t look so smug,” she said with another shake of her head. “You had me going, but I’m definitely in the lead.”

“For now,” he told her, picking up her laundry bags with a smirk.

She took the cue and unlocked the door, pushing it open quietly, as she turned to look at him. He set the bags just inside on the floor and turned back at her.

“We’ll have to start keeping a tally,” she whispered and he nodded. “Thank you for tonight and the ride over here.” Stepping closer to him, she placed a hand on his chest and kissed him softly one time, leaving him leaning in for more.

Pulling her closer, one hand on her hip, the other on her neck, he kissed her again, his tongue softly grazing hers as she gripped his shirt and leaned closer. One more and he pulled back, his thumb moving in small circles on her hip.

“Goodnight,” he whispered, his forehead resting against hers.

“Uhhh… mm-hmm,” she murmured, stepping back, and breathing hard. “A really… really good kisser. Whew...” She shook her head and stumbled dazedly through the door. He smiled as he watched the effect his kiss had on her, knowing how it affected him.

“Huh,” she breathed, turning around and staring at him. “Gonna spend some extra time in the confessional tomorrow.” He raised his eyebrows and she smiled wickedly. “Totally worth it.” He chuckled and nodded.

“Completely agree.”

“Goodnight, Mulder,” she said, shaking her head and humming again. “Use that number you were given.” He glanced down at his hand and then looked up at her with a nod. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight… Scully.”

The door closed softly and he heard the lock click, before he walked off the porch and back down the walkway to his car.

Turning around when he got to the door, he saw her at the window, the curtains pulled back. Waving to him with a shake of her head and a smile, she closed the curtains and he got in the car with a smile of his own.

Before he drove away, he looked at his hand and took a pen out of the glove box, writing the number down on a scrap of paper, not wanting to forget it or chance it smearing. He copied it just as she had written it, including the small darkly penned open heart.

Once it was copied down, he put the pen back and placed the paper on the passenger seat. He started the car with a final glance at the house. Not seeing her there, he drove away, with a chuckle.

He grinned the entire drive home, replaying the date in his mind. Her smile, the shine of her eyes, her laughter, the scent of her hair, and the intoxicating taste of her kiss.

Pulling into his parking space, he picked up the slip of paper with her parents phone number on it and headed inside. Dropping his keys on the counter, he walked into his room to get ready for bed.

Lying down a few minutes later, the paper with the phone number on his nightstand, he traced the now faint heart on his hand, remembering the feel of the pen pressing into his skin, and her soft breath blowing across it as she made sure the ink was dry.

Closing his eyes, he turned onto his side and took a deep breath. He suddenly remembered something she said, and his eyes flew open. She did not have classes on Monday. And neither did he.

Maybe we could have lunch at the country club. Or perhaps take a fencing class, he thought with a smile and a chuckle, thinking of what she would say if he told her that was the plan.

No, he thought, the perfect idea coming to him. The yacht club.

Wouldn’t she tease him mercilessly once she learned they were also members at a yacht club? But some of his favorite summers had been spent there. First learning to sail and then teaching others.

The yacht club… yeah that could be fun. He had not sailed in awhile, but it was like riding a bike. Maybe that was something she would enjoy.

Hell, her family are Navy people, he thought with a laugh. She might be able to sail better than me.

Tiredness beginning to set in, he closed his eyes with a yawn, and shook his head. Tomorrow. Tomorrow he would suggest a day of sailing and see what she had to say. Hopefully she would be keen to get out on the water.

That night he dreamt he was on a boat, the warmth of the sun shining down on him and the glassy water. He smiled as he looked to his left and found Scully sitting beside him, smiling with happiness. Her long hair was like fire in the sunlight as she reached for his hand, and the wind caught the sail and her laughter danced in the breeze.

#the x files #msr #alternate universe #college au #college classmates #first date #teasing #flirting #laughing #haunted house #holding hands #kissing #dinner #discussions #ice cream parlor #1980s #happy

15 notes · View notes