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“Is this another very late or very early birthday present?” The smile on Scully’s face is warmer than the sun shining down on them. With his eyes on the road, he can keep Scully guessing a moment longer. If he were to look into her eyes, he’d crack. He doesn’t want to keep secrets, but he wants to surprise her.
“Something like that,” he says, smiling to himself.
“How much further is it?”
“We’ve been driving five minutes,” he reminds her. “Since when are you so impatient?” He laughs, wonders if her mood has anything to do with him. There’s a lightness about her that he hasn’t seen in so long. He wants to think it has something to do with their baseball date. And it was a date. To him, anyway. He could ask her what she thinks about it, has wanted to ask her, but hasn’t found the right words yet. Maybe today.
“We’re at the park.” Her voice is full of surprise. “Why are we at the park? You said we were getting lunch.”
“We are,” he assures her, parking the car.
“At the park?”
“Oh, Scully, my favorite skeptic,” he says, chuckling. She is on his heels as he opens the trunk. When she sees his improvised picnic basket, she gasps, then stares at him.
“Mulder,” she says slowly as if his name was a foreign word, “are we- is this- are we having a picnic?”
“Yes, we are.” Taking the basket out of the trunk, he grins at her brightly. He’s been planning this for days, just waiting for the right weather. Today, the weather forecast was on his side. “I hope you’re hungry.” There’s just a hint of fear inside him. That she’s going to roll her eyes, say it’s too silly. It evaporates as soon as he sees her face light up.
“As a matter of fact, I am.”
*
They find a quiet place near cherry blossoms that seem to be watching them, waiting for their moment to bloom, just as they are. Scully rubs her hands together before she digs into the basket.
“No nonfat tofutti rice dreamsicle today, sorry. There are apple slices, some carrots, and sandwiches. I’ve never packed a picnic basket before.” He realizes he’s rambling, but he can’t stop. Scully puts a hand on his arm.
“It’s wonderful, Mulder.”
“There’s coffee, bottled water, and if you’re feeling adventurous, I also got root beer.”
“No iced tea?” She asks, still rummaging through the basket, sometimes making an excited sound.
“I didn’t want to be presumptuous,” he admits, and is glad she’s not paying attention to him so she can’t see him blush.
“A bagel,” Scully says, holding it up to look closer at it.
“Cream cheese,” he says. The look she throws him is full of appreciation.
“You even packed napkins.” He gets the sudden notion of wanting to kiss that cute pout from her lips. “Ah, and sunflower seeds.”
“No picnic without them,” he says, taking the bag from her. He watches her load one of the paper plates with her bagel, some chips, and apple slices.
“So, Mulder,” she says, biting into her bagel. The noise she makes borders on obscene. “What’s the occasion?”
“You said I should try to entertain the idea of finding life on this planet for a change. That’s what I’m doing. It’s a gorgeous day, and um, I didn’t want you cooped up inside again. Or ditching you. So there.” Mulder stops himself before he starts rambling again. Everything he said is the truth. There’s just a part of it missing.
“Thank you, Mulder. This is- this is great.”
“The bagel?”
“That too. I mean the picnic. Do you want a piece?”
“There’s enough food,” Mulder says. “You don’t need to share with me.”
“I know that. I want to.” She offers him the bagel, and who is he to say no? Her eyes follow him as he bites into the soft bagel. He can’t tell if it’s the taste or Scully’s expression, but he’s feeling ten things all at once. “Good, isn’t it?” All Mulder can do is nod. He opens a bag of chips and stuffs a couple into his mouth, needing a distraction.
“I understand why you like your bagels so much.”
“I have good taste,” Scully says. He can feel her eyes on him, but he doesn’t dare to reciprocate. “So do you, Mulder.”
“Hm?”
“The food. Having a picnic.” She’s still staring at him.
“Maybe we can do it more often.” It’s half a question.
“Go on more dates?” Scully has one eyebrow raised and is wearing a soft smile. She has seen right through him.
“If you want.” He picks at invisible lint on his pants, looking at everyone but her. When he lifts his head, her face is closer to hers. Her hand is on his.
“I’d love that, Mulder.”