---

Tenses

Future (3/3)

He woke slowly, an inch at a time.  He knew he wasn't
alone, but there was no panic, none of his normal
paranoia; he knew exactly whom he was with.  The big,
warm body was a solid wall of comfort around him and
he snuggled even closer, if that were possible.  He
felt warm, safe and utterly content just feeling the
security of the strong arms that held him.  Until he
started thinking.

The night before played back in his head like a dream.
 He remembered Skinner's warm eyes and strong hand.The
fingers that had so gently prepared him.  He shivered.
 The eyes had been gentle and caring, true, but...it
had been a highly charged moment of nearly
overwhelming intimacy.  It was probably just a case of
one thing leading to another.  He'd had made the first
move.  Literally thrown himself at Skinner.

Oh God, he groaned in embarrassment as it all came
back to him, what would Skinner think of him?  He knew
for sure that Skinner would be extremely uncomfortable
when he remembered what had happened.  He was certain
the A.D. wouldn't want to risk a repeat performance.
What must Skinner think of him?  He would probably
never want to touch him again, never want to *see* him
again!  He'd be polite, but, Mulder was sure, he'd
back away.  Who'd want a subordinate lusting after you
at work?  Calf-eyes over the desk; melancholy,
love-lorn sighs in the board-room; declarations of
undying love in the office corridor.  It could become
terribly annoying.

Mulder sniffed back a tear, trying to push his
feelings behind his humor, weak though it was at the
moment.  He sighed, then inhaled deeply, taking in the
reassuring, clean smell, knowing that he'd never
forget it.  He started to move slowly out of the
comfort of the strong arms.

He'd moved only about an inch when those same arms
tightened around him.  "And where do you think you are
going?"

Mulder was nonplussed.  He'd thought to make it easier
on Skinner and now they were going to have an
embarrassing scene after all.  Well, not if he could
help it.  "I was just going to get packed.  I really
should be going if I want to get back by lunchtime,
and, you know, as my boss, I think you really should
encourage me."  He turned around and moved back
slightly, away from Skinner and offered up one of his
trademark, cocky half-smiles.

Skinner sighed as he looked closely at the younger man
in his arms.  The bottom half of his face had the
confident almost-smirk of an assured young
professional, certain of his position.  A look that
Skinner had seen countless times across his desk.
What worked so well in the board room, however, was
not so effective in the bedroom.  The top half of
Mulder's face, was in direct conflict; those
expressive hazel eyes were shadowed, unhappy and
suspiciously full.

For Christ's sake!  Skinner told himself, if anyone
should be insecure here, surely it should be him?
Mulder was beautiful, smart and fascinating, while he
was, God, so much older, bald, wore glasses...he shook
himself mentally.  He was starting to sound like
Mulder.  Maybe it was catching?  Skinner didn't have
much faith in his looks, but he had faith in his heart
and in Mulder's eyes.

"We have unfinished business, don't we?"

"Do we?" Mulder's heart soared, even as his voice
shook slightly.

"We said that in the morning we'd deal with your
actions properly, didn't we?"

"Oh."  Mulder's heart plummeted.  His eyes filled and
he looked away hastily, unable to meet the deep, brown
eyes in the strong, handsome face.  Shit!  He'd cried
more in the past two days than he had in his entire
life.  He breathed in deeply.  At least Skinner still
cared enough to want to take care of him.  That was
something, even if he couldn't have anything more.  He
raised his chin bravely, "Yes, Sir."

Skinner grimaced.  It always tore at his heart that
Mulder thought so little of himself, and was so quick
to believe that every one else had the same opinion.

"Mulder, do you know why I do this?  Why I come miles
to get you, take the trouble to discipline you when
you need it, support you in everything you do?"

Mulder had often asked himself the same question and
thought he knew the answer.  In fact, it had come
straight from Skinner's mouth.  "Um, you feel the
X-Files perform a relevant function in today's
bureau?"

Skinner almost laughed, but reined in his impulse,
deciding it wouldn't be the right time.  "Yes, I did
say that, didn't I?  And I meant it at the time but
that doesn't explain why I hauled myself out here, now
does it?"

Mulder shook his head, unsure of where this was
leading.

"I came out here because I thought you might need me.
Because I care about you."

Mulder's head shot up, and his eyes were luminous and
questioning.

Skinner took a deep breath, "Because I love you."

Mulder stared at him in disbelief but with a tiny
spark of helpless hope.  Skinner met his eyes calmly,
and allowed the truth of the simple statement to flow
from them.

"Really?" Mulder choked out.  He wasn't breathing; the
instinct had all but deserted him in the last
overwhelming seconds.

"Yes."

They stared at each other for a long moment.  Suddenly
it was too much to bear, and they both looked away.

Finally Skinner broke the tension.  "That's right.
And if I have to burn it into your butt every day to
make you believe it, that's what I'm going to do."

Mulder smiled weakly.  "I want to believe" he quoted.

Skinner laughed softly.  "You will," he promised.  He
smiled into Mulder's expressive hazel eyes, and
exalted silently at what he saw there.  He reached
down and patted Mulder's naked butt.  "Come on.  Let's
get this over with.  Then I'll take you home and you
can have the rest of the day off," he grinned.  "One
of the advantages of having your boss as your lover."
He stopped suddenly, scared of the effect the word
'lover' might have on Mulder but realized, with some
relief, that Mulder hadn't even heard him.

Mulder was shaking his head, looking around with wide,
frightened eyes and beginning to pull away.  "No.
It's not necessary.  I've learnt my lesson.  Lets just
leave."

Skinner tightened his hold on Mulder's waist and
gently lifted his chin with the other hand.  "No, Fox.
 You need this.  I know you, if we leave it you'll
just brood over what happened and it will only get
worse in your mind.  You need to just finish it now."

Mulder shivered, but, unable to escape the loving and
caring in those compassionate eyes, nodded slowly.
Skinner looked down at the unhappy, sulky face and
unconsciously pouting lower lip and couldn't help
himself.  He planted a soft kiss on his lips.  After a
moment though he was all business.

"Lay down on your front," he said sternly, deciding to
do this quickly.

Mulder obeyed as Skinner pulled back the bed covers.
Skinner reached for the pillows and placed two beneath
Mulders hips, raising his naked bottom.  He left
quickly and retrieved his belt, pausing to look at the
inviting sight of Mulder's pale ass presented for
punishment.  His cheeks were flawless again, bearing
no marks from last night's punishment.  He felt his
arousal rise at the thought of lovingly spanking this
perfect bottom.  Before he had quelled his arousal but
this time he let it flow through him.

Mulder shivered.  Skinner stroked his hair gently,
seeking to calm him.  "It'll be over soon."  He bent
down and kissed Mulder's shoulder blade.  He kept one
reassuring hand on Mulder's back as he raised the
belt, and heard Mulder's intake of breath as he
brought it down on the waiting ass.  Mulder jumped as
a streak of pure fire fell on his unprotected
buttocks.  He barely had time to catch his breath when
the belt fell again.

Mulder was struggling unconsciously, his helpless
bottom wriggling underneath Skinner's belt, trying
futilely to protect itself from punishment.  Skinner
steadily spanked the bare bottom, watching it turn red
and hot as it squirmed in response.

Mulder sobbed quietly into his pillow.  His ass felt
as if it were on fire and each stinging smack caused a
fresh wave of pain to run through him.  As he rode on
the wave of sensation he thought of Skinner's
disappointment and the little girl's fear and gave
himself over completely to the punishment, even
raising his throbbing, stinging bottom to meet the
relentless smacks.

Skinner watched and saw the moment that Mulder
accepted the punishment and stopped struggling.  He
spanked the hot, red, trembling cheeks six more times
to reinforce the lesson, then threw the belt away.  He
reached down and stroked Mulder's hair and rubbed his
back in soothing circles.  He lay down beside Mulder,
putting his head on the pillow beside him, so he could
hear what Mulder was whispering between sobs into the
pillow.  "I'm sorry.  I'm sorry.  I'm sorry."

He put his arms around Mulder and kissed his hair
whispering in his ear, "It's OK, it's OK, all over
now, all forgiven.  It's OK, baby, it's OK."  Mulder's
sobs subsided and Skinner turned his head around to
face him.  Mulder's face was flushed and tearstained.
He couldn't meet Skinner's eyes.

Gently Skinner raised his chin and smiled into
Mulder's tear-filled eyes.  "It's OK.  Hush now.  All
over.  OK?"  Mulder nodded and Skinner kissed the new
tears away.  "I'll be back in a moment."

He drenched a towel in cold water and brought it back,
along with a bottle of body lotion thoughtfully
provided by the hotel.  His eyes riveted on Mulder's
ass as he returned to the bedroom.  His trembling,
bare bottom was hot and red and raised up perfectly.
Skinner felt a wave of arousal run through him again.
It had abated at Mulder's distress, but returned now
in full force.

He sat down beside Mulder and stroked his hair again.
"Relax now."  he put the cold wet towel on Mulder's
hot, throbbing bottom, and heard Mulder hiss as it
stung slightly before beginning to soothe.  He left
the towel there and opened the massage oil.  He
started with Mulder's neck, feeling the tension begin
to melt, and moved slowly down the young man's sleek
body.  The sensation of hard muscles under the soft
skin beneath his slick fingers was stimulating.
Mulder groaned as the tension eased out of him.

Skinner continued to work slowly down Mulder's back,
enjoying the intimate exploration of Mulder's body.
He skipped the towel-covered ass and moved down to
Mulder's legs.  He massaged each thigh thoroughly,
enjoying the feel of slick, tight skin beneath his
hands.  He moved down taking care of Mulder's calves
and finally massaging each foot thoroughly.

Mulder moaned as the knowing hands both relaxed and
aroused him.  By the time Skinner had finished he was
rubbing himself against the pillows.  Skinner finally
moved up and removed the towel exposing the red,
thoroughly spanked ass.

Skinner dropped a kiss on each hot cheek before moving
back.  "Open your legs," he said, his voice deep and
hoarse.  Mulder obeyed and parted his thighs, allowing
Skinner to settle between them.  He rubbed the
stinging cheeks gently, smiling as Mulder groaned
beneath him, and writhed frantically, his legs parting
further of their own accord as the sensations of hot
concentrated pain and pleasure under the strong
fingers ran through him.

Finally Skinner ran a finger firmly down the crease of
his parted buttocks and he cried out, rubbing
desperately against the pillows.  Skinner took hold of
his hips suddenly, pulling him up to his knees, and he
cried out unintelligibly at the loss of friction.
Skinner soothed him with a kiss to his neck before
pulling back and pushing a strong finger between
Mulder's firm, red cheeks; pressing it against his
tight opening.  He pushed the finger gently in and out
of the tiny hole, not pushing in too firmly, teasing
the sensitive, eager cleft.  Mulder thrust back,
moaning desperately, trying to get more of the older
man inside him but Skinner's other hand held his hips
firmly in place.  He continued to tease him gently,
until Mulder begged for more in deep, throaty groans
that sent waves of pleasure through Skinner.

Skinner grabbed the massage oil from the side and
coated his own throbbing cock thoroughly before
pushing it against Mulder's eager, spasming hole.  He
pushed in a short way, keeping hold of Mulder's
straining hips firmly and leant over Mulder's back to
touch his lips to his ear.  "I love you," he said
firmly, his voice filled with truth, as he sunk slowly
into Mulder's tight heat.  "I love you," he repeated
in a groan as Mulder's muscles clamped down on him
tightly.

Mulder sobbed into the pillow and thrust back.
Skinner began to rock gently, seated deeply inside
Mulder, stroking his sensitive internal gland again
and again as Mulder sobbed and moaned against the
pillow.  Finally he cried out Skinner's name and came
hard.  The sound of his own name touched Skinner more
deeply than he could register at the time and he
thrust again as hard and deep as he could and came
inside Mulder.

***

As they collapse together Mulder turns to face
Skinner.  Skinner whispers his love as he stares into
Mulder's eyes, and Mulder whispers his name again,
softly, under his breath.  Skinner kisses Mulder's
parted lips gently and he knows that, for the moment
at least, Mulder believes.  And Skinner believes that
someday he'll hear the words in return.

***
Finis

 
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