I wrote a Drabble! Who knows when I’ll post another ficlet? Tagging @today-in-fic. All of my works can be found on AO3.
summary: Our dynamic duo beating the heatwave at a bar.
Scully watched as the condensation drops glided down her tumbler glass creating a water ring on the bar counter, a cocktail napkin laid beside it dry, given too late by the bartender for her to care. A couple of ice cubes were slowly melting in the vodka soda she ordered. Beside her sat Mulder, his suit jacket and tie were long gone from the dead summer heat. His shirt sleeves were rolled up to expose his forearms that rested atop the counter. He raised his glass of local ale motioning Scully to do the same. She rolled her eyes instead of indulgently smiling, and lifted her glass to clink it against his.
“Mulder, why are we at a bar before noon?” she asked after she took a sip of her drink through the cocktail straw.
“Because we’re in the middle-of-nowhere, Nebraska, and we finished up our case. It calls for a celebratory drink as we watch the thermostat reach over 100 degrees today,” he answered. He took a healthy swig of his ale and motioned the bartender for another.
Scully arched an eyebrow as Mulder saluted the bartender with gratitude as a full glass ale was placed in front of him.
“The case wasn’t even a case, Mulder. It was a stupid teenage prank that fooled this town and you for agreeing to fly us here to investigate last-minute.”
“I didn’t force you to come, Scully.” There was a twinge of hurt laced in Mulder’s tone. Scully sighed as she watched him take a swig of his ale.
“You’re right. I came on my own accord. But, seriously, Mulder, of all the cases you decided to choose it couldn’t have been near a beach? You wanted us out of DC during the heatwave, only for us to get stuck in one anyways.”
“Why do you think we’re in a bar where there’s A/C?”
A loud, sputtering sound interrupted their conversation and the draft they had felt overhead suddenly stopped. A collective groan came from the other five patrons at the bar when the bartender announced the A/C unit stopped working.
“When’s our flight back to DC again?” Scully asked once she finished her vodka soda.
“Next flight out of here isn’t until tomorrow morning, unless you want us to drive three hours to Omaha to book a red-eye flight for tonight.”
“Let’s check ourselves out and drive to Omaha. At least there’ll be A/C in the car.”
Scully hopped off the bar stool as Mulder quickly withdrew some cash out of his wallet then downed the rest of his ale. She waited for him by the entrance mentally bracing herself for the wall of heat once she pushed open the door.
“I’m driving,” she declared as she walked toward the driver-side door. Mulder fluidly fished out the rental car key from his pant pocket and tossed it over the car to her.
“Love a woman who takes charge,” he quipped as he waited for her to unlock the doors. She smirked.
“Does this mean I can choose our next case without your input?”
They both entered the car at the same time. Mulder muffled a curse as he hit his left knee against the dashboard while Scully adjusted her the driver seat before buckling herself in.
“I wouldn’t go that far, Scully. Don’t we usually discuss the validity of the cases first?”
He pushed back the passenger seat as far as it could go before putting on his seatbelt. She clucked her tongue as she adjusted the rear and side view mirrors.
“That’s a damn shame. I would’ve chosen a non-case near Clearwater Beach and packed myself a two-piece to soak in some sun.”
She blasted on the A/C and turned up the radio then glanced over to catch Mulder’s incredulous expression. Without another word passed between them, she backed out of the small dirt parking lot and headed to the hotel.
