This is a set of stories in which Mulder and Scully share a moment of sudden realization about their feelings for one another, while they are surrounded by other people.
I recently posted the fifth one on AO3 and thought I'd share them here as a little collection.
The Work of an Instant (2463 words) on AO3: Scully and Mulder attend a game night at the Gunmen’s lair, and change is in the air (s7).
Charade (8358 words) on A03: Mulder and Scully take part in an undercover operation, and Mulder learns something about Scully's feelings for him. Takes place in season 6, shortly after The Unnatural.
How Well You Walk Through the Fire (2362 words) on A03: Late season 6, Scully comes to a sudden realization about Mulder's feelings for her while in the middle of a Bureau policy meeting.
Courage Always Rises (8032 words) on A03: Mulder joins Scully for a family dinner at Maggie's house.
One Indifferent Summer (11759 words) on AO3: In season 6, shortly after the events of The Rain King, Mulder and Scully find themselves with some free time in a small town at the end of a case.
Collector's Edition: Happy Birthday,
Dana Katherine Scully
A belated fic list in honor of Scully's birthday.
Loose chronological order below~
@foxmulders/@audriesfic/inkspl0tchess's (Ao3) under neptune
It’s not her birthday.
“But they don’t know that, Scully,” Mulder assures her as he tugs her into the ice cream parlor. It is uncannily warm and smells like sugar and whipped cream.
“I’m not in the habit of lying for no reason, Mulder.”
“You once lied to a courtroom full of people. You lied under oath at a congressional hearing,” he counters.
Eight Scully birthdays.
@syntax6's (Gossamer, FFN, omniscribe)
The Birthday Stories (Scully 1994, Scully 1995, Scully 1997, Scully 1998, and Scully 2000)
He broke off and coughed heavily, and she could see he had pilfered a latex glove from the nearby table.
"Mulder, you shouldn't be--" She broke off as he wheezed into the glove again, blowing it up like a balloon.
He held his hand out for the rubber band. "Give me one," he said, his voice almost gone. When she didn't immediately respond, he made an impatient grabbing motion.
She set a red one in his palm and he twisted it around the base of the glove. Pleased with his efforts, he smiled at it and flicked it back and forth with his fingers. "Ta da!" he said in just the barest whisper. He handed the glove balloon to her. "Happy birthday, Scully."
A collection of Scully’s birthdays post-Young at Heart, post-End Game, pre-Tempus Fugit, post-Kill Switch, and post-Sein und Zeit.
@h0ldthiscat ‘s (Ao3) Unnamed
She’d turned thirty-one last week. Her mother had taken her out to a nice dinner, she’d received cards from the few med school friends she still kept in touch with, and after two glasses of wine she’d fallen asleep on her couch, only to be woken by Mulder calling past two AM. If it weren’t for the birthday cards it could have been any day.
Post-Humbug Scully remembers a lonely birthday.
Ten’s (xffics) Candles of Ice
Scully had forgotten her own birthday before, when doing her killer medical exams. This was different. She was away from home and she didn't even have Mulder. She was stunned and upset and wanted to cry tears of frustration and fear. How could she celebrate?
"I sent some presents up for you in a big box," Maggie continued. "Some from me and some from the rest of the family. Ben made a drawing for Fox to look at as he gets better. Lots of bright colours."
Post-End Game Scully spends her birthday in vigil for Mulder to wake (and calling her mother.)
@lotsoforangesoutside/lots_of_oranges_outside’s
Wednesday 100s (Ao3)
He wanted to make a big deal out of it, so he made sure he didn’t.
Hence, the Hershey’s Bar.
Scully’s 30th birthday.
Friday
"You plan to go to the bank today, Mulder?"
"Nah, I got you. Here," he opened his wallet and handed her two twenties. "I probably don't need to make a trip to the bank until next week. You wanna, um, have your birthday dinner sometime this weekend?"
"I thought we did that already, in Florida?"
"Nope."
Post-Monday Mulder covers Scully’s bank card (and takes her out
to dinner.)
@neednottoneed/neednot’s An Act of Fearful Symmetry
They started towards the truck.
“Oh Mulder, you’re kidding,” she said. “Where’d you even get this?”
“Borrowed it from a family friend down in North Carolina,” he said, adopting an awful Southern accent.
“I didn’t know you knew how to drive stick,” she said as she climbed in, knowing he was laughing at her on the other side as she practically jumped into the seat.
AU-- Post-The List Mulder and Scully eat a picnic, take a tumble, and give in to their feelings.
Whumpay Day 15: self-hatred (Ao3)
Scully is alone in the office in late February, 1996, when there's a hesitant knock at the door. It's Saturday, she's already got plans for the weekend — she's meeting up with Mulder tonight to catch him up on the case she's been studying while he was out complainingly recovering from a sprained ankle, then dinner with her mother tomorrow, because it's her birthday and Maggie wanted to do something.
Post-Pusher Holly wishes Scully a happy birthday.
how to live, not how to cry (Ao3)
When Scully walks into the office on the morning of February 23rd, 1997, she is shoving a reddened tissue into her pocket to throw away when Mulder isn't looking. There is a rhythm to how they go about office days, now, a different one than before her illness. She would have forgotten her own birthday if first Charlie — at far too early, forgetting the time difference between them — and then her mother hadn't called to wish her a happy one. She wishes it could be happier, without the shadow of her impending death hanging over her and reminding her that likelier than not, this will be her last birthday.
AU-- Tempus Fugit Scully tears up over her gift.
@gaycrouton/OnlyTheInevitable’s
Breathe, Pendrell
When he first saw just exactly who Agent Mulder was, he knew he didn't stand a chance. It only got worse when he found out they were married from the office grapevine. "Mr. and Mrs. Spooky are coming for the results on that monster goo." He presumed Spooky was just a nickname because they work on the cool, weird cases, but the Mr. and Mrs. never failed to stab at his heart. Not that he needed that as confirmation really. Anyone who looked at them could tell how close they were, it was how they were when they were together.
Pendrell takes Scully out for her birthday.
34 (Ao3)
"After last year, I figure you deserve to enjoy a birthday sans-governmental conspiracy," Mulder teased. Then, sombering in a way she wasn't used to, he said, "Besides, I'm… I'm really glad you made it to see 34, Scully."
Seeing as 33 was plagued with cancer scares, she knew exactly what he meant. "Me too."
It wasn't until later that night that she realized Melissa was still 33.
Scully outlives her sister.
Quirky
Scully awoke to the sun beaming down at her through the curtains. Looking at her alarm clock she sighed in contentment when she saw 10:10 glaring back at her in red neon. However, her tranquility was extremely short lived. As soon as her head was back on the pillow, she heard a loud crash in the kitchen, followed by a voice grumbling something unintelligible.
Scully’s burglar makes her a Valentine’s Day-birthday breakfast.
sarah_segretti/Sarah Segretti’s Just Send the Card
What if she took that the wrong way? What if she was the sort to see sexual harassment wherever she looked? Heaven knew there were enough women in the Bureau who would. Then again, that partner of hers would have been out on the street by now, from what he'd heard, if she was the sort to mind --
Oh, no. Her partner.
Pre-Tempus Fugit Pendrell drafts a birthday card.
@vgcam/veredgf’s The Gift (Ao3)
Behind him he could hear as Agent Scully was thanking her colleagues for the presents she was receiving. He turned around only to realize he was next in line. He quickly hid the tiny box behind his back. Maybe he could still somehow run out of the lounge and save his face. He looked behind him only to find a rather large gathering, all eagerly waiting to reach the birthday girl. There was no escape route whatsoever.
Pendrell’s bad day goes from bad to worse (and then better.)
joanswritings’s Mulder, the Party Planner
“I haven’t skated in such a long time, want to?” Scully asks.
“I don’t think we have time.”
“Time? We have all night.” Scully says.
“Actually, I have tickets for us for 9:30.”
“For what?” Scully asks.
“It’s a surprise.”
AU-- Scully’s Tempus Fugit birthday isn't interrupted.
Beshter‘s Seasons: Fourth
"For what it's worth, Scully," Mulder murmured against her hair, his chin resting lightly on the top of her head. "Happy birthday."
A deep, body shaking laugh erupted out of her, bittersweet and appreciative. "Thank you. Some birthday, huh?"
"Not one of your finest ones. But hey, at least I wasn't trying to shoot you this time around."
"There is that." She smiled, turning to look up at him. "No Pusher creating havoc, convincing you to turn your gun on me."
His arm tightened briefly, almost spasmodically, before he let her go, rubbing her shoulders briefly before stepping away. "All right, Scully, we got to get out of this burgh and to someplace with food. I'm not about to raid Max's leftovers for sustenance."
Although Season 4 Scully and Mulder battle a long and weary year, there are still bright spots-- be they birthday snowballs or Apollo 11 key chains-- wedged in the madness.
@libbytxf/LibbyT’s My Funny Valentine (Ao3)
It’s a birthday gift and a Valentine all the same. It’s a Sno-Ball and a sparkler at The Headless Woman’s Pub, and it’s his silent regret that he’s lost so many chances to celebrate her birthday already.
In the midst of year-by-year snapshots, Scully has a Tempus Fugit birthday.
@sunflowerseedsandscience‘s (Ao3)
"Things You Said" prompts - Chapter 2
With his ears deadened by the inane chatter of strangers all around him, Mulder almost misses the quiet snick of Maggie Scully’s back door closing. He’s pretty sure there’s only one person it can be, and a quick glance around the room, at all the distant relations and family friends he’s never met- or heard of, even- confirms it for him: Scully’s fiery hair is notably absent. Looking over at Mrs. Scully, he sees her daughter’s exit has not been wholly unnoticed, and with a quick jerk of her chin, Maggie gives Mulder permission to go after her. Which he does. Gladly. He’s a curiosity to these people, Dana’s crazy partner who believes in flying saucers. More a museum exhibit than a real person.
Post-Max Scully withdraws from her family’s celebration.
shannono’s (xffics) Happy 34th
Dana Scully pushed open the door to the office, took one step inside -- and froze in astonishment. A bunch of balloons were attached to the back of her chair, a gaily wrapped box sat on the seat, a card on top of it, and two cupcakes with burning candles in them sat on the table next to her computer.
Standing behind her chair, a silly grin on his face, was her partner, wearing a party hat and holding a blowout noisemaker in his hand.
Mulder and Maggie have their schemes.
@aloysiavirgata/Aloysia_Virgata’s (Gossamer, LJ, WBM) Unnamed
“You accused me of never remembering last year,” Mulder says, attaching a final piece of tape to the HAPPY BIRTHDAY! banner across the back of the boardroom.
Scully turns in a slow, queasy circle. He has sprinkled the conference table with confetti, has put an enormous sheet cake emblazoned with HAPPY BIRTHDAY SPECIAL AGENT DOCTOR DANA KATHERINE SCULLY, MD in the center. The writing is bright purple and rather squished.
Mulder and Skinner conspire on Scully’s birthday.
Malibusunset/Malibu Sunset’s All That is Dark and Bright
Scully looks from one to the other and back again. “Plans? What kind of plans? I’m not invited?”
Grabbing a plate from the cupboard, Mulder scrapes a pile of fluffy yellow eggs onto his plate. “Nope.”
“It’s a secret,” says Emily, her smile nearly leaping off her apple cheeks.
AU-- Post-A Christmas Carol Emily survives, kicking off a whirlwind engagement, wedding, and custody fight jointly spearheaded by Mulder and Scully.
somekindofseizure’s (WBM) Unnamed
She holds the handle on the heavy hotel room door when she goes out for the night, lets the latch slip into its cradle. Mulder is just next door, most likely napping. Her new perfume trails down the hallway, wallpaper hugging the scent of loamy fields and bejeweled queens, neat bespoke suits and desperate paisley bursts of repressed desire.
AU-- Post-FTF Scully flies to London for her birthday (and Mulder
joins her.)
pokeitlikejello’s A Birthday Reset
“Wonderful,” Scully muttered, not that she felt she needed to say anything. Mulder seemed to be speaking more for himself than her, plotting out their day once they arrived.
Scully fumes over having to spend her birthday in manure.
@cecilysass/cecily_sass/Cecily Sasserbaum’s Tonight We’re Gonna Party Like It’s 1999 (Ao3)
“No, you’re stalling. You’re making us late to your own birthday dinner on purpose.”
“What are you talking about?” Dana sighed wearily, examining the jawline of her uninteresting baby face again.
Missy sprung to her feet and leaned over Dana’s shoulder, looking at her reflection in the mirror, whispering playfully in her ear. “You’re waiting for something.”
AU-- Young Scully nervously waits for a birthday call from young Mulder, believing (while afraid to believe) what he’s repeated over the years. (Conclusion to The Boy on the Beach, Ao3.)
@television-overload/ContentsPriceless’s rain (Ao3)
His cheek rests against her damp hair, breathing in the scent of rain and lingering notes of her shampoo, and he closes his eyes, feeling his heart leap in his chest.
"Happy birthday, Scully," he says, and he thinks maybe next time, she won't mind the rain so much.
Mulder and Scully cross that line in the rain and the mud.
@o6666666‘s (Ao3)
Five in One Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3
There is a photo in Mulder’s bedroom, on his dresser, that Scully always lingers over: him at four, maybe five, holding Samantha. She was a big baby, Samantha. He remembers lugging her around to show her matters of importance: worms in the garden or the nest of baby bunnies their mother found once, under the porch steps. He used to sit the baby Samantha on a beach towel on the lawn while he dug, for the two of them, a tunnel to go under the ocean. In the photo they are blonder than they ever were as older children. In the photo no one has tamed the cowlick at his crown. He is nuzzling his sister, smiling. Baby cheek on baby cheek. He doesn’t remember how she smelled—perhaps both of them like sunscreen, or ivory soap, or sweat.
Scully touches the photo now with reverence, as if stroking his cheek.
Mulder makes up for years of missed birthdays.
Untitled
Why are we flying all the way up in the middle of winter, you just came to check on the house last week, and the kid was stowed away at Maggie’s. Had been since they dropped her off on the way to Scully’s grown-ups only birthday dinner Friday night. Earlier Friday afternoon they had come to Scully’s office at the hospital and urged her with kisses and baby arms round the neck and promised lunch at her favorite deli to cancel her afternoon appointments. Scully agreed and returned her kisses, as usual far more agreeable than she pretended to be. Now she stood staring at her boat in island wind, red nosed in his fifteen-year-old barn jacket. She wiped her eyes.
Scully is gifted a boat for her 40th.
@baronessblixen's (Ao3)
I have a 3 sentences prompt
She finds the first few sunflower seeds right by her shoes and doesn't think too much about it. That's Mulder for you. Then she finds more of them in her kitchen on the counter and in the living room next to the remote control.
Mulder leaves a trail for his romantic partner.
Happy Birthday, Baby Girl (Ao3)
“Are you sure?” He holds out his hands knowing how heavy she feels, how difficult it is for her to get up from the couch. She takes his hands and he pulls her up. Her stomach bumps against him.
“I’m so ready for this to be over,” Scully says, sighing. Two seconds on her feet and they’re complaining already.
“You hear that, baby? Do your mommy a favor and get ready, too.”
Post-MSIV's baby has her own timing.
@mappingthexfiles/Apostrophic’s The Law of Large Numbers
Tonight, Mulder was tired, not asleep. Scully placed a dripping dish on the rack by the sink and picked up the next one to scrub with the sponge. What was left of the cake was in a heap on the counter and Mulder popped a bite in his mouth, licking whipped cream and jello off the end of his thumb. “Why’s that your favorite cake?” he asked, mouth half full, as if it had never occurred to him that he should ask her that question. William proved contagious.
“I don’t know,” Scully said. She let a second dish drip. “My mom used to make it. She’d use my favorite jello, and pile strawberries on top. Thank you,” she said, mouth suddenly full with a strawberry Mulder put there. She ate it, swallowed, and said, “I remember Bill hated it.”
Mulder grinned. “Well, that’s reason enough,” he said, but the old rivalry had worn out, it was just something familiar and funny to say.
“We’d have it on the Fourth of July,” Scully said. “And sometimes on my birthday, if we could find strawberries that time of year.”
AU-- Scully, William, and Mulder are together (if cautiously.)
@slippinmickeys/SlippinMickeys/Slippin' Mickeys’s Funfetti Universe
“Yeah,” Mulder finally said, clearing his throat. “One second.” He stood up to excuse himself and Scully was worried she needed to go make sure he was okay when he came back to the table carrying three plates. On each, sat a fat, pink Hostess Snoball.
“I was saving these for your mom’s birthday,” Mulder said, winking at his wife. “But I think this calls for a celebration, and these are the only pink things in the house.”
“For now,” Scully said, winking back.
In the Funfetti Universe, Mulder and Scully support their struggling son, learn the gender of their next baby, and celebrate Scully’s birthday.
@melforbes/everdaymsr’s (Ao3, WBM) reazione
“i wrote a research paper on this in undergrad,” she answers the unspoken question. “it was a long time ago, i know, but it stayed with me. you spend so much time focusing on things like this, but they’re just out there, you know? they feel celebrity and unreal. they don’t make you feel as though you can be this close to them.”
she takes her hand back, dries her face on the wool of her coat, leaves a little line of brown mascara on the sleeve.
“i just didn’t expect it to feel this real,” she says. “that’s all.”
For Scully’s 50th, Mulder takes her to Italy.
XSketch’s (mulderscreek) Soledad Para Dos
"Mommy say you gots to stop cwying," the boy sniffled, climbing up onto his father's knee and reaching to wipe the damp, grey-speckled beard. "Mommy upset you upset."
AU-- Mulder and William weather his late-partner’s birthday.
@mollybecameanengineer/Sareki's A Cup of Kindness (Ao3)
It had been easier last year, on the first birthday after she died, because Will had still been home. Mulder suggested they watch The Exorcist , without making reference to Scully. But Will knew his mom’s favorite movie. So they made popcorn and watched, and Mulder held in his tears until after Will went to bed.
He took a big swallow from this drink before writing (in complete sentences with proper punctuation and spelling, unlike his spawn), I love you, Will. Goodnight. After hitting send, the three typing dots appeared from Will’s end, then disappeared. This happened a few more times, like Will was typing and erasing. Finally: u ok?
AU-- Mulder works hard to be the father William needs (but some days, he just needs a listening ear.)
It's been a year since I started posting my first story on AO3, 'The Light of a Clear Blue Morning'. I'd spent a lot of time over the years thinking about the intimacy and closeness that Mulder and Scully had during the Cancer Arc, and wondering what it would have looked like if that had continued. I wrote that story for myself, thinking that I probably wouldn't post it. I'm so honoured that people read it and others I've written since.
I've been reflecting on everyone I've met and had conversations with in the last year—including some of the wonderful XF writers whose work I love—and feeling grateful to be a tiny part of the decades-long labour of love that is our fandom. It means a lot to be part of this community with wonderful writers, readers, gif-makers, chaos agents & fellow fans of all varieties. It means a lot, a lot, a lot.
Summary: In the aftermath of Amor Fati, Mulder and Scully seem to be on the verge of something new. Scully decides to spend a quiet weekend at home in her own company, in part to think over their changing relationship. Scully’s plans for time to herself are torpedoed by Mulder calling her throughout the weekend.
She hears the faint noise of a siren, some blocks away. Her street is quiet right now; a few cars pass, but no one else is on foot nearby. There are no distractions. They’re not in danger, no one is ill or in a hospital bed, or on the run. There are no bees, no kids loading balls into a machine or small town cops to make a person self-conscious. It’s just them, on the steps outside her apartment. Nothing prevents them from acting; nothing compels them to action. The whole of their history together, the whole of their seven years of partnership, telescopes into this moment.
Thanks for reading and commenting, and thanks to @sagan-starstuff who inspired the story!
Summary: In the aftermath of Amor Fati, Mulder and Scully seem to be on the verge of something new. Scully decides to spend a quiet weekend at home in her own company, in part to think over their changing relationship. Scully’s plans for time to herself are torpedoed by Mulder calling her throughout the weekend.
“Ma’am, I’ve had reports that an unlicensed plumber has been working in your apartment. Do you require any medical assistance?
He affects a southern twang, one that reminds her of an officer they’d met in Clover County, Texas, over the summer.
“Are you offering unlicensed medical assistance Mulder? I’ve finished the plumbing. Successfully, mind you. Now I’m baking.”
This is a completed story; remaining chapters to follow soon.
A story inspired by our own Dr Scully @sagan-starstuff.
Summary: In season 6, shortly after the events of The Rain King, Mulder and Scully find themselves with some free time in a small town at the end of a case. Remaining chapters to follow later this week & early next week. Part of the 'Work of an Instant' series.
He places one hand on her waist, and with the other clasps her hand. As the band starts to play he leads her ably around the dance floor. Her free hand rests on his upper back. She has to remind herself that this is happening in real life; they're not playing pretend in Arcadia, or putting on a show for someone.
“Mulder, how on earth?”
“Lessons on the Vineyard, Scully, part of every young gentleman’s education. That and how to make a passable Old Fashioned by the age of 16. Very important.”
For @calimanc, brave and true.
A shorter chapter today, with a longer final chapter to follow soon.
Summary: In season 6, shortly after the events of The Rain King, Mulder and Scully find themselves with some free time in a small town at the end of a case. Remaining chapters to follow later this week & early next week. Part of the 'Work of an Instant' series.
She’s used to this itinerancy, to short stays in towns and places she won’t see again. She’d grown accustomed to arrivals and departures as a child, moving from one naval base to another, accustomed to traveling light and finding her home in her family, not in a place. She’s realized recently that the same has begun to apply to her relationship with Mulder. Her relationship with him is the longest relationship of this intensity she’s ever had; romantic or not, it has outlasted her relationship with Daniel, or Ethan, or Jack, in both duration and personal significance.
Summary: In season 6, shortly after the events of The Rain King, Mulder and Scully find themselves with some free time in a small town at the end of a case. Remaining chapters to follow later this week & early next week. Part of the 'Work of an Instant' series.
I don't want to spoil too much, but a couple of brief extracts from the chapter:
With another loud crack of lightning, the power goes out. Mulder’s grip around Scully’s knee tightens, and her hand comes to rest on top of his.
And
She forces herself to act. If your Nerve deny you—go above your Nerve.
