Aftermath

Mulder entered his building yawning. He was home earlier than normal. Usually he didn't leave the office before six or seven, but he so hated trials that he thought he had deserved a few extra hours of rest. When he arrived in front of his door, he frowned. Something wasn't right. He took out his gun and pushed on the door, noticing that it opened easily. Mulder was pretty sure he had locked it before leaving this morning.

He entered his apartment silently and took a deep breath. He knew that scent. Something fresh, between herbal shampoo and the smell of a healthy young man. He heard a noise in his bedroom and tiptoed to the door. From the corner of his eye, he saw a familiar figure and froze, frowning. Krycek! He wondered what the man he hated was doing in his apartment and understood when he saw the former agent looking under the mattress. Krycek was obviously looking for something he thought Mulder owned.

"Looking for something, Krycek?" he asked, pointing his gun at the kneeling figure.

Krycek literally jumped out of his skin, and faced Mulder. He went for his own gun, but Mulder anticipated the move and stopped him.

"Keep quiet," he said, sliding his hand in Krycek's leather jacket and taking the other man's gun away. "So, back from Russia? Have a good trip?"

Krycek didn't answer. He stayed where he was, kneeling on the floor, his face inexpressive, looking at Mulder as if he was bored.

Mulder put his gun back in the holster, and simply hit Krycek as hard as he could, as often as he was able to; part of his mind noticing that Krycek wasn't fighting back with his usual efficiency. The fight was hard, dirty and silent.

Eventually Krycek lie down on the floor, shaking his head, and Mulder knelt at his side, taking out his handcuffs.

"You're under arrest, Krycek."

He clasped the iron bangle around Krycek's right wrist, then grabbed his left arm and frowned. It was like Krycek's skin was cold. Mulder exposed Krycek's wrist to the light, pulling up the leather sleeve of the jacket, and his jaw dropped open when he saw Krycek's artificial arm.

"Oh God!" he whispered, sincerely shocked.

"Happy? You feel better?" Krycek asked with scorn.

Mulder slowly removed the handcuff, his wrath suddenly gone, and whispered, trying to find the right words, "I'm sorry, Krycek, really sorry."

Krycek turned himself to sit down on the ground, facing a still kneeling Mulder. His tone was ironic.

"Sorry? Mulder, you're really a softy. I thought you'd jump for joy to see me like this."

But Mulder's face kept its gravity. "I'd jump for joy to see you dead, Krycek. Not like this. I met a kid in Russia who had been mutilated, too. That kind of thing doesn't make me particularly happy."

Krycek snorted but the green eyes softened a bit. "So what, Mulder?" he asked. "You let me go or you hit me again?"

Krycek was absentmindedly massaging his left shoulder and Mulder, ignoring the question,asked with some concern, "Hurt?"

"Like hell!" Krycek replied. "Weather, I guess. It's raining, outside."

The light rain of the beginning of the evening had turned into a little storm.

"Do you have somewhere to go?" he asked Krycek.

"The next motel will be fine," Krycek answered, his fingers still rubbing his shoulder.

Mulder looked at him and their gazes met, and for a moment, they shared something they weren't able to name. Mulder was aware of the warmth of Krycek's body so close to his, and he opened his mouth to say something when Krycek stopped him.

"I don't want your pity, Mulder," he said harshly. "I don't want your sympathy. I'm not dead, after all. And I use to wank with my right hand!"

Krycek's attempt to humor sent Mulder into an inexplicable blush. In a flash he imagined Krycek's hand stroking himself and his cock stiffened. Krycek had a cocky smile.

"My, a modest Mulder!" he laughed. "Come on, don't tell me you never do it!"

Mulder swallowed. Suddenly he bent over and kissed Krycek lightly on the lips. Less than a second later, he was on his feet, horribly embarrassed.

"Sorry," he babbled, "I never intended to do that! You'd better leave."

But Krycek's smile was now dreamy. He slowly got up, facing Mulder. "My, it seemed you have some hidden sides. I like that."

He put his hand on Mulder's shoulder and brushed his lips against the other man's. Mulder had no choice but part his lips, and they kissed gently, lips against lips.

"So what, Mulder?" Krycek asked in a husky voice, "do you arrest me or do you kiss me?"

Mulder lost himself in Krycek's wide green eyes. He bent his head once again, seeking contact with the younger man's mouth. Krycek obligingly parted his lips and this time, Mulder licked at the other man's sensuous lower lip and sank his tongue into the moist cavern. Krycek gently sucked on it and Mulder wrapped his arms around Krycek's frame, kissing him deeply, tasting the warm mouth and its fresh taste, a mix of mint and something that was uniquely 'Krycek'. It was a whole new sensation for him to kiss another man, and he didn't waste a sensation, fully enjoying the experience. He felt Krycek relax into his arms, enjoying the kiss as much as Mulder did. The agent bucked his hips in his former partner's and his cock stiffened more.

Finally Krycek broke the kiss and put his head on Mulder's shoulder.

"Hold me," he whispered. "Nobody has held me for so long!"

Mulder obeyed, enjoying the feeling of the warm muscled body against his. He slid his fingers into Krycek's short-cropped hair and kissed the other man on the neck. His arousal grew and he rubbed his body against the younger man's. But Krycek pulled away and breathed nervously, running a hand in his hair.

"Don't do that!" he snapped.

"Why?" Mulder asked, nodding toward Krycek's crotch. "You're as hard as I am."

Krycek snorted, "And then? I never knew you were such a pervert!"

"Why?" Mulder asked, surprised. "Don't tell me you never did it with a guy."

"That's not the point, and you know it. Before today, you wanted me dead," Krycek replied. "Now that you've seen that I've been ... mutilated, you act as though you want me. Do infirms excite you, Fox?"

Mulder shook his head, "As usual, you don't understand. I'm upset because it's the first time I kissed a man. I... oh, drop it! Get lost, Krycek!"

Mulder turned his back, his breathing coming in short gasps. He felt hurt by Krycek's rejection. He heard Krycek coming behind him and putting a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Mulder," he whispered very softly. "I'm upset, too. You see, the last time I was fucked, it wasn't that great."

Mulder faced him and saw all the hurt in Krycek's eyes. He hugged him tentatively and they lay down on the bed, Krycek's head buried in Mulder's shoulder.

"Tell me," the agent whispered. "Tell me, Alex."

Krycek began to play with Mulder's tie, occupying his nervous fingers.

"Shortly after the...accident, in Russia, I met a girl in a bar. We ended up in a dark alley and we fucked. We were still dressed, of course. When she saw my prosthesis, she looked at me as if I had plague and she puked. Second time, I decided that girls were fucking delicate little things so I went after a man.He saw my prosthesis... and it made him hard. He was a freak."

Mulder stroked Krycek's hair, "I'm already a freak, Alex, and it's not something new. I'm Spooky, remember?" Krycek laughed. "I'm neither excited nor disgusted by your arm, Alex. I want you, now, for the first time, I don't know why, but I know I want you."

Krycek softened and rolled on his back, letting Mulder kiss him on the lips.

"Fuck me?" he asked in a hoarse voice.

Mulder shook his head, "I'm going to make love to you, Alex, not fuck you."

"Mulder, I'm not here for a grammar course," Krycek joked.

Mulder smiled and kissed him again. Then he undid Krycek's leather jacket, and removed it in one motion, throwing it on the floor. But when his hands reached the other man's sweater, Krycek stopped him.

"No!" he only whispered.

Mulder framed the beautiful face with his hands. "Please Alex, trust me," he simply said. "You're not going to make love all your life with all your clothes on."

Krycek nodded and Mulder slowly pulled up the sweater, revealing the other man's muscled and almost hairless torso, and took off the glove. Krycek's breathing accelerated and he laid down on his back, his eyes closed, as if he couldn't stand Mulder's gaze on his mutilated body. Mulder himself wasn't sure how he was going to react. His eyes ran on the other man's chest, went up and up until he reached the injured shoulder. It wasn't what he had expected. In fact, the prosthesis looked weird. It wasn't in hard plastic. There weren't straps. It had been obviously fixed by microsurgery and the arm itself was covered with artificial skin. The fingers were clenched into a hard fist.

Mulder ran a gentle finger on the arm, and his hand covered Krycek's. "Open your eyes, Alex," he demanded softly. The other man obeyed and Mulder was deeply upset by the suffering he saw in the beautiful green eyes. "Do you have feeling in your arm?" he asked.

"Not that much," Krycek answered in a low voice. "Just the basic ones, cold, heat, touch. I can feel your hand on mine. I can move my fingers enough to grab things."

"Your arm is now part of yourself, so you've got to accept it," Mulder said. "It's you, as much as your eyes. Alex, you look great, believe me. You're still a fucking hunk."

Krycek smiled in despite of himself. "Do you really think so?"

Mulder nodded and bending over, kissed Krycek's shoulder. His mouth slid on the other man's chest, leaving a path of wet saliva on the way, and he closed his lips around Krycek's left nipple, worrying it with his tongue, biting it gently until it turned into a hard bud. His left hand was very busy between the younger man's legs, stroking the denim-covered crotch.

Krycek moaned. "It's not fair," he protested, "you're still dressed!"

Mulder knelt on Krycek's waist, and let the other man undo his tie and open his shirt. In one move, Krycek removed both Mulder's jacket and shirt and ran both of his hands on the hairy chest. Mulder jumped a little when Krycek's artificial hand came in contact with his bare skin, and the younger man immediately withdrew his hand. Mulder grabbed it and put it back on his torso.

"I jumped because of the difference of temperature," Mulder lied softly. "Both of your hands, Alex, are pretty cold."

Krycek smiled and let his hands slid on Mulder's stomach. "Let me warm them," he whispered, his fingers struggling with Mulder's belt buckle. He undid the trousers and Mulder moved, kicking off his shoes, allowing Krycek to pull down his pants. He took off his socks and shivered when Krycek's thumbs slid under his briefs' waistband. His cock was now pulsing with need. Krycek mischievously smiled and grabbed the older man's hips, bringing them in front of his face. Then he licked at Mulder's cotton covered cock until the navy fabric was damp. Mulder moaned under the delightful torture and wriggled. Krycek took off the briefs, freeing the hard shaft that slammed against the agent's hard stomach.

"Stop it, Alex, or I'm going to come before we even get started," Mulder panted. "And now you're the one who's overdressed."

Krycek smiled and gently pressed on Mulder's balls, releasing the pressure. He let Mulder unfasten his jean, lifting his hips to allow the other man to take off his pants.

"Commando," Mulder laughed. "Tell me, Alex, were you commando when you were wearing the prescribed FBI suit?"

"Glad I wasn't," Krycek said, stretching as Mulder's hand stroked his hard cock. "I was constantly hard while I was working with you. The day I saw you in that red swimsuit, I'd barely had time to run to the john and to wank not once but twice."

They both laughed and the agent asked, "Were you hot for me?"

"Yes I was," Krycek replied in a low voice. "I had... great affection for you,Mulder. I still..."

He never ended his sentence and their eyes met and Mulder's heart beat harder in his chest when he understood what Krycek meant and what he didn't dare say with words. 'I loved you. I still love you.' Mulder stretched and kissed Krycek's lips very gently and they smiled at each other. There wasn't yet time.

Mulder ran a single finger over the length of Krycek's shaft, eliciting a moan from the younger man as precum oozed on the agent's fingers. Mulder brought his hand to his mouth and tasted the semen, making Krycek's cock twitch. Mulder bent his head and put a butterfly kiss on the tip of Krycek's cock and the other man clenched his fists on the bedspread, breathing deeply. Mulder mimicked the motion Krycek had done to him a few minutes earlier, easing the pressure in Krycek's balls.

"Don't you dare to come now," he ordered. "I'm only beginning."

"Aye aye, Sir," Krycek smiled.

Mulder bent his head again and took the tip of Krycek's cock into his mouth, running his tongue on it until the hard member grew harder, then tasted the furry balls, rolling each of them between his lips. Krycek gasped. Mulder made him roll over and lifted his hips, exposing Krycek's beautiful ass to his lust. He stroked the firm asscheeks, enjoying the soft taut skin, and left a trail of kisses from the small of Krycek's back to his opening, before licking at the ring of muscles, making Krycek moan.

"Oh Mulder!" he exclaimed, bucking his ass against Mulder's face.

Mulder's tongue probed the muscle that relaxed, allowing him entrance. Mulder tasted Krycek's primal essence, slowly moving his tongue, lapping at the other man's tight channel, his own cock getting thicker and thicker.

"Fuck me, Mulder!" Krycek moaned.

Mulder stopped his ministrations, knowing Krycek wouldn't last much longer. He withdrew and stretched to the nightstand, taking the lube in the drawer. Krycek rolled and knelt face to Mulder, taking the lube. Their erections brushed and they both moaned. Krycek opened the cap and poured some lube on his fingers, taking hold of Mulder's pulsing cock in his left hand, carefully coating it. Then he lie down on his back, parting his legs,offering himself to Mulder.

Mulder hesitated a bit, after all it was his first time, and licked his lips. "Don't you want some stretching before?"

"I like it rough, Mulder," Krycek whispered.

Mulder smiled and pushed the head of his cock in Krycek's entrance, closing his eyes under the wonderful sensation of being swallowed by the other man's tight channel. Once he was entirely in the other man he thrust once, and both men cried in pleasure.

"You hit just the right spot," Krycek panted, stretching his arms to his partner.

Mulder lay down on Krycek, who wrapped both of his arms around his lover's frame, while Mulder kissed him carnally. His right hand slid between their bodies and found Krycek's throbbing cock, pumping on it. Krycek moaned in his mouth, and Mulder increased his thrusting, hitting Krycek's prostrate with each stroke until the other man bucked back against him. Mulder had closed his eyes and he lost he lost track of time, moving on Krycek's body, their soft flesh sliding one on another in a slow, graceful ballet, accelerating until they both moved frantically for release.

Mulder felt orgasm taking birth in his balls, which tightened against the base of his cock, his cock got thicker as pleasure grew more and more,until he exploded and came deep into Krycek. The other man's body had a spasm beneath his as Krycek came, too, shooting his load in powerful jets,moaning aloud the intense pleasure that was going through his body.

"For a first timer," Krycek whispered as they were now lying in each other arms, "you were pretty good."

"I was inspired," Mulder answered, hugging his lover more tightly.

They kissed with such tenderness that Mulder felt upset. He was discovering a whole new Alex Krycek, softer, tenderer, caring. He lost himself into Krycek's scent, fresh and spicy at the same time. Outside the rain was pouring and Mulder felt deeply safe and good.

"Mulder, I've to go," Krycek suddenly said, breaking the silence.

"Stay!" Mulder answered impulsively.

"Until dawn, then, no more," Krycek accepted.

"What were you looking for here?" Mulder asked, curious.

"Your private files, as usual. But you don't have what we feared you could have," Krycek answered without hesitation.

Mulder sighed. "Alex, one day I'll inject you with some penthotal and you'll tell me everything you know, including the name of your first lover.

"Walter Skinner," Krycek responded.

"What?" Mulder asked, lost.

"You asked me the name of my first lover. It was Skinner. He's the one who took my recruitment in hand, in every sense of the word," Krycek smiled.

Mulder felt like a fool for feeling jealous of the A.D. being Krycek's first lover. "Was he good?" he asked with anger.

"He fucked me. You made love to me. No comparison available," Krycek answered.

Mulder smiled, not really buying it. He had guessed for long the A.D. must be a good fuck. "Don't tell me you suffered," he smiled.

Krycek had one of his mischievous boyish smiles that gave Mulder the urge to protect him. Suddenly Krycek's face turned serious and he asked, "Do you forgive me for what happened in Russia, Mulder? I only tried to save my own life. Believe me or not but if I was on the truck that day, it was to bring you with me to another place. I wouldn't have left you in that gulag."

"You left me being contaminated by that black shit," Mulder replied.

"I've gone through that, too," Krycek shrugged. "You don't die from it. It's frightening, but you don't die."

"Some people die."

"I know you wouldn't. There are the accidental contaminations that can be lethal, and the programmed ones, that are safe... if I can speak like that, of course."

"What is that oil?" Mulder asked.

He hadn't expected a response and he was surprised when Krycek answered.

"A little marvel of alien technology. It's a virus they transformed using nanotechnology. The black oil is part of their plan, Mulder. It allows them to control people they can't or don't want to buy."

"And what..." Mulder began.

"No more questions, lover," Krycek cut him off. "I've told too much already."

Mulder smiled with good grace. "Will I see you again, Alex?" he asked with more anxiety he had expected.

"Sure. Now I'm working for another man," Krycek whispered. "A Russian."

"So you betray your country?" Mulder said with indignation.

Krycek laughed. "Come on, Mulder, we're beyond that! I'm not selling secrets of US Army defense. This man is a bigwig in KGB. He has worked in East Germany. He knows about the Consortium and the aliens, but he's aware you can't fight the future. I'm proud to work for him. I think he's the only one who can really do something."

Mulder was doubtful. It wasn't like Krycek to be enthusiast about his employers.

"Is he a hunk?" he asked with some bitterness in his voice.

Krycek burst into laughter. "Not really! He's a pretty ordinary looking man. Almost a caricature of the perfect spy. I think he's straight."

"How did you meet him?"

"He came to see me at hospital in St Petersburg. I owe him this prosthesis. The first one was barely a bit of plastic."

Mulder began to understand that Alex Krycek himself had his vulnerable sides. The Russian had told him what Krycek needed to hear when he was distressed, and now Krycek was faithful to him.

"But you're still betraying your country. You're an American citizen, Alex,not a Russian."

"I'm born in America from Russian parents who escaped from communists. They raised me in the love of Russia. Mulder, I never chose to become what I am today. I grew up like every little American boy, liking TV and baseball, chasing skirts. FBI recruited me on the campus. Then the Consortium came. I was young and an idealist. I believed them. But there are all withered old men. Now I work for someone who has enough guts to do what he says."

Mulder sighed and kissed his lover. They would never agree on some things. Sometimes Mulder wondered if Krycek wasn't right. The good old times of Cold War were gone, if they had ever existed. Now the fight was about the whole earth.

Mulder laid down on his back, and took Krycek in his embrace. His lover kissed his chest, snuggling against the agent's muscled frame, and and sighed in happiness. For the first time in weeks, he needed neither sleeping pills nor vodka to slide into a deep sleep.

"I'll leave," Krycek said while stepping out of the shower. "It's dawn."

"What? You're like a vampire, you don't like sun?" Mulder joked.

"I've things to do, Mulder."

He grabbed his clothes and quickly got dressed. Mulder wrapped himself into his bathrobe. He didn't want Krycek to leave now; even if he knew the other man couldn't stay. Krycek opened the door, then turned and grabbed Mulder by the collar of his bathrobe and kissed him senseless.

"Remember, Mulder. Trust no one, not even me."

To be continued?