Dark Christmas

Fandom: Supernatural/The X-Files

Category/Rated: Slash, NC17

Year/Length: 2010/~24,052 words

Pairing: Dean Winchester/Alex Krycek, Fox Mulder

Spoilers: Season 2 of X–Files

Disclaimer: This is fiction. Alex Krycek belongs to Chris Carter and Dean Winchester to Eric Kripke. We merely borrow them to play with.

Summary: Someone or something is killing people very messily. Fox Mulder and his partner Alex Krycek are completely baffled, but the young man in the black Impala seems to know a little more than he's letting on.

Artist: glitter_noire

Author's Notes: For the 2010 SN_Cross. Alex Krycek wasn't always on the run. When we first saw him, he was working with Fox Mulder on the X–Files, or at least, he was trying to. We thought he needed a little attention, because Mulder was really not a good partner. Maybe things would have been very different if this had happened.

Beta: The ever-competent marys_scribbles.

It was the tenth death, and, with two days left 'til Christmas, Special Agent Fox Mulder and his partner Alex Krycek were in Christmas town – McAdenville, North Carolina. Mulder was mulling over files, evidence photos and reports. It seemed that each death had occurred around three in the morning, and Mulder knew enough to know that was considered the demon's hour. He knew that, but he was having a hard time finding any link between the victims.

What he had noticed was a guy who'd recently showed up in town – a good looking kid who seemed to be everywhere he was, but who just stood back in the crowd, watching. Mulder felt tired and annoyed at the same time. Krycek was underfoot, constantly trying to be included, even though Mulder didn't want him as a partner and had done his best to unload him.

Mulder looked over at his partner, who was fidgeting where he lounged on the bed. "Krycek, why don't you go out and get us some coffee? It's gonna be a long night. Oh, and ask around about any strangers being in town while you're out." That, he thought, should keep him busy for a while and away from his research. It would also give Mulder time to call Scully to see what she thought.

Alex Krycek was fed up. Mulder obviously thought he wasn't worth bothering with, and used every opportunity to be secretive, to hive him off on some make–work task. As he gathered his jacket and headed out of the door, he was angry, about ready to throw in the towel and tell his boss to send someone else to partner Mulder, because he was done.

The nearest coffee shop was three blocks from the motel where they were staying, and Alex found himself snarling and snapping at himself as he thought of things to say to Mulder and rehearsed them in his brain. It was cold enough to nip at his ears, and as he finally reached the coffee shop, he was glad of the rush of warmth that enveloped him as he stepped in and closed the door.

There was a line up, and, as he joined it, the scents of coffee, cinnamon and ginger filled the air, easing him a little, soothing his fractious temper. He didn't turn as someone else entered the store, merely stood eying the pastries and deciding which one to get for himself. Mulder, he thought, could do without.

As he walked into the coffee shop, Dean was shivering and making noises about how cold it was outside. He rubbed his hands together to get them warm and leaned to see what was holding up the line. Of course it would be one of those people ordering a foofoo drink. "Why can't people just get coffee?" he grumbled under his breath. He looked at the back of the guy in front of him. Black, official looking jacket, possibly the man was an undertaker, or maybe a Jehovah's Witness – or did those guys even drink stimulants? He rolled his eyes. Whatever! Hopefully the guy would get his order quickly and let Dean at the coffee.

"Yeah. You'd think that people would want to take their hit straight, instead of disguising it with all the crap. Cream is disgusting stuff," murmured Alex. He turned his head to study the new arrival and narrowed his eyes. He'd seen the kid about. He thought that the newcomer might even be staying in the same motel as he and Mulder. Wide, thickly fringed green eyes looked guilelessly back at him, and a thrill of recognition flickered along Alex's nerve endings. There was something about the kid that spoke to Alex's feral heart. He was more than he appeared to be, that was for sure. Alex smirked. "And then there's decaf. What the fuck's up with that? Doesn't it defeat the entire purpose of coffee?"

Dean looked the man up and down, knowing that the other was doing the same thing to him, and he smiled, the practiced, charming smile – the one that lulled people into thinking he was just a regular guy, "I want my caffeine straight up and pure. No gingerbread, mocha crap. And decaf is for wimps. You aren't a man if you can't drink it straight. Puts hair on your chest." Actually, he thought, that wasn't true for him, although it seemed to work for his father.

Noticing that Alex was up next, Dean motioned for him to go ahead, and, smiling back, Alex put in his order.

Clutching his black coffee, Alex allowed the fragrance to steam his headache away. Standing, waiting for Mulder's gingerbread soy latte, he found himself wishing that he worked with the green–eyed kid and not Mulder, with his finicky coffee preferences and his snotty, arrogant attitude. He'd selected a chocolate fudge brownie for himself, and nibbled on it as he waited. It wasn't long before Dean turned away from the counter with his own drink.

"Aren't you staying at the Rosemount Motel? I think I saw you there when we checked in the other day." He'd seen the youngster several times since, hanging round the crime scenes he and Mulder were investigating, but he didn't mention that.

Dean was sipping his coffee as he walked way from the counter. He lifted his green eyes to the pair that was gazing back at him, and Dean knew he couldn't fib his way out of this particular moment. "Yeah, I am." He shifted his stance. "I came to this place hoping to get a little Christmas spirit." That was a sentence which was loaded with truth. He smirked. "And who knew I would drive into this mess? It's all over on the news about those killings. You know anything about them?"

Laughing, Alex reached forward to get Mulder's fancy coffee and then made his way to a seat with the two drinks and his brownie. For a moment he was tempted to arrest Dean and drag him back for Mulder to interrogate, but then he thought, no. He'd offer a little information and see what he got in return. "You might say that. My associate back at the motel is pretty firmly convinced that it actually is a Christmas spirit doing the killings. My jury is still out." He took a bite of his brownie and gave a happy sigh. "You're right about it being a mess though. Not a pleasant way to die. Did you know that a series of killings like this happened before? Seems that exactly the same M.O. was used twenty five years ago."

Dean dropped down bonelessly into a chair and lounged back in it as if he were putting himself on display. He sipped his coffee, and studied his companion. Associate. Great. Cop. That, right there, told him he should avoid this guy. However, what he was saying was something Dean already knew. He knew about the killings, and he had very recently discovered that similar ones had happened twenty–five years ago. He hadn't yet had an opportunity to do all the research he needed, but this much he had found out.

"Really?" He tried to sound like he hadn't paid that much attention to it. "Wow, so the cops must think this is some sort of copycat killing. Some sicko celebrating the twenty–five year deaths? Like it was his hero or some sick shit like that?" Dean sat forward, his knees peeking out of ripped jeans as he leaned on them with his elbows.

"Not so sure," murmured Alex, his eyes sliding to the way Dean was sprawled, inviting, insolent, but so very handsome. Alex was sick of Mulder and his arrogant assumption that he, Alex Krycek, was less than the dust beneath his chariot wheels. He thought that it would be very nice to play a while, and this young man was offering himself in every way. Sitting forward, he whispered softly, voice sultry to draw Dean closer. "That's why we're here. There were things about the killings back in the day that were never publicized. It's the same person doing it – can't possibly be anyone else."

Dean was indeed drawn forward, leaning in closer. He couldn't resist looking at his companion's lips. In a way, they reminded him of another pair – a pair that he missed terribly. This man had longish, dark hair, too, and worst of all, a pair of green eyes that gazed back at him in puppyish inquiry. Dean could almost imagine he was talking to the missing brother he loved so much – and hated as well for leaving him to run off to school.

"Yeah?" Dean answered. "But wouldn't the perpetrator have had to be pretty young the first time around to do this a full twenty–five years later?" He tipped his head to one side, considering. "So what was similar, or can't you talk about that?"

"What do you think?" Alex smirked. "My partner doesn't think that it's a person at all." He looked around himself, leaned closer still, until he could feel Dean's warm, coffee scented breath on his cheek. "He thinks it's some kind of..." He paused, smirked again. "Nah, I can't even tell you. It's too silly for words."

Dean didn't move as the man moved closer. All he could do was grip his coffee cup tighter, because he could swear that this man was hitting on him. Not only that, but with the state of mind Dean was in, he would take him up on it just to spite someone who likely wouldn't ever know. Hell, he'd already laid nearly every woman he could, in every town he'd stopped in on his way across country for this case his father had sent him on.

"An evil Santa elf? Punishing the wicked brats instead of putting coal in their stockings?" Dean asked, trying to make it sound as silly as possible. "Or does he believe it's an evil Santa. Oh, I know, it's the Grinch." He smiled in a conspiratory manner as he sipped his coffee.

"As a matter of fact, he does." Alex finished his brownie and made a show of licking first his lips and then his fingertips. "He thinks it's some sort of demonic presence that's settled on the town, and it's purging the wicked." He gave Dean a knowing smile. "Seems to me that some of the folks it's offed deserved it, too." Raising his cup he gazed at Dean over top of it. "I'm Alex," he murmured. "And what's your interest in such a gruesome set of circumstances?"

Dean quirked an eyebrow. Since when did cops even think of evil Santas? This was interesting. "Really? And what evidence does he have to support that, other than that the victims were jerks who might have deserved it?" He couldn't help notice the finger licking and concluded that, yep, the guy was hitting on him. He gave a smile and nodded. "Alex. I'm Dean." That was all he was going to offer up. "As for my interest, I just like hearing about this kind of thing. Fascinates me. They used to say I was a weird kid, but you might call me a serial killer groupie."

"Dean..." Alex tried the name out on his tongue. "There's an old saying – curiosity killed the cat. You shouldn't pry into this kind of thing. It's not a particularly safe topic. Get too close, and you could find yourself staked out and skinned too." He paused for effect. "And I think those pretty green eyes of yours should stay in your head where they belong."

Dean gave a chuckle at the man and leaned back, sprawling once again, "Do I look like a girl? I'm a big boy. I'm just curious is all. Didn't say I was gonna go poking around."

"For the record, you don't look even slightly like a girl," murmured Alex, voice a husky drawl as his eyes traveled the length of Dean's lounging person, pausing very pointedly to linger at his groin before moving on. "Big boy indeed. But you needn't tell me you aren't gonna go poking around, Dean, because I've seen you doing just that. You've been at every crime scene I've attended, and mostly you get there before I do. That's interesting, for sure. I was kinda hoping you were going to tell me what you know. Who knows, two heads might even be better than one.

Dean leaned forward and placed his empty cup down. "You are pretty observant for a flatfoot." He pushed himself up out of his seat, sinuously graceful. "But unless you're gonna arrest me for just being curious, I'll be seeing you around," he murmured, turning to head for the door, deeming it best to get away while he could.

For a moment, Alex considered letting him go, but the thought was only fleeting. "Dean, you sure will see me around," he called. "And for your information, I'm not a cop."

Dean glanced back to the man over his shoulder. He gave the man a smirk and a shake of his head before leaving to head toward his shiny black Impala. He climbed in and sat there turning things over in his mind for a while before starting the car. He knew the deaths going on were not caused by a demon. Alex's associate was an amateur.

Dean would go back to the room, gather some things he needed and then go check out the most recent crime scene to see what he could find. He knew now what to look for.

A few minutes later, armed with a fresh coffee of his own and Mulder's fancy one, Alex hurried back to the motel. He was pretty sure he knew the room that the young man named Dean was staying in, and he decided that he'd wait for Dean to go out, so he could search it and see what he could find. The kid knew something he wasn't saying, and that interested Alex. Dean himself interested Alex, with his long legs, his macho, confident pose and his pretty, dreamy eyes. Dean's mouth was a thing of beauty. Alex had for a long time been fixated on Mulder – as much for his mouth as for anything, but Dean's... his was better. Alex paused for a moment, imagined it wrapped around his cock, and felt himself shudder as the organ in question sat up and took notice.

Sure enough, as Alex watched, Dean drew up outside one of the units and went inside. Noting which one, Alex entered his own to deliver the coffee that had been requested.

Mulder looked up from his paper, a fresh set of faxes in hand as he saw Alex walk in. "What took you so long? Had to go pick the beans yourself?" He grabbed the coffee and handed Alex the faxes. "I think I found a link. Each person killed was born within the 'twelve–days' of Christmas. Which means this is some sort of ritual." He sipped at his coffee, noting that it was only lukewarm, although to be fair it was cold outside. "I'm gonna head to the hospital to look at birth records. You stay here, I'm expecting a fax from Scully, and I want you to call me when it gets here." He reached for his jacket and made for the door.

Silently, Alex watched Mulder leave. He moved to the window to watch for Dean leaving as well. He'd convinced himself now that Dean knew something, and he'd decided that Mulder was going to be SOL if he thought that Alex would share what he'd discovered. The fax beeped behind him and began to spill papers, but Alex ignored it, intent on watching for Dean to vacate his room. He'd made a note of the pretty, black muscle car's registration number already, on the off chance that the young man would bail.

Dean had been in his room for some time before he finally left to go check out one of the murder locations. Dean had long since figured out that the deaths were related to the twelve days of Christmas, and also that each member was born within the dates concerned. He'd deduced from the bios he'd lifted from the police station that the dead folk were all jerks. What he'd spotted that Alex and Mulder hadn't was that the spirit that was doing the killing had also given each of them a chance to redeem himself, and only when that person failed did it kill them.

Upon the walls of his room were pinned the past cases from twenty–five years ago. There was information about each of the victims, complete with their relationships and any connections to the new batch of victims. Dean had circled around individuals in family photos and scribbled notes to the side. There wasn't much to see in the rest of the room – a few books laid out, a hot rod magazine, a couple of skin mags, a heap of empty coffee cups and bags of take out. Lines of salt rimmed all the doors and windows.

Finally, Dean headed out, climbing into his car and driving away as Alex watched from behind the dusty curtains. He waited 'til the Impala was out of sight and then sauntered over to the fax machine to take a look at what Scully had sent. There were details of a series of murders fifty years ago, and Alex smirked as he pulled out his phone. "Mulder, your fax came. I'm going out. See you later."

He let himself out of the room and made his way across to the one where Dean was staying. A swift twist of the pick in the lock had the door open, and in he went, frowning at the piles of white crystals across the doorway. "What the...?" He wondered if Dean were high on something, but tasting the stuff he decided it was only salt. Stepping into the room, he closed the door behind him.

Almost immediately he saw the display Dean had put up on the wall, and with an exclamation he headed over to study the notes he'd made.

Dean had changed his mind about visiting the crime scene, and gone to get something to eat and some beer, thinking that it would be better to check out the murder scene after dark. It wasn't long before he pulled his Impala back up to the motel, and he stepped out of it to make for the door. Reaching it, Dean stopped short, looking at it, noticing the fine hair he'd left upon the dusty door knob had gone. Reaching behind himself, he pulled out his gun and tested the door. It was unlocked. With the muzzle of his gun, he pushed the door open. "Whoever you are, I suggest you don't move, because I'm a damn good shot, and I don't think you want to start digging bullets out of your ass."

The boy was good, that was for damned sure. Alex had drawn his own gun and headed for the bathroom, but this was too funny for words. He said nothing as Dean entered the room, merely listened and waited, wondering how the young man would play it.

Dean set the bag full of food and the six–pack of beer down on the table beside the door and moved across the room, knowing to stay out of the line of sight in the mirror. He moved quietly through the room until he reached the bathroom door and listened carefully. Nodding to himself, he kicked it open, spinning so that he had his gun pointed at Alex's face even as Alex aimed at him. Dean narrowed his eyes scornfully. "Let me guess; you came to take me in."

"Don't be so melodramatic." Alex put his gun back in its holster and spread his hands. "I came to find out what you know. Mission accomplished. You're good, kid. You got slightly more about the present deaths than we did, but you missed the killings fifty years back." He paused and pushed his finger into the end of Dean's gun, shoving him back with it. "Now, I already told you I'm not a cop. How about pooling what we know? You seem to want to end this thing as much as I do."

Dean didn't yet put his gun away. "Fifty years back, yeah. And how about seventy–five? It's a cycle. A ritual. Have you even found out yet just how far back it goes?" He moved back, motioning Alex into the room. "It deals with the twelve days of Christmas and redemption." He walked over to tap on a couple of photographs that were taped to his wall, "And someone from one of these two families is gonna die. The problem as I see it is that none of these people seem to be jerks." He turned back to look at Alex, "So what do you know?"

"Pretty much what you do, I guess. Mulder – my partner – thinks he can predict the next victim. He's over at the library now doing some research to determine who the next lucky contestant is going to be. Seems that there's a something – Mulder calls it a demon, me, I don't know – that's not bothering with anyone nice, but he's definitely ringing the changes with the folks who've been naughty." Alex draped himself in one of the two chairs by the small table. "Seems that all the victims had multiple brushes with justice, and a couple of them had unproven murders credited to them."

"And this family has none of that. No one in trouble. No one a jerk. Hell they don't even swear. Yvette here wanted to cut my hair and patch up my jeans for me," Dean pointed down at his knees. "But one of them is next." He walked over and sat down. "So who does your genius boy think it will be?"

"I didn't ask him, because he's an arrogant asshole who thinks he's always better than everyone else." Alex frowned. "But the killer does always seem to go for the male rather than the female, and it always seems to go for someone who the law has failed to pick up and deal with. Like you say, the whole thing doesn't add up."

"Well, all I can do is go and watch the house. That spirit shows up, I know how to drive it away." He got up and grabbed hold of his bag of food, then dropped down upon his bed, cross legged, and pulled out a cheeseburger to start eating. He took a huge bite of his burger, talking through his mouthful. "So you gonna run back and tell your buddy now? About the freak kid a couple of doors down?"

"Nope. I'm gonna go stake the house out. He's doing his own thing and not even telling me what that is most of the time. I figure he can experience a little of the same medicine." Alex gave Dean a grin that invited complicity. "You can have company if you want, or we can make fools of ourselves in our two separate vehicles. Your call, Dean." He paused. "Besides, if you know how to stop the thing from happening, I need to learn that."

Dean raised an eyebrow. "Really. You want to learn what I do. You want to sit in a car possibly all night with me just because your partner's being an ass?" He frowned, remembering how Sam used to complain but would come with him anyway. Putting his burger down, he nodded. "Okay, but you're gonna have to follow my lead, because I don't need someone getting in my way." Christo! He sounded just like his father, and that realization made Dean feel incredibly proud.

"Are you some kind of cop?" Alex was fascinated by the kid now. He sounded so competent. "I'm with the FBI, but I'm a part of a small section called the X–Files. We investigate paranormal things. Mulder, my partner, is convinced that there are aliens out there, so that'll give you a good insight into the entire department." Alex smirked. "And I'll be sitting in a car all night, with you or without you, my friend, because otherwise I won't be able to nail this... perp of ours, so with you at least means someone to talk to."

Dean rolled his eyes at that. "Yeah, I really look forward to that. Does your Mulder guy even know how to stop a spirit? Or does he just look at them in wonder?" Dean rose to his feet and went over to his bag, close to where Alex was sitting, and reached inside to pull out a sawed–off shotgun and a box which he set down on the table beside them. "Do you even know why there is salt around here?" he looked down at Alex as he reached into the box to start loading his gun with the cartridges it contained.

"I was going to ask you that," said Alex, schooling his features into those of a fascinated student. "You're going to tell me, I hope. It's been puzzling me." His brows went up at the sight of the shotgun. "You really think that there's something supernatural about this thing, and that it isn't just some weird family keeping up their Christmas tradition?"

Dean looked down at this man sitting in his chair so attentively. He was FBI, but looking into supernatural matters, and doing it pretty much blindly from what he'd gathered. This guy seemed suspiciously eager to listen and learn from him, and Dean had to wonder if there was some other motivation in all of this. He turned back, clicking the shotgun closed. "I'm not sure yet, but I'm not taking too many chances. If there is," He held up one of the shells, "This should do the trick and at least disperse it. The cartridges are filled with rock salt. Salt's used in a lot of rituals and religions as purification. I use it to ward off spirits." He motioned towards the windows, and the salt lines there. "Demons can't cross the lines, but if you break the line..."

"Salt, okay." Alex was listening, mentally filing away the information as Dean shared it. "I have a question. Why don't you need to put it around the walls too? Surely stuff like demons and ghosts aren't impeded by walls like we are." He watched as Dean's hands moved over the gun with practiced ease. The kid knew what he was doing for sure, and Alex felt more attracted to him than ever. Competence was sexy as far as he was concerned. Idly, he wondered if he could recruit Dean as an assassin. He made a note to give it a really good try. "So you think I should get myself a shotgun before we go stake the place out?"

Dean hauled out another and handed it over to Alex, "I got a spare." He studied Alex carefully, trying to gauge his sincerity, "Another thing demons can't cross is iron. Ever wonder why there were iron gates around a cemetery? It keeps them trapped. Stops ghouls from getting in, too. I dunno about the walking through walls thing; I guess they just kind of like to see where they are going or something like that. I don't know the answer exactly, but, hey, you go with what you know. Demons live by rules, and I guess that's one of their rules."

He filled Alex's shotgun then handed it to him. "Okay, if we're gonna stake out the place we'd better get going. So go get a jacket and whatever else you need." He rose to his feet and went to the kitchenette and busied himself making up a thermos of coffee.

Flashing Dean a quick smile, Alex left to return to his own room, half expecting to hear the growl of the Impala's engine as the car took off without him. In any event, he found himself leaving Mulder a note that said merely, "Following a lead. Back later. A.", and turning off his cellphone so that Mulder wouldn't be able to quiz him on it. He swiftly changed into jeans and a T–shirt, grabbed a pack of hard candy and one of Mulder's inevitable bags of sunflower seeds and hurried back to Dean, shrugging into his leather jacket as he went.

Dean was throwing a bag into the trunk and flipping a cell phone closed when Alex emerged from the room. He didn't look happy as he shoved it into his pocket. Looking over as Alex came running back, he saw that Alex had changed his clothes.

"Dude, did you also shower and splash on perfume?" he asked, a half smile on his lips. He moved around to climb into the car. Shit, but the guy looked fucking good, and his hair was tousled, which reminded him of Sam. His Sammy. For some unaccountable reason that fact pissed him off.

"Figured that if I'm gonna be sitting in a goddamned car all night, I might as well be comfortable. Night stake–outs are hell, even in a car as pretty as this one." Alex flicked his gaze over the Impala as he spoke, admiration in his eyes. "She's a beauty, but I bet she's expensive to run."

"Yeah, eats up the gas, but she's my baby. Love her." He patted the dashboard as he spoke, and it was obvious to Alex that the car really did mean something to him. "Get in." Dean started her up, and. once Alex was inside, he drove off toward the neighborhood they intended to stake out. On arrival, he slowly maneuvered the car along the street, until he found a place with a good view and then pulled in to park. Turning off the ignition, he threw his arm over the back of the car seat.

"So, you leave a love note for your partner? Should I expect him out here soon?" Dean glanced over to Alex.

"Yeah, I left him a note. It said, 'Don't wait up!' but I didn't tell him where or what, so unless he finds his way here under his own steam, I don't suppose you'll have the pleasure." Chuckling, Alex lowered his lashes, licked his lips and wondered whether Dean would be amenable to a truly hot spell between the sheets, or if he was strictly heterosexual. "So what sort of phenomenon are you expecting to see, or don't you know? All the deaths occurred at 3 in the morning, and we've hours to go before that. What do you think we should do to pass the time?"

"Play twenty questions?" Dean asked with a smirk. He reached for his thermos and poured a cup, holding it out to Alex. "Usually there'll be some kind of warning. There'll be lights flickering or something. Coldness, maybe. I'll know though, so don't worry.” He grinned and cast a sideways glance at Alex. “I'll protect you if you get scared."

"That's great," smirked Alex, accepting the coffee with thanks. "I'll fling myself into your arms if I get scared, okay?" He chuckled. "Wanna do a quick practice so you don't fall flat on your back?"

"Funny! I don't know you well enough for that. You're just lucky to be invited inside my baby." He raised the thermos to his lips and took a drink from the neck of it. "Besides, we haven't kissed yet," He turned his head to look out of his window as he spoke. It was gonna be a long night, and flirtation was always fun. Something bad was going to happen before dawn. Dean knew it as if it had been etched on his soul, and a little flirtation with this handsome agent would help ease the pain. God knew, he wouldn't feel like it after whatever went down tonight. He turned his head to Alex again and gave that lop–sided grin.

"Ha! I can solve that problem right now." Alex snickered and leaned forward, making kissy noises. He wasn't totally serious, but part of him was hoping that Dean would play the game. It would certainly make the evening much more fun.

"And make your boyfriend jealous?! You live dangerously," Dean grabbed Alex's chin and squeezed his cheek.

"Dangerous is my middle name," grinned Alex, letting his face press into the young man's hand. He rubbed his cheek against Dean's fingers as Dean let go of him once more and sipped at his coffee, a smug little smile on his face. "So to recap, you think that there might be flickering lights, or sudden cold or both. Do you think that there will be lights in the house at three am, or do we have to make some kind of plan for ensuring that we catch the thing when it appears?"

"Porch light," Dean looked over. "It will flicker." He looked at Alex. Dean's hand was still burning from touching him, and he'd felt that caress against his palm as an invitation. Making up his mind, he suddenly leaned over, parted his lips and kissed the man next to him.

Alex hadn't expected it. For a moment he froze, and then his body kicked in, he reached to cup the back of Dean's head and responded, breath suddenly hard to find. For all that Dean's lips were soft and plush, his kiss had nothing in it of softness. Hard and demanding, it left Alex with no illusions that he would be in charge if... no, make that when they got together. Drawing away after a long, heart–stopping moment, Alex gave Dean a sultry look. "Well, hello, baby!"

Two things happened inside of Dean. Firstly, he realized this man really wanted to kiss him, and the hand at the back of his neck burning his skin and keeping him from pulling away told him so. Second, an incredible amount of guilt washed over him, and he felt his stomach twist at the thought that he was cheating on his brother. Sam had been the one who'd pushed him away and left him alone with only their father. Sam had deserted their family. Sam had deserted him and that had torn his heart apart. As much as he had wanted to go and find his brother, drag him out of that college and that life, he hadn't. He'd stayed behind and suffered, respecting his brother, loving him.

Perhaps a one night stand with this guy would help heal the gaping wound inside of Dean. Even if it didn't, they might have fun.

Dean pulled away, grinning. "Don't get too excited, Sparky. That was just so that when you jump into my arms, we'll know each other." He shoved Alex back and turned away to look out of the window again. God, it was going to be a long night, and, worse, it was cold, and it was starting to snow.

"I think I'll be able to identify you now, thanks," murmured Alex, dryly. He peered at the house through the windshield and frowned. The porch light was on, but there didn't seem to be much activity within. "It's really quiet in there. You think that the people are home?" He didn't wait for a reply, but shot Dean a little smile. "When I was growing up, we didn't celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December at home. It was always January 7th. My Babchi insisted on keeping the old ways, so I always felt like I got two Christmases. The best thing about it was the food. Babchi used to cook up a storm. My sister and I used to love going to her house for Christmas dinner."

Dean stared out the window for a long moment, and it was almost as if he hadn't heard Alex. At last, he gave a sigh and turned his head. "Must've been nice. Christmas in my family was... okay as well, I guess." He turned away, remembering years of Christmases gone by. One or two had been great. Dad was back, and he'd brought presents. He'd pulled out the stops and just... been with them. But there had been others where Dean had needed to find Sam presents, lie to him and take care of him, get him a meal and pray that no one noticed two kids left alone on Christmas as Dean tried to be the parent that neither of them had ever really known.

"What the heck is a Babchi anyway?" Dean glanced at him, "Sounds like your grandmother or something?"

"Yeah, my grandma." Smiling, Alex met Dean's eyes, frowning as he noticed that there was pain there, thinly disguised. "My family was Russian. They came over in the thirties, and Babchi never did get the hang of English. Me and my sis used to tease her, but she was adamant that all she needed was Russian." He paused. "You got much family?" he asked, wondering what it was that had upset Dean.

Dean looked away, wondering if he should even answer. "Yeah I've got a family. We're usually apart theses days for the holidays, off doing stuff." And wasn't that an understatement! "I should've brought more coffee. It's gonna get cold." Dean motioned to the snow, trying to change the subject.

"Plenty of time before three. Want me to go find coffee and bring it back?" Alex sensed that there was some underlying problem with Dean's family and backed off from his line of questioning. "Wouldn't be a problem. I brought my jacket and gloves."

Dean shook his head, "Nah, besides, you aren't my gofer. If I wanted coffee, I should have brought more." He twisted in his seat to reach behind him, getting another jacket to throw over the denim one he was wearing. He rubbed his hands together and blew on them before glancing at Alex. "You warm enough?"

"I don't mind going. I can always use coffee; I want to get you some, and yeah, I'm warm." Alex gave him a quick smile, felt his dick twitch as Dean stretched back to find his jacket. "I brought candy, if you like, and I stole Mulder's sunflower seeds. You're welcome to either." He returned his gaze to the darkened house they were watching. "You think we ought to go in and check the place out? Suppose the killer already came and did his thing in there?"

"No, that's the thing about spirits. If there's a ritual involved they don't stray from it, or it won't work." Dean glanced over at Alex. "I'll take some of that hard candy, though." He smiled, taking the cup he'd given to Alex, and poured more coffee into it. "Besides, if you get cold, you can always cuddle up to me. Or I can to you." He shifted around so he could stretch his legs.

"Can do that anyway," smirked Alex, offering Dean a candy. He let his gaze travel down Dean's body from crown to feet. "I won't lie to you. I can think of very few things that I'd like better than cuddling up to you. You're pretty damned hot, Dean."

He helped himself to a candy and stuffed the bag back into his pocket. "You think that there's a ritual attached to this thing?" Pausing to unwrap the sweet and pop it into his mouth, he considered. "What would be the purpose? You think it's some sort of pagan sacrifice thing? There used to be stories about things like that back in Russia."

"Possibly. When people came to American they didn't just bring themselves over. They brought all sorts of religious beliefs, pagan rituals, the lot. So it wouldn't surprise me. Look at the evidence – it's close to the winter solstice, and it's following the twelve days of Christmas. Someone has died every day for twelve days, and, so far at least, each person had their birthday on the date they died. If this thing doesn't attack tonight then I'm gonna have to think of something else." Dean popped the candy into his mouth. “But I won't have to. I know this shit!”

He hadn't said anything in response to Alex's comment about how damned hot he was. He let it float there for a while before looking sideways at Alex, "You know, so are you."

That brought a flush to Alex's cheeks. He'd suspected that Dean was interested, but to have it confirmed was enough to set his body tingling in anticipation. He made a little, needy sound but didn't make any advances just then. "So if you think that the big bad isn't going to show for an hour or so, I really think I should go get that coffee, don't you?" He reached to squeeze Dean's thigh thoughtfully. "It's my birthday tomorrow, too. I'll be happy to party with you."

Dean lowered his eyes to Alex's hand on his thigh then slid his gaze along that black clad arm until he could aim a sultry look under his lashes to skewer Alex in those green eyes of his. "Yeah, you should, and no foofoo stuff either. Straight up." He frowned when Alex said it would be his birthday and pushed the thought aside for a moment. "We'll see how things go. You might not be able to, or even want to, after this."

Alex clambered out of the car, glad to stretch his legs. "Be good 'til I get back," he murmured as he closed the door and crunched off through the snow towards the mall he'd seen as they drove up.

It was a good half hour later when he returned bearing a large cardboard container full of Starbucks dark roast, and a brown paper bag containing a selection of pastries. Pulling open the car door, he flopped in, relishing the comparative warmth afforded by the heater. There was snow in his hair, snow on his eyelashes, and his face was red with the cold. "Okay, precious. There should be enough in here to keep us going for a while. I advise refilling the thermos to keep some of it hot and drinking some more of it right now."

Dean had jumped as Alex pulled open the door; he'd been drifting in his own memories as the man approached. He shifted, sitting up a little and reached to help Alex settle. "Jeeze, dude, you really didn't have to." Dean opened the thermos and, with careful balance, started filling it with hot coffee. The smell of it filled the car, delectable as it vied with the pastries for best scent ever. Closing the thermos he reached over for the paper cups Alex had brought and poured two, handing one off to Alex. "Better move closer to get warm," he murmured. He tugged Alex closer and tried to peek into the bag he'd brought. "What else? Oh, cool! Goodies!" Reaching, he stole a brownie and took a huge bite. "Nothing's happened so far," he said, his mouth full.

Dean's assumption that Alex was going to share the pastries made him laugh a little. He held up his coffee in a toast and then sipped, relishing the way that it warmed his chilled body. "The only thing that would make this better would be a tot of whiskey in the coffee, but that probably isn't a good idea, because then we'd sleep really well and miss all the action. He reached to brush a crumb away from the side of Dean's mouth and smiled. "Wouldn't want to waste a ringside seat, would we?"

"Ringside?” scoffed Dean. “Dude, gonna be the center of attraction." Dean took another bite of his stolen brownie, glancing at his watch. It was still gonna be a couple more hours before party time. He glanced up at the street light; there was certainly nothing funny going on there. The snow was still falling, and Alex was warm and smelled like outside. Dean shrugged, "Maybe afterwards. We might need it." He wiped his hand on his jeans and took a sip of his coffee.

"So how did you get hooked up with this partner of yours? What does he know about the paranormal?" Dean looked at Alex, wondering if there was any point in starting this conversation.

"He..." For a moment, Alex paused, not quite sure what to say about the appalling Mulder. "His sister was abducted in front of him, when he was supposed to be babysitting. I'm not sure whether he went crazy because of that or not, but he's convinced that aliens took her. Now he's completely obsessed with the supernatural and believes five impossible things before breakfast, if you know what I mean." Alex frowned. "Don't get me wrong; if he's crazy, he's crazy like a fox... and that's actually his name, too. Fox Mulder. What kind of parent would saddle a kid with a name like that?" He fumbled in the bag and grabbed a croissant from it, nibbling it reflectively. "He's a good researcher – used to be an expert profiler. He's got a degree in psychology, and he knows what he's doing, but I don't think he's found out that salt will kill ghosts."

"Doesn't kill them,” said Dean, wagging a finger. “It repels or dissipates them. It takes a lot of energy for them to reform, so sometimes it buys you time to find their bodies, so you can salt and burn them. Some are stronger than that, though. Those are the pains in my ass." He took another sip of his coffee. "So he's just been obsessed with his sister, nothing more? He didn't do anything about it?" Dean frowned. He thought that was kind of odd for someone who was serious enough about the hunt. Maybe it was the fault of the FBI, although if that was the case, how come Alex was here with him right now, interested and intelligent?

"He scans the media for what he calls extreme possibilities, and then he goes and investigates." Alex met Dean's eyes. "The first case I worked with him was genuine for sure. There was a guy that could induce hallucinations in people – make them see whatever he wanted them to. I... he made me kill him, if you can believe that. He made me believe that there was a gun in his hand. I shot him, but that gun turned out to be a fucking bible. I felt sick."

"Possible that he was possessed by a demon. Demons can do that sort of stuff, and unless you say Christo they won't reveal themselves to you, so you never even find out." Dean shifted. "Okay, so he goes after these things, and he doesn't kill them? Does he keep them from harming people? I mean, like, hunt them down? If he knows they are out there why just go investigate and then not make people safe?"

"He does try to kill them, although mostly they seem to get away from him, you know?" Laughing, Alex shrugged. "He doesn't go shooting them with rock salt, I don't think." For a short while the two of them ate in silence, then Alex said softly, "The trouble with Mulder is that he is fixated on aliens; Everything is about aliens for him. Do you have a way of killing them? There's a couple of types, but the worst ones are the shapeshifters. You can't tell who they are – they could be anyone."

"There is a tell for shapeshifters," Dean said. "Cameras are usually the best way to spot them. Their eyes flash when they look at the camera. Other than that, spotting them is pretty hard." That was what his dad had told him; he personally had never run into a shapeshifter, although never say never! "I would guess acid might be a good way to kill them. You can put it in one of those spray cans." Dean gave a shrug. “And don't discount that old standby, the silver bullet. It's always worth trying a silver bullet if you don't know what'll work.”

"Man, you aren't messing about, are you?" Alex shuddered. "You have to be damned sure that you're right before you employ something like that." He studied Dean for a long time. "How did you find out about all this stuff? Why would you even bother?" Alex was confused. "The world is full of people who get through life without knowing how to shoot a ghost. Most of them don't even believe that ghosts exist, let alone demons. You're pretty amazing really, aren't you? Was this shit all handed down from your father or what?"

Dean gave a shrug, "Well if you're looking to kill a shape shifter acid's a good weapon in a squirt–gun." He shifted then glanced over to Alex when he mentioned his dad. How did Alex know his father was the one who taught him? "Um, long story," Dean offered up and didn't go much further. Family was family and he didn't like talking about what happened to their mother. "If you think I'm amazing, just you wait. I'm more than amazing." He grinned.

There were laugh lines at the corner of Dean's eyes, and his eyes crinkled in a way that Alex found almost completely irresistible. "Hell, I bet you are," he murmured, his voice a husky promise of things to come. "Remind me again why I'm sitting here in this cold car, looking at the snow coming down, when I could be in a nice, warm bed, finding out just how amazing you are."

"Let me see. There's death, vengeful spirits killing people, and, the best part, the most exciting thing, is the anticipation. Well worth it, I assure you." Dean gave Alex a sly look before looking back at the clock. He gave a groan, time was moving so damned slowly. He hated waiting. At least Alex was company, or he would be going nuts about now. "So, your birthday is tomorrow, huh? Boyfriend taking you out?" He gave a chuckle as he took a sip of his coffee. "Some hot chick waiting for you with a big bow? I knew this one girl. Lied to her it was my birthday. Dude, the things she did, and, damn, Victoria was no longer a secret, I'll tell you."

"I knew I liked your style," snickered Alex. "But it actually is my birthday. Besides, I was going to put out for you anyway." He sobered up as he gazed at the swirling snowflakes which were coming down faster than ever. "I had no plans for celebrating it. My family is long gone, and I'm here in this godforsaken place with Mulder, who has as much celebration in him as the average lead weight, but if you like we can go do something fun together, you and I. I've got a whole bunch of ideas, depending on just how flexible you are."

Dean chuckled, "Really is. Wow, that makes you a Christmas Eve baby. And I see your expectations are really high. Hope I can live up to them." He gave Alex a long, sultry look and then leaned against his door, sprawling, in a manner designed to show off his attributes, "So, share some of those ideas?"

"Well," drawled Alex. "It's not really a verbal description so much as an audience participation thing." He eyed Dean speculatively and then deliberately ran his hand along the young hunter's thigh to the crease between leg and torso and from there to cup his groin. "First I'd want to make sure you felt very, very good," he murmured, squeezing gently. "And then I'd really like to make you feel even better, because I'm betting you look incredible when you're all sexed up and needing relief. What do you think of that?"

Dean lowered his eyes to where Alex was touching him. He'd felt a tingle at the initial contact, his own cock twitching and half filling. Had it been that long since he'd had attention? He wasn't sexually deprived, that was for sure, but these touches by Alex were something altogether different.

His hips jerked at the squeeze. He bit the corner of his bottom lip as he tried to remain nonchalant and reached down, taking Alex's hand to pull it up to his lips, forcing Alex to move closer. "Who knows, you might get lucky and see it. I'm thinking you'd look pretty hot in that kind of state as well." He parted his lips and sucked on Alex's finger, tasting the sweetness from the pastry the agent had just eaten.

"Oh, yeah, I am," said Alex, giving an involuntary shudder as he felt the warm lips surround his finger. "And you'll get to see close up and personal, if you like," he added. He slid forward, arms reaching to pull Dean close to him as the hand that had squeezed his package began to press and caress it. "You're in danger of seeing it very soon, if you keep that up."

Dean grinned with his teeth around Alex's fingers. He moved, shifting his hips to push up a little. Dean placed a hand on Alex's chest, sucking off that finger, then pushed him back a little. "You're eager, but we've got business to attend to first." He liked the look on Alex's face. The man looked so eager, so needy, wanting him, and Dean liked that. He shifted and then gifted the man with another kiss.

"You don't like to combine business with pleasure?" asked Alex, pouting a little. "That's a shame; it'd be a really good way to keep warm." He kissed Dean again, mouth lingering as he licked over Dean's lips. "God, you're so damned fine..."

For a few more minutes they kissed and touched. Alex could feel Dean hard for him, and he wanted desperately to play with him, but he could see the reason for Dean's reluctance. "Okay, Dean," he murmured at length, sitting up straight. "I sure don't want to come in my pants and then have to sit here for half the night. That'd be messy, so I'd better sit back and wait."

Running his fingers over Alex's arms and chest, Dean felt muscles he wouldn't mind digging his fingers into. He fantasized pulling him closer and feeling those muscles under his fingertips. Still, Dean was on a job, and pleasure would come later. To keep going was very tempting, and Dean was enjoying the attention. His lips were swollen from kissing, and his cock was begging him to keep going, but he tried not to show it. Reaching for the thermos, he hid his arousal behind yet another cup of coffee.

Time passed, and, just as Dean was about to take another pastry, he caught the street lights flickering, and then saw the porch light begin to follow suit. He smacked Alex to get his attention and jumped out of the car in a flash, running across the street toward the house.

Alex followed him, a thrill of adrenaline flooding his system as he toted his salt–loaded shotgun in Dean's wake. "What do we do? Break in? Ring the doorbell? What?" He pressed close behind Dean as they reached the house and studied it, preparing to ring the bell. "You want in?" asked Alex, grinning. He drew out a lock–pick from his jacket pocket and leaned in to the front door. It only took a moment to open it, and Alex stood back, bowed and smiled. "My lord?" he said, bending low.

Dean frowned at Alex, "No time to be playful," he moved into the hall, gesturing for Alex to go around the other way. Entering the living room he caught sight of the spirit in the act of reaching for a woman. Dean cocked his gun, "HEY!" he shouted and then fired, hitting the spirit, which let out a screech. It charged at Dean and slammed into him, knocking him over, and the woman screamed.

Alex had tracked what was happening, and as Dean fell to the ground, he fired at the thing that was standing over him. It glared at him – a confused impression of red eyes fixed on him, full of malevolence, seen through a mist that swirled and then dissipated. Its disappearance left its erstwhile victim having hysterics as Dean slowly pushed himself back to his feet.

"Won't it come back?" Alex felt shaken. The thing had known him – he'd felt that in his bones. "What do we do? Put salt down to stop it?"

Dean groaned and looked down at his chest. It was aching, and when he lifted his shirt, it was reddened, the start of a huge bruise visible. "What? No, it won't come back right now, because the right time has gone by. It will have to wait till tomorrow." Dean pushed himself up to his feet as the woman's husband came running down.

"What's going on?" He ran to his wife who was still hysterical.

Dean motioned for Alex to back out and then followed him, leaving the people in question wondering exactly what had happened. Dean moved back to the car, rubbing his chest. "Man. That thing was powerful," he said. He was already racking his brain in an attempt to work out the meaning of the events that had gone down. Things had gone far too quickly and not at all well. The salt hadn't seemed to affect it the way it ought to have done, and alternative scenarios were buzzing through his head as he reached the car, "That wasn't right. That was no vengeful spirit; it was some kind of ... demon or something." Dean started the car, wanting to get away, knowing that it would take the police at least five minutes to respond, even if they were close by.

With Alex beside him, he pulled away, heading back to the room. He could call his father, but then his dad would be pissed that he didn't have a handle on things right away. And it was nearly Christmas Eve. Tomorrow, in fact. He'd thought he would be done by now. Fuck.

"Are you okay?" asked Alex, who'd seen the injuries that Dean had sustained. "What the fuck was that thing? It... it looked at me. It knew me somehow. Goddamn! That was creepy." He frowned. "The salt didn't seem to make a difference. I thought it would stop the bastard, but it kept on coming."

"I know," Dean grumbled. "Which means it could be a demon, and we need sage and holy water for that, and an exorcism." Dean parked the car outside the motel and paid no attention to Mulder's car, parked a few spaces away. He walked around the trunk. "You said it looked at you. What color eyes did it have?" he asked as he opened the secret compartment.

Eyes? What was Dean talking about? Alex thought for a moment, pulling up the image of those two hideously hostile eyes. "Red! They were red. Dean, it was evil, and it knew me. It... seemed to have some kind of understanding of just who I was and what I've done. I don't know how to describe it." He shook his head. "So at least we stopped it tonight. Will it go back to get that woman tomorrow night? What do we do to stop it?"

Dean pulled the holy water out of the trunk and handed the plastic bottle to Alex. "We're dealing with some sort of demon then, and it noticed you." Dean closed the trunk. "Dude, this is some kind of ritual, and we broke it today, but there's still one more day to go." He frowned at Alex. "I've got a bad feeling that it picked you to be next. Your birthday's tomorrow, so you'd be the perfect choice for it." Dean turned and made for his room, then paused and looked back at Alex, "You're going to be next." He nodded. He had to be right. The signs were all there. His father always told him to go with his gut, and right now that was what his gut was telling him.

"Huh?" Alex sounded completely baffled. "You think?" He frowned at Dean and then laughed. "Well, if I'm the next victim, at least we won't have to go very far to find the bastard." He paused, followed Dean into his room and closed the door behind him, leaning on it. "You think it'll come for me? What do we do?" For a moment, the smile stayed on his face, and then it fell away. "You're gonna tell me how we can save me, aren't you?"

Dean leveled a stare at him, wondering what he'd done to be counted in with the wrong doers that the thing had killed so far. "We'll have to exorcise it," he said at length. He sighed because he needed a book with the exorcism in it, and his father had his journal with him. His journal! He started to dig around in his duffel until he found his own, wishing he was a little more thorough with his note taking. He pulled it out of the bag and began to leaf through it, hoping against hope that the ceremony he needed would be there and sighing with relief when he finally found the relevant pages. "Okay,” he said. “I got it right here, but, depending on how strong the thing is, I'm not sure salt alone is gonna keep it trapped." Dean looked at his cell phone.

"Tell me what to do." Alex was sweating at the thought of the bodies that had been found in earlier murders. He so did not want to end up like that. "We've got a day to prepare, don't we?" He couldn't get his head around the idea that a ghost was going to come for him, gut him and skin him – or at least try to do so. "Maybe I need to take you to bed right now, because it could be my last chance for any nookie; if that thing gets me, I won't feel much like sex afterwards. What do you say?"

"It's not gonna get you." Dean tried to reassure him. "The windows and door are salted; it can't come past that." He smirked at Alex. "Look, it's not gonna get you 'til tomorrow if I'm right, so you can relax. As for right now, I'll call my dad in the morning and see what he says." Dean hated to do that, but he had very little choice. "We should get some sleep."

Nodding, Alex approached Dean. "Wanna help me combat insomnia?" he murmured, standing in front of his companion as if he were suddenly shy. "I hate when demons suddenly decide I'm their next victim. The thought might keep me awake unless I'm really tired." He put his hands on Dean's hips, pressing them closer to him as he leaned his forehead against Dean's. "And besides, I wanna see what you look like when you get excited."

Dean's body rocked with the motion of Alex pulling him closer, their hips pressed and Dean lowered his eyes as their foreheads touched. He shouldn't. He should be doing research, so he didn't sound like a complete idiot when he called his father, but he wasn't Sam, and his dad knew it. Sam always did the research. Research bored and aggravated Dean. He hated it because it reminded him of school, and he'd hated school. He'd always much rather have been hunting with his father than sitting in a schoolroom.

Dean raised his eyes to Alex and lifted his head, tilted it to press his plush lips to Alex's own. It was a quick soft kiss. "Just know this is not, 'let me fuck you before I die sex,' 'cause I'm not gonna let you die. Demons don't win when I'm on the job," he murmured.

"I'm very glad to hear that," murmured Alex. And you can rest assured that if I can do anything to stop it happening, I will, but you'd better let me know anything I need to do, because I think you're the one that has all the answers." The kiss was sudden and made a little finger of lust drag its way down Alex's spine. He gave Dean a little chuckle and then slid his arms around the young man's waist, bending his neck to capture Dean's mouth in earnest. "I suspect that if I were to trust Mulder to fix this for me, I'd be so much hamburger by this time tomorrow."

Dean nodded, but it was unclear which part of Alex's speech he was nodding to. He raised his hands, running them up Alex's chest to push his jacket off his shoulders and onto the floor, then turning his attentions to the buttons of his shirt and working them open. Leaning in, he kissed Alex's lips, pressing a series of tiny pecks to them as he remembered the touches they'd exchanged in the car. Alex had rubbed his groin, and now those memories were getting Dean hard. "I don't know, your friend sounds like he knows about these things, but he just doesn't know how to stop them. We'll get you through this, and you can tell him all about how to do it when we're finished."

"I can try." Alex gave another, sour sounding chuckle. "He's not noted for listening to other peoples' opinions. Frankly, I'd far rather stay here with you and have some quality time." As Alex was speaking, he was unfastening the buttons on Dean's overshirt, so he could shrug it off the young man's shoulders. "It's like unwrapping an early Christmas present," he murmured, voice husky as he pressed his thumbs under the hem of Dean's T–shirt and lifted it. "Christ! You're gorgeous."

Dean raised his arms, letting the shirt slip over his head. He had Alex bare–chested, and what he saw, he liked. There was just something about this older man that spoke to him. Maybe he liked them older because it offered him a substitute for the love he hadn't ever felt from his father. Especially in the recent weeks since ...

Dean reached to unfasten Alex's jeans. The button pushed its way through the hole, the zipper tab slid down. Heat greeted his fingertips, and a musky male smell prickled his nose. Dean felt his mouth water as if he'd been starved for this attention. "Make it birthday as well." He pushed his hand down inside Alex's pants and found that the man apparently liked to run around commando style. He gave a smirk as he leaned in and kissed him.

""I can do that," murmured Alex, shuddering. "So you're gonna be doubly nice to me?" He helped Dean undress him, shoving his pants down, kicking them off along with his shoes, so he could stand naked before the young hunter. "How come you're still wearing clothes?" he growled, starting to peel Dean out of his jeans too.

He gave a little moan as Dean's fingers seized him. "Oh, God, that feels good," he mumbled, bending to bite and nibble at Dean's neck.

"Good things come to those who wait," Dean murmured as he started sliding his hand over Alex's cock. It was clear that Alex was a decent size where it counted. He'd please any woman with that cock. Any man for that matter, and Dean had to wonder how often Alex strayed on the other side of the sheets. Did he please his partners? Dean was usually a ladies man, and there were only two men he had sex with so far. The most well loved one had left him, and the other was pushing him away. Dean could feel it, and it hurt.

He stopped his stroking to get those jeans down, sitting down on the bed and allowing the warm feel of Alex's breath to linger on his goose–pimpled skin. He took his boots off, and then nearly turned his jeans inside out in his haste to get them off. Shifting his gaze back up to Alex, he grabbed the agent's hips firmly and pulled him close. "So tell me, Alex,” he murmured. “Have you been a good boy this year?" he asked, moving closer so he could run his full lips up and down the side of Alex's cock.

"Define 'good', and I'll tell you," smirked Alex. "I think I've been good. Once or twice I was fuckin' great, but you have to set a benchmark, or it's just my opinion." He gasped as Dean began to play with his cock, hips bucking into the heat and warmth of his mouth, trying for more, trying for suction. "Oh, god!" he moaned. "Yeah! Do that, please?"

He thought about Dean's mouth, so much sweeter and softer than Mulder's, and knew that he'd been a fool to crush on Mulder. This young man was infinitely more desirable, and what's more, he was willing. Alex shuddered again and gave himself over to Dean.

Dean kept up his teasing, taking in a little more with each pass, using his hands on Alex's inner thighs to press his legs wider, so he could lift that heavy cock and suck at his balls. Dean had a skilled mouth, not only just for talking and charming people, and he was showing Alex that very fact with every bob of his head. Working him, Dean caressed, light touches, tender and gentle, alternating with rougher ones, grasping Alex's cock and forcing it into his mouth to stop the other man's whimpering for suction.

Dean's full lips parted, took that cock down, sucking and bobbing his head as the length of it slipped in and out. He moved first fast, then slow, pulling off to run his lips over the sides before taking it back in again, keeping up the pressure until he felt Alex start to tense and then easing back, squeezing the base with his fingers to keep him from releasing.

Yes, Dean was gonna drag this out. He was gonna give Alex a night he would never forget, because Dean's ego liked to think he'd be remembered by his partners when it came to sex.

The week had not been kind to Alex. Staying in close quarters with Fox Mulder, wanting, longing, but never actually being able to claim him, had pushed Alex to the point where now, with this amazingly competent, beautiful young man, he was finding it hard not to lose it and come after five seconds like some inexperienced schoolboy with a skin mag. He gasped again as the tingles of prickly pleasure flickered through him, threatening to set him on fire.

Dean's mouth was hot and sweet, wet and slippery as it applied just the exact amount of suction to his cock, his balls. Each time he felt himself ready to spill over, knowing fingers dragged him back, until he thought that he'd go out of his mind. "What... are you doing to me?" he whimpered.

Dean looked up at Alex, and then he slowly rose up to move Alex around and lay him down, smiling down at him, "I'm making this a night you won't forget. Early birthday present." He lowered his head to nibble over Alex's chest. His lips brushed, his tongue teased, his teeth nipped, and his hands caressed. He moved up over Alex's neck then hovered over his lips. "Good so far?" he asked as he rocked his hips against Alex's, so his cock rubbed against the other man's skin.

Incoherent now, Alex merely made a needy little sound against Dean's lips and nodded, eyes wide as he watched his young lover's face. Forgotten was Mulder, forgotten were the fears and worries of working for the Syndicate, and all he could think of was here, now, this man who was so delicately taking him apart. He didn't know why he'd thought Dean might be inexperienced. A boy who looked like that could write his own ticket, for sure, and was bound to have been sexually active. He wanted Dean – wanted everything that he would give. Desperately, he raised his knees and wrapped his legs around Dean's waist, urging him to take things further, wanting to feel Dean inside him.

"Do it to me," he finally managed. "Want you..."

Dean gave a little sound, and then clutched at Alex's legs as he pushed up from him. "Eager." He pressed Alex's legs down and moved up to his side. "I want to see how talented your mouth is first. Is it good for more than begging?" He gripped Alex's hair and urged him to take his cock into that luscious mouth.

For a moment, Alex pouted, but then he batted his eyelashes and parted his lips in a smile as he poked his tongue out to lap at the head of Dean's dick. "Turn for turn," he murmured and sucked Dean into his mouth, relishing the salty, musky taste of the droplets that were oozing from the crown of the morsel against his tongue. He loved to give head, prided himself on how well he could do it, and he went to town on Dean, licking and sucking, swirling his tongue around the head of it, dropping lower to nibble and suck at his balls and chuckling as Dean reacted.

Dean gave a sound from deep in his chest, fingers gripping hair and pulling Alex's head forward onto him. "I can tell you like this." Shifting around, he reached for Alex's cock and wrapped his hand around it to stroke it and keep it hard. Reaching the fingers of his other hand around, he began rubbing at Alex's tight bud before pushing his fingers inside.

That was exactly what Alex wanted. He redoubled his efforts on Dean's cock, pressing back against the invading touches, feeling the warmth pooling low in his belly as Dean skimmed his fingers along the crease of his ass and pressed back to start loosen him up.

"Want you," he panted again, pausing in his ministrations to look up at Dean with eyes blown dark with need. "You can do anything you like. You're so sexy." He ran his hands down between Dean's thighs to cup his balls and tease them gently as he sucked the thick cock back into his mouth.

Dean was making sounds, pleasing sounds, and he moved again, dropping his body onto one hand that could support him over Alex, while he moved his fingers into him with more force, fucking him with them. "You're not so bad yourself," he managed. Okay, now was the time. Dean was good and hard, and damn, he needed this.

He pulled his fingers from Alex with a pop. It was clear that Alex didn't want to stop. Straightening up, he rolled Alex over onto his stomach and dragged his hips up. He grasped his own cock to position it and slid it along the cleft between Alex's butt cheeks, then pushed it home into his now loosened hole. Dean growled to cover the pain as he stretched his partner out enough to accept him, gasping as the crown slipped inside, and the rest followed. Gratefully sinking all the way in, he leaned over Alex panting heavily. "God, you're hot. Tight."

"It... it's been a while," whispered Alex, voice harsh and broken as his breathing gasped in and out. "Don't meet many guys like you." He spread his knees apart to facilitate Dean's entry, trying to relax as much as possible as he waited for the burn to subside. Dean was nicely endowed, and he filled Alex, stretched him to the point that he almost thought that he would split. It hurt, but he knew that the pain would fade once Dean began to move that amazing piece of flesh inside him. "Just hang on a minute. Nearly ready," he whimpered.

Dean held back, gritting his teeth, needing the moment just as much. He was buried up to his balls, and Alex wasn't relaxed enough yet. He pressed against Alex's spine, running his tongue along the knobs of it as he arched under him. His hand followed, and when he couldn't reach much higher, he grabbed hold of one shoulder. His teeth dug into skin and pulled, worrying at the meaty muscle. One hand circled around Alex's chest and down to his cock to grip it. "Let me know when you're ready."

The dual sensation of being filled completely and having Dean's hand on him sent a sudden flash of sweetness through him. Teeth nipped, and Dean's deep, soothing voice tickled his pleasure centers. He was suddenly ready – more than ready it seemed. He could feel coils of dull, sweet sensation flickering along his spine, and as Dean moved ever so slightly, the drag over his prostate made him cry out.

"Yeah, Dean. Now! Do it now, because you feel so fucking good I think I'm gonna die if you don't!" He bucked upwards, trying to leave Dean in no doubt that he was serious, and arched his neck, seeking that hot, sweet, sensuous mouth, if only he could find it.

Dean leaned forward as far as he could and pulled Alex's head back, cupping his chin and kissing him as much as their position would allow. Pulling away, he surged forward and grasped Alex by the hips to start their dance towards completion. He closed his eyes and trembled, growling and clenching his teeth as he started to fuck him. God, it felt incredible.

Dean began to pump Alex's steadily leaking cock. He bit again, and then licked at the beads of sweat forming on Alex's back. "You are fucking incredible. If we get through this, I'll give you the other half of your present. You can fuck me. You'd like that, wouldn't you? Get your big cock inside me. Would it thrill you to know that you're only the third man I've ever been with?"

"Oh, Jesus Christ!" Dean's words were enough. He couldn't hold back any more. He dropped his head to his forearms, pushed his ass back and stretched his thighs wide, knowing that they'd ache in the morning, but knowing that it'd be worth it. "Everything you do is..." He couldn't continue. Orgasm hit him like a tidal wave, catching him up in the rush and slamming him back down so that he couldn't speak, couldn't breathe, couldn't even remember his own name.

Dean felt his hand get wet, and Alex's ass tighten around his cock. He grunted, milking Alex till he felt the man tremble. Now it felt even better; Alex's muscles had relaxed, and Dean could drive into him harder, faster. His hips slapped, and the sound of flesh contacting flesh filled the air, counterpoint to Dean's grunts. He thrust into Alex hard and fierce, pushing him down into the bedding until the man was sprawled out, flattened beneath him.

Braced on his hands, Dean kept going, working that ass until he felt his own tightness forming. His balls drew up, and he jerked, nearly froze in sweet agony before he released, spilling into Alex. Crying out, he came so hard that his juices pushed out around him to run down Alex's thighs as Dean collapsed down onto him, their sweat mixing, and their body heat melding together.

Dean panted heavily, laying his head down onto Alex's shoulder, letting his breath run over him and hearing both heartbeats still pounding rapidly.

Completely lost, Alex lay sprawled, jerking feebly, feeling the aftershocks from his own climax as Dean pursued his. He felt antsy, desperate. He was used to being in command of any given encounter, and the way he'd submitted to Dean had come as a complete surprise. He'd kept his ass in the air, until he felt Dean come, but, once he knew that Dean had voided himself, he gave up any attempts at remaining alert and let himself slump, gasping and panting as he tried to regain his control. "Awesome," he husked. "You're a natural talent!"

Dean turned his head and kissed Alex at the back of his neck. "Yeah, I've been told." He climbed off him, carefully pulling out and reaching for a tissue to clean off. He tossed it aside then lay there, hand on his chest as he stared up at the ceiling. "You're a talent as well." He turned his head to Alex. "And it seems you're not used to being topped, are ya?"

"It's been a while since I got to cut loose." Alex rolled to face Dean, moving closer until he could snuggle against Dean's warm side. "I haven't felt much like it. Had an assignment that demanded all my concentration, day and night, and, by the time I wasn't playing a part any more, I was too fucking tired to go out and look for it, so recently it's just been me and my strong right hand." He rubbed his face over Dean's shoulder. "I don't mind bottoming. Sometimes it's an amazing experience. You're a good top, because you know how to involve your partner."

For a moment, he didn't say any more, but then he smiled, his face alight with an affection he would have shot himself if he'd known he was showing. "Actually, for choice, I'd rather bottom to someone like you than fuck pretty people who have no character to them. You gave me so much, and you're gorgeous."

Dean lifted his arm, letting Alex snuggle up and then draped it around him. He was paying attention. Assignment, Alex had said. Was this undercover or spy stuff? Dean had to wonder if he hadn't been the target. "Huh, so are you playing a part now?" he asked, suddenly wary.

"Not with you." Alex raised his head until he could gaze into Dean's eyes. "See, I was sent to watch Mulder to make sure that he didn't embarrass the powers that be." He kissed Dean's chest, bit gently at a nipple and then laid his cheek down on one padded pectoral. "There are people that wanted to make sure he wasn't wasting government money with his searching for alien invaders, and I'm the lucky boy that got sent in to do the dirty. It's not something I enjoy, because he's kind of nice, and I sort of fancy him, but I know who pays my salary, and I don't want them to stop." He paused. "If Fox ever found out that I was spying on him, I think he'd kill me."

Dean gave a nod. "Okay." Dean shifted and pushed Alex away onto his back, so he could lean over him. "Sort of fancy him?" He tipped his head to one side, considering. "Should have guessed." He leaned in and kissed Alex, then pushed away, getting up. He went to get a wash cloth, wetting it with warm water, and cleaned himself up before coming back and handing it over to Alex, "Here, so you can clean up. We should get some rest."

"Sort of fancy him, because he's got pretty lips," murmured Alex, husky voiced. He nodded his thanks as he sat up to clean himself off. "Or at least I thought so, 'til I saw yours." He reached for Dean, pulling him down against his side so he could put his arm around him and lick along his neck. "Do you have any idea just how beautiful you are?" He paused, then raised one ironic eyebrow. "Mulder pales to insignificance. I've never seen anyone quite as incredibly beautiful as you, and I've decided that I'm gonna chase you around for the rest of my life, because you're good at what you do, too."

Dean went over and rechecked the door before coming back and letting Alex pull him down. He closed his eyes as he was licked, stifling a little purring sound. "I know," he said with a smirk. Dean had always known how attractive he was. He often used it to his advantage. He had to. He turned his head, "Forget about me after this. You don't want my life."

"I want you, with or without your life," insisted Alex. "I want to see you lose it, and know that it was because of me. I want to spread you out and tease you 'til you beg, and I want you to do the same thing to me. I want to feel you right where you are and know that you're not going to leave." He smiled. "I sound pretty girly, don't I? Well, I've seen enough that I wouldn't mind getting out of the life I've lived lately, and you'd be a pretty good incentive to do that."

"Well yeah, does sound kind of girly," Dean gave a smirk. However his face got a little more serious. "Dude, you said you like your paycheck, and, in this job, we don't get paid. Hell, most of the time we don't even get thanked. It's not an easy job. The things you see will give you nightmares for years. You never get numb to it." Dean knew he didn't and he knew his father never had either. "And really, is one night of great sex really worth it? You don't even know anything about me other than that I hunt spirits and demons."

"How do you live?" Alex was drawing idle circles on Dean's stomach with his forefinger. "If you don't get paid, you must find your living somehow." His voice was soft and husky, and he wanted to keep Dean talking for as long as he could, afraid that if they dropped asleep it would end the encounter. "Are you independently wealthy or something? You don't seem like a wealthy guy, but I guess you could be one of the eccentric folks that one reads about but never actually meets."

"I wish," Dean grumbled. "I hustle a lot of pool and cards," Which was the truth, of course, if only partially. He wasn't gonna tell someone in the FBI that he and his father did credit card fraud. That would just be stupid. "So it's not really thrilling and, no, not rich. Sorry to burst your bubble. Guess I'm not as attractive any more." He looked over at Alex, a challenging look that spoke of Dean's disillusionment.

"Are you kidding? You sound like my soulmate!" Alex chuckled, inclined his head to lick at a nipple, and cuddled closer to Dean. "And you're gonna keep the big, bad ghost from skinning me alive tomorrow night, which makes you special right there." He gave Dean a grin that was a little shaky round the edges. "Seriously, I'd really prefer not to be skinned alive by ghosts."

Dean looked down at Alex as he rubbed the man's back. He caressed the other man as he spoke, "Seriously, I'm not gonna let that happen to you. I'll call my dad in the morning. See what he suggests. We'll get this thing. Hey, it could be a pagan god, and I know how to kill them. And I have the wood in the trunk. So don't worry." He rolled into Alex and held him close.

"If it's wood you want," murmured Alex, grabbing Dean's hand and pulling it down to place at his groin. "I've got some right here." He shuddered as he felt Dean's fingers on him. He shifted, slid a thigh between Dean's legs and gazed into his eyes. It seemed as if he was about to kiss Dean, but then he pulled away and frowned. "I'm friggin' scared, if you want to know the truth. I'm really glad you're gonna be on the case."

Dean gave a chuckle as his fingers curled around flesh to start pulling on him. He paused to lean in and kiss him. "It's gonna be okay. I won't let anything happen to you, promise." He removed his hand to put his arms around Alex and held him tightly, "Not gonna let things happen to you," he whispered and stroked Alex's hair.

Alex had thought that he was too wired, too scared to sleep, but the world slowly faded away, lost in the warmth of Dean's body and the soft hiss of his breathing. He found that he could almost believe that Dean would keep him safe, and before too long he was out for the count.

Dean fell asleep as well, wrapped in warmth and someone who needed him. He slept without the usual nightmares that sometimes bothered him. Dreams about Sam leaving him, and his father abandoning him, and when the sun came through the window, sparkling off frosted windows, he blinked his green eyes open and turned to look down at the man beside him who was still clinging to him in his sleep.

With careful movement, Dean extracted himself from those arms, stretching and feeling a little sore. He'd actually fucked this guy last night, and his body was reminding him. It wasn't a bad thing, precisely, but he really needed a shower. He padded off toward it, trying to be as quiet as possible and washed off, soaking in the heat before emerging. Drying himself off quickly, he brushed his teeth and got dressed.

Clad in ripped jeans, tee shirt, plaid shirt and his jean jacket, Dean went out to get them breakfast. He brought back coffee, pancakes, sausage, eggs and bacon as well, creeping in to place the plates down before climbing onto the bed to wake Alex with cold kisses. "Hey, wake up sleeping beauty."

Alex, too, had been free of the bad dreams that often assailed him. At the touch of Dean's cold hands he whimpered and tried to burrow deeper down into the bedclothes, but Dean's mouth was insistent, following him, kissing him into wakefulness, and after a couple of sleepily mumbled protests he awoke.

"I can smell coffee," he said, still mostly hidden beneath the blankets. "You made coffee? Need coffee."

He suddenly remembered where he was, and sat up with a start. "Dean? Oh, man, I forgot! I was having this amazing dream where I was back at home, and it was Christmas."

Dean gave a chuckle, "Sorry, the nightmare is still happening." He pulled way and went over to grab the tall cup of coffee, returning to hand it to Alex as he opened his own and inhaled the fragrance. "Well, would be nice, but, sorry, you're stuck here with me." He turned to face Alex. "I talked to my dad. He said it sounds like a pagan god. So while I was waiting I got some rowan wood. We are gonna have to use you as the bait but don't worry, I'll be there. We just need to find a warehouse or garage, and I have some vines to line it, so we can trap it inside." He raised his coffee to his lips and drank.

"You hungry?" Getting up, he brought the huge container of food over to Alex.

"God, you're good," smirked Alex. "You think of everything. I think I love you!" He leaned forward, allowing the steam from his drink to warm his face. "Can't even think enough to feel scared, until I've had my first injection of java in the morning."

He greeted the food with a beaming smile and began to eat, happily fueling himself up as Dean talked. "What are the vines for?" he asked as he waved a plastic fork with a sausage on it. Do we tie it up and beat it to death with the wood? And please tell me you aren't going to stake me out on an altar or something. I'm not too keen on that idea."

"No, it's kind of like garland, so we just drape it around the room." He explained to Alex it was vine wood, something like the dogwood that grew on graves. He'd found it in a shop near by, luckily for him. "You'll have a stake as will I." He took his own plate and started to chow down. "So, stop worrying and eat."

The food was disappearing fast. Alex didn't have a problem eating, even when threatened with death. He finished the pancakes and started on his eggs, making little, delighted noises as he caused the food to disappear. "So we wait for the critter to come into the place, and then you stop it from getting out? Is that the plan?"

"More like stop it from getting out and kill it," Dean answered with a mouth full of food. "But that's the plan. Nothing fancy. No spells or rituals. Just stab it in the chest with the wood I have in my baby's trunk." He set his empty plate down and got up, heading for the door. Within a short time, he was back with two pieces of wood. Pulling out a knife from his bag, he laid them down in a heap. He would carve them later.

"Sounds pretty straightforward, if a little up close and personal for my tastes." He grinned. "Let the record show that the condemned man ate a hearty breakfast," he murmured, putting his fork down and pushing away the empty carton that had held his food. "That was awesome. I don't usually get time for more than a coffee and a donut or something when Mulder's on a tear. He doesn't really eat much, and he's got a body like a fucking whippet. Me, I need fuel, or I get cranky and want to kill things, which isn't a good thing in my profession."

Dean chuckled, "Well, I usually get coffee, and maybe a muffin or donuts, but when it's like this, I indulge. You use a lot of energy hunting." He grinned, "And also with sex." He chuckled. "You need me to go down the way and fetch your toothbrush?"

Raising his eyebrows in alarm, Alex gave Dean a look that was partly horror and partly amusement. "You really want to wreck my birthday?" He shook his head. "Trust me, if Mulder gets involved, it'll be a bloodbath, and it'll be my blood that you get to bathe in. He'll jump to conclusions, likely arrest you, just because you're there, and it'll be bye–bye Alex. I happen to like my skin far better on my body than on the damned floor, thank you. I'll buy one, or borrow yours or something. I've had worse things of yours than your toothbrush in my mouth!"

Dean gave a gasp as if he'd been stabbed and grabbed his chest. "Oh, that hurt!" He got up to grab his knife. "Use my toothbrush. And by the way, he can't arrest me if he is tied up in the closet or to the bed. Hell, I could tie him to the bed and then let you have your way with him after I leave." He smirked as he picked up one of the branches and started carving it into a point.

"Nah, that's all right," grinned Alex, climbing out of bed. "You've spoiled me for other men now. All I want for the rest of my life is you – those lips of yours, wrapped around my cock are a complete wet dream." He stretched for a moment, acres of golden skin sliding over slabs of muscle that moved beneath it in ripples. "Guess I'll go and get myself clean and nice." He went into the little bathroom and turned on the shower, calling back, "Feel free to join me, if you want!"

Dean was busy carving the wood. But when the shower turned on, and that voice called out, Dean looked up. It was nearly like some bombshell of a woman, or, worse, Sammy, calling him. He looked at the wood in his hand, then the knife, then to the bathroom. He'd only just had a shower but that invitation had him up on his feet at once, and he was soon stripping out of his clothing, leaving a trail all the way to the bathroom.

It didn't take long for him to shove the curtain aside, and then Dean was right there, pushing Alex into the tile and kissing him.

Like a whirlwind, Alex was caught up, laughing as Dean spun him around and pressed him back. Alex's back met the cold tiles, but he didn't care, because Dean was leaning into him, plush lips capturing his as he took what was offered and made it his own. The water cascaded around them both, but they were oblivious, kissing and caressing, stroking each other as their excitement grew.

Dean worried Alex's lips, sliding down over stubble to nibble over his neck. He came back up, kissing panting lips again, while his fingers moved over Alex, finding places that would make the man moan. Lowering himself down, nipping and biting at those abs and hips, he looked up from under wet lashes. "Want me to suck you?" His hand moved over Alex's cock.

"What man in your acquaintance would ever turn down a blow job given by anyone with lips like yours?" Alex caressed Dean's cheek, lowered his lashes and pressed forward, allowing his cock to stroke over Dean's lips as if it knew the way to go. "You do me, and then I'll do you," he husked. "I can't think of a better birthday present. You're a genius."

Dean gave Alex's cock a lick then chuckled before giving it a suck and pulling off again. "Oh, but I promised you that you could fuck me for your birthday present." He licked at the crown of Alex's cock then swirled his tongue around it before taking the man in, moving his lips over him and bobbing his head up and down, while his hand stroked to meet his lips.

"That would be a truly amazing gift," whispered Alex, biting his lips to hold in the groan that was attempting to escape at the sensations Dean was pulling through him. "But I don't think it's gonna be right at this exact moment, because..." The sight of Dean, eyes wide and smiling as he sucked on him, cheeks hollowed and plush lips stretched around the cock in his mouth, was almost too much to bear. He could feel his body fighting to come, feel his muscles tensing and the tingling tight against his spine as his balls drew up against his torso, ready to spill their load. "Oh, Gods, look at you!" he moaned and came.

Dean felt the first pulse fill his mouth, and he drew back letting the rest hit upon his face and neck before he leaned in and licked what was dripping out. His hand still worked over Alex's cock. He felt the man shudder as he rose to his feet. "You're right, I'm gonna make you wait. I'm gonna make you wait to see me come." He smirked even as he started to turn Alex around.

Body still fizzing from the aftershocks of the orgasm he'd just had, Alex could only whimper softly and go with it, turn to place his hands on the tile to hold himself up, knowing what was coming next and wanting it as much as he'd ever wanted anything. He'd invested a lot of time in this persona he was inhabiting, and it had been hard to create in himself the willing, eager innocent he was playing. He was half tempted to break character, to show Dean exactly who and what he was, but he knew he couldn't afford to do that. Mulder was still there, waiting to be played, and who knew, his absence for thirty hours or so might have melted Mulder's heart by the time he returned. He could hope, anyway.

Vowing to himself that one day he would find Dean and show him a different side of himself, he spread himself wide and willing for Dean to fuck, welcoming it, wanting it and knowing that he could have it. He wondered if Dean, beautiful, sexy and feral as he apparently was, would consider going into partnership with him. He'd been about to tell Dean the evening before that he would quit his job with the syndicate and freelance if Dean would only join him. He had the contacts, and there was plenty of work for reliable hit men.

Dean took the invitation, grasping his cock and placing it at Alex's entrance, then pushed, feeling Alex take him in. "God," Dean hissed. He placed his hands over Alex's to pin him in place and started rocking into him, biting at Alex's shoulder, licking the water from his neck and nibbling at Alex's ear. "God, you are so fucking good." Dean kept up the motion, hearing skin slap against skin.

Dean started making little sounds. Mumbling about how amazing the man was. How he could do this every night. He kept rocking into Alex 'til he started feeling that familiar tingle. His mouth found Alex's when he twisted his head around. A few more thrusts, deep and hard, into that ass, and Dean was spilling into him, releasing while he bit Alex's shoulder to keep from filling the room with sound.

The water was turning cold now, and Alex reached down to finish himself off, the feel of Dean inside him, his essence oozing out of him meaning that he only needed a couple of tugs to get there.

Turning as Dean softened and slipped out of him, he pulled the younger man against him and kissed him hard. "God, I wish I could keep you. I can't believe just how amazing you are. I feel like I lucked out, meeting you. Who knew I'd have a ghost to thank for meeting the love of my life?"

"Love of your life? Dude, that was truly girly." He kissed Alex, then reached and shut the water off. Pushing the curtain back to grab the towels, he handed one to Alex. "Well, you lucked out as far as the spirit went. But as for keeping me, I'm a hunter, dude. I need to be out there helping others like you." He was drying off as he spoke, and when he'd finished he tied the towel around his waist and folded his arms across his chest, staring a challenge at the man with him.

"I hunt too. I just hunt a different kind of prey." Alex didn't elaborate, but he wanted his new lover to know that he wasn't going to back off.

"And I'm hoping that you'll help me to at least another couple of hot sessions, once we get rid of this murderous ghost or demon or god or whatever." He toweled his hair dry and then began to brush his teeth, not bothering to put a towel around his waist. "So what do we do until it's showtime? How about you tell me how a god happens. It seems a little strange to think that not only are there gods hanging around, but that they do stuff like skinning people on their birthday."

Dean gave Alex a sideways look. He had a feeling he knew what the man meant about other kinds of prey. People. He turned back to finish dressing, waiting for Alex to finish up in the bathroom so he could use it next. Dean sat upon the bed. "Dude, god or demi god – it doesn't matter. Pagan gods are powerful. And yeah, that is usually what they do, skin, eat, kill people." He rose to his feet.

"What we need to do is go find a warehouse or something and get it set up." He gathered up the stakes and tossed them into his bag. "And we've got things to do, so shake a leg and let me in there, so I can freshen up for you later." That should get the guy going, thought Dean.

Chuckling, Alex emerged from the bathroom and reached for his clothes. "All yours, man," he murmured. "Although if you ask me, you're pretty damned fresh already."

He pulled on his jeans, fumbled in the pocket and found his comb and began to smooth down his hair. "I have to gel it down for work. The feds don't care for anything other than a short back and sides, but on my own time I gotta be me and let it find its own level." He gave a little laugh and pulled on his T–shirt. "Okay, sensei. Tell me what we need to do. I'll let you be in charge, because I don't have a clue."

Dean got up and went into the bathroom to brush his teeth and fix his hair. He was soon back, short hair in perfect order, emerging just as Alex finished up dressing. "Sensei," he snorted and shook his head. "And you bet your sweet ass I'm in charge. Don't want you dead, so you just make sure you listen to me and do what I say." He paused as he thought of all the things his father used to say and suddenly understood why.

Dean reached for his bag and hefted it up over his shoulder. "Let's go." He led the way out to the Impala, and soon the pair were driving around the town, looking for a suitable place in which to stage their battle.

"We're looking for a warehouse, you said." Alex had the telephone directory open, checking out the maps and directing Dean to areas he thought might be industrial. "If you turn down this next street, I'm pretty sure you'll find an industrial estate. Damn, I wish I had access to my computer."

He scanned the area as they drove, watching for anything that looked as though it might serve their purpose and finally called out as they passed a very dilapidated looking building. "Check that out, Dean. Looks pretty much abandoned. What do you think?"

Dean's peered through the windshield as they approached the building, and, finally, he pulled up where Alex had indicated. He climbed out, looking around himself in an effort to make sure they weren't being watched, and then turned his attention to the doors and windows. "Grab the bag out of the back seat," he said, moving over to the trunk to retrieve the items they'd bought to construct a garland. Closing up, he headed over to check out the metal door. Sure enough, it took very little time to unlock it. Pushing it open, the two of them moved inside with a minimum of fuss, looking around themselves at the deserted space and nodding with satisfaction.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a piece of chalk and handed it to Alex along with his cell phone. "Draw this on the floor," he snapped. He pulled up a picture his father had sent him. "I'll hang this stuff up."

The design was complicated, and Alex spent a minute or so looking at it, studying it in an attempt to commit it to memory. It was unlike anything he'd seen before, and he wasn't sure what any of it meant. He made up his mind to ask Dean to explain it later and set himself to drawing it out on the dusty linoleum that covered the floor.

It took him a while, but in the end he'd managed to reproduce it to his own satisfaction and called Dean over to verify its accuracy. "How's this looking?" he asked. "Any good?"

Dean finished up the last of the garland and concealed it. Turning around, he could see Alex beaming like a little kid. "Looks good."

He took his phone back and clicked it closed to shove in his pocket, then walked around Alex's artwork, nodding sagely as he checked it out. "Good enough. Got all the symbols and such." Returning to where Alex stood, he checked his watch and frowned. "Well, things are all set now," he murmured, amazed that their preparations had taken them several hours, and he hadn't even realized it.

"So now what? Back to waiting again, I guess, unless there's something else we need to do to prepare." Alex folded his arms and settled down in a corner on the floor to look at Dean, waiting. "So now, tell me all about what's going to happen when the thing comes, and tell me what this sigil thing is for, because I... like to know these things."

Dean looked at Alex and shrugged, "I don't know. I don't have all the answers. I think this is part of the ritual in killing it. See, some gods you can just stab with the wood. Others you have to dip in blood of their victims and such, I just know my dad said to put this on the floor. Kind of like a symbol for no demons allowed."

"Do you know what god it is? How do you know what ritual you have to follow to kill it?" Alex was fascinated by the play of emotions on Dean's face. The other man was both competent at his job but also proud of his abilities, and Alex felt his abdomen heat and tighten at the sight of him. "Tell me what your dad said about it, please?" he asked, hoping Dean would keep talking.

"It's a pagan god, brought over by immigrants, or more likely it migrated with them. Old ways were beginning to be abandoned there in the old country, so they came here. This symbol that you made is just a standard circle, pretty much covers most pagan rituals. So," Dean shrugged. "The wood should do the trick. You just need to stand in the center of the circle. And, well, I'll kill it when it shows." Dean pulled the stakes out and handed one to Alex. "Here you go."

"Okay. I think I can probably manage that." Alex nodded. "I don't have to bleed or anything, do I?" he asked, laughing softly. "I mean, I'm not grossed out by the sight of blood or anything, but I'd much rather not lose it if I can manage to do that." He paused. "So how come salt won't keep it out?" he asked at length.

"Because gods don't work that way. They're stronger in power." Dean walked over and sat down beside Alex nudging his shoulder. "Hopefully, the only blood we spill is that damn god's." He looked at Alex. "You should really relay some of this stuff to your partner if he is gonna go running around chasing after ghosts."

"You mean tell Mulder?" Alex flashed a grin at his companion. "Now wouldn't that be fun? He'll go completely nuts when he realizes that I've solved his case without him. Of course, he may or may not believe me. If I know my Mulder, he'll be pretty much unbelieving, because he wasn't involved. Too bad we can't take photographs or something."

Dean shrugged, "I'm sure we can find a way for you to prove things to him." Dean bumped Alex. "Sometimes, you just have to live with people not believing you. Hell, I do that every day. How many hunters have you run into?"

"To be frank, I'm not sure I've run into any, until you." Alex bent his best 'innocent puppy dog' expression on Dean. "Don't think that I've ever been anywhere that called for one – either that, or they've kept a really low profile."

Dean smirked, "Yeah, well, we're pretty good at that. We've been around for a while." He thought of Caleb and Uncle Bobby, and Pastor Jim, of course, not to mention all the other hunters they knew. Of course, then there was his father, who was an expert at keeping off the radar. "We like to keep it that way too. So if you tell your buddy, just, don't tell him where you got your intel from."

"See, that's where he won't believe me. Better that I should just keep quiet about it, because if I say a word, he'll be all over me, wanting all the rest of the information. I don't think you'd like that." Alex shook his head. "No, Dean, baby, better I tell him nothing, and then you won't get into any trouble."

"I knew there was a brain to go with those good looks," Dean smiled. He leaned over and kissed Alex under his ear, then pulled back and looked about. "Well, I guess when this is done, I'd better leave town quick, before someone finds the body."

"Body?" Alex frowned. "Won't the thing just fade away like that stuff... ectoplasm, isn't it?" He chuckled. "I guess I can find somewhere to put the body, if there is one. I've always been good at that sort of thing." He paused a moment. "Hey, wait up. When do I get to fuck you?"

Dean grinned at him, "Well, then I guess we are just gonna have to dispose of the body together, and then you come with me." He pursed his lips. "We can spend Christmas together."

"Great idea," said Alex, looking as if he'd scored a point. "Afterwards, you can drop me off in Tennessee or Virginia or somewhere, and I'll say I was kidnapped by some rabid murderer and managed to escape in the nick of time."

Dean nodded and leaned into Alex. He should be spending the holidays with his father, but he knew his father was off on his own hunt or they would have been here together right at this moment. He laid his head on Alex's shoulder and looked up at him, "You know, you could always change your profession. Become a hunter like me."

"Tell me about the kind of hunting you do, Dean." Alex's voice sounded wistful, and he moved a little nearer to the young hunter, reaching an arm around him and pulling him closer. "Did you always do it? Tell me about some of the things you've hunted. How did you know what to do? How did you even start?"

"Well, hunters travel the country and hunt down the things that most people don't believe in – spirits, ghost, demons, werewolves, shapeshifters, changelings, whatever. We usually discover them by studying the local newspapers." Dean began. "And yeah, I always did this. It's all I ever grew up knowing. My dad's a hunter, and he raised me to be one. I learned it all from him. He's the best. He's just ..." There were telltale signs of love and admiration in his eyes.

"So I say you think on it. It's not an easy job. Pay is crap but you save lives. You do good for others." He looked at Alex.

"You think I have it in me to do good?" asked Alex, raising his eyebrows. "I wonder." He rubbed his cheek against Dean's shoulder and closed his eyes, imagining himself free of the Syndicate, free from the cigarette smoker, free to wander the country with this intense young man, saving people from things that went bump in the night. The picture was so tempting that he almost said yes. "What... what about your dad? Wouldn't he get mad? What would he say to me?" he asked, wondering if he would hear the answer he suddenly desperately wanted.

Dean shrugged. "I don't know. But you're an adult. So am I. What is he gonna say? No?" Dean shifted to look at Alex. "Besides," Dean looked down a bit, "I could use the company." He looked up from beneath thick, silken lashes and smirked.

The words sent a jolt of desire through Alex. He met Dean's eyes, saw the invitation in them and licked his lips, suddenly nervous. "Oh, me too," he whispered and leaned forward to kiss Dean's soft mouth. "Me too."

He was about to pull Dean around to straddle his lap, when the lights began to flicker and buzz.

Dean stopped, ready for battle even if his body wanted to keep on going. He looked about then scrambled to his feet. "It's here. Get in the circle," he motioned towards it as he went to the hiding place they'd agreed on, tucked in behind a stack of empty crates. Reaching into his jacket he pulled the stake out of his pocket and held it ready.

A mist filled the room, rolling in like a fog. The lights flickered one more time before they went out, leaving only the light of the moon reflecting off the snow to illuminate the room. The high windows created uneasy shadows that seemed to cling to the thing that emerged from the fog, its eyes glowing red. It had a form that seemed to morph from one nightmare vision to the next, and it paused, looking around itself before starting towards where Alex stood, hand white–knuckled around the wooden stake it held.

Alex had moved swiftly, scrambling to stand within the circle he'd made earlier and face the creature that was apparently intending to make him its next victim.

"Why?" he asked it. "Why me? You don't know me."

"Because you belong with me." The creature's voice was gentle, and Alex blinked. He hadn't expected that. "I know you; you're a liar and a cheat."

Fixing him with its eyes, the being approached him, and he found himself unable to move as it reached black–nailed claws out to him.

Dean waited till the being had almost reached Alex, then he moved, ghosting across the room until he was close enough to touch the creature. "Hey!" he shouted to get its attention. "Get your damn hands off him," He rushed forward, charging it with stake drawn forth for a devastating blow.

Once the creature's eyes were no longer burning into his, Alex seemed to remember who and where he was. He gave himself a shake and raised his own stake, brandishing it as he leaped forward to aid his lover. "Dean, be careful," he yelled, bringing the pointed wooden shaft down on the back of the thing's neck.

Black blood spattered him, burning where it touched. He saw Dean bring his stake down to pierce the creature's chest and trembled when it didn't immediately fall. Its hands were reaching for Dean when at last it began to fade, dissolving into a mist that seemed to dissipate into nothingness, leaving them to stand, panting, as they stared at their stakes, now lying on the ground between them.

"Jesus, I thought it had you," Alex gasped.

Dean was breathing hard, and his hands burned where the thing's ichor had run onto them as he was making sure that his stake had pierced deeply enough to ensure its death. He looked up at Alex and swallowed hard, "Hey, I'm too adorable to be taken away from all those lovely women out there waiting for a chance at me." He looked about himself and shuddered. "Let's get out of here. It's over. If we did our job right it won't be appearing someplace else to do the same thing." He turned and started walking, wiping his hands upon his jeans as he went.

"And no body to dispose of. Sweet." Alex bent to collect the stakes where they lay on the floor. "Somehow that seemed too simple," he said, hurrying to catch up with Dean. He hoped that Dean hadn't heard what the thing had said to him, just before they'd killed it. "How come it didn't fight back? How come it didn't know what we were going to do to it?"

Dean stopped and looked at him, "Do I look like some encyclopedia? I don't have all the answers okay," Dean snapped. He kept walking. "You know, you should be happy that killing it was that simple, because sometimes it's not." He reached the car and fumbled for his keys, then pulled the door open. "It's over."

Slightly shocked at Dean's sudden anger, Alex stopped walking, watching as Dean got back into his car. Then it dawned on him. Dean must have heard the words the creature had said to him. "It lied," he whispered. "It didn't know me. It couldn't possibly have known me."

"You getting in or what?" Dean asked.

Jerking into movement again, Alex hurried around to clamber in beside Dean, an apology on his lips. He felt wired, unsure of what would happen between them now the menace was gone. "Sorry," he murmured. "You gotta excuse me. The shock. I thought it had me. Then I thought it had you. That was scary."

"It's always scary. It's always close. Don't you get that in your job?" Dean started the car and set it in motion as he was speaking.

"Yeah, sometimes." Alex's mind went back to Coles brandishing a gun, about to shoot Mulder. He'd shot the man, only to find out that it wasn't a gun in his hand at all. "And the worst thing is when they make you believe what they want you to."

"That is why you have to believe in yourself first." The words rang in Alex's ears, and Dean shifted gears, signaling a turn, as they approached the street where the motel was located. Pulling up to the room, they climbed out just as Mulder opened the door to his own room and emerged.

"Alex?" Mulder looked over, taking in the sight of the two of them.

Alex sat frozen in the passenger's seat, brain sifting through possible scenarios, possible lies, wondering if there was anything that Mulder would buy. He needn't have worried. The man didn't give him a chance to offer any excuses. He stalked over to where Alex sat, caught in the act of exiting the Impala.

"I was worried about you, but I see you just decided to shack up with some little piece of ass. Good move, Krycek."

Dean turned and twisted to look at his own ass. "I don't know if I should be flattered or insulted?" He sauntered around to stand beside the two men. "And what do you care?" He leaned nonchalantly against his car and smirked. "So you get anywhere on your case?"

Mulder gave Dean a cold stare. "Krycek is supposed to be working it with me," he snarled. "I thought he'd been... I thought that the killer got him. I was..." He cut his sentence short, glared at Alex, who was apparently trying to make himself very small and insignificant.

"Fat chance of working this or any other case with you," he growled, finally. "You're constantly keeping me in the dark, sneaking off to call Scully and leaving me to kick my heels. Are you surprised I went off on my own?"

Dean crossed his arms. "You were really worried about him? Wow. Must be love." He pushed from the car. "You know, when you work with someone, you don't keep them in the dark. You're stronger when you work together." He was talking from personal experience, memories of his father, his beloved Sammy, and the way they'd always worked as a team until the day Sam had walked away from him. "You don't push them away or send them off to do bullshit make–work. The case is solved, so you can go home," Dean turned on his heel and headed for his room.

"Hey." Alex shot an irritated look at Mulder and then hurried after Dean. "Wait up. I'm coming with you."

"Krycek, wait!" Mulder followed him. "What do you mean, the case is solved?"

Dean was unlocking his door, ignoring the two behind him, but now he turned. "What part of solved don't you get? It's solved. No more death. The threat is taken care of." He pushed open his door. "If you want to know, it was a pagan god, probably brought over from the old country by immigrants. It hunted those born on the twelve days of Christmas and systematically killed them."

"It tried to kill me," said Alex over his shoulder, standing very close to Dean. "Dean here saved my life."

For a moment, it seemed that Mulder was going to laugh, but then his brows came together as he recalled that Alex's birthday was in fact December 24th. "How did you stop it?" he asked Dean, suddenly right in his face. "Will it start over? It's not the first time this has happened."

Dean didn't move, "What? You think I'm some kind of amateur? Dude, get a grip," Dean pushed him back. "It won't start over. It's gone, okay? I took care of it. I know what I'm doing, unlike some. I do my research." He looked at Alex, a flicker of a smile in his eyes. "Is he always like this?"

"Always." Alex gave a little smirk and a shake of his head as he answered. "He's like a dog with a bone. Once he gets his teeth into it, he just won't let it go 'til he's extracted every last bit of juice from it." He turned to face Mulder and nodded. "I'll see you in the morning, Mulder. Merry Christmas."

"Wait, how do you know? What's going on? What do you know? I spoke to the woman, and she said you came in shooting ... salt? Why?" Mulder put out his hand, holding the door as he tried to stop them from closing it.

Dean rolled his eyes, "Dude, look up salt and its uses – especially its uses in rituals. Now, I'm tired, cold, I want a coffee and maybe some sleep." He began to try and push the door closed.

"I know salt is used to ward off spirits, it's why you toss it over your shoulder for luck." Mulder kept going.

"It's used for a whole bunch of other things, too. Dude, do you mind?" Dean spread his arms.

"Tomorrow," growled Alex, from his position at Dean's shoulder. "Listen, man, some of us like sleep, and have been up since early yesterday. It's 4am, and not all of us are in a caring, sharing mood, so if you want any more information, go call Scully. I'm sure she'll be happy to answer your questions. We'll see you when we get up. All right?"

He followed Dean into the motel room and finally pushed the door shut on Mulder, despite his protests. Turning to face Dean, Alex gave him a smile. "That was actually fun."

Dean shrugged off his jacket and tossed it over onto one of the beds, then began taking his shirt off as he headed for the bathroom. "Whatever, I'm just tired." Alex stood, unsure of what he should do, listening as Dean relieved himself then washed his hands and brushed his teeth. "That bed is calling my name," said Dean as he emerged from the bathroom. He began emptying his pockets and set his cell phone by the bed as Alex watched.

"You want company?" Alex's heart sank. He would have to go back out and face Mulder if Dean didn't want him there. Besides, he was fascinated by the competent young hunter and didn't feel that he'd had enough of him – wasn't even sure if it was physically possible to have had enough of Dean. "I can warm up your back and make you feel cosy."

He took a deep breath and began to unbutton his jacket, expecting at any minute to be told to go and see Mulder and leave Dean alone.

Dean looked up at him, a vision clad only in boxers, the strange amulet he wore around his neck glinting in the low light. "Well hurry up, because it's cold." He sat down on the edge of the bed and stretched. "Get naked and shake that ass. I'm tired."

It didn't take Alex long. Pretty soon he had skinned down to his boxers and was heading over to wrap himself around Dean in the creaky double bed. He gave a soft, contented sigh as he sank into the warmth of Dean's sturdy body and pulled him close. "I could change," he murmured, knowing that Dean must be thinking about the things the god had said to him. "For you, I mean. I could do it."

Dean snuggled into Alex, and for a moment all seemed to have been just needless worry, but then Dean turned. "Hey, I lie and cheat sometimes, but for good reasons. You just have to make things work for yourself in a way that gets you through the night. I'm not a saint, just a damn good hunter. And I'm not perfect. Far from it." He bit Alex's neck as he was speaking.

"I don't care if you're perfect or not, but I sure as hell want you, imperfections and all." Alex rubbed his face against Dean's shoulder. "I'd say I'd take care of you, but it's distressingly clear that you'd be the one taking care of me." He snickered softly, squeezed Dean tightly and kissed his ear. "I can hunt. Not like you, but I can learn."

Dean gave a chuckle, "You're probably right. I would end up taking care of you. Always end up doing that with people." He leaned back looking at Alex, "So you CAN teach an old dog new tricks huh?" He smirked.

"You calling me old, young whippersnapper?" laughed Alex. "I'm young enough to give a good account of myself, I tell you." He sank his teeth into Dean's ear and laughed as Dean wriggled. "I'm serious. I could change."

Dean made a little sound, "Yeah?" Dean lifted himself up on one elbow and lowered his head to study Alex. Then he leaned in and kissed him, moaning softly as Alex's lips parted to invite him in. Tongues slid against each other as their bodies tightened and the dance of love began. Alex took all he could from Dean, hands wandering over his body, caressing, squeezing, pulling him closer. He moaned again into the kiss.

Sighing happily, Alex melted against Dean, offering his mouth, sliding his hand down to cup Dean's groin and squeeze gently. He closed his eyes, mapping the smooth skin with his fingertips, caressing the crisp curls that grew around Dean's genitals before taking hold of his cock and beginning to stroke it into stiffness. "You want me to?" he whispered, licking along Dean's neck. "I'd do it if I thought you wanted me."

Dean groaned deeply, caressing as well. "I do want you," Dean whispered. "I want you to fuck me. I promised. I can't let you walk away from Christmas without your present." He smiled.

There was a moment's pause as Alex let the surge of liquid sensation center in the pit of his stomach and melt his spine. "Oh, jeez," he whispered. "With pleasure. I want you so badly." He rolled over to pull Dean to him, kissing him again but this time owning the kiss, mouth firm as his tongue invaded Dean's mouth, tangling against the softness of Dean's, and pressing him down into the mattress. "I'll make it good for you," he whispered, as he began to work his way down Dean's body. "You'll never want anyone else, trust me."

Dean gave a chuckle, that turned into a hiss of pleasure as fingers found and fondled sensitive skin. "Wow, confident aren't you?" He moaned softly, his body arching up into Alex's mouth. That pretty mouth was working wonders on him, making his skin burn and his cock fill to bursting. He shifted, feeling his body tingling all over and groaned as Alex started to work his underwear down and off him.

Mouthing and sucking along silken skin, Alex worked his way down to Dean's navel. Pretty soon, Dean's underwear was history and he was struggling to rid himself of his own boxers. His heart was racing as he tried his best to make the encounter memorable. He had no idea how often Dean had been fucked, but he wanted desperately to be the one that would get to do it on a regular basis. He reached for the condom that lay beside the bed as if waiting for them and ripped open the little packet of lube that was attached to it. Coating his fingers, he slid his hand down between Dean's legs as he bent to take the head of his lover's cock into his mouth and tease it.

Dean made a low, pleased sound, groaning again deeply and sliding his fingers into Alex's hair to clutch there. He trembled as Alex began to use the skills he had, systematically licking and sucking, probing into the slit on the head of his cock with his tongue and swirling it around the ridge. He squirmed and Alex felt his legs parting, hips rising to give an unspoken invitation. "Mmm, deeper," Dean purred as he pushed Alex's head down further onto him.

"Pushy bottom, aren't you?" chuckled Alex, doing as he was asked and sliding more of the meaty shaft between his lips. His fingers were parting Dean's cheeks as he sucked, and he skimmed his fingers over the little pucker he wanted so much to fuck. He could hear Dean's intake of breath as he fumbled, and pressed in, pushing until he felt his finger penetrate the opening and slide inside to be surrounded by tight, slick heat. "Oh, yeah," he breathed. "Want this – want you, Dean."

"All yours for now," Dean answered. He shifted and moved, "You can have it, just take me. I'm yours." He snickered at the cheesy sound of his own words, and Alex gave a low chuckle that vibrated along his cock.

Alex couldn't have stopped if he'd tried. The taste of Dean was heady and musky, and had gone to Alex's head. Alex closed his eyes and stroked inside Dean, sucked him harder and moaned softly. He pushed in deeper, pressing as he fumbled to get a second finger inside, stretching Dean as he worked the two together. He was hard as nails, trying desperately to keep from humping the blankets as he worked.

When he heard Dean's groan, he shivered, fingers working harder, reaching for Dean's prostate.

He couldn't take his eyes off Dean, gasping when Dean cried out at the fingers brushed over his prostate. His hips lifted off the bed and Alex felt Dean's cock being shoved deeper down his throat. He really wanted to let Dean fuck his mouth, loved watching the glazed look in Dean's eyes as pleasure washed over him, but his fingers were buried in Dean, and he was teasing that sweet spot for one reason. He wanted to fuck Dean, and sucking him dry would have to wait. He spread his fingers apart and watched as Dean bit luscious lips and gasped. He could tell that Dean was well on the way. Pulling off, he studied Dean's cock, thick and red and pulsing as it released a strand of pre–cum. Dean whimpered at the loss of his mouth. "Now, Alex," he breathed.

"You sure?" asked Alex, lifting his head for a moment. He kissed along Dean's thigh as he slowly removed his fingers and went to roll the condom onto his dick. "If it hurts, you have to tell me. I'll stop if it hurts you; I don't want to hurt you," he whispered, drizzling lube onto his cock and coating it.

Hooking one of Dean's legs over his arm, he raised it up until it rested on his shoulder and scooted forward until he could feel himself flush against Dean's tight hole. "Breathe, baby," he whispered, pressing forward.

God, but Dean was tight, and he hoped that Dean didn't tell him to stop, because he really didn't think that it would be possible for him. He felt Dean's ass give as he breeched it, and heat engulfed him, the tight squeeze of Dean's body clenched around him. "Oh, my God!" he moaned.

Dean bit his bottom lip, his face showing the pain he felt as he was stretched. He gave a little, choking cry and threw his hand up to muffle it. His body shuddered under Alex's, and Alex paused, feeling the throbbing, living heat that surrounded him. He tried to breathe, watching as Dean consciously attempted to loosen himself up a little, allowing hiss body to adjust.

They froze, both trembling with their effort, each one trying to adjust to the other as Alex invaded Dean's body. It didn't take long before Dean grabbed Alex's arms and started to urge him to move. One of Dean's legs was placed high against his shoulder, and Alex looked down into Dean's glazed and desperate green eyes, watching as the young man's mouth moved but no words came out.

"It's okay, Dean; it's okay," whispered Alex, slowly sinking deeper into him. "You feel so good I can hardly stand it."

Dean's hands clenched around his upper arms, his leg tightened against his shoulder and his ass... the tight muscle sucked him in, clamped around him and massaged him until he thought he'd scream, because it felt so impossibly good. He was in as deep as he could go, straining for one more tiny little fraction of an inch, and it was almost too much for him. He gazed down into Dean's eyes, black pupils so wide he thought he could drown in them, and felt himself fall. He had to move – he just had to, and he drew up, plunged in and prayed that Dean wouldn't make him stop.

Dean let go of Alex, reaching above him to grab at anything else. Alex saw his fingers find the headboard and use it to brace himself, and that gave him the go ahead to begin moving, pulling out and thrusting back in again as shivers of pleasure coiled around the base of his spine. He shuddered as Dean finally let out a deep throaty moan, released from deep in his chest and gazed down to see that his eyes were closed and his neck arched back. It was clear the young man was enjoying things, and that made Alex give a soft moan of his own as he began his rhythm.

The world receded to a pinpoint, encompassing only white–hot, piercing pleasure and slick glide in and out of tight heat. Alex had been with men before – preferred it in fact, but this was somehow different. Dean had seemed so self–contained, so competent and toppy that it was stunning to see him fly apart this way. The gift of his trust tightened things low in Alex's belly, sent shivers racing through him as that sweet sensation coiled along his spine and tightened his balls.

Alex craned his neck, stretching down to kiss Dean as his breath came in short, gusty gasps. He trembled as he felt himself getting there and reached for Dean's cock, sliding his hand over it, wanting to see what he would look like when he came. Dean reached for him, fixing his mouth against Alex's neck, and mumbled unintelligible phrases against it, words that were indistinct save for one that was repeated over and over. “Sammy.”

As Alex stroked his cock, Dean's hips bucked, his body tensed, and he jolted as Alex thrust deep into him. It was at that moment Dean lost it. Creamy, sticky liquid spilled over Alex's hand and over Dean's stomach. At that instant, Alex's mind was nothing but melted pleasure. He thought of nothing but the way Dean's eyes closed tightly, lips drawn back in a snarl as he shuddered through his orgasm.

Alex felt lighter than air, as if he could do anything just so long as he had this. Dean's tissues were clinging to him, oil silk as they pulsed and sucked at him, and he knew that he wasn't going to be able to hold on any longer. He'd wanted it to last forever, but now, as his balls tightened and then burst, he knew that there was no way. All he could do was hang on, cling to Dean and hope that at the end of the ride there would be enough of his brain left to function.

Orgasm seemed to go on forever, spreading ripples of sweet release through him as his body spasmed. When at last he was done, and could see again, he slowly folded to slump over Dean, voice shot, body limp and sated, breath coming in huge gasps as he tried to recover his senses. "Jesus, Dean," he whispered, when he could speak again.

Dean groaned, and his head rolled to the side, trying to get more air into his lungs. Alex knew how that felt, because he was in the same state. "That was ..." He turned back, gently pushing Alex off him in an attempt to relieve himself of the added weight that was making it hard for him to breathe. The feeling of separation left Alex feeling empty. He ran his hand over the mess on Dean's stomach, and he knew he should really get up and go wash, but he couldn't move. His legs ached and still shook.

It took him a moment to remember how to use his arms and legs. When he finally got himself under control, he rolled away from Dean and went to the bathroom, swiftly returning with a dampened towel with which he proceeded to clean Dean's belly. "You're amazing," he told Dean, tenderly drying him with one end of the towel. "I could do that forever. I want to."

"Can't forever, eventually you have to eat. Drink. Sleep," Dean teased. He climbed under the covers. "Alex, do you really think just knowing me these few days is worth leaving everything else for? I mean. I agree, you need a new job. You seem really good at hunting. I can teach you if you like, but is it really what you want? Are you looking to help others, or is it just because you want to be with me?"

The question shocked Alex. He tried to decide what the truth actually was. He wanted for once to avoid a glib answer, merely because it was what his current partner wanted to hear. Dean was different. Somehow, he'd made Alex care. "I want... I want to be with you first and foremost, but that means I want you to be proud of me, and I guess that means I want to help people too, if that's what it takes," he finally said.

"Alex, I do this because of what happened to my mom. I want to make sure it doesn't happen to others. I do this too because of my father. I want him to ... to be proud of me. And I see why he does the job he does. It's not easy. It's filled with nightmares and death. We try to save as many people as we can, but we don't try and prove these things exist, because there's no point. We know they do, and we stop them. Alex, coming with me would mean giving up your own chance of leading a normal life. It means giving up everything so others can have what you'll never get. Can you do that? Because that's what will be asked of you."

"Don't know 'til I try, do I?" murmured Alex, who'd returned the towel to the bathroom and was now getting back into bed to snuggle in next to Dean. "I want to try, because I really, really want to be with you. You gonna let me try?" He settled his head down against Dean's shoulder and snaked an arm around his waist. "I'm not scared easily, you know. You can't frighten me away by telling me scary stories."

"If you're serious, yeah, I'll let you try." Dean nestled back against Alex. "Guess the New Year is really gonna be a new year." He looked back at Alex, then suddenly kissed him hard before turning back and snuggling even more.

"Merry Christmas," Alex whispered against the soft, fuzzy silk at the back of Dean's neck. He closed his eyes and finally drifted off to sleep, to dream of the way he would break the news to Mulder that he, Alex Krycek, was no longer his sidekick, but that he was going to go chase real X–Files. In his sleep, he was smiling.

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