....Crud, I've forgotten how to do this. Um,

Fluffiest of fluff V, MSR, PG-13
Summary: Scully tries to sleep, Mulder isn't helping.
Disclaimer: Litigious FOX lawyers
I'm making no dough
Please do not prosecute me

***

Scully drifted up through the heavenly cloud of warmth surrounding her, coming
slowly awake to the distant sound of.... Her eyes snapped open. Were those
bloodcurdling screams? Oh no, not again.

Only moments before, the long arms encircling her had held her in a loose,
comforting embrace. Now they tensed. "...Scully?" The low-voiced inquiry was
hoarse with sleep.

She shifted and stroked his hand until it settled on her hip. "Go back to sleep,
Mulder."

"What was that? At first I thought it was cats in the alley, but it sounded
almost... human."

"My upstairs neighbor has a new girlfriend."

"What planet is she from?"

"Mulder, please. It's not like you've never heard that before."

"I thought someone was being murdered."

"Well, if this was your apartment building, that would probably be my first
guess too, but this time it was just... you know." She tugged on his still
restless hand, pulling it up so that it was nestled between both of hers and
tucked up under her chin. "At least they're dead to the world for right now, so
let's take advantage of the quiet and go back to sleep."

She settled against him and closed her eyes. It was hard to relax, since the
body pressed to hers was connected to a brain whose wheels were almost audibly
turning, conveying a warning that Mulder was intrigued by something and this
conversation was far from over. Sure enough, after about thirty seconds, his
voice floated through the darkness once again.

"It sounded painful."

"Mulder, just go back to sleep and stop worrying about it."

"Do I sound like that?"

She huffed an exasperated sigh. "Can we please not have this conversation?"

"You don't sound like that either, do you? Sometimes my hearing goes out. I
think it's a pressure thing."

"Mulder, not now." She shifted and not-quite-accidentally kicked his shin.

"You're a doctor, Scully. This sort of question shouldn't bother you."

"When I'm awake, no. Right now I want to go back to sleep."

She felt him rub his cheek against her hair, felt the pull as the fine strands
caught on his stubbly chin. "Wore you out, huh? ...Scully?"

"Just so you know, I'm ignoring you, Mulder."

"As long as you waited till now." He shifted his attention to the side of her
neck, nuzzling his way up to her ear.

His breath tickled, and she hunched her shoulder, trying to contain a bubble of
laughter. If she let it go, it would be a good long while before she got any
sleep. She'd recently discovered that the sound of her laugh was quite an
aphrodisiac for her partner.

"Mulder, do you remember you once described us spooning together like little
baby cats?"

"I remember everything, Scully, I have a pho--"

"Time to make like a little baby cat, Mulder, or in five minutes you're going to
be doing the stray cat strut out in the alley."

For fifteen blissful seconds, she thought she'd had the last word.

"...Scully?"

"You realize it's snowing out there, don't you?"

"You know why I said that? About the baby cats?"

"Yes, because you were trying to embarrass me in front of the neighbors."

"Well, yeah, but besides that."

She let go of his hand and rolled as far onto her back as his embrace would
allow, tilting her head to meet his gaze. She could just make out the glint in
his eyes, reflecting the moonlight streaming in through a gap in the window's
heavy winter curtains. "When I kick you out into the alley I'll be keeping your
shoes," she said. "Just a warning."

He grinned. "I think the idea about cats popped into my head because back then
it was wish fulfillment. I just always wanted to hear you purr."

She traced a pattern across his chest. "Mulder," she said in her best coaxing
voice, "if you promise to be quiet, I'll tell you a secret.

"Ooh." He blinked solemnly down at her. "Okay."

"You don't make noises like someone being murdered... at least, not always." Her
wandering fingers moved up to rub over his soft lower lip. "But sometimes you do
almost purr."

His smile widened again and he caught her fingers, holding them to his mouth.
She felt the faintest trace of his tongue on the sensitive tips. "And when does
all this purring happen, Scully? When I'm licking cream off my whiskers?"

The question hit her right in the solar plexus. It was clear he was trying to
shock the dangerous sound right out of her. Unless she took serious measures,
with one chortle, one giggle, it would all be over, and she'd be caterwauling as
the sun came up.

"Mulder." She leaned up and planted a soft kiss on his top lip. "You do purr."
His lower lip got the same treatment. "But you do it... " A long silence ensued
as she followed up on those two promises with a deep, sweet kiss. "You do it...
afterwards." She held his head steady and repeated her salute, hoping it would
sooth him. Considering the effect her actions were having on her own body, she
doubted it.

Running her hands through his hair, the least erogenous caress she could think
of at the moment, she continued. "This purring, Mulder, only happens when you're
nice and relaxed and very, very close to being asleep." She kissed him again.
She couldn't help it. Not when he looked like he believed every word she was
saying. "And I have a seven a.m. appointment tomorrow, and there is one wish I
want to have fulfilled right now, and it can only happen while you're counting
sheep. So won't you--"

She gasped in surprise as his arms closed tight around her. He turned her away
from him, then curled his body around hers. His voice was sincere and
sympathetic, which immediately aroused her suspicions. "Okay, okay, I got it,
Scully. If you want me to go to sleep, I will. Here, I'm closing my eyes."

Well, she thought. That worked. Swell. She sighed and snuggled back against him.
Her eyes flickered open and her smile reappeared as she felt his lips against
the back of his neck. She really did need to get up early, but after all, she
always slept better after--

"Hey look at that." Mulder's drowsy murmur interrupted her plans. "A sheep. And
there's another one...." His voice cracked on an immense yawn, and she felt his
breathing fall into a soft steady rhythm. "You smell so good, Scully. Better
than sheep...' His voice, muffled by her hair, was starting to slur. "Better
even than a baby cat. Better than--"

"Thank you, Mulder," she grumbled. "Strangely enough, that's exactly how I make
my grooming choices. I always look for products that will help me smell better
than a petting zoo."

"Sorry, Scully. I think all this wish fulfillment is like catnip. It makes me a
little crazy." His voice trailed off, and soon she heard the soft, percussive
rhythm of the distinctive Mulder purr.

Willing herself to stillness, she tried to breath in a rhythm that matched his,
but thoughts of baby cats and sly grins, tickling whiskers and rolling in catnip
traipsed through her head, and even envisioning the odd sheep or two couldn't
lull her to sleep. She gave the covers a frustrated kick.

The low rumble behind her paused, and Mulder's gravelly voice broke the ensuing
stillness. "By the way, Scully, just in case you might need me for something,
I'm not really asleep."

Laughter pealed through the room, and she wondered briefly what the upstairs
neighbors would make of that sound. She turned back to face him, and whispered,
"Perfect."

***

Thanks to marguerite for her best non-catty beta and to haphazard method for
the wickedest Mulderism.

For Scullyfic Cat Day, nothing like killing two birds with one stone (something
a cat would like, I guess. ) Hope you enjoyed it, Jean.

This is for Shari, for... well, everything. I'm still mulling over letting you
adopt Stakeout, Shari, but meanwhile, this one's all yours.

Feedback is welcome at <mmalone73@hotmail.com>.
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