Walter Skinner and Alex Krycek had just spent their Saturday afternoon volunteering at the job reeducation center. Jack had wasted no time enlisting everyone's help. Bruce had readily agreed to let Jack have an afternoon a week and Saturdays to volunteer there. And he agreed to do a lecture, or help out in whatever way he could. Alex and the other instructors were taking turns with Saturday afternoons, since that was their busiest day. Alex had taken the first one, and Walter had come with him.
Later, walking to the car, Walter and Alex talked about New Year's plans.
"Bruce was talking about a party at his place," Walter said
"Bruce just likes to party," Alex laughed.
"He does at that. But I was thinking we might get away - " Walter's attention was diverted. A man, obviously drunk, coming from a bar down the street, was yelling at Alex.
"Hey, pretty boy, I remember you!"
He staggered toward Alex, who looked stricken.
The man looked at Walter.
"You already got a trick for tonight, huh? You sure do clean up nice."
Alex backed away as Walter stood there frozen.
The drunk clamped his hand on Alex's arm.
"Don't try to act like you're better than me. I know what you are!"
Walter moved then.
"Take your hands off him." Walter said with deadly menace.
"Okay, whatever," the man said, releasing Alex. "He's possessive, huh? Course, maybe he knows already how sweet that ass - "
Walter snarled and lunged toward the man, who moved surprisingly fast to be so drunk. He ran back to the refuge of the bar. Walter turned back to Alex, who had gone pale and still looked stricken.
"Alex?" Walter said, reaching out to him.
"No," Alex said calmly, backing away. He turned and started to walk off.
Walter followed. "Alex, wait. Let's go home. We'll talk there."
Alex didn't say a word, just kept walking.
"Alex!" Walter yelled. Alex picked up speed and disappeared down an alley.
Walter wanted to chase him, but he figured it was better to let Alex collect himself first.
Walter headed back to the car, where a familiar figure was standing.
"Mulder," Walter said, annoyed. "What do you want?"
"Is he gone?"
"Is he . . . Alex? Mulder, were you responsible for what just happened?" Walter asked with deceptive calm.
"Sir, I had to do something. I tried to tell you, but you wouldn't listen. I figured if I could show you - "
"Show me what?"
"He's so wrong for you. You deserve better. I thought if you were confronted with it . . . " Mulder broke off, alarmed by the look on Walter's face.
"Mulder, did I not make myself clear the last time, or the last two or three times we spoke about this? This is none of your business!"
"But, Sir, everything he's done. My father, Scully's sister . . . He's tortured all of us. I can't stand to see you ruin your life."
Walter laughed.
"Ruin my life? Mulder. I feel like my life has just begun. I'm not a teenager; I'm not starry-eyed about this. We both have our flaws, and we both accept them. We love each other."
Mulder stood there, mouth open.
"Mulder, you have to let this go. It's my life. And Alex's life. He's not wanted for any crime. This vendetta of yours has to end. Take a look at your own life. It should be about more than chasing aliens and punishing Alex Krycek."
Walter started to get in the car.
"And Mulder? If Alex is hurt in any way because of this, I'll be coming to see you. Very unofficially."
Walter waited for Alex to come home, growing more and more concerned with each passing hour. He slept badly, waking frequently.
At 8 the next morning, he called Bruce.
"Bruce, I'm sorry to wake you. Have you seen Alex, or heard from him?"
"No. You two have a fight?"
"Something like that. If you hear anything, let me know, okay?"
"Sure, Walter. I'm sure he's fine. Alex can take care of himself."
"I know, Bruce, but sometimes he's . . . I'm just worried."
"Just stay calm. I'll ask around."
As soon as Walter hung up, the phone rang. He picked up on the first ring, hoping it was Alex.
"Walter, it's Jack."
"Jack, I was planning to call you. Have you heard from Alex?"
"No, but this is about Alex. I stopped by the shelter before I left yesterday. Word's going around that some guy claiming to be an FBI agent has been asking questions about Alex. Do you know anything about it?"
"Actually, yes. And he won't be anymore. If he knows what's good for him."
"Is something wrong with Alex?"
"He got upset yesterday. If you hear from him, call me, please."
"I will."
Walter spent a miserable day trying to figure out where Alex might be. And aside from the people at his job, he couldn't come up with a thing. Walter saw now that he hadn't realized yesterday how much this had upset Alex.
He decided to go in to work on Monday. Both Bruce and Jack had his cellphone number. He was going over the same report for the third time when Jack called.
"Jack? Have you heard from him?"
"Yes. He's fine, Walter. But he won't talk to you, or see you."
Walter felt his heart twist at those words.
"Jack, is he at your place? Did he go to work?"
"Walter, listen. I'm telling you this because I know you're worried. But I'm Alex's friend, too. You have to respect what he wants."
"Did he tell you what happened?"
" Some of it. For what it's worth, I tried to get him to call you."
"Jack, I need to see him, to talk to him."
"Walter, he's very skittish now. You'd practically have to kidnap him and tie him up to get him to listen to you."
Walter sat and thought for a few minutes, then called Bruce.
"Bruce, I need your help."
Walter had a nice fire going in the cabin's fireplace when he heard the car arrive. He got up and went to open the door. Two burley men came in, bringing a hooded, handcuffed man with them. They silently uncuffed the man, then recuffed him comfortably to an upright beam between the kitchen and living room. They handed Walter the key and left.
Walter walked up and pulled off the hood to reveal a red faced, obviously angry Alex Krycek.
"Hello, Alex."
"Walter? What the fuck?"
"I needed you to be a captive audience."
"You needed - dammit, Walter, uncuff me!"
"No. You're going to listen to me. And stop yelling. Don't make me gag you."
Alex's face turned even redder with rage.
"Fuck you, Walter! What is this about? You just had to tell me what you think about me?"
"In a way, yes. Why did you run away, Alex?" Walter asked softly.
Alex looked down and said just as softly, "I knew you wouldn't want me anymore after you knew."
Walter walked over to him. Alex flinched as if expecting to be hit.
"Alex! Is this what you think of me? That I brought you here to hurt you?"
"Didn't you?" Alex asked bitterly, refusing to look at Walter.
Walter took Alex's chin in his hand and held it up, forcing Alex to look at him.
"Alex, God knows I should beat your ass for the worry you caused me. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat, I couldn't work. I had you brought here because I knew it would be the only way you'd face me. We have to talk about this and get past it, so we can get on with our lives."
"How can you want me, now that you know what I've done?"
"And why did you do it, Alex?"
Alex answered quietly, "Because I was hungry. And cold, and tired. And I wanted to sleep in a real bed."
"And you thought I'd hold that against you?"
"Yes," Alex said simply.
"Alex, I can't condemn you for that. I don't think any of us can say for sure what we'd do in a situation like that. Besides, I think I knew, or at least had some idea about it already. Just accept that I know about it, and I still love you. Did you forget that, by the way? That I love you? I can't have you running off every time you're reminded of the past. It hurts too much. Do you have any idea what I went through these past few days?"
"I'm sorry, Walter. I never thought for a minute you'd still want me. I got scared. I thought I'd lost you again. Ah, Walter, that hurt so bad," Alex said, in tears now. "I love you so much, and I thought I'd lost you."
Walter took the key and uncuffed Alex. And led him to the couch, where he took Alex in his arms. Walter was crying now, too. For the first time, Alex actually said the words "I love you."
They sat there for a long time holding each other. Alex sniffled and said shakily, "Are you sure you don't want to beat me? I deserve it."
"Alex, I never intend to raise my hands to you in anger again. I promise you that. If I spank you, it'll be for fun."
"I knew you were kinky, Walter." Alex said, teasing him.
Walter smiled.
"I didn't want to scare you off. But any games we play, we'll both agree on it. You have to want it, too."
"This is all so new to me. I've never been in a relationship like this before."
"I know. But it will get easier. Just remember, there's two of us. You always have a say. I trust you. And you trust me, right?"
"Yes."
"And we talk about problems. We don't run away. We don't shut down. That's something I have to work on, too. I used to do that with Sharon, just shut down. Not talk, keep everything inside. That's every bit as bad as running away. I'm trying to do better. I love you more than anything, Alex. I want this to work."
"I want it to work, too. I just get so scared, Walter. Please be patient. All that I've done . . . "
"Alex, there could be some stuff in my past you don't like. Would you leave me because of it?"
"No, of course not."
"Exactly. It's the same way for me. How can you forgive me so easily, and not yourself?"
Alex just stared at Walter.
"That's it, isn't it, Alex? It's not that I wouldn't forgive, it's that you can't. You can't forgive yourself. All the things you've done to turn your life around: getting a real job, helping Jack, volunteering, making my life complete. You still can't accept that someone could want you, just you, with no conditions. Because you can't forgive yourself. I'll be damned."
Alex started to protest.
"Walter, that's not it. You've never done anything as bad as what I have. That's one reason I've never fought back when Mulder would come after me. Because I know he's right. That night, the night we put up the tree, I wanted to tell you that you should listen to him."
"Alex, Fox Mulder is the last person I'd ever listen to about you. And he's lucky he's not back to transcribing surveillance tapes right now."
Alex looked questioningly at Walter.
"He's the one we have to thank for setting that drunk asshole on you the other day."
Alex looked stunned.
"Mulder did that? Son of a bitch."
"Exactly. I told him he needed to get a life, maybe then he wouldn't have so much free time on his hands."
"You said that?"
"Well, not in so many words, but basically, yeah."
Alex laughed.
"So, what do we do now, Walter? Go home?"
"No. We're staying here for a few days. This is Bruce's cabin. It was supposed to be a surprise."
Alex laughed again.
"Oh, believe me, it was. I guess I have Bruce to thank for my escort here?"
"Yes. Bruce is a good friend."
"You really said that to Mulder?"
"Among other things. Maybe I should've told him he needed to get laid. Maybe that would take his mind off of us."
"Hey, Walter, speaking of getting laid . . . "
Walter laughed.
"That's a great idea. Let's go to the bedroom. The bed is huge. So is the hot tub."
"I really like Bruce's idea of roughing it."
Walter took Alex's hand and led him to the bedroom. Walter started to undress.
"Wait, Walter, let me?"
Walter smiled and stopped.
Alex pulled off Walter's sweater, then stopped to kiss him, softly at first, then hungrily. He nuzzled his way down to Walter's chest, where he found the nipples slightly hard already. Alex flicked his tongue at one and Walter jumped. He started to moan as Alex sucked at them, then used his teeth to bite them gently. Alex stopped to take off Walter's boots and socks, then slipped his jeans off. Finally, he uncovered Walter's swollen cock. Alex kneeled and took it in his mouth. Walter moaned breathlessly.
"Alex, your mouth feels so good."
Alex answered by deep throating Walter, and rolling his balls in his hand.
Walter yelped.
"Easy, Alex. I want this to last a while."
Alex looked up at Walter and smiled devilishly.
"Oh, it will. You're not coming until you're inside me."
"Get up here and let me undress you."
Alex stood up and let Walter undress him, then remove his prosthetic. He didn't so much as kiss Alex the whole time.
"Lie down, Alex."
Alex stretched out on the bed.
"Now, Alex, I want you to do something for me. Will you?"
"Yes, anything."
Walter smiled.
"I want you to pretend you're still handcuffed. At my mercy."
Alex looked wary.
"Only if you want it, Alex. I won't hurt you."
Alex looked Walter in the eye.
"I know, Walter. I trust you. Go ahead."
Walter started at Alex's feet, licking, stroking, murmuring to him the whole time.
"You are so beautiful, Alex. All over."
"You always make me feel that way, Walter. Like I'm the only man in the whole world."
"You are, to me. The only one I want."
Alex started to moan as Walter started on his thighs. Walter blew on the dark curly hair surrounding Alex's hard cock and Alex shivered. When Walter used his tongue to delicately lick just the tip of Alex's cock, the younger man's hand unconsciously moved down to urge stronger contact. Walter raised his head.
"Uh uh, Alex. Where is your hand supposed to be?"
Alex groaned and obediently moved his hand back to the headboard.
Walter gently lapped at Alex's cock before moving upward, eliciting a moan of protest.
"Shh. I'll get back to that in a minute."
Walter licked at Alex's belly button, and nipped at his side where he knew Alex was ticklish. Alex started to twist away, then reached his hand out, only to pull it back when Walter growled, "Alex . . ." Walter took his time, doing each side. Alex was panting when he finished. When Walter made it to his nipples and rolled each one between his teeth, Alex started to curse and twist back and forth. Walter moved up to kiss Alex, devouring his mouth before moving to his neck to suck on the sensitive area under his ear. Alex groaned in Walter's ear. Walter then began a slow descent back to Alex's now painfully hard cock. He took his time, licking the crown slowly, then up and down each side before taking it in his mouth all the way. He had to stop several times to remind Alex to keep his hand in place.
"That's enough, Walter," Alex sobbed, breathless from thrashing around and yelling. "Please. I need to come. I want you in me. Make me come, Walter."
Walter grabbed the lube and a condom and got them ready. He entered Alex slowly, controlling his movements. Alex tried to push against him, but Walter maintained control. He thrust in and out until Alex was sweating and biting his lip.
"Walter, don't torture me. Do it harder, please." Alex begged.
"You're so sexy when you beg. I'm enjoying this, Alex. I think we'll go very slowly."
"You're mean, Walter."Alex pouted.
Walter smiled, just as wickedly as Alex had before, and suddenly rammed him hard. Alex shrieked.
"Ooh, Walter, do that again, just like that," Alex said urgently.
Walter laughed and reached down to stroke Alex's leaking cock, ramming him hard at the same time.
"Shit! Walter, I'm going to come - "
"Okay, Alex, come for me," Walter said, thrusting hard while he fisted Alex's cock. Alex came hard, shouting Walter's name. Walter lasted only seconds longer, yelling as he came. He lay on Alex a few minutes, recovering, then disposed of the condom and cleaned them up.
They slept for a few hours. Alex woke up and nudged Walter.
"Walter. I'm hungry. I never had dinner."
Walter groaned.
"All right. Come on."
Walter had brought food with him. They ate roast beef sandwiches and potato salad, sitting naked by the fire. After they finished, they cuddled on the couch.
"Walter?"
"Hmm."
"What time is it?"
"A little after 12. It's the new year already."
"That usually doesn't mean much to me. But this time, it is a happy New Year. I love you, and I'm looking forward to this year. Happy New Year, Walter."
"I love you, too, Alex. Happy New Year."
Go to the sequel Valentine: Heart's Desire
Title: New Year: Old Acquaintance
Author: Maddie
E-mail: maddiec24@mchsi.com
Feedback: Yes, please!
Pairing: Sk/K
Warnings: This story contains m/m sexual relationship.
Rating: NC-17
Spoilers: Assume everything through S.R. 819.
Archive: Let me know where.
Disclaimer: All X-Files characters belong to Chris Carter and 1013 Productions. No copyright infringement is intended and no money is being made. Jack Rivers, Bruce Mosely, etc., belong to me.
Summary: Something unpleasant from Alex's recent past comes between him and Walter. Follows Thanksgiving: Chance Meeting, and Christmas: Dreams Come True.
Notes: Thanks to Bertina for beta. And to Elaine and Karen for . . . Well, you'll see. Happy New Year, ya'll!
First Published: December 30, 2002
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