open post.

[jowls]

Leave prompts, you'll get nonsense.

Comments

[jowls]

I know.

[ And sometimes he even believes it. It's an incredible feat of cognitive dissonance, to be painting a ceiling like Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel and still think to yourself, I wonder how long before we lose this one, too. Thinking of a kid in the long term, letting himself believe that it'll look at him and go that's my dad and not that's my mom's friend, Agent Mulder, is still a work in progress. ]

Taco Tuesdays. Friday night movies with popcorn. Opening day baseball games. Setting off fireworks on the fourth of July. Catching the Perseids every August.

That's what I want.

[rockitlike]

Can we limit to sparklers only until twelve, and reasses responsibility for explosives thereafter? I'm not qualified to reattach fingers.

[ He can talk her down to ten for sure, and in practice maybe eight, honestly. ]

[jowls]

Counter offer: I light the fireworks off, and we buy the illegal ones.

[rockitlike]

That goes for your fingers too, you know.

[jowls]

I graduated from sparklers about forty years ago, you know.

[rockitlike]

You have to accept a certain amount of fretting, Mulder, it comes with the job.

[jowls]

Come on, Scully, fireworks are the only good kind of fire.
You could be the one to light them off if you're so concerned.

[rockitlike]

I'll be at a safe distance with our turnip and earplugs.

[jowls]

Are you sure? You work a lighter better than I do.

[rockitlike]

You'll enjoy blowing things up more.

[jowls]

You got me there.
I'll clear out the field, we'll do it away from the house.

[rockitlike]

I think we can manage.

I trust you.

[jowls]

I'll get started on it after the nursery's done.
I think we can start moving furniture in by the end of the week.

[rockitlike]

We've got some time for worrying about fireworks, at least.

Sometimes I still can't believe we're doing this.

[jowls]

That's what you think. I might get some for when we bring the turnip home.

Me, too. It doesn't seem real, even though I'm covered in paint.

[rockitlike]

It's not like moving in was. I think I was still waiting then, like we were going to have to go on the run again.

Let's have a fire tonight. Maybe you can drink a glass of wine on my behalf.

[jowls]

You want to have a practice bonfire?

I think there's some of that sparkling apple juice in a cupboard somewhere. We'll suffer sobriety together.

[rockitlike]

I want to sit together and lean on your shoulder and a bonfire seems likes a nice place to do it.

I can work with that.

[jowls]

As soon as you get home, after you've inspected the turnip's new digs.

How's the nausea? Think you can eat a steak?

[rockitlike]

Right now I think I could eat anything but the great thing about pregnancy is, at any second that could change and I'll find everything revolting. But she's been behaving this week.

[jowls]

I stocked up on matzo ball soup mix just in case. I hear it's edible when everything else isn't.

You really have a feeling about the turnip, don't you? I'll have to stop calling her "it."

[rockitlike]

It's just a feeling. There's nothing scientific about it. But-- I do have a feeling.

If I get any odd cravings I'll let you know. We can make a chart. It wasn't too bad last time-- I don't think I'm at risk for pica.

[jowls]

Don't underestimate yourself, Scully. Pregnant mothers have been shown to be connected to the developing fetus in more than just physical ways. You might just know.

If I see you eating gravel, I'll intervene.

[rockitlike]

That much I can believe. Given everything we've seen... There's something to say for intuition. Or maybe I just feel bad saying 'it' about a person I spend so much time with. If I'm wrong, that's all right, too. But it feels right.

At least make sure I've got nice gravel.

[jowls]

Our little hypothesis. Considering you're the one who's hooked up to her, I'm willing to go on your intuition.

Bright blue, fresh from the aquarium.