THE X-FILES COLLECTION

Rain Puddles and Warm Coffee | Fox Mulder

Summary: Fox Mulder didn't expect to find love in a café when he was trying to escape the rain, nor did he expect to fall head over heels so damn quickly.

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When Fox Mulder entered your life, you didn't expect it to turn upside down in a matter of days, nor did you expect him to turn it into a life of chaos a few months later. But, even though you honestly couldn't recognise the life you now lived or the person you now were, you knew that letting the young FBI agent into your world was the best thing you had ever done.

He walked into your life on a Monday morning, or more literally, walked into the café you worked at on a dreary day where no sun shone through the dark and stormy clouds. The café was quiet, nearly empty except for you and one or two other customers seated on the high back chairs in the far corner of the room, chatting away as they sipped their coffees. You were just standing behind the counter, trying to tidy up before the next wave of customers came for their lunch time coffee pick me up, but you looked up when you heard the door close and a ruffle of an overcoat.

He stood near the door, shaking off the excess water and letting the droplets fall onto the door mat, ruffling his hair, trying to dry it out slightly. He let out a loud sigh as he felt the wet strands, and for a moment he shook his head and huffed. And as the water continued to drip down from his coat, he didn't realise the puddle that was forming right around his feet.

"Hey, sir, do you mind not turning my café floor into a slip zone? I've already had to clean up some puddles today, would rather not clean up another." Your voice called out to him from the other side of the café, making him jerk his head up to look at you, forgetting about his watch was covered in water or that his left sock was squelching every time he moved. He nearly needed to sit down, right then, mouth opening slightly to respond to your request, while taking in your soft smile and the mischievous glint in your eyes.

"Uh, um, yeah, sorry." That weak apology was all he could muster out as he straightened up and looked at you again, taking in how you moved seamlessly from the coffee machine to the register, wiping down counter tops and rearranging some of the cookie jars that stood on the shelf. He didn't realise he was staring until you turned around and caught his eye, and soon, the ever so confident and suave Fox Mulder was a blushing mess.

"So, are you just going to keep standing there and stare at me, or do you want to order a drink?" You leaned up against the countertop and grinned at him, watching as he tried to compose himself, his bright eyes flicking to your face before looking up to the menu above your head.

"I'll get a black coffee, please." He started to fish through his pockets for his wallet as you nodded and moved to the coffee machine, preparing everything you needed to make his order. Pulling a mug from the cupboard below and placing it on a saucer, you glanced at him, watching as he looked around the quiet café, hands shoved in his coat pockets and his hair a ruffled mess. You couldn't deny that he was attractive in a boyish sort of way, with a look of child like curiosity cast over his features. But at the same time, he looked like someone who could turn from cheeky and confident to serious and worrisome in the blink of an eye, and for some reason, that captivated you.

As he flicked through his wallet for some cash, you noticed the ID card with the bright blue letters stamped on it, the familiar F.B.I trademark over a picture of him, and right then is when you decided to end the awkard silence that had settled over the two of you.

"You work for the FBI?" You didn't mean for the question to come out so jarring, nor sound so insensitive and rude, but you couldn't take it back now. But from the confused look he gave you that quickly turned into a small smile as he noticed you looking at his badge, you knew you hadn't stepped over the line, yet.

"Yeah, going on five years nearly. Why?" He looked up at you from the badge, another curious look cast over his face, before you shrugged your shoulder casually, leaning your arms on the countertop and looking up at him.

"My mum used to work for the bureau, met my dad through it. Just thought it was interesting, that's all." The man let out a warm smile at your admission, head tilting slightly.

"Oh? A work romance?" He was hooked then, gazing at you with a sudden attention that nearly made you want to hide from him, but all you could feel yourself doing was opening your mouth again.

"Something like that. She was an agent; he was a small-town Sherriff needing help on a difficult case. She spent a week in the town and around him, and apparently, by the end of the week, they were head over heels for each other." Turning away from him and moving to the coffee machine, you poured the ready black coffee into the mug that you held, watching as the dark liquid swirled around the white porcelain of the cup.

"You sound like you don't fully believe that story." His statement caught you off guard, and just for a moment, you stopped pouring, gaze snapping to him and a blush rushing to your cheeks.

"I guess I don't believe in falling for someone so quickly, if you get what I mean? I just think that for two people to fall in love like that, is as believable as aliens being real and UFO's being seen. I don't know...sorry, I'm just meant to be making your coffee, not talking your ear off about what I do and don't believe." You finished pouring the coffee as the man stood there, face pulled tight slightly as he pondered your words, but soon he was pulled out of his thoughts as you placed the full cup onto the saucer and turned back to him.

"One black coffee, like you ordered." He fumbled for his wallet them, pulling out a wad of dollar bills but you hesitated before pushing the money away. He went to speak, to pass the money to you again but you shook your head, sending him a small warm smile before tucking your hands in the pockets of your shop apron. "Don't worry about it, think of it as payment for spilling all my personal thoughts on you."

He let out a defeated sigh, and then smiled a smile that was so bright and breath taking that you nearly felt your heart melt.

"Look, okay, I know this is way too forward and we've barely known each other for more than five minutes, but you seem interesting and...and I think you're wrong about love and UFO's and aliens. And I think I can prove it all to you."

You stood there in a shocked silence for a couple of moments, just staring at him like he was out of his mind, because, in reality, he was. But that didn't stop you from opening your mouth and letting out the next sentence that might have just changed your life.

"You think you can change my mind?" He nodded back to you, a keen smile on his lips. "Well then, meet me back here at 6 pm. We'll grab some dinner and you can tell me everything you want about aliens and UFO's and love, as long as I get something in return first."

"And what would that be?" His eyebrows quirked up at your suggestion, taking a sip of his coffee and waiting for your reply.

"I want your name, Agent." He snorted out a laugh at that, nodding his head and then extending his hand towards you.

"I'm Fox Mulder, and you are?" You gripped his hand, relishing in the warmth that came from the touch of his skin against yours, and how his firm grip made you feel anchored and safe.

"Y/N. So, is that a yes to my suggestion, Mulder?"

"Without a doubt in my mind, Y/N."

Fox Mulder entered your world in a puddle of rain and dressed in a coat that was wet and dripping, and he left a puddle on the doorstep of your café. He was dorky, handsome and all together too charming for words, and all of a sudden, in the space of ten minutes as you made him a coffee and he smiled that adorably charming smile at you, the both of you knew that there was no escaping whatever feelings had suddenly crept up on the two of you. And, after many months later and numerous cups of coffee and stories about UFO's and aliens that you still didn't quite believe, the both of you knew, that that Monday morning in the coffee shop, was the best Monday morning that had ever existed. 

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Will!