Skin by Sleeps with Coyotes (NC-17)

[lapillus]

Fandom: X-FILES
Pairing: Fox Mulder/Alex Krycek
Author on LJ: ciceqi
Author Website: Blood, Love and Rhetoric
Why this must be read:
Because it is quirky and sweet and what's not to love about a quirky and sweet M/K story?

It wasn't the first time Mulder had come home to find his apartment had been entered while he was away.  It wasn't even the first time he'd returned to find them still there.

Hell, it wasn't even the first time this particular person had been waiting for him.  But it was definitely the first time Krycek had just been sitting there, patiently, turned half-sideways on the far end of Mulder's couch, empty-handed and looking tired.  Dark circles haunted those devilish green eyes, and there was a tightness to Krycek's mouth that had nothing to do with his obviously well-fed condition.  Business, apparently, was good.

Mulder had his gun drawn in seconds, trained on Krycek's skull as he kicked the door shut.  "What's the matter," he growled through clenched teeth, "can't you beat me with one hand anymore?"

"Mulder, if you shoot me without giving me the chance to explain, you are in for one hell of a surprise," Krycek sighed, slumping deeper into the cushions.  The only hand Mulder had to watch rested casually on the man's knee, until it lifted slowly to drape along the back of the couch. "I'm not armed.  I left it all on your desk.  A gesture of goodwill.  But you can search me, if you like."

Scowling, Mulder risked a glance towards his desk, seeing a tidy pile of weaponry there, the clips removed from all three guns.  "What are you doing here, Krycek?" he asked grudgingly, moving a little further into the room without lowering his weapon.

Krycek gave him a strained little smile, shaking his head.  "There's something wrong with me, Mulder.  Don't look so happy.  It could be because of the alien, or it could be because of the vaccine, I don't know.  But...you could say it was killing me."

"What?" Mulder demanded, suddenly swamped by conflicting emotions.  Shock.  Fear, for both himself and Scully.  A strange feeling of emptiness he didn't care to examine too closely.   But...  "What do you mean, I could say it was killing you?"

"If..."  Krycek swallowed, looking away, then forcing his eyes reluctantly back to Mulder's.  "If I was human, I'd be dying."

Mulder just stared.  If he was human.  "Krycek, that's the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard," he snapped.  "You expect me to believe that?  What the hell do you think you're trying to pull, here?"

"You want my blood?  You want tissue samples?  Fine, go ahead.  I should be far enough along, it'll be real obvious.  I can't explain it.  I don't know what I am.  I've never found another one like me.  But I think you're about to get your proof, soon."

Skinand its sequel Melt