One True Pairing

One of my guilty pleasures are what are now known as One True Pairings (OTPs). This term may be new to some–it is essentially being a superfan of a romantic pairing in your favorite show or book. They are the couple you swoon over, and drool over. You want their moments to dominate the scene, and when they are not on the screen or page, you can’t stop thinking about them. You are dying for them to show up, pair up and get it on. You think about them during an office meeting, at your kids sports practice, and while you are brushing your teeth. You are dreaming about them together, forever, and ever, amen. 

I have been extremely dedicated to many OTPs over the years, but I want to share the origin of my favorite OG twosome.

In the 90’s, before I even knew what this concept was, my cousin and I unknowingly found ourselves immersed in the world of one such fictional match. I am not sure what got us hooked on it, but we were obsessed with The X-Files. We loved the whole concept of the show: aliens, government conspiracies, monsters of the week and, of course, the greatest tv pairing of all time, Mulder and Scully. Also known by their relationship (‘ship) name “Sculder”.

Scully, a smart, skeptical doctor, sexy as hell, FBI special agent.

Mulder, a quirky, paranormalist believer, sexy as hell, FBI special agent.

The pairing was an absolute match made in heaven. 

My cousin and I spent loads of time together in the summers, which strengthened our preoccupation with the X-Files, and the coupling we were fixated on. During the school year, since we lived three hours away from each other, we stayed in touch through handwritten letters. In these letters, we continued our discourse about who was the best character with loads of back and forth banter along the lines of “Scully rules and Mulder drools.”

I recently unearthed our letters and happened to find an unsent correspondence. The following is a slightly edited snippet of the rather unsophisticated work, in all its glory:

Scully: They said I killed you or something. 

Mulder: How could they say that? You love me.

Scully: How did you know? 

Mulder: Well, it could be that I’m hot and irresistible to women. It could be that pin that you always wear on the inside of your pocket that says “I love you, Mulder.”

Scully: Oh, I see. 

Mulder: So, Dana, can I call you, Dana?

Scully: Sure, anything for you, Fox. 

Mulder: Dana, would you like to drive past the 7/11 and get some coffee and sunflower seeds to enjoy while I stand by you while you do your autopsy. 

Scully: Sure, Fox. 

Scully: I have something to tell you.

Mulder: Yes?

Scully: I am what you have always been searching for.

Mulder: What’s that?

Scully: An alien, here let me show you. I will pull off my mask.

Mulder: Wow!!! you look just like I had expected. Do you want to marry me?

Scully: You still want me even though I have troubled your life by taking your sister? 

Mulder: Of course I do, but since we are on the subject, whatever happened to my sister?

Scully: Oh well, she’s alive and she works at McDonald’s in Hong Kong. 

Mulder: I should tell you that Jerry, my bullfrog, loves the movie Shaft so we will have to watch it five times a day or he will… croak.

Scully: OK, I guess. Well actually, on second thought I think we’ll have to put off this marriage thing for a while, k?

End scene.

In closing, I would like to point out that the piece above was clearly the early beginnings of my other guilty pleasure, fan fiction.  I’m positive you could visit “Archive of our Own” right now and find thousands of unofficial “Sculder” ‘ship stories to make you hot and bothered. Don’t take my word for it - discover for yourself.

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Erin is a wife and a mother of three children, a crochet fiber artist and an avid reader of unabashedly spicy romance. She just completed her 15th year as a special education teacher. She’s dabbled in writing fan fiction and would like to explore writing more.