The Weight of Anger (G)

[lynnrxgal]

Pitiful, aren't we? Stilling missing "our" Moonlight so much that it hurts...

This passage just about killed me:

Mick tried to hide his relief, the slump in his rangy frame as he nodded his acceptance and moved inside, but she saw it. It lived with him every day, she knew, but some days it gained a force of its own - the weight of too many disappointments, too much life half-lived, too much solitary sorrow. Today was one of those days, etched in the tired lines of his brow, the barely-there wisp of unshed tears in his eyes, the pallor of fifty years without a good night's sleep. The effort of easing off his coat and dropping it to the floor seemed to exhaust him and Mick slumped onto the couch, his gaze unfocused.

Reminds me of the end scene on his balcony in 12:04.

Beautiful. Thanks, Red!

[seamus3333]

Alle has a wonderful banner: It All Comes Back To Mick. I think of Mick every day, look for Mick in every vampire show or novel. The only place I always find him is in your work. Grace is right. He still whispers to you.

[fairytoes]

Oh Red, what a breathtakingly beautiful and sad and lovely story. And yeah....so... Mick.

I know whatever your burden is, it's yours to carry… but as long as I'm next to you, I can share the load, if you'll let me.

"Let me, Mick." She covered his hand on the door handle, careful, soft, soothing, stroking her fingers over his.

"Let me."

Thank you.

[redwinter101]

Thank you so much, you wonderful ladies.

(I had a sneaky feeling it wasn't just me. )

LadyAilith, what a lovely comment. Thanks so much for stopping by to read.

Lilly,

Jen, nope, I think she only buys it in for Mick - who accepts it without protest.

dsr, have a hankie, honey.

And yes, dearest red, I miss it, too and it's works like these that bring it all back.

You are such a sweetheart - I'm touched. Thank you.

Grace,

francis, I'm glad to know we all still miss them. You always get my favourite bits - it was the boots that were the heart of this. He let her take off his boots.

Lynn, no we are not pitiful... just devoted. It's always such a delight to see your name pop up on a story - I cherish your reading and love that you enjoyed this.

seamus,

The only place I always find him is in your work.

Indeed it does ALWAYS all come back to Mick.

fairytoes, beautiful and sad - I love that. Just like Mick.

Red

[rijane]

He closed the gap but remained just out of reach.

Good god, you've summarised their entire relationship in just 10 words.

"But you knocked three times."

Knock three times on the ceiling if you waaaaant mee..... a-hem, back to the story...

Brushing her hand against his cheek

Mmm, perfect. I love this as a simple, beautiful moment of connection.

"Let me, Mick." She covered his hand on the door handle, careful, soft, soothing, stroking her fingers over his.

"Let me."

That ending made me a little bit weepy - perfect bridge for the episode. Sometimes in Moonlight there are scenes best left unseen, but particularly in the last four, that is not at all the case. I feel like we just flew through them and stories like this are desperately needed.


I went back to the author's note at the end and you've nailed that as well, particularly with the "the edge has burned away from my yearning" (seriously, woman, you're even writing poignant author's notes!).
It's hard to explain to anyone who hasn't experienced it, but Moonlight changed me. It sparked a passion that burned fiercely and I wish it had burned longer. But though it can't burn at the same intensity, sometimes - when a song from the soundtrack pops on my iPod, when I get a random review on one of my stories, whenever I find out you've created a little breath of ML heaven - it hits me and hard.

Thank you for having one of those days.

[Lilly]

He closed the gap but remained just out of reach.

Good god, you've summarised their entire relationship in just 10 words.

Yes! I loved this line when I first read it, but subsequent reading has given it a whole new weight.

[redwinter101]

Knock three times on the ceiling if you waaaaant mee..... a-hem, back to the story...

It's hard to explain to anyone who hasn't experienced it, but Moonlight changed me. It sparked a passion that burned fiercely and I wish it had burned longer.

Oh, honey. That's it. That's totally it. I don't even pretend to understand it, but that's it, right there.

Thank you for having one of those days.

Au contraire, cherie, thank you for the lovely comments.

And an extra for Lilly, too.

Red

[Shadow]

Red, you got to me even in the intro . . . strange, how those days of pain still come along, and more often than one would think.

So, thank you for this gift. I really liked the setting you chose here, the time and place, Mick actually coming to Beth in his need. And this . . .

Now he was here, needing her, needing comfort and in a moment of clarity she realised the cause didn't matter.

So nice how that line is emphasized by the story itself, with no specifics given on what is burdening Mick, beyond his lingering regret about Tierney.

He closed the gap but remained just out of reach.

Wow. That's so, so Mick.

I love how Beth is depicted here too. The way she's keeping Scotch and blood at her place, just in case . . . even though Mick hasn't come by since Josh's death . . . is such pure acceptance on her part.

[redwinter101]

Thanks, honey.

Red

[nutmegger911]

Red, this is beautiful!
Who ever thought an author's note could make one misty? You have captured so much emotion in such a short piece with your ever elegant style.

Now he was here, needing her, needing comfort and in a moment of clarity she realised the cause didn't matter. The cause was detail. The cause was periphery. He was here and he needed her.

This really got me. It is such a universal truth, so often overlooked by folks trying to help.

Brava, Red. You done good.

[redwinter101]

Thanks, nutmegger. I really believe that most times someone's in trouble, they don't necessarily need solutions, they just need someone to listen, to hold their hand, to care and I love the thought of Beth doing that for Mick.

Red

[janicevictoria]

Dear Red, You captured Mick so perfectly in this story and I loved the awkward yearning that you portrayed in Beth-she really wanted to bridge that gap between them, but was scared to reach out in case he bolted- which he tried to at the end...
You're keeping Moonlight alive for me and I'm so happy he still whispers to you!

rijane wrote:
It's hard to explain to anyone who hasn't experienced it, but Moonlight changed me. It sparked a passion that burned fiercely and I wish it had burned longer.

Amen to that..couldn't have said it better myself!

[Luxe de Luxe]

this is fantastic. I love the way you got us in with the suspense of the 'tap taps'... even though I suspected who it was I couldn't tear myself away, but this...

It lived with him every day, she knew, but some days it gained a force of its own - the weight of too many disappointments, too much life half-lived, too much solitary sorrow. Today was one of those days, etched in the tired lines of his brow, the barely-there wisp of unshed tears in his eyes, the pallor of fifty years without a good night's sleep.

I just LOVED that paragraph. Sheesh

... the pallor of fifty years without a good night's sleep....

ya really gotta feel for a guy who's going through that.

[redwinter101]

Thanks, janice, it's always so lovely to see you stop by for a read. "Awkward yearning" is such a great description of Mick and Beth and this,

You're keeping Moonlight alive for me

just about made my day.

Luxe, thank you. You picked out my favourite bits (LOVE that you loved the taps...) and yeah - you just gotta feel for Mick. Our wonderful, tragic, magnificent Mick.

Red

[Moonlighter]

Note: I miss Moonlight every day, think about it every day, talk about it every day, but the edge has burned away from my yearning after so long. But then, every once in a while, it catches me. Today was one of those days. If you still feel the same, this is for you.

Honey, you are preaching to the choir. Sometimes reading these fics, I feel a little dagger in my heart even looking at all the fantastic banners because they are just reminders of such a wonderful time in my life that was taken away so suddenly. Stories like yours are balm to my soul.

Mick tried to hide his relief, the slump in his rangy frame as he nodded his acceptance and moved inside, but she saw it. It lived with him every day, she knew, but some days it gained a force of its own - the weight of too many disappointments, too much life half-lived, too much solitary sorrow. Today was one of those days, etched in the tired lines of his brow, the barely-there wisp of unshed tears in his eyes, the pallor of fifty years without a good night's sleep. The effort of easing off his coat and dropping it to the floor seemed to exhaust him and Mick slumped onto the couch, his gaze unfocused.

I love that she reads his body language so well, but it's not hard when he carries the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"But she's still dead and I'm still…" He broke off and pushed Beth away, more roughly than he intended. None of this was what he intended. He made for the door, his back turned toward her, thrusting his feet awkwardly into his boots in his haste. "I'm sorry. It's mine to carry. Mine. I don't want you in this. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come." He'd recovered his equilibrium now, his moment of weakness passed, fierce, still protective, little understanding how much it was he who needed her protection this night.

"Yes, Mick, you should," she reached him, hands splayed across his back, "This is where you need to be. I know whatever your burden is, it's yours to carry… but as long as I'm next to you, I can share the load, if you'll let me.

"Let me, Mick." She covered his hand on the door handle, careful, soft, soothing, stroking her fingers over his.

"Let me."

Okay, your A/N made me misty, I sniffled after Beth encouraged Mick to come inside and later so lovingly removed his shoes, now I'm full-on blubbering. Pass the tissues please.

Beautiful, Red, just stunningly beautiful.