The Quality of Mercy (M/B, PG-13) for rijane

[redwinter101]

Title: The Quality of Mercy
Author: redwinter101
Rating: PG-13, sexual content
Disclaimer: I don't own Moonlight or any of its characters
Note: So, about a year later than everyone else, I've finally written a post-Sonata, after-the-door-closes fic. It took me that long to work out what I wanted to write.

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For rijane. Wishing you a Happy Birthday, with my love and thanks. For everything.



--- The Quality of Mercy ---

Do you know? Do you understand what you've done? The press of you, your body to mine and you've unmade me, taken me apart, unpicked my seams. I've longed for this, for you and now you're here in my arms.

Soft, warm, forgiving. Overflowing with life.

I feel your joy, your heart, beating through us. Your blood, breath, hope.

I am new. I'm a child taking the first steps of discovery. I imagined. I dreamt. But I never really believed, until now.

With every touch, every brush of you on me, you strip away the cloak of regret that has protected me, nourished me for so many years. As your hands coil around my neck, warm fingers curling against me, stroking, I give up my fear. The fear I have held without knowing; the fear that if I let myself love, risk pain, invite hurt, I will be different. I will no longer be me.

Do you know? If you let go now I will shatter. You hold me and I am at your mercy.

Beneath the kiss, gentle and tender, a tremor begins; we both feel it and you pull away, gently, your hands caressing my face.

You see me.
Take me, hold me, carry me.
Because I'm here with you and I can never go back.

The press of your fingers against mine pulls me to the bedroom. I've known love before, each time new and different, but always accompanied by doubt. Here, as you watch me, for the first time I'm certain.

Your hands across my chest, under my shirt, discovering, turning chill to flame as you move. Stripping me bare, body and soul until I'm naked and unashamed.

You see me.
You watch me.

There's no need to hold back; I can uncurl, let go, breathe again. As I pull you in to me, desire, instinct, free to explore, to know your secrets. The curve of your neck, the swell of your breast, the flutter of your breath on my skin.

Slow and careful, we move, a delicate dance, discovering. Pressing against my chest, head bowed, you draw my arms around you, close and tight. I can hear your body respond, calling out, calling for me. I hum your name against your skin, each time new and sacred. The voice of ages cries inside me, forcing tears past the silver that can no longer contain them. I don't need to turn away, not now, not ever.

You feel me.
My tears, my joy, my surrender.

Tender hands stroking my face, a slick of lips to cheek, mouth, eyes. A brush of thumb across fang sends a shiver through me, blood memory revived as I bite. I crave you, drawing your life into me. A moan slips, mine or yours. You move deeper, reaching for my hand, drawing my fingers down across your belly. You open to me, guiding, me in you, you in me, connected in life.

I long to go slow, but you know, you know. My hunger, so close to being sated, blinds me. As I move my fingers inside you, feeling your heat, my body urges me on, harder, faster, now, too soon, too quick. But you match my pace, your own urgency powerful, your need to know. Long-remembered words echo silently between us as you lead me down, onto the bed, whispering, "Now. Like this. Like this, Mick. Like this."

I am over you, pressing as you move, skin to skin, stretching, holding. I feel the heat rising inside, strange and unfamiliar, long forgotten.

"Like this."

I pour into you, mouth, cock, muscle, moving, driving, free to possess and be possessed.

"Beth," a whisper.
"Beth," my prayer.
"Beth," my love.

I drift as the pressure builds in my deep down. Every part of you reaches out for me, your body mine, flush rising. A groan as you coil inside, desperate for release, slick sweat clinging.

"Please, Mick." You pull me to your neck, gasping, as I grip.

You are mine.
I sink into you.
Your cry; pain, pleasure, joy.

Flowing with the bite, my senses overwhelmed. The taste of you, spiked with love, sweet, heady. Your touch, your feel, the thump of pulse and breath as you come. I've taken my fill. For the first time in this life, I hunger no more. A final, frozen moment as I arch, shuddering. I am spent, breathless, complete.

Resting my face to yours, I feel your tears and I know. This is the end of fear, the end of regret, the end of alone.

We begin here.

[wpgrace]

I would like to thank Rijane for being born, so that Red would write this fic...

Also... Happy Birthday, Ri...

[cassysj]

I toddled over here like Dora The Explorer. The title appealed to me. I think this is my favorite part



<<Flowing with the bite, my senses overwhelmed. The taste of you, spiked with love, sweet, heady. Your touch, your feel, the thump of pulse and breath as you come. I've taken my fill. For the first time in this life, I hunger no more. A final, frozen moment as I arch, shuddering. I am spent, breathless, complete.>>

I don't usually visit Mick/Beth but glad I did tonight.

[Kelly]

Oh, Red...I can't even think straight right now...that was just SO beautiful. A flat-out lovely piece.

[redwinter101]

Grace, I'm sure ri's parents will take the credit for that one.

Carol, or should I say Dora? Delighted you stopped by - and delighted you enjoyed the story.

Kelly, bless you, sweetie.

Red

[rijane]

I was going to wait til the actual day, but I've always been a peeker

OK, first, that's hell of a present

I will start from the very beginning - I love the title. I love it hard. I struggle with beginnings and with titles and to find one that sings like this is a precious thing.

As your hands coil around my neck, warm fingers curling against me, stroking

I love this image. As much as this is a sweetness and longing here, there's a desperate kind of love. And the idea of Beth coiling around, curl of her fingers, those are fantastic verbs.

You see me.
Take me, hold me, carry me.
Because I'm here with you and I can never go back

You see me.
You watch me.

This is the sweet lull of poetry in the piece. And I am a sucker for the image of Beth seeing Mick, of them seeing each other. It's a vulnerability and a trust and a hope.

turning chill to flame as you move

I don't have anything particularly deep to say except that I love the feel of this line. It's wonderful and hot and mmmm...

Resting my face to yours, I feel your tears and I know. This is the end of fear, the end of regret, the end of alone.
We begin here.

And here we have it. That hum of MickBethness. That beginning of the thread that pulls through them and, for the first time in a long time, I'm tearing up at the end of a story.

I have no idea what I did to warrant such a wonderful, thoughtful, stalwart and amazing friend who gives such amazing gifts. I'm a very, very lucky woman and so thankful to have you in my life, red.

There's not a hug icon big enough. I'm likely to bowl you over come June with the force of so many held back hugs.



Thank you.
ri

[MickLifeCrisis]

This just leaves me speechless, Red! What a wonderful piece, so full of passion and emotion. Mick finally letting go. Thank you so much!

And Happy Birthday Rijane!

(Okay, so not exactly speechless ... )

[mitzie]

Stunning, just stunning!

mitzie

[redwinter101]

Ah, ri, it does my heart good that you liked it. Man I've missed you.

I'm tearing up at the end of a story

My work is done.

MLC, not quite speechless indeed. Thank God!!!

mitzie, thank you.

Red

[jenstc2003]

Absolutely FABULOUS Red... so powerful, so sweet... so passionate! This is flatly poetry! And a happy birthday to Ri!!

[EbonyQueen]

ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL

[allegrita]

Oh, man.
Just... Ohhhhhh, maaaaaaan.

I'm glad you waited until it was right, because it's just. So. RIGHT.

[redwinter101]

jen, EbonyQueen, alle, thank you all so much for the lovely comments.

And ri, I've just clocked your note about the title. If you're going to pinch, pinch from the best I say. With my thanks to Mr. Shakespeare for this particular inspiration - not only did it give me a title, it gave me a direction. From The Merchant of Venice:

The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.

Red

[seamus3333]

Oh, how beautiful!! I can feel Mick unfurling, letting go of his reserve and hesitation, accepting the love he feels he doesn't deserve.....This is one I'll reread many times. Thank you (again).

[Catmoon]

Beautiful, as always. Very satisfying look into Mick's pov as they come together for the first time. My favorite:

For the first time in this life, I hunger no more. A final, frozen moment as I arch, shuddering. I am spent, breathless, complete.

Resting my face to yours, I feel your tears and I know. This is the end of fear, the end of regret, the end of alone.

We begin here.

Perfect.