Five star (one-shot, M/B, PG-13)
Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 12:08 pm
Title: Five star
Author: redwinter101
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own Moonlight or any of its characters
Note: A companion piece to Motel, this was previously posted at the temp site - my thanks to those of you who read and commented there.
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--- Five star ---
She tipped the last bucket of ice into the tub, a wistful smile hovering. The palatial surroundings were very different from the motel where their connection had been sealed in blood. She paused, lost in memories from a lifetime ago; all that had happened since then could be traced back to that moment. Her love, her vampire, revealed to her in pain, in need, in sacrifice.
"A penny for your thoughts," the soft, rich tone warmed her and her smile widened. She turned, moving to the doorway where Mick stood, resting an elegant hip against the frame.
"I was just thinking of another motel bathroom, another bathtub filled with ice. It was-" She stopped as Mick's arms crossed, a barrier going up as he evaded, eyes downcast. Taking his head in her hands, she brought him to face her, searching for signs, to understand why this was still so hard for him to talk about. "Stop, Mick, please. Come back to me."
He took her hands in his, drawing them down to his lips, his words humming across her knuckles, "I'm here." Light kisses across her fingers as he snaked an arm around her waist, pulling her close, tight against him.
"But?"
"But," he chewed his lip, "I just hate... that you had to do that. That you had to see that." His shame was ever-present, inescapable. "That I..." His voice trailed off, lost as he buried his face in her hair, drawing in a new memory to wipe away the old and the painful.
Beth clamped her arms tight around him, holding him close, letting the silence fall softly. Breaking away with a gentle kiss, she stroked a thumb across his cheek. "Look at me, Mick." She took his hand and rested it over her heart. "Do you feel that?" He nodded. "Do you remember feeling my heart in the motel bathroom?"
"Yes."
"What did it say?"
"Beth-"
"No, Mick," she held him fast, "tell me."
"All I can remember is hunger. Is that what you want to hear?"
"That's not true, Mick. You know what I remember from that day? You'd decided, without hesitation, to give up your life to save Leni. You were stronger than your instinct. If I hadn't forced you, you would have died there. You know it and so do I."
Mick turned, breaking her hold, pacing away. "But I didn't," he whispered.
Beth stalked across the room, planting herself foursquare in front of him and slapped him, hard, fury pouring. "How dare you regret that. How dare you." She raised her hand to strike him again, wanting him to stop her. His mute acceptance was enough and she let her hand fall to take his. "Mick, that day is so precious to me because you needed me. I saved you, and you let me. I didn't realise at the time, but that was the moment I fell in love with you. You thought you were showing me the monster, but you weren't. You showed me the man."
"I..."
"And every time you've taken my blood since then, in love, in joy, it reminds me of that moment when I knew there was a chance you needed me as much as I need you." She rested her head against his chest, replacing words with feel, with touch.
They held each other, waiting.
"I love you, Beth, and I need you. Without you... I..." He kissed her, soft, slow, searching. "I don't regret being alive as long as you're here with me." He would never share Beth's joyful memories, but acceptance would do for now.
Beth stepped away and undressed, briskly and without ceremony, the warm afternoon light bathing her skin. "I'm here, Mick. Always." She gathered him to her, once again taking him into her protective embrace, feeding a different hunger. He clung to her, answering the call of her body, silencing the echo of the past.
She guided his hands, his mouth, his body moving against her. Protector became protected. He moved inside her, her legs wrapped around him, pulling him in, his head falling to her shoulder. She moved with him, rocking, rising, stroking.
They both felt the change, the man and the vampire joined with the woman who made them one. Mick tried to hide, turning away, eyes clamped tight, a strained groan escaping. Beth rolled them, keeping pace, her hips to his, drawing him up to her, moving her hair aside, a deliberate reminder. As she curled her legs around him, she tilted her head, exposing her neck, sinking her hands through his hair, pulling him to her. He held; a frozen moment of decision.
"Mine." She whispered, "Like this."
He opened his eyes. At last, he understood: this time the need was hers. Slowly, reverently, he moved to her throat, tracing the line of blue from ear to collarbone, pressing, tasting. As he pierced the skin and felt the flow, Beth came with a cry, blood and tears filled with joy. He drew gently, their rhythm driving him on, her body surrendered to him, lost in each other.
They slowed, still joined, soft touches, cheek to cheek, the back of his hand trailing across her shoulder, her fingers brushing his chest, her hair spilling across him. Neither wanted to separate, to break the bond first made in squalor and desperation, now renewed in joy and release.
Mick kissed her again and finally said the words she longed to hear. "Mine. Like this."
Author: redwinter101
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own Moonlight or any of its characters
Note: A companion piece to Motel, this was previously posted at the temp site - my thanks to those of you who read and commented there.
******************************************************************************************************************
--- Five star ---
She tipped the last bucket of ice into the tub, a wistful smile hovering. The palatial surroundings were very different from the motel where their connection had been sealed in blood. She paused, lost in memories from a lifetime ago; all that had happened since then could be traced back to that moment. Her love, her vampire, revealed to her in pain, in need, in sacrifice.
"A penny for your thoughts," the soft, rich tone warmed her and her smile widened. She turned, moving to the doorway where Mick stood, resting an elegant hip against the frame.
"I was just thinking of another motel bathroom, another bathtub filled with ice. It was-" She stopped as Mick's arms crossed, a barrier going up as he evaded, eyes downcast. Taking his head in her hands, she brought him to face her, searching for signs, to understand why this was still so hard for him to talk about. "Stop, Mick, please. Come back to me."
He took her hands in his, drawing them down to his lips, his words humming across her knuckles, "I'm here." Light kisses across her fingers as he snaked an arm around her waist, pulling her close, tight against him.
"But?"
"But," he chewed his lip, "I just hate... that you had to do that. That you had to see that." His shame was ever-present, inescapable. "That I..." His voice trailed off, lost as he buried his face in her hair, drawing in a new memory to wipe away the old and the painful.
Beth clamped her arms tight around him, holding him close, letting the silence fall softly. Breaking away with a gentle kiss, she stroked a thumb across his cheek. "Look at me, Mick." She took his hand and rested it over her heart. "Do you feel that?" He nodded. "Do you remember feeling my heart in the motel bathroom?"
"Yes."
"What did it say?"
"Beth-"
"No, Mick," she held him fast, "tell me."
"All I can remember is hunger. Is that what you want to hear?"
"That's not true, Mick. You know what I remember from that day? You'd decided, without hesitation, to give up your life to save Leni. You were stronger than your instinct. If I hadn't forced you, you would have died there. You know it and so do I."
Mick turned, breaking her hold, pacing away. "But I didn't," he whispered.
Beth stalked across the room, planting herself foursquare in front of him and slapped him, hard, fury pouring. "How dare you regret that. How dare you." She raised her hand to strike him again, wanting him to stop her. His mute acceptance was enough and she let her hand fall to take his. "Mick, that day is so precious to me because you needed me. I saved you, and you let me. I didn't realise at the time, but that was the moment I fell in love with you. You thought you were showing me the monster, but you weren't. You showed me the man."
"I..."
"And every time you've taken my blood since then, in love, in joy, it reminds me of that moment when I knew there was a chance you needed me as much as I need you." She rested her head against his chest, replacing words with feel, with touch.
They held each other, waiting.
"I love you, Beth, and I need you. Without you... I..." He kissed her, soft, slow, searching. "I don't regret being alive as long as you're here with me." He would never share Beth's joyful memories, but acceptance would do for now.
Beth stepped away and undressed, briskly and without ceremony, the warm afternoon light bathing her skin. "I'm here, Mick. Always." She gathered him to her, once again taking him into her protective embrace, feeding a different hunger. He clung to her, answering the call of her body, silencing the echo of the past.
She guided his hands, his mouth, his body moving against her. Protector became protected. He moved inside her, her legs wrapped around him, pulling him in, his head falling to her shoulder. She moved with him, rocking, rising, stroking.
They both felt the change, the man and the vampire joined with the woman who made them one. Mick tried to hide, turning away, eyes clamped tight, a strained groan escaping. Beth rolled them, keeping pace, her hips to his, drawing him up to her, moving her hair aside, a deliberate reminder. As she curled her legs around him, she tilted her head, exposing her neck, sinking her hands through his hair, pulling him to her. He held; a frozen moment of decision.
"Mine." She whispered, "Like this."
He opened his eyes. At last, he understood: this time the need was hers. Slowly, reverently, he moved to her throat, tracing the line of blue from ear to collarbone, pressing, tasting. As he pierced the skin and felt the flow, Beth came with a cry, blood and tears filled with joy. He drew gently, their rhythm driving him on, her body surrendered to him, lost in each other.
They slowed, still joined, soft touches, cheek to cheek, the back of his hand trailing across her shoulder, her fingers brushing his chest, her hair spilling across him. Neither wanted to separate, to break the bond first made in squalor and desperation, now renewed in joy and release.
Mick kissed her again and finally said the words she longed to hear. "Mine. Like this."
He doesn't share her pleasant memories, but he can accept what happened. *sigh* I loved it. 
for you, my friend. Thank you for the wonderful comment (here and at the motel).
) and never tire of it. It is the perfect companion piece to Motel.
