Lavender (vignette, M/C, PG-13)

[redwinter101]

Title: Lavender
Author: redwinter101
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own Moonlight or any of its characters
Note: The power of sense-memory drags some demons from Coraline's past.

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--- Lavender ---

An autumnal rustle, silk against silk, as Mick pressed close.

He swept her hair over her shoulder and Coraline purred at the feel of his smile brushing gently against the nape of her neck, trailing kisses from hairline down, feather-light. Cool hands rested on her bare shoulders, thumbs circling, drawing a shiver of response. Reaching up to cover his hand with hers, she closed her eyes, drifting, contentment on her lips.

"I bought you something else to wear to the party," he murmured against her, his kiss replaced by the cold press of glass and the sweet scent of perfume. He stroked the stopper down her spine, tracing a trail of aromatic chill.

She half-turned, the complex blend of rosewood, bergamot, and an unmistakable undernote that caught her, dragging sense-memory from centuries past. The flowing fields of Provence, rippling in the breeze, an ocean of lavender. She was young then, enjoying simple pleasures, barefoot, crushing the scent-filled buds as she twirled, the heady aroma filling her, hands trailing, skirts flowing. It was the scent of her youth, of joy, of the time before, when she thought life was simple.

She closed her eyes, letting the thoughts of innocence flow.

But too soon the delicate sweetness of youth was replaced, overcome by the cloying, scented powder, the perfumed preparations to make her ready for them. Her beauty was her curse; a cherished bounty, a party favour to be traded and used. The violation of the first time, her virginity a prize beyond price, the old, wealthy hands pressing over her, inside her, possessing her, changing her.

She retched, running for the bathroom, Mick at her heels, the door slammed in his face.

"Coraline!" He hammered on the door. "What's the matter? Coraline!"

Heaving over the basin, she turned the faucet, hands trembling. Wincing at the steaming water, she soaked a washcloth and scrubbed, dark drops falling on her gown. Her desperate whimper stopped Mick cold. Tapping lightly now, "Coraline," a whisper, "Open the door." He pressed himself close, craning for her response.

Rubbed raw, only the blessed scent of her own blood brought relief, calmed her, brought her back to the present. Casting the soiled cloth into the trash she ran her fingers across the now-smooth skin, turning to the mirror, checking for traces of her desperate act. Smoothing her hands through her hair, fixing a soothing smile, she opened the door and swept past him, her hand brushing against his chest.

"Coraline, what's the matter?"

"Nothing, Mick. It's nothing." She turned up the smile to dazzle and reassure. "I was just a little... overcome." She moved into his arms, his questions crushed by her kiss. "Come. We mustn't be late."

There were some things that were hers alone.

[eris]

Beuatiful and raw and moving and painful and ugly all rolled into one red -- amazing.

That pretty word "courtesan" hides so much darkness beneath it. Even in the show when Beth said something "she was a prostitute" - that still didn't do the lifestyle justice. Coraline was a woman at a time when animals were worth more, and she had no choice in the handling of her own body. "party favor" is chillingly accurate.


(And considering the article that ran last week about a girl in Nevada aucitoning off her virginity -- bidding's upwards of 5 MILLION the last I saw -- the idea that virginity is a prize isn't that far removed from even modern society.)

[redwinter101]

Thanks, eris. My obsession with Coraline continues...

Now excuse me while I go and shudder about that Nevada story.

Red

[francis]

I loved this when I first read this and still love it. It gives Coraline so much more depth than just being the evil one to make MickBeth more interesting. You give her layers that she didn't have in the show, and yet it just fits into the glimpses we got. Wonderful.

[redwinter101]

That's such a lovely comment, francis. Thank you

Red

[Kelly]

Amazing story, Red! Beautifully written yet so terribly sad and chillingly poignant. Coraline had so much more to her than what we ever got to see...she was the most underutilized character, in my opinion. I can't help but believe that if we had gotten to see some of the layers to her character that the FF authors have explored she would be much less hated by the MickBeth shippers.

Anyway, amazing one shot, Red.

[redwinter101]

Thanks, Kelly - and I couldn't agree more. With a bit more attention, the wicked witch of the west caricature could have been completely avoided - as it was, Coraline was created as an easy woman to hate. But take the time to understand her, and she is such a fascinating woman - and I think you need to understand her in order to understand Mick.

Of all the ML characters (and I've written them all at some stage), Coraline is the only one who is consistently clear in my mind. I may not like her all the time, but I understand her and she always intrigues me.

Thanks for the read and the comment.

Red

[coco]

Yet another one I've been remiss at leaving a comment for here Red

When I first read this on another board I remember being quite affected by it and it's had the same reaction on this re-read. I find Coraline the hardest ML character to get my head around and don't always have sympathy for her (although I'm much better than a lot of my fellow shippers ) but this piece was stunning. I remember feeling so much for Coraline and what she must have suffered in the past - something I never thought about when it came to the Coraline on the screen.

I can tell that you adore her as a character and you pay her so much respect in your stories. I am so happy that I get to experience Coraline through your eyes as it's added so much to my enjoyment of ML as a whole

[redwinter101]

coco, you have no idea how happy it makes me that you described this as respectful to Coraline - that's just lovely. Oddly though, I don't adore her at all - I think she's manipulative, cruel, selfish and I will never forgive her for what she did to wonderful, beautiful Mick. But, I think she's also passionate, determined, resourceful, and filled with love (and lust) for Mick.

I don't like her but I admire her.

And, more than any of the other ML characters, I think I "get" her. I think she is a genuinely tragic character - she's fundamentally unable to be happy because she doesn't understand people well enough not to screw things up.

She fascinates me - and I'm delighted some of that came through in this story.

Red

[coco]

coco, you have no idea how happy it makes me that you described this as respectful to Coraline - that's just lovely. Oddly though, I don't adore her at all - I think she's manipulative, cruel, selfish and I will never forgive her for what she did to wonderful, beautiful Mick. But, I think she's also passionate, determined, resourceful, and filled with love (and lust) for Mick.

I don't like her but I admire her.

And, more than any of the other ML characters, I think I "get" her. I think she is a genuinely tragic character - she's fundamentally unable to be happy because she doesn't understand people well enough not to screw things up.

She fascinates me - and I'm delighted some of that came through in this story.

Red

I'm too quick to use that word "adore" when I'm commenting on fic

The way you've described it as you "get" her is kind of what I meant (I just didn't put that across ). I get an understanding of Coraline and it does comes across that she is fascinating to you.

[redwinter101]

I'm too quick to use that word "adore" when I'm commenting on fic

That's never a bad thing, coco

Although it's always lovely to get feedback on a story, it's even more special when it's a Mick/Cora story and it's from someone who loves Mick/Beth as much as you do.



Red

[cassysj]

I was led here by the Coffee House. This is a very powerful image of Coraline. Her life such as the lives of women in previous centuries had to have been extraordinarily difficult and painful.

Poor Mick he's really on the outside here, there's really no way she could confide in him. He may get angry at what happened to her but it's not a life he understands.

[librarian_7]

This is...powerful in its brevity. No more needs to be added, no less would convey the emotion.

I'm not a Coraline shipper myself, but I do think the fic is adding layers to her, in the exploration of her past, and her personality, and delving into what might have made her take the actions we know she did.

It's good to see such--as was noted above--respectful treatment of a character who deserves more than to be a cariacature.

Lucky
Making the Coffee House circuit...

[redwinter101]

cassysj, I agree - Mick couldn't understand this. Partly because it's so outside his experience but also because I can't see Coraline letting him witness that part of her.

Lucky, thank you; the avoidance of caricature is certainly one of the things I was aiming for.

Red

[librarian_7]

cassysj, I agree - Mick couldn't understand this. Partly because it's so outside his experience but also because I can't see Coraline letting him witness that part of her.

Red

Although, you know, it might have been better for their relationship if she'd been able to let him into things like that....painful, but purifying.

Lucky