Just One Of Those Things. Rated PG-13

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choccyterri
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Just One Of Those Things. Rated PG-13

Post by choccyterri »

Welcome to my third story friends. The inspiration for this came directly from the song ( I heard the Frank Sinatra version just the other day on the radio...) and my love for the 1950's. I absolutely adore Doris Day, by the way... :teeth: But it made me wonder how different a certain Vampiress was from the typical woman of the time. :hearts: thank you again to the lovely Allegrita for dotting my i's and crossing my t's. :hug:

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Rating PG-13. For Occasional strong language and sexual references.

Just One of Those Things.
Fucking Doris Day… Women like her give women like me a bad name. It doesn’t matter that I've been around for centuries, fought for everything I have. And these little copycats have it all, without even trying. I walked around at that party… and there they were. Versions of her in miniature. Powder pink dresses, peroxide blonde hair. Playing the doe eyed innocent. And sadly for them, they couldn’t see that each man I passed? Wanted them to be me. The only one who dared.


All night I watched them, the coy little looks, the childish, glass-like giggles… making my stomach turn. Some of them even tried to flirt with the entertainment. They wanted this song. That. “Could you play… ‘It Was Just One of Those Things’…?” Hmmm… she toyed with her hair as she spoke. And for a second she had his eye. He gave her a crooked little smile in response. Right then I decided I wanted to take that bottom lip and suck it into my mouth. Feel that warm tongue against my skin. What was his name again? And that was how it began.


A slow walk along the terrace… the sparkler that shimmered in the night air… catching with its light every tiny bead on a beautiful scarlet dress. And I had them… I had them all. But it was Mick St. John that I wanted.


And he came when I called. Promising me the devil’s music, “on one condition.” The condition was always the same. Whether they asked me before we got to know one another… or breathed it in the middle of a night of heat. “Your name… what is your name…?” I could never understand why they needed to know. There was no magic in it. No essence of who I was... all they needed to know was that for that one moment, I belonged to them. I wasn’t the sweetheart of their childhood, or the perfect wife. But I’d chosen them. Made them feel special. They were barely even aware when I took what I needed.

“My name is Coraline…” Somehow I wanted him to know.


____________________________________________________________



When he came to the house I was happy. Even in those days there were freshies… ten minutes later we wouldn’t have been in the living room. As far as he knew, there would have been no-one home, while, in the bedroom, I drank the blood of the man in the grey jacket. As it was, I could make it look like whatever I wanted. In those days a wealthy woman, alone, with a man in her home, only meant one thing. And he was so mad when he left… I knew he’d be back. I hoped he’d be back.

Six hours later… long after Mr. Grey Jacket had gone… there he was.

I’m never so stupid as to not lock my doors. I could tear out the heart of anyone who tried to break in. But there are appearances to be maintained, you know? The rattling, the knocking? It drew me to the front of the house. His anger was still there… I could almost feel the heat coming from him through the pane of glass that separated us. And I knew then that I had him. He was mine. And I couldn’t help but play just a little more.


I could hear him as he stalked around the house, following the walls to the back patio. Eyes fixed on me as he approached. One last test… what would he do if I walked away from him? Turned my back? Counting the steps to the fireplace as I walked. One, two, three.

Crash.

I spun on my heel as a million shards of glass sprayed the air… and he was inside, bringing the coolness of the night with him. How many men would have done it? I don’t know. But he did… and I still can’t remember which of us moved faster. But he kissed me like a madman. Drunken, whisky soured breath as he took me.


Oh, don’t mistake me. I liked it. There have been many worse times in my existence. Men much more unconscious of their actions than Mick St. John was that night. And drunk as he was, that first time we made love? It was meant. All the passion and purpose of a man obsessed. A woman entranced. I’d hoped it would be like that. I’d hoped that Mick would be the man I wanted him to be, because I’d spent a long time needing someone like him. Perhaps he would be the one.


____________________________________________________________________



Shows what I know. And twenty years later I get the chance to teach him something again. Teach him that no matter how you try to get rid of the past, it will always come back to you. Whether it’s the unfortunate destruction of a favourite old building, or the somewhat unexplained burning alive of your wife. You can never run away. I glance to the right a little… there he is. His face fixed on the flames… tears in his eyes… he always was too sentimental. Wait. He’s coming out of his reverie… time to make my entrance… two steps back, making myself visible as the firefighter moves away. Camera in position. Another of those insightful pictures I love to take. Deep into the moment. Time for another test, Mick.


One, two, three.


“Coraline…?”
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francis
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Re: Just One Of Those Things. Rated PG-13

Post by francis »

I am so amazed that after all this time you manage to give Coraline yet another voice that is so mesmerizing and true and totally how she should be. Wonderful, wonderful tale. Great characterization of her and of Mick, and totally tying in to the episode we meet her as Morgan. I love this so much, I think I need to watch The Ringer now. :hearts:
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Re: Just One Of Those Things. Rated PG-13

Post by allegrita »

Francis, that was exactly how I felt the first time I read this. It is just so perfectly in character. I can feel her saying these words. Her passion, her jealousy of (and contempt for) those Doris wannabe's who have it all without any effort, her delight in controlling the human men, her obsession with Mick... it's just perfect. I love the way she just can't resist the urge to mess with his head, to see what he'll do. But running through all if that is such a melancholy, a yearning for something simple and good. Not that she'd be satisfied with that, mind you. Coraline is a very complex woman, and this story captures that perfectly.

I told Terri that this is so good, I wish I had written it.
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Re: Just One Of Those Things. Rated PG-13

Post by Marigold »

This is beautifully done, Terri! :flowers: You have Coraline's character spot on. I also like how you built the time period into your story.
choccyterri wrote:And I had them… I had them all. But it was Mick St. John that I wanted.
:notworthy: Once Coraline saw Mick, he was destined (or doomed, depending on how you look at it) to become a vampire. She knows exactly how to get what she wants.

Thank you! :hug:
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choccyterri
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Re: Just One Of Those Things. Rated PG-13

Post by choccyterri »

:hug: Ladies, thank you so very much for your words. :happysigh: It makes me all kinds of smiley when I get it right. I loved getting into Cora's head for this piece. Her interaction and the frustration she felt at the times. I could only imagine how it was for her. Knowing how much more powerful she was, yet having to fit into a mold cast by her peers. I'm so happy you've enjoyed it, and could hear her voice. :rose:
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Re: Just One Of Those Things. Rated PG-13

Post by jen »

Terri

This. Is. Wonderful.

Coraline's ire at the women of the day's doe eyed copying of Doris Day is funny, but totally understandable. Coraline came from another time and had to fight for what she wanted, alone. Her trials had made her stronger.

You have given us a wonderful look into their minds in some key scenes.

Thank you.

Jenna

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Re: Just One Of Those Things. Rated PG-13

Post by PNWgal »

I LOVED this, Terri. :hug: I love how vulnerable you make Coraline here - in spite of her beauty, she's still intimidated by other equally beautiful women. And...it's almost like she doesn't want Mick until someone else does. Jealousy is a powerful motivator. :teeth:
choccyterri wrote:He gave her a crooked little smile in response. Right then I decided I wanted to take that bottom lip and suck it into my mouth. Feel that warm tongue against my skin. What was his name again? And that was how it began.

A slow walk along the terrace… the sparkler that shimmered in the night air… catching with its light every tiny bead on a beautiful scarlet dress. And I had them… I had them all. But it was Mick St. John that I wanted.
And here's what I think is the crux of Coraline's desire for Mick:
choccyterri wrote:I’d hoped that Mick would be the man I wanted him to be, because I’d spent a long time needing someone like him.
Coraline's strong, but her need for someone to want her, to love her is stronger. And...I'm wondering if she needed someone to be stronger than her, and she saw that in Mick...or thought she saw that in Mick.

But, in the end, she's still playing him. She puts himself exactly where he'll see her, watches him, makes sure he notices her at the exact moment she wants him to. And this, in spite of having a little understanding of why she does what she does, I can't forgive.

Bravo, sweetie! :heart:
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choccyterri
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Re: Just One Of Those Things. Rated PG-13

Post by choccyterri »

:ghug: Thank you SO much ladies! It's hard to imagine how a woman like Coraline would fit in with the women in the fifties. She'd naturally stand out as a siren, I think. But her need for acceptance, coupled with her need to find the right kind of man would drive her on. She had forever to look after all. I'm so happy you enjoyed it. :flowers:
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Re: Just One Of Those Things. Rated PG-13

Post by MickLifeCrisis »

This is an incredible look into the game-playing mind of Coraline, both in the past when she first lays eyes on Mick, and in the "present" as Morgan. Well done! :twothumbs:
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Re: Just One Of Those Things. Rated PG-13

Post by choccyterri »

:hug: Thank you so much MLC. I really enjoyed playing her in my mind. She was a formidable character, and to think of what drove her was really interesting to me. I appreciate your comments very much! :hearts:
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Re: Just One Of Those Things. Rated PG-13

Post by jen »

This is so good!!!!
:clapping: :clapping:

You nailed Coraline here. Her voice, her mindset, her attitude--all of them.

Fabulous, fabulous job!!

Thank you, Terri

Jenna


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