HB29: My Bloody Valentine (challenge 102) PG13

[Catmoon]

Title: My Bloody Valentine (aka: Every Rose Has Its Thorn)
Author: Cat Moon
Rating: PG13
Genre: Romance, Humor. Mild slash. There’s some Mickbeth and Shara stuff, but note the focus is on JayShay.
Warning/Spoilers: Written for the Moonlightaholics Champagne Challenge 102. Coming in at roughly 1,281, not counting template.
Disclaimer: All Moonlight characters belong to others, and I’m not intending to infringe on any copyrights, nor do I make any profit. All original characters are property of me and are not intended to resemble any real people living or dead or undead.
Summary: My take on how vampires celebrate the holiday.

Note: I don’t want to give spoilers for what the boys have in store for you, but there is mention of religious topics so I did want to say that I absolutely mean NO disrespect to any institutions or persons associated with said institutions. Neither do the boys; everyone pays their respects in their own unique ways. These are fiction characters and the views they express are not necessarily those of myself.


My Bloody Valentine

Aka: Every Rose Has Its Thorn
(Champagne Challenge 102 fic)

By Cat Moon



The room was quiet except for the sound of cue balls bouncing off each other and hitting pockets in the corners of the tables. When that ceased, the voices recommenced.

“And I believe that puts me in the lead, gentlemen,” Shane told the other two with a look of satisfaction, picking up his glass of Randy’s Best and taking a drink. Now that his home base was in L.A. again, he had the vampire moonshine shipped down – just for special occasions, mind you. Like the “boys nights” that were becoming an event repeated every few weeks when he was in town.

“Enjoy it while it lasts,” Josef warned as he lined up his own shot. He glanced at Mick. “So, what do you have planned with Beth for the big day?”

“Big day?” Mick queried.

“You’d better be kidding,” Josef told him with raised eyebrow. “Valentine’s Day?”

“It has to be huge, doesn’t it?” Mick lamented, his shoulders slumping. It would be their first Valentine’s Day together as a married couple. “No pressure there,” he mumbled. “I don’t even have any idea what to get her.”

“Jewelry,” Josef told him with certainty. Taking his shot, he cursed when he missed and grabbed his own drink.

“She’s not really into lavish presents,” Mick said skeptically.

“Trust me, all women, whether they admit to it or not, expect the traditional Valentine’s Day treatment: expensive jewelry, romantic dinner, maybe dancing.”

“They really appreciate something special, tailor made to their particular personality and your relationship,” Shane suggested.

"You mean like I take her out for some breaking and entering, capped off by a candlelight dinner in the morgue?” Mick asked.

Shane stared at him a moment. “Maybe you’d better stick with Josef’s idea,” he finally said.

Josef elbowed Mick. “Quite stalling and make your shot.”

“Maybe I’ll call up Marissa and ask her what she thinks Beth would like,” he said as he obeyed. “Girlfriends talk; maybe she’s mentioned something to her.”

“What, you’ve known the woman since she was four and you can’t figure it out yourself?” Josef shook his head incredulously. “You could always call up Josh and ask him.”

“I’ll figure something great out,” Mick said with renewed confidence, ignoring his friend’s snarky suggestion. He made his shots and turned the table back over to Shane.

Two shots later, it was all over and they were taking a break before the next game. “Did you know Saint Valentine was a vampire?” Shane asked Mick conversationally.

“Are you telling one of your tall tales again?!” Mick asked suspiciously.

Shane shook his head. “He was arrested for aiding Christians in 269, and sentenced to death by Emperor Claudius in Rome. When beating and stoning didn’t work, they had to behead him.”

“How do you know this?” Mick demanded.

“I’m old, remember?” Shane said. “Our…my sire was older. His sire knew Valentine.”

“If you can believe Maxie,” Josef smirked.

Shane shrugged. “Good reason for a party. So every year we celebrate the vampire saint’s day.”

“How do you do that?” Mick asked, curious despite himself. He had a feeling it didn’t involve a romantic dinner and dancing.

“Depends. Different every time, and we only do it when we can come up with a really great idea. One year we drained a priest, remember that?” Shane asked Jay-Jay, who nodded and grinned. Then he caught the horrified expression Mick was giving them. “Hey, he was a child molester, he deserved it,” Shane told him. “I don’t just go around draining priests willy-nilly.”

Josef sputtered in laughter at his last line.

“Some of my best friends are priests,” Shane continued in his defense.

“You’re sick puppies.”

Shane shrugged. “What can I say? We worship a vampire saint who’s the patron of love, the plague and epileptics.”

“I don’t believe you,” Mick told the blond vamp.

“Look it up,” came the standard response.

“Hey, the plague was big in my day,” Josef interjected, sounding affronted.

“One year we went to Dublin, at Whitefriar Church they carry the relics of St. Valentine to the high altar for a special Mass dedicated to people in love.”

“We made out in the back row, didn’t we?” Josef asked with a grin.

“Have you no shame?!” Mick demanded, shaking his head at their irreverent antics. Somehow though, he knew they meant no disrespect. They just expressed their beliefs in their own unique ways.

“We were making a statement.”

“So what are you doing this Valentine’s Day?” Mick asked tentatively, as if afraid to ask.

“This is me and Sara’s first together,” Shane explained. It was clear he meant that the two of them would be spending it alone.

“What did you get her?” Mick was hoping for some inspiration for his own present.

“Body chocolate,” Shane answered with a suggestive grin. “Guess what her present to me is?”

“I think I get the picture, thanks so much.”

By mutual unspoken agreement, they moved back to the pool table to resume playing. As Mick chalked his stick, he decided it was safe to tease. “So that’s why Josef will be dallying with Simone.”

“Who’s Simone?”

“Josef’s favorite freshie,” Mick explained.

“The human Valentine’s Day is a chick holiday,” Josef decreed. “I’m working on coming up with an idea for Vampire Saint’s Day next year, though.”

“Do me a favor?” Mick asked. “When you come up with it – don’t invite me.”

XXX

It was just before dawn. Josef was winding down his night, enjoying a nightcap in his study before hitting the freezer. It had been an enjoyable evening with Simone; she’d enjoyed the bracelet he’d given her, he’d enjoyed the blood she’d given him. All in all a pleasurable Valentine’s Day. Good uncomplicated fun, nothing overly saccharine about it.

As usual, Josef noticed the presence before the presence announced himself.

“Ask a vampire what their favorite color is, and they’ll always say red,” came the voice from the shadows.

“I knew a gay vamp once who was partial to lavender,” Josef quipped.

Shane stepped into the light, carrying one long stemmed red rose. He studied it. “Did you ever notice that a rose has a particularly bloody shade of red?” He handed the rose to Josef.

Josef’s hand closed around the stem tightly. As the thorns embedded in his flesh, blood slowly began trickling down his palm. “I guess sometimes things that are beautiful can also make you bleed.”

Shane’s eyes were locked onto the blood being spilled. “Will you be my bloody Valentine?”

“Kind of cheesy, isn’t it?” Josef remarked, making no move to dislodge the barbs.

Shane took Josef’s hand and opened it, removing the rose and placing it on the desk. He brought the hand to his mouth and licked the blood off the palm as the cuts healed, tongue trailing slowly over the temporary wounds.

Josef’s eyes slid closed at the sensation, a shiver running through his body. “Yes,” he whispered.

Smiling, Shane drew the body close to him, the two of them swaying to music only they could hear. Dawn broke gently through the window, casting muted light over the entwined figures and the rose on the desk. One perfect drop of blood fell off a thorn like a red teardrop, to land on the polished oak surface, where it remained.



Was is something I said or something I did, did my words not come out right?
Though I tried not to hurt you, oh I tried but I guess that’s why they say
Every rose has its thorn, just like every night has its dawn...
--Every Rose Has Its Thorn, Poison


finis

[AussieJo]

Hey Cat, This was terrific.
Loved the boy banter.
And is there really a theory St Valentine was a vampire?
And the JayShay was beautiful.
I loved Shane licking the blood off Josef's palm.
Very sensual.

[francis]

Very good, Catmoon. I loved how they bantered and snarked at boy's night.

"You mean like I take her out for some breaking and entering, capped off by a candlelight dinner in the morgue?” Mick asked.

That was priceless. He sure is able to make fun of himself once in a while.
You convey very well that Josef being with Simone is second best to what he would really want, but he makes do and doesn't fret. He knows Sara is special to Shane. I guess he was pleasantly surprised and touched that Shane came to him later and showed him that he was special to Shane too. That's what valentine is about, isn't it? Showing people that you care.

Now if I only knew what Mick came up with. Maybe he will tell me, I have no idea yet for my own take on the challenge.

[Catmoon]

AussieJo: Thanks! The only theory about St. V is in my weird head. From what I read, they did try to kill him by stoning and beating before resorting to beheading though, that's what gave me the idea.

Francis: Yes, Josef was very surprised/pleased at the unexpected visit. Yeah, get Mick to tell you and you can write about it. I knew I might face a million questions about what Mick ended up doing with Beth, but I really have no idea! And I figured, I'm sure there will be a bunch of takes on that particular scene anyway... although people do tend to come up with unusual/unique ways/pairings to answer these challenges.

[coco]

Cat this was excellent. Loved the humour running through it

This line had me laughing out loud

“They really appreciate something special, tailor made to their particular personality and your relationship,” Shane suggested.

"You mean like I take her out for some breaking and entering, capped off by a candlelight dinner in the morgue?” Mick asked.

[Catmoon]

Cat this was excellent. Loved the humour running through it

This line had me laughing out loud

“They really appreciate something special, tailor made to their particular personality and your relationship,” Shane suggested.

"You mean like I take her out for some breaking and entering, capped off by a candlelight dinner in the morgue?” Mick asked.

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I have to admit, I thought that line was hysterical, too. Poor Mick though, making a big deal out of it when Beth will love whatever he does for her (er,well no, actually I don't think she'd appreciate the morgue dinner -- but she'd be ok with the B&E if they just happened to be working on a case together that night!). I imagine he's way out of practice doing Valentine's Day for a special lady, though, so I understand his worry.

[darkstarrising]

hey Cat,

a little different spin on St. Valentines day, but one that works...

I could just see Mick watching Josef and Shane wondering just how much they're pulling his leg (or not), kinda like two older brothers teasing the youngest. But Mick knows when he's out of his league

“The human Valentine’s Day is a chick holiday,” Josef decreed. “I’m working on coming up with an idea for Vampire Saint’s Day next year, though.”

“Do me a favor?” Mick asked. “When you come up with it – don’t invite me.”

Loved the imagery of the rose's thorns piercing Josef's flesh and how Shane takes care of it.

[Catmoon]

hey Cat,

a little different spin on St. Valentines day, but one that works...

I could just see Mick watching Josef and Shane wondering just how much they're pulling his leg (or not), kinda like two older brothers teasing the youngest. But Mick knows when he's out of his league

“The human Valentine’s Day is a chick holiday,” Josef decreed. “I’m working on coming up with an idea for Vampire Saint’s Day next year, though.”

“Do me a favor?” Mick asked. “When you come up with it – don’t invite me.”

Loved the imagery of the rose's thorns piercing Josef's flesh and how Shane takes care of it.

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. I'm not much for the over-the-top hearts and flowers myself, and I really enjoying hearing about Josef and Shane's crazy adventures.

[wpgrace]

You do humor well, Cat... loved it. Loved the funny. Poor Mick is outclassed around them, btw.

[one.zebra]

Ahh Cat, just the right amount of humor and subtle showing of their deep relationsip...(and that little bit about 'my sire/our sire').
Love and acceptance.

[Catmoon]

Wpgrace: Thanks. Yeah, but Mick's only a baby compared to these guys. Give him time. And he loves hearing their wild tales too.

One.Zebra: Ah yes, I'm glad you noticed how Shane was originally going to say 'our' sire but changed it. You're very observant. He's finally getting a clue, and slowly learing to start thinking of Josef in a different way too.

[Fleur de Lisa]

Great witty bantering between the boys!

[nutmegger911]

Cat,
Interesting character interplay. I absolutely love the banter between the boys. Ever the snarkfest, and more than that.

[Catmoon]

Thanks Nutmegger911 & Fleur de Lisa. I'm glad you liked it. I enjoy writing their bantering, so it's fun when they share these stories with Mick (and me).

[starbucksjunkie]

Such fun, cat!


And your boy banter really is the best.