Story 120: "A Bitter Taste on the Tongue" by Jane Mortimer

[wendelah1]

I thought it might be fun to read more "first-time" stories. During last week's discussion of "On a Star-Spangled Night," the subject of Mulder's behavior towards Scully came up. One person even called his actions "predatory." Another member commented that she'd rather read depressing sex stories than fluff. I think "A Bitter Taste on the Tongue" fits the bill nicely. This is not my favorite first-time story, but it comes close. It is very hot and very dark, and since Mortimer is such a great writer, for me at least, it was surprisingly convincing.

Warnings: if you think you might need one, pm me, please.

You can read "A Bitter Taste on the Tongue" at Fugues Fiction Archive.

You can also read it via the Wayback Machine here.

Please us know what you think, and leave your suggestions at the nomination post.

Comments

[amyhit.livejournal.com]

the one main problem i have towards this fic is actually the way Scully is written in the final scene. i get that it's important for the reader to know that, despite the painful intensity of the experience and the confusion she felt, sex with Mulder was excellent. but Jane also wrote this exchange:

"This is... this isn't fun anymore."

"You noticed that too," he said thickly.

and this:

She had never seen him look that way at anything that wasn't destroying him.

"I'm sorry," she heard herself say again, no longer clear on what she meant.

And saw him flinch.

i feel it isn't being true to how the fic is written that far, for Scully to suddenly be perfectly okay when she wakes up in the morning. whatever was going on between she and Mulder, it was clearly fucked up, regardless of whether it was the most mind-blowing sex of her life. her not realizing that just doesn't seem to connect with the scully from the rest of the fic, or my idea of scully either. it's as if Mortimer wanted scully to be oblivious so as to heighten the impact of mulder's renewed repudiation. but i really think it would have had plenty of impact anyway.