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]

To the contrary, I think Mulder had every intention of forcing her. He says so himself.

actually, i find those statements to be the farthest thing from crystal clear, though they do seem it at first. the thing is, the quote that immediately preceeds your quote, Wen, is

He felt an immediate stirring of sympathy, and suppressed it. So she was afraid -- she'd been afraid from the beginning, for whatever reason. Maybe it was something in herself. Or maybe they'd told her not to get involved, and she was breaking their rules. Or maybe they'd told her to go along with him, and she wasn't ready. That could have been what brought her back so quickly; a phone call, and orders.

So she was afraid. So what? It was nothing to do with him. Let her take care of herself.

to me, this does not imply that he is going to force her, but that he doesn't think she'll try to stop him. and that he is suppressing the scruples that are telling him to be sensitive to her thoughts and feelings. Mulder sees that physically she is very receptive to him, and that mentally she doesn't seem to know what to do. maybe she has orders to have sex with him and she doesn't want to, he thinks. naturally mulder has strong reservations about pushing Scully - the Scully he thought he knew - to do anything she doesn't want to do (he feels 'an immediate stirring of sympathy'). but if she's there, physically willing to go through the motions, then as his enemy (which he's trying to convince himself she is) what does it matter to him if it's something she actually wants?

and i'm not saying i'm comfortable with that chain of logic. but i don't see it as rape, or the willingness to commit rape. as i read it, when mulder thinks that he 'has no intention of respecting her reservations', he's not thinking he won't heed to her if she decidedly says No. No is not a reservation, No is a decision. he's thinking that whatever has her so confused as to what to do in this situation - whatever rock and hard place she's up against (pun noted) - he's no longer under any obligation to give a damn.

This was not play, safe or otherwise.

now that I agree with.