The Definition of Insanity

AN: Here it is, a little sequel to 'True Love has Bad Posture.' I feel like a machine: eat, pump out fics, try (& fail) to get some sleep in-between…haha!

Disclaimer: I don't own Coraline: talk to Neil Gaiman/Laika Studios.

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Coraline Jones truly loved Wybie Lovat.

But sometimes, she just really wanted to give him a good punch (and usually did so).

This time though, a bruised arm wouldn't solve the problem, because the problem was that Coraline Jones knew she loved Wybie Lovat--but she was beginning to doubt his feelings for her.

Since that first--'sweet,' she giggled inwardly-- kiss in the hallway weeks before, they'd been a couple. The adults in their lives had merely smirked and muttered something about "inevitable," while their fellow students had either accepted it or found themselves making surprise visits to the town's (suddenly very busy) oral surgeon. Coraline's knuckles may have been sore, but her heart was flitting about on little gossamer wings of happiness. Sometimes she felt so giddy with first-love euphoria she feared her head would float away like a blue balloon; one particularly strong surge of joy had her gripping her ears to keep her head in place before she'd realized she'd done it, and the look Wybie had given her had earned him a punch strengthened by her embarrassment. He was still a geek, she was still bossy, and all was right with the world.

That is, until Coraline began to notice Wybie's reluctance to show his feelings…physically.

Sure, they'd hold hands as they walked together side-by-slouch. Sure, he'd sometimes flick notes onto her desk with silly little pictures of two slugs curled into a heart shape. Sure, she always gave him a quick squeeze when he picked her up in the morning and dropped her off in the afternoon, which he always returned with enthusiasm-- 'and that cute blush he tries to hide,' she snickered to herself. But it seemed no matter how hard she hinted and insinuated and roundabout-referenced, she could not get the boy to kiss her. Time and again she'd come away from one of their dates with her body warmed by his embrace but her lips cold and neglected. 'I'll admit, I like being the one in control most of the time. But…doesn't he WANT to kiss me?'

Pacing the length of her room, Cat watching from his spot on her bed, Coraline pinched the bridge of her freckled nose as she puzzled over the dilemma at hand. "It's just weird, Cat," she groused. "The guy undergoes a totally ridiculous makeover to get my attention, but once he's got it, what? Nothing. We've already kissed once--what's he got to be worried about?"

Cat yawned, looking disinterested. 'He shows you love in his way.'

"Oh, am I boring you? You're no help," she whined, flopping down among a pile of stuffed animals on the floor. "Obviously I'm just not pushing hard enough. If I keep it up, even a blockhead like Wybie can't help but get the message eventually…"

Cat meowed at this; she glanced over to see him clawing her comforter, gleaming eyes narrowed into slits as if to say 'I don't think that's the right approach--at ALL.'

But Coraline missed the look, instead jumping up to fuss over her blanket. "Hey, you're shredding it to bits! Here," she said, picking him up and putting him outside on the windowsill, "go on over to Wybie's. Maybe he'll give you some of the affection he won't give me."

Cat looked in as Coraline threw herself onto her bed for a nice long pout and twitched his whiskers in irritation. 'Humans. If the angle you're pouncing from is off the first time, try another…that girl has much to learn about being a good hunter.'

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The next day found Coraline waiting on the front steps of the Pink Palace for Wybie, jaw set with determination. 'Wybourne Lovat, I'm gonna get a kiss out of you yet…'

He screeched to a halt in front of her, dust flying around his black-clad form. Lifting up his skull mask, Wybie offered her the crooked smile that secretly made her heart pound whenever she saw it. "Heya, Jonesy." Head canted to the side, he held out a gloved hand to help her hop up onto the motorbike.

And if her grip was a little tighter than usual, he didn't much care to notice.

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The pair had set up a date for that evening: movie night at Wybie's place. After all, his Grandma made the best snacks, and didn't try to make them sit on opposite ends of the couch like Coraline's mother did (before her dad stepped in to rescue them from mom's over-protectiveness).

'Not that it matters,' Coraline thought, annoyed. Settled together on the plush old sofa, Wybie was content to drape his arm over Coraline's shoulder--and not much else. Watching the skeleton man and his rag-doll lady embrace on the antique television's flickering screen, she decided to make her first attempt at what she had named 'Operation: Kiss me, damn it!'

Turning away from Wybie with a sharp gasp, Coraline clapped her hand over her eye. "Oh--ouch!"

She felt him hover over her shoulder, concerned. "Hey, what's the matter?"

"It's my eye--I think something's got in it," she whimpered. "Would you mind taking a look for me?"

"Sure, no problem."

'Got him now…' Coraline chuckled darkly inside her head. Twisting herself back to face him, she slid as close to Wybie as possible and blinked up at him with glistening, sooty-lashed eyes.

Wybie, unaware of her ulterior motive, focused on the task at hand. "I don't see anything, Jonesy. Must've come out on its own--"

He stopped at the press of her small hand against his chest. Lashes fluttering, she drifted in closer. "Are you sure? Maybe you should look again…" Her head neared his, eyelids drooping, mouth softening to receive his kiss…

He was suddenly gone, having jumped up from the couch, cheeks blazing. "H-hold on, I-I think we've got a saline dropper in the k-kitchen. I'll go get it!" He continued to babble nervously, his voice carrying in to her from the other room he'd escaped to. "Y'know, I-I'm almost finished the motorcycle I've been working on! When it's ready we can take it for a spin, do some exploring…"

Coraline buried her face in the nearest cushion so he wouldn't hear her scream of frustration.

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"Today's the day," she told her reflection in the mirror of the girl's bathroom. Adjusting her dragonfly hairclip one last time, she nodded and marched out to meet Wybie in the school parking lot. He was sitting backwards on the front seat of his motorbike, waiting; when he noticed Coraline he waved and gave her that slouchy, head tilt-y grin that reminded her why she wanted this kiss so badly. 'I love him.'

Alighting on the backseat, Coraline found herself face-to-face with Wybie. Smiling back, she greeted him: "Hi there, Why-were-you-born."

Laughing good-naturedly, he pretended to frown at her. "Why I oughta…! You're lucky you're so c--"

He cut himself off quickly, blush flaring up instantly. Seeing her chance, Coraline leaned in close. "I'm so what?"

Wybie blushed harder and ducked his head, avoiding her eyes. "Uh, Um…" he hedged.

Going in for the kill, she boldly placed her hand directly on his knee as she scooted nearer. "You think I'm cute, don't you, Wybourne…"

His reaction was unexpected: rearing back, he lost his balance and flailed for a moment before tumbling to the ground as ungracefully as possible. Hearing the laughter of a few scattered on-lookers, Wybie bit his lip and swung his skull mask over his flaming face, his usual defense.

As Coraline helped him up, she heaved an unusually heavy sigh.

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It was the end of the week, and Coraline had reached the end of her rope.

Wybie had dropped her off that afternoon with his mask still firmly in place; he'd hugged her tight and uttered a quiet "love you," which had made her heart go pitter-pat-- but there'd been no kissing of any sort.

"If I don't get that kiss I'll just die, Cat!" She exclaimed dramatically that night in her room, frayed nerves working her into a near-frenzy. "Talk is cheap. I want proof…"

Cat groomed himself silently, only pausing to give her a dry look that seemed to say 'Good things come to those who wait.'

Ignoring him, Coraline grabbed her brush and yanked it through her hair. "I'm--not--giving--up," she growled between tugs. 'I need to know…I need to know that he really, truly loves me.' Looking over at Cat, she said "Like the song goes, 'It's in his kiss'…"

Cat, seeing that she wouldn't heed any of his advice, jumped up onto the sill and took off into the night.

"Huh," Coraline scowled after him, "guess he doesn't know that song."

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It was Friday afternoon: school was just about over. Coraline had left her last class early, opting to wait by Wybie's locker so she could catch him the minute he got there.

'I can't wait another day. I'm going to get him to kiss me no matter what,' she thought, gripping her book-bag straps tightly. As the bell signaling the end of the school day sounded, Coraline stood up straight and scanned the crowd swarming the hall.

"There," she said, spotting a wild mass of curls heading her way, the adorable geek who owned them coming into view soon after. 'MY adorable geek--at least, I think he is…'

"Yo!" Wybie called, looking pleasantly surprised. "Couldn't wait to see me, eh?" he teased, moving to open his locker.

Coraline pressed herself up against him, sandwiching the taller boy between her body and the row of lockers behind him. "No, I couldn't."

Shocked at her forwardness, he stared down at her, mouth hanging wide open. "W-what are y-you--"

"Wybie," she said lowly, "Kiss me."

He looked as if he'd been tossed head first down the old well and now his mind was in free-fall, detaching itself from the situation at hand. "What…?"

Grasping his face between her hands, she gave him a quick shake to bring him back to the present. "I said I want a kiss, Wybie. Now."

Eyes huge, he goggled at her and began trying to squirm away. "What on Earth are you even--"

'Not this time.' Digging her fingers into his skin, she dragged him toward her, resigned to taking the kiss she wanted by force if necessary--

Only to have him push her away, his loud "No!" drawing unwanted attention to their little drama.

They stood, staring at each other, panting as though they'd run a race. She could feel many pairs of eyes boring into her; her humiliation was total and she felt tears stinging her as they tried to escape.

Wybie looked at her as though he didn't know her. "What's gotten into--"

"You hate me."

He blinked, startled.

"You're disgusted by me. Why else…" she sniffled; a lone, fat tear rolled down her cheek. "Why else would you refuse? You never--you haven't, since that day--"

Wybie held out his hands in a gesture of supplication, head tilted so far over it looked like an overripe apple about to fall from the bough. "I don't understand."

Suddenly realizing how foolish she'd been, Coraline couldn't stand to be there another second.

Couldn't stand the vicious, gossiping voices hissing all around her.

Couldn't stand to see Wybie's look of confusion and pain.

Couldn't stand to face her own selfishness.

She ran home so fast, she could have sworn she'd sprouted wings and flown the whole way.

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"Oh Cat," she sighed much later, eyes red from weeping. "I got that idea in my head and just wouldn't let up…so selfish…no wonder he's disgusted by me. So am I."

Cat nudged her hand with his head in sympathy.

"It's amazing I didn't let that witch sew those buttons on me, I'm so stupid--ow!"

Cat had bitten her fingers. He glared up at her, as if to say 'Never think such a thing.'

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Sunday afternoon found Coraline staring out her window, surprised to see Wybie hanging around the front steps of the Pink Palace, wringing his hands nervously. She considered crawling back into bed and hiding until he had gone, but past experience reminded her-- 'Be Brave.'

Besides, this was Wybie. He'd never hurt her. 'Although I hurt him…'

Swinging the front door open, Coraline trudged down the stairs and stopped where Wybie stood, watching her. She raised a brow, questioning.

He cast his gaze downward, stuttering. "W-well, it's…I-I finished my motorcycle. The one I've been working on," he said quietly, gesturing toward a dark blue bike parked nearby, metal polished to a high shine and glittering in the sunlight. Its beauty was lost on Coraline in her unhappy state.

"Jonesy…" he implored, "I don't want to take her on her maiden voyage without you."

He offered her a hand and a shy smile.

Eyes watering but pride preventing her from throwing herself down and apologizing, she clasped his fingers and allowed herself to be settled in behind him. And when she gripped his waist much tighter than usual, he certainly noticed.

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He was driving them along a forest path she wasn't familiar with, but even her often overpowering curiosity felt dulled. Surely he was taking her somewhere private to break up with her, 'and I don't blame him' she thought miserably.

Slowing to a stop in the middle of the trail, Wybie kicked the bike stand into place, and looked at back at her. "It's not much further. C'mon."

Following numbly, she didn't notice when he stopped walking; bumping into his back, Coraline stumbled to a halt.

He smiled at her gently. "We're here."

Looking around him, she felt her eyes grow large with surprise.

A small, sunlit clearing stood before them; the ground had been tilled and tended by someone's careful hands, and everywhere she looked were beautiful flowers of all shapes, sizes and colors.

She knew instantly that Wybie had done all this for her.

Unable to hold back anymore, she burst into tears.

Wybie pulled her into a hug, laughing softly. "Hey, now, if you hated flowers so much you should've told me."

She punched him in the arm weakly. "Idiot. How could you do this for me, after how I…I'm sorry, Wybie, really sorry…" She buried her face in his scratchy black coat, and he stood silently and let her cry herself out.

"You know, this wasn't all I was planning on giving you," he whispered in her ear after she'd calmed a bit.

Raising her head, she stared at him. "What…?"

He slid one large, warm palm around to cradle the back of her head; the other cupped her jaw. "This."

And she didn't even have time to feel surprised before he'd hauled her to him for a powerful, passionate kiss, one so full of tenderness that Coraline couldn't possibly doubt where Wybie's heart was: firmly nestled in her hands, where it had been all along.

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Later, they sat together beside the flowerbed, talking.

"So that's all you wanted the whole time, that made you get all crazy? A kiss?"

Coraline felt her cheeks getting warm; embarrassed to have her silly mistake laid bare, she looked away and nodded. "Yeah."

"That's it?"

Suspicious, she whipped her head around to look at him. "Yes, I said. Why…?"

Wybie slid his gaze to the side, blushing. "W-well, the way you were acting--some of things you d-did, made me think you wanted something else…"

His sharp cry of pain echoed throughout the forest; the bruise on his arm would last for over a week.

But the love between them would never fade.

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AN: Okay, a few things worth noting here would be:

--"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over & over and expecting a different result each time": I am aware that this is NOT really the definition of insanity, but for the sake of this story we'll say it's a pithy way of saying "if you're not succeeding one way, it's foolish to keep making the same mistake." Coraline keeps trying and failing to force Wybie to do what she wants and it makes her 'insane,' lol. I can see her growing up to be a rather bull-headed girl who likes having her way, and once she gets an idea in her head doesn't let up--after all, she pushed her mom into opening that little door in the wall & kept going through it despite various warnings…

--This turned out a little longer/more dramatic than I'd planned and I'm still not sure I like it as much as the original, but I wanted to try seeing the world through Coraline's eyes for a bit. Sorry if anyone gets stuck in the sugary sap!

--Also, both stories are intended to be studies of the main character's personalities (Coraline's assertiveness and physicality versus Wybie's more subtle, shy approach), NOT a re-hashing of the movie's plot (obviously... XD).

Better watch out for those blue-haired girls--they're only after one thing! XD

Please read & review, and as always I hope you enjoyed it.

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