catherine's blue filter

He was a stranger to the town, coming suddenly in the night, and he was beautiful. Oh, your sisters (and just about everyone else) thought him so strange! They feared his strange scars and the wild look in his dark eyes...but despite everything, you were drawn to him.

Like a moth to the flame, you flew to him and you fell.

And despite his own reservations, Jasper had loved you too and reveled himself to you. You would never forget that day, sneaking off into the desert to find that little shack he called a home, a rough thing that was one strong gust from falling to pieces. Brushing past the bluebonnets and red paintbrushes, your skirts dragged in the dirt as you called his name.

“Do you mean it?” Jasper asked from the shadows.

You could see him there, half-hidden in the darkness and you standing in the sun. His eyes glimmered as he looked at you, rasping once more.

“What you said before...do you love me?”

“I do,” you replied softly.

“What if I was a monster?” he choked. “What if I’d hurt people...could you love me with blood on my hands?”

Reaching out to him, Jasper looked at your soft hand and faltered for a moment, still hiding from the light. But when you whispered once more that you loved him, he came forward and stepped into the light. The light that spilled from his bare chest was something heavenly, sunlight dripping from him like honey. You gasped softly, taking his hand in yours and watching him in wonder.

“I’m a monster,” Jasper whispered hoarsely.

“I might call him a thing divine, for nothing natural I ever saw no noble,” you replied.

It was the first time you had ever truly seen him. And it was the first time he’d kissed you, pulling you into his embrace and kissing you like it was all he needed to live. He was rough and sweet all at the same time, falling apart just for you. Never before had you loved somebody like this, touched somebody like this. Jasper pulled you back into the shack with him, laying you on the rough pallet and leaning over you with a smile on his pale face.

“I love you, darlin’,” he whispered into a half kiss.

“And I love you, Mr. Whitlock,” you replied.

Your love was a monster, a vampire, and you both understood that he cannot stay here forever...so you would go with him. Together you planned to run away deep, deep into the desert, where no one would follow and you could be turned safely.

It saddened you to leave everything behind like this.

Others noticed it, you both realized, seeing how often you vanished and appeared with a flimsy excuse...and what a coincidence that Mr. Whitlock, who had only meant to be in town for a brief time, had stayed so much longer as was often seen with you.

People talked, of course, whispers of Jasper having seduced you.

And Arthur only spurred the rumors further with his drunken ranting and unwanted advances, unable to see that you wanted nothing to do with him. But neither of you cared at all, Jasper laughing and daring anyone who had issue with him to say it to his face rather then behind his back.

“It’s my name on the line,” he stated calmly. “My honor. And if any man wishes to challenge it, he may do so at his own leisure.”

But you loved Jasper more then anything else upon this earth and that quelled the pain, knowing that you could be together forever. And until that day came, Jas had a way of sending you messages. In the early morning, you would often find your window partially open and a gift left for you, a little bouquet of bluebonnets tied with twine.

“Darling, it’s time for us to go. An old friend came calling and I don’t wish for her to interfere. I know it’s sooner then expected but I want to leave in three day’s time. Come see me tonight, darling, I’ll be waiting for you.”

It was strange...the flowers had been crumpled and the letter left open, when Jasper normally placed a rock over it closed. But if there was trouble he must have been in a hurry and you were too, slipping away the second that you could. The shack had become a little more livable, Jasper cleaning it up after you’d cut yourself inside, his strong hands making those four walls sturdy and safe. The second you stepped inside, Jasper pounced, pulling you into his arms as you laughed in delight, his cold hands a relief against the heat. Between hot kisses and hurried hands, Jasper removed everything but your under-dress, a thin thing of cotton and lace. Your hair was wild and his shirt undone, skin sparking beneath the few rays of light that slipped between the slats.

“Are you certain, darling?” Jasper asked. “You’re given up everything for me...and I don’t have much to give you in return.”

“Jas, I love you and you love me,” you replied. “That’s all I ever wanted.”

He smiled down at you, a cool hand drawing down your bare arm slowly. Even now, he could not believe that somebody loved him like this...Maria had lied to him, used him like a weapon and that just wasn’t love. But this was, Jasper watching the sun set in your eyes as you lay on his chest.

There a plan was created.

Independence Day was coming up and the party would last all night, drinking and dancing and fireworks lasting through the night. In the hustle and bustle, no one would notice the two of you slipping away. Your father and brothers would be drunk and so willingly believe that you were spending the night with a friend...and it wouldn’t be until morning that anyone realized you were gone. By then, it would be far too late.

Jasper brought you home in the twilight, holding you close as you walked through the little town together.

“Miss Y/N,” a voice suddenly cut it.

Turning around, you saw Arthur stepping out of the saloon. The smell of alcohol hung over him like a smog as Arthur stumbled forward, smiling at you and glaring as Jasper. But you lover was not afraid, hand on your waist as he stepped calmly looked down at Arthur.

“Mister Whitlock,” Arthur drawled. “Didn’t realize you were still in town! Last I heard, you were planning on finding work up north.”

“My plans changed,” Jasper replied, his eyes flickering towards you and his gaze softening.

“I see...have a good night, Miss Y/N.”

But that would not be the last you saw of Arthur. He’d always shown a little too much interest in you, more then you liked, and your brothers had had to scare him away more then once. But now he was getting bolder, always following you around and trying to catch you alone, no matter how many times you chased him away. But you tried not to let him ruin the last days with your loved ones, ignoring Arthur and focusing instead on those that mattered to you.

You fussed over your father and brothers a little too much (but they never seemed to mind it) and told them how much you loved them, how happy you were. Father, you declared, was the best kind of man and your brothers were lovable in their own annoying way. No one had a happiness like yours.

Three days melted away slowly until the forth of July came, everyone in town preparing to celebrate together. In the daylight, there were speeches read and games to be played, children running and laughing in the sun. But soon the light began to fade and the music grew louder, a lone stranger making his way through the crowd.

“May I have this dance?” Jasper whispered.

Taking his hand, you danced the night away with the love of your life, looking up at him like he was the sun and stars. And when the night was late and the crowd was god and drunk, you slipped away together, laughter spilling into the night as you ran.

“By this time tomorrow,” Jasper laughed. “you’ll be Mrs. Y/N Whitlock!”

“Why, I quite like the sound of that, Mr. Whitlock,” you replied with a smile.

Jasper pulled you into his arms once more, stealing a kiss as he slipped backwards into the shack with you. He was delighted as he reached into one of the bags resting on the worn floors (one for him and one for you, carrying very little into your new lives) and pulled out something shining and silver: wedding rings.

“Oh, Jas...”

“Had them inscribed and everything,” he said proudly, revealing the initials and date carved within the band.

Unable to take it, you grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him into another kiss, Jasper murmuring something sweet and muffled into your lips...and then he froze. Pulling away just so, Jasper listened for a moment before he swore beneath his breath, rage already coursing through his veins. Pulling you behind him quickly, you screamed as the door was slammed open, wood splintering through the small room.

It was Arthur, half-drunk and ranting nonsense about Jasper stealing “his” woman and taking what was his. Jasper remained calm, glaring down at Arthur with a potent contempt.

“Leave,” Jasper ordered. “Now.”

He was trying to calm the man, or at least scare him off, by Arthur wouldn’t have it, refusing to leave without you. If he thought that Jasper had forced or tricked you in some way he was dead wrong and you told him so, making it clear who you were choosing.

“You little whore–”

Jasper struck suddenly, moving with the grace and hatred of a rattlesnake as he threw Arthur forward. The drunkard flew out of the shack and landed into the dust, cursing furiously as Jasper hissed in his fury.

“Never speak to her like that!” he ordered, rage burning in his eyes. “As long as I live, I will not watch her be disrespected!”

“You don’t have to worry about that much longer,” Arthur sneered, standing up quickly.

As he reached for the gun, you begged him to stop, knowing just how foolish this was. A gun could not harm a vampire...but Jasper was smart, choosing not to reveal himself and instead reaching for his own weapon. A line had been drawn in the sand and each waited for the other to either cross it or walk away. But in the end, it wasn’t Jasper that he fired at.

Wrenching his arm towards you, Arthur screamed as he fired, two shots ringing through the air.

The bullet never so much as grazed your skin, Jasper flying in front of you and firing off a shot of his own. The scent of blood, hot and sickening, filled the air as Arthur dropped to the earth. Eyes stared blankly into the night sky, blood staining the dry earth black as Jasper looked down at him.

“Darlin’?”

“I’m...I’m okay,” you whispered.

But you were shaking and he felt it, tuning to embrace you gently. Fingers intertwined with your own, bringing your hand to meet his lips in a gentle kiss, his skin so cool against you.

“I know it’s foolish, I know he couldn’t hurt you but I...I was so afraid!” you gasped, falling into him.

Jasper hushed your cries, comforting you softly. And he understood it, that fear...when he saw that gun pointed at you, the terror he’d felt was something primal, a bloody mixture of hatred and love all at once.

“I love you, darlin’,” he whispered against your neck.

“And I love you, Mr. Whitlock,” you replied.

By the time the sun came up, you would both be long gone. And when the search party found Arthur, they’d find a letter, confessing a half-truth of the events. In your own hand, you told your father that Arthur had attacked you and Jasper had killed only in your defense...but because you feared that Jasper would not be given a fair trial or be faced with a mob. So you ran.

And you were running still, lovers dancing together in the light of the rising sun.

The story had ended years ago, now only remaining as a legend of the Wild West. But you still remained, running through the wildflowers as the love of your eternity chased you down, pulling you into the tangled grass together.

“Mr. Whitlock,” you whispered sweetly.

He took you hand once more and kissed it softly, thumb rubbing over the ring that glittered upon your finger still.

“Mrs. Whitlock,” he replied.

And he kissed you once more, just as wild and passionate as that first kiss had been. Even all these years later, you still loved as you had always loved, like sunfire. You burned together in the golden light, murmuring promises of love for all eternity…

This is obvious — he's insanely sensitive about your safety and the fact that you're human. He will do anything to make sure you're still breathing, living a life full of whatever you want. Edward will take you anywhere around the world if you ask him. Wanna go to that really expensive college out of state? He's got it all ready for you. You won't have to spend a penny.

Nap dates are totally a thing. You sleep while he stares like a creep. Speak up if you find this habit of his disturbing. Edward wants to respect your boundaries.

When his moods aren't down in the negatives, he's actually really pleasant to be around. Dry humor. Soft spoken. Down to earth. Very intelligent and willing to share information about the past. He's either the one who talks for hours or listens to you talk for hours.

Edward is inexperienced and incredibly, ridiculously insecure. It's not even funny. He's also a hypocrite. He can hate himself but the second you say/think anything negative about yourself he's giving you a lecture. Eye contact + reassurance is a common theme. Never avoid his gaze. It'll drag the lecture on and on until you're yawning. He needs to feel confident in knowing you heard every word.

When he is used to your scent— he cannot keep himself off of you. In the most innocent way ofc.

Sneaking into your room every night. Holding you. Playing piano for you. Writing you letters randomly.

Quality time is very important. You're his mate. He feels anxious when you're too far to see or touch. Edward is clingy. Don't say that though. He'll either deny it with frustration or feel insecure about it.

Jealousy is something you'll deal with regardless of how long you've been together. It's in his nature to protect what belongs to him. He tries really hard to understand you have a life with friends and family.

Edward puts in effort to earn the respect of your family. Parents, siblings, etc.

Pets may be difficult at first. (He'd never harm your pets, he knows you love them. Hurting something you care about is the same as hurting you directly.)

Speaking of getting hurt— this man will restrict himself from happiness if he ever does something harmful to you. Mentally and/or physically.

If you wish to turn into his kind it won't be easy. Months to years of convincing him. Deep down he wants the same thing for selfish reasons but he also realizes you deserve to live a normal life.