𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑳𝑰𝑶𝑵.

important links  :  doc.   please read divergences below.

she can’t even really remember what happened,   just that one minute she was completely fine and then the next her head was aching horribly,   and edward was there,   eyes a little wide and slightly concerned,   and so the compliment had sort of just slipped out.   even in her half hazy state though,   she recognises that look on his face,   and she can’t help the frustration that surfaces as a result.          ❝   i don’t feel anything about you…   ❞          a blatant lie,   and it’s even less believable with caroline in this state.          ❝   and that is not how this works.   i gave you a compliment already,   you can’t just ask for another one.   you have to give me one now,   it’s only fair.   ❞          the pain in the back of her head makes her want to groan,   but she still musters enough energy to look petulant,   enough to hopefully avoid revealing that she likes much more than just his eyes.

    edward’s  grin  widens  a  fraction,  dark  gaze  sweeping  over  her  features  with  practiced  ease;    he  doesn’t  need  telepathy  to  spot  that  particular  lie,  but  it  makes  it  all  the  sweeter  to  know  the  blonde  is  barely  convincing  herself  of  it.  still,  he’s  careful    [    and  considerate  ]    in  gently  helping  her  sit  up,  though  he  avoids  letting  her  stand  until  he’s  certain  she  won’t  topple  over  the  second  he  lets  go.        

chin  tucks  just  over  her  shoulder  where  he’s  faintly  bent  over,  accommodating  for  their  small  height  difference;    the  familiar  scent  of  her  perfume  and  family  smoothing  out  the  edges  of  his  frayed  nerves,    allowing  him  to  relax  after  a  day  surrounded  by  the  temptation  of  human  blood.    not  as  much  as  carlisle    [      who’s  control  never  ceases  to  amaze  edward    ]    but  it  was  enough  to  be  exhausting.    but  here,  in  their  home,  he  feels  like  he  can  finally  breathe  again,  despite  not  actually  needing  to.        

                      ❝      still  keeping  with  the  chanel,  i  see.          ❞            

her awareness seems to slip in and out,   the clarity for the situation slipping through her fingers like sand.   caroline can feel the jostling of someone holding her up,   and is just barely conscious of her feet dragging on the floor,   the strange throbbing coming from the back of her skull.   her head lolls back and for a moment she catches a glimpse of dark hair,   then dark eyes,   and—   oh.          ❝   your eyes are pretty.   did you know that?   ❞          she mumbles,   words slurring at the edges.          ❝   it’s so unfair.   ❞

@vampyrsbite···

                  “         —      you really need to be careful,      ”

despite  having  been  one,    he’s  always  amazed  at  just  how  fragile  humans  are;    one  wrong  move  is  all  it  takes  before  suffering  a  concussion.      brows  knit  together  in  concern,  eyes  flickering  over  her  features,  checking  for  blood    —      a  human  mannerism.      he  doesn’t  smell  any,  and  for  that,  he’s  grateful;    despite  his  current  diet  restrictions,  it’s  always  more  difficult  to  resist  with  blood-red  temptation  daring  him  to  taste.      as  it  is,  he  pays  far  too  much  attention  to  the  flutter  of  her  pulse,  and  the  distraction  of  such  an  unexpected  verbal  confession  is  enough  to  break  the  momentary  trance,  lips  pulling  into  a  grin  with  the  barest  hint  of  pointed  teeth.        

he says it to her like some sort of secret,   sorry,   but no.   and the first thing caroline feels is relief,   then a little of shame,   maybe a twinge of guilt.   there’s no denying it though,   that she was glad it was a rejection,   that she didn’t have to spent the next few months or   (   god forbid   )   years watching megan and edward prance around her periphery as the campus it couple or something.

caroline carefully rearranges her features into something appropriately sympathetic before turning around to where megan was huddled with their friends and shaking her head once,   slowly.   caroline turns back around to face edward again before she can see megan’s face fall.

❝   she could do better?   oh please.   ❞          she relaxes a bit now that they’re back in familiar territory,   where she can pretend he annoys her and that’s that.          ❝   you do know you’ve got like half the campus thirsting after you,   right?   i think for her you’re as good as it gets.   ❞

truly,  he  does  not  mean  to  garner  amusement  from  another’s  disappointment  or  sadness,  but    ---    it’s  all  just  a  little  bit  ridiculous.    caroline  is  certainly  doing  her  duty  as  a  friend,  but  the  relief  from  his  answer  is  a  palpable  as  the  scent  of  blood  just  beneath  paper-thin  skin.      even  a  few  decades  ago  it  would  be  enough  to  test  the  limits  of  his  control,  being  so  close;    but  while  the  burning  in  his  throat  never  fades,  he  can  ignore  it  enough  to  pretend.      pretend  like  he  hasn’t  thought  about  sinking  his  teeth  into  her  veins,  or  anyone’s,  really;    but  recently  fed  as  he  is    [    even  if  animal  blood  only  does  so  much    ]    edward  smiles  through  the  pangs  of  temptation,  tucking  the  course  outline  for  his  last  class  under  his  arm;    keeping  the  papers  from  falling.

        “          i  don’t  really  pay  attention  to  that,            ”

but  the  faint,  almost  bashful  grin  isn’t  a  denial,  whether  he  actively  seeks  out  such  information  or  not      [      he  doesn’t        —      but  caroline’s  thoughts  are  more  than  enough  to  keep  up  to  date  on  campus  social  agendas  and  gossip    ].      he’s  more  interested  in    analyzing  the  dichotomy  that  has  the  blonde  irritated  at  his  mere  existence  at  times,    and  yet,  flocking  to  it  all  the  same.      it’s  on  the  tip  of  his  tongue,  but  he  knows  better  than  to  say  it  so  carelessly,    lest  he  become  the  subject  of  her  ire.      edward’s  head  shakes  a  bit,  curls  brushing  over  his  eyes  before  they’re  pushed  back.