Golden: 1819.

[ofthefamily]

An old face. Calmer, older, and yet all the same unchanged.

At least he's not running for his life, now. And he knows where he is.

For Carlisle Cullen, this is always a good start.

Comments

[themidnightson]

Edward's hand slipped from the door once Carlisle had passed through it. He didn't listen much to the sound it made closing. Or to the endless thoughts and images behind and around him. Or, even with much specificity, to the memory.

Which was not the same as ignoring it. Or him.



Edward walked out into the darkness that never felt truly dark here, brushing Carlisle's shoulder and glancing up to nod in that direction as he went, toward one side of the lake that smelled like an ocean rather than the forest.

[ofthefamily]

Carlisle never noticed the difference in everything last time.

(It was hard to focus on details besides Edward. Even now, it's still -- )

"This is where you can come for quiet."

[themidnightson]

Edward's reaction to the words was pretty instantaneous.

The uncertain press of his lips and faintest tensing at the edges of his lips, when he stopped, staring at the still far enough off press of water lapping against one part rocky shore.

[ofthefamily]

"Would you prefer me not to speak, then?"

There's something that's slipped to formal here, and maybe more recognizable to Edward. The Edward that came into Carlisle's life - will come into, but maybe not anymore - in another continent.

But the walk is nice.

[themidnightson]

"No," is the same breadth of instantaneous, to the point, but faster to words in reaction than the other. With an aimless wryness that doesn't quite redress the first reaction. "I would have to go a good deal further for quiet."


And Milliways had far more chosen his presence than the other way around.

[ofthefamily]

"You wanted me here."

Theoretically.

[themidnightson]

Past tense. Testing waters. Reminding.

"I do." For the multiple things that means.

Even if his thoughts were not on it exactly.

[ofthefamily]

What an elephant in the...nonexistent room.

"What do I like? In the future."

[themidnightson]

Edward blinked. Not so much surprised, but looking over. Only once, golden eyes focused on Carlisle, as though perhaps focusing back toward this newest point, back to him, back to or from somewhere else.

"My present? Or any point of the future from yours?"

[ofthefamily]

The questioning for specifics leaves Carlisle a little uncertain.

"...Whatever you'd like to actually talk about."

[themidnightson]

The furthest most corners Edward's mouth thinned, focus unshifted, as though the only thing before him at all was Carlisle. "It was your question, your curiosity."

[ofthefamily]

"But should I even know? What is safe? Of course I'm curious. About everything - but I am not the arbiter of knowledge here."

[themidnightson]

"If something was going to upset what was safe and right temporally, I doubt it is was-"

There is a discerning part-narrowing to his eyes, with glance far more purposely leading, down and then back up Carlisle. It's hard to tell if this is serious or leading, whether it is a joking reference to what all they've done already, become already, or something he's seriously spent a good deal of time wondering if he's ruined.

"-words." There is no regret though, only supposition in his phrase.

Edward would never be the greatest judge of what not to give Carlisle. After all, he'd started with his life, self, loyalty, heart and existence the very first year.

[ofthefamily]

"Am I ever successful with regards to medicine?"

[themidnightson]

"Quite."

[ofthefamily]

"And I practice?"

As a human, Carlisle assumes.

[themidnightson]

Edward nodded, almost saying it was the basis for everything about how they lived their lives.

[ofthefamily]

"As is the night before some festival
To an impatient child that hath new robes
And may not wear them…”

[themidnightson]

Edward can't help that one side of his mouth tugs up, mouth canted crooked more at the method than what it means. "You're getting there now."

[ofthefamily]

"By fidgeting in class."

[themidnightson]

His words are...the proper word is not soft. They are quieter, but it's not in volume, as much as modulation. There are certain things Edward can not say without a far more tilt toward deference, certain things that are so important they can not be said anyway but lightly, banked in understanding only garnered through decades of you-can't-change-this and it-all-started-here.

"No more mortuaries and allies, or bodies cast aside by them." His glance isn't exactly away, but it shifts some. And it's not a straight statement or reminder, when he edges only slightly closer. "Fidgeting is a small price to learning in the light."

[ofthefamily]

You make it sound so...

[themidnightson]

Edward's expression only shifted inquiringly, letting him think.

[ofthefamily]

"Noble."

[themidnightson]

"It's who you are, and what you've chosen." Chose.

And he doesn't stipulate if he means the calling, or Carlisle's term.