Carlisle-Esme, Pittsburgh.

[ofthefamily]

Vampires don't sleep.

They do, however, sometimes find it relaxing to sit in a chair with a gramophone record playing in the background -- instrumental; an orchestra. Beyond that, there's no label on the record to dictate where or when the performance was recorded.

Carlisle's eyes are closed, his feet are propped up on a chair.

Comments

[ofthefamily]

"Will you sit with me?"

It's not 'I love you too'. Not yet, and somehow the yet has worked itself in there when Carlisle wasn't looking --

It's possible.

Nothing ever moves quickly for Carlisle.

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

Carlisle is just full of surprises tonight.

Esme nods. "Of course."

And she's okay with him not saying it back. Because she suspects it will take him some time to realize it or admit it to himself.

[ofthefamily]

Carlisle twists again, dumping himself back into the chair he never really left.

"Pick a record?"

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

"Okay," Esme says, walking over to the player. She grabs a Tchaikovsky album at random and starts is playing before making her way back over to Carlisle and his chair.

She hesitates for a moment before sitting on his lap. There's really not enough room for both of them *in* the chair.

[ofthefamily]

"I could move. If you want."

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

"You can if you want to."

She's letting him call the shots.

[ofthefamily]

Carlisle rolls his eyes, not moving an inch.

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

Esme smiles at him and shifts around to make herself more comfortable.

[ofthefamily]

With the music swelling from the gramophone:

"You can't fault me for being cautious, you know."

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

"I suppose not," she agrees. "Can I ask why you're so cautious?"

[ofthefamily]

"Charles. The fact that you're still so young. Edward."

Not necessarily in that order.

"Myself. It is extremely rare that I haven't known what I was doing, and now you make twice in five years."

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

"What does Charles have to do with anything?" Esme asks.

[ofthefamily]

Carlisle shifts minutely.

"I'm not him. I won't treat you like he did."

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

"I would certainly hope not," Esme says. "Do you think I would be here if I thought you were anything like him?"

[ofthefamily]

Maybe, if you were afraid to run --

"A vampire's venom doesn't heal everything," Carlisle starts and for the first time he can't quite look at her. Even with her so close, it's still --



"We don't have to...pursue anything you don't want."

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

Esme tilts her head, trying to make sense of what he's saying.

"I'm not sure I understand what you're getting at. Are you... does this have something to do with me not being a virgin?"

[ofthefamily]

"What? No. No! How -- no. Just. That...no. That couldn't be farther from what I meant."

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

"Then what are you trying to say?"

[ofthefamily]

"I'm not going anywhere. If there are things you want to deal with first -- "

Namely, shoving Charles into a deep dark hole --

" -- That can be addressed. Your virginity is just...I can't even. No. Not what I meant."

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

"Carlisle? Weren't you just telling me to have faith that I would find something to love and that I should be looking forward, not back?"

Esme's pretty sure she didn't imagine him saying those things.

[ofthefamily]

"I'm pretty sure I wasn't expecting you to actually listen to me."

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

Esme laughs. Possibly for the first time since she started her new life.

[ofthefamily]

Well.

Okay then.