Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, New Moon, or Eclipse, which were all written by Stephenie Meyer. I also do not own anything "in quotes that is not in italics" because that was taken directly from Eclipse. And this is me not claiming ownership of it. 8D
Author's Notes: These two fascinate me. Hopefully Tanya will be brought up in Breaking Dawn and I'll have an excuse to write lots of Edward/Tanya.
sin of omission
Two facts:
1. Edward only wants Bella to be happy.
2. Even if it means lying to her.
...
He doesn't know when he became this way, dismantling trucks, scolding her, forbidding her like a child, those little white lies. Anything to protect Bella.
Perhaps he's always been this way, but surrounded by less breakable company.
...
"I was talking to Rosalie last night…" She hesitates.
"Yes. She was thinking about that when I got in. She gave you quite a lot to consider, didn't she?"
He thinks of life and humanity and blood; she sees the empty, frozen tundra and beautiful women.
"She told me a little bit… about the time your family lived in Denali."
(strawberry blonde curls and seductive hips and too-knowing eyes and he hears the word fall from his lips, "Yes?"
"She mentioned something about a bunch of female vampires… and you."
.
They welcome these newcomers into their home, hospitable and warm and women. His eyes rake over the too-beautiful faces; he hears the appreciative thoughts. And then her mind-voice speaks to him for the first time: "Lonely, aren't you, young one?"
His eyes widen.
.
"Don't worry. She told me you didn't… show any preference. But I was just wondering, you know, if any of them had. Shown a preference for you, I mean."
.
She's anything but shy, yet she has an innocent subtlety about her. She smiles up at him through her lashes. She touches his hand. She calls him young one, laughs at how his brow puckers.
If she could blush, he thinks she would.
.
"Which one? Or was there more than one?"
.
He can hear the others' thoughts, and sometimes he thinks she can too. They look at him, eyes bright, eager, subtle. His parents laugh quietly to themselves as he is questioned about trivial things — books, music, favorite animal.
She pouts her pale lips like she can read their every intention.
.
"Alice will tell me. I'll go ask her right now."
.
Alice floats to him, a coy smile flitting on her lips. She trails a finger across his shoulder playfully. "I've just had the most intriguing vision of you and a certain Denali vampire, Edward! I wonder whose idea it could be?"
.
"It's late." Nervous, embarrassed, he can't get her impish smile out of his mind. "Besides, I think Alice stepped out…."
"It's bad. It's really bad, isn't it?" She panics, heart accelerating, blood tempting. Strawberry blonde curls.
"Calm down, Bella." He kisses the tip of her (cold, stone) nose. "You're being absurd."
"Am I? Then why won't you tell me?"
Because I don't want to hurt you.
"Because there's nothing to tell. You're blowing this wildly out of proportion."
"Which one?"
"Tanya" —Tanya, Tanya, with the strawberry blonde curls— "expressed a little interest. I let her know, in a very courteous, gentlemanly fashion, that I did not return that interest. End of story."
.
She peers up, looking so naïve and yet so determined, and thinks to him, "I am going to kiss you now, Edward."
And before he has a chance to consider this, let alone act, her lips are pressed against his, softly, fiercely, wonderfully.
And before he has a chance to consider this, let alone act, he finds that his lips are pressing back.
.
"Tell me something — what does Tanya look like?"
He wants to say: like a condemned angel, like the innocence of a child but the wisdom of a thousand years, like strawberry blonde curls and a pouty smile.
Instead, he says: "Just like the rest of us — white skin, gold eyes."
"And, of course, extraordinarily beautiful."
.
Yes.
.
"I suppose, to human eyes. You know what, though?" he asks, brushing his lips to her ear.
"What?"
"I prefer brunettes."
.
"Liar," she whispers, and laughs into his chest.
.
"She's a blonde. That figures."
"Strawberry blonde — not at all my type."
He's wonders how Bella can possibly be so ignorant. He kisses away the doubt along her sweet throat and tries not to remember another (cold, stone) neck.
"I guess that's okay, then."
"Hmm. You're quite adorable when you're jealous. It's surprisingly enjoyable."
…remembering her face, her lips, her strawberry blonde curls fanned out on his pillow.
"It's late. Sleep, my Bella. Dream happy dreams. You are the only one who has ever touched my heart. It will always be yours. Sleep, my only love."
.
"I love her more than I ever loved you."
Her lips suppress a smirk. "Your biggest lie of all."