You walk through the city with Adrian. The lights of the nocturnal city nearly blind you and the sounds of cars racing past you fill your ears. On the sidewalk, people laugh and talk. You look at them and remember what it was like before you knew about vampires. Before you realized how big and frightening the world really was. You press closer to Adrian's side and gaze up at him. 'At least I have him,' you think. He looks down at you and smiles. "What is it?" he asks.
You smile. "Nothing. Just wondering how I got lucky enough to be with you."
The two of you continue walking and reach a restaurant. The music inside can be clearly heard from the outside. You recognize the song playing and clap your hands. "I know this song by heart!" you exclaim.
Adrian raises an eyebrow. "You do?" he asks, amused.
You laugh and nod. You run up a few feet ahead of him. He stops walking to watch you. You open your mouth. The many days of karaoke at sleepovers when you were younger paid off. You sing the entire song, never faltering. You may not be the best singer on Earth, but you can carry a tune! You even add a silly little dance while you sing. Adrian watches, smiling. When you finish, he claps. "Not bad," he says, his eyes twinkling. You run back up to him, placing yourself between his arms. After a moment you realize he's still standing there, seeming tense. You look up at him. "Adrian?" you whisper. He doesn't look at you. His eyes seem distant, unfocused.
"Adrian," you say louder, snapping him out of his trance. His eyes seem to focus as he turns his head to look at you. He offers a weak smile.
"What's wrong?" you ask, concerned.
He seems to notice your worried face. "I'm fine. Don't worry."
You frown at him. He sighs, realizing you won't drop the subject. He loses the fake smile, and you see the sadness underneath. "It's just…." He looks away. "You….remind me of Eleanor."
Your eyes widen. "Really?"
He nods, still not looking at you. "Really. She loved to sing. She was amazing at it, too. Every night, she would sing lullabies to Charles. And I would hear her voice…." he trails off. You pull back and squeeze his hand.
"I'm so sorry, Adrian," you whisper. "I didn't mean to upset you."
He shakes his head. "It's not you," he replies. "I just miss them. Even after so long."
"I can't imagine what losing your family must have been like," you say.
He looks up at you, a hint of surprise on his face. "You don't mind me talking about Eleanor?"
You shake your head vigorously. "Why would I? It's okay. You miss them. You miss her." It's your turn to look away, heat creeping up your face. "If I really cared about you, and I do, I would let you talk about them. It doesn't change how I feel about you."
He sighs. "Thank you, Remy." You answer by facing him and brushing your lips against his. He wraps his arms around you. You nuzzle your face against his chest. After a moment, you look up at him. "Should we keep walking?" you ask.
He nods. "Alright."