Okay, so this is my first fanfic outside of Fruitsbasket.
I am happy that I got inspiration for a Twilight fic, as I am so in love with this series at the moment. However, I must credit Makayla for this golden nugget of an idea... GENIUS! Who else has a brain weird enough to imagine this lovely appetising image...?
I am slightly worried by my characterisation. Please, if you leave a review, could you make a comment on it? Make suggestions for improvements and such... I can only get better when I know what I am doing wrong... lol.
This is a one-shot by the way... I really don't do multi-chapters unless I'm confidant enough to.
So, for my first Twilight fanfiction, I present to you, dear reader...
Edward...With a Moustache???
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. Copyright goes to Stephanie Meyer for the god like creation of Edward, and the equally lovely creation of Bella, and all of the other characters mentioned...I do however, own the DVD and book one... :D
It was Saturday afternoon in the sleepy town of Forks, and for once the weak sun had made a grand entry into the lives of the townsfolk. It glowed, staining the sky with colour, like the yolk of a particularly runny egg dribbling onto a white tablecloth. The trees that surrounded the Cullen's house acted as a filter to the light, creating a dappled, splotchy effect on the ground. Indeed, if any of the vampires had decided to go out, they would have sparkled in patches, rather that all in one go...
The unexpected onslaught of sunlight had forced the Cullens to retreat from their public lives- Carlisle had called the hospital pleading a bad stomach, and highly despised having to do so.
In the case of Edward and Bella, nothing much was affected, aside from the venue. Their original plans had been to visit Port Angeles- some crazy notion of Edward's that Bella needed a 'human shopping experience'- but the rare appearance of the sun had put a halt on that idea…much to Bella's relief.
Instead, they sat together on the floor of Edward's room, listening to some of his vast collection of records.
"Is there any reason why you have so much music?" Bella asked quietly, fingering the sleeve of a David Bowie record. Next to it lay Fur Elise, and an album by the Flaming Lips.
"Why do you ask?" He replied, a slight crease between his eyebrows the only indication of his wariness; Bella's questions often started out simple enough, but always led to avenues which he would rather avoid.
"Well," she began, trying her best to phrase her thoughts in a way that wouldn't sound confusing. "Aside from the sheer quantity of records that you own, you have such an eclectic mixture…?" She let her words trail off into a question, hoping that he would need no more prompting.
Understanding dawned on his face, followed by her favourite crooked smile. "When you have lived as long as I have, Bella- nearly a century- you get to witness a lot of changes, including the changes in music. Plus, collecting things is one of those human traits I could never forget. I covet things… I coveted you for example."
Bella could accept that; time changed everything, from music and fashion to attitudes and ideals. The change from women wearing floor length dresses to mini skirts must've been interesting- to say the least- for her turn-of-the-century boyfriend…
Suddenly, an image of Edward flashed across her mind but it was not the familiar image of his current self. It was the vision of Edward in…
"Edward?" She whispered. The russet haired youth looked at her in alarm, and again wished desperately that he could see into her thoughts. Her face was registering such a surprisingly funny expression, however, that his immediate concern dissipated.
"Bella…?" He replied cautiously, reaching out for her hand. "What are you thinking about?"
Her head snapped to look at him, a wondrous look in her eyes, and amusement playing at the corners of her mouth.
"I don't think you want to know." She stated, clearly repressing the urge to laugh. A flicker of frustration passed over his perfect features.
"You know that I always want to know."
A giggle slipped passed her self-control, and before she could help herself, she was launched into a full fit of laughter. Edward could do nothing but laugh back at her- the sight of her so consumed with mirth made his heart soar.
After an indeterminable amount of time had passed, Bella's laughter faded into breathless sighs. Edward was still in the dark, but he loved the sight of the lingering joy in her eyes and smile. It didn't matter what had entertained her- the fact that it existed was very satisfactory for him.
Her eyes flickered to take in his face; apart from a tightening around her mouth, she remained composed.
"Are you going to tell me?" He asked helplessly, "or am I going to have to make a guess?"
"You would never get it." She answered with so much confidence that Edward didn't even try to contradict her.
"So tell me!" He pleaded, his frustration beginning to mount by the second.
Bella sat up from where she had thrown herself on his floor and looked at him, suddenly hesitant. "Promise me that you won't be angry once I tell you…"
"I'm only angry when you think dangerous thoughts", he assured her, "clearly those thoughts weren't dangerous."
Bella wasn't convinced. "Promise me," she repeated , more emphatically than before. The vampire sighed in defeat.
"Okay, I promise you. I won't get angry."
Looking only slightly assured, she stood up and went to one of the shelves containing his records. She traced her finger lightly along the spines of the covers, mouthing the titles to herself. Once she had found the one she was looking for, she took it from its place and held it close to her chest so that Edward couldn't see which one it was.
"So, you have lived for nearly a century," she began, once she had resumed her place by his side, "and witnessed the turning of roughly ten decades."
"Yes, but you already knew about that", he interrupted, quite obviously confused by the line this was taking. Of course, he shouldn't have been surprised; this was Bella he was talking to. "Once you knew... what I was, lying about my true age seemed a little pointless…"
Bella nodded absently, her fingers playing with the corner of the record sleeve. "To avoid discovery you moved around a lot- started over in new areas of the country and stuff?"
"And in other countries, yes..."
"Well…" She inhaled deeply, clearly reaching her point at long last. "Am I right in thinking you dressed for the age you were living in? So you would wear waistcoats and cravats in the 1930's for example?"
It was Edward's turn to nod in agreement, his movement so much more elegant that Bella could ever hope to achieve.
"Yes. We had to blend in with the fashion trends of the time, otherwise we would have stuck out like a sore thumb."
Bella looked like she had received the answer she was expecting. She glanced down at the record she was holding, and a trace of her previous amusement pulled at her facial features.
"So am I also right in thinking," she said carefully, "that during the sixties… you wore something similar to… this? She turned the record around so that he could see the cover.
His embarrassed silence was enough confirmation for Bella to fall into another fit of laughter.
"It was a necessary evil…" He mumbled, trying to avoid the dope dazed gaze of the man on the record sleeve. He was decked out in an orange, pink and green- for want of a better word- dress, open toed sandals, a wildly floral headscarf, giant orange-tinted sunglasses, and rather a lot of facial hair…
"I didn't have a beard!" He stated, more loudly this time, as Bella showed no signs of having heard him the first time.
When she had composed herself- again-she replied;
"I'm so sorry…" her breathing was shallow and wispy, her words a gabbled rush. "It's just…you… looking anything other than what you do now… s-so… imperfect." She looked at him, suddenly appraising. "I can see you with one of those stick-on moustaches…"
"Bella!" He pleaded, definitely regretting the avenue this conversation had taken. "What else could I - we- have done? It was that-" he gestured savagely to the record cover- "or what the older generation were wearing. And, as I was supposed to be 17, I had to wear what the other 17-year-olds were wearing."
"Which meant being a hippy." She stated with a smile. "Just admit it…"
"Alright, I was a hippy!" He snapped, his embarrassment fuelling his irritation. He only hoped that she wouldn't think to ask-
"-Have you got any photographs?" He cringed in spite of himself; it was the only answer in the affirmative that he would ever give, willingly or not.
Her smile widened- suddenly, she looked more predatory that he would have previously given her credit for… he was unaccustomed to feeling vulnerable.
"No." He said, adamant that he was getting his own way. "No. Way."
"Please?" She murmured, her eyes wide with feigned innocence.
"No!" He repeated, with even more emphasis. "Bella, please… my pride..."
The human studied the vampire's profile closely; his shoulders were tense, as was the expression on his face. Whatever she had imagined, the truth was clearly a hundred times worse.
"So what about other decades?" She said, quickly changing the subject, but not so far as a different one altogether; her curiosity was piqued, and she was desperate to know more.
"What do you mean?" His voice sounded defeated. He was resigning himself to a conversation the was going to be very embarrassing.
"Well, I'm sure you looked very dashing in the twenties; may I see a photograph of that at least?"
Edward looked ready to refuse, but before he could, she jumped in with, "It might help me understand you more… if I could see…"
That was the clincher; it was impossible for him to refuse her anything, even if it meant a bucket full of humiliation for him.
"Okay," he sighed. "I'll be right back, with only that one. There is no way I will let you see the others, when the clothes weren't so-" he wrinkled his nose, "-dashing."
He sped from the room, muttering something like- if Bella didn't know better- an expletive…
It was fine. He would show her pictures of him and his family looking amazing, and later, she would talk to Alice… she wouldn't be so adamant that the images of Edward in hippy gear should never see the light of day…
End.
So, I hope you liked it, and you aren't regretting wasting your time with this story...
Please leave a review- especially commenting on my characterisation. It wasn't too dire was it...? ...worries
loves!!
~nalanna xox