The journey to Forks, Washington would be boring to most, but when you have lived for hundreds of years, you get used to it. Their new home was perfect - a small, two bedroom wood cabin in the woods. Lucy was fascinated with it, as was Asher, so they took their time looking around (yet again, it wasn't their first time seeing it of course) and then started to help the movers bring their furniture inside. They spent the entire night packing things away in their newly designated places, and moving furniture to the correct rooms. They were the type of vampires who had beds in case humans ever came to visit (they did make human friends over they years - but then had to cut off all contact at random points).

Lucy sat down on their touch in the living room, smiling up at her partner with loving eyes.
"I'm so glad we're finally here."
"Me too" he said, sitting beside her, and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
"I couldn't help but spot a home close to ours" Lucy began, "we should stop by tomorrow and say hello to our new neighbours."
"We should" he agreed, nuzzling the side of her face.

She giggled, "what are you doing?"
"I'm in the mood," he mumbled, beginning to nibble on her ear gently, "this is our home now, we can do whatever we want."
"I don't think so" she said, standing up, "I want to get some work done for school Monday."
"Do we really have to pretend we're students again?" he sighed, "we've graduated too many times over the years."
Really, he was disappointed. They hadn't made love in a long time. Years, even. He thought maybe it was boring for her now, but it wasn't for him.

"yes, Ash. We do, or else things will look suspicious" she reminded him. Asher hung his head, annoyed. She ignored him and just started pacing the room.
"Ash, about the hat."
"What about it?" he asked crossly.
"It's been on my mind for a long time but - it makes you act differently. Like you hate me or something."
"Of course I don't hate you, babe."
"Then tell me the truth."
He couldn't possibly. His mind raced as he tried to think of a lie. He had never thought she would question it, since she usually allowed him to keep it to himself. Where it belonged.

"Did it belong to someone you lost?" she asked, sitting back down beside him and resting her hand on his thigh.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that" he smiled weakly.
"I'm sorry, Ash. I don't mean to be pushy, just...it's clearly a man's hat and I got a little bit worried."
"Worried? Why?"
"That you...liked them."
"Who?"
"Men, Ash!"
"What's wrong with men liking men?"

"It's not...natural. Just because society has changed since we were changed, doesn't make itright. People only think it's right because that's what they want to believe. Not because it's true."
Asher felt the anger bubbling inside of him, but he refused to explode. If he did, she would know. A part of him wanted to chew her out, but it wasn't worth it. Losing the only thing he had wasn't worth it one bit.
"Well, opinions differ I suppose" was his calm reply.
"We agree on everything" she said sadly, "that's what makes us so amazing together."
"Yeah? Well not this."
"Why not?"
"I just figure that if God didn't want people to be gay, or different, he wouldn't have made us to begin with. What's the point in everyone being the same? It's just...boring."

"I suppose."
"Look, let's drop the conversation. You don't like gays, I'm not gay, and he was just a very close friend who I lost, alright?"
"Alright. Okay. I'm so sorry."
"Yeah, yeah" he sighed, standing up, "I'm going for a walk."
"Please don't be mad at me. It was worrying me because you were so attached to the hat, which indicates that you are attached to the person who once wore it. I knew it was a man's hat, s-so..."
He didn't want to argue with her, even though he felt like she was being extremely unfair. But there was one last thing on his mind:

"Why don't you sleep with me?"
"Hm?"
"You heard" he said, "that's been on my mind. No excuses, Lucy. I need to know the truth."
She stood up, cupping his face in her hands and kissing his lips softly. When she pulled her lips away, she continued to cup his face.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, "I just don't like sex anymore."
"Am I no good?"
"No, you're amazing...it's just...doing it with the same person for hundreds of years is boring, don't you think?"
If his heart was beating, Asher was certain it would stop in that moment. Did she really just say that?

"Not in a bad way, of course" she said, noticing his expression, "I think I worded that wrong."
"Yeah, you've been doing that a lot lately" he grumbled, remembering her gay comments moments before. He pulled away from her embrace slowly. Was she falling out of love with him, but was too afraid to say anything in case they had to go their separate ways? He wouldn't just leave her alone. Never. He cared for her too much to do that.
"You're the best person I have ever met" she said sadly, "I don't want you to leave me ever, but I just don't feel like having sex right now. Maybe it'll change in the future."

"I understand all that" he said, "but...the boring comment made me feel...sad."
She pursed her lips, moving towards him again, "I didn't mean it that way, Ash. I don't want to see anyone else or anything, I just think you and I have been together for a long time and - we're at a point where we're like-"
"Friends?" he asked, cutting her off. She nodded sadly. It was bound to happen someday. When her love would turn to friendship. When they would no longer be romantic partners and would become platonic instead.
"I think we're here for a new start and - we should treat it as such. Meet someone else, but stay together as friends."
"Can't we make it work..?" he asked her quietly.

She shook her head - and just like that - there it was again. REJECTION.
Asher bit down hard on his bottom lip.
"Got it."
There was no point in arguing, or hating each other. They were beyond that. It was time to move on with Lucy - as friends - and pretend like the past few hundred years never happened.

When Lucy went upstairs to read and give him some space, Asher flopped down on the couch and switched on the TV. An old, western film was playing on a movie channel. He stared blankly at the screen, not really taking it in, but his eyes landed on the major on horseback, ordering his men around to safety. The hat. That cocky smile. The uniform. The golden blonde hair. It reminded Asher of him. It would be a lie to say that Asher didn't think of him often, but for the first time in a long time - he found himself wondering how he was. What he was doing. Who with. How close, or how far away was he? Was he happy? In love? Heartbroken? Somehow dead?

He blamed him entirely for how he ended up.
"God damn you, Jasper Whitlock," he mumbled, leaning his head back against the couch, "just...God damn you."