CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
PROPOSAL
Carlisle is too thrilled to go into work that day, his entire being feeling lighter with the knowledge that by all means, they are now an officially engaged couple. The more logical part of his brain knows that he can't quite divulge the news to any of the staff without a ring to show for it; that part of his brain makes a mental note of possibly making a 'show' to the sheriff about he's 'planning to propose,' at least for the sheriff's sake. None of that changes the fact that he still vibrates, delighted that Ariel agreed for a more formal marriage. While being mates isn't too different from the more traditional marriage, there's a sort of fillment to it that he never thought he would get after being changed into a vampire.
Ariel, through understanding smiles and a somewhat matched if a bit subdued excitement, has to convince him to continue their planned day, which meant attending work. She knows how hard it is for him to contain himself and admittedly, she is excited about the prospect. The fact that her agreement to a proposal, as informal as it is, simply spilled from her lips without too much thought. It is the easiest decision she has ever made, which speaks volumes when one has lived as long as she has and made as many mistakes as she has. She makes a point to never be as impulsive as her siblings, yet this doesn't feel impulsive. It feels as if it is something that has been simply waiting around for her to find. In the back of her mind, she wonders if this is her father's gift to her, not too unlike Chloe was for Lucifer. As if Carlisle was there for her and it just simply took a little bit longer for them to find each other. The notion is ridiculous, she knows, Amenadiel would have mentioned it if he had anything to do with any of the Cullens in the past. Still, the idea of soulmates wouldn't be the most far-fetched notion.
"I haven't even had much time back at work," Ariel argues her point lightly as she adjusts his tie, pulling him along with her as she starts to exit the house with the hopes he'd follow her. He does, going along without complaint, his smile never wavering.
She tries to make a point to try to get out the door, as light as her argument is. If Carlisle says yes to going to work, she will, but if too much of a 'fight' is raised, she will concede. The idea of staying home is appealing after all, with the idea of them securing their spots as a newly engaged couple.
"What's one more day to ourselves," Carlisle purrs as she tugs on his tie, looking at him challengingly as he meets her gaze evenly, "Is it a crime to want to spend some time with you after our impromptu engagement?"
"A crime, absolutely not darling," Ariel grins, pulling him so close that he can feel her breath on his lips, "However, I do wish to still have a job by the end of the day. As dangerous as it is, I know we are capable of securing our secret for now."
"Hmm dangerous indeed," Carlisle murmurs, his arms wrapping tightly around her waist, not caring that they have barely made it out the front door. "Considering that it is a secret I wish to never keep."
He doesn't wish to let her go, tightening his grip on her. Nostalgia over their banter washes over him, but it is nothing compared to the happiness still blooming in his chest. The idea that something can be so right, that he got this lucky. Something that he never believed to be possible; he was already thrilled that she had accepted him as hers, having given up the prospect of finding a mate a long time ago, now something beyond his dreams are coming true.
"You must until you secure a ring on my finger, Doctor Carlisle," Ariel's voice teases, "Otherwise it would be simply uncouth for a doctor such as yourself."
She can feel him vibrating as her arms wrap around his neck, his chin resting on her shoulder with his lips teasing the edges of skin at her neck that peek out from the top of her collar. He knows that she's right; the gossip and attention that they garner is bad enough as it is without making another stir. At least if they were to make their engagement known, they should be prepared to make it as traditional as possible to not garner too much negative attention. After all, he rather likes Forks and he knows that she does as well. He can't quite picture her thriving the same way in the cold depths of Alaska at their other home, but then again she has surprised him before.
"A ring is the least of our concerns," Carlisle's voice turns a bit more somber as he pulls away from her and leads her to the car, accepting the fact they will have to return to work today. "If we are to be engaged, it risks gaining the attention of both the Volturi and the reservation."
"I suppose we will have a lot to take care of before we can obtain a formal wedding," Ariel muses, not arguing as he gracefully opens the door for her. The car is still as confined and uncomfortable as she remembers it to be, but at least this time Carlisle takes the driver's side. "Another treaty may have to be drafted."
Carlisle may have been vague about their treaty with their neighbors, but it didn't take much for Ariel to put the pieces together. While much of the details are lost to her, she knows enough of the basics, including their neighbors being none other than shapeshifters. The idea isn't new to her, having spent much of her time with tribes around the world and the Quilettes are far from the only shapeshifters on the planet. Each tribe varies drastically, however, which leaves her in the dark on the Quilette's culture and of their shifters' nature.
Carlisle glances toward her as he starts to pull out the car, worry settling in his eyes. Ariel's hand goes to rest on his knee, "A treaty is doable. While Amenadiel wouldn't be thrilled of more people knowing our secrets, shapeshifters are hardly like normal humans. A treaty would be needed to help keep the peace, especially with them and the coven. If we don't talk to them, I imagine that it would hardly go well if they were to find something out themselves."
"We could convince them you're another vampire," Carlisle muses, "It would be difficult since I believe some of them have already started to shift since we moved here. Fooling their noses would be the biggest obstacle, but if enough of us are present -"
"-I won't be lying to them, Carlisle," Ariel's voice cuts through his musings, "Despite my reluctance with humans, I have more respect for most of the tribes here. While I've not interacted with the Quilettes directly, the tribes throughout the Americas have always held more respect for nature than the Europeans. For that alone, I refuse to take advantage of their kindness and willingness to share their land with the coven."
Carlisle manages a small smile with the reminder of who he is about to marry; of course she would be more willing to those who don't take advantage of nature's gifts. He chastises himself for not expecting this. One of his hands goes to cover hers, squeezing it slightly before he brings her knuckles to his lips.
"As you wish, love."
While they manage their work day as normal as possible, they come across a silent awkwardness as their shifts come to an end and they're faced with the other reality of their discussion this morning; Ariel's moving in with the coven. Carlisle hesitates when they get into the car, unsure if he should go straight to his home or to what was hers. He doesn't even know just how much of her things she wants to transfer. He can't even begin to imagine trying to transfer that particular bedroom over.
"We can head home, Carlisle," Ariel's voice gently reassures him, her hand going to his instinctively. "We can worry about moving my things after the coven is aware of the news."
Carlisle smiles, sparing a kiss to her temple before he starts to drive. She always knew what to say, what he was thinking. She can see it in his eyes just as he can see it in hers, as if there's a constant unspoken conversation. As Carlisle drives, Ariel leans back into her seat, her eyes drifting closed. Carlisle could watch her forever, the peaceful expression on her face and the soft beating of her heart filling the car like a lullaby. She lazily opens her eyes to glance over toward him, lips turning into a soft smile.
"I don't plan on moving much," Ariel informs him softly. "Just my plants and the confines of my personal bedroom since I know yours lacks a proper bed. Clothes and such. I imagine it would take some time, but between the both of us I doubt it would take long. A full day perhaps. Maybe two at most."
Ariel continues, her voice turning more hesitant, "And if I'm not overstepping, I think that your house could use some rearranging."
He raises a brow, curiosity in his eyes, but no harsh judgement is passed. It's a bold statement to make for someone just moving in, despite being his now fiancee. His coven has lived between this house and Alaska for quite some time now. Both homes being familiar and unchanged through time despite some modern updates here and there.
Ariel knows this, having seen the house first hand more than once, but she thinks of the cold white walls, the awkward graduation caps, and the out of place artifacts that would sooner belong to a museum than in a home. She knows the sentimental value of such things, collected throughout time as a reminder, but she also knows that such things belong to be in a safe, private environment. Not out for any human to stumble upon.
She can't help but compare the Cullens to her brother. At least the Cullens try to appear human, just missing short of the mark, while at least her brother is very authentic to the point where no one ever believes him being the devil. If Lucifer spent more time with them, she imagines that they both could learn a lot more from each other about living and integrating with humans peacefully.
"Your house is staged, Carlisle," Ariel honestly states. "While I know your coven is comfortable, it doesn't particularly scream home. I would be thrilled to move in with you all because I - I can't quite settle being alone in my house anymore. But everything there is too pristine to even pass as human. It amazes me that the locals don't think you're a cult."
He admits that she has a point, as hard as a pill as it is to swallow. He hadn't ever bothered to personalize the interior, instead buying all of the furniture with the house and never moving so much as a shelf. The latter half of her statement makes him laugh; the others have been particularly vocal about the high schoolers' perception of the family. At least the idea of them being far from normal hasn't spread beyond the teenage population. To be fair, none of his children have ever shared the same interest as he has with interacting with humans and putting effort into blending in. To his chagrin, they still refuse to interact much with the population if they can help it. He glances toward Ariel, her eyes beaming, and wonders if she is the change that his family needs to push their boundaries.
Ariel laughs, "Granted, I have had my fair share of locals and beliefs. I've been accused of everything from witchcraft, demonic possession, to being a part of the fae. Apparently secluding myself from the towns as much as possible never quite helped."
She pauses. Carlisle can see the gleam in her eyes, as if reminiscing on a dream, before she continues, "But Lucifer helped me realize something that I had been ignoring for so long, that not only are humans capable of doing good, but that we don't have to hide ourselves away from our father's creations. Becoming a nurse has helped, just as you have Carlisle, but I had seen what my brother had. A family, one that doesn't shelter themselves from the world around them but engages with it."
Carlisle pulls into the driveway with the knowledge that the rest of the Coven will be able to hear the end of their conversation. He knows Ariel will know this as well, but she continues with the same energy, not particularly caring. He supposes that when one has a father who sees everything that privacy doesn't mean the same thing to her nor her family.
"I feel that if I don't want to go down a destructive, hateful path again," Ariel continues, "That humanity needs to be embraced. I hope that with time, the others can feel the same."
Something builds in Carlisle's chest - a sense of warmth and content happiness. The idea that she has vocalized what has been his dream since he started building his coven, something he never fully stated clearly to anyone. Yet despite never telling her of his ideals, she vocalizes them perfectly, sharing that she is on the same page as he is. That she wants the same thing for his family as he does. A family that will soon be hers as well.
Carlisle takes her hand delicately and when their eyes meet, a spark ignites between them. A brief kiss full of understanding is shared before Ariel prepares herself to face the coven.
The transition into telling the coven is smoother than expected. Granted, Alice's foresight of the event helps considerably. To Carlisle's delight, there are no objections to Ariel formally joining their coven nor do any disagree to her moving in with them.
"We're very happy for you Carlisle," Jasper states simply, his voice calm though Ariel can see the peaceful happiness in his eyes. Ariel can see that the sentiment is shared among them, Emmett is the first to give a large enthusiastic thumbs up while Rosalie simply gives a nod of agreement.
"We all knew it was going to happen anyway." Rosalie's voice shows disinterest, but it doesn't quite meet her eyes.
Edward manages a small smile that seems more grim than content, but his expression softens into something more genuine when he meets Carlisle's gaze.
"I knew it was going to happen soon," Alice's voice cuts through the air with happy squeals of delight, she rushes toward them with outstretched arms. Ariel, hesitantly, returns the embrace awkwardly before Alice settles with putting her hands on Ariel's shoulders as she pulls away.
"We need to start planning things out now, have you thought about what type of dress you're going to wear?"
When Ariel shakes her head negatively, Alice gasps as if offended before declaring loudly that they need to figure it out now. As Ariel is dragged away by Alice to look over wedding albums and planners that Alice has already prepared, she looks to Carlisle for help. Even he knows that stopping Alice is futile and simply shrugs with mild amusement as she disappears from view. Perhaps it's for the best that Alice isn't directly engaged in the conversation about renovating the decor; she's always been the most pleased with the modern aesthetic.
Though Rosalie's not thrilled when rearranging the house is mentioned either, but she swallows most of it down to be happy for Carlisle. And as much as she would never admit it, Ariel does have a point when the coven's more obvious disconnect from the locals is mentioned.
"Really," Emmett's voice is curious, "I didn't think we were doing that bad of a job blending in. Eddie has all the girls fawning over him at school and sure, it does bring some attention that he doesn't seem interested in anyone."
At the accusation that he's the reason the coven garners attention at school, Edward bristles. He shoots a glare toward Emmett, who seems not bothered by it with a large, goofy grin spreading across his face.
"Yes, of course," Edward's voice drawls, "I'm the reason everyone stares at us. I'm sure it has nothing to do with you bringing a bag of boiled eggs for lunch and standing up in the jeep every time we drive to school."
"It's for the protein," Emmett defends himself, though even Rosalie rolls her eyes at the weak argument. "I'm a big guy and most human men as big as I do eat a lot of protein, right?"
The longer he talks, the more unsure of himself he becomes, his words drifting off as he looks toward the rest of the coven waiting for someone to confirm. When no one does, he settles down with a simple huh, his brows furrowed as he thinks it over.
