When Carlisle shows Carys his skin in sunlight. They're sharing a bed but haven't taken the next step in their relationship yet.
"Are you sure you want to show me?"
Carys sat to the side of the small clearing and watched as Carlisle nodded and finally began to unbutton his shirt. He'd been standing by the edge of the treeline for thirty minutes, his shirt untucked, seemingly unable to take the next step.
It had taken a while for Carlisle to broach the subject of showing her his skin in direct sunlight again, after he'd first told her about it. Carys was a little worried she'd upset him by laughing when he'd told her he sparkled.
He'd assured her earlier that she hadn't, but his hands stilled halfway down his torso. He was still hesitant.
Carys shifted on her makeshift seat. Not simply because she was trying not to enjoy the view too much in case it made him uncomfortable, but because her backside had begun to go numb. She was cushioned by Carlisle's coat and roll neck jumper, but they hadn't helped as much as she'd like.
"Would you like some help?" Carys asked, hopping off the tree stump to cross towards him, kicking her legs to get the blood flowing again. "Or we could go back? If you don't want to?"
Carlisle shook his head.
"No, I'd like to show you, I'm simply..." Carlisle closed his eyes and sighed. "I'm a little nervous."
"I guessed."
Carlisle ran a hand through his hair. He glanced at her face and away. He'd been doing that since they'd left Emmett's Jeep.
"You're worried about what I'll say when I see the sparkling?"
"No." Carlisle met her eye and ripped his shirt open, splaying his arms. He waited until she'd let out a shuddery breath and looked him over in silence for a few minutes before he spoke again. He sounded hopeful. "Well?"
Carys didn't know what she was supposed to say. She wasn't sure she remembered she could speak at all until he prompted her. It was an effort to find her tongue.
"Hmm?" she squeaked from the back of her throat.
The only saving grace of her situation was that when she surreptitiously stroked her fingers over her chin, she found her jaw remained closed.
Carys had once seen Michaelangelo's David, but... Michaelangelo had definitely not seen Carlisle.
Carys' index finger moved as she counted in her head, and she blushed when she realised he could see her tallying the ridges of his abdominal muscles. She dropped her hand to her side and avoided his gaze.
It was different. Seeing him, as opposed to feeling him through clothing.
Carlisle shrugged out of his ruined shirt and rolled his shoulders back. "What do you think?" He sounded worried now. It was enough to snap Carys back to reality.
"Of?" Carys shook herself and finally returned to his face. "I mean, you're not in the sun yet, so..."
"I meant my body, I suppose," Carlisle admitted, his hair in disarray. He thrust his hands into his trouser pockets. "There's not much I can do to change it, but-"
"You're pretty much the benchmark for statues and-"
"That doesn't mean you find me attractive," Carlisle explained. "Attraction is different for-"
"Carlisle, I fell in love with you before I saw that-" Carys held her hand out and waved in swirls, her gesture encompassing his body from head to toe. "-without a shirt. I wouldn't care what you looked like, but at the same time, wow!?"
Carlisle dropped his head, his golden hair spilling over his forehead, and toed the ground. When he glanced up at Carys through his lashes, his lips quirked sheepishly. "Indeed?"
"Yes," Carys agreed, drawing out the word. They grinned at each other for a few moments before Carys straightened. "Wait. What if you don't like what I look like!?"
Carlisle chuckled and tossed his head, pushing his hair out of his face.
"No, Darling, you're perfect."
Carys crossed her arms and fought another blush. "You haven't seen me naked-"
"Yet."
Carys couldn't control her surprised laughter at the determination in his voice. She covered her mouth with her hand.
"Yet... But you haven't, so-"
"You're perfect," Carlisle promised, his eyes glowing with sincere appreciation.
He approached her slowly, raised his hands, and cupped her face, leaning down to press a soft kiss to her lips before he drew back and trailed his fingertips over her forehead, cheek, and jaw.
He watched her as he slid his arms down around her waist, and drew her against him, their eyes locked. Carys looped her arms around his neck; she struggled not to shiver, though it had nothing to do with the cold.
Carlisle took several slow and careful steps backwards, into the sun.
Carys was lost in the depths of his dark-gold eyes for a second, before she registered the sudden onslaught of shining light came from his skin. It drew her shocked, wondrous gaze.
The light refracted as if his skin were made of diamonds, and her jaw slowly dropped. He'd told her he sparkled. He really needed to find a better word. A more appropriate word.
Carys caught herself, though she couldn't be sure how long she'd stared before she managed the feat. She closed her mouth; her lips firmed.
"Oh, you liar!" She accused lightly, pushing at his shoulder.
Carlisle, nonplussed, raised an eyebrow and refused to let her move away when, in her shock, she twisted in his arms.
"Liar?"
Carys jabbed a finger to his chest.
"You told me you weren't an angel!"
