fic: twilight [edward/tanya, edward/bella]
Title: in this world you overwhelm me
Day/Theme: July 11 / discreetly trying to catch attention
Series: Twilight saga
Character/Pairing: Edward/Tanya, Edward/Bella
Rating: PG-13/T for a swear word
Word Count: 637
Author's Notes: My first entry for
31_days! There will definitely be more coming this month.
in this world you overwhelm me
They’re fighting, practicing, preparing for twenty bloodthirsty newborn vampires whose only goal is to rip them to shreds.
Emmett circles him carefully, eyes sharp, thought of his evening last night with Rosalie an uncomfortable backdrop for Edward.
Emmett acts on instinct, but his thoughts always betray him a second too soon. Edward locks his arms around Emmett’s neck and brings his teeth to his brother’s throat; Emmett thrashes pointlessly.
“I think we have a winner,” Jasper announces to the crowd, and Edward releases a swearing Emmett from his grasp.
A smile on his face, victory in his heart, Edward turns to his family and asks challengingly, “Anyone else?”
A short silence, almost in anticipation, then: “I will.”
His breathing hitches as he hears the voice; he instinctively tenses as his two worlds collide.
She steps lithely into the ring, not a care in the world.
“Tanya,” Carlisle chokes out, his eyebrows raised in disbelief, “what are you doing here? I thought Irina didn’t want-?”
“Irina and I don’t always share the same opinion, Carlisle,” she says lightly. “She wanted to stay; I considered it my duty to come. We both did what we thought was best.”
“Well, thank you,” he replies, more composed (still surprised). “We’re grateful to have your help.”
She gives him a demure smile. “It’s my pleasure.”
The world seems to stand still for a moment, watching her. Then Tanya shifts.
“I’m quite certain I heard you ask for a fight, young one,” she very nearly sings to Edward. “Are you still up for the challenge?”
“I’m not so young anymore,” he replies, but crouches nonetheless.
She laughs, and he remembers when it was the most beautiful sound in the world. “You will always be young to me, Edward,” she murmurs, almost resignedly, and pounces.
When they move, it is a beautiful thing. Their actions are in perfect harmony, his left to her right, her “fighting, of course!” to his “what are you doing here?,” his “I have a girlfriend now” to her “haven’t you missed me?” They blur together until there is no Edward and there is no Tanya: there is only EdwardandTanya, moving together as one. They blur together until there is no Bella Swan.
Suddenly, fleetingly, their world halts its dizzying dance. Eyes slowly adjust.
Edward is sprawled on his back, eyes wide in surprise. And perched on top of him, crouched on his chest, is Tanya. She leans her head down and places a kiss on the tip of his nose.
(this world is moving too fast, the colors are too bright, the sounds are too loud)
“You cheated,” he accuses half-heartedly, and a dark smile lights her lips as she glances imperceptibly to Bella.
“You cheated first.”
His eyes narrow; her smile tightens and she springs to her feet.
“You’re as awful as ever, Edward,” she laughs, extending a hand to him. “Has our time apart done nothing for you?”
He ignores her hand and stands on his own.
“Our time apart has opened up a whole new world for me,” he says, and keeps his voice mild. “I can’t say the same for you, though, can I?”
She stiffens, and a tension fills the air between them.
“You’re as charming as ever, young one,” she replies, a cold edge to her tone.
Behind them, in a world apart from their own, Emmett snorts and whispers loudly to Rosalie, “Damn, I’ve missed this girl!”
The atmosphere shatters. Tanya floats to Emmett and their laughter fills the air. Bella, in a world he has learned to love, eyes Edward apprehensively. Edward drifts to her side and glances at Tanya.
She’s watching him through her lashes, telling him something he can’t ignore.
He knows the look in her eyes, knows why she’s here. There’s only one vampire who’s her concern.