Sixty Seconds
Title: Sixty Seconds
Author: venus_fiction
Prompt: Pulse of the Apple a Day Bella/Carlisle fanfic/fanart challenge.
Genre: Romance
Rating: PG13
Word Count: 1556
Timeline: Random one-shot.
Spoilers: None.
Summary: Carlisle can’t rid himself of his fascination with Bella’s life force.
Disclaimer: Not mine, just playing in Stephenie Meyer’s sandbox.
Carlisle’s POV
I reached out, taking Bella’s wrist in my hand, watching as she shivered from my cold touch. I smiled apologetically, glancing down at my watch out of habit more than anything, not really seeing the second hand as it ticked away against the black face, past lines and numbers.
I could feel her eyes on me; wondering, questioning. The sensation, however, was drowned out by another. It slipped behind the intense fascination I felt at the sensation of her pulse surging beneath my fingertips. It wasn’t a new feeling to me. I’d felt it hundreds of thousands of times before, but never like this. It’d never been so personal, so intimate and familiar, yet at the same time so foreign.
The feeling of her heart beating against my fingertips was exhilarating. It was as close as I could get to mortality now that my own heart would never beat again. Once, twice, three times I counted, appreciating the steady rhythm of her heartbeat, so perfect: palpable, tangible.
Out of the periphery of my vision, I could see her squirming around where she sat, watching me intently. She held her arm still, though, observing with vague curiosity as I felt her pulse. I don’t think either of us was sure why I’d taken a hold of her wrist, but it didn’t feel the least bit awkward or out of place.
Bella was so warm and inviting. She was fragile, but at the same time I admired her strength and strong will. She would make a fantastic vampire. It was just too bad that after that I’d never get to feel her warmth again, or to hear her heart beating in her chest. Her scent wouldn’t be nearly as tempting, though I wasn’t sure whether that was a good or a bad thing. It was just one part of her that endeared her to me and I wasn’t afraid to admit that I would miss it.
Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen.
To be able to feel her blood rushing through her veins was incredible. It was a testament to her health, vitality and humanity. With each beat I could feel, I could hear it echoing in her chest, too. I wanted to lean my head in, to press my ear to her chest wall and listen to it more closely, but I didn’t want to make Bella uncomfortable. As it was, her heart was beating a little bit fast, a little bit fluttery; she was nervous already.
Looking up at her, I noticed that she had a delightful pink flush gracing her cheeks. She glanced away quickly, avoiding my eyes as I continued to hold her wrist. She’d crossed an arm over her chest and was absent-mindedly rubbing her opposite shoulder, plucking at the fabric of her shirt. Over time I had learned to fidget, to seem more human, but it was something that came as naturally to her as breathing and there was a certain allure about the way she moved just enough to seem animated.
Just as I glanced down to my watch once more, she brushed a piece of hair back behind her ear. I smiled and watched the second hand tick past forty seconds. Time seemed to slow to almost a stop as I sat there opposite her. I didn’t mind. Time had been going by far too quickly in recent years and it was nice to have a break from the rush. If I could freeze time, I would have done so in that moment, stretching it out into eternity.
Eighty seven, eighty eight, eighty nine.
I knew that by the time I’d reached a minute, her pulse count would be well over a hundred. I’ll admit that it gave me a sort of thrill to know I was causing that reaction in her, though. I knew that if my own heart were still beating, it would be doing so in time with hers. I suddenly felt a connection with Bella that I’d never experienced before and I was glad for the distance between me and Edward at that moment. He was hunting far enough away that my straying thoughts wouldn’t be audible.
As I held her wrist with my fingertips, I stroked a thumb over the back of her hand, feeling goose bumps rise on her arms in the wake of my touch. The second hand on my watch neared a minute and her heart rate neared a hundred and twelve. I watched as the hand crossed the twelve o’clock mark and as it did so, I released her wrist from my grasp, resting my own hand in my lap.
Glancing up at Bella, I smiled.
“A little bit fast,” I said softly. “Is there something on your mind?”
I realized belatedly that breaking the silence had been unnecessary. It had been more comfortable stretching between us than my words had been. Still, it had been said and I couldn’t revert to the way it was before, so I simply held Bella’s gaze, waiting, the question hanging between us. She seemed to pause and consider what I’d said.
“I guess I’m just nervous...” she replied quietly.
“Why are you nervous?” I asked, delving deeper.
She paused again. I reached out, gently placing a hand on her knee, hearing her heart skip a beat as her pulse picked up a little more. She seemed to almost withdraw into herself, even though she hadn’t moved. I shifted over on the couch so that I was closer to her. I could feel the heat radiating from her body, calling to me, tempting me. It had been a long time since I’d felt such a longing for someone other than Esme, but it was undeniable. I felt a pang of guilt at the thought, but I quickly repressed it.
I leaned closer, inhaling her scent, watching for even the smallest indication that the advance was unwelcome. I felt more than saw it when she moved, and to my surprise she was moving closer rather than further away.
“Y-you make me n-nervous,” she stammered, blinking rapidly.
I could almost feel the tension in her body; it was evident in the stiff way she held herself, and yet she didn’t resist as I brought a hand up to her face, resting it on her cheek. She swallowed, meeting my gaze, showing me the depth of the emotion behind her warm, brown eyes. Her heart skipped audibly and I laughed.
“Careful, Bella,” I joked quietly. “It wouldn’t do for me to stop your heart. Edward might have something to say about that.”
I wasn’t quite sure what to make of the sigh she gave in response to my words. I suppose it must have shown on my face because she shook her head a little before looking at me again.
“Don’t mention him,” she expressed. “I don’t want him to ruin this for me, too.”
Before I could speak, she’d leaned in and pressed her lips to mine. I closed my eyes, feeling the heat of her lips on mine, tasting the delicious, sweet flavour of her skin. She deepened the kiss, leaning into me and I took things into my own hands.
Leaning into her, I pushed her back against the arm of the couch, still kissing, exploring her mouth. I took one of her hands in mine, pressing it over her head to pin her down gently. I was close enough to feel her heartbeat through her chest against mine where my body rested against hers, but my fingertips sought out the pulse point in her pinned wrist regardless. I knew instinctively that this was what she wanted, just as I knew that she was in no danger of me losing control.
As the kiss deepened even further, my breathing became ragged, the rise and fall of my chest matching that of Bella’s. I could feel her pulse accelerating. One hundred and twenty. One hundred and thirty. One hundred and forty.
When it became almost too fast to count, I pulled away slowly, opening my eyes to look into hers as she fought to catch her breath. Her cheeks were flushed, her lips moist and swollen from the kiss. She looked lovely. I could feel her pulse rate slowly coming back down to baseline, evening out as she relaxed. I leaned in and pressed another, this time softer and much more brief, kiss to her lips before shifting around with her so she was cradled in my arms on the couch. I wrapped my arms around her chest and pressed one palm just above her left breast, over her heart. I knew that she’d caught on to what I was doing, but she didn’t seem to mind in the least.
“Am I going to live?” She asked, a wry smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
“I should think so,” I replied with a chuckle.
And with that, we lapsed into an amiable conversation punctuated with an occasional kiss. We were in no danger of being interrupted and all the while I had my hand pressed to her chest, feeling her life force beating beneath my palm. Though I no longer had a pulse, feeling Bella’s heartbeat pushing against my hand was enough to comfort me and allow me a taste of the humanity I’d once been able to call my own.
Please let me know what you think!
X-posted to twilightrarely and twilightawry.
Author: venus_fiction
Prompt: Pulse of the Apple a Day Bella/Carlisle fanfic/fanart challenge.
Genre: Romance
Rating: PG13
Word Count: 1556
Timeline: Random one-shot.
Spoilers: None.
Summary: Carlisle can’t rid himself of his fascination with Bella’s life force.
Disclaimer: Not mine, just playing in Stephenie Meyer’s sandbox.
Carlisle’s POV
I reached out, taking Bella’s wrist in my hand, watching as she shivered from my cold touch. I smiled apologetically, glancing down at my watch out of habit more than anything, not really seeing the second hand as it ticked away against the black face, past lines and numbers.
I could feel her eyes on me; wondering, questioning. The sensation, however, was drowned out by another. It slipped behind the intense fascination I felt at the sensation of her pulse surging beneath my fingertips. It wasn’t a new feeling to me. I’d felt it hundreds of thousands of times before, but never like this. It’d never been so personal, so intimate and familiar, yet at the same time so foreign.
The feeling of her heart beating against my fingertips was exhilarating. It was as close as I could get to mortality now that my own heart would never beat again. Once, twice, three times I counted, appreciating the steady rhythm of her heartbeat, so perfect: palpable, tangible.
Out of the periphery of my vision, I could see her squirming around where she sat, watching me intently. She held her arm still, though, observing with vague curiosity as I felt her pulse. I don’t think either of us was sure why I’d taken a hold of her wrist, but it didn’t feel the least bit awkward or out of place.
Bella was so warm and inviting. She was fragile, but at the same time I admired her strength and strong will. She would make a fantastic vampire. It was just too bad that after that I’d never get to feel her warmth again, or to hear her heart beating in her chest. Her scent wouldn’t be nearly as tempting, though I wasn’t sure whether that was a good or a bad thing. It was just one part of her that endeared her to me and I wasn’t afraid to admit that I would miss it.
Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen.
To be able to feel her blood rushing through her veins was incredible. It was a testament to her health, vitality and humanity. With each beat I could feel, I could hear it echoing in her chest, too. I wanted to lean my head in, to press my ear to her chest wall and listen to it more closely, but I didn’t want to make Bella uncomfortable. As it was, her heart was beating a little bit fast, a little bit fluttery; she was nervous already.
Looking up at her, I noticed that she had a delightful pink flush gracing her cheeks. She glanced away quickly, avoiding my eyes as I continued to hold her wrist. She’d crossed an arm over her chest and was absent-mindedly rubbing her opposite shoulder, plucking at the fabric of her shirt. Over time I had learned to fidget, to seem more human, but it was something that came as naturally to her as breathing and there was a certain allure about the way she moved just enough to seem animated.
Just as I glanced down to my watch once more, she brushed a piece of hair back behind her ear. I smiled and watched the second hand tick past forty seconds. Time seemed to slow to almost a stop as I sat there opposite her. I didn’t mind. Time had been going by far too quickly in recent years and it was nice to have a break from the rush. If I could freeze time, I would have done so in that moment, stretching it out into eternity.
Eighty seven, eighty eight, eighty nine.
I knew that by the time I’d reached a minute, her pulse count would be well over a hundred. I’ll admit that it gave me a sort of thrill to know I was causing that reaction in her, though. I knew that if my own heart were still beating, it would be doing so in time with hers. I suddenly felt a connection with Bella that I’d never experienced before and I was glad for the distance between me and Edward at that moment. He was hunting far enough away that my straying thoughts wouldn’t be audible.
As I held her wrist with my fingertips, I stroked a thumb over the back of her hand, feeling goose bumps rise on her arms in the wake of my touch. The second hand on my watch neared a minute and her heart rate neared a hundred and twelve. I watched as the hand crossed the twelve o’clock mark and as it did so, I released her wrist from my grasp, resting my own hand in my lap.
Glancing up at Bella, I smiled.
“A little bit fast,” I said softly. “Is there something on your mind?”
I realized belatedly that breaking the silence had been unnecessary. It had been more comfortable stretching between us than my words had been. Still, it had been said and I couldn’t revert to the way it was before, so I simply held Bella’s gaze, waiting, the question hanging between us. She seemed to pause and consider what I’d said.
“I guess I’m just nervous...” she replied quietly.
“Why are you nervous?” I asked, delving deeper.
She paused again. I reached out, gently placing a hand on her knee, hearing her heart skip a beat as her pulse picked up a little more. She seemed to almost withdraw into herself, even though she hadn’t moved. I shifted over on the couch so that I was closer to her. I could feel the heat radiating from her body, calling to me, tempting me. It had been a long time since I’d felt such a longing for someone other than Esme, but it was undeniable. I felt a pang of guilt at the thought, but I quickly repressed it.
I leaned closer, inhaling her scent, watching for even the smallest indication that the advance was unwelcome. I felt more than saw it when she moved, and to my surprise she was moving closer rather than further away.
“Y-you make me n-nervous,” she stammered, blinking rapidly.
I could almost feel the tension in her body; it was evident in the stiff way she held herself, and yet she didn’t resist as I brought a hand up to her face, resting it on her cheek. She swallowed, meeting my gaze, showing me the depth of the emotion behind her warm, brown eyes. Her heart skipped audibly and I laughed.
“Careful, Bella,” I joked quietly. “It wouldn’t do for me to stop your heart. Edward might have something to say about that.”
I wasn’t quite sure what to make of the sigh she gave in response to my words. I suppose it must have shown on my face because she shook her head a little before looking at me again.
“Don’t mention him,” she expressed. “I don’t want him to ruin this for me, too.”
Before I could speak, she’d leaned in and pressed her lips to mine. I closed my eyes, feeling the heat of her lips on mine, tasting the delicious, sweet flavour of her skin. She deepened the kiss, leaning into me and I took things into my own hands.
Leaning into her, I pushed her back against the arm of the couch, still kissing, exploring her mouth. I took one of her hands in mine, pressing it over her head to pin her down gently. I was close enough to feel her heartbeat through her chest against mine where my body rested against hers, but my fingertips sought out the pulse point in her pinned wrist regardless. I knew instinctively that this was what she wanted, just as I knew that she was in no danger of me losing control.
As the kiss deepened even further, my breathing became ragged, the rise and fall of my chest matching that of Bella’s. I could feel her pulse accelerating. One hundred and twenty. One hundred and thirty. One hundred and forty.
When it became almost too fast to count, I pulled away slowly, opening my eyes to look into hers as she fought to catch her breath. Her cheeks were flushed, her lips moist and swollen from the kiss. She looked lovely. I could feel her pulse rate slowly coming back down to baseline, evening out as she relaxed. I leaned in and pressed another, this time softer and much more brief, kiss to her lips before shifting around with her so she was cradled in my arms on the couch. I wrapped my arms around her chest and pressed one palm just above her left breast, over her heart. I knew that she’d caught on to what I was doing, but she didn’t seem to mind in the least.
“Am I going to live?” She asked, a wry smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
“I should think so,” I replied with a chuckle.
And with that, we lapsed into an amiable conversation punctuated with an occasional kiss. We were in no danger of being interrupted and all the while I had my hand pressed to her chest, feeling her life force beating beneath my palm. Though I no longer had a pulse, feeling Bella’s heartbeat pushing against my hand was enough to comfort me and allow me a taste of the humanity I’d once been able to call my own.
Please let me know what you think!
X-posted to twilightrarely and twilightawry.