The Other Twin

28

Rory's POV -
After the hour of Art and sketching I'm pretty sure I've mostly wrapped my head around the things they told me at lunch. I have sort of put all that's left in a box and locked it away for later, but the rest of it is somewhat processed. I'm slightly annoyed that Addy didn't tell me she was 16, but it's fine. I'll get over it in a few minutes. Edward meets me outside the classroom.
"Do you want to do this?" he asks.
"Only if you do."
"You're not completely freaked out?"
"I had that in my head an hour ago. I think I'm good."
"There's kind of a round 2. You sure you're ready."
"Yes."
We walk out the ripped fence and through the forest. We walk past the logs and go further in, to a place I've never been. There's a lake, with sunbeams that's poking through the clouds reflected off the surface. It's beautiful and I can't believe I've never been before.
"Where has this place been for the months I've been here?"
"Number 32."
"What?"
"It's number 32 on Addy's Artistic number list."
"You use that too!"
"It's a good system."
"Okay then."
"So. I'm a vampire. You know that. And vampires have mates."
"I know."
"You do?"
"Yeah. I've read fanfic."
"Okay. Well, everyone, even humans have soulmates. But generally only supernatural creatures actually find them, as the are built to find them. Wolves imprint-"
"Wait. Werewolves are real!"
"Kind of. You didn't think vamps were the only supernatural creature, did you?"
"I mean. It makes sense, but I just hadn't got that far."
"Well, we can smell our mates. We have a great sense of smell that leads us to them. Some people spend years and years trying to find them. Others find them nearly immediately. Clearly most of my family have found theirs. It took Carlisle around 250 years to find his mate. Russell took two years to find his. Emmett found his immediately because Rosalie and Russell found him dying. It took Klaus four years and Rosalie twenty to find each other. And it took me just over a hundred years to find you. "
"Me."
"You're my mate, Rory. You're the person I'm destined to find and love and cherish."
"I had a feeling this was what this conversation was going to be. But I just don't think it could be me."
"Why not?"
"Because you're so brilliant. And perfect. And too good to be mine."
"Why would you think that? You're beautiful. And smart. And have a cute blush whenever you get embarrassed. And have a smile that could melt ice. Your laugh is the greatest thing in this world. Your fantastic."
I blush. He kisses my temple. I lean into his hug.
"I like you. A lot. I think I'm falling in love with you," he tells me.
"I think I'm falling in love with you too."
We sit with his arm around my waist for a while.
"Did you never wonder why my family was so weird?"
"I mean, I thought you were very cold. But I didn't want to pry. If you didn't tell me, you probably had a reason. I have no right to demand you tell me."
He laughs.
"What!"
"It's just. You're perfect."
"You're just saying that."
"I'm my eyes you're perfect."
"Not as perfect as you."
"More perfect."
"Impossible."
"Completely true."
"Don't lie to yourself."
"I'm not."