soft vampire (Yandere Twilight)

[13]

The hours had passed slowly, marked only by the steady rhythm of my rabbit's breathing as it slept in my arms. The house was quiet, with Carlisle and Esme staying near me for most of the time. They didn't say much, and neither did I, but their presence lingered in a way that felt heavy yet not oppressive. Every now and then, I glanced toward them, expecting them to leave or move to another part of the house, but they didn't. They stayed as if the room revolved around me and the rabbit.

Esme had shifted closer at some point, her movements slow and unthreatening. I hadn't noticed until she was seated directly beside me, close enough that her shoulder was almost brushing mine. It was strange being this near someone else. It wasn't bad, exactly, but it made my skin prickle with awareness. My focus stayed on my rabbit, its warm body curled against my chest.

"We haven't caught your name," Esme said gently, breaking the long silence. Her voice was soft as if she didn't want to startle me. "You know ours, so I think it's only fair we know yours."

The question made my stomach tighten. I lowered my gaze to the rabbit, my fingers brushing lightly over its fur. "I can't remember," I whispered, my voice quiet but steady. It was true. If I'd ever had a name, it was lost to me now, buried somewhere I couldn't reach.

Esme's expression didn't falter, but there was a faint flicker of something—concern? Pity?—in her golden eyes. "Well, that's not good," she said lightly, though her tone carried a thread of insistence. "We can't have that. You need a name."

Her words made me glance up at her, my brow furrowing slightly. "Why?" I whisper-asked, the question slipping out before I could stop it. I was starting to feel a little more comfortable speaking around them, though I wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because they were so calm, their voices never rising, their movements never quick or sharp.

Esme smiled faintly, tilting her head as if she'd been waiting for me to ask. "Because a name is important," she said, her tone gentle but firm. "It gives you something to hold onto. Something that's yours."

"I don't need one," I said quietly, looking back down at the rabbit. "It doesn't matter."

Carlisle, who had been sitting a short distance away, leaned forward slightly, his hands resting on his knees. "It might matter more than you think," he said, his voice calm and measured. "A name helps others know who you are, but more importantly, it helps you know who you are."

I frowned at that, unsure what he meant. I knew who I was. I didn't need a name for that. My rabbit didn't have a name, and it was fine. It was warm and soft and alive. Why did it matter so much to them?

Esme seemed to sense my hesitation, her smile softening. "It doesn't have to be anything complicated," she said gently. "Something simple, something that feels right. It doesn't even have to be your name forever if you don't want it to be."

I stayed quiet, my fingers still tracing over the rabbit's fur as I thought about their words. A name. Something to call myself. It felt strange, unnecessary. But Esme's voice was soothing, her words wrapping around me like a blanket I didn't realise I needed.

After a long moment, I looked up at her, my voice barely audible. "What do you think it should be?"

Her face lit up, her smile widening just slightly. "Hmm," she murmured, tilting her head thoughtfully. "Well, let's think about it together. What do you like? Do you have a favourite sound? A favourite word?"

I shook my head. I didn't know. I wasn't sure I had favourites at all.

Carlisle's voice joined hers, steady and quiet. "Maybe something simple, then," he said. "Something soft, like the way you care for your rabbit."

I glanced between the two of them, unsure what to say. Their kindness felt heavy, like they were wrapping me up in something I didn't understand. For a moment, I considered brushing the idea aside, retreating back into silence. But the warmth in their eyes made me pause. Maybe a name wouldn't be so bad.

2nd December 2024
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