Chapter Text
Bella Hickory Swan and Edward Rosemary Bullet Cullen stood near a peak of one of the highest mountains in the western U.S.
“You's faster’n a jackrabbit in July. Stronger than a buffalo. Yer skin’s whiter’n snow, and feels just like it, too. Yer eyes got that funny thing going on where they swap colors. And the way ya talk, it's funny. Like ya ain't from around here,” Bella Hickory Swan stated, listing off all of Edward Rosemary Bullet Cullen’s flaws. “You ain't got much of an appetite for supper— I ain't never seen ya at the saloon, neither. You ain't agreed to come to that little get-together because of where it was. B’cus o’ that treaty.”
This made Ed really upset. Edward Rosemary Bullet Cullen stood a little taller.
Bella continued. “And how old do you s’pose you are?”
“I’s about 17 years old.”
“Mm, and how long you been 17?” Bella asked.
“Long time,” Ed replied, switching the side of his mouth that his toothpick was in.
“I do declare, I think I know what y’are,” Bella muttered, taking off her cowboy hat. She straightened out her leather vest and messed with the tassels.
Edward moseyed on over, thumbs in his pockets, gun strapped to his thigh, and the spurs on his cowboy boots making a metal clinking noise as he did so. “Oh yeah? Spit it out, little lady,” he replied, taking the toothpick out of his mouth. He tipped his cowboy hat out of his face and stood in an accusatory stance, arms crossed across his chest.
“I reckon you's one o’ them bloodsucking fellers,” Bella casually replied, pointing at him. Her voice dropped an octave as she came a step closer. “It all checks out, don't it? You're a vampire, ain'cha?"
“...You shakin’ in your britches?” Edward asked, his voice low. He scoffed and put the toothpick back in his mouth.
“Ain't no way,” she replied, huffing a little bit.
Edward scoffed and let out a humorless chuckle. “Aw’right then, ask me the most basic thing about my kinda people: what do we have for supper?”
“I know you ain't gonna gimme any boo-boos, Ed. You're funny,” Bella Hickory Swan replied, not shaken by this new revelation.
“Mm, you think you know a wagon from a wheelbarrow, don’cha?” Edward Rosemary Bullet Cullen huffed, glaring at Bella. He grabbed her hand and practically dragged her up the mountain.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked.
“Up this here mountain, Beller. Outta this pea soup fog. I gots ta show you sumth’n. What happens when the sunlight hits a feller like me,” Ed replied dryly.
“But Ed! Naw!” Bella protested. “That there sunlight’ll burn ya up somethin’ bad— you’ll be as seered as a roast!”
“Hill o’ beans,” Edward said in response as they hiked up the mountain. “You need ta see this.”
Bella stumbled as he quickly walked up the mountain. “Hold yer horses!”
“Got the heebie-jeebies?” Edward asked again, pulling her into a clearing.
“I said ‘no’, Ed!” Bella Hickory reiterated, stamping her foot. The spurs on her boots clinked.
“Come with me, then, Beller. Someplace where there ain't no town sheriff. Where I could get my way with you like I've wanted since ya first came to this here town in yer little horse and buggy,” Edward Rosemary Bullet pleaded, walking closer, absentmindedly patting his gun.
“I ain't scared o’ you,” Bella scoffed.
“Should be.”