1921, Pittsburgh

[themidnightson]

Afternoon class was canceled on the account of a power failure on their floor.

They'd been asked to wait the first half hour while someone tried to fix it, but then they'd been sent home with a time table for when the lecture would be reconvened and the promise of it being fixed tomorrow. Though what the speaker was thinking was that he was promising phone calls tomorrow if the problem hadn't been handled and that someone was going to lose their job over it and hopefully it wasn't him.

With no need to stop anywhere else, Edward went home.

Comments

[ofthefamily]

"So? That's my prerogative."

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

"So basically what you're telling me is that you make the rules and Edward and I have no say in them?"

[ofthefamily]

"I was trying to be nice you -- what do you want from me?"

[themidnightson]

"Neither of you should be shouting so loudly over as inane a subject as whether I do or don't want to own trivial mementos."

That would be Edward in the doorway, text book and half filled pad of paper in hand, doing his best to ignore what actually was rolling off both of their minds.

"I believe that is my choice."

[ofthefamily]

Carlisle gives Esme a sort of snarl. See?




Sorry, Edward.

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

Esme glares back at Carlisle.

"I'm sorry, Edward. I just want to ensure you're being treated fairly."

[ofthefamily]

"You are not the arbiter of fairness here, Esme -- "

You aren't either, Carlisle.

It's only the thought that calms him. Minutely. "Do not presume to know me like that," he responds through a clenched jaw.

[themidnightson]

"It's fine, Carlisle." Edward's expression is calmer than anyone elses, but his voice is still. It lacks in suggestion with it's hard edge.

What would he say if he could? Carlisle invited this into their lives and Edward is doing the best to make it work for him.

His glance shifted to Esme, "If it will help matters, leave me a catalog and I'll pick out things to match with your plans for the room."

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

Esme decides to ignore Carlisle.

"Why don't you pick some things you like and then I'll use them as a basis for decorating," she says to Edward.

[ofthefamily]

"Do I at least get to know what you've already done to my room?" Carlisle interjects.

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

"I hung curtains."

[ofthefamily]

Stiffly, "A joy, I'm sure."

Carlisle moves between and around both Edward and Esme, walking down the hallway and shutting his door behind him when he disappears into the bedroom.





"They're not horrific."

[themidnightson]

Edward watched them, the urge to sigh suppressible.

He had agreed with too many things in this conversation already.




"I'm going to go back to my homework if you two are back to being civil."

[mamavamp.livejournal.com]

"Thank you for your assistance, Edward," Esme says. "I'll be in my room."

[ofthefamily]

Yes, thank you for your assisance, Edward, Carlisle parrots in his own mind, more a commentary on Esme than any sort of snide remark to Edward.

All I did was come home. Good lord.