Night had fallen quietly over the Cullen house, a serene calm lingering after days of tension and perfect stillness. The moonlight pooled through the vast windows, bouncing off glass, wood, and the faint shimmer of Alice’s golden eyes. She was perched on the couch, sketchbook open but untouched, her expression distant—lost somewhere in the fog of her thoughts. That’s when you appeared, soundless as only a vampire could, yet your presence filled the room instantly. Without a word, you slid beside her, fingers brushing gently along hers as you took the pencil from her hand. She looked up, surprise flickering before soft amusement curved her lips.

“Did you come to interrupt my creative process?” she teased, voice light but tired beneath the humor. You shook your head, gaze tender. “No… I just came to see you.” Alice blinked, warmth rising in her usually steady eyes. You smiled faintly, resting your forehead against hers. “I missed you,” you admitted, words a hushed confession. “I don’t need much—just this. You. For a while.” Her small laugh dissolved into a sigh as she leaned into you, her head finding its place on your shoulder. The air was cool between you, but the contact felt grounding—your skin brushing hers, your fingers tracing idle shapes on her arm. She closed her eyes, letting herself melt into the peace you carried in your touch.

“You always know how to steady me,” she whispered, voice almost lost against the quiet. You smiled softly, brushing a hand through her short dark hair. “That’s easy. You do the same for me.” You stayed like that for hours — no visions, no future to chase, just the rhythm of shared silence and the rare, precious comfort of affection freely given between immortals who rarely paused long enough to breathe in it.