Valentine hangover

Edward Cullen was distracted.

It wasn't often he was distracted; his concentration would slip when Alice was prattling about dresses when there were psychotic murderers on the loose, maybe once or twice in class when he was hungry. Other than that, his concentration was damn near infallible.

"…Edward? Did you even hear what I said?"

He snapped out of his reverie and focused on his adoptive father's amused gold-colored eyes.

"Of course." Edward lied smoothly. He quickly scanned Carlisle's mind, only to discover that he had been thinking about…buttercup yellow hydrangeas.

Edward blinked.

Carlisle looked apologetic. "I wanted to prove that you weren't listening. I'm afraid buttercup yellow hydrangeas came to mind first."

Edward spluttered indignantly. Then mentally berated himself for spluttering. Cullens did not splutter. Spluttering was for people who weren't the very epitome of grace, for…

Certain female shape shifters after he kissed them.

Edward shook his head as another haze of distraction threatened to overtake him. He looked at his devious father, who looked beyond amused. God forbid that he would be sympathetic, Edward brooded. "Just tell me what it is, Carlisle." He demanded, grumpily.

"Yes. Well, we were considering a change of layout in Alice's new wedding." Carlisle said, semi-soberly.

Edward's eyes widened. "Alice is getting married again?"

Carlisle nodded, that infuriating hint of a smirk still on his lips.

"Nobody ever tells me anything!" Edward raged, springing to his feet dramatically. "My own sister is getting married, and this is how I find out?"

Carlisle was smirking outright, which only served to heighten his adopted son's irritation. "Actually, it was all Alice was talking to you about this morning."

"Oh." Edward's shoulders slumped, before the need to bang his head against a wall overcame him. "She was thinking about the Kenyan constitution when I checked her mind."

I talked to her for two hours about the Kenyan freaking constitution, Edward realized. What was wrong with his family? Why couldn't they think about what they were talking about? It was one of those habits they all had to catch him on the rare occasions he wasn't listening.

He glared unhappily at Carlisle, whose grin had reached Cheshire proportions. Since when had he embraced the Dark(er) Side?

There was a clatter down the stairs, and Alice and Jasper appeared, looking ridiculously happy. They spotted him, and Alice groaned. "What now?"

"Edward is having a tantrum." Carlisle said, and Edward sulked. "Apparently, you weren't kind enough to inform him about your upcoming nuptials."

Alice giggled. "I love East African politics so much more."

Edward gave her a frosty stare, which affected her not at all. She made a peace sign with her hand, and yelled, "INDIA!"

"What?"

"We're having our wedding in India, brother dearest." Alice said, sweetly. Edward looked incredulously at Jasper, who had seemed sane enough. Not quite, apparently. He grinned and gave Edward the thumbs up. "Think about it: exotic location, carefree people, with a couple of tigers, maybe."

Edward was unenthusiastic.

"Leah in one of those skimpy saris." Alice said, flatly.

Edward felt his interest return to the conversation, especially when Alice mentally visualized the sari. "When are you planning on having it?"

Alice's lips curved upwards in an expression of utmost wickedness. "You're so whipped."

Edward scowled at her, and turned to Jazz. "Just tell me when it is."

Jasper shrugged, and Edward had the feeling that the blonde vampire was fighting down a grin with all his might. "As soon as everything's ready. Tickets, location, clothes, invitees."

"Maid of honor!" Alice shrieked. "We're thinking, Leah would be effing perfect."

"You're telling me you want Leah to be your maid of honor?" Edward echoed, incredulously. "You know she's against organized ceremonies!"

"Rubbish." Alice scoffed, in her fake British accent that always managed to drive Edward up the wall. "Being maid of honor is a big thing in any girl's life."

The bottom dropped out of Edward's world. His bright, intelligent sister was a moron. "Have you even met her?"

Carlisle raised a hand. "Think of it this way, Edward: if you agree to ask her, you can leave now."

Edward blinked. What was with Carlisle, anyway? Since when was he so manipulative?

"I think I will." With that, Edward swished grandly out the door.

*(*)*(*)*(*)*(*)*(*)

"Stop pacing. 'M fine."

Edward stopped abruptly. "I'm not pacing." He argued. He'd just stopped walking because it obviously upset Leah, and you shouldn't upset sick people. "And if you're fine, you should get out of bed. It's a beautiful morning."

A sniffle came from under the mountain of blankets. "I hate you."

He huffed. "The whole kissing in the rain thing was your idea."

"It was Valentine's." Leah's face appeared from the edge of the bed, appearing adorably groggy. Not that, of course, this highly lethal shape shifter was adorable. She was more likely to be out for blood lest she suspected that Edward thought she was adorable. It was just that she had a red nose and bright eyes and looked so…cute. "I wanted something special."

"Well, you have a temperature about seven degrees higher than usual, or so your mother told me. That special enough?" Edward wasn't whining. Certainly not. He was an enigmatic vampire, and enigmatic vampires didn't whine. He was merely stating a fact.

"You always knew I was hot." Leah said weakly, smiling a little. "Besides, you're cute when you're worried."

Edward's indignation level skyrocketed. "I'm not worried."

"But you are cute." Leah coaxed.

This conversation didn't seem to be going anywhere, so he leaned down and kissed her softly. They never had much time for these gentle kisses, for romance or genuine affection, theirs was a desperate struggle for time to be together.

He gently traced the outline of her lips with her tongue, and she broke off, sucking oxygen frantically. Edward couldn't help a chuckle.

"Shut up." She glared at him balefully. "You shouldn't cut off my air supply."

He tried to control his smile. "Now who's totally cute?"

She pouted, and damn if that wasn't the sexiest thing he'd seen in the long years of his life.

That reminded him.

"There's something I have to ask you." He said, and she narrowed her eyes at him. "Um...You see, the thing is, Alice loves weddings in weird places, once it was in Bali and wasn't that awkward when the sun came out and we had to beat a hasty retreat, detailed wedding dress and all, and I don't even know whether they've got the sunlight issue settled this time 'round, and-"

"Edward." He trailed off mid-sentence inquiringly. "You're babbling."

"I am not."

She nodded emphatically. "You so totally are. When did you get so adorable?"

He scowled. She laughed, and slipped her fingers into the spaces between his. "Come on. What did you want to ask me?"

He stared at their linked hands. He wondered whether he had felt so ridiculously happy before. He met her luminous silver eyes and said, "I love you."

She smiled. "I love you too, but what did you want to know?"

"Oh. That. Well, Alice is getting married again, and wants you to be her maid of honor." He looked at her hopefully. "Think about it. I hear India –that's where it's going to be- is really romantic, and besides, Alice must really like you, because this is a big deal for her, and…"

She placed a finger on his lips, her mouth curved upwards. "Babbling again." She reminded. "Of course I'll be her maid of honor."

"But- but-" Edward was speechless. "You hate weddings."

She shrugged. "Mainly because they used to remind me that another couple was off to their happy ending, leaving me behind. Now, I have you." She said, simply.

He kissed her again on the forehead, his golden eyes sparkling. "You have no idea what that means to me."

She smiled, then her expression grew wistful. "Stay with me?"

He kicked off his shoes, and got under the covers. She gave a satisfied sigh, and snuggled into him. He stroked her hair softly. "Forever." He promised.

Author's note: Aww. Don't you just absolutely love them? This is kind of a fluffy break away from my other fic, which is so complicated my brain is trying to gnaw its way out.

Thoughts?