The Edge

Skating the Edge

They sat like that for a few minutes, breathing softly as Bella rested in Alice's lap. However, as Bella found her eyes beginning to flutter shut, she realized that she would have to move or else she would fall asleep in Alice's arm. And, while falling asleep in Alice's arms was delightful, she wanted to talk to her friend and enjoy her company for a bit before that happened.

"Alice," Bella said seriously, pulling back from the lovely brunette enough that she could see her face.

"What is it?" Alice asked softly, her hand reaching out to touch Bella's face as her eyebrows crinkled in concern.

"You," Bella began concentrating very, very hard to keep her voice somber as she looked at the lovely creature in front of her. "You love me for more than my body heat, don't you?" Bella continued forcing a curious and vulnerable note into her voice.

Alice's eyes narrowed at Bella as she realized that she was being had, and Bella bit down on her bottom lip to stop herself from breaking out into a wide grin. Alice was adorable when she acted disgruntled. It really should have been illegal for someone to look so cute when they were being disagreeable.

"Not this moment I don't," Alice grumbled good-naturedly, a smile touching her lips as she placed both of her hands on Bella's torso, pointedly warming them up. "But I'll forgive you because you're adorable, and smell really, really good," she went on, inhaling discretely.

"I'm not adorable," Bella protested, pouting in the most adorable fashion. Alice was adorable, she was just ... Bella, plain and ordinary.

"You are!" Alice exclaimed happily, pointing an elegant finger in Bella's direction. "That," she pronounced, "was extremely adorable. Really," Alice said, her voice lowering as she became more serious, "you're cute as a button," she pronounced extending her hand until her cool fingers brushed against Bella's cheek.

She let them rest there for a second, enjoying the feel of Bella's soft skin, and then her fingers moved and began to lightly pinch the soft flesh, as a smile broke out across her face.

Bella flushed and lifted her hand. She wrapped her fingers around Alice's wrist and tried to muscle her hand away, but Alice's arm was immovable, steady and solid as a brick wall. However, even after determining this, Bella continued to struggle, and eventually Alice began to giggle at her futile attempts.

Bella removed her hand and pouted again, staring at Alice with a disgruntled expression. Alice's eyes were alight, and a sound escaped her throat that Bella could only describe as 'cooing'. Bella sighed, realizing that Alice also found this display this display to be precious. She could not win.

"Okay, stop teasing," Bella sighed finally, marginally pleased when Alice lowered her hand. "We both know that I'm the human equivalent of beige, so we can stop with the adorable talk," she continued shifting uncomfortably as she looked down at her lap.

She was fairly certain that Alice wouldn't find sulkiness adorable.

"Bella," Alice said softly, "look at me, please," she continued when Bella continued to stare at her lap.

When Alice spoke so softly, with that sweet, melodic, angel voice of hers, Bella was powerless to resist her, and reluctantly, she raised her head.

"There is absolutely nothing beige about you," Alice said, taking Bella's hands in hers as she spoke. "You are lovely," Alice breathed out, "so lovely," she added almost as an afterthought, her voice hitching slightly as she spoke. "Utterly and completely alluring," she went on blinking rapidly, "never think otherwise."

Bella breathed in, the emotion in Alice's voice touching her deeply. She knew that it was utter hogwash, that compared to Alice and Edward and Carlisle, and especially Rosalie that she was practically a troll, but it warmed her heart to hear Alice say otherwise with such conviction. In fact, with Alice holding her hands so sweetly, speaking in that soft, quivering voice, Bella felt beautiful, and for a second almost believed that she was.