Loving the enemy

Mixed emotions

Richter

I woke up with a massive headache. Trying to piece together hazy memories of last night to no avail "damn hangover." I muttered looking to my side, 'no charlotte.. that's odd, the suns been up for hours.' I think to myself, realizing Charlotte's not in bed next to me. I get up and walk down to the common room. I see Charlotte asleep on the couch her book tucked under her arm. sunlight peers through the window casting a soft glow on her pale skin, bits and pieces of last night kept popping into my brain, yet nothing seem to piece together, or make sense. I was lost in thought before I noticed a small ray of sun gradually moving; it hit Charlotte on her foot, she woke with a a startled hiss, bearing her fangs and snatching back her foot, followed by low groan of pain.. "owwww..o-oh hi richter." She smiles gingerly, attempting to hide her injured foot. " sunburn, huh?" I sit next to her. "Lemme see.." I say, reaching out my hand, gesturing for her foot. She tentatively put her foot out from under her nightgown and gently places it in my hand.  "It isn't the worst I've seen, you'll live." I smile. Charlotte chuckles. I take out the white strip of cloth that I had used as a makeshift headband. Gently wrapping it around her foot I finished by tying it tightly above her ankle, so it wouldn't fall off or damage her wound. "There, all patched up." I get up "thank you..." Charlotte says softly "y-yeah no problem." I mutter "I'm going back to sleep." Charlotte yawns "wait!" I almost yell, she jumps back, startled " there's sunlight in the hall let me walk with you so I can hold the blanket for you." I mutter "thank you that actually be really helpful." Charlotte says sheepishly trying to hide how tired she is. I walk her to her room and she gets into the bed. I exit the room and go back into the common room for a few minutes remembering that I have forgotten my whip upstairs. I walk past Charlotte's room where I hear her softly crying. Slowly opening the door " hey are you OK?" She sits up startled. "I-it's nothing." She says, attempting to hide the fact that she was just crying but to no avail.  "I can tell it wasn't 'nothing' Charlotte.." I walk over to her " why would you care? You've been avoiding me all week.. you haven't told me why. I don't even know what I did..." Charlotte says sadly. Taken aback by her remark I don't know how to respond. Without thinking, I begin to say stuff "I feel.... So.... Confused." " confused about what?" Charlotte asks giving me her attention "never mind. Tell me what's on your mind." I change the subject. "Today happens to be the anniversary of when I was turned into a vampire. When I was changed by Erzabet it wasn't just the change that was brutal, the torture physical and psychological that she gleefully made me endure. First she drains blood so that I'm just barely alive enough to watch as horror unfolds before my eyes suspend me on hooks through each arm I watched every member of my family gets slaughtered before my eyes, one by one, as I got turned, and I was helpless to do nothing, however at the time even though I was an aristocratic lady, assigned by birth, I was taught well in the arts of defense and offense, however, it was nothing against her, and in the end she won, and she took everything and she turned me into the thing I feared, and hated the most and the worst thing is over the last century I've come to love being in this body.. sickening isn't it?" Charlotte said, visibly disgusted with herself. I hadn't expected her to open up to me like this. I didn't expect her to have gone through what she went through knowing this changes everything. I wasn't thinking when I wrapped my arm around her waist. I wasn't thinking when I ran my fingers through her long, silky hair and looked deep into her glimmering pale pink eyes allowing myself to be mesmerized by her captivating gaze. Feeling lost in the moment I bring my hand up to caress her cheek, my thumb stopping to caress her bottom lip, I begin to lean in, but then something snaps me out of it and I back away. Not seeming to really pick up on what just happened, Charlotte smiles softly. " thank you Richter I feel better already." She lays back down on her side. I pat her shoulder and leave the room, my heart racing. I decided to go to the woods and take a walk. I need to think about a lot..

Charlotte

Last night

I watch the stars and the moon slowly move across the sky. Eventually I go back inside. I sit on the couch and eventually get comfortable with my book and then I drift off.

I get a rude awakening, though a ray of sun singes my foot and wake up in pain. I realize Richter was standing there, so I greet him. " sunburn, huh," he mutters "lemme see." he puts for his hand and I give him my foot. He looks at it for a second and then wraps it up in his headband. "It isn't the worst I've seen you'll live." he smiles at me in an attempt to cheer me up. He puts out his hand, asking me to give him my foot. Presenting my wound gently and wraps in the scrap cloth that was once used as his headband. I blush ' how embarrassing hopefully he doesn't notice.' I think to myself.  " they all patched up." Richter says, pulling me out of my thoughts. Feeling tired I look up at him. " thank you.." I say softly and get up starting to walk towards the room " wait!" Richter shouts feeling startled I must've jumped at least 3 feet " there's sunlight in the hall. Let me walk with you so I can hold the blanket for you." he says. Touched by his sudden concern " thank you that would be really helpful" I respond. Richter and I make our way to the room. I lay down and he departs, and for the first time in a long time I let myself cry and grieve today is yet another dismal memory, the anniversary of my turning. Feeling the memories overtake me. I don't realize Richter opened the door until I hear his soft concerned, voice " Hey are you OK?" he says, approaching me. I don't want him to see me like this. " it's nothing." attempt to to downplay my emotions, however, Richter sees my ruse.  "I can tell it wasn't 'nothing' Charlotte.." he says sternly he comes closer. I start to get frustrated. He hasn't spoken to me all week yet suddenly he feels that he's entitled to my innermost thoughts " why would you even care you've been avoiding me and you haven't even told me what I did.." I say, trying, and failing to keep sadness out of my voice. obviously caught off guard Richter stutters. " I feel.... so....confused..." he says, with the lost look in his eyes that he gets when he's deep and thought we're worrying about something. "confused about what?" I asked him. "never mind tell me what's on your mind." he obviously doesn't want to talk about it, so I just go with it. Richter has never given me a reason to not trust him in the past so I willingly tell him how I feel and why. "Today happens to be the anniversary of when I was turned into a vampire. When I was changed by Erzabet it wasn't just the change that was brutal, the torture physical and psychological that she gleefully made me endure. First she drains blood so that I'm just barely alive enough to watch as horror unfolds before my eyes suspend me on hooks through each arm I watched every member of my family gets slaughtered before my eyes, one by one, as I got turned, and I was helpless to do nothing, however at the time even though I was an aristocratic lady, assigned by birth, I was taught well in the arts of defense and offense, however, it was nothing against her, and in the end she won, and she took everything and she turned me into the thing I feared, and hated the most and the worst thing is over the last century I've come to love being in this body.. sickening isn't it?" I chuckled dryly disgusted with myself. Richter looks at me with newfound understanding. Catching me off guard, he suddenly wraps his arm around my waist. He smiles softly and runs his fingers through my hair. Not knowing what to think I stare at him blushing. Richter sapphire, blue eyes, gaze into mine. I feel his warm hand, caress my cheek, and his thumb rub against my bottom lip. I blush darker as he leans in. I don't know what to expect. I don't know what to do but before I can think about anything, he pulls away and acts like nothing happened. For a second I feel relieved, but then I feel disappointment for some reason. attempting to hide it I say " thank you Richter I feel better already." I smile at him. I lay back down on the comfortable bed, trying to analyze what had just happened Richter Pats on the shoulder and exits the room, leaving me alone, alone with my thoughts and my heart racing. Eventually, after tossing and turning a while, I fall asleep, but part of me wishes Richter was right there next to me.

(authors note: hey guys, sorry about the short hiatus!! Hope this chapter makes up for it!!)