𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐄𝐍:
𝖲𝖼𝖺𝗋𝗌

ELOISE STOOD IN THE SHOWER as the water streamed down her face down to her body, the dirt washed down to the ground towards the drain. Using a loofah, she scrubbed her skin rather roughly, focusing on the bite mark on her arm.

As if scrubbing it harshly would ever remove the permanent mark on her arm.

Insecurities then started to creep in, bloody bite marks again.

It irritated her when she thought she finally accepted herself, especially her body, that it could easily make her feel so...self-conscious.

It took her decades to accept the permanent scars on her body, but one event could break down the confidence she had built for herself.

Turning off the shower and wrapping her golden blonde hair in the towel and another wrapped around her body, she steps out of the shower and walks towards the bathroom mirror.

She looked at herself intently, her eyes tracing her collarbone to her shoulder, her hands soothing her bare arms. Wherever her eyes linger on her skin, she sees a silver scar plastered across everywhere.

She frowns, gods, I hate feeling like this.

Eloise hears Jasper's upcoming footsteps, and she clears up all the negative emotions she's been feeling.

Jasper leans in the doorway, crossing his arms to his chest, his feature softening as he says, "You don't have to hide what you're feeling from me."

"I know," Eloise mutters quietly.

Jasper steps forward towards her, looking at the mirror, their eyes meeting. Jasper smiles at her tenderly.

All self-consciousness she felt suddenly turned into confidence in how much Jasper looked at her as if she was a goddess.

Jasper traces his finger on her shoulder, to her collarbone, then to her arms, "I love every scar on your skin, so don't ever think that it will make me love you less." He encased Eloise in his arms, hugging her from behind.

"You know me too much." Eloise muses as she looks up at him with an adored smile on her angelic face.

"I'll spend the rest of our lives knowing every part of you," Jasper replies as he places soft kisses on her shoulder blade.

"I hear Bella and Edward are getting married," Eloise tells him with a tilt of her head, looking at him curiously.

"Edward proposed two nights before the fight," Jasper tells her, and Eloise hums. "I thought marrying at the age of eighteen isn't much of a standard in this century."

"Bella is a bit excited about turning into one of us."

"Are you sure she's actually willing to get married? From experience, I was quite horrified by my engagement. I can admit that I'm quite glad that I...died?" Eloise laughs as a hand goes to her mouth, covering her laugh. Jasper shakes his head with a chuckle escaping his lips.

"She's very willing, darling," Jasper tells her as he buries his head to the crane of her neck.

"Odd. I would be terrified of being married that young. Eighteen, she's practically a fetus of adults." Eloise chuckles as Jasper squeezes her softly in his hold, unwrapping his arms. He pulls away, placing a kiss on her cheek, and shoving his hand in his pockets.

"Get dressed. I'll get you a blood bag." Jasper tells her, and Eloise smiles at him. She was proud of Jasper for overcoming the bloodthirst. He told her that he spent the time away from Forks volunteering in a hospital with Carlisle. He didn't want to repeat the events that happened during Bella's birthday party.

Eloise dressed and dried her hair, and Jasper walked toward her with a blood bag at hand. He hands it to her as Eloise uncaps it, taking a slow sip. Jasper watched her intently, with the blood bag reaching half its portion. Elois looks at Jasper as she recalls what Cordelia said in their last conversation.

"Human blood might just do good for him."

Eloise then offers the blood bag to him, and he shakes his head, confused, as she explains. "Animal blood does not allow you to reach your peak potential or have complete control over your abilities. You can manage your ability to the point where you can dull the emotions around you so they don't influence you severely if you drink human blood once a month. Bloodlust is a strong emotion for you, Jasper; you experience it daily. Drinking human blood once a month can help you manage yourself and better grasp your abilities."

Jasper pondered for a while as he took in Eloise's information. Even though he has control of his blood lust, it doesn't mean he can control his family's blood lust. Every minute spent with them. He was hanging over a cliff of losing control. They all felt peckish when Bella is in the house.

Thinking through his gift, he never did have a grasp of his abilities as before. When he was drinking human blood when he was in the Mexican Coven, he had a tight grip on his ability. He can easily control and manage it, but when he switched to animal blood, he felt his grip loosen over the decades, and he didn't like it all, as if he was mismanaging himself.

"I'll help you throughout, love, and always help you." Eloise encourages as Jasper nods in agreement. Eloise places the tube into his lips as she softly says, "Slowly."

Jasper took a sip. As the liquid contacted his tongue, he missed this taste, the sweet smooth, nectar-like taste of blood. Jasper closed his eyes, trying to focus instead of letting his instincts take over.

Eloise then smiles proudly, "That's it, you're doing a great job, love." placing a hand on his head, her fingers combing through his hair soothingly.

Until the blood bag was empty, taking in his last gulp, Jasper opened his eyes, which were topaz before now blood red.

"How do you feel?" Eloise questions, her hand on his cheek, thumb soothing his face. Jasper grins. After decades of losing touch with managing his abilities, he felt great, fantastic even.

Jasper suddenly lifts her as they twirl around. Eloise laughs, placing both hands on her shoulder. Jasper stops as he looks at Eloise with gratitude, "Thank you, El."

"You don't have to thank me, silly," Eloise says as she hops back down on the ground.

"Then let me thank you for being in my life," Jasper says, placing both hands on her cheek, Eloise leaning in his touch.

"We have eternity together, love."

"And I'm looking forward to spending every second of it with you."

Author's Note:
- I really did not understand why Jasper had to stick with the diet? So I changed it. Gosh, I love being a fanfic writer.