┏━━━━⋆｡‧˚ʚ ❀ ɞ˚‧｡⋆━━━━┓

ITALY: TAKE TWO

BILLIE WAS HAVING A SEVERE CASE OF IMPOSTER SYNDROME.

Here she was, back in Italy for a second time, standing before a dozen vampires with regal attire that were quite literally thousands of years older than she was. She was like the new kid on the block, especially with her mind still clouded in a thick haze of disorder.

Billie didn't feel like herself, not one bit— and honestly, that was way scarier than waking up as a creature of the night.

The way Aro looked at her as though she was the literal sun helped, of course it did, especially when she could feel the full effects of their... bond, now. She wondered what it was like for him, to see her all those months ago when she didn't reciprocate any feelings at all, but the memories she uncovered that she and Aro shared provided her with useful glimpses of the before.

Though, the minute she'd seen him in the throne room this time around, she indeed felt this electric pull towards him. The thought of feeling this connected to another being was both exhilarating and frightening at the same time.

But boy, did it feel real. 

And she had zero fucking clue what she was going to do now.

A hand on her should pulled her from her train of thought, and she'd realized that everyone had left at some point. It was just the two of them, and the room suddenly felt significantly smaller. He was looking at her expectantly, as if he knew she had a million questions on her mind— and she did.

She would've thrown up if it still could. "I'm a vampire now."

"Yes, that's right."

"Are you gonna send me back?" she asked tensely, and though the location she was implying to be sent to was unknown to her, she knew she had to have come from somewhere— and in that somewhere, she was sure people were expecting her.

She was starving, to put it lightly, and the last thing she wanted to do was harm anyone. Vampires were killers, weren't they? Billie was not a killer, she wouldn't kill anyone back home.

Shit, where even was home?

Aro's gentle gaze hardened for a split second before it was gone entirely. "You are a newborn, Billie. You require a certain level of attentiveness that I fear you will not receive elsewhere," he explained to her, and she found herself nodding along. "They've condemned you to this life, and it is now my duty to keep you safe. Should you accept, of course."

They, being the other figures in her memories with him, surely. But underlying message was still clear to her: Billie was not some sort of prisoner here, and she could leave if she so pleased. However, he made it sound so unpleasant— why would she ever return to those who caused her death? She had dreams, did she not?

Why was everything so confusing now?

Yet, as much as Billie wanted to crawl out of her own skin, she couldn't deny the fact that a very real part of her wanted to physically glue herself to his very side. She wanted to be deep within his space that smelt of smokey incense and patchouli. She needed it, needed to be wrapped in it wholly.

"You promise?" she asked quietly, nervously.

"I am yours, as you are mine," he stated matter of factly, before tacking on a, "you have my absolute word, piccola."

It was blind devotion in its finest, purest form. Billie felt lightheaded almost, managing to muster up a shaky smile that she pointed in his direction. "Okay," she said, and it was clear that he revelled in her response. "Guess that could work."

His shoulders seemed to deflate in relief at that. "Magnifico," he responded with a light burst of laughter, right before he extended his arm out to her. "Let me show you your new home, amore." 

Billie grabbed his outstretched arm, allowing him to guide her on a makeshift tour of what was literally the Volturi's headquarters.

˚ʚ ❀ ɞ˚

"I need to touch your forehead... now, pretty please."

"Well hello to you as well, mia regina."

Billie's nose scrunched up at the blonde vampire's greeting, unfamiliar with what exactly she had called her. Though, she was familiar with the tone of sarcasm that the shorter blonde was using against her within said greeting, but Billie didn't have any time to waste.

Once Aro's tour concluded, Billie realizing that the other vampires were suddenly nowhere to be found (as though they'd been sent away... and they had), she stumbled upon the blonde vampire in a dim corridor, wearing the same black cloak that she was wearing just hours ago in the throne room. 

"It's like an itch I can't scratch," Billie grumbled out, anxiously thumbing at the side of her neck before she saw the vampire catch her movements, effectively making her hand drop to her side to avoid scrutiny. "I know I know you... but I can't figure it out."

The blonde girl tilted her head, internally recalling the scene she witnessed in the throne room herself. "A fascinating gift, indeed," she all but applauded, and the praise went straight to Billie's head, resorting in a bright smile. The other girl schooled her expression then, giving the newborn a nod. "As you wish; go for it."

With a grin of victory, she clamoured up to the girl and pressed her two fingers to her porcelain forehead like she'd done before. Eyes shifting to a dull crimson, Billie was transported to each and every time she and Jane had ever interacted. Their memories of one another were now swirling in her mind, and she stepped away with a toothy grin.

"What a turn of events this has been, Janey."

Jane grimaced, hands crossing over her chest. "I hoped that name wouldn't stick."

Billie clapped her hands together excitedly. "Oh, but it did!" she laughed, and she caught the faintest of smirks phasing onto the girl's face that vanished in the blink of an eye. "So far, this Italy trip has been way better than my last. I mean, no threats of death or despair, no parking troubles from Demetri, who is so forgiven by the way, no angry texts from my ma—"

The blonde Volturi girl watched in fascination as Billie's eyes unfocused, gaze drifting to the wall just beside where they'd been standing. She was in some sort of daze, and Jane waved a hand before her eyes. "Billie? What's the matter?"

Billie blinked, gaze settling back onto Jane as though nothing happened. "Sorry, I'm just—" she cut herself off with a shuttered sigh, a hand pointing to her temple as she frowned, "I'm missing things... I'm getting confused."

"Utterly normal," Jane tried reassuring her, even though she knew it wasn't. It was something she would have to bring to her master's attention, as it was a flashing sign for the fact that something must've happened to the girl right before her transition. "Have you fed?"

"Yeah," Billie replied with a harsh swallow, her throat feeling dry already. "Aro has people putting it into styrofoam cups cause I'm a little uncomfortable at looking straight at it... is that weird?"

Billie was squeamish as a human, Jane even knew that from the girl's nonstop ramblings, and it seemed like that had carried over to her undead life. Despite the frenzied hunger lingering in her very being, she still required blood to be out of sight and out of mind.

And it was certainly no surprise to Jane that her master had other coven members hunting on Billie's behalf just so she wouldn't have to face her fears, nor kill anyone just yet.

"Not at all," was Jane's calm reply. "You'll grow accustomed to it, I'm sure."

And although Billie didn't voice it aloud, she was scared that Jane would end up being right.

⋆｡‧˚ʚ ❀ ɞ˚‧｡⋆

[ wyn's note ]

billie is too good for this world i swear... my confused little sunshine fr

also duh aro is painting the cullens + bella out to be the bad guys... he's our morally grey pookie who just wants the best of the best for his boo (literally as he should)

this is a shoutout to all my babygirls. i see your comments ladies and they make me smile! i'm lurkin and i'm stalkin when you least expect it.

HAHAHHA no but really thanks for the support on this fic guys !!! you have all my love xx