A/N - Some major Paul/Erin bonding! R+R!
I shoved Embry away from me and ruffled my already messy hair. Jacob chuckled and wrapped his arm around my shoulders as we walked up the porch steps to Sam and Emily's. We'd spent the day with Jake in his garage working on Embry's new car. Well, they worked and I'd watched. I think if I touched anything technical it would blow up. I was about to follow Jacob through the door when Embry grabbed my hand and pulled me back onto the porch.
"What's up?" I asked. I down on the porch steps as he leaned against the rail.
"Me, Jacob and Quil are moving in together" he said.
"Awesome" I smiled. What's he getting at?
"Sam and Emily have said that you can stay with them as long as you want," he smiled, sitting down next to me and I nodded. "but I was wondering if you wanted to move in with me and the guys"
"Your serious?"
"Yep," Embry replied. "You don't have to if you don't want to, it's up to you. And we won't be moving in for another month or so anyway. But I just thought-"
"Embear. As cool as Sam and Emily are, you're my brother. I wanna be with you," I replied and he grinned. "But won't Quil and Jake mind me invading their bachelor pad?"
"Nah, their really cool with you being with us," Embry chuckled. "And Jacob will always be with Lita and Quil will be with Claire, so it'll probably end up being just us most of the time" I smiled and he ruffled my hair again.
"Leave the hair" I warned and he grinned, tugging me to my feet and pulling me through the door.
"Hey honey," Emily grinned. "Your just in time for dinner," As soon as the words were out of her mouth, all the guys ran out of the lounge and crowded around the table. "Ladies first" Emily smiled, playfully glaring at Quil as he went to sneak a sandwich off the platter.
"Go ahead" I said, after I'd picked a turkey sandwich off the tray. They all dove foreword, arms flying as they shoved each other out of the way. I stepped back quickly and my eyes widened. You'd think they'd never been fed. Emily saw my wide eyes and chuckled. The guys started filing back into the lounge with seven, eight, nine sandwiches apiece.
"Thanks Em" I smiled, grabbing my sketchbook and pencils off the side, and walking back out onto the porch.
"Shout me if you want anything honey" she called back and I smiled. Emily really was too caring sometimes. I sat back down on the steps, and took a bite out of my sandwich, looking out at the view surrounding me. My hand flew across the paper in front of me as my eyes flickered up at the woodland around the house.
"You okay?" I look up as Paul came and sat next to me, his tower of twelve sandwiches teetering slightly.
"Yeah," I smiled, looking back down at my drawing. "Just fancied some quiet"
"Embry never said you could draw," he said, looking over my shoulder at my sketch. "your really good"
"Not really," I shrugged as a blush rose up my neck.
"No, really. Your really good, Erin" Paul said earnestly and I smiled at him.
"Thanks" I offered him my sketchpad and he grinned, quickly flickering through the many sketches and doodles.
"What's your favourite thing to draw?" he asked and I turned my body to face him.
"Natural things. You know, flowers, tree's, animals," I relied and he smiled, his dark eyes focussing on mine. "I was thinking of asking Embry to let me draw him as a wolf"
"Why?" Paul chuckled, taking a huge bite out of one of his many sandwiches.
"You wolf's are gorgeous," I replied and he wiggled his eyebrows at me. "I meant in wolf form"
"Sure you did" he grinned and I rolled my eyes. I leaned back against the railing and I couldn't help but smile. Even though Paul was still Mr Weird, I felt like I'd known him my whole life.
"Why don't you ask to draw him as a human? Or is he too traumatising to look at?"
"Humans are difficult for me. Humans have so many dimensions to them, and I feel like if I don't get all of someone's personality into a drawing, then it doesn't look right" Paul nodded, watching my face intently and I giggled.
"What?"
"I feel like I've always known you, but I just….didn't know it. Like we've lived next door to each other our whole lives, but didn't realise" I blushed, looking down at my half eaten sandwich.
"I know what you mean" Paul grinned.
"Paul," We both looked up towards the door when Sam poked his head out. "Patrol"
"Right," Paul sighed and Sam's head vanished when Emily shouted his name. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Yep" I smiled. He watched me intently before kissing my forehead gently and walking towards the forest.
I yanked the brush through my slightly curly hair and bit my lip as another painful spasm passed over my abdomen. Brilliant. I looked at the mirror in front of me and my reflection smiled. The bruise around my left eye had gone, and the long bruises down my ribs were slowly turning a ripe yellow colour. I chucked the brush onto the dressing table and flopped down on my bed. Yep, my bed. Well, it was still odd obviously. Living in a house that wasn't my own with people I didn't entirely know. But I trusted Sam and Emily, and believe me that doesn't happen often. They genuinely seemed to care about me. Emily was really bubbly and caring, always making sure I ate my greens and went to bed at a sensible time. And Sam was more the brooding silent type, but his deadpan humour always had me on the floor laughing. And strangely enough, I felt more at home with them then I ever had with my mom. They were everything she wasn't. Welcoming, loving, kind. And even there house was everything mom's wasn't. Warm, cosy….safe. I looked down at the pile of clothing and random books and papers on the floor and winced. I guess I should actually make this place look like my bedroom. The mere thought of cleaning made me want to pout like a five year old, and another painful spasm swam through my stomach.
"Comfort food first. Cleaning second" I muttered, dragging myself out of bed and down the hall. The entire house was airily silent. After only being here for five days, I'd become incredibly accustomed to the racket that a pack of teenage boys could make. The house being silent was just….bazaar. Emily was grocery shopping, Embry, Jacob and Quil were hanging out with Lolita, Jared was with his girlfriend Kim and Sam, Paul and Seth were patrolling. I skipped over to the refrigerator and yanked it open, looking for the best comfort food ever.
"Come on, where are you?" I muttered, bending over and moving a plate of meat loaf to the side.
"Erin?" I swivelled round so fast I banged into the table and fell to the floor.
"Oh," I murmured, tipping my head to the side. "Hi Paul"
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to surprise you" he said earnestly, a look of worry etched across his face. I took the hand he offered me, and he pulled me gently to my feet.
"Don't worry about it. I'm stronger than I look" I smiled and he grinned impishly at me. My stomach tightened up in knots and I groaned, leaning against the table.
"Are you okay? Did you hit your head? What hurts?" Paul asked urgently, resting his hand on my arm.
"I'm fine" I blushed, digging my way through the refrigerator again.
"No your not. Your hurting," he sighed, standing next to me. "Please"
"I'm fine. Really" I winced.
"Why won't you tell me what's wrong?" he asked, the worry lines on his face deepening. "What are you doing?"
"I need chocolate" I muttered.
"Chocolate?," Paul frowned. "Why? What's wrong? Why do you need chocolate?"
"I'm fine. Just…," I sighed, shoving jars aside. "…give me a minute"
"Erin, I want to help-"
"I'm on my period!" I blushed furiously and slammed the refrigerator door shut.
"Ah," Paul nodded, his eyes slightly wide. "And you need chocolate because….?"
"It makes me feel better" God, could he be any more of a guy? I buried my face in my hands and turned away from him. I hate being a women. I heard him moving around behind me and I bit my lip. Great. He's doing a runner.
"Erin" he whispered and I looked over my shoulder at him. He'd laid a tub of chocolate fudge ice cream, a tray of chocolate chip cookies and huge slab of milk chocolate on the table. OMG.
"Paul…I…." I whispered. What do I say to this? I'm glad you didn't run away? Thanks, this'll really help my cramps?
"I want you to feel better" Paul said. I picked up the bar of chocolate and snapped off a piece.
"Thank you," I smiled and his impish grin returned. I took a bite out of one of the chocolate chip cookies and moaned. "Emily's?"
"Course" he chuckled, grabbing one of the tray.
"Erm…I'm gonna sort out my room. I guess I'll see you later?" I grabbed the tub of ice cream and a spoon out the drawer next to me.
"You want any help?" he asked, looking hopeful and I bit my lip. Alone in my bedroom with a massive buff guy who kept giving me strange looks?
"Sure" I replied, grabbing another spoon out the drawer. His grin filled up nearly half his face, and I couldn't help but grin back as I led him to my room. I instructed him to pin my photographs and random notes and quotes to a cork board, and his grin widened even more. If he grins anymore his face will crack.
"Great" Alright, Mr Weird. I sat on my bed and folded clothes neatly as he sat on the floor and delved through my photographs with abandonment. Yeah, I always thought going through people's old crap was fun too.
"Why are you and Embry with Sam's mom?" he asked and I looked over his shoulder. It was a picture of a women in her late twenties who was cuddling Embry and me close to her.
"I didn't know who it was. I just found it, and I just….it makes me feel happy even though I can't remember it" I sighed.
"It's okay," Paul smiled, engulfing my hand in his. "Maybe we should ask Sam about it?" I nodded and my eyes met the bright eyes of the women in the photo. "How old are you here anyway?"
"Erm…four or five I think" He nodded and pinned the photo on the middle of the cork board. The chances of Embry and Sam being related were increasing rapidly.
"So, what's your favourite colour?" Paul asked and I smiled. He was brilliant at changing the subject.
"Yellow" "Why?" I tipped my head to the side in concentration.
"Cause it's happy"
"How old are you?" I asked.
"Eighteen" Paul smiled and I nodded.
"And your fourteen"
"I'll be fifteen in three weeks" I don't know why I said that. But I felt the urge to…defend our age gap. We weren't even friends, yet I felt like I wanted him to…approve of me. We continued asking questions back and forth as we worked, and everytime I replied he looked at me in concentration as if locking the information away for further use. I stood up and shoved my hair into a messy bun when I'd filled the chest of drawers with all my clothes.
"Boyfriend?" His jaw tightened and I tucked my hair behind my ears.
"No," I replied. "I mean, I had a crush on Seth before, but that went away a couple of months ago" I didn't realise what I was saying until the words had left my mouth. My eyes widened and I covered my mouth with my hands. "I can't believe I just said that"
"Don't worry about it" he grinned, his eye twitching slightly. So, either he didn't like my answer or he was lying about something. Or both. I'd figure it out eventually, I always did.
"Girlfriend?" I felt my stomach swish round and I bit my lip. It's not like I cared if he had a girlfriend. I mean, come on! He was four years older than me, a friend of my brothers and way out of my league.
"Nah" Paul chuckled.
"Really?" I raised my eyebrows.
"You sound surprised"
"I am. I mean, what about Natalie Gilbert?" I asked, crossing my arms in front of my chest. Natalie Gilbert defiantly wasn't the type of girl to have a boyfriend, if you know what I mean. She was more the drop her panties and spread her legs type of girl. Well, maybe Paul liked girls like that. Not that I was bothered.
"We aren't together. We never have been. We just…" he trailed off and scratched the back of his neck.
"Fuck?" I offered and his eyes widened.
"Er….yeah"
"Paul, relax. Seriously. I'm fourteen not four. Jeez" I sighed and he grinned.
"I just don't want to say the wrong thing in front of you" he shrugged.
"Of course not," I grinned, flopping down on the floor next to him. "Heaven forbid you let the innocent little girl hear about fucking or blowjobs or bending girls over your car" His mouth dropped open and I just grinned.
"Sounds like you've been talking to Francesca Morton" Paul smirked and I laughed hysterically, clutching my side.
"Oh god" I panted, leaning against Paul's side as he chuckled.
"You don't like being treated like a kid, do you?" he asked.
"No. I mean I know I'm only fourteen, but I haven't felt like a kid in really fucking long time" I shrugged and he nodded.
"You've got an adult mind yet everyone treats you like a baby"
"Exactly" I smiled as he wrapped his arm around my waist and I looked down, suddenly realising what I was wearing. I had on a pair of Embear's black boxers and a white tank top knotted up at the back, revealing all my midriff. Hey, don't judge. If I'd known Mr Sexy was here, I would've put some proper clothes on. Wait, Mr Sexy? I thought Paul was Mr Weird. In the words of my biology teacher, Mrs Kimble, teenage girls really needn't to control their hormone's.
"Sorry" I blushed wrapping my arms around my waist, trying to cover as much of myself as possible. Paul looked confused for a second, before he let his eyes trail slowly down my body. His breath hitched and his eyes glazed over slightly, and I bit my lip. His eyes fell to my lips and I saw an emotion there that made me want to jump up and down and do a happy dance, then rip Mr Sexy's shirt off. Lust.
"You don't look fourteen do you?" His fingers tightened around my waist and I sighed, grabbing his hand and pulling it around to my front, resting it on my stomach. Paul gave me a questioning look and I blushed.
"Your really warm…it helps with the cramps" I whispered and he nodded, pressing his hand firmly against me. My earlier theory of him imprinting on me popped into my head, and I felt hope flutter in my chest. I'd only known the guy a few days, and here I was hoping I was his soul mate. I shivered and met his dark hooded eyes.
"You've got goose bumps" he whispered running his other hand up and down my arm. I pressed myself closer to his body, and he groaned. I felt sparks shoot from the tip of my head to my toes, and I had to fight down the urge to press myself even closer to him.
"Paul?" I asked.
"I'm sorry. I'm rushing you. Am I too close or-"
"No, no. I'm fine. I just need to ask you something," I replied and he nodded. "I've been thinking about this since I first met you, and I just…I need to know. And if I'm wrong, I'll look like a right guppy, but I don't care."
"What is it?" he asked, brushing my hair away from my face.
"Did you imprint on me?"
