December Prompt #24: Snuggles
"Can we please open the presents now?" Brady whined, bouncing on the couch like a six-foot-tall chipmunk hyped up on crack. Paul grimaced when Brady almost trampled over his feet in his excitement. "Please, Paul, please? Please? Please?"
Paul rolled his eyes and shoved Brady away with a swift kick to the back of his knee. "Behave, pup, or else no presents."
Brady fell onto his knees next to the small coffee table, but the grin on his face didn't waver. He just jumped up to his feet and climbed back onto the couch, purposely stepping on Paul's foot this time. Paul snarled and was ready to wrestle the obnoxious kid off the couch when Bella entered the room with Collin in tow, both of them holding large trays stacked with Christmas cookies.
"Food!" Brady howled, scrambling off the couch and trampling over Paul's feet to get to the cookies. "Bella, you're awesome and I love you!"
Bella laughed and placed the tray on the table before picking two of the largest cookies and handing one to each boy. "I love you too, Brady, but unfortunately, you can't eat more than one for now. You can have them with the rest of the pack when they get here."
"Can't I have one more?" Brady begged, pouting down at Bella.
Knowing his imprint would probably hand one more to Brady, Paul cleared his throat and said loudly, "One is enough, Brady."
Brady opened his mouth to retort, but Collin said, "Shh, Brady, do you want to get the presents or not?"
Brady quickly closed his mouth, and Paul let out a sigh of relief. Thank God for small mercies.
Bella walked over to sit on the other end of the couch, but Paul sat up and pulled her onto his lap. She giggled but didn't attempt to move away, so he considered that a win. Once Collin had sat down on the other couch and was halfway through his cookie, Bella clapped her hands to get the boys' attention and announced, "Okay, it's time to open the presents!"
Collin and Brady screamed as they shot off the couch and sprinted towards the tree in the corner. They howled with delight when they grabbed the handful of gift-wrapped presents Bella and Paul had bought for them. Collin cried, "I can't believe we're getting presents! This is awesome!"
The scent of tears wafted to his nose, and Paul glanced down at Bella, who was already sniffling and rubbing her nose. He lowered his head and kissed the top of her head. "Please don't cry—you know my wolf starts getting antsy when you cry."
"I'm fine, I'm fine," she mumbled, blinking away her tears. Collin and Brady had paused what they were doing and were looking at her worriedly, so she gave them a watery smile and said, "Guys, I'm fine, I promise. I was just… You just said this is the first time you're getting presents… I got a bit choked up, that's all."
Paul noticed the soft smile on Collin's lips as he gazed at Bella for a few more moments before he returned to counting his presents. Paul tightened his hold on Bella to comfort her; he knew she was probably thinking about going off to find the boys' parents and giving them a piece of her mind.
Just then, Brady distracted Bella by ripping through the first box and pulling out a pair of fingerless gloves. He let out an inhuman screech before he tried them on, flexing his fingers and holding his hands up to inspect them. He sobbed out, "I fucking love these!"
"Brady, language!" Bella cried out, gasping with shock.
Paul pursed his lips to hide his grin, thinking about how Bella would have freaked out about how much Brady actually swore in the pack mind. She thought of them as her babies, but the truth was that only Collin was innocent—well, innocent enough—while Brady was not.
"Sorry," Brady said quickly, giving her a sheepish smile that seemed to melt her heart. "I just really, really love these! Thank you!"
"We're glad you like them," Bella said for them both. Paul only grunted and nuzzled Bella's shoulder, enjoying her sitting on his lap. She then glanced at Collin, who was carefully peeling back the wrapping paper, and asked, "Collin? What are you doing?"
"Leave him. He likes collecting the wrapping paper for later," Paul said, rolling his eyes when Collin blushed at his explanation. Bella only smiled and nodded in understanding.
Brady ripped open his other present and let out a bark of laughter. "Is this what I think it is?" he asked, his eyes wide with excitement as he held up the small homemade book. "Are these the coupons I asked you for, Bella?"
"Yes, they are," she answered with a laugh. "I thought you'd like them."
Brady was already flipping through the small book. He grinned and read out loud, "One extra treat before bedtime, sleepover at the Clearwaters', ice cream night, buy me an extra burger, help with my homework, breakfast in bed, one Brady-Bella day, one Brady-Paul day—"
"Hey, I did not agree to that," Paul interrupted quickly, a scowl forming on his face. "Change it to something else like… 'buy me something ridiculous' or 'let me watch an extra movie'—"
"Sorry, Paul, but I'm using this coupon soon," Brady teased, rubbing his hands gleefully. He smirked and said, "I know exactly what I want to use it for."
"It better not be anything ridiculous," Paul warned, squinting at him suspiciously. As far as he knew Brady, the kid had probably made up his mind to take Paul on a bouncy castle or maybe even a rollercoaster ride—Paul hated them both with a passion.
"It will be something I'm sure you'll enjoy, Brady said sweetly, but Paul didn't trust the look in his eyes one bit. He just crossed his fingers and hoped that the pup would forget the coupon and move on with his life.
Colin had finally unwrapped his first present. He pulled out a set of comic books and gasped. "Oh, my God! There are so many of these!"
"I thought you'd like to read a few more… The shop didn't have the rest, so I couldn't get them all," Bella said, wringing her hands nervously. Paul kissed her ear and let out a low rumble to soothe her.
"Are you kidding? There are like a hundred books in here!" Collin cried, leaping to his feet and rushing over to throw his arms around Bella, sandwiching her in between him and Paul. He squealed, "Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love these!"
"You're welcome, Collin," Bella mumbled, her voice muffled against Collin's armpit. "Now let me breathe please."
Collin laughed but pulled away, and Paul grimaced and said, "Just because you're a wolf, that doesn't mean you don't need to shower. I swear f you don't shower after opening the presents, I'm going to kick you out of the house."
Collin only grinned and went back to sit cross-legged beside Brady before picking up the next present. He shook it a bit and sniffed the box, humming lightly. "I can't smell anything."
"Just open it," Paul said, rolling his eyes.
Collin again began slowly unwrapping the present, which irked Paul a bit, but he didn't speak up. He knew Collin's parents used to yell at him for doing everything so slowly, and he didn't want to do the same to the poor kid.
Brady ripped through the smaller wrapped box and pulled out a pair of ripped jeans. He glanced at Paul and said, "I thought as an old man, you didn't know anything about fashion."
Paul bristled with indignation. "Who said I was the one who bought you this? Bella could have—"
"I can smell you on this, dude."
Paul knew he had forgotten something! He should have hosed that shit down before getting the woman at the shop to wrap it. He scowled at Brady and grumbled, "Bella told me what you like, so I had to go and—"
"Well, I'll thank Bella then," Brady said with a smirk.
Bella giggled turned to grin up at him. "Paul…"
"Fine, thank Bella," Paul snapped, burying his face in Bella's hair.
"It's wonderful, Bella. I love it, Bella." Brady was now just being obnoxious; Paul was tempted to hit him with something so he picked up the cushion and flung it at Brady's head, and the pup only threw his head back and laughed before blowing him a fucking kiss.
"I swear, Brady, I'll rip off your head—"
"No violence today, Paul," Bella said with a laugh as she kissed his cheek, which immediately made his shoulders relax. He grunted and dropped his chin on her shoulder to look at the boys unwrapping their presents.
While Brady went on to try on his new jeans, Collin unwrapped his second present. He placed the crinkly wrapping paper beside him and pulled the lid off the box. He grinned as he pulled out a couple of new video games and a pair of socks. He turned the socks to inspect them and laughed as he read out, "Don't disturb me, I'm gaming!" He looked up at Bella and beamed like a fucking idiot. "Thanks, Bella! You're the best!"
"Hey, I bought those video games—Bella knows shit about them," Paul said, a little annoyed that his imprint was getting the praise and not him.
Collin smiled at Paul and said, "I was just thanking her for the socks, Paul. I know you bought these, so thank you. I really appreciate it."
Paul only shrugged it off. He had never learned how to take an actual compliment, so he didn't know what to say.
Brady came in just then, wearing his new denim jeans. He extended his arms and flexed his muscles, striking a cheesy pose, and asked, "So, what do you think, Bella? Do I look good?"
Bella laughed as she fished for her phone and took a picture of him as he posed like Batman. "You look adorable."
Brady immediately pouted. "I was going for hot—not adorable. Paul, tell her!"
Paul chuckled and kissed Bella's head. "Babe, you can't call a teenage boy adorable—it's unmanly. It hurts the ego."
Bella gasped and covered her mouth in mock horror. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't realize you were so macho and manly! You're just the perfect beefcake, aren't you?"
Brady stuck his tongue out at her and grumbled, "Moment's gone. And I am a beefcake now, aren't I?"
Bella only laughed and blew him a kiss, which immediately put a goofy smile on Brady's face. Paul would have scoffed at him if he himself wouldn't have melted at Bella's gesture. She just had a way about her that made him want to smile like a fucking loon all the time; it was really creepy because Paul never smiled—he only smirked or sneered.
Collin unwrapped his third present and gasped, unwrapping the thick stick from its case. "Is this an actual Harry Potter wand?"
"It can't make you fly if that's what you're asking," Paul deadpanned. Bella elbowed him in the ribs, which didn't affect him at all, but as a man, he had to pretend it hurt him. It was just the Manly Code of Conduct.
"A wand can't make you fly, Paul. A broom will make you fly," Collin said, rolling his eyes as if Paul was the idiot here—like Paul was the one holding a make-believe wand from a stupid movie series. "Wingardium Leviosa can make your clothes fly though."
"That would have been handy," Paul joked, snickering at the thought of Bella's clothes flying through the house when he wanted to get her naked but she was annoyed at him.
"I know what you're thinking, Paul," Bella said pointedly, tapping her temple and staring at him pointedly. "You're thinking of me naked."
"Don't I always?" Paul teased, leering at her.
"Ew, gross!" Collin and Brady whined, scrunching up their noses and pretending to gag.
Bella only stuck her tongue out at them before she suddenly said, "Oh, we almost forgot the main one!"
"There's more?" Brady asked, his eyes lighting up with delight.
Collin murmured, "You've already done so much for us—we don't need anything else—"
"But this next present is for both of you from the two of us… well, it's a bit different, and I don't know how you'll react to this, but—" Bella was rambling, and although Paul liked seeing her rambling because she always got so red and would start stuttering and wringing her hands, he knew they needed to rip off the bandage in one go.
"Just take this," Paul barked, pulling out the last wrapped present from behind the cushion and tossing it at the boys.
They quickly unwrapped it, and then they stared at the papers before slowly looking at each other. They seemed to be having a silent conversation between themselves.
Bella was beginning to get antsy on his lap. She shifted on his knee and her ass rubbed against his groin, making him muffle his quiet groan in her neck. This wasn't the time for boners, damn it! This was a serious moment between the four of them. He shouldn't be getting hard at such a time.
Collin finally looked up at them with wide eyes filled with tears. "Is this…"
"Are you really…" Brady started to say but choked up, tears welling in his eyes.
Bella wrung her hands and shifted on Paul's lap once again. "Are you two happy with this? I mean, we're definitely not giving you two up to the state, and we're not trying to force you into calling us your actual parents—we don't have that right—we were hoping you'd like to be a part of our family—officially, of course—you two were already family, but we wanted to make it official—and—"
Collin and Brady lunged at them and knocked both Paul and Bella backward onto the couch as they flung their arms around their shoulders and practically wailed like babies. Paul grimaced and awkwardly patted Collin's back, thinking to himself, 'Is this what I'll be forced to live with every day? The pups' affection? Gross, but okay. I can do this.'
Bella burst into tears as she hugged Brady tightly. "Is this a yes? Are you happy?"
"We're so fucking happy," Collin cried in Paul's shoulder, and Paul bit back a surprised gasp at that. Collin was the innocent one—he did not swear. Maybe Paul was already rubbing off on his newly adopted 'children.'
He patted Collin's head and thought, 'Shit, I'll have to watch my language around them now—I'm a fuc—I mean, I'm a ducking dad.'
Bella sniffled as she pulled her arm out from under Brady's tight hug and wrapped it around Collin's shoulder. "My babies!" she cooed.
The two boys burst into loud sobs, and even Paul choked up a bit when both boys began peppering quick kisses on Bella's face, their tears mingling with hers. Collin choked out, "Thank you—this is the best present ever—this is the best Christmas ever!"
"Should we start calling you Dad?" Brady asked, looking down at Paul with a grin on his face. Despite his cheeky question, Paul recognized the need in the pup's eyes.
"Only if you call Bella Mum," Paul grudgingly agreed.
"We've got a Mum and Dad again," Collin whispered breathlessly, and Paul had to swallow down the lump that had formed in his throat. It wasn't because he was emotional at Collin's statement, of course—it was because he hadn't drunk anything in the past few hours so his throat was a bit itchy. That's all.
Bella wailed and shifted a bit on Paul's thigh before wrapping her arms around them all. "We're officially a family now!"
Collin let out a quiet sob before pressing his head against Paul's. "Can I just say how much I love you two?"
"Please don't," Paul grumbled, blinking back the sudden moisture in his eyes. What was wrong with him? Was there something in his eye? He hadn't poked himself in the eyes with a stick this time, so why were they so wet?
"Oh, look, we're snuggling," Brady said, shifting his weight and grinning down at Paul. "Our first family snuggle!"
Paul snapped, "We're not snuggling—I don't snuggle."
Bella giggled before she scooted off Paul's lap and lay down beside him, pulling Brady halfway on top of her. He immediately placed his head on her chest and grinned up at them. Collin shoved Paul to the side so he could get in between them. He placed his head on Bella's shoulder and said happily, "Aah, yes, this is perfect!"
Paul rolled his eyes and started to get up, but Brady kicked out his leg and blocked him. "Come snuggle with us, Dad."
Paul stared at them with disbelief. Did they think he would just—
"I can lay on top of you if you'd like," Bella said, smiling at him.
"Fine, but if I feel anyone else's body parts touching me, I'm going to rip off their limbs," Paul declared before climbing off the couch and lying down on the ground.
Bella quickly scrambled to her feet and leaped onto Paul, somehow managing not to break her neck. Brady yelled, "Cannonball," and jumped off the couch, landing on Bella, who cried out in mock pain and groaned under his weight. "Brady!"
Collin laughed and rolled off the couch and onto Brady, who was still sandwiching Bella in between himself and Paul.
Paul grunted and snarled, "You jackasses need to get off now—"
"Wrong word choice there, Dad," Brady teased before elbowing Collin and forcing him off him. He rolled off Bella and landed beside Collin, who wrapped his arms around Brady with a goofy grin on his face.
Bella giggled and slid off Paul, curling up against his side, and Brady scooted closer to her, grinning happily. Paul grunted when Bella almost elbowed him in the ribs, but because she was happy, he remained silent.
"If anyone else finds out about this, heads are going to roll," Paul said with a snarl when the other three stopped giggling for a second.
"We won't tell anyone you love snuggling, Dad," Collin said with a cheeky grin. "Who would believe us?"
"But won't they find out through the pack mind anyway?" Bella piped up curiously.
"This is why I hate you all," Paul muttered, tightening his arms around Bella's waist. Collin and Brady grinned as they snuggled closer.
They were a family now, and Paul would just have to deal with it. He was secretly looking forward to it, but he would rather die than admit it to anyone.