[chapter_18]
The room Bella is staying in is a homage to world-travelers everywhere. Kebi, she thinks, must be a very interesting person. The entire bedroom is a cluttered, glorious mess of souvenirs and pieces of the world. Photographs, which Bella suspects were taken by Kebi herself, coat the walls haphazardly in studies of forests, animals, architecture, and people; between the photographs hang masks, rattles, ponchos, hats, and beaded necklaces; even the ceiling is home to hooks that hang delicate blown-glass balls, origami figures, and what look like prayer papers. The entire room is lit by twinkling fairy lights. The bed, covered by a Moroccan blanket and Persian-style pillows, is also cloaked by a translucent cream-colored mosquito net, which is also lined in lights and smaller trinkets hanging from safety pins.
There isn't a single plant in sight, which makes Bella think that Esme is probably the plant-lover between the two roommates. But all the same, she can easily see where Kebi's collections from her travels have bled out into the rest of the apartment. Her one glimpse of Esme's bedroom gave her an image of cleaner lines, starker colors, and a veritable greenhouse.
Bella's overwhelming impression of the entire apartment - and the women who live there - is one of worldliness she can never hope to achieve. She feels, in a way, small amongst all this evidence of different cultures and plants and creatures. Growing up in Forks, the only exposure Bella had ever had to a broader culture was the Quileutes - but in this apartment, her eyes are opened again to the idea of a bigger world out there, just waiting to be experienced.
Bella hasn't ever wanted to travel, though. That's Leah. Bella is content to be still and remain in one place, perhaps more like Esme; her sister, then, is more like Kebi.
Actually, Bella thinks as she lays on Kebi's bed, limbs sprawled lazily as she cools down from a too-hot shower, I can picture Leah in this bedroom, with all of these things. For Bella, while all of this is very cool to see, she doesn't have the urge to go out in the world to start her own collection. If anything, she has an itch to visit a museum and learn more about these items.
The fact that they are here, though, and in such quantity does serve as a reminder that the world is much bigger than herself and her problems. Just like looking up at the stars on a clear night makes her feel insignificant, so too does looking at Kebi's collection of goods from around the world.
It really puts everything into perspective, and in a way, Bella feels at peace.
The world is large, but her problems are not. Everything will be resolved in its own time.
She lets it go. All of it.
Bella Swan ʘthelittlecygnet
ʘdesignateddesigner No water we die like men #wasabi #roomies
(Picture Attachment: Spicy tuna roll smothered in wasabi,
held aloft by disposable wooden chopsticks.)
E Platt ʘdesignateddesigner
Here I am, using a fork for sushi, and I see this #isthisnormal
(Picture Attachments: The first picture is of Bella Swan, holding
a spicy tuna roll with chopsticks, liberally topped with wasabi.
The second picture is Bella Swan smiling around chopsticks,
clearly having just eaten the sushi from the previous picture.)
ʘmaestro Liked this Tweet
Carlisle Cullen ʘgentlemanandscholar
ʘdesignateddesigner As a physician I have Concerns
E Platt ʘdesignateddesigner
ʘgentlemanandscholar I have been Humbled
Bella Swan ʘthelittlecygnet
It's better with soy sauce! :)
(Picture Attachment: Wasabi and soy sauced mixed
together in a small ceramic bowl, with sashimi being
dipped into the concoction.)
Seth Clearwater ʘchangethisquil
For the record it is not better with soy sauce at all, just more painful #neveragain
Peter C. ʘpeteypete
ʘmaestro your girl is metal af lol
Peter C. ʘpeteypete
Ehhhhh what am I seeing?!
(Picture Attachment: A photo taken over someone's
shoulder, showing a computer screen scrolling through
snack packages.)
Peter C. ʘpeteypete
ʘthelittlecygnet I think you have #wasabinuts coming your way
Bella Swan ʘthelittlecygnet
Thank you ʘmaestro ^.^
Without the need to fill her time studying, Bella can turn to more enjoyable pursuits during her evenings at Esme's place. After all, when the water in the aquarium has been checked and adjusted, and the fish have been fed, and she has double-checked the cleanliness of the air pump, Bella still has a swath of hours to fill before bedtime. Gaming is, and always has been, her preferred way of filling up time.
There are plenty of things for Swansong to do. Understandably, because of finals, she'd had to miss her last guild meeting, and so she spends an entire afternoon making it up to the guild leader, Wanyin, by hunting down wildebeests to restock the guild's pantry for certain common materials. The next afternoon, Bella decides to catch up on her independent side quests because Masen is working late enough that he won't be able to make their regular gaming date, and with Esme away for the next two nights, she doesn't have much else to do anyway. Besides, it's nice getting lost in virtual reality for a while. She didn't realize how much she missed it until she got so caught up in other things.
Dawn of Warcraft is like coming home. It's a safe space where she doesn't have to think about anything other than her next move. Bella, situated with her laptop in the middle of Kebi's bed with twinkling lights all around her, lets herself be swept away into the quiet rhythm of her clacking keyboard and the battle music of the game. She's in the middle of tracking down the right NPC to begin another quest when a private chat dialogue pops up on the corner of her screen.
《 Janeway: Swansong!
《 Janeway: my greatest and most feared ally!
《 Janeway: I have a huge ask for you
》Swansong: let me guess
》Swansong: you need help with a quest
《 Janeway: you know me so well lol
《 Janeway: but also yes please help me, I'm tired of dying
Bella's lips twitch at the message, her head shaking fondly.
》Swansong: sure, I can help. I have time
《 Janeway: you're the best
《 Janeway: I'll even throw in a reward
》Swansong: I don't want the reward if its your usual currency
《 Janeway: oh please
《 Janeway: turn your nose up at it all you want but gossip serves its purpose!
《 Janeway: besides, you're gonna want to know about this anyway
Bella checks the map to find where Janeway is, and then transports herself there. Swansong materializes in the middle of a marsh, almost right on top of Janeway's avatar, right in front of a tunnel made of interwoven vines. Vineyard Swamp is home to a few eerie quests. Bella recognizes this one as one where the final boss, a massive swamp creature, winds up being a terrified villager who learned arcane skills to protect a rare fauna blessed by the Gods that has been under the threat of poaching. The first time Bella played this quest, she'd been charmed by the cartoonish storyline. The fact that the rare fauna gave her a quarter more HP limit wasn't a bad reward, either.
Bella resigns herself to being the recipient of unwanted news, even as she runs through her inventory to make sure she has the right requirements for the quest.
》Swansong: I'll bite. What is it this time?
《 Janeway: my, my what a polite request
《 Janeway: whatever
《 Janeway: so you'll be happy to know that chatter has finally died down
》Swansong: chatter?
《 Janeway: about the tournament?
《 Janeway: people were so pissed that you guys forfeited?
《 Janeway: do you seriously not remember?
Honestly, the tournament and whatever backlash came with it has been the furthest thing from Bella's mind for weeks. But she isn't surprised that it's taken this long for opinions to mellow out again, especially when she knows tickets were bought with real-world money to watch a showdown that never happened. Gamers can hold a grudge.
》Swansong: oh that
《 Janeway: oh that, she says
《 Janeway: the one time I bring good news and that's all you have to say
》Swansong: well
》Swansong: it's good that people are less upset?
《 Janeway: my sleuthing efforts are truly wasted on you
Bella snorts indelicately, the sound loud in the relative quiet of the apartment. "Is it really sleuthing if you can find everything on the public chat?" she wonders wryly.
》Swansong: I appreciate your efforts lol I promise
》Swansong: it's just that I think gaming is supposed to be an escape from pressure
》Swansong: not a way to pile more pressure on
《 Janeway: ah well that's true
《 Janeway: I mean that's why I game
《 Janeway: RL comes with a lot of expectations, you know?
》Swansong: oh, I know
《 Janeway: there's always something in the works
《 Janeway: never can just have a quiet day in my house
《 Janeway: my family is just like that
Bella raises her brows. It's a very rare thing when Janeway talks about her real life, even in broad terms. They've been gaming friends for a long while, and the most details they've ever shared is the fact that they both have brothers, they were born in the same year, and their mothers are pieces of work. All other details have been skint, which is maybe the way it should be for casual gaming friends. To hear Janeway say anything remotely negative about her home life is a huge tip of the hat - to Bella, it sounds like Janeway is dealing with her own stress or interpersonal conflicts.
Bella doesn't want that for anyone, least of all herself or her friends. It's not fun.
》Swansong: it sounds like a lot
《 Janeway: oh it is, but I know how lucky I am
《 Janeway: I'm just saying, this is why gossip is my lifeblood lol
》Swansong: that's where we differ
》Swansong: I hope drama can stay away
《 Janeway: good luck with that lol
》Swansong: well that's ominous
On the screen, Janeway's avatar abruptly drops to the marshy ground and rolls on the floor. Bella watches, bewildered, until the private chat pings with another message.
《 Janeway: you can't see how much I'm laughing so my avatar is showing you
《 Janeway: but omfg lmao
《 Janeway: like yeah it's ominous
《 Janeway: you think it's ever calm for people like you?!
《 Janeway: stop being exceptional and then you can have a normal life! lol
》Swansong: cue existential dread
》Swansong: I really hope you're wrong about that lol
And it's true. Because while Janeway might be right - and she is because that's a logical leap that the more seen someone is, the more likely it is that they'll be talked about - that doesn't mean Bella has to like it. Not at all.
And what can she do to stop being oh-so-exceptional? Bella hasn't ever set out to be anything other than herself, so she's at a loss to how to not be that way. Bella is just Bella - but this serves as a sharp, visceral reminder that no matter how humbly Bella thinks she leads her life, there will always be someone else ready to point out the exact opposite. The other day it was Alice; today it is Janeway; next week, when she goes back to Midnight Sun, it will probably be Peter when he inevitably jams the printer again and she is tapped to fix it.
People like you. What is it that makes her so different? How is it that she can feel normal, but everyone else sees something else entirely?
It's a question that follows her, even as she guides Janeway through the swamp quest and to the rare fauna prize. It follows her as she brushes her teeth, as she sets her alarm, as she lays down to sleep, curled around her phone as she and Masen text their good-nights.
How can she feel average but not be average? Is her perception messed up, or is everyone else wrong?
She doesn't know. She wishes she did.
2 Girls + 1 Baby (Group Chat)
The Sweet One
Do you think I'm normal?
Baby Bro
Hell no
You're super strange
The Salty One
Obviously
I mean, I tape a vlog about you
That doesn't happen to normies
The Sweet One
No I mean
I don't know what I mean
Just forget it
Baby Bro
I for one cant forget it
Mostly bc I don't know what
you're talking about
So
The Salty One
You're not weird, if that helps
You're normal in every sense of the word
Except for how entertaining you are
The Sweet One
Thanks. I think
None of this really helps though
The Salty One
Is this about Alice?
Baby Bro
Oooh yeah
I heard about that girl fight
Nasty stuff
The Sweet One
I was just thinking
Like
Maybe there's some merit to what
she said
The Salty One
If you'd tell me what she said
i would maybe be able to help
Baby Bro
That's a hint
Just in case anyone missed it
I am also dying to know
The Sweet One
It's nothing
Really
I'm overthinking
The Salty One
Uh huh
Baby Bro
I mean
I'm not going to disagree lol
The Sweet One
Gee thanks
Bella has absolutely no plans come Saturday and she spends the morning lazing around. Lazing, not moping, because moping would imply that she's bothered by something, when actually, she isn't bothered at all. Okay. Maybe she's bothered a little bit, but not enough to mope.
And is it really moping when it's a morning of self-care? Bella doesn't think so. Queuing up The Daily Show on Esme's modest TV, Bella spends the morning listening to Trevor Noah make humorous social and political commentary while she plows her way through two bowls of Fruity Pebbles - and how fun is it that Esme keeps that stocked? - and then sets to the tenuous task of doing her own manicure. It's nothing fancy because all of the stuff she usually uses is back at the dorm, but she can at least remove her old polish, clean up her cuticles, and even out the filing. By the time she steps out of a steaming shower in the early afternoon, Bella is clean and soft and more settled - both in her own skin and in the apartment. She dresses in a floaty, strap-sleeved nightgown that could pass as daywear, tidies up after herself, and collapses sideways onto the couch.
Thoroughly relaxed, Bella mindlessly watches the next two episodes of The Daily Show's backlog, texts her siblings, and scrolls through all of her social media accounts. Mid-afternoon, she rises to putter around the aquarium, running through all the tasks Esme walked her through. The pH level needs to be adjusted, which she does by following the notes Esme left to the letter, but after that, Bella is out of tasks to fill her time. She's on the cusp of seriously committing to spending the next eight hours - or until the urge to nap strikes her - gaming under one of her accounts when there is a buzz at the intercom by the door.
The intercom is something Esme and Kebi had elected to install on their door as an added safety measure. Although the tall apartment complex is guarded by a gate, the code is only necessary after 10PM, which is when the gate automatically shuts; otherwise, the complex is open to anyone who passes by. When Esme was giving Bella a tour of the place, she had been sure to emphasize how important it was for young women who live alone in larger cities to have as many extra security measures as possible - and she impressed upon Bella that she wasn't to let anyone in who refused to use the intercom.
Well, here it is, being used.
Bella turns to stare at the intercom, which buzzes again. Not impatiently, but almost as if in continuation of the first buzz. Her feet carry her to the panel on the wall and she presses the button with a hesitant, "Hello?"
"Bella."
"Masen?" Bella asks, not bothering to mask the incredulity in her voice. "Did I know he was coming?" she wonders to herself, not realizing that she is still holding down the button until a huff of laughter comes over the intercom.
"I thought I would surprise you," Masen says. "Let me in?"
Heat high in her face at her fumble, Bella manages to agree. She hesitates when her fingers move to unlock the door, sparing a brief thought about the fact that she's in her pajamas in the middle of the day - hopefully, they look nice enough that she'll just seem like she's wearing a very casual sundress, and he won't notice, and she'll be saved from more embarrassment.
Seeing the way Masen's eyes trail over her when she opens the door, and the way his lips tilt into a fine smirk, Bella doesn't think it's very likely. Not much gets past Masen, not even women's nightwear that tries to pass as a daytime dress.
Too bad.
Masen, at least, is dressed equally casually in comfortable deep green joggers, a white tee with a Slytherin graphic, and plain sneakers. Curiously, he is also holding a brown paper bag at his side, which is the source of a deliciously spicy scent that immediately has her stomach grumbling.
Masen quirks a brow as she steps aside to let him in and, sourly, she thinks it isn't at all surprising which House he'd been sorted into. Consummate Slytherin that one, no doubt about it.
"I hope I didn't interrupt," Masen says as he smoothly steps out of his shoes, leaving them by the front door and heading straight to the kitchen. It occurs to her that Masen must have been here before. It also occurs to her that Masen knows he wasn't interrupting anything because, by way of his brother, he would know that Esme didn't plan to be home this weekend at all.
Such a schemer, she can't help but think fondly.
"Not at all," she says. She trails after him to stand at the entry of the kitchen-dining area, watching as he unloads a ghastly amount of food in Styrofoam containers onto the counters. He turns to the drawers, seemingly searching for something, and Bella says, "Forks are on the left."
Masen shoots her an appreciative smile. He then reaches into his pockets, digs out an Amazon Fire stick, and tosses it underhand to her, eyes glimmering when she just barely catches it. "I have all the Studio Ghibli films," he tells her. "Cue something up and we'll watch some."
Bella's eyes light up. She tucks the stick drive close to her chest. "We're watching Kiki's Delivery Service first," she declares seriously, leaving no room for argument as she dashes off to fiddle with the TV.
Masen chuffs behind her, but he doesn't insist on a different movie. By the time she's got it all figured out, Masen has loaded the coffee table down with food, glasses of water, and extra napkins. They settle down beside each other as the opening credits begin to roll, knees pressed snugly together as food is distributed.
"This is Thai, right?" she checks because she only recognizes a few dishes by sight.
"Pad Thai," Masen says, gesturing with his fork. "Pad Krapow Gai. Green curry. Drunken noodles -"
"Drunken noodles?" Bella laughs, twisting her fork around the indicated dish. She takes a bite to taste and then makes an appreciative noise when her mouth tingles at the spice.
"I asked for the spiciest items on the menu," Masen explains, watching her with a cool expression, save for the unmistakable warmth around his eyes. "Spicy enough?"
Bella nods her head rapidly. "Oh, I think so," she says, happily helping herself to another forkful.
Masen hums with the barest hint of a smile and turns to his own food. The next long while is devoted to eating and watching Kiki's shenanigans. Seated next to each other, both of them watching the animated movie with rapt attention, Bella can almost feel all of her worries dissolving. Masen is here and with him, he has brought the comfort, the steady dependability she has come to associate with him.
As the movie plays, Bella finds herself leaning closer to Masen's warmth bit by bit, unconsciously seeking a shield from the AC filtering from the ceiling. Masen allows this, shifting to give her just enough room so that she can press her cheek to the knob of his shoulder. She stays there until the final credits start rolling, and by that time, her stomach pleasantly full and nostalgia tugging at her mind, she feels far more open than she ever has in his presence. It's like that final piece of self-censure and self-consciousness slips away.
"Which was your first?"
Masen tilts his head to see her better. "Castle in the Sky. Yours?"
"We just watched it," she reveals, and Masen's solemn expression lightens to amusement. "Which is your favorite, then?"
"You first," he challenges. "Or should I guess?"
Bella shifts, leaning away from his shoulder so she can situate herself on her knees, her body completely facing his. "Guess," she tells him.
Masen's moves so that his back is reclining more firmly against the couch behind them, one leg stretching out beneath the coffee table while the other remains bent, pressed against hers. "There are a few possibilities," he decides.
"Oh?" she asks with interest. Privately, she can't quite decide if he knows her well enough to guess correctly or not.
"Most people say Spirited Away or Howl's Moving Castle, and you like those films as much as everyone else. Obviously Kiki's Delivery Service is a close second. But," he pauses, narrowing his eyes in thought. "You tend to like overarching themes better, so I think your favorite is Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. Am I wrong?"
Bella, torn between gaping and laughing in delight, manages to make a sound of disbelief. "That's the one," she confirms. "It doesn't get enough attention, but it has such a profound message."
"Mm-hmm."
Bella eyes him thoughtfully. "My turn?"
"You can try," he replies peaceably as if he isn't throwing down a gauntlet.
Bella taps her finger against the grain of the coffee table. "Most people say Spirited Away or Howl's Moving Castle," she parrots, a sly smile playing on her lips. "You like those movies too, but your real favorite is My Neighbor Totoro, because you have a soft spot for optimism, even if you pretend you don't."
Masen's eyes widen, the amusement dropping off his face.
Bella giggles. "That, and don't think I didn't notice that mug in your kitchen. Or your toothbrush holder. Or that teeny-tiny charm on your keychain."
Masen's ears turn red, his lips pressing together, and his eyes flick away.
"You're such a fanboy," she tells him between giggles. "You even had it as your last watched movie on your account."
"An oversight," he declares.
Bella's giggles turn into laughter, her body swaying to the side to rest along the coffee table as she laughs and laughs - and then her laughs turn into shrieking laughter when fingers dance across her ribs. Bella squirms as Masen tickles her in the pettiest revenge known to man and eventually her squirming lands her half-sprawled across his lap. Masen is smiling at her with a unfettered warmth as she catches her breath, his hand smoothing the hair from her face and off her neck.
"I'm wise to your ways now," she tells him, more breath than speech.
"Is that so?" Masen raises a brow, his eyes shifting down to her mouth, voice filled with mirth. "You have something on your lips."
Bella gasps, her cheeks heating up as she straightens from her inelegant sprawl. She wipes at her lips, not quite frantic but almost, in an attempt to remove the sauce she is absolutely certain is still lingering on her face. God, but she can be such a messy eater! And she's been talking to Masen with food on her lips for how long now?
She sorely wishes for a hole to crawl into until the embarrassment abates, but seeing as how one does not miraculously materialize, she is left to lick her lips. "Did I get it?"
Masen shakes his head, eyes heavy, all traces of his own embarrassment vanished. "No. Here, let me," he murmurs, reaching up to grasp her chin with his thumb. He closes the distance between them, gaze dropping to her lips as he tilts his head just-so.
Bella has a moment to realize that Masen is about to kiss her - and that he was probably lying about the food on her mouth and using it as a preface to kiss her - before his breath is warming the sensitive skin of her lips. There is a touch of warmth, maybe the weight of an exhale, the tiniest butterfly of pressure that has her lips fluttering closed - and then -
And then there is the distinct sound of keys jiggling in the lock of the front door.
There are only three people who have keys to this apartment, four if she counts the landlord. One is Bella, another is Esme, and the third is Kebi. Since Kebi is currently out of the country and Bella is already in the living room, that leaves Esme.
Which means Esme is home when she isn't supposed to be.
Bella shoots away from Masen like she's on fire. She snags his wrist, pulling him up, and then tries to push him out of the living room with a frantic, foot-hopping shuffle that matches her racing heart. She's not really thinking anything other than he kissed me and Esme is home and we almost got caught, none of which are helpful to cooling the heat from her skin.
Masen, for his part, is allowing himself to be towed and tugged toward the kitchen - no, the bathroom is better - with a slight furrow in his brow. He clearly doesn't understand the gravity of the situation and she doesn't really have the time to explain it to him, because as soon as he opens his mouth to surely ask what her deal is, Esme's voice is calling out for her and Bella, experiencing a very juvenile urge to hide her romantic behavior, slaps a hand over Masen's mouth.
Masen's eyes are wide and his brows are raised in surprise. Bella, meanwhile, is cringing at her gall and clearing her throat and saying, "You're home!" with barely-tinged panic audible in her tone.
From the front of the apartment, Esme's voice calls again. "Yeah! It turns out I forgot to pack a few things," she calls back.
"Oh!" Bella drops her voice and looks up at Masen with a fierce whisper. "Get in the bathroom!"
Masen shakes his head.
"Carlisle is here, too!" Esme's voice carries along cheerfully. "I figured since he didn't tell me about our dinner reservations, the least he could do is help me pick out an appropriate dress."
"I did share the plans on our Google calendar," comes a plaintive male voice, which Bella surmises is Carlisle. "Google must not have synched it."
"So you keep saying," Esme laughs breezily, and then her footsteps are coming down the hall, ever closer to the living room where Bella has Masen backed up to the bathroom door, a hand over his mouth.
Bella shoots Masen a wide-eyed frantic look.
Masen shakes his head again, in denial or refusal she doesn't know - and then she feels his lips pressed to her palm. Bella gasps and pulls her hand back and she is greeted by Masen's victorious smirk. With footsteps still coming down the hall, Bella doesn't have any wherewithal to guard against Masen's quick maneuvering. In a flash, Masen has her off-balance as she is pulled to his chest with an arm looped around her waist, her hands splayed and trapped between them as his head dips again, stealing a brief kiss just as Esme and a blond man she assumes is Carlisle step into the living room.
Masen pulls back with a smirk and Bella, unwilling to meet the eyes of anyone else in the room, buries her face against his throat.
The silence that follows is awkward, save for Esme's poorly-muffled titters.
"Well," Carlisle says after a beat. "It's nice to see Masen being so…playful. I suppose I have you to thank for that. Bella, right?"
Bella lifts her head, her face hot as she meets her boyfriend's brother for the first time in a compromising position. "Hi," she manages, then thumps Masen on the chest when he has the cheek to wink at her.
Masen, completely unrepentant, greets the others smoothly. "Carlisle. Esme."
"Masen," Esme returns, before she shifts a keen eye to Bella, eyes twinkling. "It's a good thing you're here. Carlisle surprised me with dinner reservations and I need help picking out something appropriate."
"I thought I was doing that," Carlisle says.
Esme shoots him a look. "Bella can do it."
"Ah. Right. Of course, another woman's eye is much more discerning."
"Exactly." Esme smiles a tad too sharp and through the force of her determination manages to wrangle Bella from Masen's arms, albeit in such a friendly, kind way it doesn't seem like that's what she is doing in the first place. Between one moment in the next, Bella finds herself ushered into Esme's bedroom, where she closes the door, turns to look at Bella with dancing eyes, and demands, "Dish! What was that I just walked in on?"
Bella covers her face with her hands and releases some hellish hybrid of a groan and a squeak. "I'm going to kick him in the shins," she threatens feebly. Her lips are still tingling, her hair standing on ends, a flutter in her chest.
"I find that kissing is more effective," Esme says teasingly.
Bella peeks at Esme, her lip caught between her teeth. It's just her imagination that she can taste Masen there because that kiss had been barely more than a brush of the lips - but it was still a kiss.
"First time?" Esme asks sympathetically.
"So many firsts," Bella answers without thinking. "He's too sly."
Esme laughs. "Cullen boys can be that way. Carlisle finagled me into a serious relationship after only a few dates, and this was after I expressly told him I wasn't looking for anything serious. And yet, here I am, two years later and madly in love."
"Why are they like this?" Bella complains, flopping back on Esme's bed.
Esme clicks her tongue and pulls open her closet door. "It's the Cullen charm," she says. "Wait until you meet their father, Thomas. You'll be swooning."
"Masen's adopted," Bella reminds her.
"Nurture over nature," Esme retorts swiftly. "Besides, some men just come by that kind of cunning naturally. You're still young. You'll learn."
Privately, Bella doesn't particularly feel inclined to learn about the flirtatious nature of other men at all during this lifetime. It was already so awe-inspiring to be able to feel these things for Masen - she can't imagine coming across the depths of these feelings again. And even if she's a little cross with his kiss-theft, Bella can't say she's angered over it. They were going to kiss already. If anything, Masen managed to make it memorable and, as his brother had so aptly said, playful.
Bella smiles to herself. Masen being playful is a good thing, she thinks. Worth a little mortification.
"Which is more appropriate for a proposal?" Esme asks, holding up two dresses, one a plum boat-neck shift, and the other a creamy sweetheart neckline with a twirling hem.
Bella pops up. "A proposal?"
Esme peers at her from around the dresses. "I'm pretty sure. Carlisle can be romantic, but going out of his way to arrange a reservation at a fancy restaurant right before the anniversary of our first date? That's a little over the top, don't you think?"
"Maybe…?"
"Plus I saw the ring box last week," Esme adds.
Bella squints. "But if you already suspected, then why didn't you have a dress packed?"
"And reveal that I already have him figured out?" Esme shakes her head. "You have to let men think they win sometimes. It's good for their egos. Now, which dress? I'm leaning toward the cream."
"The lace on it is nice," Bella agrees. She doesn't have much to offer because this definitely isn't her realm of expertise, not even a little, but she thinks that, if Alice were here, she would choose the same.
Esme nods. Placing the dress down on the bed, she moves back to the closet to dig out lovely peep-toe heels in a nutty brown leather, and then also pulls out a small velvet box. The box she hands to Bella and, without any further adieu, changes her clothes right in the middle of her bedroom. Bella averts her eyes from Esme's womanly confidence and dares to open the box. Nestled inside deep red velvet is, of all things, a ring. The ring is fairly masculine, a wide band with three stones inset on the top.
"Esme," she starts with wonder lacing her voice. "Are you going to propose, too?"
"Why shouldn't I?" Esme queries, wiggling around to zip up the cream dress and smoothing the collar out. "Marriage is a two-way street. If he gets to propose to me, I get to propose to him. Fair, right?"
Bella thinks Esme is a living icon. Absolute legend right here, fluffing her hair and adjusting her heels, tucking the ring box into a discreet purse that hangs from her shoulder with a long, glittering strap.
"How do I look?" Esme asks.
Bella can't help but grin. "Like you're about to steal his thunder."
"As it should be!" Esme turns to the door, but stops and spins on a dime. She gestures to her bedside table. "I almost forgot! Condoms are in the second drawer. Don't be shy about using them, it's better to be safe than sorry."
"Esme!" Bella cries out. "Oh, my God!"
Esme laughs, pats Bella on the head, and struts out of her bedroom, preening at the way Carlisle stares at her as if dumbstruck. Bella follows behind her, coming to a stop near the couch, studiously avoiding looking at Masen, mostly because the phrase condoms are in the second drawer keeps circling around her head and she's afraid that if she looks at Masen right now then he'll somehow know.
It's all for naught, too, because after Esme and Carlisle leave for dinner and Bella has settled onto the couch, Masen proceeds to conversationally say, "My brother wanted to remind me to be safe."
Bella's cheeks flare red again, so quickly she's almost dizzy with it. "Oh, God."
"Apparently Esme keeps condoms in her bedroo-"
A pillow hits Masen squarely in the face. It bounces off his chest and onto his lap, and Masen looks at her in shock for a moment. She meets his stare with a silent dare, holding another pillow in her hands that is ready to be thrown, as well.
Masen smirks. "I'm sorry. You're just so cute when you blush that I can't resist."
And then he winks.
This is war, Bella realizes. And without any warning, she throws the pillow at him and then reaches for another, rocking onto her knees to clobber him with it. Deep chuckles fill the air as Masen ducks around her uncoordinated attack and draws her right up to his chest. Even as she is thumping a pillow across his shoulders, he presses a kiss to her cheek.
Bella stops and notes her position, which has her straddled over one of his legs, her stomach pressed against his chest, and Masen bending his neck back to look up at her. His eyes are bright, glimmering with tender amusement.
Bella drops the pillow she was using to hit him with.
And then she drops her own kiss onto his lips.
It's electrifyingly perfect.
[tumblr]
forthright_foresight
I want to be the one who is seen
Miraculous_AlwaysTheBest
I want to be the one in the scene
tellingtasertaster
I want the scene to seem serene
CueColdplayLyrics
Hey OP have you tried screaming?
forthright_foresight
I don't think it helps
Interning at Midnight Sun, Bella thinks, will always be an experience. There is so much to be done everyday, but no two days seem to be the same. She doesn't know if this is because the company is still a fledgling, or if it's because of how organic the environment is. While Monday finds Bella whiling away the hours working as Alistair's literal right hand as they finalize the last of the character designs for Menagerie, Tuesday finds Bella skipping between departments for various reasons - finding a replacement ethernet cable for Programming, helping Emmett untangle the cloud access for Development, and acting as a makeshift receptionist for Masen, who spends half the day in back-to-back meetings. It's only toward the end of the day when she manages to catch a break, and even then, that break is cut short by the yell Peter lets loose when he returns to his desk after a quick standing meeting with Emmett.
"Fuck me!" Peter exclaims, instantly drawing the attention of everyone in the room, including Masen, who is frowning at the computer in the private office. "Not again! This is the third time just today! Whoever is behind this prank," Peter says louder, standing with his hands on his hips. "It's not funny anymore! I'm not laughing!"
Seeing that, although curious, nobody is willing to wade into Peter's upset, Bella volunteers. She doesn't miss the way several of the others relax as she eases around the computer clusters to reach Peter's side, and she barely resists a scowl. What, just because she's the only girl, she's the only one brave enough to contend with a fellow employee's emotions? Well. If it were anyone other than Peter, see how much empathy she'll have the next time someone gets worked up! As it is, Peter is a friend now and he seems to evoke feelings one might have for a small animal.
Bella rounds to Peter's side. "What's wrong? What's going on?"
Peter gestures broadly to his computer with a greatly aggrieved expression. "My wallpaper! Look at it!" he near-wails.
Bella does look at his desktop wallpaper. Honestly, what first catches her eye is the disorganized assortment of programs on his desktop, which would drive her batty but which seem appropriate for Peter's personality. The image set as the wallpaper is apparently the culprit, although she can't see anything wrong with it, per se. It's a front-face view of an old red-and-gold building done in ancient Chinese architecture, the roof curling upward in spiked points.
She isn't sure what the problem is. "It's…a nice building," she hazards.
Peter sputters his disbelief. "A nice building? A nice - no! No, it's not nice. It's not nice at all!"
Bella searches for the nearest source of help, which she thinks might be Emmett. She gives him a helpless sort of shrug and a pointed look and then Emmett heaves a put-out sigh, trudging over to investigate.
Emmett, taller than the others, has to bend over to get a good look at the screen. He snorts. "Okay, what is that?"
Peter scrubs at his face. "I didn't know at first either, so I Googled a reverse image of it. And do you know what Google said? Google said it's a fucking monastery!" There are chuckles from around the room, because Peter's outrage is entertaining, even if he does whirl around and stab accusing fingers at them in retaliation. "Don't laugh, fuckers! Do you know what I had here before? A living work of art!"
"Wasn't it just Margot Robbie?" someone whispers.
"Yeah," comes the reply. "Dressed as Harley Quinn."
"Huh."
"Well, I would consider that a living work of art, wouldn't you?"
"That entire costume is fan service!" another says in a heated whisper.
There is a repressed groan. "Here we go."
"Look, there's no reason Harley Quinn would ever-"
"It's for a movie, man!"
"The point is-"
"Excuse me!" Peter cuts in with a wild flail of his arms. "Can we focus on the real problem? Which one of you fuckwits is the one behind this? Is it you, Liam?"
"No," Liam says flatly.
Peter squints at him. "I don't believe you. You have guilt written all over your face!"
"That's just his face," Charles says helpfully.
Both Liam and Alistair roll their eyes.
Peter doesn't seem convinced, but he does turn his attention to the supposed second-most-likely to prank him. "Emmett. It was you, wasn't it!"
"You really think I have time to dick around with your screensaver?" Emmett asks.
Peter opens his mouth to retort, but Bella cuts him off. "Can't you just change it back?"
In reply, Peter makes a sour face. "I can't."
"What?"
"I can't change it back," Peter explains. "I've tried. Unlike the other times, this wallpaper is locked in there."
Emmett whistles lowly. Bella is similarly impressed. Remotely changing someone's wallpaper is easy enough if you have the right software, but to lock the image in place? That speaks to some level of expertise. While she doesn't doubt that any of the Midnight Sun staff could figure out how to do something like that, to put so much effort into a prank when they're all so busy seems unrealistic.
Which means that this whole thing seems suspicious.
Apparently, Masen has reached the same conclusion. From the doorway of the private office, Masen says, "Someone is sending you a message."
"No shit!" Peter cries out. "They want me to be a monk!"
Emmett scoffs. "Or maybe they're saying you have bad taste."
"Or," Bella hastily cuts in, before Peter can shoot off another retort. "Maybe they want you to focus on your work."
"I'm focused!" Peter snaps, crossing his arms over his chest with a huff. "I'm so focused, like, all the time."
Bella very much doubts that.
"Let me see," Masen says, squeezing through the congregation around Peter's desk. He sits down and with a few deft strokes of the keyboard, pulls up an administrator dialogue and diagnostics window. Masen works quickly, scrolling through white letters on a black backdrop for several minutes before he finds a section of code, which he highlights, erases, and rewrites. Behind the dialogue, the desktop screen shifts to a picture of Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn. Masen closes down the windows, then spins around in the chair. He looks at Peter with a blank expression for several moments, and then he says, "Let me handle this."
Peter gapes. "Handle what?"
Instead of answering, Masen stands from the chair and claps Peter on the shoulder. "It's fixed now. Get back to work."
Bella trots after Masen as the others disperse to find stopping points for their current projects before they leave for the day. She doesn't buy it for a minute that the problem is fixed - or, well, maybe the wallpaper is fixed, but the reason behind it isn't resolved. She waits until they reach the private office before she asks. "Is everything okay?"
Masen hums. "It will be."
"What was that all about, then?" Bella pushes. "It wasn't a prank, was it?"
Masen shakes his head. "Not a prank. But I recognize the coding and I think I know who's behind it."
Bella stares at him because he recognizes the coding? She doesn't even know what to do with that. She's not at a point in her own software programming where she can tell the difference between coding styles if the codes are in the same language, but here Masen is, saying it so casually. Not only does he recognize the coding, but he can link it to a specific person. Amazing.
"Don't worry about it," Masen tells her, voice smooth and soothing. "I have it handled."
Well. Of that Bella has no doubt.
Bella
Hey Ali
Can we talk?
Bella
I'm here to listen when you're ready
Bella
Take your time
Bella loses herself in the bustle of work. No matter where she is or what she's doing, she finds a wondrous amount of fulfillment at Midnight Sun. She isn't coddled or given easy work to complete, and she also isn't given work that is vastly out of her expertise. Charles and Liam in particular seem keen to train her up, in part to make up for Alistair's inability to do anything other than directing until his cast is off, and in part because they seem to think she can manage profession-level renderings by herself. She takes it as a compliment and strives to rise to the challenges they set.
By the end of her first official week, she's certain that most of the others see her less as a token female in the company, and more as another one of the boys. She isn't perturbed by this at all. In fact, in many ways, she feels at ease with the way they jostle and tease and roughhouse - it all reminds her of the La Push boys, and she finds it very easy to fit in with this crowd. She spends her days floating along the currents, filling her time with whatever tasks need to be completed. She likes the work and is content to work as late as the others, especially when the weekly deadlines near and the small company pools all their resources to meeting the timeline Masen has crafted.
Which is perhaps why she's so surprised when Masen pulls her aside Friday afternoon with instructions to get changed into something "comfortable that can get wet." He dismisses her before the workday is finished and says that he'll be picking her up from Esme's place at six.
Right on the dot, Masen arrives and ushers her into an Uber. He doesn't say where they're going, so when the car stops at a marine animal rehabilitation clinic, Bella is more than a little surprised. Although, now she's glad she followed his instructions. Wearing simple rose-colored linen shorts and a cotton high-necked tank-top over a swimsuit Esme let her borrow, Bella feels like she is dressed for the occasion.
"Are we here for a tour?" she asks, her hand caught in his as he leads them into the building.
"More than a tour," Masen answers. He signs them in and the receptionist, who apparently recognizes him on the spot, is quick to wave them through to the private part of the facilities.
As they walk further into the rehabilitation spaces, Bella is inundated with the squeaking, chattering, and splashing sounds of marine animals. She recognizes the high-pitched noise made by dolphins and is struck by a wave of excitement.
"My mother is a fellow here," Masen says, easily navigating toward a wide space of an open pool of water. He steps up to the edge of the pool, indicating a dark splotch moving beneath the surface. "This is Leslie, a rescued orca who is set to be released soon."
Bella grips his hand tighter. "You brought me to see an orca?" she breathes in awe. Because it must have been months ago when she mentioned in passing how much she would like to see an orca whale up close because seeing them off the coast of First Beach is always such a fleeting thing. To think that he remembered and that he went through the effort to arrange this, especially when she knows exactly how busy work keeps him…
Bella wants to kiss him. So she does, surging up to the tips of her toes to capture his lips in a quick kiss. Enthusiasm keeps her from lingering, and as she pulls back she smiles broadly at him and tugs on his arm. "Let's get closer," she wheedles.
Masen's lips twitch. "That was the plan."
It takes a moment for the double entendre to manifest and when it does, Bella shoots him a scandalized, red-faced look.
Masen lifts his brows. "We're here to get closer to the orca, aren't we?"
Bella doesn't buy his innocent act, not for a single second, but she can't find it in herself to chastise him, either. "What do we do now?" she asks when they reach the portion of the pool that slopes down into the deeper water.
Masen drops her hand to remove his shoes, and she quickly mimics him, even as he steps aside to locate lifejackets in the right sizes. He helps her into hers before he puts on his own, then he calls out for a man named Amun, who is the lead rehabilitation specialist on sight. Amun greets Masen with great familiarity and welcomes Bella warmly.
Masen dips his head to explain. "I used to volunteer here during high school. Amun works with my mother and was charged with showing me the ropes."
Bella makes a sound of comprehension. "Did you like working here?"
"Mm."
At Masen's silent urging, Bella takes her first steps onto the sloping concrete of the pool, wading in until she is thigh-deep in the tepid water. Her eyes lock onto the water, watching avidly as the orca's svelte shape circles around closer to the crest.
"Leslie has been with us for about seven months," Amun explains. "She was two years old when a harpoon struck the base of her dorsal fin. When she surfaces, you'll see the scar. It's taken a while for everything to heal, but we're satisfied that Leslie is healthy enough to be released back to the wild."
And indeed, when Leslie does decide to come to the surface, there is a jagged, pale scar right at the bottom of her top-most fin. Bella's first thought is that Amun was underselling the industry; even Bella's untrained eyes can see how much damage that harpoon did to the dorsal fin, because the scar reaches around clear through the other side, almost like it was a sound meant to debilitate. Her stomach churns with unease at the very thought of how cruel some people can be.
But all the same, Leslie seems like a friendly creature. Her first visit is to Amun, who she nudges at as if seeking food. Amun beckons Bella and Masen closer, and Bella is struck with a clammy sort of giddiness mixed with a sustained sense of awe. Under her hand, Leslie is smooth and slick, and so real and beautiful that Bella is crying before she even realizes it.
Masen, standing at her back, presses his hand beside hers, warm and secure.
"Happens all the time," Amun says kindly. "They're gorgeous creatures, aren't they? Leslie is strong. I'm glad she's ready to go home."
"Me too," Bella manages, and Masen kisses her temple.
It might be one of the most memorable, awe-inspiring, life-changing moments in her life.
She can't imagine sharing it with anyone other than Masen.
Swanning ʘswanning_twitch
Hey Swanners! Sorry about the delay! The next stream will be a double-hour from my temporary new space! #couchsurfing #DOW #dungeonparty #butnotlikethat
AJ ʘtypeAgamer
I too surf on couches and the couches surf on me
Queso Forever ʘq_ed
Nice #shitpost ʘtypeAgamer
Darlene ʘdeardirt
Hey ʘswanning_twitch can you cover the Dread Cave, because I keep trying and I keep dying #nothereforit #endmymisery
Swanning ʘswanning_twitch
ʘdeardirt I'm ready to kick steampunk butt, how about you?
A/N: This chapter was kind of a mixed bag, huh? It matched my mood for the week, which was erratic at best. But! Things are coming together! Resolutions and stuff! Plus, did you catch a certain new handle?
As always, be brutally honest. I can take it. Stay inside, stay safe, stay smart - and stay fired up, because now is not the time to get bored with the movement and get lax, because that's what they're counting on to halt change!
~Rae
