[chapter_23]
Midnight Sun is doing well. Better than expected, even.
Masen has always been confident that he knows the best way to run this start-up. He hasn't doubted, not even for a second, that it was beyond his capabilities. He knows what he's doing. He knows what he wants. He knows how to achieve his goals. But all the same, when he was mapping out the possibilities of how things could go, he had erred on the side of caution; he knows that most start-ups fresh out of college don't boom into noteworthy businesses overnight, so he had been prepared to put in the time it takes to have success. Even factoring in the skills he's managed to cultivate and the aces he has on his team, Masen thought, at the very least, it would take a year to make any impressive strides.
It's very rare that Masen ever underestimates anything. And yet, with Midnight Sun, he had underestimated their success by a great margin. They have far exceeded any and all expectations he had set, and for that reason, he has had to move their goalposts closer. He knows that if they hadn't been in such a good place that he would have - albeit grudgingly - taken their name out of Volturi's hat.
But that is not the case. The fact is that Midnight Sun is one of the most promising new names in the industry, they are creating a reputation for being innovators, and they are in the exact kind of place that makes securing that Volturi contract a career-making move. If they get this, then Masen's days of using a silver tongue on investors will be long behind him.
They don't have the contract, yet. It's only just out of reach, the only barrier being a test of strength from Volturi. He understands their hesitation, to a point. Midnight Sun might be new, but Denali has tired ideas. Going with either of them is a gamble. It would be easier if Volturi would just develop the sequel game themselves, but Volturi has already promised the public that they are planning a collaboration, which Masen reads as a thinly-veiled vow to players that Volturi is searching for new ideas. After all, what's the point of a sequel if it's the same as the original game? If the goal is to improve the game with inventive ideas, then Midnight Sun is the obvious choice - they just need to prove, beyond a doubt, that they can deliver on their ideas.
Masen knows his team. He's reasonably sure they can. Already, he's seeing a wealth of creativity and progressiveness from the graphics department, in no small part thanks to Bella, who has proven to have the exact kind of enthusiasm for new ideas that is required to survive in this industry. Masen has been alternatively smug and awed by her these past several weeks. He'd known, of course, that she was talented and intelligent - but she proves herself to be uniquely capable each day, each time she humbly commands Alistair's respect, each time sweetly waylays Peter's unique personality, each time she approaches Emmett with new insights. She slots perfectly into Midnight Sun, filling in gaps they didn't know they had.
She slots perfectly into Masen's life, filling in gaps he didn't know he had. It's a cliché to say she completes him, and yet it's true.
Masen is already devoted, wholly and completely. It makes him want nothing more than to see her happy and pleased, which is why the news of her birthday fills him with an uncharacteristic sense of anxiety.
He has to buy her a present. His girlfriend is turning twenty-one, her friends have organized a gathering, and he needs to buy her a present.
He had no idea what to buy, which is strange. Masen always knows what to do. He doesn't hesitate. He plans and waits for the right opportunity. He finds a solution. He researches. But now Masen is hesitating, there doesn't seem to be a good opportunity, he doesn't have a solution, and research has failed him. Planning dates is so much easier, he thinks, because Bella Swan is a humble, kind creature, easy to please and easy to be around.
Buying a present is more pressure than a date, however, partially because, as Peter continues reminding him, he will be giving this present in public, in front of all of their friends.
"You don't want to screw up," Peter says with a broad grin. "Don't, like, buy her socks. They're a shitty Christmas present and a shittier birthday present."
Masen knows Peter is lying about the socks, of course, because Peter wears those socks all the time. Peter is wearing those socks now, the TARDIS stamped right across his ankle as he wiggles around the bare floor. However, Peter might have a point. Socks probably isn't something that Masen should buy for his girlfriend. They are particularly romantic or indicative of his feelings for her.
Alistair and Emmett are somehow less helpful.
"Give her a gift card," Alistair suggests around a yawn. "Gift cards are great."
Masen frowns minutely, hiding the expression around his morning mug of coffee. They have all gathered in the downstairs kitchen, for no other reason than the best food is downstairs and they each plan on working on projects, even though it's the weekend. The topic of Bella's birthday came up because of a mass notification on Facebook.
Masen does not think gift cards are a great present for a girlfriend. They are impersonal, or something that you give at the last moment, or something you give because you know the receiver would rather have money. None of these reasons apply to this situation. Giving Bella a gift card is a hard no.
"Just buy something sparkly," Emmett says. "Girls like sparkly. Diamonds and shit."
Maybe, if this were another girl, Emmett's suggestion would have merit. However, Bella Swan is not just any girl. She doesn't seem to care for anything sparkly. No diamonds, no gemstones, no glitter.
In fact, she doesn't wear a lot of jewelry. Her ears are pierced, but she only wears studs; she will occasionally have a simple silver necklace with a small, flat medallion pendant on; he has seen her wear exactly one very thin band around her finger, which he suspects is because she prefers to have free range of motion for gaming, drawing, and programming. He also hasn't ever seen or heard her express any interest in jewelry, aside from Esme's engagement ring, which he doesn't think counts.
Masen sighs, long and drawn out, his brow furrowed.
None of these suggestions feel right for Bella.
He'll have to think on it more.
[Google Search]
what to get your girlfriend for her birthday
DuduBro - Birthday Gifts
Not sure what to get your girl on her birthday? Chill, dude. We have you covered. Here are the top gifts that are sure to show your girl you can be thoughtful when it counts!
Top Gifts To Give Your Girlfriend On Her Birthday
Clothes & Shoes & Accessories.
Birthday Week
Personalized Gifts
A Day At The Spa
Candy Bouquet
A Gift Basket
Tickets To A Play/Museum She Likes
A Photo Collage
Bella's birthday falls on a Saturday.
This is fortuitous, as the plans that have been made for her birthday - mostly by her sister and roommates, much to Bella's apparent dismay - all rely on a day after to recover from hangovers. Bella, in a fit of despair, had told him her sister had claimed the convenient days only proved that her plans were approved by fate itself. Masen had been amused to hear Bella grouse about how her sister must have made a deal with the devil for things to fall so neatly into place. He'd watched this new facet of Bella bloom, pouting and mildly disgruntled, and had been charmed by her dimensions.
Masen remembers his own twenty-first birthday. There had been two celebrations, one with the family and one engineered by his friends. The timing had been less than perfect, as Emmett and Peter had insisted on celebrating his birthday on the actual day and had summarily dragged him to the nearest bar in the middle of summer classes, each of them sharing twenty-one shots between them. The next day had been a lunch with the family and Masen had been quieter than usual, nursing a painful hangover that was obvious only to Carlisle. Grandfather Cullen had been in fine form that day, too. Overall, Masen's own coming of age was decidedly less delightful than Bella's is promising to be, if not only because she doesn't have any caustic family members seeking to make the day as unpleasant as possible.
Masen is glad of this, of course. He only ever wants Bella happy.
It is, however, the first time he is officially meeting the people closest to her, a member of her family included, and he will not lie about it - he is somewhat nervous. Or maybe apprehensive is a better word. He understands that Bella puts some weight on what her best friends think, and they the same, and he wants his impression to be a good one, if only to make later, even more important, impressions easier later on.
Masen is planning for the future. Because that's what he wants, a future with Bella Swan. This birthday is just one of many steps to make that goal a reality. Hopefully, the present he got her will say the words he can't quite utter, yet.
Masen and the others leave at the same time, catching an Uber directly to the first bar on the list that has been shared to all of them. Pub and Sundry is a neat bar just on the edges of Stanford proper, the place modeled after the pubs in Europe, all dark wood and yellow lighting, catering mostly to craft beers and a relaxed crowd. They get there a bit after Bella and her roommates, which is evident by the drinks already at the table they have commandeered.
For him, it is easy to find Bella in the moderately sized crowd. She stands out to him, her cinnamon hair twirled into a braid that crowns her head, tendrils tickling the lovely shape of her face. The low lighting limns her delicate features, darkening the olive shade of her eyes. She is beautiful, her eyes scrunched in laughter, an over-sized raspberry-hued shirt drooping off one shoulder, showing off a freckled knob of flesh he wants very desperately and very suddenly to kiss.
Masen dutifully reigns in his amorous desires, somewhat amazed, as he always is, by how prevalent they are. Bella Swan has unlocked bits and pieces of himself, feelings and thoughts and wants he didn't even know he had. Even now, his hands itch to touch her, to close around the now-familiar shape of her waist.
Masen's own roommates move ahead of him while he falls back, just for a moment, to double-check the slender box in his back pocket. He isn't obtuse enough to not know what jewelry boxes and special occasions might mean to some, but he also knows that this box is thin, roughly the same size of his phone, and does not contain a ring.
A ring can be for another time.
Masen pats the box again and, reassured, follows along after his friends. Peter, naturally, is the first to reach the group of girls. Masen barely refrains from rolling his eyes as Peter yells out, arms spread wide to whack both Alistair and Emmett in the chest. Masen gives Peter a wide berth while Alistair mutters something about blimey idiot, rounding to Bella's side of the table with a warm, faint uptick of his lips, a smile reserved solely for her. She gifts him with a beaming, blossoming smile, her face already pink. His heart thuds and he leans down, brushing a kiss over the freckles on the apple of her cheeks.
"Hello," he says, voice just low enough so that she can hear him as he pulls back, still close to see the flecks of gold and umber amid all the green in her eyes. "Happy Birthday."
Bella turns into him, tilting her head back, a flower to the sun as she smiles softly, sweetly catching his hand and weaving their fingers together. She squeezes his hand and, with no small amount of relief, says, "I'm so glad you're here."
Masen makes a noise of interest and Bella knows him well enough to give additional information without any further prompting.
She heaves out a long, quiet sigh, then side-eyes her sister. "Leah is already driving me crazy."
Across the table, Bella's sister lets out an indignant shout. Leah Clearwater is recognizable to him both from her YouTube channel and from how often she appears on Bella's Twitter and Instagram pages. Leah is, by all means, a fairly attractive woman, with dark, deep-set eyes, smooth bronze skin, and the type of sharp bone structure that makes her as striking as the violently purple shade of her hair. Leah's keen eyes dart between Bella and Masen as she speaks, lingering on their intertwined hands, a dark brow arching up.
"Oh, am I annoying you?" Leah asks. She sips on the beer she is already nursing and gifts Masen with a challenging stare.
Ah. So that's how it is. Masen mentally rearranges his expectations for the night, dipping his chin to Leah in acknowledgement. He understands.
"Yes," Bella says, very emphatically, turning to stare at her sister with exasperation. "And you know you are because you're doing it on purpose!"
Leah scoffs with a facetiously haughty toss of her head. "I won't be accused of such a thing!" she declares.
This is said loud enough to draw attention away from the muted introductions made when friends of friends are introducing themselves to each other. All eyes, some with humor, turn on Leah and Bella and, subsequently, Masen. He does not miss the way Rose Hale smirks at him or the wide-eyed look Alice Brandon gives.
These girls see everything.
Alice Brandon, petite with dark hair and large eyes that dwarf the other features of her face, makes a confused noise, tilting her head at Leah and furrowing her brows. "But…You were doing it on purpose," she says.
Rose Hale snorts. "Yes, she was," she agrees. As the tallest among the girls, Rose Hale is easily able to lean her elbow on Alice's shoulder, her blue eyes mocking amid the tumble of her blonde hair. "Because she's Leah and she knows no other way."
"Rude," Leah tells her, and there is a round of shared laughter. Leah huffs, clanking the bottom of her beer bottle on the table. "Look," she says hotly. "I'm the only one around to give a shovel talk, so forgive me if I want to make sure I get it right."
Bella wrinkles her nose. "Sure. But do you have to rehearse it?"
"Yes! How else am I supposed to memorize it?" Leah asks.
Bella laughs, one of the loudest laughs Masen has ever heard from her, and Masen thinks she is especially enchanting when she is free and relaxed. He feels himself softening, too, letting go of his apprehension.
It becomes obvious to him very quickly that these are truly interesting women and that the YouTube videos did not prepare him as much as he thought they would. It is one thing to watch the liveliness of a group on a screen and another entirely to be experiencing it himself. Not unlike his own friend group, Bella and the girls all have different personalities that perhaps shouldn't fit together, but do. While Bella is mellow, curious, and thoughtful, Leah is precocious and mirthful; where Alice is sweet and naïve, Rose is blunt, bold, and temperamental. It takes him only minutes of observing their quick back-and-forth to see where they balance each other out. He can see parallels with his own friends, too; Masen is cerebral and restrained; Peter is foolhardy and uninhibited; Alistair is sardonic and dry; Emmett is enthusiastic and jovial. The familiarity of it all makes it very easy to melt into the group, his arm around Bella's waist as they sit side-by-side at the low, somewhat sticky table.
There are some highlights in these first several minutes. Emmett, inexplicably, stammers around Rose to the point where Masen is mildly concerned he might have hit his head; Bella corrects this assumption by explaining that Emmett is Rose's Library Guy, and then it all makes sense. He does vaguely remember Emmett waxing poetic about some rose goddess - who is, as it turns out, actually a woman named Rose.
Then there is the way Alistair stares speculatively at all of them, hunched up like a hermit crab at the end of the table, narrowing his eyes at Leah when she passes him a bowl of shelled peanuts. Alistair takes one and passes the bowl back, only for Leah to take another and pass the bowl again. Neither Bella or Masen know what to make of it.
The least awkward are Alice and Peter, who engage in happy chatter that doesn't seem to have any real direction. Listening to the two of them almost reminds him of the friendship building interactions on the Sims. I like pop music. I like pop music too! Yellow is a happy color. Sunshine and bumblebees! At least they both seem satisfied with the conversation.
After several minutes, Leah turns back to Bella. "You know, you still haven't had a drink." Leah eats another peanut. Her beer bottle is already empty.
Bella makes a face. "You know," she says at length. "I don't really need one."
To Masen's ears, it already sounds like an old disagreement, albeit one with playful undertones.
Rose, with the air of someone grateful to have anything else to do, calls out, "That's nonsense! Of course you do! You can drink legally now, so what's your excuse?"
"Peer pressure isn't a good thing," Bella says.
Alice leans forward. "But this is friendly peer pressure!"
"That's not a thing," Alistair mutters. "I, however, could use a drink…"
"Yeah, yeah!" Peter agrees, completely ignoring him. "Join the crowd, Bella!"
"It's just one drink," Rose says. "How about this. We'll order one for you, you can take one sip, and then we'll finish it in your honor."
Bella looks like she's considering this.
Leah has a similar expression on her face. "This is an acceptable alternative, I think."
"If Bella doesn't want to drink-drink, then she shouldn't have to," Alice agrees.
"But a sip is just a sip, so it's not even really a drink!" Peter adds.
"I-I like Rosie - I-I mean R-Rose's idea!" Emmett manages, redder in the face than he ever has been.
Bella wilts. "Alright, fine. One sip."
"That's my girl!" Leah exclaims, slipping out of her seat with a victorious shimmy. She gets two steps away from the table before she turns back and pins Masen with an expectant share that makes him feel rather resigned to his fate. "Hey, Masen. You should come with me to pick one out. We have to make sure Bella's first legal taste of alcohol is good, right? You look like you would know."
It's a very obvious ploy, so he already knows what's coming when he agrees. It does make him wonder, however, if he really does look like someone who knows about alcohol, and if he does, then is that something he should change before he meets the parents? More likely than not, however, Leah is needling him on purpose, which is why he lets the implied insult roll off his shoulders.
Bella is reluctant to release his hand, holding his in both of hers. She can also see what Leah is aiming at. "You don't have to go," she tells him seriously. "You can just ignore her."
Masen extracts his hand, brushing an errant tendril of hair out of her eyes. "She's your family," he says quietly. "It's the least I can do."
He means this, no matter how awkward Leah's shovel talk becomes or how much she grills him. And she does grill him, squeezing in more pointed questions in the few minutes they are waiting at the bar than he thought possible. What's his home life like? Does he have any felonies? What are his bad habits? Does he know Bella's father is a police chief? What are his intentions? It goes on and he answers them all honestly, and then more quickly when Leah starts a rapid-fire round of the things Bella likes. What's her favorite food, movie, color, flower? What's her life goal? What's her top three aspirations? Does he know about Bella's complicated family; if he does, then explain it. Leah treats it as a pop quiz, getting all of the multiple-choice questions out of the way before she starts in on the short answers.
"Hey."
Masen waits patiently.
Leah narrows her eyes, looking at him critically, searching for a chink in his armor. "I've heard a lot about you, pretty boy," Leah says flatly. She sighs, folding her arms across her chest. "Bella seems to like you and she's a good judge of character, usually, so that's a point in your favor. By all accounts, you're a good partner for her." Leah pauses, seeming to gather her thoughts. "Bella isn't…You know, she's kind and tolerant and has a generally positive world view, so maybe she isn't looking for any red flags. But I am because she's my sister and even if I don't give a shit about anyone else's problems or interfering in hers where I'm not needed, I'm still paying attention. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"Yes."
Leah lifts a brow. "And what do you think about it?"
"I'm gratified to know Bella is so cared for," Masen answers simply.
Leah squints at him. "That's it."
"Mm."
Incredulity slips into her tone, and it seems like she can't decide whether she's incensed or impressed that he is handling her so placidly. "No defensiveness?" she demands. "No promises to never hurt her?"
"I can't promise that," Masen says solemnly.
Leah draws herself up. "So, what, you plan to hurt her?"
"No, of course not," Masen tells her. "But the future is unpredictable, and hurt is subjective."
Leah spends a good few minutes processing this, her arms falling to her sides. "You know, that sounds like a line."
"Perhaps," he agrees. "But it isn't."
Leah scoffs. "Alright, so you're a smooth talker. Whatever. I don't see anything wrong with you. Yet. But," she says warningly. "Remember that Bella has people! And these people are watching you!"
Masen dips his head.
The toe of Leah's docs tap against the floor. "Good. Glad we're agreed. Now, buy me a drink," she orders briskly. "And one for Bella, too."
Masen is wise enough to follow her orders. He refreshes Leah's Guinness and orders a Washington Apple for Bella, thinking she will enjoy the tart-sweetness for the one sip she has agreed to take. And she does, her face smoothing out from anticipatory dislike into something surprised; she licks her lips, processing the smoothness of the whiskey and cranberry juice and apple schnapps even as she passes the drink to her friends, who each take sips until the glass is empty.
"Not bad," she concludes. "Maybe I'll get that at the next bar."
"Oh, so now you want to drink?" Leah barks out a laugh. "What did I tell you? He looks like he knows his alcohol. It's a good skill, right?"
Ah. So she had meant it as a compliment, of sorts. In that case, he's definitely been overthinking things. It's the nerves; this type of overthinking is very unlike him. Bella Swan has well and truly changed him in ways he could never anticipate.
Bella nudges him, catching his eye. "You're being quiet," she observes.
He quirks a brow.
"Quieter than usual," she amends, her voice only just audible over the din of the bar.
Masen can clearly see the edge of worry pinching at her eyes and guesses that his Bella is concerned about what her sister might have said to him. He ducks into her space, close enough that her green eyes almost cross to keep eye contact with him. "I'm fine," he tells her. "Our friends are a lot."
Bella lightens, humor entering her eyes. "They all do seem to get along," she agrees, glancing around them. Peter and Emmett have gotten shots from somewhere and are letting Leah goad them into seeing who can drink the most while Rose heckles them, and Alice has engaged Alistair in polite conversation about, of all things, the latest British fashion, which Alistair answers only somewhat reluctantly.
Something about Bella's tone, however, clues him into her surprise of this fact. "Were you concerned they wouldn't?" he asks, draping his arm over the back of her chair.
Bella leans into the contact, turning into him. "Not really. But I didn't expect them to get along so well, either." Bella pauses, watching as Leah and Peter high-five over his victory. "They're all very friendly, even Alistair."
"Mm." He drags his thumb over her bare shoulder. "Is it not a good thing?"
"Oh, it's fine!" she says quickly. "But I think maybe you don't understand the potential chaos."
Masen hums questioningly.
"You've probably noticed that Leah has a penchant for causing trouble, right? She earned those skills growing up, because the La Push boys, our friends on the Res, would eat her alive if she couldn't keep up….I'm sensing a very similar energy, here."
He knows Bella is expressing some trepidation - likely mostly because mischievousness rises infrequently in her - but he can't help but fixate on the other thing she has said. About boys she grew up with. It's incredibly irrational, and he acknowledges this, but there is a stirring of jealousy at the fondness in her voice, her expression. She cares about those La Push boys. Masen, selfishly, wants to be the only man she cares about. Very irrational. Masen is above such base ideas. He has no interest in possessing another person, even the person he cares very deeply for. He will not be that man.
"You see trouble," Masen surmises and Bella nods.
"Oh, from a while away," she says wryly.
"Mm."
Bella sits up straighter, her gaze catching on the upward curve of his lips. "You think it's funny?" she demands.
"It could be amusing," he says placidly.
"Masen!"
He laughs quietly, only just under his breath, catching her hand when she huffs and pokes his abdomen and tells him he's going to rue this day. This sense of lightness follows as they move on to another bar, this one a bit further from campus, one called The Two Shot that has a distinctly more rowdy feel to it and seems to specialize in neon drinks. Masen and Bella walk hand-in-hand between the crush of their friends, easing up to the bar to get something sour for Bella and something on the rocks for Masen, for the sake of participation. Bella likes this drink less than the first and quickly passes it off to Peter, who makes a grand show complaining about how it takes like a Warhead and vodka had a baby.
It's at this bar that Bella goes out of her way to introduce Rose Hale to Masen in a professional sense. Emmett, naturally, is trailing behind Rose with his mouth agape at the apparent sheer wonder of her, something that Rose ignores blithely.
"Rose was wondering if you need an investment manager," Bella says after Masen has matched Rose's firm handshake. Apparently, Rose's main professional goal is to be an investment manager when she graduates with her Economics degree, and while she has a desire to work mainly with non-profit organizations, she recognizes the need to have some experience. Both Bella and Rose have seen an opportunity worth exploring, as Bella indicates when she says, "Midnight Sun has a lot to deal with right now, right? Rose could help."
Masen considers it, running through how such assistance would give him more time to focus on finishing the final optimization of Menagerie and get more progress with his portion of the Volturi demo. He's grown very tired of dealing with investors and while Emmett is gifted in the financial management of the company, his specialty is in engineering mathematics for computer software. As of right now, pressed as they are by the ambitions of their plans and the relatively short timeline, they could use all the help they can get. He's certain there's room in the budget for another intern, but the decision isn't only up to him.
"Ask our CFO," he tells them.
Bella immediately looks to Emmett, and Rose soon follows, giving Emmett an expectant, if not demanding, stare while Emmett blushes to the roots of his hair under her direct attention.
"Help me," he blurts out. A moment later he looks like he would prefer the ground to swallow him whole. "I mean, yes. C-come help me. Us. Help us."
Rose lifts her chin haughtily. "You do look like you need help."
Bella bites her lip, stifling a giggle.
"Come in with Bella when you're free," Masen says. "Emmett can show you the ropes."
Emmett throws him a glance that is part incredulity and part eagerness, with a dash of betrayal thrown in. Masen blinks at him, very much aware that he is essentially throwing Emmett into the fire. But how else is he going to learn how to form sentences around this girl?
"Oh! You can come in with Alice next Friday!" Bella says to Rose. Then she looks at Masen. "I did tell you about wanting to bring Alice in for a consult, right? We could use some help with the clothes design."
"Mm."
Bella beams at him.
Rose and Emmett linger near the table, mostly because Rose wants to engage Bella in teasing banter about being a real adult now and How does it feel to no longer be the baby of the group and the like. Masen observes it silently, slowly draining his glass with careful, slow sips, mindful of his own resolution to not drink too much tonight. He wants to be fully aware later. He has plans.
By the time they reach the third bar, which has a more club-like feel than the first two, only Bella and Masen are mostly sober. Any tipsiness Bella has is quickly wearing off as Masen plies her with plenty of water. Interestingly, it seems like Leah and Rose are able to hold their alcohol better than most every one else, excluding Alistair, who had said disparaging things about American alcohol and had refused to participate on principle. It's probably a good thing, as he winds up being the one to look after a giggling Alice with a sort of resigned, long-suffering patience and the air of someone who would rather be home alone or sleeping. Alice, at the very least, is easy to deal with, chattering away non-sensically. It's a great comparison to Emmett, who alternates between mooning over Rose and trying to impress her by multiplying large sums. He gets most of them right in spite of his inebriated state.
And then there is Peter.
K.O., who had shown up late after closing his food truck down for the night, has been shadowing Peter from the start, regularly stopping Peter from falling over or bumping into people. K.O. is an interesting person, too. If possible, he's more taciturn than Masen and twice as unapproachable, the only exceptions being Bella, who it is impossible to be rude to, and Peter, for obvious reasons. This skill comes in handy now, as even the people annoyed by Peter's exuberance do not dare say anything because of K.O.s foreboding nature. Peter takes full advantage of this, because he is Peter and that is what Peter does.
"Let's having it for the reigning beauty queen! Happy Birthday to the campus beauty!" Peter crows, holding a fruity drink complete with a little umbrella in the air. He stumbles and K.O. stops him from falling with one firm hand on his hips. "Thanks, dude," Peter slurs, happy drunk that he is. K.O. looks down at him, brow furrowed, and says nothing.
Their friends, and several strangers around them, cheer and clap at Peter's announcement.
Bella groans, leaning heavily against Masen's sigh. "Not that stupid contest again."
"Oh, yes," Leah says gleefully. She fumbles with her phone to show Bella the screen, where the Cardinal Trees blog is pulled up with the results of the beauty contest bold on the page. "I didn't even have to submit your name this time!"
"I knew it was you!" Bella accuses, stabbing a finger at her sister.
Leah adopts a mock-innocent expression. "What was me?
"Leah!"
"Lee-Man!" Peter calls out, still hanging off of K.O. "Let It Lee, I have a question for you!"
"Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater!" Leah returns.
"Let There Lee Light!"
"Nice To Pete You!"
"Woe Is Lee!"
"Six Pete Under!"
"Little Bird Told Lee"
"Let Them Pete Cake!"
"Oh, my God," Bella says, horrified. "Someone, anyone, make them stop."
Masen smothers his laughter.
"They're so drunk," Bella whispers to Masen. "How can they keep coming up with these puns? And why do they sound like they already know each other?"
Masen shrugs, wrapping both arms around her waist securely, his chin on her shoulder. The floor beneath their feet thumps with the vibration of loud music. Masen lets it all wash over him, feeling calm and anticipatory and more than a little entertained.
"Far Lee It From Me," Peter chortles. "But I - I have a question! An important question! A question about a-a thing that's important."
"What a lightweight," Rose mutters. When K.O. looks at her sharply, she looks distinctly unimpressed and finishes off her drink. Emmett takes the glass before she can set it down, hugging it to his chest. Rose rolls her eyes.
"What's your question?" Bella prompts hurriedly. "Peter?"
"Bella, Bella Belladise," Peter sing-songs. "I watched your last Twitch with, ah, with Al over there. And I need to know, I need The Last Lee Standing to tell me where she got those milkshakes! I need a milkshake too! Garrett, Garrett. I need a milkshake!"
"I will get you one," K.O. tells him.
Peter hugs him, smiling brightly, totally unfocused as he turns to Leah again. "Lee At Last, tell me where we can get those shakey shakes!"
Leah makes a face, swaying a little. "I won't tell you for free. What're you going to give me?"
Peter pouts. "I'll, uh, I'll sic Garrett on you! Don't test me!"
Leah laughs and laughs. "Oh, Pete Your Hands Up, your hulking himbo doesn't scare me!"
Peter immediately looks outraged. "He scares everyone!" Peter says defensively.
"He doesn't scare me," Alistair mumbles, slinking into a nearby chair.
"Did someone say something about a bee?" Alice wonders. Of them all, she probably got drunk the quickest; Bella has been keeping an eye on her since the last bar.
"I'll be your friend!" Emmett says earnestly to Rose and Rose tells him, very plainly, that she does not want that.
"I want cake," Bella says abruptly, twisting her neck to stare up at him in a clear search of an excuse, any excuse, to get some space from their drunk friends. "Can we get cake? And get these guys home?"
"Mm. Good idea."
It takes some measure of wrangling to get every one sobered up enough to be aware enough to get home safely. They leave the bar and track down the nearest fast food joint, ordering a tray of greasy curly fries to soak up some of the alcohol.
"Bell Bell, how did you like the drinks?" Leah asks around a mouthful of fries.
"Oh! I want to know too!" Peter pushes, jostling K.O. in his excitement. K.O. remains stoic, stirring mustard and ketchup together for Peter's share of food, shaking in a little packet of pepper, then sliding the concoction to Peter.
Masen watches this impassively, aware of Peter's complete obliviousness in the face of K.O.'s attention. If there ever does come a time when Peter realizes the obvious flirtation he engages in, not to mention K.O.'s blatant favoritism, then Masen's only hope is that he is not there to personally witness it, if for no other reason than Peter is utterly shameless and K.O. will be the very last person to stop Peter from doing anything. It's enough of a challenge to witness this and not say anything.
Looking at Emmett and Alistair, they are having similar struggles.
Masen will not be the first one to break.
Bella wrinkles her nose. "They were fine, I guess. But clearly an acquired taste. The first one was the best, though," she finishes, flashing Masen a smile across the table. "I didn't mind that one."
"I wonder why," Rose remarks wryly, dragging a fry through ketchup.
"Yeah, me too," Emmett agrees, although there is no clear sense he knows what anyone is talking about. He is dazed and clearly drunk, either on the alcohol or on Rose Hale.
"It's because of the cranberry and apple!" Alice decides. "Right?"
Leah pats her head. "Yes, sweet Alice, it's because of the fruit and has nothing at all to do with who ordered it." And then she winks at Bella, who blushes prettily and avoids looking at Masen.
He tries not to feel too smug.
Alistair glares at all of them, scoops up a quarter of the fries, and proceeds to ignore them until it's time to leave.
Masen pays and when it seems like everyone's sense is returning, he orders a Lyft to take Bella's roommates back to campus and another car for himself and Bella, leaving getting Peter and Emmett home to K.O. and Alistair. Bella gives everyone a hug before they leave and accepts their well-wishes with pink cheeks and awkward grace.
In the car, Bella stretches her hand across the back seat to play with his hand, curling her fingers around his knuckles and measuring their palms against each other. "Speaking of Twitch," she starts conversationally, giving him a small smile. "My last stream did give me an idea. I know we plan to make most surfaces actionable, but shouldn't we also explore different movements? Or make them more organic?"
It's an idea Masen has been considering himself, actually, and Bella bringing it up, on her birthday no less, tells him that they are on the same wavelength in so many ways. In that moment, he wants desperately to kiss her, to show his appreciation, which he does not quite have the words to communicate. Fortunately, they are the first to arrive back at his building, which means they can quietly take the stairs to his loft and gain some privacy.
As Bella toes off her shoes and shuffles to his couch, sitting down in exhausted heap, Masen tracks over to his refrigerator, pulling out a small German chocolate cake he had bought earlier in the day. He pries off the plastic lid, collects two forks, pulls the box out of his back pocket, and takes a seat right next to Bella, their thighs and knees lined up.
Bella's eyes light up at the sight of the cake. "You got me a cake?"
"Mmhm."
She smiles glowingly at him, and then curious eyes fall on the box still in his hand. He can almost hear her breath catch. "Is that…?"
"Happy Birthday," he murmurs, passing the smooth black velvet box to her.
Bella hesitates to open the box for only a moment, and when she does, she inhales deeply. "Oh, Masen…" She takes a silver cuff bracelet, its width no more than a quarter of an inch, out of the box, running her hand over the inscription of numbers. "Thank you," she says sincerely. And then, with a slightly furrowed brow, "Is this binary code?"
He'd been banking on her ability to recognize binary at a glance and he is gratified to learn she at least knows what the code is, if not what the message reads.
"Mm."
"What does it say?" she asks, olive eyes wide, a flush creeping along the tops of her cheeks.
"You'll figure it out," he tells her.
Bella bites her lip, putting it on and admiring the way it sits on her dainty wrist. "I can't believe your lovely gift also means I have homework," she says teasingly.
Masen is confident she will be able to translate the message on her own, given enough time. It's not a complicated phrase - and if he tells her now, it takes the romance out of the declaration. His Bella is smart. She'll get there.
01101001 00100000 01101100 01101111 01110110 01100101 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101
Still, in response to her teasing, he can only smirk. "Some homework is good for you."
She pouts at him playfully and he is so, so endeared that the thin thread of restraint he keeps uncoils, just a bit.
He leans in, cupping her cheek, tilting her face to a better angle so he can capture her lips in a slow, languid sort of kiss that only hints at the heat that simmers in his blood. She responds eagerly to his attention, skimming her tongue across his bottom lip, gasping when he nips and deepens the kiss. They kiss for some time, indulging in the closeness, and although Masen desires more - he's had a taste of other ways to expression passions now and he would like another - he is still satisfied with just this. She might not be drunk and she may be mostly sober, but now isn't the right time. He can be patient about this, just as he has been patient about other things. It is enough to kiss her until her lips are shining and swollen. For tonight, it's enough.
Masen pulls back, regaining his breath. "Cake," he says, drinking in Bella's kiss-ravished appearance.
She nods jerkily, her eyes limpid and dazed. "Please," she agrees breathily, taking the fork that is offered to her and pulling the cake closer on his coffee table. The prospect of food seems to clear her muddled mind a little, although he does not miss the fine tremble of her hand as her fork cuts through the pecan frosting and chocolate cake. She takes a bite, makes a happy little noise, and declares, somewhat shyly, "This is the best birthday I've ever had."
Masen smiles softly and accepts the bite of cake she offers to him, holding the fork to his mouth, her hand cupped underneath to catch any crumbs, studying the pink hue still staining her skin and the brightness of her eyes.
He hopes she can say the same for her future birthdays, as well.
He intends to be there for every one of them.
Turing Is Our Hero (Group Chat)
Peter Panda
I am so
Fucking
Hungover
Em Likes Pi
Big mood
Huge mood
Squidward
Pathetic
Em Likes Pi
Um fucking what
Squidward
Weaklings
Peter Panda
UH
I SEEM TO RECALL
Someone
NOT DRINKING LAST NIGHT
And that SOMEONE
Can stfu
Squidward
Is it my fault you can't hold
your liquor
Em Likes Pi
Yes
Peter Panda
Why do you say it like I did
something I will regret
Did I do something weird
Em Likes Pi
Don't you always?
Peter Panda
Now is not the time Em!
We're talking about smth
important!
Al!
Al what did I do!?
Squidward
You mean aside from
throwing up on Em's shoes?
Em Likes Pi
Wait that was Peter?!
I thought I did that!
Squidward
You vomited because he did
Em Likes Pi
That would explain the 2
different colors...
Peter Panda
God I have good aim
Em Likes Pi
I will kill you
Painfully
To death
Peter Panda
Bring it on
I aint scared
Em Likes Pi
Oh what
because KO will protect you?
Peter Panda
Obviously
(Gif Attachment: Severus Snape
drawling Obviously)
Garrett knows how to treat me!
Unlike you two!
Squidward
So many things I can say
And yet
Em Likes Pi
Another big mood Al
Peter Panda
So aside from the shoes
Was there anything else
Squidward
None worth mentioning
Peter Panda
I'm suspicious
But I'm gonna let it go
My head hurts too much
Em Likes Pi
Thank fuck its Sunday
A day for recovery
And sleep
Squidward
Lol
Peter Panda
What
Squidward
I guess you haven't
checked your email
Em Likes Pi
Oh for the love of Einstein
Really
Peter Panda
Mad Hatter
Hey Mad Hatter
Why do you want us to die?
Em Likes Pi
Mase we can see that you've
read these
Face us like a man!
Mad Hatter
Busy
Em Likes Pi
Yeah, busy draining our youth!
Whats with this email?
Mad Hatter
We need to have a meeting
Peter Panda
Yeah okay but why
That's what Mondays are for
Squidward
I already tried this
it does not work
Mad Hatter
Monday is the company meeting
We need a preemptive one
I'll see you in 2 hours
Squidward
See
Peter Panda
Man this isn't fair!
Shouldn't you be in a better mood?!
Mad Hatter
I am in a good mood
Em Likes Pi
I want to cry
And die
His good moods are never good for us
Peter Panda
Mase
Your wires need to be checked!
Sunday is the day of rest!
Mad Hatter
(Read at 11:33AM)
Peter Panda
And he's back to ignoring us
Squidward
Told you
Em Likes Pi
Fuuuuuuuuck
Does anyone have aspirin?
Peter Panda
I got you
Em Likes Pi
Well
It's the least you can do
Considering my shoes
Peter Panda
Fair enough
Monday comes, bringing with it a sense of accomplishment and focus. Masen had spent the day before corralling Emmett, Peter, and Alistair into the finalized planning stages of what Midnight Sun intends to do for the Volturi demo. Masen had wanted everything prepared and fully laid out, certain that the entire company has had enough time to brainstorm all the different ideas they wish to incorporate. Being the founders of the group, Masen is intent on giving their employees a united front and a clear goal; the fact that this was done despite two whining hangovers and Alistair's general dislike of mornings only proves that Masen chose the right business partners.
His time with Bella on Saturday night, although chaste, had resolved Masen's ambitions. He has placed roots and he does not intend to deviate from them.
Fully resolved, he stands at the head of their conference room and waits for Alistair to finish distributing the department-specific plans that were printed the day before. The first pages are all the same, a detailed outline of the final plans and all the ideas that have been accepted, followed by the specific assignments for each department. The work is fairly evenly distributed, although Masen expects that he will be pulling overtime to make sure the rough edges are all smooth and polished. He doesn't mind. They need this contract.
"A few of you will be in charge of beta testing and finishing Menagerie to prepare it for official launch in October," Masen announces. "As for the rest, put your entire attention on the Volturi demo. We need flawless work from every department to make this work. Deadlines are non-negotiable."
Gazing over the room, Masen is satisfied that the majority of the employees are determined rather than put-off by the amount of work they now have to complete. The selection process for the Midnight Sun employees had been rigorous for this reason; Masen wanted more than talent, he wanted a team that had the drive to be part of something larger. Masen hired game-changers and rule-breakers. He hired those who could match his own ambitions. Now more than ever, that ability to meet demands will be vital to moving forward.
"Work hours will be extended by one hour each day," he continues. "Of course, you will be compensated for this, and for any overtime you require to meet your deadlines."
He pauses, surveying the room again, hands folded behind his back. Most seem pleased at the promise of more money, if not exactly thrilled that their work ours have just changed for the foreseeable future. It's irrelevant if they are happy or not; Masen and Emmett have both crunched the numbers and he knows that Midnight Sun offers a wage that is competitive to other gaming companies. Midnight Sunners are smart enough to know a good deal when they see it. He doesn't see any problems down the line because of this, or the demands of the projects.
"Are there any questions?" he asks the room at large.
Perhaps predictably, Peter's hand shoots up, and he speaks with both a nervous tone and an impish expression. "Uh, can I please not have so much work?"
"Request denied," Masen says swiftly.
Peter sputters. "You didn't even think about it!" he cries. "Did everyone else see that? Did you see? This is what it's like now!"
"Isn't it always like this?" someone asks.
"Yes," Alistair drones tonelessly. "Peter is simply dramatic."
Before Peter can snap in the genuine outrage he is building, Masen interjects. "You're all dismissed. Contact me or your department heads for clarification. Deadlines are reviewed each Monday. Get to work."
"Aye, aye!"
"You got it, Boss!"
"You heard the bossman!"
Masen waits until everyone has filtered out of the conference room before he flips through the project folder one more time. There is a lot of work, a considerable amount of nuanced coding, and innovative ideas that will be pushing the limits of the technology available to them.
But he is confident in his team - and he has been proving people wrong since childhood.
He relishes this challenge.
This Is Really Masen
Traffic looks bad
I might be late
The Missus
That's fine
We can game another night
Will you be okay at the dinner?
This Is Really Masen
He's run out of things to say
I'll be fine
The Missus
Text me when its over?
This Is Really Masen
I will
The Missus
:)
By the virtue of having a new company to run and recovering from a car accident, Masen has been able to get out of the last few monthly family dinners. He is not so fortunate this time. It's only the fact that he misses seeing his parents that he agrees to let Carlisle drive them up to San Francisco, mentally preparing his defenses against the inevitable vitriol that will come from Grandfather Cullen's mouth. He is also here to support Carlisle, who has been spending more time on his residency than he has learning the ropes of the business, something which is not pleasing to the patriarch of the family. Masen had missed the last dinner, which is when Carlisle announced his engagement, and he is certain that fall-out still needs to be dealt with.
Masen thinks about all of this and wishes the drive was longer - or better yet, that he was home or with Bella or even just having dinner with his family sans Grandfather Cullen. But that is not reality.
Masen and Carlisle exchange resigned glances when the maid lets them inside, and then they walk in together, not unlike two soldiers going to war.
The pre-dinner drinks, taken across mahogany couches and a room of gold-plated mirrors, are tense. But then again, they always are. Grandfather Cullen swirls whiskey around a crystal glass, one of dozens that can be immediately replaced if dropped or - memorably - thrown at walls. Anne drinks white wine, Thomas takes gin, and Carlisle and Masen drink nothing. The subject of the engagement is brought up and Grandfather Cullen mutters something uncharitable under his breath, which is as much as anyone expects; it does not, however, take away from the genuine joy Carlisle expresses or Anne's enthusiasm as she gushes about the wedding plans she and Esme are already making.
The wedding talk continues into dinner, likely because it's the least offensive topic available. Masen and Thomas do not contribute, but that is normal, as Anne and Carlisle usually do the heavy-lifting of maintaining a lighter atmosphere at these dinners.
The first course is served, a salad with arugula, shaved parmesan, and a lemony vinaigrette, and Anne tells them that a spring wedding would be lovely, because Esme's favorite flowers will be in bloom, and that means they have already decided on the color theme for the wedding. Anne thinks a hyacinth bouquet will be beautiful.
The second course is a plank-seared salmon over buttery potatoes, and Masen eats quietly, listening as Thomas injects a question about the guest list. Carlisle says Esme wants to keep it small, friends, coworkers, and family, and Thomas points out that there are several business associates that will need to be invited for the sake of Cullen business holdings. Here, Grandfather Cullen interjects something that sounds like a passable compliment to Thomas' foresight.
By the third course, a butternut squash soup, Masen almost thinks that this dinner is one of the more pleasant ones he has attended, even despite the tension running beneath every word that passes through the air. Talking about the upcoming wedding seems to be a good strategy. But of course, that's a topic that can only last so long, and by the time everyone finishes their soup, the threat of silence crawls through the room.
Silence is not good. Silence is an opportunity to break the peace.
And that is why Masen is not surprised - although certainly not pleased, either - when his mother turns to him and asks about Bella.
"How is that darling girl? I've seen Bella on campus in passing a few times. She seems to be taking several classes," Anne says, sitting back while one of the maids takes her plate.
"Five this quarter," Masen replies.
"Oh, but isn't that too much?" Anne frets.
Masen represses his smile, along with the urge to point out that he regularly took five courses, too. He takes it as an excellent sign that Anne seems to like Bella so much already. That's good. He can make that work for his future plans. "She's managing," Masen tells her.
It's a mistake. He knows it as soon as the words pass his mouth - he knows because it's right there in his tone, the extent of his affection audible to the entire dining room. Carlisle and Thomas smile and Anne immediately looks wistful, but it's Grandfather Cullen he pays attention to. Because Grandfather Cullen stops dabbing at his mouth and his cold eyes rise, looking at Masen directly for the first time the entire evening.
Masen's hands close into fists beneath the table, safely out of view. He has the eerie sensation of walking across a frozen lake that has already begun to crack. A single misstep will send him crashing into frozen water.
And the problem is that the misstep has already happened. The ice is already thinned. Grandfather Cullen is already waiting to sow discord.
Masen had told Bella that Grandfather Cullen has long-since run out of things to say, and it's true. He hopes she will never understand the extent of the way Grandfather Cullen has twisted words into knives and inured Masen to poisonous slights. He will protect her from this for as long as he can, just as Carlisle protects Esme.
But while Grandfather Cullen may have run out of ammunition against Masen, personally, that does not mean that Masen is safe when a new target is presented to him. And his mother has unwittingly just found the perfect target.
He braces himself for the inevitable.
Anne is still smiling at him with shining, hopeful eyes. "Will I be planning another wedding soon?"
"It is getting serious," Masen admits honestly, watching the tiger in the room out of the corner of his eye. "But it's too soon to talk about a wedding."
Grandfather Cullen grumbles and huffs, tossing his cloth napkin onto the table. "I won't be paying for the orphan's wedding to some backwater gold digger," he says venomously. "The only girl who would want this urchin is one who lays with trash, and I will not have the Cullen name tainted by-"
Masen is standing before he even realizes it, his chair skidding off the Persian rug and scrapping across the polished hardwood floor with the force of his movement. "Shut. Up." Masen hisses between clenched teeth.
Anne gasps and Thomas reaches out to still her before she can try to keep the peace. Carlisle freezes.
Grandfather Cullen sneers up at him. "What did you say to me, urchin?"
Masen draws himself up to his full height and glares down his nose. "I said, shut up," he repeats, threading as much loathing into his tone as he can. His heart is racing in time with the furious beat of his anger. "You can say anything you want about me, but you will not breathe a word about Bella, you pathetic geriatric asshole."
Grandfather Cullen's nostrils flare and he stands up, leaning heavily on the table, supported by the slap of his palms against the tablecloth. "You stray dog," Grandfather Cullen jeers, curling his lip. "You better watch how you speak to me, or-"
"Or what?" Masen demands hotly. "You have given me nothing that you can take away. All you can do is wither in your ivory tower and wait to die -"
"You will never amount to anything!" Grandfather Cullen shouts. "You are trash! You are a stain on this family!"
Masen scoffs, lifts an eyebrow. "Watch me," he says.
And then he walks out, ignoring the chaos he leaves behind him - the words Grandfather Cullen yells, the way Thomas and Anne rush to Masen's defense, the shatter of fine glass. None of it matters. Masen, who can summon endless patience, has finally run out and met his limit. He will tolerate anything, except for Bella being targeted by a hateful mouth.
Masen is barely out the door before Carlisle snags him by the elbow.
"Wait for me," his brother pants, reaching for his keys. Carlisle's steady surgeon hands are shaking, the keys tumbling to the stone driveway. He stoops to scoop them up and then turns wide blue eyes onto Masen, distinctly incredulous. "I can't believe you did that. Or said that."
"He deserved it."
Carlisle nods. "Well, yeah," he agrees. "But you actually said it. Out loud."
Masen stares at him flatly.
Carlisle looks away. "Just because we're all thinking it, doesn't mean anyone should actually say it."
"I fail to see why not."
Carlisle falters. "Because we should respect our elders?"
"Not if our elders don't respect us," Masen disagrees, walking to Carlisle's car, tension still strung through his spine. "Respect is earned. At a point, aside from the valuation of human life, respect not something that should be given by rote. He has done very little to earn mine - or anyone's - respect."
Carlisle sighs. "You might as well just call him a mean old bastard and be done with it," he says, unlocking the car door and climbing inside.
Masen follows suit and waits until he is buckled in to say, "He's a mean old bastard."
Carlisle's laugh is strained, as is the drive home. Unlike before, there is no traffic, so the drive itself is short, but Masen can tell they are both ruminating on all the ways Grandfather Cullen had made their childhood difficult - always drawing a comparison between them, always placing Carlisle on a pedestal and reminding Masen that he belongs beneath them with the rest of the dirt, always trying to stoke resentment between them. It's frankly a miracle that their bonds of brotherhood have not been diminished, that they have managed to stay so close in spite of all of it. Much of that credit goes to their parents, of course, and the efforts they made to neutralize any of the poison Grandfather Cullen tried to feed them.
But all the same, there are times when Masen wishes it were different. He might have been hardened by this treatment, he may have learned how to steel his will and his ambition because of this, but how different would he be if Thomas and Anne had stepped in while he was still a child? If they had spoken against Grandfather Cullen instead of trying to keep the peace? Where would he be? Where would Carlisle be?
Masen will never know. What-if scenarios are pointless, because this is the only reality he has.
Grandfather Cullen really is a mean old bastard.
"Does Bella know?" Carlisle asks at one point. "About…all of that?"
"Does Esme?" Masen counters.
Carlisle presses his lips together. "She knows enough," he says, fingers tightening on the wheel. "Most everything, really."
"Bella knows some," Masen says. He'd kept the details brief, not wanting to visit the subject at all beyond the fact that his adopted grandfather had never accepted him into the family and had never let him forget about it. It isn't necessarily a shame that has kept him from telling her everything, but it's something close.
"You should tell her everything," Carlisle encourages after a moment. He sighs and switches to the exit lane off the highway. "Tell her everything I told Esme, at least."
Masen looks out the window, watching the lights on buildings as they pass by. "What did you tell her?"
"That I'm a coward," Carlisle answers, much to Masen's surprise.
Masen looks at his brother sharply, searching for an explanation.
"I didn't do enough when we were younger and I don't do enough now," Carlisle says firmly. "I should have stood up for you. Hell, I should have stood up for myself instead of trying to be a doctor and a business tycoon. But I can't manage to. I don't have the guts. I don't want to deal with the confrontation."
Masen can understand this. After all, it's essentially his own reasoning. Why rock the boat when enduring it is so much easier for everyone else? So he tells his brother, "You aren't a coward."
"Masen, you're my little brother," Carlisle says plainly. "I should have protected you more."
Masen shakes his head. "That's not your job. It never was your job."
Carlisle sighs. "I still regret it," he says seriously, and then his lips curl at the edges. "But all the same, I hope you prove that old asshole wrong. I'd love to see the look on his face."
Masen scoffs. He'd love to see the look on Grandfather Cullen's face, too. He imagines he'll get a great deal of satisfaction of out it.
Mom
I'm so sorry about what happened
at dinner tonight
You and Carlisle left so quickly
Did you get home safe?
Masen
We're fine
Mom
Your father and I have decided that is
the last dinner we will be going to
until the holidays
You don't have to attend
Thanksgiving or Christmas either
Grandfather has crossed too many lines
Masen
Alright
Mom
However, we still want to have our
own dinners, just us and you boys
Carlisle can bring Esme
And you can bring your Bella
How does the end of the month sound?
Masen
That will work
A/N: So, Bella's birthday (Sept 19) really does fall on a Saturday in 2020. I checked. Like Leah, I took it as a sign that a bar crawl was absolutely a good idea. And like Masen, I have been itching to call GC a mean old bastard to his face forever. It was somehow cathartic for me! How about you?
Things That Might Need Explaining: Binary Code. If you aren't already aware, then you should know that computers all run on a basic binary code of 0s and 1s; when you type in any letter or command a computer to do something, its internal systems translate those commands into binary code to fulfill the request. Binary code is the basics of basics in computer science. These days, computer programmers don't typically have the fuck with binary too much, because there are sophisticated coding programs like C++ and Python that do the heavy work of translating [code commands] into binary code. You can think of binary as a computer's native language. And if you want to do a little homework on the bracelet, then by all means - but it will be revealed in-story soon, so you might want to wait in suspense. (We all know what it says anyway).
Now, a few housekeeping things! I noticed some readers were not satisfied with the length and content of last week's updates and I feel like it this has to be addressed, given the stress we are all under.
Please try to remember that all authors - even fanfiction authors - have their own lives. I write because I love it, I have a story to tell, and a message to spread. However, the content you read does not magically appear out of thin air. In my case, I work 2 jobs to take care of my chronically ill, disabled parent; last Monday I spent 11 hours in the ER with my mother due to a health scare (she's fine now) so I subsequently lost both an entire day of work and time to write. The fact that there were any updates last week is a miracle. Every week, I spend upward of 10 hours writing this story, which are 10 hours I could spend doing something else I enjoy - the same goes for every other author. I am not beholden to provide "beefier" chapters at any time, especially when there are other things in my life that require attention.
As to the content of the chapters - every update is relevant to the overarching plot of the story. Whether you find the chapter immediately relevant or not, there are details included in each update that push the story closer to the end; upon re-reading, if you choose to, you will be able to find all the details that lead to the conclusion or to character development. Regarding romantic content, it should be obvious by now that if you are looking for a story where our leads fuck in every scene, then you have come to the wrong place. This story is about the slow-growing love between two characters who never thought they would experience love in the first place; it's also about how romantic love is not the most important type of love, as the love between friends, and the love for your aspirations, your dreams, and your career are all just as important.
To clarify, I am so incredibly gratified, proud, and happy that this story is so enjoyed and that it garners such passion from readers. However, please remember that this passion project comes free to you, but at the cost of my personal time and energy. Going forward, I hope everyone respects that we are all going through a collective trauma in this very difficult time, and that patience and kindness costs nothing to give to each other.
As always, be honest. I can take it. Stay safe, stay smart, and stay inside. Also, stay up on the science! There's exciting news out of the UK about a vaccine developed by Oxford that successfully triggered an immune response in 1, 077 people; this vaccine is now being moved into large phase 2 trials to see if the protection is as promising and effective as the early trials suggest. This is, of course, huge news - between this Oxford vaccine and the Moderna vaccine, it appears increasingly possible that we will be able to have a viable vaccine. Three cheers for the scientists working their ass off for the good of humanity!
As for Portland…For once, I have no words. I'm scared and angry. I can see the echoes of history. It's terrifying. I think the simplest thing I can say is this: vote.
~Rae
