The scent of honey permeated the house. Carlisle smelled it before he even opened the front door. It was the scent he associated with his oldest son, and he was used to it as one mingled among many. He stopped in surprise and licked his lips uncertainly. He wasn't sure why Edward's smell should be so strong.

Maybe he'd been damaged. The two brothers had been wrestling with increasing vigor in their constant attempts at one-upping the other, and Emmett still had his newborn strength. Perhaps they'd been injudicious, and he'd been accidentally hurt.

Carlisle could smell no unidentified vampires, so if his son had come to be injured, it wasn't due to hostilities or territoriality.

Reassured, Carlisle opened the door of his home.

Edward?

"Out here!"

He followed the low sound of his sons' voices onto the back porch. Emmett was leaning casually against the porch railing, and Edward was just finishing tying his shoelaces when Carlisle opened the door.

"Good morning, Carlisle, did you have a good shift? Em and I were about to go hunting; would you care to join us?" Edward gulped in a deep breath and held it as soon as he finished speaking.

Em?

He glanced back and forth between his sons. Emmett seemed highly amused by something, but as that tended to be the man's natural state, it was Edward that caused him to frown. His oldest son seemed flustered, the words he'd spoken rushed, even by vampire standards.

If for no other reason, Carlisle was glad Rosalie had brought Emmett to him because of the easy-going vampire's effect on Edward. Far too many years he'd spent wallowing in misery. Desperate to change something and sick of the senseless way humans treated each other, he'd brought home a dying young woman in the hopes that they could be for each other what he and Esme were.

By the time that same young woman brought a human of her own to him a few years later, he'd given up on the hope that any spark of romance would ignite between the two he considered his children. Esme claimed she was still holding out hope, but Carlisle thought it was more for his own sake than true belief. It troubled Carlisle that the man Rosalie had chosen hadn't wanted her. Yet, it seemed she'd chosen wisely.

Emmett fit into their family as though he'd always been there, and had only just returned from an extended trip. He pledged to follow Carlisle's rules against dining on humans (Emmett's accidental kills were forgiven as a matter of course) and had developed a friendship with Edward that was obviously what the young man had needed.

But... Em?

Edward's jaw clenched and he shuffled his feet. "Alight, then. Another time."

He'd turned and darted across the lawn before Carlisle could answer. He raised an eyebrow at his remaining son, hoping he might offer an explanation, but a call of, "I'm not getting any younger out here!" prodded Emmett to bound over the rail and call back, "You're not getting any older either, but let's make tracks before the banks close."

Banks? thought Carlisle. It's only just sunrise; they'll be opening soon, not closing.

"He doesn't understand," Edward muttered a while later.

"He doesn't care."

"You saw the look he gave me."

"What? You went all loony. I'd've stared at you too, if I hadn't known why."

"He won't understand."

"Brother, listen to me. Carlisle won't care!"

Edward grunted and lightly kicked a random rock. It sailed over the trees. Emmett counted to thirty before he heard it tick and rattle back to the earth. He kicked a second one. That one only stayed airborne for a count of twenty-three. Emmett darted in front of Edward to walk backwards just as he was drawing his foot back to kick a third.

"Are you trying to get hit with a rock, or...?"

Emmett grinned. Bring it.

Emmett swerved out of the way of the first and caught the second. Edward started making feints kicking some rocks and not others, sometimes aiming for the other man, sometimes aiming away, while Emmett jumped one way or the other until his back hit a tree. The both stood and watched open-mouthed as it tipped slowly toward the ground, wincing as the older growth took down other tree's branches on its way.

Edward bit his lip. "Whoops."

What was the name of that doctor I killed?

Edward thought it was a strange thing for Emmett to wonder, but he supplied the name. "Rutherford."

"Right."

"You didn't do it on purpose."

"He was his friend. But he forgave me. Who does that?"

"I know what you're trying to say. It's not the same thing."

Emmett hoisted himself up to sit on the newly fallen tree. "No. It ain't. I killed one of his friends, and he didn't even get mad. If he can forgive murder so easy, do you really think he'll mind me fallin' for his son?"

Edward joined him without looking at him, but he smiled at Emmett's words.

"Would he have cared if it was me 'n Rose?"

Edward snorted. "That's only why he changed you."

"And that's why he changed her, innit? 'Cause of you? So, he was a little off. He still wants you to he happy."

Edward frowned and shrugged. "I suppose."

"It ain't like we're robbin' him of grandchildren or anything."

"No."

"So stop worrying!"

Edward smirked. "Have you even met me?"

"Come to think of it, no! Hi. My name's Emmett Cullen. Do you come here often?" He wiggled his eyebrows and held out his hand for Edward to shake, but he batted it away.

"Good thing Carlisle's a doctor. You're certifiable, I swear."

Emmett eyed the young man beside him. A niggling of doubt cut through his usual air of self assurance.

Do you regret what I did to you?

"No!" Edward shook his head in emphatic denial. A broad grin spread on Emmett's face. Edward scoffed and shook his head again, embarrassed this time.

A low growl built in Emmett's chest. Mmmm. Can I do it again?

Edward inhaled and felt a tightening of anticipation in his stomach at the thought of what Emmett had made him feel earlier.

It had taken a while before he'd had regained the use of his limbs enough to peel himself from the floor in front of the piano. Emmett had been watching him from a chair. He'd been a little disheveled, but seemed fully pleased with himself. Edward glanced between the other man's legs to where, not too much earlier, Emmett's state of arousal had left no doubt that he'd been enjoying playing with his friend.

But after?

When Edward had stammered concern that Emmett hadn't been satisfied, the taller man had simply laughed and said it was alright because it was his turn next. Edward had nearly launched himself at Emmett before the words were spoken, but he'd heard Carlisle approaching the house and dragged the man outside with him instead. Emmett had insisted they at least remain and tell Carlisle hello, not go running off as if in shame. Emmett certainly felt none. He'd been sure that if it had still beat, his heart would have stopped judging by the look of terror Edward had given him, but he'd been calmly adamant, and Edward had faced his father... however briefly.

Edward had to admit Emmett had a point. Emmett's few accidents were nothing compared to his own murdering spree that had gone on for years. Carlisle had forgiven that, hadn't he? Welcomed Edward home without hesitation? And he'd tried to find him a mate in Rosalie.

He supposed not even Carlisle was perfect all the time.

Edward slipped off the fallen tree and smiled at his companion. "No."

Emmett's dimple disappeared. But I thought you liked it.

"I did, but I believe you said it was your turn next?"

"Oof." Really? You will?

Edward chuckled at the blur of images that ran through the other man's head and the look of anticipation on his face. Emmett's eyes were wide, a dimple on each cheek. He was breathing fast already, and Edward started to understand why Emmett had enjoyed himself earlier. There was pleasure to be had in making someone else feel good, too.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you chose this tree to knock down for that very purpose."

"It is about the right height, huh?" Emmett chuckled as Edward stepped close and slid between Emmett's legs. He leaned down just slightly at Edward's mute request. How could Emmett refuse that smile on his upturned face? He gave a wordless protest when Edward pulled away, but quickly gasped when he found him sliding his shirt up. Emmett allowed Edward to pull it over his head before wrapping the other man in a tight embrace.

Oh, fuck, I want you.

"I know."

"Cocky little shit, ain't ya?"

Edward snickered and made short work of removing the rest of Emmett's clothes. If he'd just been planning on sucking him off, he could've left his clothes on, but Edward wanted to repeat what Emmett had only imagined doing. If he'd imagined it. then he must have wanted it. Emmett's thick thighs wrapped around Edward's trim waist as the two kissed. His lips found Emmett's dimple, and he laughed again when he kissed it and then moved down. His fingers played with one nipple while his mouth toyed with the other.

Edward stopped thinking about what he was doing and what it meant and who might care. All he cared about right now was that he had this newborn vampire at his mercy. He hissed at the less-than-gentle bites and groaned as Edward's mouth avoided the twitching leaking cock in Emmett's lap. He pushed his thighs farther apart and used his hands, teeth and tongue along the big man's inner thighs.

He'd been listening to his mental pleading, but it wasn't until Emmett gasped out, "God, Edward, please!" that he took him into his mouth.