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[provincialbelle]

This was not the birthday she had ever thought she would have. She was twenty-one years old this year, certainly not a young teenager anymore. She had responsibilities and her own life and her own home. She also had a boyfriend who was celebrating his birthday. When he had suggested taking the kayak out, she had been enthusiastic about the idea -- it was like nothing they had ever done before.

Of course, now, as she flopped around in the water, desperate to tread and keep herself above the surface, she was regretting that decision. How could she be blamed? She had reached out, trying to attract one of the butterflies that was fluttering close to her and had tipped out of the kayak. Sopping wet, she swims towards the tip, holding onto it and giving Jacob a waterlogged smile and a laugh.

"Now, how am I supposed to get back in?" she asked, lazily kicking now that she had something to help keep her afloat.

Comments

[provincialbelle]

Belle made a face when he brought up the 'diving off incredibly high objects' part. She tried her best to forget that he did that, mostly because she had a great deal of fear for that -- only compounded when Gaston's body had fallen from so high above. "Sleepovers makes it sound like we're six and sneaking around under our parents noses," she teased, helping to bring the kayak into shore as the sand loomed closer.

[quileutejacob]

"Yeah and we are definitely not six," Jacob said, making his own face at that. "Apparently...there's a thing we can do, as pack members? We can imprint on someone. Just, look at someone one day and realize that's it for us, that's the one, no matter if there's an age difference or what. I was always kind of freaked out it might happen to me."

He paused for a moment and looked at Belle, eyes a little soft. "But I think, if I was still a wolf, you'd be the one anyway. That I don't ever have to worry about that."

[provincialbelle]

Belle opened her mouth to comment on how strange that was, but then he had to follow it up with something as romantic as that. She softened and reached both hands out for his, grasping hold of them and tugging until they were pressed tighter together. "That's both terrifying and wonderful at the same time," she said, as honest as she could ever be -- she always wanted to be honest with him. "I love you, too."

[quileutejacob]

"Oh, believe me, it's completely creepy and terrifying," Jacob agreed, laughing and tugging her close. "But I really...I've never felt about a person the way I feel about you, Belle, and I can't help but think that means we're meant for great things. Together. We're meant to be together, you know?"

[provincialbelle]

"And now you're right back to being utterly romantic," she praised with a fond smile on her face, leaning into his body and letting herself drift inwards, not caring in the least that she was practically surrounded by his torso and his arms. She actually, well, she sort of liked it (and she tried not to blush and think about what that might say about her). "Back home?" she suggested.

[quileutejacob]

"Anywhere," Jacob promised. "I wish, someday, you could meet my dad. And I'd like to meet yours. I want to know everything about you since I'm planning on being with you, you know?"

He gave her a little smile. "But for right now, let's just get back to shore and go back to your place. One step at a time?"

[provincialbelle]

"I'd like for you to meet my Papa, too, even if he might not be sure what to make of you," Belle teased, knowing very well that her Papa would love any man who treated her well. Jacob was a gentleman and beyond and she never worried about herself, not with him around. "One step at a time sounds perfect," she agreed, doing as much work as she could with the paddle to get them back to the sandy shore.