Music was playing from the kitchen, spreading into the dining room and seeping toward those taking residence on the porch. Friendly banter was traded over delicious helpings of s'mores, soft sugar cookies, crema catalana, and Spanish hot cocoa. With a crisp, frigid temperature clinging to the surrounding area, everyone was dressed in weather-appropriate garb: oversized hoodies, sweatpants, worn jeans, boots, an occasional scarf. The air had a certain frosty tinge to an otherwise sweet, pine-like scent, meaning it was possible for them to expect snow soon.

Fortunately, the skies were clear and would remain so for the rest of the night.

It was roughly 11pm. Every aspect of peaceful life, whether it be cars, trees, flowers, or a thriving lawn, was covered in pale rays of light. Soon, it'd be time for everyone to head out so they could go to the beach to experience a rare celestial phenomenon.

Brad watched the horizon with half-lidded eyes. His hands were folded peacefully in his lap. His ankles were crossed over each other, swinging back and forth as they dangled over the porch ledge. Light humming surrounded him with an aura of tranquility.

Sorrow brewed deep within his heart.

A month.

An entire month had gone by since Marshall was last seen in person. He'd missed a plethora of occasions which were usually enjoyed together: changing of the seasons, early autumn festivals, nighttime pumpkin patches, spooky hayrides. So much time passed since his initial departure, even his birthday was soon to approach within the coming hours. And...he still wasn't home yet.

Brad hoped, wherever Marshall was, he at least had people to celebrate with him. That he'd be surrounded by love and laughter and warmth and every wonderful thing he could ever ask for. That, despite being away from his family, he'd be able to have a joyous birthday without having to worry about anything else.

Because Marshall deserved to bask in peaceful radiance shining down upon him, especially while traversing a significantly dark period in his existence. 

"Do you have a moment?"

Torn out of his thoughts, Brad glanced over his shoulder. "That depends. What for?"

"To...to talk. Please."

He turned his attention back toward the sky. "Fine."

Heavy footfalls sauntered onto the porch. They grew louder and louder until stopping right beside him. Within his peripheral vision, it was easy to make out the bottom half of a pair of ripped jeans. The person wearing them sat down, further revealing a red, blue, and gray plaid sweater. Plastic buttons on the left sleeve were toyed with out of clear nervousness.

Brad clenched his jaw to stomp out some unwarranted excitement attempting to brew within him. "Whatever it is better be important-"

"I'm sorry."

Leah's voice sounded weak. It wavered in a manner which revealed how close she was to shedding tears. Which was a detail capable of catching anyone off guard. Her genuine pain, burdens, and weaknesses—her most brutal feelings were being laid out in front of her for the world to see. She was wearing her emotions on her sleeve; which was surprising since the only one she would ever show in the past was rage.

Brad did his best to not let specific expectations bubble to the surface. "Sorry for what?"

"I'm sorry for everything," Leah lamented. "I'm sorry for not taking your bond with Marsh seriously. I'm sorry for ever making it seem like what you guys have doesn't mean anything. I'm sorry for leaving you behind to go take care of that coven of leeches. I'm sorry our separation caused you so much pain. I'm so sorry that my feelings about stuff from the past got in the way of us being able to grow. Of me being able to grow. I'm sorry I was trapped in a stubborn, never-moving-forward type of mindset. It wasn't fair to you- or me- or anyone else. I really, really can't apologize enough for all the agony I've caused because I was never able to let things go- or pursue good things for myself because I was too concerned about stuff that didn't actually matter. Brad, really- I'm so sorry."

"Why should I believe you?" Brad asked, not with the intention of provoking but to receive an appropriate answer. "As much as I appreciate your apology- why should I believe you? How do I know you're not going to go back on your word again? What suddenly changed to make you change your mind about so much when you refused to before?"

Surprisingly, Leah didn't react with anger like expected. Instead, she turned to face her imprint completely.

"Marsh- him being around, him leaving- it's taught me a lot. He was the one who told me about how things had gotten for you when I was gone. Then, he kind of gave me the push to realize that I needed to really consider my actions because my decisions were big enough to either lift me or harm me. And my loved ones. It was a huge slap in the face when the Cullens showed their true faces in the end after we did so much for them, but it did make me realize that he was right. That I need to sift through my feelings, keep the ones which are doing me good, and trash the ones which aren't. I've been sitting- thinking- for so long because- because I needed to be sure. I needed to make sure I was on the right path before approaching you again. Now, after so long, I feel like I'm finally realizing who I want to be. How the person I've been...wasn't really me."

Brad knew if he were still capable, his heart would've skipped a beat. His eyes would've swarmed with tears.

Leah's journey in finding herself sounded a lot like Marshall's. She understood certain aspects of her life were holding her back, and how she needed time alone to find a path that had been buried deep beneath a sea of rubble.

Weeks worth of voluntary radio silence between them made a lot more sense.

Her choosing to not seek her imprint out sooner made a lot more sense.

"I'm not expecting you to forgive me. Not after I took one of- no, not one of, the most important bond in your life and stomped it into the ground. I know something like this- the only way to fix it is for you to see the change you need for yourself. I know it'll take time. But- I just really need to stress how sorry I am about-"

Leah was interrupted as she was pulled in for a tight, unforeseen hug.

Brad leaned down, nuzzling his cheek against the side of her neck for the simple pleasure of feeling her warmth. 

He'd been aching to do so for a long time now.

"Brad-"

"You're right. For me to believe you, you have to prove you've finally changed. I will say, though...this- this is a start." His desperate hold tightened further. "Thank you. For finally learning. For seeing. Not just for me, or Marsh; but for yourself. That's all I ever wanted out of our separation."

Leah couldn't help melting into the strong embrace cradling her against her soulmate. She reveled in his naturally freezing temperature, taking note of two other scents, similar to his own, clinging to the too large shirt he was wearing.

"...Thank you for hearing me out. I...really hope we'll be able to fix things between us. To get back on track in terms of...where we were supposed to go-"

Leah was interrupted again.

This time, it was by cold, soft lips settling on top of her own.

Brad pulled back a mere second later to continue their hug. Still, his decision to follow his own desires by kissing his mate was intense enough to render her speechless.

A deep chuckle from her imprint rumbled against her chest, making heat crawl up toward her face.

"How was that for hope?"

***

Paul smiled to himself when his sensitive ears picked up what was happening outside. No movement was made to celebrate his pack mates in terms of their growing bond, though. They were experiencing a point in their relationship which was still too raw, tender, and new for other people to blatantly interrupt in the name of offering positive statements. Instead, he turned his body in a way to make his back face the front door. A small maneuver meant to offer privacy.

It was also one meant to shake off his own sense of longing.

The Forever Bond, seemingly capable of understanding different types of separation, had begun to make changes within Paul. While being away from an imprint for any extended period of time caused a slew of negative physical reactions, the ones happening following Marshall's initial departure had lessened. Chest aches dulled. Restlessness stopped. Worldly detachment became less encompassing. Fitful slumber was now overtaken by dreamless sleep.

Life still felt bleak. Incomplete. Gray. But...it wasn't as devastating now. There wasn't as much of a need to overwork himself for the sake of keeping some form of distraction.

Paul knew, one day, Marshall would come back. Their bond knew so. It was just a matter of waiting for him to return home like he said he would.

Grabbing his mug of lukewarm hot cocoa, Paul stirred his beverage with a spoon. Marshmallow clumps had long melted into a sweet, foamy mass. A bit of extra flavor was added by sprinkling in a bit of sea salt for a savory tinge. The flavor additive was also pleasant to taste when dipping part of a gooey s'more inside.

He was in the middle of chewing when his phone began to go off. The ringtone playing was one he only used for a single person.

Nearly choking on his dessert, the call was accepted with fumbling fingers.

"Hey there, Tiger."

Paul couldn't contain a shaky exhale. "Hi, Honey Bun."

A few quiet gasps were heard. Several people looked up in optimistic surprise. Brad and Leah stumbled inside to quickly sit at the table. Emily took the time to turn down the music so everyone could hear clearly.

"Do you mind if I put you on speaker, love?"

"Not at all, honey. My bad- were you in the middle of a party or something?"

Paul shook his head fondly, pressing the speaker button. "We're just hanging around together before heading out. There's a meteor shower happening tonight, and we made plans to go see everything at the beach."

"Oh- yeah, I heard about that. It's not often the Orionids reach peak so early. Kind of awesome you'll be able to see-"

Marshall paused. Shuffling in the background, probably from him walking around, halted.

"Is this a garden? How adorable." He laughed in a sweet, innocent manner. "So many fresh herbs. It'd be nice to see some flowers. Maybe some pumpkins too. Dark red and orange look really pretty together. It'd make for gorgeous autumn photos. Ah- and springtime would be pretty too since there'd be more wildlife."

"You're so cute. Maybe when you get back, I can take you to a botanical garden. Or maybe a butterfly house. Or I could spoil you and do both." Paul let out a dreamy sigh. "I really missed hearing your voice. Oh- but, how are you? If you're calling, does that mean you're doing better?"

"Yeah, I am. A lot better, actually. I don't think I've ever felt so...light on my feet before."

Jangling of keys was followed by a door opening. Something was tossed, landing on a soft cushion before accidentally tumbling toward what sounded like a carpet over wood.

"Whoops- eh, at least it's closed..." Faint sniffles were followed by another giggle. "Still smells the same. That's good. I was afraid that apple, cinnamon-like scent would've faded by now. I'm glad it hasn't. Makes this moment a lot more real."

Paul's eyebrows rose a bit.

Marshall was staying somewhere smelling like apples and cinnamon? The revelation was equal parts endearing as it was sad; because their shared home had a cozy aroma exactly like that. Hopefully it was making him feel better, rather than forcing a sense of homesickness onto him.

"Hm. Lovely ceramic piece too. The fur details are insane- super realistic. I can imagine it as a life-sized piece made out of marble."

Strange; Brad recently got back into his craft making hobbies. His latest project was of Paul in his wolf form. The small statue, a heartfelt gift, was kept on the top shelf of the metal case standing by the downstairs television.

That was...certainly another coincidence.

"Ooh, and the chandelier is gorgeous. The other one was nice, but I really like the woodsy vibe this one has going on."

Paul had recently made minor changes to the dining room's layout. His most ambitious one was replacing the old chandelier with a different, more artistic model. This new one came adorned with handmade detailing of maple leaves connected in a way to make them seem like they were flowing in the breeze. Yellow-tinted bulbs gave off a soft light, similar to that of golden hour. The chandelier as a whole could certainly be described as cozy or woodsy by someone looking at it-

"Marshmallow? Are you...at home..?"

A door closed. "Huh? Oh, not anymore. Now, I'm on my way out. I really like meteor showers, you know."

Paul wasn't sure how to respond. "I- you- how-"

Marshall chuckled softly. "See you at the beach, my love. I'll be waiting."

The call ended, leaving the room entirely silent except for the quiet songs playing on shuffle.

Holy shit.

Marshall was back.

Marshall was back- and he was going to the beach- and they were going to meet- and-

And he was finally home again.

Paul was hit with a sudden wave of panic at the revelation: Had he cleaned up the house enough before leaving earlier in the day? Did the rearrangements he came up with appear comfortable or were they too gaudy? Did he leave any laundry out? Oh gosh- was his current outfit good enough for a meeting with his husband? He wasn't wrinkled anywhere, was he? Did his hair look okay? Maybe he should take a second shower-

"Dude, calm down. It's just Marsh. He'd probably think you're attractive even if you were wearing a flying squirrel onesie. I'm sure he'll think you look fine now." Jared said between hushed laughs.

Emily offered a playful nudge to the arm. "Aww, come on- it's their first time seeing each other after a long time of being apart. I think it's normal to experience some first date jitters."

Paul swiftly buried his face in his hands out of embarrassment. He wasn't sure if he accidentally said all of his worries out loud, if he did any gestures to show what he was feeling, or if the others simply knew him well enough to understand where his mind was going. Either way, getting so worked up and bashful in front of them was still weird.

"You know..." Brad leaned in close with a teasing smirk. "The longer you sit here worrying about all these little details, the longer he's going to be waiting for you, big guy. Besides, he said he wanted to see the meteor shower too. I'm sure sitting on the beach with you, watching a sky full of falling stars, would make for a great birthday present."

That...sounded really nice.

Although his nervous emotions continued to rampage inside of him, Paul agreed with heading out.

Both he and Marshall had waited so long for this. There was no point in getting caught up in worries or details or feelings which, in the grand scheme, didn't truly matter. What mattered now was fulfilling a promise made when all of this started:

When Marshall was finally the person he wanted to be—a person he, himself, could be proud of—Paul would welcome his husband back with open arms.

Now, it was time to fulfill that promise.

*

The closer Paul got to the beach, the more his mind raced with frantic whispers. The voices bouncing along in his head didn't really sound like his own. Instead, they were deeper, huskier, and some were speaking in the Quileute tribe's native tongue. 

Every declaration was full of exhilaration. A few chided him for not phasing so he could run faster. Others were gentler since they understood his appearance became a bit disheveled post-transformation. Several couldn't contain their excitement and simply squealed in delight. All of the voices were trampling over each other to be heard; kind of like a group of people would do in a movie montage when they were trying to get a friend ready for an outing with their very first love interest.

Paul had never gone through something like this before, so he assumed it was another aspect of the Forever Bond coming into play.

Chanting of spirits long passed who could sense when two halves of an incomplete puzzle would finally be within reach, completing the image they were always meant to depict.

Each step closer made their announcements louder. More unhinged. 

They gained enough energy to start cheering in unison.

He's close, he's close, he's close, he's close-

He's here!

Stopping in his tracks, Paul's entire world changed. He watched in astonishment as the sand below his feet glowed in a way, it seemed to sparkle. The calm surface of a wide ocean reflected the sky above, painting a deep sea into a cosmic expanse held within the Earth's palm. Twinkling constellations danced around a lone full moon. It shined from its pedestal in the heavens to bathe the land in an ethereal light.

Directly below, standing a mere few feet from the water, a single man waited.

His hair glided past his shoulders, draping over his shoulder blades like silky black curtains. A leather jacket hid his upper body, both hands kept warm in spacious pockets. Formfitting joggers hugged his legs in a way to accentuate his natural muscles and curves. A tiny sliver of pale skin right above his ankles could be seen. Striped purple socks peeked over the tops of his comfortable sneakers.

His face was hidden. His most telling features couldn't be seen just yet. 

But Paul knew, without a doubt, that man would be the most beautiful person he'd ever laid eyes on.

A fierce warmth spread throughout Paul's entire body. His heart rate picked up. The voices in his head completely lulled into an expectant form of silence.

A slender hand settled in the center of his spine.

Glancing back, Paul took a necessary gulp when being met with Brad's knowing expression. The vampire offered a gentle push to help his friend move forward.

And that was all it took for Paul to start walking again.

He only took seven steps before the lone figure by the water turned to face him.

Brown eyes peered into stunning irises composed of vibrant scarlet. Specks of gold were planted in random sections, adding a rich warmth to an already captivating sight.

Marshall turned around completely. He pinned a section of hair behind his ear to further reveal his face. A gentle, tender smile grew. His overall expression was full of pure, irrepressible adoration.

Paul started running.

Marshall did the same.

The world around them became nothing but a blur.

Neither of them noticed when glittering streams of light began flittering across the sky in a dazzling display of astronomical beauty. 

No—the only detail they cared about was how wonderfully their bodies molded together when meeting for a tight hug. For Marshall, he was supported with one arm wrapped around his waist and another hand snug between his shoulder blades. For Paul, with strong legs wrapped around his hips, two soft hands were nestled in the short strands of his hair. Every point of contact acted as a tether for them to pull the other person closer.

When their lips touched, there weren't any fireworks. 

There was stability, warmth, happiness, devotion, safety, comfort, trust.

There was love.

Their kiss didn't need to be a dazzling spectacle like popular media often portrayed. It just needed to be theirs.