A/N: I'm so sorry this update is so late! I've been working on this, legit, since June 21. I went on vacation on the 23rd and attempted to get this out beforehand, but it didn't happen. It's also been pretty hectic on my end since I came back home. I'm slowly trying to get back into my groove. As a gift for your patience, please enjoy a longer chapter!

*

Note: I've been thinking about this for such a long time. I'd always wanted to show more of Marshall just having a super great time and hanging out with his people in a fun setting. This chapter consists of barbecue/lakeside activities, flirting, dancing, and summer vibes as a whole. 

Happening a bit before Marshall's beach party, this would've been the first time the pack got to sit down and see how Marshall truly acted around humans. This also would've been the first time they heard him speak/sing in fluent Spanish—which leads to Paul realizing he finds Romantic languages attractive. 😂

Since I'm so excited for this, I'm giving you guys another character art which took me a good 13 hours to complete. 😭😂It's a piece that I'm super obsessed with because it's probably the best picture I've ever done. It also FINALLY features our beautiful boy, Marshall, with his hair down. I repeat: HIS HAIR IS DOWN AND IT'S STUNNING!

Just-

Look at him!

That tongue piercing-

Those tattoos-

GORGEOUS!

***

Pendejo (Brad):

How close are you guys?

Cabrón (Marsh):

Should be a couple more minutes

Lot of people already there?

Pendejo (Brad):

With your habit of showing up fashionably late

Yeah 🙄

LMAO 😝

Cabrón (Marsh):

yeah yeah whatever

😂😂😂

Excited to meet Paul's family?

Pendejo (Brad):

Hell yeah

I'm sure they're good company since you like hanging out with them

Cabrón (Marsh):

They are good people

Not to get all sappy and shit

But I do appreciate you letting me invite them

So thanks

Dickhead

Pendejo (Brad):

You're welcome

Fuckface

🤣😘

Cabrón (Marsh):

🙄

This is why we're friends LMAO

😂🤪😘

"Marsh, honey, could you pass me a juice?"

"Sure thing."

While still holding his phone in his right hand, Marshall's left moved down toward a small cooler taking up space in between his feet. The container was opened, and a partially wet Capri Sun was grabbed. Small droplets rolled down his arm as the beverage was passed to Emily, the woman sitting directly behind him. He offered her a kind smile before returning his attention forward.

His now free hand took residence over Paul's on top of the center storage bin separating both seats. Their fingers habitually laced together, and warm lips grazed cold skin when giving a gentle kiss against the vampire's knuckles.

"Had I known you and your friend had a vacation house on the lake, I would've asked you and Paul to get together a lot sooner," Jared piped up, leaning and bracing against the other front seat.

Marshall shook his head, laughing. "Well, now if you want to skip town and spend some time by the water, you just have to tell me. If it were up to me, this house would be my permanent residence. The only thing that ruins it is the three hour long commute from Tacoma to Forks. Don't get me wrong, the scenery is gorgeous. But can you imagine having to drive six hours roundtrip every weekday just to get to and from work?"

"I'd rather not."

Paul's fingers clenched a bit to gently tighten his grasp. "Six hours in the car without counting traffic? That sounds like a lot of wasted time which could be used for doing something way more interesting."

Golden eyes turned mischievous at the thought. "Oh yeah? Like what-"

"No- nope- stop it- stop right there," Jared interrupted. "There are other people in the car. You're not about to subject me to the details of your bedroom talk. I already know I'm going to get stuck seeing you guys thirst over each other for an entire weekend. I'd like to push that off as much as possible before my poor, virgin ears become tainted."

"Oh please- with your potty mouth, every single cell of your body is already tainted."

"Well, excuse the fuck out of me, sir, but I don't have a goddamn potty mouth."

"...My point exactly."

Snickering from all around made Marshall do so as well. His shoulders hopped in time with his laughter, bare skin rubbing against the quilted fabric behind him.

He brought his focus back to the front windshield. Doing so gave the vampire a welcomed opportunity to bask at the gorgeous scenery a short distance away from them.

Mount Rainier was always a captivating spectacle to witness; with its impressive size, steep slopes, and vibrant patterns of white caused by snow caking higher up sections of rock. But one of the better views in Tacoma, in Marshall's opinion, was of Reflection Lake.

Undisturbed water was clear, allowing for surrounding trees, a gargantuan mountainside, and strolling clouds to be seen along the lake's pristine surface. When the car got close enough, its form didn't distort when being mirrored in a calm rippling current.

The aromatic scent of pine and fresh water came in through open windows.

As did the heightening sound of people cheering, singing, and laughing.

"How big is this place again?" Sam asked out of genuine curiosity.

"It's more like a lodge than anything. Three floors, balconies, porches, game rooms- things like that. Brad and I use it mostly for parties with our friends whenever we have some free time to get away from Forks. There are seven bedrooms. Mine and his are private with the others comfortably sleeping up to four people. We made it so you three had your own space to keep people from bothering you at night. Out of courtesy, of course. When these parties happen, we usually conk out at, like, four in the morning."

"Guess it's lucky there are no neighbors then."

Marshall grinned with his teeth on display. "Perks of having a good salary and a friend that's just as obsessed with being by the water as I am."

Paul's truck came to a stop on the side of the pathway leading up to their residence. With it being almost everyone's first time seeing the house, it wasn't surprising to hear gasps in awe.

As Marshall stated, the property was a three-floored log cabin with balconies perched outside of almost every set of glass doors. A chimney sprouted from the roof where outdoor lighting swooped downward until meeting ground level. A wrap-around porch lead to a large patio space in the backyard. A mere few feet separated the house from a boardwalk with multiple canoes moored for guests to use at their leisure. Quite a few partygoers were already swimming and canoeing in the water, while almost everyone else was dancing, eating, and playing games around the property.

Marshall perked up as soon as he saw a certain someone coming out of the house with more food in hand.

He leaned out of his seat, settling himself on the car door's frame, and a playful whistle was let out. "¡Oye, pendejo! ¡Me estabas buscando y ahora estoy aquí!"

A familiar voice made Brad turn around. His eyes widened, and a radiant smile planted itself onto his face. The covered bowl in his grasp was passed over to someone else. Frantic waving was coupled with a quick jog toward his friend.

"Bueno. ¡Te tomaste tu tiempo para llegar aquí!"

Marshall maneuvered himself in a way for his legs to swing outward. He jumped from his spot and landed on his feet without issue. He ran forward to meet Brad.

Their bodies connected by the vampire bringing his comrade into his arms, twirling him in a small circle. Dual kisses against both cheeks were shared before hugging each other even tighter.

Closing car doors and shuffling feet were barely noticed.

"...You cannot tell me that they haven't fucked at least once. You don't greet someone like that unless you've banged them before," Jared muttered as he watched the ordeal from afar.

Raising his eyebrows, Paul looked between his boyfriend and their shared comrade. A silent stare shifted to an inquisitive hum. A rather pleased smirk came onto his face.

"Nice."

Jared's jaw practically hit the floor. "What do you mean 'nice'?"

"I mean nice, like, I never really had that thought; but now that I do, I can admit them banging would be pretty hot. They're both good looking dudes."

"Aww, you flatter me, darling."

Marshall approached his group with a more lax stature. He watched on with a certain tenderness in his eyes as Brad practically leapt into Paul's arms for another hug.

Jared, being the emotional man he always was, screeched as they kissed each other's cheeks in a similar fashion.

"Was wondering when I'd finally get you over here," Brad teased.

Paul shook his head, offering a bashful grin as he claimed Marshall's hand once the hug parted. "Work is busy sometimes, as I'm sure you know. But I'm free for the next five days. So you're welcome."

"Perfect.~"

Together, all three men turned to face the remaining members of the group. Emily offered an excited, friendly wave; Sam gave his own gentle nod since his hands were occupied by some of their supplies; and Jared continued to look between the trio with a rather suggestive gaze.

Wanting to make sure everyone was properly acquainted, Marshall took the wheel. "Brad, these are Sam and Emily Uley, and Jared Cameron; Paul's extended family. Guys, this is my best friend and coworker, Brad Romero."

"Romero?" Emily questioned while tilting her head. "¿De España?

"Sί ¿Hablas Español?"

"Un poco, pero estudio el idioma todos los dίas."

Brad nodded in understanding, his fond expression never fading. "Well, your pronunciation is good. And it's nice you like Spanish enough to make studying it a hobby. I know it took Marsh a couple years to really start grasping everything."

"Which is something I'm still surprised about." Paul turned to face his imprint. "I didn't know you spoke Spanish. And so well too."

"I'm actually multilingual. Living in lots of different places means learning lots of different languages. I did so with Spanish partially because it gave me and Brad an opportunity to talk shit about the snobs and snooty assholes at our job. We do it right in front of their faces, and they've never caught on. It's pretty convenient."

"It's pretty hot too."

Jared groaned in minor annoyance. Even with a few bags dangling from his fingers, he shielded his face behind his palm. Whether it was out of embarrassment or discomfort, his mannerisms were still amusing to everyone else.

"You guys haven't missed much," Brad continued. "We're just getting the last of the meats and stuff off the grill. We were planning on having a small lunch before moving to the water for a bit. Since Marsh has the tendency to show up late, I started cooking a little while ago to make sure everything would be done around the time you guys got here."

"Aww, you do care about me.~"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, cabrón."

With his left hand already occupied, Marshall took hold of Brad's with his right one. The others followed behind them in the direction of the back patio. More friendly greetings were shared as they ventured toward a larger group of partygoers.

"No Yasmine?" Marshall asked while surveying the bundle of familiar faces.

"Nah, she had to go out of state for work. It's fine. That means I can be as stupid as I want this weekend."

Although joking, Brad's statement held some accuracy to it. He had the tendency to be a bit more reserved whenever his girlfriend was around. When it came to openly drinking alcohol, eating junk food, singing in a purposefully amateurish fashion, or just being his true, authentic self, Yasmine's presence usually brought about the habit of Brad stifling his wild side. It could've had to do with the relationship still being rather new—hardly a year old—but either way.

Friendly shenanigans became a bit more honest whenever it was just Marshall to hang around with.

And speaking of their shenanigans, the word "stupid" was successful in awakening a fond memory for the vampire.

"Oh man, dude- do you remember that one time we saw that snake in that tree and it fell in our boat? I think it was last summer."

"And the fact that we both stood up and ended up flipping the entire thing? How could I ever forget."

In truth, when taking a moment to reflect on such a hilarious scenario, it was deemed impossible to even consider actually forgetting it.

The snake had somehow found its way into a tree with branches dangling over Reflection Lake. As Marshall and Brad were busy observing stunning nature and wildlife, neither of them had noticed a little surprise waiting for them a few feet above. One moment, they were watching colorful birds flying overhead. The next, a small snake was wriggling in the center of their canoe.

And then, as Brad so eloquently put it, startled reactions out of genuine surprise were followed by both men capsizing their mode of transportation.

"Hey now, we are men of many talents. Some are just a little more ridiculous than others."

"I think it's safe to say we're a little more ridiculous than others."

Marshall gasped in feigned offense. "Hey, you still love me. Stupidity and all."

Hazel met a darker brown when Brad leaned forward to catch Paul's gaze. "I hope you realize this is your future. Spending time with two crazy ass weirdos that share one collective brain cell."

"Well..." Paul shrugged in a nonchalant manner. "With all three of us combined, we'll have a solid one and a half brain cells. So I think that evens things out."

"That's the spirit!"

*

Paul let out a dreamy sigh upon biting into a fresh chicken skewer. Delicate traces of spicy barbecue sauce mixed well with the meat's savory juices. A smokey taste clung to his meal, courtesy of previously dancing flames contained in a large grill. The scent of burning charcoal was diluted but still enjoyable to take in.

With the day's menu being based on Spanish cuisine alongside American dishes, Paul's plate was piled high with buffalo chicken dip mixed into a portion of baked macaroni, cold tuna salad, Spanish rice, croquetas, and tiny meatballs Brad called albóndigas.

Marshall's own half-eaten plate only consisted of some chicken, rice, and a burger. He kept a delighted expression on his face even when forcing down food he wasn't truly a fan of. Same with the sweet cocktail made via an outdoor bar on the back porch.

Paul decided to lend a helping hand since he was well aware of how uncomfortable Marshall got whenever he ate too much in one sitting.

"If there's a point where it's too much, just pass me what you can't finish. I don't want you getting a tummy ache."

The vampire was subtle when sliding his plate closer to his boyfriend. "I'll be okay. But this is definitely one of those times where I appreciate you having a black hole for a stomach."

Marshall leaned backward on their shared blanket to lie down. His flip flops were kicked off. Both arms were pulled up, fingers weaving between each other to make it easier for his palms to act as makeshift pillows. Instant warmth from the sun fell down from the heavens to caress his freezing skin. He reveled in the faint touch of heatwaves frolicking through his hair alongside gentle pushes of scented wind.

Experiencing their little getaways to the Tacoma lake house always helped to instill a strong sense of tranquility. Residing near Mount Rainier helped to diminish any trace feelings of stress that built up from work or, more often, dealing with the other Cullens. Relaxing near a lakeside forest was like being in a small bubble—a little habitat created for the sake of leaving the hardships of life outside. Within its confines, Marshall was given a greenlight to breathe, hang out, and just vibe.

With eyes closed, he took in the world via enhanced senses. 

Alongside an inactive grill, pine trees, and fresh water, Marshall was able to get a whiff of Paul's natural scent. There was the ever present aroma of dog accompanied by traces of a shared bergamot cologne; but there were hints of something sweeter as well. Like strawberries mixed with honeydew melon—which would make sense since he helped assemble a quick fruit platter before grabbing lunch.

New fragrances continued to cling to Paul's person when consuming different foods, much to the vampire's pleasure.

Marshall also found himself captivated by sounds of merriment happening around him.

Fast paced feet ran along the grass at random intervals during a competitive game of Red Light, Green Light. Satisfied hums accompanied plastic forks scraping against paper plates. Hollers of joy were belted out before being overtaken by splashing water. Jokes, laughter, and stories were shared over alcoholic beverages.

A lengthy playlist switched songs, further cementing both an atmosphere of elation and peace.

Lying down on a thick picnic blanket with nothing else on the agenda was...soothing.

But Marshall made sure to stay alert for certain things.

Like the water balloon currently headed straight for him.

Out of reflex, the projectile was caught mid air. It was tossed in the direction it came from, hitting Brad directly in the forehead.

He sputtered as cold water drenched his face, but it didn't take him long to get his bearings.

"Oh, you are awake."

"You threw a water balloon at me because you thought I was asleep?"

"Yeah. Good way to check on your reflexes. Gotta make sure you stay properly hydrated too."

Marshall flashed his middle finger before resuming his previous position. He couldn't help but let out a quiet, airy laugh as approaching footsteps on the grass were followed by something resting against his stomach. It was easy to make out the familiar texture of silky curls when running a single hand through them.

"Comfy down there?"

"Extremely."

Neither them nor Paul attempted to strike up a conversation for the sake of filling any lingering silence. Instead, the trio continued to bask in each other's company. Hyperactive noises from the party going on around them weren't considered bothersome or obnoxious. They acted more as peaceful soundscapes to further encapsulate the wild-fun-crazy-vacation mood.

Brad began humming to the song playing from a Bluetooth speaker on the porch. His fingertips drummed against the surface of his own stomach. Crossed feet took turns tapping to a moderate tempo. Only when he got more into the music did he start singing.

And Marshall followed without even thinking about it.

They harmonized like the gesture was second nature. Steady voices blended together flawlessly, working to enthrall anyone fortunate enough to be within earshot.

Smiling to himself, Paul finished his meal. He closed his eyes to further appreciate a beautiful voice belonging to his favorite singer. Goosebumps erupted across his arms. An attempt was made to smooth them back down by running delicate fingers over warm skin.

Unfortunately, the trio were interrupted by multiple streams of water being hurled at them.

Golden eyes shot open in surprise.

They took in the sight of Jared, backed by a few other people, wielding a plethora of different sized water guns. Everyone was dripping wet—hinting at a fun game of soaking each other from head to toe having commenced a good while ago. Heavy breathing and reddened cheeks pointed to their activity as being rather strenuous but still enjoyable to take part in.

Seeing how a few people were scoping the area for more targets, Marshall realized he was their latest victim.

A feeling of calm was replaced with pure excitement.

"Oh, I'm so gonna kick your ass."

Jared's smirk widened. He waved a few extra water guns before allowing them to fall to the ground. "Put up or shut up, pretty boy."

"...Brad. Take my left."

An equally intrigued grin was flashed in the vampire's direction. "Gotcha."

"Tiger?"

"I've got your right, Honey Bun."

As a unit, Marshall, Paul, and Brad dove forward to secure their weaponry. Once armed and fully loaded, the trio released a barrage of attacks against their enemies. Spurts of water hit people in the face, shoulders, arms, and legs. Screams were let out as opposing team members fell to the side in defeat. Their scrambling bodies were disregarded—only being seen as mere obstacles to avoid in order to secure victory.

With numbers quickly depleting, the group broke up in an attempt to cover more ground.

Too bad their attempts were all for naught.

"You guys deal with the others. I want to corner Jared by the lake."

"Hell yeah- total annihilation!"

"We'll leave no one standing! Show no mercy!"

Ruthless declarations were fuel enough to make Marshall continue on his "streak". He made it past a few stragglers running in his direction by sliding beneath them against the grass. His half empty water gun was swapped for a full one after picking another weapon off of a fallen opponent. Golden eyes zeroed in on his target, locking onto a retreating form.

Jared glanced over his shoulder, hollering in clear joy. "You'd be an absolute menace in paintball."

"Thanks for the compliment."

Marshall attempted to make an attack, but Jared hid behind a tree before any water could meet its mark. The vampire reacted by pumping his weapon to make sure the pressure was high enough to cross greater distances.

It was both annoying and funny whenever Jared made a narrow escape by darting behind other trees, cars, and random pieces of outdoor furniture.

But there was nowhere to go when he was successfully captured on the boardwalk.

Marshall's grip tightened. His feral grin widened. Light footsteps allowed him to stalk toward his prey without making a sound.

They moved closer to the surface of the water since Jared made repeated attempts at keeping some distance between them.

"Freeze!"

They turned around, only to come face to face with Sam pointing a water gun in their direction. The alpha looked between both men before aiming his barrel directly at the vampire.

"So you've chosen a side," Marshall noted. "But it doesn't matter. When I shoot him, there will be no one left to save you."

Sam chuckled. "I think you've got it wrong. There's no one around to save you. And I'll make you pay for wiping out our whole squad!"

A feminine voice yelled out in response. "Not if we get to you first!"

Emily ran alongside Brad and Paul. All three teammates hurled several water attacks at Sam. He yelled out, flailing and throwing his gun to the side. He cradled his chest where a majority of his "wounds" were. One last dramatic howl lost its intensity while he fell to the floor.

All members of Team Marshall approached Jared. Everyone aimed directly at his face.

"C'mon, guys- it- it's just a game. No hard feelings, right..?"

Paul took another step forward. "You started it."

Marshall did the same. "And now we're finishing it."

Simultaneous spurts of water hit Jared along his cheeks, chin, and forehead. His water gun fell at his feet. He attempted to keep himself from falling into the lake by flapping his arms up and down.

Paul wasn't having any of that, however. He dropped his weapon, following the gesture by running up to his best friend, jumping, taking hold of him, and committing to a perfectly executed wrestling move—straight into the water.

Both men resurfaced with joyous laughter.

Marshall set his gun down as well. "And we are victorious."

"Yeah..." Brad's tone became more mischievous. Hazel eyes appeared more conniving. "But you need to be careful about who you trust!"

That was the only warning given before the vampire was pushed. He let out a high pitched scream and tumbled into cool water. Resurfacing was accompanied by a startled gasp.

"You traitor!"

"Yeah, but you still love this traitor!"

Brad and Emily shared a high five. They took each other's hands and jumped into the lake together to join their other friends.

*

"Sam.~ I'm coming to steal your wife!"

"I figured. Just bring her back in one piece."

Calculative brown eyes watched as Marshall approached their group. He put an expectant hand out for Emily. She accepted the request for her presence by getting up. Their fingers intertwined, and soft laughter followed the two. They congregated toward a crowded formation of dancing bodies. A quick improvised spin solidified their roles in being dance partners as well.

A playful, "Show me what you got, Em" was heard over loud music.

The sight of a member of his family getting along so well with his boyfriend made Paul swoon. He leaned his head against his knees to watch the scene from afar.

"Now that you've really seen how he is around humans, what do you think? About him?"

Sam was silent while observing. "I'll admit, I didn't completely believe you at first when you said he was different. Even when he initially met Em and they bonded really fast. But witnessing it in real time with such a big group is...different. He's very...human."

"I said the same thing the first night I met him."

"He sure as hell fits in good with the pack too," Jared added. He leaned back on his hands, his head propped against his shoulder. "Marsh is just a fun guy to be around. You kind of forget the whole wolf/vampire dilemma when it comes to him. Again, it's still a bit strange. But I think you both have finally sold me."

Paul felt a heavy weight come off of his shoulders. "So you guys accept him? Fully?"

"There isn't a reason not to. Besides, we can all tell you really care about him. And...he really cares about you. This is super fucking cheesy of me to say, but we don't want to ruin this for you."

"Even though you guys haven't been together long, it's easy to see that Marsh has changed something in you, Paul." Sam looked over at his pack mate before drawing his attention back to the dance floor. "You carry yourself differently than you used to. It actually feels like you mean it now when you say you're doing well- that you're happy. Your eyes light up whenever you see him. We all know that whatever you feel for him has to be real love."

Love...

Paul hadn't said a specific three word phrase just yet. At least, not out loud. He could admit, though, the only appropriate word to sum up his feelings for his boyfriend was love. Pure and genuine. Encompassing. Absolute.

Despite having never spoken it into existence, Paul knew he was in love with Marshall.

And in light of how much their relationship was progressing, perhaps it would be good to admit those hidden feelings soon.

Such a serious train of thought was halted, however, as several pairs of eyes widened when Marshall started singing a new song. Their gestures were silent acknowledgements of the vampire's apparent skill in performing vocally with a different language. Brad joined in as well. And even though only one of them had Spanish as their native tongue, the two friends mimicked each other's accents with great fluency.

"...You've certainly got yourself an interesting one, I'll tell you that." Sam chuckled.

Paul smiled, gazing at his imprint with adoration swelling in his chest. "Yeah..."

Golden made contact with rich brown. An excited wave was given, followed by a quick blown kiss.

"Yeah, I do."