"seasick"

ϟ

Tama surveyed her new surroundings with raised eyebrows as she exited the truck, the area unfamiliar to her. The smell of ocean salt and fishing bait hit her nose, a familiar scent that made her inhale and exhale deeply, watching her breath form a cloud in front of her. The sky had turned gray, as was normal this time of year but, the rain had stopped the moment she'd stopped crying earlier and let nature take its course.

They'd parked in a patch of dirt, near a quaint shop that had a small, dirt-carved path down to a dock that housed two boats. Only the larger one of the two stood out to her, painted a stark white that was surprisingly clean with a large orca painted onto its tail. Tama looked at the boat owl-eyed. "Are we..."

She looked up to see Paul smiling down at her, proud to have her so awestruck. "Can't believe you didn't guess this, it's your favorite thing to do besides paint. We used to go like every weekend, even skipped school a few times to go."

He gently nudged her with a smug smile and Tama shrugged him off, "Yeah and you'd complain about the smell of the sea and vomit half the time," she pointed out, trying to ignore that familiar feeling that was bubbling up within her, the one that made her remember why she fell for him so easily the first time.

Paul only shrugged, his smug smile turning into an honest, genuine one as he said, "still got on that boat though, every time."

He turned away from her once they saw an older man approach, conversing with him as they talked about the weather and the possibility of them seeing any sea life and Tama watched on with her stomach doing flips as she mumbled, "yeah."

He was right. No matter how much he complained about the smell of the sea or how often he emptied his guts overboard, he always agreed to accompany her whenever she even so much as hinted at wanting to go whale watching. Even when her friends begrudgingly agreed or when she tried to assure him he didn't have to do the very thing that made him sick, he always showed up early, with their favorite snacks, a new pack of film to capture what he could whenever he wasn't leaning over the railing, and a smile. Every single time.

The man Paul spoke to smiled and waved her over, greeting her with a cheery, "Happy birthday, you ready to see some orcas?" as well as a brief introduction and Tama couldn't help the grin that spread at his question and nodded enthusiastically, "it's been a while since I've seen them."

"We'll be leaving in eight minutes, we don't have any snacks on board so feel free to grab some up at the shop, my wife runs the place she's a real angel," he told them with a nod towards the nearly empty shop behind them. He left them without another word and Tama turned towards Paul, gesturing towards the shop, "I'm gonna grab a few things, did you want me to get you anything? Those sea sickness pills?"

Paul scoffed and Tama saw a blush creeping up his neck at the assumption of him getting seasick. "I'm a shapeshifter now, I can literally punch through walls and it takes me like eight beers just to feel a buzz, I don't need any pills," he assured her, clearing his throat and straightening his shoulders ever so slightly.

Tama huffed out a laugh, "I'm not even gonna ask how you figured those things out but alright, *super shifter*, I'll get you some skittles and a sweet tea." She turned to go towards the store but Paul called out after her, "yeah but make sure they're-"

"Yes I know, not the sour ones, not the regular ones, the purple ones, I got it," she waved him off with her back already facing him as she went on her way, oblivious to the way Paul stared after her. She entered the shop, greeting the woman at the counter with a smile and a wave as she ventured through the space, piling items into her hands before bringing them all to the register.

The woman, older than Tama's mother with long gray strands of hair that went past her elbows, smiled at her, as though they'd already known one another for ages. "Happy birthday," she said as a way of greeting and before Tama could even ask how she knew, the women jutted her chin out towards where the boats sat, docked.

"Your boyfriend's been talking about this for days; my husband owed his father a favor and he cashed in on it. He's been calling John nonstop, making sure he's got the best routes with the best visibility."

Tama didn't get the chance to tell the woman that Paul wasn't her boyfriend, as she continued on, "Before he bought the boat, my husband used to take me out on his canoe to see the blue whales migrating through here, back when we were just kids your age, sneaking out of school. People thought we were crazy for saying we were in love so young, told us it wouldn't last and we'd grow apart. Next month makes fifty two years together."

The only thing Tama could say in response was, "why don't you come with us?" The woman laughed as she rung up Tama's total. "As lovely as a double date with you youngsters on the open sea sounds, I think I'll stay here and hold down the fort, I've seen enough of the sea to be okay with missing it for one day."

Tama stared down at her pile of items and nodded, still unable to find the words to say reaching into her bag for her wallet. The woman reached out, her hand stopping Tama's, a warm smile gracing her features. "It's on the house, my birthday gift for you, and our thanks for keeping the town safe." She winked at Tama's shocked state and laughed, offering her items in a paper bag before shooing her out of the store.

Paul greeted her with a grin, beckoning her over impatiently as he tried to immediately dig into the bag. Tama swatted his hand away, giggling at his pout while she fished through the bag for his things and a navy blue hat that featured a very cartoonish orca. Before he could object, Tama placed the item on his head, securing it with a wide grin. He rolled his eyes but made no moves to remove the hat, instead grabbing her hand and leading her towards the awaiting boat.

He helped her on, keeping a steady hold of her hand and her waist, pressed up against her back so close she could feel his breath on her exposed neck. She knew he could hear how fast her heart was pounding at the close contact because she could feel his heart beating furiously through his chest as well. It made her feel only slightly better, to know she wasn't the only one of them that felt this way whenever he was close to her. "I can get on myself you know, you're not the only super shifter."

"Yeah, I know," he murmured, keeping his hold secure even as they ventured towards the front of the boat that rumbled to life, gripping her tighter once the watercraft jetted out towards the sea.

"You know," Tama began as they finally reached a touch of sea where they were promised 'a show' from the owner of the boat, "John's wife says you've been hounding him for days about this."

They stood near one another, staring over the side of the boat, his hand still lazily wrapped around her waist. Tama spared a glance over at Paul to gauge his reaction, his gaze focused intently on the waves while a red blush spread up to his cheeks. "Did she?"

Tama smiled at the crack in his voice, returning her gaze back to the water that rolled on around them. "Yeah. She thought it was cute that my boyfriend went to such lengths to make sure I'd see my favorite animal," she said.

"What do you think?" Paul asked after a few seconds of silence passed, finally turning away from the nearly black water to face her fully.

Tama could only hold his stare for a few seconds before she averted her gaze back to the water nervously. He had always stared at her so intently, with so much care; but now that he'd imprinted, there was such an intensity in his gaze that she couldn't manage it. "I think you're trying...I know you're trying, I don't want you to think that I'm blind to it or the imprint, especially not on purpose but, I can't afford to be distracted right now, and neither can you. We can't be selfish when we have so much resting on our shoulders."

"It's okay to be selfish sometimes, in some ways," Paul reminded her softly as he rubbed small circles into her waist that had her subconsciously moving closer towards him and his warmth, "you don't always have to be so selfless, Tama. You can't jump at the chance to play hero every time something bad happens or else, you'll end up like before; burnt out and upset with the world."

"Things are so different now, we aren't lovesick sophomores trying to rebel against our parents with barely any responsibility. I turn into a bird and you, a wolf and there are vampires running through our lands that we promised we'd kill. If we won't do it, who will, the Cullens?"

Paul huffed out a laugh at the absurdity of it all, unable to argue with her as much as he wanted to. They sat in a comfortable silence before he admitted, "I'm pretty sure I'm off the lacrosse team considering I can't go a few hours without shifting... I've been avoiding the guys on the team like the plague, my dad can't even look me in the eye anymore; not to mention, Quinn."

He didn't need to explain further, Tama already knowing how uncomfortable her ex felt about his bubbly future stepmom and his father's upcoming nuptials, how their happiness made his already unstable temper nearly insatiable. He didn't talk much about lacrosse now and she never brought it up, knowing it was a sensitive topic for him. Lacrosse had always been his outlet, having been introverted by nature with parents who never gave him much attention amidst their heated relationship. It gave him space to quiet his mind and move his body, the popularity he gained from it was just a bonus. Now, it was stripped away and he was forced to be a ferocious beast against his will.

She placed a comforting hand on his bicep that was exposed to the cold October air and ran her fingers over the area gently a few times before she looked back on the open sea, feeling the muscles beneath her fingertips soften and relax. "I still haven't finished enough paintings for the gallery and the deadline is in a month...Leah and I probably aren't even friends anymore after our argument today and my grades are slipping, again."

Paul said nothing, his head hanging low as he gripped onto the railing of the boat. "Lives are at stake, our futures too Paul," she added, "don't you want to put an end to all of this so we can at least try to be normal teenagers again? I can stop lying to my friends and paint again, and you can play lacrosse-"

"I don't care about lacrosse," he told her, his jaw tightened considerably as he brushed off her grip and turned to face her completely, both hands gripping at her waist to keep her close to him. "I never cared about lacrosse the way I care about you, I never wanted it in that way, I only ever wanted you."

She took a step back and he took one towards her, his eyes boring down into her own. "And I know that things aren't great now but you're my mate, Tama. The spirits looked down on us and decided that we were meant to be here together, right now. I think we'd be doing them a disservice to ignore that."

Tama huffed out a laugh, avoiding his gaze that was far too intense for her liking, "since when do you care about the Spirits?"

"Since they brought you back into my life at my lowest and told me that you were my soulmate. If they made me for you and you for me, I'll believe in anything they tell us."

Tama felt like she couldn't breathe despite the fresh autumn air piercing her lungs with every inhale she took. "They talked to you?" she heard herself asking in a cracked voice, as if the words hadn't come out of her own mouth.

"They talked to me," he nodded, pulling her closer to him until their bodies were pressed together and she could feel his frantic heart beating as though it was her own. She guessed it was hers, in a way. "They talked to me that night and showed me what we could be together, if we accepted the bond. I'll turn into whatever they want and kill however many vampires I have to, to make sure that future comes true — our future."

She finally found the courage to look at him, her heart pounding as she looked up at him with a mix of uncertainty and hope, the first of it she'd felt since the beginning of August, before everything went up into flames — leading them here, to this exact moment.

"I spot four of 'em over here, port side," John called, gaining their attention. Tama blinked away the brain fog that was often induced whenever she heard Paul's voice and before he could object, she grabbed ahold of his hand, pulling him towards the other side of the boat with an excited scream that washed away the heat that was beginning to consume her body.

Tama felt Paul tug on her hand and she stopped with a pout, preparing to pull him towards her again when she heard him say, "I don't feel so good." She turned around, her hopeful smile falling upon seeing his paling skin, muttering a "Jesus," before pulling him towards the edge of the boat with an open railing, so that he could expel the contents of his stomach.

She was filled with guilt, seeing once again the lengths Paul would go just to see her happy, rubbing his back comfortingly. "So much for being a super shifter, huh?" she joked in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Paul managed to glare at her and groan out, "not the time to gloat," before he was hunched over the side of the boat again and Tama sighed, her cool palm on his back leaving momentarily to reach into her bag. "Here," she said, offering him a handful of pills and the rest of her own drink. "I did the math and you'll have to take four times the regular dosage for it to work."

Paul took the pills and drink carefully, a wary look on his still pale face before he glanced back up at her, "You're awful at math." The girl in front of him didn't even attempt to feel offended by his words, knowing them to be true. He excelled in mathematics while her knowledge was elementary, the only class she struggled with. Ironic. "Semantics...now, take the pills or keep hurling — your choice, dork," she told him with a shrug and a smug smirk. He sighed before going against his better judgement and taking the handful of pills.

"If I die," Paul started, his voice raw from exertion and bile.

"You're a super shifter, remember," Tama reminded him, still smirking tauntingly, her hand finding his again as she led him towards the other side of the boat carefully. "You'll be alright."

ϟ

Aaron Lahote's face fell when he opened his front door to reveal his son and Tama. Paul stood next to his imprint with tense shoulders while Tama offered an awkward wave before averting her gaze. Paul had mentioned just how badly Quinn wanted to see her today and Tama wondered what his future stepmother had done that made him give in to her request. The older man jutted his chin out towards his son as he completely ignored Tama, "lost your key, again?"

Paul only nodded once, not saying anything as he entered the house, easily towering over his father who moved to the side to make room for his son who was no longer the same height or width he was only months ago. "Your coach stopped by earlier-"

"Tama," Quinn's bubbly voice rung in her sensitive ears and she allowed the girl to pull her into a tight hug, effectively ended what Tama knew would be an argument between father and son that would include her. "Happy birthday; I'm a libra too!" Quinn pointed to her tight fitting pink top as though it was an obvious clue to her zodiac sign.

Tama returned the smile Quinn offered her, along with a small, "thanks Quinn," that the slightly-older girl beamed at. She stood awkwardly at the foyer of the house she once frequented, though it was never that often due to Paul's father's disdain for her and her effect on his son. She never felt comfortable in this house, and she certainly didn't now, even with a few photos of her hung on the walls, and proper furniture and decorations throughout the place. She pointed towards the door behind her with her thumb, "I should get going, I-"

"Walking? At this time of night?" Quinn sounded as though Tama had offered herself up as a sacrificial lamb to the beasts roaming the forest that had the town living in fear. "And on your birthday no less, absolutely not. You'll stay here tonight, come on I have dinner on the stove I was just about to put away." She left no room for argument as she tugged Tama through the entryway and into the kitchen, away from the disapproving eyes of Aaron that followed after her fleeting figure.

"I'd say you guys are probably starving from being out on that boat for so many hours but, with the way Paul's been eating lately I'm sure that's not possible," Quinn joked as she set a full plate of stew in front of Tama, the bowl steaming. Before Tama could thank her, the blonde seated herself next to Tama on the barstool near her, the same smile she always wore still present. "So, how was it? The orcas I mean?"

Tama tilted her head to the side, her eyebrows furrowing. "Paul told you about that?" Quinn let out a laugh that was closer to a girlish giggle and Tama found herself envious of the girl's ignorance to the things she herself knew. "The only time I can get him to talk is when I ask about you. I heard him trying to come up with something to surprise you with for your birthday, so I gave him a little gentle nudge after he told me how much you love whale watching. I thought It would be romantic, recreating your first date together."

Tama felt her face heating up, ready to blame it on the heat of the stew so close to her face if Quinn was cheeky enough to call her out on it. "He told you about our first date too?" She wondered if he told her everything; how much convincing it took for him to get her away from her mother for just a day and forget about her responsibilities, how she had never felt so free until that moment and he told her the same, how she never wanted to kiss someone before that moment and thought about nothing else until they actually did, weeks later. Of course Paul would have never known about that, how much she'd yearned for him before he was hers and how she had never wanted anything more than she wanted him.

Quinn noticed the state she was in and gave her a sneaky smile, nudging her lightly with her knee in a playful. "He told me the basics but the look on his face when he told me the story offered a lot more than words could. Yours is telling too," she grinned broadly. "So, did you kiss or what?"

Tama choked on the warm stew that had barely touched the roof of her mouth and Quinn reached over with a laugh, patting her back while offering an apology that didn't seem entirely genuine given the mirth in her light eyes. "No, we didn't kiss. I'm way too busy with school and...other stuff, to worry about that right now," she whispered, hoping Paul was distracted by his father so that he couldn't hear their conversation.

"That's too bad," Quinn mumbled as she stared off into