Between the Perennial Blooms || Paul Lahote

Forty | Geranium

"She's known sadness,
and it has made her kind."
—Nathan Filer | 'The Shock of the Fall'

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(Okay, this is the REAL chapter that should've been updated so if you tried to read it the first time and were hella confused, this update should fix that!!)

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"Thanks for coming with me," Bailey told Quil as the two of them walked side-by-side along the streets of Port Angeles' Town Center. It was Sunday — the day after she and Bella's little 'tiff' of sorts — and despite Bella's clear avoidance of her ever since, Bailey still determined to find her sister a graduation gift suitable for her upcoming big day.

"'Course," Quil responded, draping an arm across her small shoulders and pulling her into his side. Though it was nearing the end of Spring, the weather still seemed to retain Winter's ever-present chill. As a result, the two of them hunkered down into their jackets to avoid the wind's cold breeze and walked briskly from store to store. "I didn't really have any other plans for the day," Quil continued, smiling at the newfound absence of Bailey's shivers as his natural body heat began to slowly but surely warm her up. "'Sides, this got me out of patrol for a few hours so really I should be the one thanking you."

Smiling small, Bailey snuggled closer into his side. "I'm sorry you guys have to do that. I know it can't be easy getting so little sleep. Paul tries to play it off, but- but I can always see the dark spots under his eyes whenever he gets the chance to come around."

And the words rang true, because as Bailey recalled Paul's handsome face from just the morning before, she remembered that there was no overlooking the distinct rings of shadow that rested under his mahogany orbs. Sure, they had stayed up late participating in some less than innocent activities that had her blushing just at the mere memory of them, but after their post-intimate bath, Paul had all but collapsed with exhaustion as soon as his head hit the pillow. She had mumbled a soft goodnight and received one in return just barely preceding the sequence of loud snores that sounded throughout the quiet of her bedroom, and though she had smiled at the time, when they woke up the next morning and the skin beneath his eyes had only faded to a light shade of purple instead of their previous black, Bailey fell wrought with concern. How much sleep had he been getting? She wondered. How much sleep had they allbeen getting? Nonetheless, before she could revisit her worry too soon, Quil's response satiated her curiosity without her even having to ask.

"I mean, more than five hours of sleep would be great, sure..." Quil tried to joke, though the mirth fell flat as he spoke his next words. "But in all honestly, it's the least I could do, right? After what I did to you..." Quil shook his head. "Pretty hard to redeem myself, don't you think?"

"Quil," Bailey sighed. She reached for his hand and held it tight. "We've been over this. You can't- can't keep holding this over your head. No one else is — not the pack, not Paul, not me — and you don't have anything to prove or make up for. What happened was an accident at its worst and now there's nothing left to forgive because there was nothing there to forgive in the first place."

"Doesn't excuse it," Quil murmured stubbornly. "I still hurt you and just because you think I'll forgive myself someday, it doesn't mean I'll ever forget what I did."

"You know what?" Bailey exclaimed, suddenly turning on her heel to face him and separating herself from his side. She put her hands on her hips and graced Quil with the sternest look she could muster — though, as always, the person she directed it to found himself biting back a smile. "You are being the absolute biggest baby I've ever met, Quil- uh..." She trailed off and looked to him with furrowed brows.