Esperance || Paul Lahote

.viii.

"the world gives you so much pain and here you are making gold out of it."
w o r d c o u n t : 1,078

Night times at grocery stores was time altering. It was a step out of the universe, distanced from the planet one originated and out of the clawed grasps of time.

From his hoodie pocket, Pads let out a trill, sticking his squished head from the hand hole and peering up at Ezra as he shopped for groceries.

Rosalie and Edward were having yet another argument, this time dragging Carlisle and Jasper into it. Ezra needed to get away, from the constant screaming and studying. He was working himself to exhaustion every single night and was nearing a dangerous burnout.

Half of most of his time anymore was spent finding new areas to practice and escape the impressively loud screaming matches between Edward and Rosalie specifically and then Rosalie ranting and Edward viciously slamming the keys of his piano.

This time Edward drove him to the store as an apology of sorts for the constant arguing. He could tell how it was stressing Ezra, past his mind reading he noticed the pitch black bags under the boy's eyes and the stained clothes that hung from him like a cape.

"You shouldn't get the cheerios. They're gross." The box hit the floor at the sound of his voice and Ezra turned abruptly, not even having heard Paul walk down the aisle. "Fruity pebbles are the best."

"I'll take it into consideration," Ezra said, grabbing a box of the aforementioned brand and tossing it into his cart.

"Did I do something?" Paul asked abruptly, taking a step forward as Pads once more poked his solace, peering at the familiar man.

"What makes you think you did anything wrong?" Ezra asked as he pushed the cart further down the aisle, avoiding the man's eyes.

"Is that a serious question?" Paul demanded and when Ezra didn't respond he continued. "You've been ignoring me for weeks."

"Paul, whatever this is can't continue," Ezra said sharply as he swallowed his regrets, burning his throat with the fire of them.

"Well, what is this? And why the hell can't we?" Paul followed Ezra, his pace quickening as his fingers began to tremble.

"We can't, okay! It's too dangerous for me to have friends. I could kill you! One wrong move, one wrong word and I could kill you. I couldn't live with myself if I did." Ezra shouted, his voice quickly dropping to a whisper when he glanced down the aisle and saw a small hunched lady browsing the rice.

"I could kill you just as easily. You saw the scars on Emily's face. Sam lost it for just one second and Emily was standing too close. But I trust you. I trust you not to hurt me." Paul stressed. "And I know I'd never hurt you."

"It's not like we're together, Paul. It doesn't matter. Go get a girlfriend or something. It doesn't matter anyway. If I don't train I'll be forced to be a nomad for the rest of my life with no real coven. I'll be alone forever!" Ezra protested, shoving the cart forward roughly.

"It doesn't have to be all or nothing!"

Paul's fingers wrapped around his wrist, tugging him back. "I could kill you!"

"A car could kill me, or another person, or a shark, or a vampire! Avoiding risks in life is worse than death. It's ignoring everything that could turn into something amazing. Plus I could kill you too." Paul ranted, his hands flying wildly as he followed Ezra to the deli counter.  "We don't have to be involved.  We can be friends.  Or I can give you all the time you need.  Just know, whenever you say the world I'll be there."

"Why are you even here?" Ezra asked as the hostility flooded from his voice as he gave into the brunette's intense dedication.

"Uh, it's no big deal really." He scratched the back of his neck nervously. "My dad, he uh, he kicked me out for the night and I don't wanna inconvenience Emily and Sam again." Paul confessed nervously.

"C'mon. You can stay with me." Ezra offered as they headed up to the cashier's to pay.

"First you want nothing to do with me now you're offering me a place to stay?" Paul questioned with a teasing smirk. "The leeches don't want me there."

"Believe me, Esme and Carlisle would be ecstatic to bridge the gap even if it is just an inch. They're in the habit of taking in strays, regardless." Ezra paid for his groceries and headed out to Edward's car.

"Ed, mind if Paul stays the night?" Ezra asked as he slammed the trunk closed. Edward regarded the wolf with a cold look before jerking his head.

"Get in."

Paul climbed into the backseat, his gaze focused on his fingers as he struggled to keep his mind blank. He knew of the eldest Cullen child's mind reading gift and he didn't need Edward getting the wrong idea and spilling everything to Ezra. His feelings were platonic. He wasn't gay, the imprint was wrong. He could be friends with Ezra like many other shifters managed to do with their own imprints.

He had to.

"Can you quit doing that?" Edward demanded and Paul's eyes snapped up, seeing Edward staring at him through the mirror.

"Doing what?" His thick brows furrowed in confusion.

"Octopus," Edward said and it was all it took to make a blush rise in Paul's cheeks, hidden by his tanned skin.

It didn't take long for Ezra to catch on as he turned slightly, smiling at the nervous wolf. "You're thinking one word to try and conceal your thoughts." He pointed out, Paul's eyes giving away the answer. "It irritates him and it doesn't work. Believe me, I've tried."

Paul muttered, "I don't want him in my head."

"He never tells anyone anything. No matter what. It's like the ultimate taboo. To peek into the most intimate part of a person's mind without their consent and proceed to spill their secrets. It's just so wrong." Ezra explained, turning back around with a shudder.

"He is correct. I never tell anyone if that provides solace." Edward cut in. "Secrets are all we have in this world."