Opposites Attract ━━ Paul Lahote

// 𝔦𝔦. 𝕭𝖗𝖔𝖜𝖓𝖎𝖊𝖘 //

The garage smells like brownies. Warm freshly baked cherry brownies.

          "She's a real beauty," Paul scoffs sarcastically as he ducks into the garage, "-where'd you pick that lump of junk up from?" He asks, running a finger along the blue-grey bug, with a nod towards the others and nose searching for what is probably some of Emily's baking.

Embry and Jared are only half paying attention as they fiddle under the hood of a beaten up Camaro.  The Black family garage is a jumble of half-assembled motors and teenage boys, with flimsy wooden panelling holding up the shack roof and a smattering of third-hand furniture dotted around the concrete flooring.

      "I think she has charm." Jacob rights himself, leaning against the car as he dries his oil covered hands, "Where've you been?"

    "Busy." 

Paul collapses onto the nearest surface, one of the moth-bitten sofas, wincing at the damp material. There's a suspect hole in the metal roof above. "Emily stopped by recently?" He questions.

      Jacob frowns, "No why?" Paul just shrugs.

Embry pipes up, brunette head turned in his direction. "Busy is code for fucking."

       "Its code for mind your fucking business."

        "Surely you're out of options by now Lahote. Are there any girls left you haven't hung out with?" Jared seconds with a sly look, lobbing a dirty rag his way, "Soon you'll have to move to guys to keep your impressive numbers up."

         Paul's hackles rise. 

      "Fuck no, I'd rather fuck my own mom." At that, Embry sends him a dark look, eyes consciously flicking to the quiet figure of Seth, who's small shoulders are hunched over some scrap metal Jacob has him pulling apart. Paul quickly cringes at his words but Seth's not looking his way when he speaks up.

       "Don't worry Paul, I doubt a guy would want you anyway, who knows what diseases you're carrying at this point," Seth says evenly. There's a brief awkward silence.

Jared nervously chuckles, "Yeah dude -surprised you're still packing, I'm sure it'll fall off one of these days!" Paul simply scowls at the younger wolf.

       "Enough dick talk," Jacob groans as he slams the bug's hood closed. "We've got a customer picking this up soon."

Paul eyes the car. Musty grey and slightly rusted. And it smells mouthwatering. "It's worth more in scrap than whatever idiot is paying you to fix it up," He says. He's not big on motors, not the way Jake or Seth is, but he knows enough to know a pile of junk when he sees one.

    "It's on the house."

 Four pairs of eyes flick in Jakes direction, a shared look of confusion across their faces. Jacob rolls his eyes. "The Wicca perk, Polly called in a favour. Or at least her nephew has." That catches both his and the other's attention. And explains the smell of homemade brownies. Polly's baking is legendary.

     "Pol hates her family, ain't no fucking way she'd let any of them stay with her." Jared chuckles, and he agrees. Jake simply shrugs.

           "Yeah well, that's what she's told me. Either way, someone is coming round soon to pick this up," He pulls Seth from his work, clapping the younger on the shoulder as he ushers the others from the garage, Paul included, into the autumn drizzle outside, "So tell Emily I'll be late for pack dinner. And try to save some food, I know it's like preaching to the deaf but I'll ask anyway."