┏━━━━⋆.˚ ᡣ𐭩 .𖥔˚⋆━━━━┓

THE MAN WHO CAN'T BE MOVED

IT WASN'T THAT NELLY HATED THE LUMMI RESERVATION, BUT IT CERTAINLY WASN'T CLOSE TO LA PUSH.

She'd been born there, spent the first few years of her life there, but she always told others that she was raised on the Quileute lands. It wasn't home.

Yet, it had been almost a year since she had been given the options of her parents' custody agreement, and she came to regret taking the coward's way out.

Even after all the time between then and now, the land still brought a bubble of excitement to her chest. Only now, she didn't have to worry about not finding friends her age— for she knew just where they'd be. Now, she knew the land would thrum beneath her feet.

Oh, how good it was to be home.

It was officially the start of winter break, and Nelly was just salivating at the thought of being back on the reservation. The first term of school back on Lummi went by as well as it could've, but each day always had her chest aching for something more. The distance between she and her imprint certainly didn't help, either.

So, rather than have Michael Sequoia bring her down, Mary–Anne had decided to make the drive and fetch her daughter herself.

There was a thin layer of snow on the ground, though Nelly was wearing a t-shirt due to the fact that her body was now like a damn furnace. The chill didn't bother her now, but she felt like she had literally ants in her pants while she sat in the passenger seat.

Just as they rounded the corner and onto the gravelled road they lived on, Nelly's spine seemed to straighten itself out. She could practically taste victory, contentment, right on her damn tongue.

And the minute she saw him, standing there with a goofy smile on his face by her front door, a shudder of relief escaped her.

Everything seemed to click back into place.

"I told your friends to come by tomorrow," her mother said, switching the ignition of the car off while a knowing smirk rose onto her face, "but someone was undeterred, clearly."

Nelly was out of the car in mere seconds, closing the door with a little more force than usual, before she all but sprinted toward the front porch.

Embry caught her easily, evoking a pleased giggle from the girl who immediately shoved her face in the crook of his neck. Her legs around his waist, his hands supporting her as he swayed them for a gentle moment.

"Thought you would've forgotten about me by now," he teased, his lips seeking out the side of her temple.

She scoffed in return. "In your dreams, Call."

˚ ᡣ𐭩 .𖥔˚

Nelly spent the remainder of the afternoon surrounded by the Greene women and Embry, the pair being utterly inseparable since her return just a few hours ago. They stuck to one another like Velcro, Nelly taking up a more permanent residence at Embry's side like she was paying the damn rent for the space.

If she could sow herself to him, she would.

Eventually, Mary–Anne pulled Nelly into the kitchen to begin dinner preparations; because even though it was her first day back, Nelly wanted to soak up as much time with everyone as possible. Meaning, she'd be more than willing to help her mother— plus, it would prove useful when she planned on asking her if Embry could stay over.

She knew she would've said yes, but a little bribing never hurt anyone, right?

Meanwhile, Embry and Tabitha remained in the living room until the older woman summoned him outside. He dutifully followed her toward the back door, opening it for her to allow her to step through before he shut it behind him.

She waddled over to the porch swing that Sam had recently built on her behalf, patting the spot right next to her. Embry complied, though he was starting to get seriously confused.

"It's been a long time since I've seen that girl of mine so happy," she stated, using her foot to push the swing back and forth. "Tell me, what's your secret?"

Embry chuckled. "I do whatever she says— she seems to like that."

"Smart," she said, amusement in her tone. "I told you she'd come around eventually."

"Yeah, only took me all summer," he snorted, "and she didn't make it easy for me, that's for sure."

"Nothing in life ever is," Tabitha said, nodding. "But seeing her so happy now... well, it makes the effort worth it, don't you think?"

"Absolutely," Embry agreed, his gaze drifting toward the wavering shadows of the treeline. "She's been the best part of my life since we met... I just want to make sure she knew that after, y'know."

The Greene woman hummed, all too familiar with the situation that drove her granddaughter from the reservation in the first place. "You love her," she said in response, like it was obvious— which it was.

"I really do."

Tabitha smiled back at him. "That's what matters now."

Embry nodded thoughtfully, a faint smile of his own touching his lips. "I guess it is."

Tabitha's gaze softened, and she took a deep breath, looking out over the backyard. It looked like she was about to say something more, before the sliding door was opening once again.

"Grandma, we might need your help in here," Nelly laughed nervously, her head sticking out of the door. "I thought I knew how to peel a potato, but apparently I do not."

Tabitha chuckled as she shook her head, rising from the porch swing. Embry rose after her, watching as Nelly let her in first. Before he could get the chance to follow once more, a hand gripped his bicep.

There was a playful look in Nelly's eye as she gestured to the open kitchen window, just a few feet away from the swing. She'd been able to hear the entire conversation.

"You love me," she sing-songed, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she stared up at him.

"And you love hearing me admit it," he retorted, and that made the shorter girl shrug playfully, as though she was mulling it over.

Her hand migrated from his bicep to his hand, their fingers immediately interlocking. "Mom says you can sleep over."

His smile morphed from a calm one to one of mischief. "Oh, did she now?"

Nelly tossed him a deadpan look. "You're such a dog," she chastised, using her free hand to slap the back of his head.

"We are dogs; literally."

"I thought we as a collective preferred the term wolves?" she questioned, pulling him into the house.

His eyes rolled on their own accord. "Is the girl who doesn't know how to peel a potato really going to quiz me on the difference between a dog and a wolf?"

"I'll quiz you all I want— and you can kiss my ass while I'm at it, Embry."

⋆.˚ ᡣ𐭩 .𖥔˚⋆

[ wyn's final note ]

and there we have it: WAITING ROOM.

we are officially complete!! thanks for all the support throughout this journey my loves, i hope this chap made up for all the angst i've put yall through haha!!

HE'S THE MAN WHO CAN'T BE MOVED RAHHHH

if you wanna check out my page, i've got a plethora of twilight fics up and running (among other fandoms too lol)!!

all my love always x