As Bella's pregnancy progressed, Ellis spent more and more time out of the house. She had started drinking human blood in an effort to feed the hybrid growing inside her and the scent was becoming particularly hard for Ellis and Jasper, the two newest vegetarians, to resist. It was like holding a recovering alcoholic in a room that smelt of gin. Not the nicest experience.

The two of them took their time to explore the forest. The older Hale took time leading the younger through all the hidden places. He had showed him the cliff faces to the north west and the hidden streams from the sea. Ellis had particularly enjoyed the open clearing of wildflowers hidden out of the way deep in the woods south of Forks. He and Jasper had sat and talked for hours, getting to know each other as brothers.

Jasper had told Ellis of his similar background with new born armies and his life with Maria. They had bonded over their experiences and learnt each other's hobbies. Jasper had a dry sense of humour that showed through references and sarcasm. Ellis found him hilarious.

"And that is why Emmet swore off mullets", Jasper finished another story of his sibling's past struggles. Ellis was bent over in spasms of giggles at the idea of Emmet trying to blend in in the seventies.

"Please tell me there's pictures".

Jasper smirked. "There are whole albums. Esme has them in her room".

Ellis grin was so large it almost hurt and his eyes shone with glee. "Oh I've got to see them". His excitement died down as he paused for a bit. Jasper could feel his hesitation and patiently waited for the younger to voice what he was thinking.

"Jaz, can I call you Jaz?" Jasper nodded. "Well, Jaz. What is it like living forever? I mean, when I was with Victoria, it was sort of surreal, like being in a horror book. It's still surreal. But now I have you guys and Seth. But I just can't seem to grasp the fact that I may never see my real older brother again, or that he will age and die while I'll always stay fifteen. Does it get hard?"

Jasper thought about his words carefully, choosing to be honest to his younger brother. "It does get harder. But you will always have us and Seth. You're lucky to find your partner so young. I didn't find Alice until the fifties, long after I had been turned. But it was worth it. We may never age but that does not mean that we are not going to stop living".

The blonde Male turned to Ellis and gave him a small but reassuring smile. "You are my brother now and all of us, including Edward, will support you", he rested a long arm around Ellis's shoulders as the younger rested his head on his shoulder.

"Thanks Jaz. Don't tell Emmet but you're my favourite brother".

"Emmet will be gutted".

"He'll live". Jasper laughed at the joke. Ellis realised what he had said and began giggling. "Well, he won't", he corrected. "He'll just have to exist with it".

They spent a few more hours just existing on the grass under the weak sunlight. Ellis spent the time making flower crowns out of the buttercups and daisies surrounding him. Jasper was reading a book which he had produced out of his jacket pocket. It was a novel on the affect of religion on the structure of the American civilisation. Jasper seemed to be enjoying the complex sounding debate but Ellis did not have the interest nor attention span to deal with arguing history books like that.

He was on his third flower crown, the first two looped lopsidedly on Jasper's gold curls, when his head perked up. He could hear the familiar sounds of paws on the earth, then a organic sound and the rustling of clothes. Both Hale's watched as Seth emerged from the trees. The boy grinned at them, the tanned skin of his bare chest glowing under the sun as he walked towards them. He was wearing nothing but his usual knee length denim shorts and he looked good in the early autumn light.

Seth collapsed to the grass with a huff. His head fell back to rest on Ellis' stomach as he lay spread eagled next to him. Jasper glanced at them and chuckled at the scene and at Seth's puppy like affection. Ellis soared his older brother a look and Jasper pointedly turned back to his book.

"So nice", Seth murmured sleepily as his eyes slid closed. "So nice and cool". Ellis' hands finished his third flower crown and he set it across his own head. Once the petals were safely nestled within his caramel curls, Ellis dropped his hands and began threading his fingers through his boyfriend's hair. Seth let out a deep sigh at the feeling.

"Jacob been working you hard?" Ellis asked softly.

"He made us run races with him all around the perimeter of the Cullen house", Seth groaned. "My bones ache and I'm sure every other tree within the vicinity of your house has a set of clothes handing from it. Alice has been setting them up everywhere".

With the approximate end of Bella's pregnancy being any day now, Jacob and Edward had stepped up their protection game. Edward was hovering around the house like a giant and very annoying wasp, whilst Jacob stepped up patrol and training for him and the clearwater's. With the constant air of nxiety and Edward's snappiness, it was no wonder why Ellis was lazing around in a field rather than in his room. (Also, neither Edward or Rosalie had liked his Despacito Cover. Emmet had thought the whole thing hilarious whilst Carslie and Esme just gave him disapproving looks).

Jasper laughed. "She's been bulk buying them in order to preserve what's left of our baby brother's sanity". Ellis groaned and tried to cover his face with his spare hand, not moving the other from Seth's hair. He could hear Seth smirking.

"Well it saves everyone from having to see Jacob inappropriately naked. So thank you for me".

Jasper nodded and closed his book. He pushed himself to his feet and brushed the grass from his polo shirt. "I'd better head back and stop Alice from going overboard. She's been complaining about your pack's sense of fashion for weeks now. I'd better save you while I can", he smiled at them jokingly.

"Terrifying", Ellis commented, not moving his hand from his face. "I'll be back later. Probably grab something to eat before returning. See you", Jasper gave them both a brisk wave before turning and blurring out of the clearing.

"So" Seth said Once Jasper had gone safely out of earshot. Ellis could feel him smirking. "You lost your sanity huh?"

"Shut up" Ellis hissed and Seth laughed. He tugged lightly on Seth's black locks to get his point across. The hair was easily grip able and it felt soft under his fingers. Seth was growing it out, tired of having to constantly cut it. Also it would be winter in a few months and while he ran hot enough not to need extra fur, the warmth couldn't hurt. Ellis loved it more than he let Seth believe.

The was a shift and the hair disappeared from Ellis' hold. Seth pushed himself up onto his arms, rolling over so that he was facing down at Ellis. He placed a hand on either side of his neck, pining Ellis to the earth with a grin.

Ellis peeked at him through his fingers. "How do you lose your sanity exactly?" Seth asked softly as he leaned in close. Ellis was suffocating under his smell, freezing as Seth's breath tickled his cheeks.

He smiled cheekily up at his half naked boyfriend. "That's for me to know and for you to find out", he answered as he raised his hand off his face. He trailed the tips of his fingers across the bare skin of Seth's collar bones. Cold meeting hot and Seth shivered slightly at the soft pressure. Ellis was the one smirking this time as Seth's body reacted instinctively. He admired the way that tanned golden skin deepened under Seth's blush.

Balancing on back on his knees so that he was straddling Ellis' waist, Seth caught both his wrists and pinned them above his head. Although he could have broken free easily, Ellis lay still as Seth lowered his face back down towards his. His breath brushed across his neck and Ellis found himself arching up as Seth bit lightly on the junction of his shoulder. His human teeth would never be able to break nor bruise Vampire skin but Vampire senses were enhanced beyond normal human sensations. The light pressure had Ellis reflexively gasping as he arched towards Seth's body heat.

"So I can make you react", Seth seemed very happy at this information. Ellis could feel him smile against his skin. "I was wondering about that".

"Fuck", Ellis groaned as Seth but down again harder. This time it was under his jawline, near his Adam's apple. The warmth against his skin felt like candle, fluttering but intense. "I didn't know I could still feel like this", he broke off around a choked moan as Seth kissed the space below his ear. The sound turned into a small whine as Seth pulled away. Ellis tilted his head but let Seth keep his hands pinned above him despite wanting to grab him and drag him back.

Seth watched him with dark eyes as Ellis bared his neck. His long caramel curls were spread loose amongst the grass, flowers mixed with the strands. Ellis' black and white striped tshirt was rumpled, exposing a sliver of bare hip above his black skinny jeans. His golden eyes were blown wide and his mouth was open in a small O, exposing pearly white teeth. For a minute, Seth imagined what the image would have looked like when Ellis was human. Would there have been some flaws in his perfect white skin? Would a blush have painted it a rosy red? Would his teeth have left purple marks for the world to see?

Seth blinked as the sun came from behind a cloud. The light was not overly bright in the sky dotted in grey, but it glanced off a Ellis' skin like magic. The ivory flesh glittered like dew covered pebbles. Diamond hard and diamond pure under Seth's hands. Banishing thoughts of What if, Seth leaned down and greedily sealed their lips. Ellis responded with a happy sigh as the kiss deepened. Seth let go of his wrists to bury one hand into his hair and round the back of his head. The other came to rest at his waist, burrowing under his shirt and stroking circles into the diving of his hip bone. Ellis hand fell down to press against Seth's shoulders. He shamelessly let his fingers of one hand trail over the tanned boy's abs ad rib before looping around his neck.

"Lost your sanity yet?" Seth asked as he pulled away breathing heavily. His lips were swollen and his cheeks dusted a light pink. Ellis drank in the sight, hungry.

"Maybe if you continue", he remarked slyly. Seth grinned.

"It would be my pleasure", he smirked before he dove back in, reconnecting their lips.