Pretty Boy: Paul Lahote Love Story

A Broken Mask

Edited 7/1/22.

A/N: WARNING: This chapter contains mild swearing, themes of depression, and a brief scene in which a character contemplates the importance of their own existence. Viewer discretion is advised.

Quick Note: For anyone triggered by the themes listed above, this chapter follows Marshall when he gets back to La Push after the big argument. Due to his crumbling mental state, he comes clean about certain emotions and thoughts running through his head. There's a brief moment where he contemplates whether or not he should be alive. Paul intervenes by telling Marshall just how important his life really is. It's another heavy chapter, but it does end on a lighter note.

***

Emily's house is warm. It smells of cookies. A faint aroma of freshly made apple pie is present as well.

Fluorescent lights bask the interior in a faint yellow glow. The hue bleeds outside from multiple windows and an open front door. Soft music plays from a portable radio in the kitchen. Everyone is talking and laughing over homemade desserts while surrounding a crowded table.

Such a lighthearted atmosphere makes Marshall want to drive home as a means of not ruining anyone's night.

He's not okay.

When he left the Cullen household, he was numb. Now, because of the lengthy drive in which the vampire was forced to be alone with his thoughts, he's struggling. He can't get a grip on himself. He's having a hard time staying true to his ideologies as he reruns the argument through his head over and over again. He doesn't know what to believe anymore.

Marshall can feel himself spiraling out of control. There's a storm brewing inside of his head. Overwhelming confusion makes it difficult to truly commit to any one feeling. So even though he's an emotional wreck on the inside, his face doesn't show anything.

Clothed arms are shaking. Blackened eyes keep concentrating on random spots in the distance. The only reason he actually exits his car is because he knows Paul has caught a certain sweet coppery scent by now.

Marshall's footsteps are quiet as he walks. An unfocused gaze stays glued to the ground. He bites at the edge of his tongue. A cognizant decision is made to ignore the light stinging of his natural fangs digging into the muscle.

Having abandoned his suit jacket in his vehicle, the vampire feels rather exposed. He sticks his hands in his pockets in an attempt to try and hide a small aspect of himself.

It doesn't help.

He continues to crack with every approaching footstep.

While walking up the stairs of the porch, an attempt is made to pull everything back in. To force invisible pain down until it's compressed into an unidentifiable cloud of dust.

Marshall's hidden his more pessimistic emotions from his previous family for decades—it should be easy to do so again. He's having such a hard time keeping his broken mask in place though, because he knows he's safe here. With the wolves. With his husband.

Marshall knows that if needed, all members of the Uley pack would drop everything to comfort him.

He loves it and hates it.

Conflicting emotions work to make him even more upset.

"Marsh, it's good to see you back," Emily greets when he walks in. "How was the ceremony?"

"It was fine."

The vampire inwardly winces at the rather soft spoken tone of his voice, a method of speaking that's really unlike him. He clears his throat, attempting to remedy the mistake by glossing over it completely.