HONEYBEE| Sam Uley

eight

Estella smiled warmly as Seth tucked her in closer to the table with a grin of pride on his cheeks even before he had completed the act. The second she was comfortable, he leapt into his own chair as though the floor was on fire and analysed the food spread across in front of him as though it would surely disappear if he didn't eat it right now- he was practically drooling, bouncing in the spot and it just made them all laugh as Sue dished up the food, painfully slowly just as though she was attempting to make a point.

The second Sue's cooking met Estella's mouth, she had the desire to moan from the pure perfectness of it- she hoped to one day be so good at cooking that the food sets all the tastebuds dancing.

"This is incredible, Auntie Sue."

"Thank you, Honey. If only the others held it in their mouths long enough to actually taste it." she teased and Estella followed her gaze to where Seth and Leah were shovelling food past their lips at a million miles an hour, they would surely make themselves sick but neither seemed to care, gravy dribbling down their chins. Harry, on the other hand, looked between them with vague disgust, Sam ignoring looking at either of them all together as he ate his dinner. He was certain that if he wasn't so used to their behaviour- it would slightly disgust him. When the Uley boy was alone, he was just the same, but something felt so oddly formal about today. Perhaps it was the way Estella ate such dainty bites, holding the cutlery carefully as though it was made of glass.

Sam Uley knew that his life wasn't going to be easy from the moment he imprinted on his fiance's cousin- but he equally didn't expect it to be so hard. He was terrified to break Leah's heart but with every passing day, the possibility seemed to grow. Even now, as he sat there- he couldn't help but compare them. He couldn't help but feel vaguely disgusted by the way Leah ate, despite that never having bothered him before-- And he knew why, it was because of her, it was all because of her. Sam saw Estella as perfect and so, in any way other people differed from her, they weren't perfect.

Sam found his eyes shifting across to Harry who smiled tightly, solemnly. There was nothing to do but allow destiny to run its course and none of them was happy about it- but it wasn't their choice to make. It had been written in the stars. Harry knew that his daughter was going to be heartbroken, but he knew that Sam physically could not hurt Estella now, he could never reject her or distance himself. Because she was everything now and didn't even know it yet. Leah had drawn the short straw and sometimes that happened. Now was too soon to break the girl's heart, because if he did so now- they would both hate him. He was still too attached to Leah to hurt her just yet, he didn't fully understand that he could never be happy with anybody but Estella.

And Harry understood the conflict. Because it was between his daughter and his niece. Estella would need Sam very soon. And he knew that his niece was pure-hearted, that she would be feeling the attraction to Sam in return and that it would slowly pull her apart. He just had to hope that she was strong enough to be okay. It wouldn't be easy, none of it was ever going to be easy- at least, not for a long time. And Leah would hate Estella, the cousin she had grown up with and loved entirely every day. She would hate her cousin for stealing the man she loved because they could never explain why that was.

And Harry felt braced, waiting for all the pain to come out in a tidal wave- it was inevitable. Soon, there would no longer be these warm family dinners with smiles on faces. And Sam was already separating himself from Leah, without even realising what he was doing... He never had a choice in any of it. And as Harry looked out across his family, he knew that Sam wasn't the one for Leah. Sam was strong, serious and in charge and Leah was just the same. They clashed so often but found enjoyment in so much of the same things that they seemed to go together. Their pieces of the puzzle clicked together but the picture on the pieces didn't match.

But Sam and Estella did. She was everything he needed, warm, kind and loving. He didn't have to fight with her every day for them both to be happy. But with Leah, he did. Sam and Leah argued constantly. They battled their way through their relationship to make it work and sometimes, that is how it was meant to be, fighting to be with the person that you love. But not for them, for them, it was all wrong. The easily agitated werewolf alpha didn't need a hot-headed wife who went out of her way to anger him.

Leah went cliff-jumping on her own, went for walks at midnight and spent nearly every hour of the day with her friends or brother. And Sam needed a wife he didn't have to worry about. Harry Clearwater had weighed up all the options, seen a hundred different factors but now- he couldn't help but see Estella and Sam as perfect, a couple they never even considered being a possibility. It was heartbreaking to know that he was having a part in his own daughter's pain...

"I was thinking we could have the engagement party on the beach," Leah cheered all of a sudden and Harry realised he hadn't been paying attention to the conversation at all. Sam groaned when she said that and she turned her glare to him. "What? You already said you wanted a prolonged engagement, you're not getting rid of our party too!"

"What's this?" Harry hummed.

"Sam doesn't want to get married for at least a few more years apparently," Leah spat bitterly and Seth opened his mouth to question his reasonings- before he was cut off by his father who rose a hand; much to all of their shock.

"That seems as though it is a good idea. You have your entire lives to make it all official. Marriage doesn't necessarily change anything, besides- Sam has a plan." Harry gestured for the boy to continue and they all seemed rather shocked by how close Harry and Sam had suddenly become; they'd always liked one another, but never really talked much. Sam spent most of his time with Old Quil when he needed a father figure.

"I've been doing some work for the council," Sam spoke slowly as if considering each and every word as he looked into Harry's eyes. "And I've been getting paid, I'm saving- along with some money my mom has given to me... And... Well, I'm going to build my own house," he announced, looking down at Leah who seemed shocked by the newest revelation.

"What? Why didn't you tell me you were building us a house? I could have helped with the money," Leah demanded, sounding quite offended and Estella and Seth looked straight down, finding great interest in the leftover gravy on their plates. Sam looked across at Estella, and then to Harry who had a blank expression.

"I want to do this, for myself. It's something I've always wanted to do. I know that it will take some time but... I want to do it, for myself. And it's not really building a house, there's an old abandoned house at the top of the hill- it's really great honestly and I've been looking to redo it, you know? Make it liveable. It's perfect and not too far away from mom." he attempted to explain himself.

"My friend Anton is a builder, he's offered to help and Quil knows a man down in Port Angeles who can do the electrics," Harry nodded with a small smile and Leah looked angry again- She had planned for them to move into a house in Forks, she didn't want to live under the rule of her parents forever. She also did not expect them to build their own house and if Sam was putting off the wedding until after the house was built- that wouldn't be for years.

"You've thought all of this through without even asking me first? Sam, we're supposed to be a team, what's mine is yours, remember?" she started, oddly panicked and Sue sighed.

"Perhaps we should give you two some privacy." she gestured to the others and Seth pouted as they were forced from the room.