Okay, heads up - loooooot of sexual tension in this one. You've been warned...
"What if we go ice skating?" Tanya suggests to Lilo who shakes her head. "Okay how about we build another snow man? Sven and Olaf are lonely out there." Lilo shakes her head again as everyone laughs. "Okay okay you win. How about we go shopping?"
Lilo grins. "Finally!" she giggles.
Nala rolls her eyes. "You, little lady, spend too much time with Ally and Rose."
Lilo grins cutely and cuddles into Kate as they finish discussing their plans. Jasper comes in from his hunt with Eleazar and Garrett, smiling as he sees Nala leant on the breakfast bar looking into the large living room. He goes over and wraps his arms around her. "What's going on here then?"
"Our daughter has somehow worked in a shopping trip and we've only been here 2 days." She giggles as she leans into him.
"Of course." He chuckles.
Kate smiles over at her friend, overjoyed he's happy for the first time since she's known him; she shares a look with her sisters. "Hey, guys?" She looks back at the loved up couple. "Why don't we take this one shopping and you two can have some time alone?"
"Oh no its fine, honest-"
"It's no bother, Nally." Carmen smiles. "We can get her a new pair of boots since Rosalie forgot those and we can get her some lunch. I'm sure we can keep her alive for a few hours, right?" She shares a look with the immortals around her who all laugh, but deep down they all shudder. Can they? Taking care of a child is hard and none of them have even been around a child in many years, probably since their human days.
"That's very kind. Thank you all." Jasper smiles as he rests his chin on Nala's head.
"Go get your shoes on, girly." Kate smiles and helps Lilo off the couch, chasing after her. The others file out and Nala smiles, her heart full; she never imagined her daughter having so many influences in her life, so many people who care for her.
Jasper waits a few minutes to make sure they're gone before he spins Nala around and kisses her gently, but intensely, taking her by surprise. Her arms slowly wrap around his neck as they kiss deeply for a few moments. He rests his forehead against hers and smirks. "I had an idea..."
"Hmm?" She hums as she tries to breathe even, looking into his honey eyes.
He grins. "Let's take a shower... You and I."
Nala freezes then pulls away, wrapping her arms around herself and turning away. "No..."
Jasper frowns as he freezes too and watches her reaction. "I don't understand."
"I... I don't want you to see me." She whispers, keeping her back to him as a tear slips down her cheek. Her arms tighten around herself.
"Baby... You're beautiful to me in every single way." He frowns as he breaks a little - she's self-conscious because of what Seth did but she has no need to be.
"It's disgusting. You'd never look at me the same again." She shakes her head blinking more tears away.
"I've seen-"
"You saw them a couple times before they were healed. Now it's a mess. It's horrible. I don't want you to see me that way." she shakes her head sternly.
Jasper sighs and steps closer, his cold fingers slowly tracing down her back. Nala tenses with a gasp and goes to move away but Jasper loosely grabs her shoulder. He traces the diagonal scars across her back slowly, feeling the depth of them through the sweater she wears. "We both have battlescars... But yours are a sign of your strength. They're beautiful because they're a part of you."
"You won't want something so imperfect." She shakes her head.
Jasper turns her around and lifts her chin with his finger and thumb. He looks into her teary brown eyes, a soft smile on his lips. "You're perfectly imperfect my love, just the way I am. Just the way we all are." He kisses her nose.
Her eyes flutter closed for a moment as she takes a shaky breath. "P-promise... Promise you won't be d-disgusted."
"Never." He promises.
Nala takes a shaky breath and slowly slips her hand into his, linking their fingers together. Jas smiles and gently pulls her upstairs with him, into their room and then their bathroom. Nala tries to keep calm as she watches Jasper open the big screen door and reach in, steam filling the room moments later. He watches her as he begins to unbutton his shirt slowly; he, too, is scared as Nala hasn't seen his scars. His past. She knows his past but she's never seen a part of it. He slowly pulls it off and watches as her eyes scan his pale torso, her shaky hand slowly reaching out to touch his shoulders.
"They're everywhere..." She whispers.
"A cornered vampire will do whatever to get free, bite wherever." He says quietly, still watching for her reaction. He's beyond surprised when she leans over and gently kisses his right shoulder, kissing some of the scars individually. Her lips are warm, igniting a sort of thirst in him. He swallows hard and watches her stiffly. "There's no such thing as perfection, Nally, so I hate for you to measure yourself to that standard. You are everything I need and more than I could ever deserve, scars and baggage and all." He gently touches her cheek.
She watches him for a moment before she drops her hands from him and slowly reaches down and tugs her sweater up and off. She takes her tank top off and watches Jasper in the mirror as she turns around, taking her bra off. He looks down at her back in front of him and leans down kissing her shoulder, along the tips of the claw marks.
She gives a small smile and they both undress more, Jasper climbing in the shower first before extending his hand out to her. Nala takes it and steps into the steamy cubicle, the door closing behind her as she wraps her arms around Jasper's waist and holds him close. The cold is barely noticeable with the heat of the water raining down on them.
She look up at him as he pushes his hair back, a fire in the pit of her stomach. "Your hair that way..." She whispers, clearing her throat as she pulls away and turns her back to him, running her fingers through her hair to make sure it all gets wet.
Jasper gives a deep chuckle from behind her and a low, playful grow as he kisses her cheek, down her jaw. "Good job I love you coz I could just devour you in an instant, ma'am." He purrs.
Nala shudders against him and closes her eyes. She takes a few deep breaths, jumping when she feels fingers massaging her scalp. Jasper rubs the shampoo in slowly, watching her body detense to his touch. He kisses her shoulder as he does, watching her body react with fire to him. Oh how he wishes he could just have her, but he knows he would hurt her. Or do an Edward and impregnate her - not that he'd be upset with that, it just isn't what he would want Nala to have to face. None of them would handle that again. They barely survived Bella.
He makes sure the shampoo is all out before kissing her lips. "All done... Can you wash yourself or do I gotta do that too?" He teases.
Nala's breath stutters and she hits him playfully as she grabs the scrunchie and leathers it up. "Jerk. I'm sure I can handle that."
"You could.. I'd just do it much better." He winks.
-
"Since when did you know how to braid hair?" Nala asks as they sit by the fire waiting for the others to return, his fingers expertly Dutch braiding her hair into two parts.
He smiles as he ties the first one off. "Little help from Rose but I can do anything." He smirks.
She rolls her eyes. "Of course, sir, you're just a Saint."
"Why thanks, ma'am." He plays along. "I work very hard at it."
Nala smiles to herself as her eyes close, enjoying the feeling of his fingers in her hair. "I love when your little twang comes out." She sighs.
He chuckles. "You do huh? Well, I'll be sure to let it flow more often, beautiful."
Nala giggles and blushes, resting her chin on her knee as Jasper finishes up. She instantly looks up as the door opens and Lilo walks in chatting away. "Hi girly, come give momma a hug!"
Lilo runs into her awaiting arms and cuddles into her. "Kate go me sum bootsh.." She says as she eats a candy, examining the next one in her hand.
"That was very kind of her, did you thank her?" Nala smiles watching her as she nods. She kisses her head. "Good girl. Go get them and show me and daddy, then maybe we can go for a walk to see sun set."
Lilo runs off to find Kate as Nala smiles and stands, heading to find one of them. She comes across Carmen. "Thank you - I'll pay you back for whatever you bought."
"Nonsense, family doesn't pay each other, we wanted to treat her. She's an amazing chica." She smiles.
Nala smiles proudly. "Thank you, she is. Even more so when she sleeps in past 6." She adds making Carmen laugh. Her laughter fades and she tries to hide a frown as she excuses herself, leaving Nala confused. She isn't confused for long before she hears a commotion outside.
She grabs her jacket and slips her trainers on, heading outside. "Jasper what's--" the air leaves her lungs as she sees who's stood on the driveway, Jasper held back by Garrett and Eleazar. Oh no...