Five Times Claire Ran to Quil (Quil/Claire)

[storypaint]

Comm: none
Words: 970
Title: Five Times Claire Ran to Quil
Fandom: Twilight
Pairing: Quil/Claire
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. This fanfic is a derivative of canon material that is not my property. I do not profit from these writings. The opinions and actions expressed in these stories are not necessarily the views and beliefs of the original author or me.

Excerpt:

"Don't play in the forest," Quil said. He wouldn't come over either.

"You have to walk carefully in the beginning of love; the running across fields into your lover's arms can only come later when you're sure they won't laugh if you trip." - Jonathan Carroll

1.

Claire was two years old and already she was a runner. Since she was two, that meant she fell down a lot, but usually Quil was there to catch her. He was quick and large and he smelled like her father. She loved him in the simple way of a child, chasing him around the yard.

"Can't catch me," he challenged, laughing, and the blue-eyed girl squealed and ran as fast as she could.

When she "caught" him, they played airplane, and she never wanted him to leave.

2.

"Hey, Claire-Bear, how's it hanging?" Quil's certain voice came down the line and a certain ten-year-old girl snorted in frustration.

"Quit calling me that, I'm too old!"

"But you used to love it," Quil replied in a teasing tone, and she sighed dramatically. When would he learn that she was done with all of that kiddy stuff?

"Whatever. Anyway, can you come over? I'm soooo bored..." she wheedled.

"Why's that? Where's Julie?"

"She's at summer camp. Anyway, she couldn't just come by... I know my mom would let you hang out."

Quil laughed, seeing through her ruse. It was one of the reasons she loved her almost-cousin-- he was so smart-- but sometimes it was frustrating.

"You're grounded again, aren't you? You can't come running to me to bail you out all the time, you know... What's it for this time?"

"Nothing really. I was just in the forest for a while. Mom thinks I'm going to get kidnapped for some reason," she said, laughing at the idea, but Quil was silent.

"Quil?" she ventured after a moment.

"Don't play in the forest, Claire."

"There's nothing that's going to happen, Quil. I go out there all the time with you," she reminded him.

"Don't play in the forest," Quil said. He wouldn't come over either.

3.

"Quil?"

Her voice was quivering, and she sounded scared. The background sound was obnoxiously loud. He couldn't be angry, even though it was 2 AM and he had to work tomorrow. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and said, "Are you okay, princess?"

"Hey, um... I need you to come get me," she said, breathing shakily. The background noises began to fade a little, but he could still hear people shouting. Sounded like a party.

"Are you okay?" he asked again. His voice was calm, but his mind was in a panic as he pulled his jeans on and tucked his wallet in his pocket, grabbing his keys from the dresser.

"Yeah," she said, and then sighed as if she were trying not to cry. He was starting up his truck, barely remembering to ask where she was. She filled him in on the story as he drove quickly through the deserted streets. A new boyfriend, a grown-up party-- there'd be drinking (Lord she was only sixteen and he wanted to yell but didn't) and she couldn't stand it when the guy tried to put his hands on her.

When Quil heard that part, he had to pull over at the side of the road and spend some time in meditation. The rage that boiled up in him threatened to spill over and push him into wolf form. He couldn't pick her up like this. He'd go full wolf and it would be hell for the tribe if he got caught murdering someone.

"Quil?"

"I'm coming," he said, and he did.

4.

"I thought you told me never to play in the forest," she said teasingly, her fingers laced with his as he led her between the trees. He smiled and said nothing.

Her mother's face had faltered a bit today when she told her where they were going. Claire was still trying to figure out why. Usually her mom was thrilled when she wanted to hang out with Quil. He was responsible, she always said. But today, she hugged Claire a little too tightly.

She hadn't told her mom that there were dating yet; she worried that the age difference would be too much. But Quil had been the same ever since she could remember, and she'd loved him for a long time, before she even knew.

Quil called it imprinting, with a knowing smile.

She wondered if her mother knew, if that's why her face had faltered and her hug was tight. She had plenty of time to wonder. Quil took her deep into hte woods. She was trying to figure out how to tell him she wasn't ready for sex yet (and in any case was still just young enough that Quil could be arrested), when he stopped. He pressed his lips to her forehead and then faded back into the shadows before she could protest.

She was beginning to worry, and after just a minute a dark, compact shape approched her out of the same shadows. It was a wolf, impossibly large, and she forgot to breathe. Was this why Quil had told her never to come here alone? Then where was he?

She gasped as the wolf approached, finding her breath. She scrabbled back, tripping on a branch and falling onto the crackling leaves with a pain in her ankle. The wolf was large and close and his breath stunk like something wild.

She shut her eyes; after a long moment the wolf licked her hand and then her ear. She opened her eyes in shock and met the the wolf's eyes. They were impossibly familiar.

She said his name, and the wolf nodded.

5.

She took two steps down the aisle, uncertain in her heels. The dress was fluffy and white and perfect, but she stopped caring about that when she met his eyes, and Quil grinned.

She ran the rest of the way to him, propriety and dress be damned, and he laughed when she threw her arms around his neck.