The house was a dull, weathered green, its wooden siding faded and graying from years of exposure to the elements. The front door was made of pine, protected—or rather, barely held together—by a flimsy white screen door that looked as though one strong gust of wind might send it flying.
Ash had always known his uncle was something of a recluse, but seeing the house in person drove the point home. Forks was already a small town, yet somehow, his uncle had chosen to live even further from civilization.
"Your boxes are in the garage," his uncle had told him over the phone the day before. His belongings had arrived in a moving van days before he did—all of his belongings. His uncle's spare bedroom was completely barren, not even a single light fixture. It was strange, and certainly not what he had expected. Most people at least had an old mattress lying around.
Thankfully, his grandparents had agreed to send over a bed frame, a mattress, and a few of his personal effects. Not nearly as much as he would have liked, but he understood why. They wanted him to "start fresh," to leave behind his old life and build something new.
Why they thought living with Uncle Dan was the best way to accomplish that? He'd probably never understand.
Ash stepped into the open garage, scanning the stacked boxes as he considered his choice to come here. He knew why he had picked Forks. He knew why he had chosen Uncle Dan's house over his aunt's, despite her offer.
Forks was on the brink of trouble.
The real question was—was he the trouble?
A distant rumble of an approaching car caught his attention. It was the only sound in the otherwise silent surroundings, making it all the more noticeable. Ash turned toward the garage opening just as a police cruiser slowed to a stop in front of the house.
A man stepped out—a stereotype of a small-town officer, down to the practical boots and tired expression. Ash could only hope he was more of a coffee and donuts type than a strictly by the book kind of cop.
Still, he forced an easy smile as the man approached, raising a hand in greeting.
"Hey there. You must be Choi's nephew," the man said, offering a handshake.
Ash accepted, his grip firm but relaxed. "That's me. Can I help you, Officer…?"
"Swan. Charlie Swan. Chief of police around here."
Charlie studied him for a moment before nodding to himself, as if confirming something. "Your uncle and I know each other. He mentioned you were coming today, and I saw you out here, so I figured I'd introduce myself."
Ash nodded. "Nice to meet you, Chief Swan. How do you know my uncle?"
"Small town like this, firefighters and police work together all the time."
Ash barely hid his surprise. Uncle Dan is a firefighter? Since when?
"I see," he said with a slight grin, filing away that little revelation for later.
Charlie hesitated for a moment before his eyes flicked to Ash's face. "That's quite the shiner you've got there. What happened?"
Ash's grin widened slightly. He wasn't about to explain the real story—not that Charlie would believe it. "Had a little incident during my stopover in North Dakota. Some kind of wild animal. We pulled into a rural gas station late at night, and I got unlucky."
Charlie winced. "That's rough. Hope it heals up alright. If anything like that ever happens here, you call me, alright?"
Ash nodded. "Will do."
The police chief seemed to consider something before speaking again. "And, listen, if you're worried about being the new kid—don't be. My daughter, Isabella, just moved here a couple months ago, and she's settling in just fine. You'll be alright."
Ash appreciated the quiet reassurance. He seemed like a good father. "Does she go by Bella, by any chance?"
Charlie perked up. "Yeah, she does."
Ash smirked. "She's in my biology class."
Charlie's expression brightened even further. "That's great!"
Before the conversation could continue, a buzz from his belt caught his attention. He pulled out his radio, sighed, and shook his head. "Duty calls. But hey, you seem like a good kid. Hope to see you around. And remember—stay out of trouble and away from wild animals."
Ash chuckled. "I'll do my best."
As Charlie climbed back into his cruiser, another vehicle pulled into the driveway—a well-worn blue car that looked like it had been through a few rough years.
His uncle stepped out, immediately locking eyes with him. "Hey, kid. Good to see you again."
Ash barely had time to react before his uncle pulled him into a firm hug. It was a bit jarring—he hadn't seen Dan in years, not since he was much smaller. Now, standing face to face, they were nearly the same height.
"God, you've gotten big," Dan laughed, stepping back. "That's your mom's genes for sure."
Dan was broader, though—not in an out-of-shape way, but in the way someone who did hard, physical work every day naturally was. That explains the firefighter thing, Ash thought. He hadn't always been this built—not in the old pictures, and not in Ash's limited childhood memories of him.
"Let's get your stuff inside. How've you been? How are your folks?"
"They're good. I'm good." Ash grabbed a box, following his uncle inside. "Grandpa finally grew a watermelon in his garden. He's over the moon about it."
Dan barked out a laugh. "No way. I never thought he'd pull that off."
"Grandma's still doing Tai Chi," Ash added. "She got me to do it with her a few times."
Dan hummed in approval. "Good for her."
A pause stretched between them as they carried boxes inside, settling them in Ash's new room.
Then, Dan's expression shifted. He had noticed.
"The hell happened to you?" he asked, eyes locking onto the bandages and bruises. His tone was sharper now, the easygoing uncle momentarily replaced by something more serious. "Ash, what did you do? Was it a fight?"
Ash met his gaze evenly, the corners of his lips tugging up in amusement. "Wild animal. On my way here."
Dan's eyes flickered with something unreadable—something like anger, though not directed at him.
"None of that shit anymore, okay?" he said firmly.
Ash smirked, tilting his head. "You're not the boss of me, Uncle."
Dan snorted. "I am now. Legal guardian status and everything."
Ash just grinned. "Guess I'll behave, then."
Dan sighed. Somehow, he didn't believe that one bit.
---------
Hello dear readers,
I will not be taking any suggestions for this book.
Why, you ask?
Because I'm already taking suggestions for my first book, and let me tell you—the responses there have been... disappointing.
Seriously, guys. I specifically asked for ideas and feedback, and what did I get?
Radio silence.
So you know what? Just sit back, read this fanfic, and let me enjoy my ice cream in peace. 😤
Just kidding! Please don't cut off my supply of power stones. 😜😜
(Even though I have no clue what they're actually used for. Are they magical? Can I wish for unlimited snacks with them? Someone tell me.)
Now, back to business.
This fanfic is way harder to write than I expected. Unlike my other book, I have to create an entirely different plot from scratch, and my brain is working overtime. Which means updates will be uneven.
(Or maybe I'll just drop the first five chapters all at once. What do you think? Should I do it? Should I embrace the chaos?)
Honestly, if I am going to do that, why am I even wasting time writing this little rant?
…Oh yeah. Because I might be going mad from sleep deprivation.
#NightOwl🦉