title: a tide in the affairs of men ll author: caricatureofintimacy ll rating: pg ll word count: 2,100 words ll pairings: edward/jacob, jacob/bella (bella/edward) ll warnings: slash, homosexuality, swearing, loneliness ll spoilers: it's best not to read this if you haven't read any twilight, but it won't hurt you. just knowing the characters and you should be fine. au to the first book ll summary: pressure from billy changes jake's view on girls (bella) forever, edward being there and alive doesn't help either. ll
authors notes: i have shamefully taken quotes from both my chemical romance and william shakespeare, and odd coupling but for the story they will do. the title comes from william shakespeares play julius ceaser. the full quote is: we at the height are ready to decline. there is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. on such a full sea are we now afloat, and we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures. (iv.ii.269–276). the quote is relevant to the story. in a way it is relevant to each of our lives. the quote below is from my chemical romance's vampires will never hurt you. another fitting quote for this story. this will be chapter length unlike my other stories. so i hope you enjoy. reviews are delightful and i will love to have some input. anyone who would like to beta is welcome to email me and we can chat. a beta is always on the menu. enjoy
a tide in the affairs of men
chapter one (told in eight parts)
(And these thoughts of endless night
bring us back into the light
and this venom from my heart)
one.
They all know the old folks tale in La Push, and it's something Jacob assumes is born with them at birth, vampires are not allowed to step foot onto their property. For years Billy had made sure to tell Jacob that it was safe for him, that unlike Billy himself, he would not have to turn into a werewolf to protect the land, because there were simply no vampires to protect it from. Until the night Bella ran away to live with Charlie. That was the first night Jacob started to feel a change.
two.
'Bella is a nice girl' Billy said, pushing back on his wheelchair to dip dangerously sideways. Rachel, Jacob's sister, swore loudly and grabbed onto the handle bars by her chair anchoring Billy back safely to the ground. Jacob took the plate from Rebecca's hands, ignoring his father, and dried it with a towel, placing it neatly in a pile next to the sink after it was appropriately dry.
'Pretty too, don't you think Jake?' Billy asked, wheeling away from Rachel's fussing hands and further into the kitchen. Rachel's sigh was quiet before she stomped out of the room and down the hallway into her and Rebecca's bedroom. 'Of course' Jacob answered mechanically, like a robot, Billy grinned in delight.
'One day you will marry that girl' Billy ordered playfully, pointing his finger in Jacob's direction. Rebecca giggled and flicked some soapy bubbles in his direction. Humming the wedding march underneath her breath, swaying softly to the music. Jacob ignored them both and put the dishes into the cupboard beneath him. Nodding his head in his father's direction to quell his thirst for Jacob finding a nice girl. Not that Bella wasn't nice, she was just Bella. Most of the time Jacob felt nothing more for her than a friend. The other times it was forced love that made him want more.
'Sure dad, you can send out the invites and everything'
Jacob was eleven.
three.
Rebecca and Rachel moved out of home, and Jacob moved into their bigger room. Jacob appreciated the space, and thought himself lucky to have been upgraded from a barely able to walk in room, to a maybe we can squeeze in a closet walk in room. This was unheard of in the small town of La Push, and Jacob loved his rooms. But he loved his sisters more, and he'd rather have them back then have a bigger room. For once Jacob was alone. Sure he had the guys. Embry and Quill, but recently they had discovered girls, and how some bodies were curvy and others were thin and lanky. And all they wanted to talk about were their boners and how much they couldn't wait to get laid, and Jacob felt...alone.
He couldn't talk to Billy about it because in Billy's head Jacob was his shining star, and nothing could be so wrong in Jacob's life that could be warrant enough to have a heart to heart about. And Embry and Quill had boners and girls to talk about. And Jacob felt...alone.
A year later Bella moved to Forks.
four.
'Charlie that's great' Billy said enthusiastically over the phone, he was wheeled over to the window, looking through the door to where Jacob was fixing his car, a rag tucked neatly into his back pocket to wipe away any remaining oil, and Billy smiled. 'You can finally have Bella to yourself for a while' Billy continued, watching Jacob roll out from underneath the car to wipe away collected sweat from his brow.
'I just don't know why she chose to come now, so close to the end of her high school career, there has got to be some reason Billy, I am sure of it. I'm thinking Phil has something to do with it, but if so Renee would have told me. Billy I don't think I am ready to have a kid in the house twenty four seven'
'Charlie, Bella is seventeen she is not a kid, if I know anything about kids by the time they hit their teenager years they in some ways start to look after you. Anyway, with Bella moving in with you this provides a good opportunity for Jacob and Bella to get to know each other' Billy explained with a promiscuous grin.
'The innuendo in that sentence Billy is practically dripping from every pore of your being. I'm sure things will work out for themselves. Who knows maybe it's their wedding we will be attending in the next ten years'
'Sooner if I have any say in it' Billy replies, wheeling the chair away from the window and into the kitchen. 'The sooner the better I say, they were born for each other Charlie, you and Renee both know it. They clicked perfectly when they were kids' Billy recounted pouring himself a glass of water and taking a heavy sip.
'Yes, however, they were also born to be friends. Fate is fate Billy. I'm not going to let Jacob and Bella make the same mistake me and Renee did those many years ago. It's just not worth it. Bella was the only good thing that came out of it.'
'Yes, yes. I know Charlie, I know. I am just so excited. Jacob's never shown any interest in girls, not like Embry and Quill have, and I was sort of scared that he might be...well...anyway maybe when seeing Bella again he will become normal...hopefully. I remember when I was his age I could barely keep my dick in my pants. Jacob just seems to out of it sometimes... he scares me.'
'Maybe you're just paranoid. Girls probably love Jacob because he is sensitive and all that shit that rocks their bones. He'll be dating, and dancing and kissing before you know it'
five.
Jacob wiped the sweat off of his face and turned his head slightly to the side to look into the house. Billy was still on the phone with Charlie, and from the light in his eyes, Jacob knew that he was either talking about the football or Bella, so he turned back to his car before his own eyes could catch his father's attention. It had been a few years since Jacob had last seen Bella, at that stage Bella had started to change into a woman. Her thighs and hips proportioned out with her body, and she developed well in the chest. And Jacob felt nothing. However, in not seeing Bella for years, it hadn't stopped his father from talking about her. Bella was the apple in Billy's eyes, and if Rachel and Rebecca were guys Billy would have sold his soul to the devil to have one of them wed to Bella, and Jacob was okay with that. As long as she wasn't wed to him. Nothing against Bella. He just felt...nothing.
'How much time do you spend on that shit box?' came from above him, and Jacob swore loudly in fright, banging his head loudly on the car door above him. An amused chuckle came from the guest, and Jacob growled pathetically and wheeled himself from under the car. Above him, stood a sparkling statue, and if Jacob wasn't used to seeing the persons face, Jacob would've gasped. The sight was as always, beautiful.
'About as much time as you spent on your hair this morning' Jacob shot back, crouching forward on his knees to sit up. Edward laughed loudly at the retort and swayed back and forth on the soles of his feet. It was true that Edward spent a lot of time on his personal looks, not that it took him so long anyway as being a vampire gave him that beautiful look, but he enjoyed the comfort of a routine. And it made him feel human, for just a small part of the day.
'No really, whenever I come over you're working on that automobile, either it's so shitty that it needs twenty four hour attention, or you have nothing better to do but refix the problems you have already fixed' Edward said, walking around the car to check out it's fine details of scratches and dents. It truly was a sight to see.
'Oh woe is me, you have caught me out. And to think that I thought I was hiding this so well' Jacob teased, rolling around the car to follow Edward out of view from his father and the rest of the town. Edward was sitting on the cool floor, back up against the car and looking at the shed in boredom. Jacob falls off of the roller and sits down next to Edward. They sit in silence for a few minutes. Like normal it's comfort that keeps them so close together because otherwise...
'You really do smell you know' Edward muttered, rubbing at his nose, 'like werewolf' Edward finished to explain further, Jacob rolled his eyes and nudged Edward softly on the shoulder. 'Yeah well you don't smell like peaches and daises either, vampire is not the next perfume that will hit the top of the markets in the next few years or so' Jacob retorted, smiling wildly at Edward's snort and head roll.
'Why do you still come here, you know it's dangerous, and I try and get in Forks as much as I can without making it obvious for Billy and the Guys' Jacob asked, playing with the hem of his shirt nervously. Edward rolled his head towards Jacob and smiled softly.
'I haven't been told to leave yet, until I do I will continue to come and see you work on this piece of shit. However I am sure we can find better things to do with our time' Edward explained with a wave of his manicured hands.
'Like what?' Jacob asked genuinely interested, Edward smiled and looked over at the trees near Jacob's house. 'Last one to the cliff buys drinks' Edward yelled getting up off of the floor and dashing into the distance. Vampire speed making him almost invisible. Jacob swore quietly and threw down his tools, taking off in the same direction as Edward. Wind and noise passing by his face ever millisecond he got closer to Edward.
Moments like these made days like those always better.
six.
At tea time Billy broke the happy news. When Billy opened his mouth to talk Jacob had the gravy boat tipped over his plate, ready to pour over his healthy plate of food. It was the last thing he was expecting.
'So, Bella is moving to Forks' Billy said with a grin. Jacob dropped the gravy boat and burnt his crouch.
seven.
'Isn't this great Jake, I've always known secretly that you've had a crush on Bella but now she is actually going to be so close to us that maybe something can happen' Billy said enthusiastically, piling more food onto his plate without looking up to see if his son was in any pain. Jacob winced, uncrossing his legs hoping the burn would reside that way. It didn't.
'Sure dad, whatever you say, I am going to go clean up' Jacob was up and out of his chair before Billy could blink.
Five seconds after the door to Jacob's room shut Billy was on the phone to Charlie.
'Great news Charlie, Jacob admitted he has a crush on Bella! This is brilliant'.
Charlie of course, seeing as it was eleven o'clock at night, hung up. He could deal with Billy in the morning.
eight.
'I don't get it' Jacob said into the phone later that night. 'Don't get what?' Edward replied. Jacob turned over in his bed, the noise loud in the almost quiet room, and Jacob stilled. Quiet, waiting for the sign, and Billy snored and Jacob relaxed again. Sign given that freedom was in Jacob's hands.
'How you do it, not suck my blood or anyone's for that matter' Jacob explained, watching the roof and the small rays of light dance across the dark sky.
'Well for one your blood reeks, it's sort of like would you willingly eat green vegetables?' Edward said, 'I like green vegetables' Jacob replied and Edward laughed loudly. 'You are an odd one then Jacob' Edward reprimanded playfully, and Jacob grinned.
'Pot meets Kettle, I wouldn't say anything along those lines vampy the vampire' Jacob teased quietly.
'Hardy ha ha, you crack me up' Edward said dryly. Jacob frowned.
'Where is the rest of your vamp fam?' Jacob asked, twisting the covers nervously around his hand. Edward moved around noisily over the phone, presumably to sit down. Or stand up.
'Alice is listening to our conversation and isn't doing a very good job in trying to cover herself up, and the rest are out hunting in the woods.' Edward explained, and Jacob nodded his head. 'Why aren't you with them?' Jacob asked, questions spilling out of his lips like usual.
'Because I promise I would call you' Edward said. And Jacob's heart skipped a beat. Or two.
'Oh' oh.
to be continued