Blood Pops and Other Sweets
Chapter 2
Disc: See intro
Warnings: More PMS and Hermaphroditism.
-:-
Though Edward seemed to be brooding a bit more then normal, nothing more was said on the subject of Black and so the Jasper and his 'siblings' showed up as normal at Forks High the day after. Alice had predicted rain and cloudy weather for another good week and so Jasper once more found his control tested, though with the recent fill-up of blood today was easier then others. Biology filled up his first period and he and his wife had to suffer through another lecture about mitosis. It didn't escape Jasper's notice however that one of the first things he did was to take notice if he shared the class with Black, and judging by the small teasing smile from Alice she knew perfectly well what he was thinking. Jasper found it both infuriating and nerve-wracking. He'd spent the last forty years being faithful to his wife, never even entertaining thoughts about any other and here he was suddenly finding some seemingly random boy interesting.
English he exchanged his wife for Edward and sat beside his younger brother in the far back corner quickly followed biology. It wasn't until he felt Edward stiffening almost imperceptive beside him that he realised the scent of stale blood had washed through the air again and this time with the entrance of Black. Jasper felt himself straightening as he let his senses gaze across the newest resident of Forks. Today he was wearing baggy unfashionable corduroy brown slacks that seemed to fit better in the 1970s then on any teenager of the new millennium. His black book bag that he seemed to favour over the locker was once more perched precariously on his narrow shoulder and he quietly made his way to his seat in the middle of the room half way down the rows. His upper body was covered by a black hoodie and his black hair was once more to be an untameable mess on his head shielding most of his face along with the hideous thick-rimmed glasses. Jasper did the human thing and huffed as he once more had no clue how the new kid really looked.
"He seems like he's trying to stay unnoticed" Edward spoke too quietly for humans to hear beside him. Taking a quick glance at his brother he found Edwards own golden eyes riveted on the mystery boy.
"What's he feeling?"
Jasper frowned before turning back to the kid and focusing his senses towards one individual instead of being flooded by all the emotion in the classroom. Once more he was hit with a feeling of slight ache, coupled with a desire to flee, mortification and an almost overwhelming sense of self-loathing that seemed even stronger then the previous day. The emotions slammed into Jasper make him actually waver a bit on his seat causing enough alarm that Edward automatically reached out to steady him.
"Pain. So much pain." Jasper had trouble not moaning out in despair. "He hates himself so much Edward. It's suffocating."
Edward's face seemed pinched as he looked over at the new boy.
"What's he thinking?"
Edward calmed and took a deliberate breath before narrowing his eyes on the newcomer. Several minutes seemed to pass and as both of them easily blocked out the teacher and other students. Suddenly his brother's face seemed to go slack and he gazed at Jasper with the closest thing to shock he had ever seen on Edward's face.
"There's nothing there. I can't… I can't read him!"
Edward's shock mirrored the one crossing his own face as he turned his golden gaze towards the slip of a boy that suddenly seemed all the more interesting. What was he? Never before had Edward's ability failed. While Alice couldn't read the shapeshifters, Edward had no such problems. What was so different with Black?
"This is cause for worry, Jasper". The blond merely nodded not taking his eyes off the new boy. The strategist in him was already calculating the potential threat this could pose to his family, but another part of him, the part that found himself concerned for the boy instantly rebelled the very notion of Black being viewed as a threat to be eliminated.
"I know. But I… I don't think he's a threat, Edward. Alice would have said something I think."
"Hm… perhaps". The brothers fell quiet as they contemplated the black-haired boy that seemed to shift slightly in his seat in front of them. Both of them caught the hand that slowly moved from the desk in front of him to gently rub his stomach. It was such an innocent action to any others, but the two vampires in the room took the action for what it really was.
"Is he suicidal?" had Jasper been human he might have jumped in surprise at his brother's sudden question; instead he focused his gift once more towards to boy.
"No, I don't believe so. Not yet anyway, but he's not far off". Jasper felt his own emotions for once fill with sadness as he thought of the depth of pain a person would have to feel to even contemplate taking their own lives. The thought of not seeing Black the next day at school brought something heavy to his stomach. It was horrible to even contemplate. Edward had turned his gaze towards Jasper as the thoughts started to roll round in his mind. Narrowing his eyes Edward seemed to want to comment on Jasper's sudden concern for the Black boy, but ended up biting his tongue instead.
"Be careful". Jasper gratefully acknowledged the sentiment and knew that Edward wouldn't be telling the rest of the family if he started to interact with the boy.
-:-
As it went, it was a full week before Jasper even came up with an idea to talk to the new kid. Black didn't seem to have any friends and as it was he rarely even saw the boy in the cafeteria or anywhere on school grounds beside the few classes he shared. None of the other siblings had commented any more on the child and Alice only seemed to smile indulgently at him whenever he was about to ask her anything about the boy, making him keep shut instead.
In the end it wasn't until next week's American History class that Jasper was presented with an opportunity to interact with the boy. The teacher had dragged in one of the ancient TVs and an old VCR player before finally hitting the lights and letting the student see half of the movie Amistad. Jasper hadn't seen it actually as the slavery part of old South had always been a rather complicated issue for him. The one time Emmet and Edward has asked him about it, he'd walked out of the house and stayed away for a couple of days not wanting to rehash the painful human memories, some of the few he still retained.
Before the end of the class the students were given a new assignment before the teacher handed out the old ones. Jasper had of course gotten an A+ on his own assignment and surprisingly Emmet had also gotten an A.
"HA! Now my Rosie owes me good. She thinks I'm all brawn and no brain." Jasper merely chuckled to himself as his bigger brother rushed out of the classroom like the overgrown child he was. Half of the students were already gone before Jasper caught the low sounds of cursing.
Turning he was surprised to see the Black kid balling up his own assignment and throwing it to the floor in a fit of rage as the emotions rolled off the small boy filling Jasper's senses. Bending down to pick up the piece of paper, Jasper unfolded it and gazed at the big red D that was painted in the top corner.
"You know I could tutor you if you wanted?"
Jasper didn't know who was more surprised, himself for actually suggesting time to interact with a mortal or the kid who's back had stiffened at the sound of his voice. Slowly the boy turned around to face Jasper, but he kept his head down and with the hair falling in his face, Jasper could barely discern the pale skin of his rather narrow face.
"Thanks, but I wouldn't want to trouble you". The dulcet tones of the British accent washed over Jasper and a crazy part of him thought he'd never heard anything so lovely before. The voice was remarkably soft and light and Jasper was pretty sure that if he'd been mortal he would have had trouble hearing the soft tones form the boy.
Instead he took a few steps towards the boy who stiffened ever so slightly before slowly holding out the crumpled assignment.
"It's no trouble at all. It's my favourite class, and it seems only right to make sure you know the history of the country."
The boy with his head still down shuffled his feet a bit towards Jasper before a pale hand with a thin wrist and long slender fingers reached out to grab the paper.
"I really don't want to put you out. I'm sure you have more important things to do". With that the boy hastily stuffed the paper into his bag before heading towards the door. The action made Jasper do something he'd never actually voluntarily done. Before the boy had taken more then a few steps he reached out and placed his hand on the closest arm stopping the boy from moving further away. He heard the boy's breath hitch, though he didn't know if it was because he'd touched him at all or because he was so cold.
"It really isn't a bother. I would be happy too. We could meet in the library any day you want after school."
The boy's back was still rigid. Jasper could detect a mixture of slight fear, suspicion but also indecisiveness, so he was definitely contemplating his offer.
"We can try tomorrow. If you don't like it or don't feel like you've learned anything then I won't pester you again". Jasper didn't know why he was pushing this so hard, but he really wanted to get to know the kid. Find out something, anything to understand why such a boy would move to the middle of nowhere all alone.
The shoulders sagged and Jasper's ability was flooded with weary acceptance laced with suspicion. He wondered briefly who had hurt the child so that a simple offer of tutoring would be met with such suspicion and weariness.
"Alright. Tomorrow? In the library after school?" He half turned towards Jasper finally dislocating the hand that the vampire had strangely enough kept on the mortal.
"Yes. I'm Jasper by the way, Jasper Hale" Though a bit leery, he ended up doing the human thing and holding out his hand.
At long last the boy lifted his head to look toward Jasper and the vampire almost had to bite in lip in frustration. The face was pale and Jasper thought the shadows under the teen's eyes could rival even his family. The features were nothing remarkable, plain and rather forgetful even. He wasn't ugly, just very average. The thing that made Jasper want groan in annoyance however was the fact the boy's spectacles were tinted dark blue, making Jasper unable to discern his eye colour.
"Hadrian. Hadrian Black" he finally answered in the same low tones before almost carefully placing his own pale hand in Jasper's and shaking it. Two things immediately presented themselves to Jasper. The first was that the boy didn't flinch in the slightest from the icy cold that Jasper knew emanated from his fingers. Second, feeling the warm fragile and elegant hand in his own gave Jasper the almost unconquerable urge to bend over and kiss the delicate knuckles like in the old days. He didn't know where this sudden urge had come from and it took him several seconds to start moving like a normal mortal again. Black's emotions didn't change so Jasper didn't think he'd noticed his lack of breathing either. Smiling slightly down to the smaller man, he responded with a 'please to meet you'. However at his small smile the emotions of the small male in front of him became almost chaotic.
"I.. I need to go. I… See you tomorrow" and with that Black almost ran out of the classroom leaving a completely bewildered Jasper struggling to make sense of Hadrian's feelings and his own, clenching his hand slightly where the warmth of the small fingers still lingered.
-:-
Jasper had neglected to tell any of his siblings or parents that he wouldn't be coming home straight after school today, but considering the very pleased almost smirk plastered on Alice' face he was pretty sure at least one person knew.
"Alright, Alice, what do you see?" He had taken this moment to ask as most of the students were already filling up the cafeteria and it was easier to take the necessary breath to talk without so many walking entrees around.
"Nothing". The grin didn't waver in the slightest.
"It's obviously something. Just… just tell me if it's something dangerous?"
That made the four foot ten inches girl walking beside him stop.
"Don't worry, Jasper. I don't think this is anything to worry about. I was actually telling the truth though. I don't see him all that much. I see you, but everytime I just focus on him, things get fuzzy."
"You mean like the wolves?"
The two were standing right outside the doors of the cafeteria talking so low that no human being could have heard them.
"No… well, maybe something like that. But I still don't get anything bad. I'll keep the focus on our family. Don't worry, you should have some fun." And with that she smiled impishly before skipping through the double doors, leaving Jasper to ponder his wayward wife once more.
AN: Again this is UNBETAED. I know it's annoying, but this stories kept distracting me, so I thought I'd get rid of the problem before they took over. And since pressed DELETE seemed a bit too extreme, they all ended up here instead:)
