Chapter 7
"Oh boy."
Flicking her gaze up, Alice Cullen meets the eyes of one Isabella Swan from across the carpark, her bones already crackling with energy. Just like Emmett, she's finally done with waiting around for her turn. It's why she's currently standing by the door to Bella's truck, Jasper leaning against the bonnet to her left, waiting for the human right across from them.
Bella's low mutter has travelled right across the carpark to her, echoing around in her ears, just as Jasper's low huff of amusement does. They're both well fed, Jasper more so than her, simply for the fact that they don't want to risk anything. It's good that Jasper's taken to Bella, things'd have been difficult if the family had tried to keep their distance. She's eager, more than she probably should be. Undoubtedly Jasper can feel that but Alice doesn't bother trying to hide it. The advances that'll come about because Bella knows about them, the ways she'll improve their lives; she can't wait. She honestly can't.
"Bella!" Waving one arm above her head in an overly exaggerated motion, Alice grins. The heels on her feet creek as she pushes that little bit further up onto her tiptoes and she doesn't force them to bend any further. They're one of a kind.
The human centre of her focus recovers quickly and begins jogging over, one arm above her head as she mirrors Alice's over-rambunctious wave. "Aaallliiccceeee!"
Beside her, Jasper turns away, unable to hide his amusement behind the clenched fist he tries to bury his laughter into. People are turning to stare now, even two of the passing teachers, not that Alice can blame them. High school usually means insecure teenagers trying desperately to fit in. They've probably never experienced someone like Bella bouncing into their lives, so clearly unbothered by anything and everything other than what makes her happy.
"Bella!" Alice calls a second time when the girl herself is half a foot away. The human oddity crashes into her, arms wrapping around her shoulders and it doesn't matter that Bella's near half a foot taller than flat-foot Alice, Alice remains rooted to the spot as Bella wraps her limbs all around her. At this point, Alice meets Jasper's eyes over the human's shoulder and makes sure to wiggle her eyebrows. The scowl he sends back to her is perfect.
"I didn't realise Jasper had called in reinforcements. Figured he'd be capable of kidnapping me singlehandedly." Peeling herself free, Bella Swan runs one hand through her hair before flushing. "Were you okay with that? Didn't push too far-"
"Hugs are fine with me, Bella. I can call you Bella, right? We're gonna be such good friends, I can tell." Bella grins, the corner of her eyes crinkling under the pressure before she turns to Jasper.
"Am I okay to hug you? Or is that pushing it too much?"
"I can manage a hug, Bella." Throwing her arms around Jasper's neck (and having to leap up onto the very tips of her toes in order to do so), Bella laughs into his chest as her human legs tremble with the effort of remaining in place. More people are staring now but Alice is relatively certain she's the only one that notices just how gently Jasper handles the human between them, his hands carefully placed around her back and almost hovering there. That way, he's ready when Bella steps back to look up at him.
"So, visiting the vampire coven today? Am I appropriately dressed? Should I have invested in a turtleneck or something?" She pulls at the collar of her shirt, exposing one sharp collarbone and Alice laughs, snatching Bella's hand away so she can wrap her fingers around it.
"A turtleneck will make no difference for us, Bella. Honestly, just be yourself. You'll win everyone over, no problem." Perhaps the sincerity Alice injects into her voice is enough, perhaps Bella's just that resilient in bouncing back but, either way, the human offers a big, bold smile before swinging their joined hands back and forth.
"Okay. Skip the turtlenecks, got it. That's good, they're itchy anyway."
.
.
The Cullens live well and truly off the beaten path. Maybe it's because of Hot Doc's oh so thankful patients; no doubt some pushy few have tried to find his household to offer up their most sincere thanks. Hell, if Bella had been half a decade older and unbothered by his wedding ring, maybe she'd have been among them. She's kinda excited to meet Mrs Cullen; surely, she'll be as much of a bombshell as everyone else in the family. Bella would be a bit nervous on the aesthetic front, had she not already accepted the fact she's playing ball in the wrong league. They're all vampires, cold-ones, whatever they want to call themselves. It's like trying to hold a horse and a lion to the same standard. They're just too different to even begin to compare them with a level head.
Eyeing Jasper from the edge of her vision, Bella considers the senior of questionable age beside her, all the while running her thumb over the back of Alice's hand in fascination. She's got the smoothest skin Bella's ever had the pleasure of touching,; her fingers are all dainty and almost fairy-like. It's hard to believe she's a vampire. Accepting the fact, she's something otherworldly comes easy.
"So, any no go topics? Should I not mention blood? Would that trigger anything? Wait, how does Hot Doc do his work if someone's haemorrhaging?"
"Please do call Carlisle 'Hot Doc' to his face," Jasper huffs, eyes never leaving the road but his lips twisting up at the corners. "And it's not a problem to mention it. Just try not to slice your finger open, Darlin', and we'll be just fine."
"So, is it the smell or the sight of blood that tempts you? Can you not watch horror films because it gives you hunger pangs?" Twisting to look for an answer from Alice, Bella cocks her head to a side and scratches lightly at her face. Beyond Alice, outside the window, the world whizzes by, a blur of green and browns as they venture further away from town. Wow, if Alice and Jasper were dragging her out here to commit the perfect murder, then they'd sure have the best chances at it.
"It's the smell, Bella. Vampires have exceedingly strong senses, so our eyes can detect the difference between the image of blood and the real thing. But it's mainly the smell."
"Ever tried essential oils dabbed beneath your nostrils?"
Both vampires pause, turning to look at her and Bella cringes.
"Eyes on the road, Cowboy, eyes on the road! Unlike some, I'm squishy and susceptible to death at high impact."
"Fifteen miles per hour would hardly classify as 'high impact'," Jasper mutters, taking a corner just that little faster and Bella scowls, clenching her fingers around Alice's but she might as well be seeking comfort from a rock, for all the give her hand has.
"Hey, are you as rock solid to each other, or does vampire skin have more give if it's a vampire doing the squeezing?"
"The second one. Excuse me; just gotta go intercept Rose." Alice is out the car before they've stopped, before Bella can even register that her little pixie hand has slipped free of her grasp.
Wiggling her lonely fingers, Bella turns back to Jasper as he forces Ol' Red into park, the internal mechanics screeching in protest. He looks as inhuman as ever, eyes a vibrant gold that glimmer even in cloud-blocked light. All golden half-curls, heavy brows and cupid's bow lips… Maybe Apollo would have been a better name?
"Hey, can you shoot an arrow?" The god of the sun who doesn't ever go out beneath his domain…
"Can't say I've ever tried my hand at archery, Darlin'." Yeah, it wouldn't work anyway.
"Well, there's one thing I can do better than you already," Bella concludes, unbuckling herself and shuffling along for the door. It whines the entire time she opens it and she pats at the side, offering a quiet promise to rub the old boy down in oil at some undetermined point in the future. The scent of nature hits her right away, wrapping around her as surely as a hole-ridden blanket; she wonders what it smells like to Jasper, what it smells like to the other vampires she's ended up in the acquittance of. It's utterly wild, to think that she, a regular human, has been pulled into a world of fantasy monsters who are far more attractive than any book before has ever led her to believe.
"So, I'm totally betting I'll zone out for, like, ten seconds before I get over how pretty your mum is. Thoughts?" Jamming one hand into the pocket of her pants, Bella meets Jasper's eyes with a grin. Above them, there's a gentle cloudburst, a fine mist of rain sprinkling down from the heavens. Bella tilts her head up, drinking in the sensation of cool water on her face before she turns her attention back to the task at hand.
"Fifty seconds."
"Fifty- Hey! I'm not such an utter incompetent that I'll end up staring at your mum for nearly a minute," Bella scoffs, jabbing Jasper in the side with her elbow. It's like hitting a wall; no, like hitting a rock. A wall, would offer a little give at the very least, there's none of that from Jasper. From his smug little smirk, he knows it too.
"Who else is in then?"
"Just Carlisle, if Alice has managed to entice Rose away." Right, so if both vampire parents appear at the same time, chances are good it's gonna be a full Bella knockout. Hey, she's honest enough with herself to acknowledge that. Ruffling a hand through her bangs, Bella squares her shoulders and then starts for the door, ignoring Jasper's husky little laugh beside her; stupid sun god. He probably looks even better in the sunlight… or, he might have done had he not been a vampire. Hell, she'd be skipping school if the great ball of fire that is the sun would vaporise her the second, she stepped beneath it's merciless gaze. Although, if that was the case, Bella probably wouldn't chance going out in the daytime at all. Maybe the sun isn't that bad of an issue after all, maybe it just, stings a little. Like summer sunburn, only worse.
Bella's gonna ask. Or, well, she was. Because that's when Esme Cullen appears at the door and Bella exe. cannot compute.
.
When she comes back to herself, Bella's sitting in the fanciest kitchen she's ever seen, a bowl of cold pasta in front of her and fork in hand, with yummy vampire mummy staring pleadingly at her.
"S'good?" she offers, still a little dazed.
Where he's leaning against the kitchen counter, Jasper grins, coughing and turning away to hid it her Esme Cullen turns to look at him. His muffled murmur of 'one-hundred and sixty-three' would be irritating, but… Bella doesn't care. This pasta is divine and she needs to recipe. Its tomato based, with some meat that could be either beef or pork. It's excellent, either way. Esme Cullen is still watching her, all warm golden eyes and soft smiles. Bella squirms in her seat. Don't get any ideas about Mrs Cullen. Don't do it. Edward can read her mind and it would be very, very bad if he saw exactly what she's picturing. No, Jasper's safer territory there; probably still not a good idea but he's not married… is he?
"Hey, Cowboy, you ever been married?"
"Married, Darlin'?"
"Well, yeah. You've lived a long time, right? Ever gotten hitched?"
"Lived a long time?" Esme's soft questioning comes before Jasper's answer and Bella lets out a nervous little laugh. Oops. That's right, Jasper's not told anyone that she's in the know, other than Alice it would seem. Though Alice seems like one of those little clairvoyants who just knows everything and anything. Esme gives off no such vibe. Other than righteous mother who's been left uninformed of important developments. With the way she slowly turns to look at Jasper, it's clear Bella's dropped him in it.
Well, drat. Hopefully this won't prevent her from getting invited back. Or her blood sucked out her body. Nah, she trusts Jasper to look after her, Alice too. Maybe Hot Doc can patch her up once the fight for the delicious red she brews is over? Always a silver lining an' all.
.
.
Bella has the most appealing blush covering her cheeks. It's almost enough to distract him from Esme's stern, searching gaze. Almost.
He had rather been hoping Alice would be here to soften the blow in that special way of hers, to reassure everyone that it'd all be okay, that she'd seen the outcome and everything was going to be just fine. However, she's still off making sure Rose doesn't come home to find the human invader, which leaves him dealing with the fallout of his own decisions.
He doesn't regret telling Bella, not in the slightest. Because there's been no change. Sure, she needed a bit of time to come to terms with it, but they're back to that easy going, casual friendship. Cowboy and Darlin', empathic vampire and human positivity. Jasper and Bella. The others may be upset, Esme may be concerned, but Jasper doesn't regret allowing Bella to uncover the full extent of what they are. Acceptance is so hard to come by; even among the other Cullens, there are times when they forgot themselves, when they catch a glimpse of him and his lacework of scars and they react. It's nothing personal, it's instinct. The sheer number of scars he boasts makes him dangerous, the largest threat among them. He can recall that one meeting with one of the Volturi guard, how they had watched him, cautiously. Curiously.
"Jasper."
"I told Bella about us," he admits, freely and with little hesitation. "She already knew we weren't human."
"I promise I'll do my very best to not bleed all over your house," Bella says solemnly, the serious intent of her words ruined by the pasta sauce goatee she sports. Jasper's lips curve up into a smile despite himself. He knows what Esme would like to say, he may not be Edward, but a person's emotions give them away often enough. This particular mix of surprise, worry and warmth make it clear enough. 'You should have consulted the family first, this is a very big issue, but I'm glad you've found a friend.' She cares too much, this younger vampire who poses as his mother. Physically, she is his elder, but Jasper has more than half a century on her. It is only Carlisle that dwarfs his own lifespan among this coven.
"I'm gonna build a swing in your back garden. Jasper said it was okay, so that's our plans today. It's great fun, would you like to join us?" Bella grins, head tilting to a side as she peels her hair back against her skull binding the dark strands in a loose ponytail. She's still a bit dazed, it's the only reason Jasper can think of as to why she's not quite bounced back to herself. She is recovering though; he can feel the emotions bubbling about beneath her skin, rolling atop one another.
"A swing?" Esme repeats, bemused. "I couldn't possibly intrude on an activity that you and Jasper have done before. While you're up to that, I'll find Carlisle." And update him to the current state of things. It passes between them silently and Jasper dips his head in acknowledgement, watching Bella inhale the last of her pasta.
"Alrighty then. We'll be out back if you need us, I guess."
.
Their house is surrounded by trees; it'd been one of Esme's requests when they moved. However, not just any old tree will do for Bella, it would seem. The girl begins by walking along the clearing, the bounce in her step increasing with every one she took. She pauses every so often, staring up at a tree with a dramatic squint to her features, as if weighing up it's worth before deeming it undeserving. Jasper watches her curiously, wondering just what is whizzing through her mind, all the while half his thoughts go to the outpour of emotions he can sense from the house. Carlisle's caution, his hesitance, Esme's swirling reassurance as Carlisle no doubt reassures her. Neither will want to worry Bella, to upset her in any way. No, the quiet interrogation of why he has chosen to disclose their secrets to her will come after Bella has left.
The soft thump of boot meeting trunk has Jasper looking to Bella, just in time to see her kick up the tree in order to scramble for the lowest hanging branch. She misses, and he's across the clearing just in time to catch her before she hits the ground. The meeting of his shoulder and her stomach still winds her.
"Ow. Ease on the goods, Cowboy," she breathes, laughter breathy as one hand pats at the top of his head. The steady thumping of her heart is dangerously close to his ears, the warms of her thighs pressing up against his chest. He's well fed, had ensured he was well-fed specifically because he knew Alice was going to ensure he followed through with his words and allowed Bella to come over. This bubbly little human who has inspired hope in their physic and their mind-reader. Holding his breath, Jasper manoeuvres Bella until she's sitting upon his shoulders and more than capable of reaching the branch she'd made a leap for earlier. He has both hands curled around her ankles when the throbbing of her blood registers, thighs bracketing his ears and the temptation is so dangerously close. He can see Carlisle at the window, looking down with some alarm. The elder vampire makes no move to come down, however. He's trusting him, Jasper realises. Trusting him to resist temptation, even though he'd been on this diet the shortest amount out of all of them, even though he'd been the one to fall off the bandwagon most often. It is for that fact alone that Jasper pushes down the urge to nuzzle against Bella's thigh, against her femoral artery. She'd probably take it the wrong way; he realises and laughs at the thought.
As if reading his mind, Bella tugs at a handful of his hair so he's tilting his head back to look at her as she says, "you know, this wasn't how I was expecting to get my legs over your shoulders." Determined to make her point that little bit clearer, she presses her heels back into his chest. Jasper pulls her ankles forwards, nearly throwing her right off him and Bella shrieks with laughter, grip on his curls tightening.
"Don't you dare! I'm a squishy innocent who only wants to make a swing with her weird new friend! No need to throw me off the six-foot marble mountain!"
"Innocent is hardly the word I'd use to describe you after yesterday's conversation, Darlin'," Jasper huffs out, spinning around once on his feet, fast for a human but with nowhere near enough speed that his human passenger will get thrown violently from his shoulders. Bella laughs again, louder and higher, hands still clinging desperately to his hair. While part of him hopes that Alice returns soon, that she can smooth things over with Carlisle and Esme… the other half of him is content to wait. They have a swing to make, after all.
.
Having ensured all the suppliers were present before heading off to school for the day, they get started right away. Bella remains on his shoulders the entire time; Jasper had only made one attempt to remove her, but she'd wrapped her arms around his head and whined that she wished to remain tall for the experience. Putting together the swing with her balanced on him hadn't been much of a challenge, but Bella had certainly giggled every time she'd dropped something. By the sixth time, Jasper had cottoned onto the fact she was doing it on purpose, which had only prompted the girl to giggle that little bit harder. But, finally, it was done.
Stepping back and away, Jasper considers the swing as Bella hums, fingers still in his hair. It's far more intricate than the one that resides at the Sawn residence, with curved metal handles attached carefully to the varnished planks of wood, though Jasper had been forced to curve the metal by hand so the swing sat right. That Bella had fanned herself as she mockingly swoon while he did so was neither here nor there.
"We've done good," Bella muses, planting both her hands on her hips; she's probably grinning. That sounds like the kind of sentence she'd say with a grin. Her emotions are certainly reflecting that.
"We? Pretty sure I've done most of the work, Darlin'." All Bella had really had to do with it was throwing the rope over the tree trunk and then making sure it was tied tight.
"Puh-lease, it was my wonderful idea." With that, Bella begins wiggling about, trying to clamber off his shoulders, no doubt in order to get on the newly finished swing. Jasper tightens his hold on her ankle, not enough to hurt, but firm enough that she can't slide free.
"What do you think you're doing, Miss Sawn?"
"I'm gonna Christen this swing with a good ol' leap and launch," she mutters, tone resolute, shaking her leg rather fiercely for a human. As if that has any hope of loosening his hold.
"I don't think so, Darlin'. Those who try for a free ride go second." He steps towards the swing, fully intent on sitting himself down, passenger on his shoulders or not. Bella squawks in animated fury, pulling at his hair but she's laughing again, breathless and her stomach flutters against the back of his head with each gasping breath.
"I had no idea you wanted my legs around your head so bad," she needles, tensing the muscles of her thighs as if to exaggerate her point. To which Jasper can only scoff.
"You know Carlisle and Esme are watching us from the window. They can probably hear everything you're saying."
"Well shit." And Bella waves jovially up at the house, as if she doesn't have a care in the world. This time, Jasper does turn his face into her thigh, but only so he can hide the laughter that threatens to bubble up out of his throat. She smells pleasant enough. He cannot imagine what it is like for Edward, who her blood signs so clearly too. It's why the younger vampire is off hunting; there's every chance his own bloodlust would ramp Jasper's up right alongside it, given his abilities. And, as it'd been Bella who approached him first, Alice had insisted it was only far he got to spend the majority of the day with her. Which, come to think of it, is probably the reason the little pixie of a vampire isn't around right now. It's almost shameful that it's taken him this long to click onto the fact.
"I was joking; Carlisle and Esme left the house ten minutes ago." Off to go and play the human charade, shopping for food they're never going to use. Not unless Bella comes around again. "The only killer vampire around right now is me."
"You little shit."
This time, when Bella gives a kick of her feet, Jasper releases his hold on her ankles. She shimmies down from his shoulders carefully, spinning so her legs are half wrapped around his torso before she managed to get her feet back on the floor. She brushes her jacket down, green moss displaced from the tree as they'd put up the rope sticking persistently to the cotton. There's no smile on her face, but Jasper can sense the contentment, the good-humour and soft appreciation for what they've managed to get done. For how they've spent the afternoon.
"You say you're killers, but don't humans kill cattle to feed themselves? It's just the natural way of the world. You can be likened to vegetarians; you're going for a food source that isn't your primary, simply because you don't agree with the standards the rest of your society hold other living beings to. As one of the aforementioned cattle, I think that's pretty neat." Bella grins, head cocked back and closed eyes curving up. Jasper flashes around her to the swing, taking a seat just to be contrary.
When his human companion opens her eyes, she stares at the space he had occupied before swinging around to face him, scowling good naturedly. She goes to kick him in the shin and Jasper takes care to trap her foot between his calves instead. A kick with that kind of force won't break her toes, but it'd certainly hurt for a few hours. If his capture of her foot prompted a loss of balance that sees her rump hitting the floor, well, that just makes it that little bit funnier.
"Hey, Cowboy. We're already friends, and you've told me your big secret-" Bella gestures to the expanse of space around them, fingers that're littered with long-healed papercuts spread wide. "-so, in order to become the best of friends, I'm gonna be just as honest as you were." Here, she rolls her bottom lip back into her mouth, teeth dragging across the surface as her eyes filter away. Nervous, thoughtful. But there's a slow coil of trust within her, trust for him. Trust he's never been given by anyone outside of the Cullen clan, outside of Peter and Charlotte.
Then, Bella's grinning again, pulling her hair free of the ponytail she'd had it in so she can fiddle with the bobble.
"I can remember the life I had before this one."
Like pullin' teeth; that was not the direction I'd been expecting this to go. Fifteen school days left 'till summer.
Tsume
xxx
