Interlude 3: Jacob

aka

Raised by Wolves and Other Beasts

Standing on the Clearwaters' doorstep, Jacob raises his hand to the doorbell and hopes his evening will begin like this:

Leah, who'll sport a deeply convincing scowl, will wrench open the door, and though she'll be really very pissed, a tiny hint of a smile will peek through. He'll make some idiotic comment instead of a proper greeting, and it'll be enough to coax a real smile out of her, and just like that, the Bella Situation will be forgotten.

Instead, it begins like this:

Embry opens the door, and all declarations which Jacob has spent the last half of the afternoon rehearsing (with Seth begrudgingly acting as a one-man audience) die on the tip of his tongue. His pack brother looks strangely intimidating — strange because Jacob has never really thought of Embry as intimidating before; they have been best friends since they could walk, and he can count the number of arguments they've ever had on one hand. Serious arguments, anyway — the ones that have either ended in bloodshed or giving each other the silent treatment until Quil bashes their heads together.

Whatever is about to happen — whatever it is Embry is building up to saying or threatening (though Jacob can hazard a guess) — is bolstered by the fact that, by having the advantage of being on the top step, Embry has gained a few extra inches of height and is almost able to look Jacob dead in the eye.

Almost, but not quite.

Embry folds his arms, the expression upon his features a dark contrast to the face of the Pack's usual laidback, happy-go-lucky brother, and calmly says, "You're a jackass."

It's not exactly the word Jacob would have used. All the same, he can't deny it. "I'm aware."

The hard lines on Embry's face do not ease. If anything, they deepen. "Could've fooled me. She moped around all afternoon, you know. And where were you — moseying over to Canada?"

"Actually, I was giving her space — you know, the thing she asked for. And for the record, I stopped at Mount Vernon."

"Did Leah ban you from crossing the border again?"

"I hardly see how that's relevant."

"I'll take that as a yes," Embry comments, his face still set into a hard mask of disapproval. "She deserves better. I hope you know that."

"Are you seriously trying to give me the protective sibling talk right now? You're about two hours too late. Seth already beat you to it."

Embry snorts, an unforgiving sort of sound that cuts deep — especially coming from a brother who's supposed to understand, who has always taken his side. "Forgive me if I don't trust Seth — a kid who practically worships the ground you walk on — to knock some sense into your thick skull."

Jacob knows he deserves it, he does, but still his skin tingles, burns, in response to the challenge. "I love you, Em," he starts slowly, willing his wolf to stand down, "and I get what you're trying to do — I think — but it's really not necessary. You've made your point."

"That's unfortunate," Embry comments. "For you, I mean. Because as of today, I have decided that I'll be taking every opportunity to kick your ass six ways to Sunday whenever you royally fuck up. Privileges of having a baby sister, and all. I hope you understand."

"She's not your baby sister—"

Embry leans against the door and pretends to study the dirt underneath his fingernails with an air of practised disinterest. "Semantics," he sniffs.

Jacob stares at his brother. How exactly he has managed to not kill his decidedly ex-best friend in sixteen years, he'll never know.

"Enjoying yourself, are you?" he asks, his tone slipping into something far more biting than he intends.

"It's actually quite fun, as it happens. I'm even considering asking Jared to stop being more of a doormat than you are just so he can piss our Kim off every once in a while." Embry looks back up with an arched brow. "Unless you wish to rise to the occasion and continue to let Bella throw herself on you, that is."

Jacob's jaw is clenched so tight that it's a wonder his teeth aren't grinding to dust in his mouth. "It won't happen again," he forces out.

"Good."

"Anything else?"

Embry ponders this for all of two seconds before straightening, clearly reinvigorated with the pull of a bright idea. "Yes, now you mention it."

Jacob tries very, very hard not to phase where he stands. He just wants to get inside — he wants to see Leah and eat excessive portions of the Clearwaters' famed fish fry; to finish dinner in a food coma with his girl right beside him. He wants to forget the whole fucking day.

"What?"

His brother's attempt to menace morphs swiftly into a plea that's borderline desperate. "What are you getting Leah for graduation, and can we go Dutch?"

Jacob shoves him off the doorstep.

After the day he has had, Jacob has a feeling that dinner may prove to be one of the most awkward affairs of his life to date. Worse, even, than that one time his father sat him down after the Cullens left Forks and threatened untold misery if he ever got a girl pregnant out of wedlock (or, more specifically, Bella Swan), and that includes the belated lesson about the intricacies of the birds and the bees that had swiftly followed.

(Rather unsurprisingly, his father hasn't attempted a similar lecture about Leah, likely because he knows Sue would not hesitate to rain hell upon Jacob.)

Everybody is already in attendance by the time he arrives, Seth only having beaten him due to Jacob's extended struggle to find a presentable button-up shirt and pair of jeans that still fit after his latest growth spurt — an effort he has only made because the kid mentioned that an invitation had been extended to Charlie, and Sue was keen on keeping up appearances.

Privately, Jacob thinks he's a little overdressed for a family dinner, an occasion that normally requires no more than a pair of cut-offs. But Sue smiles when she sees him, obviously pleased, and he makes a note to thank Seth for the heads-up later. He doesn't think he would survive past sunrise if he somehow pissed off another Clearwater woman.

His father and Charlie are already at the table. By comparison, Charlie looks like he has made the least effort, apparently having come straight from work. Jacob spends a few seconds determining whether the gun belt has made it to dinner, too, because if Charlie has been told anything about today then the man is surely going to hold him personally responsible for crushing the hearts of Bella and Leah both.

Luck seems to be on his side, however, and it's clear Charlie is none the wiser when he stands to greet him like he would on any other day.

Jacob shakes Charlie's hand, and he thinks perhaps he will survive this after all.

Leah allows him to suffer without her company for fifteen minutes before she finally appears in the kitchen doorway, promptly sending his heart into a staccato rhythm, his reaction to her arrival instantaneous. He isn't quite sure what he's doing when he pushes back his chair and gets to his feet, only that everyone else at the table has remained in their seats and stares at him like he's lost his damn mind.

Everyone except Embry, that is. The snort he makes into his glass is quickly followed by a yelp when Seth makes a jab to his ribs.

"Now there's a real gentleman," Sue remarks, wiping her hands on her apron and sending Jacob a fond look. "Dressed nice, knows how to treat a woman . . . Shame I can't say the same for the rest of you," she adds with a pointed glare at Embry, who they all know would be shirtless if he hadn't been forced to borrow one of Seth's ill-fitting t-shirts.

"I'm not the one who needs to grovel," he mutters under his breath, quietly enough that only those at the table can hear and he won't suffer a beating from the end of Sue's wooden spoon.

(It's happened more than once.)

Charlie chuckles. "Trouble in paradise?"

"He just has manners, is all," Leah answers tartly before anyone else can think to. Jacob tracks her every move as she finishes tying off the end of her braid, her features composed into a careful image of neutrality whilst she evaluates the scene before her and how best to navigate it.

She starts by greeting her father's friend with a kiss on the cheek and delivering a murmured warning that sounds suspiciously like 'play nice'. Then she bends to greet Billy the same way, sans warning, and Jacob thinks his father looks rather triumphant about it.

What is truly hilarious, however, is the way Embry tilts his cheek up, apparently assuming that he is about to receive the same affection. His reaction is even more comical when Leah breezes past without so much as a glance, passing right over him to ruffle Seth's hair and sit in the chair beside Jacob that he has been doggedly guarding in anticipation of her arrival.

(She doesn't kiss him either, but that's okay. He's prepared to work for it.)

His hand reaches for hers underneath the table as soon as they settle, relief coursing through him when her fingers thread through his with relaxed ease and her shoulder bumps familiarly against his. She doesn't look away from Charlie, who has begun regaling them with the tale of his latest fishing conquest, complemented by inserted commentary from Billy, but Jacob knows he has her attention. He rubs his thumb over her knuckles, and she tightens her hold on him by way of reply. It's the sort of gesture that indicates forgiveness (to some degree), though he knows he's not been let out of the proverbial doghouse just yet.

(A single paw freed, perhaps. Maybe two, if he is lucky.)

Jacob's peace lasts for a blissful forty-five seconds.

Charlie takes a heaping second serving of fish fry from the ceramic dish, loading up his fork with a hearty bite. "You heard from Bella lately?" he asks nonchalantly, prompting Leah's fingers to choke Jacob's hand in an iron-clad grip.

It's almost impossible to ignore the eyes that immediately flick in his direction at the very mention of her name, almost as if they are all silently willing him to denounce her here at the dinner table.

Jacob makes a non-committal noise in his throat, busying himself with pouring another glass of juice for Leah. "Yeah, but I don't think we'll be seeing her again before graduation. Her bloo — boyfriend keeps her pretty busy."

Charlie's face darkens at the mention of Edward. "She's making a mistake with that one."

"You know plenty about that, don't you Jake," Embry pipes up helpfully, pointedly ignoring Jacob's icy gaze.

"Everyone makes mistakes," Sue says carefully, undoubtedly sensing the rising tension in the room.

"Everyone has those days," Seth says sombrely, elbowing Embry in the ribs for the second time in as many minutes. "Besides, that's something you need to work out for yourself. I think Bella's the only one who can change Bella's mind."

Charlie grunts. "Should've known you'd say that, kid."

Billy watches the exchange with amused interest; Jacob simply considers it a mercy his father manages to hold his tongue.

(Lord knows the old man could pen volumes about Bella's failing judgement.)

"We'll be by your side, whatever happens," Sue says placidly, patting Charlie's curled up fist.

Even an oblivious person — more specifically, Jacob himself — wouldn't fail to miss the warmth in Sue's gaze, the pink flush that rises in her cheeks whenever Charlie looks in her direction.

(Perfect, Jacob thinks, already picturing painful family dinners that include Bella.)

(How did Charlie Swan become the Olympic Peninsula's most eligible bachelor?)

Leah's groan is one of exasperation as she sets her glass down mid-sip. "Fine, Mother. You win," she seethes, clenching Jacob's surely bruised hand even tighter. "I won't kick Bella's ass."

"Once was enough," Embry adds sagely.

"No, once was a mistake. Twice is a choice," Leah says with a dark scowl, pointedly ignoring the long-suffering sigh her mother sends up to the ceiling. "She kisses Jake again, and all bets are off."

The next minute seems to last a lifetime.

Billy chuckles as Embry declares his agreement, reaching across the table to give Leah a high five—

—Charlie begins to choke, his eyes widening in shock, or panic, or both—

—Seth leaps to his feet, finally getting the chance to practise the first-aid skills he learned in his Health class; he expertly thumps Charlie's back until the lodged piece of fish fry flies loose with all the force of a nuclear missile, landing squarely on Jacob's plate—

—and Sue . . . Sue laughs.

All it takes is for Leah to look at the pure bewilderment Jacob can feel on his face before she descends into peals of laughter, too. She laughs until she has tears in her eyes and she's leaning against Jacob for support, tapering off into muffled giggles that get out of control every time she tilts her head up and sees his expression staring down at her again.

In a bid to calm herself, Sue presses her napkin to her lips and takes a deep breath. Jacob thinks it's to hide her smile.

"Harry would've loved this," she sighs, and there's a certain kind of quiet joy about her that makes the rest of them smile, too.

Charlie clears his throat. "The kissing part, or the choking part?" he demands hoarsely, which only sends him into another coughing fit.

And, just like that, the kitchen fills with laughter again.

All in all, Jacob considers it to be an extremely successful family event.