I is for Iron
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Twilight characters and all characters, images and likenesses have been changed for the protection of parties that have inspired this one-shot.
Iron (v): great strength, hardness, or determination.
Her mind runs on auto-pilot as she goes through the motions of getting dressed for the day. Her muscles shiver under the lukewarm water of the showerhead and somewhere in the back of her mind berating Jacob for using up so much of the hot water is tucked and filed away for use at a later date and time. She brushes her teeth methodically as she thinks over if she'll have to buy more toothpaste and rolls her eyes knowing that the twins is well overdue for new toothbrushes. The shopping list grows longer and longer as she walks past the small little everyday household items and she boots up her old laptop hoping to find a coupon to help save on the Black family budget. Letting the operating system work its long and slow magic she quickly throws on a bra and panty set. A simple fleece hoodie thrown on and Leah looks over her shoulder to her the Windows welcome tune as she slips one leg into her jeans and then the other.
Duck walking over to the laptop she suddenly freezes and looks down with a frown as her jeans stubbornly refuse to move.
No.
Leah twists her jeans back and forth trying to get them to move up her thighs. Her frown deepens as the material begins to tighten around her thighs.
"C'mon, don't do this to me," Leah grumbles softly as she directs her eyes to the ceiling and begins a quick jumping succession to squeeze into her jeans – her favorite pair of jeans. "You lyin' piece of shit, get up here," Leah curses at her jeans as the material gives a little and finally decides to accept their place around her hips. "Damn right – that's what I thought." Leah says with a mild triumphant tone as her arms hang down straight, her fingers not quite up to the task or facing the realization that the true battle is about to begin.
Taking in a deep breath Leah goes to fasten her jeans but looks down in surprise as the fasten seems to be working against her. She curses again as works on the fabric, pulling, tugging and willing the pants to behave.
Flopping back on the bed, the battle continues as more and more curses fall from her lips but the material remains stubbornly disobedient.
"JACOB!" Leah yells. Her call for her husband is heard and she waits patiently as his heavy footsteps walk from one end of the house to the other before arriving at the stairs. She lies on her back, staring up at the ceiling trying to ignore the bit of perspiration that has already built up on her forehead and her underarms in just putting her pants on. Her eyes narrow as Jacob trudges up the stairs, his steps steadily slowing down the higher up he gets.
"What is it?" Jacob asks in between heavy pants. "Oh, baby, you know I'm always up for a quickie," Leah's eyes widen as she looks down to see Jacob quickly climbing on top of her. She struggles and kicks under his weight as his lips find hers before he stops looking down at her in disappointment.
"What is it about me lying on my back fully clothed made you think I called you up here for a quickie?" Leah demands as Jacob rolls off her and smiles sheepishly.
"A married man can dream, can't he?" Jacob asks with a shrug. "What do you want? If you don't hurry we're gonna miss out on the samples which mean I'll have to wait for them to cook more." Leah's eyes narrow but knows Jacob is right, the Black family did love the free samples at the grocery store on Saturdays.
"Well help me fasten my jeans then." Leah orders lying back down and lifting up her shirt.
"You know this is so backwards," Jacob comments but does as he's told. "I came into this marriage thing cuz I'd get to take your clothes off, not put them on." Leah rolls her eyes and sucks in her stomach as Jacob gets to work. Jacob struggles with Leah's jeans as her eyes silently curse him out and cheer him on. The two try everything from Jacob squeezing Leah's hips in to Leah pressing down on her stomach and all with no luck.
"Okay…just put on a different pair of jeans," Jacob says finally giving up.
"No," Leah snarls, getting up and trying to stretch out her torso to somehow, magically and miraculously, make them fit.
"Lee, they're not going to fit," Jacob sighs out.
"These are my favorite jeans!" Leah snaps and Jacob holds his hands up in surrender.
The two stand looking down at the olive-colored skin of Leah's stomach – a belly is more like it. After having given birth thirteen months ago it seemed that Leah's body was stilling holding to some of the pregnancy weight.
"Use a rubber band so we can just go and come back." Jacob states as an index finger reaches out and lightly strokes the exposed area.
"A rubber band?" Leah whispers confused. Jacob only nods and grabs one from the doorknob before looping it around the fasten, through the hole and back again. "Yea, now it looks like your pants are fastened. I do it all the time." Leah looks up as Jacob quickly kisses her nose and walks out calling the kids to get ready to go.
He does it all the time?
Leah looks down at the huge bowl of chicken fettuccini alfredo that is the dinner for tonight. She's added extra parmesan and alfredo sauce just like Jacob and Harry loves it. There's a salad – that's something green and healthy. Leah looks up to see Michelle drowning her salad in some creamy salad dressing, Harry frowning at the tomatoes and carrots that she knows he won't bother eating and Derrick slurping the sauce off the noodles and tossing his bland noodles aside. Leah looks over to see Jacob buttering what has to be his third roll. This is a family favorite and usually she and Jacob team up and polish off the rest of Derrick's noodles – waste not, want not.
Leah sits in bed, flipping through a magazine, her eyes looking at the images but not processing them. Her mind is elsewhere but comes back as Jacob walks into their bedroom. He compliments her on dinner - he always compliments my cooking. He continues on talking and she gives rote responses, watching him closely as he removes his shirt to reveal instead of a tight and well-defined chest and abs but an ab – it's more of an early stage beer belly. For the first time Leah notices the slight fat in Jacob's arm, the budding of plumpness around his face and her eyes widen as she hears him let out a relieved gust of air after he works his boots off – he's winded from just taking his boots off?
Not that she was in any position to talk but she'd spent some time looking, really looking, at herself in the bathroom mirror. Her face looked fatter, the slowly budding double chin trying to make her first debut. Her stomach still looked like there was a baby in it, her thighs – oh God, don't get me started on my thighs. The long and short of the whole matter was that she and Jacob were fat.
"Jake, we have to go on a diet." Leah states in a cool, even and business-like tone.
They can't keep this up, hiding unfastened jeans under oversized shirts, stocking up on rubber bands or being winded just going to their bedroom. Harry had died of a heart attack when Leah was just twenty-three; he didn't get to approve of Jacob proposing to her, to walk her down the aisle or even see his grandchildren.
History will not repeat itself.
~*~*~Two weeks later, Saturday – grocery day~*~*~
Jacob and Leah stand in aisle of whole foods, both frowning at the options before them with a look of confusion and slight trepidation. "They have got to be kidding me," Leah whispers harshly.
"Why is everything so high?" Jacob asks with a frown.
"I don't know," Leah admits slowly shaking her head. No wonder Americans are overweight. It's cheaper to be fat in just everyday life.
"You know if we hurry we could still make it over and grab the first samples," Jacob says with a smile, his thumb jutted out in the direction of the exit.
"No," Leah says shaking her head and raising her chin. "We're gonna get healthy – get back in shape."
"But I love your shape," Jacob pouts as he gives Leah the old puppy eyes. Narrowing her eyes Leah reaches out and grabs the whole wheat lasagna noodles and dumps them in their cart. Flattery always got Jacob what he wanted out of Leah. He'll thank me later.
~*~*~Three days later~*~*~
Dinner is a more quiet and reserved affair tonight. Jacob frowns at his dinner of steamed asparagus and baked pork chops. The children practically begged both Leah and Jacob if they could eat dinner over at Sue's. Leah had relented but Jacob was the stern one, glaring down at his children and after seeing Leah's puppy dog eyes gave in as well. Now…now both wished the kids were around because the chatting, whining and childish excitement would distract them from what they were actually eating and the fact that they were both still hungry.
"We don't have to eat this, do we?" Jacob asks viciously stabbing a piece of asparagus and glaring at it hatefully.
"Of course, we do," Leah says with a sigh. She can't deny the fact that she's not too keen on the asparagus but Nicole from work said it was a good and healthy meal.
"Can – can we put some cheese on the asparagus? And how about some kind of sauce for the por,"
"No, Jake! We're eating healthy and that means avoiding those unhealthy calories." Leah snaps. She'd been slowly losing her patience with Jacob's complaining and not-so-subtle attempts to 'spice up' dinner. Could anyone blame her? She was hungry – starving. Breakfast was a half of a grapefruit, black coffee and toast with jam. Smothering the damned thing in grape jelly didn't do much to sate her appetite. Lunch was a joke of stewed tomatoes – who just eats stewed tomatoes?
"Well this takes like – like – green, bland cardboard,"
"How do you even know what cardboard tastes like?" Leah asks before stuffing her last asparagus in her mouth.
"Don't worry about that – this dinner is garbage. I should've run away with the kids."
"This isn't garbage! And you are always perfectly welcome to go find somewhere else to sleep."
"I'm fine with where I sleep," Jacob says with a calm and self-righteous attitude. "It's what I'm not being fed."
"Go fuck yourself," Leah hisses darkly as she gets up from the table unable to think of anything witty to say back.
"I've been doing that by myself too," Both freeze as the words fall from Jacob's lips. He regrets them the moment his brain processed what he said but it's too late. Jacob quickly gets up from the chair as Leah lunges for him. He cries out as Leah grabs hold of him, he's not as quick as he used to be, and the couple tumbles to the floor as Jacob loses his balance. Jacob tries to fend off his angry wife, curses falling from her lips as her fists fall atop him.
It's been years since they tussled like this after Jacob said something smart and Leah pounced on him. The wrestling, name-calling and all too-rough-and-inappropriate grabs used to last for almost an hour.
"Wait, wait," Leah pants out as she sits up on Jacob's thighs, eyes shut and breathing hard five minutes later.
"Oh gawd, Lee," Jacob cries, sitting up, his own chest heaving and heart racing from the exertion. "Lee, you alright, baby?" His hand quickly rests over Leah's heart, his fear growing as Leah collapses onto the floor.
"I'm – I'm fine…just – just out of breath." Leah answers placing her hand over top his.
"Jesus H. Christ, don't scare me like that. Are you sure, you're okay? Does your arm hurt? Are you seeing spots? I – I can get you some aspirin!"
"Just let me catch my breath." Leah says as her heart rate begins to slow down. Jacob slowly nods his head and lies down next to her, keeping a close watch on her heart rate and breathing. "You know what?"
"What?"
"For fat people we sure aren't jolly." Jacob looks over at Leah and the two start laughing.
~*~*~A month later~*~*~
The healthy meals have steadily gotten better, Leah opting to just add more fruit and vegetables to each lunch and dinner. Instead of potato chips and soda being snack food it has been switched over to fruits and water. Portion control has become key and as hard as it has been Jacob and Leah have managed to not polish off Derrick's leftovers.
Leah paces the length of her bedroom as her eyes keep drifting to the bathroom. Every couple of minutes she's stopped and shed some article of clothing and now in nothing but some panties she musters up the courage and walks determinedly into the porcelain room. Her lips tighten before she bends down, removing her panties and taking a bold step forward she steps on the scale.
C'mon, c'mon, c'mon…176!
"YES!" Leah yells and fist pumps the air in triumph. She quickly redresses and jogs down the stairs to find Jacob in kitchen pantry. "I LOST SEVEN POUNDS!" She declares startling him.
"Oh, that's great, baby!" Jacob says wrapping Leah up in a tight hug of pride and encouragement.
"What about you? How much have you lost?" Leah asks looking Jacob up and down. She could see where he'd lost some weight – mostly in his stomach.
"I lost eighteen pounds." Jacob says smiling down at Leah. He hugs her again and misses the way her smile falls.
Eighteen pounds? This motherfucker lost eleven more pounds then me?
"Quit lyin'," Leah says still hugging Jacob.
"I'm not," Jacob says slowly and cautiously.
"You lost eighteen pounds? In four and a half weeks you lost eighteen pounds." Leah states with dark and narrowed eyes. She watches as Jacob slowly nods his head. "What the fuck are you doing? Is there some magic hobo you're meeting along the way to work who is buying the fat offa ya? You're starvin' yourself, aren't you? Damnit, Jake, you told me the food was getting better."
"They are! I've been eating everything you fix." Jacob states in his defense. "I – I just cut out the beer and – and I walk to work." He explains with a shrug.
~*~*~Two hours later~*~*~
"Oh, don't take offense to it, Lee," Rachel says with a small smile as they watch Derrick and his three year old cousin, Alex, play together. "Men, for some strange and annoying reason lose weight quicker then women."
"It's still annoying and discouraging," Leah mumbles sparing a quick glare in Jacob's direction.
"Just resign yourself to the fact that just like in all things in life – we as women have to do double the work of men. It's no different then work, life, love,"
"Sex," Leah offers up.
Jacob and Paul both look up surprised as Leah and Rachel both begin to cackle together.
~*~*~Two months later~*~*~
Leah and Rachel stand looking at all of the classes being offered at their gym. They'd signed up a little over a month ago needing something more besides counting calories and the occasional walk. Maybe if we're spending money that'll make us more apt to do something had been Rachel's reasoning.
"How about we try cycling class?" Leah suggests pointing at the flyer and looking at Rachel. Rachel nods in agreement.
~*~*~Two days later~*~*~
"Alright, everyone, let's keep it going. Get up off those seats!" The instructor orders in the cycling room. Leah gets up from her seat, her thighs aching and sweat pouring from some unseen spigot underneath her hair.
Looking over she sees Jacob frowning hatefully at the female instructor at the front of the class, his eyes furiously blinking the sweat away. On her right Rachel is standing up on her bike, her feet no longer pedaling and a look of pained agony on her face. Looking around Leah tries to locate Paul but doesn't see him.
"Where's Paul?" Leah asks Rachel once the instructor allows them to sit in their seats.
"Right here," Leah looks back over her shoulder to find Paul sitting on the floor with a frown on his face.
"Smart man," Jacob pants out and guzzles his water.
"Get your ass on the bike," Rachel hisses in a harsh whisper.
"No," Paul says shaking his head.
"Paul," Rachel growls.
"No, look I know you like it up the ass but that's not how I roll." Jacob chokes on his water and Leah on a snort as Rachel blushes and turns around. "I can't believe you three are taking that seat up the ass."
"They are uncomfortable but it's not like that," Leah says with a chuckle.
"It could just be your fat ass," Rachel huffs as the instructor pushes them on.
"Alright, we're half way done," The instructor cheers on.
"Half-way?" Leah questions. "Isn't this a forty-five minute class?" She asks no one in particular. Jacob only shrugs, guzzling his water and not caring that the two minute break was over and Rachel is still focused on getting Paul up. "We've only been…doing this for fifteen minutes. That's not half way."
"She's a liar," Jacob pants out.
"I hate liars." Leah states as she pedals on.
~*~*~Two days later~*~*~
"Okay, so I'm with Paul, that chair did rape me." Rachel says as she and Leah work out on some elliptical machines.
"I just can't take orders from someone who can't tell time." Leah states thinking disdainfully about the female cycling instructor. She had proceeded to lie to the class telling them they were half way done three more times after the initial two minute break.
"So how about we give yoga a try?" Rachel asks. Both women look at their television monitors, frowns on their faces and both picturing going to a yoga class with their husbands.
"The boys won't come, right?" Leah asks.
"Absolutely not," Rachel agrees throwing a conspiratorial look over at Jacob and Paul two machines down from them.
Leah looks over to see a skinny, blonde hair woman get on the elliptical next to her. The two exchange quick smiles and soft hellos before Leah turns her attention back to her machine. Out the corner of her eye, Leah catches the blonde smile and gives Jacob a flowery greeting and wave. Rolling her eyes and shaking her head Leah turns her attention back to her monitor. Leah's eyes widen as the girl suddenly begins to race on her elliptical machine. For ten minutes the powerhouse blonde races on her machine, her legs going twice as fast as Leah's. Leah berates herself mentally as she manages to lean over curious what resistance level the girl is at and makes a face of disgust to see her working at resistance level 3. Another five minutes later and the 'Gazelle' is done. Leah fixes Jacob with a hard glare as the blonde gets down and begins stretching out her muscles. The glare is unnecessary as Jacob is oblivious of the girl's attempt to garner his attention, if at all. She and Leah exchange soft good byes and smiles as she walks off.
"Either you got served or that was an EPIC FAIL attempt at flirting." Rachel says finally letting out the laughter she'd been holding in since watching the two women meet.
"First of all, I did not get served!" Leah snaps angrily. "And you're right her…whatever the fuck that was supposed to be did FAIL."
"So…we'll have to wait and see what her goal was." Rachel says stopping her machine to catch her breath. "But I think she was really after you. That exchange was no different then any other race or competition. Damn, Lee, not only did your ass and belly get soft but so did your competitive streak."
Leah glares at Rachel as she looks down at her machine. She was working on a resistance level 16…she was working harder then the Gazelle.
Next time her ass is grass.
~*~*~One week later~*~*~
Leah stands in the kitchen over the sink, her eyes focused on some object outside unaware of the conversation Rachel is having with her. She swallows a lump in her throat and finds it hard to breath.
"I hate my husband," Leah declares causing Rachel to stop midsentence.
"What did he do now?" Rachel asks getting up to look outside.
"Look at him," Leah says slowly and numbly nodding her head. "The fat has just melted off of him." Rachel sees her brother standing outside working on Sue's car, his shirt off and what she can only guess is a 'sexy' sheen of sweat covering his torso. He didn't have the eight-pack abs yet but there was some definition.
"He's so…hot," Leah breathes out.
"Yea," Rachel says rolling her eyes.
"Can you keep the kids tonight?" Leah asks quickly looking at Rachel. Rachel wants to say 'no', already disgusted by the fact that she's been asked to babysit her nephews and niece so Leah could work on a fourth child. But after much begging Rachel gives in.
~*~*~That night~*~*~
Jacob walks into his bedroom to find Leah sitting on the bed. His muscles ache but in a good way as he slowly takes his shirt off. It felt good to be back in his old jeans, not have to worry about rigging his pants and walking up the stairs no longer winded him. Whatever was the wake-up call for Leah about their weight he is glad she said something.
"I'm going to take a quick shower," Jacob says tossing his clothes in the hamper.
"I'll join you." He freezes and turns around to see Leah smiling up at him, her hands slowly removing her own clothes. His eyes greedily drink in her body that has always been beautiful whether she was a buck twenty five, pregnant or whatever weight she's been in between.
His excitement grows as Leah walks up to him, closing the gap in between them and he feels himself about come undone as she licks his chest, her fingers dancing lightly over his stomach. He can't remember the last time she's done that and suddenly realizes he's missed it.
"Just so you know, I hate you," Leah whispers before kissing his lips.
"I love you too," Jacob breathes out.
~*~*~Three weeks later~*~*~
The two couples are on the elliptical machines again when Gazelle shows up, she and Leah exchange their pleasantries as usual and Rachel watches in amusement as Leah lowers her resistance and takes off.
"Okay, who won?" Leah asks once Gazelle aka Lindsay walks off.
"She still whooped your ass." Rachel says breaking in a loud and raucous laughter.
"That bitch!" Leah hisses as she gets down. For the last three weeks Gazelle always picked the machine next to Leah, even when the gym wasn't crowded and there were literally twenty other machines available. And no matter how hard Leah ran she couldn't seem to keep up with the leggy blonde. "She does this on purpose!"
"You'll get her one day, Lee," Jacob says encouragingly patting his wife on the back.
"I fuckin' hate her!"
~*~*~One week later~*~*~
Leah pants as her sides ache, her head throbs and she swears she can hear her poor calves screaming. This is what it must sound like when doves cry. Looking up she glares as Jacob gives her a light push but feels like a horrible and uncalled for shove.
"C'mon, Leah, keep going babe. I wasn't supposed to catch you, remember?" Jacob says with a deep frown.
"Well act like you didn't see me and keep it movin'." Leah breathes out pinching her eyes shut.
"Baby, your endurance sucks," Leah swallows down the dry lump in her throat and pushes herself on. It's true.
A couple of days ago, she and Rachel were sitting out on the back porch talking. Both women had been successful in their weight loss but weren't seeing the pounds melt off like their husbands. With the lack of oxygen getting to her brain, Leah can't remember for the life of her what she said to Rachel to set her off. But Rachel had jumped up from her chair and Leah ran off the porch with Rachel in pursuit. Leah got about thirty feet from the porch when she stopped winded and Rachel had gotten twenty feet before both felt a cramp in their sides.
God, Mom, you suck was what Michelle had said when Leah asked her to massage her side. She didn't want to 'suck' as her daughter put it and asked Jacob to help her out with her stamina. The sexy bastard was already jogging every day.
That damned iron will of his.
"Alright, you can walk now," Jacob says giving his wife a break.
"You don't love me anymore," Leah wheezes out with her hands on her hips.
"What?" Jacob asks handing her his water bottle and watches to make sure she doesn't guzzle too much.
"You heard me,"
"Why would you say that?"
"Cuz it's true, look at the pain on my face." Leah says looking up at Jacob and he can't help but chuckle noticing the look of desperation more so than pain.
"This is good for you – for us." Jacob says wrapping an arm around Leah's shoulders.
"Whatever, just know that when I do get in shape I'm upgrading."
"To what?"
"A better husband,"
"I'll still kick The Rock's ass," Jacob says confidently. "I'll lay the smack down on his candy ass."
"And I'll kiss that sweet candy ass back to health." Leah gives Jacob a huge smile as he glares down at her.
"And for that we're running again." Leah groans but follows through feeling slightly better having gotten her second wind.
~*~*~One week later~*~*~
"I can see where you're losing weight," Rachel tells Leah as they make another circuit around the track. The two are just power walking as part of their cool down.
"Really? Thanks – you too," Leah says with a small smile. The smile falls as Leah looks over to see an elderly old woman pass them on the track, sporting her Denver Broncos jersey with Tim Tebow's name and number on the back. "Fuckin' Granny Tebow," Leah hisses with narrowed eyes as the elderly woman takes the next bend.
"Don't hate on that old woman," Rachel says shoving Leah.
"She passed us – again. Why can't you get your ass in gear?" Rachel laughs off Leah's competitive aggression and instead looks down at the weightlifting area. Her eyes quickly fall on Jacob and Paul along with a few other friends who came to piggyback on the Black-Lahote family membership. She raises an eyebrow as Jacob spots Paul as he lays down preparing to do some chest presses.
"Men spotting men is so gay," Leah only spares a quick glance down before her face scrunches up.
"Jake's junk is a bit too close to Paul's head."
"Oh! There's Triceps," Rachel calls out giddily. Leah turns around and both women continue their walk watching 'Triceps' workout. He was an olive-colored Italian who always sported an after five shadow and flirted, shamelessly, with all of the women in the gym. What excited Leah and Rachel both was when he spoke to them in Italian. He could say the crudest thing to them but it didn't matter because he sounded so sexy saying it.
"Oh, shit, the husbands are waving at us." Leah says smiling and waving at Jacob.
"That's so cute – they thought we were checking them out." Rachel says as she and Leah beak into a bout of giggles.
~*~*~One month later~*~*~
Leah stands glaring down at the scale. Her fingers wiggle in the air as if playing keys on a piano before balling up into a tight fist. She hated her scale – hate him with such a passion. No good ever came of the scale and when it did it was rare. He was a worthless liar.
I know you hear me. That's what you are – a worthless, good-for-nothing liar! You tell Jake all the time, 'oh wow! You lost another ten pounds in just FIVE DAYS. But when it's me it's just, 'oh, another two' or 'uh-oh, you gained three'. I get bloated okay! I have a period! Now either you have some good news for me or you're getting your first flying lesson.
Taking a deep breath Leah gets on the scale and waits with forced patience as the scale beeps alerting to her that he's done calculating her weight.
137!
Leah laughs in triumph and thanks the scale profusely for not being a worthless piece of shit.
"Scale must've given you some good news," Jacob comments walking into the bathroom. Leah nods her head proudly too excited to speak just yet.
"By the way, your ass looked great in those jeans last night." Jacob says kissing Leah's cheek as he's washing his hands. He looks on proudly as Leah's smile only grows.
"So did yours." Leah says wrapping Jacob up in a tight hug and burying her face in his chest.
A/N: Alright so here goes Iron. These little snippets just made me chuckle simply because it's the same thing that me and my sister have been dealing with since and during our time at the gym. Needless to say, Leah is a success story compared to us. LOL. And the people mentioned at the gym are from my own experience as I'm convinced there are these types of people everywhere. So I'm sorry if this is real choppy and hard to follow but I've written these, like I said, based upon my own personal experience minus the hot-as-heck hubbie to push me through.