Jasper laid on the floor staring out at the clear sky, fluffy clouds, it was bright outside and he could hear the birds chirping.
He had his arms outstretched at his sides, his elbows ached a lot, but not as much as the first few days, it's been around a week since he was brought here.
A week since he was free to do whatever he pleased, roam around freely, they even gave him blood and venom three times a day.
And while he hadn't felt any hostility he did felt uneasiness, annoyance, wariness, calm, curiosity, he knew there were nine people in the house, but he had only seen three; Alice, Emmett and Carlisle.
Emmett was the one who brought him the blood and venom sometimes and would leave it at the door. He didn't attempt to step inside the room nor did he got angry whenever Jasper growled at him, it was confusing, it put Jasper on edge. Even more so because he would sit outside and roll marbles under the door despite the fact that the door was always left ajar.
And because Jasper wasn't sure what was his endgame he rolled them back to him. That for some reason seemed to please Emmett, make him giddy, and he couldn't for the life of him understand the why.
Sometimes, he would also make him watch moving pictures in a weird screen. Movies. Laptop. That's what Emmett had called them.
And while he didn't knew the reason for his scandal over Jasper not knowing what a car or internet were he appreciated the movies. It allowed him to learn quite a lot about slangs and technology.
There were even animated ones. He liked those the most. The colorful backgrounds and relaxing songs…
There was also Carlisle, the coven leader, he made him anxious, the man seemed kind and compassionate enough, but he wasn't stupid, he knew perfectly well what could happen if he angered the man, thus, even if he had hated every second of it.
He had let the man touch him to his hearts content, he had checked his mouth, his fingernails, his eyes, even his ears, why he needed to do that? He had no idea, Carlisle claimed it was to see if he had suffered any other kind of damage, Jasper didn't really think that was true.
There was a hint of fascination in the man's emotions when it came to him, Jasper didn't knew why, but people who were fascinated by him and touched him in such weird ways usually meant trouble.
Like the red robes.
But he was the one dealing with his wound, letting him free, giving him food, disobeying him or calling him out on his lies wasn't a smart choice.
Plus.
He was also, for some weird reason, helping him with his mobility, he would even correct him when he didn't sit straight, which he hated, it made his back ache to sit straight.
But at least it didn't ache as much as it used to, even his wound had begun healing.
So if the man wanted to wield fascination by him, touch him so much as if he were some kind of experiment like those red robes had done, then so be it.
He could take it if it meant he got to get better, it wasn't as if he had tried anything so far, maybe he was waiting for him to get stronger before starting to slice his skin open and putting pins beneath his flesh.
Too bad.
Because once Jasper was strong enough he would run away, he refused to let it happen.
And there was Alice too…
She was so cheerful, kind and patient… her emotions made him feel warm inside, there was such a strange sense of familiarity when it came to her, she would spend hours with him, talking to him about anything and everything, making him watch her favorite movies, showing him even more stuff about the world in general.
It still amazed him how so much could be seen through something so small.
She also helped him with his "exercises" and God was she stubborn. She wouldn't let him sit up until he had stretched his legs enough.
His legs were so much more worse than his arms and back.
Standing up was a nightmare, but he could move around crouched, which usually got him Alice and Carlisle's reprimand.
But straightening his legs made him feel as if his muscles were being torn apart, like something would snap. Break. He didn't like that.
Carlisle said it was because his muscles had grown stiff due lack of use. Jasper begged to differ.
He also knew that there was a mind reader among them.
It had taken him a while to see it, but people would react to his thoughts sometimes, right after someone spoke below .
He still had a hard time hearing what others spoke about, but he wasn't stupid. He might not remember much of his life nor basic things at times, but he did remember how to keep mind readers out.
And that's exactly what he had done, he had lifted a wall to keep the mind reader out, he didn't want anyone prying in his mind, God knows the kind of advantage they would take on that.
He wasn't quite sure how or why, but he had a feeling they knew who he was, Carlisle always looked at him warily whenever he stared at him for too long, Emmett would also get nervous whenever a particularly violent scene in a movie appeared.
It annoyed him, but he tried to not dwell much on it because, as stated before, there wasn't hostility in their emotions, no malice, no hatred, no anger, not even disgust over the fact that he hadn't showered.
He knew he stank, he could barely stand his own stench, laying in the mud hadn't been a great idea, but the idea of bathing, of being left so vulnerable, it made him nauseous.
A familiar knock came from the door, pulling him out of his thoughts.
-Come in.- He whispered, not taking his eyes off the fluffy clouds, he liked laying here, watching the sky and feeling the warmth of the sun.
He heard the door creak open before Alice appeared in his peripheral vision. She was holding a bag and giving him a determined look.
-I know you don't want to shower, and I respect that, but you should seriously wash your hair.
He gave her an annoyed look before rolling on the floor, giving her his back, he wasn't quite sure of the reason, but she was the only one he didn't mind giving his back to. He felt her approach, and soon enough he felt her hand on his shoulder, it was such a light touch.
He didn't let that bother him, she had been insisting on washing his hair for over three days now, why? He had absolutely no idea. She was as beautiful as she was strange.
She would sometimes stare at him with such longing in her eyes, such affection, there was something else extremely overwhelming there, warm, it made him feel fuzzy and cozy, but he still couldn't decipher what was it.
There was also sadness, pain, anger, resentment, not towards him, but to someone else, it sometimes made him feel like she knew him, like everyone in this damned house knew him, but he had asked Emmett once, if they knew each other, if that was why they were so willing to help him.
"Not exactly." Had been his answer. It frustrated him to no end.
Not exactly? What did that meant? Did they knew each other or not? Had they been friends? Rivals? Enemies? Acquittances? What?
-Jazz?- That was something else he had grown to like, her nickname for him, she was giving him quite the adorable pout.- Please? Didn't you say before your long hair was annoying?
She did had a point.
His hair had grown a lot since her last visit…
-Alright then.
Her excitement washed over him like a pleasant blanket. She helped him up and soon enough she had helped him into the bathroom, she led him to sit at the edge of the bathtub, legs inside.
Little did Alice know how actually difficult would it be to deal with the nest of knots, as if the years worth of dirt in his hair weren't enough, she worked shampoo through his wet hair quite methodically, the foam coming out brownish and making her glad they weren't humans, because God would his case of lice make Esme scream.
It almost reminded her of the state his hair had been in when she first met him. A mess too.
Alice was still a bit disturbed though, over how he had ended up with a few leaves and twigs in the mess which fell at the bottom of the bathtub, joining the pool of brownish foam.
She had a comb at hand to aid her in this quest that seemed almost impossible. Jasper was slouched and had said nothing at all despite the fact that she knew he could sense her frustration and irritation.
It took Alice almost two hours before the foam stopped coming out brownish and some of the knots started giving in to her insistence. His hair turning out to be longer than the mess had made her think.
She rinsed off the foam for the eighth time before reaching out for the conditioner. Alice felt quite successful when the comb started undoing the knots easier than when she first started, and after she was sure there were no more knots left she rinsed his hair again.
And after she dried it with a towel Alice helped him out of the bathroom, leading him towards the bed where he sat at, she snatched the hairbrush she had brought with her.
Brushing his hair was such a great victory after the feat of detangling that nightmare though, his hair as it turned out, was extremely long, she was quite sure that were he to stand it would reach right past his knees, it had soft waves too, and the color, just like she remembered, it was such a rich honey colour, almost gold.
Some of it fell naturally on his face, she had to admit, with his face and hair clean he looked absolutely stunning.
-How does a haircut sounds?- She suggested curiously, he gave her a suspicious look.
-You won't shave my head, will ya?- She gave him a scandalized look.
-Of course not! Your hair is beautiful, why would I do that?- She looked absolutely horrified over the implication of shaving his head just because.
Jasper felt a funny feeling at her words, she liked his hair?
-In fact, I can get you some pictures of hairstyles, and you can choose whichever you want, how does that sound?- Alice asked, she had learnt how to style in all ways there were when she first knew about him, all so she could be prepared to do any haircut or hairstyle he might want.
He gave her a hesitant look before nodding.
Thus.
She got the laptop from the desk before sitting with him on the bed, she had convinced Esme and Carlisle to get him a laptop, it would help him learn more about the modern world, and he could watch movies or read books if he wanted to.
Alice didn't care if he smelt bad, she always made sure to sit close to him, at first he had been tense with the lack of space, but he had soon grown to relax at her proximity.
They were going through their fifth option of haircuts when Emmett appeared at the door, whistling in the act.
-Bucky Barnes? Captain America? No! It's Rapunzel! - Came the amused voice from Emmett, Alice gave him an unamused look while Jasper frowned in confusion.
-Rapunzel?
-Dude, we seriously need to make a Disney marathon.
-She's a lost princess with really long blonde hair, it glows gold when she sings, and she lives in a tower with an evil witch that poses as her mother.- Alice explained, Jasper nodded, still looking a bit skeptical.
-She can heal and rejuvenate others with her magic hair because of a magical flower from the sun her mother drank when she was sick while still pregnant. She fights bad guys with a pan and she's best friends with a chameleon.- Emmett added, Jasper stared at him as if trying to decipher whether he was lying or not.
-It's true.- Alice agreed, taking pity on Jasper's suspicious look, he glanced at her.
-Was the person who made it not right on the head?- He asked, genuinely confused on how could something so illogical exist.
Amusement flared across the house and he felt his heart skip a beat when Alice chuckled.
-No, it's actually a very popular movie, it's a kids' movie, and it's not meant to be taken seriously, it's a magical world, you just gotta enjoy it and forget about logic.
Jasper didn't seem quite sure on what she meant but he still nodded.
-Emmett, did you need anything?- Alice asked, he was still by the door.
-No, can't I just stand here?- Emmett wondered innocently, Alice glared at him, Emmett had taken it to stick around whenever Alice got too close to Jasper, she was actually surprised he hadn't barged into the room when she was washing Jasper's hair.
It annoyed her greatly, she got it, he worried, but it wasn't as if Jasper would do anything, he did react more compliant to her, but she was pretty sure that that might be because part of him might find her familiar.
Plus, they were together for a year and a half, they did more than just kiss.
Point was, Emmett shouldn't worry, he didn't even let her touch him unless strictly necessary.
Alice was the one who sometimes forgot he didn't remember her and would get too close, she would lean on him which had made him flinch the first few times, even now he still stiffened, she had even come close to kissing him a few times, but he never did anything, he just stared at her intensely, as if trying to decipher her thoughts.
She was the one who couldn't control her emotions around him, Emmett didn't need to worry about Jasper.
-Whatever.- She huffed, going back to the laptop.
Soon, because Jasper kept being indecisive, Alice chose a haircut for him, not too short, but not too long either, shoulder length, similar to the one he had had last time she saw him, she helped him back to the chair, hair on the bed would be a nightmare.
She could feel Emmett's stare as she began cutting Jasper's hair, couldn't he leave? How was she suppose to get Jasper to remember anything when Emmett was always ruining every possibility?
-We are being cautious, you are too trusting of him because you have fallen in love with what he would have become, with the future that couldn't be, he's not that person, refusing to see it will just bring you heartache.- Edward's words made her bite back a growl, cursing the thoughts that might have slipped out.
"You don't know him like I do, none of you do, because you refuse to get to know him, Emmett doesn't watch me because he doesn't trust him, he watches me because he loves messing around. I supported you to the very end with Bella, why can't you do the same for me?"
-... I would, if it wasn't him, at this point, him being a black blood isn't the issue, who he is is.
"Was."- Alice corrected sharply, tuning out any of Edward's remaining words, he was an idiot, Jasper was not dangerous. She had spent enough time around him in the past few days to know he still had a kind heart, even without memories, he was just as well mannered and soft spoken as he had been.
He was respectful, kind, curious, gentle, and he loved books, even his sense of humor could match Emmett's.
But no one saw that, because they refused to.
She heard footsteps in the hallway, she didn't see anyone, but she did see a hand yanking Emmett away, she grinned, Rosalie might not like Jasper, but she was certainly on Alice's side.
When Alice was done she brushed his hair, he had soft waves, she wondered if it would look curly with a shorter haircut, she never got to cut his hair too short, she circled the chair to face him, he looked incredibly better with a haircut, and she had to resist the urge to touch his face, he might be okay with her touching him, yes.
But he still didn't like unnecessary touch, if she wasn't helping him with anything she shouldn't touch him.
No matter how much she craved to.
At times it felt like torture, to keep herself composed infront of him and the others when all she wanted was to hug him and break down, apologize and beg for his forgiveness.
But she couldn't, she needed to be strong, for him.
-How is that?- She asks, he looks around the floor for a moment, touching his hair lightly, he seems… surprised.
Like he hadn't expected her to not shave his head.
And then he smiled, that little smile that made Alice grin back.
-Thanks.- He mumbled, suddenly looking away.
-No problem.
~
Renesmee knew about the mysterious vampire with the unpleasant smell, her family tried to hide it from her, but she had her ways of getting information.
So far, she had been able to gather that this vampire's name was Jasper, and that a lot of bad things had happened to him to the point of making him afraid of other people.
She also knew that aunt Alice liked him, a lot, she was curious about how this vampire looked, she had heard that he wasn't normal, something about a "black blood", if her memory didn't fail her, those vampires were supposed to be extinct.
Which did nothing but strengthen her curiosity even more, she took advantage of the fact that her aunt was distracted to sneak upstairs, she followed the weird scent to a room with a slightly ajar door, upon peeking inside she was able to catch sight of him, he was sitting at the end of the bed with a book at hand.
And his eyes staring right at her.
Renesmee smacked both of her hands over mouth to muffle the startled yelp at being caught, his eyes were really dark, it almost reminded her of how some snakes had completely black eyes, or birds.
And his hair was a pretty shade of gold, he had a lot of scars on his face too, but he still looked pretty, sort of like a prince, a very sad prince, he was looking at her with curiosity, but she could see the sadness in his eyes, the loneliness…
He looked like he needed a friend, she glanced at the book he was reading and frowned, Shakespeare? Definitely dad's, he loved reading boring books, she was quick to sneak back downstairs to get a better book from her room before going back upstairs.
Once again she was met with his stare, she wasn't afraid of him, if he was here in the house it meant he wasn't dangerous, she stepped into the room and went over to him, all the while he looked at her as if she was the strangest thing he had ever seen.
Renesmee didn't paid mind to it, she was more than used to people looking at her weird, she came to sit beside him on the bed.
-I'm Renesmee.- She introduced herself before pointing at the book he had.- That one's boring, it's just about dramatic deaths and dumb people.- She told as a statement of fact before showing him the book she had brought for him, she felt like this book went with him right now.
The protagonist and him had some similarities, who didn't like reading books with characters they could relate to?
-You should read this one, I think you would like it, you and the protagonist are sort of alike, though she's a girl and you are a boy, but the point still stands, grandma says you don't have to be exactly the same to sympathize with others.- She said.
When he didn't say anything she took it to tell him what she remembered of the book.
-It's about a girl who arrives into a strange town with no memories whatsoever, she gets a job at a cafe and lives in a fridge's cardboard box behind the cafe, which is a bit weird because no one ever points it out or offers her a place to stay at even though she makes "friends" at the cafe, she also gets lots of cats who seem to know her, she's trying to remember who she is and where did she come from, she meets a boy with psychic powers at the circus who she sorts of befriends.
Renesmee finishes, she can see she's picked his interest, but he seems troubled, why?
-'m not really good at readin', I might not be able to return it to you quickly.- His voice is barely above a whisper as he speaks.
Oh.
She does remember hearing her grandfather saying something about his memory not being right, so she guessed it would make sense he had trouble reading, then why was he reading Shakespeare? Wasn't that a difficult book to understand?
-Then why are you reading Shakespeare?
-Dr. Cullen said I should read somethin'.- He mumbled, Renesmee frowned, so what? He should have said he couldn't read well, her grandfather wouldn't have had trouble giving him an easier book to read.
Adults were so strange.
Still.
-You like this book? I can read it to you if you want, I like reading.- She offered, she didn't mind reading the book for him, she liked reading, her mother had even gotten her a lot of new books for her last birthday.
He seemed hesitant, but as he closed the Shakespeare book she found herself grinning before opening the book she had brought. Clearing her throat for dramatic effect before starting to read.
-OK, I think I better…
~
Jasper wasn't quite sure what to think of the little girl who had stepped into the room without an ounce of fear.
When he had felt the overwhelming curiosity he hadn't been expecting this one to belong to a child, what was even a child doing here? He could hear her heartbeat, but he could also smell that she wasn't quite human either, so what was she?
She had stared at him for a moment before disappearing and coming back with a book, she had then proceeded to make herself comfortable beside him and start talking.
He didn't even know why he admitted not being able to read the book he was given, Dr. Cullen had been kind enough to supply him with a book for him to read because he still couldn't quite understand how the internet worked.
But the child, Renesmee, had offered him her book and he didn't want her to give it to him when he might take ages to read it, it wasn't that he didn't knew how to read, words just were difficult to understand, it was like his brain didn't quite register the words as he saw them and it took him a lot of fight to be able to force the letters to connect and make sense into a word.
He hated it.
And this Shakespeare book had a lot of expressions he couldn't understand nor knew if he was reading right, or if his brain was messing with him.
He hoped the little girl wouldn't tell on him about the book, he didn't want to be seen as ungrateful, it had been a slip of the tongue.
Hearing her read was soothing, her emotions were as loud as the ones from the children who tried to sneak into the place he was at, just that hers didn't make his brain feel like there were razors inside it, it didn't burn at his skin.
She leaned against him to allow him better access to the pictures of the book she was holding, her touch while a bit uncomfortable didn't felt as claustrophobic as the others', he didn't knew if it was due how small she was or what, but she didn't felt dangerous.
Thus.
He allowed himself to relax a bit as she read, he wasn't stupid, he might not be able to read but he had a feeling she was adding some expressions as she read for more dramatic effect, she even changed voices for different characters.
It was as odd as it was amusing.
And then the blonde woman appeared.
~
Rosalie was alone at home with the freak and Renesmee.
Renesmee was like her little angel, a girl Rosalie would bring the world down for to ensure her safety, Bella had even asked her to be Renesmee's godmother.
So how did she not notice Renesmee wasn't watching TV until she did turn to look at her, she had been unusually quiet, the others were hunting and she had sent Jacob into town to get groceries, he was less likely to attract attention, which the last thing they needed.
Plus.
No one felt comfortable with the idea of leaving him alone with the black blood, God knows what would happen if either of the two engaged.
Still.
She almost felt her dead heart start beating as she focused and managed to catch her voice.
Upstairs.
Her room was downstairs, what was she doing upstairs?
Rosalie was quick to make her way upstairs.
-Uhhhhhhh, you live around here? Raven asked.
All her pleas went down the drain when she realized the voice was, indeed, coming from that room.
-Earwig repressed back a grimace, she had been dreading that question, luckily, she'd had lots time while shoveling the floor to ponder a perfect response.
She didn't sound like she was in any danger, as Rosalie came to stand outside she peeked into the room, the air caught in her throat and her hairs stood on end as she was met with the most skin crawling sight.
Renesmee sat on the bed with the black blood, she was leaning against him and showing him the book as she read, as if he was the most inoffensive thing ever and not a friggin bomb waiting to go off at any given moment.
But as she paid attention to him she found him staring at what Renesmee showed with the utmost interest, he almost looked… harmless, like an actual person, that of course if one ignored those creepy eyes.
Still.
Rosalie would feel a thousand times more at ease if Renesmee wasn't anywhere near him, thus, she gathered all the anger she could muster, fully aware he would feel it, as expected, he stiffened before he was looking up at her, their eyes met and she glared at him.
All his body language changed drastically, shoulders squaring up before he was looking away, inching away from Renesmee.
-'m tired, and 'm sure you're too, you should go play outside.- Came the low whisper, Renesmee stopped reading before frowning at him.
-But we haven't even gotten that far.- She said, why was he hunching over? Was he in pain? He did had a funny face.
-Renesmee?- Rosalie's sudden voice caught Renesmee's attention and she turned to look at her aunt, she didn't look happy at all, Renesmee tried her best innocent smile.
-Hi aunt Rose.- She greeted, this before frowning as she noticed her aunt's glares at Jasper.- He's been real nice, I was reading a book to him, I thought it would be more interesting than dad's Shakespeare.- She told holding the book up for more emphasis, she knew aunt Rose didn't like much people outside the family, but he hadn't done anything wrong.
He didn't look like someone who should be glared at, he looked more like he needed a friend, much like aunt Rose sometimes looked like, maybe they could be the friend the other needs.
Her mother did said it was important for people to have friends their age so their interests could match better.
-Then leave it there, pretty sure he can read it himself if he wants, come on, it's almost lunchtime.- Rosalie says firmly, giving the black blood one last glare as she puts her hand out, silently requesting for Renesmee to get up and take her hand so she can pull her as far from this room as possible.
Edward and Jacob would have an aneurysm if they knew Renesmee had been anywhere near the black blood, now she probably even stank with that of having been leaning against him.
Renesmee pouts at Rosalie before glancing down at the book, she folds the corner of the page before closing the book and getting up. She poked the other's arm, frowning when he flinched at the touch, he still looked at her, she moved her hand beckoning him forward.
He seemed hesitant but still bend down to her level, he smelt funny, but Renesmee has spent enough time around the pack and uncle Emmett to be practically desensitized from unpleasant smells. She leaned over to whisper in his ear, low enough for aunt Rose to not hear.
-I promise I will come back to keep reading to you, don't worry about aunt Rose, she just doesn't like new people, but she's actually really nice.- She whispered before pulling back and giving him a smile.
She also took the Shakespeare book with her, if he wanted to still read this boring book aunt Alice could read it to him, or dad, aunt Alice didn't really like much these books, dad was the only one who liked Shakespeare.
She gave her aunt her best smile before taking her hand and pulling her with her.
-Come on, I want curly fries.- She said, giving Jasper one last look, and he still looked so lonely.
~
-Why is this book here?- Carlisle questioned, curious as to how did the book he had lend Jasper was now sitting on the coffee table, he knew the boy wouldn't be able to get down the stairs on his own nor Rosalie would be caught dead anywhere near him.
The book was Edward's but his son knew it by heart, he had asked him to let Jasper borrow it, it would at least keep his mind active.
-He doesn't like it.- Renesmee said from where she was laying on the couch, legs propped up on the armchair, she was playing a race car videogame with Emmett, her head laying on Esme's lap.
Her words though, made him frown, he? Did she mean Jasper? Had she spoken with him?
-He?
-Jasper, he said it's hard to read, which I guess makes sense, that book's got really weird words.
-You spoke with him?- Carlisle asked, feeling mortified over the idea of Renesmee being anywhere near Jasper, he had been perfectly civil so far, but no one could deny the tension in the air, the worry of when would he snap, Carlisle could see he didn't really like this place.
He was just here because he was too weak to be anywhere else, and maybe Alice, he did seem to have grown quite attached to Alice.
Still.
Renesmee's words did made him frown, he couldn't read? Then why did he accept the book?
-He seemed lonely, and sad, so I brought him a more interesting book.- Renesmee told as a statement of fact.
Esme wouldn't lie, hearing those words did made her heart ache, Jasper was so young, had suffered so much, and the reminder that if it wasn't for fate's cruel claws he might had been her son…
She couldn't help but feel for the boy.
The boy who could have been.
And now, he spent days in the room unless Alice took him out, Emmett and Alice were the only ones who spent time around him, because even Carlisle just approached when necessary, he could have been part of this family.
But now he was practically isolated upstairs, in a house with nine people from which only three interacted with him.
It was a sad thought.
She knew no one wanted to approach him because of the ticking bomb he was, others because some others were paranoid.
And it pained Esme to know he had left one prison for another prison.