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"Random Subject Prompts"
Chapter 086: Jacob Black
Movie: The Twilight Saga: New Moon
Prompt: At first sight
Chapter Warning(s):
Author's Note:
KH*JB*KH*JB
Forks, Washington
"Thanks for coming down here, Kagome," Charlie Swan said, grateful. "Bella hasn't been herself since…" The concerned father and Chief of Police trailed off. He and Kagome had spoken on the phone what Bella's current condition entailed. There was no need to once again verbalize the utter heartbreak and subsequent depression the other teen was experiencing. "Well," he continued, awkwardly scratching the back of his head, "you'll see for yourself."
Kagome Higurashi smiled gently. "It's no problem at all, Uncle Charlie. I'll do everything I can to help Bella."
They weren't related by blood, but that didn't make their family ties any less. Kagome's father had grown up in America and had been Charlie's best friend prior to moving to Japan. When Kagome's father had passed away during her childhood, Charlie had brought his family to the funeral. They had kept in contact ever since, Kagome and Bella growing up like cousins rather than just friends.
So, when Charlie called and expressed his worries for his daughter, Kagome had readily agreed to fly out to Forks. Her adventures to the Warring States Era had ended, the Bone Eater's Well sealed forever. Since her school attendance record was terrible due to her travels, she was currently being homeschooled. It had made her transition to the states easier and quicker, her records being transferred to the same high school as Bella.
Charlie led Kagome to the bedroom she would be using during her stay, setting her luggage down. "I'm sure you remember where everything is, like the bathroom and such."
"Yes, I do. Thank you."
He scratched the back of his head again. "Let me know if you need anything or have any questions."
She always did appreciate the fact he didn't hover. "Thanks again, Uncle Charlie. I'll start unpacking, but then I would really like to spend time with Bella."
A smile twitched the corner of his lips. "I'm sure she would appreciate that."
When he left, Kagome slowly took in her new surroundings. The walls were painted a calming, forest green. The bed was queen-sized with sheets a pristine white with a matching ivy pattern. The desk was made out of a rich mahogany as were the two small bookshelves and dresser drawer. The closet was decently sized and would hold various articles of clothing. This had been the bedroom she had used when she'd visited Forks as a child. She appreciated the fact that it was familiar and unchanged.
I wonder what else is unchanged, she thought. Her memories conjured up an image of a young boy with tanned skin, dark hair, and a contagious smile. A fond smile touched her lips. I'll have to make time to see Jacob and his father at some point.
With that mental note, she glanced at her two suitcases and decided to start unpacking. While she would enjoy her extended stay at Forks, she wanted to check on Bella as soon as possible. The other teen was going through a hard time and Kagome wanted to do her best to snap Bella out of her current depression.
KH*JB*KH*JB
Having Kagome in the house had sparked some life back into Bella, though the new addition didn't completely overshadow the heartbreak, the paranoia, and the nightmares. It had gotten to the point where Charlie had finally put his foot down and threatened to send Bella back to her mother. That had seemed to be the wakeup call she'd needed and Bella had started putting in real effort to move on from Edward Cullen.
Kagome was pleased with Bella's progress. They spent time together, talked. Their conversations normally centered on Edward and his family, the heartbreak she felt and the fear that everything she had gone through was all an illusion. Kagome had been the only person Bella could speak to about her feelings; everyone else wouldn't have been able to understand. But the brunette had started hanging out with Jessica and her other friends again. Slowly but surely, their friendship was being mended instead of strained.
Bella had also started hanging out with Jacob Black. Jacob was a good friend, a solid support that she needed.
"So, Jacob is going to teach you how to ride a motorcycle?" Kagome asked, intrigued.
Bella ducked her head. "Yeah, he is." She glanced up, brown eyes curious. "Do… Do you want to learn, too, Kagome?"
She hadn't given it much thought before. While she did have a driver's license, learning how to ride a motorcycle hadn't seemed necessary. The idea was intriguing, however. She may not have been an adrenaline junkie, but she had always enjoyed traveling with Inuyasha as he leapt and soared through the air.
"Sure," Kagome answered, smiling. "I think it'll be fun."
Bella returned her smile with a small one of her own. "Cool. I'll let Jake know. I'm sure he won't mind teaching the both of us. And at least now you'll be able to see each other again. He's been asking when you would visit the Reservation."
"I've been so busy adjusting and unpacking, I haven't had a chance to visit him or his father," she replied, sheepish. "But you're right. Now, all three of us will be able to hang out. Just like old times, right?"
"Yeah, just like old times."
KH*JB*KH*JB
At the first sight of her, they'd been children. They had become seamless friends, making mud pies and enjoying summer days filled with laughter and adventure. Those times had stopped the older they'd grown, but Jacob hadn't forgotten the raven haired child with unique amethyst eyes and bright smile.
That same child – now a lovely young woman – stood in front of him. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the visage she presented. His lungs ceased to function properly. His heart couldn't stop skipping beats in his chest. There was a tightness he couldn't explain but felt on an instinctual level.
It was as if his world had finally clicked into place, Kagome becoming his center. His everything.
"Jacob," Kagome greeted, smiling brightly. She flung her arms around the teen, hugging him tightly to her petite frame with surprising force. Jacob couldn't help releasing a breathless chuckle as he returned the embrace. "It's been years! You've gotten so tall."
"Well, that's what happens when you grow up, you know," he jokingly replied. "But it's great to see you too, Kagome."
They separated, both smiling at the other as if they were alone. Bella watched from the sidelines, curious about the interaction.
"How's your father? I've been meaning to visit him but I've been so busy."
Jacob casually tucked his hands into his pockets. "He's doing well. He'll be seriously bummed he hadn't joined us." But he hadn't told his father Kagome would be coming to the Reservation or that he would be teaching her and Bella how to ride a motorcycle. As much as he loved his father, he hadn't wanted Billy to embarrass him with childhood stories or how excited Jacob had been when he'd been informed Kagome would be joining Bella today. He'd rather not have his male pride bruised in front of the pretty young woman.
Said young woman laughed. "There's always next time. So, you're going to teach Bella and I how to ride a motorcycle, huh?"
"That's the plan. But first, I'm going to go over some safety rules you guys should always follow."
The lesson went well. Both girls were eager to learn. Jacob was patient and pointed out everything he felt they should understand. The day was cut short, however, when Bella recklessly jumped on the motorcycle and took off before Jacob or Kagome could stop her. Jacob had jumped onto his own bike to chase after the brunette, but he hadn't been fast enough. Bella lost control, her focus seemingly elsewhere, and she crashed and slid into a large rock.
Kagome ran to check on her. Jacob was surprised by her speed, but shook off the thought as he practically threw his bike down to hurriedly examine Bella for obvious breaks or injuries.
"Are you crazy?" he demanded, worry clear within his tone. "What were you thinking, Bella? You could've been seriously hurt."
Kagome kneeled beside the duo, brows furrowed with concern. "Are you okay, Bella? Are you hurt anywhere?"
Bella brushed them off, waving a hand dismissively. "I'm fine," she assured. "I'm okay. Don't worry."
"The blood on your forehead says otherwise," the raven haired teen retorted. "We should take you to the hospital to get checked. You could have a concussion."
"I'm fine," she insisted, becoming annoyed. She'd seen something while riding. The adrenaline that coursed through her veins had yielded hallucinations of Edward's voice. Being able to hear him again, feeling as though they were connected in some way, had made her feel alive like nothing else had. She wanted to experience it again.
It was with that type of desperation she shakily tried to get back onto her feet. "I want to go again," she said. "The bike's not broken, right, Jake? I want to ride again."
With a firm hand on her shoulder to keep her in place, Jacob used an equally firm voice to say, "No way. You're done, Bella."
"But Jake–"
"Do you have a death wish or something?" he snapped. It surprised both girls enough to stare wide-eyed at him. But his entire focus was on Bella. "You heard me. You're done for today, Bella. Kagome is right. We should get you to a hospital."
Bella grudgingly agreed. But her thoughts were still centered on Edward's voice as it echoed within her mind. She needed to hear it again. She needed to find some way to generate his voice again. Even if it was just a hallucination.
Just one more time…
KH*JB*KH*JB
~A Few Weeks Later~
Kagome was growing more and more concerned about Bella. While the brunette was seemingly getting better, her actions left her on edge. The motorcycle accident had only been the beginning. Bella acted like she was possessed, seeking something just out of reach. Their trip to Port Angeles had almost dangerous results. Bella had approached a group of strange men, getting onto the back of a motorcyclist and taking off into the night. Kagome had felt her heart stop at how reckless the other girl was being.
And then Charlie had informed the girls about a possible bear sighting linked to several recent disappearances. He had warned them not to go into the woods. But Bella hadn't listened. She had entered them and had come home shaken and paranoid, talking about giant wolves. Although Charlie hadn't necessarily believed her, Kagome had taken the information with a sense of caution. She, of all people, had been up-close and personal to the supernatural before.
Bella's condition had seemed to spiral downward when Jacob stopped seeing her. It was sudden and abrupt, neither girl able to understand the change. It had left Bella with a feeling of panic. Her only solution had been to confront the younger teen. Worried about him herself, Kagome had agreed to go directly to the Black residence to get some answers with her.
Bella parked her truck in front of Jacob's house, the brunette exiting with a sense of determined purpose.
Kagome got out from the passenger's side, her eyes carefully scanning their surroundings. There was a mixture of auras that she could sense, all erratic and strong. The closest she could recall feeling anything similar had been when she used to encounter Kouga and his pack of wolf demons.
The situation quickly escalated as Sam Uley and his group of friends arrived, all shirtless, all ready to kick the girls off of their lands. Paul was especially hot-headed, almost eager to bodily remove Bella if needed despite Sam's warnings.
When Paul made a move to grab Bella's arm, Kagome swiftly got between them. Her eyes hardened into the gems they mimicked, her stance turning defensive. It was easy to sense that he and the others weren't completely human. Using her priestess powers on them would be more than effective, though she wasn't eager to hurt anyone or start a fight.
Sam's authoritative voice called out, "Paul, that's enough."
Bella's hand landed on Kagome's shoulder, tugging the raven haired teen back. "Get away from him, Kagome," she urgently said.
At the same time, Jacob rushed out of his house at hearing the commotion. His sharp eyesight took in the situation, the anger blooming in his chest erupting like a volcano.
"Get away from her," he snarled.
Easily leaping over the rail, legs pumping quickly as he closed the distance between himself and his target, his shift into a giant, copper-colored wolf was smooth and fueled with all of his rioting emotions.
By the time he slammed into Paul, the other male had shifted into his wolf form and was able to meet Jacob halfway. The two grappled for several heart-stopping moments, vicious growls, sharp fangs, and deadly claws flashing as they fought. Sam and the others continued to shout, trying to break the two apart without getting injured themselves, while Kagome and Bella could only watch with shocked expressions.
"What…?" Bella numbly muttered under her breath. Her mind wasn't capable of completely registering the events taking place right before her eyes. That was Jacob, wasn't it? And… He was also one of the giant wolves she'd seen in the woods?
Kagome narrowed her eyes. The entire situation was shocking and confusing. When – and how – did Jacob turn into a wolf? She had just seen him a few days ago and he'd been fine.
"Jacob! Paul! Knock it off right now," Sam yelled, frustrated and angry. Not only were the two fighting, but they were fighting as wolves in front of people who were not part of their pack. In fact, Bella had associated herself with a bunch of bloodsuckers; she should be considered the enemy, if anything.
And the other young woman? She was a complete mystery. It didn't matter that Billy, one of their wisest elders, deeply cared about her and vouched for her. Sam would make his own judgment.
With a deadly swipe of a paw, Jacob and Paul jumped away from each other. Both growled, hackles raised as they circled the other. Jacob kept Paul between himself and the girls.
But when his eyes gazed back at them to make sure they were safe, his eyes connected with amethyst orbs. And everything stopped. It was like having tunnel-vision. His entire world suddenly centered on Kagome and he felt like he was being tilted on his very axis.
At that first sight, at that very moment frozen in time, Jacob Black knew he would be anything and everything Kagome Higurashi would ever need him to be.
He was now well and truly imprinted.
Thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed, and added this list of prompts to their favorites list! You're awesome and make me smile :)
So, what did you guys think of my first post for 2022? Leave a comment below :D And if you have a New Year's resolution you would like to share, I would love to hear about it!
Are you curious about mine? This year, I would like to be able to bake more, maybe even learn how to cook more advanced dishes ;) I also have a bet with someone I'm close with. I'm just competitive enough that I really want to win, LOL!
XOXO
Celestial Law