All Bark, No Bite [Jacob & Edward]

14

"I told you to let them finish, Seth."

Embry's rings out, but he can hear laughter bubbling up through his words.

"Really? The first time you talk to him in months and that's the moment you choose?"

Leah's voice growls out, but he can hear the lightheartedness peeking through the tough tone.

He wants to be angry with them. He knows he should want to shut them out, but it's the first time he's heard their voices, even just in his head, in months. It takes him a moment to even register that he feels furious around the relief.

The others must finally feel it too because they fall quiet, most likely waiting for him to speak.

They aren't the only ones to respond to it, Edward reaching over to squeeze his thigh.

"[Do you need something?]"

It comes out harsher than Jacob had intended. 

"No."

This time it was Quil who responded and fuck did he make it hard to stay upset.

"[Then, what is it?]"

"We've been asked to come and help guard you, Princess."

Seth again. His words seemed to be muffled to Jacob's ears as the anger flared up again. 

"Hey, maybe you should just..." Edward's sentence trailed off as he looked into Jacob's eyes, "talk to them later."

He could hear Leah telling Seth off and Seth trying to explain that he was just joking. Embry jumped into the mix mumbling about Jacob's "condition" and how it affects how he perceives things. The conversation ended there for Jacob as he tuned them out, closing his eyes and instead focusing on anything else.

He could hear clanging, could smell the grass, hear Esme and Carlisle talking to one another about metal types. He could hear his own heartbeat. He could hear Alice directing Emmett so that he didn't accidentally take someone's head off with the lumber he was carrying.

He could feel a light flutter in his stomach.

When his eyes flew open, there was no talking. At first, he thinks it's out of his own shock, but when he tries to feel for the voices, they're all quiet. They're waiting for him again. So is Edward, apparently, as he stares at him with his eyes just as wide in question. 

Jacob places his hand on that spot and tries to wait patiently. After about a minute, he thought maybe he'd imagined it. The shame and maybe a little disappointment was starting to wash over him before he felt it again, this time a little stronger.

When he finally glances up, Edward has that look in his eyes again. 

He removes his hand from his side, tries to pretend like nothing happened, but he can already see the hopeful look making its way onto Edward's face.

So, he blocks the others out for the time being and lays back on the bed, saying nothing as Edward carefully climbs up to place his hand in that same spot. They sit there for about two minutes before he feels it again and by the way Edward's face lights up, he must've felt it as well.

"See, and Seth said you couldn't do it, but Papa believed in you. He owes me twenty bucks."

He sees something appear across Edward's face, then he smiles. 

"You don't get to be godfather if you're doubting them and they aren't even out yet, Seth." 

There is a pause.

"You neither, Quil."

Jacob knows his gaze is piercing and yet it still takes Edward a minute to realize that Jacob's burning a hole through his skull with his eyes.