empathy

SIX

Anastasia lounges on Jasper's bed, her head hanging off it and her hair wiping the floor every time she moves. He has been talking to Peter for an eternity now – it's been nine minutes – and she's growing bored. Utterly bored.

She'd go and spend some time with her sister but Antonina isn't home yet, which leaves her with nothing to do.

Jasper is sending her a look when she grows and sits up in the bed but she merely shrugs in response.

She's too lazy to listen in on the conversation and she honestly isn't in the mood to hear Peter's voice either.

Glancing around the room instead, she decides to train her abilities for a little bit and wiggles her fingers while the black mist appears, dancing alongside her fingers in harmony.

The black has grown to be a comfort for her. It offers her a type of warmth she can no longer feel, a type of warmth that makes your skin glisten and shine and not in the vampire-type of way.

The black brightens up her day and guides her way as though it is the sun. And in a way it is – the black has grown to be her sun.

She balls her hand into a fist, trapping the mist in it before looking up at Jasper again, an idea swirling in her hand. Stretching her fingers out again, she lets it shoot behind him, slowly crawling up his back until it can wrap around his neck.

It's only when the mist touches his skin that he notices and his eyes narrow immediately, warning her not to do it. But Anastasia doesn't listen, when does she ever?

The black disappears into his shirt, sliding down his chest and he almost shivers at the feeling. It's almost human and in a way, it even feels like her. It's like a copy of her hand as it does as she tells it to, trailing down his chest and slowly starting to unbutton his pants.

He'd stop her if he could but his fingers sicker through the mist like it's not even there and stopping her herself would only indulge her more. So, he settles on glaring at her while he continues to listen to Peter tell him about why they should really come here.

He's been confused ever since Anastasia told him he'd call and he's been even more confused when Peter told him they should bring Edward – it will be good for them.

Jasper can't imagine how Anastasia killing his brother will be any good for them. No, scratch that, he knows how it will benefit her and he has no doubt having her happy and in a good mood will benefit in, but they will get hell from his family and, without a doubt, be left abandoned.

How will that be good for them?

Anastasia quickly grows bored again when Jasper doesn't react and grows loudly while letting herself fall back onto the bed completely.

He almost flinches when she jumps up after another second and speeds out of the room, but he relaxes again when he hears her join Emmett's game on the X-Box.

"What got your panties in a twist?" Anastasia notices Edward's expression. "One would think after so heroically saving your damsel's life you'd be the luckiest man in the world tonight," she jokes dryly, and Emmett can't help but laugh. "He's too much of a pussy for that."

"I want to marry first, that doesn't make me a..." Edward quickly goes to defend himself. It's a discussion they have way too often and one that really gets to him. "If that's your honest reason, then no," Anastasia surprises them all.

"What?" she asks them when they all look at her like she's lost your mind. "You're defending Edward. You must be sick. Oh, hell no, I bet it's contagious," Emmett states and gets up to, quite literally, jump into Rosalie's arms.

The blonde catches him but quickly drops him again upon noticing what is happening.

"I would never do that," Anastasia gasps, highly offended. "But I do respect his choice to wait 'til marriage," she shrugs, rolling her eyes when they still look at her as if she's grown to heads. "I used to want that too until I lost my faith. And it's honestly rather sweet to want to be sure about it. It's intimate and vulnerable, I get why people might not want to share it with drunken mistakes and high school boyfriends."

"That scares me," Emmett eventually interrupts the silence and points at her, unbothered to dodge the pillow she throws his way.

"Thank you," Edward gains her attention again. "Nothing personal, so you better not get used to it."

"Ah, there she is again."

--- -- - -- ---

I'm so sorry guys, but I literally don't know how to write at the moment. I have the ideas and the plot all laid out but I can't seem to find the words to give you people the updates you deserve. 

But I will give my best, I promise!

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the filler chapter and do you have any idea what good it could do to them if Edward joins them on their visit?