All Bark, No Bite [Jacob & Edward]

10

"Seth," Edward quietly answers Jacob's unspoken questions, "may have answered a few questions I may have had."

Jacob says nothing as Edward becomes bolder in his ministrations, shifting from beside him to the foot of the bed to massage Jacob's feet. 

"Started with him dropping off a few of his shirts that he thought you might like." Edward pointedly looks over his shoulder at the pile that had begun to form at the end of the bed. 

Jacob doesn't want to think about it for too long. If he thinks about it for more than a second, it could upset him and he's had a turbulent enough day as it is. That combined with the unrelenting feeling that this wasn't over. Jacob wasn't known for just being handed a happy ending. 

Edward's words start to become more faint the more he finds himself in his own head and the only thing that brings him back into sharp focus is the sharp pain in his side that almost folds him in half. He lets a grunt in his fumble for actual words. 

"Oh, fuck."

His voice comes out tight like someone's wringing the words out of him and he can feel Edward next to him again, can hear him questioning Jacob.

 What's wrong? Hell if he knew. 

"Is it your stomach?" Edward frantically asks and Jacob wants to yell at him for asking such a stupid question, but he knows it was just fear. He was scared and lashing out. He had to calm down. 

After about a minute, the pain finally lets up enough for him to breathe and unglue his hand from his side where it had been pressing down. Jacob cautiously lifted his shirt up, eyes not having to search long as he looked down at the wound on his belly. 

Earlier, it had been closer to looking healed. It sort of hurt when he leaned over, he barely noticed it when he sat up. Though, there it was. His own red blood is a stark contrast against the white bandages. It wasn't just a speck, the blood traveled across the entire bandage, drenching it and eventually rendering it useless. It was like he'd been cut open all over again.

"Shit!" Jacob can hear Edward stumbling around so fast that he wouldn't even be able to see him. He didn't even bother looking at him, eyes glued to his stomach, as he tried to wrap his head around what was happening to him.

They'd done everything the damn witch had asked and yet, at the first sign of any peace, they're back at step one. He tries to get himself to relax or else his panic could cause more complications. 

Or maybe it's the loss of blood that's slowing his heart rate down, lulling him into this calm as he sways without consent. 

"Did everything," he hears himself mutter to no one. 

Edward had rushed downstairs at some point and when he returned, he had a phone pressed to his ear. He looks distraught even as his face stays the same amount of pale, his free hand mussing up his hair as he runs his fingers through the strands. He's yelling at someone about something as he tucks the phone between his shoulder and ear.

"What do you mean 'complications'?" Edward leans over Jacob, towel in hand as he presses it against Jacob's side.

"You can't find her body?"

 His voice had become eerily calm, clearly trying to not scare Jacob, but Jacob wasn't fooled. He could see the unhinged look in his eye. 

Edward changed languages. While his voice was still just as "calm" and steady, Jacob watched his eyes slowly turn redder with every word, almost scarlet by the time he was done speaking. 

Jacob's head feels like it's not even attached to his body, like a balloon barely tied down, he feels like he's floating away. Maybe that's why he sees her bright green eyes shining at him from one of the corners of the room.  She's watching them, watching them closely like she was appraising them.