All Bark, No Bite [Jacob & Edward]

24

"Everything okay?" He hears Carlisle ask.

The look on Jacob's face when he'd told him what they were planning kept replaying itself in Edward's head. That didn't seem like someone who was okay, but he'd basically dismissed Edward without an explanation and now Edward was left to figure it out on his own.

Edward opens his mouth to respond, but then closes it before taking a beat and trying again.

"I don't know."

They look like they're waiting for more details, but he's still lost in his own head. 

"Well, you can help set up, maybe that'll take your mind off of things."

So, he spent time scouring the surrounding area for some form of living space for the group they'd amassed and returned defeated from that endeavor as well. His frustration bubbles over into slamming things on counters as he tries to figure out what to cook for Jacob. What had he said? He'd said that she'd conceived the baby. They'd probably have pale skin, a pointy nose, and brunette hair. He's about a centimeter from dropping a measuring cup as he takes out the ingredients for a roast. Something tells him that Jacob's not going to want to see him for most of the day so he might as well take his time. Maybe it was about the bite, but that wasn't really Jacob's decision to make. He didn't have the venom and he was not the one dying. 

Edward almost takes off his own finger with a knife. 

He's not someone who cries. His eyes don't well up with tears and he doesn't get all mopey. Instead, he feels like his entire face is on fire as he seasons the food. He has a bunch pent up anger, but the only task available that doesn't require talking to people, is cooking a fucking roast for his upset -

He looks down to see that he's actually cut his finger this time. There is no blood to clean. It doesn't stop him from staring down at his finger for a long moment.

He wasn't human or anywhere near human like Jacob was. He didn't get the fine intricacies of human emotion, despite being on this Earth for at least a hundred years, like Jacob did. He didn't feel them in the same way. He felt them in a similar way to what it feels like to be pricked when you're numb. If he looks, he knows it's happening, but if he doesn't, he can barely register it. It comes with not having a soul. However, when Jacob gets even the smallest look in his eye, Edward can't help but sit there and analyze it. He's not happy so Edward's not happy.

The slamming of the oven door snaps him out of his own mind yet again. He's got an audience. They're cautiously watching him as if he's going to suddenly fly off the handle and do something unforgivable. He can feel the tension from here like hunters watching a predator.

He grabs for the rice and sits it on the counter as a reminder for when the roast is almost done. 

He throws open the fridge door. There is only one little foam cup in the back of the fridge. It's almost like a relief, having an excuse to be by himself. He's sure he says something to his group of viewers. He's not sure what it was though as he quickly glides out of the house, heading for the forest. 

He comes back around the time that he thinks the roast should be done. It's a long time to be away from Jacob. It's probably the most time he's spent actively not wanting to return to him. He showers in the spare room before he's back to poking at the roast. Jacob's been enjoying meat that isn't fully cooked lately, but Edward doesn't quite feel right encouraging that so he makes sure that it's actually fully done before he starts the rice. It was a mundane task. On any other day after a hunt, he'd appreciate slowing down and unwinding, but he hadn't quite figured it out yet.

Between scuttling up trees and closing in on deer, he hadn't actually contemplated as much as he'd gotten distracted.

Maybe it was the bite. Maybe he didn't like that she'd be around forever. Sending her off to a hospital sounded like a better idea until it came to her explaining what'd happened to her to people that would, no doubt, be concerned. Considering that no one in her family was aware of the fact that her and Edward had broken up, her father would be on their doorstep before she could even open her eyes. He'd probably fucking arrest him and drag him through town to make an example out of him. Edward didn't need that. While it provided a good enough reason to pack up and leave, that wouldn't be comfortable for Jacob.