#y’all it took a lot of courage for me to post this aksbsbsb

[helaintoloki]

Bloom

pairing: Jacob Black x reader

warnings: yearning, heavy amounts of fluff, Jacob’s characterization is heavily retconned but in a good way (bc smeyer did him dirty)

notes: i honestly wasn’t sure about posting this but here it is. details of the story have been changed and this takes place outside of the movies in its own timeline. see more notes at the end

summary: you’re still adjusting to this new life you’ve found for yourself, but the promise of forever with your soulmate makes it all worth it

“You’ll catch a cold standing there all day.”

Your daze is broken by Emily’s lighthearted scolding, and you find yourself reluctantly pulling away from the wooden doorframe to join her in the kitchen. Outside it drizzles softly on the secluded cabin, and though the room is warm from the heat of the oven and the goods that bake inside, you still find yourself yearning for the arms of your boyfriend. This life is still new to you, you’re still adjusting to the idea that the mythical creatures featured in your favorite novels and horror films are real, still trying to comprehend the intensity of the imprint, and the distance makes it harder.

Emily, a veteran imprintee, notices your discomfort and shares your worry for the boys who have yet to return from patrol. She holds seniority over you in both age and experience, but she understands your feelings and knows exactly what you’re going through, so it isn’t surprising for the two of you to find yourselves together now. When the pack is out guarding the land, you cling to each other for comfort and company, and it makes the ache tolerable. You’d only been introduced to the group two weeks ago, and though you chose willingly to accept this new lifestyle, you still found yourself overwhelmed by it all. It was a normal response that would fade away with time, but until then the woman took it upon herself to see that you adjusted comfortably.

“I know you’re worried, but they’ll be back soon. Sam said it was just a routine patrol. And,” she continues with a playful grin, “it’s almost dinner time. You know how much those boys love to eat.”

Her lighthearted humor prompts a small quirk of your lips as you attempt to smile, but it’s hard to let yourself be at ease knowing your mate is out there and you can’t be with him. Routine patrol or not, you never know when danger will strike— he can handle himself, you know he can, but accidents happen don’t they? Your thoughts are beginning to spiral, but a gentle hand caresses the side of your face in what feels like maternal affection and pulls you back to earth. Suddenly, you find yourself feeling exhausted. It’s been a long day, a long week, and the chaos is starting to catch up with you now.

“I think you should lie down,” her honeyed voice croons, “get some rest.”

“But I’m supposed to help you make dinner,” you try to protest, but Emily merely shakes her head with a smile.

“I can manage,” she assures you. “Besides, I promised Jacob I’d take care of you until he gets back.”

The mere mention of his name is enough to knock the breath out of your lungs and have your heart aching for his presence; you knew you loved Jacob when he took you to watch the sunrise at First Beach when you were thirteen, but that juvenile love was nothing compared to the intensity you now felt burning in your chest for the boy who had become your soulmate. Noting the dazed look on your face, Emily smiles in reminiscence before giving your arms a comforting rub.

“Take the guest room down the hall,” she says. “The faster you fall asleep the faster the time will pass, and before you know it they’ll be back.”

The room is small, but the dim light of the bedside lamp and quilted sheets are cozy and inviting as you clamber under the covers and settle into the soft mattress below you. Picture frames line the wooden walls, a faded china pot filled to the brim with marigolds sits on the dresser crammed in the corner of the bedroom, and outside the rain begins to fall harder against the roof over your head. The blankets are heavy and warm, and it isn’t until now that you realize just how cold you are. All day you’d been glued to your spot by the door waiting for a sign of his return only to come up empty handed, and the wind certainly hadn’t done you any good. A distant howl sounds from outside, sending shivers down your spine as you burrow deeper into the sheets and watch the shadows grow along the walls. It isn’t hard to fall asleep then, and you find yourself immediately drifting into a dreamless sleep, waiting for Jacob’s return.

~~~

“Hey, what did I say? Save some for y/n and Jake.”

“What ever happened to ‘you snooze, you lose?’”

“Come on, man. Do you really want to see what Jacob will do to you if you eat his girlfriend’s dinner?”

The animated chatter is what wakes you first. As you start to focus you detect the sound of the radio playing quietly in the kitchen, tuned to Emily’s favorite station and playing a song you can’t quite recognize due to the voices that overpower the singer’s gentle hum. Though the lamp is still on beside you, the room feels darker somehow, and when your eyes finally begin to adjust after the last bought of grogginess is rubbed away, you spot the figure sitting quietly on the edge of your bed. He smiles, kind and gentle, eyes full of love and adoration, and you’re barely able to refrain from flinging yourself into his arms right then and there.

“Jacob?” You murmur, voice hoarse from sleep. “When did you get back?”

“About an hour ago,” he explains with a sheepish smile, reaching forward to caress your cheek with the tips of his calloused fingers.

“Why didn’t you wake me?” You nearly pout, prompting a soft chuckle to come tumbling past his lips.

“You needed the extra sleep. I’m only waking you up now because dinner’s ready and you need to eat. I hope you’re hungry because Emily made spaghetti.”

The mere mention of food has your poor stomach grumbling loudly, and despite your embarrassment Jacob grins in amusement. The last time you’d had spaghetti had been before this whole imprint thing came about; Jacob hadn’t yet begun the change, and you’d sat outside his house with him and the Clearwaters and the Swans eating plates of pasta on your laps and laughing into the late hours of the night. Your face had ached from all the smiling you’d done, and you still remembered the stolen glances and lingering touches you’d shared with the boy that night. You realized then that Emily had made the dish specifically for you, an attempt to maintain normalcy in your now vastly changing life, and you appreciated the gesture.

“Let’s go,” Jacob says then, taking your hands and helping you out of bed. He allows you a moment to freshen up before leading you out into the main room where the group of boys sit crowded around the table chatting in between bites of food. The space seems almost comically small compared to their size and stature and energy, but somehow they all seem to fit.

“Hey, sleeping beauty,” Embry greets teasingly upon your entrance, earning a warning glare from your partner.

You smile sheepishly in return and offer a small wave of greeting before shuffling towards the stove to fix your plates. Emily smiles upon your arrival and asks, “Sleep okay?”

“I did. Thank you… for this. For everything,” you express earnestly.

“Hey, we’re family now. You don’t have to thank me,” she replies kindly. “Besides, it’s nice having you around.”

“Y/n/n,” Jacob calls, pulling your attention away from the woman. “Let’s sit outside for a minute.”

You look to Emily for approval, afraid that your absence during dinner will be considered rude, but she merely gives you an encouraging smile before handing you two plates of spaghetti and sending you off. Jacob holds the door as you maneuver your way out onto the porch, taking refuge on the wooden bench hidden away in the corner of the deck by the hanging pots of plants and greenery. The rain is gone now, and though the air is cold and frigid you hardly notice due to Jacob’s body heat enveloping your own.

You eat in silence for a while, merely enjoying being in each other’s company without feeling the need to speak. His presence is enough to soothe the ache that had made a home in your chest during his absence, the unspoken connection growing stronger with each second spent beside him. Your plate of spaghetti is long forgotten as you sit and admire your mate, taking in the sharpness of his features and the warmth of his deep brown eyes, reaching forward to brush away a lock of hair that had fallen loose from his braid— your handy work from earlier in the day, before he had left for his shift.

“You okay there?” Jacob teases with a grin, noting the way you absently run your fingers along the outlines of his tattoo.

“I just missed you is all,” you murmur quietly. “It’s hard when you’re gone.”

“I know. But it’ll get easier with time,” he soothes. “Thank you for sticking with all of this, with me. I know it isn’t easy.”

“I love you, Jacob. Sometimes I feel like I’m losing my mind, like nothing makes sense, but when I look at you…”

“The other stuff doesn’t matter anymore,” he finishes for you, swallowing down the lump in his throat before pulling you into his embrace. Despite his brute strength, he holds you so delicately in his arms, like you’re a prized treasure meant to be handled with care. He’s warm, almost unbearably warm, and still you find yourself burrowing further into his chest for the comfort you’ve been seeking all day. Resting his chin atop of your head, Jacob cards his fingers through your hair and begins to murmur sweet nothings into your ear.

“Do you remember the sunrise on First Beach?” You whisper after a moment of silence. Though you can’t see it, Jacob grins at the memory.

“How could I forget? You fell asleep in the sand and I had to carry you back to my house. Seeing you asleep in my bed made me realize you weren’t just my best friend anymore— I think I always knew, even before the change, I knew it would be you. It’s always been you.”

Your heart feels as if it’s going to burst at the seams with Jacob’s confession, and when he gently tilts your head upward to meet his gaze you follow the movement without a second thought. His warm breath fans over your face, his eyes looking upon you so deeply it feels as if he’s staring into your soul, and the moment your lips begin to quiver with desperate anticipation is when Jacob finally pulls you in for a kiss.

His lips are sweet and soft, and his hands are warm as he cups your whole face in his palms. Nothing else matters nor exists around you anymore, and the only thing your frazzled mind can focus on his him— his smell, his touch, the feel of his hair tangled in between your finger tips as you pull his braid apart, the heat radiating from his bare chest. Your heart is thumping loudly in your rib cage, and you think Jacob can hear it by the way he begins to smile into your kiss. You feel whole and unconditionally loved by the man who bares his soul to you, who is sworn to protect you until his last breath, who has loved you since you were children and will continue to love you forever.

The rain begins to fall again, but neither of you notice. Instead, you enjoy your moment of peace tucked away on the porch of Emily’s cabin.

This is your forever, and you can’t imagine anything more perfect than this.

notes: thanks for sticking around until the end, hopefully you enjoyed it! i’ve been rereading new moon and when i got to the part where they spend the day at emily’s cabin i knew i had to write this. the wolf pack always seemed like such a cool group to be around and definitely deserved more than to be used as a plot device, and Jacob deserved a better story than what Meyer gave him. I did my best to change some of the details such as having Jacob keep his long hair and good personality and such. Anyway, requests are open so if you’d like to see more twilight pieces just shoot me an ask! And please be sure to check out this link to help support the Quileute tribe.