𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐮𝐱 | 𝐚. 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 & 𝐣. 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐞

nineteen | stress baking

For the first time in a very long time, Jasper felt numb to the emotions around him. His worries were so strong that it completely blocked out anything else – he was filled to the brim with anxiety and could do nothing but stare blankly ahead. So when the doorbell rings an hour after Edward's announcement, Jasper doesn't move. He's still in his same position seated on the couch.

Alice, he thinks, has gone off to the kitchen to stress bake – a habit she's picked up since they met Persephone and she wanted to be able to feed her lover. Emmett and Rosalie have gone off to the garage. Rosalie is definitely pouring her anxieties into their newest car; as much as she doesn't like to admit it, she's grown fond of Persephone. All of the Cullens have. It'll be a shame for all of them, Jasper muses with mounting stress, when Persephone no longer wants to be around them.

"Jaz, the doorbell rang." Alice says as she closes the oven quickly and walks to the living room. She's wearing a purple apron over her clothes and Jasper knows that if he could, he would feel fondness towards her appearance. Light flour is dusted through her short hair from where she'd been running her fingers through it during her baking, and Jasper finally moves from the couch to brush it away. She sends a small smile and gives him a soft kiss on his cheek. "It'll be okay. Let's go greet her, hm?"

She takes his hand in hers and walks to the door, where they both take deep breaths. When they finally open the door, Alice's hands are shaking and Jasper has stopped breathing all together. He's frozen in a way only vampires can be, he knows, but the fear is too much. Alice squeezes their interlaced fingers and sends a nervous smile to Persephone.

"Hi, love." She says, eyes narrowed in apprehension towards the human. "Would you like to come inside?"

Persephone hesitates for a moment, and Alice's heart drops. She's just about to reassure her that none of the Cullens would ever hurt her, when Persephone lets out a soft breath and nods.

Alice moves to the side and allows her inside, noting the way Persephone carefully turns so that her shoulder doesn't brush against Alice's chest. She also doesn't give the two vampires their usual greeting kiss, and Alice's heart has made it's new home in her stomach. She, too, wants to freeze like Jasper. She wants to avoid this conversation at all costs. But, she reminds herself, she knows Persephone accepts them eventually. Besides, the human walking inside their house proves her trust in them, right? Alice gives Jasper's hand another squeeze as his eyes follow Persephone. She stops just inside the door and turns to them, and he grows even more tense.

"You're vampires." Persephone says simply. Her voice is void of any emotions, and Jasper finds himself trying to calm down to get a read on her. It's impossible. Alice nods beside him.

"We know you found out." She says softly, eyes also tracking Persephone's every move. "We're sorry we didn't tell you. We wanted to." Persephone nods and furrows her brows in thought.

"I," she pauses, take a deep breath. "I'm not upset. I mean, I have questions, of course. I'm a little hurt you didn't trust me enough to tell me," she raises her hand to silence Alice's protests. "But I understand why you didn't."

Alice and Jasper loosen their tight grips on each other, and Jasper feels himself calm enough to feel Persephone's emotions. Apprehension is there, but faint. There is no fear or anger; his lover only feels hurt and curiosity. He takes in a deep breath.

"We wanted to tell you, but it wasn't just our secret to share." He glances at Alice, who gives him an encouraging smile. "We know you have questions. Would you like to go somewhere we can talk privately?"

She gives him a small nod and walks out the door first. The two vampires watch her, their expressions fearful, before they follow.

"I hope Esme gets my cake out of the oven before it burns." Alice mumbles softly, brushing a bit of flour off her apron's front. Jasper finds himself smiling genuinely for the first time since Persephone found out about them, and he relaxes further. So far, it's going much better than he thought it would. She'll hear them out, at least. That's more than he would allow himself to hope for.