Can't Stand To See You Cry (Jacob)

Chapter 4

Jacob groaned as light began pouring into his living room and sounds from the kitchen had caused him to stir.  Even though Ness had fallen asleep on the couch, he ended up sleeping there after he had carried her to his room and placed her in his bed.  He sat up slowly and swung both legs over the side of the couch.  He buried his face in his hands and raked his fingers through his hair.  He made his way to the kitchen to find Renesmee rummaging through his fridge.  “We should go hunt,” she announced as she closed the refrigerator door.  “Or grocery shopping?”

Jacob grumbled as he started the coffee pot.  “No,” he insisted. “I have to take you home.”

He turned to face her once again and she exclaimed, “You want me to go home wearing this?”

Jacob scanned her body and found she was still clad in his flannel shirt and not much else.  He sighed, “Definitely not,” as he retrieved two mugs from his cabinet and began filling them with hot coffee.

“Well,” she began, swinging her arms around, “what do suggest I wear then?”

Jacob ran a hand through his hair again and stared up at the ceiling.  No ideas were coming to him.  Renesmee gasped as she thought of an idea.  “Why can’t I go borrow something from Emily?”

Jacob nearly choked on his coffee, but shrugged his shoulders because they were running out of options.  “I can’t take you over there dressed like this,” he reasoned.  He demonstrated by lifting the hem of his plaid shirt, revealing her bare legs.  Renesmee giggled and pushed his hand down and suddenly he felt embarrassed.

They both stared awkwardly at the floor for a moment as Jacob remembered how it wasn’t that long ago, that they would tease and tickle each other all the time.  Jacob used to love to grab her around her midsection and swing her around until she begged him to stop.  But they hadn’t been that way with each other in a very long while.  Things got weird between them when he moved into this house six months ago.

That's because you behaved like as ass, he reminded himself.  You're lucky she's even talking to you right now.

Six months of Renesmee ignoring him was almost more than he could take.  That partially contributed to his horrible mood last night and he hoped that her showing up last night meant things between them were resolved and she wouldn’t be shutting him out like that again.

Jacob opened his mouth to start the conversation between them, but simultaneously Renesmee bolted out of the kitchen and down the hall.  Jacob caught up to her when she arrived at his stackable washer and dryer in the hallway.  She had already pulled out half of his clothes before she found what she was looking for. “Aha!” she exclaimed.

Jacob had to laugh as she slid into a pair of his ratty old basketball shorts.  She spun around once and modeled them for him.  When she turned to face him again, he smirked because they were still falling off her hips.  “Here,” he offered as he reached for the drawstring and pulled it tight.  Renesmee held her breath as he lowered his head and made quick work of tightening the cord.  Her stomach jumped when his fingers lightly brushed her skin. 

The tension between them hung in the air for a moment until Renesmee looked down at herself and laughed.  “Not much of a fashion statement, huh?” She paused and added, “Maybe this will help?”  Quickly, she pulled the tails of the long shirt to tie them in a knot that landed near her navel.  “Better?”

Jacob laughed and rubbed his jaw slowly.  “Flannel shirt and basketball shorts?  It’s a look…”

She shoved him lightly and gasped playfully, “You are so mean to me!”