Falling To The Sun | B. Swan + E. Cullen

trente-quatre

Getting up hours after Bella was already awake was starting to get real old. it made her feel disastrously lazy, a chaotic sort of embarrassing that made her feel like a useless teenager.

The door opened as she was searching for a pair of pants, tugging on a pair of jeans from the top of the laundry hamper. She spun, stumbling over herself as she tipped into Edward -- the boy catching her around the middle with a chuckle.

"You're up. I wonder why you've been so tired."

She grins. "Oh yes, I wonder as well."

"Jacob's coming over."

"Oh." It was strange how so few words could make her good mood plummet instantly. It was way to early to deal with the pissing contest over Bella when she was clearly taken because even if Edward wasn't in the picture, Roman still would be.

He was allowed to love her but he wasn't allowed to try and ruin her relationship. It was a terrible thing to do, a real dick move.

Even if she knew he was a good guy underneath it all.

"Would you like to step out with me while he's here?"

Roman shook her head. "I have to head over to the station, actually. I've been putting off my work long enough."

"You can't plan on going alone after everything."

"I assure you that I do," she said, stepping out of his arms. "I can't keep skipping work."

"You won't be working there for much longer," he bitterly points out, choosing to ignore why that was at the moment.

"I've been working there for years. I have put too much sweat and blood into it just to abandon it all now. I don't want to leave a mess for them when I go," Roman explains, grabbing a pair of socks as she searches for her work shirt. "God knows they're going to be lost without me and Marnie as it is."

"That isn't a reason to put yourself in danger," he argues, breathing the words between clenched teeth.

She rolls her eyes. "Then come and spend the day with me, but I'm going regardless."

He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Look, just don't go anywhere or do anything crazy just yet, alright?"

"No promises!" she sings, grabbing her bag from the closet. It was mostly empty and light on her back as she hooked one of the straps over her shoulder.

There's no trace of him by the time she turns around. Just her and the sound of loud conversation from the kitchen. Jacob was here.

She passes him on the stairs, grinning as she bounces the rest of the way down -- planting a kiss on Bella's cheek as she watches the dishes.

"Roman! Good morning," she blurts, voice surprisingly high as her face turns a soft pink.

"Morning. Hanging with Jacob or is he just visiting?"

"He's come to see about out visitor."

She scowls. "Right. Think Seth is going to overreact about it or is it going to be Edward level?"

"Isn't Edward level an overreaction, too?" Bella jokes.

Laughing, she shakes her head, pushing away from the counter to grab an apple from the small fruit bowl. It would be a small breakfast day, especially since she's going back to Sue's tonight. There would be more food than she could eat later.

There's steps on the stairs and she takes it as an invitation to leave. She wasn't planning on staying that long but she did need to get going.

Pulling on her jacket and boots, she greets Jacob properly as he comes down into the kitchen.