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

soixante et un

It turns out that her son was a leach. A little clinger that refused to let her go now that she was awake. He would scream, and lord, was it loud even to her. Romulus was sweet, though, loving and constantly demanding her attention.

Edward had explained that it was because he had missed her. The three-day separation had felt like too much for the poor boy when he knew that she was just upstairs and that he just wasn't allowed to see her.

With them growing so fast, with them being so smart as it was already, so understanding, Roman couldn't fault her sweet little boy for wanting to spend so much time with her. She knew that look in his eyes, the intelligent little gleam that he got from his father, that just promised that he was able to pick up on the tense worry that the adults were trying to keep them from noticing.

At least it seemed like Renesmee was letting herself remain unaware and uncaring about their fears because she knew that there was no way that little girl wasn't noticing just as her brother was.

Roman brushes his forehead as he sits calmly on her lap, small hands clinging to her fingers tightly as they watch Ressie and Jacob play outside.

The cushion dips at her side, the scent -- a new thing that she wasn't yet used to -- bringing her to smile as she turns to face her husband, shifting slightly so she leaned against his side.

"He doesn't like Jacob."

She snorts. "I don't blame him. I don't like him either."

Romulus twists, turning to his father with a blank expression.

"He thinks he's trying to steal his sister," Edward tells her, holding a hand out to the boy.

He stares at him. Roman sighs, slowly pulling her hand away from his despite his shrieks as he protests and hands the boy to his father. His cries grow louder, face pinching as he pushes away from Edward.

Emmett chuckles from the other side of the room where he has Rosalie draped over his lap, holding the blonde in place as she frowns at the baby's cries.

"He hates him," Edward pouts, holding him away so he couldn't continue to beat tiny fists against stone skin. Her son was not so fragile as a normal child, but she didn't want him to hurt his little hands either.

"He doesn't hate you," she says softly, eyeing the pair as she bites her lip.

He shoots her a blank look.

"Alright, well he might not like you much, but it doesn't mean you let him win. He just holds a grudge."

"This isn't a grudge. He just doesn't like me."

She huffs, glancing quickly to the window where Jacob held Renesmee, the boy meeting her gaze with a sigh as he moves to bring the girl in. Bella would be pleased with that. She didn't understand why her wife didn't just ask for their daughter back if she wanted her instead of pouting at the other end of the room.

"Romulus, that's enough," she says firmly, mouth pressed into a firm line. "No more protests and crocodile tears. He is your father and you will start acting like it. You have no right to be angry with him."

The cries cease as he falls still, rosy cheeks smoothing out as he sniffles a few times, blinking tears away with thick, dark lashes. His chin no longer wobbles as he pouts. Romulus settles down, tapping Edward's arms until he pulls him closer again.

He drops his head to rest against his chest with the smallest of pouts. She sighs at his dramatic and wonders if she had gotten it from her out from Edward.

It had to be Edward.

"There. Was that so difficult?" She asks, standing to meet Jacob. She takes Renesmee from him, handing him to Bella once she gets her to take her seat. "They are still children, so treat them as children—" she turns on Jacob— "And you! Stop trying to take up all of Ressie's time or we're going to have problems. Her brother would like some time with her as well."