The Manstress [EdwardxJacob]

Hello Again Pt. 2 🥰👋

Jacob isn't sure what to expect when he opens the door to his apartment. Even if he'd had an expectation, he thinks, it wouldn't have prepared him for this.

Edward looks awful.

Not ugly—never ugly—but awful nonetheless.

The bags under his eyes are much deeper now than the night they met, and his whole body seems to sag under the weight of exhaustion. His skin has a sickly grey pallor, and his clothes hang a little loosely on his frame, as though he's lost weight.

Jacob feels sick to his stomach. Something is very, very wrong. What happened to him?

"Edward—" Jacob chokes, almost involuntarily.

Whatever he might've said is cut off as Edward's arms envelope him. Jacob is shocked for a moment, but Edward's arms around him feel so nice, familiar in a way that doesn't make sense. He relaxes into the embrace, arms winding around Edward in return.

Edward tucks his face into Jacob's neck, his hands grasping tightly at his back as if he's afraid Jacob will disappear at any moment.

"Oh, baby," Jacob says softly. His heart aches.

What happened to you?

"I missed you," Edward says quietly, lips brushing against the skin of Jacob's neck.

Something in Jacob tightens at that, his breath hitching as his heart flutters in quiet happiness. He tucks his head in closer, squeezing his eyes shut as his grip on Edward tightens for a moment.

He releases Edward, forcing himself to pull back on his desire to snuggle up to him in the middle of the hallway.

"Come on," Jacob says, soft, "come inside."

Edward seems reluctant to let go of him, fingers flexing for a moment almost in protest before he lets his arms fall to his sides.

Jacob leads him inside, turning to close the door behind him. When he turns back, he finds Edward glancing around the apartment, taking in his surroundings.

Oh, right. Jacob supposes Edward hadn't had much of a chance to look around the last time he was here since they were, uh, otherwise occupied. Jacob blushes.

Edward looks back at him, and Jacob clears his throat.

"Let's go sit down," he says, and leads Edward over to the large grey couch in his living room.

Jacob sits near the middle of the couch. He knows it's probably foolish of him, to try to sit close to Edward like they're familiar with each other, like they're comfortable together. But thinking of settling at the far end of the couch makes something inside him restless and unhappy, especially since Edward has come to him looking like this, all brittle and grey with exhaustion. Jacob can't shut up the need to take care of Edward that tugs at him, strong and instinctive.

He sees Edward hesitate for a moment before sitting down close to him, a mere foot of distance between them. Jacob can't help but feel a mixture of relief and smugness.

There's a moment of silence, as Jacob waits for Edward to say something. When it becomes clear he isn't going to, Jacob runs a hand through his hair, biting his lip.

Guess it's up to me, then, he thinks.

"I—I don't even know where to start," Jacob says honestly, "Edward, it's been two months."

Edward squeezes his eyes shut, looking pained. "I know. I'm sorry."

"No, I didn't mean—" Jacob sighs sharply, frowning a little. "I'm glad to see you, I'm just confused. I didn't think you wanted to see me again."