(no subject)
I just remembered that I wrote this! I should have posted it a while back, but, meh, what can you do?
Title Bath Water
Characters Jacob Black, Leah Clearwater
Rating PG
Word Count 316
Summary Her knees rise up like mountains out of the bath water. She pokes her head out, water dripping down from her chin. “You ever feel like dying?”
Jacob opens the door, and it’s the only sound he makes for awhile. Leah doesn’t even look up at him, just sinks a little bit further into the tub. He stands in the doorway, one second, two seconds, minutes maybe. Who knows? He sighs and, dragging his feet, finds himself on the ground next to the tub, facing her.
She glances up at him with a look that he doesn’t understand (sadness, weariness, despondency maybe? who knows?) and sinks a little bit further into the tub.
Her knees rise up like mountains out of the bath water. Tectonic plates shift and change and a volcano builds inside. She pokes her head out, water dripping down from her chin. “You ever feel like dying?”
He doesn’t speak, he doesn’t really know words that can answer a question like that. They stare at each other a moment more, then Leah is gone again, up to her eyes in gray water.
A second passes. Two seconds, maybe. Minutes, maybe. He dips his hand into the muck, fishes around for hers. He catches it, squeezes it, but her hand keeps limp in his.
She sinks, slowly but surely, until all of her hair is floating freely along the surface of the water.
Jacob sighs, tracing his fingers along the inside of her palm. He leans forward, resting his chin on the side of the tub. “Not anymore,” he whispers. Bubbles meet the surface, each one popping on impact. “Leah,” he breathes, “I love you.”
Her knees jerk, and her body breaks the surface. Water splashes everywhere as she gasps for air. Jacob reaches over and brushes the hair out of her face.
“Welcome back,” he says. She nods. She steadies herself, hands on the rim of the tub. She touches Jacob’s arm and smiles, small, very small, but it’s something.
He smiles back.
A second passes. Two seconds. Minutes maybe.
Title Bath Water
Characters Jacob Black, Leah Clearwater
Rating PG
Word Count 316
Summary Her knees rise up like mountains out of the bath water. She pokes her head out, water dripping down from her chin. “You ever feel like dying?”
Jacob opens the door, and it’s the only sound he makes for awhile. Leah doesn’t even look up at him, just sinks a little bit further into the tub. He stands in the doorway, one second, two seconds, minutes maybe. Who knows? He sighs and, dragging his feet, finds himself on the ground next to the tub, facing her.
She glances up at him with a look that he doesn’t understand (sadness, weariness, despondency maybe? who knows?) and sinks a little bit further into the tub.
Her knees rise up like mountains out of the bath water. Tectonic plates shift and change and a volcano builds inside. She pokes her head out, water dripping down from her chin. “You ever feel like dying?”
He doesn’t speak, he doesn’t really know words that can answer a question like that. They stare at each other a moment more, then Leah is gone again, up to her eyes in gray water.
A second passes. Two seconds, maybe. Minutes, maybe. He dips his hand into the muck, fishes around for hers. He catches it, squeezes it, but her hand keeps limp in his.
She sinks, slowly but surely, until all of her hair is floating freely along the surface of the water.
Jacob sighs, tracing his fingers along the inside of her palm. He leans forward, resting his chin on the side of the tub. “Not anymore,” he whispers. Bubbles meet the surface, each one popping on impact. “Leah,” he breathes, “I love you.”
Her knees jerk, and her body breaks the surface. Water splashes everywhere as she gasps for air. Jacob reaches over and brushes the hair out of her face.
“Welcome back,” he says. She nods. She steadies herself, hands on the rim of the tub. She touches Jacob’s arm and smiles, small, very small, but it’s something.
He smiles back.
A second passes. Two seconds. Minutes maybe.