a/n: whatevs.

Jacob stays with Quil. He doesn't have to come up with much of an excuse to get Edward to leave them be. Quil still rambles out something about pregnancy and contact and he's ducking out of the room before he can even finish his sentence. Jacob just needs some space. He just needs some time to think. So, he pulls himself up onto Quil's bed and lays next to him.

"What's up?" Quil mumbles after a stretch of silence. 

What's up? Jacob blinks a couple of times, blinking away whatever tears are determined to make an appearance. 

"Uh, I just...it's a lot," Is all he manages, because what more is there to say?

How does he explain that he's hearing — he thinks he's hearing Edward inside of his head without sounding like he's lost his mind?

It doesn't sound too odd, two werewolves hearing one another even when they're in human form. Odd mutations happen all of the time that allow for strange anomalies such as being able to hear a partner in both forms. Issue is, Edward's not a wolf. He doesn't have the same genetic makeup. He doesn't have the ability to have such a mutation. So, how the hell is he inside of Jacob's head?

"You get used to the more intense senses after a while..." Quil says, adjusting Ember's too-big onesie, "it's like the first time you shift, y'know, 's just gonna take some getting used to." 

Jacob makes the mistake of glancing up to see Quil watching him with that look that usually comes before Jacob gets a concerned lecture. He doesn't let up, watching him even as he turns his head away. 

"Jakie..."

He lets out sigh and lowers his eyes to his lap.

"How do you get used to Em being inside of your head?" He finally says, feeling ridiculous even asking. 

"Who being inside of your head?" Quil asks, and he can hear the alarmed tone in his voice, can see the fear in his eyes.

It's basically all he needs to hear to know that this isn't normal.

"You can't hear Embry's thoughts?"

Quil blinks a couple of times, adjusts Ember in his arms like some kind of nervous tick, before glancing around the room like the pack couldn't hear them if they really wanted to. 

"Only when we shift...Can you hear Edward?" It feels as if they're discussing some kind of conspiracy theory.

It only serves to make him feel more insane. He didn't have a lot to go off of when it came to bonded mates in his pack. So, maybe he was overreacting, but how would he know?

Their little chat is interrupted by a quiet knock on the door before Emmett pops his head in, nervous smile in place. 

"Uh, Eddy told me to bring you this..." he says holding up a tupperware bowl with a look that reminds Jacob of Edward when he's heard something he wasn't supposed to.

He walks over like he's expecting to be punched in the face at any moment.

"Thanks." Jacob mutters, taking the bowl and putting it on the nightstand.

He's expecting Emmett to scurry off, but instead he ends up staring at the lumbering man, who stares back down at him with that guilty look firmly in place. He lets out a little nervous laugh, glances towards the door, takes a step back, points at it with another anxious chuckle before turning to look at it. He stares at it for a moment before letting out a sigh, shoulders sagging, before he slowly turns back to look at Jacob.

"I tell you this, you promise me you won't tell him you heard it from me?" Emmett pleads, eyes squinting as if he's remembering something particularly harrowing.

Jacob doesn't like it. He doesn't like the way he's clenching his teeth like he's holding something in, like he's holding in a secret that Edward should've told him a long time ago. Jacob lets out a sigh before giving an uncommitted nod.

"Uh, you know how you guys can communicate through, like, telepathy when you're running around as giant dogs? Yeah, uh, Ed has that, but like one way." Emmett rambles out.

"One...way?" Quil questions, squinting in confusion.

"He can read thoughts..." Emmett mutters, "but he doesn't!" He corrects, "I mean he chooses not to..." 

There it is. It feels like a punch to the gut. He's not even sure he's ever heard Edward mention anything of it. He blinks a few times, mind combing through each moment he's ever spent with Edward. Has he ever just read Jacob's mind without telling him? Did he just run around poking around in people's minds and using that to his own advantage? How much had he done that to Jacob? How many of their interactions were based off him snooping around in Jacob's brain?

"At least that's what he told you." He hears himself say, voice deathly calm. 

"Don't do that, Jay. If the man was reading your mind, it wouldn't have taken you so long to get together." Quil points out, clearly not in the mood for any of Jacob's dramatics.

Emmett gives a shrug followed closely by a nod of agreement.

"Hell, if only you knew," Emmett sighs, shaking his head as if he's remembering something ridiculous, "he thought you were with Mike for a solid two weeks."

Jacob looks up at the man, clearly befuddled by the admission. 

Mike?! Mike of all people? What about he and Mike left that impression?

He tries not to look absolutely mortified.

"What?" 

Quil tries to hide his amusement in Ember's blanket, but his laughter is shaking the bed.

"Yeah, would you believe me if I told you that reading minds has somehow gotten him into more trouble than not reading them at all? He's an idiot, who prefers to stay that way." Emmett informs them. 

"So," Quil starts trying to reign in his giggles, "you think his telepathy is somehow mingling or intertwining with Jacob's ability to communicate telepathically with the pack?" 

"Well, yeah, I would assume so what with the whole..." Emmett gulps before gesturing to his neck. 

Right. The mark.

Edward is technically a part of the pack now. He's not a shape-shifter so there wouldn't be a line between when he could and couldn't communicate. Their connection wasn't a common one and it didn't play by standard rules.

"Does he even know he's doing it?" Quil poses a very good question that Jacob's not sure he has the answer to. 

"I don't know. I don't think so." Jacob admits with a shrug.

"And if that's happening, is there anything else happening?" Mike tosses in. 

Everyone slowly turns towards the door to see the man sheepishly grinning in the doorframe.

"Forgot to drop this off." He says, holding up a little, green gift bag with baby animals printed on it. 

Edward doesn't feel a lot of emotions. In fact, he hadn't felt anything notable in years right up until he stumbled into Jacob. Now, he couldn't seem to get away from them. Not just his own either. Jacob's. He's sure they're Jacob's feelings bubbling up. Every time there is a slight shift, he can sense it, pick it out, understand it. About a minute ago, Jacob was scared. Not scared like he was in harms way, scared like he was wary or anxious. His stomach was all in knots and his thoughts were all over the place. He wasn't focusing on them, but he could tell. 

Currently, Jacob feels relief. At what? Edward has no clue. 

"Still happening?" Jasper asks, peering up from his sketchbook. 

"Yeah," he mumbles, letting out a sigh as he adjusts himself on one of the stools in front of the island. 

"You still haven't told him?" Jasper asks, accusing stare already in place before Edward can even answer.

 "No, I just don't want him to try to stifle them because he knows that I can feel them," Edward mumbles, "if he's feeling bad, I don't want him bottling up for my sake."

"That's...noble," Jasper mumbles sarcastically, erasing the nose off of his drawing, "but he's pregnant Ed and you're the other father. Why would he pretend to be okay in front of you?" 

"If he wanted to help with putting James away—" Edward starts.

"You've heard him talk about James lately?" Jasper cuts him off, giving an approving nod to some other part of his sketch. 

"Well, no—" Edward tries again.

"Mm, maybe there is a reason for that." Jasper hums, and Edward can hear the finality in his tone.

Discussion over.

"So, you think he'll like it?" Jasper asks, lifting up his sketchbook to show a picture of a disgruntled looking Ember in the arms of a very exhausted but happy Quil.

Jacob shuffles back to the house with Emmett on his heels right up until he gets to the front door. He saunters inside to see Edward staring at Jasper like he wants to throttle him. 

"You're telling me a baby Jake wouldn't have a button nose?" Jasper says, holding up two pieces of paper.

 Edward lets out a sigh before turning around, expression unchanging when he catches sight of Jacob watching them. 

Jasper's enthusiasm only seems to increase at the sight of Jacob loitering in the doorway. He whips around on his stool and holds out a sketch of a baby next to a separate piece of paper with drawings of a disgruntled looking Edward and a confused looking Jacob. 

Jacob gives a little distracted nod of approval before looking over Edward, who seems to immediately understands as he stands from his stool and grabs for Jasper's arm. 

"Thanks for the advice, Jazz." He says as he shoos the man out through the doorway, slamming the door when his brother looks like he's about to turn around and say something. 

He then lets out a sigh before turning around to look at Jacob. He's looking him over, trying to gauge what kind of conversation they're about to have. 

"Do you remember when Quil was in labor and you were talking to me?" Jacob says, looking hesitant as he slowly makes his way over to sit the bowl over in the sink.

Edward blinks a few times, mind trying to figure out where this train of thought was going before it could go anywhere. 

"Yeah, before I went over to their room, you got sick and I —" He starts.

"No, after that. When you were in the room with them. You don't remember telling me not to come over because Quil would be worried and he had enough going on?" Jacob asks, and Edward can feel him become anxious all over again. 

His eyes are almost pleading for Edward to agree. What was this about?

"Well, yeah...I had the thought..." Edward had thought it. He'd never said anything because he was in a completely separate room and in front of Quil and Embry who were freaking out enough as it was without him seemingly talking to himself.

How did Jacob know that?

Honestly, he'd thought it was a miracle or maybe just a really bad case of morning sickness or maybe a combination that had stopped him from stumbling into the room. 

He could hear that. Why could he hear that?

"You can hear my thoughts?" Edward mumbles, mind reeling. 

So, that's what that feels like. 

How long has he been able to do that?

"For a couple of days." Jacob responds with a sigh. 

Oh.

"Yeah, but apparently you've been able to do it for much longer. Any tips?"

Oh boy.

He was going to kill Emmett.

"Uh, I dunno...haven't really done it properly in...", he holds out his fingers and begins to pretend to count them, "almost five decades."

He can't help but let out a sigh of relief when he looks up from his fingers to see light amusement on Jacob's face.

"You could have told me."

"When I first met you, you literally glared at me like I was shit on your shoe," Edward points out, "then when you found out what I was, there were more important issues." 

Also, that particular exchange had gone a lot better than he'd expected it to so he hadn't thought to delve into what vampirism may include. Hell, he's with how little he uses the ability, he may have forgotten to tell him until something, most likely, catastrophic happened.

"And after that?" Jacob asks, clearly unimpressed with the previous excuses. 

"Life just sorta..." Edward does some wild hand gestures, "got a little hectic. One day I'm taking care of you and the next I have a fiancé and unborn child to protect." 

Jacob gives a little nod as if he's willing to take that as an excuse for now.

"Mm, anything else that I need to know about?" Jacob mutters as he slowly makes his way over to where Edward has plopped himself back on a stool.

Edward lets out a sigh.

Better now than later.

"I can tell when you're hungry, when you're excited, when you're sad, when you're angry..." Edward admits.

"I would hope so. How long have we been together?" Jacob jokes, the corner of his lips quirking up at the information.

He seems at ease now, wandering over to press himself into Edward. He nuzzles into his neck like he's been waiting to do so this entire time. Edward can feel him relax fully as he runs his hands down Jacob's back. Edward returns the favor, pressing his nose into mark and listening to the way Jacob purrs in his ear. 

"No, like...I can feel them as if they were my own feelings...but I know they're not mine because I'm not hungry every hour on the hour and I don't remember the last time I was nauseous." Edward explains and watches as Jacob gives another nod.

This one seems more like one to placate Edward. He kisses his jaw before pushing away.

"Yeah, that's a thing you should ask Embry about", is all he gives before heading around Edward to pop open the fridge. 

"Embry, I'm being serious." Edward huffs, tilting his head and trying his best to look innocent.

"Yeah, and I want to see my son before he gets his first chest hair, D." Embry sighs exasperatedly, throwing his head back for added effect. 

He'd managed to pry Embry away from Quil, but the man didn't look anywhere near happy about it scowl in place as he grumbles.

"He was born a couple of hours ago, Em. I need this resolved before mine pops out." Edward retorts and watches as Embry rolls his eyes.

"He's been pregnant for, like, nine weeks!" Embry scoffs, arms folded over his chest and disbelief written all over his face.

"Nine and a half. Almost ten." Edward mumbles defensively.

"Whatever. This better be good, Disco." Embry finally surrenders, plopping down in an armchair.

"What do you do with all of the...emotions?" Edward asks and watches as Embry's face balls up.

"Your emotions? I thought you didn't do the whole 'feeling things' thing."

"No, dumbass, his emotions." Edward hisses.

"Oh...you just use them to keep him happy. That's what they're there for." Embry says with a shrug.

"Yes, but how do you keep them from affecting you?" 

What if he gets so caught up in what Jacob is feeling, he can't focus on keeping him safe? He doesn't want to get distracted by how distraught he may be and it leads to him doing something he'll regret.

"You don't."

Great.

"That's very helpful, Bry. Glad I came to you." Edward clicks his tongue and rolls his eyes.

"I mean, you don't have many options. Though, you should be grateful. Pretty sure my son's already gotten his first chin hair with how long this conversation is taking."

Embry's about to push himself up from the armchair and make his grand departure when Newton stumbles in, eyes wild as he attempts to catch his breath.

"JAMES! CAN'T FIND HIM!" He finally puffs out.

There is a moment where they both just stare at him, their brains taking in the words and trying to form the appropriate reaction. 

"Well, you better get on that then." Embry growls, eyes dilating as the smile drops off of his face.

Aggression. Edward couldn't say it wasn't an appropriate response.  

Even with Newton's inability to grasp just how much danger he's in, he seems to be able to comprehend the look enough. He stumbles back, eyes saucers as this point as he trips over himself. He falls to the floor after almost twisting his ankle on a fold in the rug and Embry takes a step forward, towering over him. 

His anger is absolutely justified.

How many times can they lose one person? Jasper and Emmett were the only reason they'd managed to find him again after his last disappearing act. They literally had him being watched 24/7, there was a cop car rolling by every couple of hours and cameras set up to see what he was up to. Hell, there were fake joggers, who were cops in workout gear, running by every hour on the hour. So, how in the ever living fuck had they lost sight of him? Edward was going to have to put his own security measures in place at this rate.

He could call up Alice and Rosalie. They were still in Forks and if he was actually missing, they'd be able to hunt him down.

Edward looks up from where he's glaring at the coffee table when he feels the mood in the room shift again.

Embry has a particular look in his eye that Edward's very familiar with. He knows it intimately. That blank expression right before going in for the kill. It's understandable though, as irritating as Newton could be, Jacob would never forgive him if he let Embry rip Newton to shreds.

"Hey," he calls out, reaching for his friend's arm and tugging him back, " Quil likes him for some reason, remember?" 

Edward can see Embry visibly flinch at the sound of Quil's name. Edward assumes it has something to do with the emotions he's going to have to deal with once Quil found out he sent his favorite gossip partner to an early grave. 

"You need to get back to them anyway." Edward says pointedly.

"Fuck," he hears Embry spit under his breath, "fine."

"Welp, you better get on it, or I'll kill you myself." Edward assures him, feral smile in place.

He's not sure he's ever seen a human run so fast.