LOG oo1; Jasper and Crysta...wherever they happen to be.

[feelingthirsty]

Who: Jasper and Crysta
What: discussing Beowulf in class
When: ...you know, I'm not actually sure
Where: a university classroom in Chicago
Info: In which Crysta is nearly late to class and, Jasper is a grumpbucket, but he could be worse.

Who: Jasper, Crysta, and a very foolish mugger
What: a mugger has a very bad night
When: later that night,

Comments

[feelingthirsty]

Jasper was used to being alone. He wasn't sure when it had become his default, before or after the war and his fateful encounter with Maria, but it was something he'd grown so used to over the years that he hardly noticed the lack of company anymore, unless he was having a particularly bad day. Which made it doubly hard to ignore when he dropped Crysta off at her house and the loneliness started to set in, less than a day later. It was ridiculous. It was stupid. He drove out of the city to gorge himself on a wild deer or two rather than sit and stew in it

[crystamaye]

The booming laughter that followed Jasper's defeat at the door was to be expected, really. The Cullen brothers, because no matter what last name they used when they moved from one place to another that's who they would always be, had always been competitive and usually fairly physical with each other. And by fairly, destructively physical to the point where Esme banned them from fighting in the house decades ago because she put a lot of work into decorating and she was sick of having to fix holes in walls and splintered furniture

[feelingthirsty]

Jasper's reply to that was to scowl again, but it was too difficult to maintain and quickly slipped from his face when he gave up and gave his brother an annoyed look instead, its edges softened by fondness. He hadn't been expecting any visitors, but he was always glad to see Emmett. The big vampire was so easy to get along with, and just the kind of company he needed after too many hours spent brooding off by himself

[crystamaye]

"Uh huh." Emmett just grinned some more at his obvious attempt to remain upset. "Hey. I'll take the size comment, but I take offense to the smell one. Rose thinks I smell great." Moving so they weren't cramped in the small entryway together anymore, he moved straight for the couch and settled down onto it as if were the most natural thing in the world, large feet lifting and crossing on Jasper's small coffee table.

"Rosie's back home, I felt like we need some brotherly bonding time since you've been out here all alone for so damn long. And I like surprising you better, more fun that way." Emmett took note though that Jasper had been out hunting in the woods, and that was good. He knew a lot of their family worried about Jasper, but Emmett knew how strong he could be if he tried.

"Soooo." Emmett cast Jasper an innocent look that wasn't at all innocent. Or convincing. "What have you been up to around here?"

[feelingthirsty]

Over the next several days, Jasper hovered. If he could have had his way, he wouldn't have allowed Crysta to leave his sight again, but that was, of course, impractical--she had to work and study, and she lived in her own place. But that didn't mean he couldn't make sure he was safe no matter where she was. While Emmett was still in town to help, he'd tracked down some of the resident vampires in town and made sure that male's attack had been a solitary attempt, but as soon as he was certain of that, and as soon as his brother was gone, he'd returned to his human.

His human. He was still getting used to that idea.

Crysta was surely aware that he was near, but exactly how aware Jasper wasn't sure. He didn't sit on her rooftop and guard her building like a gargoyle--at least, not while she was awake to notice--but he did stalk several of the streets nearby, just in case. The moment a wayward vampire's scent wandered too close, he was there to...encourage a detour. Luckily they had no quarrel with him, and didn't think much of going

[crystamaye]

Real life sucked. The moment she had to step out of Jasper's apartment and back into the real world, the happy little bubble she and Jasper had made for themselves popped and left her feeling...pouty. But work and school were still important, and she had to go back eventually. The bruise around her throat was still visible though and she had to wear a scarf to keep people from questioning where she got it from. The thought was still unpleasant, but she knew Jasper was there to look out for her. In fact, a small smile always graced her lips when she felt him near

[feelingthirsty]

Jasper had expected Crysta to meet him at the door again, but the kiss came as a surprise--albeit a very, very welcome one. He wrapped his arms around her just as quickly as she fell into them and eagerly kissed her back, mindful not to crush her, but drawing a pleasantly fuzzy blank when he tried to collect his thoughts about anything else. He hadn't expected such enthusiasm from her, as if they'd been separated for months instead of days, but what really took him aback was how moved her felt to be invited back so openly. He hadn't allowed himself to consider that, given a few days to herself, Crysta might have reconsidered things with him. To see not only that she hadn't, but that she'd evidently missed him as badly as he'd missed her, evoked a feeling of relief in him powerful enough to leave him just a little weak in the knees

[crystamaye]

It was so nice to be in his arms again, to feel his lips against her own. She was faintly aware that he had lifted her off the ground, but she didn't care, he was here with her. Crysta knew she was acting a tad ridiculous, as if she hadn't only just seen him a few days ago, but she was already so attached. She had missed how he looked, how he smelled, how he felt beneath her hands. He made her feel better just being here with her now

[crystamaye]

With how often Jasper was over at Crysta's apartment, he really should just move in at this point. They were constantly together, practically attached at the hip. Crysta was slowly getting used to the awed and nasty looks the other women around them tended to give her now. But at the end of the day she was...happy. It really put into perspective how very dull and empty her life was before him. How she was simply going through the motions of living without actually doing it.

It's late, early morning really. Three AM and Jasper's phone begins to vibrate. Only because Alice knew this would be the only real time to talk to him when he wasn't preoccupied with Crysta. The vibration only makes the red head stir just the slightest before she was snuggling back down into Jasper's side with a soft breath, her fingers curled into the front of his shirt.

When he does answer, it would be to no surprise if he could feel the Cheshire like grin Alice sported through the phone itself.

"How's the honeymoon phase treating ya, Jazzy?"

[feelingthirsty]

Jasper almost didn't answer. Digging out his phone meant extricating himself from Crysta, and he was loathe to disturb her at such a late hour, let alone wake her. Unfortunately he had a sneak suspicion that he knew who was calling, and that she would just continue to call back again and again until he spoke with her.

Crysta's breathing barely hitched when he climbed carefully out of her bed and took the phonecall into the kitchen, where he could finally breathe a little better and where she wouldn't be able to overhear.

And yes, he didn't have to feel the source of Alice's grin to know that it was there.

"I don't much care for the thought of you snooping through my personal goings-on here." It wasn't a confrontational statement, just an honest one. He knew better than to expect a modicum of privacy among the Cullen household, but out on his own like this he tried to pretend, at least, that no one was peeking over his shoulder all the time. Then again, this was Alice. He'd likely be more concerned if she wasn't busy trying to scry

[crystamaye]

"Jazz..." Alice's usually cheerful tone goes soft, a barely audible sigh slipping her lips. "I don't search your future on purpose, I hope you know that." It was damned near impossible for her not to see Jasper. They'd been lovers for much too long, she'd seen him before she'd even met him, how could she possibly stop seeing him? That wasn't how it worked.

Clearing her throat, she's moving past that. "Sorry to call at this hour, but it seemed the only appropriate time to reach you is all." Alice knew good and well Jasper didn't want to have a conversation about her yet with Crysta. She respected that choice at the very least.

"I just thought you should know is all...that the family is back together. And we've all moved to Michigan." There's a pause, more for letting him absorb the information. "I did insist I be the one to tell you, if you're wondering."

[feelingthirsty]

Jasper sighed, too, as guilt tugged at his belly. He did know that. He hadn't meant to be abrasive, it was just...difficult, still, to talk to Alice like nothing had transpired between them. Not her fault, he knew that very well, and he didn't blame her one bit.

He was halfway through formulating a decent apology when her words startled him. "You--Michigan?" They may as well have moved in right next door! He wouldn't mind normally--or at least, so he told himself--but the timing of this just smacked of meddling. He didn't need the family's help, here. He didn't want it. Surely they would stick their noses into everything like they always did, and just...just mess it all up, at his expense.

"Alice." He had to phrase this carefully, lest she listen to him for the moment and then proceed to do exactly the opposite. "You can't. This is too soon. She isn't Bella."