that one scene of alice and jacob where she says “see when i’m close to you, it’s like, being able to shut my eyes. everything goes away” got me thinking about vampire!cullen! reader x jacob, where reader has powers that being around the wolves also dampens/makes quieter. maybe it’s something like edward’s, jaspers or alice’s where it can be overwhelming and the bond just helps?! i feel like it’d be pretty cute
⋆˚࿔ a precious kind of peace | j.b
pairing. jacob black x vampire cullen!reader
type. not romantic, just two enemies kinda becoming friends (even if Jacob will never admit it)
a/n. thank you so much for the request!! i am also a big fan of this moment and reimagining it was so fun. hope you like it <3
warnings. in this alternate universe where we replace Alice with vampire cullen!reader there is no renesmee plot. it's as if the Volturi were just little bitches who wanted to fight the Cullens for Alice and Edward/to have control. none of this is actually important for the fic, but felt like claryfing so we're all on the same page :)
SUMMARY. having the power to obtain memories or sensations concerning beings and objects is an incredible gift. however, it's not the easiest to deal with when tensions are running high. except when you find out you can get relief from it from the most unlikely of sources. 900!
"Would you please just stay still?"
Brown eyes dark as a forest on a cold November night carve holes through your skull. But Jacob, heaping mountain of muscles that he is, crosses his arms and stops moving, even if it seems to be against his every instinct. You wait for his proximity to have its intended effect, and slowly, you realize your body's not buzzing with other people's feelings anymore. The immediate relief is indescribable.
"What's that about?" He eyes you, seemingly stuck between choosing fight or flight.
"I could explain, but I don't think you would bother listening."
You observe the curious human, if you can call him that, you have been forced to get to know in the last few weeks. As your gift entailed, you knew people generally had much more depth than they'd let on. After your brother came back to be with Bella, you got to touch the small wooden wolf the shapeshifter had made for her and immediately realized he was much more than the facade he put up.
This moment was only further clarification that there was more to Jacob Black than meets the eye. Even as a self-proclaimed vampire hater.
"Being around you dampens everything. It's like turning off the radio. It's not something I get much of lately; you bring me a precious kind of peace."
Defying your expectations, he stares, his eyebrows scrunched, as if he's trying to make sense of it all. "I thought your power only worked through touch?"
"It's stronger when I do touch things, but like any other vampire who spends centuries practicing their gift, I can feel things without touching them anymore. It's not as precise, but it gives me an idea of what the person or object is going through or what their history is. In a tense environment like this, it gets worse. It feels so heavy I feel like my mind and body don't belong to me anymore. Almost like I'm just a vessel, destined to carry everyone else's emotions."
Your mouth closes in a tight-lipped smile, wondering if you said too much. It always feels weird opening up, and it is especially hard when you're doing it with someone who's born to kill you on sight. But Jacob is a better listener than he lets on. Arms resting on the wooden balcony's ramp, he stares straight ahead as if he's digesting the meaning of your words. "No snarky remarks? Nothing? You're not going to shut me out and tell me I'm a creepy bloodsucker?"
The truth of your comment makes him chuckle drily. "I might not be a fan of vampires, but you guys are here to fight by our side, and even I can't complain about that. You're helping us keep the city and everyone in it safe. You've gathered help. I appreciate it."
His avowal shocks you into silence; you're half tempted to let out a wry comment in hopes of returning to your usual dynamic of him hating you with all his soul.
The conversation feels like it's come to a natural end. But in a barely audible tone, Jacob adds, "I know a little about feeling like you don't belong to yourself anymore. If I can help someone else feel a bit more like themselves, I'll do it."
You're used to seeing Jacob closed off, irritation showing through his every move, or have you been mistaking something entirely different for anger? For the first time, you get to see another side of him, and it’s baffling.
"So, I silence things completely for you?"
"Don't you feel anything coming from me?"
His question surprises you, not because it's far-fetched, but because of the hint of curiosity in his tone. "It's very… dull? I feel certain things, especially the longer I spend time with you. But it's much more manageable."
Interlocking his fingers, he sighs, "Must suck feeling all of this every time you touch something. You never get a break."
"I get why you might think that, but I actually love it, and I have learned to work with it. You can learn so many incredible things, things people wouldn't say or show otherwise. It's just not so easily manageable when the only emotions are fear, anger, irritation, and tension."
"I guess I can see the appeal in that," he admits. "Except I would never want to touch anything my brothers have touched. Like, ever." You can't help the laugh that bubbles out of you as Jacob shivers in disgust.
His sudden attempt at lifting the atmosphere catches you off guard, but in the same breath you reply, "I have touched some of Emmett's stuff before by accident, and I'm never doing that again. Try living for centuries with some of those images burned in your brain." Jacob barks out a laugh in turn. Astonishment shines in his eyes, almost as if he is surprised to realize you can joke too.
Just like that, you realize you're sort of hanging out with Jacob Black, making jokes about your siblings, and you're actually enjoying yourself.
"Does this newfound camaraderie means we are friends?"
"I wouldn't go as far as that, but I guess I can admit you're my favorite Cullen."
You struggle to keep in a satisfied smile, "High praise." Coming from the werewolf, you know this is big.
You stay in a more relaxed, companionable silence after that. Not quite as friends as previously stated, but in a strange state of equilibrium where two beings destined to hate each other have found common ground and, surprisingly, a similar sense of humor.
