Work Text:
That inconvenient was happening everyday from Monday to Saturday for about a month. Leah was exhausted of waking up at dawn, before the sun was fully raised, due to some restless idiot who’d start running too early. She didn’t hate mornings, it was quite the opposite — she loved that time of the day, but only when she woke up naturally. However, being awake because someone was just too loud while running? This was too much for her. That noisy bastard needed a lesson.
One day, Leah set her alarm to exactly 5 am. It was the last November week and the cold was already there. She was dressed in a warm coat and a terry-cloth robe over it. Like an old, grumpy lady, she sat on the porch stairs and waited for The Loud Runner. An intermediate shade of blue painted the sky, and it was already possible to glimpse a thin layer of sunlight. Yet it was still too early for anyone to exercise.
She heard the heavy steps first. Then, her eyes distinguished a strong pair of legs coming up, getting close to “her part” of the street. She was still getting used to her human sight again, so it took a few moments to identify The Restless Idiot.
“Jacob fucking Black!” She yelled loud enough for him to hear.
“Leah?” He ran to her, crossing the front lawn. “What are you doing awake?”
“I could ask you the same if I didn’t have the answer.” Leah crossed her arms and her fulminating look made an appearance. “You’re disturbing my sleep.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re driving me crazy by waking me up 5 in the morning every single day.”
“In my defense,” he checked his wristwatch, “it’s almost five-thirty.”
“It’s all the same to me. I’m waking up to early because you run like a hungry elephant. I could have at least an extra hour of sleep if you’re more silent.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry, milady.” He placed both his hands on top of his heart in a theatrical gesture. “What can I possibly do to help you?”
Rolling her eyes was Leah’s natural response for any irony Jacob could use on her. Then she said, “You can be more sincere, to begin with.”
“And you could just stop complaining and start running with me. It’s been almost two months since the Cullens left, eight weeks since we last phased, and physical exercise would make you feel better.”
Leah placed her hands on her hips. She gave him that analyzing look that also says “are you fucking kidding me?”.
“I bet you can’t outrun me.” He gave her a defiant smirk.
“And I bet I can outrun you in eighteen days.”
“Why eighteen?”
“Because two weeks are not enough and three are too much.”
Then, everyday around 5 in the morning, Jacob met Leah in front of her house. Only six days were necessary until he started having breakfast there. On day ten, the eggs became his responsibility. On day thirteen, he brought a homemade bread his sister Rachel gave to him.
During the first days, Leah struggled to follow his rhythm. Jacob was not only fast, but also resistant and more prepared then her, after all, he had been training for a month or so. Still, she didn’t take long to pick up pace. In eight days, Leah’s legs were stronger, her breath was more controlled, and the initial pains began to subside. In eleven days, she stopped asking for him to slow down or to stop for her to catch her breath. In fifteen days, she started to outrun him, but couldn’t maintain for too long — not yet.
“Morning, loser. It’s day eighteen”, she greeted him with a smug smile as she stretched her legs.
“You’re talking to yourself, right?” He returned the provocation.
“You’ll see you suck at running as much as you do in text interpretation.”
“Oh, you’re so funny, Clearwater! Let’s see how funny you’ll be after I defeat you and you start begging for me to return and carry you on my back.”
“Yeah, right, it’ll happen when pigs fly.”
“Whatever, Leah. Let’s start.”
“Who put you in charge?”
“You,” he pointed at her for emphasize, “the day you accepted my challenge.”
“No matter who is in charge, you’ll lose anyway.”
“To show you I’ll be the winner no mater what you say or do, I’ll let you choose the finish line.”
“That decrepit oak next to Quil’s house.”
“Piece of cake.”
It was a cold morning, since the winter was coming closer day after day. Yet, Leah couldn’t feel more warmed up. The competitiveness’ feeling flowed through her whole body and warmed her from the inside out.
“So, the one who touches the oak first will be the winner. Our way back here will be done at a slower pace,” Jacob determined.
“Ok, we’ll stop by the river for a break before we make our way back.”
“That’s it? You’ll agree with me without contesting?”
“Why do you look so skeptic about it? I’m only doing this because I don’t wanna give you any reason for not accepting your imminent defeat.”
Jacob laughed sarcastically, which made Leah punch his shoulder, but not as strong as she would do months ago — now, they were growing fond of each other, even tough they wouldn’t admit.
“Are you ready?” He asked her when they got to their positions on the street.
“I was born ready.”
“Ready to lose, of course.”
“I’ll make you swallow your words, Jacob.” An elvish but stunning smile grew on her face. “Three…”
“Two…”
“One…”
“Go!”
Leah run. Her legs were wide and free, her feet almost didn’t touch the street floor. She was feeling like she would fly at any moment, and that sensation was much more valuable than beating Jacob Black in a childish challenge — but she would never say that to him, of course.
For a single moment, she remembered how fast she used to run when she turned into a giant wolf. The only thing she missed about her now old life was the ability to run faster than an arrow, seeing not but a blurred world around her. She was faster than all the others, even the ones whose transformation happened before her.
And now, racing against Jacob was the closer she could get of that sensation. Those eighteen days were making her feel stronger, useful, like her body was a force of nature — and it was, certainly. If only she could turn into an eagle or a falcon instead of a wolf!
Then, when she least expected, she had forgotten about Jacob’s challenge. She wouldn’t hear or see him next to her. She wouldn’t even look over her shoulder to search for him. In that moment where she was feeling part of the air itself, nothing else mattered.
“Leah!” His voice called her, but it sounded so infinitely distant that she almost didn’t hear. “Leah, you won, you don’t have to keep running just to humiliate me!”
So she stops. She hears the sound the impact of her feet produces. She feels her lungs burning inside her chest. Her warm, unsteady breath signalizes that she needs to rest. Her legs are trembling, so are her hands and arms. And all the sounds around her are nothing more than a high-pitched buzz. She looks around, but the corners of her sight are blurred. She feels the blood running inside her, climbing to her head.
“God!” She exhaled, feeling so tired and also so full of life she couldn’t explain the myriad of sensations her heart held.
“You’re such a pain in the ass!” Jacob complained as he got to her. “You out passed the finish line, a lot, just to throw your victory in my face, right?”
She took a deep breath. When she exhaled, she looked at Jacob for the first time then. Even though his words were mocking and sharpen, his eyes held a sweet and discreet glimmer.
“Yeah, right”, she agreed after a moment. “You challenged me, I wanted to show you I could do it. Now you know I’m much better than you could ever measure.”
Feeling her vision blurrier than before, Leah closed her eyes and took another deep breath.
“Are you ok?”
Leah felt Jacob’s hand involving her elbow in a cautious touch. She opened her eyes immediately and found a concerned look on his face.
“Yeah, I’m just tired”, she tried to smile, breathing in again, “I think I need water and some rest.”
“You’re admitting you need to rest?!” His voice was full of sincere surprise and admiration. “Wow, you must be feeling really tired. Come on, let me hel you.”
She protested. A lot. But after realizing she was in no condition of going back on her own legs, she let Jacob carry her on his back. They were both sweaty and disgusting, but Leah enjoyed the sensation of being take care of — something she almost forgot how it felt like.
“You really did a great job”, he confessed as they stood by the river, still holding Leah’s legs around his waist.
“Are you ok?” She placed her hand in his front in a sneering gesture that implied he was on a fever.
“Stop it, Leah”, Jacob smiled. “I challenged you and you beat me. Congratulations.”
Her whole body was warm again. Now, not because of the intense running, but because she was full of a genuinely feeling of happiness.
“You challenged me on purpose, right? Because you knew I missed running?”
“I didn’t know for sure, but you were the fastest wolf in the pack. I just assumed you were kinda missing it.”
“You were right”, she said in a lower tone, next to his ear, “but I’ll kill you with my bare hands if you tell someone I miss something about my time as a wolf.”
Jacob laughed, his body full of joy, his skin warmed by Leah’s voice and touch, and he said, “I miss something too.”
“What?”
“Hearing your inner thoughts. Now, I have to truly talk to know what are you thinking of.”
Now was Leah the one to laugh. She couldn’t imagine Jacob missed that! She was always dragged by old memories and depreciative thoughts back then, why would him miss being inside her head?
“I know your thoughts weren’t the healthiest”, he continued as he could read her mind, “but it was kind of a happy place for me. When I was inside your head, it meant I would have to deal with my stuff, I would just hear you and forget about everything else.”
“I don’t know if I should find it morbid or gloomy. Maybe both?”
“Both, surely”, he smiled and gave her legs a fast grip. “You’re feeling better?”
“Yeah, I think I am.”
Once Leah was back at her feet, she gave Jacob a speculative look. He was contemplating the course of the river, but she could bet he was lost in his thoughts.
“Would you like them to come back?” She asked, referring to the Cullens, but she wanted to ask about one of then specifically.
“No, never”, his answer came quicker than she expected to. “I never want to become a wolf again, not by an obligation. If I ever do it again, it will be my choice. You know I hate it when my free will is taken. Thank God I haven’t imprinted on anyone.”
A soft smile came to her lips. She turned her head to the river and said, “You know I would give anything to imprint a long time ago, but now… Now I’m happy I’m free.”
Jacob’s fingers found hers. He gave a gentle grip on her hand and slipped his thumb on her smooth skin. “I’m happy you’re free too.”
Leah felt braver than ever. She turned her body towards Jacob’s and, when he did the same, she threw her arms around his neck. Then, when Jacob’s lips found hers, she was drowned in a state of total enlightenment, as if his lips were the key to Paradise.
She was happy they both were free, so they could happily choose to be with each other.