Food All Around and A Request

It didn't take long until we reached the kitchen. Apparently the only way to get to the dining room was to go through, or rather past the kitchen.

Kinda weird how the layout of this house is but what can you do? Vampire architecture, am I right?

In the kitchen, Alice and Jasper were busy cutting up vegetables to put in a salad while Carlisle was meticulously plating up a plate of food with some food broadcast show playing on in the background. He looked up for a second and flashed me a smile, "Ah, you're finally here, Jason," he greeted me before continuing with a light gesture with his free hand to the rest of the kitchen, "I've got to say thanks for letting us put this part of the house to use. It's been collecting dust since we had the house built," he chuckled.

"Exactly," Alice gave a cheerful nod as she held up the bowl filled with lettuce and other salad-related vegetables, "I never knew cooking could be so much fun!" she said, positively vibrating in joy as if she'd finally found her calling in life.

Scoffing, Rosalie looked over at Alice, "Alice, please...you made a salad. You didn't exactly make a Michelin star meal," she jokingly said, a somewhat mocking smile on her face.

Indignant, Alice put the bowl down and gave a playful glare to Rosalie, "I only did this small amount because you so desperately wanted to cook the main dish," she teased and yet it seemed ineffective as Rosalie just proudly smiled, looking over at me to see my reaction as she answered the teasing with a collected tone.

"Well, I have to put the effort in, right?" she glanced back at Alice who pouted at her ineffectual teasing. Seeing that our talk had such a positive effect on her, I let out an indiscernible sigh of relief. A weight off my shoulders, I gave a carefree smile to Rosalie just as Carlisle spoke up.

"I hope ravioli is to your liking, otherwise this will be a very awkward dinner," Carlisle gave a somewhat nervous laugh and I looked to the ravioli he was plating up.

It looked delicious.

Smiling, I gave him an answer, "I'll eat just about anything edible. Benefits of being the way I am, I guess," I pat my stomach, a thoughtful expression coming over my face, "Pretty sure I can eat stuff that's not usually edible for humans as well but that's a story for another time," I gave a light chuckle, ignoring Carlisle and Alice's curious gazes as a sudden realization hit me. Pointing to the plate, I gave an apologetic smile as I spoke up, "Though you might wanna give me a bigger portion than that. I have quite the appetite."

Carlisle stopped for a moment and looked at me before smiling in realization, "I suspected as much. Which is why we have more than just this food in the house at the moment," he revealed to me and I gave a nod of gratitude, knowing I wouldn't need to go out of this house hungry. Picking up the plate, Carlisle walked around the countertop and looked at me, "So, how big exactly is your appetite? Double the intake of food? Triple? Quadruple--" he was cut off by Rosalie's glare. She seemed somewhat put off by his questioning of me. Realizing he might've been rude, he gave an apologetic smile, "Ah, I apologize Jason. It's just that it's been centuries since I've found something, or in this case, someone who is different to what I know. In comparison to you, Vampire physiology is something I know like the back of my hand," he gave a light laugh before standing next to me, "Maybe we can have this talk another time?"

"Of course," I gave a polite nod, "I get where you're coming from as well. Despite knowing about the existence of Vampires...I really don't know too many details about them. So, maybe an exchange of information is in order?" I asked, genuinely curious about how the information I could gain from Carlisle would differ from what I already knew.

Hearing my suggestion, Carlisle happily nodded in agreement and gestured for me to walk ahead toward the dining room.

As we walked, I looked around at the hallway and saw a few portraits of the Cullen family. Some pictures as well. All of them easily explainable as just the family dressing up in the clothes of specific eras - but with the context that they were Vampires, I knew these were pictures from those times.

Pictures from the 30/40s era with Edward, Carlisle and Emmett, alongside another photograph that had the ladies of the family, Edythe, Rosalie and Esme standing together in dresses. Alice and Jasper weren't a part of the Coven by this point but they were in later photographs and paintings, from what I could see anyway.

"Lovely pictures," I commented before chuckling a little as I spoke, "And I saw the graduation caps on the way up the stairs. Funny joke," I added.

Hearing me, I heard Carlisle chuckle alongside Alice who was following closely behind him and giggling lightly, "A tasteless one, but a family joke nonetheless," Carlisle clarified.

Shrugging, I replied, "I'm not judging, Carlisle. In fact, it truly is a funny joke when you're in on it. Though I have no doubt that anyone who sees it and doesn't know asks about what it is. Am I right?"

Just as I asked this, we finally made way into the dining room. It was a spacious room, with a long table big enough to fit the entire Cullen family and even a few more with ease. Right next to it was a luxurious fireplace that, while looking quite modern, obviously needed logs for the fire to be lit. A perfect mixture of the old and the new - kinda like the Cullens, I guess.

Already sitting at the table were Edward and Edythe who were casually chatting amongst themselves, though the two of them turned to look at me as soon as I entered. Both with differing expressions.

Edward looked somewhat...on guard--No, that wasn't it. In fact, he looked nervous. And it didn't take long for me to figure out why.

Because I'm Bella's big brother. Her superhuman big brother.

Edythe, on the other hand, looked at me with an inquisitive gaze, her topaz eyes looking like they were trying to bore holes in me. While Edward stayed seated, Edythe got up and walked up to me. She looked like she was trying to intimidate me but it was a little hard to find her intimidating - all 5 foot 3 inches of her.

She soon got to me, her short strides actually being longer than they appeared. She looked up at me, her arms akimbo on her hips like some kind of protective elder sibling.

...Which I guess she was if she was turned at the same time as Edward. She's older than Rosalie.

"Edythe--" Rosalie started but was quickly shut up by a stunningly sharp glare off of Edythe. Meanwhile, I just looked at her, unperturbed by her staring. I wasn't easily intimidated and I knew nothing would happen to me even if she wanted to hit/hurt me. Carlisle would stop her, Rosalie would stop her - but most importantly of all, I could stop her. I had nothing to fear.

Edythe looked back to me for a few seconds, that protectiveness as an older sibling burning in her eyes before she finally nodded, "You passed today but if you mess up in the future, you'll have me to deal with," and with that, she pivoted gracefully on her heel and walked back to her seat.

"Jason," Rosalie held my arm gently, obviously trying to comfort me for whatever perceived fear she thought I felt, "Don't mind her, she's just a little too protective of me," she emphasized the the word 'too', obviously speaking both at me and Edythe, her annoyance clear at her older adoptive sister.

"Don't worry about it, Rosalie," I didn't looked to Rosalie but rather to Edward who met my gaze, "I'm the exact same when it comes to Bella," I admitted and Edward kept my gaze before he looked away with a conflicted expression. I wasn't meaning to scare him away from Bella but rather, I was telling him I'd be keeping my eye on him. If he hurt her...I wouldn't kill him. But I'd do something far, far worse. "Besides," I smiled, washing the grim thoughts from my head, "I'm not easily intimidated and nor will I ever hurt you, Rosalie. Ever," I turned to her and smiled, moving a lock of hair out of the way of her face with a gentle wave of my hand.

Carlisle, seeing now as the right time to speak up, moved past me and placed the plate down on the table, followed by Alice and Esme who both placed other things down on the table. Alice, placing the salad and Esme placing what looked like bread and an assortment of sauces.

"May I present to you a dish of meat-based and vegetable-based ravioli, a side dish of salad and some freshly brought Italian bread," Carlisle said a little fanfare and I smiled as I gestured over to the table to Rosalie who happily followed me over, still positively glowing from what I'd just said to her.

Sitting down after Rosalie reluctantly let go of my arm, I picked up a fork before noticing something.

"Uh, do you guys not wanna get something to eat as well? If you haven't already eaten, that is," I asked as I noticed they were all just...looking at me as I was getting ready to eat. It was then that I realized some of their eyes had gone a little darker than the usual gold I saw Rosalie rocking. Edward's eyes were brown-ish, as were Alice's and Esme's. Meanwhile, Carlisle's were pure onyx. Everyone else's were a slightly dimmed gold color.

How hadn't I acknowledged that as soon as I saw it? Idiot.

I chided myself, though oblivious to my thoughts, Carlisle raised an eyebrow at me, "...We were thinking about eating after you were done, Jason. We thought you might be put off by the sight and have your appetite affected."

"I appreciate the sentiment, Carlisle," I admitted, "But I'd much rather us all have something to eat than for it to just be me sitting here and eating. Besides, it's only a little blood - I'm not gonna shriek and faint," I joked just as Emmett walked into the room, a blood bag in his hand.

"You heard him, Carlisle," he smiled and sat down next to Edythe who smiled and relaxed at his presence.

Carlisle looked in disapproval at Emmett, who shrugged in a noncommittal manner, before he looked to me and smiled, "If you say you're okay with it, we won't be too polite. If you'll excuse me then, I'm off to go and get enough packs for all of us."

Nodding, turned to my food and pierced a ravioli with the fork still in my hand. Lifting it up, I put it in my mouth and minced it up. It was nice. Had good seasoning and the quality of all the ingredients is top-class.

Honestly, it's better food than what I usually eat. Which is usually unhealthy crap, with the occasional protein bar and dozen or so nutrition bars thrown into the mix.

"Hmm," I audibly announced my enjoyment and I swallowed the food before I spoke, "It's lovely. Admittedly better than anything I could make," I joked, getting a smile off of Esme who was quite quick to reply.

"Then you should come over more often. I know we'd actually get some use out of that kitchen if you came more frequently," she said, taking a glance at Rosalie who, despite seeming better equipped to handle the situation than she was before our talk, was still looking a little embarrassed at her foster mother's knowing glance.

"Don't tempt me before you know my appetite, Esme. I'd bankrupt you within a few weeks if I came here too much," I laughingly replied as I brought another piece of ravioli to my mouth, followed by some of the refreshingly crispy salad.

It didn't take long for Carlisle to come back with the packs of blood for the others. Everyone got two and they pretty much sucked it up like a soft drink through straws Carlisle handed out.

And so it went on, with me devouring my food at a rapid pace that got quicker and quicker the more comfortable I got with these people, and them just slowly looking at me with a look like I was some sort of endless pit. Even Esme seemed a bit taken aback when I was on my seventh serving - she quickly realized what I had said earlier was only partly a joke and that there was some truth behind it. Not to the extent that I could bankrupt a, probably, very rich Coven. But more so that they'd need to hire a cook to keep up with the demand.

I didn't indulge myself fully, despite Carlisle and Esme assuring me that it was fine, because I had something I wanted to do.

"I know I came over with the original intention of finishing a school project with Rosalie, Jasper and Alice...but I've already completed my part of the project before I came here," I admitted, "I came here tonight with a different reason in mind: To ask a favor. Would you hear me out, Carlisle?" I asked and the blond man locked a gaze onto me.

The others didn't seem too bothered by what I'd said and continued with some conversations between themselves. Though Rosalie did look curiously at me, wordlessly asking me when I was planning on telling her this with her narrowed eyes.

I could only give an apologetic smile to her as I waited for Carlisle to answer, which he soon did.

"...What kind of favor?" he asked, wanting clarification before he agreed to anything. Though before I could answer, he decided to lay down some ground rules, "There are certain things I cannot do, Jason, and despite your closeness to a member of my Coven and family...I cannot make an exception just because of that," he seriously said, probably thinking I was asking for something big.

"No, no, no," I waved my hand in front of me, trying to dissuade Carlisle from misunderstanding me, "It's nothing serious. It's a favor that can be accomplished tonight and without anyone else outside this room. It seriously isn't a big deal," I reiterated my point of it not being too much.

Hearing this, Carlisle seemed to sense my sincerity because he let out a breath of relief and smiled at me, "Then what is it that you want me to grant you, Jason? I'll try my best to fulfill it."

Upon his words being spoken, I smiled and gave a carefree shrug, "It's a pretty simple favor I have to ask, Carlisle...can one of you have a fight with me? Nothing too serious - I just wanna spar to see how well I match up against a Vampire, honestly," my smile stayed on my face, polite and hiding a little excitement, even as the entire table's conversations went quiet and they all looked at me with surprised expressions.