she'd been so sure, so confident, but now juniper didn't know where to start. she had her phone in her hands, sitting cross-legged on her bed, staring at the message on her screen.

if any part of you thinks there'll ever be a chance of something real between us, i need you to tell me

there was. june knew there was. their time together made her feel safe, and something about eric was just so comforting to her. her cheeks burned at her own thoughts.

juniper tightened her grip on her phone as she lifted it in front of her face, but before she could hit send, a loud and rather sudden clap of thunder shook the entire dormitory.

she wasn't usually afraid of storms, but she'd also never been alone in one. her eyes unconsciously fell on nova's empty bed as unease stirred in her stomach. she didn't want to be alone.

no. you are a strong, independent woman! you don't need someone to hold your hand through a storm. you've got this. we've got th—

a clap of thunder shook the dorm as bright white light filled the room, and juniper was on her shaking feet instantly.

you can be a strong, independent woman tomorrow.

juniper tugged her slippers on and pulled the jelly eye masks off from beneath her eyes. she wandered around aimlessly in the dark, stumbling around to find the doorknob. it took longer than expected due to the mess she'd left on the floor, and panic began to seize her chest.

she forced a breath, squeezing her eyes when it came out shaky. i can't do this. i can't.

when her palm grazed the knob, june frantically began pulling at the door, remembering to unlock it with shaky fingers, and nearly ripped the door off its hinges when she got it.

standing in the doorway with his fist hovered, was eric.

juniper scanned his face in the dark, a flash of light from outside lighting him up. his concern was visible, and june watched as his hand moved closer to her without actually touching her skin.

"i've been knocking. are you okay?"

june could only stare for a few moments before trying to collect herself as she stumbled out, "h-how did... i don't... why are you..?"

"you said you hate being alone during storms. i don't remember when, and i don't know if that's still even true, but you're alone, and i wanted to make sure that you are okay—"

juniper felt such relief that she fell into his chest, letting her arms wrap themselves weakly around eric's waist as he quickly encased her in his grasp.

"hey," he said softly over the rain pelting her window, "i've got you. i'm here, i've got you."

her breathing calmed naturally, and her ribs stopped aching. even then, eric didn't stop holding her, didn't stop running his hands through her hair. with her eyes still shut, june nuzzled her head further against his chest and smiled. "thank you."

"of course. are you better now? do you want me to go?"

"no."

"do you want me to stay?"

june was quiet.

"june?"

sucking in a quiet breath, juniper lifted her head from eric's chest to meet his eyes in a flash of lightning. "i want you to stay."

"okay," he said, smiling at her through the darkness. "i'll stay."

juniper
thank you for staying
with me last night

eric
anytime :)

eric
there are supposed to be more
storms tonight. isn't nova coming
home?

juniper
her flight got delayed due to the
weather :/ she's stuck in japan

eric
ohh

eric
so you'll be alone again?

juniper
eric there's something i
need to get off my chest

eric
what is it?

june
you were right. there is something
between us, and i don't know what
that is exactly and it scares me

eric
it scares you?

juniper
yes

juniper
you've been in love with me for years

juniper
what if i don't amount
to your expectations?

eric
juniper, you're like

eric
you're like my katniss

juniper
from the hunger games?

eric
don't laugh, you and i both
know we love those movies

eric
what i'm saying is, i'm like peeta

eric
i'm hopelessly in love with you
and i'm sorry but you won't be
able to scare me off

juniper
dang, there goes my master plan!!!

juniper
what a comparison tho 😭

eric
sunwoo and karina have been
watching the movies together,
it's all i can think about rn

juniper
lmaooooo ofc

juniper
but yeah

juniper
don't scare me off 😠

eric
i just got you please don't go anywhere

juniper
🤗

juniper
also um

juniper
i mean if you WANT to come over

eric
i'll be there before the rain starts

"is this weird?" june quietly asked. her head was cradled against eric's chest, arms looped around his waist as they lay together in her bed. they fumbled around for almost an hour trying to find a comfortable position, only to end up cuddling. june could feel the heat radiating off of eric through his shirt.

though she couldn't see him, juniper could feel him shake his head. "not weird... okay, it's a little weird, but not bad-weird."

"not bad-weird." she agreed with a small laugh. "definitely not bad-weird."

eric laughed along with her. "definitely not... do you need anything?"

"i'm okay." she sighed, nuzzling further into him, "i'm okay now."

"okay. just push me if you need anything, alright?"

juniper shook her head against his chest with a large smile on her lips. "okay, i will. goodnight, eric." but he was quiet. the girl's brows furrowed as she said his name, and when he failed to respond for a second time, june pulled herself from his chest to face him.

her cheeks blushed. there was some light in the room, so juniper could see how lovingly eric was looking up at her. she opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out.

eric blinked, and then his eyes went wide. "i'm sorry! i-i didn't mean to... good night."

but even then, they didn't move from their spots on her bed. juniper was still hovering over him, and eric was still fighting the urge to brush that one damned strand of hair from her face. it didn't take long before he gave in, and when he did, juniper ached.

"eric..."

his hand was cupping her face, fingers pushing the hair away from her face with a minute smile. "there."

she didn't care about the hair. she didn't really care about anything other than him at that moment. "eric," she repeated, and this time, he understood.

in one, swift motion, eric's hand moved from her cheek to the back of her neck, lifting himself from the mattress just in time to meet her lips as she leaned toward him. she could feel like smiling against her mouth as he kissed her, his fingers intertwining themselves in her hair.

they parted for only a second before reconnecting, and juniper stopped herself from moving too fast. she was used to jumping into things without thinking, and she didn't want to do that with eric. she wanted him to stay.

so when they fell apart once more, they stayed apart. june let herself fall back into his arms, but her grip on his was tighter than before.

"good night, honey."

and just like that, june's heart stilled in her chest. then it started beating at a million miles an hour. she didn't hear him right... right? "hm?"

"uh, j-joohoney. i'm saying goodnight to my jooheon photo card. goodnight to you too, june."

she laughed. "honey. i like it. might even fight jooheon for the rights to that name."

eric's fingers fiddled with a strand of her hair as a smile played at his lips. "oh, i'd love to see that."

"good! cause i'll knock his ass out of the fight."

"oh god, go to sleep, june."

"okay, okay! good night for real this time."

"good night."

•
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