* some locational details related to nashville aren't correct so if you happen to notice that then please ignore.
* fun tip: play 'BLACK' BY DIERKS BENTLEY when you see 🎧

𝕸aneuvering herself from Nico and Ellen's company was tough but somehow June managed to lie her way into getting back to the hallway she's sharing with all three of the Hughes as well as Nico & Nina and now, as she stands here knocking on Jack's door at exactly 11:59 pm., she's more than eager to see him.

He pulls the door open almost immediately and she pushes him inside, barely giving him the chance to shut the door as she grabs onto the lapels of his suit jacket, which he's still wearing, and pulls him down smashing their lips together.

He chuckles against her lips, caging her between the door and his body, kissing and pressing into her, her desperation clear from the way she's fumbling with the buttons of his shirt.

His hand trails up her bare spine, leaving goosebumps in its wake, their lips intertwined in a catastrophically beautiful dance of dominance, tongues colliding and bodies pressing so close that June's breath falters for a moment.

His hand settles on her hip, her fingers still mindlessly trying to unbutton his shirt, and he pulls away slightly resting his forehead against hers.

"Get this off", she goes to take the jacket off but he stops her by pressing an open mouthed kiss to the flushed skin of her neck.

"I've got a surprise. Come on".

"No".

He laughs into her neck, stepping back to look at her frown with a grin.

"No?".

"Yeah, no. I'm tired. I want to go to bed. Preferably with you".

His grin widens at her words, he loves it so much when she tells him exactly what she wants and then forces him to follow along.

But unfortunately, today won't be the same.

"I'm serious. You'll like this surprise".

"Can you not save it for tomorrow?", she groans, throwing her head back.

He shakes his head, touching the pulse on her neck with his index finger, touch lingering as it cascades down to her collarbone.

He watches her breathing deepen, gaze connected with his, waiting and tempting him to move.

He leans forward, kissing the tip of her nose and her frown melts into a small smile.

"See, that's what I like to see", Jack traces the smile on her lips which she tries so desperately to control.

"Let's go?".

June sighs, rolling her eyes and pushing him off her so that she can straighten her hair and her dress.

"Okay".

Five minutes later, June is scowling and settling into the passenger seat of the car that had been waiting for them outside the hotel lobby as Jack situates himself behind the steering wheel, taking his time to adjust the seat and temperature whilst June glowers at him.

"It's past midnight".

"I'm aware", he shifts the seat into a more upright position, raking a hand through his hair.

"People usually sleep at this time, Jack. Especially after they've had an exhausting day like ours".

"Yeah, they do, don't they?", he doesn't even look at her, his arm resting on the back of her seat head turned to look through the rear window and get the car out of the bounds of the hotel.

"Do you realise how much I love sleeping?".

"I do, babe".

He quickly puts the car into drive and takes his other arm off her seat, sitting back to drive through the gates and get them out on the road.

Her sudden silence makes him suspicious so he side glances at her, finding her sitting there and chewing her bottom lip intently staring at him.

He laughs softly, "What?".

"You think you can shut me up by calling me babe?".

The corner of his lips tip up, a faint smirk lining his mouth.

"Why? Do you like it or something?".

She clears her throat, turning her head to look through the windshield instead.

"Don't even try me right now".

"It's a simple question, babe".

She snorts loudly, a small giggle escaping her mouth and his own laugh sounds throughout the enclosed space of the car.

"What if I do? Like it, I mean".

"Then it's another nickname I can call you".

June looks at his side profile, a tiny smile on his face while he focuses on driving.

"Even in front of everyone else?".

He raises a brow.

"If you give me permission".

"Luke won't like it".

"Yeah, well he doesn't have a say in it now, does he?", he throws her a side glance.

"I guess not", she blinks, feeling her insides dance with the anticipation of the moment.

"Great. Because I love calling you that. Amongst other things".

"What other things?".

He attempts to look in deep thought, scrunching up his face in fake concentration.

"Bug, baby, sweetheart".

"I just cringed so bad".

He swallows down a laugh.

"Which one did it?".

"Weirdly, none".

"So, why'd you cringe then?".

"Because unfortunately, I love it. And I'm embarrassed".

She watches him laughing from the passenger side, his eyes crinkling as her most favourite sound in the whole world fills the space between them.

He stays staring ahead but his right hand leaves the steering wheel and comes down to rest on her thigh, gently squeezing her leg as his chuckles die down.

If only she could, she'd bottle this moment up.

June places her hand over his and rests her head back.

"Where are we going?".

"What do you think a surprise means?".

"I'm in the car. I've got nowhere to go. You can tell me".

"No".

"Please?".

Jack exhales tipping his head towards her clutch.

"Just put a song on and entertain yourself. I'm not saying anything".

"Second time you've tried to shut me up tonight, Hughes. I'm keeping a tab".

He shrugs, "That doesn't scare me".

She fidgets with her phone, noticing a text from Luke.

"Well, it should", she murmurs distractedly and opens her chat with Luke.

LUKE : 'had fun? mom said you & jack were attached to the hip'.

JUNE : 'is this ur attempt at passive aggressiveness or what'.

LUKE : 'WHAT'.

LUKE : 'i'm actually curious???'

JUNE : 'then it was great! i had the best time :)'.

LUKE : 'glad you did. i'd disown jack if you hadn't".

JUNE : 'where would u live'.

LUKE : 'with you, obviously'.

JUNE : 'em wouldn't allow u, sorry'.

She looks up from the phone just as they pull into a parking lot and her eyebrows shoot up.

Jack unbuckles his seat belt and goes to get out when he notices her surprised expression.

"Uhm, what?".

"The beach? Seriously?".

He rubs a hand down his face, "Have some patience, God".

She gets out, still skeptical, and watches him take a paper bag and blanket out from the backseat.

"What's in there?".

"Shush", he wounds his arm around her waist and guides her down to the end of the boardwalk, from where they can clearly see the tides coming in at loud intervals.

A wind whips through the air, June's hair flying into her face as she frustratingly grabs a claw clip from her clutch and pins her hair into a low bun, standing back in amusement to watch Jack lay out the blanket over the wood.

He sits down over the blanket, patting the space beside him and she follows suit, wrapping her arms around herself, shivers washing over her body at the sudden drop in temperature.

She pulls her knees up to her chest, looking out into the clear night, a contented sigh leaving her lips even as she continues shivering.

"Here", she doesn't even get the chance to process what he's doing until he's already draped his jacket over her bare shoulders and gone back to taking something out of the paper bag.

He grabs two ice cream cups and hands one to her along with a tiny wooden spoon to eat it with.

"Ice cream, huh?", she laughs quietly, opening her cup and smiling at the sight of chocolate inside.

"Thought we'd sit here for a while. Eat some ice cream, wind down. Go back and sleep in tomorrow then we'll go shopping in the afternoon".

June perks up at that.

"Shopping? For what?".

"Anything. Books, maybe", he grins watching her bite down on her lip to stop herself from jumping up and screeching with happiness because books, you know.

"I'd like that".

"Hmm. Also", he takes his phone out, tapping away before a familiar melody sounds out.

🎧 BLACK — DIERKS BENTLEY ''

She stares at him, blinking at the way he smiles knowingly and puts the phone down digging into his ice cream.

"What is this?".

"What's what?", he licks his lips.

"This", she gestures around, waving down at the ice cream and his phone which plays the song she remembers obsessing over with him a long time ago.

They were both teenagers when they'd first listened to it, and he'd played it on a car ride back from school after picking her and Luke up.

She had casually leaned in between the seats and asked, "What song is that?".

Jack had laughed because she was usually so quick to judge and dismiss his music choices.

"Black. Dierks Bentley. You like it?".

"It sounds like heaven", she'd answered with a nod and leaned in closer to turn the volume up.

"My ears will die, Junie", Luke, who'd been sitting in the passenger seat with Jack, had complained.

"I don't care, Luke. It's gorgeous. Shut up and let me listen".

Luke had looked at his brother helplessly but Jack had only shrugged, knowing full well that she wasn't going to budge.

He'd played it for her on a number of occasions afterwards but we'll talk about that someday else.

June thinks about it now, her eyes affixed to him as he gulps down the ice cream taking his time to answer her question.

"It's fun", he answers finally.

She gawks, trying to understand how he could be so nonchalant about this.

There is nothing nonchalant about this situation.

"So, playing that. This ice cream. This location. This surprise, it's fun?".

He looks at her, amused.

"Aren't you having fun?".

"I am but—", she looks down and eats a spoonful of ice cream, shaking her head and focusing on the song.

"But?", he scoots forward, nudging her knee with his.

She turns back to him.

"You planned this for me. Why?".

His playful demenour falls at that and he realises that the words — the words that have been haunting him for so long, always winding up at the tip of his tongue, always teasing him, taunting him — are right there again.

She continues staring up through her eyelashes, waiting for him to respond.

"Because I wanted you to have a good time on this trip. I thought this would be . . . . well, a welcome addition".

June tilts her head, smiling.

"Late night ice cream at the beach is just a welcome addition?".

"What else could it be?", a loose strand of hair falls onto her face and he holds it between his fingers, slowly tucking it behind her ear and letting his fingers linger there.

For the third time since she showed up at his hotel room door, June is speechless.

And that makes him smile.

"Something on your mind, Bug?".

She shuts her eyes inhaling deeply before opening them again and scooting forward so that his knees part to allow her to settle between them.

She leans up, pressing her lips to his cheek and somehow the action feels so intimate that everything inside him somersaults at the feeling of her lips on his skin, her warm breath coating his cheek.

"No, I love it here", June replies placing her head on his shoulder and looking at the water, the song playing in the background and Jack's heartbeat echoing against her head the only thing on her mind.

***
june is stronger than me bc if i were in her position i would either cling to jack's leg yelling "WHAT ARE WE" or jump off a cliff, there's no in between
btw if you're experiencing something similar to her then WORD OF ADVICE: either get out or make them put a label on it, you'll lose your mind otherwise trust me 🙏