𝖲𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗍𝗂𝗆𝖾 𝗂𝗇 𝗅𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝖩𝖺𝗇𝗎𝖺𝗋𝗒, 2022

𝕿he last thing Jack expected on a Tuesday night before a game was a call from June begging him to come pick her up in the middle of the night.

Okay, it wasn't the middle of the night — it was twenty minutes after ten. But Jack had already settled in his bed with a book and had been hoping to sleep as soon as possible.

Until June called with a shaky voice.

So he just had to jump out of bed, pull a sweatshirt over his head, grab his car keys and exit the apartment in a hurry because since moving to Newark in August last year, June has done her best to avoid taking Jack up on his "call me whenever" offer.

He pulls up to the location she'd sent him and catches sight of her sitting by the curb, glancing around in high alert while also frowning at all the other college students who filter out of what is obviously an ongoing party.

He honks and she immediately turns her head, quickly getting up to her feet, pulling her skirt down and bringing her unbuttoned coat closer to her body as she makes her way to the car.

She opens the passenger door and her scent instantly fills the space.

Jack watches her frantic fingers taming her hair even though it's only a little out of place because of the wind, her glittery black fingernails shining under the sparse light seeping into the vehicle.

Wordlessly, she tugs on her heeled boots for a second before huffing in frustration and leaning back against the seat, screwing her eyes shut while she attempts to regulate her breathing.

He says nothing, silently staring at her side profile.

She's dressed up and perfectly put together like she always is, no sign of any mental turmoil affecting her physical appearance no matter what is going through her head.

She's been like that since he's met her. She could be having the worst day of her life but once Juniper Bauer sets foot outside the house, her physical appearance fails to indicate any sign of a breakdown.

She's good at it too but Jack can see the way she'd been trying to keep herself together while she had sat waiting for him and now, she is calming herself down, counting down her breaths without acknowledging him.

Finally, her maroon painted lips purse and her eyes flutter open.

She smooths down the front of her black corset top, pulling the hem of her skirt down again even though she's wearing tights underneath, and turns her attention to him.

He's caught by surprise when her gaze meets his because he'd been so lost staring at her that he had forgotten she would notice it if she looked at him.

She smiles then, though he knows it's not a real one because it doesn't reach her eyes.

"Thank you so much for coming on such short notice. I had no other options otherwise I would have called someone else. I'm really sorry".

He blinks, brows furrowing.

"This wasn't a bother at all. I would actually really prefer it if you called me first. Whenever you need something. Don't worry about it, okay?".

She shrugs but nods and sits back, waiting for him to drive.

He doesn't.

"Are you alright? What happened?".

June releases a loud breath and then she does the weirdest thing.

She starts laughing.

Loud, open and completely unfiltered laughter leaves her lips, her head tilted back as her fingers toy with the chain around her neck.

He finds himself smiling in amusement, her laughter only turning a little boisterous before it turns into hiccuping giggles.

Jack chuckles, reaching over to poke her arm which seems to sober her up.

"What?".

She coughs, shaking her head.

"I just broke up with Aaron".

He stills at that.

She glances at his surprised — and a little relieved — expression and laughs again.

"Well, don't look so sad on my account".

"No, I . . . . I'm surprised. Why? I thought you guys were, uhm . . ."

Honestly speaking, Jack has no idea where their relationship was headed.

They met sometime in late September, began dating in the middle of October, dressed up in a 'Wizard Of Oz' inspired couple's costume for Halloween — Jack had a lot of thoughts about that and so did Luke but all they did was tell June that she looked stunning which she obviously did — and . . . . that's kind of about it.

She talked about him a lot and it was borderline annoying, not the girl doing the talking but the guy whom she was talking about.

She even brought him to a game once before Christmas break and Jack had all but given him the cold shoulder while being his usual flirty self with June.

He doesn't exactly know why he dislikes the guy so much — maybe it's the fact that he's a Sociology major who is also on the college Basketball team which he keeps reminding everyone about every five minutes (College Basketball? Seriously? Gag) or maybe it's the fact that he is so utterly, completely and helplessly wrong for June.

It's not just him though, Luke who visited June during Fall Break too thinks the guy isn't even worth the dirt caked below the dirt under her shoe.

So, yeah. Jack's not a big fan.

"I, for one, thought we were happy. That it was going good. Guess I never counted the fact that there are better people out there. Better than me".

She looks away at that, her eyes getting glassy and it takes all his restraint not to leave the car, find the stupid fucking College Basketball player and give him a piece of his mind.

A lot more than a piece of his mind.

"What did he do?".

June sighs and rubs her hands over her face.

"He got drunk. We had an argument. He slipped away and I ended up talking to his friends' girlfriends for a while before I went to find him and . . . .", she shrugs, trying to seem nonchalant, "I caught him making out with this girl we had a fi—a discussion about last week. Because I thought they were suspiciously close. And he said they're just supposed to be "working" on a project together".

She looks up then, swallowing before averting her gaze.

"So, I told him to go die. And that his existence is irrelevant. He seemed to think I was simply being dramatic. So, then I told him that I'm done with him. Which he was apparently shocked about but yeah. I dumped him. Got out of there, roamed around for a bit to clear my head. Called you when it started getting colder and then sat there, waiting", she gestures towards the spot on the sidewalk where there are still some people milling about.

"Is he still in there?".

She squints, glancing at him.

"Don't even think about it".

"Bug—".

"No, Jack. I can handle it. I did handle it. All on my own. Now, I just need you to get me to my dorm so that I can sleep and be depressed in peace".

"But I only want to talk to him. Seriously, Bug".

He lays a hand on her arm, giving her that classic puppy dog eyed look which he knows she can never resist.

Tonight seems to be an exception.

"Don't do that", she whines, swatting his hand away and crossing her arms, looking out the windshield.

"Please?".

"No. Get me out of here".

Reluctantly, he shifts the gear into drive and begins the ride to her dorm which is only about fifteen minutes from there.

For a few moments, there's only silence.

"Where's Emma?", Jack asks suddenly knowing full well there's no way Emma would let her go to a party alone with her boyfriend — ex? boyfriend? — or let him live peacefully if she knew what he's done.

He has met her many times by now, courtesy of the fact that she's been June's roommate since the first day of school and she is also somehow always around when he's visiting.

He's hoping she'll stop being so overbearing and intrusive once Emma and June move into an apartment together this Fall.

Hopefully.

"Her mom's in the hospital. She went back to Chicago two days ago".

"Oh, shit. Is she okay?".

"Yeah. Just broke her ankle? And elbow? During this weird dance class she's taking. Em thought it would be good to go see her, get the neighbours on board with taking care of her after she comes back".

"And you went to a party. With Aaron. On a school night".

June grumbles something, he didn't mean to judge but it's so unlike June who avoids parties like the plague and on a school night too? Yeah, this is weird.

"What was that?".

"I was bored and trying to loosen up. Clearly, parties aren't the right way to do that. At least not for me".

Jack can't help but chuckle at that.

"Loosen up? Why? Also, you could've called me. If you were bored. I've been free all day besides practice".

"Aaron wanted to spend time together".

Jack scrunches up his nose.

"You could have . . . . brought him along".

"Oh, yeah because you love him so much".

He throws her a side glance, "I don't hate him. Well, I didn't used to. Now, I do".

She snorts, "I'm not blind, Hughes. I can see the way you act around him. The holier-than-thou attitude is very, very obvious".

"I am better than him", he mumbles under his breath but she hears it.

June laughs, a little sadly.

"Yeah? You are? Wow, I hadn't noticed".

"Well, notice it then".

"I'll add it to my to-do list".

Jack shakes his head, purposely driving slower now because he doesn't want her to go back to her dorm alone. Go to bed alone and possibly — alright, definitely — cry herself to sleep over a grade A asshole and jerk who's actually an abomination in the name of a jerk.

"I hope you know what he did wasn't about you. It's about what kind of a person he is. He's disgusting and he doesn't give a fuck about anyone but himself. So, he's going around satisfying his giant ego by playing with people's feelings. None of that is about you".

"When it happens twice, it kinda makes you wonder if it actually is about you".

Her voice cracks at the end and a sudden urge to run over every guy who's ever hurt her takes over him but he also wants to pull her in his arms and keep her away from everyone until the right person shows up and proves that they're worthy of her.

If it weren't illegal, he totally would've dug a six feet hole and pushed Josh, her first everything and high school boyfriend into it. Covering it up slowly, letting him scream and scratch his way out.

Only there would be no way out. Jack would make sure of it.

"It was never about you. Not with tiny dick one. And not with tiny dick two. They're fucking losers and they never deserved you".

She snickers and he smiles, happy that she's at least finding something about this funny.

"How would you know what size their dick is?".

"I can guess".

"Oh, can you now? What if I said you were wrong?".

His face falls and suddenly, he feels like he's gonna throw up.

"Let's move on".

"Why? You brought it up. At least let me confirm".

"June".

"No, see. It might be this bi—", he puts his hand over her mouth cutting her off and turning her words into a loud mumbling.

She slaps at the back of his head but he shakes his head, feeling the warmth of her breath on his palm.

"Not taking it off unless you promise to drop this. I am not interested in their dick size".

"But you started it!", she yells from under his palm, her voice coming out muffled.

"Juniper".

She rolls her eyes, "Fine".

And he drops his hand, parking the car by her dorm building.

He turns to face her only to find her already looking at him.

He doesn't know why but it's difficult to track his thoughts when she's looking at him this way.

Jack clears his throat.

"Anyway. As I said, they never deserved you. So they couldn't be what you wanted them to be. Because you're perfect. And they're shit".

She smiles somberly, "You always say that. "They don't deserve you" or "they never deserved you"".

"And I mean it".

"Remember Anna? You said that about her too".

"And I meant it".

"She moved away, Jack! How was that her fault?".

"She knew she was going to move away. Yet she still dated you. That was selfish".

June scoffs, "I knew she was moving away too. But I still dated her".

"And the day she left, she told you she loved you. Was that fair?".

That shuts her up and she sits there, looking at him with glossy eyes and furrowed brows in a way that makes him want to pull her close and kiss her tears away.

Woah, woah. Back up there.

He's startled by his inner monologue but recovers when June drops his gaze and wipes under her eyes.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. Come here", he unbuckles his seat belt and extends his arms, letting her exhale before unbuckling her own seat belt and resting her head on his shoulder, his arms wound tightly around her as comfortably as they can hug with the console and cup holder in between them.

"It wasn't fair", she whispers into his shirt, "and it wasn't fair when Josh cheated on me. Or when Aaron did. I don't know what it is about me but somehow people just never choose me. Even to Anna, I was only a summer fling. And then she destroyed my mental peace by saying that the exact day she was leaving. Like what was I supposed to do about that? Run after her? Suggest long distance? Because that would've never worked. We both knew that".

He rests his chin on top of her head, sighing and feeling her relax in his hold.

"They're selfish, Bug. That's the problem. Which is why I'm always saying they don't deserve you. You're so much more than that. You're amazing and—", he pauses, feeling his throat tighten for some unknown reason, "someday someone's gonna see that and choose you for you. Don't settle for less, it'll break my heart. And I'm pretty sure Luke and Quinn's too".

"Have you ever met someone who deserves me?".

"No. But I'll let you know when I do".

She tilts her head up, a small smile on her tear stricken face.

Their faces are so close that if he leaned a little and touched his lips with hers he'd definitely taste her tears.

No, back the fuck up.

"You will?".

Jack wipes her cheeks, her breath faltering at the feel of his fingertips on her skin.

"Yeah. I will. You can count on it".

She nods and detaches herself from him, he immediately feels the loss of her in his empty arms.

"I know you already said it's okay but still, I'm sorry. You were probably sleeping. I shouldn't have called so late".

"I was reading, actually".

Her eyes light up, "Reading what?".

"The book you got me for Christmas. The Catcher in the Rye".

Finally, finally, a wide grin takes over her face.

"How are you liking it so far?".

"I love it. Holden is really entertaining. The whole 'everyone's a phony' thing he's got going on? It's very relatable. And funny".

June laughs, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Yeah, I loved that about it too. Let me know if you like J. D. Salinger's writing. I'll get you more books".

"For my birthday?".

"Uhm. Whenever, I guess".

"Valentine's?".

Her eyes practically bulge out of her skull and Jack finds it very amusing.

"What? Valentine's? What?".

"Unless you already have a Valentine".

She blinks, confused.

"I don't".

"Not even Luke?".

"He hasn't asked yet. Neither have I. I'll still get him something but . . . there's no one official".

"And I don't have one either".

It looks like she's having trouble keeping her jaw closed.

"You want to be my Valentine?".

"Why not? We're both single. And we don't have any Valentines".

"Are you serious?".

He exhales exasperated, "Yes. Juniper Raine Bauer, will you be my Valentine?".

A slow smile forms on her face, simply looking at it does something to Jack's insides and he tries to ignore it, he really does.

"Yes. I'll be your Valentine".

He smiles, biting down on his lip and flushes when her eyes momentarily drop down to his lips before glancing back up.

He hopes she can't notice the blush in the dark of the car.

He really hopes so.

"She said yes", he laughs softly and she smiles wider.

"I'll get going then, Valentine. See you . . . next week? Before the game?".

Yeah, she's coming to the game next week. But now as his Valentine.

Geez, rein it in.

"Mhm. Goodnight", he smiles.

She returns the smile, squeezing his hand before opening the car and stepping out.

She waves through the window and after he waves back, she walks towards her dorm building leaving him to sit back and watch her walk away.

He inhales deeply, tells his brain to kill the butterflies taking root inside his body, waits for The June Effect to die down, reboots his mind into its original setting of "JUNIPER BAUER — OFF FUCKING LIMITS! SISTER! NOT? SISTER? OKAY, FRIEND! VERY CLOSE FRIEND! STAY AWAY OR DIE!", shakes his head vigorously, puts the car into drive and drives away.

***
jack edited to soaked lowkey gives me life