curiosity

Two

emerson hadn't gone with the group the passed few times. she had been busy cleaning and doing laundry, not feeling like leaving her house. as she put in her last load of laundry her doorbell was rung.

"i came to check up on you.. you went silent on us." juniper said as the door was pulled open.

"yeah, i'm sorry.. i've just been cleaning." the brunette smiled.

"it's okay.. i could help if you need it." emerson stepped aside so she could walk in.

"no it's okay, i'm pretty much done.. but you could stay for lunch.. i was gonna make some chili and rice."

"can i help?" she asked, looking up at emerson curiously.

"yeah, you can help." emerson walked away from juniper and got out the things to make lunch.
~~~
"so, i ordered you something." june said while eating a spoon of chili.

"did you?" emerson hummed, looking at the girl in front of her.

"yeah, it's coming to my house tomorrow but i'll bring it to you."

"can i have a hint?" she asked, setting down her spoon.

"mmm, well.. it's your favorite animal."

"so a axolotl?" june shook her head.

"land animals." emerson laughed softly.

"oh, then a red panda." juniper smiled and nodded. emerson thought about what it could be as she knew june wasn't getting her an actual red panda. but she came up with nothing and just dropped it.
~~~
later juniper ended up going home, but she said she would come back soon to give her the present. emerson was back to being all by herself, scrolling through tiktok. it was a few hours before there was a knock on the door. she figured it was probably archi as he would come over every once in awhile but it was juniper again.

"oh, hi again." emerson smiled, stepping aside to let her in.

"hi! i bought you your gift." she smiled and followed behind june, sitting at the table.

"you didn't have to come all the way back out here." the two lived probably twenty minutes away from each other, so it was a long drive for just the present.

"told you i was coming back, and i got some clothes to stay the night again." emerson smiled as she was handed the bag.

"open it." juniper smiled proudly. emerson's pulled all of the tissue paper out of the bag and was met with a box.

"what is this?" she asked with a laugh.

"just open it!" juniper ushered. she opened the bag to find a teddy bear, the same type that june had at her house.

"aweee." she pouted, pulling the red panda from the box and held it tightly in her arms.

"do you like it?" june asked excitedly, resting her hands on the other thighs.

"i do, he's very cute." emerson leaned forward and wrapped her arms around the other.

"thank you." she cooed, pulling away to examine the stuffed animal.

"do you want to name them?" emerson's asked, to which juniper nodded eagerly.

"ash." she smiled proudly.

"ash." emerson repeated, looking over the stuffed animal.

"i like that name." juniper smiled and walked to sit on the couch, patting the cushion besides her.

"cmon, i want to watch the purge." emerson smiled and walked to sit besides her, pulling down the blanket from the back of the couch while juniper found the movie.

"the purge?" she asked, but juniper only rested her head on her shoulder.

"yeah, it will be explained more in the movie.. but for twelve continuous hours all crime is legal." emerson hummed, keeping her hands in her lap. she didn't want to make it awkward.

though after about thirty minutes she laid down against the armrest, feeling the girl coming with her and laying on her stomach. juniper got comfortable and continued watching the movie whilst emerson's heart was in her throat. her heads were up by her head but eventually rested down against the girls back, the other on top of her head. they stayed like this through the next purge movie until juniper sat up.

"do you have popcorn?" she asked.

"yeah, want me to make some?" juniper sat up from her stomach.

"i'll make it, where is it?" emerson scoffed and pushed the other to lay in her spot.

"i got it, just keep my spot warm." she watched june tuck her head into the blanket but she figure it was just to get comfortable. however it was to hide how embarrassingly red her face got. after a few minutes emerson returned to the couch with a bowl of popcorn and some drinks.

"i'm only twenty." juniper giggled, taking the bowl of popcorn.

"you drink when we go out all the time." she scoffed and reached forwards to grab the white claw.

"you're still a bad influence." she grumbled, resting the extra blanket over emerson's lap.

"if i was such a bad influence you wouldn't be here with me.. would you?" juniper groaned and glued her eyes to the tv. emerson chuckled softly after seeing this but didn't mention it.
~~~
they watched all of the purge movies and at 1:00 am decided to call it a night. they both went to their respected rooms for the night and took showers then got on some pajamas. emerson was pretty quick to fall asleep but was woken up to a cold body besides hers.

"is it okay if i sleep in your room tonight.. i keep thinking i hear things but there's nothing there." emerson rubbed the sleep from her eyes and let juniper slip under the covers.

"i can check the house and outside." she offered, to which june nodded.

"please?" emerson smiled and got up to check around the house like she said she would. she came up with nothing other than the typical rabbits and squirrels around the yard.

"i think you just freaked yourself out with the movies." emerson said while walking back in the room, seeing the bunny from the other day cuddled close to her chest. she climbed into bed besides the dark haired girl and pulled her to lay down a little bit. she noticed how genuinely scared juniper looked and wrapped her arm around the girls body, holding her tightly.

"it's okay, nothings there.. i promise." eventually juniper ended up falling asleep cuddled into emerson's chest. the older waited for her to fall asleep and made sure she was sleeping well before getting comfortable herself and fell asleep.