𝐋𝐎𝐌𝐋², jack champion

054, 𝐢 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰

054, 𝐢 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰
irl + social media
(there's going to be a small
time skip throughout this
chapter, as the tour starts
next chapter!!)

THIRD PERSON +
january 17, 2025

The hotel room felt unnaturally quiet as Juniper watched Jack zip up his suitcase. His movements were slow, deliberate, as though dragging out the inevitable.

The morning light filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a soft glow on his figure, and Juniper found herself memorising every detail—the slope of his shoulders, the way his brows furrowed as he concentrated, the faint stubble on his jaw he hadn't shaved yet.

He turned around, his suitcase ready by the door, and their eyes met. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence was heavy, thick with the weight of unspoken words and the goodbye that loomed over them.

"You're really leaving," Juniper finally said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jack nodded, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed hard. "Yeah. Flight's in a few hours."

Juniper crossed her arms over her chest, suddenly feeling small in her oversized sweater. "It feels too soon. Like we didn't have enough time."

"We didn't," he admitted, taking a step closer to her. "I wish I could stay longer, June. Believe me, I do."

Her lips trembled, and she quickly looked away, blinking back tears. "It's just... I've been so comfortable with you here again. It's like—like how things were before, you know? And now you're leaving, and I don't know if I can handle that again."

Jack's heart broke at her words. He reached out, gently cupping her face and tilting her chin up so she had no choice but to look at him.

"Hey, hey," he murmured, his thumbs brushing away the tears that slipped down her cheeks. "I'm not leaving you. I'm leaving for work. It's different this time, really."

Juniper let out a shaky laugh, though it sounded more like a sob. "It still sucks."

"I know it does," Jack said softly. "But I promise, I'm going to text you every day. Call you whenever I can. I want to fight for this, for us. I know I've screwed up before, but I'm not going to let that happen again. I'm going to show you that I'm trying, June. I'm going to earn your trust, and I'm going to prove to you that I deserve your love. Even though most days I feel like I don't."

Juniper's tears fell freely now, and she pressed her forehead against his chest, letting the warmth of his embrace comfort her. "I want to believe that, Jack. I do. But I'm scared."

"I know," he whispered, wrapping his arms tightly around her. "I'm scared too. But we'll figure it out. Together."

She clung to him, memorising the feel of his arms around her, the steady beat of his heart against her cheek. "Don't disappear on me," she murmured. "I can't go through that again."

"I won't," he promised, his voice firm. He leaned back slightly, cupping her face again so she could see the sincerity in his eyes. "I'm here, Juniper. Even if I'm halfway across the world, I'm here. And I'll come back to you. I swear."

Juniper nodded, her tears slowing as she took a deep breath. "Okay. Okay, I'll hold you to that."

Jack smiled softly and pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead. "Good. I'd expect nothing less."