The girl sighed sadly, glancing at the door and relaxing. She pulled the blankets over her head, loving the feeling of warmth and comfort. “It is, isn’t it? I want to know why… but I don’t even know how I’m going to ask why.”
Juniper paused at Astrid’s question, eyeing the floor. “I-I don’t know… before I told myself I’d never make friends because I’d end up leaving… but if I’m not welcome up there it would be better to just come back down here. And now I have you and Jesse…” she frowned, shaking her head. “I can’t stay up there… I’d come back down here and visit.”
Astrid grinned almost sadly at Juniper's words, holding back tears as she nodded quietly. She knew now wasn't the time to cry, but the overwhelming emotions decided to flood her in that moment. In a moment of panic, she threw herself onto Juniper, wrapping her into a tight hug. Astrid wanted a friend so strongly, and the fact that she's here felt too surreal to Astrid, and now she's got such a stronger hope for seeing her older brother again. Maybe, Astrid thought, maybe my family could come back together for once.
Juniper nearly fell over, her eyes wide in surprise. “Astrid? Are you alright?” She asked softly, wrapping her arms around her friend. “I promise I’ll visit. I won’t leave you two here.” She murmured, opening the blanket and wrapping it around them.
Juniper felt her own tears well up in her eyes. She hadn’t been touched so kindly in a long time. She missed this feeling of warmth and comfort. She missed having someone to hug when things got bad.
"I'm scared, Juniper." Astrid mumbled through muffled sobs, unable to contain the tears that she finally released once she buried her head in Juniper's shoulder.
"What if Roger's not even alive? What if something happens to you? What if it's my fault?"
She couldn't help all of the questions, they almost just tumbled out of her mouth without her even having enough time to stop them.
She squeezed her friend tightly and closed her eyes, gently rocking them. “It’s ok Astrid, it’s ok…” she murmured, rubbing circles into the other’s back. “It won’t ever be your fault. It will be those who do nothing to help’s fault. And as for Roger, if he isn’t then we will hold a grand funeral for him. You will have gotten to see more of the world out there, more of the beauty than this town.” Juniper didn’t answer the middle question for a long time, instead just rocking the girl and attempting to calm her down. She didn’t know what she was doing.
“And please don’t worry about me. I have you and Jesse now, don’t I? I can’t go and leave that.”
Astrid hesitated, pulling away from Juniper's embrace in a quick motion while rubbing her nose, sniffing. She nodded at the girl's words and sighed heavily, looking to the floor as she breathed.
"I know it's only been a day, but thanks for being there for me. Jesse tries his best to comfort me, but I can tell he's confused and doesn't know what to do or how to react."
Juniper looked away, willing the wetness in her eyes to disappear. “N-no problem. I’m more than happy to be around you guys and help out. I’ve never experienced anything like this and it’s… wonderful.” She closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath. “I love having you guys around. I love having someone to talk to and to laugh and smile with.”
Juniper groaned softly. The tears threatene to fall down her face and she didn’t want that. “Jesse is trying his best. And I’m sure he’ll eventually learn how to comfort you.”
Astrid grinned hopefully at Juniper's last words, nodding in agreement. Astrid felt that Jesse had definitely improved since the first time he had to truly help her through a breakdown; the first time Jesse ended up panicking and crying alongside her, but now he has more of an idea of what precautions to take.
At that moment, the door opened and Jesse walked in, a terrible stench following him. He avoided eye contact or any interaction with the girls, making a beeline for the hall and into the bathroom.
Juniper tilted her head as Jesse walked in. She watched him, curious. “Hey, what happened?” She asked softly. She didn’t seem to mind the stench, having lived with it out in the outside world. “Did you get sprayed by a skunk or something?” She joked, laughing softly.
Her eyes moved to Astrid. “Does he come home like this often?”
Astrid nodded at Juniper's questions, her eyes following Jesse's feet until they disappeared in the bathroom.
"Yeah, he wakes up too late to take the easier jobs, so he has to settle with the more gruesome ones, the ones that no one really wants."
She traced her finger on the floor, creating random scribbles of offset carpet.
"It's better than stealing, though. The consequences of thievery lately have increased. Jesse said no one will even bat an eye if you shot a thief on the run."
Juniper laughed softly. “Which is why I am a thief. The danger excites me. Far more than I care to admit I’ve been caught countless times and so far I’ve managed to get away.” The girl beamed proudly. “If he hates thieves he should really hate me because I am the queen of thieves.”
Juniper was bluffing of course, but she was really good at pickpocketing. She could rob you blind and you would never know until you got home.
Astrid grinned and rested her hands in her lap, chuckling as she shook her head playfully.
"I don't think he hates thieves, he just hates the idea of me being a thief. Now that it's become too dangerous, he doesn't want me out there risking my life."
Astrid looked over to the bathroom, her eyes going upwards to the ceiling as she tilted her head back and leaned on her hands behind her.
"I understand the concern, but he steals too, so he's putting himself in danger, and that concerns me."
“Ah. That does make sense.” She smiled, leaning back on her hands as well. Juniper was enjoying talking with Astrid like this. She felt like she had a friend or a sister to be with. It felt good.
“It would concern me too if he were my brother.” She replied, her eyes following Astrid’s gaze. She fell silent for a long time. “Do you think he likes me? Like he isn’t afraid I’m going to do anything?”
Astrid burst in laughter for a moment before shrugging her shoulders.
"I don't think Jesse even trusts himself." She giggled, sighing as she moved from leaning on her hands to leaning on her elbows.
"But, yes, I think he's okay with you, otherwise you wouldn't be here right now. Jesse acts on impulse, and he hasn't done anything yet, so he's clearly considered keeping you around."
Jesse exited the bathroom with a dirty towel around his neck.
"Got five dollars from today, that could get us more water and soup, if we're lucky."
Juniper was slightly shocked to hear her laugh, but soon joined in. “I see. So he’s just weird.” She giggled, turning her head to see him walk in. “Speak of the Devil!”
She tilted her head as she listened to him, grinning from ear to ear before she took out her own wallet. “I have plenty. Selling things you steal is a good and easy way to make money.”
Jesse flinched for a slight moment, but hid his recovery well as he listened to Juniper.
"I'm always afraid I'll sell my findings to someone who knows the person I stole from."
Astrid gives Juniper a knowing look, as if Jesse perfectly demonstrated Juniper's last words about him. She stood up and inhaled, taking stretched steps towards the table and leaning on it.
"Don't you think you're being a little too careful when it comes to stealing, Jesse?"
Juniper shrugged, grinning at Astrid as her words came true. “Mm I don’t have much thought about it. They can’t pin me for a crime like that. Because they’d have to prove that it is their relatives first. And I always buff out initials or identifying marks.” She winked. Oh speaking of which. I went out and cashed in a few things of mine last night. “She pulled two bags out of her pocket, handing one to Astrid. “That’s yours and Jesse’s. It’s no so bad once you get good at it. Gotta live on the edge a bit, Jesse.”
Jesse exchanged glances between Juniper and Astrid, a hint of curiosity growing on his face as he shrugs his shoulders, almost in deep thought.
Astrid gasped and gazed at the bag of money. "We can't take this, you earned it, Juniper. You need it more than we do."
Juniper laughed. “I have my own. You’re fine. Just take it.” She replied, patting her pockets. “I have plenty. And I can always make more. Here’s a good secret, keep some money put and hidden away and add to it every time you get paid. You’ll end up pretty rich in times of need.”
Jesse's eyes widened at your advice, not in shock, but with an impressed expression.
"I'd say you were more prepared for this life than we were. We didn't really grow up struggling financially, so we're learning as we go."
She looked over at the male, grinning. “I was born into it and plan on keeping it until I get up in the floating cities.” She laughed, leaning back and looking to Astrid. “So again, go ahead and take it.”
Astrid beamed, glancing in Jesse's direction in excitement as Jesse apprehensively takes the bag, placing it on the table slowly and inhaling deeply.
"Well, are either of you two hungry for dinner?" He mutters, looking out the window to notice the sun threatening to set.
Juniper nodded softly. “I could go for something to eat.” She murmured. “It’s rather nice here. And I’m glad you are letting me stay for the short amount of time I am here. After tomorrow, I won’t bug you as much. Except we may be out looking for your brother then.”
"Who knows what the future holds." Jesse chimes as he opens the cabinet, revealing a can of chicken noodle soup, to which he then proceeds to cook.
"I know what the future holds." Astrid beams, kicking her feet as she sits on the table, leaning back. "We're gonna find Roger."
“And I’m going to be coming back.” She replied, grinning. “I’m going to visit you.” She promised. The look in her eyes was excited and happy. “I have a family to come back to.”
Jesse handed you a bowl of soup, failing to resist a smile. The gaze in his eyes was almost of a familiar, brotherly love. Though he didn't know Juniper, he felt like he grew up with her. Astrid held the same tint in her eyes as well as she rocked back and forth on the table.
"Here's to new beginnings." Astrid announced, lifting her bowl in the air ceremoniously.
Juniper hummed happily, taking her bowl and raising it with Astrid. She giggled softly. “To new beginnings.” She said softly. Her eyes traveled to Jesse.
“Hey, Uh… could you maybe help me patch this up?” She asked softly, tapping her bandages once she had drank from and set down her bowl.
Jesse jumped slightly, remembering the urgency of the wound.
"Yeah, I think I managed to snag a few cleaner bandages on the way home today."
Jesse exited the room for a few minutes, only to return with a bowl of warm water, a small hand-towel, and some bandages. He takes a seat next to Juniper and dips the towel in the bowl, glancing at the girl before reaching over and, as gently as possible, removing the bandages.
Juniper focused on the soup bowl rather than Jesse and her wound. She didn’t like the way her wound looked nor did she want to feel the pain of it. She just offered her arm up to him and bit her lip. “Please be careful. It’s rather tender.”
It was rather gone too. The bone that could be seen was scratched and worn, the flesh around looked tender and red, going onto purple from bruising and blood loss
"I'll do my best, does it hurt when I touch it?"
Jesse muttered, tapping the wound in various places. Astrid wanted to watch, but now that the wound had become exposed, she couldn't look directly at it, and instead sat on the opposite end of Juniper and listened, occasionally glancing to see how it's going.
Jesse dabbed the wet towel onto the wound, cleaning up any residue blood or other mess on it, until all that was left was the wound.
