Athena's eyes flew open as she awoke to a high-pitched whistle. She'd already leapt out of bed by the time she realized the noise had only been the shriek of a ready tea kettle.
Padding across the tiny studio apartment, Athena stopped on the edge of the corner that served as a kitchen. Sitting in the old wooden breakfast nook and staring into a cup of tea, was her best friend and roommate Juniper Woods.
There was no way she couldn't have known Athena was there, but all the same, Junie didn't say anything, even as Athena slid into booth across from her.
"Guten Morg-..." Athena couldn't finish due to the massive yawn that replaced her greeting. "Um, let's try that again..."
[Too early for night owls to give a hoot!]
"Shut up, Widget!" Athena clamped the ever-present techno-assistant hanging from her neck. "Ugh, Junie, he didn't mean that...er, I didn't either. Geez."
"No, I should have been more considerate, Thena. I'm sorry. I always forget the kettle whistles as loud as it does... I'm so sorry..."
"It's fine, seriously! Better up early than late, right? It'll give me extra time on my morning jog!" A thin blur of daylight was visible through the screen window behind Juniper. Athena estimated it was shortly before 6 AM, AKA a good two hours before her alarm would go off.
A watery smile was hidden by another sip of tea, and Athena dared to untie the tightly-bound secret Junie was keeping deep within.
"Hey... what's wrong?"
And something was wrong; Athena didn't need her over-sensitive hearing to detect that. More, it was just her intuition from years as Junie's best friend — even though so many of those years until recently, they'd been apart — that told her something was weighing on Junie more than whatever stress arose from the hectic daily life that accompanied beginning her career as a judge. Athena herself had experienced that spectrum of emotions when she'd started at the agency, and accepted that discord was something to be expected, even with someone as well-prepared as Junie always was.
"It's... it's nothing I can't get through on my own, okay? Please don't worry about me, Thena."
"No way, Jose! Junie, it's me, don't even think about telling me not to worry about you!" Athena didn't just mean picking out the fraying ends Junie was trying so desperately to smooth down on her own. "Whatever's bothering you, we'll get through it together!"
A ribbon of steam hazed Junie's face as she gathered herself. "It..." She snuck a glance up at Athena, who couldn't break her worried gaze away, and that seemed to be the final prod she needed. "I miss home, Thena. I... miss the forest, and Grandma, and having all the space in the world for the vegetable garden, and... I just miss it all."
"Okay." Athena breathed out, in a way relieved it wasn't something completely earth-shattering, something she couldn't have guessed. What did puzzle her though was: "Do you... not like it here? Or-"
"Oh, Thena, that's not it at all! That's why I didn't say anything, because I didn't want you to think I don't like it here. I love it here, actually. I'm always thinking how lucky I am to have all this after... everything."
Everything. Athena had a tough time imagining there were two friends out there who had been through as much everything as she and Junie had gone through in the past year, and at such a relatively young age. She knew Junie looked to her and Apollo as something like saviors, the only people who could have guided her through such an unprecedented few months wherein Juniper found herself accused of murder not once, but twice.
But it was Junie who Athena couldn't have made it through without. Not that she spent much time dwelling on the horrible what-ifs that could have occurred, with how terrifying reality had been in some of those moments, but her first lead case and those seconds where she'd watched Junie be led out of the lecture hall in tears and handcuffs — it made her understand as completely as possible what Simon had wanted to do for her; save, protect, sacrifice, no matter the cost.
"You're not just lucky! You've fought for all this, okay? And fighting so hard, day in and day out – it gets tiring! No matter who you are." The familiar faces of her friends flickered across her thoughts, adding a firm conviction to her statement. "And home is where you don't have to fight, where you can just kick back and be a lazy bum. If you really miss it, I'd be more than happy to go back with you! I think we both need a little of that, to be honest."
"You're... you're not upset...?" Junie paused and lowered her tea quickly, just in time that she could bring her fist up and cover a spat of coughs.
Athena reached across the table and grabbed hold of Junie's other hand, cupping it with both of hers.
"Junie, listen. I'd never in a million years be mad at you for missing home. It's perfectly normal! And in your case, considering..." She paused, remiss to bring up Junie's weak constitution; she never thought of Junie as anything but strong and reliable. "Well, your body's so used to the forest!"
Junie nodded, both her breathing and the twanging in her heart settling as Athena's thumbs rubbed in slow circles along her clammy hand. "If... if you're okay with it, then... yes, I'd love to go. Just to visit, just for a night. Just you and me."
"How 'bout we go this weekend? I don't have anything to do; Simon cancelled our plans go to the aquarium when he found out the penguin show isn't running again until the fall, and they're featuring the new manta ray pool instead. I don't get why he has to talk smack about the rays though, it's not like it's their fault!"
Junie giggled, music to Athena's ears. "Athena, you're too harsh on him. You've already taken him to the aquarium about ten times. And this Saturday won't work for me, I already promised Robin to go to the art museum with her that night. They have this brand new exhibit on Dadaism, and she's so excited about it."
Fair enough. Athena could hear just how excited Junie was for Robin, too, so there was no point in trying to persuade her otherwise. "What about the next Saturday?"
The rising daylight stretched further across the table, spotlighting their conjoined hands. Juniper's fidgeted underneath Athena's. "That's one of Trucy's magic shows? Remember, you told me all about it, for the final act, she's —"
"—going to make the toilet clean itself, yeah," Athena sighed heavily.
"Yeah," Junie repeated just as wistfully, her mouth curving into a wan frown, lack of sleep mixing with disappointment. "I really wish we could do more together, Thena." Behind the fragility of her expression, her words were smooth, sweet like nectar.
Athena fought the sudden urge that struck her, to move her hands from where they were clasped around Junie's and to her lips so she could absorb that quiet optimism. Junie reminded Athena so much of a blossoming flower, and her lips, rose pink and rounded like a petal... Athena suspected they were just as soft and delicate.
"Well! We'll think of something!" Too aware of their contact and the weird fluttering in her stomach, Athena released her grip from around Junie's hands. A slew of possibilities raced through her mind as she thoughtfully fingered at her earring, trying to sift through them all. None of them were exactly doable without a little more planning, except... "Hey, you know what we should do now, at least. Let's watch the sunrise, okay? We used to do that all the time when we were kids, remember?"
It was one of the few pleasant memories Athena carried with her while she was studying for he badge in Europe. While her mission had been mainly fueled by her desire to save Simon, she couldn't bring herself to endlessly replay those moments where she'd screamed and sobbed over his innocence.
No, there were so many nights where she would have melted away in an ocean of tears if not for the perennial happiness provided to her from her memories with Juniper — at the space station, at school, in the forest, and then, through letters.
Tucking the letters under her pillow wasn't even close to the nights, both past and present, where they'd slept snugly together in the same bed. But it was a lifeline, a strand of hope that Athena could grasp to when she had to consider: will anyone really listen to what I have to say?
Not only did Junie listen to her, but she could hear what Athena wasn't saying in all her correspondence, and responded to that. Always encouraging, always kind, always reliable. Always her Junie.
"I remember... " Juniper stood first, but waiting for Athena to take her securely by the wrist and lead her to the fire escape on the opposite end of the room. The full-size bed the girls shared squeaked and groaned as they climbed over it and maneuvered out the window beside it, out into the beautiful California morning.
Athena's apartment may not have had much, but it did have a spectacular view of the city. Four flights up gave her the perfect vantage point to observe Los Angeles completely undisturbed, and there were few places Athena could name that were so much a sanctuary as this tiny metal platform.
They sat down, side by side, Athena cross-legged and Junie with her legs tucked beneath herself, turned so she could easily loop her arm into Athena's.
To the west — Athena couldn't see it, but she knew exactly where it was — lay the agency, and just beyond the horizon due north was the courthouse, where she knew one day her and Junie would travel to together, for the same case. Half of the intricate, old-fashioned clock atop of city hall peeked out behind the new, modern high-rise a few blocks away. In the shadows of dawn, the clock hands looked very much like objecting fingers — which, given the numbers they were pointing to, Athena had to agree.
All of it was cast in an ethereal pink glow, that reminded Athena so very much of the brilliant carnations Junie had taken to growing in boxes on this very fire escape.
A gorgeous sunrise, encased in her own little world surrounded by blooming flowers and the tranquil hum of Juniper's now-calm, relaxed heart.
Athena's hand came to rest atop Junie's, which was warm from her tea — and, Athena thought idly, flashing back to how some nights they slept curled close to each other, because Junie herself was just warm, from the inside out. Strangely, the contentment she had been experiencing shifted to an acute nervousness.
Being this close, this much in contact with Junie had never been remotely unsettling, and yet recently — right now, more than ever — Athena's body coursed with adrenaline, heart pounding and head swirling with the same rush that overtook her when she completed a 10K.
"Hey, I've already decided two things, okay?" Speaking felt clumsy, unnatural. Like she was doing it just to hear herself talk. But Athena soldiered on through. "Une, we're gonna find a way to go to the forest before the summer ends, and deux, we're gonna catch fireflies while we're there. And that's that."
"We... ?" Juniper blinked up at her. "Oh, Thena, we never used to catch them. I was always too sick to run around all night, like you did. I still probably can't handle it. I always liked releasing them more, anyway."
"Then I'll do the catching! And we'll release them together. Just like old times."
"Just like old times..." Juniper repeated thoughtlessly.
"I know it's not the same as when we'd spend summers in the forest," Athena admitted, her pinky rubbing a slow circle between Junie's knuckles.
"It doesn't have to be the same for me to enjoy it." Junie's words were a whisper, but resonated loudly,
Which was a relief for Athena to hear; things wouldn't ever be the same after the events of the past year. Lives changed, people changed, and emotions?
Emotions, Athena concluded long ago, would always be changing. By the day, by the minute, even.
Junie's head came to rest on Athena's shoulder. Athena closed her eyes against the sunrise, turning to let her cheek sink down into the warmth of Junie's hair.
One thing Athena could count on to stay the same was Juniper always being at her side.
"You're so useless, O'Conner!" Athena picked herself up off the ground after a leaping attempt for the firefly hovering above Hugh's head failed miserably.
"You would know, wouldn't you?" Hugh countered from behind a tattered copy of To Kill a Mockingbird.
If Athena herself didn't enjoy that novel so much, she would have tore it away and smacked him with it. "Can't you do something besides standing there with your nose in a book?"
Hugh lowered the book, not enough that Athena could see his smirk, but she knew it was there. "Maybe some peon like you can't quite handle it, but a genius like me has trained myself to study anytime, anywhere. Comes in handy when you're taking accelerated summer courses. You already asked a lot from me today, Cykes; I think you need to tone it down a bit."
For asking 'a lot', Hugh had been incredibly compliant about it, especially being... well, Hugh. As long as she'd promised to chip in for gas, he seemed content in driving Athena all the way out to the base of the mountain where Junie's grandmother lived. He hadn't teased her or even been snarky about it for a single second.
Which she supposed he was making up for now.
"Even geniuses need breaks from studying!" Athena snatched the water bottle resting on the car's hood, and splashed off a streak of dirt from her forearm. "Now, come on, help me out!"
"Excuse you. I also have an archery tournament coming up. I'm not about to risk some freak injury by running around like some primitive savage."
Athena gulped down the remainder of the water, glaring daggers into Hugh. She would hardly describe her running around as anything resembling primitive! There was a strategy to it all, one she'd put a ton of forethought into – or, at least, ate a protein-packed lunch, and brought plenty of water along to stay hydrated. Which was kind of her default plan for anything somewhat athletic. She figured she would rely on memory and her well-worn, super-comfy sneakers to tackle the terrain.
"Anyway, I specifically recall you saying this is about you wanting to catch as many fireflies for Juniper as possible." He nodded towards the mason jar resting on the car's hood, full of intermittent pinpricks of light. "I don't remember agreeing to anything other than bringing you here so you could jump around like the maniac you are. We both know that I could catch twice as many as you, and we also both know you'd get completely bent out of shape about it and lose sight of your goal."
"Yeah, right! I've been keeping track; I've caught almost thirty already. That's nearly one a minute! No way would you be keeping that pace!"
"Good thing this isn't a competition, then." Hugh adjusted the cliplight on his novel, and turned to the next page. What the heck, had he been reading without his eyes even on the book?
"What's that supposed to mean?" Athena propped her foot on the car's fender to tighten her shoelaces. Hugh was so obsessed with being "the best"; even after it'd been revealed he'd spent quite a stint of time recovering from not being anywhere close to it, he still displayed the personality of the quintessential over-acheiver.
In other words, everything was a competition.
"Hm, I know something Cykes doesn't," Hugh seemed to be telling his book. "What a shock."
Athena grabbed the jar of fireflies with both hands, if only to keep herself from smacking Hugh's face clear off. "Well, what I do know is that you can't spell 'Hugh' without 'UGH'!"
She wasn't going to stand here and let Hugh mock her for something that was so genuinely important. So Athena turned and sped off in the direction of the creek, as Hugh's call of "Cykes!" echoed after her.
This wasn't a competition? Wrong. When it came making Junie happy, Athena Cykes would never admit defeat.
Just as Apollo liked to chide her for quite often, Athena charged over grassy hillocks and the pebbly patches surrounding them, leaping before she looked.
The summer breeze enveloped her, carrying bursts of floral scents only serving to further drive her, with all the nostalgia that came racing back.
If she missed this place so much, she could hardly imagine how badly Junie longed to return. And Athena meant it, that one day soon they could come back here together.
She reached the same creek that, miles from here, was but a scrawny stream winding through the backyard of Juniper's childhood home. It babbled down a shallow, silty slope, and some mid-sized rocks jutted out in random spots — the perfect challenge for Athena to not back down from.
One! Two-ooo! [Rock steady!] Widget exclaimed when she planted on the third stone and immediately sprung off to the fourth, and final, one on the opposite side.
She knew instantly she'd made a mistake, and that it couldn't be stopped.
Her foot landed at exactly the wrong angle, heel skidding and sending her crashing to the ground with a yelp. The mason jar flew from her grip, and miraculously didn't smash. Only a dull thunk and then it rolled and rolled and rolled some more down the incline before stopping some twenty yards away, missing being submerged in crusty creek water by inches.
Pounding her first against the dirt, Athena sat up and let out an aggravated groan that evaporated into the great expanse above her.
She could just hear Hugh right now: "If a Cykes whines in the forest, and no one's around to hear it, is its complaint really valid?"
"Shut up, O'Conner," Athena muttered into the purpley night, where more fireflies glowed. They hovered further and further out of reach, as if to lure her out of her pensiveness and to her feet.
What was wrong with her? No, well, that was the thing — nothing felt even slightly wrong when she let her thoughts drift to what it'd be like to be here in this same spot, only with her arms around Junie from behind, chin resting on her shoulder.
That was the nature of their friendship though, wasn't it? How close they could be with each other, an intimacy Athena had never wanted with anyone else. Now that her life was becoming more an actual life and not just a mission, she considered how neatly everyone who was close to her was beginning to fill in various roles.
Apollo and Mr. Wright, solid balance of friend and mentor, helping her understand just how much Simon must have valued her mother. And then there was Simon, so much like a brother that Athena would never think twice about both teasing and defending him as if they were related by blood.
But Junie, always her best friend... that was what stung. It sounded so incorrect, when she thought about how she had used that term when they were little girls versus what Junie meant to her now.
She was willing to be out here all night, scraping herself up and sweating through her clothes all in an effort to cheer Junie up, and all because Juniper was her best friend! Because.
With a frustrated sigh, Athena pushed back to her feet. Enough lazing around. Those fireflies weren't going to catch themselves.
Athena's right hand dangled out the window, skating lazily in the breeze. Here she would have thought Hugh to be a stickler for how passengers should conduct themselves in his car, but he didn't scold her when she propped her bare feet up on the dash. He did offer to take his scented tree from off the rear-view mirror and loop it around her big toe, but his threat only carried teasing, and nothing more.
There was the twang of the acoustic tune on the public radio station (which of course Hugh listened to) but other than that, the night was empty, void of any static but a peaceful murmur Athena was sure only she could hear. It struck how this—a picturesque summer night, highway behind her, friend-type person beside her, and the girl she cared for more than anyone else in the world somewhere in front of her — was nothing short of what she'd yearned madly for in all those years.
About fifteen minutes outside the mountain, Hugh veered off the main road and into a gas station featuring a huge and rather adorable dinosaur both on their sign and in the form of a statue on the grassy edge of the parking lot.
Athena wordlessly passed Hugh a crumpled ten from the pocket of her shorts, and settled back into the seat while he went in to pay. Staring at the glowing jar (where no fireflies were dead or even almost dead!), Athena's mind finally caught up to her exhausted body, and her thoughts all but slipped away. She sat there in a dream-like state, eyes closed, the clouded image of Junie's softness — her smile, her hair, her voice — printed behind her eyelids.
The driver's side door snicking open startled her alert, and she looked up to see Hugh climbing back in. A small, cold white disc was tossed onto her lap before any greeting could leave her mouth.
"I thought you'd be hungry."
Athena picked it up and tore in immediately. She hadn't realized just how famished she was, although even on a full stomach it would have been hard to say no to an ice cream sandwich on a night like this.
"I just texted Robin, and they'll still be at the museum another half hour, and then they have to take the subway back." Hugh started the car and instead of pulling out of the lot, he coasted over to the row of parking spaces lining the edge. "We've got some time to kill."
"So that means...? Athena swallowed a bite of her sandwich. "Um, what does it mean, exactly?"
"It means get out." Hugh turned the car off, and pressed a button on his door to unlock Athena's side. "Talk to me."
Okay, this was... weird, which was saying a lot considering this was Hugh. He must have bought her the ice cream sandwich as a lame bribe of sorts — he'd fed her, so she couldn't refuse whatever his next request was.
But she did as he instructed, and followed him around to the rear of the car, where they both clamored up onto the trunk to sit side by side.
"So what are we talking about?" Athena asked, crumpling up the wrapper and stuffing the last bite of sandwich into her mouth.
"Like you don't know."
She didn't know, and did not appreciate the only hint being, after a few beats of a silent staredown, the unmistakable sound of someone trying to suppress a chuckle.
"What in the heck are you laughing about?!" Athena spat at him.
"Nothing you could comprehend." Hugh flicked off a speck of ice cream that had landed along the collar of his polo shirt.
"Rrgh!" Athena swiped her lips clean, fixing Hugh with the scowl she saved for the toughest cross-examinations. "Just tell me, you pompous jerk!"
"Not with that tone."
"Tell me, you pompous jerk -"
[PLEASE!]
"Heh, much better. Alright, so if you must know, I was just reminiscing about when we first met." Of course, the way Hugh said it, there wasn't a trace of fondness. Just the same matter-of-factness tinged with arrogance that he always spoke with.
"And that's somehow hilarious enough for you to just start randomly laughing?"
"You, Cykes, are plenty hilarious enough for me to just 'start randomly laughing', regardless of what memory about you I dredge up. But, specifically, I was thinking about that alleged 'love triangle' the whole mock trial revolved around, that Myriam was so obsessed with writing about."
"¡No me gusta! Why are you thinking of that slanderous rag on a nice night like this." The trial had been over for close to a year, but Athena still grew overwhelmingly irritated when she thought of the — as Simon would put it — utter claptrap Myriam Scuttlebutt had penned about Junie, and published for all of the Themis Academy to see.
"Because." Hugh's tone indicated that that one word was a sufficient explanation, but he would deign to explain further to Athena — of course, since he'd get to hear himself talk. "Because Myriam was always making up these outlandish stories about the lengths Robin and I would go to. Nothing that we — or, at least I wasn't capable of, but still. They were just outrageous, the things she'd claim we'd do. "
"What does any of that have to do with tonight?"
"I just watched you run around like some feral cave creature, scraping and dirtying yourself up just to catch fireflies for Juniper. And half of them will probably be dead before we get back to the city. But hm, if it's for your Junie, then—"
"What?! They will not! And I'm not feral!" Athena all but growled at Hugh, baring her teeth.
"Whatever the case, even Myriam couldn't cook up a story like this, when it came to what Robin and I would do to win Juniper's heart."
It finally dawned on Athena what Hugh was really saying.
"Hey, hold it! I'm not doing this to win Junie's heart!"
Athena had never been able to pick up fractures in her own voice, but she felt the cracks and splinters as the words came out. Hugh must heard them too.
"That's what you think. But you've always been a bit slow on the uptake."
What did Hugh know? Well, as much as Athena hated to admit it, he knew Junie, especially this Junie, better than Athena did. Not that Athena wasn't trying her absolute hardest to make up for all that lost time, but...
Her speechlessness apparently stretching on too long for Hugh's liking, he continued. "This might shock you, but I could have declined to accompany you today. Believe it or not, I do deem you worthy of my company."
"Oh well, gee, now I can rest easy at night."
"Heh, yeah, as long as Juniper's all cuddled up beside you."
Oy vey! Athena should have saved her ice cream sandwich to shove in Hugh's face — she would have even imitated Simon and shouted "Silence!" and then taken a picture on her phone. It would've been spectacular, a work of art worthy of hanging beside whatever Robin and Junie had viewed tonight. "Hugh, it's none of your business!"
"That's where you're wrong, Cykes. It's every bit my business. After everything that happened last year, especially to Juniper, I'm not going to sit idly by and let her miss out on something that would benefit her well-being."
"Um, okay, so you openly admit that you are, and will continue to be, a meddler."
"Meddler? Please. More like I'm the only one perceptive enough to notice what's really going on. I'm sure you already know Juniper's hardly the most talkative girl, but she..." Hugh paused, fingers curved at his chin in a second of deep thought. "I wouldn't say she talks about you all the time, it's just the way she talks about you. Especially talking about... heh, just about the two of you. Together. It's like how Robin goes on about art, or how I talk about —"
"Yourself?" Athena supplied.
Which Hugh didn't deny. "I guess. I mean, my passion to become a bonafide defense attorney is very much about myself, isn't it?"
"Oh, yeah, please Hugh, I'm begging you: tell me hear all about it. Since I haven't heard enough from you tonight." Her tone suggested sarcasm, but she was half-serious. Anything to get Hugh to stop talking about her and Junie! Maybe he'd drop the subject and they could cruise on out of here.
Or maybe not.
"If you insist, Cykes."
[Me and my big mouth!]
"Widget! No, seriously, Hugh. If you want, then you—"
Hugh started right over her, with no uncertainty whatsoever. To the point, as if she'd expect anything else. "After Professor Means left, I didn't really have any one to emulate, to model myself after. Maybe I didn't really look up to him to begin with, not really, but I didn't have much of a choice. After you saved not only Juniper, but all of us, I was sure until then that I was going to quit Themis... again. That Juniper and Robin didn't need someone like me, when they had someone like you."
"Hugh..." Athena couldn't keep the sympathetic drop out of her voice, nor could she detect anything contradictory in Hugh's tone versus his expression. There was a very un-Hugh-like solemnness. Sincerity, even.
"I changed my mind, didn't I?"
Athena nodded.
"And in case you haven't figured out why, it was because of you. I kept tabs on you afterwards, and I heard all about what happened with the bombing and the UR-1 retrial from Juniper. You're pretty remarkable, Cykes, even if you sometimes display the common sense of a fruit fly. And I haven't been shy about telling that to anyone might ask if there's any certain lawyer I'd strive to be like — professionally, of course. "
"Why would you...?" The question came out automatic.
Why, when she was just Athena Cykes? Someone respected as a friend (like Junie), or a coworker (Apollo and Mr. Wright) or a sister (Simon and Trucy). She was a lawyer, yes, but she'd yet to hear anyone really acknowledge that that was how they viewed her first and foremost. Even though she was still trying to figure out what it all meant, what she knew for certain was that her title as defense attorney was irretrievably part of not only who she was, but who she had fought so hard to become.
"See, this is what I mean. Anyone who wasn't a mouth-breathing peasant would have said 'Thank you', or 'Wow', or... you know, not questioned it, seeing as how it's coming from me."
"Oh, shut up." She was trying to sound offended, but Athena couldn't hide her gratitude — in any language. "Thank you! ¡Gracias! Danke Schoen! Hank-tay ou-yay!"
Finally, a genuine laugh from Hugh, not one directed at her.
"Juniper deserves to be happy; she is one of my best friends, after all. So what I'm saying, Cykes, is that it would not reflect well on me if the lawyer I respected so much, turned out to be too much of a coward to admit her feelings and provide Juniper that happiness. Consider this me giving you my blessing."
"Oh boy, just what I always wanted," Athena deadpanned.
"You're going to tell her, Cykes. Just accept that I'm right, and your life will be so much easier."
"I'll try my best," she promised dryly before chancing a more sensitive tone. "And hey, Hugh? What you... um... all the stuff besides what you said about Junie? I really appreciate it, especially coming from you."
"Of course you do. But don't let it go to your head."
All Athena could do was just stare speechlessly, incredulous at such a command from Hugh.
And all Widget could do was speak for her.
[You're one to talk!]
"Oh my gosh... Thena, I... I love it." Juniper stood beside Robin, on the front porch of the girls' apartment complex, awash with a delirious happiness and holding the jar full of fireflies Athena had just presented her. "I can't believe you'd do this for me."
For me, For me, For me. Juniper's words rang like a bell inside Athena's mind. Suddenly, she sorely wished they were alone, that she could just pull Junie close and tell her, of course. Of course, for you, Junie.
"Hehe, well, as soon as you mentioned wanting to go release them together, I decided to get a head start, so we could do it as soon as possible. I couldn't stand to wait another couple weeks."
"That's so cool of you, Athena!" Robin piped in, her eyes glittering partly from the fireflies but partly from the shimmery makeup she'd applied. Athena had seen her several times since the trial last October, but only recently did she feel as if she'd met the real Robin Newman — this one with shoulder length tawny hair, and outfits all frills and lace.
"Hey, it's not like I just stood around and watched," Hugh protested, and jabbed a thumb in Athena's direction. "This one would still be walking home right now if I hadn't been gentlemanly enough to drive her there and back."
"Yeah, more like you stood around and did nothing, not even watched." Craning her head up, Athena stuck her tongue out at him, which only earned a scoff.
"Aw, man, I would've helped you, Athena!" Robin looked positively annoyed at Hugh, on Athena's behalf. Good, served him right. "It would have been a B-L-A-S-T!"
"Well, whenever you three have the free time and gas money, we can make a day of it. As long as Cykes and her grody sneakers don't ride shotgun — OW!" Hugh rubbed at his side where Athena had just elbowed him.
Juniper finally tore her gaze from the jar, and glanced around, first at Athena and then the other two. Her smile brightened, and Athena forgot how to breathe for a moment. "We're... all together now. And I have a little extra money. We could go up to the mountain and set them free tonight!"
"Heck yeah, I'm not going to sleep any time soon!" Robin clapped her hands together and did a small hop of joy. "I'm so PUMPED from that art exhibit, I can just feel the inspiration fueling me right now!"
"What? I didn't mean now! We were just there. I'm not driving all the way back out, and then back to the city again."
"Oh, come on, Hugh," Athena said. "You signed up for this!"
"I signed up for nothing. Do I look like a chauffeur?"
"No, you look like a dingbat, but I guess you could be a chauffeur too." Athena giggled, causing Junie and Robin to join in.
"Look, I have that tournament tomorrow, and believe it or not, I might not be at peak condition if I don't get a good night's rest."
"C'mon, Hugh! P-L-E-A-S-E?"
A sigh. "Robin..."
"Please, Hugh? Pretty please?"
Another sigh, more of a groan. "Juniper... it's late. Why don't you and Athena go tomorrow, or...?"
"O-Oh, well the forecast is calling for rain tomorrow and... then we have work and I don't want the fireflies to die and..."
As much time as Hugh spent posturing how nothing could penetrate his too-cool exterior, Athena would have suspected two adorable girls — even just friends — like Robin and Junie would be the exception. After what he'd told her today, about wanting to see Athena take initiative and make Juniper happy in a way only she could, now he was just going to wuss out?
"Listen, buster, I didn't almost snap my foot off running all over creation just so these fireflies could die in a jar!" She grabbed a fistful of Hugh's shirt as irritation surged through her. "If Junie wants to go back to the mountain and set 'em free tonight, then that's where we're going! ¿Comprendes?"
The smirk on Hugh's face gave it away, that sí, comprendo mucho; he'd tricked her into overreacting, in front of Juniper. Out of the corner of her eye, Athena saw Junie with her hands to her mouth, not worried but... struck. What Myriam would have wanted on the front page when either Robin or Hugh had confessed.
She ignored the blush spreading across her own face and backed away, gently smoothing out the wrinkles in Hugh's shirt. "Heh... er... Please?"
"Juniper should do the honors!" Robin exclaimed, twirling ahead of the other three and letting her flowy skirt billow out in the night's wind.
"I agree." Hugh passed Athena, his arm checking hers on the way, causing her to glance up at him and catch his imploring expression. He was on her side, after all — her... ugh, wingman in this. Somehow, given their very recent bonding moment, she felt obligated, even a little, to not let him down.
But mostly, Athena knew it was about not letting herself down. Rescuing two childhood friends from prison, helping to bring down the Dark Age of the Law, besting an internationally studied prosecutor... what was a little love confession, right?
The group were in the same clearing where Athena had originally caught her first batch of fireflies, only this time much further in from where Hugh's car was parked. The forest was to the east, and the mountain slope overtook the rest of the horizon, but where they currently stood was flat, a patchwork of tickly ankle-high grass and clover. Above them an endless sea of stars twinkled against the sky, rich and black like a great velvet blanket unfurled.
Athena handed the jar over to Junie, and Robin cheered her on. But that encouragement disintegrated as fast as it came. Again and again Junie twisted her arm, but the cap wouldn't budge.
"It won't open, Thena!"
"Here, let me try." Athena grabbed the jar, clutching the lid solidly and torquing her arm for all she was worth. But it was undeniably stuck. And Hugh was undeniably sniggering at her, a hand by his mouth as if that could do anything to hide it.
[Put a lid on it!] Widget chirped as Athena strained herself further with one final attempt.
"Can't, I'm afraid. Seems it's already in use."
"Fine, you try it then!"
Athena thrust the jar at Hugh, who gladly accepted it. But after a few fruitless attempts of his own, that confidence quickly dropped into a blinking confusion. It would have been satisfying if it didn't mean that the fireflies were effectively trapped.
"God, Hugh!" Robin snatched the jar out of his hands, and stormed away a few steps, rounding to face the three of them. "I'd make a better lawyer than you! What's the first thing they shoulda taught you?!"
"Don't trust prosecutors." His snark was solely for Robin. "They're all shady, two-bit hacks only in it for the money."
"NO, MANNN!" Robin lifted the jar high above her head. "Think outside the BOX!"
"Robin, DON'T!"
Too late. Athena's shout was overruled by the cacophonous shattering of glass. Juniper all but dove towards her with a shriek, latching onto Athena's arm as the fireflies sprayed out in every direction. Hugh swore and Robin laughed wildly, laughs that transformed into protests that grew steadily more distant; Hugh must've been dragging her away, at least out of sight and earshot. And he was probably smirking the most blindingly arrogant smirk as he did.
It was Junie's trembling smile, the one pressed into her sweaty arm, that Athena was currently more concerned about.
"So um..." Athena's available hand patted nervously at her limp ponytail. "This isn't... exactly what I had in mind. When it came to us releasing fireflies together."
"It's not so bad, with you here." Junie glanced up at her, brown eyes reflecting the luminescent glow from the nearby fireflies. She slowly separated from Athena, but not before squeezing her arm gently.
There was such a sincerity in Junie's words, the same sincerity Athena knew she could always rely on. Hearing such an easy, natural statement from Junie only served to confuse Athena more — not about her own feelings, but why hadn't she done anything about this sooner?
"Hey, so... remember how I told you we should come out here together, you and me? And that it could be like old times?"
Junie nodded, and Athena's hand moved to her cheek. She let it rest there a few moments, wanting to make sure Junie wouldn't pull away. She didn't, so Athena brushed back a tendril of hair with her thumb, grazing beneath Junie's ear.
"Well, I... I guess what I realized as I was trying to make it like old times for you, trying to kind of... recreate everything, that I... I don't want it be like old times, Junie. I want... something new."
"...With me?"
It was supposed to be romantic, this night, this moment with Junie, but for how much Athena proclaimed she wanted something new, old habits died hard. She couldn't find it in herself to be too sappy; making Junie smile and laugh appealed to her far more than the possibility of having her cough her way through overjoyed tears.
"Oui oui, mademoiselle! Do you see any other beautiful young judges here deserving of such a heartfelt confession?"
[Verdict: Smitten!]
"Ugh, Widget!" Athena's hand fell from Junie's face and clutched her digital companion.
Junie grinned at her, bright and twinkling, a sparkle framing the sentence that followed. "...Thena. When I told you I loved it in the city, I meant... because it was with you, and..."
Athena sighed quietly, content, hearing all that she needed to. "I know what you meant, Junie. Er, I know now, anyway. And... I mean it too." The strings of Junie's heart were clear and unmistakable. It was so peaceful, a mix of bees buzzing and the sing-song tweeting of chickadees. Comfortable. Happy. And it grew louder, stronger, until...
Junie's mouth closed in upon hers, soft and full and so very lovely. A gentle giggle escaped her, and Athena's eyes slid shut as she pressed into the kiss harder, wanting to drink up the sweet warmth her Junie emitted. Hugh O'Conner being right was a small sacrifice to pay if it meant this moment being the first of many, as every last inch of Athena's body swum in an electric glow that outshone the dozens of fireflies dancing around them.
This takes place approximately a year after SoJ, but I started writing it before SoJ came out, hence the lack of mentions of Apollo/SoJ plot. I have so many headcanons as to the paths the Themis trio's lives take, that I'm still working on figuring out, but the one consistent part of it is that JUNITHENA IS A THING. I love these girls so much!
Hope you enjoyed; feedback is always appreciated!