#* [conversations] 💬 ft. juniper

[edenxmonroe]

LOCATION: Down the street from Eden's house CLOSED for @mystycfics (Juni)

Eden had been spending a lot of time in her garden, tending to her flowers and vegetable plants, just being in her happy place. It was what she needed, and the day was nice so there was nowhere better to be. Having cleared out the last of the weeds that had invaded her favourite flowerbed, she'd stood up and started walking around just to stretch her legs after being crouched down for so long.

Looking down the street, she thought she could see a familiar person in the distance. At first, she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her, but the longer she looked, she realised they weren't. Walking down the sidewalk, her pace quickened as she got closer to the person. "Juni?!" She called out, hoping it was really her. As she finally caught up with her, unable to contain her excitement, Eden pulled her into a hug. "I've missed you so much!"

[kaixwinter]

LOCATION: Sunflower Trinkets CLOSED for @mystycfics (Juniper)

It had been years since Kai had last seen Juniper. He knew she was Cricket's older sister, and that she had up and vanished about ten years ago. He hadn't thought much of it then, figuring that sort of thing just happened. People left, but it wasn't often, in his experience, that they came back. But, Raven's Peak wasn't a normal place, so maybe it did make some sense.

He wasn't sure if she would remember him, so he planned on just walking past her. But, as he got closer, he could sense something off about her. It was something familiar to him, something he couldn't ignore. He'd had more dealings with demons in the past couple of months than he'd ever thought he would, and he could sense the energy of hell on her. "Hey." He said, not really sure how to start a conversation with her. "Welcome back to town." Kai continued, eyeing her carefully. "I don't know if you remember me, I'm Kai. I know Cricket."

[riaxnunez]

It felt, to Ria at least, that the two of them had more in common than that realised. And that brought a sense of comfort. There were times where Ria felt that she was letting her siblings down, that her best was never quite good enough. Juniper seemed to understand that, and Ria was glad to know that she wasn't alone.

"Hey, any time you need a pep talk, feel free to find me. I'm always around somewhere, either here or at The Golden Spoon." She said with a chuckle, hoping that the two of them would cross paths again sometime. "Us oldest siblings gotta stick together, right?"

~~*~~

That sounded shockingly similar to what Cricket had said. That even in death, their love for each other remained there and strong. Her stepmother would say similar things. That love could truly conquer all. She'd never seen an example of that as good as what they'd gone though. What Juni had put them all through.

"Well that's not very hard," Juni shrugged. Supporting her sibling was probably the easiest thing she'd ever done in her life. And she would continue to do it even if it wasn't. It was a job. It was her job. "You know it was really nice to meet you out here. I think I needed to hear those things today."

[riaxnunez]

"It doesn't matter where you are or what's going on, that kind of bond is always there. Distance doesn't make it disappear." Ria said, shaking her head. She didn't know what the older woman's situation was, but she was sure that whatever had happened, that love was always there. "As older siblings, we don't have to know how to do what they do, we just have to support them in what they love." That was how Ria went into things with her siblings. She was always there to encourage and support them, even if that meant doing some things that weren't always things she wanted to do. She'd always do them though, and she'd never complain.

~~*~~

"I was," Juni admitted sadly, "There was a bit there where I wasn't able to be. Not from where I was. I used to tell myself that it couldn't have been a huge loss and it probably didn't affect them much." Now she spent a lot of time convincing herself that her loss alone couldn't have caused the chaos that followed. And it surely couldn't have contributed to the death of her step-mother, though it sounded like her father blamed her disappearance for that as well. "But I am back now so I can be there for them again. Though I am definitely not an artist." She laughed lightly and shook her head. Juni could barely draw a stick figure. Cricket had to have gotten their talent from their mother.

[riaxnunez]

Ria was quiet as Juni spoke of her sibling. There was something in her tone that Ria recognised, it was the same love and fondness that she had for own own siblings. Not just Carlos and Natalia, but the others too. Her three other younger siblings were old enough to be out on the world on their own, two of them had worked hard to get scholarships to college, and one was travelling, seeing as much of the world as he could. Ria missed them a lot, but she talked to them as often as she could.

"They sound amazing. There's something about the way artists see the world that is just... beyond." It was the only way Ria could think of to describe it. "It's great that they have a sister like you that clearly loves them so much, I bet you've always been their biggest cheerleader."

~~*~~

Listening to the woman talk about her siblings and all of the wonderful and caring things she had to say was calming Juni. Hell had truly affected her, more than she really wanted to admit, but she refused to let it show. She was just going to be herself. She had to. The alternative wasn't an option.

"Oh Cricket," Juni sighed with contentment. This was truly her favorite subject, "They are an artist. And I don't mean like they sketch occasionally and can make pretty pictures, they do, but I mean...they have the heart and soul of an artist. Creative and caring and able to see things in the human experience and drag those out and make them beautiful. The way they view the world is just..." she bit her lip trying to find the word that accurately portrayed what she was really feeling. There just didn't seem to be one. "It just gives me hope."

[riaxnunez]

"I think Natalia will end up writing history books or something. She's so into that stuff, less of the fiction, more of the non-fiction. And she just has this way of interpreting things that have happened in the past that is so open and it's honestly crazy that she's only twelve." She shook her head at the thought. Her youngest sister was one of the smartest people she knew, and she had spent many hours listening to her talk about the books that she had read, reciting them as if she had committed them to memory.

"Carlos definitely has what it takes to be an NBA star. He's got the drive and the talent. He's just so determined. I remember the first time he managed to throw the ball through the hoop in the park. He was so excited he started crying." Ria recalled the memory with a smile. That had been a good day. "What about your sibling? What are they like?"

~~*~~

The library. That was something Juni could relate to. Bringing home more books than anyone thought was possible to read and still reading them anyway. She pictured a young girl who looked suspiciously like the woman next to her using a flashlight to read under the covers until late into the night.

Sports was never something she was into. She wasn't as graceful as she looked but she did enjoy dancing. And she remembered spending summers in that exact same park with Cricket when she was younger. Juni would push her on the swings for hours.

The more things changed, the more they stayed the same. Life always went on. "What do you think they'll be when they grow up? A librarian and basketball star?"

[riaxnunez]

"The kids?" Ria asked, looking over at Juni who seemed like she was on the verge of distress. "Natalia loves reading, loves it. She's always begging me to take her to the library and she always checks out as many books as she can, and I always think that there's no way she could ever get through them all, but she always proves me wrong. And she's obsessed with the museum, she's been pestering me for weeks to take her there again because apparently it doesn't matter that things don't really change there, she still finds it all just as fascinating as the first time she saw them. She's the smartest twelve year old I've ever met." She let out a warm laugh, shaking her head.

"And Carlos, he's really into sports. If there's a sports team he can join, he'll join it. He just loves being outside. During the summer, he spends most of his time at the park with his friends hanging out and practicing whatever sport they're super into at the time. I'll barely see him between breakfast and dinner. He's talked about wanting to play basketball professionally one day, and I just love to see how passionate he is about it." There was nothing but love in her voice as she talked about her youngest brother. "He's got this beat up old basketball that our dad gave him one of the last times he came around. It doesn't hold air anymore, it's completely worn down, but he just won't get rid of it. I think it's what drives him."

Ria let out a sort of happy sigh. "They're just really great kids, and I love them so much, and I can't wait to see the adults they'll grow up to be."

~~*~~

Juni could feel the darkness in her shifting. It felt like a complete other entity sometimes and she was watching the world like on a TV screen. She was becoming more and more reminded of being in the pit and the anxiety was rising. She hugged her knees tighter to her chest to try and keep herself together. Her breathing almost unnaturally even.

But there was something that she did when she was down there. Something that had saved her sanity and others, though she had no idea of that at the time. Not just remembering what she had here on earth but making others remember it too. Hearing about their lives saved her more than she'd admit. "Tell me about them," she finally said. Almost a plea.

[riaxnunez]

"It is, but it's also incredibly rewarding." Carlos and Natalia weren't hers, but sometimes it felt like they were. She'd been the one in charge when each of them were born, their mother hadn't really paid them much attention. There were times when Natalia, even now, would call Ria 'mom' by mistake. At first, Ria had corrected her, but after a while she'd stopped. She was the closest thing to a mother that those kids had, and she wouldn't change a thing. She loved them, she would do anything for them. "Being there for all the small moments, knowing you had a part in making them happen, there's really no feeling like that." Ria smiled warmly, thinking back on the moments that meant the most to her, the ones that made it all worth it.

~~*~~

Juni nodded. She felt a strange shift in her chest. The urge to offer that choice. She clamped her jaw shut and simply nodded. The ugly thing inside of her wanting more than it was owed. This was the part of that choice that would never go away. At the very least, she would have to hold off until her family was gone. But having someone understand what she had to do. That was a relief even if the demon side of her was willing to exploit it.

She wanted to say that even on this side of it, it was worth it. That was a true statement. But it felt like there was ulterior motives now. "It's hard," she finally admitted, "Taking care of children who you love like your own but aren't."

[edenxmonroe]

The familiarity of the moment filled Eden with a warmness that she'd been missing. Wherever Juni had been, whatever she had been through, it hadn't changed the feeling between them. Juni was the mother figure Eden needed, she was the sister figure that Eden had never had. Juni truly meant so much to Eden, and she was glad that they could pick things up where they had left off.

When Juni sat down next to her and asked if she was ready, Eden nodded her head. "Yeah, I'm ready." She said, a soft smile on her face as she pulled a blanket from the back of the couch and draped it over the two of them.

~~*~~

"That seems fitting," Juni nodded as she looked over the book and read the summary quickly, "A new title for a new start." She commented absently as she made her way over to the couch and settled down next to Eden. It would make sense that they would read a new story to start their new chapter. It was new for both of them really, though she was sure they both had no idea just how new it truly was. Or that it might be temporary. Juni hadn't changed at all in the last ten years and she wasn't sure she ever would even now that she was back. But she was certain that Eden would. And they would have to change again.

But for now they had fresh bread and new stories. And that would be good enough for today.

"Ready?" She looked over at Eden with a smile as she opened the book in her lap.

[riaxnunez]

Ria gave Juni's question some thought, and after a brief pause, she answered. "Yeah, I would. I don't think there's anything I wouldn't do to make their lives better. They deserve so much more than what they have. So, yeah, I'd make that sacrifice." She wanted nothing more than to give them the best life, but on her own there was only so much she could do, only so much she could give them. "Anything to give them a life better than the one I had." Ria added with a slight nod of her head. It was clear by the way she spoke that she meant every word. In a way, hadn't she already started doing that?

~~*~~

Choices. It all did come down to choices. Juni nodded and offered a smile that was only really sad around the edges. She brought her knees tighter to her chest and rested her chin on them to look at the water again, her book forgotten to the side. If she was ever given the opportunity to go somewhere other than hell, or even the opportunity to die again, would she regret those choices? No, probably not. But even being at peace with her family once they went wouldn't be an option for her. She'd never be able to do that. But she did have now. And this time that was given back to her. "If you could make it better for them at your own eternal expense, would you?" She asked without looking back at the girl. Were there truly others that would make that choice that she made?

[edenxmonroe]

The selection of books that Eden had hadn't really changed much over the years. All of her old favourites were still there, the only real difference was the addition of a few new titles that she'd picked up since returning home from college. While she was gone, her things had been packed away in boxes, waiting to be shipped to wherever she ended up for her residency. Instead, she had found herself back in her hometown, so moving them from her childhood home to her small cottage had been relatively easy.

Taking a seat on the couch, Eden looked over at the book that Juni had found. "I haven't read that one yet, so that's a good choice." She said with a smile. It had been one that she had picked up just a few weeks ago, the look of the cover being what had drawn her to it. "I'm not sure what it's about, but it could be interesting."

~~*~~

Even cleaning up a mess like this was something that she missed during the years that she was away. That was really how she had to think of it now. Or refer to it when talking with people. They wouldn't really understand the complexities of it. Except for Gabe. And now Warren. She hummed an off beat tune as she helped Eden clean up their mess, there wasn't much of one. Much less than when Eden was younger.

Once they had wandered into the living room and the girl had pointed out the shelf, Juni's nerves were all but gone. Everything was normal now. "Let's see," she perused the options, "We could do one of the fairytales like when you were little. Or what's this one? This looks new." Juni held up a book that she didn't recognize.

[riaxnunez]

"That's an interesting way to look at it, I never really thought about it that way." From the outside, it was easy to assume some people had it easier than others, but maybe it all came down to what they did with what they got. It gave Ria something to think about, and she was sure she would be giving it more thought later while she was laying in bed, trying to fall asleep. "I think most metaphors about life make things out to be fair to some and unfair to others. When really, it all just comes down to circumstance, right? No two lives are the same, it's all about the choices you make and how you decide to handle stuff." It was like Juni had opened Ria's eyes to something she had never considered before. "Kids have got it pretty tough, no matter what kind of life they have. Shit can just suck, there's no two ways around that."

~~*~~

Juni hummed. She wasn't sure she agreed. But then she had helped raise Cricket on the periphery. She had a step mother and a father that cared and were involved. Of course that changed the moment she went to hell and everything fell apart. She probably should take the blame for that. She didn't have her own children and probably never would. Being what she was probably took that choice away from her as well. And someday, she would likely have to watch as her family faded. It wasn't something she had looked into for obvious reasons. She could live with the ignorance a little longer. "I'm not sure anyone is dealt a great hand to be honest. Some are just given the rules of the game ahead of time so they know how to play. Some cheat," she laughed lightly, "And some are luckier than others. Sad really that so many metaphors of life are broken down to a game. As if a child should be able to do it alone."

[riaxnunez]

"Well, I haven't claimed this particular spot, so you're free to stay there as long as you want." Sure, it was a good spot, and Ria did often sit there, but it wasn't the end of the world if she had to sit somewhere else. If the woman wanted to sit there, Ria was more than happy to find another spot. There was plenty of beach, and the view from any part of it would be just as nice. She wasn't even sure why she liked this particular part, she'd end up with sand in her underwear regardless.

"Sadly no, I've been here my whole life. I just don't get out much." Ria chuckled, shaking her head. Looking at the woman, she wasn't sure she recognised her, but there were a lot of people in town that she didn't know. "You mentioned you'd been away, have you been back long?" She asked. "I'm Ria, by the way."

~~*~~

"Yes," Juni smiled shyly, her eyes dropping back to the book in front of her, "I think some people can be very particular about their space though. It's been quite some time since I was home and I'm sure others have claimed this as theirs since then." It was mostly true. Supernatural creatures could be territorial by nature and prior to her...incident...she had been only human. Her sibling had been the special one. It never really bothered her except when it was used against her. Anyone would be upset by that.

She turned to look up at the girl again trying to see if there was anything familiar about her. There were so many new people in town that it wasn't unusual for her to not recognize someone. In fact, it was easier if she didn't. Because that meant they wouldn't recognize her either and she wouldn't have to have an awkward explanation of where she'd been. "Are you new to town?"

[edenxmonroe]

Eden was the type of person who, if someone made a big and positive impact on her life, she would keep that person around. Juni had always been one of those people, and so Eden had no intention of ever letting the older woman think that their relationship could ever change. Juni meant the world to Eden, and it felt truly surreal that she was standing there in Eden's kitchen after so long.

Hugging Juni back tightly, Eden made the most of the feeling it gave her. The maternal presence that she had missed so much was back, and she couldn't be more glad. Especially now. "Good, I'm glad to hear it. There will always be a place in my life for you, no matter how much time passes." She spoke warmly and genuinely.

"I think that sounds like a great idea." Eden said, taking a step back so that she could start cleaning up. It didn't take long, it was a routine that she knew well, and it was only a few minutes before she was leading Juni back through to the living room. "There's some books on the shelf over there. Take your pick."

~~*~~

Juni couldn't help the way her cheeks flushed pink at the praise. She would never understand why Eden, or anyone for that matter, would put her up on a pedestal. Seemed like a long way to fall. But the girl was also so kind and that deserved it's own kind of praise. Though Juni felt selfish in part for wanting to keep the relationship. Eden made her feel better about her own circumstances. She still loved her even with the dark cloud hanging over her head. It was more than she could have asked for.

"Well," she stood from where she was leaning on the counter and moved to wrap her arms around the girl again, pulling her in for a hug, likely getting flour all over her, "I think that feeling is mutual and I will always try to come back to you. That I can promise you." She pulled back and brushed the girl's cheek gently, tucking her hair behind her ear again.

"Well let's see. We can clean this up and then I could read to you like I used to. What do you think?"

[riaxnunez]

There was something about walking along the beach that brought Ria a sense of calm that she couldn't find anywhere else. Often when she found herself feeling overly stressed, she'd head down to Syreni Sands and just walk barefoot through the shallow water. It was something she had done since she was a little girl, the sound of the waves crashing in the distance the one thing that could clear her mind. At the moment she had plenty to be stressed about, with little money and no car, she just needed some peace for a while.

Heading towards the spot where she would usually sit and watch the waves, she noticed a person sitting there. It wasn't a big deal, there was plenty of beach for the two of them, so she planned on walking a little further down. But, when she heard the woman speak, she stopped. "What? Oh, no, you're totally fine there. There's a whole lotta beach."

Where: Syreni Sands

When: Early Morning

Who: Juniper and OPEN

Juni was finding it harder and harder to put her mask on. She had to keep it together for Gabe and for Cricket or climbing out of the pit was just going to be a waste. She wasn't exactly sure what she had expected but this was pretty far from it. Maybe she had expected too much. If she was honest with herself, a part of her thought she could really go back to what she had before. As if life would just resume where she had left it, with who she had left it. But that wasn't the case. There were still people that relied on her though. Her nightmares seemed to be getting worse since the demons had demolished the town but she tried to keep the schedule. Help clean up the town, go to her job, keep up the house, visit Cricket. She just felt so breakable even though she wasn't. She wasn't even human anymore.

Taking an hour or two break down at the beach seemed a safe place to just sit and detox from everything. She took one of her library books and sat reading it without actually retaining any of the words. One of the pages had really got her attention. There were tear marks and she ran her finger over them gently wondering what had made the reader cry at this particular part. Or had it been something going on in their life? She'd never know. There were footsteps in the sand and Juni jumped slightly. "Oh sorry, am I in your way?" She shuffled her feet in the sand where she sat as if she wasn't the only person on a very open beach right now, "Do you need me to move?"

[riaxnunez]

Ria shook her head. "They're good kids because of themselves, not because of me." She wasn't about to go taking credit for that. Both Natalia and Carlos were smart kids, they were everything Ria wished she could've been at their ages. She was more proud of them than she knew how to put into words. "I am proud of them though, unbelievably so." The look on her face showed just how much she loved those kids. It wasn't that she loved them more than her other two siblings, she was just closer with the youngest two. They were the reasons she got up in the morning, the reasons she smiled when their small house was filled with laughter. Sometimes, it was like they weren't her siblings at all, but were her own children. "They're making the best out of the hand life has dealt them."

~~*~~

Good kids. Juni was one of those people that believed all kids were good kids. Some were just not given the support or care that they needed or deserved. The world could be cruel and harsh and it was up to each of them to show others that it was only that way because we let it. The more kindness people brought into the world, the better it could be. She was meeting more and more people in Raven's Peak that understood this. People like Ria.

"They are likely good kids because you are a good person. You are the example that they model their life by. You should be proud."