(Cyrus is 13, Juniper is 14, Aspen is 10)
Cyrus slumps against the window and looks outside with a pout. It began to rain just as he and Juniper got to their spot so they were stuck inside for the time being per Cyrus’ request; he couldn’t afford to get all his layers wet; it would be a pain to get completely dry afterwards. So there he sits, waiting and wishing for the rain to go away and stuck at Juniper's house where an unwelcomed third wheel— ‘not third wheel like that. they’re just friends and will only ever be friends, she’d never like someone like me that way’ —liked to hang about. speaking of-
“Hey you guys are back early what happened?” a childish voice said, slowly getting louder as the water genasi approached.
“Hey Asp!” Juniper says cheerfully “Cyrus didn’t want to have fun in the rain so we’re staying here until it goes away. What have you been up to today?”
Cyrus rolls his eyes at her comment but goes back to staring longingly outside while the two siblings talk. He hears the occasional giggle or exasperated comment from Juniper but doesn’t think much of it until Juniper steps in his line of sight. He hears the muffled snicker of Aspen but doesn’t even process as Juniper puts on her best pleading face.
“Cyrus, I know you really don’t like the rain buttt…” She says with a hopeful smile. Cyrus can’t help but think how cute it looks on her and they want to see it more often. “If you took off some of your layers then you wouldn’t be as soaked and we could have fun in the rain! I promise it’ll be fun. I do it all the time please please pleaseee” star begs, looking down at Cyrus with the biggest puppy dog eyes ever.
Cyrus’ face flushes with a deep purple as night looks away and stutters out “O-Oh i mean, y-yeah um we can do that”. They try to keep themself together but that’s made exponentially harder when they look back up to see Juniper’s beaming smile and even harder when star hugs him.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is going to be so fun I promise!” She exclaims, slightly shaking him like a rag-doll out of excitement.
“y-yeah no p-problem!” Cyrus says with an awkward smile. “How different will it be from a normal day though besides all the water?”
Juniper gives a sharp grin at that “Oh you’ll see.”
Turns out it is almost exactly the same but with extra mud and drenched clothes.
“You lied! You said it would be different but it’s the same but now I'm drenched and cold” Cyrus tries to be mad but one look at Juniper spinning around in the rain exhausts that spark as quick as it came.
“It’s different enough!” Juniper laughs, “Come on, dance with me, I promise it’s better in the rain.” She says as she extends her hand out to Cyrus.
“And why should I believe you?” He asks, crossing his arms and puffing out his chest with a pout.
“Trust me, I’ll show you why”
And how could Cyrus say no to that.
So they danced in the rain together; it was rough, wild, and very energetic but it was theirs. It felt like the whole world was drowned out as muddy shoes dance across wet ground, the serene white noise of the falling rain guided them through an unknown rhythm and soaked them completely but it doesn’t matter in the end; all that mattered was that they’re with each other. They kept dancing, Juniper taking the lead with Cyrus following, never taking his eyes off her crescent eyes full of mirth or her smile that got bigger whenever star looked at him or the way her ear fins fluttered when star’s happy. They’re so focused on taking in every detail of her that they don’t expect for their foot to land on an uneven surface as they go face first into the muddy ground..
“Ughhhhh” Cyrus groans, annoyed at the mud now covering him and making an embarrassment out of himself in front of his cru- friend… his friend.
Juniper looks shocked but can’t quite wipe the grin off her face “Need a hand?” She offers and Cyrus accepts.
Pulling night up with a strength they were not expecting, he stumbles to his feet and tries to make himself somewhat presentable, wiping his face off and spitting out any mud he accidentally ingested but stops as he hears Juniper's forced down giggles turn into full blown laughs.
“Shut up dude! I don’t wanna hear it from you. This is your fault for dragging me out here. I can't believe you.” He says with a pout, feeling heat creep up his neck and spread across his face.
Juniper tries her best to calm her laughter down to be able to speak properly “Come onnn, you had fun, admit it! Also wow you are really light I could pick you up so easily” she giggles.
Cyrus’ face somehow flushes even darker as he stutters out “W-What the fuck! No I’m plenty big and strong, I-I should pick you up instead. I could totally do it!” They say with the confidence of a man who definitely can not pick her up.
“Sure short stack” She grins and with Cyrus busy blue-screening Juniper takes the opportunity to pick him up.
Words can not describe all the conflicting feelings that well up inside him at that moment. His stomach swoops and his heartbeat speeds up, his whole face no doubt a brilliant shade of dark purple by now. All their racing thoughts come to a screeching halt and all they can think is,
‘What the fuck. I’m so fucking screwed’
Juniper is none the wiser as she totes them around, carrying them like a sad wet cat, bridal style of course.
“Wow you really are this light; I should do this more often” Star jokes and it shocks Cyrus out of his thoughts and he scrambles for a reply.
Night begins to struggle in her arms trying his best to escape out of her grasp. “No no, that's not really necessary, this is a one time thing.” They pant, eventually finding an opening and slipping out of her arms.
“Alright alright, one time thing, got it.” She says with a mischievous smirk, holding out her hand in truce.
Cyrus shakes star’s hand and immediately a revenge plan forms in his head. He continues holding her hand and his eyes light up with mischief. She knows that look but by the time she processes it it’s too late as he shakes all the mud and water off like a dog, dirtying Juniper even more than holding him did. Star closes her eyes and waits until they’re done. Cracking them open after the onslaught, she sees Cyrus standing there with a big innocent smile.
“You’re right this was fun.”