pairing: sim jake×named reader
genre: fluff, crush campus
warnings: none
words count: 1270 words
miffy's note: this is so lovely actually. . . .
synopsis: During a university camping trip, Kathy finds herself unexpectedly sharing a tent with Jake, the charming classmate she’s secretly admired from afar. What starts as a night of nervous anticipation turns into something more when they wake up to find themselves accidentally cuddling under the moonlit sky. As the warmth of their shared moment lingers, Kathy begins to wonder if this could be the start of something new between them. In the quiet of the forest, will a simple accident lead to a budding romance?
The sky was painted in hues of deep orange and purple as the sun dipped below the horizon. The warm, golden light of dusk filtered through the trees, casting long shadows across the campsite. The university had organized this camping trip as a break from the stress of exams, and students from all over the campus had signed up for a weekend of nature, bonding, and relaxation.
Kathy was standing by the campfire, chatting with a few of her classmates, trying to shake off the nervous energy that had settled in her stomach. She had always enjoyed camping—the fresh air, the crackling of the fire, and the stars twinkling in the night sky. But tonight, there was something different. Something that made her heart race in a way that wasn’t just from the excitement of being out in the wild.
Tall, with tousled dark hair and an easy smile, Jake was the kind of guy who seemed to have it all together. He was confident, charismatic, and effortlessly charming. They had shared a few classes together, and Kathy had always found herself sneaking glances at him across the lecture hall. But they had never really spoken outside of academic settings, and she doubted he even knew her name.
That was until earlier that evening when the camping group leader had announced the sleeping arrangements. Due to a mix-up with the tents, some of the students would have to double up. And as fate would have it, Kathy had been paired with Jake.
Her heart had nearly stopped when she heard the news, but she forced herself to play it cool, smiling and nodding as if it didn’t bother her in the slightest. But now, as the night crept closer and the fire began to die down, she couldn’t ignore the nervous fluttering in her chest.
Kathy jumped slightly, turning to see Jake standing beside her, a concerned look on his face.
“Oh, yeah, I’m fine.” she replied quickly, hoping her voice didn’t betray the butterflies in her stomach. “Just thinking about tomorrow’s hike.”
Jake chuckled softly, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Yeah, it should be fun. I heard the view from the top is amazing.”
Kathy nodded, grateful for the distraction, but she couldn’t stop herself from thinking about the tent they would be sharing tonight. She wondered how on earth she would manage to fall asleep with him so close.
As the last of the embers glowed in the firepit, the group began to disperse, some heading to their tents while others stayed up to stargaze. Jake and Kathy walked together in comfortable silence, their footsteps crunching on the leaves as they made their way to their tent.
Inside, the space was cozy, with just enough room for the two of them. Their sleeping bags were laid out side by side, and Kathy tried not to think about how little space there was between them.
Jake unzipped his sleeping bag and slipped inside, turning on his side to face her. “I promise I don’t snore.” he said with a teasing grin.
Kathy laughed softly, grateful for his lightheartedness. “Good to know. I don’t either, as far as I’m aware.”
She climbed into her own sleeping bag, trying to get comfortable as she turned off the small lantern they had brought with them. The tent was plunged into darkness, save for the faint glow of moonlight filtering through the thin fabric.
For a while, Kathy lay there, staring up at the ceiling of the tent, listening to the sounds of the forest outside. She was hyper-aware of Jake’s presence next to her, his breathing slow and even as he began to drift off to sleep.
She closed her eyes, willing herself to relax, but sleep was elusive. Every time she shifted, the fabric of her sleeping bag rustled, and she worried she was disturbing him. The tension in her body only grew as the minutes ticked by.
Eventually, though, exhaustion began to take over, and Kathy felt herself sinking into sleep. She didn’t know when it happened, but at some point in the night, she rolled over in her sleep, instinctively seeking warmth and comfort.
When she awoke, the first thing she noticed was the feeling of warmth enveloping her. She was snuggled up against something soft, her head resting on what felt like a pillow. For a moment, she remained blissfully unaware, her mind still foggy with sleep.
But then, she realized that the “pillow” beneath her head was moving. And it was warm. Very warm.
Her eyes snapped open, and she found herself staring at Jake’s chest, her cheek pressed against the fabric of his shirt. Her heart lurched as she realized she had, at some point during the night, cuddled up to him, her arm draped across his waist.
Mortified, Kathy tried to pull away as gently as possible, but as she did, Jake stirred, his eyes fluttering open.
“Morning.” he mumbled, his voice thick with sleep.
“Morning.” Kathy whispered back, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. She tried to shift back to her side of the tent, but Jake’s arm tightened around her, holding her in place.
“Sorry.” he said, a sheepish smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I guess I’m a cuddler.”
Kathy couldn’t help but smile, despite the awkwardness of the situation. “Me too, apparently.”
They stayed like that for a few moments, neither of them making a move to break the embrace. The awkwardness slowly began to melt away, replaced by a surprising sense of comfort. Kathy had never imagined that being this close to Jake could feel so… natural.
Finally, Jake sighed, loosening his hold on her. “We should probably get up before the others start wondering where we are.”
“Yeah, probably.” Kathy agreed, though she couldn’t deny the pang of disappointment she felt at the thought of leaving his warmth.
They slowly disentangled themselves from each other, and Kathy quickly busied herself with rolling up her sleeping bag, trying to ignore the way her heart was still racing. But as she stole a glance at Jake, she saw that his expression was just as flustered as hers.
As they packed up their tent and joined the rest of the group for breakfast, Kathy couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened. She wondered if Jake felt the same way, if he had been as affected by the accidental cuddle as she had.
The day passed in a blur of hiking and exploring, but every time their eyes met, there was a shared understanding between them, an unspoken connection that hadn’t been there before. And when they returned to the campsite that evening, Kathy couldn’t help but feel a flutter of anticipation at the thought of sharing a tent with him again.
As they settled in for the night, Jake turned to her, his expression serious yet soft. “Hey, Kathy… about last night…”
Kathy’s heart skipped a beat. “Yeah?”
He hesitated for a moment, as if searching for the right words. “I didn’t mind, you know. Cuddling, I mean. It was… nice.”
A shy smile spread across Kathy’s face. “Yeah, it was.”
Jake smiled back, and for the first time, Kathy felt like there was something more between them than just shared classes and a camping trip. Something deeper, something that had started with an accidental cuddle but could grow into something much more.
As they drifted off to sleep that night, side by side in the same tent, Kathy felt a warmth in her chest that had nothing to do with the sleeping bag or the fire outside. It was the warmth of possibility, of something new and exciting blossoming between them. And as she closed her eyes, she couldn’t help but hope that this was just the beginning of something beautiful.
