Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Pomni is so funny.

Especially when she’s freaking out, like right now.

“You [BEEP]hole!” Pomni cries at him as she runs as fast as her little legs will carry her across the savanna. Both she and Jax are fleeing from a giant [BEEP]ed off wildebeest. “I told you to stop aggravating it!”

They’re on a bug catching adventure in full explorer gear. Why on the savanna Jax isn’t certain. He would have gone with, like, a jungle theme? But it had been a request from Kinger and Caine couldn’t be [BEEP]ed to do anything but reuse the asset with a tinge of bitterness.

Pomni looks cute in her little beige outfit with the shorts and the knee high socks like a dork.

Jax jogs along, easily keeping up with her pace. “What was I supposed to do? Not holler at it and throw stuff?”

He scoffs. “As if.”

“Well that’s great for you,” Pomni pants, gasping in breaths and clutching at a stitch in her side. “But now I’m gonna get trampled—“

“We’re both gonna get trampled,” Jax corrects her, folding his arms behind his head as they flee just to show off how it’s so easy for him. ”Don’t be selfish, Pomni.”

“Aaargh!” Pomni cries, doubling her efforts and pulling past Jax a little. He easily surpasses her again with his long legs.

“See?” Jax says in a falsely placating tone. “You should team up with me more. Isn’t this fun?”

“It’s not fun!”

They skid around a leafy green tree that is definitely not indigenous to the region and the wildebeest keeps running. Pomni collapses to the ground, clutching at her little bug catching net and Jax wishes he could catch her in the net.

“This is why you suck, Pomni,” Jax says, sitting down next to her. “You’re so slow.”

“You— suck!” is Pomni’s panted response. She doesn’t seem genuinely mad at him and that’s something he likes about Pomni. He can get away with so much.

Though, at times, she gives him some solid pushback.

“Oh my god, where even are we!” Pomni cries.

“The savanna,” Jax says helpfully, adjusting the brim of his hat. “Why didn’t Caine give you a hat? Isn’t it too bright to see anything?”

“Yes, it’s too bright to see anything!”

“Maybe Caine didn’t want to put a hat on your hat,” Jax ponders, tapping his chin. “Oh, but that doesn’t make sense, you had one for baseball. Maybe he just hates you.”

Pomni's head drops back against the tree and for a second Jax thinks she passed out. He nudges her with his foot.

“Pomni?”

Pomni says nothing.

“Pomni, did you hear me? I said Caine hates you.”

Again, nothing.

“Pomni, I demand you respond to that.”

“It’s so hot,” Pomni wheezes. “He didn’t have to make it so realistically hot.”

“That’s also because he hates you,” Jax says gleefully.

Go on, get riled up, he wills. Jax wants to see it.

He reaches down to press on her head, hissing with false sympathy. “Tough luck.”

Pomni slaps exhaustedly at his hand. He doesn’t pull it back and she makes a sound of aggravation, starting to tug at her hat.

“Why can’t I take this stupid thing off,” she laments, but Jax is still fixating on the fact that she gave up trying to get his hand off of her. He presses it down as if attempting to keep the hat on. “It’s so hot!”

Pomni gives up and starts tugging on her little button up shirt to try and get some airflow. Jax’s eyes dart down to the tiny bit of her chest that’s visible.

just like at the bar

Nice.

Jax peeks a moment longer then takes off his hat and starts to wave it in obnoxious, exaggerated motions to fan her. “You gotta live, Pomni. Who else will capture all these bugs?”

They haven’t found even one.

Pomni holds up her empty collection jar and gives Jax an even look. She opens her mouth to say something.

Then she just sighs and clearly changes her mind because she leans forward, pulling back her collar to let him fan the back of her neck.

Jax stares at the exposed skin.

“I don’t know how we’re gonna find the others again,” Pomni grumbles.

“Oh darn,” Jax says. “Guess you’re stuck with lil ol’ me.”

“Maybe if we just go back the way we came?”

Pomni is still thinking about getting back to the others after Jax’s dismissal? Unforgivable.

“What do you wanna hang around them for, anyway? They’ll just complain the whole time,” Jax says with a dismissive roll of his eyes that Pomni can’t see. Which is a shame because he wants her to know he rolled his eyes.

“Besides, the buzzards are probably already picking them clean. You have to move on, Pomni.” Jax leans over and blows hard against the back of her neck.

Pomni lets out a sigh of relief and slumps a bit. Jax likes that that happened because of him.

“We’re gonna get eaten by mountain lions,” Pomni complains.

“Those only live in, like, Florida,” Jax says with another roll of his eyes. He’s feeling suddenly moody, his attitude changing with the breeze. ”GOD, Pomni, don’t you know your animals? Didn’t you go to kindergarten?”

“I didn’t want to go on this adventure!” Pomni complains. “I hate bugs!”

“Well, they clearly hate you too because they’re avoiding you too.“

Jax blows on her neck again and he thinks she shivers.

He hopes she did, that would be hot.

“I dunno what you’re so bothered about anyway,” Jax continues when she gives him silence. “It’s not like there have even been any around.”

The second he says that there’s a whirring sound and they both look over to see a giant locust has made its way to the shade of the tree.

“Ooh, lookie there, Pomni. Your first bug.”

Pomni’s expression wrinkles with disgust. “I dunno, that one’s pretty big. I don’t think it’ll fit in my jar.”

“You’re thinking too ethically,” Jax scolds. “Cram it in there!”

“Yeah, I’m not doing that. And it’s gross.”

“It’s a bug, they’re all gross,” Jax says.

“Not all bugs are.” Pomni gives him a frown. “Moths are fine. Butterflies are fine. Fireflies are fine.”

“Inconsistent,” Jax scolds. “Check this out.”

He grabs his net and gets into a crouch, creeping forwards until he’s in range of the bug and—

“Ha!” Jax brings his net down on the locust, swiping it up. “Got ‘em.”

He immediately swings the net around so it’s close to Pomni’s head. Pomni screams.

“Woooooah, it’s a wily one! I can’t wrangle him! Pomni, help!”

“No!” Pomni scrambles to get away. “Don’t you dare!”

“What, are you afraid of bugs?” Jax swings the net around again, precariously.

“No, I just don’t want it on me!” Pomni cries, trying to get up onto her feet. She trips over the tree root and falls back with a loud, “Oof!”

Some part of Jax wells up with glee, urging him to swing the net down onto Pomni with the locust inside. It’s difficult but he restrains himself, not wanting to push it too hard. This isn’t Gangle, this is Pomni.

Instead he dangles it over her menacingly. “Ooooh, I don’t know if I can contain it anymore. It might get out, Pomni!”

“You know what?” Pomni says, pushing herself up onto her feet and jabbing a finger at him. “I’m done. Goodbye.”

Pomni turns and starts off. Jax laughs, chasing after with the bug net slung over his shoulder.

“Aww, don’t do that,” he protests. “It’s not a big deal.”

“You don’t get to decide what’s a big deal for other people!” Pomni is still looking around, utterly lost. “What direction did we come from.”

“I’ll never teeeeell.”

“Jax,” Pomni sighs. “Why are you tormenting me?”

And that’s the million dollar question.

“What, you think I’m not gonna torment you just because we’re pals?” Jax asks.

The thing is, they’ve never established that they’re friends, despite it being carefully orchestrated by Jax. The way he thinks of it, he stole Pomni the [BEEP] away from Ragatha’s weak clutches and he’s proud of it.

They’re pals, right?

Pomni is looking at him with raised brows. Jax’s grin is just about to turn into a scowl when Pomni sighs and says,

“Well, I should have known that.”

pals

Jax’s grin stretches wider across his face with satisfaction. “[BEEP] right you should have known.”

But Jax knows his teasing of Pomni has become more aggressive recently.

Pomni gives him an unamused look, but then it morphs into alarm. She points at Jax, stuttering in a panicked voice.

“Jax— you— the—“

Just then he feels a tickle on his shoulder, then an unpleasant prickle. He looks over and sees that the locust is right next to his face, antennae whipping in the wind.

“Hello,” it says.

Jax yelps in alarm, snatching up the locust and hurling it as far away from himself as possible as cold adrenaline washes through him. He can feel the startled expression his face has distorted into and it quickly snaps to one of annoyance.

[BEEP] it! Pomni is going to think he looks lame!

His eyes move towards her like daggers.

Pomni is gaping in the direction Jax threw the locust. She looks up at him, clearly about to say something, then looks taken off guard. She laughs, which burns him up.

“What? Why are you mad at me?” she asks.

“Because you’re a monster,” Jax accuses baselessly. “Whatever, this is a stupid adventure.”

It’s stupid and Pomni is stupid and he’s stupid. God.

Pomni gives him a little frown and it emotionally activates Jax in a way he’s sure a therapist would have a field day with.

“What?” he snaps.

“Did it really freak you out that bad?” Pomni asks with a hint of genuine concern in her voice and ohhhh that burns him up.

“No I am not freaked out over some stupid bug! Those were just my killer instincts in effect!” Jax snaps, crossing his arms and looking away.

Ooooh who does she think she is, being all worried about something lame like that? He’ll throw her down a ravine.

“Why don’t you go find the others if you’re so desperate for their company,” Jax sulks, on the verge of crashing out.

“I have no idea where we are,” Pomni says.

“Oh but you would—“

“Are you okay?” Pomni interrupts.

It’s like a match to gasoline. Literally the worst thing she could have asked.

“I have never been more okay in my whole life!” Jax cries like a completely sane and normal person. The words echo across the expansive plains.

He huffs out sharply and says at a more reasonable volume, “Just fine and dandy.”

Jax’s chest is buzzing with his misplaced aggression. He’s so worked up over nothing.

This is Pomni’s fault. Not his.

“O—kay,” Pomni says in a stilted voice.

she doesn’t believe me

At least she’s leaving it alone. But her eyes still look concerned and that makes Jax feel crazy.

don’t care about me

He rolls his eyes, crossing his arms and looking around in a slump. He points in a random direction.

“We came from there.”

“Are you sure?” Pomni asks doubtfully.

“Of course I’m sure. [BEEP] it.”

Jax has no clue.

“I have an idea,” Pomni says, clearly not believing him. “Can you give me a boost?”

She walks up to the tree and starts trying to climb it, reaching for a limb that’s just a little out of her reach.

Jax would usually be inclined to watch her fail then ditch her at some point when the amusement had worn off but even in the depths of his mood he knows he can’t do that if he wants to keep Pomni around.

So he wanders over, gripping Pomni by the waist and tossing her up towards the branch above the one she’s reaching for. “Allyoop!”

Pomni screams, latching onto the branch with both arms and legs.

“Not like that!” she cries. But she rights herself fairly quickly and starts shakily climbing up the tree.

Jax watches her make her way up. She seems to grow more and more nervous the higher she goes.

Jax cups his hand to his mouth to call up to her, “You regretting that yet?”

Pomni is frozen on a branch.

“….. yes,” she says in a nervous little voice.

God she’s so [BEEP]ing cute it makes Jax feel nuts. “That’s what you get for disrespecting me!”

He showed her.

Pomni shifts anxiously on her branch.

“Well, can you see anything?” Jax finally prompts her.

“Oh! Uh…” Pomni scoots a little further up and peeks out of the treetop. “…it all just looks like the savanna.”

Jax scoffs and puts his hands on his hips. “That’s what you get for climbing up so high.”

Pomni is silent and that irks Jax.

“What, can’t face your own actions?” He doesn’t like being ignored by her.

Pomni doesn’t speak for a few more seconds that have Jax prickling.

“Jax…?”

“What?” Jax asks, a little snippy, though he can’t help but notice the anxious tone in her voice that makes his ears prick up a little more.

Pomni says something so quietly he can’t hear it.

Jax puts a hand to his ear and asks more loudly, “What was that? Can’t hear you from aaaaall the way down here!”

“I don’t think I can get down!” Pomni hollers down at him in a sudden panic.

Ah

She’s stuck.

Goodie, Jax thinks with a flare of amusement.

Jax rests his fists on his hips, shaking his head and tutting at her. “All that attitude and for what? Now look at you, like a kitten up a tree.”

Pomni sighs and puts her face in her hands, clearly giving up on the situation.

Jax grins as this all swings back around in his favor. “Oh alright! I guess I’ll get you down. What would you do without me? Bet you’re glad I’m here now.”

Pomni is only in this situation because of him.

Jax skitters up the trunk, grabbing a branch and starting to climb up into the tree.

He reaches the branch where Pomni is sitting, wearing a smirk on his smug face. “Well, well, fancy meeting you here.”

Pomni gives a world weary sigh and bows her head. “I didn’t think this out.”

“You really didn’t,” Jax says. “What were you thinking climbing a tree if you’re afraid of heights?”

“Well, you weren’t helping!” Pomni throws her arms up.

“Ah-ah,” Jax scolds. “Don’t deflect. Let’s talk about you, Pomni.”

Pomni scowls. “What about me?”

Jax looks at her, really taking her in so he can cook up something to rag on her about.

He looks at her blunt cut bangs, the way her hair frames her face.

He looks at her brow all furrowed with annoyance and regret.

He looks at her little mouth curved into a pout.

He thinks about kissing her.

“What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever found in an abandoned building?” Jax asks, body leaning into her like a nudge only he doesn’t move away.

Pomni doesn’t move away, either. It’s something Jax hyper focuses on. She gives him a quizzical look.

“Uh…?” Then he watches her slowly gather her bearings. “In an abandoned building? I guess…”

Pomni grimaces.

“I found a fully assembled car in the basement of an abandoned office building.” She frowns. “That really freaked me out. There was, like, no way to have gotten it down there.”

“What? That’s insane! Was someone just building it down there?” Jax laughs, rocking back precariously on the branch before slumping into her again. “Pretty cool of you to go down into the basement, though. Weren’t you afraid of the killer?”

It is cool, though.

Pomni’s cool.

He’s managed to get cruise control back on. It’s smooth sailing again. He is not going to crash out.

“I mean,” Pomni says awkwardly. “It’d be kind of lame to videotape myself going through an abandoned building then chickening out for one room.”

“I thought you weren’t posting these caring about other people’s opinions,” Jax teases.

“I wasn’t,” Pomni says firmly. “It’s a personal pride thing.”

“Oh, you have pride, do you? You have self-esteem, do you?” Jax laughs. “A rare trait around these parts. I, of course, am teeming with it.”

Pomni laughs.

A little giggle, despite herself. A little genuine smile.

“Well, that’s for sure,” she says like Jax’s self-esteem is a good thing.

She’s so precious it makes Jax feral. “Ever see anything really spooky? Ever feel like the protagonist of an indie horror game?”

“The car was the spookiest thing,” Pomni says. “And, uh, yeah actually.”

“You’re so brave,” Jax says like he’s making fun of her, though he’s impressed. There’s more to Pomni than meets the eye and he wants to explore every cranny.

“Ahhh, I wish we could watch your videos,” Jax laments.

“Hah.” Is Pomni flattered? She better be. “Well, we could always request that Caine cook up an adventure like that. Then we can just relive it.”

She suddenly looks nervous. “Let’s just make sure he knows for sure there’s not any… enemies.”

”Oh, you know he’ll put them in anyway,” Jax warns gleefully.

Pomni shakes her head solemnly. “If it’s not perfectly replicated there’s no point in doing it. It’s a vibe thing.”

She makes it sound so cool, her allure only growing.

“Well, when you say it like that I’m sure we can get the point across to Caine.”

The urge overcomes him to put an arm around Pomni and he slings an arm around her shoulders. “Aw, you want to spend time with me, don’t you? Yeah you do, look at you making up scenarios to make it happen.”

Jax jostles her for fun.

Pomni scoffs, but she doesn’t shove him off so he pushes the limit, waiting to see how long she’ll allow it.

“That’s kind of what friends do,” Pomni says with dry amusement.

She’s stiff in his grip. It makes him feel like she doesn’t usually like touch.

Which makes him feel insane about the fact that she’s allowing it.

“That’s right, we’re becoming such great pals, aren’t we?” It makes Jax’s heart beat faster.

“I’ll talk to Caine about it. I’m sure if I butter him up a little we can get him to put something together. Jeez he’s been sulking a lot lately though, hasn’t he?” Jax asks, not sure if he should be uneasy about it.

“Yyeah…” Pomni seems to grow tenser. “He’s focusing too hard on making a narrative. Wasn’t there, like, a whole backstory to this adventure? Something about the bugs?”

“I don’t remember and it doesn’t matter,” Jax says. He’s far more interested in tormenting Pomni than the adventure today. “Something about us collecting bugs because they’re… mutating?”

“Gross,” Pomni says, slumping. “That’s exactly my point. Why did that element have to be involved?”

“Honestly, I dunno.” Jax admits. “It didn’t used to be like that. I mean there’s always some kind of general story element but he didn’t used to be so insistent on there being high stakes.”

Now that Jax thinks about it…

His eyes roll towards Pomni. “That mostly started after you showed up. Is it your fault? Admit your guilt now, while you still can.”

“What are you… talking about?” Pomni gives him a weird look, uncomprehending. He seems to have lost her.

Now he can do anything.

Jax wonders seriously if he can get Pomni to like him.

There’s the mighty cry of some bellowing beast that seems to blow into them. Jax and Pomni steady themselves, looking around wildly.

Off in the distance there’s what appears to be…

A giant locust. It’s two skyscrapers tall and completely horrifying. It’s charging right towards them.

Pomni screams and grabs onto Jax.

He’s more focused on her than their impending doom.

Jax pulls Pomni into his chest, not actually sure if there’s anything he can do about their situation but liking the way Pomni clings to him. It’s a rare opportunity to feel her in his arms.

She’s really small and fits weirdly. He loves it.

“I don’t wanna die!” Pomni screams.

Jax sighs and looks around vaguely, anywhere but the bug. Not even because he’s that afraid of being trampled. He just really hates how their faces look.

Especially after getting one on him.

He gets retroactively annoyed.

“This suuucks,” he complains.

They’re getting shaken out of the tree because the monster bug is getting so close. They rattle around helplessly for a while then both fall back, Jax crossing his arms as he plummets.

Right into a portal.

Jax and Pomni are spat out onto the Circus floor with a splat.

“Got a little separated, did we?” Caine says, floating authoritatively above them. He looks eager. “Got into the plot, did you? I see you ran into Ginormongus.”

Jax and Pomni stare up blankly.

“What did you think?!” Caine claps his hands together a couple times in excitement. “Wasn’t the rendering top notch?”

“It looked gross and weird,” Jax declares with no humor.

“Hm.” Caine looks put out and annoyed. “What about you, Pomni?”

He looks a little desperate.

Pomni is shaking on the floor, hugging her legs to her chest.

She says nothing.

“God[BEEP],” Caine says. He startles a little. “I mean, darn, maybe next time you’ll have some constructive feedback for me and, perhaps, the spirit of gratitude.”

“I thought it was great!” Kinger chimes in with his stamp of approval. “I caught so many varieties! They’re—“

He looks down at his empty hands.

“Where’s my net?!”

It’s hard to say whether it disappeared when he came back to the Circus, or if he forgot it in the adventure.

“Well I’m glad somebody appreciates my efforts!” Caine says passive-aggressively.

“It was, ah, you did a really good job replicating the temperature. I think.” Ragatha laughs, sounding like she has heatstroke.

“I actually loved that one,” Zooble says. “I stayed at the misting station at the beginning of the adventure and just chilled out.”

“I couldn’t get into the misting station without my ribbons getting all weird and wet,” Gangle complains, whining and [BEEP]ing. ”So I just stood in the tent and talked to Zooble and wished I could get in.”

”But what about the bugs!” Caine cries in distress.

Gangle and Zooble both shake their heads, “No interest.”

Caine’s mouth begins to distort in an exaggerated, alarming grimace.

Then he laughs sharply. Bubble pops up.

“You hear that, Bubble?” he asks. “A lukewarm response from a lukewarm audience. Except for you, Kinger!”

Kinger blinks up at Caine like he’s unsure if he’s supposed to say something.

”Well, thanks.”

“No, thank you,” says Caine. “The star of today’s adventure!”

He decides this arbitrarily.

Dinner pops up in front of all of them. Pomni, who has just started to get up, falls back onto the ground and skitters away a bit.

On the table are an array of cold foods ranging from pixelated pasta salad to blocky watermelon to chilled cucumber soup.

“Where’s the meat?!” Jax demands.

“Don’t even talk about eating heavy things,” Ragatha begs, fanning herself.

Jax would take a dig at her, but he watches Pomni instead as she sits down to eat the dinner he’s boycotting. She picks up a piece of watermelon and nibbles on it, looking like she’s still coming down from the big fright.

Why does a girl who can explore abandoned basements get so scared of a big ol’ bug?

That’s just how she is.

She’s so funny.

—

It’s late and Jax can’t sleep and can’t stand to pretend to sleep any longer. He sits up from his bed, restless and agitated.

He goes for a walk.

This time of night it’s rare to see anyone around and he wanders vaguely, in a daze.

It takes him by surprise when he hears Pomni’s voice in the wild, his head perking up.

Score

Chances are she’s talking to Gangle, who has insomnia and is the most likely other person to be out at night. He follows the sound to the lounge area.

“… you didn’t upset me,” comes Pomni’s voice. “Really, Ragatha. I think you just got in your head…”

Ragatha

Jax freezes.

“If you’re sure, Pomni…” Ragatha’s voice is doubtful.

Are they out here having some sort of deep conversation in nothing but the glow of the television screen? Jax’s eyes flick to the fake news Caine has concocted. Then over to Ragatha and Pomni.

Why don’t they have the lamp on?

It makes Jax’s blood freeze.

His mood curdles and Jax strides forward as he wipes the evidence off his face.

“Heeey, having a slumber party and you didn’t invite me?” Jax cuts in with a grin.

Pomni and Ragatha both look up in surprise. Ragatha is nervously knitting.

“Oh,” Pomni says. “Hey, Jax.”

Ragatha does not greet him. Looks downright displeased to see him.

Good

Jax strides over, leaning down near Pomni. “Gossiping? Anything juicy?”

what are you talking about

“Oh, uh,” Pomni says.

It’s then that Ragatha speaks up.

“It’s none of your business,” she says sharply.

Pomni looks at Ragatha and Jax can’t see her expression.

Jax’s smile slips into a scowl as he straightens up. That [BEEP]es him off.

“Oh I see. I’m interrupting a heart to heart. Spilling your guts out? Or trying to make Pomni do that?” Jax provokes Ragatha.

Ragatha rears back in offense. “Oh, you’re going to come up to me and start a fi—“

“Guys.”

Pomni’s voice shuts Ragatha up and holds what Jax wants to say at bay. She turns her head to look at Jax again, eyes resolute.

“We were talking about something private. She wasn’t trying to make me do anything.”

The words are like claws that dig into Jax.

Ragatha looks relieved and Jax withers, smile widening like armor.

To his horror, he can see in Pomni’s eyes that she recognizes it.

“I’m reassuring you,” she explains.

Jax isn’t having it.

“Uh?” Jax scoffs. “I don’t need to be ’reassured.’”

He lifts his fingers and makes air quotes.

“Then…” Pomni searches his face. “Why are you upset?”

Jax rears back like Pomni’s perception has bitten him.

“I’m not upset!” He lies so poorly it’s followed by a flash of embarrassment. Jax can’t stop getting worked up, making himself look so lame in front of Pomni.

Pomni is still looking into his eyes like she’s trying to peer into his soul.

“We weren’t talking about you,” she assures him like it’s the last thing she can think of.

“You’re not the center of the universe,” Ragatha mutters, rubbing salt in the wound.

“As if that would be what I’m upset about!” Jax cries.

If they did it would drive him crazy, though.

“I mean- I’m not–!” Jax huffs, cutting himself off. His eyes turn to Pomni, meeting hers. “Don’t act like you know me like that!”

Pomni’s eyes go wide then dart away. They don’t look back at him when, after a horrible pause, she says,

“I’m sorry.”

An unpleasant feeling resonates through Jax’s chest, jaw tightening.

He [BEEP]ed up.

Jax doesn’t look at either of them as he turns around and walks away. It’s not like he’s wanted there anyway.

His pace increases until he’s walked out of the Circus, the moon thankfully not around to gab at him. Jax doesn’t have it in him to tolerate that.

Jax keeps walking, not going anywhere particular. Just needing to move.

They’ve been getting closer but that’s just because Pomni doesn’t know him. Not yet.

Someday he’ll really [BEEP] it up and she’ll see him for exactly who he is.

The lights from the stars look like they’re part of a ceiling tonight. Jax feels caged in.

The pervasive feeling that wins out is a very selfish one.

It stings that the night has ended like this when all Jax could think about all evening had been Pomni clinging to him.

Chapter Text

It’s breakfast time and Jax wants to be anywhere else, but something draws him down the hall.

That something is Pomni.

He barely slept last night. It had taken so much subterfuge to convince Pomni to be his friend and now he’s gone and lashed out.

[BEEP]ed everything up.

He grinds his teeth together in annoyance and, though he’s loath to admit it, a pinch of anxiety as he enters the dining area. Everyone is seated and his eyes immediately find—

Pomni

She’s picking at her food, staring at it. He thinks maybe her hat looks extra droopy today.

Pomni’s head turns and she looks up at Jax with her big, forlorn eyes. They widen slightly and she quickly glances away.

Great, she’s definitely [BEEP]ed at him. Why did he have to get so mad? More importantly why couldn’t he have just kept it under wraps?

Breakfast is an awkward affair. Jax is quickly regretting coming at all. He’s two seats down from Pomni and it would be obvious if he looked at her, but even without her in sight she’s all he can focus on.

He wants to shake her and convince her that he wasn’t upset and that she dreamed it all up. Really gaslight the dickens out of her.

Pomni stands up and Jax’s heart jumps into his throat.

She walks off without looking at him.

[BEEP] it.

What’s Jax going to do to fix this?

—

After breakfast Jax goes to sulk in his room for a while, cycling between brainstorming and self-loathing.

He’s nearing the rooms when he gets a foreboding feeling. Like something is about to happen. Jax ignores it and trudges forward, turning the corner to the hall with the living quarters.

Ragatha is there.

She must have left breakfast before him and now she’s at the door across from his room, raising her hand to knock on

Pomni’s door

Jax feels a flash of irritation at the sight of her, accompanied by a creeping sense of jealousy. Why the [BEEP] is she there? Are they going to hang out?

did they get closer?

“Back to harass Pomni, eh?” Jax asks like he hasn’t been doing that constantly lately.

Ragatha jumps, looking at Jax with alarm and then reproach.

“I’m checking on her since she seemed off at breakfast,” Ragatha says with bitterness in her voice.

How dare she?

“If she wanted you to baby her she would have asked,” Jax sneers at her.

“I’m— not babying her!” Ragatha lies. “I’m concerned as a friend.”

“Yeah right,” Jax denies. “That’s not what you really want.”

Ragatha tenses up and her face goes red at being called out. “I think your motives are far sketchier than mine!”

She turns to fully face him, putting a hand on her chest. “At least I actually care about her!”

The words are like a slap and Jax is flooded with a mixture of hurt and rage.

“You care about the way she can make you feel!” Jax snaps at her, hoping Pomni can [BEEP]ing hear him.

“And what about you?” Ragatha snaps. Her desperation is showing. So is Jax’s. “Do you even know what you want from Pomni or are you just blindly—“

The door opens.

Pomni is standing there with a blank expression on her face.

“I can hear you,” she says quietly, not quite looking at either of them.

Ragatha’s face twists in mortification.

“O-oh hey, sorry, Pomni! I just— we were—“

Pomni puts her hand on the doorframe.

“Sorry, I don’t really feel like talking to anyone right now,” she says. “Can we… talk later?”

Is she talking to just Ragatha or Jax too?

Which is worse, her disappointment or her rejection?

“Do whatever you want,” Jax mutters dismissively. “I was just trying to keep the riffraff out of the hall.”

Ragatha gives him a sharp look but Jax is already crossing to his door, heart racing.

He [BEEP]ed it up again. At this rate he’s going to lose any progress he’s made with Pomni. He hates losing control over a situation.

These thoughts flood his mind as he slips into his room, pulling the door sharply closed behind him. He’s too afraid to even look once at what expression Pomni is making as he leaves.

It can’t be a good one.

—

Jax is with everyone else.

He doesn’t want to be, but he needs noise.

And it can’t be ambient, either, it has to be organic, distracting material. He has to be around them, not because he wants to, but because he needs to listen to these [BEEP]s talk.

It’s a feeling he’s felt less since Pomni arrived at the Circus.

But Pomni is absent right now. And Ragatha keeps giving him disapproving looks. Gangle looks at him nervously on occasion and Zooble is outwardly ambivalent, though Jax knows internally they have an opinion on his presence.

Kinger doesn’t count.

It’s about time Caine starts popping up to throw them into an adventure, but he doesn’t show. Neither does Pomni. His two best distractions are out the window and now he’s hanging with these [BEEP]wads and his arms are crossed tight and he’s scowling and hunching and—

A smile slides back onto Jax’s face. He looks around quickly, but it doesn’t seem like anyone noticed. It’s bad enough Ragatha knows he’s freaking out—

Ragatha is looking at him.

Her mouth is pulled into an angry line, eyes half-lidded with a pointed lack of amusement.

Jax is two seconds away from coaxing her into a fight.

Maybe he can blow off some steam. Maybe Ragatha will stop being such a [BEEP], too.

Jax opens his mouth.

“Buckle your boots and snap those suspenders because it’s time for ADVENTURE!!”

Caine and Bubble appear out of nowhere, circling the lot of them in the air like he’s trying to keep them from escaping.

Oh good, enrichment.

Caine does a headcount. ”Oh, missing one!”

Caine does double finger guns and Pomni appears in front of everyone. She yelps and freaks out a bit like she really wasn’t expecting it.

“Great, now we can get started. Have you ever fantasized about being a mobster? Climbing the ladder in the mafia world?! Becoming the Don of an extensive crime network?!?!”

The response is nonexistent until Gangle says to the others, “Did he watch the Godfather or something? Is that public domain?”

“Gangle!” Caine cries, rushing forward and putting his cane in front of Gangle’s mask like a mic.

”Eep!” Gangle screams, falling back.

“Could you even have imagined that today you’d be working your way up from being a mafia grunt to the big boss in one day??”

”No—“

“Have you ever thought, wow, this is a lot of schmoozing I have to do!” Caine cries a little hysterically. “But it’s worth it to gain a little power!”

“I—“

”Have you ever killed a man??!”

“Uhhh–” Gangle seems to be having a panic attack.

Ha

“I have,” Jax raises his arm lazily. “And I intend to kill again.”

“Oh god,” Ragatha says, wringing her hands together. “Are we going to be… killing people?”

She sounds conflicted. Lame.

“So many!” Caine cries. “Don’t worry, I’ve made them look like the standard NPCs, so you don’t have to think about the ramifications!”

They all kind of side eye each other. Except for Jax. Who is very excited.

He glances over at Pomni instinctively.

She’s looking up at Caine with a troubled look on her face. She raises her hand as if asking a question in class.

“Welp, time to go!” Caine opens the portal. He ushers them through, just barely short of making physical contact. Pomni is ignored.

As Jax is passing through the portal he hears Caine yelling after them,

“Oh yeah, Pomni is the current Don! Good luck, Pomni! Don’t let the others dethrone you! And don’t forget they have to do whatever—“

Jax passes through and Caine is cut off.

He’s immediately distracted by his new surroundings.

They’re in a fancy room with low lighting and red velvet everywhere it can be. There’s bottles of expensive looking alcohol lining the back wall and it appears to be some sort of office because there’s a big desk made of pure gold.

Jax is wearing a suit, he realizes, as are Kinger and Zooble. Ragatha and Gangle are both in hottie tottie dresses and he takes a moment to roll his eyes.

Is this supposed to be inspired by the Godfather? What is Caine’s opinion based off of? Jax has never seen the film because he is proudly uncultured, but he’s pretty sure this ain’t it. Then a thought occurs to him.

what is Pomni wearing?

He realizes with a jarring thud of his heart that Pomni is sitting behind the desk dressed in a loose suit and holding a cigar between her fingers. She blinks at it uncomprehendingly.

Then Pomni nearly drops it.

“Oh [BEEP] this is lit!” she panics. “Where can I put it out?!”

“Here, Pomni!” Kinger rushes forward and pushes the ashtray on the desk closer to Pomni. She quickly puts it out.

Suddenly there’s a little marker above Kinger’s head that says,

+10

“Oh!” Kinger says, reading a little popup. “I gained favor with the Don. Looks like I’m surpassing you all.”

Jax isn’t paying attention anymore, though.

He’s looking at Pomni who’s eyeing the cigar with a frown.

Suddenly her eyes meet his.

It makes his heart thud again and his chest is sour over the fact they’re not in a good place. He wants to play with Pomni so bad.

Jax tears his eyes away and down to a little briefing he has about his role and a giddy eagerness overtakes him.

Oh he’s Pomni’s bodyguard, is he?

Jax strides over and stands in front of Pomni’s desk, gesturing at all of them threateningly. “Better be careful not to get too close to Don Pomni or as her bodyguard I’ll take you out!”

With his back to her he can’t see Pomni, but he knows if nothing else she’s looking at him.

“Uhh,” Ragatha says.

“Wait, so we have to gain Pomni’s favor? By doing missions? So what does Pomni do?” Gangle asks, looking over her own profile.

“I guess she’s just dishing out the points,” Zooble says, sounding disinterested and wary. “Did you see the way Caine was circling us earlier? I’m getting really sick of these.”

“At least this one won’t have any goopy monsters… probably,” Ragatha says optimistically.

Kinger gives Pomni a respectful bow. “Well, Don Pomni? What missions would you like us to do?”

Jax turns to look at her now that he has an excuse.

“Uhhhh.” Pomni starts looking around on her desk, fussing with files in a flustered state. She picks up a few and rifles through them.

“‘Big Time Bomb Squad’… ‘Rooty Tooty Shooty Hour’… Brawlin’ Bar Bust ‘Em Up’…”

Pomni looks around at them and finally shrugs. “I guess whoever wants what. A lot of these look like they involve killing a guy, though.”

She squints.

“Give me one where I don’t have to,” Gangle requests.

Pomni shuffles through more then finally hands a file over. “You’re responsible for tailing some guy for five blocks and writing down… whatever he does.”

“Oh…” Gangle says with obvious disappointment, taking the file.

Pomni divvies out the tasks. Ragatha requests one without killing, though Jax thinks it would do her some good.

At least Zooble and Kinger don't complain about it.

He wants Pomni’s attention so suddenly he can’t help himself from addressing her, pulling out the gun at his side and cocking it.

“Meanwhile I’ll be guarding the Don. You know, the most important job.”

Pomni glances at him then quickly away.

“Tell yourself whatever you want,” Ragatha says with unguarded disdain. “See you later, Pomni.”

Ragatha starts heading out the door.

“What, no goodbyes for me?” Jax calls after her, aggravated.

He glares at the door as everyone else starts filing out.

Gangle lingers. “Can I just like... stay here?”

Jax tsks.

“What, you’d rather be with me than out doing an easy job?” Jax harasses her. “I’ll make your life a living Hell! Go! Scram!”

Gangle makes a sound of distress and hurries through the door.

And then Jax realizes the exact implications of the two of them being left together.

What he said is palpable in the air.

don’t act like you know me like that

Pomni is silent. Jax puts his gun away, glaring at a wall.

The silence is horrible.

Pomni doesn’t say anything and he doesn’t say anything and he knows he’s the one who’s supposed to apologize to fix it, but something keeps the words from coming out. The bruised feelings that still linger.

But this was all Ragatha’s fault to begin with, he thinks bitterly.

Pomni speaks before he does.

“Are we…” she sounds uncertain. “Still friends?”

Jax’s gaze flicks over to her. Does she still want to be…?

He seizes the opportunity. “Don’t be dumb. Of course we are.”

“Oh,” Pomni says it quietly. Surprised. Then, a little stilted, “Good.”

A sliver of the tension eases.

But the silence is back and it’s getting under Jax’s skin.

The thought of being vulnerable in front of Pomni is paralyzing.

Again, Pomni is the one to break the silence.

“I wasn’t trying to psychoanalyze you,” Pomni says like she’s thought about what to say before this. “I was just trying to understand.”

Jax looks away from her. Pomni’s interest makes him uneasy as much as it pleases him.

“You didn’t do anything. I was mad at Ragatha and took it out on you.”

He hates having to apologize but knows on some level it’s necessary to keep Pomni.

“Sorry about that,” Jax mutters, leaning back against her desk.

What kind of face is she making?

“Okay,” Pomni says, sounding relieved. Like she doubted Jax would go through with a real apology.

he hates doing it he hates doing it

“Apology accepted.”

The words are a balm that soothes the beating he’s given his own ego.

”Ragatha and I—“ Pomni starts,

are together

“—have been having kind of a hard time.”

she’s confiding in him

The serotonin boost off of that is insane.

“Oh yeah? Could it be that her overbearing positivity has finally started to wear on you?” Jax asks hopefully, pulling himself up to sit on the edge of the desk.

“It’s not…” Pomni frowns and shakes her head, staring at the desk. “She misunderstood something I said and I don’t think she believes my actual intent even though she says she does.

“The atmosphere is… weird,” she continues.

Then she looks up at Jax. “Sorry to dump that on you, but I don’t feel comfortable talking about it with the others.”

but she feels comfortable talking about it with Jax

Jax leans back onto his elbows, looking back at Pomni again. “No, no, please. Feel free to talk away. I’m your loyal bodyguard, after all.”

It’s all coming back around.

“I mean that’s pretty much it,” Pomni shrugs. “I don’t like that uneasy feeling of, like, when you don’t know if someone is actually mad at you but they won’t talk to you…”

They seem to realize at the same time that’s exactly what Jax did. He sulks a bit, but Pomni waves her hand.

“We’re cool. You already apologized.”

The feeling in Jax’s chest doesn’t fully dissipate but he’s relieved Pomni will give him another chance.

There’s the sound of the door banging as it’s thrown open and an NPC in a striped suit barges in, holding up a gun.

“Death to the Don!” the NPC cries in one of the squirreliest voices Jax has ever heard.

Jax snorts, not even rising from his lounging position to pull out his pistol and gun the schmuck down.

“Ooh, you got me!” The NPC cries from the ground, clutching its chest before dramatically starfishing and physically saying, “Bleh!”

“Ha, first shot!” Jax looks at Pomni, eyes narrowed in pleasure. “Did you see how I protected your life there?”

“Yeah, you certainly shot a guy,” Pomni says, craning her neck to look down at the NPC who tilts its head up then quickly lowers it again to play dead.

“An NPC,” Jax corrects.

“Caine didn’t even give me a weapon,” Pomni says. “Why wouldn’t the Don have a weapon?”

“It’s a show of power, duh. You’ve got so much you don’t even need your own gun to keep yourself safe,” Jax talks out his [BEEP].

“Okay, well just make sure—“

Another NPC busts through and Pomni cries out in alarm. Jax shoots them ‘dead.’

“Ha!” he laughs and says what he thinks is in a gangster voice, “We had a couple of wise guys on our hands! What losers! Eh, boss?”

“Oh my god,” Pomni says.

“Now listen here, see,” Jax says, spinning his gun dangerously. He doesn’t actually have anything to say, though.

“Stop. Stop talking,” Pomni demands with her short stature and her huge doll eyes and the hint of a playful smile.

Jax goes to do it even more but finds he can’t talk.

Huh??

Jax clutches at his mouth, alarmed when he realizes he can’t even open it.

“Oh, we’re playing games, huh?” Pomni deadpans.

Jax grows more distressed, prying at his mouth, and Pomni laughs at what she thinks are antics.

“Fine,” she says. “You can talk again.”

“Wha- Oh thank [BEEP] I can talk! I wasn’t messing around! How dare you!” As if he isn’t doing a bit ninety percent of the time.

He touches his mouth gingerly. “That was weird.”

“Uh, are you messing with me?” Pomni looks baffled.

“No, I’m being serious,” Jax insists. “I couldn’t talk. Because of you.”

Pomni hums doubtfully, like she still thinks he’s doing a bit. Then she says, “Clap your hands.”

“Wh-” Jax has barely gotten the sound out of his mouth before his hands come up and he claps.

“What the [BEEP]?!” Jax exclaims in alarm. “Do you actually have the power to boss us around?”

Jax doesn't know how to feel about that.

“Relax,” Pomni assures him, looking back at her character profile and squinting. “Oh yeah, it says that under an asterisk in really tiny print. Huh.”

She shrugs. “I won’t use it. Unless, like, I have to for some reason.”

“Oh, and you get to decide what’s an appropriate situation?” Jax is just talking now. This new revelation has him panicky.

Pomni rolls her eyes. “Maybe if you start giving me a hard time.”

She’s joking but the implication of her bossing him around—

what would she make him do?

A weird rush of exhilaration has his heart pounding and ears ringing and he’s sure if he could get the sweats he’d have them.

What the [BEEP]? What is this reaction?

“Well- Don’t. Don’t do that,” Jax demands.

Pomni looks at him curiously. It really is out of the frying pan and into the fire with her around. They just made up and now this is happening.

Pomni tilts her head. “I guess that’d be pretty freaky, huh?”

“Hey you!”

Jax and Pomni both look to the door where another NPC is standing, dual wielding guns and wearing a party hat.

“Prepare to diiiie!” it cries.

Jax lifts his gun and shoots twice.

bang bang!

The NPC collapses on top of the last one, who gives a grunt of discomfort.

“I wish Caine would send in more at a time. Where’s the danger?” Jax complains.

“Yeah, this is a really boring adventure for me,” Pomni admits.

“I thought you hated getting all stressed on the adventures,” Jax digs at her.

“Well, yeah,” Pomni says, slumping back in her chair. “But there’s literally nothing for me to do other than get shot at.”

“You’ve grown lazy in your position of power,” Jax says gravely.

position of power

“Aren’t you supposed to be gaining my favor or something?” Pomni grouses.

“Oh, uh-”

Jax fumbles.

“What, is saving your life not gaining your favor?” Jax recovers clumsily.

Seriously, what is this reaction he’s having?

Pomni does look good. He can’t help his gaze from dropping to her opened shirt for a second.

“I dunno, I mean, isn’t that your job? Maybe that’s why,” Pomni says. “You don’t get bonus points for doing the baseline effort.”

is she teasing me?

He hopes to Hell she is.

“Or maybe I have to feel genuinely grateful? I dunno,” Pomni shrugs.

“What do you— do you want me to let them shoot you?” Jax demands, brows upraised.

“No,” Pomni says. “I just don’t think I’m gonna give you extra points for doing something you take such pleasure in.”

“That’s just unfair,” Jax tells her. “You would never punish the others for what they do for fun.”

Another NPC comes through the door, this time wielding a sword.

“I—“

Jax shoots it without even looking, eyes still on Pomni.

The points don’t appear above his head.

“Oh come on,” Jax says. “This is just rude!”

“I’m sorry!” Pomni holds up her empty hands. “I can’t force it!”

“But I didn’t even look! You don’t think that’s cool? God,” Jax laments.

Pomni laughs.

Jax loves it when he makes Pomni laugh.

A little +10 appears above Jax’s head and Pomni’s eyes go wide.

“Well… there you go,” she says with an amused little smile that sears itself into Jax’s brain.

“Oooh, do I amuse you? Am I your clown?” Jax asks, chest welling with pleasure.

He rolls over on the giant gold desk and rests on his stomach, kicking his feet in the air. “Gonna start calling me Bozo?”

Pomni snorts and +10 appears over Jax’s head.

score

“No?” Pomni laughs. Her face looks so sweet when she’s smiling. “I’m sorry, does my desk belong to you now?”

“No, it’s a strategic position. You’re so short your enemies won’t be able to aim at you without lining me up in their sights first,” Jax explains to her.

“Yeah, and you’re lying on your stomach,” Pomni reasons. “It’s gonna be hard to shoot them if you’re lying like that.”

“Nuh uh,” Jax says. “I’m gonna—“

He pulls his gun and awkwardly points it at the door. “Freeze, sucker!”

Jax kicks his legs, lackadaisical.

“Jax, shut up,” Pomni laughs.

Another +10 appears over Jax’s head, but before he can feel smug he realizes his mouth has sealed shut again. Pomni is still laughing.

A rush of something he’s afraid to name washes away the smile on his face.

oh god

shut up

that’s so [BEEP]ing hot

Jax’s heart has just started to race when another figure starts through the door and Jax shoots.

There’s a scream and with a jolt that Jax sees mirrored on Pomni’s face he realizes he just shot Ragatha.

And she really screams.

oh god

It’s hard to tell if she felt any pain. Pain in the Circus is arbitrary, based on whatever Caine decides in the moment.

is she going to die?

Ragatha pats her chest where the bullet wound is. There’s a couple horrible seconds where Jax expects her to fall to the floor.

Instead she takes a shaky breath and covers the spot.

Then Ragatha glares at him and snaps, voice wobbling,

“What are you doing! Why did you shoot me! How dare you shoot me!”

I didn’t mean to!

But Pomni’s order still has him stricken silent and Pomni looks too shocked to notice.

“What, you’re not even going to say anything?” Ragatha is so mad but Jax can’t even get a sound out. “I bet this is really funny to you! What if I had died? Would that just make you laugh harder?”

Jax withers, wondering with some bitterness how long she’s been waiting to tear into him. In front of Pomni. He starts to shake his head but what’s the point?

She’s getting all pissy like she doesn’t deserve to be shot.

Ragatha won’t believe him.

will Pomni?

His heart throbs and he looks to check Pomni’s expression.

Pomni is staring at Ragatha in shock. “Are you hurt—“

“No, I’m not hurt!” Ragatha cries. “That’s not the point!”

Tears fill her eye and she storms up to the desk. At first Jax thinks she’s gonna try something crazy. But she just reaches down and grabs a file at random, turning and heading for the door, stepping over the NPCs that are pretending to be dead.

Ragatha pauses by the door, putting a hand on it.

“You’re a real piece of work, Jax.”

It sounds like Ragatha is ready to burst into a very real flood of tears.

She rushes out.

There’s an expanse of silence between Jax and Pomni. He slowly sits up on the desk, not facing her. He can’t.

“Oh my god,” Pomni says in a hollow voice. “That was really… intense.”

Jax’s shoulders shrink in.

Stupid Ragatha. Jax can’t even enjoy what happened. Why did she have to walk in like that?

Pomni’s voice tugs at him.

“Jax…?”

Jax takes in a deep breath and turns around, pointing at his mouth then shrugging like nothing noteworthy has happened.

Pomni doesn’t get it at first.

Then mortification creeps over her face.

“Oh my god,” she says in an even more hollow voice than before. “I’m so sorry, Jax, I’m so so— you can talk!”

“Ugh,” Jax grunts with relief to hear the sound come out of him. “What are you apologizing for? You didn’t do anything.”

“But—“ Pomni looks a little relieved, no doubt having been afraid he would be [BEEP]ed. That makes his chest twinge in annoyance. “I didn’t realize.”

Jax waves his hand dismissively.

“Are you okay?” Pomni asks and it’s the second time in two days she’s asked him that question and he feels like he’s going to freak out–

“Aren’t you more worried about Ragatha?” Jax asks flatly.

“Of course I’m worried about Ragatha,” Pomni says with her little mouth pulling down and making her look like a sad little clown. “I can be worried about both of you.”

Oh she’s so nice Jax feels like he’s about to lose it on her. Such displays always leave him ill at ease.

“I’m fine,” Jax grumbles.

Then more defensively than he’d like, “I didn’t know it was her.”

“Yeah,” Pomni says, brow knitting.

She believes him.

it feels like being chosen for something

“Accidents happen,” she says.

As if Jax wouldn’t have happily shot Ragatha in any other context.

But things are so tense between the two of them that it feels weird.

Pomni stands up. “I’m gonna go check on Ragatha.”

Jealousy rears its ugly head but Jax is afraid of saying the wrong thing and tearing apart what he’s just salvaged between him and Pomni.

“Yeah. I’m sure she’d appreciate that,” he mutters. He offers his gun, holding the barrel so she can grab it more easily if she’s interested. “Want this for your protection?”

“Oh, um… yeah.”

Pomni takes the gun gingerly, biting her lip. Then she nods at Jax. “See ya.”

She heads out.

Or, at least, she tries to. Pomni starts to walk through the door and is met with an invisible wall. She falls flat back on her [BEEP].

“Oh my god!” Pomni cries in alarm. She scrambles to her feet. “We’re trapped in here?”

Looks like it.

Pomni sighs and heads back to the desk. She looks up at Jax pensively.

Then she hops up to sit next to him. She doesn’t look at him, kicking her legs.

“I’ll talk to her later.”

There’s no denying the secret rush of joy that Pomni has no choice but to stay here with Jax, Ragatha be damned.

He holds his hand out expectantly. “Well? Give me back my piece before you drop it.”

“I am not going to drop it,” Pomni says dryly, though her expression is a little uncertain as she hands the gun back over to Jax, trusting him with it.

Trusting Jax despite what surely must be her better judgement.

It makes him burn pleasantly.

“Don’t worry,” Jax reassures her again. “Things have been bad with Rags and I for a long time. Nothing happened to make it worse than it already is.”

That doesn’t seem to reassure her. But Pomni nods.

“Gotcha,” she says reluctantly.

He rests a fist on top of her head, giving it a little noogie. “Don’t worry, Don Pom.”

Pomni smiles.

A little +10 appears over Jax’s head.

It makes Jax grin and a little more of the tension seems to slip from Pomni.

“C’mon,” Jax urges, reaching back to grab a random file. “Let’s find the funniest missions and give out the worst ones.”

Pomni shakes her head at him.

But that’s exactly what they do.

—

The first portion of the game, it seems, is finished.

At least, they’re out of that space with its awful lingering Ragatha vibes.

She had only come back when all the objectives were complete, long after the others. Intentionally or not, she made them wait.

Now they’re all being herded by arrows out of the office to the entryway of what must be the Don’s mansion.

There’s a giant staircase and arrows with both Jax and Pomni’s faces floating above a door. That must be their objective. Everyone else, it seems, is just supposed to loiter around because there are no arrows for them.

together

Jax feels a flash of vindication and looks over at Ragatha who has her arms folded and isn’t talking to anyone. She looks upset.

There’s a butler NPC with a handlebar mustache Jax remembers from a previous adventure, one that he had hated. His face wrinkles as the butler starts giving his spiel.

Something about a party they have to get ready for. Something something the Don has to win someone over.

It seems Pomni’s up to bat.

She doesn’t go up the stairs once the butler struts off, though.

Instead she heads towards Ragatha.

[BEEP] Ragatha

Ragatha notes Pomni and her eye widens. She turns and walks away from her, going to speak in a strained, cheerful voice to Gangle. She probably thinks Pomni was avoiding her earlier.

Pomni pauses and seems to note the rejection. She slows, then turns, heading back towards the stairs. Her eyes meet Jax’s and she gives a little shrug. It’s accompanied by a frown.

“Well,” she says. “Guess we’d better see what’s up… there.”

“Guess we’d better!” Jax says cheerfully, in a great mood now. He’s glad those two aren't getting along.

Though his spirits are dampened when he glances at Ragatha and she’s staring him down.

Whatever

Jax chooses to ignore her, offering an arm to Pomni. He’s giddy when she eyes it then gingerly rests her hand against it.

“This way,” he says grandly, leading Pomni towards the stairs. They struggle to match their pace going up them but Jax eventually gets the cadence of it.

she’s so short and small he wants to eat her like a grape

They reach the door and Jax pushes it open, peering in curiously.

It’s a huge bedroom with a giant, fluffy looking bed. At first that’s all Jax can focus on as they enter.

“Ohhhh,” he says. “It sent us to your bedroom. I guess it makes sense I’d have to guard your body at all times.”

“Why did you say ‘guard your body?’” Pomni complains. “That sounds weird.”

“You sound weird,” Jax says. He takes a running leap at the bed and throws himself onto it. He bounces like three times. “Wohohoah!”

“Jax,” Pomni says, but there’s a smile in her voice. He grins over at her, watching her walk closer. “I don’t think we’re supposed to take a nap.”

Jax can think of other things they could be doing

“Okay maybe you don’t need to take a nap but maybe I need to take one. Ever think of that? Though it is pretty cozy on here. Sure you don’t want to check it out?” Jax pats the bed beside him temptingly.

Pomni is shaking her head at him, but she’s also walking over.

is she going to lay down with him

She looks like she’s thinking about it.

Jax’s imagination runs wild.

Pomni laying down with him

Jax tugging on her and Pomni letting him

rolling together on top of the sheets and maybe she’d let him—

“Oh!”

Something catches Pomni’s eye and her head turns. Jax follows her gaze.

There’s an arrow with Pomni's face over a black dress that’s been draped over a chair. Jax recognizes it as an identical dress to the one Ragatha and Gangle are wearing. Just… a lot smaller.

At first all Jax can feel is disappointment that Pomni didn’t get on the bed.

Then he realizes,

she’s going to be wearing that skimpy little dress

Suddenly he’s very eager to see her complete this objective.

“Gotta gussy up for the big party, huh? Gotta use sex appeal?” He wags his eyebrows at her.

“Oh god I hope not,” Pomni says, walking over to the dress and picking it up. She tilts her head at it then holds it up to her little jester frame. “This is gonna look dumb.”

“Naaaah,” Jax dismisses lazily even as internally he’s thinking about how hot she’s going to look. He cannot wait.

Jax lazily brandishes his gun again. “Don’t worry, if anyone gets too fresh then ‘blam blam blam!’”

He makes a motion like he’s shooting invisible enemies, very much being serious.

“Pfffft,” Pomni scoffs.

“What, you don’t think I’m hardcore?” Jax is a little offended.

“Oh no, I definitely know you are,” Pomni says like that’s what’s funny.

Jax feels smug. He watches Pomni fussing with the dress, resting his cheek in his palm as he stretches out on the bed.

”Well, go on,” Jax prompts. “Don’t mind me.”

“Jax,” Pomni says with exasperation.

”What?” Jax blinks innocently. “I have to protect you. I’m your trusted bodyguard.”

“Well go do that outside the door.”

Jax gives a long suffering sigh and pushes himself up whether he wants to or not, heading for the door. Pomni probably doesn’t even remember what her orders can do.

“Don’t blame me if you diiiie.” He opens the door and turns to smirk at her as he steps out. “You—“

Jax walks right into an invisible wall and falls onto his [BEEP].

“Ow, what the—?”

He’s not allowed out til the clothing objective is over or what?

“This is an oversight,” Pomni says.

if Ragatha had been the bodyguard she would have been in here alone with Pomni changing

“Yeah,” Jax agrees. “That’s an outrage.”

“Really…?” Pomni sounds a little mystified by his agreement.

Jax hops up onto his feet and shuts the door. “Welp! Better change, Pomni!”

“Not while you’re looking at me, I’m not,” she says, looking back down at the dress doubtfully.

“You think this is about me? No, no. See if I look away that’s when an NPC assassin will pop out of the vents and get you. Don’t mind me, imagine I’m like a coat rack.” Jax offers helpfully.

“Jax!” Pomni exclaims, but she’s laughing. He thinks her cheeks are a tiny bit redder than usual.

Oh he can’t help himself.

Jax walks up to her and leans down into her space obnoxiously.

“Go ahead. I can keep an eye on you best like this.”

Pomni is laughing again. A little +5 appears over his head.

“Five?!” Jax feels insulted. “Why only five?!”

“I don’t know!” Pomni insists, flustered and obviously amused. ”I don’t control it!”

“Pomni!” Jax won’t let it go. “Five more points!”

“I can’t—“

“I will die on this hill, Pomni!”

Pomni cracks up. Jax grins.

“Like Jesus!!” he dramaticizes.

“Jax, oh my goood.”

A +10 appears above Jax’s head.

Jax gives a chuffed grin at the literal validation he can see and earn. Oh he is going to win this [BEEP].

“See that’s what I’m talking about. Now hurry up and start changing. We’re gonna be late for your important mafia business.” Jax claps his hands to urge her on.

Pomni’s expression twists with something between embarrassment and

is that affection?

Then Pomni drops a bomb.

”Don’t make me use my authority,” she says, peering up at him with a little smile, like she’s not sure if it’s okay to joke about that after what happened earlier.

It makes Jax stop short, a little surprised. Then his chest gets all weird and he gets flustered over the threat of Pomni wielding her power.

He forces out a snort of amusement but that’s not what he’s feeling.

“Oh, you’re going to wield your authority over me are you?” Jax can’t help but push it. “Gonna show me who’s boss?”

The corners of Pomni’s mouth are curved up like she thinks he’s funny.

the funniest person she’s ever known

focus on me

“Jax, stop being a brat and turn around,” Pomni orders in a no-nonsense tone.

turn around

brat

Jax’s body whirls around and despite how jarring it is he’s grateful because a split second later her feels heat rush to his face and between his legs and-

does he seriously have a boner right now?!

Jax is horrified as he realizes yeah, it’s twitched into hardness with unexpected and vibrant interest.

He stiffly walks further away from Pomni, trying not to scream.

Why? Why is this happening?

He hears the sound of fabric shifting and knows Pomni is changing her clothes. He twitches in his pants and Jax strangles a screech in his throat.

Oh god, he has to calm down. Think of something unsexy.

Bubble. Think about Bubble. Disgusting.

But he can’t. All he can do is imagine Pomni changing behind him.

His heart is thudding so hard he can hear it in his ears. He has to get this under control.

He hears the sound of something Pomni is muttering get bleeped out.

“Um… Jax?”

Jax’s heartbeat is growing louder in his ears and he takes a deep breath, trying to keep the panic out of his voice. “Yeah?”

“Can you, um,” she says awkwardly. “Can you zip me up?”

Oh God

Jax swallows. He tries to turn, but he can’t.

[BEEP]

“I think you gotta,” he says, voice thick. “Order me. I’m stuck.”

“Oh!” Pomni sounds frazzled. “Turn around and— and zip me up.”

Jax turns around automatically, feet leading him towards Pomni.

Thank [BEEP] her back is still facing him, but that means he can see her back.

her exposed skin

the way it snakes down under the dress, dragging his gaze with it

the little dimples at her hips above her cute little [BEEP] and god he wants to touch her Jax needs to touch her

He reaches out towards her like he’s about to, but his hands move automatically to the dress zipper. Jax grips just a little beneath it with his free hand and begins to tug the zipper upwards with the satisfying purr of it closing. Thrilled in a way that leaves him shaky.

Jax is sorry to see her covered up, another throb aching between his legs.

oh god he wants to have sex with Pomni so bad

they’ve just barely been established as friends

if she knew she’d think he was a creep, right?

… right?

“Jax?”

Jax realizes Pomni is facing him and shifts his legs, hopefully hiding his boner a bit in his stupid suit.

“What?” Jax says, cagey.

Pomni looks a little confused. She gives the smallest, most awkward twirl and asks, “What do you think?”

For the first time Jax sees Pomni fully in the dress, taking in the sight. She looks so sexy in it he gets flustered all over again and even if she doesn’t notice his boner she’s got to notice the flush of his face.

Jax looks away. “Good. You look good.”

Pomni laughs a little. “Yeah?”

He glances at her as she walks away from him, going to slip into some little heels. Jax wants to hold her up by the ankles. Rattle lunch money out of her pockets like a school bully.

he wants to kiss her and neck on her and slip between her legs and rub his erection up against her pu—

Jax mentally slams his fist down on the tape recorder of dirty thoughts playing on repeat in his mind.

When Pomni turns he thinks she looks a little disappointed. Is she disappointed in him??

“Uh, there are earrings,” she says. “But I don’t have… ears.”

“Oh.” Is that what it's about? “[BEEP] ‘em.”

is she disappointed about the earrings or something else?

Pomni already looks pretty without them.

“Oh, but…” Pomni seems to snap out of something, like she realized she’s being silly. “You’re right. I’m sure it doesn’t affect the game.”

She looks up at Jax and for the first time seems to really take in his strained expression.

“Um, Jax?”

There’s a little ding noise and the words OBJECTIVE COMPLETE appear by the door.

They’re done here.

Jax clears his throat, still willing his boner down and praying to a God he doesn’t believe in that she won’t notice it. He turns.

“Let’s go,” he says, heading to the door.

“Yeah.” Pomni follows him.

They head back down to the others and Jax thinks he mostly gets his issue under control, but Ragatha is giving him dirty looks again. Does she know?

Actually, he hopes she knows, he thinks nastily.

[BEEP] her. He got to see Pomni looking sexy. She must be looking at Pomni with hungry eyes too and the thought [BEEP]es him off and also, on some level, upsets him.

His eyes follow Pomni as they look around for their next objective.

It’s time for a party.

—

Jax is bored.

As it turns out, Pomni’s mission is a doozy. She has to win over some NPC and if she’s not careful the NPC, and this is a quote from the tutorial she read out loud, will take her out.

Needless to say, Pomni has been in quite the tizzy ever since the ‘guests’ arrived. Drunk NPCs in fancy clothes mill about uselessly, stuck in their talking animation as they all just go rabble rabble and don’t say a damn thing that makes sense.

Jax knows this because he’s sulking at the bar, arms crossed, surrounded by the dumb[BEEP] NPCs and listening to them talk. Pomni had sent him off to go drink because she had thought that, whatever she had to do, Jax would just make it worse.

He gets it, because that’s absolutely true, but does Pomni really care more about not getting shot than spending time with him? Besides, he probably could have stopped her murder.

Jax sulks.

“Oh my god,” comes Gangle’s voice from the other side of the bar where she sits with Zooble. “The guy I was tailing– it was insane, at every street corner he just kept taking out this sandwich from his coat, but he wouldn’t eat it. He’d just take it out and put it away.”

Jax tsks in annoyance and glances over to see Gangle rubbing her mask with her ribbons.

“Then he’d take out a cigar and put it away. Then he took out a calzone and put it away. And I had to write it all down! It was so boring!!”

Oh Jax wants to say something meeeeean. He leans over.

“He probably thought you were a sad little loser and was showing off his worldly goods to make you feel bad,” Jax spitballs.

Gangle and Zooble both look at him in confusion, eyes wide at his words, baffled. Then Zooble’s narrow.

“You’re not a part of this conversation,” they say.

“I am now!” Jax says, shoving an NPC between them out of its chair to better see them. “What are you gonna do about it?”

Zooble narrows their eyes then stands up, picking up their and Gangle’s drinks. “C’mon, Gangle. Let’s go somewhere else.”

Gangle slips to her feet, trailing after Zooble as they walk off into the crowd.

“Yeah you run away, you cowards!” Jax calls after them, pulling his glass closer.

Like he even wants to talk to them.

His eyes move around the room, slipping past the NPCs. A bunch of them are gathered around Kinger, who seems to be impressing them doing a card trick. Who even knows where he got the cards from. Maybe there’s gambling.

Is there gambling? That would make this all more bearable.

Jax has barely started to look around to see if he can find evidence of it but then there’s motion beside him and he glances over to see Ragatha has stepped up to the bar.

She’s pointedly not looking at him, ordering not one, not two, but three drinks from the NPC manning the bar.

That has Jax gawking and then he snorts loudly, taking a sip from his own glass before turning to address her. “Yeesh, save some for the rest of us!”

Ragatha’s gaze snaps over to him and she’s really in a bad mood, Jax somewhat taken aback. “I don’t want to hear that from someone who shot me.”

Oh she’s still mad about that is she.

“It didn’t even hurt!” Jax protests, rolling his eyes. “And I didn’t even mean to do it. That’s what you get for waltzing through the door unannounced.”

“Yeah right,” Ragatha mutters.

It makes Jax’s blood boil. Not that he cares what Ragatha thinks but the fact it doesn’t matter to her regardless gets under his skin. Like, of course she wouldn’t believe him. She doesn’t believe in accidents when it comes to Jax, just malicious intent.

“Oh you’re just sore because you don’t think Pomni cares that I shot you,” Jax hurls in her face. “Am I right or am I right?”

Ragatha flinches back as if he tried to hit her.

"What do you know?" she sounds so upset. "I'm sure she–"

She what?

Ragatha just admitted it.

"Awww, poor Raggie. Maybe I do know something you don't, but I won't tell you." It's what she deserves for not believing him and for generally being a nuisance in his attempts to get Pomni’s attention. He meets her angry scowl with a smirk and gulps down more of his drink, which is hitting like a hammer.

Not that Jax can't hold his liquor this is nothing.

"Does it make you maaaad I'm her trusted bodyguard and you're just one of her goons?" Jax throws more gasoline on the fire.

Ragatha's expression twists and she glares at him.

"You went up into that room and Pomni came out in a dress," she observes, tensing up. This [BEEP] is drunk. "I bet you just looooved that!"

"Oh I did," he brags in an annoying tone. "I even got to zip her up-"

"You are so vile, you know that?" Ragatha snaps, standing suddenly from her barstool.

"Am I? And here I thought I was being a perfect gentleman," Jax slurs out breezily. "Should I have let her come down half dressed? Bet you would've liked to see that."

The last part is said with some venom.

"You're just the worst! I can't believe she likes you over-!" Ragatha stops her outburst short but Jax knows what she was going to say and it irritates him as much as it leaves him smug.

Ragatha lets out a harsh breath. "I don't have to talk to you."

She says it like she's reminding herself, grabbing two of her drinks and abandoning the third as she walks off.

"Byyyye," he calls after her as he slides the abandoned drink towards himself.

She's so jealous. Jax hopes it stays that way.

And then he's alone.

It's a feeling he's used to but he finds himself yearning for Pomni's company.

He wants to see her.

Zip up her dress again.

pull the zipper down

He slumps against the bar and puts his hand over his eyes with a heavy sigh. He still can't believe he popped a boner. Jax has a few drinks in his own silence.

Time passes slowly and Jax’s agitation grows.

"Rabble, rabble, rabble," says the NPC sitting beside him.

Jax turns sharply and shoves the NPC off the chair onto the ground.

It makes him feel marginally better to watch it flail.

"That's what you get," he says.

"Wow," comes a voice to his other side. "That's just rude."

Jax turns his head so fast at the sound of Pomni's voice and his whole world changes colors.

"Oh," he says, leaning casually against the bar. "Return of the loser."

Pomni gives him a look conveying deep suffering and Jax thinks she looks a little flushed.

is she drunk?

"I've been chasing around that NPC I'm supposed to schmooze all night," she complains. "Like, literally chasing it around. It crawled up into these really tall curtains and I gave up."

That has Jax's grin widening and he snorts with laughter, slumping further against the bar top. Look at Pomni with her cute face and her sexy dress.

Jax wants to tug at her zipper.

"That's hilarious. What was he doing up there?"

Jax takes another drink and the world feels tipsy. "More importantly, why didn’t you go after him?"

Pomni heaves a sigh.

"I'm not that invested in being the Don," she says. The bartender NPC slides a mystery drink over to her and she takes it with no complaints.

"How about you?" she asks, glancing at Jax. "What have you been up to?"

Jax thinks of Ragatha's stupid voice. Her jealousy. His jealousy.

It really feels tense but Jax doesn't want to think of any of that while he's got Pomni with him.

He gives a dismissive wave of his hand. "Oh you know me. Making friends everywhere I go."

He takes an almost anxious drink, feeling the heat of the alcohol flushing up his neck.

He's eager to keep Pomni around. "Sounds boring and lame. Hang out with me for a spell, why don't you? That guy isn't going anywhere. Other than up curtains, apparently.”

"Yeah," Pomni agrees and Jax feels a rush of haha vindication.

He watches as she shifts uncomfortably in her seat, reaching back to fuss with a strap on her dress.

"Ah jeez," she mumbles.

"What." Jax is focused on her dress, the slight swell of her chest.

"I've never been used to wearing these things," Pomni says, taking a sip of her drink. Then another. "By the way–"

Whatever she's about to say is interrupted by Gangle who practically falls against the bar.

"Two shots!" she cries.

"Uh," Zooble is trailing after her. "Maybe you should not."

“Shame on you, getting sloppy in front of the Don,” Jax addresses them and Zooble gives him an annoyed look.

Two shots are immediately slid in front of Gangle and she takes one. She slams the shot glass down on the counter as hard as her ribbon can manage.

“This adventure sucks!” she cries. “I had to kill like, three dudes! And one of them shot at me, look!” Gangle shows Pomni a little tatter in her ribbon. “He grazed me! I was so scared!”

“Good!” Jax inserts himself again, leaning over Pomni. “It’ll build charac–”

Jax nearly falls off his stool.

Like some kind of lightweight.

what the Hell

Jax realizes the only thing that broke his fall is Pomni’s awkward noodle arms which are barely holding him up. They shake with the effort.

“Jax, you're heavy!” she complains.

The urge to ragdoll on her is so strong.

“Oh no all the strength has left my body. My only hope is for you to hold me up. I know you can do it,” Jax says dramatically, a giggle in his chest.

“Ugh, unattractive," Gangle complains and Zooble laughs.

Jax glares at her so fast, something scathing on his tongue, but the drama kid continues to run her mouth, “It’s like getting a bodyguard off Craigslist.”

Zooble laughs again, but to Jax’s horror Pomni’s laughter joins it.

And a little +5 appears over Gangle’s head.

Jax’s pupils become slits of rage and he wants to wrangle Gangle’s ribbon throat into a chokehold.

Only he’s frozen by the unlocked fear that Pomni thinks he’s being unattractive too.

“Have you even, like, done anything?” Zooble asks. The words register as nasty even though they just sort of sound intoxicated.

Jax draws back from Pomni so suddenly she stumbles a little as he rights himself. “I have saved Pomni from multiple assassanation attempts, no thanks to you.”

Zooble gives Pomni a doubtful look.

“He did save me,” she says with a little shrug. “I definitely haven’t done anything. I can’t even catch the guy I’m supposed to talk to.”

“That’s right, and you’re all distracting her! You’re all- you’re drunk!” Jax points between Zooble and Gangle with an accusing finger.

Jax stumbles onto his feet and puts an arm around Pomni’s shoulders, ushering her away from the bar. He’s got to get her out of here before these losers make him look any worse. “C’mon, you gotta find the guy!”

“Jax!” Pomni complains, but has no choice but to be swept further into the party.

It takes Jax’s full concentration to walk in a straight line but he’s fine.

They come to an open space where NPCs are dancing with short, often glitchy movements. On a whim Jax drags her towards it.

“Jax, seriously,” Pomni tries to get him to talk again but he doesn’t reply until he’s got her in the middle of the other ‘dancing’ couples and stray loners.

Jax faces her, smirking.

“It’d be a waste to be dressed so fancy and not dance, right?” Jax asks her then suddenly remembers.

Ah

He can’t dance.

Jax gestures to Pomni instead. “Go on, boss. Bust a move.”

“What??” Pomni panics rather than telling him to go [BEEP] himself. She frets, meeting Jax’s eyes. “Oh, uh, I don’t dance.”

“Sure you do!” Jax declares. “You’re the Don aren’t you? Dancing is practically a requirement.”

Jax is sure it’s actually pretty low on the priority list. Pomni doesn’t seem to be buying it either by the face she’s making.

“I told you I don’t dance.” Jax likes it when she’s stubborn. “Like, I can’t dance. It’s bad.”

oh thank god

Jax throws his head back and crows out, “Ha!”

“That’s okay, I won’t make fun of you,” Jax lies as he tilts his head back down to look at her, mood recovering like a feline on its feet.

“Jax, I’m not gonna dance now in front of people,” Pomni lays down the law.

“They’re NPCs!” Jax cries in a mixture of disbelief and distress. What the [BEEP] is she talking about?

“No, like, if someone else saw… my relationship with them wouldn’t change, but I would always think about the fact that they saw me dancing,” Pomni says in a grave tone.

It just makes Jax want to see her dance more.

“That’s why I brought you out here in the middle of the crowd. Who’s going to see you?” Jax reaches out and grabs Pomni’s hand. “Here, I’ll teach you the two-step.”

Jax does not know the two-step.

He half-hunches over to properly rest his hand on Pomni’s waist, resisting the urge to give it a firm squeeze. Jax can almost imagine the sound Pomni would make.

“Are you ready to become a master level dancer?” Jax asks her seriously, the giggle that’s been in his chest rising up to his throat.

Pomni’s eyes go so wide and Jax waits for her to protest.

But she doesn’t. She just looks at him.

Like she’s waiting.

Something about her earnest expression knocks Jax off his footing and for a horrifying second he’s oddly shy.

Jax knocks that off, chest flustered and prickly. Pomni is still staring, he needs to do something.

“Okay so what you do is–” Jax takes a step, pulling Pomni along. Then he takes another step. “It’s just that easy.”

Like, what else could it be?

Pomni gapes up at him.

“Oh my god,” she says. “You don’t know how to do it either.”

“Whaaaaa? How dare you say that after seeing those sick moves.”

The giggle finally breaks free of Jax's chest and he pulls her along another couple steps to the side. “See? I’m a master.”

Pomni stumbles a little and he wonders if she’s past tipsy. He knows he is, though he would deny it up and down.

“That’s definitely not how the dance goes,” Pomni tells him, but she’s laughing.

A little +5 appears above Jax.

“Only five, huh?” He says. “Let’s get that number up to one hundred.”

Pomni snorts in amusement, watching to see what he’ll do.

Jax is only aware of her waist under his hand for a moment.

He grins at her, stomach giving a little flip as he clumsily dips her, the strands of her doll-like hair hanging down. Jax holds her in the position. “How’s that?”

Pomni looks so shocked.

Then she throws her head back and starts laughing. Her face is flushed and she looks so pretty.

+10

Heat rises up in Jax’s chest, heart burning.

Would she be angry if he–

Pomni’s expression suddenly changes as her gaze focuses on something through the crowd and she says, “Oh!”

He yanks Pomni back up into an upright position, glaring in the direction she’d been looking. Who is it, the NPC she’s supposed to be schmoozing?

But it’s worse.

With a jolt of misplaced hurt Jax sees it’s Ragatha, looking put out as she stands alone beside a table stacked with champagne glasses.

“I’ve gotta—“

Pomni is pulling away from Jax and he feels the loss acutely. The loss of Pomni and the loss of control. It makes him feel squeamish as he watches her turn, start to move towards Ragatha.

”Owowowowow!!!!!! OW!!!!!”

The shrill voice of an NPC pierces Jax’s ears. In her haste Pomni had tripped an NPC wearing a swanky suit and an expensive watch. He flails on the floor and scrambles to his feet.

“No one saw that!” the NPC screams.

“Oh [BEEP], this is the guy I’m supposed to—“

”This is war!” the NPC cries.

Uh oh.

It pulls out a gun, pointing it to Pomni’s head.

It’s like Christmas came early. Jax throws himself in front of Pomni dramatically. “Not on my watch, idiot!”

Jax fumbles drunkenly with his gun and has the thought damn it as the NPC gets his shot out first and it slugs him in the shoulder.

The shock of it makes Jax stumble back, falling into Pomni’s arms. He almost takes her out.

Then Jax has a realization oh this doesn’t hurt at all.

He gets his gun drawn and shoots the NPC in the chest until his clip is empty.

“YEEEAAARRRGH,” the NPC yells, arms waving as it collapses to the ground and goes still.

+10

There’s a burst of fireworks and confetti in the air that are very out of place for the setting that spell out,

JAX WINS!!!

Jax looks at it then can’t help but feel smug. [BEEP] right he did.

Then his eyes turn back to Pomni and he decides to ham it up.

“Oh Don Pomni. I’m so honored to have gained your favor over every single person you’ve ever known before passing away from heroically saving you. Don’t you ever forget it either.”

Pomni is looking at him with a conflicted expression.

“But it doesn’t hurt, right?” she finally asks.

“That’s not the point, is it?” Jax asks, a little outraged.

“I mean,” Pomni has nothing to say to that.

“Yeahhh, that’s what I thought,” Jax says with a grin, though he pauses to rub at the area he was shot. “So does that mean I’m the new Don or…”

If he gets to boss people around that’s awesome.

“Hey Gangle, dance for my amusement!” Jax finally straightens as he hollers towards the bar, rolling his head back to see if it works.

Gangle leans heavily against the bar and raises a ribbon that gets censored.

“What! How come it doesn’t work for me? Isn’t that the whole point?”

“Maybe that perk hasn’t activated for you yet,” Pomni suggests helpfully.

Or the adventure is bugged.

When Jax glances down at her she’s smiling at him a little. It’s the only win he needs.

Suddenly the NPCs all disappear in bursts of confetti. Pomni looks bewildered, but Jax’s attention is pulled over to the bar where a giant arrow points to it with the caption,

This is the bar. Imbibe to your heart’s content.

As if they haven’t already been.

Next to the bar a portal appears.

Huh.

“So…” Pomni starts towards the bar. “We can just hang here til we want to go back…?”

“I guess so. That’s pretty rare,” Jax admits. He’s certainly not in a rush to get out of this particular adventure.

Especially as he notes Ragatha making her way to the portal immediately.

Pomni rushes from Jax’s side. It’s a bad feeling.

He watches her approach Ragatha, speak to her in words he can’t hear.

Ragatha finally shakes her head and backs away from Pomni, turning and leaving. Pomni’s shoulders sink a bit.

It doesn’t thrill Jax but if Ragatha will shoot herself in the foot then he’ll make the most of the situation.

Jax walks up to Pomni, leaning over her shoulder. “What, she didn’t want your apology for the thing you didn’t do?”

Pomni is still staring at the portal like she’s debating walking through.

“She said we’ll talk later.” Pomni sighs and turns, heading towards the bar. “C’mon. Let’s go get plastered.”

Jax spares a look at the portal, eyes narrowing slightly, and then he trails after Pomni in a wavering line.

He’s still eager to make this a good night.

—

Gangle is really drunk and it’s really [BEEP]ing annoying. She’s talking to Zooble animatedly about a comic she’s working on. But it’s not even what she’s drawn, it’s the hypotheticals of an unfinished story and it is grating on Jax’s ears while he’s trying to listen to Pomni.

“And… after almost falling down the shaft I was a little nervous, y’know? I mean, these are condemned buildings I’m walking around so you gotta be careful.” Pomni plays with the rim of her empty alcohol glass, staring down into it as she dips into memories. “So I’m thinking okay, the floorboards are iffy and there are pitfalls. Gotta–”

Suddenly Pomni claps her hands together. It startles Jax so bad he almost rears back, but because he’s exceptionally slick he keeps his reaction to his eyebrows raising. Pomni slowly turns to look at him with a serious expression.

“And that’s when my flashlight went out.”

“Oooooooh.” The sound of intrigue that comes from Jax is immediate and genuine. Pomni is kind of [BEEP] at recalling the stories, but now that she’s got some drinks in her she’s got a flair to her. “Tell me more.”

Pomni continues, but Jax has a hard time paying attention to what she’s saying despite how much it grips him. Instead, his attention is focused on Pomni’s mouth. It always seems to be pulled into a fretful frown, but right now it’s curved up with amusement. She looks sweet.

When had Jax started to really like her? He feels it like a burning in his chest.

Pomni snaps her little fingers close to his face and he jumps.

“Woah!” Jax scrambles to regain his cool. “What the dink was that for?”

Pomni gives him a serious look. Then she smiles. “You stopped paying attention. I thought you wanted to know how I sprained both my ankles.”

“I do want to know,” Jax insists. “I want to know all the sordid details.”

Pomni shakes her head at him in amusement. Then she frowns a bit, reaching up to fuss with the strap of her dress.

“Actually… would you mind helping me get out of this thing?”

Jax stares with a frozen smile, and then the words hit him.

holy [BEEP] that’s her coming onto him, right?

Or she's just too tipsy to remember she could walk through the portal and be out of it in a snap. Jax will take it either way.

“Pomni, I would love nothing more,” Jax tells her gleefully, attention spiking through the alcohol fog of his brain.

He drags himself to his feet, jutting out his arm for her to take. Pomni does and Jax feels like he just won the lottery. If only Ragatha were here to witness it.

But part of him is excited for this to be private.

Still, he announces it to the others. “Later, nerds. Don’t wait up!”

His eyes settle on Kinger who waves. He’s polished off several glasses and doesn’t even look remotely drunk, though it’s hard to say with him.

“Have fun!” he says and Jax is certain he doesn’t know what he’s talking about, but it makes Zooble and Gangle look up a bit, surprise on their faces as they look between him and Pomni.

Jax can see it in their expressions.

are Jax and Pomni…?

Then Zooble rolls their eyes with immediate dismissal. “Later, Pomni.”

“Oh, I mean,” Pomni says, sounding confused. “We’re coming ba–”

“Let’s gooooo.” Jax steers her around, moving them away from the bar and towards the staircase. They traipse their way over with some difficulty.

And that’s when the real challenge begins. Pomni is so small it makes sense her tolerance would be at, like, zero. She’s wibble wobbling all over the dang stairs in her heeled shoes, even while holding onto Jax.

“Steady,” Jax chastises, moving his arm to purposefully upset her balance. “You’re all over the place, Pomni!”

“Well, I’d be steadier if you weren’t doing that!” Pomni half clings to his arm.

“What?” Jax jostles her again. “Doing what?”

“That!”

She sounds irritated, but then Pomni is giggling. “Oh nooooo.”

Jax grins. “You drunk, Pomni? You barely had anything! Laaaaaame!”

“Well–”

Pomni suddenly drops and Jax has to catch her. She yelps, grabbing onto him for dear life. They look back to see she’s lost one of her shoes. Pomni makes a sound of aggravation and kicks her other shoe so it rolls down the stairs. Jax laughs.

“Oh my god,” he says. “You’re so dramatic.”

“Help me!” Pomni demands.

Jax feels it like a pull in his chest. He automatically picks her up and throws her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She is a little sack of potatoes. Pomni yelps again.

“Not like that!”

“Too late,” Jax says, continuing to make his unsteady way up the stairs. “Your wish is my command.”

is she still controlling him? Or was he just eager to pick her up?

Pomni beats on his back halfheartedly with her fists, but Jax can tell she’s playing. They’re really starting to get to know each other and it makes him giddy.

They reach the Don’s room and he kicks the door open, enters, then kicks it shut, walking over to the bed and dumping Pomni onto it. She bounces. Her bells jingle.

“Guess this is my room now,” Jax says, looking down at her like he wants to eat her up. “Ugh, it’s bull[BEEP] I can’t order you around.”

“Oh please,” Pomni rolls her eyes. “You’d just make me do silly things until you got bored.”

“I would never get bored,” Jax assures her. He tilts his head. “Come on, let’s get you out of that dress.”

Pomni’s cheeks go red and Jax is so aware of it that his blood runs hot, time seems to slow, his focus zeroes in on Pomni.

they’re flirting, right?

Then Pomni rolls over onto her stomach.

“Go ahead.”

Jax’s heart pounds once.

Then it occurs to him.

If he doesn’t milk this then Pomni will change and they’ll be back downstairs in a jiffy. That’s not what he wants.

Time for shenanigans.

“Hold on,” Jax says, walking up to a window and peeking through the blinds. “These are a problem. If they’re slanted down people on the street will see you change. But if they’re slanted up, people in airplanes might see you change. What a pickle.”

“What…?”

Jax glances over at Pomni’s bewildered face and smirks. “What are we gonna do, Pomni? Oh wait, you’re not the Don anymore, you don’t have any power.”

“You don’t know that,” Pomni says. “You didn’t get the power to control people. Maybe I still have it.”

oh god can she still do that

that’s hot

Jax pushes the thought away, pretending it doesn’t affect him the way it does.

“Try me,” Jax says.

“Huh? Oh, uh…” Pomni’s eyes roll up to the ceiling as she thinks. Then she says, rolling onto her side, “Straighten your tie.”

“That’s such a boring-” Jax starts to dunk on her but realizes he’s already reached up to fiddle with his tie, though it takes him some effort to straighten it. He literally can’t stop fussing with it until it is, though.

Then he looks back up at Pomni. So she can still boss him around.

how can he get her to do it again

“Okay well maybe that was a fluke,” Jax dismisses, trying not to sound too eager when he tells her, “Gimme another.”

“Mm,” Pomni makes a thoughtful sound then tells him, “I think I liked the tie better before. Tug it loose.”

Heat creeps over Jax. Is Pomni into this too? Is she? Is she into him?

Jax hooks his finger into the knot of his tie and tugs it loose again, imagining Pomni tugging on it.

He’s buzzing with anticipation as he meets Pomni’s eyes. “Will that do?”

Pomni’s expression looks awkward. Is that good? Bad?

“Yep.”

Pomni glances away.

Wait, what? That’s bad, right? Jax has to salvage this. And suss it out.

“Wait, you’re trying to get me to take off my clothes,” he accuses. ”That’s your motive!”

“Wha– no!” Pomni visibly panics.

“Oh [BEEP] no, I won’t stand for this,” Jax says, trying to pry open the window. “I have to escape!”

”What??” Pomni sounds frantic. Good. This is definitely working.

Jax manages to get the window open halfway, but it gets stuck. He starts banging on it.

”Can anybody down there hear me?!” he calls through the window at no one. ”Does anyone have a trampoline?!”

He hears laughter and it makes him feel good.

But then there’s hands on his arm, tugging him back. He looks over and sees Pomni has gotten up and is trying to get him away from the window.

“You’re being ridiculous!” she accuses, but she’s grinning up at him and he doesn’t think he’s ever seen her smile this wide.

“Well excuuuuuse me, princess!” Jax exclaims. He lets her pull him along like he’s reluctant. “If you haven’t noticed, that’s my whole M.O.”

“Well–”

Whatever Pomni is about to say is cut off by a gasp as the backs of her legs hit the bed. Her grip on Jax tightens and the world blurs as she tumbles back, bouncing on the plush mattress and–

And pulling Jax on top of her.

Jax’s eyes widen and they both make a sound of alarm as his body lands on hers. A flushed feeling moves through Jax and he pushes himself up slightly so he’s not squashing her completely.

Pomni is staring back, face flushed and eyes equally wide as they stare at each other.

And then a +30 appears over Jax’s head.

That makes Jax hot all over. “Ooh, what were those points for, Pom?”

“That– uh– I…”

Pomni looks so, so, so flustered. She doesn’t even get her thoughts out, she just looks up at Jax.

does she want me to kiss her?

Jax wants to.

He wants to kiss her so bad.

Instead, Jax feels words bubbling up, spilling out.

“You look beautiful tonight.”

Pomni’s eyes go wide and she makes an awkward sound in her throat.

But before Jax can make the decision to lean in, the world starts to melt away around them. Then they’re being pulled from it, dragged by an invisible force away from the room, from the adventure–

The lights of the Circus are garish and obtrusive as he’s dumped on top of Pomni again, this time on the hard floor.

“Ow!” Pomni cries.

Jax adjusts and realizes–

He’s still on top of her.

They’re just laying on the floor like a couple of [BEEP]holes, and

we look like we were having sex

A flush rolls through Jax so intense he can’t even feel superior about it.

“Jax!” Pomni cries. “Up! Up, up!”

They scramble to their feet, putting a little distance between them as they both look at the others. Zooble and Gangle are staring. Gangle’s mouth is dropped open and Zooble looks annoyed. Kinger is already walking away.

Ragatha is absent and Jax can only imagine what face she would make.

“Now, now, you two,” comes Caine’s voice. He flies down to them. “You shouldn’t be wrestling on the floor! One of you might hit your heads!”

Bubble appears and Caine bonks him on the head with his cane. Bubble looks like he might pop, but doesn't perhaps out of sheer willpower.

Caine gestures towards everyone. “Well, how was the adventure!”

There’s a pause of silence and then Gangle speaks up, still sounding sloshed, “I liked the bar.”

Caine’s eye gives a little twitch. “Well that’s great but what about the actual adventure?”

“I- didn’t.”

“Didn’t what?” Caine prompts Gangle, patience thin.

“Like it,” Gangle says, then gives a drunken little giggle filled with nerves.

“Haha!” Caine laughs too loud then demands, “Well what do other people have to say about it?”

Jax glances over at Pomni, heart still racing, and smirks. “Well I loved it. I particularly enjoyed getting to shoot people.”

“That’s great!” Caine proclaims, “So glad everyone enjoyed it!”

He’s just ignoring the negative feedback, huh? That’s funny.

“That’s not-” Zooble starts to protest flatly but Caine spins higher up into the air.

“Alright my shoots and ladders, rest up and make merry while I cook up your next amaaaaazing adventure!” Caine gives himself a little tap on the top of his gums with his cane and he and Bubble both burst into colorful smoke.

Gangle wavers on her feet then declares, “That adventure sucked.”

“You were able to say you didn’t like it to Caine’s face,” Zooble praises. “Nice job.”

“You’re just jealous ‘cuz you didn’t win,” Jax pshaws.

Then he looks over to Pomni.

She’s just standing there and her whole face is crimson.

oh that’s so [BEEP]ing cute

“I’m gonnaaaaa go.” Pomni turns and starts marching away.

Jax has the urge to grab her by the arm, yoink her back, tell her to come with him so they can finish what technically she started by pulling him on top of her. But he lets her go, just watching her with a dazed grin.

“Don’t make that face,” Zooble tells him, but he ignores them.

Before she rounds a corner Pomni looks back at Jax.

Their eyes meet.

And Jax knows she’s all he’s going to be thinking of tonight.

Chapter Text

Jax is sitting with Pomni on the couch in the lounge. He's making her laugh, though he's not sure what he said. He feels like he's still in a daze from last night.

Pomni is giggling, a hand over her mouth. Her bells jingle lightly with her laughter and Jax can't help but reach over and flick one of them.

"You're too much," Pomni tells him, calming down from her giggles.

She looks up at him with smiling eyes. Jax meets the smile with a grin of his own.

"Awwww you just can't stand it? That's hilarious."

Pomni scoffs and shakes her head.

"I'm trying to watch TV."

"What? This is meaningless tripe," Jax gestures at the TV which shows a monkey peeling and eating bananas. "TV rots your brain."

"Well, what do you want to do?" Pomni asks.

She wants to do something together.

Yesssssssssssss.

"Hmm. Maybe go on another mafia adventure," Jax says. "Let's go ask Caine."

"Noooo," Pomni shakes her head. "Let's not."

Jax snorts, reaching up to tug at the end of Pomni's hat. "Why not? I thought you liked it."

The accusation makes his chest tight with anticipation, though it makes him oddly nervous too. Maybe afraid she'll reject the claim outright.

He doubles down.

"Didn't you have fun? Huh? Getting targeted for assassination and bossing people around?"

"The only person I bossed around is you," Pomni states, trying to brush the hand on her hat away without success.

"Yeah and what a rare opportunity that you didn't use to your advantage at all." Jax tuts.

If it had been the others they'd have made his life a living Hell except maybe Kinger.

"Why are you saying that like it's a bad thing?" Pomni gives him a no nonsense look. "Did you want me to order you around?"

"No-" Jax blurts the word out. Then he scowls. "I'm just saying."

"Uh huh."

They have a little staring match and then Pomni says, "Loosen your tie."

"Huh...?" Jax doesn't get it. Pomni just gestures at him. He looks down and--

He's in the suit from the adventure.

What.

When.

But his hands move up and he loosens his tie. Without his control.

"Wait, what??!" he panics. "How come you can do that?"

Pomni laughs. "Guess it's permanent."

She starts crawling towards him. On the couch.

thud thud thud, goes Jax's heart.

"You know what I think," Pomni says, reaching up to tug on his tie until it falls loose to the couch. "I think you liked being bossed around."

"No, I felt normal about it!" Jax protests, stomach feeling like it's dropped out of him. There's no way Pomni could have actually noticed, is there?

because he had liked it and it's weird it's so weird how much he liked it

He laughs nervously, not wanting to push Pomni away but going into panic mode. "What would even give you that idea?"

"Hmmmmmm."

What the Hell does that mean?!

"I dunno," Pomni says. "That boner you popped said otherwise."

Jax nearly screams.

So she did notice! What the--

"Undo your shirt," Pomni orders.

"Wha-" Jax starts to say in disbelief but his hands are already moving to unbutton it.

He's helpless to Pomni's command, hands a little shaky at the loss of control but-

it's hot

Even as Jax feels conflicted about his own reaction he can't deny the eager heat building between his legs.

Is this seriously happening? Are they actually doing this?

Jax is giddy and anxious as he asks Pomni, "Are you into this kind of thing?"

"Well, you certainly are," she accuses and it makes him wither a little.

"What's that supposed to–"

Jax is cut off by Pomni reaching up and dragging a gloved finger down his chest, his stomach, stopping short of his slacks.

And then she looks down. And Jax looks down.

He's getting hard.

"Uhh–" he starts, desperate to diffuse something.

"Hmm, the suit is boring."

Pomni snaps her fingers like she's Caine. Jax gapes at her smirk.

"Thaaaat's better."

Jax looks down again.

And then he jumps to his feet, scrambling away from the couch as realization hits him.

He's in the maid dress again.

He's in the maid dress again.

Jax trips backwards and hits the ground, heart racing. Why did Pomni put him in this?!

There’s a prick of pain like betrayal but when he looks up at Pomni a decided throb goes through his hips. It makes him weirdly shaky.

don’t look at me! he wants to scream.

But the shaking is from anticipation.

Pomni is looking down at him with that sweet little face and he sees it so vividly, like a kaleidoscope of every time he’s ever looked at her.

what does she think of him?

Then suddenly that sweet face is smirking at him. Pomni gets off of the couch and walks up to him. Stands in front of him and with Jax down on his [BEEP] she has him on height.

Pomni lowers her eyes to the dress.

“You look so cute.”

Jax flinches away from her, thighs pressing together tightly and he has to bite back a moan.

what the [BEEP]?!

He’s breathing so hard, frozen to the spot at her judgement.

Then like some evil, vile thing lurking inside him Jax thinks

what is she going to do to me?

Jax wants to die. He wants to disappear. He wants to abstract.

But he does none of these things as the ache between his legs grows unbearable.

“Pomni,” Jax says in such a weak voice he grimaces.

Pomni leans down so they’re face to face, smiling at him with that little curve of her mouth.

“Go on, Jax,” she says.

Jax swallows hard.

“Lift your skirt.”

Heat flushes to Jax’s face, flushes between his legs, thighs clenching again and Jax gasps in distress as he starts to

—

Jax wakes with a start, sitting straight up in bed panting.

What?

What??

He throws his hands over his mouth in a silent scream.

What the [BEEP] was that?!

Then Jax’s eyes move down slowly and he grimly pulls back his blanket.

Aaaand he came in his underwear.

[BEEP]ing incredible.

This is it, Jax thinks. The moment that finally pushes him to abstraction.

He waits for a few moments and is almost ashamed of himself when nothing happens.

That only gives him the floor to think about the dream.

Pomni standing over him

lift your skirt

Jax feels an unfortunate twitch of interest between his legs. He rolls quickly onto his side and pulls his blanket over his head.

His thoughts are flooded with her, but it isn’t the feeling of being on top of her that’s been circulating in his brain. No, now all he sees is Pomni’s smirking face.

or would she be softer than that

The thought has him twitching again and Jax tsks sharply.

“[BEEP],” he hisses to himself.

Okay.

Okay, he’s into this now. It’s an undeniable fact that this, whatever this is, is a problem.

He’s so [BEEP]ed. It’s so over for him. How could this have happened?!

Jax buries his face against his mattress and screams in frustration.

What is he gonna do?

—

By breakfast Jax is fairly confident he can play it cool around Pomni.

He heads down to the dining area, shoulders hunched defensively like he’s expecting Ragatha to pop out and berate him. She doesn’t, of course, but the feeling never dissipates.

Jax is greeted by the sight of the others stuffing their stupid faces. His eyes are first drawn to Gangle who’s sitting on the end, slumped lifelessly against the table. Zooble is patting her back.

“I feel horrible,” she sobs.

“Well,” Zooble says like they’re searching for some useless platitude to give her. “This too shall pass.”

“Uuuuuugh.”

So she’s hungover. Good. Frankly this is her fault.

Now that Jax thinks about it, he’s pretty hungover too. Maybe that’s partially why he feels like [BEEP]. The dream has kept him focused on his spiritual woes rather than the physical ones, but now he can feel–

Aw, is Pomni hungover too?

His eyes flick to her and then he freezes.

She’s sitting there poking at a bowl of cereal with an exhausted frown on her face. It’s soooo cute he wants to go over and poke at the corners of her mouth to force her into a smile. Then maybe say something a little flirty and test out the waters—

Pomni looks up and her eyes land on him and Jax hits a wall.

Oh no.

He can’t play it cool.

Jax’s feet carry him forward until he’s at the seat next to Pomni’s. It’s the one Ragatha has been taking for the past week or so and Jax sits down in it with a feeling like he’s somehow cheated her out of something. Then he realizes Ragatha isn’t here.

But that’s not important. What’s important is that Pomni is looking at him.

It’s the first time they’re going to talk after what happened.

He has to be smooth.

“Hey, uh, hey what’s up?” Jax asks.

Pomni’s big ol’ eyes are like lazer beams. Jax actually feels like he’s taking damage from being looked at like this. He’s about to tell her to point those peepers somewhere else when Pomni clears her throat and says,

“Oh, um, good.”

“Huh?” Jax doesn’t get it. He blinks at her like that will get some of the stars out of his eyes.

“Huh??” Pomni sounds panicked. “Wait, what did you ask?”

“I said–”

Pomni drops her spoon and it clatters to the ground.

“God[BEEP] it,” she mumbles, leaning down to grab it. One of her bells whacks Jax’s thigh and he fights the urge to grab it, pick Pomni up by it and start swinging her around.

Oh god she’s somehow even cuter today.

She sits up and looks down at her cereal, back to poking at it with the spoon. Jax can’t help but snort.

“That was on the filth covered floor,” Jax tells her despite knowing the spoon is pristine.

Pomni gives her cereal a frown and Jax wonders if she’s mad at him.

“Um,” she says. “How are. You.”

Jax in the dress

Pomni telling him to lift the skirt

“Jax…?”

Pomni turns her eyes to him again, this time with a palpable hint of concern and it makes Jax shrivel.

don’t you dare care about me like that

Jax stands so abruptly it draws all eyes at the table to him, terrified that somehow they can all just tell everything that’s swirling around in his head.

The concern only grows in Pomni’s eyes and Jax backs up. He can’t handle this right now.

he’s losing control

“I’m fine,” he states for himself and all present. “I’m not in the mood to pretend to eat. You all have fun with that, though.”

His eyes meet Pomni’s and she looks so baffled and maybe hurt, but Jax just can’t.

Jax opens his mouth to say something, at least give a farewell of some kind, but he just turns around and walks away, wondering,

What is wrong with me?

—

Jax is lying on a couch in a room that’s full of couches. It’s one of his napping spots, but sleep never comes to him no matter how long he lies there. Instead he just thinks about Pomni.

the dream

the look in her eyes when he’d left

eventually she’ll realize who he is and–

Jax rolls onto his side for the thousandth time. He lets out a slow sigh and closes his eyes.

Pomni Pomni Pomni

She’s all that’s in his head.

“... in here. It’ll be private.”

He hears Pomni’s voice and it sets off a chain reaction of surprise then discomfort then euphoria then fear.

Who is she talking to??

Jax tenses up as footsteps enter the room. He considers sitting up when he hears Ragatha’s voice.

“I don’t really…”

“Ragatha, when are we going to talk about it, then?” Pomni’s voice is lowkey pleading and Jax thinks Ragatha doesn’t deserve it.

“I…”

“Please, just hear me out,” Pomni reasons. “During the adventure– I tried to go after you when you got shot, but it wouldn’t let me. There was some kind of wall.”

Ragatha is silent. Jax bites his lip hard to keep himself quiet. Oh he wants to rip into her so bad. But he remains frozen. He wants to hear what she has to say.

“Ragatha…?” Pomni sounds so concerned.

“Listen, Pomni,” Ragatha says in a quiet tone. “I’m sorry about disappearing like that. I just really needed some space.”

“That’s fine, but…” Pomni’s troubled little voice makes Jax want to throw the couch at Ragatha and take her out like a bowling pin. “What’s wrong? I can’t understand unless you tell me.”

Ah, now that’s a tall order. Jax rolls his eyes, waiting for Ragatha to [BEEP] it up. Hoping she does.

“I’ve… noticed. About you and Jax.”

“Uh–” Pomni stutters, clearly taken off guard. “You’ve noticed– uh, what?”

Ragatha is silent again and this time it grates on Jax’s nerves. He realizes he’s grinding his teeth together. It’s so loud he’s surprised they don’t hear it.

“I’m not here to have a fight with you,” Ragatha prefaces. Then, “You just don’t really know Jax like that. Just so you know.”

Jax’s blood goes cold as an unwanted memory floods his brain. He shuts it down so fast he can’t even have visuals, but it leaves his heart pounding.

is Ragatha gonna talk about it?

the past and everything he doesn’t want Pomni to know?

no no no no no

A scream builds up in Jax’s throat.

“Well, I mean, you say that,” Pomni says slowly. “But you won’t say what it is.”

Jax can practically feel Ragatha struggling for words. Finally she sighs.

“You ask him if you’re such good friends now.”

“Ragatha, why are–”

“That’s all I have to say.” Ragatha has laid down a boundary. Jax doesn’t dare believe that’s it. Doesn’t dare breathe. “I’m sorry, Pomni. It’s just really upsetting to see my friend get in a situation where–”

So that wasn’t all she had to say.

“I… I’m gonna go.” Jax can’t hear Ragatha’s light steps, but knows she’s leaving.

There’s a long stretch of silence. So long Jax wants to sit up and say a quip. Diffuse the situation. Instead he puts a hand over his mouth to keep himself from saying anything.

Finally Pomni sighs. He hears her footsteps, listens to them grow distant.

Jax waits a few minutes before letting out a breath. It comes out in a whine.

How dare Ragatha?

she almost told Pomni

But she didn’t. He’s still safe. Pomni doesn’t know.

Jax’s heart doesn’t calm down for a long time.

—

The Circus feels more like a labyrinth than it ever has, Jax thinks as he wanders. He doesn’t even remember leaving the couch room, only able to focus on the pervasive feeling of panic that’s ripping through his system. He needs to reset. He needs–

would Pomni accept that he’s just having a bad day and he didn’t mean to upset her

She’s so sweet he bets she would.

Somehow it’s not a good feeling.

Jax rounds a corner and comes across the lounge. Gangle is sitting alone, drawing.

It’s instinct that drives him forward to walk up behind her, snatch her sketchbook from her hands.

“Hey!!” Gangle cries. She sounds miserable. Probably still hungover. He hopes so. “Give it back, Jax!”

“Like that’s gonna work,” Jax snorts, rolling his eyes as he flips through Gangle’s sketchbook. “Why do you, like, only draw anime? Diversify your style, I’m tired of looking at it.”

“[BEEP] you, Jax.”

Jax looks over sharply to see Zooble approaching. They’re holding what appears to be a glass of juice. They hand it to Gangle.

“Nice to see you too,” Jax sneers. He’s in such a foul mood.

Zooble’s eyes narrow. “Will you stop harassing Gangle just because you’re a miserable piece of [BEEP]?”

Jesus.

The takedown is so harsh it genuinely takes Jax off guard. He’s still raw from Ragatha earlier.

“What, not gonna say anything to that?” Zooble doesn’t look pleased despite technically winning. “Stop bothering people. No one wants it.”

“Haaaa,” Jax breathes out rather than laughs. He flips a couple more pages. “What’s harassment is Gangle drawing these–”

“Oh my God!” Gangle cries. “What does Pomni see in you!”

Jax feels a shock roll through him.

Pomni

It’s a fine time for Gangle to be standing up for herself. Jax loses it. He throws the sketchbook at Gangle who drops her drink and shields herself with a little, “Eek!”

“Jax!” Zooble snaps. “Take your foul attitude somewhere else! You [BEEP]ing asshole!”

Zooble is so protective of Gangle nowadays. What the [BEEP] is that about??

Jax realizes he’s breathing hard, heart pounding. Zooble is looking at Jax like they can see right through him.

“Pomni doesn’t know you yet,” Zooble says.

The words are a smack in the face and Jax steps back.

Gangle picks up her sketchbook and pipes up, “You’re a jerk.”

Jax can’t face Zooble’s reiteration of Ragatha’s sentiments. So he turns on Gangle. Getting close to Zooble has made her bite back more.

“I’m gonna wring your ribbons,” he threatens, taking a step forward to compensate for the one he took back.

“[BEEP] off,” Zooble says simply, taking Gangle’s ribbon and helping her up.

They both start to walk away. Their hands part, but Jax watches them go wordlessly and thinks,

that’s what a couple actually looks like

Jax can’t give that to Pomni. Even if that’s what he wants.

He’s having weird fantasies and he’s a mess and he and Pomni are growing close and he’s not even happy.

Jax turns numbly and heads for his room.

He can’t risk running into anyone now.

He needs to be alone.

—

As it turns out, being alone is not the answer.

The thoughts spiral out of control so fast Jax isn’t in his bed for an hour before he’s pacing restlessly, dragging his hands over his face.

this is Pomni’s fault, some bitter part of him whispers. she came and now I’m like this

As if he hasn’t been pulling strings trying to get Pomni to like him.

Jax lets out an aggravated cry and heads for the door, walking as fast as he can through the Circus. Judging by the lighting it’s evening. Thank [BEEP] there was no adventure today or he’d be going bonkers. He already is.

Jax sighs as he makes his way into the lounge with some trepidation. It’s the fastest way to the kitchen and he’s already decided he needs ice cream. That will soothe his soul.

But his steps freeze when he sees someone on the couch. They’re too small to be anyone but Pomni. She’s sitting there with the TV off just staring at it.

Ah. That’s so pathetically sad.

Jax doesn’t back out of the lounge and it seals his fate. Pomni looks over and her eyes widen.

“Oh,” she says quietly. “Hi, Jax.”

It’s jarring to see her there, almost perfectly mirroring the image of his dream. Between that and the many criticisms he’s been forced to absorb that day he feels emotionally activated, ready to start swinging.

lift your skirt

Jax feels his face make some kind of expression and Pomni only looks more upset.

And he still hasn’t said anything.

she’s going to hate you no matter what so why bother says the devil on his shoulder.

but maybe she won’t says the more optimistic devil on his other shoulder.

Jax strides forward and suddenly grips Pomni’s wrist, dragging her up off the couch and desperately pushing the dream from his mind.

“C’mon, follow me,” Jax tells her.

“Where–”

“Shh. Shush,” Jax hushes forcefully.

Pomni goes quiet.

Jax goes out to the main stage area of the Circus and lets go of Pomni. And then he starts to scream.

”CAAAAAAINE!!!”

Pomni jumps. “What are you doing?!”

“Just hold on– CAAAAAAAINE!!!!”

Caine appears in a flash of vaguely concerning fire. “Good evening, my silly stars and stripes!”

“Yeah,” Jax says. “Send us to the carnival.”

“The wha–” Pomni starts.

“Oh, the carnival,” Caine says with a genuine tone of joy. “Feeling a couple rides? Craving cotton candy?”

“Yes,” Jax says.

“Well, I’ll send you in a jiffy!”

Caine waves his hand grandly and two tickets fall down from the sky, landing in Jax’s hands.

“Prepare to have your mind completely mangled by the magnificence of the carnival, Pomni!” Caine says, excited. “And make sure to tell me how much you liked it!”

Caine claps his hands and suddenly they’re not at the Circus anymore.

They’re at the entrance to the carnival.

Brilliant, glimmering lights make the twilight sky look dim. The sounds of roller coasters and NPCs screaming at a distance make Jax’s stomach flip in mild excitement. The smell of popcorn is in the air even outside of the carnival and it makes Jax feel phantom hunger.

Jax had always loved the carnival in real life. Does Pomni?

He turns his head to look at her, suddenly nervous.

What’s her reaction?

Pomni is looking up at the carnival with wide eyes that reflect the lights in the giant orbs in her dumb little face. They look beautiful.

“Well?” Jax prompts. “Ready to have fun?”

Pomni looks up at him. “You… took me to the carnival?”

“Yyyep.”

Obviously!! What gives with that reaction?

Pomni frowns.

And then she gives him a smile. “That’s so sweet.”

Some of the tension goes out of Jax’s shoulders even as he scowls. “Don’t make me sound lame. It’s a carnival, who doesn’t want to [BEEP] around at the carnival?”

He puts a hand on her back and pushes forward, to the ticket booth. There’s a red curtain in place, a white gloved hand reaching through to take their tickets before disappearing back behind it.

“That’s… a little creepy,” Pomni notes as they enter.

“That is like the least creepy thing it could be,” Jax chastises before leaning down, hands on her shoulders from behind. “So what’ll it be, Pomni? What do you crave? Games? Food? Rides?”

“Uh, um, uh, uh,” Pomni stutters. “I have to decide? Uhhhhhh,”

“Unless you want me putting you on the scaaariest roller coaster they have,” Jax threatens.

Pomni makes a reluctant sound at that and tilts her head backwards to glare up at Jax. He imagines kissing her upside down like this. Her look of surprise.

“I guess… food?”

“Good choice!”

Jax has to force himself out of the position, pushing Pomni forward through the gates.

Immediately the sensations double. The sights, the smells, the sounds of the carnival permeate the air, overstimulating enough to be almost like being in a real carnival. It distracts Jax from the things he’s been thinking and feeling so it’s really

Ragatha’s bitter looks, Zooble’s cold distrust, bringing up the past, trying to take Pomni away from

nice to be out here with Pomni not dealing with any of that.

“So, food,” Jax says. “What do you want to eat? You want a corndog as big as you.”

“I mean I’m not that hungry–”

But Jax is already walking up to the corn dog vendor. “Gimme two corndogs as big as her.”

The NPC spares a cursory look down at Pomni then turns and starts preparing the food.

“Jax, if we eat all that we’re gonna die,” Pomni says at his elbow. Jax looks down.

“Of course we’re not,” he says. “You and your hyperbole. One of these days I’m gonna getcha.”

“What does that even mean?” Pomni furrows her brow at him and Jax laughs.

But then a cold feeling washes over him and he is compelled to ask, “Sooo, what were you so upset about?”

Pomni frowns deeply and she looks so genuinely upset.

“I…”

Is she not going to tell him?

He knows what it is. She can’t just tell him that Ragatha was being–

“Ragatha and I aren’t getting along,” Pomni finally says, staring down at the ground. “And I don’t think there’s anything I can do about it.”

Jax lets out a slow breath, not sure if he wants her getting into the nitty gritty. It’s definitely easier for him if she keeps it vague.

“Yeah well, as far as I see it you haven’t really done anything wrong so if she has a problem she can deal with it,” Jax dismisses. “Let her rot and figure it out. Or not. She’ll slap a happy face on it either way eventually.”

He can’t help but scowl about that. It’s so annoying.

“It doesn’t feel good,” Pomni says, tilting her head up to look at Jax. Suddenly he feels seen. “It’s hard making friends here.”

Jax’s chest throbs and he’s suddenly uneasy.

He coaxes a smile to rise up again, putting a hand to his chest. “Well hey, we’re friends, right?”

Then with sudden fear of rejection he leans down and pinches her cheek, pulling a little. “Yeahhh, yeah we are.”

“Your corn dogs,” the NPC announces and Jax straightens, relieved to have a distraction.

His eyes widen as he looks at their food and then he goes, “Hmm.”

The corndogs are literally the size of Pomni. “Y’know now that I’m seeing that in person that is a lot to carry around. Should we just take one?”

He peeks at Pomni, wondering what she’s thinking behind those big, distressed eyes.

“Oh, uh…” She bites her lip like she’s somewhere else. “Can you carry it?”

“... Sure.”

Ahhh why isn’t this feeling fun. This is supposed to be fun. Why did Jax have to open his mouth and ask about things he doesn’t want to hear.

They find a bench and Jax lowers the corndog so they can both take a bite. At first it’s just crispy fried breading and they take a couple minutes to bite through it.

By the time they get to the actual hot dog, hunger has set in. They chow down, destroying it. Getting lost in the thought of wow, wouldn’t a real carnival be great. Jax wants to take her to a real one.

When they’ve eaten so much there’s no real merit to continuing, Pomni gets up and goes to a drink vendor across the way. Jax watches her go with a raised brow at her proactive attitude. She returns with two huge cups filled with pink liquid.

“I don’t know what this is,” Pomni says, handing one to Jax. She sits down with the half eaten corn dog between them and takes a big sip. “... strawberry?”

“Hmmmm.” Jax takes a sip as well, glancing up to the night sky that’s now full of stars. “Something like that.”

Now they drink in silence. Jax’s chest feels ill. He wants to go to bed. Or have a screaming fit on the ground, kicking and pounding his fists. He wonders which option will make him more attractive to Pomni.

“Jax…?” she asks and when he looks down at her she’s got eyes that can see right through his skin.

“What.” he asks flatter than he means to.

“Um… are you okay?”

The words are venomous even though she doesn’t mean for them to be. Jax tsks sharply and looks away when her eyes widen.

“No, I’m not okay,” he says. “I desire a plushie and you’re gonna be the one to win it for me.”

“I– what?” Pomni looks completely thrown off. That’s just because Jax is that good. At changing the subject. “I don’t think I can–”

But Jax is already dragging her away from the bench, pulling her towards the rows of games he’s already beaten a dozen times. “You’re gonna wow me.”

Pomni stutters as he drags her up to a game where you have to shoot floating bubbles that look like Bubble.

“I dunno…” Pomni seems reluctant. Nothing a little coaxing can’t fix.

“Pomni if you don’t win me that plushie of Caine,” Jax says calmly, pointing up to an ungodly bootleg looking plushie of their heartless god, “I will have a meltdown and abstract so fast it’ll make your head spin.”

“Don’t say that!” Pomni panics. “I can’t–”

Jax tosses her what appears to be a mixture between a rifle and an AK-47.

“Impress me.”

Pomni gives him a doubtful look. “Aren’t you supposed to be cheering me up?”

“Not anymore,” Jax says. “Now you’re dancing for my amusement.”

Pomni frowns a bit.

Then she points the gun at him.

“Any last words?” she asks in a grave tone.

“You don’t have the guts,” Jax says, amused. Though Pomni threatening Jax does do something for him.

Pomni over him, telling him to lift the–

Jax bats that thought away so hard it makes him blink.

“Besides, didn’t I already take a bullet for you?” he asks, forcing the conversation forward. “Are you jealous you didn’t get to kill anyone last adventure?”

“Yup,” Pomni squints one eye at him and moves the gun like she’s aiming for his head. “And now I’m gonna take you out.”

Jax snorts with amusement and reaches up. He grabs the gun, slooowly pointing it to the actual game, then lets go.

“Take your aggression out on Bubble instead.”

“Hm.” Pomni squints at Bubble like she lost her glasses. “Uhhh, he’s really small.”

“That’s the point,” Jax tells her.

“... Ooookay, then.” Pomni pulls the trigger.

It might mostly look like a rifle, but it fires like an automatic. Bullets spray everywhere, getting a few Bubbles but also gunning down the NPC running the stand.

“Aaaaargh!” it cries as it’s blown to the ground.

Pomni gasps and stops shooting, jaw dropping. “Oh no!!!”

Jax throws head back with a sharp cackle. “Oh yes! You’re a killer now, Pomni! You have a taste for it, that’s how it works!”

Pomni looks back at him in distress and it makes him giddy in his chest.

“Am I next? Is your thirst for bloodshed not satisfied?” He wags his eyebrows at her.

“Uuuugh!” the NPC cries. “Just take your prize and go…. GO!!!!”

Pomni squeaks at the sudden scream and Jax snorts. He reaches over the counter and grabs the Caine plush from where it’s hanging. He gives it a serious look.

And then he starts whacking Pomni with it over and over, beating on her.

“I’m holding a gun!” she panics, gingerly setting it down. “I’m holding– I could have shot you!”

“You should have when you had the chance!” Jax exclaims gleefully as he advances.

Pomni tries to run away, but Jax follows her like a schoolyard bully, thwacking her on the head over and over. “Get back here!”

“Oh my god!”

Pomni trips and eats [BEEP] face first on the ground.

Jax laughs, crouching down. “Pomni. Pomni if you don’t get up I’m gonna getcha.”

He raises the plushie up threateningly.

Pomni raises her head, brow furrowed. “What is wrong with you?”

Jax shrugs. “Lots of stuff.”

He bops her on the head with the plushie again. “Wanna go on a ride?”

Pomni sits up and looks at Jax with an unexpectedly curious gaze. It makes him a little uneasy. Then Pomni says, as if testing the waters, “Help me up.”

Heat blooms in Jax’s guts and he almost rears back, thankfully keeping it together.

Jax swallows thickly. Pomni doesn’t somehow know that he’s into it, right? That’s impossible.

He eyes the hand Pomni holds out, tempted to smack it away to ease the feeling in his chest. Instead he reaches out and grabs it, standing and pulling her up to her feet so fast she stumbles and almost falls again. “Don’t fall, I just picked you back up.”

Why did he have to have that stupid dream, god.

Pomni scoffs and pulls her little hand away. Despite his own unease at holding it, Jax feels the loss acutely.

“I’m gonna tell you right now, no spinny rides,” Pomni says. “Those kill me.”

“Roller coaster, then,” Jax decides.

Pomni looks uneasy. “I dunno…”

“The only other rides they have are water rides,” Jax lies. “Do you wanna get soaked?”

“Nope,” Pomni says immediately. She sighs. “Okay. Roller coaster. But nothing too crazy.”

“Sure thing,” Jax says, starting to lead her towards the most intense roller coaster in the carnival. Silly Pomni. She has no idea.

Pomni follows along looking all nervous.

As they approach the roller coaster Pomni grows visibly [BEEP]ed.

“Oh come on!” she cries, pointing at the sign. “The ‘Monsternator??’ Are you serious?”

“As the grave,” Jax says, pushing some milling NPCs out of the way. “Let’s go.”

To his surprise, Pomni doesn’t offer further complaints. Not even when Jax grabs her wrist and drags her to the front seat. She does look nervous, though. “I– I dunno.”

“Too late now,” Jax says. “Buckle in.”

She does and Jax feels a thrill. Wow, she’s actually up for it.

Pomni must really need a distraction.

Good. So does Jax.

The ride gives a jolt and begins to move. They’ve only gone a short way before the car starts up a slow, daunting climb to the top of the first drop.

The higher they get Pomni grows more visibly anxious. She’s so cute when she gets all worked up.

They reach the top, looking over the carnival and showing off how high they are. They can see the Circus from here. Then they start to tilt forward.

“Oooh jeez. Oh no, oh- Aaaah!!” Pomni begins to scream, and Jax’s laughter is whipped away by the wind as they plummet down the track.

Jax’s stomach feels like it’s floating and he reaches over to grab one of Pomni’s arms, raising it in the air.

“Put your hands up!” he yells, not sure if she can even hear him over her own screaming. She clings to the bar with her other hand.

It’s weirdly exhilarating being with Pomni. Like Jax is experiencing this roller coaster for the first time. It had easily been the most fun he’d had his first time at the carnival and now–

“No, no, no, no, no!!” Pomni screams as they approach a loop-the-loop.

She lets out a mighty screech. Jax screams along with her just for fun as they descend down a hill and then flip upside down, looping and getting flung around by the roller coaster. Jax bursts into laughter that hurts his lungs after the long scream.

The next set of twists and turns are what really have his guts squirming, though, because Pomni does let go of the rail and clings to him instead.

It’s more exhilarating than anything the rollercoaster can provide and Jax is so pleased about it. He wants Pomni to hang onto him all the time, just like this. Like she wants him.

Like Jax wants her.

There’s another, smaller loop that has Pomni’s grip digging pleasantly into his arm and then they start to slow, gradually coming to a stop at the station. The safety bar loosens and Jax grins down at Pomni. She’s still holding onto him.

“Did you love it or did you love it? Miss Mild Thrill Seeker,” Jax asks teasingly, eager to know her answer.

Pomni is a little shaky, breathing hard and staring straight ahead.

And then, as if reluctant, she starts to giggle.

And giggle.

And giggle.

cute

“Yeah, that was pretty fun, huh?” Jax grins.

Pomni just keeps laughing even as Jax drags her out of the car, down the exit and towards another ride.

Being with her makes him feel like things are finally at least a little bit okay.

He doesn’t want to leave the carnival. And he’s pretty sure he can get her to go on at least one more ride.

Jax drags her through the lights and sounds, getting lost in them himself.

—

The ferris wheel looms up above them, lights spiraling in various colors and patterns across its surface in a way that’s mesmerizing. The two of them stare up at it for a while and then Jax turns to watch Pomni’s reaction.

Her eyes turn towards him, filled with flashing colors, but there’s something unamused in her look. “If there was a ferris wheel why did you make me go on the roller coaster?!”

“Pomni, I cannot stress this enough. I wanted to go on that rollercoaster and laugh at you.” Jax grins at her. “But now you can go on a relaxing ferris wheel ride.”

Pomni gives him a dead faced glare. She looks like she’s seriously considering telling him no out of spite.

“Aw, you’re so spiteful,” Jax teases. “Look at you, you’re so angry.”

“I’m not spiteful,” Pomni sulks. But then her mood seems to lighten. “Okay, but if you rock the car I’m gonna flip out.”

”God don’t say it like that, Pomni, it makes me want to do it,” Jax threatens genuinely.

But Pomni is the one to head to the ferris wheel. Her little bells jingle jangle and Jax wants to tie her hat in a knot.

It’s not fair.

she won’t go for it

Jax doubts for a moment that he can trick Pomni into liking him. Maybe if he continues manifesting with brute force, the situation will turn in his favor.

Jax follows Pomni to the ferris wheel and an NPC opens the door, gesturing grandly. They get inside, Pomni stepping gingerly as to not rock it. Oh, does she have a big storm coming.

Jax sits down and to his disappointment Pomni sits across from him. He frowns.

Makes sense, but.

The car door closes and the ferris wheel starts to move.

“Wait,” Pomni says as they ascend. “Where is the plushie?”

“Huh?” Jax is pulled from cycling thoughts.

“The plushie of Caine,” Pomni insists, meeting his eyes.

Jax blinks. Then he laughs. “In my pocket dimension. Don’t worry about it.”

“W-what are you talking about?” Pomni gapes.

“No, no, don’t talk about it. It breaks the fourth wall. So don’t worry about it,” he insists again.

“I… don’t understand,” Pomni says slowly, confused.

Jax smirks. “And you never will.”

She shakes her head, smiling at him with amusement that warms Jax’s chest.

Jax peers into her eyes. “Why are you asking about it? Do you want it, Pomni? Huh? Too bad it's mine!!”

He throws his head back and laughs.

Once he calms down he peeks to see Pomni’s expression. She’s still smiling at him.

“Nah, keep it,” she says. “I won it for you.”

The words pierce Jax like an arrow through his heart, sharp and unexpected, and he feels so strangely vulnerable for a moment it makes him panic.

His eyes dart away and he scoffs. “I was- I am going to keep it.”

Jax feels so stupid.

The ferris wheel rises a little more.

“Wow,” Jax says, craning his neck to look down, anywhere but Pomni. “The ferris wheel really is just stopping to let on NPCs.”

Pomni is silent for a moment that makes Jax’s skin crawl.

“Pfft.” A sound of amusement. Thank [BEEP]. “Well, it wouldn’t be realistic otherwise.”

Jax dares to look at Pomni again and feels a jolt when he sees her smiling with something suspiciously like concern in her eyes.

“What.” Jax’s eyes narrow. “What’s that look for.”

Pomni laughs softly, tucking some of her hair back as if nervous. It falls back into place.

“Uh, I was just wondering if you were okay,” she says.

lift your skirt

you’re a jerk

There’s something so gentle about Pomni it makes Jax feel raw.

he could throw her out of the car

It wouldn’t be the first time.

Jax scowls, slumping in his seat, eyes moving out over the carnival. “I dunno. I don’t really want to talk about it, but at the end of the day I’m an [BEEP]hole.”

It stings to admit it to her, pulse quickening with anxiety.

“No one’s going to be changing their opinion about me anytime soon. And as for you, I wonder how long it’ll take before you change yours.” His brow furrows. Jax doesn’t have the guts to look at Pomni.

The silence [BEEP]s him up.

“Oh,” Pomni finally says in a soft voice. It makes Jax hurt and he hates it. “Jax, that’s so sad.”

sad

Jax’s teeth clench and he knows he’s gonna bite at her when he turns his head sharply—

But when he looks at Pomni he sees she’s standing up, clinging to the side of the car precariously. She makes her way over on uncertain legs.

And sits down beside him.

She looks up at Jax with big, blown out eyes in the semi dark of the ferris wheel and the car sets in motion. They start circling in the dark.

“I… don’t know what the history is between you and the others,” Pomni says. “But I think… the Circus is a really hard place to be.”

no [BEEP]

“I was really lonely before we started hanging out,” she admits and Jax’s heart starts pounding. “You’re an [BEEP]hole. And you suck sometimes. But…”

but what

“I think you’re really sweet, too.”

sweet

It’s not the first time she’s said it that night, but this time it hits Jax like a meteorite.

“I’m not sweet,” he denies and it sounds like he’s pouting. His frown pulls down further.

Jax narrows his brows at her. “Stop it.”

Pomni gives him a helpless smile and a shrug.

“That’s how I feel.”

Jax wants to take a bite out of her.

He starts to sit up, arm sliding back behind her shoulders as he braces himself.

Then Jax starts to rock the car violently, getting it swinging wildly.

Pomni screams and throws her arms around in a tizzy trying to get purchase on something. One lands on Jax’s arm and she squeezes it in a vise grip.

“What are you doing?!” she yelps. “Are you trying to kill me?!”

“Yeeees,” Jax teases, leaning into her.

Pomni gives up on holding onto anything but Jax, arms wrapping around his and squeezing as she continues to scream.

“This is terrifying! Stoooop!” Pomni begs. “What if it breaks!”

“It’s not gonna break, you silly goose,” Jax tuts as he swings it so hard they’re almost going horizontal. “Digital ferris wheels don’t get wear and tear. That’s not how a computer game works.”

“Jax, please!”

Aw

Ahhh he’s had his fun.

Jax finally relents, letting the car swing. It’s still pretty crazy and Pomni squeaks, pressing her face into his arm. She also starts smacking it over and over so she can’t be that scared.

“That’s right, get that aggression out,” Jax encourages.

“You’re a jerk!” Pomni cries.

Jax’s heart stops. He goes silent as the ferris wheel starts to slow. They reach the top. The NPCs start bumbling out of the ride.

Now they’re stuck up here.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Pomni says in a little voice, breathing a little easier now that the rocking has mostly stopped.

”Jax, what’s wrong?”

Jax stares off into the dark distance in a daze. He can see the Circus vividly from afar, the moon lighting it up. It’s eerie and sets Jax ill at ease.

He has to do something.

Or he’s gonna lose Pomni.

Jax’s heart is beating painfully fast as he turns his head to look at Pomni. She stares up at him with those earnest, nervous eyes.

God he wants to…

Jax’s eyes start to close. He moves his face closer to Pomni’s, leaning down and tilting his head as their lips grow close.

you’re a jerk

The words resound in Jax’s head in Pomni’s voice over and over and over and over and over

“Jax…?”

Jax’s eyes snap open and he realizes he’s just been hovering a few inches from Pomni’s face, not doing anything.

What is it that he’s feeling. Jax searches his own heart.

I’m scared

He wants to rear back from the thought, but it’s the core of it.

The dream has been swirling around in his head all day, [BEEP]ing him up.

But more than that is a visceral fear of the past.

Is Pomni going to ask about it? And if she finds out, what will she think?

Jax doesn’t know how to handle it in a way that’s not unkind.

Pomni’s expression starts to scrunch with concern. “Uhh, Jax?”

Jax panics, rearing back with a, “Haaaa!”

His head rolls away, mouth frozen in a smile that’s barely not a grimace. “What, were you hoping for something?”

he’s [BEEP]ing this up so bad

Pomni’s eyes go wider than he’s ever seen them.

And then she pulls away sharply, a hand curling into an anxious fist on her chest. Her mouth wobbles once.

“Oh,” she says.

Pain throbs through Jax’s chest, of his own doing. Why did he say that?

It’s like he can see the stars falling out of her eyes like tears.

Pomni turns her face away to look out the window.

Neither of them says a word on the slow descent.

When they get off the ride they don’t say anything either.

They head back towards the Circus.

—

The bright lights of the tent have been lowered to the point that leaving the moon’s glow gives Jax the phantom feeling of his eyes adjusting.

He’s walking a few feet in front of Pomni and he just knows she’s looking anywhere but his back.

There’s no way he can walk with her behind him all the way to their rooms.

But he can’t leave this without saying at least something to Pomni. It’s not out of a sense of morality, it’s a compulsion, a need to speak to her.

Jax takes a shaky breath then turns abruptly, scowling down at Pomni.

She startles and stops walking, meeting his eyes probably on accident.

She stares at him, waiting.

I’m sorry

The words just won’t come and he hates himself.

“...see ya around,” he says instead, like a coward.

Pomni blinks at him. Then blinks at him twice.

Jax watches as tears form in her eyes, glistening in the low lighting.

Pomni takes a step forward. She hesitates.

Then she walks past Jax. No doubt going to her room.

he made Pomni cry

Jax breathes out sharply, hands dragging down his face.

It’s all ruined.

And it’s his fault.

Chapter Text

The next few days that pass are strange and unpleasant.

Jax makes a point to avoid everyone, even refusing to go on an adventure when called for one. Caine had been so surprised he hadn’t reacted quickly enough to force Jax on it.

Thank [BEEP], because Jax wouldn’t be able to handle it.

Not when his nights are filled with a different kind of misery.

He won’t stop having those dreams.

Pomni pointing for him to get down on his knees in front of her while he’s in the maid dress

Jax kneeling to kiss Pomni’s ring while she’s dressed in her Don outfit

and always Pomni’s tear filled eyes at the end

And every time Jax wakes from those nightmares he has to shamefully go clean up. No matter how sexy the dream is, it always ends in devastation.

Pomni doesn’t talk in the dreams. It makes Jax’s heart ache even when he’s turned on.

It makes Jax so miserable and he’s reaching the end of his [BEEP]ing rope.

Jax has also reached his threshold for isolation. He won’t be able to avoid being around the others much longer, though he doesn’t relish the thought.

He ventures out to grab a snack, trying to push it off longer.

He’s almost made it to the kitchen without incident when he turns a corner and comes across Ragatha.

They both step back sharply, eyeing each other warily.

When Ragatha doesn’t fill the growing silence Jax finally gestures to the side. “D’ya mind? You’re in my way.”

Ragatha gives him a look like she’s deciding whether she’s going to fight him.

“You step out of the way, Jax,” she finally says with cold defiance.

Seriously?

The way he’s so instantly [BEEP]ed is impressive, really. Maybe he’s just eager to take it out on anyone but himself.

“Oh, I’ve been gone a few measly days and you’re already getting a big head about it? I’d think you’d be less of a [BEEP] with me out of the way,” Jax snarls at her, happy to have a fight about it.

“What are you talking about?” Ragatha asks in disbelief. Her eye narrows. “Out of the way of what?”

Huh?

Jax’s brow furrows in annoyance. “What, you haven’t been using my absence to cozy up with Pomni?”

He hurls the accusation at Ragatha. It drives him crazy even though he’s the one that messed things up.

“What,” Ragatha scoffs like she’s uncertain. She shakes her head. “Are you and Pomni having issues now?”

That gives Jax pause and he’s so genuinely surprised it momentarily lifts him out of his own misery. He gives Ragatha a mirrored look of disbelief. “Have you still not made up with Pomni?”

Ragatha inhales sharply.

”Pomni, if you haven’t noticed, which you clearly haven’t, hasn’t been around almost at all.” Ragatha looks upset. “She’s not really talking to anyone.”

Wait, what?

did he hurt her that badly?

Jax withers, then glares defensively at Ragatha. “How would I know? I’m not exactly her keeper, y’know?”

Ragatha glares back. Suspicion enters her gaze.

“Do you have something to do with it?” she pries with emotion in her voice.

That has Jax prickling. “Oh, was that not your first assumption? I’m shocked by your benevolence.”

“Jax, what did you do to Pomni?” Ragatha snaps.

Jax’s jaw clenches, hurt starting to well up. Jax gives her a facetious smile. “See that’s your problem, Raggie. You find a probable cause of what’s hurting Pomni and rather than trying to actually talk to her about it, you jump at the chance to berate me instead. Is that more fun to you?”

Ragatha is aghast.

“It’s not about what’s fun!” she cries, putting a hand on her chest. “Is that what it is to you?? Are you just playing around with Pomni’s feelings?!”

Having it turned back on Jax leaves him unjustly affronted, upset by the accusation but having no intention of being honest with Ragatha about his feelings.

“Yeaahhh, what else could it be?” Jax asks sarcastically. “Why don’t you worry about your own [BEEP]ed up relationships?”

“You think I’m not?!” Ragatha looks to be on the verge of tears. She inhales to scream something at him no doubt, but then she lets out a single sob.

“You treat everyone like [BEEP],” she says quietly.

And then she turns around and walks in the direction she came, not bothering to pass Jax.

Jax watches her go, growing increasingly upset until he whirls around and heads back to his room. His head is filled with thoughts of Pomni, all sad and distant. He can’t get his expression under control.

It was a mistake to go out.

All he does is make mistakes.

—

It’s hours later when Jax breaks.

He’s in his room lying on his bed with his arms folded behind his head, staring at the ceiling. Thoughts of what Ragatha said, what Pomni said, what Zooble said, what Gangle said repeat in his mind.

His breath hitches as it rises to a crescendo.

There’s a moment where he holds his breath and it’s almost bearable, like everything has slowed down for a moment.

And then his expression is twisting and he’s rolling onto his side, onto his stomach, burying his face into the pillow as it contorts in a silent scream.

He’s going to [BEEP]ing abstract.

Only he doesn’t because nothing is that easy, apparently. He just stays suspended in this horrible feeling.

the little tears in Pomni’s eyes

the sad look on her precious little jester face

Jax lets out a whine that horrifies him. He sits up sharply and pushes himself off his bed, leaving his room and slamming the door shut behind him.

He breathes hard in the harsh light of the hall.

Oh god what is he going to do. He can’t stand this.

getting close to Pomni was his first mistake

Not that they were even that close.

Jax starts blindly walking. He thinks he might be making his way towards the couch room, but he’s not sure he even wants to go there. The thought of lying down again is nauseating.

He rounds a corner and then—

impact

Jax is nearly winded as he walks into something that only comes up to his gut and—

knocks Pomni onto the floor

Oh God.

He just stares at her as she gathers her wits and looks up at him. He just stares as her lips part. He just stares as she gets up on her own.

Pomni stares up at Jax in turn like she’s waiting for him to say something.

But he has nothing.

I have nothing

Jax thinks he might actually lose it.

Does she hate him? How can she not?

“Hey, Pomni,” he says in a low voice like he’s trying to force things to be normal but somehow it just pronounces how awkward it is between them.

Pomni’s brow knits.

That’s not good.

Her mouth smooths out into a line like she’s trying to protect herself.

Then she begins to speak.

“I—“

”There you are, my wayward wallabies!”

Caine appears out of [BEEPING] nowhere, spinning like his presence is cause for celebration.

“What serendipitous timing! You two are together!!”

what??

“Pomni, that adventure you asked for is finally ready! I took some old assets, tweaked them a bit, and cranked up the graphics to make the environment as realistic as possible!” Caine does a little roll of his hand and bows like they’re at the end of his own solo broadway show.

Pomni, when Jax glances at her, is frozen with a look of regret on her face.

Wait…

Wait, did she request the… surely not.

She didn’t mention anything to Jax.

“Too excited to even speak! That’s what I like to hear!” Caine snaps his fingers and a portal appears. “Off with you! Now!”

Pomni doesn’t move.

One of Caine’s eyes twitches and he flies down, picking her up and flinging her sideways through the portal. Pomni’s scream gets lost halfway.

“Off you go, Jax!” Caine cries like he has faith Jax will actually go.

There’s a split second where Jax considers bolting away but then he thinks of Pomni all alone in whatever messed up adventure Caine has cobbled together out of her idea.

He sighs, starting to walk as Caine begins to vibrate. Caine stops, hands on his hips. “That’s the spirit! You have fun!”

Jax doesn’t think that’s what he’ll be having but he keeps it to himself as he goes through the portal with a pit of dread in his stomach.

When he exits he’s in a dimly lit entrance to what appears to be an abandoned office building. It looks like it was left in a hurry, papers on the floor here and there. The windows are grimy and it’s pretty eerie.

His eyes land on Pomni.

She’s standing a few paces away, brushing herself off. She turns slowly, only halfway, to look at Jax. Then she looks away again.

Pomni picks a flashlight up off the ground and starts moving forward.

Nothing to do but complete the adventure now.

Jax notes a second flashlight on the floor and picks it up, trailing after Pomni.

A montage of things he could say or joke about plays through his head but none of it would fit the mood of the situation without once again making him come off as completely dismissive.

you treat everyone like [BEEP]

Jax frowns sharply.

This is going to be so [BEEP]ing awkward.

And it is.

Jax can’t even particularly take in the ambiance as they silently trek through the old abandoned building.

At one point Jax pauses to try and look outside, desperate for even a pale imitation of the real world, but the outer windows are all completely boarded up. All they have is this somber tomb of an office building.

Jax almost calls out to Pomni to ask if it reminds her of the real thing then remembers she probably never wants to talk to him again.

Then he realizes he’s lost track of her.

[BEEP]

He hesitates. Maybe she’d prefer not to have him awkwardly trailing her like some kind of ghoul but he doesn’t really know what the goal of this adventure is or what might be waiting around each corner.

A scream pierces Jax from the other room.

Pomni

A cold chill goes up his spine. God, did Caine put some horror in here?

The possibilities run wild through Jax’s head as he sprints forward. “Pomni!”

He looks around desperately for Pomni or something worse. “Pomni!!”

“Over here,” Pomni’s voice calls weakly from the end of the hall.

Jax rushes over in a panic, turning the corner and nearly falling straight into a sizable hole where the floor has caved in. He jerks back, arms pinwheeling for a moment as he regains his balance.

There’s still dust floating around that’s been kicked up from Pomni’s fall.

He crouches down, squinting into the hole as he points his flashlight and catches her in its beam. “Hey, you in one piece?”

Pomni doesn’t say anything for a moment, looking down at herself. She nods a couple times.

“I’m okay.”

She looks really startled, though. Maybe a little upset. The realistic setting isn’t helping things. The danger feels realer than usual.

Jax considers what to do, able to think now that he’s sure Pomni is alright, if shaken.

“What’re your surroundings like down there? Does it look like a dead end?” Going down would be easiest, but after glancing around Pomni gives a dazed shake of her head.

“It’s a room. There’s a lot of stuff piled in front of the door.”

Great. Caine’s a real genius for creating pitfalls like that for fun. What a considerate guy.

He glances around the immediate area with his own flashlight. “Is that chair there sturdy? If you climb onto it I should be able to pull you up.”

Pomni just continues to stare up at him, something complicated behind eyes that look almost unnerving in the hyperrealism of their environment. “You’re trying to help me?”

The words sting and part of Jax wants to pull back reproachfully over the fact she’d even ask.

He scowls a little but lays down on the ground, resting on his stomach as far forward as he feels is secure as he reaches down into the hole. “What, you like it down there?”

Her silence pounds in Jax’s ears.

is she going to reject me?

Pomni climbs onto the chair then reaches up and slowly, tentatively takes his hand.

Jax’s grip tightens around hers securely and he brings his other hand down to further grip her wrist. He starts to drag her back through the hole.

There’s a point where it gets a little dicey but Pomni is finally able to get some purchase and help pull herself up. Once Pomni has crawled a little ways to put some distance between herself and the bad bit of floor she just collapses for a moment.

Jax scoots back slightly and does the same, slumped on his side and watching Pomni at an angle.

She’s pushing herself up onto her knees. Not looking at him.

“Thanks,” she finally says.

Jax’s eyes burn into her then dart away. “Yeah, no problem.”

He pushes himself up into a standing position, brushing himself off. There’s actually some dust from the environment.

“Guess Caine felt really inspired by your idea,” Jax puts out a feeler.

“Mm.” Pomni says. She turns to look down at the hole. “… I lost my flashlight.”

Jax’s mouth turns down a little. Maybe she’s just being civil. “That’s fine, I still have mine.”

He leans down to snatch it up, pointing it the other direction where the hall continues. “Should we keep going?”

Sitting around in this depressing hallway does very little for his need for stimulus.

Pomni nods. She heads back the way they came, steps more cautious now. Jax follows.

They enter a room that has a singular window. This one isn’t completely boarded up and the evening sun outside is orange and gold. It lights up the room with sunbeams. One falls directly over Pomni, but all Jax sees is the dark of her back.

She goes still.

Jax does too.

They’re frozen in time and the longer it lasts the harder it is for Jax to breathe.

Pomni shatters the silence.

“You’re kind of a [BEEP]boy, aren’t you?”

Wait, what?

Jax’s brow furrows as he struggles to recover. Then he grunts. So she finally caught on.

“That’s what I’ve been saying, Pomni.”

“Don’t say that like that makes it okay,” Pomni says firmly.

That shuts Jax up like she smacked him in the mouth.

His eyes drop, chest prickly and defensive but it’s well deserved.

“Sorry,” he rasps out.

Pomni’s shoulders twitch a bit.

It takes her a while to ask, “For what?”

His brow furrows. It’s almost worse that she keeps giving him chances, sharpening his desperation.

“I treated you like [BEEP],” Jax mutters. Then, “For [BEEP]ing up.”

Pomni goes stiff.

“Are you sorry for treating me like [BEEP] and [BEEP]ing up?” she asks in a voice thick with hurt and anger. “Or are you sorry for acting like you were gonna kiss me and blowing me off?”

Jax withers and he wants to sink into the ground. Just clip straight into Hell.

He crosses his arms, the beam of his flashlight skittering around the room.

he doesn’t want to say it

If he doesn't, Pomni really will hate him.

“Yeah. I’m sorry for acting like I was going to kiss you and blowing you off,” Jax says in a low voice.

“You blew me off the whole night,” Pomni says. “Every time I tried to check on you, you changed the subject.”

Jax doesn’t know what to say.

Pomni tilts her head so he can see the darkened silhouette of her face.

“Did you have a breakdown or something?”

He flinches away from the question. Had it seemed like he was? Is she just giving him that much benefit of a doubt?

Jax’s arms tighten around himself and he takes in a deep breath, letting it out as a sigh. “I had a… friend. At the Circus.”

Jax’s teeth and chest clench, eyes prickling for a moment. He closes them stubbornly. “I don’t want to talk about it. It doesn’t matter anymore. They’re not–”

Silence falls between them.

Eventually Jax continues, chest sore, “It’s something that affected my relationships with the others and I can’t do anything about it. It's been on my mind, recently.”

The fact that Pomni is listening to him makes him sick.

“And you’re afraid that I’ll… be too upset by what it is that I’ll distance myself from you,” Pomni says slowly. Jax can feel her scoping him out.

It’s horrible to be perceived but some part of him craves it too much to push her away.

“Pretty much.” Jax shrugs his shoulders defensively. “Ragatha wasn’t wrong. I don’t have friends anymore. Why would you want to be?”

Pomni turns her head away again.

“What, do you want me to count the things I like about you?” Pomni asks defensively. “Because when you are open with me I feel connected to you.”

His eyes widen as he looks at her. So Pomni admits she feels it too? This connection?

He’s so afraid of messing it up.

“I was going to kiss you. I wanted to. I’ve wanted to for a while now. I just freaked out.”

Jax feels like his guts are going to melt.

Pomni sighs softly. “Y’know…

“You can tell me when you’re not doing okay,” she says.

It’s so kind Jax almost asks her what the hell is wrong with her. He certainly doesn’t deserve it.

He considers how to answer then with exhaustion he hadn’t intended, “Well I’m not.”

Pomni is this unmovable wall that towers over Jax. He swallows.

Pomni turns to face him. He can barely make out her eyes. The sun must have set further.

“Me either,” she confesses.

He thinks Pomni looks downwards. “Did you have fun at the carnival?”

Jax considers her and the feeling that’s lodged itself in his chest.

“I did,” he admits, asking with some doubt, “Did you?”

Then with some clarification, “Before I was an [BEEP]hole.

“… I did,” she says, putting a hand on her arm. “That really hurt my feelings. If you do something like that again I won’t talk to you anymore.”

The words plunge like blades into Jax and it makes him uneasy, but he nods. “Loud and clear.”

His eyes meet Pomni’s for a moment but it still hurts to look at them. “Sorry, Pomni.”

Pomni nods. “Thank you.”

Is he forgiven?

Are they friends?

do I still have a chance?

He should just be grateful for forgiveness, but Jax can’t help but to be greedy.

“Well,” Pomni says, walking out of the room past Jax. “Let’s make the most of the adventure.”

Jax has nothing to say to that. He follows Pomni.

Pomni leads him, Jax flashing the light over her head to guide the path.

The atmosphere is still awkward and it makes Jax itch.

He breaks the ice, voicing a thought he’d had early on. “Caine mentioned it was lucky we were together. Had you asked for this to be an adventure for the two of us?”

Pomni looks over at Jax with confusion, a hint of curiosity. “Well… yeah. Why?”

Wait, she just admitted it?

Jax’s foot catches and he can’t quite hide his stumble, the flashlight giving him away. “I- mean. You wanted to spend time with me that much?”

Pomni looks away quickly. She sounds frazzled when she says, “I thought that was the plan from the beginning.”

thud

“Oh yeah, duh, we both knew this,” Jax lies, more pleased than he has any right to be after what he’s pulled. “I was testing you.”

“Uhh… sure,” Pomni says uncertainly. She looks away and ventures into a new room, peeking inside.

“Caine really went all out on making this realistic,” she calls from the other room.

Jax eagerly follows. “Right? It’s kind of surreal, huh?”

He pauses to look at a keyboard on a desk, gloved hand moving over the dusty keys. There’s something uncanny about the sensation and he pulls away, continuing after Pomni.

Twilight lighting chases after their heels as they move deeper into the building again.

They tour the next two rooms in silence. They’re identical office spaces, but Pomni is taking her time looking around.

Is she enjoying this even a little bit? Pomni turns her head and her eyes catch on Jax. They linger as she takes a step and there’s the creak of a floorboard.

She quickly steps back, moving to where Jax is standing in the doorframe.

“Come on,” she says, looking up at him. “Let’s find another room.”

Jax doesn’t want to move.

He drapes his frame as in the way as possible. “Sure thing. Go on, I’ll follow your lead.”

Pomni gives him an unamused look. “Seriously?”

“What, I’m waiting for you. Go on,” Jax encourages while remaining in the way. He’d missed messing with her so much.

Pomni could debate with him about it, but she doesn’t. She’s just kind of looking up at him.

Jax’s stomach drops.

is she not gonna play along?

Pomni lets out a puff of a sigh. She takes a couple steps forward and reaches up, putting her hands on Jax’s stomach and pushing on him as hard as her little arms can.

“Move.”

cute

It’s such a visceral feeling.

Jax rests his weight into her pushing hands. “You’re so strong. I’m going to budge any moment now!”

He encourages with a growing smirk.

“Maybe if I sucker punch you in the gut,” she says. But ultimately she gives up and steps back. “What, you don’t want to explore the abandoned building? That’s why we’re here.

“Shenanigans aren’t allowed,” she adds as if emboldened. “You have to take it super seriously.”

Jax’s smirk grows and then eases and he gives a little laugh, backing up out of the door. “I’ll defer to the pro. Go on, give me the real experience.”

“Just walk through and imagine what it must have been like when this office was used,” Pomni says, leading him onwards. “And then imagine what it’ll be like in twenty years.”

“Whoaaa, so existential,” Jax teases, and Pomni gives a little snort.

Did she think it was funny or just annoying.

Jax takes it a little more seriously as he trails along behind her, trying very hard to avoid the thought of the way things inevitably change and have been changed.

—

They’ve been exploring the building for a while now and Jax is unsure where exactly Caine hid the exit. Or if they’re just supposed to stay in there for as long as Caine sees fit.

It’s been… fun.

Certainly a different experience than it would have been before. But Jax is trying really hard not to dwell on the past right now because Pomni is giving him a second chance and he can not blow this. He will lose it and they will never recover.

Pomni has fallen quiet. It’s not a bad silence. She had been talking a while back about the importance of listening to the building as you walked. Listening to the silence.

It really is a whole thing for her. It’s cute. Makes her interesting.

So Jax walks in silence too, looking around and manning the flashlight.

The whole time he’s doing a mixture of kicking himself and delving into introspection he does not want to do. He almost doesn’t notice when Pomni finally stops walking and looks back at him.

“I think we have literally explored this whole building,” she says. “I don’t know where else to—”

Her eyes widen in realization.

“Oh yeah,” she says. “The basement.”

Jax wants to rib her. Needs to. But now he’s peeked inside the box that houses this horrible feeling and it’s full of locusts.

“Oh, saved the best for last, huh Pomni?” Jax’s voice feels forced. Can she tell?

Can she tell this awful feeling is inside him? Can she tell he’s pining after her every moment they’re together, craving her like he’s starving.

“Jax?”

Pomni is looking at him with present eyes.

“Huh??” Jax startles.

“I said we should probably head down,” she says, looking at him like she knows something.

“Right, right. The basement.” Jax nods, lost and distracted. “Well fearless leader, lead the way.”

He gestures with his head for her to go on already.

Pomni leads him down back to where they started. It’s a bit of a hike and the stairwell they go down makes Jax a little dizzy. It’s dark outside now and the boarded windows make it almost pitch black.

Pomni seems calm as they reach the bottom floor, exiting the stairwell and going to the entrance area. She starts looking around for the basement entrance, but pauses and points over to the front door.

“Oh,” she says.

There’s a 3D image of a spinning key and an arrow pointing down at the door.

“It would have been nice to know that from the beginning,” Pomni says with annoyance. “Also, that really breaks my immersion.”

It really is completely out of place.

“Guess Caine couldn’t help himself,” Jax says, personally finding it amusing.

“So we go down there, snag our key and we’re home free I guess?” he summarizes.

Pomni throws her arms into the air. “I guess! If it’s even down there! I don’t want to go through this whole building again in the dark.”

Pomni sighs and starts looking around. She tries a few doors then tries one near the stairwell.

“… it’s down here.”

Is that a hint of trepidation Jax hears in her voice?

“What, don’t tell me you’re scared,” Jax can’t help himself. “Ooooh spooooky basement.”

“I’m not— be quiet.”

The words send a thrill through Jax so strong he almost feels guilty. Almost. Even now they remind him of his first dream of Pomni.

“Oh, did that actually work?” she muses, glancing back at Jax before starting her descent.

Jax steps down as well, pointing the flashlight over Pomni’s head to light her way, not deigning that with a response. He doesn’t dare give himself away.

When they get down to the basement it is pretty creepy. Incredibly dark with nothing but rows of filing cabinets. Some of them are half open and there are files on the floor like they’ve been rifled through.

“Really makes you wonder what happened to this building,” Jax says. “It’s like it was just suddenly abandoned. Do you think this is an alternate reality where something really horrible happened and we’re the last two humans on earth?”

Pomni slowly turns to give Jax an unamused look.

“Or do you think there’s something really scary out there?” Jax grins.

“No,” Pomni says.

“Or maybe in here,” Jax continues. “You never know.”

“Great,” Pomni says flatly as they reach the end of the room.

The filing cabinets end and there’s a weird open space in the center. When Jax shines his flashlight there, the sight makes Pomni jump a foot in the air with a yelp.

There’s a mannequin in the center of the room wearing an elegant, short fluffy dress. It’s very unsettling. In the center of its outstretched hand is a key.

“Oh god,” Pomni says. “That thing’s gonna grab onto me when I try and get the key, isn’t it?”

But Jax is just glaring at the mannequin.

Something about the dress [BEEP]es him off. He can’t stop scowling at it. Is this some kind of sick joke? Why did Caine include it? To be a creep?

“Jax?”

Jax looks down at Pomni who is tilting her head up at him with an arched brow.

”What is that expression?” she asks. “Did the mannequin insult you or something?”

“Yes actually it did,” Jax decides. “Why is it dressed like that? Who asked for that? You?”

He suddenly turns on her in a fit of paranoia.

Pomni gapes at him. “What? Why would I? Did I have a reaction like someone who was expecting that?”

“No,” he grumbles, still giving it a sour look. “It’s really [BEEP]ing me off.”

With everything going on he had almost forgotten the hurdle in his issues with Pomni that is represented by this.

“But why?” Pomni asks, mystified.

“Because-!” bursts from Jax’s chest, frustration rearing up. “It feels like it’s mocking me!”

“In what way!” Pomni cries, alarmed and confused.

“Aghh!! I keep having this nightmare where I’m in the maid dress again!” Jax blurts out in a mixture of desperation and rage.

Pomni looks stricken. Then her eyes soften unduly.

“Oh. Did being in the maid dress really bother you that much? I’m sorry, that’s rough,” she says with genuine sympathy, but Jax is looking away.

“And you're bossing me around.” he continues. “And it gives me a boner. And it won't stop happening.”

He might as well damn himself.

Pomni is silent for so long Jax almost starts screaming. Finally she asks, unsure,

“And this is a nightmare?”

“When I’m awake thinking about it, yes,” he says with dry bitterness. “Go on. Tell me how I disgust you.”

This might as well happen. Really just dash those hopes before they’ve fully had a chance to take off again.

“Jeez,” Pomni says. “You’ve really been giving yourself emotional whiplash.”

How dare she.

Jax gives her a sharp look. “Don’t mock me! Do you have any idea how much distress this has caused me?”

Of course she doesn't, he would rather die. And yet here he is spilling his guts.

Pomni frowns a bit and Jax feels some of his false bravado wither. He scowls at her openly.

“I don’t have a problem with that kind of thing,” she says. “You’re fine.”

“Don’t you dare put it so mildly!” Not when Jax has been torturing himself over it. “You should-”

He’s cut off by Pomni raising her hand in a ‘stop’ motion.

“Is this your way of confessing to me?” she asks incredulously. Maybe like she thinks it’s funny which is unbearable.

Jax looks at her in confusion, then disbelief. Does she truly think anyone would choose such an embarrassing way to confess?

Then he gets flustered as he realizes, yeah, he did sort of admit to having erotic dreams involving her.

Jax glares at her, heat burning in his face. “...Well I mean I am confessing to something. Is asking about it your way of confessing to my confession?”

He really bends backwards on that one but his dignity is in scraps at this point and he’s got to preserve what little he has left.

Pomni is looking at him like she can’t believe him.

Then she starts to laugh. “Okay, well. Don’t worry about it. It’s okay to be kinky.”

“I’m not!” Jax protests, dragging a hand down his face. “Don’t you get it! I’m not! I’m- not normal but I’m not like that! Then we had that stupid adventure where you could boss me around and then the dress came back and I have to actually kill Gangle for that but it won’t even give me any pleasure because I can’t stop having weird thoughts about you!”

“You’ve…”

Jax waits for what she’ll say. He realizes he’s lowkey breathing hard.

“You’ve really had a lot on your mind, huh?”

“Stop putting it so trivially!” Jax snaps, starting to pace with the flashlight pointed at the ceiling. ”God, Pomni, what do you want from me?!”

“Hm,” Pomni hums and it makes the back of Jax’s neck prickle.

She tells him,

“You can have weird thoughts about me.”

For the first time in days Jax’s thoughts go quiet like they’ve been covered in fresh snow.

It’s followed by a heat that melts through it like lava.

“You–” Jax struggles with his words, tongue tied. He fixes Pomni with a serious look because she really has no idea what she’s getting herself into. “Are you into me?”

Pomni looks so surprised it takes Jax off guard.

“… Yes,” she says. “I was waiting for you to kiss me.”

His pupils blow out and he blinks several times. He asks uncertainly, “And you’re not offput by me dreaming about getting bossed around by you in a dress?”

“Jax,” Pomni says like he’s being unreasonable. “I grew up on the early internet. There are way weirder things than bossing around a guy in a dress.”

“That– is true,” Jax reluctantly agrees. Then he points at her. “Pervert.”

”Me??” Pomni stiffens at the accusation. “Don’t you want me to be into it?”

“Yes but that doesn’t change the facts,” Jax says. It’s honestly a relief. If she’s a little creep about it then it’s not just him. He can work with that.

Pomni sighs. But then she gives him a little smile.

“You wanna talk about this not in a scary basement with the haunted mannequin?”

“What, you don’t find this the perfect place to be vulnerable?” Jax asks, finally able to find a little humor in the situation.

“I’m good,” Pomni assures him. Then her eyes glance towards the mannequin, which is still holding out the key. “Ugh, it’s really creepy.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll grab it,” Jax assures Pomni, walking up to the mannequin like he has a bone to pick with it.

Great, Pomni doesn’t think he’s an irredeemable creep and he can still win a couple masculinity points back by playing hero.

He’s just reached out for the key when the flashlight flickers eerily then goes out.

Pomni yelps in distress, Jax freezing. [BEEP] that spooked him. But it’s alright. It’s just dark. They just need the stupid-

Jax reaches out, groping for the mannequin’s outstretched hand. His fist closes around the key and then it grabs him.

Jax hollers in alarm, yanking back so hard the arm comes off of it, still gripping onto him. He quickly starts flailing, the mannequin not letting go.

In a blind panic he grabs hold of its arm and starts beating where he thinks the mannequin is, not stopping until the hand loosens on him. “Jesus!”

“Oh my god!” Pomni cries out belatedly. “What the [BEEP] is going on?!”

“It [BEEP]ing grabbed onto me!” Jax yells, outraged. Oh he’s so mad it scared him.

“I knew it!” Pomni frets. “Where are you?”

“Listen, don’t move. I’ll find you, just-” Jax starts to grope around in the dark, swinging his arms in slow arcs searching for her.

His hand makes contact with something cool and soft. Before Jax can ask if it’s Pomni she lets out a shriek and his hand is assaulted by a barrage of smacks.

“Something is on my face!”

“Yeah, me, cut that out!” Jax pushes on her face a little.

To his surprise Pomni’s hands stop smacking and one closes around his, pulling it away from her.

Then she holds it, a little tight.

“Okay, maybe if we just— feel for the cabinets and we can find our way back,” she says with nerves. “We’ll be fine.”

As if not being fine is even on the table. Or something Jax is concerned about. It’s the Circus.

It’s cute when she’s nervous, though.

“Don’t worry about it, we’ll be fine,” Jax assures her breezily. “We just need to find the stairs again.”

He gives her hand a little squeeze for reassurance then begins to grope his way forward, tugging Pomni along. It’s slow going but his hand finally makes contact with one of the cabinets and he feels his way forward using that as a point of reference.

The trek is arduous and takes way longer than it felt making their way in, but Jax finally almost trips over the stairs. He doesn’t though, steadying himself and giving Pomni’s hand a little swing.

“Watch your step.”

They start making their way up the stairs, hands clasped together in a way that makes Jax incapable of focusing on anything else.

When they emerge into the entrance area the dim lighting seems so much brighter than before. The arrow at the entrance glows like neon lights.

“I guess we’re done now,” Jax says, a little reluctant to leave.

Then he realizes Pomni is still holding onto his hand.

He looks at their clasped hands, then at her.

Is he really getting another chance at this?

His heartbeat quickens and Jax holds out the key. “You want to do the honors?”

Pomni looks down at the key in Jax’s hand. Then back up at him.

Instead of saying anything she stands up on her tiptoes, looking up at Jax meaningfully. Her eyes slip closed and her lips part.

does she want me to kiss her?

His grip tightens around her hand and he’s suddenly so nervous he feels dizzy.

But he’s not going to [BEEP] this up again.

Jax turns to face her more, thumb brushing along the back of her hand before he leans down to kiss her.

Their mouths touch lightly, tentative. When Pomni doesn’t pull away Jax deepens it.

It feels so good to kiss Pomni he doesn’t want to stop. Wants to shake the past version of himself that kept him from doing this sooner.

Jax feels Pomni’s free hand on his cheek, gently cupping it. It’s so tender it makes his guts squirm.

“Mm,” she finally makes a soft sound, moving her lips against his a little before breaking the kiss.

Their faces remain close. Mouths brushing. Jax’s heart going a mile a minute.

“I like you, Jax,” Pomni whispers.

Jax thinks the words might shake him to pieces for a moment and then it passes. He presses his forehead against Pomni’s, swallowing thickly. “I like you, too.”

Pomni smiles.

Then she pulls away and starts tugging him by the hand.

They’re walking hand in hand still.

When will Pomni break it?

They unlock the door and the two exit the dark building and are blinded by the Circus lights. Jax looks down and sees Pomni blinking hard.

She’s still holding onto his hand. Pomni looks up at him with a pensive expression that breaks into a sweet little smile.

“You good?”

Jax realizes he has some sort of stupid, dazed expression on his face.

He blinks at her slowly then gives her a small smile in return. “I am now.”

“Welcome back my creepy crawlies and kitten whiskers!” Caine explodes into existence and both of them jump, hands tightening around each other.

“Well? What did you think? Was it all you dreamed of and more?” Caine asks eagerly, eyes turning to bore into Pomni.

“Uh,” Pomni says. But then she nods amiably. “Yeah, you really nailed the assets. It was exactly what I was hoping it would be.”

She side eyes Jax for a moment. “Though the mannequin was really spooky.”

”As basements should be!” Caine says with conviction like he knows anything about real life and the Circus isn’t a simulacrum.

“Y-yeah,” Pomni agrees. “It was really wonderful, Caine. You did an amazing job.”

What, now she’s doling out compliments to Caine? Still, she’s not wrong.

“Yeah, it was a really cool one,” Jax adds, patting Caine on the [BEEP] because why not. It helped him patch things up with Pomni.

“Cool? Really?” Caine’s eyes seem to sparkle. The guy is really starving for compliments.

Caine gives his cane a fancy twirl. “I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Feel free to request it any time! It’s designed to randomize the environment for replay value! And if you’d like to request anything like more mannequins just let me know!”

“I- yyyeah, I’m okay for now,” Pomni lets him down gently but who knows if that level of subtlety is even on Caine’s radar.

“Welp, I’m feeling inspired!” Caine declares, floating akimbo. “More adventures to come soon, you two! Stay excited!”

And with that Caine poofs into nothingness.

Pomni’s hand is still around Jax’s.

“Do you…” she says. “Wanna go watch some TV and unwind?”

Jax, who feels unexpectedly raw from the adventure, can think of very little he’d rather do.

He gives her hand a squeeze just because he can. “Sure. Let’s go rot our brains.”

Pomni gives him a little smile of amusement as they start to walk hand in hand through the Circus.

Jax doesn’t dare quite trust this delicate new thing with Pomni, but he has no intention of letting it go.

Chapter Text

“Wow, Jax, you look like a slut.”

The sudden uncensoring of the word is what leads Jax to realize this is a dream. He almost startles out of it, but some part of him carefully calms himself so that he doesn’t.

what’s Pomni gonna do?

She’s standing over him and he realizes he’s in her bedroom on the floor. On his back. His wrists have been bound and tied to the foot of the bed. Jax can feel he’s in the maid dress.

He whimpers because this is a dream and he can’t help it.

Pomni steps so she’s standing over him. Then she crouches down, poking at his chest in the center of the heart cutout.

“What’s wrong, Jax? Tongue tied?”

Jax is.

He’s already painfully hard, and he feels a flash of panic when he realizes he isn’t wearing anything under the dress. It’s accompanied by a feeling of dread and the opposing realization that oh [BEEP] this is gonna be a good one.

Pomni slips onto her hands and knees over Jax.

“I know what you jerked off about earlier.”

oh god

The memory comes back, Jax on his side desperately fisting his cock, biting his lip and thinking about the act of pushing into Pomni for the first time over and over.

A shiver goes through him accompanied by a throbbing ache as he looks at Pomni.

His voice is shaky as he asks her, “What are you gonna do about it?”

“I’m so glad you asked,” Pomni says, leaning back so her hips are hovering over Jax’s obvious erection in the skirt. She wiggles her hips playfully. “I’m gonna make myself come.”

ohholyshit

Jax has never had Pomni actually touch him in a dream. It’s all been her ordering him around and–

“Lift your skirt.”

Words that always liquify Jax into molten heat.

Jax doesn’t feel the demand of it he sometimes does in other dreams but his hands move like he does. He doesn’t remember them being unbound. His cock throbs in time with his heartbeat as he slowly scrunches up the material of the skirt, drawing it up around his waist.

Leaving him bare to Pomni’s scrutinizing gaze. It makes him squirm waiting for her reaction.

“Yeah,” she encourages. “Move your hips like that. Do it more.”

A horrible sound rises up in Jax’s throat and he swallows it down. He starts to squirm his hips harder under Pomni, cock resting against his stomach. He’s so tempted to cover it again but—

But Pomni isn’t looking at it. She’s staring at his face with the self-satisfied smirk he usually wears.

His cock twitches hard against his stomach.

“Don’t come,” Pomni orders.

And then she sloooowly lowers her hips so that the bottom of Jax’s cock is pressed to the length of her pussy through her little jester suit.

It sends a pang through Jax and he grits his teeth, rapidly rushing towards coming.

don’t come

Jax’s thighs tremble with effort as he holds it back. It has him so turned on he almost feels ridiculous but there’s nothing funny about how intense it is.

He starts shaking his head.

“No, no, no,” he mumbles.

Pomni laughs. “What. Are you gonna come so fast because you like me so much?”

Her eyes narrow in amusement. “Or because I’m doing this while you’re in a dress?”

Jax’s stomach plummets as he realizes it’s a mixture of both.

“Oh ffuuuuck,” he groans, hips arching up into Pomni’s pussy and sliding his cock from tip to base over where her clit must be. His eyes roll. He’s gonna—

”I’m gonna—“

“What did I say?” Pomni says. “Don’t come.”

he’s gonna come

Jax cries out and—

—

Wakes up on his stomach in bed mid-orgasm.

“Oh Ffu— oh [BEEP]—“

Jax squeezes his eyes shut, trying to keep his hips from grinding into his bed as his [BEEP] twitches one more time.

God. And he can tell he made a lot. This is just embarrassing.

Jax groans, panting, and presses his face into the pillow.

Even with Pomni admitting she’s into him, this feels weird.

At least she’s into it or he really doesn’t know how he could face her on a daily basis.

For a while Jax lingers on the bed, face still pressed into his pillow as he thinks about Pomni last night.

They had ‘watched TV’ until she’d fallen asleep against his side, which had been unbearably cute of her. Jax had sat there so long, waiting for her to wake up on her own.

There hadn’t been anything particular that had happened. They’d talked, which had been nice. Honestly more satisfying than anything physical they could have done, even if he is jonesing for it.

Who even knows if Pomni’s ready for all that anyway.

Jax lets out a slow sigh, recalling the dream and holding onto the remnants of it a moment longer before finally forcing himself to go clean up.

As Jax readies himself for the day all he can think about is how excited he is to see Pomni.

—

Breakfast is just starting when Jax arrives and Pomni still isn’t there. He scowls actively at the others but sits down next to her usual seat. He pokes at some oatmeal before opting to just eat the fruit that’s supposed to be the topping.

Everyone ignores him which is well and good. Ragatha doesn’t even look over at him which [BEEP] right she doesn’t.

Jax is starting to feel sour when the chair next to him shifts and Pomni sits down.

she’s here

All the oppressive feelings ease a bit.

“Morning, everybody,” she says.

Jax waits for the others to give their lame greetings before giving an obnoxiously chipper, “Good morning to you, Pomni.”

Everyone else looks a little uneasy, but Pomni turns her head to him, lips curved up pleasantly.

“Hey,” she says. “How’re you doing?”

Jax’s smile widens and he feels like he can breathe easily again. “Oh I’m swell. Never been better, really.”

Some general chatter starts around the table and Jax ducks down closer to Pomni like they’re in on a secret. “How about you?”

“I’m good,” she says. He thinks she looks a little amused as she pours herself some cereal from a brightly colored box.

She doesn’t glance at him again until she’s starting to eat.

“Do you want to hang after breakfast?” Then she amends with reluctance, “If there’s no adventure.”

Jax really hopes not because he wants Pomni all to himself. “Absolutely.”

He reaches up, flicking one of her bells.

Pomni doesn’t tell him to stop so he does it again. Then again. Then she does tell him to stop.

“Knock it off.” She grabs onto her bell and gives Jax a firm look.

It turns him on a little so he lets it go, turning to poke at his own abandoned breakfast as he starts rattling on about whatever comes to mind.

At one point Jax has Pomni laughing and he notes Ragatha looking like it bothers her. That’s what she gets.

As breakfast draws to a close Caine fails to appear, leaving them to their own devices.

Pomni gets up and Jax follows curiously, waiting for them to be well away from the others before asking, “So where are we going?”

Pomni looks up to him with raised brows.

“My room,” she says like it’s obvious.

Jax’s interest piques and he tries to keep how eager he is off his face even as he lowers his arms and nudges her with his elbow. “Ooh, your room. And on the first date.”

He internally panics about the joke but when Pomni doesn’t instantly refute it he pokes at her cheek. “Scandalous.”

“If it’s that big of a deal we can hang somewhere else,” Pomni suggests.

“No, no, by all means,” Jax says.

Pomni rolls her eyes a little, but she’s smiling.

By the time they reach the room Jax is starting to feel jittery. They’re talking now and then, but it’s mostly just an offhand comment here or there. They aren’t having a conversation.

Because Jax feels so excited and weird and excited and freaked out.

Pomni opens the door and lets him in. She walks to her bed and sits down on it. Jax is so aware of that as he closes the door behind him.

He walks up to her, hand on his hip. She looks up.

Is Jax supposed to sit down? He suddenly feels on uneven footing.

“Jax?” Pomni asks.

“What.” Jax responds flatly, panic rushing in his ears.

Why? What is wrong with him? Pomni is having him over to her room and he’s responding like he’s never even held hands with a girl.

“Did you…” Amusement shines in Pomni’s eyes. “Did you dream about me?”

Embarrassment crashes over Jax, though maybe he should have seen it coming. “Pomni, you can’t just ask me that!”

“What?” Pomni says in disbelief, laughing a little. “Why not? They’re literally about me.”

Jax gives her a flustered look, humming. It had been a sexy one.

“Yeah,” he relents. “I did.”

Pomni flushes. She looks happy, but like she’s embarrassed, too. Then why did she ask?!

”I, uh,” she says. “…me too.”

His head snaps in her direction, extremely interested in her answer.

“Oh, is that so?” He advances on her. “What? What did you dream about?”

He’s dying to know.

Pomni flushes further at that and laughs, glancing away. “Oh, don’t ask me that.”

“You’re the one who brought it up!” Jax is incensed. “And you already know what I was dreaming about!”

It’s not faaaair.

Pomni looks back at him with her big eyes.

“So same old same old?” she has the audacity to ask.

“Actually there was some new stuff but I’m not gonna tell you now,” Jax says moodily, crossing his arms and turning away.

”Ooh, new stuff,” Pomni encourages. Then she pats the bed next to her. “Sit down.”

sit down

“Is that an order?” Jax hears himself say sulkily, but there’s an undertone of excitement and

no, no, no Jax can see in Pomni’s eyes that she noticed.

Pomni smiles knowingly. “Do you want it to be?”

Jax scowls at her. That’s just unfair.

“And if I do?” He asks pointedly.

Pomni’s eyes widen a bit, but then so does her smile. She pats the spot next to her again.

“Sit down.”

He considers her like he’s not dying to play along.

“Well, if you’re so desperate for it,” he says with a sigh, moving to plop down onto the bed beside Pomni.

As much as he wants to get pushed around, part of him wants to push her over. “What’s up, cupcake?”

He can see in her eyes that the pet name does something for her. He’s just not sure what.

“Oh, you know,” she says. “Considering exactly how much I wanna mess around.”

“Are you now?” Jax asks, eyes narrowing with a growing hunger. He’s so glad it’s not just him. Vindicated, even.

He leans in with wicked intent, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. “You should show me.”

Pomni laughs softly, a fluttering feeling entering Jax’s chest when he hears it. It’s immediately swallowed up by greedy need for Pomni.

does she want to have sex with him?

He remembers his dream from earlier and his stomach twists with excitement.

Pomni is tilting her head towards his.

“Kiss me.”

The words send a palpable shiver through Jax.

Pomni noticed that

Jax can’t not feel weird about it but the softness of Pomni’s expression allows him to push past any awkwardness as he tilts his head and presses a kiss to her lips.

Jax reaches up, cradling the side of Pomni's face as he immediately starts to deepen it. His body is buzzing with adrenaline as Pomni moves her mouth against his with similar awkward motions.

Her hands come up to his arms, gently holding onto them. Anchoring herself like Jax is someone safe—

A pang goes through Jax and he pulls away sharply.

Pomni’s eyes are immediately on him. She squeezes his arms lightly.

Before she can say anything, Jax leans down and presses their mouths together again, gripping her face restlessly as he kisses her. His heart is pumping something sour through him.

Pomni’s hands slide away from his arms and come up to his face. She gently breaks the kiss.

are you okay?

Jax dreads the words, but instead Pomni says,

“You need to work something out?”

Her eyes are understanding.

Jax looks at her in disbelief. It makes her brow furrow a bit. Pomni closes her eyes.

“Kiss me harder.”

For a moment Jax continues to stare down at her, trapped in time.

Jax likes her so much.

Pomni doesn’t know how much.

He draws her face closer again and kisses her lips fiercely, nudging and sucking at her upper lip, then her lower, before pulling her into another deep one. His heart pounds as he puts all the feelings whirling around inside him into the kiss.

Jax’s tongue presses to her lips and his body shudders when she meets it with her own.

They make out slowly, tentatively now as Jax feels out how much Pomni will let him do. Pomni tugs on his overalls, murmuring against his lips,

“You can let loose if you wanna.”

Let loose. She has no idea, she has no idea, and Jax can’t let her know yet if ever. He licks her lip.

”Well, I don't want to spook you like the world’s tiniest horse,” Jax chuckles against her mouth like any of this is funny. His hands start to shake so he slides them to her waist, squeezing her.

“Aah!” Pomni gasps, body jerking a bit in surprise. She shivers and presses her tongue to Jax’s when it enters her mouth again.

That’s a good response, right?

Jax can’t help himself. He starts to feel her up. Really get a feel for her awkward little body. He wonders if she has tits or if she’s completely flat.

“Hey,” he mumbles. “You got tits?”

“I’m sorry?” Pomni pulls back from the kiss, looking flabbergasted.

Jax’s eyes narrow. “You heard me.”

Who knows what Pomni is thinking with that blank face.

“... yeah, I have tits.”

yesssss

Jax's hand starts to slide up her body with growing anticipation that makes him giddy. “Can I?”

knock knock knock

The sound of knocking at the door makes them both freeze, Pomni jumping a bit in his grip. Jax scowls at the door. There’s only one person it could be.

He looks at Pomni who’s also looking at the door. She looks concerned now and Jax feels himself grow cold.

“Go on,” he says in a breezy voice. “Answer it.”

Pomni gives him a doubtful look but stands, going to crack her door open.

“Pomni,” comes Ragatha’s voice and it’s all over for Jax.

Blood pounds in his ears as he listens to her sorry excuse for trying to get Pomni to come with her, she’s trying to get Pomni to come with her, she’s trying to take her away

”Please, just let me say my piece,” Ragatha pleads. “I haven’t been treating you well.”

“I, uh,” Pomni says. “Can we meet up in a couple hours? I’ll come to your room.”

“Oh…”

Ragatha sounds disappointed. How dare she when she’s already gonna get Pomni’s time. Ohh, lord forbid she have to wait while he and Pomni have sex.

“Thank you, Pomni. I’ll see you then.”

“Yeah, see you then.”

Pomni closes the door.

And then she turns and leans back against it, letting out a slow breath and putting a hand on her heart.

“Ah, jeez,” she says.

Ah jeez nothing

Jax has been out of sorts with Pomni for days and Ragatha chooses the day they’re together getting along again to make her amends?

Even if it is a coincidence Jax refuses to give Ragatha the benefit of the doubt.

Jax has slipped back into a bad mood he can’t shake even though he knows it’s just going to potentially hurt his relationship. “I’m surprised you didn’t just invite her in. You’re so concerned about her feelings aren’t you?”

“Invite her in?” Pomni sounds shocked, then offended. “What… does that even mean? Why would I invite her in while we’re in the middle of making out?”

“I dunno!” Jax exclaims like somehow Pomni is being unreasonable.

Pomni is looking at him like he’s said something really weird and Jax’s defensiveness rises.

do it

He breathes harder.

yell at her. hurt her. ruin this.

really take a chunk out of her

Pomni’s face is so troubled. “You don’t need to be jealous of Ragatha.”

And why shouldn't he be? It's obvious she's the nicer, better choice and she likes Pomni. The only reason they're not together is because she's [BEEP]ing things up worse than Jax.

“That woman wants to sabotage me,” Jax complains. Like he needs help with that.

It still makes him prickle.

“She's going to talk [BEEP], I just know it.” Just thinking about it makes him scowl.

Pomni frowns at him and Jax feels like he’s losing her.

“So what?” she finally says.

Jax scoffs in disbelief.

What?

“What do you mean so what??” Jax demands, feeling a little hysterical.

“I mean,” Pomni says slowly. “How much do you care about her opinion?”

Jax rears back at that. Then he glares at the wall past Pomni, who comes to sit down next to him. He looks at her out of the corner of his eye.

“Is that a trick question?” he asks with suspicion.

Pomni looks like she’s trying not to laugh which makes him want to scream. “No? Why would I try to trick you?”

“That’s not the point!” Jax cries even though it is the point. He’s getting all scrambled now. “Of course I don’t care what ol’ Raggedy [BEEP]hole thinks! But you do!”

There it is.

Pomni’s eyebrows raise.

“Oh. Well, don’t worry about that,” she dismisses. “You’re the one I’m seeing.”

“But–”

“Ragatha isn’t my mother,” Pomni says and the words cut deep, not into Jax but his perception of Ragatha. “And she can’t control what I do or think.”

And neither can Jax.

The words resound.

“Yeah, I guess,” Jax says reluctantly, feeling how irrational he’s being. He hates that. He hates ruining things for himself even while always having the compulsion to before it can be ruined for him.

“She’s so dumb,” Jax concludes a little childishly but he’s gradually coming down from ‘nuclear’ to ‘bruised feelings’ behavior. “You should tell her to stuff it. What’d you ever do to her anyway?”

Jax knows, but he wonders what Pomni thinks it is.

Pomni sighs a little. “It’s just hard for all of us being here. I’m not even mad at her, you know?”

Jax really, really doesn’t get it.

“I care about her and I don’t want her to be upset,” Pomni says. She raises her hands in a little ‘stop’ motion that instinctively upsets Jax, but then he realizes it’s not directed towards him. “But this problem is outside of me.”

Pomni’s eyes meet Jax’s and grow painfully earnest. “And it’s outside of us.”

Jax’s expression and mind go blank.

“Don’t worry,” Pomni reassures him. “I’m a loyal person.”

Does Jax doubt that? He’s not sure how to convey that it’s not Pomni that he doesn’t trust but that’s also not quite true. It’s all just a bunch of insecurities and those are all inside Jax.

But some part of him finally caves, matching the softness in her eyes.

“I’m not saying you’re not.” His hand slides over hers and he’s pleased when she lets him take it even though he’s being a [BEEP].

Jax finally lets out a sigh, slumping into Pomni’s side. His mood has bounced back a bit but he can’t quite get out of purgatory. “You showed up at the Circus and made things so messy again.”

It’s a compliment, no matter how unhinged Jax has been feeling recently.

“Well, excuse me,” Pomni says dryly. She gives his hand a tiny squeeze. “It’s not like I can leave so I guess you’d better get used to it.”

That finally draws a snort out of Jax and he grins, tugging on her arm a little as he pulls her closer. “Oh we’re trapped in here with you huh?”

Pomni gives him a serious look.

“I’m the dark horse pressure cooker,” she says. “You never know when I’m gonna punch a hole in the wall.”

“Toxic gamer Pomni is something I’d like to see,” Jax says. He nudges her. “Are you gonna teabag me? Huh?”

Pomni laughs a little, then laughs harder, rubbing her face.

“Huh? Pomni, answer me,” Jax demands. “Are you gonna teabag me?”

“Shut up,” Pomni says. Her eyes slide over to him, hand still on her face. She looks exhausted but she’s smiling. “That’s an order.”

“Don’t make fun of me,” Jax says, reaching up with his other hand to poke at her forehead. But it makes something curl pleasantly in his stomach. “But if you mean it say it again.”

Pomni gives him this long, pensive look. Is she thinking something bad?

or is she making me wait?

“Shut up,” she says firmly.

A little shudder goes through Jax and it’s honestly kind of embarrassing to get so turned on by having a girl tell him to shut up in a not hot way. Enough so he’s a little annoyed at himself.

But it’s hot to him.

Jax reaches up, pretending to zip his mouth and throw away the key.

Pomni’s smile twitches up and he thinks her little red cheeks flush.

Pomni leans up. Kisses him on the mouth. Then she pulls back to say in a quiet voice,

“Do you want to go to the weird library room?”

It’s not what Jax thinks she’s gonna say. Not in a million years would he have thought that’s what she was going to say.

what, wanna do some light reading?

Jax wants to ask, almost does, but then he remembers he’s not supposed to talk.

wanna read a [BEEP]ing romance novel?

Pomni’s smile curves wider and he has the thought that on some level she’s pleased with his silence.

“I was just thinking,” she says. “Sex doesn’t really seem like the vibe anymore. But I still wanna hang with you until I go talk to Ragatha.”

Jax’s eyes narrow, a little annoyed about that. It could easily tilt his mood back into the gutter but honestly he’s not feeling it right then. Thinking about Pomni going to meet up with Ragatha would just get in his head and ruin the whole thing and then he’d have to kill Ragatha.

Jax tilts his head at her then winks.

Pomni giggles.

It’s so god[BEEP] cute Jax wants to kiss her again, is about to lean in to do so when Pomni glances away, smile still on her face. She stands then looks back down at him.

“C’mon, let’s go.”

He missed his chance. Jax scowls.

“Fine, let’s find the book with the face again.” Jax stands and heads to the door, walking through before Pomni. “He had some really interesting things to say.”

Jax sees Pomni turn her head out of his peripheral vision as they walk down the hall.

“I didn’t say you could talk,” she says.

Then she bumps her elbow against him like she’s joking.

which is it?

It sends an electric thrill through Jax, though the thought of it being purely a joke makes him want to sink into the ground.

He goes back and forth for a second then leans into the joke aspect while still obeying, solemnly nodding and putting a finger to his mouth as if to shush himself.

Jax peers down at Pomni to over-analyze her expression.

Pomni is looking up at him, smiling a little. Then she looks ahead of her.

“That book was terrifying,” Pomni complains. “It gave me nightmares. Why do you like the worst stuff?”

oh are you just going to berate me while I can’t talk you absolute monster?

“Hey, Jax,” Pomni says.

He’s immediately at attention.

She’s still not looking at him.

“I’m glad… you also wanted to have sex,” she says. “I thought about it and then I was like, maybe it’s too soon? ‘Cause I don’t know how much you’ve even done.”

is she calling me a virgin?

Jax gapes at her with a frown on his face. Pomni is smiling, tucking her hair back. It falls immediately back into place.

“But then I had that dream and— well.” Pomni looks charmingly embarrassed. “But I’m kind of glad we got interrupted, too.”

Pomni’s eyes flick to him.

“Now we get to practice a little with this stuff.”

She’s bringing it up.

A rush of nerves washes through him but it’s on a small enough scale it’s easy to be excited about it.

Jax smirks and lifts his hand, giving her an ‘ok’ signal. Then he kisses at her, can’t help himself.

Pomni flushes, eyes going wide. Then she laughs. She mouths a little kiss back at him.

Then she cuts deep.

“You’re cute.”

His smirk falls flat.

now she’s coming for his masculinity?

Jax waves her off, crossing his arms.

Pomni laughs. “What’s wrong with being cute?”

Jax quirks his eyebrow sharply and hopes that conveys all of his disdain for the question.

She looks so happy it’s annoying. “I think it’s— it’s hot.”

being cute?!

Jax’s expression goes blank with a lack of understanding and more than a hint of annoyance. Hot is hot and cute is cute, what is she on about?

The desire to harp on her about it is the greatest challenge to his obedience yet.

“I mean…” Pomni gives an awkward little sigh. “We both want you in the maid dress, right?”

Her eyes glance to him. And then she comes in with the uppercut.

“You can speak.”

Jax gets flustered and he can feel the heat rise to his face.

He stumbles over his response then clicks his tongue sharply. “You’re a real piece of work, you know that?”

Pomni’s brows almost disappear into her hat.

Then she gives him a little grin. “Is… that a compliment?”

God, she’s the cute one. Jax wants to eat her in one bite.

“Yes.” His eyes dart away and he mutters under his breath, “To both.”

Pomni’s grin widens.

“You don’t have to look at me like that, though,” Jax says defensively. “If you ask me, you’re weirder for wanting to see it.”

“Oh, you reckon so?” Pomni asks. Her gaze isn’t on him now and he yearns for it. Wants to gnaw on her attention.

”Uh, yeah,” Jax says like his argument holds any water.

“Okay then,” Pomni concedes. “So I’m the weirder one. What of it?”

Oh just look at Pomni, dodging his defenses left and right. It makes him giddy.

“Well as long as we’re in agreement,” Jax says airily.

Pomni just laughs. He’s been making her laugh so much lately.

They head off to the library to dwindle away the time Pomni has left.

—

The library is quiet except for the little bookbats flying around them. That’s what Pomni calls them. Their little bodies are books, so Jax was sure to tell her it wasn’t clever.

It’s cute, though.

Jax follows Pomni around as she searches for the scratch n’ sniff that had all the gourmet desserts. He skulks after her, really, thinking about his silent exchanges with her in the hall.

Somehow after the moment it’s belatedly sexy in a different way.

“What’s on your mind, big guy?” Pomni is suddenly looking over her shoulder at him.

“Oh you would ask that.” Jax pushes down on her head, getting frazzled.

“Do you wanna hear what’s on my mind?” Pomni asks, pushing at his hand.

“Pomni, there’s nothing I would want to hear more,” Jax tells her, fighting her attempt to shoo him off.

Pomni gives him a look like she’s trying to decide something. Then she nods.

“Pick me up.”

“Wait, seriously?” Jax is so ecstatic he just leans down to hoist her up under the arms, holding her in the air. Then thinks to ask, “Like this?”

There’s a pause where Pomni just stares at him with half-lidded, unamused eyes.

“No, not like this,” Pomni says, shaking her head. She reaches up and grabs his shoulder, dragging herself closer until he’s cradling her and she’s sitting in his arm. “Like this.”

Her face is so close to his. She has the gall to look embarrassed.

It gets his heart burning.

“Gotcha.” Anxiety flutters through Jax but between Pomni’s reaction and the privacy of the library he feels his eyelids growing heavy with want. “And now?”

Pomni regards him.

Then she leans in and kisses him softly.

“You’re gonna hold me up so I can reach the books,” she murmurs against his mouth, a tremble of nerves in her voice.

On some level Jax does want to kick himself over enjoying this so much but it makes him feel good in a way he can’t put into words.

Jax adjusts his grip on her and holds her a little higher. “Oh I get it. You saw these guns and wanted a ride.”

“Huh—?” Pomni blinks, then chuckles. “Exactly.”

She turns and starts looking through the books on the higher shelves. They just peruse for a while before Pomni pulls out a book.

It has the shape of a lily pressed into the leather. When she opens it, miniature flowers bloom out of it. Vines fall around the sides. Pomni stares at the flowers with wide eyes.

She’s so beautiful Jax forgets to breathe.

“You like that one?” Jax finally asks as a tiny butterfly flutters out and starts to flitter around Pomni’s head.

“Yeah,” Pomni says with a sense of wonder. It’s precious. The butterfly lands where her nose should be and Pomni’s face scrunches up. “Can you, uh… get it off me?”

“Can I or will I?” Jax asks with amusement, enjoying watching her try to blow it off without success.

“What are you doing?” He asks after a moment.

“I don’t wanna squash it!” Pomni insists.

“Why not, it’s just code,” Jax says. “It could be your little snack.”

Pomni levels him with a look deprived of anything jovial. In fact, she looks like she’s about to be lowkey [BEEP]ed.

“Blow it off my face,” she demands.

Oooh, and Jax does like that.

He grins.

“Close your eyes.”

Pomni looks at him with some well-earned suspicion. Then she closes her giant bug eyes.

Jax does consider doing something out of pocket. Look at her, trusting him.

It makes something twist in his guts.

He leans forward a little and gently blows the butterfly on a puff of air. It lazily flitters around for a moment then goes to land on one of the flowers from the book.

“Is it-” Pomni starts to ask, eyes opening just as Jax leans in to press a kiss to her forehead.

Jax hears her breath hitch a little.

do I affect you the way you affect me?

He knows that’s impossible, but when he pulls back there’s a light flush dusted over Pomni’s cheeks. She looks so flustered.

happy

Pomni’s eyes slide shut and she leans in, kissing Jax on the mouth. It’s soft and sweet, but Jax can feel something behind it and he wants to know what that is.

Jax wants to be able to read Pomni like one of the books on the shelf.

He carefully eases her closer, holding Pomni as he deepens the kiss. If only she hadn’t agreed to talk to Ragatha. He’s a little tempted to try and talk her out of it but even Jax knows it’s a lost cause so he focuses on how it feels to kiss her instead.

To Jax’s surprise, Pomni deepens the kiss next. So he deepens it fiercely in turn, feeling selfish. Pomni gives a soft squeak then lifts her hands to his face, cradling it like he’s important and that drives Jax up the wall.

Jax pushes Pomni against the bookshelf, barely keeping her up as one of his hands starts to roam along her side. He feels her up like he’s not gonna get another chance.

Pomni breaks the kiss, but Jax follows her lips, kissing at them, then nipping at them. Pomni laughs.

“If we get too into it we’re gonna have sex in the library,” she scolds.

“Pomni you can’t just say that,” Jax groans, desperately keeping himself from pressing between her thighs and just grinding against her already.

He steals another quick kiss then gives her a look, smirking mischievously. “Besides, would that be the worst thing?”

Pomni laughs, face still pink. Jax wants to take a bite out of her.

"Maybe next time." But then she closes her eyes. "Kiss me really hard to tide you over."

"Well," he murmurs, kissing at the side of her mouth. "If you say so."

Jax shifts, readjusting his grip on Pomni and pressing her into the bookshelf. The book she’s holding falls to the ground, fluttering its pages to slow its descent as he kisses Pomni hard on the mouth.

She gives a little moan of surprise that Jax savors as he swallows it down. Her hand cups the side of his face and Jax presses in between her thighs. His heart is pounding for her.

Jax brushes his tongue over Pomni’s lips when he reluctantly pulls back. "Mm, that'll do for a little while."

Pomni is looking at him all dazed. Jax feels possessive.

Especially when she leans in and kisses him with a passion that wasn't present before.

Like she really likes him.

Jax presses his hips up between her legs, holding her against the bookshelf. He wants to rub against her pussy so bad. Will she let him? Just a little?

Just then there's an odd tipping sensation and Jax only has a moment to pull Pomni back from the bookshelf before it topples over. It causes a domino effect, knocking over bookshelf after bookshelf.

Pomni holds onto Jax tight, gaping at the mess.

"Oh no!!"

Like the room won’t just reset.

Jax watches them fall, enjoying the chaos and the way Pomni feels in his arms.

When the shelves have finally stopped falling Jax hugs Pomni to his body.

"Oh no, Pom!! Look what you did! Caine is gonna feed you to Bubble!"

Pomni clutches at her hair with one hand, clinging to Jax with the other.

"[BEEP]!" she exclaims.

Jax laughs. "You're such a character."

Pomni scowls at him. "It's ‘cause we were getting sexy."

"No it's because you pushed it, I saw you. You're a troublemaker." He starts kissing all over her cheek, down to her neck until she pushes at him.

"Put me down and that's an order," Pomni tells him with so little amusement he can't even help but laugh.

"Fiiine," he sighs, pressing a final kiss to her cheek before setting her down.

They stare at the bookcases for a moment then Jax points at a different row. "I think that dessert book you liked is in one of those."

"Hmm," Pomni hums, clearly trying to decide if she should do something about the fallen shelves before looking at him. "Okay."

He grins widely as she turns her back on the carnage, reaching down to take her hand as they walk over.

After browsing a minute Jax finds it, holding it over Pomni out of reach. "Look what I found."

Pomni's eyes light up. Then her eyelids lower.

"Are you gonnaaaaa hand it over?"

"No." Jax grins.

Pomni sighs and walks away from him which is no fun. But she goes over to one of the big comfy couches and sits down on it.

"We can read together," she says.

"Don't you mean smell?"

Pomni shrugs. "You know. Whatever."

"Hmmmm."

Jax wishes she would boss him around. Like a weirdo. But this time he dutifully walks to the couch, plopping down beside her and immediately leaning as obnoxiously into her side as possible. "What do you want to smell first?"

Jax starts flipping through the pages, not handing it over.

Pomni hums. "Maybe the fruit pastries."

Jax flips to the chocolate eclairs. "Too bad. We're doing chocolate."

"But it all smells the same!" Pomni protests.

"Too bad."

Pomni looks like she's about to argue with him. Then she tells him,

"Flip to the fruit parfaits."

Jax eyes her with a pleasant curling of heat.

And if I don't? Jax thinks about saying.

It makes him so giddy he immediately psyches himself out, flipping to the fruit parfaits with a flush of embarrassed heat.

"If you insist, go on. Sniff your fruits." He lifts the book up for her.

Pomni gives him a curious look like she caught his slip up.

She reaches out and scratches one of the parfaits, leaning in to smell it.

"... banana and coconut," she says with a nod. "Delicious. Okay, your turn."

"This is juvenile as hell," Jax says, but he scratches one anyway and sniffs it. Vanilla and strawberry. "It smells like gasoline."

"No it doesn't," Pomni insists. She smells it. Then she just frowns at Jax.

Got her.

"Okay, your turn," Jax says with a self-satisfied smirk. She's so cute and funny and-

Jax flips the page and there's a picture of a maid holding up a decadent parfait.

His expression crunches into a scowl instinctively.

Pomni laughs. Jax glares at her and she covers her mouth.

"Sorry," she says, lowering her hand. "It just surprised me."

Jax glares at the maid.

"You know..." Pomni nudges him. "You'd look really hot in that one."

Jax goes scarlet and he slams the book shut. "Shut up!"

It's definitely not the reaction he means to have but it's a knee-jerk response.

The book falls to his lap and Jax covers his face, feeling stupid.

"Hey..." Pomni's voice is unbearably gentle. "Sorry, was that too much too soon?"

Too soon.

Meaning it's something she wants to work towards.

But why? Pomni is such a little freak.

The thought is oddly comforting and Jax gradually peeks at her through his fingers.

"I'm fine," he says like that's convincing.

He chews something over then leans closer to her, speaking low so only she can hear. "Do you mean it? Would it be hot to you if..."

If he wore a stupid maid uniform.

Pomni's eyes look like they are shining with stars when she looks up at him.

"Yeah," she says. "Cause you're really into it."

"That's bull--"

"When I think about you wearing one... I dunno, I mean I did think you were cute last time."

Jax almost screams in her face.

"But the fact that it would turn you on really does it for me," Pomni concludes.

Jax's mouth is clamped shut.

Why is Pomni the perfect woman? It makes him feel crazy.

His expression vies between a pout and being pleased, never quite settling on either.

"Well," Jax starts but concludes again with, "Well."

Heat flushes in his cheeks again as he looks away. "It's not like we can just get one anyway."

"Mm... that's true." Pomni gives a little sigh. "I mean, it’s possible..."

"What’s possible?" Jax asks doubtfully.

"Maybe we could convince Caine?" Pomni suggests.

"What, to give me a maid uniform?" Jax scoffs. "I can't just ask to be in a maid dress! I would abstract before the question was out of my mouth. It's like a cyanide pill failsafe inside my body preventing that."

His scowl deepens, though there's a distant pang of disappointment. "Sooo I guess we just have to let that dream die in a ditch."

Pomni gives a little snort that earns her the stink eye. She looks away thoughtfully and Jax tries to determine his mood.

Something shifts in his lap and he glances down. Pomni is picking up the dumb book. Is she seriously going back to that right now. Right now?

“Are you trying to insult me?” Jax ponders.

“What? No,” Pomni blows him off, flipping through the pages and–

She stops on the page with the maid again, studying it like she’s trying to pull some answer from it. Jax’s eyes keep darting to the picture and away. “Just forget about it–”

“What about a maid cafe?” Pomni speaks over him in a thoughtful tone.

“A- what? Maid cafe?” Jax asks, affronted. “First of all, nerd. Second of all, what are you suggesting?”

“You know what that is too, so,” Pomni shoots him dead point blank. “And I don’t know, maybe we can get Caine to run some sort of adventure with that. Maybe some people are maids and some are customers—“

“You’re getting too into this!” Jax warns, covering his ears and shaking his head. “You’re going down a dark path, Pomni!”

”Listen!” Pomni gives his arm a good, playful thwack. “No, I think it could work! If you’re one of the maids then there’s a chance you might return in one.”

That’s true. Caine isn’t always consistent with what clothing he lets through. Jax has a whole stash of junk.

A thought occurs to him.

If some of them are maids then there’s also a chance that Pomni will be in a cute little dress.

And that does entice Jax. A lot.

He rubs his chin, considering her. “Weeeeell, I do hate everything about the idea but I see the brilliance in your thinking. I guess it’s worth a try. But you have to be the one to suggest it. My name cannot be on this thing.”

Pomni smiles and zips her mouth, throwing away the key.

Jax feels like he’s about to go feral over how adorable that is.

Pomni puts a hand over Jax’s. “It’s okay, we’ll figure out how to get a dress somehow.”

“I’m not concerned about it!” Jax snaps.

Pomni just smiles.

They wile away the rest of their time together, finally parting with a kiss outside the door.

Jax watches as Pomni heads off to Ragatha then finally scowls and turns away, hunching a bit as he goes to find something to distract himself.

His brain keeps trying to freak out over Ragatha but thoughts of Pomni’s little demands and her plan to get a uniform keep stealing his attention away. It gets him in a daze, not content but eager.

Jax really is in trouble but he just keeps falling harder.

—

It’s evening.

Jax has seen neither hide nor hair of Pomni even though he went to her room to check on the results of the Ragatha disaster, albeit a little early. She hadn’t answered.

So now he’s sulking in his room, arms crossed over his chest. It’s gotta be about dinnertime now. Should he go? Will she be there or is she going to come straight to his room? Did she say? His head is so scrambled. What if Ragatha convinces her not to date Jax. Are they dating? He’s starting to freak out. He’s going to [BEEP]ing freak out, he’s going to freak out so bad

There’s a brisk knock at Jax’s door.

Jax sits up like a crushing weight has been lifted off him, going to answer it.

“Where have you been?” Jax starts to ask before he’s even cracked open the door, taking his chances that it’ll be Pomni.

It is.

She stares up at him in her stupid little jester hat and her dumb little jester outfit with eyes like Jupiter.

“What?” Pomni looks taken aback. “I was talking to Ragatha.”

Jax rolls his eyes, slipping out of his room. “Yeah I know that.”

He gives her a hard look but she doesn’t look like she’s developed a newfound disgust towards him.

Pomni is staring at him back. Her expression is so blank.

“What.” she says.

Jax wants to shake her like a piggy-bank. “Nothing. How did it go?”

He can see the whiplash.

“It uhhhhh,” Pomni says. She composes herself. “It went well. Can I come in?”

“No. We’re going to your room.” Jax makes a little shooing motion to get her going in the opposite direction.

“Why?” Pomni asks, a spark of curiosity in her voice but he’s not having it.

“Because I said so. C’mon,” Jax puts a hand on the top of her head and turns her around. “After you.”

Pomni starts to protest, but it fizzles out. They walk over to her room and only once the door is shut behind him do the words hit Jax in the face.

it went well

Hmmm that probably means they’re friends again.

too bad

Jax moves over to her bed, sitting on it like he belongs there. “Did she turn on the waterworks and beg you to take her back?”

Pomni frowns at him. She says in a clipped tone, “That’s not what happened, no.”

He gives a sharp snort. “Okay, so what did happen?”

“We talked about it and came to an understanding,” Pomni says.

but did they though?

“What, you’re not going to tell me? Is this some kind of ‘girl code’ thing?”

Pomni’s frown deepens. “No, I just don’t know how much she’d be okay with me telling you. We talked about some personal stuff.”

That grinds his gears.

Jax gives Pomni a long look like he’s trying to mind control her to no avail. He finally crosses his arms and pouts. “Good for you.”

He scowls at some distant spot for a moment then focuses back on Pomni. “So are we having sex or…?”

Pomni looks like she takes psychic damage from his question.

How dare she.

Pomni recovers and says, “I was actually thinking… maybe we should wait.”

Panic wells up in Jax’s throat.

oh god she’s backtracking

she’s rethinking this

she sees what a [BEEP]ed up [BEEP]hole mess you are and she regrets even giving you a

“I thought, maybe if we get the dress first then it’ll be really special.”

Pomni is looking up with earnest, bemused eyes. “Also, I’m not really in the mood right now. Are you? Like, really?”

Not really but it’s the principle of the thing. “Am I not a man in peak physical condition?”

Pomni’s planetary eyes go wide as ever and she laughs. “And just like that my panties are on the floor.”

“Shut up!” Jax snaps at her but he can’t help but let a laugh slip.

Pomni grins at him.

Jax feels a spark of affection, even in the sludge of his mood. “Okay fine, it’s not like I’m gonna make you.”

He leans back against the bed on his elbows, veering between asking if Ragatha talked about him or bringing up the fact Pomni’s been thinking about their first time.

Pomni looks down at him with a little fondness that goes a long way with Jax, to the point of making him uncomfortable. He glances away.

“What.”

“You know…” Pomni says with a tone in her voice that sounds almost sly, as if she’s capable of being that. “I’m surprised you didn’t ask me about my dream, again.”

“Huh?” Jax says attractively.

oh right Pomni had a dirty dream

HOLD UP, POMNI HAD A DIRTY DREAM

The world stands still for one beautiful moment before Jax blurts out,

“What did you dream about? Are you actually going to tell me this time?”

Pomni’s shoulders rise and fall with quiet giggles.

Jax’s mouth falls open.

“How dare you? You can’t do that!” Jax scoffs, incensed. “Tell me, Pomni. Tell me or I’ll abstract. I’ll- It’s starting. It’s happening now, better get going, go go go!”

Pomni is laughing harder now, louder. He loves the little squint her eyes do when she’s smiling this wide.

“I’m gonna tell you, don’t abstract, that’s not funny.”

“Yeah it is,” Jax insists. He snaps his fingers twice to hurry her. “Chop chop.”

Pomni giggles again then sighs, leaning back on her elbows. Now she’s on Jax’s level. She’s not looking at him, though.

Pomni mumbles something. ”…ingyourface.”

“Huh?” Jax quirks an eyebrow then cups a hand to his ear. “Didn’t quite catch that, can you run it by me again?”

Pomni’s face is looking red now.

“… I was riding your face.”

Jax’s eyes widen a little as heat pools between his legs. Oh, that’s hot.

He quickly rearranges his expression into a smirk. “Well don’t you worry, I can do that for you.”

Despite never having actually done it.

Look at Pomni, getting all flustered over the thought. She looks further away.

“Hey,” Jax says. “C’mon, look at me. It’s not a big deal, right? You’re a modern woman.”

Pomni looks at him uncomprehendingly then laughs. “That I am.”

Something flutters pleasantly in Jax’s stomach. What is that feeling? It’s only ever been associated with Pomni.

Pomni, who’s tilting her head at him curiously. Smiling a little. Leaning in.

Pomni pecks his lips sweetly, pulling back to give him a serious, searching look. “You okay?”

Jax snaps himself out of it.

“Right as rain,” he assures her. Is he? He determines he is.

Jax leans in and kisses her, rolling over so he’s half on top of her. He keeps kissing her until she kisses back, mouth pressed to his.

He breaks it to ask, “Can we make out still? Or are you saving that for the dress, too.”

Pomni smiles up at him all dreamy and Jax has won, he has won, he’s the one Pomni likes.

“We can make out,” Pomni says, reaching up and touching Jax’s cheek to pull him closer.

She kisses him and Jax doesn’t even mouth a smarmy comment against her.

He holds her and they kiss and Pomni makes him feel wanted.

Chapter Text

It’s been three days since Pomni asked Caine for the maid adventure and Jax is sweating.

It’s hard to say when Caine will make it or if he’ll make it at all. But Pomni, according to her, had been very adamant and Caine had taken well to the interest despite it not being his adventure.

Cool your jets, she had said last night. Just give it some time.

And Jax is trying, but this is his reputation on the line. If this doesn’t go off without a hitch he just has the feeling something bad will happen and take it all away from him and then he’s gonna reinvent the definition of a freak out.

He frowns, thinking this over as he stands in front of Pomni’s door. It’s morning and he wants to go to breakfast, so she’s coming with him.

Jax raises his fist and starts to bang it against her door, lightly enough to not be as threatening as he’s tempted to make it, but unrelenting. He just keeps banging on it as he says over the din,

“Pomni, wake up.”

Jax keeps hitting his fist against the door, eventually changing up the rhythm. He’s just started to beat in time to Toxic by Britney Spears when Pomni opens the door.

“God, will you back up?” she grouses sleepily.

Jax lets his hand fall. “Pomni, what song was I playing?”

“What…?” Pomni looks so bleary and sleepy.

“Come on, up and at ‘em,” Jax pushes on. “Food time.”

Pomni blinks at him slowly, scowling. Then she starts to shut the door again.

“Wait, wait, wait–” Jax starts.

Pomni leaves it open a crack and glares through it. “Don’t wake me up like that.”

“Pomni, the Circus is on fire,” Jax says urgently. “We should evacuate to the dining area.”

Pomni looks at him a moment longer. Then she sighs and opens the door, stepping out. “Fine.”

Jax grins and he can’t help it, oh he can’t help but to say smugly, “I win.”

Pomni blanches and starts to ease back into her room. “Oh my god, I’m going back to bed.”

“No, wait, Pom, no, no, no, wait–”

It takes a little convincing, but Jax finally gets her on the road and they start down the hall, Jax with his arms crossed behind his head all easy breezy to make sure that Pomni can’t tell that he’s been a [BEEP]ing wreck over this potential adventure.

Pomni has no idea. He’s just too slick.

“So are you gonna tell me what’s going on?” Pomni’s voice breaks into Jax’s thoughts and he immediately scowls.

“What,” he says with a scoff, letting his arms fall and putting an offended hand on his chest. “What are you trying to say?”

Pomni gives him a level look. “I can guess what it is, but I’d rather have you tell me. Why are you acting weird?”

“I’m literally not acting weird,” Jax insists, scouring his behavior for a crack in his defenses.

“Listen, don’t take this the wrong way,” Pomni says and Jax rears back with preemptive offense, hands falling into a what gives gesture before she even finishes her sentence. “But you’ve been clingy as hell since like a few days ago.”

”Clingy—!” Jax gasps like he’s a scandalized victorian woman.

“I don’t care,” Pomni says, waving her hand dismissively. “I don’t mind it. But for [BEEP]’s sake, talk to me about it.”

“I am not clingy!” Jax hisses through his teeth, panic mounting. The word is an ice cold cut in his gut.

“Yeah, you are,” Pomni corrects factually. “And you keep staring off into the distance, too. Like, I’ll be talking to you and then your face goes blank and you just stare somewhere past me and I swear to god I can hear the screams of the damned.”

“Yeah well, you do. That’s just the soundtrack of my brain. It’s like a Spirit Halloween in there,” he jeers. The way Pomni can see Jax makes him want to crawl into a hole to die sometimes. “Welcome to my twisted mind.”

Pomni just gives him a long look, silent.

”What?” Jax snaps as if he’s not the one engaging in subterfuge.

Pomni only gives the courtesy of lowering her voice when she says, “We’re gonna find a way to get the dress.”

“You can’t just say that!” Jax’s head whips around like someone might overhear. “Shh! Listen!”

She quirks her brow as if to say, Go on.

“For the record I am not thinking about that thing you said all the time, okay? Don’t get it twisted,” Jax insists, just blatantly lying to her face. “But if it’s crossed my mind and feels like a hopeless cause then what do I care?”

Jax hates that the pout he puts on is very real.

“It’s only been like three days,” Pomni says gently.

“Shut up! You’re the one talking about it!” He’s going to shake her.

“You know, even if we can’t get it, the power of imagination goes a long way,” Pomni says conversationally like they aren’t in the middle of a blow up fight.

Wait, are they? Jax has a hard time keeping track of reality when he’s like this.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” he asks super flatly so Pomni knows he’s still mad despite her blase attitude.

“I’m saying,” Pomni lowers her voice and elbows him a bit, looking awkwardly playful. “My ex used to have a kink we couldn’t fully play out and we made due just having the lights off and pretending–”

”Hold up!” Jax puts both hands in the air like superman trying to stop a freight train. “Are you talking about your ex while I’m having a break down?!”

Pomni’s eyebrows raise. ”Are you having a breakdown?”

“When am I not having a breakdown, Pomni?”

Jax takes a moment to get in touch with himself which is already rare, but then he finds that he’s… honestly, he’s upset, but not as upset as when this conversation started.

Being comforted is a reeeeally weird feeling and he’s not sure he likes it.

“Jax?”

Pomni’s steps slow as she turns to look at him, frowning. “You, uh… are you having a breakdown?”

“Nnnope,” Jax states, expression neutralizing out. ”I’m doing great. It’s a great and normal day for me. How are you, Pompom?”

Pomni stops walking and looks up at him like she’s Inspector [BEEP]ing Gadget trying to figure him out. He can almost imagine her in the coat and hat.

“Jax–”

“You’re such a nerd,” Jax accuses. “It’s embarrassing, Pomni. I’m embarrassed for you.”

“So it’s a pretty bad one, huh,” Pomni says flatly.

“Oh my god, Pomni, I’m kidding,” Jax says with a roll of his eyes. He has completely lost control of this conversation and is floundering and it’s starting to make him mad, mad, mad—

“Let’s just go eat breakfast,” Pomni says, shaking her head at him.

“That’s what I’ve been saying!” Jax cries, throwing his arms up and walking forward again. ”That’s what I’ve been saying.”

Pomni doesn’t say anything, she just lets him lead her to breakfast.

He’s stressed the [BEEP] out.

—

Jax pokes at his cereal, lacking an appetite. It sucks that something so stupid has him all anxious and yet here he is, the biggest clown in a circus that’s full of them.

There’s no way Pomni’s plan is going to work. And isn’t it a little pathetic to continue to seek out a way to do it when that inevitably doesn’t work out?

This is all so stupid! Another part of him can’t help but think scoldingly. Jax is just so stupid.

He suddenly becomes aware of a gaze burning into him and Jax’s head turns, suddenly catching Pomni’s eyes. She’s staring at him with concern.

This little—

“Gooooood morning, my chedderbaked champions!” Caine cries, appearing out of nowhere and with enthusiasm that he’s been lacking. “I hope you’re ready for adventure, because this one is a special request from our very own Pomni!”

Caine gestures towards Pomni and is nice enough to have a little fanfare sound and confetti fall on her.

Suddenly faced with seeing how this actually will turn out has Jax wishing for the unknown he was facing five seconds ago.

“Put on your business suits and hop on down to Honey Sugar Paradise Cafe where you’ll be greeted by the friendly wait staff whose sole job description is to make sure you have the best time of your life!”

Caine goes on, but Jax is barely listening. He side eyes Pomni who side eyes him back and there’s excitement and nerves as the sentiment builds between them.

holy [BEEP] this is actually going to happen

Jax feels like he’s going to be sick.

“Oh wow, really?” Gangle asks with delighted surprise.

oh god the others will be there too

Jax had known that but with everything happening for real now—

“Go on, moe moe minimum wage awaits!” Caine cries, ushering them to hurry through a portal.

Jax blinks hard. It’s time.

He glances over to Pomni who’s looking at the portal with determination in her eyes. She looks over at Jax and gives him a little smile that has his heart fluttering.

Stop that.

He looks away and heads to the portal, through it.

Aaaaand ends up in some sort of kitchen being manned by NPCs who stir pots and chop things and hoooold up

That means Jax is part of the staff.

He looks down immediately and it slowly registers that he’s in—

the mother

[BEEP]ing

maid dress

He shifts back suddenly and the skirt swishes around his bare thighs. He can feel it and it makes him feel some kind of way but Pomni’s not here so it just freaks him out and the little heart cutout on his chest is so asinine and–

“Oh holy [BEEP]!” comes Gangle's voice. Jax glares over at her and sees she’s in a little dark red maid dress with ruffles and the works. There’s eyelashes around her eye-holes and little bows at the top edges of her mask. She’s visibly freaking out, waving her ribbons. “Oh my god, I got a maid dress! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes–”

Gangle seems to note Jax glaring and gives a little ‘eep!’ before stumbling back behind Ragatha who’s also looking down at herself. She’s wearing a long skirted version of the dress Jax is wearing.

“Oh,” she says. “Well, this is pretty cute, I guess.”

Then suddenly they’re both looking at Jax, expressions blank.

“What are you looking at!?” Jax snarls, face going scarlet under their scrutiny. No, no, no this isn’t how this is supposed to go down! Where is Pomni?!

Why isn’t she here in a cute little dress?! Why is it these people!?

He flips them off. “I’ll clobber you both if you say even one word!”

Ragatha and Gangle both anxiously turn away from him.

Gangle finally says to Ragatha, “Um, you look really elegant!”

“Oh gee, you think so? Gosh, thank you!” Ragatha says, putting a hand to her cheek and sounding flattered. “You look absolutely adorable!”

“Right? Oh my god, I feel adorable!” Gangle gushes.

Bringing Gangle joy is dead last in things Jax is trying to accomplish and he scowls, turning his back on both of them. He breathes hard, getting more and more steamed up.

This was a horrible idea, of course this was a horrible idea! And Caine went and messed it up and now Jax is just going to be humiliated all over again!

Aghhhh! he looks so stupid next to Ragatha and Gangle.

Jax wants to clip into the ground and never stop free falling. Only not really because the more he thinks about that the more it freaks him out.

Existential dread is undercut by the tinkling of a bell as someone walks in.

From where they’re standing Jax can see the front of the cafe, watching as Kinger looks around like he’s lost before taking a seat. He’s wearing a business suit.

A notepad suddenly appears in front of Ragatha and she gives a surprised little, “Oh!”

After looking at it uncertainly for a moment she finally reaches out and takes it. “I guess… that means Kinger is my customer?”

Ragatha makes her way over to Kinger’s table.

Jax crosses his arms as he watches her talk to him. Kinger looks over a menu and Ragatha scribbles down something on a pad of paper. Yadda yadda, pretty self explanatory.

She returns to Jax and Gangle, looking uncertain. “I guess I just… go give this to one of the NPCs?”

“Yeah, obviously!” Jax snaps. “Go! Shoo!”

Ragatha makes an awkward sound and turns, going to figure that boring [BEEP] out.

The door opens again with the tinkling of the bell. Zooble walks through, also wearing business attire. They tug at their tie, glancing around. Jax can’t really see the cafe from where he’s standing, but he does hear Zooble mutter,

“[BEEP], this place is tacky.”

Gangle rushes past Jax, ribbons fluttering in the wind with a notepad in one of them. She hurries up to Zooble who’s just barely sitting down.

“Zooble!” Gangle cries. “Look!”

Jax sees her clench her ribbons and give the loudest closed-mouth scream he’s ever heard.

“Good for you,” Zooble says genuinely.

It makes Jax so mad how well they’re getting along when he can barely hold a conversation with Pomni today. Not that she’s mad at him, unless she is–

The bell sounds again and Jax’s heart flutters, starts to pound. That’s Pomni. He doesn’t bother to wait for the note pad to appear, rushing around the corner and looking over to where Pomni is–

not.

An NPC stands at the door.

It’s [BEEP]ing disappearing guy.

He walks all the way to the table and sits down. Jax just scowls blankly at him a few feet away, watching as he goes to the trouble of fastening his napkin into a little bib around his neck before turning and looking at Jax and saying,

“I’ll take a–”

He disappears.

Everyone is staring.

Jax loses it.

“This is bull[BEEP]!”

Jax bounds over to the table and kicks the little wooden chair so hard it flies through the air and hits the wall, starting to loudly clip through it.

No one says anything.

And then the bell sounds again and Jax’s head whips around to see Pomni walking through and she’s so little and dumb looking and she’s in a suit she’s wearing a suit she’s in a suit

Jax’s mouth goes dry as she walks over, looking around at the rest of them then at the chair that’s clipping through the wall. She points at it, then turns her attention to Jax.

“What’s up with that?”

Jax doesn’t say a single word, just staring at her. Pomni looks back up at him, brow knitting.

say something you idiot

Oh god he’s giving himself away.

Jax slips his mask back on so fast he hopes Pomni forgets it ever wasn’t there. He grins at her, gesturing grandly to the remaining chair and fights back what he really wants to say.

oh god you look so [BEEP]ing hot

“Wow, you must be so tired from your office life. Let me help you work out some of that tension, Pomni. You want a parfait? You want freshly squeezed juice?” Jax’s grin widens, but it’s a front to keep her from noticing how he’s looking up and down her body. “You want a cheeseburger?”

Pomni looks at him a moment longer then seems satisfied. Maybe determining that he’s not losing his mind presently, which he is.

“I doubt this place has cheeseburgers,” she says, sitting down. “But yeah, that all sounds great. Do I just order off the–”

”Jeeeeesus, Pomni, it’s like you’ve never been to a restaurant,” Jax scolds. “You’re like, oh no, what do I do! Just look at the menu and tell me your order, you’re holding up the line.”

“There is no line,” Pomni says flatly, looking through the menu. “Ohh, get me a strawberry fluff parfait.”

“Don’t tell me what to do,” Jax says.

He glances around and notes that the others are standing around chatting, not really playing the game beyond ordering food. Though, honestly, that seems to be the objective of the game. Pomni must have asked for it to be barebones.

Jax hears her say something.

“Huhh?” he makes the sound like she’s annoying him, making a bit of a face.

Pomni gives him an unamused look.

Then she smirks.

“Strawberry fluff parfait. Go get it now.”

The firm tone of Pomni’s voice makes Jax weak in the knees and he turns around abruptly to hide the flush of his face.

“Cooooming right up!” Jax calls over his shoulder to throw off suspicion.

The moment he’s ducked back into the kitchen he takes a moment to clutch his chest, heart pounding. Wow, why does Pomni in the suit do it for him so much? He should be mad she’s not in a maid dress! God.

Jax is having so many emotions simultaneously he doesn’t even know what he’s feeling.

So he goes in and puts in the order for the parfait, trying to calm himself as he waits. Which actually isn’t long because this is all fake.

Sooner than Jax is actually ready, he’s got a cutesy, decked out parfait that’s overflowing with strawberries and unidentifiable fluff in hand. He takes it out to Pomni’s table, marginally calmer.

Jax places it in front of Pomni, snatching the spoon out of it and taking a bite. It’s… pretty good actually.

Then he puts the spoon back into the ice cream. “Your uh… whatever parfait~”

“The service here is so good,” Pomni says sarcastically, pulling her parfait closer and examining where it’s partially eaten. She scoops up a little onto the spoon and takes a bite. “I’ll be mentioning you in my Yelp review, by the way.”

“Yeees, tell the world how you’ve come here to enjoy our pervert establishment. Tell everyone to request me just so I can tell them to [BEEP] off.”

Pomni laughs.

It’s a sound that makes the feeling in Jax’s chest ease a bit and he leans against the table, not quite daring to sit on the flimsy thing. He notes Pomni staring at his thighs. Probably because they’re so close and exposed and it’s weird but Pomni is staring so that means she likes it, right?

Pomni looks up at him like she’s reading his expression.

does she think it’s hot?

Jax wrestles with the devils on his shoulders.

freak out or flirt

His teeth grind lightly.

flirt flirt flirt flirt flirt

Jax leans down and swipes some of the whipped cream off of her parfait, bringing it to Pomni’s lips in offering. “Come on, Pom. You like it, right?”

Pomni’s cheeks flush and Jax feels a resounding yeeeees that goes deep into his marrow. He watches as she subtly licks the cream off his finger then laughs, pulling back sharply and covering her mouth.

Aw, did that make her shy? They’re together now, aren’t they?

Is it because other people are around?

Jax’s vision focuses on Ragatha talking to Kinger a table away. She glances over like she doesn’t think Jax will catch her. He smirks at her, then back down at Pomni.

“Lucky you, Pomni,” Jax says. “I’m here to wait on your every need. Isn’t that neat?”

Pomni laughs and has the absolute gall to look shy about this whole thing. Unforgivable. He wants to eat her.

“Yeah, that’s pretty neat.”

Nooo, he wants her to look embarrassed again.

Pomni takes another bite then starts looking around curiously. “This place is kinda cute, though, huh?”

Jax’s expression wrinkles. “Cute?”

He takes a proper look around for the first time.

The cafe is mostly pastel pink to coral with a splash of lavender. Jax looks around, unamused, at the chintzy decorations on the wall and flower vases on each table.

He picks up the bouquet on Pomni’s table and smells it. There’s barely a scent and Jax’s nose wrinkles.

Zooble is right. This place is tacky.

Jax plucks out the biggest pink rose from the bouquet and starts bapping Pomni on the face with it where her nose should be. “Can you smell things?”

”Yes, I can smell things,” Pomni says, pushing away the rose. Jax starts bopping the top of her head instead. “Will you stop?”

“Will I?” Jax sighs wistfully, starting to lowkey smack her with the flower. “That’s always the question.”

Pomni suddenly grabs the rose from him and yanks it away.

Jax’s heart stops.

Is she actually [BEEP]ed? Why? She always lets him harass her like this–

“I demand to speak to your manager,” Pomni says with a scowl, giving him a hard thwack with the rose.

pfffffft

“Hey! Slapping the staff with a rose costs extra! That’s going on your bill!” Jax snaps at her. He throws his arms out. “Go on, smack me again! Wipe out your savings then go explain to your wife and little Timmy why your family’s losing the house!”

Pomni keeps whacking him with the rose, harder if anything. “What else would I be doing here?!”

That gets Jax rolling with laughter and he leans over to pound a fist against her table.

“I still need the manager!” Pomni continues smacking him with the rose until she’s almost got him in tears.

She finally relents, smiling at him in a way Jax wants to capture in a cage.

“Now go get me the cucumber sandwich plate,” she orders. “Mushroom soup on the side.”

Jax’s heart throbs, heat pooling at the pit of his stomach. It turns him on.

He takes on an overly simpering voice. “Oh whatever you say Mr. Big Strong Salaryman.”

Their eyes meet heatedly for a moment before he straightens up. His gaze catches on Ragatha’s, who’s looking over at them. Jax flashes her a mean sneer and Ragatha’s head snaps away.

His ears are pierced by the grating sound of Gangle’s voice as she leans back, hands held towards the ceiling as if praising God and cries, ”Thank you Caaaaaaine!!”

Jax winces, teeth gritting. He makes a face at her too, but she’s looking over to Pomni instead. “And you Pomniiiii!”

She’s way too happy.

“Oh, yeah, no problem.” Pomni gives her a thumbs up.

Ugh.

Whatever.

Jax rolls his eyes and goes to pick up their order, glowering at the NPC in its spiffy little chef outfit as he snatches the finished food from its hands.

He looks down at the plate. The soup is nasty, but the sandwich actually looks kind of good so Jax takes a bite.

Oh, that’s nice.

Jax takes another bite, balancing the soup on the plate as he continues to eat his half of the sandwich. As he’s heading back to Pomni he’s interrupted by a little popup of a bee in a maid outfit.

“Don’t forget to hit them with the love beam!” it nags in its obnoxious, sugary sweet voice.

Jax stops walking to squint at the pop up. ‘Love beam,’ what the hell is that?

The bee strikes a pose with its weird arms bent into a heart shape over its chest.

Oh Jax hates it.

He tsks in annoyance and looks away, heading onto the floor, gaze falling onto Gangle and Zooble. His footsteps come to an abrupt stop again as he sees Gangle striking the heart pose. She’s shooting a pink beam of light from the heart shape with little iridescent hearts that float up and pop like bubbles.

“Love beam!” she cries.

Zooble is just sitting there letting it happen.

“I’m not doing that,” Jax says flatly to no one and averts his eyes from that mess, seeking out Pomni instead. It’s been a while since he flirted with her. He finishes up the sandwich and starts walking over.

And then he stops again.

Pomni is sitting at her table next to Ragatha who’s standing awkwardly beside her, holding a tray up to her chest. They’re both smiling a little bit as they talk.

Jax’s peace of mind shatters.

Oh, is that how it is.

He knew they had made up, but he hadn’t made an accurate estimate of how good of terms they’re on.

Greaaat, now he gets to deal with that.

will Pomni talk to Ragatha about their relationship

It feels like a betrayal she’s already committed and Jax turns around, taking a few deep breaths to try and calm himself down.

calm down

He can’t.

Jax abandons Pomni’s plate at an empty table as he power-walks back to the restrooms, locking himself inside one.

For a few seconds he just leans back against the door, taking shaky breaths.

Jax is on the verge of the crashout that has been building ever since Pomni had asked Caine for the adventure. He breathes deeply and tries to talk himself down.

everything is going according to plan

except Pomni isn’t in a cute maid dress

and Ragatha is all friendly with her

Jax looks up sharply and is greeted with the sight of his own reflection in the mirror.

the stupid [BEEP]ing maid dress he and Pomni have been trying so hard to get

this thing that Pomni is doing for Jax

“You look like a moron,” he tells himself flatly, giving the mirror a disappointed look.

He walks towards it because of course he does, he has to see himself in all his glory, doesn’t he? Make himself reeeeeal mad?

Jax glares at himself and really takes a look.

It’s his first time actually seeing how he looks and he…

oh

oh no

Jax looks [BEEP]ing hot.

Great. He looks [BEEP]able. So he can’t complain. And he can’t even have calling himself a moron, he doesn’t get to do that either because he looks astounding.

Jax gives a cry of frustration and grips the sink, giving himself a death glare worse than he gives to Ragatha.

“You’re a skeezy slimeball mother[BEEP]er and you are going to [BEEP] your girlfriend tonight so help me God!”

He breathes hard like he’s ready for a fight with his reflection. But he just looks at himself with those big ol’ peepers and he hates the mascara, that’s just– it’s just a step too far, he doesn’t need make up too. Caine is a real jerk for that one.

Jax makes another sound of irritation and starts squirting hand soap into his hand, praying it’s going to work. He starts scrubbing his face with it violently, getting the soap all over just for good measure.

Let no trace remain.

When he finally rinses his face and wipes it with some paper towels he opens his eyes and sees–

”Aw [BEEP]!”

The mascara has run and he looks like he’s freshly cried.

“No, no, no,” Jax panics, wetting the paper towel and wiping at the ruined make up.

This is absolute crap. There are what looks like visible tearstains down his cheeks.

Jax rubs his face raw with the paper towels before giving up with a cry of horror and stumbling away from the mirror for good measure. He doesn’t even want to look at it anymore.

Jax turns around, tense, and takes a deep breath.

It’s fine. He’ll just stay in here until the adventure ends. It’s fine. Pomni can make due with her stupid parfait.

The shrill voice of the tutorial bee comes through some sort of PA system.

“Paging cutie honey Jax! Your customer is waiting!”

There’s a series of magical sparkling sounds. Jax stares at nothing.

Maybe he can still just stay in here.

Ten seconds pass and then the voice comes again.

“Paging cutie honey Jax! Your customer is waiting!”

Oh dear god is it going to do that every ten seconds until he goes back? That’s a special kind of hell so Jax starts trudging out of the bathroom.

Maybe no one will notice.

The horrible voice sounds again and Jax grinds his teeth like an axe, distracted and not noticing Kinger until he’s almost running into him.

“Oh!” Kinger says in alarm, jumping back a bit. “Jax, I think they’re calling for–”

Then Kinger’s bloodshot eyes focus in on Jax’s face. Jax glares at him preemptively.

don’t notice

“Oh gosh!” Kinger says. “The service industry can be very difficult, it’s okay.”

god[BEEP] it

Jax snaps on him. “What are you even doing going back to the bathroom!”

Kinger stares at him a moment longer then gives a shrug like it can’t be helped. “Well, I gotta wash my hands, I’m about to eat a meal.”

“There aren’t even any germs in this world!” Jax rants. “God, what the hell are you talking about!”

“You never can be too careful,” Kinger says lightheartedly.

Jax wants to scream.

“Paging cutie honey Jax! Your customer is waiting!”

The scream that’s building in Jax’s chest stops abruptly and turns to a deep sigh.

He passes Kinger and leaves him in the dust, heading back to face his fate.

Jax goes to the kitchen first, hoping it’s empty so he can compose himself now that the absence of the bee’s voice has made room for intrusive thoughts.

It is not empty. Ragatha and Gangle are back there. Gangle is going on in a quick, frantic tone about how excited she is about her dress and how she’s hoping, hoping, hoping that Caine will let her take it back. Ragatha is watching her being obnoxious with a smile on her face, like she’s happy for her.

Ew.

Then they both abruptly turn to look at Jax.

They stare blankly.

“What,” Jax asks, annoyed. “Is there something on my face?”

And then he remembers.

there is

Horror mounts and Jax makes his aura as threatening as possible, hoping to psychically damage them both. Jax breathes through gritted teeth, hands starting to clench.

“No, there’s nothing on your face,” Gangle says, all panicky. “I gotta go, I gotta go do a– I gotta see if Zooble wants anything else, bye.”

She scampers away and Jax glares at her as she goes. Then his head snaps back to look at Ragatha.

Ohhhhh and he can see on Ragatha’s face that she’s tempted to ask. That’s insult to injury because they are actively enemies at this point.

They stand there like Jax has a gun pointed at Ragatha.

If she asks

“Are you–”

”[BEEP] YOU!!” Jax screams, throwing his arms up in the air.

Ragatha flinches and good.

Jax grabs a random plate of food just so he has something to bring back to Pomni and leaves the kitchen and Ragatha behind, flipping her off over his shoulder.

His heart is pounding as he walks into the dining area, scowling straight ahead as he makes a beeline for Pomni.

“Oh my god??”

Jax sees Zooble in the corner of his vision, hears them scoff at him. They think he was crying. It makes Jax want to kick their table over.

Instead he walks up to Pomni and throws the plate of food, which appears to be some sort of omelet, in front of her.

“Bon apetit,” Jax says in a voice like Pomni is his executioner.

Pomni looks up at him slowly with her big Pomni eyes so full of unnecessary and unwanted concern. Then they widen slowly and Jax grimaces, fighting a sharp wince.

“Oh my god?” Pomni echoes Zooble’s sentiments and it sets Jax off like a firecracker. He pulls in a deep breath as Pomni starts to say, “Are you–”

”I’m not crying, you’re crying!” Jax declares, handing himself his own death sentence.

Pomni stares at him in shock. The room is suddenly silent.

Jax’s eye twitches.

He flees in search of a place to implode, bursting out of the cafe and ducking down into a side alley as he makes his great escape.

He paces in the alley and hugs himself, breathing hard.

Jax would run off somewhere further but who knows how big the world is. It kind of freaks him out to reach the end of the smaller worlds and get turned back around.

His breathing grows harder and harder until he throws his fists up into the air, shaking them impotently with feeling.

“Aaaaaghhh!!!”

“Jax,” comes Pomni’s voice and Jax whirls around to look at her, eyes wide like a deer in headlights.

Pomni is standing at the entrance to the alleyway, frowning at him. Look at her in that suit. Now she’s hot.

She raises her hands like she’s trying to talk down a filthy alley raccoon so it doesn’t do something stupid and hurt itself.

“Dude, what’s going on?” Pomni asks earnestly.

Jax gestures to himself violently. “I look stupid!”

Pomni looks alarmed. Her frown grows.

“That’s what you’re upset about?”

“I’m not upset,” Jax lies uselessly. “And if I was upset, then it would only be partially because of that.”

“And the other part?” Pomni probes.

Jax seals up, frowning at her. Pomni gives him a moment then nods.

“Jax, do you wanna just see if we can wrap up the adventure early?” she asks.

“And how are we supposed to do that? At this point it’s easier to just get it over with already by playing it out!” He snaps irritably.

“Yeah, but…” Pomni looks troubled. “You were crying.”

“I was not! I was not!” Jax stomps his foot for emphasis. “I tried to wash the stupid make up off and it did this!”

“Ohhhh,” Pomni says in understanding. Oh thank [BEEP] she believes him. “That sucks.”

“Yeah, no [BEEP], Captain Obvious,” Jax huffs.

Pomni moves on from that.

“Well, you don’t look stupid,” she says. “You just feel like you do.”

Jax’s brow twitches sharply. “Everyone thinks I look stupid but you.”

“Wha– well, don’t care about that,” Pomni says and Jax glares away with a sharp tsk at her dismissiveness.

“I’m serious,” Pomni insists. “What’s the big dealio?”

Jax’s jaw drops. She’s treating it so flippantly now.

Pomni smiles up at him and takes his hand, giving it a tug so he’ll lean down which he does out of instinct rather than choice.

She moves closer to him, mouth coming to his ear.

“I think you look sexy.”

That has Jax red hot, a shivering going through him that he’s certain Pomni must notice.

He looks away and thinks he sounds pouty when he responds, “You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”

“I am, because it’s true,” Pomni says. “Even the runny mascara.”

She squeezes his hand. “Come on, Jax. Do I need to prove it to you?”

Jax feels the words like they tug at something inside him. He glances briefly towards the cafe but no one else would bother to come after him.

He doesn’t look at her face, eyes on her tie. “Maybe.”

Pomni laughs softly. Then she tugs on his hand again so he’s bent half over for her and it’s like he’s falling.

Her mouth presses to Jax’s in a deep, reassuring kiss. He sees her eyes slip shut.

His own eyes are blown out, trying to swallow Pomni up before he forces them closed as his heart beats in overtime.

It’s such a relief that Pomni is into this.

Jax finally kisses her back, mouth moving demandingly against hers. Pomni moans like he kissed her, free hand coming up to his cheek. It makes Jax feel wanted, something he has a mixed reaction to, especially in the dress.

He starts to pull back, but Pomni follows his lips, kissing him harder. She pushes on him, barely able to get his stick body back against the wall, but once she does he straightens up, breaking the kiss with a gasp. His eyes go wide and he blinks at the opposite wall, over Pomni.

She just shoved him against a brick wall.

hot

“Jax,” Pomni says. His eyes snap down to her and he’s afraid of what she might say. She glances away, then back to him.

“Do you… wanna get a little freaky?” she asks quietly.

Jax feels his expression go slack.

oh this is happening

He feels himself twitch in his boxers and makes an awkward sound that Pomni promptly misinterprets, pulling back a little.

“You oka–”

“Shh, shut up,” Jax hisses. He looks down at her like she’s trying to start a fight. “Fine! If you want it so bad! Jeez!”

Pomni examines his face, searching it. She smiles.

“Cool.”

Why is she hot even when she’s giving dorky responses like that? Jax scoffs.

“Oh it’s cool huh?”

“Yeah,” Pomni says, reaching up and tugging at her tie.

Jax’s mouth goes dry.

He doesn’t know if he’ll ever get another chance to see her in a suit.

And then a new desire flares up in his gut.

I want her to do something to me

But what?

I want her to do something to me

Does he want her to [BEEP] him? Definitely, but it’s not even that he wants to be inside her. He just wants her to be on top of him, is that weird? No, it’s hot to be ridden, right?

But he wants her on top of him in a different way.

“Jax?”

Jax snaps out of his thoughts and blurts out, “You look hot in the suit.”

“Oh–” Pomni’s eyebrows raise. “Oh yeah? Hmm.”

What the hell does hmm mean? Jax feels like he’s still mid-meltdown, but he’s not about to stop whatever Pomni wants to do to him. With him, he means.

“Maybe we can find a way to take it back,” Pomni says.

And then she touches Jax’s thigh. His bare skin just above the stockings.

A whimper comes out of Jax that he is not proud of, following it immediately with a hum of disapproval.

“Shut up,” he says preemptively.

Pomni just smiles, looking down at his thighs. Jax feels so exposed which makes him press his thighs together, knees knocking uncomfortably. He opens his mouth to tell her to watch her filthy hands.

“Doooon’t,” he whines instead.

Jax internally shrieks, a quiet sound of distress the only thing that escapes. He looks down at Pomni in horror and she looks back, lips parting.

“Wow,” Pomni says shakily. “That’s really…”

She starts to slide her hand up his thigh, getting close to the hem of the dress.

Oh god is she going to lift his skirt up? What’s she going to do?

Jax can feel himself growing harder in his underwear as Pomni pinches the end of the fabric with her thumb and forefinger, playing with it a little.

She murmurs, “Kinda hard when this is in the way, isn’t it?”

Jax’s thighs start to shake and he leans back against the wall, breathing harder.

“Pomni…”

Her eyes flick up to his again and she smiles.

What does that mean?

Pomni takes his hands and gently guides them to the edge of the skirt, encouraging him to curl his fingers around the hem.

“Okay, Jax,” Pomni says, eyes still on his.

He watches her mouth open to speak in slow motion.

lift your skirt

“Paging cutie honey Jax! Your customer is waiting!”

The shrill voice makes them both jump, Pomni stumbling away inconspicuously from Jax so hard her back hits the opposite wall.

“Ugh, are you kidding me?! My customer is right here!” Jax gestures at Pomni to no one. “How can she possibly be waiting for me?!”

He brings his hands to his face, dragging them down it. Ooh he’d been so close.

“This sucks,” Jax declares.

Pomni starts giggling. He glares down at her and sees her rubbing her face as well. She’s still giggling when she starts fixing her tie.

Jax makes a split second decision and bats her hands away, tightening it himself.

How do ties work again?

Pomni chokes, grabbing at his hands.

“Oh, sorry,” Jax says. “Here, I’ll loosen it.”

He pulls on the side he thinks it is and Pomni chokes harder, smacking at him. Jax backs off, putting his hands on his hips and scowling.

“I thought I was doing it right,” he tells Pomni as she struggles to right herself.

“Well, ya weren’t,” she admonishes. Jax scowls. She shakes her head. “How would you like it if I choked you out?”

Jax imagines it and has an unexpected reaction to the thought, hugging himself and turning away like Pomni just walked in on him in the shower.

“Shut up!”

“Oh my god, really?” Pomni laughs.

“Oh my god yourself, Pomni, please,” Jax groans. He can’t take much more of this today.

“Okay, okay,” Pomni finally concedes, grinning. “But you gotta do something for me.”

Jax turns and looks at her from the corner of his eye, intrigued.

“What kind of thing?” he asks suspiciously.

Pomni looks downright mischievous and that doesn’t bode well at all.

“Do the little love beam thing for me.”

“Absolutely the [BEEP] not,” Jax flat out refuses.

“C’mon, just a little one,” Pomni continues to encourage. “A little love beam for your customer.”

“I would rather die, first of all,” Jax informs her, arms crossing with resolute refusal.

Pomni tilts her head, smiling at him in a way that gets his goat.

”What?” Jax snaps at her, arms tightening around his chest.

“I don’t remember asking you to do it,” Pomni says with a tiny smirk.

Jax’s face goes hot and he frowns down at her with the strength of his full disapproval. Unfortunately it does still make his [BEEP] twitch.

He takes in a slow, infuriated breath that he lets out in a huff. “Fine! Don’t blink!”

Jax hits the pose, arms coming up into a heart as he mutters out as quickly as possible,

“Love beam.”

There’s a flash of pink light and a couple of little hearts that appear in the air and Jax immediately lowers his arms, blowing on the hearts to more quickly try to pop them.

He steps on the last one before looking up at Pomni sharply, knowing he’s blushing and hating that. “Happy now? You sicko?”

Pomni the sicko looks satisfied. That just makes him mad which seems to egg her on.

“Pfft–” Pomni laughs, putting a hand over her mouth. “Sorry, I’m not laughing at you.”

”The hell you aren’t!” Jax cries, making his initial descent into a tantrum.

“It’s just so, so cute with the maid dress,” Pomni pleads her case and Jax isn’t hearing any of it.

“You laughed!” Jax cries with all the betrayal in his body.

“I’ll let you [BEEP] me with the dress on,” Pomni says.

Jax opens his mouth.

“Paging cutie honey Jax! Your customer is waiting!”

God he’s still getting paged.

Pomni’s smile goes wide and genuine. She takes his hand and starts tugging him back towards the restaurant.

“Pomni, I can’t—” Jax panics.

“What? Why not?” Pomni looks back at him. “Is it the mascara?”

No, it’s because he’s still halfway to a boner. Jax just shuts up.

“Nevermind.”

Pomni looks surprised, but must see it as a good sign ‘cause she lets it go. They walk into the cafe hand in hand and Jax sees Ragatha look over.

Ha

He feels stupid in the teary makeup, but ha, he’s hand in hand with Pomni.

Jax prays the dress is poofy enough to hide his problem as he escorts Pomni back to her table. “Alright, short-stack, last call. The kitchen is closing. Any final requests?”

Not like Pomni’s been eating much, anyway. There’s only a couple of bites taken out of her parfait which is honestly a bit of a waste of fake food. Jax points at it.

“You’re ungrateful, Pomni.”

This starts a back and forth that makes Jax forget for a moment that he’s got mascara stains on his face and everyone thinks he’s an idiot.

He goes about his ‘job,’ but the whole time he thinks about Pomni curling his fingers around the skirt.

Jax barely admits to himself the way he’s wishing with all his might that the clothes will come through to the Circus.

—

When the portal opens Gangle lingers reluctantly. Ragatha and Kinger and Zooble go first and then Gangle because she’s no doubt afraid of staying with tearstained Jax.

It leaves him alone with Pomni and he looks her over one last time just in case he doesn’t get to see her in a suit again.

Pomni looks up at him too.

“Welp,” she says with a shrug. “Nothing to it but to do it.”

She walks towards the portal and Jax reaches out to grab her wrist and pull her back, but misses her hand by an inch. She walks through and Jax makes a sound of frustration.

She’s right.

He steps through the portal and leaves the stupid cafe, returning to the garish colors of the Circus.

Jax blinks a couple times then he looks down.

He’s in his overalls.

Mmmhhh!! is the internal shriek he doesn’t dare let out.

Great. Of course not. This might as well happen.

Caine is saying some dumb [BEEP] and Jax is too mad to even pretend to listen.

He’s certain Pomni can read the disappointment in his expression and he wants to fry himself.

It was all for nothing and, if he’s being real with himself, he only wants it more now that he’s had a taste. The image of Pomni in front of him in the alley comes back to him and he glares at Caine like this is his fault.

It’s all over. They’re all out of ideas. They’ll never get to do it.

And Pomni had wanted the dress so their first time would be special. Will it not be as special now?

Jax starts to panic.

“Caine, that was perfect!” come Gangle’s words of praise. “Best adventure yet!”

“Really?” Caine scratches his top gums. “You usually aren’t crazy about my adventures.”

“Oh, ten out of ten,” Gangle raves. “Top five best experiences of my life.”

“Really–” Caine starts, but Gangle bulldozes over him.

“Can we have a closet room that we can use at any time to try on outfits?!” she begs. “Please, please, please, Caine!! With maid dresses and cute outfits and accessories! Please!!”

Caine looks taken aback, then chuffed.

“Ohoho?” he floats akimbo. “Sure, why the hell not!”

Somehow Caine saying ‘hell’ doesn’t sound right.

Wait.

Waaaait.

Gangle’s request fully hits Jax.

A room where they can get any outfit??

He looks over at Pomni who looks like she’s trying very hard not to grin. Jax has to hide his own enthusiasm.

Though he does despise inadvertently owing Gangle his life. A secret shame he will take to his grave.

Caine says something about setting to some outfit designs and disappears in a jiffy, enthusiastic. Look at that, everyone’s happy.

Pomni is suddenly accosted by Gangle who gets up in her space and makes Jax want to snap at her.

“I didn’t know you had a passion for that kind of thing, too!” Gangle says excitedly. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Oh, um,” Pomni says.

Jax saves the day.

He throws his arm around Pomni’s neck and starts dragging her off, ignoring her choking.

“No can do, Ribbons, Pom’s coming with me.”

Gangle watches them go with a frown then gives Pomni a little wave goodbye.

As Jax rounds a corner he sees the tail end of Ragatha turning further up. She seems to be speedwalking. He hopes she’s upset by his and Pomni’s PDA.

Pomni jabs her fingers into Jax’s side and he gives a hiss of pain, letting her go.

“Ow, what was that for!” he cries reproachfully, rubbing his side.

“You were killing me!” Pomni insists.

Jax rolls his eyes. “Sure.”

“My face was changing colors!” Pomni gives him a couple whacks. Jax takes them like a champ.

“Okay, well,” Jax changes the subject, throwing his arms up with a grin. “Don’t be mad at me, Pomni. Mission success!”

Pomni glowers, but it fades fast. She clears her throat and nods. “Yeah, it worked out! I bet Caine will have the room ready tomorrow-ish.”

Soon.

Oh god they’re going to have sex soon.

yes yes yes yes yes

Pomni smiles at him. “You wanna hang out in my room til dinner?”

Jax thinks about her in the suit, his fingers curled around his skirt, Pomni’s mouth against his.

“Yes. Yes I do,” Jax answers promptly.

His girlfriend takes his hand and his heart soars.

They walk back to her room, chatting. Well, it’s mostly Jax ribbing Pomni, but that’s the way things are meant to be.

Just the two of them.

Chapter Text

Jax wakes up with a disoriented sense of panic. He swallows down a gasp, eyes suddenly wide as he tries to determine why he feels close to panicking. Jax notes he's half hard at the same time he remembers he's not alone in the bed.

don't have a god[BEEP] wet dream in Pomni’s bed

Jax is grateful for his paranoid instincts but a little mortified regardless.

Right, he'd had another sexy dream. Pomni bossing him around, Jax in a dress.

Only now that's going to be a reality. It's wild to think about how close he is to a literal dream come true.

Pomni shifts beside him, mumbling in her sleep like the little idiot she is.

Jax drags Pomni closer, shifting down to kiss impatiently at the back of her neck.

"Mm..."

The little sound she makes turns Jax on and he pulls her closer until it must be a little uncomfortable. Good. She'd better wake up.

"Huhwhah?" Pomni mumbles. "Whazhappening?"

"We're under attack! The martians are here to steal your skin and take over your life," Jax threatens, giving the back of her shoulder a little bite. It makes Pomni squeak and Jax can't help himself from doing it again, hands groping at her sides.

He wants to have her for breakfast.

"This is a simulation of what their attacks will look like and so far you're a goner, Pom," Jax tells her as he gives her another nip of his teeth followed by some soothing kisses.

Pomni giggles in his arms and he feels insanely possessive.

"Aw," she says and Jax tenses a bit at the affection. "Are you excited?"

His stomach drops at the roundabout mention of the dress.

"God, you're the one that woke up thinking about it," Jax is immediately on the defensive. For good measure he adds, "Shut it."

Pomni just giggles more and Jax scowls, chomping a little harder at the back of her neck and getting a squeak out of Pomni.

Jax is about to bite her again to make a point when Pomni’s words pierce him like a skewer, "You're allowed to be excited about it. The only one judging you is you."

Jax doesn't like that. He pulls away, rolling Pomni onto her back so she can see the displeasure on his face. "Hey now, watch that sassy mouth before I watch it for you."

"What...?" She asks, sounding on the verge of laughing again. "What does that mean?"

Jax places a hand over her mouth. "Shhhh, enough questions."

All Jax can see of Pomni's face is her eyes and with the way she's looking at him, he wishes those were what he'd covered up. He can feel his expression morphing. But he doesn't know into what.

Pomni reaches up and gently pulls his hand away. "Jax...?"

As much as he wants to mack on her, thoughts of the dress up closet are swarming his mind.

"C'mon, let's go to breakfast," he says.

Pomni hesitates then nods. "Okay."

He still feels [BEEP]ed up over this. Why? He's had plenty of time to get used to the idea.

but Pom thinks it's fine

Maybe it will be.

Jax gives her a hard look then an obnoxious kiss on her forehead that has her pushing at his chest. He wants to trap her there.

Jax forces himself to take a deep breath. It will be fine. Sure.

The two of them get up, Jax resting a hand on top of her head to occasionally shake it as they walk together towards the table.

Jax can't stop wondering if the closet will be completed or not.

It's a good fifteen minutes into breakfast when Jax realizes he isn't eating. His stomach is in knots. Pomni got pulled into a conversation with Gangle about dresses, dresses, dresses, and all the dress talk has Jax focusing on it and now it's Gangle's fault he's stressed.

Pomni finally looks over at him and he realizes his expression is frozen. God. This sucks.

Pomni gives him a frown. He hates it.

There's a sudden burst of confetti and Caine appears.

"Gooood morning, my seafaring seamen!"

Everyone shares a look of collective dissent at that particular moniker. Caine pays them no mind.

"No adventure today as I'm sure you'll all be checking out Caine's Closet of Wonders!" He does a little spin. "Have a fashion show or take a 'fit on the road! The choice is yours!"

Caine claps his hands daintily and they're all jerked through the Circus and dumped in front of a brightly decorated door near the living quarters.

"Go on!" Caine insists. "Knees to chest!"

Jax stares up at it, glossy eyes starting to widen, then he knocks that [BEEP] off immediately, averting his gaze with a glare.

"Ha! Like I'd be interested in doing something dumb like playing dress up!" Jax brushes invisible dust off himself to have something to do.

"Enjoy your lame dress up game for girls," he doubles down like Pomni hasn't bent over backwards to make this happen for him specifically.

A thought that almost has him sweating with nerves.

“I see how it is,” Caine says. “You’re all too shy to dress up in front of Caine. You think, how could I possibly hold up to Caine’s spiffy outfit. Alright, I’ll go, you silly sailors.”

Caine poofs away and thank god.

Jax gets mauled by an intrusive thought.

oh god the maid dress is in there right now

Pomni, when he looks over, looks carefully composed. Gangle does not.

"Oh my god oh my god!!" she says, thrilled and shrill. "Let me in!"

She rushes past them and rips the door open. But slowly because she has stupid ribbon arms. She disappears into the room with a final cry of,

"Pomni, get in here!"

Zooble is already walking away. Ragatha looks unsure. Kinger is scratching his head.

"I don't think anything will fit my cylindrical body," he says at length as he heads off. "You all have fun, though."

Pomni starts to head in and glances back at Jax. Her mouth curves up a bit.

And then she slips into the room and the door shuts.

Jax's whole body feels cold.

Jax takes a steadying breath then notices Ragatha still standing there looking at the door uncertainly.

Jax should just ignore her. Let her do whatever stupid thing she's going to do.

He thinks of her talking and smiling with Pomni and it needles at his vulnerable state.

"What," Jax asks her obnoxiously, gesturing to the door. "Not gonna dress up in country digs and play farm girl like the good old days?"

Ragatha stiffens. She gives him a sharp, defensive look.

Jax thinks maybe she doesn't even mean to take a dig at him. It probably just comes out. But her next words are inflammatory as [BEEP].

"What, you're not gonna go get dressed up?"

He knows she's implying the maid dress. He knows.

Jax scoffs, pushing it until he thinks it has enough plausible deniability to be called a laugh, giving an exaggerated roll of his eyes. "Oh I bet you'd like to see that, huh? You [BEEP]ing perv? Wanna laugh at me some more while you get your rocks off?"

Jax fights not to grind his teeth. "You have no sense of humor, y'know that?"

"When did I laugh at you!" Ragatha cries, putting a hand on her chest. She glares. "When did I laugh at you?"

"Oh don't pretend like you didn't vote for me to be put in that dress just like everybody else!"

except for Pomni

Jax jabs a finger in her direction. "Like you weren't thinking about how much I deserve to be humiliated for being such an [BEEP]hole, only you don't have the guts to laugh in my face about it!"

The anger and humiliation from that first experience in the maid dress rush back over him, compounding his anxiety. "Stop acting like you're better than me!"

Ragatha looks so upset. She looks like she's going to back down.

I win

But then she doesn't.

"Is this because of Pomni?!" she snaps. "Because we're on good terms again?!"

Jax reels back and Ragatha's eye narrows.

"Yeah, I saw those looks you were giving me. You're not slick."

It's bad enough if Pomni sees through him but Jax will not tolerate the same from Ragatha. "Oh you just think you're so special that I won't get on your [BEEP] whenever I feel like it? Pomni has nothing to do with it!"

Ragatha’s eye narrows, wearing an expression of disbelief, and it gets to him.

"You really think your dinky little acquaintance with Pomni means anything to her?" Jax asks with pointed viciousness through grinning teeth.

Ragatha's eye goes wide with visceral hurt and Jax gets vindictive pleasure out of it.

I win I win I win I win I win

Ragatha straightens up to her pathetic full height.

"Yeah," she says, voice shaking. "Yeah, I think it does."

Jax's teeth grit so hard it aches. Who does Ragatha think she is?

Jax is already winding up to lash out again when he abruptly remembers that Pomni might walk out of that stupid closet any second depending on how long Gangle keeps her.

If Jax and Ragatha are fighting like this she's going to ask questions and get all mad at him and-

His stomach is uneasy with the fact he's [BEEP]ed up for no real reason at all but impatiently shakes the feeling off.

"Weeeeell, if you want to delude yourself, be my guest!"

Jax advances on her but Ragatha doesn't shrink back as much as he likes before he's knocking his shoulder into her as he rudely walks past. "You are an optimist to a fault!"

Jax gives her one final careless smirk over his shoulder as he starts to walk away, but the moment his head has turned it's gone from his face completely.

He walks back to the rooms, pace quickening the closer he gets.

He feels [BEEP]ed up.

He feels [BEEP]ed up.

—

Jax glares at the ceiling, hands resting uneasily on his stomach as he lies on Pomni's bed.

He'd considered skulking off to his own room like a kicked dog but then Pomni will come looking for him and that'll be worse.

The fight with Ragatha keeps replaying in his mind. Why did he do that? Couldn't he have kept his mouth shut one time? And even as he has these thoughts another part of him wishes he'd been meaner.

Jax feels like a huge [BEEP]ing loser.

Did Ragatha go into the room afterwards? Had she talked to Pomni about it? They’re friends so of course it’s gonna come up at some point.

It makes Jax's hands clench and tremble with sickly rage that he feels towards everyone including himself.

He doesn’t know if it’s real or not, but he hears a sound like his heart beating in his ears. He thinks he might be sick.

The doorknob turns and the door is pushed open by Pomni, who ducks in like she’s up to no good.

She has black fabric draped over her arm.

The dress.

All the excitement and anticipation that had been building up inside Jax has been knocked flat and he stares at it with unease.

Pomni doesn’t look mad. So they haven’t talked?

yet

Jax’s smile rises as he sits up. “Ooh, look at you and your dirty little secret.”

It hits him that Pomni is grinning.

She hurries over, laying the dress out on the bed.

It’s the same one from the adventures with the stupid heart cutout and frilly apron. Jax is irritated to see it, then relieved that she was able to find the same one. If he had to get used to a whole new dress this would be harder than it has to be. It still [BEEP]es him off to see it, though.

The sound of Pomni’s laughter cuts through his thoughts and he realizes he’s been scowling at the dress. His head snaps to scowl at Pomni instead.

“What.”

Pomni is smiling at him, amused at his expense no doubt. She looks really cute.

“You’re just funny is all,” she says.

“Hilarious,” Jax says and the word feels empty.

“Aw, c’mon,” Pomni elbows him a little. “We did it. Is that cool or what?”

“I don’t know if ‘cool’ is the word I would have gone with,” Jax says doubtfully. Pomni is so giddy and Jax feels like a cold fish. This sucks.

“Go team, though. Our success mainly spearheaded by my efforts, of course,” Jax brags, playing out the bit.

It works. Pomni giggles.

“Well, try it on!” she says, eyes encouraging and curious. “I got the stockings too. And the little hat.”

“[BEEP] the little hat,” Jax says flatly.

“Aw, don’t say that,” Pomni says. “It completes the look!”

Jax snorts as he gets up onto his feet and for a moment it brushes back his personal rain cloud. “God, you’re such a dweeb. Fine, I’ll wear the stupid hat thing.”

Though as he looks down at the dress Jax is faced with the sudden reality of having to put it on. Before it had just magically popped onto his body.

The scowl returns.

”Turn around, I have to figure out how to put on this stupid thing,” Jax grumbles as he reaches to pick it up, turning it this way and that.

Pomni says in a rushed, stilted voice, “Oh, I figured I’d… help you… with. That.”

Oh.

oh

Jax is torn between titillated and reluctant.

He scoffs like he’s trying to make light of it, chest hot. “You don’t think I can figure it out?”

“Nah, that’s not it,” Pomni says, leaning against his side. “Maybe I just wanna help you out of your clothes. I’m a huge pervert, remember?”

“That is true,” Jax agrees with her. Even in the dumps Jax has the urge to grab her face and just start shaking it. She’s so patient with his bull[BEEP] and he can’t understand what she gets out of it.

”Fiiine, you tiny creep.” Jax feels dizzy as he puts the dress back on the bed and starts to fuss with his overalls. “So how does it work?”

There’s no way his round, round head is fitting through that tiny neck hole.

Pomni reaches up and grabs Jax’s wrist, stopping him and tugging him down a little.

Then she looks sheepish.

“Can I…?”

Jax hard resets. “What?”

A smile grows on Pomni’s face. For some reason Jax doesn’t stop her when instead of answering she reaches up and starts unclasping his overalls.

One side.

Then the other.

Jax is frozen.

The straps fall free and the overalls start to slide down his body.

Jax clutches them as they start to slide off his hips, a flush of heat washing through him.

Pomni tilts her head at him slightly, still smiling softly as she tells him, “Let them go.”

This time the heat comes as a throb that makes Jax’s thighs clench for a moment before he forces them to ease. His hands gradually relax and the overalls pool around his feet.

Jax’s guts are squirming.

Pomni’s eyes move slowly down his body. He swears to [BEEP] they catch on his underwear.

She’s totally scoping his [BEEP] out.

That should have him thrilled. Over the moon.

Instead it just makes his thighs threaten to tremble.

Pomni smiles up at him. Jax snaps at her.

“What, are you just gonna ogle my body like I’m some sort of pathetic animal in the god[BEEP] zoo or are you going to help me get the stupid dress on!”

Pomni straightens up. “Oh, right!”

If she wanted to linger on his body then too bad because he doesn’t think he could handle it right now.

Pomni fusses with the dress and turns it around. “Oh, it has a zipper.”

The sound of it unzipping reminds Jax of helping Pomni in and out of her dress on the mafia adventure. The memory turns him on, but the feeling sours when he looks at the dress.

Pomni holds it up with the back facing him and nods. “Okay, let me help you step into it. Then we can get the stockings on, okay? Oh, though maybe we should have done that first.”

“Who cares!” Jax practically rasps out. “Hurry up.”

Pomni nods and kneels down, spreading the dress for him and creating a space for him to step. Jax does so very gingerly.

this is it

Pomni stands and starts pulling the dress up his body. She helps him get his wrists into the dress. Pulls it up over his shoulders and then suddenly Pomni shifts behind him and Jax feels so exposed, so vulnerable, so bare, [BEEP]ed up

The zipper is slowly dragged up and he can feel it. He grits his teeth.

zzzziiip

Pomni slowly pulls the zipper to the top. They slip the apron on and Pomni ties it and then it’s done it’s over.

“Okay,” Pomni says softly. “Turn around.”

The gentle order is enough to make a whimper rip itself from Jax’s throat.

He turns slowly to face Pomni, her room blurring in his vision a bit until he focuses on her. She’s staring at him with an expression on her face he’s never seen.

I can’t read her

Pomni grabs something else off the bed and shows him the long white stockings. He hates them.

“Here, same idea,” Pomni says. “Just step into them and I’ll roll them up.”

She gets on her [BEEP]ing knees in front of Jax again and he feels turned on and horrible.

Pomni rolls up the stockings and helps him get his foot into one. He moves numbly. Watches as she rolls the first stocking up his calf, then his thigh. Her fingers brush his skin and it makes him twitch in his underwear. He swallows.

Then she does the second one. His vision looks weird. One moment she’s on her knees, the next it’s done. All of it.

“Oh yeah,” Pomni says. She turns and picks up something else and when Jax realizes what it is he groans in dread.

It’s the stupid little frilly headpiece.

Pomni tilts her head at him. “What, is this really the worst part?”

“Yes,” Jax grinds out.

“Do you really not want to wear it?”

The question has Jax torn. He does hate it.

But it really does complete the look.

“Fine!” He snatches it from her and puts it on his head. “Satisfied?!”

And then it fully registers what he’s wearing and Jax looks down at himself and for the first time he tries to enjoy what he sees, but he does it too fast, too sloppily to even register how he feels.

Jax stares down at his body. The dress. His body. The dress.

“Ohhno,” Jax breathes, gasping sharply as he feels himself rapidly getting hard.

oh no oh no

His face flushes deeply and he grabs the edges of the skirt, clutching at them as he starts breathing harder.

he’s going to lose his virginity to Pomni now

oh god what if I [BEEP] that up?

The maid dress swims in his vision and Jax realizes he’s completely hard. It’s the fastest he’s ever gotten hard.

He can see it under the dress. And if he can see it then that means Pomni can see it. He looks frantically up to her face.

She’s smiling at him too much today.

“Oh, you’re feeling it now,” she says softly, looking pleased with him. She adds in a lower voice, “I found mascara too.”

It's weird. Pomni says that, but it's hard to hear her over the ringing in Jax's ears.

Pomni sits down on the bed and gently pats beside her, mouth curved up so sweetly. “C’mon. I found a really nice eyeliner as well.”

Jax looks down at the little tubes in her hand and stops breathing.

everyone thinking he’d been crying, mascara running down his face

Pomni likes it, though

everyone getting a good laugh out of seeing him looking [BEEP]ing miserable in the maid dress with everyone looking and the makeup running and everyone seeing him

Jax realizes he’s breathing again, but faster now.

“Jax…?”

Pomni sets the makeup down and reaches a hand out to take his. He doesn’t take it and after a moment she lets it fall.

“Jax, talk to me,” comes her gentle voice.

But Jax can’t even see her anymore. His vision is weird. Colors are too bright, the corners of his vision swim, he’s breathing harder and harder until it’s soft little gasps. Clutching the edge of the maid dress.

I need to take this off

Pomni looks alarmed. She stands and moves over to him and Jax takes a few steps back. She pauses.

“Holy [BEEP],” she says. “Is it too much? What can I do to help you?”

It’s getting hard to breathe with how ragged Jax’s little gasps have become. It’s pathetic. Embarrassing. Humiliating. Mortifying. He knows his eyes have become little scribbles, he knows it’s showing on his face. If he can’t hide how he’s feeling from Pomni then he can’t ignore it which means he’s trapped.

Jax starts shaking his head over and over.

I’m gonna be sick I’m gonna be sick I’m gonna be sick

Pomni is visibly fretting.

“Ah jeez,” she mumbles. “We should have waited, huh? It’s okay, let me help you take it off.”

The words send a shock through Jax.

He doesn’t want Pomni to help him take it off.

He doesn’t want to be touched.

Jax shakes his head sharply and shoves his way past Pomni who makes a sound when he makes hard contact. He thinks he might have knocked her to the ground on accident. But he can’t even turn around to check.

Instinct drags him forward to the door, makes him push it open, slam it shut behind him as hard as he can. With anger. Fear.

It’s such a stupid, risky move. He’s not even thinking. The hall is empty. He just bolts over to his room and rips the door open, thanking [BEEP] he didn’t lock it this time.

It’s a carelessness he affords himself on occasion. It’s not like anyone would go into his room.

They wouldn’t dare.

Jax realizes he’s been just standing behind his now locked door for who knows how long. A thought hits him so hard he whimpers at the impact.

I need to take this off

Jax grabs the headpiece and hurls it from himself as hard as he can. He undoes the apron and throws that too then reaches back and tries to grab at the zipper of the dress but he can’t find it he can’t find it he can’t find it and now he’s stuck, he’s going to be stuck in this dress

Jax feels a scream building up in his throat, desperately tugging and pulling on the dress until finally his fingers find purchase on the zipper and he starts ripping it down, clumsily freeing himself from the material. The zipper isn’t even all the way down before he’s shimmying out of it, balling it up and throwing it under his bed.

I can’t handle this

He looks down at the stockings still hugging his thighs and whines. He doesn’t even want to touch himself enough to take them off.

Jax doesn’t remember getting to his bed, instead realizing belatedly that he’s curled up on it in his underwear, still wearing the stockings. He’s panting, clutching at his arms as he stares blankly ahead.

What the hell is wrong with him?

He just up and left Pomni.

Is she going to be upset with him?

probably not

but she will ask questions

Pomni knocks at the door eventually.

Jax ignores her and lies there for a long time just hates himself.

—

When Jax finally comes out of whatever the hell had taken over him, he feels exhausted in a way that pricks through his bones into his marrow and makes him feel deeply unwell.

Practicality takes over for once and he finds himself pushing up onto his elbows, sitting. He works himself up onto shaky legs which slip a little against the floor as he stands. The stockings are still on him, tight against his skin.

Jax swallows.

He’s really effed this one up. Now he has no clothes.

There’s a chance, he thinks, that Pomni took pity on him. He has to check.

Sure enough when he peeks outside his overalls are folded on the floor in front of his room. Jax snatches them up so fast and locks the door. He strangles a scream of humiliation at the thought that someone might have seen them and assumed…. What?

That he was in the maid dress?

Unlikely, but maybe! There’s the closet now, so maybe!

Jax moves towards the bed and slips in the stockings, falling face first onto the floor with the gracelessness of an uncooked egg splattering on the ground.

He just stays there for a bit, disoriented and defeated.

And then there’s a knock knock knock on his door.

Jax’s stomach twists and he goes cold, forcing himself up onto his feet and walking blearily to the door. It doesn’t even occur to him to put on his overalls when he goes to crack the door open, peeking out.

Pomni is standing there and he sees her eyes move to his bare shoulder before settling on his face again.

“Hey…” she says like he’s a spooked animal.

Jax tries to say something. Pomni’s expression becomes more concerned.

“Are you…” she chews her lip a bit. “Ready to talk?”

Jax’s eyes bore into her and he can feel the edges of his vision going weird. He swallows hard.

Pomni must gauge him correctly because her frown deepens.

“Okay, well,” she says. “Let me know when you’re ready.”

Her face is so starkly pale in Jax’s vision it hurts him to look at. He nods once, stares at her, then closes the door.

Jax feels like he can hear Pomni walking away even though he can’t.

He starts ripping off the stockings so fast he almost tears them. He sort of wishes he had.

This is one of the worst crashouts he’s had in a while. What a disappointment.

The worst part is he’s gonna have to talk about it at some point.

And there’s no way to be prepared for that.

—

Jax stays in his room for the rest of the day. He barely sleeps at night.

When he does come out it’s for breakfast, not because he wants to but because if he gets yoinked out of nowhere by Caine he’s going to have a heart attack.

He's silent at breakfast and Pomni doesn't address him thank god. He doesn't think he could handle talking to her one on one let alone around the others.

What he likes less is that she does talk to Ragatha.

have they talked about him

Jax eats and doesn't taste it.

To Pomni he must seem so

Jax's teeth grit as Caine appears above him. He says something about a watery steamboat Willie core adventure Jax wants nothing to do with.

But he has no choice.

—

They're on the adventure when Jax comes to himself again. It's some sort of island in the middle of a river and it looks like they're unloading boxes from some sort of secret underground--undersand?-- vault.

What the hell is this.

Jax realizes Pomni is standing beside him and stiffens.

How long has she been there? How long has he been on auto-pilot?

He looks around vaguely then at a box he's holding, stares at it for several seconds then tosses it into the river.

“Why did you do that?” comes Pomni’s mystified voice and it jars him again.

she’s asking about last night

But no, she's watching the sinking box and definitely meant that.

Jax still feels defensive and glares as the box doesn't fully sink but starts to bob away down the stream.

“It's called efficiency,” Jax states in a flat affect.

Pomni makes an amused sound. “We're supposed to ferry the precious cargo to the snail people.”

“I'm sorry, wha?” Jax says blankly.

“Oh, did you not pay attention to the tutorial?” Pomni asks.

“No.”

Pomni shrugs. “Fair enough.”

She starts loading up a little boat with boxes.

snail people

Jax grimaces, considering if he should just [BEEP] off and find somewhere to sleep until this stupid adventure is over.

He really considers it. But ultimately his body starts to move almost on its own and he starts loading boxes. It's something to do. He doesn't hate that aspect of menial labor.

Pomni works quietly beside him and when it's clear she doesn't intend to pry, her presence becomes actively soothing.

Eventually a pop up announces the boat is full and ready to be delivered.

Jax stares at it blankly when nothing further happens. “So are we done or…?”

Pomni sighs. “Unfortunately, no.”

She starts pushing the boat into the water with her little arms, barely managing it. Then she hops in. Pomni glances at Jax.

“You coming or wanna stay here and chill?”

Jax really doesn’t want to go, but the thought of being alone gives him a knee jerk reaction that has him using his lanky legs to leap onto the boat. It rocks precariously, Pomni sitting hard on one of the benches as she’s knocked off balance. It's dicey but the boat finally starts to settle and now they're trapped together on a tiny boat.

There's instinctive dread but Pomni hasn't bothered him yet for more details so it should be alright.

“Is this thing seriously a rowboat?” Jax asks as he notices the oars.

“So it would seem,” Pomni says mildly. She grabs the oars and starts rowing, resigned.

And off they go. It’s awful.

Dead silent.

Pomni isn't really looking at him.

she wants to break up

Even Jax knows that's an irrational thought, but when she knows the full extent of things maybe it won’t be.

Finally, Pomni speaks.

“This sucks.”

“Well yeah,” Jax says, watching her noodle arms row.

His brow furrows and he starts to make a shooing motion with his hands. “Move over, you're taking too long.”

“Huh?” Pomni looks up at him and Jax can't meet her eyes.

Instead he starts to push at her, taking the oars from her hands. “Stop it. Gimme.”

Once Pomni understands what's happening she surrenders the oars to Jax, moving out the way as he takes over rowing.

“Thanks,” she says in this soft voice like she's trying to be delicate with Jax's feelings.

He tsks sharply and Pomni frowns then glances away. She can tell he's still messed up over it. He can see it in her furrowed brow.

“It'll be over soon,” she says. “God, I want a nap.”

And she's still trying to talk to him.

“No one's stopping you,” Jax grunts.

“I'd rather wait to be on a bed,” Pomni shrugs.

It's such a mundane conversation. Jax means to respond with something sassy but gets lost in thought and suddenly realizes they've fallen back into silence.

Why doesn’t Pomni just absolutely lose it on him? He wouldn’t even blame her, though he knows exactly how it’d make him respond.

double down, dig that hole deeper

Jax knows how exhausting he is, being able to experience the joys of it first-hand.

He feels tired.

When he glances over at Pomni, she’s looking out at the scenery with who knows what on her mind. Suddenly Jax is longing for her so strongly it makes him sick.

Jax’s gaze turns away, staring blankly ahead. “Earlier you were talking to Ragatha. Did she say anything about me?”

Just asking makes his chest tight with anxiety.

Pomni doesn't say a word for a few moments and it sets Jax on edge.

“No,” she says. “She didn't.”

she’s lying

Jax closes his eyes tightly for a moment, trying to be reasonable with himself. Why would she lie? That’s not how Pomni is. So he should be relieved? He is and he isn’t.

He’s reluctant to talk more about it but better if it comes from him first, before Ragatha gets a chance to shape the narrative.

“We had a fight.” Wrong. “Rather, I picked a fight.”

And he lost.

Even now it makes his stomach clench with frustration.

He's still not looking at Pomni so he can't see her expression, but it can't be a good one.

Pomni asks the hard hitting million dollar question.

“Why?”

Jax flashes an instinctive grin that’s more of a grimace as he flippantly answers, “Why do I get up in the morning? Why do I eat when I’m not hungry? Why do I go on adventures? It’s just something to do.”

“Okay,” Pomni says, voice steady. “So why are you upset?”

Jax really hates it when Pomni asks things like that. “Who says I’m upset? I just figured I’d tell you before Ragatha complains about it. Or maybe she won’t even let herself do that. Even when I’m just a real [BEEP] for no reason.”

It makes him angry, suddenly. That’s so irritating about Ragatha. Why can’t she just be-

more like Jax?

Jax’s stormy train of thought comes to a crashing halt and he scoffs, gripping the oars hard.

Pomni lets out a little sigh. It makes Jax's hands tighten so hard it hurts.

“It's been really hard lately,” she says.

“No [BEEP],” Jax snaps and immediately regrets it when Pomni goes quiet.

But then she speaks again.

“Was it because you were stressed out about the dress?”

Jax’s eye twitches and he can feel something mean as [BEEP] start to rise up. Then something funny and dismissive. He doesn’t say either, remaining silent.

It's the dress but it's not just that. It’s her friendship with Ragatha.

He takes in a sharp breath then finally breathes out, “Yeah.”

Jax starts to glance at Pomni but looks away too fast to actually see what expression she’s making. “I wanted to make her feel bad.”

“Well…”

Jax doesn't want Pomni to say whatever is on her mind.

“Did it help?” she asks.

Jax gets the feeling his answer will solidify something about how Pomni thinks of him.

His mouth is twisted into a frown as he struggles with how to answer. It smooths out not quite into a smile and he says with breeziness he doesn’t feel, “Nope. Not even a little.”

There’s a pause.

“I just ruined something I wanted for myself again.”

The next pause feels like Hell.

“Do you… mean the dress?” Pomni sounds confused for some reason.

Jax is finally able to look over at her because he doesn’t understand what’s not clicking. She’s looking up at him earnestly.

“Yes. Yes, the dress,” Jax says as purposefully even as he can.

Pomni frowns. “I mean… it’s not ruined. You just had a freak out is all.”

That’s all???

“Pomni, I was fighting for my life,” Jax says, putting an offended hand over his chest and losing an oar. He glares at it as it drifts away. “God[BEEP] it.”

“Oh,” Pomni says. “Do you not want to do it at all anymore?”

Why must she ask these questions?!

“I never said that!” Jax bites. “Just…”

Jax throws up his free hand in frustration, gesturing to nothing. “It makes me feel so panicky, it’s stupid, I’m afraid something will ruin it but I’m just ruining it for myself by freaking out constantly, and I can’t stop freaking out constantly so I’m [BEEP]ed!

“And you’re gonna get sick of me,” he continues his tirade. “And then you’re gonna break up with me and I’m gonna have to look at your stupid little round head every day.”

“Why are you planning this abysmal future without me!” Pomni cries in alarm.

”I’m not trying to!” Jax shouts. “My brain does all the work! And I’m just along for the hellish ride!”

Pomni busts up laughing. Jax gapes in horror and offense.

”It’s not funny!”

Pomni bows her face into her hands, still laughing. “I’m sorry! It’s not!”

“[BEEP] right it’s not, what the hell is wrong with you laughing at me while I’m in a vulnerable position!” Jax holds onto the bad mood so it won't diffuse.

“Ahhh,” Pomni sighs, dragging her hands down her face. “I get it. Sometimes it’s easier to give up before you can even begin.”

Jax gapes. “Are you telling me to give up?”

Is she giving up?

He feels hurt.

“No, I’m not telling you to give up!” Pomni rubs her palm over her eye. “I don’t care that you’re freaking out, I just want you to talk to me when it happens.”

Like it’s so easy.

“My brain is on fire telling me to blow up my life when it’s like that! I’ve never felt more stupid or pathetic! The last thing I ever want to do is talk about it,” Jax exclaims, really baring the meat of the issue. He hates being vulnerable.

“Welp,” Pomni says and she sounds frustrated and that makes Jax so upset. “That’s part of being in a relationship.”

Jax goes completely stiff. A sentiment bubbles up that he hadn’t even realized was there.

”Are we together?” he asks genuinely. “We never talked about that either!”

Pomni’s eyes go wide.

It’s true. Things had been said, but they never had an actual conversation about it. Jax lets go of the other oar, [BEEP] it, and crosses his arms over his chest, glaring anywhere but Pomni.

“You’re right,” she says after a moment. “Sorry, that’s my bad. I should have initiated that.”

Jax doesn’t know how to feel about her apology. He grumbles, “I mean, by that logic I didn’t do it either.”

“Yeah, but I’m more experienced,” Pomni says with a shake of her head. “It was inconsiderate of me.”

Jax digs into his bad mood a little as he grinds out, “Well, I don’t wanna hear about all your experience. Oh, and I bet they were all so much easier to deal with!”

Pomni gives him a flat look. “Oh, come on, Jax.”

“What do you mean come on!!” Jax freaks.

Pomni holds her hand out to him. “Do you want to be my boyfriend?”

Jax scoffs. Then scoffs again. He rolls his eyes to the heavens.

“Of course I want to be your boyfriend,” he says like she’s being ridiculous.

Pomni extends her hand further. “Then take my hand.”

Jax looks at it like it might bite him, but his yearning is powerful. After a moment he reaches out, hand slipping around hers. He holds onto it too tight.

“You don’t have to pick fights with Ragatha to make yourself feel better,” Pomni says in a gentle voice. Jax stiffens, but her fingers curl around his gently. “Just talk to me. I’m here for you.”

I’m here for you

Jax’s mouth flattens out into a line as he almost opens the lid on a can of worms he hasn’t touched in years.

not now

He closes it back up so fast he can’t feel it and looks at Pomni with a frown.

“What if I come to you and it makes you hate me?”

Pomni’s eyes go wide.

I said too much

Her other hand comes up and she holds Jax’s with both of hers. “Hey…”

Jax looks away sharply. “It feels inevitable.”

Pomni is quiet, thumb gently brushing up and down the back of his hand.

“I guess all we can do is try,” she finally says.

She’s so sweet it makes Jax want to melt into his own body. He doesn’t know if that’s a good or bad thing. He looks at their hands, stares. Then he looks up at Pomni.

“Wow, you really must like me.” Jax tries to hide how much relief there is in the sentiment.

Pomni laughs softly. “I do.”

Jax squeezes Pomni’s hand tighter then forces out, “I’m sorry about last night.”

Pomni’s thumb is still moving over his hand. “It’s cool. I was just worried.”

“And you should be, too,” Jax says. “Dating me is like dating the Joker.”

Pomni laughs at that and Jax’s heart soars even though he hasn’t decided if it’s safe for it to yet.

“Yeah?” she says. “And what’s dating me like?”

“Like dating the shortest clown at the circus,” Jax responds immediately. “If you were a matryoshka doll you’d be the one at the center.”

Pomni laughs again and when Jax looks at her the sun is glinting off her eyes and they look so beautiful.

“Okay, well, I walked right into that one,” she says. She squeezes his hand. “We’re okay, Jax.”

Jax looks at her skeptically. “Even though I was mean to Ragatha for no reason.”

Pomni frowns. “Yeah, let’s talk about that.”

[BEEP] it. It was too good to be true.

Pomni starts shaking her head. “Why are you so jealous of Ragatha? Our friendship has nothing to do with you.”

Jax can’t help but take it the wrong way, thinking of what Ragatha had said. This important thing they have between them. It makes him frown.

“Yeah I know that!” He snaps, looking away. “Whatever, it’s your precious relationship.”

Then almost immediately follows this with, “Ugh, I just know she’s going to [BEEP] about me at some point!”

“So what!” Pomni shrugs emphatically. “If she says something out of pocket I’ll tell her not to talk [BEEP] about my boyfriend.”

“But what if she tells you something that makes you–”

Pomni brings Jax’s hand up to her mouth and kisses his knuckles.

Jax’s agitation falls flat as he’s left unexpectedly flustered, gaping down at Pomni. It makes his heart pound.

Pomni meets his eyes with her huge ones and Jax doesn’t think he’s ever met someone who’s more real.

“Ragatha can’t make me do anything,” she says. “And if she told me something so deeply personal about you that you think I’ll hate you for it, then I’d tell her she has no business telling me. That should be your decision.”

It’s hard for Jax to believe that, but he’s also convinced that Pomni is eventually going to hate him.

Pomni must be telepathic because she squeezes his hand and says, “It’s okay if you don’t believe me. Just try to, okay?”

Jax is silent. He swallows. Nods.

I’m scared to try

“I don’t expect you to just suddenly be able to do this stuff,” Pomni says with a little shrug. “It takes practice. And talking to people about your problems is hard. I get it.”

It makes Jax crazy how nice Pomni is about it. He stares at their hands some more, thinking about how much he likes seeing them together.

Jax asks in a low murmur, “You’re really giving me another chance?”

“Yes,” Pomni says without hesitation. She laughs softly. “You can relax around me a little, y’know?”

A million thoughts swarm Jax’s head. He grimaces.

“About the maid dress–” he starts. And then the words get stuck in his throat.

He can feel Pomni waiting to see if he’ll continue. When he doesn’t, she speaks.

“Just because we have the dress now doesn’t mean we have to rush into it,” she says. “We can take our time. I mean, I dunno, we could just have a night where we just kinda touch it and get an idea of how the fabric feels–”

“What is this hippie dippie ASMR bull[BEEP]?” Jax asks flatly. “I’m not afraid of it, of course I’m gonna just put it on. Grow up, Pomni.”

Pomni gives him a blank expression. And then she nods.

“Okay. Well maybe we should try having you put it on, but not do anything sexua–”

“If I am going to the trouble of putting on a maid uniform then I am going, to, [BEEP], my, girlfriend.”

The words come out of Jax so emphatically they leave him feeling depleted of air.

Pomni is looking blank again and he gets the feeling that she really wants to say something helpful, but knows he’ll reject it up and down, which he will.

“Okay, well if that’s where you’re at then I’m down to try it again. But take all the time you need,” she says and ohhh she’s so compassionate and stupid.

“If I show up at your door in the maid dress tonight I expect you to be ready to drop your panties and put me in my place,” Jax demands with no control over his mouth.

Just imagining it has his chest constricting.

Pomni’s eyebrows raise. And then she laughs, putting a hand over her mouth and glancing away like she doesn’t mean to.

Jax feels himself teetering on the edge of either a tantrum or tormenting Pomni. A little grin comes to his face.

“What, you’re laughing at my crisis now? That’s pretty messed up.”

His chest still feels weird.

“Oh my god,” Pomni says, looking over at him. She’s still smiling. “I’m trying to have a serious conversation with you.”

“I am being serious,” Jax doubles down.

“No, you’re being silly,” she says. But then she lifts her hands like what can you do. “But for the record, if you showed up at my door wearing the maid dress I’d tell you exactly what to do.”

That titillates Jax and he has to resist the urge to push her off the boat.

“Good, glad we’re on the same page.” Jax says like a [BEEP]ing brat. But somehow he does feel a little better about it. If he isn’t ready by tonight then Pomni won’t mind. Jax hates that it brings him relief but…

“What do you,” Jax stumbles over the question he didn’t mean to start asking. “Like about it?”

Pomni stiffens a bit, then glances away with a smile. “What part of it? The maid dress? Or ordering you around?”

She glances back. “Or both?”

Jax glares moodily off to the scenery, arms crossed tightly over his chest. He tilts his head, looking at Pomni sidelong. “Both.”

Pomni’s little smile widens. She keeps looking at him.

“Well,” she says. “I guess the catch all answer is the fact that you get turned on from being embarrassed about it– really turns me on too.”

She nervously brushes some hair back from her face, eyes darting away. “I dunno, it feels like you’re trusting me with something really vulnerable and the intimacy of that is really… nice.”

Those words are terrifying. The only reason Jax doesn’t flinch back is because Pomni isn’t looking at him.

“Also, I just think the dress is really cute. I’m not as opposed to the whole maid thing as you are.”

“Oh it makes me so mad to hear it out loud,” Jax seethes, steamed up. Cute.

Pomni thinks he’s cute

Jax snaps out of that thought.

“Well, good. Good, I’m glad you get something out of it you little pervert.”

Pomni laughs at that.

Then she leans closer, almost upsetting her balance.

“But my favorite,” she says. “Is thinking about you on your–”

Suddenly all the bravado seems to dry up and Pomni goes red. Jax’s jaw drops in disbelief at the fact that she couldn’t finish the sentence.

“What,” he says. “On my knees?”

Pomni chews at her lip a moment then nods. “Yeah.”

[BEEP]

He thinks of his dreams.

lift your skirt

Is Pomni finally going to say that.

“Me too,” he says in a hollow voice.

They exchange an intense gaze that locks them in.

“We’ll do that stuff when you’re ready,” Pomni assures him. “There’s no rush. We have all the time in the world here, right?”

Ominous, but true.

“I guess,” Jax says.

There’s a bout of silence and Jax looks away from Pomni, pretending to examine the scenery. Thoughts hit his brain like asteroids.

When will Pomni stop giving him chances?

“Alright!” Jax says, clapping his hands together sharply enough to make Pomni jump and rubbing them together. “Let’s make those snails into escargot. Go on, Pomni!”

Pomni looks at him all startled and confused. “... how? You threw away the oars, remember?”

“Well, then, I hope the pack of dogs that raised you shelled out for swimming lessons, because you are getting in that water.”

“What the hell are you ever talking about?” Pomni asks.

It’s a question they argue over for some time, slowly drifting down the river.

They never reach their destination before the game ends but the wall of apprehension holding Jax back has finally crumbled.

Whether it’s tonight or down the road, Jax is going to be on his knees in front of Pomni in that maid dress.

Chapter Text

Jax is hanging out in the lounge area that same night with the others because Pomni is there and he’ll be [BEEP]ed if she’s there without him.

He takes up as much room as possible on the couch next to her, sitting in the middle to shield her from Ragatha who is very uncomfortably sitting on the couch next to him.

If Ragatha’s got a problem with it then she’d better move, is Jax’s stance.

From a couch across from Jax, Gangle complains, “I just don’t think the slime was a necessary feature.”

They’re all [BEEP]ing about the adventure.

“It would have been a little more pleasant,” Ragatha says. “But it wasn’t so bad!”

Then Gangle’s like, “Yeah, well you didn’t slip in it, so.”

“Oh, ha, well-“ Ragatha stumbles over herself and Jax feels inwardly smug. “Fair enough!”

“Pomni and I just hung out on the boat,” Jax brags. “It was awesome, right Pompom?”

Pomni looks up at him. She gives a nod. “Yeah, it was cool. Just kind of floated down the river.”

Jax notes movement and glances down to see Pomni reaching over to put a hand on his leg.

His brows raise and then heat spreads through him followed by a smug, vindictive, I win.

He leans more into Pomni, making a point. The looks of disapproval all around are noted, but he’s in too good a mood to act on it in the moment.

Ragatha rolls her eye away. Good.

Then Jax feels it. The desire to consummate what he and Pomni have between them.

He imagines himself in the maid dress and suddenly is so much more aware of Pomni’s hand on his leg. It’s so gentle but suddenly it has him jumpy.

what if he did go tonight?

He forces himself to pay attention to the conversation again rather than following the thought to its conclusion.

But the maid dress remains at the back of his mind like a faint buzz, never quite letting him forget about it.

—

Jax and Pomni had hung out for a while after leaving the others, but when it came to returning to their rooms he had made the decision to retire alone to his own. Pomni had given him an understanding smile and they’d parted ways.

Pomni always makes things so easy.

Now Jax is staring at his ceiling and for a while the same thought has been growing into a certainty.

I wanna do it tonight

But is it a good idea? He can take all the time in the [BEEP] world, so why is he–

because I’ve been waiting too long to get this show on the road

Jax tastes the words. Examines the thought.

[BEEP] it

Before he can lose his nerve Jax sits up and undresses, tossing his overalls away carelessly.

Hands shaking, he pulls out the maid dress and lays it out on the bed just to glare at it. Then the apron and head piece and stockings.

Ugh, they look so stupid!

Jax picks up a stocking and starts fumbling with it, trying to remember how Pomni had helped him into it. He bunches the stocking up, sitting down on the edge of the bed and starting to work his foot into it. It slides on easier than expected and he rushes to get it up his thigh.

The fabric brushes along his inner thigh and he gasps, nearly swearing.

“Ffu–”

Jax pauses. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

Okay. This is the easy part. Come on.

Jax pulls the stocking up all the way so the band is tight around his thigh. He realizes with some level of disappointment with himself that he’s already starting to get hard.

“Awesome.”

But he has to keep going. Jax picks up the other stocking and repeats the process, carefully tugging it up his leg, then his thigh. He fusses with them until they’re even, ignoring his growing erection.

A few deep breaths later and he’s looking at the dress. It makes his insides twist, but Jax stands up and slips into it, tangling himself horribly for a moment before wiggling his way through.

He can’t quite figure out the zipper, but Pomni can do that for him.

What will her reaction be? Will she be excited? He hopes to hell she’s not worried. She’d better not make a comment about waiting or he’ll rip his ears off and beat her with them.

Jax huffs and grabs the apron, throwing it on. He lets the ties dangle by his sides and snatches up the dumb[BEEP] fluffy head piece thing. It’s like a ribbony tiara and it makes him want to screech in outrage. But he puts it on his head and reluctantly walks to his mirror.

He looks great in it, of course. Jax loves how he looks in it, even ruffled and unzipped, and he hates that he does. He’s such a [BEEP]er. Jax adjusts the head piece.

He just stands there for a while. Thinking about how it makes him feel.

It scares him.

it turns him on

He feels a little shaky when he turns away from the mirror and goes to grab his blanket, wrapping it around himself as a flimsy safeguard.

Jax takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly before peeking his head out into the hall. The coast looks clear.

If someone sees him-

just be quick about it

Jax darts across the hall in like two leaps and immediately starts knocking on Pomni’s door, a little frantic. It opens quickly and Pomni’s gigantic head appears and she looks so alarmed.

“What–”

“Let me in,” Jax hisses urgently, pulling the blanket tighter around himself. He probably looks like he’s having a breakdown.

Pomni lets him in and shuts the door. “What’s going on??”

Jax turns to face her, expression twisting. He hesitates.

And then he drops the blanket.

Pomni stares with a lack of comprehension. And then it hits her hard. Jax can see it on her face, the way her mouth opens in surprise, the little dusting of a flush that comes to her cheeks.

“Oh [BEEP],” she says, slowly looking all the way up to his face. “Are you sure?”

Jax feels hysterical.

“Pomni, would I be in your room in the maid dress with half a boner if I wasn’t sure?!” he asks like that didn’t literally just happen.

He huffs, forcing himself not to cross his arms. “I’m ready.”

Pomni looks up into his face for a moment. And then she smiles and it’s sweet and makes Jax feel warm in a way he doesn’t know how to deal with.

“Okay,” she says.

Why does she always say such ambiguous [BEEP]?

And then she turns away from him and goes to a weird dresser that looks like all the alphabet blocks around the room. She picks up something on it and walks over to her bed. She sits down and pats next to her.

What the hell is this, he thinks with suspicion as he obediently walks over and sits down.

“Okay, close your eyes and I’ll try not to smudge it,” Pomni says. “I don’t remember which you’re supposed to put on first, so I’m gonna wing it. I didn’t really wear much makeup.”

Jax looks down and sees the mascara and eyeliner in her hand. His eyes narrow. Oh this crap again.

“Fine,” he says stonily and shuts his eyes.

Pomni seems to struggle for a bit, then finally he feels her get up, coming to stand between his legs.

[BEEP]

That gets him hard too and he purposefully rumples the dress over his lap just in case. Not that Pomni isn’t going to see it anyway, but–

“Hey!” Jax yelps as he feels something on his eyelid, pulling back.

“Hold still,” Pomni insists. “I gotta put the eyeliner on.”

“Like hell you do,” Jax grumbles, but he goes still. He allows Pomni to put on the eyeliner, making faces as he feels it move along his eyelid. He hates getting it put on even more than having it on, he decides. “Don’t gouge my eye out.”

“Relax,” Pomni says and her voice is so soft it shuts Jax up.

She repeats the process with his other eye and then the really weird sensation begins, little tugs on his eyelashes.

“Eeeew,” he complains. It makes him lose his boner a little.

“This is the price of beauty,” Pomni tells him gravely. “Suck it up. It’ll be over soon.”

“You can’t just tell me to ‘suck it up,’ I’m in a delicate state.”

Pomni just laughs.

When the sensation finally stops Jax has just gotten used to it. He opens his eyes and, with a little coaxing from Pomni, gets to his feet and is led over to the mirror. She stands behind him, zipping him up and tying the apron while he examines his face.

It really does look cute. At least this time he won’t look like he’s been crying and getting it everywhere.

Jax is so caught up in how he looks it catches him off guard when Pomni’s arms slide around him from behind shyly. She leans over to peek at the mirror.

“Wow,” she says. “It always hits me different every time.”

Jax’s heart jumps into his throat and he swallows it back down. His body is tense from being embraced and he almost pulls away.

He doesn’t know how to take her words, flittering between bashfulness and offense.

“And how does it hit you this time?” Jax asks defensively.

Pomni peers up into his face through the mirror like she’s checking on him.

Her arms slide away, hands coming to settle on his thighs instead. She slips one thumb under the band of the stockings.

“It’s driving me crazy,” Pomni admits in her serious, precious voice.

That makes Jax feel like he needs her.

“Yeah, on account of being such a perv,” he murmurs, though it eases some of the anxiety in his chest. It makes Jax shiver when her thumb strokes along his thigh.

what are they going to do together

Jax shifts restlessly. Pomni laughs softly.

“Yeah, okay,” she says, then teases,“I’m the big bad perv who’s forcing you to dress up in a sexy maid outfit. You can’t do aaaanything.”

Her fingertips slide under the stockings again, just dipping into them slightly before pulling out. She hooks her thumb into the band and pulls it back a couple inches.

“Are you going to do everything I say?”

Pomni’s words have Jax’s legs feeling weak.

Jax waits a moment to speak to avoid whimpering. He can feel his face growing hot and rather than look at his or Pomni’s reflection his gaze moves to watch her play around with his stockings.

“Yes,” he breathes out.

It makes his insides hot.

He thinks maybe, out of the corner of his eye, Pomni smiles.

“Good.”

She lets go of the stocking and it snaps back into place, sending sensation through Jax’s thigh, his leg, his hip, his–

”Oh,” Jax groans, then immediately clamps his mouth shut. Why does it have to be so embarrassing?

When he glances up at himself in the mirror his expression makes his insides twist and Jax immediately looks away again.

It’s then that Pomni gives her first order.

“Spread your legs a little bit more.”

Jax glances at her in disbelief, a little scandalized for some reason even though it’s so mild in the grand scheme of all this. The expression on Pomni’s face makes Jax shiver again and he shifts to spread his legs more.

“Like that?” he asks shakily.

Pomni’s eyes flick up to his, then back to his thighs in the mirror. She nods and slides her hand along the back of the stocking, slipping her hand between his thighs. Jax gasps even though she doesn’t make direct contact. She hooks her finger into the stocking and starts pulling it back–

“N-nno,” Jax moans and he throws a hand over his mouth.

Pomni is looking at his face again. He glances at her, then back up to his own wide eyes.

“No?” she asks. “Do you want me to stop?”

Hell no I don’t want you to stop

The ‘no’ had just slipped out. Jax swallows hard and lowers his hand from his mouth.

“I want you to keep going,” he insists.

Pomni stares him down in the mirror. He can feel her gaze reflected into his face like a laser.

“Yeah?” He feels her nod against his waist. “Okay. Then I think we should establish a safeword.”

She says with the elastic pulled back on the stockings.

Somehow that makes it all feel so much kinkier, though it’s probably pretty normal. Like he’d know.

Jax doesn’t linger on that thought so as not to invite a bad mood. “Got any in mind or should I come up with something zany?”

Pomni hums, shifting her thumb back and forth. He can feel it in the pressure of the stocking. “I think zany is the way to go. You pick.”

“Your wish is my command,” Jax jokes like this doesn’t have him in a chokehold.

Something he wouldn’t ever say during sex, right?

After a short deliberation he states with certainty, “Bubble.”

Pomni laughs at that and Jax glances down to see her eyes crinkle with delight.

“Okay,” she says. “‘Bubble’ it is.”

She meets Jax’s eyes. And then she pulls the stocking back further and lets it snap against his inner thigh.

”Ah!” And it’s still so embarrassing but it feels good.

A tremble rolls through Jax’s thigh and he knows Pomni can feel it.

He realizes suddenly that he’s hard against his own hip. When the hell had that happened? He’d been so focused on his thighs he hadn’t even noticed. Jax shifts from foot to foot nervously and it ticks him off when Pomni lets out a breathy laugh, playing with the edge of the dress.

“What.” He glares at himself in the mirror to avoid her gaze. He looks really, really good. “What are you laughing at.”

“I’m going to touch you under the dress now,” Pomni says.

Oh god and then her hands are sliding up over his outer thighs, up, up, up under the dress. Until her fingertips hit his boxers. And then they slide further up all the way to his hips.

Pomni gives them a firm squeeze.

Jax’s eyes roll shut.

“Uhhnn–”

Oh for [BEEP]’s sake.

Jax’s hands snap to her wrists and he squeezes them through the fabric. “Stoppit!”

Pomni laughs again, voice soft and patient and he hates the threshold she has for him.

“Just a reminder, if you actually want me to stop then you say the safeword.”

Jax twitches in his underwear.

“I’ll do what I want!” he barks out defensively, squirming his hips a little in her grip.

“Are you hard?”

Pomni just keeps coming for him.

it has Jax feeling like he’s about to come

The response fights to leave his mouth, struggling against so many instincts. “Yeah, well.”

Jax feels tense but he wants this.

Pomni takes in a shaky breath and nods. She starts sliding a hand from his hip around his front over to his–

“Stop–” Jax gasps. He feels Pomni’s hand instinctively pause. Then it keeps moving.

It moves over his cock which strains against his underwear and then oh [BEEP], Pomni’s hand is on him, pressing ever so slightly and he gasps.

Oh it feels so good it feels so good it feels so good

“W-wait,” he stutters. “If you keep– gonna–”

Pomni must not want him to come yet because her hand pauses. She pulls it away from him completely and Jax lets out a sharp whimper.

“Pomni!” he protests like he wasn’t just telling her to stop.

“You’re so funny,” Pomni says in a genuine, amused voice.

“No,” Jax seethes, thighs trembling hard as he tries to bring himself down from feeling like he’s going to come if he moves wrong. “There’s nothing funny about this. Get naked.”

“Oh?” Pomni hums. “I thought I was the one giving orders.”

But still she pulls away and moves back.

“Turn around,” she says.

Jax takes a shaky breath and turns to face Pomni, eager to see her naked.

Pomni looks down with a bashful smile as she undoes the buttons on her little clown outfit. She tugs her clothes open and Jax stares blatantly at her small tits.

“Can I touch them?” Jax can’t help but ask.

Pomni smiles at him, amused. “Not yet.”

She lets her clothes fall to the ground and kicks them away, leaving her in just a plain pair of white panties. There’s nothing particularly exciting about them, but to Jax, Pomni’s pussy is the sexiest thing he’s ever seen, even clothed.

oh Hell yeah she’s gonna let him play with it

Jax realizes he’s been staring and Pomni is just standing there, smiling.

“You back with me?” she asks.

“I never left–” Jax chokes out, mouth dry. “Will you just do what you’re supposed to and order me around?”

“... yeah,” Pomni says.

She watches him a little longer like she’s taking him in.

Then she points at the floor.

“Get on your knees.”

Jax’s cock throbs against him and he gives another strained groan that makes heat flush through him. He feels close to coming and Jax takes a couple of steadying breaths as he eases himself down in front of Pomni. On his knees they’re basically the same height. He’d joke about it if he didn’t feel like this.

Pomni tilts her head thoughtfully.

“Sit back on your heels,” she says. “Get lower than me.”

That has Jax feeling shaky as he sinks back, ducking his body a little so he’s lower than Pomni. It makes his stomach hot and his thighs squeeze together.

He looks up at her and sees for a moment that she looks nervous too.

Wow, Pomni is pretty.

She makes him feel crazy and the dress makes him feel crazy.

Pomni bites her lip, letting it slide between her teeth before she orders,

“Lift your skirt.”

It’s like a bolt through Jax and despite all his hesitation he moves immediately to clutch the edge of the skirt. His hands tremble as he lifts it, baring himself to her and even though he’s still wearing boxers it feels so–

“Ohhhfffuu[BEEEEEEEP]...” Jax groans, body arching and writhing a little as he–

Oh [BEEP] that feels–

Jax cries out as he comes hard, cock twitching out cum into his underwear as he squirms on his knees in front of Pomni like a slut. It’s embarrassing.

“Pom,” he moans, catching a glimpse of her expression.

Her mouth is open, eyes wide, and that’s all he sees before his eyes are fluttering closed and he feels his cock twitch again.

“S-stop!” he gasps even though Pomni can’t help him, hips jerking once with one more twitch of his dick.

He can feel his cum sliding down his skin and shivers.

Jax pants hard, coming to terms slowly with what just happened.

Oh god.

Now he has to open his eyes.

Jax peeks them open nervously to see Pomni standing there with both hands over her mouth.

“Oh my god,” she whispers against them. “That was so–”

Jax sees her thighs press together.

is she turned on??

by him

A belated throb goes through his cock and it twitches, drawing another whimper out of him. It’s hot that she’s getting off on this.

He clutches the skirt tighter, voice low and shaky as he asks her, “It was so what?”

Pomni’s face goes satisfyingly red. She takes a deep breath, but instead of answering she walks over to her bed and sits down on the edge of it, spreading her legs. She points down at the floor between them.

“...Crawl over.”

It’s embarrassing how much Jax thinks he’s about to come again just from that. He takes in a sharp breath, moving onto his hands and knees.

The intensity thrumming through him is undercut slightly as he starts to trip on the skirt. Jax frowns, changing how he moves only to get tangled up in the skirt again.

Jax isn’t used to navigating something like this and he knows he must look so dumb and not hot struggling across the floor. He doesn’t dare glance at Pomni, finally shoving the skirt of the dress between his thighs and awkwardly shifting over the remaining distance.

Only once he’s settled between her legs, flustered and a little prickly, does Jax dare to look up into Pomni’s face again.

She’s still flushed, looking just as turned on as when he was coming from nothing.

“Good,” she says and the word sends a chill through Jax.

good

She reaches out, coaxing him forward. Jax reluctantly leans closer, nervous as to what she might do. Pomni puts her hand on the side of his face and guides him close to her chest, gently pressing so his mouth brushes her left breast.

Jax shudders as heat flushes through him.

“Kiss it,” Pomni says, voice breathless and turned on.

“Mmm,” Jax moans against her skin, eyes slipping shut as he begins to shyly kiss at the softness of her skin, then more desperately. He breathes out sharply as his mouth brushes over Pomni’s nipple, excited by the way it’s already hard as he starts to kiss at it.

Pomni takes in a shaky breath and arches, pressing her chest to his face. He mouths at her nipple, kissing around the hard nub until Pomni whimpers and guides him to the gentle swell of the side of her breast. He kisses at that too, growing in fervor.

“Mm, feels good?” he mumbles against her skin, voice a little thick.

“Yeah,” Pomni breathes out immediately. It reassures him. “Drag your– drag your tongue over it.”

That makes him ache just to hear it.

Jax eagerly presses the tip of his tongue to her nipple, keeping it flat just in case he overstimulates her. He doesn’t know how this [BEEP]ing works, his knowledge of groping is minimal. With a bundle of nerves in his chest Jax drags his tongue slowly over Pomni’s nipple.

“Ohh,” Pomni moans, head falling back as she arches against his tongue. She sounds like she’s about to come.

is she as turned on as me?

It seems impossible, but Jax is starting to think so.

“Again,” she says and Pomni sounds so eager he moves automatically, licking her nipple with slow, clumsy drags of his tongue. Her nipple seems to get even harder against his tongue, but it’s Jax that whimpers.

“Pom,” he moans between licking her. She guides his head over to the other nipple and presses it there a little harder.

“Shh,” she hushes. “You’re doing great.”

He notes her swallowing before saying,

“Suck on it.”

The order has the same effect on Jax as if she had tugged on his cock.

He moans with a desperation that makes him uneasy, hurrying to take her nipple into his mouth. Pomni makes a soft sound that makes Jax’s stomach jump then it fades into a moan to match his. Her breath stutters when Jax starts to suck.

“Not too hard,” she says softly, petting nervously at the back of his head. It almost stresses Jax out, but it feels nice.

He dials back how hard he wants to do it and sucks gently on her nipple. His eyes go half lidded as he watches the expression on Pomni’s face change from nervous arousal to something heated and impatient. She seems to be tempering herself, occasionally pushing on Jax’s head then quickly relenting.

Jax drags his tongue over her nipple and pulls off, looking up at her pointedly.

“Is it good?” he interrogates.

Pomni blinks down at him in a haze then gives a shaky little chuckle. “Uh, yeah. Yeah, it’s real good.”

“Are you lying to me?” Jax asks like her answer is ambiguous.

“Jax,” Pomni says, meeting his eyes.

She guides him back to her nipple.

“Suck.”

Pomni says the words in a way that Jax feels in the base of his dick. His hips jerk forward and he grabs onto Pomni’s thin thighs to anchor himself, head dipping down to suck at her nipple again.

Jax sucks like it’s his [BEEP]ing purpose for being. It takes everything he has not to do it harder than he’s supposed to and he finds himself fantasizing about it, just really sucking on her until she’s whimpering and moaning and being made into a little mess–

“Ah! Jax–” Pomni’s thighs shift in his hands. “Lighter–”

Jax pulls off of her nipple quickly, coming back to himself. “Crap, sorry.”

“It– it’s okay.”

Jax studies her face. She seems to be serious. He really wants to play with her tits some more, it’s distracting him from the dress.

“Can I shove my face in your chest?” he asks brazenly. “Like, squish ‘em together and–”

“No I get what you’re saying–”

“I wanna motorboat them,” Jax insists sulkily. “Will you allow me?”

Pomni looks blank as she considers him.

She reaches up and cups her small breasts with her hands, squishing them together as best she can. There’s barely anything, really, but it has Jax feeling so horny it’s overwhelming. He squeezes her thighs which makes her breath hitch.

“You can put your face in them,” she says. “But you have to lift the skirt first. Show me your–”

“Holy– don’t say it!” Jax cries, pulling away all aghast.

“What?” Pomni says in a mystified voice. “It’s part of dirty talk.”

“You’re a degenerate,” Jax hisses through his teeth.

Pomni is just smiling at him.

“Lift your skirt,” she says. “And show me how hard you are.”

Jax shivers.

He leans back and looks down at his knees peeking out from the skirt. It’s humiliating. He’s harder than he can remember ever being under the dress. He slowly, slowly starts to lift it up.

The fabric slides up Jax’s thighs, making his breath shaky. The hem of the dress catches slightly as it slides over his dick and he whimpers, not softly like before, but in a way that’s so dirty it turns into a muffled scream.

“It’s okay,” Pomni says in a reassuring voice like he’s in the middle of a freak out.

“I know it’s oka–ahh–”

Jax pulls the dress all the way up and his hips buck once against nothing, cock twitching and straining against his underwear.

“Are you going to come again?” Pomni asks, leaning forward and staring between his legs.

“N-no!” Jax insists. “Stop looking at it! You–”

His hips tremble and he grinds slowly, helplessly. He feels so slick in his underwear from how much cum he made last time. He shuts his eyes and starts up a mantra.

“Not gonna come, not gonna come, not gonna–”

There’s a split second where he’s arching, mouth parting in a gasp. The feeling starts to peak.

And then Jax forces himself back from the precipice with a rush of triumph and disappointment. He kneels there, panting and staring down at his dick in his underwear. He realizes he’s shaking his head over and over.

Jax glares up at Pomni. ”Ha!”

Pomni busts up laughing which is not the reaction he was looking for. He scowls as much as he can inches from orgasm.

“You’re so weird,” Pomni says with a shake of her head.

“Oh, is that part of dirty talk, too?” Jax spits venom. “Is part of it making me feel like a sad sack of [BEEP] because words hurt, Pomni–”

Pomni renews the pressure of her hands, pushing her small breasts together.

“Put your face in my chest. Keep the skirt up.”

Jax swallows dryly, looking down at her tits again with more nerves than he should have. Somehow he feels like this is gonna feel more like holding the skirt up than having his face in her boobs. But that’s fine. He might as well die.

Jax bows his head and shoves his face into Pomni’s tits greedily and with vitriol. He can’t even enjoy it for a second because he’s holding onto the skirt. But then, gradually, he starts to drag his face over her breasts back and forth, slowly. It’s far from motorboating.

This feels weirdly intimate.

Jax presses a pouty kiss to her breast, mouthing at her nipple before burying his face in her chest again. It’s soft. He really, really likes her tits but weirdly enough he feels like if he voices this, he’s going to stumble over his words.

He glances up at Pomni’s face, keeping his mouth hidden against her.

She’s looking down at him like she’s dazzled.

cute

“Jax,” she says.

“Mmhm,” Jax moans, ready to be obedient this time.

Pomni’s lips tremble like she’s just so jittery over him.

“Jerk off.”

Jax’s eyes go wide and he makes an awkward sound. How dare Pomni go and say things that make him feel like this?

Jax lifts his face enough to ask, “What am I, some sort of harlot?”

Pomni laughs a little and shakes her head like she can’t quite believe him and doesn’t quite mind.

“Jerk off.”

The repeated command makes him make exactly the same sound as the first and Jax ducks his head down against her chest so he doesn’t have to look at her. He takes a deep breath. He’s going to come immediately.

“Sir yes sir, whatever you say,” Jax says sarcastically as he slips his hand into his underwear, pushing it down as his fingers circle his cock.

And then, way too fast, before he’s even stroked himself once, he comes hard all over the underside of the skirt.

Jax’s mouth falls open in a silent scream, only a squeak escaping as his cum continues to gush all over the fabric. His hips jerk forward and he fucks his hand, body crumpling over so his face is in Pomni’s lap as he desperately grips at the skirt in one hand and fists his cock with the other.

He can’t stop humping into his hand, grinding and fucking into it like it’s Pomni’s–

“Ohhhh fuu[BEEP],” Jax groans as his orgasm chains into another, cock twitching almost painfully in his hand. He can tell nothing else comes out.

if I drop the dress I’ll feel the cum against me.

Jax looks up at Pomni weakly from her lap, knowing his expression looks weird, he’s just not sure how. Pomni’s eyes are locked on him and she’s breathing shallowly.

“H-holy [BEEP], Jax, that’s insane.”

“What the–hell does that–”

Jax’s breath comes out in a stuttering rush as his cock twitches one more time for no [BEEP] reason, making him feel like an impotent loser.

Pomni doesn’t answer, but after a moment Jax becomes aware that she’s spreading her legs. He lifts his head from his lap to look blatantly between them, trying to make out the outline of her pussy through her panties.

“Oh [BEEP],” he says, glancing up at her face then back to her pussy. “Are you gonna make me eat you out?”

Pomni gives an amused scoff. Then she confirms it.

“Yeah, I’m gonna make you eat me out.”

She reaches between her legs and fiddles with the side of her panties nervously. Aw. That’s cute. Jax finds it in himself to grin even as his fingers tremble around his aching cock. He’s still hard and doesn’t dare touch himself more than this lest it turn him into a moaning little–

“Go on,” Pomni says in a shaky little voice.

She pulls her panties to the side, baring her pussy to him. Jax’s eyes go wide. Real talk, he’s never seen one in person. It’s so soft looking and pretty, his mind supplies. He wants to kiss it just as much as he wants to kiss her mouth.

He realizes they haven’t kissed once. He suddenly glares at Pomni whose expression goes nervous, probably self-conscious about her pussy but that is the least of his worries right now.

“You didn’t kiss me,” Jax accuses. “This whole time you haven’t kissed me.”

Pomni looks at him and Jax can just hear her voice in her head going, ‘oh yeah.’

Unforgivable.

For some reason Pomni’s expression still looks so dazed, aroused even though he’s calling her out. She reaches out and grabs the front of his dress, dipping two fingers into the little heart cutout and pulling him forward by it.

She kisses him hard. Passionately. And Jax falls into it so readily he almost comes again, moaning into the kiss because it’s what he wanted, he needs it, Pomni is literally denying him something he needs.

Jax can feel himself slipping into a strange headspace. He’s so aware of the dress, but it doesn’t feel the way it did before. He almost wants to lean into it.

eat his girlfriend out while he’s in a dress

Despite being the one to demand it, Jax is the one who pulls back from the kiss first. Pomni follows his lips, but he’s already ducking his head down, kissing between her breasts and dragging his tongue down over where her belly button should be, down, down over the band of her underwear down to–

“Oh,” Pomni inhales like she’s just now realizing what he’s doing and Jax takes a moment to give her a glare before pulling her forward by her thighs so she’s almost slipping off the bed.

He dips his head down and shoves it between her thighs, not knowing the first thing about what he’s doing except for crap he’s seen in porn that definitely won’t work.

His mouth is almost at her pussy.

And then Jax freezes. Looking like an idiot with his hand on his dick. Face inches from his girlfriend’s pussy like he’s about to eat her out. Only he doesn’t know how to start. Like a clown.

“Jax?”

No no no, don’t you dare open your mouth–

“Have you never done this before?”

Jax’s reaction to the words is swift and spicy. ”Shut up!!”

“It’s not a big deal if you haven’t–” Pomni tries to assert her lies, but Jax cuts her off.

“I’m strategizing!” he claims.

Pomni laughs, but then her voice lowers.

“You don’t need to. I told you, I’m the one making you eat me out, right?” [BEEP] right she better be. Pomni presses on the back of his head and starts easing his face towards her pussy. “So that means you do exactly what I say.”

oh

Suddenly all the wind is out of Jax’s sails, anxiety drying up enough to see things clearly.

Pomni is going to order him around. It relaxes something in him that he doesn’t know how to name.

“Okay,” Pomni says, maybe more to herself than him. She shifts her hips and it’s sexy, makes Jax just want to shove his face between her legs and–

Pomni slides her pinky into her panties, holding them aside with it as she uses two fingers to spread her pussy. Jax’s eyes go wide when he sees how swollen she is, the slick glistening around her entrance.

“Holy [BEEP],” he whispers, just taking in the sight of it. He’s going to get to eat her out. Maybe she’ll let him inside–

“Kiss my clit.”

The words shoot through Jax and he swallows hard, suddenly finding it difficult to breathe. He shifts forward, though, taking a long, stressful moment to locate it. Calm down. He’s got this.

Jax presses his mouth in a soft kiss to Pomni’s clit. He feels it twitch against his lips and suddenly Pomni cries out.

“Ohh–!” She throws her head back, hips leaning forward and pressing her clit to Jax’s mouth, so hard he can feel her entrance under it, the way it tightens rhythmically, hard–

she’s coming

so fast

Jax’s eyes shut tight as he strokes himself. He comes so hard it makes him lightheaded and he gives a slutty gasp. The pulsing of Pomni’s entrance matches the dull throbbing of his cock and he feels embarrassed to be embarrassed.

When Jax can no longer feel her coming he slowly opens his eyes and peeks up at her. Pomni’s eyes are still closed and she’s panting hard, shaking her head a little.

“Wow,” she moans. “That’s never happened so fast before.”

I win

The words send such a rush through him Jax grins a little. At least she doesn't know he came.

but I kind of want her to know

The grin fades into a displeased frown and he glances away.

“...... I came.”

Pomni gives a soft moan, then says, “Huh?”

Oh for–

“I came!” Jax declares. “Now tell me what to do! God!”

There’s a bout of silence and Jax can feel Pomni looking down at him. And then her soft voice comes,

“Kiss my clit again. Over and over.”

Jax melts

oh god that’s so hot

“And jerk yourself off.”

A shaky little sound escapes Jax’s throat and he starts to jerk himself off in little motions, suddenly unable to bear the lack of stimulation. He fucks lightly into his hand as he kisses Pomni’s clit. Once. Twice.

Then he’s mouthing it feverishly, pressing kiss after kiss to her swollen clit while he brings himself closer and closer to his own orgasm. This sucks. He’s totally gonna come again before Pomni.

“L-lower,” comes Pomni’s voice in a whisper.

Jax obliges, curious, and starts kissing under her clit. Pomni’s thighs go tense and she gasps. And then her hips grind onto his face and Jax cries out, humping into his hand and hilting. He barely keeps himself from coming, thumbing himself restlessly.

Pomni is so into this. She’s so into him. She’s so, so into him.

These are the words that play on repeat as Pomni moans above him, as he kisses her pussy, as she moans out,

“Lower,”

Jax obliges. And then,

”Lower…”

This time Jax’s mouth touches her entrance and she makes it wet.

“I can–” he croaks out. “Kiss here?”

The hopeful look he gives Pomni is met with a shake of her head. Still, she doesn’t push him away, biting her lip.

“Push–”

push?

Jax waits with rapt attention, desperate to do whatever Pomni says.

Pomni meets his eyes.

“Push your tongue in.”

Jax groans, not even aware of how to properly do it even as he nuzzles his face in between her thighs, against her pussy, shoves his tongues inside her as far as he can.

“Oh [BEEP]!” Pomni cries, body arching sharply as she comes and Jax can tell she’s coming because she’s squeezing around his tongue like it’s his cock and holy [BEEP] what would it feel like, how would she feel around his

“Jax!”

Pomni’s cry sets Jax off and he comes hard, hoping and praying Pomni can’t tell by how hard he’s thrusting into his hand, by the way he’s pushing his tongue deeper and deeper into her squeezing pussy. He curves it a bit, searching for a way she likes it, and Pomni cries out again.

“W-wai–” Pomni sobs, hips arching forward and trembling, then finally falling against the bed. Jax’s tongue slips out.

Jax takes in how cute she looks made into the perfect little mess because of him.

She’s just laying there panting, looking at him with half lidded eyes.

“... Good,” she manages in a soft voice.

The word makes Jax bow his head against her pussy, whole body shaking as he staves off another orgasm. Hell no. His resolve is stronger than this, jesus christ, he’s come like fifty times already!

“Of course it was good,” he says defensively. “But, yeah, it was good?”

Pomni doesn’t respond which makes Jax antsy. He glares up at her, but she just guides his head back and he feels a splash of disappointment dousing over the heat in his guts. Is she done? Does she not want him to eat her out anymore? He was just getting started!

“Sorry,” Pomni says. “But I really want to.”

What?

“Tilt your head back,” she instructs.

Jax does so with some trepidation, watching as she stands and tugs off her panties and–

Pomni moves slowly, guiding him forward. She mounts his face and Jax makes a muffled sound against her pussy, dropping his skirt to reach up and hold onto Pomni’s thighs as she barely balances herself. He lowers his head enough that she can comfortably ride his–

she’s going to ride his face

just like in her dream

“Just like that,” she moans, grinding her hips forward once against his mouth. “Kiss me.”

Jax lets out a shameless moan that he can’t contain, mouthing at her clit again then immediately starting to work his way back to her entrance. Pomni laughs breathlessly.

“Oh, you liked doing it there?”

The words have Jax’s thighs shifting. He doesn’t deign it with a response, kissing further and further back, moaning when Pomni starts to rock her hips against his face, letting him kiss her as much as he wants but…

Will she let him put his tongue back in?

Jax kisses at her entrance restlessly and Pomni moans another instruction.

“Lick me,” she says, body quivering. “All the way from my entrance to my cli– ahh!”

Jax is already pressing the flat of his tongue against her entrance, draaagging it up slowly over her pussy, over her clit which twitches against the flat of his tongue and he–

“Ohhh, [BEEP], Pom, you’re gonna make me come,” he groans, kissing her clit and then ducking back down to repeat the process, dragging his tongue over her all the way to her clit.

“Y-yeah?” Pomni mumbles. “Gonna come from eating me out?”

[BEEP] right he is

“While you’re wearing that cute little dress?”

oh [BEEP] she just–

Jax groans, pulling his hand away from his cock as fast as he can to keep himself from coming, but still his hips hump forwards against nothing. It’s not fair. It’s not fair he wants to come inside Pomni while wearing this dumb dress–

He drags his tongue up her again and is about to look up at her and say something lowkey rude about her teasing when she tells him,

“Put– your tongue in.”

“M-mm–” Jax squeezes his eyes shut, the only thing keeping him from coming again being his focus on shifting his mouth, pushing his tongue into Pomni’s tight pussy oh god he wants to feel it so bad

“Mmh!” Jax whimpers, muffled against her pussy as he feels her clenching around his tongue again, hears her moaning above him.

Jax loves eating her out. He’s obsessed with it.

It feels good having her above him. It’s a little suffocating, but he doesn’t hate the feeling, the way her hips grind and rock onto his tongue. Pomni is saying something, slurred words that Jax can’t quite make out until they all become a series of beeps and–

“Yes!” Pomni cries out, hips thrusting hard onto his face once before her pussy goes so tight and she–

Pomni grabs his ear, yanking on it hard.

it hurts and it feels good

Jax’s eyes roll back and he pushes his face up so hard against her pussy the sensation of her squeezing makes him see stars.

“I’m–” he chokes out against her pussy, “Com–ing–”

But he doesn’t.

His cock just twitches under the dress, hard and aching. Now that he can’t reach the climax it’s [BEEP]ing him off.

Pomni slips off of him and Jax tugs at her, trying to physically negotiate her back onto his face. Part of it is he doesn’t like the expression he knows he’s wearing.

“S-sorry,” the words come out of Pomni in a rush. “I didn’t mean to pull on your–”

“Stop yapping about it!” Jax begs. “But yes, how dare you!”

Pomni must be satisfied with his response because she stands there on trembling legs and tells him what the hell to do.

“Sit down on the floor,” she says. “And lean back.”

Wait, what?

Jax lets out a nervous, uneven laugh. Something about doing it on the floor seems so…

“What, not even gonna let me do it in your bed? Yikes, Pomni, that’s kind of harsh.”

“I want to do it on the floor,” she says simply. “Sit down.”

The words are a vise grip around him and Jax obediently sits on the floor, leaning back onto his elbows nervously. Is this what she means?

He’s suddenly so aware of the dress again as Pomni kneels on the ground between his legs. Jax gives her a suspicious look.

“What,” he asks flatly and with as much authority as he can muster in this kinky space they’ve entered. “What are you going to do?”

Pomni reaches forward and takes the end of Jax’s skirt in her hand, lifting it.

“Don’t–” The words choke Jax and his hands squeeze around nothing as Pomni stares at his twitching dick because of course he’s being as obvious about it as possible.

Then, inexplicably, Pomni pulls his underwear back up over his cock, trapping it inside.

Jax gapes at her. “Wha…?”

And now she’s crawling over him, pushing against his chest until his back is on the ground and he’s laying there with Pomni over him. Jax watches as she shifts his skirt up so it’s around his waist.

Pomni drags her hands over his chest, down his sides, his waist, and it makes the dirtiest sound come out of Jax.

“The eyeliner is really cute,” Pomni whispers as she straddles his hips and–

“Pom, wait, what are you going to– ohhh–”

Jax’s gasp is muffled by him slapping his hand over his mouth because Pomni shifts her hips down and presses her bare pussy to his clothed cock. His eyes go wide.

The little movements that Pomni starts to make with her hips make Jax shudder and he presses his hand over his mouth harder. Pomni starts to grind in slight motions, her clit pressed up against the underside of the head of his cock. It feels so good and he prays it feels just as good for her too.

“The makeup really suits you,” Pomni insists softly as she starts to rock her hips on him, riding his cock through his underwear. It’s slick enough from both of their cum that the motions are fluid and Jax can imagine what it’s like inside Pomni.

“Stop saying tha–” Jax starts to shake his head emphatically, breathing in little gasps. “No, no, no, I’m gonna come, I’m gonna–”

“You’re gonna come in this cute little dress,” Pomni insists.

“No, no, no–”

“You’re going to come in the dress, Jax,” she whispers.

And then she grinds her pussy down against Jax and something weird happens.

He comes, yeah, but it’s also like he dissociates into the most pleasantly numbing feeling he’s ever experienced.

Jax isn’t sure what’s going on. All he knows is he’s laying back and his hand has fallen away from his mouth and he’s moaning for Pomni who’s whispering words to him, riding him through the thin material that just keeps getting wetter and wetter, slicker and slicker until–

“Uhhnn,” Jax hears himself make the noise, but doesn’t know what to make of it. It’s a sound that Pomni should be making. But still it comes out of him as he comes and suddenly Jax isn’t sure how many times it’s happened. Four? Sixteen?

“Ooh, Pooom,” he moans. “One more time– please– please–”

The Hell is he begging for?! Jax tries to snap himself out of it, but it doesn’t work.

Pomni is biting her lip, looking down at him with a heated gaze that’s difficult to meet. It’s just so intense between them. Jax starts to hump up against her pussy, but Pomni pulls away completely.

“Don’t move,” she tells him, not stern, but solid.

Jax whimpers and his hips grind up against nothing. “Pommm…”

He lets out a sob and Pomni’s eyes go wide.

“You…?”

“I’m fine!” Jax snaps. “Pomni, please, just keep–”

Pomni lowers her hips and presses her swollen pussy to the outline of his dick again, starting to rock her hips against it. She slides along Jax and his eyes roll back, incoherent words spilling from him.

What the hell?

What’s wrong with him?

“It’s okay,” Pomni says. “You can come, Jax.”

The words trigger Jax’s creeping orgasm and he throws his head back, whole body arching as he cries out, fucks up against her helplessly. He can’t control it. It feels so good pushing against Pomni’s pussy.

it feels so good it feels so good

“Sorry–!” he gasps, writhing and clutching at the ground, the dress. “I can’t stop–”

Pomni doesn’t pull away this time. She just lets him hump against her with mortifying desperation.

“Pomni,” Jax groans miserably, a hot feeling suddenly stinging his eyes.

His body freezes, goes unbearably tight as he realizes the hot feeling is tears and they’ve filled his eyes.

“N-no,” he protests weakly. What the hell is going on. What is wrong with him?

don’t cry

“It’s okay,” comes Pomni’s sweet encouragement. “I’ve got you.”

The words shoot Jax like a bullet through the chest.

“N-nn–”

Two things start simultaneously.

The tears fall down his cheeks, no longer trailing mascara everywhere. They’re big and there’s so much, he’s crying so hard immediately.

At the same time, he comes harder than he ever has.

It starts slow, a tension in Jax’s thighs that travels through his hips until his dick is twitching hard enough against Pomni’s pussy that he knows she can feel it. Her gasp is mirrored by one of his own as his hips start to jerk up against her in tiny motions. Over and over, the motions becoming tighter and tighter until they’re grinding in unison, horny, needy humping that makes Jax–

“No–” It’s too late.

Jax cries out, hands coming up to cling to Pomni and pull her to his chest on top of him, hips arching and grinding against her as he comes so hard he devolves into sobs.

“Pom–ni–”

throbbing, pulsing heat between his legs

Pomni on top of him, coming too by the sounds she’s making

I’ve got you

Jax manages to get the sobbing under control quickly, but the fact remains that he had started to. He lets out a deep whine from the center of his chest as his hips move up one more time before collapsing to the ground.

With a shuddering moan Pomni pushes herself up enough to look at him. She’s breathing hard, hair sticking to her face. Precious. She grinds her hips on him a little and Jax gasps.

“Stop, stop, too much–”

She pauses, but his hips follow hers, grinding up helplessly. He can’t control that either. Jax hates feeling out of control.

But this feels good.

Pomni gazes into his face with a softly hazy expression, reaching up to wipe at some of his tears with her thumb.

“This looks even better,” she whispers.

Jax’s mouth wobbles and he lets out another little whimper.

Pomni’s brow knits in concern. “You okay?”

Ha. Jax lets out a shaky breath and nods.

Pomni eyes him critically then leans down, gently pressing her mouth in a kiss to her fingertips. She lowers her hand, pressing her fingers right in the center of the heart cutout.

“This is amazing,” Pomni admits fully, so lame.

Jax tries to tell her as much, but instead his head falls back and he presses his chest up into her fingertips.

“Ooh,” he moans, feeling dissociated in a really good way he can’t describe. “Pomni…”

Jax thinks of the makeup still running down his face. The tears are sluggish now, but they don’t quite stop. He looks down at the dress and it makes his hips jerk up slightly.

Pomni hums thoughtfully. She reaches down and tugs the dress down over his dick. Jax makes a confused noise, but he can’t bring himself to say anything, head lolling back against the floor. He barely keeps the sight of Pomni tugging on the dress in his vision.

Are they done? Jax doesn’t want it to be over.

Pomni lifts her hips and then sits down on Jax’s cock again.

Through the dress.

Jax’s eyes widen and he keens softly, starting to rock his hips up before he’s even fully processed how hot that is. Pomni moans breathlessly, grinding her hips on him too. Is fucking even more intimate than this? Does it feel better?

Jax doesn’t think he could handle it right now.

They continue on like this for a long time. Jax loses track of it and of how many orgasms they have. There’s a period of time where they can’t come anymore, but they just keep pushing against each other, bodies writhing to try and reach the peak again, but unable to.

It’s so unlike anything Jax has ever experienced or thought possible to experience, and every time he starts to think it might shake him to pieces there’s Pomni’s soft, firm voice whispering orders into his ear. It fills him with a hunger that feels insatiable.

They never even put it in.

All the while he’s spurned on by a burning need to satisfy every last one of Pomni’s desires.

It leaves his brain so sweetly numb.

—

After grinding like that for as long as they could, Jax and Pomni had practically crawled their way to Pomni’s bed. They hadn't even properly [BEEP]ed. She had helped him get out of the maid dress and he’d discarded his underwear and now the two of them are lying in bed together.

They face each other, naked, Jax still breathing hard with his eyes closed. He can’t quite look at Pomni. He feels so raw and vulnerable. Then he realizes he’s shaking.

There’s the gentle touch of Pomni’s hand on his arm and Jax jumps, eyes snapping open to look at her defensively. She’s looking back with her big concerned eyes. When she maybe determines he won’t bite, she starts to rub her hand along his arm.

“What?” Jax asks, a little on edge. “What’s all this?”

Pomni gives a surprised laugh. “Well, we just did something really intense. Here, let me…”

She starts shifting up the bed, moving so that she can pull Jax’s face into her bare tits. Normally it’s something he’d be ecstatic about, but this just makes him curl in on himself.

“Stop it,” he [BEEP]es. “I’m fine, Pomni.”

“Hm? It’s not about whether or not you’re fine.” She pulls him closer. “And maybe I wanna do it. Ever think of that?”

Jax chews it over, uncertain. Then he scoffs. “Well, if it’s to satisfy your ego.”

Pomni just laughs.

They lie there for a while, drifting together on a sea of uncertainty. What does this mean for them now? It feels so official.

Jax hesitantly reaches up and puts his hand on Pomni’s side. He tentatively rubs his thumb over where her rib would be.

“... So.”

Pomni sounds amused when she repeats, “So.”

Jax sinks in on himself more as if to protect himself. “Was it the best you’ve ever had?”

Pomni makes a little sound like she didn’t expect it. Then she squeezes him.

At length she says, “Yeah, it was.”

It’s like a soothing balm along his ego even as he denies, “So you say.”

His body is tense but he finally presses his face harder into her boobs, closing his eyes with a shaky breath at their softness and warmth. Jax curls a little more into Pomni.

“Is that the most you’ve ever come?” Jax further prods, mouth brushing against her skin.

“Definitely,” Pomni says immediately.

“Good,” Jax declares, choosing to believe that because it does insane things for his ego which is very delicate.

Then, so sheepishly he immediately regrets his honesty, “Me too.”

Pomni’s hand strokes along his back and it makes him shiver.

There’s a moment where Jax just pouts as a new thought comes to him. He glares up at Pomni.

“How come we didn’t go all the way?” he accuses.

Pomni looks down at him in surprise and that just ticks him off.

“What, like put it in?” she asks.

”Yes, like put it in,” Jax insists. “How come?”

Pomni laughs. “It’s not a big deal. We can do it next time.”

Jax scowls, trying to figure out a way to keep being mad about this even as he shoves his face back into Pomni’s tits. Pomni just laughs softly and starts gently petting his shoulder with her thumb.

“I really like you, Jax,” she says after a little bout of silence.

The words are a sucker punch and while there’s a rush of warmth it’s tinged with anxiety.

“Yeah?” He glares hard as he buries his face into her, muttering, “I like you, too.”

And he does and when Jax closes his eyes for a moment there’s something like peace before it slips away elusively.

“Cool,” Pomni says softly, awkwardly.

She’s right though.

It’s all cool between them.

“We’d better do this a lot from now on,” Jax says in a threatening tone. “Like, all the time.”

“Really?”

Jax doesn’t like the doubt in her tone. He frowns. “What. Why wouldn’t we?”

“Oh, it’s just… you were so nervous about it,” Pomni says and ohh it burns him up.

“Yeah, well, I conquered that fear. It’s over,” Jax lies to himself and Pomni.

“Okay,” Pomni concedes with an amused tone that suggests she doesn’t believe him. “So you… liked it a lot?”

She sounds so hopeful.

That makes his heart throb and he doesn’t like that it gets him bashful.

“I liked it in a normal way,” he insists gruffly, and it makes Pomni laugh. Jax immediately shoots her another sharp look. “Don’t laugh at me!”

“So that’s a yes?” Pomni gently prompts.

Jax continues to glare then averts his gaze, resting his face back against her. “…yeah.”

“Good,” she says with a little breath of relief. “I liked it too.”

“You better have,” Jax grouses.

“Don’t worry,” Pomni assures him. “I did.”

And then she has the nerve to kiss him on the top of the head.

It makes him shaky and he huffs, which only prompts Pomni to draw him closer.

“We’ll definitely do it again?” Jax asks like she’s already changed her mind.

“We will,” Pomni reassures, kissing his head again like he’s something precious and not wretched.

And something in Jax finally gives, though he’s not even fully sure what it is. Just that he feels safe with Pomni in a way he can’t ever remember feeling.

Jax’s arms wrap around her, hugging her like she might disappear as they talk in low voices now and then. Mostly they just cuddle together, Pomni stroking him here and there until her movements slow and her breathing grows deeper.

When he’s certain Pomni has fallen asleep he tilts his face, pressing a kiss over her heart.

Jax closes his eyes, mind finally silent as he follows her into sleep.