Work Text:
This…wasn’t your idea of an “adventure” per se but it’s better than last time. Or whatever terrifying thing Caine had said earlier. But you could work with it.
Jax, on the other hand, could not. You’d caught him staring at the clock a few times now. Like yes, you wanted to leave too, but the only way to do that would be to finish the job and go home.
But uh…where was he? You hadn’t seen him in a bit, so you decided to go ask Zooble who was making burgers.
“Hi Zooble! Uh…where’s Jax?”
“Probably slacking off somewhere? I don’t know…why don’t you go find him if you’re so concerned?”
They didn’t really mean it that way, you weren’t the one annoying them today, but that’s how it came out.
So that’s exactly what you did. You looked everywhere: in the lobby, in the back, the kitchen station, outside, you even knocked on the men’s bathroom door in case he was in there. But no Jax.
You did find him when you came back, just standing in front of the drive thru window with his…ears down? You opened your mouth to say something-
“I don’t wanna talk about it.”
-and closed it again. ‘Well, if that’s what he wants…’
His ears went back up and you went back to work.
-
The rest of the day was kinda odd. Jax was actually…being nice kinda? Pomni even told you he asked how she was doing, and that apparently he was working.
Then you caught him glaring daggers at the clock again. His shift is almost up after all. Finally…
”All right, I’m heading out, this was no fun at all!” He said, after passing Gangle at the counter and throwing his hat to the ground.
Poor Gangle, she looked kinda sad…you headed over to her after clocking out. “Thanks for being our shift manager Gangle. You did a good job!”
She smiled at your words, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Unfortunately you didn’t notice as you went after Jax.
-
You caught up to him outside and his ears were down again. He didn’t seem to have the energy to put them up. “What do you want.” He didn’t turn around to even look at you.
”Um…” He’s not in a good mood today. Maybe you shouldn’t ask.
He stopped walking to his car and turned around to face you. “Well?” Spit it out already was heard loud and clear.
”I…was wondering if…I could ride with you?”
Silence.
”I mean…since I can’t drive and there’s a car missing anyway…” Your voice trailed off. Maybe you should stop talking to him and go ask Pomni. She’ll let you ride with her.
Before you could do that though, he turned back around and continued walking. “Sure, why not?”
What.
You stared after him a little shocked. Maybe he’s just so sick of being here, he doesn’t care what happens as long as he gets to go home and be…himself. He hasn’t been himself all day. Hopefully once he’s back at the circus, he’ll be okay. A honk startled you out of your thoughts. “If you don’t get your ass in here, I’m leaving without you!”
Once you came up to his car and got in, he looked at you. “And don’t tell anyone about this. I still have a reputation to uphold after all.”
As long as he still has a reputation as the one that doesn’t give a damn when they get back. “Okay, I wont.”