Chapter Text
Pomni blinked, rubbing her eyes as she emerged through the portal. She had been expecting something-- with Caine announcing they'd be 'playing house' she'd had a picture in mind. But the candy colored fifties dollhouse laid before them wasn't it. The dining table was set with white plates, the windows hung open with chittering birds outside. Everything was pastels and soft edges.
"What?" Zooble's groan snapped Pomni awake.
They were wearing a blurry black T-shirt, and a slice of black plastic across one eye Pomni assumed was a set of bangs. They weren't the only one with a costume change.
Looking down at herself Pomni found herself in a three piece suit, all in shades of blue and red.
Kinger, now in an elbow patched green cardigan and pipe taped to his face.
Gangle had a small propeller hat taped to their mask, and a set of overalls that had already fallen to the floor. Ragatha seemed almost entirely unchanged, if only she was not the size of an actual doll.
"What's going on?" Ragatha chirped from the floor, climbing up onto the chair and then table to get a better view.
"Don't know, don't care," Jax peered over the table. "You all look ridiculous."
Fists firmly on her hips she glared up at him. "Look who's talking."
"What? I haven't- what the %$!#!?" Jax backed up. It was true his top half hadn't shifted, still a purple rabbit, still an overall pink top. But the legs of his pants were now a knee length skirt with a heady bump right at his navel.
"Now, now," Caine's too chipper echo sounded from the ceiling. "Do watch your language or you'll be placed in time out! You stated you all enjoyed grounded slice of life adventures. And what's more homey than being at home?"
Zooble's' laugh was more jarring than the announcer above, making Pomni jump.
"So we're all just a happy family now," Zooble crossed their arms. "Pomni is the dad, Kinger is the dear old grandad, Gangle is the kid and Jax is mommy."
Smoke all but pouring from his ears Jax's arms snapped to his side. "Which makes you the moody teen. It seems at least the casting was right on one count."
"And me?" Ragatha waved her arm impatiently.
Jax's grin returned for a split second. "It seems your Gangle's sweet dolly. You should go have a tea party about it."
Marching toward him Gangle stopped her, hand light on her shoulder. "I mean, it's just for today, right?"
Still visibly annoyed, Ragatha released a long sigh, sagging forward. "I suppose."
Gangle looked a little excited, mask or no mask, makeshift hands twisting nearly into knots. "Jax isn't entirely wrong. We could do a tea party."
Zooble had the miraculous availability to- without any visible mouth or eyebrows - looked pained. "Sure," they said thinly. "Lead the way."
Scooping Ragatha up, and holding her cautiously Gangle headed off down the hallway.
"This is bull%$!#," Jax tugged at the hem of his dress, turning to drop on the couch. "I ain't playing house."
Pomni followed, not know why she felt so drawn after him and not questioning it. "Are you okay?"
Sitting down hard Jax laid back, head on the arm of a couch. "Nuh uh, told you, not playing."
Blinking, quickly, confused Pomni tugged at her tie. "I'm not playing. I know you hate the whole dress thing from before-"
"Don't."
"So I wanted to know if you were okay."
"Do I look okay?"
Choosing her own self preservation Pomni chose not to answer that one. "I mean, if you don't like it, you could see if there's something to change into. Isn't a part of playing pretend dress up anyway?"
"Dunno," Jax shrugged. "I've never been the playing type." But still he forced himself up, grunting, hand on the arm.
"Really?" Pomni fell into step beside him.
Jax frowned at her. He pressed his hand into his spine, leaning back. "Do I look like the er, tea party kind?" he glanced in at the picture perfect bedroom.
Inside Gangle was knelt beside Ragatha and Zooble at a pink kids table set with plastic cutlery.
Shuddering Jax pressed down the hall.
"Not tea parties. Just playing pretend. When you were little. Didn't you have any siblings or anything?"
"Nope," Jax didn't look at her. Reaching out he poked open the door at the end of the hall. The candy colored bed lined with lace was a match to the walls and wardrobe. Sitting hard on the end of the bed Jax glared at the wardrobe as if trying to open it with his mind.
The sight had Pomni stifling giggles, though she still wasn't sure why. Taking charge of his non-existent powers she pulled open the door.
"Well no one could ever say Caine isn't unoriginal," Jax scowled at the lined wardrobe with half a dozen copies of the same pink overall dress. Beside it hung the same number in Pomni's suit.
"You could try mine?" Pomni took one of the hangers down. Only when she held it up to him did she see the entire outfit hardly passed his knee. "Oh."
Leaning back on the bed Jax groaned. "Yeah 'oh'. What'd you think was going to happen? You're like half my size."
Pomni rubbed the back of her head. "I don't- wait, why are my clothes in here? I thought this was your room."
Jax sighed, lifting his head to rest on one hand. "Come on. Don't tell me you're that dense. It's house. You're the daddy and I'm the mommy and that means we share a- what the %$!#?" He scrambled onto his back, gripping the sheets below him.
"Jax!"
"Okay, not funny Caine," Jax's breathing turned sharp. "Fake bump is one thing but this isn't-" his 'w' spread legs snapped shut, pupils turned to pinpricks.
"Jax," with some difficulty Pomni managed to climb up onto the bed. "Jax, what's wrong?" Never once had she seen him look so… scared wasn't the right word. He was freaking out.
"It's moving."
The words were so soft Pomni was sure she'd heard him wrong. "What?"
"It's moving."
"What-whoa!" Pomni toppled forward as Jax grabbed her wrist, pulling her hand to him, laying her palm across the false swell of his stomach. For a split second she was lost until she felt it, a tiny wiggling something underneath his skin. "Oh."
Jax, it seemed, didn't have the presence of mind to tease her about it. His shoulders were shaking. No. The whole of him was shaking.
"It's just, just part of the game." Pomni laid a hand, feather light, across his. "Right?"
Jax opened his mouth to answer, the same terrified expression etched in. Scrubbing a hand over his face Jax breathed out, long and slow. "'Course. I'm sure Caine is just %$!#in' with me today. Whatever. I'm pregnant so I'm taking a nap."
"I don't think…" Pomni trailed off, watching Jax force himself up and down the hall again, back to her as he flopped, once more on the couch back toward her, ears tucked almost against his neck.
Giving it a long moment Pomni sagged, blew out a short sigh, and headed back to the kitchen. Still a bright cheery little thing, almost like stepping into a child's doll house.
Kinger was sat at the dining room table, hands clasped before him, the tape holding his false pipe starting to fall off, swaying slightly.
Sitting down beside him, Pomni waited. "We all seem to have our own rooms here. Do you want to try and spend time there? It doesn't have to be so bright."
Kinger tilted a fraction. "Bright…" he said thoughtfully. "You know you're pretty bright yourself. Smart kid you are." He patted her head.
Pomni pursed her lips. Before she had the chance to try again the seat beside her was pulled out.
Zooble slouched in her chair. "When I said I wanted more 'grounded adventures' this wasn't exactly what I meant."
"I don't know," Pomni swung her legs slowly. "Nothing's chasing us, and we don't have to do any chasing. It's kinda boring but isn't that better than the alternative?"
Considering a long moment Zooble shrugged. "I guess it is. I don't trust it though."
"Trust what?"
Zooble gestured around the house, quiet. Even Kinger seemed to be almost calmed by it. He still swayed slowly back and forth, saying nothing, eyes on the ceiling light like a baby with a mobile. "It all seems too calm. Caine doesn't do calm. He has activities, 'stories' and plots. I doubt we're all here to have tea parties and happy family lunches."
Insides clenching, Pomni began to twist her fingers in her lap. "I guess I understand that. I just hoped today wouldn't end up so… dramatic."
With an expression that might have been a condescending smile on anyone but Zooble, they leaned forward. "You don't have to sit there and wait for the other shoe to drop."
The crash had Pomni up and out of her seat, heart beat slamming in her eardrums.
Reaching down Kinger collected the pipe from where he had dropped it, holding it out to them. "Do you smoke?"
Sinking back into her seat, Pomni's laugh was really more of a whimper.