Work Text:
Jax was getting used to causing mischief at school. He had just turned 6, and already the teachers had grown exhausted keeping him entertained. He just couldn't help it. He found a tack? It went onto a chair for someone to sit on. He got his hands on some scissors? He would cut off the hair of baby dolls in the class room playing hair dresser. He found paint? Murals. Tons of em. So what was there to do with such a child? Surely there was something. Luckily, the teachers did have a secret weapon with hyper active Jax.
Jax was in the sandbox at recess, where he usually was. He liked it. He could make as big of a mess as he wanted and it was allowed! And he liked building stuff too. Mostly castles and people. He was shaping a mound of sand into a crude figure that remembered his dad, when a shadow blocked the sunlight. He looked up, and it was Lu. She had her hair in a bun like she always did, but but the end of of day it was always a mess. The paint markings on her wooden arms and legs were purple today.. The string puppet was wearing a frilly skirt and a t-shirt with a flower on it. Jax noted it was blue, but he looked at her eyes and glared at her.
“What do you want?” He questioned, rather standoffish. She just smiled sweetly, like she always does. “What are you making?” She asked. She sat down at the edge of the sandbox, staying away from the sand. He scoffed and gestured to his unfinished masterpiece. “It's my dad! Duh!” He answered, giving her a scowl. She looked at the little king chess piece made of sand and clapped her hands. “Oooo can you make me? I can't play in the sand box, mama says I'll get sand in my joints.” She requests, waving her right arm limply making her wooden joints clack in protest. Jax shrugged.
“Sure. But only cause you're weird and won't leave me alone.” He feels his cheeks turning red from her interest in his sand sculpture. She shouts in excitement and watches him make sculpture after sculpture of people he knows or buildings he likes. She gives him applause and feedback, which he pretends to get mad at her for the feedback but ultimately uses it.
The two played in the sandbox, till Jax got bored and decided that playing with Lu on the swings was much better. The recess monitors all sighed in relief when all the kids lined up to go back into class, and not a single broken toy, play equipment, or hurt child caught their eyes. Lu was half-homeschooled, because her mother had her in ballet and many other extra curricular activities that happened during school hours. Sadly, Lu wouldn't arrive until lunch or recess. But when she did, she'd always seek Jax and keep him occupied. The two would play, partner for games or assignments, or just sit next to each other a lot.
Even though he seemed to hate it, Jax really did like being around Lu. And she liked being around him.
