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Caine really outdid himself on this one, which is something Pomni rarely thought he could do in a much more positive light. After taking in some feedback with all of them, Caine decided to add an extension to their Dungeons and Dragons adventure. No longer making this a one and done sort of deal so to speak. They all retained their classes from their first dungeon and managed to get past the second dungeon. Well, not without some accidents along the way. Jax took a lot of hits in this adventure covering for her while she uses her voice and songs to support everyone. Or terribly insult the monsters they’ve come across.
Cut her some slack though! She was still workshopping and experimenting on something she rarely ever did!
Their party was pretty squishy all things considered if the outcome causes their rogue to play the role of secondary tank. At least that’s what Gangle explained to her when giving her more context on the genre.
That’s why when the group decided to set up camp before making their way to town where their next objective lies. She took it upon herself to scout ahead if she could find anything to help Jax out. Normally it would fall on Kinger to help heal injuries if they didn’t have potions. But unfortunately, he already exhausted his heals on Ragatha and Zooble and would need a long rest to be able to use that ability again.
As for what she discovered, well she wanted to show Jax and only him first. And was able to convince him to follow her back to what she found for him to use.
“How do you know this spring you found even works?” He asked while making the short journey there. Normally he would have his arms crossed behind his head while walking, but his right shoulder took a nasty blow from one of the possessed knights during combat.
“Because I carefully scooped some of the water out and applied it to where I got cut by some bramble earlier,” Pomni answered him with a small smile on her face and lantern in hand. “It should work on you too. Look, we're coming up towards it right now!”
What lies before them was a beautiful spring containing water that with incredible purity it was as if the water was practically being kissed by the full moon and stars in its reflection. An array of white, light purple, soft blue, and pink water lilies were resting peacefully among the lily pads. Fireflies were gently fluttering about. On the edge of the spring, there were smooth granite boulders with crystals sprouting from them emitting a light blue hue from the moonlight hitting it. Allowing the area to have that extra luminous and mysterious glow to the already breathtaking location. Countless rows of sycamore trees surround the body of water, giving it a sense of seclusion and intimacy.
“Holy shit.” Jax was taken aback by the scenery before him, but from the corner of her eye she could see his tail wagging. Which is strange because realistically, rabbits don’t wag their tails like the way dogs do. But hey, screw real world logic. With the power of cartoon logic and a mentally unstable AI, anything is possible in The ‘Amazing’ Digital Circus. Including keeping off the annoying censor noises when they swear while in this adventure.
“Right? He should make areas like this more often in his adventures, maybe then Zooble will be more inclined to show up. I know I would.” Pomni remarks as she continues leading him down the small grassy hill and towards the spring. Hoping Caine would hear her comment, after all he’s been actively playing a role in it as their ‘GM’ or Game Master for short. Where he would watch over them and assist during their expeditions, but he’s been quiet since she found this place.
“Do I just jump in? Or am I getting a sponge bath from you?” Jax smirks teasingly at her, causing Pomni to stifle a laugh.
It just now occurred to her. She winded up getting too caught up and excited over discovering this place and wanting to show it to Jax first. That the thought of how she was going to treat Jax’s wounds with the water didn’t cross her mind until now. He is covered in injuries! There were bandages peeking out underneath his clothes and armor. It was amazing how many checks he got through to luckily stop from supposedly dying in this game’s world!
“I think it would be better if you just take a dip in there,” she said, smiling at him tenderly. “The water isn’t that cold, it’s actually pretty refreshing.”
Jax crosses his arms with a smug expression on face. “Sounds good, buuuut,” he starts trying to take off the armor on his shoulders slowly. Despite the occasional wincing in pain he somewhat fails to retain his confidence towards her. “Uh… Gimme a second.”
She lets out a huff of amusement over him and his cool guy act as she places the lantern down. “Do you want my help with that? Ooorrr?” Easily noticing how he’s still struggling to get it off. Unlike their outfits back at the circus that were practically a part of their skin, these feel like actual articles of clothing they were wearing.
“Why Pomni! At least take me out to dinner first!” He gasps in feigned shock, it was impressive how despite his condition he was still insistent on joking around. “But if you really want to put your hands on me, I won’t stop you.”
So, a yes then.
He had to kneel down in order for her to reach up to his shoulders and proceeded to unbuckle the leather straps that kept his protectors secured. From the corner of Pomni’s eyes she notices how Jax’s pupils were dilated and was that a hint of a blush she was seeing on the purple rabbit?
“I hope you know this,” the first protector falls to the ground with a soft thud as Pomni moves on to his other shoulder. “You didn’t have to take this many hits for me, you could’ve dodged out of the way.”
“And what? Lose my new favorite show of you tormenting Ragatha by misusing her bugle?” He removes the clasps on his gauntlets. A snicker escaped her lips remembering the milk incident she caused on Ragatha’s precious bugle. Or the most recent one where she’d asked Gangle to help turn another bugle she found into a bubble blower. She breaks out of her thoughts, realizing his eyes were looking anywhere else but not at her own. There was something guarded in his expression, a flash of uncertainty showed itself with how his lip curled a bit.
“And that was worth you taking an axe to the shoulder?” She muses with a soft tone, remaining patient with him.
Jax pauses, narrowing his eyes and looking conflicted before admitting. “It’s stupid.”
“Try me,” she knows how much he's been working on himself. At his own steady pace, but there has been progress! If it was the old Jax, he would have immediately deflected the question, lied about it, or thrown an insult. Anything to push her away from him.
“Every other adventure is pretty much whatever if you get hurt, you get hurt. It sucks but this is the world we live in now. And if it was a bad one, we’d lie on your bed and try to take our minds off it. With this one? I don’t—I just hate—” he stumbles among his words trying to figure out the best way to express what he truly feels. After a few seconds of pausing, he continues his train of thought, albeit more frustrated at himself than with her. “This whole DnD stuff is cringe! But it's tolerable when I’m with you. And I can’t stop feeling… uncomfortable letting you take damage in this one. And your class or whatever is super squishy so then my body moves on its own and here we are.”
Another piece of armor lands on the grassy terrain. Pomni moves to face him, opting to help take his hood off.
“To be honest, we don’t know what happens if any of us fail the death saves here. I understand,” she said, finally able to unclasp the metal loop and manages to take it off for him. “Thank you Jax, for looking out for me.”
“It’s whatever,” he rolls his eyes, trying to remain aloof about his feelings.
Pomni presses her lips to his cheek for a light peck and pulls back, his dark colored cloak now in her arms. “I appreciate it nonetheless and would do the same.”
She bends down to grab his armor and gauntlets on the floor and rises back up to see him staring her down. His pupils expanded so much there’s barely any yellow in his eyes. His mouth closed.
He can be so cute sometimes.
“Do you think you can do the rest yourself?” Her tone remained casual and walked past him to place his gear by a nearby tree after receiving a quiet nod from him.
They were only friends.
Who on occasions spends the night sharing the other’s bed because they’d sleep better together than separate. Where she felt safe and content in his arms. She could forget about the walls of the digital prison they were trapped in no longer closing in on or bothering her at all.
And kissed each other when no one was around because why not? It felt nice.
And get jealous when the other’s evil copy gets too close. Jax especially makes it his mission to keep her away from his nice but supposed evil clone.
Yep, just friends.
No more, no less.
“So now what? You’re just going to leave me on my lonesome?” He finally asked, she could hear the rummaging of keys and knives clinking against each other while he shimmies out of his pants. At least that’s what she thinks he’s doing with her back turned to him.
“I’ll join you for a bit to let my feet soak a bit because they are killing me right now and take in the view,” she answers him, sitting down to take off her white leather boots and black stockings. She can feel the heat of his gaze for a moment.
Then she hears a splash and a loud hiss of pain that evolves into a pleasurable groan from him. Pomni finally turns around to see him in the spring, his head leaning back with his eyes closed before deciding to submerge himself into it more. His ears twitching a bit before flopping back, in complete relaxation.
“Oh yeah, this definitely slaps.” She hasn’t heard that sort of slang not since her college years much to her amusement over his reaction.
The sight almost made her reconsider just simply putting her feet in the water, and instead desire to completely join him. It’s not like they have anything to show even if both of their bodies are the most human-like in terms of being able to open their mouths, anatomy, and actual hands. Well, as much as the cartoon art style allows. They were still stuck in a game meant for kids after all.
With a resting smile on her face, she starts taking off the rest of her clothes while Jax was more occupied with enjoying himself. Right as she finishes neatly folding her things by the tree trunk, Caine’s voice starts ringing in her head.
Just—Just don’t do anything too extreme in there please.
He sounded exhausted and done with them after having to listen to their inappropriate banter from the first two dungeons.
“If you leave us be, we will,” Pomni mumbles softly in response to him. Almost pleading in her assurance.
“Hey Pomni, what’s taking so long for you to join me? Getting cold feet?” Jax teases, clearly not noticing her talking to Caine.
“Pfft. I’m coming right now.” She walks over to where he was and without hesitating Pomni hops into the pool. In an instant, the healing properties and potency of the spring went to work on her body, restoring it to healthy conditions and eliminating any fatigue she had. The cool temperature of the water is doing wonders for her aching ankles and feet. Under the rays of the shimmering moonlight was practically making her skin glow and her dark brown hair gaining a slight sheen. Pomni closes her eyes and lets out a soft sigh, quivering a bit from it all.
But what dragged her out of that bliss was her growing anxiety over Jax not saying a single thing since she joined him.
“Jax? You good?” She slowly opens her eyes to see him surprised that she was in the pool with him, naked. Suddenly feeling self-conscious. “Sorry, I didn’t think about how me being here like this might be too much.”
“N-Nah you’re fine. I’d prefer a warning the next time you want to go skinny dipping with me,” he shakes his head, doing well to remain chill about the whole thing. “Not like we have anything down there to begin with.”
“Next time?” She raises an eyebrow, curious.
“Yeah, next time,” Jax drawls before swiftly reaching out to grab Pomni and places her on his lap of all places with her back resting against his chest. He was sitting on some kind of very smooth stone ledge, almost reminiscent of the seats you’d see in a hot tub. “There we go.”
That wasn’t there when I got in…
She angles her head looking upwards at him. “You could’ve just asked and I wouldn’t mind.”
He merely gives her a soft smirk on his face, leaning back slightly to let his lanky arms rest on top of the grass for a bit. “Not my style. You’d really think I miss the look on your face?”
Pomni rolls her eyes at him affectionately, feeling comfortable with the sudden surge of tenderness between the two. Combined with the gorgeous scenery around them where they were nearly bathing in starlight, this moment was almost perfect except for one thing.
“Man, I’d kill to have a beer right now,” she confesses, laying her head back near the crook of his neck, soaking in the view in front of her and trying to decipher any constellations she spots. “Then this would all be…”
“Amen to that if it means also being able to smoke a joint,” Jax sighs wistfully.
“There’s always the stupid sauce for that.”
“Eeeh, it doesn’t come close.”
Jax sits up and decides to wrap his long arms around her waist, letting his chin rest on the top of her head where shortly she feels a gentle vibration coming from him. It sounded almost like a…
“Don’t say it,” he lazily grumbles, doing everything in his power to hide the fact he was purring.
“Aww, c’mon it’s cute,” Pomni lightly teases him, her hand gently caressing the top of his hands. “How is your shoulder doing now?”
“Much better than before,” he said. Pomni could feel a sudden jolt in his body, and he is tensing up a bit upon hearing the croak of a nearby frog resting on a lily pad. Her heart aches in sympathy towards the young man holding her. She didn’t know much about Ribbit, Jax would briefly mention them from time to time but then he would just… start to shut down completely. As if the memories alone were too painful for him to navigate through. Not just memories of Ribbit too, but memories of Kaufmo as well.
They say that time heals all wounds but for Jax, Pomni was uncertain if he’ll ever fully heal from losing those two. Eternity be damned. But for him, she’ll continue to remain hopeful.
For a brief moment she is brought back to the circus, they were in her room, and sitting on her bed. Parts of their conversation still ringing in her mind.
“After everything I did, you shouldn’t have bothered and just let it happen.” Pure exhaustion of all types laced in his voice. Defeat wouldn’t be able to cover it.
She swallowed down a gulp of air, tears threatening to come spilling. “The fact you answered the door and went with us, tells me another story. You want to keep going,” her voice was cracking under the firm but gentle tone she used towards him.
Jax gives her a squeeze, snapping her out of it.
A faint chuckle escapes him. “Sheesh, relax Pompom. I’m not going anywhere any time soon.”
Oh, she didn’t realize how badly she was trembling over recalling a conversation they had awhile back. Where he almost…
Pomni shifts in his lap, slipping both of her arms from out underneath his and raises them upwards. With one wrapping around his neck and hanging lazily off his shoulder. The other one has her hand resting on his cheek, caressing him. Strange it may be, she desperately needed this. To feel him, that he’s real, assured he’s still here with her. She can feel his fuzzy short fur lightly brushing back against her thumb as he leans into her hand. There were stars reflecting in his eyes. Her own little galaxy.
“I’m not either,” she simply spoke, her voice surprisingly fragile but grounded in sincerity.
Jax looks much more relaxed with her resolve. For him, having to open his heart up again after what four years of being in this place had done to him. All of that fear must’ve been suffocating for him. But she noticed when he was with her, he could breathe again. Guess they were a bit similar in that regard. No matter how much he tries to downplay that bit by calling it lame.
“Oh yeah!” He reaches an arm out behind him and pulls out a camera from his pocket dimension.
“Wait, those things are still intact outside the circus?” Pomni looks at him, intrigued.
“Yea-huh and this seems like a good time to take a photo!” Jax pauses momentarily. “Unless you don’t feel comfortable taking a selfie like this.”
Who else was going to ever see that photo anyways? It’s not like he lets anyone into his room to begin with.
“I’m alright with taking a picture on one condition, I get a copy too,” Pomni adjusts herself a bit to help Jax out on getting that perfect shot. She didn’t get to keep the one they took during the team challenge, and this time would be different!
“Fine by me, you ready?” He holds up the camera with the lens looking directly at them, carrying a big wide grin on his face.
“Cheese!” She decided to do a little peace sign alongside her bright smile.
Pomni looks down at her two photos that Jax handed her to put in her own personal pocket dimension for safe keeping. She was back in her outfit, barring the hat. She couldn’t help herself but smile adoringly at the selfie.
Jax’s smile looked so real and genuine. Full of whimsy and joy.
It was hard to not fall in love with such a smile.
And as for the other picture of just the spring alone?
It was incredibly well captured in all of its beauty! It makes her wonder if this hobby of his was actually his job before getting trapped here.
“A shame we have to leave, but I don’t want the others to start worrying,” Pomni admits, putting the pictures away.
Jax picks up the lantern after adjusting his cloak, his shoulder completely restored and fatigue completely gone.
“Weather was getting too cold anyways,” He remarks as he saunters towards her.
She hums in agreement to that while she puts her hat on. Jax bends his willowy body downward to make eye contact with her at an equal level.
“By the way, Pomni?”
Before she could get a word in, he pulled her towards him to meet her lips with his own. Pomni quickly melted against him from how searing hot and intoxicating his kissing makes her feel. It was inexperienced, clumsy, but oh so perfect for her that she didn’t care. Jax slowly pulls away and she finds herself greedily wishing he would kiss her again. And judging by the way there was a gleam in his eyes tells her she wasn’t alone in that thought.
“I’ve been holding that one in for too long,” he says, winking at her before raising himself upwards. His voice now louder as he looks somewhere else briefly. “And I’m sure our adoring audience would’ve screamed if I kissed you when we were in that spring.”
What adoring audience— Oh, he means Caine.
Pomni lets out a giggle watching Jax go on a small tangent towards their ‘audience’ by saying they’re freaks for having the sheer audacity of peeping in on their private moment.
His ears twitch in response to her small bout of laughter. Jax turns around with a soft grin on his face, looking pleased with himself.
“So, you ready to head back?”
With her heart feeling full and content with the life she currently has with him, she nods.
“Yeah! Let’s head back to the others.”