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“Pomni. Pomni..."
Even though Pomni felt herself starting to wake, her eyes couldn't bother to open. She was just too comfortable where she was. Warm blanket, comfy bed, fluffy pillow behind her head, and fingers running through her hair. Wait.
What?
Meh, it doesn't matter. She was just too comfy to care.
"Pom-pom..." the voice insists again. Softer this time.
“Mmh. Seven more minutes…” she mummers as her body turns away, her mind trying so hard to lull her mind back to sleep to that dream again.
What was that dream about again? Oh yeah, it was-
PFFFTTTTTT!
“EEEEEK! WOAH! HEYY!” Pomni loudly squeals out as a fat, wet raspberry was blown on her cheek. Still feeling the tingles, she backs up to the headboard and stares up at the culprit who did this. Jax, being as smug as ever, cackles when Pomni fails to hide her giggly smile.
"You're terrible at acting mad," Jax was laying stomach down on her bed, his legs swinging up and down as if he owned the place. Out of the two hands that he was resting his head on, he used one and pointed at her with a gun gesture. "I was wondering when you would wake up. I did you a favor and gave your dry skin some organic Jax moisturizer."
Her nose scrunches up as she wipes the saliva off her cheek. "Zero out of ten do not recommend. It smells like carrots." She says with a teasing tone, laughing when Jax gives her a mock offended expression.
It's been exactly one month since Jax abstracted, then unabstracted, when Pomni journeyed his mind. It was a wild ride, to be generous. She saw the real Jax. His story, his life, and his weird, abstracted thoughts.
But that didn't matter to her.
The real Jax, behind the locked door, broke down in her arms, begging to come back. He regretted his choice in isolating himself and pushing everyone away.
Pushing her away.
They were lucky it was irreversible.
...
Why did she let it happen in the first place?
“Hey, you're spacing out again."
Pomni shakes out of her trance. "Huh?" She looks down to feel Jax grabbing her hand, rubbing her palm with his thumb. Oh. That feels nice. "Oh, sorry. I'm just a little tired." She shrugs, looking up to see Jax wearing a bemused smile.
"You were also making weird noises in your sleep, ya know."
Pomni blinks. Back when...well...the life she remembered, she considered herself a light and quiet sleeper. She didn't snore, sleepwalk. None of that. Maybe that changed being in the circus?
“I was?”
Jax snorts, running his fingers against her pale palm repeatedly. “Yeah, you were burping and farting all night, it smelled pretty gnarly in here, man.” Pomni's horrified expression caused Jax to land faceflat on the sheet and muffle laugh against the fabric. “I'm just kidding! My God, you're so gullible. Ha!"
And she didn't consider the other option, Jax lying. Jerk! She punches his arm as she bursts into laughter. “Don't scare me like that, Jax. Last thing I want to do is be gross in my sleep.”
The next thing Pomni knew, she was picked up, bridal style.
“If that's how you feel, how about I pamper you and treat you to a bath?" Jax's arms cradle her against his fluffy chest. It's a new thing he started doing, but she felt safe when he did that. Glancing up, Jax's eyes stared down to hers with the softest look she's ever seen him with.
“Ah, you're serious," She blushes and suddenly feels very much on the spot in his arms. “Do you mean, you'll just make the bath or you'll give me one-”
Next thing she knew, her face was attacked with kisses.
“AHAHAHHA!” She bursts into loud squirmy giggles, the wet little kisses tickling her cheek as Jax was rapid with each kiss. “JAXXXXXX!!”
Jax lifted Pomni up to his lips with each kiss, that stupid smirk enveloping his face as her giggly pleads grew louder. He loved to torture her this way. “You,” kiss kiss kiss , “Talk to much.” chu chu chu. “Bath, now. No more questions.” Peck peck peck.
Screw you man! She wanted to yell out, kick her legs back and forth and push his ears away. But instead, she just ended up howling the whole way to the bathroom connected to her room. “Dude your ears are tickling my face!” She bursts out laughing as Jax leaned over to gently undress her. “Tie them up or something- HAHAHA!"
Jax scoffs lightly as he deliberately leans his head down. “Tie them up? My ears are giving you a quick dusting before you bathe. Don't you know anything about staying clean Pom pom?” His smirks widens as Pomni manages to push his face back with her palms as playfully wiggles in his arms.
"You are ridiculous." Her face still feels fizzy and ticklish, missing the soft gleam Jax gave her as he fully undressed her.
The bathroom was quiet, the sound of only running water echoing in the room. Pomni instinctually covered herself with her hands. Not that she had any body parts anyway, but she still had that humanly urge to be modest.
“Sorry. Still not used to seeing myself like this. Kinda cool Caine lets us change clothes, though,” She laughs weakly, flushing red. When she glances up, Jax's eyes were full on dilated, gazing at her. The two stared at each others eyes, now realizing just how intimate this was. "Um..."
And he didn't pull away.
“Tch, what are you apologizing for?” He rubs the back of his neck, Pomni not missing the blush accompanying his cheeks. "I'm not used to seeing the hard rock abs I've always had under my clothes."
Pomni cackles. "Youve always had abs?"
"Don't sound too surprised. Maybe one day I'll show you them." He couldn't even keep the smirk up as he bursts out laughing halfway. With Pomni laughing along, he gently deposits her in the now bubbly, sudsy warm bath. She immediately sinks all the way till only her head was visible. "But..." he starts again, turning off the faucets. "I don't think you'll be able to handle all of me."
As Pomni slumps in the tub with now closed eyes, she doesn't see Jax knee down and conjure a small container. She only feels the warm water over her hair, and his fluffy ears over her forehead. "I already did ,so I'm pretty sure I can handle your abs too." When she wasn't met with any response, she opens her eyes to see Jax now turned away from her, looking down at the tiled floor. "Jax?"
"It's nothing." He slathered on the smile, not his , but the fake one he still uses when he's going to deflect. Lathering up the shampoo between his fingers, he massages it gently against Pomni's head and hair.
Oh no. They werent going to do this again. She had to fight her urges to keep quiet and let herself get lost into his massages, pushing herself up in the tub and crossing her arms.
Bad habits don't die in a month, especially if you don't practice.
“Jax.” She narrows her eyes, leaving no room for avoidance.
“Okay, fine,” Jax sighed, dropping the fake smile. Good. He shakes off the suds off his hands, making sure to keep a brief distance from Pomni. "It's just- it's been a month since all that happened," he rubs his hands against his pants. "I guess I still can't understand why you-you know. Care," he shrugs. "About me.”
Pomni's eyes widened in disbelief. Before she could grab that idiot by the overalls and slap him silly, Jax put up placating hands. “Woah, wait wait wait. Just hear me out, okay?” He grabs a loofah and pours bodywash on it, lathering it up with his fingers. He raises it up to her body. "Let me know if I'm too rough, alright?"
"I know you won't hurt me, Jax."
“Pomni. Just..." he pursed his lips as he exhaled. "Please. For my sanity?"
"Fine. I will." And not once, was he ever rough as the loofah caressed her pale skin. She waits for him to continue. After all...
Time is precious and not prying all the time helps.
“I mean, Pomni. You went in my mind. You saw the most nastiest parts of me,” He carefully lifts her arms to scrub under, “The horrible things I was thinking of doing," He gently moves her hair to the side so he can scrub the back of her neck, "And well, the horrible things I did." He grabs the container of water. “Watch your eyes, I'm gonna rinse out the shampoo." He uses his ears again to shield her eyes as he pours the water over her hair.
"Jax..." Pomni starts to defend, only for Jax to shake his head.
“You should be disgusted with me.”
Next thing, Pomni knew, she stood up in the tub, pushed her legs against the water as she leaned over to hug Jax, not caring that she was soaking wet and nude.
“You’re seriously saying that as you’re giving me a bath?” She laughs bitterly, her eyes stinging. God. Her throat is closing up. How can he say that about himself? She hugs him tight. “We’re human Jax, there’s parts of me that I doubt that you would like. But I know that you would still love me…right?”
His desperate hands cupped her face, tilting her chin up to look up. Jax's pupils searched for hers in disbelief, trying to find any hint of lie or deceit. When he found none, he let out a small gasp. "Huh? You..?"
Stupid Jax. Wasn’t it obvious? God, his expressions looks so surprised. And thats what breaks her heart more. “Yeah," A tear runs down her face, “What gave that away?” Her voice cracks, Pomni hiding her face into his now soaking wet overalls. She hasnt cried since that day he abstracted.
She felt his thumb gently wipe away her tears as the other hand rubbed her back. "You almost died for me."
“That's what people do when they love each other, asshole.” she tried to laugh it off but her throat let out a quiet sob, and she couldn't stop it. She just sank to her knees and cried into her hands. Oh Jax.
"Oh, Pom pom, please don't cry. I didnt mean to make you cry," She hears Jax panic as he knees down to her level and lift her chin. He wipes her cheeks gently as his smile quivers. "You're gonna make me feel like a bigger jerk than I am. Let's just...finish your bath, alright?" When he goes to pick up the loofah, Pomni stops him.
“Wait,” She gulps, and runs her hand softly against his now soaked purple fur. “Take one with me. Right now…” she looks up with her sopping wet eyes.
Jax pauses. “Huh?” He flushes red, his ears flickers. “I don't know, I mean, I'm just gonna dirty your bath." He mumbles, a wry smile. He tries to scrub her again with the loofah before she gently stops him.
“We can always empty the water when it gets dirty." It's now her turn to cup his cheeks while she still uses the other hand to stroke his arm. “I don't mind as much as you think I do."
“Gross. Sounds like some hippie hygiene regimen,” Jax chuckles wetly and rubs his eyes with his fists. They finally intertwine their hands as they look into each others eyes, “But, sure, whatever you say, Pom pom."