Chapter Text
It's been about eight months since Caine came back and since then, Pomni has done the same thing everyday.
Visit Jax of course.
She knows that, when he was here, Jax had mixed feelings from the rest of the circus members, but since he abstracted, all the residents have collectively (non-verbally, more like an unsaid agreement) decided to forgive him and frequently visit him in the pillow fort they made.
Although Jax seems to be most at ease with Pomni, seeing as she’s the one that visits most frequently, he still seems to enjoy the company of the others, including Bubble which he’s grown quite fond of from what the rest of them can decipher.
Today was no different for Pomni’s routine. She had gotten up (definitely not staring at the crossed out door across from her for God knows how long) and shared pleasantries with the others before making her way to the pillow fort, opting out of today's adventure, the others didn't mind since they know her routine already.
Yes, they still did adventures, though they were much more tame. Closer to day-outs than actual adventures, still, they chose to keep the name for nostalgic purposes. She believed today they were going to a lake, some opting for swimming, some fishing, and some just reading from the book collection they conjured.
Pomni makes her way to the pillow fort, humming a tune that she doesn't quite remember and might be making up half of. She has a picnic basket in one hand that Ragatha helped her put together this morning, filled with the extra sandwiches she had prepared for the adventure that they didn't need, and a picnic blanket rolled up in the other.
She thought it would be a nice change from just sitting together – Not that she didn't enjoy that, she just wants to spice things up a bit you know? – even if Jax wasn't even awake for it, it felt nice to be in his company. It gave her something to look forward to. It gave her a meaning.
She's just coming around the front of the pillow palace when she freezes.
“Ugh,” A similar voice says sleepily from the front of the fort.
What was that?
Did she hear that right?
No. She must have imagined it, maybe the slight isolation is getting her.
She hears the voice again.
“Mm, so bright. What the fuck? Where am I?”
Pomni doesn't think she's ever run towards something faster in her life. She rounds the corner and immediately drops what she was holding, the basket and blanket long forgotten as she faces what's in front of her. She holds her hands up to her mouth as she gasps, her eyes getting wetter by the second.
A purple rabbit is standing in front of her, an arm covering their eyes from the bright lights outside the pillow palace.
It’s Jax.
Is it?
No.
Maybe?
It is.
But…with long black hair and….curves?
“Jax?” Pomni calls out, still in disbelief. She must be hallucinating.
The being’s expression turns soft. A smile playing on it’s lips, “Hey, Pom-pom. Ya missed me?”
Pomni launched herself into Jax’s arms. “Jax!” Is she crying? Doesn't matter.
Jax stumbles backwards a little from the momentum, giggling.
“Is-is this real,” Pomni says quietly, unsure, as if being too loud would shatter whatever false reality her damaged little brain has come up with. “Are you really here?” She turns her head up to face him, her arms holding tighter. “Am-am I dreaming?” her voice cracks midway through the sentence. Dammit she’s definitely crying now.
Jax’s smile is gone now, something like pain flashes across his face. He leans down to face Pomni’s sobbing form. He reaches out to hold her face, caressing her cheek soothingly in his palm. “I'm here. I'm here, Pomni. I'm not going anywhere, I'm here now.”
He reaches out and brings her back into a hug. Pomni lets out a sob and rounds her arms around him.
Fuck, he missed this.