Chapter Text
Pomni doesn’t understand why when they emerge from Caine’s coral reef underwater exploration adventure she’s still got all of her gear on. The snorkel, the flippers, the wetsuit. Everything.
It had been actually really fun using them in the adventure. Well, until the monster turtle started chasing them, but they had evaded it and found a safe little reef to chill around. Pomni had never completely let her guard down, though.
But now the adventure is over and here they all are trying to walk in their flippers. It makes Pomni feel like a duck.
Gangle kicks off her flippers, slapping her snorkle off of her mask.
“Ugh, that stuff was so heavy!” she complains. “I hated that! Never again! I kept getting weighed down and I couldn’t communicate that to any of you!”
“Oh!” Kinger says in surprise. He had also sunk onto a reef and barely moved the whole game. “I thought you were keeping me company.”
Gangle grumbles. “Zooble was right not to go on this one.”
Sure enough, they had not.
“Where’s Caine?” Ragatha asks, daintily stepping out of her wetsuit. Her dress expands, floofing out. “Wow, he really just put these suits on over our actual outfits, huh?”
“That would appear to be the case,” Pomni mumbles, rolling hers off her body.
It’s then that she notices someone looking. She can feel it. Pomni glances over at Jax who’s smirking at her out of the corner of his eye. Pomni’s eyes narrow.
She doesn’t know what Jax’s deal is. Lately he’s been oddly friendly, but she doesn’t trust it for a minute with the rotten way he treats Gangle and Ragatha. She has a feeling it’s a matter of not giving an inch with him. But he makes her nervous.
Pomni looks away and kicks her wetsuit off along with the flippers.
“Where is Caine?” she ponders.
Just then Caine bursts into existence right in front of Pomni and she screams, falling back onto the ground.
“Welcome back, my little saltwater sea slugs!” Caine greets. “How was the adventure?!”
Ragatha rushes forward to help Pomni up. “Oh Caine, you startled Pomni!”
Caine does not care. Pomni can see it in the intensity of his eyes. He needs to know what they think.
“Oh, it was a joy.”
Everyone looks over at Jax who’s still in his wetsuit and flippers for some reason.
”I loved it,” he says. “The turtle was a nice touch. So were the little anemone.”
“I got tangled up in those anemone,” Gangle grumbles.
“I know!” Jax says happily.
“Excellent!” Caine cries. “And you all echo the sentiment, yes? Yes? Good!”
Caine claps his hands excitedly. A microphone pops into his hand and he holds it in front of Pomni’s face.
“What’s your opinion, Pomni!”
Pomni freezes.
“Uhhh,” she says. “Uhhhhh, um, um, um—“
“Speechless as usual! Did I hit it out of the park or what?!” Caine gives himself a literal pat on the back.
Then he starts harassing Kinger and Gangle for their opinions. Ragatha stands next to Pomni and pats her shoulder.
“The turtle was pretty scary, huh? Are you—“
slap slap slap
“The turtle wasn’t scary.”
slap slap slap
Pomni looks over at Jax suspiciously as he approaches in his flippers. He grins down at Pomni, utterly unreadable.
“Though it scared you pretty bad, didn’t it, shortstack?”
Pomni’s eyes narrow. What is he going to do?
Jax grins down at her pompously for a moment longer then leans down and picks up her flippers. Then he slaps one of them onto her face.
“Jax!!” Ragatha cries.
“You should keep these!” Jax says. “Never know when they might come in handy!”
Pomni shoves the flipper off of her face and it falls to the ground. “No thanks.”
“That’s short-sighted of you,” Jax tells her, hands on his hips and looking down at her like she’s stupid. “You never know when adventure stuff will come in handy. I use it all the time to explore rooms in the Circus.”
“The last time I explored the Circus I got sucker punched in the face like three times,” Pomni deadpans.
Jax blinks. Then he busts out laughing, sharp teeth visible for a moment. “Ha! I know the rooms you’re talking about. That’s hilarious.”
He slaps her other flipper on top of her head. “Learn to dodge, idiot.”
“Jax!” Ragatha scolds. “Don’t call Pomni an idiot! Come on, Pomni, you don’t have to take this from him.”
“She absolutely does. Stop lying to her,” Jax scolds Ragatha, slapping the flipper onto Pomni’s head again.
Pomni pushes the flipper off of her head. Jax puts it back there.
And Pomni is at a total loss.
“Why are you doing this?” she asks flatly, not hoping for a real answer.
She doesn’t get one.
”Oh, you wish you knew, don’t you? I bet it keeps you up at night,” Jax cackles. He starts walking away. “Keep trying to figure it out, though, I’d love to hear your theories!”
slap slap slap
Pomni stares after him.
“What in the world is his problem?” Ragatha complains.
“… dunno.” Pomni watches his slow turn around the corner. “But he really doesn’t have to walk in the flippers, he could take them off.”
“He’s doing it for attention,” Ragatha says with a scoff.
“Yeah…”
Ragatha is probably right. But to what end?
Pomni frowns at the corner Jax turned for a moment longer, but is soon distracted by the food Caine puts out for them. Bubble is spinning two knives above the table, occasionally tossing them in the air with what feels like invisible arms. It lowkey highkey freaks Pomni out.
As she eats, her thoughts wander back to the adventure, then to Jax, but she dismisses him.
After all, Jax doesn’t want to be known.
So Pomni will just never get him.
It’s something that troubles her in terms of future bullying, but she’s pretty sure she can take whatever he throws her way. Most of it.
Maybe.
She makes peace with the thought and lets it drop.
—
“Jax!” Gangle yelps as Jax flicks another round piece of food in her direction. Is it a pea? Is it supposed to be cereal? Who knows, it doesn’t taste like real food anyway.
Jax snickers in self-satisfaction but finds his eyes moving towards the door, wondering when Pomni is going to show up.
Recently even pulling off some major mischief just doesn’t hit the same if it isn’t directed at Pomni, or at least in front of her. It’s a little like constantly holding up a neon flashing sign that screams ‘Pay attention to me!!’ but Jax can’t even help it and that’s the worst part.
Because he just wants her attention so badly, like a gnawing, gnashing ache that won’t let up.
And by God he will have it.
Gangle makes some other mind-numbing complaint but Jax tunes it out as he casually flicks another food sphere at her, daydreaming about Pomni walking on in.
It wasn’t like this at first, so when had it started?
Jax can’t really put his finger on it, just that casual curiosity had soon become a constant stream of wondering and thinking and fantasizing about Pomni. The big eyed jester has him by the [BEEP]ing throat and she doesn’t even know it.
But then there she is, walking in looking dazed and lost as she always does. Jax wants to chew on her head.
“Good morning, Pomni!” Ragatha calls out with a little too much enthusiasm. If Jax was close enough he’d shove her face in her food.
“What’s so good about it?” Jax asks instead, hoping to ruin the mood. Make it hostile, even.
Ragatha scowls over at him but turns her attention back to Pomni with determination, which just tanks his mood more. Like they’re even close. Ragatha has some nerve.
Only Pomni does pause to talk to Ragatha because the two of them are building a rapport and that has Jax simmering inside. Ragatha doesn’t even know what kind of pressure cooker she’s messing with, but he is going to explode when she least expects it.
But this does make him think. If Ragatha and Pomni are getting close, he’s going to have to put a stop to it. He doesn’t trust Ragatha not to get a crush for [BEEP], Little Miss Let-Me-Crush-On-Every-Girl-NPC-Ever. Unbearable. Deplorable.
And now she’s trying to steal Pomni—
Woah, woah.
Even Jax has to backtrack a bit from that thought. After all, he and Pomni aren’t even friends. They’re barely on speaking terms and that is by his own design, but now he’s got a crush and the thought of other people being close to her while he’s left out to die in the rain makes him feel crazy.
So what’s he gonna do about it?
Time to scheme.
Just then Caine bursts onto the scene with a showering of glitter that gets all over their food. “Greetings and salutations my battery-powered begonias! Are you ready to hear all about today’s adventure?!”
Pomni, who is still standing over by Ragatha, stares at the glittery food. “I-”
“Then let’s get to it!” Caine spouts enthusiastically, giving a click of his heels, a spin, then the snap of his fingers.
A stage appears behind him along with the words, Blarbie Fashion Frenzy: Fashionista Bloodbath!
Even Jax, who would usually be losing his marbles over the word bloodbath in any adventure–or any reason really–just stares at it with a screwed up expression before declaring, “I genuinely don’t know what to make of that name.”
“Partner up with your best pal to become supreme fashionistas to impress fashion expert Blarbie!” Caine cries. “One lucky winner will become Blarbie’s very best friend and confidante.”
“Blarbie…” Pomni’s eyes narrow like she’s trying to comprehend Caine’s mind. “Do you mean Bar—“
“NONE OF THAT, NOW,” Caine yells over her. “And don’t let me catch you trying to infringe on copyright again!”
Pomni’s mouth snaps shut.
”Anyway,” Caine says.
Bubble suddenly pops into existence beside him and asks, “What are the rules?”
Caine cries out in alarm, clearly startled. “Don’t do that. Wait til I summon- We’ve talked about this.”
His tone goes low like he’s suddenly having a private conversation in front of all of them.
Bubble grins forward. “Sorry, boss. Just trying to match your energy.”
“That’s fine but-” Caine suddenly seems to become aware of the rest of them again and snaps into an akimbo stance. “Anywho! We’ll talk about that later! For now, the rules!”
“Like I said, pair up with your best buddy and get prettied up!”
That’s not rules, more like a suggestion.
“Only the prettiest will be Blarbie’s bestest friend, and that is a huge honor, believe you me. I wish I was her bestest friend!” Caine declares.
“Maybe you should participate instead of us,” Zooble says flatly.
Both Caine and Bubble throw back their heads and just start belting out laughter, Caine finally wiping away a tear from his eye, then from Bubble’s. “Classic Zooble! No, no indeed! These adventures are for you!”
“Wow,” Ragatha says. “I wonder what Blarbie will be like, huh, Pomni?”
“I bet you do wonder,” Jax says. “Bet you hope she’s hot.”
“Wha— no!” Ragatha is immediately and suspiciously on the defensive. “I mean—“
“Liar!” Jax slaps down like he’s laying down a conviction. “Can’t kiss her if you don’t win.”
“No one said anything about that!” Ragatha cries, clearly flustered.
“Are you hooligans going to play or what— go! Go through the portal! Now!”
Caine is pointing at it.
He must really be jonesing for this one because usually he avoids purposefully making them feel like he owns their souls.
“It sounds fun!” Gangle chimes in, oddly enough the first to go through. She’s probably hoping to skate by with something easy after the underwater adventure. What a loser. “Come on, you guys!”
Everyone files after her, even Zooble, and just before the portal closes Jax can see Caine smacking his hands together as he says,
“See, Bubble? They’re going to love it. Let’s just hope the loser doesn’t mind that they’re gonna be—“
The portal closes.
Jax immediately dismisses it because he heard ‘pair up’ and ‘best buddy’ and now he’s ready for action.
His eyes are immediately on Pomni and it takes him a minute to realize they’re all crammed into what looks like a diva’s dressing room with a huge mirror. On a table there are matching bracelets of different colors. He sees Pomni pick up a red one and examine it, then put it on.
But before he can reach over and snatch the other one up—
“Oh hey, Pomni, do you wanna team up?” Ragatha asks.
Her hand gets closer to the remaining red bracelet.
And closer.
“Sure I don’t-” Pomni has started to say when Jax bursts up between them like the world’s most unwanted jack-in-the-box.
His hand slaps the bracelet from Ragatha’s, catching it with the other in one slick move and shoving it around his wrist. “How dare you, you know red is my color.”
“Wha— no it’s not!” Ragatha whines.
Little holographic lit up depictions of Pomni and Jax come up on the huge mirror and it seems their fate has been set.
[BEEP]ing good! That serves Ragatha.
Only Pomni is giving him her most suspicious look yet.
”What, you wanna pair up with me?”
“Uh, no?” Jax laughs dismissively. “I just told you, red is my color.”
“Uh huh.” Pomni doesn’t look convinced.
“Uhh, if anything red is my color,” Gangle chimes in, slipping a blue bracelet around her wrist that matches the one Zooble just slipped on. Their lit up silhouettes join Pomni’s and Jax’s on the mirror.
“Guess that means the two of us are partners!” Kinger says cheerfully to Ragatha, picking up a green bracelet. “What are we doing?”
Ragatha sighs and slips on the matching green bracelet, resigned to her fate as she should be. “Don’t worry, I’ll explain it to you… again.”
Jax notes that Pomni is giving him one of the most suspicious looks he’s ever received. He puts his hand on his chest and bats his eyelashes in return as the mirror opens up with a pink dry ice effect. Jax can’t deny he likes the pizazz.
Beyond the mirror there's a circular room with a fountain and several doors ahead of them. A little cherub that looks like a plastic doll appears and waves a wand like it’s a fairy so Jax doesn’t really know what’s going on there.
“Welcome to Blarbie’s Fashion Palace! Stay tuned for a message from Blarbie herself!”
A screen pops out of nowhere and Blarbie herself appears.
“Let’s be real,” Jax says. “She’s just Bar—“
“Jax, we’ll get in trouble!” Ragatha hisses.
Jax rolls his eyes.
She basically has “Mattel” branded across her face.
“Welcome to my Fashion Palace! Will you help me prove who should be my bestest friend by dressing up and doing some of my favorite activities?”
Options pop up over the doors. One of them says ‘Ice Skating Lessons’ while another says ‘Pickup Panic.’ There’s also one that just has a picture of a horse. Whatever could that be.
“Lessons— Oh, what the [BEEP], I am not ice skating,” Zooble insists.
Jax can see it now, Zooble falling and scattering themselves across the ice. He snorts. “What, are you not excited about today’s adventure, Zoobie?”
”No.”
“Um, hello?” Blarbie laughs a little hysterically. “I’m still here?? On the screen? Hello, haha, is this thing on?”
“Read you loud and clear, Blarbie!” Ragatha says like the horrible flirt she is.
“Thank you,” Blarbie says in a tone that makes Jax want to smash the screen. “I’m sure you’re all just as excited as me about finding out who gets to be my very bestest friend! So which adventure would you like to start with today?”
“The pickup one seems the least disastrous,” Zooble grumbles, starting to shuffle towards that door.
“Great choice!” Blarbie encourages like she wouldn’t say the same thing if they picked any other door. “Get ready, and I’ll meet you on the other side!”
Zooble’s eyes narrow, hand on the door. “Get ‘ready’?”
“Maybe that’s the fashionista part?” Ragatha suggests. “Guess we’ll—“
The floor drops out from under them and everybody but Jax screams. He crosses his arms, freefalling comfortably before flipping his body and landing on his feet. Nobody else does.
Actually.
Nobody else is here, what the [BEEP]?
Jax looks around and realizes he’s in some weird cube space with racks and racks of clothing and—
And Pomni’s face is on a huge screen. Her eyes are rolling and she’s clearly orienting herself.
“Uhhh,” Jax says.
“Uhhhhh,” Pomni says, glancing around, then back at him through the screen. “It says ‘Dress-Up Time’ on my screen with a bunch of little arrows. One sec…”
Aw, look at her getting into the spirit of it.
“Hey Pomni,” Jax says. “I bet you—“
Suddenly there’s a whoosh and Jax can feel his clothes being blown clean off and replaced with—
Jax looks down slowly.
He’s in a little thigh high pink dress and heels, which immediately make his ankles wobble. He feels uncomfortably high up from the ground.
The dress is way too freaking short what was Caine thinking and also why is Jax dressed like a girl?
“Um, Pomni?” he fake laughs. “What the [BEEP] is this?”
Pomni is gaping at the screen. “Oh [BEEP].”
“Uh, yeah ‘oh [BEEP], get me out of this thing immediately!” Jax protests, tugging at the bottom of the dress like that will magically make it longer. “This is bull[BEEP]! Why am I the one getting dressed up?!”
Shouldn’t it be Pomni? She’s the girl! This stuff would actually look good on her. He would bash his head against the wall for the opportunity to dress her up, but this?
This isn’t funny even a little bit.
He glares at the stupid bracelet on his wrist, noting it has ‘model’ engraved in it. “Hey Pomni, what does your stupid bracelet say?”
“Huh? Wha?” Pomni is still disoriented and panicking, looking at her screen anxiously. “My…?”
Her saucer-sized eyes move downwards and she squints. “Um, ‘Designer?’”
The bracelets assign their roles
Jax wants to smack his forehead, or better yet Caine’s. “Why did no one tell us this?! Switch with me!”
“I- don’t know how right now!” Pomni says, sounding more anxious.
This is a horrible snag in Jax’s grand schemes. He can’t be having Pomni looking at him dressed like a chick, she’ll never take him seriously!
He crosses his arms tightly. “Listen, for now get me into some pants and then we’ll switch the bracelets after. Okay? Just, get me in something less revealing already!”
“Right, right.” Pomni starts fussing with something.
The dress flies off of Jax’s body and he gives a little screech at the split second of exposure. That [BEEP]es him off, too, and he preemptively crosses his arms before looking down and seeing he’s in a cropped tube top and booty shorts.
“No!” Jax insists. “Pick again! Longer pants! Also, what— is this a game? For girls? What kind of message is this sending! My [BEEP] is falling out of these!”
There’s another whoosh and suddenly he’s in a flower patterned sundress with a matching hat.
“I said pants!” he cries, panic mounting.
“I’m trying!” Pomni snaps. “There are, like, only skirts and dresses!”
“This stinks of the patriarchy!” Jax declares, despite having his own toxic masculinity dialing up to eleven with this debacle. “Get me out of this dress!”
There’s a series of several whooshes and then finally Jax looks down to see himself in a slinky, tight pink dress that glitters and only goes down to a little above his knees.
“Oh, what the [BEEP], Pomni?!”
Pomni gives him a solemn look. “That’s the least revealing dress they have.”
This is messed up.
“I’m not going anywhere like this! And you stop looking at me!” Jax demands, pointing at the screen.
He looks around in a panic, looking for something to layer over this atrocity. Why aren't there any pants?!
“Time’s up, fashionistas! Time to play!” Blarbie’s disembodied voice booms over them and Jax’s heart jumps into his throat.
“No, no, no-” But the pleas fall on deaf ears as the floor is ripped away again, this time Jax floundering through the air before landing with a painful thud on a plush, light pink carpet.
“Ow,” he declares, numb with rage.
The others are also groaning and a fresh jolt of sour adrenaline goes through Jax at the thought of being seen by them.
And then Pomni steps in front of him.
Everyone gets up and it’s Gangle who realizes, “Where’s Jax?”
They all look around. Then at Pomni who’s standing in front of Jax. He can’t see what expression she’s making, but they all give her an odd look.
Then they look down.
“Uhh, what’s up with Jax?” Ragatha asks, trying to peek like a nosy shrew. “You, uh, good there?”
Pomni moves to try and block her gaze again. ”He uhhhh.”
“I died, leave me alone!” Jax snaps, grabbing an oversized stuffed animal that fails to resemble anything specifically and hugging it in front of him to hide the dress.
“Oh, I’m sure Pomni worked hard on your outfit!” Kinger says like he’s trying to do anyone a favor. What he’s doing is blowing Jax’s cover. “I’m sure Blarbie would love to see it!”
“I know I would,” Gangle says with something a little malicious that Jax is going to make her pay for later.
Pomni turns back to look at him and shakes her head. “It’s not a big deal, just—“
Just then the ceiling opens and tons of clothes fall down, all over the pristine bedroom.
“Time for Pickup Panic!” comes Blarbie’s disembodied voice. “Help me pick up my room!”
A timer starts.
“Oh, we’re doing her chores?” Zooble asks. “To prove who’s her best friend? Right.”
They’re not wearing anything special, but neither is Gangle. It takes Jax a moment to realize the clothes probably fell right off.
“Shh,” Gangle hushes. “I want to win this.”
Good [BEEP]ing luck.
“Well, I think it could be fun!” Ragatha says, picking up some laundry and starting to fold it.
Jax gets a good look at Ragatha’s outfit. She’s wearing what looks like a blue 80’s power suit combo.
A pant suit.
“What the [BEEP], how come she gets to wear pants?!” Jax cries.
“I thought it would look flattering on her!” Kinger cuts in, giving his two cents.
Jax cold ignores him. “Also, you’re the worst, Rags. Pandering to a princess.”
“Wha?” Ragatha’s eye narrows.
“We all know what you’re really after,” Jax accuses.
Ragatha scoffs. “At least I’m not throwing a little tantrum.”
Jax scowls, then looks at Pomni who’s standing beside him uncertainly like she really doesn’t want to fold laundry.
“This is your fault,” Jax tells her.
Pomni gives him a tired look. “It’s really not, though.”
“I’m not folding a single piece of laundry,” Jax decides.
“Warning!” Blarbie’s voice rings out again. “The ultimate loser will be puniiiiished.”
“You know,” Kinger says. “I’ve always found that laundry is pretty zen!”
“Ultimate… loser.” Pomni stares blankly head. Then she leans down and starts picking up laundry. “I’m gonna go… fold some over there.”
Jax watches as she wanders over to the bed.
He continues to hug the stuffed animal while the others do the stupid ‘game’. Caine is lucky he’s got that wacky digital body or Jax would be disassembling him the second they got back.
Jax realizes that every time he shifts his body he can feel the slinky dress shift on his body in turn and it ticks him off.
The bracelet
The thought zips through Jax’s brain like a bullet train and he bolts to Pomni’s side, suddenly yanking at her wrist. “Wait, forget that dumb stuff, switch bracelets with me.”
Maybe if they switch then Pomni will be wearing this stupid outfit only she’ll look really cute and he wants to see it.
Only the bracelet won’t come off. “What the heck is with this thing?”
“Ow!” Pomni cries out as he starts to yank harder. “Jax, stop, it’s stuck!”
“We just need some brute force,” Jax says through gritted teeth, yanking on her.
“Brute force isn’t going to help!” Pomni snaps.
“We just need more torque!” He insists.
Jax braces his foot against the side of the bed. “Work with me, Pomni! Pull!”
To Pomni’s credit, she does pull.
She pulls so hard her arm starts to tug and elongate.
“Hey,” she grunts. “I think you’re getting it.”
But Jax knows it’s just her arm stretching.
Jax sighs and lets go of her arm, causing it to spring back and smack into her so hard she’s sent to the ground in a heap.
“It’s no use!” Jax laments, plopping down on the plush bed and shielding himself from the others with the stuffed animal so he can pout properly. “It’ll never come off.”
Pomni pushes herself up slowly, looking at Jax with an extreme lack of amusement.
“Why were you so insistent on partnering up with me anyway?”
“I told you it’s because red is-”
“Your color,” Pomni interrupts, not sounding convinced in the slightest. “I thought you were more of a pink guy. I mean your overalls.”
Jax’s masculinity is under attack actively.
Jax sits up sharply. “They are salmon and how dare you?!”
“Salmon, huh,” Pomni says in a dead voice.
“It’s a masculine color!”
“We’re at the half-way mark!” Blarbie’s voice cuts in. “And wow my room sure is still looking messy! I’m not so sure anyone wants to be my friend!”
“Oh this [BEEP] is a real piece of work,” Jax mutters under his breath, teeth gnashing.
Pomni stares at him, folding a shirt.
“Do you really want to be the ‘ultimate loser?’” she asks.
He turns his head towards her dully, declaring, “I already am the ultimate loser, Pomni. How much worse can it get?”
Pomni pauses in her folding. “The only person making a big deal of it is you.”
Jax scowls at the hard truth Pomni just served him.
“You could have pretended to rock it,” she adds.
Jax’s jaw drops in offense.
Pomni’s eyes glance away uncertainly, then back to him.
Jax feels insane. He’s fighting between his own toxic masculinity, the desire to be dead, and the desire to see Pomni in a cute outfit.
“It should have been you,” Jax says bitterly.
“Well, it’s not.” Pomni shrugs.
That just makes him pout harder and he gropes around for the comforter, wrapping it around himself to hide away from this dumb adventure. This could have been the best time of his digital life, why did it have to get all [BEEP]ed up? He glares into the dark, reaching down to impatiently tug the slinky dress down further.
It feels weird to have his thighs so bare.
Before he can even start to feel concealed he hears,
“Time’s up!”
Everyone is dumped out of the bedroom and suddenly Jax is on the floor of the changing room again.
“Oh goooodd,” he groans. And then suddenly he realizes—
“Yesss!” Jax cries, looking desperately at Pomni on the screen. “Pomni, quick, pick out some pants!”
Pomni seems to be quickly scrolling, eyes darting. But her frown just keeps deepening.
“… I think we’re just gonna have to go for modest.”
Pomni presses on something and Jax’s clothes fly away, replaced by a cropped tennis outfit. He nearly shrieks at the sight, then glares at Pomni.
“What did you click that one for!” Jax is going to rip his own ears off. “It’s clearly skimpy!”
“Sorry!” Pomni seems to be scrolling quickly again. “Sorry, there’s just some really cute outfits in here.”
“Seriously?!” Jax cries in disbelief. At this point it’s a testament to his strength that he doesn’t abstract out of spite.
“I’m not your little dress up doll!” he declares, even though it’s exactly what he would do to Pomni had their roles been reversed.
Pomni stops scrolling and goes very still.
“Pomni!!” Jax hollers.
Pomni folds her hands and puts them in front of her mouth.
“… Okay,” she says.
Okay…?
”Wha—?? What’s okay?!” Jax is gonna destroy her, crush or no.
Pomni seems to meet his eyes through the screen.
“Can I just do one more outfit?” she asks.
Jax’s jaw drops and he knows it’s over for him. Any attraction he might have fostered in Pomni has just been shot dead out of the air.
“You’re unbelievable. Wow, Pomni. You? Anyone else, sure. Haha, but you?” He glowers to the side because he can’t bear to see her complete lack of interest.
And then Pomni comes in with the uppercut.
“… So is that a no…?”
Jax contemplates ragdolling.
“Fine!” He snaps viciously. “Do what you want! I’m chopped liver!”
“OkayI’mreallysorry,” Pomni says in a rush.
Suddenly Jax’s clothes are ripped off like he’s a slut and are replaced with—
Jax grimaces down at the plaid, pleated pink miniskirt and yellow sweater he’s wearing. At least he’s less exposed on the upper portion of his body, but still.
He glares down at himself, dead inside.
Stupid, stupid Jax
“Are you happy now?” Jax asks her. “Are you amused?”
Pomni is doing that dumb thing again where she’s got her hands folded in front of her face and she looks so serious. She says nothing.
Wait, what?
What’s up with that reaction?
“Times up!” Blarbie interrupts.
God.
“It’s time for your favorite mini-game! Ice Skating Lessons!”
“It is no one’s favorite game!” Jax snaps with impotent rage, stomping his foot.
Then he gets all bent out of shape over the fact he did that in front of Pomni.
Could this day get any worse?
The floor opens up again and this time Jax is ready to catch himself again until-
Jax slips on the ice he lands on instantly, a shiver traveling up his spine. It’s cold!
He yelps, skittering to a stop. “What gives, I don’t even get ice skates?!”
It’s an outrage.
“I don’t even have shoes on!” Jax throws his arms up in the air.
A giant screen turns on to show Blarbie’s perfectly plastic face. It moves uncannily when she speaks.
“Me and Pomni are going to watch you ace practice!” Blarbie crows. “Isn’t that right, Pomni?”
Pomni appears in a tinier screen in the corner of Blarbie’s and Jax zeroes in on her.
Oh god and now Pomni is going to watch him fail spectacularly and eat [BEEP] on the ice. Jax wonders if he focuses hard enough he can abstract.
“Wow!” Blarbie pretends to elbow Pomni’s screen. “He’s sure dressed for the weather, isn’t he!”
“……. Yes.” Pomni says.
She has an odd expression on her face.
Probably thinking about how lame he looks, god!
Jax tries to ease up onto his feet just because it’s too cold to stay pressed against the ice. He immediately begins to slip and slide, arms pinwheeling before he tumbles back onto his [BEEP].
Great
His eyes fly to the little screen of Pomni’s face but her expression hasn’t changed.
A shiver goes through Jax and he struggles up onto his feet again, managing to shuffle closer towards the edge of the ice rink before Blarbie’s voice booms out,
“Go on, go faster! Try doing a trick to earn bonus points!”
Jax glares knives at her face on the big screen. If he could reach her neck-
His foot slips to the side and suddenly he’s hitting the ice again, a little winded this time.
“[BEEP],” he huffs out. His whole body is starting to shiver, this sucks.
“Hmmmm,” Blarbie hums judgmentally. “Maybe your friend needs a little help! Pomni.”
Suddenly Pomni’s picture blips out and she pops into existence next to Jax, who nearly slaps her in surprise.
Pomni falls onto her [BEEP] and sits there, looking stunned before immediately starting to shiver.
“Oh gooood,” she complains. “It’s so cold!”
“No, really?” Jax narrows his eyes at her.
Pomni drags herself up onto her feet, wobbly and slipping in her little shoes.
“There we go!” Blarbie claps her hands. “Now help each other around the rink! Use teamwork! Don’t forget those special moves!”
They have no choice but to dance for Blarbie’s approval. Jax doesn’t like this adventure one bit.
The two of them start to slide along the ice together, neither of them speaking as they concentrate. Jax’s feet are freezing.
”Help each other!” Blarbie orders, clearly getting jumped up on power.
Pomni reaches out and takes Jax’s hand.
His eyes widen in wonder for a moment, heart thumping, and he unthinkingly tightens his fingers around hers.
And just like that he’s holding hands with Pomni.
For a moment it’s all he can focus on and then a shiver breaks his concentration enough for him to realize Blarbie is blabbing again. “Go ahead and try out one of your special moves!”
“This harpy is going to kill us,” Jax seethes to Pomni.
If only he wasn’t wearing this stupid outfit! Jax sulks.
Then his brain switches gears. Special moves, huh?
Jax looks pointedly at Pomni, deciding how to exact his revenge. “Ready for a real groovy move, Pom?”
Pomni opens her mouth to respond but Jax winds her up and sends her spinning over the ice. For a while she does pretty good just flailing around and he even calls out, “Hey, nice job!”
And then she hits the ice with a thud that makes Jax wince. “Oooh, that had to hurt.”
He starts to hug the sweater closer then quits that.
Pomni’s eyes are rolling in all directions again.
“Uuugh,” she groans. “[BEEP] you, Jax!”
Jax comes shimmying over. His hand reaches down to tug at the skirt, but it doesn’t go any further down his hips.
“Do we get any bonus points?” he asks Blarbie.
”For what?” Blarbie asks. “I wasn’t paying attention, sorry.”
“I’m gonna kill her,” Jax states plainly, thinking now the ‘bloodbath’ part of the game is meant to describe how much he wants to-
“What was that?” Blarbie asks in a tone that’s difficult to read.
Jax opens his mouth to say it again when Pomni intercedes, “H-he said he’s going to thrill- you. Haha- ha.”
Pomni’s eyes drop. She’s such a bad liar. But Blarbie giggle snorts. “Oh I’m so excited to see it this time!”
But as it turns out, it’s not Jax’s turn to wow the crowd.
It’s Pomni’s.
“Aaagh!!”
Jax watches with wide eyes as Pomni slips and falls, practically somersaulting and somehow ending up on her feet again. A little marker that says “+10” appears above her head.
“Wow!” Blarbie cheers. “Nice trick!”
Pomni promptly falls back onto the ice.
Jax realizes that his hand has gone cold. They’re no longer holding onto each other.
He wants to hold it again, but it’s way funnier if he doesn’t help Pomni up.
“Wow, Pom, that’s really impressive!” Jax teases, putting a hand on his hip and jutting it out all sassy.
And then he remembers he’s in this stupid skirt and scowls. By the time he’s back to reality Pomni is standing and looking up at him, annoyed.
“Well, c’mon,” she grumbles and starts to shuffle along the ice again, seeming to take his hand with reluctance.
That irks Jax. He wants her to want to hold it.
As long as he’s at ground zero he might as well try and boost Pomni’s opinion a little by showing off. It’s not like it can get any worse.
If Pomni could manage a little flip then surely he can do something, nevermind he’s half-numb and shivering.
“Okay, I think I’ve got something.” Jax goes for it with all he’s got, some dumb little spin, only when he tries to right himself his numb foot just doesn’t balance right and down Jax goes.
Right onto his face.
[BEEP] in the god[BEEP] air.
Death would actually be preferable to this.
“Oh wow, that was a pretty bad move!” Blarbie says cheerfully and Jax finds the strength in him to sit up just to flip her off, but then he catches sight of Pomni’s face and she’s looking at him-
What? What is that expression?
Jax’s eyes narrow at her. “What?”
Pomni looks away. “Nothing.”
Ohhhh that’s so suspicious!
“What.” Jax asks flatly. “What is it.”
And then he realizes his skirt flew up. And his back was facing Pomni.
What’s under this skirt?
He suddenly becomes aware of it. And whatever it is, they are not boxers. He can’t let himself believe it for a moment but—
Am I wearing panties?
His mouth opens in a silent scream and then he looks at Pomni with such offense, covering himself. “You saw!”
Pomni’s expression is so carefully neutral Jax wants to shake her until she gives him something to let him know what she’s thinking.
“I’m sorry.”
“That’s not good enough!” Jax is hysterical, irrational, mcfreaking losing it on this adventure.
“How do you come back from that?!” He demands of her, spiraling.
“It’s not like I’m gonna tell anyone,” Pomni looks down at him, seemingly at a loss.
That’s not the point!!!
Jax wants to scream it in her face but then she’d be all nosy and want to know what the point is and of course he can’t tell her it’s her.
Pomni sighs. “Come on. The sooner we get done with this the sooner you can get back in your overalls.”
She holds out her hand to help him up even though Jax pointedly did not offer the same courtesy when she was on the ice.
Pomni’s just so kind. It makes Jax crazy when she aims it his way.
For a few seconds he glares at her outstretched hand to make a point, but is aware of how eagerly he finally reaches up to take it.
“Fine,” Jax grumbles, nearly pulling so hard on her hand she falls too.
And he wouldn’t have disliked it if she fell on him
Pomni doesn’t let go of his hand.
It’s something Jax is very aware of as they take baby steps across the ice. Neither attempt any tricks and Pomni doesn’t look at him.
She’s totally thinking about the fact that he’s wearing panties
“Stop thinking about it,” Jax snaps out of nowhere.
”I’m not!!” Pomni immediately lies.
“The fact you know what I mean proves it,” Jax bats back at her. “You pervert.”
“I’m not a— you’re the one bringing it up!” Pomni cries. Jax scowls deeply and she glares up in defiance. “Let’s just agree to stop thinking about it.”
“So you were thinking about it!” Jax cries, aghast.
“I wasn’t!!”
“Time’s up!” Blarbie yawns.
Suddenly the ice disappears and they’re falling again, still hand in hand.
The contact is broken and Jax is dumped onto the floor of the dressing room while Pomni resides behind the screen. She looks troubled.
“Pants.” That’s all Jax says.
Pomni starts scrolling and shakes her head. “I’m telling you, there are no pants options. I’ve scrolled through this like a million times.”
“A million?” Jax scoffs. “Please.”
“You know what I mean.”
Jax huffs and crosses his arms, looking away. “I bet you love this.”
“What, you giving me a hard time?” Pomni deadpans.
“No, getting to dress me up and humiliate me!” Jax says like it’s her fault.
“And what in the world gives you that idea about me!” Pomni loses her patience. “Give me one reason!”
“Because— you keep giving me weird looks!” Jax snaps.
“I saw your whole—“ Pomni takes a deep breath and seems to calm herself.
Jax is already gasping in shock, though. “What were you going to say!”
“All I’m saying is it’s just an awkward thing to happen!”
“Nuh-uh, nope,” Jax points at her on the screen. “You’re being weird about it.”
Pomni goes silent.
Jax blinks. “Wait, are you actually being weird about it…?”
”No!” Pomni exclaims. “No I am not!”
Just then Blarbie’s voice chimes in.
“Time’s up! Random outfit chosen! Time for the final mini game - Pony Paradise!”
What—
Jax barely has time to look down before he’s being whisked off to ‘Pony Paradise.’ He falls onto his ass in some picturesque ranch setting, dropped next to Pomni who’s rubbing her head. Everyone is there this time and he’s privately grateful that not all of them witnessed his ice skating wardrobe malfunction—
“Wow, Jax!” Gangle says cheerfully. “Cute outfit!”
Jax stands up slowly and looks down to see he’s wearing a tight pink mini skirt and a midriff baring matching halter top. He’s also wearing white knee high go-go boots. He seethes, tensing up. At least the last outfit had been modest enough, but this one clings to him and he looks so—
“Gangle, I’m gonna kill you!” Jax lashes out mindlessly.
“Holy [BEEP], don’t say that!” Gangle yelps in alarm, taking a step away from Jax.
Ragatha is giggling and Kinger gives him a thumbs up. Zooble is just staring blankly at him.
And Pomni…
Jax looks over to Pomni who is staring at him as well.
Not his face, but his clothes.
“You can all go to Hell,” he seethes, expression darkening.
He crosses his arms sharply, not sure if it makes it better or worse. This outfit is so tight and revealing! Jax just wants to sink into the ground.
“You can borrow my robe if you like!” Kinger offers kindly.
Jax fixes him with a dead stare. “The only thing worse than me wearing girls’ clothes is you hopping around naked.”
Kinger shrugs. “Whatever makes you more comfortable.”
Jax rolls his eyes over to Pomni. She’s still looking at him with that weirdly serious expression on her face. Jax tsks and snaps his fingers in front of her eyes.
“Pom. Earth to Pom.”
Pomni blinks and looks up at him. “What?”
Jax cannot believe this. What is he supposed to make of Pomni being into this? It makes him want to scream. “I am not a piece of meat to be ogled.”
“Everyone is just admiring you!” Ragatha says, giggling at his expense for sure. She’s in some kind of riding outfit looking like a doll made to go with a horse.
Jax contemplates cutting off all her hair. Sheering her like a sheep.
“Ohhh, look at all the horses!” Gangle says with joy. She’s wearing a little hat on her mask, Jax notices just as it falls off.
“Aw, [BEEP],” Gangle says, picking it up.
“Yeah, this dress up adventure has been [BEEP],” Zooble says. “Gangle can’t wear any of the clothes and now we get to step in horse [BEEP].”
“Noo, it’ll be fun!” Gangle insists. “You’ll see.”
“Yeah!” Ragatha agrees. “I love horses! I used to have several, they were so sweet.”
“Ugh, chicks and horses,” Jax complains to complain.
These idiots are way too hopeful for this.
Pomni starts walking away from the group towards a stable. Jax watches her go, noticing that there’s a little plaque on one of the stalls that says ’Pomni & Jax’.
It scratches his ego for some reason and he walks over, noting there’s a name under theirs,
Sargeant Spaghetti
Is that the name of the horse? He looks over at the giant yellowish stallion.
“We ripped these poor creatures out of the wild,” he tells Pomni. “Broke their spirits and made them work themselves into the ground for progress.”
“Cool,” Pomni says. “There’s instructions on the wall for how to groom the horse.”
“Groom the— at least we’re doing these poor creatures the decency of cleaning them, but how the Hell does that constitute as a fun mini game?” Jax is incensed. “This is just manual labor!”
He throws his arms up in the air and when he does his halter top slides along his chest and his miniskirt shifts on his hips. It feels—
tight, silky
sexy
The moment the thought registers is the moment his arms come slamming back down, crossing tightly across his chest. He has to fight not to immediately start tugging down his skirt, though part of him is a little afraid to. What if he feels that way again?
It has him sweating bullets.
This cannot awaken anything in him. Period.
“Well I hope you’re excited,” Jax deflects, flustered.
Pomni is silent as she grabs a brush, starting to pet through the horse’s mane.
Then she breaks the silence.
“I used to have a Barbie computer game when I was a kid where you could dress up and take care of horses on your ranch. I used to play it for hours,” she says.
Jax tilts his head at her slowly. “Blarbie.”
“What?” Pomni looks over at him.
“You have to say Blarbie or else Caine will kill you.”
Pomni’s eyelids lower. “I think I’ll take my chances. This wasn’t Blarbie, this was Barbie. There’s a difference.”
“I-” Jax squints at her then rolls her eyes, shrugging. “I believe you. What about it?”
He’s already waiting to hear something from her mouth he doesn’t want to hear.
“Nothing, I guess,” Pomni says with a shrug. “I was just thinking about it.”
She glances at him and he sees her eyes travel down his body. Then she looks sharply away.
“Just. Trying to keep it civil.”
Civil. Is that what Pomni calls it when she’s got her eyes taking walks all over his body?
It’s something that would have Jax thrilled under literally any other circumstance, but why does it have to be this? Why does it have to be over him in a sexy, girly outfit?
Is she into girls?
Jax puts a hand over his mouth, brow furrowing with sudden concern.
Oh no, what if it’s true?
“Jax?” Pomni is looking over at him, paused in brushing the horse, and he wonders how long he’s just been standing there.
Jax blinks hard. He can’t lose to Ragatha, god he’ll die.
“Pomni,” he finally responds.
Jax goes to pick up a brush, starting to work it through the horse’s side. “So. Civil conversation.”
He thinks it over then bluntly asks anyway, “So are you into girls or dudes or…?”
Pomni goes still. Then she looks over at him slowly.
“I… what? Are you asking about my sexuality?”
“Yes,” Jax says frankly.
“I don’t see how it’s much of your business,” Pomni starts brushing again. “But I’m bi.”
His brow furrows. Even though it’s not worse news than her just being straight up into girls, it doesn’t ease Jax’s anxiety. Ragatha still totally has a chance and Pomni clearly gets something out of seeing pretty clothes or something.
Like Jax knows the mysterious minds of dames.
“Gotcha. Is that why you like me wearing dresses and skirts?” Jax can’t help but be as subtle as a sledgehammer. “Can’t stop fantasizing about me as some pretty lady?”
It makes him weirdly jealous of himself.
“Oh my god!” Pomni stops brushing the horse, who knickers. She glares at Jax. “You’re a guy! I see you as a guy. I’m not thinking about you as a ‘pretty lady.’”
Jax squints at her, but it really seems like she’s telling the truth. Even more troubling.
So what is it?
“Good, you better. Because I’m a man. Rough and tumble, yeah.”
God he sounds so stupid.
Jax starts to brush the horse again then gives an exasperated sigh. “I don’t see why I have to be wearing a skirt and go go boots to brush this horse. Why weren’t the clothes selections locked to the activity? This game sucks!”
He complains more for good measure.
There’s silence, the sound of the brushes going through the horse’s mane and coat.
It ticks Jax off and he breaks again.
“So what? Why won’t you stop staring at me then? Are you having a laugh at me?” Jax shoots a glare her way, brandishing the brush like it can become a weapon at any moment.
Pomni looks like she’s about to start bonking her head against the horse.
“I’ll avoid looking at you in the future.”
“Ohhh, you’re deflecting! You’re deflecting!!” Jax points the brush at her accusingly. “And you’re not denying it! Fess up.”
Pomni sighs heavily and looks Jax dead in the eye.
“You know,” she says. “I think I’m done with this mini game. I’m gonna go over to that field over there and sit with Zooble.”
She gestures towards a field next to the stables where Zooble is laid out, basking in the fake sun.
Pomni sets down her brush and Jax scowls at her in dissatisfaction.
”Real nice, Pomni. Really—“
“And for the record,” Pomni interrupts.
Then she pauses before finishing her thought, eyes flicking down then back up to meet Jax’s gaze. She gets this super serious look on her face and Jax braces himself.
“The outfits looked really cute on you. That’s why.”
Pomni turns stiffly, awkwardly, and walks away from Jax and the horse.
Cute.
Cute
Jax is devastated. He’s a feather on the breeze. His heart pounds as he thinks he’s going to be sick and Jax has the thought this can’t be good for him.
He can’t tell if all this has been worth it to hear Pomni call him cute, even though it’s the last word he’d want her to use to describe him.
Couldn’t she have at least said cool or something?
Jax glares down at the horse as he brushes it then wonders why the [BEEP] he is still grooming it.
Cute
Jax can’t even ride the stupid horse because this outfit exists only to torment him, with no practical use to speak of.
Pomni thinks he looked cute.
“Ugh!” Jax finally cries, sinking to his knees and hiding his face in his hands. Aware of how tight the skirt feels constricting around his thighs as it rides up.
His face is too hot, chest too tight, and Jax doesn’t know what to do with these tangled feelings.
—
“Wow~ You all did such a— such a joooob,” Blarbie cries out on screen.
Everyone’s gathered in a dressing room and it’s actually a little cramped. Blarbie is drinking from a bottle labeled ‘Grape Juice,’ but she seems to be getting increasingly plastered.
“But there can only be one winner! Ragatha, get over heeeeere!”
Blarbie waves her hand and Ragatha appears on screen beside her. Ragatha looks disoriented, then happy.
“Oh!”
“You’re my new best friend,” Blarbie says, hanging her full, drunken weight off of Ragatha. What a bull[BEEP] NPC.
Ragatha blushes regardless. “Oh! Just— doing my best!”
This is stupid. How come Ragatha gets her dreams to come true and Jax is still in this awful outfit? He shifts his thighs in the mini skirt.
“Unfortunately, there is a loser in this game!” Blarbie doesn’t look upset about it at all. She points and nobody knows who she’s pointing to.
“You, Gangle!”
“Me?!” Gangle looks shocked. “But I’ve been designing costumes for years!”
“Oh shit,” Zooble says.
“Yeah? Huh.” Blarbie taps her chin thoughtfully, then says some catty [BEEP]. “Maybe you just weren’t meant to be a model.”
A cannon appears out of nowhere and Jax’s jaw drops. Finally some justice.
Gangle whimpers.
“Get in the cannon now!” Barbie ushers Gangle. “Don’t make me call for my butler!”
“But Gangle didn’t even pick her outfits, I did,” Zooble protests, stepping up like a biiiiig hero.
Blarbie stares, and stares, then gives a decisive nod. “You’re so right! Good on you for standing up for yourself and your friend, and taking responsibility! I’m sure we could have been really good friends. There’s only one winner, but I don’t mind if there are more losers!”
She gestures at the cannon. “We can fire you out of it, too!”
“Wh-?!” Zooble starts to protest but they’re being pushed into the cannon by presumably Blarbie’s butler, who looks like a Ken doll in a suit with an unmoving smile.
“Hey!” Zooble cries, but then the cannon is fired, sending the two of them screaming off into the distance.
Blarbie gives a wasted laugh, Kinger waving farewell.
It’s the only thing that has made Jax feel better all day.
“Thanks everyone for coming to play with me, and wanting me to be your bestest friend! Though you couldn’t all have the honor, I want you to know you’ll always be in my heart!” Blarbie declares, hanging onto Ragatha’s neck.
Yeah, she’s going to forget they exist the second they’re through the portal.
“Can we go now?” Jax demands.
As if on cue the portal opens. Jax is the first to stomp through.
He stands on the other side, glad to be at the Circus but with a petty beef. He scowls immediately up at Caine.
”Where do you get off—“
Jax is taken out by Gangle and Zooble who are launched through the portal. He pummels into Pomni, knocking her down on the ground under him with the other two weighing him down.
He can’t even be happy about it because he feels that his skirt has ridden up and he’s still wearing the stupid skirt!!!
Jax lets out the tiniest scream.
Pomni blinks up at him and he looks down at her in panic.
“My—“
Pomni’s eyes widen in realization and thank god they do because she reaches down, grabbing his skirt and tugging it further down his thighs to preserve his dignity.
Jax feels a moment of such genuine gratitude it feels weird in his chest, eyes meeting Pomni’s for a split second.
Then he grips the end of the skirt, holding it down as he starts to bat at the other two, aware of where every point of his body is pressed into Pomni’s. “Get off me you [BEEP]s! Off I say!”
Zooble and Gangle roll off, both tangled up in Gangle’s ribbons. Ragatha hurries forward, flipping her hair a little like she’s proud of her new duds as she leans down to help them. Kinger bobs his head like he’s listening to music.
“Well well, my feisty fashionistas!” Caine says, floating upside down above them. ”How was your Blarbie fashion adventure?!”
Jax pushes himself up, standing. Pomni stands up as well, adjusting her little outfit. Jax subconsciously wants to adjust his own in turn.
“It was awful! Look at me, I look ridiculous!”
“Wowzers, Jax!” Caine says, body spinning upright. “You’re all hot to trot, aren’t you!”
“Aaaagh!” Jax throws his arms up in the air. “I’m done! I’m leaving! Goodbye!”
“Wait, you haven’t given me your feedback!” Caine cries.
“I have lots of feedback!” Ragatha says dreamily.
“Yeah, me too!” claims Kinger, hopping over.
Jax takes it as his opportunity to slip off. Before he rounds the corner he glares back at Pomni who’s looking over at him.
She quickly looks away.
Jax wants to spit something acidic in her direction for good measure but the longer he stands there the more jumbled his head and body feel and he finally just turns on his heel, marching off.
Then running away the moment he’s fully out of sight, the tight fabric of the skirt biting into his thighs as he sprints to his room. He slams the door behind him, breathing hard and heart pounding in his temples.
Jax strips naked, hurling each piece of clothing to the floor with feeling including the god[BEEP] panties.
Unbelievable, Jax thinks again in a rage.
Burn it is his first instinct. Shred them to little pieces then eat them to destroy the evidence.
The outfits looked really cute on you.
Thud
Jax feels betrayed by the twist in his stomach then finally attributes it to being down so bad for Pomni. That’s all it is. Picking up any scrap of attention sent from her direction.
Jax picks up the clothes like they’ll stain his hands, glaring hard as he decides what to do, then looks around like someone might see.
He goes over to his bed, tucking them deep on the far side of the mattress and out of sight. It’s not like anyone else ever has to know, and he’s only keeping them because of what Pomni said.
Which is pretty pathetic but that’s his business.
And no one will ever know, Jax vows to himself as he goes to grab a fresh set of overalls.
No one.
—
As it turns out, the whole girl clothes debacle is forgotten by the others fairly quickly.
There were a few petty jabs, mostly from Ragatha and Gangle, but Jax had weathered them and come back down on those two with the force of God almighty. He had pranked them so hard their heads spun and that was good enough for him.
Because he really, really, really wants to forget the whole thing.
But how can he when–
The outfits looked really cute on you
cute on you
cute
Jax lowkey screams into his pillow.
He’s been laying in bed all morning and he’s not actually sure if it is morning. The only thing that gives it away is the distant sound of the sun talking. Jax strains his ears. Is that the sun or the moon?
“Get out here, Caine, you cowardly [BEEP] and face me like a real man!”
So it’s definitely the sun. Jax sighs and rolls onto his back, staring up at the dimly lit ceiling.
The outfits looked really cute on you
Pomni hadn’t even said that he looked cute! Not that he wanted her to, but it’s like the worst compliment she could have given. He was just a vehicle for the cute clothes. Jax feels used and unjustly delicate. This is all Pomni’s fault.
The outfits looked really cute on you
It doesn’t help that ever since the incident Jax has been extremely horny. He hasn’t allowed himself to get off because he just… he has a bad feeling about it.
Pomni would have looked way cuter in those outfits. Jax closes his eyes and tries to picture her in the little slutty dress he’d been wearing at first. Imagines it clinging to her awkward little jester frame. [BEEP], that’s so cute.
Then he thinks about the sweater and skirt combo. The sweater doesn’t do much for him, but Pomni in that little pleated pink skirt? Yes please. Jax finds he’s starting to genuinely grin. God she’d be so cute with her legs all exposed and Jax could just reach out and touch her– is that creepy?
Is he being a huge creep?
Jax scowls. Then he determines that no, Pomni is the creep. She was the one creeping on him while he was all vulnerable. So he valiantly tries to imagine her in other outfits, mashing together different attributes like the world’s worst fashion designer.
His thoughts become jumbled and he has to reset himself.
Okay… build from the ground up. Jax imagines Pomni being the one in the dressing room and him with all the dress up power.
And then he imagines her in nothing but the little pink panties hidden in his bed.
Jax’s eyes snap wide open and his face goes hot, blood suddenly rushing as his body reprioritizes. Oh damn, should he jerk off? Maybe he should jerk off. Maybe it’s safe now and he won’t think about anything weird.
Jax undoes his overalls and shrugs out of them, sliding them down his body until they’re at his thighs. He sits up a bit and reaches down, thumbing at his sheath.
He hates this part. When his dick actually comes out then it tends to feel so good he doesn’t really care, but this part always feels weirdly clinical and reminds him of just how much of a freak he is. Jax closes his eyes and tries to picture Pomni.
Pomni with those cute little panties clinging to her wet pussy and–
Wow, Jax, those clothes looked amazing on you and you looked like an idiot
Jax freezes. Then opens his eyes and scowls up at the ceiling.
“Okay,” he says to no one.
Then he tries again, shutting his eyes.
Jax starts to stroke his sheath, tracing his fingers along it then rubbing until he can feel himself starting to get hard and–
The outfits looked really cute, but they looked like they were clothespinned to the world’s least attractive poplar tree, you tall freak
“Alright, that’s it.”
Jax swings his legs over the side of his bed and stands, dragging his overalls back up and fixing them with a huff. This is stupid, he doesn’t have to put up with this from his own mind. He doesn’t have to put up with this from anyone!
Jax stomps out of his room, off to go get some food to comfort his bruised ego.
The outfits looked really cute on you
How dare Pomni. Now she’s in his head tormenting him. He’s one hundred percent sure those words were targeted now.
Jax had better not run into her or he’s gonna give her Hell.
—
The trip to the kitchen is a blur.
He’s just loaded up a plate of nachos that look straight out of a bowling game when there’s the sound of footsteps shuffling in. Jax’s head snaps around to give whoever it is a hard time for fun but the words get stuck in his throat when he sees it’s Pomni.
He’s still feeling prickly from earlier, giving her a hard look. “Well, well, well, what do we have here?”
It’s a public space.
Jax shoves one of the nachos in his mouth and tells himself it definitely tastes like cheese.
Pomni freezes and looks at him.
Then she slooowly walks forward and goes to presumably pour herself a little pot of tea because she produces the teapot from a cupboard. It fills automatically, steaming from the spout.
“What.” Pomni says flatly as she pours herself a cup.
“I could ask you the same question,” Jax counters, eating another nacho.
Pomni blinks at him. “You were the one who…”
They stare at each other in a silent battle of wills. Pomni is the first to fall.
“Nevermind.”
“That’s what I thought,” Jax says, mind already scrambling with ways to keep her there and torment her. He approaches, leaning over her. “Drinking tea, I see.”
Jax makes a sound like it’s a bad choice. Pomni gives him an unamused look.
“Okay,” she says. “I’m gonna go, then.”
Wait, [BEEP]. That’s no good.
“Hold up,” Jax says, grabbing her free wrist before she can walk off and barely fighting off the urge to yank her so hard her tea spills.
Then he realizes his hand has closed around something. He releases her wrist to see that there’s a little daisy bracelet around it.
Oh what the Hell.
“Where’d you get that?” Jax snides invasively.
Pomni pulls her wrist to her chest and scowls up at him. “Ragatha. Don’t grab me out of nowhere, it scares the bejeezus out of me.”
“Good, that’s what I’m going for,” Jax tells her, still glaring at the bracelet. He tsks. “What, now you’re exchanging friendship bracelets with Rags? I thought Blarbie was already her ‘bestest friend’. What’s that make you?”
He quirks an eyebrow. “The third wheel? The other woman?”
“What…?” Pomni stares at him in a state that looks close to wonder.
“You heard me.” Jax narrows his eyes.
A long silence stretches out, making them feel more distant. Jax takes a physical step forward to compensate and Pomni looks troubled.
“I’m gonna be real with you, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Pomni frowns. “I don’t know why you’re antagonizing me, but I’m gonna leave now.”
And then she turns and goes and leaves Jax standing there like a sad cuck.
God[BEEP]. He [BEEP]ed that up.
Jax rolls his eyes like it doesn’t matter and heads back over to their rooms. He doesn’t want to rot in his, but he’s in a bad mood now.
So he does.
—
It’s after dinnertime when Jax finally emerges, ready to go explore and get his mind off of things. He has his empty nacho plate in hand, still covered in cheese, and plans to toss it somewhere unnecessary.
But then he has a thought.
Jax looks over slowly to Pomni’s room, a hand on his doorknob. He lets it fall away and walks leisurely over to Pomni’s. Surely she’s not in.
A cursory crack of the door confirms that the lights are on, but no one is home. Jax grins slowly, widely.
This is the perfect opportunity to snoop in her room and see if she left that stupid bracelet anywhere. She’d better not be still wearing it.
Jax creeps inside and starts going through her things, looking around quickly. Time is of the essence.
It doesn’t take him long to find it. It’s sitting on the table next to her bed, why is it in such an intimate place?
Jax’s mood tanks and he sets his plate down, picking up the bracelet and flicking at it with his thumb. He hates it. He’s gonna eat this [BEEP]ing thing so nobody–
He thinks he hears a voice and instinct has him bolting out the door, dashing to his room with the bracelet in hand.
”Ha!” Jax crows once he’s reached safety. He spins on his heel and falls back onto his bed, holding the bracelet up in the light.
It’s just a stupid little daisy bracelet. Ragatha probably got it in the Blarbie adventure. And now she’s trying to lay the moves on Pomni!
Jax will have to think about this.
He will have to think about what to do carefully.
—
A couple hours pass and Jax wakes up from a nap he didn’t realize he was having, drooling a little onto his pillow. He blinks his eyes open blearily and notes the bracelet that now sits on his bedside table.
It immediately has him scowling in a bad mood.
What gives? Why does Pomni like Ragatha and not him? He ignores the huge assumption and oversight he just made. They could be friends if he wanted them to be.
Jax makes a frustrated sound and rolls onto his back. He feels all pent up. Frustrated.
Horny.
Uuuugh, he’s been horny ever since the adventure! It’s not fair!
Jax grumbles. He might as well take care of it, but he’s already decided that it’s going to be a bad, lackluster time.
Jax starts to slip his clothes off again, kicking his overalls and boxers off of the bed and laying there naked for a couple minutes, just staring up at the ceiling and feeling jealous. He throws his gloves on the floor.
Then he reaches down and starts to rub himself.
Stupid Ragatha. Stupid Pomni. Stupid Jax, as loathe as he is to admit it.
He closes his eyes and puts a finger on either side of his sheath, stroking it and coaxing his cock to get harder. The tip slips out and he can feel it, grimacing a bit with distaste. He’s been here for years and he’s never quite made peace with his new dick.
Jax’s breathing grows heavier as he thumbs the exposed part of his cock, the tapered tip sliding out more and more until it’s resting against his stomach, dripping precum onto it. Jax bites his lip, squirming a little.
It… actually feels better than usual.
More precum squirts out of the tip and he immediately feels embarrassed.
“Wow, uh…”
That usually doesn’t happen until his dick is all the way out. Jax coaxes his cock out with some nerves, biting his lip unconsciously as he traces his thumb up and down the underside.
“Ooh, fffu[BEEP],” Jax groans, eyes rolling slightly and–
What the hell is with that reaction?!
But Jax can’t deny it - It never feels this good.
Jax swallows hard and wraps his fingers around his swelling cock, tugging on it a few times. He gasps, hips jerking up into the pressure, then whimpers as a little more precum gushes from the tip.
“Holy [BEEP],” he whispers shakily.
Oh [BEEP] yes this is gonna be good.
Jax curls his fingers around himself and starts to jerk off, moving his hand like he normally does, fingers tight, but then–
“Ooh!!”
Jax’s head falls back and he hisses, hips arching up to fuck his hand automatically. He has no control over it and it starts to freak him out when suddenly he’s coming all over himself.
“Mmph–!” Jax covers his mouth just in time to muffle the embarrassing sound he tries to make, cum splattering all over his stomach and chest and a little even gets on the hand over his mouth.
If he hadn’t been covering it, the cum would have gotten on his–
Jax screams quietly into his hand. But the other one won’t stop moving.
He jerks himself off desperately, cock growing harder and more swollen until he thinks he’s about to knot.
Already?!
Jax moans helplessly, fucking his hand and thumbing the wet, gushing tip. There’s just so much, pre mixing with cum when his body arches and he peaks again. It gets all over his stomach and there’s way more than usual.
And he usually makes a lot.
A whimper breaks free of his throat and Jax’s eyes flutter closed. He loses himself in fantasies of Pomni.
Her cute little face, the way she glares at him, the awkward way she walks like she isn’t quite comfortable.
Jax wants to eat her. Tie her up and send her down a waterfall.
But soon his thoughts are replaced with ones far sexier.
Kissing Pomni, touching her cute tits, just squeezing the everloving [BEEP] out of them–
The outfits looked really cute on you
Jax gasps as his body arches, keening as he comes hard. Cum pours out of his cock, dripping onto his stomach and making him whimper like–
Like–
Jax suddenly has the phantom memory of the miniskirt riding up, slipping along his body. His frame jerks again as he comes, this time barely getting any out. It was too soon. How did he already come again?
This is absurd.
Jax realizes he’s panting and slowly opens his eyes, looking down at the mess all over his stomach. It’s obscene and once this is over it’ll be lowkey gross, but right now it turns him on how much he’s making.
Because of Pomni
“Ooh, fff[BEEP],” Jax hisses, hips arching as his cock starts to knot at the base. He grits his teeth as it swells, squirming. He likes the knot because it feels good, but…
The knot is a reminder that even if he somehow does get Pomni into bed, she would freak out if she actually saw him.
The thought sours Jax’s mood, but not enough to stop him from getting off. He jerks it a little desperately, trying to bring his knot to full hardness. It’s big and he has another thought that even if Pomni wanted to have sex with him, it probably wouldn’t fit.
Jax’s fingers slide down, hesitating a moment before curling around the knot. He gives it a squeeze.
And then immediately his body is arching and he’s crying out, cum shooting onto his stomach again, this time coming out harder. He sobs and shakes his head.
Holy [BEEP].
Holy [BEEP], this is going to be a good session.
And it is. Jax loses count of how many times he’s come, lost in how good it feels to think about Pomni.
And think about Pomni he does. Sometimes she’s in cute little outfits. Sometimes she’s just in panties. Sometimes she’s in nothing at all and he just puts his head between her legs and–
“Ooh,” Jax groans as he gets close, hips tilting up as he gets ready to cover himself in more cum, but–
But for some reason, he can’t reach the peak. Can’t climb the whole mountain.
“C’mon,” he grumbles, jerking himself harder. It’s no use.
Jax huffs and takes a moment to breathe, aware that his body is overheated and he’s panting.
This isn’t doing it. He needs something extra to–
Pomni looking at him up and down in the miniskirt
Oh God no.
No, no, no.
No, he can’t.
But Jax realizes he’s already reaching for the clothes, clumsily digging them out. He wipes the cum off of himself with his blanket and tosses it onto the ground carelessly, eyes closing. He can’t watch himself do this.
Jax slowly, nervously starts to slip his ankles into the panties. Then he freezes.
Wait, wait, wait, hold up.
This is a horrible idea!!
Why?
Because he’s going to–
feel things
…
[BEEP] it.
Jax starts to slowly slide the panties up his calves, his thighs. He can only tuck his knot into them, the rest of his dick pressed up against his stomach. Embarrassing. Jax grabs the skirt and starts to quickly tug it on to hide it.
Of course when he peeks an eye open there's a bulge in the front of the skirt, but that can’t be helped. He makes a sound of self-inflicted humiliation and sits up, pulling the halter top on. It takes a moment to adjust, but soon he’s looking down at himself in girls’ clothes, whole body trembling.
[BEEP] the boots.
Jax swallows and reaches down, tentatively touching his cock through the skirt. He squeaks softly in alarm at the feeling of the fabric, then shudders.
Ohh [BEEP] that feels good
“Okay…” he whispers to himself. “Let’s do this.”
Jax starts to slowly rub his thighs, his hips, avoiding his cock until it starts twitching. Then he bites his lip and rubs his hand over it.
It immediately jerks under his palm and he can feel precum twitching out. It’s sexier in the skirt which is a fact he cannot deny. It’s kind of frightening how good it feels.
He thinks of what Pomni said. The words that have been playing on repeat in his head since the adventure.
But those aren’t the words he wants.
“You’re…”
What does he want to hear?
Jax swallows hard, then whispers,
“You’re so cute, Jax.”
The reaction is immediate. Jax cries out softly, body jerking twice as he comes hard into the skirt.
“Oh no, oh no–”
Jax hadn’t anticipated it happening this fast! A little wet spot appears and he whimpers, cock twitching again as a little gush of cum pushes through the skirt.
God[BEEP], he’s just as bad as Pomni.
It’s too late now.
Jax closes his eyes, groaning as he leans into the depraved little trick he’s playing on himself.
“You looked so cute, Jax,” Jax groans then whimpers, squeezing himself. His cock twitches hard and he gasps.
“Y-you’re so–”
Jax’s head drops back, mouth falling open as he comes again, more cum pushing through the skirt and starting to drip down.
“Oh my god,” he whimpers. “Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god--”
He’s going to come again. He’s going to–
Suddenly there’s a sharp knock at the door.
“Jax, you jerk!”
Jax’s blood runs cold.
It’s Pomni
“Don’t come in!” Jax screams on instinct despite the locked door, frozen on his bed. He looks around wildly for his overalls, but–
“Ohhh, don’t come in?! Really?!”
Then something horrible happens.
The door opens.
And Pomni marches into his room.
Jax opens his mouth and lets out an ear-splitting scream that has Pomni covering her ears.
No no no
This can’t be happening
“You broke into my room and left your stupid nacho plate in there and took my–”
Pomni freezes.
Taking Jax in.
With his little outfit and the skirt with its obvious cum stains.
Jax opens his mouth to scream again, but nothing will come out.
Pomni covers her mouth with her hand.
“Oh my god,” she says, the words muffled.
Jax starts trembling, shaking his head.
“I locked that door,” he says numbly. “I always lock my door. I locked it–”
Did he?
“Get out!” Jax suddenly shrieks, throwing his pillow at Pomni. It hits her in the face and nearly knocks her to the floor. “Get out! Get out!!”
He throws the bracelet at her and it hits her between the eyes then falls impotently to the ground.
”Out!!”
Pomni turns around and bolts, slamming the door behind her.
Jax grips his ears, tugging them until it hurts as he gives a muted scream of frustration. His head sinks into his hands, shaking back and forth violently as his fingers drag down his face.
No, no, no
This can’t be happening. Pomni saw-
No no no no no
“UGH!” Jax finally cries, throwing himself into his mattress and contemplating peeling off his skin.
It’s so [BEEP]ing over. Jax can never show his face around the Circus again and Pomni-
Jax hates the whimper that’s dragged out of him at the certainty that Pomni will never want him now.