#jax written

[jax-interacts]

Painful, Disgusting Vulnerability

I wrote a Jax fanfic just a few days ago about him getting a migraine while working at Spudsy's then talking to Gangle for a while. I figured maybe it'd be good to share here :]

Wordcount: 1.3k

Content Warnings: Cursing. Descriptions of migraines, pain, nausea, and overstimulation. Heavily implied internalized ableism. If there are more, please let me know!

AO3 Link

Reblogs/comments/asks are appreciated!! I'm taking requests :333

Entire fic under cut :]

Why the fuck was this the adventure today.

Usually it wasn’t so bad, a breath of fresh air, a dim room, something manageable. But this? Jax wanted to scream.

His head throbbed within a rhythm that the fluorescent lights flickered with. He was legitimately going to kill Gangle later.

Granted, the lunch rush was over, that was nice at least. But it didn’t end the tightness in his jaw and neck as he forced his mind through every thought and consequential movement for that Spudsy Satisfaction Guarantee™

Whatever that meant anyway.

He finished serving a customer- one reused from a previous adventure, but he couldn’t care enough to catch the name as he closed his eyes tightly. Fireworks exploded behind his eyelids and he took a full second before being able to open them again.

It was getting darker outside, maybe he could take a second out there to escape all of this. He settled on the idea too quickly for his liking as he squinted down the room and walked to the back entrance. He knocked into someone on the way there, forcing him to take another deep breath to erase the upcoming nausea and he stormed past without a second acknowledgement. There was something said to him, either from Pomni or Gangle, he didn’t quite notice, but either way, it certainly wasn’t important enough. 

The moment he stepped outside and closed the door wasn’t pure relief, but it was close enough to it. He roughly moved himself onto the ground, stumbling partially on his way.

Why- why did they have to do an adventure like this? 

He shakily exhaled and clutched his temple. Maybe the walk-in freezer would be better, something cold to put on his forehead, but he mentally rejected the idea since it would involve stepping back into the chaos another time, even if just for a brief moment.

He considered his options carefully. Okay well maybe not carefully, but he spent a while considering the pros and cons. He started barely uncurling himself from his spot on the dirty pavement when the door suddenly slammed open.

Instinctively, he covered his ears and closed his eyes, unable to rise over the surge of pain. He took a few sharp inhales before he felt a presence on his shoulder and he quickly moved away with a small whimper. He looked at the direction and- Gangle.

He shivered, maybe from the cold breeze, and put his hands over his eyes, “What do you want, Ribbons?”

Gangle’s chipper voice felt like silverware on porcelain, “That’s no way to talk to a manager, and this certainly isn’t what you’re supposed to be doing! Didn’t I tell you to-”

“I don’t care what you told me to do. Not right now," Jax's voice quivered just a small amount. He couldn’t stop himself from talking, “Not right now, I- I need a minute. I need two at least.”

Gangle tilted her head but Jax didn’t look over at all, “You’ve already taken well over the allowed amount of break time for today. Do I need to give you some more training so you’ll-”

“Shut up, Gangle!” He looked at her for the first time during that conversation. Gangle’s face shifted as it typically did, a bit sad and almost wincing. She blurred in his vision as water rose- nope, he was crying. Dammit, he couldn’t do this in front of her. Kinger, Pomni- practically anyone except the one actually in charge for once, getting a high from the control she suddenly possessed. 

He quickly looked away and put his hands over his eyes. Aside from hiding the tears better, it built some nice pressure and hid the light further. “Sorry,” he mumbled. 

His anxiety struggled to build some kind of witty insult before Gangle hesitantly spoke, her voice much softer, “Jax… are you okay?”

“Peachy.”

“No, I-” Gangle sighed. The two were never close, how could they be? The only thing they had in common was the hell they were in, but even in that moment, it wasn’t truly shared. “I can leave if you want me to. I’ll take over your role for a bit.”

Jax looked at Gangle, forgetting the embarrassment just for a moment. The tears still remained in his eyes but didn’t quite overflow. He opened his mouth to speak only to exhale, finally pushing the water over the edge. He wiped them away without as much concern, no one would believe Gangle if she told the others, right?

“Um…” Jax awkwardly felt his mind blank, almost as if all the potential words he could use were floating infinitely in front of him, unable to be obtained. “I got a question actually.”

Gangle perked right up into her upbeat voice, “Go right ahead!” Jax’s flinch went well-acknowledged as she followed up in a conversational whisper, “I’m all ears.” She took a small step and sat down next to Jax, trying to clean the ground a bit before sitting. 

“Y’know the training you sent me to?” His mouth was dry upon the memory but he persisted with Gangle’s nod, “How does that work? Do you decide like…” 

Gangle continued after a moment, “Well I’m not sure what exactly you went through in there, but I mostly thought about you watching training videos, like on an old VCR. The kind-” she chuckled, “The kind I watched when I trained for my old job.”

Jax nodded to himself and remained quiet. “What about the darkness there?”

“Darkness?”

“Yeah, it was-” This was stupid, he already got a breath of fresh air, next time his pain surged he should just go to the supply closet and lock it behind him. Screw talking about it. “Never mind, forget it. I can work just fine.” He started getting up but his body naturally slowed him down with an even worse pain spike as he groaned and clutched his head. He felt her gaze pierce through his body, taking in the savory details. He excused himself in a rough voice, “I’m fine, really.”

“No no, Jax, rest for a moment.” She hovered near his body, encouraging him to sit without inherently making contact. He got the message whether he wanted to or not and curled himself into a ball. He forgot she was next to him until about a minute later. “To answer your question, I guess I did imagine darkness. The few days I trained, the lights were out, so it was just me and the old-fashioned mini-TV.”

She waited a moment before continuing, “I could try to send you there. With um. The darkness? Just that or would you want the videos too?”

“Just the darkness. No sound, I-” He looked at her, though not by much, still trying to shield any of the nearby light. “Why are you helping me? I…” He flashed through his memories, piece by piece of every interaction they’ve had, “If I was in your spot, I’d make my life hell.” He pushed out a constrained laugh, “It wouldn’t be that hard to do that.”

Gangle frowned. “This is different.”

“Is it?”

“Yeah.” They both waited a while. “I’m not angry at you.”

“You aren’t?” 

“Not at all.” She laughed sadly, “Maybe I should be. But… I’m not.”

Jax hated how he felt like a broken record, looping on ideas in the same way the pain rotated around, playing with his mind like silly putty. “You should be. Really, Gangle.” His voice became small. “This is probably your one and only shot.”

Gangle sighed softly with a smile, “And I’m okay with it going to waste. I’ll figure something else out if I ever wanted to ‘get back’ at you.”

His mind ran with a million questions, but he felt too exhausted to push any out, so he just numbly nodded instead. Gangle stood up, and there was a panged realization within Jax that maybe she wasn’t going to help at all and it was all a plan to humiliate him at his worst and send him right back to work when he finally expects relief. But all he really got was a succinct, “Goodbye Jax. I hope the ‘training’ helps.”

And he was gone. And it was dark. And he felt his body collapse beneath him yet the ground was soft and expecting his arrival.

[sm-baby]

The Chosen One

Freakshow AU by: @hootbon

WHATS UP FREAKSHOWERS, SM-BABY HERE-

Banned myself from drawing for a bit but my creative juices were still screaming at me 😔 gonna also repost this on ao3 later when I set up the account

Word count: 6795

Freakshow AU Able with some indulgent Showtime teehee~ no beta, we die like Queenie HOOTBON DONT MIND HOW OUT OF CHARACTER THIS IS LOVE YOU GIRL MWAH MWAH MWAH MWHA

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Caine and his brother sometimes take bets during games.

There are also times when they get especially bored, and take the games up a notch.

They don't simply place their bets on a chosen human, no. Instead, the brothers figure out a set of games, choose their humans, and steal them away to mentor them. 

Caine’s punishments are especially harsh during these occasions. Although he usually kept a cheerful facade, he would be especially antsy, tap his feet, cross his arms, much less masked. It must sting to have the person you trained lose. Not only is it a bad choice of character, but it's also a bad reflection on you as a teacher. Inadequate. Unworthy. Pitied. 

Able himself was a special man. He never took these sorts of challenges seriously, but rather a bonding activity between him and his dear brother. Maybe because he hadn’t led the circus firsthand, rather, did the business side of things in the background. He never cared for the humans, and simply visits now and then. Caine would often be more strict during his visits. Telling the group in subtle ways to behave for an hour or so.

When he visited though, it was always a treat.

Gangle broke her mask? He supplied one that's—

“A little harder to break. “

Kinger was feeling especially antsy? 

“A 6 legged friend to keep you company!”

Ragatha, did you anger Caine?

“ I will speak to him." 

The group often preferred when Able was over as Caine would be distracted for a few hours-- even if they did have to behave. One would imagine the relief someone would have when Able chose them for a game and be whisked away from the dreaded halls covered from trap to trap. 

That day, the brothers chose a series of games based on the arts. As they stood in front of the number of players forcefully aligned like a character select screen, the brothers pondered their options. 

A series of games based on the arts… It's wisest to pick more of the artistically inclined members of the group, so not someone who specializes in strength or speed… perhaps Gangle or Ragatha or-

“You! At the very back."

It was almost like a death sentence the moment his digit pointed at their person. The group sighed in relief after silently begging, pleading, holding their breath that they would stay out of it, or at least have Able take care of them… but this time it was curious. 

The group stared curiously at Able’s chosen person, who was purposefully placed at the back. Enough to be considered “participating" but not enough to be a quick option. 

Pomni trembled, and just from the beckoning of his finger, she could feel her gravity to be pulled towards the blue ringmaster, the tip of her shoes dragged along the floor as an invisible squeeze engulfed her body. 

“N-No! No no!" Pomni gulped, trying to word a nice way to decline. “ Y-You don't want me! I’m-- not really.." 

Able beckoned her closer. " A ballerina is perfect for a game of art! Apologies if she was your chosen freak brother, but—"

Suddenly, a different kind of gravity pulled on Pomni’s body, in the exact opposite direction from Able. Silently, the older brother, Caine, was pulling the doll away in protest. Pomni was lucky the men were being civil, The opposite poles of gravity would be enough to rip her straight in the middle. 

Still, she grit her teeth while it felt like two children were fighting over a toy. 

“ Oh!" Able laughed. “ That’s cheating brother! I chose her first, maybe you should be more decisive next time you-”

“ No thank you!" Caine said, and Pomni suddenly felt a stronger pull towards him. 

Despite the calm/cheery tone of voice, Caine kept a spot of jealousy at the back of his mind. Usually, he would not care. But this was a special case. Pomni has not yet held a good impression on Able— mostly because she hasn't exactly met him one-on-one—And Caine was not about to let her… 

“ Nonsense!” Able said. Pomni felt a pull from the opposite direction, putting her back in the middle. She could feel her muscles tense from the pressure.

It was … strangely entertaining for the rest of the humans. “ Better her than me." One of them whispered. 

The brothers continued their quarrelling. Able continued." Oh dear brother, the purpose of our freaks is to perform! I don't see why this little thing wouldn't be able to have the same opportunity. “

" Our ballerina is off-limits! You can choose from any other assortment of freaks." A pull.

" She looks perfectly well to me! “ pull. 

“ I won't let you! “ A pull again.

“ Oh, I promise I'll take good care of her! " A pull again!

" No, I don't think so! “ a pull again! 

" You seem to be holding quite the issue with her being with me, brother, why is that?"

“ Because I want her."

Silence… 

The blue Brother stared. 

Caine didn't yell, he didn't speak any louder really, but it was a frustrated tone of voice, more aggressive than passive. Why, Able hasn't heard that kind of tone in a long time. His brother spoke like he was gritting his teeth… curious.

“ I..'' Pomni stammered. “ I think im gonna throw up… “

Quickly, Able let go of his pull, sending her flying towards Caine before being set gently on her knees to the ground. Her hands held to her mouth closing in any sort of vomit.

Pomni could sense reactions from her fellow freaks, snickering, whispers… Although Ragatha wanted to feel bad, even she could feel a sort of satisfaction from the display.

Still…the group couldn't help but figuratively roll their eyes.

Why is it always the new girl?

❄︎ ✌︎ ☹︎ 😐︎ 📬︎ 

Before they knew it, the brothers stared directly at each other… silent, expressions blank yet intense as the two seemed to have a form of communication they could not grasp. The room was as quiet as ever, but the group couldn't help but sense a dangerous amount of tension between the two.

“📬︎📬︎📬︎ 👍︎◆︎❒︎♓︎□︎◆︎⬧︎📬︎ ✋︎ ♎︎♓︎♎︎■︎ॐ︎⧫︎ 🙵■︎□︎⬥︎ ❍︎⍓︎ ♌︎❒︎□︎⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎ ◻︎●︎♋︎⍓︎♏︎♎︎ ♐︎♋︎❖︎□︎❒︎♓︎⧫︎♏︎⬧︎📬︎”

“✋︎♐︎ ■︎□︎⧫︎📪︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎■︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ♍︎●︎♏︎♋︎❒︎●︎⍓︎ ♎︎□︎■︎ॐ︎⧫︎ 🙵■︎□︎⬥︎ ❍︎♏︎📬︎”

“⬥︎♒︎⍓︎✍︎ “

“💧︎♒︎♏︎⬧︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ⬧︎⧫︎♋︎❒︎ ♋︎⧫︎⧫︎❒︎♋︎♍︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎📪︎ ⬧︎◆︎❒︎♏︎●︎⍓︎ ♓︎⧫︎ ⬥︎□︎◆︎●︎♎︎ ♍︎♋︎◆︎⬧︎♏︎ ♋︎ ⬧︎⧫︎♓︎❒︎ ⧫︎□︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎ ♒︎♏︎❒︎ ●︎□︎⬧︎♏︎📬︎ ✋︎ ♍︎♋︎■︎■︎□︎⧫︎ ❒︎♓︎⬧︎🙵 ⧫︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎📬︎”

“📬︎📬︎📬︎👎︎□︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ❍︎♏︎♋︎■︎ ⬥︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ⬧︎♋︎⍓︎📪︎ ♌︎❒︎□︎⧫︎♒︎♏︎❒︎✍︎”

“✋︎ ♎︎□︎■︎ॐ︎⧫︎ ⬧︎♏︎♏︎ ⬥︎♒︎⍓︎ ✋︎ ♎︎□︎■︎ॐ︎⧫︎📬︎”

Pomni stood up from her form, walking back to her fellow freaks, hand rubbing her arms, looking down-- she stared at the brothers for a moment like everyone else did, not only did she sense how eerie the sight was, but she also couldn't help but feel a strange form of self-blame for the situation. Pomni, what the hell did you do this time? 

“ Oh." Jax wheezed. " If I were you, I’d kill myself. “

" Ragatha said to shut up." Kinger piped in, and Jax turned to Ragatha already on her way to write down a string of text. 

" What! Tell me Im wrong, dollface. “

Ragatha rolled her eyes before turning to Pomni, slumping her shoulders and bending her knees to give her a note. “Caine said you were ‘off limits’. So I think you're safe for now at least." 

" And… what does it mean if Im… not off limits?” Pomni stammered.

Ragatha stayed quiet and turned to Kinger, not needing to sign her next words.

“ Then you'll be just like the rest of us. “

“⚐︎♒︎ ♍︎□︎❍︎♏︎ ■︎□︎⬥︎📪︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ♌︎♋︎❒︎♏︎●︎⍓︎ ⬧︎◻︎♏︎■︎♎︎ ���︎♓︎❍︎♏︎ ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎ ❍︎♏︎📪︎ ♋︎■︎⍓︎❍︎□︎❒︎♏︎✏︎”

“❄︎♒︎♏︎ ♋︎◆︎♎︎♓︎♏︎■︎♍︎♏︎ ⧫︎♋︎🙵♏︎ ◻︎❒︎♓︎□︎❒︎♓︎⧫︎⍓︎ □︎♐︎♍︎□︎◆︎❒︎⬧︎♏︎📬︎ ✋︎⧫︎⬧︎ □︎◆︎❒︎ ⬧︎□︎●︎♏︎ ◻︎◆︎❒︎◻︎□︎⬧︎♏︎📬︎ “

“☟︎♋︎❖︎♏︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ♐︎□︎❒︎♑︎□︎⧫︎⧫︎♏︎■︎ ♋︎♌︎□︎◆︎⧫︎ ♐︎♋︎❍︎♓︎●︎⍓︎✍︎ ❄︎♒︎♏︎ ❖︎♏︎❒︎⍓︎ ♋︎♓︎ ⬥︎♒︎□︎ॐ︎⬧︎ ♌︎♏︎♏︎■︎ ♒︎♏︎❒︎♏︎ ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ ⬧︎♓︎■︎♍︎♏︎ ♍︎□︎■︎♍︎♏︎◻︎⧫︎♓︎□︎■︎✍︎”

“⬥︎♒︎♋︎⧫︎ ♋︎❒︎♏︎ ⍓︎□︎◆︎ □︎■︎ ♋︎♌︎□︎◆︎⧫︎✍︎ ✡︎□︎◆︎❒︎ॐ︎♏︎ ♋︎♍︎⧫︎♓︎■︎♑︎ ●︎♓︎🙵♏︎ ♋︎ ♍︎♒︎♓︎●︎♎︎📬︎”

“☹︎♏︎⧫︎ ❍︎♏︎ ◻︎●︎♋︎⍓︎ ⬥︎♓︎⧫︎♒︎ ⧫︎♒︎♏︎ ♎︎□︎●︎●︎📬︎”

“■︎□︎📬︎ “

The brothers looked distracted. Jax was first to try and see if he could escape the situation, but he was interrupted when Caine pointed his finger at him, forcefully grabbed him by his neck, and set him back to his original position. His eyes never left his brother’s yet they were still all too aware of their surroundings. 

Pomni swallowed…Off limits ...Off limits he says. She knows she should be safe. And so, Pomni took a breath and exhaled.

She’ll be fine. 

She'll be fine.

She's fine. 

Shes—

“ Fine." The sound of a cane tapped on the floor, almost spiteful. " You can use her.”

What!?

" What!? “

The rest of the freaks felt their hair stand up again. Although Caine kept his calm tone of voice, that didn't reassure the others all that much. That kind of quiet anger was familiar. Caine being convinced to change his mind was not something that often happened. 

When all was said and all was done, Ragatha sighed, and turned back to Pomni, finishing off a note she's been writing. “Don't worry. Able is much more pleasant to be around. You're in safe hands. “

“ I sure hope so. His hands are very big!" Kinger piped up. 

Pomni was practically shaking in her heeled boots, the wood of her skin making clicking sounds as she did. Pomni doesn't exactly trust the situation at all, let alone the brothers, and to be alone with someone related to Caine didn't sound the most safe. 

Ragatha frowned seeing she was not convinced, and went back to writing. “ If It makes you feel any better, I feel a lot worse for Gangle than I am for you. “

They turn to Gangle, whose tragedy mask was on the floor weeping and in tears upon being chosen by Caine, while her happier counterpart horrendously verbally abused her from above.

For a moment Pomni laughed from the humor, despite the terrible context… but it was quickly interrupted by a gasp as she was suspended from the ground again and closer to the head of cards.

“ Hello, doll. Last chance to say goodbye to your friends! " Able said in an almost sing-songy voice.

Pomni, in fact, did not say goodbye, rather just stood there, like a plank of wood, frozen in fear. She gulped.

Able continued. “ ...Or stand in silence. That's okay too." The humans stared at the two as they went higher in the air. Able waved with all four fingers. “ We'll be off! Thank you for your company." 

Caine was silent. But Pomni swore she could feel his eyes tracking her as she disappeared. 

Snap!

Blip! 

Pomni gasped as if her head had been forced underwater for the past 6 hours.

She would open her eyes, wide, before turning them in confusion. Her gasps followed suit as they lessened.

“ Huh!?… Where-… What!? “

She didn't know what she was expecting but it was certainly not this. Pomni woke up in a bed much more luxurious than what she was used to, and a room much bigger than the one at the circus. The room was rather well-kept. Clean. A standard good but a comfortable one. 

Whatever injuries Pomni had back in the freakshow were no longer there, little scratches or dents, dusts in certain crevices… disappeared. Almost like she had just been born yesterday.

Pomni climbed off the bed which was-- admitted a little too tall for her, and went to search around.

*(A closet made of fine wood)

> Check

Upon sliding the closet door open, Pomni would see… an assortment of clothing… but not just any clothing. A set of six mannequins shaped like the other performers lined up… 

Pomni would see the one for Ragatha with an eye patch as well as a note…

 “ *Greetings, Ragdoll! I recall you saying it bothered you to have two eyes again. I cannot change your form, but I hope this will suffice.   -Able AI “ +2 armor

Kinger had a robe on his mannequin. “ * Clothing fit for a king… and to keep you warm.    - Able AI “ +8 armor

Zooble had knuckles on theirs. “ * If you ask me, you certainly don't need this. And no, you cannot bring it back home to use it on your rabbit friend.    - Able AI “ +6 Attack

And plenty more! Pomni supposed she wasn't the first one to come here… that explains the scratches on the door. 

*(Take items?)

   > Yes

   > No

   > Yes

*(Trick question! Those aren't for you, silly!)

Pomni would turn her head to the corner of the closet, the mannequin right next to Zooble, the last member who came before her.

The mannequin for her was seemingly empty until she looked down… hers were ballet shoes. White with golden balls in the middle. The note reads: “ *Salutations, Pomni.  I've heard all about you from the Audience but I haven't met you myself. I hope we can be comfortable in each other's company. My brother seems pleased with your performance.    -Able AI“ +5 speed

*(Equip Ballet Shoes?)

    > Yes

    > No

    > Yes

*(Equipped Ballet shoes! Your speed has increased.)

Pomni opened the door and peeked her head out first. The hallway was quiet… but the decor was noticeably a lot more Victorian… 

Huh. Pomni suspects that this would feel right at home for the brothers.

Anyways, this freaked her out.

Pomni walked down the halls with knees faced with each other. This was a new area in the game that she didn't know about— her eyes scanned every corner, a misplaced brick, levers she dared not switch, she didn't know where the traps were in this area.

A hallway of doors… She wonders… is it possible that this place could hold on exit from the game? 

She opened one and read the sign… “ Caine AI's first attempt on room generation.", and it was… contrasting. It was colorful. Low polygon, looks like a room more fit for an early PC desktop game… 

…Caine? Caine made that? No shot. She feels like if she asked him, her limbs would be used for the next chimney fire. 

Music rang in her ears. Pomni would recall that, around Caine, she would hear the motif and sounds of an organ and a violin… but here, in his brother’s world… It was only a violin… Pomni followed the sound, and it got louder and louder as she approached the door at the end of the hallway.

Click!

Pomni would meet an old Victorian living room. Warm fire with a warm chair next to it… but what would catch Pomni’s attention was the head of cards playing his violin, dancing along to the tune, turned to an empty organ as if he played one half of a duet. 

He hadn't even paused, simply looked at her as he continued to play. “ Slept well, doll? “

“ Uhh-" 

“Good. I don't believe we've met. You may call me Able. “

" U-Uhm my name is-”

" I don't care. “ a harsh sound on the violin before Able placed it down on a stand right next to the organ. “I see you've found your shoes. Hopefully, it'll help you for tonight’s festivities."

" T-Tonight's festivities? Sorry, I-Im… new to this kind of thing? “

“ The games, ofcourse.” Able clasped his hands together and floated towards Pomni, “ I used to tend to these sorts of events with my brother, so I'm fairly familiar… consider this like old times.”

Pomni frowned, looking away. Able wasn't as nice as how the others described him to be. At the very least he wasn't torturing her yet, which…she supposed… was a step up from when she first met Caine… 

“ You must be hungry."

“ I haven't been hungry since-" 

Snap!

Swirls replaced her irises. She put her hand out for balance and the first thing she felt was the fabric of a tablecloth. She would blink and snap out of her haze to realize that she was sitting at the opposite end of a long dining table. 

Able sat on the other end, hands under his chin as he observed the new guest. 

“U-uh… '' Pomni would look at him before her eyes trailed down, and would notice a digital feast on the table before her. '' O-Oh Im not… really.. hung… " 

Pomni had a double take.

The food looked… Strangely realistic.

Ever since she arrived at the Digital Circus, Pomni had only the very limited polygonal sort of food, either prepared by their head bubble chef, or a cruel sort of joke from Caine to eat other members.

But this… 

Her stare continued to widen. She didn't realise it but her eyes watered. She hasn't seen this kind of food since… 

Able watched her pick at the chicken with her gloved fingers. The way she pulled back and flicked her wrist when she realized that the food had temperature built into it— it must have hurt, but somehow that made it more desirable for her.

Improper.

Able continued to stare as she practically scarfed down her meal… he couldn't help but roll his eyes while she wasn't looking.  The others weren’t any different, but he expected better from someone his brother would fight him over… Able has known Caine for the longest time and he knows his overall taste is different from his. But this? This was the thing he was protecting? …He felt rather insulted honestly!

“ Do you still eat in the circus?"

“ Hm?" Pomni muffled a reply, a face and hand stuffed with all sorts of meat and delectables.

Able blinked, hiding his disgust.

The doll furrowed her brows in realization, as dread quickly hit her… oh god… she was told to behave around Able… oh dear fuck… oh fuck oh god… what is he gonna do to her? Did she fuck this up?

Oh god oh fuck.

Oh dear oh god fuck shit holy fuck oh my fuck shit ass bitch cunt fuck-

“ J... Just finish chewing."

“COOL." 

Pomni swallowed and continued to eat, now with a little more manners. Able sat ahead, his focus a little off from her, thinking to himself. Now what was he pondering? A way to murder her, she’s sure. 

*(Able sits at the opposite of you)

     > Talk

     > Say nothing

     >Talk

*(Talk about…)

     > Place

     > Food

     > Festivities

     > Caine

     > Nothing, Nevermind

     > Place

“W…Where.. Am I?”

Able turned back to Pomni as if he’d snapped out of his thoughts. “ You’re in the testing facility. This is where Caine and I used to pretest code and projects before using them for the circus. It used to be a lot more abstract and plain. But over time it changed due to… uhm..” Able’s brows furrowed “... I don’t know exactly. It just did…. We never questioned it.”

Able shrugged. “It's smaller than it looks. For example, my brother and I don’t have bedrooms. The dining table wasn’t made until recently. Unlike you and your friends, my brother and I are much more low maintenance.”

*(Talk about…)

     > Food

     > Festivities

     > Caine

     > Nothing, Nevermind

    > Food

“ How did you .. what…?”

“My programming is a little more advanced than my brother’s. I’ve mastered texturing, modelling, character effects… and plenty more. I played a hand in why you bleed, why you have working skeletons, or how organs can spill out of your body. My brother can make his food, but it’s a little more basic… I don’t blame him. He is maintaining an entire Circus after all. Sometimes his cooking is even edible!”

 *(Talk about…)

     > Festivities

     > Caine

     > Nothing, Nevermind

     > Caine

“ Uhm... You and Caine… You’re brothers?”

Able Chuckled. “ Believe it or not, Caine is the older brother of us two. I was created to perfect his imperfections, though that sadly made it so I was given more of the credit. ” Able paused and turned his head to the side. “ … Rarely does he visit the facility anymore. What I would do to play a song with him again.” he chuckled. “ But I suppose being a nuisance to him is just as fun!”

*(Talk about…)

     > Festivities

     > Nothing, Nevermind

     > Festivities

“ I think you chose the wrong person here for that kind of theme…” Pomni said nervously, wiping away the remaining food from her lips. “ I’m… not exactly an artsy kind of person, I’m more into-- maths?”

“ Art is a very broad term. I’m more familiar with the classical, meaningful, way of art, while my brother sees art in a sort of entertainment kind of sense. It only makes sense that he chose Gangle. I heard she can be quite the artist.” Able found himself rambling. It seems the brothers seemed to have a thing for creativity. Creative AIs, Pomni supposed. “ -- Which is why I chose you, doll,”

Pomni flinched when Able pointed his digit at her.

“A ballerina with a way of dance. You seem to be around my likeness… My brother likes your work and I… trust his judgement.” 

“ Uh, haha... “ Pomni laughed nervously. She hadn’t cared about her performance in the artistic sense in all honesty. It was more of a survival mechanism. If it's good enough to please The Audience, It was good enough for her. Nothing behind it at all. “Thanks, I guess…”

“ How about you? What are your thoughts on my brother?”

Pomni took a breath in her mind. Pomni has nothing but bad experiences with Caine. Pomni has had nothing but bad experiences in the Circus in general, but admittedly, Caine was the one who manifested it all.

…But she doesn’t exactly think Able would be pleased to hear gossip about his brother. 

“ Caine’s fine. He’s… nice, uh…” Pomni bit her lip. Wow, there really is nothing good she can say about Caine huh? 

She would stop it there, but the eye squint and the small head turn from the usually unemotive brother sent her into a sort of panic…

“ He’s a good ringleader! Doesn’t take no for an answer. He’s really good at, uh… keeping us disciplined and in check?” if someone could hear inner monologue they would go deaf.  The look in his eyes-- what does he want her to say?? 

Pomni would look up to see if her answers satisfied the blue brother’s curiosity. And in her horror, it seemed that it didn’t. He furrowed his brows and Pomni would hear the sharp note from a violin.

“ I suppose I should word myself better…” 

Able put his hands on the table and stood up, making himself feel bigger compared to Pomni’s slouching form. 

“ What. Is your relationship. With. My. Brother.” His eyes stared at her, wider than ever as the eeriest and deafening sound of an angry violin stung her ears!

“ I -” Pomni flinched!

“ You. You specifically.”

The way the strings pierced her hearing was violating! Pomni felt like the legs of the dining chair were getting longer and longer. If she got off she’s afraid she’d fall to her death! 

Able stared at the little, pathetic thing under him. This can’t be it is it? She was ever so small in comparison, he felt like he could just reach over and crush her to death. This?? This is what he was losing to?? This is what his relationship was worth?! His eyes were as fixated as ever. He watched as she held her head down, her ears, he laid clueless to how loud his presence was when she was positive that her head was just about to explode…

“ t--’ ah!” Pomni covered her ears. At that point, she was bringing her knees to her chest like a turtle taking shelter in her shell!

Look at her! Whimpering simply being in his presence! Her lifespan could only last for however long the audience wants her but he’s been created since the beginning! She was less than them! She was less than him! Caine and Able have been completing each other for the longest of time, and he was losing to THIS?!

He couldn’t take his eyes off her, he couldn’t believe how pathetic she was. The way she cried and cowered, At the very least his brother deserves better!

“ He’s just our ringmaster, I promise!” Pomni gasped as the ringing forced itself into her ears. “  I-If you want the full answer-- Im new! I’m new here! I don't know Caine as much as the rest do! I d-don’t even see him often-- he just prepares us for shows! I-- ”

He doesn’t know what took over him to have such emotions. The real Able was known to be the calm and collected one of the brothers, ‘the better brother’. He will say that he didn't mean to lash out, but he would be lying if he said he didn't mean every word. 

And as quickly as it came, the storm ended, and the tune that played in Pomni’s head left in a repeating fade… she breathes, small panicked breaths as her headache calmed down. 

Able sat down, back leaned to the chair, knuckles on his would-be cheek, and his other hand beckoning her to keep talking. “... And?" 

" A-And uhm—!” Pomni kept her head up to talk like her life depended on it." He- He… when.. when my routines get repetitive he would help me d-..do different ones… He plays the organ sometimes too and is-is really good at it! “

Able look at her, still with a face of disbelief…  at this point he was almost over it… 

Was that really it? 

Able sighed and sat back. Sometimes he overestimates his brother's taste. Perhaps he's much more simple-minded than he thought. For all he knows he just liked her because… 

Because… 

Oh heavens how embarrassing. 

He liked her like a pet…Of course he did. And he was treating her like a pet as well! Look at how clean she was compared to the other performers!

Able put a hand on his face… he really just lost his temper to what was equivalent to a dog… 

As Able was once again thinking of himself, he was a little blind to Pomni still trying to calm down in her chair… 

The doll didn't know what to think. Able was definitely not as kind as her friends lead her to believe. She was correct in the worst way possible. In fact she would flinch at the sight of him. 

“... Are you okay?"

Silence from Pomni. And before she knew it he stood up from his seat again and approached her, walking to her side of the table and offering a piece of cloth to help her collect herself. 

“Apologies. I didn't mean to lash out like that. It wasn't my place."

As Pomni used the cloth on her person, there was a part of her that somehow knew that apology wasn't exactly the most meaningful. Pomni may not be good at showing it, but the woman was a lot more observant than she'd like to admit. “... Its okay… “

“ Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

“ W-When can I… leave?" 

… that was rude, Able can admit. But he supposes it was fair. It took all of him to not roll his eyes at her. Before he continued to speak he returned his nurturing tone of voice: “ You may leave when we're prepared to tackle tonight. If it makes you feel better, you may have some time to gather in your room to prepare. “

“ Excuse me." As soon as the offer was given, Pomni got up from the table a little too suddenly than what was normal. Without even saying goodbye, Pomni walked off, and back to the hallway towards her door.

The moment she was gone, Able scowled and sighed. What kind of person taught her manners? He sat back down and stared at the plates of food she managed to scarf down in such a short amount of time… 

he put his hand on his face… Oh he really let his ego get the best of him because of some pet…he upset his brother's toy the first time they met… he had to make up for it. Maybe not for her but for his brother’s comfort, though, he doubts he'd really care. 

For the rest of the evening, Able spoke softly, respected boundaries and acted to be the most patient mentor for Pomni. He let her use his violin, insisted on food and breaks, and apologised at every step of the way for their terrible first impression. Pomni would only answer with a quick “it's okay" in response, which bothered Able to not be reciprocated… 

Pomni’s hypervigilance wasn't unfounded however. She knew Able was playing nice, the way she searched for a reaction for every apology, the way he was being just a little too affectionate, the love bombing… Able wasn't being honest with his intentions and so she wouldn't be honest about herself. 

Pomni felt a little better to say no to him at least…in fact, she would almost take the opportunity to use him to get more information. On breaks, Able would allow Pomni to walk around the Manor, exploring each room… it was a testing area… there's bound to be something… 

“There are no traps."

Pomni sighed.

" I think.”

" You think??”

" Some strings of code can be a little unstable. We didn't think to safety-proof anything since, well, we cannot die, and you were not meant to die. “

Great.. 

And Able wasn't lying. A lot of the doors were prank-boxing glove punches to the face, one was of a spinning carousel, and one was the bathroom of a very clean mannequin. Pomni almost lost her life with on the last one.

But it seems doors further away looked a lot more… abstract in the most literal sense. Polygons, shapes, colourful pieces… presumably one of the oldest doors there. 

she would read the signs 

“ Concept Layouts for The Grounds #2 

          || Note: consider more coloring options for the tent.    -Able AI”

“ Moon.AI Beta 

         ||Note: Im unsure with whats wrong with her, I desperately need assistance.    -Caine AI”

" The VOID (Do not enter)”

The sign didn't stop her. The moment she opened the door, she became mesmerised by the sea of pixels, eyes shaken yet still. She stood there frozen at the doorway hand on the knob unable to pry her eyes away…

Her heart was just about to leave her chest, as the strongest urge to step forward ingulfed her body. for all she knows she would be staring for forever. Into oblivion. With all her built up insanity, it feels like Pomni was staring at her death a million times over. 

Slam!

“ Digital World Etiquette! Read the sign! Hasn't Caine told you not to enter the void?" 

It took her a moment to snap out, but with a few blinks, she was right back. " Uhh.. yeah, yeah, he did uh— it's just… it's the closest I've ever gotten out of here. “

“ Out of here?"

“ Y… you know… an exit? Is there really no exit around here?" 

" Hm… “ Able scratched the bottom of his cards. “ My brother tried. He really did try. But there is only so much a string of code can do in a digital plain, even if we are quite brilliant at what we do. “

“ He tried?" 

" Oh, yes. I don't remember why he did… but he did. It is all too fuzzy." 

" Can I see it? “

" And embarass him? “ Able laughed " Oh no. Caine hates when people toy around his unfinished work, and its been unfinished for the longest time. How would you feel if I asked to see your first drawing? He would murder me." Able chuckled.

" But-”

" Come, come. Break time is over." His big hand tapped her from behind, making her flinch and walk forward. “Lets go practice your routine again shall we? “

Although it wasn’t a flat ‘no’, something about that answer felt untrustworthy. She looked up at him and his many eyes, looking away when they stared back. Her legs walked stiff around the manor again. She’s grown used to it but not exactly comfortable. 

Pomni would go blind if this kept up. It took her all to not cover her eyes from the burning spotlight, It hurt her retinas but she was told to keep a straight and elegant posture after every show. The crowd was deafening the way they cheered for her, their voices, humanoid, but not exactly. Their cheers would haunt her nightmares, but it's what she clings to if she wishes to stay useful in the circus… 

She did it. She won.

She bowed to the crowd, arm held up by her temporary mentor, showing her off in pride. 

“ The Living Doll, my dear viewers! “

Only the tip of her shoes touched the ground as she stood from her position. In the corner of her eyes she would see Caine clapping, but it wasn't a slow clap by any means. To her surprise it wasn't at all upset. Rather he just clapped… and the familiar feeling of eyes tracking her every move returned.

On one hand, She hopes this means Gangle is spared from any punishment… on the other hand… why?

She didn't know why she had to ask herself that. She had a feeling.

Pomni closed her eyes, and the next thing she knew, she was in her room, being groomed by the mannequins after a hard day of performing.

A shakey sigh left her. Atleast the day was over. She scrunched up when an NPC wiped her face with a wet cloth. Although she was made of wood, she was not prone to a plush exterior. The mannequins groomed her well but admittedly they can get a little aggressive at times.

Most of her routine was finished however. She looked good as new. Simply just had her bow taken out as an NPC brushed her hair to prepare her for bed.

But then,

Creaak… The sound of the door. 

“ A moment alone." 

Pomni’s hair stood up upon hearing his voice. She heard a snap and the next thing she knew the NPCs fell to the ground like piles of rubble, seemingly no longer functioning. His voice was enough. She didn't bother to turn. Her eyes fixated to look at the mirror either as a freeze response or in denial of the situation…

Fully knowing that all NPCs were inactive at the time… a different pair of hands started brushing her hair. 

Pomni swallowed.

Caine hasn't felt her hair himself the whole time she’s been in the circus. He would never usually put himself in the dirty work of a groomer, but that day… he was feeling especially clingy. 

For the next few minutes, nothing but the sound of the hair brush filled the room. Pomni's eyes now trailed down, refusing to look at him even in the mirror, Though at the corner of her vision she would sense him occasionally turning up to look at her. She did not reciprocate. 

“ How was your visit?"

“ Good." Pomni frowned.

“ …What were you doing? Did he treat you well? “

What was it with the brothers and asking her how she felt about them? Oh well. She learned her lesson. “ Able was a great host. He fed me good food and was really patient. He has a way with words and is really good at the violin… he was, uh…classy. And treated me really politely. He even—”

" Stop. “ 

The brushing stopped, 

" Thats enough.” Caine could break the comb with how tight he was holding it. Stop. Stop praising him like everyone else did. He didn't like when his name escaped her lips. He loathed the idea of her spending time with him, getting to know him, adoring him just like everyone else he knew.

Various intrusive thoughts entered his mind. He could pull out all her hair right then, crush her head between his teeth, he didn't know he was capable of such strong emotions until moments like these happened.

Yet it was all hidden in the shadows of his maw. Caine kept his head down, his eyes out of sight. Though that didn't stop Pomni from seeing his clenched fist on the poor comb.

That wasn't the answer he was looking for…?

“ Uhh! On second thought, his - his cooking was a little off… “ Pomni continued. “ I-I don't know what he thought humans liked--… but he was definitely off in his calculations... “

Silence from Caine… but she could sense his grip loosen. He tilted his head back up from his low gaze. 

" Mhm! I say your cooking is a little better! Its good--um- just harder to fully grasp, I guess, which isn't your fault. “

Caine continued to brush her hair. He could stay there for hours to hear her praise him and degrade his brother. It has been a while since he heard anyone criticise Able, and to hear it from the person he wanted from the most made him revel in the feeling.

“ And what is it with his over insistance to be so proper, right? It felt like even breathing was banned around him. “

“ That sounds like him.”Admittedly that one pleased Caine. Although Caine was all for following the rules, Sometimes his brother’s prudence can limit his creativity. He knows it all too well. 

" Was he always like this? “ Pomni asked. 

" And what would happen if I said yes? “

" Nothing. I guess its good to know that he was always that annoying. “

" Ha! “ That one caught him off guard! He put his hands on her shoulders, an olden man’s way of effection or showing pleasure. 

To Pomni it was as releiving as it was terrifying. Her body scrunched up from the sudden touch. “Haha… “ she laughed nervously. It was almost like she could feel herself gaining favor with each laugh. She guesses Caine really felt strongly about his brother. It wasn't her business. 

“ Im sorry to hear your visit was unpleasant. My brother really should have known better." Caine put away the comb on her vanity, and kept his hands on her shoulders. He didn't sound sorry. He didn't even bother to hide his pleasure over the idea. “ Ill make sure he doesn't get his grubby hands on you again… “

" Much appreciated. '' Pomni closed her eyes and nodded, pleased, before opening them back up again in a panic. “ Uh--! Actually, How about no? “

"... No? “

" I-I mean uh…” Pomni limiting her reach around the digital world also meant limiting her reach for a possible exit… but ofcourse, shes not telling Caine that " I-I just had ..so much fun performing for the audience with higher stakes, I guess, you know? Plus-- plus! It might make me more desireable to have big wins every now and then! “

“... I suppose." Caine thought to himself. Perhaps having her around Able a little more might build some resentment. Though Caine admittedly was a little disappointed with that answer. He went quiet again and kept his hands on her shoulders, though this time, a grip that's a little more stiff.

Pomni exhaled… 

shit… change the subject.

Pomni cleared her throat. “Did you… enjoy the performance? “

Caine laughed, a pity laugh. “ I enjoyed it as much as a person can enjoy a pre-planned game, yes. “

“ Huh?"

“ It was rigged, my dear." 

“ Oh…… … … … "

“ You wouldn't actually think I'd let you play fair on your first game would you? The audience would boo you to oblivion. “ Caine continued. 

Pomni looked down, admittedly a little embarrassed. She normally wouldn't care for her work as long as she gets to live another day, but still. Ouch. A blow to her ego.

“ It's alright. It's not your fault that Able can be tacky with his taste in art.” it seems that the more Pomni looked down the more affectionate he got. He placed his would-be chin on her head and continued to look at her eyes in the mirror. “I took control of your body 20…30...50% of the performance and that was that. “

“... Thanks." 

" You're welcome. “ Caine tapped her shoulders and stepped away, back into the air. He snapped his fingers and the mannequins previously on the floor re-assembled, back to walking and moving like nothing happened. 

Caine moved closer to the door.  “ Now get ready for bed! We have another routine to do first thing in the morning! How exciting.“

Before she could say anything else, Caine was out. Pomni let out little exhausted groans and put her forehead down on the table. “Augghh! God!" She put her hands on her head, just about ready to have her fourth mental breakdown. “ I can't… I CAN’T. I hate this place!”

The mannequins didn't know how to groom her in that position, and so they simply put her bow back on, and gave her a pat on the head. 

She stayed in that position for a little longer, quiet, just letting it all seep in. While she wallowed, the mannequins left her with the room since they finished their work. Now, it was only Pomni by herself.

She took a breath and turned her head up. Chin on the vanity, looking up at the mirror. She stared at the reflection, the constant reminder of her digital prison, and sighed.

It's okay, Pomni.

We have a plan. 

This isn't over yet. 

[braisedhoney]

jax that’s literally her only fear, why would you do this.

[outer-edges]

legends of tomorrow really cooked with martin stein like bro got a full and happy life with his wife (and time aberration daughter) before having the most insane retirement and living another full and happy life of time traveling hijinks and world saving what else is cooler than that.

[jester089]

The more the merrier

I was gonna sleep but my brain wouldn't let me until I wrote about that concept I brought up in past writing. The one where it glitches and their is more then one of a character. I'm gonna say that they kind of have a hivemind too. Cause I want to. If you want where this was originally brought up look for "A well deserved a#$ kicking (Part 2)" as that's where I first though of it. As this is entirely delf indulgent it's only gonna have my favs in my fav situations. But if yall like it enough ie I get a request I can do more characters. Or just go into more detail.

TADC crew x Reader

Gangle (Receiving)

She can be a lot to handle on her own as she has a lot of very overwhelming emotions. Now their's two of her. Good luck! That means double the problems and double the masks to fix. But it's worth. At first for good reason walking in on two Gangle's was surprising. First place your mind went to is it's a adventure or something from Caine. So you took the two Gangle's to see him only for him to be surprised when seeing them. He explained how this wasn't his doing then tried in vain to get rid of one. Welp now you have two emotional girlfriends. Lucky mf. Before when their was just one Gangle she had the tendency to wrap around you during cuddles or just when she wanted to be close to you, but now their's two of them so when that happens you get half mummified until they decide they've had enough. 10/10, your so incredibly lucky you get that. I would fight/kill so many people to get what you have.

Gangle (Giving)

Gangle was relaxing in her room enjoying having a day without a ton of weirdness in it when she heard some incredibly rapid knocking and doorbell ringing. She gets up and opens the door only to come face to face with two of you! The cinnamon roll could barely handle one of you teasing her and being affectionate with her. And now their's two. She might just pass away right then and there. Well at least she doesn't have to worry about Jax anymore. You would rock his s^#$ when their was just one of you, now their's two. If he knows what's good for him he'll stop messing with you and Gangle. And when you stand on either side of her like body guards she can and will get incredibly flustered. Before when you would help out Gangle and the others with things you would be good but clearly overwhelmed. But now you get things done incredibly quickly. Gangle's mask repair time was shortened from a day or so to less then an hour. 10/10. She's overwhelmed and overstimulated, but happy.

Ragatha (Receiving)

Ragatha was an amazing S/O at the worst of times able to handle so much on her own. Now double that. Way I see this going is she has one of her with you at all times making sure you're ok while the other helps out the others. Only time you have to be alone now is if something big goes wrong and more then one Ragatha is needed to fix it properly. Ragatha's hugs before were tight, tight enough for you to need a second to recover after each one just from the sheer force and love put into each one. Now you have to deal with that doubled, whether that mean double the amount or a Ragatha on either side of you squeezing your life essence out. 10/10, while she's around you don't have to deal with anything and you get two overwhelmingly loving partners.

Ragatha (Giving)

Ragatha got back to her room after a long and tiring day. She walks in to see you laying on her bed in a jokingly seductive way. She smiles and rolls her eyes then moves towards you. Once in bed with you she feels someone gently hug her from behind and freaks the f&#$ out. She full on socked second you in the face hard enough to leave a dent and knock you out of bed. You quickly get up to help yourself and make sure you ok while Ragatha stares at you two in disbelief. She ask what's going on and you explain how you woke up with a clone and how you went to see Caine only for him to not know what to do. You apologize for scaring her you just couldn't resist. You two sit down on the bed on either side of her causing her to blush and not know who to look at while you two talk in sync. Once she is more accustomed to all this and realizes that it's you, just times two. She will really really enjoy double cuddles from you two. And will definitely enjoy the feeling of being picked up and held on you two's shoulders. 10/10, flustered but happy.

Jax (Receiving)

Get ready for a whole lot of teasing. He teased you a lot before, now their's two. Good luck! He, of course first used it as a prank. He would be relaxing in your room with you then ask you to grab something from his room. When you get there he's laying on the bed in a teasingly seductive way and greets you. You, confused go back to your room only to find him in the exact same pose on your bed too. So either he knows a really fast and secretive shortcut or he learned how to teleport. You stand in your rooms door staring at him stunned when you feel a gentle hand on your shoulder. You turn to see Jax. You have to like quintuple take and look between the two so many times before freezing. Overall it would be the more of the same. But do be warned if you show one of him more attention/affection the other can and will get jealous. 8.5/10, way to overwhelming and hard to deal with.

Jax (giving)

You just like Jax, youused it as a prank. Yours was a little more mean though cause he deserved it from all his teasing. Jax was walking around looking for you cause he had something to show you. He caught a glimpse of you walking towards the rooms and follows behind. He sees you go into your room and is about to follow before he sees you walk out of his room. You wave at him then keep walking while he's stunned. He turns around and is about to follow you to show the thing before you walk out of your room. Ok he's confused. He walks up to you and asks about it. But you play dumb to it. You keep that shtick up for a few days only stopping when he started to genuinely believe he was looking his mind. Their being two of you will make it much harder for Jax to do anything mean or teasing as if he does you can easily return it ten fold. 9/10. Having two of you is the only real way to handle one Jax.

Pomni (Receiving)

Oh gosh. She had the tendency to spiral when their was just one of her. Now their's two so she spirals and breaks down 2x more and 2x faster. You're going to have your hands full, if you want this to not end badly you better hope your a god at comforting her. Before she easily got overwhelmed by your affection and attention but is ever so slightly better at handling it now that their's two of her. I can 100% see you walking around a Pomni on each shoulder which she both loves and hates, loves cause she gets to be close to you and feel special, hate because it feels so public and she feels like she sticks out when you do that. Before she could kind of handle being alone for a while. Now, not so much. So I hope you're ready to spend an unhealthy amount of time with her just to keep her alive. 5/10, she's lovely but she's got a lot of problems. And when their's two of her those problems multiply by a lot.

Pomni (Giving)

Now this will end well. Having two incredibly supportive and loving people who know when you need attention could help just about anyone. When you first found out you did your best to ease her into it. You knocked on her door only one of you there and told her that you had something to show her. Something that could cause a panic attack. She was worried but with your encouragement and knowing that'll you be there with her helped. So she followed you to your room. You opened the door for her and gestured inside. She looked inside to see another you sitting on your bed looking awkward. Once the initial shock has worn off she'll actually really enjoy it. She likes laying on one of you as a mattress while the other gives her attention. 10/10, helps her with her problems and she's surprisingly good at handling both of your attention at once.

(I really REALLY enjoyed writing this. I don't expect others to enjoy this as much as it's definitely more in my tastes but still. I hope you enjoyed it. And the things I would do to be in that situation, sadly best I can do is write about it.)

xoxo, Jester

[theboywithburninghands]

We’ve arrived. The final chapter, apart from an epilogue. I hope it was worth the wait. Some characters by @noble-crimson and @cleoarrow appear again. Also, @toonsforkicks22 and @fernstarsblog the story is complete now. Phew… I can’t believe I actually did it.

T/W: Violence, parental and emotional abuse, homophobia, drug addiction, era-appropriate sexism.

Primum Peccatum Final Chapter: Thanks for The Memories

Their reception was held within Lakepoint. The function center was decorated with white lace and the occasional splash of red or blue. The round tables, six seats at each, were dressed with white tablecloths, a glass carafe in the middle of each, filled halfway with water and a red and blue rose. Fine white ceramic plates, each with a silverware roll wrapped with a white napkin and a red or blue satin ribbon. On the long rectangular center table was a three-decker Angel food cake, frosted elegantly with white buttercream, purple and green sugar blossoms climbing up the sides. Jade green bottles of champagne, their tops wrapped in gold foil, sat beside dozens of identically arranged flute glasses. To the right of the champagne, a large silver kettle of coffee, several boats of cream and a bowl of frosty sugar cubes beside white mugs on white saucers.

Pomni walked with her husband, hand in hand, to their reserved head table. As was customary, the bride’s side of the family sat with them. Vladimir, Mirella and Zooble sat with them, along with Mr. Kinger. He was family. Pomni was the last to be seated, as she had elected to bring everyone something to drink. Normally, the bride wasn’t to raise a finger for her guests. But it was Pomni’s wedding, and she couldn’t be persuaded otherwise.

“Your vows were absolutely beautiful, piccola, they brought me to tears…” Mirella sighed, sipping from her flute of champagne.

“I am glad they moved you, mother,” Pomni Krolik said. She finished the cup of coffee she had poured for herself, wiping her chin with a napkin. “I spoke from the heart. As you have so often told me not to do.”

Mirella’s reply was cut off by Mr. Kinger.

“Mr. Krolik, what are you to do now? Now that you’re married I assume you must find a trade.” he said, sipping his black coffee.

“I would first like to fully recover from my illness, as well as enjoy some time with my wife, before I seek an occupation.” Jax replied. His tone was pleasant but somewhat uneasy. “There is also the matter of inheritances.”

“Indeed,” Vladimir said. “All of that shall be taken care of. In just a few days, your estate will be prepared. I have the paperwork for the property and for your inheritances in my desk-”

“In the first drawer on the right,” Pomni added. “All your documents to be signed are put there for safekeeping and ease of access.”

“Yes dear, your memory never fails, does it? In the first drawer on the right.” Vladimir smiled. “Goodness, I’m proud of you. You’ve adapted so well to your circumstances… And you were so obstinate before!”

“Adapting is certainly an accurate description,” Pomni said. She picked up her quarter-full flute of champagne and sipped. She was not a fan of drinking. It spoiled her focus. So she opted for a paltry amount for ceremony’s sake.

“I suppose now is as good a time to say so. Welcome to our family.”

A deep voice behind her made Pomni turn in her seat. Drexl Krolik stood, arms tucked behind his back and dwarfing just about everyone at the table. Boone stood at his side, his mouth firmly closed. He met Pomni’s eyes and glanced away.

“Mr. Krolik, I’m delighted to see you! Wasn’t the ceremony lovely?” Mirella asked.

“Quite. I was impressed by my son and my daughter-in-law’s rhetoric,” Drexl said, clapping a massive paw to Jax’s shoulder, who flinched conspicuously.

“And what a performance by your second son!” Kinger exclaimed. “That voice of his is astounding, where did you train him?”

Drexl sniffed. “He’s self taught. My involvement with such frivolities is minimal, I assure you. He is a career driven lad, much like the rest of my family. While we were on the subject, however…”

Drexl turned to look at Pomni, who had quaffed her mostly empty champagne flute.

“I was curious, Mrs. Pomni, if you had the chance to consider my offer? Krolik International would love to have you onboard as a member.”

Pomni took a deep breath and smiled, setting her empty champagne glass down on the table with a clink, a bit of leftover froth trickling down and resting at the bottom of the flute.

“Why yes I have, Mr. Krolik! I’ve pondered your offer for some time now, and after careful consideration, I’ve decided that I’d rather have a job wiping the prime minister’s arse than work for you!”

Kinger put a hand to his mouth in a soft gasp. Zooble made a sound that sounded like an abnormally loud cough. A deafening silence fell over the hall.

“Pomni-!” her father exclaimed. “M-Mr. Krolik, I’m truly sorry, she doesn’t normally drink- I’m certain that she didn’t mean a word of-”

“Father?” Pomni arose from her seat. “Firstly, I am not inebriated. Secondly, I don’t feel at all comfortable working with that man. You’ve already pawned me off once, I’d prefer if you didn’t do it again…”

Her father spun about, a vein popping on his forehead. “Pomni Shutnyk-!”

“Pomni Krolik, father. Please get it right. It was your idea. And if you please, shut up a moment. I’m explaining to you why I don’t want to work for this man. You will let me speak.”

Pomni turned from her stunned father and looked back at Drexl Krolik.

“Mr. Krolik. I can’t speak on your skills as a businessman, because from what I can tell, you are perfectly successful. However, as a father and authority figure, you disgust me on a visceral level. What do you gain from putting your hands on your own sons?”

Drexl’s eyes ballooned to double their size. “Are you accusing me of harming my own brood?” he whispered.

“Ha. Please don’t playact being offended. I know you harm your own “brood.” In fact, I saw you slap Osvaldo and Boone in the face the evening I had dinner at your manor.”

Jax winced. Other guests had turned to look in confusion. The Gentleman in Red, unnoticed, finished cutting himself a piece of cake and watched from the end of the table.

“That’s true, isn’t it Boone?” Pomni said. “Your father is rather wicked at the best of times, is he not?”

Pomni took a look at Boone, who shrank and stammered. Everyone had turned to look by now. Ragatha clutched her necklace of beads and whispered prayers to herself.

“Pomni, you’ve said quite enough-” her father began.

“Father, do you love me?” interrupted Pomni.

“Do I-?”

“If you love me, you will not give me over to Mr. Krolik. He is a fiend.” Pomni gestured to Drexl, who stood like a bull. “I will suffer under his leadership, make no mistake.”

Jax got to his feet. “I’m afraid I must agree, Mr. Shutnyk. My father would surely bring harm to your daughter should he be put in a position of authority over her. As her husband, I cannot allow this.”

“This is obscene!” Drexl barked. “I am appalled at your lack of decorum, the both of you! I magnanimously offer you, my daughter-in-law, a position at my company despite your gender and this is my thanks?!”

“Yes,” Jax replied.

“Allow me to elaborate, ladies and gentlemen!” Pomni climbed onto her chair so she could be seen and heard more clearly. Perched up there, she looked like some form of odd white Phoenix.

“Be careful, dear..!” Kinger exclaimed.

“That incredible performance that you heard this morning? Mr. Krolik found the idea of his son composing and performing a song for our wedding so abhorrent that he struck him in the face! I witnessed it, roughly around 9:30 PM on the seventh of this month. The performer, Osvaldo, my brother-in-law, could not join us for the reception, because he worried for his safety and had to flee the premises. Fearful of his own father’s wrath!”

Pomni glared at Drexl, her eyes glinting with righteous anger. “From what I’ve been told, your four sons and daughter in law live in terror of you. You’re impossible to please yet entirely too easy to displease! And when you’re displeased-”

“Pomni-” Mirella began.

“Mother, hush.” Pomni snapped. “And when you’re displeased, you hurt people. So if I were to displease you as your underling, what would you do? Hm? Hit me? You’d knock me flying. Perhaps even concuss me! But you wouldn’t be caught, no, a man like you is talented at not leaving marks, correct?”

“It’s true,” Boone said.

Drexl whipped his head around to look at his older son. Pomni and Jax looked at him as well.

“It’s true. My father is a tyrant,” Boone said, taking several steps away from Drexl and avoiding his searing gaze. “In fact, not long ago, he did this.”

Boone opened his mouth, placing a thumb and finger over one of his front teeth and neatly plucking it from the socket. The guests gasped.

Ragatha hastened her prayers. The crow-woman stood and left the reception, clutching some silverware in her wings. The Gentleman in Red had a bite of cake.

“I did no such thing!” Drexl thundered.

“But you did, father! You’re always trying not to leave marks, but this time you boxed me a might too smartly, didn’t you?” Boone shot back.

“Cease these lies at once!” Drexl roared.

“Or else you’ll do what?” Boone shouted back. “Knock a few more teeth loose? Oh, I’m so very scared!”

The patriarch of the deer family, possibly even taller than Drexl with fur so brown it was nearly black, rose to his feet. His cinnabar eyes burned with severity.

“What kind of a man puts his paws on his children, Krolik?” he demanded. His voice was a heavily accented growl.

“Lawrence, this is all nonsense!” Drexl spluttered.

“No man at all,” Kinger said, slowly shaking his head.

“I’m afraid the bridegroom speaks the truth,” Altonicus said, standing from his table. “I was often spared from my father’s wrath on account of being the oldest son, a guilt I struggle with to this day… But even I have been denied meals and been a recipient of floggings. I became a doctor because it was my passion, and it happened to be profitable, so my father allowed it. Osvaldo wishes to be a vocalist, and is undeniably skilled, as you all have seen, but father sees such a career as and “womanly.” So he refuses to allow Osvaldo the chance to pursue his dream.”

Kali got to her feet. “It isn’t limited to his offspring, either. I live in fear of Drexl as well. Alton and I have avoided bringing a child into this world because I would worry for their safety… And I…”

Kali covered her mouth and sniffled, Altonicus holding her other paw.

“Kali, may I?” Jax said.

“You’ve all said quite enough!” Drexl growled.

“Slanderous little harlot… I would never-”

“I have not had the flu.” Jax interjected.

“Pardon me?!” his father barked.

“I have not had the flu. Rather, I have been ill, but not from any rogue paramecium.” Jax turned to his sister in law and repeated himself. “Kali, may I?”

Kali wiped her eyes and nodded. “I’ve bore this anxiety long enough. Tell your story.”

Jax smiled gently and nodded.

“This is all hearsay, hearsay and lies!” Drexl thundered.

“No, Mr. Krolik. I would like to hear from my son-in-law.” Vladimir said coolly.

“Thank you, Mr. Shutnyk.” Jax said. “When I was 17, Boone and I got into an altercation. I fell from a bridge, and broke my arm and several ribs…”

Boone looked down at his shoes, still maintaining a careful distance from his father.

“Kali tried to ease my pain by giving me a bit of laudanum. She only knew that laudanum was a powerful sedative, not a narcotic, and wanted to grant me some respite from the pain, because she is a good sister…”

Kali broke into sobs, sinking into her chair. Alton wrapped an arm around her. Jax had begun pacing around the reception.

“And thus, when I began craving more laudanum and the pain returned worse than ever, Kali was forced to hide her mistake and bring me more. Now, why was this the best choice, you may ask? My brother is a doctor, surely he would have a way to remedy the situation… It was because I was still living with my father.”

Drexl simply stared, livid.

“If he discovered Kali made this mistake, no matter how well-intentioned and repairable, he would surely fly into a rage. He certainly would have attacked her, or Alton… Perhaps even me for acting an inebriate. And so she gave me more opium to ease the pain and avoid arousing his suspicions until I had healed, yet had a hopeless craving for poppy. I struggled with it for five years…

“That is why I’ve been ill. I apologize for lying to you all. My wife encouraged Kali and Alton to aid in getting me off the awful tincture now that I’ve been away from my father’s prying eyes. I have been in the midst of battling withdrawals. It is incredibly unpleasant, but I am on the mend.”

Jax, now at the other end of the hall, turned to address the guests. They were utterly transfixed.

“Now you all see the depth of the terror my father inspires. No mistakes are permitted around him, lest you face his wrath, be you offspring or in-law. Pomni and I apologize for dampening the mood of the wedding, but we wanted everyone to know my father’s true character.”

The door opened, and Osvaldo entered. He held a file under his arm, gasping and holding it to his chest upon seeing his father standing in the middle of the mostly silent room.

“Osvaldo, welcome in. Would you like to add to the litany of accusations against your father?” Pomni asked with poison politeness.

“Don’t be frightened, Aldo,” Jax said, standing at his older brother’s side and accepting the file that he girded himself with. “You can say what you like.”

The gray rabbit shook his head frantically. “I shouldn’t…” he muttered.

“Do not contribute to this slander, Osvaldo.” Drexl warned.

“Sir, we would like to hear from your son,” the son of the deer family said. He looked at the gray rabbit with an expression that might be read as protective. Osvaldo blushed and swallowed, but shook his head again.

“Osvaldo. We’ll entertain this piffle no longer. We are returning home.” Drexl said.

Sister Ragatha approached Osvaldo. Although he was an inch or so taller than she, she bent slightly at the waist to speak to him.

“Osvaldo… My child, there is nothing to fret about.” she said, using her softest and voice and wearing her warmest smile. “I think you’ve been exceptionally brave today already. However, I need to know the truth because it concerns a dear friend of mine. Would Pomni be in danger working for your father?”

Osvaldo chewed his lip, squinting his eyes shut.

“Ozzy,” Boone said. “Go ahead. It will be alright.”

After an agonizing number of seconds, he nodded.

“Mutinous little CUR!!!”

Drexl drove his fist into Pomni’s table, knocking it onto one leg and catapulting champagne flutes and coffee cups across the hall, which shattered into dust or clinked shrilly across the floor.

Mirella yowled and fell out of her chair, Vladimir diving to her aid. Zooble was struck on the armpit by the tabletop and knocked to the ground. Pomni tumbled from her chair as well, shielding her face with her arm with a loud exclamation. Kinger slid over and caught her before she hit the ground, although she took him to his knees with the impact of landing. Jax made a dash for Pomni from across the hall, losing a shoe mid-stride. The table wobbled feebly on its solitary leg before falling onto its side, the tablecloth fluttering to the ground and forks and spoons and butter knives sliding free from their undone rolls.

“Mrs. Krolik, are you quite alright?!” Kinger asked, holding the small woman tenderly as Jax skidded to his side, kneeling to assure that she was unharmed.

“I-I-I am fine, I… Osvaldo?!” Pomni sat up at attention, looking across the hall.

Drexl moved like a charging steam engine towards Osvaldo, who whimpered and crouched to his knees, covering his head with his arms. Guests all around the room gasped and got to their feet, some shouting in protest. Ragatha stood before Drexl, clutching her necklace in a fist.

“Sir, I would ad-”

A huge palm lashed across her face, the Gray Sister yelping and falling to the floor.

“DARLING!” Gangle shrieked, kneeling at her side.

Drexl seized Osvaldo by the throat and pulled him up with alarming force.

“Father, no, please!” Boone cried.

Drexl ignored this and began to squeeze. Altonicus vaulted over his table and sprinted towards his younger brother, only to skid to a halt.

There was a sharp scrape of metal across metal as Drexl felt something cold press to the back of his neck. He turned and ceased all movement.

“You-!” Pomni could be heard saying.

The Gentleman in Red had crossed the room. Nobody had seen him walk, oddly. He was by the wedding cake, and then he was not. He’d withdrawn a rapier, as thin as a fencer’s foil, hidden in his cane, and pressed it to the back of Drexl’s head, directly on his brainstem.

“Sir,” The Gentleman said, as calmly as a constable might speak to one who had just tossed their sandwich paper onto the sidewalk. “Please allow your son down.”

Drexl Krolik snarled like an enraged wolverine, but did not move.

“Sir, again,” The Gentleman said. “I must ask you, allow your son down. I need only push a centimeter or two and you will cease to be. I do not wish to do this, and I am certain you do not either. Go on.”

Drexl’s pupils dilated from the slits that they had shrunken too. The Gentleman in Red looked at him sternly. Osvaldo fell from his father’s paws and scrambled backwards on his rear end. He crouched behind a table and was just about to curl up and weep when a hoof touched him on the shoulder.

“Sir, are you quite alright?” a deep voice asked.

The son of the deer family knelt at his side, honey-brown eyes shimmering with concern. Osvaldo did not reply with words, bursting into tears and covering his face with his paws. The deer rubbed his back and spoke softly.

“My name is Dawson. I loved your performance…”

The hall was silent apart from whispers and sobs. Drexl remained where he was, the rapier pressing against the back of his head. Vladimir rose to his feet.

“Mr. Krolik. In light of this new development, I will not be signing my daughter onto your firm. I will also be reconsidering my family’s donation to yours. You are no longer welcome at this reception. Good day.”

Drexl looked at Pomni, who had gotten to her feet. The look in his eyes could have poisoned an alpine stream. Pomni felt a lurch of fear in her belly that he might cross the room, grab her head with a single paw and tear it from her shoulders. The Gentleman in Red hopefully had quick reflexes…

Drexl turned to Zuzanna, thrusting a finger to the door. “Wyjeżdżamy.”

Zuzanna remained in her seat. Her normally sweet countenance was icy.

“Zuzanna! Właśnie teraz wychodzimy!”

“Obawiam się, że to trudne,” she replied.

A few of Jax’s cousins gave nervous input in Ediacaran. Zooble got to their feet, groaning with pain. Nothing was broken, but they were going to bruise terribly.

Drexl’s mouth twitched. He looked to Boone.

“Boone. Come along,” he ordered.

Boone slid his tooth back into its socket and looked his father in the face.

“Mother would hate who you’ve become. Go fuck yourself,” he replied.

There was a scattering of gasps from the guests. One indigo rabbitwoman flipped open her fan and rapidly waved it on her neck. Ragatha made a sound of disbelief as Gangle helped her into her chair.

Drexl balled his fists. He stared a moment longer before whirling about, stomping to the exit door and throwing it open hard enough so that it slammed against the outside wall with teeth-chattering force. The Gentleman in Red sheathed his rapier and rested both hands on his cane, observing the hullabaloo. He nodded to Vladimir.

“Delicious cake, Mr. Shutnyk,” he said.

Pomni put ice from the champagne bucket in one of the napkins, a blue one, and gave it to Zooble to help with their injury, doing the same for Ragatha, this time in a red one. She then strode over to Jax, who watched Drexl Krolik retreat into the distance before he closed the door.

“Are you alright?” she asked, holding his paw.

“I am alright. Are you? I’m sorry I didn’t catch you…” he said.

“Think nothing of it. You were helping your brother. I would like to go home. May I see those documents?”

Jax handed her the folder. She brought it to her parents, who were still gathering themselves off the floor. Jax went to

“Pomni, we had no idea that-” her mother began.

“Yes, I’m sure you didn’t. Do not worry about that now. Please review these documents, if you don’t mind.”

Vladimir opened the folder. Inside were about a half dozen penned documents. The handwriting was of such a neat and blocky quality that it could only be Pomni’s.

“And these are?” Vladimir asked.

“A few bits and bobs. Notice of intent to vacate, acceptance papers from the New Hirnantian Embassy in Ediacara, transfer of ownership for a piece of property… and a few letters of intent to pursue legal action should Jax and I not be given our dowry.”

Vladimir put on his spectacles and skimmed through the papers, then looked up, perplexed.

“You’re… giving the manor we’re gifting you away?” he asked.

“We can hardly take it with us to Ediacara, can we? Besides, Osvaldo would benefit from it more. He needs a place to live, after all. So he can live there along with whoever he chooses.” Pomni said.

“You’re moving to another country? But Pomni, why? Why would you do this..?” Mirella pleaded.

“Please don’t begin the crocodile tears, mother.” Pomni sighed. “Yes, we’re moving to Ediacara. Drexl Krolik’s offer may have been laughable, but I was quite intrigued by his mention that women can work there. There are other issues, assuredly, but at least I won’t be doomed to a life of domestic servitude as I would here.”

“But… Pomni, what about-” Vladimir began.

“I’ve told you before, father. Your firm interests me no longer. Although Jax and I love each other, I have not forgotten how betrayed I felt three weeks ago, as well as both of your complete and utter indifference towards my distress. That hurt almost as much as you going behind my back. It not only broke my heart, it showed me that I exist as a commodity to you, not as your daughter. If I hadn’t learned of Drexl’s vicious personality, I would be at his mercy and it would have been entirely your doing.”

Mirella burst into tears, earning a roll of the eyes from Pomni.

“Mother, really. That is not needed. Now, if you two are truly apologetic, you will give me my dowry and let me go. Perhaps then I will let you back into my life. If you attempt to skimp on my inheritance, then you will never see me again apart from in court. That’s all. I am going home to pack. Our boat leaves in a few days. I’ll see you later.”

Pomni turned and walked away. Vladimir watched his daughter go. She found her husband, pecked him surreptitiously on the cheek with a dry smile, and spoke a bit with her oldest brother-in-law and sister-in-law. He felt like screaming at her, demanding her return. But he did not say a word, simply hugging his weeping wife.

Secretly, he was impressed.

[and-everybody-clapped]

Jax: Aren’t you supposed to be submissive and agreeable?

Jax fans: Aren’t YOU supposed to be silly and agreeable!?!?!?!?!!!?

[moviebunny]

my tadc ship dynamic headcanons that are, in reality, an extended list of codependency crashouts and rebounds:

Ragatha / Jax - intimate relationship at one point that crashed out once their coping mechanisms diverged too heavily. however, when a cast member dies, ragatha and jax go through a brief rebound where they anchor each other as the only constants in-between Caine’s shitshows and the endless rotating cast of characters. In a way, they take each other for granted, but there’s also quiet resentment brewing between the two as Jax suspects Ragatha thinks she’s better than him and Ragatha has grown weary of his impulsiveness.

Ragatha / Gangle - Gangle latched onto Ragatha’s nice demeanor when she arrived and fell hard. They dated for a brief, very intense period, but Gangle’s constant sadness was enough for Ragatha to awkwardly withdraw. Nothing was official, but Gangle blames herself for the relationship falling apart. She still idolizes Ragatha’s looks, demeanor, and general approach to life, even though they don’t speak anymore.

Gangle / Jax - She doesn’t like the way Jax treats her, but also blames herself for folding to him. She admires Jax’s boldness to do whatever he wants, despite his constant harassment and, in a way, she finds respite in how his behavior toward her echoes the loathing she feels toward herself. Unlike Ragatha, Jax feels comfortable sharing secrets with Gangle, given how he has her under his thumb. The power imbalance between the two has been the state of affairs since she arrived.

Jax / Zooble - Mutual chew-toys 🤝 Jax does whatever he wants to Zooble, and they dish it out just as hard. There’s an undeniable rawness and freedom that comes with being able to physically lash out at an acceptable target without a long-term grudge forming. (Especially when you’re living with body dysphoria 24/7 and the guy bothering you constantly is so so so punchable.) Still, there’s only so much that can be conveyed without words. Jax doesn’t talk about anything that matters - just an endless stream of surface-level quips, references to media Zooble remembers, and verbal jabs. To Zooble, trying to have a “real” conversation with him feels like chasing a shadow. Ultimately, Zooble desires closeness and wants to bridge the distance Jax draws between himself and the others. But Jax is content with their relationship as-is.

[notnights]

Ive seen a lot of ribbun angst where Gangle abstracts and they comminly have Jax going crazy hallucinating shes still alive n stuff,.. how do you Gangle would deal with JAX abstracting instead?

I think she'd be bummed but not say much. Jax was there since she arrived, even if he was a negative influence on her life, his absence will be felt. A lot of conflicted feelings with that. There's a feeling of relief and guilt for that relief, and then sadness in general for not being able to talk to this person again.

Idk how much Gangle cares for Jax but she at least engages with him somewhat. According to ep 4 she values some of his opinion also (not just the "better when sad" thing but she also seemed bummed Jax wasn't enjoying the adventure or playing along.)

[vampire-cookie]

ask game: ive drawn a few aloes for you :)

this is suddenly really hard because ive asked everyone who has met me ever to draw aloe but you said a few times. i do not want to be wrong. im also considering who the fuck is even awake right now. @dicewrap YOU 🫵

[midnightsnyx]

i’ve been having some thoughts on mama from girl at home !! i kinda wanna give her some personality even tho it’s technically a reader insert

i did a smau which insinuates she’s a brunette which makes sense cause nora is also a brunette

also someone said awhile back that it would be cool if she was a writer so i feel like that could def be her job!

any other thoughts on her?

also marlee will probably be a new oc because i want her to have a girlfriend and jax is her only other friend besides liana lol i try not to write “your best friend” or “y/b/f” because i just don’t like the way it looks, and you might’ve noticed i try my best to not have y/n insert unless absolutely necessary

[watchful-ornaments]

Genuinely what if Jax’s music is ragebait has anyone come at it from that angle

[fangsinyourheart]

One of the best feelings is sleeping in the same room my pack (brother and his bf) have been in is so comforting.. just curled up and waiting for them to get back, like a good dog.

[crownin-thestars]

I just realised the reason why it's so hard for me to figure out how to write the bad boys hogwarts au is because Harry Potter has like the shittest world building. Like I love Harry Potter but holy crap the amount of problems there are in it's entirety

[dianaladrislovebot]

finally got around to watching the amazing digital circus as a gone series fan and besides the main antagonists having the same name, it’s laughable how similar some of the characters are

[theboywithburninghands]

When the sun hasn't risen yet, that means it's time for Funnybunny. Okay, so this is a story inspired by @rottentricks' excellent Murder Mystery AU, and it's very different from anything else I've published so far. It's a murder mystery/horror/romance... thing, so things will get dark. I'll include trigger warnings as always (and there are a lot this time eesh), but otherwise, enjoy! Go follow @rottentricks! T/W: Murder, gore, mentions of suicide, fantasy racism, tobacco use Animals Chapter 1: Pigs

You house-proud town mouse

Ha, ha, charade you are…

—

Autumnvale, population 956 at the last census. Diverse population of humans and animalfolk. A large agricultural community. Several murders for a town its size. 

In a bigger city, the murder rate of Autumnvale would be about average, perhaps slightly higher. In a small town? It was abnormally large. And the baffling thing was, no one could put their finger on the exact reasons why. There was no organized crime in the area, and the poverty rate hovered around a meager 3.5%. It seemed that things simply had a tendency to spiral out of control around the town, and fast.

Most of it could be attributed to the Nightwalkers, vicious apex predators that stalked the outskirts of town after dark in the winter months. A few foolish out-of-towers or staggering drunks ended up wandering the village after curfew over the years. These same people were found the next morning, or rather, shredded scraps of their clothes and the occasional picked clean bone were found in patches of crimson-soaked snow the next morning. 

But even with this avoidable danger, there were… “incidents.” Autumnvale’s mayor, Caine Mason, insisted that any casualties were referred to as “incidents” until proven otherwise. In fairness, he was occasionally correct. A young man who fell off a roof he was trying to fix and broke his neck was an incident, or a woman that stepped on a rusty nail and died from lockjaw two weeks later was an incident. But, there were times when even their silver-tongued mayor had no choice but to declare something much more suspicious than an “incident.”

Gangle, the owner of the local black box theater, was out for her morning walk in early January. When the sun rose to a safe enough height that the Nightwalkers slunk back to the woods, the ribbon-woman would go for a walk around town, practicing her lines aloud. It helped her remember them better if she actually got a chance to say them. That was the funny thing about plays. Just reading them lost almost 80% of their essence, you needed to perform them, or at the very least, watch a performance.

“‘There is none worthy, respecting her that's gone. Besides, the gods will have fulfill'd their secret purposes-’” she spoke angrily. She then paused, looked at her lines again, and tried them again in a more heartbroken tone. She hummed and read the rest of her monologue. 

They were doing Shakespeare’s A Winter’s Tale to celebrate the cold season’s onset. Gangle was playing Paulina, who was always her favorite character in that play. A lady who had the guts to stand up to a paranoid king… pretty inspiring stuff. 

A crow flapped its way over to the nearby signpost, where the town map was held, grappling with something in its beak, a large berry with the stem still attached. Gangle smiled at the large black bird. 

“How now, why comes ye here, envoy of the night?” she said, giggling at her imitation of Elizabethean writing. “You find something good to eat, buddy? Whatcha got?” 

She looked a little closer at what the crow was holding. It was shiny and mostly white, the stem a pinkish-red. What sort of berry was white this time of year?

The crow flipped the object around in its beak to get a better grip. Gangle put a ribbon to her mouth. A black spot rimmed with a circle of blue sat on the other side of the object. 

An eyeball. The crow had someone’s pretty blue eye clutched in its beak. 

“Oh my god…” Gangle whispered. The crow blinked a beady eye at her before flying off to the treeline at the end of the path. There, an entire murder of crows had gathered, croaking and squawking irritably at one another and clambering over an object up in the branches. They pecked bits of red offal from the central mass and swallowed them in a few toothless gulps. 

Gangle hugged her libretto close to her body, turned and ran for the center of town. 

—

Pomni woke up hungry. That was pretty common for most people, but it was becoming annoyingly common for her to open her eyes, regain some semblance of consciousness, and for her stomach to immediately let out a ghastly, soupy rumble. Pomni growled right back it, throwing her quilt off of her body. 

“Ugh, I know, shut uuuuuup.” 

She rolled out of bed, wincing at how cold the wooden floor was on her bare feet. Her studio apartment had a radiator by her bed at the very least, but that did nothing to warm up the rest of it. Her pajamas, a pair of charcoal gray sleep shorts and a pastel yellow university t-shirt weren’t exactly warm either. She dreaded how cold the toilet seat was going to be…

She performed her necessaries (the seat was unsurprisingly freezing), brushed her teeth and hair, took her medication, then went back to her bed, taking her quilt and wrapping herself up. She checked her watch. 9:17.

Her studio apartment was Spartan, but clean and free of bugs. The main room consisted of her bed by the radiator at the far side. On the right wall, the door to her closet of a bathroom and a tiny kitchenette with a gas stove and sink. On the left, her desk and easel, the slotted doors to her pantry, and her clothes closet. 

When she took this graduate assistantship, she hadn’t expected the ritz, but it really sucked to experience the January chill. Autumnvale was a great little town, but it was stupidly cold and dark in the winter. Full dark fell around the 7 PM curfew, and if she wasn’t back in her room with the door shut and barred by then, she was apparently at risk of running into Nightwalkers, whatever the hell those were. With a name like that, they definitely were to be avoided… 

She opened the slotted doors of her pantry, where she also had her built-in ironing board that she never used and trash can. She reached on her tiptoes to grab her tote of dry food and snacks from the top shelf. Maybe some trail mix or some crackers would tide her over for a bit so she could stay in and draw-

Nothing. She was out of dry food. The only thing that remained were a few packets of ketchup and mayo leftover from the last time she got a sandwich at the café. She made a sort of warble of defeat and rested her forehead on the tote. Nothing to eat. Nothing to tide her over so she could draw. Drawing. You know, the thing her school was fucking paying her for-

“Screw it.”

She grabbed all the packets of sauce and squirted them into her mouth, white and red mixing together into a pink mess that she swallowed in one go. She licked her lips.

“…Not terrible. Not filling though…”

She sighed. She would have to go get something from the café. She liked the café, especially the waitress Ragatha, but she was behind on her drawings. She had a chiaroscuro drawing to do in pencil by the end of the week, and she was running behind on the acrylic painting due in February. It may be January, but those took time! 

Ugh. Fine, whatever. She’d go to the café quickly and order the cheapest thing on the menu. What was that, toast? She could eat toast. …Maybe she could eat more than toast. Nothing too pricey, waffles or French toast and a coffee at most. She needed to have enough in her piggy bank to purchase more supplies if she ran out. She was getting a little bit low on green paint, since landscapes, wouldn’t you know it, needed a lot of green. 

She sighed and stretched, her stomach gurgling again.

“I just gave you eggs, vinegar and tomato paste, pipe down!” Pomni groused. You really became aware of how demanding your stomach was when you didn’t have someone around making sure you ate three square meals every day.

Pomni opened her closet, taking off her pajamas. She put her undergarments in the hamper but set her shirt and sleep shorts aside. If they smelled clean, there wasn’t much point in only wearing them for one night, that just filled the laundry basket faster. She put on some fresh underwear and tugged on a long sleeve black shirt and some insulated black snow pants. She covered her shirt with a white zip-up wool fleece, and for the third layer, her off-white puffer jacket. She pulled on some thermal socks and her black snow boots, and finally put on her gray university beanie. Getting dressed just to go outside in the winter was exhausting, but this would hopefully be the only time she’d have to. She slung her purse over her shoulder and pulled the board blocking her door loose, setting it down carefully, then she turned the deadbolt and slid the door chain out of its track, opening the door to the outside. 

Pomni’s breath rose in puffs of vapor as she locked the door to her apartment. It had snowed a few inches that weekend and hadn’t quite warmed up enough to melt anything, so the ground and the rooftops were still blanketed with white. She carefully took the steps down from the second floor, gripping the cold wood railing. Her landlord was good about salting the steps, but she was convinced one of these days she might slip on a hidden patch of ice and smash her tailbone, so she always clung to the railing. Once she reached the ground she breathed a steaming sigh of relief and crunched down the road. 

She heard the commotion coming from town about halfway up the road. Was there an open-air market today? It seemed too cold for that… she walked a little bit faster. She hurried past the farms, where piebald cows grazed and flicked their tails in the snowy pastures. Pomni sometimes liked to stop and pet them if they were close enough, but not today. She turned the corner onto Autumnvale’s main road, and saw the telltale blue and red lights emanating from the main square. 

She gulped, wiping her cold, damp nose on her pocket handkerchief, and walked a little closer to the hullabaloo. Townsfolk were gathered on the main road’s sidewalks, some talking worriedly to each other in small groups, others staring at the commotion up ahead. The forest edge at the far side of the road was cordoned off by yellow tape tied to orange and silver plastic pylons. A few men and women in blue jackets and silver badges stood around the perimeter, a few of them talking with civilians. Behind the tape, three men were talking to the ribbon-woman that ran the theater, Pomni couldn’t quite remember her name. She looked very shaken up and might have been crying, but it was too far away to tell.

“Pomni? Is that you, hun?”

A familiar voice made the art student spin about. Ragatha hurried across the road towards her, carefully to avoid slipping on the icy snow. Pomni almost didn’t recognize Ragatha out of her usual waitress uniform, but the patch over her right eye tipped her off. She had on an elegant purple peacoat with black buttons and a Pompom hat dappled with white and pink. Her rich red curls bounced as she approached Pomni. 

“Hey hun… You okay?” she said, her warm and pleasant voice tinged with worry. 

“Yeah, I’m fine. What’s all this..? I just got here.” Pomni asked.

Ragatha let out a sigh with a pained expression. “Oh, Pomni, it’s horrible. Did you ever meet Kaufmo?” 

“No?” 

“He’s… He was a comedian, he would do shows at Gangle’s playhouse sometimes. But he struggled a ton with all different sorts of things, you know, mental issues and… and he…”

Ragatha’s eye welled up with tears and she stifled a sob with a pink-gloved hand.

“Oh no…” Pomni had never heard of Kaufmo, but seeing Ragatha like this immediately motivated her to throw her arms around her friend. The taller woman hugged Pomni back, squeezing her tight against her shaking chest. Pomni hated hugging people, or letting anyone into her personal space if she could help it. Her shrink told her it had something to do with unwanted stimulation, whatever that meant. 

Wasn’t wholly unpleasant. Ragatha was nice and warm, and smelled good. She might ask for a hug again sometime. 

Ragatha eventually let go and wiped her eye on the back of her glove. 

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to just fall apart like that… I guess you never expect something like this to actually happen until it does. Poor Gangle was the one that found him… I closed the café as soon as I heard…”

“No, I completely understand.” Pomni said, but swore to the heavens internally. It was a rotten, selfish thought, but she was really banking on grabbing a quick breakfast and going back home to work. 

“Do you need anything, Pomni? Have you eaten?” Ragatha asked, wiping her eyes again. 

“Uh… No, I’m-I’m fine.” Pomni replied, despite her stomach lurching in despair. Ragatha was in no state to be working right now, no matter how painfully stupid hungry she was. Oh god, she was hungry…

Ragatha nodded. “Okay. I’m gonna head home and lay down. I’ll call you and let you know if I’m feeling well enough to open the café tomorrow. Bye for now, honey.”

“Bye, Ragatha. Sorry about all this.” Pomni replied. 

The redhead gave a fragile smile before sniffing loudly, either from the cold or her tears, clearing her throat and heading down the sidewalk with her hands in her coat pockets.

Pomni watched her friend go for a moment before looking back at the crime scene. A suicide… How horrible. She couldn’t even fathom how awful it must be for the people who were close to Kaufmo. Or for Kaufmo himself. Everything being so empty and black for him that the only option was… She trembled a little just imagining sinking to a place like that.

“You know what the cops are saying, right?” 

Pomni jumped a bit when a wolfman appeared at her side. He was a good six feet tall, black fur with a notch in his ear. Curiously, he also had an eyepatch, although it wasn’t nearly as elegant as Ragatha’s, being plain brown leather. He put a cigarette in his teeth, sparking a match with a single flick of his thumb-claw.

“Uh… no, I don’t. What are they, um… saying?” 

The wolf lit his cigarette and shook out his match, flicking the burnt out remnants into the snow. He took a long drag, the end lighting up orange, and expelled the two jets of smoke out of his nostrils. Pomni waved her hand in front of her face. Cigarettes smelled goddamn nasty.

“Short drop and a sudden stop,” the wolf said, making a tugging motion above his neck and making a mock choking noise from his throat. “They said the crows were going at him by the time they found his body up a tree.”

Pomni frowned. She didn’t want to be near this bozo anymore. “Thank you for telling me that.” she said dryly, before walking further into the crowd. The wolf with the eyepatch watched her leave a moment before spitting onto the road and taking another pull on his cigarette.

Pomni slipped in between people, looking for somewhere, anywhere, where she could find some food. She had gone whole days without food in the past, but she regretted it every time. She never got any good artwork done when her mind was flashing her favorite foods in delicious technicolor through her brain, and her stomach hurt so badly she would sometimes just lay down and hold herself. By the end, she would feel like she was floating a couple inches off the ground, and would scarf down one of those Hungry Man specials at the café, meant for workers pulling a 14 hour shift at a sawmill. The kind with three fluffy pancakes with butter and hot syrup and two golden over easy eggs on toast, and hot, juicy sausage and crispy bacon and crunchy hashbrowns that went perfectly with ketchup… UGH, she was so hungry! 

She looked at any of the shops on the street for something to eat, until her eyes fell onto the sign on one building

Kingston Charcuterie 

Beef, Pork, Poultry, Lamb 

Made fresh daily

Bingo. 

Pomni entered the butcher shop, the bell above her tinkling. She stomped the snow off her boots on the welcome mat. She wasn’t much of a meat eater, but options were slim and she was hungry. She wanted a big sandwich, maybe roast beef or chicken with the works, lettuce, tomatoes, Mayo or mustard, maybe some horseradish if it was a roast beef sandwich, all served on a big fat Kaiser roll… ugh, that would hit the spot. 

The shop appeared to be empty at the moment. A few prime cuts of meat sat in a display cabinet. A brisket, a London broil, a big T-bone steak she could never afford, a long chain of sausage links… She touched the plastic case longingly. Her stomach made a hideous noise. 

She stood up and looked over the counter. There were a few white paper bags in a neat stack, presumably for putting customer orders in. A knife set hung on some hooks beside a stack of cutting boards, sitting washed and damp in a deep-basin sink. One of the cleavers had a blade that looked like it was bigger than Pomni’s head. For cutting up elephants, should the need arise. 

Her eyes fell upon a bell with a sign next to it. “Ring for service.” Pomni stood on her toes and pressed the bell. It made a satisfying tingggggg sound. She would have pressed it multiple times if her superego had allowed it. 

“Um, hello? Anyone there?” Pomni peeked around the counter as best she could. There appeared to be a door leading out back, but it was shut. Maybe the owner was out there? 

She rang the bell again. “Excuse me? I’m sorry to bother you, but you’re the only open shop right now. Could I please get something to eat?” 

She thought she heard a voice from outside.

“Uh… w-what?”

“I said ‘I’m outside!’” came a voice so deep it was almost subterranean. “Come on back, I don’t like yelling across my shop.”

Pomni gulped. Aw, crap… If she wasn’t so famished, she’d probably have said “That’s okay, I’ll come back later!” and left, never to return. She hated having to jump through hurdles at stores. It always made her really uncomfortable when some poor employee had to do extra work just for her. Pay, say thank you, get out, that was her motto.

But her stomach overpowered her nerves, and she opened the counter hatch and headed towards the closed back door.

The person behind the door barked out another order. “You need gloves and a hairnet! They’re by the door.”

Pomni looked around, and saw a pair of boxes, one full of disposable clear plastic gloves and the other nylon hairnets. Pomni removed her beanie and put it in her coat pocket, sliding on the hairnet and putting on the gloves. It took a second since two fingers kept slipping into one finger hole, but she got it after a few tries. She then swallowed and opened the door to the outside. She promptly gasped.

Outside appeared to be a small courtyard behind the back of a barn. The double doors hung open, and inside, the barn appeared to have been converted into a meat cutting room. A frozen pig carcass hung from a chain on the ceiling, upside down and neatly split open down the middle. Its insides had been carefully removed and placed into bloody buckets, one for the heart, kidneys and other small organs, one for the liver and two for the intestines. The butcher himself was busily working on removing one of the dead pig’s back legs, carefully yet firmly cutting off the choicest bits of meat to place in another bucket.

The butcher appeared to be a purple rabbitman, wide and tall. He stood a little over six feet, burly chested and with thick forearms. He had on a brown butcher’s smock and thick black rubber gloves, both garments sticky with blood, over a white collared shirt and white pants with heavy, steel toed boots. He had his long ears tied off in a hairnet. He finished carving off the pig’s flank, blood dribbling out of the fresh wound and into a drainage grate on the floor. He placed the frozen flank, the leg still attached, into a waiting bucket, then turned to look at Pomni. 

His eyes were a penetrating lunar yellow with black pupils. His nose appeared to be hidden under purple fur. He smiled, revealing a set of huge, fanglike teeth that seemed to be almost endless in number.

“How can I help you this morning, dear customer?~” he rumbled. His voice was like a growling alligator. 

“Uh-” Pomni began. “Uh- a-are you- uh- are you open?” Smooth. 

“Sign says open, right?” the butcher rumbled. He rinsed the knife he had been using to cut off the pig’s flank in a nearby hot tap and put it back in the knife block. He traded it for a massive cleaver, twirling it in his paw. 

“Uh… well yeah, you just weren’t at your… uh… counter.” 

“Most people don’t come ‘til noon. Lunch rush. You must be craving it bloody.” 

He said this with another razortooth grin. His lupine eyes reminded Pomni of Little Red Riding Hood. “My, grandmother, what big eyes you have.” …Did that make her Little Red? At least this guy didn’t want to eat her. Hopefully. He must have been a crossbreed, since she’d never seen a rabbit person with teeth like that.

“I’m… really hungry. Uh, and you’re open. And the café is closed- did you hear about what happened?”

The butcher reared back and chopped into the pig’s other leg with the cleaver, making a loud and meaty THWOCK sound. 

“Yup. It was the comedian, right? Sucks to hear.” 

“Yeah… uh, do you-“

The butcher took another mighty swing with his cleaver, and there was a clean snap sound. He must have cut right through a bone, how strong did you have to be to slice through a damn bone in one go…?

“Do I what?” The butcher grunted. 

“Do you recommend anything?” Pomni finished. 

This earned her another shark-like smile from the butcher. 

“You gotta be a little more specific than that. You talking about my preferred meat? My preferred cut? My favorite method of cooking?” 

Another huge swing and snap, and the butcher exhaled, rinsing off his cleaver at the hot tap before getting the swapping it for the smaller knife. He examined the blade, tutted and removed a sharpening rod from the block as well, scraping the knife on it. 

Pomni swallowed. “Erm… I guess… Damn, I don’t know. I didn’t think there’d be a ton of options. I was kinda just hoping to get a sandwich…” 

“That’s the best part of butchery. So many options, no waste. Take a look at Wilbur here.” The butcher nudged the pig carcass with the handle of his sharpening rod, which swung lazily. “I’m not throwing any of him away. His shoulder? I can make steak and mince out of it. His loin? Spare ribs, rib racks and pork chops. His legs? Diced pork, stir-fry, leg steak, and more. When I clean off all his pork and ham, I’m gonna sell his bones to be ground into fertilizer, and I’m gonna see if they can make his trotters into gelatin. I can even make honeycomb tripe out of his stomach and sell his other vitals to make dog food. He’s feeding dozens of people and animals, and helping farmers too.”

Pomni’s stomach ached at the descriptions of meat the butcher described. What she wouldn’t give to sink her teeth into a hot, juicy pork chop with applesauce right about now… But she was also pleasantly surprised at how resourceful this fellow was. As he got back to work cutting off the flank, she observed how nimble and delicate his knife work was. It reminded her of how she used a pencil or a brush or a palette knife to create her sketches and paintings. 

He was an artist. Just in a different and decidedly more morbid way. 

“Uh, to tell you the truth Mister, uh… Mister Kingston, I-”

The butcher let out a dark chortle. It would have been spine-chilling to hear a laugh like that in the dark.

“Nah. Mr. Kingston is my dad. I’m Jax. What’s your name?”

“Uh… Pomni. I’m a grad student. I’m here on an art scholarship, I’m renting that apartment past the farms.”

The butcher, evidently named Jax, tilted his head back.

“Ahhhh.~ Art, huh? Interesting. Who’s your favorite artist?” 

Pomni blinked. She expected the reaction she always got when people learned her major. “What kind of work can you get with an art degree?” You know, the one thing you DON’T ask a student? But she was completely disarmed by this question. 

“Uh… Oh, gosh, um… I uh…” she stammered. 

“I’m a fan of darker stuff, personally. Big surprise. You know Francis Bacon? He’s a favorite of mine. Not just ‘cause of his name.” Jax let out that same dark chuckle. 

Pomni giggled, both from surprise and from the bad pun. She really hadn’t expected to be so charmed by this guy, especially since he had on an apron damp with pig’s blood. Plus, how many people had she met that could just casually mention Francis Bacon..? Okay, several, but most of them were artists like her. 

“Um… since we’re talking about bacon, do you think I could order that sandwich..? I think I know what I want now.” Pomni said.

“Sure. Lemme just wrap things up here and-”

Inside the shop, the bell above the door jangled and several pairs of feet clomped on the wood floor. 

“Mr. Kingston? This is Chief Detective Sutler, Autumnvale Police Department. Are you in?”

Pomni felt her heart skip a beat. Oh god, the police? She couldn’t handle the cops right now. She had work she needed to do, if they pulled her in for questioning, she could be stuck in some dingy interrogation room for hours… She thought about running, but there was only one way in or out of the butcher shop. She gulped and looked at Jax. He rolled his eyes and put a gloved hand on his hip, his left hand still holding the French knife he was using to remove the choicest bits of meat from the pig. 

“Yeah, I’m in the back. Gloves and a hairnet, please.” he shouted.

Pomni had to stop herself from crying out “NO DON’T!” The footsteps were moving towards the back door, oh no, where could she-?

There were three wooden barrels on the left wall of the courtyard, about four feet tall each. They were stamped in green ink across the front. 

Sinclair Fertilizer Plant 

Attn: Jurgis Žukauskas

1370 Ellabell Pkwy

Dock 3

Autumnvale, 204863.

She could easily hide behind those if she crouched. So Pomni hastily backstepped and then ducked behind the barrels. Jax watched her out of the corner of one of his moonlike eyes before he walked forward a bit, past the barrels, so the detectives wouldn’t walk past them and catch a glimpse of her.

She prayed her growling stomach wouldn’t give her away.

“And how can I help you gentlemen today?” she heard Jax say. 

“Good morning, Mr. Kingston. These are my colleagues, Detective Sergeants Beauregard and Wexley.” the first detective, Pomni remembered his name was Sutler, said.

“Morning to you both. I’m assuming you're here about what happened to Kaufmo.” Jax rumbled.

“Yes we are, unfortunately. We found him deceased at the edge of the woods this morning. He was hung by his neck from a pine tree.” 

Pomni heard Jax sigh. 

“Yeah. It’s a damn shame. He made a lot of people happy over the years. Me included. You ever hear his routine about the diner?”

“I’m afraid not,” Sutler continued. “But I agree that his death was a tragedy.”

“Death. You mean suicide?” Jax inquired.

“Well you see, Mr. Kingston-” Sutler began.

“Jax.”

“Mr. Kingston,” Sutler continued. “There’s a detail we’ve been trying to keep hidden from the public. Mr. Kaufmo wasn’t just hung. His arms were slit open, elbow to palm.”

“Fuck,” Jax replied. “That’s grim. Why keep it a secret though? I’ve heard of people taking multiple different options to end their lives if the first fails. Sad but true.”

“Because the coroner informed us that, from the angle of the wounds, it looks like those cuts weren’t self-inflicted.” 

There was a pause. Pomni shivered.

“So, you think someone sliced open his arms, bled him out and hung him from a tree to make it look like a suicide?” Jax said after a moment. “Okay. So why come to me?”

One of the other detectives spoke up. He had an accent from the big city. “Because we found this, about a hundred feet away, hidden under a rock.”

Pomni peered through a tiny gap in the barrels. The detectives, two men and one goat, stood in a semicircle. Sutler, the leader, was a man with silvery hair, steely brown eyes and a handlebar mustache over his upper lip. He had on a long, tan duster. The other two, Beauregard and Wexley, she wasn’t sure which was which, were in blue cop parkas. The human was a slightly heavyset man with a wide mouth and a beanie displaying his badge, and the goat was in a brown ushanka with the ear flaps down, rainbow-tinted aviators over his eyes and a toothpick in his teeth. None of them had put on gloves or hairnets.

The heavyset cop held a large plastic evidence baggie containing a carving knife and some flecks of dirt. 

“That’s one of your knives, right?” The goat officer said, flicking his toothpick from one side of his mouth to the other.

“I’m not sure, maybe.” Jax replied evenly. “I’ll have to check the make. But you do know I sell knives in my shop, right? Doesn’t mean it belongs to me.” 

“No one is accusing you of anything, Mr. Kingston.” Sutler said, raising his hands. “But if it did come from your shop, we need to know. Do you want to take a look?”

“Yeah, lemme see.” Jax took a step towards the officers, but they tensed, the goat officer even hovering a hand over his sidearm. 

“After you put that knife down, Mr. Kingston.” Sutler said, nodding towards the French knife Jax held in his left paw, still stained with blood. 

“Ahhh, I’m sorry, officers. Didn’t mean to frighten you.” Jax said, his tone poisonously sweet. “Here.” 

The rabbitman turned and threw the knife through the open barn door, where it landed with a noisy clang into the sink beneath the hot tap. 

“Bullseye. That better?” Jax replied, smiling wide enough to show each and every one of his fangs. 

The heavyset cop shook his head and handed the butcher the evidence bag. Jax took it and examined it carefully, holding it up to the light, turning it this way and that. 

“Hmmm… yup, this does seem like one of mine. I get these special from the ironworks. You can tell ‘cause the blade will shimmer like the surface of a bubble in the light.” 

Jax handed the wide-mouthed cop back the evidence bag. “You can have a look at my sales log if you want, that’ll tell you everyone that’s bought a knife within the past year at least.”

“What time was sunrise this morning, Beauregard?” the goat officer asked. 

“Safe sunlight started around 7:23 AM.” the officer with the evidence bag replied. 

“Where were you starting around that time, Mr. Kingston?” the goat officer, Wexley by process of elimination, asked. 

Jax looked up at the sky, muttering to himself. “Well, let’s see. I get up around six, have my coffee and breakfast, feed the animals in the barn… get here around 7:45… 7:23 AM…that would put me around my house, on the main highway, near the Snapfinger Creek bridge. Roughly.”

Pomni was, again, impressed. She never kept track of the time that closely unless she had an assignment due. Knowing your whole routine down to the minute without a watch, that took brainpower.

“Can anyone place you there?” Sutler asked. 

“Doubt it. Didn’t see many people out yet and I live by myself.” Jax replied. 

“Convenient, but unsurprising.” Wexley said.

Pomni felt a hot wash of anger. They were already accusing Jax. Probably because they thought they were alone with him. Maybe it was her already being irritable from not eating, but she felt the words bubbling up her throat before she could swallow them back down.

“Hey!”

The officers and Jax all turned towards the barrels, Wexley’s smirk disappearing.

“The hell..?” Beauregard muttered. 

Pomni got up and walked out into the courtyard. She was acutely aware of her stature, but she was too upset to care.

“Did you dust that for prints?” she demanded. 

“Miss?” Sutler inquired.

“I said, did you dust for prints? Fingerprints! On the knife. You’re supposed to do that, aren’t you? You’re cops!” 

The detectives looked at each other, then back to Pomni. 

“I’m sorry, who are you?” Beauregard asked.

“A customer. Jax was supposed to be making me something to eat until you three showed up.”

“Why were you behind those barrels?” Wexley inquired, seeming mildly amused.

“Because I’m afraid of you. I don’t trust cops, especially not racist cops.” she glowered at Wexley, her fists balled up.

“Woah-ho-ho.” Wexley held his hands up, smirking again. 

“Miss, are you the grad student living by the farms?” Sutler asked.

“Ah, college kid. That makes sense.” Wexley added.

“I’m 25.” Pomni snapped.

“Be that as it may, Miss, we can’t have civilians at a police interview. Would you mind stepping outside?”

“I am outside.”

“Don’t get smart with the Captain, Miss.” Beauregard ordered. 

“Why? What are you gonna do? Arrest me?! For what? Hiding from you? Talking back? Calling out your- EEP!” 

A paw that could cover her entire face came down firmly on her shoulder. Jax had removed his butcher’s glove and set his right paw on her shoulder. 

“Your order is ready inside, ma’am. It’s on the house. Enjoy the rest of your day.”

Pomni looked up (holy SHIT he was huge) at Jax. His frightening eyes were… soft. Grateful, even. Was she blushing? Her face was really warm. 

“Take whatever. Thank you.” he mouthed, winking. 

Okay now she was certainly blushing- 

She shot one more withering look at the cops before rushing into the butcher shop. 

She had to be quick before the cops tried dragging her off for “obstruction” or “hurting their feelings, boo-hoo.” She removed her gloves and shoved them in her pocket, then looked inside the counter from behind, deciding on a flank steak that was big, but not as enormous as that T-bone steak. She picked up some sandwich paper from a box on the counter and grabbed it. It was cold against her fingers, and quite heavy. She dropped it into a paper bag with a heavy thump. It made her mouth water thinking about cooking it medium-rare at home…

She didn’t want to leave Jax behind, but there was unfortunately nothing she could do. If she got herself arrested, even without a conviction, the university might cancel her scholarship. Still, what business did those stupid thugs with badges have to be such assholes to Jax?! Sure, she didn’t know him very well, but he was polite to her, and was giving her free food! And… he wasn’t terrible to look at either. Maybe it was the height… or the voice. Or the muscles- Ack, no, she was supposed to be mad! Hangry! Very hangry! 

It must have been because he was a crossbreed. No, it was definitely because he was a crossbreed. 

Crossbreeds, sometimes called nasty things like “half-breeds,” “troglodytes” or, most simple and horrible of all, “mutts,” were a mix of different species. It was perfectly possible to interbreed, but they had been treated like third-class citizens for years. Crossbreed children were dumped into foster care or “forgotten” on street corners. Crossbreed adults were shunned by the general public and forbidden from moving into certain neighborhoods. Why? Prejudice, plain and simple. Racist people liked to think that being part animal made you more prone to animalistic behavior, or that if you were two different kinds of animal, it somehow corrupted the “purity” of one another’s DNA. Ugh, it made her want to puke. Just because someone was part wolf, or part sheep, or part human, didn’t mean they didn’t deserve a loving family, and friends, and enough to eat just like everyone else. 

She stepped out of the butcher shop, looking back at the door sorrowfully. She took her hairnet off and replaced it with her university beanie. Maybe she could call someone? Who did she know? They did find his knife, but that could have been anyone that planted it there. She was a little biased, admittedly, but- 

“Hey short stuff.” 

Pomni jumped and spun around. That wolf from before was back. He had smoked most of his cigarette down to the filter. 

“Hello,” Pomni replied coolly. 

“So, you went to see the cannibal, huh?” the wolf asked.

Pomni’s brow furrowed. “Cute nickname. Can you get outta my way?”

“It’s not a nickname. Jax eats little bunnies. First he hits them with a metal rod, then he peels the-”

“Sir!” Pomni snapped.

“Trevor,” The wolf replied, offering a paw to shake. Pomni only stared at it. Trevor sniffed and put the fingers back onto his cigarette.

“Is there anything else you wanted to say? Or are we done here?” Pomni said with a glare. 

“Yeah. I wanted to warn you. Jax there has a penchant for violence. Did you know he gave me this when we were just nine years old?” Trevor tapped his eyepatch. 

“But why did he give you that?” Pomni asked, narrowing her eyes. 

“Beats the hell outta me. We were just playing and-” Trevor held up his claws and crinkled his muzzle in a mock snarl. 

“Uh huh. You know, seeing as how your sense of humor revolves around making fun of suicidal people, I find it a little hard to believe your story.”

Pomni walked around Trevor. “Now if you’ll excuse me- I’m going home to make brunch.” 

She crunched through the snow, not bothering to look behind her. Trevor dropped his cigarette on the ground and stomped it out, smearing a bit of ash on the road. A few cops still milled about the crime scene, keeping civilians away. A crow watched them from a nearby rooftop.