Abstraction is Forever - Jax x Pomni

A Trapdoor?

The whole night, Pomni dreamt of her friends' faces when they talked about their abstracted loved ones. Kinger when he told her about Queenie. Jax when Ragatha brought up his friend. Gangle talking about Kaufmo.

It kept switching rapidly between them. Kinger. Abstracted Queenie. Jax. Unknown abstracted. Gangle. Abstracted Kaufmo. All their faces melded into one, then split. All that was left were half-abstracted versions of her friends.

"I loved her," said abstracted Kinger.

"I can't do it anymore without them." Abstracted Jax.

"He was nice to me." Abstracted Gangle.

Abstracted Ragatha appeared next, walking towards her. "I tried my best to make everyone happy."

And finally Zooble. "I'm never gonna feel right."

They all started stumbling towards her, arms reaching out like zombies. They spoke in unison. "Everyone here will leave you. And then, you'll be next."

She tried to run, but they were unnaturally fast and were on her in an instant. Everywhere they touched started to glitch, until all she could see of herself was shadows and colourful eyes. She looked up, and her friends were now completely abstracted.

A snap from above them, and they were flying down into the darkness.

"Well, Bubble, looks like we're gonna have to start all over."

"I thought they'd hold out longer."

Pomni looked up in time to see the hole above them closing, blocking Caine and Bubble from view.

—

She awoke with a shriek, patting herself to check if she was all there. She was.

I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine.

I'm not fine.

Restless, she climbed out of bed and out into the hallway. Before she knew it, she was darting through the circus. She just needed a brisk walk to clear her head.

Nothing in the circus was really unique; everything had the same garish colours and childish charm, and soon one hallway was blurring into the next. She didn't know how many she turned down before she reached what seemed to be a corner of the circus tent. She was making her way towards the wall, hoping it was sturdy enough to lean against and cry, when she stumbled.

"Ow," she said, pushing herself up to see what she tripped on. "What...?"

She traced her fingers along a crack in the floor, squinting so she could see in the dark. It looked to be a trapdoor to something below the circus. It was the same colour as the floor; if you weren't looking for it, you'd miss it.

Unless, of course, you're clumsy.

Does this lead downstairs?

A small noise interrupted her thoughts. A slight brush noise, a footstep maybe?

What would Caine think if he found her here?

She opened the latch and pried the trapdoor open. She peered inside, seeing only darkness, but she could just make out a staircase heading down.

Well. Now or never.

She crawled inside the small space, then made her way down the staircase. It was metal, and each step reverberated like she was in a cave.

As she descended, colours came into view. Not gaudy blocks of yellow and red like the rest of the circus, but iridescent blues, pinks, greens, every colour you could imagine.

Eyes. Hundreds of eyes.

Yep. This was the cellar.

She squeaked and fell back against the stairs.

"Pomni?" a voice called from upstairs.

Jax. She didn't dare respond.

Even then, about twenty of the eyes whipped towards her in the dark.

She shrank in on herself, wishing she could move. She knew Jax wasn't far; maybe he could help. If only she could move. Or scream. Or do something.

The eyes blinked. Once. Twice.

Despite the rows and rows of them, Pomni was taken aback by their humanity. They seemed gentle and real. Just... distorted somehow.

They inched closer, like a nervous puppy.

And for a reason she couldn't explain, she reached out her hand, and she touched the shadowy abstracted figure. The eyes closed.

Then she was yanked up. All the way up the stairs, out of the hole in the ground, and thrown against the wall of the tent.

She came face-to-face with Jax.

"Are you trying to kill yourself?" he asked, with a seriousness she had never heard.

"I-I was just—"

"Just what!?"

She didn't know. There wasn't a particular reason she went down, other than sheer panic. What if Caine caught her? But was that really worse than being abstracted?

"I don't know."

"Well be smarter than that Pomni, God!"

She wanted to respond. Wanted to argue. But right now, all she could see was bright eyes full of intensity, and the distinct absence of a certain Cheshire smile.

Had she ever seen him without it?

She realized her mistake too late, as her eyes lingered on his mouth a little too long.

He blinked.

Then looked down.

Before she could think, his hand was wrapped around her wrist and was dragging her away.

He dragged her all the way back to her door.

"Never go down there again."

That argument would have to wait, as there were more pressing matters, so she lingered.

"Go," he ordered.

"I don't want to go," she whispered.

He huffed, stomping his foot a little.

Cute.

"What do you want from me, Pom?" he whined.

This was a terrible idea. A really terrible idea. But...

She approached him and raised her hand to his face. Slowly, so he could push her away if he wanted.

"I'm lonely."

A frown. A huff.

And then warm lips were on hers. It was softer than she expected. Tentative, maybe nervous? Soon, he pulled away, much to her dismay.

"This means nothing."

She blinked, then laughed. "I wouldn't expect anything different."

Then he pulled her into his room.