|^|Random fandom one-shots|^|

|^|Just this once|^| -The Amazing Digital Circus

  Pomni felt her lips curl into a small smirk as she quipped back, "You sure? Could've sworn I saw it slip a bit when you were in that maid dress."

  Jax immediately stiffened, his face turning red as he tried to scoff, "I don't know what you're talking about."

  Pomni shrugged, "Hmm, must be misremembering then!"

  As much as Jax loves to "joke around," he can't seem to handle being the butt of the joke. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

  As the two went quiet again, the path curved into a small opening and now they were walking next to a cliff, where they could see the endless forest stretch on for miles. Though Pomni swore it got a bit more pixelated the farther she looked.

  "What happened to you, Pomni?" Jax asked, breaking the silence once more.

  "What do you mean?"

  "When you first arrived in the circus, you were an absolute mess, a small ball of anxiety. But now you are actually biting back. What calmed those little, inner demons of yours?"

  Pomni was taken a back by the genuine question. After a few seconds of thinking, she answered, "I don't know, I mean... the thoughts haven't fully quieted down, but they have been easier to silence. After getting to know the others, and just trying to make the best of my situation has helped a bit. I still hate it here, but, I shouldn't let that stop me from at least trying to survive in such a wacky world."

  Pomni wasn't fully sure Jax was actually listening, but after she was done he stood up straight and sighed, "Ah, character development. Gross."

  A small snort of laughter escaped Pomni before she could stop it, and she could've sworn she saw Jax give a small, yet genuine smile, like he was pleased he got her to laugh, before quickly hiding it.

  "How about you?" Pomni asked, "How were you able to adjust?"

  Jax tapped the underside of his chin, to give the allusion that he was genuinely pondering the question, before answering, "by being the funniest, and the most attractive!"

  "Come on, Jax. I'm serious."

  Jax scoffed, "You're a cartoon jester, why should I give you a serious answer?"

  There he goes again, putting up that wall right when she thought they were getting along, "Why are you like this?"

  "Like what?" Jax asked innocently. Only causing Pomni's frustration to grow.

  "You know what. Why do you let people get so close, and then immediately push them away? What do you gain from that?"

  Jax's grin faltered ever so slightly, before quickly stretching wider to hide how much her question actually affected him, "Because I can get a hilarious reaction out of them, their frustration can be such an enjoyable show for little, old me!"

  Pomni's patience finally reached it's limit as she accidentally slipped out, "Or maybe you're too afraid to have actual friends again."

  Everything went eerily quiet, the wind holding its breath, while the branches went still, like the slightest bit of movement could cause the hushed environment to explode into chaos.

  Even Pomni was regretting the words that left her mouth, knowing she had just taken a step too far.

  As if to prove her point, Jax had stopped in his tracks, and let out a small chuckle. Not one of humor or glee, but of malice, a dark laugh of someone who was just pushed past his limit, "Really? You must know me so well to come to that conclusion, Pomni."