Opposites Abstract - Pomni x Male Reader

Prologue - The Bard

Y/N would be lying if he said he enjoyed his life.

Sure, some things weren't so bad. He had friends, no matter how many of them came and went or were assholes sometimes. All they had were each other, so it would be foolish to not at least try and be on civil terms. Well, you'd think that. The problem is they were the only people he knew.

Kinger and Y/N had been here the longest. Kinger went mad because he refused to talk to anyone. Y/N was lucky to be charismatic, so this wasn't so much of a problem for him. In fact, that charisma was a part of the reason why Caine gave him the role he was now so used to: "The Bard". Singing and dancing, blah blah blah. Y/N liked to think he used to like playing instruments. That's sort of faded with time now. However long it had been, that is. Either way, Kinger was always sort of weird. Used to be more polite, more together, more aware. What he is now is an absolute shell of who Y/N first met when he appeared next to him. However, there was still a silent respect between the two. They had been here the longest outside of Caine, and Caine's a whole different can of worms, so the two of them knew the Tent and the Grounds like the back of their hands, to the point where they could see if Caine started to recycle adventures. Nowadays the group takes care of Kinger though. Mostly.

Next in was Zooble. Zooble was in denial for a long time; they wanted nothing to do with Y/N, Kinger or Caine and just wandered the Grounds for a while. But eventually, they gave in and just became moody. It was endearing if you had the right attitude. Luckily, Y/N was able to connect with them pretty well. Their walls were actually pretty easy to break down, so long as you kept on their good side. Zooble was chill, always pessimistic and quiet, bit on the dramatic side at times but hey. Y/N didn't really like bragging, but he liked to think they opened up a little through their conversations. They confided in him quite a few times when they were getting to know each other. All about if there really is no exit and having to put up with Kinger and him for the rest of time. Zooble managed to get over it. So much so that Y/N would consider them friends. Though Zooble would probably doubt it just to tick him off.

After that was Gangle. Oh, poor sweet innocent Gangle. She came in so bright and cheerful, until one day Zooble and Y/N discovered her shivering and weeping over a broken mask she had been wearing intact before. Caine repaired it, but it seemed to have a knack for getting broken, so Gangle was sad almost 24/7. Or however time worked here. Y/N decided to make an active effort to cheer her up. Zooble and her had some tension at first as Zooble didn't want to get to know new people and Gangle, bless her, was too pathetic to try and stand up for herself. Now Zooble and Y/N act as a bodyguard of sorts, mostly against Jax and his schemes. Gangle actually loves acting, which Y/N assumed off of the masks she wore. She was really good at it too. Shame her emotions got the better of her so often. Gangle always meant well, though, and was kind to everyone she could be. When she wasn't softly sobbing to herself.

Ragatha was a refreshing change of pace. She spent maybe thirty minutes freaking out before collecting herself, and thank goodness she did. Y/N honestly had no idea where any of them would be without Ragatha. Optimistic, strong-headed, forgiving. But Y/N isn't an idiot; one look at Ragatha and you can tell that smile is twitching. She doesn't want to put it on, but no one else does. Kinger's mad, Zooble's all doom and gloom, Gangle can't keep her mask intact long enough, and Y/N is awfully cynical despite what others may think. He does, however, fondly remember the time he decided to ask her one simple question: "Hey, are you sure you're alright?". She broke down then and there, and after what was probably a couple of hours of sobbing, laughing and yelling he and Ragatha managed to forge a bond that seemed unbreakable. Everyone calls them the parents of the group, though they always consider a more sibling-like dynamic between the two. Ragatha was awesome, but not quite Y/N's speed, and vice versa.

Last, but by no means least, was Jax. He appeared the most recently. Jax is an interesting case; from an outside perspective you may think he just got over the whole 'being trapped in another reality forever' thing really quickly. Same with Ragatha, however, Y/N saw right through him. He was as frightened and confused as the rest of them, just really good at keeping a front. Jax knew Y/N knew, and Y/N knew Jax knew he knew. He suspected Ragatha at least understood Jax's impulsive behaviour a little more than everyone else, but Y/N was the only one to confront him directly after Jax took a scheme a little too far one time. Caine got involved and everything. One time, unrelated, Jax took Y/N to the Void. No idea how he found it, but he has a collection of keys that just seem to appear when convenient. Y/N had never seen anything like it. They just floated and talked, no barriers, no pretending. That and sometimes he just talks into space, like an invisible audience is watching 'The Jax Show'.