Y/n's pov
I woke up the next morning, feeling a shadow towering over me. I didn’t dare open my eyes; the last thing I wanted was to wake up to another jumpscare like yesterday. My heart raced a little at the thought, but I couldn’t let it show. Instead, I groaned and muttered, “Can you stop coming into my room every d&#€ morning?” That should let him know I was awake.
“Nope, sorry, but I prefer this way of waking you up,” Jax replied, his tone teasing and light. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes, even though I knew he couldn’t see it.
Finally, I opened my eyes, squinting against the bright light streaming through my window. Jax stood there, leaning against the wall with that signature smirk plastered across his face. His purple fur looked even more vibrant in the morning sun, and for a split second, I forgot my irritation at his intrusiveness.
“Seriously, don’t you have a life or something?” I shot back, trying to sound annoyed, but my voice came out more playful than I intended.
“I do!” he exclaimed, hands on his hips in mock indignation. “It’s just that your life seems so much more entertaining.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, well, I don’t remember signing up for a daily wake-up call from a purple @#€&€.”
Jax chuckled, pushing himself off the wall and stepping closer. “Well, you’re stuck with me now. Get up! We’ve got a new day of chaos waiting for us.”
With a sigh, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and sat up, rubbing my eyes. “Fine, but if you break anything, it’s on you.”
“Deal!” he said, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
As I finally adjusted to the morning, I couldn't shake the feeling that this strange, chaotic life in the circus was becoming more bearable—and maybe even a bit exciting—thanks to him.
"Oh, by the way, there’s no adventure today. You’re just gonna get to know everyone a bit better,” Jax said as we strolled toward the main lobby.
“Seriously?” I mumbled, still groggy and not entirely ready for whatever strange interactions the day might bring.
“Yep, so no chaos today.” He crossed his arms and muttered, “Unfortunately.”
I gave a small smirk, savoring a rare moment of peace. “Well, I like it when it’s calm.”
“Oh yeah? Well, not me.” He shot back, and I rolled my eyes.
“Okay, I don’t think anyone gives two s&#€@ about that,” I teased, earning a sarcastic laugh from him. “Hahaha, how funny,” he replied with an eye roll.
When we reached the lobby, I plopped down onto the couch, relieved to sit somewhere soft for a change. Jax took a seat next to me but kept a bit of distance, thank you very much. Before I could get comfortable, though, he looked at me with a mischievous grin.
“Heya, let’s see what happens when y/n holds their breath,” he suggested to the group. I blinked, caught off guard, as everyone else perked up at the idea.
“…What?” I managed, not quite sure if he was messing with me or being serious.
“Everyone here has something different happen when they hold their breath. Kinger starts glowing, Ragatha’s hair noodles stick up, Gangle’s mask spins, and Zooble turns straight.” Jax smirked, his gaze darting to Zooble.
“My limbs turn straight, not me,” Zooble corrected with a huff, which earned a small chuckle from me.
Curious, I turned to Jax. “And what about you?”
“He doesn’t wanna show us because he’s a coward,” Zooble chimed in, “or, as he said a few days ago, because ‘he wants to keep the mystery alive.’ Bulls&#€@.”
Jax rolled his eyes but didn’t deny it. “Yeah, whatever. I wanna see what your cartoon body does.” He reached over and tugged a few strands of my hair, making me wince.
“Hey, take it easy!” Ragatha called out, giving him a disapproving look. Jax just scoffed, imitating her in a high-pitched voice, “Ooh, take it easy! Shut up!”
I sighed, giving in. “Okay, okay, I’ll try.” I took a breath, held it, but only lasted a few seconds before I let it go, gasping, “It feels like I’m gonna die!”
“Nah, don’t worry, sweetheart, we can’t die from oxygen deprivation,” Jax said, smirking in that teasing way that made me feel just a little ridiculous.
“Okay…” I took a deep breath again, holding it longer this time. Something weird started to tingle on my head, and I heard Jax’s voice, sounding genuinely impressed. “Ohhh, flowers! That’s new. And they’re glowing now!”
I let go, breathing in as I looked at him in confusion. “What?”
“Glowing flowers grow on your head when you hold your breath,” Ragatha said, smiling. “They disappear as soon as you start breathing again.”
“Oh, cool… I guess,” I said, still trying to process how bizarre this place was.
