Jax pov
It's the morning, and as usual, I found myself standing in front of y/n's door, knocking softly. “Y/n? You awake?” I called, trying to sound cheery, though a hint of concern crept into my tone when I didn’t hear a response. No answer. I frowned, taking it as a clear sign that they were still tucked away in their little cocoon of blankets, avoiding the day.
After a brief hesitation, I decided to unlock the door and step inside. I closed it quietly behind me, putting on my trademark smile, the one I wore like armor, ready to bring some energy into the room. “Y/n, it’s time to wa—” My voice trailed off, caught in my throat. I froze, my cheerful facade crashing down like a house of cards.
What I saw made my heart drop. Y/n was still asleep, but they were crying, their body shaking as if they were trapped in the throes of a terrible nightmare. I could feel the panic rising in my chest. “Oh no—oh s&€#—uh—” What was I supposed to do in this situation? Part of me thought about turning around and pretending I never saw this, but I couldn’t. I didn’t want to.
I crouched down beside the bed, trying to bring myself to their eye level. I wanted to reach out, to comfort them, but the sight of them crying was somehow heartbreaking in a way I hadn’t experienced before. I’d seen other characters cry—Gangle, Pomni, Kinger, even Ragatha a few times—but this was different. This was y/n, and they looked utterly lost. For a moment, I was caught off guard by an unfamiliar feeling tugging at me, a mix of sadness and concern.
“Y/n,” I said softly, my voice dropping to a gentle whisper as I gently shook their shoulder. I watched as they slowly opened their teary eyes, blinking a few times like they were coming back from somewhere dark. It was a few moments before they registered where they were, and the realization hit them hard. They sat up, hands instinctively covering their face as if trying to block out the world, trying to hide their vulnerability from me.
“You’re… are you okay?” I asked, though I knew the answer without them saying a word. They shook their head, and the sob that escaped their lips confirmed it. “I’m… sorry…” they managed between sobs, their voice breaking.
“Don’t be.” The words came out before I could think, and I winced at how awkward they sounded. I wasn’t good at this comforting stuff; it was way out of my league. God, why the hell did I care for y/n? It’s not like they were special or anything! Or maybe they were… My mind raced with conflicting thoughts, and I took a deep breath, trying to push them aside.
I sat down next to them on the bed, waiting in silence, letting the moment hang in the air like a fragile balloon. After a while, they shifted slightly, placing their head on my shoulder. It was unexpected, and I definitely didn’t know how to react. I stayed still, the weight of their head pressing against me anchoring us both in a strange sort of comfort.
“Actually, I would like to talk about it…” They lifted their head off my shoulder, meeting my gaze with those tear-filled eyes. I nodded, encouraging them to go on. “Sure.”
As they began to recount their nightmare and the memories behind it, I realized how much I could relate to their story. The way they described their past, the pain and confusion—it resonated with me more than I’d like to admit. But even deeper than that was the realization that they trusted me enough to share this. Why me? I thought. I was the last person you’d want to trust in this twisted circus.
When y/n finished speaking, I found myself caught in a moment of silence, the air thick with unspoken understanding. And for reasons I couldn’t fully comprehend, I blurted out, “I had a rough past too…” What the fuck was I doing? “My parents were kinda abusive too.” I mentally screamed at myself. Why are you telling them that?! “So… I kinda understand what you’ve gone through…” Why would I say that?! Shut the fuck up, Jax!
Y/n looked at me, wide-eyed, and for a second, I felt exposed. I didn’t want to go into my own history; I wasn’t ready for that. But they didn’t flinch away. Instead, they scooted closer to me, resting their head against my chest and wrapping their arms around me like I was some kind of lifeline. I felt the warmth radiating from them, and the way they tried to make themselves small, as if they could find solace in my presence. Oh shit. What the fuck am I supposed to do now? Oh shit. My heart raced, caught in a whirlwind of confusion. I wasn’t used to this kind of intimacy, and I suddenly felt vulnerable in a way I’d never expected.
I stayed still, my mind racing. Part of me wanted to pull away, to hide behind my usual bravado, but another part—something softer, maybe even gentler—wanted to stay here, so I did, and I hugged them too. The weight of the situation pressed down on me, but strangely, it felt good.
