#translatedfanfic

[autorapan]

𝐀 𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 - 𝟕.- 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 (part 7/?)

𝐉𝐚𝐱

I don’t know if it’s day or night… there are no windows in my room, so time becomes an abstract concept, something you can only feel in your body, and my body feels heavy and tired, as if I’d been crying for hours… because that’s exactly what happened.

I’m still lying here looking at the stars hanging from the ceiling; they’re small and imperfect, but symbolic since Ribbit brought them. Others are misaligned, but I’ve always liked them that way. I remember them clearly; I placed them one by one when Jax had already been trapped in the circus for a few hours, I was up on a ladder, stretching to reach the ceiling, and he was just watching me, sitting in one of the chairs in silence with that expression of his that I never quite knew how to decipher.

I let out a slow sigh and finally sit up. My porcelain feet touch the floor with a soft, almost hollow sound; my little heels are there, firm and immovable, part of me like everything else. Here we can’t take off our clothes, or our shoes; nothing changes, nothing comes off. Sometimes I feel that even the pain remains stuck to the body, as if it were also part of the costume.

I stand up slowly, and as I look up, something doesn’t add up… the mirror, my practice mirror. I frown immediately; my heart skips a beat. That mirror shouldn’t be there. I broke it myself. I remember the sound of the glass shattering, the reflection shattering along with me. I remember crouching down, trembling, to pick up the pieces from the floor.

I jump to my feet and crouch down to look under the bed, but there was nothing there, no glass shards, no stacked photos, no sharp edges or traces of that night. I slowly straighten up, feeling a cold shiver run down my spine, and then I see them.

The photographs are there, perfectly aligned on the wall, as if someone had placed them there carefully, all intact and real... from every daydream, from every adventure. I approach with slow, almost fearful steps.

There I am with Ribbit, dressed as pirates, striking exaggerated dramatic poses while a crooked flag flutters behind us. In another, the cabin in the snowy mountains, the white sky, the ground covered in fake ice, but beautiful all the same—absurd adventures, moments that, even within this circus, felt alive.

My fingers tremble as I pick up a particular photograph; only Ribbit appears in it. She has an amused smile and is wearing a cowboy hat clearly too big for her head—she stole it from an NPC during a Western adventure. I remember laughing so hard I ended up sitting on the ground, gasping for air. I stare at her for long seconds.

— Ribbit... — I murmur without realizing it... and then I hear her, not Ribbit's voice, but someone I thought I'd lost years ago

— Liora... — my body tenses instantly; it wasn't a loud voice, it was a soft whisper, too close. I swallow and glance sideways at the mirror and see her, my mother is reflected in one of the corners of the room, standing there staring at me intently; her eyes are the same ones I remember, the same ones that looked at me when I was a child, when I was thirteen and still believed the world had a logical order. — Liora... — she whispered again.

The air catches in my throat; I jerk my head toward the corner of the room, but there’s nothing there. I start breathing fast, too fast; my chest rises and falls irregularly as I keep staring at that fixed point, waiting… fearing she’ll appear again. My mother died years ago, long before the circus, long before all of this

— No... — I whisper — You’re not here

The knock on the door makes me jump so hard that the photograph almost falls from my hands.

— Liora? — I recognize Pomni’s voice outside my room

I force myself to move, carefully placing Ribbit’s photo back on the wall as if it were fragile in a different way. I walk to the door, my heart still racing, and open it just a little. Ragatha is there, and behind her, Pomni cautiously pokes her head in.

— Have you seen Caine? — Ragatha asks, leaning forward slightly. I block their view of my room with my body and look at her, still disoriented.

— Why would I know where that toothy-headed guy is? — I reply, frowning. Pomni blinks, and a giggle escapes her when she hears my nickname for Caine.

— We haven’t seen him anywhere — says Pomni, covering her mouth with her hand.

— And… you always spend time alone with him — adds Ragatha. Confusion immediately spreads across my face.

— What? No, I-I don’t — I trail off mid-sentence. “I never spend time alone with Caine”, that’s true. At most, I give him suggestions, ideas for adventures, offhand comments, but never… never do I stay and talk to him alone. I open my mouth to say it, but exhaustion washes over me like a wave, I run a hand over my face, dragging my fingers across my porcelain cheeks. — I'm... going through a breakup — I finally murmur. — So... if neither of you has any miraculous advice to make it hurt less, I'd prefer if you left me alone for a few days, until I get over it... or until Caine proposes one of his silly adventures.

I’m about to close the door when Pomni steps forward and stops it with her hand.

— You could help us look for Zooble — she says — Maybe it’ll distract you a little

I take a deep breath, look back toward my room, toward the stars on the ceiling, toward the intact mirror, toward the photographs that shouldn’t be there… but they are. I nod silently.

— Okay — I agree, stepping out of the room and closing the door behind me. Outside, Gangle is there too; she greets me with a shy gesture, and I return the greeting with a slight nod of my head.

I don’t know if this will help me forget, I don’t know if distracting myself will be enough, but for now, walking is better than being alone with my thoughts… and with the ghosts that seem to want to talk to me when I close my eyes.

We spent several minutes at Zooble’s, and sure enough, Caine wasn’t anywhere to be found. It was strange; he… one way or another, he was always around. Finally, Pomni approached a toy box that didn’t quite fit in that spot, and when she opened it, she smiled a little as she removed the lid completely.

— Oh, is the adventure over already? — Zooble’s voice came from inside.

— No, actually, the adventure hasn’t even started yet, — Pomni replied, turning to look at us as we approached her

— Oh, in that case, close the box and find yourself a hiding spot... — Zooble’s arm reached out to close her box, but Pomni stopped her by flinging it open.

— It’s not that. It’s just that none of us has seen Caine all day — Pomni explained, sounding puzzled.

— Hallelujah — I joked without humor; seeing that neither Ragatha nor Gangle laughed, I just sighed deeply

— Oh, and Gangle was looking for you — Pomni added, pointing at Gangle as she stepped aside; Gangle approached with a smile

— Hi, Zooble! — she greeted, pulling Zooble’s head out of the box. I smiled seeing them together; I was glad that Gangle now had Zooble as a friend

— Watch — Ragatha’s voice caught my attention — What’s this? — she asked, picking up a sheet of paper that was stuck to a giant green block

— Hello, my little rubber baby buggy bumpers! Today I’ve decided to go to the store to buy the essential ingredients for my famous “Milk and cigarette casserole” — Caine’s voice sounded as if he were present… and indeed he was — He loves you very much, Mr.   Caine — he concluded, freezing in place and raising a finger upward

— Great, can I go to sleep now, please? — Zooble asked disinterestedly

— So, what’s the adventure, Caine? — Ragatha asked. Both Zooble and I looked at her in confusion; I don’t want an adventure right now.

— Oh, I didn’t prepare any adventure today, so you can do whatever you want — he replied, shrugging his shoulders and waving both hands in a dismissive gesture. Zooble’s body sprang up, and her head flew off.

— Mmm, I love it — she admitted. I nodded in agreement with her. Caine floated over, lying back with his hands on his chin while eyelashes fluttered from his eyes.

— And wouldn’t you like to ask me what to do today, Zooble? — he asked, clasping his hands and batting his eyelashes at Zooble.

— Eh, nooo — they replied, narrowing their eyes.

— What would you suggest we do? — Gangle asked, raising her hands slightly.

— Gan-Gangle! Ahh — Zooble tried to stop her, but there was no turning back.

— Oh, whoops, sorry — she replied nervously, clasping her hands together.

— Great question, Gangle! — exclaimed Caine as his head grew larger right before our eyes — I suggest we ask... The Chinese Room! — he pointed dramatically at a Chinese door; Zooble sighed in resignation

— Let's see what we get — they muttered, frowning

— Can I go now? — I asked, but no one answered

Caine pulled three sheets of paper with Chinese characters from his pocket, looked at them closely, and slid them carefully under the door. He stood up, freezing in place once again

— And I don’t get why it’s in Chinese. Is this some kind of absurd joke? — Zooble asked, irritated

— It’s just that behind this door there’s a mystery — he said, as if telling us a secret — But I’m confident it's a fluent Chinese speaker who will give me advice    

— Can I ask why? I mean, what for? — Zooble asked, but was interrupted by Caine's hand

— Shut! If you interrupt the joke, you’ll ruin it — three sheets of paper with Chinese characters fell out of the door, and Caine grabbed them to read them; he laughed maniacally, opening his mouth wide, and Zooble sighed again

— And what did it say? — asked bored

— I don't know! I don't understand Chinese! — he replied, tossing the sheets into the air

— Are you serious? — I asked incredulously, but Kinger's laughter caught my attention

— Hilarious — Zooble said, rolling his eyes.

— I don’t know, go have fun at the digital lake, — Caine suggested. — Those locations are always available if you want to go; I don’t understand why you never do — he explained. I ran a hand over the back of my neck, feeling the strain from our last adventure.

—I don't know, the last time I went, I sank into the water — I confessed, glancing sideways at Zooble. They nodded, remembering it too.

— Let's have a fffffffffffffffreaking beach party! — Bubble suggested, appearing out of nowhere.

— Good boy! — Caine's hand grew larger, patting Bubble as if they were a little dog.

— Ooh, that's such a great idea! — Ragatha said excitedly. I grimaced; the only thing I liked about that place was the fishing area, but being in the water...

— Plus, there are lots of special NPCs there that you've never interacted with before — he added, raising a finger and stepping closer

— Are those NPCs dumber? — Zooble asked

— Not a single brain cell, totally dumb... and well, what are you waiting for? — he replied, then raised his hands and vanished in little clouds

☀️🏖️☀️🏖️☀️🏖️☀️

— Wow, what a nice day! Wow! — the sun exclaimed from above

— Hi, Sun! — I greeted, but the sun completely ignored me — Rude... — I whispered, furrowing my brow slightly, and walked over to the others

— All right, so who wants to go into Caine’s magical dressing tent first? — they asked, pointing to the red-and-white striped tent, a pretty color if you ask me

— I guess… I could go — Pomni replied, approaching somewhat hesitantly. Once she stepped into the dressing tent, it moved in a cartoonish way and spat Pomni out onto the sand wearing an outfit consisting of a light blue top with white stripes and light blue shorts

— Wow, you look mediocre! — said the sun. I glared at her and surreptitiously flipped her off… though it was censored. — If you want to get sunburn, just let me know!

— But I don’t want to get a sunburn — Pomni replied, looking at the sun, confused and uncomfortable.

— You should’ve thought it through before I decided I hate you — she confessed with a big smile.

— I repeat... rude — I muttered more to myself than to the others

— Ah, don’t worry about the sun; it likes being that way — Ragatha consoled Pomni, crossing her arms and then shaking her head in disapproval. Everyone jumped in and was spat out wearing swimsuits

I was the last to get in, and once I hit the sand, I noticed my swimsuit. It was a red one-piece with white stripes… classic, too flashy for my taste when most people were wearing light blue, but I had no choice. Here, you don’t really get to choose anything

— Wow, Lio, that’s cute — Ragatha complimented me; I smiled, a little embarrassed.

— Yeah, thanks, but I think the red was a bit much — I replied as I turned around a bit so she could see it better. I sighed and turned to look at Ragatha again, but she looked at me in surprise. — Is something wrong? — I asked curiously. Ragatha pointed to my arm, and I knew what she meant. She didn’t know about it; only I and… Jax did. — Oh, that was a while ago, Ragys, — I replied, downplaying it. I didn’t remember much, but I was sure it happened the day Ribbit abstract

— Is there one on your chest too? — Zooble asked. I tensed, looking where she was pointing, and sure enough, there was a new crack right in the middle of my chest

— Liora… you’ve got one on the back of your neck too — Gangle pointed out. I ran my hands through my hair and realized it was tied up in a bun

— Uh… just ignore that — I waved my hands dismissively — I’m sure Caine will fix it

Pomni looked at me, not entirely convinced, but they decided to let it go. I sighed in relief, though I still didn’t understand why I was cracking if I was supposed to be made of porcelain as strong as Caine’s eyes.

Everyone started having fun and relaxing. I tried to smile, and I even pretended to enjoy myself when Gangle offered me a digital drink that smelled like coconut, but just looking at the horizon was enough to wipe the smile off my face.

The sea stretched out before us, undulating with that deceptive calm that had always terrified me; just seeing it made my legs tense up, my stomach clench, my breath come in short gasps. It wasn’t just fear, it was panic. The idea of sinking, of being swallowed whole, was too much.

And yet, something was missing... I wasn’t aware of it at first; it was more of an uneasy feeling, like when you know you’ve forgotten something important but can’t remember what. My eyes scanned the beach once more, taking in the others, the chairs, the digital towels... and then I saw him.

Jax was standing apart from the group, almost at the opposite end of where most people were gathered. He was sitting in a slightly tilted beach chair, staring at the water without really looking at it. He hadn’t changed; he was still wearing his pink overalls, as if the very idea of putting on a swimsuit hadn’t crossed his mind… or as if he didn’t want to be part of this at all.

My chest tightened. I shouldn’t care, I told myself that right away. We were over; I’d said it myself. I’d shut that door with words that still burned in my throat, and yet, seeing him there alone, something inside me stirred without permission, a silent, treacherous worry. I wondered if he was okay, if he felt as out of place as I did, if the sound of the water bothered him too, even if for different reasons.

I quickly looked away, annoyed with myself. No, I couldn’t keep doing this. I looked at the lake again, trying to force myself to focus on something else. The reflection of the sky gave me a dizzying sensation; I couldn’t see the depths, I never could. I felt that if I got too close, something might pull me in and swallow me whole without effort. I knew it was irrational, that nothing here worked like in the real world, but my body couldn’t distinguish between a real threat and an imagined one.

I took a deep breath once, then a second time. When I looked up again, Jax was still there, motionless and alone. Then I understood something that hurt to admit, no matter how much I wanted to forget it, no matter how much I knew that walking away was the right thing to do... I still loved him, not in a clean or simple way; I loved him the way you love a wound that no longer bleeds but still hurts when it’s brushed against, the way you love something that broke you but also held you up when everything else was falling apart.

I didn’t get up right away; I stayed seated for a few more seconds, wrestling with myself. I knew that approaching him didn’t mean going back, it didn’t mean promises or reconciliation, it was just… being there, sharing the same silence, and even so, the simple gesture seemed dangerous to me.

Finally, I gave in. I stood up slowly, shaking the sand off my legs a little. I avoided looking at the water as I walked; each step toward Jax felt heavier than the last, as if I were moving against an invisible current. No one seemed to notice; no one said anything… not even him.

I stopped beside him for a moment, undecided. Jax didn’t lift his head; his hands rested on his legs, but there was something about his posture that I recognized all too well, that tense stillness of someone who’s thinking too much. I sat down in the sand right next to his beach chair.

I didn’t look at him right away; I just stared at my hands resting on the sand, feeling its strangely warm texture. The sound of the water was still there, but from that angle it felt a little less threatening, maybe because I wasn’t alone.

— You didn’t change — I said finally, breaking the silence with a softer voice than I’d expected. Jax barely turned his head toward me; he didn’t smile, he didn’t make a sarcastic comment, he just looked at me as if he wasn’t sure whether I was real or not.

— I didn’t want to — he replied. I nodded slowly, as if that answer explained more than what he’d said out loud.

We fell silent again. It wasn’t awkward; it was… heavy, laden with things that had already been said and many more that would never be said. The digital wind gently ruffled my hair; the water kept lapping in and out, always the same, always different.

— I don’t like the sea — I admitted suddenly without looking at him — I’ve never liked it — Jax didn’t respond right away

— I know — he said after a few seconds — You told me — I let out a small sigh, almost a humorless laugh

— It scares me — I added — No matter how many times they tell me there’s nothing down there, I feel like… if I get too close, I’m going to disappear — Jax looked down at the sand

— Sometimes — he whispered — Disappearing sounds tempting. — I didn’t know how to respond to that.

I looked at the lake from our safe distance; from here it seemed less dangerous. It was still big, yes, but it wasn’t screaming at me, it wasn’t calling to me, maybe because I was sitting next to someone who understood at least a little what it felt like to be afraid of things that others considered harmless.

— I didn’t come for you — I clarified in a low voice, though I wasn’t sure who I was saying it to

— I know — she replied without looking at me — Still… thanks for sitting down…

I nodded; my fingers sank a little into the sand. I realized my breathing had become more even since we’d reached the digital lake. The water was still there, the fear was still there, the love too, all coexisting in an uncomfortable, imperfect way… but real.

I didn’t know what would happen next; I didn’t know if this silence was an ending or just a pause, but for now, sitting on the sand next to Jax, far from the group and far from the water, I knew I wasn’t ready to face the lake… or my feelings, and yet, I stayed.

— You have a crack — he said suddenly.

I blinked and looked down at my porcelain chest; the crack ran down the middle of my chest and crossed over to where my heart was supposed to be. It was like a delicate yet obvious line, impossible to hide once someone noticed it. I ran my fingers over it, not to cover it, but out of habit.

— It appeared on the day of the Best Character Awards — I replied flatly. Jax frowned slightly.

— Was that… before or after you...

— After — I cut him off gently, but with no desire to drag out the conversation. He nodded slowly, didn’t press the issue. I was grateful for that.

A digital breeze blew between us; the beach chair creaked slightly as Jax shifted his weight. I kept staring straight ahead, avoiding the water, avoiding his reflection, avoiding thinking about how many things had broken before we got to this place.

— Do you remember that time we went to the beach with...? — he began. My body tensed immediately; he didn’t say the name, he didn’t need to.

I felt it just the same, like a sharp punch to the stomach, as if the air had suddenly grown thicker; my fingers tightened slightly on the sand, and it took me a few seconds to respond, searching for a way to do so without my voice trembling.

— Yeah — I said at last — It ended badly. — Jax fell silent. — I panicked. That wave... it hit harder than I expected. I couldn’t breathe. I felt it dragging me under, like I wouldn’t be able to get out. — My chest tightened just remembering it. — You pulled me out in time...

I didn’t look at him, but I knew he was listening; he didn’t interrupt, he didn’t make jokes, he didn’t try to downplay it, which made it worse… and better at the same time. We stayed silent for a while.

The lake was still there, indifferent to everything it had taken before we even knew this circus existed. I thought that silence would be the end, that we wouldn’t say anything important again.

— Do you regret anything… before getting trapped here? — Jax spoke again; the question hit me like a ton of bricks.

My first response was immediate, brutal, clear: “Yes.” My biggest mistake had been loving him, but I didn’t say it. I looked up and met his gaze for the first time since we’d sat down there. Jax was still staring at the lake, but his expression was still, open, and vulnerable in a way I’d rarely seen before. I didn’t need to say it out loud; I think he understood the moment our eyes met.

— Loving me — he said softly, without a trace of mockery — Right? — I felt something tighten in my throat; I didn’t deny it, I didn’t nod, that was enough

— We were so young — I managed to say finally, looking away — Too young... — I swallowed — I was still twenty and you were twenty-two when I got pregnant — the words came out slowly, as if each one weighed more than the last — We thought we knew what we were doing — I continued — That love was enough, that we could handle anything — I let out a brief, bitter laugh — We were like children in many ways… and we didn’t see it, and we lost her — I said in a whisper

I didn’t need to explain further; Jax said nothing, his shoulders tensed slightly, his hands clenched on his legs, he stared at the sea as if some answer were written there that he would never find. I thought that would be it, that after that there would be nothing more to say, that this memory was too heavy for the two of us to bear without breaking something again, but Jax spoke.

— Sometimes I dream with her — he confessed. I turned my head slowly toward him; his gaze was still fixed on the lake, but his eyes shone differently. — She runs toward me — he continued. — She laughs; she moves just like you do... and that sparkle in your eyes... I always try to catch up to her, but I never get to touch her — his voice broke on the last word. I felt something inside me give way; I didn’t cry, not yet, but the pain spread like a new crack, parallel to the one I already had in my chest. — And I wake up, — he added. — I always wake up before

The silence that followed wasn’t awkward; it was sacred and painful, filled with everything we couldn’t be. I didn’t know what to say to him; there was no possible comfort for that. I just moved a little closer without touching him, sharing the same space, the same grief that never ended.

The lake was still there, the crack too, and Sylvia… existed in that fragile place where dreams that could never come true live. We both remained silent. I noticed Jax was about to speak again, but a great stream of water fell on him and a little on me, sending a chill down my spine. Jax let out a sigh as Zooble moved closer.

— What was that? — he asked, his voice devoid of humor

— Ah, let’s see… for example, that time you ran me over with a steamroller, when you pushed Gangle into a pool full of piranhas, when you set me on fire, mailed me a pipe bomb, threw me into an active volcano… — they began to list, and I laughed a little at that last one, but I pretended to cough to hide it — And I could go on — they leaned forward slightly, narrowing their eyes, and Jax sighed wearily again

— Aren't you supposed to be miserable about your ability to choose your own body, or something? — he asked sarcastically

— And aren't you supposed to be insufferable, like always? — Zooble retorted, crossing their arms, and now it was my turn to sigh wearily

— Can you… please be quiet? — I asked, running my hands over my face, my mind still reeling from Jax’s confession. Zooble looked at me for a few seconds while Jax averted his gaze to the opposite side where Zooble and I were standing

— A while ago, I started seeing stability as a good thing, that it’s okay to change. You don’t have to be the same every day — they said, looking at their hand, which resembled Jax’s glove. I smiled a little, happy for them

— How about that... — Jax replied, hugging himself. Zooble looked at him in silence for a second.

— And if one day I were to have a problem, I’d talk about it... with those I trust — they continued, gesturing toward the others. Jax sighed heavily again, stood up, and slipped back into his usual mask.

— Good thing I don’t have any problems, right? — he says, turning to leave. I jump to my feet too, because it was clear our conversation wasn’t over.

— Where are you going? — Zooble asked, raising an eyebrow.

— Somewhere no one can rip my ears off with their nonsense — he replied, forcing a smile before continuing on his way, walking away from the lake, from the sand… from me

My body reacted before my mind did; I leaned forward, ready to move, to go after him. We weren’t done, not after Sylvia, not after everything he’d just said.

— Are you really going behind him? — Zooble’s voice stopped me. I turned slowly; Zooble was looking at me with crossed arms, their expression hard and protective in a way he only showed toward Gangle. — After everything he did to you — they continued — After how he treated you out there… Do you really plan to keep following him?

I felt a weight on my chest. I remembered that Zooble knew. I’d told him everything—the fights, the broken promises, the times I cried in silence while he pretended not to notice, the emotional neglect, the constant fear of not being enough...

— It’s not that, I replied in a low voice.

— Then what is it? — Zooble asked. — Habit ? Dependence? Or do you still think he’s going to change?

— No — I replied, shaking my head — I don’t believe that anymore

— Then tell me something, Liora — their tone softened slightly as they looked at me intently — Do you still love him? — the question pierced me; I didn’t have to think about it, I didn’t have to justify it

— Yes — I whispered, holding his gaze; saying it out loud hurt more than I expected. Zooble closed their eyes for a moment and sighed

— You’re incredibly stubborn — they murmured, narrowing their eyes — And also incredibly brave… or incredibly foolish; I haven’t decided yet — I didn’t answer; I was already taking two steps forward

— I have to talk to him, not to go back, not to fix anything — I clarified

— Then? — they asked, raising an eyebrow

— To finish a conversation we left unfinished — I replied. Zooble watched me for a few more seconds, then nodded and took a step back

— Go — they said — But don’t break yourself any more than you already are

I didn’t promise anything; I started walking after Jax, my steps firm on the sand, the sound of the lake fading behind me. I didn’t know what I was going to say to him, I didn’t know if he’d listen to me, I only knew one thing: my conversation with Jax wasn’t over yet, and even if it hurt… we had to put an end to the whole Sylvia thing

I stopped dead in my tracks halfway there. The breeze brushed against my skin, and it was only then that I looked down and realized: the red swimsuit with white stripes, the sand clinging to my legs, the lake behind me, and me running after him like that.

— Perfect, Liora... — I muttered through clenched teeth

I turned immediately and practically ran into Caine’s dressing tent; I didn’t think too much about it, I needed to get out of there, I needed to go after Jax without feeling exposed, without feeling like the whole world could see me breaking down, I burst out two seconds later in my usual outfit, the white dress, delicate, almost fragile, with the red ribbon cinched at my waist, like those porcelain angel figurines that adorn Christmas tree, pretty, still, intact on the outside, even though inside they’re full of cracks.

I started running again; I knew where I was going. Jax always went there when he needed to hide... the rooms, the hallway stretched out before me, long and silent. I saw him immediately from behind, with one hand already on the doorknob.

— Jax! — I called out breathlessly. He tensed up and turned his face just enough for me to see his profile. For a second, I thought he was going to stop, that he was going to wait for me, but he didn’t. He went inside and closed the door; the sound was sharp. I stood still, my chest burning. — Of course… — I murmured, letting out a frustrated sigh.

I wasn’t going to knock on his door; I wasn’t going to beg him to come out. I’d already done enough of that in another life. I turned around and walked toward my own room, each step heavier than the last. When I entered, everything was just as it had been that morning.

The soft lights, the strange, indefinable smell, and the Polaroid photos covering the wall. My fingers brushed against one of them without my noticing as I walked past. Adventures, smiles, frozen moments that seemed to belong to another version of me, one who wasn’t tired, one who still believed that pain always led somewhere.

I sighed and let myself fall onto my back on the bed; the mattress gave way under my weight with a soft creak. I turned my head to the left; my reflection stared back at me from the mirror...

My breathing quickened. In the corner of the room, just as it had happened before, I saw her again... my mother. She was there, motionless, watching me with that expression I could never quite decipher. She wasn’t smiling, she wasn’t frowning, she was just... there. My whole body tensed.

— Mom... — I whispered, barely audible. I blinked; when I looked again, she was gone. In her place, in the exact corner where she had been, there was something impossible

A hole. It wasn’t a shadow; it wasn’t an illusion. It was an irregular, door-shaped opening, as if someone had violently ripped a piece out of the room. The edge seemed to be made of black glass, vibrating softly. My heart began to race.

— No... — I murmured, sitting up slowly

I blinked several times, squeezing my eyes shut tightly as if that might erase what I was seeing. When I opened them, the hole was still there. I swallowed hard and looked back at the mirror. My breathing became erratic. There she was again. My mother crossed the reflection with slow steps and, without looking at me, stepped into the hole.

— Nein! — I shouted, jumping to my feet — Mama, warte! (No! Mom, wait!) — I ran toward the corner without thinking; the air seemed thicker with every step. I approached the edge of the hole and felt a deep chill run through my fingers. — Bitte... — my voice trembled — Bitte geh nicht... (Please... don’t go...)

I crossed the hole; the world changed suddenly. The ground vanished beneath my feet and reappeared immediately, solid yet strange. Everything around me was made of tall, infinite, distorted mirrors, reflecting light from impossible angles. My breath bounced off the surfaces, multiplying... it was a labyrinth.

— Mom! — I screamed, spinning around — Mama, bitte! (Mom! Please!) — her reflection appeared in the distance, rounding a corner; I ran toward her, my hands crashing against the mirrors, my footsteps echoing hollowly; every time I thought I’d reach her, she vanished into another reflection — Verlass mich nicht! — I sobbed as I ran — Bitte, nimm mich mit! (Don’t leave me! Please, take me with you!)

I slammed into another mirror with force; the impact sent me tumbling to the floor. When I looked up, I froze. It wasn’t my avatar staring back at me, it was me… the real me, with light blonde hair falling in soft waves, tired, human blue eyes—it was the face I’d had before the circus. I frowned automatically.

— No... — I whispered. The reflection stared back at me with infinite sadness. Something inside me snapped. I let out a muffled scream, raised my fist, and struck the mirror with all my might. The glass shattered into a thousand pieces; the shrill sound pierced me like a scream. — Lass mich in Ruhe! (Leave me alone!) — I kept moving forward; every mirror I encountered became an obstacle that I destroyed, struck, and shattered. The glass fell at my feet like sharp rain. — Mom! — I kept screaming, my voice already broken— Mama, bitte... bitte... (Mom, please... please...)

The labyrinth had no end, and I had no intention of stopping either; even if I had to shatter every reflection in the world to find her, the reflections began to close in around me, there was no longer just one, there were dozens... hundreds.

Me looking at myself from every possible angle, crying, furious, broken, motionless; each mirror reflected a different version of me, all trapped at the same point in time. I felt something inside my head tense dangerously, like a string about to snap.

— Enough... — I whispered, pressing my hands to my temples — Enough, please... — but the labyrinth wouldn’t listen

The reflections began to move, not really, but enough for my mind to feel them alive; some versions of me looked at me with reproach, others with pity, and still others with a tenderness that hurt more than any judgment.

I was sick of this, of everything, of everyone. I raised my arms and struck the nearest mirror; the glass shattered, the sound deafening, but I didn’t stop. I spun around, smashing one after another until my knuckles cracked as if the porcelain had shattered again, and my arms trembled.

— Leave me alone! — I sobbed — Leave me in peace!

Tears blurred my vision, but I kept moving forward, shattering and destroying every reflection that tried to trap me; every shatter was a scream I hadn’t been able to let out before, every shard on the floor a promise that was never kept.

Then I heard it... a cry, not the echo of my sobs, not a distorted reflection, a real cry. I froze completely; the sound was coming from behind me.

I swallowed hard; my body tensed as if the air had turned solid. My heart was pounding so hard it hurt my chest. Slowly, very slowly, I turned on my heels... and there it was: a white crib. It was small and simple, but impossible.

Inside, a bundle wrapped in a pink blanket moved gently as the crying filled the room. I felt my legs give way; I approached step by step, as if I feared that if I moved too quickly, everything would vanish.

— No... — I murmured — It can’t be...

I leaned over the crib; my hands were shaking so much that I had to brace myself against the edge to keep from falling. Carefully, I lifted the bundle, and then I saw her, a baby...

Dark hair just beginning to grow, big, moist brown eyes looking at me without understanding a thing about the world, her cheeks flushed from crying, her tiny fingers instinctively clenched around my dress, the air left my lungs.

— Sylvia... —I whispered without realizing I was saying it out loud; I didn’t need to check if it really was my Sylvia, I already knew, that feeling only a mother could recognize in her baby

My eyes filled with tears instantly; I clung to the crib with one hand so I wouldn’t collapse as I held the baby against my chest. The connection was immediate and overwhelming; the crying gradually subsided, replaced by soft little whimpers until she finally calmed down, as if she recognized me. I couldn’t stop crying.

— I'm sorry... Syl — I pleaded through my tears — I'm so sorry... it's my fault

I closed my eyes, holding Sylvia tight against me, as if someone were going to take her away at any moment. My whole body was shaking; every fiber of my being screamed that this couldn’t last, that it was a cruel illusion, that I shouldn’t cling to her, but I couldn’t let her go. Then I heard a voice.

— ____...What’s going on? — I opened my eyes suddenly; the maze of mirrors had vanished.

There was no more broken glass under my feet, no more multiplied reflections. I was sitting on the couch in the apartment… our department, the wooden floor, the light-colored walls, the light streaming in through the window.

And in front of me was him, not Jax... Felix, the real Felix, the one with messy dark hair, brown eyes full of confusion and worry, wearing the old T-shirt he used to sleep in. He quickly came over to me, kneeling in front of the couch.

— Hey, sweetheart. — he said softly — Why are you crying like that? — he called me sweetheart, just like he started doing when I got pregnant, before everything went to hell

Felix raised a hand and wiped my tears away with his thumb in that automatic gesture I knew by heart; I kept crying, unable to stop myself.

— I had — I tried to speak between sobs — I had a nightmare...

He frowned slightly, but immediately smiled tenderly, leaned down, and kissed my forehead gently, as if I were made of glass.

— Hey, it's okay — he whispered — It's over now, you're here, we're fine. — My breathing began to slow down just a little. Sylvia stirred in my arms, letting out a little whimper. Felix let out a low, tired but warm laugh and looked down at her. — I think someone here disagrees — he said, amused. — Look at that little face... she clearly prefers me.

— That's not true... — I murmured, taking a deep breath to calm the trembling in my body. Felix smiled even wider and held out his arms

— Come here, princess — He gently took Sylvia from my arms; she protested for a second and then settled against his chest. Felix began to rock her gently, walking slowly around the room. — Shh… — he murmured to her — Daddy’s here… everything’s okay…

I watched them, the way he held her, the confidence in his movements, the gentle smile on his face; the scene was so perfect it hurt. Sylvia calmed down completely, her eyes closing little by little. Felix looked at her with an expression that broke my heart. It was pure love, without fear, without guilt.

I looked at him and a wave of emotions washed over my chest: love, pain, longing, and guilt, all mixed together. I wanted to tell him it wasn’t real, I wanted to warn him, I wanted to hold on to that moment forever, but I said nothing.

I just watched him rock our daughter in our apartment, in a life that never existed... and never would, and yet, for a fleeting moment, I let that sustain me.

Felix sat down next to me carefully, still holding Sylvia in his arms, and without thinking, I let myself fall against his shoulder; I fit there as if that spot had always belonged to me. His arm went around my back, wrapping me in a way so natural it made me close my eyes for a moment. He pulled me closer, protecting me as if nothing could reach us in that small space.

— Are you calmer now, honey? — he asked in a low voice

I nodded slowly; my chest felt less tight, the trembling subsiding little by little. I opened my eyes and looked at him; Felix returned my gaze with that mix of weariness and tenderness that always made me feel at home. I hesitated for a few seconds; the words got stuck in my throat for an eternal second. I knew saying them was dangerous; I knew I shouldn’t, and yet...

— I love you — I whispered. Felix didn’t seem surprised; he smiled gently as if he’d been waiting to hear it.

— I love you too — he replied without hesitation — Always

Something inside me clicked into place; I felt a sense of fulfillment so intense it hurt. I smiled as I watched Sylvia sleeping, her breathing calm, her small body rising and falling with every heartbeat. For a moment, everything was whole; nothing was missing, nothing hurt... maybe everything about the circus was just that... a nightmare.

Then it happened... a sharp knock on the door, my body shook violently, the world suddenly shattered, I opened my eyes gasping, the living room was gone, the sofa had vanished, Felix and Sylvia were gone.

I found myself sitting on my bed with my heart racing and my breathing ragged. I looked around frantically, at the walls of my room, the artificial light, the strange silence of the circus. In the corner, there was no hole, just the smooth, intact wall as always.

— ...Another illusion... — I murmured, bringing my porcelain hands to my face. I rested them there as if I could feel something other than cold. I swallowed, trying to compose myself. The knock on the door sounded again.

— Liora — Ragatha’s voice came from outside again — Can you open the door? We need to talk, — I stood up clumsily and approached the door

— Now isn’t a good time — I replied, my voice still trembling. Before I could say anything else, the door opened a little wider. I frowned; there was Ragatha, and beside her, Pomni, and next to them a figure I didn’t recognize rightaway, a wooden mannequin... well, an NPC. I stared at it, completely baffled. — What...? — I murmured

— Liora — Pomni said quickly — Don’t be scared

— It’s not a good idea to get attached to NPCs, you know that — I said more bluntly than I intended, nodding toward the mannequin. Pomni shook her head immediately

— It's not an NPC — he clarified. I blinked in confusion and looked at Ragatha for an explanation

— It's human too — she clarified — It's just that its avatar... well, it was that one

The mannequin raised a hand and waved it slowly in a clumsy greeting. It had no face, but somehow I felt it was... nervous

— H-hello… Liora — he greeted me in a soft voice that didn’t quite match his form. My confusion only grew. Pomni stepped forward.

— Liora, we need you to talk to Jax — she said seriously — In case he doesn’t listen to us…

My stomach clenched immediately. Pomni looked curiously past my arm into my room. Following her gaze, I remembered the Polaroid photos on the wall; the memory shot through me like an electric shock.

“No”

Without thinking, I stepped out into the hallway and closed the door behind me, leaving the room safe from prying eyes.

— Go on, then — I murmured. — But I can’t promise anything if he slams the door in my face — I added, looking at her seriously.

I still didn’t fully trust the mannequin. With every step I took, I watched him out of the corner of my eye, expecting him to do something strange, but he just walked silently, following the group with slightly stiff movements.

The four of us took a few steps down the hallway toward Jax’s room; my heart began to pound again. I knew that whatever happened behind that door, nothing was going to be easy. Pomni rang Jax’s doorbell; it took him a few seconds to open it, but he opened it just enough to speak.

— Better make this important — he said with a weary sigh

— Can we talk? — Pomni asked, pointing at the mannequin. Jax opened the door wider to see us fully, stepped out of his room leaving the door slightly ajar, and leaned against the wall

— And what’s an NPC doing here? — he asked, clearly not in the mood to talk

— He's actually a human — Ragatha clarified. Jax frowned as he looked at the mannequin.

— You're what? — he raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

— Yeah — Pomni confirmed. — So he's not just another NPC; he's just another human. — Pomni looked up at the mannequin. — Right?

— Yes, that’s right, and I ended up in the body of an ordinary mannequin — the mannequin explained. I moved closer to Ragatha as a precaution. — So, Caine completely ignored me, but that was good because I was able to find… well, I think I found a way to leave — he confessed. I tensed up immediately. Get out? Is that even possible? Ever since I arrived, I’ve been looking for a way to avoid participating in some adventures so I could find a way out… but I didn’t find anything… neither me nor Ribbit

— “The way to leave”? — Jax repeated, not at all convinced

— Yes, the way to leave the circus and return to our world... — Ragatha said, but was interrupted by the mannequin

— Shh! Yes, but let’s be discreet! — he exclaimed in a nervous whisper — If Caine finds out, I don’t think we’ll ever be able to try again

— That's why we came to you — Pomni commented, stepping forward toward Jax. — We think you have the key to the Chinese room.

— The Chinese room? — he repeated. Now I understand why they wanted to talk to Jax...

— That's right, we need to talk somewhere where Caine can't hear us — the mannequin clarified; I was still confused — My theory is that if Caine makes a joke, he commits to it; if the joke is that he doesn't know what's inside the Chinese room, he'll never know — he stated with conviction

— Uh…let me take a look —Jax muttered, slipping back into his room

— Wow, a way out then... — I whispered, still unsure whether to believe the mannequin’s word... What will I do when I get out?... Maybe it’s good to start over. Jax’s door opened again; he peeked out, holding a bucket of keys

— These are all the keys I have that I don’t know where they go — he muttered disinterestedly, handing the bucket to Pomni. I stepped a little closer, confused

— Wait — Pomni stopped him just as Jax was about to close the door. — Don't you want to come with us? — she asked. — It's our only chance to get out of here — she insisted. Jax stood there in silence for a few seconds, and I leaned in to look him in the eyes

— Please... — I pleaded. I promised myself I’d give him that way out at all costs, and I intend to keep my word. Jax sighed again.

— Sure, why not? — he agreed reluctantly.

The five of us walked in silence once more toward the area where Zooble had hidden that morning, and Caine showed us the Chinese door. Once we arrived, Zooble and Gangle were already waiting for us there.

— Where's Caine? — Zooble asked, confused. It seems Jax and I were the last to find out about the plan... And Kinger? — He won't suspect a thing about us being here, right?

— He's probably in his office planning adventures, — the mannequin concluded, resting a hand on his chin.

— Can someone tell me why we trust this guy? — Jax asked, looking at us. — Do we have any proof he’s human? — he pressed. I didn’t want to admit it, but Jax had a point.

— I've been here longer than any of you — the mannequin clarified. — I... helped create this place — he confessed, running a hand over his neck. I opened my eyes wide as I frowned; I wanted to step closer, but Jax tugged lightly on the ribbon to stop me. I glanced at him sideways, and he simply shook his head slightly. — I'll explain everything in the room, but please, for now, trust me. You won't regret it — he told us.

Once Pomni set the bucket of keys on the floor, we began trying each one on the Chinese door. Of course, no one said we’d find the right key on the first try; by this point, I was just thinking of kicking the door until it gave way.

— Am I doing this wrong? — Gangle asked, trying to insert a key into the door, which was a failure — None of the keys fit in the lock — Jax snorted irritably and stepped forward, grabbing the doorknob

— What if we just kick it? — I asked, tossing a key to the floor. Jax looked at me for a few seconds, but then grabbed the doorknob again

— Has anyone tried...? — he didn’t finish, because as he turned the knob, the door swung open, revealing another mannequin inside

— Oh, thank God! — the second mannequin bolted out the door, leaving us speechless and me getting slammed by the door

— Ah... I... — Gangle tried to speak, but Zooble opened the door wider

— Done! It’s open! Get in fast before Caine comes — he ordered, stepping inside behind Jax. I rubbed my forehead, waiting for Ragatha to enter

— I’m going to let Kinger know — Pomni said, taking a step back. I nodded, stepping in behind Ragatha, but the mannequin’s voice stopped me.

— That can wait — he stopped Pomni. — I don’t know if I could… talk to him again, after what happened — he said, crossing his arms.

I narrowed my eyes, still not entirely trusting him, but if he knew a way out... it was worth listening to everything he said. I stepped inside the Chinese room, waiting for Pomni and the mannequin to come in.

Once they were inside, Pomni closed the door behind her, and the mannequin stood in the middle of the desk in front of us as if it were our boss... which, in a way, it is for this plan.

— All right, convince me — Jax ordered, crossing his arms. I nodded in agreement. Jax has lied to me several times; liars know each other. The mannequin placed his hands on the desk, leaning slightly forward.

— I was one of the original programmers of the Digital Circus; I was part of a team of experts hired by C&A to create all of this — he began. Hearing the name sent a chill down my spine. — Kinger was a coworker of mine back when he was still… well… — He fell silent. I looked around the room, noticing the sheets of paper with Chinese characters. The mannequin tossed a pencil holder aside and apologized immediately. — Ah, well, as the project progressed, the C&A executives became… paranoid; they started forcibly locking my colleagues inside special hibernation capsules to analyze their brains while they were still alive... it was all... really horrible — he explained. I ran a hand over the scar on the back of my neck, feeling a twinge of pity...

— That doesn’t make any sense because nobody here works for C&A — Jax countered. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye and turned my gaze back to the mannequin. — How could they lock us in those capsules with just a helmet? — he asked. I pointed at Jax and nodded, implying that Jax was winning the argument.

— That seemed strange to me too — the mannequin said — But then I remembered that C&A was planning to expand its operations... and the last thing I remember is that I was asking too many questions, so... Poof! They locked me in; they’re probably doing the same to anyone who walks into that office — he said. I thought about his words carefully, trying to remember how I got here… but I can’t remember anymore. — Caine… is an AI — the mannequin confessed. I tilted my head to one side and raised an eyebrow.

— Wow... that must have been a surprise for you — I whispered sarcastically

— Yeah, we already know that — Zooble said, rolling their eyes, but was interrupted by the mannequin

— An AI created specifically to keep your minds active, but he’s also a prisoner of this place, one who… uh… will never be able to escape from here — he admitted, lowering his voice

— Ugh, get to the point and tell us how we get out of here, if we’re all in these capsules you mentioned — Zooble huffed, irritated at not getting to the important part

— Ah, yeah, yeah, of course... — he nodded nervously, pulling out a map while motioning for us to come closer — Sure, look, I’ve been investigating and discovered that these capsules and the virtual world run on the same program — he pointed out using a blue pencil — So, theoretically, if we can access the main console in Caine’s office and switch it off, we can wake up everyone who’s connected — he began to explain, drawing lines and circles with the blue pencil — Well… obviously except for Caine

— How are we going to get to his office? — Pomni asked

— We have to steal the key from Caine and get admin permissions — he said, rubbing his chin, then pointed at Jax — You’d be perfect for getting the key — Jax looked at him, forcing his smile even wider, and crossed his arms

— Okay, do you guys know what’s going to happen if we do this? — he asked, taking a few steps forward to lean toward the mannequin — Caine is going to pop out of nowhere and say, “Congratulations, everyone, on completing the ‘Escape from the Circus’ adventure!” — he mimicked Caine’s voice. I looked at him, but I glanced back for a second and didn’t see anything — And then everything goes back to the same old routine

— I've been watching you — the mannequin confessed, lowering his gaze — Everyone, every adventure, every happy moment, every... abstraction, every... argument or confession — he said the last part looking at me and Jax; I tensed up just like he did; if he saw us that night... it means he also saw the... — I wish I’d introduced myself sooner, but I didn’t want to ruin our only chance to escape. I had to figure out exactly how to do it. I’m not one of Caine’s creations... I’ve suffered just as much as all of you. I know this all sounds crazy, but if you follow me, I promise you freedom. — Hearing that, a small spark of hope ignited within me... maybe we could escape. — Also, I’m going to draw a little face here so you can tell me apart from any other NPC — he added, grabbing a black marker and drawing a smiley face... it was weird.

— Oh, and... What should we call you? I didn’t ask you — Pomni asked. I looked back at the mannequin, waiting for an answer

— Ah, yeah! — he exclaimed, turning around and placing his hands on his hips; he leaned forward slightly and turned toward us — My name... is Abel — upon hearing his name, the effect was immediate

My back straightened suddenly, my shoulders pulled back, my chin lifted just a centimeter. It was an automatic movement, learned and burned into my body since childhood, the exact posture my father demanded in meetings with partners, investors, and people who spoke with sharp smiles and calculating hands.

“Breathe, look them in the eyes, don’t show weakness.”

I stayed like that for a second… then two, and then I blinked. What was I doing? I slowly lowered my shoulders, the stiffness dissipating as confusion hit me head-on. I looked at the mannequin… at Abel, at that wooden figure with a happy little face drawn on it that claimed to bear that name, and a chill ran down my spine.

— You're lying... — I whispered in disbelief, almost without realizing I was saying it. Jax tilted his head slightly as if he didn't quite understand my reaction.

— I mean, did you give yourself that name or...? — Gangle asked, confused.

— Yes, it seemed really epic to me — Abel admitted. I took a deep breath, trying to dispel the childhood memories that had suddenly come flooding back. — But anyway, first things first, we have to get that key, — I pointed at Jax again. He looked at him with displeasure, but seemed willing to cooperate. — To get it, we have to isolate Caine. Meet him alone somewhere you’d normally be. Then, you’ll have to ask him about his “hobbies.” He’ll probably get so excited by your attention that he’ll freeze, and then you can take the key from inside his mouth — he explained. I grimaced at the part about the mouth

— Inside where? — Jax asked, incredulous about his part of the plan. The mannequin nodded.

— And how do we make sure Jax doesn’t mess it up with Caine? — Zooble asked, not very confident in Jax.

— Yes, the ones who can do it are Jax and Liora — Abel declared. My heart skipped a beat; I felt Jax’s gaze immediately, though neither of us turned completely, just that awkward brush of shared attention that hurt more than it should have. — Jax — Abel continued — He’s the one to make the move; he’s got the agility, the nerve, and the knack for getting into trouble without dying in the process

— You flatter me — he said, bowing exaggeratedly — Really

— And Liora — Abel continued — She’ll be there to make sure everything goes smoothly, and to entertain Caine if necessary — I blinked

— Me? — I asked, pointing to myself. Ragatha nodded immediately as if it were obvious

— Of course, Liora, you always spend time alone with Caine — she said — You must know what topics he likes or how to distract him

I felt that something didn’t add up. How…? I frowned in confusion, searched my memory, and found nothing: long conversations, moments alone, confidences… nothing. At most, I’d exchanged suggestions, quick comments about adventures, nothing more. I opened my mouth to say it, but I didn’t.

Something inside me stayed silent, maybe exhaustion, maybe fear of discovering something I didn’t remember, so I just nodded even though the confusion kept swirling in my head.

— It’s not necessary — I interjected, trying to divert the attention. — Jax can handle it on his own — I murmured. Jax finally turned his face toward me with a crooked smile.

— See? Lio trusts me. That's so sweet; it almost makes me feel loved — he said, clearly alluding to our breakup the night before. I rolled my eyes.

— That wasn't a flattery — I clarified.

— Oh, I know — he replied, leaning toward me — But I like to pretend it was — Abel raised a hand, interrupting us.

— You two are the perfect pair — he stated confidently — You’ve been that way before and you still are; your breakup shouldn’t affect this

The word hit me like a sharp blow: “Breakup.” I felt my chest tighten. Before he could finish what he was about to say, I decided to cut him off.

— Wait a minute — everyone turned toward me — “Breakup”? — I repeated, feigning ignorance — What are you talking about?

The silence turned awkward. Ragatha opened her mouth and then closed it. Gangle tilted her head in confusion. Pomni frowned in perplexity. Abel stood still. Zooble was the only one who didn’t seem surprised.

— They…? — Ragatha began, then looked at Jax and me — You two…? — I felt the heat rise to my cheeks

— They weren’t supposed to know — I said firmly. Jax let out a long sigh, clearly irritated.

— Great — he muttered. — Excellent timing for that to come out.

— You have no right to comment right now — I silenced him, looking him straight in the eye for the first time. His eyes hardened for just a second, but he didn’t respond. Abel cleared his throat uncomfortably.

— That doesn’t change anything — he said — That’s exactly why they work. They know each other; they anticipate each other even though they’re… distant.

I clenched my fists; I wanted to say no, I wanted to say I couldn’t, that it wasn’t fair, that it hurt too much, but I also knew that not doing it could put everyone at risk. I took a deep breath.

— I'll do it — I finally agreed, though the word tasted bitter — But not because I believe in that “perfect duo” stuff — Jax glanced at me sideways

— Relax — he murmured mockingly — I promise not to bite... too much

I ignored him, reluctantly agreeing, feeling something closing in around me like a gentle but inescapable trap, because even though I wanted to deny it, a part of me knew the truth: working with Jax had never been the problem. The problem was that even broken, even hurt, I still knew exactly how to move beside him.

When we went back out, we went out together, but not really “together.” Jax walked a couple of steps ahead of me with his hands on his hips over his pink overalls, swaying as if all this were just another prank from the circus. I followed behind, trying not to think about how absurd the plan was, how dangerous it sounded, or the fact that we were voluntarily approaching Caine… . and his mouth, to be exact.

The hallway seemed longer than usual, or maybe it was my head, weighed down by memories, awkward silences, and things we never said when there was still time. Jax was the first to break the silence.

— Well — he said, dragging out the word — Time to summon the supreme master of traumatic smiles — I saw him raise his hand while still wearing that fed-up expression — Hey, Caine, where are you? — he asked into the air; not even a second passed before he appeared, startling me

— Hi, Jax! — Caine greeted him, then looked at me and spun around completely — And Liora! — he greeted me before turning his gaze back to Jax — I didn’t know you could ask where I was. Good job! — he gave Jax a little tap on the head with his cane, then patted him on the shoulder

— Um… Do you want to go out to eat, just the two of you and us? — he asked, feigning interest. I nodded beside him, forcing a smile

— Wow! Two humans who want to hang out with me? — he asked himself. His eyes lit up when he saw us, and he spun around again. — I can’t turn down an offer like that! — he agreed. Jax gave me a sidelong glance.

— So where would you like to go...? — he tried to ask Caine, but Caine grabbed him by the shoulders again, lifting him up slightly. Instinctively, I grabbed Jax’s arm, and he led us to a restaurant. I let go of Jax and took a seat between the two of them in front of the glass window

— That was... weird — I murmured, feeling a little dizzy

— Tell me, Jax and Liora, what do you want to talk about, my friendos? — he asked, resting his chin on his arm propped on the table while tapping the table with a finger from his other hand

— Um… — Jax began, but Caine interrupted him, leaning in too close and then pulling back.

— Jax, wait! I wanted to talk to you about the adventures — he said, looking at both of us — How can I make them more interesting for the Zooble and the Pomnni?

— Maybe if... — he tried to reply, but Caine interrupted him again as hands identical to his appeared, handing us the menus

— Let's order something to eat first; conversations are better after some digital nutrients — he said, scanning the menu. Jax and I exchanged glances, and my eyes returned to the menu

— Yeah... I... uh... I'll have the... Gummy Shrimp? — I said to the NPC in a waiter's apron who had appeared without me noticing. Jax cleared his throat

— I'll have the same, — he added quickly.

— Excellent choice! — Caine applauded. — Shrimp have no nutritional value, but they're a blast!

Great… as the NPC walked away, I felt the silence fall between Jax and me, not a comfortable one, but one heavy with unspoken things. I took advantage of Caine being busy looking over the menu to lean slightly toward Jax.

— Remember the plan — I whispered — You pull out the pass, I’ll take care of distracting him

— Like old times... — he replied in a low voice without looking at me. That hurt more than it should have. Caine looked up suddenly.

— Oh! Were you two whispering? I love secrets! — he exclaimed delightedly. I smiled stiffly.

— We were just talking about… how much we love your adventures — I said. His eyes sparkled even more.

— Really? — he asked. I nodded.

— They’re… unpredictable — I added. — You never know what’s going to happen. That’s… exciting. — Caine swelled with pride.

— I knew you’d understand, Liora! — he said — You always understand these things I do for you — my stomach gave a little lurch; that phrase again… “always” — By the way — he continued — Are you okay? You seem a little... scattered today — my fingers clenched into fists; I had new cracks from the mirror maze

— I’m fine — I replied — Just... tired — Jax shot me a quick look filled with genuine concern before putting his mask of indifference back on

— Yes, Caine — he interjected — We humans get tired, you know... human stuff — Caine tilted his head, curious

— Fascinating — he murmured. Just then, the waiter returned with the plates; the gummy shrimp looked… wrong, too colorful, too shiny. I swallowed hard. — What are you thoughts on cedar smoked salmon? — he asked, changing the subject and sprinkling a generous amount of salt on the table — I see "cedar" smoked salmon, but I hardly "knowder" smoked salmon! — he joked, laughing exaggeratedly; both Jax and I pretended to laugh at his joke

— Um… Do you have any secret hobbies? — he asked, resting his head in his hand. Caine tensed and turned to look at him slowly; I discreetly kicked Jax’s leg under the table

— “Secret hobbies?”— he repeated, serious

— Yeah, I mean…— he looked at me for a second — Something you do alone that you’d like to… tell me about— he said, narrowing his eyes. Caine looked down, and I tensed up immediately, ready for anything

— What? I... — he whispered, his eyes glazing over — I never thought a human would ask me about... — He looked up, his pupils dilated. Jax was still smiling and gave me a knowing look. — This... is the best thing that’s ever happened to me...! — he exclaimed before freezing.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Jax’s smile faded, and he climbed onto the table to get closer to Caine. I, for my part, also stood up in case Jax didn’t see something I did. Jax brought his face close to Caine’s mouth and grimaced before slipping a hand inside. I helped by opening Caine’s mouth a little wider so he could get his arm in properly, but we hadn’t counted on Caine snapping back to normal right in the middle of it, watching as Jax shoved his arm down his throat.

— What are you doing, Jax? — he asked, puzzled. Jax looked at him, horrified and uncomfortable, but then returned to his smile, narrowing his eyes.

— Did I tell you that it’s my biggest dream for you to take a bite out of me? — he asked as if he were reporting the weather. I nodded, regretting what I was about to say.

— And what, is my dream to watch? It gives me… human feelings to watch — I lied, wishing the ground would swallow me up. Jax looked at me for a second, amused, and Caine looked at me too before turning his gaze back to Jax, who still had his arm down Caine’s throat.

— It's rare for you to say that and want it — Caine stated. Jax pulled his hand away, covered in drool, and I handed him his cloth napkin. He grimaced in disgust and wiped himself off. — Moving on! — Caine said, clasping his hands together. — Where were we?

— At… — I took a deep breath — At you? — I jumped in before Jax could — What do you remember about your first adventure? — I pressed — How was it? — I asked. Caine’s eyes lit up again

— Oh! — he exclaimed — It was glorious, there were explosions, impossible mazes, music that didn’t match anything... — as he spoke, I noticed how his body tensed in a different way, his movements became stiffer, his pupils fluttered

— Caine — I spoke softly — And didn't you feel... alone at first?

Beep. Beep. Beep.

He froze again...

— Jax! — I whispered urgently. He was already on the move, climbing back onto the table without ceremony and thrusting his arm into Caine's throat with more determination than before

— Come on, come on… — he muttered. —Where are you hiding, you damn pass? — he mumbled, then…

— HAHA! — Caine laughed, returning to normal. — That reminds me of when nobody understood my jokes!

— F#!*+ck! — Jax exclaimed. I acted on pure instinct and shoved him; Jax fell backward onto the floor with a thud. — Ouch! — he groaned. Caine looked down, alarmed.

— What’s Jax doing on the floor?

— He dropped his fork, — I replied without thinking... the room fell silent

— Ah... — said Caine — That happens a lot — before anyone could react, I grabbed Caine’s hat and put it on; it was too big for me, which is weird since it’s too small for him...

— I've never worn one like this before — I remarked, twirling around a bit — Do I look pretty? — I asked. Caine watched me, fascinated.

— Absolutely! — he exclaimed — It gives you the air of a chaotic hostess — he commented. I turned toward Jax, who had already sat back down, rubbing his back, and felt a lump form in my throat.

— What do you think? — I asked — Does it look good on me... or should I just put on a jester’s hat instead? — Jax frowned, confused

— What does that mean...?

— Pomni — I clarified, not knowing why I kept talking — I mean, it’s funny

— Liora... — he warned, giving me a look that we should focus on Caine, but I could still feel the prick in my throat threatening to come out

— It's funny how you almost opened up to someone who just arrived — I continued, my voice lighter than I felt — Whereas when we were dating, you never did — I blurted out, the atmosphere tensed like a string about to snap, Caine watched us, delighted

— Human drama! — he whispered — I love it!

— You're exaggerating — Jax said, resting his elbows on the table — Nothing happened between Pomni and me — I laughed, not with joy, not with humor

— Of course not, — I replied — Just like nothing happened with the waitress at the café, remember? The one who was always smiling at you, the one who always found excuses to touch your hand — Jax clenched his jaw

— That didn’t mean anything...

— For you — I retorted — but for me...yes — Caine tilted his head, watching us as if we were his favorite TV show

— This is better than any adventure — he murmured

I took a deep breath, feeling the hat weighing down on my head... and the plan crumbling bit by bit right in front of us... I don’t know exactly when we went from ordering gummy shrimp to “unsolicited ex-couple therapy” with Caine leaning over the table as if he were the most invested therapist in the multiverse.

I was crying, or pretending to cry—well… a little of both. I had the cloth napkin pressed against my porcelain face, sniffling dramatically and letting out sobs that sounded like they were straight out of a late-night soap opera.

— And...and then... — I sniffled — He told me that couple nicknames were ridiculous... — Caine opened his mouth with a dramatic sound

— RIDICULOUS?! — he exclaimed, slamming his fist on the table — But nicknames are the emotional foundation of any human bond! — I nodded vigorously, riding the momentum

— That's what I told him! — I continued — That I just wanted to call him “Love” or “Sweetheart,” or... I don't know... something that didn't sound like an employment contract — Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jax; he was stiff and confused, looking at me as if he didn't know whether to laugh, run away, or throw himself out the window

I gave him a subtle signal with my napkin, a tiny “play along” gesture. It took a second, then something clicked in his head; I saw his lopsided smile return, different, more calculated.

— Well… — he interjected, scratching the back of his neck — I was just saying they sounded… cheesy

— CHEESY! — I repeated, raising my voice and returning to “Crying.” — Do you know what’s cheesy, Caine? That when I told him ‘I love you’ for the first time, he told me it was too soon… and rode off on his motorcycle! — That was true… Caine literally froze, his eyes blinked in slow motion, and he snapped back to reality instantly

— He… left? — he asked in a low voice — After a confession of love?

— Yes! — I replied, tapping the table gently — He left me there with my heart broken into a thousand pieces — Jax looked down for a second, then sighed dramatically

— I admit it wasn’t my finest moment

— NOR YOUR WORST! — I retorted immediately; Caine leaned in closer, completely absorbed

— Go on, Liora, — he said. — I need to understand the magnitude of this emotional trauma — he requested, perfectly.

— Also... — I continued, wiping away nonexistent tears. — He also never wanted to talk about how he felt; it was all jokes, laughter, smiles, as if I were... just another spectator. — Jax raised an eyebrow.

— Hey, it’s_

— I’m not finished! — I interrupted, pointing at him with the napkin — Because besides, when I wanted quiet plans, what did he do? He’d always go out with his friends, saying he “needed some air” — Caine shook his head

— Air is important — he murmured — But not at the expense of the couple’s emotional oxygen

— Exactly! — I exclaimed, pointing at him — See? He gets me! — Jax gave me a sideways glance, amused and exasperated at the same time

— That’s not entirely fair — he said — I did things for you, too

— Oh, really? — I asked, tilting my head — Like bringing the waitress over on my birthday? — That was… sort of true, I remembered, him in his apartment with that waitress…

— It was an unexpected visit — he replied, shrugging

— IT WAS A SPECIAL DAY FOR ME! — I wailed, resting my forehead on the table; Caine put both hands to his head

— This is devastating! — he exclaimed — How did you survive so much pain, Liora? — I cringed dramatically

— I don’t know… I guess I’m invincible like Terminator — Jax coughed to hide a laugh — And besides — I added quickly before losing my train of thought — He always said we didn’t need to talk about feelings, that “Actions mattered more.”

— That’s true — Jax admitted — I still think so

— BUT YOUR ACTIONS WERE TO DISAPPEAR! — I retorted dramatically. Caine stared at both of us, speechless

— This explains a lot — he finally said — The tension, the resentment, the unresolved drama — he turned to Jax — Jax, are you aware of the damage you caused? — Jax looked at me for a second longer, then nodded slowly

— I guess — he said — I suppose so... — something in his voice... the mood in the room dropped; my chest tightened a little, but I couldn’t stop myself now

— And the worst part — I added, lowering my voice — Is that when I needed him most... he didn’t know how to support me, and here we are — Caine stood very still; his pupils fluttered

— That... — he murmured — Is a critical flaw in any romantic narrative — Caine suddenly cleared his throat as if someone had switched channels inside his head — Well! — he said, clapping his hands exaggeratedly — New topic, new topic before this therapy session ends with more unprocessed trauma... — He reached into his mouth and pulled out three photographs

He placed them on the table with almost ceremonial care; they were images like poorly rendered memories, rooms with gray carpeting, all lit by that white light that belongs neither to day nor night. It was from an office.

— But as I was saying — Caine continued, snapping his fingers — This location, the macroverse, intrigues me, and unfortunately I only have these reference photos. It’s driving me crazy! I just wish I could have a better sense of the place so I could recreate it properly. Too bad they took away my access, huh? — he complained, putting the photographs back in his mouth, and then he laughed. I felt a strange tug in my chest; before I could stop myself, the words just came out

— I can help you draw a map — I said — I know the building by heart — Silence fell suddenly. Jax turned his head toward me so quickly he almost knocked his chair over

— What...? — he asked. I blinked too. Why had I said that? Jax sighed, playing with his food — Yeah, such a shame

— But anyway, what do you think of all this? — Caine asked, leaning toward Jax. Jax looked at him strangely, and Caine continued — What do you think of all this? Aren’t I just an amazing guy with lots of hobbies, not so different from you beautiful humans? — he asked, batting his eyelashes, and hearts appeared in his pupils

— Um… — Jax didn’t know what to say; he looked at me for a sign, and I just nodded, feeling just as uncomfortable. — Sure.

— Wowie! I feel like I understand you so much better now — he celebrated, returning to his chair and wiping away a tear. — My wish is to be able to make you happy and… uh… for you to appreciate me in return; it… it makes me want…

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Caine froze mid-sentence again. Jax snorted, climbing back onto the table to retrieve the pass, making a face of disgust as he searched.

— Hurry up, Jax, he’s going to wake up — I urged, scared

— I’m going, girl — he grumbled, managing to pull out the pass while filling his hand again with Caine’s drool and making that disgusted face once more… and this man was about to change diapers…

— ...Celebrate by giving them whatever they want. How does that sound? — he returned to normal, raising his arms just in time as Jax tucked the pass into his pocket.

— Sounds good — said Jax, and I nodded several times. — Hey, we had a great meal; I loved it, but will you take us back to the circus? — he asked, hoping she’d play along — The gals and I wanted to put together something that... might or might not be a surprise for a special circus director we want to show our appreciation to — he lied, clasping his hands like a lovesick damsel; Caine got excited and stood up from his seat

— Oh, of course! — he took Jax by the hands and, with a snap, made him roll up until he disappeared into Caine’s fist, then looked at me — Your turn, Liora! — before he could take my hands, I stepped back

— Wait! — I raised my hands, took a deep breath, not entirely sure what I was about to ask — You said you’d give us whatever we wanted if we appreciated you, right? — I asked. Caine nodded several times. — Well… I wanted to tell you that… I’d like… I-if you can, of course!...uh...make me have those nice dreams of family life — I asked, not entirely convinced he could do it — Think of it as special mini-adventures just for me...

— Oh, yes! Of course! You can count on it, Liora! — he agreed instantly, taking my hands and leading me back to the circus

I fell backward onto the ground, seeing Jax to one side looking back with a frown and clenched fists, and Zooble with his arms crossed next to Gangle. I got up, wincing in pain.

— Are you okay? — I asked. Zooble just nodded, turning away from us to talk to Gangle

— Liora... — the whisper was clear, too clear. My breath caught in my throat. I didn’t see her; there were no reflections or shadows in the corners, but the voice was there, warm and familiar like a memory that refuses to die. I took a step, then another; my heart was racing. — Liora... — I stopped, even though the voice called out to me again.

I wanted to follow her, I wanted to know, I wanted to find her, but I didn’t. I stayed; I chose to stay here. The whisper faded, leaving me with a tremor in my body that took a while to subside. Jax finally turned and walked toward me; his expression was closed off, but there was something else behind his Eyes: unease and a hint of concern.

— Hey, — he said quietly, — What was all that you said to Caine? — he asked. I tensed up immediately.

— What? — I asked, pretending not to understand.

— The thing about the offices — he clarified — You said you knew the building by heart. — I stared at him, but I had no answer.

— I don’t know, — I finally admitted — It just… came out. — Jax held my gaze for a few more seconds, as if he wanted to say something but didn’t know how.

— That’s not normal — he murmured.

— Nothing here is— I replied

Silence settled between us once again, just as awkward and heavy as before. “Therapy” with Caine wasn’t part of my plan… not even what I said about Pomni. It was simply something that had been bottled up inside me for a long time and just came out. A little while later, Ragatha, Pomni, and Abel returned.

— Okay, so is Caine distracted? — Abel asked us, looking at us

— I took care of that — Jax said, taking all the credit; I just nodded. Zooble walked over to stand next to Jax

— He thinks he distracted him, but there’s really no way to know — they said, pointing at him. Jax smiled mischievously.

— You have so little faith in me, Godness — Jax replied. When he said the nickname, he glanced at me out of the corner of his eye as a clear reference to our “therapy.”

— Are you really going to start this? — I whispered, frowning.

— Ah! And why would that be? — Zooble asked in response to Jax’s comment — If this whole plan goes to hell because of you, I swear I’m going to...

— Caine really is distr_ — I assured him, moving closer to him, but Jax interrupted me by stepping in front of me

— Sure, because following a guy who’s obviously super evil is an excellent plan — he pointed out, rolling his eyes

— Yeah! — I exclaimed, no longer knowing who to be mad at

— No, no, wait a minute, — Abel defended himself, raising his arms — Do you think I...?

— Yes! — I exclaimed again, but Ragatha stepped in.

— We should all try to calm down and work together. Pomni got passes for all of us — she asked, pointing at Pomni, who was indeed holding some strange objects in her hands. — We all want the same thing... — Pomni handed one of those objects to her first.

Then she gave them to Zooble and Gangle, then approached me, holding one out, and I took it—it was a silver hand. Pomni also held one out to Jax, but he seemed to hesitate, unwilling to look at her, and snatched it away, returning to his stance with his arms crossed and his back to her. Pomni looked at him for a second longer and then walked toward Kinger’s pillow fort

— Why do they look like that? — Gangle asked Zooble. She just shrugged. Once everyone was gathered, Abel stood in front of us.

— We can only hope that what Jax did will keep him distracted. I don’t know how much we’ll be able to access without Caine finding out, so… It's time! Let's go to Caine's office — he said, then took a few steps forward and picked up a wooden block — Caine could never figure out collisions with cubes... I don't know why — he remarked, turning around and looking at the hot air balloon — Excellent, we can start now — he placed the cube on the floor and pointed at Jax — You first

— Me? Why? — he asked, not entirely convinced. Pomni walked over to him

— Jax… I promise everything will be fine — Pomni assured him. I kept watching him and wanted to say something, but I just kept quiet

— Agh, okay — he agreed, walking toward Abel — Be careful — he asked. Abel picked him up and turned him into a... ball? He threw him against the block, and he flew off from the impact

— Oh, just like in basketball! — Kinger exclaimed, looking up. I started to feel really anxious when I saw Jax disappear inside the hot air balloon.

— Okay, your turn, Ragatha — Abel said, looking at her. Ragatha stepped forward, but I stepped in front of her.

— Can I go first? — I asked. Abel looked at me and nodded. He picked me up and rolled me into a ball just like Jax, threw me against the block, and I flew upward, landing inside a slide that changed shape the further I went. It was weird. I fell backward until I reached where Jax was. The first thing I saw was a door with red and blue doors. I stayed still for a few seconds, catching my breath.

— See? — said a familiar voice — You didn’t die. — I looked up; Jax was there, leaning against the wall.

— What a relief, — I replied flatly as I stood up. — I was already planning my digital funeral. — Jax let out a short laugh, but it died down quickly.

— Are you okay? — he asked. I looked at him… really looked at him. His arms were crossed, his posture relaxed, but his jaw was tight, as it always was when he pretended nothing was wrong.

— Sure — I replied. — I love being pushed down mysterious slides into offices I apparently know better than I should.

— Hey, I didn’t ask to go first — he retorted

— No — I nodded — You’re really good at that with other things — Jax frowned

— What do you mean? — I let out a low, humorless laugh

— You say one thing — I murmured — But as soon as Pomni asks you for something... — I glanced at him sideways — You go like a little puppy

— Really? — he said, already annoyed — Here? Now?

— I’m just telling the truth — I replied, shrugging; he turned completely toward me, his eyes blazing

— You know what? We’ve had enough of this conversation from the digital lake

— What are you talking about? — I asked, frowning; his gaze hardened

— Don’t play dumb, Liora — I felt an uncomfortable tug in my chest

— Play dumb about what? — I asked, not understanding what he meant. Jax let out a brief, bitter laugh

— About “Sylvia” — the world stopped the moment I heard that name

Everything inside me froze, as if someone had paused the entire circus just for me. The name echoed… and yet it didn’t. It brought no memories, no images, just an icy void. I opened my mouth, and nothing came out.

— Who is Sylvia...? — I finally asked. My voice sounded strange even to me. Jax’s expression changed immediately; all the irritation evaporated, replaced by something much worse: confusion, and then fear.

— What? — he whispered — Liora, this isn’t funny — I shook my head slowly

— I’m not joking, Jax. Who is Sylvia? — I asked, trying to remember. He looked at me as if he didn’t recognize me

— Sylvia is... — he began, taking a step toward me — Liora, look at me — he asked when I kept staring blankly at the ceiling

— I don’t remember any conversation — I continued, feeling something break inside me — Not even at the beach… and that name… it doesn’t ring a bell — I confessed. Jax opened his mouth again, clearly about to say something important, something that could change everything, and then…

— AAAAAAH! — Ragatha shot out of the slide and fell face-first between the two of us; the impact shattered the moment like shattering glass. — Ouch! — she groaned from the floor. — Why do I always land wrong?

Jax took a step back, running a hand over his face. I stood still; the name was still hanging between us, “Sylvia.” I didn’t know who she was, and that… that terrified me far more than I wanted to admit.

The others started to arrive, but Pomni took a little longer, worrying Ragatha. When she arrived, she also fell face-first, and Ragatha let out a sigh of relief that nothing had gone wrong, but Abel didn’t show up. According to Pomni, he wasn’t coming, which only made me doubt even more...

— And now it’s my turn to fulfill my purpose, isn’t it? — Jax asked, pulling out the pass and swiping it through the door. It opened automatically, revealing a spiral staircase. Pomni walked ahead.

We started climbing the stairs, and I saw small spheres placed there that showed adventures we’d had and others that I suppose hadn’t happened yet or had already happened before I arrived at the circus.

When we reached the second floor, I saw a sphere of the Old West and smiled, remembering that adventure. There was also another one of pirates on the sea of chocolate... then there was “that” sphere, the one from the stage where I broke my halo. I brought my hands to my head, knowing it’s gone, and not even Caine could fix it... just like none of my cracks.

— Abel mentioned that the console should be behind Caine’s bookshelf — Ragatha said, approaching the bookshelf. She used her “Access,” and the bookshelf opened, revealing a passageway with small pillars topped with figures of different shapes and colors. The others gathered around, and Ragatha clasped her hands together, looking a little nervous. She let out a long sigh. — I think that’s it. We’re leaving this circus.

Ragatha held out her hand to Pomni, and she took it. Ragatha smiled and held out her other hand to Zooble, who took it and joined hands with Gangle, and Gangle with Kinger. I took a step back in fear. What will I do when I go outside? Will I have to sleep in a cold place again?

Pomni held out her hand to Jax, but he didn’t take it, looking away. Pomni seemed worried, but then she looked at me, her hand still outstretched, and gave me a small smile. I looked at her, looked at the others, and then looked around. I took a deep breath and stepped forward to take her red glove. Whatever awaits me outside... I know I can do it... or at least I want to believe so. We began walking through the hallway and past the pillars.

— Are we… are we going to be friends once we get out? — Gangle asked. Zooble looked at her.

— Why wouldn’t we be? — they asked gently.

— It’s just… it’s going to be weird — she admitted. — I only know you this way. Will it be the same when it’s… — she let out a small sob — real?

— It was always real, everything we felt, what we did, who we are... it will never leave us... and I wouldn’t want it to be any different — they replied. I thought about his words and smiled a little. I turned slightly to look at Jax, but he was looking off to the side as he walked with that pensive expression

— Thanks... for being there for me when I needed you — she thanked him, laughing a little

— And you, Liora? — Ragatha asked, catching my attention — What will you do when we get out? — I stayed silent for a while... the truth is, I don’t have anything besides ballet... I don’t think I can look anyone in the face, not my father, not my friends... not Mrs. Susan

— I think I’ll find a way to travel to Germany... — I said at last — Maybe start over there... I’m not sure yet — I just hoped I hadn’t been trapped for too long; I’d like to see my grandmother... if she’s still alive...

When we reached the console, the room had gray walls and a large screen in front, with two buttons below, one red and one blue. We let go of each other’s hands, and Pomni walked toward the buttons.

THE RED BUTTON WILL TURN OFF THE CONSOLE AND KEEP THE PLAYERS INSIDE THE CIRCUS.

THE BLUE BUTTON WILL END THE GAME AND DISCONNECT ALL PLAYERS.

The doors closed, leaving us facing the blue screen. Pomni stared nervously at the buttons and then turned to look at Kinger.

— Um, Kinger… Do you want to make the choice? — she asked nervously. I took a step back, frowning in confusion; I thought Kinger would be the least stable choice.

— Um, choice of what? — he asked, confused. Ragatha approached Kinger and Gangle.

— Are you sure “He” is actually here? — she asked, not so sure. What are they talking about? Zooble stepped forward a few paces, frowning as well.

— Huh? What? No, wait… — they began — Don’t we all want to press the blue one? Why should he choose? — they asked, pointing at him.

— What’s going on, Pomni? — I asked, clasping my hands nervously

— Um, I... What if something went wrong? Let’s just take a second to think — she continued, glancing at the buttons for a second and then at us

— Think? — I asked incredulously — Think about what exactly, Pomni? About whether we really want to go out? — I asked sarcastically

— Oh, yeah, I love pressing buttons — Kinger muttered. — Do you want me to press one of those? — he asked, stepping closer. Pomni stopped him, unsure if Kinger was fully aware of what was going on

—Huh, I-I don’t know – she stammered

– Did I miss something? I… we all want to leave, don’t we? – Zooble asked. I ran a hand over my face, thinking about running over and pressing that damn button once and for all

— Liora... — I tensed up when I heard the whisper of my mother’s voice again; I pretended I couldn’t hear her.

— Eh, Pomni? — Ragatha’s voice sounded worried.

— Yeah, no! We do want to, and... what if there’s a trick? — she asked, pointing at the screen.

— Why would the console in Caine’s office have a trick? — They let out an agitated groan — It doesn’t matter what we do! He’s going to know we were here! We have to press it! — They exclaimed

— Liora... — I heard her again. I closed my eyes, clenching my hands into fists... not now

— Wait! — Pomni stopped her, spreading her arms to keep Zooble from getting closer — We just have to be patient and go over everything we know... and, uh... maybe we could take a vote or something like that

— Liora...! — this time I heard her scream; I put my hands to my head in distress

— Halt's Maul! (Shut up!) — I shouted, taking a step forward to press that button, but Pomni pushed me back. I kept hearing my mother’s voice along with the ambulance siren; I felt like I was about to lose my mind. A heavy breath brushed against the back of my neck, and that’s what made me turn around

— Jax... — I managed to say, but he was already running — Jax! — I shouted, but it all happened too fast; he lunged forward, pushing Zooble aside without a second thought. Zooble let out a muffled cry as he lost his balance. My body reacted before my mind did; I took a step forward, trying to get in the way, reaching out my hand — Wait! Jax, n_! — I fell sideways onto the floor with a sharp thud, and then I heard it

CRACK!

A sound all too familiar, all too close. My body tensed completely; I slowly looked down, my heart pounding in my chest... my left ring finger was broken.

The porcelain had shattered into impossible angles; the fragments were scattered across the floor like splinters of fake bone. A tremor ran through me from my shoulder to the tips of my toes; it didn’t hurt as it should… but the fear did.

— No... — I whispered, clenching my teeth. Before I could say anything else, the room lit up red, a violent, alarming red that bathed the walls, the console, our frozen faces

I looked up; Jax was standing in front of the console, his fist still resting on the red button. Silence fell suddenly, heavy and absolute. No alarms, no laughter, not even my mother’s voice calling me… nothing.

— Jax... — I murmured, my voice breaking, not knowing if he could hear me. Ragatha was the first to speak, her expression shattered like my finger.

— Jax... — she asked slowly, almost fearfully — What did you just do?

No one moved; the red was still there, while I remained on the floor amid the broken porcelain, my head filled with sirens that I no longer knew if they came from the circus... or from my own memories. Jax seemed to react, turning to look at us slowly.

— I...I-I — he began to whisper, but with a crash the screen went dark, leaving us in the dark, and a party popper went off alongside celebratory music while what had been the screen split open like another door, illuminating everything in white, and Caine appeared, floating

— Congratulations, my little cattywampus cucumbers! You chose... the good ending! — he exclaimed, making a silver and green title appear — Where you realized you’d rather stay with me than go back to that old, silly macro-verse... or whatever you want to call it! I’m glad you made the right choice! — my eyes widened in horror

— You mean, so it was all... — Pomni stammered, not finishing her sentence

— An adventure, yes! — Caine affirmed, giving a proud thumbs-up — And one I’ve been planning for a long time — with a snap, he made Abel appear...that bastard — Great job with that performance, "Abel"! — they both laughed delightedly

— Thanks for the flower! Oh, and a little raise wouldn’t hurt, right, boss? — he clasped his hands together and Caine let out a laugh; I stood up unsteadily as my brow furrowed with rage

— Oh, you’ve gotten too smart for your own good. Time to delete — he said seriously, and with another snap, he blew him up into confetti. The last thing I heard from Abel was his scream as he dropped a necklace with a photo of a hot dog inside

— So, none of it was true? — Ragatha asked, still in shock — The story about C&A and their capsules, the escape.

— It's all part of my excellent desk work and high-level writing — Caine replied, still proud, as if he hadn't just shattered any hope we had of getting out

— I was right…? — Jax muttered. He hunched over further, his hands still on the table, and began to laugh maniacally. — I can't believe! I was right! — he exclaimed, falling backward while still laughing madly. I looked at him in disbelief, glancing again at my porcelain left hand, which was missing a finger.

— What would have happened to us if we’d chosen the blue button? — Ragatha asked, while Jax’s laughter still echoed through the room

— Ah, I didn’t consider that option because I knew you wouldn’t use it — he replied — So I left it to Bubble — he pointed his ceremonial staff at the bubble

— I was going to send you to Shrimp Town! — he exclaimed happily.

— Yeah, you were going to San Marisco — Caine nodded. Jax leaned on the table as his laughter shifted from maniacal to hysterical; he took a deep breath and looked down while slamming his fist on the table.

— You lied to us! You scumbag! You...You made me. You got in my head — he exclaimed, agitated; his voice cracked for just a moment — You just...You lied to us about everything, didn’t you? — he demanded hysterically

— I didn’t... What? — Caine stopped, confused

— Yes, you can get inside our heads, can’t you? The stupid sauce, being vegan, and God knows what else! — he raged. I stayed silent, thinking… Can Caine erase things? Did he make me see my mother? Is he making me forget? Is that why everyone says I spend time with him and I don’t remember anything?

— Our names?... — Pomni murmured

— You... Are you erasing my memories? — I asked in a whisper, looking at him in horror

— No, wait a second, enough, enough! — Caine stopped us, flustered — I might have the ability to make minor tweaks to create better adventures, but that’s it; if I did anything else, heh, heh! Believe me, it wouldn’t turn out well — he assured us, but I didn’t know if I should believe him; everything was starting to feel as fragile as my own mind… as unstable as Kinger

— Scratch... the first abstraction... — Kinger whispered with unsettling clarity; Caine automatically grew nervous

— Hold on, hold on! Don’t put words in my mouth! Listen, guys! — he exclaimed, interrupting him — I just want to help you, I... — he fell silent when he saw our angry looks and got even more nervous — Uh... No more questions! — he exclaimed, turning back into a gift basket — Your prize is that basket full of perfumes and soaps! Wash up nice and clean and have a good light! Fragrant! Night! Bye! — and he vanished into thin air, leaving the basket to fall to the floor with a thud. We stood there in absolute silence, not knowing what to say... or what to believe

------------------------------

Hellooooooo [I’m dancing to the little credits music] How crazy, right? HAHAHAHAHAHA, I finally finished this [I just realized it’s the middle of the night...] All on yogurt and cookies [I’d have coffee, but I don’t like it] I admit I like to play with Liora’s feelings...

What did you think? I took my time to add a bunch of secret details :)

Which part did you like best? I liked the therapy session with Caine, HAHAHAHA, I loved that part.

Do you think Lio would have pressed the red or blue button? Personally, I already know the answer, but I didn’t make it too explicit in the chapter and kept it more neutral.

Fun fact: Liora breaking her finger is a symbol you’ll understand later :) + I like that the scene where Liora has that dream about Sylvia is the first happy “Dream” so far + This is the longest chapter with 16,881 words.

Author_Pan, what can I expect for the next chapters? I’d say we’re off to a good start… a very good one cccc: [The spicy stuff I promised is coming]

Anyway, I hope you liked it. Don’t forget to give it a star, comment, and follow me for more updates. Thank you so much for reading. See you on Sunday ✍️(◔◡◔.).

P.S.: Hi, sorry for the delay. I’m in the middle of moving and was without power, so I couldn’t schedule this chapter.

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[autorapan]

I'm so proud that A Bound Heart has come so far :D

It's one of my favorite fanfics ✨💞

[autorapan]

𝐀 𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 - 𝟔.𝟓.- 𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 (part 6.5/?)

𝐉𝐚𝐱

The door burst open with that damn creak that Rhea never oils, and I was expecting it, but I still jumped inside. She was carrying a bag of bread under her arm, whistling as if she wasn’t going to find anything strange. As soon as she took a step into the kitchen, I saw her freeze, an eyebrow raised and a crooked smile on her face..... I knew she was going to say something. I was sitting there with my toast, trying to chew calmly, and ____... well, ____ looked like a painting: hair tousled as if she’d battled a storm, my oversized shirt hanging off her shoulders, her cheeks flushed as she hid half her face behind her coffee cup. The scene was so obvious it actually made me laugh before I got nervous.

— Oh... well, well — Rhea hummed as she stepped fully into the kitchen — And here I thought I was coming to have breakfast with decent friends — ____ coughed, nearly choking on her coffee; I held back from laughing out loud

— It's not what it looks like... — she stammered, her voice barely coming out as a whisper. Rhea set the bag down on the counter, looking at us with that mischievous smile

— Of course not, you two always wake up with messy hair, wearing each other’s clothes, and with that “we didn’t get much sleep” look on your faces, all very normal — I leaned back in my chair, feigning nonchalance even though the vein in my neck was throbbing with pure adrenaline

— So what? It’s none of your business, Rhea — I said with a smirk. Then I felt her gaze pierce my back, and I knew she’d seen the marks. ____’s nails had left a whole map on my skin. I bit my tongue to keep from laughing… and decided to play along

— I don’t want nieces or nephews so soon, you hear me? — Rhea snapped sarcastically — I like being the best friend for now — ____ almost choked again, red as a beet, and I let out a harsh laugh that echoed through the kitchen

— Relax, Mama Hen — I replied, putting an arm around ____’s shoulders; she pushed me away immediately, blushing even more — We’re just having breakfast

— Aha, just having breakfast — Rhea repeated with a dramatic gesture, pulling a loaf of bread out of the bag. Her gaze shifted to my back, and she clicked her tongue — Although judging by those marks, it looks like you had dessert before the bread — I turned slightly, exaggerating the pose so it would be more noticeable, and raised my eyebrows mischievously

— You know how I am with extreme sports — I joked — ____ has the nails of an Olympic champion — she slapped my arm, nearly dying of embarrassment

— Felix! — she hissed through clenched teeth. I laughed, savoring every second; I loved seeing her like this, trying to hide behind her cup while Rhea teased her, and even though I was nervous too, there was something liberating about letting her realize that, yes, I am in love with ____, and I liked seeing her blush like that because of me

Rhea smiled smugly, biting into her bread as if she’d won a prize, and I, with my mischievous grin, just thought about how much fun all this was, even if it made me nervous like a teenager. Rhea, still holding the bread, looked at us with that visionary expression only she has. She didn’t even bother to sit down before speaking.

— Well... since you guys are so “chill,” why don't you come skating with me this afternoon? The skating rink is open, and I need company so I don't look like a lonely girl — she said. I lifted my head from my toast, raising an eyebrow.

— Skating? — I asked, nearly choking on a crumb. ____, on the other hand, sparkled...literally. Her eyes widened as if she’d just heard the best news of the day.

— Skating rink?! — she exclaimed with a little smile — I haven’t been in years! I love skating! — I swallowed hard; as for me, I’m so bad at skating that every time I step on the ice, I end up kissing the floor. I tried to put on an indifferent face to hide it

— Sounds... fun — I lied with a crooked smile. Rhea shot me a look that said, “I’ve got you,” and then smiled as if she’d won a prize

— Perfect, that way they’ll burn off energy in a more public way — she joked, making a theatrical gesture with the bread bag. ____ hid her face in her cup again, but she didn’t stop smiling like a little girl with a new toy. Meanwhile, I tried not to let out a nervous laugh; I liked the idea of seeing her happy, even though the thought of getting on skates gave me the chills

— And you, Felix, don’t worry, if you fall, I’ll pick you up… or better yet, let ____ teach you — she wasted no time joking, looking at me mischievously

— Very funny — I grumbled, taking a bite of my toast. Deep down, though, I was already imagining myself skating clumsily, with ____ pulling me so I wouldn’t fall, and Rhea laughing until she was out of breath. And even though I was scared of the ice, that image didn’t sound so bad.

⛸️❄️⛸️❄️⛸️❄️⛸️

My breath turned to steam in front of my face; every exhalation was like smoke in the rink’s freezing air. Cheerful music played from some old speakers, and Christmas lights hung all around like tiny stars. It all looked like something out of a winter postcard... except that I was standing on ice with two thin blades attached to my feet, wondering what the hell I had gotten myself into. Rhea already had her skates on and was moving as if she had been born on ice.

— Come on, Turtles, the ice doesn’t bite — she shouted from the center of the rink, spinning as if she were an Olympic skater. She and her “Turtles” nickname… I, on the other hand, was clinging to the railing like a castaway to a plank

— I was born for solid ground, not for floating on ice — I growled, though in reality I was trying not to bite my tongue out of fear. ____ settled her hat and gloves beside me with a smile that disarmed me

— This is exciting — she whispered — If I weren’t a ballerina, I could easily have been a figure skater — she remarked, stepping onto the ice with a big smile as if it were nothing; her movements were smooth, steady, and elegant; it seemed as though she wasn’t touching the ice, but dancing on top of it; I watched her spin naturally and felt several people turn to look at her..... while I was glued to the railing, feeling like a klutz

— Aha, very nice. Now come explain to me how I get on there without smashing my face — I muttered with a slight frown. She glided over to me and held out her hand

— Trust me, put one foot in front of the other — the word “trust” weighed too heavily, but I let her lead me. As soon as I put my first foot on the ice, I slipped and was about to kiss the floor, but ____ caught me

— Hey, hey, hey! — I complained — This is a death trap

— Relax your knees, look ahead, and breathe — she corrected me calmly

— I’m breathing… but out of fear — I huffed, hiding my smile at seeing her so close. Rhea sped past, splashing me with ice

— That's it, buddy! You look like a newborn deer! — she teased cheekily

— Shut up! — I yelled at her, flustered, trying to keep my balance so I wouldn't fall. ____ positioned me as if in a dance step

— Like this... I’ll guide you, one... two... glide... — she whispered, focused, and without realizing it, I took two steps on the ice without slipping — See, you can do it — she murmured with a small smile

— I can because you’re here — I replied, squeezing her hand without thinking too much about it. Rhea surrounded us with her clownish smile

— You look like a scene from a romantic comedy. Give me a photo for the memories — she sang playfully, pulling out her phone. ____ smiled without letting go of me

— Come on, let’s spin — she said, as if inviting me to dance

— No way, if I spin I’ll break something — I refused, tense at the very thought

— Then just glide with me — and so, step by step, I moved alongside her while Rhea spun around us, laughing at me, and even though my cheeks felt cold and my dignity was in tatters, there was also something strange… I was having a good time. ____ seemed to glow in that atmosphere, and I wanted to stay to keep that light all to myself

— See, it’s not that hard! — ____ encouraged me.

— Yeah, yeah, sure, until… Agh! — I tripped over an uneven edge of the ice. In a desperate attempt not to fall, I let go of ____ and reached out just in time to grab Rhea’s jacket as she skated past us.

— Felix, no! — she shouted, but it was too late; with a “PLAF!” we both ended up sprawled on the ice. ____ covered her mouth to stifle her laughter

— Oh no... Are you okay? — she asked between bursts of laughter. Rhea grunted with her cheek pressed against the ice

— Yeah... but this giant just ruined my triple flip — she complained, annoyed. I gasped, looking like a child caught in the act.

— I just didn’t want to fall! — I exclaimed, defending myself.

— Well, you fell, — Rhea retorted, feigning annoyance. — And you took me down with you. — ____ crouched down to help us up, still laughing.

— You two look like clumsy penguins — she said, pulling my arm to help me up. I stood up, rubbing my hip and trying to hide my embarrassment with a laugh

Later, after several laps, ____ stepped aside to adjust his scarf. I was left alone in the middle of the track, taking deep breaths. My hands were shaking, but I felt a spark of pride. I wanted to prove to him that I could do it. From the railing, Rhea cheered me on, catching ____’s attention

— Come on, prove you’re not just muscle! — I remembered how ____ had told me to bend my knees, look straight ahead, and breathe. I slid one foot, then the other, bent my knees, let go, and to my own surprise, I did a full, clumsy but complete spin on my own without falling

— What...?! Felix! — ____ shouted in surprise when she saw me; I raised my arms proudly

— You see that! A spin! — I laughed — It may not be ballet, but... I did it — she glided over to me, smiling

— I’m really impressed — she confessed. I gently wrapped my arms around her and lifted her just off the ice, spinning her slowly as if we were dancing

— I did it for you — I whispered — Because if you can fly on ice, I at least want to walk 

— I love seeing you like this — she rested her forehead on my chest with a soft smile. Rhea, from the railing, raised her phone and took a picture

— I can’t handle the two of you… you look like you’re in a romantic movie poster on ice — she said. I laughed, still holding her, while the cold, the lights, and the sound of the blades gliding blended together as the perfect backdrop. For the first time in a long time, everything felt light, fun, and a little magical

Hours later, I stumbled off the rink, my legs shaking as if I’d just run a marathon. The cold air stung my lungs, and I could barely feel my toes inside the skates.

— Holy hell... — I muttered, leaning on the railing — I hate this — ____ came out behind me, her cheeks still red from the cold and her hair tangled under her hat; she looked like a sun in the middle of the snow, smiling as if it had all been a game

— You did great! — she said, laughing — For your first time, you weren’t so bad — she joked. I looked at her with a frown, feeling half-dead.

— I fell seven times, seven, ____ — I reminded her.

— Five — she corrected me, holding up her hand with her fingers spread out — And you only stumbled two times — Rhea came out next, taking off her gloves and wearing her typical satisfied little-girl smile

— I have to admit that watching Felix skate is one of my new favorite pastimes — she said, bursting out laughing

— Very funny — I rolled my eyes, trying not to smile. ____ gave me a gentle nudge, still with that sparkle in her eyes

— The important thing is that you came... and I really liked seeing you try — she confessed. I swallowed nervously; her voice was so sweet that I almost forgot the cold.

— Yeah, well... anything for you — I murmured, looking down. Rhea leaned toward me, ready to whisper something so that only ____ and I could hear.

— You know you have battle scars on your back too? — she teased with a crooked smile — You should’ve left the helmet for when you’re at home — I saw how ____ blushed to her ears; I just raised an eyebrow, trying to hold back my laughter

— Rhea, do you want to freeze out here? — I asked in a threatening tone but without losing my smile

— Okay, okay, take it easy — she replied, laughing as she took a step back — I’m just saying, next time we go to the skating rink, I’m bringing a helmet… and a camera to record the falls — ____ shot her a murderous glare, but I saw her hide a little smile as she adjusted her hat; that moment, with the cold hitting our faces and her hand seeking mine without Rhea noticing, was worth every fall she’d given me on the rink

🎲☕🍵🎲☕🍵🎲 

— Felix..... — I loved hearing her whisper my name, the way she clung to my shoulders as she planted kisses on my neck

— Mmh? Say it louder, pretty girl — I said as I moved more forcefully, clinging to her waist; ____ hugged me back as her breathing became ragged; I was sure we were reaching our limit

— I-I. . . yes. . . — ____ let out a moan once we reached our climax. I kissed her face several times while tucking strands of her hair behind her ear. — That was. . . intense, — I smiled at her satisfied expression, but suddenly the door burst open.

— I’m back! — Rhea exclaimed, holding a bag of bread. She froze when she saw us on the couch. — Again?

— N-no, Rhea! — ____ rolled off the couch onto the floor, covering us with the blanket we kept for just such occasions, and Rhea looked up at the ceiling

— I think it would be best if you did that at ____’s house. Right? — She walked toward the kitchen, leaving the bread on the table. — And please clean that couch… I sleep there when Charlotte stays over and Felix doesn’t want to sleep on the sofa — she asked us. ____ put on my T-shirt with her shorts, leaving me alone in my pants.

— I'm sorry, Rhea, let me help you — she apologized with red cheeks as she took out three cups for coffee

— I thought you were going to have breakfast with your family — I muttered, frowning at her interruption

— I wanted to surprise my best friend, but I ended up being the one who was surprised — she said, setting plates on the table next to the butter — I even brought my mom’s sweet bread, but hey, you must be pretty hungry after… that

— You have no idea how much. ____ is a danger with her nails — I joked, watching as ____ blushed all the way to her ears

— Too much info, bro, although... — she leaned in to check my back cautiously — Compared to the first time, I don’t see much anymore

— Can you guys stop? Please... — ____ pleaded, too embarrassed

— It's fun ____ — she apologized with a little smile — On my way here, I stumbled upon a game store and bought one — she said, pulling a box out of her bag — And I thought: I’m sure my friends will want to play with me — she said. ____ and I looked at each other for a few seconds, and in the blink of an eye it was already four in the afternoon, and the colored tokens were scattered all over the table as if a rainbow had exploded there. I slumped into the chair, crossing my arms

— I don’t know why I agree to these things — I grumbled irritably — I always lose with you guys — Rhea had such a big smile she looked like a cartoon villain

— Because deep down you love losing to me — she hummed as she placed her pieces with sickening precision, ____, on the other hand, looked calm, even sweet, as she checked her cards

— It's not about losing, it's about having fun, she said, giving me a knowing look. — Besides, you can still come back, I huffed, grabbing my dice.

— Yeah, right, “come back,” says the dancer in Zen mode — I threw the dice hard and rolled two ones; Rhea leaned back, clapping.

— Look at that! The king of double ones! — she teased

— Shut up — I ordered, moving my piece just two spaces forward, ____ she leaned in to look at my board

— Chill, take a breath, look, you can use this card to block her — she pointed out. I tried to do it, but Rhea had already read my move

— Too late, my kingdom is unstoppable — she announced and played her final card. The board’s lights flashed, and a little robotic voice shouted, “Rhea has won!” I let my hands fall onto the table.

— No… not again — I muttered, exaggerating the drama. — I am a defeated man — Rhea shot me a mocking look.

— A defeated man who’s lost three games in a row. Do you want a rematch, or are you going to cry? — she asked. I crossed my arms, playing along

— Yeah, yeah, you have no idea how much I’m going to cry — I replied. She laughed so softly it sounded more like a gentle song

— Felix... come on, let’s team up and beat her — she suggested, moving the pieces calmly. I turned toward her, exaggerating my gestures.

— You... you’d do that for me? You’d betray Emperor Turtle?

— Just to see you smile — she said lightly, though her eyes sparkled with amusement. Rhea stood up theatrically

— Rebellion in my kingdom... I won’t allow it! — she shouted, but burst out laughing right away. I was already calmer, even amused, though I kept up my martyr’s pose

— Fine, but if we lose again... I promise to throw the pieces at your head — I warned ____ in a low voice. She smiled, resting her hand on mine

— Then let’s play calmly — she whispered as Rhea shuffled the cards again. I felt that even if I lost a thousand more times, the afternoon was worth it just to see ____ smile like that and to hear Rhea’s irritating laughter mingling with hers. She and I looked at each other like two conspirators in the middle of a spy movie — Secret plan. Ready? — she murmured, laughing playfully

— Secret plan activated — I replied, exaggerating in a deep voice. Rhea shuffled the cards with her typical “I’ve already won before I even start” attitude

— Come on, turtles, start losing — she sang. I grabbed my cards carefully

— Not this time, Turtle Emperor, not this time — I whispered, feeling a silly rush of adrenaline in my stomach. ____ played first, calmly, and shot me a brief look that I took to mean “do it now.” I played my blocking card just as Rhea was about to make her star move

— What? — she blurted out, raising an eyebrow

— Oops, you’ve been blocked — I said, trying to sound epic

— That’s cheating — she remarked, looking at me in disbelief

— That's couple strategy — ____ corrected with an angelic smile. She continued her turn by combining two cards, and suddenly her token advanced six spaces at once.

— What! — Rhea nearly choked on her own breath; I could barely contain my laughter.

— Relax, Turtle Emperor, the kingdom is crumbling — I mocked.

— Felix, play the swap card now — she whispered, trying not to laugh. I obeyed without thinking, and our pieces ended up in the perfect position. By the time Rhea tried her next move, she was already trapped.

— It can’t be… — she muttered, staring at her board.

— Yes, it can — I replied, dropping my last card as if it were a microphone — We win! — I exclaimed. The lights on the board flashed again, but this time the robotic voice shouted, “Felix and ____ have won.” I raised my arms as if I’d won a championship — Yes!  Finally! — I almost jumped out of my chair. Rhea dramatically slumped back in her chair.

— Traitor, pure and simple... — she lamented. — My kingdom is over. — ____ leaned toward me, smiling with that calmness that disarms me.

— I told you you could win — she whispered to me.

— You’re my lucky charm; without you, I’d still be losing — I pointed at her with an exaggerated smile. Rhea was already recovering and opened the bag of cookies

— Bah... fine, but next time let's play poker and see if you can beat me at that too — she said, and I, still buzzing with excitement, laughed

— After this, I can handle anything — I replied, though deep down I knew I didn't mind losing, not if the laughter and knowing glances with ____ were part of the game

The table looked like a battlefield: chips scattered everywhere, cards crumpled, half-eaten cookies, and three glasses on the verge of falling over. I still had my hands in the air, savoring my victory as if it were an Olympic medal.

— I can’t believe you guys teamed up on me — Rhea grumbled, popping a cookie into her mouth — I trusted you guys

— You never trust anyone when you play — I teased — So this time you got a taste of your own medicine — ____ laughed softly, resting her chin in her hand

— Honestly, seeing your faces was the best part of the game — she commented. I glanced at her sideways, still feeling that mix of adrenaline and warmth in my chest

— The best part was seeing you smile when we won — I murmured. Rhea made a fake disgusted noise

— Oh, come on, just kiss already and bring me some more cookies, please — I threw a cushion from the sofa at her, but she dodged it and threw herself dramatically to the floor — I've been hurt in my own home — she said, clutching her chest — Did you see that, Donatello? — she asked, looking at her turtle eating in the corner

____ got up to get more tea, and I stayed seated with my legs stretched out and a smile so wide it wouldn’t fit on my face. I felt awkward, but in a good way. With her there, even losing would have been fun, but winning together… that was something else. When she came back, she handed me a hot cup and sat down next to me

— So — she said, — Another round, or should we switch games? — she asked, and Rhea held up her cookies like a white flag. — I vote for switching... and for bringing something sweet to make up for my loss — I laughed, clinking my cup with ____'s cup

— OK, but this time I get to pick the game. I don’t want to hear any whining afterward — I warned, giving Rhea a mischievous look. ____ looked at me with an amused twinkle in her eye.

— Promise — she agreed, raising her mug. Rhea sighed dramatically.

— I can tell this is going to take a while...

And for a while, amid mugs, cookies, and jokes, it felt as if nothing could break that moment, until Rhea opened the living room cabinet and pulled out a giant, colorful box that gave me a bad feeling.

— What the hell is that? — I asked, raising an eyebrow

— Twister — she replied, pulling out the mat covered in circles — A classic game, a test of flexibility and dignity

— Pass — I said immediately — I had enough with the tower game — I reminded her. ____ covered her mouth to keep from laughing.

— Come on, Felix, it’ll be fun — I looked at her suspiciously; every time she said “it’ll be fun,” I ended up looking ridiculous.

— Fun for who? — I asked, amused

— For us — Rhea replied as she spread the mat on the floor — Come on, take off your shoes — she ordered. I huffed in resignation while ____ was already tying her hair into a ponytail; she looked more excited than a kid at an amusement park — Ready — Rhea announced, spinning the wheel — ____, right hand on blue — she stretched, smiling with an insulting ease — Felix, left foot on green — I took a clumsy step, trying not to fall; we kept going like that, and every command was a punishment, I bent over as best I could while Rhea shouted “closer, closer!” with malice. ____ looked like an agile cat, while I looked like a piece of furniture about to topple over. In one particularly humiliating turn, I ended up with my head near ____’s shoulder and one foot almost on Ren’s hand.

— This is medieval torture, I muttered, regretting agreeing to play.

— This is art — Rhea laughed, pulling out her phone to record — Say hi, my kids

— No way — I growled, trying to keep my balance; ____ could barely contain her laughter

— Don’t worry, you’re getting better — she whispered to me

— Getting better? I look like a broken crane — I replied sarcastically. Suddenly, Rhea spun the wheel again.

— Felix, right hand on red — I leaned in and accidentally bumped into ____, ending up almost on top of her. ____ let out a nervous laugh and bit her lip to keep from laughing harder. I could only feel my ears burning.

— Careful... — I muttered, trying to pull away

— Chill — she replied, still laughing — It’s part of the game — Rhea put a hand to her head

— This is starting to look like a scene from a cheap romantic novel. Just fall over already so I can win! — she exclaimed, amused. At that moment, I lost my balance, and we all went crashing to the floor in a tangle of arms and legs. ____ lay on her back, laughing; Rhea shouted, “Tackle champion!” and I sat on the floor, covering my face with my hands

— Never again — I declared, though I couldn’t stop laughing. ____ looked at me with that sparkle in her eyes

— Oh yes, you’ll do it again — she said, giving me a playful shove — You always do — Rhea raised her arms in a victory sign

— This was the best afternoon of the month! — she exclaimed happily. I could only shake my head, still smiling, while thinking that, deep down, it had been fun... though I’d never admit it out loud

Minutes later, I was crouched down putting the Twister tokens and cards back in the box, my knees still a little sore from all the stretching. ____ had stayed seated on the couch, fixing her hair, and Rhea was leaning on the table, checking her phone with her typical strategist’s expression.

— Hey, ____ — she said suddenly without looking up — Do you know a guy named David? — I felt a tightness in my chest instantly; ____ looked up, surprised

— David? Yeah, he’s a friend from the conservatory. Why? — she asked curiously. I stopped sorting for a second; my hands kept moving the cards, but my ear was glued to them. Rhea looked at her with a half-smile

— Oh, right… Charlotte can’t stop talking about him. She says he’s a prodigy or something like that — she said, tilting her head. ____ let out a soft laugh

— Well, yeah, he’s very talented, too talented I’d say. Sometimes we have to partner up for performances — she said, keeping her smile. My stomach clenched. The calmness with which she said it, as if it were nothing, and with a smile… My hands tightened slightly around the game box

— Aha, a friend, right? — I tried to sound casual, catching both their attention; she looked at me, tilting her head with an expression somewhere between confused and amused

— Yes, Felix, a friend. What’s up? — I didn’t answer; I leaned further over the box as if I were deeply interested in arranging the tiles by color — Felix? — I felt the tension rise like steam; Rhea rolled her eyes dramatically

— Oh, please — she blurted out — Let’s not start this again

— Again? — ____ frowned in confusion, looking at Rhea

— Look, I bought fudge... it’s on the fridge — Rhea tried to defuse the moment by changing the subject, and like a spring, ____ jumped up excitedly

— Fudge?! That's my favorite! — and she headed straight for the kitchen, forgetting everything else. When she disappeared around the corner, Rhea leaned toward me cautiously

— This isn't the first time you've done this, Felix — she whispered in the tone of a weary older sister. I kept putting the pieces away, but my hands were tense

— Do what? — I asked curtly

— Go into guardian mode every time a guy’s name comes up — she murmured — I’m not saying you shouldn’t care, but you’re going to end up suffocating her… just like the others — I looked down, feeling that uncomfortable burning sensation at the back of my neck

— That's not it — I replied, almost in a whisper. — It's just... I don't like feeling like someone else could... — Rhea gently placed a hand on my shoulder.

— Calm down, okay? If ____ stays with you, it’s because she loves you. You don’t have to fight with ghosts. — I exhaled slowly, feeling exposed, as if a secret had been uncovered. From the kitchen, ____’s voice rang out

— Rhea, Felix, come here! I found some chocolate too! — she announced happily. Rhea smiled and straightened up

— Let’s go before she finishes it all — I snapped the game box shut. From the kitchen, I no longer heard ____ calling, but a sharp thud followed by an “Ouch!” My blood ran cold

— ____? — I shouted, jumping to my feet. Rhea also turned her head in surprise, but I was the first to bolt toward the kitchen

When I got there, I was met with the most absurd and alarming scene of my life. ____ was sitting on the floor with her hair and T-shirt stained with fudge, surrounded by broken cookies and an overturned stool to the side, the open gallon of fudge next to her as if the scene were from a food fight

— ____! Are you okay? — I crouched down beside her right away, checking to see if she’d hurt herself. She looked up, her eyes wide as saucers and her hands sticky.

— I... I just wanted to grab the gallon... it slipped and... and now I’m covered in it... I don’t know what to do! — Her voice trembled between panic and embarrassment. I stared at her for a second, processing the image, then, unable to help myself, I burst out laughing.

— Oh god. You look like a sweet version of a swamp monster — I said between laughs, trying not to choke.

— It's not funny, Felix! — she squealed, trying to pick the candy out of her hair. Rhea came up behind her, stood there for a moment, and shook her head, holding back a smile.

— You better head straight to the shower, ____ — she said calmly — before you turn to glass right there. — ____ snorted, getting up carefully, sticky all over.

— This is so embarrassing. . . — she muttered, brushing a strand of hair from her face. I was trying to hold it together, but every time I saw her press herself against the wall to avoid getting any more sticky, I’d get another fit of laughter

— Come on, I’ll help you get there — I finally said, reaching out my hand so she wouldn’t slip again, while Rhea grabbed a rag to clean up the mess on the floor

— See? We don’t even need board games for something memorable to happen — she said with a wink. I burst out laughing and helped ____ make her way to the bathroom

The bathroom was filled with steam and smelled sweet, as if someone had been boiling candy in there. ____ was standing under the shower with her hands tangled in her sticky hair; every time she tried to brush a strand aside, it just stuck even more.

— It won’t come out… — she grumbled in frustration — It’s like concrete — she complained. Without thinking, I rolled up my sleeves and stepped in with her, still wearing my T-shirt, getting soaked immediately.

— Take it easy, take it easy, let’s take it step by step — I said, trying to sound calmer than I was; in reality, the scene was so absurd that I had a hard time not laughing. I leaned in and began to gently massage her hair, running warm water through it and rubbing with my fingers. The fudge slowly dissolved, leaving my hands sticky, but at least it was starting to loosen up.

— This is embarrassing... — she murmured without looking up — I feel like a little girl

— Don’t overreact, ballerina — I replied, smiling, trying to lighten the mood — It could happen to anyone... well, almost anyone — she gave me a weak nudge, but the corner of her mouth twitched as she tried not to smile

— You're having fun with this, huh?

— Just a little — I confessed, brushing a strand of hair aside and rinsing it out — But I'm also worried; when I heard that thud, I thought you'd hurt yourself. — Her eyes softened for a second, and she took a deep breath.

— I’m fine, Felix, it was just fudge… and my dignity — I let out a low laugh and passed her some of my shampoo to speed up the process

— Okay, tilt your head back. Let’s get this out of your hair before you get stuck like this forever — as I massaged her scalp, the water slid down her shoulders and dripped brown, washing away the sticky mess. She closed her eyes, letting me continue

— Don't you dare use up all the hot water! And be careful not to lather up too much! — Rhea's voice boomed from the other side of the door. ____ and I looked at each other and burst out laughing at the same time

— Typical Rhea... — I whispered in her ear — Always the babysitter — she smiled, finally relaxed, and let me continue in silence as we finished rinsing out the last of the dulce de leche. When the water finally ran clear and her hair felt soft again, I turned off the faucet, and we both ended up soaking wet, slipping on the tiles. ____ was taking deep breaths, her cheeks red from the heat and the half-suppressed giggles escaping her

— Done... mission accomplished — I said, brushing a wet strand of hair from her forehead. She opened her eyes slowly and looked at me with that mix of embarrassment and gratitude that was so typical of her

— Thank you... — she murmured — I really thought I was going to have to cut my hair — I let out a soft laugh at her confession

— It would have been an interesting look, but I’m glad it wasn’t necessary. — ____ looked down and, without saying a word, leaned in slightly and rested her forehead against my chest; the gesture was so spontaneous that it left me frozen for a few seconds

— You’re always there... even for this nonsense — she whispered. I wrapped my arms around her, feeling the dampness of her hair stick to my shirt

— For big things and for sticky things — I joked, and she let out a little giggle against my chest. She stayed like that for a few moments and then looked at me, her eyes shining despite the mess.

— I don’t know what I’d do without you…

— You'd probably still be covered in fudge — I said with a half-smile. She gave me a gentle slap on the arm, but she was still smiling. From outside, Rhea knocked on the door.

— Have you finished my dessert, or is there still some fudge left for me!? — I opened the bathroom door to let her out, and the hot steam escaped in a cloud. ____ came in wrapped in a huge towel, her hair still dripping in chestnut-brown strands since she’d dyed it for one of her ballet performances. I followed her out, my shirt still wet. Rhea, sitting at the table with her elbows propped up, looked up and let out a dramatic whistle — Well, well... you two emerged like heroes from a sticky war — ____ shot her a withering glance, but her cheeks were still red

— Don't even mention it — she muttered, clutching the towel tightly around herself

— At least I saved half the fudge — she remarked, pointing to the half-open gallon on the counter. ____ turned her head, saw the dripping gallon on the table, and made a face of utter disgust

— Ugh... I never want to see fudge again in my life — she covered her mouth in disgust; I couldn’t help but burst out laughing

— How ironic... it used to thrill you, now it makes you nauseous — I joked. Rhea rolled her eyes and sat up, adopting her usual commentator tone

— Lesson learned, never climb onto a stool without support and never underestimate the stickiness of the local dessert — I laughed at her joke, ____ gave me a little nudge in the side, but ended up smiling

— Stop making fools of me — she grumbled. I stroked a damp strand of her hair.

— Go to my room and put on my clothes; we’ll wash yours later — I said, pointing to my room. Rhea shrugged.

— I'll make the tea, but seriously, this is material I'll be telling my grandchildren about — ____ snorted, staring at the jar of dulce de leche as if it were a mortal enemy while I led her to my room and pulled out a change of clothes for myself. Once I left, I let her change; the mess in the kitchen was behind us, but the image of the three of us laughing amid the chaos would stay there for quite a while

A few minutes later, I heard the bedroom door open. ____ came out slowly wearing one of my gray sweatshirts and sweatpants that looked like they were tailor-made for her. Her hair was still damp and tangled, dripping onto the fabric. She looked pretty, even though she was trying to hide from our view

— Here, sit here — I gestured to the chair across from me, towel in hand — I’m going to dry your hair — she raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised

— You? — she asked with a half-smile

— Yep — I smiled — If I can save you from the fudge, I can also save your hair — she walked over to me and sat down slowly; she smelled of my soap and my shampoo, and something about that hit me right in the chest, I stood there for a moment watching her, trying to commit the scene to memory. I placed the towel over her head and began drying her hair carefully, using gentle strokes so as not to tug at her strands. — That's it. — I murmured. — You'll look brand new.

— It's weird to see you so... gentle. — She let out a nervous giggle.

— Shh, don’t ruin my moment as a domestic hero, — I joked, running the towel over the back of her neck. She lowered her shoulders a little, relaxing; with each stroke, I could feel the tension release. I liked seeing her like that, calm, wearing my clothes, trusting me… only me

— Thank you... — she whispered at last, lifting her head to look at me

— No problem — I replied, resting my forehead against hers for a second — Although next time, I’ll climb up on the stool — ____ let out a soft laugh, and I continued drying her hair in silence while the house still smelled of dulce de leche and winter. Rhea appeared with a cup of tea and a raised eyebrow; she stood still for two seconds, taking in the scena, ____ sitting with my sweatshirt on and me behind her drying her hair

— Ohhh..... — she drawled, stretching out the vowel — What a... domestic scene

— Rhea.....don’t start — I warned her

— I’m not saying anything — she replied, leaning against the doorframe with a crooked smile — Just that if I didn’t know better, I’d think I’d just walked into a detergent commercial or a couples’ lifestyle ad — I let out a nasal laugh, still running the towel through my girlfriend’s damp locks

— Don’t be nosy — I said; she took a sip of her tea, feigning indignation

— I'm not a nosy person, I just came to make sure no one drowned in fudge, but I find this... — She made a circular gesture with her hand. — You drying your ballerina's hair, her wearing your clothes... What's next? Painting her nails? — she joked, causing ____ to shoot her a murderous glare, her ears red with embarrassment

— Come on — I said without letting go of the towel — Leave her alone, she’s had enough with being covered in fudge — Rhea smiled smugly, took another sip, and turned toward the kitchen

— Well, well... I’m going to pour myself another cup, but if you need privacy, let me, I have headphones — ____ covered her face with her hands; I gave her a gentle tap on the head with the towel to distract her

— Don't listen to her, — I murmured. — She's jealous because I don't dry her hair. — Rhea reappeared with a package of cookies in her hand.

— Hey — she began in a casual tone. — How about we go to the beach tomorrow? — She raised her eyebrows with a smile. — A change of scenery, sun, sand, no dangerous fudge.

As soon as she heard the word “beach,” I saw ____’s shoulders tense slightly under the towel. I know that gesture; her phobia is something she doesn’t usually mention, but I know about it. Even so, she lifted her head and smiled with a forced brightness.

— Sure...sure! I haven’t been to the beach in ages — trying to sound enthusiastic

— That’s it! Finally, a plan we both like — Rhea smiled happily. I looked at ____ from behind, my hands still tangled in her damp hair. Her smile was pretty, but I could see the hidden discomfort

— The beach, huh... — I muttered — Well, it could be... if they don’t make me skate on sand or something like that

— Relax, kid, I just want to see if you fall too when you run on the sand — she joked, ____ barely turned her head to look at me and I gave her a calm look, one of those looks that say “you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to,” she responded with a quick nod as if to say “okay”

— Come on, let’s go, I’m sure it’ll be fun, — she whispered to me. I took a deep breath, noticing the tension in the back of her neck.

— All right, let’s go to the beach, — I nodded, but in my head I was already planning how to keep her away from the sea while still making her feel safe.

— That’s it! Tomorrow, beach day! — Rhea raised her cookie in a toast.

🏖️🌊🍨🏖️🌊🍨🏖️

The car smelled of sunscreen and cookies. Rhea was in the front passenger seat, humming with the windows open, and I was driving with one arm resting on the door. Every now and then I glanced in the rearview mirror. ____ was in the back with her calm smile, but her fingers were clenched too tightly around the water bottle. I know her too well not to notice the tension in her gaze.

— We'll be there in ten minutes — Rhea announced in a tour guide tone — White sand, blue sea, and seagulls trained to steal your french fries

— Great.....thieving seagulls — she let out a forced laugh; I smiled at her through the rearview mirror

— Just breathe; no one’s going to make you swim — I whispered. When we finally arrived and the smell of salt filled the car, I felt her hand tremble slightly; I brushed her fingers as I passed by her. — We’re here — I murmured. — Take it easy. — Rhea jumped out of the car like a kid on a field trip.

— Come on, turtles! I’ve already found the perfect spot near the rocks — while ____ went to change, I set up the umbrella and spread out the towels. I knew Rhea had convinced her to buy a new swimsuit the night before; I’d found it funny to see her so indecisive about the fabrics, but in the end she agreed. When she came out of the restrooms, she was wearing a light T-shirt, and even so she seemed way too nervous

— You look great — Rhea told her with a wink to distract her. She nodded, looking around while fidgeting with her fingers. Rhea left for a few minutes and came back with buckets and shovels she’d bought at a stall. — I have a master plan, — she announced, holding up the bucket like a trophy. — If the ocean scares you, we’ll bring the ocean right here!

— How? — she asked, skeptical of her words

— With this — she replied, waving the bucket — And with this pair of arms — she pointed at me. I smiled wryly and found myself digging in the sand alongside them. I’m not a beach person... but I’d do anything to see her calm. Rhea went back and forth filling buckets with saltwater while I shaped the edges so they wouldn’t crumble. Between the three of us, we ended up with something resembling a sand pool.

— It’s ready — said Rhea, proud of her work. — Official ____’s little pool! — I stood up and held out my hand to her.

— Try it… it's just water in the sand, nothing else — she approached slowly; I saw in her eyes that glint of fear mixed with curiosity; the sun's reflection on the surface made her hesitate for a moment; I looked at her, trying to convey calm; ____ sat down first on the dry sand, then let her feet dip into the warm water; I watched her take a deep breath and felt... almost relieved

— This is better... — she murmured with a small smile

— Victory! You’ve made contact with the sea without even getting in! — Rhea threw her arms up in the air as if she’d won the lottery. I sat down next to ____ and put my arm around her shoulders

— Take your time — I whispered in her ear — Whenever you’re ready, whenever you say so — She smiled with relief and leaned against my shoulder

— Thank you — she whispered. — Really — I breathed easier upon hearing her; in that moment, I felt we’d won something small but important.

— That’s what we’re here for, — I told her softly. Rhea lay back on the sand with her arms behind her head.

— What a person does for their friends, huh? But next time, you’re going in at least up to your knees, ____ — we both laughed; for the first time in years, the sound of the sea didn’t seem so threatening to her, and seeing her like that with the sun on her skin and the water at her ankles made me feel that it had all been worth it

The sun was already starting to set, painting the beach orange. Rhea, with her boundless energy, kept bringing buckets of water, first for the little pool... and now she wanted to build a sand fortress around ____. I just went along with it because seeing her smile was worth it all.

— Look at this! — Rhea shouted as she shaped crooked towers — It’s going to be the most epic castle on the coast! — ____ was sitting in the middle of the structure with her hands full of wet sand, smoothing the edges as if it were really her home

— That’s a bit over the top, isn’t it? — I remarked with a smile, seeing them so focused

— Nothing is over the top on vacation — Rhea replied, raising her bucket again — Felix, let’s go to the sea for more water — I stood up, shaking the sand off

— Okay, but let’s make it quick; the sun is already setting — I said, looking at the horizon. Once we got in, the water was colder — It’s getting late; the tide is going to come in — I whispered, pointing at the sea

— Then let’s get the last few buckets and head back — she said, wading further into the sea as I followed her, but as soon as she filled the second bucket, the current swept the first one away — Hey! My bucket! — she shouted as if she were still a little girl and swam further out

— Leave it, we’ll buy another one — I stopped her, holding her by the arm

— No, no, that one has a shark design that I like — she insisted, stretching out a little further

— Rhea, seriously, it’s not worth it — I held her back more firmly; I didn’t like the idea of leaving ____ alone for so long or having Rhea go out so far into the sea

— Okay, okay... — she sighed, shrugging

I turned my head toward the shore; I could see ____ with her back to me, bent over the sand shaping one of the towers. Her hair was blowing in the breeze, and she looked calm, but then I saw how the waterline was starting to creep closer to where she was, and a chill ran down my spine.

— Hey... — I murmured — The waves are coming in really high — Rhea narrowed her eyes to look

— Hmm... yeah, it looks like the tide came in faster. — I was already swimming back with the half-full bucket dripping with salt water; my gaze kept shifting between the waves and ____. My heart started to race; she didn’t see it because she had her back turned, focused on the castle. The sea lapped at the base of the sand fortress, and another bigger wave came behind it

— ____! — I shouted, though my voice was carried away a bit by the wind; she didn’t turn around. My steps quickened, and Rhea sped up too as the sea kept advancing. I kept telling myself, “It’s okay, she’s still on the sand, it’s okay”… but the anxiety was still rising in my chest — Come on — I said to Rhea, gripping the bucket tightly — We have to get her out before a big wave hits — Once we reached the sand, I ran faster than I thought I could. The bucket slipped from my hand, and I dropped it without thinking; the only thing that mattered to me was getting to ____ — ____, get up! — I shouted again. This time she did turn her head, confused. The first wave hit the base of the sandcastle with a sharp crack, knocking down an entire wall. The second one came right after, bigger, soaking her legs up to her knees. she jumped and froze for a moment. When I was a couple of steps away, I leaped over the sand wall and grabbed her by the waist, lifting her almost effortlessly. I felt her trembling; her breathing became ragged, and her hands gripped my shoulders tightly. — It's okay, I've got you, I whispered in her ear, trying to sound as calm as I could.

— Felix... I-I can’t... — she murmured fearfully, clinging to my neck

— Yes, you can. It’s over — I whispered, backing away with her in my arms as the water chased us. Rhea arrived from the other side, pulling the backpacks out of the waves’ reach. I backed up to where the sand was dry again and slowly set her down, ____ She curled up into a ball, hugging her knees, her eyes wide with fear. I sat down beside her, my heart still in my throat. — Hey, look at me, I said, gently touching her damp cheek. — It’s okay, nothing happened, okay? — She nodded, trembling.

— I'm sorry... I... I didn't realize... — she murmured

— You don’t have to apologize, it was my fault for not warning you sooner — I said, even though I knew she had. Rhea knelt down in front of us, now much more serious.

— I’m sorry, ____, I got carried away with the fortress and didn’t think about the tide. Let’s pack everything up and go, okay? — ____ took several deep breaths and finally looked at me.

— Thank you... — she whispered. I smiled gently at her, trying to ease the tension

— That’s what I’m here for. I’ll never let anything happen to you — she closed her eyes for a moment, resting her forehead on my shoulder. I stroked her back, feeling the salt from the water and the heat of the scare still on my skin. Rhea was the first to stand up to break the silence

— Well... I think we’ve had enough of a marine adventure for today, — she said, brushing the sand off her hands. — How about we go get something sweet before it gets dark? Ice cream, churros, whatever, it’s on me. — ____ slowly lifted her head, her eyes still moist.

— Ice cream... sounds good — she murmured, as if she needed something to bring her back to normal. I nodded in agreement

— Come on, let’s go get something — I stood up and offered her my hand; she took it and leaned on me to get up. She was still trembling a little, but I saw her smile slightly, as if Rhea’s gesture had lightened her heart — Are you sure? — I asked her softly, leaning toward her as we walked toward the boardwalk

— Yeah.....with you here, yes — she replied. Meanwhile, Rhea was speaking in a theatrical tone, perhaps to distract her

— Today we saved castles, conquered seas, and I almost died chasing my bucket. I think I deserve three scoops of chocolate and one of vanilla, at least — she let out a tiny giggle; that small, shy sound was the first real sigh of relief I’d heard all afternoon. When we reached the stands, Rhea went straight up to order — Three giant ice creams! — she shouted as if she were asking for medals — With extra of everything, please — we sat on a wooden bench looking out at the sea, the calmer waves now in the distance, ____ ate her ice cream slowly and intently; I watched her out of the corner of my eye

— Hey... — I leaned toward her cautiously — If at any point you want to leave, let me know

— No — she shook her head gently — It’s fine like this, thanks for staying with me

— Always — I smiled at her. Rhea appeared with her three more ice creams and placed them on the makeshift table she’d set up with her upside-down bucket. — Well, here’s to us — she said, raising hers — To surviving our “great expedition.”

— And to Rhea, hero of the lost buckets — I added, and ____ let out another little laugh

The three of us stayed like that, eating ice cream and watching the sun set over the sea. For the first time in hours, I felt ____ breathing without that lump in her throat, and inside, I breathed with her. The car smelled of salt and melted ice cream; the engine hummed softly as we left the coastal highway behind. Rhea was in the back seat with her head tilted against the window, fast asleep, while ____ sat next to me in the passenger seat, wrapped in one of my sweatshirts so she wouldn’t get cold. Her eyes were half-closed, tired but peaceful; at times she ran her fingers along the edge of the sleeve as if she needed something to anchor her.

— How are you feeling? — I asked her in a low voice, not wanting to wake Rhea

— Better... — she whispered in response — It’s all over now. Thanks for not letting go of me before

— I never would — I replied with an honesty that slipped out more softly than I expected

— I thought I was going to panic again, but... you were there — she murmured

— I'll always be here — I said, and my hand sought hers on the seat. The car moved forward with the radio playing very softly, a gentle song barely audible. The night air came in through Rhea’s open window. For a moment, it was all highway, distant lights, and the warm heat of her hand in mine

— Sorry for ruining the afternoon... — she apologized, looking up with that mix of exhaustion and embarrassment that only she could have

— You didn’t ruin anything — I interrupted her. — You saved it. Rhea and I needed someone to set things straight. — That brought a small smile to her face, which made me smile too. I stopped when I saw the red light and leaned in a little closer to her, lowering my voice even more. — ____..... You don’t have to force yourself for anyone, not for Rhea, not for me. If something scares you, tell me. I don’t want to see you suffer. She looked at me with shining eyes, nodded, and rested her head on my shoulder.

— I know — she whispered — but today, even though I was scared... I also had fun. For the first time, I felt like the sea wasn’t so far away from me. — I stayed silent, running my fingers through her hair, still streaked with sand, caressing her gently. Outside, the road was growing dark. Rhea let out a brief snore and shifted her position without waking up — When we get home, I’ll make you something warm — I said with a slight smile. — And if you want, we can watch a horror movie until you fall asleep.

— I'd love to — she replied with a smile. We stayed like that for a while until the traffic light turned green again; the car moved forward smoothly, and I felt a quiet certainty that, at least for that night, she was safe

When I finally parked in front of the building, the sky was pitch black and the breeze remained cold. ____ had dozed off in the seat with her forehead pressed against the window and her sweatshirt balled up in her lap; Rhea was snoring in the seat with her mouth open as if she’d just run a marathon.

— We're back — I whispered, gently tapping Rhea on the shoulder

— Hmm? — she grunted, barely opening one eye — Already?

— Yeah, champ, let’s go — I replied. I got out first and helped ____ out. She walked sleepily, leaning on my arm, and Rhea could barely carry her own backpack; she looked like a little girl after an afternoon at the pool

We walked toward our apartment. When we reached our floor and I opened the door, the light from the hallway flooded into the living room. Without a second thought, Rhea headed straight for the couch, flopped face-down with a grunt, and lay motionless like a doll. Two seconds later, she was asleep again, breathing with a soft wheeze. ____ looked at her and covered her mouth to keep from laughing.

— She looks like a little girl... — she whispered so as not to wake her

— She is — I murmured — A kid with an adult ID — She leaned against the doorframe with that tired, sweet smile; I stroked her back — Come on, go to my room and get comfortable; I’ll make you something warm — I whispered 

— Only if you promise you won’t leave Rhea there all night — she replied with a faint laugh

— We'll see. Hopefully she'll stay there and her snoring won't reach my room — she rolled her eyes in amusement but walked slowly toward my room. I went to the kitchen, put water on for tea, and took out some cookies, all in silence except for Rhea's intermittent snoring. A few minutes later, ____ came out wearing shorts and one of my T-shirts, her hair still damp from the shower but already combed. — Come here — I gestured to a chair in front of me. She approached, and I took a clean towel and began drying her hair carefully. She let me do it, closing her eyes. — That way you’ll catch less of a cold — I murmured

— You're being too sweet to me — she whispered, almost asleep

— I just like seeing you look good — I replied

— Next time I'll bring more spare clothes, — she turned her head slightly and looked toward the living room; Rhea was still in the same position, but now half-hanging off the couch — Are you sure we should leave her there? — she asked, laughing quietly

— Yes, she looks happy like that — I replied as I continued drying her hair. I thought that, for the first time in a long time, I felt happy like that too, with ____ in my clothes, the kitchen smelling of tea and cookies, and with Rhea asleep like a little girl on the couch

In the end, the two of us managed to carry Rhea up to her room. She mumbled something when we moved her, but she didn’t wake up completely. We laid her down as best we could, took off her shoes, and covered her with the blue blanket she always uses. ____ smoothed her hair with a gentle gesture, and I turned off the light, leaving Rhea fast asleep next to Donatello

— All right — she whispered

— All right — I repeated with a tired smile. We stood in the doorway for a moment watching her sleep, and then we went to my room. ____ let herself fall onto the bed, still wearing my T-shirt. I lay down beside her, exhausted. Almost by reflex, she settled against my chest. I felt her breathing calm against my skin; her hair still carried a faint scent of the sea and shampoo

I ran my fingers down her back and silently thought, “I don’t need anything else.” Her warm weight, the calm of the night, Rhea safe in the other room… that was fine, that’s how I wanted to stay, but I blinked and everything dissolved; a blink and it’s no longer my chest, nor her calm breathing, nor the scent of shampoo, it’s just my memory… a simple memory from a year ago of that night.

Now, in the present, ____ and I can barely talk without fighting; arguments creep into every silence, even the good ones. My hurtful comments affect her, or my inability to keep my jealousy and possessiveness toward her in check. ____ no longer snuggles up to me; she just sleeps on the edge of the bed. I lie there staring at the ceiling, thinking about that moment when everything seemed easy and gentle.

I’ve tried to apologize, but the words get tangled and sound hollow. I know I’m part of the problem; I know I pulled away when she needed me closest... I can’t go back, and I cling to that memory, of ____ sleeping on my chest and my hand on her back, as if it were a photo fading away with time, and I wonder if we’ll ever return to that place or if, just like the sea that afternoon, the tide has already carried everything too far away.

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My favorite chapter, very long, but necessary. I like the fact that while Liora remembers sad moments, Jax remembers the best ones from their relationship...

Fact: This chapter is over 10,000 words long + we explore two important themes in Liora’s story [The fudge and her fear of the sea] + this is where the first idea for an AU was born [which is now *On Promises and Ice*] + I was so embarrassed writing “that” scene, I felt like I was going to jail ┬┴┬┴┤ (･_├┬┴┬┴

Anyway, I hope you liked it. Don’t forget to click the heart, leave a comment, and follow me. Thank you so much for reading. See you on Sunday!

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[autorapan]

𝐀 𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 - 𝟔.𝟑.-  𝐈’𝐦 𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐭 (part 6.3/?)

𝐉𝐚𝐱

It was Saturday afternoon, and I was sprawled out on my couch watching a show that ____ had recommended to me, until Rhea came out of her room with that mischievous smile of hers that always meant trouble.

— Hey, we’ve got plans today — she announced without explanation

— Plans? What kind of plans? — I asked, furrowing my brow slightly

— Relax, just come — she tossed a jacket at me and stormed out of the apartment as if she had everything under control. I rolled my eyes and turned off the TV to follow her; with Rhea, there’s never a middle ground..... She either drags you along or drags you along. What I didn’t expect was that when we got there, we’d find ____ already waiting for us in front of a small café with warm lights and soft music spilling out the door.

— ____? — I called out, my eyes wide. She blinked, just as surprised.

— Rhea told me she wanted to buy me a coffee… — she murmured, still surprised.

— Coffee? — I turned to my friend and glared at her. Rhea crossed her arms, smiling cheekily.

— Well... I never said it was going to be with me.

A strange warmth ran down my spine; I wasn’t mentally prepared for this, but I wasn’t going to waste the opportunity either. Inside the café, Rhea left us at a table and, with the excuse “I’m going to the bathroom” disappeared for half an hour. ____ and I were left face to face, uncomfortable at first, until the words began to flow naturally.

— I didn’t know you were coming… — she said, stirring the spoon in her cup

— Me neither — I replied with a nervous laugh — I guess Rhea planned it all

— It seems so… — ____ looked up, and that eye contact left me transfixed longer than I should have been

The conversation drifted into small talk, jokes, little confessions. She told me how, as a kid, she’d skip ballet class to watch horror movies hidden in the living room with her friends. I confessed that sometimes I pretended to be brave just because I hated being seen as weak… at one point our hands brushed against each other on the table, and neither of us pulled away

— Know what... — I murmured, leaning in a little toward her — If Rhea wanted to bring us together, I think... it wasn’t a bad idea — ____ smiled nervously, her cheeks red

— No... not at all — she whispered; we were just a few inches apart when Rhea reappeared with a giant cake in her hands

— Surprise! — she shouted, sitting down without asking — Sorry I’m late, but I ran into an old friend at the bar. What did I miss? — she asked, her eyes lighting up. Both ____ and I shot Rhea a “We’re going to kill you” look, while she happily ate her cake as if nothing had happened

🌆🍷🌆🍷🌆🍷🌆

A couple of days after our coffee, I was half-reclining on the couch when Rhea returned to the apartment with a huge bag in her arms and her typical mischievous smile.

— Get ready! — she announced, throwing the bag right at my face. I looked inside and found a dress shirt and dress pants

— Again? — I asked, annoyed. — What the hell are you planning now?

— Chill out, it’s just dinner — she replied, turning off the TV.

— With whom? — I asked, though it was already obvious who…

— With ____, of course — he replied with the nonchalance of someone saying, “I’m going to buy bread.” I almost choked on my own breath; it was one thing to think it and another to say it.

— What!?

— Look, bro — she pointed at me with the remote as if it were a weapon — Last time you were happy, and ____ was too. Don’t play dumb; I’m just speeding up the process.

Without letting me reply, he practically grabbed me and dragged me to a small restaurant downtown with paper lanterns hanging at the entrance and tiny tables for two. ____ was already there, dressed in a simple wine-colored dress, visibly confused to see us arrive together.

— Rhea… you told me we were going to dinner to talk — she murmured, glancing at me out of the corner of her eye

— And we will — she smiled mischievously, pointing to the table in front of me — Just at different tables; I already have mine reserved — she left us alone and disappeared into the back of the restaurant, waving to a waiter as if she’d bribed him beforehand

— I can’t believe that idiot did this..... — I ran my hand through my hair nervously

— Well… at least she picked a good place — she said, laughing softly

Dinner began amid stifled laughter and knowing glances; we talked about our favorite things, movies, vague childhood memories. I was surprised to discover details about her that captivated me more than I was willing to admit. At one point, she leaned forward.

— So... are you going to confess why you’re always looking at me out of the corner of your eye when you think I don’t notice? — she asked with a playful gaze, the same one that made me feel a whole bunch of things. Hearing her, I froze

— What? I don’t... — I tried to deny it.

— Oh, come on — she smiled amusedly — Rhea already told me a few days ago.

— I’ll kill her! — I slammed my palm on the table in embarrassment, but her laughter completely disarmed me.

The conversation took on a lighter tone, and when dessert arrived, I dared to take her hand across the table, this time without any pretense or accidental brushes; she blushed slightly but didn’t pull it away; from the other end of the restaurant, I could see Rhea raising her glass toward us, satisfied with her masterpiece. The hours passed, and the night was cool when we left the restaurant; the streetlights were still on, illuminating her face with a warmth that took my breath away.

— I can’t believe Rhea did this to us — I murmured with a half-smile — That busybody…

— Don’t be silly — she replied, amused — If you’d wanted to, you could have slipped away at any moment

— And miss this? I'd be crazy — I replied, raising an eyebrow and glancing at her sideways. She stopped abruptly, surprised by the sincerity in my voice. To break the tension, I pointed toward a closed store with a huge mannequin dressed in a ridiculously shiny suit. — See that? That should be my next outfit — I pointed out, amused. ____ burst out laughing so naturally that passersby turned to look at her

— Please! You’d look like a cheap children’s party magician

— Exactly, perfect for winning multitudes over — as we laughed and walked aimlessly, at one point she brushed her hand against mine almost without meaning to, and I gently caught it between my fingers. ____ looked at me in surprise

— What does this mean? — she asked, feigning annoyance

— It means... — I swallowed nervously — That I don’t want tonight to end yet — I confessed. She was silent for a few seconds, processing my words, then smiled, lowering her gaze

— Thanks for... well, for not running away — she whispered so only I could hear her

— Thanks for not making a fool of me — I smiled, tilting my head

— That’ll come later — she joked. The silence was thick, heavy with tension. I walked beside ____ with our hands still intertwined. I glanced at her, wondering if this was the right moment… and it was. ____ will always be the one for me. Suddenly, I stopped, knowing I couldn’t hold back any longer. — Are you just going to stand there again without saying a word? — Don't. — she began, but didn't finish the sentence as I gently pushed her against one of the walls, leaving her completely confused. I was just as confused... I only had one thing clear in that moment

— I'm never going to let you go, ____ — I murmured, looking her straight in the eyes

Without giving her a chance to respond, I kissed her intensely, as if not doing so would make her vanish into thin air. My lips moved against hers with restrained desperation, as if that kiss had been waiting far too long. At first, ____ froze, surprised, but soon her hands moved up to my neck, responding with the same intensity. The world disappeared..... There were no streetlights or the noise of cars, only the warmth of her body and the way she pressed against me. When we finally pulled apart, I nervously pressed our foreheads together.

— You could... you could have asked — she said with a trembling smile. I laughed hoarsely, my lips still red from the pressure.

— I’m not one to ask, ballerina, I prefer to act — I replied. From the corner, Rhea appeared, munching on some chips, raising her eyebrows in disbelief.

— Oh, come on! Did you really have to get all dramatic? The wall, Felix? Seriously? — she asked me. ____ hid her face in my jacket to hide how flushed she was. I just rolled my eyes, keeping my smile after that kiss.

------------------------

🗣️ ¡Bésame! Como si el mundo se acabara después, ¡Bésame! y beso a beso pon el cielo al revés ¡Bésame! sin razón, porque quiere el corazón

I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it: I love writing these scenes. Long live BrittlerBunny!

Fun fact: I originally planned for the kiss to happen on the subway, but I love the wall cliché HAHAHA

Anyway, I hope you liked it. Don’t forget to tap the heart, comment on what you thought, and follow me. Thank you so much for reading. See you on Sunday 🫂

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[autorapan]

𝐀 𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 - 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟔.- 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐆𝐮𝐧𝐬 (part 6/?)

𝑳𝒊𝒐𝒓𝒂

— Are you sure you want to be here, Liora? — Zooble asked me once I got into the flowerpot.

— Yes, I don't want to go on an adventure today either, I just want to sleep for a while anywhere — I replied. When we heard voices approaching, I hid deeper into the flowerpot, but Zooble dropped one of their arms.

— Sh#!*+! — to be honest, I didn't mind hearing swear words anymore — Can you pass me that, please? — he asked, peeking out of the flowerpot.

— Making good use of your parts gimmick huh? — Jax laughed. My chest tightened as I remembered what happened the other night. I had been avoiding him ever since, but the necklace still kept me tied to him. He gave it to me... I still don't know why, but it was enough to make me believe he would change.

— Oh, shut up — Zooble said irritably.

— Why are you up there? — Pomni asked them. Are they together? And he said I found replacements too quickly... liar.

— I'm hiding from Caine. I heard him talking to Bubble about doing another one of those in-home adventures, and I'm not going to participate in that — They replied, hiding back inside the flowerpot.

— Oh... So you're going to spend the day in that flowerpot? Not in your room? — she asked again. Zooble peeked out again to look at her.

— Caine keeps bothering me there, and when I don't answer him, he starts singing “Daisy Bell” in front of my door... it's creepy — they confessed. I raised an eyebrow and let out a little giggle.

— Does he really do that? — I hadn't thought about it, but wasn't “Daisy Bell” the song Ribbit taught Caine?

— I don't know, ask him. Hey, Caine! — he called out, and I got scared. He's going to find us out!

— You f#!*+ #!*+hole! — Zooble cursed, angry that Jax had called Caine.

— Yes, Jax? — when I heard Caine's voice, I regretted it. I would have hidden in the pipes.

— Look, it's Zooble — I guess he pointed to the flowerpot.

 — F#!*+ you!

— Ah, there you are, I don't have to do the snapping thing — he said, and the flowerpot broke, causing us both to fall to the ground — Liora? I'm glad I found you. I need everyone because today there will be a TEAM adventure inside the circus. I'll see you on stage in... um, let's say, 5.7 minutes — he explained, and just as he appeared, he disappeared

— Liora? — Pomni called me. — What were you doing there with Zooble?

— I was thinking of taking a nap without being disturbed... but we were discovered, thanks a lot — I replied irritably. Zooble lifted their face from the ground.

 — Great... you didn't even ask him about the song — they glared at Jax.

 — The what? — he asked, confused. I sighed as I got up.

— It was nice meeting you guys, I'm out of here — I said goodbye, walking moodily to the stage. When the required time had passed, we were all in front of Caine.

 — Today's adventure is...short, because of the Favorite Character Awards, but it will be the perfect opportunity to show all your strengths to the press — he explained. I was grateful that it was a short adventure. Bubble appeared with a camera above his head.

— It's too heavy — he complained.

— That's right, Bubble — he approached him, patting the camera. — Seeing how you played batball a few days ago got me thinking, and I wanted to do another sporting event, but with new and epic sports invented by yours truly — he told us. Ragatha moved a little closer to him.

— Or we could play conventional softball, like before — she suggested, but Pomni groaned and waved his hand in disagreement.

— In the Caine League, there's a 400 Meter Vertical Skedaddle, Bisection Boogie Eggball, Lateral Hijinks, Orange Sport, Ball Run, Walk Ball, Run Walk, and Ball Ball! — he listed, and I just tilted my head uncomfortably.

— I don't think those are sports we can do — I commented, but Caine just ignored me.

— These sports are sure to be... — he tried to continue, but was stopped by Zooble.

— Uh, yeah, sorry, no, I won't team up with that one — Zooble refused, pointing at Jax, who blew them a kiss.

— Zooble, why does all you do is complain? — he asked, without making his question coherent. — I never know what you want!

— That's what the suggestion box was for — Zooble clarified, annoyed. Pomni nodded.

— Yeah, Zooble and I always tell you that we like relaxed adventures without any drama — Ragatha approached her.

— Didn't you like my softball one? — she asked. Pomni avoided her gaze, and I felt like all the progress I had made with them was going down the drain.

— I'm not a big into sports, sorry.

— And I can't suggest any because nobody likes horror, and the only one you did was terrible... Just like the one on the boat — I said looking first at Pomni and then at Caine.

— Your suggestions create a lot of interpersonal drama. Liora no longer has a halo because of them — He pointed at me, making me feel uncomfortable as I remembered that mini adventure. — And me no likey — He complained, turning his back on us.

— Alright! You really wanna know what I want?! — he asked, tired and irritated. Caine turned around, scared, saying: “Oh, no” — I want the ability to have s*x — they confessed. I looked at them, surprised and confused

— No way. Are we FINALLY having this conversation? — Jax asked

— By s*x, do you mean...? — I was speechless, not knowing how to explain it.

— I think you know very well what Liorys means, — said Jax, looking at me with a smile. I avoided his gaze fearfully. Caine began to act strangely, stammering, and then returned to normal.

— Oh, hi Zooble! — he greeted them, completely forgetting their request. Zooble approached Ragatha.

— Do you still have some of that stupid sauce left? — he asked. If they get some, I want some too...

— What were we saying? Oh, yeah! That teamwork is the formula for success.

— Tell that to him! He doesn't stop f#!*+ up every single day! — they shouted, pointing at Jax irritably.

— You are in a mood today, aren't you? — he teased. 

— Now, now, you know what they say about assuming, it makes an "Ass" out of "U" and "Ming"— he pointed to a sign, and I looked at it confused.

— Ming? — they asked.

— Did Caine just say a#!*+? — Now that I think about it, did Caine not censor himself? Suddenly, an NCP wearing a cap appeared, approaching Zooble.

— Hi, I'm Ming, and I must tell you that I don't appreciate what your assumptions are doing to my reputation — he said. I looked at Caine in surprise. I feel so bad for Ming

— You made this guy just for that? — Zooble asked incredulously.

— That doesn't matter. It's clear that there's a lot of tension in the group, and that's not good — he pointed at us with his cane — So what we're going to do is some trust exercises.

— I'm not going to fall into Jax's arms under any circumstances — Zooble refused again.

— Don't worry, the trust exercise is bilateral. You'll both have to trust that you won't betray each other — he explained, and with a snap, he made a white room appear — This is a private room where no one will see or hear you when you're inside. And this! — His cane changed into a gun, making me tense — It's a loaded gun

— Oh, boy — Pomni whispered when she saw the gun.

— Character A will enter the room with the gun and empty all the chambers, leaving it without bullets. They will leave and give it to character B. Character B will use the gun and shoot themselves in the head, trusting that character A emptied it in the room. Character A will also have to trust that character B will not use the gun against them, so everyone has incentives to follow the rules and trust each other — he explained.

— It sounds a bit complicated — Zooble commented, annoying Caine.

— You complicate everything! Anyway, Jax, let's start with you — Caine handed the gun to Jax.

— What, him?! — Zooble asked incredulously. They can't give Jax a gun... it's JAX!

— Wait, what are we going to do? I wasn't paying attention — he asked, dissociated. Caine pushed Zooble and placed his hands over Jax's eyes, making him dizzy. He clicked his tongue when he understood what he had to do. — Oh... — He looked up at Ragatha and didn't hesitate to shoot her. I opened my eyes in surprise and terror. She wasn't dead, right?

— Or, yeah, you can shoot yourselves, — Caine said resignedly, and with a snap, he made a bunch of guns appear. — Here, have guns. I don't care anymore — he confessed. Jax automatically grabbed another gun.

— Hooway! — he exclaimed happily. I stared at the pile of guns in confusion.

— It's just a little aimless — Zooble commented with concern. We're going to shoot, and that's it?

— Use the sights — he advised, angering Zooble, who shouted his name. — FINE! — he growled irritably. — It'll be teams. Pair up. Each of you has three lives. The last team standing wins. Happy?

— Eh, not really — Zooble denied, if I lose quickly... Will I be able to lock myself away and never come out again?

— Well, that's not my problem now, I have a ceremony to plan, so you'll have to figure it out on your own — Caine finished, adjusting his bow tie — You have five minutes to form your teams and after that, it's a free-for-all — he clicked again, bringing up a countdown timer on the weapons

— Come on, saddy, you're coming with me — Jax pulled Gangle, but she broke free from his grip.

— I'm...going to team up with Zooble — she said nervously.

— What? Nah, you can't — he refused, taking Gangle's happy mask — We've done all the adventures as a team before — he reminded her as he lifted Gangle's mask so she couldn't reach it.

— Guess times are changing, bunny boy — Zooble stepped in, taking Gangle's mask to leave with her. I turned to look for Ragatha, but when I saw that Pomni was going with her, I looked back at Zooble.

— Hold on, Zooble! — I called out, running towards where they were standing next to Gangle — We're an odd number, if I don't have a team I won't be able to participate — I explained in a whisper

— Are you sure? — Gangle asked me — You're a good shooter, Liora

— Yes... the truth is I don't want to team up with Jax, and if I team up with Kinger, he'll get really angry — I explained, scratching my neck uncomfortably. I turned to look at Jax, but Pomni approached him, leaving Ragatha and Kinger as a team. I felt a twinge in my heart; seeing them together caused me a pain I knew all too well.

— Don't think about it, Liora — Zooble caught my attention. I sighed resignedly and smiled a little, but still with that unbearable pain in my chest.

— Hey, Zooble? — Gangle called out — Could you hold this for me for a while? — she asked, showing them her mask. Zooble turned around, confused. — I... I don't feel so comfortable wearing it anymore, and I also want to... see if I can shoot a Tommy Gun while laughing maniacally, so I don't... I don't want to break it before I can do that — she explained nervously. I looked at her tenderly. I would love to see that scene.

— I'll keep it safe for you — Zooble assured her. With only a minute to go before the start, I put my hands to my head to feign surprise.

— Oh, no! I couldn't form a team because I was talking, Caine, it's a shame — I pretended to be sad in front of him — I think it would have been better if I locked myself in my room to reflect on my irresponsibility — I started to leave, but Caine stopped me

— Don't worry, dear Liora, I'm sure some team will want you on theirs — he said, standing in front of me and looking at the others — So, who wants Liora on your team? — he asked. From behind, I shook my head several times so that no one would put me on their team, but bad luck was with me

— No one? — Jax asked with a smile. I tensed up and looked at him, shaking my head. Not with him. — I don't think we have a choice, Pomni. Liora will join us. 

— All right, problem solved, — Caine looked at me and with a snap I appeared next to Jax. We waited for the timer to finish so we could take our weapons, but when it reached zero, they disappeared and three red hearts appeared above each of us.

— Huh? Wait, what? — Ragatha said worriedly when she saw only two red hearts above her — Do I have one less?

— Eh... Caine? — Zooble called out to Caine, seeking an explanation.

— Huh? Oh, right, the guns are in different parts of the circus. Go find'em, champs — he explained disinterestedly, until he called us by some weird nickname, and we all started running in different directions.

— It will be my pleasure killing all of you — Jax said amused.

— Ah, uh... have fun — Pomni said with a nervous smile. Jax approached her, laughing loudly.

— You're so lame! — he said amused, while they ran, I just walked frustratedly following Jax and Pomni. — Hurry up, Liora! — Jax grabbed my arm, forcing me to run with them. When we reached the hallway with the bedrooms, I nervously broke free from his grip and moved forward, pretending to look for a weapon while playing with my necklace. Jax was the first to find one. — So, who do we kill first, Pom Pom? — he asked amusedly.

— Um... I don't want to go around killing anyone. I'll find you something and let you be the violent one, if that's what you want — suggested Pomni.

—Great idea, Pomni. Find guns for him and let Jax commit genocide while I go to sleep — I said sarcastically.

— You understand that none of this is real, Pomni? — They ignored my comment. I rolled my eyes and snorted indignantly.

— What do you mean? Like, the circus? — she asked. Jax handed her the gun.

— The adventure is literally about shooting, so why obsess over ethics and morals? — he asked, then pointed to three cans on a block.

— It's just that they're my friends, and I don't want to shoot them — she clarified and aimed with trembling hands. When she fired, she only grazed one of the cans, just like at the carnival.

— Alrigth, let me be real here. Why do you care about that? — he asked again.

— Um... Not being mean to friends? — Pomni was confused, and Jax snatched the gun from her.

— It's called humanity, Pomni. You shouldn't trust everything he says... — I whispered, but Jax rolled his eyes when he heard me perfectly well.

— Look, I know how it is. One day, you're someone in the real world doing important things, and the next, you become a cartoon character — he explained, pointing at himself, then looking at us and pointing at us. — Or a jester and a Christmas decoration. You want to maintain the integrity of that part of yourself that was part of that world, but think about it. Why do you want that? — he asked with a big smile. He was partly right — Ragatha tries to be sweet and friendly, but how many adventures do you think she enjoys? — I stared at Ragatha's door with doubt. — So, it doesn't matter, because now we're just animated characters — Jax aimed and fired, knocking down one of the cans. — So why pretend you have morals? — he finished, throwing the gun to Pomni.

— But we're still people though, right? — She looked at both of us as she moved a little closer to Jax.

— I thought so too, but after a while, we all become archetypes, another part of the machine.

— Archetypes? — I asked, confused.

— What's your archetype, then? The villain? — Pomni asked, raising an eyebrow.

— I think I'm the psychopath — I said, looking at Pomni out of the corner of my eye. Jax laughed sarcastically, turning to look at us.

— Who am I? I'm key to this dynamic. I push things to the limit, annoy everyone, and break the fourth wall — he explained, moving Pomni's hat and then pointing to a fixed point. He leaned toward Pomni, widening his smile — And why? It's because it's funny. Everything I do everthing because it's funny. 'Cause I'm the funny one.

— The funny one? — Pomni repeated incredulously.

— Yeah! — he said proudly.

— Wow, I didn't expect that — I said sarcastically. Oh, I think spending time with Zooble has affected me.

— Well, be surprised — he looked at me, widening his smile before turning his gaze back to Pomni — Ragatha is the optimistic one, Gangle is the sad one, Kinger is the crazy one, Zooble is the grumpy one, Liora is the hopeful one — Jax began to imitate each one, and when he named me, he clasped his hands and looked up at the ceiling — And you still haven't found your place, but we've all become archetypes. I'm just self-critical and choose to be who I am — Pomni held her head, repeating Jax's archetype, and he held her by the shoulders, pulling her closer — So, who will you be? This is your chance to be something new. Become Crazy! — he said, moving her toward the cans — Free yourself from those weeks of rage and anguish you've been carrying since you arrived — Jax is... convincing. It's as if every word he says is the absolute truth, and that scares me — I know you hate this circus, we all do, but on the other hand, this is where you can do whatever you want. I mean, look at how you hold the gun, it's very realistic — he corrected — Let yourself go!

Pomni took a deep breath and, with a relaxed look, aimed at one of the cans with the gun sideways. The bullet hit one of the cans, knocking it over. I chuckled when I saw it; it reminded me of Jimmy from The Walking Dead.

— But not like a gangster, Pomni — I joked, and getting her attention.

— Oh, what the heck, today I'm going to try to be evil. How about it? — she asked Jax. I looked at Pomni fondly, but then I remembered that she's older than me.

— Heh, go for it — Jax encouraged her.

— Yeah... Yeah! Those damn fools are going to have to watch out, because they're going to see the fury of Pomni the Evil! — she exclaimed as she ran around us laughing maniacally. Jax laughed when he saw her.

— It's kinda cringe — he teased her. I nodded beside him, trying to stifle a laugh. Jax looked at me and threw me another weapon with a smile. — Your turn, Liora. Who will you be in this adventure? — he asked me.

— You won't convince me anymore. Use me as a shield. The faster I get knocked out, better — I clarified, missing the shot on purpose. Pomni shook her head, looking at me with narrowed eyes.

— I know you're a good shot, Liora. You managed to take down three with a single shot, — she reminded me. Jax looked at me incredulously.

— Yes, because I thought it was Carl Grimes! — I replied, raising my arms. Jax continued searching for weapons until he found another one. With all three of us armed, he approached, leaning between Pomni and me.

— Looks like we found the king and the ragdoll — he commented happily upon hearing voices in the distance.

— Uh... yeah — Pomni said with a not-so-confident smile. Jax looked at her seriously, his eyes narrowed. — I mean... yeah! Let's go! — They both started running, leaving me behind.

— Sure... and leave the one with the best shot behind — I whispered as I followed them. Once we arrived, we saw Ragatha. Jax shot at his hands, which came out stuffed.

— Whoops, did I miss? — Jax joked.

— You didn't hit her right! — Pomni exclaimed, shooting Ragatha in the head.

— Hah! You're so cool — Jax laughed amusedly. Kinger covered himself with another block and started shooting at us. We hid behind some barrels. — I'll take Raggy, and you take Kinger, — he decided amusedly.

— Righty-o, evil bro — Pomni replied. When Jax left, I stopped Pomni. — Hey, is something wrong? — she asked, putting her “evil” side aside.

— You go for Kinger, I'll go to sleep or wait for someone to kill me first — I asked her.

— But... what do I tell Jax? Are you two weird — she asked me — Aren't you... you know, lovers?

— Tell him they killed me... To be honest, Pomni, I'm not sure if Jax will ever be the same again. I've just been clinging to that image of him and this necklace all this time — I confessed, head down, but I lifted my head and forced a smile. — I'm sure you two will have fun — I looked at my gun and removed all the bullets except one — Here, I'll only have one. I'm leaving now — I said goodbye, leaving Pomni behind to look for Kinger.

I wandered around looking for somewhere to hide until I reached the top, which was shaped like a castle. From there, I could reach the pipes and sleep on them. Just as I was about to cross, I heard voices and pressed myself against the wall in fear.

— In any case, I've got your back if you've got mine — said one, it was Zooble's voice.

— Yeah, now let's kill Pomni, Liora, and Jax — said Gangle's voice. I sighed with relief when I realized it was them. I came out of my hiding place, raising my hands, afraid they would shoot me.

— I'm not armed, I swear! — I shouted in case they didn't believe me. — I give up — I knelt down, adding a touch of drama to the situation.

— Liora? — they called out at the same time. I raised my head with a nervous smile.

— Yep, it's me, Liora. I was just looking for a place to climb up the pipes and get some sleep — I explained.

After a while, I managed to climb onto one of the pipes and rest. I thought of a better world, where my mother was dancing, where Rhea was playing with Sylvia... and where Jax was the same Jax who gave me that necklace that day. I opened my eyes when I felt movement on the red pipe and heard gunshots inside.

Everything fell into a strange silence until I heard Gangle laughing maniacally as he fired. One of the bullets pierced me, taking out one of my hearts. I reappeared on the pipe, but it had been split in two by the shots, causing us all to fall to the ground. I lifted my head and could only see Gangle falling with his happy mask broken, although his sad mask maintained a smile of satisfaction.

— Liora? — Jax called out to me when he saw me.

— S#!*+ — Zooble cursed when they saw Gangle dead. When they saw Pomni and Jax going towards them, they ran away. I followed them worriedly to the hallway of the rooms. Zooble's room was almost next to Ribbit's. I never went there since they became withdrawn. Zooble locked themselves in their room, leaving us outside.

— Are you going to hide in your room? — Jax asked mockingly.

— Coward! — Pomni shouted at them, amused.

— I don't think I'm going to come out with you two here — I clarified, raising an eyebrow. Jax rolled his eyes and pointed his gun at me.

— Weren't you supposed to be dead? Pomni? — When Jax looked at her, she got nervous.

— I told Pomni to tell you I was dead, — I clarified, leaning against the wall. Jax looked at me seriously for a few seconds, as if remembering something that only the two of us knew perfectly well, then he smiled again and got Pomni's attention.

— Daisy, Daisy — he began to sing. I felt a lump in my throat as I remembered Ribbit singing after joking about changing Sylvia's name to Daisy... besides, that song gave me the chills.

— Give me your answer, do — Pomni joined him, singing in harmony — I'm half crazy, all for the love of you — They both looked at each other amused, and the pain in my chest grew stronger — It won't be a stylish marriage, I can't afford a carriage — Jax looked at me, taking my hand and spinning me around, but I pulled away abruptly, keeping my frown — But you'll look sweet, upon the seat, of a bicycle built for two — they finished, holding hands and spinning together

— Oh, wait, I have the key to Zooble's room — said Jax, taking out the key. I sighed, exhausted from watching the two of them open the door, but Zooble threw a stun grenade and then started shooting at us several times. Once he ran away again, I saw that the three of us had only one life left.

— I'll take care of it! — said Pomni, getting up to go after Zooble.

— W-Wait — Jax tried to stop her.

— Trust me, partner. I'm going to win! — she assured him as she left. I got up, aching, and we both remained silent. I noticed that Jax, not wanting to see Kaufmo's door, ended up looking at Ribbit's door...

— Jax? — I called out, hoping he would finally open up, but he just got up as if nothing had happened.

— Come on, Liora, we have to kill Zooble! — he exclaimed, forcing a smile. Resigned, I decided to follow him. When we caught up with Pomni, she had already knocked Zooble down. They both pointed their guns at her, ready to kill her.

— Well, s#!*+, man, it's over — they said when they saw there was no escape, frowning and giving us the finger with all their hands — See you on the flip side — Jax and Pomni looked at each other and, with a smile, fired together.

— Wow, you won, congratulations — I congratulated them, applauding. Pomni smiled broadly, letting out a little laugh.

— We did it! What a great team — she exclaimed and hugged Jax. I looked at them in surprise, thinking that Pomni didn't like being hugged.

— Ah! — Jax growled, pushing her away abruptly, leaving Pomni bewildered. He laughed, trying to pretend that the hug hadn't happened. — But if we're being honest, the competition wasn't anything special either.

— Yes, true — Pomni agreed, forgetting the push. I narrowed my eyes thoughtfully. Pomni turned with a mischievous smile. — I guess now is when one of us betrays the other... Hah! — She turned, pointing at Jax.

— Wow, plot twist, I like it — I confessed, watching them amused, playing with my gun, ready to point it at myself.

— Huh? Oh, yeah, betray me — said Jax, throwing his gun aside.

— Oh, I mean... I thought it was going to be something we did together — she said, confused.

— No, no, you already roared, do it — he asked, amused.

— I just don't want to do it — she confessed with a smile. Jax snorted and looked back at me.

— Lame! — he said and looked back at Pomni — Come on, I thought you were cool

— Or we could win together — she looked at us, but kept her gaze on Jax — As a team.

— Sure, why not — I agreed with her.

— We're not a team, come on — Jax said, amused. Of course... that was to be expected from him.

— What do you mean? Yes, we are — Pomni stammered, confused. Jax just said: “You're crazy.” — But we were talking about how chaotic and evil we were together — Jax laughed sarcastically, and I could only see myself reflected in Pomni.

— I was just going along with it because I thought it was funny — he clarified, amused — Now shoot me, or what? — Pomni looked at him worriedly

— Did I say something that... — she tried to find a reason, but Jax stopped her

— You're just like Ragatha and her speech, that's why we're not a team — he rolled his eyes, standing to one side of Pomni

— No, it's just that... we were getting along great, I was having fun, we were talking, and now we're not... — I felt sorry for Pomni, as laughter and happiness turned into arguments, sadness, and regrets... because that was my life, torment and regret.

— You're not committed — Jax bent down and took Pomni's hand so she could aim between his eyes — Do it

— And if I shoot you, will we still be friends afterwards? — I understood Pomni's point, she had finally found a friend she felt comfortable with

— We were never friends — Jax confessed, smiling mischievously. I frowned, annoyed.

— Then what was all that stuff you told me? — I asked, unwilling to believe Jax's words. He stood up with a sigh.

— It's true that I told you things, and I don't want to think about that tomorrow — his words reminded me of that night in his car, how he asked me to forget it, that it wasn't important. Pomni stepped back in disbelief.

— Are you serious, Jax? — I asked, taking a step toward him.

— No, no, no! Don't treat me like you treated Liora! Don't give me that look, and don't tell me that you didn't care about anything we did today, because I know that's not true — she said, frowning at him. I pressed my lips together, annoyed by Pomni's words, and turned around, ready to leave before I exploded.

— Are you going to confess? — Jax asked incredulously. My body tensed and I stopped for a second, but I kept walking. — Yes, we'd love that, a love triangle! — he exclaimed. I clenched my fists and turned back to him.

— NO! — I shouted forcefully. — This is not a love triangle or anything! You know what, Jax?! I want you to answer me honestly — I asked, taking off the necklace he gave me. — Why did you give it to me? — I asked pleadingly.

— It's... just a trinket I found, and I thought trinkets suited you, so I gave it to you. It was nothing special — he replied coldly and distantly. My pain only increased, and I looked at him angrily.

— I see... Then take your stupid trinket! — I exclaimed, throwing it at his chest with a broken voice. — I can't do this anymore, Jax... I'm sick of it! Sick of begging for your attention, sick of not feeling good enough when I see you! And to think I ran away from my dream for you. I ended up trapped here because of you! I should have listened to her! I should have forgotten you long ago, but I just clung to the hope that you would go back to being the fun guy on the subway! I lost so much, Jax. I lost my dreams, I lost my friends, I lost Rhea, I lost my mom... I lost Sylvia — her name came out painfully from my throat — No more... Jax, this time it's final, I don't want you to hurt me anymore, I don't want to argue again and end up crying alone so you can act like nothing happened — I raised my gun with trembling hands, if I killed him, everything would be over, but I couldn't. My gun just stared back at me. My breathing quickened too much. I was afraid of losing control of my body. The gun seemed to multiply several times as I felt hands reaching up from the ground and holding me down while I listened to the sounds of the ambulance, Felix shouting my name, and then a sharp cry pierced my heart.

— Liora? — Pomni called me, her voice bringing me back to my senses. I looked up at Jax with determination.

— This ends here, Jax... — I whispered and fired. The last thing Jax would see of me would be my porcelain head exploding into pieces in front of him.

Throwing the necklace at him was my way of screaming: I love you... but I also fear you. It wasn't contempt, it would never be contempt, it's fear, fear of losing myself in him, fear of needing him more than I should, fear that something as fragile as this bond will break, but even so... even if I push him away, my heart is still here, beating only for him and because of him.

------------------

I appeared in the area for those who lost. Everyone was there. When I looked at them, I wanted to pretend to smile, but I just burst into tears. Ragatha came over and I hugged her tightly as I trembled between sobs.

— It's over, Ragatha... it's over, and it hurts so much — I confessed.

I stayed with Ragatha until we got to the awards for best character. Ragatha went off on her own, and I went straight to sit next to Kinger. I closed my eyes for a while, exhausted. A little later, Ragatha and Pomni sat down next to me. I took a deep breath as I looked at Pomni.

— Hey, Pomni... I'm sorry you saw me do that — I apologized sincerely. She looked at me with an understanding smile.

— Don't worry, Liora — she whispered. I smiled a little and turned my gaze back to the stage. The lights went out and the NPCs began to applaud.

— Ladies and gentlemen, Caine's voice rang out — It's time for the Favorite Character Awards! Before we begin, I'd like to thank THE COMMITEE — Caine's voice became serious as he mentioned them, then returned to normal — For reviewing our nominees and voting for the winners.

— We love you, Caine! — exclaimed a group of NPCs.

— S-Shut up — Caine said shyly, laughing a little. — Obviously, it wouldn't be an awards show without honorable mentions and top 5 lists, and we'll have that and much more on my show, which is amazing! — Caine exclaimed excitedly. When I heard Zooble laughing, I turned around. They were already going high with the stupid sauce. I smiled amusedly, turning back to the stage and talking to Ragatha.

— We should have a sleepover in your room later, Ragatha, and I think we should take Zooble with us so she doesn't do anything crazy on her own — I suggested. She nodded several times in agreement, as did Pomni.

— And the award for the Biggest Sailor Mouth goes to... Zooble — announced Caine, pointing at Zooble. To be honest, I expected it. We all applauded and congratulated them. Pomni turned to look for Jax, but shook her head when she saw Ragatha's gaze on her. I tried to ignore them, but it's not like the feeling goes away so quickly. — All right, everybody, it's time for the moment you've all been waiting for... the award for Favorite Character! — Caine took the envelope with the name out of his pocket. I leaned in to hear him better. — Bubble, drums please, — he asked. Bubble opened his mouth and out came a drum roll. — And the award, the winner and favorite character is... It's me, guys! — he exclaimed, flying up as a light shone on him.

— Is that possible? — I asked Ragatha. We remained silent for a moment until Caine spoke again.

— Oh, no, sorry, I misread it — he apologized. So what did you read? — It's for Ming... — At that moment, Ming approached Caine.

— You shouldn't have assumed you won the award, now we both look foolish — was all he said, and we remained silent for another moment.

— Well, it was nice, friends. I'm leaving. See you later, — I said goodbye and walked toward the exit. I met Jax's gaze for a few seconds... but I decided to keep going. I touched the back of my neck uncomfortably, feeling the crack that was there after the shot.

---------------------------

Helloooo, I bet no one saw that revelation coming HAHAHAHA, although I think it was pretty obvious from chapter 5 and I gave a little hint in chapter 4.

This is one of the chapters I enjoyed writing the most, apart from 5 and 5.5. Outside of the fanfic, I loved the dynamic between Pomni and Jax. The voice actors (both the original and the Spanish dubbing) were incredible; they made me feel a lot of emotions.

Fact: This scene came to me on the subway on my way home while listening to Now That You're Gone by The Raconteurs. I wrote it down before I forgot it. + Liora's mom and someone else are named Sylvia... curious.

Fact +: As for Now That You're Gone by The Raconteurs, I also chose it for the lyrics. It fits very well with Jax and Liora's relationship at this point. It's as if a certain verse is Liora saying it to Jax and vice versa. I love it.

Will there ever be a cute situation for BrittlerBunny? I hope so... maybe in a “Wait if...”

Anyway, I'm making this too long. Don't forget to click the star, comment, and follow me. You can also ask me questions, and I'll be happy to answer them. I love you all very much, thank you so much! ლ(╹◡╹ლ)

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[autorapan]

𝐀 𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 - 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟓.- 𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐝 (part 5/?)

𝑳𝒊𝒐𝒓𝒂

Once we returned from our adventure, I sighed with relief that I wouldn't have to be in the middle of the ocean, even though the others had to dive.

— Welcome back, my candy hearts and paper flowers! — Caine greeted us. I glared at him, even though he didn't know about my fear. I walked to the room where Zooble was, collapsed on the purple sofa, and listened to his laughter.

— Was it that bad? — they asked sarcastically. I looked at them with a crooked smile.

— It was horrible! — I exclaimed remembering how I almost fell into the sea. Caine appeared looking at their little notebook, and I hid my face in one of the corners of the sofa again.

— Another charming adventure, wasn't it, Caine? — they asked in the same tone.

— Oh Zooble, you mismatched cash-piano, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU! — he shouted to get my attention. — I really appreciate your constructive criticism — he returned to normal and I could only look at him in confusion.

— But you don't apply it... — Zooble muttered, looking away. Caine frowned in annoyance. Dentures?

— That's it! Everyone besides Zooble and Liora, come here immediately! — he ordered, summoning the others. — Guys, I'm going to propose some ideas for future adventures. — Upon hearing the word “Adventures” I hid my exhausted face again. — And I'm going to ask you to give me your honest opinions about them.

— I was gonna sleep — Jax muttered tiredly. I glanced at him and felt the twinge again. This time there were no excuses, we were simply avoiding each other.

— All right! — Caine began again. — I have an adventure where you visit my amazing chocolate factory and get killed off one by one from safety violations. — Isn't that a rip-off of Willy Wonka? — Another where a conscious cardiovascular system takes on the United States Army, and one where you have to survive in a post-apocalyptic nuclear wasteland with a rude telepathic dog that treats you terribly. What do you think? — he asked us. I think those adventures are references to other things I don't understand, apart from the chocolate factory. Gangle's mask broke on its own at his words.

— Uh... I don't know — Ragatha commented, leaving a box of eggs on the table. — They all have...ugly things happening in them. — I nodded in agreement.

— Besides, isn't the first one from a movie? — I asked. Caine got angry again.

— I can't tell a story if... nothing bad ever happens! Without intrigue or risk, — he explained. Bubble appeared at his side.

— And don't even mention sex appeal! — I raised an incredulous eyebrow.

— Hey, what's wrong with you? — Caine asked him in a low voice.

— Or you could use the suggestion box again — Zooble commented. I regretted never having suggested anything. — That one wasn't bad compared to the others — Caine got annoyed again at the beginning of his comment.

— You...You didn't hate it? — he asked in surprise.

— It was interesting to do something less trite and more realistic — Pomni nodded looking at Zooble.

— Yeah...I think that's true, I liked it too — she said with a smile.

— Uh...You liked it too? — he asked, looking at us. I gave him a thumbs up and nodded. Ragatha, Jax, and Gangle started talking at the same time. — What? How do you expect me to make an adventure if you all want different things?! — he asked us again.

— How about you let us free to do what we want, and each of us decides what we'd like to see? — Zooble suggested. I thought them idea was incredible, mini adventures

— Did you hear that, Bubble? The toybox wants me to let the other artificial intelligences wander around for an extended period of time... — he whispered, although we heard him perfectly. Bubble just replied, Disgusting

— Do you think I can't hear you? — they asked irritably, Caine put a zipper on them to shut them up — What did you want to zip up? I don't have a mouth — they clarified, Caine exploded at Bubble, ignoring their comment

— Well, look, how about this? We'll do a lightning round, going through each suggestion in the suggestion box quickly, and if you don't like one, you can vote to skip it — he explained. I thought that was fine. I mean, how crazy could their ideas be?

— What? When? Today? — Pomni asked.

— No, not today, please — I whispered, shaking my head as I looked at Caine

— That's right! Pack your bones and get your thoughts out, because we're leaving! — I didn't have time to run away and clung to the sofa with all my strength, but the portal ended up taking me on my first mini adventure, which began with a song just like in the hunter documentaries

— Oh yeah! I know this one, — Jax said happily. I hit my head on a log. It was a sloth.

— Oh no... I don't want to start one of your adventures, — Zooble complained.

— Hello, everyone! In today's episode of “Poach Everything,” I'm going to hunt an endangered animal, a red ribbon rhinoceros — said Jax. I looked worriedly at Gangle, but she had already been shot by him, and then he approached her and began to devour her? — Ahhh, delicious meat. One down, five to go!

— No, we're not going to continue! Let's skip this garbage, and also make Jax vegan for the rest of the day — Zooble proposed. Jax looked at them mockingly.

— You can't do that — he refused, but the vote started and almost all of us voted in favor. — What do you mean, you can do that? — he asked incredulously. Caine appeared, looking at Jax.

—Sorry, Jax, democracy has spoken! — he announced disappearing again. Jax looked at his hands in annoyance.

— Democracy sucks... —The portal reappeared, taking us on another mini adventure. This time, a voice announced the title of the adventure: President Pomni.

— Wait, what? Why me? —she asked, bewildered.

— Eh, I wanted to see what you were like in a position of power — Jax answered simply.

— Oh, my God, are they all going to be Jax's ideas? — Zooble asked irritably. When I looked at myself, I was wearing office clothes and my file said I was Pomni's lawyer.

— Well, Ms. President, it seems there are some new developments in the ongoing war between Australia and New Zealand. We may need to accept some refugees — commented Kinger, who was Pomni's secretary. I checked the papers on the table. The first ones were texts, and then they turned into strange scribbles with drawings of subway stations and a few drawings for little girls. — What do you think?

— Wh- How do you know what to do? What? — I smiled when I saw her looking lost.

— Didn't you see the report? — Kinger asked her.

— You're not missing much, really — I said, looking at the drawings on the sheets.

— I am...just being here — she said.

— You're doing great, Pomni! — Ragatha encouraged her. Kinger took her under the desk, and I began to observe the place carefully until Jax suddenly appeared with a briefcase.

— Oy, mate! I'm an Australian extremist, and I've come to detonate this bomb that'll release all the world's deadliest spiders into... — he trailed off when he saw Pomni and Kinger in a somewhat peculiar position — Did I pick a bad time? — he stared into space. Anyway, the point is that now Pomni had to defuse the bomb.

— Since when does the president cut wires?! — she asked in terror with a wire cutter in her hand.

— Don't worry, President Pomni. We all have faith in you! — Ragatha tried to support her, and I nodded encouragingly.

— There's a centipede in there — whispered Jax. Ragatha tensed up when she heard him.

— But... cut the right wire, okay? — She walked away nervously. I shook my head, amused. Jax looked at me for a second and smiled.

— There's also a sha_ — He tried to scare me, but I interrupted him.

— Lalalalalalaa, I can't hear you! — I shouted, covering my ears. — I know you can do it, Pomni.

— Okay, but tell me which wire to cut — she tried to stay calm.

— Follow your heart — Jax looked at her with his elbows on the table and his head in his palms.

— Be quiet! Shouldn't you have been arrested? — Pomni yelled at him, pressing down hard with her hands.

— Hey, take it easy — he replied calmly.

— You brought me a bomb! — she exclaimed.

— Calm down, pick a cool color.

— So...red? — she asked. I nodded. My favorite color is red. Kinger approached.

— Personally, I would go with blue. Blue is my favorite color because it's the closest to black, — he commented. I looked at him confused, just like Pomni.

— Wouldn't black be your favorite color, then? — she asked

— Well, no, there's no black wire — at that moment, Gangle appeared with a bomb around his torso. I glared at Jax. It was obvious that he had forced him to put that on

— Hi, I'm a New Zealand extremist, and I... don't... know how New Zealanders threaten people... — I felt sorry for her. The ticking of the bomb grew louder and finally exploded, ending the mini adventure.

Next up was... an anime? Beginning with the typical generic opening, we found ourselves in a classroom run by Kinger. Jax and Ragatha were on either side of me. I sighed trying to focus on something else, but ended up moving my chair in front of Gangle's desk.

— There's nothing wrong with your suggestion — Zooble whispered to Gangle. I nodded, playing with an eraser. Gangle got nervous.

— Wh- H-how did you know that was my suggestion?! — she asked, covering her drawings

— It's pretty obvious. I like the style. It reminds me of a show I used to watch when I was little — I confessed. I looked to my left and saw Jax talking to Pomni

— All right, class, today we're going to learn the popular foreign language known as...English? — Kinger began. I returned to my seat ready to listen to him

— I don't want to continue. Can we skip it? — asked Jax angrily, sitting down at his desk

— We are NOT going to skip it — Zooble refused. Jax snorted in dissatisfaction

— At least we could go to an anime with more blood and fun... I mean, fun like when Gangle took her anime figurines and — Gangle blushed nervously

— I-I agree, it's very boring, let's skip this adventure, please! — she exclaimed upset, the mini adventure ended up taking us to another one titled: Stars. I sat a little away from the others trying to rest until we changed again, but it seems that Jax had the great idea of lying down next to me and Pomni next to him... incredible.

— This one is more... peaceful, right? — Pomni asked him — Can I finally relax?

— Uh, I guess so, but... I prefer more “flavor” in my adventures — he replied.

— Then why don't you savor this sandwich? — Kinger asked, showing him his. I stretched out my hand to take one, and when I had another sandwich in my hand, I smiled. It reminded me of the days when I used to go on picnics.

— Do you... think Gangle can really be happy, Pomni? — he asked while watching Gangle with Zooble. — I mean, her comedy mask always breaks every day. Do you think getting together with Zooble will magically fix it? — Wow, I never thought Jax would ask that kind of question. It hurt a little, because that's what I was looking for, but it seems like he doesn't want to open up to me...

— Maybe she just doesn't want to spend time with someone who's always mean to her — Ragatha interjected. I frowned. Great, another argument. Do it in front of Liora!

— She likes when I'm mean to her, though

— I thought you didn't care what other people thought — said Pomni. I looked at Jax, searching for a wall, but for a moment there wasn't one.

— It's just... I don't... No, of course, I don't care, that's true — and he closed up again. I finished my sandwich, interested in their conversation.

— Do you have any friends? Apart from Liora — she asked. I tensed up at the thought of Ribbit and Kaufmo. No matter how much I hid everything that reminded me of them, it still hurt like a splinter that just keeps digging into my fingernail.

— No, not anymore... — whispered Ragatha. That was it. I jumped up and clenched my fists trying to run away, but my feet seemed to be stuck in the grass. I turned around in pain and looked at Ragatha. She got nervous when she noticed my gaze and Jax's on her. — Ah, uh... wait, no, I'm sorry, I wasn't talking about... That! It wasn't intentional — she stammered. I felt Pomni's gaze shift between me and Jax. Once Ragatha left, I followed her with my eyes.

— What was that about? — she asked, puzzled. — Liora?

— Oh! Sorry, an ant crawled up my dress — I lied, pretending to brush my skirt. I sat back down, playing with my necklace.

— Are you sure? I don't think so.

— It was an ant, Pomni, don't insist, please — I asked with a lump in my throat. Pomni glanced sideways at Jax, who sighed and looked away again.

— It's nothing... who care?... Doesn't it stress you out to see how much Ragatha pretends? — he asked

— I don't know... she's nice to everyone — she replied, and Jax sighed again

— That's not true, I think she... she tries too hard, I mean, we're in this... Why does she try to pretend to be fine all the time? Like, if you tell someone they're loverd and appreciated every day, it just kind of loses all meaning. — Pomni looked at me, but I just shook my head. He never said anything like that to me in all the time we were trapped. Everything was always... possessive. — It just seems like she's trying to take advantage of you, you know? I don't know — he closed his eyes and went back to that forced smile — Also, she's dumb and looks weird

— Hmm, we all look weird...

— That's your case — he laughed — This is what peak male performance look like, my ears and tail are the pinnacle of masculinity — he said proudly. Pomni laughed and then looked at him with a raised eyebrow

— You don't have a tail... — she clarified, Jax laughed as he stood up

— What are you talking about? Yes, I do, it's... — he said, but he also noticed that he didn't have it — What the...? Where's my tail? How long have I been without it? — he asked, Pomni laughed when she saw him looking worried

— I don't think I've ever seen you have one. Liora, have you seen it? — she asked me.

— Um, I don't really look at his backside to see if he has one or not — I confessed, stifling a laugh.

— When would that have even...? — he muttered worriedly, looking at me out of the corner of his eye, and I just shrugged with my head down.

For some reason, we started the Intermission. We had no control over our bodies at that moment. All I know is that a cake fell on me, then they spun me around a tree and I was in the middle of the stage. The sensation gave me shivers. When another mini adventure began, I felt my heart shrink. I was in the middle of the same stage, which was beautiful and made of glass, with red curtains falling like waterfalls. An invisible piano began to play the melody of The Odile Variation.

The floor shone like a mirror, and I was wearing Odile's costume. When did I put this on? My costume was so dark that it reflected the light in metallic flashes, and my shoes shone like obsidian. Everything reminded me of the day I decided to give up my dreams. I stood frozen with my heart racing. A beautiful chandelier hung from the ceiling, and the seats were filled with NPCs. My hands trembled as I panicked.

— No... I never made a suggestion — I confessed looking at Caine. He approached me, pulling a piece of paper from his hands.

— No, but someone suggested it! — he exclaimed with a smile, holding up the paper so we could all read it — “I want an adventure so that Liora can finish the dance she never got to do, and we can all be her audience! Sincerely, R.” — his words pierced my heart. I didn't want this, not like this. I didn't want to return to the stage without her.

— No, I'm not going to do it — I confessed tremblingly, with a lump in my throat about to burst out.

— Oh, come on, my dear winged doll! Your audience is ready to applaud! — he exclaimed, taking a free seat. Ragatha smiled tenderly at me as she gave me a thumbs up. Kinger applauded along with the NPCs. Pomni and Zooble looked at me with confusion, while Gangle drew me happily... Jax just looked at me seriously as he read Ribbit's request, but I didn't move, feeling too helpless all over. This wasn't what I wanted.

— That's enough... — I whispered clenching my fists in an attempt not to explode. Jax leaned over with a mischievous smile. I don't think I can bear what's coming.

— Ooh, look, the dancer in her black dress... What now? Are you going to cry instead of dance? — he asked me. At that moment, I broke down, grabbed my halo and threw it at him. It crashed and broke under his feet.

— Shut the f#!*+*k up, Jax! — I shouted surprising everyone. — You don't even understand what this means to me! — I stormed off the stage trying to escape, but he stopped me by standing in front of me. I wanted to cry and scream, but not in front of them, not in front of him.

— Well, well, — his voice had that mocking tone that was unbearable to me. — I've never seen you break down like that before. It was... intense.

— Get lost, Jax... — I said wearily. I didn't want to argue. I hated that everyone had heard me swear. I wasn't proud of myself.

— Know what? When you screamed up there, you must have sounded like your music box when you broke it, the same broken chirping, as if it wanted to keep playing but couldn't — he said with a broad smile. My face tensed. The memory of the music box, how I exploded and broke it that day, hit me in the chest like a stone.

— Don't you dare... — I murmured with a trembling voice, he tilted his smile.

— So what? You don't want anyone to know that your life is exactly that? Admit it, without that dance, without your box, without your “Dream,” you're nothing in this place — he pointed his finger at me mockingly. I lowered my head in resignation, looked at him one last time, and knew that this had to end.

— Yes, I broke that little box and that will always haunt me... but at least it was mine — I imitated his action and put my finger on his chest — And what do you have, huh? What do you hold on to when everything rots? Nothing, just your mockery that hurts others to fill the emptiness inside you — I turned back to look at Caine — I'm begging you, just this once, let's change our adventure... please — I asked with a broken voice. The adventure was over, and I was sitting on a bench.

— What can I get you to drink, Liora? — Zooble asked me.

— A glass of soda, please. — they nodded without complaint. Jax appeared at the door and sat down between Pomni and me... wonderful.

— Gimme a whiskey sour, but without the egg white, since I'm vegan... What—I hate this! — he exclaimed irritably — How is this even possible, I thought Caine couldn't...

— I could have made it way worse for you — Zooble said to him as he began to prepare Jax's drink.

— Well, then I vote for Zooble to be a slug — he said trying to annoy them, but we all voted against it.

— Everyone voted against that — Caine announced next to me, scaring me. Jax complained, banging his head against the bar.

— UUUUUUUGGHH!! No hate it... — he muttered, and his drink arrived, as did my soda. The door opened again and Kinger and Ragatha came in.

— Phew! I'ts raining like the dickens out there — Kinger commented. Ragatha greeted us and sat down next to Gangle, and Kinger sat down next to me, which calmed me down.

— I'll have a cosmopolitan — Ragatha ordered.

— Gimme a “Corncob blitz” — Kinger ordered. What was that? Zooble looked at him for a few seconds.

— Let me see if I can make that — they said squinting his eyes.

— You know your way around alcohol, huh? — said Pomni.

— Yeah — they replied — I suggested this adventure. I worked in a bar for a while. I like making drinks — they explained. Jax chuckled.

— That sounds fitting for you — he said, what's his problem?

— I know there's an implication there, but i can't be #!*+ to figure it out — they glared at him as they continued to prepare a drink

— So, Pomni,you ever have any jobs? — Jax asked, then placed his hand on her head — Or are you too young for that? — Pomni pushed him away

— No, I'm twenty-five — she clarified. I looked at her in surprise, she was older than me — And yeah, I worked as an accountant for a supermarket chain — she said

— Supermarket? — she repeated — And how did you end up here?

— Well...I...sometimes got bored of things — she confessed — And I started doing weird things, like...going to abandoned buildings...and stuff like that, and...uploading videos about it to social media — she explained

— Ah, a YouTuber

— Not really, nobody watched them, it was more... something I did for myself — listening to her, I felt sorry for her, she must have gotten stuck here after an exploration

— I tried it once, but I didn't record it — Zooble confessed, which did surprise me — Here's your cosmo — said to Ragatha

— Zooble, do you think you could give me another glass of soda? — I asked them once I finished my drink. They nodded, and Jax leaned in.

— Hiding something — he accused them.

— You'd know all about that, wouldn't you? — they confronted him. — What's your story? — they asked, and that wound Jax up.

— Ah, I'm glad you asked! Well, after I was diagnosed with cancer, me and my junkie associate from a chemistry class I used to — he began to tell, but Zooble stopped him

— Yeah, I figured. How about you, Gangle? — they changed the subject, pointing at her

— Hey, I wasn't finished — he complained

— If you're gonna make #!*+ up, at least be creative about it, it's a bad reference — they silenced him. It's true, I had already heard about that series when I was in the circus.

— Was that a reference? — Ragatha asked. Gangle sighed as she drew.

— I worked in fast food... — she said, although we already knew that.

— You've done more than that. What about your art? — Zooble asked with interest.

— I was in community college studying graphic design... but I dropped out... I couldn't continue with art after that — she confessed. Zooble moved a little closer to her.

— Look, if you want, we can do art sometime — Zooble suggested, and I could see Gangle's smile.

— Oh, I didn't know you did art too, Zooble — Ragatha said in surprise.

— Mmm, yeah, I did tattoos for a few years — they said. Zooble is amazing, I wonder what else he can do.

— A bartender AND a tattoo artist? — Jax asked, ruining the moment. Is he drunk or what? — You're killin' me here, Zoobie

— What's wrong with you, do you have a problem with that? — they approached him angrily — Are you... trying to say something? Or are you just babbling? — Jax raised his head to look at them.

— It's just that I find it funny... but you hate fun.

— It's not fun that I hate... — they replied, narrowing their eyes.

— Ah, it's my turn, right? — Ragatha asked to get our attention. This reminded me of the mandatory presentations in middle school. — My story is the longest. Uhm... I was born into a fairly wealthy family. We had a large property with horses and chickens, and my mother... uh, she... she was... complicated... uh... I worked in real estate for a while until I ended up... here, — she said and sighed — I'm sure she doesn't miss me... at least I don't miss the yelling... or the scolding... or the manipulation... or the... — she paused when she saw us looking at her with concern, took a swig of her drink and let out a nervous laugh — Yes, I was... a farm girl, nothing out of the ordinary — when she saw Zooble pour me another glass of soda, she changed the subject — Aren't you going to have a drink, Liora? — and all eyes turned to me making me nervous

— Eh, me? No... I'm only twenty-one, I've never tried it — I confessed, took a deep breath, and continued — Well, my story... eh... my mother was a ballet dancer, she was wonderful on stage, and it seems I hered that. I spent my whole life in a ballet conservatory, and well... I ended up here. — I didn't want to give too many details, but Pomni's gaze made me nervous. — Is something wrong?

— You... Were you, by any chance, the dancer of a thousand souls? — she asked me. Hearing that nickname made me feel embarrassed. They called me that because I always got too into character, which embarrassed me because it sounded so weird.

— Yes, I can't believe they still call me that — I muttered embarrassedly looking at my glass — Did you like ballet too? — I asked her and then drank my soda. She shook her head

— No, but your case became famous. I mean, people speculated a lot about your disappearance, from aliens kidnapping you to you running away with your boyfriend — she confessed. I choked on my drink in surprise. Aliens?

— Did you have a boyfriend? — Zooble asked me.

— Yes, it was the guy from the subway... — I confessed, reminding Zooble of the guy I talked about in the previous adventure — It was... complicated

— Is he the guy who... you know, slapped you and you forgave him? That's what one of your friends said in an interview. — I tensed up when I heard her. Zooble and the others looked at me with concern. I could only play with my glass while everyone watched me.

— Yes, he did. The thing is... I was feeling very lonely. I met this guy on the subway with his best friend. At first, everything seemed to be going well, you know, promises and dreams. But things got worse once we became a couple. Everything turned into arguments and manipulation. He swore he would change, but... it didn't last long. I was about to quit ballet because of him, because I... loved him. When I got my leading role, he didn't like the idea of me going away... We broke up that night, but when I was about to go on stage as Odile, he texted me and said he loves me. Those were the words I was looking for... I just wanted him to see me, because I considered him my home even though there was only pain... and I ran away hoping to find him, but it didn't happen. He never came... or I don't know if he did. At that moment, I was trapped here — I confessed with a broken voice. At least I was able to let go of that weight, but the memories only made me regret staying there.

— What that boy did wasn't right, Liora, you didn't deserve to feel that way — Zooble consoled me, and I smiled wistfully.

— I know... but what's done is done — I said with a slight smile.

— Basically, you were a dancer who fell in love with a jerk because you had no self-esteem. And that's it? You didn't do anything else besides being a girlfriend? — Jax asked me with a forced smile. He knew that story perfectly well.

— I also studied Business Administration. My father is the owner of several companies — I confessed looking at him angrily. There was no difference between Jax and that guy. They were both the same...

— Boring! And why ask Kinger? If he doesn't remember anything — He changed the subject, and I rolled my eyes in annoyance.

— I like it! — Kinger exclaimed.

— Do you know he had a wife, right? — Pomni asked, looking at most of the group. 

— MY WHAT?! — Kinger shouted in surprise, but when he saw his drink was ready, he calmed down. Jax tensed up when he saw the drink. Instinctively, I moved it closer to Kinger so he wouldn't see it. I scolded myself for that... The door opened, revealing an NPC wearing a hat. He stood between Pomni and Jax, and before he could say anything, he disappeared, leaving Pomni confused.

— That's disappearing guy, that's what he does — Zooble explained while cleaning a glass.

— I see. From another adventure, right? — she asked.

— Yes, God, Pomni, didn't you know? — said Jax mockingly, which only confirmed my suspicion that he might be a little drunk. — By the way, Pomni, sorry about the presidency, I thought it would be funny — he apologized... wait, he apologized?!

— Are you...are you...apologizing? Or what happened? — Pomni was surprised, and Zooble told her to ignore him. — Uh...I think I'll accept...the apology. — Jax put his arm around Pomni, moving closer to her.

— Wow! The first steps of a budding friendship! Right, Ragatha? — He looked at Ragatha with a big smile.

— Enough, this is getting really weird. Give me the strongest drink you know, Zooble — I whispered. They nodded and quickly prepared it.

— Uh, hey, Pomni, remember when Kaufmo threw me against the walls and I was all messed up? — she asked Pomni, then... it happened. As soon as I had the drink in front of me, I took a sip, my throat burned horribly, Jax looked at me with a smile, raising her drink, I rolled my eyes, focusing on Ragatha

— Uh, remember when you got high at McDonald's and told Gangle to kill himself? That was funny! — he exclaimed, and I kicked his foot in annoyance. — Hey! — he complained.

— What? I-I never said that! Or... did I? No, no, I didn't, and... I'm really, really sorry, Gangle! I would never have said something like that if I hadn't gotten that stupid... sauce in my eye!

— Come on, Raggy, I think you should be like this more often! Have fun! — Jax exclaimed.

— Yes, tormenting Gangle all day is super funny, isn't it, Jax? — the voices grew fainter and I could only laugh several times. Wow, this drink really hits the spot! Zooble placed the corn in front of Jax, who tensed up when he saw it

— Uh... What is this? Why did you do that? — he asked seriously — Why are you pushing it on me? — I looked at him, narrowing my eyes. Jax's eyes remind me of someone

— Are you afraid of corn? — Zooble asked him.

— Ah... no... Who's afraid of that? — Zooble approached him and Jax backed away in fear. I laughed and held the corn in my hands. — Liora? — he called out worriedly, thinking I was going to push the corn away as I always did, but I looked at him with a smile and staggered as I stood up. One thing was clear to me at that moment, and that was to throw the corn at Jax to get my revenge, but before I could do anything, Caine appeared.

— I'm bored! Let's move on to the next adventure! — And without letting us vote, we changed adventures. I returned to normal, no longer feeling light or hearing the voices fading into the distance. The voice returned, announcing the next adventure: Softball Game! — Softball time, ladies and gentlemen! — Caine exclaimed from the booth.

— Oh! That was my suggestion! — Ragatha commented happily.

— Beautiful night for a game, right Bubble? — Caine asked him, but all I could hear was a scream? — Today, the Big Tops are playing against the evil Big Tops — he announced. It was strange to see myself as evil.

— 'Sup, #!*+? I'm Evil Pomni! — she introduced herself.

— Hee hee, I'm Evil Ragatha! — she introduced herself with a laugh that reminded me of the villains in my cartoons.

– Coach Dictator ready! – exclaimed the evil Kinger... not a good reference.

– Hey, h-hello guys, I'm evil Jax – he introduced himself and I smiled tenderly. He really was cute. Suddenly, the colors changed to bright gold with black details and a floating message appeared: New Administrator detected...

— Oh, didn't they tell you? The system has been updated... I'm the boss now — proclaimed my evil version as he looked at himself in a mirror. The place began to change, and with a snap of Caine's fingers, the evil Liora was eliminated and returned to normal... that was weird

— Evil Orbsman, reporting for duty! — he introduced himself, but what about Gangle?

— I'm Bazooble! Yi bi du bi da ba du bi da ba! — the introduced himself in a silly voice.

— Ah... I didn't suggest that part — Ragatha denied, our elegant clothes from the previous adventure disappeared and now we had caps on our heads.

— Why don't I have an evil clone? — Gangle asked disappointedly.

— But first, let's welcome our special guest, who will sing the American national anthem! — he announced, and as soon as the disappearing guy started, he disappeared, and a centipede on the audience applauded, causing Ragatha to get scared.

— All right, team, I may not know what's going on, or who's going on, or when it's going on, or why it's going on... But I do know where it's going on... and it's on that field! So let's break some tailbones, team! — Kinger encouraged us. I smiled excitedly. It had been a long time since I had participated in these events, and no one knows that I fell during the relay.

— Hey, hi guys! — Evil Jax greeted us. When I saw him, I returned the greeting with excitement. — I hope everyone has fun, no matter who wins!

— Have fun too! — I replied with a smile, and the evil Jax smiled back as he said goodbye.

— I'm going to kill that guy — Jax confessed. I glared at him for a few seconds, and when it was Ragatha's turn, I stood up to cheer her on.

— Look here, Stupidgatha, you better get ready because you're going to be destroyed! — his evil version shouted at him and then laughed maniacally — Everyone hates you and one day you're going to die!

— We can't exactly... that's the only problem — she replied. I thought about the times I wanted to end my life, but it was impossible. Ragatha hit the softball and started running between the three bases, but the evil Pomni caught her.

— You're out, dumb-#!*+! — she yelled. Ragatha swore as she threw her cap on the ground.

— Ha! Get owned? — Jax taunted. I nudged him angrily. — That's two now, Liora... — he whispered angrily. I glared at him until we heard the evil Pomni's voice.

— #!*+ yeah, that's what I'm sayin' — evil Pomni said looking at Jax.

— Ahhh, she's cool — he murmured with a smile. I noticed that Zooble was whispering something to Gangle, and the voting began. — Stop, what did you say? — he asked them. To annoy them, I voted in favor, and instantly Jax was wearing a maid's outfit. I laughed loudly and took a picture of Jax. — What the heck?! — he asked terrified. When he saw Gangle laughing, he looked at her with hatred. — Who did this?! You! — He tried to catch her, and Zooble was scared when he saw Gangle fall to the ground and then be chased around by Jax.

— Jax, it's your turn to bat! — Kinger ordered him.

— I don't want to go... Not dressed like this! — he complained, upset. I was worried when I saw him like that.

 — Sems fitting for you, I figured you'd be into this — Zooble said mockingly.

— What do you mean? Why did you say that? 

—  Oh, I'm just having fun, but you hate fun — they used Jax's own argument against him.

— Get this off me! — he ordered us breathing heavily.

— What's the matter? I've never seen you this angry — the continued to provoke him. Kinger appeared handing the bat to Jax, who took it angrily while glaring at Zooble.

— When I'm done with this, I'm going to kill you — I watched him leave and felt guilty. Zooble looked at me, raising an eyebrow

— Do you still feel sorry for him? After everything he said to you? — they asked me. I felt light, but then I felt the weight of the collar again, as if it were a heavy chain that wouldn't let me escape.

— I can't hate him, Zooble. I know I'm wrong, but I just can't — I whispered as I sat down next to Pomni. When Jax lost the ball, Kinger took Zooble's eye.

— Hey, that's mine! — they complained angrily.

— Sorry, Zooble, but this is the perfect size for softball. We're not playing baseball here — he justified himself and threw the eye at the evil Zooble. When they saw it, they put it on their face. Kinger approached when he saw Jax walking away to talk to the evil Pomni. — But... Jax! What happened to “Where is going on”?

— Ahhh... I gave her that ball — Ragatha lamented, sitting between Pomni and me. — I have to start concentrating — she sighed and looked at Pomni. — Sorry, I shouldn't be unsportsmanlike. 

— Not to, like, agree with Jax, or anything...but there's nothing wrong with showing your negative emotions, that's...pretty normal — she said, looking at me, and I knew she was going to use me as an example — For example, Liora showed us another side of herself today...

— That's true — I agreed. — But I'm not at all proud of what I said.

— I don't know, I don't want to be a jerk, or anything — Ragatha replied. I don't think you have to be a jerk to show a negative side.

— We all have to be jerks sometimes — her words reminded me of all the times I got into trouble for trying to be a jerk.

— Mmmmmm, maybe... Who knows? — I looked at her with a small, uncertain smile. We remained silent until Caine brought out a new ball. Zooble passed it to Jax, who deliberately missed his last two shots. It was my turn to bat. I nervously got into position, and when I hit the ball, I started running as fast as I could, cheered on by Ragatha while Jax watched me from the sidelines. When I made it, I jumped for joy and pride. Caine said it was a point and that I should switch with Gangle.

— Wasn't it three times? — I asked, confused. Ragatha just shrugged, not understanding either. Once we returned to our seats, I heard Pomni

— Having fun? — she asked Jax.

— Oh, you know it — he replied sarcastically. — Look, now it's Gangle's turn. Will her mask break?

— Why do you insist that she behave like you? — Ragatha asked wearily.

— Oh, sure, I should force her to be happy all the time instead, right? — he replied. I wanted to leave, but his voice stopped me. — Sit down, Liora... — he ordered, and I just obeyed involuntarily, feeling helpless.

— Well, it's better than turning her into an insensitive jerk who deflects everything — she countered irritably.

— I don't need you to tell me what to think — Pomni interjected.

 — But I'm not telling you anything! — Jax defended himself, feigning innocence.

 — And besides, you act like you're a saint who does nothing and everyone loves, when in reality you don't stop f#!*+ with all of us! — She stood up furiously, then turned her back on us and crossed her arms.

— Okay... look, Ragatha... breathe and relax — Pomni tried to calm her down. I covered my face, exhausted. This adventure was supposed to be fun.

— What?! Didn't you tell me it was okay to be jerk sometimes !? Ugh! I'm sorry, Pomni — she sighed exhausted — I... I crossed the line.

— It's... fine...

— What about my apology? I felt bad too — Jax asked wanting to provoke Ragatha again. She glared at him as she sighed.

— I'm sorry, Jax, for... mentioning you know who... — She walked away, and I just curled up on the bench.

— Don't you want to talk about that? — Pomni asked. I sat back down, looking at Ragatha. I wanted to go with her.

— I'm dressed as a maid. What do you think? — he replied disinterestedly. When he saw the corn next to him, he jumped in fright. I took the opportunity to leave with Ragatha and Kinger.

— Gangle hit a home run! — Kinger announced happily. When I heard him, I smiled happily for Gangle.

 — Really?

— Yes, the exercises we did helped me — said Gangle. I placed my hands on Ragatha's shoulders.

— You see, thanks to you, Gangle was able to score. Congratulations, Gangle — I congratulated her excitedly. We continued watching the game, and Zooble scored another point for us. At this rate, we're going to win!

— Nice going, Zooble! All right, Pomni, it's your turn — said Kinger looking at Pomni. She approached Ragatha.

— Hey, Ragatha? Do you want to go and take my place? — she asked. I looked at Ragatha, who seemed surprised.

— O-O-Oh, ah... I think I could... ah, if you don't have a problem with it — she responded nervously.

— If you want, imagine... that this is your chance to show who's boss — she encouraged her. Ragatha nodded confidently. I saw her get back up, ready to bat, but since there was no one to throw the ball, Ragatha automatically won.

— Bazowie-zooweewa! It's another home run! That makes three home runs in a row! The Big Tops win! — he announced, and when Ragatha tried to correct him, Caine wouldn't let her. — Well, that's how I play! It's over! Hurray! — I ran happily and hugged Ragatha. I noticed that Pomni didn't even see her win because she was talking to Jax. When I let go, Kinger picked her up and spun her around like a proud father.

— You did it, Ragatha! We won! — he congratulated her.

— Oh, I guess so, — she laughed happily.

— Good job, even if it was like that, — Gangle congratulated her. Zooble approached.

— Huh? Oh, yeah, good team — they said in support. Once Kinger put Ragatha down, I started jumping, wanting to fly too.

— I want to too, Kinger! — I said excitedly. When he did it, my eyes lit up with happiness. I always wanted my father to do that. — Yeah! — He put me down, and I could see Jax attacking the evil Jax. — This... is weird.

— Why is going on?! — exclaimed Kinger. Pomni approached and giggled when she saw Jax attacking his evil version. Ragatha glanced at her, and she pretended she hadn't laughed. Once we returned to the tent, Caine was waiting for us on the other side.

— Well, I hope you've learned that the suggestion box is no fun and that my ideas are much better! — he exclaimed. I decided to ignore him.

— Uh, they weren't that bad, actually — Zooble confessed.

— I really enjoyed the bar and softball ones — I commented, looking at Zooble.

— Yeah, I kind of liked the low-stakes ones — Pomni agreed. Then Jax came closer.

— The first two were pretty good. The rest? Nah. Oh, right! Pomni, wanna go check out that thing I told you about in the hallway? — he asked her. For a second, he looked at me, trying to read my mind. I stuck my tongue out at him and kept walking.

— Uh, yeah, sure —she replied, and they both walked away. I felt another weight as I remembered something from the past. I shook my head and waited for Ragatha on a corner. She saw Pomni and Jax walking away together, sighed, and approached me, feigning a smile.

---------------------------

Hi, I finally finished this chapter. I'm going to sleep. Writing Liora is difficult. Sometimes I want her to break free, but she remains stuck, and that's even though they don't see YN in all her glory yet. When I say YN, I mean Liora before she got trapped [but she's a OC]. I hope I'm not confusing you. 

What song do you think suits Liora best? I think it's Tormento by Mon Laferte <3. 

Anyway, I hope you liked it. Don't forget to click the heart, comment, and follow me for more news. Oh, and remember that the playlist for this fanfic is on my profile. See you soon (✿◡‿◡.).

No more “nice” Jax with Liora, muahahaha.

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[autorapan]

𝐀 𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 - 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒.- 𝐅𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞 (part 4/?)

𝑳𝒊𝒐𝒓𝒂

I was standing next to Jax, who had a baseball bat in his hands while Ragatha was teaching Gangle how to throw a baseball. I glanced at Jax out of the corner of my eye as I held a piece of paper on which I would write down the points.

— And I ended up walking on the lake... — I confessed. I didn't remember getting into the lake until Zooble pulled me out. I know I can't drown and die, but I know myself. I would never get into a lake.

— Weren't you afraid of the sea? — he asked boredly.

— Yes, maybe I'm sleepwalking — I guessed. It was the first time something like that had ever happened to me.

— I don't think so. I never saw you sleepwalk when you were at home — he denied. He instantly tensed up and turned to look at me, but I pretended not to hear him.

— What? I was decorating the names — I changed the subject, showing him my sheet with the names decorated with stars and hearts. He smiled when he saw the little hearts on his name.

— Oh, you~ — He nudged me lightly with his shoulder, and we both laughed. Jax turned to look at them. — You're wasting time, Raggy — he looked at them, waiting for the game to start.

— Just wait a second! — Ragatha said, looking at him annoyed. Gangle swung her arm toward Ragatha as an example, and she nodded happily. When Gangle threw the baseball to Jax, he hit it hard, causing the baseball to hit Gangle's mask. She fell to the ground with her mask happily broken. —Jax!

— I actually didn't mean to do that — he defended himself and raised his hands. I approached Gangle, concerned.

— Are you okay, Gangle?! — I asked, helping her up and checking to see if her second mask was damaged.

— Hey, Gangle — Zooble called her — I think I have something that might help you, and Liora, you left your halo in my room c Gangle and I followed them. I had completely forgotten that I wasn't wearing my halo. Once we arrived, Zooble pointed to my halo on her shoe bench. — I don't know if it will work, but it's the same shape as yours — they said as she took a happy mask out of a box with several pieces — And besides, it's plastic, so it's less fragile than the other one — I sat on the bench watching Gangle put on her new mask — How's it feel?

— I feel... normal, in a good way — she replied with a big smile. It was nice to see her happy.

— That's good, right? — I looked around the room and then heard Zooble laugh.

— You look great, Gangle — I confessed tenderly. Now she'll never feel sad again.

— What the heck is this?You're just givin' away parts now? — asked Jax, leaning against Zooble's door

— What do you care, Jax? It's not like you're getting anything

— Darn, looks like you won't be getting that unicorn horn, Pomni — he said, looking at her

— Where did you get the idea that I want that thing? — she asked, confused

— You'd look good with one — said Gangle. I thought about it and nodded, giving Gangle a thumbs up.

— Well, maybe I could... — She was about to accept it when Caine appeared out of nowhere.

— Did someone say... Adventure!? — he exclaimed, sticking out his tongue. Pomni shook her head and glared at him.

— Well, let's get this over with quickly — I agreed, standing up. Caine snapped his fingers and we appeared on stage again.

— Today's adventure is The Curse of the Violent Psychopathic Butcher! That's right, terrifying human flesh paints the walls and wow, does it smell! — Caine tried to explain the adventure, but Pomni stopped him.

— Okay, wait, wait wait. Can we take a break from the horror? Please! I don't want this to be like the last adventure, — she asked, looking at me sideways. I nodded. I didn't like being trapped in hell.

— What happened in that one? Wasn't it the one that was meant for me? — asked Zooble, looking at Pomni curiously

— There was a... I mean, a horrible angel head, and when Kinger, Liora, and I wanted to fight it back, they sent us to hell where damned souls tried to infest our bodies...It was bad — she said, hugging herself fearfully

— And why would I like that? — asked, looking at Caine

— Well, if you want to be critical, why don't you suggest some ideas? — he said, offended, closing his eyes behind his dentures

— We do! Haven't you ever seen the suggestion box? At least once? — asked excitedly, Caine flew towards the suggestion box

— To be honest, Zooble, I forgot — he confessed. I rolled my eyes in disappointment. No wonder none of Ribbit's ideas were taken.

— I knew it

— Could ideas be suggested? — Pomni asked, hunched over, holding her hands.

— Yes, but no, — responded Zooble. Caine wearily, pulling the box hard, causing water to spill out of the pillar.

— Bubble, cover that up — he ordered. Bubble automatically appeared, covering the leak with his tongue. Caine took out a piece of paper and read the suggestion. — How about an adventure where Zooble becomes a piñata and we all take turns hitting him with a stick? — he asked. I glanced at Jax, raising an eyebrow, and he laughed.

— That one's mine — he confessed. I shook my head, amused, imagining Zooble as a piñata.

— I wouldn't have guessed — they replied, rolling his eyes. Caine discarded the idea and picked up another piece of paper.

— How about an adventure where Jax can't say a word? — he suggested.

— I'm hurt — he pretended to be offended, touching his heart with one hand.

— Good! — Zooble exclaimed, frowning even more

— Wow, that would be a good adventure, Zooble — I agreed, hoping to annoy Jax, which didn't work as he smiled at me

— Could we choose one that's... normal? — Gangle asked, playing with his... hands/ribbons?

— I don't know what's normal for you people! Let's have an adventure at a fast food restaurant! Does that sound normal? — he asked after reading the next piece of paper

— Who threw that one? — Jax asked, annoyed

— Yes, it's very normal — she replied calmly. I thought about it, remembering that I've never worked in real life

— Great! That means today's adventure will be! An honest hard day's work at Spudsy's restaurant chain! And you! You'll be the manager — he pointed to Gangle, and I applauded in congratulations.

— You did not just make that today's adventure — Jax muttered, looking at her with hatred.

— That's right, you've shown leadership traits that make you the right person to be manager. Of course, it was obvious! I already have several ideas! — he exclaimed, then stuck out his tongue in that strange way, causing Bubble's tongue to disappear and the water leak to reappear. Seeing this, Caine stuck out his tongue and a tongue appeared on Bubble. How confusing... — How weird, right?

— Well, I'll see you later then — Zooble broke the silence, ready to leave again.

— Again?! — Caine asked.

— I'm not gonna be a wage slave for fun — they replied. Wage slave?

— Oh, I know! If I stay here, Zooble can go in my place — Kinger suggested excitedly. I shook my head, amused, watching Zooble.

— What? It doesn't work that way — I felt sorry because Kinger was making eyes at me and I thought he was the cutest thing in the world.

— Great idea, Kinger! It'll be great to have you on board, Zooble! — he agreed.

— What... Are you serious?! You can't force me to go on that damn adventure, I don't want to! — he complained, taking a few steps forward.

— Let's shut him up — said Caine, taking out a control with a red button. When he pressed it, Zooble fell into the empty space. The last thing I heard was his scream.

— Yes, I think I'd like to try it. Before all this, I was a manager at a fast food restaurant — said Gangle happily. Wow, that's a surprise. I thought she would work in something related to art.

— So what are we waiting for? Get your uniforms ready because we're going to Spudsy's! — Caine opened a portal, and when I saw Jax fall into the puddle of water, I quickly pushed Pomni and Ragatha forward.

— Hurry up before he kills us all — I whispered to them. I mean, he didn't manage to kill the villains of the Candy Canyon kingdom, and then he was tied up for who knows how many hours. This just didn't bode well for any of us.

Once we arrived, our everyday clothes were replaced by uniforms. I had a badge with my name on it surrounded by little stars. Cute. I looked around the small place. I liked the color and design Caine had chosen. Zooble appeared, falling from the ceiling to the floor.

— Okay, it's time to activate manager mode and start the day — said Gangle, adjusting his tie, and then I saw her turn on all the machines — And with all that ready, it's time to work!

— Oh, no! It looks like I've taken Ragatha... and dropped her in the deep fryer — when I saw him throw Ragatha in, I was terrified. I approached him and pushed him aside to get Ragatha out of the fryer

— Oh no, no, no, no, no! We can't have ANYTHING like that going on around here — she approached him, annoyed

— And what are you going to do about it? — he challenged her amusedly, but no matter how hard I tried to get Ragatha out, I couldn't.

— Don't move, Ragys! I'll get you out! — I shouted, trying to pull her legs out again.

— I'm calling upper management — Gangle declared, pulling out a pretty pink cell phone — Hey, Caine, we're having some issues with an employee. Could we... I don't know... implement a punishment in case they do a bad job today? — he asked. I heard Jax whisper to him: Wait, what?

— It's called a manic episode, and you're getting three more seasons! — she exclaimed, bursting out laughing. — Anyway... Jax, you will be in charge of the drinks, making coffee and iced tea, and maintaining the machines, so get on with it! — she ordered. I gaves up and let Ragatha go. She's much taller than me...

— Did she... did she just order you around? — I asked in surprise. Jax stared into space.

— This is really weird — he said.

— I don't know, but someone has to get Ragatha out of here — I said pointing at Ragatha. Jax took her out, dropping her on the floor and walking away from us — That was weird... Are you okay, Ragys? — She just shook her head, spitting the oil she had swallowed onto the floor.

Breakfast

— It's my first time as a cashier, I confessed to Pomni enthusiastically. She looked at me incredulously and then tried to look at the cash register. — I think we should find a footstool, Pomni — a customer appeared, and it was Orbsman. He said something to Pomni that was unintelligible.

— Oh, um, what can I get for you today? — she asked nervously. Ragatha appeared, looking happily at Orbsman.

— Look, it's Orbsman! Oh, he's from another adventure, one before you arrived, — she explained. Orbsman ordered something else, leaving the three of us confused.

— Ok, uh, number fifty-seven then — Pomni typed Orbsman's order into the cash register, and a grunt caught our attention

— I haaate this guy — he said angrily. I turned to Orbsman, trying to strike up a conversation while Pomni left for a moment

— How's the family, Orbsi? — I asked. He answered, and I pretended to understand. — I see... What day, right? Would you like napkins with your order? — He nodded, and I handed him several napkins that I took out of a small box. Pomni returned with the order and handed it to him. — Have a nice day!

— Can you understand him? — he asked me. I shook my head and handed him the candy he always gave out.

— Heh, if you treat him nicely, he gives you candy, — I replied. A wooden doll appeared, banging on the table several times.

— Excuse me, yeah, little jester? I'd like to order the Stupid Burger. Last time I ordered it, they didn't put the sauce on it that makes you stupid. Don't forget the sauce — she ordered. I glanced sideways at Pomni.

— I-Is that a thing we have? — she asked

— Yeah, I order it all the time. I'm addicted...

— Can you be addicted to a sauce? — I asked, confused.

— Okay, One Stupid Burger — once she typed in the order, Ragatha leaned over from her side.

— Heard you loud and clear! — said Ragatha, ready to prepare the hamburger.

— Napkins? — I asked, holding them out to her. The wooden doll took them all. — Hey, I don't think you should take them all... — I muttered nervously. She took them to her “mouth” and they disappeared. — This is... never mind — I gave up. Zooble handed me the order and I gave it to the customer, who took it to one of the tables. — My napkins... — I whispered. Pomni walked away in search of a bench, but in the end she used a box. When we looked at the next customer, Pomni fell over in surprise.

– Hello! – She greeted them. It was Gummigoo with his two friends.

– Hello, sheila! I'll have a sausage bacon jaflle combo, and the mates here just want six hash browns split between 'em – he ordered.

– Yeah, yeah, okay, uh, are you... do y-y-you, Hello! — She stumbled over her words and then looked at him happily. I held back a laugh at her reaction and leaned over to Zooble

— Look, Zooble, that's the crocodile with the attractive voice I told you about — I whispered. Zooble leaned over curiously, then shrugged as if it were no big deal — Yes, I love cowboys — I confessed with a smile when I saw Pomni nervous about him — Charming, isn't he, Pomni? — I asked Pomni amused, but she started crawling towards the crocodile — Pomni? — Gangle passed by us and was surprised when he didn't see Pomni

— What? Ragatha! Where's Pomni? — she asked, approaching her

— Huh? She's flirting with the gummy guy, because it seems she prefers NPCs than with us, or something — she confessed, my plan to cover for Pomni's absence went to hell.

— Hmmm, well, that won't do — she said angrily, looking for Pomni. Since there were no customers to serve, I approached Ragatha.

— I wish someone would flirt with me? — she complained. I helped her stand up straight.

— If you want, I can flirt with you — I suggested amused, but she refused.

— Nou, I've never seen you flirt, Liorys — she denied, sighing as I tidied up the mess next to her

— Well... I guess I did have my silly moments, uh, once... I flirted with a guy at the subway station, you know, it was in my youth, I think — I confessed, embarrassed, as I wrapped the hamburgers

— Really? — she asked, giggling half-heartedly. — And what happened? — Before I could answer, Jax let out a dry laugh, leaning against one of the ice cream machines.

— Poor guy, he probably thought you were going to be the Love of his life — he teased. I rolled my eyes in embarrassment.

— Who called the crazy rabbit? — Ragatha asked, glaring at him. — I think that guy is cute...

— Oh, don't get me wrong, Ragatha, I think he's... adorable — he gave me a direct and serious look, which was unusual — Although I admit that now I'm curious... What was it about that guy that caught your attention, Liora?

— Does it matter? — I asked amused, an awkward silence stretched out for a second before Ragatha laughed and fell to the floor

Lunch

— All right, fellas, it's lunch rush, so get ready— Gangle announced with that sinister smile. I sighed boredly and returned to the cash registers.

— Are you ready to order?— Pomni asked a customer who was eating a bowl of cereal. As for me, I had another line of customers ordering huge amounts of food.

— Yes, sir, the stupid sauce makes you stupid — I said for the fifth time, but then Queen Gloink arrived and ate all the customers in both lines — Thank you, your Majesty?

— Three hundred hamburgers for all my precious spawn! — the queen ordered. I sighed with relief when I realized I wouldn't have to deal with another indecisive customer

— Is that for here or to... — Pomni turned to watch Gummigoo and his friends leave, and I smiled sideways, motioning for her to go outside. — Can you wait just a... second? — she asked, walking toward her “Love”.

— Your Majesty, I’ll take care of it — I fell silent when I saw the gloinks attacking a customer.

— Blumby, Skethers, Leotthew! Leave that miserable creature alone — she ordered, looking at her children. Ragatha crawled toward the box, watching the queen

— Do all the gloinks have names? — she asked

— Of course they do! I love and cherish every gloinks I bring into this world. What kind of mother do you think I am? — I was surprised by her words. I didn't remember my mother very well... Would she have been like that?

— Tha's beautiful — Ragatha confessed. I nodded

— You're a great mother... — I confessed with admiration as I took her order.— Any sauce?

—Half with mayonnaise, but it has to taste like mustard. Do you have that? — I nodded, typing in her order. Once it was written down, the Gloink queen walked away with her children to wait for their order. I knew Ragatha wasn't in any condition to work, so I would take her place for the time being.

— Oh, Jaax! The bathroom looks like a biohazard and needs a good cleaning — Gangle hinted at Jax. Do NPCs go to the bathroom?

— Well, I don't know, I guess... a specialist should take a look at it — he replied disinterestedly.

— Oh Jaxy-boy, don't you want to be a model employee? — she asked, forcing a smile. I'm even afraid to look her in the eyes now.

— No, I don't care about any of this — he replied sincerely.

— Well, that doesn't sound like a positive attitude to me!

— It's not, — he replied, causing Gangle to force a laugh. — I like you better when you're sad — he confessed, looking at her with disdain.

— Well... maybe... you just need... training! — she exclaimed, pausing between words. White hands appeared, grabbing Jax and taking him who knows where.

— Jax? — I called out worriedly when I didn't see him — Gangle? Where did he go? — I asked, starting to get anxious without understanding. She started laughing and then patted my head.

— Calm down, Liora, just do your job — she ordered me with a smile. I nodded fearfully and returned to Ragatha.

— Hey! We need to take the hamburgers out, I'm running out of space — Zooble asked Ragatha. She sighed wearily.

— I've already made about... five or six.

— Great, you've got about three hundred more to go! — she replied irritably. Ragatha grumbled in annoyance.

— You're... getting on my nerves! Why are you always so irritating? Irrit... irrati... Haha — she laughed to herself.

— I'll take care of it, Zooble — I said as I hurried to make room for Zooble, but she had already called Gangle.

— Huffing paint and not waiting until a designated break? I'll be righ there — she approached with a frown.

— Ragatha, listen, let me do it — I asked her.

— No, wait, I can do it, I just gotta grab the horseradish sauce — she stopped me, laughing again — Ahh, I miss my horses — Gangle looked at her confused

— Here, let me help you with that — Gangle offered, Ragatha turned to look at her

— Why are you even the boss, anyway? I think I'm more responsible than you — Ragatha began to mess up the burgers I was wrapping

— Ragatha, if you don't do your job right, you'll end up hurting yourself — she said uncomfortably

— I don't care! They already hurt me, throwing packages in my face, tea parties, dance lessons — she complained. Gangle, Zooble, and I looked at each other in confusion. I felt strange, as if I understood those words

— What's wrong with her? — Gangle asks Zooble, but Zooble just shrugs, clueless. — You know, a team works better if we give it 110 percent instead of... oh, five — she tries to cheer her up. I wish she'd cheer me up like that. I'm tired of wrapping burgers.

— No offense, but when you wear that happy mask, you're annoying — she snapped. I looked at her in surprise. Ragatha never usually makes comments like that. Maybe she's just delirious from that sauce. — Wait, it that mean to say? — she asked herself.

— Zooble, help Ragatha with assembly, I'm gonna go over here now — she muttered. Zooble looked at her strangely, then approached me discreetly.

— Is Gangle like this on other adventures? — they asked me.

— It's the first time I've seen her like this, but if you mean being sad, yes, her happy mask always breaks — I replied, looking at Gangle with concern.

— Don't defend your boyfriend! Jax breaks his mask on almost every adventure — Ragatha muttered, playing with pickles.

— We're not in a relationship, Ragatha... we're just whatever we want to be, okay? — I corrected, looking at her with slight annoyance. — You should come to the Zooble adventures more often, — I suggested. They looked at Gangle again, thoughtfully. Jax appeared again with a lost look on their face. They looked at the clock and their expression changed to one of hysteria.

— Oh, are you KIDDING ME! Hey, Gangle! Is the clock broken?! — he asked

— Is it broken? Or are we the ones who are broken? How long have we been working? Six hours? Eight? Twenty-four? A week? a year? Is time even moving forward? Will we be able to go back... to fulfill our dreams? — she began to wonder. I approached her, concerned. It wasn't normal for her to start asking questions, but then her watch beeped. — Wait, yeah, that clock's broken

Dinner

After so long, we managed to feed the three hundred gloinks and the queen. I sighed, exhausted. At that moment, I wanted to be as out of it as Ragatha, but I didn't want to be another burden on the group.

— Can you move? — Jax asked Ragatha, who was lying on the ground.

— Yo, Jax, I, like...hate you? But I don't want you to hate me. Is that weird? — she asked.

— You're drunk, or something — he replied wearily. This is exhausting us all. I tried to talk to him, but Jax just held up his palm to stop me. — Not now, Liora — he said, walking past me. He leaned on the cash register and looked at Pomni — How you doing? — he asked. I looked at them, puzzled.

— Well, it seems your “boyfriend” doesn't want to talk to you — Zooble muttered sarcastically, their words hurting me.

— He's tired... that's all — I tried to convince her, but I was only trying to convince myself.

— Jax! There are dirty dishes in the back! If you can rest, you can wash them—Gangle appeared, looking as if he were taking revenge on Jax. Jax sighed, said goodbye to Pomni, and walked past me again. Zooble's words stuck with me even more, and I felt a lump in my throat.

Time passed quickly, at least the number of customers had decreased compared to the morning and afternoon. I looked at the clock, waiting for my shift to end so I could go “Home.” When my shift ended, I signed out and began to say goodbye to Ragatha and Zooble. I turned to say goodbye to Jax, but he was looking impatiently at the clock.

— All right, I'm clockin' out, this wasn't fun at all. See you all later — he said goodbye, throwing his hat down. I said goodbye to Gangle and followed him out to find my car. Sleep was overwhelming me, and I wanted to process what was going on in my mind. — Liora... — he called me, and I looked at him confused — Get in — he ordered pointing to the passenger seat. I sighed and accepted. I really didn't want to argue today, I just wanted to sleep. I sat down, waiting for him to get in too.

— I... Jax, I don't know what's wrong with me — I tried to apologize, but he just hugged me, resting his face on my shoulder — Jax? — I called him, worried

— Shh, just... just let's stay like this for a while, please — he asked me. I hugged him back, my heart racing.

I could only feel his breath on my neck. I gave in seconds after trying to hold on to this memory. I closed my eyes and fell asleep... and for the first time, I didn't feel the usual cold. It was a warmth that I liked, something that made me want to stay like this forever and reminded me of the feeling of warmth before I ended up in this circus. When I opened my eyes again, I was in Caine's office.

— Huh? — I muttered, looking around confused.

— Yes, everything looks good to me, Liora. So, a B+ it is — he said. I narrowed my eyes in confusion. — Okay, you can leave now. — I nodded and left his office, automatically appearing in the “Hall” of the tent.

— Hi, Liorys! — Ragatha greeted me. I looked at Jax with excitement, remembering our moment in his car, but he just looked away from me. — How are you? — she asked me, her voice still distant.

— Honestly.... — I thought about lying, but the exhaustion and disappointment of seeing that for Jax that moment never existed broke me. — I feel like I'm going to cry. — I confessed, throwing myself face down on the green sofa. — If I cry, just ignore me, it's the hormones... I think. — I muttered, hugging one of the pillows.

-------------------------

Hellooooo, I just scared myself HAHAHAHA, I'm really sleepy, anyway, I got confused and this is the shortest chapter in terms of minutes and it ended up being the longest... again.

Would you have forgotten a moment like that too, just like Jax?

Anyway, I hope you liked it. Don't forget to click on the star, comment, and follow me for more news. Thank you very much, see you on Wednesday (✿◠‿◠.).

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[autorapan]

𝐀 𝐁𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 - 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑.𝟓.- 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 (part 3.5/?)

— Ready for our night of terror?! Boo — I exclaimed happily looking at the new ballet members. Amélie nodded beside me equally excited — Want to start with zombies? Vampires? Murderers? Monsters? — I asked showing them all my DVDs. The girls pointed at another one and I smiled automatically. — I see, so you want to start with the strongest

— Possessions and exorcism? — Charlotte asked fearfully. I stroked her hair comfortingly

— Don't worry, I'll protect you and accompany you through the dark hallways! — I exclaimed promising to protect them. They all smiled happily knowing that I was rarely afraid.

— Yes, yes, our heroine, start the movie! — Amélie jokingly ordered me. I laughed and obeyed

I loved the feeling of warmth they gave me. In my small apartment, there was always sound and warmth. I loved not being alone within these four walls, loved that they came to visit me and hang out.

— ____ — Charlotte called me in a whisper. I looked at her waiting for her to continue. — My sister says she'll pick me up in an hour — she said sadly. Most of them couldn't stay because they were still in high school. I nodded and put my arm around her shoulders.

— Okay, let me know and I'll walk you down to the first floor — I whispered. She nodded happily and went back to watching the movie

There was a moment when the main character went down to the basement, curious to find out what was making so much noise. When he was far enough away from the stairs, the door slammed shut, leaving everything in darkness, until someone whispered, “I'm here...” The spirit's face appeared, letting out a terrifying scream, and at the same time, someone knocked loudly on my door. The girls screamed in terror at both scares. I got up and paused the movie.

— Okay, I think dinner's here — I announced walking towards the entrance. I looked through the peephole and froze when I saw him on the other side of the door, swaying from side to side. I turned on the lights, eliciting some groans from the girls. — Um... I'll be right back, okay? Take this opportunity to go to the bathroom — I said. Another louder knock sounded, alerting my companions.

— ____! — he shouted to me, and my body tensed up. I opened the door and stepped out of my apartment. When I tried to close the door behind me, he wouldn't let me. He staggered inside and frowned when he saw my friends. — Wow, are you having a party without me? — he asked me, slurring his words.

— Honey, I don't think this is a good idea. You're drunk, — I whispered to him, standing in front of my friends. They cowered in the corner, protected by Amélie behind me. — Come back tomorrow, okay? You should go home and rest, — I asked, trying not to let my fear get the better of me. He rolled his eyes in annoyance.

— Let them leave! — he shouted. I approached him and took him by the arm when he turned his back on me and tried to get him to leave. I didn't want a scene in front of them. — Don't touch me! — he turned around furiously as if he didn't recognize me and slapped me. The room fell silent. and I couldn't help but sob as I touched my cheek. It was the first time he had ever raised his hand to me. When our eyes met again, I noticed that he looked terrified, regretting what he had done. — Oh, ____, I-I didn't mean to — he muttered trying to get closer, but Charlotte's sister appeared and grabbed him by the back.

— ____! God, *$+#@¡% What's wrong with you?! — she asked her best friend furiously. Amélie pulled me toward her and hugged me tightly. I fell to my knees, trembling with fear. I closed my eyes and clung to her as I heard his voice fade away, apologizing.

I stood on my tiptoes and lifted one leg. Gangle drew in her notebook while sitting on my bed. I smiled when I saw how happy she was and forgot about that awful memory.

— Come on, Gangle, draw me like one of your French girls — I said jokingly. Seeing her confused, I smiled. — It's a line from the movie Titanic — I clarified.

We spent the afternoon in my room. I liked Gangle. I liked the little interactions we shared. I also liked watching her draw. When Gangle looked closely at my photo wall, she turned to look at me.

— Do you... do you miss them? — she asked me. I froze, dropping one of the outfits I was holding in my hands. I thought about Kinger's words... I think Gangle can understand me.

— The truth is... yes, I miss them all — I confessed with a melancholy smile. I took a deep breath to start talking about the subject that still haunts me — Gangle... I used to have a friend, her name was Ribb_ — A knock on the door interrupted me.

— Knock knock! — Jax called from the other side. I looked at Gangle nervously. Jax was too cruel to her. We were getting along so well, and I didn't want any trouble.

— Get under my bed, hide — I whispered nervously. The knocking became more insistent, and I began to play with my fingers. Gangle hid, and I covered her with some blankets.

— Liora? — he asked as he entered my room. I turned to look at him, scared. I had completely forgotten that he had a key to everything. I saw him sigh when he saw me. — You didn't open the door. Are you hiding something? — he asked with a smile that melted me.

— No, I was just practicing, you know, the usual — I lied.

— Again with that? You should stop practicing. I mean, you don't have an audience — he said looking at me seriously. I felt a twinge in my heart. I remembered how he used to make those kinds of comments before I got trapped here.

— Jax, please don't say that. Not you — I asked, looking at him sadly. He sighed, placing our foreheads together.

— I admit, I went too far — he whispered and touched my cheek with his hand. His touch conveyed a burning heat to me. Everything about him kept me alive, but his words still echoed in my head. After a while, he pulled away. — Are you busy? — he asked, and I remembered that Gangle was still under my bed.

— A little. Lately, I need space, you know, to think and stuff, — I lied again, although it wasn't entirely a lie. Before, I only did it for a short time, but after Ribbit's abstraction, sometimes I just needed to lock myself away for several days.

— If that's what you want, I guess it's okay... — he muttered. I was surprised that he accepted it without complaint. — See you later... — he said goodbye. When the door closed, I stood still. For the first time, there was no argument, no tears, no pain.

— I think... I think I should go now — Gangle murmured coming out of her hiding place. I turned to look at her worriedly.

— Are you sure? I thought you'd stay a little longer — I said, feeling my legs heavy. She nodded and with a small smile said goodbye. I was alone again. I sat on my bed feeling strange, looked at my reflection in the mirror, and felt everything shut down...

🍃🎣🍃🎣🍃🎣🍃

I remember being on my nightly walk. I was just walking around the lake and would be back in twenty minutes to go to sleep, but this time I only remembered reaching the lake. The next thing I felt was the cold on my feet. It was as if I was sinking deeper and deeper. I thought about my life before I got trapped, I remembered his face, his sweet but bitter words, the way he treated me, the times he hurt me and then acted like nothing had happened or promised me he would change. There came a point where I felt like I was sinking, that I would be trapped there, but it wasn't until someone pulled my hair that I became aware of everything.

— Liora?! — Zooble called out to me, worried. I opened my eyes to see that I was on the small pier, soaked with water and breathing heavily.

— What... why am I wet? — I muttered, lost in my thoughts as I looked at Zooble.

— Don't you remember? You went in! — they exclaimed, helping me to my feet. — Come on, you need to dry off.

We both returned to the tent, and I went into Zooble's room to dry off. I looked at myself worriedly in one of his mirrors. Why did I go into the lake until I sank to the bottom?

---------------------------

Hi, remember that there's a playlist for this story on Spotify [Here].

Fun fact: Liora loves reading horror novels <3 + Liora has thalassophobia, even of digital lakes, but Ribbit asked her to go fishing with her, which she could never refuse.

Do you have any phobias? I'm afraid of bees... and I have thalassophobia too.

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