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“O-Oh my god, Jax?”
Jax turned around, hand twisted into his chest. He gasped for air, pinprick pupils shaking as his eyes locked onto Pomni.
“It’s okay, just match my breathing okay?” She demonstrated, exaggerating a deep breath. Her hands fluttered around, trying to push down her own panic.
“I can’t, I-“ He gasped out loud.
Pomni’s hands hovered, before she made the split-second decision to grab his.
“Breathe with me, okay?”
His whole body shook, and his hands trembled, halfheartedly pulling away. In turn, Pomni rested his hands on her chest, exaggerating her breathing once more.
“In for four okay? One, two, three, four. Now we hold, for four.”
Jax copied her, but his eyes still darted around the room. Pomni reached up and cupped his face with her other hand. Her big, round eyes softened as his eyes locked onto hers.
“Now we let go, one, two, three…”
She repeated the motion several more times, grasping on tightly to his paws. The bunny’s tremors grew smaller and smaller, as he finally got his breathing under control. His eyes screwed shut, and his mouth twisted into a grimace. As soon as he stopped shaking, he withdrew his hands, crossing them against his chest.
Pomni stepped back, clasping her own gloves together.
“Jax?” She whispered softly.
“Holy #%! This is so embarrassing.” He groaned, turning his back to her. His shoulders shook, as he covered up his face.
“Jax, please-“
She was cut off by his sharp barking laugh.
“Can you believe how stupid that was?” He giggled uncontrollably.
“God, I can’t believe I let you get to me like that!”
“You mean us bonding?” She blinked, no less concerned.
His laughter slowly puttered out, as remained hunched over the sink.
Pomni moved closer, reaching out to grasp his elbow. She shifted closer, as his head finally faced hers. Her heart leaped in her chest, as she watched the tears trickle down his face. They pooled in his sockets, dripping down to her gloves. Yet his eyes refused to meet hers.
“Call it what you like. I don’t even care anymore.” He mumbled.
The jester squeezed his arm gently, hoping it was a reassuring sensation to him. She took a moment to think, trying to figure out what to say.
“I’m not that stupid you know, I know what deflection looks like.”
His eyes narrowed. She kept her gaze steady.
“I don’t blame you for pushing me away, I can only imagine how long you’ve been stuck here watching as everyone else… a-abstracts…”
Pomni shivered slightly at his frosty glare.
“But! that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t hold onto the relationships you have with the people you still have left here!” She finished quickly.
Jax leaned forward, his breath ghosting over her lips. Her eyelashes fluttered as he got right up and close into her personal space. His head tilted, as his eyes grew wide and focussed.
“‘The people I have left here’… meaning you?”
Pomni held his gaze, trying not to flinch.
“Yeah,” she said quietly. “Me.”
For a second, something unreadable passed over his face. Then he laughed, quiet this time. Cold.
“You won’t last.”
Pomni blinked. “What?”
“You’ll abstract, just like the rest.” His voice was flat. Hollow.
“And I’ll still be here.” He pulled his hands away from hers.
“You should’ve left me alone.” He turned away pushing past her to open the bathroom door.
She didn’t follow.