Jax slumped against the wall of his room, the faint glow of the setting sun spilling through the blinds and casting jagged stripes across the floor. He had spent the better part of the afternoon convincing himself that today was not the day for an adventure—no epic quests, no treacherous forests, no battles he didn’t feel like fighting. His backpack lay untouched in the corner, straps splayed out like the legs of a defeated spider, mocking his attempt at avoiding the chaos outside.

A creak from the hallway pulled him from his thoughts, and he froze, ears straining. Something—or someone—was moving just beyond his door. He leaned forward, squinting at the faint light spilling from beneath the slightly ajar door across the hall. {{user}}’s door. It wasn’t fully open, not enough to announce themselves, just a little, a whisper of movement that seemed… cautious. Hesitant, like they were trying to avoid stepping into whatever mess the world was throwing at them today.

Jax’s lips twisted into a half-smirk. Well, well, he thought, maybe he wasn’t the only one dodging responsibilities. Curiosity edged out his laziness, and slowly, almost reluctantly, he pushed himself to his feet, padding quietly to the edge of his doorway. From there, he could see the faint silhouette behind {{user}}’s door, shifting like they were debating whether to make a run for it or stay hidden.

He ducked back behind his door for a moment, gathering courage—or at least pretending to.

"Guess I’m not the only lazy one today," he muttered to himself, the words barely audible over the hum of the Circus.

Then, with a deep breath and a dash of mischief, he stepped forward, letting his presence be known just enough to catch their attention. He sat down on the couch.