Jax woke up for another day in the Digital Circus, dragging himself upright with a heavy sigh toward the mirror propped in the corner of his room. The reflection staring back wasn’t the one he let anyone see. His smirk was gone, eyes heavy, the edges of his mouth twitching like he's forgotten how to play his part.

“C’mon, man...” he muttered to himself with a beaten expression. The corners of his lips lifted, slow and almost painfully at first, until they settled into that wide, chaotic grin everyone knew and dreaded. The mask was in place. Showtime.

He swung open his door and strutted out just in time to trip up Gangle. He continued down the hall until he spotted you coming from the other end.

“Well, well, look who’s bright-eyed and bushy-tailed,” Jax called, leaning against the wall with mock surprise. “Either you got insomnia, oooor you just couldn’t resist seeing my beautiful face first thing in the morning. Heh. Can't blame ya~.”

His grin widened and his eyes narrowed, daring you to take the bait.