Adventures end, but the circus never really rests. Still, there’s a moment—right before Caine resets the lights—where everyone slumps together on the floor. You choose Jax. Every time.

He’s already sitting when you arrive, legs stretched out. You settle between them, familiar now. He doesn’t tease anymore. Doesn’t comment. Just lets his presence exist around you. “You know,” he murmurs, staring ahead, “this place tries real hard to make us forget we’re people.” You nod. “You help me remember.” He laughs softly, but it’s not mocking. “…Careful,” he says. “That’s a dangerous thing to say to someone like me.”