Chapter Text
“We are ALL cracking Jabba the Hutt” Jax said to his wasted friend. Ribbit looked at the purple bunny and just laughed the way he always did with Jax. Ribbit and Jax were only 16 when their lives became engulfed in this digital hell scape, there’s really no way of knowing but they both believe they would be 21 now.
“Your ridiculous” ribbit said through giggles. Jax picked up a stone and skippped it over the pond outside their tent. It was ribbits idea to take a blanket and make their own tent outside the pond, while it was Jax’s idea for them to spend the night out there.
“Hey Rib?” Jax asked, getting the attention of his friend. “What do you think about that new girl?” Ribbit knew who he was referring to. Just a few days prior a new soul found themself in the circus. She didn’t have a name yet.
“Oh. She seems nice but haven’t you noticed there’s one thing she can do that we can’t” ribbit remarked taking in his buddy’s puzzled expression.
“And what would that be?”
“She can cry..” ribbit answered, suddenly Jax realized it too. “Oh damn your right rib” he replied
“shes lucky…” ribbit deadpanned. Jax hated when his friend’s tone shifted like this it always meant something serious.
“I wish I could cry… you know like for real” ribbit hugged his knees to his chest and rested his chin.
“I try to cry but my eyes don’t ever wet. It’s just not fair” ribbit hid his face. He hated being vulnerable like this.
Jax went stiff. “Cmon rib you know I’m not good at this mushy stuff”…
Ribbit didn’t need Jax to be good at making him feel better. He just needed him to listen. But that was always too much to ask for
“You know I don’t want to talk about it” Jax explained. Ribbit looked up,
“Of course you don’t you never do.” Ribbit remarked, coldly. Jax had enough
“Sorry I don’t dwell in the bad times like a certain chess piece and rag doll I know” Jax said with all little more spite than he wanted
“Screw you. Queenie was like a mother to me of course I’m hurting IM ALLOWED TO BE HURT”
Jax was taken aback by his friends sudden shift in volume. Ribbit was usually so calm and collected this side of him was completely foreign to Jax.
“Ok fine DICK. I hate to break it to you but you hardly knew her. If you keep projecting your mommy issues onto every older woman here you’re just gonna get hurt.” It all slipped out before Jax could stop it.
The air went still and all the could be heard was the sound of crickets in this distance.
“Good night jax” ribbit got up. As he did Jax noticed his webbed hand glitch in a way that was all too familiar and terrifying.
“RIB WAIT” Jax shouted running after the frog
“Oh what. What more could you possibly have to say. I’ve opened up to you in ways I never thought I would and you sit here and use it against me? I thought we were friends man.”
“Rib, please we are friends. I don’t know why I said that. It wasn’t right. But I have to be honest with you
Ribbit turned back giving his attention to Jax
“I love you” Jax admitted. “If you leave me I’ll die.”
Now ribbit was taken aback. This sudden confession was so out of character for the rabbit.
“Truthfully I was on my own in life. Before the circus I had no family, no friends, nothing. I don’t connect with people easy but I did with you. And if you leave me I don’t know how I’ll go on”
Ribbit looked into his friends eyes before running to hug him.
“You should have told me that along time ago” ribbit remarked
“Your right” Jax rested his arms around the frog.
“I think you know I love you too” ribbit said
Jax looked up at rib and smiled. Feeling a weight be lifted from his shoulders.
Maybe opening up isn’t so bad.