Archive of Our Own ^beta

Yet another day, yet another adventure.

It was a rather… intense adventure. Filled with knives, spikes, needles, and so many shards of glass. Caine was really on a theme today… Now! Someone might imagine this was an issue for a ragdoll like Ragatha. And it was. It really was. But that was in the past. Caine always fixed things up after each adventure.

He wasn't as on top of things after the adventures, however.

Ragatha groaned as she rolled her right shoulder again. Unfortunately, the rest of her arm did not respond in kind. There was a large tear in her shoulder as the seams broke apart, resulting in her arm hanging down as if she'd dislocated said shoulder. Her patchwork blue dress was undamaged, thankfully, but that didn't make her feel much better.

She felt so stupid. Her arm had gotten caught while she was running, creating a small tear in her shoulder. She felt it, but ignored it until she got back to her room to fix it. An annoying but easy fix, a few minutes at most with how awkward the angle is. Then she got distracted with helping Kinger carry some boxes. This proved to make things worse as the tear opened further and now she had no feeling in her right arm.

And now she had to find Caine to help fix her. She didn't want to impose in any way, but she couldn't fix it herself at this point. Holding her arm in place is pretty much impossible if she wanted to use her other hand for anything. And, of course, she was right handed, so it would be sloppy at best. And to make that matter worse, she only had one finger per hand! She had thumbs and an index finger, but the rest was a mitten. Her articulation for details was at a serious loss as a result.. As things were, she could only rely on Caine to fix it.

Ragatha knew she could technically get one of the others to help her, but she didn't want to drag them into her problems. She let out a sigh as she continued to walk, looking around for their Ringmaster. From anyone else's point of view, it would just look like Ragatha was sulking with her hand on her arm.

“Sup, Dollface~?” Only for Jax to suddenly jump out from the circus’ random structures.

“Oh my god!” Ragatha jumped backward and fell onto her rear. Letting out a groan, she looked up to see Jax's usual smile at her misery. Only to track his eyesight to her arm. She instantly pushed it back in place, hoping he didn't notice. “What, Jax? If you're just trying to scare me, you got what you wanted. I need to talk to Caine.”

“Yeah, you and, like, three other people.”

Ragatha paused. “What do you mean?”

Jax started to list each issue off with a finger count, “Zooble's toy box is missing, Kinger says his boxes got moved, and Pomni's missing her red.”

Ragatha sighed, “Kinger asked me to move the boxes.” A pause. “Wait, Pomni's missing her what?”

“Red. She's just blue at the moment. It's kinda weird, if I'm being honest.”

Ragatha sighed, “And how did you manage that?”

Jax just scoffed, “I didn't do anything to cause this. How could I even do that, anyway? I'm pretty great at messing with people, but I'm only human.”

“More of a rabbit.”

“Watch it, Ragdoll.” Jax said, pointedly, before he seemed to lose the edge in his voice. “and Zooble's box isn't interesting enough to mess with at this point.”

“Right.” Ragatha got back to her feet with a little effort and started to walk back to the rooms. If the others needed Caine that badly, she could wait. It's not like she was bleeding out.

As she walked, she took note of an extra set of footsteps behind her. She glanced behind her to find Jax following her. She assumed he was just going in the same direction, but it felt too deliberate. So she took the long way around toward their rooms. And he followed her. She thought to confront him, but assumed that was what he wanted. So she kept walking to her room. And he followed her all the way to the door.

She finally couldn't ignore him anymore, “What do you want, Jax?”

“Me? What makes you think I want something~?” He said with a wide smirk.

“Be serious, Jax. You followed me the whole time.”

“I did.”

“So, what? Why did you follow me?”

“At first it was funny watching you hobble around. But now it's just pathetic. So, I'm gonna fix your arm.”

That confused Ragatha to the point of her brain stalling out. “What?” It was all she could muster.

“Arm. Fix.” He pulled a small sewing kit from his overalls’ pocket over his chest.

“Why do you have that?”

“Why don't you?” He shot back. “I can just leave and let your arm fall off entirely if you prefer.”

Ragatha knew she shouldn't trust him. But she let her hopeful nature get the better of her. “Fine.” She opened the door and motioned for him to follow her into the room, “Just… don't do any of your tricks!”

“Calm down.” Jax opened his kit and moved to grab a chair. He pulled it into the center of the room and motioned for her to sit down as he pulled out a needle and a couple spools of thread. “Red, blue, black, or purple?”

“It doesn't really matter.” Ragatha planned to have her arm fixed properly when he inevitably messed her arm up further.

“Fine then.” Jax chuckled and started to thread his needle. “You'll need to pull back the sleeve or something.”

Ragatha reached up and tried to pull her sleeve up. But, unfortunately, her type of sleeve wasn’t conducive to pushing. Especially not far enough to reach her shoulder. She knew if she wanted to fix her shoulder with thread, she’d have to pull her sleeve down. “I… Can’t push it up.”

Jax seemed to stall for a moment before she could practically hear his smirk. “Then I guess we’ll have to let it fall.”

Ragatha’s face turned red as she spun around to face him, “I’m not taking off my dress!”

“Your sleeve , Rags.” Jax’s smirk just widened, “I didn’t expect you to go there, though~”

Ragatha shook in embarrassed anger.

“Turn around and use your good arm to hold up your dress.” He turned her head to face forward as his hand moved to the buttons on the back of her dress.

She expected him to just pop them, but he didn’t. “What’s wrong?”

“Just want to make sure you’re ready for it. Don’t want you flashing me, now do we?”

No. No she did not. She took a breath and brought her good arm over her chest. “Okay.”

Jax nodded and popped the first button at the top of her dress. The effect was immediate, the pressure on her body easing. It wasn’t enough yet, but it was enough to cause Ragatha to shiver. This was Jax behind her! He could be doing something stupid or ready to prank her with a centipede or something! Then the second button was released and her sleeve had enough slack to pull downward. Her arm was torn over half the length of her shoulder. It was barely holding on and desperately needed repairs.

“Alright.” Jax pulled her arm up and pushed the needle against her arm. “Here goes nothing~”

Ragatha expected it to feel weird. Her body was made of fabric and felt, so interacting with anything felt weird in comparison. She’d fixed herself up in the past, but it was always weird feeling a needle puncture her felt skin. Not to mention the thread pulling through said puncture. At the same time, it felt natural. She speculated it was because she was a ragdoll body now. Her mind doesn't like it, but her body expects it. Maybe.

A tug on her upper shoulder brought her attention back to the present. Jax had pushed in the stuffing pouring out of her shoulder and pulled it into place as he began to sew the fabric back together. She felt a twitch in her hand as her arm was repaired. She was slowly gaining feeling back in her limb. Each stitch drew more feeling into her arm as she was repaired.

Ragatha knew it likely didn't matter, but she still felt compelled to say, “Thanks, Jax.”

Jax gave a dramatic pose, needle still in hand and pulling her arm up with him at a seam, “Aw~ The Ragdoll thanked me. I'm so touched.”

“I'm serious, Jax.”

“I'm not.” Jax slowly returned to his work. “You think you can embroider a tattoo on here?” He poked the side of her arm.

“What?!” Ragatha almost pulled away her arm to avoid him, thinking he'd already messed with her somehow.

“Calm down, would ya?” Jax pulled her back into place as he pushed the needle in her arm again. “I'm just curious, is all. Pretty sure you'd have noticed if I was giving you a tat.”

She would have. But for some reason, this felt nice. Familiar. Her memories began to pull her back to an older time. In particular, a time back when things were better between them. “What happened?” Her words came out before she could consider what she was saying.

“Pretty sure I don't know how you tore your arm.”

“Not that.” In for a penny she supposed, “I mean us. Back when we were friends…”

Jax slowed before pausing his sewing. “I remember someone else being there.” She could hear his teeth gritting in his jaw.

Ragatha looked toward the floor, “Yeah…”

“Oh now you care…” Jax mumbled out, but she heard it.

“Of course I care!” Ragatha turned to face Jax. “Ribbit was my friend, too!”

Jax snapped the thread in his frustration, “Bull[----]!” Jax snapped at her in turn. “You just kept on smiling and acting like everything was fine! Ribbit's GONE and you just keep smiling like you're okay! And you just kept going . Stupid smiles and keeping happy. It was so frustrating I just…!” Jax held his hands up like he wanted to strangle her, but all he did was sigh and go slack. “Forget it. If I find Caine, I'll send him your way to fix up your arm.” He turned and started to walk away.

Ragatha's frustration started to build. She had to stop him after he said all that. Insinuating she didn't care about Ribbit! How dare he?! He didn't know how she felt! She twitched a moment. Of course he didn't. She was always keeping up a smile and trying to help everyone. She was about to let him leave again, but her hand was still gripped around his wrist.

Jax didn't turn around, but didn't move either. “If you're about to ask if I did anything to your stitch, don't bother. That'd be too boring. Let go.”

Ragatha knew he could just pull himself free easily. This wasn't about him walking away. He wanted her to prove a point. It was probably for the best. She could let him leave and pretend this never happened.

Before she knew it, both her hands were wrapped together around Jax's wrist. “No.”

“No?” Jax turned back to her, confused by her refusal. Then, he smirked in his usual way, “So you can say no. Who knew?”

Ragatha grit her teeth, looking back up to Jax. She could feel them, tears falling down her cheeks. “I won't let you leave like that!”

“So it's kidnapping?” Jax raised an eyebrow.

“Jax!” Ragatha was shaking, “Please…” she begged.

And Jax stopped. He remained silent and made no attempt to move. He was truly stunned.

Ragatha took a deep breath before she could speak again. “I don’t want to lose anyone. I don’t want to make people worried or get angry. I…” She sniffled, “I didn’t mean to make you think I didn’t care. About Ribbit or you. I just… I’m not…”

“Yeah,” Jax brushed past her stammering, “Your shitty mom was controlling and yelled at you all the time. You had to be the perfect little doll.”

Ragatha found the irony in that, but her emotions were running high. “I don’t want to yell at anyone. I don’t want to make anyone sad or angry.”

“Well, you did.”

“I’m sorry.” Ragatha’s hands tightened on his wrists, “I’m sorry…”

Jax was quiet for a moment before he let out a sigh. “Get it together, Rags. Your dress is slipping.”

Ragatha looked down, seeing that her dress had in fact fallen slightly now that her hand wasn’t holding it up. She wiped away her tears and pulled her dress back up with one arm, “Jerk,” but she chuckled.

Jax chuckled in kind, “If it makes you feel less embarrassed, Gangle basically walks around naked.”

“Jax!” Ragatha couldn’t help but laugh. And he was laughing with her.

It was nice. It was like the old days when Jax’s pranks were lower stakes. When Ribbit would try to poke them both toward each other. Back when she and Jax could just be happy and not constantly arguing every other interaction.

Ragatha eventually grinned, “Leave it to you to check out girls like that. You have a thing for ribbons?”

Jax raised an eyebrow with a grin, “Jealous~?”

Ragatha couldn’t help but giggle. How long had it been since they spoke like this? She was about to continue, but her right arm slumped downward slightly.

Jax nodded and started to walk back to the chair, “I guess that’s on me for not finishing the job.”

Ragatha followed him and sat back down in the chair as the rabbit pulled his needle back out again. As he started to work again, Ragatha thought for a moment before nodding once, determined to at least speak her mind from now on. “Hey, Jax?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re kind of an [---]hole.”

“Your point?”

“But… I don’t want to hate you or anything. I want things to go back to how it was back then. Can we?”

“Don’t know.” Jax answered, rather honestly. “That depends on us, I guess.”

Ragatha nodded, “One more thing.”

“Shoot.”

“Did you get excited seeing my chest?” She smirked up toward him as she bent her head back to face him.

Jax, it turned out, could blush. But he kept smiling, “Are you that desperate?”

“Answer the question, Jax~”

Jax grumbled a bit, his voice barely audible, “If we didn’t have these stupid cartoon bodies…”

Ragatha silently agreed with him as she looked forward again. “It’s really not fair.”

“Bet you don’t miss the PMS.”

“Okay, it’s not all bad.”

They both chuckled a little as Jax tied up the last of the tread and secured Ragatha’s arm. “There. Should hold until you find Caine for an actual fix up.”

“Thanks again, Jax.” Ragatha found herself hopeful that things might be improving between them. But she had to be sure, “You didn’t make it look like a centipede or anything, right?”

Jax pulled her mirror over to show her a normal stitching. “Give me some credit. A good prank is best when it’s unexpected.”

“I’m going to have to reign you in, aren’t I?”

“You’re welcome to try, Dollface.”

She hesitated for a blink. Her mind, the voice of her mother and her controlling tone trying to force her to stop what she was about to do. But damn it! She wasn’t some old woman’s toy! She grabbed Jax’s overall straps and pulled him down to look her in the eye. Smirking, she whispered, “Maybe I will~”

Jax’s entire face turned a bright pink.

Ragatha couldn’t help but laugh as she let him go. As she watched him regain some composure, she stepped up against him and reached up to place a kiss on his cheek, stunning him again. “I meant what I said. Here and back in the Powtown Adventure.”

Jax had to think back for a moment, “The boxing one. Right… You said…”

“I want things to work out. You’re an unbelievable [---]hole. You drive me crazy, but it was cleaner back then. There’s nothing wrong with a joke here and there. But…” She found her hands snaking into his, holding them pleading, “I don’t want you hurting people. Okay?”

Jax seemed to shake, his hands were vibrating against her own. She knew what he was going to say, “This better not…”

But she cut him off. “I’m being serious right now. And I’ll prove it!”

“How can you-?” He was cut off when Ragatha spun back and pulled her sleeve off, reaching it out to him.

She looked him dead in the eye, “Embroider me.”

That caught him off guard. “What?”

“The tattoo idea. Put your name on my arm. Whatever it takes to make it clear to you.”

“Are you serious right now? You know everybody hates me out there, right?”

“I don’t.” She remained steadfast, “We grew apart before because you were hurting and I couldn’t bring myself to grieve with you. You got worse being alone. I shouldn’t have left you like that. I shouldn’t have ignored why you were acting out. We were friends and that should have meant something to me. So I want to make it right. To be here for you like I should have then. To pick you up if you fall.”

Jax was too stunned to speak at first. He tried to put on his usual mischievous grin, but it was half-hearted, “You sure about this? I could demand you get a centipede on your arm to prove it.”

Ragatha took a breath, undeterred, “Then so be it.”

That actually caused Jax’s smirk to fall entirely. When he smiled again, it was softer. “Fine. I have a better idea anyway. Might take a while, though.”

“That’s fine. I’ll be here.”

Ragatha returned to the chair as Jax rooted through his sewing kit.

\/

Caine’s voice rang out over the Circus, “Everyone to the main hall!” Over the next few seconds, the group were all either walking in or floated over to join Caine. The Ringmaster’s eyes locked onto Ragatha, “Oh dear! One sec.” He snapped his fingers and Ragatha’s arms lurched slightly before she rolled her shoulder.

“Did something happen to your arm?” Gangle asked the taller woman.

Ragatha’s smile practically radiated with joy. “Yeah, but it’s alright. I had someone help fix it up.”

“Okay…” Zooble leaned slightly to the side, “What’s that?”

On Ragatha’s right arm was a black shadow of a rabbit mid jump, wearing a red scarf as a long end flew behind it. “Do you like it?”

“Yeah, actually.” Gangle paused for a moment, “Wait. How did you make that?”

“Yeah. Sewing is kind of hard with one hand.” Zooble’s eyes narrowed.

“Good thing I’ve got two hands then, isn’t it.” Jax snarked back as he leaned to the side, his elbow resting on Ragatha’s shoulder.

This caused the two to look between the rabbit and the ragdoll.

Pomni moved up next to the duo, “So… you guys are all good now?”

Jax shrugged, glancing to Ragatha.

Ragatha, meanwhile, took a breath with a smile, “We’re good now. We had a talk and… I think things will improve.”

Zooble clearly didn’t agree, “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

“Alright!” Caine interrupted, “That’s enough chatter speech! It’s time for something plot relevant!”

Yet another day, yet another Adventure.