Chapter Text
Jax’s sister is getting married.
He needs a plus one. More importantly—he needs a date.
Not only that, but the whole thing is happening in Colombia.
And he’s freaking the fuck out.
He unloads all of this onto Zooble during their lunch break at Spudsy’s, slumped over the breakroom bench like the weight of the world is pressing down on him.
“She’s been calling me nonstop. It’s annoying. I bet she’s calling me right now,” he grumbles, dragging a tired hand through his hair. His tray of food sits untouched in front of him.
Zooble doesn’t even look impressed. They just point their fork at him before taking a bite of their food. “Your phone isn’t ringing.”
Jax rolls his eyes. “We’re literally at work. It’s on silent.”
They chew slowly, then say flatly, “Huh. First smart thing you’ve done since I’ve met you.”
“Haha, very funny,” Jax mutters, yanking his visor off and tossing it onto the bench beside him.
Zooble narrows their eyes at him. “If it’s that important, just go on Reddit and ask a stranger to go with you.”
Jax makes a face like he just swallowed spoiled milk. A visible shudder runs down his frame. “Yeah, no. Hard pass.”
He taps restless fingers against the bench, glaring at the floor. Then he suddenly whirls on Zooble, pointing a finger like an accusation. “If you hadn’t told Camila you were bringing a date, none of this would’ve happened!”
Right. He forgot to mention—
Camila fucking adores Zooble. Sometimes Jax suspects she might like them more than she likes him. She invited them to the wedding herself, practically beaming.
Zooble sets their lunchbox down and crosses their legs to face him. “Are you serious right now? You’re blaming me?”
“There’s no other options left,” Jax mumbles, shoulders slumping in defeat.
Zooble scoffs, shaking their head. “It’s not my fault she got overexcited when I said I would be bringing Gangle. And it’s definitely not my fault you lied about dating someone new after breaking up with you-know-who.”
Jax pouts, narrowing his eyes like a sulky child. “Whatever. I just wanted to blame someone that wasn’t me.”
“Obviously,” Zooble sighs, folding their arms.
Silence settles between them, thick and unproductive. Jax stares down at the tiled floor, wondering how the hell he’s going to dig himself out of this mess, while Zooble leans back and stares up at the ceiling like it might give them answers.
It takes Gangle poking her head in and telling them that their lunch break is over and to get back to work for them to realize they’ve been sitting there for far too long.
Jax groans, dragging himself upright and shoving his visor back on. “This is stupid. I’ll just tell her I broke up with the fake person I’m supposedly dating.”
Zooble just stares at him as he shuffles back toward the assembly line. They keep staring even when he shoots them a weird look.
Finally, Zooble abandons the grill after flipping what they deem to be “enough patties” and comes to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him.
Jax glances over, eyebrow cocked. “What?”
“Ask Pomni.”
Jax freezes. His eyes widen, lips part, and color blooms across his tan cheekbones before he snaps his gaze back down to the burger he’s assembling. “No.”
Zooble smirks knowingly. “Why not?”
“Because…” he stalls, weighing whether to admit it. Should he tell Zooble about his crush? No. No way. “… I don’t want to.”
“You’re terrible at hiding your feelings for her,” Zooble deadpans, their smug grin widening when he gapes at them. “Of course I know you like her. It’s not exactly subtle. I’m honestly shocked she hasn’t figured it out yet.”
Jax’s scowl deepens as he slaps a bun on the patty a little too hard. “That’s beside the point. I’m not asking Pomni to come with me and pretend to be my girlfriend.”
And that’s when Gangle rounds the corner. “What is this about Pomni being a fake girlfriend for a wedding?”
Zooble immediately perks up at the sight of her, their sharp expression softening into something grossly fond.
Jax thinks it’s utterly gross how much they like each other.
“Jax told his sister he’s dating someone—even though he’s obviously not—and she wants him to bring them to the wedding," Zooble explains, snickering at Jax’s misery.
“Huh,” Gangle mumbles, she turns to face Jax. “So, you're bringing Pomni?”
Jax’s left eye twitches. His entire body screams stressed. “No. I’m not.”
Gangle looks between him and Zooble, puzzled. “Why not?”
Zooble lifts a shoulder, pointing their thumb at Jax. “I don't know. Ask him.”
Jax opens his mouth. No words come out. He closes it again, frowning deeply, as if the ground itself might swallow him and spare him this conversation.
Finally, he mutters, voice tight, “She might feel uncomfortable with the whole thing.”
Zooble lets out an exaggerated sigh. “Wow. That’s the first time you’ve ever taken someone else’s feelings into consideration. I’m proud.”
“Oh, fuck off,” Jax grumbles, flipping them the bird without even looking up from the burger in his hands.
Gangle edges closer, tilting her head, one hand on her hip. “C’mon, Jax. I don’t think she’d feel uncomfortable if you actually… y’know… planned things out and set boundaries. Pomni would be the perfect fake date for the wedding.”
Before Jax can snap back, a voice drifts in from behind them.
“I would be whose perfect fake date for what wedding?”
The three of them freeze. Slowly, almost painfully, they turn their heads together.
Pomni stands there, visor tucked loosely in her hands, her brows raised in mild curiosity.
“Uhm…” Jax starts, the burger on his station utterly abandoned. His throat feels dry. “I… may have accidentally told my sister I was seeing someone new. And now she wants to know if I’m bringing them as my date to her wedding.”
Pomni’s lips part, her visor tilting absently in her fingers. “So… you want to bring me as your fake date?”
“No,” Jax blurts out at the same time Zooble says, “Yes.”
The two of them whip their heads around to glare daggers at each other before turning back to Pomni like nothing happened.
“I mean… the wedding’s in Colombia,” Jax stammers, adjusting his visor to avoid her eyes. “That’s a lot to ask from someone.”
Pomni chews her bottom lip thoughtfully, and Jax can’t stop staring at that tiny, infuriatingly distracting motion.
“I mean, I’m okay with it,” she says finally, her voice soft but sure. A small smile tugs at the corners of her mouth. “If you really want me to go as your fake date, that is.”
Jax, Zooble, and Gangle all shout in unison, “Wait, really?!”
Pomni flinches at the sudden outburst, her expression flickering with surprise. “I mean… yeah. I’m fine with it.”
“Y’know the wedding’s in Colombia, right?” Jax asks again, his tone a mix of disbelief and caution.
Pomni nods.
“And you’d be acting like you’re my girlfriend.”
Another nod.
“We’d probably have to… share a room.”
Pomni groans, plopping the visor on her head. “Yes, Jax. I’m okay with all of it. You clearly need this. Besides, you’re already lying to her. Might as well commit.”
Jax squeezes his eyes shut and pinches the bridge of his nose like he’s got a migraine. “Okay. Fine. Yeah. Let’s… do this.”
Pomni beams, her smile bright enough to knock the wind out of him. “Great. We’ll talk more about this later.” With that, she glides toward the register, settling into her usual spot as if she hadn’t just upended Jax’s entire world.
The silence that follows is deafening. None of them move until Zooble leans in and whisper-yells, “Holy shit!”
“Shut up! Shut the fuck up!” Jax hisses, pacing in a tight circle behind the assembly station. His hands rake through his hair. “I can’t believe that just happened.”
Zooble crosses their arms, smirk never fading. “You totally have to romance her once you’re over there.”
“I agree,” Gangle chimes in, clasping her hands together with a dreamy hum. “This could be your chance to make her your actual girlfriend.”
Jax groans, bending forward until his forehead smacks against the cold, hard metal of the station. He doesn’t move. “I’m not romancing anyone. She’s only doing this as a favor. She doesn’t even like me. We’ll get through it, and then we’ll forget it ever happened when we get back.”
Behind him, Zooble and Gangle share a quiet look.
Zooble softens, their smirk easing into something closer to a frown. “Why not give it a try, Jax? We see how much you like her.”
That makes him snap upright so suddenly Gangle flinches back. “Whatever,” he mutters, shaking his head and grabbing another bun. “I don’t care. Let’s just get back to work.”
Zooble presses their lips into a thin line but doesn’t argue, turning back toward the grill. Gangle drifts off to whatever manager task she’d been doing before.
Jax throws himself into assembly with laser focus—trying not to think about Pomni and the wedding—stacking patties and wrapping burgers like his life depends on it. But no matter how many times he repeats the motions, he can’t force the thought away.
The wedding.
Pomni’s smile.
Her saying yes.
By the end of his shift, he realizes he’s failed completely.
—
Jax is minding his own business in his dorm after getting back from his shift, taking off his Spudsy’s uniform and putting on his pajamas. He’s halfway to collapsing in bed when his phone starts buzzing across his desk.
He groans, grabs it, and squints at the caller ID. His sister. Of course. He snatches it up anyway.
“Camila,” he greets, tossing his black trousers into the hamper with his free hand.
“Jax, you’re bringing a date, right?” she asks, her tone uncharacteristically serious.
He exhales deeply out his nose, mind immediately going to Pomni saying yes to being his date earlier. “Yes, I am.”
He can hear her perk up over the receiver, her voice pitching higher with excitement. “Perfect! I just wanted to check so I can book you guys a hotel room near the venue. It’s a part of a package deal. Since Zooble’s bringing their date it works out perfectly for everyone!”
Jax scrubs a tired hand down his face. “That’s wonderful, Camie.”
“I know, right?! I’m so excited! When are you guys leaving so I can put the dates down?”
Dragging himself to his desk calendar, Jax flips through two pages with a sigh. “Uh… me and Zooble are thinking about leaving the week before the wedding. So, Friday, July tenth.”
“Great! That works out perfectly.” He hears her scribbling furiously on the other end, papers crinkling. “And when do you fly back?”
He narrows his eyes at his calendar, lips pursed. “July twenty-second.”
“Got it!” she practically shouts into the receiver, making him yank the phone away from his ear.
“Great. So if you're done—”
“I need a name.”
Jax blinks. “… What?”
“For the reservation. I can’t just put down ‘Jax.’ That’s not even your legal name.”
He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Then use my birth name, Camila. It’s not rocket science—”
“And your date’s.”
“Seriously?” he hisses, the hand that isn't clutching his phone is gripping onto his desk so hard his knuckles turn white.
“Yes, I'm serious Jax. Or else they won’t process it.”
The silence stretches. Jax stares down blankly at his calendar.
“Well?” Camila presses.
Oh, right.
Pomni.
What was her actual name again?
Fuck. Shit. Fuck
Finally, he mutters, “Pyeong Ji-won. Or… Ji-won Pyeong, if you’re doing first name, last name.” His face burns hot with shame.
Why did Pomni agree to do this with him?!
“Okay, great!” Camila chirps. Then, after a few seconds she snickers, and adds, “I just asked you that so you could tell me her name.”
Jax bolts upright, jaw clenched so tight it hurts. “Oh my God! Camila! You fucking—”
“I have to go! Talk to you later. Love you, bye!” she sing-songs before hanging up.
The call cuts off. Jax lets out a guttural groan and hurls his phone onto his bed, watching it bounce once before flopping flat.
He is going to strangle her the second he sees her.
—
“What you guys are doing is so stupid that it ends up being funny,” Ragatha laughs, sinking deeper into the oversized beanbag. She clutches a throw pillow to her chest, eyes crinkled with amusement.
They’re all crammed into Zooble and Gangle’s apartment, the small living room cluttered with mismatched furniture and the faint smell of burnt popcorn lingering in the air. A whiteboard leans crooked against the wall with half-erased scribbles of “fake first date ideas” and “anniversary timeline.”
Pomni tucks her legs under herself on the loveseat, sitting close enough to Jax that their knees occasionally brush. She’s fiddling with the sleeve of her hoodie but her voice is calm when she says, “I don’t think it’s that stupid. Just… creative.”
Jax, slouched miserably beside her, has his cheek propped against his palm. His other hand drums against his knee in restless annoyance. “No, it is pretty stupid. I don’t even know why we’re doing this,” he mutters, staring at the floor like it personally offended him.
Zooble groans from the armchair, one hand rubbing their temple. Gangle is perched sideways in their lap, legs dangling over the armrest since there aren't any chairs left for her to sit on. “Then don’t do it,” Zooble snaps. “Tell Camila you broke up and save everyone the headache.”
The mention of his sister makes Jax snap his head up to look at them. He shakes his head. “I can’t do that! She already booked the hotel, and I already confirmed I’d be going with Pomni. I don’t want to—” he falters, swallowing. “—I don’t want to break her heart.”
The room goes quiet for a beat, the only sound being the faint hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen.
Zooble exhales sharply, pinching the bridge of their nose. “Okay, then stop complaining. It’s annoying.” Their tone is sharp enough to cut glass, but there’s no real heat behind it—just exhaustion.
“Whatever,” Jax mutters, rolling his eyes and sinking back against the loveseat, his shoulder brushing against Pomni’s.
Pomni glances sideways at Jax, lips twitching like she’s fighting a smile. “You really don’t have to act like this is the end of the world,” she says softly, her voice cutting through the tension.
Gangle leans against Zooble more, eyes gleaming with mischief. “Honestly, I think it’s kind of romantic. Two friends pretending to date, forced to share a room in a foreign country…” She sighs dreamily. “It’s like a cheesy rom-com.”
“Gross,” Jax mutters immediately, though his ears burn red.
Zooble leans forward, careful not to drop Gangle, eyes narrowing as if this is serious business. “Alright. If we’re actually going through with this, then we need a backstory. How did you two meet?”
Pomni frowns. “We already know each other. We go to the same college, have a class together, and work together.”
Zooble waves a hand dismissively. “Boring. You need a story that’s believable enough and, not only that, one that Jax’s family will eat up. Those people love crazy love stories.”
“Ooo, maybe one where you guys bumped into each other in the freezer at work!” Gangle suggests, her arms flapping with excitement. “You know, surrounded by french fries and frozen patties, your eyes locked—”
“That’s not romantic, that’s frostbite,” Jax deadpans.
Ragatha giggles, hugging her pillow closer. “What about meeting at a party? Like, one of those frat parties. You two could’ve slipped outside for some air and—bam! Instant chemistry.”
Jax stares at her, horrified. “No. No frat parties. My mom would probably kill me if she even heard I went to one.” He rakes a hand through his hair, visibly stressed.
Zooble cocks a brow, gently wrapping their arms around Gangles’s waist. “Does she even know what a frat party is?”
Jax presses his lips into a thin line. “… Nah. But Camila being Camila, she’d probably tell her just to piss me off and get me in trouble.”
“Right,” Pomni cuts in, trying to steer them back. “So we need something else. Something believable.”
“How about…” Gangle taps her chin in thought, then her face lights up in excitement. “Okay! Jax bumped into Pomni in the hallway. He apologizes, she looks into his eyes and—bam! Love at first sight. They hit it off and eventually start talking. But then, knowing Jax’s self sabotaging ways—”
“Hey!”
“—he got all moppy and depressed and said to Pomni, ‘we were never friends’ to save himself the heartache. Then, at a non-frat party, Pomni pulls him outside while it's raining and they get in an argument. They eventually confess to each other and share a heated, messy kiss in the rain. Bam—they're together.”
Silence. They all just… stare at her like she sprouted a second head.
Pomni chuckles nervously, shifting on the loveseat. “That’s… really detailed.” She scratches the back of her neck. “Maybe we should just go with Ragatha’s idea. With the frat party.”
“No frat party!” Jax yells, actually distressed.
Zooble groans, pinching the bridge of their nose. “You guys met in an English class and became friends. We add Jax’s self sabotaging ways. It's all angsty blah blah blah, then I talk him into apologizing to Pomni and he does and they get together, bam. That's final. That's it,” They look like they're about to pop a blood vessel.
“Fine,” Jax mutters, slumping deeper into the cushions and staring at the ceiling. “English class. Friends. Angst. Whatever. No one is going to ask us anyway.”
Zooble’s lips curl into a slow, dangerous smirk. “How about your tía Luciana?”
Jax smacks his palm to his forehead. “Fuck. You’re right. That woman is in everyone’s business.” He bolts upright, gripping Pomni by the shoulders and shaking her slightly. “If you see a light-skinned woman with curly platinum-blonde hair—don’t. Interact. With her. She’s the devil.”
Pomni bursts into laughter at first, only to stop when she realizes he’s being completely serious. She swallows, nodding solemnly. “Okay. I won’t.”
Jax nods back like they’ve just made a blood pact and finally lets go.
“Good,” Zooble drawls, leaning their head on Gangle’s shoulder which makes her smile. “Now—details. Inside jokes. Pet names. Couple stuff.”
At that, Jax shoots upright so fast Pomni nearly topples off the loveseat. “Absolutely not. No pet names.”
“Oh, definitely pet names,” Ragatha argues, pointing her pillow at him. “That’s rule number one of a relationship.”
Pomni’s eyes glint mischievously. “Relax. It’s not like I’m gonna start calling you snuggle muffin.” She taps her chin, feigning thoughtfulness. “Maybe something simpler. Like… Honey, or darling.”
Jax groans and drags both hands down his face. His chest, though, feels tight—and definitely not in a bad way. He tries very hard to ignore the heat crawling up his neck.
Pomni slips off the loveseat, striding to the whiteboard they’ve been using. She uncaps the black marker and scribbles down:
Story: English class. Friends. Angst. Together.
Pet names: Honey, Darling, Love, Babe.
“No babe or baby!” Jax protests, pouting like a sulky teenager. “That’s cringey.”
Ragatha snorts as Pomni rolls her eyes and neatly erases it. Then Pomni adds beneath:
Anniversary: December 23rd.
Jax squints. “Why that date?”
Pomni shrugs, capping the marker. “It just… came to mind.”
“Huh.” He hums, strangely thoughtful, watching her pad back over to him. She settles beside him again on the loveseat with a small, satisfied smile. And, against his better judgment, Jax feels the corner of his mouth twitch up too.
The peace lasts about two seconds before Ragatha pipes up brightly, “Oh, hey—Pomni still needs to find something nice to wear for the wedding!”
Jax freezes.
Fuck.
He totally forgot about that.