Chapter Text
This was Caine’s worst adventure yet.
At least to Gangle, anyway. Pomni seemed to like it, citing it as “ the most normal she’s felt,” and Ragatha seemed to like it as well.
Jax was… another story.
Zooble seemed indifferent, they always seemed indifferent — either that or really really mad. Gangle liked it usually, always taking shots at Jax (especially after he bullied Gangle.)
It was nice, really nice.
Though, as Gangle fiddled with the sketchbook tangled in her ribbons, and Zooble’s hand gracing her back. She found that she couldn’t keep her pencil out of her mouth.
Oh.
Gangle fought the soft buzz in her mind, though Zooble didn’t make it much easier — especially with all the compliments they were giving. Pomni would look over occasionally, smiling at the ribbons work. Gangle gripped her pencil, fighting back tears as she bit her lip.
“I—uhm,” Gangle stammered, trying to ignore Zooble’s worried look, “I’m gonna head to bed, uh, you guys have fun!”
Ragatha hummed, continuing to ramble to Jax, while Pomni just smiled. Gangle smiled back.
As Gangle stood up, she felt Kinger jolt, before waving at her, she waved back as she left.
Zooble was silent, her gaze fixed downward.
Gangle gulped.
Gangle shoved through her things, shuffling through a few books and stuffed animals before her eyes landed on a familiar box. She pulled it close, sighing in relief.
She carefully set the box on the ground before peeking inside, her ribbons shaking.
“Oh, oh, yes!” She whispered, ripping off the top off the box.
Inside the box, were a few pacifiers, a ragged stuffed animal, and a rattle. Gangle quickly stood up and brought the box to her bed, pulling a blanket over herself. She scrambles for a few stray crayons and her sketch pad before settling down.
Soon, the regressor began to scribble away, sucking her pacifier absentmindedly as she drew. She had a vision, somewhat, a small yellow circle in the corner, a bright red stick figure with a taller pink one next to it, and a few blades a bright green grass at the bottom. Gangle giggled at the absurdity of the drawing.
Gangle flipped the page, starting on another artwork for their friend. She smiled at the project, leaning in as she focused…
A few small taps came at the door, then one big knock. She fought back a whimper, ripping out her pacifier and shoving it away, then hiding the sketchbook under the pillow.
Gangle rushed to the door, brushing herself off before opening the door.
“Hey…” Zooble smiled, or, it looked like they were smiling anyway. “You okay? You… kinda ran off…”
Gangle smiled awkwardly, looking down, “Uh, yeah! Just you know… there’s been a lot going on, especially with this last adventure and… uh… I don’t know…”
Zooble nodded, as Gangle guided the other into her room, letting her sit down on the bed.
Gangle took a deep breath, wringing her ribbons together before looking up at Zooble.
“Uh… you know… I really need to tell you something, Zooble, I…”
“Yeah?” Zooble leaned in closer.
Gangle blushed, “Well, I—”
Zooble suddenly flinched, jumping up, “Oh! Uh, I think you dropped something.”
Gangle whipped her head back, stammering a bit before realizing what had happened.
One of her pacifiers had rolled out, conveniently, or inconveniently, it was the bright, red, and sparkly one.
Extremely noticeable, of course it has to be the shiniest one, and of course it had to be when Zooble was—
“It’s fine if you like, don’t wanna tell me… I’m not gonna judge or anything,” Zooble muttered.
Gangle could almost feel cracks in her mask, she felt hot tears prick at her eyes. Gangle pushed Zooble out of the room.
She quickly grabbed the pacifier and threw it under her blanket, feeling her chest burn, her face grow hot, she couldn’t just—
“You can, talk to me about these things, you know that right? I’m not gonna torture you like Jax or whatever,” The other said. “It’s kind of… cute, actually.”
Gangle sniffled, wiping a few stray tears away from her face. “R—Really?”
Zooble nodded, then remembered, “Oh, yeah! Of course, I can always help out too, you know.”
Gangle stood up, then opened her door again, taking a deep breath before looking at Zooble in the face.
“Okay.”
“So do you think you could explain to me why you do all this? Not that it’s bad.”
Gangle shuddered a bit, trying to fight the nausea she was getting from thinking.
If she told Zooble why she did this, she would have to go into everything she had ever been through and… ew.
That felt even worse to think about.
“I kinda have some… unresolved stuff with my childhood, I guess? And uhm… this baby stuff helps me…”
“Cope?” Zooble finished, “like… you can create new memories to help with the bad ones.”
“Sort of, yeah!” Gangle smiled. “Caine was actually the person, or, entity, who got me all this stuff, I lied to him and said that it was for my dolls.”
“Dolls?”
Gangle squealed, going under her bed to search, “Yes! My dolls!”
Gangle pulled a few dolls out, her eyes lighting up as she explained the backstories of each of the toys. All while Zooble listened happily.
And as they eyed the small box on the floor, and the childlike drawings sticking out from under Gangle’s pillow, Zooble felt just a little more comfortable here.