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It had been years. Years of feeling a love for someone he knows he can’t have.
At least he thinks of it that way.
Caine didn’t necessarily hate the feeling, he just…didn’t want to lose his only close friend in the circus.
Him and Kinger had been good friends. If he were to confess- it’d just make things messy.
But lately, he’s been feeling like it wouldn’t hurt to at least try. To at least have this experience with Kinger. He could not wait another second.
So, he’s gonna ask him on a date.
It’s actually more like…a friendly hangout over food, Caine would decide. To maybe, just maybe, see if Kinger wanted more. More than what they already had. Not too unusual, not too blunt.
The ringmaster finds his way to the chess pieces fortress door, and hesitantly lifts his hand up to gently knock.
Kinger hears, and gets startled at first. “AAAA!” He screams, then calming, recognizing the voice. ”wait, caine? Is that you..?”
Caine’s heart does a little flip from hearing his voice from the other side of the wall.
“It is me!! I- I have, something I’d like to show you, kinger.”
“Oooh, really?” Kinger opens the door, stepping out of his room, now looking directly at Caine with curious eyes. “What is it that you want to show me? Is it…time for an adventure already?”
Caine gulps. “N-no…The thing I want to-er, show you, is right over here!” Caine brings out his finger and points across the room.
”Just, uh, follow me!!”
He leads him to a tiny dining room, with a table filled with a feast of food.
“Haha.."Caine laughs anxiously.“so this is that something that I wanted to show you…what do you think?” Caine looks down at kinger, expectantly.
Kinger looks around the room, in awe. It’s dimly lit, and the color is a soft, warm hue. It is quite nice. And the (digital) food, sitting on top a fancy table- a large, rare looking steak, ribs, and…red wine?
“I think…it’s wonderful, Caine! When did you set this all up?”
“Uh,uh,uhm! Just a few hours ago…it took 3 hours! You know, modeling and what not!” Caine averts his gaze away from kinger. It had actually taken him more than just 3 hours. He counted the amount of minutes, and It took him approximately 520 minutes, which is about 9 hours.
Though, most of that time was spent making an asset, only to delete it later.
He wanted it to be perfect. He wanted to be perfect, for him.
Kinger seems flabbergasted, and slightly concerned.“Wow, that’s…a long time.” he walks towards Caine.
“Yes, indeed! Now, if you may,” Caine pulls a chair out.“…I just wanted to talk with my favorite human! I-I have even given you a seat at this…table.” Caine holds out the chair for kinger.
Kinger notices Caine's oddly…gentlemanly behavior toward him. But he brushes it off, sitting down on the chair. Caine floats to his seat to sit down.
“Did you…want to talk about anything in particular?” Kinger questions.
This is already going so well! “Not really, but as long as I get to hear your voice, any topic is fine by me…” Caine’s voice seems to get higher in pitch at the end of his sentence.
Kinger tilts his head. “Uhm, Caine,” he pauses, in deep thought before continuing. “you’re not acting like your usual self…are you okay?”
Caine had been practicing the night before, talking to himself in the mirror, but now he’s starting to think this was a mistake trying to act this flirtatious towards kinger. Perhaps he’s laying on it a bit thick… He had hoped it would swoon him, but he just seems confused at the moment.
he’ll keep going anyways…
“YES, I am perfectly fine! Thank you for asking! It’s just- you’re my…” Caine struggles to say exactly what they are. Is he…a Friend? No…“…Close friend!”
“Oh, You think of me as a…close friend?” Kinger points to himself.
“Yep! Very, very close.” Caine gives a thumbs up.
kinger is quiet for moment.
“Well, I also think you’re…” Kinger hesitates. His gaze goes from caine, down to the food on his plate.”I-“ he breaths in. “really appreciate everything you’ve done…” he sighs.
Caine wonders what he was going to say. “Ah? I mean, it’s not much, but…you know.” Caine thinks he might be getting to him.”a-anyways, we should talk!”
what follows is a long silence of not talking. Caine awkwardly coughs. He notices that kinger is growing uncomfortable…
This was a bad idea. he is so nervous, he doesn’t even know what to say to kinger. He quickly thinks of something…
“Kinger, “ he starts. “ you always look so stunning in that beautiful purple robe of yours,” Caine instantly regrets what he said. “where did you get it, anyhow!?”
…
Must have been the wind…
Kinger lifts his eyebrows in surprise. That sentence had caught him off guard, and he didn’t really know how to respond to, well, that.
“Oh, uh! Thank you, caine…I-I…I have always worn this, the day I joined the circus..?” Kinger stops to look at caine, taking in his form. he gazes at him intensely. For some reason, he feels warm. He continues after awhile.“you look…quite fashionable as well!”
Caine let’s out some nervous laughter. ”ahaha, thank YOU kinger! I really think you’re great, and nice!” Caine says, a bit flustered.
their hands brush against each other, on the table, making them both blush…
Kinger smiles softly at him. After yet another long quiet, his face turns more serious. “Hey, caine…?”
“Uh-Yes, my royal b-butterfly?” Caine is so embarrassingly flustered.
“I noticed…this is all so…intimate, don’t you think…?” He looks at him longingly.
Caine blushes “W-well, yes! I mean, OF COURSE! It’s m-meant to be…nice, and cozy! I just thought it would be comfortable…for us.”
Kinger looks at him with such a way that makes caine’s very own code shake.
It is a long time, before he breaths in, and out and finally speaks.
“…is this a date?”
Caine stops.
There’s no turning back now. He sighs. Maybe it’s Time, to tell him. “I-I…yeah, yeah. It is a date.” Caine looks down in resignation, preparing for the worst.
Kinger eyes go wide.
sigh…..
Caine might as well tell the full truth. If this goes wrong, he’ll never show his face to kinger ever again.
”Kinger …I…I’m gonna be honest. You’ve...we’ve always been friends, for a really long time. You were my first human guest here, in this circus. W-well! after awhile…something began to…change within me…” Caine nervously fidgets with his fingers.
He refuses to look at kinger in the eyes…
“…at first, I didn’t…understand. My normal, friendly feelings towards you turned into something else. S-Something like no other feeling before! An incredibly intense feeling…” Caine’s face turns a deep shade of red.
“A-And I began to love the way you looked at me…The way you’d describe the bugs and list down the facts about them…the way you would speak, the way you-you just made me feel different, Kinger! I wanted to spend more time with you…I wanted to have your hand in mine…I think you’re really cute, and kind…You’re different from the rest because I feel this way about you, a feeling that only you can make me feel…you make me feel so warm, and I like the way you look…”
Caine stops to take a breather. He stands up from his seat to go and stand in front of Kinger. Kinger slowly stands up as well.
“…this whole “date” thing…I was just trying to see if…if you really felt the same way about me. And I-it’s…” caine hesitates, but he has to keep going.“Kinger…this feeling…I’m..I-I’M…” Caine’s voice gets shaky. He looks up.
Suddenly, he leaps forward to put both of his hands on Kinger’s shoulders.
just say it.
“I- I’M IN LOVE WITH YOU!” Caine says, leaning close to him.
…
Oh god, what have I done?
a few seconds go by, but no response from kinger. He’s just staring.
Caine’s heart drops and he tries to backtrack.
“But, ah…it doesn’t have to be that way. I know you probably don’t feel the same-We could always just…forget…about this whole thing. Nothing wrong in doing that! I-i shall take my leave…”
little did he know, kingers heart has practically exploded.
As Caine lifted his hands off his shoulders, Kinger stops him from floating away. ”No, wait!” he takes a hold of Caine’s hand, wrapping his fingers in his.
Caine’s face couldn’t get any more redder than it already was…
”y-y-yes, Kinger?!” Caine stutters wildly.
“….Im in love with you, too.” Kinger gives Caine’s hand a squeeze.
Caine’s system almost shuts down.“Y-Y-you-?”
“Yes...” Kinger pauses, his heart beating faster. ”gosh-I…I think you’re amazing, Caine. To me, I always wondered if we were exactly friends, as I felt…different with you…I just, I think you’re cute as well…” he says, a bit shyly, and he brings Caine closer.
”w-wow! Wow, would you look at that! You actually-my dear, you…” Caine accidentally let that slip out.”I-I DIDN'T MEAN TO CALL YOU THAT! I mean-if you want to, I…”
Kinger sets his hands on Caine’s shoulders. Caine’s breathing calms.
They are both gazing into each others eyes. Kinger brings Caine even closer.
Caine realizes what he wants…and he slowly lifts his hands up to Kinger face, as he leans in more…
he brings their blushing faces together.
but, instead of a normal kiss, they end up clipping together on accident, creating a large spark.
They’re both left wide eyed.
this…this feels much more intense they could’ve ever imagined.
they close their eyes, and lean closer than ever before, to each other.