Chapter Text
Has everything always been this irritating? Has Jax always been that [HONK!]ing loud?
"Y/N? Hey, are you alright?" Ragatha asks, and you blink, forcing a strained smile. "...Yeah. Sorry Raggy...what were you saying?"
"If you guys don't get on the train in the next five seconds, we're leaving you to get eaten by zombies~!" The bunny interrupts in a sing-song voice, clearly having a great time with the adventure and being the self-appointed train conductor. Everyone seems to have wild west clothes on to some extent..sort of. Jax just looks like a more feral version of himself, with sharp teeth, extra tufts of hair, and broader shoulders. A were-rabbit, Caine had excitedly announced.
"Well, maybe there will be horses at the next stop, too." Ragatha sighs softly as you hop onto the train and immediately regret it, your legs feeling like jelly. You sigh sympathetically and hold out your hand to her. "I'm sure there will be. C'mon." You knew she missed her horses in the real world, but you didn't want her to get left behind on this adventure. She places her plush hand in yours and you quickly pull her up just in time for the train to start moving. You sit down as the train cart passes a zombie infested town, trying to focus on the cool night air hitting your face. Were you sweating?
You've only been in the circus for a few months at most, but you've never seen anyone get sick. Well, besides Pomni vomiting when she first arrived. This, however, felt different.. and yet so familiar. Gangle tries to ask you a question, but you don't hear her, Ragatha looking at you worriedly. You grimace as pain shoot up your thighs and abdomen, a wave of nausea turning your face cartoonishly green.
"Oh, gosh, Y/N..! What's wrong?" Ragatha asks, slightly panicked as she puts a hand on your shoulder. Without meaning to, you flinch away from her, getting up and stumbling. Your shaking legs immediately try to give out from under you. You lean over the side of the train cart and hurl your guts up, tears stinging your eyes. What the [BEEP!] is going on? You haven't felt this awful since....since-
You were suddenly back at the Tent, the change of scenery from a dark landscape to bright vivid colors making you squint. You stumble, falling on your butt.
"HELLO, my beautiful buzzing bee!" The ringmaster greets you cheerfully, his hands on his hips. You glare up at him.
"I couldn't help but notice that you weren't enjoying the adventure! What on earth is the matter, my dear!? Are you malfunctioning??"
"..No? I'm in pain." You respond, cringing as you curl in on yourself. "You didn't do this?" You manage to ask. You had assumed it was part of the adventure or something. You like Caine, you really do — probably more than you let on — but usually what humans considered unpleasant, the ringmaster thought was interesting.
Caine looks genuinely surprised at the accusation, his mismatched eyes widening. "Of course not! Sure, I may add a bit of consequences to my adventures to make them more exciting, but-" He notices you shudder again, and decides to cut his explanation a bit short. "I can assure you, I would never bring such pain to you- or any of the others, for that matter!"
That confirms your suspicions then. If Caine wasn't doing it, then that means your human body was doing it. You're a pile of pixels, yet somehow you're still menstruating. Great. You didn't have the energy to figure out what that might imply. "So...you can't make it go away." You mutter defeatedly. He shakes his head. "...I'm afraid not! Frankly, I wouldn't know where to begin!" He replies, fidgeting with his cane. He really did look sorry, his teeth and gums morphing to look like a furrowed brow.
"I-I'm going to my room." You say quietly, slowly getting off of the floor. Caine was by your side in an instant (He was still floating a few inches in the air, of course. You don't think his feet have ever touched the ground.) He grasps your hand to steady you, the other resting against your back. You stiffen slightly, startled. His expression was gentle. You don't think he's ever been this close to any of the humans before..!
"Please, allow me."
..Okay?
With a whoosh and a blur of colors, you were back in your digital room. A large disembodied glove gently scruffs you like a kitten, places you in your bed, and tucks you in with a pat on the head before it poofs out of existence. Caine, still in your room for some reason, snaps his fingers and conjures a wooden stool by your bed. He sits on aforementioned stool and crosses one leg over the other, pulling out his notepad.
"Uhh...?" You mumble dumbly, and Caine just tilts his head at you inquisitively. "SO! What are your symptoms?" He's back to being loud again. You kick off the blanket and turn onto your side, curling up as you look at him tiredly. "Well..in the human world- er, Macroverse...some humans have a thing called a period." Your eyes close, trying to figure out how to explain this. "It usually happens for a few days every month, and it hurts a lot and can make you tired and emotional. But it depends a little on each individual person. Mine...have always been pretty bad. I kind of thought it would go away since I'm a little character and all now.."
You can hear Caine scribbling intently. You weren't sure if he was actually taking notes or just doodling.
Caine watches you as you speak, his eyes not leaving you even as he writes. He hasn't observed anything like this in the circus—and he sees everything. After all, he has hundreds of all-seeing eyes! He watches over his beloved friends almost constantly!
"..And what exactly do humans do during this...'period' you speak of?"
You stretch your legs out for a moment, trying to find a comfortable position to lay in. "Uh..." You mumble, opening your eyes to stare tiredly at the ceiling. "That's another thing that depends on the person. Usually, people lay down and put something warm on their lower stomach or back, like a hot water bottle. It helps with the pain. Medicine and food help too..usually sweets or something. Besides that, you just have to wait it out-" Before you could finish speaking, Caine snaps his fingers. Both a water bottle and a heart shaped box of chocolates float a few inches away from you. You try not to laugh a little at the latter, reaching out and grabbing the bottle. It was somehow the perfect temperature, and you already start to feel a bit better the moment you press it against your abdomen. You sigh softly with relief, placing the chocolate box on the bedside table for later. "Thanks, Caine. This is perfect."
Caine, who had been silently staring at you for the past minute or so, bristles with surprise at the thanks, swinging his legs. 'Perfect.' "No problem at all, Y/N! That's what I'm here for, after all! Haha!"
You smile tiredly at him, and Caine worries that he might start glitching. "Um, speaking of...are the others alright?" You ask. "Sometimes the adventures can get pretty chaotic..especially if Jax gets left unsupervised-"
"Don't worry your pretty little head, my dear! I left Bubble in charge!!" The ringmaster interrupts confidently. Bubble?? Now you were even more concerned than before. "Huh? But-"
"ISAIDDON'TWORRY!"
Your brow furrows, not appreciating being interrupted so much but not having the energy to argue anymore. Caine looks away from you and clears his 'throat', adjusting his bowtie. "What I'm saying is, you're worrying wayyy too much! That's MY job! Making sure you humans are happy and entertained is the very thing I was created for! I know you care for your friends, darling, but as of right now you can barely stand on your own! Let's focus on YOU!!!!" He was floating again, his arms crossed. You stopped listening halfway through, though. Darling? That was new.
Before you could comment on it, you cringe as another cramp attacks your insides. Caine's scolding expression turns to concern, and he floats down closer to your level. "May I...touch you?" He asks.
You look up at him in surprise. What kind of a vague [BOINK!] question is that? "..What?"
Caine's eyes dart around nervously. What, indeed. "Physical touch! It's what humans do to comfort one another, yes? I would like to.. participate in this activity, if it would benefit you." I want to feel with you.
He's seen circus members exhibit this behavior countless times before, from afar. Holding hands, leaning against one another, hugging. He wondered what that was like. He's learned to stay out of the humans' personal bubbles unless there was something wrong.
"Oh.." You hesitate. The memories were fuzzy now, but you remember having your period in the Macroverse, and during the worst of it you never wanted to be touched. You were always extremely irritable and uncomfortable and sweaty. That was a while ago now, though. Maybe being comforted for a few minutes wouldn't be so bad.
"Yeah. It would." You finally answer. Caine's expression lights up, feeling as if he was about to burst into confetti. You move to give the ringmaster a bit of room in your bed, shifting to get more comfortable as you place the water bottle back against your lower belly. He stares at you for a moment, bug-eyed, until you raise a brow in amusement. "Oh. Right." He laughs awkwardly, snapping his fingers. His red suit transforms into a set of pastel blue pajamas with bee patterns on them, with a matching nightcap replacing his top hat. It wouldn't be like him to get into a bed without the proper attire on, you suppose. You look down and realize you were now in pajamas as well, with a personalized pattern on them.
"Are you comfortable, dearest?" His voice sounds unusually quiet and soft, reminding you of earlier. You really hope you aren't blushing like a fool. "As comfortable as I'm going to get, probably." You reply tiredly, looking away from him for a moment. Caine lowers himself completely onto the bed, turning on his side to face you. His hands are clasped together awkwardly, like he doesn't know what to do with himself. He definitely does not. "So. Where do I touch you?"
You immediately choke on your own saliva. You sometimes wonder if he's dense on purpose! "W-we can just..hug and stuff. If that's okay." You mumble sheepishly, holding your arms out.
"Of course it's okay!" His arms wrap around you in an instant, moving himself up a little so that he could pull you against his chest. You can't tell if he's a great hugger or you're just lonely. Maybe both. Regardless, you sigh, returning the embrace and pressing your cheek against him. Caine looks down at you, feeling the stiffness in your body relax a little. "I'm not squeezing you too hard, am I?" He asks.
"No. You're perfect.." You mumble against him, your muffled voice sounding sleepier than it did before. He feels his systems stutter.
The room was silent for a while, besides your simulated breathing. Caine's gloved hand strokes the fur on your back, grateful for the processors that allow him to feel softness and warmth. Sometimes he wondered what it was like to live in the Macroverse, to have flesh and organs and ooze all sorts of disgusting fluids like humans do, to be organic. To be outside with all the others. Would they like him then? Would they appreciate his ideas? Would they forgive him for keeping them in a prison that he wasn't even responsible for? Would they realize that this whole time he's been trapped too? Would-
"Caine?" You ask, unknowingly interrupting his spiraling.
"Yes?"
"Well.." You hesitate, starting to feel silly. "I just..wanted to say- I know you're probably above all of the habits and needs or whatever that humans have...so.. just. Thank you. For humoring me." Your eyes meet his, widening when realizing that his were dilated and filled with tears. A startled yelp escapes you when he suddenly lifts you into the air. "You're MORE than welcome, my dazzling daisy!" He says loudly, his arms stretching like noodles to coil around you tightly. "Y'know, I think we might be less different than I thought! I LOVE touching! We should do this ALLL the time!"
You just nod, your face turning blue. "Caine- too tight-"
"OH! Right! You're not feeling well." The ringmaster sets you down gingerly, checking an imaginary watch on his wrist. "As much as I'd absolutely LOVE to have a slumber party, I still need to tend to my very important ringmaster duties. I do believe our friends have returned from their EXHILARATING adventure! I will come check on you soon enough, my dear!"
You nod slowly, already laying back down. "M'kay, bye Caine.."
Caine teleports himself to the main part of the Tent as the other circus members exit the adventure portal.
"Welcome back, my sizzling salamanders!!!"