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“You’re being unreasonable!”
“Well you’re being a snuffle snorkle!”
“I don’t even know what that means!”
“I don’t know either!”
“Fine!”
“FINE!”
There was the sound of a door slamming and then silence. The others hadn’t heard the first half of your argument before you raised your voices, but suffice it to say they were surprised. It wasn’t often that you and Caine ever fought.
After you shut the door on Caine’s face, you didn’t leave your room for the rest of the day. Ragatha tried knocking on your door to check in on you, only to receive no answer. You cried into your pillow the whole night, which was the first time you remembered being miserable in the circus in a while.
Usually Caine would comfort your woes with his silly jokes and energetic presence, but this time, he was the very reason you were upset. Time started to pass slowly. You found yourself waiting for him, expecting him to suddenly appear and fix the situation with a witty remark and trademark smile, but he didn’t. And that only made you feel worse.
Eventually, there was a knock on your door again.
This time, you heard Pomni’s voice say, “Uh, hey?”
With a sniffly nose and puffy eyes, you trudged toward the door and opened it begrudgingly.
“Oh!” Pomni greeted you with an awkward smile. “It’s been a few days since you’ve left your room. Are you… doing okay?”
You shook your head glumly. “No, thanks for noticing,” you grumbled, with no real bite behind your words.
She shifted her weight from foot to foot. “Did you have a fight with Caine?”
You nodded silently, rubbing your arm.
“I've never heard you yell at each other like that before.” She offered you a sympathetic smile.
Sure, you two had your small squabbles now and then—meaningless things like whether or not a hotdog could be considered a sandwich, or if incorporating a man-eating troll who would hunt you for sport if you incorrectly answered his riddles was necessary to include in the next adventure. At the end of the day, any petty disagreement the two of you had never really impacted your relationship.
Until now, that was.
“What happened?”
“I’m not even completely sure.” You shrugged. “He was just acting weird and- talking about stuff I didn’t understand.”
“Sooo, he was being Caine?” Pomni laughed softly.
“Somehow crazier,” you sighed. “I wish I knew what had gotten into him for him to flip out like that.”
“I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”
Pomni gave you a consoling pat on the back, which you appreciated.
“Thanks,” you said before you both exchanged goodbyes.
After you closed your door, you decided it was time to talk to Caine. You walked back to your bed and sat on the edge, feet dangling as you worked up the courage to call for your beloved ringmaster.
“Caine?”
A beat. No reply.
That was strange, Caine was always so quick to appear when you asked for him.
“Caine?” you tried again, a little more desperate this time.
When he didn’t answer, you began to feel worried. What if he was still mad at you? He’d certainly kept up the silent treatment longer than you thought he would. Was the AI capable of holding onto a grudge for forever?
Luckily, those fears were quelled when he spontaneously popped into existence, hovering above you. Albeit, his back was turned and his arms were crossed with his jaws screwed tightly shut.
“Caine,” you said his name. You ignored his little, “hmph!” in response. “We need to talk.”
“Talk?” he repeated. “I don’t recall there being a reason we need to talk.”
Your eye twitched. After so long of being in peaceful contentment with him, you’d forgotten how painfully stubborn he could be.
“That’s what people in relationships do after they argue. They talk and they work things out,” you explained as calmly as you could.
Caine didn’t say anything to that, his stance unwavering.
You went on. “I’ll start. I’m sorry for getting after you, Caine. I know you’re doing your best to understand whatever confusing feelings you're trying to process right now and I should’ve been more patient with you.”
Your apology hung in the air for a stiff second or two until Caine finally turned.
“Well, that settles that! I’m glad you learned that you should always listen to me because I know what's best!” Caine hummed, satisfied. “Man, this reconciliation thing is easy peas and squeezy lemons!”
You raised a brow. “That’s not what I meant. You’re supposed to say sorry to now.”
“But I didn’t do anything wrong.” He tilted his head.
You stared at him in disbelief.
“Yeah, you did. At the very least, you hurt my feelings.”
“Oh. Then I’m sorry your feelings were hurt by my amazing words,” he said dryly.
“Caine!”
He groaned. “What?! You’re being shouty again! I don’t like that.”
“I don’t like being shouty, Caine, but you’re just not listening!” you huffed and pinched the bridge of your nose in exasperation.
When you looked back at him, he was upset, gripping his cane with a pitiful expression. You frowned, feeling a pang of regret.
“Sorry. I did it again.” You toyed with your hands. “I know you’re not used to communicating like a human and there’s going to be a learning curve. But I’m doing my best to hear you out, and I’d appreciate it if you tried to do the same.” You paused, then added, “For me?”
Caine floated wordlessly, tapping his fingers together, before flying over and sitting on the bed beside you.
“…Do you hate me?” he asked suddenly, glancing at you from beneath his jaw.
“What?" Your face softened. “No, of course I don’t hate you. Why would you ever think that?”
“I noticed how much fun you had during the last suggestion box adventure!” he exclaimed, gripping his teeth in horror. “I thought surely you could never have as much fun as you would with my ideas—but you did! And you’ve been hanging out with the others much more too and, and-”
He trailed off as your hand came to squeeze his shoulder comfortingly, grounding him.
“Caine.” You continued gently, “Is that why you’ve been so upset? Why is it a problem that I’m spending time with my friends?”
“I suppose… I thought you liked them better than me now,” he admitted, shrinking in on himself. “And you don’t need me anymore."
“That’s not true. You know you’re my favorite. And the reason I had so much fun on the suggestion box adventure was because you made it. Even if it wasn’t your idea, you added elements only you could think of, and I think you did a great job with it,” you reassured.
“Really?” He beamed. His drastic mood shift made you smile.
“Of course,” you replied with a nod. “I love you very much, Caine.”
“And I love you, my benevolent boysenberry!”
Caine threw you into a hug, which you gratefully accepted. You’d missed his hugs.
“Next time you’re thinking that way, just talk to me,” you whispered against his shoulder. “Instead of assuming the worst, okay?”
“Got it!”
Caine leaned back with a triumphant grin, raising a finger in the air as he placed his other hand on his chest.
“From now on, I will be one-hundred percent up-front and honest with you.” He shot you a cautionary glance. “So long as you promise you think my ideas are better and you would rather hang out with me than anyone else.”
You rolled your eyes playfully, but agreed, “Okay, I promise.”
“Wonderful! Issue resolved,” Caine said matter-of-factly, as though you’d earned some sort of in-game achievement. “Your reward is a kiss from yours truly!”
Without further ado, Caine smacked his teeth against your cheek, kissing you with an enthusiastic, “mwah!” You giggled.
Your ringmaster sure was an odd little thing, but you wouldn’t have it any other way.