Chapter Text
Days, Weeks, Maybe even a month after the Circus had been rebuilt. Things were.. Quiet, more casual, domestic. It seemed like everyone had seemingly made peace with the fact that they were trapped inside the circus while their real world counterparts lived their best life.
You hadn't been in the circus for as long as the others, having arrived a few days right after Pomni did.. You took a bit more time getting comfortable, especially with all of the interpersonal drama and challenges everyone faced.. You could confidently say that a bond had formed at least a little with everyone, you knew the basic likes and dislikes.. But, if someone was ever crying or in need of a friend you weren't ever the first pick.. Pomni had Ragatha, Zooble had Gangle, Kinger seemed fine being mostly alone inside of the abstraction tanks.. Leaving you, mostly by yourself. That doesn't mean you were excluded, you still clapped and cheered for all of Ragatha's custom made softball adventures, and you enjoyed watching the videos Pomni made exploring dilapidated worlds Caine built just for her, listening to Gangle talk about her favorite shows she remembered, Going through different parts and prices with Zooble.. Yet, you lacked your own person. You weren't anyone's best friend, nobodies first choice, and.. It was alright? You knew you couldn't force anyone to be best friends with you, and even in the real world you were second pick, so it was nothing new.
Foot steps were heard in the distance, clicking against the glossy checkered floor of the circus. "Hey..! y/n!" The voice was easily recognised to be Pomni. You look over and wave, walking over to meet her in the middle. "Kinger thought it would be a good idea to play a board game, all in the common area.. Wanna join us?"
She motioned behind her, where you could make out a few colorful sofas and a table in the middle. Zooble, Gangle, and Kinger already sat. Pomni waited hopefully for a response.
"Alright, what game are we playing?" You finally spoke. You liked spending time with others, but you wouldn't be lying if you said that the same five board games got a bit boring..
Pomni rocked back and forth on her heel "wellll-" she drew out. "We were going to see if Caine might make us a new board game.. Adding all our favorite parts from other games into something big we can all enjoy.. It was uh.. Ragatha's idea." Pomni said kindly, her voice a bit quiet as she gave Ragatha her due credit.
It was very like Ragatha to want everyone to feel included and have fun, but what really caught your ear was Caine's name.. Hearing him spoken about so casually was still new to you. "Oh,." You knew you would say yes, but you just wanted to give yourself a moment to prepare mentally for the gathering "Alright let's go.. I'm kinda curious on what this might end up like.."
Pomni gave a small laugh as you walked together. "I was a bit worried that Caine might add some crazy adventure or make the board life sized but.. Hes been doing really well lately." She held her hands to get her as she spoke, looking over at you for your opinion on Caine
"Yeah, I'm still getting used to the idea of him being.. One of us I guess..? I mean, I know he's not human but.." You stopped talking once you were in earshot of everyone else. Zooble and Kinger waved as you approached, Caine was sat on one of the separate couches of the three total. Kicking his feet with his gloved hands on his knees, he looked happy to see you joining everyone. Pomni smiled and everyone greeted each other, Ragatha was looking surprisingly competitive. Pomni sat between Kinger and Ragatha, while Zooble and Gangle had their own couch.. Leaving you with Caine which you didn't hate.
You could see him tense up and get a bit nervous as you sat with him, everyone looked over at Caine, making him even more nervous as he suddenly shook off the nerves and spoke. "I have taken into consideration-!" she spoke in his loud ringmaster tone, before cutting himself off and clearing his throat, "I took all your ideas and wrote them down.." he pulled out a notepad, flipping to a page and excitedly presenting it to everyone. "I.. I think I included everything.. Uh, Kinger requested Uno cards, Gangle wanted a dice button, pomni wanted a unicorn styled snakes and ladders board, and Zooble voted for three lives each and-.. I think that's everyone!.. except Ragatha." He looked around, suddenly meeting your gaze and realizing he forgot you..
Now even an AI was forgetting you.
"I- I mean, and of course Y/N!" He stuttered apologetically earning a small giggle from Gangle. Ragatha perked up on the couch. "Oh, I didn't want to add anything.. But I'm sure that Y/N can think of something fun and exciting!" She said with a 'can-do' tone of voice.
all eyes were on you, waiting for your decision. "maybe we can all work in teams?" You said, tone small as you looked around to see if anyone agreed or disagreed and everyone seemed neutral on the idea before pomni pointed something out. "Wait.. We have an odd number of people.. How will this.. Work?" Pomni stated, everyone fell silent
Kinger spoke up. "What do you mean, Ming has been here this whole time?" Ming, who you could've SWORN hadn't been here before was suddenly squeezed into the couch beside Kinger. It earned a few small laughs and confused looks. You found the situation comical, but looked over to see Caine writing at his notepad before he suddenly snapped his fingers and a board game was displayed on the table with a burst of confetti. It looked great! It was colorful, everyone had their own little character on the board and some props on the cardboard game were 3-D! Everyone was thoroughly impressed. "Now, time for teams!" Caine said enthusiastically, honestly he seemed the happiest when you suggested everyone worked together.
Everyone teamed up, Zooble and Gangle, Kinger and Ming, and Ragatha and Pomni.. Leaving you and Caine to be together.. Cliché.
"For our rules I've created-!" Caine floated up from his seat and above the board game, making sure he was in view of everyone. "Every team gets seven cards. Each team had a person A and B, people A will play the uno cards in a clockwise motion while people B will do the same in a counterclockwise motion. Every two full circles of Uno, you roll the dice with the bubble on the map, and whichever number it lands on you must move your character ahead on however many tiles. If you land on a unicorn snake hybrid you loose a life and get sent back three tiles, and must do twelve upside down jumping jacks! Everyone got that?" He waited excitedly for everyone's opinion.
Pomni looked dizzy, Gangle was trying her best to discuss the rules with Gangle, and Kinger was zoning out before he suddenly snapped back to reality. "Could you repeat that? My eyes were closed so I couldn't hear you." Everyone fell silent at Kingers odd statement.
Several rounds later of the most confusing game.. Ming ended up being the winner! Which was odd because you thought this was a teamwork game.. You and Caine came in second.. It's easy to remember the rules when the guy who made them is on your team. Zooble stood. "Do you guys want drinks..? I kinda felt like going to the bar" Zooble invited everyone.. Kinger had already left to go to the abstraction tanks, and everyone else seemed happy to go to the bar with zooble except you, you decided to stay and clean up the game.
"You know I could just snap and clean it all up in a second.. Right?" Caine suddenly spoke, you forgot he was here! You looked a bit startled, which worried Caine since he didn't want anyone to fear him ever again. "Sorry I uh.." He nervously played with his gloved fingers, before snapping and cleaning the game instantly. "No it's fine I just uhm.." The two of you were alone, which was a first. You looked around nervously "do you wanna.. Hang.. Out?" Caine suddenly perked up, his eyes widened as his dentures hung open "H-hang out? Us?? Really?" He said excitably, like a dog who had just heard the door bell ring. "We can.. Draw! Or, talk, or I'll make an adventure just for you! What would you like?" Caine was very eager to please even for the smallest sliver of attention..
It was a bit cute and also comforting to know someone wanted affection just as bad as you, the only difference is he didn't hide it. "You don't have to make anything we can just.. Talk in my room if you'd like?" You didn't have to ask twice as Caine suddenly snapped his fingers and teleported you both to your room. Dimly lit with LED lights and a few decorations. "So, what do you wanna talk about? Wait.. Is this a good or bad talk? Am I overstepping?" He held his bottom jaw as he panicked. "No it's! I was your bored.. Your not doing anything wrong.. You've been great recently." you admitted, sitting on the edge of your bed as you kicked your feet slowly.. Caine seemed relived that you weren't upset at him. You patted the spot on your bed beside you "wanna sit..?" He floated over and sat beside you.. Mimicking how you swayed your legs off the edge of the bed.
Now you just had to find something to talk about. "Caine.. What do you do in your free time now. I mean.. Since you don't make adventures for us any more?" You asked simply, adding a small tilt of your head as you gave him grounds to speak.
"M-me?" Caine couldn't remember the last time someone asked him to talk about himself! He was overjoyed "well! I.." He realized he didn't have much of anything interesting to say. "I just.. Kind of kinger.. I mean, I love it when you guys include me but.. I just.. Sit in my office and draw.. Or check up on you guys," Caines voice lacked enthusiasm.
"I... I get that" you said without thinking, you could see from the corner of your eye Caine as surprised you related to him. He stopped kicking his feet. "I mean.. Well, the adventures you leave open for us are fun if you have friends or someone to do them with, but, I usually stay at the circus."
Caine took a moment to process "but.. Your human, your friends with everyone how come you of all people stay at the circus all the time! Your great!" He spoke without thinking, causing you to look over at Caine in surprise. "I mean, when I say I linger and watch everyone.. I mean it! You are interesting. Your quiet unless someone speaks to you first, Introverted until someone takes initiative!" Caine was unaware of the creepy vibes he gave off. But you were lying if you said you didn't like to know someone cared about you and noticed small things about you.
"Your... Red" Caine spoke, pointing at your face.
You suddenly realized you were blushing, feeling the heat pool in your cheeks as you shook off the feeling "sorry it's just..! I'm not used to people noticing things like that about me" you spoke apologetically.
Silence..and then Caine spoke up"Want me to.. Keep going?" He tilted his head. All you could do was quietly nod.. And Caine began talking, all of the little things he had noticed about you, all your presumed likes and dislikes, things you didn't even notice about yourself. You just sat silently and blushed and nodded as he rambled, when he was done you reciprocated, pointing out all the things you noticed about him. You both spent the rest of the night talking together, nothing in the circus had felt so natural until then.