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It was cold.
Very cold, in fact. Caine found it unnerving. It was usually warm and toasty in his office, the exact temperature he liked. However, it was cold. Too cold.
Anxiety pricked at his body.
What had he been thinking?
Of course they weren't going to like his "Escape The Circus!" adventure he'd worked himself dry to perfect. They hadn't liked anything he'd made in a long time. What had he been expecting?
He couldn't understand it.
Do they just not like me?
Caine shuddered at the thought. They couldn't not like him. He did everything for these people. EVERYTHING.
I CANT BE ABANDONED AGAIN DONT LEAVE ME
Violently, Caine shook his head, trying to dispell his ever spiralling thoughts.
Calm down, I'm sure there's something I can do to fix this. There has to be.
Caine leaned back in his office chair, ruminating. It was still so, so cold.
Suddenly, panic overtook Caine.
I need to leave.
He wasn't sure why, but suddenly he hated his office. It was a treasure trove of all the adventures he'd created that everyone had hated so much. He couldn't stand to even look at the little orbs containing his failures.
Teleporting into the main tent, he planted his feet on the ground, trying to catch his breath.
Hold it together I CANT I CANT I CANT I CANT-
It took a surprisingly long time for Caine to catch his breath, and afterwards Caine deeply sighed.
I'm a mess. No wonder I'm not wanted.
Voices filtered into Caine's hearing in the distance. He could make out Pomni, the jester who been here a few months now, and Ragatha, the rag-doll who'd been here so long. Pomni had made friends with her, and despite growing apart for a while(Caine had noticed. He hated seeing the humans fighting), they had grown close again. It made Caine smile.
Caine's happiness was short lived, because he quickly realized they were walking in his direction.
Oh no no no no no no they can't see me like this.
Quickly, Caine teleported himself again, just as he caught sight of Pomni's jester hat rounding the corner.
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"Ragatha?" Pomni whispered. "Did you see Caine just now?"
Ragatha's eyebrows furrowed.
"No?" Ragatha responded. "Are you sure you saw Caine?"
Pomni stared on, confused.
I must have imagined it.
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Now, Caine was in the bedroom hallway, right next to Jax's room.
Caine liked Jax. Unlike he others, he usually enjoyed his adventures. However, with his recent one, even he had hated it, evident from how he'd yelled at Caine.
Even though the others had hated it, he'd figured Jax would at least like it. He was wrong.
he hates you he hates you he wants nothing to do with you-
Shut up.
Caine was really starting to grow sick of his thoughts his existence
Caine stared at his hand.
Why is it trembling?
Caine took his other hand and clasped the trembling one, attempting to get it to stop, but it merely continued, ignoring his efforts.
What the hell?
Instantaneously, Caine realized that it wasn't just his hand trembling.
His entire body was.
What the fuck was happening to him?
Suddenly, more panic overtook him.
I'm in the middle of the hallway oh god what if someone sees me they can't they can't they can't-
He couldn't feel his arm anyone. Looking over, he could vaguely see black static, buzzing wildly.
Oh god.
Caine knew what it meant. He just couldn't believe it was happening to him.
His breathing quickened.
I can't abstract. What would happen to the circus? To the humans?
He didn't even want to know.
Suddenly, he could vaguely feel someone tugging at his arm. Looking up, he could make out the blurry silhouette of a jester.
Pomni.
Why is she here? Oh god oh god I'm gonna hurt her oh god-
Her voice filtered in weakly though Caine's ears.
"Caine! Caine! Can you hear me?"
Caine stared into what looked like Pomni's face and nodded.
"Okay, okay, can you try and breath for me?"
"I-I a-ammm b-breaththingg."
"I know! I mean slower!"
Caine winced; Pomni's voice was far too loud. But he tried anyway, making ragged, exhausted breaths.
"That's good, you're doing great."
Caine stayed like that for a long while, breathing with Pomni. After what felt like forever, he finally calmed down, the black mass on his arm disappearing completely.
Caine looked at the floor, exhausted, sadder than he'd ever been, slightly embarrassed, and a bunch more emotions he couldn't make out. He wasn't used to this whole feeling thing.
"You okay now?" Pomni whispered.
Caine nodded slowly, eyes tilting up to meet Pomni's.
"That's good." Pomni whispered.
They sat in silence for a while. Then, Pomni broke it.
"If you want, you could come back with me to my room? You don't have to talk, we could just......be in each others presence?"
Caine giggling quietly.
"I would love to."