Chapter Text
Gangle stared up at her ceiling, something that seemed like it happened every night. But as she laid on the silky bedsheets, it didn’t have the same fear and disdain that it always had, she felt.. Excited, hopeful even.
She'd been in the circus for almost 5 years by now, and ever since Ribbit.. Abstracted, Jax has become just, Rude. To keep it simple. And it's been taking a toll on her. Really taking a toll. It felt like she couldn't even leave her room without Jax judging her every move, like she was under a constant, mocking surveillance waiting for her to slip up.
One day, Gangle had asked Caine to stay at the circus instead of going on the adventure. It wasn't anything against him or the adventures, she was just.. Tired. Very, very tired.. And then, Zooble appeared. They were panicking at the time like anyone else would be, but gangle helped them to calm down, it's been almost three months since then. They don't really.. Talk. I mean, it's hard to talk with someone when they're constantly trying to hide from caine- but she still kept an eye on them, she told herself she's just making sure they aren't lonely but she'd be lying if she said she wasn't at least getting a little crush on them. I mean anyone would, right? They're just so cool and mysterious and nice and-..
Either way, she knew Zooble would never reciprocate her feelings. Why would someone so cool like someone like her.
Untill..
Zooble had finally decided (been forced) to go on an adventure for once. However the actual adventure felt like an afterthought to gangle, this was probably the first adventure zoobles went on since they got here, and gangle wasnt gonna let this opportunity go to waste. I mean, if she's gonna actually talk to her someday it has to be soon. There's no time like the present, she'd said to herself.
Gangle walked over to zooble after a few minutes of building up enough courage to talk to them, she hesitated before beginning to speak.
"i... Uh- i.. H-hi zooble! Uh- uhm.. You.. Uh. I.. Do you think we could.. Do you wanna... I..."
Zooble didn't respond, just watching her stumbling over her words with an unreadable, cold expression as her voice slowly went quieter, until she decided to cut her losses and shut up. They both stood there looking at each other with an awkward silence, gangles face flushed a red that was almost the colour of her ribbons. Zooble was unphased, but looked a bit confused at her flusteredness.
Suddenly, a voice crackled through the silent atmosphere, making Gangle jump with a small squeak. Without her noticing everyone else had gone far ahead of her and Zooble without her noticing.
"GANGLE! C'mere or we're leaving you behiindd!" Jax yelled from across the map as Ragatha's voice soon followed.
"Jax, cut it out.. It's ok Gangle! Take your time! You too zooble.."
Gangle immediately took that as an escape from this terribly awkward failure at social interaction, but not without saying goodbye first.
"oh... We should go join the others!! C-cmon, Zooble.. Hehe.."
"alright." Was the only response from Zooble before Gangle ran away, head hanging low to hopefully hide her bright red face.
It'd been about 10 minutes since the failed attempt at talking with them, and despite the nervousness, she decided to try and find Zooble and try again, she quietly slipped away from the group, looking for Zooble. They had managed to get quite far away without them noticing, not like she was watching them. That's weird, she's not weird. And if she was she was just checking on them to make sure they're safe. Because she's normal. But it seemed they just wanted to get away from the others, she wished she could do that—but then again, I guess she was. Eventually she found them, they were sitting against a wall somewhere, tapping their fingers against the cold floor beneath them with a gentle, rhythmic noise.
Gangle shyly spoke up, fidgeting with her ribbons to keep herself from genuinely exploding then and there.
"h-hi, Zooble.. I.. I just wanted to say- "I'm sorry for being so awkward earlier, i just-.."
"It's fine, i dont care." Zooble chimed in after her, seeming unbothered by her finding them.
"o-oh!.. So, uh.. I.. I wanted to ask."
"Come here, sit with me first." Zooble interrupted once again as she almost instinctively sat next to them, her arms wrapped around her legs tightly.
"so, what were you gonna ask me?" their voice immediately seemed a bit quieter, it had a caring tone that reminded Gangle what she was actually planning on asking them, helping clearing the nervous fog from her mind.
"oh! W-well.. Would you maybe wanna.. Hang out later? With me? Y-you don't have to! Its fine if you don't want to, i-"
"Of course! How about tomorrow, then I'll have time to get ready." Her heart stopped. The only thing stopping her from having an actual heart attack on the spot was that she physically couldn't in the circus. Zooble agreed to hang out with her, not just agreed- they want to hang out with her. Alone. Just them. She didn't even notice the bright red blush dusting her mask until zooble pointed it out.
"..gangle? You ok?"
"oh!! Yes! Yes, I'm SO ok! Ehehe!!" Gangle almost shrieked before trying to compose herself, taking a deep breath before beginning to speak again.
"yes. Absolutely. Tomorrow, after the adventure. Would my room be ok?"
"sounds good to me." Zooble responded, patting her on the head softly.
"awesome!! So awesome!!!" Gangle said happily, hugging Zooble to try and let out some excitement.
Zooble immediately froze at the sudden contact, Gangle didn't notice- but zoobles face flushed immediately as she nuzzled into their plastic body. their hands hovered over gangles body, almost as if they didn't know what to do with them. Gangle noticed them stiffening up and realized she basically just tackle-hugged them without asking first, she immediately pulled back and apologized.
"oh! I-im sorry- i just got excited, i-"
"i didnt mind.."
Gangle was surprised, but she didn't freeze this time. In fact, she softly hugged them again, and they hugged back. Both of them leaning into each other softly.
Eventually, they both pulled away from each other.
"well.. we should probably go find the others, huh?" Gangle said as Zooble’s voice followed.
"oh. Right.. Man, I was having fun with you too."
Gangle smiled and giggled bashfully as they started walking.
"oh! You found them, good job Gangle."
"took you guys long enough."
Jax and Ragatha exclaimed as they saw the duo walk back, Ragatha gently pat gangle on the head when she got back. Just what she needed, more patronization. Great. But the thought was cut short as the the portal back to the circus appeared
And now she's here. Waiting. In her bed..
Maybe there is something worthwhile in this place.