Chapter Text
It was a “regular” day in the Circus. Well, as close as you could get to a regular day in what’s possibly a digital nightmare. Pomni was having a mental breakdown, Ragatha was being the overly cheerful supporter, Jax was, well, being Jax, Zooble was in their room avoiding everyone (especially Caine,) Kinger had no idea where he was, and Gangle was the unfortunate victim of what Jax normally does. He held Gangle’s porcelain white mask just out of reach as her red, silky ribbons attempted to grasp at it. He let out an almost sadistic chuckle, mocking Gangle as she tried her very best to get her comedy mask back, the tears on her tragedy face flowing down in a careful manner.
“Come get your mask, crybaby!” Jax teased, waving the mask around her head as he faked a baby voice.
“Stop it, Jax! Give it back!” Gangle wailed as she tried and failed to get her mask back, her hands slipping with each attempt.
Zooble, who had just gotten out of their room, was awoken to this wonderful sight.
“What the–Jax!” Zooble exclaimed, grabbing Gangle’s mask and handing it back to her.
“Whaat? I was just havin’ a little fun. I forgot you hate fun.” Jax said in that awfully sly tone Zooble resented.
Looking back at Gangle, they replied, “Fun isn’t the thing I hate.”
Jax scoffed and walked away, probably to torment someone else. But what mattered right now, at least to Zooble, was Gangle.
“Thank you, Zooble. I-uhm, I’m sorry you always have to save me like this.” Gangle sniffed, the last part of her sentence being quieter than the rest.
“Hey, you’re worth saving. And besides, getting to see Jax’s face fall when I come over is hilarious.” Gangle giggled at Zooble’s remark.
“Uhm, I was gonna go draw in my room, do you, uhm…want to join m–” Gangle started, but was interrupted by Zooble’s reply of a quick and eager yes. Though she didn’t let it show as they both walked to her room, she was surprised by Zooble’s desire to hang out with her, especially that tone they used…
“Ah, we’re here.” Zooble noticed, snapping Gangle out of her thoughts as she realized she had been thinking about Zooble the whole way there.
“Oh, yeah, here, let me get the door for you.” Zooble nodded and waited as Gangle fumbled with the new key she had asked Caine for to keep Jax out of her room. In Zooble’s honest opinion, she looked cute scrunching her face up and focusing on getting the key inside the keyhole. Hell, she looked cute focusing on anything from her art to a puzzle in one of Caine’s adventures. Zooble let her gaze gleam on Gangle a bit too long as she finally got the door open.
“Finally…uh, Zooble?” Gangle said as she turned towards Zooble, who was staring at them, silently watching every move the pair of ribbons and mask made.
“Earth to Zooble? Hello?”
“Oh! [Fuck], my bad. I-I’ll go inside now.” Zooble sheepishly stammered as they walked inside, the blush on their face prominent and deep magenta.
Gangle stare at Zooble's face, secretly feeling a rush of warmth as her suspisions were proving more and more correct by the minute.
Gangle shut the door, leaving the two of them alone and in a heavy silence.