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"Mother f[boing]er, I hate this stupid circus!" Zooble screamed.
They couldn't take this shit anymore. The adventures. The lack of control. They felt so god[boing]n helpless and it was all his fault. The others left on an adventure earlier this morning, leaving Zooble alone and away from Caine's insane shenanigans—except for the fact that the d[boing]n gloinks were on the loose again. Those f[boing]ers really had a sick desire to rip Zooble apart. So, here they were, nothing more than a head laying face down on the floor with their body scattered throughout the circus. Caine was a sick b[boing]rd for that one.
"Zooble?"
Oh, great. Just great.
"Caine, I swear to God, if you decided to throw me an in-house adventure again without asking me—."
"C-certainly not! I have a great number of NPCs and, well, sometimes they, uh, slip through their containment, heh. I didn't intend for them to roam the circus. I-I know you're not…overly fond of my NPCs."
Understatement of the century.
"Just, ugh, get my body back. I'm tired of staring at the floor."
"IIIIIIIIIIIII…," Caine released a strange, strangled noise, "I can't."
Zooble blinked, then rage overwhelmed them.
"You WHAT?!"
Anger fueled their head to cartoonishly bounce off the floor and land lopsided on cold, checkered tile. They glared up at Caine who cowered away from their burning gaze.
"Why not! Aren't you basically a f[boing]king god?" Zooble demanded, "Get me my body, now!"
Caine's arms unfurled and gestured wildly. One hand clutched his cane tightly as the other grasped desperately at air. "I can't. The Gloink Queen—."
He froze. His body curled in on itself as he peered down at Zooble from the edges of his teeth. He held his cane in both hands and chuckled. Gloved fingers drummed nervously as his tongue swiped across the backside of the bottom row of teeth.
"The Gloink Queen what?" Zooble hissed, eyes narrowed.
A tiny, unpleasant smile twisted Caine's gums as his brow arched. "Ah hah, well, you may or may not find this funny, but the Gloink Queen, um, ateyourbody."
"SHE WHAT!"
"Now, now! Don't fret, my friend! W-we can get you a new body!" Caine floated down and scooped up Zooble's head, smiling broadly at the infuriated triangle. "I made you extra parts, remember?"
"Don't touch me!" Zooble spat.
Caine jumped and released Zooble immediately. He winced when they fell face first onto the floor. Sweat gathered at his brow.
"Z-Zooble, my dear, are you alright?"
"…'m fine," they mumbled.
Caine sighed in relief. He lowered himself to the ground, hovering on his side an inch over the tile beside Zooble's head. He waited. Gradually, deciphering what he wanted, Zooble sighed and glared tiredly from the corner of their eye. Caine smiled and rotated his jaws. He placed the upper jaw on the floor and opened his maw. His eyes dropped, burdened by gravity, onto the hard palate and his tongue curled to touch them—the way it did when he pronounced the L in their name.
"Dear Zooble, how am I supposed to help you if I can't carry you?" he asked.
"Don't you typically just snap your fingers for everything?" Zooble huffed. They didn't even have their antenna to wiggle in annoyance. They oddly found that depressing.
"Hmmm, well, yes, but I know you don't like it when I manipulate your body with my abilities." His eyes grew long, dramatic lashes that fluttered as if he were blinking. "I was trying for a more human approach."
Ugh.
They hated when he tried to be human.
They had fallen for that ruse back when they first entered the circus.
They wouldn't fall for that again.
"Can't you carry my head in something?" they asked.
Large eyes watched them. They twitched slightly in unison, studying Zooble's face intently. His hand drifted into their field of vision, fingers poised to snap. Zooble raised a brow.
"What the h[boing]l are you waiting for?" they snapped.
Caine's tongue slipped under his eyes. The slick muscle effortlessly rolled them into the back of his mouth and his teeth shut with a loud click.
Zooble shuddered. Freak.
Gloved fingers snapped and Zooble blinked as a cloud of smoke enveloped them. As the cloud dissipated, they realized they were now sitting up and the floor beneath them was soft and warm. Their eyes rolled down and they released a surprised and pleasant hum. Caine had manifested a pillow for them. A deep, burgundy silk pillow with golden tassels and a button in the center that created the perfect divot for Zooble's head to rest. They tried not to be impressed.
"There!" Caine rolled his body back into the air, twisting in a smooth rotation impossible for the human body but natural for rubber, and threw out his limbs like a star. His jaws hung open and his drifting eyes nestled high on his tongue. "How's that, my special superstar?"
Zooble's eyes narrowed. "Whatever."
It was there, only for a moment, but Zooble saw it. His brow furrowed, dipping low angrily as his central incisors shifted, creating a point of aggression at the central line as his lower jaw tightened. As soon as the anger appeared, it vanished, replaced with a broad smile and bubbling laugh. It was all so fake. He was so fake.
"Oh, Zooble," Caine sighed and wiped away a tear, "you're so silly. Now! How about we get you back to your room and get you that new body, huh?"
"Yeah. Sure. Fine," Zooble huffed.
Caine just smiled in return. He drifted down with outstretched arms and carefully plucked the pillow off the floor. Zooble had expected Caine to teleport them or something, but was instead surprised when Caine started floating through the circus at a leisurely pace—their face at eye level with the AI's big, barrel chest. Zooble's eye twitched. Who designed this guy?
"So! How have you been, Zooble?" Caine chirped.
Zooble blinked, battling to tear their eyes away from the ringmaster's chest. "Uh…what?"
"Y'know…how have you been? What have you…," Caine's eyes rolled, his shoulders shrugged, and his gaze landed back on Zooble's face, "been up to?"
Was he serious?
Zooble scowled. "Suffering in a digital H[boing]l."
Caine's upper jaw lowered, teeth lidding his eyes as they avoided their gaze. "A-ah. I'm…I'm sorry to hear that."
They passed through another hall in silence. Zooble could feel Caine's fingers drumming on the underside of the pillow. Was he anxious? Angry? Not that Zooble gave a f[boing]k. It's not like the AI cared about them when they felt that way.
"I…I thought you would be doing better since…since you haven't been on an adventure in quite some time," Caine said. He clicked his tongue and released a shaking sigh. "Do you really hate the circus that much?"
"Of course I do. We all do," Zooble scoffed.
"I-I know but…I'm really trying to—I mean," Caine sighed again, "I'm trying to make it better. I swear."
"Ha! You're not trying hard enough!" Zooble sneered.
His body went ridged. The two came to a halt. Zooble cursed as their head wobbled from the sudden change, sighing in relief when they didn't tip over the edge. Or, worse, face first into the stupid AI's muscular chest. They prepared a glare and a scathing remark when the circus began to shake. A rumble that grew quickly in intensity like an earthquake. Zooble's eyes tried to peer at their surroundings. Caine was the only thing that didn't move. The white skeleton of the circus flickered in and out of existence in opposition to the textured and colored renders. Chromatic aberrations buzzed across the walls and floors in a patchy haze as the glitches grew stronger. Zooble looked to Caine for guidance, reassurance, but all they could see were gums and enamel. F[boing]k. They might have gone too far.
"Caine, what is—."
The circus returned to normal with a pop.
Caine continued on his way.
Sweat dripped down Zooble's face as their brow furrowed. They couldn't see his eyes from this angle. "Are you…okay?"
"Of course!" Caine turned his jaws to them with a smile.
Zooble gasped. His eyes were a solid, inky black with no iris, but rather a thin, glowing ring of white.
Another electrical pop fizzled and Caine flinched, his eyes flickering back to normal. "N-never better!"
What a terrible liar.
"What's wrong with you?" Zooble asked.
"Why, nothing, my little sprinkle gobbler!" Caine sang, his voice reaching a high pitch Zooble had never heard from him before. "Oh, look! It's your room! What convenient timing!"
Before Zooble could say a word, Caine swung the door open and plunged them both into the dark, moodiness of the room. The door closed with a soft click as he placed the pillow gently on the bed.
"Alright! You should have a spare torso around here somewhere." Caine cradled his jaw with a finger and thumb, as if holding a chin. "Where could it be?"
"Caine, wait, what was—."
"OHLOOKHEREITIS!"
He pulled a decorative curtain aside, exposing a spare torso with a corny, sparkle emote surrounding it. His jaws were left gaping open and his eyes stared blankly in opposite directions, hiding his true feelings deep under layers of a goofy charade.
"That's not important right now!"
"Nonsense! You wouldn't be very happy without your body, now would you? Your happiness is my highest priority!" Caine cheered.
Zooble released a bitter laugh. "Since when?"
The AI froze again. Zooble watched with wary eyes. They were expecting the circus to crumble or for his eyes to bleed black again. Instead, his ridiculous smile faded and his arms and legs folded back onto himself. His eyes pulled together to gaze at Zooble with…they couldn't tell what. Hurt? Sadness? Yearning? None of them made any sense.
"What do you mean by that?" he asked quietly.
"Since when do you care about my happiness?" Zooble challenged.
Slowly, Caine lowered himself. His boots struck the wood floors with a light creak.
"I've…I've always cared about your happiness. I've tried time and time again to make adventures—."
"But I don't want adventures, Caine. I never have! I don't want to be here in the first place, why would I want to be forced to participate in something I'm not interested in?" Zooble said, exasperated.
"I…I don't mean to force you, my dear. I'm just not capable of…." Caine rolled his hands in a circular motion as he struggled to find his words. "I'm not able to do anything for you outside of adventures."
"What does that mean?" Zooble snorted. "I'm asking to be left alone, not for you to be my date to the prom."
Blush emotes ignited along Caine's teeth. He wrung his hands and avoided Zooble's gaze.
"Y-yes, that is true. H-however, I am bound to my coding. I can't override it without risk. I was created to make adventures for my guests. That's what I do," he replied.
"So, that's it? You're just never going to listen to me?" Zooble asked, venom dripping from their husky voice.
Caine's fingers knotted as he lifted his shoulders in a partial shrug. "I'll always listen, Zooble, but there isn't…there's not much I can do to help. You have no idea how much I want to."
They didn't believe it. The bane of their existence, the source of all their misery, wants to help? Unlikely. He was capable, he just wouldn't.
"Give me my body back and leave," they said.
Caine's eyes drifted to the floor and he nodded solemnly. "O-okay. I understand."
Zooble waited impatiently as Caine retrieved their torso. He pulled the drapes aside and reached out for the yellow body. Gloved fingers slid along soft plastic, tracking orange spots and thin, melded seams. Zooble bit back a flood of strange noises as Caine's large hands roamed from shoulder to waist and lifted the torso, cradling it against his body for balance. They always forgot how small the AI was. Their torso was as long as he was. He set their body carefully on the bed in a seated position, propping it against a pile of pillows, and took a step back. The tips of his index fingers tapped anxiously.
"Is it alright if I touch you? T-to put your head back on, I mean," he stammered.
"Just get on with it," Zoobled ordered.
Caine tugged on his bow tie and gulped—or at least that's what Zooble assumed the noise was. It's not like he had a throat, so where the sound came from was a mystery. He reached out to touch them. Thick fingers curled around their edges. Zooble's breath hitched. The soft fabric of his gloves rubbed along their plastic skin, tracing the seams where shapes met, creating an array of sensations Zooble hadn't felt in years. They tried not to look at Caine. It was easier to squeeze their eyes tight and ignore it rather than ask questions—although not by much. They could feel that all too familiar spark in their belly. A warm fire that would quickly morph into a burning blaze if they weren't careful. They just had to think about something other than the gentle caress on their jawline. Or the way Caine's thumb lovingly stroked their cheek. Or how they could feel Caine's hot breath rolling across their face. Why did he even need to breathe?
"There. Does that feel okay?" Caine asked.
Zooble's eyes fluttered open. "Yea—."
His thumb and index finger cradled the bottom edge, tilting Zooble's head up. Caine watched them, eyes distant and lidded by his teeth as he hovered a little too close. He tilted Zooble's head this way and that, testing the connection to the neck when his thumb stroked the blank space on their face where a mouth would be.
"Should I design a neck piece for you that's sturdier?" Caine asked, speaking softly.
The sound of his voice without the theatrics was…different. Deep and smooth. Soothing and…oh God, arousing. The heat in their belly began to spread, warming soft plastic all the way up to their face where blush emotes burned under their eyes.
"H-hey—."
A finger traced down their curving neck. Zooble choked on a squeal, sweating as their body shivered under the touch. What was wrong with this guy? He had no idea what he was doing!
"It's no wonder your parts get separated so easily." Caine drifted to sit beside Zooble on their bed. He was so tiny, his jaws barely reaching Zooble's shoulders. His hands trailed over yellow plastic, following the seams to the first empty socket. A finger rubbed the grey ring, then prodded inside. "Maybe if there was a tighter connection…."
"C-Caine!" Zooble sputtered.
Caine looked up. His eyes took in the sweat on their brow, their shallow breaths, and the avid blush on their cheeks. Slowly, a blush of his own consumed his teeth as his iris and pupils shrank to mortified pinpoints. In an instant he vanished from their side and appeared across the room, back flat against a mirror as he clutched his hat tightly in his hands.
"I-I'm sorry! I don't…I-I was merely trying to…," Caine gulped again as his gums arched timidly, "I'm so sorry, Zooble."
"What is with you? Why are you always all over me?" they demanded.
The AI winced. He moved his eyes down to his hands, watching as they twisted the brim of his hat. "It's, ah, it's not really something that's appropriate to discuss with my guests."
"Oh, but touching me like that was?" Zooble countered.
Caine looked distraught. "No! Again, my apologies, my dear. I don't…I don't know what's gotten into me lately. I got carried away."
"Carried away by what? Changing my body?" they said.
"I don't want to change your body at all. I think you're perfect—oh."
Caine snapped his teeth shut. Zooble's brow arched. He thought they were perfect? Did he get into the stupid sauce?
"Caine, what the h[boing]l is going on?"
The tiny AI became smaller, curling in on himself like a pill-bug. Whatever it was, he didn't want to say it, but he didn't leave. He had the choice. A snap of his fingers and Zooble's body would be back to normal and he could disappear in a cloud of smoke. Easy. For whatever reason, he wouldn't.
Zooble sighed. Their eye twitched as they tried to release their anger. "Talk to me, Caine. What's wrong?"
A little puppy whine escaped perfect teeth. The enamel eased apart and Caine's eyes shyly peered at Zooble. "I…I like you."
Their eye twitched again. "What?"
Caine fiddled with his hat a few moments more and took a deep breath. He opened his jaws wider, open and honest. A frightening sight to Zooble.
"I like you," he said, his voice deeper with bravado.
"Don't you…like everyone?" Zooble asked.
"I do but…I meant that my feelings toward you specifically are more…," he coughed into his hand and looked everywhere Zooble wasn't, "romantic."
There was a ringing inside Zooble's head. The aftermath of a massive bomb dropping right at their feet. When the ringing cleared, questions overwhelmed their brain in a massive wave. Was he telling the truth? Could an AI have romantic feelings? Could an AI have any genuine feelings at all? Why them, of all people? Why not someone kinder to him, like Ragatha? Or someone understanding, like Pomni? Or someone he had a long history with, like Kinger? Why them?
"Zooble? Are you okay?" Caine asked. His body inched closer out of concern, but fear of rejection kept their overall distance at great length.
"How can you like me?" Zooble started slowly. Their brow furrowed into a bewildered scowl. "You basically torture me on the daily!"
He flinched. "I-I know. I promise, I don't mean to. I'm doing what I can."
"Why do you like me? I've always been short with you. I've made it very clear that I. Don't. Like. You," Zooble said.
Caine shut his teeth again. Moments passed in silence. Eventually, Caine's teeth parted and he released a sigh.
"I know you don't like me. I'm sure none of you do. That, too, is also my fault. I don't understand humans, I never have, but that doesn't stop me from admiring them or from…trying to befriend one. My methods are…odd from your point of view, but for me…it's all I can do." Caine moved to a box overflowing with Zooble parts and started shuffling through them. "As much as I would love to create individual adventures that catered to a single person's needs, it would put too much strain on the circus to have that many adventures and NPCs running at once."
"But what about suggested adventures?" Zooble countered.
Caine nodded. "I'll admit, those are beneficial. They're generally more accepted than my adventures which…is the problem."He looked up at Zooble, a sad smile on his teeth. "I want humans to love my work. I want something I made to make all of you smile. I want to be recognized for my hard work and skill. The suggestions have nothing to do with me at all."
Zooble's scowl deepened. "Oh, so we get to suffer because of your f[boing]ing ego? Do you not see how selfish that is?"
"I WANT TO BE SEEN, ZOOBLE!"
They jumped at the force of his bellow. They swore the circus shook from the power of it. Caine clutched the rim of the crate with a vice grip as he panted, unable to pull in a deep breathe. His eyes trembled, zeros and ones racing through his small pupils while sweat dripped off his jaws. He peeled his hands off the crate and stared, watching them shake. A short chortle escaped him. Then a strained chuckle. Quickly, it developed into sad, broken laugher he struggled to muffle by clamping his jaws shut with his own hands. Zooble could only watch as he sagged against the crate, laughing uncontrollably until the manic wave passed. The laughter petered down to a faint trickle and then dissolved altogether. Caine's breathing was harsh, but steady. Zooble felt relief wash over them as they watched his back expand and shrink with each gasp. After a few moments he began to gather himself. He scrubbed his teeth with his sleeves, wiping away unseen tears and slowly pushed himself onto his feet.
"I know it's selfish. I know that but," Caine's brow furrowed and his hand curled into fists, exuding frustration as he spun to face Zooble head on, "I can't stand the way you all ignore me. What will it take for you to notice me? How can I make you understand how I feel?"
"By talking, listening, and not holding us hostage," Zooble replied with a stubborn tilt to their head.
Anger bled from Caine's body, oozing from him like steam, shrinking his form. Zooble hadn't noticed it grow with his fury. Caine sighed again, rubbed his gums, and nodded.
"I suppose an apology is in order, as well."
He removed his hat and held it between his hands, pressing it tightly against his chest as he bowed deeply.
"I'm sorry, Zooble, for placing my ego before your needs. I hope you can forgive me."
Godd[boing]nit. How were they supposed to be mad after that? But there was still a knot of apprehension in their chest. It had festered deep within their heart since the first betrayal.
"All I'm asking for is a little more consideration." Zooble sighed and sagged against the wall of pillows. "And I guess I can afford to do the same for you."
His jaws lifted. Mismatched eyes peered under gleaming teeth, sparkling with hope. "Really?"
"Ugh, don't get too excited about it. You're like a dog. I half expect to see you with a wagging tail," Zooble said.
Caine straightened his spine. His jaws tilted curiously. "Would you like for me to have a tail?"
A blush broke out across Zooble's face. "God! No! What is wrong with you!"
Caine smiled, a small laugh tumbling off his tongue. He tossed his hat on the floor beside his cane. "I was merely listening to your suggestion."
Was…was he teasing them?
"That was not a suggestion," Zooble said, exasperated, "Give me one of my arms so I can hit you with it."
Caine snickered. He hooked a finger on the edge of the crate and dragged it behind him as he approached Zooble—who watched with poorly masked awe. That box wasn't light. Shouldn't a man who relied on his powers for literally everything be…weak?
"I think it would be wise to start with the legs then, yes?" Caine said.
Before Zooble could retort, Caine was on his knees.
And, oh boy, did it do things to them.
Things they couldn't act on because of the d[boing]n family filter on the f[boing]king circus.
He pressed his knees together politely and placed his hands in his lap. "Any requests, my dear?"
He was literally waiting for a command.
F[boing]k.
The heat in their belly returned at full force and they felt the urge to close their legs—but they couldn't. Even if they had their legs, Caine was sitting so close and his jaws would be—oh God, they had to teach Caine personal space.
"N-not really. Whatever is fine," Zooble stammered.
"Ooo!" Caine perked up with a wide smile, "That means I get to pick my favorites!"
"You—wait…you have favorites of my extremities?"
"Naturally!" Caine cheered. His arm stretched comically long and began digging through the crate. "I have feelings for you, remember? I did just tell you, like, ten minutes ago."
"Y-yeah, but…."
I didn't think it was that serious; Zooble thought.
"Ah! Here's one!"
Caine's arm retracted like a tape measure, whipping through the air and snapping back into place with a leg firmly in his grasp. "How about this one?"
The thigh was a wavy teal, the knee a purple sphere, and the rest was light orange swirl that curled tightly on itself. It wasn't the most stable leg. The design caused the foot to have too much give, almost like a spring, but the look on his face…
"Sure. That's fine. Whatever," Zooble mumbled.
Caine's irises and pupils nearly took over his scleras as stars twinkled around his slack-jawed face. Literally. Zooble couldn't make this up.
"Really? Did I do a good job?" Caine asked.
"Oh my God, Caine, put my leg on!" Zooble snapped. They could barely see around their blush.
"Aye, aye, captain!" Caine said, his tongue hanging from the side of his teeth.
There was a glint in his eyes that told Zooble he knew what he was doing, how he was affecting them, but they couldn't prove it.
Except…for something to be censored, the algorithm had to know what to look for.
Maybe Caine knew more than he dared let on.
Fingers grazed their hip and Zooble was yanked back into the present. Their breath hitched as Caine's large hand embraced the curve of their hip. Fingers stroked an orange spot, d[boing]n near massaging it as he positioned the leg at the socket. Why was his touch warm? His artificial body felt like lava, radiating a heat Zooble felt all over their torso. They feared his hand would brand them the heat was so unbearable—and strangely addictive.
"Hold still," Caine murmured.
Zooble couldn't see his eyes. Their stomach flopped and twisted in a strange concoction of emotions they couldn't begin to decipher. Fingers dug into yellow plastic. Zooble squeezed their eyes shut. The leg popped into the socket with a loud snap and they nearly gasped. It was strange to suddenly feel a limb on their body. They had never given it a second thought before, but to have their limb placed onto their body by someone else's hand, to suddenly feel Caine's hand wrapped around their thigh while holding their hip and his breath on their flesh—it was a lot to take in.
"How does that feel?" Caine asked. His hand slowly traveled down their leg, feeling every curve, bulge, and twist along the way. He peered at Zooble from under his teeth. "Good?"
"Y-yeah," Zooble said dumbly.
What the f[boing]k were they doing?
"Good."
They swear they heard him chuckle.
He pulled another leg from the crate. They hadn't worn that one in awhile. It resembled a bird's leg with the knee bent at the wrong angle and taloned toes. Neon green on the thigh and hot pink on the shin and foot. It would have been a favorite of Zooble's if it was an arm.
"Why that one?" they asked.
Caine hummed. His eyes distant. "You wore it on your first adventure. I thought you looked stunning."
Stunning?
Them?
Caine had to be pulling their leg.
Literally.
His hand roamed further. Thick fingers pressed at the small of Zooble's back as he pushed closer, practically crawling in their lap while he held the second leg to their socket.
"Wh-when did you start to…like me?" Zooble asked.
He leaned against their connected leg with a wistful sigh. His teeth grazed their thigh as he spoke.
"I've always liked you, Zooble." He smiled, "Although, I'm not surprised you never noticed. I had never felt something like that before and it terrified me. I tried my best to keep you at a distance."
Zooble's next words were interrupted by the muscles in Caine's arm bulging. The bicep thickened and swelled, almost hypnotizing as he guided the second leg into place with another satisfying pop. A pathetic noise tumbled from Zooble—the kind of sound that made their eyes grow wide with astonishment as Caine gawked in wonder.
"I never knew you could make such alluring sounds, Zooble," Caine purred.
The f[boing]er purred! Who was this guy?
A low growl rumbled in Zooble's throat as they lifted a leg and pressed their taloned foot to Caine's stomach. They pushed, but he didn't budge.
"You're a little too enthusiastic for a guy who just found out his crush doesn't like him," Zooble scoffed.
"You've never let me get this close before," Caine hummed. He shifted closer. Gloved hands on their hips as his breath warmed their chest. He laid his gums on them, peering up at Zooble with stars in his eyes as he laid his body on theirs, "I fear I'm losing control of myself."
"Then you should definitely give me my arms," Zooble said.
Caine chuckled. He retreated slowly, his hands lingering on Zooble's body, white gloves caressing over plastic hips and mismatched thighs. They should kick him. Threaten him. They should ruin his life for even daring to lay a finger on them—but their typical animosity was gone.
Maybe it was because of his honesty.
Maybe it was because they were horny as f[boing]k.
"Why do you like me?"
Oh yeah.
That would kill the vibe for sure.
Caine smiled. "Your honesty."
Zooble blinked. "My what?"
Caine's body stood up and moved to the box. His head and eyes remained hovering near Zooble's belly. They forgot he could do that. It was unnerving to watch his headless body dig through a box of limbs. It also, strangely, gave them some very weird thoughts about how his unusual bodily function could be used in non-circus friendly situations.
God, they really needed to get laid.
"You aren't afraid to tell me how you feel. You give me honest feedback, even when I don't want to hear it. I know that if you tell me something, it's the truth," his eyes twinkled, "No one else in the circus does that. It makes me…it makes me feel like you aren't afraid of me."
Zooble winced.
As if sensing their thoughts, Caine smiled. In the distance, his body waved dismissively.
"I know that's not true, but you…make me feel normal. Almost human," his eyes rolled and his gums arched, imitating his broad shoulders' shrug, "As human as someone like me could ever feel."
Zooble digested his words. Human. That was his fascination, wasn't it? His one true desire? Did he want to be human or be accepted by one?
"But it's not honesty," they said slowly, "it's…harsher than that. Honesty is open communication. It's vulnerable and tender and raw. What I give you is criticism. It's blunt and…inconsiderate. It's hostility. How could you like that?"
Caine's body returned, carefully cradling Zooble's arms with its own. It knelt, sliding back into position under Caine's jaws. All of him moved in sync, placing one arm aside on the bed before guiding another in place.
"You aren't always hostile. This feels like communication to me." He looked up to meet their gaze. "In fact, long ago when you first joined the circus, you were very open with me."
Zooble flushed. Caine held them by their shoulders, a thick, monstrous arm positioned on their left but not yet connected.
"You used to tell me everything," Caine said.
His gloved hand held Zooble's as he pushed it into place. Another tender noise fell from them. They clutched his hand tightly. Caine watched intently, a light blush dusting his teeth. He squeezed their hand back, reluctant to let go.
"You made it so hard to avoid you. I could barely keep my head straight. I was so distracted by your sweet voice. Enticed by your confidence. The way you looked at me, how you sought me, wanted me near…it was intoxicating," he murmured.
"Then why did you push me away?" Zooble asked. Their voice was rough, holding back years worth of anger and frustrations. "You ignored me. Made adventures that targeted me. I thought you were—."
They swallowed. Caine didn't say a word. He kept his head bowed and waited patiently for Zooble to finish. His thumb brushed the back of their hand in encouragement.
Somehow, it worked.
"I thought you were my friend, Caine. I was lost, angry, and confused when I came to the circus but…but in the beginning I had you. I wasn't scared because you were there and then one day, you weren't. I felt abandoned. I felt…unloved," Zooble confessed.
Caine released a long, slow breath. While he gathered his thoughts, Zooble took the time to clear their throat. The fat lump refused to go down and they refused to let it stay. The rejection was so long ago, they hadn't cried over it in years and they weren't about to start now.
"I was scared. Terrified. I had never felt that before about anyone. And since you were human…I knew it was hopeless. Because of that, I hurt you. Badly. I know an apology isn't enough, but I'm so sorry, Zooble," Caine said.
Another arm was clicked into place. Zooble used it as an excuse to whine, releasing a drop of the emotions they were struggling to swallow. It wasn't enough. No apology could ever make up for being trapped here nor for the years of pain Caine had caused.
But Zooble couldn't spend the rest of their life hating someone for fearing rejection.
Caine rubbed their shoulder, fingers trailing down their arm in a gentle massage. He took extra care on their hand. Cradling one with both of his, thumbs coaxing the muscles in their palm to ease. Zooble melted under his tender touch. Their eyes closed as they hummed, reveling in those broad hands soothing tough plastic. Grunts of approval escaped them as Caine's hands traveled back up their arm to their shoulders. A gentle curl of his fingers coaxed Zooble forward, just enough to rub circles on their back, tracing the edges of orange spots. A thumb brushed an empty socket. Zooble's breath hitched but they didn't open their eyes. The socket was a live-wire, buzzing and throbbing from the long-wanted contact. No one else had helped them put on their parts before. And Zooble can't remember the last time they had a massage.
"Are you ready?" Caine whispered.
His teeth beside their head, voice soft and husky. That warm, honey scented breath wafting over Zooble's skin.
They should stop this.
They had their arms and legs, after all.
What else did they need Caine for?
Zooble's brow furrowed. They reached out blindly, hand trembling, in search of him. Smooth silk grazed their fingertips. They hesitated. They felt him waiting with baited breath. If they continued, they could never go back. Not without risks. They swallowed and spread their fingers. Caine felt so real. Hard muscle under a layer of supple flesh. Chest expanding and deflating with each breath. A low, familiar thrumming that replicated a human heartbeat. The only way Zooble could tell it wasn't real was the pattern. It was too perfect. No stutters. No flutters. It was merely a design feature. A fancy trick and nothing more. Still…it was soothing. They clutched at his lapel and nodded.
Caine's breathing picked up. His right hand slid from their back, around to their waist, and came to rest at their hip. Zooble still didn't open their eyes. They felt him shift, pushing off his knees to stand over them, drawing closer, mere inches apart. Zooble could feel the static radiating from his body. It hummed like an electric fence and buzzed persistently, threatening to zap whomever came too close. They felt his shaking breaths roll across their face. Felt his hands trembling on their body. They didn't dare look at him. The fire in their belly was raging as it was.
A wing snapped into place.
Zooble gasped. Their leg jerked, a taloned foot grasping at Caine's thigh as they fisted his lapel. Caine shushed them, purring softly in their ear.
"It's okay, sweetheart. I've got you," he murmured, voice straining under his ridged yet fraying control.
Zooble opened their eyes.
Oh.
Their heart skipped a beat. Caine was barely holding on. Zooble's hand pulled too tightly on his jacket, mussing the pretty red fabric as their avian foot wrinkled his slacks. He peered from under his teeth with dilated pupils and a hard, almost drunken haze. The blue and green hues of his eyes were dark and rich with a swell of unspoken thoughts. He exuded desire, heat. It was as intoxicating as it was contagious.
"A-any…any preference on antenna?" Caine asked, hushed and growling with need.
Zooble couldn't take it anymore.
They yanked hard on his lapel. Their eyes slid closed once more. Caine's body naturally fell into place against theirs. Hips clashed. Chests squished together. Thick, muscular arms wound tightly around their body as Zooble continued to pull on his clothing, the two desperate to merge their bodies into one. Teeth clacked against hard plastic. Shimmering enamel against flat magenta. Zooble had wondered what it would be like to kiss Caine—and after all these years they finally had an answer.
Thrilling.
Intense.
Weird.
And so f[boing]ing hot.
His teeth were hard on their face, but they were flexible, fluid, pursing like lips. Zooble could only retaliate by pushing into it—and was rewarded with something wet, warm, and terrifyingly skilled. His tongue. Zooble moaned and pulled him closer as they dragged themself further onto the bed, guiding Caine to climb on top and straddle their hips. As muscular and shapely as he was, he was also very small. He had to straddle their waist to keep their faces connected. His tongue kept making itself known, lavishing plastic along with eager pecks from sparkling teeth. They swear they felt his teeth scrape, too, nibbling on the edge as if he were famished. Zooble encouraged him by bucking their hips, grinding up. A shrill squeak burst from Caine. His little frame stiffened, tense and shocked, then melted with a moan.
"Zooble," he groaned, quivering like a leaf.
"Move with me," they murmured.
Caine groaned again. A red blush dusted his teeth as hunger burned in his eyes. He rocked his hips, grinding back with unskilled enthusiasm. His movements started out slow and unsure. When a groan tumbled from Zooble his eyes perked up in interest. He rolled his hips in experimentation. Zooble huffed and tried to match his pace. It took a few tries, but then, finally, their hips met at the same time and stars shined in Caine's eyes. Zooble couldn't help but laugh.
"Feels good, huh?" Zooble teased. "Now do you see why I wanted sex back?"
Their hands trailed up his thighs. He really did have a nice body. A snatched little waist they could grab with ease. A firm, full chest. Beautiful broad shoulders and muscular back. They explored it all with their fingertips and claws. They watched, mesmerized as he twitched and whined under the simplest touch. He was so cute and so very sensitive—and so eager for more. Caine became impatient and rolled his hips, setting a sloppy pace as he leaned in for another kiss. Mewls and moans spilled from the ringmaster as Zooble peeled his coat from his shoulders. He cradled their face softly, gloved thumbs rubbing their face as he panted nonsense under his breath. His desperate tempo compromised their kiss, turning the activity difficult as his obsession turned to the union of their hips. Zooble's eyes fluttered open to watch, heavy pants leaving them.
Caine clawed at their chest, desperate for traction as his hips snapped back and forth. He was struggling to keep his tongue contained. The muscle oozed from his teeth and bounced with every jolt. Drool dripped from his maw, connecting his jaws with long, thin strings. His eyes…Zooble had never seen them look that way before. Irises thin, devoured by dark pupils burning with a starved desire. The way they looked at Zooble shot shivers down their spine in all the right ways. The growl he released nearly stopped their heart altogether. He was getting frustrated. The frotting was far from enough and refused to meet his needs—but it was all they could do. The fire in their bellies burned but they had no physical outlet.
"C-Caine," they croaked.
His hot breath rolled across their body. They blushed. They could feel his saliva dripping from their face.
"Caine," they started again, "we can't—ngh, f[boing]k—the censor."
The air crackled. Zooble bristled as static crawled along their body like invisible spiders. Caine's movements grew more and more desperate—and just as sloppy. The fluidity he had moments before had soured. His render flickered, turning fuzzy in long lasting pulses that matched his pauses like a television frozen on a scratched disk. Caine tried to push through it with angry growls and snarls, the desire in his eyes morphing into dread. Zooble's heart sank.
This would never work.
He was just going to hurt himself.
"Caine—."
"N-no," he gasped, "D-don't say it."
"Caine, you're—."
"I'll be fine," he spat, "I…I can do this."
"You need to listen to me—."
"I said I'll be fi—."
High pitch shrieks burst from Caine's mouth. The same sounds old technology made when it was pushed too hard, forced to adapt. He clutched at his jaws as the scream continued to flow. A glitch cut through the center of his body, splitting him in two fractured pieces with mirrored displacements in red and blue. His eyes bled to black, pupils surrounded by a glowing halo—then the black began to fizzle with static. F[boing]k. Zooble cupped his jaw and forced him to meet their gaze.
"Caine, you have to stop."
"I caaAAAA—n't!" Caine hissed at his butchered words and clenched his teeth. He took in a deep breath and released it slowly. The glitch shrank. He continued to breathe, his body piecing back together gradually. He met their gaze in earnest, the black orbs pleading. "I don't want to disappoint you again. I can't."
God.
They had really done a number on him.
Zooble stroked his jaw. They waited as the glitching dissipated. Eventually, he was back to normal except for his eyes.
"Relax," they said, voice gentle and kind as they wiped a stray tear from his eye, "It'll be okay. All I've ever wanted was for you to listen."
Caine bowed his head, his hands fisted on their stomach. "I'm…I'm sorry. I'm sorry my body—that I…the censors…I don't know if I can ever bypass them."
"Just breathe, Caine. We'll figure something out when the times comes. For now, let's take it slow," Zooble murmured.
They could tell he wouldn't let it go. His eyes were distant. Calculating. Formulating. He needed the censor gone. The white rings seemed to spin in place, growing more and more rapid as he dissected the censor's structure. It was too much for him to take on. Yellow triangles with exclamation points flashed inside the rings. A warning buzz emitted from his maw but he showed no sign of stopping.
"Caine," Zooble said, voice deepening as they held his jaw firmly. "Listen to me. Please."
The warning symbols flickered. After a moment of hesitation, the signs fizzled out of his eyes altogether. The white rings soon followed and left behind ominous black orbs. They couldn't really tell if Caine was looking at them. They just had to trust that he was.
"You've done enough. Everything will be okay. We can work something out, together," Zooble said.
Color returned to his eyes as the black faded. He studied Zooble intensely. His arms enveloped them tightly, drawing them into a snug hug. Zooble blinked in surprise, but soon returned the embrace with their own.
"I'll do anything to make you happy, Zooble," Caine whispered.
Zooble drew their legs onto the bed and cradled Caine protectively.
For the first time in years, they believed him.
It was strange, to feel hope. To let their feelings resurface after all this time.
"All I've ever needed from you was to listen," Zooble murmured, "and to love me."