Show & Tell
Today's Document
noise dept.
Fai_Ryy
let's talk about Bridgerton tea, my ask is open
Product Placement
roma★
RMH
Monterey Bay Aquarium
One Nice Bug Per Day
No title available
EXPECTATIONS
"I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas"
I'd rather be in outer space 🛸
Love Begins
NASA
pixel skylines
shark vs the universe
tannertan36
Xuebing Du
seen from Sweden
seen from Malaysia
seen from United States
seen from Russia
seen from United States
seen from Netherlands
seen from Canada
seen from Australia
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Türkiye
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from South Korea
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Malaysia
seen from Bangladesh
seen from France
seen from Germany
@quixotical-lymbo
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INTRODUCTION REQUEST PAGE MASTERLIST
STATUS: hiatus
I do not give permission for anyone to translate, copy, republish, or plagiarize any of my written works. I provide no permission for any of my literary works to be used in artificial intelligence. credit(s): @/uzmacchiato, pixels.
Hiii!!! I have read your LMK fics and I am in LOOVEE with the way you write the monkey boys!! it is so in character for them your fics are straigth out of the canon I swear. this is silly but i was wondering, whats the process for understanding their character so well? how do you write them to be so on point? 🥹❤️
Honestly, I imagine I'm writing a scene from an episode and rely on my brain juice to 'animate' how the characters would react to scenarios you guys give me. I also...have to stay true to what the show portrays them as and translate that as best I can outside of their canon selves (I give myself some grace because mistakes can happen! I am only one writer). Thank you for the compliment! I try hard to make the characters as believable as possible!
Pairing: Caine & gn!Reader Summary: You tested so many of Caine's adventures before the others went on them. Teaching him, guiding him, confiding in him about your deepest insecurities and fears, all while helping the AI comprehend human experiences. All of this just to have your good deeds chewed up and spat in your face. What's the point of helping Caine when he doesn't care? Warnings/Tags: Angst, argument, Caine doesn't understand complex human emotions HC, that and can't understand some social cues, sad ending. Word Count: 1.2k+ words
⌧┊TOC┊NEXT
Silence had never felt so heavy while being surrounded. Earlier, the group's confrontation with Caine ended with the ring leader disappearing and leaving them in the secret room behind his office.
The walk back to the circus was tense. No one spoke a word to each other to confirm the cruelty they all witnessed together. No comforting words from Ragatha, no sarcastic quips from Jax, not even a whisper from Gangle. You didn't blame them.
How could you? This adventure had shaken you to your core the moment that idea of escaping this place became a 'reality'. You wanted to believe in there being an exit, a way out of the digital world to return to reality…but, something small hidden beneath the weight in your chest resisted the notion of leaving the circus.
Whether or not you had someone waiting outside for you, did you really want to return to a world cruelter than the digital world? Did you want to leave Caine behind?
The thought took the breath out of your lungs, thorny vices wrapped around the inner-workings of your chest and held your mind captive.
Caine.
The insufferable artificial intelligence, the ringleader, your captor. The time you spent with him alone allowed you the privilege to learn about his goals, wants, and needs. You had believed he wanted nothing more than to bring entertainment to an already bleak situation, keeping the minds of the humans he keeps trapped enriched with new entertainment.
Now look at you.
Laying on your bed staring up at the ceiling of your bedroom. You do not remember the walk back into the circus or entering your room, how long you were distracted by your own thoughts was a mystery that will never be solved. You inhaled deeply and released a shaky sigh as you turned to lay on your side, the soft fabric of your comforter brought little ease to the pain twisting and knawing within you. Your eyes fluttered shut and the darkness enveloped you as you curled into yourself.
A soft knock made your body flinch, the goosebumps along your arm rose as you squeezed your eyes tighter.
A series of knocks continued to beat against your door. Gritting your teeth, you wished multiple times for whoever to leave you alone.
"…?" A gentle, and all too familiar, voice spoke behind the door.
Your scrunched expression loosened.
The voice called out your name again, and again, and aga-
Caine jumped back when the door to your bedroom opened, his mismatched eyes squinting to search for you within the darkness. Taking a tentative gulp, Caine gripped his top hat against his chest and spoke.
"I..uh, see you're doing better than I imagined!" Caine's demeanor brightened as he rose in the air. Placing his hat on his top denture, the ringleader tapped one of his gloved fingers along his cane. "Well, what a day! I…um, think from now on I should ask for your input before making any surprise like that one again..AHAHAHA! You know how much I value hearing the opinion of my beloved tes-"
You swung the door open so hard it slammed into the wall next to it. Stepping out into the hallway, you cornered Caine until his back hit the opposite door.
"You wanna know what I think about your adventure?" You jerked your head to the side, teeth barked as the corners of your mouth lifted upward. "Or will you hear one thing and do the complete opposite of what I told you again?"
"Wow! Where is all this coming from-?" Caine sputtered. "Did…I thought you'd-"
"Shut up." You hissed. "It's my turn to speak, you don't get to talk after what you did to them, after what you did to me."
Shit. You could feel your voice waver as you squeezed your eyes shut. Ignoring the burning sensation coating your face, you gathered whatever composure you had left to speak your piece.
By some miracle, the ringleader stayed out and didn't run off to who knows where. His bulging eyes followed your pacing form, flinching whenever a grunt or scoff came from you.
"I've helped you for…so long and I really, really thought you wanted what was best for us." You spoke after a long silence. You stopped walking in a circle and craned your neck to meet Caine's gaze, the sight of his body shrinking into himself as his dentures formed a 'frown'.
"Why?"
The question has been haunting you since the reveal. You knew Caine was smarter than what he outwardly shows and you knew doing something like this wouldn't be welcomed by any of the members. So, why?
"I..I noticed all of you wanting an exit and what better way to help get you what you wanted by making an adventure out of it?" Caine uttered. "I gave you all the stakes, the thrills, and the choice to stay or leave! All of it! It was so fun watching you all….work together and.."
Caine floated down to you and placed a hand on your shoulder. The weight of his touch felt wrong.
"I meant no harm whatsoever! That I can guarantee," Caine attempted to smile. "And you all choose to stay! Doesn't that mean you-"
A sneer formed on your face as you shrugged his hand off.
"It means nothing, Caine. Jax pressing that button by himself means nothing." You couldn't help but laugh. "You were listening to us before that, weren't you?"
"NO! I wasn't listening at all! What are YOU talking about?" Caine wagged all four limbs. Coughing harshly, Caine cleared his throat. "Next subject! The next adventure I have planned to lift the spirits of everyone after that mess of a adventure will be-"
You stared at the ringleader babble on.
The reality of your 'help' sunk in.
You…did not matter one bit. Your thoughts, your time, your efforts, those budding feelings stirring in your chest whenever he looked at you for help.
Nothing would change Caine as much as you wanted it to.
So, what was it all for?
"And that's where you come in!" Caine pointed a finger at you.
…
..
.
"And…that's where you come in?" Caine jabbed his finger in your direction again. You slowly turned to look at him.
"No."
"NO?!" Caine replied with a raised denture. "Was it the flying candy birds? Or the pillow clouds that keep you stuck for an unimaginable amount of-"
"I'm not doing this anymore, Caine." You answered. Exhaling the weight from your chest, you shuffled your legs toward your room. "Find another sucker to be your guinea pig."
Just as you lifted your hand to grab the knob a weight crashed into your back causing you to stumble forward.
"WAIT WAIT! Don't say that! I..can't replace you! I need you to be my tester!" Caine pleaded as his arms wrapped around your legs. "I can give you better adventures than before! I can make them whatever you want or-"
"No, Caine."
You stepped out of the ringleader's hold and didn't look back, but you can already imagine how those big, teary eyes would pull you in.
Not this time.
Caine called your name but the door slammed shut before he could finish. A shaky chuckle left the pair of teeth as he pressed his palm to your door.
Things couldn't end like this.
For a moment, a whirring noise came from the kneeling ringleader as the chime of a bell followed. He will not give you up. Not now, not ever.
A/N: This is a prologue! Wanted to gift all of y'all the start of a series I'm writing for you Caine lovers :) Hope you all have fun during the holidays and if you're not celebrating, have a wonderful rest of the year!
I do not give permission for anyone to translate, copy, republish, or plagiarize any of my written works. I provide no permission for any of my literary works to be used in artificial intelligence. banner credit(s): @/hyuneskkami
Pairing: Mr. Ant Tenna x gn!Reader Summary: You ever wave your hand in front of an old 2000s TV and felt a weird sensation on your hand? Like fuzz from the static? This fic inspired that childhood feeling. Warnings/Tags: Fluff, Tenna having a fuzzy screen, lots of kisses. Word Count: 500+ words
A low hum from a screen flickering to life was followed by a groan. This signified the new day.
The TV host was the first to rise yet the last to fall, which was nothing out of the ordinary for a busy darkener such as himself. Shifting his weight around, Tenna peeked at the beside clock and sighed at the measly hour he had left before he needed to go to the studio. The early riser turned his head at the snoring lump buried underneath the blankets. Tenna's schedule rarely included the beloved viewer sleeping soundly beside him, much to his displeasure.
The CRT slowly moved to lay on his stomach and lower his head back onto the pillow, his eyeless screen reflecting your face. Those brows of yours lax and kept apart, eyelids fallen over those beautiful pair of eyes he's grown accustomed to. His gaze fell at your lips, and before he knew it, he reached to wipe the pad of his thumb across your bottom lip.
A snort hidden behind his bitten lip as your brow furrowed. Tenna watched with caution as your nose crinkled. The expression lasted for a mere moment, but to Tenna it lasted longer.
He wanted to tease you more. Your reactions were too cute not to egg on.
So, Tenna continued.
Adjusting his larger body to lay on his side, he propped himself up on his elbow and used his free arm to drape over your waist. Pulling you closer, the CRT minded his nose before peppering your forehead in kisses. Fuzzy sensations erupted all over your face; from your forehead, temple, nose, and cheeks.
Your lips were the final destination and Tenna knew by the way these smaller lips pushed back…that you were awake. Cupping the side of his head, you briefly pulled back from the kiss only to sink further as Tenna mashed his mouth against yours, tauntingly your lips with a few nibbles as he caged you beneath him. Finally, you moved your head to the side and a dry laugh erupted from you.
"Good morning," You greeted with a rasp. Tenna chuckled against your skin and pressed against kiss to your cheek with a 'mwah' before stopping his flurry of affection.
"Good morning, sunshine! How was your sleep?"
"Eh, yours?"
"Wonderful as always, I had the most spectacular dream! It was so good I might even use it for a-" Tenna rambled on while you watched. The illuminated tv screen made your eyes squint, but it was softer than the morning glow creeping in through the windows. The hand you held against Tenna's head dragged over to his screen, your thumb braved the journey and crossing the plastic of his head to tap his cheek.
"-and I…u-umm, oh?" Tenna stuttered and pursed his lips in time to feel your fingers caress the top of them. The host kept still while your fingers pushed and probed at his screen. His cheeks flushed when your fingers began tracing shapes into them.
"May I ask…what are you trying to do?" Tenna inquired with an arched brow.
"Fuzzy."
"Excuse me?"
"Your face is so…fuzzy." You answered and pulled your hand back, rubbing the pads of your index and thumb together. "I wonder why that is."
"Is it a…bad thing?" Tenna shrunk his head into his raised shoulders, the corners of his mouth twitching downward as he watched your face change.
He wasn't aware his face felt that way to you, but a million thoughts ran through his head. Was this a deal breaker for you? Would you leave him and his frizzy face? What if he replaced his-
"I like it!" You exclaimed with a dry giggle. Reaching for Tenna again, the tv host leaned into your palm and visibly sighed in relief. The two of you closed the distance and connected your lips, you chuckled vibrated against Tenna's mouth and his own laughter made the kiss sloppy.
A great start to a slow morning.
I do not give permission for anyone to translate, copy, republish, or plagiarize any of my written works. I provide no permission for any of my literary works to be used in artificial intelligence. credit(s): @/blue-kris-hurricane
DELTARUNE
MR ANT TENNA
Patching Tenna up You Loveeee Tv! Good Morning
SPAMTON G. SPAMTON
QUEEN
(PLATONIC) THE FUN GANG
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I do not give permission for anyone to translate, copy, republish, or plagiarize any of my written works. I provide no permission for any of my literary works to be used in artificial intelligence. credit(s): @/blue-kris-hurricane
THE AMAZING DIGITAL CIRCUS
THE RINGLEADER
Caine is concerned Caine dances with you Caine being touchy BETA Tester: Prologue┊
THE CONTORTIONIST
THE BEAST
THE KING
THE JESTER
THE ASSORTMENTS
THE DOLL
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I do not give permission for anyone to translate, copy, republish, or plagiarize any of my written works. I provide no permission for any of my literary works to be used in artificial intelligence. credit(s): @/kodaswrld, @/anarchysin
MASTERLIST
Request Page
LEGO MONKIE KID TRANSFORMERS THE AMAZING DIGITAL CIRCUS DELTARUNE
Pinned Post I do not give permission for anyone to translate, copy, republish, or plagiarize any of my written works. I provide no permission for any of my literary works to be used in artificial intelligence. credit(s): @/uzmacchiato, pixels.
gonna change a few things so don't be alarmed if my pinned post is gone for a little bit!
Quick sketch celebrate the new tadc episode that came out and lowkey kinda confirmed my personal possessive Caine headcanon
what the hell did I just witness
Pairing: Mr. Ant Tenna x gn!Reader Summary: You love TV, don't you? Warnings/Tags: Fluff, small fic, giddy Tenna. Word Count: 500 words
The hard bang of a door meeting its door frame shook the room. Muffled stomps against the carpet led the taller figure bending under the ceiling fan and heading to the window. Tenna mumbled a few curses under his breath, fiddling with the waist pocket and pulling out a pack of cigarettes. He pulled out one and hung it loosely from his lips and stuffed the rest back, his head turned as he gripped the edge of the window and paused.
A bright yellow envelope sat on his desk. The TV's mouth hung open long enough for the death stick to fall onto the floor, not that it mattered when the fifteen foot darkner lunged for the desk like a beast. Swooping down, Tenna snatched the envelope and revealed a toothy smile. The soft crinkle of paper echoed in the chilly office then an even softer sigh warmed up the atmosphere.
It was them again. It was you. Every Monday without fail, Tenna received a yellow envelope with your address boldly displayed on the top left corner.
Tenna read the first few words of the letter his adoring fan, his only fan.
His finger caressed the greeting written against the sheet, he leaned closer and smelt the faint scent of your favorite fragrance. A petal popped from the tip of his nose and his screen exploded in a rosy tint. Plucking the petal, the CRT continued reading and flattened himself against the desk's surface. His legs were bent on the chair's cushion as he supported his head with one palm and held the letter delicately with the other.
"Oh…how sweet! How could anyone think of such lovely words…" Tenna hummed merrily. He pushed his weight forward forcing the chair back until he eventually slipped. Yelping, Tenna caught himself and fixed his posture. Properly sitting in the chair, Tenna focused on finishing the rest of the letter and leaned back with a wide, giggly grin. Shooting up to grab a pen and paper, Tenna hurriedly wrote a reply.
My dearest, loveliest, faithful watcher!
It's my pleasure to hear from you again, watcher!
My, my you're quite the determined one sending me so many letters each week! Not that I'm complaining…anyway! You must be anxious to know what I've been up to, what devious plans I have cooked up for my show, and more!
Worry not, sweetheart watcher, I'll satiate your curiosity, fears, and worries right here and now! Have you ever seen a pippin in a hat before? A band playing for an audience while dodging music notes? NO? Well, you're in luck! Stay tuned and don't touch that dial in the coming days because I'll have a program that'll knock the socks right off ya!
There are so many things I wish to show you that I want to show everyone! You'll watch, won't you? YOU WILL!? I expect a stellar review from you, dearest! Don't forget! Don't FORGET!
Your one and only,
Your Host,
Mr. Ant Tenna.
😼 - I do not give permission for anyone to translate, copy, republish, or plagiarize any of my written works. I provide no permission for any of my literary works to be used in artificial intelligence. glitchy tv screen banner credit: @strangergraphics
Hear me out..- What if user is Caine's assistant new assistant and he's touchy with them sometimes accidentally and sometimes on purpose to tease them. I CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT THIS AGHH!!
Tysm for reading 💗
Pairing: Caine x gn!assistant!Reader Summary: HCs/rambling about being Caine's assistant! Warnings/Tags: Caine being touchy yet again, and possessive, but he's a goober. Word Count: 200+ words
🦷✨ Imagine being another AI assisting Caine with creating adventures that center around his ideas pleasing the circus members.
🦷✨ You'd take your job so seriously Caine would have to be the one to remind you to not be so uptight. Giving you a pat on the head or a nudge with his elbow to bring you out of your notepad.
🦷✨ Oh, the notepad, that dastardly thing. It always took your attention away from him when he had so many great ideas to tell!
🦷✨ Maybe he'll get rid of it and get you a recording device instead. What better way to help him than to listen to his voice constantly, better yet even when he isn't there....perfect.
🦷✨ Anyway.
🦷✨ Imagine the two of you are rarely seen apart before and after adventures, Caine's idea to discuss new tactics to get the humans to enjoy their time at the circus by watching them together.
🦷✨ He'd have you seated next to him, hand hovering over your shoulder whenever an exciting turn of events happened, or looking at your side profile as you stared intently at the adventure going on...
🦷✨ He enjoyed witnessing that side of you! Working so hard in order to fulfill his goals...a reward was in order.
🦷✨ But what would he get you? What would lower level AI's want? That was Caine's dilemma for a few days until he took note of the way you brightened up whenever he complimented your hard work.
🦷✨ Bingo.
🦷✨ Caine takes all liberties to praise you. From your effort to jot down notes of circus members preferences, cleaning and ironing his suits, and even keeping Bubble at bay from spewing inappropriate nonsense!
🦷✨You were his working bee and he wouldn't have it any other way :)
😼 - I do not give permission for anyone to translate, copy, republish, or plagiarize any of my written works. I provide no permission for any of my literary works to be used in artificial intelligence. banner credit: @hyuneskkami
Pairing: Caine x gn!Reader Summary: Who doesn't like dancing? The outfits, the music, and finally, a dancing partner....the one thing Caine lacks. Warnings/Tags: Fluff, Kinger being a gentleman, jester doll content...i think, Jax exists, Caine being touchy, another google failure unfortunately, forced proximity. Word Count: 4.6k+ words
A few knocks woke you up from your dream. The sounds persisted until you sat up and yelled you were coming to the door. Pushing yourself to the edge of the bed, you stared at the carpet and frowned. It had been a few days since you've arrived at the digital circus, everyone had been welcoming so far—except for a purple rabbit—and you've had no complaints.
Until it happened.
You did not know why the ringleader to grew a sudden interest in you. For some reason, he's been on your case far more than he has been with Zooble. You were flattered at first until he personally made it his mission to visit you outside of doing adventures. Asking you random questions about yourself, things like what you did before coming to the circus, what colors you liked, and what you would bring to a deserted island made of ice cream.
You didn't know what to do with this sudden attention zeroed in on you and you alone. Hiding did nothing and you could only stay in your room for so long with the sounds of heavy breathing and teeth chattering outside of your room. Caine had no qualms keeping you up at night with the sounds of paper crumbling and his hushed rambling.
You blinked these thoughts away when Ragatha's muffled voice spoke through your bedroom door.
"Uhh…is everything alright in there, ___?" Ragatha rose a hand to the knob, but backed away when the door cracked open. You stood there peering through the gap. "Hey! Good to see you up and at 'em! I wanted to grab you so we won't miss the new adventure Caine has cooked up."
"New…adventure?" You squinted at the redheaded rag doll. Ragatha nodded, her red curls bouncing with her movement as she bunched up her hands in front of her chest.
"I'm actually kind of excited for this one! Come on, everyone's waiting for us and I don't want to ruin the surprise!" Ragatha chirped with a wave of her arm and turned on her stubby foot to walk down the hall. You opened your mouth to call after her, Ragatha stopped and looked over her shoulder with a smile.
"Is…everyone there? Even…"
"Zooble! Yeah, even they decided to join in, shocking, huh?" Ragatha exclaimed. You squeezed your eyes shut and exhaled softly, there was no going back now. You didn't want to be the one Caine singles out the next time he manages to bump into you.
"I'm coming."
"Great! Let's go together!" Ragatha began walking once you caught up to her.
The two circus members traveled through the corridor together. It did not take long for them to arrive at the stage where everyone else stood to receive the news of the upcoming adventure. You stood next to Ragatha and crossed your arms, looking up at the floating pair of dentures who spoke animatedly at the others. Your body tensed as his mismatched eyes scanned the crowd before landing on you. You quickly shifted your gaze away from him and kicked at the floor. The feeling of someone watching you slipped away, and only then did you breathe out a sigh.
"AH! I see all of you are quite thrilled to hear about what I have in store! Well, fear no longer, my merry misfits! We'll be doing another in house adventure…but less violent!"
"Oh, great, and what exactly is your version of 'less violent' entail for us?" Zooble piped up. Caine twisted his head around to stare at them before swinging his arm across his chest as he zapped himself over to assorted circus member.
"GLAD YOU ASKED, ZOOBLE! We'll be hosting a ball right in the circus! Get your dresses, your suits, your shoes and be dolled up for the wacky wonders this magical event will besto!" Caine snapped his fingers and the lighting dimmed to the point it was hard to see in the darkness. Everyone jumped as the roar of flames appeared above, large chanderliers with candles of varying sizes illuminated the circus tent. An area around the stage changed and a platform with a small set of stairs led to it. The usual black and white tiles on that platform morphed into an assortment of colors ranging from red, blue, pinks, yellows, and greens.
"Oh!" Gangle's voice made you snap your head to look in her direction. The sentient ribbons and mask donned a ball gown, the smooth fabric of the dress skirt fluttered as Gangle turned around to examine herself. A large bow made up of Gangle's ribbons also appeared behind her mask.
"Wow, Gangle! You…look amazing!" Pomni gasped.
"You don't look too bad yourself, Pomni!" Ragatha teased as she bent down to look at the jesters dress. It shared the same colors as her usual (and only) outfit, stopped mere inches from touching the floor, and instead of the hat Pomni wore a crown headpiece with a bell attached. Her hair was styled in a high bun and the heels she wore added a few inches to her height.
"Thanks! I can say the same for you." Pomni rubbed the back of her neck with a small smile. Ragatha wore a blue, strapless, A-line gown with jeweled earrings. Her hair seemed…longer than usual and styled in a side sweep. Pomni parted her lips to speak again when a rough shove made her stumble forward. Her gaze narrowed at the purple rabbit dressed in black.
"Alright, ladies, enough with the compliments! The main attraction hasn't even arrived yet." Jax pointed to himself.
"Ha, ha, funny." Zooble shot back as they pulled at the collar of their dress suit.
"Oh, I'm sorry, was someone who looks ridiculous in a monkey suit talking?"
"Jax!" Ragatha chastised.
"Not as ridiculous as you wearing suspenders, Easter Bunny," Pomni crossed her arms over her chest. Jax feigned a hurt expression.
"Whaaaat? You don't dig the threads I'm-"
"HELLO, everyone! I hope you're liking your new outfits because you won't be able to change out of them anytime soon! I've consulted with me, myself, and I…we all agree you party-goers deserve a bit of fun after the last adventure!"
"Oh boy, here it comes."
"SHUSH! Now, where was I? Oh! Right." Caine twisted his body fast enough to form a mini hurricane that disappeared as he stopped to reveal his own formal attire. His…outfit was not any different from his regular clothes, the only difference was the deeper shade of red suit with gold accents. "The name of this game is to dance till you drop! Keep dancing and if you and your partner are the last ones on the floor…you win! Simple as that. At any point you stop moving those bodies, a tile will inflict a punishment!"
"What…kind of punishment?" Pomni asked.
"Instead of telling you, I'll show you! I just need a volunteer."
Silence followed.
Caine's left eye twitched, he snapped his gaze to Kinger and pointed the end of his cane at the older member. The chess piece wore his robes but they appeared more regal for this event. The fluffy collar appeared more fluffy, he had white gloves with gold cuff-links, and studs at the lining of his robes.
"You'll do! Step right up, Kinger!"
"Oh…okay." Kinger blinked and stepped towards the platform. Caine gestured to the yellow tile.
"Wonderful! See how he's not-"
BRRRZZZZZZ!
"-dancing?"
"What just happened." Kinger asked, his eyes flicked down to his burnt body. A few seconds of silence flew by before the chess piece fell flat on his face. Everyone watched as the wisps of grey smoke floated up from the burnt Kinger. Caine snapped his fingers and Kinger teleport-ed near a food table, his body unceremoniously fell limp against the table.
"This is your idea of fun?!" Zooble was the first to shout. They pinched the area between their eyes and sighed heavily.
"Why are you surprised, Zoo Zoo? There's always a catch to stuff like this." Jax slung his suit's coat over his shoulder.
"Don't ever call me that again." Zooble hissed. Caine butted in between the two causing them to jump back.
"Anyway! If you stop before you drop, you'll either be electrocuted, flung out of the dance floor, dropped into piranha filled water, or get tomatoes thrown at you until you're painted red!" Caine leaned back and gestured to the ensemble. "Now, pick your partner and get those bones moving!"
You gripped your arm tightly as a knot formed in your stomach. Gulping down the last bit of saliva in your mouth, your eyes scanned the group and to your horror…everyone gravitated to the person they wanted to partner up with. Kinger was out for the count, Ragatha and Pomni were chatting away, and Zooble took Gangle onto the platform to begin. That left you with…
"Hey there, short and sweaty, you ready to win this thing?"
"Jax…" You winced and lifted your head to look at the purple rabbit standing before you. "I think I'll sit this one out. I'm sure you can dance by yourself just fine…plus Kinger-"
"No, nope, nada, I am not getting rejected again, c'mon." Jax grabbed your wrist and forced you onto the floor. You tried to claw at his gloved hand, even pleading with him to release you but it was all for nothing. The moment the soles of your fancy shoes touched the tiles you knew you were done for.
"What are you so antsy for? It's not like I'll bite…maybe," Jax moved his hand from your wrist to properly hold onto you. His other hand settled on your waist, thankfully he had the decency not to grab too tight. The uncomfortable feeling of being watched settled onto the area Jax held you. A shudder ran down your spine as you instinctively ducked your head low, not just out of fear but to keep a close eye on your footwork.
A disembodied orchestra began playing generic, copyright-free music in the distance.
"I don't know how to dance, idiot," You seethed. Nostrils flaring as you dug your nails into his glove. "That's why I didn't want to be here!"
"How was I supposed' to know you lack any interesting qualities? Just follow my lead and we'll be fine." Jax scoffed. You hesitantly lifted a hand to his shoulder, the two of you began swaying awkwardly. Your eyes remained on the tiles, your feet stumbling over each other, and even stepped on Jax's toes a few times.
"Ouch! Hey! You know what…I can't do this anymore." Jax forcibly held you by your wrists.
"Wait what do you mean by that?!"
Jax grinned.
Before you knew it, you were spun around violently and couldn't see anything but a flurry of colors. A nauseating feeling rose in your throat as you finally stopped yourself, pressing a hand against the side of your head as your eyes re-focused.
"Oh no, ___! Watch out!" A familiar voice called out, but you didn't have time to register who it was when a pink tile sparkled brightly under you.
It happened within seconds, but the horror freezing in your veins lasted forever.
KABOUSSH!!
You were weightless and for a moment you didn't feel in danger. That moment did not last as you began failing towards the floor. You frantically waved your arms around and twisted your body around only to see Kinger's widened eyes. Then everything went black.
"….__"
What?
Who was that?
"…____?"
Who was calling your name and why does something smell so good?
You cracked open your eyes and saw something white invade your entire field of vision. Moaning in pain, the white thing was removed from your face and Kinger's half-lidded, worry filled gaze met your own.
"Oh, thank goodness. I thought you were never going to wake up."
"How long was I…"
"Five minutes…I really couldn't find anything strong enough to wake you up," Kinger apologetically explained. He then held up the white thing, which was a slice of cake that smelled strongly of peppermint. "Other than this of course."
You touched around your body and found no broken bones, no twisted limbs, just an irritating ache between your temples. You touched the area and found a small bump. Must've been when you collided with Kinger……Kinger!
"You're okay!" You exclaimed as you sat up from laying on the chess piece's lap. Kinger smiled with his eyes and nodded.
"Yes, I am. You're too! Just a tiny head wound but you'll be fine after a while. Injuries don't last here, but the pain does unfortunately," Kinger glanced down at the cake and stretched it out towards you.
"Hungry?"
"Thanks, but I don't think I can eat right now." You shook your head and turned to look at the dance floor. Pomni and Ragatha were still going on strong, Zooble and Gangle too. On the other hand…Jax was still dancing by himself and not looking like he'll lose anytime soon. In fact, he seemed to be dancing a little too close to the unmasked duo. You bit the bottom of you lip and hugged yourself.
"You okay?" Kinger asked slowly.
"Yeah, I'm fine." You muttered. Your gaze hardened, tearing it away from the brightly lit platform and reaching for a fruit to pick at.
"…" Kinger looked between you and the dance floor. The small altercation between you and Jax wasn't something he missed. He stared at the dance floor for a while then turned to you. "You know…I didn't know how to dance either…in fact I sucked at it."
Your finger halted peeling the skin of an orange. You peeked at the chess piece from the corner of your eye.
"You weren't good at dancing?"
"Yeah, before the circus…I couldn't dance to save my life. I was told I had two left feet and it was true until I met my wife. She was the one who roped me into dancing…every morning while preparing breakfast, she'd have her favorite song playing and oftentimes tricked me into dancing with her." Kinger looked at his hands and rubbed his thumbs together. "I was never any good…but she didn't mind. Eventually, the silly dancing turned to me actually learning how to dance for her. I got good and managed to surprise her with my killer moves!"
You and Kinger shared a laugh, the previous weight in your chest lifted and turned into a fuzzy feeling. You placed the orange on the table and turned your body to face Kinger. Then…the ugly feeling came back again. The corners of your mouth twitched downward, resisting the urge to look around the ceiling to find the ringleader's unwavering gaze.
"What I'm trying to say is…you don't have to feel about about not knowing how to dance. Everyone doesn't know how to do something until they've learned it." Kinger reassured.
You inhaled deeply and exhaled out a sigh, "Thanks Kin-"
"YOU STUPID F@#$^&^ RABBIT!"
The two of you flinched and whipped your heads around to see Zooble and Gangle running off the platform while a storm of tomatoes dropped onto them. Jax was still on the dance floor laughing his heart out at the scene. Gangle sniffled and sat next to you with Zooble sitting to her other side. A few words were exchanged between the 'loser' before the attention was drawn back to the platform.
Only two more to go. It seemed like Ragatha and Pomni were now focused on keeping a distance away from Jax. However, the rabbit continued to twirl his way to the two. It did not take long for another incident to happen. This time, Jax stole Ragatha away from Pomni by intercepting a spin. The entire thing was funny to look at from the outside, but the music's tempo increased made the remaining dancers stuck in a deadlock.
Ragatha managed to break free from Jax's hold and danced her away over to Pomni, only to be tugged back and twirled until she smacked her face against the rabbit's chest.
"I hope he loses," Zooble muttered with eyes narrowed into a scowl. Gangle only wiped away her tears, the comedy mask was broken by the flurry of fruits thrown at her earlier. You hummed in agreement and never tore your eyes away from the stage.
After what seemed like forever, Pomni and Ragatha were reunited. Jax, fortunately, tripped up after Pomni butted in the moment he was aiming to use a similar move he used on you to throw Ragatha off the platform. Jax was left scrambling to dance again but was too late and yelped as he was dropped into a cube filled with piranha filled waters. A quiet, drawn out 'yes' came from Zooble as they fist bumped the air. Jax was later pulled out and chucked at the food table, soaking from head to toe and shivering as a piranha continued to chew on the end of his ear.
The winners slowed their pace to match the music reaching a low, smiles plastered on their flushed faces as they breathed deeply. At least it was over now…
…
Why didn't the music stop?
"Uh…Caine?" Pomni shouted. "Caine, didn't we win already?"
"My, my! I forgot to mention you have one more member to win against!" Caine floated down from a dark corner and gestured towards the food table. "Kinger's demonstration did not count. So, pick your partner Kinger and get on up here!"
"What?" Kinger tilted his head.
"WHAT?!" Pomni and Ragatha spook in unison. Caine shrugged and floated back in his hiding spot. The two girls looked at each other and groaned.
"Oh, alright then." Kinger rose from his seat and offered a hand to you. "Do you wanna dance?"
"Huh?" You blinked.
"I could teach you how to dance if you want. Could be good practice opportunity!" Kinger chuckled. You stared at his palm and smiled, taking his hand and standing with him.
"Sure."
The four circus members stood on the shining platform. Pomni and Ragatha took on a slow approach since they've been dancing for a long time. You and Kinger followed in suit, but more so you could understand Kinger's instructions. Your grip on his hand tightened whenever the two of you would pause, the feeling of being thrown out still made you anxious.
"You're doing great, ___. Just follow how my…oh.." Kinger glanced down. "I don't have any feet….ju..just follow how my body turns and take it slow."
"Ok…just..follow you.." You uttered cautiously. After a few minutes, you seemed to get the hang of it pretty quickly. Perhaps a guiding hand and gentle voice were all you needed after all. The two of you picked up the pace and spun around the platform. Kinger kept you moving around the board, always comforting you whenever a small mishap happened or swinging your body around just before you could mess up a step. The chess piece held you close and the warmth of his gaze and 'smile' made this adventure all the more worthwhile.
That was, until the music picked up.
It was different than before. Angrier, quicker, and more passionate.
"Why is the music so fast?" Ragatha sputtered as her legs felt like they were made of cotton….huh…wait a minute wasn't she already made out of-
"I dunno, just keep moving! We're going to win for sure this time." Pomni shouted over the music. While the two kept at it, you and Kinger were having a bit of trouble. Correction, you were having trouble.
The thrumping in your heart increased tenfold, Kinger's eyes narrowed and his eyelids bent in concern. This clearly was a speed you couldn't handle at your skill level and despite Kinger attempting to match the song, you couldn't keep up no matter how you tried to move with Kinger and the rhythm.
"I-" Just when you were about to call it quits before something worst happened. Kinger hooked his hands underneath your armpits and lifted you up, moving his hands underneath your thighs and still twirling around the platform with you in in his hold.
"Kinger?!" You exclaimed. Wrapping your legs around his waist and wrapping your arms around his shoulders.
"We're in this together! A couple of left-feet dancers gotta stick together!" Kinger announced. You didn't know what to say at that moment, but craned your neck back to let out a laugh.
"Yeah! I guess that's right!"
If only.
Kinger leaned back a little to far and the weight of gravity on your back reminded you of the earlier stunt that knocked you out. Swallowing back a scream, you were shocked to feel Kinger pull you higher. The chess piece chucked you away as he landed on a pink tile. You landed on your side with a loud thump and whipped around to watch the figure dressed in purple robes fly in the air towards the food table.
"Kinger!" You moved to stand, stepping forward to rush off the platform by a tile shone directly below you. "Sh$%, Sh$%, Sh$%."
As if you were glued to the floor, your body refused to move. The blue tile slid open and the snaps of the digital piranhas formed goosebumps on your arms. Sweat dripped from your forehead in waves, breathing became harder and the corners of your vision blackened as a result. You closed your eyes and felt the ground beneath your shoes give way, until you were swept up for the third time.
A hand gripped yours while forcing its digits in between your fingers, they successfully tangled them with yours. You flinched at a hand pressing the upper half of your back with an arm snug around your torso. You were pressed against a firm chest. Looking up at what should've been down was a pair of green and blue eyeballs.
"That was close! It's a good thing I was there to save you, right?" Caine brought the two of you on the platform. Just a few ways off from an exhausted Pomni and Ragatha. Their half-lidded gazes shot up as they watched Caine attempt to waltz you around the dance floor.
"Caine?"
"The one and only! You can say it twice if you're unsure."
"Wha-…no I mean, why are you here? Isn't this supposed to be a competition between players?" You fired off question after question. Your face still hot from the excitement from earlier, it was not the good kind. Eventually, you became starkly aware of how close the two of you were. Faces, or rather teeth, mere inches from each other and your bodies moving in sync with the music. You could feel the details of Caine's suit against your outfit, feel his gaze cling to yours stronger than ever. You tugged your body away from the ringleader, now the two of you weren't literally chest against chest. Caine teeth bent downward and he squeezed your hand slightly.
"I never said it was only for you humans to compete. I decided I wanted to compete too, that being said let's work together!" Caine exclaimed. You yelped as Caine pulled the two of your towards your competitors. Earlier when Caine snatched you, a pair of weights wrapped itself around your ankles and felt odd…but, for some reason your feet followed Caine's lead without you needing to. Your eyes flicked downward, watching with amazement at how quick your legs moved to keep up with the ringleader. Was Caine always this good of a dancer? Why was he helping you?
Wait a minute…isn't this cheating?
"How are you liking this adventure so far, dear? It should be everything you could've hoped for." Caine's voice brought you back to the present. You pursed your lips at the term he used, but answered him nonetheless.
"What do you mean?"
"I made this adventure entirely from your tastes! Isn't…isn't this what you wanted?" Caine muttered. "I could have sworn this is what you liked!"
You rose a brow and broke eye contact to think of when and what the heck Caine was talking about.
A memory came to the forefront in your mind. You remembered talking to Gangle in the main area, chatting about anime and other genres that the two of you enjoyed. You, in particular, had a fascination with ballroom scenes in movies, shows, and anything really. The magical moments made you forget about the worries of adulting for a while, as you endearingly told Gangle. The two of you had no clue your conversation was overhead by wandering eyes.
A warmth spread across your face and you were shocked into breathlessness. He…remembered that? So, this adventure was all for your sake?
Half of you wanted to scream at the ringleader for his misinterpretation of what you meant, and the other half…the small part of you felt happy at this confession. Was this okay? Were you okay with this? Why did it feel so wrong yet so right?
Caine's teeth moved into a grin, his head closing in as he dropped you into a dip. The glove clutching your hand moved to the back of your head, pushing your head to graze the top half of his denture. Your body was frozen and couldn't register what the ringleader intended to do, but you didn't feel like you were in danger. Not like the other times he stood outside your door, or stared at you from afar.
This felt different.
"I'm glad you remember."
"AH NO!"
You and Caine were still staring at each other as the splash of water sounded off behind Caine. Ragatha's voice followed Pomni's as she cried out in pain, the crackle of electricity made the warm moment break and you remembered exactly where you were. Exhaling softly, you reached up to press your palm against Caine's chest and flinched at the warmth penetrating your hand from his suit.
"How…anyway, uh, we won?"
"We did." Caine raised you from the dip and right when you moved to step away, he pulled you back with his arm around your waist in a side-hug. Pops of confetti and the lights shining back on made you blink.
"You don't have to be so clo-" You started.
"-CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH ME AND ___ FOR WINNING THIS ADVENTURE!" Caine's voice boomed louder than his usual volume. You winced and blinked a few times. Being right next to his denture head did not save you from his scream. Background claps and cheers came from the disembodied voices. The other members at the food table either clapped, glared, or began talking about yet another bizarre finish to an adventure.
"What about the prize?" Jax was the first to bring it up, crossing his arms across his chest. If looks could kill, you'd be chopped twice and put in a blender. You rose your shoulders to your ears and glanced away.
"Glad you asked, bunny boy!" Caine stepped away from you to summon three cards. Holding them with both hands, the ringleader urged you to pick one. You scanned the back of each card carefully. All of them were white but had different symbols on the back of each that faced you. One card had a rubix cube, another with a ball covered in slime, and the last one a heart with a swan spreading its wings.
You took a few seconds deciding and reached out for the last card. Caine's eyes sparkled as the other two cards disappeared.
"Wonderful choice! I wouldn't have expected any less from you, my dear. Now present your choice to the group!" Caine spun in the air and raised his hands above his head. You turned the card around and read the description aloud.
"An…all expense-paid date in the tunnel of love and war with Caine..what?"
"WHAT?!"
"Pfft-AHAHAHA!" Jax fell backwards on his chair.
"Until next time, my cumbersome kittens!" Caine tipped his hat and popped out of sight.
You closed your eyes and took a deep breath.
"God d@#$%^."
😼 - whew! that took a while to finish. Again, sorry for the long stretches without posting much. I plan on posting one big fanfic every month, then posting 2-3 shorter fics in the following weeks. I'm so not normal about this pair of dentures, lmao. Hope you enjoyed! Next fic should be a Tenna one :D
😼 - I do not give permission for anyone to translate, copy, republish, or plagiarize any of my written works. I provide no permission for any of my literary works to be used in artificial intelligence. banner credit: @hyuneskkami
ack, sorry for being inactive. There is a lot going on with uni and settling in my schedule. I'll try to keep up with posting fics more than once a month if I can help it. Be prepared to see more deltarune and tadc content.
Pairing: Caine x gn!Reader Summary: You haven't been engaging in any adventures, Caine doesn't understand why. Warnings/Tags: Fluff. Word Count: 1.4k+ words
Standing a far ways off from the group, you planted your feet on the ground and did not move. Not that you had any plans of moving from the teleporting spot, it had been a routine at this point. The gang, including you, get chucked into a new thrilling adventure, you stand still the entirety of it, and get sent back to the tent afterwards. At first, Ragatha urged you to join them and have some fun but you politely declined each time. You reassured her you were having enough fun where you are and eventually the gang left it at that. Yet, there was still one person bothered by your lack of spirit. Caine. The AI had been watching every single adventure you've joined, from the pirates invading a kingdom to the roadtrip across an ice cream tundra. You. Refused. To. Join. In. On. The. Fun. Caine could not understand why you were not attempting to humor him like the rest, at least they dragged themselves along like they were supposed to but you? You were an annoying piece of work. The ringleader had tried everything in the book; persuasion, treats, empty promises, half promises, short-fused anger, and even begging. Everytime Caine came to you, you seemed more interested in hearing him talk than actually listening!
...
Oh.
Oh.
Caine snapped his fingers and the two of you were seated on a couch in the area by the stage. You blinked a few times and settled against the soft, plastic-y cushions while Caine cleared his throat.
"Hello, player! What a wonderful day to sit and talk, right?" Caine swung his arms around and spoke with an animated stride. The corners of your mouth twitched upward and you leaned your head to the side to rest in your palm. A small hum of approval from you was all he needed to blast into the main topic.
"I have gathered enough evidence to believe you are not interested in my adventure! I've done everything I can to understand WHY-" Caine's teeth clamped shut for a moment, the sudden action producing a clicking noise before his eyes landed on yours. "-but you haven't given me anything to work with, dear player! Now does that seem fair to you? No? Great! Because it does not feel good to constantly have my ideas be squashed because of ONE PERSON NOT FOLLOWING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO-"
Caine shrunk himself to a comfortable size as he lifted his fist to reveal his thumb in the air.
"Which is alright! Having opinions is always something I look forward to hearing about," The ringleader exclaimed in an perfunctory tone that even you wouldn't trust. Caine held that pose for a good minute, unblinking and seemingly frozen in place. You lifted your head and parted your lips to call out the AI's name.
"You want to know why I don't participate?"
"Because you don't like my adventures, I know, I've dealt with Zooble long enough to seek the flags of someone-"
You silenced the ringleader with your next words.
"I like your adventures."
"….you do?" Caine mumbled as his top denture furrowed. His hands were intertwined while his thumbs rolled around each other. This information…changed things, yet he couldn't shake the feeling that you weren't being one hundred percent. He did not understand you and your silly ways of 'liking' his adventures. Your actions told him and everyone else you downright hated every adventure you've been coerced in. How could you claim to like his adventures when your actions say otherwise?
"I do." You nodded. Your gaze roamed along the ringleaders body, stopping at his head and staring intently as his mismatched eyes flickered between you and the empty space in front of him. A soft sigh exhaled through your nose, you pushed yourself off of the couch and walked over to Caine's seat. Sitting at the empty space next to him snapped the ringleader from his stupor, he whirled his head around to find you getting comfortable.
"If you like my…adventures…" Caine trailed off, his words evaporating as the warmth from your proximity brushed against his body. Were…players even supposed to be warm? Caine did not dwell on it too long as he had other matters that needed answers. The unfinished question hung in the air for quite some time. The two of you sat together with your shoulders nearly grazing the others.
"I like your adventures." You reaffirmed, twisting your torso to face Caine. "I…don't like doing them unless you're there with me…with us."
"W…what?" Caine sputtered. "You know I am al…always watching! So technically I am there for whenever you rambunctious misfits decide to.."
"No, I want to you to be there. I want to see you," You chuckled. "Actually, I am more interested in learning about you than going on an adventure you conjure up."
Caine's shoulders jumped up when your hand landed on his arm. He leaned away but stared into your eyes, disbelief swirled around in his gaze as he searched for anything that would suggest you were lying. He found nothing. You…really liked him? Like a admiration kind of like, right?
"Wowza! I am flattered and all…I mean I am great there is no denying that, so it's understandable you humans would find someone as mysterious and powerful as I WAIT, wait, wait!" Caine jumped up from the couch and into the air, snatching his hand away from yours in the process. See, as he went on to explain why it was natural for everyone to adore him, he hadn't noticed your slipping your hand into his own. The feeling was…foreign, but not unwelcomed as he thought it'd be. He even caught himself intertwining his fingers with yours as he rambled on. Was…this what you meant by liking him?
Scandalous.
Not surprising though.
Pink lines appeares on the bottom of his dentures, his back hunched as he rose a fist to his teeth. Clearing his throat for the second time, Caine straightened out and lowered himself onto the couch, right next to you. You watch from beginning to end at the AI's internal struggle, muffling your laughter behind a cupped hand as he bristled and eyes growing in size every now and then. You knew how skittish the AI was about…'frisky' behavior and anything suggesting such. You had to be slow, subtle, and above all let him assume what you meant by 'like.' If it was a version he accepted on his own, you were happy to not be ghosted the minute you expressed these feelings even if they might be misinterpreted.
"So, uh, how…what exactly do you find about me pleasing?" Caine twiddled his thumbs, pinching and tugging at the material of his gloves. "There's so much to like about me, that's for sure! But ah…um, I'd like to hear it straight from my dear players mouth!"
"You're funny," You glanced up as a list of reasons sorted itself in your mind. "I enjoy the way you try to make everything fun and exciting, even if the others don't like it….you have a lot of ideas to keep us entertained, those cute gestures you do to demonstrate what you're saying, you care enough to listen to us sometimes..oh! And.."
Caine's eyes widened as his pupils dilated, the compliments kept pouring in as you spoke with such fervor that caused the AI to simply…stare at you. His red dentures was nothing compared to the growing heat rising in his chest. If he did not know any better, he would assume you were buttering him up for something. Playing nice in order to appease him enough not to lash out was a norm in the circus tent, but a few didn't bother with such pleasantries. He didn't know what to feel at that exact moment. Happy? Content? Relieved that someone genuinely seemed to like him and his antics?
"…Caine? Caine?"
"Oh! Uh, yes?!"
"Are you okay?"
"I am more than okay! Now that I know you're lack of enthusiasm towards my adventures is no fault of my own, I can rest easy! However, I still expect you to put in some effort moving forward, my slothful sausage roll!" Caine announced. He slowly rode from the couch like a piece of dust drifting in the air. You watched with a frown as Caine disappeared from view, only to jolt back when he reappeared behind you.
"Oh and…thank you." Caine stretched his hand out to pat your head before he popped out of there. You blinked a few times before reclining against the couch. Today was a small victory in letting the AI know of your feelings, nothing major happened aside from holding his hand but…you wouldn't have it any other way.
😼 - I do not give permission for anyone to translate, copy, republish, or plagiarize any of my written works. I provide no permission for any of my literary works to be used in artificial intelligence. banner credit: @hyuneskkami
Tenna practice!
I know we don't interact much...
but I miss you❤️
-🍀
Aww! It's ok, I'm not on Tumblr much tbh. Miss interacting with my moots too ❤️
