Happy birthday to my dear friend @water-dragon0!! This one is for you!
A Survive the Digital Sacrifice AU oneshot
Showtime fluff ahead!
The air in the hidden, shadowy corners of the Digital Circus tent always felt different. But not in the way someone would expect. It was quieter. Warmer. At least for two certain people.
Here, among the shadows cast by unseen code and the soft, almost imperceptible hum of the digital realm, Caine and Pomni found their sanctuary with each other. It was their secret garden, their private stage, far from the chaotic theatrics of the main arena and the watchful eyes of the other human inhabitants.
Tonight, they were curled up together on a dusty old couch. Pomni rested her head against Caineās surprisingly comfortable chest. His shredded red tailcoat, usually a whirlwind of motion, was still, enveloping her in its soft, artificial fabric. Caine rested his chin on top of her head. His right eye, a brilliant blue iris, stared off into the digitized gloom, while his left, a green 'X' on a field of black, pulsed with a gentle, contented glow. One arm held Pomni securely against him, while the other rested next to her, his hand intertwined with hers.Ā
Using her free hand, Pomni lazily traced shapes on Caineās chest with her finger. He practically melted at the touch, a low rumble beginning to sound from inside him.
Pomni chuckled, āYouāre purring again.ā
Caine, who had been in a bit of a relaxed daze, snapped back to reality, āAm I? I hadnāt noticed.āĀ
āYouāre like a big cat.ā
āNonsense! You keep saying that, but I must stand my ground as a non-feline and yet still charming ringmaster.ā
āRightā¦ā the jester said with a playful smirk. She then quickly pointed to nothing, āIs that a mouse?ā
āIām not falling for thatā¦again.ā
Pomni laughed. She then gently traced the curve of Caineās jaw, making him shudder, āWell, I canāt argue with the fact that youāre quite charming.āĀ
Caine blushed as his purring became a bit louder, āOhhh, you flatter me, you flirtatious jester you.āĀ
Pomni smiled and laid her head back down and let her mind wander. She often wondered how long she'd been trapped in this world. Was it weeks? Months? Years? Or had no time elapsed at all, a mere blink in the infinite digital void? The question, a persistent hum in the back of her mind, often sent tendrils of anxiety coiling around her heart.Ā
But not now. Not when she was nestled against Caine, enveloped in his peculiar warmth and the comforting cadence of his voice.Ā
With him, the relentless march of time seemed to both stand perfectly still, every second stretching into an eternity of peace, and yet simultaneously fly by, each precious moment evaporating too quickly into the digital ether.
Caine shifted slightly, his blue eye focusing on her with an intensity that always managed to make her heart do a strange little flutter.Ā
"Pomni, I must admit," he began, his voice softer now, devoid of its usual bombast, "I've never felt like this before. Thisā¦connection. This profound sense ofā¦belonging. I've never loved someone quite like this." His X-eye pulsed a deeper green. "Have you?"
Pomniās breath hitched. The candor in his voice, so raw and genuine, always disarmed her. She thought back to the hazy, fragmented memories of her life before the circus. Friendships, family, fleeting crushes. But love? Real, all-consuming, soul-deep love? She shook her head slowly.Ā
"No," she admitted. "Not really. I mean, I saw it sometimes. From my friends. When they'd get married, or even just be in serious relationships. They'd look at each other, and it was like the whole world disappeared, and it was just them. I was always kind of jealous, I think. Of that feeling. Of being so completely 'it' for someone. Of having that kind of unquestioning, all-encompassing love."
She lifted her head again, her gaze meeting his beautiful blue eye. A soft smile touched her lips, a genuine, unburdened smile rare in this place. "But now I know what it's like, thanks to you."
Caineās blush deepened a bit before his head perked up, his X-eye widening slightly, betraying a flicker of intrigue. "Oh! You mention marriage! A fascinating concept! I do believe I have some fragmented data sets on the term. It's what humans do when they're exceptionally fond of one another, yes? Like the ultimate friendship patch, but with more legal protocols and cake?"
Pomni laughed, finding amusement in Caineās terminology, "Kind of, if you want to go by computer logic. It's justā¦what people do when they're really in love with each other. When they want to spend the rest of their lives together, and promise to be there for each other, no matter what. And it all starts with a proposal."
Caineās head tilted, his full dental grin widening as his eyes fixed on her. "A proposal? Oh, that sounds absolutely lovely! Butā¦ah. What, precisely, is a proposal? My internal databases seem to be missing any detailed information on that specific protocol."Ā
Pomni's heart swelled. He was so curious and usually so eager to learn. It was one of the many things she loved about him.
"I can explain it to you," she offered, her tone eager. "It's a big deal. A really important step."
Caine narrowed his eyes for a moment, the blue iris shrinking slightly, the green X-eye pulsing rapidly, like a complex calculation was taking place behind his cheerful facade. Then, with a sudden, almost comical jolt, he sprang up from the couch. He began walking purposefully towards a clutter of discarded props, eventually disappearing behind them.
āUh, what are you doing?ā Pomni asked, missing his warmth already.Ā
"I uh, just remembered! I completely forgot to draw a map of my next hiding place for you! And I need all of my art supplies!ā He poked his head out slightly and glanced back at Pomni with a disarming smile. "But please, feel free to explain the entire process from the comfort of the couch! No sense in making you get up. You look positively radiant nestled among those velvet cushions."
Pomni blinked, a little taken aback by his sudden burst of activity, but it's not like that was uncommon for Caine. His enthusiasm was infectious, even when he was being completely nonsensical. With a shrug, she got comfortable again.Ā
"Okay, so, usually," she started, "in a straight relationship, like, well, like ours...the guy would typically propose to the girl." She felt a blush creep up her neck at the implication, but pushed it down. This was an explanation, after all.
From behind the props, Caine's voice boomed, "Ah, that explains a lot!"Ā
"What does that explain?" she asked, curious, her brow furrowing slightly.Ā
"Oh, nothing, nothing! Don't mind me!" Caine quickly interjected, followed by the clinking sound of what might have been colored pencils. "Please, continue!"
Pomni chuckled, shaking her head. "Right. So, the guy, or whichever person, usually gets a ring. And it's supposed to be a surprise. A really big surprise, where the other person isn't expecting it at all." She paused, picturing the scene. "Then, they'll get down on one knee, hold up the ring, and ask, 'Will you marry me?' And then, assuming the other person says yes, the wedding planning starts. That's a whole other thing, though." She finished, taking a breath, a faint smile on her face as she imagined it.
After a moment of silence, Caine spoke up again.Ā
"Thank you, Pomni," Caine said, his voice thoughtful. "That was incredibly informative. My data banks are now significantly more robust in the 'marriage proposal' category."Ā
Then she heard a distinct snap noise.Ā
"What was that?" Pomni asked, a touch of concern in her voice. "Are you okay back there?"Ā
"Oh, perfectly fine, my dear!" Caine replied breezily. "I simplyā¦summoned a new pencil. The one I had, tragically, broke. A casualty of artistic fervor, I assure you."
After another moment, Caine stepped out from behind the discarded props, his hands clasped firmly behind his back. He looked exactly as he always did, though perhaps a touch moreā¦expectant.Ā
"Well, that was fun. But ehā¦I think Iāll finish the map later."
"Oh, okay," she said softly. "Now come back to the couch. It's getting lonely over here."
Caine began to approach, his dental grin wide, his eyes fixed on her. "Yes, of course! Let us resume what we were-GADZOOKS! WHAT'S THAT OVER THERE?!" He suddenly pointed with dramatic flair towards a distant, shimmering corner of the hidden area, his voice laced with an exaggerated urgency.
Pomni, caught off guard by the sudden exclamation, instantly shot to her feet, her head swiveling, her eyes scanning the direction he was pointing. Her ingrained anxiety, a constant companion in the Digital Circus, flared. Was it a glitch? One of the other humans? An abstraction? Her eyes darted all over the place, searching the area. Butā¦there was nothing. At least, nothing that she could see.Ā
āUhhhā¦I donāt see anything. Wait, is this you getting me back for the mouse thing?ā
Confused, she slowly turned back, her jester's hat swaying with the movement. Her breath hitched.
Caine was no longer standing. He was down on one knee, directly in front of her, his bizarre, magnificent form perfectly angled. His hands, which had been clasped behind his back, were now extended towards her, holding aloft a single, exquisitely crafted gold ring. It gleamed in the ambient light, a simple band, yet radiating a profound sense of preciousness.
Pomni stared, her mind a blank.Ā
"C-Caine? Whatā¦what are you doing?" she stammered, the words barely forming. Her confusion was absolute, swiftly followed by a wave of disbelief.
Caine's blue eye fixed on her, no longer playful, but filled with an earnest, unwavering devotion that pierced through her surprise. His X-eye pulsed with a gentle, steady rhythm.Ā
"Pomni," he began, his voice dropping to a resonating, heartfelt tone, "my dearest Pomni. I am letting you know that I want to spend my life with you. Every single moment, every single glorious second within this digital realm, and perhaps even beyond. I want to face all the wonders and all the absurdities alongside you." He held the ring out, his gaze unwavering. "Pomni, my dearest daisy, my loveā¦will you marry me?"
Pomniās mouth opened and closed soundlessly. The explanation she had just given him, the traditional details, the element of surprise ā it all slammed into her at once, a dizzying, emotional tidal wave. He had listened. He had absorbed. He had planned. Her face burned an even brighter, furious scarlet. She felt dizzy, completely caught off guard, a jumbled mess of shock, overwhelming joy, and a sudden, uncontrollable welling of tears behind her eyes.
Caine chuckled softly, a warm, reassuring sound. "I must say," he added, a hint of his usual theatricality returning, though softened by the tenderness in his voice, "I'm quite pleased to discover I had a gold ring as an asset to summon. Lucky for us, wouldn't you agree?"
āIā¦ā Pomni squeaked, not knowing what to do with herself.Ā
Caineās voice grew serious again, infused with a depth of emotion that transcended his AI core, "Pomni, you are the most incredible, the most courageous, the most wonderful and kind human I have ever encountered. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, in this endless, digital existence or any other I could possibly imagine. My world was merely isolation and fear until you stepped into it and gave me a hopeful light to follow. And even if you reject my proposal, those facts will not change."
Pomni couldn't help it. The tears welled up and spilled over, tracing paths down her face. Her vision blurred, but through the shimmering haze, she saw Caine's blue eye, reflecting her own disbelief and burgeoning happiness. She saw the genuine, profound love shining within him, a love that transcended the boundaries of flesh and code.
She took a shaky breath, her heart pounding a frantic rhythm against her ribs. Her mind raced, grappling with the sheer impossibility of it all, yet simultaneously embracing the absolute rightness of the moment. Marriage in the Digital Circus? How would that even work? Were there vows? A priest NPC? A honeymoon? She had no idea. But looking into his beautiful, earnest blue eye, feeling the weight of his heartfelt words, none of that seemed to matter. If anyone could make sense of it, if anyone could make 'marriage' a real, tangible thing in this absurd world, it was Caine. And if they could make it happen, she wanted to make it happen with him.
A watery smile formed on her face, and she dissolved into a soft sob that was half-laughter, half-pure emotion.Ā
"Yes," she whispered, her voice cracking, reaching out a trembling hand to cup the side of his face. "Yes, Caine. Yes! I'll marry you!"
āHUZZAH! Youāve made me the happiest ringmaster in the digital world!āĀ
He let out a delighted, triumphant sound that made her giggle. With trembling fingers, she guided his hand, helping him to gently slide the gold ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly, a warm, solid presence against her glove, an anchor in the swirling chaos of her existence.
She admired it for a moment, the simple, elegant band a stark contrast to her jester's gloves, before she threw herself into Caineās arms, hugging him tightly, burying her face in his chest. He was quick to wrap his arms around her and hold her close.Ā
āI love you, Caine.ā
āI love you too, my sweet honeybee!āĀ
Pomni pulled back just enough to look him in the eyes. Caine brushed some hair out of her face. Not being able to hold back anymore, Pomni gently held both sides of his lower jaw and brought herself closer. The two shared a passionate, joy-filled kiss that sealed their impossible, wonderful promise to each other. In this hidden corner of the Digital Circus, a new chapter, unforeseen and utterly perfect, had just begun.
TAG YOUR MOOTS AND MAKE THEM EXPLAIN THEIR USERNAMES LORE
Starting with me:
Hyyl18 because when i was youngest i had a group in a random app with some friends and i didnt knew qhat username to use so i decided to create one with things i used to read since we were talking abt fanfic in this group so: Hot Yaoi Yuri Lemon +18 stuff (i was in my dirty era dont dare to judge me). Hyyl18 thats it. Now i use it everywhere yay
@patroclus-is-the-bigger-person @b4rty-r0s13r-w1ll-fck-y0ur-m0m @cuntyteardrop @glassesgirlies @leninthestarlight @bardorsomethinglikethat anyone else who wanna join tbh yay
So mine comes from among us, specifically around the time they added the account feature and you could generate random names and at some point i got "privygrid" and it like immediately resonated with me so i use it everywhere now
tags with my questions/guesses below the cut
@chocymilkmilo (i mean ik but im still gonna tag) @viktorscuntywaist (i wonder) @ebulatheduck (why duck???) @boosterseat3 (random words?) @plutonium-17 (chemistry person) @cyxnmoon (i always fuck up ur name at first when im typing it) @kasane-poteto-chip (p o t e t o) + whoever wants to join
i need to make like a moot list cuz i know im forgetting people, sorry if i forgot you ily
my username is nebula without the first letter, and that's actually the name of basically an oc i have who's a duck, and she's a duck because i had (and still have) an obsession with ducks when i was maybe 9 years old. it's explained more here
tags below the cut (holy hell i have so many mutuals)
During covid I was playing roblox with my brother and we decided to change our display names in a game so we wouldn't know who we were (it was kinda like a murder mystery type game) and when I couldn't think of a name I looked to my surroundings, and I'm 99% sure I had drawn a "dum flowr" doodle on a sticky note. And I've just kept it since cuz tbf it gets the jist of who I am
Mine hasnāt changed since I first got on tumblr as a 12 year old xD Breeze is my name and for the second part I love the song Moon River, also I was at the height of my moon!Varian obsession and I love to swim -> water -> river so it was a funny coincidence that it matched :3 also it sounded very fancy and aesthetic to young me xD
Hm, aight! Basically, this one's an old one, barring the 300 i've started adding :v About uh... fifteen or more years ago, one of my fave games was Bionicle Heroes for the PC (i had a pirated copy my dad got me :3 ) and well...
@scribbl3dog (my main), I've always loved to draw and write, so scribble, and I was fairly certain that my fursona would stay a dog, hence the dog, the 3 in the username is just there to look cool (and also since @scribbledog already exists), the 3 was inspired by the titles of Femtanyl songs
@scribblethedog (roleplay blog), I liked the scribble in my username so much that I made it the name of my fursona, who eventually branched out into her own character,
@thefatjolteon (reblog blog) was originally thefatflareon, but I really like yellow so I used jolteon so I could make the blog extra yellow, I used an eevelution since my sister really likes eevee and often makes us play where we both have to be eeveelutions where I always choose either flareon or jolteon, the 'fat' is self-expalantory, it flowed a bit better when I was called flareon but I kept it when I switched to Jolteon since there aren't a lot of adjectives starting with J that I vibe with
My username, realbakedtoast/BakedToast, is pretty stupid tbh. It comes from the fact that I wanted a good online username to attract attention as a content creator.
I was thinking about names that I could go by one night and ended up with BakedToast because I found the idea of bread that you toast in an oven silly since it's toast that wasn't made in a toaster, but it's still called toast.
And that's basically it! That's where it came from lol!
Your turn, moots!
@bobo-kix @softholly @tbcbtq-v-real @kibble-mp4 @bitchwholikesrobots @red-cedar @soysaucelobster @ziekkfreak2-0 @iamaconfusedbisexual @staarbug @thestrangebleble @wd-jax @tob1xas @ethmo1d @pouringplumwine @lwlfire @viridiancolors @nerdman23 @whenyrplayingdead @roadkillcritter @strangelycasualhorror @lazynameforme @polteghost @deargoditsallperidot @ser1al-designation-n @unofficialaziraphale @midnightbloggo @tutullyunreal + all my other moots that I may have forgot to tag!
Tbh I don't remember where thestrangebleble came from, I think I originally just wanted thestrange but it wasn't available. However, my display name Robin originally came from half from my love for Robin birds and half because my favourite artist at the time was called Robin. However, now the reason is just because I love Robin birds because the artist turned out to be problematic asf and also because I transformed into a Robin so I thought I'd keep the name.
Last song: I thought it was Rabbitology, but according to Spotify apparently it was the Milgram Futa cover of Salamander by Deco 27 (it's one of my least favorite deco songs tbh, but I LOVE the cover! š)
Last series/movie: I think it was The Greatest Showman?
Last thing I ate: I made coffee around five hours ago? I'm about to go make spinach and garlic ravioli tho!
Last place I went to: A few thrift shops, and an antique store today (I was gonna go somewhere else originally, but I got sidetracked- š )
Last video game: Either twst or Fire Emblem Fates? Idk-
last video game: tomodachi life living da dreammmm
moots moots i love my moots !!!!!!! (no pressure ofc) @smollilguy @twilightb3rri @crucifysorrow @espritt13 @marrmora @number1boogiefan @stqrrin uhhh i cant think of any more rn im so sorry if i forgor u
Last series: also The Amazing Digital Circus (it wasnt revolutionary but i liked it, it was a good ending)
Last place: tea shop :D i got some dried rose petals and the most oversteeped cup of tea ive had in my life (i could feel the tannins it was great)
Last thing I ate: dried rose petals from said tea shop (was gonna use them to make rose sugar but then i realized it is way too hot out for tea so now im just slowly eating them)
Last game: I am currently playing minecraft
@natnormalatall @oyasumikade @applehawk , and anyone else who wants to join :D
Last Series: Also TADC. I liked it. I would have liked it if more characters got a chance in the limelight but it was effectively a prestige cartoon TV show released for free so I can't fault them for having to set limits and not show everything.
Last Place: Work. So much work. I haven't gone anywhere for fun in weeks.
Last Thing I Ate: A phillie cheese steak with mustard. I'm a heathen.
Last game: I booted up Overwatch to float around as Mercy for fun but haven't had the time or energy to play anything for over a month.
Can I just say I ADORED you alternate ending comic? It gives EVERYONE a chance to shine ;3
And of course, Showtime moment with Pomni being there to see Caineās journey of self reflection and his redemption ;3
THANK YOUUUU! I really wanted everyone to do something since I was kinda sad about that particular detail in the finale (especially with Kinger whoās been in the circus the longest, and Ragatha who had the most history with Jax).
Granted, I probably couldāve done better with dialogue but. I was tired. IāM GLAD YOU ENJOYED IT!
And of course I need to feed the showtimers, we need sustenanceā¦
This time of Pomni in awe over the red orb in Caineās chest. With permission, she touches it. And possibly either nuzzles her face against in, finding it to be buzzing like Caineās own version of a heartbeat. Or kisses it ;3
amandla
jacobvanloon
kianamaiart
gummygunk
andulkaphoto
titsay
