FOR…？

Lee!Caine

Ler!Pomni Ler!Ragatha Ler!Gangle Ler!Kinger Ler!Zooble

Word Count: ~2500

Warnings: Past abstraction and guilt, and spoilers for TADC Episode 9, obviously.

This is a SFW tickle fic, if you don't like that then don't read

I hope you enjoy reading my fic :3

Caine learns that he was hurting the others without realizing it, and the circus crew discovers their ringmaster is ridiculously ticklish.

(The screen fades after the video, the projector whirs to a stop, and the big top goes quiet.)

Caine was the first to talk, his voice tense as he spoke. "I don't quite have the same power that I used to, but I can still make this place better for you. I'm keeping the worlds open so you can do what you want when you feel like it. We're gonna be able to build this place into something better - for all of you. What do you say, Pom- Uh, I mean... Abigail?"

Nobody spoke for several long seconds.

Caine kept staring at the blank projector screen.

"...Well." He forced out a laugh that immediately died. "That certainly explained... a lot."

Nobody laughed.

He looked at the floor of the tent.

"I suppose this is the part where everyone leaves."

Pomni frowned.

"...Why would we do that?"

"Because I spent years making your lives miserable."

"You made our lives miserable," Pomni admitted. "I'm still kind of angry about that."

Caine nodded.

"...Fair."

"But I'm not angry at you."

He blinked.

"Not anymore."

She stepped forward and hugged him.

Caine froze completely before awkwardly returning it.

Ragatha hesitated before stepping forward.

She wrapped one arm around Pomni and rested the other gently against Caine's back.

"I'm... still trying to process everything," she admitted quietly.

She looked away for a second.

"...But thank you for telling us."

Gangle's ribbon fidgeted for a moment before she carefully wrapped it around the group.

"I'm still really sad," she admitted.

"...But I don't think you wanted any of it to happen."

Kinger shuffled over and put a hand over Caine's shoulder.

"From what I remember..." he said, "...I don't think you were ever meant to understand people the way we do."

"You were built to entertain us."

He smiled gently.

"You were doing what you believed was right."

Zooble stayed where they were for a second.

"...Don't get the wrong idea."

They sighed.

"You still owe all of us. A lot."

After another pause, they walked over and gave Caine's arm a quick squeeze.

"...But you're trying."

The hug lasted longer than anyone expected. Caine was stiff at first, like he didn't know what to do with his arms. Then slowly, he relaxed into it.

"I thought you'd all leave," he admitted quietly.

"…I honestly wouldn't have blamed you."

"We don't hate you," Pomni said. "You didn't know."

"I should have known."

Pomni shook her head.

"Maybe you should've known."

Caine winced.

"...But you couldn't."

"There's a difference."

"You couldn't have known," Kinger said. "I worked with the code. From what I remember… I don't think you were ever designed to understand people that way."

"Entertain," Caine repeated. The word sounded bitter. "I turned your pain into a carnival."

"I don't know if I can forgive everything yet… but thank you for telling us," Ragatha said. "You didn't have to. You could have kept pretending."

Caine was quiet.

Gangle's ribbon tightened around him. "You're part of the circus too. You're not just the boss. You're one of us."

Zooble gave his arm another squeeze. "What she said."

Pomni pulled back from the hug and looked up at Caine. "We're all still here. We're all still together. That's what matters now."

Caine's eyes were wet. "I don't deserve this."

"You don't get to decide that," Pomni said.

Ragatha moved to stand behind Caine and wrapped her arms around him from the back. It was a warm, gentle hug, her patchwork hands resting against his chest.

Caine twitched.

It was a small flinch. Almost nothing. But Ragatha felt it.

She paused. "Caine?"

"Ah! Nothing! That was nothing." Caine's voice was suddenly too high. "Lovely and very warm hug, thank you Ragatha, you can let go now-"

Ragatha didn't let go. Her hands stayed right where they were. "You did a thing."

"I did not do a thing."

"You flinched."

"I did not flinch. I am a ringmaster. I do not flinch."

Pomni's eyes narrowed. She leaned closer. "Do it again."

"Do what again? Nothing happened the first time-"

"Ragatha, squeeze him again."

Ragatha's hands pressed gently against Caine's sides.

Caine jerked. A squeak slipped out of his mouth before he could stop it.

The tent went very quiet.

Pomni stared. "Wait."

"No one needs to wait," Caine said quickly. "We're all done here. Moving on. Beach day tomorrow-"

"Wait, wait, wait." Pomni stepped closer. "What was that sound?"

"What sound? I didn't make a sound."

"You squeaked," Gangle said. "You definitely squeaked."

"Like a dog toy," Zooble added.

"I did not squeak. I am a fearsome ringmaster. Fearsome ringmasters do not squeak."

Zooble crossed their arms. "You just did."

Ragatha's hands were still resting on Caine's sides. She flexed her fingers, just a little.

Caine's whole body twitched. A strangled giggle caught in his throat.

"Oh my god," Pomni breathed.

"Don't," Caine said.

"Oh my god."

"I-It's nothing. It's a glitch. Trust me guys!"

Pomni reached out and rested her hand on Caine's other side. She didn't squeeze. She just let her fingers sit there.

Caine shuddered. "Pomni. Move your hand."

"Hmm." She tilted her head. "No."

"Pomni-"

"You're shaking. My hand is just resting here and you're shaking."

"I'm not shaking. I'm... vibrating. With dignity."

Ragatha started tracing slow circles against Caine's sides with her thumbs. The touch was barely there.

Caine burst into small titters.

"Nohohoho! Ragatha!"

"Awww," Pomni cooed. "Is someone ticklish?"

Caine's large jaw clamped shut like he was trying so hard not to laugh. Little squeaks kept escaping anyway. "Thihis is-this is mutiny-"

"I don't think it is," Pomni said. "I think this is us discovering something very interesting about our ringmaster."

"You're not discovering anything-"

Pomni wiggled her fingers against his side.

Caine shrieked. "POHOHOMNI!"

"What? I'm not even doing anything. I'm barely touching you."

"Yohohou're doing the THIHING-"

"What thing?" Pomni's voice was perfectly innocent. "This thing?" She wiggled her fingers again.

Caine's laughter pitched higher. His whole body was squirming, trying to twist away, but Ragatha had him pinned from behind and Pomni was in front and Gangle's ribbon was still wrapped around his arm.

"Look at his face," Gangle said. Her comedy mask had shifted into a delighted grin. "He's getting so red."

"Ihihi don't blush-"

"Your whole head is turning pink," Zooble observed.

"I don't HAVE a head-"

"Your general floating area is pink," Kinger said helpfully. "It's quite fascinating."

"STOHOHOP OBSERVING ME-"

Ragatha's fingers had found a spot near his shoulder blades. She pressed in gently with her thumbs.

Caine arched forward. "RAHAHAGATHA!"

"Yes?" Her voice was calm and sweet.

"Yohohour thumbs are EHEVIL-"

"Evil? Me?" She rubbed slow circles into the spot. "I'm just trying to help you relax. You've been so tense."

"Thihihis isn't relaxing!"

"It looks relaxing," Pomni said. She was still tracing feather-light patterns against his side, her fingers barely moving. "You're smiling."

Caine was smiling. His jaw was stretched wide, all teeth, and little giggles kept hiccuping out of him no matter how hard he tried to hold them in.

"N'awwww," Pomni cooed. "What cute giggles."

"Ihi am not CUHUHUTE-"

"So cute. The cutest ringmaster."

"This is-the worst day of my existence-"

"We literally just saw everything," Zooble said flatly.

"SECOHOND WORST DAY-"

Gangle's ribbon slid down from Caine's arm and brushed against his lower back. The touch was even more worse than a feather.

Caine screamed.

"GAHAHANGLE!"

"I'm sorry!" Gangle said, but she was giggling too. "I didn't know that spot was that bad!"

"Gehehet away from thehehere-"

"Where?" Pomni asked innocently. Her fingers were still resting on his side, not moving. "Right here?"

She gave a tiny squeeze.

Caine's voice cracked. "POHOHOMNI-"

"What? I'm barely touching you. See?" She stilled her fingers completely. "I'm not even moving."

Caine was still giggling. "Yohohou're going to-"

"Going to what?"

"Yohohou're going to start agahahain-"

"I'm not doing anything right now. Why are you still laughing?"

"BEHEHECAUSE YOU'RE ABOHOHOUT TO-"

"I'm about to what?"

Caine let out a desperate, hiccupy laugh. "Tihihickle mehehe-"

"Awww, he said it!" Gangle's mask was a wide grin. "He said the word!"

"I REGRET EVERYTHING-"

Before the poor ringmaster could finish, Ragatha started scratching lightly between his shoulder blades. Pomni's fingers continued their gentle assault against his side. Gangle's ribbon traced up and down his lower back.

Caine dissolved.

"NOHOHOHO-PLEHEHEASE-YOHOHOU'RE ALL TEHEHERRIBLE-"

"Terrible?" Ragatha said, her voice dripping with fake sympathy. "Us? We're just showing you affection."

"THIHIS ISN'T AFFECTION-"

"It is," Pomni said. "This is what affection looks like when you've been bottling up your feelings for years and we finally get to take care of you."

"IHI DOHOHON'T NEED TAKING CARE OF-"

"Your face is so red," Gangle observed. "It goes all the way down."

"IHIHI DOHOHON'T H-HAVE A FHAHACE"

"Your... everything. Your everything is red."

Kinger shuffled forward. He had been watching with bright, curious eyes. "May I try something?"

"NOHOHO-"

"I'll take that as a yes." Kinger placed both hands gently on Caine's tummy.

Caine's eyes went huge. "GRAHAHANT-DON'T-"

"I'm just going to rest my hands here." Kinger's voice was calm. "See? Perfectly still."

"IHIHIT'S STILL-"

"Still what? I'm not moving."

Poor Caine was already giggling harder just from adding the anticipation from Kinger's hands sitting there.

"Look," Pomni said, amused. "He's already laughing and nobody's even touching his tummy."

"IHIT'S THE IHIHIDEA OF IT-"

"The idea of it," Ragatha repeated. "That's adorable."

"SHUHUT UHUHUP-"

Kinger started to do tiny little scratches, tracing on Caine's tummy.

Caine went silent. His smile widened, his eyes squeezed shut, and no sound came out. His whole body shook. Then his voice rushed back, high and squeaky and desperate.

"NOHOHOHO-PLEHEHEASE-THAT'S-THAHAT'S-"

"Your worst spot?" Pomni guessed.

"YEHEHES-"

"Awww, does that tickle so bad?"

"YEHEHES-"

"Poor thing." Pomni cooed. "Poor ticklish ringmaster."

Ragatha kept scratching the spot near his shoulder blades. Pomni kept wiggling her fingers against his ribs. Gangle's ribbon kept tracing up and down his back. Kinger kept drawing little circles on his tummy.

Caine couldn't breathe.

"IHI CAHAHAN'T-PLEHEHEASE-"

"What do you say?" Pomni asked gently.

"SAHAHAFEWORD-"

Everyone immediately stopped.

The hands went still. The ribbon pulled back. The scratching and wiggling and tracing all ceased at once.

Caine slumped forward. His chest heaved. His whole body was trembling with leftover giggles that kept bubbling up no matter how hard he tried to stop them. His bow tie was hanging loose. His face was bright red, and still giggling from the lingering tickles.

"Ohohokay," he managed. "Ohohokay."

"You okay?" Pomni's hand found his and squeezed.

Caine nodded, still too breathless to speak. His smile was huge and wobbly, and tears were pricking at the corners of his eyes, and he looked completely wrecked. But he was still smiling.

"That was..." He took a shaky breath. "That was..."

"Nice?" Gangle offered.

"Exhausting," Caine corrected. But he was still smiling.

Ragatha pulled him into a soft hug. No tickling. Just warm and gentle. "You did so good."

"Your laugh is really nice," Gangle added. "I've never heard you laugh like that before."

"It was involuntary-" Caine said.

"That's the best kind," Pomni said.

Kinger patted his shoulder. "You've been carrying so much for so long. You needed this."

"I needed to be tickled until I couldn't breathe?"

"Yes," everyone immediately said at once.

Caine blinked. Then he started to chuckle. A real chuckle. Not the big theatrical laugh he used during adventures. Just a soft, surprised sound.

"You're all ridiculous," he said.

"We know," Pomni said.

"Completely ridiculous."

"We know."

"I'm the ringmaster. I'm supposed to be in charge."

"Uh huh," Zooble said.

"I'm supposed to be the one running things."

"You just safeworded because we tickled your tummy," Pomni said.

Caine's face went red again. "W-We don't need to mention that part."

"I'm definitely mentioning that part."

"Pomni-"

"Your laugh went all squeaky at the end. Like a squeaky toy."

"You're gonna regret that."

Pomni grinned. "You keep saying that. And yet here I am and still mentioning the squeaky laugh. Plus, what can you even do with most of your powers gone?"

Caine buried his face in his hands. "I've created a monster."

"You created all of us," Ragatha said softly. "And we're still here with you. Even after everything you made us go through."

Caine peeked through his fingers.

"We're not going anywhere," Gangle said.

"Even if you are an idiot," Zooble added.

Kinger nodded. "We're a family now. Better or worse."

Caine's hands slowly lowered. His eyes moved across each of their faces. Pomni, Ragatha, Gangle, Kinger, Zooble. Something shifted in his expression.

"I don't deserve this," he said quietly.

"You don't get to decide that," Gangle said. "We do. And we decided you do."

Caine was quiet for a long moment.

Caine looked around at each of them.

"...Thank you."

"...All of you."

"Awww," everyone chorused.

"STOP DOING THAT-"

"Never," Pomni said.

Ragatha pulled back from the hug and smoothed down Caine's crooked bow tie. "There. You look more like a ringmaster now."

"I feel like a wrung-out dishrag," Caine said.

"That's how you know it worked," Zooble said.

Caine took a deep breath. His floating steadied. Some of the old energy showed, but it was softer now. Less insane, and more real.

"I believe I owe you all a beach day," he said. "With comfortable chairs. And non-lethal water. And snacks. And you can decide to do what you want without me forcing you."

"Snacks that don't randomly come alive?" Pomni asked.

"I make no promises about the snacks."

"That's fair."

Caine straightened his bow tie one more time. "And... perhaps, if you're all willing... we could do this again sometime."

"Do what?" Gangle asked.

Caine's face flushed. "The... the thing. The... thing."

"You mean the tickle thing," Zooble said.

"YES, OK. THE TICKLE THING, ARE YOU HAPPY?"

"Very." Kinger said.

"Insufferable." Zooble muttered.

"You love it." Gangle teased. "Don't deny it." Pomni grinned

Caine didn't answer. But he didn't deny it either.

Pomni looped her arm through his. "Come on. Let's go set up that beach day. I want to see what a non-dangerous ocean looks like."

"It looks like water," Caine said.

"And no surprise tickle attacks from the environment?" Gangle asked, her ribbon still curled around his arm.

"I make no promises about the environment." Caine's eyes glinted. "But if any of you try that again, I'll find a way. Powers or no powers."

"Sure you will," Pomni said, smiling.

"Bet," Zooble said flatly.

"I'm serious," Caine huffed.

"Oh, we believe you're serious," Kinger said. "That's what makes it so entertaining."

"Insufferable. All of you."

"You love it," Gangle said.

"Don't deny it," Pomni grinned.

Caine didn't answer. But he didn't deny it either.

The group started moving toward the tent's exit. Gangle's ribbon was still wrapped loosely around Caine's arm. Ragatha walked beside him, one hand resting on his shoulder. Kinger shuffled along, already talking about the fascinating data he'd collected. Zooble walked a few steps behind, shaking their head fondly.

Caine looked around at all of them. The people he'd spent so long trying to entertain, trying to protect, trying to understand. The people who had just tickled him breathless and then hugged him and told him he deserved to be happy.

"Hey," Pomni said quietly, just to him.

He looked down at her.

"We're glad you came back," she said. "Really glad."

Caine's smile was small and real. "So am I."

Lee!Caine

Ler!Pomni Ler!Ragatha Ler!Gangle Ler!Kinger Ler!Zooble

Word Count: ~3000 Part 1: Caine's Punishment

Warnings: Mild glitching, Caine's broken code causing system instability, and this is not canon!

This is a SFW tickle fic, if you don't like that then don't read :) I hope you enjoy my fic :D

Sequel to Caine's Punishment. Caine tries to get his revenge with a beach-day tickle trap, but his broken powers have other ideas, and the crew discovers that glitchy ringmasters are just as ticklish the second time around :D

(The beach was almost perfect.)

That was the first thing Pomni noticed when she stepped through the portal Caine had opened at the tent's exit. The sand was soft and fluffy, the kind that didn't stick to everything. The water stretched out in shades of blue that looked like they'd been picked from a color card. Lounge chairs sat in a neat row, each one with a folded towel and a tiny umbrella. A cooler full of drinks floated gently beside a stack of beach balls that were, Caine assured everyone, completely non-alive.

"See?" Caine floated ahead of the group, gesturing broadly at the shoreline. "Non-lethal water. Comfortable chairs. Snacks that do not fight back. I promised you a beach day, and I deliver."

"It's… actually nice," Ragatha said. She bent down to touch the sand, letting it run through her fabric fingers. "Really nice, Caine."

"Of course it is. I am a professional."

Zooble was already settling into one of the lounge chairs, stretching their limbs out with a contented sigh. "No complaints."

Gangle's ribbon trailed through the shallow water at the shoreline. "It's warm! The water is warm!"

Kinger shuffled toward the cooler, examining it with scientific interest. "Fascinating. The condensation patterns suggest an internal temperature of approximately…"

"Kinger, just grab a drink," Pomni said.

"Right, yes."

Pomni walked down to where the water met the sand. She let a wave wash over her shoes. It was warm. Not too warm. Perfect, actually. She turned to look back at Caine, who was floating near the lounge chairs, watching them all with an expression she couldn't quite read.

"This is good," she said. "This is really good."

Caine's eyes crinkled. "I'm glad you think so."

Something about the way he said it made Pomni pause. It was a little too casual. A little too pleased. Like he was waiting for something.

"Caine."

"Yes?"

"What did you do?"

"I don't know what you mean." His voice was perfectly innocent. Too innocent. "I simply created a relaxing beach environment for my dear friends. Nothing more."

Pomni narrowed her eyes. "Uh huh."

"I'm wounded by your suspicion. Truly."

Gangle had waded deeper into the water, her ribbon floating around her like a red halo. "Caine, are there fish in here?"

"Only the friendly kind."

"You said that last time."

"And were there any problems?"

"There were sharks."

"Friendly sharks."

"They tried to bite Kinger."

"I apologized for that."

Pomni was still watching Caine. He was floating a little higher than usual, his gloved hands clasped behind his back. Every few seconds his gaze would flick toward something further down the beach, a section of sand where the lounge chairs were clustered, and then flick away again.

She followed his glance. The chairs looked normal. Towels. Umbrellas. And a volleyball net that hadn't been there a minute ago.

"Caine, what's the volleyball net for?"

"What volleyball net?"

"That volleyball net," she pointed.

Caine turned. He stared at the net for a beat too long. "Ah. That. Decoration. Purely aesthetic."

"You just put it there."

"Did I? I don't recall."

Ragatha had walked over to the net and was examining it. "It looks sturdy. Do we even have a volleyball?"

"I can generate one," Caine said, a little too quickly. "If you'd like. Or we could simply relax. No need for games. Games are entirely optional now. You said so yourselves."

Pomni exchanged a look with Ragatha.

"Something's up," Pomni muttered.

"Oh, definitely," Ragatha whispered back. "He's been planning something since yesterday."

"You think this is the revenge thing?"

"He did say he'd find a way."

Zooble, still sprawled on their lounge chair, cracked one eye open. "Are we doing this or what?"

"Doing what?" Caine asked.

"Investigating whatever trap you set up."

Caine's jaw tightened. "I have set up no traps. I am a changed ringmaster. I would never dream of doing such a thing."

"Uh huh."

"I resent these accusations."

Kinger, who had wandered over to the volleyball net with a drink in each hand, reached out and poked one of the poles. It wobbled slightly. A small puff of sand kicked up at its base, and something mechanical clicked beneath the surface.

Everyone froze.

Caine's eyes went wide. "That was nothing."

"Kinger," Pomni said slowly, "poke it again."

"Don't poke it again," Caine said.

Kinger poked it again.

The net shimmered. For a split second, it flickered like a bad screen, the ropes glitching into jagged shapes. Then the sand around the chairs erupted. Feather-light tendrils of golden sand popped up from the ground, twisting into shapes that looked almost like hands. They weren't aggressive. They were playful. Wiggling. Reaching.

"What," Pomni said, "is that."

"It appears to be…" Kinger adjusted his robe, squinting at the tendrils. "Some kind of automated tickling mechanism. Programmed to target… well, it appears to be targeting me."

One of the sandy tendrils had wrapped gently around Kinger's ankle. Another was hovering near his ribs. He let out a surprised laugh, stumbling backward and spilling both drinks.

"GAHAHAH-"

"Oh my," Kinger said, giggling despite himself. "That's-that's rather effective."

"Caine," Pomni said.

"Yes?"

"Explain."

Caine was floating backward, his hands up in a gesture of innocence. "I may have, hypothetically, attempted to create a small, harmless, entirely playful surprise for you all. As a joke. A prank. A lighthearted bit of fun."

"A tickle trap."

"A lighthearted bit of fun."

"You tried to tickle-trap us."

"The word trap feels so aggressive."

Zooble looked at the wriggling sand.

"…Because it is."

Zooble had sat up on their lounge chair. A sandy tendril was creeping up the back of it, wiggling toward their neck. "Caine."

"Yes?"

"If this thing touches me, I'm gonna be mad."

"I can explain-"

The tendril touched Zooble's neck. They flinched, a sharp laugh escaping before they could stop it. "OHOHKAY, that's weheherd-"

"The sand is warm," Kinger observed, still giggling as the tendrils explored his sides. "Remarkable texture. Very soft. Almost like a oh-oh no that's a bad spot-"

Gangle had scrambled out of the water, her ribbon held high. "How do we turn it off?!"

"I don't know!" Caine's voice had gone high and panicked. "I know I programmed a shutdown phrase, I just can't remember what it was!"

"You can't remember?"

"Half my code's missing, Gangle! My memory is Swiss cheese!"

Ragatha was dodging a pair of tendrils that had emerged from the sand near her feet. "Caine, you have to focus! You made these things, you can unmake them!"

"I'm trying!"

Caine raised his hands. The air around him flickered, pixels scattering like dust. The tendrils paused for a moment, wobbling uncertainly. Then, with a collective shimmer, they all changed direction.

Toward Caine.

"Wait," Caine said.

The tendrils converged.

"What-what's happening-"

"They're going for you," Pomni said. She had stopped dodging. The tendrils near her had frozen mid-air, their sandy fingers twitching. "They switched targets."

"That's not possible. I coded them to target the crew. I was very specific."

"Your code is broken, Caine."

"It is NOT broken, it is simply… experiencing some instability… oh… oh no…"

The first tendril reached him. It was thin and golden, shaped like a child's drawing of a finger. It poked him gently in the side.

Caine squeaked.

"…Hehey."

"Oh no," he said again, his voice smaller this time.

The second tendril wrapped around his ankle. The third found the back of his knee.

"W-wahahait-"

The fourth, fifth, and sixth all arrived at once, wiggling against his ribs, his tummy, and his shoulders.

Caine burst into helpless giggles.

"Nohohoho-wahahait-this isn't rihihight-"

"Oh my god," Pomni said.

"Don't," Caine pleaded through his laughter.

"Oh my god."

"It's not fuhuhunny-"

"It's kind of funny," Ragatha said. She had stopped running. The tendrils near her had collapsed back into normal sand. Everyone's had. The only ones still active were the ones swarming Caine.

"You tried to trap us," Zooble said, settling back onto their lounge chair. "You literally built a tickle trap."

"Ihi was being plahahayful-"

"And it backfired."

"Yehehes I can see thahat-"

Gangle crept closer, her ribbon trailing behind her. "Caine, why are there so many?"

"I mahay have been a bit overzehehealous-"

"A bit?" Pomni walked over to where Caine was floating, surrounded by wiggling golden tendrils. His face was already turning pink. His bow tie was starting to slip. "How many did you program?"

Caine's answer was swallowed by another burst of giggles as a tendril found the spot under his chin.

"TWENTY-"

Silence.

Pomni blinked.

"…Twenty?"

"Ihi wanted to be thohohorough-"

"…Why?"

Ragatha walked up beside Pomni, her arms crossed but her eye sparkling. "So let me get this straight. You, our ringmaster, who we just forgave for everything, decided to use the beach day to get revenge."

"It was a johohoke-"

"And you built twenty tickle tendrils."

"THAT SEEMED LIKE THE RIGHT NUMBER AT THE TIHIHIME-"

"And you lost control of them."

"I'M AWARE OF THE SITUATION, RAGATHA-"

A tendril brushed against Caine's lower back and he screamed. His whole body arched, his jaw opening in a silent laugh, and for a moment he just hung there, suspended by the tendrils while his voice caught up to the sensation.

"GAHAHA-NOT THEHEHERE-NOT THERE-"

"His worst spot," Pomni said, and she couldn't keep the grin off her face. "He gave the tendrils access to his worst spot."

"I DIDN'T MEAN TO-"

Kinger had recovered from his own tickle attack and was watching with academic delight. "Fascinating. The programming appears to have completely inverted its targeting parameters. Instead of the crew, it's now solely focused on its creator."

"THANK YOU FOR THE ANALYSIS, KINGER-"

"You're welcome."

Pomni stepped closer to the floating, giggling ringmaster. The tendrils were still busy, but their movements had become gentler, almost playful. One was tracing circles on his tummy. Another was wiggling against the arch of his foot. A third had found the spot behind his knee and was doing something that made Caine's voice go all squeaky.

"Want us to help?" Pomni asked.

"YEHEHES PLEHEHEASE-"

"Because we could just stand here and watch."

"NOHOHO-"

"I mean, you did try to trap us."

"Ihi know- I know, I'm sohohorry-"

"I'm SOHOHORRY-"

Ragatha tilted her head. "Are you really sorry, or are you just saying that because you're being tickled by your own trap?"

"BOTH-HOHOHOW DO I TURN IT OHOHOFF-"

Pomni frowned.

"You said you programmed a shutdown phrase."

"IHI KNOHOHOW-"

"So think!"

"I'M TRYIHIHING-"

A tendril scribbled across his tummy.

"NOHOHOHOHO-NOHOHOT WHEN THEY'RE DOHOHOING THAHAT-"

Pomni crossed her arms. "Come on, Caine! What was it?"

Caine squeezed his eyes shut, trying to think through the laughter.

Another tendril fluttered across his ribs.

His eyes suddenly flew open.

"WAHAHAAIT-"

Everyone looked at him.

"I REMEHEHEMBER-"

He took one desperate, giggly breath.

"BOHOHOOMBAH!"

The tendrils stopped. For a long moment, they hovered perfectly still, their sandy fingers frozen mid-wiggle. Then, with a soft shushing sound, they collapsed back into the beach, leaving behind nothing but disturbed sand and a very rumpled ringmaster.

Caine slumped in the air, chest heaving. His bow tie was dangling by a thread. His top hat had fallen somewhere in the sand. His face was bright red, and little aftershock giggles kept bubbling up no matter how hard he tried to press his jaw shut.

"Wohohow," he managed. "That was…"

"Hilarious," Zooble supplied.

"Embarrassing."

"Also hilarious."

Caine groaned and buried his face in his hands. "I can't believe that happened."

Pomni walked over and picked up his hat from the sand. She dusted it off and held it out to him. "You know what's really funny?"

"What."

"You didn't need to do this."

Caine peeked through his fingers. "What?"

"The trap. The revenge thing. You could have just asked."

"Asked for what?"

"For us to tickle you again."

Caine's face, which had been starting to return to its normal color, went crimson all over again. "I- that's not- I wasn't-"

"You literally built an entire tickle trap."

"That was for YOU-"

"And it ended up on YOU."

"That was an ACCIDENT-"

Ragatha had picked up Caine's bow tie from the sand and was smoothing it out. "You know, if you wanted us to do it again, you could have just said so."

"I DIDN'T WANT-"

"Caine." Pomni stepped in front of him, still holding his hat. "It's okay. We had fun last time. You had fun last time. You literally asked if we could do it again."

"That was a hypothetical question!"

"It wasn't."

"It was!"

"Your face is so red right now."

"I DON'T HAVE A FACE-"

"Your everything is red," Gangle said, and her comedy mask was a wide, delighted grin. "Just like last time."

Caine looked around at all of them. Pomni was trying very hard not to smile. Ragatha was still fixing his crooked bow tie. Gangle's ribbon swayed happily behind her. Kinger had somehow already started scribbling notes in the sand. Even Zooble looked like they were enjoying themselves. Somehow, nobody looked upset.

"I hate all of you," he said.

"No you don't," Pomni said.

"I don't," he admitted. "But I'm very frustrated right now."

"You tried to trap us and it backfired."

"I know."

"You coded twenty tickle tendrils and they all turned on you."

"I KNOW."

"And then you forgot the safeword."

"I remembered it eventually!"

Zooble stood up from their chair, stretching. "Alright. Enough gloating. He's already embarrassed."

"Thank you, Zooble."

"Don't thank me yet." Zooble walked over and gave Caine a light poke in the side.

Caine flinched with a tiny yelp.

"Zohooble…"

"That's for trying to trap us."

"…Fair."

"Now we're even."

Caine rubbed his side, but he was smiling. A small, real smile, not the big theatrical one. "Even."

Ragatha finished fixing his bow tie and stepped back. "There. Now you look like a ringmaster again."

"I feel like a dishrag who got attacked by his own creation."

"That's very specific."

"It's been a specific day."

Gangle's ribbon curled around Caine's arm. "For what it's worth, the beach really is pretty."

Caine looked around. The water was still warm and blue. The sand was still soft. The lounge chairs were still perfectly arranged, and the cooler was still full of drinks. The only evidence of the chaos was some disturbed sand and a slightly bent volleyball net pole.

"I did get that part right," he said quietly.

"You got most of it right," Pomni said. She placed his hat back on his head, adjusting it until it sat straight. "The trap was just… extra."

"Unnecessary."

"Very unnecessary."

"I get it."

"But the thought was kind of sweet? In a weird, Caine way?"

Caine blinked at her. "Sweet?"

"You wanted to play with us. You just don't know how to ask for things without turning them into a production."

"I… I suppose that's accurate."

Pomni looped her arm through his. "So next time, just ask."

Caine was quiet for a moment. Then, very softly, he said, "Would you… would you want to do the tickle thing again? Properly? Without the traps?"

Pomni looked at Ragatha. Ragatha looked at Gangle. Gangle looked at Zooble. Zooble shrugged.

"We've got all day," Zooble said.

"The beach isn't going anywhere," Ragatha added.

"And the sand is really soft," Gangle said. "For, you know. Falling over."

Caine's face went pink again. "You're all going to gang up on me, aren't you."

"Oh, absolutely," Kinger said, looking up from his sand notes. "I've developed several new hypotheses since last time."

"New spots?"

"Just theories. Hypotheses, really."

"There are MORE spots?"

"I intend to find out."

Caine looked at Pomni, his eyes wide with something between terror and anticipation. "This is my punishment, isn't it. For the trap."

"Yep," Pomni said.

"Even though the trap already backfired."

"Double punishment."

"That seems excessive."

Pomni grinned. "You literally asked for it this time."

Caine opened his mouth to argue, then closed it. His eyes crinkled at the corners. "I did, didn't I."

"You did."

"Then I suppose… I suppose I should accept my fate with dignity."

"Dignity," Zooble repeated. "You. With dignity. After what we just watched."

"I can be dignified!"

Pomni snorted.

"Your dignity fell off."

Caine frowned.

"…I don't think that's how dignity works."

Zooble nodded toward his head.

"The hat went with it."

Caine instinctively reached up to adjust his top hat, remembered it was already back on, and sighed.

"…That was one time."

"About five minutes ago," Ragatha reminded him.

Pomni tugged on his arm, pulling him toward the lounge chairs where the others were already gathering. "Come on, ringmaster. Let's see how dignified you are after Kinger finds those new spots."

Caine let himself be pulled, his floating form bobbing gently in the beach air. "I'm going to regret this, aren't I."

"Probably."

"And you're all going to coo at me."

"So much cooing."

"And someone is going to mention my blush."

"Your what?" Gangle asked sweetly. "Your bluuuush?"

Caine groaned. "It's already started."

The crew settled onto the sand near the lounge chairs. Kinger had somehow found a small notebook and was already sketching what looked suspiciously like Caine's torso. Several tiny notes were scribbled around it.

'Possible weak point?'

'Requires further testing.'

Ragatha was already cracking her knuckles. Gangle's ribbon was hovering with barely contained excitement. Zooble had claimed the best viewing spot on their chair.

Pomni sat down beside Caine, her shoulder pressing against his. "Hey."

He looked at her.

"Thanks for the beach day."

Caine's smile was tired and real and a little bit scared. "You're welcome."

"And thanks for the trap. Even though it was stupid."

"It wasn't stupid. It was poorly executed."

"Same thing."

"It is NOT the same-"

Pomni poked his side.

Caine squeaked involuntarily.

"Hehey- Pomni…"

"And so it begins," Zooble said from their chair.

Kinger cleared his throat and opened his notebook. "Now then. If I could direct everyone's attention to figure three-A, the spot directly below the left shoulder blade…"

"That's a new spot?!" Caine's voice was already climbing.

"I said I had hypotheses."

"Kinger, no-"

"Kinger, yes," Ragatha said, and her hands were already settling on Caine's shoulders.

The beach echoed with the sound of Caine's indignant, giggly protests. The water sparkled. The sand stayed soft. And somewhere in the cooler, the drinks stayed perfectly cold.

It was, despite everything, a very good beach day.

Psycho serial killer girlfriend problems

Inspired by this shot from the show heehee

Lee!Caine, ler!Jax

Warnings: Ticklefic (that's really it lol, some angst tho. also descriptions in line within the events of the episode- including Jax rooting around in Caine's mouth. This is pretty much meant to be a canon/slight difference of events fic)

Takes place halfway through episode 7 when Jax goes to get the key from Caine.

Rest below the cut!

Didn’t quite capture the vibe I wanted, but whatever.

both because i love the beautiful world . featuring lee Everypony

Bonus:

(omg thank you ////)

Lee!Caine supremacy 👀

He should've been wrecked GRR

Who's gonna tell him he's doing this to himself of purpose

So um this is how episode 8 should've gone down spread the word