Caine's Punishment
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."
Thanks for reading my fic, and hope you enjoyed it! :3 Here for Part 2 :D
#tadc tickles



















