Gathered the Ingredients

"You don't seem like yourself today, my usually convivial crocodile!"

I glance at the webcam on the monitor. The aperture widens. On the screen, Caine has arched his upper jaw so his teeth almost resemble a brow line and it's giving me a concerned look. I look back at my paper.

"I'm fine" I grumble in the general direction of the microphone. I write 'convivial?' on my C and A paperwork. I haven't put the headset on yet.

"You are not divided into very tiny pieces!" Caine presses. Oh, I get it.

"Wrong definition," I sigh. I'm too aware of everything- the scrape of my pencil on the copy paper, the whir of the fan inside the PC tower, the hum of the air conditioner, my oily hair. I feel gross and bad.

"Have you eaten today?"

I set down the pencil and turn to give the camera my full attention.

"No."

On the screen, Caine's suddenly sporting a white lab coat and holding a clipboard. "Well, that's no good!" he informs me. "Humans need nutrients to function!"

"Didn't feel like eating" I gripe. I hate it when people worry about me. I always feel like I don't deserve the attention. People should find better things to do.

I brush off his curiosity(?) and try to go back to my paperwork. I've been reading the same question about gloinks since I clocked in.

Caine is currently doing all in his power to keep my attention. He makes a loud noise emanate from the speakers, something like an angry dial-up modem being devoured by a garbage disposal.

"What do you want from me?!"

I didn't mean to yell.

The sound cuts off. On the monitor, Caine hides his eyes behind his clipboard.

"I want you to be okay."

Oh.

Oh.

I scoot my chair over a bit so the camera can see me better. "Hey, I'm sorry I snapped. I'm not-" I watch his eyes drift up from behind the clipboard.

"I'm a mess. I get into these spells where I don't take care of myself." I feel heat rising in my face. I'm embarrassed that it's so easy to open up to Caine.

Maybe because he's not a person? Not, not in the literal sense...

"Well," Caine says, lowering his clipboard and setting his eyes back where they belong, "what would help you not... feel so much like that?"

I give him a shrug. He taps his lower gums, then snaps his fingers. "Oh! Would you do it for me?"

He's back to his usual getup now, and he's hovering on his stomach, eyes enormous, little heart emojis where his pupils should be.

I smile.

"Okay, sure. I'll make sure to eat breakfast for you."

The PC tower fan whirs like the thing's about to combust as Caine zips around my screen.

Then he stops and adjusts the webcam to stare into my eyes.

"Go get food. Now." He drifts down and sits on a sofa inside the circus tent. "I'll be here!"

I get up and grab my bag, hoping the dining hall downstairs takes handfuls of change.