#fine shit

Only a hundred years ago the world still believed it important to design ordinary things with elegance.

perused pinterest for some good caine images :P idk if this is lwk boring to u guys but trust it'll get good by the end ok warnings: obsessive caine, making out, love bites

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The marks are still there… and they are very prominent. They’ve gotten darker. For a place with such heavy filtering, it doesn’t seem like it’s saving me from the humiliation.

I rummage through my drawers frantically searching for something to cover up my ravaged neck. As a result, I could only find a thick scarf to wrap around it. With that, I coil the fabric to completely secrete Caine’s claim on my body… and the memories flash back into my head chaotically, making my face heat up instantly.

All I can do now is push my feelings down and be normal in front of the rest of the characters… it can’t be that hard, right?

I walk out to the main room of the circus, suddenly feeling as if the lights were ten times brighter. It stung my eyes. I felt as if I were being watched, though there was nobody there in that empty hallway. They know. Everyone knows. The face of the earth knows.

Anxiety filled my body as I spotted the crew circled around Caine as he floated in the air like always, explaining the next adventure.

As usual, Zooble stood with an exasperated look on their face, Gangle in distress, Jax in complete boredom, Ragatha and Pomni a bit worried. But all their eyes shifted to me for a moment when I stepped in. Then, to my scarf.

Before they could comment, Caine noticed me.

“Oh, hi, Y/N!” His voice was back to its cheery tone once again. It’s like nothing happened. “I have an adventure for all of you crazy corn dogs.” With his announcement, he dramatically pointed his cane at all of us. However, I could see the slight twinge of bashfulness in his face when his large eyeballs flickered onto my scarf. “All of you are going out into a hot desert, where you must search for the haunted pyramid and bring back the treasure." A blazing hot adventure? In this scarf? I know what he's doing.

He looks down at me with mischievousness and pure excitement. So, he thinks that some inevitably sweat-inducing adventure would get me to show my marks? I won't fold. Not at the expense of my reputation here at the circus. He knows he can just snap his gloved fingers and my cover-up would disappear, but no. He wanted to see what I would do. I shot him a look of anger, to which he winked back at. He's so irritating sometimes...

After the usual lines of protest from Zooble, he spawned a portal in the floor below us and dropped us face-first into a ground of pure sand. I could feel the particles run between my fingers, landing harshly with the weight on my palms. Jax lifted his head, spit sand out of his mouth, and tilted his head to the side, knocking sand out of his ears. Groans of exhaustion filled the air, with everyone standing on their feet. Jax's eyes flickered over to my thick scarf around my neck. "New look, huh?" He chuckled, his yellow smile widened to his ears. He pointed at the cover, drawing attention from everyone else. "Isn't that a little hot? I can take it for you if you want," Ragatha offered kindly, gesturing to the large bag hanging from her shoulder. I could tell she thought it was a little tacky, but I had to throw on the best I could find.

"Oh- no thank you," I shook my head, receiving suspicious glances from the rest of the group. Jax only smiled wider, if that was even possible, anyway.

"It's fine, Raggy! Just tell them it's ugly," "No, no! I don't think it's ugly! It's just different, that's all!" Defensively, Ragatha turned her body to both of us, hoping not to upset me in any way. "It's alright, Ragatha," I chuckled. I just needed the attention off of my scarf and back to the adventure. The red-head doll nodded as we continued to tread slowly through the windy desert. It was a hot breeze, the floor burnt, and the scorching sun poked at my scarf. It seemed like a long journey, especially with Jax poking at us the entire time. Pomni just looked exhausted with everyone fighting around her. We were all exhausted, let's just be honest... and the fact that she's already so tired though she'd been here the least time says a lot. We all want to leave, or at least hope that Pomni would be the last human to arrive in this digital hell. I feel horrible that I want to leave, especially with how Caine feels about me. But is it real? He's not a real human. He only craves validation. I've given him the slightest bit and he'd fallen head-over-heels for me. If I hadn't done that, would there be any other reason for him to love me? No one had in the real world, so what would make him love me? Of course I felt the same, but I just couldn't help but feel silly... falling in love with an AI. He isn't... real. And I feel horrible for remembering so. But his love is so real. Is it? My mind is in fucking shambles.

"Y/N?" I'm instantly yanked straight out of my thoughts as I hear Ragatha's voice call my name. She knew how I would completely space out. "We're here."

We stood in front of the tall entrance to the pyramid. That was easy... too easy. Stepping inside, it was even hotter! There was gold scattered along the sides, leaving a narrow path that was one-third of the room wide. But I've seen Aladdin before, I would know not to touch any of the treasure. I hope that goes for the rest of them... "Ooo, look at this shiny thing-!" Jax exclaimed, with his hands hovering over a large jewel. I instantly rushed over to him, moving his hands away. "Jax! Have you learned nothing?" I scolded him, as he looked down on me with that stupid, condescending grin. He rolled his eyes and pushed past me, walking further down the halls. "Jeez, you're so paranoid," He sighed, hoping to push buttons, but I'm only used to it at this point. I take nothing he says to heart anymore. I'll show him how paranoid I can be. As we walked further and further, I felt the horrible heat almost tugging at my scarf, begging me to expose my marks. We were so close, but this was much too easy... where were the monsters and obstacles keeping us from the treasure? We've gotten much too far for nothing to get in our way... We finally reach the largest room of the pyramid. There is gold scattered everywhere, jewels sparkling, and one large outstanding platform where a massive jewel stood. It beckoned us to come closer and pick it up. It was square and illuminating, just tempting anyone to take it. "We should probably find something to swap it with..." Zooble sighed, looking around for an object to match its weight. All of us–except for Jax–nodded, searching around. Then I thought back to that jewel that Jax found... was that what we were supposed to swap it with?

"Jax, please, bring us that other jewel you were messing around with earlier," "Ohhh, so now you do want it, huh?" He grinned, to which I just rolled my eyes. "Yeah, I'll get it, but because I want this to be over. Not because you asked." The purple rabbit ran back to get the jewel, and I tugged at my scarf just a tiny bit, for a little bit of air. Ragatha noticed my suffering in the heat once again. "I'm sorry for prying, but are you sure you don't want to take that off?" She placed her hands on her hips and looked at me in a concerned manner. I shook my head no once again. Damn it, Caine, I'm dying here!

"No thanks, I'm alright," "Y/N, is everything okay? You've been a little... odd lately, especially since that previous adventure..." I could see her getting suspicious. "Does any of that have to do with that scarf?" I sputtered in response, trying my hardest to think of a way out of Ragatha's confrontation. I knew she was just trying to help, but I needed her off my back, at least until I knew for sure that she wouldn't change her thoughts on me. "What? No, why would it? I'm completely fine-"

"I've got the shiny thing!" Jax called out, interrupting the conversation. For the first time, after so many years with him, his presence was actually useful. I took my opportunity to slip out of Ragatha's intervention and jogged over to the purple rabbit. "Great, now just quickly swap it with the jewel over there!" I pointed breathlessly toward the shining platform. I rushed him quickly and pushed him to the treasure. "Let's just get out of here." Jax slid the treasure out and placed the replacement directly on within milliseconds, finally obtaining the treasure. I smiled and clapped my hands softly, and the rest of the group sighed with relief... until the walls started shaking. The whole room began to crumble down, shooting out weaponry and rocks onto our heads. "Run! Get out of here!" Pomni screamed. We dashed out of the room, and Jax shoved the treasure into Ragatha's bag as the pyramid fell down behind us, almost like it was chasing us. So here's the obstacle, huh? Our legs pumped us out quickly, and we could see daylight ahead! We were just about to make it out... then a large boulder from the ceiling fell directly onto the end of my scarf, sharply pulling me back by the neck. Ragatha turned back immediately. "Y/N!" Stupidly, I tried my best to tug the scarf out from under the boulder, but it was no use... "What are you doing?!" The doll woman then yanked the scarf off, catching a glimpse of the love bites my neck was covered in. She pulled me out right out of the death zone and the pyramid crumbled to the ground.

My body landed right on top of her, and I took the scarf back once again, but she called me out... well, more whispered. "Y/N, what is that?" She placed both hands on my shoulders as she looked dead into my eyes. Her voice wasn't too loud, but the others looked at us with wondering eyes, having no idea what the hell we were talking about. "Tell me the truth. What are those on your neck? What happened?" I tried to avoid it, I tried to ignore her but it just slipped out of my mouth. "Caine happened, okay?" ----- "Why do you want me to ruin my friendships? Once I finally have people I trust and that can trust me, you decide to jeopardize all of that for what? An adrenaline rush?" I shouted at Caine in his office. Finally back in the circus, my cover was out, at least to Ragatha. He looked at me with pure remorse in his eyes, knowing that was the exact reason. "My darling, I-" "Caine, Ragatha knows now! How do I know she didn't tell anyone else?" I cried out. "Putting me on an adventure with crazy heat, you knew damn well what you were doing!"

"Y/N, I'm so sorry, I just thought that-" he sighed, now unable to look at me with those green and blue eyes. His features formed into a sad, remorseful expression. "I thought that I could finally show everyone how much I love you, and how much you love me! I don't want to keep this a secret, it hurts."

I was disarmed by his genuine care. Why was I so easily swayed by him? "I know, Caine, I feel the same way, it's just that..." I didn't know how to explain what the rest of the group truly felt about him. That would break him even more, and that would just break my heart. I didn't want to be the one to tell him. "...they wouldn't like it. They would be upset with me."

His upper jaw contorted to a look similar to slightly furrowed eyebrows. I could hear his tone get darker. "And why would they be upset?"

"Because... they would feel betrayed," I fidgeted with my hands nervously. I knew my next statement would end with either bullets, or a straight missile. "They don't... like you."

Caine's face grew dark. He was silent for a moment, contemplating this new information. I couldn't tell if he truly picked up on the amount of anger, protest, complaining and groans when he would initiate anything. "I don't care," He stood up tall, now towering over me as I became smaller in contrast. "I already told you, nothing becomes between you, me, and our love." He leaned over the desk and placed his hand firmly on my chin, lifting my head up to make eye contact with me. My heart pounded in my ears and I felt tingling in the tips of my fingers.

"Caine, please calm down," I begged, trembling softly as he traced my lower lip with his thumb. "I don't give a damn about what they say about me, you're mine. I'm yours. They don't have any control over me, and I couldn't care less about what they want you to think about me," He leaned in to press a heated kiss to my face, his tongue dipping into my mouth and threatening to run down my throat. Our lips separated with a string of saliva between them. "Let me tell you how much I have come to love you since I began to live."

He left new marks on my neck and jawline, nipping and sucking at the sensitive skin. My arms wrapped around his neck as he lifted me and pinned me down to his large desk.

"Caine... please-" He glitched aggressively, his fingers flying up to compress my cheeks together from both sides. "You can cover up these marks as much as you want, but everyone will see my love for you soon." taglist:) @dxllie-angel @pepbotnik @ohlookitsme613 @sillyingaroundd if you want to be added to the taglist then lmk in the comments :))))