Chapter 29

Ideas were being bounced back and forth around the room as you all casually chatted. You exercised a bit of caution, still wary of the unspoken peace treaty between Caine and Damien. You began to feel impressed and terrified that nothing bad had happened yet. Somehow for the first time since the —incident— felt relatively normal.

Well as normal as they could be.

Damien lounged on a bean bag next to Jax, limbs lazily hung over the edges. He began to reminisce about all the things you'd done together in the real world. Using all that you told him about back then. Your love of video games, anime, and— and—...

'Cmon Damien think. How could Caine make any of these things into an adventure for y/n?'

His hands gripped at his bangs, pulling them backwards away from his forehead. Exposing his now furrowed brows. The messy tufts fell as he sighed now looking a bit more disheveled. You take notice of his frustration and observe him looking down at his hands.

Damien got lost in the lines that ran along his palms. Wondering what his palm reading would have been had he done one in the real world before getting trapped here.

'I have a feeling the psychics wouldn't have been able to warn me about this bullshit.'

Damien glanced back over to you as an idea struck and his eyes lit up, "What about that shitty mall carnival you used to eat up?"

You perked up at the mention of it, "Whimsey Fest?"

Caine added gesturing grandly with his gloved hands, "Well for legal purposes we obviously can't use the exact name here in the digital circus, but why don't we make a 'Wacky Fest' duplicate!" He waved his arms about wackily.

Damien scoffed, "I don't think they have the funds for a lawsuit. Well— actually I take that back. With the state their rides were in they had to have something set aside. No way a place like that could operate otherwise."

You mull over it for a moment, only to realize your memories were like fast little glimpses and blurs. You begin struggling to remember what it was like going to the mall carnival. After a few moments you resort to asking Damien for a brief description, "I can't seem to really remember it for some reason. Could you describe it more?"

Damien nodded his head, "Well sure." He repositioned to be sitting a bit more upright, his hands made gestures as he recalled, "There was the giant claw thing that spun you around in the air, the super high swing set circle thing, the boat that rocked you up so high it felt like you'd fall out the seats and over the shitty little lap bar, the tea cups, the dart games, ring toss, funnel cake, fried Oreos, the fun house, and those horrific zipper rides."

Damien shivered at the mention of the zipper rides.

As you carefully listened your mind began showing flashes of memories, blurred faces appeared in most, but the rides became clearer. For some reason only Damien had a face in your memories still. Presumably since Damien was here in the circus your memory could clearly conjure his face.

"We used to go—" You mumbled quietly spacing out slightly. Your eyes unfocused and your brows knitted together in frustration as you desperately clung to the half baked memories.

"Yeeeeaaaah... you good? You look like you're reliving wars in your head over there. Maybe we should come up with—" Damien's objection was abruptly interrupted by you.

"No." He raises an eyebrow at your adamant response, "No, I like it. It's just— I'm struggling to remember things. How come you remember so much and I remember so little?"

Caine spoke up, "While I have control over most things in the digital circus, the one thing I cannot control are your minds. I have no idea what makes one member remember more than others. It seems like most remember their previous age, occupation, and occasionally even where they're from."

Jax spoke up, "Yea. That's why I remember being a chemistry teacher who developed cancer and started selling meth from my camper." He proudly pointed at himself.

You shoot him a comical glare, "Yea right buddy. I know the plot to Breaking Bad. You aren't fooling me!"

Jax rolls his eyes and chuckles, "Anyways. I don't mind this Whimsey Carnival—Fest—whatever thing. As long as I can make the balloon dart stands use Zooble's face on the balloons."

Caine cheerfully stated, "Done!"

Damien wondered if he could make a request, "What if we have chicken on a stick? They usually have really good fair food."

Caine less cheerfully responded to Damien, "Sure I don't see why not."

You added, "And at least one suspicious looking roller coaster!"

"Done, done, —-aaaand done!!" Caine proudly puffed his chest, "Now I just need to write the code. I'll call everyone up when it's done!"

And with that Caine had teleported away. Too excited for this newest adventure to blow your socks off to realize he just left you alone with Damien and Jax. Jax now shifting in his bean bag chair uncomfortably looking away, "So uhhh"

Jax looked over at you then Damien. His eyes darted back and forth before finally landing on you. Your eyes remained glued to Damien for now. Part of Jax wanted to leave due to the awkward silence, but part of him was curious about what you two would say with Caine gone. A devious idea struck him.

'I bet I can get a piping hot cup of drama tea if I just sit my happy ass here and say I'll be the buffer for Caine. I mean? Makes sense right? If I'm here, then how is it weird for these two to talk? Ha! I'm a genius. Really. I mean I doubt these two idiots are never gonna hash it out otherwise.'

Jax cleared his throat catching both the attention of Damien and you, "Alright. Here's how this is gonna go. I'm gonna sit here. And you two are gonna talk okay? Mr tooth fairy out there is busy. And he can't say sh%t about you two talking if I'm here. Since he pulled us all together in the first place. So go ahead, have at it."

Cricket noises.

Silence.

Until you both talk at the same time words tripping over one another,

"Sorry"

"I'm so sorry"

"I didn't—"

"It's okay"

Jax looked highly confused now. While you two seemed to nervously begin fidgeting.

'What the fuck did Caine do to them?'

"I didn't know he was gonna do that. And I didn't mean to—" you begin mumbling.

"I don't think either of us knew. I'm sorry he did that to you." Damien cringed as the image of you indecent before him flashed in his mind.

'Not now damn it.'

You continue to apologize, "I should've never put that stupid headset on. I've gotten you stuck in the real world and here now."

Damien argues, "You know you aren't the only reason I stayed at that job. And I have free will you know. I didn't have to work there and I didn't have to come here. I choose to. I chose this y/n. None of it is your fault, and there's nothing for you to apologize for. I promise."

Tears stream down your face and you quickly wipe them away, "Thank you. I don't know why you choose all this, but it means a lot to me."

'It's because I love you, idiot.'

Damien thinks to himself as he struggles to find anything to say. Jax choosing to voice Damien's thoughts buds into the conversation, "Well obviously it's because this idiot over here for whatever reason is head over heels for you. I feel sorry for the guy honestly. Too pu%%y to make a move other than yelling at your ...—your uhh— boyfriend—ex—ex boyfriend— or?"

Jax now realizing he was unsure if you and Caine were still together after whatever happened back in the candy kingdom.

"Boyfriend. Just boyfriend."