Chapter 17

"Damien?"

Her voice wavered. Uncertain if that was even the right name. When suddenly a light burst in David's head as he mimicked your words, "Damien. Why is that so familiar?"

His brain began racking away. Trying to find the reason why. Until a faint flicker burst into flames. Synapses firing off. "Damien! I remembered my name!!"

Caine seemed displeased at the fact that not only did this 'David' or 'Damien?' person know you, but you knew him. Not only did you know him, you remembered. Even seemed happy to remember. Caine's grip on your arm tightened without him noticing.

"Ouch!" You yank your arm from Caine confused and annoyed as to why he gripped your arm so hard.

"My apologies dear!! I seem to have forgotten my own strength. I'm so sorry." He placed a gentle hand on your cheek and kissed your forehead. You melted into his touch.

However,In the back of your mind you had made a mental note of his reaction. You suddenly felt strangely afraid of him. It was then and there you decided your conversation with Damien would have to continue at a later date.

Caine felt his eyes flickered between you and Damien for a moment, "Well, well, well! Looks like you two have some catching up to do. And I need to start planning our next adventure." He cheerfully stated, betraying the emotions bubbling just beneath the surface. He gave you one last wink before disappearing off into wherever he normally went.

Caine spun around in his office chair, switching his monitors to show the hallway he had just left. Papers went flying from the gust his chair had caused, but he didn't care about that right now.

He wanted to see how you'd act without him around. You stood awkwardly rubbing the arm Caine had just gripped. Caine felt a pang of guilt in the pit of his stomach knot up. You shift uncomfortably, unable to shake this feeling of Caine somehow still being present. You chalk it up to him teleporting in and out and decide to push it to the back of your mind. Instead you begin focusing on the very real circus member who was your former coworker. Your memories were hazy, but somewhat present. Like distant memories you couldn't quite place a finger on.

Damien stood there too afraid to speak, nervous that Caine was somewhere nearby still. The last thing he wanted was to say or do anything to upset the bizarre ring master. After the trip he took to what was apparently known as the cellar he intended to stay on his good side. Damien opened his mouth, just to close it again. Exhaling in defeat.

You speak up finally, "so"

He repeats back, "so"

Both of you shift on your feet. Caine picks up a pen and begins nervously clicking away. The needle of ink retracting and extending with each click. The taps became faster and faster until—

"I've been trying to find you. We need you back in the real world." Damien decided against sugar coating it. He felt if he was gonna be trapped here he might as well be honest with y/n.

The pen in Caine's hand snapped in two. The plastic and metal pieces falling onto the desk as the red ink stained his glove. Caine simply looked down at the mess he had made and snapped his fingers. The red ink splattered over his desk momentarily as he snapped, only to disappear once he'd finished his swift motion. The shards of metal and plastic completely gone with the ink once covering the scene.

If there was one thing Caine hated it was lacking control. And he certainly felt as though he had little control over you when Damien was around. He didn't want you to even think of escaping. Let alone have someone from the real world bring up leaving. He dreaded the thought of you leaving to go back to the real world. Abandoning him here in the digital hell scape.

"I'm not going back."

Cain perked up.

"What?"

Damien furrowed his brows.

"I said. I don't want to go back Damien."

Caine sprung from his office chair. It rolled back into the wall, colliding and falling over. He fought the urge to teleport to you and hug you this very moment. Now standing before the computer screen his hands were firmly planted on the desk before him. He eagerly leaned forward awaiting Damien's response.

"But y/n! What about your parents? Your family? Your friends?"Damien began to panic.

"What? The parents who were always disappointed? The family who was never there for me? The friends who only stuck around when they felt like it? There's nothing out there, but bills to pay and people to disappoint us Damien. Here we're free!!! No bills. No hunger. No tiredness. No sickness. Well— other than abstraction. But that's neither here nor there. This place is basically paradise!! And the people here actually seem to care about each other."

Damien frowned, "What about me?"

Y/n looked at Damien. Caine gritted his teeth mumbling under his breath alone in his office, "What about you?" His tone was dark and low, fingers clenched the desk below as he leaned down and forward.

"Damien. I don't know what we were up there, but you never made a move. Caine did. I know we're all trapped here together. And I'm not opposed to being friends, but you can't keep talking about escape this and escape that. I don't think Caine would appreciate it. I'm pretty sure he's just as stuck here as we are."

You look at him, your resolve remaining firm in your tone as you gaze into Damien's eyes. Their green pools pulled you in like a trap. Only for you to ever so slightly miss being pulled in. It was hard to resist , you had to admit. However, you weren't the type to cheat.

Damien's lip quivered and his eyes became glossy. His shoulders slowly slumped forward as his cheeks flushed. His eyes met yours as the hot liquid began pooling over, "I guess I was too late, huh?"

His tone shifted once his brows furrowed, "is he even real? Isn't he just artificial intelligence?"

You gasped, "Damien!!"

Caine began contemplating teleporting there right that second just to throw him back in the cellar personally. He had opened up just a hair of a portal, until you spoke again.

"At least he actually shows me how he feels!! He doesn't just dance around it. He's direct. He's goofy. He's kind. And He's done nothing wrong Damien!! I'm fine if you want to be friends, but I'm telling you now if you keep talking about my man like that we will be NOTHING."

Caine immediately closed the portal before it had formed. Now smiling ear to hypothetical ear. He threw his arms up in the air like he'd won the lottery. "Yes Damien! F*^% it up!! Mess up whatever you had!! Hahahaaa!!" Caine then gasped and covered his mouth, not quite used to swearing he began to blush. Bubble suddenly appeared next to him curious as to why he cursed.

"F^%# yeah!!" Bubble supported Caine's words not knowing what was going on.

Caine gasped, "Bubble you can't say that. I'm sorry I'm being a bad influence right now, but swearing is strongly discouraged in the digital circus!!"