Opposites Abstract - Pomni x Male Reader

Chapter 10 - Partners in Crime

Y/N's hand was pulsating an aching feeling he couldn't shake. He had just driven it into a wall multiple times so that probably wasn't helping.

As far as Y/N was aware, no one else knew that he hit things. He hit things a lot. A lot more than he'd care to admit. Probably an unhealthy amount, even. The Amazing Digital Circus was an infuriating hell, where you were constantly overstimulated until you were pushed to an absolute. It's why people abstract; the Tent alone can be too much to handle most days, let alone Caine's antics and the constant threat of existential dread and danger that lingered around every corner. Y/N didn't blame people for giving up. Rather, he blamed himself. It was his one and only job to keep people in check, and when they abstracted he had failed them. There was no way Caine was going to fix them. He didn't have empathy. He didn't understand pain.

It only took five minutes for Caine to give Y/N his role. Kinger was freaking out and Caine made Y/N calm him down. After doing so successfully, he was demanded to calm everyone down. So that's what he did; Y/N played the stupid intro theme, Y/N gave out helpful advice, Y/N smiled when others couldn't, and Y/N helped wherever he could. But who helps Y/N? Good question. Ragatha often checks up on him, as does Zooble, as does Gangle. It always feels hollow. Is that selfish? When comparing what Y/N dishes out against what Y/N receives, one could perceive Y/N's selflessness as an act of pure nepotism. He tried helping Jax, but he refused all help thrown his way. Y/N took it in his stride and continued on.

So then, what in the everlasting hell was that conversation the two of them just had?

Y/N groaned as he slammed his door shut, leaning against the wall and slowly sliding down it to greet the floor below him. His fist was still throbbing with pain. A stinging, a burning, an aching that no medicine could heal. Of course, there was the physical pain, and the cuts and bruises on his knuckles would inevitably scab and heal over as they always did. But then there was the mental struggle. Y/N was different from everyone else at the circus, and he hadn't a single idea as to why. Do you know how burdensome that is? Knowing that Y/N put in effort every hour of every day in this godforsaken place and got nothing good in return? He got gifts, yes, and said gifts allowed him to elevate beyond his companions. No one else in the circus could grow multiple limbs. No one else in the circus had that red effect. No one else in the circus could bleed.

And that was infuriating.

The blood gently puddled onto the floor, staining the floorboards of Y/N's room as it stared back at him in glee. It was happy that Y/N had lost it. Happy that it could be freed from Y/N's body. His blood wanted to escape from him. It was taunting him. The pool started to glow that awful red colour and pixelate over. Great. Even his blood wasn't safe? Swatting his hand as the glow travelled up his arm, Y/N tried to ignore the growing pain. This glitch, this power, this curse, it only brought bad things. Like a bad omen. Like some messed-up biblical prophecy. He had been marked. That had to be it, surely.

But then, marked by who?

A soft knocking shoved Y/N out of his thoughts but only resonated with the glitching, burning his arm to further extremities. Y/N held back a shout of pain as he leaned against nearby furniture. How had it managed to get more painful? Words were too difficult, so Y/N focused on breathing steadily.

Pomni - "Y-Y/N? Can we talk?"

Of all people.

Y/N - "Uh... no?"

Nice. Pomni didn't respond at first, which made Y/N think she left. This foolish thought was quickly squashed as Y/N collided with a nearby guitar, falling to the ground with an impactful thud as he held his arm in pain. It almost felt like it was about to be torn off. Maybe that would be better at this point. The guitar twanged out a painful cry of discordant strings as it too fell next to Y/N, luckily not breaking. However, it did alert one curious jester who worriedly knocked on the door.