Gangle has a nightmare and wakes up crying. Zooble comforts her
Gangle & Zooble (The Amazing Digital Circus), Gangle (The Amazing Digital Circus), Zooble (The Amazing Digital Circus), Age Regression/De-Aging, it's subtle tho, Non-Sexual Age Play, Safe For Work, Crayonfic, Nightmares, Insomnia, Any Pronouns for Zooble (The Amazing Digital Circus), Drabble, Anxiety, Light Angst
Gangle's mind loved to create nightmares, it seems.
Whenever she tried to sleep, her mind got to work crafting a nightmare bound to make her wake up screaming every time. Sometimes they were reoccurring, but most of the time, they were completely unique. The curse of having a creative mind, she supposed.
It made Gangle scared to go to sleep. She knew that if she fell unconscious, she'd awake a few hours later to find her comedy mask in a dozen pieces on the bed. Then she would curl up in the corner of her bed, staring into the open darkness of her room. Sometimes Gangle swore that the broken comedy masks on the walls would shift expression, but when she investigated in the morning, they remained unchanged. She'd tell herself it wasn't real, but the uncertainty the circus provided made her doubt herself every time she thought it. It could be real, and that terrified her into insomnia until the lights turned on outside, signifying a new morning.
And tonight was no different. Gangle got about three hours of sleep before the nightmares shook her awake. She couldn't sweat, but she was cold all the same. Her ribbons trembled, and she could feel the ghost of a pounding heart in her center. Gangle backed into the corner where the walls met the bed, not bothering to pick her shattered comedy mask out from the bed.
At times like these, Gangle often regressed. She'd lose her words and cry for a mother she hardly remembered. This time was no different, and the regression only heightened her sense of fear.
Then the tears began flowing. One after the other, they raced down her mask. She choked up, and she retreated into herself, squeezing her brimming eyes shut. If she couldn't see the terrible things that plagued her mind, maybe it'd go away. She sobbed, and whimpered, and sniffled, all alone in the stark silence of her room.
Why was she like this?
Why couldn't she sleep?
Who did she piss off to have this happen to her?
No no, don't go blaming outside forces. This was Gangle's fault and Gangle's fault alone. It was simply the result of her being screwed up at a biological level.
After who knows how long, she heard a knock at the door, which strangled a startled whimper from Gangle. It was probably Jax. He likely heard her from across the hall and stopped by to make fun of her. Now that she thought about it, if Jax heard, then everyone must've heard. Oh God, what if she woke everyone up? They're gonna be so mad at her in the morning, and they'll-
"Gangle, it's Zooble. Are you okay?"
Zooble? Gangle didn't expect them to be the one checking in on her. With a quivering voice, Gangle responds, "I'm fine.."
Gangle can hear Zooble give a dissatified hum from behind the door. "I don't believe it. Can I come in?"
Gangle considers it. She thought that it'd probably be a burden on Zooble, but she couldn't fight that desire for comfort. She finally squeaks out an "Okay..." just loud enough for Zooble to hear from across the room and through the door. Zooble opens the door, quietly shuts it, and makes their way to Gangle's bed. She sits down carefully at the edge of the bed.
"Now, what's bothering you?"
Gangle hesitates to tell him. What if it's a stupid reason? Gangle's probably overreacting; it's not that bad. The tragic character makes a futile attempt to suck back in her sobbing.
"N-Nightmares. It's no b-big deal, though..."
"It doesn't look like "no big deal" to me." Zooble was right.
Zooble briefly looks away, but soon returns her attention to Gangle. "Look, you don't have to talk about it, but are you sure there isn't anything I can do?"
"...Can you stay?" Gangle whispers almost too quietly to hear.
Zooble's eyes smiled. "I can do that."
Gangle holds out her arm ribbons. The tears have since slowed their descent down her face. "C-come here, please."
Zooble lets out a small chuckle, and an "Alright." Zooble scoots their way closer to Gangle, eventually taking a seat right next to her. Gangle fumbles with the ends of her ribbons. She looked like she wanted something.
"What's on your mind?"
"O-Oh, nothing..."
Of course, Zooble wasn't convinced. "Are you sure?"
But luckily for Zooble, Gangle was never a hard nut to crack. "...Could you hold me? Please?" Gangle asked him sheepishly.
It finally clicks in Zooble's head that Gangle is regressed, and their gaze softens. They really should've caught that sooner.
"I see. C'mere, I will make aaall your nightmares go away." Gangle leans into Zooble as he gently takes Gangle's arm ribbons in his hands, rubbing the satin with his thumbs. Gangle's torso ribbon slowly compressed into a tighter coil, making her appear smaller than she usually did. She wore a worn-out smile on her mask.
"Thank you." She mumbled.
"It's no problem. I'm always glad to help you." Zooble gave Gangle's ribbons a good squeeze, and she couldn't help but giggle softly.
And until the lights turned back on, they sat in silence. And all of a sudden, the pitch black floor harbored no threats of creepy crawlies to bite her if she stepped foot on the ground. The masks' expressions stayed put, and the corners of her room were no longer the dwelling places of monsters. She felt safe, protected.
And she almost fell back asleep. Not quite there yet, but it was progress.