fic: Definitions: Courage - TIN MAN
Hello!
I've decided to continue my Tin man fic with a third installment. The first two are found here: Story Archives
Name: Definitions: Courage
Author: Elise
Fandom/Pairing: Tinman, Cain/Glitch-Ambrose
warnings: discussion of darker topics as well as potentially needing the first few to understand background.
3.
Definition: Courage
Cain was troubled, DG could tell. He spoke seldomly, but wisely at court meetings, and came down for a meal once in a while, yet more and more, he was remaining silent, eating alone. Glitch, as DG would always fondly think of him, had proven to be a cunning ally. After the surgeries, he was broken, instead of just scattered, until Cain had helped. In time, bits of Ambrose would show, and he offered an invaluable perspective. When he could, that is. DG thought sadly to the few times that he would have a meltdown in the middle of everything, raving, and in some cases, only Cain could get him to leave. Now they could read the signs, and if they missed them, he would excuse himself, generally for the remainder of the day. It was getting better. Today, Glitch kept focusing on the chair that Cain usually occupied, looking nervous. DG sighed and said, “So… is there anything I should… know? Anything come up… unexpected?”
Glitch shrugged, “Nothing to speak of, my lady, but I can ask the staff and perhaps the people.”
It seemed that Ambrose and Glitch could flow in and out of the vessel that contained them both. DG nodded then looked down, “Is Cain coming to join us?”
Glitch smiled, “Not today, I gave him the leave for the meeting. He had some pressing matters.”
DG looked up, the Lion looking out the window avoiding her gaze. She sighed, “This would be the answer I was looking for earlier…”
Glitch tilted his head and said, “My lady-“
“Glitch, please, call me-“
“Ambrose. My name is Ambrose.” Glitch corrected, then continued, “Mr. Cain is in his chambers, most likely resting. That last few scouting missions were taxing on him, and he needed some time. He will be here at dinner.”
DG sighed and said, unhappy, “Fine. Glitch.”
To DG’s satisfaction, the staunch servant that would replace her eccentric friend twitched at the name. “Well… lets dismiss… I’d like to meet up with the new family that has come for refuge.”
Glitch stood and bowed, blinking a bunch of times, and giving a light cough. DG smiled and said, “You should rest, step out…” her voice lowered a bit, “Relax, let the transition go slowly.”
“It’s deplorable…” Glitch said, “Unseemly!”
“Glitch…” DG warned, “Walk with me…”
“DG!” Glitch said gleefully, and then sighed annoyed, that coming from Ambrose.
DG smiled and took Glitch’s arm, and they walked out. There was a slight murmur and Glitch looked at her sad, “I don’t know why you keep my counsel… do you hear them? They’re talking about me. I’m crazy, you know? Split personality…”
Glitch giggled at his joke, but his eyes nor lips smiled. DG smiled sadly, “You’re incredible counsel. Shall we visit Cain?”
Glitch tilted his head, outwardly pondering it, his hand tapping his chin, dramatically switching between feet. He shook his head, his hair shaking back and forth. DG sighed, “Fine.. you go find him,” She winked, “Alone…”
Glitch crossed his arms and gave her a look. DG giggled behind her hand and ran off. Glitch smiled, turning to Cain’s room. The transitions were going smoother, and he knew it was due to the healing. Ambrose and Glitch were compromising, combining. Bits of Ambrose were disappearing entirely, to be replaced by bits of Glitch. Knocking first, Glitch poked his head in and frowned.
Cain was punching a sack of laundry that he had suspended in the corner of his room. He was red in the face, punching harder and harder. Only Glitch knew that it was not sweat coming down his face, but tears. Glitch shut the door behind him and walked to sit in Cain’s eye sight. He waited, playing with the hem of his shirt, before tapping his knees. He then began to build rhythms to the sound of Cain’s punching. He smiled, tapping his chest twice opposite every punch, then one tap, one snap and one punch. Finally Cain stopped and said, “Listen, sweet heart, if you’re going to do that the entire time, then you know where the door is.”
“You didn’t sleep last night.” Glitch said, “I can tell. Your eyes are red, and there are bags, and when you are over tired, you-“
“Glitch!” Cain interrupted, “Cut it out.”
Glitch looked up and said, “When I had nightmares, I leapt from the window, getting caught by my pant leg… I dangled not caring if I were saved, died, or stayed there… like a scarecrow, for the remainder of my days. I dreamed as if it were happening again… as if I had woken up and they were still doing the surgery, cutting into me, and finding you was only a dream…”
Cain let his hands drop, and for a moment there was only the sound of his heavy breathing. “I found you…”
Glitch smiled and stood up, his entire body electric with energy, “You find me, always. Every time I’ve been lost, you’ve found me.”
Cain looked up, his eyes sad and he said, knowing it would hurt his lover, his friend, “I’m watching the holofilm in my mind. Every time I sleep, it replays…”
Glitch grimaced and then said, “Ambro… I made it. Before I learned what love was. Before I learned about responsibility, and the world. It’s no good to be shut up in a dingy castle room for your entire life. Although, running wild without half a brain wasn’t exactly the best either… or when I was trapped in that cage in the trees…”
Cain smiled at the rambling and said, “I hate being trapped. I hate being… stuck. Every time I am stuck, I just see her face… right before she died.”
Glitch placed his hands on Cain’s strong arms and said, “You’re so strong… to have endured that. Has anyone told you that? Has anyone ever told you how strong you are, how courageous…?”
Cain’s eyes flashed and he looked away, jaw set. “You’re the courageous one… every day is a battle for you, and has been for years. My battles are at night.”
Glitch squeezed Cain’s arms and said, smiling, “Then so are mine.”
Cain kissed him as hard as he could, the only natural thing he could think of doing and the only answer he had.
I've decided to continue my Tin man fic with a third installment. The first two are found here: Story Archives
Name: Definitions: Courage
Author: Elise
Fandom/Pairing: Tinman, Cain/Glitch-Ambrose
warnings: discussion of darker topics as well as potentially needing the first few to understand background.
3.
Definition: Courage
Cain was troubled, DG could tell. He spoke seldomly, but wisely at court meetings, and came down for a meal once in a while, yet more and more, he was remaining silent, eating alone. Glitch, as DG would always fondly think of him, had proven to be a cunning ally. After the surgeries, he was broken, instead of just scattered, until Cain had helped. In time, bits of Ambrose would show, and he offered an invaluable perspective. When he could, that is. DG thought sadly to the few times that he would have a meltdown in the middle of everything, raving, and in some cases, only Cain could get him to leave. Now they could read the signs, and if they missed them, he would excuse himself, generally for the remainder of the day. It was getting better. Today, Glitch kept focusing on the chair that Cain usually occupied, looking nervous. DG sighed and said, “So… is there anything I should… know? Anything come up… unexpected?”
Glitch shrugged, “Nothing to speak of, my lady, but I can ask the staff and perhaps the people.”
It seemed that Ambrose and Glitch could flow in and out of the vessel that contained them both. DG nodded then looked down, “Is Cain coming to join us?”
Glitch smiled, “Not today, I gave him the leave for the meeting. He had some pressing matters.”
DG looked up, the Lion looking out the window avoiding her gaze. She sighed, “This would be the answer I was looking for earlier…”
Glitch tilted his head and said, “My lady-“
“Glitch, please, call me-“
“Ambrose. My name is Ambrose.” Glitch corrected, then continued, “Mr. Cain is in his chambers, most likely resting. That last few scouting missions were taxing on him, and he needed some time. He will be here at dinner.”
DG sighed and said, unhappy, “Fine. Glitch.”
To DG’s satisfaction, the staunch servant that would replace her eccentric friend twitched at the name. “Well… lets dismiss… I’d like to meet up with the new family that has come for refuge.”
Glitch stood and bowed, blinking a bunch of times, and giving a light cough. DG smiled and said, “You should rest, step out…” her voice lowered a bit, “Relax, let the transition go slowly.”
“It’s deplorable…” Glitch said, “Unseemly!”
“Glitch…” DG warned, “Walk with me…”
“DG!” Glitch said gleefully, and then sighed annoyed, that coming from Ambrose.
DG smiled and took Glitch’s arm, and they walked out. There was a slight murmur and Glitch looked at her sad, “I don’t know why you keep my counsel… do you hear them? They’re talking about me. I’m crazy, you know? Split personality…”
Glitch giggled at his joke, but his eyes nor lips smiled. DG smiled sadly, “You’re incredible counsel. Shall we visit Cain?”
Glitch tilted his head, outwardly pondering it, his hand tapping his chin, dramatically switching between feet. He shook his head, his hair shaking back and forth. DG sighed, “Fine.. you go find him,” She winked, “Alone…”
Glitch crossed his arms and gave her a look. DG giggled behind her hand and ran off. Glitch smiled, turning to Cain’s room. The transitions were going smoother, and he knew it was due to the healing. Ambrose and Glitch were compromising, combining. Bits of Ambrose were disappearing entirely, to be replaced by bits of Glitch. Knocking first, Glitch poked his head in and frowned.
Cain was punching a sack of laundry that he had suspended in the corner of his room. He was red in the face, punching harder and harder. Only Glitch knew that it was not sweat coming down his face, but tears. Glitch shut the door behind him and walked to sit in Cain’s eye sight. He waited, playing with the hem of his shirt, before tapping his knees. He then began to build rhythms to the sound of Cain’s punching. He smiled, tapping his chest twice opposite every punch, then one tap, one snap and one punch. Finally Cain stopped and said, “Listen, sweet heart, if you’re going to do that the entire time, then you know where the door is.”
“You didn’t sleep last night.” Glitch said, “I can tell. Your eyes are red, and there are bags, and when you are over tired, you-“
“Glitch!” Cain interrupted, “Cut it out.”
Glitch looked up and said, “When I had nightmares, I leapt from the window, getting caught by my pant leg… I dangled not caring if I were saved, died, or stayed there… like a scarecrow, for the remainder of my days. I dreamed as if it were happening again… as if I had woken up and they were still doing the surgery, cutting into me, and finding you was only a dream…”
Cain let his hands drop, and for a moment there was only the sound of his heavy breathing. “I found you…”
Glitch smiled and stood up, his entire body electric with energy, “You find me, always. Every time I’ve been lost, you’ve found me.”
Cain looked up, his eyes sad and he said, knowing it would hurt his lover, his friend, “I’m watching the holofilm in my mind. Every time I sleep, it replays…”
Glitch grimaced and then said, “Ambro… I made it. Before I learned what love was. Before I learned about responsibility, and the world. It’s no good to be shut up in a dingy castle room for your entire life. Although, running wild without half a brain wasn’t exactly the best either… or when I was trapped in that cage in the trees…”
Cain smiled at the rambling and said, “I hate being trapped. I hate being… stuck. Every time I am stuck, I just see her face… right before she died.”
Glitch placed his hands on Cain’s strong arms and said, “You’re so strong… to have endured that. Has anyone told you that? Has anyone ever told you how strong you are, how courageous…?”
Cain’s eyes flashed and he looked away, jaw set. “You’re the courageous one… every day is a battle for you, and has been for years. My battles are at night.”
Glitch squeezed Cain’s arms and said, smiling, “Then so are mine.”
Cain kissed him as hard as he could, the only natural thing he could think of doing and the only answer he had.