Drabble request: Fuse (for aisarete)
Every person who knew Glitch knew him in a different way. Some, like the Queen, Azkadellia and the Tutor who knew him as Ambrose, knew him as a gifted, if somewhat quiet, scientist. Those who knew him only as Glitch saw a bright, cheerful and good-natured man who could crash hard suddenly when reminded of how much of himself he was missing.
Cain was one of those people in the latter group. He loved Glitch, loved his passion and his flashes of brilliance. Loved how Glitch could be shyly plucking at his buttons one moment and cradling Wyatt's face, drowning him in fiery kisses the next. Cain loved those little idiosyncrasies, those glitches that had become the man's namesake.
The night before the surgery, Cain had stayed with Glitch. Talked him through the fear and excitement, held his hand as Glitch struggled against the stinging tears brought on by a range of emotions. Stroked a gentle hand over the shorn head, brushing his thumb over the prominent zipper.
Days later when Glitch stayed awake long enough to focus on Wyatt, he grinned. Cain knew Glitch was still there, still the same man he loved. The only difference was aesthetic; he had a whole brain again and the zipper was replaced by a long, thick scar.
Slowly, Glitch became Ambrose in name, if not in personality. Ambrose was less clumsy once he got used to having a body again; he had no trouble remembering anything he wanted. But he still had that crooked grin and playful tilt of his head.
Until one day, months after Ambrose had picked up where he'd left off fifteen annuals before, Cain found the scientist sitting on the floor of his lab, back pressed against the drawers of his wide desk.
"Ambrose? You missed lunch," Wyatt approached the silent man, crouching down next to him.
Looking up with dull, empty eyes, Ambrose gave Cain a sad, shaky smile. "He's gone, Cain."
Sitting down on the floor and pulling his knees up, Cain frowned. "Who's gone?"
Ambrose leaned his head back against the top drawer, closing his eyes. "Glitch."
"I don't understand," Cain shook his head slowly. "You're Glitch, he's always been you."
"The years of separation made Glitch develop," Ambrose told him softly. "I thought after my brain was replaced, that all the personality traits would stay, I'd just be smart like I was before. But it's not like that, not at all. He was a unique individual. Now I can't find him, that special quality he had, he's just gone. I can't be him," his voice cracked.
Cain leaned forward, his hand grasping tight onto one limp arm. "Ambrose, it doesn't work that way. Yes, the years of being headcased cause new traits to come through, but it was always part of who you are. Maybe the ability to contain them was damaged and now that you're healed you have more control," Wyatt spoke with increasing desperation, pained by the desolate look in Ambrose's eyes. "Glitch, it's still you. Whether we call you Ambrose or not, you're still everything you always were."
Ambrose blinked rapidly, turning his head away. "How can you be so sure?"
Scooting forward to pull the shattered Ambrose into his arms. "Because I love you and I'm going to be here to remind you of who you are. I won't let you forget. Even if I have to call you Glitch for the rest of your life."
Choking out a half-laugh, half-sob, Ambrose returned the unyielding embrace, burying his face into Cain's neck. "When did you become the optimistic one?"
Wyatt stroked his hands over Ambrose's back, relieved to hear the teasing back in the other man's voice. "You know when," Cain declared simply.
**