Tin Man fic: Perceptible - Chapter 4/10
Title: Perceptible - 4 of 10
Author: Surreal
Rating: Overall NC-17, just to be safe.
Characters/Pairing: Raw/Jeb, Glitch/Cain, plus lots of other characters
Word count this chapter: ~1620
Disclaimer: The characters and settings belong to L. Frank Baum and the creative minds behind Tin Man. I do not claim to own anything.
Summary: Jeb Cain has found someone who sees him for who he is, for what he needs, for the first time in his life. He can’t quite believe that it’s that easy.
A/N: Entire story uses magic4mula 40-word prompt table, 4 prompts per chapter. This chapter: "sweeten…energy…cake…frog." This story is everything that happens between the two drabbles “Unfamiliar” and “Spring Fever.”
Previously...
~~
Wyatt walked past Raw’s closed door on his way to Jeb’s room, yawning still from the too-early wake-up call. His hat was dangling from one hand, the other poised to knock.
Down the hall, Raw’s door opened and Jeb stepped out, already dressed and ready for their trip into the city center. As Wyatt watched, too stunned to move, Jeb turned and leaned past the doorframe again, clearly delivering a kiss.
Deciding it would be better to wait downstairs, Wyatt quickly and silently made his way to the other set of stairs on the opposite end of the hall. When he reached the bottom where Glitch was waiting for him in the foyer, he gave a huge shudder.
“Where’s Jeb?” Glitch asked with a perplexed frown, his eyes darting back to the other set of stairs that Cain had gone up only moments before.
“My kid is sleeping with Raw,” Wyatt blurted inelegantly.
Glitch’s mouth twitched. “Well, if you’re just now figuring that out, it may be a good time to retire from the detective business.”
“I’m not a detective and how long have you known about this?”
“They’ve been sleeping in the same room since Raw got sick,” Glitch scratched the back of his head, making the zipper pull jingle.
Wyatt’s eyebrows shot up. “That was weeks ago!”
Glitch came forward and gave Wyatt’s chest a consoling pat. “He’ll tell you when he’s ready to tell you. Besides, they’re just sleeping together, not sleeping together.”
“How do you know?” Wyatt glared.
“Have you seen either of them walking funny?”
“You’re forgetting that Raw’s a healer.”
Glitch snapped his fingers and pointed right at Wyatt. “That’s a very good point. Still...I’m fairly certain we’ll know. It’s a...what do you call it, parental intuition thing.”
“No more parenting books for you,” Wyatt grumbled and folded his arms over his chest, just as he heard the approaching footsteps coming down the staircase. He met his son’s eye and Jeb stopped at the bottom of the stairs with his chin raised defiantly.
“Yes, I’m sleeping in Raw’s bed. Can we go now?”
Wyatt choked on nothing and got a firm pounding on his back from Glitch.
~~
Head resting on top of the small, battered table, Wyatt resisted the urge to repeatedly bounce it on the hard surface. He felt the ever-present hand on his back but didn’t sit up. “I don’t have the energy to deal with this.”
“Oh, stop pouting,” Glitch told him, even though his hand had started making soothing circles on Cain’s back. “Here, drink your coffee. I put three scoops of sugar in it, just like you like.”
“You’re just trying to sweeten me up so I won’t give Jeb a piece of my mind,” Wyatt finally raised his head to glare in the general direction of his son, who was standing at the diner’s counter getting his own drink.
Glitch sighed and leaned back in his chair, letting his hand slip down Wyatt’s back and dangle at his side. “I need more coffee if I’m going to deal with two Cains.” With that, he stood and wandered over to where Jeb was stirring milk into his cup with a skinny wooden stick.
“He’s still mad about this morning?” Jeb spoke first, shooting a glance over to where Wyatt was giving his mug a death grip.
“I wouldn’t say mad, exactly,” Glitch shrugged, handing his empty cup over the counter to the busy waitress.
Jeb leaned one elbow on the edge of the counter. “I just don’t know how to deal with him. I mean, he’s my father, Glitch. He’s supposed to be...I don’t know, helpful with these things, isn’t he? I suppose the direct approach wasn’t the way to go, though.”
Glitch chuckled as he reclaimed his now-full coffee cup. “Actually, with Wyatt, that’s probably the best angle to take. He’s not much for beating around the stump.”
“Bush.”
“What?”
“It’s...nevermind. So, what am I supposed to say?” Jeb shifted on his feet.
“Well, what is it you want to tell him? We already know that you’ve taken the next steps with Raw,” Glitch prompted him reasonably.
Jeb sighed. “It’s just...I want his blessing, I guess,” he finally said, voice dropping sharply. “I know he’s uncomfortable with my choice of partner, but he’s still my father and I want to be able to talk to him if I need to. As awkward as that prospect is.”
Glitch snorted but sobered quickly. “It’s not your choice of partner that’s making him touchy. Raw is still one of our best friends. It’s that he’s just gotten used to having his only son back, alive, and now he’s got to deal with the fact that you’re an adult. You’ve found someone you deeply care about and I’m not sure Wyatt is ready to face that yet.”
“How come it’s so easy to talk to you?” Jeb asked suddenly, turning to look at Glitch.
“Well, I was the Queen’s personal advisor,” Glitch grinned proudly. “Don’t let the zipper fool you.”
“It never has,” Jeb smiled.
Glitch straightened, glancing at the curved glass case next to the cash register. “There’s a cookie shaped like a frog,” he observed with apprehension. “I’m not sure how I feel about that.”
“Come on,” Jeb pressed a hand to Glitch’s back, propelling him back to their table. “I think my father’s trying to set us on fire with his mind.”
“Maybe we should bring him some cake. That’s the key to talking to Cain,” Glitch waved his hand with animated certainty. “Sugar.”
~~
Raw had just managed to pull back the bed’s covers when he felt Jeb’s hand on his arm. He straightened up and turned, curious at Jeb’s anxious emotions. “Jeb?”
“Shhh,” Jeb shushed him with a finger across Raw’s lips. Jeb wouldn’t look up, instead focusing on his own hands. Slowly running his fingers down the dipping collar of Raw’s coat, Jeb reached the center and found the tiny, hidden hooks that kept it closed. He moved very slowly, unfastening each with great patience.
Understanding that Jeb needed to do this at his own pace, Raw simply stood still and let Jeb strip him. Until now, they had always slept in clothes, so Raw was more than a little curious about what was going on in Jeb’s mind but refused to intrude uninvited. He raised his arms slightly so Jeb could slide the coat off, letting it drop to the floor.
Jeb’s hands shook when he reached for Raw’s waist, his knuckles rubbing bare skin under the top of the pants. Raw swallowed hard at the intimate touch, keeping his hands at his sides while Jeb painstakingly unbuttoned the short pants and brought his hands around to curve over Raw’s hips. The pants joined the matching coat on the floor and Raw stood there, exposed, while Jeb studied him closely.
After a long, tense moment, Jeb raised his head to meet Raw’s eyes. “Your turn.”
Raw didn’t hesitate but showed equal patience, slowly working his hands under Jeb’s t-shirt and pushing it up and over Jeb’s head then letting it drop to the floor. The loose, soft pajama pants were next and Raw slowly knelt on the ground to finish stripping them from Jeb’s legs. While he was kneeling, he reached down and took each of Jeb’s feet in his hands to slip the socks free.
Hesitating at the last barrier, Raw glanced up, gauging Jeb’s reaction. Jeb gave him a wide-eyed nod and Raw ran his hands up the side of Jeb’s legs until his fingers reached the top of the clinging underwear. Those, too, were removed slowly and Raw stood again, waiting.
Jeb brought his hands up and pushed on Raw’s shoulders until the Viewer was sitting on the bed. Raw scooted back, giving Jeb room to join him.
Between one breath and the next, they were moving together as if they had been doing this for annuals. There was no struggle, only the awkward bumping of elbows and knees and Raw knew with the kind of shocking conviction that came to him in moments of intense emotions that he was the first person Jeb had ever touched like this.
Raw rolled them together so Jeb was on top, spreading his legs for Jeb to lie comfortably between. Jeb’s hands cupped Raw’s face and he leaned down, his passion unspoken in the depth of his kiss. Jeb moved against him, grinding down and pushing clumsily until he gasped against Raw’s mouth.
Hands on Jeb’s back, Raw skimmed down the smooth expanse of skin until they were curving over Jeb’s backside. Raw guided Jeb into an easy rhythm and felt as Jeb’s breath hitched in his chest.
“Good,” Raw purred softly, leaning up to capture Jeb’s slack mouth. Raw could already tell Jeb wouldn’t last long so he pushed up against the tensed body, giving Jeb what he needed. He was rewarded with a low, keening sound as Jeb shuddered through his cresting completion. Raw let the flow of light and intense flood of emotions push him into his own climax, his hands clutching tight on Jeb.
They spent a long while simply breathing in synch, listening to their hearts slow to normal. Jeb was slumped on him so completely that Raw didn’t have the heart to make him move. Instead, he snagged the cover with one outstretched hand and pulled the blankets up over both of them.
“Love you,” Jeb’s voice was muffled and sleepy against Raw’s shoulder.
Raw gave rumbling sound of agreement that he knew Jeb would understand. Bending his neck to lick the top of Jeb’s head, Raw settled in for the night with his arms and legs tangled with Jeb’s.
~~
End Chapter 4
Continue to Chapter 5
Author: Surreal
Rating: Overall NC-17, just to be safe.
Characters/Pairing: Raw/Jeb, Glitch/Cain, plus lots of other characters
Word count this chapter: ~1620
Disclaimer: The characters and settings belong to L. Frank Baum and the creative minds behind Tin Man. I do not claim to own anything.
Summary: Jeb Cain has found someone who sees him for who he is, for what he needs, for the first time in his life. He can’t quite believe that it’s that easy.
A/N: Entire story uses magic4mula 40-word prompt table, 4 prompts per chapter. This chapter: "sweeten…energy…cake…frog." This story is everything that happens between the two drabbles “Unfamiliar” and “Spring Fever.”
Previously...
~~
Wyatt walked past Raw’s closed door on his way to Jeb’s room, yawning still from the too-early wake-up call. His hat was dangling from one hand, the other poised to knock.
Down the hall, Raw’s door opened and Jeb stepped out, already dressed and ready for their trip into the city center. As Wyatt watched, too stunned to move, Jeb turned and leaned past the doorframe again, clearly delivering a kiss.
Deciding it would be better to wait downstairs, Wyatt quickly and silently made his way to the other set of stairs on the opposite end of the hall. When he reached the bottom where Glitch was waiting for him in the foyer, he gave a huge shudder.
“Where’s Jeb?” Glitch asked with a perplexed frown, his eyes darting back to the other set of stairs that Cain had gone up only moments before.
“My kid is sleeping with Raw,” Wyatt blurted inelegantly.
Glitch’s mouth twitched. “Well, if you’re just now figuring that out, it may be a good time to retire from the detective business.”
“I’m not a detective and how long have you known about this?”
“They’ve been sleeping in the same room since Raw got sick,” Glitch scratched the back of his head, making the zipper pull jingle.
Wyatt’s eyebrows shot up. “That was weeks ago!”
Glitch came forward and gave Wyatt’s chest a consoling pat. “He’ll tell you when he’s ready to tell you. Besides, they’re just sleeping together, not sleeping together.”
“How do you know?” Wyatt glared.
“Have you seen either of them walking funny?”
“You’re forgetting that Raw’s a healer.”
Glitch snapped his fingers and pointed right at Wyatt. “That’s a very good point. Still...I’m fairly certain we’ll know. It’s a...what do you call it, parental intuition thing.”
“No more parenting books for you,” Wyatt grumbled and folded his arms over his chest, just as he heard the approaching footsteps coming down the staircase. He met his son’s eye and Jeb stopped at the bottom of the stairs with his chin raised defiantly.
“Yes, I’m sleeping in Raw’s bed. Can we go now?”
Wyatt choked on nothing and got a firm pounding on his back from Glitch.
~~
Head resting on top of the small, battered table, Wyatt resisted the urge to repeatedly bounce it on the hard surface. He felt the ever-present hand on his back but didn’t sit up. “I don’t have the energy to deal with this.”
“Oh, stop pouting,” Glitch told him, even though his hand had started making soothing circles on Cain’s back. “Here, drink your coffee. I put three scoops of sugar in it, just like you like.”
“You’re just trying to sweeten me up so I won’t give Jeb a piece of my mind,” Wyatt finally raised his head to glare in the general direction of his son, who was standing at the diner’s counter getting his own drink.
Glitch sighed and leaned back in his chair, letting his hand slip down Wyatt’s back and dangle at his side. “I need more coffee if I’m going to deal with two Cains.” With that, he stood and wandered over to where Jeb was stirring milk into his cup with a skinny wooden stick.
“He’s still mad about this morning?” Jeb spoke first, shooting a glance over to where Wyatt was giving his mug a death grip.
“I wouldn’t say mad, exactly,” Glitch shrugged, handing his empty cup over the counter to the busy waitress.
Jeb leaned one elbow on the edge of the counter. “I just don’t know how to deal with him. I mean, he’s my father, Glitch. He’s supposed to be...I don’t know, helpful with these things, isn’t he? I suppose the direct approach wasn’t the way to go, though.”
Glitch chuckled as he reclaimed his now-full coffee cup. “Actually, with Wyatt, that’s probably the best angle to take. He’s not much for beating around the stump.”
“Bush.”
“What?”
“It’s...nevermind. So, what am I supposed to say?” Jeb shifted on his feet.
“Well, what is it you want to tell him? We already know that you’ve taken the next steps with Raw,” Glitch prompted him reasonably.
Jeb sighed. “It’s just...I want his blessing, I guess,” he finally said, voice dropping sharply. “I know he’s uncomfortable with my choice of partner, but he’s still my father and I want to be able to talk to him if I need to. As awkward as that prospect is.”
Glitch snorted but sobered quickly. “It’s not your choice of partner that’s making him touchy. Raw is still one of our best friends. It’s that he’s just gotten used to having his only son back, alive, and now he’s got to deal with the fact that you’re an adult. You’ve found someone you deeply care about and I’m not sure Wyatt is ready to face that yet.”
“How come it’s so easy to talk to you?” Jeb asked suddenly, turning to look at Glitch.
“Well, I was the Queen’s personal advisor,” Glitch grinned proudly. “Don’t let the zipper fool you.”
“It never has,” Jeb smiled.
Glitch straightened, glancing at the curved glass case next to the cash register. “There’s a cookie shaped like a frog,” he observed with apprehension. “I’m not sure how I feel about that.”
“Come on,” Jeb pressed a hand to Glitch’s back, propelling him back to their table. “I think my father’s trying to set us on fire with his mind.”
“Maybe we should bring him some cake. That’s the key to talking to Cain,” Glitch waved his hand with animated certainty. “Sugar.”
~~
Raw had just managed to pull back the bed’s covers when he felt Jeb’s hand on his arm. He straightened up and turned, curious at Jeb’s anxious emotions. “Jeb?”
“Shhh,” Jeb shushed him with a finger across Raw’s lips. Jeb wouldn’t look up, instead focusing on his own hands. Slowly running his fingers down the dipping collar of Raw’s coat, Jeb reached the center and found the tiny, hidden hooks that kept it closed. He moved very slowly, unfastening each with great patience.
Understanding that Jeb needed to do this at his own pace, Raw simply stood still and let Jeb strip him. Until now, they had always slept in clothes, so Raw was more than a little curious about what was going on in Jeb’s mind but refused to intrude uninvited. He raised his arms slightly so Jeb could slide the coat off, letting it drop to the floor.
Jeb’s hands shook when he reached for Raw’s waist, his knuckles rubbing bare skin under the top of the pants. Raw swallowed hard at the intimate touch, keeping his hands at his sides while Jeb painstakingly unbuttoned the short pants and brought his hands around to curve over Raw’s hips. The pants joined the matching coat on the floor and Raw stood there, exposed, while Jeb studied him closely.
After a long, tense moment, Jeb raised his head to meet Raw’s eyes. “Your turn.”
Raw didn’t hesitate but showed equal patience, slowly working his hands under Jeb’s t-shirt and pushing it up and over Jeb’s head then letting it drop to the floor. The loose, soft pajama pants were next and Raw slowly knelt on the ground to finish stripping them from Jeb’s legs. While he was kneeling, he reached down and took each of Jeb’s feet in his hands to slip the socks free.
Hesitating at the last barrier, Raw glanced up, gauging Jeb’s reaction. Jeb gave him a wide-eyed nod and Raw ran his hands up the side of Jeb’s legs until his fingers reached the top of the clinging underwear. Those, too, were removed slowly and Raw stood again, waiting.
Jeb brought his hands up and pushed on Raw’s shoulders until the Viewer was sitting on the bed. Raw scooted back, giving Jeb room to join him.
Between one breath and the next, they were moving together as if they had been doing this for annuals. There was no struggle, only the awkward bumping of elbows and knees and Raw knew with the kind of shocking conviction that came to him in moments of intense emotions that he was the first person Jeb had ever touched like this.
Raw rolled them together so Jeb was on top, spreading his legs for Jeb to lie comfortably between. Jeb’s hands cupped Raw’s face and he leaned down, his passion unspoken in the depth of his kiss. Jeb moved against him, grinding down and pushing clumsily until he gasped against Raw’s mouth.
Hands on Jeb’s back, Raw skimmed down the smooth expanse of skin until they were curving over Jeb’s backside. Raw guided Jeb into an easy rhythm and felt as Jeb’s breath hitched in his chest.
“Good,” Raw purred softly, leaning up to capture Jeb’s slack mouth. Raw could already tell Jeb wouldn’t last long so he pushed up against the tensed body, giving Jeb what he needed. He was rewarded with a low, keening sound as Jeb shuddered through his cresting completion. Raw let the flow of light and intense flood of emotions push him into his own climax, his hands clutching tight on Jeb.
They spent a long while simply breathing in synch, listening to their hearts slow to normal. Jeb was slumped on him so completely that Raw didn’t have the heart to make him move. Instead, he snagged the cover with one outstretched hand and pulled the blankets up over both of them.
“Love you,” Jeb’s voice was muffled and sleepy against Raw’s shoulder.
Raw gave rumbling sound of agreement that he knew Jeb would understand. Bending his neck to lick the top of Jeb’s head, Raw settled in for the night with his arms and legs tangled with Jeb’s.
~~
End Chapter 4
Continue to Chapter 5