Tin Man fic: Halfway Through
Title: Halfway Through
Characters: Cain/Glitch
Rating: PG
Summary: "Sometimes people leave you...halfway through the wood..."
Note: Title and lyrics taken from "Into The Woods" song called "No One Is Alone."
Sometimes people leave you.
Halfway through the wood.
Cain found him by the lake, half hidden in a patch of tall, pale yellow grass. The only way Cain spotted him was a fortuitous sunbeam cutting through the puffy clouds overhead and striking off of the silver zipper.
His approach was not stealthy, meant to announce his presence without the need for words. Because Cain honestly had no idea what to say, not after seeing the look on Glitch’s face when he had turned and left the informal meeting to discuss the new court staffing.
Where Azkadellia had made it clear that she wanted her right hand man, Vy-Sor, to remain at her side as her advisor. That she was making his case into a public pardon, to show how loyalty was rewarded in the newly restored kingdom.
There was a history there, something Cain was not privy to but had made Glitch stand on unstable legs and flee the room, pale as if suddenly ill. Cain had excused himself, barely waiting for an acknowledgement before he went in search of his friend.
Now, settling down in the moist section of grass only a few feet from the water, Cain looked over at Glitch. He noticed now another glint of metal, this time a shade of pale bronze, nestled in Glitch’s palm. Round and curved, a long chain hanging from between thumb and forefinger, Cain could tell it was a locket, but could not see what was inside from where he sat.
So he waited.
“I found it, just this morning,” Glitch spoke after a long moment, not looking up from his inspection of the contents of the locket. “Seems like a sign, now, all things considered.”
“A sign of what?” Cain prompted patiently.
Glitch snorted, shaking his head, making a few stiff curls bounce. “At the time, I hadn’t thought anything of it. Just another forgotten part of my former life. But now...”
“What is it, Glitch?” Cain finally leaned in closer.
Glitch lifted the case, showing the picture to Cain. A much younger version of the man beside him, Ambrose, Cain’s mind supplied helpfully, looked back at him. Next to Ambrose in the small image was an equally youthful visage of Vy-Sor, one of his arms looped affectionately around Ambrose’s shoulders. “At first I had no idea when this was taken or how I knew him, but then I remembered. He was my apprentice. I was molding him to be Azkadellia’s advisor.”
Cain frowned, uncertain what to think. “Wouldn’t that make him a good choice now, then? You couldn’t ask for a better mentor than...well, you.”
Glitch closed the locket in his hand with a snap, clutching it tightly. Without warning, he pulled his arm back and threw it into the lake, as hard as he could.
Others may deceive you.
You decide what’s good.
“He betrayed me,” Glitch told him, staring at the place the locket had hit the water. “He was my assistant. The blueprints for the Sun Seeder spent almost as much time in his hands as they did mine. He may not have understood the science behind it, but near the end, when he made his choice to work for Azkadellia rather than protect the Queen, he had to have copied my notes.”
“Glitch...”
“I gave up my life and it was for nothing,” Glitch snarled, hands fisting on top of his knees. “How do they expect me to work alongside someone who deceived me, who took advantage of my trust and made my loyalty into a joke?”
Cain pulled Glitch to him wordlessly, letting the violent trembling course through his own body, trying to take on some of the strain and anger, to ease Glitch’s pain somehow. “We don’t have to stay,” Cain said softly, looking out into the distance far past the lake. “Everything’s changed, it’s a new leadership. You’ve given up enough...too much...it’s time to move on.”
“Where will I go?” Glitch’s voice was choked, even as his arms found their way around Cain’s waist in an awkward sideways hug. “This is the only home I’ve ever known.”
“Come with me,” Cain told him with an urgent tone. “We’ll make a home of our own, away from all the politics. No one ever said you had to stay. A home is where you make it, sweetheart.”
Glitch raised his head, uncertain. “I wish it was that easy, that I could just run away with you and never worry about what’s happened to the family.”
“Why can’t it be that easy?” Cain asked, fingers tracing Glitch’s hairline from the zipper to one ear. “You said it yourself, you gave up your life for them. What you have now, the life you’re living, that’s yours. You can do whatever you want with it. Come with me.”
“I wish...”
“No more wishes,” Cain pressed his finger to Glitch’s open mouth. He leaned in, moving his finger only to replace it with his own lips. “Just ask me. Anything. It’s yours.”
**
End
Characters: Cain/Glitch
Rating: PG
Summary: "Sometimes people leave you...halfway through the wood..."
Note: Title and lyrics taken from "Into The Woods" song called "No One Is Alone."
Sometimes people leave you.
Halfway through the wood.
Cain found him by the lake, half hidden in a patch of tall, pale yellow grass. The only way Cain spotted him was a fortuitous sunbeam cutting through the puffy clouds overhead and striking off of the silver zipper.
His approach was not stealthy, meant to announce his presence without the need for words. Because Cain honestly had no idea what to say, not after seeing the look on Glitch’s face when he had turned and left the informal meeting to discuss the new court staffing.
Where Azkadellia had made it clear that she wanted her right hand man, Vy-Sor, to remain at her side as her advisor. That she was making his case into a public pardon, to show how loyalty was rewarded in the newly restored kingdom.
There was a history there, something Cain was not privy to but had made Glitch stand on unstable legs and flee the room, pale as if suddenly ill. Cain had excused himself, barely waiting for an acknowledgement before he went in search of his friend.
Now, settling down in the moist section of grass only a few feet from the water, Cain looked over at Glitch. He noticed now another glint of metal, this time a shade of pale bronze, nestled in Glitch’s palm. Round and curved, a long chain hanging from between thumb and forefinger, Cain could tell it was a locket, but could not see what was inside from where he sat.
So he waited.
“I found it, just this morning,” Glitch spoke after a long moment, not looking up from his inspection of the contents of the locket. “Seems like a sign, now, all things considered.”
“A sign of what?” Cain prompted patiently.
Glitch snorted, shaking his head, making a few stiff curls bounce. “At the time, I hadn’t thought anything of it. Just another forgotten part of my former life. But now...”
“What is it, Glitch?” Cain finally leaned in closer.
Glitch lifted the case, showing the picture to Cain. A much younger version of the man beside him, Ambrose, Cain’s mind supplied helpfully, looked back at him. Next to Ambrose in the small image was an equally youthful visage of Vy-Sor, one of his arms looped affectionately around Ambrose’s shoulders. “At first I had no idea when this was taken or how I knew him, but then I remembered. He was my apprentice. I was molding him to be Azkadellia’s advisor.”
Cain frowned, uncertain what to think. “Wouldn’t that make him a good choice now, then? You couldn’t ask for a better mentor than...well, you.”
Glitch closed the locket in his hand with a snap, clutching it tightly. Without warning, he pulled his arm back and threw it into the lake, as hard as he could.
Others may deceive you.
You decide what’s good.
“He betrayed me,” Glitch told him, staring at the place the locket had hit the water. “He was my assistant. The blueprints for the Sun Seeder spent almost as much time in his hands as they did mine. He may not have understood the science behind it, but near the end, when he made his choice to work for Azkadellia rather than protect the Queen, he had to have copied my notes.”
“Glitch...”
“I gave up my life and it was for nothing,” Glitch snarled, hands fisting on top of his knees. “How do they expect me to work alongside someone who deceived me, who took advantage of my trust and made my loyalty into a joke?”
Cain pulled Glitch to him wordlessly, letting the violent trembling course through his own body, trying to take on some of the strain and anger, to ease Glitch’s pain somehow. “We don’t have to stay,” Cain said softly, looking out into the distance far past the lake. “Everything’s changed, it’s a new leadership. You’ve given up enough...too much...it’s time to move on.”
“Where will I go?” Glitch’s voice was choked, even as his arms found their way around Cain’s waist in an awkward sideways hug. “This is the only home I’ve ever known.”
“Come with me,” Cain told him with an urgent tone. “We’ll make a home of our own, away from all the politics. No one ever said you had to stay. A home is where you make it, sweetheart.”
Glitch raised his head, uncertain. “I wish it was that easy, that I could just run away with you and never worry about what’s happened to the family.”
“Why can’t it be that easy?” Cain asked, fingers tracing Glitch’s hairline from the zipper to one ear. “You said it yourself, you gave up your life for them. What you have now, the life you’re living, that’s yours. You can do whatever you want with it. Come with me.”
“I wish...”
“No more wishes,” Cain pressed his finger to Glitch’s open mouth. He leaned in, moving his finger only to replace it with his own lips. “Just ask me. Anything. It’s yours.”
**
End