Fic: Hush
Title: Hush
Rating: PG
Pairing/Characters: Glitch/Cain, DG/Raw (maybe?)
Summary: Words can hurt.
“Glitch, shut up,” DG’s voice sounded flat and brittle in the small, cramped library but her words brought the room’s activity to an abrupt, jarring stop.
For a moment, no one breathed; Glitch had frozen in place, his hand still poised above the ancient book in DG’s hands. Then his arm simply fell, his expression completely unreadable. He swallowed once then turned on his heel toward the door.
“Glitch - “ DG started but damn, Glitch could move fast when he wanted to. He was gone before she’d finished saying his name. DG sat on the edge of the closest desk, setting the book down and putting her face in her hands. “Damn it.”
Cain exhaled loudly, shooting a dark look toward DG before hurrying out of the room himself, presumably on Glitch’s rapidly cooling trail.
Left alone with DG, Raw closed his eyes and let the residual pain left by Glitch wash past him, along with the hurt and anger from Cain.
It was DG who broke the silence. “He knows I didn’t mean to yell at him, right? I was just frustrated and tired and these stupid ancient textbooks are giving me such a headache...”
“He knows,” Raw told her dully. “Not the tone. The words.”
DG looked up, frowning. “I know it was a harsh thing to say - “
“Glitch spent many annuals trying to make his voice heard,” Raw cut her off uncharacteristically, his tone gentle but faintly disappointed. “Glitch needs to know we are willing to listen.”
“How am I going to apologize to him?”
Raw stood and walked over to DG, sitting next to her on the desk. “Let him come to you.”
“Oh, Raw, I feel terrible,” DG moaned, leaning her weight against Raw’s shoulder. “I love Glitch. I didn’t mean to hurt him...I just wasn’t thinking.”
“Glitch will come around. Patience.”
~~
Cain found Glitch on his favorite balcony, the one that overlooked the largest of the garden’s fountains. Glitch had admitted months ago that he was often transfixed by the flow of water and it let him clear his mind. Making sure his footsteps were loud enough to be heard, Cain ended up leaning against the railing a couple of feet from where Glitch was doing the same. “You know she didn’t mean it,” he said finally.
There wasn’t a reply and Cain wasn’t surprised. “How about we all just take the rest of the day off from the books. Go for a walk, have dinner. Then we’ll talk to DG, together. Pick up the research again tomorrow.”
Glitch straightened his arms, palms flat against the top of the railing. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. With a perplexed frown, he looked at Cain and tried to speak again. Nothing happened.
“Glitch?” Cain stood quickly, a knot of concern growing in his stomach.
Instead of answering, Glitch grabbed Cain’s arm and dragged him back the way they’d come. The door to library was still ajar and Glitch pushed it open hard enough to make it bounce back from the wall.
DG stood quickly, sticking close to Raw’s side. “Glitch! Listen, I’m really sorry about what I said - “
But Glitch didn’t let her continue, instead gesturing frantically with his hands. His mouth moved, forming unspoken words.
It was Raw who figured it out first, though Cain was a close second. “Can’t talk,” Raw announced, moving quickly and reaching out to touch Glitch’s throat carefully. Turning back to DG, Raw explained with short, sharp words. “Magic. DG made Glitch mute.”
“Oh my god,” DG drew a shuddering breath, her hand over her mouth. “What do I do?”
“Fix him!” Cain roared, taking his place at Glitch’s side, one hand wrapping around Glitch’s wrist. Glitch shook out of the grip just long enough to move his hand up to clasp his fingers with Cain’s; there was a tremor there that had Cain’s heart pounding. “Please. DG. Whatever you did, just - undo it. Do it again. Whatever.”
“Okay,” DG closed her eyes, drawing her body up straight. She pulled in a deep pull of air and released it slowly. “Glitch, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Please talk to me.”
Glitch glanced at Cain first, before taking a breath. “I - oh, Deeg.” He reached for her with his free arm, pulling her close but not releasing Cain’s hand. “I know you didn’t mean what you said and I especially know you didn’t mean for it to become literal. We could all use a break from the books about now.”
DG sighed in relief and clung to Glitch for another moment. “You have to know I didn’t mean what I said. Your insight is really valuable and I always appreciate your voice. Please don’t feel like I don’t value you. Because I do, more than you know.”
“I know,” Glitch assured her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before pulling away. His smile was fragile but genuine. “We’ll talk more later. I just...need some time. Okay?”
“Okay,” DG nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear. “See you at dinner?”
“Of course,” Glitch gave a firm nod and stepped back, pressing up against Cain. He waited until DG and Raw left the room before speaking again. “Come on,” he said to Cain. “You said something about a walk?”
Cain pressed his lips just behind Glitch’s ear, sliding his arms around Glitch’s middle. “We could do that. Or something else to help clear our heads.”
“Going upstairs requires some walking.”
“Yes, it does. Let’s go.”
~~
End
Rating: PG
Pairing/Characters: Glitch/Cain, DG/Raw (maybe?)
Summary: Words can hurt.
“Glitch, shut up,” DG’s voice sounded flat and brittle in the small, cramped library but her words brought the room’s activity to an abrupt, jarring stop.
For a moment, no one breathed; Glitch had frozen in place, his hand still poised above the ancient book in DG’s hands. Then his arm simply fell, his expression completely unreadable. He swallowed once then turned on his heel toward the door.
“Glitch - “ DG started but damn, Glitch could move fast when he wanted to. He was gone before she’d finished saying his name. DG sat on the edge of the closest desk, setting the book down and putting her face in her hands. “Damn it.”
Cain exhaled loudly, shooting a dark look toward DG before hurrying out of the room himself, presumably on Glitch’s rapidly cooling trail.
Left alone with DG, Raw closed his eyes and let the residual pain left by Glitch wash past him, along with the hurt and anger from Cain.
It was DG who broke the silence. “He knows I didn’t mean to yell at him, right? I was just frustrated and tired and these stupid ancient textbooks are giving me such a headache...”
“He knows,” Raw told her dully. “Not the tone. The words.”
DG looked up, frowning. “I know it was a harsh thing to say - “
“Glitch spent many annuals trying to make his voice heard,” Raw cut her off uncharacteristically, his tone gentle but faintly disappointed. “Glitch needs to know we are willing to listen.”
“How am I going to apologize to him?”
Raw stood and walked over to DG, sitting next to her on the desk. “Let him come to you.”
“Oh, Raw, I feel terrible,” DG moaned, leaning her weight against Raw’s shoulder. “I love Glitch. I didn’t mean to hurt him...I just wasn’t thinking.”
“Glitch will come around. Patience.”
~~
Cain found Glitch on his favorite balcony, the one that overlooked the largest of the garden’s fountains. Glitch had admitted months ago that he was often transfixed by the flow of water and it let him clear his mind. Making sure his footsteps were loud enough to be heard, Cain ended up leaning against the railing a couple of feet from where Glitch was doing the same. “You know she didn’t mean it,” he said finally.
There wasn’t a reply and Cain wasn’t surprised. “How about we all just take the rest of the day off from the books. Go for a walk, have dinner. Then we’ll talk to DG, together. Pick up the research again tomorrow.”
Glitch straightened his arms, palms flat against the top of the railing. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. With a perplexed frown, he looked at Cain and tried to speak again. Nothing happened.
“Glitch?” Cain stood quickly, a knot of concern growing in his stomach.
Instead of answering, Glitch grabbed Cain’s arm and dragged him back the way they’d come. The door to library was still ajar and Glitch pushed it open hard enough to make it bounce back from the wall.
DG stood quickly, sticking close to Raw’s side. “Glitch! Listen, I’m really sorry about what I said - “
But Glitch didn’t let her continue, instead gesturing frantically with his hands. His mouth moved, forming unspoken words.
It was Raw who figured it out first, though Cain was a close second. “Can’t talk,” Raw announced, moving quickly and reaching out to touch Glitch’s throat carefully. Turning back to DG, Raw explained with short, sharp words. “Magic. DG made Glitch mute.”
“Oh my god,” DG drew a shuddering breath, her hand over her mouth. “What do I do?”
“Fix him!” Cain roared, taking his place at Glitch’s side, one hand wrapping around Glitch’s wrist. Glitch shook out of the grip just long enough to move his hand up to clasp his fingers with Cain’s; there was a tremor there that had Cain’s heart pounding. “Please. DG. Whatever you did, just - undo it. Do it again. Whatever.”
“Okay,” DG closed her eyes, drawing her body up straight. She pulled in a deep pull of air and released it slowly. “Glitch, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Please talk to me.”
Glitch glanced at Cain first, before taking a breath. “I - oh, Deeg.” He reached for her with his free arm, pulling her close but not releasing Cain’s hand. “I know you didn’t mean what you said and I especially know you didn’t mean for it to become literal. We could all use a break from the books about now.”
DG sighed in relief and clung to Glitch for another moment. “You have to know I didn’t mean what I said. Your insight is really valuable and I always appreciate your voice. Please don’t feel like I don’t value you. Because I do, more than you know.”
“I know,” Glitch assured her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before pulling away. His smile was fragile but genuine. “We’ll talk more later. I just...need some time. Okay?”
“Okay,” DG nodded, tucking her hair behind her ear. “See you at dinner?”
“Of course,” Glitch gave a firm nod and stepped back, pressing up against Cain. He waited until DG and Raw left the room before speaking again. “Come on,” he said to Cain. “You said something about a walk?”
Cain pressed his lips just behind Glitch’s ear, sliding his arms around Glitch’s middle. “We could do that. Or something else to help clear our heads.”
“Going upstairs requires some walking.”
“Yes, it does. Let’s go.”
~~
End