(no subject)

[amicably_absent]

Glitch had swum for hours, chasing fish and insects and bubbles and sunbeams. Eventually, worn out and tired, he had swum to shore and curled up on the bank on the sun warmed pebbles, grumbling about his lack of coat until he fell asleep.

He woke up with Rennie shaking him, a scolding voice telling him he had to come in, he was all wet and dirty and needed a bath and clean clothes, and was she going to have to strap him in the chair.

Glitch reacted predictably.

He screamed at her, judo flipped her while sitting down, dove into the water, swam to a far edge and took off.

Rennie asked Cain to go find Glitch and bring him in before he froze or hurt himself.

Glitch had retreated to the rotunda, sitting on the seat and swinging himself back and forth, watching the sun setting on the lake. He was soaking wet again, but his trembling didn't seem to worry him at all.

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[amicably-absent.livejournal.com]

"I know. It's okay." He leans back into the armchair, breathing out. He stays quiet, hissing under his breath as each touch washes out the injuries.

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He works in silence, meticulously working over every cut, every nick, every trace of Glitch's recent escapades.

He even goes so far as to clean his feet before bandaging them up and easing on a pair of socks.

It's only after that he feels awkward. He didn't have to do all those things. Not technically.

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Afterwards, Glitch slides gracefully down half into Cain's lap and hugs him. "Thank you, Wyatt. You didn't have to do all that."

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Full of grace...

It very nearly makes Cain's heart swell to the point of breaking, and he wraps his arms firmly around his friend. He has no idea what word to put to this something between them, other than 'good', other than 'right'.

He looks into Glitch's eyes, a soft smile to his lips, the turns his face to press a tender kiss to his cheek.

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Glitch is still a touch awkward at hugs, all elbows and knees, but he does cuddle in and lean close.

He looks back and beams when he gets a kiss. "What did I do to get that?"

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Hidden among the black curls that smell like satsumas, the smile on Cain's lips grows wider.

"You didn't have to do anything, Sweetheart."

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"Oh. That's nice then." He leans in more, cuddling close.

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He breathes deep, his eyes fall shut, and for the first time in forever, he doesn't feel shut in. He can just sit here, safe within the protective circle of Glitch's arms and feel...everything.

The brush of skin on skin where their cheeks touch, the rustle of fabric and the clean, warm smell of Glitch beneath the artificial citrus. The heavy blanket of warmth settling around his heart, the heavy weight of his wedding ring; it's about balance. Laura used to say he'd never subscribe to the easy life, and right here and now he knows she was right. Life won't be easy with Glitch, but he wouldn't want it any other way.

"Yeah."

[amicably-absent.livejournal.com]

Glitch eventually stops fidgeting and wriggling and actually settles where he is, because while it is strange and new, it's something that he likes and could get used to.

"I don't think anyone ever did this before."

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It's a good thing that the wriggling stops, because there's only so much a man can do to focus on keeping things platonic. But Glitch relaxes, sinks deeper into their embrace, and maybe that's okay.

"About time someone did, then."

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Glitch hums softly,

There's a knock on the door. "Mister Cain? Master Ambrose?" Rennie, probably with food.

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He pats Glitch's back. "Food. Let's get up, huh?"

To Rennie, "Just a second."

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"Sooner stay here than eat," Glitch grumbles and pouts.

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"Just minutes ago you asked if we'd eaten yet. I say we eat, then we can do whatever we want."

He pulls away, to look into Glitch's eyes. "Almost anything. You need to give your feet a rest."

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"I am a bit hungry..." He untangles himself and slides back up into the chair, folding himself up small to fit comfortably. "No dancing outside?"

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And Cain stands up, knees creaking like the old joints of some machine. "Maybe you can persuade me. Later."

One peck to his lips later, Cain's at the door to let Rennie in. "Much obliged, Rennie. Come in."

He's still not quite dry since helping Glitch with the bath, but if he doesn't mind, neither should anyone else.

[amicably-absent.livejournal.com]

Glitch doesn't react in time to return it but beams at the kiss and bounces in his chair.

Rennie comes in with a tray with enough food for two. "Kitchen said you missed dinner and lunch, Mister Cain." The tray goes down.

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Cain shrugs, mouth working silently to somehow politely decline the offer for food. He doesn't come up with anything worthwhile to say, so he stops trying.

"I was busy. Thank you."

Doing whatever chores the kitchen staff needed, then chopping wood, and after the dip in the lake, losing himself in whatever distracting and physically exhausting thing what needed doing he could find... Talking to Jeb on farspeaker... It's been a busy day.

[amicably-absent.livejournal.com]

"Bad, Wyatt. If you don't remember to eat, I can't do it for you! I can't do it for me." He bounces over though, grabbing a cup and inhaling. "Mm, muglug."

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He comes over, picking up his cup of soup, at which point his stomach decides to voice its opinion. Hunger pangs, his first, actual hunger pangs in days.

Smells good. He sips, and the familiarity of the flavours makes him smile. "I'd forgotten how good this is."

So what if you can't tell what's in it. It's filling, it's tasty, and it's inexpensive. Nothing like it.

[amicably-absent.livejournal.com]

"There was a place used to give out muglug. Didn't even comment on the zip. Or at least, I don't think they did. I don't remember it..." He takes a deep drink, exhaling a puff of steam. "Hot."

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"I think I know that place," Cain comments with a note of wonder. "Central City, one of the back alleys facing the East gate?"

Come on, he seems to say, you know it's in there somewhere, dig it up!

[amicably-absent.livejournal.com]

Glitch stops, trying hard to remember. "It... in the morning, it was cold and bright... Yes! East gate!" He waves his free hand. "There was a girl, she was a zipperhead too! But she couldn't remember why they took her marbles."

[less-hugging.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. They kept a low profile, didn't want any one of the bigwigs to be offended. The Tin Men left it alone, figured as long as they didn't break the law..."

He shrugs. "Spoke to the man in charge, once." Or so he thinks; he can remember it, faintly. "I don't think I've ever seen one so passionately defending the headcases. Said they had to eat too, and he had muglug to spare, and no one was gonna tell him otherwise. Not even a Tin Man patrolling the streets."

[amicably-absent.livejournal.com]

"I don't remember much. I remember a headcase girl and them letting me sleep in their kitchen during winter one time." He remembers feeling the cold easing out of the metal zip.