(no subject)

[amicably_absent]

Glitch took the morning to go over the maps and listen to the instructions on how to get there. He had a written list even, and DG wrote "List in pocket" on his hand to make sure he didn't forget.

He set out at eleven to get there by twelve thirty. One of the maids was conscripted to tail him at a discreet distance to make sure he didn't get too lost, and to put him back on track if he wasn't going to get there in time.

The instructions were fairly basic. Out the gate. Down the main road to the second major intersection. Go East until you see the big tin star sign.

It was marked and signposted.

At twelve twenty, the maid led Glitch out of petstore where he had managed to get distracted from what he as doing and took him back to the police headquarters, pointing it out to him and gently pushing him in the right direction.

At twelve thirty five, Glitch came in, navigating through the crowds of shouting people and trying to peek over to them to see if Wyatt's around. "Cain?"

Someone pushes him aside. "Citizens before headcases!"

"Watch it, that's Adviser Ambrose from the palace," someone else hisses. "The Queen's personal adviser."

"Master Ambrose?" Someone else says. "From the paper?"

Glitch wasn't sure what was worse. Being an anonymous headcase or a well known one. "Cain!"

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[less-hugging.livejournal.com]

There's movement beyond the tinted glass doors that lead further into the building and the actual office space where Tin Men young and old have worked hard for times immemorial. Then, noises and the din of voices carrying over the sound of ringing farspeakers and the clickety-click of manual messenger machines. And then one of the doors open up, and through it steps Detective Inspector Cain himself. If you start hearing the word headcase and zipper-head murmur its way through the corridors, it's time to go investigating before something bad happens. You never know these days.

Not to mention, with his lunch date drawing close, it feels like too much of a coincidence to suddenly hear talk of a zipper-head at the station.


He beams at the sight, holding out his arms. "Glitch! What are you doing out here?"

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Glitch is dazed, trying to slip away from people who are talking at him about things he doesn't remember.

Why is it, as soon as you have a name, people seem to forget you're a headcase with memory issues? Glitch found it so infuriating.

"Wyatt! I came to surprise you!" Glitch vaults the front desk effortlessly and then stumbles over the doorway, into Cain's arms. "Hi!"

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Naturally, there's a brief murmur of shock and surprise at a headcase - any headcase - managing such a feat. But Wyatt ignores everyone else the moment Glitch is safely tucked away in his arms for a hug. "Well, you sure did! Hi!"

He's chuckling, mind you, and not worrying one damn bit about propriety. For all he cares, Glitch is just Glitch, and Wyatt's just a regular guy who's had his day made by a surprise visit. Rank or social status doesn't even enter into it.

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Glitch clings, not quite on his own feet yet. He brushes his nose against Wyatt's and giggles slightly. "And I almost got here on my own. Almost." For a value where almost is wandered in the wrong direction.

He stands up and clings nonetheless. "I want to learn how to get here on my own."

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"Then how about you meet me here for lunch every day? Come on," he says, hooking his arm around Glitch's shoulders and nodding back inside. "I want to show you something, now you're here."

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"I'd like that." He snuggles in, leaning in against Cain, slipping an arm around his waist under his coat. "Oooh, do I get to see around?"

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"Yup. You didn't come all the way over here for nothing more than lunch on the town. You get the grand tour." He grins, and leads the way through the many different areas and sections of the station. People look, but they don't stare, and most of the Tin Men even greet them as they pass.

The one place they don't go to are the holding cells, for reasons that need not be spoken out loud.

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Glitch strolls alongside, holding onto Cain's arm to make sure he doesn't fall or stumble.

Sometimes, he gets flashes like he might've been here before. But he isn't sure. He cuddles in when they finish the tour. "So.... where are we going for lunch?"

[less-hugging.livejournal.com]

They make their way onto the street and away from the prying eyes, and Wyatt taps the side of his nose. "We'll go by smell. Tilt your head up," he does so himself. "Close your eyes and take a whiff."

He takes a deep breath, then looks at Glitch, to see if he caught something worth following up.

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Glitch inhales slow and deep, eyes closed and turning until he catches a smell he likes. And then he starts walking, stepping straight into a bench and going head over feet.

"Ow." He rubs his head.

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He really should've seen that one coming, and he tries to not chuckle when it does, and instead makes sure to help Glitch to his feet.

"You all right, Sweetheart?"

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Glitch gets up and glares at the bench. "What a silly place to leave that!" He dusts himself off. "Right. That way." He points and steps and then turns the other way and starts walking, sniffing. "I can smell... a bakery."

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He nods, figuring why not. He could go for a sandwich, if they have any left when they get there.

He breathes deep, trying to pick up the scent. It's faint, but he can smell it. Yeast and spices and sweet flour. "Then lead the way, my dear man."

There's a flash of flour on flushed cheeks behind his eyelids, but as soon as he opens his eyes it's gone.

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Glitch trips down the street, hand catching Cain's and tugging him along. He's giggling slightly, inhaling and folowing the smell of food.

He's exceptionally good at sniffing out food. He had to be.

Eventually, he finds it, a small bakery tucked away in a side street.

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It's perfect.

It's the perfect place for a light lunch. The suns are shining, the air is fresh enough for being in the middle of a bustling city, the skies are wide open and blue. It's almost a shame to spend the day indoors.

A tiny little bell tingles as he opens the door for Glitch, and the moment he does, the warm scent of fresh bread brings back more memories. My bread will put hair on your chest...

He takes in the room without actively looking, and when no one seems overtly discinclined to see either of them there, he lets himself relax just a hint, and walks up to the counter to see what's on display. Of course, everyone behind it gets a nod of greeting, and a good day. It's only proper.

Great, big loaves of bred, sandwiches of all kinds of shapes and sizes, and pastries the likes of which the Royal pastry chef might just get a mite worked up about.

"Looks like you found quite the place, Glitch."

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"I'm really good at sniffing out food. Survival instinct." He looks around the store with wide eyes, pressing in against Cain and then bouncing to the counter, peering down at the food.

"Oh wow, it all looks so good." He tugs Cain in close, drawing his arm to around his own narrow waist. "What do you want? Lunch is on me."

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Cain lets him, his hand pressing close in response. It's their first actual lunch out together, and he doesn't for one minute trust people not to make some sort of issue of it. But so far, everyone's being civil, and that's just the way he likes it.

"You're the guy with the nose and the buck, you pick something."

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"Mm..." Glitch drags his finger over the glass, head tipped down and zipper unmistakable to the serving staff.

Who say nothing, just wait politely.

"Can we get... one of those rolls, with ham and lettuce and cheese and one of those rolls with... Wyatt, what do you want on it?"

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"Looks tasty." He gives the good people a smile nodding at Glitch. "I'll have what he's having."

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The girl nods and starts serving up. "Any drinks with that?"

Glitch looks to the board. "Iced lemon lychee tea for me. I have no idea what it is, but it sounds good."

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"Just water for me, please. Thank you."

Everything is prepared and set on a tray, then rung up at the till. Glitch pays for their food and drink, Cain tips his hat to the young woman and takes the tray to a vacant table by one of the windows.

[amicably-absent.livejournal.com]

Glitch watches the money carefully. Some headcases have trouble with money, but numbers is one area that Glitch never found too hard, and with his restored function, he's as sharp as ever mathematically.

But they don't try and short change him. He takes the changes and comes with Wyatt, sitting down opposite him. "I like here."

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He's still getting used to wearing his badge again, but it's a good change, and he needs all the familiarity he can get these days. Wearing his uniform goes a long way. He takes his hat off, placing it on the table and out of the way, with a small nod of approval of the place.

"It's a fine place. I've always liked bakeries and coffee shops." At least the reason for liking coffee shops should be obvious enough, but that doesn't explain his fondness for bakeries. He knows very well that he doesn't love bakeries today for the same reasons as when he was a boy coming into town with his father, but that doesn't change the fact he feels like sharing some of his past.

"...did I ever tell you how I met Adora?"

[amicably-absent.livejournal.com]

Glitch tugs his coat around him a bit more, his casual one because he prefers a bit of anonymity wandering around town. He takes his cup of tea, sipping it and setting it aside. "Have you..."

There's flickers, something that he can't remember but wants to be remembered. "I don't know. If you have, I can't remember it. She... There's a connection here. I know there is. But I don't know what." He sighs slightly. "I'm sorry."

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"Don't be, Sweetheart. I told you about her, but not much. We were in your lab at the Tower, and I'd brought you coffee. It was before the surgery, and we talked about all kinds of things anyhow."

He remembers it so clearly, that he doesn't mind that Glitch doesn't. They were looking at Glitch's brain. At Ambrose, and Glitch needed cheering up. They'd started talking about brain reinsertion, and zippers and somehow glided onto the subject of pet names.

Zipper-head. Adorable. Sweetheart.

"I used to call her Adorable." He smiles. "But she hated it."