(no subject)

[amicably_absent]

Glitch wanted to stay in the cabin forever, but Ambrose insisted on heading back, getting home the day before the trial was set to happen. He didn't elaborate on why, though it was fairly apparent that he wanted to attend, especially when he spent an hour the night before it setting out clothes, putting them in orders with numbers to clearly mark how they went on. It was a lot of work and planning.

Ambrose, also unlike Glitch, had no problems using the privilege of an attendant to help get ready. He gets dressed carefully in what is just shy of a dress uniform but speaks with position to anyone entitled to know it. The attendant helps him with his hair, getting the ringlets settled neatly, if not combed down in his usual manner. He thinks Glitch would protest it and, as he has been told, he needs to stop being ashamed of the line of steel in his scalp. A few touches of make up highlight his pale, striking appearance and he asks Wyatt to escort him down to the court house.

Wyatt has to be there anyway, as the first officer on scene with the small delegation of Viewers who will also present evidence through a mirror set up in court just for that, one with a moratanium frame that Ambrose thinks he might've designed.

The case isn't short, but the conclusion is foregone. He himself is unable to sit to testify, no headcase testimony can be taken by the court, but since he can't remember anything anyway, there would be no point in unnecessarily working him up into glitching.

He does that enough as it is. Each bit of testimony sets off glitches and skips, fragments of thought and getting caught in cycles. It's a hard, long few hours as they plow though it all. They plead guilty, but it's before sentencing that the judge asks if anyone has anything to say.

That's when he raises his hand. "I do, Your Honour."

The judge gives him a long look. "While you cannot testify, the court will recognise any additional statements you have to offer, Adviser Ambrose."

He stands up, smoothing down his military style coat with the tiny badges across the breast marking the medals he won't wear in public. "My learned judge, I would ask you to consider clemency in your sentencing of these men."

He takes a breath to give the noise a moment to subside. "I cannot and will not condone the acts of violence that have been committed, against myself and potentially against other individuals who have suffered violation at the hands of the Witch's surgeons. Justice and retribution is the domain of the court and the police, and it is unacceptable to have the public taking vengeance for actions that may - or indeed may not - have been committed. The court has already taken action against violent offenders, their headcasing is - believe me - punishment enough for their actions, leaving them incapable of directed malice of any consistent amount.

"But.

"The commonality of headcasing as political terrorism to silence dissidence and rebellion is not yet commonly seen, understood or recognised. Ignorance, in truth, is the enemy here. These men were wrong, but they acted in fear and ignorance. I personally feel no need to vengeance against these men, I pity them for being so scared during these dark times past that they cannot reach towards the better future we are all striving for. I pity their ignorance in attacking those who present a visible sign of their ongoing imprisonment, for the thoughts they had, the allegiances they held and not for any crime committed. Headcasing for crime is almost unknown now, but for political motivations? That has been far more prevalent in recent times. Punishment should be a learning aid, to educated individuals and society and this case and serve to educate these men, theoir families and society as a whole. Not just of the heinous acts taken against political prisoners such as myself, but a learning experience that the barbaric and harsh times of the Witch are over and we will once again strive towards a benevolent society of correction, not vengeance."

He bows his head. "Thank you." And he sits down, reaching for Wyatt's hand.

Comments

[less-hugging.livejournal.com]

"Probably, yeah." It's good enough a reason, anyhow, and he finds himself smiling at Ambrose's approval. He'll remember for both of them, until next time.

"Mustard and ham is one of those tried and true combinations."

[amicably-absent.livejournal.com]

"It is, it is." He thinks maybe he ate this a lot once. He nibbles a bit more, eating slowly. "How long do we have?"

[less-hugging.livejournal.com]

"Just about thirty," he says, then checks his pocket watch just to be sure. "Yeah, just about. But that's not counting the walk back to the courthouse."

Always the practical one, isn't he.

[amicably-absent.livejournal.com]

"And how long will that take?" He won't remember the numbers later, but he can try for now. "I don't like eating fast."

[less-hugging.livejournal.com]

"Seven if we walk, five if we hurry. But I figure ten minutes should give us some leeway." He shrugs. He knows his lover gets distracted easily, and truth be told, he doesn't like dragging him away from things that pique his interest.

And then, of course, there's the fact they do a pretty good job of distracting each other all the time.

[amicably-absent.livejournal.com]

"Ten. That means..." He pauses, looking at his fingers. When the numbers are on paper, they make sense. When it's just in his head and he stops to think though...

"Wyatt? Where are we?"

[less-hugging.livejournal.com]

It means they have more than enough time to eat and get back to court. But numbers are numbers, and glitches are a friggin' nuisance sometimes.

But it isn't Ambrose's fault. "We're having lunch at one of the bakeries in town. Love's Bread."

[amicably-absent.livejournal.com]

He blinks and looks about. "Oh, yes... of course. We're on recess from court. I remember." He nibbles more of the sandwich. "This is very good."

[less-hugging.livejournal.com]

"I'm glad you like it. It's a gamble, between the two of us. You like red apples, I like green..."

[amicably-absent.livejournal.com]

"I like croissants and you like sourdough," Ambrose teases back. "But I like this."

[less-hugging.livejournal.com]

"I like big cohesive chunks of food, yes." He's starting to grin between sips of tea and bites of sandwich. "They don't fall apart in your hands, for one thing."

[amicably-absent.livejournal.com]

"I like croissants. You pick them apart easily and they're light on the stomach." His smile is spreading as well.

[less-hugging.livejournal.com]

"What can I say..." He shrugs nonchalantly. "Maybe I just like a little something more substantial to gorge myself on."

[amicably-absent.livejournal.com]

His gaze goes down and then up to peek through curls and lashes. "Mm, yes, you really do like to gorge yourself." One finger reaches to touch Wyatt's lip knowingly.

[less-hugging.livejournal.com]

Maybe it wasn't the best of ideas, to be a flirt quite like that, if this is the response he gets.

Wyatt flushes hot in the face, and grins, looking at Ambrose from the corners of his eyes. "Yeah. That's kind of my point, crude though it may be."

[amicably-absent.livejournal.com]

Ambrose giggles, hiding his smile behind his sandwich as he ducks down to nibble a bit more. "It's all right. I'll show you some things I know."

[less-hugging.livejournal.com]

"Oh, yeah? I'll be looking forward to that." He munches on happily, just content to share a meal like this. Sharing plate and all.

"Even if I'd like to think I'm not a complete novice..."

[amicably-absent.livejournal.com]

"No, far from it." But Ambrose also has more experience with different people he wouldn't mind betting. "Maybe tonight," he murmurs fondly.

[less-hugging.livejournal.com]

"Maybe," Wyatt agrees, letting go of his cup to wrap his arm around Ambrose's shoulder and pull him close enough to press his lips to the laugh lines he loves so much.

"Not necessarily," he adds. "But if the mood strikes..."

[amicably-absent.livejournal.com]

"If the mood should strike," he agrees. He snuggles in against Wyatt, holding up his part of sandwich. "You need to eat, Wyatt."

[less-hugging.livejournal.com]

"I was under the impression that's what I'm doing." Nonetheless, he takes a bite, mindful of fingers getting in the way.

[amicably-absent.livejournal.com]

Ambrose watches and keeps nibbling himself, finally reaching for his tea and sipping it slowly.

[less-hugging.livejournal.com]

And that's that, as halves of sandwiches go. He pushes the plate towards Ambrose, giving him monopoly over it since he's still munching. Then, pulling his cup of tea closer, he lifts it for a sip.

"...all puns aside, I'm really enjoying food these days."

[amicably-absent.livejournal.com]

Ambrose is eating, just very slowly, nibbling away bit by bit. He's getting there though. "There's something about it that's just pure decadence. Fresh food..."

[less-hugging.livejournal.com]

"Fresh food... Fresh food, cooked properly. Readily available if you have half a plat to spare."