Fic: Harbor
“Where are you going?”
Cain turns, halfway through fastening the saddle on the horse; it’s Glitch in the doorway, one hand on the worn, wooden frame.
The stables have had a decent upkeep, under Azkadellia. Somehow, Cain expected it to be in ruins, or twisted, somehow - like so much of the O. Z. these days. But instead, the stalls are clean, the horses are well taken care of. Even the longcoats needed horses, Cain supposes.
“Got some unfinished business,” says Cain, tightening the saddle. Under Cain’s hands, the horse shivers a little, shies sideways.
“Ssssh.” Glitch steps in, catching the horse’s cheek, stroking up her neck. “Hey, the bad man didn’t mean to scare you.”
“I didn’t scare it -”
“I have a way with horses,” says Glitch, matter-of-factly. “I was trained with the best, but you can’t make up for natural aptitude.”
“Natural aptitude,” echoes Cain.
“Yes,” confirms Glitch.
And it doesn’t seem to be an exaggeration, either - the horse makes a soft huffing noise into Glitch’s hand, Cain sees Glitch smile - not really a grin, more of a simple, delighted kind of smile. The kind that makes Cain want to smile back.
“You know, I always bring some sugar, when I’m going to the stables,” Glitch tells the horse. He pats himself down, first one pocket, then another - and the delight on his face turns to a puzzled frown.
Cain’s mouth twists.
“Oh, Cain,” says Glitch, glancing around the stable. “Why do you have a horse? Are you going somewhere?”
“Yeah, Glitch,” sighs Cain. “I’m going somewhere.”
“Oh,” says Glitch. “Where?”
“I left a guy locked in a tin suit,” says Cain.
“Oh,” says Glitch.
He follows, still absently searching his pockets, as Cain leads the horse outside, and mounts her. The suns have barely risen; Cain can probably get back to Zero before the warmest part of the day.
“You’ll be back, right?” asks Glitch.
“Of course,” says Cain, already thinking of the path ahead. He starts to urge the horse forward -
“Zero murdered your wife,” blurts Glitch. “Why do you even care about letting him out? Why don’t you just let him rot in there?”
Cain takes the sight of Glitch in, at that moment - his hand frozen, in stroking the neck of the horse, his eyes fixed on Cain’s.
Cain half-laughs. “I have a heart,” he says. “Zero doesn’t.”
Glitch’s mouth curls. He takes Cain’s hand and squeezes it, once. “Come back soon,” he says.
“I will,” says Cain. “I promise.”
Cain is pretty sure, as he’s leaving, that Glitch watches him go until he’s completely out of sight.
Cain turns, halfway through fastening the saddle on the horse; it’s Glitch in the doorway, one hand on the worn, wooden frame.
The stables have had a decent upkeep, under Azkadellia. Somehow, Cain expected it to be in ruins, or twisted, somehow - like so much of the O. Z. these days. But instead, the stalls are clean, the horses are well taken care of. Even the longcoats needed horses, Cain supposes.
“Got some unfinished business,” says Cain, tightening the saddle. Under Cain’s hands, the horse shivers a little, shies sideways.
“Ssssh.” Glitch steps in, catching the horse’s cheek, stroking up her neck. “Hey, the bad man didn’t mean to scare you.”
“I didn’t scare it -”
“I have a way with horses,” says Glitch, matter-of-factly. “I was trained with the best, but you can’t make up for natural aptitude.”
“Natural aptitude,” echoes Cain.
“Yes,” confirms Glitch.
And it doesn’t seem to be an exaggeration, either - the horse makes a soft huffing noise into Glitch’s hand, Cain sees Glitch smile - not really a grin, more of a simple, delighted kind of smile. The kind that makes Cain want to smile back.
“You know, I always bring some sugar, when I’m going to the stables,” Glitch tells the horse. He pats himself down, first one pocket, then another - and the delight on his face turns to a puzzled frown.
Cain’s mouth twists.
“Oh, Cain,” says Glitch, glancing around the stable. “Why do you have a horse? Are you going somewhere?”
“Yeah, Glitch,” sighs Cain. “I’m going somewhere.”
“Oh,” says Glitch. “Where?”
“I left a guy locked in a tin suit,” says Cain.
“Oh,” says Glitch.
He follows, still absently searching his pockets, as Cain leads the horse outside, and mounts her. The suns have barely risen; Cain can probably get back to Zero before the warmest part of the day.
“You’ll be back, right?” asks Glitch.
“Of course,” says Cain, already thinking of the path ahead. He starts to urge the horse forward -
“Zero murdered your wife,” blurts Glitch. “Why do you even care about letting him out? Why don’t you just let him rot in there?”
Cain takes the sight of Glitch in, at that moment - his hand frozen, in stroking the neck of the horse, his eyes fixed on Cain’s.
Cain half-laughs. “I have a heart,” he says. “Zero doesn’t.”
Glitch’s mouth curls. He takes Cain’s hand and squeezes it, once. “Come back soon,” he says.
“I will,” says Cain. “I promise.”
Cain is pretty sure, as he’s leaving, that Glitch watches him go until he’s completely out of sight.