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Fic: Don't Touch the Shimmery Liquid 10/12
Title: Don't Touch the Shimmery Liquid 10/12
Author: Erin (erinm_4600)
Characters, Pairing: DG, Cain and the Warden (mention of the Queen, Ahamo, Jeb, Adora and Az)
Rating: PG
Summary: If you don't know what something is, keep your hands OUT OF IT!
Warning: post-series *inspired by (but not so much an answer to) impish_dragon's bunny.
Disclaimer: The original characters belong to L. Frank Baum and their respective actors. The current characters belong to Sci-Fi, the movie folks and their respective actors. The Warden is mine. But you can have her. She scares me.
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven | Part Eight | Part Nine | Part Ten | Part Eleven | Part Twelve
More Tales: the first tale | the second tale | the third tale | the fourth tale | the fifth tale
Another list had arrived from Central City - this one with amendments to the first, as well as additions. DG had been in the library all morning, working on items seven through ten, when the Warden arrived with the envelope.
Glancing over the first items, DG looked up to the Warden. Giving the woman a polite smile, DG asked: “Have you-” The Warden simply pointed up and DG nodded. She stepped past the Warden and glanced back to the list.
It was bad enough that she had so much to learn in such a short amount of time. Why hadn’t her mother covered these things in the year since the eclipse? There was obviously time; well, discounting lessons with Tutor and convincing the O.Z. that Az was safe and making appearances with Cain.
DG was beginning to wonder if all these new tasks were simply because she was now married. It was possible, she guessed. And, as she’d never been married before, who really knew what’s a wife’s duties were in the O.Z., let alone a royal one.
DG’s hand moved to her neck and caught at the chain around her neck, just under her collar. Pulling at it, her thumb followed the chain until it caught at a small ring. As she pulled the chain back and forth across her chin, DG moved through the hallways of Finaqua, still going over the list.
*-*
DG had noticed Cain was fidgety most of the morning, but had chalked it up to the fact he hadn’t seen Jeb in a while. They walked to the treeline and were on the way back when Cain stopped. DG turned to look at him and asked: “What’s wrong”
Cain closed one eye and looked to the north then back to DG. “I’ve been meaning to... Well...” Cain shifted uncomfortably and DG almost laughed as the thought of her big, tough Tin Man being nervous crossed her mind. She took a step closer to Cain and waited. He sighed and nodded then looked up to her.
“It’s not custom here, really... uh, but I know that on the Other Side...” DG noticed Cain reach into his vest pocket - he’d stopped wearing the duster and hat on their walks - and pull something silver out. Holding out his hand, DG saw a silver ring with a light purple stone.
“I was going to get you something as a ‘thanks for helping me out of the suit’ and... Well, then all this happened,” he said with a wave. Cain nodded for DG to take the ring and his hands immediately returned to his belt loops.
“It’s...” DG didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t much for jewelry anyway, but it was beautiful and- ‘Wait.’ She looked up to Cain and asked: “What do you mean: ‘It’s not custom’?”
Cain shrugged. “Married folks don’t wear rings, really.” He could see the confusion on DG’s face, her eyes on his own ring.
Pointing to Cain’s left hand, DG asked: “Then how do you know if someone’s married?”
Cain looked down to his ring and nodded. “Some folks are set in the old ways. My father and his father... As for others,” he paused, laughing slightly. “Adora wouldn’t even- And look at your parents. Neither of them-” DG looked away as she considered this. Her parents didn’t wear rings. And everyone knew they were married.
“You don’t have to-” Cain said, waving to DG’s hand. Shaking her head, DG gave him a smile.
“It’s beautiful. Thank you.” She stepped close and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and then stepped back. She held up the ring again and, admiring it, turned toward the palace.
*-*
DG entered the bedroom and turned toward the open bathroom door. Spotting Cain in front of the sink, she moved into the room and hopped up onto the counter on Cain’s right. “My mother sent a new list,” she said, waving the pages at Cain. Glancing back to the pages, she could feel Cain’s eyes on her and looked up.
Cain had his eyebrows raised and leaned against the counter, all his weight on his knuckles. DG shot him a look and he pushed up from the counter, raising his hands. He would have expected - after her last reaction to the sight of him in just a towel - she’d be surprised.
Yet, here she was: acting like they were sitting in the dining room.
DG rolled her eyes and gave him a wave. “Please. You went Right Said Fred in the hallway; I’m over it. Number twenty-three.” Cain looked quickly from the pages she held up to his reflection in the mirror. Content that he’d removed all the shaving cream, he turned and took the list from DG. Her brow, however, furrowed as he read and she reached for the can of shaving cream.
Seeing the movement out of the corner of his eye, Cain watched as DG put a small amount of the foam into her palm and worked up a lather. Waving him closer, she squished the foam against his cheek and along his jaw then looked at her palm. Without thinking about it, she wiped her hand on the closest towel.
Towel or not, Cain actually shifted sideways as DG’s hand ran along his outer thigh. Any blush forming was soon wiped away as he watched DG reach for his razor and move it toward his face. “Whoa there, Princess!” he said, catching her wrist as the papers fell to the counter.
DG gave him a look and leaned back, to which Cain responded by letting out a heavy sigh. She best never question his trust. Ever. Taking a step closer, Cain turned so that he was looking left, his ear facing her, and stood still. Some part of his brain said that DG’s trust in him was not up for discussion; he should be worried about his trust in her.
DG placed her left hand on the back of his neck and carefully ran the blade along Cain’s jaw, taking care of the spot he had missed. Once satisfied, DG nodded and offered the razor back. Collecting the papers, she found the right one and shook it in his direction: “So, number twenty-three.”
*-*
This was a bad idea. She should have asked Az how she managed it before leaving for Finaqua. It hadn’t occurred to her to ask, honestly; what with a fake wedding and all. Sometimes, she really missed the simple, boring life that was Kansas.
Thinking about it, DG realized that she should probably have asked Cain first. Well, not about that... But, wasn’t it the ever-present complaint on television or in the movies?
This was a really bad idea.
DG was nearly done with her right leg when she noticed Cain push the bathroom door open out of the corner of her eye. Dropping his razor into the sink, she straightened at the shock. “Dude. In a towel!” she directed to Cain, throwing her arms up. Cain’s face held no expression as he nodded once.
“And now we’re even,” he said as a cheeky grin appeared on his face, then turned in the doorway and left DG’s view. Slapping her palm to her forehead, DG looked at the sink and reached gingerly reached for the razor.
Author: Erin (erinm_4600)
Characters, Pairing: DG, Cain and the Warden (mention of the Queen, Ahamo, Jeb, Adora and Az)
Rating: PG
Summary: If you don't know what something is, keep your hands OUT OF IT!
Warning: post-series *inspired by (but not so much an answer to) impish_dragon's bunny.
Disclaimer: The original characters belong to L. Frank Baum and their respective actors. The current characters belong to Sci-Fi, the movie folks and their respective actors. The Warden is mine. But you can have her. She scares me.
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven | Part Eight | Part Nine | Part Ten | Part Eleven | Part Twelve
More Tales: the first tale | the second tale | the third tale | the fourth tale | the fifth tale
Another list had arrived from Central City - this one with amendments to the first, as well as additions. DG had been in the library all morning, working on items seven through ten, when the Warden arrived with the envelope.
Glancing over the first items, DG looked up to the Warden. Giving the woman a polite smile, DG asked: “Have you-” The Warden simply pointed up and DG nodded. She stepped past the Warden and glanced back to the list.
It was bad enough that she had so much to learn in such a short amount of time. Why hadn’t her mother covered these things in the year since the eclipse? There was obviously time; well, discounting lessons with Tutor and convincing the O.Z. that Az was safe and making appearances with Cain.
DG was beginning to wonder if all these new tasks were simply because she was now married. It was possible, she guessed. And, as she’d never been married before, who really knew what’s a wife’s duties were in the O.Z., let alone a royal one.
DG’s hand moved to her neck and caught at the chain around her neck, just under her collar. Pulling at it, her thumb followed the chain until it caught at a small ring. As she pulled the chain back and forth across her chin, DG moved through the hallways of Finaqua, still going over the list.
*-*
DG had noticed Cain was fidgety most of the morning, but had chalked it up to the fact he hadn’t seen Jeb in a while. They walked to the treeline and were on the way back when Cain stopped. DG turned to look at him and asked: “What’s wrong”
Cain closed one eye and looked to the north then back to DG. “I’ve been meaning to... Well...” Cain shifted uncomfortably and DG almost laughed as the thought of her big, tough Tin Man being nervous crossed her mind. She took a step closer to Cain and waited. He sighed and nodded then looked up to her.
“It’s not custom here, really... uh, but I know that on the Other Side...” DG noticed Cain reach into his vest pocket - he’d stopped wearing the duster and hat on their walks - and pull something silver out. Holding out his hand, DG saw a silver ring with a light purple stone.
“I was going to get you something as a ‘thanks for helping me out of the suit’ and... Well, then all this happened,” he said with a wave. Cain nodded for DG to take the ring and his hands immediately returned to his belt loops.
“It’s...” DG didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t much for jewelry anyway, but it was beautiful and- ‘Wait.’ She looked up to Cain and asked: “What do you mean: ‘It’s not custom’?”
Cain shrugged. “Married folks don’t wear rings, really.” He could see the confusion on DG’s face, her eyes on his own ring.
Pointing to Cain’s left hand, DG asked: “Then how do you know if someone’s married?”
Cain looked down to his ring and nodded. “Some folks are set in the old ways. My father and his father... As for others,” he paused, laughing slightly. “Adora wouldn’t even- And look at your parents. Neither of them-” DG looked away as she considered this. Her parents didn’t wear rings. And everyone knew they were married.
“You don’t have to-” Cain said, waving to DG’s hand. Shaking her head, DG gave him a smile.
“It’s beautiful. Thank you.” She stepped close and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and then stepped back. She held up the ring again and, admiring it, turned toward the palace.
*-*
DG entered the bedroom and turned toward the open bathroom door. Spotting Cain in front of the sink, she moved into the room and hopped up onto the counter on Cain’s right. “My mother sent a new list,” she said, waving the pages at Cain. Glancing back to the pages, she could feel Cain’s eyes on her and looked up.
Cain had his eyebrows raised and leaned against the counter, all his weight on his knuckles. DG shot him a look and he pushed up from the counter, raising his hands. He would have expected - after her last reaction to the sight of him in just a towel - she’d be surprised.
Yet, here she was: acting like they were sitting in the dining room.
DG rolled her eyes and gave him a wave. “Please. You went Right Said Fred in the hallway; I’m over it. Number twenty-three.” Cain looked quickly from the pages she held up to his reflection in the mirror. Content that he’d removed all the shaving cream, he turned and took the list from DG. Her brow, however, furrowed as he read and she reached for the can of shaving cream.
Seeing the movement out of the corner of his eye, Cain watched as DG put a small amount of the foam into her palm and worked up a lather. Waving him closer, she squished the foam against his cheek and along his jaw then looked at her palm. Without thinking about it, she wiped her hand on the closest towel.
Towel or not, Cain actually shifted sideways as DG’s hand ran along his outer thigh. Any blush forming was soon wiped away as he watched DG reach for his razor and move it toward his face. “Whoa there, Princess!” he said, catching her wrist as the papers fell to the counter.
DG gave him a look and leaned back, to which Cain responded by letting out a heavy sigh. She best never question his trust. Ever. Taking a step closer, Cain turned so that he was looking left, his ear facing her, and stood still. Some part of his brain said that DG’s trust in him was not up for discussion; he should be worried about his trust in her.
DG placed her left hand on the back of his neck and carefully ran the blade along Cain’s jaw, taking care of the spot he had missed. Once satisfied, DG nodded and offered the razor back. Collecting the papers, she found the right one and shook it in his direction: “So, number twenty-three.”
*-*
This was a bad idea. She should have asked Az how she managed it before leaving for Finaqua. It hadn’t occurred to her to ask, honestly; what with a fake wedding and all. Sometimes, she really missed the simple, boring life that was Kansas.
Thinking about it, DG realized that she should probably have asked Cain first. Well, not about that... But, wasn’t it the ever-present complaint on television or in the movies?
This was a really bad idea.
DG was nearly done with her right leg when she noticed Cain push the bathroom door open out of the corner of her eye. Dropping his razor into the sink, she straightened at the shock. “Dude. In a towel!” she directed to Cain, throwing her arms up. Cain’s face held no expression as he nodded once.
“And now we’re even,” he said as a cheeky grin appeared on his face, then turned in the doorway and left DG’s view. Slapping her palm to her forehead, DG looked at the sink and reached gingerly reached for the razor.