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Fic: What is This Feeling?
Title: What is This Feeling?
Author: Erin (erinm_4600)
Characters: Wyatt, Adora, Adora's father and some other random OCs
Rating: PG
Summary: It wasn't love at first sight. In fact...
Warning: pre-series *Written for tinman100's Challenge 19. LONG LIVE tinman100!!
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 OCs are mine. Title is from song of the same name, from Wicked... And OH SO FITTING... o.O
What is This Feeling? | Perfect | Every Little Trait, However Small | Special Delivery | Friday Night Dinner | Intimidation | Saturday | Shoes, Hair and Spoons... Oh My! | Frozen Reflections | Relocation | Lost Boy
"I'm gonna be a Tin Man, Papa," the toddler announced. "All the way in Central City."
"A Tin Man, you say?" he asked.
"Uh huh."
"Why a Tin Man?" he asked with a grin, picking the child up.
"'cause a Tin Man stops the bad people."
"That they do," he chuckled, then noticed the toddler's stubborn expression had faltered. "What’s wrong, kiddo?"
"Daniel says I can't be a Tin Man," the child frowned.
"Why not?"
"Because I'm a girl," she said quietly. He kissed her cheek and nodded.
"You can be whatever you want, 'dor. Don't you listen to Daniel."
Adora knew all eyes were on her. They'd allowed her in, under heavy protest, and she was the example. She never requested special treatment and was never offered any. She was put into the barracks, same as everyone else - though they were kind enough to construct a partition in the shower, allowing her some sliver of privacy.
She made it all the way through the initial training session, refusing to break. The other men made jokes at her expense, told inappropriate stories and usually ignored her. But she didn't care; she wasn’t there to make friends with any of them.
Of the class, Wyatt Cain was the worst. He pushed, poked, prodded and nagged. He couldn't stand the girl, half his size and downright stubborn. She was going to bring the Tin Men all the way to their knees, cutting the institution down to a bunch of frilly uniforms; women running through the city, slapping criminals on the wrist and sending them home without supper. His grandfather must be rolling in his grave at the thought of a girl in the Tin Men. It was disgusting. Sickening. Embarrassing.
He wanted to see her cry. He wanted to see her quit.
"All the way down to the big oak and back! Double time!" the instructor yelled. He could see all the recruits were ready to fall over, yet he continued to push them. If they could do this at exhaustion, they should never have a problem catching a criminal.
Well, that was the excuse he was going with, anyway.
He was the first to laugh off the girl's application. He was the loudest voice against her admission. He expected her to be out before the end of the first week - he'd claimed the end of the first day to her face.
It was utter hate at first sight. Absolute, undeniable disgust. She could see it, all the way from the icy-blue eyes, full of contempt, the jaw locked in rage and the puffed-up chest - was that supposed to scare her away? Really?
She'd heard all the rumors: she was simply there for publicity; to find a husband; to impress the queen.
She had nothing to prove to anyone but herself. She could do it, and keeping the peace should have nothing to do with the location of her reproductive organs.
Okay, so she might want to prove something to Daniel, too.
No one knew what to make of the girl. They weren't stupid; they knew that the instructors were trying to break her, all the way. But she wouldn't yield, meaning all them were pushed harder. Some grew angry, blaming her for sore muscles and hurt egos, simply because it was easier.
All had bets on how much longer she'd take the pressure, the pranks - some were harmless, others not. A few of the guys were civil, they had manners, after all; most ignored her when she was in the room.
None wanted to admit she was more man than they.
"I'm going back," Adora announced. Wyatt huffed and turned to her. They'd been paired together the whole day, all the way down to the same lunch schedule, probably as punishment for the fights during training.
"Why?" he huffed. It was late and he was tired.
"Something doesn't sit right," she replied. There was something in the girl's eyes.
"Your intuition tell you that?" he snapped. She really wanted to hit him again.
"No, my eyes tell me that. Just... go back," she waved and turned. He made it four steps before dropping his chin and grumbling.
"Hold on," he groaned.
"This is a bad idea," Wyatt mumbled as he and Adora rounded the corner. They'd had enough trouble getting out of this part of town, and now they were headed right back. He wouldn't even be doing this. Of course, he realized that, had he been with one of the guys, they probably would.
Assuming one of them had a gut feeling.
"I don't need your help," Adora spat out. She just wanted to check on the girl.
Wyatt laughed. "Yeah, I show up without you and they'll send me all the way back down here to drag you in."
"How far you gonna take this?" Adora heard behind her. Rolling her eyes, she didn't turn, but continued to repack her bag.
"What do you care?" she snapped, shoving a pair of heavy socks into a hole.
"You get attached to every victim and you'll be no good to anyone," Wyatt said, pushing off the door frame he'd been leaning against. Adora dropped the bag and spun around with a look of disgust.
"I'm in this, all the way, Cain. I want to help people because I believe in the system."
"Why are you here?" she asked a moment later.
What was his problem, anyway? Her life wasn't his business. Adora shoved another pair of socks into her duffel bag and turned back toward Wyatt. "Let me guess," she started with a snap. "You're here to get the badge and, then, you'll go all the way back home and try to impress the girl who wouldn't give you the time of day. She probably... ran off with the guy who beat you up as a kid," Adora shrugged.
There was the Cain jaw-lock. Check and mate.
Adora nodded and turned back to her bag. Why was she repacking it, anyway?
Wyatt's smile was wide as he held out a hand. "Good try," he nodded as Porter shook his head. It was their day off and the guys had collected out on the training field. Somehow, the group had started taking bets on who was tougher than whom and a bracket formed.
Adora moved out of the barracks and stood near the tree, watching as Wyatt worked all the way through the roster of fellow students with ease. Porter was the first one of them to nearly beat the blonde.
No one seemed to notice Cain's weak spot was his ego.
"Come on guys," Wyatt said, holding up his hands. "Anybody?" He made a full circle, glancing at his friends. "You guys can take me," he prodded. "You're gonna have to take down the guy bigger than you at some point," he pressed again.
'Wyatt Cain, ever the leader,' Adora thought as she neared the group. "I'll try." Wyatt's eyebrow raised and the crowd parted.
"I don't fight girls," Wyatt scoffed. Some of the guys hooted, and Adora could hear whispers running all the way around the group.
"Afraid of a girl, Cain?" Adora frowned and shook her head in disappointment.
"What was that?" Adora huffed. Wyatt shook his head, as if she was wasting his time. "You are such a girl," she added, purposefully pushing his buttons. Wyatt swallowed and turned back to her, eyes blazing.
Adora threw her hands up in challenge and, for a moment, Wyatt forgot he was sparring with a girl and charged her; she'd made him angry. Catching her arms, he spun Adora all the way around so that her back was to him, arms crossed over her chest. "Why don't you go home... find a guy and... raise a couple kids?" he asked quietly.
Adora turned her head just enough to glare as Wyatt laughed in her ear. "No man in his right mind would want you, I bet. Too stubborn." Adora raised an eyebrow.
"Why would I waste my time on a guy who thinks he's better than me?"
Wyatt smirked. "What do you call this?"
"You're not better than me," Adora smiled. Taking a deep breath, she pulled away from Wyatt and spun around, twisting her hands and sweeping a leg behind Wyatt's knee.
As his back slammed to the ground, Adora sighed, rotating her arms all the way around and wincing.
As Adora walked away, Wyatt pushed himself up and frowned as the guys surrounded him. His eyes were locked on Adora's retreating form and he could feel the fire raging in his chest. He could feel it all the way to his toes.
'Damn woman,' he thought. As she reached the tree, Adora turned and caught Wyatt's gaze. Throwing her arms up again, she shrugged and turned back with an unimpressed look.
He was wrong about her. Adora wasn't going to bring about the end of the Tin Men.
But she was surely going to be the death of him.
_________________
Okay.. so Adora's a little Sam Carter, a little Grace Hart and a smidge of Aeryn Sun. It's Adora: she's BAD-ASS and you know it! \O/
Author: Erin (erinm_4600)
Characters: Wyatt, Adora, Adora's father and some other random OCs
Rating: PG
Summary: It wasn't love at first sight. In fact...
Warning: pre-series *Written for tinman100's Challenge 19. LONG LIVE tinman100!!
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 OCs are mine. Title is from song of the same name, from Wicked... And OH SO FITTING... o.O
What is This Feeling? | Perfect | Every Little Trait, However Small | Special Delivery | Friday Night Dinner | Intimidation | Saturday | Shoes, Hair and Spoons... Oh My! | Frozen Reflections | Relocation | Lost Boy
"I'm gonna be a Tin Man, Papa," the toddler announced. "All the way in Central City."
"A Tin Man, you say?" he asked.
"Uh huh."
"Why a Tin Man?" he asked with a grin, picking the child up.
"'cause a Tin Man stops the bad people."
"That they do," he chuckled, then noticed the toddler's stubborn expression had faltered. "What’s wrong, kiddo?"
"Daniel says I can't be a Tin Man," the child frowned.
"Why not?"
"Because I'm a girl," she said quietly. He kissed her cheek and nodded.
"You can be whatever you want, 'dor. Don't you listen to Daniel."
Adora knew all eyes were on her. They'd allowed her in, under heavy protest, and she was the example. She never requested special treatment and was never offered any. She was put into the barracks, same as everyone else - though they were kind enough to construct a partition in the shower, allowing her some sliver of privacy.
She made it all the way through the initial training session, refusing to break. The other men made jokes at her expense, told inappropriate stories and usually ignored her. But she didn't care; she wasn’t there to make friends with any of them.
Of the class, Wyatt Cain was the worst. He pushed, poked, prodded and nagged. He couldn't stand the girl, half his size and downright stubborn. She was going to bring the Tin Men all the way to their knees, cutting the institution down to a bunch of frilly uniforms; women running through the city, slapping criminals on the wrist and sending them home without supper. His grandfather must be rolling in his grave at the thought of a girl in the Tin Men. It was disgusting. Sickening. Embarrassing.
He wanted to see her cry. He wanted to see her quit.
"All the way down to the big oak and back! Double time!" the instructor yelled. He could see all the recruits were ready to fall over, yet he continued to push them. If they could do this at exhaustion, they should never have a problem catching a criminal.
Well, that was the excuse he was going with, anyway.
He was the first to laugh off the girl's application. He was the loudest voice against her admission. He expected her to be out before the end of the first week - he'd claimed the end of the first day to her face.
It was utter hate at first sight. Absolute, undeniable disgust. She could see it, all the way from the icy-blue eyes, full of contempt, the jaw locked in rage and the puffed-up chest - was that supposed to scare her away? Really?
She'd heard all the rumors: she was simply there for publicity; to find a husband; to impress the queen.
She had nothing to prove to anyone but herself. She could do it, and keeping the peace should have nothing to do with the location of her reproductive organs.
Okay, so she might want to prove something to Daniel, too.
No one knew what to make of the girl. They weren't stupid; they knew that the instructors were trying to break her, all the way. But she wouldn't yield, meaning all them were pushed harder. Some grew angry, blaming her for sore muscles and hurt egos, simply because it was easier.
All had bets on how much longer she'd take the pressure, the pranks - some were harmless, others not. A few of the guys were civil, they had manners, after all; most ignored her when she was in the room.
None wanted to admit she was more man than they.
"I'm going back," Adora announced. Wyatt huffed and turned to her. They'd been paired together the whole day, all the way down to the same lunch schedule, probably as punishment for the fights during training.
"Why?" he huffed. It was late and he was tired.
"Something doesn't sit right," she replied. There was something in the girl's eyes.
"Your intuition tell you that?" he snapped. She really wanted to hit him again.
"No, my eyes tell me that. Just... go back," she waved and turned. He made it four steps before dropping his chin and grumbling.
"Hold on," he groaned.
"This is a bad idea," Wyatt mumbled as he and Adora rounded the corner. They'd had enough trouble getting out of this part of town, and now they were headed right back. He wouldn't even be doing this. Of course, he realized that, had he been with one of the guys, they probably would.
Assuming one of them had a gut feeling.
"I don't need your help," Adora spat out. She just wanted to check on the girl.
Wyatt laughed. "Yeah, I show up without you and they'll send me all the way back down here to drag you in."
"How far you gonna take this?" Adora heard behind her. Rolling her eyes, she didn't turn, but continued to repack her bag.
"What do you care?" she snapped, shoving a pair of heavy socks into a hole.
"You get attached to every victim and you'll be no good to anyone," Wyatt said, pushing off the door frame he'd been leaning against. Adora dropped the bag and spun around with a look of disgust.
"I'm in this, all the way, Cain. I want to help people because I believe in the system."
"Why are you here?" she asked a moment later.
What was his problem, anyway? Her life wasn't his business. Adora shoved another pair of socks into her duffel bag and turned back toward Wyatt. "Let me guess," she started with a snap. "You're here to get the badge and, then, you'll go all the way back home and try to impress the girl who wouldn't give you the time of day. She probably... ran off with the guy who beat you up as a kid," Adora shrugged.
There was the Cain jaw-lock. Check and mate.
Adora nodded and turned back to her bag. Why was she repacking it, anyway?
Wyatt's smile was wide as he held out a hand. "Good try," he nodded as Porter shook his head. It was their day off and the guys had collected out on the training field. Somehow, the group had started taking bets on who was tougher than whom and a bracket formed.
Adora moved out of the barracks and stood near the tree, watching as Wyatt worked all the way through the roster of fellow students with ease. Porter was the first one of them to nearly beat the blonde.
No one seemed to notice Cain's weak spot was his ego.
"Come on guys," Wyatt said, holding up his hands. "Anybody?" He made a full circle, glancing at his friends. "You guys can take me," he prodded. "You're gonna have to take down the guy bigger than you at some point," he pressed again.
'Wyatt Cain, ever the leader,' Adora thought as she neared the group. "I'll try." Wyatt's eyebrow raised and the crowd parted.
"I don't fight girls," Wyatt scoffed. Some of the guys hooted, and Adora could hear whispers running all the way around the group.
"Afraid of a girl, Cain?" Adora frowned and shook her head in disappointment.
"What was that?" Adora huffed. Wyatt shook his head, as if she was wasting his time. "You are such a girl," she added, purposefully pushing his buttons. Wyatt swallowed and turned back to her, eyes blazing.
Adora threw her hands up in challenge and, for a moment, Wyatt forgot he was sparring with a girl and charged her; she'd made him angry. Catching her arms, he spun Adora all the way around so that her back was to him, arms crossed over her chest. "Why don't you go home... find a guy and... raise a couple kids?" he asked quietly.
Adora turned her head just enough to glare as Wyatt laughed in her ear. "No man in his right mind would want you, I bet. Too stubborn." Adora raised an eyebrow.
"Why would I waste my time on a guy who thinks he's better than me?"
Wyatt smirked. "What do you call this?"
"You're not better than me," Adora smiled. Taking a deep breath, she pulled away from Wyatt and spun around, twisting her hands and sweeping a leg behind Wyatt's knee.
As his back slammed to the ground, Adora sighed, rotating her arms all the way around and wincing.
As Adora walked away, Wyatt pushed himself up and frowned as the guys surrounded him. His eyes were locked on Adora's retreating form and he could feel the fire raging in his chest. He could feel it all the way to his toes.
'Damn woman,' he thought. As she reached the tree, Adora turned and caught Wyatt's gaze. Throwing her arms up again, she shrugged and turned back with an unimpressed look.
He was wrong about her. Adora wasn't going to bring about the end of the Tin Men.
But she was surely going to be the death of him.
_________________
Okay.. so Adora's a little Sam Carter, a little Grace Hart and a smidge of Aeryn Sun. It's Adora: she's BAD-ASS and you know it! \O/