Fanfiction: Tin Man (PG-13)
Title: The Road Less Traveled
Pairing/Characters: 'Ambrose', 'Lavender Eyes', Ahamo, Wyatt Cain, 'Adora' Cain; 'Lavender Eyes'/Ahamo, Wyatt/'Adora'
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Tin Man
Word Count: 1,983
Spoilers: Whole miniseries
Summary: Life goes on for the Royal Advisor and the Captain of the Mystic Man's protection detail.
Notes/Warnings: AU! lionille wrote The Curious Case of the Mysteriously Missing Lady-in-Waiting In Training and andrealyn wrote The Path Not Taken and the two fics together gave me the idea of writing a fic where Ambrose/Glitch is born a woman and stays one. *grin*
Beta and plot-hole-poker: umbralillium
Previous Chapter(s): 1. Rocky Beginning, 2. Smoothing the Way, 3. Hidden Bumps
The Road Less Traveled
4. Getting Over the Bumps
"Did she say why she invented this?" Adair examined the fishing pole Wyatt had brought home after a long day of work.
The Tin Man shook his head as he finished the meal his lover had had waiting for him. "No, just that she wanted me to field test it for her."
"When do you plan to do that?" the brunette asked as he began to dismantle the fishing pole and put it back in the box.
The blond sipped the last of his wine as he watched his partner. "I was actually hoping we could do that together. Arrange to get the same few days off from work and go for a little vacation."
"I'll see what I can do." Adair sighed softly as he closed the box on the fishing pole. "You know how my father can be about me taking time off from work."
Wyatt nodded, reaching up to draw his lover into his lap, kissing him softly. "You get the time off from work. Then I'll talk to the Mystic Man. He tends to be more reasonable than your father."
"That's putting it mildly." The other man snorted, nestling his head on Wyatt's broad shoulder.
He smiled sadly, simply holding his partner. Loving a man did have its drawbacks, but he wouldn't give Adair up for anything in the O.Z.
* * *
Amber Rose woke with a splitting headache, queasy stomach, and a foul taste in her mouth. She always swore she would never drink again and she always did anyway. Luckily, she'd invented the H.C.F.S.H.Q.S.A.B.B. for just that reason. Except, when she rolled over to search for said invention without opening her eyes, she fell off the bed and onto the floor. Puzzled, she sat up and looked around blearily, not recognizing her surroundings at all. Apparently, I didn't go home last night... A low, amused drawl drew her attention to the doorway, "Where are you going, darlin'?"
"Where am I?" she asked, noticing that the tall, lean man was nearly naked. He only wore a pair of pants that rode low on his narrow hips because they weren't fastened. She glanced down at herself and, realizing she was completely naked herself, quickly pulled the sheet off the bed to regain some sense of modesty and dignity.
The stranger laughed, low and deep. It was not a pleasant sound. "It's a little late for that, sweet cheeks. I saw everything last night."
"Y-you did?" Amber Rose inwardly cursed at how squeaky that had sounded. "We, um, we had intimate relations last night?"
He lounged in the doorway, his pants slipping down a little on one hip. "That's one way to put it, doll face."
"Please stop calling me those names," she requested as she got to her feet, keeping the sheet wrapped tightly around her body. "Where are my clothes?"
The man straightened up, an emotion Amber Rose couldn't identify briefly appearing in his gray eyes. "What else am I to call you when you refused to give me your name?"
"Miss would be just fine, thank you," she retorted icily, edging around the bed to search for the dress she'd worn the day before, finding it crumpled in a puddle of burgundy fabric on the other side of the bed.
As she reached down to scoop up the dress, the man commented, "Miss is so boring, though. Wouldn't a nickname be better?"
"Not the ones you're coming up with." Keeping the sheet drawn tight around her, she slipped through the other door she'd spotted, grateful to find that it led to a bathroom.
By the time she emerged fully-dressed from the bathroom, the stranger had stretched out on the bed, the sheets strategically draped over his now-nude form, an inviting smile on his face. "Come on, darlin', one more for the road."
"No. Good day, Mr. Zero." Her head held high despite the way it pounded, Amber Rose left his apartment. Once outside the building, she hailed a cab to take her to the palace. She really needed that Hangover Cure for Splitting Headaches, Queasy Stomachs, and Bad Breath now.
When she arrived at the palace, the footman who opened the door for her didn't even raise an eyebrow at her disheveled hair and crumpled dress. He simply paid the cabbie for her while she proceeded inside and up to her rooms. Once safe inside them, she downed a healthy swallow of the H.C.F.S.H.Q.S.A.B.B. along with a M.A.U.P.S.P. due to the 'intimate relations' and indulged in a long, hot shower, washing away any and all traces of the previous night's activities. First time that's happened. Good thing I'm always prepared…
"Good morning, Amber Rose." The Queen's voice was the last one the Royal Advisor expected to hear upon her emergence from the bathroom.
"Majesty!" Keeping her towel wrapped tight around her, Amber Rose curtseyed briefly, absently noticing that her maid was not present in the room, probably at the Queen's request. "What brings you to my rooms at this hour of the morning?"
"Concern for you, my friend." Violetta watched calmly as the brunette gathered a forest green dress from the closet and suitable undergarments from the dresser before disappearing behind the changing screen to dress. "You left the palace yesterday afternoon and didn't return until about an hour ago."
Flattered by the Queen's concern for her, the Royal Advisor draped the now-damp towel over the screen and began to put on her undergarments. "Why would that concern you? I could have been seeing someone."
Violetta's voice was almost maddeningly calm when she answered. "Yes, but what I've heard is that the person you left here to see is not the same person who owns the apartment where you spent the night."
Amber Rose smiled wryly as she slipped into the dress. This wasn't the first time her movements had been reported to the Queen. "I didn't exactly intend to spend the night with anyone last night. It just happened."
"Please be careful, Amber Rose." Lavender eyes met brown when the Royal Advisor emerged from behind the changing screen, mostly dressed. "I can easily appoint someone else as my Royal Advisor, but I can't appoint someone else as my best friend."
"Thank you, Violetta." She smiled faintly, daring to briefly rest her hand on the Queen's shoulder. "I can assure you that I don't intend for a repeat of last night to take place."
"Good." The Queen embraced the Royal Advisor briefly before exiting the rooms. Once she had, Amber Rose's maid entered to help her finish getting dressed.
* * *
Having grown up in Central City, Adair had never really gone camping or fishing. Wyatt had always intended to change that, but this trip was the first chance he'd had to do so. Except his efforts to teach his lover didn't go quite as planned. Adair just wasn't very good at fishing. He seemed more than content to lay with his head pillowed on Wyatt's thigh while the Tin Man did the fishing. One such time, he asked quietly, "Do you ever miss your family's ranch?"
"What brought this question on?" Wyatt asked, glancing down at his partner.
Adair shrugged, his slender hands folded together on his stomach. "You enjoy all of this so much; I can't help wondering why you gave it up in the first place."
"I left the ranch so I could be a Tin Man," he explained, cranking the reel to bring the line back in. He had to admit that the reel made it much easier to fish. "I knew I'd be giving up some things I love in order to do that."
Brown eyes peered up at him thoughtfully. "Have you ever regretted that decision?"
"No. I enjoy being a Tin Man." He smiled fondly, reaching down with his free hand to stroke Adair's soft brown hair. "And I met you. How could I regret it?"
Smiling, Adair caught his hand and kissed the palm. "Thank you."
"For what?" Wyatt reluctantly freed his hand so he could continue reeling in the line.
"For being you. For loving me." The younger man smiled and watched Wyatt. "I was getting stuck in a rut when I met you. Then my life changed and I couldn't be happier."
He finished reeling in the line and set the fishing pole aside. Gently easing Adair into a sitting position, he kissed him. His lover moaned and returned the kiss quite happily.
* * *
Amber Rose descended the front stairs of the palace at a dignified yet quick pace. The man waiting by the front doors of the palace was very familiar to her, despite the fact that she hadn't seen him in several weeks. "Mr. Cain. What brings you to the palace? Does the Mystic Man need an audience with the Queen?"
"No, I came to see you, Miss Amber Rose," he replied, lifting the box he held in one hand. It was the S.F.P.W.R.A. she'd invented. "I'm here to report on the fishing pole you asked me to field test for you."
She nodded and gestured for him to come up the stairs. "If you'll follow me?"
"Certainly." Wyatt climbed the stairs and followed Amber Rose to her laboratory.
The Royal Advisor cleared off the only chair in the room and gestured for Wyatt to sit. "Please, have a seat."
"Thank you." He sat down in the chair and set the box on the floor beside it. While Amber Rose pulled the stool over to face the Tin Man, he looked around the room. It was neat with boxes of labeled parts against the walls. Her tools hung on a peg board over the work area. A filing cabinet stood in the corner near there, with labels on each drawer.
Amber Rose settled properly on her stool. "How did the field test work out?"
"Quite well," Wyatt replied, returning his attention to her. "The pole itself didn't fall apart like my old one would and the reel certainly made it easier to pull in the fish."
She nodded, making notes on the board perched on her knees. "Good, those were my chief concerns. Did you have any problems?"
"Not really. It worked fine." He smiled quietly to himself. "Adair did comment that he wished you could somehow invent fake worms that we could use as bait. He didn't really like having to put them on the hook."
The Royal Advisor shuddered at the thought and nodded. "I completely sympathize. I don't know how you can stand to look at worms, let alone pick them up and put them on the hook."
"I've been doing it since I was a boy," the Tin Man answered with a shrug. "I've never really thought about it."
She shook her head, smiling wryly. "I'll see if I can't come up with something."
"It wasn't a hint," Wyatt told her, blue eyes widening briefly with surprise. "I didn't mean for you to actually invent something."
Amber Rose smiled quietly. "I'll consider it a challenge."
"Okay." He gave her an odd look. "Well, that's it, really. I'll leave you to your inventing."
She got to her feet, hiding her disappointment that he was leaving so soon. "Thank you for your report. It was most helpful."
"Thank you for letting me field test it." The Tin Man stood up when she did.
The Royal Advisor picked up the box and held it out to him. "Keep it. I can easily make another."
"You're sure?" Wyatt didn't take the box right away.
Amber Rose nodded firmly. "Quite certain."
"All right." He took the box. "Thank you."
"Thank you." She walked him down the stairs and saw him out the door. Sighing softly, she returned to her laboratory. When the Queen checked on the Royal Advisor a few minutes later, the former found the latter buried deep in her work.
End Chapter
A/N2: For the record, if people want a visual image for Adair, picture Dr. Spencer Reid from Criminal Minds. For lots of pictures of him and the actor in other roles, go here. I have a hair fetish, so this picspam made me very happy. I especially like the season two hair. That's about how I visualize Adair's hair. Amber Rose is pretty much Alan Cumming with longer hair and boobs.
Pairing/Characters: 'Ambrose', 'Lavender Eyes', Ahamo, Wyatt Cain, 'Adora' Cain; 'Lavender Eyes'/Ahamo, Wyatt/'Adora'
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Tin Man
Word Count: 1,983
Spoilers: Whole miniseries
Summary: Life goes on for the Royal Advisor and the Captain of the Mystic Man's protection detail.
Notes/Warnings: AU! lionille wrote The Curious Case of the Mysteriously Missing Lady-in-Waiting In Training and andrealyn wrote The Path Not Taken and the two fics together gave me the idea of writing a fic where Ambrose/Glitch is born a woman and stays one. *grin*
Beta and plot-hole-poker: umbralillium
Previous Chapter(s): 1. Rocky Beginning, 2. Smoothing the Way, 3. Hidden Bumps
The Road Less Traveled
4. Getting Over the Bumps
"Did she say why she invented this?" Adair examined the fishing pole Wyatt had brought home after a long day of work.
The Tin Man shook his head as he finished the meal his lover had had waiting for him. "No, just that she wanted me to field test it for her."
"When do you plan to do that?" the brunette asked as he began to dismantle the fishing pole and put it back in the box.
The blond sipped the last of his wine as he watched his partner. "I was actually hoping we could do that together. Arrange to get the same few days off from work and go for a little vacation."
"I'll see what I can do." Adair sighed softly as he closed the box on the fishing pole. "You know how my father can be about me taking time off from work."
Wyatt nodded, reaching up to draw his lover into his lap, kissing him softly. "You get the time off from work. Then I'll talk to the Mystic Man. He tends to be more reasonable than your father."
"That's putting it mildly." The other man snorted, nestling his head on Wyatt's broad shoulder.
He smiled sadly, simply holding his partner. Loving a man did have its drawbacks, but he wouldn't give Adair up for anything in the O.Z.
* * *
Amber Rose woke with a splitting headache, queasy stomach, and a foul taste in her mouth. She always swore she would never drink again and she always did anyway. Luckily, she'd invented the H.C.F.S.H.Q.S.A.B.B. for just that reason. Except, when she rolled over to search for said invention without opening her eyes, she fell off the bed and onto the floor. Puzzled, she sat up and looked around blearily, not recognizing her surroundings at all. Apparently, I didn't go home last night... A low, amused drawl drew her attention to the doorway, "Where are you going, darlin'?"
"Where am I?" she asked, noticing that the tall, lean man was nearly naked. He only wore a pair of pants that rode low on his narrow hips because they weren't fastened. She glanced down at herself and, realizing she was completely naked herself, quickly pulled the sheet off the bed to regain some sense of modesty and dignity.
The stranger laughed, low and deep. It was not a pleasant sound. "It's a little late for that, sweet cheeks. I saw everything last night."
"Y-you did?" Amber Rose inwardly cursed at how squeaky that had sounded. "We, um, we had intimate relations last night?"
He lounged in the doorway, his pants slipping down a little on one hip. "That's one way to put it, doll face."
"Please stop calling me those names," she requested as she got to her feet, keeping the sheet wrapped tightly around her body. "Where are my clothes?"
The man straightened up, an emotion Amber Rose couldn't identify briefly appearing in his gray eyes. "What else am I to call you when you refused to give me your name?"
"Miss would be just fine, thank you," she retorted icily, edging around the bed to search for the dress she'd worn the day before, finding it crumpled in a puddle of burgundy fabric on the other side of the bed.
As she reached down to scoop up the dress, the man commented, "Miss is so boring, though. Wouldn't a nickname be better?"
"Not the ones you're coming up with." Keeping the sheet drawn tight around her, she slipped through the other door she'd spotted, grateful to find that it led to a bathroom.
By the time she emerged fully-dressed from the bathroom, the stranger had stretched out on the bed, the sheets strategically draped over his now-nude form, an inviting smile on his face. "Come on, darlin', one more for the road."
"No. Good day, Mr. Zero." Her head held high despite the way it pounded, Amber Rose left his apartment. Once outside the building, she hailed a cab to take her to the palace. She really needed that Hangover Cure for Splitting Headaches, Queasy Stomachs, and Bad Breath now.
When she arrived at the palace, the footman who opened the door for her didn't even raise an eyebrow at her disheveled hair and crumpled dress. He simply paid the cabbie for her while she proceeded inside and up to her rooms. Once safe inside them, she downed a healthy swallow of the H.C.F.S.H.Q.S.A.B.B. along with a M.A.U.P.S.P. due to the 'intimate relations' and indulged in a long, hot shower, washing away any and all traces of the previous night's activities. First time that's happened. Good thing I'm always prepared…
"Good morning, Amber Rose." The Queen's voice was the last one the Royal Advisor expected to hear upon her emergence from the bathroom.
"Majesty!" Keeping her towel wrapped tight around her, Amber Rose curtseyed briefly, absently noticing that her maid was not present in the room, probably at the Queen's request. "What brings you to my rooms at this hour of the morning?"
"Concern for you, my friend." Violetta watched calmly as the brunette gathered a forest green dress from the closet and suitable undergarments from the dresser before disappearing behind the changing screen to dress. "You left the palace yesterday afternoon and didn't return until about an hour ago."
Flattered by the Queen's concern for her, the Royal Advisor draped the now-damp towel over the screen and began to put on her undergarments. "Why would that concern you? I could have been seeing someone."
Violetta's voice was almost maddeningly calm when she answered. "Yes, but what I've heard is that the person you left here to see is not the same person who owns the apartment where you spent the night."
Amber Rose smiled wryly as she slipped into the dress. This wasn't the first time her movements had been reported to the Queen. "I didn't exactly intend to spend the night with anyone last night. It just happened."
"Please be careful, Amber Rose." Lavender eyes met brown when the Royal Advisor emerged from behind the changing screen, mostly dressed. "I can easily appoint someone else as my Royal Advisor, but I can't appoint someone else as my best friend."
"Thank you, Violetta." She smiled faintly, daring to briefly rest her hand on the Queen's shoulder. "I can assure you that I don't intend for a repeat of last night to take place."
"Good." The Queen embraced the Royal Advisor briefly before exiting the rooms. Once she had, Amber Rose's maid entered to help her finish getting dressed.
* * *
Having grown up in Central City, Adair had never really gone camping or fishing. Wyatt had always intended to change that, but this trip was the first chance he'd had to do so. Except his efforts to teach his lover didn't go quite as planned. Adair just wasn't very good at fishing. He seemed more than content to lay with his head pillowed on Wyatt's thigh while the Tin Man did the fishing. One such time, he asked quietly, "Do you ever miss your family's ranch?"
"What brought this question on?" Wyatt asked, glancing down at his partner.
Adair shrugged, his slender hands folded together on his stomach. "You enjoy all of this so much; I can't help wondering why you gave it up in the first place."
"I left the ranch so I could be a Tin Man," he explained, cranking the reel to bring the line back in. He had to admit that the reel made it much easier to fish. "I knew I'd be giving up some things I love in order to do that."
Brown eyes peered up at him thoughtfully. "Have you ever regretted that decision?"
"No. I enjoy being a Tin Man." He smiled fondly, reaching down with his free hand to stroke Adair's soft brown hair. "And I met you. How could I regret it?"
Smiling, Adair caught his hand and kissed the palm. "Thank you."
"For what?" Wyatt reluctantly freed his hand so he could continue reeling in the line.
"For being you. For loving me." The younger man smiled and watched Wyatt. "I was getting stuck in a rut when I met you. Then my life changed and I couldn't be happier."
He finished reeling in the line and set the fishing pole aside. Gently easing Adair into a sitting position, he kissed him. His lover moaned and returned the kiss quite happily.
* * *
Amber Rose descended the front stairs of the palace at a dignified yet quick pace. The man waiting by the front doors of the palace was very familiar to her, despite the fact that she hadn't seen him in several weeks. "Mr. Cain. What brings you to the palace? Does the Mystic Man need an audience with the Queen?"
"No, I came to see you, Miss Amber Rose," he replied, lifting the box he held in one hand. It was the S.F.P.W.R.A. she'd invented. "I'm here to report on the fishing pole you asked me to field test for you."
She nodded and gestured for him to come up the stairs. "If you'll follow me?"
"Certainly." Wyatt climbed the stairs and followed Amber Rose to her laboratory.
The Royal Advisor cleared off the only chair in the room and gestured for Wyatt to sit. "Please, have a seat."
"Thank you." He sat down in the chair and set the box on the floor beside it. While Amber Rose pulled the stool over to face the Tin Man, he looked around the room. It was neat with boxes of labeled parts against the walls. Her tools hung on a peg board over the work area. A filing cabinet stood in the corner near there, with labels on each drawer.
Amber Rose settled properly on her stool. "How did the field test work out?"
"Quite well," Wyatt replied, returning his attention to her. "The pole itself didn't fall apart like my old one would and the reel certainly made it easier to pull in the fish."
She nodded, making notes on the board perched on her knees. "Good, those were my chief concerns. Did you have any problems?"
"Not really. It worked fine." He smiled quietly to himself. "Adair did comment that he wished you could somehow invent fake worms that we could use as bait. He didn't really like having to put them on the hook."
The Royal Advisor shuddered at the thought and nodded. "I completely sympathize. I don't know how you can stand to look at worms, let alone pick them up and put them on the hook."
"I've been doing it since I was a boy," the Tin Man answered with a shrug. "I've never really thought about it."
She shook her head, smiling wryly. "I'll see if I can't come up with something."
"It wasn't a hint," Wyatt told her, blue eyes widening briefly with surprise. "I didn't mean for you to actually invent something."
Amber Rose smiled quietly. "I'll consider it a challenge."
"Okay." He gave her an odd look. "Well, that's it, really. I'll leave you to your inventing."
She got to her feet, hiding her disappointment that he was leaving so soon. "Thank you for your report. It was most helpful."
"Thank you for letting me field test it." The Tin Man stood up when she did.
The Royal Advisor picked up the box and held it out to him. "Keep it. I can easily make another."
"You're sure?" Wyatt didn't take the box right away.
Amber Rose nodded firmly. "Quite certain."
"All right." He took the box. "Thank you."
"Thank you." She walked him down the stairs and saw him out the door. Sighing softly, she returned to her laboratory. When the Queen checked on the Royal Advisor a few minutes later, the former found the latter buried deep in her work.
End Chapter
A/N2: For the record, if people want a visual image for Adair, picture Dr. Spencer Reid from Criminal Minds. For lots of pictures of him and the actor in other roles, go here. I have a hair fetish, so this picspam made me very happy. I especially like the season two hair. That's about how I visualize Adair's hair. Amber Rose is pretty much Alan Cumming with longer hair and boobs.