Fanfiction: Tin Man (PG)
Title: The Road Less Traveled
Pairing/Characters: 'Ambrose', 'Lavender Eyes', Ahamo, Wyatt Cain, 'Adora' Cain; 'Lavender Eyes'/Ahamo, Wyatt/'Adora'
Rating: PG
Fandom: Tin Man
Word Count: 2,752
Spoilers: Whole miniseries
Summary: Amber Rose becomes good friends with Wyatt and Adair.
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
Sounding board: unicorn_catcher
Previous Chapter(s): 1. Rocky Beginning, 2. Smoothing the Way, 3. Hidden Bumps, 4. Getting Over the Bumps, 5. Roadwork Ahead!, 6. Repairing the Road
The Road Less Traveled
7. Good Road
Several days after Baldwin Brandt made his confession to the Tin Man chief, the Royal Advisor sat with the Queen as she explained how everything had occurred. "Baldwin Brandt was raised in a very conservative environment. He was taught that loving another man was wrong and that he should avoid homosexuals." Amber Rose shook her head slightly. She couldn't imagine anyone actually thinking something like that, let alone teaching it to their children. "Adair Walker befriended Mr. Brandt upon meeting him and only after the friendship had been established did the latter discover that the former was homosexual. Mr. Brandt chose to continue the friendship because he didn't want to hurt Mr. Walker's feelings."
"He can think for himself, then," Violetta mused, tapping a finger on the arm of her chair. "That's a good sign." She looked at her friend. "Why did he attack Mr. Walker?"
She finished her drink of water and continued her explanation. "Over time, Mr. Brandt's feelings for Mr. Walker strengthened and developed into attraction. On the evening of the attack, something happened that caused Mr. Brandt to lash out at Mr. Walker, beating him into unconsciousness. Mr. Brandt panicked once he realized what he had done and dragged Mr. Walker to the alley where I discovered him."
"Mr. Brandt is lucky you did discover Mr. Walker, otherwise his penalty would be more severe than it is," the Queen commented thoughtfully. "Why did Mr. Brandt confess? After all, he was not the one under suspicion."
The Royal Advisor hid a grimace, remembering the interview with Zero quite clearly. "It is my understanding that he felt so guilty and wretched about hurting Mr. Walker, who had treated him with nothing but kindness that he finally asked to speak with the Tin Man chief, intending to make his confession."
"Instead, he confessed to Mr. Cain, correct?" Violetta asked, having heard some rumors about the spontaneous confession already.
Amber Rose nodded, still feeling a little surprised and shocked over witnessing the rather extraordinary event. "Yes, Violetta. He was aware of Mr. Cain's relationship with Mr. Walker and encountering him so suddenly brought it all out."
"I see." The Queen sat back in her chair, considering for several moments. She soon returned her attention to the Royal Advisor. "Thank you for keeping me aware of these events."
She nodded, smiling faintly as she rose to her feet. "You're welcome."
Violetta reached up and caught Amber Rose's hand. "What about Mr. Topple? Is he being dealt with appropriately?"
"Yes." The Royal Advisor patted the Queen's hand reassuringly. "The Chief has promised to take care of the problem. She said he hasn't followed proper procedure before, but I was the first to actually complain about it."
The other woman nodded and released her friend's hand, rising to her feet. "Good." As they walked to the door together, she asked, "Are there any further pressing matters that need to be addressed today?"
"None that I know of, Majesty." Though they exited the room together, Amber Rose walked on Violetta's left side, a pace behind her.
The Queen nodded, her voice sounding satisfied. "Good. Come, let's visit Princess Azkadellia together. I'm sure she would love to see her Aunt."
"Yes, Majesty." The Royal Advisor smiled, looking forward to seeing the two-year-old princess. It was probably the closest she was going to get to having children of her own.
* * *
As the years passed, Amber Rose became a good friend of not only Wyatt, but Adair as well. The two men enjoyed talking with her, as she could talk knowledgeably about many things, but always in such a way that neither felt stupid about what they didn't know. She often brought inventions for them to 'field test' for her, most of which she left with them once the 'testing' was finished.
One evening, Wyatt found Amber Rose sitting and talking with Adair when he got home from work. "How are you this evening, Amber Rose?"
"I am well, Wyatt, thank you." She smiled, watching as Adair rose to take Wyatt's hat, coat, and gun, hanging them up for him. "And you?"
"Better now that I'm home," he answered, sharing a soft kiss with his lover. "How are you, Adair?"
The taller man smiled, running his fingers through the shorter man's blond hair. "Better with you home now."
"You're just saying that," Wyatt teased, resting his hands on Adair's hips.
The brunette shook his head, leaning in to kiss the blond again, deeper this time. "I'm always happiest with you."
"Sap," he accused with gentle fondness.
Adair lightly rubbed his nose against Wyatt's. "You know you love it."
"Okay, you lovebirds," Amber Rose gently broke in. "I had a reason for coming by today other than enjoying your company."
The two men sat down on the couch opposite her chair. Wyatt gestured for her to proceed. "What brings you to our humble home tonight?"
"The Queen just told me today that she and the King Consort are expecting another child," Amber Rose informed them with a smile.
Despite the smile, Wyatt noticed a shadow in Amber Rose's brown eyes. "Is there something wrong with the Queen having another child?"
"Oh, no." Amber Rose shook her head quickly. "I'm very happy for the Royal family. Ahamo and Violetta were both only children and have wanted to have more than one."
Adair raised an eyebrow, asking with a wry smile, "What about the Princess?"
"Azkadee has wanted a little brother or sister for ages." No shadow crossed the Royal Advisor's eyes this time. "She's delighted to be a big sister."
Wyatt felt Adair's hand cover his and squeezed it gently. "Please give our congratulations to the Queen and the rest of the Royal family."
"I will." Amber Rose nodded and, for a brief moment, the Tin Man thought her eyes looked wet. He dismissed the idea the next instant because there was no sign of tears in them as the three of them continued to talk.
* * *
To escape the oppressive heat of Central City in the middle of the summer, a majority of the wealthier citizens left for cooler climates. The Royal family was no exception, especially this year, with the Queen due to give birth in just a few months. They traveled to Finaqua, as they always did, and spent the first day re-exploring the summer palace.
That night, however, Amber Rose had trouble getting to sleep, as she usually did when she changed her residence. Instead of fight it, she made her way down to the kitchen to have a little snack. When she reached it, she was surprised to find the Queen there, eating a slice of cheesecake. "Oh, your Majesty! I didn't expect to find you here."
"It's all right, Amber Rose. Please come in." Violetta gestured for her friend to continue into the kitchen. "I knew you'd come eventually."
"You know me too well." The Royal Advisor went to the K.C.F.C.S.U. and pulled out a red and green apple.
The Queen watched as the other woman chopped the apple and added a dollop of peanut butter to her plate. "After all these years, I should hope I'd know you well enough to predict small habits like this one."
"Of course." Amber Rose carried her plate to the table and sat down across from Violetta. "Does the cheesecake still taste fine?"
The Queen nodded and used her magic to cut off a bite and offer it to the Royal Advisor. "Yes, but why don't you try it for yourself."
"Thank you, Violetta." Amber Rose leaned forward to eat the cheesecake. "I'd say I got all of the bugs worked out of the K.C.F.C.S.U. this time."
Violetta nodded, continuing to eat. "It certainly seems so."
The two women ate in silence for a few moments, enjoying their midnight snacks. It didn't really surprise the Royal Advisor when the Queen finished hers first. However, she didn't immediately get up to return to bed, which did surprise her friend. Swallowing her bite of apple, Amber Rose asked, "Did you have something you wished to discuss me?"
"I did, yes." Violetta smiled wryly. "I've been having the same dream for about a month now. I think it's a premonition."
A dark eyebrow arched and the Royal Advisor leaned forward, brown eyes meeting lavender. "What is it about?"
"At first, all I see are two dolls spinning in the air, one in a pink dress, the other in a green dress," the Queen began without further prompting. That, more than anything else told Amber Rose that Violetta had deliberately come to the kitchen to speak with her. "As they spin, the green doll stops short and starts to fall. I reach out to catch it, but another hand catches it first. After a few moments, the doll rights itself and starts to spin again. That's when I woke up."
The Royal Advisor listened without interrupting. After a few moments of silence, she asked, "Do you have any idea what the dream means?"
"None yet," the Queen admitted, lavender eyes troubled. "I read through all of the books on Seeing dreams in the Central City palace and I intend to do the same here."
"Would you like me to help?" Amber Rose made the offer almost on instinct, but it didn't make it any less sincere.
Violetta nodded, her smile relieved. "Yes, please. Some of the books are up high, where I can't get at them." She gently stroked her pregnancy-swollen stomach.
"That's what your magic is for," she gently teased.
As she'd intended, her friend laughed. "I'd also like the chance to spend more time with you, Amber Rose."
"I'm honored and flattered, Violetta."
"It is I who is honored and flattered."
"Then it's mutual."
They laughed together and the Queen excused herself a few moments later. Left by herself, the Royal Advisor frowned with thought, pondering the dream and what it could mean.
* * *
A few months later, Wyatt was the first to arrive home. He'd hardly begun to cook dinner when a knock on the door distracted him. Wondering who it could be, he went to answer it and smiled when he saw his visitor. "Amber Rose. The Royal family has returned to Central City, then?"
"Yes, we returned a little earlier than we originally planned to." The Royal Advisor entered at a gesture from the Tin Man.
He took her coat and hung it on the A.C.H.A.G.R. she'd designed and built. "Will you join us for dinner? I can cook for three as easily as two."
"Thank you; that would be nice." She smiled, brushing her curls back from her face. "Is Adair home yet?"
Wyatt shook his head, going into the kitchen to continue his preparations. "No, not yet, though he should be any minute now."
"Good. I have news and I'd rather not share it twice when once will suffice." She perched on a stool in the corner to watch as he cooked.
At first, her habit of watching him had unnerved Wyatt, but he'd grown used to it, because it was her way of learning how to cook. She could make fairly simple dishes now, but confessed that she still preferred working in her laboratory than in the kitchen. "So, are you going to give me any hints about this news you have to share?"
"No." Her tone was playful, but he knew she meant it. "You'll find out at the same time as Adair. I'm sure you'll be pleased when you hear it, though."
He laughed, and offered her a spoonful of sauce. "How does that taste?"
She steadied the spoon with a hand on his wrist as she tried the sauce. "Mmm. Good. You added something new to it, didn't you?"
"A little extra spice," he admitted, setting the sauce aside to simmer as he started the noodles. "We can't always afford it, but it was on special in the market, so I bought some to surprise him." He turned and pressed a finger to his lips. "So don't tell him before he tastes it."
Amber Rose smiled and nodded, pretending to zip her lips. "I won't breathe a word."
"Good." He turned back to check the pasta, just as the door of the apartment opened.
Wyatt smiled when Adair's voice floated into the kitchen. "Wyatt? Amber Rose?"
"In the kitchen, Adair," he called, placing a lid over the pan of sauce.
The blond turned to the kitchen doorway just as Adair appeared there, smiling. The brunette greeted his lover with a sweet kiss before turning to their friend. "Hello, Amber Rose."
"Hello, Adair." She offered her hand to him and he kissed the back.
"What brings you here?" he asked, going to the K.C.F.C.S.U. to retrieve the fixings for a salad.
Rising to her feet, Amber Rose extracted plates, knives, and forks from the cupboards. She always insisted on setting the table. "I have news to share with you both and Wyatt was kind enough to invite me for dinner as well."
Adair nodded, putting the salad together while Wyatt mixed the pasta and sauce together. "I bet you didn't tell Wyatt the news and he's been curious ever since."
"That's not a bet at all," she retorted with a laugh, putting everything in place. "He can be as bad as a cat."
Wyatt set the pasta on the table while Adair placed the salad next to it. "'He' is right here, you know."
"We're just teasing," Amber Rose told him, patting a broad shoulder as she passed him on her way to the K.C.F.C.S.U.
Adair slipped his arms around Wyatt's waist and kissed his cheek. "And we only tease you because we love you, right, Amber Rose?"
"Right, Adair." For a moment, the Tin Man thought the Royal Advisor's voice had trembled, but decided he'd imagined it when her voice was perfectly steady as she poured the wine she'd brought with her. "We wouldn't tease you if we didn't love you."
He shook his head fondly as Adair helped her carry the wineglasses to the table and set them by their plates. "That's what you always say."
"Do you doubt us?" Adair asked as he held Amber Rose's chair out for her.
Wyatt shook his head as he held Adair's chair for him. "No, I don't doubt your feelings at all. Just your motivations."
"I think that's supposed to be a good thing," the brunette commented to Amber Rose as the blond took his seat.
She nodded as she spread her napkin in her lap. "I think you're right."
"All right, you two," he broke in with a playful growl, making them laugh. "Are we going to eat or chat?"
The two brunettes exchanged glances before answering in chorus. "Eat!"
"I'm surrounded by comedians." Wyatt pretended to be annoyed, but he couldn't hide the smile on his face.
His smile grew when Adair tasted the sauce. His brown eyes widened and he grinned with delight. "You added sheyroot!"
"Yes, I did. I knew you'd like it." His lover leaned over to kiss his cheek, further proving that he liked his surprise.
The rest of dinner passed in relative silence. One by one, they pushed their plates away, full of the delicious meal. Adair refilled their glasses before turning to Amber Rose. "What's this news you have to share?"
"The Queen gave birth earlier than the medicos predicted," Amber Rose explained, half-rising from her seat to pull an envelope out of the pocket of her skirt. "Though the Viewer the Queen spoke to said the new Princess would arrive right around this time."
The Royal Advisor handed Wyatt the envelope. He raised an eyebrow at her and she nodded. Shrugging, he opened the envelope and withdrew an elegant invitation. At the top was the official coat of arms of the Queen. Written in an elegant hand below the coat of arms was an invitation to a ball celebrating the birth of Princess Doratheagael. After reading the invitation, Wyatt handed it to Adair and asked, "We're invited?"
"Yes. I'm always allowed to invite someone to the balls, but I've never really wanted to," Amber Rose explained. "Not until we became friends, anyway." She glanced down, fidgeting with her glass of wine. "I hope you'll come."
Adair nudged Wyatt. He looked at his lover questioningly. The taller man nodded, brown eyes bright with delight. Turning back to the woman, the shorter man told her, "We'll be there."
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
Fandom: Tin Man
Word Count: 2,752
Spoilers: Whole miniseries
Summary: Amber Rose becomes good friends with Wyatt and Adair.
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
Sounding board: unicorn_catcher
Previous Chapter(s): 1. Rocky Beginning, 2. Smoothing the Way, 3. Hidden Bumps, 4. Getting Over the Bumps, 5. Roadwork Ahead!, 6. Repairing the Road
The Road Less Traveled
7. Good Road
Several days after Baldwin Brandt made his confession to the Tin Man chief, the Royal Advisor sat with the Queen as she explained how everything had occurred. "Baldwin Brandt was raised in a very conservative environment. He was taught that loving another man was wrong and that he should avoid homosexuals." Amber Rose shook her head slightly. She couldn't imagine anyone actually thinking something like that, let alone teaching it to their children. "Adair Walker befriended Mr. Brandt upon meeting him and only after the friendship had been established did the latter discover that the former was homosexual. Mr. Brandt chose to continue the friendship because he didn't want to hurt Mr. Walker's feelings."
"He can think for himself, then," Violetta mused, tapping a finger on the arm of her chair. "That's a good sign." She looked at her friend. "Why did he attack Mr. Walker?"
She finished her drink of water and continued her explanation. "Over time, Mr. Brandt's feelings for Mr. Walker strengthened and developed into attraction. On the evening of the attack, something happened that caused Mr. Brandt to lash out at Mr. Walker, beating him into unconsciousness. Mr. Brandt panicked once he realized what he had done and dragged Mr. Walker to the alley where I discovered him."
"Mr. Brandt is lucky you did discover Mr. Walker, otherwise his penalty would be more severe than it is," the Queen commented thoughtfully. "Why did Mr. Brandt confess? After all, he was not the one under suspicion."
The Royal Advisor hid a grimace, remembering the interview with Zero quite clearly. "It is my understanding that he felt so guilty and wretched about hurting Mr. Walker, who had treated him with nothing but kindness that he finally asked to speak with the Tin Man chief, intending to make his confession."
"Instead, he confessed to Mr. Cain, correct?" Violetta asked, having heard some rumors about the spontaneous confession already.
Amber Rose nodded, still feeling a little surprised and shocked over witnessing the rather extraordinary event. "Yes, Violetta. He was aware of Mr. Cain's relationship with Mr. Walker and encountering him so suddenly brought it all out."
"I see." The Queen sat back in her chair, considering for several moments. She soon returned her attention to the Royal Advisor. "Thank you for keeping me aware of these events."
She nodded, smiling faintly as she rose to her feet. "You're welcome."
Violetta reached up and caught Amber Rose's hand. "What about Mr. Topple? Is he being dealt with appropriately?"
"Yes." The Royal Advisor patted the Queen's hand reassuringly. "The Chief has promised to take care of the problem. She said he hasn't followed proper procedure before, but I was the first to actually complain about it."
The other woman nodded and released her friend's hand, rising to her feet. "Good." As they walked to the door together, she asked, "Are there any further pressing matters that need to be addressed today?"
"None that I know of, Majesty." Though they exited the room together, Amber Rose walked on Violetta's left side, a pace behind her.
The Queen nodded, her voice sounding satisfied. "Good. Come, let's visit Princess Azkadellia together. I'm sure she would love to see her Aunt."
"Yes, Majesty." The Royal Advisor smiled, looking forward to seeing the two-year-old princess. It was probably the closest she was going to get to having children of her own.
* * *
As the years passed, Amber Rose became a good friend of not only Wyatt, but Adair as well. The two men enjoyed talking with her, as she could talk knowledgeably about many things, but always in such a way that neither felt stupid about what they didn't know. She often brought inventions for them to 'field test' for her, most of which she left with them once the 'testing' was finished.
One evening, Wyatt found Amber Rose sitting and talking with Adair when he got home from work. "How are you this evening, Amber Rose?"
"I am well, Wyatt, thank you." She smiled, watching as Adair rose to take Wyatt's hat, coat, and gun, hanging them up for him. "And you?"
"Better now that I'm home," he answered, sharing a soft kiss with his lover. "How are you, Adair?"
The taller man smiled, running his fingers through the shorter man's blond hair. "Better with you home now."
"You're just saying that," Wyatt teased, resting his hands on Adair's hips.
The brunette shook his head, leaning in to kiss the blond again, deeper this time. "I'm always happiest with you."
"Sap," he accused with gentle fondness.
Adair lightly rubbed his nose against Wyatt's. "You know you love it."
"Okay, you lovebirds," Amber Rose gently broke in. "I had a reason for coming by today other than enjoying your company."
The two men sat down on the couch opposite her chair. Wyatt gestured for her to proceed. "What brings you to our humble home tonight?"
"The Queen just told me today that she and the King Consort are expecting another child," Amber Rose informed them with a smile.
Despite the smile, Wyatt noticed a shadow in Amber Rose's brown eyes. "Is there something wrong with the Queen having another child?"
"Oh, no." Amber Rose shook her head quickly. "I'm very happy for the Royal family. Ahamo and Violetta were both only children and have wanted to have more than one."
Adair raised an eyebrow, asking with a wry smile, "What about the Princess?"
"Azkadee has wanted a little brother or sister for ages." No shadow crossed the Royal Advisor's eyes this time. "She's delighted to be a big sister."
Wyatt felt Adair's hand cover his and squeezed it gently. "Please give our congratulations to the Queen and the rest of the Royal family."
"I will." Amber Rose nodded and, for a brief moment, the Tin Man thought her eyes looked wet. He dismissed the idea the next instant because there was no sign of tears in them as the three of them continued to talk.
* * *
To escape the oppressive heat of Central City in the middle of the summer, a majority of the wealthier citizens left for cooler climates. The Royal family was no exception, especially this year, with the Queen due to give birth in just a few months. They traveled to Finaqua, as they always did, and spent the first day re-exploring the summer palace.
That night, however, Amber Rose had trouble getting to sleep, as she usually did when she changed her residence. Instead of fight it, she made her way down to the kitchen to have a little snack. When she reached it, she was surprised to find the Queen there, eating a slice of cheesecake. "Oh, your Majesty! I didn't expect to find you here."
"It's all right, Amber Rose. Please come in." Violetta gestured for her friend to continue into the kitchen. "I knew you'd come eventually."
"You know me too well." The Royal Advisor went to the K.C.F.C.S.U. and pulled out a red and green apple.
The Queen watched as the other woman chopped the apple and added a dollop of peanut butter to her plate. "After all these years, I should hope I'd know you well enough to predict small habits like this one."
"Of course." Amber Rose carried her plate to the table and sat down across from Violetta. "Does the cheesecake still taste fine?"
The Queen nodded and used her magic to cut off a bite and offer it to the Royal Advisor. "Yes, but why don't you try it for yourself."
"Thank you, Violetta." Amber Rose leaned forward to eat the cheesecake. "I'd say I got all of the bugs worked out of the K.C.F.C.S.U. this time."
Violetta nodded, continuing to eat. "It certainly seems so."
The two women ate in silence for a few moments, enjoying their midnight snacks. It didn't really surprise the Royal Advisor when the Queen finished hers first. However, she didn't immediately get up to return to bed, which did surprise her friend. Swallowing her bite of apple, Amber Rose asked, "Did you have something you wished to discuss me?"
"I did, yes." Violetta smiled wryly. "I've been having the same dream for about a month now. I think it's a premonition."
A dark eyebrow arched and the Royal Advisor leaned forward, brown eyes meeting lavender. "What is it about?"
"At first, all I see are two dolls spinning in the air, one in a pink dress, the other in a green dress," the Queen began without further prompting. That, more than anything else told Amber Rose that Violetta had deliberately come to the kitchen to speak with her. "As they spin, the green doll stops short and starts to fall. I reach out to catch it, but another hand catches it first. After a few moments, the doll rights itself and starts to spin again. That's when I woke up."
The Royal Advisor listened without interrupting. After a few moments of silence, she asked, "Do you have any idea what the dream means?"
"None yet," the Queen admitted, lavender eyes troubled. "I read through all of the books on Seeing dreams in the Central City palace and I intend to do the same here."
"Would you like me to help?" Amber Rose made the offer almost on instinct, but it didn't make it any less sincere.
Violetta nodded, her smile relieved. "Yes, please. Some of the books are up high, where I can't get at them." She gently stroked her pregnancy-swollen stomach.
"That's what your magic is for," she gently teased.
As she'd intended, her friend laughed. "I'd also like the chance to spend more time with you, Amber Rose."
"I'm honored and flattered, Violetta."
"It is I who is honored and flattered."
"Then it's mutual."
They laughed together and the Queen excused herself a few moments later. Left by herself, the Royal Advisor frowned with thought, pondering the dream and what it could mean.
* * *
A few months later, Wyatt was the first to arrive home. He'd hardly begun to cook dinner when a knock on the door distracted him. Wondering who it could be, he went to answer it and smiled when he saw his visitor. "Amber Rose. The Royal family has returned to Central City, then?"
"Yes, we returned a little earlier than we originally planned to." The Royal Advisor entered at a gesture from the Tin Man.
He took her coat and hung it on the A.C.H.A.G.R. she'd designed and built. "Will you join us for dinner? I can cook for three as easily as two."
"Thank you; that would be nice." She smiled, brushing her curls back from her face. "Is Adair home yet?"
Wyatt shook his head, going into the kitchen to continue his preparations. "No, not yet, though he should be any minute now."
"Good. I have news and I'd rather not share it twice when once will suffice." She perched on a stool in the corner to watch as he cooked.
At first, her habit of watching him had unnerved Wyatt, but he'd grown used to it, because it was her way of learning how to cook. She could make fairly simple dishes now, but confessed that she still preferred working in her laboratory than in the kitchen. "So, are you going to give me any hints about this news you have to share?"
"No." Her tone was playful, but he knew she meant it. "You'll find out at the same time as Adair. I'm sure you'll be pleased when you hear it, though."
He laughed, and offered her a spoonful of sauce. "How does that taste?"
She steadied the spoon with a hand on his wrist as she tried the sauce. "Mmm. Good. You added something new to it, didn't you?"
"A little extra spice," he admitted, setting the sauce aside to simmer as he started the noodles. "We can't always afford it, but it was on special in the market, so I bought some to surprise him." He turned and pressed a finger to his lips. "So don't tell him before he tastes it."
Amber Rose smiled and nodded, pretending to zip her lips. "I won't breathe a word."
"Good." He turned back to check the pasta, just as the door of the apartment opened.
Wyatt smiled when Adair's voice floated into the kitchen. "Wyatt? Amber Rose?"
"In the kitchen, Adair," he called, placing a lid over the pan of sauce.
The blond turned to the kitchen doorway just as Adair appeared there, smiling. The brunette greeted his lover with a sweet kiss before turning to their friend. "Hello, Amber Rose."
"Hello, Adair." She offered her hand to him and he kissed the back.
"What brings you here?" he asked, going to the K.C.F.C.S.U. to retrieve the fixings for a salad.
Rising to her feet, Amber Rose extracted plates, knives, and forks from the cupboards. She always insisted on setting the table. "I have news to share with you both and Wyatt was kind enough to invite me for dinner as well."
Adair nodded, putting the salad together while Wyatt mixed the pasta and sauce together. "I bet you didn't tell Wyatt the news and he's been curious ever since."
"That's not a bet at all," she retorted with a laugh, putting everything in place. "He can be as bad as a cat."
Wyatt set the pasta on the table while Adair placed the salad next to it. "'He' is right here, you know."
"We're just teasing," Amber Rose told him, patting a broad shoulder as she passed him on her way to the K.C.F.C.S.U.
Adair slipped his arms around Wyatt's waist and kissed his cheek. "And we only tease you because we love you, right, Amber Rose?"
"Right, Adair." For a moment, the Tin Man thought the Royal Advisor's voice had trembled, but decided he'd imagined it when her voice was perfectly steady as she poured the wine she'd brought with her. "We wouldn't tease you if we didn't love you."
He shook his head fondly as Adair helped her carry the wineglasses to the table and set them by their plates. "That's what you always say."
"Do you doubt us?" Adair asked as he held Amber Rose's chair out for her.
Wyatt shook his head as he held Adair's chair for him. "No, I don't doubt your feelings at all. Just your motivations."
"I think that's supposed to be a good thing," the brunette commented to Amber Rose as the blond took his seat.
She nodded as she spread her napkin in her lap. "I think you're right."
"All right, you two," he broke in with a playful growl, making them laugh. "Are we going to eat or chat?"
The two brunettes exchanged glances before answering in chorus. "Eat!"
"I'm surrounded by comedians." Wyatt pretended to be annoyed, but he couldn't hide the smile on his face.
His smile grew when Adair tasted the sauce. His brown eyes widened and he grinned with delight. "You added sheyroot!"
"Yes, I did. I knew you'd like it." His lover leaned over to kiss his cheek, further proving that he liked his surprise.
The rest of dinner passed in relative silence. One by one, they pushed their plates away, full of the delicious meal. Adair refilled their glasses before turning to Amber Rose. "What's this news you have to share?"
"The Queen gave birth earlier than the medicos predicted," Amber Rose explained, half-rising from her seat to pull an envelope out of the pocket of her skirt. "Though the Viewer the Queen spoke to said the new Princess would arrive right around this time."
The Royal Advisor handed Wyatt the envelope. He raised an eyebrow at her and she nodded. Shrugging, he opened the envelope and withdrew an elegant invitation. At the top was the official coat of arms of the Queen. Written in an elegant hand below the coat of arms was an invitation to a ball celebrating the birth of Princess Doratheagael. After reading the invitation, Wyatt handed it to Adair and asked, "We're invited?"
"Yes. I'm always allowed to invite someone to the balls, but I've never really wanted to," Amber Rose explained. "Not until we became friends, anyway." She glanced down, fidgeting with her glass of wine. "I hope you'll come."
Adair nudged Wyatt. He looked at his lover questioningly. The taller man nodded, brown eyes bright with delight. Turning back to the woman, the shorter man told her, "We'll be there."
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.