Birthday TM fic: I'll Hold Your Hands, They're Just Like Ice
Title: I'll Hold Your Hands, They're Just Like Ice
Characters: Glitch/Cain, Azkadellia, mention of DG and Ahamo
Rating: PG
Summary: In which Cain fusses and Glitch feels loved.
Notes: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, lionille!!!! This story is for you! Title taken from lyrics to "Baby, It's Cold Outside," a song once covered by Alan Cumming. Thanks kindly to kseda for the quick beta!
The thick layer of frost on the window created a fragile frame for the show happening outside in the overcast afternoon light, a dramatic dance of fat white snowflakes that changed direction every few breaths. Cain was beginning to suspect that the mythological Colossus there was even now out there, standing over the Palace and sweeping the flurries around with his massive stone hands.
Shaking off the absurd thought, Cain pushed away from the window’s edge and rubbed his arms, warding off a chill at the mere sight of the storm. He had done everything he could to distract himself: tending the fire in the den, setting a stack of thick blankets on the brick hearth to warm. Checking that the kitchen had hot water and tea on hand.
Cain hated waiting. Especially when he was waiting for Glitch to come home.
Glitch and Azkadellia should have been back by now. They were supposed to be back before the worst of the snowstorm reached the city. Glitch had insisted on driving over to the Tower to secure the brain room against the oncoming weather, Azkadellia offering to go with him since she still held primary control over the structure.
It wasn’t until after they had left that Cain found out. He had not been pleased, but there hadn’t been anything he could do but stay home and worry.
Dark movement caught Cain’s eye and he squinted through the snowfall, barely making out a pair of figures coming up the road from the north.
Walking. Through the storm.
By the will of the gods...
Cain leaped off the window seat and made a mad dash for the door, his shoes slipping on the wet floor in the entryway as he fumbled for the handle. “They’re coming and they’re on foot,” he bellowed to no one in particular though he knew several of the other residents were hovering nearby in the den or at other windows.
Charging through the snowdrifts, ignoring the biting wind, Cain caught up to the slowly approaching Princess and Advisor. Glitch held Azkadellia closely; his own jacket was wrapped tightly all around her. The both of them raised their head stiffly against the biting wind as Cain reached them with DG and Ahamo close behind.
Taking Glitch against his body while Azkadellia was huddled with her father and sister, the five of them hurried up the steps as quickly as the half-frozen pair could manage. Someone closed the door behind them.
With the deafening gusts cut off by solid oak, Cain was free to begin his tirade, even as his careful, concerned attention betrayed his worry. “What were you two thinking, leaving the safety of this place when a storm like that was coming in? And why in all the realms were you walking in that? Where’s the car?”
Glitch shook the snow from his hair, the wild curls frozen solid. He let Cain’s words flow over him, comforted by their intensity and knowing the reasons behind it only made him feel better. Before he knew it, his outer most layers that had been soaked through had been removed and he was bundled up in front of the fire with two blankets, a third smaller one wrapped tightly around his numb feet.
Sitting on the floor and pulling Glitch against his chest, settling him between his legs, Cain sighed petulantly. He tucked Glitch’s head up under his chin, the zipper almost unbearably cold. The skin around the end was red and Cain knew if they had been out there much longer, there was a very distinct possibility of frostbite around the metal.
Nearby, Azkadellia had received similar treatment, her slight form now lost in a thick pile of warmed blankets. DG was using a towel on the long, dense hair.
“Are you f-finished?” Glitch shivered uncontrollably, trying to untangle his hand to accept the mug of hot tea one of the kitchen staff was offering him.
Cain took the cup himself, letting Glitch take a small drink. “Don’t touch it yet, the mug’s too hot and your fingers are too cold. You’ll burn yourself.” He set it aside after giving Glitch another long swallow. “And no, I’m not finished. What were you doing out there in this weather?” In contrast to his gruff questions, he dug through the layers and found one of Glitch’s hands, massaging and warming it with his own.
“C-car b-b-broke down,” Glitch struggled to say through his shaking jaw.
Glancing over at Azkadellia, Cain saw her nod. “How far back? Were you walking for long?”
“Only about half an hour,” Azkadellia answered, warming up a bit faster since she had been better protected with Glitch’s jacket. “Ambrose was quite the gentleman and very good company despite the horrid conditions.”
Glitch snorted against Cain’s chest, then sniffled loudly. “If you call an inability to stop talking being good company, then I suppose I managed.”
“Other hand,” Cain demanded, getting a hold of a second icy appendage. “Tuck the other one between your legs to keep it warm. Did you manage to get everything taken care of at the Tower?”
“Yes, the brain room will hold up just fine,” Azkadellia said. She sipped at her own mug of tea, sighing softly. “It really is too bad we don’t have a way to move it here. That would certainly make Ambrose’s work less difficult.”
Glitch hummed in agreement. “It would make things much easier,” he agreed. “Tea?”
Cain obediently picked up the mug. “Here, give me your hand,” he said, waiting until Glitch had freed his right hand. He pressed the mug carefully into Glitch’s fingers, then his palm. “Too hot?”
“It feels good,” Glitch nearly purred, getting his other hand out and wrapping them both around the warm ceramic. He moaned into the cup as he took a long drink until it was gone, though he kept the empty vessel hostage. Tucking his head back under Cain’s chin and pressing his zipper into the warm skin he found there, he closed his eyes.
“Hey, Glitch?” Cain asked very softly, noticing how the family gathered near the other side of the fire had closed around each other and were talking quietly, giving the men some semblance of privacy.
“Yeah?” Glitch shifted his head, nuzzling the hollow of Cain’s throat with his still slightly cold nose.
“How come you never asked me to start calling you by your proper name? Everyone else here calls you Ambrose, even DG, but you never correct me when I call you Glitch.”
Cain could feel Glitch’s lips against his skin, the hint of a secret smile. “You’ve only ever known me as I am now, but everyone else knew me before, when I was Ambrose. Even DG remembers me as one of her tutors, as the man who stood alongside her mother at formal receptions. To everyone in this house, I’m Ambrose and always will be. But you...you never knew me as Ambrose. Only Glitch.”
“Is that all right?”
Glitch shrugged with one shoulder. “Right or not, that’s just how it is. To you, I’m Glitch. And yes, I’m more than okay with that. It reminds me that I have you now, that someone could love me for who I’ve become rather than who I had been before.”
Rubbing one hand over Glitch’s back, the other coming up to stroke his thumb over Glitch’s cheek, Cain smiled. He may have been irritated at Glitch for taking off without him, but he couldn’t stay mad for long. Not with Glitch back again, warm and solid in his arms, in front of the fire on a snowy day.
**
End.
Characters: Glitch/Cain, Azkadellia, mention of DG and Ahamo
Rating: PG
Summary: In which Cain fusses and Glitch feels loved.
Notes: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, lionille!!!! This story is for you! Title taken from lyrics to "Baby, It's Cold Outside," a song once covered by Alan Cumming. Thanks kindly to kseda for the quick beta!
The thick layer of frost on the window created a fragile frame for the show happening outside in the overcast afternoon light, a dramatic dance of fat white snowflakes that changed direction every few breaths. Cain was beginning to suspect that the mythological Colossus there was even now out there, standing over the Palace and sweeping the flurries around with his massive stone hands.
Shaking off the absurd thought, Cain pushed away from the window’s edge and rubbed his arms, warding off a chill at the mere sight of the storm. He had done everything he could to distract himself: tending the fire in the den, setting a stack of thick blankets on the brick hearth to warm. Checking that the kitchen had hot water and tea on hand.
Cain hated waiting. Especially when he was waiting for Glitch to come home.
Glitch and Azkadellia should have been back by now. They were supposed to be back before the worst of the snowstorm reached the city. Glitch had insisted on driving over to the Tower to secure the brain room against the oncoming weather, Azkadellia offering to go with him since she still held primary control over the structure.
It wasn’t until after they had left that Cain found out. He had not been pleased, but there hadn’t been anything he could do but stay home and worry.
Dark movement caught Cain’s eye and he squinted through the snowfall, barely making out a pair of figures coming up the road from the north.
Walking. Through the storm.
By the will of the gods...
Cain leaped off the window seat and made a mad dash for the door, his shoes slipping on the wet floor in the entryway as he fumbled for the handle. “They’re coming and they’re on foot,” he bellowed to no one in particular though he knew several of the other residents were hovering nearby in the den or at other windows.
Charging through the snowdrifts, ignoring the biting wind, Cain caught up to the slowly approaching Princess and Advisor. Glitch held Azkadellia closely; his own jacket was wrapped tightly all around her. The both of them raised their head stiffly against the biting wind as Cain reached them with DG and Ahamo close behind.
Taking Glitch against his body while Azkadellia was huddled with her father and sister, the five of them hurried up the steps as quickly as the half-frozen pair could manage. Someone closed the door behind them.
With the deafening gusts cut off by solid oak, Cain was free to begin his tirade, even as his careful, concerned attention betrayed his worry. “What were you two thinking, leaving the safety of this place when a storm like that was coming in? And why in all the realms were you walking in that? Where’s the car?”
Glitch shook the snow from his hair, the wild curls frozen solid. He let Cain’s words flow over him, comforted by their intensity and knowing the reasons behind it only made him feel better. Before he knew it, his outer most layers that had been soaked through had been removed and he was bundled up in front of the fire with two blankets, a third smaller one wrapped tightly around his numb feet.
Sitting on the floor and pulling Glitch against his chest, settling him between his legs, Cain sighed petulantly. He tucked Glitch’s head up under his chin, the zipper almost unbearably cold. The skin around the end was red and Cain knew if they had been out there much longer, there was a very distinct possibility of frostbite around the metal.
Nearby, Azkadellia had received similar treatment, her slight form now lost in a thick pile of warmed blankets. DG was using a towel on the long, dense hair.
“Are you f-finished?” Glitch shivered uncontrollably, trying to untangle his hand to accept the mug of hot tea one of the kitchen staff was offering him.
Cain took the cup himself, letting Glitch take a small drink. “Don’t touch it yet, the mug’s too hot and your fingers are too cold. You’ll burn yourself.” He set it aside after giving Glitch another long swallow. “And no, I’m not finished. What were you doing out there in this weather?” In contrast to his gruff questions, he dug through the layers and found one of Glitch’s hands, massaging and warming it with his own.
“C-car b-b-broke down,” Glitch struggled to say through his shaking jaw.
Glancing over at Azkadellia, Cain saw her nod. “How far back? Were you walking for long?”
“Only about half an hour,” Azkadellia answered, warming up a bit faster since she had been better protected with Glitch’s jacket. “Ambrose was quite the gentleman and very good company despite the horrid conditions.”
Glitch snorted against Cain’s chest, then sniffled loudly. “If you call an inability to stop talking being good company, then I suppose I managed.”
“Other hand,” Cain demanded, getting a hold of a second icy appendage. “Tuck the other one between your legs to keep it warm. Did you manage to get everything taken care of at the Tower?”
“Yes, the brain room will hold up just fine,” Azkadellia said. She sipped at her own mug of tea, sighing softly. “It really is too bad we don’t have a way to move it here. That would certainly make Ambrose’s work less difficult.”
Glitch hummed in agreement. “It would make things much easier,” he agreed. “Tea?”
Cain obediently picked up the mug. “Here, give me your hand,” he said, waiting until Glitch had freed his right hand. He pressed the mug carefully into Glitch’s fingers, then his palm. “Too hot?”
“It feels good,” Glitch nearly purred, getting his other hand out and wrapping them both around the warm ceramic. He moaned into the cup as he took a long drink until it was gone, though he kept the empty vessel hostage. Tucking his head back under Cain’s chin and pressing his zipper into the warm skin he found there, he closed his eyes.
“Hey, Glitch?” Cain asked very softly, noticing how the family gathered near the other side of the fire had closed around each other and were talking quietly, giving the men some semblance of privacy.
“Yeah?” Glitch shifted his head, nuzzling the hollow of Cain’s throat with his still slightly cold nose.
“How come you never asked me to start calling you by your proper name? Everyone else here calls you Ambrose, even DG, but you never correct me when I call you Glitch.”
Cain could feel Glitch’s lips against his skin, the hint of a secret smile. “You’ve only ever known me as I am now, but everyone else knew me before, when I was Ambrose. Even DG remembers me as one of her tutors, as the man who stood alongside her mother at formal receptions. To everyone in this house, I’m Ambrose and always will be. But you...you never knew me as Ambrose. Only Glitch.”
“Is that all right?”
Glitch shrugged with one shoulder. “Right or not, that’s just how it is. To you, I’m Glitch. And yes, I’m more than okay with that. It reminds me that I have you now, that someone could love me for who I’ve become rather than who I had been before.”
Rubbing one hand over Glitch’s back, the other coming up to stroke his thumb over Glitch’s cheek, Cain smiled. He may have been irritated at Glitch for taking off without him, but he couldn’t stay mad for long. Not with Glitch back again, warm and solid in his arms, in front of the fire on a snowy day.
**
End.