Thicker Than Water 2/?
Title: Not again
Author: diabolicalfiend
Characters/Pairing: Jeb, Zero, Wyatt, OCs
Rating: PG
Summary: Jeb joins the resistance.
Warning: Spoilers for series
Disclaimer: I don't own Tin Man
Word Count:1643
“What is this place?” Jeb looked around at the opulent, but rather old, furniture.
“It’s kinda like a school, only for sex,” Zero replied.
“You mean, like, classes?”
“Well, you know, kinda, only you get a personal tutor, which puts the ‘personal’ in ‘personal tutor’.”
“You mean: practical classes?” Jeb’s eyes grew wide.
“Look, Jeb, you’re gonna have sex at least once in your life.
“And you got a choice, you either pick a girl you like and do it in the forest or wherever, where she can have any number of nasty diseases, and Jeb, when I say nasty, I mean Nasty.
“And if she doesn’t, you’ll be all kinds of awkward with this girl you want to impress and you won’t impress, or you’ll finish before the start. And this, Jeb, you do not want to do.
“Or, you can do it here, with understanding women, who are proved to be clean and who will tell you what you’re doing wrong and giving you tips on how to do it right. The nobility used to do this all the time to train their sons.”
“That’s… uh… very logical.”
“Thank you.” He nodded to the Madame, who came over. “Uh, one. Novice.”
She gave Jeb a friendly smile. “Don’t be worried, son. We’ll take good care of you, I promise.”
“…Ok.”
~*~
“He’s ALIVE!” Jeb hissed at him.
Zero was getting a serious case of déjà vu and a headache. “I’d think you’d be happy I didn’t kill him,” he sighed.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Same reason I killed your mother, didn’t want you to die.”
“That makes no SENSE!”
“CAIN! Was more important to her than you! HER OWN FLESH AND BLOOD!”
Jeb stared at him. “Dad is important. He could help the Resistance…”
“Not that much! Yeah, release your dad and just like that!” Zero snapped his fingers. “He’ll kill The Sorceress, end the war and solve all our problems! Hey! Maybe Princess DG will come back to life and the Papay will have a feast!”
“We can’t just stand by! We can’t just… fight the Resistance, when all the time that Dark Tower is being built and that emerald’s going to be found… we’ve got to do something!”
“You saw! You saw what happened to Caulfield. His soul - nourishment for The Sorceress’ needs! It’s too dangerous, Jeb! I won’t allow it!”
“You’re not my FATHER!”
Zero gave him the coldest look that he’d ever given him. “Leave.”
“What?”
“LEAVE! GO! BEGONE! You’re right. I’m not your father! Why don’t you go find him, huh?”
Jeb, Gods save him, was actually hurt. But a man had his pride and Jeb was certainly no different. “FINE!”
Jeb disappeared from the tent and Zero dropped to the bunk and dipped his head in defeat.
~*~
Jeb walked for days, set for his childhood home. He was lost in thought about why Zero was protecting him. He wasn’t sure that he liked the conclusion he was coming to. He realised he was walking down a path he remembered.
He went cold when he saw Zero, murdering his mother again. This was the wrong cabin. Then he remembered Louis. He moved to the Tin Suit. Maybe Louis could help him get to his father.
Using an axe, he released the Suit and the door swung open. Jeb almost threw up at what he saw. Louis was little more than a skeleton, with grey pieces of flesh and tattered clothes covering him. The skeleton, no longer being held upright by the door lurched forward and fell to the ground, sending dust flying everywhere. Then Jeb threw up.
Gods. Louis was only in there for two years. Dad… it must have been four, at least. He’s dead. There was no point. And, now, he couldn’t go back to Zero. That bridge is burned.
He hears a rustling suddenly, and it didn’t belong to the Teddy, he was sure. So he got up. “Who are you?” a young woman asked pointing a rifle at him.
Go ahead. Shoot me. “Jeb. Jeb Cain. That’s my mother,” he waved in the direction of the hologram, very purposely not looking in that direction.
The woman recognised hopelessness when she saw it and caught the scent of his vomit on the wind. “Cain? I know that name. Are you related to Wyatt?”
“I was. He’s dead too.”
She lowered her rifle. “I’m sorry. We… could use someone in the Resistance. Even just the name. Have you any skills?”
Zero made sure he did. “I’m a crack shot. And I can take a punch.”
“You’re hired. I’m Sharon Majors.”
~*~
Jeb doesn’t miss a shot at Zero. Especially because Zero never misses a shot at Jeb. Their feud had become somewhat legendary, even though it more often than not ended in stalemate, one side never getting a clear advantage over the other.
So when his spies told him that Zero was going to be passing nearby, complete with log-prisoners to weigh him down, Jeb was ready to intercept him. Even though he knew of Zero’s sight issues (20-40 and slight astigmatism and never wanting to wear glasses) Jeb wore a hood. Also Zero had a terrible distrust of horses so he’d travel along the path.
Tossing a cart along it, all Jeb and the others had to do was wait. And they were soon rewarded. Despite himself, Jeb felt a chill go down his spine when Zero ordered them to get it out of his way.
He knew what he had to do, though. He picked up the bucket. “Sorry,” he moved towards him.
“NOW!”
“Would you and your troops like a drink of water?”
Zero smirked and when he came close enough, kicked the bucket from Jeb’s hands. That was the cue for his men to attack. As two of the Longcoats were forcibly dismounted, Jeb grabbed Zero off the horse, delivering several punches at him.
The battle was over quickly, but not without casualties. The prisoners didn’t just lay about either, taking out the few in range. Jeb pulled off his hood to congratulate them when his heart froze. “Father.”
It was a long few seconds before he replied. “Son.”
Jeb broke eye contact to look over at Zero who was being tied. Zero didn’t look at him. He looked at the log. “Oh, uh… should probably release you.” He nodded at himself.
Fortunately his people were currently smarter than him. They already found the keys that would release them. “Oh, thank, Gods!” The Zipperhead sighed with relief. “You don’t know how heavy that was! As you can probably tell, I’m not exactly athletic. As you can probably tell, I’m not exactly athletic. As you can probably tell, I’m not exactly athletic. As…” The furry guy, now released himself, whacked him. “Ow. Hey! I’m Glitch!”
“Hi, Glitch. I’m Jeb.”
“Jeb! That’s the same name as Cain’s son! What a coincidence!”
“Uh…” he jumped when a thick hand landed on his shoulder. He found himself staring into icy blue eyes.
“You’re alive.”
Jeb was struck dumb but he nodded. Looking away again, the power of speech returned. “We should get moving. I have wounded.”
Cain let him go and they prepared to get moving. Four people were hurt. Jeb moved back to Zero and looked him in the eye. Zero shrugged. Jeb nodded to his lieutenant and they moved off.
Reaching the camp, the wounded were tended to immediately. Zero was placed in Jeb’s tent. “What’s that doing here?” Wyatt asked, indicating Jeb’s Tin Suit.
Jeb took a moment to form his words. “I keep it to remind me. To remind everyone.” He looked at his father. “What we’re fighting for.”
Wyatt nodded and Jeb moved off. Cain’s hand stopped him. “You know, I, uh… I thought you were dead.”
Jeb looked at him. “They told mother and I you were dead.” Until we found out otherwise, she died and I lost hope when I saw Louis. But that was a different conversation. And we have work to do. “If I knew you were still alive, I would have risked everything, crossed enemy lines, to get you. You know that, don’t you?”
Wyatt gave a minute nod. “Yeah, I do.”
His lieutenant interrupted. “Excuse me, sir. Sergeant Matthews is asking for you.”
“Sir? You, uh, you running things around here?”
“It just worked out like that,” Jeb retorted defensively. Ever since Sharon died.
“I’m proud of you, son,” Wyatt explained, honestly. He nodded again, debating something in his head before moving to hug Jeb. Jeb let him, but didn’t respond, remembering the last time Zero did that. He was almost certain it was out of love too. Wyatt noticed and pulled back. “Hey. You all right?”
It was a long moment before Jeb answered. “Sure.” When it looked like Wyatt was going to talk more he moved off, to find Matthews.
“We’re a bit stretched for torture supplies,” Matthews eyed him, knowing full well Jeb’s policy on torture and wondering if he’d make an exception for this time.
“We’ll have to improvise,” Jeb eyes wandered over to the cutlery and to this old ceremonial sword, owned by a guy by the name of Smith, who was the worst spy in the history of the OZ and probably the Other Side too. But he amused the Longcoats, who thought he was so bad that he was no threat. The thing was blunted at its point. The Resistance used it to cut rope. “Ok, I’ll bring this,” he held up the sword. “You take the cutlery, leave it outside.”
“A flair for the dramatic, Jeb? When this is over, you should become a director in the Central City Players.” Jeb smirked. ‘When this is over’ was never taken too seriously, because it was never over. “Jeb. Dad, uh?”
“Yeah… yeah. Dad.”
Author: diabolicalfiend
Characters/Pairing: Jeb, Zero, Wyatt, OCs
Rating: PG
Summary: Jeb joins the resistance.
Warning: Spoilers for series
Disclaimer: I don't own Tin Man
Word Count:1643
“What is this place?” Jeb looked around at the opulent, but rather old, furniture.
“It’s kinda like a school, only for sex,” Zero replied.
“You mean, like, classes?”
“Well, you know, kinda, only you get a personal tutor, which puts the ‘personal’ in ‘personal tutor’.”
“You mean: practical classes?” Jeb’s eyes grew wide.
“Look, Jeb, you’re gonna have sex at least once in your life.
“And you got a choice, you either pick a girl you like and do it in the forest or wherever, where she can have any number of nasty diseases, and Jeb, when I say nasty, I mean Nasty.
“And if she doesn’t, you’ll be all kinds of awkward with this girl you want to impress and you won’t impress, or you’ll finish before the start. And this, Jeb, you do not want to do.
“Or, you can do it here, with understanding women, who are proved to be clean and who will tell you what you’re doing wrong and giving you tips on how to do it right. The nobility used to do this all the time to train their sons.”
“That’s… uh… very logical.”
“Thank you.” He nodded to the Madame, who came over. “Uh, one. Novice.”
She gave Jeb a friendly smile. “Don’t be worried, son. We’ll take good care of you, I promise.”
“…Ok.”
~*~
“He’s ALIVE!” Jeb hissed at him.
Zero was getting a serious case of déjà vu and a headache. “I’d think you’d be happy I didn’t kill him,” he sighed.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Same reason I killed your mother, didn’t want you to die.”
“That makes no SENSE!”
“CAIN! Was more important to her than you! HER OWN FLESH AND BLOOD!”
Jeb stared at him. “Dad is important. He could help the Resistance…”
“Not that much! Yeah, release your dad and just like that!” Zero snapped his fingers. “He’ll kill The Sorceress, end the war and solve all our problems! Hey! Maybe Princess DG will come back to life and the Papay will have a feast!”
“We can’t just stand by! We can’t just… fight the Resistance, when all the time that Dark Tower is being built and that emerald’s going to be found… we’ve got to do something!”
“You saw! You saw what happened to Caulfield. His soul - nourishment for The Sorceress’ needs! It’s too dangerous, Jeb! I won’t allow it!”
“You’re not my FATHER!”
Zero gave him the coldest look that he’d ever given him. “Leave.”
“What?”
“LEAVE! GO! BEGONE! You’re right. I’m not your father! Why don’t you go find him, huh?”
Jeb, Gods save him, was actually hurt. But a man had his pride and Jeb was certainly no different. “FINE!”
Jeb disappeared from the tent and Zero dropped to the bunk and dipped his head in defeat.
~*~
Jeb walked for days, set for his childhood home. He was lost in thought about why Zero was protecting him. He wasn’t sure that he liked the conclusion he was coming to. He realised he was walking down a path he remembered.
He went cold when he saw Zero, murdering his mother again. This was the wrong cabin. Then he remembered Louis. He moved to the Tin Suit. Maybe Louis could help him get to his father.
Using an axe, he released the Suit and the door swung open. Jeb almost threw up at what he saw. Louis was little more than a skeleton, with grey pieces of flesh and tattered clothes covering him. The skeleton, no longer being held upright by the door lurched forward and fell to the ground, sending dust flying everywhere. Then Jeb threw up.
Gods. Louis was only in there for two years. Dad… it must have been four, at least. He’s dead. There was no point. And, now, he couldn’t go back to Zero. That bridge is burned.
He hears a rustling suddenly, and it didn’t belong to the Teddy, he was sure. So he got up. “Who are you?” a young woman asked pointing a rifle at him.
Go ahead. Shoot me. “Jeb. Jeb Cain. That’s my mother,” he waved in the direction of the hologram, very purposely not looking in that direction.
The woman recognised hopelessness when she saw it and caught the scent of his vomit on the wind. “Cain? I know that name. Are you related to Wyatt?”
“I was. He’s dead too.”
She lowered her rifle. “I’m sorry. We… could use someone in the Resistance. Even just the name. Have you any skills?”
Zero made sure he did. “I’m a crack shot. And I can take a punch.”
“You’re hired. I’m Sharon Majors.”
~*~
Jeb doesn’t miss a shot at Zero. Especially because Zero never misses a shot at Jeb. Their feud had become somewhat legendary, even though it more often than not ended in stalemate, one side never getting a clear advantage over the other.
So when his spies told him that Zero was going to be passing nearby, complete with log-prisoners to weigh him down, Jeb was ready to intercept him. Even though he knew of Zero’s sight issues (20-40 and slight astigmatism and never wanting to wear glasses) Jeb wore a hood. Also Zero had a terrible distrust of horses so he’d travel along the path.
Tossing a cart along it, all Jeb and the others had to do was wait. And they were soon rewarded. Despite himself, Jeb felt a chill go down his spine when Zero ordered them to get it out of his way.
He knew what he had to do, though. He picked up the bucket. “Sorry,” he moved towards him.
“NOW!”
“Would you and your troops like a drink of water?”
Zero smirked and when he came close enough, kicked the bucket from Jeb’s hands. That was the cue for his men to attack. As two of the Longcoats were forcibly dismounted, Jeb grabbed Zero off the horse, delivering several punches at him.
The battle was over quickly, but not without casualties. The prisoners didn’t just lay about either, taking out the few in range. Jeb pulled off his hood to congratulate them when his heart froze. “Father.”
It was a long few seconds before he replied. “Son.”
Jeb broke eye contact to look over at Zero who was being tied. Zero didn’t look at him. He looked at the log. “Oh, uh… should probably release you.” He nodded at himself.
Fortunately his people were currently smarter than him. They already found the keys that would release them. “Oh, thank, Gods!” The Zipperhead sighed with relief. “You don’t know how heavy that was! As you can probably tell, I’m not exactly athletic. As you can probably tell, I’m not exactly athletic. As you can probably tell, I’m not exactly athletic. As…” The furry guy, now released himself, whacked him. “Ow. Hey! I’m Glitch!”
“Hi, Glitch. I’m Jeb.”
“Jeb! That’s the same name as Cain’s son! What a coincidence!”
“Uh…” he jumped when a thick hand landed on his shoulder. He found himself staring into icy blue eyes.
“You’re alive.”
Jeb was struck dumb but he nodded. Looking away again, the power of speech returned. “We should get moving. I have wounded.”
Cain let him go and they prepared to get moving. Four people were hurt. Jeb moved back to Zero and looked him in the eye. Zero shrugged. Jeb nodded to his lieutenant and they moved off.
Reaching the camp, the wounded were tended to immediately. Zero was placed in Jeb’s tent. “What’s that doing here?” Wyatt asked, indicating Jeb’s Tin Suit.
Jeb took a moment to form his words. “I keep it to remind me. To remind everyone.” He looked at his father. “What we’re fighting for.”
Wyatt nodded and Jeb moved off. Cain’s hand stopped him. “You know, I, uh… I thought you were dead.”
Jeb looked at him. “They told mother and I you were dead.” Until we found out otherwise, she died and I lost hope when I saw Louis. But that was a different conversation. And we have work to do. “If I knew you were still alive, I would have risked everything, crossed enemy lines, to get you. You know that, don’t you?”
Wyatt gave a minute nod. “Yeah, I do.”
His lieutenant interrupted. “Excuse me, sir. Sergeant Matthews is asking for you.”
“Sir? You, uh, you running things around here?”
“It just worked out like that,” Jeb retorted defensively. Ever since Sharon died.
“I’m proud of you, son,” Wyatt explained, honestly. He nodded again, debating something in his head before moving to hug Jeb. Jeb let him, but didn’t respond, remembering the last time Zero did that. He was almost certain it was out of love too. Wyatt noticed and pulled back. “Hey. You all right?”
It was a long moment before Jeb answered. “Sure.” When it looked like Wyatt was going to talk more he moved off, to find Matthews.
“We’re a bit stretched for torture supplies,” Matthews eyed him, knowing full well Jeb’s policy on torture and wondering if he’d make an exception for this time.
“We’ll have to improvise,” Jeb eyes wandered over to the cutlery and to this old ceremonial sword, owned by a guy by the name of Smith, who was the worst spy in the history of the OZ and probably the Other Side too. But he amused the Longcoats, who thought he was so bad that he was no threat. The thing was blunted at its point. The Resistance used it to cut rope. “Ok, I’ll bring this,” he held up the sword. “You take the cutlery, leave it outside.”
“A flair for the dramatic, Jeb? When this is over, you should become a director in the Central City Players.” Jeb smirked. ‘When this is over’ was never taken too seriously, because it was never over. “Jeb. Dad, uh?”
“Yeah… yeah. Dad.”