Title: Kisses Come From the Soul Too

Author: Me! Essee

Series: Tin Man

Rating: PG-13 (because there is kissing)

Warning: Kissing between grown men, mention of death and blood, SPOILERS!!!

Disclaimer: I do not own Tin Man, nor the characters in it, I just wanted to play for a little bit.

Author Note: When I was watching Tin Man I couldn't help but fangirl stuff, so here it is. I do not have a beta, so this is spell checked and my checked. If you plan to flame this please flame the story, and not me. Thank You.

Ambrose.

It took one saying of that name in that almost snooty, I'm-higher-and-smarter-than-thou voice for him to hate that name. But it wasn't the reason most would expect. If he spoke of it, most would think that it was because it was spoken in such a way that you wanted to yank the normally confused and misfiring-synapses companion away so that no one would have to hear him speak and feel themselves belittled. But that wasn't it at all, it was because he hadn't heard the name Ambrose at first, his mind had superimposed it... all he had heard was Adora. His Adora, and while he was busily trying to type out the numbers that would have been the correct coding to shut down the machine, he was doing his best to hide the fact that he was watching his late wife being beaten and killed by the hands of Zero... the cold calculating man that was no forever locked into his own iron tomb. He needed a distraction as he couldn't help but feel it over and over and over again. The same anger, the same confusion... and out of it all came smiles, but he wouldn't let anyone know how much his heart truly ached. Why couldn't he had been made of metal and not have a true heart? Why couldn't he be what everyone called him? A Tin Man... A man without feeling, a man without a heart.

But he wasn't, he laughed and cried and feared and fought and admired and hated. Oh how he hated. As the words were spoken, helped along by a quickly tiring RAW, he wanted so much to just shoot the brain already, finish this entire thing, finish it all... denying the fact of why he had heard Adreanna's name... why he was seeing her face... why he was wishing that the easy going boggle minded man was back. He pushed it all to the back of his own mind, trying to keep the process going. For one fluttering moment his mind went to DG, but his head knew all the stories, and knew that good was always going to win over evil. That's just how it was, Azkadelia... no... the Witch... would be vanquished from the world even if they failed. Instead his eyes were focused on the brain being fed upon; being kept alive... it was its entire fault. Why hadn't he been smart enough to keep the blue prints but change them so that the machine would always fail... fall just short of perfection? The Queen's advisor was suppose to be the smartest man in the O.Z... but Cain couldn't see that at all. At least not right now.

One more number.

It was all the needed, one more number and the machine would be finished... it would all be over... or the direct problem of the eclipse would be fixed. The sorceress would still have to be dealt with, but that is what the kid was suppose to be doing. All they needed to do was shut down Ambrose... shut down that brain... quiet up that voice that made him angry, uneasy, and worried all at the same time. Dear Ozma, please forgive him from his thoughts of wanting to put a big bullet right through it... even as he thought about it he could picture Glitch's face, watching as it crumpled into hopelessness at the loss of all the memories he wanted so much to get back... remember... return to his high intelligence.

Then everything exploded into pain, and went black. He heard the screams, heard the fear... heard the machine being turned back on and heard Glitch trying to confuse the numbers, being muffled quite easily... and that made the ex-Tin Man angry. He didn't know what made him angrier, and wouldn't want to say what made him angrier either... just that he was, and didn't want to divulge in it. All that was needed once more was seeing Adora, her smiling face now speckled with blood, his son who wasn't able to give him a real hug after seeing him in years, and he was up on his feet again. On the attack, on the defense. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Glitch fighting, felt the tightening in his chest as the man that should have been pure intellect moved with a fluid grace that was him dancing from his soul. It'd be a lie if he said it didn't take his breath away... but he couldn't think of that right now... if they survived that would be later that he could contemplate on why he couldn't look away. The rest happened so fast, Raw gaining courage, standing up to the hairless minion scientist... him crouching next to an unconscious Glitch he chose to slap awake, and well deserved the indignant "Do I know you!!?" and with the smile, one that for a moment made something in Glitch's eyes widen slightly, "G'Mornin' Sweetheart."... Cain kicking himself for letting what definitely wasn't his mind, do the talking, and they were back at the brain... and Glitch being to worried to concentrate and connect with his own brain.

Here was his chance, here was the chance he got, and taking out his gun he pointed it directly at Ambrose... the brain, not the once-upon-a-time-used-to-be man. With almost a grin of satisfaction he readied the trigger, and cared very little if the other would figure out the number. This was the deserved revenge he wanted, it was all Ambrose's fault. He had been to smart, he had figured out to many things, invented to many 'tools', and he'd continue to do so. How many other people would come after this brain to use it negatively? How many others would be hurt because someone got a hold of it and was exploiting it? How many more Adora's were there going to be. But he hesitated, he hesitated as he heard the desperation in one of his companion's voices. He didn't fire away when he should have, because his own heart ached, and he knew that Adora would never allow him to destroy something so precious to someone else. And a little voice deeper inside him that sounded so much like his late wife whispered that he'd never actually hurt Glitch, that he didn't want to see the other loose the hope he tried to inspire in others... there were more whispers, but by the third one he had to drone it out quickly, or risk looking like a fool.

Then the numbers were said as if a bright light shown down upon them and punching them in... 1208... The Queen's Birthday. Pull the lever, and he heard it shutting down, felt the commotion subsiding, becoming eerily quiet. To quiet... then drifting down they all heard it, singing. DG's voice having finally traveled down to them and hearing her lilting tune, and then more screams, and looking up at the ceiling inky darkness... ichor... the consistency of congealed blood... seemed to be forming on the ceiling, about to drip down... as if it had a mind of its own. Quick blue eyes assessed the situation quickly, and without warning a drop fell, Raw was over to the side helping the smaller seer, but Glitch? He was staring at his brain like it was the most valuable treasure in the world, and it was where the ilk was dropping. He didn't think, that was most obvious, and his actions propelled him forwards until he had knocked Glitch away just in time for the melted witch to drop onto the ground where he had been standing. But if anything he wasn't focused on that at all. Instead he was focused very much so on the brunet that was underneath him, Glitch was looking confused... not upset, but clearly not understanding what had just happened. That confusion ended though and turned to fear as Cain leaned his face closer. The blue eyed ex-cop was able to smell Glitch this close... a distinct smell of fresh hay, which made him guess that before the adventure he decided that hay was the softest resting place. He watched as eyes turned into surprise, and about inches away from the lips of the zipper-headed Advisor, his own heart hammering in his throat, making it very well known that it existed, Raw managed to have learned that the black goop was infact the evil queen, and was roaring with delight. Ruining not only the moment, but the mood... leaving a man that had not had any real form of semi-sensual contact for at least 10 years doing his best to play off that he was not just about to do what he was going to do. Glitch seemed to have forgotten in an instant, and was standing up, brushing himself off... complaining that of course the brainless one was the one tackled the ground, and that he should be glad that he was not suffering of broken bones.

----

Having made there way up to the room that held the Queen, King and now there two daughters... reunited. Cain felt a pang of sadness, knowing that he'd never real have anything like this again. He could try with his son, but he was trained to notice when things were nearly past fixable... his son was one of them. The boy had grown up into a man, a man that probably blamed his father a little bit for what had happened... there wouldn't be that closeness that the four royals showed as they hugged. But he kept up the good face of victory as DG decided to hug her own group. He tried to get swept away in the love and the victory, but felt only empty pain in his heart, more so as she turned back to her own family, looking out at the O.Z as light began to refill the land. "Now that's the O.Z I remember." And as Cain looked out as well he could only think it's not what I remember, and was almost ready to turn and walk away with the remark to see what guards were left in rebellion when he felt a hand grab onto his. It was dry, but smooth, and warm... and unable to restrain himself from looking down, followed the hand up to mismatched ragtag clothes, and the face of Glitch; who had on a rather interesting smile, raising a finger to his lips to motion 'shh' as well as "Even without my brain I think a synapse actually fired correctly. I won't tell if you won't." Said in a quick whisper as his eyes returned to look at the Royal family. Cain just gripped the hand tighter, blinking furiously to keep the tears at bay, letting his hat fall over his face just enough to hide them.

Raw was the one that suggested that they give the family time to find their places again, the seer knew of the different emotions in the room, and had his own to see to, and planned to. The visioneer felt the heart of those in the room and knew that healing was needed, and the road would be long, but it was possible because everyone's heart was strong. He also couldn't help but roughly chuckle at the two next to him, they weren't fooling anyone except maybe themselves. Ushering the four from the room, he scooped up the little one of his species and turned back to the ex-cop and ex?-advisor, "I go talk to little one." And with the bundle safe, and already staring to wiggle with excitement of the fact that they knew this was over, he padded down the corridor, feeling stronger than ever before... braver, wiser, happier. He didn't look back at the other two as he left, Raw didn't need to, to know what was happening. The smaller seer was already asking questions about what they felt, but Raw decided not to tell just yet.

Cain tried to let go of the hand that held his, but as soon as he did Glitch's hold just got tighter, as if he knew what the other was trying to do. The stood in silence for long enough that it allowed thoughts to roam, he searched for his lovely wife in his mind. He saw her smiling, that accepting look of hers she always had when he told her what was going on in the O.Z, and he felt the arms around his neck, thinking to himself that she was always so warm and loving. She was always willing to give her whole heart up to love, and she did so every day. Adora's eyes told him whatever he wanted to know, they reflected her emotions; her happiness, her sadness, her love, her pain, her fear. Cain loved her with all he could love with, he had given his heart to her... it had been buried with her... he could feel it beating in her grave and he had felt her give it back to him. It stung, but she wanted him to love, to be able to love, to be able to find someone that would look at him the same way she used to. With that last thought he was pulled from his memories, and turned his head to look at Glitch.

Glitch who was able to smile, who was able to make a joke, who had lost himself but was able to carry on. Glitch who fought like fluid, who was strong, who persevered when most would have given up... whose eyes told a story. Glitch who would get his brain back and not be Glitch anymore... he'd be Ambrose. "You're going to get your brain back." He saw the happiness that exploded over the others face, saw the light spark up in his eyes, "yeah, I'll finally remember who I am... it sucks though, I'm sure to have brain damage from powering the 'dark seeder'... so people better not be angry when they don't get pure Ambrose again." There was more silence, there hands still locked, as Cain stared at the man who just admitted that he wouldn't be as smart as he once was, and probably never would be. Taking a deep breath, he heard the pesky little Adora voice pushing at his own brain... and wasn't able to keep his mouth shut.

"My wife... Adora... she used to love to dance. She had this grace to her that I've only seen in one other person." Cain spoke quietly, as if afraid to say it.

"I remember that name... Adora... no, wait... I forget." Glitch looked back at Cain, trying to smile off his inability to remember, "You know, I love to dance too. It comes from the soul not the br-" He words were cut off as suddenly the Tin Man's lips pressed against his own... the grip on his hand changing to his wrist to hold him in place as rough lips played against his own. He felt his eyes sliding closed as he let himself fall into the sensations. He didn't let his empty head wonder if he was a cheap replacement for a lost wife, or that Cain was finally grieving and trying to deal with it, or even that it was adrenalin and excitement though his veins. The kiss was messy, there was no grace to it. With no one to stop them, the kiss turned deeper, teeth clicking together, biting, and almost bordering on something that appeared violent. It was just bare want, or need. When it was finally paused, breath was short, and blood was dizzying to other locations and making everything seem fuzzy. Glitch blinked several times, and when the silence was just about to go into uncomfortable he started laughing. Not mocking laughing, but nice surprised laughter. Cain looked decidingly uncomfortable with the fact that his kisses brought on laughter, he thought it was rather a good kiss... different, but not funny.

"what?"

Glitch just gave him a grin, and pulled Cain towards him to press a softer kiss to the others lips, "I was going to say you should have done that earlier, but I think that DG's mind would have gotten as broken as mine." He thought it was funny, uproariously funny infact as he started laughing again. "You aren't upset? I might be usi-" Glitch just shook his head,

"I like kissing just as much as dancing, with good intents they both come from the soul." And as the advisor leaned in for another kiss, his arms wrapping around Cain's neck, Cain couldn't help but think about how warm he was, and how his eyes seemed to convey every emotion. Kissing is from the soul... Adora used to say the same thing.