He hadn't meant to say it but never the less he had and some words simply cannot be taken back. It had been a very long day to start with, the reorganization of the OZ after the hell the sorceress had put it through was a long an annoying process. Cain had started his day with his regular cup of coffee intent on helping his son recruit new officers to help police the realms, things had not gone as planned. Then again when did they ever?

First the newly rethroned Queen had burst in to his room demanding to know what nonsense he had put in her daughters head and why she looked more to him then her own father. After making the connection she meant DG and not Az, Cain shrugged, which only made the purple eyed queen more annoyed, and mumbled something about absentee parenting and the possibly she needed to spend time getting to know her daughter better. If eyes could kill Cain would be very dead and bleeding out on the floor, instead she just spun around and left, partly because she knew he was right and that he wasn't going to allow her to use him as a vent for her frustrations.

Peeking over the covers Glitch hazarded a glance around the room.

'Don't worry sweetheart she was so focused on me she didn't even see you were still sleeping'

Cain didn't need to look up from his coffee to know the relief on the poor head cases face. Their relationship was still hush-hush for now and this was not the time for it to get out.

'Cain do we really need to be lying to everyone? I feel… bad about it'

Glitch was still trying to detangle himself from the covers, which were not obliging him. Glaring at them he finally tossed then aside and slide off the bed, he wore only the Tin man's faded white shirt his bare feet hardly making a sound as he came up behind Cain's seated form and circled his arms around him.

"Look darling, she's stressed enough with putting the OZ back together, we all are. Let sleeping dogs lie for now ok"

He leaned back to look into the confused brown eyes above him, reaching up with his free hand Cain gently placed his calloused palm the other mans nape and slowly pulled him down for a deep, lingering kiss. For a second Glitch resisted part of his brain that still worked seeing that he was being distracted, then the reset button fired and all he felt was Cain tongue asking for entrance.

Satisfied he distracted the head case Cain ended the kiss and stood up, poor glitch was still foggy eyed, which made Cain chuckle. If only he did have things to do today….

'I'll see you later tonight sweetheart' donning his hat Cain exited the room, Glitch still flushed and grinning like a fool.

That was the only part of his day that went even partially well. In the long downward spiral Cain had to deal with green recruits thinking that the life of a Tin Man was a glorious, well paid position in which just for joining they'd be heroes. It was his job to inform them otherwise and make it stick, so much for glory. After that it had been long hours with the represenitives from the neighboring regions and trying to get every to every to reopen trade and cease firing at each other. Why he had to be there Cain was not clear, but the Queen had insisted and he suspected that it was part of her plan to punish him for subverting her daughter and laying claim on her old advisor. Either way when he was finally free Cain had a massive headache and very little grasp on his temper.

Knock, Knock

not that Cain needed to knock on his own chamber door, but since Glitch had a habit of staying in his room he didn't want to startle the other man. There was no answer. Grasping the handle Cain was further unamused to find the door locked, this day just didn't want to end. A muffled crash on the other side of the door made him frown in worry.

'Open up the door head case!'

Cain was now pounding on the door, what was Glitch doing in there that there were things breaking? After a long pause the door did finally crack open, and a brown eye looked out at Cain.

'Hello! Do I know you?'

'For the love of—Yes Glitch, yes you do know me. Now open the door'

Not giving glitch a chance to refuse Cain muscled open the door and slipped inside, firmly closing it behind him. Which was good thing, because seeing the state of the room and its other occupant, Cain almost turned around and walked back out? Glitch was sprawled on the floor from Cain forcing the door open, and he was in a dress. The room looked like it had seen better times; Glitch must have shoved everything in the place from the rug, desk, lamp tables, and bed against the wall and piled on top of that what he couldn't push, but back to Glitch.

Still on the floor glitch was playing with the hem of his long ball gown length blue ruffled dress, Looking up at Cain it was clear to see he had no idea what he had done or why. Cocking an eyebrow Cain sighed, he really didn't want to baby-sit the head case but it wasn't like there was anyone else. It just wasn't fair some days, yes he loved Glitch, loved being with him, sharing time with him, but some times he forgot just how much work he had to put into this relationship. The reset button must have clicked because Glitch was now back on his feet.

"Oh Cain thank goodness you're back! I had this sudden urge to do some dancing ad the next thing I knew everything in the room was moved and I was wearing this. Well best not to put it to waste, care to dance?"

Any other time Cain would have loved this, well minus the dress part, but today had just been too much. Turning on his heel Cain stalked into the bathroom and slammed the door leaving Glitch more confused then when he started

'Take that off and fix the room, I'm taking a bath'

Half an hour later Cain was still stewing about unfair life was, life was cruel to make him fall in love with someone that needed such attention. He was a grown man now and wanted to have a relationship that was on equal footing, but life wasn't fair and…. Sighing Cain got out of the tub, water tickled of his body as he searched for a towel to dry off the rest of himself.

The room was put back together, mostly, the closet was still open and things were threatening to escape, the desk was in the opposite corner and the lamps were on the wrong tables but the rug was back in the middle of the floor. However that was a secondary observation to the gun that was pointed at him.

"Who are you and what are doing in this room!" Glitch demanded still wearing the pretty white dress.

Drawing in a very deep breath, Cain eyed the zipper head flatly. This was getting tiring very fast

"Glitch it's me, Cain. We share this room, now give me the gun"

Glitch seemed to turn that idea over in his mind, seeing if it made any sense to him. Cain didn't wait to find out if it did, he stepped in and quickly disarming Glitch and holding the mildly struggling man to him. Somewhere along the line the towel slipped. The reset button hit

"Oh Cain! What? Did I do something bad? People have been looking at me all day like that, telling me I keep forgetting their names, which is silly I wouldn't do…. Say why you are naked?"

The Look on Cain's face spoke volumes and Glitch spied the gun that Cain was holding away from his reach.

"Did I?..." Tears well up and Glitch struggled away from him, throwing himself on the bed and hiding himself and his tears under the covers

Grunting Cain secured the gun back in it holster, pulling clothes from the closet first Cain ignored the huddled form on the bed, he almost got the doors to close but one was being stubborn and stayed partly open. Rolling his eyes Cain fought the urge to kick it and turned away towards the bed. If Glitch had been acting like this all day no wonder the queen was on edge too.

It was very clear Glitch had been crying, his eyes were puffy and his nose was still running, he was also asleep thank Ozma for small favors. Climbing into bed Cain did his best not to wake up the sleeper, pulling the covers over them both Cain dosed the light. Closing his eyes he was so close to falling asleep when Glitch woke up. Balling like a baby, gritting his teeth Cain tried not to say the words. He knew that as soon as he said them it would be a mistake, it had just been a long taxing day but oh how he wanted to… instead he sat up and cradled Glitch to him rocking him back and forth whispering nonsensical words in his ears to clam him down, finally glitch had cried himself out and fell back a sleep, no longer demanding to know why he was crying and who Cain was and why he was holding him, he was still crying a little but no longer conscious. Sighing with relief Cain, slide out of the bed, shaking his head his stomach rumbled. Food yes food would help him get back to sleep, heading for the hallway Cain paused to look back at Glitch and the words slipped out

'"I wish the munchkins would come and take you away...right now."

Shaking his head Cain went to raid the kitchen pantry, not noticing that Glitches small sobs had ceased or that the lump under the blankets was gone. High above in it glass enclosure the brain that was Ambrose gurgled and started to glow, but there was no one there to see it so it went completely unnoticed and unremarked upon.

Word count: 1748

Title: Tin's labyrinth 1/?

Rating: pg15 for two guys sharing a kiss and sleeping in the same bed

Summary: (Totally the lj user"citrusyfun" fault for this.) Cain has a more stressful day the usual and Glitch is acting more 'glitchy' then ever.

Warnings: My first fan fic so please be giving me feedback, am strangely nervous about putting this up... I have no idea how many parts this will end up being

Words: 1748