Disclaimer: I don't own Tin Man. :(
A/N: This is another one where they aren't really together, just really close...but I suppose if you squint - they could be together. What can I say, I'm a fan of fluff. :) I apologize for any mistakes, (no beta). Enjoy!
-B
The two guards that were on jail duty watched their charge with interest. It's not every day they got a Tin Man in jail.
Cain was lying uncomfortably on his side, staring straight out of his small jail cell. DG was sitting next to him with her feet pulled up next to her and his head in her lap. They were both staring into the same nothingness, deep in thought, annoyed with each other and the situation they were in, but that didn't stop DG's fingers from absentmindedly stroking their way through his short hair.
"How long did they give you?" He asked quietly.
"Ten minutes," she said, unblinkingly.
He slowly nods his head in response. They are quiet again for a moment, and then DG stops stroking his hair.
"Why can't you just tell them where you were?"
"You and I both know why we can't do that," he answered gruffly.
The guards exchanged a look, and continued to watch the pair with renewed interest. It seemed that they might overhear something interesting during the Princess's visit.
"Well, why wouldn't they believe us? Surely they can be reasonable enough to not jump to conclusions," she said waving her hand around.
"Kid, someone tried to kill your sister. Nobody is going to be reasonable in that situation." He sighed, and continued, "I wasn't in my room last night, and that makes me a suspect."
DG scowled, "I still think it's ridiculous."
"Me too," he whispered, and then turned his head slightly to look up at her, "How is your sister?"
"She's fine. A little shook up, but fine."
After a moment, DG continued, "I hate that nobody believed me when I told them you could never do such a thing."
Cain smirked, "That was a pretty nice backhand you gave that advisor."
"Yeah, well, he didn't know what he was talking about…rambling on about how my judgment is clouded because we're so close! What an idiot!" she spat, stroking his head again.
Now Cain smiled. "You know. As nice as it is, what you're doing right now really isn't helping you refute what he said."
DG scoffed and crossed her arms across her chest. It was the guards' turn to smile. They had heard about her confrontation, and had found her current display rather amusing, considering.
Cain sat up and looked over at DG, trying to gauge whether or not the advisor had struck a real nerve.
"Nope." She shook her head defiantly, still staring straight ahead.
"I didn't say anything."
"Exactly. But I know you're trying to figure out if what he said had any merit."
"Well did it?"
Now she brought her gaze over to his, her expression stony.
"No."
He cocked his head slightly and narrowed his eyes.
"Liar."
She blinked in surprise, and he found himself smirking.
"How would you know when I'm lying, Tin Man?" she said, shoving him hard on his shoulder, trying to distract him from the slight tinge of pink on her cheeks.
He chuckled, leaning closer. "Because of last night…" he said raising his eyebrows slightly, a smile playing across his lips. The guards shared another look with their own eyebrows raised, while DG glared at her Tin Man.
"…you had a terrible poker face."
DG's jaw dropped in indignation. "I. Did. NOT!"
The guards were now thoroughly confused.
"Yeah. Yeah, you did."
"Bullshit! Then tell me, Tin Man. How the hell did I win three packs of Oreos from you? Hmm?"
Cain's smile faltered, and his eyes flickered to the floor.
DG's eyes narrowed. "You didn't."
Cain glanced back up at her. Her shoulders slumped.
"You let me win…" She sounded deflated. He smiled weakly, and she smacked him on the arm again. "You let me win!" She was angry now. "At a card game! The whole night!?" She threw her hands up in frustration.
The guards were now trying to stifle their laughter. Clearly, the two them had forgotten their existence, and were now lost in themselves, bickering about the night they had shared.
"I can't believe you! And here I thought that you were refusing to tell Mother about last night because you're a sore loser or something! Which I was going to smack you for in the first place!" She said, hitting him again to make her point. "But now I get to smack you anyway, because you are a bastard!" She stressed the last few words with repeated blows.
"Hey! Hey, hey, hey! Stop it!" He said, grabbing her wrists and holding them to his chest to stop her abuse. "DG…" he began, but laughed slightly when she looked away from him, her expression annoyed, though he could tell she wasn't really mad at him. "I wanted you to win because you've been having a bad couple days. I just thought you could use some cheering up."
Her head spun quickly back to his. Her gaze softened for a second because of the sincerity she found in his eyes. Not because their faces were so close.
Or so she told herself.
She murmured something that, to the guards, sounded like "You're still bastard," but they weren't sure. She was trying not to smile back at him. His smile only widened and he pressed his forehead to hers. Now she did smile slightly, and they both began laughing.
Their laughter faded as they heard a stifled laugh coming from outside the cell. DG looked over and grinned at the guards, shrugging as if to say: 'Yeah, that's right. He's in jail because we played poker. So what?'
"Times up," she said turning back to Cain. His smile faded, and looked down at their now tangled hands.
"We'll find out who tried to kill your sister, DG. I promise." He said, raising her hands to his lips.
She smiled at the gesture, "I know," she said and slowly got to her feet.
"In the meantime, I'll send word for Raw so we can prove nothing promiscuous happened when I drop the bomb to my parents that you were in my room…all night," she added with a grin. "I'm tempted to do it now, just to see their reaction, but I think you'd almost be in more trouble."
Cain groaned, "Yes, that's exactly why I didn't want to tell them earlier. Just tell Furball to hurry up."
DG crossed the small cell, smirking, she nodded to the guards to let her out. They straightened, but couldn't wipe the slight smiles off of their faces from the secret that was just revealed.
"See you around, Princess."
"You do realize," she said turning back to him, "that we're going to have to play cards again, right?"
Cain just laughed and pushed her out the door.
As she stumbled into the hallway, she turned to the guards. "You may gossip all you like later, but for now:" she raised a finger to her lips.
"Of course, your highness," they answered in unison, but couldn't hold back their grins. It definitely wasn't everyday that they get a Tin Man in jail. Especially a falsely accused, Princess's Tin Man.
