This is a semi-sequel to "The Absence of Touch". But you don't have to read it to understand the point
Disclaimer: I don't own anything TinMan.
DG watched as Cain made his way down the corridor. His ever-present duster swirled around his legs. His fedora was attached firmly to his head, shadowing his eyes. In the past months since DG had saved Azkadellia, everyone had begun to heal and resume their life in the OZ. It had been difficult, but she could see the cracks in the familial relationships beginning to heal. Cain was the exception. He alone had not changed from the taciturn man she had rescued from the Tin Suit.
She had thought Cain's reunion with Jeb, coupled with the impromptu hug Cain had given her before they attacked the castle, had been a crack in his armor. But she quickly saw that Cain had shored up those cracks and made his walls even more indefensible. Jeb was the only one he allowed close to him, but even that interaction was still tainted by restraint.
Cain held himself apart from everyone. He used his cold blue gaze and silent demeanor to stop any familiar contact. The quick, friendly banter between Cain and Glitch had been silenced upon Glitch's return to Royal Advisor. DG was treated as an object to be looked after. Cain gave snarls to Raw to intimidate the naturally gentle man into compliance. All in all, Cain was a bastard. But, he was a bastard that DG had come to care for in spite of his coldness. She knew that somewhere deep within him still lived the man that she had glimpsed briefly in that impromptu hug. She lived on the memory of warm blue eyes and a gentle "Hey there, Princess".
His time in the Tin Suit had locked up Cain's emotions. He was unwilling to let go now that it was safe. DG felt compelled to release Cain once more. Part of her wanted Cain so grateful that he would fall in love with her. That part was usually sharply reprimanded for its selfishness. The other more empathic part of DG saw the pain Cain's remoteness caused everyone. She hated seeing her friends and family in pain, especially when she thought she could prevent it.
All she had to do was break through Cain's walls. She had to overwhelm his formidable defenses. She would have to seduce him with her body. And this scared DG to death. She was not a femme fatale. She was just a simple farm girl from Kansas, who had dated a bit. What she knew of seduction would fit in a thimble.
If she was going to seduce Cain she would need to know the mechanics of seduction and desire. Learn how to play on a man's thirst and need. Discover how her touch could crumble his walls and allow her in. But DG didn't want to seduce Cain and then lose him. She wanted to free Cain, but still be a part of his life. This was the hard part of her quest, seducing Cain without wrecking their tentative friendship.
DG conned the Queen, and to some extent Ahamo, into letting her travel, with a full retinue of guards, to the Realm of the Unwanted. She explained to her parents that the people of the Realm needed to know that things in the OZ were different now. Plus, she wanted to discover if the woman, Air of Day, had survived Zero. While the woman had tried to turn them in, she was ultimately responsible for reuniting father and daughter, allowing DG to find the Emerald. After several days of debate, DG was allowed to go. She made sure that Cain was not allowed to accompany her. She convinced her mother to send Cain to the Western Guild to belay any fears they had about the return of the House of Gale.
DG found Air of Day with the help of Ahamo's contacts within the Realm. DG gave Air of Day an official pardon for her past crimes against the crown, which included trying to capture DG, and then she invited the woman to her chambers to visit. Through subtle questioning, Air of Day revealed her sordid life. She had once been a courtesan for a rich nobleman, but the fall of Queen Lavender Eyes had forced her from a comfortable life in society. Pretending innocence, DG questioned Air of Day about her role as a courtesan. Since courtesans were familiar to the OZ, Air of Day did not suspect alterative motives behind DG's questions. Though DG did not learn any sexual secrets, because that would have been just too weird, she did learn how a courtesan would connect with a client.
"It's kind of like a companion from Firefly," thought DG. "Maybe I should have paid closer attention to Inara instead of Mal's tight pants. Of course, he's got nothing on Cain."
DG considered her time spent in the Realm of the Unwanted well spent. It was almost worth the tongue-lashing Cain had given her upon her return. He had not been pleased with her going there, especially without him. DG had behaved uncharacteristically demure during the entire tirade which, unnerved Cain considerably. For several days afterward, he watched DG like a hen around a fox.
DG took more time to study the art of touch by raiding the library of the Palace. Of course, she made sure no one, including Az, was aware of her reading material. Some of it made her blush, but she was determined to find the key to unlocking Cain.
Finally, DG was ready to implement her plan. However, her plan was half –baked at best since she had no idea of how she was going to go about actually seducing Cain in the palace. If only it was like those stories where the heroine and hero were forced to be alone so their passionate natures could be revealed. Instead, DG was surrounded by guards 24/7, plus an over-protective mother and father, not to mention Glitch and Raw, who always seemed to be lurking around either DG or Cain. As for Cain, he had folded further into himself. Not even Jeb's sporadic visits could break through his self-imposed isolation.
Believe it or not, it was ultimately Cain who provided DG with the opportunity she had been looking for. One of the guards had uncovered a plot by some renegade Longcoats to assassinate Princess DG. With Ahamo's and the Queen's input, it was decided that DG must be whisked away to a remote location until the assassin had been brought to justice. Originally, DG was supposed to be accompanied by three of her guards, but the day before she was supposed to leave, one guard had been exposed as part of the plot. Cain promptly decided that DG's life could not be entrusted to anyone but himself. Ahamo would lead the investigation into the assassination plot, while Cain took DG to an undisclosed hiding place. It would be just the two of them.
DG could hardly contain her glee at the change in circumstances. Yes, she should be upset about the murder plot and the idea that one of her guards was a traitor. But, despite the circumstances, this was an opportunity to help the one man who had come to mean so much to her.
The ride to the hideout was done in silence. Cain rarely spoke to DG anymore. DG was consumed by thoughts of doubt and of problems that could arise from her attempt to free Cain. Cain was a little surprised by DG's restraint, but chalked it up to concern over past events. The hideout was a cabin hidden on the edge of the woods. It looked a lot like a cabin DG had seen in pictures from Colorado. Tall trees draped the structure in shadows, while the dual suns threw sunbeams to dance between the shadows. It was a quiet, peaceful place, and more importantly, no one else was around. It was time for "Operation Free Cain".
"Hey, Mr. Cain, which room do you want? The queen bed with attached bath, or the King bed, but with the bath is located in the hall?" DG called back to the silent guard as she stopped in the hallway, unsure of which way to go.
Silence greeted her for a moment; then he responded rustily. "Your pick, Your Highness. I'll probably not be sleeping much anyway."
DG chewed her lip as she studied the situation. Which would be best for her purposes? Ultimately, DG decided that she would take the larger bed. She threw her bags in her room before wandering back down the hall.
"So, what are we going to do while we are here?" DG asked.
"I'm going to be guarding you. Tutor sent some materials he wanted you to study while away, so I guess you will do that."
"Yeah, but what else? Could we go exploring?"
Cain rolled his eyes. He was already tired of DG's attempts to connect. He just wanted her to leave him alone. His dreams last night had been plagued with vague images that tormented him throughout the night. The only constant thing had been flashes of blue – the same color as DG's eyes. His need for touch had been growing beneath his stoic exterior. His hands itched to touch her soft milky white skin, stroke her ebony hair. Multiple times he had to bite the inside of his cheek hard to stop himself from expressing his need. Being shut up with DG was the worst torment he had ever been subjected to.
The princess moved toward the kitchen area. "Hey, what do you want for supper?" She called.
Cain, hiding his surprise, replied, "You don't have to cook. I'll do it."
DG scoffed. "Please. I used to work in a diner. I think I can handle kitchen detail while we are here. Why don't you go and relax for moment? You know, stalk around the perimeter, glare rogue squirrels into submission. You know, fun Cain stuff."
Cain turned a baleful eye to her. "I'll be outside if you need me."
DG grinned internally at Cain's hasty retreat. IF he only knew what she had in store for him, he would die.
Cain stalked around the cabin, trying to work off his excess energy. He was unsettled by the close proximity of DG. He needed to shore up his defenses before he re-entered the house. However much he tried, though, he could not stop from recalling how the rustle of dress brushed across his nerves, or how her red lips would curve at some scene. He had not wanted to come here, but DG's life was more important than his need for isolation.
Finally, he could not put off going back inside any longer. It was time to face the dragon.
DG debated on exactly what would be the first step in implementing her plan. At first she thought about a romantic meal, seductive dress, and risqué conversation. Then she decided that would only give Cain a warning of what she wanted. Instead, she decided to be a lot more subtle. Tonight, Cain would be hit with "Domestic DG".
The smell hit him as soon as he entered the room. The aroma caused his mouth to start watering. He followed the sounds of DG's humming to the kitchen. He watched in silence as she swished around the room. A small table was set with dishes and silverware. Steam rose from the various dishes already on the table. DG turned and jumped back, startled at Cain's silent presence.
"There you are. You ready for my other-world-famous chicken fried steak?" DG asked as she brought over a plate of browned meat.
Cain looked at DG in surprise. "World famous….?"
"Just an expression, Cain. It means that I am really good at this recipe."
Cain doffed his hat and sat down hesitantly at the table. The meal looked good, but he was still unsure exactly what chicken steak was.
DG placed a large portion on his plate, then proceeded to cover the piece in a brownish sauce. It looked fairly bland and slightly disgusting, however it still smelled great. He poked at the piece with his fork.
"Oh, come on, Cain! It's a piece of steak that's been covered with a batter of flour, eggs, and buttermilk, and then deep-fried. The gravy is made from flour, milk, and the oil from the pan. Just try it." DG rolled her eyes at the man's timidness and muttered under her breath, 'Big baby'.
Cain huffed at her words. He cut a small bite and gingerly stuck it in his mouth. He chewed for moment; his eyebrows shot up in surprise. This was good. Really good. He grinned slightly at DG's giggle before lustily consuming his meal. Who knew the princess could cook this well?
DG mentally gave herself a high five. Okay, barrier number one down. Ply the man with good home-cooked food. Now she just needed to get the man to relax a little. Step two, initiate gentle, soothing conversation.
"So, what did you see outside?" She asked.
Cain paused to swallow a bite before replying, "There is a small stream close by. Looks like it might have some fish."
DG grinned manically at Cain. "Fish? I love to fish. Tell me we have poles."
Cain shook his head in bemusement. He knew DG was strange, but really - a woman who fished? Woah, did he just say woman? He meant girl. That's right. A young, innocent girl with really big eyes, soft luscious lips, long legs, and a great set of bre….Cain reared back physically from his thoughts. He could not be thinking about DG that way. She was his charge, not some inner-city prostitute.
"If we don't have any, I can make some. I'll look later for poles," Cain finally responded. He then looked up tentatively at her. "I didn't realize that you liked to fish."
DG laughed. "Oh, yeah. Pop and I would sneak off early some mornings and catch a few at a nearby pond. I had hoped that someday I could go deep-water fishing, but since the OZ doesn't have an ocean, I guess that is a no go."
"Oh, there is an ocean, but it's on the other side of the Deadly Desert. You could get there by travel storm."
DG grinned at him. "When we get back you have to take me. Have you ever fished there?"
He grinned back slightly. "Once, when I was young. My parents and I spent a week at the beach. He took me fishing on a boat one day. I caught a flying fish. Dad was so proud of me. I think he must have told that story to everyone at least a hundred times."
"You've never mentioned your parents before," DG said with a question in her tone.
Pain flickered in his eyes. "They died right after Adora and I were married. Freak accident. Wall in Central City just fell one day. Mom and Dad were walking next to it when it happened. There wasn't anything anyone could do."
DG reached out and clasped one of Wyatt's hands in sympathy. He smiled faintly before withdrawing his hand to resume his meal.
Quickly, Cain finished his meal and thanked DG before escaping back outside. DG was not sure what had happened. She thought about the situation as she cleaned the kitchen. Obviously, Cain had some thought that disturbed him greatly. DG sighed. This was not going to be easy.
Well, step two was a bust. Cain was so not the type for soothing conversation. So that meant DG would have to break him through the senses of sight and sound. Time to initiate "Good Night, Cain". DG looked over her meager wardrobe. The maid had included the obligatory full-length Little House on the Prairie nightgown since that was all the rage in provocative nightwear for young unmarried girls. 'Screw that!' DG thought.
DG thought for a moment before calling for Cain.
"Cain? Hey, Cain! I need you for a sec. Come here!"
The still flustered Tin Man entered the small cabin. "What ya need, Princess?"
"Can you believe they didn't pack me a nightgown? So, I was wondering if you had a shirt I could borrow?"
His eyes widened considerably. "Say what?"
DG smirked and spoke slowly, "Cain… me…borrow…shirt…need…for…bed."
Cain shook his head as if to clear it. "You want to wear my shirt to sleep in?"
DG shrugged nonchalantly. "Yeah, that is if you have one I can borrow. Otherwise I won't have anything to sleep in."
Cain groaned out loud at the mental picture displayed before him of DG laid out with her dark hair trailing down her naked back. He gave a loud sound of exasperation. "Fine. Just give me a moment."
The princess grinned slightly. This should work out well. A few minutes later, he returned with a shirt in hand. "Will this one do?"
DG held it up to her body. "Perfect."
She brought part of the shirt up to her nose to sniff. "It even smells like you." She hugged the shirt to her chest tightly before bouncing back into her room.
She said it smelled like me. Does that mean I stink, or does she like the way I smell? And why am I even thinking about it? Cain thought to himself as he stared at her door.
He decided to have one last look around before heading off to bed. The night air filled his lungs while the night sky twinkled above him. It was calm and peaceful. One lone light shone in the window of the cabin. He hesitated. He really didn't want to go inside. Being around DG made him nervous. It was hard to hold on to that stoic exterior when she was near. He tried so hard not to watch the sway of her body, the way her lips formed words. He could feel tendrils of emotion curl through him at every smile she bestowed on someone. He didn't want to feel.
What if he started to feel again and he lost them, like he had Adora? He didn't think he could survive again. No, it was better to lock up those useless emotions. DG didn't see him as anything more than a bodyguard. He needed to get his head on straight. Cain slammed his hand against the porch railing. He had stalled long enough. Time to face this night's torment.
In her room, DG smoothed the front of Wyatt's shirt down her body. The tails of the shirt ended a little above her knee. The soft fabric rubbed against her skin, sending shivers down her spine. She could imagine Wyatt's hands following the contours of her curves. She heard the front door quietly close. Show time.
Cain turned off the lone light in the outer room, bathing the cabin in moonlight. Just then, DG's door opened. An enchantress stood, poised in the doorway. Cain faltered. She smiled and peeped at him through her blue eyes.
"Thanks for letting me borrow the shirt." Of course, this forced Cain's eyes to move over her, capturing the way the material clung to her breasts and revealed the creamy skin of her thighs. He bit his inner cheek to hold back any sounds.
DG watched Cain's eyes darken at the sight of her. She walked up to him, turned around, lifted her hair up, and presented the back of her neck to him.
"Can you undo this necklace for me? I can't seem to get it undone." DG asked quietly.
In silence, Cain lifted his hands. Rough fingertips dragged slowly across the back of her neck. Chills spilled down her spine. She tried to stop herself, but a gasp escaped her anyway. The fingers stilled for a moment before continuing to move around her neck. One hand moved to the front of her neck and splayed across her upper chest. DG closed her eyes. He was seducing her without even trying. She was the one who was supposed to do the seducing.
Cain's hands reluctantly left her neck. Slowly turning around, DG looked up at him. The troublesome necklace dangled between them. Holding his gaze, DG cupped her hand to catch the jewelry. Wyatt's eyes darkened even further as DG licked her suddenly dry lips. He could imagine crushing her lips and body beneath his own. When the necklace had pooled in her hand, DG closed around it, capturing Wyatt's fingertips. The electric contact stunned both of them.
Cain watched as DG changed from shy princess to audacious woman. He could feel his heart speed up, his breath hitch in his chest.
She didn't say anything. She turned around and led him to his bedroom. He jerked slightly at the sound of the closing door. Moonlight was the only source of light. DG turned to him, staring into his light blue eyes. She reached up and removed his ever-present fedora. It was reverently placed on a nearby chair.
DG could scarcely believe that Cain was just simply standing there, but she didn't question why. She quelled the shaking of her hands as she reached up to unbutton his vest and gun belt. The slide of the buttons was the only sound in the room. Once the vest was unbuttoned, she lifted her arms to push it off his shoulders. It and the gun belt fell with a thud to the floor.
A quick look up was all that DG allowed herself before moving to unbutton Cain's shirt. The hollow of his throat called to her like water to a man in the desert. She wanted to touch the spot and lave it with her tongue. She wanted to taste the sweat and essence of Wyatt. Grasping the edges of the shirt front, she lifted herself on tiptoe and delicately licked the desired spot.
Cain felt like his body was thrown into a molten pit. The feel of DG's hands on his vest and gun belt had been muted somewhat, so he was able to hold back the tide of emotions flowing through him. However, feeling her soft hands brush the touch-starved flesh of his chest, and the feel of her wet, pink tongue flicking against his skin was too much. He threw back his head and groaned. It was almost sensory overload.
He gripped her arms tightly. He wasn't sure if he wanted to push her away, or prevent her from leaving. She stilled, waiting to see what he would do. Cain was frozen. He was torn. Did he push her away, or did he finally accept that he didn't have to be alone anymore? DG stood, waiting. She didn't want to push him into something that would hurt him, but after a few moments, she realized that he couldn't make that decision.
Reaching up, she resumed unbuttoning his shirt, pulling it from his pants, until they lay open. Still within his viselike grip, she laid her hands where the material parted and swept them up, pushing the shirt as she went. It bunched at his elbows since he had not yet released DG. Leaning forward, she placed soft kisses at the base of his throat. Every so often she would draw the delicate skin and worry it between her teeth. Sounds rumbled from his chest.
DG swallowed harshly. She was nervous, scared, turned on, and humbled by the pliancy of Cain. She thought about stopping, not wanting to change the nature of their relationship, but the drive within her body and heart overruled her common sense. She pulled away, leading him to the large bed that stood in the center of the room. She pushed him to sit on the edge. Kneeling at his feet, she pulled off his boots and reached up to draw off his socks. She traced the length of his toes with her fingers and drew her thumbs hard into his arches.
Cain watched in fascination as DG played handmaiden to him. The feel of her hands digging into his instep was a pleasurable pain. He could only imagine what her hands would feel like on the rest of his body. He felt her hands finish pushing his shirt off. She then climbed on the bed and settled in behind him.
Her hands ghosted over his shoulders before settling on the tense muscles of his back. DG sat upon her knees and kneaded his muscles. The nape of his neck looked lonely and inviting, so she gently bit down on the tendons there, caressing the cords with her tongue. Cain could feel shocks of feeling course through his body. Each push and pull of her hands loosened the bonds that held him isolated.
DG swiveled around and straddled Cain's lap. On instinct, Cain grasped her around the waist feeling the narrowness of her body, the resiliency of the flesh. She stared at him directly in the eye as she settled her body over his. Her wet heat had him gripping her hips hard. The sensation her body sliding over him was almost too much to bear.
Giving him time to understand what she wanted, DG lowered her lips until they barely touched his. She paused. His mouth opened minutely. It was enough. She boldly slid her tongue into his mouth. Her actions mimicked the movement of her body over his. Cain found a rhythm and pulled her body into it. The heat between them climbed higher.
DG could feel herself losing control. The feeling of his length rubbing against her escalated the sensation. She was beginning to lose focus on what she had wanted to accomplish. Pulling back, DG gasped. She arched her back to draw much-needed breath into her body, unintentionally pressing down upon Cain's growing need. He growled low in his throat at the provocativeness of the move.
DG pressed a few more kisses to his parted lips. She then slipped off his lap, pushing him on his back in the process. Cain stretched out on the bed with his hands above his head. DG stood over him, savoring the seductive picture he made.
Her hands reached out for his belt buckle and pants button. With an economy of movements, she removed the last of Cain's clothing. At the sight, desire ratcheted up a notch within her. Her body ached to meld with his. It would be so easy to just remove her clothes, climb on top and slide down on his hardness. Cain wouldn't stop her. His eyes were so glazed over with passion they were a stormy blue. But this wasn't about her or her needs. This was about Wyatt, and breaking him out of his prison. She would not take that choice from him. She wanted to release him from his prison, not create another one. And if she made love with him, Cain would feel bound to stay with her. She didn't want that.
However, that didn't mean that she could not release Wyatt through her touch, and touch him she would. Smiling, DG climbed back on the bed and straddled Wyatt again. His body moved restlessly beneath hers. Starting at his face, DG began to kiss and taste him. She found the pulse point behind his ear. She slowly circled his nipple with fingers and tongue. She followed the trail of hair from his chest down his body.
Her tongue swirled at his belly button. His taste and scent was everywhere. It drove her mad with desire. Sliding further down his body, sure to rub on his increasing need, DG fell to the floor between his legs. She nipped the skin behind his knees and combed the hairs of his muscular thighs.
Her hair swept across loins. The first words were finally spoken.
"DG, for gods sake, please." The harshness of Cain's words released DG.
She swooped down and enveloped him within her mouth in one fell swoop. Wyatt's body arched and his hands dug into the sheets. Curse words poured from his lips. She enclosed his remaining length within her grasp as her tongue stroked the sensitive head. Each pass of her tongue on his shaft sent stars shooting through Cain's brain. It felt so fucking good.
Relaxing, DG raised her head slightly before taking even more of Cain into her mouth. The wet heat and the sensation of her tongue had Cain on the brink. He fought to hold back his approaching climax. DG could feel his body tremble with his restraint. Releasing him from her mouth, she enclosed her hand around him. She slid her hand up and down his shaft, increasing the rhythm.
"Let go, Wyatt. It's okay. I want to watch you come." As far as dirty talk went, it wasn't the most risqué, but just the fact that it was DG saying it was enough to send Wyatt over the edge. His back arched. Incoherent sounds poured forth from his mouth with each movement of DG's hand on his body.
She continued to milk him gently as he calmed down. She then climbed back up on the bed and kissed him tenderly.
DG whispered, "I know that you'll want to talk about this later, but for right now - sleep. We'll be here a few days at least. We can discuss this then. I'm not staying because I don't want you to regret this, and I think if I stay until morning, you will. " DG kissed him. "Just remember, I wanted this. I wanted you. I still want you. But you have to decide how much of me you want."
She smiled gently at his silence before getting up and leaving Cain alone in the room. Cain was left confused, but satisfied. He had been touched and those bars that had held him back were gone. Now he had to decide where the road would lead him next. He wasn't sure if it would lead to DG or not, but at least he would finally get the chance to find out.