Title: Thaw
Author: Kay Seda
Summary: Cain keeps waiting for spring.
Characters/Pairing: the rather early stages of Cain/Glitch
Cain did not do well with cold, not since the Northern Island. It wasn't just the physical discomfort either, although the feel of a chill seeping into his bones did give rise to disproportionate panic.
It was the haunting memory of all the scenarios he'd contrived for his family's suffering, the fantasies Zero's words had evoked while he lay exhausted on the ice, waiting for it all to finally end. The certainty, then, that they were still out there and he was still going to fail them as he slipped into unconsciousness.
Nearly an annual later he stood at a north facing window and watched winter's last storm beat itself against the glass in a racket of sleet. With one hand held a few inches from the panes Cain could feel the cold sneaking in, leeching the warmth from his flesh. Elsewhere in the manor (it was not "home", it would never be home) there was probably laughter, likely a bit of warmth, but here he could test himself to see how close he could get before-
"What are you doing?"
Cain cursed and flinched back from the window. Too old, too slow, no one should have been able to sneak up on him like that, not even an especially stealthy courtier.
"Nothing, Glitch," he replied, and as an afterthought let his hand fall to his side.
"Huh," Glitch replied, and somehow the exclamation conveyed layers of wisdom. He leaned against the window frame with his left shoulder pressed to the glass, craning his neck so he could observe the storm. "Nasty out there."
Cain nodded. "Yeah, it is."
Glitch understood, probably, what having shelter from the cold truly meant from having spent countless forgotten winter nights on his own. Likely he had his own abstract regretful ghosts, too. Cain saw it sometimes when Glitch looked to his queen, a brief flash of horror and pain that was quickly shrugged off, dismissed with a smile and a warm greeting.
"What were you doing?" Glitch asked again, and his breath fogged the windowpane briefly.
"When, now?" Cain knew it was dangerous to answer Glitch's questions with other questions, but there were some instances where it was a necessity.
Thankfully Glitch just nodded and turned his face away from the storm to give Cain a confidently curious look.
"Remember," Cain began, and if answering questions with questions was tricky then beginning them with that phrase was even more so. "Do you remember the Northern Island-" Glitch interrupted to say that yes, he did, and Cain gave a patient nod before continuing "-and how you got me back to the wagon?"
Glitch muttered the word wagon to himself a couple of times, then grinned and shook his head firmly. "Nope, no idea."
At that Cain found himself smiling. "I guess it doesn't matter."
"I do remember knowing I had to stay," Glitch said firmly. "I mean, I had to stay with you or else... well, it wouldn't have been good. Good thing I was right, right?"
Cain nodded and returned his attention to the window. He'd felt nothing in the suit, hot or cold or - as the scars on his hands attested - pain. An eternity of nothing until the rush of light and fresh air once DG pried the thing open, the immersion in and rebirth from the river when they leaped after Raw, and then the cold again courtesy of Zero. The cold had been its own sort of numbness, a slightly more vicious form of punishment than the one he'd grown accustomed to.
Then, at last, the hazy memory of a spindly body draped against his which had brought warmth.
"I was thinking about that day," Cain said, finally getting around to his answer. "When the weather's like this it's closer to the surface." He brought his hand up again, just keeping it away from the glass. "Is there anything you never forget?"
He'd regretted it as soon as he asked, but Glitch just nodded. "Oh, all kinds of things. I'll always remember the queen's birthday, and Kildebaren's Alchemic Laws, and how to tie my shoes." He glanced down as if to confirm this last point, and so it was with his head bowed that he finished. "And, it's funny, but I always sort of know that I need to stay with you."
At that Cain glanced at him sharply, and Glitch looked up, his mouth quirked slightly to the left as if he was unsure of what he'd just said. Then he stepped forward and took the hand Cain was still holding against the storm in his, brought the the scarred knuckles to his lips and kissed one, two, trailing warmth before letting their joined hands drop.
"Sorry," Glitch blurted, but neglected to let go. If anything he clutched Cain's fingers tighter.
Cain shook his head and rest his right hand on Glitch's arm, the one chilled from contact with the window. "Maybe you're right about that," he said softly.
Maybe he needed someone to pull him back from the cold.
Glitch grinned and shrugged. "I am, every once in a while." Then he blinked and glanced out the window again. "Nasty out there."
"Yeah, it is," Cain replied, then tugged at his hand. "Come on, let's find someplace warm."