A/N: This isn't actually Vimes/Vetinari slash, though it could probably be read as such. Feel free to treat it however way you wish...and, oh, leave a review containing your opinions. Please?
Disclaimer: Don't own and never will. These are just some of my interpretations of the two characters I find most fascinating in that world on a Disc.
Looking Glass
Lord Havelock Vetinari loves Commander Vimes. He is a fascinating character, his mental construct amazing.
Commander Vimes is impossible, an enigma; people think that Vetinari has got him under control. They call him Vetinari's Terrier.
This is silly and foolish and nearly—though not quite—makes him laugh, because Vimes does not dig for Vetinari. He is not Vetinari's to control.
Vimes is controllable by no one, not even himself.
People think, often, that Vimes is a law unto himself, and this does make Vetinari laugh, because, of course, all these people are missing the point.
Vimes is not a law unto himself.
He is himself unto the law.
Vetinari knows that Vimes could be a king of something, maybe a criminal organization or maybe a country. Vimes' character is strong, strong, and he could, Vetinari is sure, inspire fear. Easily.
But he does not. Most people do not understand this (Vetinari can think of perhaps three). They know that he is unbribable, and yet—and yet—
They very nearly accused Vimes, once, of poisoning Vetinari. Vetinari, of course, understands how they can make such mistakes, or he would not be Vetinari—but even knowing their characters, he cannot help but be incredulous.
Don't they know? Can't they see?
Apparently not.
People assume that Vetinari could get away with murder, and it is true; he could. But only if he got rid of Vimes, and he has made that deliberately difficult. Otherwise, Vimes would arrest him, and probably have him hanged.
Vetinari is continually grateful for the existence of the Commander; the tyrant who wants to be a tyrant tomorrow, as well as today, needs to know that he cannot. Vimes is a tool for many things, and Vimes knows this well, but Vetinari is equally sure that Vimes does not know that his main purpose is to be a check for Vetinari. (Vimes, after all, believes in equality.)
If he believed in Gods, instead of merely knowing they existed, he'd thank them.
As it is, he knows that, really, he mostly has himself to thank.
But he also knows that he could not have created Vimes if Vimes had not been there to create.
