Disclaimer: animegus farmus not See ownership of Tin Man or Willow.
Author's Note: Finally, FINALLY, a chapter that is postable on the first try, haven't had that since I started writing this bloody story. 'Course if I hadn't I'd have offed the narrator, he's only been musing the darn thing every other week since I started writing Tic Tok. Narrator who speaks in third person slightly troublesome, but overall okay. Oh, and I forgot to mention last AN – and thought I should since enough people were concerned – no Arguses were killed in the writing of this story. At least not yet. ;p
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Raw not a guard. Raw have courage, could fight when had to, be heroic maybe, but Raw not a guard. DG call Raw a guardian of the heart, says Raw sees, Raw heals. And Raw can See as Viewers See, so can Raw heal, but DG wrong, Raw not a guardian of the heart. Raw can See Azkadellia's heart, can feel her pain, know her darkness shadowed Light, but Raw cannot Heal it. The eldest princess hears Raw, but she does not believe - cannot - for Raw not a guardian of the heart.
DG and Gulch are.
Raw knows such guardians, knows their warmth, their fire. DG is like sun, bringing Light, banishing darkness; Gulch is like blaze in the hearth, a shield from the cold, a steady glow to light the way home…and a fiery reminder to any who would cross carelessly within his bounds. The kind of fire that could teach a sun to shine.
Gulch not realize Raw hovers for reasons other than probability of injury, not know that Raw love to bask in the effect of his presence, of DG's presence. Viewers cannot help but be susceptible to the emotions of a room, cannot but live in the feelings of others. Cain alone is a terrifying snarl of rage and fear, thwarted madness and desperate need. Azkadellia is a bundle of nerves, scraped raw, exposed and bleeding. Both too brave to let it show, but Raw knows, feels…and yet, add sun, add flame, then they are like moons, reflecting calm, peace, serenity. Add sun and flame together…
Consort not know how lucky O.Z. got.
Guardians of the heart need not Sight or Touch, can make do with snow and fire and…hot cocoa. And stories. It was the stories that drew them, held them close. The eldest princess radiated nothing but utter, dreaming content; the Tin Man glowing in quiet happiness; the audience caught up in DG's spirit. Stories explain much.
Explain why Gulch is wound on scar on bruise.
Gulch not like it when Viewers Listen, Hear his mind, his emotions, his heart. Othersiders are private, don't like to be Seen. But Raw cannot help but hear emotions when Gulch is screaming them across the room.
DG not know, Gulch not want DG to know. Imp tells of Menace born, not knowing the story strikes too close, starting the cascade of memories, revealing the wound, jagged edged, healed in haste, buried deep, not forgotten. Gulch love DG, like sun, like moon, like starlit sky. She went away, and he dwelled in darkness without her.
DG sees hearts, sees good in people, but sees Gulch at times with child's eyes. Remembers the hero, the problem solver, the guide, the friendly voice, the loyal protector, the man that is not invincible but seemingly indestructible because Gulch bounces. DG forgets that in order to bounce one must first absorb the impact.
Doesn't know that for a long time Gulch didn't bounce very well at all.
Raw Sees what Gulch would hide, sees whitened knuckles, knows his eyes search fields beyond the rainbow, never to find what they sought until long after despair and loss had taken their toll. DG is distracted by a suddenly irate Tin Man, the guards busy taking bets on the longevity of the unknown Gibbons' existence. Jeb figures DG maybe shouldn't have told that particular story; Gulch terminates discussion with a firm interdiction against damage to his Reclamation Project. Gulch would save everybody if someone held him together long enough, but Raw not a guardian of the heart, can only heal bodies. Memories leave enough Menace in his voice that DG begins to suspect…
…and then all wiped away in a wave of bemusement, old wound buried in confusion at finding there's a princess sleeping on him. Gulch wants to know when that happened. The room dissolves into uproarious laughter, masking the gentler, unknowing smile as Gulch sets to getting the sleeping Azkadellia safely back to her chambers. Well almost sleeping, but Raw not telling.
DG dances after them, has new Otherside traditions to inflict on the O.Z…or Gulch. Gulch thinks so, since now he'll not be getting any sleep. Othersider grouches and complains, balks and grumbles, but all know he'll play the guard, even without Cain's request. Raw knows that within, Gulch is laughing.
Flame and sun together is the oddest sort of calm beneath the chaos.
Gulch not Cain, not want be Cain, but in his heart a little girl runs laughing. She was center of his universe once, all he had. Far as Gulch knows, ever oblivious to the new axis upon which his world spins, all he has. The only link to his past, to what was home, and tomorrow he will watch her be given away with a smile and no thought beyond the best of wishes for her happiness.
Raw wishes Raw could have courage like that.