Fic: Beyond Sweetheart
May. 8th, 2008 04:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
amedia Title: Beyond Sweetheart
Characters: Glitch, Cain
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Imagiquest Entertainment. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Rating: PG
Warnings: Slash
Word Count: 610
Summary: Glitch and Cain wonder what they're doing.
Author's Note: A scene set about a week or so after the eclipse. One of these days it ought to have a story to go around it. Normally I don't write about guys talking about their relationship, but this was partly inspired by a discussion on![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
tinman_meta and also by four lovely words from magic4mula: "Buttoned ... Verge ... Riddle ... Kiss."
Glitch broke the kiss.
"What are we doing here?" he asked, taking a step back.
"I thought that was obvious," said Cain dryly. They were standing in Cain's quarters, where they had met by tacit agreement. All week long, since the eclipse, the nearly-palpable electricity that crackled between them had been drawing them together.
"I mean ... this," Glitch said, pointing from himself to Cain and back again. "Neither of us is ready."
Cain just looked at him.
Glitch continued. "Look at you. This--" he repeated the gesture, "--has 'rebound' written all over it. You've been on an emotional roller-coaster since we let you out of that suit. You haven't even had time to grieve for your wife."
"I had eight years," said Cain firmly, looking away. "You don't think I really believed I would find her alive based on what Zero said."
Glitch remembered Cain's headlong run to the cabin, the crushed look on his face when he found the gravemarker, but something in Cain's voice warned him against arguing.
Cain went on the attack. "Besides," he said, "what about you? Maybe you just associate this--" he mimicked the gesture, "--with being warm and dry and properly fed for the first time in years. It's amazing what creature comforts can do to create positive associations."
Glitch didn't disagree. "That could be it," he said, the scientist in him taking over, ignoring the consequences to the conversation, not even noticing Cain's startled look. "But I think it goes deeper than that," he added excitedly. "I've had intermittent periods of relative physical comfort before without forming romantic attachments. But these past few days I've had something more, more than even mere companionship. I had a chance to contribute meaningfully to something important in an atmosphere of mutual respect. Now that," he held up a finger in the air, "is a veritable cauldron bubbling with positive associations!"
Cain felt an unexpected joy in the satisfaction in Glitch's voice, even though it might spell the end of whatever this might have been before it began. "I'm glad to hear that, Glitch," he said. "I really am."
Glitch's mood shifted again; he looked uncertain. "Even if it means I don't really love you?" he asked.
"Of course."
Glitch turned away, and Cain feared they were on the verge of ending the conversation and with it, the last chance for what now seemed like a doomed project.
But Glitch turned back to him. "You're happy for me even though it hurts you," he said slowly, his eyes perplexed.
"That's because I really do love you," said Cain, adding fondly, "you idiot."
"But... why?"
"You're a riddle, Glitch. Wait--don't say it," he said hastily, laying a finger over Glitch's lips for a moment. "You're afraid I'll lose interest once the riddle is solved." He shook his head. "Every piece of the puzzle that falls into place reveals something I admire. Like a man who is more dedicated to the truth than to his own desires."
"Well, that's good to hear," said Glitch, looking suddenly shy. "Because I couldn't begin to see why you'd feel that way. Of course, when it comes to you, under that buttoned-down Boy Scout exterior there's so much courage and loyalty and integrity and--well, anyone could see why I would fall in love with you." The last words were said very softly.
"What about all those positive associations you were talking about?" Cain asked playfully.
"Their existence doesn't necessarily preclude genuine attraction," said Glitch in an analytical tone. Then a smile broke across his face like a sun through clouds. "Have you ever seen yourself from behind?"
Characters: Glitch, Cain
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Imagiquest Entertainment. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Rating: PG
Warnings: Slash
Word Count: 610
Summary: Glitch and Cain wonder what they're doing.
Author's Note: A scene set about a week or so after the eclipse. One of these days it ought to have a story to go around it. Normally I don't write about guys talking about their relationship, but this was partly inspired by a discussion on
tinman_meta and also by four lovely words from magic4mula: "Buttoned ... Verge ... Riddle ... Kiss."Glitch broke the kiss.
"What are we doing here?" he asked, taking a step back.
"I thought that was obvious," said Cain dryly. They were standing in Cain's quarters, where they had met by tacit agreement. All week long, since the eclipse, the nearly-palpable electricity that crackled between them had been drawing them together.
"I mean ... this," Glitch said, pointing from himself to Cain and back again. "Neither of us is ready."
Cain just looked at him.
Glitch continued. "Look at you. This--" he repeated the gesture, "--has 'rebound' written all over it. You've been on an emotional roller-coaster since we let you out of that suit. You haven't even had time to grieve for your wife."
"I had eight years," said Cain firmly, looking away. "You don't think I really believed I would find her alive based on what Zero said."
Glitch remembered Cain's headlong run to the cabin, the crushed look on his face when he found the gravemarker, but something in Cain's voice warned him against arguing.
Cain went on the attack. "Besides," he said, "what about you? Maybe you just associate this--" he mimicked the gesture, "--with being warm and dry and properly fed for the first time in years. It's amazing what creature comforts can do to create positive associations."
Glitch didn't disagree. "That could be it," he said, the scientist in him taking over, ignoring the consequences to the conversation, not even noticing Cain's startled look. "But I think it goes deeper than that," he added excitedly. "I've had intermittent periods of relative physical comfort before without forming romantic attachments. But these past few days I've had something more, more than even mere companionship. I had a chance to contribute meaningfully to something important in an atmosphere of mutual respect. Now that," he held up a finger in the air, "is a veritable cauldron bubbling with positive associations!"
Cain felt an unexpected joy in the satisfaction in Glitch's voice, even though it might spell the end of whatever this might have been before it began. "I'm glad to hear that, Glitch," he said. "I really am."
Glitch's mood shifted again; he looked uncertain. "Even if it means I don't really love you?" he asked.
"Of course."
Glitch turned away, and Cain feared they were on the verge of ending the conversation and with it, the last chance for what now seemed like a doomed project.
But Glitch turned back to him. "You're happy for me even though it hurts you," he said slowly, his eyes perplexed.
"That's because I really do love you," said Cain, adding fondly, "you idiot."
"But... why?"
"You're a riddle, Glitch. Wait--don't say it," he said hastily, laying a finger over Glitch's lips for a moment. "You're afraid I'll lose interest once the riddle is solved." He shook his head. "Every piece of the puzzle that falls into place reveals something I admire. Like a man who is more dedicated to the truth than to his own desires."
"Well, that's good to hear," said Glitch, looking suddenly shy. "Because I couldn't begin to see why you'd feel that way. Of course, when it comes to you, under that buttoned-down Boy Scout exterior there's so much courage and loyalty and integrity and--well, anyone could see why I would fall in love with you." The last words were said very softly.
"What about all those positive associations you were talking about?" Cain asked playfully.
"Their existence doesn't necessarily preclude genuine attraction," said Glitch in an analytical tone. Then a smile broke across his face like a sun through clouds. "Have you ever seen yourself from behind?"
