Fic: Worlds Away 6/6
Mar. 24th, 2010 06:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
amediaTitle: Worlds Away
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
amedia
Word Count: 6706
Rating: PG
Pairing: Cain/Ambrose
Summary: Ambrose returns from a strange journey.
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Imagiquest. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author's Note: Many thanks to TODS for beta-reading far above and beyond the call of duty.
Part 1 may be found here.
Part 2 may be found here.
Part 3 may be found here.
Part 4 may be found here.
Part 5 may be found here.
Once again, Ambrose found himself walking through the bitter cold up to the gates of the palace. The guards startled to attention when they recognized him; he saw one of them reaching for the telephone to call the palace. Then behind them, he saw a figure in a gray overcoat and hat, pushing past the guards and coming straight toward him. Hands gripped his shoulders, worried ice-blue eyes looked directly into his, and Cain's voice said "It is you" in exactly the same way as before, fear and relief and desperate affection all mixed together. Ambrose found himself wrapped in a warm embrace and returned it, finally allowing himself to believe that this was his Cain, not the counterpart who belonged to someone else.
"I have about a hundred questions," Cain said, his voice catching slightly as he released Ambrose. "Are you okay?"
Ambrose smiled. "I have about a hundred answers," he said. "And I'm fine." He put his hand on Cain's arm to reassure him. He allowed himself to relax the tiniest bit and suddenly realized that he had been running on fear and adrenalin for far too long. He staggered slightly.
"Lean on me," Cain said, and they began walking up toward the palace together. Ambrose suddenly stopped after a few steps. "What is it?" asked Cain. "Is something wrong?"
Ambrose turned toward him. This is where you kissed me, he thought, except it wasn't really you. He couldn't bring himself to say the words aloud.
Cain regarded him with concern. Pulling the glove off his free hand, he laid the palm of his hand against Ambrose's cheek. "You sure you're okay? No fever?" he said. It seemed as if he was about to say something else, but then his eyes caught Ambrose's and he stopped.
For a moment the world around them faded and it was just the two of them standing in a circle of pale sunslight with the snow glittering around them.
Then the moment was gone; Cain looked away, as if slightly embarrassed, and Ambrose felt him beginning to move his hand away as well.
"Wait," Ambrose said, putting his hand over Cain's. "Cain, I—"
Cain looked back at him and it was Ambrose's turn to stop speaking.
Raw's words came back to him. You'll have to find out for yourself. Ambrose leaned forward and kissed Cain.
There was no hesitation. Cain kissed him back with a fierce energy that made Ambrose wonder how he could ever have mistaken the more easy-going Cain of the other dimension for the Cain he knew.
It was too cold to stand still for long, even in such a pleasant embrace, and the two reluctantly separated after a few moments. "I'm guessing you're glad to see me," Ambrose said; Cain tried to scowl but wound up chuckling instead.
They didn't finish their walk alone; while they were still a short way from the palace, they saw DG come tearing out the door, followed closely by Azkadellia. Servants trailed farther behind, holding out coats and hats in vain.
He had a sense of deja vu as the princesses threw themselves into his arms; he embraced them both and smiled. Here was the fragile, still-recovering Azkadellia, the unsettled, impatient DG still finding her way. Looking up, he saw his silver-haired queen standing on the palace steps, a smiling, scruffy Raw at her side.
This was his dimension; he was home where he belonged. These were his people, all of them broken, mended, yet stronger in ways that their counterparts could not begin to imagine. He gently disengaged himself from the princesses and bowed to the Queen. "Your Majesty," he said, taking the hand she put out and kissing it formally before she laughed and pulled him into a hug.
"Let's go inside," she said. "It's freezing out here."
She led the way into the parlor, where the walls gleamed with new paint, and velvet throws disguised the battered furniture. Ambrose realized that everyone was looking at him expectantly, waiting to hear his story. "You won't believe where I've been," he began, turning slowly to look at each of his friends. "But you were there, and you, and you..." Completing the circle, he turned back to Cain, still by his side. Taking both of Cain's hands in his own, he said, "I think I missed you most of all."
Author:
amediaWord Count: 6706
Rating: PG
Pairing: Cain/Ambrose
Summary: Ambrose returns from a strange journey.
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Imagiquest. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author's Note: Many thanks to TODS for beta-reading far above and beyond the call of duty.
Part 1 may be found here.
Part 2 may be found here.
Part 3 may be found here.
Part 4 may be found here.
Part 5 may be found here.
Once again, Ambrose found himself walking through the bitter cold up to the gates of the palace. The guards startled to attention when they recognized him; he saw one of them reaching for the telephone to call the palace. Then behind them, he saw a figure in a gray overcoat and hat, pushing past the guards and coming straight toward him. Hands gripped his shoulders, worried ice-blue eyes looked directly into his, and Cain's voice said "It is you" in exactly the same way as before, fear and relief and desperate affection all mixed together. Ambrose found himself wrapped in a warm embrace and returned it, finally allowing himself to believe that this was his Cain, not the counterpart who belonged to someone else.
"I have about a hundred questions," Cain said, his voice catching slightly as he released Ambrose. "Are you okay?"
Ambrose smiled. "I have about a hundred answers," he said. "And I'm fine." He put his hand on Cain's arm to reassure him. He allowed himself to relax the tiniest bit and suddenly realized that he had been running on fear and adrenalin for far too long. He staggered slightly.
"Lean on me," Cain said, and they began walking up toward the palace together. Ambrose suddenly stopped after a few steps. "What is it?" asked Cain. "Is something wrong?"
Ambrose turned toward him. This is where you kissed me, he thought, except it wasn't really you. He couldn't bring himself to say the words aloud.
Cain regarded him with concern. Pulling the glove off his free hand, he laid the palm of his hand against Ambrose's cheek. "You sure you're okay? No fever?" he said. It seemed as if he was about to say something else, but then his eyes caught Ambrose's and he stopped.
For a moment the world around them faded and it was just the two of them standing in a circle of pale sunslight with the snow glittering around them.
Then the moment was gone; Cain looked away, as if slightly embarrassed, and Ambrose felt him beginning to move his hand away as well.
"Wait," Ambrose said, putting his hand over Cain's. "Cain, I—"
Cain looked back at him and it was Ambrose's turn to stop speaking.
Raw's words came back to him. You'll have to find out for yourself. Ambrose leaned forward and kissed Cain.
There was no hesitation. Cain kissed him back with a fierce energy that made Ambrose wonder how he could ever have mistaken the more easy-going Cain of the other dimension for the Cain he knew.
It was too cold to stand still for long, even in such a pleasant embrace, and the two reluctantly separated after a few moments. "I'm guessing you're glad to see me," Ambrose said; Cain tried to scowl but wound up chuckling instead.
They didn't finish their walk alone; while they were still a short way from the palace, they saw DG come tearing out the door, followed closely by Azkadellia. Servants trailed farther behind, holding out coats and hats in vain.
He had a sense of deja vu as the princesses threw themselves into his arms; he embraced them both and smiled. Here was the fragile, still-recovering Azkadellia, the unsettled, impatient DG still finding her way. Looking up, he saw his silver-haired queen standing on the palace steps, a smiling, scruffy Raw at her side.
This was his dimension; he was home where he belonged. These were his people, all of them broken, mended, yet stronger in ways that their counterparts could not begin to imagine. He gently disengaged himself from the princesses and bowed to the Queen. "Your Majesty," he said, taking the hand she put out and kissing it formally before she laughed and pulled him into a hug.
"Let's go inside," she said. "It's freezing out here."
She led the way into the parlor, where the walls gleamed with new paint, and velvet throws disguised the battered furniture. Ambrose realized that everyone was looking at him expectantly, waiting to hear his story. "You won't believe where I've been," he began, turning slowly to look at each of his friends. "But you were there, and you, and you..." Completing the circle, he turned back to Cain, still by his side. Taking both of Cain's hands in his own, he said, "I think I missed you most of all."
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2010-03-24 11:21 pm (UTC)*ahem* As I was saying, YAY! This was perfect! Oh, the awkward yet so very heartwarming reunion with Cain was outstanding. And I'm so glad Ambrose got the courage to kiss him! :D
*cheers and makes seal-clap motions* Wonderful story in every way! Thank you for sharing it!!!
no subject
Date: 2010-03-25 06:30 pm (UTC)Wonderful story in every way! Thank you for sharing it!!!
*blush* Thank you so much! I've been really encouraged by your exuberant commentary along the way!
no subject
Date: 2010-04-03 01:45 am (UTC)LOL, brilliant…
no subject
Date: 2010-03-25 12:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-25 06:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-25 01:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-25 06:35 pm (UTC)Oh, thank you! I'm so glad to hear this. Thanks for all your wonderful comments along the way!
no subject
Date: 2010-03-25 01:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-25 06:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-25 03:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-25 06:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-25 10:47 am (UTC)Awww, perfect! :)
And this...
These were his people, all of them broken, mended, yet stronger in ways that their counterparts could not begin to imagine.
<3 :)
no subject
Date: 2010-03-25 06:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-27 01:58 am (UTC)*hugs*
no subject
Date: 2010-03-28 02:11 am (UTC)*nodnod* I often do that myself, so I quite understand!
I'm glad you liked the scientific & ontological bits! :-) And the kissing. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment & tell me what you liked about it!
no subject
Date: 2010-03-28 04:03 am (UTC)I love Cain's 'lean on me' and Ambrose's wistful 'This is where you kissed me, he thought, except it wasn't really you.' Agh!
And this moment, such a perfect pause:
For a moment the world around them faded and it was just the two of them standing in a circle of pale sunslight with the snow glittering around them.
SOMEBODY KISS SOMEBODY! Ahem, yes. Thank you.
I loved Ambrose's reactions to 'fragile Azkadellia' and 'his silver-haired queen', and to Raw and DG.
These were his people, all of them broken, mended, yet stronger in ways that their counterparts could not begin to imagine.
And of course this:
"But you were there, and you, and you..."
was grand, but this was the BEST:
Taking both of Cain's hands in his own, he said, "I think I missed you most of all."
*flails and falls over*
Bravo.
no subject
Date: 2010-03-30 01:47 am (UTC)ROFL!!!!!!
Thank you so much for all your wonderful comments!
*flails and falls over*
*gives you a hand up and dances you around*
no subject
Date: 2010-04-03 01:47 am (UTC)You did a damn fine job. :)
no subject
Date: 2010-04-04 03:37 am (UTC)Thank you! *tries to look modest*
Snow is always so romantic
Tru dat!
You did a damn fine job. :)
Oh, honey! *squishes you* Thank you!
no subject
Date: 2011-06-27 05:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-06-28 03:15 am (UTC)