A story for an Annualversary

A/N This story was inspired by the fact that I was in "The wizard of OZ" back in high school. When I saw Tin man it brought back a lot of nice memories and great lines. I wanted to see how many lines from the play I could work into the story and make it coherent. Challenge yourself and see if you can find them all. I have to thank my awesome beta, AuroraAtantaqui. She has been so patient with my awful spelling! I hope you all enjoy it.


Cain stood in the doorway of their bedroom and watched his lover sleep. It had been his first thought when he returned home, whether he had woken Ambrose up when he left for the early morning meeting or not.

The inventor hardly looked like himself now, all the grace from his waking life had left him. A vision of Glitch slept in their shared bed. The black curls were tosseled and tangled revealing the scar on the top of the man's head. His bare arms lay in a very odd position with their small white cat pinning them to the mattress as she slept.

The cat had sauntered into their lives about a month ago. She had mewed most piteously at Ambrose one morning while the two men were on their way to work. Cain had warned his lover not to feed the animal or it would never go away. He was not surprised to find Ambrose crouched close to the ground outside their apartment building when he returned home from a late night raid. The cat was eating the left over roast from the night before as Ambrose pet her contentedly. because Cain couldn't say no to his lover when that sweet, child like side of him emerged, the cat, now known as Glinda, had taken up residency in their spacious home. She ate their leftovers and slept between the lovers or on Cain's head, were ever she felt she would be more comfortable. As much as the tin man found the cat annoying he just couldn't get rid of her. Glinda had been good for Ambrose, it appeared she was the breaking point in the last of the man's barriers. He excepted that it was all right to be silly sometimes, as long as it didn't interfere with his work and Cain had to admit that it was very relaxing to lay on the coach with Glinda on his chest purring in her sleep as he scratched her behind the ears.

Sensing one of her masters, Glinda raised her head and meowed at Cain to come back to bed. Cain raised a finger to his lips in a shushing gesture at the cat. She yawned and laid back down before Ambrose could free his arms. She was smart. Almost too smart for a cat the tin man had thought on more than one occasion. To his lover's amusement Cain would not undress around her nor would he allow the cat in the room when he and Ambrose were intimate. After the "Toto incident" he wasn't going to trust any animal that seemed too smart.

The feeling in Wyatt's nose started to come back and he realized he hadn't removed his hat or coat. The man looked down to observe the large puddle the snow on his boats had made. He cursed quietly and moved back to the foyer.

Their apartment in Central City was Cain's favorite. The city had begun to retain its former beauty and if that wasn't reason enough, there was no snow.

The city of New Milltown had sprung up around the winter palace shortly after the defeat of the dark witch. It was a nice city. It housed mostly robots but many who had lost their homes during Azkadellia's rule had found their way there.

Ambrose insisted on getting an apartment here for when business brought them to the winter palace. The roads were now well paved and often traveled, and Glinda traveled well so Cain didn't complain too much. Having their own apartment allowed them more privacy than if they stayed at the palace like DG had offered. though Cain was regretting that decision as he nearly slipped and fell in a puddle he had made earlier. Now he was going to have to clean this all up before Ambrose woke up.

That was one of the things Cain actually missed about Glitch. The head case wouldn't have cared if some water had gotten on their hardwood floors.

As Cain hung up his coat his mind drifted back to the beginning of their odd story together.

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The tin man remembered his mind slowly filtering back to conscienceness.

He was safe and warm, a little too warm for comfort but he was too exhausted to do anything about it. His wife, Adora, was laying in his arms. The nightmare of all those annuals in the tin suit was just that a nightmare. Now he would hold his beloved wife in his arms and when she woke up they would make love, then he would make a big breakfast for her and his son. Then he'd find something to occupy his time, maybe chopping some wood for the cold days ahead.

Cain pulled Adora tight to him and rested his chin on her head. He was surprised to feel something cold and hard rather than her soft hair. After a great struggle, Cain opened his eyes and was surprised to find unfamiliar surroundings. He looked down at the sleeping person in his arms and upon seeing Glitch he started to push the other man away. He wasn't disgusted he was simply surprised. He had never been in bed with another man before. He had heard stories about male lovers when he was a tin man but nothing first hand.

His mind stopped him from shoving the man aside. Cain remembered what had happened. Zero shooting him, the fall into the icy lake. Glitch was trying to warm him up and must have fallen asleep.

Cain pulled Glitch closer to him. His warm body was so inviting to Cain. It felt good to hold another person in his arms after so long. True they were both naked beneath the pile of quilts and it felt odd to the tin man, but not bad or wrong.

He was surprised at how tired he was again. He closed his eyes and fell back to sleep cradling Glitch gently in his arms.

The head case had nursed him back to health during the next few days. Cain grew to really like Glitch. He saw the zipper headed man as a friend, but their relationship changed the day they were going to set out to save DG and Raw.

It had started out as playful teasing witty name calling and back handed complements. then someone had pushed someone else and then that person had pushed back. Cain couldn't remember who had started the little battle but it didn't matter. What did matter was it had ended when Cain had pinned Glitch beneath him on the floor with the headcase's hands held above his head.

Glitch was panting from the little wrestling match and laughing at how silly it all was. As Cain looked down at the slimmer man he felt an unbridled lust rise up in him. Soon Glitch realized that Cain wasn't laughing and asked why. then asked what they were doing on the floor.

There were no words to explain to Glitch how he felt, so Cain simply showed him. He dipped his head and kissed the headcase's neck, leaving marks in his wake.

Glitch gasped and pulled his hands free only to clutch Cain tighter to him. Their clothes fell away like snowflakes from the sky outside.

They had sex. Incredible, hot, mind numbingly passionate sex. At first Cain could only lay in Glitch's arms and marvel at how every inch of his skin seamed to tingle. Then the guilt began to eat away at his stomach. What if Zero had been telling the truth? He had just slept with someone else while his wife could be alive somewhere.

They dressed shortly after and resumed their journey. The beginning was tense. It had been a whim that had drawn the two together and now they had to live with the consequences.

Yet as they traveled the barriers that the two men had built up disintegrated and they were flirting with each other like teenagers.

Glitch would look at Cain though his eyelashes and smile. All Cain could do was shove the pale man against a tree and have his way with him.

The tin man laid his mouth on every inch of Glitch's body except his lips. He knew that it was ridiculous to feel this way after all they had done together but Cain feared that his feelings for the headcase would become overwhelming.

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Cain chuckled at his naiveté from back then. He had already fallen for the zipper head, fallen hard. The tin man hung up his coat and put his hat on the hook. His fingers were still half frozen from the walk back from the palace. It was difficulty untying his boots but a difficult situation never stopped Wyatt Cain. He finally removed his boots and began to clean up his mess. He glared briefly at his leather gloves which he had forgotten in his hurry out the door that morning.

Wyatt's mind wandered once more as he walked back to his bedroom.

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The two men continued their unconventional relationship through out their journey. Once Raw and D.G. were reunited with the group it became harder for them to be intimate. Surprisingly it was Glitch who would find private places for their interludes, even if they were only short ones.

Cain had the feeling Raw was already somewhat aware of the relationship but he did not press the seer.

Things started going wrong when the resistance member had told Cain were to find his wife and son. He wouldn't lay his hands on Glitch anymore. As if what he had already done would be forgiven if he stopped now.

When Cain found out Adora had died, he felt it was his fault, that some how Adora felt the pain of his indiscretion and it had stopped her heart.

Glitch pulled him away from the other to a quiet spot behind the house. The tin man had expected to be yelled at, to be told that he was an awful man who had lead the headcase on and then broken his heart.

With a gentle hand the pale man wiped the tears from Cain's face. "I'm sorry." he whispered. "I've been so jealous lately. I made myself forget that you had a wife and you'd want to be with her. I mean it's not like it's hard for me to forget." There was some bitterness in his voice even though he smiled at his own joke. Glitch became somber again. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry she's gone and I'm sorry I was jealous of her. I finally understand that what happened between us shouldn't have happened. I guess that's the risk you take when you get involved with a head case, right Cain?" He chuckled and tried to smile at the tin man again. When he got no response his smile vanished and he cleared his throat nervously. "I'm sorry. I've been so jealous lately. I made myself-"

Before Glitch's fried synapses could start the apology again Cain grabbed the other man and pushed him roughly against the outer wall of the cabin. The tin man watched fear trickle into the zipper heads face. Cain leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on Glitch's jaw. He moved up and kissed his cheek bone.

Cain looked into Glitch's long face and saw the pain he had left there. Tears flooded forward and the blond man collapsed into the other man's arms. He was surprised at how tight the lanky arms could hold him. Glitch had so much hidden strength and now he was sharing it with Cain.

They went back to the way things were. Neither man said it was love. They both feared the word as much as they longed to speak it.

Glitch fought by Cain's side with infallible loyalty. When Glitch hit the floor after the electrical shock in the final battle and didn't move, Cain's heart jumped up into his throat. The whole world stood still until Glitch opened his eyes. The pet name slipped out and it stuck. From then on Glitch was sweetheart to Cain. It wasn't the only nickname Glitch earned that day.

As soon as the queen was done showering affection on her daughters she looked at the three friends with thanks and admiration. When her eyes landed on Glitch she gasped and a dainty hand came up to cover her mouth. "My dear Ambrose!" She said. "I do apologize for this but you look like an old scarecrow. How in the O.Z. did you become so ragged?"

Glitch laughed so hard he almost fell over and Cain fell in love with him again.

Cain was given the position of leader of the Long Coats. DG insisted that the uniform and name be changed before going back on duty. The coats were tailored so they were still long in the back but the front was shorter and not nearly as baggy as they use to be. They were renamed the Waistcoats, though most people still refereed to them as Tin Men. Cain thought he looked quite dashing in his new uniform.

He moved into an apartment in Central City not far from his office. The queen, by the requests of DG and Cain, financed an apartment for Glitch until his brain could be put back together, if it could be done at all.

The leader of the Waistcoats soon learned that the two apartments were superfluous. The headcase lived less than a block away. Cain found himself going there rather than home after work most nights. He reasoned that he was only checking in on the zipper head. It was for his own good. A forgetful headcase could be dangerous.

After a while Cain started leaving clothes and things he'd need for the following days since he was so frequently staying over night at Glitch's place.

There was a beautiful view of the city from Glitch's apartment. Cain thought so when he looked down at the shinning lights of the city at night. It was as though Azkadellia never tarnished the shining city on the hill.

The view was framed by a large window with a soft, comfortable window seat. This is were Cain found Glitch the night before he was going to finally get his brain back. The alchemists needed some persuading but after half an annual in the palace dungeon they had agreed to try. They could not guarantee the outcome but they would try.

Cain unlocked the door to find all the lights out.

"Glitch." he called as he turned on the hall light.

After a moment he heard a small sad voice, "Who's that?"

Cain walked around the corner into the next room. It was dark in there too but the tin man could clearly see his partner's silhouette in the window. He was sitting in the window seat with his knees drawn tight to his chest.

"Sweetheart, how long have you been sitting in the dark?" Cain asked leaning his shoulder against the door frame and crossing his arms.

"Oh, it's you Cain." The voice was happier but something about it was still bothering the tin man. "I didn't realize it got so dark in the house. I guess I must have been sitting here a while."

Cain unfolded his arms and walked into the room. "I can fix that. I'll turn on the lights."

"Please, don't!" There was panic in the headcase's voice that stopped Cain in his tracks. He could see Glitch's face a little better now that he was closer. There was so much grief written in his usually carefree and happy face.

Swiping his old coat sleeve across his face, Glitch continued. "I didn't mean to startle you. I don't want to light on. I've been crying but I can't remember why." There was shame laced into the voice this time.

The tin man crossed the room in three long strides and sat facing his lover. "You don't have anything to cry about, sweetheart. Tomorrow your getting you're brain back."

Realization spread over glitch's features. "That's it. I'm scared about that. It isn't about whether the surgery will work of not, it's something else." The zipper head turned to look out the window.

Cain knew how hard it was for Glitch to think so he kept quiet while the former advisor wracked what was left of his brain. After a moment the thinking lines went smooth and tears began to spill down the pale cheeks. "Glitch?" Cain said as he reached forward to wipe the tears away.

Jumping at the contact, Glitch's head spun around and he looked at him in surprise. "Cain when did you get back?" he asked.

The blond sighed. "I've been here awhile, did you remember what was scaring you?'

Glitch looked confused for a moment. "Oh." He looked down at his hands resting on his knees. "Cain, I- I-" The headcase was cut off by a low growling noise. He jumped in suprise and placed his hand on his stomach. With a bit of embarrassment he looked up at Cain. "I must have forgotten to eat today."

"You've been sitting here all day?" Cain was surprised. Sure, Glitch forgot important things from time to time but never anything like eating or sleeping. He never forgot to do things that were vital for him to go on living.

After another moment of intense thought Glitch answered. "I woke up and you were gone. I hate waking up alone. I'm used to always having someone with me now. I couldn't do anything about you leaving already so I got dressed and came to the window to see if I could see you going to work." He looked back at his lap as he blushed. "I only saw you for a moment before you turned the corner. I sat down and thought you might be back for something you forgot. I was only going to sit for a moment but I must have gotten lost in my own thoughts." The headcase's eyes began to spill over with tears. "There goes some of me again." he laughed through the tears as his thought evaporated before he could tell Cain why he wept.

The tin man reached forward and ran his fingers through his lover's messy hair. The knuckle of one finger scrapped the edge of the zipper. "It's all right sweetheart. You aren't supposed to eat before you have surgery anyway. That might have been the best misfired synapse you've ever had." He watched Glitch wipe his face with his dirty, old coat sleeve. He smiled at the other man and gently pulled the arm away from his face. "Don't do that. I'll get something clean to wipe your face with."

Cain stood and moved away from the window seat. He stopped when he felt a firm grip around his wrist. When he looked back at Glitch he saw that the man was no longer just tearing up but crying openly.

"Don't go." the headcase sobbed. "I don't want to be alone anymore."

Kneeling down in front of the crying man, Cain started to explain to Glitch that he was only going to the other room but the headcase stumbled forward into Cain's arms. The tin man fell back on his rear end and Glitch clutched the larger man tightly to him as he sobbed. "I'm afraid I won't be me anymore and what we have, what ver you want to call this, will fall apart. I'm afraid you'll leave and never come back. I'm afraid to be alone again. I'm afraid of what will happen if you aren't there to help me. Cain, I l-l-" He couldn't say anymore around his sobs.

Cain held him in his arms. "Glitch, You will always be you. This will only add to who you are." He said the words but did not mean them. The head case had just said everything that he had been afraid of himself.

The sobbing man calmed himself down a little at these words. "Promise me you'll be there when I wake up after it's all over."

Cain hesitated. This was an important promise and he did not want to hurt Glitch. This was a promise he couldn't keep, he had already made sure of that. The blond man buried his face in Glitch's shoulder and took a deep breath. He smelt like freshly turned over earth and country lakes after a storm. They were smells that had embedded themselves in Glitch's skin after all those years of wandering. Yet, there was something underneath that spoke of lavish food at large dinner parties and old libraries filled with ancient and decaying tomes. "Promise you won't forget about us first." Cain whispered in Glitch's ear.

"I promise." Glitch held Cain as close as he could. "I promise. I promise. I promise."

"You're stuck in a loop again scarecrow." he said while placing kisses up the headcase's ear then down the jaw. Cain wiped the tears from Glitch's face when he finally stopped babbling. "Can I take you to bed now?"

Glitch started to answer but that "change" came over his face. It always astounded Cain how the other man could look so much like the old pictures of himself in these moments.

One delicately boned hand came up and brushed gently against Cain's cheek. The pale fingers moved to touch the tin man's bottom lip. The blond watched his lover curiously. The worry and fear embedded so deeply in those dark eyes worried Cain. Glitch's eyes flickered from Cain's lips to his pale blue eyes. He leaned forward tentatively whispering so quietly Cain couldn't hear till his lover was a hair's width away.

"Please, Cain. Please let me just this once." he whispered. His breath ghosted over the tin man's lips.

Then Cain knew what Glitch wanted. A real kiss. Two pairs of lips pressed together in passion and maybe even love. He panicked and turned his head to the side, allowing the headcase 's lips to press against the hallow of his cheek.

The last glint of hope died in Glitch's eyes. When Cain looked back he bowed his head, giving Cain a close up view of his zipper. "Take me to bed, Cain. I need you so badly." he mumbled.

Glitch weighed nothing in Cain's arms as he carried him to the bedroom. They made love like they would never get the chance to again. It was beautiful the way they moved together in sync with each others bodies. Afterwards as Cain held Glitch in his arms, he felt the other man begin to cry. All he could do was hold the brunettte as he sobbed. When Glitch had no energy left, even to cry, he fell asleep. Cain followed shortly after.

The next morning they dressed in silence and began the walk to the laboratories of the alchemists which the Queen was allowing them to use for the operation only. The whole building was heavily guarded by Waistcoats.

It was crowded this time of morning with the bustle of people heading off to work. Cain watched Glitch get pushed and shoved by commuters. He just allowed himself to be shoved around and was falling further and further behind Cain. The tin man stayed close to Glitch after that. He fended off the blows and helped his lover trudge through the sea of people.

Glitch kept his head down with no expression on his face. It broke Cain's heart. He slipped his hand into Glitch's and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Looking up at Cain, that little bit of hope began to return to Glitch's dark eyes. He smiled and squeezed the hand in his.

DG and Raw were waiting for them. The princess launched herself at Glitch and wrapped her arms around his neck. Glitch put one arm around her waist but was not going to let Cain's hand go.

Cain saw Raw's lingering look at their joined hands but only nodded with a small smile on his face.

The friends spoke for a short while until an alchemist came to tell them they were ready to begin the surgery. Glitch's eye's were filled with fear as he looked back at Cain. The tin man was strong for the both of them. "Go on. You'll be glad you did it."

The two had been so careful about keeping their relationship a secret but Glitch didn't care any longer. He wrapped his arms around Cain's shoulders and held him tight. "I want you to be the first one I see when I wake up." he said in Cain's ear.

"You' better go now. You'll be fine." was the only answer he could give the headcase.

Glitch reluctantly let go of Cain and followed the alchemist through the door.

As soon as Glitch went through the door Cain left. He took a horse from the Waistcoat stables and rode out of the city.

"You're late." Jeb groused as he sat astride his own horse, waiting impatiently in their predetermined meeting spot.

"Important business to take care of." was all Cain said pushing his hat a little forward so as to hide his eyes from his son.

"I hope it's not business that's going to call us back here any time soon." Jeb said turning his horse away from the city. "We could be gone for over an annual chasing those still loyal to the sorceress." The young man's eyes were a light with a blazing need to rid this world of all evil.

Cain chuckled as he realized he must have had that look in his own eyes when he was Jeb's age. "No. I've got some people to take care of it while I'm gone. It'll be over by the time I return anyway." he said quietly.

"Let's go then." The young tin man spurred his horse on into the woods.

Cain looked back at the shining city on the hill. "It's going to be so hard to say good-bye."

He thought of DG. Her bright smile and insistence in making everything into an adventure. Raw's quiet contemplation and understanding eyes would be missed. The tin man swallowed hard as he thought of Glitch. How could he pick only one or two things to miss about his lover? "I think I'll miss you most of all." he whispered around the lump in his throat.

"Dad, come on!!" he heard Jeb yell.

Cain buried his sadness deep with in his aching heart and turned his horse toward the sound of his son's voice. At that time he planned never to return.