Cain was rudely awakened by someone violently shaking his hip. He groaned, rolling over onto his back and blinking blearily into the darkness. "Glitch? Gods, what time is it?"
"How am I supposed to know?" Glitch's voice was high and tight, right on the edge of frantic. "Help."
That brought Cain into full alertness and he sat up, hands already checking Glitch over for signs of injury. "What's wrong? Are you hurt? Where?"
Glitch's hand brushed over Cain's arm in the dark, cold and clammy and trembling. "My head - I woke up and the...my zipper was open again. I was trying to fix it but I wasn't really awake and something's wrong and it's stuck and - "
"All right, just take it easy," Cain drew a calming breath and reached for the light. They both winced at the sudden brightness until their eyes adjusted. "Let me see."
Glitch obediently ducked his head and Cain had to swallow the rising freak out at that. Not (only) the sight of the inside of Glitch's head being offered, but the unreserved trust Glitch had in him. Glitch didn't let anyone near his head, not even doctors. Especially not doctors. But here he was, asking Cain to help him with his zipper. It was sobering.
Careful fingers inspected the metal teeth and jammed pull in the dim light until Cain figured out what was causing the problem. "Okay, hold still. I need to move the pull back and forth a few times to get the hair free that's caught. Are you going to be all right with that?"
Glitch's answer was to scoot closer and nod, though Cain could see fingers gripping the pillow turn white.
"If I hurt you, you just let me know, got it?"
"Just...I trust you. Just do it, please."
Cain's heartbeat quickened at the soft plea and he got to work. He winced in sympathy at the pained hisses Glitch gave but after a few moments of deft labor, Cain got Glitch's hair and zipper back in their proper orientation. He finished his task by closing Glitch's zipper himself, very slowly. His hands lingered on the back of Glitch's head and he pressed a kiss to the closed metal. "All done, sweetheart. You okay?"
Glitch rubbed his hands over his face before he raised his head, eyes red but smiling appreciatively. He nodded and returned Cain's kiss with one of his own, this time on the lips. "Thank you."
"No need, that's my job," Cain gave Glitch's arm a brisk rub and nudged him. "Back to sleep with you. It's still dark outside."
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"How am I supposed to know?" Glitch's voice was high and tight, right on the edge of frantic. "Help."
That brought Cain into full alertness and he sat up, hands already checking Glitch over for signs of injury. "What's wrong? Are you hurt? Where?"
Glitch's hand brushed over Cain's arm in the dark, cold and clammy and trembling. "My head - I woke up and the...my zipper was open again. I was trying to fix it but I wasn't really awake and something's wrong and it's stuck and - "
"All right, just take it easy," Cain drew a calming breath and reached for the light. They both winced at the sudden brightness until their eyes adjusted. "Let me see."
Glitch obediently ducked his head and Cain had to swallow the rising freak out at that. Not (only) the sight of the inside of Glitch's head being offered, but the unreserved trust Glitch had in him. Glitch didn't let anyone near his head, not even doctors. Especially not doctors. But here he was, asking Cain to help him with his zipper. It was sobering.
Careful fingers inspected the metal teeth and jammed pull in the dim light until Cain figured out what was causing the problem. "Okay, hold still. I need to move the pull back and forth a few times to get the hair free that's caught. Are you going to be all right with that?"
Glitch's answer was to scoot closer and nod, though Cain could see fingers gripping the pillow turn white.
"If I hurt you, you just let me know, got it?"
"Just...I trust you. Just do it, please."
Cain's heartbeat quickened at the soft plea and he got to work. He winced in sympathy at the pained hisses Glitch gave but after a few moments of deft labor, Cain got Glitch's hair and zipper back in their proper orientation. He finished his task by closing Glitch's zipper himself, very slowly. His hands lingered on the back of Glitch's head and he pressed a kiss to the closed metal. "All done, sweetheart. You okay?"
Glitch rubbed his hands over his face before he raised his head, eyes red but smiling appreciatively. He nodded and returned Cain's kiss with one of his own, this time on the lips. "Thank you."
"No need, that's my job," Cain gave Glitch's arm a brisk rub and nudged him. "Back to sleep with you. It's still dark outside."