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Title: Wallpaper of Broadway
Characters/Pairings: Glitch/Cain, everyone else in the series.
Rating: R for implied adult situations
Summary: What if Cain, DG, and Raw had first encountered Glitch working as a bartender in the Mystic Man's club? This story is an AU that parallels the series using this scenario.
Notes: This could not have been completed without the awesome beta work by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kseda. Whenever I shouted “LINE!” – she came through and I love her endlessly for it!
Chapter 1: Mystic Man's Twister Club
From behind the darkness and safety of the tall bar, Glitch watched with curiosity as the pair stood just inside the door. He could already tell the girl had never set foot in a place like this, but the other one with her was too hidden in his thick cloak to see his reaction to the often overwhelming decor and dense smoke from the vapor hookahs scattered around the tables.
Tossing a flask of orange juice from hand to hand, he studied the couple for another moment before turning back to his job. With a practiced flair of his wrist, he added a shot of vodka, a short burst from the soda fountain hose and just a touch of grenadine. With a graceful twist, he rolled the whole thing over his arm without spilling a drop and poured it over ice in a waiting glass.
Sliding it down the bar, Glitch caught the plat coin that was tossed back in return. He jammed it into the money box next to his hip and picked up his towel, wiping down the counter though he had just done it five minutes ago. Not that he remembered.
~~
Before Wyatt Cain could follow Raw and DG out the window, his arm was grabbed in a fierce, strong hand. “I’m sending someone with you. He already got the message.”
Cain frowned, glancing over his shoulder to where his charge had already disappeared. “Who?” It was all he needed to ask. There was no need to ask if this stranger could be trusted; there was no one Cain trusted more than the Mystic Man. No need to ask how the message had been sent – there were some things Cain had long since given up on figuring out about his former employer.
But the unexpected, crooked grin threw Cain off just a bit. “My bartender.” With a quick shove, Mystic Man was turning toward the door and Cain had no choice but to go after the two he had collected so far on his quest for vengeance.
~~
When the phone under the liquor rack started to ring, he glanced around before reaching for it. The fresh meat from earlier was gone and Glitch was momentarily sad for the missed opportunity for some entertainment. He picked up the phone, listened for only as long as it took to get the message then hung up without reply. The man on the other end would understand.
Giving a nod to his backup, a young woman he had been training for a couple of annuals, Glitch reached under the bar and grabbed his jacket. He somehow knew it would be the last he saw of this place.
~~
Cain skipped the last few rungs of the fire ladder and jump to the ground, spotting Raw and DG hiding in the dark behind the corner of the building. He’d only taken a few steps when the door opened behind them. Instinctively, Cain drew his weapon and trained it on the man who exited. The dim light over the outside of the door reflected off of several shining things in the man’s hair.
A hand on his arm and Cain looked up, meeting Raw’s calm expression. “Bartender.”
Heaving a sigh, Cain holstered his gun and glared at their new fourth. “You’re with us, apparently.”
Glitch grinned and did a little shuffle step up behind Cain, sticking his hand into one of Cain’s pants pockets before Cain could stop him. “Lucky you,” he purred, giving Cain’s ear a nip with his teeth before Cain pushed him away. “Come on then, pretty boy, we’ve got places to be. At least, I think we do.”
“You gonna tell us your name?” Cain snapped, glad for the darkness that hid his embarrassed blush at the other man’s attentions. He glanced around the corner as they reached the end of the alley, spotting DeMilo’s wagon parked out front where they’d left it. “Let’s go,” he ordered, leading the way.
“The name’s Glitch,” Glitch answered, keeping close to Cain as the four of them commandeered the not-so-subtle escape vehicle. “On account of sometimes my synapses don’t fire right. What with the – “ he ran his fingers down the length of the zipper just before climbing into the wagon behind the driver’s seat, his jacket already tossed into the back. The chains remained caught in his grip and he absently toyed with them, looping the beaded strands around his palm. “Nice ride, by the way. Very subtle. They’ll never find us in this. Let’s sneak off under the cover of darkness in the biggest, loudest car in the county.”
“Shut it,” Cain growled, struggling with the starter.
The proper owner appeared at the window, screaming and flailing his short arms. “That’s my wagon! You’re stealing my wagon! You can’t do that, I’ve got a wife and family!”
“How do you start this thing?” Cain ignored the ranting as he fought the clutch.
“Oh, you pull on the thing,” DeMilo answered calmly, reaching in to indicate which thing he meant.
Cain did as he was told and the engine roared to life, then Cain emitted an undignified yelp. “He wasn’t talking to YOU, Glitch,” Cain removed the hand from his lap and gave a shuddering sigh. “Thanks,” he called out the window as they pulled away, ignoring DeMilo’s indignant shouts.
~~
Glitch shivered in his obscenely thick blanket, his tank top and jacket doing little to combat the freezing weather pounding their trusty wagon.
Which without warning lurched to an abrupt halt, sending Glitch into Raw’s lap. Raw grunted and shoved him off again. They both jumped when the latch holding the canvas wall of the wagon was released and it rolled up, sending them both tumbling head-first out into the wind. “Oh, what now?” Glitch wailed, clutching his blanket and squinting against the blinding flurries of snow.
“Broke axel,” Raw informed him loudly.
“You got it,” Cain told him, tucking an axe handle into his belt. “We’re walking.”
Glitch groaned and buried his face in his blanket. “I should have stayed at the bar,” he mumbled, only slightly mollified by the soothing hand on his back. He’d have preferred the hand belong to Cain, but Raw would do. Besides, it also took some of the soreness in his back away so he considered it a win.
With a low whimper, Glitch swung his legs around and dropped out of the back of the wagon, taking his blanket with him. As soon as he set foot outside, his hair was turned into a white mess of wet snow. Dropping his head down and letting the it curtain around his face, he kept his eyes on Cain’s feet in front of him as the four of them continued on to the Northern Island on foot.
When DG stopped at the top of the ridge, Glitch barely avoided running into her. He looked up, following the line of her arm. “There.”
“That’s an island?” Glitch asked incredulously.
“Frozen in time in a sea of ice,” DG said slowly, her voice muffed by the simple scarf she wore to ward off the bitter cold. “Just like in my dad’s stories.”
“Well, come on, then,” Glitch reached out and pushed Raw out of his way. “Maybe there’s a fireplace we can use.” He set off again into the deep snow, trusting the others to follow.
~~
End Chapter 1
On to Chapter 2
Characters/Pairings: Glitch/Cain, everyone else in the series.
Rating: R for implied adult situations
Summary: What if Cain, DG, and Raw had first encountered Glitch working as a bartender in the Mystic Man's club? This story is an AU that parallels the series using this scenario.
Notes: This could not have been completed without the awesome beta work by
kseda. Whenever I shouted “LINE!” – she came through and I love her endlessly for it!Chapter 1: Mystic Man's Twister Club
From behind the darkness and safety of the tall bar, Glitch watched with curiosity as the pair stood just inside the door. He could already tell the girl had never set foot in a place like this, but the other one with her was too hidden in his thick cloak to see his reaction to the often overwhelming decor and dense smoke from the vapor hookahs scattered around the tables.
Tossing a flask of orange juice from hand to hand, he studied the couple for another moment before turning back to his job. With a practiced flair of his wrist, he added a shot of vodka, a short burst from the soda fountain hose and just a touch of grenadine. With a graceful twist, he rolled the whole thing over his arm without spilling a drop and poured it over ice in a waiting glass.
Sliding it down the bar, Glitch caught the plat coin that was tossed back in return. He jammed it into the money box next to his hip and picked up his towel, wiping down the counter though he had just done it five minutes ago. Not that he remembered.
~~
Before Wyatt Cain could follow Raw and DG out the window, his arm was grabbed in a fierce, strong hand. “I’m sending someone with you. He already got the message.”
Cain frowned, glancing over his shoulder to where his charge had already disappeared. “Who?” It was all he needed to ask. There was no need to ask if this stranger could be trusted; there was no one Cain trusted more than the Mystic Man. No need to ask how the message had been sent – there were some things Cain had long since given up on figuring out about his former employer.
But the unexpected, crooked grin threw Cain off just a bit. “My bartender.” With a quick shove, Mystic Man was turning toward the door and Cain had no choice but to go after the two he had collected so far on his quest for vengeance.
~~
When the phone under the liquor rack started to ring, he glanced around before reaching for it. The fresh meat from earlier was gone and Glitch was momentarily sad for the missed opportunity for some entertainment. He picked up the phone, listened for only as long as it took to get the message then hung up without reply. The man on the other end would understand.
Giving a nod to his backup, a young woman he had been training for a couple of annuals, Glitch reached under the bar and grabbed his jacket. He somehow knew it would be the last he saw of this place.
~~
Cain skipped the last few rungs of the fire ladder and jump to the ground, spotting Raw and DG hiding in the dark behind the corner of the building. He’d only taken a few steps when the door opened behind them. Instinctively, Cain drew his weapon and trained it on the man who exited. The dim light over the outside of the door reflected off of several shining things in the man’s hair.
A hand on his arm and Cain looked up, meeting Raw’s calm expression. “Bartender.”
Heaving a sigh, Cain holstered his gun and glared at their new fourth. “You’re with us, apparently.”
Glitch grinned and did a little shuffle step up behind Cain, sticking his hand into one of Cain’s pants pockets before Cain could stop him. “Lucky you,” he purred, giving Cain’s ear a nip with his teeth before Cain pushed him away. “Come on then, pretty boy, we’ve got places to be. At least, I think we do.”
“You gonna tell us your name?” Cain snapped, glad for the darkness that hid his embarrassed blush at the other man’s attentions. He glanced around the corner as they reached the end of the alley, spotting DeMilo’s wagon parked out front where they’d left it. “Let’s go,” he ordered, leading the way.
“The name’s Glitch,” Glitch answered, keeping close to Cain as the four of them commandeered the not-so-subtle escape vehicle. “On account of sometimes my synapses don’t fire right. What with the – “ he ran his fingers down the length of the zipper just before climbing into the wagon behind the driver’s seat, his jacket already tossed into the back. The chains remained caught in his grip and he absently toyed with them, looping the beaded strands around his palm. “Nice ride, by the way. Very subtle. They’ll never find us in this. Let’s sneak off under the cover of darkness in the biggest, loudest car in the county.”
“Shut it,” Cain growled, struggling with the starter.
The proper owner appeared at the window, screaming and flailing his short arms. “That’s my wagon! You’re stealing my wagon! You can’t do that, I’ve got a wife and family!”
“How do you start this thing?” Cain ignored the ranting as he fought the clutch.
“Oh, you pull on the thing,” DeMilo answered calmly, reaching in to indicate which thing he meant.
Cain did as he was told and the engine roared to life, then Cain emitted an undignified yelp. “He wasn’t talking to YOU, Glitch,” Cain removed the hand from his lap and gave a shuddering sigh. “Thanks,” he called out the window as they pulled away, ignoring DeMilo’s indignant shouts.
~~
Glitch shivered in his obscenely thick blanket, his tank top and jacket doing little to combat the freezing weather pounding their trusty wagon.
Which without warning lurched to an abrupt halt, sending Glitch into Raw’s lap. Raw grunted and shoved him off again. They both jumped when the latch holding the canvas wall of the wagon was released and it rolled up, sending them both tumbling head-first out into the wind. “Oh, what now?” Glitch wailed, clutching his blanket and squinting against the blinding flurries of snow.
“Broke axel,” Raw informed him loudly.
“You got it,” Cain told him, tucking an axe handle into his belt. “We’re walking.”
Glitch groaned and buried his face in his blanket. “I should have stayed at the bar,” he mumbled, only slightly mollified by the soothing hand on his back. He’d have preferred the hand belong to Cain, but Raw would do. Besides, it also took some of the soreness in his back away so he considered it a win.
With a low whimper, Glitch swung his legs around and dropped out of the back of the wagon, taking his blanket with him. As soon as he set foot outside, his hair was turned into a white mess of wet snow. Dropping his head down and letting the it curtain around his face, he kept his eyes on Cain’s feet in front of him as the four of them continued on to the Northern Island on foot.
When DG stopped at the top of the ridge, Glitch barely avoided running into her. He looked up, following the line of her arm. “There.”
“That’s an island?” Glitch asked incredulously.
“Frozen in time in a sea of ice,” DG said slowly, her voice muffed by the simple scarf she wore to ward off the bitter cold. “Just like in my dad’s stories.”
“Well, come on, then,” Glitch reached out and pushed Raw out of his way. “Maybe there’s a fireplace we can use.” He set off again into the deep snow, trusting the others to follow.
~~
End Chapter 1
On to Chapter 2
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
From:
no subject
That line never fails to make me laugh.
I do love how you are incorporating everything into your idea. I can't wait to see what you do with it next!
From:
no subject
Thanks so much! I'm trying to figure out how to best balance the "It's an AU of the series" with "I wanna add this and this and this..." I just hope it doesn't suck! *grin*
From:
no subject
I like this Glitch. And I love his tattoos, even on regular canon!Glitch. Look forward to more!!
From:
no subject
Thanks so much for this - I'm so glad you like this Glitch, there's so much more to be done with him. Since he came into the game so late, he doesn't know anything about the other three or their own "quests." Hell, he doesn't even know why he's there! *scratches head* Ah, plot. *searches frantically for plot*
From:
no subject
*laughs riotously as every head in the office turns to find out why the office apathy case is in hysterics*
I love this! Quite enjoying the entire tale so far, although I think that may be my bit ever. :-D
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
Not that he remembered.
ooh. ow.
Mwah! I love Cain's reaction to Glitch's first appearance and Raw's calm “Bartender.”
And Glitch's immediate flirting....
“Nice ride, by the way. Very subtle. They’ll never find us in this. Let’s sneak off under the cover of darkness in the biggest, loudest car in the county.”
Oh, saucy Glitch, I like you already! :)
“He wasn’t talking to YOU, Glitch,”
*disappears behind tea saucer in helpless fit of giggles*
From:
no subject
From:
no subject
With a graceful twist, he rolled the whole thing over his arm without spilling a drop and poured it over ice in a waiting glass.
This was gorgeous - and then ...
wiping down the counter though he had just done it five minutes ago. Not that he remembered.
You get us off-guard with the pretty and then - OW - remind us of the painful reality with a punch to the gut. *claps*
“He wasn’t talking to YOU, Glitch,” Cain removed the hand from his lap and gave a shuddering sigh.
BWAH HAH HAH HAH! Bartender!Glitch is such a brazen and glittery slut here!
Ooh, and I like how you meld this into the storyline with the Northern Island.
From:
no subject
Thank you kindly!