And Now for Something Completely Different

Warning: there is some mature cursing in this chapter. the title is romantic not sexy. there is no slash. romance is feelings to me..so...

Chapter 9 Romantic interlude:

They waited for only a moment more before heading on the road again. Harry, noticing the fast approaching eclipse, put them on their 100 steps running 100 steps walking routine, to get them as quick as possible in a southerly direction.

DG caught up to him on one of their breaks and tilted her head in a considering manor. “You know how sometimes when the world around you is cracking up its easier to focus on something else?” He nodded with a smile, he hadn’t given a passing thought to the fact that his parent’s weren’t really his parents. When everything calmed down he might. “Well, I’ve been focusing on your parent thing.” He scowled at her, that wasn’t any of her business. “You know how your visions are about Azkadelia and about your godfather taking ‘him’ away?” She made quotations in the air when she said ‘him’. Harry nodded, eyes narrowed. He didn’t like where this was going. “Well I think you are that him.” Harry snorted. Duh. “Was that it princess? Any other leaps in logic you want to impart to me?”

Her eyes widened at his tone. “Well,” She paused and looked down and Harry huffed as the guilt got to him. How did Snape do that all the time? “Sorry, I just…I don’t really want to think about it. I didn’t know my parents then and so I don’t see why its important to have some now.” DG smiled at him hesitantly and he returned it. He put a hand on her shoulder and used her to pull him from the tree he was leaning on. Before he could tell them that break was over Glitch came up and Harry knew from the blush on his cheeks that he’d been eavesdropping. He held out an arm so Glitch would know to come in for a hug. He just looked at it funny and Harry snorted to himself. He should have known better then assume his head case would know what body language was.

“I was wondering. You said your godfather only told you that he left clues to find your mother. Who is your father?” Harry’s eyes widened as the pieces clicked together. He sat down hard, his legs unable to carry his weight.

Sirius left him clues to find his mother.

He had visions of Azkadelia begging Sirius to take away a male.

Sirius took him before he was born and put him in Lily Potter’s womb.

Fuck.

He was Azkadelia’s son.

Glitch and Cain gathered around Harry and kneeled to his sides. They looked at each other over his head. Why would asking about his father make him react stronger then his mother? “He looks like he figured something out.” Cain said. Harry was staring at the ground between his feet like it had just bit him. Finally he looked up and seemed surprised that they were all gathered around him concerned. “How old is Azkadelia?” He asked them. DG frowned and shrugged; she couldn’t remember. Glitch spoke up, “Well she used to be eight years older then DG. So assuming that there are no time discrepancies on the other side, I’d say she still is.”

They all looked at DG and she said, “It’s impolite to ask a lady her age.” Harry laughed a bit too hard, like it wasn’t really funny but he needed something to laugh about right then. “We’re not asking your age. We’re asking Azkadelias’ age.” She frowned confused but answered anyway. “Would be 30.”

Harry hummed and asked, “How old do you think I am?” they each answered somewhere between 25 or 20.

He laughed again. “Before I came to this place I was going to turn 16.” They all looked shocked except for DG. “But your godfather said that time moves differently in the veil, whatever that is.” Harry nodded.

“Best I can figure it, I was either in there for 10 years or it just aged me. I don’t have 10 years worth of extra memories. Just that when I woke up in that field I was 10 years older physically.”

Cain sat back on his heals and looked at Harry seriously. “Your 16?” his voice was gruff with suppressed emotion and Harry and Glitch picked up on it immediately. “Mentally. Although I must say I’ve never really been a kid.” Cain stood up and looked away.

The others, sensing a lovers’ spat, left them alone and settled down for a longer break. “You’re just a kid.”

Harry stood up and grabbed Cain’s arm when he tried to turn away. “Listen…” he stopped. If this was all it took to tear Cain from them, then he must have been waiting for a reason. He dropped Cain’s arm and Glitch gasped. “Alright Cain. I get it.” He turned away and told them all to get up. That it was time to move on again.

Cain stopped him. “No way I’m following orders from a kid.” Harry, his back to Cain, froze and bowed his head. Glitch saw Harry close his eyes in pain, and whimpered. When Harry looked back up, Cain was struck by how cold his eyes were. He gestured for Cain to take up the rains then. His eyes didn’t leave Cain’s and the tin man wondered just which one of them had been locked in an iron suit for 8 years.

Cain’s heart clenched and he furrowed his brow. He didn’t mean to hurt the kid. He shook his head. Looking at Harry he couldn’t think of him as a kid. This man had taken care of all of them. Kept their hopes up. Kept them from detection. He’d even gone on an assassination with Cain. It failed but he had gone. No matter how old he was mentally, Harry wasn’t a kid.

Cain felt ashamed of his words. Harry and DG had a lot to deal with right now. They all did but Cain knew his past. Harry didn’t and he didn’t have memories of his parents and life before like DG did.

Swallowing his pride he walked up to Harry. The sorcerer’s eyes didn’t change but Glitch’s turned hopeful. He could only spare the zipper head a glance. He stopped as close to Harry as he could get without pushing him over. Neither man raised their arms and so their closeness was awkward but Cain refused to insult Harry by embracing him.

“I’m sorry Harry. I just…its so…sometimes…” He huffed. He was no good at apologizing. Adora had always hated him for it. He took a deep breath but was interrupted by Harry’s whispering. None of them wanted their business to be broadcast to the spy but it needed to be said. “It’s okay Cain. I didn’t really expect you to stay with me, with us. I knew you’d take the first out. It’s okay..” Cain stopped him by pushing him over and standing over his fallen form. “Shut up. That’s not it. I’m having trouble yes, but you think I would be with you even for a while if I didn’t want it with everything I am? You were waiting this whole time for me to change my mind?” He was outraged. Cain didn’t think he’d ever been this mad at anyone he didn’t immediately shoot.

He realized that he’d been shouting and crouched down by Harry. Glitch was already there, his hand out to help Harry up, but not touching him. “What I feel for the two of you terrifies me. I’ve never…even with Adora.” He growled. He was no good with this feeling shit. “I thought you were a kid. I needed to get my head around it. I’m sorry I snapped at you. I didn’t really mean it. What bothered me was that I didn’t care that you’re younger then my son. I don’t care Harry.” The last part slipped out so quietly that Glitch and Harry barely heard it.

Glitch decided that since the cold had left Harry’s eyes it was over and he tried to lighten it up. “What a bunch we are. You’re really a kid. I have no brain. Cain has no idea how to express himself.” He threw his arms out dramatically and said, “How ever will we survive?”

His men chuckled at him and it warmed his heart. He loved his Cain and Harry. A jolt of a memory hit him and he remembered what he should have said to Harry in the ice tower. “I LOVE YOU TOO” he shouted it and Harry and Cain looked at him like he’d lost the rest of his marbles. “I remembered what I was supposed to say.” He said to Harry sheepishly.

Harry laughed out loud and fell on his back holding his sides. Glitch smiled watching him and explained to Cain who looked on confused but happy. “In the ice tower he said he loved me and I knew I was supposed to say something back. He told me not to say it if I didn’t mean it….” He frowned and hit Harry on the arm, “You stupid, of course I meant it. I just couldn’t remember I was supposed to say it.”

Cain watched them bicker, amused. They loved each other. It had been obvious the first time he’d met them. He also knew that they loved him too but he wasn’t sure how to tell if he loved back. He thought he loved Adora but then after they had Jeb it…changed. They fought all the time. He picked the fights so he could sleep in the guest room. Sleeping with her had become taxing. They hadn’t been intimate since they found out she was pregnant. It wasn’t enjoyable for him and he wasn’t about to do something he didn’t like. Not even for his wife.

Lost in his thoughts Cain missed Harry and Glitch sneak up. They planted a kiss on each of his cheeks and he jolted up. They laughed softly at him and Glitch said, “We love you too Cain.” Harry smiled, “You don’t have to say it back.” Glitch stood up and looked down at his men while putting on commanding airs. “That’s right we need to get going. Up men.” He pointed south on the road, “Men and princess hoe..” he started marching forward for a while but then after a few steps he stopped and looked around, lost.

His face was heartbreaking when he turned around and realized that they hadn’t abandoned him. “Harry! Cain!” Cain’s heart sped up at being included in the remembering ritual. “I forgot what I was doing and thought you left me!” Cain surreptitiously glanced around and saw that Raw and DG were sitting next to each other and were looking at the three of them sadly, as though they pitied him and Harry for having to deal with Glitch. He snorted. Glitch’s forgetful spots were a blessing in disguise. Every time Glitch remembered them, he was so happy. His whole face lit up in a smile, pure beauty. The emotions Cain felt when he saw that smile were many and confusing but Cain knew that the smile meant that Glitch loved them and was overjoyed to see them. It was more then he’d felt for a long time. “He pulled Harry and Glitch into a hug and said softly for their ears only, “I love you too.”

They stood like that for a while before the dog man interrupted them, “this is sweet and all but we really need to get going.”

Harry frowned at him but nodded and pulled Cain and Glitch into a jog, knowing the rest would follow.