Love Knots

Chapter 4

Wyatt excused himself after dessert and bid his time waiting for Ambrose out in the hall, finding that he was unable to keep himself in check while in the same room with him. Not wanting anyone to know what was going on just yet, he found it a bit more difficult having a viewer in the room.

He looked up from where he was leaning against one of the marble columns when he heard footsteps and saw Ambrose relax and smile at him. “I thought you were ditching me there for a minute,” he admitted as he came closer and Wyatt shook his head. “So…” Ambrose murmured. “Where’s this second apple I keep hearing about?”

Wyatt chuckled. “Is that all you think about?”

Ambrose laughed softly. “No, but they are a rare delicacy this time of year,” he replied. “Up here anyway.”

“Ah, I see…” Wyatt drawled. “So you just plan on using me, do you?”

Ambrose chuckled softly but his smile faded to be replaced with a look of confusion when Wyatt didn’t laugh as well.

Wyatt snorted in slight amusement and tilted his head as he pushed off the column. “Come on,” he said and led the way up stairs.

He paused with a sigh and turned to Ambrose, swallowing dryly when they reached the door to his rooms, feeling torn.

“What is it?” Ambrose asked, studying his expression.

“I… uh,” Wyatt began and exhaled a heavy breath, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably.

Ambrose arched his brow in question.

“Well… before I get it, I… I wanted to ask you some questions if you don’t mind.”

Ambrose smiled slightly, looking puzzled but amused. “All right,” he replied.

Wyatt sighed and looked around making sure they were alone. “You don’t have to if you don’t want, but, um…” he said turning back to meet Ambrose’s gaze.

“But,” Ambrose asked.

“Well,” Wyatt said a little uncomfortably. “I feel like I hardly know you, really, and um…” he paused, trailing off with a sigh.

“And,” Ambrose prompted again. “Come on, Wyatt,” he said smiling slightly. “You wanted to ask…”

Wyatt returned the smile and chuckled a little self consciously. “Yeah, I did,” he said, lowering his gaze. He exhaled heavily and looked up. “Well, one of them is kind of personal, and may even be a bit presumptuous considering the fact that I feel like I hardly know you…”

Ambrose blinked. “Okay…” he drawled. “Well, you must be curious or you wouldn’t even be thinking about asking, and how else would you get to know me?”

Wyatt sighed and lowered his gaze again.

“Its okay, Wyatt, really,” Ambrose assured him. “You said I didn’t have to if I didn’t want, right...? I don’t mind… what’s the worst that could happen? I don’t want to answer?”

Wyatt snorted in amusement. “Or you kick my ass for even asking,” he said, looking up to meet Ambrose’s gaze again.

Ambrose sighed, shifting and feeling a little antsy standing in the hallway. “Look, I’m not saying I will or will not answer… but it would be nice to at least know the question you want to ask me since it’s forcing us to remain here. Besides, you’re head of security; I seriously doubt I could kick your ass.”

“Don’t be so sure,” Wyatt said then exhaled heavily and scrubbed a hand over his face. “All right,” he said. “I…” He paused and tried again, “When you were hiding, DG came to me and asked me to find out what was wrong.”

“Yeah, I kind of figured as much,” Ambrose replied.

“Well… She said it was because of me, or at least implied that much…”

Ambrose swallowed dryly, meeting Wyatt’s gaze steadily. “I take it you want to know whether or not she was correct,” he said, his tone quiet.

Wyatt blinked. “No,” he answered, releasing a breath. “But I would like to know what you want from me…” Shifting his gaze, he reached up and idly picked at the paint on the door frame before meeting Ambrose’s eyes again.

“Does it matter?” Ambrose asked. “I… I mean, would it affect the fact that we’re on speaking terms?”

“No,” Wyatt answered honestly, shaking his head. “I’m just curious.”

“So…” Ambrose said quietly. “What do you mean exactly?”

“Well,” Wyatt replied. “Like I said, it might be presumptuous of me for asking, but…” He paused and exhaled heavily. “What are you looking for, Ambrose? Why did you hide when we weren’t talking? DG seems to think that you were feeling ignored and unwanted, so I’m kind of curious if that’s the case, in what way were you feeling… are you looking for just a friend, or are you looking for something more?”

Ambrose swallowed and exhaled a shuddering breath as his body trembled slightly. “Uh…” he said and smiled a little nervously. “When you said presumptuous, man, you weren’t kidding.”

“You don’t have to answer, you know,” Wyatt replied. “And like I said, I’d still talk to you no matter…”

“No,” Ambrose said. “No, it’s fine…really.” He paused and swallowed dryly. “I… I suppose my hiding would indicate something like that…”

“Ambrose…” Wyatt said. “You really don’t have to answer right now if you don’t want to.” He cleared his throat after a moment when Ambrose didn’t reply. “It’s okay, you don’t have to tell me right now… just think about it, alright?”

Ambrose swallowed and nodded. “A-all right,” he said quietly, meeting Wyatt’s gaze.

“I do have another question for you though,” Wyatt said, a smile tugging at his lips when he saw Ambrose pale slightly.

“O-okay…” Ambrose replied.

“This one’s not that bad, I promise,” Wyatt said, still smiling. “And you still don’t have to if you don’t want to… it’s up to you.”

Ambrose relaxed a little and nodded.

“Since I feel like I don’t know you all that well, I was wondering if you’d mind staying and talking… I… I really looked forward to seeing you today,” Wyatt explained.

Ambrose blushed, lowering his gaze a moment and swallowed before glancing up and nodding. “I – I’d like that.”

Wyatt blinked, slightly surprised by the answer.

Ambrose grinned and laughed softly. “So… Have I earned my apple yet, Wyatt?”

Wyatt swallowed and nodded with a smile in return. “Yeah,” he replied and opened the door. “Come on in…”

* * *

A short time later, Wyatt handed Ambrose a glass of white wine before sitting down with him on the floor of the sitting room and taking a sip of his own. “What?” Wyatt asked when Ambrose accepted the glass and arched his brow.

Ambrose shook his head and swallowed. “Thank you,” he replied, taking a sip as well. “It’s just…” he said and lowered his gaze with a smile. “I never figured you for a wine drinker, that’s all. Hard alcohol and beer, sure…”

Wyatt chuckled softly and set his glass down before leaning over and stoking the fire he’d beat the maid to starting in the hearth. “It’s an acquired taste,” he replied. “I don’t mind a glass now and then to relax.”

Ambrose nodded slightly and smiled, exhaling softly as he took another sip. “It’s good,” he murmured and watched quietly as Wyatt stretched out on all fours, weight supported on one arm with the log skewer in one hand, poking at the fire. He lowered his eyes as Wyatt moved back toward him and cleared his throat, taking another sip of his wine. “S-so… um, y-you were looking forward to seeing me today?” he asked, feeling somewhat foolish.

Wyatt looked at him a little oddly. “Well, yeah,” he said when Ambrose peered up at him. “The kid’s right,” he explained. “We were more or less friends when you were Glitch…”

Ambrose swallowed and lowered his gaze again, looking into his glass as he swirled it.

“…and I think we could be again if-”

“If what?” Ambrose asked, looking up at him again, a hurt expression on his face. “I’m not him!” he cried. “I’m not Glitch! We both know that!”

Wyatt blinked as Ambrose snapped at him before crossing his arms and looking away. He waited, but Ambrose didn’t look at him again. Sighing he said gently, “I know you’re not…not completely, anyway…” He paused and swallowed but Ambrose still didn’t look at him. “Look, Ambrose… I’m sorry if talking about you as two different people upsets you… I don’t want to fight again, honest… but that what I mean; I don’t know you… I know you’re not the same person you were when I met you… when the kid called you Glitch…”

Ambrose swallowed and looked at him warily, his knees drawn up so he was hugging them.

Wyatt’s heart wrenched when he saw unshed tears in Ambrose’s brown eyes.

“W-what do you mean if?” Ambrose asked quietly.

“Well,” Wyatt said gently. “I meant if we talked, got to know each other again… I know about what happened, Ambrose… I know what you gave up to protect the Queen…”

Ambrose swallowed again but didn’t answer.

“What I don’t know is about you… who you were…who you are…” Wyatt continued and shifted closer, getting more comfortable. Reaching out slowly, he paused, hesitating a moment before pushing a stray curl back from Ambrose’s face. “It grew fast,” he murmured as Ambrose ducked his head again.

“I, um…”Ambrose murmured. “I don’t…” He paused and swallowed. “I don’t think it’ll be that easy,” he continued quietly and exhaled a heavy breath, closing his eyes briefly. “Maybe this is fate telling us we should just leave the past alone… part ways now while we’re on good terms…”

“What?” Wyatt asked, blinking in surprise. “Why?”

Ambrose exhaled heavily once more and lowered his head.

Wyatt waited, but Ambrose didn’t say anything. “Now who’s running away?” he asked gently as he peered at Ambrose.

Ambrose swallowed and sniffed.

“Ambrose?” Wyatt asked, slightly alarmed when he saw the firelight glint off something on Ambrose’s face. “Are you all right?”

Ambrose sniffed again and reached up, wiped at his eyes and released a shaky breath. “I-its easy for y-you to say you want to know me…” he murmured, not meeting Wyatt’s gaze. “But it’s another for you to learn about me…”

Wyatt shook his head, a look of confusion on his face. “I… I don’t understand…”

Ambrose swallowed and looked around, trying to figure out how he could explain and his gaze fell on the wine glass in his hand. Glancing up to Wyatt, he asked, “Where did your acquired taste for wine come from?”

Wyatt blinked, taken aback by the question and then his expression clouded and closed. “I… I used to go home from work in the city and Adora would have one waiting for me when I got there…”

Ambrose swallowed, blinking slightly in confusion. “W-who’s Adora?”

Wyatt looked at him incredulously.

“P-please don’t be mad,” Ambrose said when Wyatt didn’t reply. “I – I’m serious… I – I don’t know who she is…” He paused, swallowing dryly and lowered his gaze before peering up at Wyatt again. “B-but with the way you’re looking at me… I… have the feeling I probably should.”

Wyatt swallowed, his throat feeling tight. “I… I don’t understand,” he said at last.

Ambrose sighed, closing his eyes briefly before looking at Wyatt again. “I mean you can ask me about myself… but I don’t know if I could even tell you…”

Wyatt shifted, leaning his weight on his arm as he lay on his side, a look of confusion still on his face. “I don’t get it,” he admitted. “Why not?”

Ambrose sighed and closed his eyes, biting his lip as he sniffed again. “B-because I don’t remember,” he murmured, his tears coming once more.

Wyatt swallowed, stunned. “What do you mean?” he asked uncertainly.

“I mean I don’t remember, Wyatt!” Ambrose said, sniffing. “Right now, you’re more of a mystery to me than I am to you… you said you know what I did, what I gave up to help the Queen… all…” he said and trailed off, burying his head in his hands and raking his fingers through his hair. “All I know is that my head hurts…”

Wyatt blinked but when Ambrose didn’t lift his head again and continued to make soft sniffing sounds, he realized he wasn’t kidding. Moving closer he wrapped an arm around Ambrose’s shoulders with a murmured, “Oh, shit…”

Ambrose jumped, looking up at him startled. “What are you doing?” he asked.

“It’s okay,” Wyatt assured him, sitting up and leaning back against the couch. “Come here.”

“What do you want?” Ambrose asked, looking at him warily.

Wyatt sighed. “I want you to come here,” he said making room for Ambrose between his legs. “Come on, it’ll help.”

Ambrose swallowed, but nodded slightly before closing his eyes with a soft groan and bit his lip as his head throbbed. Moving slowly, he crawled over and sat down between Wyatt’s legs.

“What hurts?” Wyatt asked softly and watched as Ambrose raised his hand slowly and indicated the back of his head. “It wasn’t the wine, was it?” Wyatt asked, helping Ambrose to turn so his back was facing him.

“No,” Ambrose said softly, his breath hitching before sighing softly as Wyatt began to work on his neck. “They come an-and go,” he replied.

“Still?” Wyatt asked. He remembered DG often saying that Ambrose suffered a headache.

Ambrose nodded slowly, closing his eyes.

“Are you still taking anything for them?” Wyatt asked as he slowly moved up Ambrose’s neck toward the spot he’d indicated.

“No,” Ambrose replied softly. “I ran out… and the Queen needs me now, if I was still on anything I wouldn’t really be much use to her.”

Wyatt was about to protest but exhaled softly as he continued working on Ambrose’s neck.

“They aren’t too bad anymore anyway,” Ambrose said softly.

“No,” Wyatt said gently. “Just enough to have you in tears…”

Ambrose swallowed and didn’t say anything for a few moments. “I – I can more or less predict them now…”

“Oh, how’s that?” he asked, moving up a little higher reaching the base of Ambrose’s skull.

“T-they only come on when I’m thinking too hard…” Ambrose replied.

“Which, given your job must be all the time…” Wyatt muttered.

Ambrose couldn’t help the smile that formed on his lips at that and was thankful that Wyatt couldn’t see his face. “No,” he replied. “Really, its only when I’m trying to remember something…”

Wyatt was quiet for a moment before swallowing. “You don’t remember anything?” he asked gently.

Ambrose exhaled softly. “I remember… Azkadellia standing there…watching… I know what they did… I know I’ve been through the surgery again to reverse it… I know… it wasn’t actually her then….”

Wyatt sighed and shook his head to clear it. “So that’s why you were so skittish when she was around…”

Ambrose swallowed. “I remember DG as a little girl, but…”

“But?” Wyatt prompted after a few moments when he trailed off.

“But I don’t remember meeting her again…. I don’t remember meeting Raw either… or…”

“Or me,” Wyatt finished softly for him.

Ambrose swallowed and nodded slightly. “I’m sorry,” he murmured.

Wyatt swallowed and exhaled softly, reaching up and squeezing his shoulder gently with his free hand and leaned forward slightly. “Don’t be,” he said softly in Ambrose’s ear and felt him shiver. “It’s not your fault.”

Ambrose’s breath hitched at Wyatt’s closeness, and he tensed slightly. “S-so, um…” he murmured after a moment and licked his lips. “I-its k-kinda hard for m-me to t-tell you anything…”

“Its okay, Ambrose,” Wyatt replied leaning back again though he continued to work on the spot Ambrose had said hurt. “Is it getting better?” he asked.

“Um,” Ambrose murmured and licked his lips again. “Y-yeah, I think it is…”

“Good.”

“Th-thank you,” Ambrose said quietly.

“You’re welcome,” Wyatt replied, continuing to massage Ambrose’s neck and head.

Ambrose exhaled softly and swallowed, a soft hum escaping his throat as the pounding in his head eased.

“Have you thought about asking Raw?” Wyatt asked after a few minutes. “He was able to uncover your memories before and showed us what happened to you…”

Ambrose hummed softly, his head bowed as Wyatt continued to help ease his headache. “I would…” he said after a moment.

“But?” Wyatt asked.

“But the medicos don’t think it’s such a good idea to ‘help’ the memories along…” Ambrose answered.

Wyatt sighed and shook his head. “I’m still curious about you,” he admitted.

Ambrose smiled, his eyes closed. “You would be…” he murmured.

Wyatt arched a brow. “So you do remember some things about me,” he said.

“Unfortunately, no,” Ambrose replied. “DG just told me that you’re head of security now… no details… it’s your job to be curious about people.”

“Yeah,” Wyatt said. “I suppose you’re right. Well…” he trailed off thoughtfully. “Can you tell me what you do remember? And if you can’t, don’t worry about it; I don’t want you hurting yourself trying.”

Ambrose swallowed. “O-okay…w-what kinds of things do you want to know?”

Wyatt smiled. “Whatever you can remember that you’re willing to more or less entrust to a complete stranger… because let’s face it… that’s basically what I am, isn’t it?”