Got A Lot Of Brains But No Heart

Timothy Harden. Former Tin Man. Not entirely sure where I am going from here.

[surrenderxdorothy]

real or not real | timothy & dorothy

[timothythetinman]

surrenderxdorothy‌:

It warmed her down to her toes to hear that. Before Oz, nobody had ever cared about Dorothy’s safety before. It made her want to hug him again, but she managed to control herself. She’d already put him through the emotional wringer today. “I know you will. We’ll protect each other. I would never let anyone hurt you and Fiyero.” She knew she didn’t have a lot of power to stop that kind of thing, but she’d managed so far. She’d fight back however she could.

“If you’re sure.” She gave him a little smile and didn’t argue about it. For once, she wasn’t swayed by Timothy’s logic. Dorothy wasn’t convinced she was a bad person, but she thought she was definitely a gray person. She was willing to do bad things–anything–for the people she protected, and she wasn’t sorry about that. It was nice that Timothy thought the best of her though. She’d have argued the same way for him.

She couldn’t help the face she made at his proposal. She’d just had a conversation with the witch, and it had been far from pleasant. She wasn’t keen to have another so soon, but if he thought it was the right thing to do, he was probably right. She also trusted the pair of them to be human bullshit detectors if it came to that. “Okay,” she agreed slowly. “Do you know where to find her?” She bit her lip. She wanted to get Fiyero’s memories back too, as much for his sake as for answers. She worried she might not be as careful about the side effects as Timothy would be. “Do you think the witch can do that?”

Timothy nodded, knowing that what Dorothy said was the truth. She would try to protect all of them. Though, logically, her attentions to Fiyero and watching over him more than Timothy himself would naturally happen more. That was just facts, since the poor former prince can barely remember what he did the day before. Which was okay with him. He can keep his emotions at bay long enough to make sure that he watches out for everyone else. Even if they will plague him during moments alone, like when he tries to sleep. Or now, when he has a relative emotional discussion apparently. How pathetic. 

“I am sure.” Truthfully, Timothy has never been more sure in his life. Good people sometimes have to do bad things and that was something even his logic can understand. There is no hope for him, he has willingly gone to do awful things that he can never take back. But he knows that Dorothy does things in hope for a good outcome. At least that is what he sees. It  may not always be what is deemed good. But that does not determined or outright make her a bad person in his eyes.

Timothy frowned, shaking his head, “I don’t really know where to start. Tracking down the Wi- Elphaba was a main priority but most of my work dealt with protest and those showing signs to be against the Wizard. I wasn’t really a part of the capturing of Fiyero and the obvious treachery that him and her were a part of.” Though, if he was heavily chasing after the Wicked Witch back then... Perhaps he would know more. But then the chance of him still being under the influence of being a Tin Man would have made it unlikely for him to care for Dorothy and those he met on their adventures. “In Oz, she probably could. Here? I have found that there are heavy consequences with magic.” He paused, not telling Dorothy that he was willing to sacrifice his own sanity if it meant helping Fiyero. Simply because thinking like that would lead him into another emotion bout and he was exhausted from the emotions in this conversation. 

[surrenderxdorothy]

real or not real | timothy & dorothy

[timothythetinman]

surrenderxdorothy‌:

The motion was almost startling coming from him, but she squeezed back and held on. “Like what?” She scrunched her nose. “I don’t have anything to worry about here.” At least, not until today, she added silently in her head. Reappearing witches would do that to a person. Dorothy’s life in Fableton was fairly simple. She didn’t have school or a family to take up her time, just her job at the bookstore and her life with her friends and Toto. It wasn’t exactly high stress. Sure, she worried about Fiyero’s memories and Timothy’s heart, but in the way people worried about things they could do nothing about. She couldn’t change that, however much she might have wanted to.

“Nobody could,” she agreed with a little smile. Dorothy’s would do what Dorothy’s did. She’d always been willful like that, but in this case, it seemed to work in her favor. Timothy might not be able to say that he cared, but he said it in other ways, in all the things he did to take care of them. Not everything that was true needed to be said. “I wanted to kill the witch. I kind of wish I had. Maybe I’m not such a good person either,” she pointed out, raising her eyebrows. “And maybe neither of us had all the information we needed to make good decisions,” she added, more thoughtfully. “Oh.” She looked faintly surprised that he didn’t know, but that was all. If those weren’t questions he couldn’t answer, then she thought she could accept that they might never know. Fiyero didn’t remember, the Witch could be lying about everything, and the Wizard wasn’t there to ask. There was no one else. “So what do we do?”

“Dorothy” Timothy said quietly, pausing and collecting himself before nodding, “Of course you don’t.” He will make sure that she will have nothing to worry about here. He can handle the more complicated things this world requires, such as bills and taxes. As well as taking on anyone that might present being an enemy to her or any of his friends. “If anyone harms you, I will protect you” He told her, “And our friends. You have my word.” He can’t do much to change his past but he has the memories and familiarity of what he did as a Tin Man to make sure that he can be a positive force from here on out. 

Timothy weighed her statement, thinking about it before finally speaking out. “You are a good person” He told Dorothy, “Circumstances with the witch make it more of a defense situation, in your case. You did not know the history. The witch was coming for you and you were told that you needed to stop her so you can go home. Therefore, it is only logical you wanted to kill her. As for wishing you had... That probably has a lot to do with her comments towards Fiyero. Out of protection.” Even he could admit that he is ready to protect his friend from the witch. He is wary of her being evil but he will not dismiss that she isn’t dangerous. “Perhaps you are right about that. If one doesn’t have all the information than we can make good decisions.” 

Timothy sighed through his nose, knowing he has been trying to answer the question. “I guess we go pay a visit to the witch” He decided, “She has answers, even if there is a possibility of her spinning it to be the truth in her favor. After that, I research and put things together of what I know and what is still a mystery.” He shakes his head, “If I could find a way to get Fiyero’s memories and brain back, I would. He might be the key to all of it, especially since he was important enough to get his brain scrambled... But the side effects of doing that could do more harm than good.” Rubbing his chest, he let out a scoff that came across a bit like a chuckle, “Remembering things that you once lost are not easy things.” 

[surrenderxdorothy]

real or not real | timothy & dorothy

[timothythetinman]

surrenderxdorothy‌:

“Sorry, sorry,” she muttered, realizing she’d startled him but not letting go. At first, she thought he wasn’t going to hug her back at all, and then he did, fiercely. She held on just as tight (well, probably not, as he was much stronger) and imagined she was growing roots through her feet, anchoring them both to the floor. He was always the rock for all of them to lean on. Just this once, she wanted to be able to do the same for him. She wasn’t going to let go until he did.

When he lowered his arms, she took a half-step back so he would have some breathing room. She briefly settled a hand on his shoulder and then took it back, a cautious smile coming to her lips. “Worrying is part of being a friend,” she assured him. As long as she cared about people, she was going to worry about them. It was better than the alternative, which was loving no one, and she knew because she’d done that before. She’d rather love and worry about some very flawed people than go back to being alone. She wasn’t that good of a person, herself.

“I care,” she said slowly. “I care that you try your best to be a good person now, and that you take care of me and Fiyero and Alexander. I care about how you let me shelve things wrong because it makes me happy, and how you try to make sure we have something besides candy for dinner. I care about a lot of things, Timothy. But they’re all about the person you are now. And if you were still a Tin Man who hurt people for the Wizard, I’d find a way to care about you anyway.”

She nodded thoughtfully as the topic returned to their history in Oz. It was still important to her to know what had happened, but it was less important than his well-being. “If the Wizard made you do awful things, then he wasn’t a very good Wizard, was he?” she mused. The words were bitter in her mouth since it meant Dorothy had been wrong all this time, but she had to say them. “Were Fiyero and the Witch right then?”

A hand reached out to grab Dorothy’s, a motion that Timothy didn’t realize happen until he felt her hand in his. Giving it a tight squeeze, he tried to will himself to let go but his body refused. “Of course. But you, and Fiyero, have had other things to be burden about” He frowned, “I do not wish to be another burden on either one of your shoulders.” No, he needed to be their rock, making sure that they will be safe here in Fableton. Though, if the witch is back, then trouble might be brewing no matter what he does. Either from her or something else that could have followed them to this world. 

His face scrunched up a little at her, letting go of her hand now. “I rather you didn’t find a way to care about the Tin Man” Timothy told her calmly, “But, you are Dorothy. I can’t stop you.” Even if he wanted to. The logical part of him, knowing that it was unwise for her to be this foolish was at war with the overwhelming amount of warmth he felt at her just caring for him. He can’t say it in so many words that she had, his throat has tighten up at the very thought of emotion, but he wants her to care. And for her to know that he cares too. Very much. 

Talking about the Wizard and Oz was easier. Timothy could think clearer and he cleared his voice a little, becoming settled. Neutral. “It’s not as easy as that, I think” He shook his head, “But I did not get too much information on the Wizard. I got more information about things going on outside of Emerald City. And I wanted to be a Tin Man, Dorothy. That part of my history can’t be overlooked.” Did he knew what entailed becoming a Tin Man? Not really. But that didn’t stop him from going through the program. Didn’t stop him from taking a pill. “I don’t know” He scowled, “That might be something that only the two them, and the Wizard, can answer for us.” Which is the awful conclusion. 

[surrenderxdorothy]

real or not real | timothy & dorothy

[timothythetinman]

surrenderxdorothy‌:

She could see that he wasn’t focused on her anymore, and Dorothy made herself still and quiet while she waited for him to go on. She wanted to hear the story–the truth–no matter how bad it was, but that didn’t mean it was easy for him to say. The memory of electricity flickered briefly through her mind. It couldn’t touch her right now, but sometimes there were things from the hospital that felt like they were still happening, things it was hard for her to talk about. She thought maybe it was worse for Timothy, being the one who hurt people rather than the one being hurt. Dorothy had to live with her pain, but he had to live with himself.

“It’s okay,” she whispered. “It’s okay. You didn’t–” She wasn’t sure what excuse she might have made for him. Any in the world, probably, if it made him feel better, but her head snapped up when he suddenly crumpled to the floor. She scrambled to her feet, her heart feeling like it had flown up into her throat. “Timothy?” Her voice inched up an octave in her worry. Was he having a heart attack? Should she call an ambulance? Was that what people did when they were having chest pain? "Are you okay? Should I call someone?“ She twisted her hands in distress. It caused her almost physical pain to watch her friends suffer. 

So much. The words took the edge off her anxiety, if only a little. She had a small idea of how difficult emotions were for him, even if she didn’t have the whole story. Anger flooded at her at what the Wizard had done to him, at what he’d made him do. And she’d tried to help! "I don’t care,” she said fiercely, throwing her arms around him. It was almost easier with him on her level like that. “I don’t care what you did. Or Fiyero. You’re my friends.” Dorothy probably wouldn’t care if he was still murdering people to this day. It didn’t really matter once you already loved someone.

“I don’t calling anyone here, in this world, would help all that much” Timothy replied, now getting some of his bearings, still breathing a little heavily. How do they explain it anyways? Maybe if they found someone familiar with magic but that seemed like very slim possibility even in this town. His eyes were still closed as he tried to let some of the effects leave him. Because of this he didn’t realize Dorothy was going to throw her arms around him, startling him badly for a brief moment before his more stoic nature took over. Painfully slow he began to wrap his arms around her, holding onto her tightly. Like she was an anchor. 

“Dorothy” Timothy just said quietly, trying to force down his emotions to think things through. The sense of warmth from her and her words were making him a bit lost on his logical way of thinking. “I’m sorry for worrying you.” It was the only thing he could think of saying at the moment. Dropping his arms down, he moved to look at her in the face. “You should care. But I am not going to tell you what to do or believe in.” Because a bit of him was selfish and wanted to keep her, Fiyero, and their little ragtag group in his life. His mind was coming back him and his breathing settled into its normal, almost robotic rhythm. 

Timothy focused back on what they were talking about. “I don’t think Fiyero did that much, really. Beyond, logically, trying to sabotage the army for the Wicked Witch.” The events of that time period was a lot, given that Fiyero’s mind was wrecked and he was left out to rust almost immediately after he question anything. He looked to Dorothy, “Really what Fiyero was before his mind was lost... It isn’t like my story. At least, I logically can’t see the man from before be ruthless and hurt people.” Not the way the Tin Men were required to do.

[surrenderxdorothy]

real or not real | timothy & dorothy

[timothythetinman]

surrenderxdorothy‌:

Timothy’s scowl could be rather frightening, and if Dorothy had been made of meeker stuff, she probably would have leaned away. She wasn’t frightened of him though, even if maybe some people had reason to be. She wasn’t some people. Her trust in her friends went right past unshakable into wholly irrational. She tugged thoughtfully at a strand of her hair, frowning when he mentioned Alexander. It was always the outsiders who suffered. Dorothy knew that only too well, but it still made her angry.

She seemed to get that there was something very serious and possibly terrible behind those words, that expression, because her voice was quiet when she said, “Did the Wizard make you hurt people?” She reached out to lay a hand on his arm. It was light, and he was free to brush it off, but she wanted him to know she didn’t care what he’d done. She would love him just the same, just like Fiyero, just like any of them.

“At least you weren’t asking questions because you weren’t supposed to. I wasn’t asking because I never knew I should.” She pressed her hands to her face and then lowered them, frustrated. She hated that Elphaba talked to her like she was a stupid kid. She hated that she might be right.

Timothy remain facing towards Dorothy, his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes looking over her head. Did he really want to tell Dorothy this? He remained very still for a moment, clenching his jaw as the memories slowly came forth. Her touch barely registered to him as he became more and more lost in his own mind. “Yes” He ground out, slow and steady, “It was my orders to take care of those opposing the Wizard. I didn’t just hurt. I hurt, I tortured. I kill.” His voice didn’t sound like his own, strained and far off to his own ears. 

His head tilted towards Dorothy, watching her put her face in her hands before suddenly the floor became what he saw. Timothy didn’t even realize that he was on his knees, clutching his chest until a sharp pain brought him back to reality. He gasped, the memories reminding him of what he was suppose to feel, his actions bringing him regret, guilt, frustration. Especially telling Dorothy about this. There were too many emotions running through his head and he closed his eyes, feeling a splitting headache. “So much” He gritted out, concentrating on pushing through the pain and feeling it slowly subside. 

Rubbing his chest, Timothy took a deep breath, feeling himself regaining control. Blinking, he remembers that Dorothy was nearby, and his eyes kept trained to the floor. “I took a pill” He whispered, shaking his head, “To numb it all. All Tin Man did. It was...” To make them not feel anything. How long has it been since he has had anything? He doesn’t really remember the last time he wasn’t on the pill, so the side effects of being off of them seem to be taking awhile to appear. At least that was the logical reasoning. Closing his eyes, he began to rub the temple of his forehead, trying to rid the headache that is pulsing behind his eyes. 

[surrenderxdorothy]

real or not real | timothy & dorothy

[timothythetinman]

surrenderxdorothy‌:

It was difficult for Dorothy to wrap her mind around it, but the more she learned about Oz, the more she was realizing that it wasn’t the fantastical, storybook place she’d made it out to be while she was there. It was that, but it was more than that too. More like a real place, where things were just as complicated and people could be just as horrible to each other, and less like a fantasy world from one of her novels. She would have been happy to sit through any number of history lessons if it helped her understand. “Who was suffering?” she asked.

Even though she’d already decided it didn’t matter, the relief at hearing him say that was profound. The doubt, that little niggling voice in the back of her head where that idea dwelled, probably wouldn’t leave her for a while, but she could live with that. She wasn’t yet feeling fair enough toward Elphaba to ask if she was wicked, even though a small part of her was starting to wonder.

“Was your mission part of everything else that happened?” She wanted to hear about his life, but she also knew he didn’t share things easily. If it wasn’t important to what they were talking about right now, she could wait to bother him about it. There was a far-off look on his face, and Dorothy didn’t interrupt, hugging her arms around herself. She kind of wished Fiyero was there to cuddle with, but she never would have said so out loud. She had to be tougher than that.

Timothy looked at Dorothy, not sure how to proceed or what to he should even say. He logically knows that she needs to be aware of what Oz was truly like, what him, Fiyero, Alexander, and, even, Elphaba went through. But his chest clenched terribly, finding himself want to let her believe that this other world- their world- was so amazing and wonderful. Just for a little while longer. It was illogical and his frown turned to an outright scowl, the mental conflict he was having causing an intense headache. 

“Alexander’s people” Timothy said slowly, rubbing one of the temples on his forehead, “Those that are, well, not desirable I suppose. Different.” He grimaced, the images coming back to him now. When he first saw it as a Tin Man, there was no emotion. Just seeing destruction with little to no heart or emotion. Now... He sighed, wondering if Dorothy should ask him if he was wicked. It wasn’t really Fiyero and Elphaba that did horrid things, willingly. They didn’t outright volunteer to rise into the ranks and become, well. A heartless being. 

Timothy gave Dorothy a long look before nodding, “I had important jobs that dealt with the public. Those the Wizard needed me to deal with. Or how I think he thought he needed to deal with” He said simply, looking down and shrugging. What that involved was something that he didn’t want to express, making him sigh heavily. Dorothy doesn’t need to hear how cold he was. Is. “There are things I saw that I started to ask questions” He said simply, “And a Tin Man doesn’t ask questions.” 

[surrenderxdorothy]

real or not real | timothy & dorothy

[timothythetinman]

surrenderxdorothy‌:

She wasn’t sure if he was just trying to make her feel better or not, but she appreciated it anyway. Since Timothy was more prone to facts than feelings, it was more likely to be true. She frowned slightly when he said it would take a while and braced for him to put it off until later, which in Dorothy’s mind meant never. Of course, she knew in her head that they’d had lives before she found them, but in reality, it was hard for her to imagine, like seeing a teacher at the grocery store. She bit her lip and nodded for him to go on.

She sucked in a breath when he explained Fiyero’s connection to the Wicked Witch, but she kept the rest of her feelings off her face. He hadn’t told her, of course, because he probably didn’t remember. Not anymore. She stared down at her feet and tried to process that, but there were too many emotions to sort through right now. “That… makes sense. They knew each other,” she mumbled. It made sense why the witch would still have an interest in him, anyway.

Maybe Fiyero had been like her, confused and uninformed and not sure which side was which, but the alternative was worse. It took her a moment to summon the courage to ask. “Timothy, was Fiyero wicked?” she whispered. She was afraid of the answer, but her brain was already catapulting through possibilities if he was. A fierce protectiveness rose up in her for her friends. It didn’t matter now. She already loved him. She couldn’t stop just because he used to be a bad person. Her Fiyero wouldn’t hurt anybody the way he was now.

“There was tensions going on in Oz before you arrive” Timothy went on to explain, finding it easier to discuss the events going on in their world before Dorothy appeared than actually about himself or Fiyero. Or even Elphaba. Some of the events in his mind was like looking at very old photographs. He is aware that they were memories but there was only a vague sense of attachment to them. “People outside of the Emerald City were suffering. Things were a struggle.”  Things were not adding up even as he began to retell the events of Oz before her arrival. All the information he gathered and was still gathering. 

Timothy looked over at Dorothy, shaking his head. “His personality wouldn’t have necessarily change even if he doesn’t remember” He answered her, “So no. I don’t think Fiyero is wicked.” In truth, he didn’t really think Elphaba was wicked. Not the way that most people wanted to see her. But he does not have all the facts. “I was not a part of the involvement with what happened to him. I was out on my own mission from the Wizard.” It was shortly after that he was cast out, coming down from the little pill he has been given for years. A far away look came across his face, remembering those times and his eye twitched a little bit. 

There were things that happened behind the scenes that Timothy was not involved with or did not question at the time of being a tin man. His heart was- well, logically not gone- but turned very cold, keeping him completely indifferent to events. It wasn’t until he began noticing the attacks on the Animals, some of the other injustice orders that were being carried out that he began to question. Blinking, he came back to reality, looking over at Dorothy. He couldn’t express any of that to her. Not until he has better information. 

[surrenderxdorothy]

real or not real | timothy & dorothy

[timothythetinman]

surrenderxdorothy‌:

That was more or less what Elphaba had implied, but coming from Timothy, it wasn’t infuriating. It was just a relief. He had answers. He could set this straight for her. She drew a slow breath and attempted to calm her racing heart, moving to perch at the edge of the front desk. “Please, tell me everything. I feel like I missed so much. And even though I was there, I didn’t understand everything that was happening.” She pressed her hands to her face, which felt slightly flushed from her outburst.

“I’m not afraid of her.” Her eyes narrowed. The wicked old witch could come for her if she wanted, and Dorothy would find something more effective than a bucket of water this time. She was plenty afraid for her friends though, and her stomach took a dive when he said it might be Fiyero, at the same time as her protectiveness flared to life. “What would she want with him?” she asked. For once, it seemed like Fiyero’s forgetfulness might be protecting him, and she was a little glad they had never tried to restore his memories with magic. Of course she wanted him to have his mind back, but she wanted him to be alive even more.

“You’ve missed so much because you weren’t there for some of it” Timothy pointed out, stopping to stand in front of Dorothy. There was a lot that happened before the small woman came into their lives, into his. He took a deep breath, trying to set up the timeline of events that occur before he got cast out. Because once that happen, he wasn’t receiving orders or information from anyone. Just left to completely rust. “This conversation might take awhile” He said slowly, “But there are certain events that began long before you arrived.” Anxiety began to bubble in him but he took a deep breath and calmed down, “All of us were very different than how you found us.” 

Timothy isn’t sure that being fearless towards the wicked witch was the wisest or more logical idea but if the woman actually had the power she did in Oz then she probably would’ve done something by now. “Before you met him, Fiyero was punished for treason” His lips thinned out, “For being the Wicked Witch’s spy.” His stomach rolled at all the emotions he was feeling- guilt, worry, anxiety- and he had to calm himself down as the wave of nausea passed through him. “That is the source of how he lost his memories. It’s... His curse.” 

[surrenderxdorothy]

real or not real | timothy & dorothy

[timothythetinman]

surrenderxdorothy‌:

Dorothy didn’t really care whether Elphaba was green or not, or why. Plenty of people didn’t look like they had in their old worlds, especially if they hadn’t been entirely human. She nodded when he said he needed to think, and she shut her mouth, trying to tamp down on her emotions and sort out her own thoughts while he did. She ran back through the conversation again in her head, and it still made her angry.

Her attention snapped back to him when he suddenly went rigid. “Timothy?” she prompted gently, her concern momentarily shifting to him. “Who is it?” she demanded, her voice rising a little. She corrected the volume, twisting her hands nervously. “Sorry. Who is it?” she asked at a more reasonable pitch. His words raced through her mind, but they didn’t make a lot of sense. Why would Elphaba want to stalk one of them if it wouldn’t benefit her? It felt like she was missing more information than ever.

Timothy frowned, more than usual if that was possible, and shook his head. “I think there is a conversation that we need to have Dorothy” He told her slowly, “there is a lot more to Oz than I think you got to see or experience.” Letting out a sigh, he began to move again, slightly pacing, “There are only two people that she could be talking about. At least where it concerns us.” Though if the wizard was here then perhaps the wicked witch would be going for him as well. But if that was the case then it would make two of them; He needed to get some answers from the Wizard himself. 

“One option would be you but then why even tell you beyond letting you become afraid or paranoid” Timothy commented, “The other...” His lips thinned out before he continued, “Fiyero could be who she is interested in.” The details of that is still somewhat unclear to him, which was irritating. But he did know that his brainless friend was, long ago, accused of conspiring with Elphaba, a crime that he punished for. Mercilessly. “But if she is wanting answers from him then it is a bit pointless. You and I both know that he won’t be much use to her.” 

[surrenderxdorothy]

real or not real | timothy & dorothy

[timothythetinman]

surrenderxdorothy‌:

Dorothy was emotional. She’d already caused a scene in one store today, and she felt like she was only a split second away from making a scene in another. If he’d approached her any other way, she probably would have. But Timothy was unshakable, and his calm questions helped her stay calm too. She pulled in a deep breath and clenched her fists so her hands would stop shaking until he reached for one of them. She nodded and let him pull her into the back room. It was cramped in there, but it was full of books, so she couldn’t feel too bad about it.

“No, she didn’t hurt me.” She leaned against a box, her mind returning to his first questions. “I saw her in the shoe store. And she looks the same, except she isn’t green anymore. Her hair is dark and short, like to here.” She held her hands up near her chin. “She didn’t really look like a witch at all,” she admitted. But still, she would know that face anywhere. “She said she wasn’t going to stay away from one of us, but she wouldn’t tell me who,” she added, anxiety ratcheting her voice up a notch. Now that she thought about it, that wasn’t specifically a threat, but it sounded like one to Dorothy.

The description sound vaguely familiar and Timothy recalled someone that he recently encountered. Mentally he swore, knowing that something was odd but thought it was just a Fableton oddity. But with Dorothy being so upset he took a deep breath, keeping himself calm and refusing to react to what she was telling him. He can be the calm one in this situation. “It would logically make sense that she would not be green here” He nodded, “Magic is a bit unique in this town.” People are not completely how they once looked after all. 

Timothy winced only slightly at the last part of Dorothy’s explanation, hearing her voice. “Hey” He told her quietly, “It is okay. Let me think this through.” Saying she wouldn’t stay away from them didn’t make sense and he began to cross them off a mental checklist. Elphaba really has no reason to seek out Timothy- truthfully no one did- so he doubt she was talking about him. Dorothy... His heart began racing as if he was running a marathon. She was potential. But logically why would you tell that specific person? Unless it was an intimidation factor which seems to be working. 

Then he remembered Fiyero and his history... Timothy stood like a statue in front of Dorothy for a moment. He didn’t know the history of Fiyero and the Wicked Witch of the East but he was aware of the charges that were placed against the former prince. “I am aware of who she is talking about. I think.” He said slowly, shaking his head, “Though I do not think it would help anyone or necessarily benefit her.” Fiyero won’t remember. It wasn’t speculation but a simple fact. Unless she is making plans to try. Which that would be concerning given how magic reacts around here. 

[timothythetinman]

insane-alice‌:

“Ooooooh a green lady?! I wonder what that’s like!” 

“Probably not that fun. Now what did you say your name was?” 

[surrenderxdorothy]

real or not real | timothy & dorothy

[timothythetinman]

surrenderxdorothy‌:

Dorothy could be focused when she understood that it was important, but she was more likely to get bored and wander off in the middle of something like inventory. She wasn’t even thinking about it just now, how he might be caught up in something important. She let go of Toto’s leash so he could curl up in his dog bed behind the counter, his tail between his legs. He knew something was wrong, even if he didn’t understand what it was. She made a mental note to be extra nice to him later and give him hugs and treats.

Her anxiety eased just a little bit at the sight of Timothy. It was a relief just to find him there. She didn’t know what she’d have done if he wasn’t. He was a steadying presence, and he made her feel safe. “You’re here,” she breathed out. She pressed her hands to her flushed cheeks and tried to calm herself. “Yes, I’m okay. I just– The Wicked Witch is in Fableton. I just saw her.” Thinking about the conversation brought her blood rushing again, in anger more than fear, although there was definitely fear underneath it.

His eyes hovered towards Toto, her dog, before turning his attention back to Dorothy. She was Timothy’s main priority right now, though he is sure that the dog will need something at some point. “I’m here. Always” He told her quietly, not sure where she was going with this. But he figured if he stayed patient that she will tell him. Taking another step so that he was only within arms reach of her, his eyebrows furrowed as he took in what she was saying. “So you saw the Wicked Witch here” He repeated calmly, “Where? And what did she look like?” There was a sense of his questions coming across robotic, like he was a Tin Man again, so he took a deep breath and looked around. 

There wasn’t anyone in the bookstore but that didn’t mean the potential of someone showing up while they were talking. Gently taking Dorothy’s hand, he pulled her along, “We should talk in the back for this kind of conversation. You need to tell me what happened. She didn’t hurt you, did she?” While he doubted that Elphaba was truly as wicked as the wizard tried to make her out to be, the woman’s actions towards Dorothy have not been the kindest. Looking up and down, he scanned the young woman to see if there were any present injuries that needed tended to first. 

[timothythetinman]

fiyeroooo-nope‌:

“What do you do for fun?” He looked at his friend curiously. “You mean while you worry about us getting into trouble.” He had notes that said ‘Don’t worry Timothy today’ and ‘Stay out of trouble’ and ‘Call Timothy if you get in trouble’ all over the place, so he could only assume that was a normal part of their life.

“I read in my spare time. Sometimes go to the gun range and practice shooting.” Timothy shrugged, “It’s good to keep your mind and skills sharp. Plus it is how I learn to cook for us after all.” Timothy did not comment about him worrying, finding the emotion to be a general one when it came to Fiyero and Dorothy. 

[timothythetinman]

maiavolkova‌:

She shook her head at him when he tried to brush aside the things that were obviously weighing heavy on his mind at the moment. Instinctively, she reached across the table to lay her fingers on his wrist as though she could physically stop the mental roiling with a touch. “They’re not illogical, they’re real, and they’re on your mind, so I want to hear them.” Her reassurance was firm and quick, her fingers curling around his wrist for a moment before she withdrew her hand again. “You can’t control how other people react to truth, Timothy. What matters is how you go about handling the truth. So what if something you did caused something bad to happen? Did you intend it to? And if you did, do you regret it? If you regret it, have you tried to atone for it?”

She wondered, not for the first time, what his life was truly like before he came to Fableton. Knowing his background, she could only guess, but something told her it was darker than she was thinking, and she wouldn’t ask for more yet, not down that vein of thought. “Then, handsome, it’s about time you start thinking about it. I think you’ve started to, even if you don’t realize it. Being the caretaker for your friends, protecting them… I know you were a soldier, but caring for people isn’t a duty. It’s a choice, and one you’ve made.” 

She pushed aside her plate and studied him as he looked away to catch their server. There was a lot there to unpack, and she found that she wanted to try even more than she did when they’d first collided in the grocery store. And it was far more than his pretty face that did it, which she deeply approved of.

Despite him showing little to no reaction to the touch, Timothy can’t help but the slight startle, staring at her fingers on his wrist. More or less he cursed himself for letting his emotions get him to be like this. It was illogical, no matter what she said, but at least he found himself feeling like what he was thinking was justifiable. “I am not sure” He admitted, being honest, “I think it might have been in the back of my mind. But I am trying to atone for what I have done and working towards something better.” This was also part of his overwhelming emotions, knowing that he has been a Tin Man for far too long. 

“I... Suppose you are correct.” Timothy let out a small sigh, knowing that it was a choice. He choose to follow Dorothy and watch over their friends, even if a part of it was realization that something was going on in Oz. Still, he choose to stand by his friends as they went after the so-called Wicked Witch, though he was hesitant that the situation was what they believed. And now he is choosing to stay by them to care for them, even if he didn’t really have to. Perhaps Maia is having a good point. 

Getting the check, he put a card on top of the bill and hand it back to the server. He found that while cash being on hand is easy, it is actually more acceptable to have an account with a bank. Something he learned heavily when they opened up the bookstore and decided it was smarter to have some cards on hand. At least made him fit more in with the regular population. 

[surrenderxdorothy]

real or not real | timothy & dorothy

[timothythetinman]

surrenderxdorothy‌:

@timothythetinman

Dorothy hated the fact that her conversation with Elphaba had gotten to her. She tried to caution herself that everything she’d told her might have been a lie, but her shaking hands and racing heart didn’t believe her. A lot of adults lying to her throughout her life had left her with a better than average bullshit detector, and a lot of what Elphaba had said sounded like it could be true. She was angry at her herself for not asking more questions while she was in Oz, and she was angry at the witch for messing with her head. Immediately after leaving the shoe store, she headed for the familiarity of Emerald City Books.

The door of the bookshop clanged a little too hard as she shoved it out of her way, and she accidentally collided with a small pile of books–a pile that she’d left there earlier instead of putting away. She ignored them as they clattered to the floor, urgently scanning the shop for signs of life. She wasn’t a crier, so she was nowhere close to tears, but the color was bright in her cheeks, and she was visibly upset. “Timothy? Are you here?” she called. She badly needed to talk to him so he could set everything right in her head. Dorothy’s worst fear was not knowing what was real or that she was just making everything up. He could tell her what had really happened, if anyone could.

Timothy was checking inventory today, a task that really only he could do. It involved a lot of focus and attention, something that while he could probably trust Dorothy with, he preferred to do it himself. Especially with emotions seeming to be boiling towards the surface more so than usual today. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he continued to write in and take what they had in stock when he heard the door being flung open. “What the” He mumbled, putting down his notes, hurrying to the front of the store as he heard several books fall to the floor. 

Hearing Dorothy’s voice made him rush to the front faster, looking at her with concern before settling himself. He needed to remain the steady, logical one. “I’m here” Timothy glanced down at the books then back at her, “Dorothy, everything okay?” He slowly took a step closer to her, somewhat wishing Fiyero was here. The other man was probably better at comfort than he would be. “Hey” He spoked up, not sure what he says in this situation as he took another step closer, looking at her and waiting to see what she was going to do. 

[timothythetinman]

whatthedormouse-said‌:

“I’ll bet there is,” she muttered, thinking of all the unfavorable things the Red Queen or Jackson were likely to say about her. Perspective was an interesting thing. The offer was unexpected, since for a second, she’d been sure he was trying to get rid of her, and she sensed that he didn’t make it lightly. “Sure, I’d like that. I know what you mean. I… have people I wish I could talk to, but it’s not that simple.” Her smile was edged in sadness. She wanted to tell Maia everything; she was a good friend and deserved the truth, but that wasn’t really up to Molly. “I have to work for the next couple days, but next week? I can come by again.”

If Timothy was a curious person he would inquire who she was talking about but they have shared more than enough tonight in his opinion. “It’s never that simple” He agreed, knowing there is probably many that he could open up to. That want him to open up. But there are some things that he can’t talk about with others. “Of course. I will see you when I see you. Goodnight, Miss Molly.” 

[timothythetinman]

sometimesimboth‌:

“Would you have suggestions for someone that prefers classic stories?” she inquired, figuring someone that worked at a bookstore would know a lot about books.  “I will do my best to keep my allergies to myself,” she replied, a hint of sarcasm present, but her hands raising in surrender regardless before she stood to follow him.  “By the way, who is Dorothy?”

“A few. Though some of the other workers there might have even better suggestions than I do.” Dorothy would be her best bet, though Fiyero might read classics from time to time. Timothy honestly wasn’t sure if his friend reread some of the books because he genuinely liked them or forgot that he read them before. “Dorothy is a friend and coworker at the store” He told Kate, ignoring the sarcasm at they walked, “She usually is better at suggestions for books than me because she spends a lot of her time reading the books we have.”