Christmas Together

Date/Timing: 25 December 2009
Setting: Sabine, Dietrich, & Emma's home; Geneva, Switzerland
.
""Manny Manny Manny Manny!""
The mattress bounces.
""Hermann Hermann Hermann!""
More bouncing.
""Get up get up get up! It's—""
""Christmas~!""
He groans, opens his eyes. "Wha' time—" Yawns. "—is it?"
"Christmas!" declares Bastien.
Edan sparkles at him, already dressed and shaved.
"Alright, alright, I'm up," Hermann huffs and hauls himself to the edge of the bed, rubbing his eyes.
"I'll go help Emma sort presents!" Bastien's off like a shot.
"Fourteen going on four, I swear," snickers Edan.
Hermann stretches his arms and his wings, grumbles, "Says the twenty-three-year-old who nearly shook me out of bed along with said four-year-old." 
"Fair point. You're only as old as you feel, I guess, and he's /certainly feeling better." 
"The new environment seems to be doing wonders for him."
"Much as fair Britain has done for his brother."
"I'm not sure it's the scenery as much as the people." Smiles. "One in particular."
"Aw, you flatter me." Bounces on his toes. "Now, what can I help with so we can get to the presents soon-ish?"
Hermann rubs the back of his neck, grimaces. "Would you check these—" Points to his nape. "—please?"
Edan leans closer, runs his hand over Hermann's skin.
Hermann shivers at the pleasant touch.
"There's a new bud that'll be a problem unless you want to pull a turtleneck up to your ears."
"I'd rather not. A little help with it, please?"
"No problem." He digs in Hermann's suitcase, comes up with the tweezers and an alcohol wipe.
Hermann bows his head, takes and holds a deep breath—
""And a one ... two ... three~!""
A prick—
—exhales.
—followed by the cold sting of disinfectant.
Hermann wrinkles his nose. "I smell like a drunk."
""Having smelled a number of drunks in my long years, you actually have the whiff of a mild germophobe.""
"I /suppose that's better."
"It's a very modern, very posh affliction to have." Edan offers an undershirt.
Hermann rolls his eyes. "I need the binder first."
"What?"
"Binder." Holds out a hand.
Edan blinks. "Why? It's your—"
"My grandparents—and Sabine—don't know." 
"They don't ... you're /kidding!"
Hermann pushes off the bed, leans into his suitcase, roots about. "Only my father, my siblings, and you are aware of my condition." Straightens with binder in hand.
"But how—" Edan waves his arms. "/Why?"
"Because—" shuffles his wings, yanks the thing across his back, jerks the fastenings as tight as they'll go—
A wing squirms against the compression.
—buttons it down. "—because I'm a one-of-a-kind Frankenstein's monster. I'm certain someone would /love to reverse engineer me, I'm certain. The fewer people know I exist as I do, the safer I am."
Edan runs his fingers through his hair. "Jesus. I'm ... I didn't ...." Squishes Hermann in a tight hug. "I didn't realize how much you trust me."
"I trust you with my life. Literally, Edan."
He takes a deep, shuddery breath. "You can, Hermann," he murmurs into Hermann's ear. "I'll give anything to keep you safe."
"Please don't make promises like that."
"It's true, though."
"Maybe, but it gives me a bad feeling to hear you say it."
"Alright. I won't say it, then." Edan smiles, steps away, offers the t-shirt.
Hermann takes it, tugs it over his head. "Jumper?"
"Jumper~!"
He pulls it on, smooths it down, sighs. "I'll just go in my pajamas."
Edan raises an eyebrow.
"My knee's too sore to change before a hot shower."
Edan blushes and rubs the side of his neck. "Uh, sorry about—"
"It was the train ride, not ... that." 
"Oh. Alright." Looks up, eyes bright. "Sooooo, are we ready for presents?"
"I suppooooose." Hermann smiles anyway.
"Brilliant!" Bows Hermann toward the door. "After you."
Hermann takes up his cane, hunches his shoulders, heads for the front room and his family with Edan scuffing along behind. 
Emma sits on Father's lap in an armchair, giggling and grabbing for his already very askew glasses while he fights to keep his face out of range.
Sabine and Dee giggle at the show from the floor near the tree and mountain of presents.
Oma and Opa, smiling, lounge side-by-side on the sofa.
Bastien, if the socked feet and rustling are any indication, is /under the Christmas tree.
"Good morning, boys," greets Dee.
"Good morning," echoes Hermann, perching on a padded chair.
"'morning~!" sings Edan, folding to the rug between Hermann's feet.
A number of expressions—not all of them positive—flit across the three eldest Gottliebs' faces.
Bastien appears with a huge box in his arms, declares, "Emma goes first!", and drops the box in front of her.
"Careful you don't lose her in there," teases Edan.
Father scowls, mutters, „I have no intention of losing my granddaughter and can certainly handle a small child.“
Dietrich, Sabine, and Oma all fix him with Looks.
Bastien sighs, "He said he's not going to drop her and can handle a kid."
Edan grins. "They're /awfully squirmy at that age, though. Best be extra careful."
Hermann jabs his hip with a foot.
„Just what would /your kind know about children?“
Dietrich holds Sabine back with a gentle hand on her shoulder.
Bastien translates through gritted teeth.
"I help babysit my little cousins when I'm in town."
Emma squeals, lunges for a curl of ribbon, nearly breaks loose from Father's hold.
Sabine and Bastien snort.
Father shifts his hands and Emma paws at the ribbon until Bastien scoots over to help her rip into the wrapping.
Together, they have the rocking dinosaur freed in short order, much to Emma's shrieky delight.
The rest of her presents receive similar greetings, then she yawns hugely, so Sabine gathers her and a couple of her new stuffies and carries her to her room for a nap.
Hermann nudges Edan. "Would you like some coffee?"
"I'll pass this morning, thanks, /leannan." He shuffles out of Hermann's way, nose deep in the book of classic star lore Bastien found for him.
Hermann pushes to his feet, hobbles to the kitchen, and fills a cup from the pot next to the stove.
„Hermann, sweetheart,“ says Oma, „may we have a moment?“
„Of course.“ Hermann sets the carafe on the counter, attends.
Oma sits at kitchen table, Opa beside her.
Hermann shuffles over, settles in, braces for it.
„We were wondering ....“ She traces a flower on the tablecloth. „That is, we'd like to know ....“
Opa comes to her rescue. „We would like to pry a bit and ask what is going on between you and your English friend.“
Hermann maintains a level gaze and a neutral expression. „Edan is my boyfriend.“ Smiles faintly. „He's also Scottish, not English.“
Oma traces.
„Is this an experimental phase or are you ...?“
„Gay?“
„Yes.“
Hermann takes a sip of coffee. „I'm attracted to both men and woman: I'm bisexual. It happens I've fallen in love with a man.“
Opa inhales sharply.
Oma sighs.
Hermann drinks, swallowing an urge to justify himself with his coffee.
„Is he good to you?“ ventures Oma.
„Very. He understands my issues and loves me as I am.“
„That's wonderful, dear.“ Oma laces her fingers with Opa's, gives them a little squeeze. „He seems a lovely young man. We're happy for you.“
„Thank you. Your approval means a lot to me.“
„We want you to be happy, Hermann.“
„Thank you.“
"Excuse me," says a pale Edan, striding in, "I'd like to borrow your grandson a moment, if it's not a bother."
Oma smiles, shoos them both.
"Thanks~!" Edan gathers Hermann's hand, tugs him from the chair, to their guest room—
"What's going on?"
—through the door, closes it behind—
"Edan, what's—"
—hugs Hermann tight to his chest.
"What the bloody heck's happening?"
Edan takes a deep breath. "I'm so sorry."
Hermann chills. "What—"
"I'm so sorry you had to grow up with that royal asshat for a father and spend all those years alone in a house with him."
"What did he say to you?" snarls Hermann.
"Well, first he said that—and I quote—'homosexuals are a blight on humanity' and that we deserve everything thrown our way."
Hermann sighs.
"Heard that before."
"More times than I care to count."
"Like my birth mum's family."
"I'm sorry. That's—"
"No big deal, 'coz my /real family stopped talking to them /years ago over it."
"I suppose that's for the best."
"It /definitely is." A deep breath. "Back to the hellbeast in the front room, he tried to run me off by knocking on you next. When that didn't work, he tried to /bribe me. With /cash."
Hermann rolls his eyes.
"/Then, he tried threats." Scoffs, "Even said someone might kill me for getting too close to you."
Hermann swallows. "Edan ... he's not ...." Swallows again. "I wish he was exaggerating, but /someone paid to have me made—"
"And you're worth an absolute /mint."
"—and who /knows what they will do to protect their investment, especially when they've already proved willing to muck with human genes."
"So I won't say anything." Shrugs. "I'm no threat to anyone."
"I hope they feel the same way."
"They /clearly do, seeing as I'm still here, yea? They've had four years to deal with me and they haven't done a thing." Pulls away a bit, kisses Hermann's forehead. "Pretty sure I'm in the clear."
Hermann relaxes a tad, huffs through a smile, "Must you insist on being right?"
"/Always. Except when I'm wrong."
"You're hopeless."
"And you love me."
"I do."
Category:Ficlet
Category:Geneva (setting)
Category:Hermann
Category:Hermann's POV
Category:Hermann has wings
Category:Hermann (ficlet)
Category:Bastien
Category:Bastien (ficlet)
Category:Edan
Category:Edan (ficlet)
Category:Emma
Category:Emma (ficlet)
Category:Klaus
Category:Klaus (ficlet)
Category:Lars
Category:Lars (ficlet)
Category:Adina
Category:Adina (ficlet)
Category:Sabine
Category:Sabine (ficlet)
Category:Dietrich
Category:Dietrich (ficlet)
Category:Annie G (mention)
Category:Langlais (mention)
Category:Ficlets with images
2009 12 29
Category:Celestial Mechanics
Category:Pages with comments