Marvel

Date/Timing: 7 November 2008
Setting: classroom building & Hermann's flat; Oxford, United Kingdom
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Hermann plods into the study lounge to find Edan slouched on a sofa with his trainers up on a low table, reading. He clears his throat.
Edan jumps, tucks his feet and book away. "Sorry." Smiles sheepishly. "Filthy habit."
"I'm sure your mother raised you better than that."
"Well, yea, but my dad undid all her hard work."
Hermann pulls a frown.
Edan bats his eyelashes.
"Hopeless," mutters Hermann through a grin.
"Good thing you mostly love me, then."
Hermann flops down next to him, amends, "I completely love you."
"Thank God." Rests his head on Hermann's shoulder. "How was the session?"
"Half the class didn't do the reading and the other half didn't understand it properly."
"Good thing they've got a TA who does and's a brilliant teacher, then."
"I'm not sure they agree." Hermann scratches at the hem of his binding. "Are you even capable of saying something negative about me?"
"Nope. Have nothing to say negative things about."
"I'm hardly perfect," grumbles Hermann, letting his head fall back.
"Close enough for me, then."
"You're mad."
Edan shrugs.
Hermann sighs.
They rest like that a bit.
"We should probably get some food, yea?"
"I suppose."
Edan heaves himself out of the cushions, offers Hermann a hand up.
Hermann takes it, lets Edan tug him to feet, settles his bag over his shoulder.
Edan picks up his book, tucks it into his jacket pocket, slings his bag onto his back.
"What're you reading?" asks Hermann as they stroll toward the exit.
"Something Iggy's been begging me to read for /years." Voice goes pretentious, "/The Angel Experiment."
Hermann stiffens—a wing twitching—and forces himself to keep walking. "About young people with wings?"
"The very one. You've read it?"
"Nooo ... but I chatted with her about it once."
"Ah, cool. You want to eat in or grab takeaway?"
"I think I'd prefer takeaway."
"That chip place two streets over?"
Hermann grunts assent, leads the way from the building to the restaurant.
Edan pays for their meals and carries them back to Hermann's flat.
They hang up their coats, ditch their shoes and bags; Hermann drops into the lone armchair, Edan straddles the wheelie number at the desk.
Edan—of course—breaks the silence after the meal, says, "When do you think science'll manage it?"
"Manage what?"
"Splice animals and humans. Give people mouse ears or wings or such like."
"You think they will?"
"Of /course they will. They've already done the reverse, yea? And humans are pretty malleable." 
"There seems to be a rather universal template to me."
"Yea, but there's a lot of variation on it."
Hermann scoffs.
Edan frowns at him. "Have I told you about my 'cousins'?"
"Not that I recall."
"Since my dad's rig crew is kind of a big family, we call each other cousins, so—" Waves vaguely. "Well, two of 'em were born with tails, another had webbed toes, and the docs didn't know what 'gender' box to tick on little Blair's birth certificate." Rubs his neck. "We figure it's all the shit our dads breathe on the job."
"Good Lord."
Edan snorts a laugh. "It's either that or Twenty-one's homebrew."
Hermann chokes.
"Me and Fen-fen actually felt kinda left out when we were little 'cause we only had the standard equipment." Chuckles, "Mum's forbidden us to have kids 'cause she doesn't fancy playing den-mother to a superhero team."
Hermann stares. 
"So, yea, /lots of variation. Funny ears and wings are just a /bitty step further."
"Do you—" Hermann clears his throat. "Do you really believe that?"
"Yea, I do." Edan cocks his head. "What's with all the questions?"
Hermann swallows, straightens his shoulders, hauls himself to his feet. "I have to show you something."
Edan raises an eyebrow. "Alriiight. What should I do?"
"Stay right there."
"Close my eyes?"
"Not necessary."
"Cool."
Hermann turns his back to Edan, peels off his layers, fighting his every instinct in order to continue.
Off goes his jumper.
His shirt.
Undershirt.
A gasp from behind him.
Hermann flinches, regroups, unfastens his binding with shaky fingers, lets it drop.
""Ho-holy ....""
He stretches his wings their full span.
Draws them back tight to his back.
Hunches his shoulders, hugs himself.
Silence.
"Say /something, Edan," he grits out. "Tell me I'm a monster, I'm a freak, I'm /disgusting—" Swallows. "—that you never want to see me again."
""Wha ... how?""
"My mother spliced my DNA with that of an owl." Shivers. "We think. She never admitted what she'd done."
""May—may I touch th—you?""
Hermann bristles, wings ruffling. "Yes. Go ahead."
/Shuffing as Edan stands, then fingers slide through the feathers along his spine.
"Wow ... you are /gorgeous."
"What?" squeaks Hermann. 
Warm breath tickles the down between his shoulder blades.
"Gorgeous, Hermann. I'm having a hard time believing you're real." 
He twists his head around. "Are you /insane?"
Edan shrugs. "Maybe? But I still like what I see."
Hermann's mouth moves wordlessly. Finally, "How can you ...." Hangs his head.
Edan sinks his fingers deeper into Hermann's feathers, scratching at their roots, says softly, "Cousins with tails, mate. Bitty step."
Hermann blinks a few times, then a laugh bursts free.
Edan laughs, too. "So, yea, like I said, a few feathers aren't enough to scare me off. You'll have to try harder."
"I didn't ...."
"C'mere." Edan gently steers him around, gathers him close, digs his fingers under Hermann's scapulars. "This's no big deal."
Hermann presses his face to the curve of Edan's neck, murmurs, "How are /you real?"
"I'm a pretty average guy. Absolutely run-of-the-mill."
"But ...." Takes a deep breath. "I thought for sure you'd ...."
Edan smiles against his temple. "I think you need to stop assuming the worst about people, mate. Not everyone's into running about with torches and pitchforks."
"But—" Swallows. "But I'm a monster."
"Ye know 'monster', at its root, means 'marvel', yea?"
Hermann blinks.
"Rhys went on a memorable rant about /Frankenstein last term."
Hermann laughs, buries himself Edan's embrace.
Category:Ficlet
Category:Oxford (setting)
Category:Hermann
Category:Hermann's POV
Category:Hermann (ficlet)
Category:Edan
Category:Edan (ficlet)
Category:Hermann has wings
Category:Vigsai (mention)
Category:Torquil (mention)
Category:Fenella (mention)
Category:Dona (mention)
Category:Rhys (mention)
Category:Frankenstein (reference)
Category:Doctor Who (reference)
Category:Ficlets with images
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Category:Prompt