Stubborn

Date/Timing: 20 December 2008
Setting: Gottlieb house; Berlin, Germany
.
The cab driver sets Hermann's suitcase on the top step of Father's house, accepts payment from Hermann, shakes his hand, and marches back to the street. 
Hermann steels himself—
Father's voice, raised and angry, from inside.
—gazes heavenward, then digs out his mobile.
/hermann_g: Im here & father's yelling
/edan_the_red: (╥﹏╥)
/hermann_g: This is not how I want to spend my holiday
Bastien, equally upset, shouts back.
/edan_the_red: Its for the kid
/hermann_g: Right
/hermann_g: For Bunny
/edan_the_red: Thats the spirit!
/hermann_g: Yay.
/edan_the_red: <3
/hermann_g: <3
Hermann straightens up, rings the bell.
More yelling, voices mixed, from inside.
Rings again.
Shouting—Father's—draws nearer.
The door flies open.
„Hello, Father,“ says Hermann, carefully neutral.
Father grunts, notices the suitcase, yanks it inside. „Bastien! Help your brother with his bag!“
„It's fine, Father, I packed light—“
Bastien yells, „„/You help Manny with his bag!““
Father growls, turns on his heel, and vanishes into his office, slamming the door.
Hermann locks up, takes three deep breaths, sheds his shoes.
Silence.
„Bunny?“
More silence.
Frowns, limps deeper into the house, all the way to his old room, now seemingly Bastien's—
Who huddles on the floor, clutching his hair.
Hermann's heart staggers as he kneels beside him. „What's happened?“
„Nothing.“
„I heard the shouting.“
Bastien takes a shaky breath, mumbles, „Father's ordered me to quit the newspaper because my literature marks've dropped to second-best.“
„But that's your only club.“
He nods, miserable.
Hermann eases himself to sitting beside him.
„It's the only place I can talk to my friends.“ Mutters, „The one's who're left.“
„I'm sorry about Anaïs.“
„It's nobody's fault.“
„That doesn't make it any less awful.“
Bastien shrugs.
„I, uh, thought Father gave you—“
„He took it away again after three days because I called Sofie to talk about ....“ Shrugs again.
„That's not—“
„It's just how Father is,“ sneers Bastien.
Hermann cringes. „I'm sorry.“
Bastien drops his hands to his lap, lets his head fall back against the side of the mattress.
Hermann straightens the crease in his trousers.
„Manny ... I don't think I can live four more years like this. I think I'm /already half-crazy.“ Rubs his neck. „I don't know how you managed without school.“
„I did what I had to do.“
Quietly, „I'm not as strong as you are.“
Hermann nudges his shoulder. „You don't need to be strong, just stubborn.“
Bastien chokes out a laugh, lifts his head.
„All four of us are good at that.“
Bastien sighs to a stop. „Yeaaaaa ....“
Hermann jerks up straighter, grinning, fishes his mobile from his pocket, pokes a contact.
„What're you doing?“
„Possibly finding your way out.“ Waves for quiet. „Dee? Hermann.You and Sabine want help with the house and the baby, yes?“
„What does—?“
Hermann hisses. 
Bastien crosses his arms, sulks. 
„I /may have found a suitable candidate for the job.“ Hermann nods absently. „I believe he'd be willing to work for room and board, yes.“
„Are you talking about—“
„Shut it.“
„But—!“
„Shut!“
Bastien huffs.
„So you'll talk to Father about it?“
„It /is—“
Hermann glares.
Bastien glares back.
„Brilliant! Thanks, Dee. Say 'hi' to Sabine for us.“ Hermann disconnects, grins.
Bastien raises an expectant eyebrow.
„Dee's going to talk to Father about you helping him and Sabine when the baby comes.“
Bastien ....
„You'd be moving to Geneva, probably until you're old enough for university, since they plan on another child or two.“
Bastien /glows.
„Are you willing to change diapers if it means—“
„/FUCK /YES!“
„That seems settled th—ACK!“
Bastien squishes him harder, squeals, „You're the greatest brother in the history of ever!“
„I'll /be history in a moment if you don't—“
„Sorry!“
Category:Ficlet
Category:Berlin (setting)
Category:Hermann
Category:Hermann's POV
Category:Hermann (ficlet)
Category:Lars
Category:Lars (ficlet)
Category:Bastien
Category:Bastien (ficlet)
Category:Sofie (mention)
Category:Dietrich (mention)
Category:Sabine (mention)
Category:Emma (mention)
Category:Ficlets with images
Category:Conversations via mobiles
Category:Edan
Category:Edan (ficlet)
Category:Conversations via SMS
Category:Anais (mention)