Family Matters

Date/Timing: 8 June 2010
Setting: Edan's neighbourhood; Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
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Edan keeps close watch as Hermann wobbles down the narrow stairs from the bedrooms with an equally tight grip on his cane and the handrail.
"I can manage—"
"You're not getting hurt under my roof."
"I can manage stairs," Hermann huffs. He steps onto the landing, blessedly stable. "See?"
Edan fluffs his hair. "Sorry. I ... I worry, ye know?"
Hermann moves close, kisses his cheek. "I know you do, but I can still take care of myself."
"I know, I know ...."
Hermann once-overs him. "Why have you been so edgy lately?"
"I'm edgy?"
"This is the most nervous I've seen you since you you went down to London to interview for your program."
"I ...." Deep breath. "I want everything to be perfect while you're here."
Hermann cups Edan's chin. "It /is perfect. We're together, yea?"
""Do I hear boys~?""
"Yes, Mum!"
""If you're awake, why are you still out there instead of in here eating breakfast?""
Edan gazes heavenward, sighs.
Hermann nudges him toward the kitchen.
They slide in side-by-side at the table.
Mum bustles over with two positively /heaping plates, sets one in front of each of them.
"Thank you," they chorus.
"Be sure you eat it all, Edan. You're getting too thin on that crap London food."
"Mum, you /know I don't gain weight, no matter /what I eat and Hermann's the same way."
She huffs, "I'm obviously /still not feeding you right, then. I'll just need to try even harder." Her top half vanishes into the fridge.
Hermann chuckles.
Edan rolls his eyes. "Mum ...."
""Hush up and eat, both of you.""
Edan looks to Hermann.
He shrugs, digs in.
So Edan does, too, and manages to tuck most of it away.
Hermann, not so much.
Mum returns to collect their dishes, asks Hermann, "What can I do to make it better, sweetheart?"
"Nothing, Mrs Reid. It was delicious; I just don't have the greatest appetite." Hermann bows his head, scratches at the edge of his binder.
"That's alright, dear. I'll just make sure to make your favourites so you can have a proper feed while you're here."
"Uh, thank you, but that's not—"
"It's not a bother! I love trying new dishes!"
"Don't encourage her," warns Edan.
"Quiet, you!"
"Seriously, Hermann. She cooks the weirdest things."
"Such as?"
"Seal meat." Shudders. "Nasty, greasy, fishy stuff. Can still sorta taste it."
Hermann wrinkles his nose. "Why—"
"High protein, high-fat, high calorie, 'gain weight damn you boy' food, supposedly." Mum musses Edan's hair. "It /clearly didn't work as advertised. My boy's /still a right twig." To Hermann, "He inherited some unfortunately skinny genes."
Hermann blinks.
"My, uh, birth mum's a slip of a thing. Five-nothing, forty-five kilos soaking wet in work boots."
Hermann blinks some more. "She and your father must've made quite the picture."
Mum snickers. "They were fully /half the gossip in the neighbourhood when they were on and the rows are /legendary." Shakes her head. "That woman won't back down from anything, even Tor and his three brothers."
"So, /that's where Edan gets it."
Edan flushes.
Mum laughs.
"Honestly, though, I can't picture your father yelling."
"He's mellowed a lot since they were together."
"Annie did most of the yelling," amends Mum.
"Dad was always gone and she couldn't handle both of us on her own. She wanted him to come home and for us to be a family."
"How do you—"
"Fen-fen remembers it, Mum." Edan offers a weak smile. "Then Annie fell in love with Andrew the /Musician and took off for good."
"How any woman can just run off and /leave her children, I'll—"
"/Mum. Don't."
She huffs, wipes her hands on her jeans, asks, "Do you boys have plans for the day?"
"Well, I was thinking of showing Hermann around the neighbourhood—"
"You can do the shopping while you're out!"
"Mum—"
"We'd love to, Mrs Reid," says Hermann.
"Perfect! Let me get the list!" She hustles off.
Edan raises his eyebrow at Hermann.
He shrugs. "I've never seen what shopping is like for a family and I'm curious."
The eyebrow climbs higher. "How did you get food?"
"Father's housekeepers did the shopping."
"House—" Edan blinks rapidly, squeaks, "You had /servants?"
"Not really?" Shrugs again. "They did the marketing, cooking, and cleaning. My father worked long hours and was a single parent of four."
"I guess ... I guess that's not too different from the neighbourhood ladies helping us along when Dad was offshore."
"It probably isn't." Hermann smiles up through his eyelashes. "We're not so different: being twiggy because of our X chromosomes, being stargazers, being too smart for our own good—"
Edan laughs.
"There's the right mindset for market!" Mum presses a slip of paper into his hand. "You can get everything but the cigarettes at Trinity's; those should come from Fenella's shop."
"You really should stop smoking, Mum. Those things'll kill you someday."
"Well, /something has to kill me, so it might as well be something I enjoy, yea?"
Edan rolls his eyes, pushes to his feet.
Hermann follows suit.
"Be back by lunch, boys."
"Yes, Mum," sighs Edan.
Hermann snickers and off they go.
Down the block, around a corner, two more blocks, and through the door to the neighbourhood's biggest grocery.
"What's first on the list?" asks Hermann.
Edan squints at Mum's scratching. "I /think this says—"
""There you are!""
Edan and Hermann jump.
Trinity skids into the aisle, glomps Edan, kisses both his cheeks. "I was /wondering when you'd show up!"
"I'd /never miss a visit with you when I'm in town!"
Trinity separates, drags her eyes over Hermann. "This must be the most-amazing Hermann, who's /so amazing he's stolen you away from us."
Hermann ducks his head, blushing.
Trinity bows. "I'm Trinity Moss, Fennie's understudy as Reid-wrangler."
"Hey! I don't need wrangling!"
"Yes, you do," says Trinity.
"Yes, you do," agrees Hermann.
Edan pouts.
"I take it you've been able to handle him?" she asks.
"He hasn't gotten into trouble lately and he seems happy."
"How's your sex life?"
Edan chokes; Hermann turns /bright pink.
"That's the 'very satisfactory' pink, yea?"
Hermann clears his throat. "Yes, it is."
"Have you figured out that thing he likes—"
"/TRINI!"
"Do you mean the—"
"/HERMANN!" he squeals.
"Figures," huffs Trinity, rolling her eyes. "/Try to share information to /help him and he flips the fuck out."
Hermann nods.
"We're in /public! And you're talking about our—" Claps both hands over his mouth, face gone flaming hot.
Trinity doubles over; Hermann bites his lip, eyes watering.
"I'm not sure which of you I like less right now," grumbles Edan.
Trinity mostly straightens. "You love /both of us still, don't kid. It takes more than a spot of loud public embarrassment to truly piss you off."
Edan sniffs.
"Hermann, do you mind if I borrow this one for a moment?"
"As long as you promise to give him back," he grins.
"Five minutes and he's all yours again."
Hermann inclines his head—"I'll be over by the reading material."—and limps off.
Edan watches him go with a little ache in his chest, drags his attention back to Trinity. "What's up?"
"Kris came around asking about you /again yesterday."
His heart drops. "Oh."
"Yea. 'Oh'. What do you want me to tell him?"
"What do you think I should say?"
"Honestly? I've got no clue." Trinity shifts her feet. "Should I send him to Fennie, maybe?"
"Sure, that'll only get him maimed by his dad instead of killed."
Trinity throws up her hands. "How 'bout I just shove the old bastard in front of a train? That'll solve a /lot of problems."
Edan sighs a laugh, runs a hand through his hair. "Wish it was that ea—" Grins, ear to ear. "It /is that easy."
"Wha?" Trinity crosses her arms. "You want me to /kill—"
He waves her off. "If Kris comes 'round again, give him my London address and—" Digs in a pocket, comes up with a handful of pound coins, offers them. "—a buncha stamps. Tell him to write notes and I'll send the replies to you to pass to him so he doesn't get caught with 'em at home."
Trinity accepts, but, "That's ... /archaic."
Edan beams. "It worked for me and Hermann until he was old enough to tell his dad to fuck off, so it should work for Kris, too."
"Alllllright. I'll see what he thinks of that."
"Thanks, Trini." Edan hugs her tight. "You're awesome."
"'course I am. Now get back to your boyfriend and make sure I'm at the top of your guest—"
Edan hisses, flaps.
Trinity rolls her eyes. "Just do it, yea?"
Edan salutes—"Will do! See you 'round!"—and saunters to where Hermann frowns at the newspapers on display. "Sorry about that."
Hermann gestures, 'no bother', doesn't /quite meet Edan's eyes. "May I—" Clears his throat. "May I ask what that was about?"
"Long or short?"
"Let's start with short, if you're willing."
"Okay. Short version." Edan takes a deep breath. "I've got a younger half-brother and—"
"Excuse me, you have /what?"
"A half-brother, about Bunny's age. I, uh, didn't mention him before because I try not to think about him."
"You /what." Hermann's up to a full-strength glare now.
Edan cringes. "It's—it's a long story."
"Then tell. It." Looms as best he can. "Now."
"Umm ... coffee shop? Around the corner?"
"Fine." Hermann stomps off.
Edan takes a deep breath, slinks—
Trinity grabs his arm, hisses, "Five fucking /years and you didn't tell him?!"
"I didn't want him getting curious and tempting me to visit!"
Trinity puts her hands on her hips and looms—/really looms. "Edan William Reid, you are a complete and utter /dumbass!"
"I knooooow!" he wails. Hangs his head. "I totally fucked up."
"Yea, you did." Trinity shoves him toward the door. "So go apologize to him and talk it out. You'll do fine."
"Thanks, Trini."
"Get going, Beaker."
"I /hate it when you call me that."
Trinity laughs as the door chime sounds behind him.
Edan shtumps to the coffee shop and over to the corner table Hermann's commandeered.
A pot of tea and a second cup wait for him.
He sits, presses his hands flat on the tabletop.
Hermann sets his steaming mug aside, assesses him.
Edan slumps. "I'm sorry, Hermann. I completely, totally, utterly messed up on this one. I should've told you about Kris right away. I didn't trust me and I didn't trust you and that was wrong and I'm sorry."
"Kris is your brother?"
"Yea."
Hermann pours tea into Edan's mug, nudges it closer.
"Thanks." Edan wraps his hands around the cup. "Alright. So. Kris is my brother—we have the same biological mum—/but his parents have banned him from meeting, /seeing, whatever, me and Fen-fen 'coz they think we're bad influences or something."
"This is about your sexuality."
"Among other things."
Hermann raises an eyebrow.
"Fen-fen's history's a mite colourful?"
"Why doesn't that surprise me?"
"Because you've met her?"
"That would be it."
"Sooooo ... me and Fen-fen—and Mum and Dad, too—have done our best to steer clear of him so he doesn't have trouble with his parents. And, for me, that means trying not to think about him so I don't get too curious and try to sneak over to meet him. Which's why I didn't tell you."
"Ah."
"I'm /really sorry."
"I understand now and forgive you."
"Thanks, /leannan." Edan's shoulders drop tension. "Until two weeks ago, it wasn't too much of a problem since they all live a couple of towns over."
"What changed?"
"He decided to—without telling /anyone—come looking for us."
"Oh dear."
Edan snorts. "Lucky for everyone, I guess, he only found Trinity and she put him back on the train home before his parents noticed he was gone."
"Why did he approach Trinity?"
"Oh, uh, she apparently came up in one of his dad's rants and Kris figured 'how many skyscraper blondes with whacking great tattoos can there be in that part of town?' and kept his eyes open for her."
"Solid logic there."
"Yep, certainly is." Takes a sip of tea. "She pulled me over to say he'd done it again yesterday and ask what she should do about him."
"What did you tell her?"
"I gave her some money for stamps and instructions to tell the kid to send me letters in London and to pick up replies from her." Shrugs. "I figure if it worked for me and you, it should work for me and him."
Hermann smiles over his mug. "Solid logic there."
Edan grins back. "Yep, certainly is."
Category:Celestial Mechanics
2010 06 08
Category:Ficlet
Category:Glasgow (setting)
Category:Edan
Category:Edan's POV
Category:Edan (ficlet)
Category:Hermann
Category:Hermann (ficlet)
Category:Dona
Category:Dona (ficlet)
Category:Annie (mention)
Category:Kris (mention)
Category:Fenella (mention)
Category:Torquil (mention)
Category:Trinity
Category:Trinity (ficlet)
Category:Bastien (mention)
Category:Andrew (mention)
Category:Lars (mention)
Category:Ficlets with images
Category:CM: Absolute Magnitude
Category:Conversations via snail mail