Pieces

Date/Timing: 9 August 2006
Setting: cafe; Berlin, Germany
.
Hermann slouches in at Dee and Sabine's café table, drops his rucksack on the floor with a /thud, greets, „Hey.“
„A good afternoon to you, too, Manny.“
Hermann sniffs, flips over his cup.
Dee pours coffee. „Another exciting day in the life of Berlin's 'most promising programmer'?“
Sabine says, „Finals have /nothing on you, I bet?“
„The rest of my cohort is in fits, but I'm without difficulty.“ Hermann scowls at Dee. „Who called me that?“
„Mrs Doctor Umarov, when she brought in little Sveta for a fever.“ He cradles his cup. „Apparently /your brilliance inspires added confidence in /my skills.“
Hermann glowers into his mug.
„That's a good thing, you know. The appointment went a treat, but my fellows said she's usually a second-guessing /monster where Sveta's concerned.“
„You're welcome,“ grumbles Hermann.
Sabine studies him.
„What.“
„No joy?“
Hermann picks at his jumper. „I'd rather be looking at stars than a screen, 'most promising' or not.“
Sabine turns her attention to her coffee.
„On the topic of stars, you have a dispatch.“ Dee offers an envelope.
Hermann frowns at it.
„I'm sure there's a good reason he's not using the butterfly paper.“
Hermann rolls his eyes as he snatches it away, tears it open.
- Dear Hermann,
I had no idea how much I talk with my hands until this week and learning it was one Hell of an expensive lesson.
You see, I'm on crutches for the next week or so. -
Hermann winces.
„Everything alright?“
„He hurt himself.“
„Nothing permanent, I hope.“
„Me, too.“
- Sigh.
What happened, you ask?
Trinity and I ... well, we got a little silly one evening and were messing about at the local playground. She dared me to fly off the swings. I took her up on it but landed stupid and twisted my ankle after /quite the impressive distance. -
Hermann rolls his eyes.
„Not permanent, huh?“
„Not even serious.“
„Excellent.“
Hermann grunts.
- For my prize, I won a trip to A&E, a pair of crutches, and a /mountain of mockery.
Totally worth it to show Trinity up. It's /always worth it to show Trinity up. She gets the better of me so often, it's a pleasant change of pace.
I ever tell you the story of how we met? If I have or if you don't care, skip the next couple of paragraphs.
Fen-fen was walking me to kindergarten one day and everything's totally normal and boring and I'm dragging my feet because I just /know Davey Morrison's going to show up the /instant Fen-fen disappears around a corner and take my pocket money or my art project, depending on his mood. 
I shouldn't speak ill of the dead, but little Davey was an absolute /prick.
So, Fen-fen dumps me at the usual corner and I make it two steps before Davey materializes and grabs me by the jacket.
At that same /instant, something slams into my back and I smack my face on Davey's and there's an almighty scrum right there on the pavement. The monitors get us untangled and there's me and Davey and this blond we'd never seen before. Davey's got a black eye and split lip, I'm bleeding from the nose and two teeth are loose, and the blond's pretty much unscathed, except for /my blood on their shirt.
And that's how I met Trinity Moss: she tackled me face-first into the pavement—costing me two (baby) teeth—trying to save me from my childhood bully.
This's why I always try to keep her in front of me. ☺
She sends her greetings, by the way.
Now, this /should be reaching you during your exams so I'm sending /you all the blessings I can rain down. Not that /you need them to succeed. Finals don't stand a chance against your mental might.
Have you settled on a programme yet? You have to decide by this autumn, yea?
I'm looking over your last letter and you're worried I'll love you less if you don't do astrophysics. Well, stop that. 
You could major in widget assembly or—God forbid, /literature—and I'd love you with all my heart.
It's not the major, it's the man, leannan. -
Hermann wipes away the start of tears.
- A different programme just means I'll have to put on my tour guide lanyard and bring the stars to you while you assemble widgets. -
Hermann snorts a laugh.
- Rhys and Iggy are still ————— >EDAN IS A BIG DORK -
Hermann blinks at the shift of handwriting.
- Ahem.
That was Fen-fen. She and Trinity snuck in (had my headphones up too loud to hear them coming) and Trinity held me down while she said her piece.
So much for getting the better of Trinity. (Or Fen-fen)
If you'll excuse me, I need to hobble after her in search of vengeance.
We're down to 327. I can almost see you from here.
Truly yours,
Edan
17 Jul. '06
Glasgow -
Hermann sighs fondly, re-folds the papers, bends—
„Getting your reply?“
—straightens, unsealed envelope and pen in hand. „May I have a moment to add to it?“
„Of course! It gives us more time to chat.“ Sabine makes eyes at Dee.
He pecks her cheek.
„Thanks,“ grunts Hermann.
- Addendum
9 Aug 2006
Berlin, Germany
I have just completed my programming final and suspect I have done quite well on it. At this point, I suspect I could write the sort of code required in my sleep, never mind under time pressure.
Dee also informs me Dr Umarov (the programming instructor; I've mentioned his name before, yes?) has been telling his /family about my skills. 
At the moment, I'm inclined to declare Computer Science my programme at the start of the next term, since I'm still unable to bring myself to the continue astrophysics. Coding is soothing, absorbing, and I'm apparently 'Berlin's most promising'. -
Hermann chews his lip.
- You really won't think less of me if I do? Truly?
We could still work together, even if I'm only a programmer. You'll need someone to analyze your observational data and model the results, right? You can be the star (hah!) astronomer and I your humble enabler.
Of course, this plan would require you remaining alive with your brain undamaged long enough to graduate.
Were I closer to hand, I would give both you and Trinity (but mostly you) a solid thrashing for risking your neck over something as silly as a playground dare. -
Hermann frowns.
- /Were I closer to hand, I would give both you and Trinity (but mostly you) a solid thrashing for risking your neck over something silly as a playground dare.
Please be more careful, lest I be tempted to fly over there and swaddle you in bubble wrap, my beloved doughnut.
304 days until I can protect you in person.
With love and wishes for a speedy recovery,
Hermann -
He checks for spelling and grammar errors, grunts approval, stuffs the pages into their envelope, licks and seals it.
Sabine accepts it, tucks it in her purse. „Had to add a bit about being more careful, did you?“
„Of course.“ Hermann smiles. „I want him back in one piece.“
„Or at least with the important pieces still functioning.“
„/Sabine!“ hisses Dee.
Hermann just blushes to his hairline.
Category:Ficlet
Category:Berlin (setting)
Category:Hermann
Category:Hermann's POV
Category:Hermann (ficlet)
Category:Hermann is a programmer
Category:Dietrich
Category:Dietrich (ficlet)
Category:Sabine
Category:Sabine (ficlet)
Category:Edan
Category:Edan (ficlet)
Category:Trinity (mention)
Category:Fenella
Category:Fenella (ficlet)
Category:Ficlets with images
Category:Conversations via snail mail