Apart

Date/Timing: 8 July 2006
Setting: a Berlin public library; Berlin, Germany
.
Hermann tilts his head back to better feel the sunlight on his face.
Beside him, Bastien fidgets.
„We're early, remember?“
Bastien huffs.
Hermann closes his eyes.
Bastien shifts.
„She'll be here. Relax.“
„I just want everything to go well,“ he mumbles. „I /never get to hang out so I want it to be /perfect.“
„You've seen her every day this week.“
„In /class.“
„You still see her.“
„But—“ Bastien sighs. „Sorry, Manny.“
„You pass notes, right?“
„I'm already sick of notes.“
„Me, too.“ 
„I don't know how you do it.“ 
„With difficulty.“ Hermann offers his best reassuring smile. „I'm sure we'll get to do this more often from now on.“
Bastien scoffs.
Hermann bumps his shoulder. „Dee will vouch for the fact we were very well-behaved and studied hard the entire afternoon.“
Bastien snorts.
Hermann grins.
Bastien sighs, then, „How does Dee get away with lying to Father when we can't?“
„Because Father /wants to believe everything Dee says but he expects us to be wrong or disobedient.“
Bastien smirks. „Would be a shame to let him down, wouldn't it?“
„Bunny ....“
Bastien smirks harder.
Hermann frowns.
A long, black car grumbles to a stop at the kerb.
„Whoa ...,“ breathes Bastien.
A driver in sparkling—and there's no other word for it—livery unfolds from the car and opens the rear door.
A familiar little brunette slides out, smiling brightly and waving.
„Anaïs! Hi!“ Bastien hops to his feet, waves back.
„I guess—“ Hermann swallows. „I guess World Cup tickets aren't the only thing her parents have access to.“
Anaïs skips over—„Bastien!“—wraps herself around him.
Hermann's heart can't decide if it should should drop or leap, so it just sort of flutters in place.
The driver closes the door, climbs back inside, and the car glides away.
Bastien and Anaïs bounce on their toes, happily together.
His heart settles on dropping, so Hermann levers himself to his feet, settles his rucksack over his shoulder.
Anaïs spots him, stops her hopping. „I'm sorry, Mr Gottlieb. I didn't—“
„No need to apologize, Miss Anaïs. And it's 'Hermann', please“
She bows. „Thank you, Hermann.“
„Shall we go inside?“
Anaïs looks around, frowns. 
Bastien follows her gaze. „What's up?“
„I thought we were meeting both your brothers?“
„An emergency came up at our brother's flat and he had to stay behind to deal with it. He sends his regrets.“
„Oh. That's too bad.“
„Shall we go inside?“ prompts Bastien.
„We shall!“ chirps Anaïs.
They set off, Hermann taking rearguard, until the reach the second floor reading room where they commandeer a semi-circle of comfy chairs.
„What should we do?“ asks Bastien.
„I've already finished the homework.“ Anaïs twists her braid between her fingers. „I got bored home alone last night.“
„Same here,“ snickers Bastien.
Anaïs' shoulders lose tension and she smiles. „What should we do instead?“
Bastien looks to Hermann. „Umm, Manny?“ 
„Hmm?“ Hermann straightens from digging in his rucksack, envelope and glasses in hand. „Bastien, didn't you say you wanted to practice your French?“
„Uh, yea?“
„Then why don't you and Miss Anaïs talk about movies or books: you in French and she in German?“
Bastien and Anaïs exchange a look, then beam at Hermann.
„Just do it quietly or the librarians will come around and shush you.“
Bastien salutes, Anaïs bows, and they shoot off into the stacks.
Hermann shakes his head, tears open Edan's latest letter, settles his glasses on his nose and himself more comfortably in his chair.
- Dear Hermann,
The planetarium job is /brilliant! The kids! The enthusiasm! The happiness and energy!
Well, it's brilliant except for when that energy is channeled into trying to push each other over the railings. But that only happened once and I put a stop to it before we had any flyers, so it's all good.
(There's also that time they had me subbing at the explore-through-doing area and I wound up with three shades of modeling clay in my hair, but we do not speak of that incident.)
But! I've never seen so many kids excited about space. I thought I was the only obsessive at these ages, but, nope! The little devils are /everywhere it seems. Hopefully my spiel will keep them on the road to the stars.
Who knows, I might even be /teaching them astrophysics someday. Wouldn't that be awesome?
And the chances of me qualifying for the kind of school you'll qualify for have gone up! It was my semester to rock my exams and I've clawed back a few of the points I lost on the last round. I just have to keep the momentum going now.
Spending graduate school with you is a /hell of an inducement, let me tell you.
Can you imagine sharing every weekend? Most meals? A flat? A /bed?
I nearly have a meltdown just /thinking about it. -
Hermann shifts, scratches the hem of his binder.
- ...
Excuse me, I'll be right back. -
Hermann blushes to the tips of his ears.
- Ahem.
Where was I?
Together! right!
I am /so counting the days until you can get back to this island of mine.
You remember right that I'll be rooming with Rhys again. We figured it'd be better for us to share so Iggy can have her 'alone' time.
Rhys isn't talking to me much 'coz he's /ridiculously busy at that newspaper of his. Neither is Iggy, since she's gone down to London-town to assist on some project of Dr Marsh's.
SHE'S GOING TO PUBLISH BEFORE US, HERMANN!
I can't decide if I should be proud or horrified.
(I'm proud.)
Wait. Technically Rhys has published already too, even if it's only a a bit of local colour.
That means it's a race between you and I and I WILL /NOT LOSE.
It's on, Hermann.
You know, if Bunny wants out, you can always send him here. He can hide behind my dad and no one'll be the wiser. And my dad can /totally kick the shit out of your dad, I'm sure, if it comes down to violence. He brings his brothers over and I think anyone with half a brain (who didn't know they're actually all softies) would apologize and /run. That's fifty-odd stone of Scotsmen looming over the target of your choice. -
Hermann chuckles.
- Lookit this skinny nerd threatening folks with his larger relations. I almost feel bad. /Almost.
What's this song I hear?
Oh. It's Fen-fen shrieking at me to come to breakfast so I'm not late for my next journey through the universe, moulding little minds.
Wish me safe a safe trip!
And a safer commute—Trinity's driving.
Only 348 more!
Love,
Edan
26 Jun. '06
Glasgow -
Hermann sighs, rearranges himself in his chair, flips back to the first page.
In the distance, giggles.
He sighs, rubs his chest above his heart, turns his eyes back to Edan's first words.
Category:Ficlet
Category:Berlin (setting)
Category:Hermann
Category:Hermann's POV
Category:Hermann (ficlet)
Category:Bastien
Category:Bastien (ficlet)
Category:Dietrich (mention)
Category:Lars (mention)
Category:Anais
Category:Anais (ficlet)
Category:Edan
Category:Edan (ficlet)
Category:Rhys (mention)
Category:Vigsai (mention)
Category:Torquil (mention)
Category:Callum (mention)
Category:Malcolm (mention)
Category:Fenella (mention)
Category:Trinity (mention)
Category:Ficlets with images
2006 07 08
Category:Celestial Mechanics