Glasgow

Date/Timing: 7 June 2010
Setting: Edan's neighbourhood; Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
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The bells over the cornershop door /clang as Hermann follows Edan inside, jerking his wheelie suitcase over the threshold.
"Hello~!" sings the clerk, smiling—expression slides off. "Oh. It's you."
Edan drops his duffel, throws out his arms as he strolls to the counter. "Ah! Nothing like a warm welcome from my beloved sister!"
Fenella scoffs, crosses her arms. "You're late."
"And you're still on shift, Fen-fen."
"Like that's an excuse."
Edan rolls his eyes. "Aaaaaanyway, Hermann, this is my lovely sister, Fenella. Fen-fen, Hermann."
Hermann bows deeply, greets, "Ms Reid."
Fenella inclines her head. "You can call me 'Fenella' as long as you treat him—" Points her chin at Edan. "—properly."
"You have my word I will."
She leans back against a display of throwaway mobiles. "I like this one already. He has /manners."
"As if you would recognize good manners if they bit you."
"Get bent, Danny-boy."
Edan turns to Hermann, eyes sparkling. "You feel the love between us, don't you, Hermann?"
"It's positively saccharine in here."
Fenella sniffs.
"Sooo ... how long 'til you get off?"
She flicks her eyes to the clock next to the register, sighs, "Another forty minutes, but you hang about that long and Mum and Dad'll go bonkers."
"Can't have that."
"Yea, they might haul off and hug ye to death."
Edan runs his fingers through his hair. "Is Trinity still about with her car?"
"The Dragon breathed its last a month ago. You'll have to hoof it or call a taxi."
"I could use a bit of a stroll after so long cooped up," offers Hermann.
"Strolling it is!" Edan gathers his duffel. "See you at the homestead, Fen-fen."
Fenella grunts, shoos him toward the door. "Good to meet you, Hermann."
"The same, Fenella." He nudges his suitcase to rolling position and trails a waving Edan to the pavement.
Edan leads them along the street, the afternoon sun on their faces.
"It's a beautiful day for a walk," Hermann murmurs.
Edan hums, basking, content.
"You miss this city."
"It's still home, yea? My family's here, my roots are here." Encompasses the area with a wave. "I feel like I /belong here, more than any other place I've been." Slows his steps, turns to Hermann. "I know Germany doesn't feel like that for you, but is there a place that does?"
"Manchester did for a bit, the last few days. Oxford is ... comfortable, but I still feel like an outsider." Shrugs. "The only place I feel totally at home is with you."
Edan glows in response. "I'm glad of that. Hopefully we can find a place that works nearly as well."
"Maybe it'll be here."
"Maybe. There's bound an opening at one of the universities by the time we're pee-haitch-done."
Hermann face-palms. "Did you really just say that?"
"I did." Edan grins. "I'd been saving it for a special day."
"You're unbelievable."
"Believe it, belo—"
"We agreed—"
"—/leannan. Left, here." Edan huffs as they turn into a narrower lane. "It's twenty-bloody-ten: we can be out. In /fact, we can set up a legal domestic partnership whenever we want."
"It's not—" Hermann makes a frustrated noise. "It's about our privacy, not our legal standing or safety. I don't want who we sleep with overshadowing what we do."
"I'm /all for not sharing /those tales—"
"What we do while we're /awake!"
"Have you taken to sleep—"
"/No! For Christ's sake—"
Edan gestures for calm. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't wind you up like that."
"No, you shouldn't. You're forgiven, as well."
"Brilliant. Just in time, too. This is the place." He skips up a little path to the door of a terraced house.
Hermann's heart stutters and he picks at flecks of lint on his jumper.
"You look /fine," sighs Edan.
"I want to look my best," Hermann grumbles.
"You're /already the finest-looking man in Scotland. What do you want to do, blind us?"
Hermann blushes, ducks his head, plucks at another spot.
"They /already love you. You don't need to impress—what're you doing?"
Hermann finishes tweaking Edan's collar. "Better."
"Fer fu—"
"You're—"
Hermann jumps.
"—here!" booms a voice from the door.
"Hey, Dad!" squeaks Edan, who's almost disappeared into the arms of an /enormous man.
""Is that them?"" hollers someone deeper inside the house.
"Yes, Dona! Get inside, you two!" Mr Reid more or less /heaves Edan into the foyer. "We've been waiting /ages for ye!" He focuses on Hermann, grinning brightly. "You must be Hermann. Tor Reid, overjoyed to meet you at last." He offers a hand the size of a salad plate.
"It's wonderful to meet you, as well." Hermann steels himself, takes the hand.
Mr Reid's grip is surprisingly light, almost gentle.
"Step along, lose the shoes on the rug; there's slippers for you, if you like. I'll take that." Grabs Hermann's bag from the step and heads inside.
Hermann takes a deep breath and follows it.
"We've put you in with Edan—figured that would be alright—"
"That will—"
"—and I'm sorry, but all our bedrooms are upstairs, but if—"
"That's just fine, Mr Reid." Hermann works on his shoes.
"'Tor', please, son. We're not much on manners here."
Hermann coughs over a laugh, tucks his feet into the waiting slippers, which are even the right size.
"We're eating at seven, but if you're hungry sooner, Edan will find you something to munch on in the kitchen."
"Thank you."
"The boy should be right through that door there—" Points. "—and we're counting on you to keep him from getting his ass handed to him at Scrabble after dinner."
"I'll certainly do my best."
"That's all we ask, son. Be back in a moment!" And he's off and up the stairs.
Hermann shakes his head, then shuffles on to join Edan in the front room.
Category:Celestial Mechanics
2010 06 07
Category:Ficlet
Category:Glasgow (setting)
Category:Hermann
Category:Hermann's POV
Category:Hermann (ficlet)
Category:Edan
Category:Edan (ficlet)
Category:Fenella
Category:Fenella (ficlet)
Category:Trinity (mention)
Category:Torquil
Category:Torquil (description)
Category:Torquil (ficlet)
Category:Dona
Category:Dona (mention)
Category:Ficlets with images
Category:Pages with comments
Category:Prompt
Category:CM: Absolute Magnitude
Category:Pages with comment!fics