Horizons

Date/Timing: 15 - 16 December 2005
Setting: Manchester, United Kingdom
Revising "Hands", part seven of "Ginger". 
.
Hermann sits alone in the dining hall, nibbling his way into a bowl of oat ring cereal, idly wondering if he should go through the line again for some sausage or eggs or beans on toast.
"Hey, Hermann," greets Rhys, slouching into a seat across the table.
Hermann grunts around a mouthful and waves his spoon.
"You gotta minute?"
Hermann nods.
"So, you're aware Gingersnap's been flirting with you—shamelessly—since the day we met, right?"
Hermann nearly chokes on his cereal, swallows hard. "Edan?"
"You hang out with any other red-haired Scottish dorks?"
"Well, no, but ... he's not ... I didn't ... umm ... /what?"
"I thought so. You're /both dense as lead," huffs Rhys. "Listen, I don't know what your problem is, but /please either agree to date him or tell him you're not interested. Otherwise he's going to drive me fucking /nuts." 
Hermann's jaw drops
Rhys rolls his eyes, sighs, "Science people," then hauls himself to his feet and leaves.
Hermann doesn't breathe or move for a good two minutes and then it's only to mumble, "What the bloody hell is he talking about?"
His mobile chirps a warning to leave for his first class of the day.
Hermann shakes loose the cottony fluff filling his head, shoves to his feet, gathers his bag, dumps his tray at the bin, and trudges to the mathematics building.
The day blurs past in lectures, labs, mild winter air, walks criss-crossing campus, and intrusive thoughts about a certain someone and the certainly false suggestion he could be romantically interested in someone like himself.
He wanders in and out of a doze, face-down in his pillow, after dinner.
His mobile /honks.
Hermann fumbles blindly for it, props himself up on his elbows, finally manages to open the text.
/Lars_Gottlieb: Come home on tomorrow's train.
/Lars_Gottlieb: Your ticket is waiting.
/hermann_g: I thought I was returning on Saturday.
/Lars_Gottlieb: The weather is deteriorating and you may be stranded if you leave later.
Hermann bites his lip, forces his fingers to type—
/hermann_g: I understand.
—tosses the mobile to the foot of the bed, re-buries his face in the cushion with a groan.
Edan's knock snaps Hermann fully awake and he flails off the mattress, to his feet, and across the room, gets the lock on the second try, flings open the door.
"Hey." Edan fluffs a couple of snowflakes from his hair. "You had dinner?"
"Ye—" Hermann clears his throat. "Yes."
"So you're done for the term, yea?"
"Yes."
"Can we go for a walk?" Jazz-hands "Just a short one, I promise. I found a great place for stargazing behind the theater and—"
"That sounds pleasant. Let me grab my coat."
"It's chilly, so you should probably throw on an extra jumper, too." 
Hermann nods absently as he digs his warmest jumper from his dresser, stuffs himself inside, and bundles up his long wool coat. 
Edan hovers just inside the door, shifting his feet. "Ready?"
"Ready." Hermann bows Edan out, locks up behind.
They walk side-by-side, arms occasionally brushing, through the campus to a dark spot along on the path, the sky overhead protected from light pollution by a scattering of tall, dark buildings. 
Hermann's cane slips—
Edan catches hold of his elbow, steadies him.
—checks his balance, murmurs, "Thank you."
"You're welcome. There's a bench over here." He guides Hermann over with a light touch on his arm.
They ease themselves down, lean back, shoulders brushing lightly, and admire the stars.
"Any of your favourites out tonight?"
Hermann tilts his head further back to take in the full sweep of the sky. "Altair," he says and points, picking out a single bright point in the thick carpet of lights arcing above them.
"You can put the hand down. I know which one she is."
"Oh. Of course." Hermann feels his face heat.
Edan nudges his side with an elbow. "You know ... we've both been looking up there all our lives and I've had three more years to look." 
Hermann relaxes, shoulders releasing a little of their tension.
"I'm an Antares man, myself, but the damn lights are /still ruining her."
Hermann snorts.
"Bloody cities," Edan mutters.
"You're /from a city."
"Yea, but it's a city with dark places nearby where you can see /everything." Sighs contently. "Only been gone five months and I already miss scampering up Ben Lomond for the view."
"What?"
"It's a mountain. My favourite mountain."
"Ah."
They listen to the leafless branches clacking together, not speaking for long minutes.
"I'm more than a little in love with you," Edan finally says conversationally, as if it was the most unremarkable thing in the world.
Hermann stops breathing—
"You really had no clue, did you?"
—and his heart stutters.
"It's been like trying to charm a wall." 
Hermann still doesn't move.
"I mean, I know I'm not the greatest catch, but ... well, I'm yours. If you'll have me."
"I ... don't know what to say .... Are you sure?" croaks Hermann.
Edan laughs—
Hermann's heart flutters, takes flight. 
—says, "I'm sure, Hermann. Completely sure. Cross my heart." He makes the matching gesture.
"Oh. That's good ... I think." Hermann takes a deep and shaky breath. "I'm sure ... I'm sure I want to be yours, too."
"Thank /God. My heart can start beating again." Edan slouches. "Well, seeing as I just gave it to you, I hope you'll let me use it for something as mundane as pumping blood," he says with a mischievous smile.
Hermann gives in to a goofy grin. "Of course. I don't think this will be quite as much fun if I let you die."
"No, probably not," Edan says through another laugh. 
A pleasant beat, light with hope.
"I'd like to kiss you. That alright?" 
Hermann gives a timid nod. 
Edan smiles reassuringly as he takes a gentle hold of Hermann's chin and guides their lips together. 
It's quick and it's soft and it's warm and Hermann's not sure it's much of a kiss by typical standards, but it's enough to short-circuit the few parts of his brain still functioning. 
The world swirls and Hermann's wings tremble under his layers and he wobbles in his seat. 
Edan places a hand on the nape of his neck to ground him.
Hermann calms, settles.
"Wasn't too bad, was it?"
"No. No, not bad at all," Hermann manages with a small, crooked smile.
Edan replies with a warm one.
Hermann threads his chilled fingers through Edan's.
Edan squeezes. "Listen, I know you're not big on touching, and I want you to know that's okay with me. You lead and I'll follow. Like dancing."
"Oh. Um. Thank you." Hermann rests his head cautiously on Edan's shoulder, whispers, "I'm ... not used to being touched. At least, not affectionately."
Edan bristles. "You won't have to worry about that while I'm around, okay?" He squeezes Hermann's hand again.
Hermann nestles closer. 
A quiet interval.
"Edan?"
"Hmm?"
"What did you say to Foster, that first day?"
Edan shifts. "I let him know I knew he cheated on his girlfriend and it would be all over campus if he didn't leave you alone."
"Oh. Thank you for that."
"Thank Iggy for being a gi-/gantic gossip."
Hermann snorts.
Edan nuzzles his hair.
For a long while, Hermann sits quietly, content to soak in the nearness of another ... of his friend ... his /boyfriend.
His brain fizzes anew.
The temperature slowly drops, clouds obscure the stars, and snow begins to drift down.
"Edan?" Hermann whispers, eventually. 
A sleepy hum in response. 
"I have to go. I need to get ready for my train."
Edan sits straighter. "I thought you were leaving tomorrow?"
"My father texted and wants me to take today's train because of the weather."
"It's already getting sketchy. Maybe you should check with your dad and the station."
Hermann digs out his mobile and a quick internet search reveals the train is still scheduled to leave on time.
Hermann chews his lip.
/hermann_g: The weather is holding; may I wait a day?
The response is immediate.
/Lars_Gottlieb: No. Get to the station.
Heart sinking, Hermann offers Edan a view of the screen.
"Dammit," he sighs. "Let's collect your things, then." He climbs to his feet and helps Hermann rise. 
They hold hands on the walk and Edan leans lightly against Hermann's side, his presence warm and solid and comforting.
"I shouldn't have waited this long to talk to you," Edan says as Hermann gathers up a few belongings in his room and stuffs them into his rucksack. 
Hermann pauses and a cautious smile lights his face. "You really shouldn't have waited at all. I've hoped you would say something since the first day of class."
Edan face-palms and looks at Hermann through his fingers. "Seriously?"
Hermann nods. "By far the best looking and most intelligent person in the program? It's no wonder I was daydreaming about you." 
Edan's jaw drops. "Jesus /Christ. Rhys is right. I'm an /idiot."
"You're just shy."
Edan howls with laughter. "Can you repeat that to my mum? She'd never believe /anyone said that about me!"
"Maybe I'm a special case?"
"That must be it." Edan ducks his head. "You certainly are special."
Hermann blushes. "I ... I think I have everything I need."
Edan checks his watch. "And we have plenty of time to make the station. You're on the eight-thirty, yea?"
"Yea." Hermann sighs, shoulders his bag. "Might as well get this over with."
"Not looking forward to it?"
"No." Locks the door, follows Edan along the hall to the door. "I'm not fond of visiting my father's house. If it weren't for my little brother, I would never go back."
"Maybe next holiday you can visit my family. They'll /love you."
Hermann shrugs.
"They really will." Edan offers his arm.
Hermann links his.
Arm-in-arm they stroll to the station.
Hermann collects his ticket, drags himself (and Edan) to the platform to wait for the train.
Which—goddammit—arrives on time.
"I'll miss you," declares Edan after the announcement to board is made.
"It's only a month," Hermann says, trying to sound reasonable.
"So?" Edan pouts. "That's a long time! I'll call you /constantly."
Hermann rolls his eyes. "I'll be back."
"Good. You'd better." Edan shifts his feet. "May I hug you?"
"I'd rather not, but—" Hermann pushes himself up on his tiptoes and kisses Edan on the lips, a little awkwardly, but with all his heart behind it. "I'll miss you."
"Ditto, Hermann."
With a last wave and glance, Hermann boards the train. He stares out the window until the station disappears from sight, then settles more deeply in his seat. He grins to himself.
A chirp from his mobile.
/edan_the_red: Txt whn u get in plz
Hermann smiles and rolls his eyes.
/hermann_g: I just got on the train
/edan_the_red: Dnt want u to forget
/hermann_g: How could I?
/edan_the_red: I wont let you
Hermann yawns so hard his jaw cracks.
/hermann_g: I need to get some sleep
/hermann_g: Txt later?
/edan_the_red: Of course!
/edan_the_red: <3
Hermann's fingers shake.
/hermann_g: <3
He tucks the mobile into the inside pocket of his coat and lets his eyes flutter shut.
Category:Pages with comments
Category:Celestial Mechanics
2005 12 15
Category:Ficlet
Category:Manchester (setting)
Category:University of Manchester (setting)
Category:Hermann
Category:Hermann's POV
Category:Hermann (ficlet)
Category:Edan
Category:Edan (ficlet)
Category:Rhys
Category:Rhy (ficlet)
Category:Lars
Category:Lars (ficlet)
Category:Conversations via SMS
Category:Dona (mention)
Category:Bastien (mention)
Category:Vigsai (mention)
Category:Ficlets with images
Category:CM: Ginger