Hurrah

Date/Timing: 3 April 2006
Setting: Cafe; Berlin, Germany
.
== Revised text ==
Hermann ducks out of the rain into the café entry, pushes back his hood. He rolls his shoulders and shuffles into the place proper.
Dietrich waves from a table in the front rank; Sabine, beside him, beams over a mug.
Hermann smiles, slides in.
„Hey, Manny,“ greets Dietrich.
„Lovely weather we're having,“ snickers Sabine.
Hermann pouts at her, climbs out of his jacket.
Dietrich fills a mug from the waiting carafe, pushes it over. 
„Thank you.“ 
„I have something for you, too.“
Hermann raises an eyebrow, heart racing in anticipation.
Sabine presses an envelope into his hands.
Hermann opens it, squints.
„Where're your glasses?“
Hermann shrugs, holds the paper at arm's length.
„Maybe we need to carry spares for him.“
„Eat your sandwich, my love.“
„Yes, ma'am.“
- Dear Hermann,
I'm torn between wishing you were here and being glad you're not because if you /were here, Rhys would be trying to find a /four bedroom flat for next term that's not a literal shed and /three bedrooms is already proving nigh-impossible and Iggy and I are so busy with labs and finals prep—five exams each! /Five!—we have absolutely no energy to help.
(Rhys has two formals and two take homes).
Oh Hermann, I am /so tired.
Thankfully, Rhys makes very nice slideshows.
Who would've thought a literature major would be /useful to have around.
Not me, but there you go. Learning every day like a proper student.
I really do wish you were here.
We could attack these /stupid problem sets as an unstoppable team and maybe have enough time and energy to skip over to Kamal's for some tikka and vindaloo and get some actual, blessed fucking /sleep.
And, you know, cuddle and kiss and stuff.
But mostly sleep. All curled up and warm like a couple of hamsters. Or kittens. Or bunnies. Or other small adorable fluffy things.
!!!
Wish /your Bunny a happy birthday for me!
Wish me a good night's sleep while you're at it.
We're all going back to the homesteads for the break. Rhys has some mini-internship set up with a newspaper. Iggy's helping Aakash move to Liverpool for his residency. So maybe that's not /technically home, but you get the point.
I'm off to Glasgow and Mum's planning to put me to work around the house and garden since Dad's been offshore all through the spring cleaning season, the lucky fucker. So I'll be digging vegetable beds and dusting ceilings and maybe some light plumbing. Padding my resumé as a potential husband, I guess you could say. -
Hermann smiles, cheeks warming.
- But now my mobile is yelling at me saying it's time to meet Justin—who turns out to be a decent maths tutor even if he's not /nearly as good as you—for a bit of cramming before the next exam.
Keep me in whatever prayers you might offer to whatever Gods or powers you see fit.
438 and counting.
Love,
Edan 
28 Mar. '06
Manchester -
Hermann wipes his eyes on his shoulder, fumbles his reply from a jacket pocket, slides both notes to Sabine.
„Bluebirds?“ She tucks them into her bag.
„Talk to Bunny about it.“
„I think it's adorable.“
Dietrich kisses Sabine's hair. „Of course you do, my love.“    
Hermann sighs into his coffee.
„You're one day closer to seeing him again, Manny.“
„Hurrah.“
.
== Original text ==
Hermann ducks out of the rain into the café entry, pushes back his hood. He rolls his shoulders to better settle his rucksack over his wings and shuffles into the place proper.
Dietrich waves from a table in the front rank; Sabine, beside him, beams over a mug.
Hermann smiles, drops his rucksack on the floor next to the open chair, slides in.
„Hey, Manny,“ greets Dietrich.
„Lovely weather we're having,“ snickers Sabine.
Hermann pouts at her, climbs out of his jacket.
Dietrich fills a mug from the waiting carafe, pushes it over. „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 programme is in fits, but I'm without difficulty.“ Hermann scowls at Dietrich. „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.“
„The compliment inspires no pride?“
Hermann picks at his jumper. „I'd rather be looking at stars than a screen.“
Sabine turns her attention to her coffee.
„On the topic of stars, you have a dispatch.“ Dietrich 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 and snatches it away, tears it open.
- 28 Mar. '06
Dear Hermann,
I'm torn between wishing you were here and being glad you're not because if you /were here, Rhys would be trying to find a /four bedroom flat for next term that's not a literal shed and /three bedrooms is already proving nigh-impossible and Iggy and I are so busy with labs and finals prep—five exams each! five!—we have absolutely no energy to help.
(Rhys has two formals and two take homes).
Oh Hermann, I am /so tired.
Thankfully, Rhys makes very nice slideshows.
Who would've thought a literature major would be /useful to have around. 
Not me!
But there you go. Learning every day like a proper student.
I really do wish you were here.
We could attack these /stupid problem sets as an unstoppable team and maybe have enough time and energy to skip over to Kamal's for some tikka and vindaloo and get some actual, blessed fucking /sleep.
And, you know, cuddle and kiss and stuff.
But mostly sleep. All curled up and warm like a couple of hamsters. Or kittens. Or bunnies. Or other small adorable fluffy things.
!!!
Wish /your Bunny a happy birthday for me!
Wish me a good night's sleep while you're at it.
438 and counting.
Love,
Edan -
Hermann wipes his eyes on his shoulder, fumbles his reply from a jacket pocket, slides both notes to Dietrich.
„Bluebirds?“ Dietrich tucks them into his coat. 
„Talk to Bunny about it.“
„I think it's adorable.“
Dietrich kisses Sabine's hair. „Of course you do, my love.“    
Hermann sighs into his coffee.
„You're one day closer to seeing him again, Manny.“
„Hurrah.“
Category:Pages with comments
Category:Celestial Mechanics
2006 04 03
Category:Ficlet
Category:Berlin (setting)
Category:Hermann
Category:Hermann's POV
Category:Hermann (ficlet)
Category:Edan
Category:Edan (ficlet)
Category:Sabine
Category:Sabine (ficlet)
Category:Dietrich
Category:Dietrich (ficlet)
Category:Rhys (mention)
Category:Vigsai (mention)
Category:Conversations via snail mail
Category:Ficlets with images
Category:Aakash (mention)
Category:Dona (mention)
Category:Torquil (mention)
Category:Justin (mention)