Threats, circles of hell, ejection, quiet time, and boyfriends

Chapter 18: Threats, circles of hell, ejection, quiet time, and boyfriends
==Meta==
alienfirst created some gorgeous fanart to go with this chapter.
==Text==
"Hey! You!"
Oh no, Hermann thinks. Oh dear gods, no. He scans the hallway half-hoping to see a member of the security staff to head off the now-inevitable confrontation. Beside him, Tendo grins and steps back to allow Newt a clear path to his target. Hermann questions yet again whether Tendo truly is a friend and notices with a sinking heart that Newt’s removed his jacket, loosened his tie, and rolled up his sleeves. He covers his face with his free hand and tries to mentally prepare for … whatever it is Newt has in mind. Stopping him at this point would be like trying to fight a hurricane.
"What do you think you’re doing?" Newt screeches as he draws closer.
"I am talking to my son, Mister … ," Gottlieb huffs in his most offended tone.
"Doctor Newt Geiszler. And I need to talk to you. Right now," he declares loudly enough that heads up and down the hall swivel in his direction.
Gottlieb puts up his hands to ward off Newt’s advance into his personal space. "Excuse me … ," he begins.
"No. You listen to me." Newt jabs a finger into the older man’s chest. He stands close enough to the much taller man that he must tilt his head back to make eye contact. "I don’t really care that you and your pet Wall almost got us all killed. I’ll let the assholes in the next room," he jerks his head toward the Council chamber, "handle that. I totally care that you’ve been an absolute bastard to your kids, especially this one, their entire lives. You are the worst, most awful parent I’ve ever met and one of mine was an epic failure."
"I hardly think it your place … ," Gottlieb growls as he fights his rising temper.
"Oh, shut up! I know exactly what you did. Locking them up, threatening them, hitting them, you fucking coward! Refusing medical care! There’s a special circle in hell for monsters like you! You’re fucking lucky you’re not in prison for neglect and abuse! And what about destroying medical records? How’s he supposed to get proper care if no one knows his history, huh? Or have you spent thirty-five years hoping he’ll drop dead?" Newt’s face has turned red with rage and the tendons in his neck stand out against his skin.
Hermann is red for a completely different reason, but makes no attempt to halt Newt’s verbal assault. He’s never seen the little biologist so angry before, not even after the announcements that first K-Science and then the entire Jaeger program were to be defunded.
Meanwhile, Lars Gottlieb’s eyes have stretched wide as dinner plates in confusion and he takes a pair of steps back to put space between himself and Newt. Newt simply raises his voice further to fill in the gap.
"I know it all, motherfucker," Newt rants. "All of it. Understand? And it’s safe. Not because I give a shit about you, but because he deserves to be left the fuck alone to live his own life. So if you ever, ever come near him again, I swear I’ll do something to you he’ll regret but I sure as hell won’t."
At that point, a burly security guard decides to intervene. "Pardon me, sirs," he says, "is there a problem?"
"Yes, officer," Gottlieb smugly snarls. "This man is threatening me. I would like him removed from the grounds."
"I see. Sir, if you would come with me … ." The guard clamps an iron grip around Newt’s elbow and tows him toward the exit doors. To Hermann’s surprise and relief, he goes without a fight or further yelling.
"Tendo, if you don’t mind terribly, would you join Newton and make sure he doesn’t do anything else ill-advised?" Hermann asks as he watches Newt shoved—politely but firmly—outside.
Tendo chuckles. "I’ll do my best, but you know how he is."
"Yes. Yes, I do," Hermann sighs.
"Well, that was unexpected," Gottlieb remarks as he brushes invisible dust from his lapels.
Hermann shrugs. "That was Newton Geiszler."
"He seems a most … interesting man." Again, Hermann merely shrugs in response.
"Days with colleagues like him must be exciting, but surely you’ve earned a peaceful retirement, away from events and attention like this, after all you’ve done," Gottlieb says. "You should settle down to a quiet life near family. You would be happiest out of the public eye and with the people who know you best."
"’Know me best’?" Hermann asks incredulously and his wings twitch against their binding as he pulls himself into a stiff, defensive posture. "Newton knows me best of all, probably even better than my brothers now. You wrote me off for lost five years ago and I’ve spent nearly every day since then living and working with that man."
"You told him?"
"Yes. Everything."
"Oh, Hermann," Gottlieb says as his face acquires a sad cast. "With that knowledge, after today’s hearing and his … unfortunate outburst, I fear your colleague may be more of a threat to you than a comfort."
Hermann fixes his father with a suspicious stare. "What do you know?" he asks, a hint of threat in his voice.
"I know no more than you do, but it is clear someone well-placed has targeted your … friend. We may have parted on poor terms, Hermann, but I have no desire to see you brought down for … whatever that man did or by his seeming inability to keep secrets." He says earnestly, "It would be safest for you to cut ties with him. You can stay here, in Geneva, with your brother or come back to New York with me. We can protect you, help you."
Hermann cocks his head and studies his father. "You look at me and you see the mousy boy you could control with a word or a look," he says quietly. "That child died on K-Day, Father, and he’s never coming back. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I don’t want to keep my friends waiting." Hermann pivots sharply on his heel and marches away from his father to join Newt and Tendo.
Upon rejoining his friends on the plaza in front of the building, Hermann nearly topples over as Newt immediately catches him with a forceful hug. "You okay? The asshole didn’t do anything, did he?" he asks, eyes bright with concern.
"I am completely fine, Newton," Hermann replies and Newt relaxes and releases his embrace. Hermann lets a smile creep into his eyes. "He saved most of his displeasure for you. I recommend you steer clear of him for the foreseeable future."
"My pleasure. I think I said enough."
"I’m pretty sure you did, brother. You got yourself thrown out after all," Tendo chuckles.
"It was totally worth it, dude. Someone has to defend Hermann," Newt says with conviction. "And I’m just the guy for the job."
"My hero," Hermann says, rolling his eyes. He considers for a moment, then offers Newt his arm for the walk to the hotel. Newt’s face lights up like Christmas morning as he accepts. Behind him, Tendo mimes gagging himself and Hermann shoots the tech a glare which he laughs off.
Once back in their room, Hermann sheds his layers and releases the bindings confining his wings. He marvels at the wonder in Newt’s eyes as he unfolds his wings. It’s as though he never grows tired of admiring at them, Hermann thinks. Or perhaps he’s looking at all of me.
"You absolutely sure you don’t want to join us for victory drinks?" Newt asks. "We don’t have to stay long … ,"
"Kindly pass along my regrets to our colleagues, but I’ll be happier if allowed to rest," Hermann says as he puts on his glasses and settles on his stomach on the bed, propped on his elbows, to read, carefully arranging his wings so as not to block the light.
"Umm," Newt begins nervously, "you’re not going to do anything … uh … permanent while I’m not watching, are you?"
Hermann snaps his glasses off and looks at Newt in confused exasperation. "What on Earth are you talking about?" he asks. "Afraid I’ll sneak off to a tattoo parlor without you?"
"I’m not dreaming that big yet," Newt answers. He takes hold of one of Hermann’s arms and turns it so the thin scar on his wrist is visible. "Look, Dietrich told me about what happened with this."
"That was a very long time ago, Newton," he says quietly.
"I know, dude, but this is suicide we’re talking about!" Newt lets go of Hermann’s hand to make a broad gesture. "I want a lot of things, but a dead boyfriend is not one of them. So I need to know if you’ll be okay if I leave you alone right now. After the thing with your dad and all."
Hermann squints at Newt. "What did you call me?"
"Umm … ‘dude’? I call you that all the time."
Hermann rolls his eyes. "After that."
"‘Boyfriend’?" Newt looks away nervously.
"Is that what I am now?"
"Uh … maybe? Kinda?” Newt stammers. "What else do you call the guy you go on dates with, sleep with, and, you know, move to a private island with?"
"We’ve been on dates?" Hermann sounds surprised.
"Well, what would you call … wait a minute. You’re dragging us off topic. I want to know if you’ll be okay if I leave you alone to go grab a drink with Tendo and the rest of the crew."
"Yes, Newton, I will be alive and whole when you return. I’m inured to arguing with my father now. I wasn’t at sixteen. There were other troubles on my mind at the time, as well. I’m not proud of my decisions and actions that night." He absently traces the scar Newt revealed with a fingertip.
"Good. Well, not good, but you know what I mean."
"Miraculously, I do, Newton." He pauses. "You will, however, need to jog my memory regarding these ‘dates’ we’ve supposedly had when you return."
"Fair enough," Newt says with a grin. "Happy reading!" Hermann waves him out the door with a wing.
With a sigh, Hermann retrieves his phone from the bedside table and connects to a familiar number.
"You told him about the scars!" he scolds as soon as Dietrich answers.
"I only told him that you’d made an attempt and when it happened. It is up to you to share anything further with him. Hermann, he needed to know so he could be on watch," Dietrich replies. "It’s only fair he take care of you the same way you’ve watched him for manic episodes and panic attacks for five years, brother." Hermann grumbles under his breath. "You know I’m right."
"Yes, I do," Hermann answers as he studies his arms and stretches his wings. "What do you think of him?" He asks softly after a few beats of silence.
"We—Karla, Bastien, and I—think you’ve made a good choice. He’ll keep you both on your toes and safe, which is exactly what you need. So relax and enjoy your life, for once." Hermann can hear his brother smile as he goes on, "And, if he hurts you, I will kill him, Karla will get rid of the body, and Bastien will make sure we are acquitted."
"Bastien hasn’t passed the bar yet," Hermann says as he fights a smile.
"By the time it comes to trial, he will have," Dietrich says reasonably. "Also, Father called to tell me Newt threatened him at the UN today." Hermann groans. "I take it he didn’t exaggerate?"
"Unfortunately, he didn’t," Hermann sighs. "On a positive note, it was the most confused and frightened I’ve ever seen the man."
"I wish I had been there." Hermann hears a voice say something unintelligible in the background. "That was Bastien. He says he’ll work on Newt’s case pro bono if it comes to that."
Hermann laughs. "Tell him I’ll be sure to pass along his card."
By the time Newt returns, Hermann reads nearly half of his book. Not that he minds, as quiet time to himself has been in somewhat short supply since 'my' quarters became 'our' quarters. Not that he minds that change, either. Being able to relax alongside another is an pleasure he never thought possible to indulge--at least not for almost two decades. The rather wicked satisfaction of proving his father wrong ("You'll never be able to trust another. You must rely solely on your own strength and resources," he'd said. Often.) only made the last few weeks sweeter.
Newt’s speech is slurred with alcohol and relaxation when he returns. Hermann guides him to the bed and settles himself behind the smaller man. As Hermann presses his fingers into the few remaining tense muscles in Newt's back and shoulders, he savors the warmth of his skin and the soft purring noises he makes.
"You want to go watch those political assholes skewer your dad tomorrow?" Newt asks.
"I believe I had more than enough contact with my father and politicians today to last me for quite a while," Hermann answers quietly, mindful Newt probably has a whanging headache. Alcohol, even in small quantities always causes him some level of distress.
"Not sure you’d be able to stop yourself from strangling somebody, huh?"
"I’m more worried about being able to prevent you from injuring my father. You did publicly threaten him with violence today, if you remember."
"Heh. Yeah. I did, didn’t I?" Newt chuckles and cranks his neck around to watch Hermann’s expression. "Did you see the look on his face?" he crows. "I don’t think I’ve ever scared a big guy that much. Well, except the time I almost exploded part of Cherno Alpha, but he was mostly mad and I didn’t do it on purpose."
Hermann struggles against a smile for second or two before surrendering to the rarest of his facial expressions. Newt blinks at him in surprise. Probably because he's only seen me smile like this once or twice in all the years we've know each other, Hermann realizes.
"I must say that's the most frightened I've ever seen him. Please don’t let your success go to your head, though," Hermann says affectionately as starts to help Newt out of his clothes in preparation for sleep. Newt whines sleepily, but does his best to help.
"Go to sleep, Newton," Hermann whispers and kisses his … boyfriend on the forehead as Newt falls asleep.
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