A Late Late #GottBleed week addition
Something for GottBleed week on Twitter that I finally finished, based on @waldosakimbo art of Hermann smoking and bleeding.
“Dude, you’re bleeding?!”
“And what of it?”
“Doesn’t it hurt?”
Hermann took a drag of his cigarette and looked towards Hong Kong. He didn’t have the heart to tell Newton that the hurting was the point. That not 15 minutes earlier he could have been found punching a wall outside of LOCCENT. Another two teams down and a kaiju barely killed. The proof of his failure on screen and his fathers’ words ringing in his ears. He wanted to bleed, to hurt, to feel something. To prove to himself he was still human, he hadn’t turned fully into a robot, yet.
“I could patch it up if you want” Newt said into the silence
Hermann flicked his cigarette into the ocean, at least one person still cared, even if they were a reckless idiot most of the time
Hermann suggested they go to his room, he had a first aid kit handy. He didn’t mention he couldn’t stand the lab, his screwed-up calculations, the chalkboards standing like the wall his father so desperately wanted.
He sat on the bed, Newt’s ongoing commentary turning to static. A warm hand on his wrist brought him back.
“Thought I lost you there for a second Herms” Newt chuckled, “now this might sting a little”
Hermann winced as he felt the cool alcohol on his knuckles.
“Is….is this from earlier?” Newt asked quietly, as he wrapped the bandage around Hermann’s hand
Hermann stared straight ahead, fearing what he might show Newton in his eyes.
“Be…because it’s not your fault you know”
He could feel Newt’s fingers interlocking with his, but still he could not speak
“The wall didn’t do anything to you Hermann, you don’t have to punch it back”
Hermann grumbled, “Who said anything about walls?”
Flashing back to how good it felt to be angry, to feel the blood running down his hand, to imagine a kaiju, his father, anything really that he could fight.
Newt smiled offering his hand to Hermann. Hermann could see small white scars on Newt’s knuckles and he had to urge to kiss them, make it all better, make them all better.
“Let’s just say its one of my expertise’s”
Hermann half-smiled, “I’m sorry Newton”
“It’s okay, it was a long time ago…”
“No, about everything, I couldn’t stop them”
“And neither could I”
Hermann sat in silence for a moment, feeling Newt’s hand warm on top of his. At least they had this, at least in some way they had each other.
“Thank you for the assistance”
Newt patted his hand again before standing up.
“No problem dude, just don’t go punching anymore walls okay? Maybe scream at the ocean next time, I like to think it helps” he replied with a wink.
Hermann smiled, it wasn’t a bad idea really, would probably hurt a hell of a lot less.
“Good night Newton” he said as he opened the door to let Newt out
“Good night Hermann” Newt smiled back.
