(ok im gna to sleep bc im v tired, i'll finish this in the morning and post it on ao3 and link u, but this is what i have so far:)

The sound of crashing signalled the arrival of Newt.

Hermann didn't have to look around to know that he'd tripped up on the crates of kaiju entrails Newt insisted on leaving by the door and subsequently forgetting about every time he walked in. Suppressing an irritated roll of his eyes, Hermann attempted to tune out Newt's muttering and cursing and complaining about his little toe, in order to try and finish what he was working on. The almost-silence lasted approximately twenty seconds, before Newt started talking again. It then took Hermann another five seconds to tune in to whatever he was talking about; his brain still processing the move from “ignore Newton” to “pay attention to Newton”.

“I mean, you don’t have to answer,” he was saying, “obviously. If it makes you uncomfortable, I totally respect your right to, uh, I totally respect your right to silence, to ignore me. It’s cool, dude, I- Hermann?”

Hermann was frowning at him in confusion, desperately trying to recall what he’d said in the five seconds he wasn’t paying attention. Newt looked desperately alarmed, and attempted to back track. “Crap, dude, I- I didn’t mean to overstep my- Fuck. I’m sorry if I-”

“Newton,” he interrupted; his voice impossibly fond and impossibly exasperated all at once. “I’m afraid you’ll have to repeat the beginning. I, ah, I missed it. I’m sorry.”

“Oh,” Newt said, pausing for a split second to take in the sheepish look on Hermann’s face. “Nevermind, dude. It was nothing important.” He said it a little fast and a little too coolly for Hermann to be convinced, but he let it go anyway with a nod and a tiny smile.

“Very well.”

*