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WHO: Newt & Hermann
WHERE: Their house
WHEN: Late August
WHAT: Newt has a surprise for Hermann.
WARNINGS: nerds? not actually about picnics?

Newt prepared a picnic basket--

Ok, so, no. It wasn't actually a basket at all which really wasn't terribly romantic. It was a tote he bought from a touristy shop in Heropa with the words "Nobody Likes a Shady Beach" because it was stupid, hipstery (or maybe a little more like "wanna-be hipster," having swung too far along that spectrum, hopped over "Bluetube celeb" and come out the other side to "awful facebook-loving white suburban wine mom") and would make Hermann cringe (it would; it had to because it made NEWT cringe and Newt could endure some frankly awful shit).

--But, anyway. Newt prepared a picnic basket. He made sandwiches, which wasn't really the best he could do, but he had gotten so out of practice with food that it was the best he could manage. And given how nervous he was (and They liked to rear their ugly heads most when he got nervous), he didn't trust himself with more adventurous cooking just yet. When the snacks were all packed up, bag slung over his shoulder, he retrieved his husband from the bedroom.

"Dude," he said, taking off his sunglasses and all but stomping a foot in exasperation. Frustrated may not have been better than nervousness, really, at least when They were considered, but it was a familiar feeling where Hermann was concerned and so he tried to hold onto it. "Why aren't you ready to go?"

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Hermann tsked, pulling his shirt over his head.

"I wasn't aware we were in a hurry. It's not as if we have a reservation to worry about." He tugged on the tails and tucked them beneath his belt. "Is everything all right?"

Newt put down the tote on the end of the bed and attempted to help Hermann unnecessarily with his shirt, as if that would speed things up instead of (much more likely) distracting them both.

"Everything--" With that question, it dawned on him how much control he was going to need to have over himself for the next couple of hours (he was driving, after all) and it was starting to gnaw at his mind. "Everything's fine."

He buckled Hermann's belt for him because he'd been unable to help with the shirt. It was a weirdly intimate thing to do, wonderfully domestic, and (he thought) maybe a little sexy. But then everything was new and sexy lately, if it was going well.

He peered up at Hermann and bit his lip. "You're burning daylight. And I have plans for you."

"Plans," he repeated, looking Newton up and down. "I'm sure."

He pulled his jacket over his shoulders. Hermann pecked Newton's lips with a kiss, but caught sight of the bag when he turned to retrieve his cane.

"..Well it's good to see your taste in things has returned to baseline."

Newt made an awful face with his tongue out and swatted at his husband's rear end in retaliation.

"Nobody likes a shady beach, babe."

"What, are you 16 and trying to be clever about swearing around your parents?"

He rolled his eyes and swatted back at his husband's hand.

"Let's go then since you're in such a hurry."

"No, I'm 13."

He led the way out of the room, gathering up his own jacket and Hermann's car keys.

"We're going to take the Porter to De Chima and a rental car from there, so I hope you're still okay with me leaving your car at the Porter station. Didn't want to make you teleport us to De Chima and end up too tired for the fun."

He followed Newton out, frowning a bit.

"Seems like a fair bit of trouble just for a picnic in De Chima. There's no where here in Nonah that's suitable?"

Edited 2018-08-27 20:33 (UTC)

Newt locked up behind them and fiddled with the handle to avoid looking at Hermann as he said, "Nope! Scoped out the perfect spot there, so you'll just have to endure some travel." He was not the best at lying if They weren't in control, and especially not to Hermann.

"Unless you're worried about the car. I could just call a taxi to get us to the Porter if you'd prefer. Or...If my driving bothers you, I mean I guess you could, but--"

"No Newton, I don't mind that you're driving and I'm sure the car will be fine." He patted his husband's shoulder and circled around to the passenger side of the car.

"It just seems odd to go so far. I trust you have your reasons and it will be worth it however."

"I've got a plan, dude. It'll be great."

They loaded into the car and Newt started off on the familiar way to the Porter reassured that Hermann had more faith in him than Newt had in himself.

"Will you be chill with being blindfolded? I want the maximum surprise element, but I'm cool with it if that's not something you're comfortable doing yet."

That gave him some pause.

"...I suppose I don't mind terribly much, but how far are we going?"

"Just a bit out of the city. I'll tell you what: I won't blindfold you. I'll let you close your eyes and you'll be able to open them whenever."

He offered Hermann a small smile.

"I promise there's no kaiju at the end of this."

"I should hope not." Though at this point he'd take a kaiju over that godawful brain stashed away in Newton's other residence.

"But all right, though I can't promise I won't fall asleep on the way over."

The ride to the Porter wasn't far, but Newton was being too vague about precisely how long the drive from De Chima would be. He guessed it was more than fifteen minutes by the implications so far. Really, where on Earth was Newton taking him?

"If you fall asleep, that's cool. I can carry you to the picnic spot."

The drive to the Porter was uneventful and within no time, he was hurrying Hermann into line, making sure to stay near him (not just because Hermann was his husband, but because Newt was unsettled and using the Porter alone wasn't possible).

Out the other side into De Chima, he made the way to a car rental kiosk where he picked up the keys for their reservation.

"You ready for the best picnic ever?"

He gave Newt a Look, then settled into the passenger's side once more.

"Well I am starting to feel a bit peckish, so I hope the drive isn't too terribly long at least. Are you quite sure I shouldn't simply port us there?""

"NO!" Newt panicked a little.

"I mean, no, babe, I'd rather you didn't. But here." As he drove, he reached back blindly for the tote he had tossed in the back seat and offered it to Hermann. "You can have a snack if you need one?"

He started a bit at Newton's outburst, and accepted the bag with a wary look. Perhaps he wouldn't nod off after all.

"Oh, well, I don't want to ruin the picnic by eating any of this prematurely. I can wait a bit so long as we won't be on the road for several hours."

"Close your eyes when we get out of the city, okay. We'll be there in no time."

"Yes, all right."

He was curious and yes, all right, a touch concerned. But Newton knew he could leave at any time, so surely he wasn't in much danger. Even when the Precursors had a tighter grip on the man's mind, They couldn't kill him.

When Newton started following exit signs, Hermann sighed and tipped his head back, eyes closing. He missed his own car for its considerably more comfortable seats.

"Hm, wake me when we get there if I nod off."

He pat Hermann's knee and promised to do just that.

The drive wasnt long, or difficult, but it did take them a familiar route out of the city and he knew that Hermann would have had an inkling of their destination before too long if he was allowed to see the approach. He really wanted to keep up the surprise.

The hover lifts for the car--Hermann's conventional car had been an exception in this world of hovercraft--churned up a few of the leaves and lighter gravel as they turned down the last stretch to their old house.

Their new house, really. Newt's payments were mostly paid off, but he had arranged to finish them out by the end of the month. The key was theirs. Hermann had his cat back. He had his husband (mostly) back. And now he had his house back. Newt was going to make right all those years apart.

He gently nudged Hermann's shoulder as he eased up the driveway, eager smile on his face.

"We're here."

He didn't really sleep, but dozed on and off as they drove. Occasionally his eyes opened to take in the roadside scenery before remembering why he'd had them closed to begin with.

Before he knew it however, Newton was nudging him to open them. He sat up, yawning a bit, then had a proper look around. Surprise jolted through his chest, heart racing as he took in the familiar house at the end of the drive.

"Oh darling, this is a perfect spot. It's terribly sweet of you, but it will be difficult to leave."

Newt rubbed Hermann's shoulders before resting his hand at the back of Hermann's neck as he unbuckled his own seat belt.

"See, you know, I thought of that," he said with a nod and gesture towards the house. "And I also thought that, technically, technically, this whole picnic plan could be seen as trespassing anyway--"

He wriggled a bit in his seat because his pants--as always, ever overly-tight--weren't easy to get his hands into. The effect was probably ruined and incredibly obvious in the time it took to do all his shimmying, but he guessed even if the cat was out of the bag then it wasn't like his plan was actually ruined. Kind of like a proposal: guy with a bad hip goes down on his knees in the sandy beaches of Hawaii for you and you kind of know what's coming next, that he's not just picking up sand dollars.

He finally pulled, from where it had slipped down in his back pocket, a single plain key ring with two keys on it: one for a deadbolt, and one for the door.

"But it's not trespassing if it's ours, right?" Newt licked his lips and held out the keys to Hermann. "So, what I'm saying is... well, we'll have to leave to bring Leibling home, right?"

Hermann stared at the keys, understanding what they meant and what Newton was saying but not quite believing. He could hear his own heartbeat in his ears.

"You.." His voice wobbled, pitching a bit higher than usual. "You got the house back?"

"Yeah. I'm still paying off the fees," he explained. "And it's still a little messy, since it's exactly how we left it and so it's dusty and stuff. And I'm sorry I didn't really involve you in the process, but there was a lot of paperwork, and I've been such a shitbag to you for the last decade, and I thought maybe I could make it up to you, a little, if I did it while you were at work and...surprise ...you?"

He held Hermann's hand and pressed the keys into his palm, then closed his fingers around them.

"Welcome home, Hermann."

Edited 2018-08-28 04:36 (UTC)

Lips trembling, Hermann found himself holding the keys so hard the metal bit into his skin. Since arriving back in this world, he'd wanted to reclaim their property and live in it again. And every month that passed by, it was more money they needed to raise and he didn't have on hand. Added to that, the Precursor's hold over Newton didn't quite keep him motivated either.

He thought it might take a good while longer before they'd have any chance of reclaiming it. He loved it because it was theirs, and they'd spent the happy, married lives together in that house. To have it back now, because Newton knew it was important to him. That he handled the financing and paperwork for him..

Hermann pressed his sleeve to his face, sniffling and trying to clear his throat before he sobbed openly all over Newton.

Sliding half over the center console, he held Hermann in an embrace, cradling his head against Newt's shoulder and letting him cry.

The house had been so important to Hermann. A place of their own, made for them with plans drawn up by Miles' allies. A symbol of a new life, post-war, of escaping the dangers of the imPort cities, of settling down. Newt would always have very fond memories of Hermann's first apartment Maurita Falls, where he had painted the walls and moved across the hall into Hermann's space for the first time. And of their apartment in De Chima where they had arranged to live together as roommates, where he had first kissed Hermann...

But this house...it was their home. It was where they had entertained friends, where they had opened their house to Sophie, and where Newt had imagined a life where he grew old with Hermann.

He pressed kisses to Hermann's forehead and cheeks, wiping at his tears to soothe him and blinked back his own tears.

Maybe now that they had the house again...maybe...they could finally make this work again.

He really tried to pull himself together. There was little more he wanted than to walk into their house and tour it all over again with Newton beside him, but at the current moment, all he could manage was teary love confessions.

"I love you, Newton. Thank you. It means so much- incredibly sweet of you. Best picnic, certainly. ..Sorry, I forgot my kerchief. In such a rush.. Worth it, of course."

Edited 2018-08-28 06:43 (UTC)

Newt wiped at his eyes some more, though Hermann just looked really pretty all blotchy faced from crying and with his long lashes soaked. What a handsome nerd. "No, man, it's fine. I'm glad. I'm glad it was worth it. I love you, too. And I'm sorry I'm seriously so shitty, but I'll try to make it up to you forever."

He unbuckled Hermann's seatbelt.

"Now, if you wanna go in, I'll carry you over the threshold like we're totally cute newlyweds again."

Drawing back, Hermann scrubbed furiously at his eyes. He probably looked a mess.

"You're fine, Newton. It wasn't you. And really, we barely made it over the threshold last time you insisted."

But he smiled, uncurling his fingers to look at the pair of keys again. He tucked them in his pocket and opened the door, then retrieved his cane and handed off the tote to Newton.

"Perhaps we can eat on the balcony."

Newt grumbled a few insistences that he was totally able to carry Hermann, totally, just try it, but none of them were THAT insistent. He took the tote and climbed out of his side of the car, shutting the door behind him.

"It's a pretty great view," he agreed, taking Hermann's hand for the walk up, if nothing else. "Although our pool is still recovering from our absence."

"Ah, yes, I'm sure."

That was surely going to be an unpleasant sight.

Hermann swung their hands a bit, anticipation building with every step closer.

"We'll have to hire some professional cleaners for that, I imagine."

He let go of Newton's hand at the door to retrieve the keys and slotted them in.

"Welcome home," he smiled, turning the keys in their locks and opening the door.

"Probably, though they drained it while we were out, so there's that, at least."

The door swung open to a darkened house lit only by the natural light pouring in the few windows without blinds drawn closed. The air was stale and cool, a bit dusty, but the quiet hum of the refrigerator in an adjoining room indicated that Newt's attempts to get the power paid for and switched back on had paid off. The water should also be on and, once they moved in properly, he would turn back on the other services.

The room felt a bit alien to his conflicting and absent memories, but with a solid sense of deja vu and a certain feeling of "coming home." He could remember living here with Hermann, especially now, standing next to Hermann himself... even if his mind still was unsure.

He flipped on the lights and shut the door behind them, sliding up behind Hermann to give him a kiss.

"Yeah. Welcome home, dude."

He smiled, turning to return the kiss.

"You're wonderful, doing this for us. Thank you."

He took Newton's hand again to wander further into the house. His heart ached to recognize every bit of it. The couch was the first place he'd gravitated to when he'd gotten out of prison- and wasn't that odd to remember every time? But they'd spent many hours eating, talking, curled together..

The house felt nearly abandoned but with a bit of cleaning, it would be lived in again.

"I almost want to start cleaning it right this moment," he muttered, eyeing dusty surfaces. "Poor Liebling will sneeze her whiskers off in this."

For us. Somehow the pluralization wasn't so scary these days, at least not now that it meant him and Hermann (and Leibling).

He snorted. "Like hell you will. My agent cleared my schedule for the next two weeks. Maybe, if you're lucky, I'll let you clean a pillowcase. But you're going to be pampered and treated to tea and lemonade and sandwiches and cookies and you're going to kick back and watch your new merry maid work, okay?" Part two of the effort to make right on his terrible job as a partner/boyfriend/husband all these years.

Edited 2018-08-29 07:21 (UTC)

"Newton.. you aren't my servant. I'm not going to make you do all the work yourself. It's our house."

He sniffed a bit and rubbed at his nose. They'd certainly need the windows open when they dusted.

"Anyway, you really don't want me critiquing your handiwork."

He stepped up in front of Hermann like he was squaring up to him in the lab all over again.

"But maybe I do. You know me, Hermann."

He straightened up nearly to his full height.

"Yes, and I know you'd deliberately do something wrong for my attention."

A slow grin spread over his face.

"Who me? Never."

Hermann's brows went up.

"And you certainly never instigate things."

"I'm innocent. I don't know what you mean."

He put the tote down on an end table and stepped back over to Hermann.

"Unless that was supposed to be my cue? If that was supposed to be my cue, I'd just like you to know, Doctor Gottlieb, that I didn't plan to seduce you in our newly regained house just yet, but if that's what you'd like, far be it for me to fail to deliver."

"Not quite yet," he agreed with a smile. But he did step closer to wind an arm around Newton's waist and kiss him.

"I expect you'll act out in some fashion while we clean, however. Particularly if I was just watching. I know how much you like to put on a show."

He kissed back, then teasingly pushed away from Hermann's chest.

"Put on a show? Dude. Can I help it if I'm cute to look at?"

"Of course not," he said, chasing Newton's lips for another kiss. He drew back and let him go with a smile, only to take his husband's arm instead.

"And I'll look forward to it. For now, how about a tour, darling?"

Edited 2018-08-30 06:28 (UTC)

"Right! A tour. Well, this is the foyer. That sounds so fancy. We have a foyer. And over here is the livingroom and the couch I'm very fond of--man, it's dusty." He led Hermann through the livingroom towards the kitchen, only to stop short.

"Oh, man! A piano!" He released Hermann's arm to scurry over it, runnning his fingers over the keys, happily plunking out a couple notes. God, it needed tuning. "When did we get a piano?" He felt like this was a big enough purchase that he should remember, but it escaped him.

Hermann tutted as Newton drew away from him in favor of his mysterious piano. It did take a bit of thought to place.

"..A gift from the government, I believe- for services rendered in some such disaster." He couldn't recall which or any specifics, but recalled rather well his frustration that they wouldn't grant his requests for harmless information. They did at least help fund their wedding plans.

"You were teaching me at one point, if memory serves."

"I was?" he looked up, puzzled and dismayed at not remembering the lessons, and then smiled softly. "Of course I was." Of course he'd teach Hermann to play. He couldn't imagine having a musical instrument and not. There was something very intimate (and not necessarily sexy...just very personal and close) about teaching someone something you love.

"I'll teach you again, if you want," he added, closing the cover over the keys gently and leading the way to the kitchen. Oh, god, was he going to need a hazmat suit before opening the fridge?

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...I fell asleep actually myself, Hermann

lmao welp

To be fair I slept poorly

aw :c

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