IC Contact Post

[mathemagier]

[Screened calls go straight to voicemail, where an impatient recording answers]

You've reached Dr. Hermann Gottlieb. Leave your name, number, and business if you expect a return call. Thank you.

Comments

[mathemagier]

[Hermann nodded, unable to suppress the twitch of his lips as Newton fluffed up. Just on sale, hm?]

Well it looks rather large for me, but I suppose you went for replication accuracy. It'll suit me just fine in any case, thank you.

[driftsintobuffetline]

I figured you just like drowning in your clothes. I know mirrors are foreign concepts, Herms, but check yourself in one sometime. ALL your clothes are rather large for you. [He pushed the door a little so it swung back and forth, kind of fidgety, unsure what to say, but not ready to kill the conversation yet. Which was ridiculous. They talked all day, everyday, but it wasn't everyday Hermann sought him out and initiated the conversation, even if it was to inquire about the origin of mysterious parkas.]

Speaking of clothes, actually, you figured out a costume for the masquerade? Or asked our dear Mr. Rogers yet?

[mathemagier]

I do not. Though I'll admit the parka was ill-sized, it served its purpose.

[His clothes fit just fine, thanks. If his pants run a little loose, well there's a reason for that. Belts are wonderous inventions.

It felt like he should turn to go, but Newton wouldn't be swinging the door on its hinges if they were done.]

Mister- [Quietly thankful Newton's music drowns out that particular association. Hermann shifts his weight to his right leg]

You're still on about that, Newton? For heaven's sake, I'm not asking him, Ms. Dearing, or anyone else to the event. As far as I'm aware, all that's required is a mask, not a date or costume.

[driftsintobuffetline]

[He stops the door mid-swing and glares.]

Yeah I'm still on about it. Is it wrong to want you--us--to have a little fun? I mean yeah, we did Oktoberfest, but otherwise the only actual party we've been to since saving the world was that shitty swear-in and that was more science shindig than anything. We deserve this, dude, and we deserve to have dates and to eat, drink and be merry.

[Newt looked momentarily unsure.]. You ARE going, right? Because I'm going and I'll throw a royal fit if I've got to go alone. Going stag's really only awesome if you're loaded like Stark or you have your posse and you're my posse.

[mathemagier]

Oktoberfest certainly had plenty of that. [The whole event had been more entertaining while drunk, at least] But yes, against my better judgement, I will be attending, if only to-

[keep you safe] Well, keep you out of trouble.

[Ahem] There's also the drift to consider, of course. I'd be distracted all night anyway.

[driftsintobuffetline]

Can't live without me for a few hours, huh? You miss me when I'm away? And here I thought I was the only one plagued with separation anxiety.

[Teasing aside, he eyed Hermann. Obviously the drift went both ways, but how badly did it distract Hermann? His trip to the scrap yard and to Germany had seemed to affect Newt worse, but EVERYTHING seemed to affect Newt worse. Hermann was impressively good at hiding his emotions, except anger, sometimes.]

[mathemagier]

[Hermann winced, not overfond of their new vulnerability. It sounded too much like dependency, and maybe it was, but still served as an unpleasant reminder. His fingers played over the handle of his cane in a nervous flex]

You know very well you're not. [They seemed to express it differently, and he largely suspected Newton's fear of abandonment exacerbates that particular problem]

To answer your previous question, I have not yet picked out an outfit for the masquerade.

[driftsintobuffetline]

[Nice change if subject, dude.]

Oh, okay. Well, you don't have to worry about separation issues. Like I said, you can totally come with me. We'll go together like Best Friends do and it'll be awesome.

And as for outfits, how about something that fits, for once. Not like you don't have the money and resources now. There's totally shopping to be found outside of thift store desperation, Macklemore. And tailors. Tailors exist.

[mathemagier]

[Hermann nodded, having already assumed as much, but there was something to be said for confirmation. Not that he'd intrude if Newton found an actual date between now and then.

And much as it galled him to spend a lot of money on clothing, Newton did have a point]

I suppose we could do with a visit to a proper tailor.

[driftsintobuffetline]

We? Okay, yeah, I guess me too. Oh man, I'm going to go Gothic Punk as fuck. It'll awesome. Or maybe something to match with my tatts. You think I could find a kaiju mask?

[mathemagier]

[Yep, there's a grimace there, and the general disapproval that's just an automatic response to Newton's preferred dress. With luck, they'll find a self-respecting tailor that won't indulge him too much]

Not an actual kaiju perhaps, but I'm sure you could find something suitably tasteless.

[driftsintobuffetline]

TASTELESS?! Frightening creatures are EXACTLY what Halloween is about. You're probably just going to go all posh and old-fashioned and put on a eyemask and look like some dour old vampire and I'm going to be like some Anne Ricean sex-god--Lestat, maybe, the rock star.

[mathemagier]

[A sigh, because Newton's having an American moment again. Really, the holiday was not all it was cracked up to be]

I believe the term you're looking for is respectable. But at least your disastrous taste will be disguised by the spirit of the holiday this time.

[driftsintobuffetline]

[Shut it, Hermann. It's an awesome holiday.]

I'm tempted to take back that parka and get something for you more befitting my disastrous taste.

[mathemagier]

[He might have moved to London and spent some time in Alaska and Hong Kong, but Hermann's still very European, sorry]

You'll do no such thing.

[driftsintobuffetline]

...Alright, no, I won't, but ONLY because I'm a great guy, okay, and an awesome best friend and that's a sweet parka.

[More fidgeting]

ANYWAY! Uh,since my cereal's probably dead by now, you wanna go out and pick up something with me?

[mathemagier]

[To anyone else, that would probably sound like a date request. Even for Hermann, it sounds a bit strange. He gives Newton an appraising look and steps back from the door]

Clean up, and then we'll go.

[driftsintobuffetline]

Yes, mom. [He rolled his eyes but went to work tidying up and finding himself a clean shirt to wear.

It wasn't a date--it sounded perfectly normal to Newt, who wasn't trying to think of this as anything more than a natural evolutionary process, a hopeful step in a new direction. They no longer had to think of themselves as coworkers, as lab partners. They were Best Friends. He had known Hermann, in some manner, for a third of his lifetime. By now, war over, they could socialize outside. In public. Like normal people did. He could ask Hermann to coffee, Newt thought, hoped, and not have to feel like he was trying too hard, being too friendly, being too much and too desperate, that he'd scare this new friend away. Or he wanted to think that way. Anxiety wasn't quite letting him, but he wanted to think he could be a friend while still being himself.

Dammit, he just wanted to hang out with Hermann.]

[mathemagier]

[Hermann on the other hand, wasn't thinking about it too hard. He retreated back to his room and looked his new parka over with a smile. Well, he might as well break it in and wear it. Mornings were chilly, after all.

When he met Newton in the living room, he was bundled up and pleased to see a distinct lack of cereal bowl on the coffee table. The man's nerves were a bit concerning however, and he gave his drift partner a searching look]

Anything I should be aware of before we leave, Newton?

[driftsintobuffetline]

[The parka looked right, a close enough approximation of the original to pass. The fluffed up bird was back.

He shook his head. Not wanting to make it weird...]. No? There's no more jackets hiding in your closet because of me, I swear. ...Alright. Okay. Let's just-- You asked, so. I'm not being too weird, right? I mean. I know I'm not great at this friend thing, but I'm not coming on too strong, am I? I scare people off. Don't let me scare you off, man.

[mathemagier]

[Weird. Hermann's eyes swept over Newton as if looking for anything unusual, and shrugged. The man was acting slightly stranger than usual, but nothing worth mentioning. But 'coming on too strong', really.]

Newton, I don't know where you've been for the last five years, but it's going to take a lot more than a jacket and breakfast to do anything of the sort.

[driftsintobuffetline]

Yeah well the last five years you were a jackass. Now you're by Best Friend, jackass, and I actually fucking CARE if you decide I'm too annoying to talk to.

[mathemagier]

[The outburst left him at odds with how to answer. Uncomfortable things, these emotional situations, but Newton was his friend- best friend- now, and dismissing things like this was out of the question. He might as well give the coat back in that case.

What was Newton looking for- reassurance? Even with the drift, his insight was only slightly better than normal. Now it's his turn to be nervous, because he's really terrible at this, and one wrong word could turn this into an emotional molotov]

I don't.. find you excessively irritating. And I am not simply 'putting up with you', if that's what you're worried about.

[driftsintobuffetline]

[Not excessively irritating. Hermann was such a flatterer. No, but seriously, he felt bad airing out his insecurities like he needed Hermann to give him pats and say we're good. And yet he liked those pats, felt worlds better because of them, despite the guilt of forcing that out of Hermann. It felt a little like he imagined crawling into that parka would feel like.

Okay, he didn't have to imagine. He totally tried it on at the store. The parka felt like a hug. Newt almost kept it.

He shook his head.]

No, I know. Look, sorry for the insecure idiot thing. We don't have to rehash the Best Friends talk again, promise. But, uh...thank you.

...so... breakfast?

[mathemagier]

[Hermann nodded, shoulders relaxing and too relieved that was either enough reassurance or Newton simply wanted to drop the topic to bother pursuing it any further despite the anti-climactic note it ended on]

Yes, quite. [Hermann reached to pull open the door and motioned Newton through with his cane] Anything you're in the mood for?