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Sincerely he looked good . He knew that he had an oversized ego sometimes but that night it was justified. His worn leather jacket matched perfectly with this kind of blue jeans. He had even taken some time to put a little hair gel, something that he hadn’t done since his last concert. How could he? His work was his life now and the shatterdome was hardly a place to party. But with their recent victory, he fully intended to make up for lost time. Hell, tonight Dr Newton Geiszler was so ready to rock.
He was interrupted in his contemplation by a knock on his door room.
“Coming!” Newt screamed with one last look in the mirror.
Mako was radiant with her black spa rkling dress and her new green hair strands.
“ Wow look at you, Miss Mori. You’re a sight for sore eyes!” Newton whistled as she whirled around to show him her entire attire.
“You are very handsome yourself Doctor.” She replied with an honest smile. “Am I too early?”
“Nope!” He shook his head as he closed his quarter door. “I am so ready for this.”
Newt locked his arm with her s and they strolled down the hallways.
“So, no Doctor Gottlieb with us tonight?” Mako asked him with a glance and a sad smile.
Newton sighed with a shrug. “Nah, not tonight. I asked though. You know him, he needs his beauty sleep”.
His friend nodded. “Yes, I noticed he was looking quite tired these last few days. It is still because of your drift?”
His still blood-eye twitched slightly as he thought about that particular episode. It was still a bit sore even after two weeks. “Yeah, he’s not used to, you know…” He searched for the appropriate word. “…sharing anything. So, showing feelings and memories is a bit too much I guess.”
Well, strangely he was not guessing. He knew. Damn those ghost drifting effects!
“Well, it was his choice to do so. It means that he trusted you enough with them.” She winked at him.
The scientist avoided her gaze, trying not to think too much about the weird sensation in his belly. Damn it! The post drift was a two-way street and even if the effects had diminished with time, it didn’t mean they were over yet. Not thinking about anything but the party, the amazing, splendid party!
They finally reached one of the side doors of the shatterdome where Tendo and Raleigh were already waiting for them.
“At last!” Tendo declared with a grin. “You know how to keep a guy waiting” He teased with a tap on Newt’s shoulder and a kiss on Mako’s hand.
Raleigh just chuckled as he shook Newton’s hand. “I told him you were on your way out but he has the patience of a child.” The ranger declared with a kiss on Mako’s cheek.
Tendo rolled his eyes and opened the metal door to give them access to the outside world. It was pouring.... again. If Newton was going to miss something about Honk Kong, it was not its weather. The food maybe...
A black van with tainted windows was already waiting for them and the driver met them at the door, opening a huge umbrella for Mako. She dragged Newton underneath by the arm and they walked together.
As Newt reached the vehicle opened door, a searing pain went through his leg. He instantly felt on his knees on the wet concrete ground, brassing himself with one hand, the other clutching his hurting member. He heard Mako’s worried voice in the distance, felt hands on his shoulders but he couldn’t open his eyes. But without even looking, he was seeing strange things. Things that looked like his lab’s floor....and papers all around him.... a wooden ladder laying there with a broken rung. And then, as quickly as it happened, the pain and the vision vanished.
The scientist took a deep relieved breath while raising his head up, feeling cold, soothing water dripping along his face.
“Better?” A calm steady voice asked him and Newt opened his eyes. Raleigh was crouched in front of him, studying his face with a frown, his hands supporting the scientist by his arms.
Newton nodded with a new intake of breath. His pulse was racing as though he just ran a marathon. Mako who was still holding his shoulders from behind pressed a hand on his forehead.
“You’re burning”. She murmured more to Raleigh than to him.
Newt gulped nervously, still trying to regain his voice. “It’s not me....” he explained slowly, meeting Raleigh’s gaze. “It’s not me.” He repeated. And with a sudden realisation he jumped on his feet. “I have to go!”
His friends rose as he did but didn’t let go.
“Go? Hell man, you just passed out. You sure you’re alright?” Tendo appeared behind Raleigh, a cell phone in one hand, ready to dial for help.
“No no , I’m fine, it’s not me!” Newton explained in a rush voice, his eyes fixed on Raleigh’s who was still holding him. “It’s Hermann.” He confessed to the Ranger.
Comprehension passed through Raleigh’s eyes and he nodded, loosening his grip on Newton’s arms. “Want us to come?” He asked.
NO.... a distant yelling in his head made him snickered.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea.” He answered with a tired smile. “Maybe next clumsy falling”. He joked, head turning to see Mako’s still worried face. “I’m good, you guys go and have fun”.
The little brunette pressed her lips together, obviously not convinced. She looked back and forth between Newton and Raleigh several times before letting him go. Anoter slient dialogue was taking place between the two of them. “You are calling me if you need help. For anything.” It was definitely an order.
“Yes Maam ” Answered Newton with a military salute before rushing back inside.
The three others looked at the closing door of the shatterdome .
“Am I the stupid one here or what just happened was incomprehensible?” Tendo’s voice broke the silence as he stood between the two rangers.
“They will be fine.” Reassured Raleigh as he turned back and climbed into their taxi, extending his hand to Mako . “We all need some time to adjust.” He smiled at her and she nodded, grabbing his hand.
Tendo sighed, raising his arms in frustration before following them. “Yeah, keep your private jokes to you. I swear, pilots and their communications issues will be the death of my patience.”
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Newton was limping! Of course, he was thanks to a stubborn smartass asshole! His leg was not hurting per se but something was preventing him from using it too much. Not a good self-preservation instinct when someone was in a rush! He had to use the concrete walls of the PPDC corridors to support himself at every turn and that really was pissing him of. What better way to attract the attention of every living-soul crossing his path? Sure, the inhabitants of the Honk Kong base had already seen their share of weird things but still, a limping soaked scientist was unusual.
“Damn if you aren’t severely injured your grumpy old fool, I’m gonna take care of it....” He muttered as he reached the last hallway leading to their share lab. “And that is definitely the time to work numbers. Always a treat for your Saturday nights.” Newton continued his ramblings while unlocking the heavy metal door.
As he entered the room, he went silent. All the lights were on and he could even hear a peaceful piano piece coming from one of the computers. But no signs of his lab partner. A dread shiver ran down his back as he forced himself to take a step inside then an another.
“Hermann?” He asked. Why the hell was he sounding so pleading?
“If you still want to carry out your empty threat, I am right here.” A tired voice coming from behind one of the desks answered him after what seemed like an eternity of silence.
Newton hurried up around the piece of furniture to face a particularly rare view. Doctor Hermann Gottlieb was laying on the floor, surrounded by sheets of loose papers, a broken ladder and a torn cane. His eyes were closed but Newt could see a resigned expression on his face. One of his leg, the bad one, was raised on his working chair and his hand was slowly rubbing it. His second hand was still clutching one of the documents against his chest.
“Well...” Newt sighed as he went down on his knees beside his lab partner. “Looks like you don’t need anyone to get your ass kicked.”
Hermann face instantly twisted in disgust. “Language Newton.” He grumbled but without any envy behind it.
Newton smiled as he gathered some of the papers surrounding them. Apparently, there were once part of a bigger file regarding the jaeger program and the many possible ways of improvement. “Want to tell me what happened?” He suggested as he put a small stack on the nearest desk.
“Why bother? You have obviously seen it all otherwise you would not be here.” The other scientist replied with a pinch of annoyance in his voice. His eyes were now open, fixing the ceiling absently, his blood-eye twitching from time to time. Newton couldn’t help but raised his hand to touch his own, not really knowing if the pain was his or his drift-partner this time.
Hermann finally turned his head toward him. “I told you not to come. Well, I tried at least.” This was not a reproach, more a statement.
“Yeah, like you tried to hide your near-death experience. That went well hasn’t it?” Newton replied, crossing his arms in front of him, trying is best to look severe. This was new to him, being the responsible adult of the two of them.
The mathematician raised a hand in the air in annoyance with a sigh. “Don’t be dramatic Newton; I was not dying. You didn’t need to cancel your plans and rescue me from the evil ladder. If I hadn’t been caught by surprise, you would not have seen any of it.”
“God you are so dumb!” Newton exclaimed as he kneeled once more by his partner side. “It’s not what I saw which worried me, it’s what I felt. Still feeling it in fact and man don’t you have pain killers or something stacked somewhere?” He rambled, looking around them in search of Herman’s pills. He knew that the mathematician always had some nearby.
He was distracted by a hand touching his own timidly and his head turned once more to look at Hermann. The other scientist had a lost expression plastered on his face. “You mean...you are in pain?” He asked with wide eyes.
Newton was feeling suddenly disturbed, almost ashamed, but was it really his feelings.... he was not sure. He shook his head, more to clear his thoughts than to reply.
“Nah, I’m not. I was when it happened and then it disappeared. I think you are really good at blocking those things.” He tried with a smile but Hermann was looking more mortified by the minute. “It’s more like a numbness now, like pins and needles. Just weird but seriously, I had to drag myself through the entire shatterdome with a dead leg and you are still acting like a drama queen so I’m not going to let you deal with this one your own. We’re connected now.” He then took Herman’s fleeing hand on his own.
Hermann gulped obviously shaken by this new data. “Newton I am so....” He began but Newton was sick of this kind of self-hated thoughts that were definitely not his own.
“Stop.” He commanded in a strangely calm but determined voice. “You have to stop thinking like this.” He continued, slowly laying his forehead against the other chest. His pulse was racing again, matching his lab partner’s. “You know that I don’t mind. And you know that I know that you know so stop it.” He chuckled as an imbecile echoed in his head.
“Yeah, I know; that sounded better in my head but you’re missing the point.” He raised his head, his chin still set on Hermann’s chest, catching his mocking gaze. “You want me to spill it out, don’t you? Even if you saw it the minute you entered in my head?”
“There’s always a lot of things in your head Newton. Most of them are useless.” Hermann replied, raising an eyebrow but the corner of his mouth twitched in a mocking smile. His thoughts were more opened now and Newton could feel them. There was still pain of course, a slight distress, and a hint of something longing and sweet that pushed Newton to carry on.
“I... can’t stand to see you in pain.” He confessed with a sad smile. “Not because we drifted and I can feel the pain too. I’m clearly not into it, dude, that is totally unpleasant.” He complained with a pout. “But...what I mean by that...” He paused, searching for the right words. Hell, he wasn’t good at this.
Hermann’s hand still in his own squeezed it momently and his second pushed Newt’s-soaked glasses up his head, brushing a strand of his hair which had fallen on his forehead. A warm feeling of encouragement and tenderness was filling him. Oh two can play this game jackass . Newton thought very loudly.
The mathematician couldn’t hide his chuckle but his laughter died down quickly in his throat, replaced by a sharp intake of breath as Newton pushed his own feelings inside that stupid skull. He could feel Hermann’s fingers trembling in his hand and against his cheek.
“Newton.... you cannot think straight right now. I am not what you need. ” He tried in a rush , his expression between panic and hope.
“Come on dude.” Newt replied raising his head, slowly closing the distance between their faces. “I’ve also been into your head. You are exactly what I need and I know you want it too.” He grinned, feeling the other’s reluctance dissolving with each passing second. This was all he needed to make the leap. “I love you” He murmured against Hermann’s lips before kissing him.
Newton had just planned for a quick peck, baby steps for the emotionally repressed fool that was his drift partner. Well not so repressed now that Hermann’s both hands were grabbing his face, preventing him from backing of. And the thoughts were overwhelming, turning around in his mind like laundry in a washing machine.... Joy... Relief... Still a bit of pain .... tiredness... Want... Love and again pain. That last one was definitely not cool.
“Alright!” He declared as he withdrew with a gasp, catching Hermann’s trembling forearms...or was it him who was shaking? Never mind...
“You!” He carried on with a restore determination as the sight of a stunned red cheek Hermann “You need to take some medicine, lie down on a real bed and take a good nap.”
The mathematician on the floor was apparently too dizzy to protest and Newton led him to a sitting position without almost a single complain.
“This is how is going to work then?” Asked Hermann as he took a deep breath when Newt passed his arm around his back to help him stand. “You manhandling me over, using your mind to distract me.” He hissed as they stood together, a phantom pain echoing through Newt’s one leg.
“As if I need my mind to distract you”. Newton responded with a teasing smile as he dragged his partner slowly toward the exit. “I’m sure I can have my way with you by other means.” He giggled as the words desperate deprived foo l dashed through his own thread of thought but they were clearly not surrounded by wickedness. Love you too your silly old twat.