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Every other afternoon, just like clockwork came a gentle knock on the door. Emmerich had a good grasp on most everyone who would knock on his office door at this point, everyone had a different knock, a rhythm, a speed. And this one- this soft rapping 4 times at the door- in particular belonged to the new medic in their team, one he had begrudgingly taken under his wing after seeing the younger man was in just a little over his head.
Emmerich grunts slightly in response to the knocking, to which the younger man entered slowly with a shy smile. A lithe, short man with a large bow decorating his collar and a hat far too big for his head stood shyly in the doorway, holding a tray of tea.
“Ja, Blythe. Take off your hat and come in.” The man at the desk murmured in a raspy voice, one barely left over from failed experiments of his youth. Blythe reminded him of the man he used to be, so bright eyed and full of wonder... and reminded him of every mistake he had made leading up to where he was now, making the older man want to loathe him for it. But he couldn’t quite bring himself to turn the boy away.
“Right- of course. My apologies, Herr Sitz. I just thought you might like some tea.” It always surprised Blythe how his counterpart could so easily tell it was him, even if he barely lifted his eyes from whatever he was reading or writing at the time. The man in the office was… sallow, with a deep pain and anger in his eyes. A face hastily stitched back together far too many times with a thick scar around his throat that Blythe dared not ask how he got.
The man only looked up once the young man had poured their tea and placed the cup and saucer in front of him. “Danke.” He murmurs, coughing quietly before taking a sip, the warm liquid soothing his shot vocal chords if for but a moment.
Blythe smiles slightly before quickly going about the room to tidy up, opening the window just a little to get rid of the stale air, leaning up to put fresh bedding and food in for the doves the older man had in his care- ones that he might too own one day if he could take good enough care of Emmerich’s. He brought up a gloved hand to stroke at one’s head gently, who cooed in response.
“They’re kind.” The short man comments with a smile.
“They are.” Came a soft response, Emmerich sitting back in his chair as he set his papers aside. “That’s enough for today, sit. Before they begin pecking holes in your clothes.” He chuckles weakly, clearing his throat with a sigh. Blythe nods quickly, sitting in the chair opposite his desk as the older man poured him a cup of tea.
“How are you finding our colleagues? Any issues?” He crossed one leg over the other, neatening his desk before glancing up at the young man.
“Oh- they’re… fun. Loud, a-a little. But everyone’s been very nice. I… feel at home here.” Blythe smiled nervously at the man, hastily taking a sip of his tea.
“Good, wunderbar.” He hums, picking back up his tea for another drink. “And… how are you and.. Mikael?” He mused with a quiet cough, peering over the rim of his cup at the now flustered man who nearly choked on his tea.
“I’m- I’m sorry, if I got in your way, i-if you don’t want me being around him o-or-”
“That didn’t answer my question, Herr Kurzmann.” Emmerich said simply, Blythe gulping nervously.
“He.. is very sweet. And handsome.” He said with a nervous giggle, a low chuckle emanating from the older of the two in turn.
“So he is, I’m sure. You seem quite smitten with him, hm?” He rubbed at his throat with a sigh. The young man knew little to no sign language, so talking for so long always wore on him a little.
“I um.. Well..” Blythe murmured with an awkward laugh, pushing his auburn hair out of his face for a moment only to find the other still looking at him waiting for an answer. “I.. suppose I am.” He said quietly, looking down at his lap like a child who had been told off.
“Hm.” Came his response. He closed his eyes for a moment, Blythe watching him nervously. He always looked to the older man for advice, he had worked with this team for many years, and had helped Blythe time and time again whether on the battlefield or more simple tasks around their base like avoiding stray balls to the face when their scouts had begun a game or effectively getting blood out of his coat.
Emmerich tapped his empty cup, prompting the ginger man to quickly fill it again, taking a long sip before speaking once again. “Well, you were made for each other after all, I’m not surprised. He.. is a little too brazen and loud for my tastes, but a good man nonetheless.” He hummed thoughtfully, leaving Blythe confused, to which the older man raised an eyebrow. “He protects you diligently, and you patch him up when the work is done, no? The amount of time you spend together in and out of battle, I would be surprised if there was nothing there. Have you not seen the lengths he goes to impress you?” He finished with a snort, remembering the way Mikael would always so easily pick up the smaller man after a won battle, how he would always try to show off his strength yet still be so gentle as if Blythe were a porcelain doll.
Blythe let out a breathless chuckle. “I.. suppose I never thought about it like that.” He ran a hand through his hair once more, which was good in itself as their soldier had threatened to cut it himself if it got too long. But Mikael seemed to like it... how soft it was… and how Blythe so easily leaned into his large hand when he touched it. And how safe Blythe felt when he did so.
They sat in a contemplative quiet for a minute, the cooing and shifting of the doves the only noise in the office before Blythe spoke again. “Um.. f-forgive me for intruding, Herr Sitz, but… is there… anyone you might feel that way for? Do they make you happy?” Blythe was treading on very thin ice but it came out of his mouth before he knew it, a curious and soft lilt in his voice as he asked which made the older man make a noise, pausing mid-sip.
He hadn’t thought about it in a long while, he tended to have a habit of ignoring such things, and by the time he had set aside time to think about it, it seemed to be too late. But lately… there had been a constant in his quiet life. Another knock on his door, 3 clear taps to be exact. A trouble making spy by the name of Marcel that had also recently joined their team. A year or two younger than himself who had a penchant for sneaking notes into the medic’s pockets whenever they parted. A man who never hesitated to use sign when he noticed Emmerich lacking in responses after a long day or until the man initiated conversation once he was ready, and would happily sit in silence just so he wasn’t alone as he so often claimed he wanted to be.
Emmerich frowned in thought, setting down his cup. His chest felt… warm. Just a little, as he recounted how kind and patient the other had been. A genuine smile creeped onto his lips, a rare sight for Blythe to encounter.
“Perhaps. But, that is for another time, I think.” The man concluded, rolling his shoulders a little as he looked to the setting sun outside his window. “Come, dinner should be ready soon.” He stood slowly with a sigh after finishing his tea and setting the cups neatly back on the tray.
Emmerich walked around the desk and towards the door, stopping him as the shorter man came close. “Talk to him, Blythe. I’m sure you already know he feels the same.” He said in a hushed voice, squeezing the other man’s shoulder before taking up the too large helmet in his hands as his counterpart grabbed the tray of tea.
“Dankeshön, Herr Sitz. I-I’ll try to. I just.. Wish I knew for sure.”
“Mm, that is always the hard part. But rewarding, I’m sure.” Emmerich closed the door behind them.
Emmerich was determined not to let the other make his same mistakes, but he didn’t take into account Blythe in turn helping thaw his frozen old heart, to be open and curious to the world he tried to close himself off from.
To be kind again.