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Their arguments had gotten to the point where neither of them could remember any kind words that passed between them. It had clearly gone too far and they had not spoken in days. But instead of feeling cold and indifferent, Hermann was beginning to feel increasingly sheepish and awkward. He caught himself looking over at Newt more and more. Once he thought he saw Newton turn away quickly as if he had been looking too, but he couldn’t be sure.
The next day, Hermann printed out his most recent report and took it over to Newton’s desk. The biologist was taking a very rare break, staring blankly at the kaiju action figure he was idly playing with. Hermann swallowed and gently placed the neat file on the edge of the desk. Newton looked up. Hermann returned the glance significantly to indicate that he was no longer angry. Newt responded with a upward head-jerk. His eyes were soft and sad, his anger clearly gone from him as well. Hermann sniffed nervously and retreated to his side of the lab.
The day after that, Hermann found a lunch tray, full of his favorite selections from the generally disappointing Shatterdome food. Only one person could have put it there. Newton wasn’t in the lab at the time, but a few hours later when he came in he brought his own report to Hermann’s desk. He placed it down next to Hermann’s hand and said softly, “sorry this is late.”
“No, that’s alright, I know you’d had a lot to get through,” Hermann said honestly.
“Yeah,” Newton said, looking at his shoes.
“Thank you for lunch.”
“Sure,” Newton walked away. Hermann got up quickly and stopped in front of him.
“Newton,” Hermann said. He sounded almost weak, and certainly sad, concerned. Newton looked how he felt. They both tried to speak but they kept hesitating.
“I’m sorry,” Newton finally said.
“Yes, I’m sorry too,” Hermann said. He felt a cold thrill on his spine, and then a rush of warmth. Hermann couldn’t fight himself. He held Newton's face in his hand. Before Newton could react, Hermann was kissing him. Slowly, softly, tentatively, and yet very deeply. Alternating between kissing his lips with light touches and then taking Newton's lips all the way into his own mouth. Hermann's lungs were pumping silently, steadily, like full bellows when he pulled back. He seemed to realize with a jolt what he had done.
"Oh God, Newton, I'm so sorry, I don't know what came over me," Hermann said, backing away and looking down, blinking.
"No, no, it's fine, it's…" Newton said, avoiding eye contact. He was blushing. Hermann continued to look down and started to make a hasty retreat but Newton tried to stop him.
"I'm terribly embarrassed. Please let me leave, Newton." He was fighting the urge to run, cry, collapse even.
"Wait, you, you have feelings for me?"
"Yes, but I can see you most probably do not reciprocate."
"Why do you think I kissed you back?!" Newton said sunned, eyes wide. Hermann was struck by that obvious fact.
"Oh," was all Hermann could manage, daring to hope. He looked at Newton and the man's voice became soft.
"That kiss was…"
"Delicious," Hermann said, leaning in, terribly nervous.
"You gonna do it again or not?" The request made them both weak in the knees and Newton surged forward, accidentally pushing Hermann backward so that he had to catch hold of him. Hermann compensated by leaning forward into Newton’s embraced and they kissed once more. The second kiss was remarkably deeper than the first and infinitely sweeter. When Hermann put his teeth and tongue to use in the most intimate way he knew how, he was rewarded with soft groans from Newton. The embrace became tighter and tighter because they had been aching to hold one another. They only parted to breathe. Newton reached up to Hermann’s face.
“Herms. Shit, I don’t even know what to say,” Newton said, smiling for the first time in weeks, maybe months. He clasped his hands behind Hermann’s neck.
“To think we could have done this ages ago,” Hermann said, shaking his head and beaming down at Newt. He brushed some hair out of Newton’s face.
“Yep,” Newton sighed. “And hey, I know we’re probably gonna keep on arguing and shit, but...”
“Yes, I’m sure we will. I will try not to be quite so insulting.”
“Yeah, yeah, me too, dude.”
“Newton?”
“Yeah...babe?” Hermann raised his eyebrows and gave him a half smile and the hint of a laugh.
“Could you remove the kaiju spleen stains from underneath my chalkboards?”
“Yeah, ok.” Newton rolled his eyes. “On one condition.”
“What, dare I ask?” Hermann rested his hands and the handle of his cane on Newt’s lower back.
“Kiss me again.”
“Oh, I think I can manage that.”