Work Text:
As the sun set on a cold winter's night, two scientists and their lab assistant sat in their living room as a fire softly crackled. While two of them were sitting on the couch, the other had been unwillingly pushed to the armchair next to it.
“Our house, our rules!” Were the words Tesla said less than an hour prior, “I already lit the fire for you because you were ‘freezing’! It won’t kill you to not be by us for five seconds!”
He just accepted it. Part of him was grateful that she was willing to even help him. Though he also had a feeling it was going to be her ‘one good deed’ for the year, especially after she banished him to the chair. It wasn’t all that bad however. She’d at least given him several blankets, so he had that going for him.
Welt was covered head to toe in blankets and looked more similar to a snowman than an actual person. Only difference between the two being that a snowman wasn’t able to hold a book, and it couldn’t hear two people being annoying. While he didn’t want to assume anything about Tesla, what he did know was that she was disrupting his reading as she very loudly complained to Einstein.
Glaring over at them, he saw Tesla curled up against the other looking up at her with her ‘puppy dog’ eyes.
“Come on, Lieserl!” Tesla pleaded, “I’m lonely..”
“Your puppy dog eyes don’t work on me, Nikola,” she said plainly. “Though they are cute.”
“You little-”
“Now, now Dr. Tesla.. I never said yes or no. Insulting me will influence my decision.”
Tesla narrowed her eyes in annoyance. “Do you hate me?!?”
“Mmm.. I’ll get back to you on that.”
“DO YOU WANT TO DIE??”
“Mm..” Einstein thought for a second before responding, “Not today. Thank you for the offer, however.”
She mumbled to herself and looked down annoyed.
After a minute or two of silence that Welt desperately wanted, Einstein decided to ruin it for him.
“I’ve made a decision.”
“Let me guess. It’s no?” She mumbled sadly.
“Well.. I was going to say yes, but I can change that to a no if you want-”
“NO! I mean.. Yes? No?-”
Welt groaned in annoyance, “Can you two be quiet?? You’re loud!”
“Shut it, bean sprout! You’re just mad that she cares about me!”
“That’s debatable.”
“SHUT UP, MOPHEAD!”
“We’ll be quiet in a minute, Welt.” Einstein glanced over at him, “Once I calm the angry cat down we’ll be out of your hair.”
“HEY?!?” Glaring up, she stared at her. “I know this isn’t coming from the girl who acts like a brat!”
She shrugged, “At least I admit it.”
Welt put his head in his hands, on the verge of tears. “You two are driving me insane!”
“Good,” the two scientists said in unison, looking at him mischievously.
“Ugh.. I give up.”
Einstein giggled, “Hey, Welt. If you want I can make hot chocolate for all of us. That might make you feel better.”
“.. Somehow I don’t trust you with making that..”
“Hm, interesting. Are you saying you don’t trust my cooking abilities?”
“The last time you and Tesla tried to cook you set a bowl of water on fire!”
Einstein shrugged, “That was a one time accident.”
Sighing, he gave in. “.. Okay I’ll choose to trust you..”
She smiled, “I’ll be right back, then. You two try not to kill each other while I’m in the other room.”
Tesla looked up at her, “You don’t want help, Mophead? I don’t mind helping you-”
“It’s okay, it’ll only take a minute,” Einstein stood up and looked down at her. “When I get back we can sit by the fire like you wanted.”
She smiled and shook her head happily. “Okay, Lieserl.”
As she walked off, Welt looked at Tesla.
She looked at him, annoyed. “Hey! Why are you looking at me like that?!?”
He sighed, “You two act like an old married couple-“
“ EXCUSE YOU?? ” She yelled, face turning red from embarrassment. “What are you trying to say?!?!”
“N-Nothing!! You make those joke’s all the time-“
“Yeah well you’re not allowed to, Welt Joyce!”
“Well then stop making jokes about me!”
“No!”
Moments later his face was introduced to one of the throw pillows, which had just been thrown directly at him with great force. He desperately tried to protect his face and threw his hands up. Granted, he was too late, but he still made an effort.
“W-WHAT??” Stammering, he grabbed the pillow. “WHAT WAS THAT FOR??”
“That’s for not minding your own damn business!!” Tesla glared at him holding yet another pillow. “Don’t you dare say anything again unless you have a death wish!”
Desperately waving his hands, “I’m sorry I’m sorry!”
“It’s fine,” she mumbled. “.. Just don’t do it again.. It’s embarrassing..”
Moments later she threw the other pillow at him too. Though this time he was able to block it.
“WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!? I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING!”
Tesla just smirked, “That was just because I’m bored.”
Welt glared at her, “Do you just hate me?!?”
She smiled mischievously and didn’t respond, instead just going back to impatiently waiting for the other. Occasionally she glanced at him, threateningly. He made an attempt to ignore her, and just continued trying to read.
Luckily enough for him, Einstein eventually came back. Surely this would distract Tesla long enough for her to forget being angry at him.
Einstein seemed unsurprised upon walking in to see the pillows beside him. Tray in hand, she shook her head. “I see you two got along quite well.”
“Ein, she threw pillows at me. Aggressively.”
She shrugged, “Hey, at least she didn’t knock you out again. It’s progress.”
“Ugh! Do you just like watching me suffer??”
“Mm.. Perhaps.”
He looked at her, unamused.
Tesla smirked, “See, Welt! Even Lieserl won’t protect you!”
Einstein rolled her eyes, “One of these days you two are going to be the death of me. Anyways, I got the hot chocolate. I even put whipped cream and sprinkles on them.”
“.. Wow you’re in a caring mood tonight..” Tesla commented, slightly surprised.
“.. Is everything okay, Ein?”
She stared at them both, unreadable as ever. “Do I need an excuse to be nice to my two favorite people?”
“... Ein did you poison those-”
“That’s very rude to assume, Welt. If I were to kill either of you I wouldn’t be this careless about it. Poisoning is one of the easiest ways and is obvious.”
“.. LIESERL??”
“Hm? Yes, dear Nikola?”
Tesla and Welt glanced at each other, fearing for their lives. Meanwhile Einstein smirked, shrugging.
“Anyways,” she began walking towards them. “Carrying this is hurting my arms. Grab them before they get cold.”
Welt wiggled his way out of his blanket armor, looking like a moth trying yet failing to come out of a cocoon. The other two just watched him, trying not to laugh at the situation.
“Hey! Don’t look at me like that!! One of you could at least try to help me!”
Einstein shrugged, “My hands are full, and I doubt this idiot will help you.”
“You’re right about that! WAIT WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?”
Einstein smiled at her innocently before sitting her tray down on the coffee table. “Oh by the way, Nikola, I even put a peppermint stick in yours.”
“Wait.. Really?!? Thank you, Mophead!!”
Chuckling, she handed her the cup. “You’re welcome. Now.. as for you-” she turned to face Welt, “- because I’m in a good mood today I’ll free you from your prison of your own making before I deal with the angry cat.”
Welt at this point had become tangled in the blankets, struggling. “.. Please.”
Moments later Einstein yanked one of the blankets causing him to roll out onto the floor. “... That was easy.”
“Try being stuck in it!! I couldn’t even move my arms!”
She shrugged, “Sounds like a skill issue to me.”
He sat up, dusting himself off. “Thank you, Ein. I appreciate it.”
She smiled down at him, “You’re welcome, Welt. Try not to get yourself trapped again, though. Next time I might make you fend for yourself.”
“...” He just stared at her before she stuck her tongue out at him and turned to walk back to Tesla. She was too distracted with her hot chocolate to even notice, though.
Sighing, he clumsily stood up. Grabbing his book he walked over to the table to grab the hot chocolate.
“Welt you’re welcome to come over here if you want-” she sat down by Tesla, who at this point was already sitting on the rug near the fire place. “Though you may have to sit a few feet away unless you want Tesla threatening you.”
Tesla looked up with chocolate on her face, “Huh? What did I do?” Einstein took one look at her and just started laughing, breaking from her normal calm demeanor. “H-Hey?! Why are you laughing at me Mophead?! What’s so funny?!”
Unfortunately for her she didn’t get a response. Instead she just kept laughing as Welt sat down near them confused.
“What did you do to her?!?”
“I-I didn’t do anything!”
Wiping a tear from her face, she calmed down. “Y-You have something on your face, Nikola-”
“H-Hey! Don’t laugh!!”
Glancing around her, Welt saw the once dignified Dr. Tesla, who took great pride in her looks, desperately trying to wipe her face. He smiled and chuckled.
“S-Stop looking at me like that bean sprout!!” Tesla stammered, face turning bright red at this point from embarrassment.
“You’re adorable, you know that?”
“I hate you!”
Welt rolled his eyes at that, and Einstein shook her head. “You could never hate me,” she said with a smile.
“Oh, really now?! You brat!”
Einstein leaned against her and stared up at her. “As I was saying, you could never hate me.”
“Hmph..”
“Why are you two like this,” he sighed.
“You wouldn’t understand, Welt! You guys aren’t as affectionate towards your friends as girls!”
Welt just stared at her with a look of pure confusion and annoyance. ‘Yeah sure, if that’s what we’re calling it. Whatever helps you sleep at night.’
“She has a point, Welt. You men will never understand girls' friendships. They function differently.”
Rolling his eyes, he just gave up and opened his book back. “Whatever you two say.. I’m going to read now.”
After a few hours of bickering between the three, the two annoyingly gay menaces fell asleep curled up next to each other. Welt on the other hand, was still sitting there reading. Yawning, he eventually looked up.
‘.. Of course you two fell asleep,’ he thought to himself, unsurprised. He swore that they only got two hours of sleep per week at most. He shook his head and slightly smiled. At least they were sleeping for once, that’s all he could really ask for. As much as they annoyed him, he did really care about them more than anything.
Despite their… oddities, he enjoyed their company. It was a stark contrast from what he was used to. Even their obnoxious friendship comforted him in a way. Though that was probably because he never really got a chance to see actual care from people surrounding him.
To the surprise of no one, stone cold scientists who lost their last shred of humanity years ago weren’t great people to find comfort and care from. Despite the fact they had strange ways of showing it, the fact they cared about him made him feel safer.. Happy. That was the word he was looking for. He felt safe and happy for the first time since he woke up that fateful day.
Sighing, he closed his book and stood as quietly as he could. Grabbing a blanket, he gently laid it over the two before putting the fire out. He felt bad doing it, though he also didn’t want the lab to burn down overnight. He debated staying in there, though he ultimately decided that he didn’t feel like sleeping on the floor or on the couch.
“Goodnight, Ein and Tesla,” he said quietly before disappearing into his room.