Work Text:
Quiet. That’s how the night is. Always, everywhere. Even in the most chaotic places like Laplace.
That was a perpetual truth Ulrich was very glad to have in his life. During the day, he made sure to keep up his work efficiency, but during the night that rate increased exponentially. It was only him and his work.
The sacred silence played an essential role in it. Not because of the absence of potentially disturbing noise, but for the absence of people. That didn’t mean Ulrich hated his coworkers, but only that managing a team was more difficult than managing himself; although a big number of people did help and made work faster, for personal projects not necessarily correlated to Laplace's work, he was much happier to work alone. No delegating, no multiple needs, less error chance and more work.
But lately, the nights weren’t as silent as they used to be. For some reason.
Ulrich being the work-addicted Awakened he is, he decided it was time to put a stop to that, he needed to go back to his usual work efficiency percentage.
Following the noise, he discovered it came from Enigma’s office. Although he was up for their light banter and also ready to reclaim his peace, he decided to let it pass for tonight.
As he walked through the corridors, he realized that it’s been around a week since Adler came back. From what exactly he came back, no one was entirely sure. But as long as he’s okay and got back with answers, then all is good.
Weirdly enough, no one had seen the man after his return. The people of Laplace are all busy with their own problems, checking on others may come more difficult than normal. But after a week straight of no annoying coworker to bother and of not so silent nights, Ulrich decided to be the one to make an effort and see how his human partner has been doing.
After such a journey, it would be natural for a being of human flesh to stay in bed and rest (even if, knowing Adler, that was unlikely), so he tried to knock a few times on Adler room’s door. As expected, no answer.
The next place he could check was his old office. He didn’t even knock, he simply tried to open it. And of course, he was right. Adler was there, at his desk, working while sipping on some strong cof-.
He wasn’t how Ulrich expected him to be. He wasn’t how anyone expected him to be.
He was sitting on the floor, between many books. Well, it was hard to not be around them since they were scattered all over the floor. Ulrich, taking a step forward, hit one of the many books, and a very familiar one as well. Non arcanum-related beings such as humans, were required to learn all the basics of it from textbooks before even having the chance to do any arcanum related work. That was Enigma’s first arcanum textbook.
After a better look, he saw that those weren’t random books, they all were on arcanum, from old to most recent, in different languages too. Between them, a few papers with sightings of odd behavior of the Arcanum, all of them again with changing dates and languages. Around, occasionals notesticks or small papers with notes, or at least that’s how Ulrich interpreted the scribbles and random words on them.
From the position of all the objects, the books were likely in a pile before they got pushed away by Adler. And the farthest one of them was the one he hit. That almost surprised Ulrich, as usually this book stays near the desk and its owner; as it explains the fundamentals, Enigma makes sure to keep it around, just in case, to have all the basics concepts at hand if needed.
He took another step before calling his partner. “Adler?...”
The human didn’t even turn his head. He only answered. “Ulrich…?” Surprisingly enough, hearing the man talk made him feel better. He got what he wanted, information on his state. So far he knew that Adler was in Laplace and conscious. Knowing him, it could have been worse. And let’s put “sober” on the list as well.
“What are you doing there? On the floor out of all places.” As he spoke, Ulrich walked over to the desk, wanting to keep a certain distance for the moment but also checking the environment better.
The desk had piles of files and reports, but that wasn’t new. Reports on his sister’s case and a few on the latest events from the Timekeeper’s team. Ulrich was also present in a few of those. All regarding what happened in Antarctica. Nothing on the arcanum. No books, no notes. No coffee in sight. Not even his mug. It was clear from the objects and from the layer of dust that the desk hadn’t been touched in a while.
Even in the worst situation, some “harmless” banter has always been present between the two of them. That’s why when Ulrich’s question was met with silence, the Awakened almost didn’t know what to do. Keyword: almost. While, apparently, Enigma has been studying the arcanum, Ulrich is on a perfect streak on learning about humans.
He decided to check on his physical condition, after all “conscious” didn’t mean “healthy”. He approached the human and kneeled down to see him better. He didn’t look too different from the standard Adler Hofmann: his hair was a mess and so were his clothes.
Except, he looked exhausted. More than usual, at least. Even with his large head blocking the direct light of the small lamp hanging from the ceiling, Ulrich could see how Enigma’s dark circles were worse than before. With a more careful scan of his face, he saw his tired, red eyes. For how much has this man been awake?
“You haven’t been sleeping. Am I right?” Ulrich asked, toning his voice to be quieter. If he, indeed, had not been sleeping then it was most likely that a loud voice would have just made the situation worse. Adler, once again, didn’t answer, but at least he nodded, even if barely perceivable.
“Have you been studying all this time? Since you came back, have you been here researching the Arcanum?” Silence followed again.
Upon better inspection, he realised Adler still hasn’t really faced him. He has only been looking forward, where a few old machines lie. Those were visibly old, but he knows he has been using the computer for some personal research. That being searching new crosswords and riddles. Why would he look at those? Enigma has always been a man easily influenced by his emotions, but he knows that deep down he is capable of rational thinking. Something wasn’t right.
But Ulrich wasn’t going to give up. There must be a question Adler would answer. Even if he felt ridiculous, he tried asking almost meaningless questions just to try to engage in a conversation, like humans do with their infants. “Is there something there?” Ulrich was quite surprised to receive an answer this time, and one adult-like too.
“I never knew the computer in my office worked with the arcanum. But I guess it was to be expected, not many devices at Laplace don’t require it to work.” He didn’t move an inch of his body as he spoke, his voice lightly raspy, most likely because of dehydration and because who knows how much time has passed since he spoke to someone.
Sure, Ulrich didn’t expect an answer, but he didn’t expect that kind of answer either. He was thankful Enigma didn’t come up with a new, random topic, he understood that his human partner didn’t go completely insane (yet?). “... Is the fact they are related to it bothering you?”
“I just didn’t expect it. Laplace is a place full of arcanum… I knew it already, of course, yet…It’s beautiful. In all these years I never really took time to picture what it may have looked like but… It’s even more than what I could have imagined.” His eyes were almost shining, the beauty he claimed to see was something that caused him a genuine feeling of awe. He tilted his head, as if longing to see better.
“Beautiful? Can you see it?” Ulrich, being an Awakened, heard many things about him and the Arcanum. But this was his first time hearing it being described as “beautiful”, not directly at least. Many are convinced that the Arcanum, solely from its function and effects, also possess the beauty trait. Though quite a poetic view, the Enigma he knows never really concerned himself with such theories, so his answer almost left him speechless.
“... Unless I died and this is what comes after death… I believe I can.” After speaking, he finally turned his head towards his interlocutor. But as his eyes fell on him, Adler’s expression changed. Once he got through a momentary shock, on his face was a loving look. Enigma turned his body fully to Ulrich, almost whispering. “You…”
The Awakened was relieved to hear Adler speak to him like always, with his usual sarcasm put around. “I am also strictly related to the arcanum, yes… But I believed you knew that already.”
“Pure arcanum entangled with consciousness, life… It is mesmerizing. You are.” His eyes fixated on the Awakened’s body, looking at it with new eyes, his gaze going from his head tank to his torso.
It seemed like Adler almost couldn’t wrap his head around it. In his eyes, the beauty of the arcanum, the way it moved, alive, was something incomprehensible. He was a mere observer before a mystery of the world, something so big and beyond human life to be unintelligible.
But in the end, that’s what Enigma was: an exception. Humans were never meant to see the arcanum. Their mind simply isn’t constructed to fathom the intricates of it.
For a reason that will remain unknown to most, Adler couldn’t help but place a hand on his partner’s torso, where his Laplace ID card hung. The action was most likely an involuntary movement, an absent-minded action originated from the human’s need to try to engage with the unknown.
Ulrich just let his partner be. Although he wasn’t the type to initiate physical contact, this barely sane version of Enigma intrigued him. It felt weird having him calling him beautiful and being touchy, yet, he was fascinated by it. Not really trusting Adler body’s condition, he placed a hand on his side, ready to act if his body failed him suddenly. “You need to sleep, Adler.”
The man was now leaning on the Awakened's metallic body, gladly accepting to move a part of his weight on him. As he heard the other speak, he let out a sigh. “I’m not insane, Ulrich. I can see it. I really can. I know I sound crazy, but…” In his voice a small, barely perceivable tremble, coming from either desperation, even if unlikely, or fatigue, was the only thing that didn’t make him sound like a mad man.
Ulrich placed a hand behind Enigma’s head, guiding it down on his chest. But the human’s gaze didn’t cease, still searching and observing the string of a world beyond that animated his very essence. “I didn't say I don’t believe you. But your eyes are bloodshot, and you are clearly exhausted. You need rest. Food and water too, knowing you.”
He often found himself with a hand behind his partner’s head. He didn’t precisely know the reason behind this odd behavior, which caused him to overheat at first, but once he came to terms with it, it became a comfortable and regular occurrence. So he, reluctantly, took his hand away from his head to place it right on Adler’s eyes, causing them to close.
As he did so, he felt him tense a little. His eyes must have been open for so long that closing them caused him discomfort. “I can’t, Ulrich. My mind has always been my only strength, but it’s killing me now. It won’t stop. And it hurts.”
“Then we find a solution. Why didn’t you…” Caring words almost got out of his system. Thankfully, Ulrich managed to stop them in time. Of course he cared for his partner, and deeply, it’s just that, simply, words carrying too much sweet just isn’t their thing.
He sighed, adjusting his arms to make their embrace less stiff and more cosy for the tired man, hoping to convey his being open to help, now and later. As he felt Ulrich adjust, Adler also made himself more comfortable, loosely wrapping his arms around the Awakened.
“How about you try some pills?” The only feedback he got was a hum, but it was enough. He had a feeling Adler was tired enough to accept any kind of solution to get him to rest.
Ulrich remained there for some more time; how much had passed was unknown to both.
From what he had gathered on his partner’s condition, he was tired physically but also mentally because of a “neverending” cerebral activity. His body reacted to what, technically, was unperceivable for humans. The reaction got stuck in his brain, unable to process or categorize the event, bringing chaos to his mind as chaos was the only information it received.
He didn’t know much about human psychology, but whether his hypothesis was correct or not, the only thing he could do at the moment was assist Adler. Letting him rest a little on himself seemed to have a good impact on Enigma’s state; he was much relaxed compared to the state he found him in. “Keep your eyes closed for a little more if it helps. We have no work for tonight.”
Even in his overly exhausted state, the man couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. “There’s always work to do here. Especially when you’re around.” He kept his eyes closed as proposed even if bantering with his partner. It did feel better.
“Of course. Not that you make it easier, you know?” He didn’t know where it came from, but a certain feeling of happiness rushed through him. This time, nothing will stop Ulrich from keeping their game up. Or so he thought.
After a tired hum, Adler put a stop to their bickering. “Maybe it’s not enough.” His voice was a lower tone, like it was a thought and not an answer. But whatever it was, that was his last line before taking Ulrich’s hand and trying to rest, even a little.
Ulrich simply, automatically, began to gently stroke his back with his free hand.