30I'm not done yet! Writing my own stories is much easier than rewriting another, and I can get interaction without worrying about plot development.
Thank you to Alligates and Andrei Rian.
I'm curious, actually. Does anyone understand where the title of this story came from?
The world...shivered.
One moment he was surrounded by the deep dark and chill of the dying Jaeger, the next he found himself stumbling over his own feet on an oily, polluted beach of pebbles. Louhi fell forward into his chest with a garble of strangled syllables and he stared at her queasy face.
"You moved us." He gasped out even as his arms instinctively moved to secure her shaking body. "You moved us!" He suddenly let out a bark of laughter and she managed a shaky smile.
"Not to the right beach though." She mumbled grudgingly into his suit.
"So? We're alive!" He felt giddy, a thousand thoughts and feelings bubbling at once. Some part of him figured it was to do with the adrenaline rush he was assumedly having but the rest of him didn't care. "Hey, why did I have to take my helmet off?" He blurted, then found himself blushing lightly at the winded chuckle the witch let out.
"Teleportation requires skin-to-skin contact to work...if it bothers you that much..."
"No!" He yelled, then paused, blush deepening. "I mean, of course not if it saves our lives. And you didn't have to save me- hey, are you alright?" Her lips had gone very pale and her eyes were glazed, before she promptly leaned away from him and threw up. She swayed and he had to quickly lurch forward to catch her before she collapsed into her own vomit. "What's wrong? Louhi? Louhi answer me!"
"You...called me by...my name..." She gasped out, and he gently shook her.
"Louhi? Stay with me you stupid twit! Come on don't go to sleep now!" He bellowed even as she slumped, unconscious, against him.
It was only then that he realised what was wrong, that he realised why his brain was being pummelled with a tonne of emotions. Because it wasn't just his crazy emotions he was feeling, it was her's too. As soon as she passed out, they had bubbled down to practically nothing, allowing him the space to notice. "Crap."
The parties and celebrations had been going on for three or four hours now. From what Herc had heard the news had spread to the outer world- at first through the giddy calls, texts and social network announcements of the Shatterdome workers, then by the official missives that Stacker had started helping with after he'd woken half an hour into the celebrations.
The Marshal had been elated by the news that they'd succeeded, but the report that Chuck and Louhi had gone down with their Jaeger had obviously saddened him.
Herc felt a sharp pain shoot through his chest and quickly ducked behind a scrap metal pile to curl up, pressing a hand over his stinging eyes. He hadn't given himself a chance to stop and grieve; the Breach had to be destroyed, and then Mako and Raleigh brought back and looked over, and the announcements sent out to the rest of the world, and the parties kinda supervised. Straightening with a breath he squared his shoulders and headed for the exit. On the way he spied a rather drunk Hermann and Newt giggling with their heads tilted close together, the Hunter clutching the neck of a half empty bottle of white Reisling. With flushed cheeks he could hear snatches of rattled, slurred german coming from them and shook his head, doubting either would remember much for a while the next day. Neither Mako or Raleigh were anywhere to be seen. Hopefully, the two were taking a well deserved rest.
Finally breaking through the suffocating heat and relentless noise of the party into open air he took a deep breath of the crisp air before making his way toward the first soldier on guard, standing on the edge of the water on the shingle beach. Some had opted to take the shifts at this time, in consideration for the drinking and celebrating their fellows were doing. Herc respected that. The news that the Breach was closed and a few cheers were evidently enough for them, and they understood that jobs needed to be done still. Stepping up next to the first guard he gave him a nod, exchanged pleasantries, then dropped a party popper into his pocket with a smirk. The guard laughed back, making a joke about how many Herc was carrying, before sobering slightly.
"I'm sorry sir. About your son."
"...Yeah." Herc sighed, looking out across the water. "Me too." Then he gave the man a pat on the shoulder and moved away. "Keep up the good work!" He called back before strolling toward the light of the next guard, who was on one corner of the pier. The actions were repeated and he came to the third soldier on the other end of the pier to see an odd sight.
The man was laughing at what the dozen or so people were saying but shaking his head. They became louder and whinier as Herc approached. "What's going on here?" He asked, and the man instantly snapped to attention as the small crowd backed off a bit.
"Sir!" He cried before at Herc's gesture he relaxed slightly. "They wanted to go for a swim in the sea sir. I told them no, sir, on account of the fact they would need higher permission and the water is badly polluted sir. And...I saw something move down there a couple of minutes ago sir." The soldier told him unsurely. "It's still down there. They turned up before I could investigate."
"Hang on." Herc told him, lying on his chest and wriggling under the metal railings to look into the vast water. It wasn't deep here, but it wasn't overly shallow. Even without the guard shining his torch into the water he could see something swimming in a graceful circle, as if waiting. Then Herc moved back and gave a nod to the guard, who instantly radioed for backup. Searching, Herc found a hefty stone and moved to the open end of the pier before glancing back at the six men standing ready. Leaning out over the open water, he dropped the stone, and it hit the water with a tremendous splash. Herc backed away. He spotted that the thing had stopped moving before it suddenly rushed forward and up.
A hand surged up from the water, claws digging into the cement as the crowd recoiled as one being. It was human shaped and bulky, with dark blue and sea green camo patterns over barely visible dark grey, with black symmetrical claws and dark webbing between the fingers glistening metallically.
It wasn't a hand, Herc realised. It was armour.
Another joined it and there was a pause before a similarly armoured body lifted out of the water with a large amount of spray, landing on its knees with a wobble as it tried to stand. It didn't get far.
As the guards noticed the spear on its back guns were levelled at it, but Herc waved them down as he approached the being slowly. An irritated grumble filtered through the holes on the visored helm, before a hand reached up and flipped the visor out of the way.
Well.
He certainly hadn't been expecting that.
Eyes too large and too blue were set in a slightly boney, tanned face, with thin lips, flat ears and an overall young, and obviously male, face. His hair was the colour of sand, short and mussy like a surfer, and when he smiled at them his teeth were a bit too pointed.
His helmet was filled with clean, salty water, and there was gills on his neck.
Cocking his head, the merman- for what else could it be?- flicked a lever on its helmet. Herc took the chance to glance over its legs. Small, robotic looking. Idly, he wondered where its tail had gone. Presumably, on the quay behind it, if the kneeling was anything to go by. His lips moved oddly, but it was a clearcut, slightly too smooth perfect voice they heard. Translator?
"Father of boy Striker Ranger? Friend of girl Striker Ranger?"
"Y-yes." He stuttered.
"We found them." He said, matter of fact, though the grin on his face told a different story. Herc leapt forward and grabbed him by the shoulders.
"Where?"
Within minutes Herc had commandeered a power boat and was following the merman at full speed. He was swimming a lot like a dolphin, curving gracefully out of the water and sometimes doing twists and flips. Behind him there was the growing thrum of helicopters but he ignored it as the merman suddenly came to a stop and pointed toward a stretch of stony beach. There were a few more figures in the water but Herc didn't care. His mouth had gone dry and he haphazardly parked the boat before stumbling out of it and along the beach. The figure who'd been standing with his back to the Deputy Marshal turned, and Herc found himself facing his son.
Abandoning all dignity he ran up to him and was able to prevent a teary hug by noticing that Chuck was carrying Louhi bridal style, clutched to his chest. He still clapped him on both shoulders and gave him a watery smile, getting one in return. Behind them there came clicking whoops, and they turned around in time to see the merman who brought Herc there give them a jaunty wave and flip backwards into the sea. Turning back to his son he instantly began to speak.
"We thought you were dead." Then he looked to the still witch. "What happened to her?" To his surprise it looked like Chuck was going to bite his lip but instead he frowned.
"I don't know. She seemed fine when we first got here, but then she threw up and blacked out. I haven't been able to wake her."
"Come on, lets get you back to the Shatterdome." Herc urged softly, making a motion to take Louhi from him, but he drew back and tightened his grip on her. Looking closer Herc could see the red in his eyes and the paleness of his skin. Whatever had happened had rattled him, and he wouldn't take the comfort of his newest Drift partner from him. Instead he led him to the boat and got them both in before making their way back to the Shatterdome, this time with a helicopter escort.
When they arrived, the celebrations increased tenfold, though the sight of Louhi instantly brought many engineers, healers and witches running alike. Chuck clutched her tighter for a second before gingerly laying her out on the stretcher.
"She saved me." He muttered, and Herc was finally able to pull him into a hug as the witches pushed their way to her side.
"I know." He said, letting a few tears fall onto his son's shoulder. Through the suit he wouldn't notice anyway. Chuck eventually pulled back and smiled at him, though weakly.
"Kuningattareni!" One of the Finnish witches cried as she rushed to Louhi's side, and there were mutterings at that. Chuck knew (due to the Drift) that Kuningatar meant Queen- he assumed the 'eni' was a possessive like mine or our. But that didn't change the fact she'd been called a Queen. Did this mean that witch had forsaken Eerika to join Louhi? It wasn't just her. More people seemed worried in the same way, even witches from other parts of the world.
"What's wrong with her?" He asked them, and it was one he recognised as a healer that answered.
"She seems drained of magic, that is all. She has been stretched very thin...what happened to her?"
"She seemed alright but then she threw up and blacked out." Chuck repeated the same words he'd said to his Dad not long ago.
"It must have been strong magic." The healer mused as Louhi was rushed away. "Do you know which shield spell she used?"
"Shield?" Chuck frowned. "She didn't. She teleported us."
At his words most of the witches froze. One fell over, another seemed as if she were about to faint, and both Newt and Hermann dropped what they were carrying with loud crashes.
"And she's not dead?" The xenobiologist hissed, sobering almost instantly. Hermann instantly shoved him for it, but the damage was done.
"Dead?" Both Hansens yelled, before looking to her. Reassured by the steady rise and fall of her chest, they glared at Newt as Hermann dragged him out, and then followed the stretcher forcefully.
"Explain." Chuck growled at the witch healer, and she hurriedly complied.
"Well, such magic...it uses a lot of energy, especially on living beings. To teleport two humanoids, no matter how far, is extremely taxing. She is lucky the Lunar Peak tommorow will quickly restore her magic, or the aftershock could very easily kill her." Sharing glances, the two hurried to catch up with the witch's prone body. Both had words to speak with her.
Newt stayed silent as Hermann pulled him along. With the shock of Chuck and Louhi's arrival, as well as the way Louhi had saved them, the glowy effect of the Reisling had all but vanished. Newt gulped when he realised Hermann had pulled the two of them into the Hunter's dwellings, and when he was released sat gingerly on the corner of the bed and watched Hermann move about in a way that was far less graceful than it could be.
Eventually he had a cup of coffee thrust into his hands and took it automatically as Hermann began making his tea. He went to take a gulp but froze when he noticed Hermann staring at him with a blank face.
"Drink it." The Hunter ordered. "We drank three bottle of premium Reisling between us and I want you sober for this conversation." Lowering his eyes Newt quickly began to take gulps of the scalding brew and listened to the sound of Hermann elegantly doing the same.
"Why didn't you tell me, Newton?" Hermann finally asked, and Newt found himself automatically mumbling back,
"Call me Newt man."
"You are lucky I am even referring to you by your first name instead of simply Doctor Geiszler. Or Werewolf." He hissed coldly, and Newt flinched before he felt the hairs rise on his arm, and the coffee mug was dropped unceremoniously on the floor as he stood, barking out his response.
"Because I knew you'd react like that! People always get scared, or angry, and I knew you'd pull away or try to kill me! I didn't want that to happen! I didn't want to lose you!"
"Why?" Hermann asked quietly as he stood, and Newt felt his mouth go dry. He'd said too much, let out too much, and now he just wanted all of his secrets back. But Hermann...Hermann wouldn't allow that. "I want to hear you say it, Newton." The man warned as he stepped closer, and Newt squeezed his eyes shut as he shook his head, sitting down heavily on the bed. "I've been in your head. You can't hide it from me." The Hunter continued and Newt curled up with a whimper. This couldn't be happening. "Since the moment you met me, all those little thoughts you tried to hide and ignore." He jumped as he felt hands slide onto those he had wrapped around his knees and try to tug them away. When they didn't Hermann shifted and sighed, and he felt the warmth of it pass over his skin. "All those moments of awe, and attraction, and- why didn't you say anything?"
"...You would have hated me. I know you do." Newt mumbled into his knees, and he felt Hermann pull back. Letting out a sniff at the loss of the warmth he was totally unprepared for the attack that came next.
Hermann delivered a swift jab to his tailbone, and the involuntary muscle reaction that followed made him release his knees and jolt outwards as he yelped. A second later the Hunter had pinned his wrists above his head and was leaning over him, eyes dark.
"Say it, Newt." Newt was simply gaping at him, swallowing convulsively, and Hermann let out a growl to rival that of any werewolf. Leaning in, he moved his mouth right next to New's ear so the werewolf could feel every breath he took and demanded. "Say it."
"I love you, alright!" Newt shouted, squirming in his grip. Hermann pulled back, releasing his wrists but still kneeling on the bed, with a strange satisfaction in his eyes.
"Ditto." The english-trained Hunter grinned, and pulled the werewolf up into a kiss. Newt went willingly enough but pulled away after a minute.
"That's...what you...were annoyed...about?" He gasped, and the Hunter glared.
"Give me some credit, Newt, I'd figured out you were something more than human a little while ago." Then he raised an eyebrow. "Werewolf was a bit of a shock though." Newt gave him a small smile then frowned.
"But how is this gonna work?" He wheedled. "The whole monster/hunter thing?"
"I think we'll let Louhi and Chuck sort that out first." The Hunter hummed with a smirk that wasn't good for Newt's heart rate.
"Them- what- you mean-?" He spluttered.
"Um-hmm." Hermann hummed before pulling him into another kiss. This time, neither of them spoke for a very long time.
(They fell asleep! Nothing dirty! Get your minds out of the gutter...)
Which was when Newt sat up suddenly in the morning and swore. Hermann sat up next to him, pulling a knife from under his pillow, but relaxed at the terrified look Newt gave him.
"What is it?" He grunted, slipping it back under the pillow.
"It's the Lunar Peak tonight, and my shelter got destroyed when Otachi attacked." He blabbered. Hermann sat bolt upright next to him.
"Scheisse!"