So, yes, it is true, I have never seen „Aliens" until last week.
A regrettable omission since it gave a whole new meaning to the whole "Call me Newt"-thing.
I wanted to share my newly-gained information, but as I could not just post it as a new chapter and Valentine's Day was just a few days ago, I wrapped it into this Valentine short.
It is February the 14th, the room is dimly lit and still, but bright flickering and screeching noises come from a monitor positioned at perfect viewing angle from the dark-grey sofa.
A table right in front of the sofa holds a wild and colourful collection of candy – gummi bears judging by the very artificial brightness, although on closer inspection the "bears" reveal a suspicious multitude of limbs.
Huddled under a huge woolly blanket on the couch are two men, one of them infinitesimally more fond of gelatinous polypods than the other, but the generous supply remains untouched nevertheless, because all the attention of said man is fixed on the movie playing in front of his eyes.
He is balancing right on the edge of the sofa, his fingers grabbing the blanket tightly, his face, illuminated by the LED-shine, – a picture of utter rapture.
The other figure remains further leaned back in the cushions. It is hard to tell, since his features vanish in the shadow, but it does seem like he is fighting a yawn and then his head slowly starts to sink towards his right shoulder.
This shocking lack of dedication to the task of sharing a romantic Valentine's movie night goes unnoticed by his seatmate, whose wrist nevertheless connects harshly with his belly, eager to direct his attention to an especially enjoyable scene and he sits back up straight with a start, disoriented for a moment.
But this adorable display of confusion, too, is lost on the other man whose eyes have not broken away from the moving images. "Look at that – Ripley in the Cargo Loader fighting the Alien-Queen – it's practically a kaiju-fight. Such a visionary movie. Amazing isn't it?"
Hermann, hiding his short lapse of alertness, watches the unfolding scene with a growing frown. "Yeeeeaah, no. Not really. Really not. Using an exosuit is not the visionary thing about the Jaeger at all. It's the neuro-connection, as I'm sure you are aware of."
He looks to his partner searching for acknowledgement, but Newton isn't even listening as he remains glued to the screen, a wide grin threatening to split his face in half.
The mathematician rolls his eyes in incomprehension and snuggles deeper into his seat as the remaining minutes of film play out without another word spoken.
When the credits start rolling, Newton finally turns around to face him. „So? What d'you think?"
Hermann treats him to a crooked grin: „Well, at least now I know your big role model in life is a seven year old girl. That explains a lot."
The biologist draws himself up in fake indignation. „Hey – Newt is awesome. Amidst all those oh-so-butch marines she is the one who survived on her own. And she can take care of herself. Did you see her handle that facehugger?"
Nodding slowly the other makes a show of sizing him up. „True, she sure is tougher than you. And smarter – you won't see her getting all infatuated with the Aliens that are trying to eradicate the human race."
This gets a pout from Newton and he looks actually miffed as he drops back down on to the cushions. „You know, a lot of people wonder why I'm infatuated with you and you never complain about that." he grumbles.
Hermann scoffs, unperturbed. „I find that hard to believe. Who exactly wonders about that?"
„Well, …" his partner starts fidgeting as he gets more defensive, „I can't … name anyone right now."
„I shouldn't think so." the other nods again, this time seemingly satisfied at receiving the expected answer. „However if people knew I spend a whole night watching questionable, tasteless movies with you, just because some clever salesman came up with the market strategy of declaring February 14th a holiday for gullible sentimentalists - that would certainly make them wonder and rightly so."
"You know," Newton starts again, his voice just that little bit smaller, "if I wasn't such a good-looking and awesome rock star-scientist who saved the world and what not – which does wonders for your ego, not that I need it, but if I wasn't – the way you act could make me feel a little insecure."
This draws a disdainful snort. "Ridiculous. How on earth could you doubt my affection for you after a day like this. Drawing such poor conclusions would be beneath you."
"Gosh, thanks. That makes me feel all warm inside." the biologist mutters, to himself, but not low enough.
The other throws his hands up in exasperation. "What else can I do?" he asks. "We did everything you wanted to do, all day long and I sat through all your favourite movies. Why are you still moping?"
This apparently is the last straw. "Because you were grumbling and complaining through all of it!" Newton bursts out angrily. „You are complaining so much, sometimes I wonder if you even truly want this relationship or just feel stuck with a weird obsession."
Hermann looks at him blinking slowly, once, twice.
Then he leans in on the man who has moved away from him during the last exchange. „Are you seriously implying that I do not want to be with you but lack the will-power to break up with you?" he asks, sounding incredulous and a little bit intimidating. „The flesh is weak? This is preposterous. I'll have you know that I could break up with you any time I wanted. Anytime. But," and here the indignation drops from his voice, „I don't want to. Why would I? I'm perfectly content with things as they are. It would be completely irrational to break up with you."
When Newton doesn't answer and just gives a forced-looking smile in return, the other turns and starts fishing around behind the sofa. Coming back from there his arms hold a box wrapped in glazed paper with a black and silver stripe-pattern. „Anyway, I got you this-"
At first Newton seems a little suspicious of the gift and starts opening it cautiously. But his eyes go wide with glee as he pulls a black plastic figurine from the box. „Oh my God, it's huge." he exclaims and puts it on the table in front of them.
„Yes." is all Hermann manages to reply as he contemplates the enormous Alien sculpture on his living room table.
The look on his face does not go unnoticed. „ You do realize that if you give this to me, I will put it on display somewhere in this apartment?" the presentee asks with a hint of irritation.
His partner nods stoically. „I am well aware of it, yes."
Believing his suspicions confirmed by that reaction, Newton gives him a sullen look. „So, is this another thing you are going to spoil by constantly complaining about it in the future?"
Hermann cringes a little. „Well, in aesthetical terms it certainly is the decoration equivalent of a nasty punch to the lower abdomen, but …" He turns away a little and the rest of his sentence is lost in mumbling.
„What?" the other asks grabbing his arm to turn him back round again. „I didn't catch that. What did you say?"
"I li ha'n yu sta nd." is the desperate but completely unintelligible attempt of brave syllables to fulfill their communication task through barely opened lips.
Undiscouraged Newton keeps pulling at the man who is trying another evasive maneuvre: „What? What was that? I really can't understand you."
Seeing no escape Hermann finally gives in and looks at the other with a mixture of disgruntlement and defiance. „I like having your stuff around, all right? I'm happy you moved in. So-"
That last word is left hanging in the air, but Newton does not need him to elaborate. He grins and snuggles back against his lover. "Me too."