Everyone at the high school, staff and students alike know the Biology teacher and the Physics teacher do not get along and their constant bickering can be heard through the halls of the school during almost every passing period.
"Mr. Gottlieb?" He was grading papers, with a quick glance up over his glasses he sighs and presses his lips together in a tight "Yes, Mr. Becket?"
"I didn't really uh, get last night's homework," he trails off and Hermann grabs the paper from his hand and taps the chair next to him. Raleigh sits down as Hermann walks him through it, smiling as Raleigh gets the next few on his own. The weird pride he feels at seeing the kid understand is short lived when some of the students start looking out the window. He looks out the window by his desk; the biology teacher is out there pin wheeling his arms. He watches and notes how intense all the girls' stares are and shakes his head. How could he handle that? He's lost in thought when something explodes against his window.
In his twelve years of teaching physics at The 'Dome and seven of those twelve years being spent yelling and fighting with the biology teacher never had something like this happened.
"Mr. Gottlieb, sir." He looks for the voice, Mako Mori, the principles daughter, she looks worried and he realizes he's knocked his chair over and he can't imagine what his face looks like to these teenagers.
"If you haven't finished last night's homework do it now, and please," he grabs his cane and moves towards the door "keep your talking to a minimum." He flings the door open and the force sends it cracking back against the buildings wall.
Newton Geiszler has been the biology teacher for 7 years and each year he comes up with more and more ways to push, in his opinion, the stuffiest grandpa of a teacher, over the edge. This though, was not planned at all, and the minute the door had opened Newt knew he was a dead man.
Newton –Newt- Geiszler's biology class stood in a large crowded group, all of their eyes focus in on Hermann. "Mr. Geiszler!" He's moving quickly towards the biology teacher who is trying to blend in with his group of students, it would have worked but his sleeves are rolled up and none of the students here have tattoos that bright. Some of the kids are murmuring a 'this is gonna be good' and a few of them are shouting 'kiss and make up'. Needless to say both teachers are red with embarrassment
He cowers and puts his hands up in defense as Hermann gets closer , and his entire class takes a collective step back. "Oh gee thanks guys!" Newt says over his should and a few of the kids pipe in with a 'don't mention it teach'. Hermann is right in front of him and shit yeah he's fucked up he's never seen that look on Hermann, that murderous 'I'm calculating how quick I can beat your ass with my cane' look.
"Hermann the German, my main man, my math buddy, hey you know that blue gunk was- it was science, one-hundred percent science. I was totally not attacking your classroom or you." He stumbles when he tries to back up and ultimately lands hard on his ass and Hermann towers over him. "I was explaining cells to the kids, my aim was way off, I mean if it wasn't I would totally be a baseball player or something, but I'm seriously sorry dude."
"Dude? Mr. Geiszler, I am your colleague I am not your dude or bro. This," he waves towards the blue mess on the window "This will not go unnoticed, you should think about watching your back in the future, Mr. Geiszler." He turns and allows himself a small smile at the threat he's just served up before he heads back to his class.
Newt has a substitute stand in for the next two days. The smile that stays on Hermanns face for those two days can only be described as shit eating as he drinks his coffee in peace in the break room, teaches his class, also in peace, and grades papers afterschool yet again in absolute peace.
The next fight Newt and Hermann have is, described by students, world war III.
It starts when Newt shows up during the middle of Hermann's class about a month later on a Monday while he's giving a lecture on energy. He just sort of stands there with the door half open, not fully inside the room, crisp air mixing with the awkward warmth built up by student bodies. Hermann turns around and he breathes out an "Oh lord what now Mr. Geiszler?" Newt takes it as his queue to speak.
"D'ya have some Expos, my last one just kicked the bucket." The look on Hermann's face could freeze an entire city, Newt decides before fully stepping into the room, allowing the door to shut.
"For God's sake man, go to the office!" Hermann shouts, and Newt shifts his attention to his feet, most of the students are torn between watching Hermann and Newt while a few others take down the last few notes on the powerpoint slide.
"Yeah… The office won't give me anymore; they said I was 'abusing' the resource when I used them to draw monsters." He mutters like one of his students who doesn't really know the answer to the question but raised their hand because they figured they wouldn't be called on.
"You are an absolute joke Mr. Geiszler, trouble someone else." He says, adjusting his glasses, never taking his eyes off of Newt.
No one moves, and finally Hermann gives in and tosses him a blue expo that's on his desk.
"Thanks dude!" Before Hermann can even yell at the man he's out the door and the kids start to talk about their weekend plans.
He goes off campus for lunch and eats in the silence of his car when he spots Newt sneaking out of his classroom. Hermann shifts in his seat to see where the teacher is off to before he gathers his half eaten lunch and stalks off to his classroom.
The three connected chalkboards in the far off corner of his classroom that were covered in lesson plans, daily goals, and shaky formulas have been cleaned off to make room for a massive monster like creature. By the creature's foot is a brand new box of blue expo markers.
'Thanks dude' is scrawled in Newt's nearly illegible handwriting.
Instead of the anger Hermann knew he should be feeling he smiles, but it disappears almost immediately because the bastard not only used up most of his chalk but he also erased a week worth of work and no matter how nice the gesture was Hermann was beginning to boil over.
The week that follows is calm, too calm for Hermann's taste. He decides to spend some time in the teacher's lounge, even goes over the local paper and looks absently through car sale ads. He feels completely at peace, so when Newt spills the black sludge he calls coffee all over Hermann's parka he almost cries. Before Newt can even apologize, because shit he didn't see Hermann he swears to god he didn't even see him and oh fuck is he going to cry oh shit, Hermann is halfway down the hall shaking with anger.
Newt knocks on the physics door during their lunch hour and gets no response. He tests the door and it isn't locked so he opens it slowly and pops his head in. Hermann's back is to him as he scribbles down formulas with a blue expo and he definitely doesn't watch as he stretches to write a few numbers at the top of the board. Totally doesn't admire the stretch of his ass, that's ridiculous so he doesn't do it. He clears his throat and catches Hermann off-guard.
"Hey, man… Earlier, I didn't see you I swear to god man I didn't and I want to pay to get your coat cleaned…" He trails off and walks inside, pulling the door closed behind him. He scans the room, the layout of the desks and the way the physics teacher's desk is nothing short of organized chaos and is set in such a way that he can see everything that happens from his desk. He smiles when his eyes land on the chalk board, his monster is still there and he moves closer, weaving between the desks to stand next to Hermann.
"I'd rather you not touch my coat, you might cause even more damage to it." Hermann says sharply and Newt fights the urge to kick the man.
"I'm offering to pay to have it cleaned. For fucks sake Hermann!"
"For fucks sake Hermann?" The man mimic's and Newt stares in horror as Herman looks Newt dead in the eye, his jaw locks and his eyes are rimmed red.
"Oh… Oh shit dude are you okay is your leg hurting? I always keep some advil with me just in ca-" He stops when he feels Hermann's breath against his face and as he looks up he can see the faint dark circles under the man's eyes. He holds his breath when Hermann presses his mouth against his, and slowly moves his hand to cup Hermann's face. "Hermann," Newt murmurs, and the physics teacher is pulling back quickly, smoothing a hand over his shirt.
"Mr. Geiszler," he begins, taking his glasses off. "I have worked here for 12 years; in those 12 years I have never wanted to physically harm one of my coworkers until I met you."
Newt could feel the sting of tears in his eyes. "I'm gonna leave…" he turns to make his way through the desks, desperate to leave the room and hide.
"Mr. Geiszler you will sit down right now." Newt flops down in a chair by the chalkboard in the corner of the room and goes rigid as Hermann clicks towards him. "In the 7 years we have known each other you have made almost every day a true nightmare." His voice shakes. "Sure some of the things should not bother me, and I figured the balloon incident was as bad as it would get but this, you ruining my favourite coat is truly where I draw the line." He runs a hand over his face catching a few wet trails on his cheek.
Newt's mouth hangs open slightly and his jaw locks as his eyes water more; he unconsciously clenches and unclenches his hands.
"It would be best if you stop all your behavior towards me. Stop picking fights, stop ruining my things, stop ruining school property, and stop interrupting my class." He turns around and goes back to writing formulas and Newt leaves the class room and stumbles to his car to cry in private.