'This was it' He told himself. Today was the day.
Reinhardt thought this with excitement flowing through every part of his body, mind, and soul. Today, he decided, he would be asking the hovering astrophysicist to marry him, and as peculiar as it may seem, an eccentric guy like him shouldn't be worried, right?
Wrong.
Tremors racked his body as he obsessed over what he would say when he faced his lover. He paced along the edge of his grey colored room with more than enough apprehension to power a city as it crept up his throat. Would he choke up? Would he back out at the last minute? Would his lover say no?
The man is lost in his mind when someone knocks at his door, pulling him away from the thoughts eating away at him. He takes an unsteady breath in and exhales slowly to ease him of his troubles. He is hesitant to open the door, as he fears his lover will be on the other side. He stops for a moment to remember something they had told him once of a feline held within a box, Schrödinger's cat to be precise.
The knocking continued once more, again pulling the aged man out of his mind. He yanked the door open only to be greeted by an unsettled sniper. She looked up to Reinhardt, cocking her head to the side only for a moment before a heartwarming expression filling her expression. After a moment of silence, the taller of the two ushered the smaller inside, feeling her smile to be contagious.
"What brings you to this old dog's abode?" Reinhardt asked if only to hide his seemingly unending fear. She smiles at her friend, shaking her head with disbelief. "You know your consternation is not invisible? I could sense it a mile away as a cheetah to a dying gazelle." Ana teased her friend, nudging him with her elbow.
He nodded and let his smile be washed away by his fear. Ana sat on the bed, making a quick motion beside her as if asking her friend to sit beside her. He obliged, taking a seat on the foot of the bed. He let his head lie in his hands as he sat forwards. "I worry of the possibilities, mein fren. I worry Siebren will deny my proposal." He let a weary sigh pass his lips as he dug his eyes deeper into the palms of his hands.
Ana set her gaze on a mirror set on the backside of the door and smiled. She stood and eventually took hold of the reflective material. She stood before him and held it up for his reflection to engulf the mirror. "Reinhardt. Look at this person and tell me what you think is wrong about them."
Reinhardt looked up, narrowing his eyes at his friend. "What for?" He asked, starting into his reflection with hidden disdain. Ana replied softly, her words as warm as a lovely spring day. "Just tell me anything you don't like that you see."
Reinhardt studied the reflection. His eyes traced the outline before him as he gave it a gruff, yet sharp exhale. "The body is too scarred. The eye, the scarred over one, too frightening. The height, too intimidating." He listed things off of his head as if he held a grocery list of things he disliked within his mind.
Ana hummed lowly, thinking of how to word certain things in ways he may understand. She set the mirror back up after setting a slow pace to and from the door. She stood up straight and looked her dear friend in the eyes with a loving smile. "Your scars map the battles you fought to save others with your life on the line. The scar over your eye gave you the ability to be grateful for your sight a little bit more, did it not? And it isn't frightening, more a symbol of your bravery. And while yes, it may catch people off guard, but I assure you they see a hero when they see that scar. Your height may be frightening to some, though only at first sight. You remember when Fareeha first met you and nearly thought you were a bear?"
She took a moment to laugh and remember the moment, Reinhardt smiled and laughed quietly. Ana continued. "Once someone gets to know you, they will see a compassionate, loving man with the structure of a warrior. A protector of the people, if I may add." She said with a smile, her eyes gleaming with admiration.
"Listen to me. I know that even if Siebren may seem a bit odd and his mind may.. Confuse some of us, some more than others," She laughed lightly, causing Reinhardt to follow along, laughing heartily.
Ana sat beside her friend and held his hand, looking into his eyes to make sure he'd been listening. "You and Siebren will make the perfect couple. I promise." Reinhardt had listened closely, a deep sigh finding its way out slowly. "I should get going, ja?" He asked as Ana stood. "Yes. I wish you all of the luck I have left." She smiled and nodded to him, leaving soon after.
Reinhardt stood and left the room, stopping only to hesitate until the words Ana spoke of resonating within his mind. In his right palm sat a sixteenth century astronomical ring he knew that Siebren would fall in love with.
Well.. Hopefully, anyways.
He marched towards the astrophysicist's room, his nerves building with every step he took. His hands shook, nearly causing him to drop the ring four times. He repeated the words he had prepared in his mind a week and a half prior. He hoped things would work, prayed even, despite his atheism.
Reinhardt finally arrived at the scientist's door, moving his hand upwards to knock. He stopped, however, as doubts started plaguing his mind. His heart pounded in his ears, deafening all other sounds surrounding him. He felt as if his heart stopped, or had gotten stuck in his throat as his breathing was cut thin. Scenarios of the worst possible endings ran through his head, his idea of proposing becoming nearly futile.
Then, in some stroke of luck, the door swung open to reveal a lab full of equipment, glass containers, oddities, and various other things. Yet, a certain hovering astrophysicist was to be seen within the large room. Reinhardt allowed himself inside, delicately moving aside anything he may trip on or push off of a table.
However, as careful as he tried to be, his hand only momentarily brushed up against the edge of a beaker, resulting in it to fall and shatter on the ground. He leapt back, gasping sharply with fright. This alerted the astrophysicist as the dutch man rushed out of the side room, which Reinhardt assumed was his bedroom. The two locked eyes for a moment before the taller of the two began cleaning.
Siebren smiled as he cleaned the debris, his sharp, yet welcoming voice cutting through the air towards Reinhardt.
"So, Did you barge in here only to wreck my equipment?" He asked, a playful tone engulfing his voice. Reinhardt nervously scratched the nape of his neck with a light smile. "I apologise, I guess I hadn't seen that on the table, (my love)." The levitating male laughed quietly. "You're okay, Rein. I promise." Siebren assured the German, smiling warmly. "For what do you bless me with your presence for?"
Reinhardt felt as if his stance had turned predatory, his shoulders pulled back and tense and his gaze sharp. He felt his left leg move backwards a step. His body froze unwillingly, silently cursing himself as it did so. He stood, unmoving as prey would in headlights. A breath eventually left his lungs, breaking the sickening silence that circled them.
Once again, he'd been calmed by Ana's words that felt as if spoken a lifetime ago. He slowly loosened his muscles, easing his stance. He began to recite the words in his heart, his soul leaking out with every word. "Siebren, you take my breath away with every discovery, with every movement you make, and with everything you say. There is no doubt in all of the universe that we were meant to be. There is no one else in the world I'd ever dream of being with. What I'm ultimately getting to is.. Will you marry me?" Reinhardt finally let loose his heartfelt proposal, kneeling down on his left knee and opening the sleek, black box he had held behind his back.
He was sure he won over the astrophysicist. But something was off the longer he traced over Siebren's face.
He hadn't moved.
Siebren's eyes flickered between the ring and the German's face. Tears began to fill the hovering male's eyes, spilling over as he clasped a hand over his mouth. Reinhardt stood abruptly and walked forwards, his expression switching from gentle to frightened. He set his hands on Siebren's shoulders after dropping the ring in an attempt to hurry over.
"Siebren, please-" He began to let loose a string of apologies when laughter erupted from the taller of the two. Siebren's hand that had been over his face lowered and he embraced the man before him. "Yes, you big idiot, Yes-" He answered, smiling through his tears. They stayed like this for a couple of comfortable, silent minutes. He spoke again, pulling away to look the puzzled German in the eyes. "I'm sorry if I had troubled you, my love. I was just surprised by it all." He said with a warm, loving smile.
Reinhardt let his jaw drop as his shoulders went completely slack. His cheeks had dusted over with a harsh, crimson red. He proceeded to stand straight up and pick up the ring box again. He knelt down again and opened the box to reveal the astronomical, spherical turning ring. The astrophysicist widened his eyes, a couple of stray tears rolling off his cheeks as he moved forwards and placed the ring on its respected finger.
He leapt forwards, once more embracing the German and letting their lips interlock. They stayed like this for a while before a sound at the door, followed by hushed whispers, interrupted them. Siebren pulled back, his cheeks painted a gentle rose as he made his way over to the door. He swung it open to reveal Lúcio, Hana, and Jesse. Hana stood up and smiled innocently, though Lúcio shouted out before Jesse could begin shushing him. "You two are married now, right?!" He asked, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
The two inside of the room exchanged looks and, looking back to the group standing outside the door, Reinhardt smiled gently, nodding with delight.
This led to the astrophysicist's blush worsening as he turned and hovered away rather quickly, his movement powered by embarrassment. Hana giggled quietly and ran in past Reinhardt to tackle the levitating man's legs, knowing she was beyond too short to reach his upper body. He gasped and looked down, laughing once he realized who grabbed him.
"I'm so happy for you!" She nearly screamed, smiling up at Siebren. He looked down and lowered himself to give her a proper hug.
Hana faced him with a bright smile and stepped back. "You've gotta tell everyone!" She suggested, excitement filling her speech. Siebren shook his head vigorously and spoke before even letting Reinhardt have a say in the matter. "No, Absolutely not. And you aren't to peep a word about this to anyone." He crossed his arms, looking down at Hana.
Reinhardt turned to face the taller male with a curiously raised brow. "Why? Wouldn't everyone wish to know?" He questioned, cocking his head to the side. Siebren shook his head once, subtly, towards the German, a sign they had thought of when others had been within the area.
Reinhardt, although unknowing of the reason as to why the knowledge shouldn't be shared, respected his lovers decision and looked back to the three crowded at the door. "Nein, This is to be kept under the radar, ja?" He asked, giving a stern, focused look to each of them. The three nodded with understanding smiles.
After a moment or two, Reinhardt ushered them out with dramatized speech, groaning out stereotypical things old men would say. "Shoo you hooligans! I may be old but I can still chase you out!" He laughed after playfully lunging out at the three standing out beyond the door. They ran off, laughing wildly.
He turned around after shutting the door then, smiling at Siebren. "So, truly together now, hm?" He asked, his warm blush returning. Siebren nodded, moving closer to plant a delicate kiss on the shorter man's cheek.
"I have said it one billion times, and I will say it one billion times more,
Ich Leibe Dich."