(Fic) Black Edelweiss: Interlude 15

[black_sluggard]

Title: Black Edelweiss
Series: Zeitgeist
Follows: One Giant Leap
Wordcount: 539
Summary: Two weeks after Claire Bennet's televised leap from the Ferris wheel, the 12th handles it's first case delving into the strange world of specials. Evidence points the investigation toward a former Company Agent, a man Noah Bennet would swear up and down doesn't exist.
Details: Minimal details due to inflation. Full warnings and details in main post.



PREV: Chapter Sixteen // MAIN // NEXT: Interlude 16

Konrad & Haram—Odessa, Texas; 1983

"There you are," Haram said, once his eyes had focused enough to recognize the figure standing beside the window.

The words were quiet and strained because his throat was very dry, but Konrad must have heard them anyway because he turned away from the window. Konrad stared at him looking uncertain for a moment, though he finally moved closer, taking the chair sitting close to the bed. He didn't speak, however, though it seemed he wanted to. After several moments, Haram grew impatient.

"Was beginning to worry about you, hayati," he said sharply. "I've been in this bed for more than a week and I haven't seen you."

It wasn't until he said it that Haram noticed how washed out his partner looked, how tired. Konrad's expression turned anguished at the words and he looked away. It was startling and out of character, and suddenly Haram's pulse began to race.

"Konrad? What is wrong?" Haram asked, worry softening the earlier harshness from his voice.

Konrad closed his eyes, taking a slow breath.

"I have been by to see you, Haram," Konrad said, his voice tight. His eyes remained closed. "I've visited you several times. You just—"

Konrad's breath caught, strangling his voice.

"You just can't remember it," he finished, shaking his head with a weary laugh.

Haram frowned, and the expression pulled a cut on his face that made him wince. The doctors hadn't said anything about brain damage, but perhaps—no, he remembered well enough every minute of his time spent in the Company infirmary. Though he couldn't remember much of the mission that had landed him there, or apprehending their target, but then it made sense that he wouldn't. After all—

Looking at Konrad, Haram saw that his partner sat with his eyes fixed on the hands that rested in his lap. It was like he was grieving. The answer came to him suddenly. For a moment, Haram couldn't breathe. If it was as he suspected...

Haram tried to imagine it. He tried to imagine Konrad coming to him again and again. With no memory of past visits, each time Konrad came his partner's absence would have seemed longer, more significant. Each time he would have been more angry, and each time it would have hurt more—for both of them.

And, each time, Haram would have forgotten that hurt along with everything else...but Konrad would remember.

"Come here," Haram said, softly.

He watched as Konrad looked up at him, seeming to debate with himself before finally moving closer. Once he stood beside the bed, Haram gestured with his good hand for him to lean down. Konrad obeyed, and Haram lifted his hand to grasp the back of his partner's neck, dragging him down gently into a kiss.

Konrad's breath stuttered against his lips, but he eventually gave in. The kiss was long and slow, and careful for reasons that had nothing to do with Haram's injuries. When they finally broke from it, Haram let his hand rest on his lover's face as he reassured him softly.

"Do not worry, hayati," he said, "we will find a way."

And Haram didn't know if Konrad believed his words or not—he only hoped it was the first time he had said them.



PREV: Chapter Sixteen // MAIN // NEXT: Interlude 16

---

Author's Note: Haram is probably tied with Ruth Meisner for most obscure canon character in this fic. He appears in one four part comic, "Golden Handshake", and is mentioned in Claude's assignment tracker.

Why did I decide he was Konrad's lover? Honest to God, I don't really remember anymore.


Translation:
hayati – "my life"

Comments

[game-byrd.livejournal.com]

This is great. And I'm glad that Javier wasn't the first same-sex partner he had. Glad that it was a permanent trait and not something that came out of nowhere.

[black_sluggard]

There have been a few other mentions in earlier interludes that Konrad was bisexual, but they were all fairly blink-and-you'll miss it.

At Auschwitz (before shit hits the fan), Adam makes a comment about Konrad oggling one of the officers. After his wife leaves him, Konrad thinks about how Adam had gone to great lengths to make it clear their friendship would never be anything more...

And then there's that chapter where originally Konrad was just going to tell Hiro about the raging infatuation he had with Kaito.

And thinking about it, I've since remembered why I picked Haram when I planned these scenes over a year ago...

Dark skinned, surly, ex-military, partner relationship—clearly, I was trying to establish Konrad as having a type.

[game-byrd.livejournal.com]

Ahah! Yes, he has a type. I'd noticed the thing about Adam, mostly because I was sensitive in the sense of Adam's orientation. I've always read him as a very heterosexual guy. I figure over the years he's experimented and that when push comes to shove, a mouth doesn't have a gender and neither, for the most part, does an ass, but as far as someone he would love? Has to be a woman. Canon establishes too many female partners without a mention of so much as a close friendship with a male, for me to put him as anything but straight.

I'm so glad I'm reading your fic. I like nice plotty fics like this!

[black_sluggard]

I agree about Adam. Early on I'd considered having Adam and Konrad as a past-tense thing, but it felt more "Adam" for it to remain one-sided.