Chapter 4: Part 4: Torschlusspanik
Summary:
Jeff and Ehren decide to try to have a "normal" relationship, or as close to normal as is possible when one of you is dead.
Notes:
I'm back! The writer's block I was having finally worked its way out and I'm writing freely again. I know where the story is headed, it's probably going to be another 10-chapter deal because that just feels "right" for me, and we're moving ahead. I'm up to part 8 where things are getting very dramatic and spicy, but for now, let's just celebrate these two falling in love.
The name of this chapter basically is the German version of FOMO. You feel like time is running out and want to enjoy things while they last.
Chapter Text
The last thing Ehren remembered was stumbling exhaustedly into the Hans-Eisenmann-Haus at the bottom of the mountain. Xier had tried xies best to get out of the park before sundown, but had clearly bitten off more than xier could chew with that assumption. On a good day, Ehren could hike for miles, and so xier had. So utterly spent had xier been when arriving at the visitor center that xier hadn’t even minded when the employees had frantically dialed 112 saying a “young lady” had collapsed in their lobby.
For the past two days, Ehren had been in hospital. There had been a raucous debate on where to send xier—initially, xier had been sent to a much smaller one in Schwandorf, but upon disclosure of xies rare disease, they had felt ill-equipped at helping and had transferred xiem. Now xies final place of rest was much closer to Munich, at Krankenhaus Martha-Maria München. There, xier had been evaluated thoroughly, having xies legs inspected, spine surveyed, and heart and lungs checked to make sure everything was in tip-top shape. Despite insisting that xier often walked long distances without issue, xier feet had been assessed and also found to be without worry. These “better safe than sorry” procedures had lasted the better part of the day and had only served to exhaust Ehren more.
It was then all the more startling, since xier had been sleeping, to have awoken to a soft hand wrapped around xies, and see a broad-shouldered man sitting in the bedside chair.
“Did I wake you?” he asked, softly.
“Is this a dream?” Ehren asked in return.
Jeff explained that no, this was no dream, and in fact it had taken some doing to get there. He regaled Ehren with a fantastical tale of his friend whisking him off to the land of the Æsir, who were the gods of old, and asking permission to use the Bilröst.
“It’s the only way I could get here,” Jeff explained. “It was easy enough to track your energy, apparently since we… Well, it made me able to sniff you out, see.”
A grin spread across Ehren’s face. Certainly that experience hadn’t been a dream; nothing xier could dream could ever be so wonderful. But then Ehren addressed the major question.
“Why did you come?”
Blushing slightly, looking down through his thick glasses and lashes alike, Jeff had confessed, “I had to see you again.”
Ehren tried to sit up, but Jeff touched xies chest softly, then fetched the bed remote. They relived the encounter, Jeff again apologizing for scaring xiem, and Ehren in turn apologizing for assuming the worst. Jeff asked how xier knew of him, his crimes, and Ehren explained that in xies first significant relationship, xier had been with a girl of the Schwarze Szene, the German equivalent of a goth. She had collected vintage medical instruments and had participated in “dark tourism.” In 2011, the twentieth anniversary of his crimes, she had traveled to Milwaukee and gone on a tour that culminated in going to the former site of the Oxford apartments. Jeff had rolled his eyes at this; he hadn’t known of such tours, and surely, he wouldn’t approve of capitalizing off of his atrocities. What was worse, Ehren’s ex had also gone to see the Berghof on April thirtieth, Der Führer’s birthday. This trip, when they had both been nineteen, had resulted in an angry exchange of words that had ended a four-year relationship. At the time, Ehren had been a lesbian; after some soul-searching, xier had thought that maybe xier was straight.
“I spent many years confused about myself. If I was a woman attracted to women, how could I also desire men? How could I feel queerer as I desired a man than as I did when desiring a woman? When I went off to university, I met my first trans person.”
Ehren then lamented to Jeff that doctors had advised xier to be cautious when starting HRT, as their heart was already weakened from past damage to xier aorta.
“But no doctor could understand how desperately I found myself wanting to be masculine. I am thin, and this is a part of my disease, but I do want a more refined musculature. That has led me into medical research, I want to make sure that someone like me who desires it could transition safely.”
Jeff thought to himself carnally that Ehren, despite the flaws xier saw in xies body, was already undisputedly masculine, but kept these opinions quiet.
“Well, hey… are you allowed to leave yet?” Jeff asked, to which Ehren sighed.
“I wish I could, I feel fine, but they probably wouldn’t clear me.”
Jeff sulked initially, until he broke into a devilish grin. “You might not have to wait.”
Peering cautiously over his shoulder, Jeff then took Ehren’s hand in his, with Ehren side-eyeing him suspiciously, if not without some amusement. Jeff’s hand then began to glow that familiar golden glow, and yet again spread to Ehren.
“Tell me you’re not—”
It was all Ehren could say before the both winked out of existence.
Seconds later, Ehren and Jeff reappeared in xies Munich home. Ehren, overcome, lowered xiem selbst into a squat with xies head hung low. Xier said something softly to xiem selbst that Jeff didn’t quite catch, so he asked xiem to repeat it.
“I said you’re like fucking Dr. Manhattan.”
Jeff cocked an eyebrow. “Is that someone from the hospital?”
Snorting, Ehren replied jovially, “No, you fool, he’s a comic book superhero. You’re an awful lot like him, in fact, he is often shining and nude.”
Jeff blushed furiously. “Umm… I’m sorry about that.”
“Old news.”
“No, but I mean it—I wish I hadn’t been so uncouth when we first met.”
Ehren pealed out laughter which was louder, but had the same mirth. “You are such a gentleman, for a serial killer.”
Jeff, still slightly embarrassed, nevertheless cracked a smile. “Well, that’s good to hear.”
Ehren suddenly rose, taking at first a few ginger steps to test xies composure, then went to shut the living room blinds in both sets of windows. Confused, Jeff opened his mouth to ask the reason, until Ehren began to take off xies clothes. Xier closed the distance between them, rubbing xies long, thin fingers over Jeff’s Adam’s apple, then took xies second hand and rubbed the thumb over his lips. Ehren then replaced xies thumb with xies own lips, causing Jeff to shudder in pleasure.
“Show me how you would have done it better,” Ehren whispered.
To which, Jeff ran both of his hands down each of Ehren’s thin flanks, then over xies ass. He then softly gnawed on xies bottom lip before bringing one hand around to gently caress xies t-dick. Gazing down at Ehren as xier made wanton sighs of lust, Jeff soughed, “You’re magnificent.”
Kneeling, he languidly kissed his way from Ehren’s jaw, across xies collarbone, to xies small tits. His lips closed over a nipple and he sucked it generously, then left kisses across to the other side before he sucked the other. He then kissed his way down Ehren’s stomach until he found himself at xies folds. Ehren used xies head to gesture to the couch, and so they lay down together. Ehren then touched xies tits xiem selbst as Jeff went down on xier. For a man unaccustomed to making love to an afab lover, he seemed to know what he was doing. It was not a difficult concept to understand—concave versus convex, internal versus internal. Jeff licked in and around Ehren’s cunt with abandon, causing xiem to tremble with the ecstasy of it all. Wordlessly, xier took one of xies hands and grasped Jeff’s cock, eliciting a whimper.
“If you don’t get this thing in,” Ehren breathed, “I’ll put it there myself.”
Jeff heartily complied.
Ehren’s hands stroked Jeff’s shoulder blades as he slipped inside xiem. For the next several minutes, all the two of them knew was hushed words of sentiment, labored breathing, and sighs of happiness, coupled with the sounds of two bodies pressed together. It amazed Jeff how different it was to take a trans man—to top someone while being able to look into their eyes. Ehren snuggled xies face into the crook of Jeff’s shoulder, rubbing xies nose softly against the skin, leaving small kisses and whispering endearments. “You feel divine,” he heard, a sentence that almost left him in tears.
Jeff titled his hips at an angle, catching that same bundle of nerves, causing Ehren to arch xies back and cry out. Xier brought one leg around Jeff’s, xies thin foot stroking his calf, and bucked xies hips up into him. Jeff then endeavored to hit that same spot again and again until Ehren was a quivering mess beneath him.
After their orgasms, Jeff tickled Ehren’s earlobe with his tongue as they basked in their mutual pool of endorphins. Removing himself, Jeff spooned Ehren, his hands stroking xies arms and flanks.
“I’m beginning to think that I would like you around,” Ehren confessed, xies eyes closed sleepily. “What if you stayed here? With me? What would happen?”
Jeff thought about it a moment. Then, his face burst into a wide, warm smile.
“I will.”
One year later
Ehren beamed proudly onstage as a recipient of xies master’s degree. It was an especially poignant moment considering that neither Jeff nor xier had believed xier would be able to ascend the steps to get onstage. Indeed, there had been moments where they hadn’t been sure Ehren would even be alive.
In truth, Ehren had been reaching the credits necessary for graduation six months ago. However, a sudden downward turn in health had forced xiem to take a necessary absence to recuperate. As was common with Marfan syndrome, it seemed that Ehren’s prognosis had worsened: barely thirty, xier had been diagnosed with heart failure.
A rainy night had seen the lovers in bed, as was customary, however the reasons had been uncharacteristically bleak. Through floods of tears, Jeff had cradled Ehren as xier had sobbed hysterically, lamenting xier future, lamenting their love. What had begun as a triste had blossomed into something unlike either had ever known. Jeff had slowly begun to reject his former selfish nature and instead tried his best to focus on Ehren’s wants and needs. The power dynamics had reversed, so that Jeff himself was now the kept secret, biding his time at home as the minutes and hours ticked by. He didn’t dare leave the domicile for even a short period of time, despite Ehren’s assurances that no one would know him. Not only was he convinced he was notorious as he’d been decades ago, he wasn’t sure if anyone could pick out his ethereal qualities from those around him. Not that he considered himself perfect, far from it—that differed from Ehren, who was as close a thing to heaven as he felt he’d ever come. Every inch, every mole and freckle, every dimple and crinkle, every jutting bone joint through xies skin, every giggle and inflection, every idiosyncrasy of thought both spoken and contained within xies mind… Jeff found himself asking where such a man had been all his life, despite knowing full well that Ehren had not yet been born. If not for the fact that death already separated them, Jeff would have made vows, “’til death do us part.” And Ehren, despite admonishing Jeff on many an occasion for his life’s sins, held a profound compassion for him, going so far as to frown if he should ever self-deprecate in any shape or form. Jeff admired Ehren’s studiousness and intellect, whereas Ehren admired Jeff’s tenacious determination to better himself. They fit together like hand in glove, which is what made the news even more devastating.
On another morning, Jeff found Ehren on the eastern balcony of the home, a mug of tea long since forgotten on a small table. There were tears long since dried on Ehren’s cheeks. He had asked what plagued his lover’s heart on a seemingly beautiful early morning.
“Having you around hasn’t just been beautiful,” Ehren began, at first avoiding the question. “It’s been changing me, ever so slightly.”
“Whattya mean, baby?”
Sniffling, Ehren replied, “I saw what I believe was my fylgjur today.”
Jeff knew the old myths, and he received this with a knot of dread in his stomach.
Ehren continued, “I used to think I wanted to be an animal scientist. Go out into the field, take photographs, track populations. This was because my father had a subscription to National Geographic. Ironically, it was another one of his magazines that made me desire medicine instead. But see, the NatGeo magazines, they have these large, pullout centerfolds of images of Africa. How I adored those! And somehow, I got really attached to a bird I’d have no hopes of ever seeing in real life. It’s called a secretary bird.”
With a sardonic bark of a laugh, Ehren then explained that xier had seen one today.
“I didn’t want to wake you. I slipped from out of your arms and I went to the canal, even before sunrise. And it flew in over the buildings, and it landed right in front of me. It had a snake in its beak, they eat snakes. It cocked its head and looked at me, square in the eye. If you’ve never seen one—a picture, I mean—they have gorgeous eyes. Large and brown, with eyelashes. And it stared straight through my soul, and deep inside me, I knew that no one else could see it but me. It was an omen. My reckless nature, I push myself too hard, and now I am going to die.”
With the last word, Ehren’s voice cracked, and xier broke down and sobbed in Jeff’s arms once again.
In time, they both decided that the omen was either wrong, or it would not come to pass yet.
Ehren’s master’s research project, which planned to link cardiovascular health to forest bathing, had been a phenomenal success, and it had come upon him much on accident. Rather than waste xies spoons on xies usual extended hikes, Ehren had taken to going to a local park and simply sitting under any number of its trees. Feeling particularly glum knowing that xies diagnosis all but ensured that xier would never be approved for HRT, Ehren had closed xies eyes and drifted into quiet contemplation. The wind in the leaves above xies head sounded like words of reassurance and sympathy. And that’s when, like a blessing from the gods, Ehren had been struck with serendipity. It had been something the instructors at IPEK had been much enthused about, considering not only their investment in up-to-date research but Ehren’s own health. What was more, so little research had been done involving transgender patients. It benefitted everyone, and it took Ehren’s mind off many things. It was the confidence boost xier needed, and the research boost the school had needed.
Nevertheless, Jeff found that no matter what, Ehren was all man, and would always be one. He often found himself whispering endearments to xier during their lovemaking.
“You sexy, man, you.”
“You’re a beautiful, beautiful boy.”
“You’re the man of my dreams.”
Other days, Jeff would practically edge himself, so riled up by Ehren’s teasing before heading off in the morning. Now that xier had xies degree, xier was looking forward to getting enrolled into xies doctorate program. A selfish part of Jeff, a remnant of his humanity, wanted nothing more than to keep Ehren home and fuck xier whenever he wanted. Sometimes all it took was a glimpse of xies tits or ass as xier got dressed was enough to get him ravenously horny. But, as he was learning now as he never learned before, people were not sex objects, and he loved Ehren much too dearly to ever reduce xier to such.
Love? He often asked himself, could it be?
Among the unanswered questions he had lurking in his mind about his identity, this was yet another. All his memories from his human life had transferred over—where did that leave his sickness? Or was this all just a matter of finally knowing a man as a complete human being?
Cradling Ehren to his chest, he also found himself asking, How can I be dead, and yet I feel all the feelings of being alive? Was he truly dead? Had he been reborn? Could anyone but Ehren see him? How could Ehren xiem selbst see him? Was it because his lover had one foot over the line into his world?
One day, while Ehren was out yet again, Jeff peered into the study at the foreign object sitting upon the desk. For all intents and purposes, it looked like the laptop he had once had, however had barely used. It was, he knew, much more complex. He wasn’t even quite sure how to turn it on. After examining it closely for several minutes, he cursed to himself and, throwing caution to the wind, decided to teleport himself to a library.
In a desolate corner, he eyed what appeared to be another, larger computer, and with some delicate prodding of “the Force,” managed to turn it on. Using the same measured psychokinetic movements, he clicked the browser, then clacked the keys in word patterns. Searching “mythology,” he eventually found names and figures he recognized. He was just eyeing up a page on Wikipedia about his own “species” when, unexpectedly, someone sat down next to him.
Jeff froze, not moving a muscle, not even blinking. He had no idea if the portly man knew of his presence. He watched him go through the same motions of navigation, but then watched him plug in headphones and place them into his ears. To Jeff’s astonishment, he then navigated to a website that Jeff had never seen before, much less known existed, and began browsing through videos. Only, this wasn’t YouTube. This was—
Oh, Lord and Savior, Jeff’s mind lurched. This can’t be happening to me. Why, why does this stuff always happen at the library?
The man, round-bellied, balding, folded his arms and grinned perversely as he enjoyed pornographic material. Behind him, Jeff began to hyperventilate as a man began to folate another man on the screen. He clenched his hands into fists and kept his arms locked at his sides. Invisible or not, he had no business giving into his urges, as he still wasn’t sure if they still dwelled deep inside his brain. He began to sweat and tremble as the man chuckled, sipping coffee out of a tumbler, staring at the muted filth upon the screen. Suddenly, a third man walked into frame, and began to masturbate over the other man’s backside.
It was all too much to bear. Against his better judgment, Jeff sat back at his own station and undid his belt. Matching the man in the video, he rubbed himself lasciviously. He tossed his head back, sighing in pleasure, sucking his bottom lip, grinding his back teeth. The man watching the porn only sat and grinned, making no move to pleasure himself, so Jeff allowed himself to forget he was even there. He squirmed against his hand, Adam’s apple bobbing, eyelashes fluttering, climbing higher and higher, his stomach tightening. He felt his asshole clench, and then hit his zenith.
“You!” barked an accusatory woman’s voice.
Jeff’s eyes snapped open and he flushed in humiliation. For a second, he was sure he would get the cops called on him. But then he remembered, he was dead, he was invisible, which meant he wasn’t the target, for once.
“This is the second time, one more strike, and you will be barred from the premises, abweichend!”
Stumbling away awkwardly and nauseously, Jeff exited the building. He didn’t pay attention to where he was going, only skittered off, mortified and chastising himself for his relapse. He sat on a bench, sweating now from a decidedly different sort of body heat, and buried his face in his hands. He hadn’t even noticed himself seated by the canal until he heard a booming male voice.
“Dahmer! I have been sent by my son to speak with you!”