Marc meets them at the airport. It's raining harder in Hamburg, and the winds are colder. Roman's stomach is in knots, despite all the long talks with Deniz and late-night phone conversations with Marc.

All the talks in the world can't grant him reassurance. They've taken their whole lives and come north on this mad gamble, and Roman wishes he were at least a little more sure of its outcome.

But Deniz takes his hand as they walk towards Marc, who awaits them with a crooked smile and a "hi" that includes them both, and Roman breathes a little easier.

*

They must have said things, but Deniz doesn't remember, later. Stiff, stupid things, probably, the kind he has no patience for. If it were up to him, he'd blurt the challenges and awkwardness out right here in the airport, but Marc is cautious and polite, and one look at Roman's pale face makes Deniz reconsider.

Outside, the wind blows hard, messing up Marc's hair as they pack up his car. Deniz has never seen it ungelled. On impulse, he reaches out and ruffles it, grinning at both of their surprise.

He shrugs. "Looks better that way."

Roman smiles too. "Agreed."

*

The apartment is his, as they are all much too aware. Marc talks rapidly about flat-hunting, listing neighbourhoods they might like.

Roman squeezes his hand and smiles warmly. "It'll be fine until we've found something bigger. Right?" The last is to Deniz, who has been looking around. He gives them both a nod before leaning in to nudge Roman's forehead with his own. Marc takes a step back and is surprised when Roman's hand pulls him in too. Deniz doesn't protest. For a moment their heads all rest together. Marc doesn't dare breathe, for fear he might break the spell.

OMG this is beautiful. Truly. Roman's nerves. Deniz's desire to charge right in. The triple forehead bump. It's all so perfectly in character and you make it work in 300 damn words. Crazy genius woman *bumps forehead*

Excuse me while I just go into mad squeees of delight here. Three perfect little glimpses of the start of their new life - this could not be any better, even if it was longer. In fact, it's the preciseness I love in each snapshot, and how you captured the slow progress from nervousness to icebreaking and finally to possibility in just these three steps.

Gahhhhh this is wonderful. I love their nervousness and how it seems so fragile and yet you come away with hope because you get to see all sides and how they're trying to make it work.

So lovely.

When I read the prompt, I braced myself for sadness. I love you for turning "the end of all things" into a new beginning and such a lovely, hopeful one. I love the brittleness of the characters here, their fears of making a wrong move, their determination to make things work and the warm feeling this piece leaves in my heart, convinced that these three will rock this. Beautiful!