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They discussed other options, but when it boiled down to it, Newton ultimately decided on a simple tattoo on his left ring finger, a careful sprawl of numbers and letters in an equation that only a handful of people would be able to recognize- Hermann, of course, being one of them.
Unlike Newt, Hermann isn't fond of too much attention, so they ended up getting married one rainy afternoon in London, eight years after their first meeting and two years before the PPDC starts to shut down all the jager bases around the world. When they do finally end up in Hong Kong, no one has time to pay attention to them, let alone notice they get assigned a single sleeping quarters.
Mako Mori, though, isn't like most people and she seems to catch on, smiling when she sees them in the halls. On the rare occasions that one of them is seen out and about without the other, Mako will engage them in conversation and ask about the other's well-being. This particular time, Newton is heading to the cafeteria to grab some food and Mako catches him in the hall.
"Dr. Geiszler!" she calls, and Newt turns around and smiles.
"Oh, hi, Miss Mori. What's up?"
He keeps walking, though, and Mako keeps step with him so they can chat.
"How are you?"
"I'm…good. Yeah, good. Busy."
He's full of manic energy, as always, fidgeting with his tie or his shirt sleeves as he walks, and after exchanging some pleasantries, they make it to the cafeteria and Newt grabs a tray full of food, probably enough for two people- and Mako really suspects that the doctor is getting food for Dr. Gottlieb, as well. They start to head back the other way, discussing this or that about the program and different parts of the restoration of broken down jagers and other equipment, and after a slight lull in conversation, Mako nods towards Newton's left hand.
"It's a cute idea, your ring tattoo," she comments, and Newt seems startled at first that she caught on, but shrugs sheepishly.
"Yeah, well…I was worried I might lose a real ring. You know, in kaiju guts or something." After a moment of thought, he adds, "Hermann- Dr. Gottlieb- has something different." He doesn't elaborate, and Mako doesn't ask, and they depart to go separate ways a little while later.
A year later, when Raleigh Becket is brought to the Shatterdome, Mako stands with him in the crowded elevator with the Marshall and Doctors Geiszler and Gottlieb. When Newt starts rolling up his sleeves, she notices the way Raleigh's eyes drag over the skin, examining each likeness of kaiju and looking for familiar faces. When he gets to Newt's left arm though, his eyes stall on the ring finger of his hand, the only sign of ink past his wrists.
"What's that for?" he asks, leaning closer to look, and both Newt and Hermann go very, very still. Before anyone can say anything, however, Marshall Pentecost clears his throat and directs their attention to something more important, and Mako can see the way Newt visibly deflates. A few seconds later, they leave the elevator, and the two scientists who make up their research department depart with the wheeled containers of kaiju parts.
After that, things get a little busy. Very, very busy. Mako and Raleigh are welcomed back to the Shatterdome with congratulations, hugs, high fives, and everything else, and despite the losses suffered by many, a giant celebration seems to break out. Mako stays by Raleigh's side, watching various members of the PPDC move about, drinking and laughing and having a great time. As they move through the group, they pass by Newton and Hermann, both of whom seem to be vaguely inebriated.
Newt's speech is slurred as he rambles about something to Hermann, whose face looks more relaxed than normal. Mako turns and watches Raleigh's look of confusion as he notices the position the two scientists are in, squished together on a bench, with Dr. Gottlieb's injured leg hooked over one of Newton's, their hands resting comfortably on each other's bodies, and foreheads pressed together. They keep walking, making their way through the crowd towards somewhere more quiet.
"I thought they hated each other?" Raleigh finally asks, and Mako shakes her head and lets a smile slip.
"No, they actually care about each other very much."
"Okay, but," Raleigh frowns some more, and Mako can't help but think his face is adorable like this, "They fight like an old married couple?"
Deciding to take pity on him, she shrugs, "That is probably because they are an old married couple."
She won't admit to it, but she takes great joy in the way Raleigh's entire perspective on his two co-workers change, and shakes his head.
"Well, that actually explains a whole lot. Why don't they wear wedding rings, though?" He's staring at his own hands, Mako notices, and although she's not sure it's her secret to tell, she leans in conspiratorially anyway.
"That tattoo on Dr. Geiszler's finger you asked about is his wedding ring. Dr. Gottlieb has something different," she explains, and she can feel, vaguely, a sense of confusion that is not hers. She knows she and Raleigh are probably experiencing side effects of the Drift, and just pats Raleigh on the shoulder. They end up talking about something else, and once they get somewhere more quiet, end up just holding hands and sitting pressed close together, not unlike the position they saw Hermann and Newton in earlier. There might be a desire for other things, but for now, they both need comfort and care, and that's enough.
In another part of the Shatterdome, Hermann and Newton had made their way back to their quarters. Newt drank a bit more than Hermann, and dutifully drinks the glass of water shoved his way, and then they're undressing for bed. Once settled in, Newt doesn't even hesitate before shoving the plain white t-shirt that Hermann is wearing up to his collarbone so he can press his lips to the small, perfectly rendered lines of code over Hermann's heart.
"Every day I ask myself how you talked me into getting that," Hermann sighs, long since used to Newt's weird behavior and need for reassurance.
"Kind of like how I talked you into marrying me, huh?" Newton replies, resting his chin on Hermann's chest and smiling up at him.
"Don't be ridiculous. I'm the one who asked you to marry me."
"As if! I asked you first!"
They continue their old argument, but there is no real heat in their words, and their bickering ends the same way it always does, with Hermann kissing Newt to shut him up, and Newt smiling like that's what he wanted all along.
The loud partying from the rest of the Shatterdome continues on, but neither of them notice.