Chapter Text
The sound of a child laughing filled the air as Henry ran around, holding two birds he had sewn together. He always loved acting like Victor Frankenstein; he wished to be like him when he grew up. Henry jumped around and went to go find his brother, who was sitting by a tree, his hair almost covering his whole face from how long it was. Mortimer tucked a strand of it behind his ear and flipped the page of the book he was reading—it was one of his favorites—Treasure Island.
Mortimer looked up when he heard his brother calling out his name and giggling. He rose a brow and put his book down, a soft smile on his face as his little brother showed him the bird he had made.
“That looks… wonderful Hen, you are such a smart boy huh? How about you go show mum?’’
The older brother grinned, while Henry made a happy sound. He nodded, putting the bird away for a moment to hug Mortimer, who tried to pull away…he hated hugs.
“Thank you Morty!! I spent lots of time on it. I’ll be back in a moment!”
Henry grinned, running off with the two sewed birds back into the large house. Mortimer sighed and grabbed the book he was reading. He was just about to open it and start searching for the page he was on, when all of a sudden he heard a strange noise, a whisper. t was…it was a beautiful noise, like a song, a strange melody that drifted through the wind, fleeting, drawing him in, calling out to something, to someone. He perked up and looked around, there, just on the edge of the woods, hidden in a circle of trees, was a small lake, a pond. He walked over slowly, being careful to not get hit by branches, and bent over it. The melody continued, it was there, he needed to come closer.
Mortimer ran his hand through the water, feeling the coolness of it all the way to his veins, his hands quickly starting to become cold. He swore this water was never as black as this. It was always much lighter, sometimes dirty but never enough to be that shade of black. He kept moving his hand in the water, causing small ripples and waves in it, finding its beauty hypnotizing. There were no plants in it, and there seemed to be no animals either—just the pond. He wondered how deep it was, how far below it went. He knelt down and got even closer to it, wanting to see if he would be able to feel the bottom of it with his hand. He reached down, until he was pulled in.
The book of Treasure Island still laid by the tree, waiting to be opened again. Henry looked back at it, at that spot where his brother sat just a few moments ago as he was being dragged inside by his mother, and wondered where his brother had gone.
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Mortimer spent the whole next day pacing around and looking at the society. His brother seemed to make a great start to whatever he was making for himself. He remembered how when he was younger his brother would always make things by himself. He knew Jekyll loved Frankenstien a lot and wished he could've seen it for longer…he doesn’t remember a lot ever since he fell into the lake.
He shook his head and let out a huff, looking around before he spotted a man he didn’t see the night before. Walking swiftly down the hallway, almost looking like he was going on a mission. Mortimer grinned as he followed the man, using his cane for support. His leg has been acting out a lot lately, he needed to eat something. Mortimer came up behind the man and placed a soft hand on his back almost scaring him.
“Bloody hell!?” Lanyon turned around facing the other as he did so. His eyes widening at the sigh of the man he had never met in his life. He looked almost so similar to Henry it was eerie…what was happening? “Henry?...”
A scoff was let out by the other, “No. Not your dear Henry. Everyone always loves him better! Hah! No…My name is Mortimer Jekyll.”
Mortimer stuck out his hand for a handshake, a smirk on his face as he did so. Lanyon backed away for the moment, pulling his hand away from the other. Mortimer pulled his hand away and scoffed, rolling his eyes before leaning on his cane. His fingers curling around the edge, his fingernails didn’t even seem like fingernails anymore. They were clawed like an animal that could slash someone’s chest right open and rip something out.
“Mortimer Jekyll?...Are you related to Henry in some way? How are you even here?” Robert exclaimed, giving a salty look as he continued to keep an eye on the other who seemed to stand before him. “Well…yes I am. I am his brother, bet he never told you about me huh? Seems like my brother really never liked me.” Mortimer chuckled, a smile that seemed unreal stuck on his face, canines sharp like a dog’s.
Robert seemed to back away from the other again, eyeing him and trying to understand who he was. A soft hum left his lips as he did so, looking at the other deeply. He didn’t understand how Jekyll could have a brother but never told him about it. Maybe some type of freak accident happened, which is why Henry never talked about him. Or something else more horrific…
“But why come now? After how many years of knowing Jekyll he has never brought up having a brother or even knowing you.”
Lanyon crossed his arms, glaring at the elder man who just chuckled once more before stepping forward. His cane making a clink against the ground as he did so before pushing Lanyon, the man stepping back with a grunt.
“Oh Hastie. How silly of you thinking Henry is the man who is perfect like he claims he is! No…he hides many secrets he never would tell anyone, even you.”
Mortimer swung his cane around, making the scene more dramatic than it needed to be, before smirking and shaking his head.
“He has lied to you dear Hastie, he has lied to everyone he loves.”
“Don’t you dare call me that.”
Lanyon snarled. Mortimer had been getting on his nerves since the beginning of meeting the man.
“Leave the society this instant, you shan’t be allowed in here till further notice!”
But the other did not budge, he only grimaced at the man before walking off without a wordoing back to finding his dear old “perfect” brother.
Robert stood there dumbfounded. N, no one ever just ignored what he said. He looked down at the floor before rolling his eyes and walking over to Henry’s office. The door was closed as per usual, Henry always locking himself up in his office and never taking care of himself. He knocked on the door.
“Henry, it’s Robert I’m coming in alright?”
“Hm?…oh Robert. Yes yes come in please do.”
With that Robert opened the door, walking into the office where he saw Jekyll hunched over his desk, writing something down swiftly as his quill moved at a pace he had never seen someone write in before.
“So Henry…this brother of yours. Why have you never told me about him? Why all of a sudden he shows up out of the blue!? It doesn’t make sense…his presence doesn’t sit right with me.”
Jekyll looked up from his paper and sighed, putting down his quill and rubbing his temples. All this talk about Mortimer being back had been stressing the poor man out. Hearing Hyde talk about him in the back of his mind was making him want to tear his own hair out.
“Robert, dear, listen. Mortimer is my long lost brother okay? Though I will say nothing is bad about him, he is very kind, just…introverted.”
Henry smiled softly, looking up at the elder.
“…fine. Whatever you say Henry I believe you. Though please get some sleep, you seem to be extremely tired. More so than usual.”
“Yes I know, I just didn’t sleep well last night. That's all dear Robert.”
Henry explained.
With that, Lanyon walked out of the office and shut the door. Henry sighed, running his fingers through his hair. He needed to eat, but he didn’t feel like getting up. This whole situation has been horrible.
“Oh poor dear doctor, the good doctor who is sooo stressed about his dear poor brother. His brother who is finally back in the picture after being dead!”
Hyde laughed, swirling around the mirrors before coming up behind Jekyll with a grin. His hands gripping onto the man’s shoulders.
“Hyde please leave me be! I’ve had enough stress and anxiety this morning, I do not need more to be added on by you. Plus I haven’t slept my best…”
“You never sleep well Jekyll. You are an insomniac and a workaholic…but anyways! Mortimer seems to be causing a ruckus between you and your deep lover Robert!”
Hyde grinned. He loved making fun of Jekyll’s love over the other founder of the society.
“Oh shut it Hyde. Leave me be please I need to get this work done!”
He shouted, as he looked behind him Hyde seemed to disappear back into the mindscape. Finally…peace and quiet to himself.
Despite the silence, he felt like someone…or something watching him from afar.
He was not alone, was he…