Chapter Text
Doctor Jekyll had a very, very long day.
He wasn’t the type to admit it or let it show, but he was very tired and very much would rather go home.
Alas, his assistant had demanded he go to Soho and pick up the wallet from his flat, and if Jekyll intended to go out that night, he would need the wallet. So, despite his feet being sore from milling around and his voice sore from talking with potential funding clients for his current project- the Society for Arcane Sciences- he trekked all the way to Soho, up the stairs, and grabbed the wallet from where it had been dropped in the scuffle that turned the flat upside down.
Jekyll sighed at the mess, he would have to clean this, his assistant would certainly never, despite it being his home.
He shook his head, turned, and walked back out to the street, giving the sour landlady a pleasant smile and wave.
Rain dribbled down in mist as he walked along familiar streets, out of the seedier districts to where the Society sat. He could see the smoke from the chimneys two blocks away, and it brought a smile to his face, this could be a good evening after all. His friend, Doctor Lanyon was waiting there with their lodgers, and they’d surely know how to cheer him up. Good wine, snacks, stories and-
Someone lunged from the darkness, startling the doctor from his musings as he shouted in surprise. Dressed in black, Jekyll barely had a chance to acknowledge their presence before they reached into their coat and splashed something foul in his face. He coughed and spluttered, swallowing some by accident and feeling more go up his nose and in his eyes.
Admittedly, he swore, using his cloak to try and wipe his face clear as he looked for the stranger.
They were running away ahead and he scowled. “What a rude person… No no, this stuff seems harmless, nothing’s burning anyway…”
He sighed, drawing himself up straight and marching onward, home again.
In retrospect, he could have called a cab, but visiting Soho could’ve sprouted some, rumors concerning the nature of his connection to his assistant. Dangerous business, couldn’t have more rumors than what already existed.
The stairs of the Society were slick and he climbed them slowly, knocking on the door and being let in by the familiar face of Ms. Flowers.
“Doctor Lanyon is waiting in the dining hall with the others,” she explained, taking his hat for him as he removed his cloak. “We’re, all rather excited to hear the news.”
“Then I must hurry shouldn’t I? And why ruin the surprise by telling you?” Jekyll said with a sly smile that made Flowers giggle.
“Of course Doctor. Come on, let’s go!”
They walked quickly towards the dining room, full of sound and laughter and wine as the Lodgers had gathered for dinner. Lanyon had joined them on a whim, knowing Jekyll would come to tell them the news and wanting to meet him of course, but it all had turned out quite fun! And his eyes lit up even brighter as Doctor Jekyll entered the room with Ms. Flowers.
A hush fell over the gathered Lodgers as Jekyll clapped a few times. “Attention, attention everyone! I’ve got good news!”
“Did they agree to fund us?” asked one of the lodgers, Mr. Doddle, smiling eagerly.
“Well, not only did they agree,” Doctor Jekyll began, “They-” and his voice caught in his throat.
He put a hand to his chest, brow furrowed and face pale, “No no no…” He could feel his heart racing in his chest and a familiar ache beginning to spread from his joints inward.
Lanyon stepped closer, “Henry? Is something wrong? Do you feel ill?”
Jekyll raised a hand, “No no I’m, I’m fine. I just, suddenly I, I…” He leaned on the table, head beginning to swim, feeling like he was standing on the verge of a cliff. Lanyon placed a hand on his back, trying to say something, but Jekyll couldn’t hear him over the thundering of his heart and his racing thoughts.
And then-
Drip
Drip
Drip
Strange, greenish goop dripped onto the table, and with a shaking hand, Jekyll reached up to confirm that, indeed, it was coming from his nose.
“Henry, what’s wrong?” Lanyon asked again, watching his friend’s eyes grow wide.
But he couldn’t answer, as a powerful shudder overtook him, forcing him to double over as his whole body began to convulse. A shout went up as he collapsed, back arching as something horrible began to happen. His friends watched in horror, those who were not closest clamoring for a look, as his bones cracked and skin shrank, hair changing length and color-
Until Edward Hyde, Doctor Jekyll’s assistant, lay there, looking stunned and horrified.
“Henry what-” Lanyon began.
“No no that wasn’t supposed to happen,” Hyde said over him, eyes searching all over. “Something, something’s wr-AGH!”
His body spasmed and he turned, vomiting that strange green substance once again as the change began all over again.
“Miss Ito! I need a sedative!” Doctor Lanyon ordered, hovering and watching in horror as Hyde slowly, painfully changed back into his friend.
This wasn’t going to stop.
Oh god, it wasn’t going to stop!