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Chapter Text

In theatre, les trois coups (the three blows) are hit on the floor of the stage with a stick called brigadier, just before the start of a performance, in order to attract public attention for the rise of the curtain.

October 1886 - Somewhere in Soho

Utterson looked down at the flask he was holding, his hand shaking.

Maybe this is the solution. The answer he had been looking for the whole time.

The liquid was a bright, chemical green and seemed to be still boiling inside the small glass container.

This could be dangerous; he had no idea what this would do to him.

But time was running out. And it was not his life which was at stake.

No time to balance the pros and the cons, no time to calm himself down and think of a better, more sensible plan or to call for help.

His fingers closed around the flask, gripping it tightly before Utterson cracked it open.

He prayed God for a second to help him, then swallowed the mixture in one gulp.

…

The empty vial rebounded on the pavement as Utterson dropped it, his hands clamped around his throat.

The lawyer gasped and coughed violently, his hands leaving his throat to clench his chest.

It was like he was boiling inside!

While the pain was spreading from his torso to his entire body, Utterson’s mind was invaded by a series of memories and repressed feelings – either old or new.

No, he was not boiling, he realized it was an arson! It was like he had thrown a highly flammable product on dying embers, and now the fire was raging him from the inside.

Passion. Anger. Longing. Love. Impatience. Desire. Need to be heard. Need to scream.

Need to play. Need to act the role he wanted to get for so long.

Seek the truth. Seek the answer…

And there it was.

The pain stopped as abruptly as it had started. Utterson collapsed against the wall, trying to catch his breath. Still shaking, he raised his hands up to look at them, then slowly looked down to scan himself.

He was thinner, lanky, his skin looked paler and a bit dry. His hands went to his face and hair, his moustache was gone and so were his -few- wrinkles, his hair had grown out past his shoulders and felt soft, a quick glance revealed that they had gone from dark brown to pearl blonde (if he still had white hair, they were invisible now!).

He shook his head, now was not the time to admire himself!... but he could, no, he would make an impression! They wanted to play. Then so be it!

His hat and coat were left behind, his hands quickly rolled up his sleeves before rearranging the rest his clothes.

I am not Utterson the lawyer right now. He thought as he picked his cane up.

Three times he hit the ground with it.

Trois coups.

The curtain rises.

“And now, the show begins.”

A young, unkempt man walked with a determined step towards the building where he was expected.

Chapter Text

September 1885

In this very moment, as Mr. Hyde stepped into the pale light of the streetlamp, Utterson was questioning if he had not allowed his personal feelings to take over his reason.

The other man was smaller, quite lean with long slender arms and spiky fingers; he looked frail at first glance, but there was something menacing emanating from him. Mr Hyde removed his hat from his head, revealing messy, wild black hair; and at last, Utterson could finally put a face on the name whose owner had plagued his dreams. Scarlet eyes were glaring at him and pointy teeth were exposed to him as the young man scowled.

For a second, he felt an unexplainable wave of nostalgia when he stared into the red eyes, and at the sight of a thin, delicate face framed by curly black hair. However, it did not last, Hyde was staring at him with a ferocious expression, he felt like a deer facing a starving wolf. His face was… indescribable. All he could see was malice, cruelty and corruption in his features. He just prayed his discomfort was not visible on his face as he nodded politely and said:

“Now I shall know you again. It may be useful.”

Utterson was starting to doubt the appropriateness of his investigation; he felt a sudden embarrassment as he recalled how he had stayed there, in the street, for several nights in hope he would meet this mysterious Mr Hyde in person. Had he been really that daft? How could he do such a thing?

But at the same time, how could he just sit idly? One of his oldest -and dearest- friend had made this very man his sole legatee, and he had heard from a reliable source of Mr Hyde’s misdeeds! And while Utterson was aware that his cousin Enfield sometimes enjoyed gossips more than he should, he knew the latter would not lie to him about such things.

…

However, much to his shame, his worry for Dr Jekyll was not as pure as he would like it to be. But he pushed the thought asides, this was not the moment to dwell on his personal feelings.

Hyde had not answered yet, he kept staring at the lawyer. Utterson suppressed a shiver, wondering what the younger man was trying to do. If he wanted to intimidate him, he would certainly not give him the pleasure to know he succeeded. Utterson stood his ground gently (on the outside), raising his hand only to put his monocle back in place whilst maintaining eye contact.

Finally, a disturbing smile appeared on the smaller man’s lips.

“Yes, it is as well we have met;” there was something in his voice that set Utterson on edge, and he could not pin what. Hyde took a step closer “and à propos, you should have my address.”

If it was not for his experience in stressful situation and dealing with “obnoxious” clients or opponents, Utterson would have run away the moment Hyde took that step. Fortunately, he stood where he was and learnt coolly the man’s address, which was in Soho.

“Forgive me for not inviting you in, I cannot allow myself to do so in a house that is not mine.” the sudden politeness sounded off, even more with the sickly-sweet tone Hyde was using. “But now that you have my address, you know where to find me.” the dark-haired man stood on tiptoe, bringing his face closer to Utterson’s. “To see you again would be a great pleasure for me.”

This time, the lawyer could not repress the shiver that ran down his spine, nor the startled gasp as a long, slender finger ran up and down his chest. Hyde chuckled at his reaction, put his hat back on and walked away to unlock the door. Before entering, he turned back to him, waving the business card he had given him earlier, when he introduced himself.

“Or I might come visit you, since you so amiably offered your services. I am in a dire need of a suited lawyer, after all.”

He brought the card to his lips, kissed it with a sharp noise and waved it towards Utterson’s direction before disappearing inside the house, slamming the door behind him.

Utterson remained there, frozen to his spot.

What was that?!

What just happened? Did that man… blow a kiss to him?!

Utterson did not want to believe it, but the way Hyde had spoken to him, his intrusive touch and demeanour…

No, that man had just done that to unsettle him. It had to be it. Surely, since he had hidden how uneasy he felt when the demon was showing hostility, he went with a more subtle -perfidious and vicious- tactic.

That must be it. Hyde took pleasure in his distress, he just wanted to have the upper hand on him.

Or maybe not. Maybe it was what he had feared all along.

Hyde was “interested” in men, older than him based on what he just witnessed; and the chances that he had taken Jekyll as his caretaker for his generosity were slim.

Oh, Jekyll, what is that man doing to you? What does he have against you?

“Mr Utterson?”

The lawyer almost jumped at the call and turned. It was his housekeeper, Mrs Lindon.

“Sir? Are you alright?” she asked gently, obviously concerned.

“Yes… yes, I am, thank you for your concern Mrs Lindson.”

Lost in his thoughts as he was, he had not even realized he had reached his home, he was grateful he made it without troubles.

The housekeeper did not seem to believe him, but she had the grace not to press any further. And he could not blame her; he was a man of habit, and lately, he had gone outside way later than usual in the cold, of course she noticed and would question it.

“Is there anything I can get you? A nice cup of tea, perhaps?” she proposed, fidgeting her hands.

“A cup of tea would be lovely.” He tried to smile at her but knew it would most likely be a grimace. “Please, bring it to my study.”

The old woman nodded and hurried to the kitchen.

Once Utterson reached the desk in his study, he gripped the wood, heavily breathing. His whole body was shaking as he tried to calm himself down, muttering under his breath some monologue from a play -he could not even tell which one- then another, until his shaking lessened.

Those eyes. This voice. The way he moved. His touch. His icy skin and aura…

The memories of the nightmares came rushing in, causing more uncontrolled trembling. Utterson tried to take a deep breath in, but he hardly could. He collapsed on his chair. His breath came out as gasps and he held a hand to his throat, desperate for air.

I am scared.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

“What was that?!”

Hyde startled both at the outburst and the brutal change of his reflection. Jekyll appeared in the mirror, looking furious.

“What was that?” he repeated, gritting his teeth. “Why this attitude? Have you lost your mind, Hyde?!”

So-called Hyde snorted before bursting into a frank laughter.

“Since when are you concerned about what I do, Jekyll?” he asked between giggles. “And what kind of question is that ‘have you lost your mind?’, ha! Are you trying to make me die of laughter?!”

“Stop laughing and answer me!” Jekyll hissed, his cheeks reddening in embarrassment. “Why did you do that to Utterson? He didn’t deserve to be tormented like this!”

“Oh yes, dearly beloved Gabriel Utterson…” Hyde cooed, wiping a tear of laughter. “What makes you think I was doing that to torment him, hm?” he put a hand on his hip and tilted his head, smirking at his alter-ego. “Maybe I like him and wish to get to know him better? Sharing your memories is a thing, but I never got the chance to meet him before tonight.”

He walked in front of the mirror and pretended to readjust his clothes and hair before Jekyll’s confused expression.

“I must say, he is quite a handsome man, as he lives and breathes. No wonder you kept thinking of him when I was laying with those men.” he chuckled when the older man’s eyes widened. “You thought I didn’t know? Of how you got your kicks imagining he was the one, taking you from behind? Of how you were fantasizing about how his hands, his mouth, his moustache would feel against your skin? Of what he would whisper into your ear as he…”

“STOP IT!!!” Jekyll had put his hands over his ears and was now shaking madly his head in denial. “I would never- Utterson is one of my oldest friends, how could I- I am a gentleman!!”

“You certainly are.” Hyde sneered again. “But I am not. What stops me to go and take a stab?”

The doctor gasped in indignation.

“He would never let you near him!” he stormed. “Utterson is a good man, he deserves better than to be used to satisfy such urges! Don’t you dare hurt him!”

“Yes, a true gentleman…” the younger alter-ego sighed, looking mockingly wistful. He greatly enjoyed the way Jekyll looked down in shame, pressing his lips together. “He is important to you, so you don’t want me to go after him, right? But I am growing quite tired of those slobs in Soho, they were good enough at the beginning but now I crave something different.” He ran a finger down the mirror and stopped on where Jekyll’s heart would be. “Something you too crave, don’t you? So how about you just stay in the back and enjoy it like you usually do?”

The doctor remained silent a moment before a smirk formed on his face, catching Hyde off guard.

“Yes, this would be entertaining to see you try.” He chuckled in turn. “I wonder how long you will hold on before realizing Utterson will never be interested in you.”

Hyde huffed before hissing “I take up the challenge!”.

Chapter Text

“Have you heard about Dr Jekyll?”

“Dr Jekyll, the famous philanthropist? Who has not heard his name at least once in London?”

“Well, he has not shown himself much the past two years, so one could wonder.”

“He’s still true to his reputation though, for he still makes generous donations to various charities.”

“He used to organize charity balls himself, do you have any idea why he stopped?”

“I heard the good Doctor was overworked by his patients!”

“No wonder, he is one of the best in London. Only Dr Lanyon can compare, he runs an hospital and is the best when it comes to surgery.”

“My cousin’s aunt from the side of her husband’s family used to get consultations from him, and when she could not move anymore, he was the one coming to her for them.”

“How accommodating!”

“Indeed. But I think Dr Jekyll might have immersed himself in researches. He had written many articles, did you know?”

“I knew he was a member of the Royal Society.”

“You don’t say! This man must be a genius in medicine!”

“Not only that, he is also a doctor in civil law. And he is a model of virtue, his reputation is spotless!”

“Oh! And he is still single, what a shame! He is still quite handsome; one could say age embellished him a bit. *sighs*”

“I wish I could say the same about my husband…”

Chapter Text

“I have not checked if Jekyll was truly not home last night!” Was the first thought Utterson had when he woke up.

He blamed himself for letting the unexplainable loathing and fear that Hyde inspired him get the better of him. Who knew what this foul soul could have done to him while he had been panicking!

A glance at the clock indicated that it was too late to do anything about it, he had clients and business to take care of shortly. However, he would immediately go to his friend’s place once the day was over. He had to make sure the latter was safe at the very least.

His worry kept nagging him at the back of his mind all day long, and it was with a sigh of relief that he closed his office.

The way to Dr Jekyll’s seemed endless, he had to refrain himself from running to the door and pounding on it once the house was in sight. The memories from the previous night came in a flash as he reached the door and rang. He shook slightly when he recalled the freezing touch of the man on his chest, the way he was looking at him and that grotesque kiss… the idea that this man could come and go whenever he wanted was haunting him. He did not want to think of the worst; but the image of Hyde sneaking inside, making his way through the corridors to Jekyll’s room and walking slowly to the poor helpless doctor in his bed exploded in his mind and he felt his blood freeze in his veins, only to boil two seconds later.

The door finally opened, revealing Jekyll’s butler: Poole. The white-haired man smiled when their eyes met, apparently pleased to see him.

“Good evening, Mr Utterson.” He greeted him.

“Good evening, Poole.” Utterson greeted back. “Is Dr Jekyll’s home?”

“I am sorry, sir, but he’s not. He went to see some patients at home and told us he would not be home before the night.” The white-haired man joined his hands together in front of him. “I would offer you to come inside and wait for him, unfortunately, I have no idea when my master will be back.”

“It is alright. Was Dr Jekyll at home last night?”

Poole blinked in confusion.

“I believe he was not.”

This relieved the lawyer of a huge weight. He stayed a bit and questioned the old butler about Hyde and did not learn much more than he already knew. The young man tried to be discreet, and never got involved with the servants, even if the latter had for instruction to obey him.

Utterson requested Poole to tell the doctor of his visit before bidding him goodbye. The brown-haired man felt a bit better as he went home, although he was still concerned for his friend’s well-being.

He was welcomed by miss Lindson who informed him the time for dinner. Utterson nodded and thanked her before going to his personal study, asking not to be disturbed before then. He climbed the stairs with the intention to either tidy up the place or just sit in his chair with a good book.

“Anything to get this Hyde out of my mind, if just for a while.”

Utterson absentmindedly stepped inside his study, only to quickly back down and slam the door shut. The lawyer stood still, both his hands were pressed against the door, vainly keeping it shut; his heart was racing, and his eyes were wide with bewilderment.

This could not be true. It had to be a nightmare!

Slowly, he seized the handle again and opened the door just enough to peek inside.

Hyde sat on his desk, swinging his legs like a child and staring at him with a malicious smile.

“Good evening Mr Utterson!” he greeted with a tone that would sound cheerful if it was not for the underlying creepiness in his voice. “Please do come in, I have been waiting for you!”

Utterson ticked at the nerve of the lad, but he was too anxious to retort anything. He could only do as he was told and utter:

“How did you get in?” Hyde had trespassed of course; his housekeeper would have told him otherwise.

“Who cares?” the smaller brunette shrugged and -almost gracefully- got down the desk, not taking his eyes off him. “I wished to see you, so I came.”

“Do you know that I could call the police for that?” Utterson frowned, closing the door behind him.

“But you won’t.” Hyde’s smile widened, he walked slowly towards the lawyer in a predatory step. “You would have done that already if you wanted.”

Utterson had now his back pressed to the door, unable to cry for help, even less move away. Hyde’s red eyes gleamed with amusement as he put his two hands on either side of the lawyer.

“Did you not want something from me?” asked the young man, standing on his tiptoes. Their noses brushed, making Utterson gasp. “What can I do for you, dear Gabriel?”

Hearing the other calling him by his first name snapped Utterson out this strange trance, he immediately put a hand on the smaller man’s shoulder and pushed him away.

“Firstly: keep you distances with me, please.” Utterson demanded in his most professional and coldest voice. “Secondly, that’s Mr Utterson for you, Mr Hyde.” Said Hyde was now staring at him with round eyes, obviously shocked by his change of attitude. “and thirdly: I request that you use the front door like a decent person and ask if I am accepting visits to my housekeeper or any of my servants before coming in. Furthermore: I have schedules for my clients, so unless it is an urgent matter, would you please take an appointment next time?”

The flabbergasted expression on Hyde’s face morphed into a crooked, bold smile.

“Oh, so you do agree for a next time?”

Utterson’s eye twitched; his previous -overwhelming- feeling of apprehension replaced by irritation.

He is going to be unbearable, isn’t he?

-------------------

Mrs Lindson was shocked when she saw a young man coming out her master’s study. Where did he come from? And who was he?

“Thank you for being so flexible, Mr Utterson.”

The housekeeper cringed at the sound of his voice and recoiled with a gasp when she saw his face. Her reaction obviously amused him, because he smirked at her before reporting his attention to her master; the latter seemed to abhor the stranger as much as he disliked visits from that pompous Count with foul breath. Mr Utterson took his eyes off his… “guest”? New client? She wasn’t sure.

“Oh, Mrs Lindson. I guess you were calling me for dinner.” She nodded; not sure she could trust her voice in front of the strange man. “This is Mr Hyde.” Now she could put a name on that face (that she would surely never forget!) “He is an exceptional case I must take care of outside of my usual working hours.”

Oh. Mr Utterson was warning her that this Mr Hyde will be around quite late, so she would not be (too) worried about a stranger lurking near or inside the house. An exceptional case, indeed; although her master was a man of habit, very organized and always on time, he was not one to refuse his help to someone in need. But this was the first time she saw him dealing with a person that exhaled such a negative impression! She felt concerned for Mr Utterson’s safety.

Mrs Lindson was so lost in her own thoughts that she startled when she heard:

“Would you join me for dinner?”

If she had felt concerned a moment ago, now, she was downright appalled! What was the good sir thinking? A glance at Mr Hyde eased – a tiny little bit – her horror, for he looked as utterly shocked at the proposition. For a second, he looked like a lost boy, which somewhat sparked her maternal instinct; but the moment was quickly lost, for his confused expression was replaced by a grim smugness.

“Why, I did not expect so much!” he simpered. “But since you asked so nicely, I would love to.”

My master wants to go through an 11 Beaufort!! The poor housekeeper shrieked internally.

Utterson ate in silence, his fingers clenching the cutlery as he struggled to keep himself from trembling. He wondered once again what he had been thinking when he invited Hyde. Maybe he wanted to understand how this man could inspire him such strong, and negative feelings? Last night, he had been terrified after their encounter, and yet today, he had felt more annoyance than anything towards Hyde. A part of him wished to observe him more closely, to determine who Jekyll (and now himself) was dealing him; last time, the young man had the upper hand, but right now, they were in the lawyer’s home. Utterson was in his element, had his servants near to call for help if needed and had taken initiative by inviting Hyde.

The lawyer gazed discreetly at his “guest”, who had yet to touch at his food. Hyde had an elbow on the table -to his great irritation- and was leaning his chin on it, staring openly at the fifty-year-old. His face was illuminated by the candles. And now that he was staying close, and still, he could make out his features better. While Utterson could still not explain why the young man had an air of deformity, he noticed something he hadn’t before: a familiar air. As he took one more bite, acting like he was not watching him, Hyde removed his hand from his chin and moved closer.

The crooked smile was not what made Utterson’s blood run cold this time.

It was a mole. Right under the left side of his mouth.

Just like Jekyll, who took it after his own father.

The lawyer almost dropped his fork when the realization hit him, and another theory of Hyde’s true relationship with Jekyll formed in his mind.

“Is something bothering you?” Hyde inquired, his voice sounding a lot like the purr of a cat.

“I am concerned by your lack of appetite.” Utterson lied, acting as if nothing was amiss. “Unless the menu is not at your convenience. Do you not like French food?

“Oh, you don’t need to worry about me for that.” The black-haired lad chuckled, then leaned on his forearms, leaning towards the lawyer. “Je vous dévore des yeux.”

To his own surprise, Utterson refrained from rolling his eyes instead of leaping away from the little vampire. But he had to acknowledge that his French was quite good: only a slight accent, otherwise the pronunciation was good, and the sentence was correct… in a way.

“I am eating you up with my eyes… I was never told that before!” he thought, suddenly feeling jaded.

However, he managed to maintain his calm façade, only frowning and squinting his eyes to show his disapproval. Well, two could play this game.

“Dans ce cas, je vous souhaite bon appétit.”⁽¹⁾ He replied in a perfect, fluent French.

Was that a blush, on Hyde’s cheek?

Utterson felt a strange pride along the relief that washed him over after Hyde’s departure. He was not sure if it was because he had succeeded in keeping his calm all along, or if he was rejoicing that he caught the latter off his guard for a moment.

Maybe both.

Unfortunately, he remembered that small detail on Hyde’s face and worry took over again.

His thinness and pallor made it difficult to look older than twenty, but there was something in his gaze which told Utterson that he could not be younger either.

Anyway, Utterson knew too well that his friend Jekyll had made mistakes in his youth. He did not know much about them, only that dear Harry liked to sneak out late at night (he had often helped him to or covered him) and to play with fire in general.

Could Henry… did Henry have an affair in the past, and now the consequence was facing him under the features of Edward Hyde?

O my poor old Harry Jekyll!

“Did you ever hear him speak like that?” Hyde gushed and twirled around like an infatuated girl. “He speaks French so good! And his voice when he does!” an animalistic -pleased- growl came out his lips. “I can’t wait to get him into bed, or against the wall! Imagine all the sweet and dirty things he can say in this language! And others! He’s multilingual, isn’t he?”

“Hyde, stop.” Jekyll demanded from the mirror, hiding his face in his hands. “You’re embarrassing me.”

“Why!” Hyde sneered in answer. “You’re just jealous! When was the last time he talked to you in that prosaic voice of Stentor? And did he-“

“Utterson never talks for the sake of talking.” The doctor cut his alter-ego, glaring at him. “And he does not need to raise his voice when he speaks to me, since I actually listen to him and respect his personal space. And yes, I’ve heard him speak French before. May I remind you, we studied it together?”

“Yes, so it was a long time ago, wasn’t it, Grandpa?” he chuckled at Jekyll’s outraged expression. “And may I remind you that we share the same mind, so I know you were as turned on than I was when he spoke like that! You’re enjoying it as much as I am, don’t deny it!”

Hyde seized a flask full of a green liquid.

“This is just the beginning, Jekyll.” He smirked, staring at the reflection in the mirror. “Soon, we shall see if our dear Utterson will choose to remain pure and respectable.”

He did not wait for the other’s answer and drank the formula. After the usual, yet still painful transformation was over, Jekyll got dressed.

“You are way too confident, Hyde.” He hissed as he did. “It is far too early to say soon, if ever.”

This night, when the doctor went to bed, Utterson’s voice resonated in his mind, the memory of his gaze engulfing him -to both his delight and disarray- into dreams full of erotism.

Chapter Text

“Mr Utterson? He is a very reliable and trustworthy man, albeit dry and a bit dull.”

“Is that really surprising?”

“I tried to have a conversation with him at a charity gala, but I might as well have talked to a brick wall. The man was as cold and unresponsive as one!”

“You are being harsh, Mr Utterson is a very kind-hearted man! He helped my sister when everyone had turned their back on her. Yes, I remember that, old chap. Had he been one for the gossips… I don’t want to think about it!”

“I think the same. He is a man of law. And personally, I am not sure I would trust a lawyer who is a jokester.”

“So do I. I would rather have him do his job properly than him to be a good conversationalist.”

“He is a lot like his father, the latter was a judicial officer and Mr Utterson decided to follow in his footsteps by opening his law office.”

“Now that you mention Malcolm Utterson, wasn’t his wife an opera singer?”

“Nellie Utterson?! I think you have misunderstood, my friend! She loved going to the theatre and the opera, but Mrs Utterson was a model of feminine integrity!”

“No wonder Mr Gabriel John Utterson became the gentleman he is today. With such fine British civilians as parents!”

“I heard the late Mrs Utterson used to be nicknamed the Swan of St Helens, is that true?”

“Yes, she was nicknamed like that for her graceful wearing of head. And not only that, she was known for being very graceful in each of her move. Her younger sister was nicknamed the Doe for a similar reason, but instead of her neck, it was her eyes that people were fascinated with.”

“My word, their husbands really did a good catch then!”

Chapter Text

Late September 1885 - Cavendish Square

An Indian butler was peacefully tending to his duties when someone rang at the door. He went to open, with all the poise required for the rank of the Lady he was serving and blinked in surprise. Given his mistress’ profession, it was not the first -and would not be the last- person to come to see her this late unannounced, sometimes for an emergency, but it was the first time it happened with this gentleman.

Mr Utterson was no stranger to him, as he often came here both as a friend and a patient for his mistress, yet it was the very first time Mr Singh ever saw him in such a state; and coming without an appointment or a notice on top of that. The usually neat man was not wearing any hat, his tousled hair on view; he had obviously taken his coat under his arm while leaving his house in a hurry and put it on as he was walking, in addition his shirt collar was half undone. He looked like he was overwrought, knowing Mr Utterson, whatever happened must have been big.

“I’ve had it.” The English brunette breathed in guise of greeting; obviously not aware he’d just said that out loud.

The butler politely stepped asides and invited him to come in before going to his Lady to announce his arrival.

Utterson had thought that Hyde would be unbearable the previous week, and what an understatement he had used! Every other day, that little (aspiring) incubus had come to his office only to try -and fail!!- to lure him into debauchery!

The lawyer clenched his teeth as he recalled what the lecherous youngster did, he clearly had no knowledge -or respect- for the etiquette and rule of courting! And sweet Lord, he could swear his ears had bled at Hyde’s attempt of poetry or “love declarations”!

But today had been too much. He could not stand it anymore, he had to find someone to tell everything about this sordid case, he needed some support and comfort now, and only two people could bring them to him.

Lady Summers was an old acquaintance of his, Utterson had met her as the daughter of the late Lord Summers and became her lawyer when her father passed away. She was a very unusual Lady, despite being almost fifty years old, she looked merely twenty; she also got to be educated and trained in subjects and sports only accessible for men, such as: medical, politics and fencing (among others, he was sure of it). But what made her different from all the people Utterson knew: she was a telepath. She used her ability in her profession, which was therapist; her rank and family influence was so great that no one could -or would- try to discredit her, Utterson himself had been there to ensure everything would be fine for her as she opened her cabinet.

Over the years, Lady Summers had become both a friend and a confidant for the lawyer; which was the reason that pushed him to go this late to her home, without notice.

It was the first time he either did that, and the first time he ever saw her Ladyship looking so flabbergasted while she was reading his thoughts. Utterson felt a bit ashamed for intruding like he did; she had been on her way to change when he arrived, obviously to go to bed. Although Lady Summers had welcomed him with the same grace as usual, assuring him he was not disturbing her and informing him that he had missed Dr Lanyon by little, the lawyer could not help feeling he was being as inappropriate as Hyde has been when he had sneaked in his home.

Feeling a bit awkward, he just let the memories which plagued him flood his mind for her.

“Since you do not have any case to present me, why are you here?”

“I just had to come talk with you. Sweetness is my weakness~!”

“……………………………………..”

“Your eyes are like two oceans.”

“…My eyes are brown; with a bit of green I’ll give you that, but definitely not blue. They are nothing like oceans.”

“Oh? My mistake, then. It must be you.”

“Excuse me??”

“You must be a whole ocean yourself, dear Utterson, because I want to swim in you all night long~!”

“…Get out!”

“Would you please get down of my desk? This is really troublesome; I cannot work in such conditions!”

The younger man smirked and perversely lied down, taking up even more space than before. He languorously stretched his arms over his head and arched his back against the wood with a fake, exaggerated sigh.

“You work way too hard, my good sir.” one of Hyde’s hand slowly went to his shirt and started unbuttoning it. “Don’t you want to focus on something else? Something more pleasant?”

“This pile of documents is a hundred times more pleasant than you in my eyes. And your mere presence tires me more than a whole week of work.”

Hyde puffed his cheeks in indignation.

Utterson froze when he felt two slim arms wrapping around him from behind.

“What is so exciting about all that paperwork?” Hyde whispered in his ear, before nuzzling his face in the lawyer’s neck.

“Get. Out!” he hissed, then startled as the small incubus started laying kisses in his neck.

“I’m only helping you relax.” Hyde cooed. “You are so tense!”

“You are only making it worse.” Utterson clenched his hands into fists, the other was keeping him firmly in place; despite how thin his arms were, they sure were strong!

Hyde raised his head to sniff the gentleman’s hair -to the latter’s horror.

“You smell good.”

“Thank you.” Utterson replied drily, trying to shake him off. “I am afraid I cannot return you the compliment.”

“Rude!”

The lawyer yelped in both surprise and pain as he felt sharp teeth digging into his earlobe.

“STOP IT RIGHT NOW AND GET OUT!!!”

He had no idea how he managed to get rid of Hyde’s clutches, but he remembered how he barricaded himself in his bedroom this night.

“Why do you keep coming? What do you want from me?”

“If I am such a bother, why do you let me in?” Hyde’s smile gave Utterson’s shudders. “And I think my intentions are clear.”

Utterson recoiled from the smaller man, who stood on the other side of his desk. He put his two hands on it, then tilted his head in a way that could be seductive, with his wild hair falling partly over his face. For a moment, Utterson stared at him, like he was hypnotised. His red eyes were definitely glowing, and his black hair looked soft despite how messy the curls looked; and his face… was it the light? It seemed a bit different, Hyde almost looked… handsome.

The charm was broken when he felt cold fingers grabbing him by the collar, then pulling him towards Hyde’s face. Before Utterson could protest, Hyde was kissing him. The lawyer’s blood ran cold and he immediately pushed him back; Hyde tried to keep his grip on him, but he let go as the other’s shirt collar went undone.

The inkwell on the desk was spilled in the scramble, staining some (important, of course) documents all over. Utterson stood there, frozen, staring at his ruined hard work while his mind was processing what had just occurred.

That was it. He had enough!

Hyde stepped back, an expression of fear on his face as Utterson sent him a baleful glare. The lawyer walked towards him and seized the arm Hyde had raised -in defence- in a bruising grip. Without a word, he dragged him out of his office then down the stairs; he ignored the little pest’s protests and complains as he got hold of the latter’s coat and literally threw him out of his home. Utterson tossed him the coat, then his hat before slamming the door shut.

He turned his back to the door, and leaned against it, his legs shaking.

“Utterson, my dear friend…” Lady Summers held a delicate hand to her face, uncharacteristically at a loss of words. “You do realize that it is not your duty to endure such… treatment for Dr Jekyll’s sake?”

It was Utterson’s turn to be left speechless – not that he had talked much since his arrival. He could only stare at her in incomprehension, from the couch.

“You really did not realize what you were doing.” This was not a question anymore, the blonde woman kept on. “Utterson, whatever your friend is going through, you do not have to take risks and put yourself into situations that makes you more than uncomfortable! No matter how important Jekyll is for you! Whatever this Mr Hyde is for him, and is doing to him, you just can’t go and put yourself as a living bait in hope to get information or worse, trying to be a human shield for Jekyll!”

“But I can’t let him…” The lawyer muttered, looking down. “Hyde is vicious, I just can’t leave Henry alone in- “

“Utterson.” Lady Summers cut him firmly. “If Jekyll is really your friend, he would be horrified to know that you let a man potentially harmful go into your house, and allowed him to harass you -to some extent- in order to protect him. Especially if he did not ask you for help about it.”

This brought tears in the man’s eyes; he knew it was true, that he did not have to accept to be treated like that, but a part of him had pushed himself to bear with it for Henry’s sake, wanting to lift -if only a bit- some of the burden that Hyde could be to his dear friend.

“Here.”

The former Prussian Lady had got up her rocking chair and was now handing him her handkerchief.

“Whatever you choose to do, I will be there to support you.” She offered him a kind smile. “I have connections to some high ranks inside the police if you need to, one word, and I will call them.”

Utterson chose to take only the handkerchief for the time being and leaned against his friend’s shoulder as he let tears flow from his eyes, Lady Summers stayed silent and gently rubbed his back to soothe him.

In a dark, narrow street, a group of young (expected to) gentlemen was walking drunkenly, laughing and talking quite loudly. The leader was a tall, moderately handsome fellow, he walked with better assurance than the rest and always initiated the talking, the others either laughed or approved what he said.

At the other end of the street, another young man appeared; he walked fast and kept his head low.

“Hey, look at this runt!”

The four others stared at the new arrival that their friend was pointing. A smirk formed itself on the leader’s lips.

“His cloak doesn’t look bad.” He observed. “Maybe he would not mind if I borrow it. Or maybe he has a pound or two to hand us for another round of drinks.”

The group cheered at the idea and tried their best to lower their jeers as the unknown man came near.

“Good evening, sir! Oh, please, don’t walk away so fast!” he gripped the smaller man’s arm. “Can’t you at least be polite and greet me back?”

The moment his eyes meet the glowing red ones of this person, the foolish boy knew he made a mistake.

He was punched right in the jaw, so hard he was shoved against one of his followers.

“You have no idea how good your timing is, mate.” The red-eyed man’s voice filled them with fear, which only increase when he stepped into the light. “I was precisely looking for some playmates.”

Hyde violently opened the door of the bar, startling some clients. Those who recognized him either cowered or smirked as he made his way to the counter.

“Just give me the strongest drink you have. And it better be some good booze, not that piss you serve to these morons.” Hyde growled at the barman, who gulped, before slamming his fist on the counter. “YOU HEARD ME!!”

The poor man rushed to prepare his drink while Hyde settled in. He stared at his hands and distantly wiggled his fingers in the air; he had quite a blast earlier, when he showed these fake tough guys who they wanted to mess with. Oh yes, the look on their faces had been very gratifying! Alas, it had been too easy, too short-lived. He had quickly lost interest when they had started whining, begging for mercy, some had even fled without their “friends” before he could even land a blow on them. Pathetic. Now, he needed at least a good drink to lift his spirits.

“Someone is in a good mood, I see.”

A young woman with long, curly brown hair sat next to him.

“Evening Edward.” She greeted with a smile. “You’re quite lucky tonight, we’ve just got an excellent scotch whisky.”

“Lucy.” He grumbled, before the barman finally handed him a small glass full of said whisky. The man had the intelligence to leave the bottle and step away.

Hyde sniffed the content of his glass before taking a sip. Satisfied with it, he drained it in two gulps then poured himself another glass.

“Did you get rejected?” Hyde almost spat the scotch out, which made Lucy snorted. “Seems like I’ve hit the right point.”

“Don’t rub it in in!” the young man hissed, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. “I never felt so humiliated!”

“There are plenty of other men.” Lucy shrugged, stealing his glass from him to take a sip. “First time you were rejected?”

“…yes. Every time, they ended up yielding to my charms and their carnal desire, but not him.” He snagged his glass back and emptied it in one swing.

“Was this man special for you? You are way too upset with his rejection for him to be just another conquest… Unless you are that full of yourself!”

Hyde stared balefully at the prostitute, who did not even flinch.

“Lucy, how much will it cost me for you to not push the matter further, or actually shut up for tonight?”

“Alright, alright! If you take it like that.”

She was about to leave but Hyde held her back. When she turned to look at him, he was looking down, pressing his lips together. A small sigh escaped Lucy’s lips before she gently caressed her troublesome friend’s hair.

“I think I know what could help you relax.” She turned towards another side of the bar and called out. “Jade! Over here! I’ve got a client for you!”

A thirty-something Asian woman soon joined them, she blinked in confusion as she recognized Hyde and stared at her fellow.

“Come on.” Lucy simply stated, guiding them both towards the stairs leading to the upper floor, which was intended for the prostitutes with their clients.

Some men whistled as they saw Hyde surrounded by the two women, he even heard some “lucky bastard!” here and there before they went upstairs. Hyde knew Lucy was not taking them upstairs for such activities; she knew of his preferences and the only time she accepted his money for something other than a drink, the two simply spent two hours gossiping and talk about clothes, she even lent him some of her old ones. So, he wondered why she had called this Jade to go with them.

A bit less than fifteen minutes later, he knew why. He laid shirtless on the bed with Jade straddling him, doing her magic on his back.

“Damn, this is so good!” he moaned in pleasure, not the pleasure he had hoped for while pursuing Utterson, but it was still amazing.

Hyde started purring when Lucy’s hand slipped in his hair, gently caressing it.

He was certainly not going to forget his frustration towards the lawyer, but now, he just wanted to enjoy his massage, happy to feel pampered.

It was for another time, he decided.

And that damn doctor would not feel smug for much longer at the back of his head!

Chapter Text

“Just name your price, doctor!” exclaimed the injured young man. “I’ll give you as much as you want!”

Lanyon slowly turned to face his patient, who froze at his furious expression.

“Are you really trying to buy me off, young man?” the bearded doctor fumed.

“Please, do not call my parents!” the pathetic boy begged, half-hiding under his covers.

Doctor Lanyon took his time to come and sit at his bedside.

“Just let me summarize with a few comments: you arrived last night- oh, wait, it was this morning, after all it was one o’clock! You kept on screaming that you and your friends had been ‘viciously assaulted’ in the streets, and demanded justice to be done, for the offender to be arrested for grievous bodily harm. But once you were taken in charge, it was obvious to my employees that you and your two friends were drunk, although you are not of age. None of your versions of the stories was coherent, you even contradicted each other repeatedly, until one of you let slipped that you were the one who went to accost this – I quote you – ‘dreadful young man’ with the intention of stealing his coat or some money from him.”

Lanyon paused, just to let the whole thing sink in, then crossed his arms and leaned in.

“I think calling your parents, and not the police, is the most merciful thing I can do. I refuse to lie for the sake of a bunch of hooligans.” He got up from his seat. “Maybe you will think twice, next time, before you go with your group after a person alone who did you no harm ‘for fun’.”

The surgeon felt little sympathy for the young man who started sobbing pitifully before he went out. The lad had it coming sooner or later. It was best he learnt his lesson now; he was young, it was easier to change at his age than at forty.

The “victim” had turned out to be more dangerous than a group of five… Or he simply knew how to defend himself. Good for him then.

Jekyll had finished writing his invitations and was now sealing them with great care, especially one of them. A fond smile had made its way on his face.

“You’re going to keep rubbing it into my face, old man?”

The doctor barely glanced at his shadow, which had taken the shape of Hyde, and smirked.

“I told you Utterson would not be interested in you.” He taunted his alter-ego. “But you would not listen, and you just threw yourself at him. What did you expect?”

He ignored Hyde’s furious ranting while he gathered all his letters, relishing the memory of his dear friend dragging that wildling outside.

“Do you really think he will fall into your embrace, the moment the two of you will be alone?” Jekyll froze. “I know this is what you are hoping, but for that, you would need to actually make a move. And we both know you are too much of a coward to do that!”

“Keep talking, Hyde. I am not listening anymore.”

It was just a dinner, nothing more. With some wine tasting. And it was not unusual for him to detain Utterson when his other guests started leaving.

Jekyll took his glasses off and put them away. There was a mirror on his way to give the invitations to his butler; he stopped in front of it and quickly passed a hand into his hair, pulling them back into place. The reflection gave him a cruel, mocking smile.

“You’re just a pathetic, frustrated old man. Your coquetry can never mask this.”

Jekyll clenched his teeth, struggling hard not to throw a candlestick at the glass.

Lanyon was surprised to find Lady Summers in his hospital, two steps behind a couple of other aristocrats. The woman looked upset, her eyes were red from crying and she was gripping her husband’s sleeve.

“Good morning, Doctor. We are here for my nephew.” The Lord intoned solemnly. “Anthony Maxwell.”

The bearded doctor nodded and requested one of his employees to guide them to the patient in question. When his eyes went to the blonde Lady again, he stiffened a bit at her saddened expression.

“Oh no.” he thought. “Maybe I should not have called this lad’s parents!”

Earlier, he had felt no pity towards the lad’s tears, but now he was starting to question his action. No matter how despicable he was, Lanyon did not want him to be beaten severely or mistreated!

“Don’t alarm yourself, my good doctor.” Lady Summers spoke up and gently put a hand on his arm. “Little bratty Anthony will be fine in the hands of his uncle and his mother.”

Lanyon let out a small sigh of relief, and before he could ask his patient her reason for coming, said Anthony crossed the hall, surrounded by his relatives.

“You are lucky your father went out of town!” Earl Maxwell growled, although he was not dragging his nephew, his hand laid gently on the youngster’s back. “We need to sort this out before his return!”

“What were you thinking? Why would do such a thing to anyone?”

They both watched the young fool pressing his lips together, his eyes shining with repressed tears. He looked more distressed by his mother’s grief than his uncle’s strict tone.

A short silence followed the departure of the Maxwell family, then the hoary doctor could finally report his attention to Lady Summers.

“Have you been faring well since your last medical check, my Lady?”

“I am in a very good shape, Doctor Lanyon.” Her smile was quickly replaced by a serious, concerned frown. “I did not come to talk about me. This is about our mutual friend, Utterson.”

Hearing his old friend’s name in such condition alarmed the physician, who soon guided the Marquess into a private room to hear more about the matter.

“Uhm… excuse me, Mr Utterson? Why is there a mallet in your office? Were you invited to play croquet recently?”

“No, sir. I keep it close to deal with a troublesome client if he were to show up again.”

The man stared at his lawyer in bewilderment for a second before bursting out laughing.

“And I believed it for a second! I did not know you had such a sense of humour, Utterson!” he guffawed as he collected his things. “Good night!”

Utterson bid him goodnight in return. He heard his client snort again while going downstairs, claiming that he would have a good joke to share at a dinner or something, which made him shake his head. He wished he could laugh about it too, but alas!

The lawyer was aware that a weapon like a gun would be more menacing -and efficient- but he did not want to go that far yet… although he kept one hidden in a drawer of his desk.

“Stop thinking like this.” He scolded himself internally. “Hyde had not showed up for a week, and Lady Summers has your back. You don’t need to scare yourself!”

After locking his most confidential documents in his personal safe, Utterson left his study and went to his lounge, taking a seat near the fire. He had let himself drift into some daydream when someone rang. Mrs Lindson soon walked in and handed him an invitation for dinner from Dr Jekyll.

A bitter taste lingered on Jekyll’s tongue as the conversation did not turn the way he had hoped it would. The doctor had detained his dear friend, as he often did, after his others guests left his estate; the two had stayed in a comfortable silence, Utterson sat at the other side of the fire and he had the pleasure to contemplate his fine features lit up by the fire. Utterson was not aware of his own charm, most people were not; and a part of Jekyll thought it was a good thing, for it meant he was one of the few to see and fully appreciate the man’s beauty.

The green in Utterson’s eyes was more noticeable than usual tonight, it created a nice contrast with the brown of his iris; his dark brown hair looked so soft and smooth, Jekyll wanted to run his fingers through it and, dear Lord, his neck! The memory of his friend’s naked half upper body, back in the days where they could change in the same room without being separated and hidden by a folding screen, arose in his mind, and the doctor had felt too hot for his comfort. How he wanted to cover this long, graceful neck with kisses and bite it, to mark Gabriel as his, only his.

Unfortunately, the issue of his will had to be dragged up.

He should have known, Utterson had clearly stated his disapproval the day it was written. Jekyll blamed himself for not having come up with a compelling story before going to his friend. His silence about his sole legatee had only added fuel to the fire that was his lawyer’s worry.

Despite Jekyll’s attempt at changing topic, which gave him a good occasion to vent about Lanyon - after all, their common friend had been despicable to him! - he was not lying when he told Utterson he had never been more disappointed in any man than Lanyon; Utterson ruthlessly disregarded it. No matter how hard he tried to remind his lawyer of their agreement to drop the subject, the brunette refused to back down… Jekyll struggled to not lose his temper and demand his friend to just forget about Hyde and focus on something -anything!- else.

“Just shut him up with a kiss.” The little nuisance suggested him insidiously, not helping the doctor’s unease at all.

Then suddenly, Utterson got up and moved towards him. Jekyll’s heart skipped a beat at the unexpected move and was soon beating wildly as his handsome friend sat close, so close to him, then took his hands in his. Jekyll felt his hope rising; their faces were close to one another, if he were to lean in, their noses would brush, a bit more and he would feel the other’s breath on his lips… Wait, Utterson was really leaning forwards!

Was that happening? Was he dreaming? No, it was no dream! Jekyll held his breathe, otherwise he would be panting. He felt Utterson’s hands squeezing his gently, and it only made the blonde man even more desperate for a kiss. Jekyll was internally begging him for one, he wanted to feel Utterson’s lips, to taste them! He wanted it so much he started trembling!

“Jekyll” said Utterson. “You know me: I am a man to be trusted. I will never lie to harm anyone, or damage their reputation; so please, listen to me and believe that every word I will say is the truth.”

Jekyll bit the inside of his cheek.

The moment Poole saw his master snatching a plate of dessert miniatures from Alison’s hands; then walking briskly, almost stamping his feet, towards the stairs while shoving a small éclair in his mouth, the old butler knew something went wrong. The poor maid stared at him helplessly, the footman -Bradshaw- had stopped a few steps behind her and was doing the same.

“It’s alright. Keep on with your duties, I will handle this.” He indicated them.

The two young servants nodded and obeyed, looking a bit paler than earlier. Poole waited a bit before following his master upstairs. He had barely climbed two steps that the sound of glass shattering resounded in the manor, freezing the devoted servant in place. Shortly after that, he heard a door being slammed shut, which made him hasten to Doctor Jekyll’s bedroom. On his way, he found the remains of the plate among the shards of a broken mirror. Poole stepped cautiously around the mess and went to his master’s door, only to find it locked. After checking no one was watching him, he silently leaned in and listened at the door.

His heart clenched when he recognized the sound of muffled sobs.

When he sent some servants to clean the glass shards and to remove the broken mirror, he heard them whisper about their confusion and concerns.

“Nothing happened between him and Mr Utterson, so why?” he heard distinctly.

“Nothing happened. That is precisely the problem.” Poole thought with sadness.

The butler went to see the kitchen staff to warn them that the doctor would probably fall back into his poor eating habits soon. Half of them went to hide what was to be hidden while the other prepared some fruits baskets or small plates full of various healthy snacks.

Poole exchanged a long stare with the main cook, it was enough for his dear friend to understand and to send a compassionate gaze towards the direction of their master’s room.

During the ride back home, Utterson could not help thinking he had missed something. But he could not tell what and it was frustrating. Jekyll had obviously wanted to tell him something, probably to confide in him about Hyde, but he had refrained himself from doing so. Why?

Jekyll’s face had drained of colours so fast when Utterson had related him how his protégé had been harassing him, the lawyer had feared he would faint! Although he had spared him the most sordid details, and kept the… perverse aspect to himself, Jekyll was now aware that Hyde kept going after him, to torment him for a reason that he could not understand. The doctor had sworn he would do everything he could to prevent it from ever happening again, but it was not what Utterson was most worried about.

He knew his friend was terrified, he had felt how his hands were shaking when he had taken them in his. And he had looked at him pleadingly. But to what? To ask him the good questions? Or to absolutely not press the issue, like he had earlier?

For a moment, Utterson focused on how close they had been and felt his cheeks warming up. How he had wanted to pull the beautiful, blonde man closer! To hold him in his arms, and even to kiss him as if there was no tomorrow! Utterson pulled on his collar, trying to take a deep breath in, but it was hard. Henry, his Apollo, had been at some inches from him, and his mind was now playing him by reimagining how he could have kissed the man then laid him down on the couch.

“Am I no better than Hyde?”

Chapter Text

“I have the deepest respect for Doctor Lanyon, but I sometimes wish he would be more tactful!”

“Tell me about it! Last time I went to consult him for my sprained wrist, I was almost thrown out of his office!”

“Excuse me? I know Dr Lanyon can be blunt, but he would never mistreat a patient or anyone in need. A couple of years ago, I myself broke my arm after falling from my horse and he treated me with all the respect that was due to me.”

“Are we really talking about the same man?”

“I don’t know??”

“…did you by any chance say anything that could have upset him?”

“I say! Of course not! I only explained him what happened and that my wrist needed to be treated quickly, because I am expected at a “jeu de paume” match with Sir Maxwell!”

“That’s what I was saying. When you consult good Dr Lanyon, it is best not to talk more than necessary. He gets easily worked up. So, demanding him to heal you like he could just repair it as one repair a broken cab…”

“And the man hates gossips, especially when it involves a woman!”

“Poor Doctor probably never really recovered from his wife’s death, even though he stopped wearing only black clothes years ago. I also heard he had to take care of his mother since a very young age when his father passed away.”

“Oh yes, that awful affair about a fake medium who got into a murderous rage? Apparently, when he was arrested, he claimed it was a spirit or a doll that killed the three other gentlemen; while his pockets were full of stolen goods.”

“Some people would say anything to try to save their skin, even caught left-handed!”

Chapter Text

The blinding light hurt his eyes; some whispers came from the shadows, but he could not see anyone.

“Come on, speak up!”

“Did he forget his lines?”

Utterson blinked again, his vision slowly adjusting; a movement from above caught his attention and he froze. Up there, leaning against the railing of a balcony, stood Jekyll. His friend looked sadly at him whilst the lawyer found himself speechless.

“O Gabriel,” he called, sorrow dripping his voice. “Won’t you call me your Sun? Am I not your Angel? Why must you leave me in silence?”

Utterson still could not find his voice; he stepped forward and tried to reach out for Jekyll, but the darkness had woefully engulfed both the balcony and him before his hand was even raised.

His sun had been taken away.

“Henry!” his voice was barely a murmur.

-------------------

Thomas Norton had served Utterson since the latter became a lawyer, and he could not have asked for a better master. Despite their different ranks, Mr. Utterson treated his servants with the same respect than anyone from nobility, as shocking as it sounded, they felt like they were his equal when he spoke to them; which was partly why all his co-workers -and himself- had a deep respect and devotion for the master of the house. So, the man’s troubled look -invisible for most people- did not escape the valet’s eyes.

He could allow himself to ask his master if he had a good night's rest, but he did not dare to not put up with the vague answer and press the matter. No matter how clement and kind Mr. Utterson was.

It was not his place.

“Sir Danvers Carew will arrive at 9.” Norton reminded his master while he helped him put on his attire. “Your breakfast is ready, this morning…”

Utterson listened to the menu and thanked him before going downstairs.

-------------------

Utterson was thankful that he had to receive only Sir Danvers today, he felt exhausted and needed to rest. It was Sir Danvers’ request to be alone with the lawyer for half of the forenoon; the man rarely demanded such favours, so whatever he needed Utterson for, it had to be important: he had some reform proposals ongoing. He was one of his most important and influential clients, and yet Sir Danvers remained humble, he was always smiling and very amiable.

As Utterson ate his breakfast, his thoughts drifted to the events of the previous night, and he could not help rehashing the dream he had after. He had this kind of dream in the past: he stood in the middle of a theatre scene on his own, with invisible -or hidden in the dark- spectators waiting for his soliloquy, but it was the first time Henry made an appearance there. The balcony reminded him of the scene in Romeo and Juliet, and it seemed like Henry and the audience had expected him to act the part of Romeo…

This was ridiculous. Why did he dream such a thing?

The only, small comfort he felt was that Hyde was not there this time. The man had haunted enough of his nights the past month.

With a sigh, Utterson finished drinking his tea before going back to his office, to prepare himself for his client’s arrival.

Shortly after 8, someone rang at the door. Utterson was surprised when his footman announced that Dr. Lanyon was here. He warmly received his old friend, inviting him into his lounge.

“It is good to see you.” He offered the doctor a drink. “How have you been since last time?”

Utterson poured a glass for himself and sat across his childhood friend.

“I’ve received some news from Hope. She sends you her regards,” Lanyon beamed as he talked about his daughter. “I am now the happy grandfather of three children.”

“Oh, this is good news!” Utterson exclaimed. “So, Hope is doing well?”

“Yes, she is. The baby girl was born on September 25th.” Lanyon informed, grinning widely. “Her full name is Maude Winona Barlow.”

“This is a lovely name.” the news was heart-warming. “Winona, like her grandmother.” He added in a whisper.

Lanyon’s eyes saddened for a second as he took a sip of his drink. Then he put it asides.

“Well, as joyful as this news is, it is not the main reason I came here.”

Utterson stared at the doctor, taken aback.

“Last month, I remember you questioned me about a certain Mr. Hyde. Well, last week, I had to treat some patients who had been clobbered by this man.” Lanyon now stared at him with sharp eyes. “Gabriel, this Hyde is dangerous. Please, if you have any contact with him, cut off all of it immediately.”

The lawyer tensed but he remained silent. He could tell that Lanyon knew something already, he knew the man so well. Utterson thought of Lady Summers, but she would not reveal him what he had confided in her, would she? She was very adamant about keeping everything her patients told her confidential. However, she might have put in a good word with Lanyon if she deemed it necessary… and given how calm the latter was, he had no idea of the nature of the harassment Utterson had faced back in September.

“I am afraid this is out of my control now.” Utterson looked down with a sigh. “No matter how much I wish to stay away from Hyde, he will come to me if this is what he desires.”

“Gabriel, I swear that if this man ever harms one hair on your head…” Lanyon clenched his fists

Utterson had to bite the inside of his mouth not to tut or cough in embarrassment. Lanyon would go and chase Hyde down himself to beat him up if he knew! On the other hand, his friend’s solicitude made Utterson feel better. A faint smile made its way on his lips.

“Thank you, Hastie. I know I can count on you.”

“Good.” Lanyon smiled back at him before huffing. “Even when he’s reaching 50 years of age, Jekyll keeps creating problems!”

This time, Utterson tutted.

------------------------------

So, his old friend had been tormented by this mysterious Mr. Hyde.

Lanyon sat in a cab, on his way home, and drummed restlessly his fingers on his knee, deep in his thought. He recalled the day Lady Summers went to warn him that Utterson might be in danger, the prey of an unstable and violent man. The doctor had been even more horrified when she revealed to him that this man and the one who had sent the three hooligans to his hospital were the same.

The brown skin of Lanyon’s face paled in worry at the idea of Utterson being at the mercy of such a creature. Then he wondered if that was how the latter had felt when he had been looking for Mr. Hyde. Because Hyde was one (if not the only) of Jekyll’s protégé.

He felt his frustration towards the fellow doctor growing at the mere thought of that. What did Jekyll get himself into, this time? Wasn’t it bad enough that he indulged in preposterous research? Trying to mix science and occult to fix people’s minds? At first, he had wanted to believe it was only some twaddle of Henry; only to be cruelly undeceived and Lanyon had never felt so insulted and betrayed by the man he had called his friend. How could Jekyll do such things? Assuring with such self-assurance that he was working on… this folly? This blasphemy?

When he knew about Lanyon’s past and what happened to his father?!

Hastie’s fist was banged against the door of the cab.

“I wish I could say that I don’t care about what you do with your life anymore, Jekyll. And yet, I am still worried for your sake.” He growled. “But don’t you dare bring Gabriel down with you!”

That night, Hastie Lanyon spent a good hour staring at some old photographs of their time back in Uni, remembering the days the three of them were still so close and full of hopes.

------------------------------

Another (thankfully) uneventful week passed and Utterson joined his cousin Enfield on their Sunday walk.

“I’ve heard from Fanny that a French theatre company will be coming to London next year!” the young man mentioned. “We all thought about you, wouldn’t it be nice to go see a play together? It has been so long since we last did, and I was told you walked out during the first act when you went to watch Richard III with mother and Lizzy!”

“I am sorry if my departure still upset them. But it was so aberrant to see someone impersonating Richard III as that actor did! Richard III is crippled, so he walks with a limp,” Utterson asserted. “However, for a character such as him, it is better to pretend you have a longer leg, it doesn’t alter his charisma or threatening look. And the actor acted like his leg was shorter! It gave him a nervous step, he looked ridiculous! He could not be Richard III!”

Enfield seemed very amused by his elder’s answer.

“I haven’t seen you so passionate in a long time, Utterson!” he chuckled. “I am glad to see your absence at the theatre is not caused by disdain.”

“Tut tut. Some might see it like this. I have been used to such high standards that it is hard for me to enjoy the least good.”

“So, I heard. Therefore, I mentioned the incoming company. Who knows? Maybe it is the same as the one you knew, all those years ago! Oh, Utterson, please! Tell me more about this mysterious leading actress!” Enfield suddenly urged him. “I’ve heard you mention her several times, and I have been told she was a true beauty and had fascinating eyes, is it true? Were her eyes more distinguished than Mother’s?”

It was Utterson’s turn to be slightly amused by this sudden questioning. Dear Richard. As curious as a cat.

“She was indeed a bewitching woman with very special eyes. But it would be inappropriate to compare her to Aunt Vera, for the colour of her eyes had been caused by a hereditary illness.”

“Oh.” Enfield hung his head, now ashamed. “I just wished to know…”

“Daphné had red eyes. Bright-red, like two rubies.” Utterson answered his silent question. “So red her pupils were concealed behind it.”

“It sounds so unbelievable!”

“And yet it is the truth.” The lawyer smiled faintly. “She was one of the most beautiful women I had ever met.”

“…Did you know her personally?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Were the two of you close?” the young man inquired, carefully avoiding his cousin’s gaze.

Utterson could see where this was leading, he had to temper Enfield’s enthusiasm at once before he became a subject of some gossips. He did not want to hear about some “forbidden and scandalous, passionate affair” he and a French actress were involved during his youth. While he knew Richard would not willingly spread such slanders about him, none of them could control how people would talk, and Richard tended to be dramatic when it came to love stories.

“I deeply admired Daphné as the prodigious actress she was, and I cared for her as the friend she had become to me. That is. We were just friends.” Utterson wagged his finger at his junior. “Moreover, she was already married. I know people tend to look down on actresses, like opera singers, calling them women of small virtue; but she was a wonderful person and faithful wife, she never cheated on her husband with another man.”

As the memory of Daphné became clearer in his mind, Utterson froze.

Red eyes. Long and curly jet-black hair that framed a delicate face. A slender built and pale skin…

“She certainly was, if you say so.” Enfield looked up, dreamy. “I just have a hard time imagining a kind soul with bright red eyes, though. The only person I’ve seen with quite similar eyes is this awful Mr. Hyde!”

Utterson’s eye twitched.

------------------------------

“Am I becoming obsessed or a victim of bad luck?” the brown-haired man blurted, hiding his face in his hands. “It is like whenever I think I can get over it, I eventually end up seeing some strange pattern or finding more strange or confusing factors about Hyde!”

Lady Summers kept an eye on her friend and patient, who was being uncharacteristically hysterical and gestured to one of her servants to bring another tea. One that would calm poor Utterson’s nerves.

“I am afraid it is the latter, my good friend.” She conceded. “And I understand your torments, the case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a strange one.”

“It is, isn’t it?” the lawyer sat up. “I know it hardly makes any sense, but doesn’t that also make too many coincidences?”

“Only these two could answer your questions, Utterson.” Lady Summers folded her hands on her laps. “If I were to meet any of them, I might be able to give you some answers…”

“Thank you, Milady, but it is not for you to do that.” Utterson sighed again and accepted the fresh cup of tea handed to him. “You have enough on your plate. And I would not want to abuse your skills.”

“I would not offer you to do that if I minded, but I respect that you do not want me to interfere.” The widow pointed out before taking a sip of her tea. “However, I must warn you that if things ever get out of hands, I will not hesitate to do what is needed. Whether you like it or not.”

“I know.”

Utterson could not clear his mind of Hyde despite this impromptu visit to the therapist (he ought to bring her a gift next time, as an apology). So, once he was home, he looked for his old photo albums. He scanned through them and made a selection.

Two photos of Daphné. One where she was in all her glory as of the lead actress, gorgeous and mysterious, just like the public wanted her to be; in the other, Daphné was gently holding her 4-years-old daughter against her, a girl who took a lot after her mother from what he could see, and next to them, her sister-in-law and her niece, in a similar pose.

One of their time as students, Hastie was sitting in a chair while Henry and he stood on either side. Utterson smiled bitterly. That photo had been taken after their graduation ceremony, the three of them had been both so thrilled and terrified at the idea of leaving their life as students forever… and as the photo was taken, Utterson’s hand had found its way to Jekyll’s, right behind the chair, out of sight. Their fingers had intertwined, and a smile had been shared afterwards.

“Oh Henry. Had you any idea of what you did to my heart? Surely not.”

A photo of Henry alone. It was a bad photo, for Henry was laughing in it. The lawyer could not remember what caused his dear friend’s mirth, nor how he managed to take the picture home with him that day, but it did not matter. It was a vision to cherish. When did he see Jekyll smile like this for the last time?

And finally, a photo of Duncan Jekyll, Henry’s late father, with his son. Another photo was taken after their graduation.

Utterson brought these pictures on his desk, close to the light, and observed them closely, going so far as using a small magnifying glass he kept in a drawer.

He could not explain why Edward Hyde looked so much like Daphné. The two kept writing to each other even after all these years, which was how he got several photos of her with her family even after she left England; and yet she never mentioned having a son, nor any other relative. Maybe they were long-lost cousin? Unless their resemblance was only an (unfortunate) coincidence? Their red eyes could be caused for very different reasons after all.

He gently set the two photos of the ex-actress aside and focused on the three left.

The mole at the corner of Duncan and Harry’s mouth. He knew it.

Besides that, there was a family likeness between Hyde and the Jekyll. It was hard to pin on what exactly, but the lawyer could see it. His instinct was screaming at him that, one way or another, the three were related.

Utterson took a deep breath in and reviewed everything he could remember about the late Jekyll Senior. A handsome man, successful businessman and strict father… He never really got to get to know him personally, he only got the words of his friend and people from their circle. Henry and his mother suspected him to be a womanizer, but it had never been proved unless he counted…

Gabriel winced both at the memories and the spine-chilling realization.

The old scandal. The brutal murder of Duncan and Gael Jekyll. Then the funerals.

How Henry had burst into tears and clung to him when he and Hastie found him later, desperate for some privacy.

“How could he?!” Harry sobbed against Gabriel’s chest, his legs almost giving way. “She was younger than me! And he- he impregnated her!!”

Utterson held a hand over his mouth in shock. How could he forget that?

“I have to find what this poor girl’s name was.” He muttered urgently.

------------------------------

The same night, Soho

Ms. Corbyn pretended she was busy cleaning, but she kept a watchful eye on the young master. A package had arrived today, sent by the Tiffany house. It had been hard to resist the temptation to open it and to peek inside. Fortunately for her, Mr. Hyde had decided to come home tonight. He had lunged at the package and was now tearing it open.

The young man sounded thrilled by what he saw, arousing Corbyn’s curiosity. But he did not give her the pleasure to satisfy it, for he ran to his room with the box, slamming and locking the door behind him.

The old woman grumbled and got back to her duties.

Chapter Text

“Mr Bush’s masquerade ball is coming soon, were you invited too?”

“I was, and what a pleasant surprise! I had commissioned my costume at Tiffany’s for this occasion, I cannot wait for it!”

“From the house of Tiffany? Now I am jealous!”

“Ladies, don’t you know about the scandal involving Mr Bush, months ago?”

“That was Bush senior, we are talking about his son. Mr Oliver Bush.”

“Yes, and Mr Bush junior’s manners were always more pleasing to me than his father ever were. There always was an arrogant look in him, if you remember, that I did not like.”

“But what was the scandal about? I have heard so little about it!”

“Rufus Bush stole the work of another and took the credit. Remember how he claimed he was going to revolutionize the concept of the automobile?”

“Oh, dear!”

“No, wait, you got it wrong. He was indeed bragging about it, but he never stole anything, it was just that: bragging.”

“But what was it, then?”

“I am not sure how, but I heard that poor Oliver had received an anonymous letter one day. The letter reported how Bush senior was a fraud as an engineer, and how he squandered his money in- *coughs* in pleasant company.”

*GASPS*

“And wait, I’m not finished! The letter also gave some instructions, which young Mr Bush followed, and he caught his father in the act!”

*LOUDER GASPS*

“Poor sweet Oliver!”

“How obscene!”

“What happened next?!”

“Do you have any idea of who send the letter?”

“Ladies, ladies! One at a time! After this shocking revelation, Oliver Bush took his poor mother with him in his house and burnt all bridges with his father. He worked hard to maintain his own reputation, I even heard Dr Jekyll supported him thoroughly.”

“Oh yes, the good doctor even recommended him to go to his good friend who is a lawyer. But I cannot remember the latter’s name…”

“Does that mean that Dr Jekyll might go to the masquerade too?”

“I sure hope he will!”

“What would he wear?”

“What will you wear?”

Chapter Text

Today was one of the few days off Utterson took outside of his usual schedule. It had been planned weeks because today was the first fitting day of the costume, commissioned three months ago, he needed to go to the house of Tiffany in the afternoon at the appointed time. Although he usually avoided events such as a Masquerade, he had accepted the invitation for the sake of the young host… and a bit because he had hoped Jekyll would be there too.

But to be perfectly honest, he had completely forgotten about it until he checked his agenda this very morning.

He decided that he needed the distraction, after all, Utterson could exceptionally go to a Masquerade just to take a break. Though the event did not raise much enthusiasm in him, he might spend a nice evening, and going to the Tiffany’s had always been pleasant so far. It was puzzling to see his domestics more excited than he was about it though. One could think they were going to the party, not him. Utterson found it strangely endearing, to see them rejoicing for him this way. Maybe he should try harder to have a good time.

But this morning, the lawyer was also receiving a visit. Then his housekeeper went to announce him the arrival.

“Good morning Mr Utterson.” The man greeted with a respectful bow. “Joshua Holmes, at your service.”

“How do you do, Mr Holmes.” Utterson greeted back and shook the younger man’s hand.

Holmes sat in the chair in front of his desk, at Utterson’s invitation.

“Thank you for answering to my request.” He sat at the opposite end.

“Don’t mention it, it is an honour to be at your service. So, what can I do for you, sir?”

“My friend, Mr Guest, praised your skills and presented you as the best detective in London.”

“I am honoured of Mr Guest’s trust, but I would not inflate myself in such terms.”

“I need you to look for someone or rather information of her whereabouts.” Utterson took the folder he had prepared for the case and handed it to the detective.

“Ms Constance Webb?” Mr Holmes browsed through the folder quickly before closing it, he looked up at the lawyer. “What do you need to know exactly about her?”

“Twenty-five years ago, she left London with her mother. It was said they went to their second home.” Utterson sighed. “I know from a reliable source that Constance Webb was pregnant and went away to hide from the scandal. I need to know if she did have a child, and what happened to them.”

“May I ask why?”

“I cannot go into details, but I have some reasons to believe that this sad case might be the reason behind a revenge a friend of mine has fallen victim. A friend, may I add, who is by no means responsible for the fate of either Constance Webb or the child she was carrying at the time.” After a small hesitation, he chose to add: “There is a high probability that he is their half-brother.”

The detective’s eyes widened slightly.

Utterson depicted as best as he could the situation he feared, and why he needed him to investigate. Mr Holmes accepted the case, they discussed some formalities, and the detective went out after assuring Utterson that he would start immediately, which he was grateful.

“Take care of yourself, Sir Danvers, we are in dire need of people like you those days.” Jekyll shook hands with the honourable gentleman.

“I am not worried about my health when I am under your care. Thank you again, Doctor.” Despite his raspy voice, the old man’s manners were as charming as they always were. He coughs a bit while Jekyll walked him back. “By any chance, will you be attending Mr Oliver Bush’s masquerade at the end of the month?”

“I am afraid not.” The doctor shook his head. “However, I will go to his charity ball at Christmas.”

“Such a shame, my wife and daughters had been waiting for this masquerade ball ever since we got the invitations and my dear Emma had been hoping to see you there.”

Jekyll gulped, feeling uneasy. He had met Emma Carew at several events, even invited her to dance at most of them (out of politeness), and it seemed like he had caught her eye… And now, her father kept expressing his hopes of becoming his father-in-law.

“You and your dear Emma can go suck an egg!” he heard Hyde grunt, and Jekyll had to suppress a sneer.

“I don’t think anyone would like to see an old man like me in a masquerade costume.” He smiled politely at his patient, knowing that deep down, Carew only meant well. They knew each other for two decades now, and the M.P. had often expressed some concern about the fact that Jekyll decided to remain single, worried that the doctor was too lonely for his good.

Not that Jekyll could ever tell him the true reasons behind his bachelorhood. Death penalty aside, he refused to face the truth, fearing disgrace more than death.

“If you are an old man, do I have one foot in the grave?” Carew snorted, giving the younger man a little slap on the back.

Jekyll chuckled and they exchanged a few more pleasantries before the parliamentarian left. Once alone, the doctor sighed in relief before recomposing himself to receive his last patient of the day.

“Can’t we go to the Tiffany’s yet?” his other half complained. “You can call in sick!”

“Hyde, this would not be sensible. And as a doctor, it would not be good for my reputation to fake illness!”

“As if doctors can’t get ill!”

Jekyll waved his hand in the air like he was chasing a fly, frowning with irritation. He wished the morning would end quickly too; he was looking forwards to go to the fashion house. If you were invited to a ball, commissioning your outfit to the Tiffany’s was a must. They were the best when it came to ball gowns; they held two balls per year themselves, Mrs Tiffany selected a different theme each time and based her whole collection on it, you had to either book in advance, be a regular to their balls or a close friend to participate. Jekyll sighed musingly, remembering the times he went to their balls; they were the most pleasant mundanities, and the costumes he got back then had been gorgeous. The package Hyde had received was yet another proof of the excellence of their services. The wildling could not wait to prance in it and had been talking the doctor’s ears off the whole morning about it.

That, and the fact that Jekyll himself wished to commission for the charity ball Oliver Bush was hosting next Christmas. Hyde grew restless, even if it was not for him, it was like he was bouncing like an excited child at the back of Jekyll’s mind, giving the latter a strange headache. He could feel the back of his head pulsating.

It was with great relief that he ended the next (and last) consultation. After a quick lunch, Jekyll left his estate and took a cab towards the house of the Tiffany, also known under the name of Dawn Hall.

“Don’t forget about the gifts!” Hyde kept repeating as he made his way inside.

“I am not.” He internally sighed. “Let me arrive to talk.”

He was welcomed by Mrs Tiffany’s son, Abel. Abel was a charming young man if a little strict in his demeanour. Honestly, he reminded him a bit of Utterson in his youth, but with dark blonde hair and grey eyes. The young man invited Jekyll in and guided him towards the parlour. They exchanged some pleasantries as they walked, then Abel quickly went to the point, that was his future commission. The younger man had already gathered most of the essential information before Jekyll could sit down, which did not bother the latter at all for his attention went to the outlined jewels.

“Does our new collection interest you, Dr Jekyll?” Abel asked, sounding quite surprised.

“It does,” Jekyll replied simply, watching closely the beautiful ornaments. “I would like to surprise some friends, and some pieces of your collection would wonderfully do.”

Mrs Tiffany chose that moment to arrive and greeted him warmly. They talked a bit before she got back to her business self, she asked him what kind of jewellery he was looking for. She immediately knew what to present to him.

“Pearls.” She showed him the pieces made of various sized and coloured pearls. “Sober but no less precious than gems.”

Jekyll nodded and leaned to observe the two necklaces Hyde had been pointing to him.

A swan.

Mrs Tiffany must have heard about his mother’s old nickname, Utterson could not see any other explanation as to why she would have selected this for his costume. And he was not displeased with it. The vest was black and long enough to reach the back of his knees, the back looked like folded swan wings; it had delicate silver and gold embroideries on its cuffs and collar, mother-of-pearl buttons, and white feathers sewn on the shoulders. The shirt was black, made of silk and its collar was also adorned with white feathers at the back, revealing more of his neck than any traditional shirt ever would; the waistcoat was pearly white, in a shiny fabric (probably satin, but Utterson did not know much about it or fashion) with golden buttons and two stylized swans stitched in golden thread. The pants were also black with some white feathers sewn at knee level; the silver and gold embroideries down the legs were quite like the ones on his vest, but different, their details and attention were simply splendid. And of course, a mask to complete the costume. The top of the mask mas white, adorned with -once again- white feathers but quite longer than the others, starting at the gap between the eyes and standing in a flourish several inches above the top of his head; the lower half of the mask was red, with just a line of black above the nose and more golden embroideries around the eyes.

The two tailors were waiting for him to say something, the younger one looked quite anxious.

“This is splendid.” He turned to them. “Thank you for your hard work.”

The young girl could breathe easier, her face brightening up with a smile. Her senior patted her shoulder gently before coming closer to the lawyer.

“It seems like no readjustment is needed.” She noted. “Do you feel any discomfort when you move?”

“I don’t think so.” He answered, lifting one of his arms to make his point. “If I may, I would like to see Mrs Tiffany to thank her myself.”

“She is currently in the parlour,” the old tailor stepped back. “She might be with another customer, but she would be delighted to see you, Mr Utterson.”

Utterson left the mask to them and went out of the room. Moving around still in his costume felt a bit odd, but now he could tell it was indeed tight fitted. The corridors were empty, which comforted him a bit; while his costume was far from extravagant, it was fancier than anything he ever had in his wardrobe for decades… Actually, he did not remember having anything like this in his wardrobe. He did wear costumes when he was part of a theatre company many years ago, but his style had always been sober, practical and professional looking. A small wave of nostalgia overtook him as he recalled his days as an actor if he could call it like that. Those were good days, some of the happiest of his life, to be honest, maybe Utterson missed Daphné and the whole company more than he thought he did. He owed them his good elocution, it was also during the rehearsals that he learnt to control his voice and body better; despite how hard it could be, the other actors always managed to make it pleasant, fun… And he could not forget the thrill he had when he got on stage when he became someone completely different for some hours. It was quite intoxicating, liberating! To be in someone else’s shoes, to live another life, he felt like he could be anyone, anything he wanted to be!

Finally, Utterson reached the parlour. Mrs Tiffany was there; she and her son were talking to a customer whose back was turned to him. The owner of the house noticed him first and smiled widely at him.

“Mr Utterson! What a pleasure to see you again after all this time!” she exclaimed, drawing the attention of the two others.

The customer and Utterson froze as they recognized each other. This could not be! It only happened in those comedies and vaudeville! Utterson’s hands raised slightly, but he stopped himself before he could bring his hands to cover his bare neck. He felt his cheeks heating up in embarrassment; he was neither naked nor in his underwear, and here he was, acting like a startled maid in a state of undress! Damnit!

“Let me look at you!” the lawyer almost jumped as Mrs Tiffany approached him, staring at her work. “I just knew you would look dashing like this! And this collar perfectly brings out your neck!”

Utterson chose that moment to clear his throat, he knew the Lady meant well but it was quite embarrassing to hear her gushing like this about his body in front of him. He then noticed his friend was blushing and he looked down when their eyes met briefly, he was probably feeling awkward by the situation too. But what was Jekyll doing here?

Mrs Tiffany did not seem to take the hint and turned to Jekyll and her son, still smiling.

“Don’t you think so, Abel? Dr Jekyll?”

Utterson felt more exposed than ever under the two men’s gaze, especially Jekyll’s. He knew he was overreacting; after all, his friend has seen him with less clothing in their youth. But they were still children then, and his feelings for Henry had not been so… intense and exalted back then; he considered him a friend. And then he started to see Henry in a different light, and his feelings changed. It had been so quick; it was quite scary.

“Your design is as impeccable as ever, Mother. And the tailors uphold to it.” Abel nodded his head. “It perfectly fits Mr Utterson’s style: sober and elegant, but fancy enough for a Masquerade.”

A quite professional answer. Utterson wondered if he had sounded like this young man when he was the same age. He glanced nervously at Henry, who was staring at him, unsure of what he was expecting.

“Jekyll!! Say something for Heaven’s sake instead of just standing here!!”

Had Hyde been in control of the body, he would have covered his ears when Jekyll had started screaming internally. Or he would have jumped at Utterson’s neck. Probably both.

Jekyll tried to appear composed before he finally commented on his friend’s clothes.

“I agree with Abel.” He quickly swallowed and cleared his throat before adding. “It is quite a surprise to see you dressed this way, Utterson, but you look amazing.”

Fortunately, Mrs Tiffany was satisfied with this and turned back to the lawyer to check the costume herself, asking some question here and there to him. Utterson seemed tense, obviously embarrassed being seen like this out of the event, and Jekyll felt once again the urge to go and kiss him, to reassure him, praise him. He was so handsome! The doctor almost bit the inside of his cheek to blood to contain himself, thinking of anything ugly and unpleasant to prevent his body to shame him in front of these people. He also nearly missed his friend’s nod before he left the room to change. This was both a relief and a disappointment.

Meanwhile, Hyde was gushing that he would get to have Utterson “all to himself” in this costume for a whole night. Jekyll snapped mentally at him, reminding him that they would certainly not be alone and that Utterson would be avoiding him like plague.

“We will see.” Hyde sneered, it felt like his other half was whispering in his ear. “And don’t pretend you are not as eager as I am. Grandpa.”

Jekyll’s fists clenched painfully at that, he almost huffed out loud. To clear his mind, he made some small talk with Mrs Tiffany while the necklaces he had picked were put in a lovely box. The Lady checked one last time the data she had for his commission, asking him if some new measurements were needed since his last. The question put him ill-at-ease, but he hid it behind his usual smile. His mind whirled as he followed her to a changing room, worried about a thousand and one things. What if he had gained too much weight? Did his body change in ways he did not notice with the more frequent transformations? Would she notice anything? Would she think he was not ageing as well as he seemed to be?

The measurements were done in a blink. Nothing special came out of it.

Jekyll discreetly sighed in relief before bidding both Mrs Tiffany and Abel goodbye, leaving them with other customers. A maid escorted him to the exit, and he was handed back his coat and hat. He smiled and nodded at her and stepped out.

Utterson was waiting outside.

Chapter Text

Jekyll had been staring through the carriage’s window for a while when he finally glanced at his friend, unsure of what to say. They had been sitting opposite to each other in silence since they went inside the vehicle after Jekyll had accepted Utterson’s (unexpected) invitation for tea. The lawyer was staring outside too, obviously deep in his thoughts. Jekyll hesitated a short moment before he decided to make a move; without a word, he got up from his seat. The movement caught Utterson’s attention, and his eyes widened in surprise as the doctor grew closer. He only meant to sit next to him; but of course, the ride had to become bumpy right at this moment! Blindsided by the jolt, Jekyll lost his balance and fell forwards. Utterson reached out to catch him, preventing him to collide into anything but Jekyll ended up half on his old friend’s lap, clinging to his shoulders.

“My, dear Henry! How bold of you!”

Jekyll could care less about Hyde’s mocking tone when he was so close to Gabriel. Their faces were close, their eyes gazing into the other’s, his heart was beating so fast both because of the shock and their closeness. He had to bite the inside of his cheek to come to his senses and recoil from Gabriel before he did anything he could regret later.

“Sorry- forgive me” he stuttered, moving to sit properly at Utterson’s right. “I just wanted to sit next to you.”

“It’s quite alright,” Utterson assured calmly, handing over Jekyll his fallen hat. “Did you hurt yourself?”

“No, I’m fine. Thank you for your concern.”

They fell back into a quite uncomfortable silence. Jekyll started fidgeting with his hat, he did not want to just sit there without saying anything. His shoulder brushed his friend’s, and he gathered the courage to ask:

“How have you been since… last time?” he could not look at him though. “Did Edward give you more trouble?”

Jekyll was not sure why he used his other half’s first name; it came out kind of naturally. He felt Utterson’s gaze on him, still unable to bring himself to look up at him.

“I haven’t seen him since late September.” He stated, but his tone felt off.

The doctor expected Utterson to elaborate; to ask him some questions, such as “did you talk to him?”. But, to his great surprise, his friend changed the topic after a short silence, talking about his work and some mundane things. Jekyll blinked and finally gazed at his friend. Utterson seemed equal to himself if a bit stiff; Hyde was a sensitive subject for him too, but he did not evoke him. Had Utterson finally let go? Or was he just avoiding talking about Hyde to spare Jekyll’s feelings? He listened in silence to Utterson, trying to figure it out until the latter said:

“I have been thinking about our days at Uni quite a lot lately. Maybe I feel a bit nostalgic.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” Utterson’s eyes saddened a bit, while his lips twitched slightly upward in a bitter smile. “I sometimes miss those days. I miss seeing you every day.”

Jekyll felt himself blushing, deeply moved by Utterson’s words while his friend turned his head in embarrassment.

“I miss those days too.” The blonde man confessed, getting slightly closer to the other. “I wish I could hear you recite Shakespeare like you did, all those years ago.” His hand touched Utterson’s elbow gently. “Especially Queen Mab’s soliloquy.”

The lawyer turned back to him; surprise painted all over his features.

“You remember?” his voice was barely a whisper, like a prayer.

“Of course, I do.” Jekyll smiled softly (lovingly). “How could I forget the day you asked me to cut classes with you?” a chuckle escaped his lips. “I had been so worried about you back then, you know. You were so depressed, you barely talked to us! Then, at last, I managed to get you to speak a bit about your torments and suddenly, you said ‘Would you cut classes with me? I need to get out of here today!’. I was astonished!”

Utterson chuckled.

“You were stunned, indeed. I perfectly remember your expression. And yet, you went with me…”

“How could I refuse? You had never asked for such favours, and I did not want you to go alone. Not when you were looking so hopeful, after days, weeks of sorrow! It was such a relief to see you smile again. And… this was one of the best days of my whole life.”

Jekyll remembered fondly how the two of them had sneaked out; usually, he was the one leading Gabriel when they went and did silly things, it was that age, however, that day Gabriel was the one going ahead with him following. The two had gone to a natural park in the vicinity, very few people had been there, so it had not been difficult to claim a spot for themselves. Henry had got worried when his friend had let himself roll down the (thankfully) small hill, probably to blow some steam, or maybe had he been trying to hurt himself? He could not tell, even today. After he had rushed at his side, Gabriel had started reciting some lines of various plays. At first, it had been quite random, and Henry had laughed with him at such nonsense, then… Jekyll was not sure what caused it, what he had exactly said or asked that unleashed whatever weighted Gabriel’s heart had been poured via Mercutio’s speech, Queen Mab.

Henry had known that his friend had talent, but this. This has been beyond any performance. It had been hypnotic, everything around them had vanished. And Henry had understood why his heart had never been fulfilled by his little “romantic” getaways, and why the (sparse) following in the future would not either.

None of them had been Gabriel.

It had appeared so obviously then, how could he love someone else? They were mere passions, attractions. While his love for Gabriel had started as idyllic after years of friendship, the desire came after. Gabriel was pure! And maybe that was what had stopped him from kissing him when the soliloquy ended. The young man had seemed so grand, so holy. Henry found himself wanting to kiss his lips; but had been terrified that if he did, God’s fire would scorch him for that blasphemy.

This sacred fear still haunted him today.

Utterson felt his heart melt. One of Jekyll’s best days? Had the lawyer been a more emotional man, tears would have filled his eyes hearing this.

Gabriel had been grieving at the time. For his mother, who died so suddenly that year; he had not even been able to bid farewell to her, she died before he came back home. He had walked in his beloved mother’s room to see her lying in her bed, a cloth on her face. His aunt Vera had been crying by her side, holding one of her sister’s hands in hers. Another shock had been seeing his father crying.

Gabriel stood where he was, frozen. He was too late. He barely felt his uncle’s hand on his shoulder, too focused on his mother’s lifeless body. He could not believe it. How? Why? His mother had always been perfectly healthy! And, according to his uncle, merely an hour ago she had been calling out for him!... probably to see him one last time. And he did not make it.

Some tears fell from his eyes.

“Gabriel.”

The young man turned towards his father and almost gasped at the sight. The man’s face was wet with tears, he had never looked so miserable, so vulnerable. Gabriel tried to choke a sob and then he found himself cuddled in the arms of Malcolm Utterson. The adult tightened his embrace as Gabriel allowed himself to cry.

And as if that were not bad enough, Daphné’s theatre company announced they would leave the same year, after one last performance. Gabriel had felt like two important parts of his heart had been ripped away from him. He had known he would never be able to follow them; although he had sometimes dreamt he would, in his wildest dreams, he had known it was not a life he could lead. And leaving his family and friends behind? It had been beyond question. His father had been quite relieved though, while he had allowed Gabriel to follow those French comedians for years, the late Mr Utterson had always wanted his son to carry on studies and a business worthy of his rank.

The last performance had been “The Lily of the Valley”, and to this date, the memory of it left a very bitter taste in Gabriel’s mouth. That was when he started having those dreams of standing alone on stage, unable to utter a word. What had happened still troubled him.

Utterson could not clearly remember what lead him to run from school that day. A need to break away from the expectations, or from the miserable, colourless mess his life had seemed for a day? A desire to escape with Henry, and have him all for himself for a small while? To delude himself he still had any semblance of control in his life? Had he imagined that if Henry followed him, then it meant the latter loved him the same way he did? He could not tell. But one thing was sure: Henry had saved him that day. Utterson would never forget it.

After finishing his soliloquy, Gabriel had stared at the water in silence. A despicable, selfish idea had merged in his mind weeks ago, and he had wanted for a moment to follow it. To vanish along with his dreams.

“True, I talk of dreams, Which are the children of an idle brain, Begot of nothing but vain fantasy, Which is as thin of substance as the air And more inconstant than the wind, who wooes Even now the frozen bosom of the north, And, being anger’d, puffs away from thence, Turning his face to the dew-dropping south”

Then suddenly, two arms had embraced him from behind. A small gasp had escaped his lips as he felt Henry burying his face into the crook of his neck, whispering:

“Peace, peace, Gabriel, peace! Dreams might disappear into thin air, but I won’t.”

This had made tears spill from his eyes, like the words previously.

Utterson found himself staring at his friend and was once again reminded why he secretly called him “his Apollo”.

“I don’t think I can ever express how grateful I am that you followed me that day. And still having you at my side, as my friend… I am truly blessed.”

Jekyll smiled; his eyes filled with tenderness. The lawyer lost himself in them until the cab stopped.

Had anyone watched them at this point, they might have felt like the two were kissing.

“The toff has another mission for us it seems.” Jim Lynch, more infamously known as “Pat the swindler”, smiled. “You up to it, Clive?”

His mate groaned in irritation, sharpening his favourite knife.

“Depends on what he wants us to do.” He mumbled. “I’m tired of running errands for that old wanker.”

Jim flinched at the shard sound of the knife against the whetstone.

“We are supposed to meet tonight, we-“ the smaller man jumped as the knife flew a few centimetres from his face to sink up to the hilt in the pole behind him.

“You will negotiate with him.” Clive snapped, getting up to take his knife back. “And call for me only if there’s some throats to slit.”

Jim gulped, fiddling the letter as he watched the other man leave. He wasn’t called the Cleaver for nothing.

The atmosphere was serene as the two gentlemen sipped their tea. Jekyll felt his heart beating a little faster, but his smile never faltered. He felt blissful, and Hyde was strangely -but thankfully- silent. They did not talk much, and when they did the conversation went smoothly; even when Lanyon became shortly the topic of it, when Utterson announced to him the birth of dear Hope’s third baby. After two boys, the lawyer’s god-daughter had a little girl, the two men were happy for her. This brought them to talk about the past, when Hope was only a little girl, recalling how adorable she was and some old amusing stories about her and so on. The mood was not soured even when Utterson mentioned Lanyon, reminding the doctor of their dancing lessons; back when Lanyon was still courting his wife. While Jekyll had previously no intention in taking the first step to reconcile with their old friend, he was beginning to consider it. On one hand, he was very fond of Hope and wished to go and congratulate her without making things awkward; and on the other, Utterson would be relieved and pleased by his effort. Two birds with one stone. However the memories of dancing the waltz with Gabriel at that time made him blush, he needed to cover it up quickly.

“I am still so sorry for thinking you could not dance, my friend.” Jekyll coughs, bringing his cup to his lips to avoid his friend’s gaze. “You were probably the best dancer in our class!”

“You flatter me, Harry,” Utterson answered, pouring himself another cup of tea. “But I doubt I was, the only dances I excelled at were Polka and the Valse musette. And it was only because I had a lot of practice with them.”

Jekyll felt a sting in his heart. It felt like bitterness was now leaking in his chest, changing into foul bile as it travelled up his throat; and before he could stop himself, he commented with his best-practiced smile:

“With this beautiful French actress, was it? What was her name, again? Dalphine? Désirée?”

“Daphné.” Utterson tutted. “She taught me some moves, but so did all the other members of the troupe.”

“Of course she did.” A voice rumbled in Jekyll’s mind, the tea tasted bitter now.

He still remembered the first time he saw that actress, he had been left speechless by her beauty. It was almost impossible to take your eyes off her whenever she stepped on stage, inside a room, anywhere! That woman had been the epitome of feminine beauty in his young man’s eyes, and even today he thought of her as such. And each time he had seen her, either from afar or close, Jekyll had thought: “Mother would hate her.” She, who used to tremble in contained anger whenever a younger, pretty woman walked past her… he could not imagine her wrath had she seen Daphné. How the actress’ face lighted up as she smiled, how gracefully she moved around, her playful tone and gentle touches on Gabriel when he joined her…

Yes, his mother would have hated her with her whole being. She would have done anything to look like her, if only so her darling husband would at least look at her.

“It was quite amusing to catch you off guard” Utterson’s voice snapped Jekyll out of his thoughts. “but I hope I didn’t make you feel too embarrassed. I had not realized at the time that the Valse musette was so different from our classic waltz.”

The bitter taste was suddenly changed into something way warmer, sweeter. Indeed, the French liked their waltz sensual, the dancers tightly intertwined. He coughed.

“That’s quite an understatement!” Jekyll laughed, still coughing a bit. “Maybe it was a good thing we organized this “lesson”, otherwise you might have found yourself in an awkward situation at a ball!”

“It would have been unfortunate, indeed.” The lawyer tutted, were his cheeks a bit redder? “I am sure we would still be hearing about it, had anything like this happened.”

“I wouldn’t allow that.”

Utterson blinked and stared at him, his eyes slightly widened. Jekyll feared for a second he had gone too far, but he still added:

“You are my dearest friend, Gabriel. I would never let some scandalmongers spread any rumours about you or remind you of some teething troubles.”

Jekyll had no idea of how he had sounded to his friend’s ears, which drove him on edge. It was getting harder to look at Utterson in the eyes, and the silence was getting deafening until Gabriel’s eyes softened.

“The same applies to me, Harry.”

Was it possible to love someone that much without dying?

Today had gone wonderfully, way better than he had expected, and yet Utterson felt a knot in his stomach. Guilt. Henry had looked so serene, so trusting… and he had lied to his face. By omission. He was invading Henry’s privacy behind his back and he hated it. What would he say if he knew? Utterson was not sure he wanted to know, not even imagine it happening.

A small voice inside the lawyer’s mind whispered that Jekyll was hiding many things from him too, but he chose to ignore it. This was not the point. Utterson was investigating on a case that could – no would – re-open old wounds. His intentions would not count if (or when) Henry were to learn about that. But he could not go back now.

A sigh escaped his lips and he went to his office.

“Edward Hyde.” He whispered.

Whatever the real name of this man was, he knew that his true identity was the key to the case. Utterson was sure of it.

Nigh time, Soho, whorehouse “Pearls of the black-lipped”

Three prostitutes stared wide-eyed at the necklaces presented to them.

“Consider it as an expression of my gratitude for your advice.” Hyde bowed his head slightly. “And if they yield results, expect more to come.”

Chapter Text

“Could you do that for me?”

“Hmm… the whole operation seems risky. What do I get from it?”

…

“Give me the double and I’m your man.”

“You have some nerves. But fine. Here you are.”

“It’s always a pleasure doin’ business with you! *chuckles* But how do you plan us to get inside?”

“You will enter with two friends. Once inside, wait for the signal.”

“Same as usual?”

“Yes. And tell your gang not to get carried away this time.”

“Of course, but we’ll still need a distraction to get the ‘package’.”

“I do not trust all your crewmates after what happened last time. Should I remind you?”

“We will succeed, Sir. I vouch for it.”

“You’d better be prepared to face the consequences of any missteps, then. I hold you responsible for it.”