Archive of Our Own ^beta

He spots him sitting atop the stairs, facing towards the empty street. 

Robert wasn't sure why he was doing that on such a dreary evening, but he found that he didn't care much. 

How could he? Hyde was right there, just a few steps away.

After slowly shutting the Society's front doors behind him, he quickly (but quietly) walked up to Hyde, who acknowledged his presence with a slight head tilt upwards. Bright vivid green eyes flickered a bit, curious. 

“Mind if I join you?” Robert politely asked, hoping that none of his… genuine delight at seeing him again seeped through. He’d just seen him a few days ago, there was no actual reason for him to feel so strongly, and yet-

Hyde quickly glanced at the closed doors before casually shrugging. “Eh, why the fuck not.”

Wordlessly, Robert sat down.

For a bit, they’re entirely silent, sitting on the stairs together, both looking up at the sky rather than at each other. It was a fresh breath of air compared to the chaos going on inside, a bit of a temporary haven till he was forced to return.

And not a single lodger was going to interrupt them, he was sure of it. They were all too busy messing with whatever Henry said not to, and with the oddly cold weather, everyone was more likely to start crowding into the foyer to huddle around the large heater instead of subjecting themselves to the outdoor chill.

(…Oh, goddamnit. With all the usual hecticness that came with keeping the Society running while Henry went off and disappeared, Robert had forgotten to take his coat with him, again.

It was probably sitting in Henry's office right now, likely still hanging over the edge of his sofa because he hadn't felt like taking his chances with the closed closet door. 

…He was not going back inside for it.)

Despite the cold, it was still rather peaceful. The silence was rather comforting, and for a bit, Robert felt as if he could truly relax.

It helped that the company was quite lovely as well.

“It’s rather nice out here, isn't it?” he said as casually as possible, finding himself craving an easy conversation with the other man. “Nice weather?”

“…Yeah?” Hyde slowly turned around and narrowed his eyes at him, looking incredibly suspicious. Screw his attempt at being friendly, he supposed. He should have known Hyde would have found it odd. “…Are you trying to make small talk with me?”

“…And if I am?”

Hyde let out an amused snort. “Weirdo. If you just wanted another excuse to get away from the lodgers, you could have just said so.” 

“Perhaps.” Though, truthfully, he didn't exactly have much of a need for it. While nothing could ever change their inclination towards chaos, the lodgers have actually been rather well-behaved ever since their little- well, “discussion.”

…He still wished to go back in time and unhear all of it, he would have been better off blissfully ignorant. He should have just taken that blanket and buried himself in it, God, he should have done quite literally anything else but subject himself to the insanity that was a lodger-only group discussion. 

(Of course, he couldn't hear everything, especially not when everyone was talking over each other and especially not when his hangover had been distracting him the entire time. But, he’d gotten the gist of it, and all he has to say is that a part of him most definitely died that day. Whether it was his dignity or innocence didn't matter, either way, he was never getting it back. 

…Sure, maybe it was his fault for being nosy and deciding to put his ear up to the door in the first place, but he hadn't expected to hear all of that. If he knew better, he wouldn't have done such a thing!

Too bad he didn't.)

Now, it was almost as if the lodgers had finally learned the concept of personal space. Not once in the past few days did any of them approach him (instead, they generally chose to keep a distance of at least three feet away from him), not unless he specifically asked any of them to do something that required them to get closer. If he hadn't known any better, he would have assumed that they’d simply lost interest in him, and that things were returning to the way they once were.

Truthfully, it unnerved him a bit, the sudden change in behavior, but he’d quickly decided to simply accept the relative peace and quiet. Who knows how long it'll last? 

Turning towards Hyde, whose attention was currently being spent on the sky, he innocently asked, “So… how’s your head injury? Has it finally healed, or must I tackle you to the ground once more to prove a point?”

Hyde immediately scowled at the single reminder that he'd actually lost that little squabble. “Oh, fuck you, I was hungover.”

“So was I,” Robert pointed out, half needing to defend himself and half wanting to playfully irritate Hyde just a bit. “Admit it, you simply lost.”

Hyde, as expected, completely ignored him. “The wound’s fucking fine. I can barely even feel it now, it just stings a little when I poke at it.” A small pause. “…And my brain's definitely still fried, I guess, but I’ll deal. It's not the first time I’ve concussed myself.”

“I figured.” Even if it did seem as if he had absolutely no idea what the word rest even meant, much like another idiot Robert was unfortunately rather fond of. “Considering that no one's run up to me panicking about your unconscious body in the past few days, I’d assumed that you’d finally decided to listen to me for once.” 

A pause.

“…Well? Did you?”

Heatlessly, Hyde retorted, “…How about you fuck off?”

Ah, so he did know how to behave. Robert smiled at him, very satisfied that his efforts had somewhat paid off.

Hyde, obviously, did not appreciate that. “Fuck you.” He then looked up at the still very dreary sky, and Robert, being a bit curious, attempted to follow his gaze. 

The sky was dull, cloudy. There was absolutely nothing to look at, and yet that didn't stop Hyde from staring so intently at it. 

Odd.

“So… what are you even doing out here, sitting on the freezing front steps instead of the very warm foyer?” There wasn't really much to do here besides stare at the clouds, and it was cold. Hyde wasn’t even wearing an appropriately thick cloak, surely he was freezing out here? “Tweedy did bring out a rather large electric heater for everyone to huddle around, you know.”

A pause. “Does it kill a man to want some fresh air?” he suddenly spat out, suddenly sounding genuinely irritated. “You all have been keeping me hostage, give me a fucking break.” Hyde then began rapidly tapping on the concrete, the sudden anger quickly softening, making him seem more reminiscent of the man who was willing to sit with him at the edge of a river at God knows what hour. “I’ll join them… eventually. Just not now, not when it's just about to rain.”

“…Alright?”

Hyde suddenly snickered. “You’re confused, aren't you?” He laughed again at Robert's reluctant nod. “I’m here to watch the rain, dumbass.” Oh. “It's so much nicer than squishing your face up to a dusty window and begging God not to fog it up. We have a fucking porch, why not use it?” 

“Fair point.” He’s rather glad that Hyde had finally found something enjoyable to do that didn't involve inviting death to a slow dance, he hadn't been particularly happy with everyone’s recent decision to collectively place him on “house arrest,” and had been causing quite the trouble because of it. Hopefully this meant Hyde would finally stop trying to escape the building in pursuit for “entertainment.”

Sure, the activity may seem suspiciously peaceful, especially for someone like Hyde, but Robert had no complaints. No one was around to call the police on him, so this activity pretty much had no risks. Even if Robert did decide to leave him alone, it was unlikely that Hyde would encounter anyone else to cause trouble with for the rest of the evening.

Because, of course, no normal person willingly stood around in the rain. Which meant that the streets were going to continue being wonderfully and entirely empty.

No people, no birds, no stray cats, nothing.

It was the perfect environment, besides the depressing sky that seemed to drag on everyone’s daily mood. 

“Have you ever watched the rain before?” Hyde asked absentmindedly, his voice even less harsh than it normally was. 

He paused, not expecting it. …Has he? “…I’m sure I have at some point.” At the very least, when he was a child.

“Outside?”

Robert quickly shook his head. “No, I wasn't allowed to play outside when it rained. My relatives, from my mother's side, didn't like it when mud got into the house, it was their estate after all. …And I had enough self preservation not to try.”

Hyde blankly blinked at him. “…Why? Were they going to kill you over some dirt?”

“I… wouldn’t be surprised.”

“What a bunch of boring and dramatic fucks,” Hyde huffed. “Who gives a damn about a little dirt? It's dirt!”

“…Dirt gets in all sorts of nooks and crannies,” he immediately pointed out, “and no one in there ever felt like figuring out where all of it was. God knows I wouldn't.” 

Even if he’d always gone straight to the bath every time he returned from any of his particularly “scampish” activities (lone hunting trips with very energetic spaniels, multiple attempts at running away by foot towards the woods, planting random seeds he found in his mother's drawers hoping that they’ll sprout and ruin the estate’s landscaping, etc), they still didn't “trust” him to clean after himself, so much so that mud was just explicitly prohibited. 

“Didn't you have maids?”

Robert shrugged. “We did, but I assume that the no-mud rule was more of a…” Well. 

Suppose, there was no good reason not to tell him. Hyde was never going to meet them in person anyway, and he already knew quite a bit.

“…A bit of a message for my father's family. A way to prove to them that they still had the final say in everything. They're still a bit miffed about my father marrying into their family, and I’m rather certain that's the only reason why they dislike me so much. After all, none of the other young boys were ever yelled at for accidentally dragging mud into the estate.”

For a moment, there's only silence.

“…Jesus Christ, what a bunch of assholes,” Hyde muttered.

“They were just insecure.” 

“Still, thank God you don't live with any of them anymore. You don't have to deal with their assholery and you can play in as much mud as you want.” Hyde suddenly paused. “…Hell, why not go ahead and jump into some mud right now? Bird said he made a bunch earlier, let’s go and fucking use it! Let’s stick it up to your bloodline! Let’s become the very thing they unrightfully feared, unrightfully demised!” 

Robert sighed, not unkindly, just a bit exasperated. “I’m not a child anymore, Hyde.”

“Okay?” Hyde scoffed. “Who cares? No one’s going to even see you, we can literally run around the entirety of London twice without a single soul ever knowing.”

Maybe so, but what joy could he possibly get from jumping around in a bunch of mud in his late-thirties? “That's far too much effort just to soil my clothes.”

He giggled, and Robert couldn't help but perk up at the lovely sound. “Fine, that's your loss! It's not my fault you're saying no to the deal of a lifetime!”

Silence.

…Robert looked up at the sky again, restraining himself to sound more polite. “...It’s about to rain, isn't it? There's certainly a lot more clouds than I remembered there being just a few moments ago.”

Hyde squinted at them. “Yeah, I guess. Probably in like a few minutes.” Without turning around, he continued, “Plan on staying here that long? Or do the lodgers need adult supervision again?” 

He thought about it for a moment. The answer to that second question was always yes, no matter how well behaved the lodgers were at the moment. Robert, unfortunately, was responsible for them all, and Henry would be very sad if he came back needing to plan a funeral.

However, that first question wasn't technically a no. 

Not that it was a yes either, Robert didn't exactly make any plans to sit on the cold concrete stairs with Hyde this dreary evening, but at this very moment? He wanted to stay, just for a while longer. Their (admittedly regular) interactions in the late afternoons simply weren't enough for him. Even if it was just for a few more minutes, the extra time would make the next morning just a tiniest bit lovelier.

God, if only he could stay.

(Well…)

…The lodgers have been rather well-behaved this week, haven't they? So far, there had only been one fire (Sinnett), a few heated arguments (Griffin and Pennebrygg, Griffin and Lavender, Griffin-), two near drownings (Flowers and Doddle), four cases of mild food poisoning (Doddle, Mosley, and Archer), and two fractured bones (Luckett). 

And it was Wednesday!

They could survive without supervision for a little longer, he’s sure of it. 

He could most definitely stay. At least for a bit. “If you're willing to let me, I’d be willing to stay a bit longer.” He’ll do it, he’ll sit on the cold concrete floor with Hyde until it starts raining enough to form a few small puddles. 

That should be enough time for his heart to fill up its daily… “Hyde” quota, a quota that Robert liked to imagine as a green-tinted hourglass that slowly filled up with ribbons and larkspurs every time he found himself even a single opportunity to go ahead and talk to him. 

Hyde grinned. “Why wouldn't I let you? Stay here and watch the rain, you poor gentleman. Let me show you the joys of a rainy day! Maybe you’ll even change your mind and jump into some puddles with me.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah! You can piss all your relatives off!” Hyde started grinning even wider. “Fuck it, let's just be a bunch of petty and spiteful little shits to the assholes that you only share half your blood with!”

Robert doesn't say anything, but on the inside he’s absolutely thrilled at the prospect, even if he had absolutely no plans on ever telling any of his blood relatives about Hyde. He could live with this just staying between the two of them. 

Hyde doesn't seem to read his expression that way. “Come on, it’ll be fun! Don't you want to piss them all off?”

…Was he seriously asking that? Of course he did.

It’s been a very long time since they’d wrecked Stride's estate together, and he did miss the spiteful part of it, much more than he’ll ever admit aloud. It had felt nice, getting his anger out on him, even if it was via property damage.

And pissing off all his relatives? He does that everyday just by existing, why not have some fun dedicating an evening to it?

Sure, maybe he couldn't quite promise the entire evening, even if he’d wanted to (he did have work to do after all), but… if he’s being offered to spend some extra time with Hyde instead of staring at a large pile of half-due paperwork? 

Why wouldn't he accept it?

“I would love to.” 

And so, together, they waited for the rain to start, comfortably sitting in the peaceful silence. 

Robert found himself inching closer to him. It was cold, and Hyde at least had a cloak. 

…Oh dear God. Who was he fooling with that lackluster excuse? That cloak of Hyde's was not meant for this weather; they were both freezing out here.

The actual reason, unfortunately, was much stupider and much more humiliating than that. 

(Despite this, he inched even closer.)

The proximity was almost intoxicating, putting him in a dazed trance as the world around him faded into nothingness…

…Nothing but warmth that seemed to emanate from the other man’s very soul.

It was horrifyingly addictive. Robert couldn't help but wonder why his body was doing this to him.

How was he ever supposed to tell Hyde that the genuine reason he was trying to snuggle up to him like some sort of touch starved cat was because the physical contact sent a literal rush of joy through his entire body, that to him, he shone so brightly that it burned?

It was incredibly unfair, all of these feelings, especially since Robert had absolutely no plans on pursuing him. The second he’d realized what was going on with his own heart, he’d immediately sworn to himself that he would not let this ruin anything or anyone.

(Pursuing him would be an incredibly foolish endeavor. Not only was he incredibly rusty with most matters pertaining to romance and… other much less proper things, Hyde certainly hasn't shown a single sign of feeling even remotely the same about him.

Sure, they may have admittedly spent a lot of time with one another, but it was in the same way Robert and Henry spent their time together, with the nervous flutters and sudden giddiness that often interrupted the tranquil and sometimes quiet moments of familiarity most obviously a one-sided issue. 

And that was fine, expected even. It was far easier that way, if either of them reciprocated, Robert would have an incredibly difficult time forcing himself to reject them, even if it was for their sake.

…Not that Henry would ever be in such a relationship with him again. He was stupid, but not that stupid. It's not his fault that Robert's stubborn heart simply refused to let go of such a wonderful man.

…And then proceeded to latch onto another.)

He dared to inch even closer, close enough that they were just barely touching. 

And his racing heart felt close to collapsing into itself, as if he was taunting the hells by dangling his own life in front of fate’s open jaw, daring it to bite. 

For a moment, he was willing to let it, just so he could feel the scorching heat through his skin.

…But that was as far as Robert was willing to go. As much as he wanted to intertwine his cold limbs with Hyde’s warm ones, wishing to put them both in positions reminiscent of the ones he faintly remembers them falling asleep in, he just- couldn't.

Instead, he froze up. Not in the instinctive way he usually does, no. This was purposeful, restrained.

(The second Robert does this, Hyde goes silent. Even his breathing seemed to quiet down, his motions still and everything else just gone.)

For a moment, Robert felt a distant terror creep up his heart.

(Did he notice his reluctance to stop, his hope for just a little more? 

Did he know about his desire to drown in everything he ever was, his desire to let himself choke on that bliss?

Was he scared? 

Was he scared of him? Or was he scared of what he wanted?)

Robert doesn't let himself dwell on it too much. His mind was being a bit dramatic, the way it always did when it finally decided to attach itself to someone new. Instead, he continues to search the dreary skies for a single drop of rain.

So far, nothing. Nothing but warmth and his own thoughts.

(He liked the warmth, a lot. He wanted more of it, enough to encompass his entire body, but he knew that wasn't possible. 

…Not unless he goes drinking with him again, which had ended with a delayed hangover that had almost made the entire thing not worth it.)

(Henry’s poorly timed migraine didn't help either. For those few days, the two of them just had to suck it up and do their best to get as much done without: 

A) Vomiting, 

B) Passing Out, and

C) Dying. 

…It was far more difficult than it should have been. There were far too many instances of someone accidentally stepping in vomit and having to spend a few minutes quickly wiping it off their shoe so that it wouldn't spread to the rest of the office. Whether it was Henry’s or his own, he had absolutely no idea, but it was absolutely disgusting, with the smell often triggering his own nausea and forcing them into a cycle of paperwork and cleaning each other's sick off the ground.)

…Huh. That had been a week ago. He hadn't actually seen much of Henry recently, he isn't even sure if he’s seen him at all today.

Rachel did say she saw him a few times in passing, but Henry hasn't been as present as he usually was. Was he ill again? 

He could ask Rachel to check on him later, just to make sure he wasn't dead. 

Just, not right now. Since his friend's home telephone didn't seem to work anymore, Rachel would have to check on him in person, and he doubted that she'd be able to get herself a ride to Henry's with all the rain. Robert didn't want her to walk all the way there, it was better for him to wait a bit, to wait still he’d be able to find someone willing to give her a ride.

…If only the streets weren't so empty right now, it wouldn't waste much time at all if Robert just went off and asked for this small favor. Alas, the world didn't take many requests. Instead, he continued to sit on the cold concrete, waiting for the rain to start while he was next to one of London’s most troublesome criminals.

He wouldn't have had it any other way.

Suddenly, Hyde closed the distance between them, and Robert sucked in a breath. 

It was innocent, just a casual gesture, but-

Hyde had his head on Robert’s shoulder. He was sober. He was not a few seconds away from passing out. He’d willingly leaned in. 

Despite being the one that had given Hyde verbal permission to do this about a week ago, Robert's heart couldn't help but flutter. 

(Of all the people to fall for, why did it have to be London's most infamous public menace? Why must it be the man that dragged him along to multiple crimes, the man that's responsible for about forty percent of the messes he’s forced to clean?)

He took a single glance at Hyde's glowing eyes, his content expression.

(He already knew the answer to that. He’s been mulling over it for the past few weeks, how could he not?

His stubbornness, his ratty cloak, his lack of filter, his soft unruly hair, his magpie tendencies, his constant need for mischief, his wide and sharp toothy grin, his lack of restraints, his ever growing collection of ribbons, his neverending love for everything deemed broken, pathetic, and already damned.

There was everything to love. Of course Robert fell for him, how could he not?

Who wouldn't?)

He watched as the first few raindrops began to fall.

Hyde suddenly made a happy little sound, obviously delighted with how quickly the sprinkling turned into actual rain, and unconsciously got even closer to him, slowly (gently) burying himself in the nook of his neck. 

One arm, somehow, found its way to his waist again. 

(A much less filtered part of his mind plays with the idea that his hands would eventually reach low enough to-)

No. Robert immediately kicked the thought out of his mind. Absolutely not, not while he was right there.

(He was already indulging himself enough with the actual, completely innocent, physical touch. He could not take this any further without turning into a non sentient puddle of some sorts. That would be absolutely humiliating.)

The rain began to pick up even more, raindrops landing on his shoes and soaking the edge of his trousers even though he was still sitting underneath the roof. Soon enough, puddles will actually form, and Robert would then have to go back inside. 

He had responsibilities to unfortunately tend to (and emotions to let simmer down). He couldn't spend his whole evening sitting on these cold steps, just waiting for the “proper” moment to reluctantly leave.

Suddenly, the weight on his shoulder disappears, and he nearly falls over. After taking a second to steady himself, Robert turned around to see Hyde already halfway down the steps, no longer under the safety of the roof.

“What in the world are you doing?”

Hyde grinned, wide and toothy, mischievous in the way that made Robert’s stomach twist. “Having fun! Obviously!”

“You’re going to get ill, are you trying to put yourself in the infirmary again?”

A groan. “Oh shut it, you sound like Rachel.”

He did n-

…Alright, maybe he did, just a bit. But it was for good reason!

“You’re going to get yourself sick.” 

Immediately, Hyde scowled. Still making eye contact with him, he then pointedly started taking a few steps backwards.

Robert watched him warily. It was raining for God’s sake, why was he going down the stairs like that? Was he genuinely trying to concuss himself again? 

“Stop that.”

“Why?”

“You said you were out here to watch the rain, not drown yourself in it.”

“It’s not even raining that hard!”

Robert crossed his arms. “Not yet.”

“Jesus fucking Christ,” he muttered. “It's just rain, Lanyon! It’s not like I’m going to die from it.”

“I know that.” 

“Then quit trying to make me go back inside!”

“I’m not.” 

Hyde narrowed his eyes at him. 

…God, please help him. “You’ve just barely recovered, are you certain this is a good idea?”

The rain began pouring even harder, and Hyde was still standing out there. 

“I like the rain.”

“You can enjoy the rain sitting underneath the roof.” Where it was nice and dry, where Hyde seemed to have had absolutely no issues with being just moments ago.

Still, Hyde didn't move.

Stubborn, absolutely stubborn.

(As endearing as it was sometimes, it was also incredibly irritating. Him and Henry would get along stupidly well.)

“…If you're truly going to be that insistent, at least make good use of your cloak and pull that hood over your head.”

“Not doing that.”

“Hyde.”

“I want to feel the rain! You can't make me wear it.”

Robert stared at him disapprovingly. 

A pause. 

Eventually, Hyde grumbled to himself, and pulled his hood up. “…Happy?”

“Very much so.”

A pause. “…I hate you so much, Lanyon.”

“Hm? Say that again?”

Hyde simply scowled, and Robert laughed at his expression. 

“Fuck you.”

Robert, eventually, stopped his laughter, opting for a smile instead. “…Will it make you somewhat happier if I allowed you to climb up to the roof without issue?” It was mostly a jokeful offer, and he’d assumed that he was going to get a jokeful response. 

“…And you’ll let me jump off of it?”

What. “Pardon?”

“Let me jump, and I’ll forgive you for the hood.”

“No? Why would I let you do that?” The point of keeping him from getting a second concussion wasn't to give him a pair of broken legs instead! 

Hyde batted his eyes at him. “Jekyll never lets me jump off of the roof~”

“For good reason!?” If the general public got word that he and Jekyll allowed someone to recklessly endanger themselves in such a stupid way, they’d be socially ostracized! “Why would you even want to do that?”

“It’s the closest thing to flying.”

A pause. 

“…The Society has hot air balloons.”

Hyde scoffed. “It’s just not the same, you can barely feel the wind in that stuffy thing.”

It was like arguing with a wall. “…Well then, I suppose I don't need your forgiveness.”

“Damn.”

“No jumping off of roofs, Hyde. Rachel will kill me if you end up dead under my supervision.” And God, he was not joking.

“…Fine, can I go fuck around in the rain now? Or are you going to keep mother henning me till the rain disappears?”

Robert looked him over. Hood pulled up, shoes relatively appropriate for the weather, and a cloak that's probably gone through hell and back. “Sure. But I’ll be staying under the roof, where it's safe and dry.”

“Fine by me! You can go be ‘Mister Boring’ in the corner! But, I’m taking full advantage of today's rain!”

And with that, Hyde leapt over the remaining steps, cackling maniacally as the rain seeped into the concrete beneath him. 

Exasperatedly, Robert sighed. He’s going to slip on the wet concrete and make a fool of himself, and he's willing to bet a bottle or two of cabernet on it. 

Oh well.

Eyes still on Hyde, he gets comfortable on the (mostly) dry concrete steps, tucking his legs underneath him so that they wouldn't get any more soaked. 

He suspected that he was going to end up staying out here for quite a bit. It was either that or attend Hyde’s funeral, and he'd prefer not to deal with all that paperwork.

…Hyde looked happy.

He usually was, he supposed,  but something about the rain seemed to… isolate it from the rest of him, distilling it into something much more pure.

There was absolutely nothing to be joyous about. Compared to the inside, the front of the Society was rather respectable, rather bland. No plants, no equipment, nothing. Just… a lot of concrete. 

And yet, Hyde didn't seem to mind. Not at all. 

For the past twenty or so minutes (he couldn't be sure, he’d left his pocket watch in his coat), Robert had been watching Hyde happily frolic around despite the clear emptiness of it all. Quietly, Robert wondered how he managed it, how he managed to make such a drab environment seem so full of life?

And not just that, Hyde’s laughter seemed to dance with the haze forming around his feet, his manic cackling and practically unrepressed giggling swapping places every moment or so as the rain continued on.

He looked at peace there, running around in the pouring rain as if he'd known it his entire life.

Robert, still relatively dry, found himself yearning to join him. 

But he was no Hyde, so he stayed right where he was, only permitting the few drops of rain that ended up on the highest steps to get anywhere close to him. 

Well… that was until Hyde suddenly stopped. 

The laughter was gone, the rain still pouring. 

What was he doing?

“Hyde?” Robert called out. “Are you alright?” 

Slowly, Hyde turned towards him, green eyes glowing bright against the dull sky. He took a few, intentional steps towards him. 

Then, in less than a second, he's running up the stairs. 

“Join me,” Hyde suddenly says once he gets to the top, breathless. 

“…Pardon?”

“You've been sitting on your ass doing nothing! Come on!”

Robert stared at him. “Why?”

Hyde absentmindedly fidgeted with the hood on his head. “…I’m bored.”

Really? “Certainly didn't seem like it just a moment ago.”

“I’m. Bored.”

You know what? “Sure.” Robert paused, thinking over what Hyde had asked of him. “You… want me to run around in the rain with you.

“Yeah!”

“I’ll end up soaked.”

“And?” Hyde waved towards the closed doors. “I know you have extra clothes in there.”

He did, but… “It’s childish.”

“And who the fuck cares? It's just me and you out here, and I’m already in the fucking rain! I saw the way you were looking at me, you want to be out here as much as I do!”

“I…”

“You know you want it.”

He nervously swallowed. “…And what if I do?”

“Oh, darling~” (Robert immediately freezes up, quickly trying to forget the way that familiar pet name made him burn in embarrassment. Usually he was the one saying it.) “Let yourself fall prey to the serpent's desires, let yourself fall out of God’s favor and gain yourself the freedom of building a world of your own!”

“…I’m rather certain that isn't how that tale goes."

Hyde scoffed. “Let me have fun.”

“You're committing blasphemy.”

“Fun.” Hyde then stopped, and stared directly at him. “So… are you going to join me or what?” 

“I… would, but-”

…Why was he hesitating? 

It wasn't that Robert didn't want to do this. He did, he absolutely did. 

And it wasn't as if he had much to be self-conscious about, this was Hyde for God's sake, and he'd asked him to join. He might as well do it, might as well save himself the trouble of continuing to argue with a very persistent wall he didn't even disagree with.

Finally making up his mind, he got up from the ground, quietly chuckling to himself. “You’re not much of a snake, Hyde. They're far creepier than you are, with their long bodies and odd looking tongues.”

“Well, maybe I’m a handsome snake."

“Really now?”

“I know plenty of people who would fuck a snake.”

How… interesting. He wondered exactly how many of those were people that regularly roamed the same halls he did. (It had to be a sizable number at least, he’s heard quite the bizarre range of answers to far too many questions regarding some of the lodgers’ past flings. A snake wouldn't be even near the oddest things a lodger has allegedly danced the devil’s tango with.)

Silently, Robert looked over at the still pouring rain, tentatively sticking out a single foot. 

Plit. Plat. Plit. Plat.

He stood there, one foot out in the rain, the other still under the safety of the roof. 

Hyde scoffed. “It's just rain.”

“I know.” Robert wasn’t stupid. “It's just… it feels a bit odd, doing this on purpose.”

“Doing what? Getting yourself wet?”

“…Sure.”

It wasn't as if it was the first time he’s touched rain. God, he’d lived in London his whole life, of course it wasn't. 

And yet he found himself hesitating.

(Goddammit, didn't he just agree to join him? Why was he being so careful? It was rain.)

Hyde stared at him, bright green eyes flickering thoughtfully for a moment.

(Was it his gaze that made the task so difficult? If Hyde simply turned around, would that give him enough willpower to take another step forward?)

A scoff. “God, you're fucking pathetic,” he suddenly muttered. 

Before Robert could retort anything back, he's suddenly being pulled forward. 

Immediately, he's drenched.

“Hyde!”

“You were taking too long.”

“I was going to do it eventually.” At least, he’s rather certain he would have. “There was absolutely no need for that.”

“Well, too late. You're in the fucking rain now, and you're going to like it.” He stared at him, heavily lingering on his eyes. Robert wasn't sure why he was doing that. “…How do you feel?” 

Er… “Wet?”

Hyde sent him a judgemental look, one that had Robert questioning his intelligence. “No shit. What else?”

“…Nothing much. Am I… supposed to feel something?”

“I don't know. Probably.” A pause. “I know I did. The first time I got stuck in the rain in London, it made me almost forget about the weirdo following me around the city, and I’m seventy-percent sure he was trying to kill me.” Hyde perked up. “Oh! Maybe that'll make you feel something. We could hire a guy to kill you!"

“I’d prefer if we didn't.”

“Why?”

“You’ve already kidnapped me once, attempted murder does not need to be added to that list.”

“…Why not?”

“Don't sound so disappointed.” 

Hyde (obviously not being serious) pouted at him. “But I have an entire checklist of crimes to complete!”

“A checklist- Nevermind.”

“No, no! Do ask, I have so much to traumatize your sensitive soul with!”

Right, so he should definitely move along from this topic before he did just that. “So… since I’m out here… what do we do now?”

“…Have fun, obviously.”

“And what does that exactly mean?”

Hyde scoffed. “Oh come on, you’ve never had fun before?”

“I- Of course I have.” Plenty of it even! 

“Then stop asking stupid questions. If you know what fun is, you’ll be fine, swear it.” 

Robert did not believe him. 

“…Alright.” 

He’ll just have to do his best, he supposed.

Quickly, Hyde had returned to his fun frolicking and what not, leaving Robert to just awkwardly stand there, just staring at him. 

…He felt incredibly stupid. 

But it was worth it. Because every time Hyde briefly looked up to check on him (a simple smile and shuffling his feet around did wonders in quickly convincing Hyde that he was figuring things out), his toothy grin would widen even more, and Robert really liked how much more scampish it made him look. 

Compared to the smooth, carefully perfected versions of people he always saw at galas and what not, Hyde was- 

Hyde was openly rough around the edges, constantly biting at people he disliked, bringing chaos with him wherever he went, often unintentionally crossing people's boundaries from general lack of observation, usually committing crimes just because he felt like it, and having a clear disregard for many of the games so many in high society lived to play. 

But he could also be patient. He could also be kind. 

He simply wasn't very open about it, preferring to paint himself as the loud annoying menace who couldn't care less about the world, who'd be overjoyed to see everything burn. 

He wasn't. Loud, annoying, and a menace? Yes. But uncaring? 

Absolutely not.

Because he did care. He cared about the lodgers (even if he swore that he didn't), he cared about Zosimos (who belonged to Henry, someone that he apparently didn't care much for), he cared about Mary Anne (the helper-bot he instantly latched on to and the helper-bot that Robert still catches walking next to Zosimos every once in a while), he cared about random strangers who didn't care for him back (enough to put in the effort of keeping them alive, even it was just for a bit longer), he cared about pretty ribbons and poisonous flowers (bloodied or not), and so much more.

And maybe, just maybe, he even cared about Robert. Just a bit. 

So, what if Robert felt awkward, standing around in the rain without purpose, without direction? As long as he had more opportunities to be around him, he had no reason to complain. 

…Hyde suddenly locked eyes with him. 

Oh. He’s been staring, hasn't he?

“Oi, what are you doing?”

“…Looking.”

“At…?”

Robert looked away. “Nothing. I’m just… not sure what I’m supposed to do out here.”

“Still?” At his lack of response, Hyde scoffed. “Fucking hell, do I seriously have to help you with this? Jesus fucking Christ…”

And then he grabs him by the hands. 

Everything stalls. 

Not freeze, stalls. 

Hyde grinned at him. “Can you dance? Like, actually dance. Not the fucking shuffling and shit all the rich people do, I want to have some actual fun.”

Wha… oh, oh! “Are you asking me for a dance, Mister Hyde?”

Hyde’s eyes dilate for a moment. He watched as he seemed to mentally stumble a bit, likely caught off guard by Robert’s unusual enthusiasm. “Er, do you… want me to?” 

It's a touch too polite, too docile of an answer. Where’d all the cockiness run off to? Why the sudden manners?

“Ask me properly.”

“…What?”

Robert smiled at him, easy and possibly a bit flirtatious (it was up to interpretation really). “Come on now,” he pointedly glanced towards the hand already around his waist, “ask me with a bit more confidence, make me feel as if I’m truly wanted.” He then lowered his voice, lingering on every word for a tad bit longer than he usually did, “it’s simple dance etiquette.”

Silence, bright green eyes flicker. 

“Go on, ask.”

And suddenly, it's as if a switch was flicked. Whatever hesitance Hyde had immediately disappeared, had immediately been replaced with delight. Robert adored it.

“Doctor Lanyon~” he purred as he pulled them both closer to each other, nearly face to face. “May I have this dance?”

“Of course.”

It quickly becomes one of the best nights he’s ever had.

With the entire street available to use, they jumped and twirled as much as they wished, dancing fervently under the moonlight. 

It was nothing like the galas.

They're both half-leading, half-following. It was a bit of competition, he supposed, to see how much the other was willing to take before relinquishing their lead once more. 

It was spontaneous, chaotic in the way that made Hyde, Hyde.

Robert wanted to stay like this forever. No invasive spectators, no never ending responsibilities, no guilt. 

Just him and Hyde, dancing in the rain together as if neither of them had lives to get back to. 

As Robert dipped him low to the ground, Hyde giggled. “Come on, you can go way lower than that! Fucking do it!”

“If I go any lower, I’m going to end up dropping you onto the hard concrete.”

“Well then so be it, drop me!”

“How about something far better than that?”

Immediately, Hyde’s attention was captured, and Robert laughed, louder and far less held back than he was used to. It was nice, really nice. 

In one smooth sequence, Robert pulls him up from the ground, spins him around, and lets go, catching him at the very last second. Hyde nearly flies off.

Hyde’s eyes sparkle. “Holy shit.”

“I presume you enjoyed that?” he asked as Hyde took the lead once more and spun him around.

“Fuck yes, I didn't know you could do that!”

A chuckle. “I’ve had my fair share of more unconventional dances, ones less suitable for a gala.”

“With who?”

“Schoolmates, somewhat willing neighbors. Anyone a child could reasonably get in touch with.”

“How’d you manage to pick someone up and swing them around as a child?”

“Some of my friends had much younger brothers and sisters who were much smaller than I was. Of course, I wasn't swinging any adults around, I would have most certainly broken my arms.”

“Did you ever drop anyone?”

“…No.” 

Immediately, Hyde snickered. “Which poor bastard?” 

“None of them.” 

“You liar.”

Robert playfully scoffed. “If you keep talking, it’s going to be you.”

“Ha!” Suddenly, in less than a heartbeat, Hyde moved and Robert found himself in the air, Hyde holding him up by his waist. It was a miracle he didn't immediately fall to the ground. “You say that as if I’m not going to kill you first!”

“I’m rather certain I could survive against an attempted murderer.”

“Oh fuck you, Lanyon.”

“Truthfully, it's your fault for telling me about that.”

“I’m going to drop you.”

Still in the air, Robert smirked at him, fully knowing that he was going to be perfectly fine. “Sure you will.” 

Hyde then laughed, and Robert’s heart fluttered. 

Next thing he knew, he was being spun around again, the dreary sky and dreary streets quickly blurring together into one muddy cacophony.

With the wind and rain in his face, and the breathlessness as evidence of their lived joy, Robert couldn't imagine how tonight could get any better.

Then, Hyde pulled him in, and lingered.

It gave Robert plenty of time to observe.

They were nearly face to face, bodies pressed against each other in a way that reminded him of hell, burning in a way that made you believe for a single moment that it didn't hurt, that it was actually enjoyable (the hot breath quickly finding its way up to his exposed neck, quickly causing him to nearly shiver in response did not help with that). 

With the rain pouring so hard, Hyde’s normally physics defying hair drooped downwards, and he absentmindedly shook it away from his eyes. 

God, his eyes, Bright, wild, and electrifying. Along with the scorching heat, with one hand clasping his and one hand around his waist, Robert was choking on the intoxicating bliss. 

Slowly, intentionally, Hyde lets go of his waist to grab at his collar. He then pulled down, allowing them to be truly eye to eye. A chuckle. “You liked it?” he whispered.

Fervently, Robert nodded. 

“Good, that's… good.” Breathlessly, he wobbled forward, catching himself on Robert's shoulder. “…Fuck."

“Tired?”

“No.” Hyde took a moment to breathe. He didn't let go of his shoulder. “…Maybe.”

“Well, then I suppose it's time for us to go back inside.”

“Aw, but the rain’s still going!”

“I’m aware, but we must have been out here for at least an hour already, and you look as if you’re about to collapse.”

“Am not.”

“Most certainly are.” And truthfully, Robert felt rather tired as well. God knows how long they've actually been out here for. He quickly shifted a bit, allowing Hyde to hold himself up a bit more. “Come on, let me help you up the stairs.”

“There aren't even that many steps.”

“And you can barely walk.” No doubt because he refused to rest, it was the whole reason they’d put him on "house arrest” after all. (In the end, it didn't help much with the actual resting part. Hyde simply never took the opportunity to just let himself truly breathe, constantly choosing to waste his energy on things that mattered much less than his overall well being. It was a bit aggravating in a very familiar way.)

Hyde, eventually, groaned at him. “Fine. I guess you can drag me up the stupid stairs.”

“…Do not attack me.”

He grinned. “No promises.”

With an exasperated sigh, Robert picked him up and began their short journey up the steps.

Together, lying down on the cold concrete, they take a moment to wind down. 

They were cold, wet, breathless. Still, the warmth from earlier lingered on, and it was all that mattered.

Eventually, Robert got up. He looked down at Hyde and motioned at the door. “Inside?” 

“…Yeah, inside.” Still, he didn't get up. 

Robert waited a moment. And then another. …And then another. “Do… do you need some assistance?”

“No. Just…” Hyde started rapidly blinking. “Just give me a moment.”

He awkwardly stood there, waiting. 

Hm. 

“I could carry you.”

“No.”

“…Why not?”

“The fucking lodgers?”

Ah, right. He’d… completely forgotten about them. “I can… pull you up?”

A pause. Still lying on his back, looking up at the roof. His bright green eyes flickered, thoughtfully. “…You know what, fine.” He held a hand up. “Help me.”

Robert did. Slowly, reluctantly, they walked up to the door together. “…Tonight was fun.”

“Of course it was, it was my idea.”

He chuckled. “Well, you were a very lovely dance partner.”

“I was!” Hyde grinned, wide and toothy, sharp teeth on full display. “I bet I was way better than all your other ones.”

“…Perhaps.” At the very least, Hyde was certainly the most energetic dance partner he's ever had. “I wouldn't actually mind dancing with you again.” 

“We can, you can just come out here the next time it rains.”

“You're here often?"

He shrugged. “I try to be, but a bunch of random assholes like ruining that for me a lot, so no promises.”

…Robert was going to have to ask the lodgers if any of them figured out a quicker way to predict the weather. “Well, I’m looking forward to our next meeting. Maybe next time I’ll even consider jumping in some mud with you.” 

"Really?"

"Really." Still smiling, he turned to the door.

And then, he took a deep breath, fully committing tonight to memory, and opened the front door. 

…Only to find it locked. 

He tried again, assuming that maybe his hands were still wet, and that they'd simply slipped off the knobs. 

Nope.

…Still locked. 

Hyde stared at him.

Robert stared back. He tried the knob again. 

Nothing.

“…We’ve been locked out.”

“There's no fucking way.” Hyde tried the knob as well, violently shaking it around. “Fuck.” He turned to him. “Don't you have a spare key or something?”

Robert grimaced. “It’s in my coat…”

A groan. “Wait a bit, I should have a spare somewhere.” Hyde took his wet cloak off, and began digging into all his pockets.

“I wasn't aware Jekyll trusted you enough for that.”

“Well, he does.” He continued searching.

Despite knowing that the lodgers were unlikely to hear them, Robert tried knocking on the door as hard as he could. “Could you please let us in?”

Nothing. Damnit. 

“I should have brought my coat.”

“Well it's too fucking late for that.” 

Robert sighed. He leaned against the door, fully ignoring the way his wet clothes squelched with every motion.

A moment passes.

And then another. 

…And then another.

…Visibly, with every pocket Hyde searches, a sort of wild franticness started to settle into his expression. Eventually, he simply drops the cloak on the ground, with all its pockets practically turned inside out. “I- I don't have my spares either.”

“WHAT?”

“They’re not there.” Hyde, wide eyed, bright green eyes flickering much faster than they usually did, laughed. “They were- they were just there. I literally checked before I went outside, like I always do.”

“…Do you think it fell out while we were in the rain?”

He violently shook his head. “They’re always on the inside of my cloak, the pockets are too deep for them to just fall out. The only way to get to them is if-” He paused. 

“Is if…?”

Hyde untensed, and laughed again, this time half pissed and half relieved rather than fully hysterical. “The fucking lodgers are just pulling a prank on us.”

Huh? “How?” They were the only two people outside, how could the lodgers possibly be involved in this?

“Illusions, they nabbed my actual keys, replaced them with fake ones that would only last enough time for me to check on them, and then locked us out.”

“…They can do that?”

“Probably.”

Robert stared at the door. That… that explanation should have made sense, the lodgers did joke around often and they were suspiciously well-behaved recently, but…

A part of him just couldn't believe it. It just didn't seem like something they'd put so much effort into, and if they did, he’d expected them to, at the very least, verbally (jokingly) taunt them from the other side of the door. 

…But, Hyde knew the lodgers better than he did, so he chose not to voice his disagreement. It wasn't as if Robert had any better explanations to provide anyway. 

“…How long are they going to keep us locked out for?”

Hyde shrugged. “Could be for a few minutes, could be for a few hours. I tied Helsby to a tree once, he was up there for like an hour before Tanis helped him down, and then a few days later, Helsby dangled me over the fish tank for two. The less lethal the prank is, the longer it can last.”

“…So you're saying that we might as well assume we’re going to be out here for the entire night?”

“Yeah.” Hyde looked up, eyes flickering. “You know, I could check if they didn't lock the roof entrance. No one ever remembers to lock the damn thing anyway.”

A pause. “You're not climbing up this building.”

“Why not? I’ve done it before!”

“It's raining, and just a few minutes ago, you could barely stand.”

Hyde huffed. “I’m standing right now!”

“No, Rachel will kill me.”

A scowl. “Then what the hell do you suggest? I don't want to stand out here until those idiots decide to let us in, and we’re too fucking wet for that bullshit.”

Robert thought about it for a moment. He didn't want to stand out here in their wet clothes for any longer than they had to either. …Wait. “We could just walk to my house.”

“...What?"

“Everly wouldn't mind at all, I’ve arrived home in far more questionable conditions than this one, and at least this time there isn't any glitter involved.” 

Hyde stared at him.

“It's not terribly far, I’ve made the trip by foot plenty of times.”  

Hyde doesn't react, seemingly frozen. 

“…Hyde?”

“I’m… a criminal.” He sounded… distant, confused, very… un-Hydelike.

“Yes, yes you are.”

“Why the fuck are you inviting me to your home?"

“Why… not? You already know where I live,” he pointed out. “And besides, it's rather common to invite a friend to-”

“Friend?”

“I- …Yes, I suppose I did say friend.”

Bright green eyes flickered, slowly. “…We’re friends?”

Robert stared at him. “Well, I… I assumed that we would be by now. We’ve spent quite a bit of time around each other, almost daily at some point, and we’ve shared a decent amount of personal details to one another. That certainly sounds like some sort of friendship to me.”

A pause. “…Huh.” Hyde leaned against the door. “…I guess we are friends.”

Robert repressed a grimace at how… detached Hyde sounded. Did he… not like the idea of that? He knew that Rachel said he didn't like being weighed down, but- “…Do you want to be friends?”

Silence. Hyde’s eyes seemed a bit… unfocused. As if he wasn't really there at the moment.

Robert gave him time.

Eventually, out of his own volition, Hyde whispered “…I’d like that.”

Robert smiled, really happy about that response. “Then we’re friends.” He turned to the still pouring rain. “Which means you are invited to my home as a guest, and that we should probably start our journey before Everly falls asleep.”

Eyes visibly refocusing, Hyde pushed himself off of the door and huffed. “And how long of a walk is that going to be?”

“Considering the empty streets…” And considering their combined exhaustion… “About twenty minutes?”

“Twenty? Oh we can definitely do better than that.”

What. “Hyde, what do you me-”

Hyde bolted down the stairs. “LOSER HAS TO PAY OUR FUCKING TAB THE NEXT TIME WE GET DRINKS!“

What the hell? Robert quickly ran down the stairs after him. “That was not a challenge!”

“HA, IT IS NOW!”

With the determination of a mad man being chased by the law, he attempted to overcome Hyde’s current lead in their impromptu race.

Robert refused to have Hyde win, they were racing to his house for God’s sake. The only reason he was in the lead in first place was because he cheated at the very start.

So, Robert weaves through alleyways, swings around streetlights, and leaps across windowsills (only on the lowest storey because he wasn't daft). But, he just cannot seem to catch up. Hyde may be slowing down somewhat, but he had far more endurance than Robert did, who’d needed to take multiple breaks to keep himself from falling over. 

Still, he kept on running.

Every second counted. 

…They end up making the entire trip in about eight minutes. 

Robert’s heart was racing far faster than it should be,  sweaty hands and aching lungs gladly accompanying it. 

Next to him, Hyde’s sitting on the floor, head resting on his knees. His usually physics defying hair was completely weighed down by water, and his fringe reached to the bottom of his eyebags. 

It reminded Robert of a sad, wet, and very pathetic looking cat. 

“…Why the fuck are you laughing?”

Robert immediately shut himself up. “No reason.”

“Seriously, I don't fucking get it, you're buying our next drinks.”

“…Assuming that I ever follow you into a bar or a pub again.”

Hyde snickered. “Oh, quit lying to yourself. Everyone knows you’ll do anything for a swig of good fucking wine.”

“…I am not that desperate for wine.” He wasn't Henry for God’s sake. “The three bottles were a one time fluke.”

“HA! Sure it was.”

“It was.”

Still on the ground, Hyde continued cackling at him. 

Robert simply sighed before turning towards the door of his dear home. Hopefully, even if it was rather unlikely, Everly didn't already have any guests over. He carefully knocked (and Hyde quickly scrambled to get himself off of the filthy ground).

Promptly, the door opened. 

“Robert!”

He smiled at her. “Everly, it's lovely to see you again.”

Her expression shifted as she looked him over. “…Why are you soaked?” And then she caught a glance of Hyde, and stared at him for a moment. “Who…?”

Ah. He should… probably introduce them to each other. He turned to Everly. “Everly, this is Jekyll's personal assistant, Mister Hyde. And Hyde, this is my wife, Mrs. Lanyon.”

Everly’s eyes lit up in recognition… and in a bit of mischief. Oh dear. “Oh! You're Hyde?”

“Yeah?”

“Robert's told me plenty about you.”

…Oh God.

Hyde perked up. “He has?”

“You show up rather often in our conversations.”

No. “How about bring this enlightening conversation inside? Where it isn't raining?"

Everly nodded. “Of course, of course.” She turned to Hyde once more. “It was nice to finally meet you, Mister Hyde.”

Hyde awkwardly stared at her for a moment. “…Yeah. Yeah, it was nice to meet you too.”

Robert grumbled to himself. He’s half-certain Everly was mentally laughing at his future suffering. “…Could we please enter the house now?”

“So, that's why the two of us had to ‘walk’ here.”

“God, that's… in the cold rain?” 

Robert nodded.

“I’ll heat up the fireplace while you both get changed into some dry clothes.” She quickly looked at Hyde. “…Robert, do you have any spare clothes he'd be able to borrow?”

Oh. Uh… Hyde was a lot smaller than he was, most of Robert's current wardrobe would probably slide right off of him. …And he couldn't (well, didn't want to) just give him any of Henry's stuff. 

He continued thinking about it. “I… might have something?” At the very least, he vaguely remembered bringing a box of his old clothes to this house about a decade ago. There was good chance something in there would work.

“Well, you should go ahead and get it.” She grabbed a random towel from a random drawer, and lightly tossed it at Hyde. “Any tea requests?”

Hyde immediately shook his head. “Water’s fine.”

Robert paused. That was an… awfully dull choice of drink. “Are… are you sure? If you don't want tea at the moment-”

“I don't want anything,” he immediately cut off. 

A pause. “…Alright.”

Hyde then forced a laugh. It was obviously fake, but not in his usual dramatic way. It made him rather uncomfortable. “Oh, don't take it personally. I’m just… tired.”

…Suppose that made sense. He certainly looked exhausted, and God, so was Robert. He was already half-prepared to fall asleep.

“I won't.” He turned to Everly and asked, “Could you prepare some chamomile for you and me while I fetch Hyde some clothes?” 

“Of course I can,” she quickly answered. “It's no problem at all.” And as she went off to find their tea kettle, Robert quickly dragged Hyde into his bedroom.

Immediately, he began digging through his old clothes, hoping to find something small enough for Hyde to wear. 

For a bit, with Hyde’s clear exhaustion and Robert’s current task, there's just silence. Not particularly uncomfortable, it was just- silent. He half expected to find Hyde slumped on the floor the next time he turned around. 

Eventually, Robert does find something. 

His old university uniform.

…He hasn't seen it in over a decade, dear God.

Robert knew there was absolutely no way his current body would be able to fit any part of it anymore, the trousers in particular were already rather tight the year before he graduated, and God knows he hasn't shrunk since then. Why was he still holding onto these old things?

Oh well, Hyde might as well get some use out of them. “Here.”

Hyde stared, clearly wary of what he was looking at. “…Your fucking school uniform?”

“It's the smallest thing I own.”

He scowled. After another moment of staring at it as if it had personally hunted him down in a former life, he begrudgingly grabbed the clothes. “I’m going to look so fucking stupid in this,” he muttered. 

Robert suppressed a wince at his clearly reluctant and uncomfortable tone. “I’m… sorry.”

“Don't be.” He continued glaring at the bundle of fabric. “I’ll fucking wear it, at least it beats being drenched.” And then, without asking Robert for directions to the bathroom, he simply left, expression not any less uncomfortable than before.

…Robert stood there, still sopping wet, awkwardly staring at the open door. 

Was he… alright?

He’ll be fine, right? 

After all Hyde would have said no if he truly despised the clothes, he was Hyde for God’s sake.

Right?

…Eventually, he moved.

He’ll be fine. 

He’ll be fine. 

He’ll be fine.

After Robert got changed into much drier (and far more casual) attire, he entered the living room, where he found Everly already sipping her cup of tea. 

“Good evening, Everly,” he greeted before grabbing the second cup from the coffee table and taking a seat on the sofa directly across the fireplace. A separate glass of water sat nearby. “Are we still waiting for Hyde?"

“I assume so.”

“Hm.” He was taking a concerningly long amount of time to get changed. Did it usually take him this long? 

“…So, did you actually find some clothes small enough to fit him?”

Robert had to stop himself from immediately bursting into laughter. “Fit is a… very subjective word. Hyde and I are far from each other's sizes, and I sincerely doubt that my old university attire is going to fit him very well.” But it was the best thing he had, so Hyde would simply have to deal with it.

Everly paused. “Your university attire?”

…Uh. “…It was the only thing remotely close to his size.”

“Huh. How interesting.”

“…Interesting?”

Everly chuckled. “Well, it's just that I never imagined that this was the type of man you’d be attracted to.”

Robert’s face burned.

“…Everly."

She casually took another sip of tea, savoring every drop while Robert stared her down. He was quickly regretting ever telling her about him. “He’s certainly an odd choice at least. Not an inherently bad one, just odd.”

Robert wanted to drown himself in his tea cup. “I didn't choose him, my heart decided that for itself. I had absolutely no say in this matter.”

“You invited him to our home,” she pointed out, a small (and rather smug) smile on her face. “You, at the very least, chose that.”

“I-” He huffed, taking a quick sip of his tea. “That choice doesn't mean much. It's basic human decency to keep an aquaint-” …Wait, no. They were far past that now. “A friend out of the rain.”

“Of course, a friend. You and I know that's the only thing he is to you.”

Robert didn't respond to that. 

Everly sent him a knowing look. 

Of course she did, he’d impulsively confessed everything about it to her after failing to recover from the few days of (reluctant) self reflection he had to deal with while simultaneously reeling from the idea that his heart had somehow fallen out of its ribs and latched itself onto someone without him even noticing.

Robert had no grounds to deny it. He’d long accepted this. And yet.

For some reason, he couldn't get himself to intentionally verbalize it. 

Slowly, thoughtfully, he sipped more of his tea. 

Everly took a sip as well. 

“…What I think doesn't matter in this situation,” he quietly said. “He’s a man and a criminal, and I have a life to keep relatively untainted. A public friendship would be reckless enough.”

She slowly looked up from her tea cup. “…Do you have plans to publicly associate yourself with him?”

“Plenty of Londoners have already seen us together. Denying it would be far worse.”

“Suppose that's fair.” 

Robert finished his cup of tea. 

Hyde still wasn't here. Did he faint or something?

…Did he?

He… should check on him. 

Carefully, quietly, he prepared to do just that. 

But, as he moves to stand, someone finally enters the living room. 

“…No fucking need for that, I’m here.”

It takes Robert a moment to process what he’s looking at. 

Oh.

A scowling (and somewhat flustered) Edward Hyde was wearing his old school uniform, or at least parts of it (the trousers and the outer layer of his top). It's incredibly obvious that it was still too big for him, and without the dress shirt that’s normally worn underneath it, a good part of his collarbone was visible. 

He looked… really nice, wearing Robert's clothes. 

…God. “What took you so long?”

A grumble. “I’m not talking about this.” He walked up to the sofa Robert was sitting on, and plopped down onto the floor, leaning forwards to rest his head near Robert’s legs, just barely brushing against them.

Robert did his best not to move. Hyde shivered. “Are… are you still cold?”

“…No.” He half-closed his eyes. “Just… tired.”

“You can rest here if you’d like,” Everly offered. “Just until the rain stops.”

Silence followed. 

“I don't mind if you do,” Robert added. It was the reason he'd invited him here in the first place. 

Hyde, slowly, considered it. “…Kay,” he eventually mumbled, sounding too exhausted to actually fight. His eyes didn't close the rest of the way.

With the cackling fire nearby, Robert grabbed a blanket (which was one of the softest they owned) and gently wrapped it around him. 

Absentmindedly, Hyde leaned into him some more. Robert played with the idea of joining him on the floor, of possibly tangling themselves together. It would be nice… warm…

Everly sent him another one of her knowing smiles, and he felt his face immediately burn up. Wordlessly, she motioned towards Hyde. 

Do it, she silently urged as she turned away from him. The blinds are all down. No one’s watching.

And he listened. He carefully got off of the sofa, and sat down on the cold floor. 

Hyde, eyes half lidded, looked at him, curious. 

He leaned in, their sides fully touching. A hand ends up in Hyde’s wet hair, and tentatively, he begins brushing it. 

Hyde’s eyes fluttered, his body leaning even more heavily onto Robert's.

Robert felt like he was drowning. God, it wasn't his fault Hyde was just inherently breathtaking. 

You’re beautiful, he mouthed. He, obviously, didn't get a response.

He didn't need one. 

(Outside, the rain continues to pour, heavier than it should be at this time of year. A deep fog scampers around the Society like the two mortals before it, giggling with its makeshift vocal chords. 

And inside, the lodgers distantly wonder where Doctor Lanyon's gone.)