Disclaimer I own nothing of Re-Animator
Author's note: A little darker look at Herbert's and Dan's "partnership"
Slash or not- depends on you're view I had none in mind while writing.
Herbert West had always been very possessive of what he believed to be his.
"You'll see." He murmured to himself. "You always doubted my abilities…but no longer, oh no. You'll see, yes you will." His re-agent, he once thought it had been the most precious item in his life, but that had soon changed. His brow furrowed as he worked, carefully threading a needle through dead cold tissue. Herbert made sure to take extra special care of this creation; it was to be the greatest achievement of his career.
"Unlike that failure." Gloria, the "bride" who's short life ended in tragedy, her carefully constructed body falling to pieces in a bloody mess. Slop, nothing but a heap of useless flesh. Dan had lost all ambition after that. "Dan" Herbert pricked his finger with the needle; he cursed bringing it up to his mouth and sucked on wound. He brought his hand down and looked at the growing bead of crimson fluid forming; he stuck his finger back in his mouth. It was difficult to find such a project that matched her, but Herbert had soon found it, much to Dan's dismay and protest. Herbert removed his finger again, the blood had finally clotted and he proceeded in his work.
"I'm moving out Herbert." Dan had announced earlier that evening. "I can't live like this anymore." Herbert had known he meant it, and there was little he could do to stop him. He had attempted to persuade Dan back into the work, but it proved to be harder than he thought, he had nothing like Megan's heart to offer. There was really nothing more powerful to emotionally attach Dan to the work again. However since "she" was a failure and the acceptance of Meg's death had fully settled in, there was nothing left for Herbert to offer, other than his word that this new creation would blow the others away.
"You never believed in it, not fully…you will now." Herbert continued to talk to himself. He found it comforting other than the bleak silence that filled the space around him. He had grown accustomed to some noise, Dan's objections and attempts at small talk. Hearing nothing only reminded him of his abandonment, he refused to give in to such dismal thoughts.
"I'm leaving tonight; I'll be back for my stuff later." Herbert had tried to dismiss Dan's threats, as only threats but he knew better. He knew better than to go running across the basement, he knew better than to beg and plead, however he had done many things he knew he shouldn't have.
"Foolishness." Herbert said aloud to no one. "You knew you couldn't leave." He continued to stitch working meticulously on his new project. Dan had stopped at the door as Herbert called to him to wait, to just listen and let him explain. He had attempted to snag him, at least one last time. Telling of how this one would be better, they would succeed and it would pave the way for future research. Dan as usual would hear nothing of it. Their discussion as usual, had grown into an argument between the two young men.
"I'm done with this, the work, the serum, death, and you." Those words for once had stung Herbert like he had never known. "I'm moving on with my life, you can continue playing with your little toys, at least that's the way you treat them. I can't watch you humiliate another human being, I can't stand to watch you at all." Remorse was that what he had felt when those words came from Dan, regret? Hurt?
"Never." He sneered clipping the thread and moving on to his next task. He didn't feel those emotions; it made him appear weak and vulnerable, and Herbert West was anything but weak, or so he believed. Again he had protested to Dan's leaving grasping whatever came to mind that could sway his decision. It only led to constant repeating, saying again and again they were close and this next creation would be a real triumph even over Gloria.
"You say that about every experiment you do." Dan had interrupted. "It's the same story over and over, everything you do is supposed to be a new breakthrough but it isn't Herbert. You haven't improved a damn thing in your work in months, face it you've failed." He had lost his temper then, yelling at Dan saying to him he was just as responsible in every experiment conducted and the only failure was Dan's failure to contribute to their work.
"You brought it upon yourself." Herbert shook his head, while bolting a metallic bracing into solid bone. "You know I can loose my temper." The argument hit its climax then, Dan countered with an equal amount of rage in his tone. Years of built up hatred and self blame spilling out.
"I should have stopped you while I could, and I have only myself to blame for the crimes you have committed. You've murdered people and all I did was stand by and let you get away with it. For all I know a lot of these cadavers were alive when you found them." He had gotten into Herbert's face at that point; staring down at him defiantly and filled with disgust. "You're nothing but an egotistical insecure little prick."
"Shouldn't have said that." Herbert sang as he threaded a needle along the costume made bracing, into flesh through a loop hole in the metal into flesh again. "I don't like being called names…bad things happen to people who call me names." Herbert pursed his lips slightly in a pout, a common expression when he thought of things he didn't like or agree with. He often had the mentality of an adolescent boy, a genius but socially immature.
"Yes." Herbert mumbled. "I think that will do." He felt that giddy excitement he always got just before beginning an experiment. Especially one with such potential and magnificence, this would be a real triumph. Herbert had grown angry with Dan, and had enough of the unkind words directed towards him, Dan was just as responsible for the supposed "crimes" he was accusing him of. Dan couldn't leave, not now not ever, Dan was his.
He picked up the syringe and briefly checked the amount of serum within, perfectly measured as suspected; He walked over placing his hand over the chest so cold and dead but not for long soon it would rise and fall as the lungs took in the needed oxygen and dispel it back into the open air. Warmth would soon come to the body as blood would course through the waiting veins, all the parts separate but had been selected to come together and become equal. Except for one, one part that was so exceptional to the rest, it was what made this creation so great, so brilliant.
"You can't leave me Daniel." Herbert had whispered almost too calmly to his then former partner.
"You belong to me." He said as he plucked the syringe from the chest.
"You're my possession." Hands reached back as he spoke grasping onto the wooden handle leaning against the solid cement wall.
"I own all of you now." He stepped back and waited for his invention to work its magic upon his creation. A mere two hours ago it had lain upon the table unfinished, now it was complete.
"I can't do this without you, and you will help me." Handle was in his hands behind his back memories of a similar event gave him a shiver of excitement.
"Live…" More of a demand than a plea, Herbert stood over the table his hands grasping onto the corners making his knuckles turn white from strain.
"Whether you like it or not." An almost haunting eerie smile formed on his face then, from knowledge of having the upper hand.
Eyes opened on the pale face, mouth opening and a choking noise escaping the throat, the body tensing and convulsing from the need for air. Herbert jumped over to the side putting his hands upon the face, and leaning down exhaling his own breath into the other's aching lungs. One breath, two breaths, three breaths, the chest rose and fell evenly without assistance. Straitening himself out, Herbert looked down and marveled at his accomplishment. "I told you, did you listen? No, I proved you wrong didn't I? Yes I did succeed don't you see it now?" A perfect specimen his creation was. Hands of a pianist, legs of a track runner, arms of a construction worker, feet of a dancer, torso of a young porno star, the newly beating heart and handsome face of Daniel Cain.
Herbert placed his hands upon the face almost lovingly. "I told you didn't I?" He smiled staring at the wide blank eyes. "You can't leave me." He leaned in close. "I own you."
Author's note: Yeah it's not very long, but I wrote it in like an hour. I've had the idea for awhile just never wrote it down. Kind of a more creepy Herbert than I usually write, hope you like it