Obligatory disclaimer: Dark Horse and Mister Mignola own all, save for my own original characters.
Hellboy walked into the master bedroom and felt a strange sensation wash over him. Unable to pinpoint the exact feeling, he knew, somehow, that he was trespassing in a very private sanctuary. But why he felt the way he did was more complex than knowing, despite the sheets covering the furniture, that it was obvious that this room was the heart of the home. In spite of the surreal, other-worldly factor of the furniture being effectively whited out, there was a warmth to the room that enveloped him as he walked in.
He felt… welcome.
The room was huge and had two sections; the sleeping portion of the room and a cozy living area with a fireplace that he could just envision being filled with the family piling in after a hearty dinner. Cuddled up with a glass of wine, or a mug of hot chocolate on a chilly night, Hellboy could imagine the family playing board games or listening to music. And he suddenly felt a pang of jealousy for the type of life he never go the option of having.
Shaking his head to clear the melancholy away, he stepped up to what he conjectured was a writing desk and set his box down on the floor. Hellboy slowly pulled the dust cover off the piece of furniture to reveal a beautiful piece of furniture. Laying flat were numerous family photos in matching frames. Unable to help himself, Hellboy picked up the frame lying closest to him. He smiled wistfully as he let his finger gently slide across the glass.
It was a photograph of Jade with presumably her sister, for there was no mistaking a strong family resemblance, and some guy that caused Hellboy's hackles to raise. All were wearing swimsuits and standing at the end of a dock, posing as if in a chorus line. Hellboy smiled as he noted the Jade and her sister couldn't be more like night and day. Her sister was tall, blonde and thin – built like the fashion models that graced grocery store magazines – while Jade was short and curvy with a shock of dark hair that fell halfway down her back.
He took a closer look at Jade. The Jade before him in the photo had no visible tattoos, her skin pale and creamy. A two-piece swimsuit, providing too much coverage to be called a bikini – but way more sexy – hugged her curves. Despite seeing her in a tank top and shorts, Hellboy was surprised at how ample her assets were. And also how… familiar she looked to him. He couldn't place how, but Hellboy had the distinct feeling that he had seen Jade before. But, after shaking his head, he knew that wasn't possible.
Unable to help himself, Hellboy couldn't help but make comparisons between the sisters. Jade's smile was real; it reflected through in her eyes. And showed a dimple in her left cheek he was unaware of. Her dark hair hung past her shoulders, a few tendrils dancing in the wind. Wearing a retro two-piece, Hellboy had to admit that she looked every inch a pin-up. Friendly and flirty.
Her sister, however, looked like an ice princess. Towering a good six inches over Jade, she exuded a coolness that probably made her the most popular girl in a bar. Rail thin, with protruding hipbones and visible ribs, she was wearing a string bikini. Her blonde hair was chin length and disheveled, as if having just rolled out of bed. There was no way that her bedroom eyes and cool exterior wouldn't cause a line of men to follow her around, wanting to break down that icy disposition.
Which brought his attention to the guy in the picture.
Wearing board shorts and a smile, he looked back at Hellboy with a curiosity that was almost palpable. A long goatee tapered to a point, nipped in the middle by a ponytail holder, mimicked the long dark hair that fell to his waist, which was also restrained. Tattoos peppered his legs. His body, lean and toned, was angled so that he shielded Jade, as if protecting her from the photographer.
Hellboy sighed. There was no reason that he should feel any sort of jealousy towards the man, but the feeling was rearing its ugly head. It had been entirely too long since anyone had sparked his interest. Since anyone had cared for him in any other way than professional. His friends were his co-workers and while there had been a few women in his life, their presence was always few and far between. And short-lived when they did occur.
And it wasn't just sex he was missing, although if a hot piece of ass came his way, he wouldn't turn it down. But it was the innocent touches that come with a relationship. He missed someone caressing his arm in greeting as they walked past. Having their head rest on his shoulder when they watched a movie. Having them rub his back when they walked up behind him to see what he was working on.
But being a lone wolf also meant no one had to worry about him when he went on assignment. Or having to worry about not coming back from an assignment. Very few women, those who were able to look past his red skin, were able to handle what he did for a living. It sucked, but he couldn't give up all the good he did for the love of one woman.
Some day I might get to retire and become the dirty old man that I always seem to be fighting not to become. Until then, back to the daily grind…
Hearing Jade enter the room, Hellboy attempted to set down the picture before he was accused of being a dirty old man, but Jade was next to him in a blink of an eye. She seemed oblivious to the fact that he was ogling her image and instead, she smiled in recognition.
"That was my mom's favorite picture of us," Jade said as she took the picture out of his hands. "Said we looked adult while still being her children."
As the picture slid from his hands to Jade's, Hellboy was able to catch a glimpse of himself in the glass. It seemed that every time he was able to forget how different he was from the rest of the world, something, no matter how small, would step in to remind him. Then remembering her statement, Hellboy chuckled appropriately, then said in a quiet tone, "Hey you. Good chat with your sister?"
Nodding her head n the affirmative, but shrugging her shoulders in indifference, Jade replied, "I suppose. But I'm still worried about her. But at least I know she made it back home. I mean, what can you do? Roll with the punches and try to land on your feet. She's struggling to get upright, but it sounded like she was putting in extra effort. Which is more than what I'm doing."
Hellboy sighed deeply and nodded his head in return. It was time to get going on the cleansing, but he wanted to be polite. And he was curious… "So that's you. And I'm guessing your sister. And that's…"
Jade smiled sadly, her finger tracing over the man next to her in the photo, echoing the same gesture Hellboy performed moments earlier. "That's my brother."
Why the sudden revelation of a brother surprised him, Hellboy couldn't say, but it was as if a huge weight had been taken off of him. "Oh, you have a brother?" He prayed that his voice sounded light and curious rather than relieved.
Turning away, Jade stepped a few paces away and absently picked up another picture frame with her other hand. She then swallowed. Hard. The gesture wasn't lost on Hellboy. "Had. He died about ten years back. The summer after this photo was taken." Jade set the picture down and walked across the room, picking up another frame. "Gads, we were young. I had to have been eighteen or so. Oh! Look how stupid I am here."
Hellboy wandered over and looked at the image in the frame. Jade was standing in knee-deep water, next to an overturned canoe. Her brother was making a sideways lunge for an oar. Both were laughing. Hellboy looked at Jade and saw a sad smile on her lips.
"So, what is his name?"
Jade turned around and looked up into Hellboy's eyes. The question wasn't 'what was his name' like everyone else asked, but rather 'what is his name.' The difference in tense made Jade want to cry, but she held back a sob and swallowed hard before answering, "Gareth. His name is Gareth."
His brow furrowed and he thoughtfully pulled on his soul patch. "Gareth?"
She nodded her head, waiting for a comment of some sort. Why did her parents have to pick such bizarre names for their offspring?
Hellboy scratched his chin, then tugged on his soul patch. Jade, Athena and now Gareth. He allowed a fleeting thought to enter, then exit, his thoughts as to what Jade's parents taught at the universities. But seeing the look on Jade's face, he wanted to show off more than know the answer to his question. "Gareth. Knight of the Round Table. Nephew to Arthur by being the third son to his sister Morgause by King Lot. He came to Camelot under the disguise of being a kitchen boy and soon after, joined Lynette in the rescue of her sister. Long story short, he becomes a hero and is knighted by Lancelot. Gareth becomes a devout follower of Lancelot as a result, only to be killed by the knight when Lancelot blindly rescues Guinevere from the stake."
Jade set the picture frame back on the desktop, her finger caressing the frame. No one ever knew the origin of her brother's name. Having the back story recited to her was a little unnerving, but Jade supposed that there was little having to do with legends, mythology or folklore that Hellboy didn't know. What she took as stories, he probably considered history. It was like he was a walking encyclopedia, but Hellboy wasn't the best in the business by not being astute.
Sensing the sadness washing over Jade, and knowing that scary times were just around the corner, Hellboy attempted to add a little levity back to the situation. "So, I hate to ask, what prompted the picture being taken?"
Jade smiled, her dimple showing at the corner of her mouth, and rolled her eyes in self-depreciation. "Ah, the glamour of it all... Dad had bought us a canoe, I guess this was back when I was a sophomore or junior in high school, and, well, I found out that you aren't supposed to stand up in a canoe – the hard way. Or, rather, Gareth found out the hard way. Although he thought it was too funny that I thought I could mock-surf while standing in a canoe. You can't, in case you ever want to try."
"Sounds like you all were very close." Hellboy knew the wistfulness was coming through in his voice, but while he loved his father deeply and the job that he had, there were moments where he wished for a typical nuclear family upbringing.
She looked at Hellboy and suddenly realized that she was the object of envy, despite her losses. The idea overwhelmed her. "Yeah. We were close. Really close. A girl couldn't have asked for a better brother. A better family. Thanks for reminding me about just how lucky I've been." Jade set down the photo and looked up at Hellboy, her lips curving into a smile but not quite making it up to her eyes. "Sometimes, it's easy to take things – and people – for granted."
Hellboy noticed that Jade was losing her enthusiasm. But there wasn't much he could do about it. Either she got out of the house and he got the job done on his own, or she bucked up and joined him. Attempting his own smile in return, Hellboy whisked the sheet off the couch and gestured for Jade to sit. "C'mon. Let's get to work."