AN: Thank you to everyone who has so far viewed, favorited or followed this story!

And a special thank you to Amadeusan! Thank you for your kind words!

As always this is pure fantasy. I do not own Hellboy or the characters within the series. I do however own my OC and any other made up characters in my story.

I also do not own the poem mentioned here. It is Sonnet 23 by William Shakespeare.

Word of warning to everyone: There is a mention of smut in this chapter. Just a mention.

ENJOY!

~Twisty

Aerith stood in the middle of a torn down house. She recognized the rubble instantly; it was her childhood home. The cabin in the forest.

But why was she here?

The rubble was exactly like she remembered it. Each fallen plank, each rotted column; all the same. She was right in the middle of all of it. After

Was she having a dream of this place? all this time, why would she be having a dream of this place?

She looked down at herself and saw she was in her usual tunic and brown pants. She also wasn't her younger self. She looked about the place trying to understand why she was remembering it as broken.

Aerith's head shot up at hearing a creak down the hall. At first, she thought it was the old cabin creaking from rot and age but realized she couldn't really hear anything else around the cabin, which was strange as she was sure she should hear the wildlife that once surrounded her childhood home bustling about.

Another creak.

Aerith slowly made her way over the rubble and down the hall. Her steps were silent as she crept towards the creaking. She heard another creak. It was coming from her room. She slowly opened the door to see a dark figure standing in the middle of the room. It was completely covered in a cloak that hid its body and face.

"Who are you?" She asked steeling herself against any attack the dark figure might do. She noticed she didn't have any weapons.

"Such a shame, isn't it?" The figure spoke. Aerith stood quietly by the door. She didn't recognize the voice but there was a familiarity about the stranger. "This was such a happy home once."

Aerith narrowed her eyes "How would you know this? I do not recall knowing a person such as yourself." She said defensively.

The figure made a sound akin to a chuckle. "All things will be revealed in due time Aerith." The figure seemed to be peering into her very soul. The figure began to slowly stalk towards Aerith.

Aerith made to get into a defensive stance but found she couldn't move. Why couldn't she move? Fear gripped her mind as the stranger slowly made its way to her.

A hand slowly reached out from the shadowed being.

Aerith jolted awake, a light sheen of sweat covering her body. Her breathing erratic as she tried to focus on where she was now. Her eyes looked around her room. She was in the bureau. It had been a dream. Nothing more. Just a dream.

She took deep breaths in order to still her breathing and mind.

The dream seemed so real, far too real. The stranger spoke as if it knew her family but she had no memory of such a person. It didn't have a voice she recognized but it seemed slightly familiar to her.

She shook her head. It was only a dream. Nothing else. She stood from the bed and went to shower.

Her mind was lost in thought as she bathed. She used oils and washes of old as she always did but none of the smells soothed her. That figure, there was no defined detail on the figure in her dream, nothing to give her a clue as to who it was. Why was it mocking her? Teasing her by being elusive?

When she was finished, she dried and dressed. She noted it was early morning. Knowing not many would be awake right now, Aerith made her way to the library.

Upon entering, she went to the poetic section of the library. She grabbed a few books with some of her favorite poems in them and began to read.

HBHBHBHBHBHBHB

Nuada awoke with a start. He sat up right breathing heavily at the dream he had. His mind was a jumbled mess of thoughts as he recalled every detail of his dream. His dream of her.

She had been under him. Her hair splayed about above her head, her beautiful raven and white hair. Her mouth had been slightly open and her eyes shut tightly in ecstasy. They were connected in the primal sense. The noises she emitted at each thrust, rang in his ears. It sounded like a sweet song he could never tire of. His mouth had been on her neck, the taste of her like sweet honey.

Nuada shook his head. Why did he have such a dream? This was not like him. No woman had ever infected his mind before! Much less a human! Hollow creatures! Fueled by greed and destruction! Anger and annoyance gripped him briefly before it was pushed aside, by another feeling. Something new.

But she wasn't just a human, was she? She wasn't what Nuada had hated for so long. She was something new, something different. She was exotic to him. She looked like neither race, and that awoke uncharted feelings in the prince that he was both confused about yet excited to explore further.

His mind raced. What should he do? Should he approach her and let her know his budding feelings? What would he say? That he felt something for her that he wished to explore further? Nuada scoffed at himself. That would surely have her wanting nothing to do with him.

He had to find his sister. She knew far better than him what should be done. He washed and dressed himself. It was early but he was sure he would find her in the library.

He made his way to the library. He opened the door fully expecting to find his sister but he didn't. The creature of his budding emotions sat reading a book.

His heart jumped a little.

Her face lifted to look at him with a gentle smile on her face "Good morning Prince Nuada."

HBHBHBHBHBHBHB

Aerith had been deep in her books. The one she was reading at the moment were a collection of sonnets. She ever enjoyed each word as it danced off the page and into her mind, freeing her of her troubled thoughts.

Her eyes lifted from the page as the door opened to the library. A gentle smile spread across her lips at seeing the elf prince enter. "Good morning Prince Nuada."

Nuada stood there quiet for a moment. Aerith saw a strange flash in his eyes but it was gone in a second, replaced by what Aerith saw as kindness. "Good morning dear Aerith. You are up quite early."

Aerith nodded. "Yes. I had…. A troubling dream. I find it comforting to come to the library to clear my head when my thoughts won't focus." She said softly. "I see you are up early as well." She teased slightly. "Will you join me?"

Nuada gave a half smile, nodding as he made his way over to her. He exuded confidence but on the inside, he waged a war with himself to keep his calm and not storm out of the library to find his twin. When he sat down he looked at the books she was reading. "Poems and sonnets?" Nuada asked curiously.

Aerith nodded "Some of my favorites. I also enjoy human fables as well. Some are quite fascinating."

Nuada nodded. He was curious as to the one she seemed lost in thought with that she was reading now. "What is the one you are reading now?"

"Sonnet 23 by William Shakespeare."

"Will you read it to me?"

Aerith was surprised by the request. She hadn't read to anyone before but found the request simple enough. He was the prince of the elves after all. Why would she deny him? She began.

"As an unperfect actor on the stage,
Who with his fear is put besides his part,
Or some fierce thing replete with too much rage,
Whose strength's abundance weakens his own heart;
So I, for fear of trust, forget to say
The perfect ceremony of love's rite,
And in mine own love's strength seem to decay,
O'ercharg'd with burden of mine own love's might.
O let my books be then the eloquence
And dumb presagers of my speaking breast,
Who plead for love and look for recompense
More than that tongue that more hath more express'd.
O, learn to read what silent love hath writ:
To hear with eyes belongs to love's fine wit."

Aerith finished with a smile on her face. She looked up from the pages to see Nuada staring at her. She looked at him curiously as he seemed lost in thought.

It took a minute but he must have realized he was staring at her as he shook his head and smiled at her a bit nervously. "That was quite beautiful." He stood not a moment later. "Forgive me, dear Aerith. I must find my sister as there is something I wish to discuss with her." He quickly left the room, leaving Aerith far more confused than when he was staring at her.

The prince certainly was acting strange. She turned her eyes back to the book and read again.

HBHBHBHBHBHBHB

Nuada watched as Aerith began to recite the poem. He watched her lips move with each word, watched her eyes light up as she committed each line to memory.

He longed to reach out to her, to touch her face gently. The words tumbling from her lips wrapped around his conscience and danced in his mind. It was like he was experiencing the world in a new light, a bright warm light that only he could feel.

He barely registered that she had finished. Her eyes upon him brought him out of his daze. He had been staring at her, the confused look on her face gave him that much.

He had smiled at her; nervously he knew but that it what he could muster. "That was quite beautiful." He said before standing. "Forgive me, dear Aerith. I must find my sister as there is something I wish to discuss with her." He left without another word to the halfling. He quickly made his way down the hall to his sister's room.

He knocked on her door in a bit of urgency hoping she would answer quickly.

Nuala did just that. She had felt her brother's urgency as soon as she awoke to him knocking. She knew already something was wrong. "What is the matter my dear brother?"

Nuada walked into the room and sat down on the bed without a word. Nuala closed the door behind her. She went to her brother who looked rather lost.

"Aerith." Nuada began but stopped. What was he to say?

Nuala waited but when he would not continue she smiled. "You are starting to care for her." She said simply.

Nuada looked at his sister "Yes." That was exactly what was happening and it confused him.

"Oh my brother, it brings me great joy that you have found one that has captured your attention." She said happily.

"I believe I have but…. I don't know if she returns these feelings or if she would, dear sister. I did try to destroy the humans after all and I did stab her on our first meeting." He said to her.

Nuala smiled softly at her brother. He was lost, she could tell that much from him. His emotions were a strong mix of many things. "Perhaps ask to court her? She did grow up when the world was still rebuilding itself in the old times."

Nuada shifted uncomfortably. Court her? He did want to but he scarcely knew how to do such a thing. He had never seen a need to court anyone before. He had never had these types of feelings for anyone before either.

After a stretched-out silence of deep thought, Nuada turned his attention to his sister. His mind made up, he said. "I indeed will, dear sister."

AN: Ok, go easy on me with the Nuada dream sequence. Kind of the first smutty thing I've written for others. Also, it made me blush quite a bit!

Thank you for the continued support as always!

~Twisty