When Lanyon woke him up half an hour later, he felt like he was reborn.
Without backtalk, he allowed the older man to help him change clothes.
It was easy to trust Lanyon, for many reasons.
"Hey", he whispered, when the coach was bringing them to Jekyll's house. "Do you really think he will take me back?"
"I know he will", his companion replied. He sounded so confident, that Hyde believed him.
Believing the hoary doctor was just as easy as trusting him.
...
When they arrived, Hyde was surprised to see the old Poole run outside to meet them.
Did he see us coming from the window?
"Oh thank goodness!", the old butler cried, "You're back! The Doctor is still having his breakdown and Mr. Utterson on the brink of- Master Hyde!", he exclaimed in surprise, when the brunette stepped forward from behind Lanyon's back.
Hyde expected the old man to haul him over the coals, along the likes of "you have some nerve showing your face around here, after what you did".
But no.
The brunette was taken by surprise, when the seventy-year-old man gave him a light embrace.
"What the-?"
"I never thought I would say this, but it's so good to see you, Master Hyde! You have no idea how desolate Dr. Jekyll has been without you!"
Damn.
It had to be really bad, if Poole was desperate enough to hug him.
Awkwardly the young man patted the butler's back, before freeing himself.
"Where is he?", he demanded to know.
"In his private rooms – right now, he's in his dressing room, but-"
That was all Hyde needed to hear. He darted past the two older men and ran upstairs.
Shortly before he arrived at the dressing room, he bumped into someone.
But before he could lash out at that person …
"Edward?"
"Gabriel?!"
It was indeed Utterson, who was holding him back by the arms. The lawyer promptly cupped his face and burst into tears.
What the-?
"You're back! You're really back! Thank god! Oh thank god!"
"No, thank Lanyon. It was he, who-"
He didn't get further, because his mouth was suddenly quite occupied.
Whoa there!
Hyde really wasn't here for this. But gave into his instincts, wrapped his arms around the lawyer's neck and kissed back.
"I missed you too", he gasped, when they finally parted. "But … how is Henry?"
Utterson cried again.
"He's more than unwell … he's going mad and at the same time he could be dying and I don't know what to do … oh god, it's so good that you're back!"
The black-haired man's hug tightened around him and Hyde squirmed, when he couldn't breathe.
The lawyer mumbled an apology and let go.
"Where is Lady Summers? Can she not help him?", the brunette inquired.
Utterson shook his head. "She does all she can and comes to visit as much as possible. But it's impossible for anyone to reach him and she has other clients to attend to."
Oh. Right.
Hyde took the other man's hand.
"I'll try it, then."
That statement was rewarded with a tender kiss from the lawyer.
"Chin up, pretty lawyer. Everything will be fine", Hyde cooed.
"I know. I trust you", Utterson confided in him.
The brunette blushed and would have pondered on what the hell this was doing to him, but there was no time for this now.
They went the rest of the hallway to Jekyll's dressing room.
Utterson knocked on the door, but didn't wait for an invitation. That wasn't his style, Hyde knew, and almost giggled. But the situation wasn't funny.
As they entered the room, Hyde was immediately struck by how cold it was.
No wonder, the fire in the chimney was almost dead and it was pretty cold for May.
"Henry, I'm back!", Utterson announced and closed the door behind them.
The response came from the armchair near the fireplace: "Did you forget something?"
"No. You have a visitor."
The young man frowned at Utterson – visitor?!
But the lawyer winked at him. Oh. So it was just a trick.
When Jekyll replied, Hyde could hear the frown in his voice: "A visitor? Gabriel, everybody knows by now that I'm not seeing anyone."
Now the brunette laughed softly: "Oh, but Dr. Jekyll! Is that how you receive your soulmate?"
Jekyll's head shot out from the armchair and he stared at him like he was a ghost. The blond gasped in shock (and so nearly did Hyde – his creator was looking awful!) and jumped up way too quickly.
The brunette feared, that the blond would fall, but he just managed to grab the armchair in time.
Jekyll tumbled across the room, looking desperate and very much off his head.
He touched Hyde's shoulders hesitantly, as if he couldn't believe-
"It's you!", he breathed, began to tremble and his eyes filled with tears.
"Yes, yes, it's me! Who else would it be, the emperor of China?"
Suddenly the older man was running his hands all over his upper body and rambling: "It's you … it's you!"
Over and over.
At some point Jekyll fell onto his knees and cried into Hyde's chest.
Hyde understood. He cradled his creator's head and stroked his tousled, blond hair.
At some point Utterson left the room.
Good. Now he could really focus on the man, who was clinging to him like his life depended on it. Perhaps it did.
...
Jekyll couldn't believe this was happening.
But it felt so real.
He could hear the heartbeat and the husky voice whispering words of comfort into his ear.
He could feel the heat from the body and the spidery fingers running through his hair.
He could grasp the slight, small body of the man, who was holding him.
"Edward …"
"Shhhh. It's alright, Fairest. Don't believe the shadows that whisper doubts into your head. Believe me. Believe your eyes, your ears and your hands."
Fairest … only Hyde calls me that.
The blond doctor tightened his grip on the younger man and buried his face in his chest again. Now he could close his eyes and just inhale the familiar scent of cherries and pomegranates (and something else that Jekyll refused to comment on).
An uncertain amount of time later, he looked up, into the glowing green eyes he had missed so much.
"Edward …"
Hyde smiled and kissed the top of his head. "That's my name, my dear soulmate. And you would know, after all you gave it to me."
Jekyll giggled and rubbed his cheek against the clothed chest of the other. Very catlike behaviour, but he couldn't help himself.
But all too soon, Hyde spoke again: "Henry. You need to stand up."
The older man withheld a whine (or did he?) and stood back up with some effort.
The brunette skimmed over him with his eyes and shook his head. "Really, you look like hell. Time for you to take a bath, old man. Wait, I will ring for Poole and ask him to ready one for you. It'll do you a world of good."
Reflexively, Jekyll tightened his grip.
He could practically hear Hyde roll his eyes as a result. "Jekyll, I have to go to the door and call for your butler. After that you can be as clingy as you want."
The blond was unwilling to let go, but complied.
But before Hyde even reached the door, Poole opened it and announced that he had prepared a herbal bath.
The brunette laughed: "Looks like Lady Summers isn't the only psychic person in this district anymore."
The elderly man shrugged. "That's just my butler's instinct."
...
Utterson almost sobbed in relief, when Hyde and Poole came out of the room together with Jekyll, each holding one of the blond's hands.
He resisted the urge of giving each of them a hug and just asked Jekyll, if he was feeling better.
The blond smiled and nodded. "I am now."
Then the three left for the bathroom.
The black-haired lawyer took a deep breath and leaned against the wall.
One moment later, Lanyon stood next to him.
"And?", the hoary doctor inquired.
"Henry finally came outside", Utterson informed him.
Lanyon nodded. "Good. Just as planned. That means everything will be fine now."
"Yes."