Obligatory Disclaimer: Dark Horse and Mr. Mignola own all, save for my own original characters. A special thank you to Guillermo del Toro for bringing this wonderful character to my attention.

"And this is my apartment."

Hellboy unlocked the front door to his home, pushed the door open and stepped aside, allowing Torie to enter of her own accord.

He watched her as she slowly walked through the doorway, her head turning this way and that as she took in her new surroundings. She left no stone visually unturned. Instead of striding into the room with self-assurance and confidence, Torie tread as if she were entering a sanctuary, with reverence and respect.

It was only when Torie turned back and looked at Hellboy, waiting for him to follow her, that he felt the breath he had been holding whoosh out of his lungs and his tail stop swishing back and forth in a rapid rhythm. Returning her smile, Hellboy entered his own apartment and shut the door behind them.

"Can I get you anything to drink?"

He voice was low and guarded. Torie narrowed her eyes in frustration and regarded her friend. Their words to each other, while polite, were restrained. Something that bothered her to no end. "Yes… I would love some water, please. And from what I can tell, I totally dig your apartment. It's totally masculine… totally you."

As Hellboy was getting her a glass of water, Torie went back to taking in her surroundings. The walls of the apartment were painted in rich dark jewel tones. Deep ruby, bordering on burgundy. Rich sapphire that looked as lush like velvet. The dark wood trim and chocolate brown ultrasuede furniture, along with the pin-up art that hung framed on the walls, just oozed testosterone.

The apartment was a simple and convenient layout. Upon entry into the apartment, a kitchen was on the immediate right. To the left was a large sunken family room, complete with big screen TV, with a patio area beyond that – beyond the French doors that allowed sunlight to tumble onto two cats lying in a patch of sun. Behind the kitchen, in the far right corner of the home, was what looked like a dining area that instead housed fitness machines and equipment. Next to the work out area, straight ahead from the front door, was a doorway to what might have originally been a bedroom, but Torie could tell was an office, with dots of light indicating computer equipment in the otherwise dark room. To the left of the office was a bathroom and just beyond that had to be Hellboy's bedroom, although Torie had not ventured far enough into the apartment to confirm her suspicions.

But it was the bookcases that hugged the walls at regular intervals that captured her attention. Overflowing with ancient tomes, leathbound novels and academic journals, the bookcases also housed knickknacks and souvenirs from his travels. Torie just wanted to dive in and learn what interested the man who… interested her.

Gah. Just don't act like a moon-eyed schoolgirl, okay?

Torie was so intent in her perusal of the titles in a bookcase that she jumped when Hellboy silently handed her the water she had requested. In an attempt to cover her own set of nerves, she asked, "Is this a picture of your father?"

Hellboy didn't even have to look at the photograph Torie was pointing at to know that she was indicating a framed snapshot on a bookshelf of his father and himself on the Great Wall of China, one of the few times his father had gone on assignment with him and one of the very rare times either of them had allowed any sightseeing once the assignment was over.

"Yeah, that's my Pop."

"It's obvious how devoted he was to you. He's not even looking at the camera; his eyes are on you. The adoration… I know guys hate the word, but it's very sweet."

Hellboy's eyes widened at Torie's comment. She was right; his father wasn't smiling at the camera. He was smiling at him. Hellboy felt his heart warm at the realization.

Torie nodded her head self-consciously and held the glass of water to her chest. Here eyes flicked over the book titles as she felt her cheeks burn. Too much, too soon, in light of what was disclosed earlier. Should have censored her words a little bit longer. Absently, Torie pulled her ponytail holder out of her hair as she struggled to return to the conversation they had over lunch, but knew there was only one way to do it – feet first.

"As you may have figured out – or maybe not – I don't generally beat around the bush. So here goes nothing… are you mad at me?"

Hellboy chewed on his bottom lip as he digested the anguish in his friend's voice. He felt no anger towards her. No disappointment. Just some lingering confusion. But there was complete understanding in her withholding information – every day he pretended to be someone else. Until he looked down at his hands or faced himself in the mirror.

Struggling to articulate his feelings, Hellboy lifted a strand of hair off of Torie's shoulder and rubbed it between his fingers. It was soft, like he expected, but his action surprised him; Hellboy initiated as little contact between them ever since he fubar'd when Torie was painting her toenails. But touching her, in the least physical way, was what he needed to feel grounded. Plus, Hellboy hardly ever felt compelled to do anything instinctively – everything he did had consequences weighed against his actions – but his hand seemed to act with a mind of its own.

Well, if that were the case, her hair would only be the start…

Torie felt her heart pound louder and louder as the seconds ticked past without a response from her friend. She took it as a good sign that Hellboy was playing with her hair, but Torie wanted actual confirmation that all was good between the two of them. And the sensations that the movement of her hair caused made chills dance up and down Torie's spine. She crossed her arms across her chest to cover her physical reaction, hoping Hellboy wouldn't think that she was getting defensive.

Her proof came when Hellboy pulled her into a bear hug and said, "Of course I'm not mad at you, silly girl. I'm just trying to keep from drowning in this sea of new information. I mean, you're still you. I know that. But it's going to take a small adjustment period for me to grasp that so many other people know that, too."

Torie returned the hug, her right cheek pressed against Hellboy's chest, and whispered, "I didn't mean to deceive you. After so much time elapsed, I just didn't know how to broach the subject. I mean, when we hang out, it's just us. There's nothing else to think about. And I've never had that. Always, always, it has been about other people. Does that make sense? With you, I'm me; with everyone else, I'm who they want me to be, need me to be."

Hellboy inhaled a breath slowly, aware of his friend's weight against his torso, her softness, her scent… and exhaled even slower. He knew exactly what she was talking about. And he made no bones about seeking her company for refuge from his often crazy existence. So hearing her explanation calmed the concerns that churned in his head. Hellboy squeezed her tighter.

"C'mon Doctor James, I want to show you my digs and introduce you to my kitties."

Torie shook her head as the two broke their embrace. "Ah, I see turn about is fair play. But that's not me; that's my parents. No Doctorate in my future unless it's given to me in return for public speaking – which I think is fair payment. But what all did you discover in your cruising of the Internet while Kate and I were in your father's library? You know that's why I went off with her; to let you have some time to research me. I saw the light bulb go off when I made mention of your being Life Magazine's Man of the Year."

His teeth, white and square, gleamed in the light as his lips pulled back in a smile. "What did I learn? That you're a pretty amazing woman and that I'm lucky to have you as a friend. Both of which I already knew. Now come on, let's go meet my cats." It occurred to Hellboy that knowing more about Torie just deepened his affection for her. "But being honored with a Man of the Year title is nothing compared to the Nobel Peace Prize."

Torie couldn't help smiling against the opening of the water bottle as she followed Hellboy's back deeper into his apartment. It was strange, but Torie felt as if she were on a date, the way that Hellboy wanted to show off everything. The comparison made her smile even wider as she squatted down to rub the offered belly of one of his cats.

"But I didn't win, although it was an honor just to be nominated," Torie said with a wink. With their banter back, Torie knew that things between them would be fine. By the end of the evening, the earlier strain would become one big inside joke.

She hoped. Oh how she hoped.