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“THAT IS ENOUGH!”Dr. Henry Jekyll’s voice rang out louder then he’d expected. The recipient of his rage, Edward Hyde, turned to give him an uninterested look before going back to terrorizing his victim, Henry’s faithful manservant, Poole. He had the older man backed into a corner, a dagger in hand as he advanced towards him. The dagger was not what had Poole frightened, it was his appearance. Tousled reddish blonde hair, pointy ears, eyes that seemed somehow like those of a predatory animal. Even though he stood several inches shorter than Poole and was of such slight stature that Poole could have easily barreled past him, he still radiated the malice of a crouching wolf or stalking tiger, freezing Poole in place like a deer with no where to run. “Just give i’ ‘ere!” Hyde, hand outstretched, snarled at Poole. Poole, hand trembling, started to reach into his vest pocket when he saw Jekyll reaching into the top drawer of his desk without taking his eyes off Hyde. “Well, what are yew waitin' for!?” Hyde took a step closer and Jekyll, quickly covering the distance between them, reached out and grabbed Hyde by the ear while shoving the barrel of the revolver he’d taken from the his desk drawer against the small of Hyde’s back, the sudden pain causing him to yelp and drop the dagger. “Listen here, you little vermin, so much as elbow me and I’ll pull the trigger, understood?”Hyde swallowed nervously as he nodded as fast as he could. “Good, now, this poor gentleman is owed an apology!” Jekyll pushed Hyde towards Poole as he bent to retrieve the dagger Hyde had dropped. The threat of pain and death was enough to bring out Hyde’s true colors. With no weapon of his own and standing between two angry men, Hyde hunched his shoulders as he nervously licked his lips, eyes rapidly flicking between the two of them. “I do believe, Sir, that you’ve given the rascal a good fright! Seems he’s lost the power of speech!”Hyde blushed and looked at the oriental rug upon which he was standing. “S-Sorry, ‘ir.” He mumbled like a scolded child as he turned to flee, Jekyll grabbing hold of his arm. “Not so fast! I won’t be having you roaming the streets terrorizing all those innocent people!”Hyde opened his mouth and Jekyll held up a hand. “Don’t even start lying like I know you will.”“Sir, you know him?” Poole asked in disbelief that is employer would be around the likes of Hyde. Jekyll sighed before telling Poole of his misguided experiment, about how he’d grown to regret releasing Hyde onto the unsuspecting world and how his second attempt, just this morning, had separated the two. He’d only just regained consciousness when he’d heard Hyde threatening Poole. Seeing how the confession had affected his employer, Poole walked over to rest a hand on his shoulder. “Sir, do not blame yourself, how could you have known what that creature” Poole glared at Hyde, who flinched and took a step back “was capable of?”“Thank you, my dear friend.” Jekyll shook off the malaise that had come over him and turned his attention back to Hyde. “You will NOT be getting away with your latest act of mischief!” He once again grabbed hold of Hyde, this time by the scruff of his neck. “I’ll let the police decide what should be done with you!” He started to walk towards the door, roughly dragging Hyde behind him. Hyde paled as he beseechingly looked to Poole. Poole saw just how truly scared Hyde was, since no human alive could turn that pale at will, and couldn’t help but feel a little pity towards him. “I don’t want to see him come to harm, Sir, so we should avoid the police at all costs.”Jekyll stopped and turned astonished eyes on Poole. “But he could have...”“Killed me? He had plenty of time to do that, Sir, but that was not his intent. You, Dr. Jekyll, are a physician of high standing, but what is he? What money does he have that is not yours? What friends does he have to call on?”This time it was Jekyll’s turn to pale as he realized the reason for all of Hyde’s mischief. He’d thought Hyde just a wanton criminal, but now he saw him for what he truly was; a misfit desperately attempting to live. “Think, Sir, of how it would be if, walking down the street, all shied away from you? Treated you like a leper?”“You’re right, Poole; but we still have to punish him somehow.”“Leave him with him, Sir. I’ll have him scrubbing floors and whatever else comes to my mind.”Jekyll released his hold on the back of Hyde’s neck. “He’s yours.”
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Poole was pleasantly surprised by how obedient Hyde was. He did every chore Poole assigned him with no complaint, even when Poole could tell he was hungry and tired. Periodically he’d glance over to make sure Poole was still happy with his work, cowering at the slightest sign that he was displeased. He’d cower even more when Jekyll walked by, making himself as small as possible so the doctor might forget he existed. As the days passed, a sort of normalcy came to their lives. Poole would rouse Hyde from the makeshift bed he’d made him in the cellar out of burlap sacks and a single pillow. He’d then leave him with the cook to do whatever she needed of him while he polished Jekyll’s shoes before he woke up. Helping Jekyll into his coat, he’d then hand him his paper and lock the door once he was out and on his way to his daily breakfast with Utterson and Lanyon. Soon Hyde was just another cog in the smoothly running house. All was well till Jekyll’s matronly cook, Mrs. Simons, brought something to his attention. “Sir, there is something wrong with that poor lad.”
“How so?” Poole asked as he finished winding the clock in the front parlor.
“He’s miserable, Mr. Poole. He’s respectful and hardworking, but he never smiles and has started to eat less and less.”
Poole looked at her in concern. “Mrs. Simons, when you say he’s been eating less and less, exactly what do you mean?”
“Yesterday all he had was half a bowl of soup and today it was just an apple and a few bites of bread.”
“Thank you, ma’am, for bringing that to my attention, I’ll go see what I can do.” Poole sighed as he went in search of Hyde. He found him polishing the silverware the way a beaten horse pulls a wagon; mechanically, with a listlessness boarding on comatose.
“Edward?”’
Hyde, startled, yelped as he dropped the spoon he’d been polishing. “Sorry, ‘ir, I was…”
“I’m not mad at you, I just want to ask you something.” He pulled out the chair opposite him and sat down. Glancing around to make sure they were alone, he lowered his voice.
“Are you alright, lad?”
Hyde, embarrassed, was about to deny that anything was the matter till he saw the look of true concern on Poole’s face.
“I-I'm bloody well just lonely, is all.” He couldn’t bare to look Poole in the eye after such an embarrassing confession.
Poole reached out and put his hand over one of Hyde’s. Hyde, unused to such close physical contact, looked up in surprise.
“Lad, you need to eat.”
“I know, but I just don't feel like it.”
“It’s because you’re by yourself, isn’t it?”
Jekyll had made it clear that Hyde wasn’t allowed a place at the table and had to take his meals in the cellar. With only one small window, it was as dark as a dungeon even during the day.
Hyde nodded. “Yes, ‘ir.”
“Would you mind if I ate with you?”
Hyde gave a little smile, the first Poole had seen, as he replied that he wouldn’t.
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“I don’t have the foggiest idea as to why you care about that brute so much!” Jekyll complained as he watched Poole put together a tray of food for Hyde and himself.
“If I didn’t, who would, Sir? He’s not eating and you being a doctor know how bad that is, especially in this cold and with all the strenuous work he does. He could very easily catch ill and die!”
“He’s a monster, Poole, not some poor orphan!”
“If he was, as you say, a “monster”, would he this minute be pinning away for companionship?! His day are spent cleaning your house and his nights in the cold, dark, cellar. Nobody outside me and Mrs. Simons says more than a word to him, the rest want nothing to do with him.”
Jekyll shook his head i. “Just be careful, he’s unpredictable.” So, saying, he got up and left the room. Poole found Hyde seated on a trunk in the cellar, a child’s toy dog in his hands. He was looking at it with what could only be described as despondency.
“What's it loike, 'avin' a family?”
Poole had trouble figuring out how to explain what it was like to have parents and relatives to someone who’d never even had a mother. How to explain love and security to one who’d never known it?
“It’s hard to describe, really. It can be wonderful and trying at the same time.”
“Sounds loike anovver fin' i'll never 'ave.” Hyde slid off the trunk and opened it. Inside were long forgotten toys and books from Jekyll’s childhood. As Hyde placed the toy back where he’d gotten it, Poole noticed the books had been disturbed.
“Can you read?”
Hyde nodded. “Yeah, but it daan't make things better.” He shut the lid. “Aw those people fallin' in love and stuff. Makes it 'ard when ya stop readin'.”
Poole knew exactly what he meant. He still hated being pulled from the wonderful world he’d been inhabiting. But, unlike Hyde, he had family and friends. Hyde just had himself. Wanting to distract him, Poole picked up the tray with a smile.
“I brought you a little of everything, I hope you enjoy it!”To make it even better for, Poole sat right beside him, even allowing Hyde to rest his head upon his shoulder when they’d finished. He knew Hyde needed to be touched more than anything, Poole not in the least surprised when Hyde fell asleep against him.
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“Will ya come back tomorra?” Hyde asked, even though he knew he shouldn’t get his hopes up, as he helped a stiff Poole to his feet; the pair had been seated on the cellar stairs, Hyde napping with his head on Poole’s shoulder for close to an hour. “Of course, lad, of course!” Poole laughed as he surprised Hyde with a hug. Hyde, whose only contact with other people had been violent, melted in Poole’s arms. “I see you came out of that unscathed.” Jekyll remarked as he read the evening paper. “He is part of you, Sir, even if you want to deny it.”Jekyll scoffed. “If by that you mean he is as close to me as Darwin said we are to apes, then you would be correct! But I have nothing in common with that brute!” He angrily turned the page. “Why the devil I allowed you to keep him here I’ll never understand.”“In his short time in your house he’s done nothing to harm anyone, not even stolen food from the kitchen!”Jekyll lowered his paper. “He’s truly behaving himself?”Poole nodded. “The lad fears you, sir. Like I told you before, I do believe his prior behavior was born from fear and the pain of knowing he is not wanted in our world; no man would be civilized for long if the whole world appeared to shun him.”“Fears me? He could tear my throat out in a second with those teeth of his!” Jekyll shuddered upon thinking about how long Hyde’s canines were.“You have a gun and the power to have him arrested.”“Once again, you are correct, Poole. But why are you telling me this?”“He is locked in a cellar when he’s not cleaning your house, sir. That is no kind of life!”“What, are you insinuating I should just let him loose!?”“Just allow him out once and awhile, to see for yourself how harmless he is.”Jekyll, who, other than his first encounter with him, had gone on to ignore Hyde’s very existence, felt great shame upon seeing the obviously scared creature cowering before him. He was thinner, with a more haunted look the Jekyll had ever seen on another living being and appeared to want to bolt back to the safety of, what, for all intents and purposes, was his prison. Poole stood off to the side, ready to intervene should either turn antagonistic towards the other. “How would you like a seat at the table tonight?” Jekyll gently asked. Th-that would be nice, ‘ir.” Hyde mumbled uncomfortably. Jekyll, unsure what to do next, extended his hand. Hyde swallowed and took it. Jekyll offered a smile, which Hyde timidly returned.
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The meal had been the most uncomfortable one of Jekyll's life the first half was spent with both of them pushing the food around their plates. It had taken several minutes for Jekyll to come up with something to say, Hyde only nodding or forcing a smile; once finished, Hyde had bolted back to the cellar, leaving Jekyll and Poole alone together. "It'll take a while, sir.""I know. But what can I do to show him I'm to be trusted?" Jekyll rubbed the bridge of his nose as he sat alone at the table with Poole behind him. "Just keep doing this every meal and soon he'll come round." Poole placed his hands on his master's shoulders and started to massage him. "Has he expressed any interest ?" Jekyll leaned his head back against Poole, looking up at him. "None at all, sir; but I do think it's a tad early, don't you?" He kissed Jekyll's forehead. Looking out the small window in the cellar, Hyde watched as the ladies and gentlemen strolled arm in arm towards the park; he could only watch for a few minutes at a time or else the empty feeling would return. Poole helped a little with his nightly visit, but it wasn't enough to just rest against another person and get a few fatherly pats here and there, he needed more. He was contemplating a way to sneak out when he heard the door open and saw Poole descending the stairs. Without a word, Poole sat down against the wall and Hyde hurried over to snuggle up beside him; Poole smiled down at the younger man as he closed his eyes. "Edward, how much do you remember when you were still with Jekyll?""Not much, 'e blocked me aahhht whenever 'e took over. ""You did the same to him?"Hyde nodded. "Course, didn't want 'im ter get the bloody vapors, kna did I?"They both got a laugh out of that. "He is more sensitive then you when it comes to gentlemanly behavior, that's for sure!" Poole tousled Hyde's hair.Right then a woman walking by laughed and all of the happiness Hyde had been feeling vanished; Poole noticed instantly. "Edward?""I sometimes dream abaht wot it would be loike ter just be able ter walk aahhht there wifaht people shyin' away. " Tears rolled down his cheeks as he stared up at the window. "Loike 'e can. " With that, he began to sob, not even attempting to hide it. Poole took him into his arms and rested his chin atop his head; he knew the lad had been suffering, but not to this extent. He soothed and rocked him for several minutes, Hyde clinging to him for dear life the whole time. "Eddy" Poole whispered into his hair "we can be closer if you'd like." Poole waited, not sure if he was fearful of having to explain further to Hyde or Hyde's reaction if he understood what he meant.Hyde buried his face in Poole's chest. "I-I would."
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The next night Poole showed Hyde he was serious about his offer. Seated side by side the way they always did, Poole had unbuttoned Hyde's vest and shirt and reached a hand in to rub his chest; he could feel Hyde's heart racing as he touched him in a way he'd never been before.
"How far would you like to go?" Poole asked as redness came to Hyde's cheeks.
"Can ya, uh,... " Hyde looked down at his lap in a meaningful way.
"Certainly." Poole took his hand off Hyde's chest and rested it where Hyde had been looking. He also unbuttoned himself, getting a small thrill when he allowed Hyde to look upon him; the very hungry look on Hyde's face gave him away.
"I am not your first, am I?"
Hyde blushed redder as he silently nodded, his eyes never once leaving the object of his hunger.
"Touch me if you wish."
Hyde did just that, Poole closing his eyes as Hyde brought him to life.
"Did ya brin' summit? "
Poole reached into his trouser pocket and removed a glass bottle. On his side on the cold stone floor, Poole grunted and moaned as Hyde lay behind him. Their trousers and shoes in a pile beside them, Hyde held Poole's leg up as he thrust into him.
"Y-You DO know what you're doing!" Poole panted in between cries.
"Rare that I'm the rider; usually I'm facedahn in a bed somewheres!" Hyde's breath was hot and wet on the back of his neck, Poole keenly aware of how close Hyde's fangs were.
"I-Is that by choice?"
"Oh, yes!" Hyde licked the back of his neck, sending a chill down Poole's spine. "Sometimes wahn be ridin' while anovver 'is usin' his mouth!"
"No wonder Henry was always tired!"
Hyde cackled like a hyena as he pulled out. "Wanna finish loike dogs?"In all his years, Poole had never experienced anything like this. Hyde, even though he was lacking in length and width, more than made up for it in his sheer animal like thrusting ; Poole's face was against the floor, his breath coming in gasps, as he was savaged in a way that would make Henry envious. Poole's engorged organ needed no help when the time came, Poole moaning louder than ever when it happened ; Hyde stopped to allow Poole's body to milk him to his end. One similarity Hyde shared with Jekyll was his need to be with someone afterwards. Most men in Poole's youth, including himself, would have just ended it with a handshake; but Jekyll needed more, he needed to be held and Poole obliged him, just the way he was doing to Hyde, now.
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“I’m jealous!” Jekyll remarked the next morning upon hearing about Poole’s night with Hyde; he’d barely slept the night before, his mind conjuring up all manner of things the two could have done. Poole laughed as he placed his hands upon Jekyll’s hips. “You’ve had me for over twenty years, the poor lads only used me one night!” One hand moving to his back and then down his trousers. “I-I wonder h-how loud he is wh-when he’s taken?” Jekyll gasped as Poole’s finger went to work. “Probably louder than you; he doesn’t have the same, decency, that you have.” Poole unbuttoned Jekyll’s fly and his own before pressing his body against Jekyll’s, their organs touching. Flushed, Jekyll embraced Poole as he began to thrust his hips. Poole quickened his movements, Jekyll sobbing against his shoulder. Poole glanced over at the table and quickly cleared them space. His organ glistening with oil, Poole held Jekyll’s legs up as Jekyll lay on his back upon the table. Poole looked down on his half-naked employer as he slid himself inside him, watching as Jekyll grimaced and writhed. “There is one thing in your favor, Henry.” “Wh-What the devil would that be!?” Jekyll reached between his legs as Poole began to lazily move. “You have him bested in size.” Jekyll snorted as his own movements outpaced Poole’s. With a jerk he fouled his hand and then lay limply watching as Poole continued to slowly thrust into him; he lay watching him with his eyes half closed, letting out little grunts as Poole prolonged it for as long as he could.
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The would-be burglar's sobs and pleas made it all the more enjoyable for Hyde. He'd watched from his hiding place behind a box as the man pried the window open and crawled in. Once the burglar was fully inside, and with his back towards him, Hyde sprang upon him like a lion on its kill. Wrestling the much larger man to the floor, Hyde pinned him down by his throat and bared his yellowed fangs in the man's face. "Wahn word and I'll kill ya! " Hyde snarled as he pressed down, causing the man to gag and choke. "Na, get up, I'm takin' ya ter the master of this house!" He grabbed the man by his hair and yanked until he was on his feet. Like a faithful dog bringing home its latest kill, Hyde hauled the man to Jekyll's room and banged on the door till the bleary-eyed Jekyll opened it, ready to dish out a lecture, only stopping upon sight of Hyde's "find". "Found this for ya. " Hyde shoved the man to the ground before a dumbfounded Jekyll. "I-I'm terribly sorry, sir. It was aw a big mistake, I-I ...." "'e got in through a window." Hyde proudly informed Jekyll. "I see, and if he wishes to keep the constables OUT of this, he'll exit the same way, am I understood?"The man nodded as he got to his feet and bolted back the way they'd come, Jekyll following behind with Hyde at his heels. Once their visitor was gone and the window closed, Jekyll turned to Hyde and gave him an unexpected hug. "Thank you." Was all he said into Hyde's hair as Hyde returned it.
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The minute Hyde looked into a mirror, any mirror, his confidence vanished to be replaced by a feeling of self-loathing and utter disgust. The fancy clothes, the nicely combed hair, none of it could mask the coarseness of his features, nor his inhumanly long fangs, pointy ears, and animalistic blue eyes; he was in just such a state of melancholy when Jekyll happened upon him. "Is something bothering you?"He turned to find Jekyll standing in the doorway behind him, on his way to his study. "N-Na, sir. Nothing wrong.""Good." Jekyll passed by without another word, leaving Hyde to resume dusting the table before him. That night Poole smuggled him up to his room and Hyde got to experience an actual bed for the first time in his life. "He now sees you as a kind of guard dog," Poole informed him as he lifted up the back of the nightshirt he'd given Hyde to wear as Hyde lay across his lap; his gentle pats soon turned to stinging swats as Hyde arched his back in enjoyment. "That bastard finally says summit good abaht me!" Hyde groaned as his backside reddened under Poole's hand. "H-ha long ya fin' t-till I ca-can stay wif ya?" Hyde panted as Poole took him on all fours. "Oh, it won't be long!" Poole assured him, sweat dripping off his face as he plowed him harder and faster, while Hyde, tongue lulling, reached beneath himself.
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Slowly over time, Jekyll gained a paternal love for Hyde, began to see him as more than just a bothersome animal he was keeping caged in his cellar. It all started when Hyde tripped while carrying his midafternoon tea. A loud crash and much swearing from one of the male servants made Jekyll run out of his study to see what had transpired. Coming upon the scene, he spotted Hyde clutching his wrist as the irate man rained abuse upon him. He saw the way Hyde kept his eyes firmly on the ground as his mumbled excuses fell on deaf ears; when he saw the servant lift his hand to strike him, he intervened. "That will do!" He calmly, but sternly, told the servant. Bowing his head, the man turned on his heel and left them alone, thinking the master of the house was sure to give the little cretin a good thrashing. He couldn't have been more wrong; Jekyll hurried over to kneel beside him. "Can I see your arm?"Hyde nervously extended his arm, wincing when Jekyll touched his wrist. "How bad does it hurt?""Bad," Hyde whimpered as Jekyll helped him to his feet and led him to his surgery. After a dose of morphine, Hyde lay struggling to keep his eyes open as Jekyll splinted and bandaged his wrist. "There, you should be better in a few weeks.""Will I get sum more of that?" Hyde slurred as he pointed at the used syringe. "Oh, most definitely, no need to let you suffer!"
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At half-past one in the morning, Jekyll quietly opened the door and stood silently watching Hyde as he twitched and whimpered like a sleeping dog. Seeing just how distressed Hyde was, he thought it prudent to wake him. "Easy, easy," he hastily murmured upon realizing the gravity of his mistake. For Hyde reacted like a startled animal, baring his teeth, his eyes darting around the room as he prepared to attack whatever had awoken him, his breath coming in labored pants. "Edward, I'm not going to hurt you, you'll be okay." Jekyll chanted as if it was a magic spell that would prevent him from being savaged. "Sorry, Sir." Hyde apologized after he regained his wits. "Just 'abit, Sir.""You've had reason to fear for your life?" Jekyll was aghast. Hyde shrugged. "Wot do ya expect people do ter monsters? Shake their bloody hand!?" His laugh was bereft of mirth, his expression that of one who'd resigned himself to his fate."Poole told me..." Jekyll blushed as he attempted to put the vulgar images in his head into words. "That?" Again the hollow laugh."Only 'appened in me head and ter that lucky lad I spied on." He waved his good hand dismissively. "I was desperate, that's aw. Didn't want 'im ter fin' me borin' and ya the more excitin' wahn. Since I-I'm nuffin' but a daft animal compared ter ya." His gaze left Jekyll's own as tears began to roll down his cheeks. "But you aren't, Eddy!" Jekyll sat beside him on the bed, placing his hand upon Hyde's own. "They won't be kind when they see this tomorra." Hyde sobbed as he motioned to his wrist. Jekyll was confused until he remembered what had transpired to cause Hyde's injury. An event that didn't seem all that much like an accident. "When you fell, you were pushed, weren't you?"Hyde wiped at his eyes. "Y-yes, Id messed up again and 'e... 'e always gets angry, but this time.." Fresh tears fell down Hyde's cheeks at the memory. "Is he the only one that mistreats you?""N-na. But the bleedin' others, they just say stuff, or they treat me loike a simpleton, which is a lil' better then they way sum treats me loike a rat or summit." Jekyll sighed. "Poole will be hearing this and I dare say he WON'T be pleased!"Hyde, now terrified, begged him not to in the mistaken belief that his only companion in the world would be angry at him. "Oh, not at YOU Eddy!" Jekyll was quick to reassure him. "At the staff, who might not be mine much longer if they don't shape up!" Jekyll gritted his teeth."Now then," he squeezed Hyde's hand, "how is your wrist?"Hyde told him it was starting to hurt again and Jekyll gave him another dose, but this time he stayed with him for the rest of the night.
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The first thing Hyde saw upon opening his eyes the next morning was Jekyll reading his morning paper while sipping at a cup of tea. Jekyll caught his gaze and smiled as Hyde looked away.
"You expected me to be gone, didn't you?"
"Yeah, guess I did." Hyde shrugged as he glanced at the clock: it was almost nine o'clock in the morning. "Aint your mates' wonderin' where you're at?"
Jekyll set his cup down on the nightstand before folding the paper and placing it alongside the cup. "Not today. The roads are downright treacherous!" He pulled the curtain back on the closest window to show Hyde the snow-blanketed world beyond.
"Brrr!" Hyde burrowed under the blankets. "I daan't even loike seein' that shite after 'avin' ter live in it!"
"No worries, Edward, you'll have a roof over your head as long as I live." Jekyll squeezed his hand, Hyde feeling truly safe for once in his life.