The Glass Scientists micro-fanfictions

Moonlight

His breath came heavy and fast, shaking his now diminutive stature, a madman's grin splitting his cheeks near in half. Laughter still burned upon his horribly upturned lips as Hyde was brought to the realisation that he was not the only one that stalked the night in a form separate from their own.

A low, mournful howl filled the night, drifting down from the rooftop like a lost soul.

Hearing this, for there was no way that it could have been missed, especially not by one who bragged so frequently about his exceptional hearing, Edward let out a small sigh through gritted teeth. He had plans, but it seemed they would once again have to be put off. It was as if he was destined to never have a god damned chance to actually enjoy all the delights that the night held. Delights that it seemed were to forever held just out of his grasp.

Once more he sighed, but this was almost performative even as his audience was but one. Forcing himself to appear more presentable than he was, tucking his shirt and rolling his sleeves and pant legs up, he told himself he'd duck back and dress properly.

Within a matter of moment, he was out the window, scampering haphazardly up the side of the building, despite there being far safer and more practical ways to do so.
"Oi!" he called out as soon as he had both of his feet planted as they could be for a person such as he. A howl that had just begun to grow was cut short with a soft snap of the werewolf's jaws. "The hell are you doing, wolf pup?" he asked, the words sounding more irritable than his tone implied, "They could probably hear you a block an' a half away!"

"I'm sorry..." came a mumbling reply over by a chimney stack. Jasper's voice managed to hold the same softness to it, even if it came across a degree more scratchy than it was in the daylit hours.

"Oh, don't be. They'll be having nightmares for weeks."
He made a point to click his heels against the rooftop so that he wouldn't accidentally sneak up on the other.

"I'm sorry."

"It's funny, you'll get yourself a notoriety."
He crouched down, settling on his haunches an arm's length between him and the might, pitiful creature.

"I'm sorry."

"Stop apologising."
Unfortunately his balance wasn't the best quite yet, and ended up slumped against Jasper, which he tried to cover up by throwing an arm over the other's shoulder.

"I'm s-" This apology was cut short by the tiny one clearing his throat.

"What brought you up here anyway? Isn't there a moor you should be prowling or something?" A glance from the distraught werewolf prompted him to add, "I'm sorry."

"It's silly..." Jasper returned vaguely, mumbling as he turned away from the uninvited party.

For the third time in only so many minuted, Edward Hyde let out a sigh. Brushing the hair off his face the best he could, this not being all that successful, he took a moment to come to terms with the fact he had to be sincere and gentle. It wasn't the easiest thing for him to do both at the same time but he'd damn well try.

"Well, wolfpup," he began before backtracking a step, "Jasper, if its got you upset then its nothing silly now is it?" The loosely draped arm became a clumsy hug as he spoke. "Now, tell me what's got you howling at the moon."

Jasper sat in silence for a good handful of moments, thinking on the state of the world and everything in it, or at the very least everything in it that related to him sitting up there in the plum midnight light, and this quite quickly brought a want to howl again.

"I'm a monster!" the farm boy finally lamented, his voice cracking something fierce.

"People always think I am, and I can say with some certainty that I'm a hell of a lot more monstrous than you are." This was a wild claim, and even he knew that, but he wouldn't doubt it had some credence at the very least.

"I'm lettin' everyone down! I'm not a scientist! I'm not even a human anymore!" The final syllable broke off into a howl, which he decided was only proving his point.

"What crock! Who's been filling you with such rubbish? Was it Ito?" Hyde was almost surprised to find him jumping to the other's defense so quickly, "And besides, you're only as human as you feel, petty little things like aesthetics has nothing to do with all that!"

The werewolf shook his head, something almost embarrassed in his action.
"No, sir, actually I-"

"You got yourself thinking about things and let them grow into something worse?"

There was another silence following this, and the silence alone suggested to Hyde that he'd hit the proverbial nail on the head with this. God, he knew what it was like, or more specifically Jekyll knew it was like, and that was close enough for him to knowing it personally.

"Yes."

"Thought so." said the self proclaimed night spirit, not sounding nearly as smug about it as he could have. "You don't have to listen to that, you know? You can just tell those thoughts you don't want to listen to to shut the ever-living hell up!" This was punctuated by him tapping his temple with one long, sharp fingernail.

"I don't?" asked a particularly skeptical sounding Jasper. The skepticism was well founded, as he had on more than one occasion been told to disregard any sort of advice the blond haired enigma might offer him. This did, however, sound like it was solid advice, even if it was coming from a madman.

"Of course you don't!" he exclaimed with such a force that he threw his head back, thankfully missing the chimney stack that was really not all that far from where he sat, "You don't have to listen to anyone or anything that is trying to drag you down! Even if its yourself! If you use the energy that you spent on worrying about the things to actually do it, I can guarantee you'll amaze yourself!"

"D'ya promise?"

"On my life!"

Hyde jumped up to his feet with a startling speed for one standing on a rooftop. Stretching for a moment, his present form having not had enough of a chance to move before he settled down briefly so his joints had started to lock up.

"Now, Jasper," he began, stretching his hand out, "Will you take my hand and let me show you the truth of what I've told you, or will you continue to wonder and second guess yourself?"

Only a heartbeat passed before Jasper's presently almost paw-like hand took Hyde's own.