FIC: Quiet Nights
Title: Quiet Nights
Fandom: Re-Animator
Pairing: Dan/Herbert slash
Timeframe: After Beyond Re-Animator
Summary: Herbert realizes that he's got nowhere else to go, and shows up at Dan's doorstep with little to say, and nothing to really offer. But will Dan take back the man that ruined his life? Or will he send him out into the cold, quiet night.
Dan Cain couldn't believe his eyes as he stood in the doorway, gazing down at the tired eyes of the man who had plagued him so many years earlier. The quiet night air seemed to only tense as those eyes looked up at him behind thick frames, silently examining him like that had done to lifeless others.
"I came back Dan." a much older voice said quietly.
"You're a fugitive! Why the hell did you come back here?! How do you even know where I live now?" Dan spat back, watching as Herbert's cold eyes looked down at the ground.
A long silence filled the air, and Dan thought about simply closing the door in his face. He didn't need this now. He was finally getting back on his feet. He'd finally made a successful career, gotten custody of his and Francesca's child, he'd finally found a moment of silence.
"I didn't have anywhere to go to..." Herbert said finally. "I thought you might have a place for me here."
Another uncomfortable pause fell upon them, and Dan's mind raced with emotions and thoughts that made just as little sense as the situation itself.
"Well I don't." he answered curtly. "Besides, this would be the first place for police to look for you."
Herbert adjusted his glasses nervously as his small doctors bag was picked up off the ground by an aged, pale hand. He nodded without a word, before turning around and walking back to the street.
"Dan?" he called, still not hearing the door close. "I'm dead."
"What?" the other man retorted, confused and still upset.
Herbert glanced at Dan over his shoulder, before saying very plainly,
"No one will be looking for me because I don' t exist anymore."
Dan bit his lip, thinking hard. Herbert was legally dead? That would explain why he didn't appear to be very worried about being recognized as he walked openly around town. This wasn't Arkham after all, so the people of the Boston suburbs hadn't heard the name Herbert West since he was arrested, quite possibly since the Miskatonic Massacre.
He watched Herbert's small shoulders as he calmly turned into the sidewalk, looking at Dan briefly with an emotion he hadn't ever seen in the small man. It could've been his imagination, but for a short moment he could've sworn he'd seen...hopelessness?
In all the years Dan had worked with Herbert, he'd never seen him ever admit defeat or give up hope. It was as if Herbert knew that they would succeed, that failure wasn't even a possibility. Although Dan was almost positive that Herbert laughed at silly words like 'hope', but he knew better. But now...things were different.
Herbert's small frame no longer stood upright and rigid, his hand wasn't as steady, and his emotions not as well lidded as they once were. These were obvious as Dan watched him begin to walk down the street.
"Herbert!" he called suddenly. "Herbert wait!"
What was he doing? He couldn't let this man, no, this monster back into his life! He'd finally reached steady ground, he'd finally found some peace!
Herbert's silent form stilled where he stood, before turning to Dan with an emotionless look. His eyes had become so dark behind his glasses, that for a moment Dan wondered if there was any color left in them at all.
"You can stay..." he said simply. "Just for tonight you can stay."
What was he saying?! His mind was screaming at him, telling him everything about it was a bad idea! But when he saw Herbert look up at him the noise in his head quieted. His relief was evident on his features, as his shoulders relaxed even more and his eyes slipped closed for a short moment when he exhaled.
He walked up to Dan, and stood unusually close as only a mere inch stood between their noses. Dan looked deep into Herbert's eyes, and saw how weak the scientist had become. He couldn't leave Herbert like this. He'd do something stupid, hurt someone, hurt himself! Before Dan knew what was happening he found Herbert's thin arms around his shoulders, pulling him into a close hug.
Dan froze up, never knowing West would, could, or even knew how to convey gratitude or any other caring emotion. After the initial shock wore off, Dan found himself wrapping his arms around Herbert as well. The first thing he noticed was how small West seemed. He could feel how bony and cold the madman had become. His face had aged significantly, but underneath it all Dan could still see the fading image of the young man that had caused him so much grief.
Finally Dan let go, feeling awkward at the prospect of someone seeing him hugging a strange man on this porch at two o'clock in the morning. Herbert let out an inaudible breath at the loss of warmth, before looking at his shoes awkwardly.
Dan smiled, taking West's hand in his own as he invited him into the house. After all, if he was going to screw up his life again there was nobody else in the world he'd rather do so with.
----
Hope you guys enjoyed my sappy Dan/Herbert ficlet. :D The second part of "Just A Little Silence" will be up soon too. :3
Fandom: Re-Animator
Pairing: Dan/Herbert slash
Timeframe: After Beyond Re-Animator
Summary: Herbert realizes that he's got nowhere else to go, and shows up at Dan's doorstep with little to say, and nothing to really offer. But will Dan take back the man that ruined his life? Or will he send him out into the cold, quiet night.
Dan Cain couldn't believe his eyes as he stood in the doorway, gazing down at the tired eyes of the man who had plagued him so many years earlier. The quiet night air seemed to only tense as those eyes looked up at him behind thick frames, silently examining him like that had done to lifeless others.
"I came back Dan." a much older voice said quietly.
"You're a fugitive! Why the hell did you come back here?! How do you even know where I live now?" Dan spat back, watching as Herbert's cold eyes looked down at the ground.
A long silence filled the air, and Dan thought about simply closing the door in his face. He didn't need this now. He was finally getting back on his feet. He'd finally made a successful career, gotten custody of his and Francesca's child, he'd finally found a moment of silence.
"I didn't have anywhere to go to..." Herbert said finally. "I thought you might have a place for me here."
Another uncomfortable pause fell upon them, and Dan's mind raced with emotions and thoughts that made just as little sense as the situation itself.
"Well I don't." he answered curtly. "Besides, this would be the first place for police to look for you."
Herbert adjusted his glasses nervously as his small doctors bag was picked up off the ground by an aged, pale hand. He nodded without a word, before turning around and walking back to the street.
"Dan?" he called, still not hearing the door close. "I'm dead."
"What?" the other man retorted, confused and still upset.
Herbert glanced at Dan over his shoulder, before saying very plainly,
"No one will be looking for me because I don' t exist anymore."
Dan bit his lip, thinking hard. Herbert was legally dead? That would explain why he didn't appear to be very worried about being recognized as he walked openly around town. This wasn't Arkham after all, so the people of the Boston suburbs hadn't heard the name Herbert West since he was arrested, quite possibly since the Miskatonic Massacre.
He watched Herbert's small shoulders as he calmly turned into the sidewalk, looking at Dan briefly with an emotion he hadn't ever seen in the small man. It could've been his imagination, but for a short moment he could've sworn he'd seen...hopelessness?
In all the years Dan had worked with Herbert, he'd never seen him ever admit defeat or give up hope. It was as if Herbert knew that they would succeed, that failure wasn't even a possibility. Although Dan was almost positive that Herbert laughed at silly words like 'hope', but he knew better. But now...things were different.
Herbert's small frame no longer stood upright and rigid, his hand wasn't as steady, and his emotions not as well lidded as they once were. These were obvious as Dan watched him begin to walk down the street.
"Herbert!" he called suddenly. "Herbert wait!"
What was he doing? He couldn't let this man, no, this monster back into his life! He'd finally reached steady ground, he'd finally found some peace!
Herbert's silent form stilled where he stood, before turning to Dan with an emotionless look. His eyes had become so dark behind his glasses, that for a moment Dan wondered if there was any color left in them at all.
"You can stay..." he said simply. "Just for tonight you can stay."
What was he saying?! His mind was screaming at him, telling him everything about it was a bad idea! But when he saw Herbert look up at him the noise in his head quieted. His relief was evident on his features, as his shoulders relaxed even more and his eyes slipped closed for a short moment when he exhaled.
He walked up to Dan, and stood unusually close as only a mere inch stood between their noses. Dan looked deep into Herbert's eyes, and saw how weak the scientist had become. He couldn't leave Herbert like this. He'd do something stupid, hurt someone, hurt himself! Before Dan knew what was happening he found Herbert's thin arms around his shoulders, pulling him into a close hug.
Dan froze up, never knowing West would, could, or even knew how to convey gratitude or any other caring emotion. After the initial shock wore off, Dan found himself wrapping his arms around Herbert as well. The first thing he noticed was how small West seemed. He could feel how bony and cold the madman had become. His face had aged significantly, but underneath it all Dan could still see the fading image of the young man that had caused him so much grief.
Finally Dan let go, feeling awkward at the prospect of someone seeing him hugging a strange man on this porch at two o'clock in the morning. Herbert let out an inaudible breath at the loss of warmth, before looking at his shoes awkwardly.
Dan smiled, taking West's hand in his own as he invited him into the house. After all, if he was going to screw up his life again there was nobody else in the world he'd rather do so with.
----
Hope you guys enjoyed my sappy Dan/Herbert ficlet. :D The second part of "Just A Little Silence" will be up soon too. :3