Illness Rainy Run Ins- A Jekyll and Hyde Fanfiction~Lucy and Dr. Jekhyll

[Comfortandstuff]

Hello, everyone! I'm extremely new to the forum, and decided I would post a fanfiction to introduce myself. This is extremely hurt/comfort based, and was the first fanfic I ever wrote, so by all means, please CONSTRUCTIVELY criticize. Thanks for reading; I hope you enjoy! 

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 That man came in tonight, hoping for what I always give him when he walks into the pub. I painfully obliged. He's just so mysterious. Eerie, I guess. And he has the most beautiful and entrancing eyes I have ever seen. They are like deep tide pools of bright ocean water. I feel like I recognize him from somewhere, but I just can't tell from where. And something about that intrigues me. Maybe I'm desperate I'm not sure. 

Either way if he intrigues me or not, I cannot deny the bruise he has left on my right shoulder and lower neck. Because of this dark man, I am walking outside in the cold rain, to buy tea tree oil for the sore, and impressively purple, bruise. My clothing is drenched all the way to my under garments, and my curled fawn hair is slowly becoming flat, because of the cold water droplets diving from the sky. 

  I enter to see Dr. Jekhyl pacing vigorously through the store looking for what seemed to be an eccentric herb. I smirk and move my hair in front of my shoulders, while smoothing my long, and noticeably damp red velvet skirt down. 

   "Dr. Henry.." I nod towards him, holding my hands together in front of me. He looks at me and arches his brow out of confusion, and trying to remember my name. His eyes are beautiful.

"Lucy. Lucy Arris. We met at the em.. Pub late 3 nights ago." 

"Oh yes. Lucy. Very nice to see you." He almost dismissed me until I coughed harshly into my elbow, and lightly groaned as a result. His beautiful eyes filled with concern, as he took in how much of a mess I was. 

"Are you alright?"

"I am quite alright... Why? Is there something wrong?" I ask eyeing my shoulder to make sure the bruise isn't peeking out from behind my shaw, pulling it closer to my neck to ensure he didn't see it. 

"No, no, nothing at all! I just... Umm.. You're damp," He inquired carefully. "It sounds like you might have a bit of an illness from that cough of yours."

"I am certainly not! I just walked here in the rain that's all."

"No coat?" He asked, even though he knew the answer. 

"I don't own a coat."

"What? Have you gone mad?! You could catch pneumonia in a second flat out in that weather!"

"I will be perfectly alright sir." I say surprised by his concern. 

"Ms. Lucy, I'm sorry, but I must ask, If you are 'perfectly alright', what are you doing at the apothecary at this hour, in this weather?" He asked, showing his sarcasm.

"I simply dropped by to grab tea tree oil."

"For?" 

"None of your concern!"

"Ah.. well if it is none of my concern, from what you have told me I will have to infer. And I warn you, I am a doctor, and I have medical training. Now you say you are here to pick up tea tree oil. Tea tree oil in the medical field, is very commonly known for the scent and presence of menthol. Menthol, is considered to be a help with congestion in the sinuses and nose. And those are common symptoms of a head cold. But, from that cough I observed a few minutes ago, and the fact that I hear not even a slight tinge of congestion in your voice, it sounds like your cold has been strictly chest so far, so I don't know why you would be picking up tea tree oil, unless you have recently noticed it to go up to your head." He proudly stated, nearly monotone. 

"Huh-xxtt!" I turned to the side and sneezed into my damp satin handkerchief.

He eyed me carefully and cocked an eyebrow.

"Bless you." He sweetly added, almost as if it was a reflex. 

"Look, the only proof you have is a silly cough." I say trying not to acknowledge his kindness just yet.

"And the now present congestion in your voice. And you sneezed."

"You really must know?"

"If you wouldn't mind, I wouldn't." He smirked. I shivered and peeled off the Shaw from my damp skin. Revealing the bruise which was now swelling colors of blue, purple, green and red. I winced at the sight and feeling. His smirk faded in a millisecond. He was instantly at my side. 

"Pretty, isn't it?" I said with sarcasm, as he looked at the bruise intently.

"Dear god! What happened?" He held the shaw to ensure it wouldn't fall over my shoulder to roughly.

"A man came late this afternoon. He got a little aggressive."

"Are you okay?"

"Please." I scoffed "This happens all the time where I come from. I wouldn't expect a gentlemen to-" He cut me off.

"Gentleman? Only a monster would do a thing like this." He said somewhat calm... though his teeth being clenched told me otherwise.

"I -" I felt a tickle in the back of my nose and parted my lips ever so slightly. Than returned my face slightly to normal. 

He moved to the suddenly, causing the light to shine to my face. 

"Hih-xxt! Huh- hihxxt! Sorry." He frowned and ran his fingers through his light brown hair.

"No need to be sorry. You really shouldn't stifle a sneeze like that. It's unhealthy. Especially with that head cold coming on." 

"I told you I'm not sick!"

"Maybe not yet, but I know symptoms when I see them. And you are going to wake up with an awful cold. And an awful bruise." He added, with pity in his voice. 

"Atchiew!!" I let out an unstifled sneeze into my shoulder. 

"Bless you." He said with empathy. "And better. Now, how far away do you live?" He asked.

"I lodge at the pub," I said sniffling against my hand. "So about 4 miles from here. Nothing I can't handle." 

"In this weather, with your circumstances, no, you can't." 

"I'm going to have to." I say matter of factly.

"No you won't. I live just a block away. Stay with me tonight, nothing inappropriate. Just... A friendly gesture." He added sweetly.

"Oh I couldn't possibly, I-"

"I... I gravely insist. There will be no need to buy tea tree oil, I can fix you up back at the house."

"Are you quite sure?" I ask very cautiously.

"I am." He smiled and nodded reassuringly.

"Okay. Let's go then, shall we?"

"We shall." We almost walk out of the door when he immediately steps away. 

"Oh, how rude of me!" He slips off his jacket hastily and places it over my shoulders as carefully as possible to not cause me anymore pain. 

"Oh no no no. If I'm already sick, I can't have you getting a chill in the rain as well."

"Lucy, please. You ARE already sick, and your risk of pneumonia is far worse than me catching a small cold. I promise you, is isn't any trouble. I will be fine" He said convincingly. 

"Alright." I agreed, still somewhat worried.

"Come on, then." He smiled.

He grabbed my hand and we fled out the door. The rain had doubled by now and I felt the bottom of my dress instantly start to get heavier. We ran round the block, to his house, and slipped inside the door. Removing all of our outer garments at once. I handed him back his jacket. 

"Make yourself at home." He exclaimed, gesturing to a couch by a fireplace in his "library". I sat down on top of a towel to keep from wetting his couch. 

"Your clothes!" 

"What?!"

"They're all wet. We need to get you out of those clothes, and into something dry." He said thinking. "I have a nightgown left over from my recent studies. You're welcome to use that...." He glanced towards me to see my expression to the brim with concern, my eyes were quite wide.

"Don't worry, it wasn't used."

He chuckled as he reassured me. 

I slipped into his wash room to clean myself up. I glanced at myself in the mirror. I did look sickly, and to be honest, I felt quite sickly now as well. But I braved it, and walked into his library to find him over by his study looking for a sufficient remedy for my bruise. I chuckled and sat down. 

"Better?" 

"Yes, thank you."

"You're welcome." He muttered focused on the books once again.

I watched him silently and saw his hair was still wet, and he hadn't yet changed out of his drenched clothes. He must have been the most selfless man I had met. 

"And you?" 

"Lucy, I'll be fine. It's you whom I'm concerned with at the moment."

"Hutchiew!" I barely caught the sudden and rough sneeze in my hands. He was too focused in his book to even realize I had sneezed, which I was grateful for momentarily, until I felt another tickle in my nose, and fished for my handkerchief, that I had slipped into the sleeve of the nightgown. He looked up at me as I started moving around trying to get it in time.

"Httxxtt!!" I sneezed painfully into the cold and wet handkerchief, and moaned slightly at the force of it against my shoulder. 

"Bless you." He said sweetly, and closed his book pitifully. I nodded as gracefully as I could. He walked over to the sofa, and sat a respectable yet comforting distance from me. 

"How are you feeling? Be honest with me.." He inquired firmly, even though it was a gentle gesture. 

"Honestly? Not too great."

It was true. I felt physically; mentally, and emotionally drained. This week had been exhausting.

"Hxxtt-choo!" I sneezed defeatedly into my handkerchief. The fact that is was so wet was making my nose even rawer than before.

"Ohhh, dear.." He melted, rubbing my back with sympathy. It actually felt quite nice. I sniffled heavily. He noticed. He stood up, walked to his desk, and proceeded to pull something out of his desk. He walked back, and handed me a tissue, setting the box that contained more on the table in front of me.

"Tissues?" I ask him. 

"Of course. I keep them around for emergencies. I have my own handkerchief here in my now dry cardigan of course,"He said displaying it exaggeratedly. I looked at him still hesitant. "But a doctor can never be too prepared with tissues and handkerchiefs. I've seen a lot of tears. And sneezes. Please, take them. Your handkerchief is soaked and cold, which probably doesn't feel pleasant at all. Besides, you're sick. It wouldn't be a very gentlemanly thing to do to not offer a tissue to a beautiful woman in need." He jokingly stated.

"If you say so." I say laughing. My laughing soon fades into a coughing fit. The coughs sound deep. The kind of coughs you get scared of when you visit a hospital. He sat back down quickly, and rubbed the small of my back to help the coughing subside.

"Excuse me, I'm so sorry." I say, surprised at how hoarse and congested I sound. 

"Oh, you poor thing, you sound miserable. I'm going to go make some tea for that throat, alright?" He assured me with the sweet gesture. I was about to protest, but I felt my immune system cry with happiness at the thought of warm liquid, and I couldn't possibly say no. 

"Tea would be very lovely, thank you. Huh... huhtiish!" I sneeze into a tissue from the box. It somehow smelled like his jacket, and all of his possessions. Like fresh sheets that have air dried in the sun for hours on a clear day, with a touch of his masculine, but subtle cologne daring to peek through.

"Bless you!" I heard him loudly exclaim from the kitchen. He knows I won't respond, he isn't looking for acknowledgement. For a second, the cold melts away and I smile to myself thinking about his generosity and pure kindness. Minutes later he enters with a tray holding a pot of tea, as well as a tea cup and maneuvered the box of tissues onto the tray, for good measure.

"Here you are." He says as he puts the tray on the table in front of me. 

"Thank you so much." I smile at him.

"My pleasure." He smiles back at me. His smile is so bright and pleasant. 

"Hattchiieeww!" I sneezed wetly into my shoulder.

"Here." He plucked a tissue from the box on the tray, and handed it to me.

"Thank you."

"Of course." He says looking into my eyes.

"Now for the bruise?" I ask wondering.

"Yes. Now I'm afraid that this will hurt.. but later, you won't regret it." 

"I trust you." I said holding his hand.

He squeezes my hand in reassurance and soon grabs my shoulder with one hand patting a cloth in a red liquid with the other. He looks at me, and slowly presses the cloth on the bruise, beginning to somewhat massage the medicine into my skin. I wince in pain and almost cry out because the burning feels like hell itself.

"Shhhh hold still... I know it hurts." He says rubbing my leg. 

He backs the cloth away noticing the pre sneeze expression on my face, that is again stuck. He presses his hand to my back gently. I sneeze twice into the tissue he gave me. He leans forward with me with each sneeze. Not knee bending but a little movement. 

"Bless you." He whispers, too focused to talk at normal volume.

"Thank you." I whisper as well, barely daring to breathe. He finishes up and puts the cloth on the table. He pats my leg as if to tell me well done, and relaxes his body, his eyes still completely focused on me.

 "Once the pain is moderate, I really should be going. I really don't want to cause any trouble." I say while sucking air into my lungs, clenching my teeth. I try to stand up but fumble, as if I've lost control of all of my body due to the grueling pain. He catches me, and sits me back down worriedly.

"Lucy, everything is okay. No need to be frightened, there is nothing you are bothering me with. I'm not like the man who did this to you." He spat towards the imaginary man in the room. 

"I know.. I just- I.... I feel like I'm intruding. I don't want to be a bother. And I never tried to be a bother to him either. I j-j-just did what he asked  of me. I guess I didn't satisfy him enough. I-I-I don't k-kn-know." He stands across from me and looks at me with his eyebrows furrowed in worried expression. 

"I.. I.. Didn't do anything wrong." I said. I looked up at him. His face made my heart hurt. He was so concerned. I cringed and looked away from him, biting my lip so he couldn't hear me cry. He just stood there and looked at me confused, only he knew exactly what needed to happen. Then he slowly sat down next to me without a word. He put a warm hand on my back. I tensed but then relaxed with his touch. I couldn't hold it back anymore. My body wracked with a sob and I clenched a hand over my mouth. I looked ashamed at the floor. He looked at me for a good five seconds and then removed his hand from my back. He brushed a tear off my cheek, and lifted my chin lightly with his hand.

"Of course you didn't." He agreed gently. His statement mixed with his soft and comforting eyes made my lip quiver, and more tears started to flow down my cheeks. I bowed my head with his hand still on my cheek, and my throat felt as if it just ran for miles and miles without stopping. My throat was so tight, it was painful. I didn't want him to see me like this, yet, at the same time, there was no other shoulder I wanted to cry on more. No other body I wanted to press mine against, and never let go. I gave in, and wrapped my arms around him, laying my head on his chest. He slowly moved his arms around my body, and consumed me in the warmest and safest hug anyone could produce. I finally, with no shame, cried into his chest. He sat there like a statue, calming me by whispering "it's okay, shhhh." in my ear. He let me maneuver anyway I needed to be comfortable. 

I sucked in loud breaths and shook violently with my sobs against his torso. He just sat there with his arms around me. He started to rub my back, and I focused on his hand carefully trace every level of my aching spine, pressing hard near my hips and letting up the closer he got to my bruised shoulder. Eventually, this repeated process calmed me down. My sobs steadied and I was reduced to uneasy breaths and tear tracks down my cheeks. I cleared my throat, and looked away completely embarrassed. He kept his left arm around me, and rubbed my thigh reassuringly. I sniffled and wiped my nose and cheeks with my wrist. I felt him take his hand off my back and he retrieved his own handkerchief from his cardigan pocket. He handed it to me and I accepted it. I dabbed my cheeks with the handkerchief, and held it tight in my hand. He sat there now looking at the fireplace to give me a kind of privacy. We sat there and just appreciated each other's presence. I sneezed into the handkerchief again with no stifle or muffle. He shifted his eyes towards me.

"Bless you." He said ending the comfortable silence

"Thank you. Not just for the blessing. For everything you have done."

"You're welcome." He nodded. I didn't He looked at me with sorrow in his eyes and a warm smile. His smile was a kind smile.

"I told you, I was well prepared for tears. There's no need to be embarrassed, I completely understand. I'm here for you. Now, are you feeling any better?" 

"I've been better but.. I'm okay. Only because of you though." I nudged him.

"It was my pleasure Lucy." He smiled at me. 

"Do you want your handkerchief back?" 

"Oh please no. You need it much more than I do."

As if to further prove his point, I sneezed into my elbow. 

"Bless you." He said kindly, for what seemed like the twentieth time that night.

"Thank you. You know, that isn't necessary? I'll be sneezing all night, you know?" I say, trying to minimize his concern.

"I'm sorry. It's a force of habit. My parents raised me to say it. People seem to be taken aback when a doctor blesses them. I just think it's a kind gesture. I like it when people bless me. It's a minuscule, but comforting thing. Nevertheless, it's hard to remember to stop saying it." He says, somewhat laughing at himself.

"I understand. Well, thank you for the minuscule, yet comforting thing. It is greatly appreciated." I said, smiling.

"You are quite welcome, my dear Lucy." He replied, ridiculously.

We both laugh and smile at each other. I yawn into my fist, as discretely as possible; but he's just too observant. 

"You should get some rest. Sleep off that bad cold. 

"That's probably a good idea." I say tiredly standing up.

He walks me to the guest room and helps me get into bed. 

"Henry?" I say as he's about to leave the room. 

"Yes?"

"Thank you very much for letting me stay here. Really.."

"Of course." He smiles and nods.

"Goodnight, Henry." I say, as I snuggle up to the satin sheets of the comfortable bed.

"Sleep well, Lucy."

As he turns the light off, he looks at me and walks over to the bed. He gently presses a slight kiss to my forehead, and brushed a piece of hair from my face. 

"Feel better, sweet girl." He says to me, even though I seem to be fast asleep already. He quietly walks out of the room, and smiles as he shuts the door. With that, I fall asleep, a smile upon my face.

 

The End.

 

 

 

 

 

[Oolia]

11 hours ago, Comfortandstuff said:

He backs the cloth away noticing the pre sneeze expression on my face, that is again stuck. He presses his hand to my back gently. I sneeze twice into the tissue he gave me. He leans forward with me with each sneeze. Not knee bending but a little movement. 

"Bless you." He whispers, too focused to talk at normal volume.

This part made me melt   It's so adorable how he moves with her with each sneeze; I never knew it was a thing I'd like until you wrote it

This story was right up my alley! I absolutely love when doctors fuss over a cold. You'd think they would be used to it and not care much, given how benign it is. There's something endearing and special about a doctor who never loses their complete empathy for a patient with a cold.  And the compulsive blessings, aaaah I loved it.

Thank you so much for sharing your fic, I really enjoyed it, and welcome to the forum!