#henriel week 2021

[corvidayyy]

(A somewhat late) day three: canon moment

This isn’t very shippy/romantic considering it’s for a ship week buuuut I find this part (chapter 5, Incident of the Letter) funny and wanted to draw it

[dradelcra]

Day 3: Canon moment/canon implied.

"Utterson, I swear to God," cried the doctor,

"I swear to God I will never set eyes on him again. I bind my honour to you that I am done with him in this world. It is all at an end."

The lawyer listened gloomily; he did not like his friend’s feverish manner.

I'm late, i know, but my concept of time has been punched sooooo I may end up posting things a day ahead of the actual sorry sorry

My Jekyll is being extra. He's a good actor.

[vounnasi]

Henry's rambling again

[nik-the-bik]

Henriel Week Day 7: Alternate Ending

"The Fate of Your Soul"

Summary: A "What if Hyde didn't end up dead and Utterson spoke to him after finding everything out?" scenario

Last entry of Henriel week and I am once again thanking @corvidayyy for putting this together because I had too much fun planning these

****

Utterson squeezed the bridge of his nose as he fought off the pain and exhaustion of everything that had happened tonight.

Poole’s arrival, listening into Jekyll’s cabinet, breaking down the door, and the awful, terror infused screaming of Hyde pleading for mercy as the two charged in, pinning him to the ground as a vial of some substance clattered to the floor, the man writhing beneath them.

He didn’t think he would ever be able to escape the echoing shouts of “Not you! Not like this—please not you!” that had made his blood run cold as he called out to Bradshaw to summon the nearest policemen.

By the time the police arrived, Hyde had entered full hysteria, gasping sobs melting into unhinged laughter in a way that was overwhelmingly pitiful, if Utterson only but listened. To see the man struggle only tinged these feelings of pity with disgust. He did his best to keep his gaze averted.

And while his search of the cabinet hadn’t found Henry Jekyll, he did find the letters.

God, the letters. The information within them was all too much for his mind to process, and his head was hurting him worse than it had in years. When he had first finished Henry’s confessional, he had found himself sobbing—something that he probably hadn’t done in three decades. Too many conflicted feelings existed within him to make any sense of them, but as he composed himself with a hot cup of tea (with a healthy dose of bourbon mixed in), he brought himself to reading them a second and third time, desperate to understand.

After pouring through these pages, eyes burning from the strain of reading in the dim study, Utterson could understand nothing but a deep, deep ache in his very soul for the fate of poor old Harry Jekyll.

He pried himself out of his chair, desperate to do something—anything, but sit here for another moment with his thoughts. He turned to his coat and hat, still laying in a heap where he had tossed them after coming home, and prepared himself to step out into the brisk, dark air.

It was not long ‘til dawn when Utterson arrived at the precinct where they were holding Mr. Hyde.

After pacing the outside block a few times, Utterson finally steeled himself enough to enter the building where he almost immediately ran into a gentleman he recognized – the Newcomen who he had assisted during the Carew case. Thinking back to that time made his stomach turn anew.

“Ah, Mr. Utterson, good morning,” said Newcomen, looking tired himself. “I regret to inform you that there is no news yet of the whereabouts of Dr. Jekyll, but we have a full team dedicated to finding your man as soon as possible.”

“Thank you, Inspector,” Gabriel muttered, peering around nervously. “But that’s not the only reason I’m here.”

“Oh?” Newcomen shifted, doing his best to hide his sudden burst of curiosity.

“I would like to meet with Edward Hyde.”

Newcomen laughed. “No need for that! We have everything under control with him, and before long his time before the gallows will be scheduled—”

“I insist, Inspector.”

Newcomen froze.

“I’d like to speak with him alone, sir,” Gabriel continued.

“-er---alone?”

“Why yes, of course. I’m acting as his legal counsel.”

“You—you—I'm -- sorry, what?” Newcomen was standing there, mouth agape, no longer showing any signs of fatigue. Gabriel, however, felt the exhaustion run deeper than it had before. He sighed, handed the officer his card, and asked to be shown into a private interrogation room.

As he sat in the small, cold, gray room, head in his hands, Utterson couldn’t decide whether he had made the correct choice in coming here or not. The endless ways this encounter could go were daunting, the wait unbearably long, and he suddenly found that he'd much rather be back home in front of the fire. Or in bed.

Utterson’s stomach sunk low at the sound of the door opening. Hyde was escorted in by a pair of officers, who forced him into a chair and chained his hands together and ankle to the leg of his chair. Utterson couldn't bear to watch—the whole proceeding making him nauseous. He kept his gaze on the floor as he waited for the policemen to finish. He gave a curt nod as they departed while they reminded him that they would be in the hall and at his full disposal if anything were needed.

When they were alone, Utterson finally let himself look directly at Hyde.

Before this night, Utterson had only ever seen Hyde on one other occasion. To see him now, it was almost difficult to say that it was the same man.

The Edward Hyde before him was a little taller, a little older, and much more pale and sickly than his previous self. There was also something much more feral about him, with the way that his eyes sharply dashed across the room, unnaturally tense and agitated. His body was tightly coiled inward, breathing shallow, like a snake preparing to strike. He could see his jaw working too, as though he was chewing his words before he allowed them to tumble out of his mouth.

“You, then?” was all that the creature before him managed to grunt out. His voice sounded much raspier too, raw from the screaming that had taken place earlier.

“Me.”

Another interlude of silence.

“Why are you here?”

“I would like some answers.”

“Answers to what?” Hyde asked, eyeing him suspiciously. The words were spit at Utterson like they were poison.

“I’ve read the letter. All of it. And Lanyon’s too.”

“You have?”

“Yes.”

“And yet you’re here?”

“Yes.”

“Then you know all. Henry Jekyll is gone. I can’t help you.”

“Are you sure, Harry?”

Hyde convulsed suddenly, looking as though he had been smacked. When he composed himself again, staring directly at Utterson, he seemed to soften, if only slightly. His eyes, darker than Henry’s, nonetheless held something in them that drew Utterson in.

“I’m quite sure. It’s a hopeless case. You’re pleading for a dead man,” Hyde answered, a little more gravity to his voice than the short, raspy whispers of before.

They stared at each other for another moment, Utterson desperate to find anything, anything at all that would connect the miserable creature before him to the man he used to regard as his dearest friend, his family, his—well—everything.

“Henry Jekyll was not one to abandon hope so quickly.”

Hyde laughed then, a sad, desperate cackle. “Really? Is that so? I guess you didn’t know him as well as you thought! You really think that after all this, after everything you’ve learned, that you even knew him at all? The Henry Jekyll you knew, the Henry Jekyll you WANT, is gone. In fact, he never existed. I’m all that’s left—the miserable, miserable testament to all his sin, his failure, and every twisted thing that he had always been all along. You’re wasting your time and mine, Utterson, and I have precious little of it left.”

Hyde shut his eyes then, turning his face away from Utterson, refusing to even look at him. Utterson was afraid that the pitiable hysteria of before—when they had found Hyde alone in Jekyll’s cabinet, would resurface. He could see that Hyde was restraining himself against some deep emotion.

Utterson brought his hand to his brow and groaned. It was too late, or early, and exhaustion was clutching him like a vice. He continued to watch Hyde, and that usual disgust that his presence typically inspired was beginning to wane, ever so slightly, the longer they sat with each other. Of course, he had to keep reminding himself who this man truly was in order to keep those feelings at bay.

Finally, “What are we going to do, Henry?”

Hyde sputtered. “We? I--”

“The eyewitness account doesn’t help us at all, and the fact that I had previously cooperated with the police to corroborate the testimony—”

“What on Earth are you talking about?”

“And it has been far too long since I’ve been involved in criminal law—”

“Utterson!” Hyde pleaded. Gabriel paused and brought his gaze back to Hyde. “You can’t, you can’t really be here to—”

“Have you forgotten my promise? I once promised Henry Jekyll that I would ensure Edward Hyde gets his rights, and that is exactly what I intend to do. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to do anything to save you, but…”

Utterson trailed off. Hyde looked at him, dumbstruck. It was though he were finally considering the character of the man before him, and not instinctively assuming every man he faced was an enemy. Tears began to brim Hyde’s eyes again, and Utterson was on the verge of letting his own tears spill for the second time in over 30 years.

“Why are you doing this?” Hyde asked, voice trembling.

How to answer? There were so many things to say, lifetime's worth.

Utterson reached a hand across the table and grabbed hold of one of Hyde’s. The smaller man flinched and started to pull away but stopped himself. While it didn’t feel quite right to Utterson, it wasn’t the hand of Henry Jekyll, there was a bewildering comfort in it nonetheless.

“Because the fate of your soul is not sealed yet, but no matter where it goes, I refuse to let it go alone,” Utterson said.

The two sat there in silence, hands held tightly, as dawn broke in the cold London morning outside.

[cauldron-burn-and-fire-bubble]

happy henriel week and a big shout out to that random person in the jekyll x utterson tag circa november 2019 who mentioned this song (you're somebody else by flora cash) and prevented my soul from ever knowing peace again

[fuddieduddies-art]

yall rockin w/ @corvidayyy‘s henriel week? thought i should do a lil something for it. (day 4: fireside)

[rye-kin]

OH MY GOSH! I’m loving all the henriel that is coming with @corvidayyy s challenge I’m gonna sob

Anyway, I drew this based on the song “when somebody needs you” by will wood (sob) ヽ(●ﾟ´Д｀ﾟ●)ﾉﾟ

Sadly I wasn’t able to make this too detailed since I didn’t quite know what pose to draw them in <\3 hopefully I’ll have more luck with the next few

[shmuzzieheart]

Henriel Week 2021 Day 7: Alternate Ending

I’ve been toying with the idea of an “Old Man Edward” AU where Hyde either escapes or Gabriel breaks in before he can do anything. Either way, he ends up hiding out in a small town or laying low, doing odd jobs or depending on Gabriel to send him money until the fuss over trying to find him dies down. It’s easy for him to slink back since people were so offended by his face they forgot what he looked like, and over time he started taking on some of Henry’s old mannerisms and his physical features somewhat “solidified” (aka he becomes more of his own person instead of a disguise and the body feels more comfortable in that form). The older he gets the more he gains some of Henry’s features, like a bit of a height boost and some blonde, curlier hair. If Gabriel found him first the two trade letters and meet up before Edward feels confident enough to come back, but if that didn’t happen he ends up finding Gabriel after returning and they get to know each other as the people they’ve become after so long apart. Edward also starts to help care for Gabriel the older he gets, as the youthful effect of the formula set Edward’s physical age back about twenty or so years.

[gilmores-glorious-blog]

oh my god i wrote a fic!!!!! this hasn’t happened for like,, nine months!!! but @corvidayyy‘s henriel week inspired me so i blacked out and wrote this for today’s prompt (letters of correspondence) :) i hope y’all like it, it’s.... pretty depressing not gonna lie. anyways, here you go (i’ll post it on ao3 tomorrow)!

**

Dearest Gabriel,

Why am I writing this? I know I shall never send it. But I’ve been told it’s been good to tell people how you feel, even if it’s only on a piece of parchment that will never see the light of day. So, here I go…

Gabriel John Utterson, I have loved you for as long as I’ve known how to love. I can remember when I first fell in love with you. We were children. We were climbing that tree in your backyard, and you had climbed up ahead of me; I was struggling, and you offered me your hand. I looked up that day as I took your hand and saw the sunlight framing your head, giving you a halo of dark brown curls turned golden in the late afternoon heat, and I knew that this was it. I would never care for anyone else the way I cared for you. 

I have loved you ever since. I loved you when you braided my hair that I stubbornly refused to cut so that it wouldn’t fall in my face. I loved you when you held me during my parent’s funeral. I loved you those late college nights as we lay in our beds and talked about everything and nothing all at once. I loved you as you encouraged my experiments when no one else would. I love you still, every time I see you. 

I know it is wrong. I know that a man of my age should be settled down by now; married to a kind woman and given up on dreams of science experiments and childhood best friends. I know that it is not right for man to love another man the way I love you. To want to hold him, touch him, kiss him, lay with him, share a life with him. 

But I can not help it. Not when you’re there, smiling at me like I’m the only thing that matters, eyes sparkling with the brilliance of a hundred suns. You’re simply too easy to fall in love with, my dear Utterson. 

I could never tell you the truth. It would ruin everything. I care too much for you to do that. 

So I’ll stay quiet, as I have for many years already. I won’t let you know how much I yearn to touch you, how every time your hand brushes mine it’s enough to make me weep. Won’t tell you the real reason I’ve never married. I’ll stick to dinner parties and strolls through the park, never letting myself ask for something more. 

I suppose it’s for the best. 

Yes, definitely for the best. 

But I will never stop loving you with all that I am.

Yours always and forever,

Henry Jekyll

***

My darling Henry,

Oh my dearest love, why didn’t you tell me the truth? Didn’t you know I loved you too? Didn’t you know I adored you more than life itself? 

Maybe if you’d told me, I could have stopped you. Stopped this. 

But no, here I am, finding a confession years too late, shoved into a desk drawer in your lab. 

Do you have any idea how long it’s taken me to come back here? Everything reminds me of you. I feel your presence in the air, hear your laughter drifting in through the windows. All a painful of reminder of what I can never have again. 

God, Henry, why wouldn’t you tell me? Tell me what you’d done, tell about him, tell me you loved me?! 

We could have made it work, you know. We could have really done it. But now we’ll never even get the chance. I’ll never know what it’s like to really feel your hand in mine, to feel your lips against mine, to hold you- really hold you. The feeling of your hair between my fingers has long-since faded. What did it feel like, Henry? Now I’ll never remember. 

I didn’t believe it when Poole told me, you know. I thought it was some kind of cruel joke, a nightmare, perhaps. It wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real. Because how could you do that to me? How could you leave me like that? 

It wasn’t until I came in here and I saw your body on the floor that I really believed it. I cried for you, Henry, you know that, right? I sobbed and wept until it felt like I had nothing left within me. Still feels that way. Because what do I have left if not you? 

I have nothing. Nothing but fading memories and painful what-ifs.

They took your body away from me. Why did they do that? Now I’ll never see you again. What if I forget the shape of your face, the golden-brown of your always-messy hair, the way you had a few freckles splattered across your cheeks? I can already feel myself forgetting the sparkle of your eyes, the sound of your voice, the way your hands were always searching for something to do. 

As much as it hurts, I’m glad I found your letter. It helps to know you felt the same. Hurts, yes, but helps too. 

Because it means that maybe I wasn’t imagining those moments we shared. The way your hand would linger on mine when passing me a shared bottle of wine. That look in your eyes when alcohol had stripped you of your inhibitions. The way we held each other throughout the hardships of our youth. It was all real, and there was really something there. 

That thought alone is all that’s saved me. It was all real. 

It was all real, and now it’s gone. 

Why? 

Love,

Your Gabriel

[a-model-of-propriety]

Henriel Week 2021 Day 6: Gift

I was determined to do something for Henriel Week, and here I am!

I was *gonna* use it for Day 3, then Day 5, and... I'm just glad I finished it sdfdsjklds

Thank you so much for putting this week together @corvidayyy I've loved seeing all the wonderful Henriel content <3

(actual fic under the cut, there shouldn't be anything I need to CW for but let me know if I missed something!)

Slowly, Gabriel made his way to Henry’s doorstep. What was he doing? Henry was always so busy, he probably didn’t have time for Gabriel’s intrusion. And besides, what use would he have with this? It was beat-up and old, Henry deserved something new, something... elegant.

Gabriel turned on his heel and nearly ran back home. He could come some other day, or just send it to Henry without the terrifying in-person part.

No, he wanted to do this. He’d seen so little of Henry lately, and what better excuse did he have? With one last bracing breath, he rapped on the door.

Oh, what would he say to Poole? Yes, I’m here to see Henry. You know what, he’s probably busy. I’ll come by later, don’t bother telling him I came.

Yes, that would definitely go over well. What am I doing? If he ran now, maybe he could avoid the whole disaster.

Too late! The door swung open, revealing not Poole, but Henry behind it. “Mr. Utterson!” he said. “What a pleasant surprise. Please, come in.” He held the door open for Gabriel to enter and gestured towards the coat rack. Gabriel gladly removed his hat and coat, but he held onto the cane.

“You know you don’t have to call me that,” Gabriel said as they entered the parlor. “We’ve been friends for ages, no need to be so formal!”

“Noted.” He lowered himself into an armchair and gestured for Gabriel to do the same in the one beside him. Gabriel sat himself down, cane still in his grip. “To what do I owe the pleasure, Mr. Utterson?” Gabriel chuckled softly at the teasing emphasis on his name. It was a long-lived battle, trying to get Henry to use his first name, that he doubted he’d win anytime soon. Ever since they’d gone to school together, Henry had persisted in his stubborn formality. Part of Gabriel liked their little inside joke, but the other part, the one that wanted to hear his name in that perfect voice...

With an imperceptible shake of his head, Gabriel forced himself back to the present. “I, well,” he started, holding out the cane in his hands to Henry, “I figured – since you mentioned breaking yours – perhaps you would like this one?”

Henry was silent for several moments. Gabriel looked down, heart sinking. What was he thinking?

“I understand if you don’t want it,” he added hurriedly. “It’s old, I’m sure you would prefer something newer.”

“No! I love it,” Henry assured him, taking the cane in his own hands and examining it with a smile on his face. Gabriel looked up, his heart soaring as quickly as it sank moments ago.

“It’s nothing special, really,” Gabriel said yet again. “Just a simple walking cane I wasn’t using.”

“You gave it to me. That makes it special.” Henry placed a hand atop Gabriel’s, causing the latter’s heart to race in a very ungentlemanly manner. “Thank you, Gabriel.”

At those three words, Gabriel John Utterson stopped functioning. “You’re welcome,” he said when he remembered how to breathe. Their conversation moved on to more mundane topics, but Gabriel’s mind was miles away. He played the words in his head again and again. Thank you, Gabriel. Thank you, Gabriel. Thank you...

[mad-scientist-in-theory-2]

There's something wild about you child That's so contagious Let's be outrageous Let's misbehave

[corvidayyy]

Day 7: alternate ending.

Ok here’s a glimpse into my AU concept, in which Jekyll survives at the end. Essentially, after taking the poison, his body returned to its natural state (listen it’s not like the original story makes any sense anyway). Since Jekyll’s body weight is considerably more than Hyde’s, a Hyde’s worth of cyanide might actually offer him a chance of survival. It’s not the most solid or fleshed out AU, but it makes me happy :)

[lovedbz1]

Henriel Week Day 4: Fireside This took so long to make. There is so much details in this that got covered by the shadows and light glares. But I am super proud of this!! Poor Henry is exhausted and Gabriel wants to make sure he sleeps through the night! 🥺❤

[vounnasi]

Hand in my hand And we promised to never let go We're walking a tightrope

[nik-the-bik]

Henriel Week Day 6: Gift

"I Owe You"

Summary: just a brief excuse for some fluff that’s not anywhere near any kind of canon but who’s counting

****

Gabriel Utterson had never felt like such an ass.

He had intended to surprise his friend Henry Jekyll with a brief visit one evening, but he was the one surprised when he realized that Hastie Lanyon and a few other fellow acquaintances were already visiting the doctor. Reason being that today was Dr. Jekyll’s birthday.

For the first time in their decades-long friendship, Gabriel Utterson had completely forgotten. When Utterson secretly pulled Jekyll aside to confess as such and apologize for his lack of gift, Henry had simply smiled at him.

“Utterson! Do you think I’m a child? Are you expecting me to throw a tantrum? Don’t worry at all, your company is gift enough,” he said, placing a hand on Utterson’s shoulder, giving him the kindest smile Gabriel had probably ever received. He couldn’t ignore the butterflies that flitted through him in that moment, but Henry’s words weren’t enough to battle the shame that was growing in the back of his mind.

That whole evening, he was plagued by a weird mixture of guilt and delight when he saw the soft, affectionate smiles Henry kept casting his way, as if to reassure him that there was no harm done to their friendship.

As the birthday dinner drew to a close and the other guests started to depart, Gabriel made a point to linger so that he could apologize one final time.

They were the last two sitting around the dining table, long cleared, and Henry was staring at him in that warm way again, resting his chin in his hand.

“Henry, I can’t begin to tell you how embarrassed I am that I forgot your birthday,” Gabriel began.

“Oh, I won’t hear of it! After knowing you for so long, do you think I'd hold it against you that you let the date slip your mind this once? If anything, it’s a nice reminder that even the admirable Gabriel Utterson is capable of mistakes,” Henry laughed. “Besides, I’d rather forget that I’m growing older too!”

Gabriel felt his cheeks grow hot. Why? Shame? Or was it something else?

“Well, I still feel that I owe you a gift. You’ll just have to accept it a bit belated,” Gabriel said.

Henry shook his head and stood up to stretch and step over to the fireplace on the far end of the room, smiling softly all the while. Gabriel watched him stand there, back turned, arms crossed, dying to know what his friend was thinking, hoping beyond hope that Henry wasn’t trying to mask his hurt.

“If you’re going to insist on a gift, I can think of something a little…unorthodox that I’d accept,” muttered Henry softly, words directed to the fire.

Gabriel stood and started towards him. “Yes! Of course, anything!”

When Henry turned his face towards him, Gabriel was surprised to see that his usual confidence was gone, and that he instead looked a tad sheepish.

“It might be cruel and selfish of me to even ask,” Henry said, voice wavering just a little.

Gabriel’s mind was trying to keep up—what was he thinking of? It was obviously something that was serious. “I’m happy to do anything you ask, Harry. Always have been. You know that – don’t you?”

Henry turned fully toward him now, cheeks flushed slightly as his arms tightened around himself.

“I guess…I would like to ask…”

“Yes?” Gabriel prompted.

“…for a kiss,” Henry whispered, eyes downcast.

Gabriel felt his heart flip as the air was stolen from him. What? Had he heard right? He couldn’t have possibly—not when Henry had always seemed so…so...unattainable? He had the charm and reputation to have anyone he wanted, so why on earth would he want to kiss him?

“A…a kiss?” Gabriel stammered.

Henry nodded slightly, still not looking Gabriel in the eye. The flush of his cheeks deepened.

Was this one of Harry’s old boyhood pranks? Gabriel remembered back to their university days, when Henry would playfully tease and flirt with everyone, himself included. Yes, he had secretly wished Henry had been genuine plenty of times, but he had never known him to be so shy about something like this either.

Henry shook his head and laughed then. Gabriel felt his heart sink—this was a prank, after all!

“I’m a fool, I’m sorry for even asking,” Henry said, covering his face with his hands. “Just forget about your ridiculous old friend and head home for the evening.”

Gabriel’s heart pounded. So, this was not a prank? He tentatively stepped forward to close the space between them, pulling Henry’s hands away from his face. When they locked eyes, Gabriel suddenly knew—Henry was genuine. He brought his own hand to Henry’s face, gently cupping his cheek. Henry just looked straight at him, eyes wide.

“Is that really what you want from me?” Gabriel asked, voice barely more than a whisper.

Henry stared at him. “Yes,” he said, voice cracking slightly.

The two stood and looked at each other for just a moment, before Gabriel closed his eyes and raised his lips to Henry’s, giving him a soft, gentle kiss. Instantly his head was spinning—when Henry started to pull away, Gabriel followed, deepening the kiss. Henry gasped softly before his arms made their way around Gabriel’s waist, pulling him closer and lifting him ever so slightly, so that Gabriel was on the tips of his toes. Gabriel let the hand that was on Henry’s cheek wander to the back of his head, tangling in his hair, while the other hand found its place on Henry’s chest.

Just as Gabriel was forgetting how to breathe, Henry pulled away, arms still around Gabriel’s middle. The grin he gave his friend was enough to make Gabriel melt.

“You always have given the best presents, Gabriel,” Henry teased, “You didn’t have to do that.”

Gabriel smiled. “Of course I did. I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t think you deserved the best, after all,” he teased in reply.

Henry flushed. “Can I make a confession?”

Gabriel felt his poor heart race even faster. “Absolutely.”

“I’ve secretly wanted to ask that for a very, very long time,” Henry said, nervously biting his bottom lip.

“Well, I wish you had asked sooner.”

Gabriel had never seen Henry grin so broadly. Both men laughed lightly, drunk on bliss. When their eyes met again, Gabriel felt overwhelmed with love for his dearest friend. Henry, face rosy, gave him a playful smirk and said, “In that case, can I selfishly ask to kiss you again?”

Gabriel threw his arms around Henry’s neck and let their lips collide again, happy to oblige.

[nostromo130]

Henriel week day 2! Letters of correspondence