The Glass Scientists micro-fanfictions

Day in the life

"Wonderful," exclaimed none other that Dr. Lanyon, his voice taking on a rare sort of sincerity that he reserved for those even rarer occasions that he genuinely liked what he was directing the response to, "I had wondered if you were going to arrive before I needed to be off today, but here you are, and just as I was heading off to boot!" The man clasped his hands together, regarding the other curiously. This curiosity was specifically spent on the unfamiliar bag that was being held in addition to the satchel he had expected to see, but he kept his curiosity to himself as there was not the time to ask too many questions.

"I would have gotten here earlier," returned the returning Dr. Jekyll, just a note of apology in his voice, "But alas, I was caught up far more than I anticipated I would be. No matter, I am glad I was able to catch you before you left, if not to just have you know I am back." The doctor smiled as he said this and, out of everyone in the world, Robert was forever delighted to be able to recognise the sincerity in it as, well, sincere sincerity rather than that showy falsity that he was far too good at forming.

"Quite so," Lanyon replied fondly, giving himself a moment to let them simply be just two people before he had to switch himself into business mode, which he did with a small sigh and a subtly correction of his posture, "Now, I would advise you check on Frankenstein just after you drop your things off, the Creature was not letting me stay in the room any longer than the time it would take to administer the medicine you made so I was not able to accurately assess her state while you were away. Mr. Kaylock was wanting to talk to you about reinforced bars for the exhibition, and also wanted to have both of our permissions before he brought in another of his creatures, something starting with an A, I believe, but I can't remember exactly off the top of my head. Speaking of permissions, I have told Mr. Doddle that no, he still cannot get a supply of gunpowder for his confectionary, just in case he comes by trying to claim I approved it or told him to ask you or anything else like that. I have had to pay for a replacement for yet another new workbench for Mr. Luckett, the newest one has also been burned to a state where it cannot be used, and I have included the price of this in the monthly finances. The report of this month's finances are on your desk at the moment, so do try to get a chance to go through them if you don't need to make any additional changes to it. There's even less of Griffin to be seen now, so he has asked you to look over his notes to see if you can figure out if this will be permanent, from what I could infer, it is, but that did not make him very happy and demanded a second opinion, but that can wait as it isn't as if that is going to be changing any time soon. This afternoon you have an appointment with a potential patron, a Mr. Campebel, unfortunately I won't be able to join you there as I won't have finished the meeting I have to get to until well after, but the information around it is on your desk so that isn't something to worry about. After that, and do try to find time to change into something a little different to differentiate between the two, we're expected to attend a party of Lady Beaconsfield's, I know she's dreadful but she is quite convinced she could fall in love with you so if you play it right, and I know you will because you always do, we could secure a good deal of funding from this. Oh, and also Sir Danvers Carew was wanting to speak with you about potentially tutoring his daughter in recreational knowledge, though I feel as if he is just trying to see if he could find someone for her to wed, so do what you wish. Must be going now, I will see you to collect you for the party, afterwards you must tell me all about your trip."

After what was virtually a monologue, one of which was barely broken by a breath since the man was trying his best to just get the information out as fast as he possibly could so he could leave without being late, Robert ducked out the door that Henry had just come through. Jekyll, for his credit, did not seem too visibly overwhelmed by the absolute bombardment of information and obligations that were to take over his day. True, he had hoped he was going to be able to take a moment to catch his breath, having only just walked in the door after a particularly extensive research trip, the first one he had been able to do in years, but he had never thought with any conviction that this would ever be a real option for him. When, he didn't even have the time to ask himself, would be ever have the time to breath?

Adjusting his grip on his bags, one heavier than the other, making him feel especially uneven as he walked, he made his way toward his office. Just as Robert had said, his desk had several new stacks of paper than there had not been before he had left no more than two days before. He sighed deeply, then sighed a second time for good measure, set his bags down with utmost caution, then busied himself with straightening up his appearance as best he could.

He was exhausted, but he always was so that was nothing new. He just had a few more things upcoming that would make him all the more exhausted so he just had to make the best of it.

Snatching up a little case of vials, he turned on his heels and strode back out to begin with the first of the many things that were expected of him.