By Your Side

It’s snowing and most of the B.P.R.D. team is outside the organization’s head quarters having a snowball fight. Out of sight of the general public, of course. It wouldn’t do for anyone to see a big red demon running around throwing things, even if the ‘things’ in question were of a relatively soft nature. While Hellboy and the human members of the team had fun throwing balls of frozen water at each other, the other non-humans sat on the sidelines and watched with varying degrees of amusement.

Abe Sapien say perched on a stone wall with a book in his lap, enjoying the natural sunlight that he didn’t get much of under usual circumstances. Every now and then a particularly loud shout would draw his attention and he’d watch and smile at his friends’ antics.

Beneath him and leaning against the wall was a bundle of blankets and coats, and the only part that could be seen of the person inside was a pair of large violet-colored eyes. The eyes belonged to a child vampire by the name of Nelly, who was listening to a CD walkman and watching over the human that she had adopted as her older brother. Every time John Myers scored a hit she would cheer, and every time he was hit she’d grumble. Occasionally, she would wish she was out there playing too, but she was too tightly bundled against the sun that could hurt her badly and the cold that scared her more than any demon could.

The third watcher was curled around Nelly to give the girl more warmth. This is Ginshi, a silver, five-tailed demon fox from Japan, and the most likely the oldest and wisest member of the team. She watched over the participants of the game with a motherly eye and called a warning whenever someone got too rough. Her unwavering supervision prevented two or three brawls and kept Nelly from feeling too lonely.

Out in the open field of snow that was the B.P.R.D.’s ‘backyard,’ Hellboy was having the time of his life; in spite of the fact that he was the one Ginshi scolded the most. This game was pure fun. No reason, no plan, started completely on a whim. And it was challenging, even though all his opponents were human. There were no real sides to it, just alliances forged and broken at a thought. Liz was doing a lot of that. So far, Hellboy has had Liz and three agents as ‘partners,’ but not the one person he really wanted watching his back, at his side.

John Myers was staying away from him for the most part, and it confused the demon and made him wonder if his if the human was mad at him. Every time Nelly cheered, Hellboy looked up around to see who John had hit and couldn’t help but feel a bit of pride that he was doing so well.

Now Hellboy couldn’t see him at all, and before any real worry could settle in the demon felt someone shove a lot of snow down the back of his coat and shirt. He spun around cursing to find John back peddling away from him, his eyes sparkling with mirth and his cheeks and nose rosy from the cold and laughter.

With a growl, Hellboy grabbed the human by the arm and pulled the smaller body against his large one. His lips descended on John’s grinning mouth, kissing him passionately. When the catcalls and wolf-whistles started from their friends, Myers laughed breathlessly and Hellboy scowled. The human smiled cheekily and asked if the demon needed a partner. Staring into warm brown eyes, Red said that he did need a partner; he needed John watching his back, at his side. The smile and kiss given were gentle and loving and the words that followed caused a lump to catch in the demon’s throat.

“I’ll always be at your side, Red, even when I’m not.”