Mission [Storm]
Aug. 10th, 2019 07:03 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
esp_dragonv2Fandom: Noblesse
Summary: There was a storm coming.
Rating: G
Genre: General
Word count: 1,607
Total word count: 11,645
Status: Work in progress
There was a storm coming. M-21 could see it in the gathering clouds and he could smell it, even inside.
He peeked at Tao, but the kitten was still napping in his box. That was fine. Tao would sleep for a while longer and he wouldn't be out for too long.
* * *
M-21's ears turned, hearing rain hit the pavement. Already? It had come faster than he'd-
His ears flattened when the rain became a downpour, the rain hard enough he could feel it through his fur.
Shelter. He needed shelter. He'd been in worse before, but it had been miserable being that cold and wet.
There were a few trees in the park he was in, but when he went under them, they didn't have enough leaves to protect him.
Then maybe he should go home? He'd finished his patrol and...
M-21 glanced down, realising how much his paws were sinking into the grass. Into the mud.
Oh no.
His paws were covered in it.
He couldn't go home like this. Frankenstein didn't like mess in his house. He would track mud into the house if he went home now.
So he wouldn't. He would wait until the storm passed, until the mud had dried, and then he would go home.
M-21 flinched when lightning flashed, thunder booming a few seconds later. It was too loud and it reminded him of the fights he used to have in the Union. He couldn't sense any auras though, so it was only the storm.
Lightning flashed again and M-21 looked around at the quickly emptying park. He needed to find shelter before the storm got worse.
* * *
M-21 lay down on the floor of the abandoned building he'd found with a sigh, watching the storm rage outside. It was drier here, but not much warmer - he'd climbed in through a broken window, and the only light was when lightning brightened the sky.
He'd been in worse places and even heavy as the rain was, he'd regrown his coat enough that he wasn't as affected by it, or felt as cold as he had used to. But...
M-21 sighed, curling up more. He had gotten used to living in Frankenstein and Master's house, with its bright lights and scents of food and tea constantly in the air.
Here, it smelled of damp and dust, and the wind constantly blew in through the window.
He just had to wait here until the storm blew over. It wouldn't be long.
* * *
M-21 sighed as he paced the room, glancing out the window again. He'd dried off a little as he'd waited, but now he was bored, the storm still pouring down. There was no Tao to keep him busy or distract him, no Master to talk to him, or no Frankenstein to offer him some food to taste.
He missed them. Their voices and their scents.
Master and Frankenstein were away for longer for school, but he at least had Tao with him while he waited for their return. Here... There was nothing.
His ears twitched when his collar buzzed. [M-21?]
He perked up, recognising Frankenstein's voice, before he ducked his head. Had he taken too long? He'd left Tao alone this entire time...
[Are you hurt?]
M-21 tilted his head. Why was Frankenstein asking that? He scratched the collar once. No.
An exhale. [I'm glad to hear that.]
M-21 tilted his head in the other direction. Frankenstein had been worried?
[Are you able to return home?]
M-21 hesitated, and then scratched the collar twice. Yes. He could return home, but he didn't know if he should. He looked down - clumps of mud clung to his fur, and he'd collected dust and dirt from inside the building.
[Then we can expect you home soon?]
M-21 scratched the collar twice again. It wouldn't take him long, not from where he was.
[Good. We'll see you when you arrive.]
He waited in case Frankenstein had anything else to add, but there wasn't anything more.
M-21 stared at the window for a second, seeing lightning flash, before heading into it.
The rain was as heavy as it had been when he'd first left it, but he felt lighter as he dashed home.
* * *
M-21 had barely landed in the garden, creating a splash from the impact, when the garden door was already being opened, Frankenstein there with a big towel in his hands.
They'd been waiting for him. The realisation made M-21 wag his tail as he approached.
He paused at the threshold though, seeing the pristine tiles reflecting the lights. He would get those wet and dirty as soon as he stepped inside.
"M-21?"
"Raow?" Tao yelped somewhere inside.
"Inside now," Frankenstein said, his voice wry, "before Tao runs outside to greet you."
Damn. Tao would be soaked to the skin instantly. M-21 slunk in and Frankenstein dropped the towel on top him, patting him down. M-21 heard the garden door close behind him
"Raow! Raow!" Tao demanded, twining around M-21's legs.
"He wants to know where you have been," Master said from the sofa, "and why it took you so long to return."
Oh. M-21 nosed at Tao, trying not to drip on him. Tao didn't seem to care, his fur already wet in patches from where he'd rubbed up against M-21.
"...Ah."
"Master?"
"He had been worried about making a mess due to being caught out in the storm," Master said. "That is why he stayed away."
Frankenstein didn't say anything for a few seconds and M-21 ducked his head, waiting for his reaction.
"M-21..." Frankenstein said with a sigh, lifting the towel away. M-21 watched him, but Frankenstein didn't seem angry. Or happy either. But he'd tried to keep Frankenstein's house clean?
"I like having a clean house," Frankenstein said, running his fingers over M-21's head, "but mess can be cleaned up. You, however, are not something to be swept away just because you're dirty."
M-21 blinked at him. But he was dirty and he knew how much Frankenstein disliked mess.
Frankenstein studied him and then sighed. "Let's get you clean first before we continue this conversation, mm? You'll feel better when you're dry and clean again."
Frankenstein took the towel and walked towards the living room door.
M-21 followed him a step and then looked down at the puddle he'd left. And the muddy pawprints. He flattened his ears and whined. He shouldn't-!
"M-21," Frankenstein said from the doorway, his voice still calm, "it's fine. Come on."
All right...
M-21 trailed after him, but he flicked his ears back when he heard a meow behind him.
Tao was following him. But Tao should stay in the living room.
...He'd left Tao alone for too long already, and if Tao was supposed to stay here, Master would have called him over by now.
Frankenstein led the way to the bathroom, and as he prepared the shower, Tao played with M-21's tail.
"You might need to be dried off yourself," Frankenstein said, picking Tao up and gesturing M-21 into the shower.
Frankenstein set Tao on the counter and then stepped into the shower with M-21, sliding the door behind him.
"Mrow?" Tao had already jumped down and was patting the door.
"We'll make this quick," Frankenstein said, testing the water again, "before Tao figures out how to open it."
M-21 huffed as the warm water washed over him. He hadn't thought he was that cold, but the difference in the water temperature... It was nice.
"Mrow!" Tao was patting at the door edge and Frankenstein shifted to make sure his foot kept the door closed. "I think he's concerned you're getting wet again."
"Raow!"
M-21 edged closer to the door so he could nose where Tao was. It didn't seem to console Tao, who kept patting at the door handle.
Frankenstein was finished with the shampoo and rinsing a few minutes later and when he stepped out of the shower, he scooped Tao up before the kitten could dash inside. M-21 shook himself off and as soon as he was done, Frankenstein opened the door.
Tao was inside as soon as there was enough space to let him through, and he circled M-21, looking up at him as he meowed.
M-21 lowered his head to nuzzle him and Tao rubbed against him, purring. While they were doing that, Frankenstein dried the rest of M-21 off with a towel.
Frankenstein presented the hair dryer to Tao once M-21 was dry enough to not drip everywhere. When Frankenstein turned it on, Tao jerked back before batting at where the hot air was. Frankenstein let Tao play with it for a few seconds before concentrating it on M-21.
"Now then," Frankenstein said, once he was finished with M-21's coat, "that feels better, doesn't it?"
M-21 nodded. His coat wasn't as heavy anymore, his fur not clumping together.
Frankenstein scratched him behind the ears and M-21 leaned into the touch. "To continue on what I was saying earlier," Frankenstein said, and M-21 twisted his ears in his direction, "I may dislike mess, but I would far prefer having mess in my house compared to not having you home."
M-21 blinked.
"So next time, even if you are dirty, return home, all right?"
Frankenstein...wanted him more than not wanting mess? Even if he brought it in with him? But...
M-21 nodded slowly, still trying to understand what Frankenstein had said.
Frankenstein smiled, giving him one last pat. "Let's have dinner then, shall we?"
Yes... He was hungry, and he could use that time to think over Frankenstein's words.
Absolutely not inspired by me getting caught out in a storm... :x
Summary: There was a storm coming.
Rating: G
Genre: General
Word count: 1,607
Total word count: 11,645
Status: Work in progress
There was a storm coming. M-21 could see it in the gathering clouds and he could smell it, even inside.
He peeked at Tao, but the kitten was still napping in his box. That was fine. Tao would sleep for a while longer and he wouldn't be out for too long.
M-21's ears turned, hearing rain hit the pavement. Already? It had come faster than he'd-
His ears flattened when the rain became a downpour, the rain hard enough he could feel it through his fur.
Shelter. He needed shelter. He'd been in worse before, but it had been miserable being that cold and wet.
There were a few trees in the park he was in, but when he went under them, they didn't have enough leaves to protect him.
Then maybe he should go home? He'd finished his patrol and...
M-21 glanced down, realising how much his paws were sinking into the grass. Into the mud.
Oh no.
His paws were covered in it.
He couldn't go home like this. Frankenstein didn't like mess in his house. He would track mud into the house if he went home now.
So he wouldn't. He would wait until the storm passed, until the mud had dried, and then he would go home.
M-21 flinched when lightning flashed, thunder booming a few seconds later. It was too loud and it reminded him of the fights he used to have in the Union. He couldn't sense any auras though, so it was only the storm.
Lightning flashed again and M-21 looked around at the quickly emptying park. He needed to find shelter before the storm got worse.
M-21 lay down on the floor of the abandoned building he'd found with a sigh, watching the storm rage outside. It was drier here, but not much warmer - he'd climbed in through a broken window, and the only light was when lightning brightened the sky.
He'd been in worse places and even heavy as the rain was, he'd regrown his coat enough that he wasn't as affected by it, or felt as cold as he had used to. But...
M-21 sighed, curling up more. He had gotten used to living in Frankenstein and Master's house, with its bright lights and scents of food and tea constantly in the air.
Here, it smelled of damp and dust, and the wind constantly blew in through the window.
He just had to wait here until the storm blew over. It wouldn't be long.
M-21 sighed as he paced the room, glancing out the window again. He'd dried off a little as he'd waited, but now he was bored, the storm still pouring down. There was no Tao to keep him busy or distract him, no Master to talk to him, or no Frankenstein to offer him some food to taste.
He missed them. Their voices and their scents.
Master and Frankenstein were away for longer for school, but he at least had Tao with him while he waited for their return. Here... There was nothing.
His ears twitched when his collar buzzed. [M-21?]
He perked up, recognising Frankenstein's voice, before he ducked his head. Had he taken too long? He'd left Tao alone this entire time...
[Are you hurt?]
M-21 tilted his head. Why was Frankenstein asking that? He scratched the collar once. No.
An exhale. [I'm glad to hear that.]
M-21 tilted his head in the other direction. Frankenstein had been worried?
[Are you able to return home?]
M-21 hesitated, and then scratched the collar twice. Yes. He could return home, but he didn't know if he should. He looked down - clumps of mud clung to his fur, and he'd collected dust and dirt from inside the building.
[Then we can expect you home soon?]
M-21 scratched the collar twice again. It wouldn't take him long, not from where he was.
[Good. We'll see you when you arrive.]
He waited in case Frankenstein had anything else to add, but there wasn't anything more.
M-21 stared at the window for a second, seeing lightning flash, before heading into it.
The rain was as heavy as it had been when he'd first left it, but he felt lighter as he dashed home.
M-21 had barely landed in the garden, creating a splash from the impact, when the garden door was already being opened, Frankenstein there with a big towel in his hands.
They'd been waiting for him. The realisation made M-21 wag his tail as he approached.
He paused at the threshold though, seeing the pristine tiles reflecting the lights. He would get those wet and dirty as soon as he stepped inside.
"M-21?"
"Raow?" Tao yelped somewhere inside.
"Inside now," Frankenstein said, his voice wry, "before Tao runs outside to greet you."
Damn. Tao would be soaked to the skin instantly. M-21 slunk in and Frankenstein dropped the towel on top him, patting him down. M-21 heard the garden door close behind him
"Raow! Raow!" Tao demanded, twining around M-21's legs.
"He wants to know where you have been," Master said from the sofa, "and why it took you so long to return."
Oh. M-21 nosed at Tao, trying not to drip on him. Tao didn't seem to care, his fur already wet in patches from where he'd rubbed up against M-21.
"...Ah."
"Master?"
"He had been worried about making a mess due to being caught out in the storm," Master said. "That is why he stayed away."
Frankenstein didn't say anything for a few seconds and M-21 ducked his head, waiting for his reaction.
"M-21..." Frankenstein said with a sigh, lifting the towel away. M-21 watched him, but Frankenstein didn't seem angry. Or happy either. But he'd tried to keep Frankenstein's house clean?
"I like having a clean house," Frankenstein said, running his fingers over M-21's head, "but mess can be cleaned up. You, however, are not something to be swept away just because you're dirty."
M-21 blinked at him. But he was dirty and he knew how much Frankenstein disliked mess.
Frankenstein studied him and then sighed. "Let's get you clean first before we continue this conversation, mm? You'll feel better when you're dry and clean again."
Frankenstein took the towel and walked towards the living room door.
M-21 followed him a step and then looked down at the puddle he'd left. And the muddy pawprints. He flattened his ears and whined. He shouldn't-!
"M-21," Frankenstein said from the doorway, his voice still calm, "it's fine. Come on."
All right...
M-21 trailed after him, but he flicked his ears back when he heard a meow behind him.
Tao was following him. But Tao should stay in the living room.
...He'd left Tao alone for too long already, and if Tao was supposed to stay here, Master would have called him over by now.
Frankenstein led the way to the bathroom, and as he prepared the shower, Tao played with M-21's tail.
"You might need to be dried off yourself," Frankenstein said, picking Tao up and gesturing M-21 into the shower.
Frankenstein set Tao on the counter and then stepped into the shower with M-21, sliding the door behind him.
"Mrow?" Tao had already jumped down and was patting the door.
"We'll make this quick," Frankenstein said, testing the water again, "before Tao figures out how to open it."
M-21 huffed as the warm water washed over him. He hadn't thought he was that cold, but the difference in the water temperature... It was nice.
"Mrow!" Tao was patting at the door edge and Frankenstein shifted to make sure his foot kept the door closed. "I think he's concerned you're getting wet again."
"Raow!"
M-21 edged closer to the door so he could nose where Tao was. It didn't seem to console Tao, who kept patting at the door handle.
Frankenstein was finished with the shampoo and rinsing a few minutes later and when he stepped out of the shower, he scooped Tao up before the kitten could dash inside. M-21 shook himself off and as soon as he was done, Frankenstein opened the door.
Tao was inside as soon as there was enough space to let him through, and he circled M-21, looking up at him as he meowed.
M-21 lowered his head to nuzzle him and Tao rubbed against him, purring. While they were doing that, Frankenstein dried the rest of M-21 off with a towel.
Frankenstein presented the hair dryer to Tao once M-21 was dry enough to not drip everywhere. When Frankenstein turned it on, Tao jerked back before batting at where the hot air was. Frankenstein let Tao play with it for a few seconds before concentrating it on M-21.
"Now then," Frankenstein said, once he was finished with M-21's coat, "that feels better, doesn't it?"
M-21 nodded. His coat wasn't as heavy anymore, his fur not clumping together.
Frankenstein scratched him behind the ears and M-21 leaned into the touch. "To continue on what I was saying earlier," Frankenstein said, and M-21 twisted his ears in his direction, "I may dislike mess, but I would far prefer having mess in my house compared to not having you home."
M-21 blinked.
"So next time, even if you are dirty, return home, all right?"
Frankenstein...wanted him more than not wanting mess? Even if he brought it in with him? But...
M-21 nodded slowly, still trying to understand what Frankenstein had said.
Frankenstein smiled, giving him one last pat. "Let's have dinner then, shall we?"
Yes... He was hungry, and he could use that time to think over Frankenstein's words.
Absolutely not inspired by me getting caught out in a storm... :x