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esp_dragonv2) wrote2020-07-11 12:09 pm
esp_dragonv2) wrote2020-07-11 12:09 pm
Rehabilitate
Fandom: Noblesse
Summary: Frankenstein finds an injured silver bird and brings it home to take care of. Even at a glance, Frankenstein knew it wasn't a normal bird - so much, that he wasn't surprised when it started talking.
Notes: 'AU: Other' square for![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
trope_bingo, so wingfic, of course. Of sorts. Harpy!Muzaka.
Rating: PG
Genre: General
Word count: 3,040
Status: Complete
Frankenstein looked up at a thud, seeing something silver and feathered tumble down the side of the building.
He dropped his bag of groceries, dashing forward and catching the - bird?
The bird was longer than his forearm with claws longer than his fingers. That it was more than glad to show just how sharp they were when it sank its talons into his arm with a hiss.
"I'm not trying to-" Frankenstein snapped his head back, narrowly missing getting thwacked by a wing. One wing. The other wing was hanging loose at its side. Not at a bad angle to suggest it was broken, but still injured in some way.
Frankenstein shrugged off his jacket, gathering up the bird's wings and wrapping it up in his jacket like it was some feathered burrito.
The bird continued to hiss at him, but it quietened down as a flock of birds flew overhead.
Frankenstein glanced up, making sure to cover the bird's head. Hmm.
"I'm not here to hurt you," Frankenstein murmured, still trying to ease the bird's talons from his arms. "I can get you away from here."
He got a clack of a beak for that, and the bird loosened its grip on his arm.
"Thank you." If he threw his sleeve over his arm, hopefully not that many people would notice the blood staining his shirt. It would be better if he returned quickly home either way.
* * *
Frankenstein hadn't been far from home when he found the bird, but he breathed a sigh of relief when he closed the door behind him.
He toed out of his shoes, feeling the bird shift under his arm.
"Now then," Frankenstein said, setting his bag of shopping down, "let's get a proper look at you."
The pair of eyes that glared back at him from his jacket were silver, almost pale enough to look like sclera. The face was eagle-like with a hooked beak that looked like it could easily break a finger if it caught a hold. Frankenstein didn't know of any eagles that were fully silver though, nor one with a crest that started from the beak that flowed down its spine. It also had two very long feathers that jutted out from over its eyes, looking like bushy eyebrows.
Frankenstein unwapped the bird, letting it stand on the countertop. The rest of it looked similar to an eagle as well, but it was the extra claw on the thumb joint that caught Frankenstein's attention.
No, this wasn't a regular bird.
"Hm," Frankenstein said, crossing his arms and tapping his lip with a finger as the bird craned its neck to look around the room. "Are you a Union creation or a supernatural being?" There was no ring or brand he could find from a courtesy look.
The bird stilled at his words, and it could definitely understand him, which made him lean more towards a supernatural being than a modified animal.
It also didn't just have an injured wing. It was missing a couple feathers, bleeding in places. "Either way, you weren't treated kindly," Frankenstein murmured. "Stay there - I'll get a few things to treat your injuries." As well as change into a clean shirt so he wouldn't heal around the fabric, if he hadn't already.
It didn't take long for Frankenstein to return with his first-aid kit. The bird hadn't moved, though it was nosing around his shopping bag.
"I'll need to clean your wounds," Frankenstein said, setting down a towel. "I would appreciate it if you didn't try to take chunks out of my arm again."
The bird clacked its beak at him, presenting a foot out to him. That seemed to be a 'yes'.
As soon as Frankenstein touched the foot though, the bird hissed, jerking back. "Ow!"
"Ah, you do speak." Good to know.
The bird froze, staring at him. "Yer not surprised?" It had a deeper voice than he expected, but Frankenstein hadn't really thought what kind of voice the bird would have.
Frankenstein snorted. "If I thought you were a normal bird, I would have taken you to the vet. I had a feeling you wouldn't have liked staying in a cage, nor would you want to be studied too closely." They'd never been found with current technology which meant they'd done their utmost to stay hidden. "Especially with how injured you are."
"I'm not that injured," the bird grumbled, its crest so flat it almost couldn't be seen.
"Which is why you flinched when I touched you," Frankenstein said dryly.
The bird didn't say anything, looking away.
"I may not be a vet," Frankenstein admitted, "but I can at least patch you up."
The bird sighed, bobbing once. "All right. I'll try not ta claw ya."
Frankenstein smiled. "Thank you. I'm Frankenstein."
The bird tilted its head at him as Frankenstein started to check its leg. "Muzaka."
"Pleasure to meet you."
"Hn... Yeah."
* * *
Muzaka's injuries weren't as extensive as Frankenstein feared, though there was already a fair bit of swelling in places.
Muzaka's feathers puffed out as he stared at the bandage holding his left wing to his body.
"If you can't control yourself from pecking it," Frankenstein said, "I will make a cone for you as well."
Muzaka clacked his beak. "I could still scratch it off."
Really. "And the point of the bandage is to help you to heal."
"Fine." Muzaka sat on the towel, his crest slick against his head.
Hmm, he should make a perch for him. "I'm going to make dinner soon, if you would like to join me?"
Muzaka tilted his head at him.
"I don't know what you like to eat, so you'll have to tell me," Frankenstein said, laying his hand next to Muzaka.
Muzaka studied his hand for a second before carefully climbing up his arm, his talons mindfully only brushing his shirt as he gripped Frankenstein's arm.
Muzaka peered around from Frankenstein's shoulder before settling down as Frankenstein walked to the kitchen.
* * *
"I'm not really sure if I really have anything bird friendly..." Frankenstein said, looking through his cupboards. "But you're a meat eater, aren't you?" With how big Muzaka's beak and talons were, those were for catching prey than eating berries or bugs.
"I don't mind," Muzaka said, peering at every little thing Frankenstein did. "I'll eat anything."
Was that healthy for him? But Muzaka knew his body and diet best, so Frankenstein would listen to that.
"I'll make a variety of things for you then, and see what you prefer." It wouldn't take too long.
* * *
Muzaka was eyeing Frankenstein's plate after finishing his own.
Well, it was better he had a healthy appetite than none at all. "Can you eat this?"
Muzaka bobbed his head, coming closer. "Yeah."
Frankenstein smiled, spearing a bit of his meat and holding it out for Muzaka.
Muzaka tugged it off his fork and started to tear it into pieces before swallowing it. Frankenstein watched him, making sure it went down well before continuing to eat his own meal.
When Muzaka looked over again, he had a piece of meat ready for him.
* * *
Muzaka seemed to already prefer staying on Frankenstein's shoulder as Frankenstein wiped down his table.
"...Your arm is all right?"
"Hm?" Frankenstein turned his hands over, flexing his fingers. "Oh, you didn't do any permanent damage." He'd been injured far worse and been fine.
"That's good." Muzaka settled down.
Frankenstein reached up, running the back of his fingers down Muzaka's chest.
He paused when Muzaka stiffened. Before he could say anything, Muzaka let out a soft chirp, relaxing again.
Frankenstein did it again, watching Muzaka from the corner of his eyes. Muzaka chirped.
He smiled, doing it once more before continuing cleaning.
* * *
Muzaka bobbed his head, his wing brushing Frankenstein's neck when he flapped it as they entered Frankenstein's lab. "Woah! You did this?"
Frankenstein smiled. It was nice having someone who appreciated his work. "It didn't take me too long. Do you want to see what I've been working on?"
"Yeah!"
* * *
"Frankenstein?"
He didn't look up from the notes he was taking. "Mm?" He was almost done, but he could feel the connections starting to form and if he could just-
"I thought you were eatin'?"
"I am." He was sitting at the table, food in front of him.
"You ain't touched yer plate in five minutes."
Frankenstein paused, looking up. "Are you timing me?" he asked, amused.
Muzaka flapped his wing, his crest flicking up for a second. "I can see the clock on the wall." Ah, of course. "Put that book away," he said, hopping off his feeding perch, walking over. Muzaka's own meal had been finished.
"I'm able to eat and work at the same time," Frankenstein said as Muzaka climbed up his arm.
"Doesn't look like ta me."
Hmm... Frankenstein closed his journal with a sigh. "I'll finish eating before I continue." He could keep his thoughts in mind until then.
"Good."
* * *
Frankenstein looked across at a small tug at his hair. "Yes?"
"Your hair's a mess," Muzaka grumbled, tugging at his hair again.
"To you, maybe," Frankenstein said, amused.
"Yeah, exactly."
The...preening? was noticeable, but not sharp or hard enough to be painful which was a distinct possibility with the strength in Muzaka's beak.
"So long as you don't pull out my hair," Frankenstein said as he petted Muzaka's chest.
He got a hiss for that, Muzaka thwaping him lightly with a wing. "I wouldn't do that!"
Frankenstein laughed softly, going back to his notes.
* * *
Frankenstein woke up with a lump of feathers on top of his bedside table. He stared at it blearily for a second. He knew it was Muzaka, but how did he get into his bedroom?
A quick check revealed his bedroom door was open. He knew he'd closed it properly last night...
"Mornin'," Muzaka said, yawning. He shook himself down as he stood up.
"Should I start installing child locks on doors?" Frankenstein asked wryly, holding his hand out to Muzaka. He should have realised Muzaka would know how to and have the grip strength or weight to open doors.
Muzaka hopped onto his hand, climbing up. He was faster than he had been a couple days ago, a mix of knowing where to place his feet and wingclaw, as well as healing up nicely. "Why? I'm not a kid."
Frankenstein smiled, petting Muzaka's chest. "No, I suppose not." Muzaka hadn't shown any much interest in digging to places where he shouldn't be, content to stay on his shoulder.
He would need to make Muzaka a perch for his bedroom though. Sitting like that for a long time wouldn't be comfortable for him.
* * *
Frankenstein rolled the extra bit of wood from the perch he was making for Muzaka across the floor.
Muzaka's attention snapped to it, head lowered and wing slightly outspread as he tracked its movement. He followed it before pouncing, wing claw and beak hitting the wood after his talons.
Muzaka tore into it, chirping before he froze, looking up at Frankenstein. "Ah, sorry?"
Frankenstein shook his head, smiling. "I don't need it. Do with it what you want."
Muzaka chirped again, returning to tearing into the wood.
* * *
Frankenstein hummed as he closed the front door behind him, seeing Muzaka walk up.
"Hey," Muzaka said, his crest flicking up.
"Did anything interesting happen?" Frankenstein asked, hearing the tv drone softly as he crouched down. Muzaka must have learned how to turn it on.
"Nah," Muzaka said, climbing up Frankenstein's arm. He pressed up against Frankenstein's neck. "Welcome back."
Frankenstein smiled. "It's good to be back."
* * *
Muzaka stared out the window from the back of the sofa, watching every little movement. Frankenstein joined him, just watching the scenery for a few moments.
"You should almost be finished healing soon," Frankenstein said.
Muzaka didn't say anything for a few seconds. "Yeah, I guess..."
Frankenstein glanced at him. "You don't sound too enthused about that." He thought Muzaka would be looking forward to flying again than being grounded all the time.
Muzaka shrugged.
"Don't tell me I've domesticated you?" Frankenstein teased. Though...was Muzaka domesticated? He'd assumed Muzaka lived in the wild, but he'd never asked and Muzaka seemed comfortable in his house.
Muzaka clacked his beak. "Nah."
Muzaka turned towards him, climbing up Frankenstein's arm. But it was the truth - their time together was coming to an end the stronger Muzaka became.
* * *
'We curse you!'
'We'll drag you down with us!'
'Where you brought us!'
Hard to breathe... Frankenstein was surrounded, with nowhere to go.
'You were the one-'
"Ow!"
Frankenstein sucked in a breath, eyes flying open.
There was something right in his face and he shoved it away- Feathers?
"You all right?" Muzaka asked, crouching down to peer at him. "You were havin' a nightmare."
Frankenstein ran a hand down his face with a sigh, his ear throbbing where Muzaka must have nipped him to wake him up. "Better now, now that I'm awake. Thank you."
"You wanna talk about it?" Muzaka said, settling down on Frankenstein's pillow.
Frankenstein let out a soft chuckle. "What is there to talk-"
He froze, hearing a bang of splintering wood, a thud of something heavy slamming into the wall or floor.
Dammit, had he-
"Stay back!" Muzaka hissed, as he crouched down on the pillow looking like he was about to pounce. No, if Muzaka tried to attack the invaders - Muzaka was big, but he couldn't deal with-
Muzaka leaped off the bed, except he unfolded, growing until he was as big as Frankenstein was.
He was mostly humanoid, with long silver hair that reached as far as Muzaka's thighs. He wore a dark red jacket that had fur lining the lapel and cuffs - it had half sleeves, letting Frankenstein see his arms were covered in feathers, fingers ending in talons.
Muzaka had kept his wings, and they arched above his head.
"This is my fight," Muzaka said, his voice sounding exactly the same as when he'd been a bird. "I brought them to-"
Frankenstein lunged towards him, grabbing a sleeve and yanking him down as a gunshot rang out.
Muzaka stared at the door, then at the hole in the wall where his head had just been. "Eh?"
"It would appear-" Frankenstein said, calling Dark Spear to him. They were hungry for blood, restless after so long without a meal, and the Union had been so generous to send people after him at the right time. "-that neither of us are alone in being on the run and needing to hide from our people."
Muzaka's gaze was locked on him as Dark Spear flowed over his skin, his skin tingling wherever it touched.
"Shall we?" He didn't know how Muzaka fought, but he'd seen how Muzaka moved when he hunted. He would keep an eye out for him, in case Dark Spear got some ideas.
Muzaka grinned as Frankenstein's bedroom door was kicked in, the agent getting a spear to the heart as congratulations for being the first to cross the threshold.
It shouldn't take too long.
* * *
Frankenstein sighed as he looked over the destruction. "Really now," he said, "only five agents?" How insulting. Were the Union really underestimating him that much? Maybe there were more outside.
Muzaka was looking between Frankenstein and the bodies. "Your people don't like you...?"
Frankenstein shook his head. "There's a group that want something I have - I would prefer if they kept their hands off it. They're willing to kill for it."
Muzaka nodded absentmindedly, eyeing one agent's transformation. "I can see why you weren't too fussed havin' a harpy around."
Aah, so that was what he was. That would explain the form he had now. "Were you always able to transform into a humanoid form?" Why only now?
Muzaka rubbed the back of his neck. "Nah - I was in bird form to save energy while I healed." He sighed, looking at Frankenstein. "So what'll you do now?"
"Leave," Frankenstein said, getting his grab bag. The noise would have alerted his neighbours - it wouldn't take long before the authorities arrived. He'd need to collect his journals, destroy anything left in his lab, and then he would be good to go. "Your wing looks healed now-" He'd seen Muzaka use it in the fight. "-so this'll be where we part ways."
Muzaka watched him collect his bag. "You're just going to go like that?"
"They've found where I am, so they'll continue sending people until they've killed me." The Union usually waited a few days for the agents to report back, which would give him a bit of a head start.
Muzaka's lips were a thin line. "I'm comin' with ya."
Frankenstein paused, his thoughts stuttering at the interruption. "You're healed now. You're free to go." Why would Muzaka want to stay with him?
Muzaka snorted, crossing his arms. "Go where? I ain't welcome with my own people and you're in a similar state. I was worried staying with you might bring 'em to yer door, but now I'm gonna be worrying about you anyway."
...Oh. Frankenstein looked Muzaka up and down. "If you're to travel with me, you'll have to stay in your bird form. People tend to stare at people who stand out," he said, wryly. He would have to find somewhere to buy a cage big enough for Muzaka, or he could get the materials and build it himself.
Muzaka looked down at his talons for a second, before shrugging. He flexed his wings out before they folded into his body, his feathers and talons shivering before they disappeared as well.
Muzaka stretched his arms above his head with a hum. "Better?" he asked, grinning.
Frankenstein smiled back, nodding. "Much. I have a few more things to do before we leave - it won't take more than a minute."
Going down to the lab, Frankenstein felt lighter than he normally did when he had to leave. It had been a long while since he'd had someone to travel around with.
Summary: Frankenstein finds an injured silver bird and brings it home to take care of. Even at a glance, Frankenstein knew it wasn't a normal bird - so much, that he wasn't surprised when it started talking.
Notes: 'AU: Other' square for
trope_bingo, so wingfic, of course. Of sorts. Harpy!Muzaka. Rating: PG
Genre: General
Word count: 3,040
Status: Complete
Frankenstein looked up at a thud, seeing something silver and feathered tumble down the side of the building.
He dropped his bag of groceries, dashing forward and catching the - bird?
The bird was longer than his forearm with claws longer than his fingers. That it was more than glad to show just how sharp they were when it sank its talons into his arm with a hiss.
"I'm not trying to-" Frankenstein snapped his head back, narrowly missing getting thwacked by a wing. One wing. The other wing was hanging loose at its side. Not at a bad angle to suggest it was broken, but still injured in some way.
Frankenstein shrugged off his jacket, gathering up the bird's wings and wrapping it up in his jacket like it was some feathered burrito.
The bird continued to hiss at him, but it quietened down as a flock of birds flew overhead.
Frankenstein glanced up, making sure to cover the bird's head. Hmm.
"I'm not here to hurt you," Frankenstein murmured, still trying to ease the bird's talons from his arms. "I can get you away from here."
He got a clack of a beak for that, and the bird loosened its grip on his arm.
"Thank you." If he threw his sleeve over his arm, hopefully not that many people would notice the blood staining his shirt. It would be better if he returned quickly home either way.
Frankenstein hadn't been far from home when he found the bird, but he breathed a sigh of relief when he closed the door behind him.
He toed out of his shoes, feeling the bird shift under his arm.
"Now then," Frankenstein said, setting his bag of shopping down, "let's get a proper look at you."
The pair of eyes that glared back at him from his jacket were silver, almost pale enough to look like sclera. The face was eagle-like with a hooked beak that looked like it could easily break a finger if it caught a hold. Frankenstein didn't know of any eagles that were fully silver though, nor one with a crest that started from the beak that flowed down its spine. It also had two very long feathers that jutted out from over its eyes, looking like bushy eyebrows.
Frankenstein unwapped the bird, letting it stand on the countertop. The rest of it looked similar to an eagle as well, but it was the extra claw on the thumb joint that caught Frankenstein's attention.
No, this wasn't a regular bird.
"Hm," Frankenstein said, crossing his arms and tapping his lip with a finger as the bird craned its neck to look around the room. "Are you a Union creation or a supernatural being?" There was no ring or brand he could find from a courtesy look.
The bird stilled at his words, and it could definitely understand him, which made him lean more towards a supernatural being than a modified animal.
It also didn't just have an injured wing. It was missing a couple feathers, bleeding in places. "Either way, you weren't treated kindly," Frankenstein murmured. "Stay there - I'll get a few things to treat your injuries." As well as change into a clean shirt so he wouldn't heal around the fabric, if he hadn't already.
It didn't take long for Frankenstein to return with his first-aid kit. The bird hadn't moved, though it was nosing around his shopping bag.
"I'll need to clean your wounds," Frankenstein said, setting down a towel. "I would appreciate it if you didn't try to take chunks out of my arm again."
The bird clacked its beak at him, presenting a foot out to him. That seemed to be a 'yes'.
As soon as Frankenstein touched the foot though, the bird hissed, jerking back. "Ow!"
"Ah, you do speak." Good to know.
The bird froze, staring at him. "Yer not surprised?" It had a deeper voice than he expected, but Frankenstein hadn't really thought what kind of voice the bird would have.
Frankenstein snorted. "If I thought you were a normal bird, I would have taken you to the vet. I had a feeling you wouldn't have liked staying in a cage, nor would you want to be studied too closely." They'd never been found with current technology which meant they'd done their utmost to stay hidden. "Especially with how injured you are."
"I'm not that injured," the bird grumbled, its crest so flat it almost couldn't be seen.
"Which is why you flinched when I touched you," Frankenstein said dryly.
The bird didn't say anything, looking away.
"I may not be a vet," Frankenstein admitted, "but I can at least patch you up."
The bird sighed, bobbing once. "All right. I'll try not ta claw ya."
Frankenstein smiled. "Thank you. I'm Frankenstein."
The bird tilted its head at him as Frankenstein started to check its leg. "Muzaka."
"Pleasure to meet you."
"Hn... Yeah."
Muzaka's injuries weren't as extensive as Frankenstein feared, though there was already a fair bit of swelling in places.
Muzaka's feathers puffed out as he stared at the bandage holding his left wing to his body.
"If you can't control yourself from pecking it," Frankenstein said, "I will make a cone for you as well."
Muzaka clacked his beak. "I could still scratch it off."
Really. "And the point of the bandage is to help you to heal."
"Fine." Muzaka sat on the towel, his crest slick against his head.
Hmm, he should make a perch for him. "I'm going to make dinner soon, if you would like to join me?"
Muzaka tilted his head at him.
"I don't know what you like to eat, so you'll have to tell me," Frankenstein said, laying his hand next to Muzaka.
Muzaka studied his hand for a second before carefully climbing up his arm, his talons mindfully only brushing his shirt as he gripped Frankenstein's arm.
Muzaka peered around from Frankenstein's shoulder before settling down as Frankenstein walked to the kitchen.
"I'm not really sure if I really have anything bird friendly..." Frankenstein said, looking through his cupboards. "But you're a meat eater, aren't you?" With how big Muzaka's beak and talons were, those were for catching prey than eating berries or bugs.
"I don't mind," Muzaka said, peering at every little thing Frankenstein did. "I'll eat anything."
Was that healthy for him? But Muzaka knew his body and diet best, so Frankenstein would listen to that.
"I'll make a variety of things for you then, and see what you prefer." It wouldn't take too long.
Muzaka was eyeing Frankenstein's plate after finishing his own.
Well, it was better he had a healthy appetite than none at all. "Can you eat this?"
Muzaka bobbed his head, coming closer. "Yeah."
Frankenstein smiled, spearing a bit of his meat and holding it out for Muzaka.
Muzaka tugged it off his fork and started to tear it into pieces before swallowing it. Frankenstein watched him, making sure it went down well before continuing to eat his own meal.
When Muzaka looked over again, he had a piece of meat ready for him.
Muzaka seemed to already prefer staying on Frankenstein's shoulder as Frankenstein wiped down his table.
"...Your arm is all right?"
"Hm?" Frankenstein turned his hands over, flexing his fingers. "Oh, you didn't do any permanent damage." He'd been injured far worse and been fine.
"That's good." Muzaka settled down.
Frankenstein reached up, running the back of his fingers down Muzaka's chest.
He paused when Muzaka stiffened. Before he could say anything, Muzaka let out a soft chirp, relaxing again.
Frankenstein did it again, watching Muzaka from the corner of his eyes. Muzaka chirped.
He smiled, doing it once more before continuing cleaning.
Muzaka bobbed his head, his wing brushing Frankenstein's neck when he flapped it as they entered Frankenstein's lab. "Woah! You did this?"
Frankenstein smiled. It was nice having someone who appreciated his work. "It didn't take me too long. Do you want to see what I've been working on?"
"Yeah!"
"Frankenstein?"
He didn't look up from the notes he was taking. "Mm?" He was almost done, but he could feel the connections starting to form and if he could just-
"I thought you were eatin'?"
"I am." He was sitting at the table, food in front of him.
"You ain't touched yer plate in five minutes."
Frankenstein paused, looking up. "Are you timing me?" he asked, amused.
Muzaka flapped his wing, his crest flicking up for a second. "I can see the clock on the wall." Ah, of course. "Put that book away," he said, hopping off his feeding perch, walking over. Muzaka's own meal had been finished.
"I'm able to eat and work at the same time," Frankenstein said as Muzaka climbed up his arm.
"Doesn't look like ta me."
Hmm... Frankenstein closed his journal with a sigh. "I'll finish eating before I continue." He could keep his thoughts in mind until then.
"Good."
Frankenstein looked across at a small tug at his hair. "Yes?"
"Your hair's a mess," Muzaka grumbled, tugging at his hair again.
"To you, maybe," Frankenstein said, amused.
"Yeah, exactly."
The...preening? was noticeable, but not sharp or hard enough to be painful which was a distinct possibility with the strength in Muzaka's beak.
"So long as you don't pull out my hair," Frankenstein said as he petted Muzaka's chest.
He got a hiss for that, Muzaka thwaping him lightly with a wing. "I wouldn't do that!"
Frankenstein laughed softly, going back to his notes.
Frankenstein woke up with a lump of feathers on top of his bedside table. He stared at it blearily for a second. He knew it was Muzaka, but how did he get into his bedroom?
A quick check revealed his bedroom door was open. He knew he'd closed it properly last night...
"Mornin'," Muzaka said, yawning. He shook himself down as he stood up.
"Should I start installing child locks on doors?" Frankenstein asked wryly, holding his hand out to Muzaka. He should have realised Muzaka would know how to and have the grip strength or weight to open doors.
Muzaka hopped onto his hand, climbing up. He was faster than he had been a couple days ago, a mix of knowing where to place his feet and wingclaw, as well as healing up nicely. "Why? I'm not a kid."
Frankenstein smiled, petting Muzaka's chest. "No, I suppose not." Muzaka hadn't shown any much interest in digging to places where he shouldn't be, content to stay on his shoulder.
He would need to make Muzaka a perch for his bedroom though. Sitting like that for a long time wouldn't be comfortable for him.
Frankenstein rolled the extra bit of wood from the perch he was making for Muzaka across the floor.
Muzaka's attention snapped to it, head lowered and wing slightly outspread as he tracked its movement. He followed it before pouncing, wing claw and beak hitting the wood after his talons.
Muzaka tore into it, chirping before he froze, looking up at Frankenstein. "Ah, sorry?"
Frankenstein shook his head, smiling. "I don't need it. Do with it what you want."
Muzaka chirped again, returning to tearing into the wood.
Frankenstein hummed as he closed the front door behind him, seeing Muzaka walk up.
"Hey," Muzaka said, his crest flicking up.
"Did anything interesting happen?" Frankenstein asked, hearing the tv drone softly as he crouched down. Muzaka must have learned how to turn it on.
"Nah," Muzaka said, climbing up Frankenstein's arm. He pressed up against Frankenstein's neck. "Welcome back."
Frankenstein smiled. "It's good to be back."
Muzaka stared out the window from the back of the sofa, watching every little movement. Frankenstein joined him, just watching the scenery for a few moments.
"You should almost be finished healing soon," Frankenstein said.
Muzaka didn't say anything for a few seconds. "Yeah, I guess..."
Frankenstein glanced at him. "You don't sound too enthused about that." He thought Muzaka would be looking forward to flying again than being grounded all the time.
Muzaka shrugged.
"Don't tell me I've domesticated you?" Frankenstein teased. Though...was Muzaka domesticated? He'd assumed Muzaka lived in the wild, but he'd never asked and Muzaka seemed comfortable in his house.
Muzaka clacked his beak. "Nah."
Muzaka turned towards him, climbing up Frankenstein's arm. But it was the truth - their time together was coming to an end the stronger Muzaka became.
'We curse you!'
'We'll drag you down with us!'
'Where you brought us!'
Hard to breathe... Frankenstein was surrounded, with nowhere to go.
'You were the one-'
"Ow!"
Frankenstein sucked in a breath, eyes flying open.
There was something right in his face and he shoved it away- Feathers?
"You all right?" Muzaka asked, crouching down to peer at him. "You were havin' a nightmare."
Frankenstein ran a hand down his face with a sigh, his ear throbbing where Muzaka must have nipped him to wake him up. "Better now, now that I'm awake. Thank you."
"You wanna talk about it?" Muzaka said, settling down on Frankenstein's pillow.
Frankenstein let out a soft chuckle. "What is there to talk-"
He froze, hearing a bang of splintering wood, a thud of something heavy slamming into the wall or floor.
Dammit, had he-
"Stay back!" Muzaka hissed, as he crouched down on the pillow looking like he was about to pounce. No, if Muzaka tried to attack the invaders - Muzaka was big, but he couldn't deal with-
Muzaka leaped off the bed, except he unfolded, growing until he was as big as Frankenstein was.
He was mostly humanoid, with long silver hair that reached as far as Muzaka's thighs. He wore a dark red jacket that had fur lining the lapel and cuffs - it had half sleeves, letting Frankenstein see his arms were covered in feathers, fingers ending in talons.
Muzaka had kept his wings, and they arched above his head.
"This is my fight," Muzaka said, his voice sounding exactly the same as when he'd been a bird. "I brought them to-"
Frankenstein lunged towards him, grabbing a sleeve and yanking him down as a gunshot rang out.
Muzaka stared at the door, then at the hole in the wall where his head had just been. "Eh?"
"It would appear-" Frankenstein said, calling Dark Spear to him. They were hungry for blood, restless after so long without a meal, and the Union had been so generous to send people after him at the right time. "-that neither of us are alone in being on the run and needing to hide from our people."
Muzaka's gaze was locked on him as Dark Spear flowed over his skin, his skin tingling wherever it touched.
"Shall we?" He didn't know how Muzaka fought, but he'd seen how Muzaka moved when he hunted. He would keep an eye out for him, in case Dark Spear got some ideas.
Muzaka grinned as Frankenstein's bedroom door was kicked in, the agent getting a spear to the heart as congratulations for being the first to cross the threshold.
It shouldn't take too long.
Frankenstein sighed as he looked over the destruction. "Really now," he said, "only five agents?" How insulting. Were the Union really underestimating him that much? Maybe there were more outside.
Muzaka was looking between Frankenstein and the bodies. "Your people don't like you...?"
Frankenstein shook his head. "There's a group that want something I have - I would prefer if they kept their hands off it. They're willing to kill for it."
Muzaka nodded absentmindedly, eyeing one agent's transformation. "I can see why you weren't too fussed havin' a harpy around."
Aah, so that was what he was. That would explain the form he had now. "Were you always able to transform into a humanoid form?" Why only now?
Muzaka rubbed the back of his neck. "Nah - I was in bird form to save energy while I healed." He sighed, looking at Frankenstein. "So what'll you do now?"
"Leave," Frankenstein said, getting his grab bag. The noise would have alerted his neighbours - it wouldn't take long before the authorities arrived. He'd need to collect his journals, destroy anything left in his lab, and then he would be good to go. "Your wing looks healed now-" He'd seen Muzaka use it in the fight. "-so this'll be where we part ways."
Muzaka watched him collect his bag. "You're just going to go like that?"
"They've found where I am, so they'll continue sending people until they've killed me." The Union usually waited a few days for the agents to report back, which would give him a bit of a head start.
Muzaka's lips were a thin line. "I'm comin' with ya."
Frankenstein paused, his thoughts stuttering at the interruption. "You're healed now. You're free to go." Why would Muzaka want to stay with him?
Muzaka snorted, crossing his arms. "Go where? I ain't welcome with my own people and you're in a similar state. I was worried staying with you might bring 'em to yer door, but now I'm gonna be worrying about you anyway."
...Oh. Frankenstein looked Muzaka up and down. "If you're to travel with me, you'll have to stay in your bird form. People tend to stare at people who stand out," he said, wryly. He would have to find somewhere to buy a cage big enough for Muzaka, or he could get the materials and build it himself.
Muzaka looked down at his talons for a second, before shrugging. He flexed his wings out before they folded into his body, his feathers and talons shivering before they disappeared as well.
Muzaka stretched his arms above his head with a hum. "Better?" he asked, grinning.
Frankenstein smiled back, nodding. "Much. I have a few more things to do before we leave - it won't take more than a minute."
Going down to the lab, Frankenstein felt lighter than he normally did when he had to leave. It had been a long while since he'd had someone to travel around with.