Imposter [Part 13]
Jan. 5th, 2021 09:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
esp_dragonv2Fandom: Noblesse
Summary: Frankenstein reaches out.
Notes: Among Us AU! :D
Rating: G
Genre: Sci-fi
Word count: 1,380
Total word count: 11,645
Status: Work in progress
Frankenstein paused at the boiler room door, trying to adjust to the heat. It seemed like Muzaka had changed what he'd needed to, the heat being marginally more bearable than before.
They followed their ears to where they could hear Muzaka working.
Yes, it must have been cooler, because Muzaka was wearing a top this time. Which...Frankenstein found a little disappointing. They had liked trying to map Muzaka's scars, curious where they were.
"Hey, Frankenstein," Muzaka said, grinning at him. "What's up?"
They peered around, trying to see if Em was nearby.
"You lookin' for Em?" Muzaka said. "He's not here." He chuckled, setting down the wrench he was holding as he walked up to Frankenstein. "You worried he might see somethin' again?"
Frankenstein huffed. "He hadn't last time." Em had left before they'd barely began talking, let alone kissing. He studied Muzaka, mulling it over. "You don't mind?"
"Mind what? And do you wanna go to O2 first?"
"That would be far more preferable," Frankenstein said, grimacing. They were already sticky inside their spacesuit; if they spent too long in there, they would probably start melting.
"Heh," Muzaka said as they walked towards the exit.
Frankenstein exhaled when they left the boiler room, wiping away at the sweat that had already beaded over their face.
There was a small metal basin filled with water packets at the base of the tree when they entered O2. Muzaka took one as he sat down, just rolling it between his hands. Frankenstein walked around the tree enough to make sure there was no-one behind the truck before sitting down next to him.
"What were you askin' before?" Muzaka said, just leaning back against the tree.
Frankenstein studied the leaves above them - they were starting to yellow at the tips. A change in the season, or something else? Did this area even have seasons? "I was asking if you minded Em telling the others we're, ah, more intimate than we actually are," Frankenstein said. They'd so far only kept it to kissing - Frankenstein hadn't felt a need to explore below the belt yet, and as Em had so easily proven, they didn't always have the privacy they thought they did. With how busy the crew were maintaining the base, they didn't have much time for more anyway.
"Oh, that?" Muzaka smiled, shaking his head. "Nah. It gets across we were together, and, well..." He trailed off, his smile turning into a smirk as he looked at Frankenstein from the corner of his eyes.
Frankenstein smiled at that. Well. They might not feel a need, but they were still curious to explore Muzaka and see how he reacted.
Their smile faded as they leaned back on the tree, exhaling. "I want to talk to you about something..." they said. No-one else was in O2. It was open enough that they could easily see if anyone else was there. There was one vent in the corner, but Em already knew and wouldn't tell others, because that would mean revealing himself, and Em wouldn't risk that.
"Yeah?" Muzaka tore open the packet, tipping his head back and drinking from it.
Frankenstein picked at their glove, trying to sort out what they wanted to say. They knew what it was, but actually saying it... That was different.
Muzaka had trusted them with his thoughts, so why couldn't they just say it?
Because they were far too used to misdirecting, to hiding in the shadows when they could. Being unobtrusive, not saying what they really thought to draw attention to themself.
They exhaled, still picking at their glove.
This was something they wanted to do, not something the Union had told them to do. This was something that could make them stand out and make others scrutinise them.
It was easy to talk to Em, because Em wouldn't be able to tell the others without revealing himself. It was safe.
This wasn't. This was exposing themself in a way they hadn't realised they'd never done before.
"I've...been considering..." Their voice almost died right there, their heart hammering.
They could kill someone without a thought, and lie to someone's face about what they'd been doing at the time, but they couldn't say they were planning on working against the Union?
Practice. Because they had far more practice with the former than the latter.
And the only way to get better was to do it.
They smiled a little when Muzaka laid a hand on their knee, giving it a squeeze.
Yes. They had to say this. They couldn't run away from it. They needed Muzaka's help with this; they wouldn't be able to do it alone.
Exhaling, Frankenstein lay their hand over Muzaka's.
"I want to see if we can rebuild the dropship," Frankenstein said, faster than they would normally speak, forcing themself to watch Muzaka's face for any minute changes, in case they'd misread him. "If we're able to figure out a way off this base, find a way to not be tracked..." Frankenstein's voice did die then. And then what? Be free? Be constantly on the run from the Union?
Who knew.
But the thought of being able to decide what their future was, rather than being told what to do...
No. They couldn't think about that right now.
That was only a possibility. They had to get away from the Union first before they could entertain the thought.
...And Muzaka still hadn't said anything yet.
He hadn't pulled his hand away though, so maybe he was thinking it over?
"You wanna get out of here?"
"Yes," Frankenstein said. "I don't want-" Where to start? "I'd rather not stay here, and have our fates played with by the Union."
Muzaka nodded, turning his hand so they intertwined their fingers. "Heh, I didn't think anyone else wanted to escape - everyone was just focused on doing well for the Union. What made you change yer mind?"
Frankenstein's stomach squirmed. They'd been doing exactly that: believing that if they did as they were told, they would be rewarded... With more of the same. But it still seemed like they'd proven themselves by doing it.
Em was right. Whether the test continued or not, they were doing the same either way.
They just...didn't want to do it anymore.
Frankenstein ran their thumb over Muzaka's hand, studying it. He was more tanned than they were, slivers of scars there as well. "I realised you were right about a lot of things. About the Union, that they say whatever they want to manipulate people." They paused, just staring at Muzaka's hand again. Should they tell Muzaka? He had said he didn't think there was a difference between crewmates and imposters, but to reveal what they were was to reveal what they had been doing in the base.
But they were tired of lying. And what was the point in escaping the Union if they had to hide themselves from Muzaka?
"That there's little difference between crewmembers and imposters," Frankenstein said. Hm, maybe that was too obtuse.
"Yeah, that's what I said," Muzaka said, nodding.
Frankenstein sighed. Yes, that was too obtuse. Then... As plainly as they could. "I was more meaning..." Even trying to say it felt strange on their tongue. "I discovered that my DNA is far more similar to human than I'd been lead to believe." Still not that plain, but years of not talking about what they were was hard to overcome.
"Oh." Muzaka squeezed their hand. "Okay."
That was-? Frankenstein let out a short laugh, leaning against Muzaka, Muzaka nuzzling their head.
Yes, Muzaka had said his position about imposters from the very start. "You don't mind?" That they'd lied to Muzaka, that they'd killed the others.
"We're all doing what the Union tells us because our lives are on the line either way," Muzaka murmured. He huffed. "And now you're not, and by doin' that, you're risking everything."
Frankenstein closed their eyes, humming. Yes, they were. "We won't know what the new group will bring, but hopefully we'll have more allies." People who would help with the dropship. People who didn't want to continue with the cycle of death.
Now they just had to wait for their arrival.
"We'll see what we can figure out about the dropship until then," Muzaka said, kissing Frankenstein's head.
Summary: Frankenstein reaches out.
Notes: Among Us AU! :D
Rating: G
Genre: Sci-fi
Word count: 1,380
Total word count: 11,645
Status: Work in progress
Frankenstein paused at the boiler room door, trying to adjust to the heat. It seemed like Muzaka had changed what he'd needed to, the heat being marginally more bearable than before.
They followed their ears to where they could hear Muzaka working.
Yes, it must have been cooler, because Muzaka was wearing a top this time. Which...Frankenstein found a little disappointing. They had liked trying to map Muzaka's scars, curious where they were.
"Hey, Frankenstein," Muzaka said, grinning at him. "What's up?"
They peered around, trying to see if Em was nearby.
"You lookin' for Em?" Muzaka said. "He's not here." He chuckled, setting down the wrench he was holding as he walked up to Frankenstein. "You worried he might see somethin' again?"
Frankenstein huffed. "He hadn't last time." Em had left before they'd barely began talking, let alone kissing. He studied Muzaka, mulling it over. "You don't mind?"
"Mind what? And do you wanna go to O2 first?"
"That would be far more preferable," Frankenstein said, grimacing. They were already sticky inside their spacesuit; if they spent too long in there, they would probably start melting.
"Heh," Muzaka said as they walked towards the exit.
Frankenstein exhaled when they left the boiler room, wiping away at the sweat that had already beaded over their face.
There was a small metal basin filled with water packets at the base of the tree when they entered O2. Muzaka took one as he sat down, just rolling it between his hands. Frankenstein walked around the tree enough to make sure there was no-one behind the truck before sitting down next to him.
"What were you askin' before?" Muzaka said, just leaning back against the tree.
Frankenstein studied the leaves above them - they were starting to yellow at the tips. A change in the season, or something else? Did this area even have seasons? "I was asking if you minded Em telling the others we're, ah, more intimate than we actually are," Frankenstein said. They'd so far only kept it to kissing - Frankenstein hadn't felt a need to explore below the belt yet, and as Em had so easily proven, they didn't always have the privacy they thought they did. With how busy the crew were maintaining the base, they didn't have much time for more anyway.
"Oh, that?" Muzaka smiled, shaking his head. "Nah. It gets across we were together, and, well..." He trailed off, his smile turning into a smirk as he looked at Frankenstein from the corner of his eyes.
Frankenstein smiled at that. Well. They might not feel a need, but they were still curious to explore Muzaka and see how he reacted.
Their smile faded as they leaned back on the tree, exhaling. "I want to talk to you about something..." they said. No-one else was in O2. It was open enough that they could easily see if anyone else was there. There was one vent in the corner, but Em already knew and wouldn't tell others, because that would mean revealing himself, and Em wouldn't risk that.
"Yeah?" Muzaka tore open the packet, tipping his head back and drinking from it.
Frankenstein picked at their glove, trying to sort out what they wanted to say. They knew what it was, but actually saying it... That was different.
Muzaka had trusted them with his thoughts, so why couldn't they just say it?
Because they were far too used to misdirecting, to hiding in the shadows when they could. Being unobtrusive, not saying what they really thought to draw attention to themself.
They exhaled, still picking at their glove.
This was something they wanted to do, not something the Union had told them to do. This was something that could make them stand out and make others scrutinise them.
It was easy to talk to Em, because Em wouldn't be able to tell the others without revealing himself. It was safe.
This wasn't. This was exposing themself in a way they hadn't realised they'd never done before.
"I've...been considering..." Their voice almost died right there, their heart hammering.
They could kill someone without a thought, and lie to someone's face about what they'd been doing at the time, but they couldn't say they were planning on working against the Union?
Practice. Because they had far more practice with the former than the latter.
And the only way to get better was to do it.
They smiled a little when Muzaka laid a hand on their knee, giving it a squeeze.
Yes. They had to say this. They couldn't run away from it. They needed Muzaka's help with this; they wouldn't be able to do it alone.
Exhaling, Frankenstein lay their hand over Muzaka's.
"I want to see if we can rebuild the dropship," Frankenstein said, faster than they would normally speak, forcing themself to watch Muzaka's face for any minute changes, in case they'd misread him. "If we're able to figure out a way off this base, find a way to not be tracked..." Frankenstein's voice did die then. And then what? Be free? Be constantly on the run from the Union?
Who knew.
But the thought of being able to decide what their future was, rather than being told what to do...
No. They couldn't think about that right now.
That was only a possibility. They had to get away from the Union first before they could entertain the thought.
...And Muzaka still hadn't said anything yet.
He hadn't pulled his hand away though, so maybe he was thinking it over?
"You wanna get out of here?"
"Yes," Frankenstein said. "I don't want-" Where to start? "I'd rather not stay here, and have our fates played with by the Union."
Muzaka nodded, turning his hand so they intertwined their fingers. "Heh, I didn't think anyone else wanted to escape - everyone was just focused on doing well for the Union. What made you change yer mind?"
Frankenstein's stomach squirmed. They'd been doing exactly that: believing that if they did as they were told, they would be rewarded... With more of the same. But it still seemed like they'd proven themselves by doing it.
Em was right. Whether the test continued or not, they were doing the same either way.
They just...didn't want to do it anymore.
Frankenstein ran their thumb over Muzaka's hand, studying it. He was more tanned than they were, slivers of scars there as well. "I realised you were right about a lot of things. About the Union, that they say whatever they want to manipulate people." They paused, just staring at Muzaka's hand again. Should they tell Muzaka? He had said he didn't think there was a difference between crewmates and imposters, but to reveal what they were was to reveal what they had been doing in the base.
But they were tired of lying. And what was the point in escaping the Union if they had to hide themselves from Muzaka?
"That there's little difference between crewmembers and imposters," Frankenstein said. Hm, maybe that was too obtuse.
"Yeah, that's what I said," Muzaka said, nodding.
Frankenstein sighed. Yes, that was too obtuse. Then... As plainly as they could. "I was more meaning..." Even trying to say it felt strange on their tongue. "I discovered that my DNA is far more similar to human than I'd been lead to believe." Still not that plain, but years of not talking about what they were was hard to overcome.
"Oh." Muzaka squeezed their hand. "Okay."
That was-? Frankenstein let out a short laugh, leaning against Muzaka, Muzaka nuzzling their head.
Yes, Muzaka had said his position about imposters from the very start. "You don't mind?" That they'd lied to Muzaka, that they'd killed the others.
"We're all doing what the Union tells us because our lives are on the line either way," Muzaka murmured. He huffed. "And now you're not, and by doin' that, you're risking everything."
Frankenstein closed their eyes, humming. Yes, they were. "We won't know what the new group will bring, but hopefully we'll have more allies." People who would help with the dropship. People who didn't want to continue with the cycle of death.
Now they just had to wait for their arrival.
"We'll see what we can figure out about the dropship until then," Muzaka said, kissing Frankenstein's head.