Little Wolf [Visit]

[esp_dragonv2]

Fandom: Noblesse
Summary: Min-gyu was trying to be quiet.
Notes: Frankenstein/Muzaka, who adopt little!M-21 AU.
A different AU where little M-21 doesn't have a night/full moon transformation (yet?).
Rating: G
Genre: General
Word count: 3,017
Total word count: 14,957
Status: Work in progress



Min-gyu hid under his covers, trying to cry as quietly as he could. He'd messed up. He was sure of it. Frankenstein and Muzaka hated him. They were just waiting until morning when they'd tell him they couldn't look after him anymore, like everyone else before them.

They hated him.

Stupid! If he'd done better, answered better, they would still like him.

The tears wouldn't stop coming, his entire body shaking, his throat closing up and he was making a mess of the bed. They would be mad about that too and he was too old to cry now. Everyone said that. Frankenstein and Muzaka hadn't, but they were thinking it.

He froze, hearing the door handle to his room turning. Oh no. He'd been too noisy! He knew it! Stupidstupidstupid! He covered his mouth, trying to be quiet as the door swung open.

He squeezed his eyes shut, holding his breath. He heard someone walking in, but... It was weird. It didn't sound like Frankenstein or Muzaka. It was too light, too many-

"Ah!" The cover was yanked back and he raised his arms, bracing for whatever was coming next, apologies already on the tip of his tongue.

It didn't come.

He peeked through his arms, but no-one was there.

Huh?

Was he dreaming? But what had pulled his cover back?

Movement caught his eye and he leaned forward, eyes going wide at a massive dog laying there. It was going to eat him. They had a dog and they were setting it on him because he'd been too noisy!

A high sound filled the room, the dog's tail...wagging? It kept moving side to side and then the dog rolled over onto its back.

"Um," Min-gyu said. "Aren't you meant to eat me...?"

The dog snorted and rolled back to its feet, shaking its head like it was actually saying 'no'.

"Really?"

The dog nodded this time, taking a step closer, watching him.

If the dog wasn't going to eat him, what did it want?

Another step. Another.

The dog lay its head on his lap, tail moving again.

"That's what you wanted?" That seemed okay.

The dog lifted its head and Min-gyu stilled. The dog was big, with long silver fur. It's snout was almost the size of his face and-

Min-gyu sucked in a breath, seeing a flash of teeth closing in on him. He was too slow, the fangs reaching him and-

A hot wet something across his face.

W-what?

It happened again, Min-gyu just about seeing the tongue before it covered his eyes.

"H-hey!" What was it doing? It wasn't eating him, unless the dog was going to lick him to death.

It might be able to do that.

The dog hopped onto Min-gyu's bed, the bed dipping under its weight. He fell back, but he didn't fall over, falling into the dog's side instead.

The dog was soft. Warm. He could feel it breathing too.

The dog settled around Min-gyu, and started licking his face again. Over and over again, and Min-gyu giggled, the tongue feeling funny.

"What are you doing here?"

Min-gyu sucked in a breath, forgetting about the dog as he focused on his bedroom door. The one the dog had left wide open when it came in.

He wasn't supposed to be awake right now. The dog had been making a mess of his bed, and of him.

"Sorry," Frankenstein with a sigh, lifting a hand to rest it on his forehead. "He wasn't supposed to do that."

"Oh, um, he's yours...?" Min-gyu said. He hadn't seen the dog around before. Frankenstein wasn't worried about the mess, and Min-gyu wasn't going to remind him.

"Yes," Frankenstein said, his voice tense, making Min-gyu look down at the floor. "I'm currently dogsitting - now if you could please come here?"

Min-gyu started to sit up, but a paw lay over his shoulder, holding him in place. "Um?" How was he supposed to do what Frankenstein told him to if the dog was stopping him? He lifted his hands to try and move the paw away, but Frankenstein spoke again.

"He's meant to be sleeping. Let him rest," Frankenstein said, gesturing out the door.

Oh. Frankenstein was talking to the dog.

The dog didn't move though, curling tighter around Min-gyu with a low growl, licking Min-gyu's face again.

"Hey..." Min-gyu said, trying to push the dog away. It was too big and strong, Min-gyu not able to do anything. Min-gyu kept trying, or else the dog would get in trouble for not listening.

"...All right," Frankenstein said as he walked into Min-gyu's room and Min-gyu froze, waiting to see what Frankenstein would do, who he would grab first.

Frankenstein did neither, sitting next to Min-gyu and resting a hand on the dog's head. "Now then, what's so important that you needed to see him, hm?"

Um. Min-gyu didn't know. Could the dog talk?

Frankenstein hummed, peering at Min-gyu's face, and Min-gyu quickly looked at the dog instead. "Let's clean your face up first, shall we?"

A handkerchief appeared in Frankenstein's hand and he started wiping Min-gyu's face. It was a soft touch, just brushing Min-gyu's skin and Frankenstein didn't grab roughly to keep him in place.

Frankenstein wiped a few times and then slowed, tilting Min-gyu's face upwards.

"Min-gyu," Frankenstein murmured, "were you crying...?"

He sucked in a breath, but didn't try to pull away. Was it obvious? But he'd stopped crying! "N-no! I wasn't!"

"I won't be angry," Frankenstein said, his voice still soft as he wiped Min-gyu's face again. His voice was still the same, and how he held Min-gyu was the same too. Frankenstein hadn't changed because he thought Min-gyu had cried. Yet. He might be waiting for Min-gyu to tell him the truth, or wanted Min-gyu to say something else.

"But if you're sad about something," Frankenstein continued, "I would like to know in case there's something I can do to help."

Frankenstein wanted to...help? But... Adults said that a lot, but then never did anything. Or got angry because he needed help. Or said he was lying.

And Frankenstein hated him anyway. That was why... That was why...!

Min-gyu sniffled, and his breathing hitched even as he tried to control it. He wasn't supposed to cry! Frankenstein was going to know he was lying! But he didn't want-

The tears were rolling down his face and he scrubbed at them with a sleeve.

He gasped when he was lifted up by the armpits, but as soon as he was lifted up, he was placed back down again, and he could maybe see the dog's white fur through Frankenstein's hair, and he must have been pressed up against Frankenstein's chest.

Frankenstein wrapped his arms around him. It wasn't too tight, it didn't hurt. Min-gyu tried to hear what he was saying -he really did!- but he couldn't hear over his own crying and he just couldn't stop.

Frankenstein didn't try to make him stop and Min-gyu tried to apologise but every time he took in a breath, another wave of crying happened.

The tears finally slowed and Min-gyu leaned against Frankenstein's shoulder, his breathing almost hiccuping.

"Do you feel better?"

Min-gyu wasn't sure. He was tired, like he'd spent the entire day outside and he just wanted to sleep.

Especially when Frankenstein wanted to talk and he wasn't sure what Frankenstein wanted to hear. It would have been easier to pretend he was sleeping so he didn't have to answer...

The dog lifted its head and licked Min-gyu's face, making him giggle at the funny feeling again. ...Oh. Frankenstein would know he was still awake.

"Would you like to sit on my lap instead?"

The dog's ears flicked back as it growled again.

"I wouldn't need to if you stopped licking him."

Another growl.

What did Frankenstein want him to do? "Okay," Min-gyu said. He was placed on Frankenstein's lap and he pressed his face against Frankenstein's chest. Now what was going to happen?

"Do you want to tell me what was making you sad?"

Min-gyu sniffed again and Frankenstein wiped his nose. "I..." Did Frankenstein want the truth or did he want something else? Min-gyu's thoughts were too fuzzy, too tired to think of a different answer. "I don't want t-to leave." He braced himself for whatever Frankenstein's reaction would be.

Frankenstein didn't tense, didn't move. "Why do you have to leave?"

H-huh? "You hate me, that's why." Even saying that hurt Min-gyu's chest.

"I and Muzaka have never said that." Frankenstein's voice was still the same, still warm and soft with no hidden tightness.

"But-" Min-gyu cut himself off. Was he trying to say he knew what Frankenstein was thinking? People didn't like that.

"We don't hate you," Frankenstein repeated, "and we want you to stay with us for as long as possible."

"But I messed up." They had to hate him.

Frankenstein ran his fingers through Min-gyu's hair, over and over, the movements staying the same. "What did you mess up?"

"Lots! I dropped my plate this morning." It had been so loud when it hit the floor. Frankenstein had seen it happen too, which had made it worse.

"Mmhm," Frankenstein said, and Min-gyu's stomach sank. Frankenstein agreed he'd messed up. "And what did we do after that?"

Uh. What did they do? He could remember dropping the plate so clearly and how he couldn't catch it and food going everywhere, but afterwards... He couldn't remember. He had to, and quickly so Frankenstein wouldn't get mad. "We... We cleaned it up?" He'd expected to be yelled at afterwards but that didn't happen. Not during the clean up, or afterwards.

"Yes!" Frankenstein smiled at him. "Even when you mess up -which is okay to do, because you're learning right now and you always will be- there are things you can do afterwards to help fix it."

"But..." Min-gyu felt the tears well up in his eyes again and he scrubbed at them with a sleeve. "I should know how to do this already!" He shouldn't still be making mistakes!

"Min-gyu," Frankenstein said, "it may not feel like it, but there's a lot of things to learn and Muzaka and I don't expect you to get everything right first time. I still make mistakes and I've been around much longer than you."

Min-gyu's eyes widened. "You make mistakes?" But Frankenstein was an adult! And Min-gyu had never seen him make a mistake.

"Of course." Frankenstein nodded. "You might not realise it when I make them because it seemed like I meant to do it. Like tonight's dinner - it wasn't how I wanted it to turn out."

"But it was so good!" Min-gyu blurted out. Something that good couldn't be a mistake.

"Exactly. Dinner was different from what I wanted, but did you or Muzaka hate me?"

"No..." He couldn't ever imagine hating Frankenstein, and definitely not Muzaka either.

"Do you know why it still tasted good?"

Min-gyu shook his head.

"Because I've made mistakes like that before, and because I had, I learned from them so I could fix them. If I hadn't learned from them, I would keep making the same mistake over and over again."

"But I keep making making mistakes..." There was always something else he did...

"When was the last time you dropped a plate?"

Min-gyu thought it over. And kept thinking it over. "I...I don't know?" Was it before he came here?

"And what did you learn after dropping the plate?"

"Not to do it again," he said quickly. That answer was easy.

"By doing what?"

Oh. This question was harder. "Umm..." What could he do? He'd made a mistake, so he shouldn't do that anymore. That was what he was always told. The plate had slipped from his fingers... "Holding the plate tighter?"

Frankenstein smiled at him. "Yes! Very good."

Min-gyu flushed and looked away. Frankenstein and Muzaka praising him made his chest feel funny. He hadn't done anything to earn it either.

"And I'll make sure you're ready to hold the plate too."

That...sounded like Frankenstein was saying he'd made a mistake too? That wasn't right.

"Now," Frankenstein said, "do you still think you're leaning in the morning?"

Min-gyu tried thinking it over, but his eyes were drooping and he could feel he was tilting forward sometimes. His thoughts...felt so slow right now... "No..." Min-gyu said, trying to hide his yawn. He had to pay attention. He had to answer correctly. Frankenstein might still change his mind in the morning, but right now Frankenstein was saying he wouldn't.

"Okay, now I think it's time to go back to sleep, mm?"

Min-gyu hadn't been asleep at all, but he nodded anyway.

Frankenstein cleaned his face one more time, and then looked at the dog behind them.

He got a low grumble.

"He needs to sleep and to do that, he needs to be able to get into his bed."

A huff and then the dog stood up, hopping off Min-gyu's bed.

Frankenstein helped to tuck Min-gyu into bed. Once he was done, Min-gyu could see the dog sitting next to Frankenstein, looking up at Frankenstein, and then at Min-gyu, then back to Frankenstein.

Frankenstein sighed. "You can say goodnight."

The dog's tail started wagging and it opened its mouth, revealing so many sharp teeth and its long tongue.

"But no licking," Frankenstein added, placing a hand on the dog's snout just as it lunged forward.

The dog's ears flattened and it grumbled again. It was silent for a second and then the dog nodded.

Frankenstein removed his arm and the dog leaned in, pressing its nose to Min-gyu's cheek. It was wet like the dog's tongue, but Frankenstein seemed happy with that.

"Thank you." Frankenstein made one final adjustment to Min-gyu's bed before leaning down to kiss Min-gyu's other cheek. "Goodnight, Min-gyu."

"Goodnight..." This time, Min-gyu couldn't stop his yawn, his eyes fluttering closed.

Maybe...in the morning....it would still be...

* * *
Min-gyu woke up slowly, staring at his nightlight. He had a small headache but he didn't feel as tired as he normally did.

...Oh, Frankenstein had come to his room and...

That had to be a dream. Especially with the dog. He couldn't remember a lot of what Frankenstein had said, but it hadn't made sense because -

He'd dropped his plate and Frankenstein and Muzaka hated him.

Min-gyu rubbed at his eyes, but his face felt clean. He'd dreamed last night, but he hadn't dreamed dropping the plate.

He got ready for school, eyes lingering over the stuff in his room. Would he be able to take at least one of them when he was taken away again? Getting ready took longer than he usually did but... He really didn't want to go.

But taking too long would make Frankenstein and Muzaka mad.

He went down the stairs, taking one at a time, hearing Frankenstein and Muzaka chatting in the kitchen. They were talking about how to send him back...

"Mornin', kiddo!"

He gasped when he was lifted up and span in the air, Muzaka's wide grin right in front of him.

"Breakfast is almost ready, if you wanna help set the table?"

Huh? Didn't he know? "But I'll drop the plate." That was why he was going back.

"Eh, they won't break if you do, and we can pick them up again afterwards, yeah?" Muzaka put him down again, ruffling Min-gyu's hair.

"They need to be durable to survive your handling, Muzaka," Frankenstein said dryly, spooning something into a plate.

"Exactly!"

Frankenstein turned his attention to Min-gyu. "How are you feeling now, Min-gyu?"

Now...? But... Frankenstein would only be asking that if... He saw him last night. "Uhm, I'm okay?"

If he hadn't dreamed that last night, then Frankenstein knew he thought he was being sent away again.

"I'm glad to hear that. This is ready, if you can take it to the table?" Frankenstein held out a filled plate and Min-gyu stared at it with wide eyes. Frankenstein was giving him another plate after he'd dropped one yesterday?

"Do you remember what you learned from last time?"

Min-gyu nodded. "Not to drop it again." Wait. There was something else. "And to hold it properly."

"Well remembered!"

The fuzzy feeling in Min-gyu's stomach happened again, but it was different from the feeling when he was worried.

Min-gyu held the plate in both hands.

"Do you have it?"

"Yeah." ...Hadn't Frankenstein said he was going to make sure Min-gyu was holding the plate properly too?

Frankenstein let go of the plate. And Min-gyu didn't drop it. He exhaled and then went to the living room table, hearing Muzaka following him.

Min-gyu put the plate on the table. Nothing had spilled. He hadn't dropped it.

"Good job, kiddo." Muzaka ruffled his hair. "Wanna help with the rest of them?"

"Yeah?" They still wanted him to help?

Min-gyu looked around the kitchen when they got back. He couldn't see any dog bowls...

"Is there something wrong?"

"I was just wondering where the dog was?" He saw Frankenstein and Muzaka share a look. Was he not meant to mention that? Had he dreamed the dog?

"I was just dogsitting last night," Frankenstein said, "so he's gone now."

Oh. He'd wanted to see the dog again... Maybe it was better this way - the dog might lick him again.

"You might see him again next month, though I can't promise he'll be around."

Min-gyu started nodding, and then stared at Frankenstein.

Frankenstein peered at him. "Hm?"

"'Next month'?" Min-gyu repeated, eyes wide. But - weren't they-?

"Yes?" The puzzled look on Frankenstein's melted into a smile and he chuckled, kneeling down next to Min-gyu to draw him into a hug. "I said we didn't hate you, didn't I? We want you to stay."

Frankenstein hadn't been lying? He really meant it?

Min-gyu clung on, his breathing getting short again as he felt Muzaka's hand on his head.

They wanted him to stay!