Perks [React]

[esp_dragonv2]

Fandom: Noblesse
Summary: Muzaka had an unexpected reaction to the experiments.
Notes: Night Shift AU where Frankenstein is a scientist and Muzaka is an Alpha assigned to him.
And now for a plot chapter, because of course there's one, haha.
Rating: G
Genre: General
Word count: 4,490
Total word count: 7,251
Status: Work in progress



Frankenstein paused from writing in his notebook at the sound of a klaxon. It wasn't a fire alarm, but warning that something dangerous was on the loose. An aggressive experiment most likely, though those weren't kept near Frankenstein's lab and the klaxons rang locally. Unless that said just how far the experiment had travelled to get to this area.

He was meant to shelter in place until the alarm stopped, and that was fine so long as he wasn't distrac-

Frankenstein's office door thudded open and he sighed, returning to his notes before he lost his train of thought.

There were very few people who would enter Frankenstein's office unannounced and only one who would do it with enough force to make it almost crash into the wall.

"How many times have I told you to kn-"

Movement in Frankenstein's periphery that was far too large to be Muzaka and Frankenstein jerked his gaze up, to see a large furry something had squeezed in through Frankenstein's door.

Humanoid with long silver fur, so much of it that it didn't look like it should have fit through the doorway. A canine-like face, except the snout was too short, like it was half-formed. 7 or 8 foot tall, and scars causing breaks in the fur.

Scars-?

The placement of the scars were familiar. Too familiar.

The experiment's triangular ears flicked back towards the door before they - he growled and lunged towards Frankenstein.

Frankenstein may have had some enhancements, but that was nothing compared to what Alphas had - Muzaka was already on top of him, Frankenstein hearing and then feeling the crash of his desk as it toppled over.

He was winded by the attack, but not hurt.

Still not hurt?

The seconds ticked by and all Frankenstein could see was dense silver fur and hear Muzaka growling.

"Muzaka...?" Frankenstein said.

Muzaka's face reappeared in his vision, nuzzling at him.

"Muz - I - exc-" Muzaka wasn't letting him speak, interrupting him every time he took a breath.

Not dangerous then. At worst, possibly Frankenstein's legs going to sleep under Muzaka's weight.

Frankenstein heard the clatter of boots outside his office and so did Muzaka, head snapping up and lips peeled back with a snarl.

...There were bright red spots across Muzaka's fur.

"Anyone in there?"

Muzaka had been shot.

He was the aggressive experiment.

Dammit.

Frankenstein eased himself from under Muzaka, Muzaka glancing between Frankenstein and the door.

If security thought Muzaka was alone, they would open fire or use their abilities. Frankenstein didn't want that to happen.

"I'm here," Frankenstein called out as he got to his feet. Muzaka let him, though Muzaka didn't move away to give him space. He would have to hope security wouldn't shoot Muzaka to 'protect' Frankenstein.

A pause. "Are you safe?"

Frankenstein looked up at Muzaka, who merely blinked at him. "Very much so."

One security officer scurried in, gun raised.

Muzaka reacted immediately, snarling again with one clawed paw grabbing Frankenstein by the shoulder and yanking him back so that Muzaka stood between the officer and Frankenstein.

"Sir-!"

Frankenstein stared up at the back of Muzaka's head, seeing his flat ears.

Muzaka was protecting him...?

From the little Frankenstein had seen, Muzaka clearly wasn't thinking like himself, merely reacting on instinct.

Muzaka's first instinct while getting shot and hurt was to seek Frankenstein out and protect him...?

Were the orders so embedded in Muzaka's brain that he would follow them no matter what state of mind he was in?

A soldier and an Alpha to the core, huh.

Exactly what Augur wanted.

Though not like this.

"I'm fine," Frankenstein said, thinking furiously. He was meant to be in front of Muzaka to protect him, even if Muzaka was a clear head taller than he was right now.

"Are you able to step away from it?"

Yes, but he was unwilling to for the reason why he was being asked. "He's not wild." Clearly.

A cut off hiss. "Sir, have you seen the vids of the civilians who believe that?"

No. He had no time for that, but he could guess the outcome.

"It's already mauled one scientist - we don't want any more."

Interesting. Frankenstein tutted. "How long have you been standing there and he hasn't attacked? The only reason he's agitated is because of your presence." The difference in Muzaka's recent change in manner was obvious and what the cause was.

Muzaka had attacked someone? There had to be a reason for it, like why Muzaka was transformed like this in the first place, or been injured.

More footfalls, Muzaka crouching over Frankenstein's overturned desk, his tail flicking until it hit Frankenstein, staying there. Checking where he was.

"It could be tired out. Just getting its breath back."

That made Frankenstein snort. Unless the transformation itself had tired Muzaka out, Frankenstein had a good idea of Muzaka's strength and stamina. So should security, transformation or not; they were usually Alphas as well.

"You're worth more than it," the newcomer said, and Frankenstein froze. He hadn't just heard that. "You can make more Alp-"

"Shut. Up," Frankenstein snapped through clenched teeth.

Even Muzaka tensed at his tone, turning his head to eye him with wide eyes.

Frankenstein wanted to rage like he was famous for, to take a strip off the idiots, but now was not the time. Muzaka had transformed, and Frankenstein didn't know how much strain that was putting on Muzaka's body.

"We've established he's not violent now and that it's my responsibility to take care of this mess, yes?" Frankenstein continued, trying to keep a hold of his temper while Muzaka's injuries were staring him in the face. They had been kill shots. Not to tranquillise or restrain. Because Muzaka hadn't done what they'd wanted.

Because of their own mistakes.

"Uh. Well, Sir, he's not your proj-"

"Then where is the one overseeing this particular experiment?" Frankenstein cut them off. They were wasting time doing this.

The silence was answer enough, and exactly what Frankenstein had assumed.

The head scientist had been who Muzaka had attacked.

"As I said," Frankenstein said, his voice clipped, seeing Muzaka edge away from him but not enough for the officers to see him, "since there's clearly been some kind of breakdown-" Not just in Muzaka's experiment, but in communication and other things to have allowed all of this to happen. "-and no-one else has volunteered, I'll be taking over his care." He stepped out from Muzaka, spotting the two officers as he strode towards the door, hearing Muzaka fall in step like he always did.

The officers raised their guns.

"You harm him one more time," Frankenstein snarled, "and I will make sure not only will you no longer work here, but that you will not work with anyone affiliated with Augur for gross and reckless damage of Augur property!"

"But-"

The second officer held up a hand, signalling for the first to shut their mouth. Finally. Someone with the ability to think.

Frankenstein left his office, seeing the other officers scatter away from him. They didn't threaten Muzaka, and Muzaka didn't react to them either.

The officers followed them though, their radios constantly crackling.

Frankenstein didn't care, mind whirling through scenarios and possibilities of what he would find.

Muzaka was what mattered right now.

The klaxon finally stopped and Frankenstein exhaled, his ears ringing. Muzaka huffed as well, and how much better were Muzaka's ears right now?

His lab wasn't far from the office, and he noticed when Muzaka stopped, hesitating at the doorway. Frankenstein turned, seeing Muzaka studying everything in the lab in a long sweep, ending his gaze on Frankenstein. Muzaka relaxed, stepping into the lab.

...Did Muzaka trust him enough that Frankenstein's presence alone was enough to comfort him?

Frankenstein didn't know Muzaka had reservations being in a lab, but they didn't talk much about what happened in one, Muzaka more readily talking about the missions his squad had done.

Seeing Muzaka's reaction, maybe there was a reason for that.

Frankenstein patted a bed. "Lie here." In case Muzaka suddenly took a turn for a worst he wouldn't fall off anything.

Frankenstein heard the click of claws on the tiles as Frankenstein prepared everything he needed.

The creak of the bed was louder than expected, and when Frankenstein turned around to check, Muzaka was curled up on his side facing Frankenstein. As soon as Frankenstein looked, Muzaka's tail thumped against the bed.

...Ah. It wasn't just that Muzaka had gained some height, fur and a tail - Muzaka's legs had rearranged themselves as well so that lying on his back wouldn't be the most comfortable for him.

Muzaka was also still exposed as well, even if it didn't seem like it when he was covered in fur and probably didn't realise it.

Frankenstein would need to get a blanket for him, but he needed to know how injured Muzaka was first.

The blood had already darkened and dried, but not enough to flake off, making finding where Muzaka had been shot easy.

There was no open wounds when Frankenstein lifted up Muzaka's fur, but the skin was still healing, hot and bruised.

Muzaka shifted at his touch but didn't pull away.

Frankenstein frowned. Muzaka still hurt after healing? Frankenstein knew how long an Alpha's pain tolerance had to be to deal with the experiments - for Muzaka to react, something had to be very wrong.

But he knew that already.

Now he had to fix it.

* * *
Frankenstein scowled at the data scrolling up the screen, his temper flaring with every new line he read.

Incompetent.

Absolute incompetence had led to the chain of failures that had resulted in Muzaka's transformation. Missed interactions, rushed experiments before Muzaka fully recovered from the last one, not checking on him.

For the sake of getting results.

They'd certainly achieved that, with far less people to finish the report they wanted.

And they weren't even able to confirm or disprove what they were researching in the first place!

Incompetent idiots, the lot of them.

Which was why Frankenstein did his best to collaborate with the others as little as possible. This was the usual result.

It was any wonder Muzaka trusted any of them with how he had been treated and what he'd been through. And yet he'd mostly kept his smile somehow.

Maybe that was why Muzaka had trusted him even when his higher brain functions weren't active - Muzaka had never been treated by Frankenstein as a test subject or receiving the serum.

Well.

Hopefully that wouldn't change now that Muzaka would be under Frankenstein's care.

* * *
Frankenstein exhaled, leaning his hands on the bed, still feeling the heat Muzaka was giving off even at a distance.

He needed to make sure Muzaka's temperature didn't raise too far off baseline, but for now...

For now he had reversed the reaction, Muzaka looking human again with far less fur.

His skin was still marked through, bruises visible through they were yellowing now, not quite as dark. There was no sign of the fur that had covered his entire body, sucked back into his skin as if they had never existed.

New blood test to see if anything else had changed or reacted to the transformation, make sure Muzaka had enough fluids-

He scowled when he heard something in the corner of his lab, head snapping up at the officers there.

"As you can see he's not a danger anymore-" Not without orders. "-so leave me in peace from your annoying hovering."

The officers hesitated, glancing at each other, and then nodded.

"Yes, Sir."

Even the sound of their boots grated on Frankenstein's nerves until the door swung shut behind them.

Frankenstein focused on Muzaka again, who had somehow fallen asleep throughout everything. From boredom or to recover?

Or possibly a mix of both. The answer for that wasn't as important right now as much as he was curious.

Frankenstein tucked Muzaka under the blanket to make sure his temperature would stay stable. Muzaka's brow stayed relaxed.

He had more work to do.

* * *
Muzaka woke up with a groan, his head pounding like he'd been on a day long bender.

...Did that even work anymore? He was more resistant to drugs after the Augur augmentations.

He cracked his eyes open and was met with white tiles.

Uh-oh. A bender and he woke up in a lab?

...And he was just in his underwear.

Yeah, he was in trouble.

"Oh good, you're awake."

That wasn't a voice Muzaka expected to hear, and he could see a yellow fuzz in the periphery of his vision. "Hey, Boss," he croaked, his throat dry like sandpaper. The situation was getting worse and worse. Sure, he and Boss had some 'extra-work relations' but getting blackout drunk was something else - that had been drilled into their heads even before they'd received their first serum dose. Uncontrolled super soldiers wasn't something Augur wanted.

"How are you feeling?" Frankenstein asked, peering at him.

Muzaka stared, trying to kick his brain to work faster. Had to respond, even if he was hungover. Or especially because he was hungover. Though Muzaka was sure he was hallucinating, because Frankenstein was never that nice.

"I'm fine, Boss."

Frankenstein frowned.

Oh, right, Frankenstein was still a scientist. At least this seemed more like the Frankenstein he was familiar with. Muzaka would placate the imaginary scientist, Muzaka's thoughts still fuzzy. Frankenstein wasn't asking him to do anything so he would just answer the questions to empty air while his body worked the alcohol through his system.

"Mild headache and I feel like I was tryin' to eat a sponge." Or maybe he'd been successful with how his mouth was feeling. "I think that's it."

"Hm. Can you sit up?"

"Sure, Boss." Still not dangerous territory. He sat up - and winced, hands braced behind him to keep himself up. Huh. "Feels like I had a round with a gorilla too." Or maybe a team of Alphas. His entire torso was tenderised, even if there weren't any marks to prove it. Or that was part of the hallucination too.

There were more questions and those were the standard ones Muzaka was used to. He answered them on autopilot, taking deliberate breaths, the pain becoming more and more obvious.

Frankenstein was frowning again, watching him. He'd answered all his questions though. Well. Muzaka thought he was - he hadn't been paying attention to what the questions were or what he'd said.

"Muzaka..." Frankenstein said. "Are you feeling pain right now?"

"Nah, Boss." The pain scale was one thing the scientists didn't care about, so long as Muzaka bore through it until the end of the recording session.

A long pause. Or Muzaka's brain was still trying to catch up.

"Would you like something for it?" Frankenstein's voice was soft, almost hesitant. Definitely a hallucination.

"I'm good," Muzaka said as lightly as he could. Asking and getting painkillers made everything last way longer than they had to. He could deal with the current level.

Frankenstein didn't react to that either. The only other times Muzaka saw him so quiet was when he was absorbed in analysing data but even then Frankenstein would be muttering under his breath.

"Do you remember what happened?"

"Eh." Muzaka shrugged. "Not really." Not at all, to be honest.

Frankenstein was still studying him like there was a glass barrier between them, like Muzaka was holding a puzzle Frankenstein was trying to piece together.

Yeah. He definitely preferred how Frankenstein looked at him when they were in the middle of fucking than how the other scientists looked at him.

"What day is it?"

Memory questions now? Weird. Or Frankenstein just being thorough. "Thursday." That was easy, because- "Ah, shit," Muzaka said, trying to find a clock on the wall. "I've got a check-up I'm meant to be at."

"You...don't have to worry about that now."

Double shit. "...Friday?"

"Yes, it's Friday."

So got blackout drunk enough to blow past a mandatory check-up.

People would not be happy with him.

"I'd like to see if you're able to stand."

He wasn't that hungover. Maybe. He could be overestimating because he was hungover.

Muzaka swung his legs over the edge of the bed, but as soon as his feet touched the ground, he gritted his teeth against his hiss.

"Muzaka?"

"I'm fine, Boss." It only felt like he'd regrown all his skin and he'd never used his muscles before. Nothing too bad.

Another pause, Frankenstein narrowing his eyes at him. Oops, the wrong answer. He'd most avoided Frankenstein's infamous temper since he'd been assigned, but he'd been around long enough to know the warning signs.

"I can't help you if you aren't truthful with me."

That made Muzaka snort. Frankenstein? Helping? He never helped anyone of his own free will and had to be forced into it with scowls and snappy comments as he fixed the scientists' issues from their mistakes. Muzaka had heard from the others and it seemed like a spiral: because of Frankensein's temper, they didn't want to contact him unless it was necessary, which meant they waited longer than they should when the the problem was easier to fix. So when Frankenstein was finally called in, there was just an unidentified mess everywhere. Frankenstein was still able to fix it, cursing everyone out on every mistake he found that had built up on top of each other. After that thrashing, the scientists would be less willing to call on Frankenstein unless they had tried everything else first.

"Here, I can help," Frankenstein said, his voice dry.

"Sure, Boss." Muzaka eased his feet down again, bracing himself for the weird tingling. Was it really tomorrow or was it next week? It was like he'd been that long and his muscles had deconditioned.

The feeling wasn't as bad the second time, but his legs almost slipped under him putting weight on them.

Muzaka let out controlled breaths, forcing every muscle to work. He trembled, feeling like he was lifting a truck, not his own body, but he did it.

"Muzaka, sit."

He did as he was told, a high pitched tone in his ears. Oh. Had Frankenstein been talking and he hadn't noticed?

Frankenstein was apparently still talking. Uh. He just couldn't concentrate on the words, everything muffled like he was submerged in a tank.

Frankenstein must have realised, glaring at him. Frankenstein placed a hand on his shoulder, pushing him back.

Muzaka did that too and - oh. The ceiling was spinning. The hangover or Frankenstein had slipped him something? No, couldn't have. Frankenstein wasn't there.

Something was off about that, but he couldn't piece together what, his thoughts fizzling out half formed.

"Huh, I guess I'm still half drunk," Muzaka said.

Anger flashed across Frankenstein's face again, a deep crease across his forehead as he frowned. "Is there anything else you would like to tell me that you're experiencing?"

Muzaka shrugged, the ceiling settling, only rocking side to side instead of going full circle. "I'm hallucinatin'?"

Frankenstein studied him for a second. Or longer. It was hard to tell time right now. "What are you seeing?"

"You. Bein' nice. Yer bedside's still shit, but it's better than the others. You're definitely not the Frankenstein I know though."

"Really?" Frankenstein was leaning over him, his tie brushing Muzaka's shoulder, and he curled a hand around it, wrapping it around his fist. Smooth like Frankenstein's ties usually were. He tugged to pull Frankenstein closer and Frankenstein let him.

That meant he definitely wasn't here and Muzaka was just imagining things. Frankenstein wouldn't allow that.

He drew him closer and then closed the gap, kissing him. Frankenstein's lips were warm.

Frankenstein stilled but Muzaka let go, letting his head drop back with a groan, closing his eyes. Even that had drained him. Why did he feel so weak? "Too bad I can't do that normally - you'd take my balls if I did, heh." It was strictly just a fucking relationship, nothing more. That was all Frankenstein wanted. And with the cameras around, they had to be careful with what they did and where.

"I...see." A long exhale. "You should rest. Unless... Hm. You need anything else right now?"

Muzaka chuckled. "Nah. Time to be a good soldier and follow the orders of a hallucination."

Was that a good idea? But the hallucination wasn't telling him to go anywhere. Just sleep.

The world had stopped spinning at least, and Muzaka drifted off.

* * *
...Well then. That was unexpected.

Muzaka had settled down, his breathing deepening and unlaboured, his heart rate slowing.

It was good Muzaka had kept his mental capabilities even if it appeared his tongue was looser than it usually was.

Frankenstein had thought Muzaka was an open book, eager to tell everything about himself, except that didn't appear to be the case.

He should have known that. Muzaka was a soldier, an Alpha - he was trained to keep secrets, to misdirect when asked questions. To feel as if you were getting information when you weren't.

Muzaka had kept Frankenstein's secret that he was a Shade from everyone else. Had never tried to use it against Frankenstein. Hadn't even brought it up again.

Frankenstein should have known.

And yet... He hadn't. Taken Muzaka at face value. What Muzaka presented to the world.

Was that how Muzaka felt? 'That' being...?

Something that wasn't just relieving boredom and energy during the workday.

Frankenstein took in a deep breath and exhaled, taking a step back. He wasn't focusing, his thoughts drifting back to the kiss, Muzaka's lips on his.

Muzaka was alive, but he wasn't himself. Not fully. Not yet. He was still being affected by what had had happened.

Frankenstein had to make sure Muzaka was all right first. Completely.

Then he could think about Muzaka's actions and words later.

They... Muzaka had been hallucinating. Not in his right frame of mind, drugged up to his eyeballs and in pain.

That was it.

* * *
Muzaka squinted at the bright lights blazing in his eyes. Not his room. A lab. He'd fallen asleep? That was unlikely.

Naked too except for some underwear, which was never a good sign. Not damp, so he hadn't been in a tank. Didn't smell different either.

He peeked around and huh. It wasn't a lab he recognised. Not at this level. Which was weird because he thought he'd been in all of them.

Kidnapped then?

He moved his wrists and ankles, and they weren't restrained. Only thing keeping him in place was a light blanket, which also wasn't something Augur scientists did.

There was a constant beep of machines, and he could see a heart monitor in the corner of his eye.

"Good afternoon, Muzaka."

Well. Shit. Naked in a lab and waking up to his boss and they hadn't just had sex? Something had went down.

"Hey, Boss," Muzaka said, opening his eyes fully as he sat up and swung his legs over the edge. It felt like he was doing it at the wrong angle, his muscles twinging, but not enough to stop him.

Frankenstein was in his pristine lab coat too, notebook in hand. Frankenstein had skipped out on his research to come see him?

"Sooo... What're you doin' here?" Muzaka had barely woken up and everything was already so surreal. Frankenstein didn't leave his research except for emergencies.

Frankenstein frowned. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Uh-oh. That was a leading question if any. What was the last thing he remembered? "Regular check-up and then I was here." He shrugged. "I must've fell asleep." Somehow. Or fell unconscious. The scientists didn't like it when he wasn't able to answer this questions.

He looked around but the entire lab was empty. Weird. There was always people bustling about, taking notes or looking at the machinery and screens.

"Was I sleepin' so deeply everyone left?" Was it that late?

"No." Frankenstein pursed his lips. "Not in that way."

Muzaka froze. That...really wasn't a good answer and he scrambled to fill in the gap. Nothing. He was at the check-up and then he was here. "I really don't remember anything, Boss."

"I believe you."

Muzaka stared at him. Uh. That didn't seem like Frankenstein either.

No guards. No restraints. Just a big empty gap in his brain. What had happened?

"And as there is no longer a lead scientist in charge-"

Dr Adamson? How the fuck had that happened?

"-of your particular series anymore, I have offered to oversee your care."

Muzaka stared again. He'd read enough of Frankenstein's research reports over his shoulder to know that was scientist speak for 'Frankenstein had flipped tables and demanded it happen or else he was throwing something out a window.' How bad had it been?

Sure, Muzaka felt like crap, but it was the usual day of training feeling rather than something that would move Frankenstein to action.

Wait. Why would Frankenstein would to look after him so badly anyway? Especially after something must have gone wrong?

"Uh. Thanks?" was all Muzaka could throw out.

Frankenstein kept watching him though. Like they were in the middle of fucking and was watching for his reaction, but also not...

Oh.

Muzaka flashed him a smile, letting out a breath and relaxing as much as he could as the pieces slid into place. No lead researcher, no-one else had taken him up, Frankenstein had taken over. "I feel good, Boss. Just like my usual self." Didn't explain why they were alone though, unless no-one wanted to be close now. But if he'd been deemed a threat- "No homicidal feelings." Just stretched a little thin.

Frankenstein nodded. "There's food and water next to you. You're on leave for the foreseeable future until you're fit for duty again." That was all he said before walking off.

Muzaka waited until Frankenstein was out the door before exhaling and flopping back onto the bed.

He'd put the pieces together, but things still weren't matching up.

Had he been the one to kill the lead? If he was, then he'd be dead. Augur didn't let wild Alphas run loose, even if they got their senses back afterwards. It was too big a risk if the Alpha lost it again.

But if it was an accident, they would just log it and carry on.

He grabbed the packet of rations Frankenstein had left him, staring up at the ceiling, wondering if his memory would just. Drift back into place.

It didn't.

And Frankenstein clearly wasn't talking.

So he would have to wait until he was out again to find out the full extent of what happened.

But being in a scientist's good books seemed like it was a good perk too.

---

2k smut and then 4k plot, because of course. And the plot being much more xeno, haha.