Summary: The mansion Frankenstein had stumbled into was dark and quiet. What was strange was the shirts he had found and the fact they all had a pair of slits running down the back of them…
Thank Laryna6 for this fic, bwahah. We started talking about winged!Rai and this happened.
There's a part 2 to this, but I'm working on angel/demon fic for nano, so this and posting a fic a day got put on hold until I'm done with that.
Dialogue at the start is from the webtoon.
Preen
By Dark Ice Dragon
Frankenstein eased the door open and peered into the room. Moonlight streaming in from the window helped him pick out the line of shirts in the middle of the room.
Perfect.
He slipped one off the mannequin, but paused when he saw two wide slits down the back. They ran parallel to each other, bracketing the spine. The shirt was new, not worn away and the slits looked as if they had been done with a knife. In fact, the edges had been sewn up so not to fray. How strange…
The other shirts were the same – they all had a pair of slits in the same place.
What was the purpose of them…?
That wasn't important to discover at that exact moment, not when he had to hide from the Clan Leaders first, and Frankenstein pulled on the shirt in his hand. The fabric was softer than what Frankenstein was used to.
The holes weren't so noticeable with the shirt on and at a quick glance the holes shouldn't be seen.
More secure in moving around unnoticed, Frankenstein left the room, closing the door behind him.
xOx
The mansion was quieter than Frankenstein expected. The lack of staff hustling about had been an advantage while he'd been shirtless, but now that he could pay attention, it was strange. Eerie, almost. The doorframes had caught Frankenstein's attention – they were wider, almost big enough to fit two regular doors side by side. They were also over two metres tall. So in addition to not taking responsibility for their actions, nobles were also vain creatures, displaying the wealth they had.
Something moved ahead of him and Frankenstein continued walking, ready to act like a servant if he was called upon.
The person who walked around the corner -
Well. That…explained the slits in the shirts and the doors.
An impressive pair of wings the colour of freshly spilled blood arched above the noble walking down the corridor. Even with the larger doors, the wings were big enough to almost brush the doorframes. The secondary feathers flickered like a flame, dripping off and disappearing before they hit the floor.
Frankenstein hadn't heard of nobles having wings, and all the nobles he had seen before had lacked them.
...Was this the Lord?
And dammit, he'd taken too long staring at the noble's wings! It would have been obvious he hadn't known about the occupant!
"That is my shirt," the noble said, looking at him and how had he known when Frankenstein hadn't shown him his back? Maybe the wings signified he had different powers compared to regular nobles. Dammit, if that were the case, he was unprepared of what could happen.
"Ah! My apologies," Frankenstein said, sliding his eyes away and rubbing the back of his head, hoping that would be enough to show that he wasn't a threat. "I'm new here, so I wasn't aware..." Would that be enough to lessen the suspicion around him?
The noble looked at him and then turned around, walking away. Even how colourful the noble's wings were, they still melded into the shadows.
Frankenstein watched the noble walk away with a relieved sigh. He must not have drawn suspicion to him if the noble hadn't tried to alert someone.
But now that Frankenstein had seen one of the mansion's occupants, he wanted to know if the other nobles who lived there were the same.
He was still hiding from the Clan Leaders and it wouldn't take him too long to find out.
xOx
As far as Frankenstein could tell, there were no other occupants in the mansion. There were no portraits hung up on the walls so he couldn't use those to compare either.
Were the wings the reason why the mansion was so far away from the more inhabited areas of Lukedonia? If so, why? Were the occupants outcasts because they were different?
Frankenstein walked past another room, a gust of wind drawing his attention and ah... It was the same noble as before, his back to Frankenstein as the noble stared out the window. From this angle, Frankenstein could see the shirt slits circling the noble's wings, resting against them as if they were, well, made for them.
The noble turned around and Frankenstein tensed, trying to read him this time.
"That shirt..." the noble said, his face expressionless. "That is still my shirt."
"I'm sorry," Frankenstein said, lifting a hand to scratch his cheek, "I couldn't find anything else..." And he'd tried. The room where he'd found the shirts was the only one that had clothes. Every other room Frankenstein had searched was devoid of...anything. Dust was layered on top of each other, as if the rooms hadn't been touched in decades, and considering how long nobles were said to live for...
Frankenstein tensed again when the noble lifted a hand, his eyes glowing and dammit, Frankenstein still ached from the previous fight to-!
A warmth settled around Frankenstein, like water was trickling over his skin, and when he looked down, the shirt he wore was breaking into pieces as if someone was tearing it apart. Yet underneath wasn't his skin, but... The suit he'd worn when he first arrived in Lukedonia? How-?
The action took mere seconds, and by the end, Frankenstein wore his familiar suit. It was even worn away in the same places as he'd remembered it. Had the noble looked into his mind to create it? If he had, Frankenstein hadn't noticed the intrusion like he had when other nobles had attempted to do so.
The lack of air at his back was a welcome relief.
Frankenstein was all the more curious about the noble that stood in front of him, and if he was able to, he wanted to stay to find out more.
xOx
"I've brought your tea, Raizel," Frankenstein said, pouring the tea into a cup and setting it down on Raizel's table. It had been a number of days since Raizel had vouched for him as his 'butler' and in that time, Frankenstein had discerned his fondness for tea. Making sure Raizel had tea whenever he wanted it was the least Frankenstein could do to repay him.
"Thank you."
Frankenstein smiled, and took in Raizel's wings as Raizel passed him. His wings were always a sight to behold and...
A few of his feathers were crooked.
More than a few, now that Frankenstein was looking at them properly.
"What is it?"
And as Raizel had been alone in his mansion with no servants and those feathers were at his back... Unless Raizel had a few more powers compared to other nobles (which Frankenstein hadn't seen so far aside from knowing his own shirts very well), he wouldn't have been able to preen those feathers properly.
"I noticed some of your feathers were crooked," Frankenstein said, trying to explain. He didn't have wings himself, but he expected that the feeling may not have been comfortable when they were in disarray like that.
Raizel stared at him, his expression unchanging.
"May I preen your wings?" From what Frankenstein had observed of nobles, touch just wasn't something they did. There was always a bubble of space held between each individual.
"Hm." Then Raizel nodded as he sat down on his stool, his right wing extended. The stool was waist height, which had confused Frankenstein when he had first seen it, since all other chairs were at knee height, until he saw Raizel sit down on it – even at its height, Raizel's feathers almost brushed the floor.
Raizel would allow it? Frankenstein smiled as he walked over, warmth in his chest.
"I've never done this before," Frankenstein warned him, "so tell me if it's uncomfortable." Though that would mean a noble admitting that something was wrong and the likeliness of that happening was slim.
"I will."
Exhaling, Frankenstein ran a palm over the broad muscle of Rai's wing, just feeling where it ended to get a better understanding of his wing now that he was allowed to touch. It was a lot easier to tell how out of place the feathers were that way, how they didn't rest on top of each other. It was no different from the bird wings Frankenstein had studied years ago, only on a much larger scale.
Hm. This would take a lot of work. It wasn't like brushing hair, where broad sweeps could untangle swaths at the same time. He would need to preen one feather at a time.
Frankenstein started at the joint of Raizel's wing, the small feathers there tufted up under his palm. It wasn't hard to tease them straight with the tips of his fingers, and he smoothened them to make sure all the barbs had interlocked with each other.
He went layer by layer, feeling as the feathers grew stiffer the further he went down, enough to be able to carry Raizel's weight in flight.
Raizel's wings weren't quite the colour of blood as Frankenstein had thought when he'd first seen them; this close, he could see the different hues between the coverts, primary and secondary feathers. The colour was lightest at the coverts and darkened the further Frankenstein went down. The primaries and secondaries shimmered in the sunlight, not staying one red, something Frankenstein hadn't been able to see yet when Raizel had always stood facing the window.
More time passed than Frankenstein realised when he started to squint in the dying sunlight as he finished Raizel's primary feathers.
"That is enough, Frankenstein," Raizel said as he folded his wing back and didn't unfurl his other wing.
Frankenstein blinked. "But..." He wasn't finished. He hadn't started on Raizel's secondary feathers yet. He'd been curious to find out how they felt.
Raizel turned his head to face him. He had a small smile on his face. "You have done enough for today."
It didn't seem like that to Frankenstein, but if Raizel wanted to stop, he would.
When Frankenstein stepped back, he blinked at how stiff his legs were. Hm. Yes, it did seem like it had been a good time to stop. Still, he would have preferred to finish at least one wing.
Frankenstein's stomach rumbled. …His body was intent on reminding him to look after it.
"You can continue once you have rested."
Frankenstein dipped his head. "I will." But first, there was one thing he had to do. "I will get you more tea." Raizel would have finished the teapot hours ago.
"After you have eaten."
Frankenstein paused from picking up Raizel's cup. It would take far longer to cook dinner than brew a pot of tea.
Except Raizel was watching him. "You need to look after yourself as well," Raizel said.
He would be of no use to anyone if he was laid out in bed after exhausting himself. "Very well," Frankenstein said, bowing.
Raizel smiled. "Thank you."
xOx
A few days later, when Frankenstein wheeled in a tray of tea for Raizel, the noble wasn't staring out the window like he usually was, but was facing the door. As if he had been waiting for him.
"Is there something wrong?" Frankenstein asked as he set everything out on Raizel's table. Raizel didn't say anything and Frankenstein paused, watching him back. Had he forgotten something? He'd made sure to bring the sugar and any other sweeteners Raizel might like to try (though he hadn't yet, content with sugar so far, but there was always the chance in the future). Everything else was in order. What was it?
Raizel took one step closer, not looking at the tea. "I would like to reciprocate what you did for me."
Frankenstein blinked. But that was why he had been looking after Raizel - to pay him back for protecting him when Gejutel and Ragar had tried to bring him to the Lord.
This time, a small smile curved Raizel's lips. "When you had preened my wings."
That had been a few days ago…? Though, seeing how long nobles lived for, that would be a short time to Raizel. "There's no need." Frankenstein shook his head. And...he didn't have wings, so that was impossible.
Raizel's smile widened and his gaze drifted up. Frankenstein resisted the urge to lift a hand and run it through his own hair.
So that was what Raizel wanted to do.
"As I said, there's no need." He had already brushed it since the last time he had sparred with Gejutel and. Raizel's gaze dropped to the tea. Ah. It seemed like he'd wanted to do it.
...Well, it wouldn't hurt. "If you insist, I won't mind." He didn't have anything pressing to do at that particular time. Dinner wasn't for a number of hours and both Ragar and Gejutel were busy with their own duties. He still had to wait until his own experiments finished, so he had time.
Raizel's gaze lifted again and Raizel gestured to one of the regular chairs in the room.
Frankenstein sat down and tapped his index fingers on his thighs. He hadn't brought a brush and - ah.
He stilled as Raizel's fingers touched his hair, light enough that it seemed like Raizel was trying to learn the shape of his hair rather than brushing them.
Raizel eased one strand of hair away from the others, and if Raizel was going to do that, it would take an entire day before Raizel finished.
After a few seconds, Raizel seemed to gain confidence, running his fingers through Frankenstein's hair. It had...been a long time since Frankenstein had allowed anyone to do that. It wasn't something he had done with Tesamu, not when they had both been more concerned with research and Tesamu had rushed away as soon as they were done to look after his ailing mother. And even then, Frankenstein had made sure to not seem too attached to the boy, in case of Union eyes watching them. If the Union had deemed it more effective to threaten Tesamu to get his data rather than letting Tesamu steal it... It had been safer that way.
When Raizel found a knot, he paused and then ran his fingers over it like Frankenstein had done when preening his feathers. The next time Raizel ran his fingers over that spot, the knot was gone.
Frankenstein blinked at the curious smell of Raizel building in the air. What…? It was coming from the noble, and Raizel's fingers were running more smoothly through his hair than Frankenstein's own ever had.
...Ah, that must have been it. Birds had a gland that secreted oil to help preen their feathers, so that must have been what Raizel was doing, strange as the thought was.
Frankenstein closed his eyes as Raizel continued, his breathing deepening as he relaxed. He fluttered his eyes open when he felt Raizel press his fingertips to his temple. "Mm?"
"I thought it might help."
There was no need for it. Yet... The vestigial pangs of a headache disappeared at Raizel's touch. Maybe he had been working longer and harder than he had expected.
It wasn't long until Raizel stopped and Frankenstein exhaled. "Thank you," he said. He did feel better after that.
Raizel smiled. "You're welcome."
But when Frankenstein looked back at the table, he let out a soft sound of dismay at the sight of the tea. It had gone cold during that time while Raizel was looking after his hair. "I'll make you new tea."
And maybe give Raizel some of the cakes he had baked, in apology for letting his tea go cold.
xOx
Frankenstein watched Raizel gaze out the window. It had been years since he'd arrived, yet it seemed as if Raizel only moved from there when tea was involved, or there were visitors. The only other times Frankenstein had been able to coax him away was by asking to preen his wings, or when Raizel wanted to pay him back for that.
"You can go outside," Frankenstein said, watching his reaction. Maybe he hadn't thought of leaving?
"Hm," Raizel said, his feathers fluttering as he moved. "I like the view here."
"But you can fly." He had to be able to, with that wingspan. And Frankenstein knew nobles could hover in the air without wings. Frankenstein still hadn't seen other nobles with wings, let alone the wingspan Raizel had. Gejutel and Ragar had redirected his questions when he had tried to ask, and from that alone, it seemed as if Raizel was the only noble who had them. Though maybe there was a reason why other others wore cloaks…
Why did Raizel stay inside when he could a much better vantage point to see everything unconstrained by walls and trees?
"This is all I need."
Was it really…? Or was it because Raizel didn't allow himself to want something because of some self-imposed rule? Hmm, if he could find out more about that…
xOx
Frankenstein stared down at the teacup in front of him. It had been ten years since he'd first arrived at Raizel's mansion, and yet he hadn't known a thing. How pathetic.
After everything the Lord had told him, that had increased Frankenstein's want to stay by Raizel's side. He had tried to look after Raizel as much as he could over the years, but now it didn't feel like it was enough.
He turned his wrist over and ran a thumb over the pulse point there. It wouldn't work, no matter what the Lord had said, but still. The gesture would be a start.
Frankenstein cut his wrist, watching the blood well up and drip into the tea.
He just wanted to be with Raizel.
xOx
Frankenstein sucked in a breath, the contract and a sense of power thrumming through him. He was no longer alone in his head either, sensing Raizel there.
It wasn't what he'd exacted, not that he had expected anything.
But if they had contracted, did that mean-? Frankenstein reached over his shoulder and felt smooth cloth. No wings. He couldn't help but feel disappointed – the wings could be useful in a fight for a multitude of reasons, and the information he could have gotten from them as well-!
Amusement rang in Frankenstein's head and he exhaled, getting used to the feeling of sharing such an intimate space with another person.
"If you use enough power, wings may manifest."
So that was it - Frankenstein blinked at an ache that hadn't been there before. He knew where he had been hurt after his 'spar' with Urokai and his back had been untouched - then that must mean..
Frankenstein took a step towards Raizel, and felt his curiosity? as Frankenstein looked him over. Raizel seemed the same as usual, but that wasn't what Frankenstein could feel through their connection.
"Is there anything I can do?" he said, and his mouth kept moving, the title feeling right on his tongue. "Master."
Queary?
"To relieve your pain." It was because of him Master was feeling this way, so it was only right that he help relieve Master of it too.
Master blinked. "My…wings ache." He said it as if no-one had ever asked him if he wanted help, that he didn't know how to respond to such a request.
Yes, Frankenstein could feel that, knew exactly where the weight of Master's wings dragged at his back. "I could massage your wings if you wish, Master."
A tinge of surprise down their connection.
Master nodded and then sat on his stool.
Smiling, Frankenstein went over and touched Master's wing, the muscles tense compared to how they usually were. The feathers were in disarray as well. Not quite as bad as the first time Frankenstein had preened Master, but there didn't seem to be a reason for the mess, no source to cause it.
A simple breeze wouldn't make the feathers so crooked, so...it must have been the power Master had used that had ruffled them so much.
And he could think about that later. Frankenstein set his thoughts aside to focus on Master, pressing a thumb to where the muscles were stiffest. He paused when his own back felt pressure and hm, this would be an interesting experience, getting instant feedback. Though it would help let him know where the worst areas were.
It was strange feeling fingers skirting over limbs he didn't have, but Frankenstein continued, Master's muscles relaxing under his fingers the longer he did it.
Master's soft exhale and relief ringing in Frankenstein's head let him know when he had done enough for one wing, and when Frankenstein turned to his other wing, Master had already extended it.
His other wing didn't take Frankenstein as long, now that he knew what Master liked and how much pressure he should use for Master to feel it. There was a low vibration making Master's feathers shiver and Frankenstein paused. Master wasn't in pain and the window was closed. The hand closest to Master's back felt the vibration stronger and he moved that hand inwards, the vibration growing until he touched Master's back - he had been right. Master's chest was vibrating as he hummed.
"Thank you," Master said when Frankenstein finished, and gratitude rang in Frankenstein's head.
Frankenstein bowed, pleased at doing his job well. That was one more advantage to being connected with Master. "If you wish for me to do that again, I will."
He more felt Master's smile than saw it. "I will consider it."
xOx
Frankenstein span, lashing Dark Spear down at Ragar and it wasn't enough. He needed more. He was too slow, Ragar slipping away from him like water with little effort.
Dammit-! Frankenstein saw Ragar flashing towards him, Kartas' tips speeding in his direction and he was too slow. He wouldn't be able to dodge.
If he had more power he would be able to, and between one breath and the next, Frankenstein dug deep into his reserves and yanked what was left that wasn't Dark Spear.
He pulled too much and something unfurled within him, enveloping his entire body. That wasn't what he'd meant to do; it wasn't what he should be able to do nor had the power to.
The muscles under the skin at his back shifted and pressed up against it, stretching the skin until it tore.
It didn't hurt. It was as if he was observing what was happening, that he was aware of what was happening but it wasn't happening to him.
Frankenstein had enough presence of mind to dismiss Dark Spear and widen his stance so he didn't collapse to his knees as - they were wings. He'd felt enough of Master's experience with his wings to recognise what he was feeling.
They were wings and they were moving in time with his breathing, flexing a little every time he inhaled.
Was this how Master felt all the time? The wings were heavy, not quite pulling him down, but they would strain his muscles. They also felt deformed arms at his back, the upper arms too short, his forearms too long and they only had three fingers. Not to mention the lack of flexibility in movement.
"I think we'll cut today's spar short," Frankenstein heard and he breathed a chuckle, his feathers rustling. He could feel every single feather move, adjusting to the breeze. Like they were preparing for flight.
"Yes, that seems like an idea." To continue sparring when he was unaccustomed to his body… He could react in an unexpected way and end up losing a wing, if not something else.
First, he would need to know if this was permanent. If Master's wings stayed out all the time... And hm, was that what had happened to Master? Had he summoned so much power one day that he had called the wings to him? Had they stayed after that?
Frankenstein dipped his head and Ragar did the same before they parted ways. The wings weren't like summoning Dark Spear – they didn't drain his energy just to maintain them, only his muscles. Did that mean they were there to stay?
There was one person who could have an answer for his questions.
'Master?' Frankenstein sent over their connection, going back to the mansion.
There was a soft query? in return. So Master hadn't noticed. Though Master did sometimes ignore what he did when he was sparring (and Frankenstein sometimes heard a 'noisy' tinged with fondness during the quiet periods while he and his opponent were planning what to do next).
Frankenstein opened up the connection further, letting Master feel what he did.
It only took a second for Master to realise what was new.
Concern and surprise flashed down the connection. 'You don't know if this is permanent, Master?'
'I have never created a contract with a human, so I was not sure if you would be able to create your own wings.'
So this was a new experience for both of them.
Frankenstein nodded. 'I'm not too far away from the mansion now.'
'I will see you when you arrive.'
xOx
Frankenstein had been tempted to see if he could fly -the wings certainly felt strong enough to carry his weight- but that was an experiment for a later date. If there was a time limit for how long he could have the wings before they stayed there for good, it was better he didn't push it.
It was also best not to try when he was surrounded by trees – it would be rather embarrassing if he knocked himself out slamming headfirst into one of them.
Master wasn't by the window when Frankenstein arrived, but by his table, watching him as soon as Frankenstein had stepped into the room.
"I apologise for taking so long, Master," Frankenstein said, bowing.
Master shook his head. "As long as you are all right."
Aside from the dried blood across healed slashes all over his body, and he hadn't gone to clean himself up Frankenstein realised in dismay.
Amusement. "You will have time later."
He would prefer to be clean now, especially in front of Master, but that could wait until they knew if he would need to start cutting up his shirts.
Master tilted his head to the side as Frankenstein walked towards him. "You had to summon a lot of power during a time of stress to summon the wings, so it may be that if you relax, the wings would disappear."
Frankenstein frowned. It had been several minutes since he had stopped sparring with Ragar. His heartbeat had already returned to its resting point and aside from slight tiredness, he was as relaxed as he had been before his spar with Ragar.
More amusement and Master gestured Frankenstein towards his stool. "You are worried about what happened, so you may need something to distract you."
Frankenstein considered the stool for a second. If Master was asking him to sit there… "Are you going to preen my wings, Master?"
Master nodded.
Frankenstein exhaled. Well, if Master thought it might help... "All right." He sat on the stool and it was a relief to not hold his wings up to keep his primary feathers from dragging across the ground. And Master stood for hours on end.
"Are you ready?"
Frankenstein nodded. "Yes, Master."
Frankenstein exhaled again when he felt Master's hand at where his wing joined to his back. He arched his back a little when Master massaged there, and Frankenstein could feel his stiff muscles loosening under the touch. Master took his time, smoothening out the down feathers first and Frankenstein swallowed, not quite able to sort through the sensations Master's touch was giving him. It was overwhelming, knowing which feather Master was touching and which feathers lay crooked. How had Master been able to stand knowing that each feather was out of place? Unless he had to.
Frankenstein could feel the slight vibrations as Master's fingers coasted down a feather to make sure all the barbs were in place. Was this what Master had felt when he had preened his wings?
He cleared his throat as his feathers fluffed up as Master's hands neared them, as if demanding to be seen next. Trying to control them only resulted in him twitching the feather Master held out of his hand as he moved his entire wing.
"Sorry, Master," Frankenstein said, taking in a breath in the hopes that would help his control.
"Do not think about it," Master said. "It may be better to think of something else."
Something else… How could he think of something else when he had grown wings and all he wanted to do was catalogue everything that had happened?
And it seemed like Master would never stop being amused at what he did.
…It wasn't possible to think about something else when he could feel Master's fingers straightening his feathers.
"Master," Frankenstein murmured. "Are you sure you want to do all of my wings?" He knew how long it took. And so must Master, if anyone had done it for him before.
"Until you are relaxed enough for them to disappear, or until I am finished."
Frankenstein sighed, even though he could feel Master's pleasure at doing the task.
He rolled his shoulders when the muscles there pulled again, feeling as if they were folding in on themselves. Now that he knew what to expect, he could feel the skin on his wings tingling like he could feel every one of his feathers being plucked out. It still wasn't painful, just something uncategorised.
It was a shame it had ended so soon, but now he knew that he had the ability to do this, and if he could control the ability, it could use it to his advantage-!
And... Hm. Frankenstein reached around and felt his back. There was still no tears in his clothes. The wings must have gone through them without damaging them. How interesting!
Frankenstein turned his attention when Master hummed. "As I was not able to finish your wings, would you allow me to preen your hair?"
He chuckled as he slipped off the stool to sit on one of the lower chairs. "Of course, Master."
And once they were finished, he had find a way to repay him.