Summary: There was a presence inside M-21's head.

Set post-season 2, most probably post-season 4.

Still working my way through Noblesse; still getting plotbunnies.

Connected

By Dark Ice Dragon

There was a presence inside M-21's head, weighty but –most importantly- not doing anything. He hadn't really noticed it before, assuming it was a developing headache, except there wasn't any accompanying pain and M-21 frowned as he leaned on the balcony railing, staring out at their neighbour's house. There was a faint familiarity to it and he wondered why he wasn't worried – but he knew why, and it was because…

M-21 sucked in a breath, jerking backwards as his eyes flew wide. Mind control. What he was feeling was mind control, but that didn't make any sense – a noble needed eye contact and the mind control only lasted while that was maintained.

He felt a roll of concern that was not his own directed at him for a second before it withdrew like… M-21 wasn't sure (He wanted to say 'it didn't want to be rude' but this was mind control, an invasion of his mind, but the way the presence had turned its attention away…). In that brief second, however, he felt where it originated from and M-21 span on his heel, going back into the house.

It had come from downstairs, the living room, and M-21 turned his head to the side when Takeo's door opened suddenly, Tao almost barrelling into him, Takeo only a step behind.

"'21!" Tao exclaimed as they continued down the corridor without pause. "You're feeling-" Tao made an abortive gesture to his own head, "-too, right?"

He nodded and blinked when Takeo started, while Tao grinned in relief. "See?" Tao said to Takeo. "I wasn't joking!"

Takeo hadn't been mind controlled? Why? Or were they being mind controlled one by one?

They didn't pause at the living room door (any wasted time would higher the chance of them being found out), shoving it open and-

-and only saw Frankenstein and him there, Frankenstein at the kitchen while he was at the table, facing them.

Oh, they had already dealt with it, then.

"Hm?" Frankenstein said, looking away from the tea maker. "What's the matter?"

"There was an intruder," Tao said, but there was something wrong in the way Frankenstein's eyebrows rose in surprise because if he didn't know, then what had happened to the intruder? "But – uh, wait, if you didn't-"

Tao's words cut off at the same time M-21 felt a wave of shock and then embarrassment, and he heard Takeo hiss next to him.

M-21's eyes snapped to him, not surprised at the blush that was started to brighten his cheeks because it was his embarrassment M-21 was feeling, it was his mind he was connected to, and it was because of that connection M-21 also knew it had been very much unintended.

"Master?" M-21 heard Frankenstein say. "…Ah, I see."

"It can't be broken, can it?" M-21 said, trying to figure out if he could do the same as he had done earlier and mentally pull himself away before he felt too much. If he was feeling like this, and the connection still wasn't broken after he knew…

There was a heavy confirmation in M-21's mind before it was replaced with a tentative curl of…something. It was too abstract, but when M-21 focused on it, he realised he was offering to teach him what M-21 had just been wondering.

M-21 agreed before he realised he had (damn, communication was too fast this way) but he didn't do anything, muted amusement radiating from him, until M-21 nodded (and how often was he in the position of expert, rather than the learner?). M-21's eyes slid shut and he took in a breath at the same time when he felt his mind enveloped with warmth, almost like hands were pressed to his brow, except they were guiding hands, directing his attention, showing him how to mentally take a step back and it was then that M-21 could feel just how old he was, the millennia that he had lived to hone his control over his powers, a yawning chasm between his age and M-21's own.

M-21's mind felt clearer afterwards when he opened his eyes again, and he shook his head slowly, trying to pay attention to the conversation.

"-replace you, obviously," Tao said, chuckling.

…He'd clearly missed a lot.

"Of course not," Frankenstein said wryly, carrying the cup and saucer over to him and placing it on the table. "Master, I will go collect Miss Seira and Regis, so that we are all on the same page." After bowing, Frankenstein left the living room.

"What were you talking about?" M-21 asked as they went to the kitchen, just in case there had been something important, knowing his…distraction wouldn't have gone unnoticed.

Tao grinned at him while Takeo opened the fridge. "Since we're mindbonded now, Boss might be able to have a little break now and then."

M-21's eyebrows rose. That explained Frankenstein's answer, but the thought of Frankenstein not serving him, even for a little while, was a strange one – and M-21 felt a burst of fondness at Frankenstein's name, well-worn and as old as he was.

He let out a breath as Tao handed him a cup of tea and they went to sit next to him at the table while they waited for the others. It would take some time getting used to, but M-21 didn't think it would be too bad.

M-21 and Tao are the first to notice because they've had the most experience with mind control (as far as I can remember, anyway) so they can recognise what it feels like, Frankenstein's used to the connection, and Regis and Seira, I assume, have a natural immunity so they don't know what mind control feels like.

And just for extra clarification, everyone's mindbonded with Rai, but not each other.

Self-indulgent fic? Self-indulgent fic. XD;;