Summary: The trio carry on the tradition of always eating dinner together when they move out of the household; Tao does, sometimes, need a little prodding.

Post-canon.

Another one-shot I added to years later, so I'm pulling it from the collection post so it's easier to follow, pfft.

Tradition

By Dark Ice Dragon

M-21 exhaled, seeing Tao's finished computer room. Tao's technology was the first things they'd unpacked from the boxes, Tao inspecting every one with a critical eye to make sure they were in the same condition when they'd been boxed.

The place was close enough to the school and their old house in case Frankenstein or Raizel-nim needed them for something. But they shouldn't. Not with the Union gone, all their Elders dead.

There was just too many people living in close quarters together. Too many nobles now that more Clan Leaders had decided to see what all the fuss was about with the human world.

M-21 felt like a coward running instead of helping Frankenstein, but their curious eyes watching him all the time had made his skin itch.

The myth that all modified humans had given up their humanity for power was hard to shake off.

Frankenstein must have noticed how the three of them were feeling and had pulled them aside, offering one of his spare houses. It even had a lab downstairs so they could monitor stuff, and a direct line to Frankenstein's database, in case they really fucked something up.

It had been strange packing up everything he'd owned. Even that word was strange. 'Owned'. Something that was his. Not quite 'his alone' if Takeo or Tao needed it, but it was something that belonged to him.

M-21 wasn't as bothered about unpacking his own stuff – he would get it once he needed it.

xOx

When Tao didn't show up for dinner one day, M-21 and Takeo went looking for him. There was two places he could be, and there was no reason for him to be in the lab.

M-21 could hear Tao's voice through the door of his computer room. "-did this to you, hey? How could those mean people just dump you when they musta gotten you a year ago?"

M-21 shared a look with Takeo and M-21 grimaced. Tao had brought home a stray and they hadn't been in the house for more than a week. Their house was going to be like their old one in no time.

He pushed the door open. "Tao-" He stopped, seeing what was inside the room. What.

Tao being in the centre of chaos was normal, especially if it was technology based. What was in Tao's lap wasn't something living like M-21 had expected, but a machine. Hovering around him was his cables, each one holding a different tool.

Tao looked up at them and beamed. "Yo! Look what I picked up!" He held it in his arms like someone would cradle a baby.

"…More technology?" M-21 hazarded. Simple answers were the best.

"Yeah!" Tao started prodding at the mass of metal with a new tool. "She's in perfectly good condition, barely used, and she got thrown out!"

…He should have known machines would be Tao's strays.

"What did you need me for anyway?" Tao asked, glancing between them.

"Dinner," Takeo said.

Tao lit up and after putting the machine down, he jogged over to their side.

xOx

M-21 frowned at the machine in Tao's hands as they lounged in front of the TV. It was different from the last one he'd seen; Tao must have fixed that one up.

Tao snuggled against him and M-21 wrapped his arm around Tao's shoulders to give him room.

At the rate Tao's cables were wrapping themselves into knots, it wouldn't be long until M-21 and Takeo were used to hold the rest of the loose parts.

xOx

"Tao, dinner," Takeo said from the computer room door.

"Mm, be there in five minutes." Tao waved a screwdriver at them, still bent over what he was working on.

M-21 and Takeo shared a look. Without a word, they stepped into Tao's room, making sure not to trip over any cables.

Tao squeaked when Takeo scooped him up and M-21 detangled him from his machinery. If there was one rule they'd kept from the household, it was they all ate dinner together.

"Nooo!" Tao tried to grab for the machine as M-21 set it on the table. It was only when Tao smelled what was for dinner that he perked up, his attention going towards the living room.

xOx

The next day, Tao brought what he was working on to the dinner table.

"No."

Tao waved his hands in the air. "But I'm so close to fixing her up completely!"

"No."

"You won't eat if you do that," Takeo added.

Grumbling, Tao set the machine on the kitchen counter and joined them.

xOx

M-21 blinked when he and Takeo entered the house a week later, shopping bags in hand. They'd left Tao in his computer room as he'd fiddled about with the new machine he'd brought home, but now he was in the living room, crouched by the table.

In front of him was what looked like a toy metallic kitten.

Tao grinned and waved at them when he saw them. "This way, we won't have to worry about any messes!"

M-21 set his bags on the kitchen counter as Takeo asked, "Is this what you've been working on?"

"Yup! Just finished her just now. And she's already picked up a couple of commands already!"

So much for Tao bringing in strays – he would make them. There was one important question on M-21's mind. "Are you going to make more?"

Tao's grin turned fond as he patted the kitten between the ears, her long tail waving in return. "Well, she might need a playmate while we're at work."

Their house really was going to end up like their old house in no time, especially if Tao decided to try his hand at making the pets sound as close to their flesh counterparts as possible.

Written for yukinoyayoi's prompt of 'post-canon au where the trio get an apartment together and tao keeps coming home with broken computer parts and M-21 and takeo keep trying to make him stop but he treats these parts like stray animals who need him'

Wasn't sure what to make of Muzaka's fate, so didn't say anything about it.

I had a scene of the trio in the kitchen but it didn't fit with the theme.