Vapor (if you read Noblesse fanfictions you should know her) made a list of sentences for each day, starting on the 17th of May, in a forum. The rules are simple: In the 24 hours of that day take 10 minutes of your time and write. The sentence has to be the first one of that scene and after 10 minutes you aren't allowed to edit/rearrange/delete or add any words or sentences. Well, as I'm no native speaker, I allowed myself to exchange a vocabulary I couldn't remember in the rushed time, but except from that I decided to stick to the rules... so yeah, expect a few grammar mistakes. I apologize for that in advance!

If you want to join, PM Vapor. She's giving away her list.

17

Her hands felt cold. This discovery filled Regis with worry as he sat down next to her. His hands had brushed hers as he had given her the cup of tea just now and he couldn't keep himself from throwing a worried glance to Seira. She was starring at the light brown fluid in her cup, not really seeing it, but her fingers clutched the porcelain as if she desperately needed the warmth that radiated from the freshly brewed tea. Zarga was dead, but it didn't change the things he had said, the things she had experienced. It didn't change that he had admitted that he had killed her father. In an almost proud way, if he understood right the few words Seira told him. Regis knew that the peace after this battle was just a short respite before they would be forced to fight again. He feared Seira wouldn't be up for it, even though she was a clan leader. There was nothing he could do though and that was driving him crazy. He wished he could aid her, but once again he was left helpless, like in the battle on the school grounds a few hours ago. The world wasn't fair.

"Thank you." Regis glanced up to meet Seira's eyes. She wasn't smiling, but her eyes were warm.

18

The glass shattered, casting a wave of shards across the floor. Dumbfounded for an instance, Tao stared at a shard that had slithered to the tip of his pink slipper. He had expected something of this sorts. Still, this outbreak had surprised him. One minute they were quietly talking, the next M-21 had thrown his glass through the room with an angered shout. No, it had been more like a wail in disguise. Being betrayed by M-24, if it really was him, broke M-21's heart. Ignoring the shards in the scrupulously clean kitchen, Tao carefully stepped over to his comrade. He let himself slid down at the cupboard, leaning against it next to the hunched figure of M-21, close enough to comfort, but far enough to not oppress him. For many minutes they sat next to each other in a sea of shards, Tao in wordless vigil as his friend wept silent tears.

19

"Let go!" The scream and the violent reaction surprised Frankenstein a bit, but he easily evaded the stroke targeting his throat, knife-sharp claws dividing the air only millimeters in front of his skin. He gave the other man a few moments without bothering him, until he saw the glazed eyes clear and focusing on him. Only now, the scientist stepped closer again to the metallic stretcher the other man was laying on.

"How are you feeling?" He asked the gray haired man. "No, don't get up yet," he added as M-21 wanted to raise from the position on his back. Without any problem a hand on the younger man's shoulder kept him from moving. This time the touch didn't provoke any reaction like just a minute ago. Frankenstein didn't know what M-21 had remembered in his half-conscious state, but fully awake he knew that no harm would come to him in this laboratory.

"It only hurts slightly," M-21 mumbled, already closing his eyes again. Frankenstein felt the tense muscles under his hand relax as the younger man drifted of to a healing sleep.

20

It wasn't that it was hard to say. It was just that they didn't need to say it for they already knew. Nobody could say when they came to their silent agreement, but it was obvious for everybody that interacted with them. Every one of those three would die for the other two. They were comrades, friends. But who needed words? With words you could lie, it were actions that counted in the end. So Shinwoo's question, if they were friends or only co-workers, had left them wordless for a few moments.

"Of course friends!" Tao shouted out, being the first to get over his surprise. He swiftly walked over to the other two men at the kitchen sink and wrapped his arms around each of their shoulders, grinning brightly. "If you're our friend, you could help with doing the dishes," Takeo muttered. Tao laughed again and retreated back to the children, only to feel a sponge cloth land on his back.

21

The phone rang at 2am. At least Ikhan guessed that the little numbers on the display were telling him that. He wasn't too sure about it, seeing slightly blurry because he couldn't find his glasses. Where were they? Perhaps still on the desk next to his laptop? Another ring of the mobile in his hand brought his attention back to the call. Right, he should perhaps take it. Whoever it might be. Who would call him this time in the night? His mind still foggy from being abruptly awoken in the middle of the night, he accepted the call.

"Ikhaaaaan!" It wailed from the other side as soon as the line was free.

"Shinwoo?" Ikhan asked rhetorically, closing his eyes again and falling back into the cushions.

"Right! What took you so long? Ah, never mind, I'm playing the game we started this evening and I can't get over this last obstacle and..."

Ikhan silently listened as Shinwoo rattled on about his problem in some computer game. A part of his mind was following the talk, the other half was cursing Shinwoo with every swearword he knew for waking him in the middle of the night.

"Listen, Shinwoo. I'll take a look at it tomorrow. We can meet up at your place instead of at the chairman's? But now go to sleep. I'm coming to fetch you tomorrow morning and if you don't make it in time, you have to carry all of our backpacks for the rest of the week. And if you ever call me again in the middle of the night, I hack into your computer and uninstall all of your games. Good night!"

With this, Ikhan ended the conversation. Perhaps he should apologize for the harsh words, but he didn't like to lose his sleep.