Frankenstein paces up and down in front of where Urokai's sprawled, face-up, on his bed. Well, bed isn't really right when it's actually just a few blankets on the floor with some pillows tossed on top but, he's never cared for those fancy beds everyone else likes. It's not like they sleep often, and if he wants some fun he's not going to do it in his own room. Fun is different from love after all. It's also essential to it but, it isn't what he's thinking of right now (it's not in the way that he wants to be with Edian and Ser Raizel. not in the way he wants to call out to Edian when she's walking away from him. not how he can't get himself to ever say what he really intends to with Ser Raizel).

He's so bored like this though. All Frankenstein's been doing for the past few hours is thinking aggressively. He loves his bonded. Really! He realised that when he regained his energy and still cared for Frankenstein some weeks or four ago, but, watching his legs move is dizzy. The ceiling is bland too.

Frankenstein stops and sits besides him sighing. He grins, comforting him through the bond, and lets the tendrils drape over him. Izil shifts from where she was curled up by his neck to his bonded's lap and he can finally move his head.

"So Roctis is covering up for his daughter, Gradeus wants someone to kill him, Zarga just wants you to be happy, Edian is mind controlled, Lagus is affected by some, bloodstone, or whatever, and you're just a spoiled brat?"

Urokai laughs at that. His bonded has basically been insulting him like this for the past few weeks and though he'd gotten angry in the beginning (and the middle) he's okay with it now. There's no real heat in them, and he enjoys the exchange. It's not the same kind of nice as when Edian would speak with that foul mouth of hers but, it's just as fun.

There's a strange charm in being able to be yourself around someone. In them accepting that you aren't just a first impression, or that you aren't the caricature they've built of you. Of being able to say things and knowing that if you're wrong they won't turn their back on you.

Plus, Frankenstein lets him play with his hair and that's the only thing that anyone has to do to win him over. It's fun!

Okay no, that's a joke. It's not as simple as that. Rather, it's the way he pets Izil, stroking her back and rubbing her ears without touching her paws because she hates that. Or the way he gently teases her nose. How he engages with her play and doesn't get annoyed. It's, the same as what he wants, the same as how Frankenstein treats him, so of course he can't hate him. Not anymore. He, had wanted someone other than Zarga to care and, now he has that! He has his bonded! So without a doubt, he will treasure him and appreciate all he does. It is the first rule, and the one he always keeps in mind, si vis amari, ama. So he will treat his bonded as well as he can. Keep his anger away from him, bottled up, and remain calm.

.

Frankenstein smiles as Urokai tries to stop his laughter, rolling over to his stomach, wheezing. Once, he had been of the opinion that nobles just weren't as capable of this sort of behaviour as humans, but, that had been proven wrong at their initial meeting. The anger that was so obvious on his face then, it had changed his idea to one assuming that maybe nobles just felt things less. It would make sense too, with Rayga's face barely flickering when Gradeus kissed him, or Raizel never faltering. Yet that was wrong too.

Urokai was great at hiding things. He didn't spill a word about their plans of betrayal after all. Yet, he should have known even before that. Why else would Gradeus be upset when he was with Rayga? Somehow, he never noticed it.

No noble did either. Rayga didn't even notice his own lover's pain, as obvious as it really was, and nobody treated Urokai with care.

Once he thought his bonded (Urokai insisted that he call him that) was just always rude. And arrogant. And a bit of a stupid idiot. Actually, Urokai most definitely was an absolute idiot, but in a different way from his previous assumption. Urokai was, clingy. He'd take any sign of affection and latch on like a slimy fish. It came off just as disgusting as well (to most anyway. he just found it pitiful. sad. maybe cute.).

At first Frankenstein wanted to break off the contract but, he was crying.

When he had come to do that, Urokai had been crying like a child (like Tesamu did whenever he messed up an experiment. or when he misplaced some notes. even he himself as a child would be comforted by his father, but Urokai didn't have that. he didn't have someone who could wipe away his tears with a gentle hand so he had to do it himself. there was Zarga, and Edian, but not yet. soon. but not yet.) and that made his heart twinge. It really didn't help that he knew his bonded had been carefully trying to understand him when he seemed to think Frankenstein was asleep. Nor did the way that Urokai avoided him, out of fear that he would end up caring. It was just that specific action that prevented him from doing it. From saying 'get rid of this bond'.

"Hey," Urokai says, calming down.

He rolls over onto his back, and with his head on Frankenstein's lap so that he is looking straight up at him. Izil licks his cheek and he smiles.

"I get that you're worried about what to do but, shouldn't you be spending a bit more time with Ser Raizel? He's still the one who helped you."

The concern in Urokai's eyes is obvious, even though he's making sure his face doesn't show it. This is the side of his bonded that has made Frankenstein care for him wholly. He can be considerate, as long as he tries, and it is sweet (even sweeter are the tendrils that he always extends out to him through the bond. they're gentle and try to comfort him, even as they thrum with an excitement that is, so Urokai. he hopes to witness his bonded being himself one day. that would be an honour.) like the tea that Raizel drinks.

"He will be fine, and I bring you over to visit him often don't I? That's more than he's used to already."

Cool relief floods his bond and it feels nice, yet it also freezes him. How broken must one's affairs be if they think that spending a bit of time with a friend is straining?

Urokai grins.

"So have you figured anything out? Or are you still shocked by my selfishness?"

Izil purrs loudly compared to her silence before; she is satisfied. He pets Urokai a few times before stopping completely, a side effect of having pet Izil for so long, and answers as his bonded makes a face at him

"We must inform the lord. There's really nothing else to it. "

He feels disappointment that isn't his and Urokai pouts slightly.

"Are you sure?"

It masks the fear, but his emotions show in his eyes and Frankenstein sighs. Playing with Urokai's hair (it's an intimate action. so intimate that he's not sure why he's allowed to do it because Urokai flinches whenever anyone touches it. and gets angry at them. shouts. but it pleases him. he's allowed to do things others are not. he matters to someone who is considered easy to know but hard to get to know. he cares for him so it makes him happy that it is returned. it's intoxicating almost, and better than that of Raizel's.) he tries to comfort him through the bond.

It's not something he really understands how to do. Urokai explains what it is well enough, and it's easy to do what he wants when he's being guided, but otherwise, he doesn't know. Despite that he reaches out anyway.

Closing his eyes –sighing– he heads towards that bright light. That screaming white that seems like it will burn him to ashes. Yet, as he nears it, there's no unbearable heat, there's no blinding in his eyes. Just a soft ball that shies away from the darkness and glows as he leans against it.

"Oh! That's-" Urokai sounds shocked, jolting. Izil makes a discontent "meow" and settles back down with her master.

He still hasn't managed to give her to Raizel, stuttering over his words every time, and saying something completely different to what he means. The way he manages to trip over simple sentences is cute, and so is the way he blushes. Ser Raizel's blush whenever Urokai left iss adorable too. They are both so obvious that even Rayga has started to anticipate the results, and the Kertia can't even notice Gradeus flirting with him despite having maintained their relationship for centuries now.

…Gradeus is in a relationship. One that leaves him feeling neglected, enough so that he started to think too deeply into his past. That or he was always suicidal and his relationship was just making it worse. Either way, there was a way to help him without telling the lord about it. Preferably they could have just gone to the lord from the start but, Urokai doesn't want that so he has refrained from it.

"So Zarga isn't involved with the traitors anymore right?"

"Yeah. He was happy when I said I would figure out a way to leave without being suspicious. Like it's easy for him because everyone knows he's a lazy ass who only cares about kids. Why're you asking?"

Urokai stares up at him, curious, and Frankenstein can see the resemblance he has with Izil whenever she paws at Raizel. She finds the Noblesse intriguing.

"If Rayga started treating Gradeus the way he feels, would he still betray Lukedonia?"

Urokai blinked once, then twice, then a third time (he was so dumb that it was cute). Then his eyes finally lit up and he got up, bouncing.

"Holy shit. We're setting them up?"

His ball of soft white flashes brightly like a child being let out to play and the warmth is endearing.

"Wait. No! They're already together so it's different but, how? I can't believe I never thought about that. They even have a son!"

What? They had a son? Even though they didn't communicate well like they should. Even though they were so disconnected that Rayga didn't notice Gradeus planning a betrayal, they had a son?

"Since when did they have a child?"

Urokai laughs, loud and clear. His bonded can feel his confusion and is amused by it.

"Since twenty years ago! Rajak's adorable you should see him! Gradeus never leaves his side and Zarga visits them often because you know. Kids are cute."

Actually, "They adopted a child?" They were both men after all.

Urokai laughs harder.

"Nah Rajak is one hundred percent theirs. Blood and all. We don't have children the way humans do."

Okay, so maybe he should have done more to learn about nobles. Maybe he shouldn't have just spent time at Raizel's mansion, only going out occasionally. He was absolutely clueless on these matters. Was this also why Roctis was so protective of Ignes? Because of some matter he didn't know because he had thought not learning about nobles was fine now that he wasn't being chased down by them? That seemed very likely.

"Then we'll have to mend Gradeus' relationship and you'll also need to take me to Roctis. I need to get to know Ignes."

Urokai calms down and sits next to Frankenstein, leaning on him so that his head is on his shoulder.

"That sounds pretty cool. Ignes is cute, you'll love her, or find her super annoying. Or if you're like me, both."

As they both relax, a cat (large and fluffy and as white as Urokai's soul so she's aptly named Ball. or at least that's what he thinks, he's not sure why she was named that by his bonded, nor why her two brothers are called Push and Eat. they are all fluffy though, and watching Urokai get drowned in his cats is an enjoyable part of the day.) walks in through the little door that had been made by Urokai's father. It was so that he wouldn't have to open the actual door all the time which was, efficient.

Ball stops in front of him, and drops the stones from her mouth onto his lap, before sitting alert next to Urokai. Izil meowls softly, then returns to her rest but, his bonded fusses over Ball, scratching her ears and cooing.

"Aw aren't you just the bravest? You went to the manor didn't you? All by yourself!"

Frankenstein chuckles as Urokai talks to Ball, and at how she rubs against his hands. He loves them.

The same could be said for him.