Summary: M-21 finds Frankenstein napping.
New Mission
By Dark Ice Dragon
Rest
TM-21 furrowed his brow, lifting his head and sniffing. Hm... This was usually when Frankenstein started dinner but he couldn't smell anything. Was he okay?
M-21 had seen Frankenstein enter the house so knew he was around. It was strange.
Standing up and shaking himself off, M-21 left the living room, making sure to close the door behind him.
The most likely place Frankenstein would be was the lab - if he'd gotten caught up in research, he might have lost track of the time. Still strange, but it would make sense.
The lab was quiet when M-21 entered and he looked around, huffing. Not here? The lights were on though, so that meant Frankenstein had been here recently.
M-21 padded through the lab, ears swivelling as he tried to find any noise that wasn't the hum of the machines.
...There. Deep breathing to his left.
He poked his head around the corner and then tilted his head to the side. Frankenstein was there, sitting in a chair, his head resting on the crook of his arm.
Sleeping? He was sleeping?
M-21 slunk closer, making as little noise as he could. Frankenstein didn't turn to acknowledge him like he usually did, still motionless.
Oh. Hm. The Union scientists complained of sore necks when they'd fallen asleep at their desks or computers. Should he do something about that to help? Could he do something without waking Frankenstein?
Hnnng...
Maybe nudge him onto a pillow so he was on something softer? If Frankenstein didn't wake up from that, then he needed sleep.
Decision made, M-21 left the lab. Frankenstein kept the towels and bed covers in a cupboard, but where could he find pillows? There were big ones in the living room. Frankenstein's room?
M-21 paused when he entered the house, Tao rubbing up against his legs, purring. He'd closed the door, he knew that. Then how-?
"What is wrong, M-21?" Master said, looking at him.
Oh. That was how.
Master nodded as M-21 let Tao play with his tail. "Frankenstein has not been sleeping well recently; he needs rest."
It looked like it, if Frankenstein was sleeping in his lab.
M-21 blinked when Master walked past him, into the lab. But he hadn't found a pillow yet?
"This will be better for him," Master said, and M-21 followed him, curious. "But you cannot tell him I did this, as he will be unhappy."
Frankenstein couldn't understand him as well as Master, but he would try to not give it away. He didn't want Frankenstein to be unhappy either.
Master could make him stronger by taking his blood - was that what he was going to do with Frankenstein? He had also seen Master make clothes out of air, so maybe he was going to make a pillow for Frankenstein?
Why would that make Frankenstein unhappy though...?
Tao climbed onto M-21's back as they went down the stairs. This way, he would know where Tao was the entire time.
M-21 watched when Master approached Frankenstein, waiting for the tell-tale weight of power in the air, but it didn't happen. Nothing did.
Master stood at Frankenstein's side and then sighed. He leaned over and rolled Frankenstein over, lifting him up before he fell to the ground. Frankenstein's knees were over one arm, his back supported by Master's other arm.
Master was carrying him? Frankenstein hadn't stirred throughout it all and he must be really tired then.
...This was what would make Frankenstein unhappy?
"Yes," Master said. "He should not know I did this."
M-21 nodded.
"Mrow?" Tao jumped off M-21's back and trotted over to Master. "Raow!"
"He is sleeping," Master told him. "He needs quiet for the moment."
"Meow?" Tao said, pawing at Master's leg.
"M-21," Master said. "Could you pick Tao up so he can reach Frankenstein easier?"
M-21 lifted Tao in his jaws, bringing the kitten close to Master's arm.
Tao squirmed out of M-21's grasp and climbed onto Frankenstein, curling up on his chest and purring.
Master smiled at Tao. "Thank you both."
He had only been doing as he was told... It wasn't something he needed to be thanked for.
Tao purred louder as Master left the lab, M-21 following.
When they neared Frankenstein's bedroom, M-21 went ahead, opening the door for Master.
"Mrow?" Tao said, perking up as Master entered. Oh, Tao had never been in Frankenstein's room before.
M-21 hadn't either, and he kept himself low as he went in. Bookshelves lined an entire wall, the room smelling of books and ink.
He saw Master heading for Frankenstein's bed and M-21 went over and pulled the blanket back first, watching Master set Frankenstein down.
M-21 pulled the blanket over Frankenstein once Master stepped away.
"Meow?" A bump in the blanket started moving around on Frankenstein's chest.
Oops. He'd forgotten Tao had been there.
He lifted the blanket and Tao poked his head out, looking around the room.
"I will need your help with dinner, M-21," Master said, and M-21 nodded, glancing back at Frankenstein. Dinner wasn't going to be made if Frankenstein was sleeping.
"Tao, can you look after Frankenstein while he sleeps?" Master said, and M-21 stared at him, his eyes wide. Tao couldn't do that!
Master petted his head while Tao curled up in the crook of Frankenstein's neck, purring again. Oh. Maybe he could.
They left Frankenstein's room, keeping the door ajar so they could hear any noises, just in case.
"Looking after Frankenstein will keep Tao's focus and keep him away from Frankenstein's belongings," Master told them as they walked towards the kitchen.
That made sense. Tao hadn't moved since Master had asked him and M-21 knew how curious Tao was.
And if something did happen, Frankenstein was right there to look after him.
[-]
Frankenstein frowned, a drone filling his ears.
Ear. His left was louder than the right. Tinnitus? No pain, but there was warmth along the left side of his neck.
When the warmth moved, Frankenstein's eyes fluttered open. How had Tao climbed up next to him -
In bed?
Frankenstein frowned. He'd remembered being in the lab and then -
The sunlight streaming in through his window was wrong. He jolted upright, wincing when he heard Tao's surprised yowl.
But that wasn't as important as the fact that he had missed making dinner. He was late! And - and... He blinked, feeling Tao pulling at his shirt, like he was trying to drag him back to bed.
He could smell food in the air. Oil and beef, with garlic. The children would never try to cook, preferring instant food and snacks. M-21 wouldn't touch the kitchen, so that left only one person.
He scooped Tao up, Tao still trying to pull him towards the bed.
"Yes, yes, you can nap later," Frankenstein said, tidying his bed with a flick.
"Raaaow!"
"And you're hungry, of course," Frankenstein said, leaving his room (the door had been ajar, which must have been how Tao had gotten in). "I'll get you something soon." Once everything had been sorted out in the kitchen. He put Tao on his shoulder, the kitten happy to rub against his cheek and then settled down, purring.
Master was at the cooker as Frankenstein had expected, wearing a pink apron. Pans sizzled in front of him, and plates dotted different areas of the counters.
"I hope you rested well," Master said, picking up one pan and emptied its contents onto a plate.
"I apologise, Master!" Frankenstein exclaimed, bowing. "I overslept and I missed dinner!"
"You do not need to do that," Master said. "You have not missed dinner - you are in time for it, as you always are."
He hadn't? Frankenstein hadn't seen a clock since waking up. "I made you cook din-"
"You did not make me do anything," Master said, filling another plate. "I chose to do this."
"Master..." If he hadn't fallen asleep, Master wouldn't have felt the need to cook dinner.
"I have not set the table yet," Master said, stirring one of the pans, and Frankenstein nodded. He couldn't undo Master's work now, but he could at least ease what work Master had left to do.
Not sure if too abrupt an ending right now, but hm.
M-21 was helping by directing Rai where objects are in the kitchen. Rai might have picked up recipes from Frankenstein's brain, but he doesn't know where the the pots and plates are kept, ahah.