Rai didn't like Frankenstein's laboratory.

It wasn't because he hated the idea of humans gaining the power to rival nobles and werewolves, or because he disliked scientific discoveries. And it wasn't because the laboratory took up so much of Frankenstein's spare time and attention… attention that Rai would never admit he wished he could keep to himself once in while.

No… it was because the laboratory was where Frankenstein came to suffer, to inflict pain on himself.

In fact… the laboratory was the start of all of Frankenstein's suffering in the first place.

In the past, Rai had requested that Frankenstein no longer experiment on himself. He allowed Frankenstein to keep a laboratory in the basement of his mansion… but asked that his companion perform no more tests on himself. But in the end… Frankenstein couldn't keep his word.

Frankenstein had broken his promise in order to help him, of course… So Rai had forgiven him, although there wasn't really anything for him to be angry about. But it looked like while he'd been gone, Frankenstein had resumed regular experimentation on himself. And he'd only grown even more powerful over the centuries.

Staring at Frankenstein's unconscious body, he supposed it was a good thing, in the end… Without that extra power, Frankenstein might not have been able to keep the dark spear form devouring him for all those years he was alone.

But he still hated to see Frankenstein doing this to himself. Rai liked his companion the way he was. Even if Frankenstein possessed no powers at all, Rai would still want him by his side.

Buried as deeply as he was in Frankenstein's mind, he could say this with absolute certainty.

Here in the lab, Rai had lost track of time as he examined Frankenstein's unconscious mind. There were no active thoughts, but there were still well defined aspects of his personality. There was brilliance, kindness, and generosity in him… all things that Rai adored about his companion. There were also a thousand years worth of memories stored in his head, and some memories were clearly more precious to him than others…

Most of those memories seemed to concern him.

Rai felt his cheeks heating up as he realized just how many of those precious memories were about him. One memory in particular caught his attention... It was something Frankenstein must have done while he'd been asleep in his coffin.

He watched, transfixed, as Frankenstein sketched his face in the cold confines of his laboratory. Those elegant hands brought his image to life with painstaking accuracy and detail, especially the depth in his eyes. And with each movement of the pen, he felt relieved… Frankenstein had been terrified that he would forget his Master's face.

Is that how I look to you? Like everything pure and good in this world? Like everything you couldn't bear to forget?

He stood up once more, pacing to where Frankenstein was asleep. Rai once again peered through the dark water at his companion. It appeared that Frankenstein's wounds were finally beginning to heal, which pleased him. Frankenstein had flat out refused to let Rai use up his power on fixing his wounds.

Should I tell you... how I feel about you? Would you be upset? Would you think it was wrong?

For once, Rai wished he was as bold as Frankenstein. Unfortunately, his own personality was just a little too passive for such brash actions... But how else could he find out how Frankenstein felt about him if he didn't say something?

He sighed. There was also the issue of Frankenstein likely feeling obligated to love him if he confessed. Rai didn't want to put undue pressure on his companion. Frankenstein had enough on his plate.

But... none of that changed how he felt.

He reached out and put his hand on the glass... And the machine blared to life. Alarmed, Rai withdrew his hand. What had he done? What was going on?

Frankenstein's body twitched in the tank... his fingers scraped against the glass, though his eyes remained closed. Rai glanced at the buttons and switches on the machine, though he knew he would have no idea which ones to press to get his companion out of there. Instead, Rai reached out with his mind to calm him.

Frankenstein? I'm here, calm down...

But Frankenstein continued to struggle, dark energy gathering around his body... and then the tank exploded. Glass flew everywhere, water gushing out all over the floor. Rai had shielded himself, but Frankenstein had already started to fall, ripping out of his oxygen mask. The jagged, broken glass edges carved gashes in his arms and legs as he fell sideways out of the tank and collapsed in a heap.

Frankenstein!

Rai leaned down by his side, putting his hands on Frankenstein's face. Blood was already seeping from dozens of fresh cuts on his body. Rai squeezed his face gently, trying to resist the urge to instantly heal him... Frankenstein wouldn't want that.

Frankenstein! Open your eyes. Look at me!

Finally, those blue eyes fluttered open. Rai relaxed a little upon seeing Frankenstein's clear, steady gaze.

"Master?" he whispered. "What... what are you doing? What...?"

He glanced at the puddle of water and blood Rai was kneeling in.

"Ah... You're going to ruin your clothes..."

Rai nearly sighed in exasperation. How could Frankenstein still worry about something like that while he was bleeding out all over the floor?

I don't care.

Frankenstein blinked at him.

"You don't care?"

No. I'm here to make sure you're all right... like I should have done earlier.

"I... I thought you were angry with me."

Rai shook his head.

No... I am not angry with you, Frankenstein. I'm sorry I caused you to think that.

"Master..." Frankenstein tried to sit up, his hands slipping in the bloody water. "Ah, what a mess..."

"What's going on?" came a worried voice.

The doors to the lab slid open, and the entire household came rushing in in their pajamas.

"We heard the alarm! Is everything okay?"

All five people stared at the scene before them: the broken suspension tank, the pile of shattered glass, the water soaking the floor... and Rai crouched over Frankenstein's bleeding body.

"Ah, damn..." Tao mumbled, rushing to his side. "What happened, Sir?"

"I... I don't know," Rai said faintly as he hastily got to his feet. "He was fine just a moment ago. I... I didn't..."

He paused to watch as Takio and M-21 lifted a groaning Frankenstein out of the pile of shattered glass and onto the operating table.

"It was just an accident," Tao assured him, quietly so that Frankenstein couldn't hear. "I'm sure of it. Frankenstein implied that his power might be a little unstable because he'd messed with spirits in his head... It's nothing you did, Sir."

"Stop manhandling me," Frankenstein complained from between Takio and M-21. "They're only shallow cuts... They'll heal in a few minutes... I'm all right."

Rai watched as Frankenstein forced himself into a sitting position on the table. He was vaguely aware of Regis and Seira rustling around behind him as they began the process of cleaning up the broken glass and water.

"You sure you're okay?" M-21 asked.

"Yes."

"Really okay?" Takio butted in.

"For the last time, yes," Frankenstein said, now a little annoyed. "This isn't the first time something like this has happened. Aside from these flesh wounds, I'm perfectly fine now."

"Well... you need a towel or something?"

Frankenstein pushed his sopping wet hair out of his face.

"Yes, I think a towel would help."

Rai tried very hard not to stare too much as his servant cleaned himself up. After drying himself off, Frankenstein gestured to Seira.

"Could you please take the Master upstairs and make him some tea?"

"Of course..." she said.

"No," Rai interrupted.

They both stared at him.

"No?" Frankenstein repeated.

"I will wait here."

"There's no need, Master, really..." Frankenstein said, his gaze just a little too understanding. "I only need to clean up down here. I'll join you when I'm done, all right?"

Rai still hesitated.

"Besides... you should change out of those clothes," Frankenstein added gently.

Well, that was something he couldn't really argue with. Rai nodded reluctantly.

"Then... I will see you shortly."

Frankenstein finally graced him with a smile, the same smile he'd grown to love over nine hundred years ago.

"Of course, Master."


My Comments: Playing the pronoun game with two male leads is fun! You can usually guess who 'he' and 'him' are from the context, though. It's just like the manwha where you have to guess who's talking half the time because the speech bubbles aren't connected to anyone!

Also, Frankenstein must have been waaaaay ahead of his time, because science wasn't really much of anything a thousand years ago. The scientific revolution wasn't until the 1500's. A thousand years ago, the populace was ruled by religion and superstition. We're talking about the time period of the Crusades, here. The dark ages. Nobody even knew what cells were until 1665. And Frankenstein had already invented human modification a thousand years ago? Holy shit!

It's also kinda funny how everybody is wearing Victorian style clothes a thousand years ago, too. Maybe the nobles are ahead fashion wise, but even Frankenstein is wearing Victorian clothes and he's from the human world. But that's a minor detail, so I can let that go!