When Rai had arrived at the bookstore with his friends, he'd never imagined that procuring a present for Frankenstein would be such an ordeal... But with his friends doing their best to help him pick out gifts, things had gotten a little out of hand.
Rai had gotten lost in the winding aisles of the bookstore when Yuna had run up to him, holding something in her hands.
"Oh, Rai, there you are! Look what I found! Isn't it cute?" Yuna said happily. "I think your date will like it, too!"
She held out what appeared to be a children's toy: a stuffed black dog with floppy ears and a red ribbon around its neck. Rai stared at it for a moment before taking it from her.
"And these, too!" Shinwu said, appearing out of nowhere. He put a box of pocky in his other hand. "This is the best kind of pocky there is!"
Rai stared at that, too, feeling far less certain than his school friends were. Would these things really convey his feelings properly?
A stuffed dog toy did not seem like something Frankenstein would have much use for. His companion was over a thousand years old, well beyond the age at which humans normally played with toys.
And though he himself enjoyed pocky, he couldn't help recalling the fact that Frankenstein never ate snacks with the rest of the household. Did he not like them? He'd never asked... now he was wondering if maybe he should have.
This didn't seem quite right. No doubt it was because he had to hide who these gifts were really for...
But then again, he wasn't sure what was appropriate in this scenario, either. It was likely that his friends had much more real life experience in these matters. Everything he knew about romance he had learned from thousand year old books... some of that information was surely out of date.
"Yes," he said slowly. "Of course."
He added the black dog and the pocky to his basket.
"Over here, Rai!" Ikhan called. "I found the chess sets."
Rai surveyed his options, frowning slightly at what he saw.
They all just seemed so... cheap. The chess set Frankenstein had brought home for him was a thing of beauty. These didn't even come close.
"I like this one," Ikhan said, pulling a box off the shelf.
"Thank you," Rai said politely, adding the box to his basket. This would have to do... he had no other options.
"Okay!" came Sui's bossy voice. "You should have a nice bag to put these in!"
She practically dragged him over to a wall where a plethora of decorative bags were on display.
Rai cast a wary eye at all the gift bags. More decisions he didn't feel qualified to make... but... his eyes alighted on something nice. A silver gift bag was right above his head. Frankenstein liked simple, classic things.
Feeling a little more confident, Rai reached out and took the silver bag. If he was going to do this, then he had to do it right.
Rai paid for his gifts, taking great care to arrange his presents neatly in the gift bag. This had to look nice when he gave it to Frankenstein.
"All right!" Shinwu said happily. "Let's go back to Rai's place and play some games!"
Everyone readily agreed, and they set off back home. As usual, Rai took up the rear, letting the children walk ahead of him.
But... he found his steps slowing down, and the group pulled ahead of him. Why was he suddenly feeling so apprehensive?
Seira noticed that he was being left behind, and she slowed her steps to walk beside him.
"Sir?"
"Hm?" Rai said vaguely.
"Are you all right?"
"I... was merely thinking about something. I apologize."
Seira looked at him thoughtfully.
"Were you thinking about your gifts?"
Rai sighed softly, but he was supposed there was no point in trying to hide it. It seemed like the entire household already knew...
"Yes. I am."
"Are these gifts really for Lord Lascrea?" she asked gently.
"No," Rai said quietly. "They are not."
"They are for your companion?"
"Yes."
Rai stared at the black dog's face that was peeking out of the top of the bag. In the past, more than one family leader had referred to Frankenstein as a rabid dog, barely kept in check by his Master's power. He hoped Frankenstein wouldn't take offense... but perhaps he could remove the dog before he presented his gift.
"Is something troubling you, Sir?"
"I fear my gifts may not be well received. Frankenstein may refuse them... just as he refuses me."
"He refused you?" Seira said, the surprise evident in her voice.
"Yes... And he will not tell me why, not truly. He is hiding something from me."
A breeze blew by them, sending Seira's silver hair flying so that Rai couldn't see the look on her face.
"I do not know what is in his heart, but... I do know that everything he does is for your sake, my Lord," Seira said thoughtfully, brushing her hair behind her ear. "As I'm sure you know... Frankenstein would do anything for you. Even break his own heart."
Rai lowered his gaze. That wasn't what he wanted at all...
He had promised himself that he would show his companion how much he cared... Rai wanted to show Frankenstein that loving for his Master was not something worthless, and that his own heart was certainly not something to be cast aside like rubbish.
"What should I do?" he wondered out loud.
He hadn't been expecting an answer, but of course, Seira had one for him.
"If your heart is true... He will not refuse you. That is what I believe."
He looked up, shamelessly hopeful.
"Truly?"
"Yes," Seira said firmly. "It may be that he is simply unsure of himself. But he always trusts your decisions, my Lord. Show him that your heart is steady and true, and his will follow."
Rai smiled. Seira always had good advice. She had quite the level head on her shoulders.
"You are right. I should not allow myself to be so easily discouraged. Thank you."
"Of course, Sir. We would all like to see you happy. I just couldn't bear to see you upset again... and not say anything."
Rai nodded. He'd forgotten that Seira had been in the room the day his school friends had called him out for carrying around Frankenstein's picture. She probably would have offered him some advice then, but couldn't say anything in front of the children.
"Come, the children are waiting for us."
But as soon as those words left his mouth, he saw something else.
A florist was across the street from them. Beautiful flowers were spilling out of baskets and vases lining the store windows. Memories of a certain rose garden flashed through his mind...
"Sir?" Seira said curiously. "Where are you going?"
"Forgive me, I must buy one more thing."
Rai was incredibly nervous. The roses and silver gift bag were shaking in his arms.
Would Frankenstein be pleased with his gifts? Would he think the flowers were worth displaying his home? Or would Frankenstein think that roses from a store paled in comparison to the roses that he had once grown himself? Would he think that the chess set was a cheap imitation of the beautiful, handmade set that Frankenstein had brought from the human world centuries ago?
This was all just a sad reminder of a time that was long past, but Rai cherished those memories more than anything.
But then there were the gifts the children had insisted on adding to his bag... Would Frankenstein simply laugh at the stuffed black dog and the pocky?
This was starting to seem like a bad idea, but he couldn't turn back now.
He knew Frankenstein was alone in the house… M-21, Tao, and Takio were out shopping at the supermarket. They needed to get extra food and toiletries for the guests they were hosting this weekend.
Rai left Regis, Seira, and the children in the living room and walked into the study where he found Frankenstein seated at his polished mahogany desk, a heavy tome open in front of him. He had a tablet in his hands and was busily typing away, a frown on his face.
"Good evening, Raizel…" Frankenstein began to say as he continued to type on his tablet. "How was your time at the bookstore? Did you find any interesting books...?"
"I apologize, am I interrupting something?"
"Ah, it's just something Tao mentioned to me this morning," Frankenstein sighed, setting his tablet down. "He was struggling with nightmares... I thought I might design a more potent sleep aid, capable of inhibiting dreams and visions. I doubt it would work on me, but it might give Tao and Takio some relief if I can... "
He looked up, his speech stopping abruptly as his eyes found the roses and gift bag.
"Oh… Did you receive those at school? Gifts from an admirer, perhaps?"
Rai felt his heart sink for the second time today. Frankenstein never thought anything good could possibly be for him… Even after all his Master's persistence, Frankenstein didn't believe that he deserved to be loved… He didn't even believe that he deserved to fully feel his emotions.
But he had promised to show Frankenstein how much he cared, and he was going to do just that. These feelings inside him were real. He had to know if his companion felt the same.
With that in mind, Rai stepped forward, refusing to be dissuaded now... but he only felt worse when he saw that Frankenstein was still pale and sickly looking. His companion had been physically ill earlier, and it was his fault.
He opened his mouth to speak, but someone laughed behind him before he could say anything. The children had caught up with him.
"They're for his girlfriend, Mr. Chairman!"
"Yeah, Rai has a date for the dance! He wanted to get her a present... We tried to tell him that the roses won't last until Friday..."
"Oh?" Frankenstein said, raising an eyebrow. "Well, we can get fresh roses on Friday to give to her..."
Now Rai felt his sunken heart twisting itself into a knot. Why did the children have to come in right at this moment? They normally took their time getting food and drinks...
"Here, I'll put these in your room for you. Then you all can get back to your snacks and games..."
Frankenstein reached out to take the bouquet and gift bag from him, a rather detached look on his face.
Rai normally had an impressive amount of self control. He had remained alone in his home for hundreds of years, waiting for the day when he would be needed... waiting alone in daylight and darkness, in sound and silence, in comfort and discomfort... he could have waited for an eternity.
And yet at this moment, he found he couldn't wait.
Frankenstein was gently lifting the bouquet and gift bag from his arms... Rai slipped into his mind, which was tender and shaky from his lapse in control earlier. He exerted his will and his powerful presence, helping to stabilize his companion's thoughts.
They are for you.
Frankenstein's gaze snapped onto his, blue eyes widening in innocent surprise.
"What?" he breathed.
But it was too late. Frankenstein was already holding the flowers and silver gift bag. He stared at them like he suddenly didn't know what they were or what to do with them.
"Um... you okay, Mr. Chairman?" Ikhan asked.
"Yeah, you look a little pale."
"I heard you were sick earlier," Yuna said peeking into the room. "Are you feeling better now?"
"You're sick?!" Shinwu said loudly.
"Shinwu!" Yuna scolded him. "Not so loud."
"We could make you some tea!"
"Yeah, you're always making snacks for us."
Rai bowed his head, fighting off this strange new feeling of jealousy. His emotions were playing tricks on him again... He shouldn't be feeling jealous just because his friends wanted to make tea for his companion.
But he had always been the one to care for his companion whenever he was sick or injured. Frankenstein belonged to him, and was therefore his responsibility.
Frankenstein didn't answer. He still looked a little shell-shocked, staring at the gifts he was holding.
"Uh... Mr. Chairman?"
"Mhm?" Frankenstein said vaguely.
"Guys, I think he really is sick..."
"You should go lie down, Sir!" Sui said, her hands on her hips.
"I... yes," Frankenstein said, blinking at the kids as if he'd only just noticed them. "I will rest for a little while. Help yourselves to anything in the kitchen..."
"Hope you feel better!"
Rai watched as Frankenstein wandered out into the hall, looking a little wobbly.
Had he done the right thing?
Frankenstein cradled the roses and silver gift bag in his arms.
If he didn't know better… he'd think that Raizel was attempting to court him. Exactly how much romantic literature had his Master read while cooped up in that mansion?
But… that didn't change the way his heart was pounding at the thought of Raizel picking out gifts just for him.
What should he do? Should he open it? Raizel had said it was for him...
His hand shaking, he removed the tissue paper from the bag.
He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but it wasn't this.
Inside the bag was a stuffed black dog with a red ribbon around its neck and a box of candy typically enjoyed by his adolescent students.
He chuckled under his breath. The school children had obviously helped his Master pick these out, thinking the gifts were for a sixteen year old girl.
Frankenstein pulled the dog out of the bag, intending to place it on his bed... Master may have been coerced into buying it, but still... it was a gift. He couldn't toss it out, not that he wanted to... That would only hurt Raizel's feelings. But as he pulled the stuffed animal out of the bag, he found something else.
His heart lightened as he removed the final gift: a chess set.
Now, this was a gift his Master had most certainly picked out himself.
It wasn't anything fancy, just a simple chess set that might be found at any store downtown... But the fact that his Master obviously remembered and thought fondly of all that time they'd spent playing chess together only made his heart beat faster.
He still remembered the day he had brought the game from the human world, thinking that Raizel might want to learn something new... Something to distract him from his constant stargazing. He'd never imagined his Master would take so eagerly to the game, despite the fact that he'd always lost. Raizel had lost so much that Frankenstein had finally taken pity on him and let him win a round…
Master hadn't liked that… he had sulked for an entire week when he'd learned the truth. Raizel wanted to win on his own. So they'd practiced and practiced… but Raizel had never been able to beat him. But he'd never given up, either...
What if Raizel refused to give up on him, too?
Frankenstein bit his lip in a feeble attempt to quell the emotions rising in his heart.
What am I doing?
Why am I pushing Raizel away?
He glanced down at the stuffed dog sitting in his lap.
"What am I supposed to do, Master…?" he whispered to it. "How am I supposed to love you?"
He didn't deserve to have his Master in his arms. That was a simple fact. But… it seemed like Raizel refused to accept that fact.
But it was also a fact that lusting too much after his Master would rouse the spirits in his head. If he was pushed too far, there was no doubt that Raizel would feel compelled to help him, shortening his own life. Raizel was already weak from all the battles he had fought recently… Frankenstein couldn't harm his Master like that.
But… if Master truly wanted him, then…
Then... and then, what? What would he tell Raizel? That they could date, but they just couldn't ever touch each other in a romantic or sexual way? Because touching his Master would be the equivalent of playing with fire.
That was ridiculous. Raizel deserved better. Raizel should have a lover who could show him pleasure and physical affection for more than a few minutes. True, it wasn't like any sort of touching would make him excited, but… was it really worth risking it in Raizel's presence?
He supposed he could ask Raizel to simply let him try and cope with the spirits if they attacked him, but that wasn't in Raizel's nature. His Master cared for him too much… it would upset him to watch his companion suffer, like it had this afternoon. Raizel hated watching him fight for that very reason… his Master knew how much pain he was in whenever he used the dark spear.
But his control had gotten better… he could fight with the dark spear and not have to worry too much about being overpowered. He could summon his powers and not cough up blood at every instance. That was all thanks to his bond with Raizel, of course…
Still, he didn't want to risk his Master's health anymore. In the past, Raizel had been overflowing with power, enough to sustain him for thousands of years. That certainly wasn't the case anymore... Now, every little piece of his Master's life was precious and needed to be conserved.
Loving his Master was just... not possible.
He swiftly shut down those thoughts as he felt Raizel brush up against his consciousness.
Frankenstein?
"Yes, Master?"
He could sense that Raizel was still a little nervous...
Are the gifts to your liking?
Despite knowing he shouldn't be enjoying this so much, Frankenstein couldn't help the big, silly grin that spread across his face. This was all completely ridiculous, but… he supposed he could enjoy it just for a moment.
"Of course. You are always so generous. You didn't need to give me any gifts…"
I wanted to. You are important to me.
"Thank you, Raizel."
Will you play chess with me again… soon?
"I would love to. You were just starting to get the hang of it, too…"
I always enjoyed that time with you. But you will not let me win again.
Frankenstein chuckled at Raizel's stern warning.
"I would never, Master. You have my word."
Frankenstein sat for a moment, simply soaking in Raizel's presence… They had used to spend so much more time connected to each other in the past. Of course, it had been easier to accomplish that when there were no other people around to distract them from each other…
There were certainly times when Frankenstein regretted that. They both had such busy lives now… It was difficult to find the time to relax together the way they used to.
Besides, when Raizel was with him… he was safe from the darkness in his mind. His Master just made him feel so much calmer… Given that his own nature tended to be somewhat volatile, Raizel was the perfect antidote to his anger.
Naturally, his Master sensed his anxiety. Frankenstein felt Raizel attempting to soothe him without using much of his power.
Frankenstein… no matter how many demands I have on my time, I will always be there to care for you, or to simply spend time with you. Whenever you desire my presence, you merely need to ask.
"Thank you, Master… Will you stay with me for just a moment longer?"
Of course.
Frankenstein breathed out, wondering once again how he got so lucky… If he had never met Raizel, he likely wouldn't be here right now. It had been an amazing stroke of luck that he'd found his Master that day.
I believe I was the lucky one.
He sat up straight, impulsively clutching the silly stuffed dog to his chest.
"What do you mean?"
Who else would have stayed by my side, alone in the mansion? Who else would have been so patient with me? Who else would have treated me with such kindness and familiarity?
"I suppose I was a little improper back then…"
Your informal language was of no consequence to me. You know that.
"Still… I should have treated you better."
Treated me better? Were you not listening? No one could have treated me better. I'm sure you remember the day you tried to come serve me tea while you were still severely injured?
"You're never going to let me forget that, are you?" Frankenstein chuckled.
Well… I certainly can't forget. I can't forget how you stayed and cared for me all that time, though you didn't need to. I never would have forced you to stay with me against your will.
"Master…"
You stayed with me, Frankenstein. You were my companion, and I was yours. You do not eat away at my life... You are my life.
At this point, Frankenstein's face was burning so brightly, he wouldn't be surprised if the toy in his arms had caught fire. His Master was just such a kind soul… There really was no other way to describe it.
I apologize, I must leave you now. The children think I am… "zoning out", as they say.
"Of course, Master. Thank you again for such a lovely surprise."
With that, Raizel withdrew from his mind, leaving Frankenstein burning in bed.
This wasn't good.
It was becoming increasingly hard to deny that he wanted to hold Raizel in his arms every day and every night... To call his Master his own. He already belonged to Raizel, but he wished the reverse were true, too.
He wanted Raizel to be his... and only his.
And it seemed like his Master was thinking along the same lines. Could that really be true...?
He shook his head, willing himself to snap out of it.
He couldn't!
There was no way he could put his filthy hands on Raizel. Deep down, he was despicable. In the heat of battle, he'd licked his enemies' blood from his hands so he could absorb their power... like a ravenous, bloodthirsty beast. He had reveled in the terrified looks on their faces once they'd realized their blood had only strengthened him... and he'd slaughtered them without hesitation.
Raizel knew all that... and he still wanted him? It was madness.
Sadly, Frankenstein took the dog and placed it on the pillow on the empty side of his bed. A stuffed animal was probably the only thing he should have sleeping next to him.
"I'm sorry," he said to it. "I can't."
My Comments: Rai and Frankenstein are so wholesome together. A lot of people thought that Frankenstein was going to be a bad guy and betray Rai, but he's actually very sweet and gentle with his Master throughout the entire story. And of course, it never crosses his mind to betray his Master. His loyalty to Rai is absolute. I love their interactions in the first season of Noblesse, when it's just the two of them. Rai worries about Frankenstein's neat freak tendencies, and Frankenstein panics every time his Master is even slightly inconvenienced. They know each other so well and are perfectly comfortable with each other, quirks and all.
If Muzaka hadn't gone berserk and put Rai into hibernation, the two of them would have likely lived alone together for the rest of their lives. They're basically already married lol. I thought when reading the manwha, too. I mean, when Rai isn't hanging out with the school kids, he's pretty much attached at the hip to Frankenstein. They're best friends. (One thing I truly don't care for in the manwha is how Muzaka replaces Frankenstein as Rai's best friend over halfway through the story. We had already established Rai and Frankenstein as best friends! That change kinda irritated me. Muzaka is okay, but... yeah. I prefer Frankenstein as Rai's best friend.)
