I wrote this like months ago even though it wasn't what was going to happen next in Bonded in order to write something. The file is labeled Ch. 28. However, it's been hard for me to write lately, so I'm hoping you won't mind too much if I post this out of order so you have some fluff to tide you over until I get the actual Ch. 26, which is currently short bits/notes on like half a dozen scenes, into shape. Or something resembling a named shape.
So yeah, this is a timeskip ahead until everyone's back from the island. It will first be posted posted as Ch. 26 and will later be moved to 28 or later, depending on how many chapters are between 25 and this.
Everyone usually dispersed after family dinner. For some of them, it was the only free time in the day if the kids had come over that afternoon.
Raizel, unsleeping, remained in the living room, but Seira and Regis had studying to do and letters to write before bed. Tao had sat backwards on a chair in Seira's room once, leaning forward to watch her of-course-elegant calligraphy in Lukedonian.
Lukedonian was like English but worse. There were irregulars everywhere, and it took him awhile to realize that they weren't even conjugations, they were whole different words. Lukedonian didn't have verbs – actions were a kind of 'thing' so they were treated like nouns, or sometimes adjectives – if someone was walking, then walking was a description, so it was an adjective. It was like someone had stuck bits and pieces of a hundred languages in a bag and which words got picked out of the bag depended on how good they sounded. To nobles.
All human languages had one of a few methods of grammar, Tao had figured out. You'd think little kids would have the worst grammar, but they seemed to know what the correct words were and had to be taught to use irregular verbs that didn't fit the pattern. He wouldn't be surprised if languages were instinct for humans. So he guessed it made sense that nobles wouldn't have that instinct?
He had chattered on about that, because Miss Seira was like him and didn't mind that kind of thing – and also she was going to be an ambassadress and this might be good for her to know? And she said that it took her twenty years to learn how to talk. Tao had nodded when she confessed that she hadn't wanted to risk talking until she was fairly sure it would be elegant, so of course she couldn't until she'd gotten a firm grasp of complete sentences and everything.
Babies chattered, because they needed to make sure their parents knew stuff? And also practice making the sounds. But it looked like even noble babies weren't noisy or talkative.
"Regis was made not long before I began to speak, so I was able to speak to him and advise him," she'd said, attention focused on her calligraphy like Rai's on his tea.
Aww, so she'd passed on what she'd learned about learning to speak to her little bro! "Didn't your powers help at all? Or hadn't they come in yet?" Maybe baby Seira's powers weren't strong enough to pick up languages from the minds of purebloods and clan leaders?
"I was able to use my power to match word to concept," she said. "Otherwise it would have taken much longer."
Seira and Regis got out of Ye Ran's language requirements by being fluent in everything – South Korea wasn't the first country they'd been to for Regis' coming of age, and Seira had hers before Regis' started.
The nibs of Seira's pens were lines instead of dots, so she could tilt them for different line thicknesses. Lukedonian symbols had a ton of lines in them that changed thickness, and not just at the start and end of the lines. He'd copied the list of symbols she drew for him with a regular pen, and from the way she wrinkled her nose and wouldn't criticize that was horribly inelegant. It made Lukedonian take a lot longer to write than Korean, and that was with Seira's innate noble elegance of movement and near two hundred years of practice writing the mix of letters and symbols.
Because they were both? Tao had looked it up, and the first 'A' meant 'ox,' so he guessed it made sense that Lukedonian was like that when it came from when human writing was like that?
It was interesting. Nobles had language powers, so they were simultaneously better and worse at learning languages than humans – or not 'better or worse' just different. Now that Seira knew how languages worked she picked them up even faster than Tao, with access to a native speaker, but he wondered how she'd do with recordings of a dead language.
He had to leave after a couple of hours to get to his system and start coordinating Takeo and M-21's patrols, but he would have to do that again sometimes. That was the first time he'd gone to Miss Seira's room after dinner because he was worried about disturbing her.
Takeo cleaned his guns after dinner to prepare for patrol, and then he cleaned them again in the morning while M-21 was on patrol during first period, after everyone was safely in class and they'd done the initial sweeps of the school.
Tao had his babies to work on, of course, but he could do that while he was coordinating patrols. M-21 was usually doing some light training after dinner, because his powers were still developing and he didn't want to over- or underestimate his strength or speed, and he wasn't just worried about combat situations. The kids they protected at the school were so fragile.
Someday, maybe Boss' dream would come true (Tao really hoped so) and no one would have to be fragile, so easy for the Union to hurt anymore, but for now they were, so it meant a lot that Boss had entrusted them with the school and the children there, lives so precious to him and his master.
The Union had taught Tao that he could never be free. Takeo had decided to serve a little sister who loved him, not the Union – that was why Tao had chosen Ikhan as a little brother, because he liked Ikhan and it was better to serve someone who cared if he lived or died than the Union. Now he had Boss! So it made perfect sense to him that Boss had a Master. Boss was a genius, so he'd done a really good job picking one out. He would never hurt Boss, and he'd never let the Union have him, either. Rai cared so much about Boss, about all of them, that he'd die to keep them from being hurt.
Tao wanted one.
Rael had figured out (or been informed by Boss, who was good at knowing when to push and when to not) that after family dinner (after being forced into proximity with enhanced humans and having to be talkative with them) was free time, so he either retreated into his room or left the house and Tao quickly lost track of him. That was a good thing – if he couldn't track Rael the Kertia was probably safe out there – but he'd have to get a look at Rael's training as soon as he wore him down enough.
Not just because Rael was Boss' kid and thus One Of Them, one of the people that Boss was Responsible For, but then Boss felt responsible for all enhanced humans and Tao was here first.
Tao stuck his tongue out at his console, pretty close to certain that Rael wasn't in Tao's room (he wouldn't inflict Tao on himself during free time) and wouldn't have any idea what it meant other than Tao doing more weird human things even if he was in here.
No. 3 was probably still working through that last book Ikhan gave him. Because Ikhan helped him keep up with the classwork, he felt obligated to study whatever books and watch whatever videos Ikhan thought were educational. Tao was mostly staying out of it – mostly – because he didn't want to scare off their No. 3, but he was reporting to Ikhan on the current status of Ikhan's plan to lure his fellow shortie to the Technical Side.
Boss was always busybusybusy unless it was his important Tea With Master time, which was an important high-priority part of Boss' schedule… And that was something, for peace and companionship and happiness to be seen as important. Not just Boss' happiness, but making someone else happy, just by being there.
"That's it!" Tao realized, sitting up in his chair and pushing back from his desk. He'd go down to the living room!
He flung himself down the stairs, landing carefully so he didn't make a thump on the floor even if it wouldn't shake anything important in the lab & went to join Rai. Rai was sitting there with a teacup being all peaceful (according to Takeo that was an actual thing and Tao should study it while he was down here).
Tao almost went into the kitchen to make himself, hmm, coffee or tea? In theory coffee would help him be awake for patrol monitoring, but he didn't really need the help. Tea would be better for replicating the experience Boss and Rai had here, so he could study it. Instead, he remembered Boss' punishment and went to lean over Rai's chair a little, standing where Rael stood.
When Rai put down his teacup and turned to look at him he asked, "I want to take a nap before patrol; can I sleep on you like Boss and Takeo?"
While Tao belatedly realized how close he'd come to saying 'sleep with you' and sweated, he nodded, lifted up his teacup and saucer and moved from his chair at the head of the coffee-and-tea table to the couch.
Plopping himself down next to Raizel, Tao wondered if he should rest his head on his shoulder like Takeo or sleep with his head on his lap like Boss and decided that Boss would know best what his Master liked.
So he lay down and was rewarded with a hand placed lightly on top of his head. It wasn't Raizel's tea-drinking hand, but he felt and heard the small signs that Raizel was tilting his head to watch him. It might have felt creepy, like he was being observed, or the hand could have felt like a sign of ownership, but instead he felt protected.
Tao knew how seriously (too seriously) Raizel took his duties; to have all of that focused on him?
He felt pleased and proud of himself and clever, but most of all he felt safe. He wasn't afraid of messing up and getting swatted by Raizel anymore (as long as he didn't like take over the world or anything, and Boss would definitely warn him before he did anything bad enough Raizel would have to do something), and how could anyone else possibly get to him with the strongest noble watching over him?
He wanted to savor the fact that he'd earned Raizel's love and protection, but he'd said he would sleep so he should probably take that nap. If Rael came back the noise'd wake him up so he didn't miss it; it'd be hilarious and a great chance to influence Rael, Tao thought smugly.
Frankenstein had tilted his head when he sensed Master attempting to hold on to his composure. Master's aura wasn't as solid as it used to be before his long sleep, but he felt the disorganized strands of leaked energy thicken and coalesce, glad it was a matter of Master exerting more control over the energy he'd already lost instead of him giving off more energy.
Despite the Previous Lord's and Frankenstein's attempts to shore up the equivalent of Master's skin so he stopped bleeding, all nobles leaked energy. It was why it took a Kertia clan leader to go undetected, and even they still lost energy, they simply managed to conceal it. Such was physics, for the same reason human skin was warm to the touch.
He'd installed some measures into the house during his redecorating so that it would catch and hold Master's energy the way the manor had. In theory that should have at least minor beneficial effects… He shook his head and began closing down files, leaving a few simulations running. He could hazard a guess as to what this was, but he should check and see what the specifics were.
Tao, he saw when he reached the living room and sat down opposite the couch, the corner of his mouth tilting up at the sight of Master's particular expression. Of course Master was going to try desperately to project dignity and controlled elegance in this situation. Dignity and power were not unrelated for nobles… and dignity and control over one's power certainly let you use it more effectively.
If a guard was distracted, someone might be able to slip past them, and when Master had been entrusted with something precious?
He could see Master relax slightly now that Frankenstein was here and aware of the situation.
Tao so rarely let himself show vulnerability that wasn't covered with a joke, although from the way he was smiling in his sleep he was well aware of just how invulnerable to attack he was right now.
Frankenstein knew that feeling well. The happiness that he had found someone he could always rely on was not diminished by his knowledge that he must do his best not to rely on Raizel, both because he must prove that humans could defend themselves (because criminals attacked the weak) and because Raizel was sick, and that made it Frankenstein's duty to protect him.
Tao was a child, reduced to one by what was stripped from him, and that made it every right-thinking person's duty to protect him. Yet even when Tao was all too aware that he couldn't protect himself, he had still taken it upon himself to protect others. No wonder little Regis was unable to resist being dragooned into the Raizel Knights, when he was raised to value the will to protect.
Raizel shifted slightly, drawing attention to the fact that he had not sat next to the armrest, but left room on the other side of the couch from Tao, who had curled up into a little black and pale ball save for his head.
Frankenstein went and sat next to him. There was just enough space, even though if this was anyone else he would have felt there was far too little, pressed between Raizel's side and the armrest.
He leaned his head against Master's shoulder as Takeo had, and reached out his hand to place it on top of Master's where it lay on Tao's hair. He did it without quite thinking about it, because it seemed right, and it took him a moment to realize that he was entirely comfortable.
Of course he was, with Master here. A comfortable couch, a sheltering home, a full stomach, the delicate scent of sugar and tea in the air.
He curled against Master a little and closed his eyes, without fear of nightmares.
When Takeo came down, there was a little bit of color in Raizel's cheeks, despite the noble's best efforts. If he wasn't able to reach out, he would have thought Raizel was embarrassed to be seen like this, with enhanced humans using him as furniture.
"It's an honor, isn't it?" Takeo said in his head because he didn't want to wake Tao. Takeo and M-21 split their shifts, each of them guarding the city for half the night unless there was trouble, but Tao was too prone to doing nothing but catnapping, insisting on being mission control for both of them. Takeo doubted Tao had even realized that the reason Regis was trying to learn about technology was so he would be competent to do it himself and tell Tao to get some sleep.
It would be easier for Takeo to learn how to do it, and he was weaker than Regis. It made more sense for their two front-line combatants to be out in the field, but Takeo was better at scouting than M-21 (and M-21 had some experience breaking into Union systems), and good luck getting him to stay safe at home while one of them was out there. The entire point was for them not to get into solo fights. Regis wouldn't back down if he saw a Union agent killing humans, so Takeo didn't want him out there alone at night.
Raizel nodded solemnly, careful not to shift his shoulder and dislodge Frankenstein's golden head. Two of the most precious beings in existence entrusting themselves to him? Raizel's blush deepened.
Takeo smiled knowingly. Unlike Tao, he was never just Dr. Aris' assassin, a modified human created for a purpose, not much different from a robot as Tao had put it. He was Teira's big brother. He was needed.
M-21 had needled at him that Takeo was only reacting so badly to the truth about his sister because he was angry at being tricked, but how would M-21 have felt, if his comrades were just Union plants, there to mess with him for the fun of it?
…The false M-24.
But he'd made Takeo realize that he still had a comrade… No, that Tao still had a comrade. Tao the 'weak' one, who couldn't handle the front lines: he might be better at navigating this strange household than Takeo, but how would he feel, alone and helpless among people who all knew each other, nobles and a scientist?
Tao had other protectors, and other comrades in RK now, but in this place they protected each other.
Footsteps on the stairs – from the sound of them Takeo knew it was M-21 without looking up. M-21 had first patrol tonight – Takeo was on his way up to his room to get his sleep shift after doing some work in the machine shop in the basement when he went to check up on Raizel.
M-21 seemed to have the same idea, stopping there in the living room on the way out, shifting from foot to foot awkwardly. "…Sorry," he said to Rai, not meeting the noble's eyes, before Takeo could do more to ask than raise his eyebrows. "My comrades and I… so we'd know if they took anyone in the night." He glanced at the door and made for it, almost going outside without exchanging bunny slippers for shoes.
The comrades he slept beside… he'd lost them. Was it too soon to take that risk again, or was he afraid of losing them and Raizel the same way?
M-21 leaving in this state, when Tao wasn't on communications… Takeo bowed to Raizel. "I'll go with him, sir."
He received a nod, expression near-unreadable but he could somehow see, not just feel, the gratitude there.
Takeo caught up with M-21 near the school. M-21 looked fine, just grumpy. Takeo smiled, knowing by now that it was just protective camouflage. "You wanted him to know why you wouldn't be joining in, so he wouldn't think you were still nervous around him." And have his feelings hurt.
The him was Tao's idea, and while Takeo didn't normally use it, he understood the sentiment behind it and calling Frankenstein Boss.
It was a very bad idea to be overly familiar with one's superiors in the Union, but even so using Rai for Raizel felt… wrong. Takeo couldn't risk getting in the habit of calling Frankenstein by his real name, and using a fake name for any of them felt equally wrong.
M-21 nodded and relaxed a little, glad that was over with, before they moved on to the next roof. "How are we going to handle second shift?" They couldn't let Tao go out alone.
"Those two may go for a walk," which they did every so often. Usually it was Raizel's decision: he would stand up, make a one-sentence announcement to the room without looking at anyone and walk towards the door. Frankenstein would follow after him, watching him as he opened the door and walked out. If Raizel was human, he might want to stretch his legs after being stuck unmoving for as long as one of them remained sleeping. This time, Frankenstein might suggest it: he was the one who'd insisted they get as much sleep as they did, and Tao kept him informed of their patrol schedules.
Raizel liked to roofhop, wandering around the city in an irregular pattern that often headed towards the areas with the most light and activity, and Frankenstein had confirmed that when the two of them were out the rest of them really didn't need to patrol, but should stay and guard the house. Tao could keep watch through the cameras while M-21 and Takeo slept.
"If they don't, Tao might use the KSA," Takeo added ruefully. It was entirely Takeo's fault, but after Tao pried how much he'd talked with them out of Takeo he was a little miffed with them.
M-21 turned to stare at him when they landed. "They're too slow," he said, and jumped again before Takeo responded.
True. Tao had his camera network – it was M-21 and Takeo's speed and ability to hold an enemy in place for reinforcements (and if not, run and lure the enemy into position for Regis, Seira and Frankenstein) that made these patrols useful. That and their enhanced senses, but Yonsu and Sangeen were behind in that department as well.
"Sangeen's looking older," M-21 said when they reached the next usual stopping point. It wasn't good to have patterns, but Tao's were made to be broken in useful ways.
Takeo's eyes narrowed.
"I can smell it too." M-21 looked down off the edge of the roof. "I thought he was old, but he's aging too fast."
"Genetic decay. His genes are falling apart because of the modifications-"
"I know what genetic decay is," M-21 growled.
He was part of a numbered series. The Union's modifications went wrong often. Sangeen's wasn't an unusual fate, although usually a test subject would be destroyed the instant they showed the signs of a breakdown. It took a scientist like Crombel to be allowed to look less than perfect – his wrinkles were a badge of how valuable he was to the Union.
But why was M-21 telling him this, instead of Frankenstein? "You think Frankenstein already knows?"
"The last time he let someone at his tech, the Union happened. We happened."
"Dark Spear," Takeo agreed, in part because he didn't want M-21 thinking that he was any part of the reason for Frankenstein not to share his technology. "Even if the KSA wants to keep our secrets, they're a government agency. If they receive legitimate orders from the government, they can't disobey just because they have trained agents." And enhanced humans.
"They put the kids in danger," M-21 said. "But he's her partner."
Husband. Comrade. Fellow test subject, when the KSA didn't even have the dregs of knowledge the rank-and-file Union scientists were allowed. In the Union Yonsu would have been allowed to live, be a low-ranked agent, but Sangeen? Would have been graded For Disposal, like M-21 and his comrade. To be killed. Or used up. And if she tried to protect him… the Union didn't like that. Takeo knew why now. It kept all of them divided and helpless. For Yonsu to show a Disposal a little human kindness would have been a threat to the Union's power structure. That was why they were so vehement about stamping it out, treating it with contempt so everyone believed it was weakness instead of strength. The only thing that might let the Union's victims win against it.
"I'll ask Frankenstein," Takeo told him.
M-21 took off again, and a few roofs later there was something that might have been a 'Thanks,' blown back to him on the wind.
When they returned from patrol, Tao was still sleeping but Frankenstein was up, puttering around in the kitchen making a fresh pot of coffee. There was already a fresh pot of tea.
Rael was sitting next to Raizel. He was trying to appear composed, project noble elegance, but Takeo could see how aware he was that he was only a few centimeters from Cadis Etrama di Raizel. He looked like he might vibrate out of his seat if he wasn't weighed down with a cup of tea (…hopefully caffeine-free) and a plate of cookies.
According to Rael, he was far too old to sleep, unless he was wounded too severely for a noble's normal recovery to handle it. From his glances at Tao, the ones that were speculative instead of murderous, he might be considering asking Frankenstein for a spar.
"Ah, good," Frankenstein said, putting two teacups down on the table for them. "You're back. Uneventful, I hope?"
"M-21 can smell Sangeen's genes decaying." Takeo said, biting the bullet. Not literally, although he'd done that too, not just to hold them for reloading but after too many 'friendly' spars or when denied anesthetic.
The scientist nodded, and Takeo's heart sank a little. He'd hoped that Frankenstein had perhaps just been too busy to notice, instead of him choosing not to help someone. "Is he in immediate danger?"
M-21 shrugged, so militantly uncaring it had to be false. "I don't know that much about it."
"He was stable when I looked over the data," Frankenstein said, looking thoughtful as he poured the tea, "but the KSA went without a lab for some time, after he was in a battle with Cerberus. The strain, coupled with the lack of a normal human's level of psychic healing ability… yes, his condition could easily have decayed while his body was allowed to rely on what passes for enhanced healing." Among Union-derived enhanced humans. "Their doctor developed a retroviral therapy that was used to stabilize him before, but he wouldn't have been able to produce it without a working lab suitable for enhanced humans, or he may be hesitating to use it again in case it causes the situation to destabilize further."
That was a relief: Frankenstein hadn't done anything because the KSA was handling it before.
Frankenstein sighed. "They've already seen my lab." Not that he would ever dream of bringing up that Raizel was the one who let them in. "If he's not in immediate danger, I'd like some time to see if there's a way to fix the situation without doing anything that the Union would dissect him to get its hands on."
"He's an unregistered modified human," M-21 pointed out. "They'll take him apart and make it slow anyway, if they find out he's modified at all."
Frankenstein seemed a little taken aback for a moment before admitting, "True. I suppose I'm too used to anyone associated with me being in danger."
"He's already in danger." Not targeted for associating with Frankenstein. "We were already in danger," said Takeo.
"Wha-Who's in danger?" Tao said, bolting upright.
"Sangeen's aging may be accelerating, but it's nothing to worry about as long as it's treated," Frankenstein reassured him. "…And I need to reconsider old habits."
"Such as sealing the children's memories," his Master agreed.
Frankenstein put a smile on his face, but he was clearly wincing inside, embarrassed.
"As humans grow older, they are less able to recover from injury, and their bodies are more likely to break down in fatal ways," Raizel said, and he probably knew that from Frankenstein telling him. "Frankenstein, you have my permission to aid him."
Frankenstein bowed. "Yes, Master."
Tao tilted his head. "Does he need your permission?"
"Frankenstein does not always ask, and I do not expect him to when there are lives at stake."
From Frankenstein's rueful expression, that was true.
"But I forbade him to experiment with power before I slept, because both humans and nobles were afraid of his power."
"Master was worried that if I grew much more powerful, I might end up as isolated as he was," Frankenstein supplied and Raizel nodded with relief. That Frankenstein understood? "Of course, I wanted to terrify evildoers."
"Did the sleep fog my memory, Frankenstein, or were not you willing to give me your blood to ensure I had the power to keep you if I wished for your company?"
"To remain by your side, Master," Frankenstein corrected him gently. His eyes were soft, too full of nostalgia to be at all chastised.
"You should not be alone, Frankenstein," Raizel persisted, still frowning.
"Not while you have me, Master." Frankenstein nodded as though he was agreeing, even though Takeo knew that wasn't what Raizel meant at all, and Frankenstein had to know it.
Raizel gave him a disappointed look, then gave up, turning back to his tea.
Takeo remembered the conversation they'd had after Takeo fell asleep on Raizel's shoulder. Raizel wanted Frankenstein to have friends, to not be alone, but Frankenstein wasn't going to imply that he would be alright if Raizel died, not when that might make Raizel relax and think it would be okay if he died.
Rael was stuck there unable to speak during all of that, too aware that he was sitting right next to Cadis Etrama di Raizel to make his usual comments. Frankenstein's eyes lit on him. "Ah, Rael. Would you mind taking the early morning patrol and stopping by the KSA to make inquiries? It's a secret that those two are enhanced, even from the Director for the sake of plausible deniability." Although he had to know after two KSA agents survived a battle involving Cerberus and a Union Elder.
"So that's why you're not just calling them," Rael said, standing almost with relief. Quickly, he bowed to the Noblesse and vanished.
Right, nobles didn't do public displays of affection. Sitting so close to someone he admired, especially with Tao there and Frankenstein watching, must have been nerve-wracking for Rael. It was one thing to attend the Noblesse, it was another to sit so close to him. Had Rael wondered if he was supposed to go to sleep too, even though adult nobles didn't just fall asleep?
Had he wanted to? If humans got to, it must have been vexing that he couldn't because he was a pureblood noble.
"I'll get on communications and make sure he behaves," Tao said cheerfully, heading upstairs.
A wisp of disappointment escaped Raizel's aura. Was he sad that all the children were gone? But Takeo was still here. He frowned at Raizel, wishing that he would say that he wanted company. Any of them would be happy to do that for him. "I could stay in the living room, if you like."
Raizel shook his head. "According to Frankenstein, it is important that you have your own space."
A place that was his, where he felt safe? "I feel safe here," Takeo promised him.
The color on Raizel's cheeks darkened.
"Master is a little overwhelmed," Frankenstein said kindly, watching Raizel with a fond expression. "Thank you for the offer, but he could use a chance to restore his composure, especially when we'll have company soon."
Right, even if Sangeen was doing well, they couldn't pass up an offer like that. The chance for intel on the capabilities of someone who created enhanced humans capable of fighting Cerberus agents? "I'm sorry," Takeo said. "We keep imposing on your generosity." It was M-21's idea, the way he was the one to ask if Takeo and Tao could stay, but Takeo also wanted to help them.
Frankenstein chuckled, and Takeo had to laugh a little ruefully too, because he should know by now, after all.
Ah, so it seems this was going to start off the next plot bit as well as provide household fluff. Well, I can rearrange chapter order later so it flows nicely.
...Also my apologies that the next plot bit will involve Rael as well as M-21 and his issues. In my defense, Rael suffers hilariously and I'm not killing Rajak here so I'll have to make Rael suffer extra to make up for it?