46, Tao with noble of your choice in the dragon!kit!21 AU~~
“Hey, have you seen the…? Oh.”
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Tao hummed as he walked up the stairs from the lab. He’d passed Boss and dragon-Boss as they chatted in the main lab; he hadn’t seen mini-M-21 flying about, which was surprising seeing how protective dragon-Boss had been over him. If mini-M-21 wasn’t with dragon-Boss, where was he? The puppy wouldn’t try eating him, but if he’d gone exploring… Right. Definitely the first thing to do. He couldn’t hear the tell-tale flap of wings or tiny claws skittering over the floor and checking around the living room came up with nothing too. The next stop was the kitchen and Tao raised his head to sniff. Someone was cooking and since Boss was downstairs… “Hey, Seira-yang,” Tao said, pushing the door open, “have you seen - there ya are!” Mini-M-21 was perched on Seira-yang’s shoulder, his grey scales making him stand out from her hair. Mini-M-21 turned to look at him and chirped, flapping his wings. “How’d you get here, huh?” Tao said, walking over. “He smelled the food and wanted to watch,” Seira-yang said, giving the pot a few more stirs before setting the lid on it. “Can we get a taste?” Tao tried, grinning. “No,” Seira said, smiling back. “But you can help cook.”“Sure!” Tao grabbed one of the aprons, throwing it on. “You can help grab the ingredients,” Tao told mini-M-21, who nodded, chirping. Unless he knew magic, but there was no way Tao was giving him a knife when the blades were almost as long as he was. Maybe he should make a mini-apron for mini-M-21…? That was a later idea — right now, they had food to cook!
GUESS WHO USED TO DRAW SHITTY ANIME BISHONEN BOYS IN HIGHSCHOOL???
Dragon!M-21 because @darkicedragon
and kid!kentas because little werewolf with thick eyebrows are cute
cellphone pictures and the room is kind of dark but it’s not like good light would turn it into the gioconda, there’s dragon!m21
and dragon!m21 in a dress (because that was also a thing I used to draw in my shitty bishonen anime boys phase of high school) that one’s so little and blurred...
and kid!kentas because THINK ABOUT THIS LITTLE SHIT ASKING ADULT M-21 TO FIGHT HIIIIIIM
fun fact: each time I draw a mohawk it gets worse, it’s like magic!
That was fun. Lets never do that again. Goddamnit drawing is hard wtf I used to spend hours doing that and now I tire five minutes in aaaaaaaaaaaah
“Master,” Frankenstein said as he refilled Master’s teacup, dragon-M-21 watching the falling liquid, “what would you like for dinner?”
“Roasted marshmallows.” There had been no hesitation.
Dragon-M-21 perked up at those words, looking up at Frankenstein. There was a burst of smothered snickering that could have only come from Tao.
“Mast...” Frankenstein trailed off, feeling that Master wouldn’t change his mind. “Yes, Master.”
For once, Frankenstein would have preferred it if Master had chosen ramen.
* * *
Frankenstein watched his dragon self roast the third marshmallow with a lighter.
“Do you not eat?” Frankenstein asked as his dragon self handed the marshmallow to dragon-M-21. His plate was empty, the dragon more interested in feeding his kit.
The marshmallow was gobbled up in a second the chirping coming from him growing stronger. His dragon self sent dragon-M-21 a look and with a huff, dragon-M-21 started wandering between the plates, investigating each other. He didn’t go as far as eating from them this time.
“I don’t,” his dragon self said, revealing a row of sharp teeth as he smiled. “There wouldn’t be much life left in my forest if I had to hunt.”
How big was he...?
“M-21 does, because they’re growing.”
Dragon kits needed the extra sustenance, hm. Marshmallows didn’t seem to be a good source of nutrition but dragon-M-21 looked to be more interested in the plates that had more protein in them.
His dragon self’s attention was drawn by M-21 and Regis’ bickering — it sounded like it was about Regis’ drinking preferences again.
Their M-21′s were different, that much was obvious, but it made Frankenstein curious how different they were when dragon-M-21 was also watching the pair, ears pricked towards them.
* * *
“Feeling better?” Frankenstein’s dragon self said as dragon-M-21 flew circles around his horns.
Whatever dragon-M-21 said made his dragon self smile, this time his fangs hidden. “Only if you want to.”
Dragon-M-21 nodded and flew down, landing on the floor.
He shook himself and then stretched. He held that position for a second and a ripple shuddered through his form. Then he was growing, his wings stretching out further as he grew to M-21′s size. Scale gave way to skin. ...No, not quite. His limbs stayed stubbornly silver and claw-tipped, even when he stopped growing. His tail and wings remained as well, and Frankenstein could see the horns and long ears amongst his hair.
Dragon-M-21 stood, leaning forward from the weight of the wings, and that had to be why the pair had been so surprised at seeing ‘his’ M-21.
Dragon-M-21 closed his eyes, creases forming on his forehead and clothes materialised over his body, thick earthy coloured clothes.
When he turned to Frankenstien’s dragon self, Frankenstein saw the gaps in his clothes to allow for his wings and tail.
The pair pressed their foreheads together, rumbling filling the air.
Frankenstein blinked, feeling a surge of warmth and tumbling words through his connection with Master. Master blinked and then looked away from the pair, the feeling shutting off like a door had been closed.
Something no-one else was meant to hear.
Well, there were things he could do in his lab in the meantime. An arched eyebrow at the others in the room and they were remembering other chores and homework that had yet to be done as well.
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Dragon!Frankenstein and Rai were going to have a semi-snarky conversation after dinner that basically went ‘I’ve never had a servant before.’
‘I am sure you have never served someone either.’
‘Heh.’
Dragon!M-21 hasn’t realised yet they can actually hug dragon!Frankenstein now, heh.
Kit M21 drinks Rai tea and cookie without permission. Now everyone's staring at the kit wide eyes. Kit realizes he messed up somewhere but don't know where. Shy kit backing off staring at the ground nervous. Rai picking up him soothing him, baby nothing's wrong aww
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The dark liquid tasted sweet too. Not as much as the roasted marshmallows, but M-21 had never drank anything like this before.
Their ears swivelled around as the conversation dropped around them and they looked up to see almost everyone was staring at them.
They cringed, drawing back with their ears flat against their skull. Attention was bad. Especially from humans.
Reassurance. Warmth.
They’d just been about to fly back to Frankenstein when they paused. That hadn’t come from Frankenstein so it must be from the other dragon.
“It is fine,” they said, still sending reassurance, reaching over to run a finger over M-21′s head.
They chittered a little at the touch, pushing into it. It was fine?
“Yes.” There was a small pause as curiosity curled through the connection. “Roasted marshmallows?”
[Yes!] M-21′s ears perked up again as they started telling Rai about the food Tao had given them.
Tao’s head snapped up at a crash downstairs, with the distinctive sound of shattering glass. He would have zipped out but the tiny silver maybe-dragon chirped at the sound, launching themself into the air.
“Hey, hey!” Tao said, catching them and stuffing them in a pocket as he ran out his room. At least that way he knew where they were and wouldn’t have to worry about them running into the fight at a bad time. Trying to find somewhere to put them would take too long, and they’d already figured out how to open doors. “Stay there, okay?”
The living room was unsurprisingly a mess, the garden door blasted in, and in the centre-
Uh.
Was Boss, looking spitting mad and glaring at Takeo. Not at the mess. Which was an indication in itself. The second indication that something was wrong was the low growl coming from Boss, something he more expected from M-21.
The third that there was something off was the pair of golden orange-tipped horns that curled out from Boss’ head.
The air was heavy with the imposter’s aura and it was like Boss’, crackling with power but it didn’t have Dark Spear’s bite.
‘Where’s. My. KIT?’ the imposter roared, and the tea machine exploded, showering the room.
That sounded like something Boss would say and the maybe-dragon chirped again, sticking their head out of Tao’s pocket.
The imposter’s attention snapped to him, to the maybe-dragon, and oh. Oh shit. Kit. Child. They were a parent and they were looking for-
Tao’s eyes widened as the dragon parent advanced on him.
Next part
Thank this conversation with @ibijus and inspired by the prompt by @promptlywritingideas 83
The ACTUAL first part to this fic. Possibly a bad thing to write this scene by scene and posting at the same time, but brain’s on a current fic-binge so may as well keep going while the plotbunnies are chewing on my ankles.
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Tao turned his head at a high pitched sound, peering down the alley he was passing. It sounded like, well, a small animal in pain, and something crashed in the distance.
His feet were already moving, a cable tapping out a message in case it was a lot bigger than it sounded, or there was someone else with it. Nothing coming from the rooftops, and the alley was deserted.
Movement caught his eye and huh. “Hey there,” Tao murmured, crouching down at the small silver lizard scrabbling backwards at the wall. There were two bright lines of red along their back and damn. A cat? “I’m not gonna hurt ya, all right?”
The lizard froze. There was a burst of static in Tao’s head and he hid a wince. Must be a power surge nearby.
The lizard edged towards him and Tao held his hand out, grinning. “Thaaat’s right, I’m just here crouching, still not gonna hurt you.” Had to be an escaped pet if they were approaching him this easily.
The lizard crept onto his hand and they barely fit into his palm. He stood up, bringing his hand closer to his face as he started going home again. There were two nubby horns on their head in front of some long ears that were pressed against their skull. The injuries...weren’t injuries?
Tao frowned, not seeing any broken scales or exposed flesh. But that was definitely blood and it didn’t look like it had been painted on or dropped on. It was almost like seeing the aftermath of M-21′s healing after a fight. The scales did look raised under the blood so there was probably something there.
Well, Boss would know what had happened and then they could figure out what to do.
At least whatever had been happening had stopped, the static in Tao’s head fading again as he walked back home.
This is a little more ahead than the previous part I posted.
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Tao grunted as he climbed the cliff face, starting to recognise his usual path. Which was fine and all, but his arms were still tired. Was his bag really heavier this time?
He blinked and then grinned when he saw a silver-haired head poke over the edge above him, peering down. “Heeey, give me a lift up?” He reached up and braced himself when M-21 clasped his wrist and hauled him up like he was a pillow. This time M-21 was a little more aware of their strength and Tao’s arm didn’t feel like it was about to be ripped out its socket.
Once Tao was on flat ground again, he flopped back, just giving his arms a rest. Maybe this was harder because his arms were still tired from the last couple times he’d come here.
He chuckled, feeling M-21′s curiosity buzzing in his head, and he had a reasonable idea what M-21 was asking. He lifted his head and saw M-21 standing there. Watching him, looking like they was ready to pounce if the slow sway of their tail was anything to go by.
“Are you pleased to see me,” Tao said, shaking his head as he sat back up again, “or are you more interested in what I brought this time?”
There was a beat where M-21 didn’t respond, tilting their head as they thought.
“...Oi, is it really-”
The staticy sound was something Tao was pretty sure meant ‘both’ and Tao made a face as M-21 grinned, chittering at Tao’s reaction. At least their smile wasn’t as intimidating as Frankenstein’s.
“You’re really taking after Frankenstein, you know that?” Which wasn’t a bad thing, of course, but damn, getting trolled from both sides could be a strain for the brain.
“Buuut if yer that interested-” Tao opened up the bag, and brought the items he’d packed out with a flourish, “-here they are!’
M-21 blinked and stared at what was in Tao’s hands, and then turned their attention back to him, squinting. Or more specifically at what Tao was wearing.
“Yup!” Tao said, nodding. “Clothes! Maybe not as useful at night when Frankenstein’s here, but these should keep ya warm when they’re not.” If they fit. He hadn’t been able to measure them the last time he was here, so he’d had to guesstimate. “If ya don’t mind wearing them anyway.”
M-21 continued peering as Tao shook out the gold backless dress. “We don’t have wings and our legs aren’t like yours, which makes things a liiittle tricky to find things that you can wear, but not impossible. You’ll have to step into this to wear it.” And hopefully they’d be able to fit their tail in as well.
There was a query in Tao’s mind that he guessed was M-21 echoing him. “Yeah, step.” He did an exaggerated example. “I’ll pull the dress up and we’ll see if it fits you.”
“Hnnng...” M-21 considered it for a little longer and stepped forward.
Tao beamed and placed the dress in front of them. It didn’t take to pull it up, the tail causing the most problems (Tao had made sure to not look at M-21′s crotch area; while they didn’t have anything there, it was still awkward). The sleeves were a little short but M-21 didn’t seem uncomfortable, peering at their arms and moving them around slowly.
“How’s that?” Tao asked. “Feel too weird? Want it off?”
M-21 stretched out their wings and folded them back again, shaking their head.
“All riiight!” Tao cheered. “Let’s see how the rest of these fit!”
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I’ll see if I can draw all the things Tao bought for them, haha.
I forgot I’d set this in modern times so Tao would have easy access to this, whoops. 8D;;;
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“I think I’m getting better at this!” Tao said as he pulled himself over the edge to Frankenstein and M-21′s den. He hadn’t needed help at the final stretch and he wasn’t as winded either, especially when he was carrying extra weight.
[Morning.]
He felt M-21′s amusement as they shielded him from the sun’s rays with a wing and waved at them. “Mornin’ to you too.”
[What did you bring?”] M-21 peered at his bag.
“Something you’ll probably hate me for in a minute,” Tao said with a laugh. He set his backpack down and pulled out a laptop. “How do you feel about learning another language?”
[Another-?] Tao didn’t know what the other buzz was, but he was reasonably sure it meant ‘language’.
“Yeah.” Tao nodded, switching his laptop on. “Sign language. It’s talking through mostly your hands and gestures. So we can learn this for when there’s something I don’t get you saying, and if you talk while signing, I can learn both how you say it and the signs for it.” And they’d be able to learn new words that weren’t just forest related. “What do ya think?”
M-21 didn’t say anything, watching Tao’s laptop boot up.
[Yeah, let’s do it,] M-21 said, smiling.
“All riiight!” Tao cheered, setting the laptop cover down and putting his laptop on it. “Let’s get started then!”
