Forgotten [Second Path]
Nov. 20th, 2012 04:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
esp_dragonFandom: Noblesse
Summary: They forgot one thing in the confusion of M-21 losing his memories.
Rating: PG-13
Contains: Nothing
Notes: Set after the third Forgotten chapter, but no spoilers.
Genre: Angst/family
Word count: 1,057
Status: Work in progress?
Tao threw himself into his chair, scrubbing his face with a palm. There were so many ways that could have gone better, but it would never have happened anyway, even if they'd prepared for an entire week. And then that would have felt fake and manipulative anyway, alienating M-21 even further.
With a sigh, Tao flipped his pocket computer open, not sure what he intended to do, but there were a couple of projects he could try to dist -
Tao froze, his eyes widening as he saw the notification flash on his screen.
Dammit, the full moon was tonight?
* * *
M-21 gasped, squeezing his eyes shut, trying to keep control. He didn't know what had happened, but his senses had suddenly went into overdrive, his nose sharpening at every. Little. Thing in his room and he could hear a howling in his head that wanted - no. He wasn't going to let it take over him, he couldn't-!
His skin prickled, like he was transforming, and he felt his claws shred his arm.
He hissed at the pain, but welcomed it, welcomed how it gave him something else to focus on, to ground his thoughts. Except the scent of his own blood sent the crazed beast in his head wild, roaring in fury.
He couldn't do it. He couldn't hold it back, and the world burst into light.
* * *
Tao had just grabbed Takeo from his room, both of them about to go to M-21's, but there was no need - M-21 was already heading towards them, and Tao winced at the blood shining brightly on his shirt. With no warnings or knowledge, M-21 wouldn't have known what was going on.
M-21 didn't pause like he usually did, and bumped his forehead against Tao's leg, whining.
"Not feeling great, huh?" Tao whispered, and M-21 made a low affirmative sound, turning to Takeo to lean on him for a second too. When M-21 wolfed out, how he acted that night depended on what had happened before the transformation. It wasn't surprising in the slightest he was like this.
Tao shared a glance with Takeo, at a loss. They couldn't leave M-21 (they couldn't leave M-21, ever) and M-21 needed them right now, but once he regained his senses...
He chewed the inside of his cheek. There really wasn't anything else they could do but help, and hope they didn't end up driving M-21 away in the morning.
Takeo had already moved back into his room, M-21 following him silently, his head lower than usual. Tao went in after them, keeping the door ajar, so the room wouldn't appear so boxed in.
M-21 was waiting for him on top of Takeo's bed and Tao smiled, not really feeling it. He sat down next to M-21 and M-21 wriggled so that his head rested on Tao's lap, his muscles tense.
Tao chuckled softly at that, obliging M-21's request for petting, even as he winced. It had been awkward enough the first time after M-21 had wolfed out, but at least M-21 trusted them then, and he had eventually stopped being worried about waking up somewhere else so long as he was surrounded by people he knew when he did. This M-21 didn't know them, and Tao remembered just how long it had taken M-21 to get used to his casual touches without freezing first.
Takeo came over to their side just then, a small first aid kit in hand. M-21 turned his head to regard Takeo curiously before huffing and straightening out again.
While Takeo cut M-21's shirt arm off so he could see the extent of the damage (and so M-21 wouldn't end up healing around his shirt too), Tao continued to run his hands through M-21's spiky hair, murmuring a commentary about what Takeo was doing.
He could tell M-21 was relaxing from the way he was mostly a boneless slump against him, but Tao wasn't sure if it was because of his and Takeo's presence, his voice, or a whole heap of other things it could possibly be, but he didn't stop his chatter either way.
It didn't take Takeo long to finish, M-21 accommodating everything he wanted him to do. Once he was done, Takeo set the kit on the bedside-table and then climbed into bed with them.
M-21 huffed, moving to give Takeo more space before dozing off almost instantly.
Tao shared a look with Takeo and they both knew neither of them were going to sleep that night; they needed to be awake for when M-21 regained his senses.
* * *
He was laying on top of something warm, something living, and M-21 hoped he hadn't given himself away yet. Where the hell was he? The last thing he remembered was...
Shit. He shouldn't have trusted them - they had drugged him, put something in his food -
"Mornin', M-21," someone said muzzily, and it took him a second to place the voice: Tao. "I know you're freaking out right now, but, just hear us out?"
Tao sighed. "This happens every month because of your - uh." There was a short pause. "Do you know where your power comes from?"
M-21's curled his lip as he sat up, shaking his head so his hair fell back into place. "What power?" He was experimental material; the basis of future experiments - he had no power.
"Your transformation," Takeo said quietly. "You don't...?"
M-21 gritted his teeth. More information he didn't know; more experiences that didn't tie him to them. "What do you think?" He shoved himself to his feet, glad the door was open and stalked out, not surprised when they only made abortive attempts to call him back.
It was only after he left that M-21 noticed the bandage on his arm, and he glared at it, wanting to tear it off. They hadn't helped him because they wanted to - they had helped him because they still saw him as the M-21 who knew them. Someone who he wasn't.
And he constantly lost hours of his life every month? How the hell had he stood waking up somewhere he didn't remember going and with no idea what he had done? Hah. Right. He hadn't had a choice.
Shit.
What else was he going to find out about himself?
_______________________________________________
So I had the passing thought of 'Hey, I wonder how Forbidden!M-21 would react if he was NightDisturbance!M-21! [...] BADLY.' So then I had to write it, since both Forgotten and the Yuletide fic don't want to be written right now. orz;; (Why, self. Whyyyy.)
Aaaaand then everything gets worse. orz Thought that would happen. On the other hand, at least M-21 would find out about his heart? D:
So...that - trust thing... haha. orz;;;; 1) When pre-canon!M-21 says he'll trust someone, that just means he won't slam the door in their face from the get go. 2) Just how long is Forgotten going to have to be before M-21 even starts feeling an inkling of trust...? ORZ On the other hand, I think someone's eventually going to put their foot down at how much M-21's avoiding them/misinterpreting everything? Maaaybe?
I really hope the scene I'm stuck on doesn't go as badly as it seems to be implied here...
...I usually hate plots where characters can't/don't communicate with each other. How am I writing this?
Summary: They forgot one thing in the confusion of M-21 losing his memories.
Rating: PG-13
Contains: Nothing
Notes: Set after the third Forgotten chapter, but no spoilers.
Genre: Angst/family
Word count: 1,057
Status: Work in progress?
Tao threw himself into his chair, scrubbing his face with a palm. There were so many ways that could have gone better, but it would never have happened anyway, even if they'd prepared for an entire week. And then that would have felt fake and manipulative anyway, alienating M-21 even further.
With a sigh, Tao flipped his pocket computer open, not sure what he intended to do, but there were a couple of projects he could try to dist -
Tao froze, his eyes widening as he saw the notification flash on his screen.
Dammit, the full moon was tonight?
M-21 gasped, squeezing his eyes shut, trying to keep control. He didn't know what had happened, but his senses had suddenly went into overdrive, his nose sharpening at every. Little. Thing in his room and he could hear a howling in his head that wanted - no. He wasn't going to let it take over him, he couldn't-!
His skin prickled, like he was transforming, and he felt his claws shred his arm.
He hissed at the pain, but welcomed it, welcomed how it gave him something else to focus on, to ground his thoughts. Except the scent of his own blood sent the crazed beast in his head wild, roaring in fury.
He couldn't do it. He couldn't hold it back, and the world burst into light.
Tao had just grabbed Takeo from his room, both of them about to go to M-21's, but there was no need - M-21 was already heading towards them, and Tao winced at the blood shining brightly on his shirt. With no warnings or knowledge, M-21 wouldn't have known what was going on.
M-21 didn't pause like he usually did, and bumped his forehead against Tao's leg, whining.
"Not feeling great, huh?" Tao whispered, and M-21 made a low affirmative sound, turning to Takeo to lean on him for a second too. When M-21 wolfed out, how he acted that night depended on what had happened before the transformation. It wasn't surprising in the slightest he was like this.
Tao shared a glance with Takeo, at a loss. They couldn't leave M-21 (they couldn't leave M-21, ever) and M-21 needed them right now, but once he regained his senses...
He chewed the inside of his cheek. There really wasn't anything else they could do but help, and hope they didn't end up driving M-21 away in the morning.
Takeo had already moved back into his room, M-21 following him silently, his head lower than usual. Tao went in after them, keeping the door ajar, so the room wouldn't appear so boxed in.
M-21 was waiting for him on top of Takeo's bed and Tao smiled, not really feeling it. He sat down next to M-21 and M-21 wriggled so that his head rested on Tao's lap, his muscles tense.
Tao chuckled softly at that, obliging M-21's request for petting, even as he winced. It had been awkward enough the first time after M-21 had wolfed out, but at least M-21 trusted them then, and he had eventually stopped being worried about waking up somewhere else so long as he was surrounded by people he knew when he did. This M-21 didn't know them, and Tao remembered just how long it had taken M-21 to get used to his casual touches without freezing first.
Takeo came over to their side just then, a small first aid kit in hand. M-21 turned his head to regard Takeo curiously before huffing and straightening out again.
While Takeo cut M-21's shirt arm off so he could see the extent of the damage (and so M-21 wouldn't end up healing around his shirt too), Tao continued to run his hands through M-21's spiky hair, murmuring a commentary about what Takeo was doing.
He could tell M-21 was relaxing from the way he was mostly a boneless slump against him, but Tao wasn't sure if it was because of his and Takeo's presence, his voice, or a whole heap of other things it could possibly be, but he didn't stop his chatter either way.
It didn't take Takeo long to finish, M-21 accommodating everything he wanted him to do. Once he was done, Takeo set the kit on the bedside-table and then climbed into bed with them.
M-21 huffed, moving to give Takeo more space before dozing off almost instantly.
Tao shared a look with Takeo and they both knew neither of them were going to sleep that night; they needed to be awake for when M-21 regained his senses.
He was laying on top of something warm, something living, and M-21 hoped he hadn't given himself away yet. Where the hell was he? The last thing he remembered was...
Shit. He shouldn't have trusted them - they had drugged him, put something in his food -
"Mornin', M-21," someone said muzzily, and it took him a second to place the voice: Tao. "I know you're freaking out right now, but, just hear us out?"
Tao sighed. "This happens every month because of your - uh." There was a short pause. "Do you know where your power comes from?"
M-21's curled his lip as he sat up, shaking his head so his hair fell back into place. "What power?" He was experimental material; the basis of future experiments - he had no power.
"Your transformation," Takeo said quietly. "You don't...?"
M-21 gritted his teeth. More information he didn't know; more experiences that didn't tie him to them. "What do you think?" He shoved himself to his feet, glad the door was open and stalked out, not surprised when they only made abortive attempts to call him back.
It was only after he left that M-21 noticed the bandage on his arm, and he glared at it, wanting to tear it off. They hadn't helped him because they wanted to - they had helped him because they still saw him as the M-21 who knew them. Someone who he wasn't.
And he constantly lost hours of his life every month? How the hell had he stood waking up somewhere he didn't remember going and with no idea what he had done? Hah. Right. He hadn't had a choice.
Shit.
What else was he going to find out about himself?
So I had the passing thought of 'Hey, I wonder how Forbidden!M-21 would react if he was NightDisturbance!M-21! [...] BADLY.' So then I had to write it, since both Forgotten and the Yuletide fic don't want to be written right now. orz;; (Why, self. Whyyyy.)
Aaaaand then everything gets worse. orz Thought that would happen. On the other hand, at least M-21 would find out about his heart? D:
So...that - trust thing... haha. orz;;;; 1) When pre-canon!M-21 says he'll trust someone, that just means he won't slam the door in their face from the get go. 2) Just how long is Forgotten going to have to be before M-21 even starts feeling an inkling of trust...? ORZ On the other hand, I think someone's eventually going to put their foot down at how much M-21's avoiding them/misinterpreting everything? Maaaybe?
I really hope the scene I'm stuck on doesn't go as badly as it seems to be implied here...
...I usually hate plots where characters can't/don't communicate with each other. How am I writing this?
no subject
Date: Nov. 21st, 2012 10:35 am (UTC)Yay some of Tao's POV. :D
Owww, that sounds painful for M-21.
Tao had just grabbed Tao from his room
You have any extra Tao here. XD;;;
There really wasn't anything else they could do but help, and hope they didn't end up driving M-21 away in the morning.
I imagine that's not going to go well...
It had been awkward enough the first time after M-21 had wolfed out, but at least M-21 trusted them then,
This is going to be super awkward. Suuuuper awkward.
(and so M-21 wouldn't end up healing around his shirt too),
...that would be TERRIBLE if it happened. DDDD:
He was laying on top of something warm, something living, and M-21 hoped he hadn't given himself away yet.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah
"I know you're freaking out right now, but, just hear us out?"
Taaaaaao. *imagines him going for a calming voice*
"What power?" He was experimental material; the basis of future experiments - he had no power.
kasdlf;jas;dfjask;df How to explain when he doesn't even know about that. klsadjfa; And he feels completely powerless.
It was only after he left that M-21 noticed the bandage on his arm, and he glared at it, wanting to tear it off.
I was all, look! They care! They care... oh M-21, there you go again. ;___;
Hah. Right. He hadn't had a choice.
Ow, ow, ow.
Reacting badly is putting it mildly. D':
...I usually hate plots where characters can't/don't communicate with each other. How am I writing this?
XD;;;
the more you like a character, the more you want to explore every aspect of them? Including all the ~feels~ and all the angst and putting the character through the wringer ahahaha. I hope this M-21 gets to the point of trusting them again. ;____; It would be so depressing if he couldn't learn to trust again. DDD;no subject
Date: Nov. 21st, 2012 06:14 pm (UTC)"Yay some of Tao's POV. :D"
Haha, I hardly ever write from his pov. XDD;; Probably because it's better/more fun to see the thoughts of the people who're reacting to him. XD
"You have any extra Tao here. XD;;;"
...Oops. *fixes* On the other hand, it could just be a huge typo, since Takeo has the same letters. XD
"I imagine that's not going to go well..."
Haha...
"...that would be TERRIBLE if it happened. DDDD:"
Juuuust a bit. *wince* They'd have to reopen the wound and aaaanyway. *cough*
"How to explain when he doesn't even know about that"
Yeeeep. D:
"I was all, look! They care! They care... oh M-21, there you go again. ;___;"
Haha, yeeeah. XD;;;
"the more you like a character, the more you want to explore every aspect of them? Including all the ~feels~ and all the angst and putting the character through the wringer ahahaha"
That's a good explanation! And there's dramatic irony going on, as well as exploring memories.
"I hope this M-21 gets to the point of trusting them again. ;____; It would be so depressing if he couldn't learn to trust again. DDD;"
;___; Yep.