Summary: M-21 frowned as he entered the house, Takeo following him a few steps behind. From the shoes in the entranceway, they were one of the last to arrive. Apart from Tao.

This is sort of tied to a longer fic I'm working on that I haven't finished yet, hah.

Reach Out

By Dark Ice Dragon

M-21 frowned as he entered the house, Takeo following him a few steps behind. From the shoes in the entranceway, they were one of the last to arrive.

Apart from Tao.

It wasn't something serious, but if Tao was going to be late home, he would have sent a text. Multiple, usually, about whatever new thing he'd found and wanted to share.

M-21 dug into his pocket and pulled out his phone. No new messages. He glanced at Takeo, who had his own phone out, and got a shake of the head in reply.

It wasn't like Tao to be out of touch like that, for that long.

It was probably nothing, but there had been too many instances where someone had dropped out of contact and the rest of them arrived at the fight almost too late (though Tao would say their timing had been perfect).

Sharing a nod with Takeo, they changed their shoes and went into the house, only giving the children and the other people in the living room a brief nod in greeting as they passed.

Every second counted, and at least so far M-21 hadn't sensed any fight going on.

They went down to Tao's security room, the lights flicking on as they walked past, all the screens showing different areas of the city.

"Good thing Tao made sure we know how to use this," M-21 murmured as he slipped into the chair. It had been a precaution, just in case something happened.

Takeo stood next to him, his arms loosely folded. "I don't think he wanted us to do it this quickly."

"We never do," M-21 said, starting the search for Tao's GPS signal.

It didn't take long, and the computer blipped. M-21 heard Takeo's sigh echo his as the computer zoomed into the area where it was broadcasting.

This phone was close by. But if he hadn't dropped it... He shouldn't have. When they were attacked, they destroyed their phones to make sure no-one else get any information about them or anyone else on their phone. It was still whole so Tao had to be safe.

"Are there any cameras near there?" Takeo asked, staring at where the signal was coming from.

M-21 snorted. "It's Tao." He'd put cameras everywhere; the problem wasn't going to be if there were cameras — it was going to be sorting through all the information they got to try and find the right feed the wanted.

He switched to the camera feed and started searching. The area Tao's phone was in should be in...here.

The screens flickered once, then they were filled with different camera angles.

Where-? Where was he? M-21 scanned the screens, trying to find anything that stood out.

"There."

M-21 looked at where Takeo was pointing and -

He stood up, the chair skittering back as he braced his hands on the desk to get a closer look.

Tao was sitting, leaning back on a roof exit. He wasn't alone, and there was only one person M-21 knew who had that much silver hair.

Why was Muzaka lying down, his head resting on Tao's lap? Muzaka's eyes were closed, like he was sleeping.

There was no blood on the rooftop, or on Tao, and neither of their clothes looked disturbed. They hadn't been fighting...? Then why...?

Tao's hand was in Muzaka's hair and M-21 groaned, dipping his head when he saw Tao's hand move in a familiar pattern. "He isn't..."

"He is," Takeo said, his voice strained.

M-21 looked across at Takeo moving — Takeo had brought out his phone and tilted the screen so M-21 could see it as he typed.

[Are you all right?]

Tao twitched when Takeo sent the text, his free hand going to his pocket. He glanced at his phone for a second, then started typing.

[yup~! ^w^ i should be home soon~!]

Hn. There wasn't any hidden meaning in that, and Tao didn't look like he was being threatened. Muzaka hadn't moved while Tao had been replying.

Takeo was already typing something before M-21 could say something.

[...Do we want to know what you're doing?]

M-21 snorted as he got rid of the other camera shots, so they could focus better on Tao.

Tao stared at his screen for a second, then raised his head to look around. Tao shouldn't be able to tell where they were watching him from — he stared right at the camera they were watching him from, giving them a weak smile and waving his fingers in their direction.

[so... i met an old friend of the family~]

[We noticed.]

M-21 smirked at Takeo's reply.

Tao's shoulders shook as he laughed, and M-21 watched his thumb fly over his phone's screen. [hes got the same scratch points as you m!]

What. M-21 groaned again, squeezing his eyes shut as he felt heat flood to his cheeks. He was comparing them...

He didn't look up when Takeo patted his shoulder.

[no really ill be back soon~! dont worry abt me!] Tao threw a thumbs up in their direction, along with a grin. [he just wanted to meet up]

"And do that?" M-21 muttered in disbelief. He blinked when Takeo typed that out, his thumb hovering over the send button. "Yeah," he said, nodding.

[yeah can u imagine yuri/crombell doin this with him?] Tao stuck his tongue out at them.

...No, he didn't, and he looked up in time to see distaste flash over Takeo's face.

[exactly~! if im not back by dinner THEN you can come to my daring rescue~ atm i dont need it]

That was about...two hours. M-21 sighed, going back to collect the chair that had rolled halfway across the room. He shared a look with Takeo as he brought that and a spare chair over.

"He knows what he's doing," Takeo said, watching the feed again. "If we run in now..."

They could make it worse if Muzaka sensed them. M-21 pursed his lips. Muzaka was close enough that all he had to do was reach over to kill Tao.

"Yeah." He screwed his eyes shut, sitting back down as Takeo sat down next to him. "We'll keep watch until then." Just in case.

Takeo nodded, smiling. "Of course."

Only Tao would somehow be able to get the ex-werewolf Lord onto his lap for scritches…

This'll be how Tao gets Muzaka onto their side: giving the best scritches ever, haha.