Summary: M-21 hadn't come downstairs to leave for work yet.

Set post-season 2.

Shift

By Dark Ice Dragon

M-21 hadn't come downstairs to leave for work yet. Tao hadn't seen him while he was getting ready either. Hm. He shared a look with Takeo and they started going back upstairs – everyone else had already left a while ago and it was nearing the time where, even if they ran all the way, they'd still be late.

Tao knocked on M-21's door, listening for sounds of movement. There wasn't any. "Yooo, were you up all night practicing your transformation again?"

He got a yelp as an answer and Tao's eyebrows shot up before he pushed M-21's door open. M-21 didn't yelp, especially at that pitch and-

Uh.

Tao blinked at the large silver wolf that was tangled up in the covers of M-21's bed. Trying to shake off a nightshirt at the same time. And when the wolf twisted its (his) head to the right, Tao could see a very familiar scar running across his lips.

"M-21?" he and Takeo blurted out at the same time, and Tao let out a laugh when the wolf rolled his eyes at them, his snout moving in a circle. Okay, that was one less thing to worry about.

"Still with us?" Tao teased, grinning, going into M-21's room, hearing Takeo follow him.

M-21 growled, his ears flattening briefly. And then his browridges rose, his ears flicking up and down in what Tao assumed was confusion.

Speaking of ears, Tao wanted to bury one hand into M-21's thick fur and use his other hand to scratch at his ears, but he knew exactly how M-21 would react to that. Maybe later, when they found out if this was going to be a regular thing or not.

"Do you need help with that?" Takeo asked while Tao dug out his pocket computer and switched it on.

M-21 made a grumbling noise but nodded, watching Takeo approach him, his ears perked up.

"Aaand…it was a full moon last night. Huh," Tao said, seeing Takeo help tug M-21's nightshirt off him, "shouldn't the transformation have ended by now?" The sun had been up for hours already.

Once M-21 was free of his nightshirt, he shook himself and then looked at Tao, making some sort of garbled sound before stopping, his ears flat on his skull again.

"Hm, you've got a point, since we don't know what happens with other werewolves on a full moon," Tao mused, switching off his pocket computer and replacing it with his mobile. He texted Boss, telling him what had happened.

"You…can understand him?" Takeo asked, glancing between them.

"I know him," Tao said, grinning at them both. It was the same difference.

"Sooo, do you want to have breakfast-" M-21 wrinkled his nose. Yeah, he hadn't thought so. "-or watch movies until this wears off?" It wouldn't be long until Boss got back in touch either so they'd have a better idea about what to expect.

M-21 pawed the air twice and Tao nodded. "It's decided, then: movies!" Could wolves eat popcorn? Hm, he'd have to look that up.

Tao watched M-21 eye the ground for a second before jumping off his bed. He patted the ground (it looked like) for a couple of seconds with each of his limbs, carefully stretching them before nodding and walked towards him and Takeo without any problems.

They were due for a break anyway.

For Trope Bingo's square 'animal transformation'. And nooooo-one is surprised, haha. XD;;;

Wasn't sure whether 'mane' or 'ruff' was correct so…I didn't use either. XD;

At some point, I will stop loving writing wolf!M-21. But I don't think that's going to happen any time soon. :3