doggone

[repeatedprayer]

[In the time following his departure from Tabito and Manabu's company, the alias "Grey" has wound up sticking.

Not that everyone calls him that, he's used a few other aliases since then, but it's what he's wound up thinking of himself as. If Grey had taken the time to think about it a bit more he might have picked something with a little less connection to Rezo's name, but it's still leagues better than thinking of himself as "Rez- wait, no, just a copy." And maybe that's why he's felt significantly calmer since he left Sairaag.

By his own standards, Grey has been laudably well-behaved; sure, he's been mostly doing under-the-table psychic work, often on behalf of criminals, but! He's been trying to keep a low profile so it's usually things like clairvoyant spying rather than anything violent, and he's been making a point of not doing anything that directly impacts the galaxy railways.

It would be extremely awkward if Manabu Yuuki had to try and arrest him, after all.

He's found himself frequently thinking about Manabu, much to his annoyance. He has no serious expectations of ever seeing Manabu again, so it's simply a waste of mental bandwidth to find himself wondering what Manabu is doing right now or where he is, or to reminisince over their incredibly brief acquaintanceship. Grey can only suppose that because Manabu was the first reasonably normal person he got to know after leaving Sairaag that Manabu is going to stick out in his mind for a while.

And it's probably because of the real estate that Manabu is hogging in Grey's mind that he's been very aware of every mention of the SDF that crosses his path. He hasn't exactly been tracking the SDF's activities deliberately, but he does pay attention to the news and the SDF frequently winds up in there, even if Manabu's name in particular isn't normally dropped.

Until the day it does.

SDF Officer Taken Hostage By Pirates]

* * *

[It's taken several weeks of investigating, but Grey has been able to track down The Huntress's client, a Dr. Parish and associates. It must be a small galaxy, because Dr. Parish is someone Grey knows. Sort of.

Rather, Dr. Parish was a colleague of Rezo's who collaborated with the man on chimera research (and other unsavory things) in the past. Not only that, the man was an ardent admirer of Rezo's superior psychic prowess, and desperate to improve his own meager abilities.

He'd had quite a shock when Grey approached him in town, but after the initial surprise it had been sickeningly easy to convince Dr. Parish that he was the real Rezo. Grey can only surmise that the man wants to believe too badly to let himself be properly suspicious. It had only taken a day for Grey to be invited to tour Parish's laboratory.

The lab's located on the grounds of a former Marquess's estate, a ways out of town and secluded by trees, a high wall, and a long drive. Grey's done a little recon before, but actually being here is different, especially since he has to navigate by cane at the moment. Grey is doing his best to politely nod and smile as Parish guides him from room to room, explaining their work and occasionally handing him things to examine himself.

But evidently Parish realizes that "Rezo" isn't entirely interested, because he stops partway through an explanation of some stem cell experiments he and a few others have been working on to say "Of course, the really interesting specimens are kept in the basement floor."

Grey already knows this. He hopes his expression seems the right sort of eager.]

Interesting?

["Something along the lines of what we did in the past. Would you like to see them?"]

Nothing would please me more.

[Grey can practically hear Parish's delighted grin. To soothe the surge of irritation, Grey reminds himself that he's going to kill this man before the end of the day and allows Parish to guide him out into the hall and to the basement entrance at the back of the building.]

Comments

[repeatedprayer]

Don't take any risks. Contact me the moment you so much as think there might be trouble.

[Grey's mostly sure that they're safe right now, but he's not nearly as confident as Manabu. They could very well just be waiting for an opportunity, and Grey leaving would be an excellent one. But they really can't wait around forever.]

[siriusly]

[part of him wants to scoff, but...he's gotta cut Grey some slack - he knows the score of the immediate area better than he does. and the last thing he wants is to get dragged back to a lab...

he nods, solemn.]

I will, I promise.

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey visibly relaxes at that. Maybe he's wrong to, but he thinks he can trust Manabu to keep a promise.]

Alright, good.

[That mostly covers the safety issue... The rest of the morning passes by peaceably enough. After they've both eaten and gotten dressed and cleaned up, Grey has Manabu doing more physio (in a switch-up from yesterday, they focus on Manabu's right side instead of his left) and then there isn't really any reason to delay any further.

Though Grey does do the nagging mother thing as he's on his way out the door, still adjusting the ball cap and sunglasses he's opted to wear to try and disguise his distinctive hair and eye colors.]

Remember, don't let anyone except me in. If the landlord shows up, pretend that nobody's home. Make sure the blinds are drawn.

[That last one feels a little cruel considering Manabu's been trapped in a basement for months, but what if someone looks in and sees him?]

[siriusly]

[being handled by Grey during exercise is a bit distracting - Manabu is less focused on his impatience to get better than he is with recollection of the morning. of being grabbed tightly around the waist, of Grey's flustered expression, of...

engh. stop, Yuuki.

at the reminders about security, one of Manabu's ears flicks to vent out a little agitation while he sighs. yeah, yeah.]

Nobody but you, Grey. [he gives him a pointed look.] I got it.

[but if someone gets robbed outside the door? he's probably doing something about that.]

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey huffs, rather agitated himself. This is going to be his first time parting ways with Manabu ever since the rescue, and he's feeling a rather alarming amount of separation anxiety. You'd think Grey was the one who'd just been through something traumatic.]

I'll see you later.

[In spite of that anxiety, Grey's finally out the door. He shuts and locks it behind him- it's a cheap lock, the door wouldn't be hard to break down, but every little bit of security helps- and heads out as nonchalantly as he can manage.

His first stop is just to duck into another secluded alleyway a few streets away, to call up his local contact and ask about buying a handgun. He feels a little internal twist of discomfort as he does so, belatedly remembering that he'd said he'd consult Manabu before doing anything illegal... But hopefully Manabu will understand the necessity of this.]

[siriusly]

[they seem connected by that same string of anxiety, given how Manabu feels it under his skin, curdling his stomach. what if...what if they were just waiting for Grey to leave the apartment? what if it was only a matter of time before this enclosed space becomes the concrete basement?

he shivers.

that wasn't going to happen. not again. he wasn't going to let that happen...and neither was Grey.

the memory of the scent of blood suddenly strikes, making Manabu feel downright nauseous; it's all he can do to keep steady, close his eyes, and navigate shakily along the wall toward the bathroom. that's where he'll spend a bit of the day, trying to keep dread in check and reality front and center. he can't let himself fall to pieces when he's alone for even a little while, after all!

it's hard, though: reality includes that blood. dead men. the fact he's got animal parts grafted onto his body, pieces of himself removed...he can't let himself pretend it's not real, but it's not an ideal way to spend time in silence!

he eventually returns to the bed and checks on news of the SDF. of Sirius Platoon. how are you guys?

he smiles sadly as he comes across news that they'd captured one of Captain Spear's smaller fleet ships. are you...still looking for me?

i'm sorry. i'm...

sounds from downstairs fill his ears, erratic thumping giving him little scares now and then, mistaking it for hostile footsteps. it's just another day for some people here. good... it needs to be that way for folks. that's...what he worked for.

it should be just another day for Grey, too, but...here he is. and even if he wasn't here, he said he couldn't move in sanctioned ways, live safely...

how am i going to help him? when i'm...

he gnaws on a granola bar, hoping it sits in his stomach gently while he thinks about a strong arm around his waist, large and deft hands on his head, and a laugh he's starting to note he hears more often than he realized.]

[repeatedprayer]

[The arms dealer isn't able to meet with Grey until later in the day- since he's trying to keep on relatively cordial terms with this guy Grey refrains from growling into the phone and politely agrees to a time and place.

After that, the day is spent running from store to store, picking up necessities, good-to-haves, and generally killing time until he can meet with the dealer. Most of what he gets are groceries, the bulk of which are random vegetables, but he gets the meat Manabu requested (some random cuts of pork and chicken), bread, milk, butter, peanut butter (after wondering for a few minutes about the possibility of Manabu having a serious peanut allergy, or any other allergies that he failed to mention), eggs, and a random assortment of snacks.

At a few other places Grey also picks up a frying pan, a kitchen knife, a pair of oven mitts with a floral pattern, a whisk, a knit cap to hide Manabu's ears (he's briefly tempted to pick up one that has a pair of crocheted animal ears attached, but decides it wouldn't be wise to bring that home along with a gun for Manabu), a length of cheap cord, a deck of cards, a jigsaw puzzle with a thousand pieces, and in a burst of optimism, a book about a (fictional) SDF platoon hunting down a (fictional) serial killer. He also picks up a few medical magazines and a box of hair dye for himself.

Needless to say, he's absolutely loaded down with stuff when he meets his dealer near the port. The guy's bodyguard visibly relax when they see Grey's situation, and he tries not to be miffed at being clearly taken as not a threat. The arms dealer also looks somewhat amused, but doesn't ask too many questions. Grey's pretty sure he's overcharging for the hand gun but considers the expense worth the secrecy.

And after that, Grey has to lug everything all the way back to the apartment.

Needless to say, while it's not yet dark it's well into the afternoon before Grey's back. From the alleyway behind the laundromat, the apartment looks dark and quiet. Grey does his best to swallow down his nerves. The quiet is probably a good thing- he told Manabu to make it look like nobody's around!

He heads up the stairs slowly, footsteps slightly heavier than they normally would be by dint of all the crap he's hauling around. He makes it up the stairs safely enough, but once he's at the top, Grey runs into a problem.

His key is in his pocket. In order to reach it, he needs to put some of his bags down. And the balcony is tiny, without a lot of floor space.

After several long moments of fumbling, Grey gives up on setting his things down and opts instead to "knock" by kicking at the base of the door a few times.]

Manabu? Can you get the door?

[siriusly]

[with all the quiet keeping him company, Manabu easily keys into the noise outside. he'd never pin Grey as fumbling or awkward (not even after this morning!), so all that excess noise gives him pause and reason for his skin to prickle with unease in his alertness. there's not much to parse from the shadow moving faintly at the edge of window blinds, so all he can do is hold his breath and listen...

until the thumping and the call. he startles, double-blinking. oh!]

Uoh, ha-hang on!

[he gets up a bit faster than he ought to, but he has a tail to prevent the wobble from being a full-on fall. he closes his eyes and steps over to the door, heartened by the minimal swirl in his head and unlocks, opening up and gawking a bit.

as he steps out of the way:] You buy a whole second apartment...?

[repeatedprayer]

[There's an astonishing rush of warmth when he peers over the top of the shopping bags and sees Manabu gawking up at him. It's a relief to see him still here, and looking well- even if he's smartmouthing Grey at the moment.]

Very amusing.

[Grey steps into the apartment and glances around for a place to put down everything. The kitchen counter's too small, the floor's a tripping hazard...]

I had to essentially stock an entire kitchen and pick up a few things besides, and I can't use telekinesis in public. This was a natural consequence.

[Grey sidles around Manabu and sets everything down on the bed.]

[siriusly]

[Manabu locks the door behind them, turning and watching all the bags and things getting piled up. a pang of guilt hits - he should've been able to help!!

he swallows on it and sighs, pushing away from the door and walking slowly over. it's not so bad, so long as he keeps his eyes focused on one thing in front of him.]

This, on top of the fancy dinner, huh... [it's gonna be one helluva tab to pay up later, isn't it.]

[repeatedprayer]

[Not so much of a tab as Manabu may think, considering:]

Ah yes, you volunteered to do the cooking, didn't you?

[Grey gets to work sorting through the bags, separating the groceries from the everything-else and carrying them off to the cupboards and fridge. He hasn't done the best job bringing everything home, honestly- the bread is squished, as is the package of butter, a few of the eggs did not survive the trip home, and some of the veggies are bruised.

He doesn't ask Manabu to help him unpack, but he won't protest if Manabu decides to look through what he bought either.]

[siriusly]

[oh dear. Mom would be disappointed with this haul... but beggars can't be choosers! Manabu takes some of the less fragile stuff along with him, lest he give that egg carton more PTSD with a dizzy spell, and sizes everything up. it'll be a kitchen sink kind of situation, but...this is doable.]

You got a knife and something to cook on, right?

[repeatedprayer]

In the other bag.

[He gestures.]

I also picked up a whisk? I believe those are used on eggs and things.

[Note: Grey did not pick up a proper mixing bowl. Or measuring things. Or a cutting board to go with that knife. Is it obvious he doesn't really cook much?]

[siriusly]

['used on eggs and things'....they sure are, buddy. Manabu's mouth twitches, then purses into a thin line to keep from puffing out a laugh as he goes through the other bag.

...

no cutting board. hm. well! he'll just...wipe down the counter extra good later.

no bowls to separate cut things in, either...

this is fine.]

...Right. [he rolls up the cuffs of his sleeves in order to wash his hands and get started on this attempt. here goes nothing.]

[repeatedprayer]

[There are the cereal bowls they've been using! Those are kind of useful, right? Not that Grey is cognizant enough of what proper cooking requires to realize the issue and try to defend himself.

While Manabu gets started on a late lunch, Grey finishes unpacking. Hat and cord go with Manabu's clothes; the various entertainments are stacked near the bed; the hair dye would go in the bathroom except Grey would have to shoulder Manabu aside to get in there, so he just sets it on the shelf at the back of the room, along with Manabu's gun.

Then after that he winds up hovering a bit behind and to the right of Manabu, watching what he's doing curiously.]

What are you making?

[siriusly]

[Manabu's tail swishes idly, lightly bonking Grey's leg.]

An educated guess, eheh... [he's arranging things in groups that make sense to him, then picking at the meat packaging with the tip of the knife.] I can sear all of this in one go and save some for later, probably...

[he tilts his head up to look at the cupboards above him.]

Think there's any seasonings just...hanging around in here? [like.....even just salt.]

[repeatedprayer]

[In theory, cooking should make sense to him- Grey has all of Rezo's knowledge, and the man knew about chemistry and things. Cooking is basically just chemistry, but with the goal of making something edible. But in practice... He's not entirely sure how one combines disparate foodstuffs to create a meal. As far as he's concerned, what Manabu's doing right now is some kind of alchemy.

All this to say:]

Er... No?

[No salt, no pepper, no nothing.]

[siriusly]

Ahaa... [a withered sound. but he smiles anyway, determined to power through.] Well, things might taste a bit bland! But it'll be better than dry grains. I'll try to stir-fry a little...

[though he does realize as he's turning the hot plate on that he has no cooking oil. yeesh. it'll be crunchy.

despite the disparities, Manabu's actually rather energized by the challenge - finally, something to do other than sit and stare at articles or literally nothing! it feels good to do something tactile, even if it is just cutting little cubes of meat (or facsimiles of cubes - he's not an artist here) and fishing around for a fork or a spoon to move them around on a hot pan.

even unseasoned, cooking meat smells good, so he's pleased there'll be at least a decent result to all this... though, while he's moving to chopping veggies, he can't help but double-take at Grey just...looming over him like a gargoyle.

with a crooked smile:] What - don't think I can handle this much unsupervised?

[repeatedprayer]

Is seasoning really that important...?

[Despite mumbling such sacrileage to himself, Grey does enjoy quietly watching Manabu work. He's already getting a little hungry, actually, what with running around all day and worrying about Manabu the whole time.

He blinks at the question.]

No, I- [Well, maybe a little! Manabu has to stand to cook, which puts him at risk of dizzy spells... While holding sharp things and working with hot pans, no less! But mostly, it's just genuine curiosity about a process he only has a little familiarity with.]

I haven't really seen anyone cook since I was working with your mother.

[siriusly]

[with a slight laugh in his voice:] She’s a hard act to follow, so don’t expect that quality. No seasoning and all…

[he chops up the veggies between turns shuffling meat around to keep it from burning, tossing handfuls in when done, eyes wincing at the way they sound, turning the heat down.]

It doesn’t look too bad… it’ll just be dry. Sorry about that.

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey peers over Manabu's shoulder at the contents of the pan, wondering exactly what is meant by it looking "not bad." He'll take Manabu's word for it, though.]

That's fine. If I'm going to complain, then it would be better to just do it myself.

[And he's not so prideful that he believes he can do a better job than Manabu. Not when it comes to this, anyway.]

[siriusly]

[it doesn’t take long to cook up the humble assortment and divy portions out into the cereal bowls.]

Okay… let it cool a second, then give it a try.

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey takes a bowl and fork from Manabu and goes to sit on the bed, examining the food for a few moments. Is it cool enough yet? Should he blow on it, or...?

After hesitating, he mentally shrugs and takes a bite.]

...It's good.

[Kind of an exaggeration. Manabu's right that it's a bit dry and bland. But it's nice to have something cooked that isn't instant noodles.

Crunch crunch.]

[siriusly]

Ehh...? [he's doubtful, but...hopeful. he didn't overcook the meat, so the juices maybe help?

he gives it a shot, ears perking.

his tail wags a little.]

Hmmh-! [when's the last time he had meat and veggies? he can't remember at this point. regardless, this is a nice shock to the system.]

[repeatedprayer]

You seem satisfied with the results.

[Grey can't help but grin, seeing Manabu's reaction. Despite the setbacks, it looks like the trip was worth it after all. The sheer level of expressiveness on this man is adorable, and Grey's terribly tempted to say so.

Maybe after Manabu has finished eating.]