thehauntedfrequency

doggone

[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.]

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[Manabu’s head swims from that, and though he only utters a flustered sound, his compliant body squirms to meet Grey’s hand before he can think a yes or no; it’d be easy to imagine the look on his face, and the spike of heat gives it away.]

J-jeez…! [he can’t even scoff, though he tries. I’m already losing it!

the fingers near the collar of Grey’s shirt curl against it reflexively.]

I mean—-! You better—-

[Grey's palm presses against the bulge of the erection that Manabu squirms his way. Grey's not sure if the spike of heat he feels is coming from Manabu or himself.

He really is...

Grey laughs a little, and hopes Manabu doesn't notice the flustered note in it.]

Of course. I'll take responsibility.

[Grey fumbles with the fastenings at the front of Manabu's pants, and while it takes a little longer than ideal when his hand is trembling, he does manage to get Manabu's pants undone before either of them can lose it.

He finally slips his hand into Manabu's boxers and wraps his fingers around Manabu's cock. It's hot and hard, the skin silky; fascinated, Grey strokes the length of it, and his own cock throbs in response.]

Manabu...

[He keeps his touch light at first, unsure of how much pressure is needed when he's touching someone else. He finds himself acutely aware that Manabu has entrusted a very vulnerable part of himself to Grey, and it takes a few caresses before Grey's touch grows more certain.]

Open your mouth.

[And presuming Manabu follows his instructions, Grey proceeds to shove his tongue into Manabu's mouth. Giving the other man a crude, deep kiss while his hand begins to pump Manabu's cock in earnest.]

[Manabu has a hard time keeping still, all up until Grey has hold of a very delicate part of him. he shivers and holds his breath, tensing and bracing against the tentative touch, exhaling in a shaky breath.

thinking about Grey while touching himself versus this…it’s miles apart.

he groans into Grey’s mouth, his tongue at a lost while he’s been got by the dick. his hips roll up against his hand, hand tugging helplessly at Grey’s shirt.

messy and awkward but utterly sincere, Manabu is putty in Grey’s hands, whimpering as his need escalates.

the hand not clutching at Grey’s shirt tangles into his hair in the errant searching and writhing in the midst of all that sensation.

his coming is entirely up to Grey, sooner or later, but Manabu was already so tangled up with yearning that it’s easy to tip him over the edge - more a test to keep him from it.]

[Grey's tongue explores Manabu's mouth hungrily, savouring the warmth, the wet, and the taste of him. In this moment, they're a match in terms of messy sincerity.

Truthfully, Manabu won't be tormented for too long- Grey is too inexperienced and impatient to draw the experience out. Perhaps another time he'll be more careful, but tonight he's all too eager to live out his fantasy. Not just of making Manabu come with his own hand, but of Manabu writhing and clinging and making needy noises as he does.

The one complication is that Grey's own cock is becoming painfully hard for want of attention, which makes it difficult to remain steady. But even that is a pleasurable kind of torture. For the moment he ignores it, except for the shifting of his legs and the occasional grinding against the mattress, or Manabu's leg, accompanied with a deep groan of his own.]

Mnhh-! [Manabu muffles a moan into Grey’s mouth before quickly breaking away with the turn and tilt of his head as he pants through his ejaculation.]

G-grey-!!

[there may be a mess.]

[The throbbing of Manabu's cock in his hand would tell Grey what was going on even before he feels sticky, hot fluid spilling into his grip. A rush of exultation fills him at that moment, every sense of his focused entirely on Manabu- the scent of his sweat and cum, the feeling of his heated body entwined with Grey's, and the taste of his skin where Grey nuzzles and licks his cheek.]

So good- You did so well...

[Is ejaculation normally the sort of thing that merits congratulation? In this specific moment, from this specific man, Grey's certainly pleased with it. Even as he shivers with his own unspent arousal.

After allowing a few moments for Manabu to enjoy the aftershocks Grey withdraws his hand, still wet with Manabu's cum, and slides it down the front of his pajama pants to begin impatiently fondling himself.]

Manabu...

Eh-? [he's still seeing stars, so to speak, his head fuzzy while he’s throbbing and tingling from the comedown. even so, Grey’s fidgeting pulls what lucidity toward him.

his cheek still tickles where it was licked. his throat is still dry from gasping. even so—-

even so, hearing Grey struggle, his own name on his lips, is stirring. he fumbles blindly to find and follow his arm, find his hand, already uncertain he’s doing the right thing, but he already committed.]

Manabu-?

[Grey's uncertain himself, of what Manabu's doing and what he wants Manabu to do. But he can't resist the allure of Manabu's touch, as no doubt evidenced by the indecent moan that escapes him when Manabu's hand touches his cock properly.

Grey's cock is, unsurprisingly, hard to the touch and gently throbbing. It's also wet and sticky with a mixture of Manabu's cum and Grey's precum.]

Here- Move your hand-

[Grey moves his own hand over top of Manabu's, attempting to demonstrate what he can't express in words. Not that he has a very clear picture either, just that it feels very good to have Manabu's hand sliding around his cock as he thrusts his hips against him.

It's not going to take much work to send Grey over the edge either; sooner rather than later, he buries his face in Manabu's shoulder and comes with a hoarse cry, worsening the mess in the sheets and on their clothes.]

[silently compliant and more sharply focused by the second his hand touches that hard flesh, Manabu curls his fingers around him, heart rate rising as Grey chases his high. he’s already spent, but he still feels that urge in him second-hand; his hair stands on end as he hears and feels Grey come.

with hot breath on his shoulder, Manabu shivers a little, still tingling from the experience; it’s somehow surreal despite being so tactile.

eventually, his hand withdraws, resting on Grey’s hip.]

…You okay?

[Grey makes an acknowledging sound. Manabu is being partly crushed beneath Grey, who's still addled by pleasure and trembling a little as he lays there. He's always vaguely thought that he knows about sex, about what it's like, but the knowledge he inherited from Rezo's memories and from the books he's read turned out to be a pale shadow of the actual experience of Manabu's hands on him.

It slowly dawns on him that Manabu's asked a question, and that he's also lying on top of Manabu, and that he should probably do something about both of those. Grey braces himself, lifting himself off of Manabu, and attempts to formulate an answer.]

That was...

[Despite the unfortunate phrasing, Grey does not proceed to tear into what a horrible mistake that all was. His thoughts are more genial than that, albeit not very coherent, and after panting a bit he slumps and manages to mumble a brief review into Manabu's neck.]

Oh my God.

[We really did all that... Manabu really...]

Y-yeah…

[admittedly, the weight of Grey on top of him feels good, bracing - keeps him in the present as opposed to floating away and assuming all of this is fake.

it’s not fake, though.

the both of us…

we really…]

I guess… We needed that…

[the hand at rest on Grey’s hip lifts and moves to lay the palm on his back, feeling the rhythm of his heart and rise and fall of his breath. real. present.]

[Grey will eventually shift so not as much of his weight is on top of Manabu, although he still has Manabu's shoulder and arm pinned beneath him and is lying as close as he possibly can while still allowing Manabu to breathe. His own breath is still heavy, although it's gradually slowing down under Manabu's hand, as is his heartbeat.

Grey ruefully reflects that Manabu's correct; the longer they'd gone on, the harder it would have been for Grey to not explode. He could try and say that he's had a hell of a time keeping his hands off of Manabu, but that statement would ring hollow considering how much he's been touching Manabu... And not all of it can be explained by necessity.]

Self-restraint doesn't suit me.

[And considering Manabu's personality...]

Nor you, perhaps.

[his hand is sticky. his body feels…heavier by the second. but there’s a relief and contentment he can’t fully grasp filling him, and he doesn’t have the disposition to doubt it, despite the circumstances he’s been through.

Grey still feels warm. smells nice. his voice still tickles his ears, even though he has the wrong ears to tickle.

Manabu closes his eyes. restraint?] Don’t know what…restraint would be good for. You were already in my head.

[Hand, pelvis, and the rest of him... Grey is in need of a shower but he's too comfortable where he is to care. And honestly, quite overwhelmed by everything he's feeling. Idle concerns about clean up and where his relationship with Manabu goes from here are firmly filed away as an issue for Tomorrow Grey.

Right now, he just wants to exult in the afterglow, and Manabu's sweet admissions.

Doing his best to keep his voice casual:]

For how long?

[Y'know. While we're here, why don't you just recite a dissertation of when, how, and why exactly you become attracted to him.]

Um. A, a while… [wow, he can be both mellow AND bashful.

he clears his throat.]

That…that week…

Oh.

[Manabu doesn't have to specify what he means by "that week" as Grey remembers it very well himself. It's more than a little odd to think that technically, they've only spent less than a month regularly interacting with one another- it feels like Manabu's been part of his life for much longer.

Grey's fingers curl a little against the sheets. While he hadn't really admitted his own attraction to himself until relatively recently, in retrospect he's been attracted to Manabu since the very beginning.]

...We could have done this much earlier.

I don’t know…

[he turns his head just slightly in Grey’s direction, eyes still closed.]

Something like this… I don’t know if I’d have let myself before. Not then. [not when he had the job. normalcy. things to keep him busy and keep Grey as just some figment of dreaming.] I would’ve messed so much up…

But…so much is already messed up now… [so by comparison…]

...

[Grey can't be properly offended by Manabu's words, because he's had similar thoughts himself. But the reminder still leaves him cold.

Manabu's in no position to be Grey's... whatever this is, and under normal circumstances this could never have happened. It's a good chunk of why Grey was so resistant to their mutual attraction, and their circumstances haven't really changed any. Manabu's still Manabu, and Grey's still... nobody.

It's just that by happenstance, Grey wound up being the one with the information and the means to find Manabu, and then watch over him while he's still in a vulnerable state. With the mixture of mutual attraction and temporary dependence and isolation, this was inevitable, but impermanent.]

So that's how it is.

[He'll deliver Manabu to Destiny, Manabu will bring the results of their investigation to the authorities, hire a tailor, and go back to his job. Probably eventually marry some Tabito miner's kid, one who likes dogs.]

You'll get your life back eventually, Manabu. And until then...

[Grey shifts, raising himself slightly above Manabu, and presses a kiss against his temple.

Until then, you're mine.]

I think you should try to sleep.

[the thing Grey doesn’t get, though, is that he’s already a fixture in Manabu’s life - that, if he can help it, he wouldn’t be letting him go by choice. making such an emotional connection, just to let it go…?

that only makes sense if one of them were already a ghost.

getting his life back already has a piece carved out for Grey, even if Manabu can’t see how or where it can be carved; he’s already decided.

Manabu’s skin tickles where it’s kissed; his tail gently thumps.]

Mn…don’t go anywhere, okay…?

[Grey's heart squeezes a little at those words as he settles back against the mattress.]

Of course not.

[He carefully arranges himself around Manabu until they're both hopefully in a comfortable position, and closes his eyes. He briefly reflects that, thankfully, he longer needs to worry about his body somehow betraying his attraction when they lie close- Manabu's already well informed on that matter!

The exhaustion from the day wars for a while with Grey's own intense emotions in the wake of their intimacy, but the former eventually wins out. Grey curls up against Manabu and sleeps.]

[Manabu wakes up to a kinder echo of their first forming, spooned against Grey like he meant to fit there all along. he blinks slowly, blearily taking in his view of the apartment as memory sinks in.

he and i…

his stomach flutters and his face warms up to remember it. he can feel Grey breathing behind him, further informing that reality; Manabu stays still for a while just to listen and be certain.

eventually he dares to move, to carefully start to turn himself around and see him there. he still sleeping…?]

[Grey is awake, though not entirely willingly. He's not sure how long he's been lying there by the time Manabu starts moving, or which one of them woke first, but he spent some time after waking just quietly holding Manabu and absorbing the moment.

He'd held Manabu like this before, hadn't he? At the hotel on Destiny. He hadn't known what to make of it at the time, and had been quick to let go. It's strange how much has changed.

Grey loosens his grip once Manabu begins to stir and turn around, but stays close. As Manabu's face comes into view Grey smiles, taking in the sight of him. The messy hair and big dark eyes that he's come to know so well.

But affection is mixed with wariness, leaving him tongue-tied. How will the events of last night stand up in the scrutiny of the daylight?]

Uoh-[he’s awake! aforementioned eyes blink and widen a bit more, his face growing red. was it weird to be caught looking at his sleepy face?

sheepishly:] Uh, hey. Hi. Morning. You okay?

...Good morning. I'm doing quite well.

[Is that a weird thing to say, after last night? Although surely it would be better than claiming to be doing horribly??? Which he isn't, he's in a better mood than usual- minus some nerves about how Manabu potentially feels about last night.

So Grey shifts and leans over to press a soft kiss against Manabu's forehead.

Y'know, just testing the waters a little. With the equivalent of a cannonball dive.]

Re-really? [the tail wagging starts on contact - kiss-activated, apparently.] I’m glad…

[that…was permission to kiss him, right? he went first, so!

so, yeah! Manabu goes for it, though his aim isn’t very finessed while laying on his side.]

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