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]

Yes. I'm not someone an ordinary person can kill.

[Not unless they get really lucky... Grey bites his lip and falls silent again at the stinging touch of disinfectant.]

[siriusly]

[well...something like that would explain how cagey Grey was about talking about himself, huh?

while finishing the taping up:] How'd it happen to you? [another lab? the same one?]

[repeatedprayer]

My powers?

[This is skirting dangerous waters, but Grey finds himself hesitating to just dismiss the question. He knows Manabu wouldn't understand, but- Grey wants to tell him something.]

I was born with them. [I was made with them.] Practice and training helped me hone them, and a few... procedures were done to me in order to enhance my abilities.

[siriusly]

[he finishes, sitting back after closing up the kit, his eyes still lingering on the bandage.]

There's...still a whole lot out there...that I don't understand. [powers included. chimeras included. it all has to fit in alongside ghosts and alternate dimensions and machine men and the various alien races he's not interacted with enough.]

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey relaxes slightly when he hears Manabu closing the kit, and then smiles at Manabu's word.]

Ah yes, the classical conundrum. The more you learn, the more aware you become of your own ignorance.

[He leans forward, wincing a little, and takes off his shoes, then scoots back onto the sofa bed and turns so he can properly face Manabu.]

If nothing else, at least you understand how to apply a bandage.

[siriusly]

[that yields one of Manabu's classic little pouts.]

I know more than that, okay? Jeez...

[he sighs, looking down, sitting back on his legs. his focus moves to his own arms, turning his hands, looking at the bruising from needles and IVs.]

I just...don't know about this...

What am I...supposed to do...? [the horror of it all still needs time to sink in, but with Manabu's head bobbing at the surface of the water, he is neither sinking nor swimming in it.]

[repeatedprayer]

...I'm afraid you'll have to figure that out for yourself.

[If Grey were to decide for Manabu, what would he decide? At the moment he has the impulse to hide Manabu away somewhere safe forever. But that would no doubt end in Manabu chewing on the bars trying to get out. After going to all that effort freeing Manabu from one prison, it would be something of a waste to keep him in another.]

I believe the SDF accepts cyborgs in their ranks, so I don't think your chimera features would disqualify you from returning to active duty once you recover, if you so choose. And your mother doesn't seem the type to disown you over something like this.

[But returning to a fully normal life isn't going to be possible when Manabu is very visibly not normal, is it?]

[siriusly]

[Mother...

his expression gets more troubled.]

I don't even know...how long it's been... [he looks up.] How long was I even gone?

[repeatedprayer]

[God, when Manabu looks at him like that, it's all Grey can do to resist the urge to reach out. As if his touch might be anything but inappropriate and unwelcome.]

Nearly four months by now, including your time with the pirates.

[His mother is probably devastated!]

[siriusly]

[Manabu shivers, bringing a hand to his face. four months! the longest Manabu goes without calling is a week, and even then, he knows he's in for it if he misses that window...

his throat gets tight, thinking about her alone there, all the men of her life ripped away. he should've done better, somehow. done...something different to keep from letting his happen.

how is he going to face her and make her believe he can stand on his own anymore?!]

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey doesn't know what inner turmoil Manabu is experiencing right now, only that whatever thoughts he is having are plainly eating him up inside. Is it the knowledge of how much time has been stolen from him, those weeks lost to drugs and imprisonment? Some might say four months isn't that long in the grand scheme of things, but a lot can change in that time- and surely Manabu will also need more time to recover physically and emotionally, to adjust to his new circumstances.

And what the hell can Grey do about it? He's gotten Manabu out of there, but he hadn't thought much about the state he'd be in afterwards. Admittedly, he hadn't had much way of knowing what state Manabu would be in, but he still should have put some thought into this...

Would Rezo, if he'd been the one to rescue Manabu, have been able to handle this better? Probably. The man was renowned for being a soothing presence. But Grey is... Well, he's not Rezo.

Grey slides a little closer to Manabu, adjusting his position so that he's sitting next to Manabu instead of across from him. He still doesn't say anything at first, instead just looking down at Manabu with a grave expression as he wonders what the hell to say.]

...You know, it's almost been a year since we first met.

[Look. He's tired, and it seems better than telling Manabu ~It Could Be Worse~]

[siriusly]

What-?

[Manabu lifts his head, needing to do a little double-take to notice the shrinking of space and change of position. he blinks up at Grey, eyes wet and brow knit with the effort it's taking to keep it together, and his lip quivers a little despite it.

oh...meeting...]

I was...a mess then, too. [his mouth twitches, and he looks down, his stomach feeling strange.] You probably have the worst impression of me, heh... And you're always...dragging me out of a fire.

[repeatedprayer]

I didn't know what to make of you. [Even now, Grey's expression grows thoughtful, as he tries to figure out where to even begin explaining his impressions.]

You seemed... Concerned about me. About my attitude, perhaps. But you didn't seem afraid of me either. [Grey wonders if Manabu might be afraid of him now, now that he knows what kind of power Grey has. But if he is, it's at least not bad enough that Manabu's fleeing for the hills immediately?]

I'd never met anyone like you before. I'd never been given flowers before, either.

[siriusly]

[his mouth twitches again, ducking his head.] Y-you asked for them, so...what was I going to do? Not...do that?

[repeatedprayer]

Oh, I don't know. I... just hadn't expected you to care about what I wanted, that's all.

[Grey turns a little red at the admission.]

[siriusly]

[there's a weird interaction with how blood rushes to his face: it'd go to his ears, too, but...well...

man. that's strange.

he swallows, a little stuck on how he's supposed to feel or act. he shifts off his legs, feeling the tingle of them going numb, looking down at the dried blood stains on the ugly gown he's still in.]

Now you know better, I guess. And so do I. So much for your...'don't get to know me' schtick...

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey's expression turns wary. What does Manabu think of him, now that he knows what Grey can do? The answer shouldn't matter at all, but it itches in the back of Grey's mind.]

I won't hurt you. I know what you've learned about me may be alarming, but you're... [What is he?]

[siriusly]

...not going to screw things up for you? [he looks back up at him.]

[repeatedprayer]

[Manabu doesn't even say it with a particularly malicious tone, and it's really not that far off from the sort of things that Grey has been telling himself, but damned if it doesn't feel like Manabu just socked him in the stomach.]

...Right. Of course not.

[Grey looks away. Shit. This isn't the time or place- he can't even think too hard about why he's upset right now.

He slides off the bed and goes to a low cabinet nearby, out of which he takes a pair of pajamas, sized a bit too big for Manabu and too small for Grey. He sets them on the end of the bed.]

Here. I can't imagine you'll want to stay in that gown. I'll give you some privacy.

[And Grey beats a strategic retreat to the washroom.]

[siriusly]

[the atmosphere is strange and hard to parse, and honestly? even if Manabu wasn't so worn down, he'd struggle to understand it. he decides to just focus on what's in front of him, getting the gown off and trying to avoid getting overtaken by quaking at the feeling of himself overly exposed again.

what...did they do to him... he's not an imaginative sort, but even what little he can assume makes him feel nauseous and small and weak.

this wouldn't be so much of an issue were there no tail to negotiate: even getting boxers on is...a situation. what does he do? slip the tail out one leg? it feels uncomfortable. let it stick out the waistband? that's uncomfortable and weird in a different way... Grey can enjoy the auditory frustration as he pleases while Manabu's trying to figure it out before giving up and calling:]

Do you have...scissors? A knife? Something?

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey doesn't catch all that much of Manabu's frustration, really. He closes the door to the washroom behind himself when he enters, and then when he catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror...

There's blood spattered on his face. There's still some on his hands, too. No wonder Manabu is suspicious of him.

After noticing that, Grey sets to work scrubbing himself clean over the sink, so the sound of the water running drowns out the quieter frustrated noises from the main room. It's not so loud that he isn't able to hear Manabu calling, though.

Grey is puzzled by the request- he's pretty sure he removed the tags from the pajamas already. So what else might Manabu need scissors for- wait.

Grey opens the washroom door a crack and calls out in return:]

Why?

[Unfortunately, Grey's first mental image for why Manabu might want something sharp is that Manabu might try cutting the dog parts off himself, and Grey is not going to let Manabu do something like that!!! So poor Manabu gets suspicion instead.]

[siriusly]

[embarrassed:] Because this tail...I can't wear anything with a waistband like this, okay?

[repeatedprayer]

[...Nope, that is not specific enough to dispel Grey's horrible mental image. Grey opens the door a little more so he can peer suspiciously out at Manabu, in case he's already hideously mangled himself.]

What exactly are you planning?

[siriusly]

[Manabu, sitting on the edge of the bed with a shirt on and pants/boxers in his lap for the sake of his dignity, frowns despondently toward the door.

he holds up the underwear.]

I, I gotta cut holes in these, okay?!

[repeatedprayer]

Oh. I thought- never mind.

[Grey steps out into the kitchenette and grabs a pair of scissors from a drawer. Then he walks over and hands it to Manabu.]

Here.