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

[siriusly]

[Manabu laughs.] It's fine, it's fine! More important things first, right?

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey smiles slightly.]

You could say I had other things on my mind. I just bought whatever seemed like it would be quick to eat.

[But since Manabu is now in recovery, Grey should probably be worrying more about his nutrition, shouldn't he?]

Speaking of more important things, we should get back to your physical therapy. Get on the bed.

[siriusly]

[a keener wit would have cause to blush at that tie between physical therapy and bed, but Manabu is not that bright. he instead just makes an affirmative noise, turning and making some independent steps toward the bed, sitting down hard with the dizziness.]

A-after this, though...scouting. Okay?

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey nods.]

Of course. You'll have to take at least a fifteen minute break anyway.

[Nnnot that he expects the scouting to take only fifteen minutes, but yanno.]

Move back a bit. You should be sitting with your back to the edge of the bed, so that if you lie down your shoulders will be on the edge and your neck and head would be hanging off of the bed.

[As he speaks, Grey moves over to Manabu and will gently direct him with his hands until he's satisfied with Manabu's current position.]

Good. Now wait here.

[Grey heads into the bathroom.

And comes out a moment later holding a wash basin.]

Are you feeling any dizziness?

[siriusly]

I was when I went to sit down, but it's fine now. [he's fidgeting so he's not sitting on his tail.

blink.]

What's with the water?

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey tilts the basin, demonstrating that it's empty.]

This is in case you wind up vomiting.

[Having casually related that possibility, Grey deposits the basin next to the bed and moves behind Manabu. He reaches out, and sets his hands on the sides of Manabu's head.]

You're going to tilt your head forty-five degrees to your left, only partway towards your left shoulder.

[siriusly]

[that gets a grimace out of him, ears flattening. he crosses his legs, about to slouch before he feels Grey touching him, prompting him to startle and sit up straighter. the goosebumps are back.

part of him wishes Grey were touching his neck. weird thought. pay attention, Yuuki!]

Uh, o-okay... [pay attention, turn head, do not vomit.]

[repeatedprayer]

[Apart some appreciation for the softness of Manabu's hair and bodily warmth, Grey's internally managing to feel quite professional about this. Points for Grey this round.]

This next part is where you might start feeling some vertigo. Keeping your head at this angle, quickly lie on your back. I'll support your head.

[Partially to make sure Manabu's head stays at the right angle, and partially because it's going to be hanging off the bed when Manabu does this.]

[siriusly]

[lie back?] Oh. Okay, uh--

[guess he shouldn't be sitting cross-legged - let him fix that. then fidget again because tail, then...wait, how quickly? like drop? or controlled?

eh. Grey can yell at him if he does it wrong, he figures.]

Gahh... [it doesn't hit until his head tilts back further than the rest of him - the dangling, the belated sense of air rushing through ears in the wrong place. he squeezes his eyes shut.]

[repeatedprayer]

Alright, we're going to hold this position now.

[Still holding onto Manabu's head, Grey leans over and peers at Manabu's face. The movement of the eyes can tell him if Manabu's experiencing any dizziness, right? ...Except, of course, Manabu's eyes are squeezed shut. Grey supposes that still counts as a clue.

Grey slowly and silently counts backwards from thirty. Thirty seconds. Twenty-nine seconds. Twenty-eight seconds. Twenty-seven...

Once he's done, he asks:]

Are you still feeling dizzy?

[siriusly]

[Manabu cracks an eye open.]

Um. A, a little. But not as bad at the start - it was the moving.

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey looks back down at Manabu, trying (unsuccessfully) to hide the traces of amusement in his expression.]

We'll wait until that's gone entirely before changing position.

[siriusly]

[seeing those glimpses of mirth makes Manabu's ears twitch a bit, his cheeks pink; he feels a want to complain, but Grey promised to take this seriously!

so, after a couple minutes, he decides that a little dizziness is better than a lot (he's impatient):] Okay, okay, do I sit up now?

[repeatedprayer]

No.

[Pain. Anguish. Suffering. etc.]

We're only about a third of the way through. If your vertigo has stopped, the next step will be to turn your head halfway to the right without raising it, or moving your body. Then we wait at least another thirty seconds, or longer if any vertigo hasn't stopped.

[And that's if Manabu's vertigo has already stopped. Grey is suspicious of you!]

[siriusly]

[hrnnnrhhhh. it'll go away if he just does the exercises like a good boy, okay?! just speedrun it.

he turns his head, grimacing. hello, head? stop spinning, he's doing the thing!

please? it's been a whole uhhh.................two days out of the lab! so. recover?]

[repeatedprayer]

Relax, and don't push yourself. I don't want to have to grab that basin.

[With much suspicious squinting, Grey helps Manabu along from one position to the next, making Manabu wait at least the full thirty seconds in each position as they tilt Manabu's head and body around in ways that stimulate his inner ears in a manner that is no doubt interesting. And sometimes he makes Manabu wait a little longer if he suspects Manabu is pretending to be less dizzy than he actually is.

At the end of it all, Manabu is finally allowed to (slowly) sit up, although Grey admonishes him to stay on the bed for at least fifteen minutes and try to keep his neck straight.]

-And we'll need to do this exercise three times a day, for at least a week.

[Joy of joys, he's sure.]

[siriusly]

[uurrrghh...being dedicated and diligent is better when it's more stimulating activity! and also less embarrassing? swimming head aside, he feels funny looking up and seeing Grey surveying him as he is.

three times a day?!] Man...how're we gonna get any good headway on the real work at this rate... [the anguish if being behind, of becoming dead weight...he can't stand that! RECUPERATE FASTER.]

[repeatedprayer]

It doesn't take that long. We'll still have several hours in the day outside of that.

[Hours in which Manabu is still going to probably feel pretty shitty, but hey.

Being in Physical Therapist Mode means Grey's reserve about touching Manabu is reduced from its usual levels, so even once Manabu is sitting upright Grey still brushes some hair out of his face to examine Manabu's eyes and complexion.]

You didn't get sick enough that we had to stop. That's a good sign.

[siriusly]

[Manabu blinks a few times in the midst of the brushing, staring back. a beat later he feels a flutter - a different kind of sensation than the dizzy-sick he's been subjected to more often than not.

aforementioned complexion gets a little warmer.]

Yeah? [a solitary tail wag.] Well, well good. It's not just about getting on top of the job, but...I do wanna go outside at some point, you know?

[repeatedprayer]

[Manabu's looking a little pink, but it's not a bad shade on him. Grey withdraws his hand, satisfied with Manabu's physical condition.]

I know. [Grey understands. Manabu's spent months cooped up in a laboratory basement- Grey spent years in his.] I'd like that too.

[He briefly considers what they'd do if they went out, and adds:] Although I don't think we'd be able to do any real sightseeing.

[Then again, that probably wouldn't be Manabu's primary interest.]

[siriusly]

Right...You got some particular sightseeing to do. [and Manabu's practically biting at the bit to get to it.] Is there anything I should do to help?

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey blinks. Ah, right, the clairvoyant spying.]

If anybody shows up at the apartment, shake me so I know to return to my body. [Might be the landlord coming to check on Grey, hopefully won't be an enemy trying to recapture Manabu.] Or if I'm not back by nightfall. Other than that, there won't be much for you to do, so I suggest you spend that time doing some research on the side.

[siriusly]

Oh. [he looks a little deflated. but then, what was he expecting to be doing? it's not an action scene...] Mn. Okay. Be careful.

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey chuckles.]

No need to worry. I'm hardly likely to get attacked while I'm out there. [What with being an incorporeal presence and all. There aren't many who can defend against clairvoyant spies.

Grey turns and sits on the bed.]

Shall we get started now?

[Manabu's technically supposed to still be resting, but it's not like watching over Grey is likely to be a strenuous activity.]

[siriusly]

Yeah. Ah--do I need to be somewhere else? [will he like...ruin the vibrations or whatever?]