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]

[That's certainly a relief!

More of a relief: Once they're actually back in the apartment and Manabu has managed not to throw up again, or pass out, or explode or whatever. Grey's pretty pleased about that, even if Manabu says he doesn't want any praise.]

You're always so modest. And what is the threshold where you'll be expecting praise?

[Grey shuts the door behind him and heads over to the bed so he can begin putting sheets back. No collapsing onto the bed yet!]

[siriusly]

Modest? [he echoes the word incredulously, almost laughing.] I-it's not that, it's just... [the threshold, huh?

he scratches at his cheek, lingering in place a beat before carefully pacing over toward the bed with the bag over his shoulder.]

Well...like...like baseball. [he offers a wincing smile.] It'll make sense when you see it, but...nobody gets any points just for making it across one or two bases. You have to clear them all to score. And a trip up and down some stairs isn't much of a base run.

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey said it lightly, but now that they're on the subject he does recall that Manabu isn't much of a braggart... And in the past, when Grey's needled him about his ambitions, they've never been particularly grandiose.]

So what would make a suitable base run? A trip around the block, perhaps?

[Grey stuffs one corner of the fitted sheet under the mattress and pulls it over to the opposite end, bending and tucking it under the mattress as he talks.]

[siriusly]

[the other sheet tumbles out of the bag Manabu pulls it out of, holding it by a clump of it. he shakes it out to find the corners.]

Hmm... [around the block?] No, that's still too small... [he smiles crookedly.] Maybe to the college.

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey stretches to reach another corner and gives Manabu a dubious glance. He echoes:]

Maybe.

[Don't think he forgot you puking in that bathroom an hour ago!]

We still need to get you some actual shoes.

[siriusly]

[his expression pinches a bit at that.]

Yeah... Jeez, every step has to be a pain, doesn't it.

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey chuckles.]

If you change your mind about wanting praise, go ahead and say so.

[And Grey moves around Manabu to tuck the last corner in. There. Manabu's turn now.]

[siriusly]

[he blushes, flustering a little and hastening to finish his side.] Yeah, right! You'd just do it to embarrass me!

[repeatedprayer]

Is it my fault you're so easily embarrassed?

[Look, he barely even has to try and Manabu gets all flustered and blushy!]

[siriusly]

[he makes a face. after picking up one of the pillows, he chucks it at Grey.]

[repeatedprayer]

[Good news for Manabu- Grey was not expecting him to do that and doesn't move fast enough to dodge. Manabu is thus able to beam him in the side of the face.]

Ah-! Manabu!

[Surprised, but unhurt, Grey ducks down to grab the pillow from where it's landed and chucks it in Manabu's direction. Quite hard, because pfft, what is restraint?]

[siriusly]

[Manabu was anticipating a retaliation, even if it wasn't that aggressive, so he does manage to swat it away with a huff and a hah, smirking.]

Now you're picking on a sick guy? Jeez, Grey!

[repeatedprayer]

You little brat! I take back everything I said about you being modest.

[Grey huffs and crosses his arms- but there's a definite gleam in his eyes... As soon as Grey thinks Manabu's let his guard down he's going to dart over to grab Manabu and pull him off of his feet.]

[siriusly]

[guard's down once the last blanket is yanked onto the bed and Manabu turns away to finally pull his hat off his head with a sigh. a brief respite before--]

GAH! What the-!!

[repeatedprayer]

It serves you right!

[Grey grins, shark-like, and adjusts his grip on Manabu so he's partly thrown over Grey's shoulder.]

You didn't think you could attack me without receiving payback, did you?

[He spins them around, which surely feels GREAT for the guy suffering from vertigo, and unceremoniously deposits Manabu on the bed. Clambering over Manabu as he does, so his prey will not be able to escape. Hopefully Manabu's tail isn't getting too squished.]

Well?

[siriusly]

Wuhff--!

[whoa, his stomach can't even keep up with all of that. Manabu ragdolls and flops onto the bed in a dazed state, head swimming and...yeah. tail. ow.]

Nrhh! Oww...Jeez...!

[repeatedprayer]

[The one saving grace is that Grey at least isn't putting any actual weight on Manabu- he's poised over Manabu with his knees braced on either side of Manabu's thighs, and his hands pressed against the mattress on either side of Manabu's head.

Gleaming eyes bore down on Manabu, blatantly amused... Though that amusement may start to fade if Manabu looks awful enough.]

Do you yield?

[siriusly]

[Manabu fidgets his tail-affected leg a bit, trying to not accidentally jerk his knee up and nail Grey in the junk, making a face.]

N-no way! And even if I did, it's not like you're facing my best!

[repeatedprayer]

[Well then. If Manabu's still being stubborn about this, he surely can't be seriously hurt. It's not like he's the type to still be stubborn about something even after being stabbed or anything.]

I told you I was a criminal, didn't I? Playing unfair, and taking advantage of upstanding SDF officers like you, is exactly the sort of thing you should expect from me.

[Grey slides back a little and tugs lightly on one of Manabu's ears.]

[siriusly]

[he flushes scarlet, eyes wincing reflexively at the tug.

it’s a little tough for him to banter, but he’s trying:] Aw-awfully weird for a criminal to be going to all this trouble without a better payout, you know…

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey's hand slips into Manabu's hair, raking his fingers through and tugging more at Manabu's hair.]

There are some things you can't put a price tag on.

[Is he speaking of revenge for the pillow thing? Or of Manabu?]

[siriusly]

[that elicits one of those small sounds out of him, one eye closing while the other squints up at him. the tingling is back, radiating wherever Grey's fingers were; it really is that easy, isn't it?

he curls his fingers into the freshly-laid sheet under him.

after a swallow:] That's kind of mysterious, you know. A, a lot of what you say and do is mysterious to me, though... [head empty of nuance and all.]

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey laughs, and continues to card his hand through Manabu's hair.]

You're just too straightforward. Have you ever heard the expression "like an open book?"

[That's you, Manabu! You're that open book. Probably a picture book. About the Paw Patrol.

Grey rakes his hand through Manabu's hair for a few more long moments, his gaze going briefly from Manabu's face to his ears before making eye contact again.]

...Since we're alone again, let's get your tail loose.

[Grey slips off of the bed, still looming over Manabu, and goes for the waistband of Manabu's pants. Helping!]

[siriusly]

A-? [the combing was a bit hypnotic, even though he was puzzling over whether or not to be offended about the book-thing. what's wrong with straightforward?? it makes things easier, doesn't it?

who doesn't love illustrations anyway?

anyway, Grey's climbed off already and is going at his pants.]

Whoahey!! [he sits upright quickly, then regrets it. addled, dizzy:] Yuhh, you--you're so handsy! [the headrush ebbs and he swats at Grey's hands, redder in the face.] I'm not that feeble!!

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey works as quickly as he can, already aware before Manabu sits up that Manabu is not going to take this lying down.]

You're always so stubborn about accepting help. Hasn't it occurred to you that I may want to do this for you?

[Now the part Manabu should be worrying about is why Grey wants to do this.

Once he's finangled the button and zipper open Grey begins yanking insistently at the fabric.]

Come now, you'll be much more comfortable this way!