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]

Of course not... I can't just do a half-assed job, can I? If it were you, you wouldn't be happy about climbing some stairs once, would you?

[repeatedprayer]

...No. I don't think I would be.

[Grey deposits the shopping bag on the counter (...He'll have to figure out where to put the supplies inside later) and stoops to take his shoes off.]

At least, not entirely happy.

[siriusly]

[Manabu's mouth puckers in a thoughtful pout as he squints over at Grey.

not entirely means at least a little...so he should be cutting himself a little slack? he'd say as much to Grey if things were reversed.

he sighs loudly and flops backward to lay out, staring at the ceiling with his legs dangling.]

Yeah, yeah...

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey watches Manabu for a few moments before coming over to the bed and sitting next to him. He reaches one hand out and gently pokes at Manabu's cheek, then brushes aside a bit of the hair that curls around Manabu's face.]

Getting down on yourself won't get you closer to your goal either, you know.

[siriusly]

[flopping as he did dislodged the hat off his head, letting his ears free; it actually feels better to not have them stifled. one twitches when Grey touches him. he cracks open an eye and looks up at him, staring for a beat.

he's really...doing his best, isn't he. Manabu smiles sheepishly.]

I'm not good at humble victories, I guess. Sorry.

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey can't resist sliding his fingers up the side of Manabu's head to rub one of those ears, now that they're exposed.]

Mm.

[Not good at humble victories, always grasping for the next thing that's still out of reach, always striving to be Doing Things and Being Useful... What does that remind Grey of?]

I just don't want to see you burn yourself out.

[siriusly]

[the sensation is strange. were it a human ear, it wouldn't feel very good - it'd be uncomfortable, actually - but the way it is now, the sensation is...a bit comfortable. consoling.

his expression softens.]

Mn. It wouldn't do anyone any good if I did, huh...least of all you. What'd you call me again? Some investment of your time?

[repeatedprayer]

[Since Manabu doesn't seem to be resisting Grey will go right on petting Manabu's ears and hair.]

Something like that, I believe.

[He doesn't remember the specifics. It was really just some silly bluster, a way of saying that Manabu's wellbeing is important to him without directly saying he cares about Manabu.]

[siriusly]

[Manabu's eyes get heavy under the hypnotic sensation of being pet as he is, but he can't help feeling the discomfort of his tied-down tail more and more.]

I need to... [untie that tail.] Before I fall asleep or...something. [he yawns, mumbling an apology before pushing himself up on his elbows, wincing a little because tail.] Mrh, man...it's only middle of the day...

[repeatedprayer]

Need to...? [Get up? Or free his tail, which Grey has absently noted must still be tied up under there.

Grey reluctantly withdraws his hand as Manabu sits up, since he probably can't do either of those very easily if Grey's still messing up his hair.]

Do you want to try and stay awake? [Since Manabu seemed pretty alarmed by how late he woke up, Grey suspects he probably won't want to potentially throw his schedule off even further.]

[siriusly]

Yeah, I gotta. [he scoots to the other side of the bed so he can get up and mess with his pants, tugging the cord free and yanking his tail out with a grimace.] It's no good to be awake at two a.m., right?

[repeatedprayer]

[Fluffy tail...

Ah right, and Manabu's speaking.]

I suppose not, no. But do you know how you're going to stay awake? [You almost died trying to climb the stairs dude, you might need a nap.]

[siriusly]

[fluffy but also matted from a half-day of being scrunched! poor thing, all that care to get brushed, now this.]

I don't know...maybe I can do pushups or something. [yeah that'll work.]

[repeatedprayer]

[That earns Manabu a Look.]

...How about we brush your tail first? It looks like it needs it.

[In fact Grey is already getting to his feet to go get Manabu's brush. Manabu may want to take this opportunity to try hiding in a cupboard or something.]

[siriusly]

Ehhh-?! But we just did that yesterday!

[repeatedprayer]

Then it shouldn't take too long, should it?

[Too late. Grey has picked up the hairbrush. He is now approaching. He is smiling. You cannot run. You cannot hide.]

[siriusly]

Gehh...

[he pouts, scooting away toward the headboard, still kicking his pants off. his ears flatten as the brush draws near, face getting red preemptively.] No, but...but it's still weird, right? [and it feels good when he does it? that's weird!]

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey crouches on the mattress, getting on his knees and one hand.]

It's only weird because you're not used to it yet.

[Scooting ever closer.]

Now turn around.

[siriusly]

[Manabu's face goes red chin-to-crown at the sight of Grey crawling like that, his tail floofing like a spooked cat; his teeth chatter in lieu of a sputtered response, swinging around so fast he--]

OWHHhuuhhh...! [--he bangs his leg into the wall next to him.]

[repeatedprayer]

[Well good news for Manabu! Grey is so alarmed by that moment of klutziness that he drops the hairbrush onto the mattress. He quickly scooches over to Manabu's side, crouching next to him and peering with concern down at Manabu's legs.]

Are you alright?

[siriusly]

[he whines, rubbing at his shin.] Y-yeah, yeah, just! Jeeeeezhhh...

[he double-takes after cracking an eye open and peering at Grey, his ears perking upright and heart jumping in his throat. so close!!] Really!

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey slips off the bed and kneels on the floor in front of Manabu, reaching out to take hold of the shin that Manabu is rubbing at.]

Is this where you hit it?

[He looks over the skin for any scratches or other breakages.]

[siriusly]

G-Grey, you don't have to do that! [Manabu bristles, gawking at him. the leg is fine, though a bit red where his ankle slapped the wall.] Seriously, I'm not that helpless...!

[and besides, you kneeling like that is kind of...!]

[repeatedprayer]

Hmm...

[Since Manabu is the type who, if he had a bone sticking out of his leg, would probably still try to claim it isn't that bad, Grey doesn't take Manabu at his word and instead takes a moment to grip Manabu's ankle in one hand and gently run his hand over the rest of his shin. He's soon satisfied that Manabu isn't seriously injured, however.]

I see. It's just a bump.

[And then he raises Manabu's leg and kisses Manabu's ankle before finally letting it go.]

Better?

[He looks warmly up at Manabu.]

[siriusly]

Gih-!!!

[Manabu freezes, a tingle surging up his spine to the tips of his ears. whatever annoying pain he'd felt is immediately pushed out of mind as he gawks, gobsmacked by such an intimate and obscene gesture.

his leg kind of drops like a rock when released.]

Wh...what the hell...