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 tries to muffle a pained sound when settled on his back, the jolt up his spine from pressure on his tail still new and unsettling. he blinks out of the grimace it caused, still holding his breath until well after Grey's arm slips out from under him. that sensation isn't pain, but it is...strange.

he blinks slowly, looking up toward Grey. despite the dim lighting, he can still see the discoloration of blood here and there, down, and...]

...You got hit. [it only takes a moment to notice: that particular stain isn't a spatter. it's pooled. a puncture point.]

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey finally actually raises his arm and looks at his side, and notices that there are rips in the fabric and a dark stain pooled around those same rips. It's a good thing he was never planning on wearing these clothes ever again.]

Oh.

[Right, he'd gotten hurt during the fight with the orderlies while Manabu was still sedated. He's been too focused on other things to really notice it besides an ever-present throbbing in his side. Since he hasn't collapsed or anything yet, it's probably fine? That's how medicine works, right?]

I have a first aid kit, I can take a look at it later.

[siriusly]

[Manabu winces, getting his elbows in a position he can prop himself up, shuddering at the pressure on his spine.]

N-no, if it's...bleeding that much, it might get infected. Left open. Check it now, or it could get worse.

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey purses his lips he does NOT pout! but tragically, what Manabu is saying makes sense, and they can't afford both of them being sick.]

Very well.

[The first aid kit is kept on top of a shelf at the back of the room. Grey walks around the sofa bed to get it and then, since there isn't a great deal of seating available, sits down with it on the side of the bed opposite from Manabu.

The first thing he needs to do is actually get a proper look at it, so he begins to undress. He tugs off his tie and drops it on the floor, unbuttons his vest and drops it alongside the tie, and then starts on his shirt. He winces a little as he peels the fabric off- the blood has made it stick to his skin.

Now bare to his waist, his injury's out in the open. Grey raises his arm and twists, trying to give it a cursory examination.]

...Hn.

[It's kind of hard to get a good look at it, thanks to the awkward position.]

[siriusly]

[there'd be a lot to feel about this if Manabu wasn't already pretty consumed by concern: it's more comfortable to push his pain and weariness aside and focus on someone else. he ignores his own discomforts to roll onto his side and scoot to get his knees under him, facing Grey's back and watching the injury site.

he's no Yuki Sexaroid, but every SDF officer is trained in first aid.]

Slide the box my way. Let me.

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey picks up the box, but then glances over his shoulder at Manabu. The other man looks more alert, but still weary, and there's probably still unknown drugs floating in his system. (Although maybe not as many as there were before Manabu threw up?)]

Are you sure you're up for this?

[This is probably the best way to ensure Manabu will insist on doing this, actually.]

[siriusly]

[stubbornness kicks in, as well as that want to be of use: Manabu rummages through the kit to lay out and tear open the pieces needed before giving the wound itself a look. none of this will be useful if he has to stitch - he doesn't have a delicate hand on a good day - but he has to check...

better days would have him more contemplative of this bare back before looking for the point of injury, too, but alas. them's the breaks.]

[repeatedprayer]

[Seeing Manabu just get to work makes Grey huff, but he does his best to grit his teeth and submit to the prodding.

The lacerations are fortunately shallow and most of the bleeding has stopped already, but a lot clearly did come out between now and when he got the injury. It of course hurts whenever Manabu puts pressure on the injuries but asides from the way he tenses, Grey shows no outward reaction, nor makes any sounds of complaint.

After a minute, he does speak.]

You don't need to worry. I can make it heal quicker than an ordinary injury would.

[siriusly]

That's...part of your power?

[the power that obliterated those people. Manabu feels colder to speak on it, but dutifully disinfects the lacerations before applying gauze and tape.]

[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...