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]

I understand. Very well, I'll proceed- tell me when it starts to become too much.

[Grey reaches back out, experimenting first with touching his fingertips to the fur. How does it react to the lightest brushing of his fingers? Can he even feel it through the fur?]

[siriusly]

[Manabu bites his lip, glancing up over his shoulder to watch. he only bristles a little at the gentlest touch - that much is fine, it seems...negligible, even! which is good, because imagine how heinous it would be if the slightest shifting of fur caused such a reaction? he'd collapse every three seconds.]

That's...no big deal. Nothing, really.

[repeatedprayer]

[It's certainly a relief. Besides it being inconvenient for Manabu to sit or lie on his back, Grey's also concerned about how they're going to go about hiding it later. At least Manabu doesn't seem completely doomed to writhe in an overstimulated heap all the time?]

I see. What if I try brushing the fur back?

[Grey goes and does just that, stroking the fur the wrong way so that it gets a little ruffled.]

[siriusly]

Gih-- [he tenses up again, lip curling in an involuntary snarl.] N-nope! No good. I-it's like if...if nails on chalkboard were a touch? I guess? [i have no equivalent simile for the scifi setting so CHALKBOARDS RISE UP.]

[repeatedprayer]

[Idioms do have a way of outlasting their origins! Either way, Grey gets the message, and hastily smooths down the fur.]

That bad is it?

[Another thing to keep in mind, perhaps. For his next test, Grey shifts his hand so that his palm is underneath Manabu's tail and curls his fingers- not actually touching it unless Manabu's tail happens to twitch against his hand, but definitely in position to encircle it.]

Alright, next I'm going to try grabbing it. That seems to be where you have the most trouble. I'll gradually tighten my grip, and you let me know when it's too tight.

[And he starts on that, wrapping his hand around Manabu's tail properly.]

[siriusly]

Uh, okay, I--uh--hhh-- [his eyes flutter a little when Grey gets something of a grip around the tail; he shivers again.

it feels really good! and that's extremely embarrassing.

after a puffed breath:] I, I-I don't know if...if it's a good thing or not, that...that it feels like this?

[repeatedprayer]

[Manabu's tail feels soft and thin in his hand, and Grey gets the sense that it would be terribly easy to hurt him if he pulled or squeezed it without any restraint.

The shudder and the shortness of Manabu's breath make it seem like it might be too much already, but Manabu hasn't told him to stop yet... His explanation is a little vague as well.]

What do you mean?

[Grey begins to squeeze a little.]

[siriusly]

It feels a little--ah! [the squeeze makes him shiver and flush hot, squirming a bit out of reflex.

he catches his breath with a gasp.]

Ss, s-s-sorry! It, it-itit's messing me up a little, uh-! [do it agian?

...wait no don't.

but maybe?]

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey drops the tail and takes a quick step back.]

-I'd say that's too much, then.

[It's messing Grey up a little as well, truthfully. He's not entirely clued in to what Manabu's going through, but it's pretty obvious that it's intense and, well. Having Manabu squirm and gasp beneath his hands is difficult to ignore, particularly when Grey's gone and exposed so much of the poor man's body. The sense of control is heady, giving him a rush of exhilaration no matter how much he wants to be clinical about this.

He fixes his gaze at a random point on the wall, and takes a moment to do some mental arithmetic. Twelve times twelve is one hundred and forty-four. Twelve times eleven is one hundred and thirty-two. Twelve times ten is...

He can't do it for very long though, or else the pause will get awkward. Awkwarder?]

...So. It seems to be pressure. That causes the reaction.

[siriusly]

Uh...ye-yeah...

[that felt good. too good. that was bad. he's going to have to lay face down like this for...for how long?!

he gulps. all this blood rushing about and none of it to spare for his poor, frazzled brain cells.]

Good to...good to know...

[repeatedprayer]

Right...

[Grey risks a glance back at Manabu's tail and the base of his spine.]

The ah, surgery site looks tidy enough. For now, just try to keep pressure off of it and let me know if you notice any oddities, or if the pain ever gets too much to handle.

[He probably hasn't done nearly enough of an examination but. He kind of feels like he's torturing both of them. It seems about time to retreat.

He feels kind of weird about just leaving Manabu lying face down on the bed with backside exposed, though.]

Will you need help getting redressed?

[siriusly]

[no, but if you could beat me over the head with a bat or a brick to knock me unconscious for a few hours--]

I, I can handle it. Thanks. Uh.

[...

i can't move like this or he'll see.

HE'S ALREADY LOOKING AT MY BACKSIDE - not like he hasn't seen that before!!

he pats around the bed a bit, snatching at some of the sheets under him; maybe if he just...wraps up? it'll be weird, sure, but not as weird as showing off the circumstances at-large right now!

...wait. this is stupid. why is he being stupid? why isn't he just asking--]

Er, can you...give me a second here? Like, step outside or something?

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey stares for a nonplussed beat as Manabu first, just lays there like someone who absolutely cannot handle things right now, and then starts trying to grab at the sheets without actually moving his position any.

The reverie of ??? is thankfully broken when Manabu asks him to step outside. Grey blinks a few times, face flushing.]

Ah, of course. I was going to take a shower anyway.

[A cold one.

He turns, somewhat stiffly, and heads off into the tiny bathroom he has been getting to know so well today. He has a feeling both of them are going to wind up making a lot of use of that bathroom over the next few days, just to get some privacy in this situation.]

[siriusly]

[NO! Manabu's single remaining brain cell cries. how else is he supposed to scramble in there to cool off?! dammit!]

O-okay...

[it's fine. Manabu's still in hell, it's just a new layer. he double-triple checks to see the door is closed before patting himself around to finagle that stupid tail back through its loop and pull his skivvies up, rolling onto his side with a wheeze.

i'm a freak...

while Grey gets the mercy of cold water, Manabu just has to fidget around and hide himself under covers, pulling sheets over his burning face as well, as if he can completely camouflage himself from his own embarrassment.

he's a freak, and it felt good. this is hell!]

[repeatedprayer]

[It might be mercy, but it feels a bit more like penance to Grey. He keeps mentally replaying the entire examination, all the little noises Manabu made and the way his body felt under Grey's hands... It's perhaps worse, not being in the moment, because his imagination is free to embellish things. If he lets his thoughts run free he'll wind up fantasizing about Manabu moaning and arching into his touch, pleading for more...

Grey strips off his clothes as hastily as possible, wincing as his burgeoning erection tugs at the fabric of his underwear, and practically throws himself onto the shower. The blast of icy water hurts when he turns the cold water on full, but it's exactly what he needs right now. Hopefully Manabu's hearing isn't sensitive enough to catch Grey's pained hiss underneath the sound of running water.

This is lust, isn't it.

Grey feels incredibly stupid for not admitting it earlier. But it's shameful, isn't it? Something like him lusting after someone like Manabu... Especially while the other man is in such a vulnerable position. Who knew he had enough of a conscience to even care about such things? He's never wanted anyone else, not like this. Is this why he went to such lengths to find Manabu, and help him? Because he's secretly the sort of idiot who can be lead around by his dick?

He's learning a lot about himself, and he's not sure he wants to.

Once his body's numb with cold, Grey finally feels safe to go back into the main room. He towels off as briskly as possible and pulls his clothes back on with clumsy fingers.

As soon as he's out, he glances around for Manabu. The man's easy to spot, in a way- he's burrowed so deeply under the covers that Grey can't see much more of him than a bit of fluffy brown hair, but the lump curled up on the bed can't really be anyone else. Manabu must be exhausted.]

Manabu? Should I turn the light off?

[siriusly]

[Manabu's attention has been trying to focus on anything but the throbbing going on with him - which meant mostly just the muffled, ambient noises coming from the bathroom.

that. that didn't help as much as it should've, given that involved thinking about Grey in the shower, but. y'know.

one of those ears twitches at the sound of his name, the rest of him as stone still as he can make himself.

huh? light?]

O-only if you want to. It's fine. [what time is it, anyway? is time still real?]

[repeatedprayer]

[It's not all that late, really. The city's still busy outside, even if the sky's getting dark. People can be heard in the laundromat below and out on the street. But they were both woken up pretty early by Manabu's panic attack and Grey figures that Manabu at least should be resting as much as possible.]

I see.

[With a shrug, Grey switches the light off, and begins puttering around the apartment getting ready to wind down for the night properly. Even if he can't sleep he can just read stuff on the phone or tablet while Manabu hopefully snoozes. He'll be taking the sleeping bag tonight, he thinks- he's leery of the possibility that he might lay hands on Manabu in his sleep or something equally disastrous. And his hands are icy, so that would probably make Manabu yelp...]

[siriusly]

[the painkillers have the merciful benefit of having a drowsy effect, so once they kick in, they can start to override dick panic and help lead buzzing thoughts down to a hazy mumble and some dubious sleep; Manabu doesn't remember actually falling asleep, just the thought that it'd be nice to hear Grey talk about his reading again.

niceness is abruptly cut off, because a few hours in the fear kicks back in - this time with a bit more of a fight to climb to the waking surface thanks to medicine (more's the reason to panic!). Manabu tosses, turns, thrashes, and ultimately yells himself to a sudden awakening, throwing himself upright with his hands lunging forward to grasp at something - anything - for fear of having to fight back.]

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey drifts off to sleep at some point after Manabu does, long enough for him to have gone over both the times tables and periodic table in an effort not to think about his baser feelings towards the man in the nearby bed. Needless to say he's under-prepared for Manabu's nightmare, and it takes until Manabu's thrashing violently enough to make the bed shake for him to even begin rousing.

Something's... shaking?]

Gh-?

[And then Manabu starts yelling, the sound penetrating Grey's sleepy brain like a bolt of lightning. Grey yelps himself, struggling to sit up from within his sleeping bag. What, who, what is?!

Wait. It's Manabu. He must be having another nightmare- Moving mostly on instinct, Grey kicks his way out of the sleeping bag (he's out of it enough to have some confusion about being on the floor and wrapped up in something) and climbs onto the edge of the bed.]

Manabu-

[Please don't hit him in the face with your panicked flailing.]

[siriusly]

No-! N--! [there is an errant swing, but his fists aren't clenched, so Grey gets swiped along the jaw by a few fingers before Manabu's turning, nearly toppling out of the bed with the momentum.]

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey feels the swipe but it doesn't really hurt- whether that's because it was ineffectual or because Grey's hopped up on adrenaline at the moment will have to be determined later. Either way, he sees Manabu twist, and sway towards the edge of the bed-]

Manabu!

[-and Grey reaches out, wrapping his arm around Manabu and hauling the other man back against his chest. Which might not be the best way of handling a panicking man, but in Grey's defense he was woken up rather suddenly!]

Manabu. Shhh, it's alright, it's me, Grey-

[siriusly]

[it's at first the fright of being caught by those goddamn orderlies again that make him resist, but after missing a breath he's jolted awake, forced to gasp and reconcile with the space around him.

it's hard to come down right away, so he's left sweating and trembling in the steadying hold, his eyes darting around wildly looking for threats - needles, restraints, implements, concrete...]

Guh--Gr, Grey-? [wait, really? he didn't...make all of that up? a rescue? blood and corn flakes and the tug at the tail--]

[repeatedprayer]

[Grappling with Manabu is nerve-wracking when Grey's afraid he'll hurt himself if he lets him go, but Grey is also afraid of accidentally hurting him in an attempt to restrain him. At least the active resistance doesn't seem to last long- once Manabu's reduced to merely trembling, Grey adjusts his grip on Manabu to something a little more comfortable and continues to do his best to recite soothing words.]

Yes, it's me. I'm here, you're safe. You were just having a nightmare.

[Probably. Not like Grey's 100% sure what's going on, but it's pretty clear there's no actual threat in the room.]

[siriusly]

Ri, right... [right. this borrowed room. bed. bathroom. dry cereal. Grey.

Manabu clenches his jaw for a bit to keep his teeth from chattering in the midst of heavier tremors, tilting his head against Grey's chest for further semblance of grounding.

one humiliation after another, huh? is this going to keep happening? for how long? and Grey's going to be putting up with this, is he?]

I'm...sorry. [his throat tightens as frustration threatens to bring him to tears.] Sorry.

[repeatedprayer]

It's alright.

[It's not exactly the most eloquent statement but neither of them are probably in a wordy frame of mind. Grey himself is more focused on the way Manabu feels in his arms as opposed to the apologies he's choking out. The weight of Manabu's head leaning against his chest is reassuring, but the way Manabu is shaking is less so.

He presses his arm against Manabu, silently encouraging him to rest more of his weight against Grey, and with his free hand he clumsily seeks out Manabu's so he can give it a (hopefully) reassuring squeeze.]