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]

[Grey's hands go still.]

I...

[Here is the terrible truth: Grey went into this with a plan.

Not a very detailed one, but a plan nonetheless- he'd get Manabu all hot and flustered and bothered and then, once Manabu was hard and panting for release, Grey would withdraw. Leaving Manabu suitably annoyed and barky, as proper vengeance for throwing a pillow at Grey's face.

But the desire for petty revenge crumbles under the weight of Manabu's soft, uncertain voice. In fact, he feels a twist of unfamiliar guilt for trying to bully Manabu like this.]

Oh Manabu...

[He lets go of Manabu's tail and wraps an arm around him in a loose hug instead, and raise his other hand to gently pet Manabu's hair.]

I think you're far better at getting under my skin than I am at getting under yours.

[siriusly]

[eh...?

Manabu, malleable as ever despite initially tensing, is folded into that gentle embrace, his heart jumping and his scalp tingling again.

if what Grey is saying is true, he's...really good at not showing it. or Manabu's really bad at seeing it? is he not looking properly?

...he's not still teasing him, is he?

his hands have been gripping at the bedding this entire time, but one does let go and lift, coming at rest at Grey's elbow.]

You...didn't say if that was still alright or not, though. [so what is it, crimelord? good or bad to be down bad for a cop dog?]

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey swallows, then smiles.]

Yes. Of course it's still alright.

[It's not. Not really. He's a criminal, a copy, and someone cruel enough to want to bully a vulnerable young man like Manabu. Of course he shouldn't be able to get under Manabu's skin- but since he can, Grey might as well give Manabu that little white lie.

He presses another kiss against Manabu's ear, this one more careful than the last.]

Tell me what you want, and I'll give it to you.

[siriusly]

[Manabu's ear can't help but twitch a little with how feather-light that gesture is, and he gulps against that fluttering in his chest.]

I already did. Remember? [he tilts his head to peek up through his hair at him.] When I told you to trust me...to be able to help you. After all of this, I mean. I want to help you be free.

[his mouth twitches into a hesitant kind of smile.]

You can give me that, right? [trust?]

[repeatedprayer]

[And again, there's that twist in his gut. That aches he gets when Manabu says or does something sweet and earnest and good that Grey knows he can never, ever measure up to.]

Manabu...

[Grey's brow knits together anxiously and he strokes some of Manabu's hair in a mindless attempt to soothe himself. From an outside perspective, he might be in a good position- most of his crimes will be difficult to prove, and not all that serious in the grand scheme of things. And the authorities tend to protect their own, so even the brutal way he killed those laboratory employees might get pardoned- or at least viewed permissively- in light of the fact he did those in order to save an SDF officer.

But they'd still be obliged to investigate who Grey is and where he came from. It wouldn't be hard to work out his connection to Rezo, and for someone clever to discern the nature of that connection. The fact that Grey's really just a copy.

And what would happen when Manabu found out?]

I don't... I don't know.

[siriusly]

[the smile wanes in light of that uncertainty, his heart squeezing in a more pained fashion.]

It's...not easy to ask, is it. I'm sorry. Nothing worthwhile is ever that easy, I guess.

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey sighs, pulling Manabu closer into his arms.]

I wish it could be. But my situation is... I can't just-

[I can't be what you want.]

[siriusly]

[Manabu's arm finally moves around Grey; he scoots himself to the edge of the mattress to press into him properly.]

If it's that bad...I have to do a lot better, myself. I'll try to.

[but it'll be easier to know what he has to improve if Grey would just...tell him!]

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey shakes his head.]

It's not your responsibility.

[Of course, that might seem more convincing if Grey could just bring himself to actually let go of Manabu.]

[siriusly]

It doesn't have to be, but you're someone important to me. So it kind of goes with the territory.

[maybe that wasn't apparent to Grey? he did say he didn't have a lot of people close to him. so maybe it doesn't go without saying.]

[repeatedprayer]

[It did not.

And God, does Manabu keep obliviously saying things that stab Grey in the heart.]

Manabu... You-

[Grey blinks a few times, feeling his face grow hotter.]

You- make people important to you too easily.

[Hell. He could have said that earlier, just from observing Manabu for a few days. Always trying to help other people...]

[siriusly]

Not like this. [he pulls back a little to meet his eye, frowning, his own face hot. Grey says he's an open book, so why does he have to be saying so much all the time?! can't it just be plainly read so he doesn't have to embarrass himself with his stumbling words?

he exhales. his tail twitches a bit.]

Easily or not, I wouldn't get this close to someone and just...just not care what happens to them, or not do anything for them, you know?

[repeatedprayer]

[At the eye contact Grey reddens further and quickly shuts his eyes.]

...No, I suppose not.

[Grey's voice is tense, but he's being honest. Manabu's not remotely the callous sort. He couldn't be intimate with someone without some measure of... care for the other person involved.

Grey doesn't fully understand why, though. It can't entirely be gratitude for saving him- Manabu's admitted that Grey's been under his skin from very early on.

But that's all the more reason for Grey to be afraid of Manabu learning the truth. How would he feel if he found out the man he'd let so close was actually a copy?]

[siriusly]

[with how little Manabu's thought about aliens and ghosts, it's hardly so dramatic a reveal! but then, he's not mentioned his experiences with aliens and ghosts much, has he. ah, well.

he tilts his head a little, leaning back into the hand still on his head.]

It just makes sense to me. You could've just gotten me out of there and left it at that, but you're still here. What kind of man would I be if I couldn't match up to that?

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey's eyes flick back open, bright and entirely serious as he gazes at Manabu. His hand curls a little against Manabu's head.]

You're already the best man I've ever known.

[There's no embarrassment in admitting this. To Grey, it's so plain that it seems absurd Manabu doesn't realize.]

[siriusly]

[with a wan smirk:] You told me you don't hang out with anyone, so doesn't that mean the bar is already really low?

[repeatedprayer]

Hardly.

[Grey's practically glaring at Manabu, his gaze is so intent.]

I may not be- close, to many people, but I've still known plenty of people. [Or at least, Rezo has.] And you, Manabu- you're extraordinary.

[siriusly]

[he looks mildly surprised at that for a beat, then his mouth twitches, brow knitting. it's hard to fight the want to look away bashfully, but he tries. it's the least he can do, right?]

Hopefully that means, at some point, you'll trust me to help you with whatever's weighing on you.

[repeatedprayer]

Manabu...

[Hell. What does he say to that? Grey's gaze softens. Manabu really never yields... Grey leans in and kisses Manabu's forehead. Afterwards, he pulls back and lets his arms fall away.]

Well. You were saying something earlier about us having work?

[siriusly]

[huh? work? rebooting...]

...Oh! Right. Mn. If you can still do that thing with your powers, we need to stake out the campus again. Learn some names and faces, you know? I can look up the staff from here, but any important others who might not be on there...

[repeatedprayer]

[Grey gives Manabu a wry look. "If you can still do that thing with your powers." Pfft. Who does Manabu think Grey is?]

More spying it is. There's surely a few new faces around this time of day.

[Whether or not they'll be important faces is another thing, but hey. Even then, it'll be good to familiarize himself more with the campus layout.]

[siriusly]

Mn. I can listen for any names as usual, too. [at least until he gets bored and goes to make food or something.]

[repeatedprayer]

Right, then. You get the tablet, and I'll lie down.

[Of course, Grey says that, and then immediately stands up and walks over to the kitchen.]

Oh yes, here-

[Because speaking of food, Grey grabs a box of crackers from the cupboard and tosses it Manabu's way. Catch, boy!]

You need to replenish yourself after being sick earlier. Get something to drink as well.

[Stakeout now comes with snacks!]

[siriusly]

D'ah-!! [he catches, fumbles, but there's nowhere for the box to go but into his lap anyway. saved.]

Er, ye-yeah. I will!

[not really a hard ask: sit there, eat something, write funny names and numbers...how hard can it be?

spoilers it's very hard because it involves a whole lot of sitting around and BEING VERY BORED and also distraction via reading on a tablet just makes him VERY SLEEPY. but!! Manabu will soldier on, because he is a soldier.

...he will also get up and make some lunch out of what's left of groceries when enough time has passed and he's sick of crackers and Grey hasn't mumbled anything new for a bit. a plate of that will be waiting for Grey when he snaps out of it...Manabu will not. he'll be out like a light, snoozing sitting up, propped up against the headboard with the tablet in his lap.

he tried, okay.]

[repeatedprayer]

At ease, Manabu.

[With a smirk at Manabu's fumbling, Grey returns to the bed and lies down. Off he goes!

This particular scouting session feels like it goes significantly better than his last one, since this time around Grey isn't struggling with unresolved sexual tension and the guilt of breaking Manabu's delicate maiden heart. He gets a few names and describes various noteworthy details about the campus in case Manabu does wind up tagging along after all.

There's a professor named Dr. Fiddler who strikes Grey's interest for having a familiar voice (Or is that his imagination?) and teaching a class in the medical faculty. There's a Mr. Kovalyov in charge of campus security. Several plaques bear the names of various donors to the school: Raimondo Rizzo, Angelo Sebastiani, Olivia Gioconda, etc.

After a while Grey starts to get hungry, and he can feel his body getting stiff back at the apartment, so he returns with the usual jolt and stretches, blinking a little as he adjusts.]

I'm back. Manabu, have you got anything? Manabu...?

[...The dog is asleep. Grey stares.

He's torn between exasperation because Manabu was supposed to be keeping watch!!!! ...but also affection because Manabu looks cute when he's asleep. And he does need to be resting as much as he can, since he's also supposed to be in recovery.

So instead of waking Manabu, Grey takes the tablet from his lap and spends some time typing in corrections and additions to whatever Manabu was able to get down before conking out. He spots (well, sniffs, then spots) lunch at the ready while he's typing away, so that also helps pass the time while Manabu sleeps.

...And if Manabu's still asleep by the time Grey is done, Grey will entertain himself by cracking open the package of playing cards he bought the other day and stacking cards on Manabu's head. Better than scribbling on his face than a sharpie, at least!]