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“Oh? You’re asking for Manato’s number, huh… but you don’t want to join the Spook Shack? You can talk to him through there just as well, you know.”
Wise laughs sheepishly. He had a feeling that Yuzuha would tease him for his request, but he didn’t think she’d bring up the Spook Shack thing again. He’d already done his best to redirect the conversation the last time they talked about it so he wouldn’t have to out himself and his weakness for scary things, but to think she’d remember…
“I’m in enough forums already, it’s rather overwhelming,” he lies, smiling even with the suspicious look she regards him with. “I just wanted to return the favor, since Manato saved me last time.”
“Return the favor how, hm?” Yuzuha hums, eyeing him with a sly smile. “Gonna nurse him back to health?”
He scratches his cheek, feeling shy at being caught so easily. Perhaps anyone else would consider him to be a worrywart, or overstepping… but Manato saved his life while already injured. It was only fair for Wise to tend to him a bit in return, right? “Something like that, yes…”
Yuzuha laughs. “Well then! Looks like that little heroic act of his was worth it in the end… here!”
She’s already swiped Wise’s phone to input Manato’s number before he can even blink. It’s no wonder Alice is so easy to scare around Yuzuha if she usually moves this fast even on a normal day; Wise is lucky he’s used to such mischief from having a wily younger sister.
“I put my number in too, in case you needed help with anything,” Yuzuha explains, voice bright and smile just a teensy bit teasing—as if she knows something he doesn’t. “Like, for example, his favorite food, favorite drinks…”
Wise smiles in relief at the offer. Even if she is teasing him, it’s still true that her invitation for help is much appreciated. “Since you mentioned it, may I ask now? I’ll take note so I know what to bring when I visit—I already know he likes the shrimp dumplings from Yum Cha Sin, but I don’t know anything else.”
“Manato is so lucky I like him,” Yuzuha mutters to herself, to Wise’s confusion. “Alright, what he likes is—”
An hour later, with directions from Yuzuha on where Manato lives, Wise finds himself in front of Manato’s doorstep with a bag of takeout and some medicine Yuzuha had advised him to bring.
Unsurprisingly, Wise gets swarmed by Manato’s older neighbors before he can even try knocking on his door.
One of the miner uncles squints askance at him. “You’re the young man from Yunkui Summit… Master Wise, right?”
Wise nods. “That’s right. I came to visit Manato and give him some food. Um, is he in?” Yuzuha had told him that he was, but there was always the chance that Manato had stepped out in the few minutes it took to walk here.
“He’s in,” says a miner auntie, looking exasperated as she nods over to Manato’s door. “Thankfully, he knows to listen to his elders when it comes to resting. We’ve made sure he won’t go to any of his part-time gigs for now. Do you have any idea what happened? He won’t tell us anything.”
Wise smiles sheepishly. “Sorry, but I don’t think it’s my place to say if he won’t say anything.”
“So you know something.”
Wise, aptly named, wisely doesn’t say anything to refute or confirm those words.
“...we understand,” the auntie sighs. “You’re a good friend, covering for him like that. You said you brought him food, right? That kid… he thinks it’s his job to look after us ‘cause we’re older than him, but he’s bad at letting others take care of him. Just because he’s so strong… hah! You better give him a good talking to, Master Wise.”
Wise laughs awkwardly at their words. If Manato won’t even listen to his elders, what makes them think he’d be any different with Wise? “Uh… sure, I’ll do my best.”
“Good enough for us!” Just like that, another miner uncle quickly knocks on Manato’s door. “Hey, kid! Master Wise is visiting you!”
Soon after, the sound of hurried footsteps resound from behind the door, only stopping when that same door swings open to reveal a flushed and bewildered Komano Manato. “Wise, you’re here,” Manato says, sounding breathless. Maybe he really is badly injured… he did so well pretending the other day, yet now he couldn’t even keep to his normal breathing with just a light jog?
“I brought some food,” Wise says, smiling as he holds up the bag in his hands. “Come on, let’s go inside—I’ll set everything up for you. Unless you’ve already eaten?”
“No, not yet,” Manato says, tail wagging as he allows Wise into his home. “And you don’t have to, let me—”
Wise hides the bag behind his back before Manato can grab it. “Mm, no,” Wise says, smile bright as he steps aside to dodge another attempt at grabbing the bag. He even hides it in the space between his chest and thighs as he crouches down to remove his shoes at the doorway. “You’re seriously injured, Manato. Just tell me where to put these, and I’ll set them out.”
“...I’m fine, really,” Manato insists, though he gives up on making another attempt on the bag. He leads Wise along to what seems to be his bedroom, grabbing the coffee table to the side and setting it onto the floor facing the foot-end of his bed. “Uh, here. Have you eaten?”
“Not yet, so I bought my own share.” Wise sets out containers upon containers of food from Yum Cha Sin onto the table, most of the biggest ones for Manato while he mainly opted for a one-person serving of pork buns and shrimp dumplings. “I figured I’d eat with you, since you already invited me before. Do you mind?”
Manato’s tail wags as if imitating an electric fan. Yuzuha really was right about that analogy…
“I don’t mind at all,” Manato assures him. Though his stature can get intimidating, sitting down puts him at nearly the same height as Wise—letting Wise see his face a bit more clearly from up close. His usually stern expression is gone, replaced with something a little shy… did he feel awkward at being seen in a vulnerable state?
Voice in a murmur, Manato adds, “I never got to treat you to a meal after everything that happened. Now you’re the one treating me…”
“It can be your treat next time,” Wise chuckles, handing Manato the chopsticks that came with the food. “For now, it’s my treat since you saved me back there. You were already injured, yet you shielded me…”
Manato turns his head down. His ears flick for a bit, while his tail wags at a more sedate pace behind his back. “It’s nothing, really. My body could handle the impact better than you could, anyway.”
Wise gives him a look. “Are you calling me frail?”
Manato raises his head and sputters at his words, easily making Wise break character with his adorable reaction. Really, what was it with the big men (usually Thirens, at that) Wise meets being so much nicer and cuter than their physiques implied? Even Ben had been easier to fluster and down-to-earth than Wise had initially assumed, though he’d been incorrect from the start for assuming him to be Belobog Heavy Industries’ president just because he'd been so tall and imposing.
Perhaps Wise is in the wrong, for assuming too much from people’s physiques… he should work on that.
To Manato, Wise says, “Relax, I was kidding. I know that I’m delicate. It’s definitely more obvious when I’m next to you, what with you being so big and all.”
“Oh,” Manato says, smiling awkwardly. “That’s not a bad thing, right?”
Wise shakes his head. A bad thing? Absolutely not. If Wise could, he’d ask to have that kind of body… but his will isn’t strong enough for it, unfortunately. “I really admire your body and how broad you are.”
Manato starts choking out of nowhere, surprising Wise at the suddenness of it. “Hgk! Gh—”
Wise swiftly uncaps one of the bottles of water and hands it to Manato. As the younger man drinks, Wise reaches out to gently pat him on the back—mindful of his injuries from days before. He asks, “Wrong pipe?”
“R-right,” Manato coughs out, having drunk half of the water in his bottle. “Sorry about that.”
“You don’t have to apologize for something like that, it happens,” Wise assures him, sitting back once more. He doesn’t say anything about the flush to Manato’s cheeks; he’s likely embarrassed enough as is from that little accident. “Anyway, you really are huge… I would say I envy you, but I know I don’t have the guts to work out as much as you.”
Manato clears his throat, looking down as he picks up a piece of dumpling. “You look fine as you are.”
Wise laughs. “Thank you, I guess. It’s just a shame that I have to burden you because I’m not physically fit…”
“You’re not a burden at all.”
Wise thinks it’s nice that Manato is trying to reassure him, but he knows the truth. So far, he’s been able to breeze through Proxy work without working out because he’d been using Eous, but now that he’s physically coming into Hollows himself…
He’s been realizing just how badly he needs to catch up, if only so he isn’t a burden on everyone else—be it with his poor stamina, or poor strength.
“How’s the recovery?” Wise asks, changing the topic. “I brought some medicine too, just in case you needed any extras—”
“Wise.”
Wise pauses when he feels that large hand covering his own as he sets the bag of medicine on the table. He stares, taking in the contrast of those huge fingers as they cover the entire length of his hand, reminding him painfully well of how small he is compared to someone younger than him.
Ugh, my pride…
He smiles up at Manato, trying very hard to hide his thoughts from showing up on his face. “Yes, Manato? What is it?”
That large hand squeezes around Wise’s smaller hand, covering his fist in its entirety. Manato tells him, “Wise, you are not a burden. You’ve been more than amazing as our Proxy; it’s only fair that I work to protect you since you’re doing us such a great service, right? I only did my part, just as you did yours. That’s why…”
Wise smiles softly at Manato’s words. Though his voice and face are austere enough to send anyone else running from trepidation, Wise has learned better now; this is just Manato’s way of showing his sincerity and concern.
He slips his hand out of Manato’s hold to place it on top instead, giving Manato a light pat on the knuckles. “I understand. Thank you for looking out for me.” He chuckles, adding, “You’re really nice… much nicer than I expected you’d be when I first met you, Manato.”
Manato smiles at his words. “Hah, I’m glad you think so.”
Though his tone is calm, as is his expression, his tail gives him away: it’s wagging wildly at his back, letting Wise know that he enjoyed that praise more than he’s letting on.
Wise’s smile widens.
“Now,” Wise hums, taking his hand away so he can hold onto his chopsticks again. “Be good and keep eating your food before it gets cold. People recovering from injuries need to eat well, after all.”
“Nn...”
“...?”
Wise looks up at Manato, staring blankly as he tries to process the sound he’d just heard. Did Manato just whine? Like a puppy? He vaguely remembers hearing a similar sound while they were at Sailume Bay discussing how to save Yuzuha, but he didn’t think he’d hear it again in this context.
“Did you just whine?” Wise asks.
“...”
Wise tries not to laugh at the guilty look on Manato’s face. “Wait, really? Was it because I told you to be good?”
Manato hides his face with one hand, his palm wide enough to cover most of his expression that Wise can’t see anything. And yet, that action is sufficient as a sign that Wise hit the nail on the head; had Manato genuinely wanted to refute it, he would’ve just said so.
Curiosity takes over before Wise can think his words through. “Is it a good whine, or a bad whine?”
“...don’t call it whining…”
“I’ve already accepted my status of being delicate, I think you can handle being adorable for once,” Wise teases, looking away from Manato to feed himself a dumpling. The right amount of chewy and flavorful… it’s just as delicious as Manato had hyped it up to be. Wise will definitely get more of these next time.
Manato is staring when Wise finally looks back up at him.
“...you think I’m adorable?” Manato asks, sounding both pained and confused. “Me, with this body?”
“Are big dogs no longer adorable just because they’re big? Not that I’m saying you’re a dog, but you are a canine Thiren,” Wise points out. “Size doesn’t matter when it comes to cuteness.”
Wise hears the whine even when Manato keeps his jaw tightly locked.
He laughs.
“I heard that.”
“Ugh…”
“I won’t mention it again if you let me come and visit you every once in a while.” To check on you, Wise doesn’t say. It’s bad enough that he’s dragging Manato’s dignity to the dirt with the mention of his whining; he doesn’t need to add to it by treating him like he’s a patient who needs looking after (even if he is).
Canine ears perk up at his words. “You want to visit me again?”
“Yes.” Wise raises a brow. “Is that a problem?”
“No, of course not,” Manato assures him quickly, tail wagging at a high speed. “It’s fine. Please, come and visit me again. You don’t need to keep bringing me food, though… it’s my treat next time, I promise.”
Wise smiles. It’s cute that Manato is still hung up on that. What was wrong with allowing himself to be spoiled by someone who’s his senior in age, anyway? Isn’t it much better for Wise to keep treating him? But, if that’s the condition he wants to allow for another visit, then…
“Alright, Manato. It’s your treat next time,” Wise agrees, before taking another mouthful of shrimp dumpling. “Mm. These are really good. I’m glad you suggested them last time.”
Manato smiles widely at his words. His tail, which had slowed into a gentle sway, starts wagging at an excitable speed again. He really does like being praised, doesn’t he?
“I’ve got plenty more recommendations where that came from,” Manato says.
Wise laughs.
“I’m looking forward to it!”
Here Wise thought he’d have to struggle to find an in to look after Manato. He had thought the canine Thiren would have put up more of a fight, saying something like “I’m really fine” as he had in their last conversation with the others, but it seems all Wise needed was a promise of being treated to a meal.
He hums as he closes his eyes, savoring the pork bun he’d grabbed after finishing off his dumplings.
“It’s a date then, Manato.”
“Ghk—”
Now, if only Wise could figure out if Manato’s injuries are seriously affecting his ability to swallow food properly too… he only remembers something about his back and ribs, but maybe those are connected?
I'll figure it out eventually.