Work Text:
“Wise, I have a personal favor to ask.”
Wise glances up from a text message he’d just received from Lighter, who’d followed up on a photo Lucy sent two seconds ago of the Champion engaging in a tug-of-war with Grassy, Woody, and Bricky over a wrapped cheese sandwich, Caesar and Burnice clearly egging the pigs on from the sidelines, with a [Whatever Lucy said, THEY stole my lunch not the other way around like why would I even??]. “Hm? What’s up?”
Manato tilts his head, fluffy dog ears twitching at whatever face he’s caught Wise making. “If I’m interrupting something, I can-”
“It’s nothing,” Wise says quickly. “Just some dear friends from the Outer Ring sharing a moment with me.” Because he doesn’t want to seem like he isn’t listening to Manato, and the canine Thiren’s ears are still twitching in a curious manner, he turns his phone screen towards Manato. “I’ve been away in Waifei for a while now and haven’t visited them for a long time.”
“Ah,” says Manato, studying the photo with a serious nod. “I could've guessed you're close to Outer Ring people. Something smelled familiar in your room, but then your neighbour is a mechanic's garage so I thought nothing of it.”
Wise smiles at the photo again as more texts from Lucy and Lighter pour in like fragments of a three-way conversation happening separately:
[Whatever Lighter said, there’s bacon in that sandwich and my babies are NOT cannibals]
[They stole my fries yesterday, I swear Lucy’s trained them to go after my food]
[If I’m training them to steal anyone's food IT WOULD BE CEASARS]
[Don’t ask me why MY food, heck if I know. Anyway, sorry bout that. Missing you always]
[CONTROL YOUR MAN, PROXY!!!!]
Wise snorts down a laugh and tucks his phone away; right now, Manato wants him for something and he’s not about to deny one of the most caring people he’s met in Waifei.
“Really sorry, Manato. I'm all yours now. What do you need me for?”
Wise blinks at the sudden cough that Manato throws up, waits for the Thiren to compose himself again.
“I-It’s not a job or anything like that.” A scratch of the back of his head, his face still red from the cough. “Just, A-Cing and A-Yuet. They want to have dinner with you again.”
Wise grins. “Of course! Simmers this time? I happen to be a regular there and know which are the good stuff. It'll make a nice little trip out of Failume Heights for them too.”
Manato's eyes are wide with appreciation. “I'd lo– I'm sure they'll love that, Wise!”
And Wise is already calling up a mental list of his and Lighter's favourites and wondering which ones to recommend to Manato's siblings.
-
“Thanks for helping me get them to eat their vegetables,” Manato tells him, after they've put A-Cing and A-Yuet to bed. Apparently, their nightly routine includes climbing all over Manato and having him play with them until they’re tired and drop off to sleep like little angelic sacks.
“Glad to do my part,” Wise says with a smile.
Manato’s ears twitch as his fingers drum against the doorframe, and Wise catches glimpses of his bushy tail wagging hard behind him. “Hey, Wise, if you're not in a hurry to go home yet, do you wanna hang out a bit longer? We could take a walk down the beach. I know Sailume Bay isn't the prettiest spot in Waifei, but on a clear night like tonight, the stars come out real bright.”
“Are you sure?” says Wise. “I'm a night owl so I'm used to staying up, but don't you have to be up early for school or your internship tomorrow morning?”
Manato's smile turns sheepish. “To be honest, I had so much fun that I don't want the day to end yet.”
As they trudge through the sand, Manato points out several establishments along the beach front and recounts stories of how they'd changed over the years. He's especially chatty that night, tail wagging ceaselessly. He finally walks Wise to the cable car station so that Wise can catch the last ride back.
“We should do this again,” Wise tells him. “Hotpot, I mean. Maybe with the rest of Spook Shack next time? I bet Alice has never experienced hotpot with friends.”
“That's a great idea! You're always thinking about everyone, Wise. I find that very admirable.”
Wise laughs, a little embarrassed. “There you go again, saying such direct things in such an earnest manner.”
“It's good to be straightforward, don't you think? This way I can live everyday without regrets.”
Wise smiles at him fondly. “Can't argue with that.”
-
There are very few people Wise would happily strip his top off to be touched by, and it turns out Manato is now one of them.
“Sorry if this hurts, Wise,” Manato tells him, sounding a little nervous. “Just tell me and I'll stop immediately.”
Wise, stomach-down on a massage bed in Old Duyi’s parlor, flashes him a thumbs-up. “I trust you, Manato. Frankly, the number of times you've cushioned my falls and saved my life, I should be the one giving you massages.”
“I'm just glad you let me practice on you. And when I get good at it, I'll give you a massage anytime you want, if it means these hands are useful for something other than brute force.”
Wise tries to turn his neck around to frown at Manato, but a firm knuckle presses down over a knot between his shoulder blades he doesn't know he has, and he all but melts into the cushion. “When you’ve got your massage business going…” he mumbles, “I'll be sure to recommend you to everyone I know, and I know a lot of Hollow-goers and fighters who will love this after a mission or training session.”
“Hey, perhaps we can start a business together. You guide them in the Hollow, and I take care of them after. We can make it a package deal.”
Wise nods. “That sounds fantastic.” He gurgles something incoherent into the cushion as two broad thumbs dig into his back. “But not after I get my share of the deal first. I'm claiming all dibs in advance.”
Manato chuckles, voice soft. “For you, Wise? Anytime.”
-
After their stargazing night, Wise prepares a little surprise for the next time Manato invites him to hang out.
“For me?” Manato says, eyes wide, at the little data storage device Wise brandishes at him.
“Technically, for A-Cing and A-Yuet. I got Fairy to compile loads of nature documentaries which you can all watch together. There’s stuff about biology, wildlife, chemistry, astronomy, even the science of Hollows as far as we understand it. Some of it is too advanced for them at the moment, but it'll last you a good while.”
Wise learns that a full-grown adult canine Thiren with a build as big as Manato’s is absolutely capable of sporting shiny, puppy-dog eyes, and feels an almost irresistible urge to give the man a scratch around the ears.
“Wise, you didn't have to.” The Thiren’s tail is wagging almost incessantly now, at odds with his perfectly serious but surprised expression.
“I know,” says Wise. “But I want to. Knowing how hard you work for their sake, I want to do something to help. This way, you can either put on a documentary for them while you work on your own studies, or you can watch it with them. Besides, Fairy did the hard work of scouring and compiling. I just made sure she included my personal favorites, is all.”
“I hope this doesn't mean we can't still watch the stars again in the traditional way…?”
“Of course we can! These documentaries are for A-Cing and A-Yuet. Nothing to do with our stargazing nights.” And Wise beams at him happily.
Manato seems at a loss for words as he studies the storage device in his hands, but before he can come up with a reply, Wise’s phone buzzes several times in quick succession.
“Sorry, I should check in case something serious is up,” he says, opens the texts by Pulchra of all people, and is blasted with several glorious photos of a shirtless Lighter fixing up his bike, uncaring of his photo being taken. The feline Thiren manages to capture fantastic angles where the overhead sun hits just right for sweat to glisten off the Champion’s back and arm muscles. Wise mentally slaps a palm over his face at the accompanying text:
[Free preview. Send me 10,000 dennies for the full pack of 30 photos. This is not a scam.]
He replies, [Are you seriously asking me to pay for thirst photos of my own boyfriend?]
Pulchra’s reply comes lightning fast: [3,000 for 10 photos a month, subscription basis. It's a much better deal.]
[Tempting. But no.]
[How about 12,000 dennies or I send the pack to everyone you know.]
[Nice try, Pulchra.]
[Eh, worth a shot. I'll sell them to his unofficial fanclub instead.]
[Don't you dare.]
[15,000 dennies so I don't.]
[Really?!]
[Kidding, Proxy. Just wanted to mess with ya both. I only took these 3. Buy me a drink next time.]
“Your friends from the Outer Ring again?” Manato's voice suddenly breaks his attention from his phone. The canine Thiren gestures to his face. “You're wearing that same smile like the last time. You must be really close to them.”
“I am,” says Wise, his eyes lingering on the last photo a fraction of a second longer before closing the chat. He blinks up at Manato who's looking at him expectantly. “Oh, here's a thought! You go to the Outer Ring sometimes, right? The night sky is much clearer there. We'll find a telescope we can borrow, and my friends will know the best spots for a camp out. What do you think?”
Manato looks about ready to grab Wise into a hug. “Wise, you're too nice to me. I don't know how I'll repay you, after everything you’ve already done.”
“It’s nothing you need to repay me for, Manato, honestly.”
“I definitely have to treat you to something special!”
-
“I really don't think I can physically fit any more of this inside me,” Wise groans, a hand on his stomach. He gestures vaguely. “That's… that's getting too hot.”
Manato is red-faced and panting too. “I’ve overdone the chilli peppers, haven't I. It's so good, though.”
Wise nods. “Yeah, it is.” He laughs at the sweat beading off of Manato's chin. “Always wondered if dog Thirens cool off by sweating like humans or panting like dogs. Guess I know now.”
“Sorry,” Manato says, now more red-faced than ever as he tries to brush the sweat off with the bandages on his forearm. “It depends. My skin is more human than dog, so I sweat.”
Wise points at the fish maw chicken soup. “If I could, I'd eat five more servings of this soup. I'm almost jealous of A-Cing and A-Yuet.”
Manato grins, tail bouncing harder than ever behind his chair as he pokes at the last dregs of their epic meal with the ladle. “Whenever you want to eat this, Wise, just say the word and I'll make it happen. Though we'd probably have to do it at your kitchen, as I can't request Sweety to let me use Yum Cha Sin’s every time.”
They take a slow walk after, down the bustling main street of Failume Heights and meandering up towards Seagaze Road.
Manato gestures towards the telescope in front of the cable car station and says, “I’ve been chatting about stars and constellations with Alice recently. Turns out she’s quite the stargazer! Tried to buy me a new telescope and everything. Anyway, let me check if I can recognise a few right now to show you what I’ve learned.” As he fumbles with the device, Wise notes that Manato's tail really is more expressive than Lycaon's. Bounces higher, in wider arcs. Bushier too, but then Lycaon grooms his quite meticulously.
“Is… is there something on my tail, Wise?” To Wise's mortification, Manato is staring at him staring at Manato's tail. “I’ve noticed you're always, uh, looking at it.”
Wise balks, praying that the night is too dark for Manato to see his embarrassed flush. “Manato, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to stare. I just… I just think your tail really suits you!”
“...Thanks?” The Thiren’s face scrunches in confusion. “I guess…?”
“I mean it in a good way,” Wise clarifies. “It's energetic, like you are. And it looks so fluffy.”
Manato is rubbing the back of his head now, unable to look Wise in the eye. “Aaah it isn't, really. I barely have time to take proper care of it. I don’t brush it as often as I should,and it gets all tangled and knotted at work, and I can't afford the more expensive conditioners. It's nowhere near as elegant as Mister Lycaon's.”
“Lycaon's tail is super soft,” says Wise, tapping a finger to his chin in recall. “I could ask him what he uses if you–”
“Wait, Mister Lycaon lets you touch his tail?” Manato says suddenly. “I didn't realise you're both that close.”
“Uh, well, I asked if I could stroke it, and he let me?” says Wise. “In hindsight, it was probably rude of me, but he didn't seem to mind, so–”
“You can stroke mine too.”
There is a pregnant pause, and Manato looks more mortified than Wise, as if the words came out without thought and he’s already regretting it.
“M-Manato, you don’t have to–”
“I mean, only if you want to, of course. It won’t be as nice as Mister Lycaon’s–”
“I don’t mean to make you feel obliged if you’re not comfortable with that!”
“I let A-Cing and A-Yuet play with it, so it’s not a big deal anyway.”
“Buuuut if you’re honestly ok with it–”
“If it’s you, Wise, I don’t mind!”
“–I definitely want to stroke it!”
Another pause.
“Uh,” says Manato, and his big frame is all awkward angles: shoulders seized, back ramrod straight, fists clenched. “G-Go ahead, then.”
Is this what taking advantage feels like, Wise wonders, but the chance is too great to pass up. And despite Manato’s nervous tone, his tail is flicking back and forth excitedly. Wise buries his fingers in the black and brown fur, and wonders if this is what Burnice feels whenever she catches a chance with Pulchra’s tail. Manato’s is coarser than Lycaon, unsurprisingly, but far softer than Manato gives himself credit for.
“This is great,” Wise says happily, and dares to run his fingers along the length of it when he sees Manato visibly relaxing and the tail continuing to flick gently in his hands. He’s careful not to catch and pull on any knots, or pinch on firmer muscle buried under the fur. “But you have to promise not to tell Belle about this or she won’t let me hear the end of it.”
“You really enjoy it, huh,” says Manato, amazed, telescopes and stars all but forgotten.
“I feel so honored,” Wise tells him.
“You took the words out of my mouth, Wise,” says Manato, with a sudden chuckle. “Nobody’s ever wanted to stroke my tail before, besides A-Cing and A-Yuet.”
I bet they do, only they’re too afraid to ask, Wise thinks, and makes a mental note to ask Lycaon about luxury fur shampoo and conditioners to get Manato for his birthday.
-
It isn’t long after that night before Manato invites him to another movie night again.
-
“I try not to feed Kamatchi sweet things,” Yuzuha is telling Wise as they walk across the busy intersection carrying milk teas in their hands. “It's not good for him, even if he always tries to steal my sweet snacks. Milk tea’s an absolute no-no, but I like to get a cup of something for him just so he feels included.” She reaches an arm back to scritch Kama under the chin. Kama pushes his head forward to receive the scritches, and then settles back on her shoulder to pop plain tapioca balls from a cup into his mouth like popcorn.
“Ah, if I'd known I'd order more treats for his cup too.”
Yuzuha giggles. “You're so sweet, Wise. I hear you've been spending more time with Manato and Lucia lately? They told me about what happened at Timesworn Hill with Yidhari, and I swear to God Manato can't shut up about you recently. Always saying we need you for this or that job and forgetting Hari is a Proxy herself. You really left an impression on him.”
Wise laughs. “I think he's just flattered when I said his cooking is amazing. I want to introduce him to Senior Yinhu; they'd get along so well and maybe he'll believe just how good he really is if it came from an expert chef.”
Yuzuha smiles a smile that Wise has come to recognise as “hiding a tasty secret” from all the women in his life. “I don't think Manato cares much about what an expert chef thinks.”
“Ah,” says Wise, suddenly remembering the last conversation he had with the canine Thiren over food. “He did say it's about cooking for family and home that makes everything taste better.”
Yuzuha claps a hand over her mouth. “He said that to you?”
“Don't you think he underestimates himself? He met a wolf Thiren friend of mine who also made a big impression on him, and I don't think I managed to convince him that he’s perfectly fine the way he is.”
Yuzuha's hand drops to reveal her jaw that's also succumbed to gravity. “You said that to him?”
Wise blinks. “Yeah? Why?”
Yuzuha exchanges glances with Kama, who throws his hands up in what looks very much like human exasperation. She says, “I heard he's coming over to your place for another movie tomorrow. Get him to cook you dinner in your kitchen. He'd love that, and you'd be so amazed by what he can whip up in your space.”
Wise nods. “Sure, if he isn't too tired from work and travelling all the way to Sixth Street. My stomach is already rumbling at the thought.”
And then, out of nowhere: “So, what flowers do you like, Wise?”
Wise blinks at the non-sequitor, and then realizes Dew Gardening Shop is just ahead of them. “I'm personally not big on flowers. Don't usually buy any for myself, but I appreciate the gesture. If I'm given them, I mean. For example, I appreciated the arrangement Manato made me when we were last here.”
Yuzuha flashes him one of her smile-smirks. “He told me about that too. But you never said what you actually like! Like, are you a rose guy or something cute like marigolds?”
At this, Wise instantly recalls the bouquets of purple lilacs he semi-regularly receives and decorates the video store counter with (though that's stopped while he and Belle are living in Failume Heights, and he'd firmly insisted that having them shipped to Suibian Temple is not a good use of Lighter's money), chews on his straw to try to not look embarrassed, but something must be showing on his face because the smirk on Yuzuha's face widens. “I suppose,” he says, before Yuzuha makes up her mind about the wrong idea, "I enjoy purple lilacs most, if I had to name a flower.”
“That's specific,” says Yuzuha, squinting at him in a suspicious manner.
Wise shrugs in an effort to look casual. “Like I said, it's more about the gesture than it is the flowers themselves. They remind me that I'm loved.”
“Ah… Family?” she says, leaving enough room for ambiguity in case Wise doesn't want to elaborate. “Or… someone special?”
Wise pauses, recalls the photos Lucy and Pulchra sent, and simply nods. “Both. Someone I love dearly in return.”
Something flickers in Yuzuha's expression, but she drops the line of questioning as abruptly as she'd brought it up. They finish their drinks and go to the HIA club to make another attempt at Simulation Battle Tower.
-
The next morning, Wise receives a very apologetic message from Manato cancelling their plans that evening due to having to cover a shift for a sick co-worker. He sighs, puts away the extra cushions he'd pilfered from Belle's closet and brought to the sofa in the backroom downstairs for Manato to make another nest out of.
-
Wise doesn't see Manato for a whole week, which surprises him. He knows Manato is busy with as many part-time jobs as he can handle, but the canine Thiren had seemed just as excited to hang out with Wise as Wise is to receive the invites. He texts a quick, [You doing ok? Don't overwork too much, yeah? If there's anything I can help with, just let me know.]
Doesn't receive a reply until late in the night that reads, [Thanks, Wise. Appreciate it. And I will.]
Still worried, Wise goes to Mystic Wares to ask Yuzuha.
“Oh, Manato! He's. Busy,” she says, in a manner that screams of something more being up that she's not about to tell him.
“Yuzuha, if Manato needs help he knows he can rely on me too, right?”
The red-haired girl nods, slowly. “This isn't really something you can help with, Wise. In fact, I think he just needs some time to himself.”
Wise squints at her. He crosses his arms over his chest.
Yuzuha sighs dramatically and folds, “Fine, alright. Don't tell him I told you this. He sort of had his heart broken recently, in a way. Sort of, because that dum-dum probably doesn't realise it himself. I think spending more time at work is his way to keep from overthinking too badly.”
That is nowhere near what Wise is expecting. He blurts, unthinking, “But Manato is such an awesome guy. Anyone would be lucky to have him!”
“I think so too, but reciprocity is a tricky thing,” says Yuzuha with a shrug, but the look she gives him is one of profound sadness.
-
Since he isn't supposed to know what Yuzuha told him, Wise decides to give Manato some space and wait for his friend to reach out again. For A-Cing and A-Yuet’s sake, the Thiren is still sharing his location with Wise, so Wise can see that he's been running around all over for various jobs. Whenever they bump into each other on the street, Wise can't help feeling that Manato avoids direct eye contact, and is always in a hurry to be somewhere else.
Wise knows he isn't as close to members of Spook Shack as they are with each other, but he wishes Manato doesn't feel the need to avoid him. He drops by Mystic Wares on another evening with a gift for Manato, in hopes that it'll cheer the Thiren up. Yuzuha shoots him another complicated look at this, but agrees to pass the item over.
Manato calls him a while later to thank Wise for the gift and convey A-Cing and A-Yuet’s gratitude over the documentaries.
“I have to ask; how did you know I like those, uhm, puzzle toys from Fluffy’s? I never told anyone about it, especially not Yuzuha. It's… far too embarrassing to admit.”
Wise hums, remembers the little nugget of observation Lucia dropped while they were on a night out together, and says, “A fairy godmother told me.” He briefly wonders if Lycaon has an innate affinity for such items as well, but then Lycaon’s tail doesn't wag quite as much as Manato's.
“Man, between this and my old forum ID, you now know my most embarrassing secrets.”
“Don't worry, I won't tell anyone.”
“I… should apologise as well for making you worried. Dunno what Yuzuha told you, but I'm okay, really. Just insanely busy at work, and. Well. Needed some time to think about stuff. Turns out I'm not great with that at all.”
“Manato,” says Wise, and pauses. “If you need to sort it out yourself, I understand. Just know that I'm here for you, alright? And whatever anyone else says, you're a great guy who deserves all the best things in the world.”
A brief silence. And then a huff, that almost sounds like a chuckle. “Ah, this feeling again. It’s like that beam of sun just outside your video shop. Thanks, Wise. You've no idea what that means to me.”
Wise wonders if he should ask or wait for Manato to initiate, and decides on the former: “Do you still want to do that movie night we never got around to doing? I'm still keeping the tape for you.”
A longer pause from the other side than Wise expected, and he quickly adds,
“No pressure, buddy. Maybe on an evening when you happen to drop by Belobog’s site? I'll take care of the snacks this time, so you can just relax and enjoy the movie.”
“Wise…”
“You don't have to answer me now. Just, whenever you feel like it will be good for me. Take care of yourself too, Manato.”
-
It's a while more before Manato finally drops by Random Play for the movie night, during which Wise ushers him into the backroom behind the counter instead of upstairs.
“This is Belle and my original base of operations,” Wise tells him, pointing to the wall of monitors that's missing the main parts of their HDD currently sitting in Suibian Temple. “I've got loads more cushions here too, and of course, snacks.” He gestures to a table loaded with food items.
“Wow, Wise, did you prepare all of that yourself?” Manato asks, amazed.
“I had a lot of help,” Wise admits. “You'll probably recognise the weirder items from Lucia. According to her, some of these are your favorites? The rest, I had help from some professionals.” By which he meant Lycaon and Corin, who showed him how to put together a few simple things. Corin had firmly believed that whatever she can make, Wise will have no problems making either.
“I also had volunteer taste-testers. When they heard it’s for a friend who could do with some cheering up, they all got extra strict on me.” Lighter, Anby, Astra and Vivian had been his snack guinea pigs the day before. While he doesn't quite trust Vivian to not lie about loving everything he makes, her eyes betray her honest thoughts and Wise could work with that. Astra actually copied down a few recipes to try out herself (“I feel bad only cooking fried rice for Eve when she makes amazing things for me!”) and Anby had surprisingly helpful opinions about food items that aren't hamburgers.
“And my partner, he's from the Outer Ring. When I told him what cheese you like from Cheesetopia, he’d suggested a few items and brought them along with him. I threw them in the oven again before you arrived.”
Manato stares at Wise. “That’s… that's so nice of your friends, to help out for someone they don't even know.” He pauses, and says slowly, “And your partner too. For you to choose him, he must be a great person. I think I'd like to meet him one day.”
Wise grins. “I'm sure you will. He's been visiting me at Waifei more often lately.”
Wise doesn't tell Manato that Lighter had also teased him endlessly about cooking for another man, but shut up instantly when Wise spoiled him with a treat of a different nature. Wise isn't sure Manato won't be able to smell the remnants of their night together even after airing out his room the whole day, which made him decide to host his friend downstairs instead.
“Oh, one more thing before we start,” Wise says, as Manato studies the tapes on his archive shelf curiously, “Do you think, er, you could make another nest here too? Your nests are the most comfortable things I've ever sat in. I know someone else who would appreciate them even more.”
“Sure thing,” Manato says and approaches the pile of cushions and blankets on the coach. “Is this one for your partner…?”
“Oh, no,” says Wise, and then laughs sheepishly. “I have a friend who's frequently ill and in and out of hospital.” He stops, wonders whether to tell Manato it's the member of Section 6 they'd borrowed the VR dream terminal from to save Yidhari. “Sometimes, he crashes at mine on bad days. He pretends he's just slacking off, but I can tell he struggles and wants some company to distract him from it. Since your nest is good for posture and relaxation, I think it will really benefit him too– Manato, why are you crying?”
The canine Thiren is sniffing loudly as he plumps up various cushions before layering them. He glances up at Wise with a complicated look on his face and says, “Wise, I'm ashamed of myself. There I was, all sorry and miserable over my own selfish feelings, while you're constantly thinking of others.”
“W-wait, what are you saying–”
Manato beats a pillow with an extra loud sniff. “I should be learning from you. You really are my aspiration!”
“I can't help feeling you're misunderstanding something!”
But Manato shakes his head, scrubs his face rigorously, and declares, “Let's make this the most comfortable nest your friend will ever sleep on!”
They eventually get around to watching the movie and going through the snacks until they're both too full to move, and Manato is his usual self again as they lay on the coach basking in their respective food comas.
-
Manato never told Wise who broke his heart after all (if that was what actually happened), but the next time Wise joins the Spook Shack gang for another adventure, the canine Thiren is smiling at him like before. And that is enough for Wise.
END