The ruined skin barely perceives Grey's touch, though the knowledge that it's there makes his healthy skin rise up in goosebumps. All those marks tell him of pain and failure, exposing him to Grey.

When he turns, Rat can't help but be drawn to the words on Grey's skin. Why tattoo his back, Rat wonders. So much of Grey's communication is through pointing and facial expression that these seem superfluous. "How long did these take?"