Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

To be fair, getting stabbed wasn't originally part of the plan.

Not that the plan was set in stone or anything.

Well. Okay that was up for debate - but right now isn't the time for that. Not when Gen is bleeding out as worried hands rush to hoist him to safety some feet above ground.

It's not his blood - is it even real blood? He can't remember right now - but it's also not his fault if anyone thinks as much at first glance. That was the goal after all, to deceive the enemy and stay alive at all costs. Only right now who the real enemy is....is kinda lost to him. Gen has a lot of thinking to do, if only he could focus for a little bit. But the impact of Magma's spear, even if it didn't kill him in the moment, has still left him injured and a little too close to death's door for his liking.

The short trip as he's hauled up into Chrome's storage space feels like dragging himself a hundred miles, on broken bones under a blazing unrelenting sun, without the twinkle of a mysterious oasis in the distance. No, right now death might even be nice enough to tease him with the hope of survival before snatching away his final breath. Yet it isn't death that's calling his name, but- who is that?

"....enku-ch-" he chokes out. Ah that's right. The enemy. Or, well, Tsukasa's enemy. The only real enemy Gen has right now is life itself, ripping him away from death's door as he's about to ring the doorbell and forcing him back to the present. How joyous. 

He's not sure how he manages to think up a plan as he's curled up on the thin mat laid out for him, if it can even be called a plan instead of a desperate plea in a delirious haze. But Gen is certain if he looked back on this exchange one day that he would absolutely regret coming up with a deal so risky, hinging on a desire as flimsy as a single bottle of cola. But there isn't time for regret once the words are out of his mouth, as Senku has made his promise, and now Gen has to fulfill his end of this bargain.

The oasis life dangles in front of him is far more tempting than anything this stone world has yet to offer him, more tempting than death, and although Gen isn't certain if it's mirage or miracle, he's too curious to turn down the opportunity. Too selfish not to want to claim it for himself alone. That oasis is none other than Senku Ishigami.  

The next morning, before the light of day has crept its way into Chrome's shed, Gen has already slipped away. Careful footfalls aid in not waking the other occupants of the shed - his new allies if he's feeling bold enough to call them that so soon. He's sore all over, bloody and bruised and so fucking tired, but he has a mission to complete.

I must report to Tsukasa-chan that Senku-chan is dead which is easier said than done. 

The initial trek to the village took nearly two days at a steady pace with ample stops to rest, but his return to the empire has to feel rushed and unplanned. Thankfully Gen is all too familiar with crafting an air of urgency to suit his needs. As long as Tsukasa-chan believes me, I can buy Senku-chan time to continue his plans while I'm away.

A glance at his rippling reflection in a riverbank after removing his many layers, a decent way from the village but still far enough from the empire, gives Gen the opportunity to make his injuries look fresh. He peels off the leaves that act as bandages to inspect the damage. The fake blood was a precaution he really hoped he wouldn't have to rely on, but after spooking Magma with such a simple magic trick he really should have seen it coming. He just didn't anticipate paying for his precarious nature so soon.

Although he would rather not risk infection in a world where first aid kits feel like a distant myth - and the one person he's sure could patch him up again is the one he needs to report as dead - Gen takes a small chance prodding at his bruises and cuts to give them some lively color. Each graze of his injuries sets his skin burning, hot and irritated under his own touch. He flinches away, takes a few deep breaths, and continues.

This will absolutely slow down his full recovery, may even leave him scared, but he has to make the attempt on his life look as convincing as possible. Look as painful as it felt last night. He doubts anyone in the empire could recognize the difference between a half-day old injury and one reopened only a few hours ago. Only one person comes to mind that knowledgeable - Senku-chan. 

So long as I sell this act my future at the village is guaranteed Gen considers and my life at the empire for the time being is safe.

With enough confidence in his skillset, all Gen has to worry about now is looking the part - battered, short of breath, and most of all panicked. He spares one last look at himself in the water's reflection once he's dressed in a carefully disheveled manner - resisting from cleaning his wounds as much as his filthy and sweaty skin begs for it, or even hydrating for the remaining journey. 

As he takes off at a brisk pace towards his next lie, eventually breaking into a sprint the closer he gets to the empire, then an all out desperate crawl, he briefly laments not having a costume and makeup department at his disposal. Ah, the things I took for granted in my career.  

Playing with real agony wasn't exactly ideal. The oasis of life Senku's ambitious goals promise better be worth all this trouble. 

___

When he wakes up the next morning to find Gen long gone, Senku wonders for a moment if the promise of cola was really enough to sway the mentalist to their side. Such a small request for such a selfish man. Yet Senku knows better than anyone that even the smallest luxuries are a treasure in such an uncertain world. Not that he has any desire for frivolous luxuries himself, but he would be a fool to think that others from the modern world could feel fulfilled by the same things as him. 

That's the goal - to restore everything we lost, no matter how small.

To do that he needs as many allies as possible. Senku remembers Gen's reaction the night before when the Edison bulb lit up the heavy night that settled around Chrome's storage space. He remembers Chrome, Kohaku, Suika, Kinro and Ginro's faces of unsullied awe and astonishment. Untainted and pure in their wonder as electricity pierced the darkness they had always known. He knows without a millimeter of doubt that science can persuade the residents of the village.

However the minds of those from the old world are tainted by prejudice. 

Tsukasa was one of likely many who harbored ill will towards progress and the idea of reviving everyone. So luxuries, as little as Senku cared for them, were essential to swaying as many people to his side. To the side of science. By far the most obvious target to start with was Gen, and sure. A bottle of cola wouldn't actually be that complicated - but there's no telling exactly how selfish Gen could really be. Despite helping Senku speed up the process of creating the magnets, he could tell Gen was more motivated by curiosity than anything else. There's always the possibility that his curiosity has an expiration date. 

Senku shakes his head to clear his thoughts. There's no point in wondering right now. He can deal with it later should Gen flip sides on him. There's more pressing matters at hand - creating the cure-all to save Ruri and sway the village. The roadmap is long but not impossible.

The following few days are spent gathering materials to make glass. Then making Suika glasses, and even Senku can't deny how satisfying it feels when he sees her standing in the field of sunflowers truly seeing the world around her for the first time. This is the feeling he wants to capture for the rest of the village. Not that he'd admit that to anyone. 

Very quickly, quite literally as soon as he and Chrome make their first attempts at the essential glassware they need to make the cure-all, it's clear to Senku that neither of them are going to pull this off in the limited timeframe before the village games. Fuck.

"This is bad. Like bad bad!" Chrome laments after Senku explains why they need to overcome this hurdle before moving onto the next step. Before he can reply though, Chrome's expression changes and he takes off towards the village. And then he's back with an old man as hostage- 

Senku tried to suppress his surprise to no avail. Luckily the old man, Kaseki, falls in step with the glassblowing incredibly fast. He and Chrome make quick work of convincing the artisan to help them build a proper lab - Chrome's storage shed is just too small and cramped for the delicate work ahead of them. By the time the structure is done some days later, and filled with the equipment they have so far, Senku takes a deep breath to appreciate how far they came in such a short amount of time. 

A small bubble of emotion sits in his chest, wanting to come out, but he pushes it back down. There's no time for that right now.... As much as the lab reminds him of what he's lost, what matters most now is what they'll gain. He doesn't miss the excitement Chrome exudes. If only it was more contagious.

He's so exhausted just from this endeavor but he doesn't let his shoulders slump till Chrome and the others are gathering outside for lunch, out of sight. It's not just physical exhaustion that takes over - for a moment Senku's mind wanders to Gen. That mentalist makes this shit look so easy.  

Senku doesn't really spend time categorizing and dissecting his social interactions, but he's aware his social battery drains whenever the high of accomplishing a goal wears off. Keeping everyone on task while trying his best to answer questions about science and the old world - without making anything too complicated or making his new allies feel stupid - took more out of him than he expected. 

He wonders how soon they'll be able to get Gen back. Taiju and Yuzuriha are on a really delicate mission, there's no telling when he'll see them again. Most likely not until Tsukasa is defeated. Gen reassured him they're both safe, but he doubts the mentalist will be able to tell either of them they have an ally among the empire without Taiju's big mouth spilling the beans. 

Still, it would pay to have Gen back in the village. He made quick and effortless work of convincing everyone to cooperate with creating the generator, something Senku struggles with. Science's influence on these people of the stone world is infallible but Senku's been made aware plenty of times that he's too blunt, too crass. Which doesn't exactly help when you're trying to get people on your side. So for now he has to believe in his science winning people over and count the days until the mentalist is back.

That's an ally Senku can't afford to lose. 

____ 

Taiju's voice bellows from the campfire louder than the other laughing voices around him, shadows of animated hands dancing against the stone behind them. Not for the first time Gen wonders how someone so boisterous befriended someone so calculating like Senku. Could it be as simple as saying opposites attract? Like the magnets Senku made, drawn together despite their differences.

Seated further away, around a smaller fire, Gen doesn't bother listening in on the conversation that elicits howls and guffaws from the crowd. Taiju's jovial nature is contagious but he has other things to worry about. Like Hyoga, seated on the other side of his small fire, tinkering with his spear.

The nights are chilly enough for most members of the empire to gather together at night like this, but that doesn't stop Gen from keeping a broad gap between himself and the other people at this smaller fire. Enough to seem friendly, not enough to seem too eager.

Besides, the conversation here feels islands away from the fun crowd a short distance away. Far more telling as well.

"....and he really wanted me to...."

"Seriously, my boss was so....."

"I couldn't stand her, who did she think she was to...."

"....I swear they all think they're better because they're older....."

This group is far from excited, if anything it's a bit hostile. Yet conversation is animated as they air their grievances about older generations who looked down on them in the old world. Gen can relate, having been in the entertainment industry from a young age. Older performers envied him for his success, producers and publishers either tried to downplay his accomplishments or take advantage of what they perceived as naivety. Even fans twice his age tried to pull the wool over his eyes as if he was some toy to them. 

It was frankly tiresome and disgusting.

Yet he can't side with any of the people here, who openly wish harm on those who wronged them and encouraged Tsukasa's destruction of statues. Gen can tell not everyone means it, however. Most do vent about things that genuinely upset them, but even fewer support the violence they're vocally encouraging. He suspects it's an attempt at self preservation, which he understands. The looming gaze Hyoga casts over them isn't missed by anyone, and even Gen's own presence is influencing the conversation. 

These people view Gen and Hyoga as some of Tsukasa's closest confidants. They're convinced anything they say to contradict Tsukasa's ideals will be spat back at them in the form of death. They're even weary of - what was his name? Ukyo, who Tsukasa had recently revived and given the task of patrolling the empire. 

Gen can't really blame them. Everyone here has family, friends, who would make easy targets for Tsukasa-chan. If I had anyone like that in my life I would fear for their safety too... he thinks, sparing a glance at Hyoga and his very deadly spear. The sooner we can put a stop to this the better.

A lull in the conversation finds one of Tsukasa's muscular revivies asking Gen directly if there was anyone he'd like to see destroyed. Gen notes the small quiver in the young man's voice, the nervous glances the other members of the circle give him. Gen almost sighs. Almost. 

Oh Tsukasa-chan, the position you've put me in is all too tiresome, even for me.  

Still, he rolls with it. Hyoga is the one he's most worried about uncovering Gen's deception. Tsukasa, sure. Dangerous in his own ways. But Hyoga has a menacing air about him that even Tsukasa can't hold a candle to. Or an Edison bulb. 

"Ah how funny you should ask! My manager was an absoluteyay tyrant!~ " Gen chirps, voice as light as air. "What I wouldn't give to find her statue. Maybe Hyoga-chan can use it for target practice!~"

Hyoga glances up at him. Eyes still mostly closed, but Gen can feel the menacing glare behind those bangs. Good. Pay attention to me Hyoga-chan. You won't be able to deny I'm on your side until the very moment I break the illusion right before your eyes.

Gen tucks his arms closer to his body under his overcoat, and leans in towards his eager listeners, locking them in on his every word. "Why, this one time right before a show....." he begins, weaving a tale of half truths. The more attention he can divert to himself, the better it would go for Taiju and Yuzuriha.

He suspects Senku has a secret mission for his friends, although he has no idea what it could be. Regardless, Gen isn't going to make things more complicated for the pair. They can't learn he's double crossing Tsukasa - no one can know Gen is an agent for the enemy, they're all safer that way. So Hyoga's focus has to be elsewhere, and while Gen isn't a stranger to the spotlight he does feel the pressure mounting.

The longer he holds up this lie, the more likely it is that the veneer will start to crack with time. 

Senku-chan, you better understand how much I'm putting on the line here he muses. Though he's sure Senku understands how dangerous this is, but it doesn't hurt to harp at the scientist in his mind a little. He doesn't exactly have many outlets with eyes and ears on him at all times, be it Tsukasa or Hyoga, or the newest addition Ukyo. 

The oasis waiting for me better be a hundred times brighter than that Edison bulb.

Chapter Text

The village games approach equal parts too fast and too slow for Senku. Logically he knows it's just the urgency of the situation skewing his perception, but it's an uncomfortable feeling for someone who prides himself in being able to keep a flawless mental measure of time passing. He did it steadily, one second at a time, for thousands of years.

This should be no different.

Yet it seems like yesterday that they were making gas masks to acquire the much needed sulfuric acid. In what feels like the span of a single second - all too soon - Senku is watching Kinro, Ginro, and Chrome get their asses handed to them. The reality of needing to win isn't lost on him, what with Ruri's life in the balance, but it seems hopeless watching Chrome balancing Suika's helmet in a desperate attempt at victory. 

Then an airy voice picks up behind Senku that he immediately distinguishes from the rest of the crowd.

"Asagiri Gen!" he, Kohaku, and the others exclaim, pivoting to look at the mentalist poised delicately on one of the suspension bridge posts. 

As if by magic Gen easily falls in step with what's happening, taking the sixty seconds Senku calculates Chrome needs to defeat Magma and making it feel like an hour has passed. 

As if by magic- what- Senku quickly discards that thought, filing it under ' why the fuck did I think that' hoping it never comes up again. 

In reality Senku can't deny that Gen expertly convinces Magma his heart will explode, toying coyly with the idea that Magma really did kill him well over a month ago to scare the brute into thinking Gen has magic powers beyond Magma's comprehension. The flurry of flower petals is a bit much for Senku, but the mentalist has an undeniable flair that captivates his audience and buys Chrome the time he desperately needs. He can't help but be impressed. Just a little.

Magma does end up catching on fire, thanks to Chrome's tenacious ingenuity and Gen's clever stalling, but all too soon after his victory Chrome passes out in a pathetic pile off to the side of the arena just as Senku and Ginro's battle comes to a swift end. Time slams back to full force in Senku's face as he's quite suddenly declared the winner and a two toned head disappears from the astonished crowd. 

What the fuck did I just get myself into Senku thinks as the cheif - uh, former chief - stirs up a storm in outrage at the outcome. 

There's no time to question where the mentalist went though. Not when the other villagers bounce back from his declaration of divorcing Ruri as soon as they remember that with a new chief comes a celebration till the early morning hours fueled by alcohol - the very alcohol Senku needs to complete the cure-all. 

He can't get out of there fast enough. 

Arms full of as many pots of alcohol and vinegar as he can carry, followed closely by a somewhat unwilling Kaseki, and Kohaku carrying three times as much as Senku could possibly hold, he's surprised once again to find the mentalist loitering near Chrome's storage shed. Low on time, and riding the high of acquiring a much needed resource, Senku doesn't spare a moment to question why Gen stayed. Let alone how Gen happened to turn up at such an opportune moment. 

Sneaky bastard has probably been watching from a distance for a while now, waiting for a chance to slip in without getting his hands dirty. Selfish indeed. Still, he does note that Gen is faring better than the last time they saw each other, healthy, healed up, and very much alive. Good he thinks I need as many hands around here as I can get.

Luckily Kaseki drags a mildly disgruntled Gen away to the stream to keep an eye on his latest creation overnight, keeping the mentalist around long enough for Senku to talk to him later the next day. Right now he needs to wake up Chrome so they can expedite the cure-all. Last Senku saw Ruri, weak and wobbly as she was hauled back to the safety of her hut by her guards, he could tell her time was thinning rapidly. 

He does feel for Chrome, battered and raw from his fight with Magma, but he can't imagine Chrome would want to wait any longer either. Can't imagine how he would react if they don't make it to Ruri on time. Doesn't want to dwell on that outcome.

Ten billion percent we have to finish this drug by tomorrow if we want to save her life. He pauses. No, not if. We will save Ruri no matter what it takes.

_____

After a very long night of staring at Kaseki's contraption in the stream, and listening to the old man ramble on about god knows what, Gen just wants a break. I kinda feel bad for not paying attention but I'm so exhausted…

The trek back to the village this time had to be more secretive. He had company he couldn't afford to tip off after all the efforts to keep them off of Senku's trail. 

So when he arrives at the lab the next morning - when the hell did they make this? - finding Senku and Chrome slumped on the ground amid broken glass and earthenware makes him pause. For a brief moment he thinks perhaps Hyoga- but no, they'd be dead and unrecognizable if he had gotten to them. Then Senku jumps into motion as if nothing had happened and speeds straight into an explanation of what they're making full of long words Gen struggles to keep untangled in his mind.

He has a vague understanding that the whole point of everything Senku and his accomplices have been doing for the past month is to save the priestess of her illness, and as he bids them farewell at the bridge Gen hopes that the drug Senku made can indeed cure her. I'm not a chemist but even I know not all antibiotics work the same, especially without being sure what she's sick with. But if anyone can cure her it's Senku-chan.

As he walks back to the lab Gen wonders when he began putting his faith in the scientist's ability. He had seen plenty of proof, sure, but he hardly knew Senku at this point. If he's that charming and charismatic despite being so....rude? No, pedantic? Straightforward-?

His thoughts grind to a halt as he enters the lab. Sitting on the table is a single bottle of cola, glass wet with perspiration.

That son of a bitch Gen thinks, not at all trying to hide the smile creeping up on his face. Although it feels a bit soon to celebrate, what with Ruri's health still hanging in the balance, he allows himself this small moment. The sticky sweetness of the cola is the most satisfying feeling that's come over him since Tsukasa revived him. 

Gen takes a seat on one of the lab stools, taking his time savoring the drink, eye on the distant bridge, Senku and the others long gone to Ruri's rescue. An oasis this sweet can't possibly come without due payment. I'm almost afraid of what you have in store for me, Senku-chan. I've seen how you work Chrome and the others to the bone. But if you're going to spoil me like this I'm not sure I can get too mad. We have a deal after all.

As he downs the last drop of cola, Gen can't help but hope the others return with good news.  

____

Senku doesn't stop to ask Gen about his end of their deal when he gets back to the lab, immediately setting up space to dissect the dead rat he found at Ruri's hut. Though he normally wouldn't care to check other people's reactions, Senku is glad to note that although Gen looks a little put off he isn't totally repulsed by what he's seeing. Good. I don't need squeamish people in this lab.

It doesn't escape him that Gen doesn't follow them back to the village when Suika comes calling that Ruri fell ill again, but all too quickly he's caught up in evaluating the priestess's condition to spare the mentalist another thought. It's getting frustrating, losing track of the passage of time. Sure Senku's been stressed before, but this is new. The week it takes to create more of the antibiotics for Ruri - and monitor her condition until she breaks free of her disease and takes her first steps outside of the village in years - feels a month long just as much as it feels like two hours. Somewhere in there Gen disappeared again before they got a chance to talk properly. 

It isn't until the former chief Kokuyo officially declares Senku the village's new chief that time snaps back like a rubber band. 

Ishigami village.

Senku feels like his heart stops. Knows that isn't logical. But can't shake the heavy sensation in his chest. The truth of the village unravels before him, Ruri confirming suspicions he had all along.

So caught up in gaining allies and creating the cure-all, Senku only had time to ruminate about this in the dead of night. Laying on his side in Chrome's hut while the other snored away, theories itching their way into his thoughts. Things he didn't want to dwell on for fear they would hinder his current goals. 

So he didn't, shoving them away until the very moment Ruri called his name.

His full name. 

There's no avoiding it now….

With the full picture in view Senku finally understands what's been handed to him. What his father left him. What his father sacrificed.

Night falls on the village and festivities, the ones from the village games that the previous cheif nipped before they even got started, pick up immediately. Senku doesn't have time to soak everything in as Ruri gets his attention and begins to lead him out of the village at the same time that he spots someone dragging Gen by force into the party. 

When the fuck did he get back? All Senku can do is give the mentalist an apologetic shrug, no time to wonder where Gen disappeared to this past week. They still have a lot to talk about, but that'll have to wait. 

Or maybe not.

Heavy with emotions he doesn't really want to address right now, Senku returns from the graveyard immediately looking for the mentalist. Who's surprisingly still here, and adamantly turning down the alcohol that's all but shoved in his face. When Gen spots him a chill travels down his spine as their eyes meet, the mentalist's expression contorting into a twisted grin as he stands to face Senku.

"Finally we have a moment to talk," Gen says, voice punctuated by an unexpected gravity even though his posture is relaxed. The words Gen says next do nothing to ease the heavy feelings already weighing on Senku. "They're coming, Senku-chan. Tsukasa-chan and his men. "

___

To be fair, Gen did what he could. As soon as Tsukasa told him to head to the village, this time with Hyoga and a handful of goons, Gen knew his lies had met their end. Of course he had no way of knowing if Tsukasa somehow found out he was lying and Senku was alive. 

Well, I'm not dead yet, so he must have no clue. A hunch perhaps, but Tsukasa-chan isn't the type to take someone's head based on a mere hunch. Hyoga-chan, absolutely....but even that maniac bends to Tsukasa-chan's will. For now.

Luckily Hyoga still sees him as Tsukasa's puppet, so once he and the assorted muscle begin to gather their supplies Gen sings promise of trudging ahead to spy on the village and report back soon. It buys them about a week. Gen isn't sure how he pulled that off, but enough lies about the village being full of dangerous primitives and coercion to better prepare themselves should count as a decent win. 

That is until Hyoga decides to use the spare time to revive another ally, someone who's very clearly loyal to him and not Tsukasa. Gen isn't sure how much this is going to fuck with his plans. 

Unfortunately he hardly has time to warn Senku and the village residents of the danger before Hyoga arrives right on Gen's tail. As soon as Senku pulled out- Is that seriously gun powder? When the fuck-?

Gen prides himself on his near-total control of how he expresses his emotions, and thanks his lucky stars for that when Senku declares his plan to use the gunpowder for a bluff. Without being told what to do Gen finds himself handing a large rock to Magma - again with this guy - and giving him instructions to make Senku's warning shot seem more believable. 

It's once he's on the other side of the bridge, fleeing with the muscle heads, that Gen is grateful for how quickly he and Senku fell into step without communicating their plan out loud. You made this too easy Senku-chan. You're either a master manipulator or the easiest pawn I've set my sight on. And okay, well, he doesn't really believe either of those things. Yet he can't deny how smoothly working alongside Senku has gone so far. 

While Hyoga and the others regroup, Gen considers his options. Going back to the village now is impossible, but persuading Hyoga to back down is too. His bloodlust is too blatant. So he mentions waiting for a storm, knowing it's an obvious enough plan for Senku to think up too. Even luckier - or unluckily for the rest of the group - Gen can tell Hyoga relents to waiting for the storm just to test exactly what the village has up their sleeves. 

It does pay off when three days later the muscle heads sweep into the village with the strong wind, the taste of static in the air. He didn't have a spare moment to see for himself ahead of time, but cries of astonishment up ahead tell Gen all he needs to know. Senku has made the katanas for the villagers that Gen assumed he was making the day they first met. 

Though it does scare the other men away, Hyoga isn't at all phased. Until his trusty spear falls apart in his hands mid attack.

If you had been looking any closer, Hyoga-chan, you would have seen the signs. It's a shame you've been too focused on killing Senku-chan to see me slithering right at your feet.

The ruse is up, and it's deeply satisfying to Gen being able to fade away from Hyoga's side and go stand with Senku and the villagers. He'll have to commend Suika later for noticing the trail of nightshade he left behind which allowed her to deliver the small blade to him. 

Then he remembers the person Hyoga revived before they left. Who hadn't come with them- 

___

Gen's warning comes too late.

Fire is already burning behind them as a pink headed girl, Homura, lights up the huts scattered throughout the village without a care for who could be inside. Unlike before when everything felt like it was moving too fast, right now everything is moving too slow. Senku feels sluggish as he, Gen, and Chrome help Kohaku herd the children into Chrome's shed - then Kohaku is crying out that Suika is missing.

More sluggish still as he and Kohaku manage to find Suika, one second too late and she wouldn't have made it. Senku mentally thanks Kaseki for making three gas masks, warns Hyoga and his men of the dangerous poison gas below, then resigns himself to accepting that there isn't anything else he can do for them. As much as they're the enemy he'd rather not see them die. Still, he told them how long they needed to stay up the tree. If they listen there shouldn't be any casualties. 

Back at the village the sluggish feeling weighing him down doesn't go away, even when Kokuyo announces that there have been no casualties and nearly all the fires have been extinguished. The village loudly celebrates being able to rebuild, and soon someone is passing around blankets and bedrolls to the elderly and children so they can spend the night in one of the larger huts that was unaffected. 

Senku is surprised to find that it's Gen. Well, Gen and Ginro. They make quick work of getting everyone into the hut, safe and warm. Ginro is probably skipping out on going back to guard duty with Kinro, but Gen is chatting pleasantly with the villagers as if to distract them from the attack that left many of their homes in ruins. 

Before he can approach the mentalist though, Kohaku is getting his attention. Kokuyo is explaining to the able hands to block off the huts that are damaged so no one goes inside and gets hurt by accident. Senku doesn't object. The former chief has a better grasp on his people than Senku does right now. So he picks up some tools and gets to work. The afternoon is long and more tasks come up that keep him busy. He doesn't hesitate skipping out on lunch with the other workers. There's a lot to get done. 

It isn't until much later, when night falls and he and Chrome trudge back to the shed that Chrome calls home, feet heavy, that Senku spots Gen again. This time he's in the clearing in front of the lab, sitting around a small fire with Kohaku. Suika was put to bed hours ago, and Kaseki is nowhere to be seen. He's ready to crawl up to the shed and pass out on the floor when Kohaku calls them both over.

"Ah ah, no you don't! It's dinner time," she calls, holding up two bowls to beckon them. Chrome immediately perks up at the sight and smell of food. Senku begrudgingly follows behind.

"Nice! I'm starving real bad!" 

Chrome plops down on the log next to Kohaku and eagerly takes the bowl she holds out to him. The two of them spread out, taking up most of the log. There are two other logs around the fire - one a bit of a distance from the open flame, the other the same distance as Chrome and Kohaku's, occupied by none other than the mentalist. Logically veering off to the unoccupied and undeniably colder log would just look stupid. The chill of the night hits and Senku resigns himself to the rational decision of sitting with Gen. Closer to the fire. Right. That's totally it. 

For having spent most of the past week and a half since the village games trying to find an opportunity to talk to Gen, Senku suddenly isn't in the mood for talking about much of anything. He takes the second bowl from Kohaku and sits down a decent space from the mentalist. Gen doesn't seem to notice, busy with his own bowl of food, bare feet outstretched towards the fire. 

Why doesn't he wear any fucking shoes? Senku wonders. That can't be safe. 

"It's easier to sneak up on people like this," Gen says matter of factly, as if reading Senku's mind. He almost chokes on his first spoonful of stew. "Oh but what I wouldn't do for a pedicure!~"

"Didn't they make you any at the empire?" Senku asks, prodding at his bowl. Normally he doesn't care much for flavor, valuing the nutritional value of his meals more, but with the weight of the day heavy on his body Senku for once has no appetite for the fish and vegetable stew that's so common with the village. Especially after skipping lunch.

"They did but they clashed with my outfit!" Gen pouts almost as if genuinely offended.

"We're in the fucking stone world. Looks don't really matter that much, mentalist."

"Excuse me," Gen draws on, shooting Senku a pointed glare. Kohaku and Chrome are wrapped up in their own conversation, something about starting rebuilding the huts the next morning since most of the day went to salvage and cleanup. "I'll have you know appearances mean everything in my line of work, Senku-chan!" 

There's only a small hint of offense behind Gen's words, more teasing than anything. It draws a small chuckle out of Senku. "Great, next thing I know you're gonna ask me to make you a mirror so you can stare at yourself all day." 

"Hey now, I said appearances matter but I'm not that shallow! Though if you did make me one I wouldn't mind, they're very practical for magic tricks!~" Gen punctuates that with a sly wink.

"The only people you're gonna impress with silly magic tricks are the kids," Senku pauses to take a cup of water Chrome wordlessly passes his way. "And Magma." 

Gen looks at him feigning shock, but the shadow that passes over his eyes makes Senku think he probably shouldn't be joking about the guy who almost killed Gen a little over a month ago. Then the shadow is gone and Gen bursts out laughing. It's contagious, drawing bubbles of laughter from Senku that make him choke on his water and gain concerned looks from Chrome and Kohaku. 

"How terrible Senku-chan, I had no idea you had such an awfulyay sense of humor!" 

"What's so funny?" Kohaku asks, interest drawn away from whatever she was discussing with Chrome.

"Oh nothing, Senku-chan just reminded me how simple minded Magma-chan is," Gen says, looking over at Senku. "I swear I could tell him a stalk will grow out of his ear if he plants a bean in it and he would believe me!~"

Senku doesn't have the energy to refute that statement, the ridiculousness of it sending him into hysterics. Chrome and Kohaku look even more concerned, only serving to fan the flames. Even as Gen explains the joke more seriously to them, Senku's shoulders are still shaking with laughter. 

Conversation between the four of them carries easily from there, Gen keeping the atmosphere light with his humor. By the time Kohaku announces she's heading back to the village for the night, Senku distantly realizes he doesn't feel as heavy anymore. Doesn't feel time slipping away from him the way it had these past months.

He's surprised as well to find the bowl in his hand is empty.

Chapter Text

The storage shed is even more cramped than Gen remembers it, with Chrome's extensive shelving taking up a fair amount of space. Even with just the three of them spread out on bed rolls, Gen's toes stick out of the entryway no matter which way he turns. When Kohaku left Gen realized he didn't exactly have a place to stay for the night, but before he could voice anything Chrome was inviting him up to the shed. Senku didn't object, and after such a long day Gen was too tired to turn down the offer. 

Somehow it didn't feel this snug back when he'd been stabbed.

His two companions are already fast asleep, so Gen spares a look around the room now that his eyes have adjusted to the dark. Oh my, these two have been busy. He spots far more materials in the shed than he remembers seeing before. Part of him wonders what Senku's next invention will be, but he's sure he's going to find out in the morning. 

This is miles better than the flimsy tents Tsukasa-chan has most of the empire in Gen thinks, rolling onto his back, eyes fixed on the ceiling. Some people were lucky enough to have small caves to sleep in, but the more people Tsukasa revived the fewer places there were to find even an inkling of privacy. Much less a dry place to lay down and sleep. Most of them didn't have the skills to make more than just rudimentary weapons and hunt. Gen thinks of the overworked Yuzuriha, who everyone turned to for clothes and just about any project that required an ounce of creativity or nimble fingers. Poor girl, she's so busy with meeting the growing empire's demands that I have to wonder if she has time for whatever mission Senku-chan has her on.  

Taiju helped her a lot, when he could, usually dragged away to fish or hunt, or carry the statues Tsukasa wanted to revive into the empire. Now that Gen had been exposed as a liar he desperately hoped both of them would be safe from Tsukasa and Hyoga. They had no reason to suspect the lovebirds of knowing much, but Gen is sure both of them would face a fate worse than death should they ever hint at knowing the truth. 

And so will I, if I ever run into Tsukasa-chan or Hyoga-chan before Senku-chan can defeat the empire. A small grin slips onto Gen's face despite the threat looming on the horizon. I can't deny how thrilling this is. I have a lot of work ahead of me.

Eventually Gen drifts to sleep, dreading the early morning that he knows is waiting for him. Just as expected, right as the sun is trickling into the hut, his companions begin to stir and the smell of breakfast wafts in through the door. He's already been awake for a few more minutes than the other two, but he tried to savor the warmth of the hut just a tad longer. Fall will give way to winter in no time.

So when he hears movement outside, Gen takes that as his cue to slip out of the hut ahead of the scientists. Senku is busy trying to shove off a clingy Chrome that rolled over onto him at some point in the night, making Gen suppress a small chuckle as he slides his kimono and overcoat back on. On the ground below he finds Kohaku starting a fire at the same circle where they'd laughed the previous night away.

"Gen!" Kohaku waves him over. He spots an eager Suika carrying a tray skipping over from the direction of the bridge. In the distance he can already hear hammers, marking the beginning of repairs at the village. Seems he and the other two slept in, this village doesn't waste time. 

Gen scoops a bowl off Suika's tray and thanks her with a pat on the top of her melon mask, then takes a seat beside Kohaku as she picks up her own bowl. Stifling a yawn, Gen turns a bit to face her. "So what's the plan for today?~"

___

Senku can't believe he actually slept in. It's so unlike him, his biological clock is never this off.

Yesterday was worse than I realized.

He doesn't dwell on it. No point, there's a lot to do and little light of day. 

When he and Chrome descend from the shed Suika is already passing them bowls of what looks like a berry and nut porridge. Gen and Kohaku are chatting by the fire, discussing the reconstruction plans, and he has to wonder how much earlier the mentalist woke up. 

The previous night is fresh in his mind as he looks over the others by the fire, Chrome joining the chatting pair on the same log, Suika sitting on the ground nearby. Senku decides to take his meal into the lab. He has a lot of thinking to do.

A short while later his half empty bowl sits beside the materials he took out, quickly forgotten as chatter drifts in through the half open doorway. A loud laugh makes him glance over.

"Gen you're so bad! " Chrome exclaims, still laughing at something the mentalist said. 

"I promise you I never meant for it to happen, he woke up that morning with his hair sticking out like a prickly mane! I had to onvincecay someone to carve him a comb to work out the sap!" Gen says, the other three enthralled by his story. "It took three days to get it all out!"

"You're so troublesome," Kohaku chuckles.

"I swear I never meant any trouble, he was just too dense to listen to my warning before it even happened!"

"I can't believe he fell for that, shouldn't modern people know better?!"  

"As if! It's not exactly common knowledge, but most of Tsukasa-chan's men are all brawn and no brains. The guy who convinced him sap worked to wash his hair had a black eye for days!" 

More laughter rings through the clearing, distracting Senku from the plans he's sketching out. Sap? He files that thought away for later, adding to the list of things he really needs to discuss with Gen. Right now he has other priorities. 

Eventually the voices outside fade away. Suika pops in to take his bowl and scampers away with Chrome and Kohaku back to the village. There's a lot of work to do to rebuild and any extra hands are surely needed to speed things up. Senku begrudgingly sets aside his plans, certain they'll need him there as well. But before he can even stand up someone slips into the shade of the lab.

"Good morning Senku-chan!~" Gen sings. "The others are headed to work on the huts until lunchtime, they'll be at your disposal after that." 

Senku tries and fails to hide his surprise. Gen smiles. "Don't worry, I told them you just need some time to prepare for your next invention. Chrome wanted to stick around but after hearing Ruri wanted to see him he took off first." 

"You damn mentalist," Senku shakes his head. "Did she even actually call for him?" 

"Well I didn't hear it myself, but I'm sure the priestess wouldn't turn down the opportunity to talk to him," Gen says with a small smile. Senku can practically see the lie that Gen isn't bothering to hide right on the mentalist's face. "Besides, everyone had a long day yesterday, and today is no different. They won't bother you for a while." 

Senku looks back down at his half completed plans. He does need some silence so he can focus on this roadmap before presenting it to the village. Then he looks up as the mentalist grabs a stool and sits across the table from him. Okay so he's probably not gonna get any peace and quiet now. Unless I can think of a task to send Gen away on-  

"I'm lucky Yuzuriha is so capable" Gen rests his elbows leisurely on the table, chin in his palms. "I'd hate to have to ask someone from the village to make me something nicer to wear." 

Senku snorts. "You'd ask anyway," then he pauses, eyes fixing somewhere past Gen's head. Doubt he's been shoving away for a while creeps its way into his thoughts. The mentalist had reassured him they were okay when they first met, but now that Gen double crossed Tsukasa, and Hyoga has surely reported he's alive..... 

"Are they really safe?" 

"They're as safe as they can be. I didn't say a word about switching sides to them," Gen's tone is soft. "Now that I'm gone they'll surely figure it out. Especially Yuzuriha, she's very clever. Tsukasa-chan wouldn't dare hurt them so long as the two continue to act as if you're dead. Hyoga-chan won't agree with his methods, but he has faith that he and Tsukasa-chan can restore the world in their own vision so he won't push the matter for now." 

Senku lets out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. Gen continues. "Besides, Taiju is charismatic in his own ways. Even Tsukasa-chan's supporters wouldn't harm him out of their own will. And Yuzuriha is too useful, so far no one else has been revived that can make clothes or tents."

"They're sleeping in tents?"

"Rickety little things that fall over in the smallest breeze! Her craftsmanship is undeniable but it does no good when the structure holding up the material is so shoddy!" Gen shudders, as if recalling a bad memory. "The nights get so cold without proper shelter, and all the decent caves were taken!" 

"I would've thought Tsukasa had one ready just for you to have to yourself as soon as he revived you."

"Right?! But he wanted me to share with some of his muscle heads once the empire started to get more crowded. Those men are so ossgray and unhygienic, I couldn't stand it. I hardly lasted two nights before I asked for a tent!" 

"Tsukasa knows how to make soap though, I taught him myself-" 

"Senku-chan do you really think all athletic types know how to maintain their hygiene, or even care to?" 

"God you're right. That sounds disgusting." 

"It really was! Most women, and a few of the men, would go bathe at the stream regularly. Everyone else skipped out," Gen sighs, dejected.

"At least here the villagers wash up at minimum two times a week. And it's better now that I've introduced them to soap," Senku says. He doesn't miss the glint in Gen's eyes.

"Oh I'm so delighted to hear that, you have no idea how miserable I've been surrounded by people who wear body odor like it's the hottest new fragrance!" 

Senku barks out an unexpected laugh, making Gen snicker. "Don't worry, I'll make sure to add perfume to my list of stuff to make." 

"You're a savior Senku-chan!~" 

He isn't sure when he picked up his charcoal again, but by the time lunch rolls around Gen is finishing up his fifth story about mishaps at the empire, and Senku's roadmap is complete. That sneaky mentalist Senku smirks to himself as Gen leaves to help Chrome with lunch I guess even I'm not immune to your tricks.

___ 

Gen is glad for being able to rest in the shade of the lab during the morning hours, chatting away with Senku. When he settles down around the now extinguished fire, having helped Chrome pass around lunch, he feels like he has the energy for whatever plan Senku is bound to throw at them. While he did sneak a peek at the blueprints Senku was drawing up, the contraption eludes him. But he didn't ask. Instead focusing the conversation on more lighthearted stories of the empire's shortfalls. It keeps Senku's hands moving, scribbling at the blueprints, and that's all Gen wants to see. 

They do still have other things to talk aboutl, but he's happy to note how now that Senku was sure his friends were okay, he looks less worn out than when he started the day. Gen is especially pleased that Senku sits next to him for lunch without seeming to think it over, unlike the night before when he spent a bit weighing his decision.

The more I can chisel away at that chip on your shoulder the easier everyone here will follow along with your plans. No matter how insane they sound.  

And well, for a second, Gen really does feel like he's the one losing his mind. Senku takes the opportunity when the village has just finished their meals to gather them around and explain what they're going to make to win against Tsukasa. Of all the possibilities Gen considered, a phone wasn't one of them. He's joking right? He has to be joking.

Gen knows it's no joke. No one else here would get it but him, and Senku isn't one to joke easily about science. Taking a second to gather his thoughts, Gen steps into the conversation to quickly and simply explains what a phone is and what it does to the villagers, who all seem impressed enough. He doesn't miss the look of approval Senku gives him. 

When Ginro asks who's going to act as a double agent on the other side of the phone, Gen is glad to see no pain on Senku's face when he declares it'll be Taiju and Yuzuriha. Detects no hurt in his voice. None of the anxiety or worry Senku was stewing in just some hours ago.

One of the kids paints a simplified version of Senku's roadmap for the villagers to follow, far more simple than the blueprints Gen watched Senku work on earlier. It doesn't exactly look like much when it's laid out like this, but I have a feeling that Senku-chan is withholding how much work this is actually going to be....  

That feeling proves right when Senku says the first step is ....making cotton candy? Uh-

Once the device for making cotton candy - the wires that is - is completed Hyoga and Homura's attack on the village proves useful for the first time when Senku finds rock sugar in the ruined containers of potato sake and mirin. Gen has to admit he's lost as all hell, but all too soon they've spun the delicate threads of sugar and a puffy cloud on a stick is pressed into his hands by one of the excited children. 

Gen's head is spinning as he stands off to the side of the crowd that's savoring a treat this sweet for the first time. He sees a satisfied smile on Senku's face when no one else is looking and laughs to himself.

You can say this was all only for the wires as many times as you want and I still wouldn't believe you.

He feels steady again as he tries some for himself.

It's obviously not as good to him as it is for the villagers, and frankly not as good as the cola, but he missed sweets like this. Misses the feeling of eating cotton candy at a festival while children and families run around from booth to booth, joyous at the promise of fireworks to close off the night. He had performed at festivals like that quite a lot near the beginning of his career what feels like a lifetime ago. It's not quite the same, of course, having cotton candy in the middle of the day as a byproduct of a larger project. Yet the nostalgia is there.

I know if I asked you'd deny it, but I think there's a lot more than just science you miss about the old world, Senku-chan.

He's so caught up in that feeling that when Senku suggests making a cotton candy stall to try and persuade Homura, who's been spying on them from afar since the clash with Hyoga the previous day, Gen does a double take. He doubts she'll relent for something as simple as cotton candy, and voices as much, but Senku does it anyway. Ruri vocalises the observation for him. Sure, it's a strategic move, but it's a weak one.

Senku's bleeding heart is showing, and not for the first time. 

You're too kind for your own good Senku-chan.

___

Now they're really in the thick of things. Gen predicts that Tsukasa won't act till the spring - that impression of his voice was creepy as fuck - and that only leaves so many months to get the phone and all their other preparations for the war ready. Fall isn't in full swing just yet, but with it the temperature change will slow everything down. Kokuyo is already lamenting how they'll need more people to focus efforts on preparing for the coming season, which will take away a lot of necessary manpower.

Senku knows what objectives they'll have to tackle in the following week, but for now the day is coming to a close. Most of the villagers had returned to their tasks repairing the huts and salvaging whatever wasn't totally destroyed by the fire after lunch, only returning for a break when the cotton candy was ready. Night is sneaking up on them and pretty much everyone has slinked back to the village for dinner. Even Kaseki and Chrome have disappeared. That just leaves- 

"Gen!" he calls out to the mentalist, who's trailing behind some of the village elders, chatting with them pleasantly. The mentalist turns around to look at him, that same small smile he always sports inching just a little bit wider. Senku pretends he doesn't notice that.

"Get over here, I gotta ask you something," Senku says, turning back to the lab without waiting to see if Gen follows. He says that, but he's not sure where he'll begin. Luckily he hears the flap that acts as a door to the lab open behind him.

"What's on your mind Senku-chan?" Gen asks, and Senku suspects Gen already knows what he wants to say even when he's not sure of it himself. "Chrome will be here later with dinner, he's got something to talk to Kohaku about first." 

But he can't bring himself to talk about it. Not yet. The words die in his mouth. Plan B it is. "That story with the sap you were telling this morning-"

"Whaa you heard that? I really didn't mean to cause a fight between those two guys," Gen says apologetically. Not that Senku thinks it's sincere at all. He's grateful the mentalist doesn't call him out on what he really wants to talk about.

"Yea, I wanted to ask about the sap itself. Are they collecting it?" 

"They tried, but the spiels broke almost immediately. They're not forging anything out of metal like you are," Gen explains, leaning his hip against the table. "Anything they make is either wood or stone. Tsukasa revived a few people who are good with hand tools but they lack the equipment to produce much of anything, and only in those materials." 

Senku feels some relief hearing that. "What did they want the sap for?"

"Someone thought it could make meals a little more palatable. Which is true, but they couldn't collect much of it. The wood spiels splintered under the force of hammering them into the tree trunks and the stone ones took too long to carve, long enough that they gave up pretty quickly." 

"Wow they are so fucked for the winter months," Senku says plainly. "What are they gonna do, over-hunt the surrounding area and hope that's enough to get them through the season?"

Gen rolls his eyes. "That's exactly what they're planning. Thanks to Tsukasa-chan they don't exactly have anyone smart enough to reinvent modern technology. There's a few clever cookies in the mix, but they're either not motivated enough or easily swept up in the euphoria Tsukasa-chan's ridiculous promises of 'starting fresh without the chains of the old world' offers to achieve anything themselves." 

"How the fuck did you ever consider staying with them." It isn't even a question. It's a statement fueled by fact. Gen is smarter than to stick around such a shoddy situation. The strength the empire has is something to fear, absolutely, but the living conditions don't suit someone as put together as Gen.

"It's not like I had many options until I saw what you were capable of, Senku-chan!" Gen laughs, no hint of sarcasm. "No one at the empire could accomplish what you're doing, not at the rate they're going at. As if any of them even care to. You're more intelligent than all of them combined." 

The sincerity catches Senku off guard, but Gen continues without giving him time to react. "Besides, who else can I find in the stone world that can make me cola or cotton candy?~"

Ah, there's that selfishness again. It's Senku's turn to roll his eyes. "You only asked for one bottle of cola. Don't get so cocky." 

"Aw how erribletay Senku-chan! You can't leave me hanging like that!" Gen's words don't hold any real malice. 

"How long before you showed up to spy on us did Tsukasa revive you anyway?" 

Gen taps his fingers on his chin. "About ten days." 

Senku splutters. "That's fucking it? It was that bad?!" 

"Didn't you pay attention to anything I said?!" Gen cackles at his reaction, "I had to slink back there after we struck our deal and keep enduring it! You eriouslysay owe me!" 

Senku can't help but laugh, Gen's words carry an air of amusement but it's undeniable that he and the other members of the empire were seriously going through hell without any modern commodities. This certainly makes things easier for me. And harder.

"Oh no, I can see the gears in your head turning Senku-chan. This is bad," Gen laments.

Senku smirks. "Get excited, mentalist. We have a lot to do. Ten billion percent we're gonna win this war! "

Chapter Text

"So how did he get the sap out?" Senku asks as he holds the door flap open for Gen. Outside the sun has already set.

"He kept going at it with the comb I cajoled one of the craftsmen to make," Gen answers, ducking under Senku's arm. As if they can really be called craftsmen... . "It took three days for most of it to come out, by then his hair was a frizzy mess with tons of clumps of hair coming out on the comb." 

Chrome is waiting for them both with dinner, back from his trip to the village. He offers Gen a bowl of stew suspiciously identical to the one from the night before. He's too hungry to object.

"It was honestly so disgusting, but I really did warn him not to put the damn sap in his hair," Gen grimaces as he sits down on the log across from Chrome. Senku sits to Chrome's right, taking the other bowl of stew. Their conversations have made enough progress on Senku's temperament that Gen isn't bothered by Senku sitting farther away. He's not avoiding me intentionally this time, thankfully.

"The oils of his scalp are probably what broke it down," Senku says, and Gen doesn't find a way to question that. "How'd you know it wouldn't work as shampoo anyway?" 

"I've read enough ingredient labels to know sap can be used in hair products, but not as shampoo by itself," Gen answers as he takes a sip of his stew. "As a performer I have - had - to maintain a pristine appearance. Stylists recommended new products to me all the time, but if I wasn't careful I ran the risk of damaging my hair. It's part of my iconic look after all!~" 

Senku rolls his eyes. "Not that it matters now."

Gen sighs. "Not that it matters now." 

"Were you like, a big deal?" Chrome asks, one of many questions about the old world he's been throwing at Gen over the past two days. He's not sure how Senku keeps up with the rampant curiosity.

"Absolutelyyay! I was on television, in movies, I had book deals," Gen's enthusiasm dwindles as he keeps going. He doesn't want to confuse Chrome too much by rambling, or bring down the upbeat mood he worked throughout the day to spark in Senku. "To put it simply, yes. My books especially were pretty popular."

"My science club was obsessed with your crap books. They practically forced me to read them. It was annoying," Senku says bluntly.

"My my now, Senku-chan! If even your fellow scientists enjoyed my writing then you can't try to put me down like that!" Gen turns to Chrome. "He's just jealous I was widely punished!~"

He doesn't miss the confusion on Chrome's face. "They don't have a writing system," Senku offers almost apologetically. Almost. Gen is sure it's enough of a burden for Senku already, from the mild annoyance he picks up in the scientist's voice.

"Well you could have mentioned that sooner, but now that you bring it up it does make sense," Gen sighs, recalling how the simplified phone roadmap was composed of images but no words. "What a shame. Oral literature has clearly survived well enough, considering the hundred stories are holding strong, but after so many generations sometimes words change meaning as language evolves. Written word does wonders for preserving cultural context." 

Gen feels more than sees something clicking in Senku's head. Oh no, here we go. I've said too much.

Thankfully Chrome's confusion spares him. "What's a book?"

"It's like a collection of written words or images. Like the drawings on Senku-chan's roadmap! Usually they're bound together between two sturdier pieces, called a cover, to keep the pages from becoming damaged," Gen attempts to explain. He's still not used to boiling down concepts like this for the villagers just yet.

"What's a page?" Chrome asks after a moment of consideration. Senku is watching Gen as he explains further, gears still turning.

"It's a bit like the hide you use for the roadmaps and Senku-chan's blueprints, cut into rectangular sheets that you write or draw on. But instead of animal hide they're made of-" 

"PAPER!" Senku and Gen yell at the same time, jumping up from their seats, eyes locking across the fire. The epiphany feels like being struck by lightning.

"How did I forget something so simple?! " Senku exclaims, smacking himself in the face.

"Senku-chan you must be losing your touch!" Gen laughs. Chrome looks even more confused.

"Paper? Is that really important or something?" 

"Oh Chrome you have no idea! Paper is essential for keeping records, sharing information, and telling stories!" Gen elaborates with a flourish of his arms, unable to contain his excitement. He's glad to see it piques Chrome's interest as well. "We can make it, can't we Senku-chan?"

"Yea it's really simple compared to most of the other stuff we've been working on," Senku laughed, crossing his arms, bowl of stew long forgotten on the log. "We can start on that tomorrow after the wire. Can't believe I forgot something as simple as paper! "

Gen sits back down on his log, leaning back on one hand, failing to suppress a smirk. "Now what would you do without me, Senku-chan?~" 

___

Paper. Fucking paper. How could I slip up that bad? Senku muses, still awake long after Gen and Chrome had gone to sleep. The hides he was using up until now had better uses, and paper was stupidly easy to make in high quantities as long as they had somewhere to dry it all. Gen and Kaseki are gonna be really busy. He needs Kaseki for other tasks related to the phone, but he can spare Gen's time on smaller projects once he gets the artisan to make the proper tools. 

Breakfast the next morning goes by quickly, with Kohaku filling them in on what the village has planned for the day. Gen is off to the side amusing Suika with a small trick, making small pink flowers disappear and reappear. The mentalist hadn't been in the kingdom long - it hasn't even been a week yet - but the village children had taken to him really quickly. So had the elderly.

Once work begins on the gold wires, the children of the village taking over the task easily, Senku stops to wonder where Chrome and Kaseki went. Chrome hadn't exactly announced his plan when he dragged the artisan away, but he seemed onto something and Senku wasn't one to jam a wrench in other people's creative process. That's how discovery and progress are made after all. So he can spare losing them for a day or two.

He goes to the lab to draw up the plans for the tools he needs Kaseki to make, hoping this will be the last hide they have to waste once he puts Gen in charge of making paper. Then Senku exits the lab in search of the mentalist. He spots the familiar black and white head sitting on the ground with the children who are working on the wires, part of the circle himself. 

Gen is telling them some kind of story, but Senku doesn't stop to listen in. He taps the top of Gen's head with the rolled up hide, and notes how the mentalist seems to startle. Sure. As if you didn't hear me coming.

"Ah Senku-chan-!" Gen looks up at him. "What brings you here? Weren't you with Ginro and Kohaku?" 

"Yea, Ginro is still making wire but Kohaku went back to the village to help with the huts. Come with me, we have other stuff to do. You're just fooling around here, and I need another set of hands." 

"I am not just fooling around Senku-chan!" Gen says, but doesn't elaborate. He passes his coil of wire to one of the kids and waves the circle farewell as he stands to follow Senku. 

"What are we getting up to today hm?"

"You'll see."

"Oh no. I don't like the sound of that, Senku-chan...."

He leads Gen back to Chrome's storage shed and has the mentalist wait at the bottom of the ladder while he heads up to grab some baskets. After passing two down to Gen he scales back down to the ground. The other man is already hoisting one of the baskets onto his back.

"What are we collecting Senku-chan? Some kind of precious ore for the phones?" Gen guesses, passing the other basket to Senku.

"Weeds."

"W- ....weeds?" 

"For the paper, mentalist. Get with the program," Senku snickers, heading towards the forest path.

"You can make paper from any old weed?" 

"Yea pretty much."

"I thought we needed tree bark or something to make pulp?"

Once again Gen surprises him with his approximate knowledge of modern technology. Or well, an ancient technology long forgotten in this case. "In the old world we could use trees, but that requires heavy machinery we don't have the means to make right now. We have to rely on the hand-made method, and using plant fibers is good enough. It won't be the nicest paper but that doesn't matter right now. We can refine the process after we defeat Tsukasa." 

"Hand-made....why do I have the sneaking suspicion that's going to be my job?"

"You're the one who came up with the idea, mentalist," Senku deadpans, looking over his shoulder just in time to catch a frown forming on Gen's face.

"Whaa Senku-chan you're so terrible, couldn't you give me an easieryay task?" Gen grumbles. "Besides, Chrome is the one who started asking about books."

"This is an easy one," Senku says, leading the way to the sunflower field he took Suika to when they made her glasses. "It's literally the easiest thing going on right now, other than the wire. There's plenty of hands working on that, and I can't do much else until Chrome and Kaseki come back. Unless you want to go help rebuild huts?"

"Now you're just mocking me," Gen whines.

"What? Last time I checked you're not the type to pick up a hammer." 

"Then what type am I?" Gen gives him a quizzical look.

"The type to take the easy path every time." 

"I'll have you know being this handsome and witty is no easy task!~" 

"Witty, sure. Handsome? Eh." 

Gen is matching his stride now, so Senku doesn't miss when the mentalist pouts and scrunches his eyebrows. "You don't think I'm handsome Senku-chan?" Gen asks, pointing to himself.

"No." 

"How rude!" Gen gasps. "I'll have you know I had anymay admirers!" 

"You sure they weren't just after your money and fame?" 

"That is absolutely beside the point!" 

Senku snorts, shaking his head at the mentalist's ridiculous antics. "I told you before that looks don't matter in the stone world."

"I'll have you know they absolutely do!" Gen crosses his arms, shooting Senku a mild glare, contradicting how he had agreed with Senku about this the night before. He can't tell which Gen believes anymore. "We may not have the luxury of makeup or skincare, or even well fitting clothes, but maintaining your appearance does wonders. Aside from basic hygiene, the way you look has a profound impact on your self esteem." 

"As if you need any more of an ego boost." 

"Without this pretty face Tsukasa-chan would have your head on a stone platter already!" 

"Your words got us this far, not your face." 

"I'll have you know studies show people are far more likely to trust conventionally attractive individuals than most realize!~" Gen points out. Senku wonders how the fuck they got on this topic.

"Sure, because Tsukasa ten billion percent revived you because you're attractive."

"See, you can admit that I'm handsome!~"

"Hey- that! That's not what I said and you know it!" Senku retorts, shooting Gen an irritated look. "Don't twist my words on me."

"Sure, sure, whatever you say Senku-chan!~" Gen waves off.

"Actually why'd he revive you anyway? You're not exactly the muscle he's after," Senku questions.

"Oh I thought you already knew that, Tsukasa-chan and I knew each other," Gen says without missing a beat.

"W- the fuck, were you friends or something?" That's news to me.  

"No, we actually only met twice before. He and I were set up by our managers to be on a game show together. He was going to participate in one of my magic tricks," Gen recalls. "The first time we met was during rehearsal for the trick itself, I had to run through it a few times to make sure the stage and all my equipment were functioning properly. The second time was during filming the episode itself."

"Must have left quite the impression on him then," Senku says, relief evident in his voice. If Gen had told me he betrayed a friend- no, that a friend betrayed him....  

"Mh, I suppose he was charmed enough to remember me. I don't know if it was by chance that he found my statue though, or if he specifically went looking for me. All I know is he already had a job for me when I was revived - and you know how that turned out." 

"Well whatever, it paid off in our favor." He nearly misses the small smile Gen is quick to wipe off his face. It looked genuine for once.

Before Senku realizes it, they've already arrived at the field.

___

"So will any weeds do?" Gen asks, looking out over the field of tall sunflowers, most still blooming this late into the remnants of summer. My, this place is lovely.

"No, actually. Look for plants about sixty centimeters or taller. We need ones that have enough cellulose to make the paper work. Stick to ones that are more leafy. They should still be green, nothing dried up. And nothing with a stem that's too thick, thinner is easier to work with and will save us time," Senku instructs. He walks them to the middle of the field and sets down his basket. Gen follows suit.

"How much do we need?"

"A fucking lot. We're gonna be here all day."

"Why didn't you tell me that sooner, Senku-chan? What will we do about lunch?" Gen complains. Senku rolls his eyes at him, passing him a small knife.

"I told Kohaku where we were going, she'll send lunch out to us," Senku reassures and gets to work. Gen sighs and relents.

"You know, this would be easier with some clippers or something," Gen says after about an hour of silent work. Senku hums in agreement.

"That's one of the things I need Kaseki to make, but Chrome kinda kidnapped him for his mystery project so it'll have to wait," Senku says, sparing Gen a glance. "I'm sure your delicate hands can handle it for now." 

"I can't tell if you're complimenting me or insulting me, Senku-chan." 

"Since when is having delicate hands a compliment?"

"Ah, an insult then," Gen has to stop himself from rolling his eyes. This man has no tact. No wonder he needed me here so badly. His words are going to get him in serious trouble one day. Gen duly notices how Senku doesn't reply. They fall into silence again after that. 

At some point they move over to the shade of the treeline, leaning against a trunk for a much needed break. Senku passes Gen a canteen of water before taking out his own. Always prepared, this one.

"Senku-chan," Gen hums, taking a sip of his water, "Why did we come out here instead of sticking to the woods closer to the village?" 

"There's too much dead underbrush around the trees," Senku answers easily. "It's easier out here where falling leaves aren't collecting in piles. Especially now that fall is coming our way." 

Gen appreciates that Senku doesn't judge others for asking questions that likely seem obvious to him. Before he can answer Senku is passing him a small sack that Gen opens to find full of mixed nuts. He nods a silent thanks.

"You know, once winter rolls around," Senku says some time into the comfortable silence that fell over them.  "We'll have to find a way to bring the paper production inside or we're gonna have to turn back to using hides. I'd rather not take that resource away from the villagers." 

"How exactly do you make paper anyway? I have a vague understanding based on what you've told me already, but I can't seem to wrap my head around how this is supposed to be any easier than the other projects we have going on." Gen is glad when Senku turns his gaze away from the field to answer the question.

Senku's explanation is easy enough to follow. He doesn't mince words or simplify himself with just Gen around to listen, sentences flowing into each other with the grace of a practiced mind. I feel like I could listen to him talk about science for hours.

The thought makes Gen mentally pause, face thankfully unchanging as Senku continues talking. Now where did that come from? You keep surprising me, Senku-chan. Next thing I know I'll be falling for you.

As if.

Don't get ahead of yourself Gen he mentally berates himself there's no one else around for miles from the modern world, it's as simple as the desire to connect with someone with shared experiences. The only other modern humans out there want you dead. Now isn't the time to be catching feelings, you hardly know this guy....

Gen doesn't fail to feel the thrill Senku radiates when he's explaining something he's especially excited about, innocent in its sincerity. Though when he wears so much of himself on his sleeve it's kinda hard not to be attracted to that in some regard. It's what draws people to him. He is an oasis, one of salvation in such an uncertain world. But nothing more.

Unfortunately feelings are fickle things, something Gen knows better than anyone. 

Chapter Text

Kohaku sent lunch their way with two of the village kids, who stay with Senku and Gen to eat before heading back to the village. It isn't until the sun is on the horizon that the two of them finish gathering plants for the paper. Baskets full, arms sore, they begin the trip down the path.

The quickly dimming light casts a sharp glimmer over the white half of Gen's hair. Hm. It wasn't like that before was it? It was solid black on his book covers.

"Oi mentalist," Senku calls to Gen, who's a few steps ahead of him, causing the other man to look back at him over his shoulder. "Your hair-"

"What of it Senku-chan? Want my weekly regimen?~" 

"No dumbass, it was all black before wasn't it?" Senku asks, grateful that Gen slows down to match his pace. Great, I have even less stamina than this twig.  

"Yea, I'm surprised you remember," Gen sighs, the changing light casting strange shadows over the sharp line of his petrification scar. "Don't ask me what appenedhay, I genuinely don't know. It was like this when Tsukasa-chan revived me."

"That's so fucking weird." 

"What, no scientific observation?"

"I don't exactly have a microscope to look at your hair follicles with."

"Then why so curious?"

"I thought maybe you bleached it right before or something. There's no telling what the side effects of petrification are right now, though, so."

"Nope, I've never bleached or dyed it before," Gen answers. His eyes wander to the top of Senku's head. 

"That color isn't natural is it?" Gen gestures vaguely.

"Now it's my turn to be offended." 

Gen barks out a laugh. "Oh come on now, Senku-chan, you don't seem the type to care about appearances at all!" 

"No, but that's still rude." 

"So you can insult my appearanceyay but I can't insult yours?! What a hypocrite!" 

Senku rolls his eyes. "Yea yea, whatever mentalist." 

"Have you ever put it down before?" 

"Huh?" 

"Your hair, Senku-chan. Do you put something in it to spike it up like that?" Gen asks, tone only half joking. "Not sap, I hope." 

"....There's nothing in it." 

"It just sticks up like that?!" 

"Okay seriously, now it really is my turn to get offended." 

"Sorry Senku-chan, but I just can't believe anyone's hair defies gravity that easily," Gen chuckles into his sleeve.

"It only goes down when it gets wet," Senku says wearily. He doesn't want to admit it's a sore spot for him, but he's sure his words give him away. "Don't you dare say anything else."

"Fine, fine, I won't," Gen concedes, falling silent. 

The basket feels heavy on Senku's back, as if it was full of stones instead of fucking plants, and he shifts uncomfortably under its weight. Gen looks tired too, but not as much as him. Which is annoying. More annoying than it should probably be.

"Say, Senku-chan," Gen says after some more minutes of walking. "Is it safe for us to be out here past sundown?"

"Oh crap-" Senku hadn't realized how late it had gotten, didn't even process that the sun went down already. Too busy paying attention to the mentalist's damn hair-

This whole losing track of time and getting distracted shit is getting on his last nerve. "We should be quick, it's definitely not safe. We don't have decent weapons on us, just the knives we were using earlier. And there's a lot of dangerous wildlife around. Remember the cape Tsukasa wears? That's fucking lion fur." 

"Lion fur-"

They exchange weary glances and wordlessly he and Gen pick up the pace. Thankfully they soon arrive back at the clearing in front of Chrome's hut, the warm fire Kohaku is tending to a welcome sign of safety. They drop the baskets off inside the lab then join her for dinner. 

Conversation is easygoing, mostly filled with Kohaku updating them on the progress rebuilding the village. Chrome and Kaseki aren't back yet, so Senku assumes they're still working on whatever the hell invention Chrome came up with. Whatever it is better be worth this delay. I can't afford to lose time or extra hands right now.

Before Kohaku leaves for the village she helps them put away any tools and materials that got left out, then she wishes them a good night. Finally inside the warmth of the shed, Senku wastes no time getting to bed, tossing his lab coat unceremoniously in a corner. He's fucking tired, the walk to and from the field and full day of manual labor taking a lot out of him. Somehow the mentalist doesn't look nearly as worn out. 

"You remember when you called me rude for commenting on your hair earlier Senku-chan?" Gen asks, getting Senku's attention. "Well so is staring at someone while they undress. Unless you see something you like?~" 

Senku chokes on air. I didn't realize I was staring at him-

"I'm joking, don't look so alarmed," Gen placates, setting his folded kimono and overcoat on an empty shelf. "Unless you really do see something you like.~" 

Senku can't stop his face from contorting with disgust. It's a near automatic response to the type of comment Gen just made, one he really wishes he could push away. He braces for a bad reaction, maybe for Gen to get upset. A moment passes with nothing. Then, one thing he doesn't expect to hear, is laughter. Light, ringing in his ears like a bell. 

"Your face-" Gen struggles to say, falling back on his bed roll with a hard thump and clutching his abdomen as his shoulders shake. Senku can't see his petrification scar from this angle, white bangs blocking the permanent smirk, something he's almost glad for right now. "I- I'm sorry, your face- "

What the fuck.

It takes a few moments for Gen to compose himself. "Okay, okay really. I swear I didn't mean anythingyay bad by that, Senku-chan," Gen finally manages to say apologetically, taking deep breaths to control his bubbly laughter. 

"Yea, whatever," Senku huffs out, tossing a random pillow at Gen a little too aggressively. The tips of his ears feel stupidly hot. "Just go to sleep." 

"Did it bother you that much?" Gen asks quietly after a pause, having caught the pillow. 

".....No." 

"Okay, good to hear. I only mean to tease.~" 

Not uncomfortable.....just. Fuck.  

___

Gen doesn't miss the way Senku deliberately rolls to face away from him as they settle down to sleep. Normally I would have been at least a little offended by that reaction, but coming from Senku-chan it was more amusing than anything. And incredibly telling. This is going to be interesting.

Now that Senku isn't looking though, Gen can finally let the exhaustion of the day permeate his sore and worn out muscles, slumping lamely against the pillow the scientist threw at him. He hadn't raised a single finger to do manual labor at the empire. Yet Senku's been keeping him occupied with these strenuous tasks since the day they met. 

I hope Chrome and Kaseki come back soon and keep him busy tomorrow, I'm too damn tired for this Gen thinks, dreading the production of paper he knows is waiting for him. I have to find a way to soften you up a little, Senku-chan, and I can't really do that if you're working me to death every day.

Just as he's drifting to sleep an idea strikes him. Gen's overall goal is to find the cracks in Senku's stiff and serious exterior to exploit them as much as he can. 

Fill them up with whatever slips in until he cracks under the pressure.

It's selfish, really, and just part of Gen's nature. So far only one thing guarantees Senku's walls will weaken, if just a little. 

Laughter.

And okay, yea, this plan sounds sinister even to him. But Gen means well. Mostly. This might be fueled by my personal desires, but it's also for the greater good of the kingdom and is pertinent for survival against Tsukasa-chan. Senku-chan is this new world's leader, and I need him in his best condition. We all do.

That night Gen falls asleep with a smile most would call mischievous on his otherwise soft features. 

The following morning sees Gen waking at the same time as Senku, far earlier than he'd like, but without a snoring Chrome as a barrier between them it's hard to ignore when the scientist stirs and begins getting ready for the day. 

When Gen sits up and starts to stretch his tired arms he pretends he doesn't notice Senku doing everything he can not to look in his direction. It's kinda cute, if a bit silly. Still, Senku's reaction the night before is fresh in his mind. Oh Senku-chan, you're really going to make this challenging for me.

Senku is swift to leave the shed first, telling Gen to hurry up over his shoulder. Gen just sighs as he gets dressed for the day, praying to whatever entity is listening that his plan works out. There's a lot riding on this.

Breakfast with Kohaku and Suika is uneventful, and soon enough Gen finds himself sitting with the village kids working on wire again. Kinro has traded places with Ginro, taking over spinning the gold filament. Someone from the village called for Senku's help with something, and Kohaku followed. Kinro isn't the chatty type, and the kids are preoccupied humming along with a tune Gen set, so for once he's mostly alone with his thoughts. 

The line between making Senku uncomfortable and making him laugh is pretty thin he thinks. When it comes to amusing stories he reacts well, usually listening and letting it become background noise. But I need him to engage a bit more than that on occasion or we'll never get anywhere.

Gen recalls the benefits of laughter on the body. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen, stimulates your heart and lungs, and increases the release of endorphins. He's sure Senku would appreciate the science behind it all, but not what Gen plans to use it for. It's a great stress reliever, stimulating circulation and muscle relaxation. Considering how tense Senku-chan must be right now, probably without realizing it, this could go a long way for improving his overall health. Both psychological and physical. It'll even boost his immune system. But I'm no comedian....  

So Gen thinks about what he's seen make Senku laugh. Chrome's innocent and endearing enthusiasm for science, Kohaku's bewilderment at modern technology, Magma and Ginro's idiocies, Gen's- my self deprecation-

Okay well that's a little dark. 

If I put myself down too much he'll be put off, hell if I dumb myself down any he'll be suspicious and irritated. And he doesn't really care for my magic, if anything he kinda hates it. So how the fuck-

Gen suppresses a sigh. He's still humming a tune for the kids to keep up with, and he doesn't want to throw off their rhythm. He's keeping track of time for breaks, of course, but he'd rather not disrupt the flow right now. 

I can't replicate Chrome or Kohaku's natural reactions, those are too earnest even for me to lie about. And if I try to play dumb like Ginro or Magma-chan it'll just make him suspicious. I also have to avoid making myself the butt of the joke too often.... This is harder than he expected. It's not like I can look up science jokes online. Would he even find those funny?  

Before he can continue on that train of thought Senku returns from the village from whatever task needed his expertise. Gen looks up from the wire in his hands and shoots Senku an amicable smile. The scientist looks like he struggles not to look away the closer he gets.

Ah, that's right. He said I didn't make him uncomfortable, but any time I joke about my appearance he either insults me or reacts how he did last- Something clicks in Gen's mind. Oh, well now, that would make a lot of sense....but I would have to test it....

"Slacking off again?" 

"Of course not Senku-chan!~" The kids thankfully don't miss a beat even as he falls out of tune with them. 

"Ruri is coming over to help the kids," Senku says, waving for Gen to follow him to the lab. "Come on, we're gonna get started on the paper since Chrome and Kaseki aren't back yet." 

"I thought we needed Kaseki to make tools first?" Gen asks, passing his wire coil to one of the kids and standing to follow Senku. He waves at Kinro as they duck into the shade of the lab, receiving a curt nod in return. Ever diligent, that one.  

"We can begin preparing the plants in the meantime so they're ready whenever he's back." Senku sounds irritated, surely because his assistant and the artisan are throwing a wrench in his schedule. 

"Alright, if I understood what you explainedyay before….we have to boil it?" Gen attempts to recall the conversation from the previous afternoon. He had been a little more than distracted.

"We have to dry it first, then boil."

"Then why did we harvest green plants and not dry ones?"

"The goal is to break down the fibers to get decently strong paper. A dry fallen leaf breaks apart in your hands as soon as you touch it right? That's because it's already decomposing, so it doesn't make for strong paper. Doable, but not ideal right now," Senku explains, picking up one of the baskets. Gen gets the second one and follows him back outside, ducking under the door flap a bit clumsily with his hands full.

"I suppose that makes some sense…." 

"We can fuck around with the consistency down the road, but for now we don't have time for too much trial and error. So the cellulose in fresh plants is more important." 

"Right, okay, and how are we going to dry it all?" 

Senku wordlessly points at the roof of the lab. 

"Oh you have to be okingjay!" 

Chapter Text

"No jokes here, we're gonna get up there and lay out all the plants to dry. I need Kaseki to make some drying racks, but until then this'll do," Senku tells a pouting Gen. "There's a ladder behind the lab, go get it." 

"I have a bad eelingfay about this, Senku-chan..." Gen bemoans, but walks away in the direction of the ladder anyway. The mentalist is surprisingly cooperative with Senku's plans despite how much he complains. It's something he won't admit he's glad for. In the meantime Senku gets some damaged fishing nets he borrowed from Kohaku that she left in the lab. They'd take too long to repair, what with how busy everyone is rebuilding and preparing for winter, so she let him have them for this project. 

"Where do I put it?" 

"Over there, I'll pass you the baskets once you're up," Senku points as Gen gets in place. He holds the ladder for the reluctant mentalist as he climbs up, then reaches to pass the first basket to him. "You're gonna use these nets to hold it all down so it doesn't get blown away."

"What if it rains?" Gen asks, finding his footing before reaching out to take the basket. 

"Then we start over." The loud sigh Gen lets out at that shouldn't amuse him as much as it does. After he passes the second basket and the nets to the mentalist he gets ready to follow Gen up onto the roof, one foot already on the ladder, but a voice behind him gets his attention. 

"Senku, we need your help back in the village. Father has some questions about the winter preparations and wants your opinion before we do anything," Kohaku says as she gets closer. He notices Ruri is already at the circle with the children twisting coils of wire. 

"Alright, I'll be there soon," Senku sighs deeply, running a hand through his hair in frustration. I was just in the village half an hour ago, dammit. He looks up at Gen standing on the lab roof who doesn't seem too pleased at the idea of being left alone with this task. "Think you can handle this for a bit mentalist?" 

"Go ahead, Senku-chan. I'll be fine," Gen replies with a wave of his hand, but he looks uncertain. "Just don't aketay too long!" 

"Yea, yea. Wait till I'm back to put out the nets," Senku says, then goes to follow Kohaku who's already walking far ahead of him. 

After speaking with Kokuyo about the winter preparations and answering a few villagers' questions, he and Kohaku pick up lunch from one of the elderly and make their way back to the lab. Senku suspects that Kokuyo only asks his opinion on stuff like this to put him in good faith with the village. They've been surviving winter the same way for centuries, they know what they're doing. Still, he doesn't voice it. The former chief's support is greatly appreciated. 

Kohaku carries a tray stacked high with ten or so meals for the children working on the wire. Senku carries one with lunch for himself, Gen, Kinro, Ginro, Ruri, and Kohaku. She insisted on bringing lunch for Chrome and Kaseki too in case they turned up. As the pair gets across the bridge Senku intends to give Ginro his meal, only to find he's already traded places at the guard post with Kinro. 

Further ahead, one fewer bowl on his tray, he sees Ginro has taken over turning the gold filament, and Ruri is entertaining the children with one of the hundred stories as they twist wires. Gen spots them from his place on top of the lab and waves, probably eager for a break from spreading out the plants in the sun. Ginro sees them a moment later, and in his hunger fueled eagerness rushes over to them and bumps into Gen's ladder as the mentalist is already stepping down, sending it tumbling to the ground- 

" GEN! " Senku and Kohaku scream at the same time. All Senku sees is a flash of black and white hair, thin hands clutching desperately at the roof. 

Fuck-

Before he can react Kohaku has already shoved her tray in his arms and dived for the mentalist, her instincts taking over. In a blur Kohaku is beneath Gen just as his hands slip from the edge of the roofline, falling backwards, choking out a strangled scream. He lands in her open arms with a stunned expression. 

"Gen!" Kohaku exclaims, holding his weight easily. "Are you alright?!" 

Senku doesn't realize he's frozen in place until a concerned Ruri is in front of him taking the trays. He manages to choke out a thanks then stumbles to Gen and Kohaku, feet heavy like lead. " Gen-! "

"I- I'm okay-" Gen manages to get out, shock thick in his voice, unconsciously clutching to Kohaku's dress. It's a strange sight, seeing him so unguarded. It makes Senku more uncomfortable than when Gen was attacked by Magma. 

"Mentalist-" 

"R- really I'm- I'm okay-" he stammers, then as if realizing he's holding onto the lioness his face erupts red, blush spreading down his neck. Senku doesn't have time to question it even if he wants to and Kohaku doesn't seem to notice or care, lowering him to a standing position easily. Gen only leans on her for a second longer, but loses his balance when he lets go and takes a step. Both Senku and Kohaku reach to steady him.

"Careful dumbass," Senku says, unable to suppress the worried tone in his voice. Gen grasps his forearm and that's when Senku notices- "Fuck, your hands are bleeding-" 

Gen lets go quickly as if touching Senku burns his palms, color draining from his face rapidly from bright red to pale as a sheet when he sees the irregular bloody gashes. His eyes are wide, usual mask falling apart. "I- I'm fine Senku-chan-!" 

"No you fucking aren't," Senku says wearily, grabbing his wrists to check Gen's palms, as gently as he can manage. He glances at the equally worried Kohaku. "Help me get him to the lab table." 

___

It's almost impossible to supress how his hands tremble as Kohaku helps Gen sit atop the lab table. Thankfully he gets his breathing under control easily, but there's no controlling the way his heart hammers and ears tinge red. Kohaku doesn't seem to notice. Senku sends her outside to help Ruri and it doesn't take long for her loud voice chastising Ginro to trickle into the lab even though the door flap closed behind her.

How many times am I going to get hurt-

"Hands out, palms up," Senku instructs, and Gen can't really complain as he complies. "Does anything else hurt?"

"I'm really inefay, Senku-chan," Gen says, glad his voice doesn't betray him right now. At the very least he manages to keep his expression neutral. Senku pours water over the gashes on his hands to rinse away the blood as he begins to clean the wounds.

"This is gonna sting," Senku warns before grabbing Gen's hands and disinfecting the wounds with alcohol. He manages not to flinch at the sensation, which only draws a concerned look from the scientist.

"Are you sure nothing else hurts?" 

"I'm alright, I was just startled...." Gen answers, distracted for a moment. Senku's hands are rough against his own, signs of experience in each callus. Yet his touch is more gentle than Gen expected, less clinical. He's glad his face doesn't feel hot now like it had when Kohaku caught him. 

"Anyone would be." 

Gen decides not to mention that includes Senku himself. He hadn't missed the scientist's reaction, or that of the others in the clearing. I can't let them worry about me for long.

"I'll have to change these again soon," Senku continues as he carefully wraps Gen's hands in bandages after applying a salve to them. "Try not to get them wet, we have to avoid infection." 

"Yes, doctor!~" Gen replies, glad to hear a more relaxed tone in his own voice. Senku just rolls his eyes. 

"Take a break in here for a while, we brought lunch anyway," Senku tells him once he's done. "I'll find someone else to finish laying out the plants to dry." 

"Oh I had already finished it all, I just needed to put out the nets."

"I wasn't even gone for an hour, how the fuck-?" 

Gen shrugs, rubbing gently at the bandages after Senku lets go. "It's not like we have all day, Senku-chan! Besides, I urnbay easily in the sun. My complexion is too fair for that!"

The incredulous look Senku gives him cracks the longer they look at each other, dissolving into laughter, hearty and refreshing to Gen's ears. It makes a smile find its way onto his own face. A gratifying feeling settles in his chest. It's warm, the kind of thing he could get used to. 

I have to be careful with you, Senku-chan, or I'll get carried away....

___

Senku brings their lunches to the lab, after reassuring Kohaku and Rurui that the mentalist was going to be fine. Ginro stammers out an apology but he reminds the guard to tell Gen himself later. Kohaku has done a loud enough job of berating him but he doubts Ginro actually learned his lesson.

Inside Gen has seated himself at a lab stool, inspecting the bandages on his hands. Senku sees, for possibly the first time since meeting Gen, a totally unguarded expression on the mentalist's face, softening his features and making him look years younger. But it's gone as soon as he hears Senku enter, glancing up at him with what can only be described as carefully practiced neutrality.

"Luckily lunch hasn't gotten cold yet," Senku coughs awkwardly as he approaches the table and sets a bowl in front of Gen, taking the stool next to him. He stores the observation for later. There's so many 'for later's that I'm not sure if we'll ever get around to them all.

"How lucky indeed," Gen says almost bitterly as he looks into the bowl to find another one of the stews the village has been serving recently. 

"They've been too busy for much else, otherwise they'd be serving ramen," Senku answers the unasked question apologetically.

"Oh please, as if that's any better."

"....Was it that bad?"

"Senku-chan, replicating the flavors of the old world with the wrong ingredientsyay is nearly impossible," Gen says matter of factly. If he's struggling to hold his utensils he hides it really well. "Besides, you're no master chef." 

"Is your new pastime being rude to me?" 

"Absolutely! So glad you picked up on that, Senku-chan!~" Gen gives him a toothy grin and he can't help but laugh at the mentalist's sarcasm. "I do miss eating like royalty though."

"Right, next thing I know you're gonna ask me to make something ridiculous like a full chef's kitchen and find rare ingredients for your high class taste."

"Oh please, as if I can do any better than you. I'm a performer not a chef. Besides, while I did indulge in fine dining it was always work related," Gen muses. "Those rich old folks liked to show off young talent to their friends and fancy dinner parties are a great ayway to network!~" 

"That sounds exhausting." 

"It was awful," Gen laughs, as if remembering it fondly despite the complaints. "But I had to stay ahead and I'm not above using my charm to do that.~" 

Senku scoffs, stirring his stew and giving the mentalist a sideways glance. "Charming isn't exactly a word I'd use to describe you." 

"Aw, how mean, Senku-chan!" Gen pouts, petrification scar twisting with his frown. He doesn't sound upset though, and Senku isn't sure what he would do if he was.

Like last night-

He can't stop the pink from rising on his cheeks remembering that incident, desperately trying to squash the line of thought like a nasty bug. Gen absolutely notices. He has to. Stuff like that doesn't exactly slip past the mentalist undetected.

"Charm was the cornerstone of my career," Gen continues as if Senku isn't burning up like a furnace right in front of him. "But charm doesn't get you as far as skill does, and I have entyplay of that.~" 

Okay, so maybe he didn't notice. No, that's just wishful thinking. He's giving me an out here-   "You sure like to brag a lot for a hack magician," Senku says, hoping his embarrassment doesn't come through in his voice. It probably does. Why am I even embarrassed-?

"Excuse me, if you're going to call me a hack at least remember I'm a mentalist not just any magician!" Gen retorts pointedly. "If you really read my books you'd know as much!" 

"I only read them to get the science club to leave me the fuck alone," Senku says, immediately regretting his words. He wants to dissolve on the spot. Admitting he really did read Gen's books was probably more embarrassing than- I gotta stop fucking thinking about this-

"Whatever you say, Senku-chan. My success speaks for itself!" 

"You were only successful because your audience was full of idiots." 

"That says more about my audienceyay then it does about me, Senku-chan," Gen says, the corners of his lips curling into a devilish smirk. "Perhaps that's exactly what I wanted out of them!~" 

Senku feels like a puppet on a string under Gen's gaze. It's unnerving and suddenly it sinks in just what it really means to have the mentalist in the kingdom, on the side of science. He's sure that smirk could topple empires. Knows it without a millimeter of uncertainty.

As if it hasn't already....  

____

Gen is glad conversation flows smoothly for the rest of their meal. He can't be sure exactly what triggered Senku's cheeks flushing pink, but he'll have to figure it out later. It was cute, I'm surprised he managed to keep talking through that. He's resilient as hell. Or maybe stubborn is a better word?

Senku informs him he'll have Kohaku help spread out the nets on the roof since Gen's hands are injured. They step back out into the sun where everyone else is finishing up lunch as well. Ruri catches his attention, standing from the circle Gen had been in charge of just that morning.

"Gen! Are you alright?" Ruri asks, approaching him as Senku leaves his side to head onto the roof with Kohaku. Ginro is nowhere to be seen, probably having slinked away with his tail between his legs. At least now he owes me, I'll have to cash that in at some point.

"I'm alright, don't worry about me," Gen reassures her and some of the concerned looking children. "It was just an accident, all is well.~" 

"That's good, I'm glad!" Ruri replies sweetly. He can tell why so many people in the village get along with her and care so much about her, her presence is soothing and her intentions always pure.

"Let me help you clean up," Gen offers with a polite smile, now that all the kids have finished eating. 

"Oh, please don't trouble yourself, your hands are still injured-" 

"I insistyay, Ruri," he says, holding his palms up to show her the bandages. "Senku-chan patched me up, I'll be good as new in no time!~" 

"If you're sure it's no trouble," she relents, and they get to work. Chatting with Ruri is easygoing, a good distraction from the conversation with Senku and all the other thoughts flitting through his mind. I have a lot of planning to do.

Not long after, Kohaku and Senku come down from the roof, safely thankfully. Kohaku takes her turn spinning the gold filament this time, still full of energy. Senku heads his way, and Gen has to force himself not to drop his usual smile. Ruri is already returning to the village with some of the kids as assistants, so Gen doesn't have anyone to use as a scapegoat. 

Every time I find myself taking a step forward with Senku-chan I have to stop myself from backing out. I have to be dedicated to this. But it's almost overwhelming how much I have to balance to get Senku-chan where I want him.

"Done so soon, Senku-chan?" Gen keeps his voice light and pleasant. His palms burn, tucked away in his overcoat. 

"Kohaku can keep an eye on the kids, you and I have more work to do," Senku says, twirling a finger in his ear and deliberately not meeting Gen's eyes. "If you can handle it, that is."

"Of course you avehay more for us to do," Gen sighs, but doesn't let his voice fill with disappointment. Having people get worried about him is a tad uncomfortable. "I'm in tip top shape, Senku-chan. You fixed me up yourself after all.~" 

"Right. Come back to the lab." 

Gen follows him as they disappear into the shade, letting the door flap close behind them. Senku gestures for Gen to sit at one of the stools, then places a container of charcoal sticks in front of him. 

"Since Chrome and Kaseki are taking so damn long, we gotta stay busy with other stuff," Senku says, taking some thin leather strips off a shelf and placing them next to the charcoal. "Might as well get some other materials ready. Get wrapping." 

Ah, pencils. "For the inevitable tons of paper we'll be making, I'm guessing..." 

"Yup. I was running low anyway," Senku says, sitting across from Gen. 

"You sure go through materials often," Gen remarks, beginning the task. Although his palms feel irritated with the movement, with any movement really, this isn't as bad as it could be. He's giving me something simple intentionally. Senku-chan may be a master scientist, but he's also a master at avoiding letting people know he's genuinely very caring. He'd rather show it through his actions and hope no one catches on. But I'm not so easily fooled.

"Science isn't without it's necessary tools," Senku says simply. 

The pair works in silence for a while, letting the humming of the children at work outside become background noise to their repetitive task. Soon enough Gen picks up the same tune, knowing it'll make things flow easier. Senku-chan probably won't hum along, but the tune will wiggle its way into his head easy enough.

And it does, when Gen notes happily that the two of them are working at the same tempo. But Senku is Senku, and eventually he notices too. 

"Gen..." Senku says, breaking his silence. "You're doing that intentionally." 

"Doing what, Senku-chan?~" 

"Don't play dumb. The humming, it's exactly sixty beats per minute," Senku points out. His hands don't still.

"I have no idea what you eanmay!~" Gen chooses not to admit to it, although Senku is completely right in his observation.

"You damn mentalist," Senku snickers and drops the topic. 

The rest of their work continues until nightfall without another word said between them. Even dinner is eaten in silence when some kids deliver it to them. Only Gen's steady humming fills the air, long after Kohaku and the kids have returned home.

Neither of them seem to mind. 

Chapter Text

Work drifts easily into the night, half a dozen oil lamps illuminating the lab. They've already finished making pencils some hours ago, so they took the opportunity to tidy the shelves full of glassware and materials. Senku is careful to take the side littered with bottles of chemicals. Can't have any more accidents. 

Gen moves around the lab incredibly easily despite only having been in it a few times. Never bumping into the table at its center, never tripping on clay pots on the floor. He moves swiftly, light on his feet, as if any ground he sets foot on automatically becomes his stage. Senku shouldn't be that impressed by it. He knows it was part of Gen's work to be nimble and lithe. Has seen the mentalist leap to the top of the bridge posts and Ruri's hut like it's nothing. Despite the accident earlier that day - that wasn't even the mentalist's fault - knows Gen is more agile than most give him credit for.

But he's still impressed when a glass bottle slips out of his grasp when he's distracted - watching him instead of working - and Gen catches it swiftly without looking, back turned to Senku. 

"Arefulcay Senku-chan," Gen chides, tossing him a crooked grin over his shoulder as he hands Senku the bottle. He can't erase the surprise from his face as he takes the bottle back. Thankfully it was empty. 

His spatial awareness is ten billion percent impeccable. Has he always had that ability or did he learn it somehow?

"....Thanks." It comes out stiff and uncomfortable. Not at all how he means it to. But Gen doesn't seem to mind.

"No worries!~" 

"Did you have a juggling act or something?" Senku asks tentatively after a while of more silent organizing, his natural curiosity taking over his thoughts. 

"Hm? I suppose you could say that," Gen answers, never stilling his movements. "I did a fair amount of juggling as embellishment for my performances. But it was a tad bit more angerousday than just plastic balls or bowling pins." 

"Then what- knives?! " Senku had never once gotten the impression that Gen knew how to handle a weapon, much less that the mentalist was pulling stunts that were so dangerous.

"Yup! Knives, swords, I did it with meat cleavers once," the mentalist says calmly as if they're just discussing the weather. "Not that I know how to use those weapons in combat or anything. They were just props for my shows." 

"Aren't prop weapons supposed to be fake?" 

"Sure, if you're not willing to take any risks!" The mentalist throws him a wink with a dangerous glint in his eyes that sends a chill down Senku's spine. "I only used fakes if I had other people involved in the performance that could become injured, like a volunteer from the audience. When it was just me on stage I used real ones. You can't sell the magic without a sprinkle of authenticity!~" 

"Authenticity means shit if you poke an eye out on live television," Senku says, a bit irritated, but he gathers from the way Gen talks about it that he knew what he was doing without a millimeter of doubt. Which is actually kind of creepy, and ridiculously fitting.

"That only happens if you never dedicate the time to practice, or exercise any true respect for the dangerous tools you're usingyay," Gen says, gesturing to the vial of sulfuric acid Senku is placing back on the correct shelf. "The same can be said of science, can't it? Mistakes are a natural part of being human but utilizing caution, even when you've done something a thousand times, is what gets you real results." 

He can't really disagree with that. Not with how sure of himself Gen sounds. But he also never expected to find any common traits between magic and science. No, not between magic and science. Between the people who dedicate themselves to their crafts, no matter how ridiculous that craft may be.

Gen has finished rearranging the implements on the shelves following instructions Senku gave when they began, so he picks up a broom that's leaning against the back wall and begins to sweep the floor. Just as Senku is placing the last bottle on the shelf, intending to grab the dustpan to help Gen with their final task, thunder rumbles ominously in the distance. They both pause.

"Uh, we should probably hurry back to the shed," Senku says nervously as Gen is already moving to put back the broom. They quickly extinguish the oil lamps. 

"You read my mind, Senku-chan-!" 

However as soon as they set foot outside the lab a heavy and cold sheet of rain descends on the clearing. The night sky is dense with dark gray, almost black, storm clouds that only threaten to get worse. Despite rushing for the shed's ladder, Gen attempting to use his coat to cover his head, they're both soaked through within seconds. At the ladder Senku scales up first, extending an arm out to Gen once he's up. No more fucking accidents-

Gen miraculously avoids slipping on the wet rungs despite having no shoes to give him extra traction. He takes Senku's hand and they stumble into the safety of the shed, eager to get dry. They're both quick to lose their outermost layers, clothes dripping onto the wood floor.

"Has anyone ever told you you have horrible luck, Senku-chan?" Gen asks out of breath, long white bangs plastered to his cheek. "Because from what I've seen your luck is absolutely erribletay!" 

___

"You're gonna have to take everything that's wet off," Senku instructs as he moves to close the doors to the hut. It's still been too hot out at night to leave them closed so they'd only been shutting the animal hide curtains in front of the entryway each night. But the weather outside is too violent for that right now, wind threatening to bring the storm inside the shed until Senku locks it out. "We have to get warm and dry or else we risk getting colds. Can't be getting sick right now." 

Gen sighs as he works to untie his obi. For a moment he wonders why he decided having this many layers was ever necessary. It's certainly eye-catching and allowed him to store numerous tricks up his sleeves in the most literal sense, but it's tedious. Once free of the obi the pale yellow kimono quickly follows. He moves to hang them up alongside his and Senku's coats. 

"Everything that's wet, mentalist," Senku says sternly, gesturing at his shirt as he begins to light a bucket of coals on fire in the middle of the room. He's already undressed down to the flimsy shorts he wears under his lab coat. In the back of his mind Gen notices Senku's hair really does go down when it's wet, pale blonde and green strands sticking to his face. 

And unfortunately also notices it's kinda cute, if a little out of character. 

Still, Gen doesn't hold back his sigh at Senku's words. Although being without long sleeves made him feel exposed, it was only at night and around Senku and Chrome, so he could tolerate setting his coat and kimono aside in those moments. He didn't feel particularly threatened by either scientist, more safe than he would like to admit actually. 

But his shirt was another thing altogether. 

"It's not that wet, don't worry!" It's his flimsiest lie to date and he knows it. "Not nearly as wet as your hair, Senku-chan-!" 

"I can see it's soaking wet from here. You can't get sick. Off. Now." Senku's voice is stern, ignoring the comment about his hair, and Gen can't really get mad at him for it. He's right after all, illness isn't a laughing matter. Not when they lack many of the essential resources to stave off disease. Just making the antibiotics for Ruri took so many long months. 

So he starts to unlace the cord that holds the front of his shirt together, beginning at his neck, keeping his back to Senku.

I didn't exactly want him to see me like this.... Glancing down Gen can clearly see the ugly scars on his abdomen from when Magma attacked him. Despite all his safeguards and Senku's medical treatment he did still come out of that injured. He has others, smaller, on his arms and torso from attempting to protect himself. But the worst is the one from the spear. 

Even on the first trip he had taken with Senku and some of the other men to bathe in the river one morning earlier in the week, he had avoided anyone seeing his scars. Gen knew he was more than a bit self centered, valuing his appearance and diligently maintaining it even now, so perhaps in the old world a scar like this would have upset him more. Yet it wasn't the scar itself that was the problem. 

No, what truly bothered him was having others worry and fawn over his well being. 

Gen hangs his shirt with the rest of their wet clothes reluctantly. At least his pants were dry enough, only a little muddy at the ankles. If he says anything about it, avoiding talking about this is going to be impossible. Worry is the last thing he needs on his mind, and Senku-chan is always one bleeding heart away from a breakdown of his own.

"We also have to change your bandages," Senku says as Gen mentally prepares to turn around. He puts on his best disinterested face, hoping to steer attention to his hands and the storm roaring outside.

As long as he doesn't attempt to conceal his scars, Senku shouldn't immediately notice them in the dimly lit room. Only the coals and a few oil lamps - when did he light those? - bring any light into the small space. He prays the shadows conceal him enough. 

When he turns around Gen rubs absently at his bandaged hands. To an untrained eye it would look like a subconscious gesture. He holds his hands higher to his chest, bringing attention towards his upper body. Misdirection is his specialty after all. "My my, this weather is atrociousyay! At least the sound of rain and thunder is a proven sleep aid, it should lul us right to dreamland.~" 

Senku's eyes, partially obscured by his drooping wet hair, stay on his hands as Gen moves to sit directly in front of him, just as planned. He already has a first aid kit beside him and gestures for Gen to put his hands out, palms up, just as he'd done that afternoon. Gen complies, hiding his reluctance with a sweet practiced smile. 

The bandages are stained with charcoal and dust from their work in the lab. Senku takes each of his hands and begins to remove them carefully. His touch is as gentle as it had been earlier despite how rough the scientist's hands are. Gen is lucky he knows how to control his breathing, no anxiety or nervousness coming through as Senku disinfects the wounds after carefully inspecting them. But the low light, the atmosphere provided by the storm, and even the disarray of the scientist's hair makes the moment feel more intimate than before.

I shouldn't be this affected by him just touching my hands, it's almost as bad as when Kohaku caught me earlier....

"I'm gonna hold off on wrapping them again, we have to let your hands dry out and your wounds breathe first," Senku says, reaching for a shelf behind him and pulling out some rags. He passes a few to Gen and they start to dry off. 

Gen begins with his hair when he notices Senku begins with his legs and feet, shoddy shoes long gone. He focuses on squeezing water out of his bangs. If I time this right he'll have the towel in his face when I get to my torso. It works, when Senku goes to dry his own hair next, using a different rag, making his green tipped hair stand on end again. Gen takes the opportunity to dry his torso and arms.

It's when he moves to get the drying mud off his feet and pants hem that he messes up. 

"You really need some fucking shoes, mentalist. Do you know how many fungal infections you could pick-" Senku's words cut off, eyes following the line from Gen's hands up his arms and stopping at his elbows. It's too late for Gen to cover up, to cross his arms in front of his abdomen and feign modesty. Senku's eyes have already landed on the scar, ruby red irises widening. 

"Mentalist-" 

"What now, Senku-chan?" Gen lets annoyance seep into his voice, allowing his posture to relax. Although he messed up the timing, failing to account for how quick Senku would be to towel off his messy hair, and failing to angle his body just right for Senku's sightline, there's still an opportunity to salvage this. He cards a hand through his hair, leaning back on the other hand and suppressing flinching as the motions bother the deep cuts on his hands.

If I don't make a big deal out of this he shouldn't either.

But Senku's shoulders slump, worried eyes darting back up to his face as his voice softens. "Gen...." 

But it's Senku, and Gen should know better by now. 

___ 

"Who treated your injuries when you got back to the empire?" Senku doesn't waste any time beating around the bush. He doesn't see any tension in Gen's posture, but the mentalist's dry gaze betrays him. 

"Hm, I can't really remember-" 

"Cut the crap and just tell me." 

Gen's face changes to one of discontent as he lets out a sigh. "I did." 

"Tsukasa doesn't have anyone who knows first aid?" Senku is actually surprised by that, but not as surprised as he is to hear honesty in the mentalist's voice. As he is to hear genuine worry in his own.

"Oh he does," Gen says, almost bitterly. "But I trust anyoneyay who Tsukasa-chan revived as far as I can throw them."

"So you just-" 

"I know, I know. I did a horrible job. I had to re-open all of them before I arrived to declare your death," Gen says cooly. He doesn't sound upset at his own actions, but rather at being asked about it. Senku isn't sure what to do about that. 

"....Why would you do that? You could have gotten an infection and fucking died you dumbass," Senku scolds him, but his tone comes out more gentle than he intended. That wasn't safe and they both knew it.

"I needed to make it seem believable," Gen says simply, handing Senku back the rags once he's done. He places them in a pile off to the side, too focused on the conversation to stand and set them to dry with their clothes. He doesn't want to give Gen the opportunity to change the subject, something the mentalist is irritatingly good at. 

"You could have faked it," Senku offers, thinking of the bags of fake blood that had saved Gen's life once already. Of the many tricks the mentalist had to have stashed away. He knows that kind of deception comes easy to someone as crafty as Gen. 

"Tsukasa-chan was a professional mixed martial artist. He knows what real blood looks like. A bruise or cut from far away is easy to make appear fresh, but new blood is another thing altogether."

And he is right, the logic is undeniably there, Tsukasa of all people would be able to tell the difference. But Senku doesn't have to like it. Hates it a fucking lot actually.

"....Why then? For a bottle of fucking cola?" He tries not to sound as angry or upset as he feels. Wonders why he's so hung up on something that already happened. Knows Gen is just as willing to take drastic risks as the rest of the kingdom, risks that mean certain death if they go sideways. Has seen him do it when they faced off against Hyoga and his team. Believed ten billion percent in the mentalist's abilities at keeping Tsukasa off their trail for as long as he did. 

"Lies aren't without their due payment, Senku-chan," Gen answers easily. Too easily to put anyone at ease. Not with how the corner of his lips tip up and his mouth-shaped scar mimics the motion. "And I know that better than anyone.~" 

For a moment Senku feels like he's looking at a total stranger. But the longer he studies the mentalist's face, and sees his own determination reflected in Gen's blue eyes, the more he feels like he's looking at himself. Someone who wants to survive no matter the cost. It's almost unnerving how easily Gen becomes a mirror for those around him, reflecting both the best and worst parts depending on what the mentalist wants to amplify. 

Like a prism, each face a different lie or truth, refracting reality at his whim.

Yet that's what got them all this far, what spared the village from Tsukasa's wrath and gave them time to prepare for the war in the spring. 

When he realizes he's been holding eye contact with Gen for exactly sixty seconds without a word said between them he feels his face heat up and quickly breaks the gaze, looking away at the burning coals. As if that's going to help. As if Gen hasn't noticed even in the low light of the oil lamps. 

"I'm prepared to make the same sacrifices as you, Senku-chan," Gen says quietly, his rare honesty coming through in his voice. It makes Senku look up to meet his eyes again. "But you still owe me. Don't go thinking a bottle of cola is enoughyay. I'm the most selfish man in the world, and I'd be offended if you thought otherwise.~" 

But he already does, and knows Gen knows it too. Yet his words make the unsteady whirlwind of thoughts in Senku's mind settle down. He's too good at reading people. At reading me. It's gonna get me in trouble one day....

"You said one bottle, mentalist. If you want anything else you have to work for it," he says dryly, glad to get a laugh out of Gen. Tension he didn't realize had worked its way into his shoulders relaxes at the sound. He shouldn't like hearing that laugh as much as he does. Really doesn't want to admit it to himself. And is more than glad Gen can't actually read his exact thoughts.

"Whaa Senku-chan that's so mean, you're such a demanding chief!" Gen chuckles, covering his mouth with one hand. 

A loud lightning strike hits outside the shed that makes them both jump, neither able to suppress their reactions. Once they've recovered, a quick glance at the door then back at each other sends them into hysterics. It's a while before either is able to collect themselves.

"It's gonna be a long night, if the storm carries into the morning we'll have to wait it out here," Senku says as he catches his breath.

"I hope Chrome and Kaseki will be okay, neither of them said where they were going," Gen wonders out loud, the thunder rumbling outside. 

"They're both resourceful and they've been living in this stone world since birth, they'll be fine," Senku reassures with a wave of his hand, confident that the pair will be okay through this storm. "Now that we're dry you need new bandages." 

"Ah, right, nearly forgot about that," Gen says as he holds his hands up. Senku gets the first aid kit again then gets to work cleaning and disinfecting Gen's cuts a second time that night. Better to be safe than sorry. The way Gen doesn't flinch even when he dabs the cuts with alcohol is uncanny, but it's the same as before. He isn't sure how anyone can suppress pain responses so aptly, and files it away to ask another time. 

As he's wrapping Gen's hands he spares a glance at the mentalist's abdomen. Although Gen gave his reasons, and Senku couldn't fight those at all, not after what Gen said, he can't help it. He wants- no, needs - to check the scars himself. He lets out a huff, preparing for another rebuttal. "Let me look at them." 

"Senku-chan don't you trust I took care of it as best I ouldcay?" The look Senku gives him says otherwise. Gen sighs deeply. "....Fine." 

"Lay back," Senku instructs, setting out one of the bed rolls. Gen doesn't argue, thankfully, laying down without a single protest. He stretches his arms to his sides, and it suddenly feels all too familiar. Senku can't help but remember the night Gen was stabbed. At the time he was concerned, sure, anyone would be. And impressed at the mentalist's self preservation, even he wouldn't have thought of using fake blood and gourds to protect himself from an attack that wasn't absolutely certain.

But something feels different now and he can't seem to place what it is.

"Tell me if anything hurts," Senku says, applying gentle pressure to the irregular bumpy scar. He doesn't miss how Gen chokes down a giggle at the contact. 

Oh, I really shouldn't….

Chapter Text

Gen is so caught up soaking in Senku's genuine concern, for once not made uncomfortable by someone worrying about him, that the unavoidable consequence of Senku examining his scar goes right over his head. Too wrapped up in the surprise of his own compliance to remember something very very important. But it's too late when the pressure Senku puts on the scar feels light as a feather brushing against his skin. 

Oh fuck- I'm ticklish wait-

It's all he can do to choke back a giggle.

There's no denying it happened. No way to take the pathetic little sound back once it's out. Gen spares a glance up at Senku and catches the shift from surprise and innocent curiosity to a malevolent grin that rivals only his own when a scheme is falling into place. It's downright terrifying. "Wait Senku-chan- don't you areday- " 

"Consider this payback , mentalist," Senku croons evilly, smirking down at Gen, red eyes full of vengeance bright in the dark room. 

Before Gen can even try to move away calloused hands descend on his sensitive sides, dancing over his bare skin, forcing laughter out of his mouth. Each stroke of Senku's fingers sends shivers through his body, fighting desperately not to laugh. It's to no avail, and soon the scientists has him pinned to the floor, squirming uncontrollably, pained laughter filling the small room, only drowned by the heavy thunder and lightning outside.

It's pure agony. Gen's careful veneer has cracked, Senku taking a swing at it with every movement of his hands, and there's no getting it back. It's terrifying yet practically liberating.

Oh god he's gonna ruin me-

"S-enku-c-" he chokes out between bouts of giggles that leave his breath coming out ragged, face hot with strain. "God- Sen-" 

"No use, Gen," Senku brags loudly with a mocking cackle. "I found your weakness!" 

Gen tries to wiggle away from the relentless onslaught, but Senku has him trapped on the spot. In his haze he weakly tries to push Senku away with his arms and legs, but the intensity of Senku's tickle attack has rendered his muscles weak and useless. In a last ditch effort he manages to grab a stray pillow somewhere above him on the bed roll and brings it down on Senku's head as hard as he can. 

"Oi! Mentalist! That's cheating! " Senku raises an arm to shield his face from the pillow and creates the perfect opening for Gen to roll away, out of reach of the scientist's dangerous fingers. He lands in a crumpled mess against one of the shelves, hair sticking up everywhere and breathing hard. But he isn't the only one, Senku is struggling to catch his breath too, something that puts a satisfied smirk on Gen's face. 

"Payback you say?" Gen gets out in a strained huff, blowing his bangs out of his face. He grabs the pillow from where he dropped it and smiles his worst smile at the cowering scientist. "I'll show you payback, Senku-chan! "

"No- no- wait-" Senku tries to say, eyes wide with panic, just as Gen launches himself forward. He swings the pillow down repeatedly on Senku, showing no mercy. 

"Two can play at this amegay, Senku-chan!" Gen howls, exacting swift revenge. Senku tries to get away, but Gen is quick to follow, unable to hold back his downright nefarious laughter. Briefly he's glad Chrome isn't around right now. We must look like deranged school children.  

All too soon Senku has managed to get ahold of his own pillow, holding it in front of himself defiantly. " This means war, mentalist! "

Gen yelps as Senku takes a swing at him, pillow colliding with his side. They chase each other around the small hut for what feels like an eternity, each landing hard blows and hurling petty insults, straw stuffing from the pillows flying everywhere. It isn't until Senku knocks an oil lamp off a shelf and Gen drops the pillow he's brandishing to catch it, not a drop of oil spilt, that the pair dissolves into a giggling pile on the floor, limbs tangled without a care. 

As Senku slumps against his side, both having given up and abandoned the deflated pillows, Gen lets the pleasant euphoric sensation of their excitement wash over him, thick like a warm blanket. I think we both needed this. I haven't had this much fun since....well I can't even remember.

After some silence, only their breathing and the loud storm filling their ears, Gen gets curious. "Say, Senku-chan....revenge for what exactly?"

"....Insulting my hair." 

___  

Gen's laughter at his admission is brighter than any man made light. Totally unrestrained, sounding entirely unlike anything Senku has heard come from the mentalist until now. They've shared laughter over many things already, between each other and with Kohaku, Chrome, and the other members of the kingdom. Had just drawn endless bubbly giggles out of the mentalist with his own hands. But this is just....different. A nice kind of different that Senku can't help from cataloging in his mind as if it's a precious piece of information he needs to save for later. Scolds himself for it, not really understanding why it feels so important. 

"For insulting your hair?! Really Senku-chan," Gen manages to say, still laughing. "That's so ildishchay of you-!" 

"You're the one who started a pillow fight. What are we, twelve?" Senku points out, sitting up and untangling himself from Gen's side, hoping Gen doesn't take it the wrong way. He's just had more than enough physical contact for one day. Feels a bit overwhelmed by the closeness and Gen's sudden brightness in the dark of the night. He did initiate some of it himself, but still. I don't wanna have to explain that....

"I only started it to escape a certain mad scientist's tickle attack!" Gen argues, wiggling his fingers, not batting an eye at Senku moving away. 

"I'd like to see proof of that supposed 'attack', mentalist," Senku jokes, enjoying the outrage on Gen's face. "That's a pretty serious accusation." 

"I'll have you know I have a witness!" Gen bites back. "The assailant himself!" 

"I don't think that'll fly in court," Senku retorts, trying to keep a straight face. He fails miserably, but so does Gen. 

After a few more minutes of laughter Gen moves to stand, extinguishing the oil lamps then going to straighten out his bed roll. "I didn't think you were that much of a prankster, Senku-chan. You're gonna give me some ealray competition around here!" 

"Yea right, as if you need any more reasons to be an insufferable brat," Senku says, setting up his own and laying down finally. He tosses a fur pelt at Gen, who catches it easily, then wraps up in his own to get warm. As if all their running around like loons hadn't gotten his blood pumping, a thin sheet of sweat sticking to his skin. 

"I am not insufferable," Gen answers back, pulling the pelt over his head. "But I will concede to being a brat.~" 

It isn't until he's halfway to sleep that Senku realizes that maybe, just maybe, Gen had tricked him into starting the tickle fight to get out of Senku inspecting his scars. Either way, he never completed that task. But it's late, he's tired, and they have another long day tomorrow. He can run the numbers of his speculation later. 

Only when he wakes up in the morning the storm is still raging around the hut and he can't hear any hammers from early risers in the distance. 

Well fuck.

Senku turns to find Gen has curled up right against one of the shelves, feet sticking out from his pelt. It's no surprise that the mentalist is still asleep despite the warmth of the shed having died when the coals fizzled out sometime in the night. Senku sits up to light them again, and a few oil lamps as well, being more careful with them than he had been the previous night during their ridiculous pillow fight. 

He reaches over to shake Gen awake, and is met with an annoyed grumble. "Wake up mentalist, it's morning already." 

" THE PLANTS! " Gen shoots upright in a frazzled daze, eyes wild and hair full of cow licks sticking up at weird angles, pelt cast aside. It makes Senku jump back, started. Both by how awful Gen looks and by the realization- 

"Oh fuck the plants-" 

"Whaa Senku-chan, we're gonna have to start over," Gen moans, rubbing his face with his hands, voice deeper with the weight of sleep. As if suddenly realizing he's being watched, his hands still. Senku tries not to stare. Tries not to notice that Gen doesn't actually look that bad, stray pieces of straw stuck to his hair. Just strangely exposed-

But as soon as Gen takes his hands away from his face his expression is back to the neutral smile he always wears, only colored by some annoyance with the weather and prospect of more work. As if he had hit a reset button on his emotions. Senku decides to trust his gut this time, something he very rarely does, and doesn't probe Gen about what he just saw. That was unnerving. The only times I've woken up before him Chrome was here too so I didn't notice anything like that....

"We'll just start over, mentalist," Senku says, standing to get dressed, trying to shake the thought out of his head for now. He's glad his lab coat has dried in the time they were sleeping. "Science is diligent and repetitive."

"Easy for you to say," Gen yawns, and Senku doesn't dare look at him as Gen comes to stand next to him to take his clothes, thankfully also dry. The mentalist gets dressed quietly and Senku sits to focus on putting on his shoes and deciding what they're going to do about the weather. The two of them are effectively stuck in the shed for the day unless the storm clears, which it doesn't seem like it will from how strong the winds howling outside sound. 

Gen voices what he's thinking, ever the mind reader. "Knowing your luck, this storm won't clear. We're uckstay here aren't we?" 

"Seems like it," Senku sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. There's not much use fighting mother nature in this stone world, so they just have to wait it out. He hopes whatever Chrome and Kaseki are doing doesn't get further delayed by the storm. 

"What will we do about our meals?" Gen laments, finishing shrugging on his coat and smoothing down his hair. Senku stands, stretching his arms above his head before answering. 

"We're not gonna do anything, you don't have any fucking shoes and it's muddy as hell right now. I'm gonna go to the village," he says, looking on a high shelf for a cloak he knew Chrome kept around just for such weather. "I'll bring everything we need, just give me an hour." 

"Just let me help, Senku-chan-" 

"Nope, you're not gonna convince me. You wanna get hurt again, mentalist?" he tosses a glare at the other man, surprised Gen is even willing to offer any kind of help, quickly putting on the brown cloak. The mentalist rolls his eyes but doesn't argue.

"....At least be arefulcay Senku-chan, you can hardly carry a feather on a normal day," Gen says, sitting down in front of the coals reluctantly. Senku doesn't miss the insult, but doesn't want to stand around poking jabs at each other all morning. 

"I'll be fine without a millimeter of doubt." 

___

Gen watches Senku's cloaked form disappear into the intense downpour before shutting the doors to the shed against the cold rain. He hopes that for once Senku's bad luck doesn't strike again, at least not so soon. Settling back next to the coal bucket, he pulls a pelt over his shoulders, the room still not warm enough even with his now dry layers of clothes enveloping him. It had been so hot up until the storm brought a cold front with it.

He lets himself reminisce about the previous night, impressed at the progress he managed to make with Senku in such a short amount of time. He was well aware the scientist didn't enjoy much physical contact with others, and had seen it in the way Senku shrugged off Chrome and Ginro quickly when either got too excited. Saw the way Senku retraced at pats on the back or an arm over his shoulder from overzealous villagers. 

But he also knew Senku wasn't totally touch averse. Knew Senku liked to fistbump his allies whenever they were getting motivated for a new plan, had seen him pat the children's heads, and sit shoulder to shoulder with Kohaku and Chrome. It just worked out better when he was the one initiating it. Which is why he was so surprised and caught off guard when Senku started tickling him, quickly moving past the medical observation of the scar on Gen's abdomen to a childlike playfulness he had only caught glimpses of before. 

It was something Gen knew Senku hadn't lost, but didn't know how to bring out in himself. 

Probably hadn't tried, too focused on rebuilding the world from the ground up. And since laughter was the best medicine Gen could offer for now, just short of providing actual therapy that he knew Senku would reject immediately, he welcomed any opportunity to draw that jovial side of the scientist out. Even at his own expense. 

Here I was worrying about running out of decent jokes, especially since my magic tricks are useless with him, but Senku-chan gave me something better. Gen leans back against the wall, crossing his legs in front of him. His curiosity and passion for the world around him is only rivaled by one thing. His competitiveness.

Now to figure out how to put it into action. Looking around the room for inspiration, Gen's eyes land on a bin full of average looking flat-ish oval rocks in two different colors. He smiles as an idea settles into his mind. Now if I could find something to use as a board-

Aha! He sees a small pile of wood planks tucked to the side of one of the shelves in varying sizes. I'll have to thank you later, Chrome. Hopefully you don't mind me borrowing a few of your materials.

Gen stands to retrieve the necessary tools, then sits back down to get to work, pulling out a small knife and charcoal pencil. Senku gave him one hour. It should be plenty of time to make everything he needs and tuck it away out of sight until the right moment to surprise the scientist. And enough time to change his own bandages to hide the evidence of charcoal. 

Now to think of a reason to give him, he'll question me immediately and I can't let him know the real goal here.

Just as he said, Senku arrives within the hour, arms full with one large pot and a satchel at his hip, calling out to Gen through the clap of thunder. He pushes the curtain aside to make sure it doesn't get in the way, and covers his head with his coat as he steps out to help Senku. The struggling scientist hoists the pot up for Gen to take, warning that it's hot, then makes his way up the wet ladder as Gen brings the pot inside. Gen sets the pot down to help Senku the rest of the way up, closing the curtain and doors behind the scientist once he's safely inside.

"It's your lucky day, mentalist," Senku says as he shrugs off the cape that thankfully kept him mostly dry, hanging it where they had put their wet clothes the night before as he kicks off his muddy shoes. "Someone made ramen today." 

Gen doesn't hold back his glee. "Oh thank the stars above, if I had to eat fish stew again-!" 

"I thought you didn't like the ramen much?" Senku chuckles, placing a metal stand over the bucket of coals and gesturing for Gen to put the pot on top. 

"The foxtail noodles are atrociousyay honestly," Gen grimaces, making sure the pot is secure on the stand. "But it's infinitely better than repeating that stew!" 

"Well then you better enjoy it, this'll be our three meals for the day. And probably breakfast tomorrow," Senku points out, sitting down and reaching for the satchel. Gen sits beside him, and the scientist passes him two bowls and a ladell. Gen doesn't waste any time, taking the lid off the pot and filling up the bowls nearly to the brim. 

Once settled in, steaming hot ramen warming up their hands, they let out sighs of relief in unison. The first sip of broth is the most satisfying, and Gen hums in content while Senku tells him about how everyone at the village is doing. Just like them, everyone has hunkered down for the day, prepared to spend it indoors for as long as necessary. Although construction isn't anywhere near done, enough huts that only suffered minor damage have been repaired to keep everyone sheltered from the weather. 

The relief in Senku's voice is obvious. You care about these people more than you let on, Senku-chan....

The sound of rain makes for a comfortable backdrop as they finish eating, chatting softly about the plans the village has for the following week. It feels oddly domestic, considering there's a war to prepare for looming around the corner. Yet Gen can't find it in himself to be put off by the atmosphere. He hasn't felt this relaxed and safe since, well, several thousand years ago. 

"Kohaku is gonna come check on us at some point," Senku says, taking both their bowls and utensils and setting them on a shelf out of the way. "I told her not to bother, but she's just so stubborn." 

"Hm, she's not the only one I'd call stubborn," Gen says, causing Senku to snort, clearly insulted by the implication. "However, I think her stubbornness comes from her drive to protect people. She means well." 

Gen recalls hearing of everything she did to save her sister, and knows Senku is thinking about the same thing. "Yea....she just tries too hard sometimes." 

"Well you ertainlycay aren't wrong about that!" Gen laughs. Kohaku was intense, there wasn't any denying it. He would never voice it, but he did find it admirable. Her strong will and determination drew people to her like moths to an open flame, himself included. "Anyway, she's probably gonna take the opportunity to check on Chrome and Kaseki too, when she comes out here." 

"Oh yea, I wouldn't put it past her," Senku replies, boredom and irritation permeating his voice. 

He's just as stubborn as her Gen thinks, knowing that's what allowed them to accomplish so much together. He'll deny it, but he's just as impatient as her too. He's just good at suppressing it when it comes to scientific endeavours. But when he doesn't have something like that to occupy his time....

"Now we just have to sit tight till the storm passes," Senku says as if on cue, letting out a frustrated sound, crossing his arms, eyebrows scrunched together. 

Oh he makes this too easy sometimes.  

"We could play a game to pass the time," Gen suggests casually. 

"What, one of your shitty mind games? No thanks," Senku waves him off, eyes closed, clearly trying to think of a way to keep busy.

"Your rudeness knows no limits. Come on, Senku-chan, you're no unfay." 

"I said no, you're not gonna rope me into that shit ment-" he cuts off with a strangled sound when he opens his eyes again. 

Gen had reached into his coat, pulling out the fruit of his labor as if out of thin air, board in one hand and two bags of stones in the other. He wears a wide toothy grin openly. Feels proud of catching Senku off guard.

"Wh- when- where-!"

"It's not mind games I was talking about," Gen says, smoothly setting the board down between them. 

" Gen how the fuck-?! " 

"I bore easily, Senku-chan, and you're my only worthy opponent in this stone world we've been thrown into," Gen goads, opening the bags and pouring out the black and white stones. "Let's play checkers!~"

Chapter Text

Senku grits his teeth in frustration, glaring at the checker board in front of him. Where and when Gen managed to make one is entirely lost on him, much less how the hell he hid it inside his coat without it being noticeable. Though the mystery of Gen's endlessly giving coat is another thing altogether. The grid is carved in tidy lines, black tiles colored in with charcoal on the pale toned wood. It's a bit rough around the edges, but it's more than enough to get the job done.

And how the absolute fuck the mentalist has him on his toes with such a simple game is even more of a conundrum.

He knows Gen knows how to read people near flawlessly. Knows that this game is all about strategy, staying several steps ahead of your opponent. Yet could have never predicted Gen would be this good at it. They're evenly tied for wins. It's just a fucking game, but he's taking it so seriously and it's got me fired up too-

Gen's expression is nearly unreadable, usual small smile replaced with a cocky grin that holds absolutely nothing behind it. His features are practically empty, nearly hollow, and it's more infuriating than it should be. The only indication that Gen is as invested in this game as he is that Senku can see is a glimmer of something he doesn't recognize in the mentalist's unusually stormy eyes. 

"Giving up yet, my dear scientist?" Gen's voice is sickeningly sweet when Senku takes a second too long to make his next move. Gen doesn't waste any time on his, acting seemingly on reflex. 

"In your fucking dreams," Senku almost snarls as he plays his next move. I need to calm down....

"Now now, Senku-chan," Gen scolds, meeting Senku's eyes as he lands a winning move. "Don't be such a sore oserlay.~" 

"Fuck!" Senku snaps. If he was any more angry he would throw the board in Gen's stupid smug face. 

"I don't think I've seen you this worked up before!" Gen laughs heartily, resetting the black and white stones they were using as game pieces. "Tell me, Senku-chan, were you undefeated at strategy games in the old world?" 

"....It's not like I was trying to show anyone up," Senku admits, scratching his cheek. "They're just fucking easy. Predictable. It's all about the math. There's only so many movesets." 

"Of course you weren't," Gen placates. "But it's not all about math. It's about reading your opponent!" 

"Your mind tricks can only get you so far," Senku argues.

"Excuse me, my mind tricks have us five to six right now," Gen boasts, leaning his chin on one palm. "Do you know what one of my most opularpay tricks when I was a guest on talk shows was?"

"Annoying the host right off the set?"

"Facing off against master chess and go players.~" 

Senku's eyes widen as he assesses what Gen said. Checkers holds nothing to how complex chess and go are, it's practically childs play. He realizes then that while making a chess set with the limited tools Gen has had access to would have been impossible in the short time frame he's been at the kingdom, making this a go board instead of a checker board would have been all too easy. 

His eyes narrow as he watches Gen's unchanging expression. "Are you underestimating me, mentalist?" 

"I wouldn't dare Senku-chan!~"

That gets him genuinely excited.

Sure, he's faced off against some strong players before. The type of people who dedicated years of their lives, whole decades, to perfecting their skills at just one or two games. Had lost before while he was still learning. But the math was undeniable and had gotten him enough wins that even his school's board game club wouldn't stop hounding him to join them for tournaments. However there wasn't any real challenge in always winning, and he had other things he cared about more. 

Gen on the other hand was someone who used a totally different approach to strategy games than him, instead relying on his deep understanding of the human psyche and the patterns produced by players instead of the ones produced by the pieces on the board. Used this skill to advance in his career like he did all the other assorted talents he had under his belt. So long as he had a grasp on the rules and how to play fairly, who he went up against and what game they played basically meant nothing if he could read them. 

Like he's been reading me.

For a second he laments that they're just playing checkers. Part of him wants to see who could come out on top in chess, is actually kind of terrified to think of how playing go would turn out. Considering its  been calculated there's approximately 2.1 × 10^170th legal board positions in go. There's only estimated to be about 1 × 10^8th atoms in the known observable universe.  

He and Gen could be in front of a go board for an entire lifetime and never play the same round twice. 

I don't think I would mind.

___

After a defeat from Senku that left them tied at fifteen to fifteen, the pair stopped for lunch. The hours rolled by smoothly when they were having this much fun. Well, to Gen it was all in good fun. He wasn't nearly as competitive as Senku, who was definitely enjoying himself but seemed bitter at being tied on wins so far.

At some point they had stoked the dying embers of the coals to life again, so by now their ramen was as nice and hot as it had been that morning. Repeating this meal was a little annoying, but it absolutely beat the fish stew by a landslide. Bitter foxtail noodles aside.

Gen served their bowls, rinsed out with rainwater just a while earlier, then sat comfortably to enjoy his meal and unwind from the checkers marathon. Senku was a relentless opponent, having a steep advantage with his mathematical prowess, which made things oh so difficult for Gen. He's hard to read when he's so focused, he only gives me a few seconds to figure out his next move.

"So when the hell did you make the board?" Senku tries to ask casually. 

"Sorry, I can't reveal trade secrets so easily," Gen says, slurping his noodles. "Try speaking to my manager first. If she drafts up a contract then maybe we can talk." 

"There's no legally binding contracts anymore," Senku says, sipping his broth. "No law to hold any of it up, no paper to draft it on." 

"God you're right, not even your marriage had any legal grounds beyond 'I do'." 

"Those weren't the exact words," Senku corrects, and Gen can only imagine the look on Ruri's face the day of the village games. "Besides, it didn't last long. Divorce rates are high when you have a war to win." 

"My my, Senku-chan! The stone world's first divorced high schooler turned chief! Oh the scandals that would have brought in the old world!" They both laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. "It would have made a eatgray headline at least!" 

"A cheap one, maybe." 

"Oh absolutely," Gen agrees. "My manager ate that kind of thing up." 

"She sounds like the kind of person Tsukasa hates." 

" I'm the kind of person Tsukasa-chan hates and he still revived me!" 

"God, yea, I dunno how he thought that was a good idea." 

"We'll have to ask him one day," Gen says, both of them snickering. 

"Your manager, did Tsukasa....?" 

"I have no idea," Gen laments, filling in the blanks of Senku's rather loaded question. "We were in the same building when we were petrified, but I don't even know how Tsukasa-chan found me. She's not that old, so all I can hope is that he overlooked her." 

"We'll bring her back one day," Senku says with the same conviction that he declares all of humanity will be saved. Gen doesn't doubt it one bit. 

"But we have to defeat Tsukasa-chan first." 

"But we have to defeat Tsukasa first," Senku agrees. Neither of them sound bitter, thankfully. 

"Oh actually, speaking of Tsukasa-chan," Gen says, scooping some vegetables into his mouth. "You asked me how we met, but I don't recall if you ever mentioned how you two met? He certainly didn't talk about it beyond telling everyone he killed you." 

"Ah, yea. It wasn't that great," Senku's face scrunches up remembering the incident. "Taiju and I got attacked by lions when we were about to revive Yuzuriha, and Tsukasa happened to be nearby. Taiju recognized him from TV, so we took a gamble that he could protect us."

"Wow your bad luck is so much orseway than I expected," Gen deadpans, earning himself a glare. 

"This once I can't disagree with you." 

"Remind me never to side with you on games of chance." 

"Remind me never to fucking play games of chance ever again." 

"Noted! I'll hold you to those words!" 

Senku laughs, no regret in his tone. Although he knows Senku must have his grievances about Tsukasa, he also knows Senku isn't the type to dwell too long on the past. Whatever happened then is irreversible. What's ahead of them matters far more. 

"Up for another round?" Senku asks as they finish up lunch. Gen can see the drive for another win in his eyes, clearly enthralled by the challenge of a true opponent. 

"Oh you're on, Senku-chan!~" 

___

Gen has pulled ahead of Senku enough for him to wonder if the mentalist is cheating. Or am I just losing my touch? They're at twenty-three to twenty-nine, and he's actually starting to get annoyed. Can't see any opportunities for Gen to cheat, eyes glued to the checker board while he calculates the probability that the mentalist is pulling a fast one on him.

It's when they get to thirty-nine to fifty-two several long hours later that Senku actually snaps. How the fuck is he beating me-

"I didn't expect to get so far ahead," Gen says, expression still calm, a vast difference to Senku who's practically fuming. "Maybe we should take a eakbray. You need it, Senku-chan." 

"No the fuck I don't," Senku all but growls.

"If you say so," Gen says with a hint of pity. He wins again. And Senku sees red. 

The board and game pieces go flying before he realizes that he swatted it off the floor in his frustration. Anger boils under his skin at his impulsive reaction. At Gen's alarmed face. 

Fuck-

"Oi, Senk-" neither of them had noticed Kohaku coming up the ladder, or had heard the door to the shed open. Well, if Gen had he didn't say it. But it's too late to play off his tantrum when one of the stone game pieces that went flying ricochets off a pot and smacks Kohaku square in the face. 

He and Gen both freeze. It all happened in less than five seconds, but in no time at all Kohaku has him in a choke hold. Her fist comes down hard on his head and he immediately wishes it was the straw pillow Gen had attacked him with the previous night.

"What the fuck was that for huh?!" 

"It was an accident, Kohaku! An accident!" Gen immediately jumps to hold her back, grabbing her arms to try to shake her off. But despite being a hair stronger than Senku, Gen is nowhere near as strong as Kohaku, so his attempt is futile. 

"It was really an accident," Senku chokes out, trying to keep her arms from restricting his airway, head already throbbing from the blow to his skull. "Get off, lioness!" 

Senku immediately remembers why he needed Gen in the village as soon as possible. His words always betray him, too harsh and unfiltered. His mistake is made obvious when Kohaku swings her fist down again, right on top of the already forming lump from her first punch. 

" I'm not a lioness! "

It takes a while for Gen to calm Kohaku down, but he manages to get her to let go of him eventually. Senku nurses a newfound headache while the mentalist checks the scratch on Kohaku's forehead, first aid kit coming in handy way too many times lately. Technically this is Gen's fault, he's the one who made the checker board-

"This was not my fault," Gen says, shooting Senku a glare. Through the haze of the headache he can't tell if he had blamed Gen out loud or not. "You're the one who's too competitive, Senku-chan." 

"What were you two doing anyway? Some new invention?" Kohaku asks, sitting patiently still while Gen cleans the scratch on her face, her own rain cloak long discarded on a hook. If it was Senku patching her up she'd be squirming for him to hurry up and finish already. 

"We were playing checkers," Gen explains, using his free hand to gently tip Kohaku's chin up while he inspects the cut. "It's a popular game from the old world. However our scientist over there got a little too frustrated because I was winning." 

"Ha! It seems there's many things you're not good at, Senku! So far science is your only strength if a silly game got you that worked up!" Kohaku laughs as Gen finishes and puts away the first aid kit. Senku can't argue with her. Too irritated to.

"You must have been cheating," Senku groans, even though he knows the odds are slim to none. 

"I guarantee you I wasn't cheating, Senku-chan, you're just a sore loser." 

"How is it played?" Kohaku asks, curiosity wide on her face.

"I can teach you, if you'd like," Gen tells her, and Senku hears the patient tone the mentalist uses for the villagers every time he explains something new. Kohaku nods eagerly, so Gen retrieves the board from where it landed, then the fallen stones. Senku quietly passes him some that fell closer to where he's sitting, head still pounding.

He watches Gen set up the board in between himself and Kohaku, arranging the pieces and beginning to explain the rules to her. It strikes him that Gen would make an excellent teacher for the villagers. He's already done great at explaining different modern concepts to them, having more patience than Senku and better skill at simplifying terms without leaving out important details. 

In the timespan Senku was alone with the village, the only modern human they'd ever met, he had been bombarded with curious inquiries left and right. Most of them coming from Chrome, Suika, Kohaku, and Kaseki. While Senku thrived knowing his allies were so interested in the old world, was beyond excited to reintroduce everything that was long lost, keeping up with their questions while trying to stay focused on what needed to get done was hell. 

Gen made it look so easy.

Senku leans back to observe how Gen teaches while he sits with his slowly dwindling headache. His method is solid, praising Kohaku verbally each time she understood a rule or moved a piece correctly, without babying her. Giving her time to figure it out on her own when she gets stuck, without rushing her. Each of her questions is answered with tact, even if she has to ask multiple times. Soon enough they complete a full round where she wins without Gen having to coach each of her moves. He can tell the mentalist let her win, if only so she can feel the satisfaction of understanding the game mechanics without coming out of it defeated. But Kohaku looks happy, satisfied, and Senku knows that's exactly the high note Gen wanted to end the lesson on.

He was definitely going places in the old world. But that ambition isn't gone. If anything it seems multiplied by the high stakes we're up against. That's to our advantage.

___

In all honesty, teaching Kohaku how to play checkers is fun. She's a very willing student, and her sharp eye for details makes it easy for her to notice patterns in moves once she has a solid understanding of the rules. Gen can feel Senku assessing his teaching methods, and is sure it'll come back to bite him somehow, but for now he doesn't mind. It's a sound way to pass the time and a decent opportunity to get on the villagers' good side. They still don't completely trust him, which is understandable. He is a liar and a proud turncoat after all. 

Kohaku has calmed down considerably from the incident with Senku earlier, and he can tell Senku's headache is long gone, the lines of his forehead no longer creased. The evening is spent relatively relaxed, something he knows Senku and Kohaku both need. These two desperately need to unwind before another big day rolls around.

It's when they stop for dinner, Gen serving his own in a cup that previously housed water to leave Kohaku one of the two bowls, that he thinks to ask if she ever visited Chrome and Kaseki. 

"I tried to," she says, gratefully accepting her serving of ramen. "Chrome wouldn't let me get close enough to see what they're up to." 

"Of course not," Gen laments. From what little he knew of Chrome he understood there was a bit of a one sided rivalry to best Senku in science, as impossible as that seemed. He does wonder why Kohaku didn't force her way past Chrome, but she must have her reason. "Do they at least have shelter?" 

"Yes, they'll weather the storm just fine, of that I'm confident." 

"Whatever it is better be worth all this trouble," Senku grumbles as he accepts the other bowl from Gen. 

"I'm sure they wouldn't be out there in the storm if it wasn't," Gen reassures him. The three settle down to eat peacefully, not for the first time allowing the rain to fill in the silence.

After a few more games of checkers against Kohaku, and one where Senku challenged her that almost ended with the board flying again, the trio gets ready to sleep. Kohaku takes Chrome's bed roll and settles in by one of the shelves, Senku against the other, leaving Gen wedged in the middle closest to the coals.

Normally Chrome took the middle, eventually rolling into Senku's personal space, leaving the poor scientist to fend him off come morning. Gen had so far avoided being pulled in by Chrome's overbearing snuggly embrace and was deeply glad for it. But sleeping between Senku and Kohaku had a different feeling altogether. 

Being this close to either of them can't be good for me Gen contemplates, peeking out from his pelt to see Senku is already fast asleep, and Kohaku is just about to nod off. Not after how I reacted when Kohaku caught me when I fell....or the tickle fight with Senku-chan....

He feels a blush creep up his cheeks and is glad neither member of the hut will be able to see it. I'm just lonely. It's only natural. There wasn't exactly anyone at the empire I felt safe around, I was constantly on edge all those months. Now that I'm somewhere I can relax it's only to be expected I'm touch deprived and it's catching up with me.

Gen didn't exactly consider himself cuddly, didn't have anyone in the old world he felt emotionally close enough to for frequent contact, but he was still a touchy person by nature. Grazing hands, an arm over a shoulder, grabbing someone's elbow while walking. Sure, half the time he was using these small touches to amplify his friendliness for ulterior means. But they were still satisfying, like microdosing on the benefits of real connections.

It was a tad pathetic, and he knew as much, but each individual has different needs when it comes to skinship and he was no exception. 

Gen wasn't a stranger to relationships necessarily, be they platonic or romantic. There had been people who were friends without actually being friends, the occasional lover, and even clingy fans that filled a gap in his usual life. Names and faces he hardly remembers, but enough contact - without becoming too close - to fulfil the desire for company. He's aware it isn't an ideal way to live. Once upon a time he was simply too busy for connections that ran any deeper.

Or so he told himself.

Habits die hard, especially after a lifetime of building those high barricades. But those times are long gone, and although humanity is barely scraping by as it is, there's promise of a new future should they win this war against Tsukasa. Gen isn't sure if he would ever truly allow himself to become too invested in one person, isn't sure he's capable of dismantling the careful walls he's built around himself to consider it worthwhile. Yet the future is full of uncertainty, singing promise of a better world where anything is possible. Even for someone like Gen.

Despite his undeniable fascination with the human mind, has always preferred to hold others at a distance. I'm self aware enough to know it's damaging to my mental health and wellbeing in the grand scheme of things, but I have as much control over that as I do the weather.

It's not like he hadn't tried, he had been in quite a few relationships. But eventually Gen would grow bored of being able to predict his partners every move. Would find himself shutting away the parts of himself that made him feel vulnerable and exposed. Became exhausted from trying to be the version of himself the other person projected onto him.

It was like a curse. 

At some point Gen had speculated he might be on the aromantic spectrum. Was somewhat comforted by the idea. But eventually he realized that it was easy for him to become romantically attracted to others, he was just too protective of himself to allow those people in. His knowledge of psychology was a double edged sword - Gen understood analyzing himself was futile and he should probably see a professional, but he simply disliked the idea of someone dissecting his mind the way he did to others.

So he settled for infatuations he never acted on. Didn't let himself get close enough to the other person for his own feelings to deepen, and if they did he simply coped with getting over it one way or another. If someone happened to catch feelings for him in the process, he knew how to let people down gently. Or not so gently if the situation called for it.

Gen spared another glance over at the finally dozing Kohaku. She was absolutely someone he could easily fall for. Kindhearted, bold, and incredibly true to herself. Not to mention strong. Just the memory of when she caught him was enough to make him squirm. But she was also beautiful. Not just physically, although that was undeniable no matter how often Chrome insulted her. No, her spirit was pure and bright. He hadn't known her for long but he could tell so much about her already, she was practically an open book. 

Unfortunately that was part of the problem.

Kohaku deserved an equal. And someone who can always predict your every move, who will inevitably tire of reading your actions, through no fault of your own, is no equal.

Still, a small part of Gen hadn't totally given up on the prospect of romance. A part of himself that tried to look ahead at the distant future. In his old life he figured one day he might meet his own equal. That one day, when he was older and wiser, wrinkles forming around his eyes, he would give in to the horrifying temptation of being known. 

He was kind of self sabotaging by shutting people out so easily, but to him an equal would be someone who could understand him the way he understood them. He wasn't pessimistic enough to think someone like that didn't exist. There were seven billion people on earth, cast in stone or not. It wasn't impossible, and Gen prided himself on making the impossible believable. On blending the line between reality and fiction. 

He's a magician at his core.

And the most selfish man on earth.

When Gen finally falls asleep he dreams of a desert oasis where sparkling red rubies replaced any drop of water. 

Chapter Text

Morning gives way to more bad weather, hard rain rhythmic against the shed roof, something that makes Senku blister with annoyance. A less practical part of him that he usually ignores is starting to believe Gen is right. His luck is trash. 

Kohaku and Gen wake up not that long after him, and after changing the mentalist's bandage breakfast is eaten mostly in silence. Kohaku sticks around for another hour before declaring she's going back to the village to check on Ruri and Suika. She disappears into the rain as swiftly as she had arrived the night before. 

"What do you think they do to pass the imetay?" Gen ponders out loud. He looks about as bored as Senku feels. 

"Tell the hundred stories I guess? Or get seasonal tasks that can be done indoors tackled," he speculates. Senku hadn't exactly spent much time with the village itself yet. Most of his time was occupied out here at the lab. Not that it was much different from how he spent his days in the old world. Always busy, always something that had to get done. 

"Nap," Gen says quietly, and Senku can't tell if he's adding to the list or expressing his own desire. 

"Yea," is his only reply. 

The rain pouring outside isn't as intense as it had been the day before, and there's the occasional ray of light peeking through, but it's still too bad to actually go outside and do much of anything. The ground will be too muddy even when the rain finally leaves, whenever that will be. If it even lets up today.

A minute of silence is broken by Gen sighing, something Senku noticed the mentalist does a lot. "Care for a few more rounds of checkers? If you can keep a level head this time, that is." 

"Yea sure, whatever," Senku says, refusing to actually acknowledge his pathetic tantrum from the previous day. He doesn't have the energy to get that worked up again anyway. The past two and a half weeks of nonstop work since the village games, since curing Ruri and Gen's warning of an attack, feel like they're finally catching up to him. His muscles are sore, body worn out. Even his mind feels slower. 

Gen gets the board and game pieces from the shelf he had left it on the night before, and they play silently for a while. This time Senku is more patient with his choice in moves, more calculating, trying to find patterns in the way the other man plays in hopes he can find ways to circumvent the traps set up for him. Yet Gen is still quick to act, as if his snap decisions as soon as Senku finishes playing his moves really are reflex. It's not as alarming now as it had been yesterday, but Senku is still very much impressed. Predicting Gen's moves using logic when the mentalist is defying all things logical feels almost impossible. 

Almost. 

Gen is much smarter than Senku had given him credit for. More cunning, with a mind that's suited for strategy, than he expected. Senku knew from the moment they met that Gen was an intelligent person under all that flashy unnecessary bullshit, but he had no way of knowing how far that really extended. He thinks that maybe this is how Gen prefers it - that people underestimate him so they don't see he's twelve steps ahead, rapidly leaving his opponent in the dust. Wouldn't be surprised if, by the time they call playing checkers quits for the day, Gen has beaten him by a ridiculously huge margin yet again. 

Still, losing sucks. Especially at games where logic should reign supreme, not whatever the fuck Gen is doing. So it's not like Senku doesn't put effort into the game, no, he does want to win. He just knows by now that Gen is better at this than him. His math is flawless yet the mentalist has proven that doesn't mean shit to him. It's genuinely fascinating yet downright annoying. 

He has to wonder how on God's green fucking earth Tsukasa believed a word that came out of Gen's mouth the entire time he was at the empire. Tsukasa was no fool, he was smart in his own ways. He should have been able to see Gen wasn't an honest man by any means. Even Kohaku had picked up on that right away, calling Gen's words light as a feather. Yet Tsukasa became an easy pawn blinded by ambition, dancing on Gen's strings, falling infinite steps behind in the mentalist's twisted dance. 

Was Tsukasa that desperate to make sure I was dead? I know without a millimeter of doubt that Taiju and Yuzuriha did everything they could to make my death seem believable. Not like it mattered now. The secret was out and Gen was on his side. The mentalist had made his choice, just like he and his friends had. Had reassured Senku of it several times already. So why am I so worried about this?

Senku had gotten distracted, too wrapped up in his mostly irrelevant thoughts, to notice something is different on the board. It's not until he goes to make his next move, already setting down his black game piece, that he realizes his mistake. He's fallen into whatever trap Gen set up. The mentalist immediately moves his own white stone, claiming a smooth victory. 

"Hey- hey wait- hold on-" 

"Cat got your tongue Senku-chan?~" 

"You fucking cheater!" Senku accuses, realizing Gen snuck away with stealing an extra black stone to set up Senku's move that assured the mentalist's easy win.

"What a bold accusationyay!" Gen's face holds on to a sweet smile that would smooth over anyone else's doubts. But Senku isn't that gullible. 

"You stole one of my fucking pieces!" Senku knows it. Knows he has no evidence to prove it beyond just speculation. The pile of black stones beside the board gives no indication of anything amiss. 

"Did you see it with your own eyes? Or are you just imagining things?~" 

" Mentalist!"  

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Senku-chan!" Gen breaks out his iconic grin, the true face of a liar, sweet smile tossed aside like it's suddenly useless. He draws out his words, long sounds punctuating his deceit. "Can you prove anything? If you can't, who says you didn't imagine it?~"

"Gen you son of a bitch," Senku's laugh comes out dark and bitter. "Trying to one up me by cheating when you're already ahead, that's fucking low!" 

"I assure you I've done no uchsay thing," Gen insists, but his sly face says otherwise and Senku knows that in itself is another trap. Knows by now what Gen looks like when he's stringing along a lie as long as he can. Knows he can't resist falling for it. 

"Don't play dumb with me!" 

"Fine, fine," Gen concedes with a dismissive wave of his hand. Senku has no way of anticipating his next words. "Show me how I did it. Use your science skills to prove me wrong.~" 

It's bait hand crafted just for him and Senku knows it. Knows he shouldn't bite, shouldn't want to bite. Yet it's irresistible. He's never been immune to temptation. 

"You're the one who asked for it. Get excited, mentalist!" Senku smirks, fiery excitement washing away the ache and exhaustion he's been feeling since morning. Thinks maybe this is exactly what the mentalist wanted to happen.

Gen has me on strings too.

___

If he's being honest Gen hadn't intended to start cheating at their game. He was, as Senku had pointed out, far ahead in wins. Which is exactly why he made the spontaneous decision to catch Senku off guard. Sure, playing against the genius scientist was fun. And keeping Senku entertained was part of his plan. But it got boring after a while. 

Unfortunately boredom is something Gen has spent a lot of his years on earth trying to combat, and that applied to all areas of life, not just interpersonal relationships. So the continued wins, combined with the dreary weather outside that had turned from soothing to just plain annoying, pushed him to make a decision he was rather fond of.

Cheating at life. 

Senku thankfully made for an enjoyable target, even if the tricks were as cheap as stealing a stone off the board. Because Gen knew this was someone who liked to get to the truth of things. There was always a skeptic or two in the audience during his magic shows and Gen especially enjoyed toying with them.

Sometimes he just aimed to leave them bamboozled, glued to their seat in shock and awe. But other times his goal was a little more complex. Play out the trick in such a way that tempted the skeptics to figure out how he did it. Sometimes they solved it and boasted as much, yet often enough he succeeded in leaving them frazzled with no solid answers. 

No proof that actual magic wasn't unfolding in front of them.

Senku however fell into a rather unusual category. He would want to solve it, absolutely. But not to brag, no. His desire came directly from his need to break down everything around him to the finite mechanics, ever the scientist. Even when it came to magic. 

Senku pauses a moment to think and Gen immediately knows he's fucked when red eyes meet his with a smirk. My ruse is up.

"You used your coat sleeve to shield the piece you planned to steal, while playing your move like normal, skipping a space with the stone you were moving. Then you used sleight of hand to pick up the stone you skipped over and slip it up your sleeve until you could drop it back in the pile while I was distracted taking my turn," Senku explains with confidence. Enough confidence for Gen to realize Senku wouldn't be satisfied with solving his magic with logic just this once. Which is exactly what he wants. 

"Ongratulationscay, Senku-chan, you've mastered deciphering basic sleight of hand," Gen applauds mockingly. If he thinks that's all I've got he's sorely mistaken. Gen thinks that, but he knows he's wrong. Senku is the type that's never satisfied until he has a total understanding of whatever topic piqued his interest. And I'm the only magician in this stone age. "However! You're wrong!~"

"I'm wrong?! There's no fucking way, I'm ten billion percent correct," Senku insists, pinning him with a sharp glare. 

"Sometimes with magic the most obvious answer is correct. But sometimes that answer is only what I want you to see," Gen explains, holding up his open palms to reveal a lump between the layers of one of his bandages. 

"You hid the stolen one there?!" 

"Ah ah! Not so fast, Senku-chan! Check the pile," Gen points to the black stones he had acquired from Senku through the match. Senku begrudgingly counts them all by hand even though he doesn't have to, turning each over in his hand as if looking for something Gen could have tampered with. He finds nothing. So Gen takes out the one hidden within his bandages. 

It's white. 

"What the fuck- you didn't actually steal anything did you?!" Senku laughs, amazement bright in his eyes. 

"You only see what I want you to see, Senku-chan. You'd be amazedyay what misdirection and the power of suggestion can do," Gen answers simply, setting the stone game piece on the board. Senku's expression is one he never wants to forget lest his tricks ever stop impressing the scientist, which was surely inevitable. 

"You sneaky bastard," Senku snorts, running his hands through his hair as if to shake Gen from seeing his thoughts. "How the fuck then? How did you get me to play the move you wanted so you could pull this off? There's no way you could have predicted I would even follow." 

"Oh, come on now. I'm not gonna tell you that."

"Mentalist-" 

"Nope!" Gen holds a hand out to shut Senku up. "You can try to figure it out all you want, I'm not going to tell you myself. A magician never reveals his secrets.~" 

___ 

Senku chalks it up to exhaustion. There's no other way he could have fallen for Gen's trick. Absolutely not. And well, okay, Senku's not good at lying, never has been. Not even to himself. I walked right into that just like Gen wanted me to.

Watching the mentalist sit back with a smirk he can only describe as taunting gives Senku an idea. He wants to see more. Is desperate to. Gen loves having an audience. All I have to do is give him one.

"Do it again," he says, challenging Gen in a way that he knows the other man can't turn down. If Senku isn't immune to temptation, Gen can't be either. That's one of the flaws of being human. 

"Do what-" 

"Do it again, mentalist," Senku repeats sternly. " Cheat. " 

Gen's features change slowly from mild confusion to the scheming face that's growing on him by the day.  "If you insist.~" 

It's an invitation Senku knows he might regret one day - but he isn't the type to live in the past and there's no better way to keep Gen on his toes than this. I'll figure out how he's doing this one way or another. There isn't anything logic can't solve. Ten billion percent I'll figure it out. 

He watches Gen reset the board, and the next game begins like normal. Not a word is said between them, air tense. Or maybe Senku is imagining it. Either way, he's more excited than he expected to be and if he isn't careful that'll backfire tremendously on him. As if it hasn't happened already.

He almost misses it when Gen suppresses a sneeze into his coat sleeve. The sound is high pitched and softer than expected despite being muffled by the fabric. If he was anyone else he may have called it cute. Maybe. "Hey now, don't go getting sick on me, mentalist." 

"I wouldn't eamdray of it," Gen sniffles. For a second he's worried maybe the hut hasn't been warm enough, that the rainy weather is catching up on them. Then he realizes- 

"Oi! You actually slipped one up your sleeve this time!" Senku says, leaning over the board to grab Gen's wrist. He faintly notices it's thin and bony. Tries not to dwell on it.

"I did not!" Gen pulls his wrist out of Senku's weak grasp, then holds his sleeve open to show there's nothing unusual there. His mysterious bags of god knows what, yea, but Senku can see they're all knotted tightly shut.

Senku sits back with a huff, mad at himself for reacting so suddenly. He has to think this through better if he wants to catch the mentalist red handed. But when he looks back down at the board something feels off. 

It's not until he plays his next move that he sees Gen has swapped some of Senku's black stones with some of his own white ones, completely throwing off the pattern of the moveset Senku had planned. "Gen you fucking bastard-" 

"What did I do now Senku-chan?~" Gen's eyes say it all, blue darker like the storm outside, but his voice is as sweet as usual. Senku isn't particularly fond of sweets. 

"You know what you did," Senku says as he points out all the changes Gen made to the board. When and how is another story altogether. The sneeze was a distraction wasn't it?

"Fine, fine, you caught me," Gen admits with a deflated look that only comes off as half genuine.

Senku resets the board himself this time, not trusting Gen to. The mentalist takes advantage of any opportunity put in front of him, no matter how small. If I let him keep getting away with this I fucking swear I'll- Well, he's not sure what he'll do. Senku can only do so much to annoy Gen without totally alienating him. This is someone he can't genuinely piss off, the consequences of that are something he doesn't even want to consider. If he messes things up with the mentalist there's no regaining that relationship he's desperately relying on to win the war. 

He knows it would be bad, but he doesn't exactly have Gen's silver tongue. He fucks up all the time, even when he tries not to stick his foot in his mouth. Words have never been his strong suit.

"You can't outsmart logic with magic tricks," Senku says with confidence he doesn't really have right now. Gen is staying on par with him and it's frustrating. He's never met someone he could genuinely go toe to toe with like this. Some have come close, but this is on a whole different level.

"Magic can do anything," Gen says with confidence that's definitely real. He makes the first move this time, and for a while the game goes normally. He's a little on edge and anxious for something to happen, but Gen shows no indication of plotting anything to cheat that Senku can pick up on. 

Then Gen sneezes again, harder this time, covering his face with both hands. It makes Senku jump nearly out of his skin. But he's already suspicious from the first time. Unless he really is getting sick-

"Forgive me, Senku-chan," Gen says apologetically, sniffling as he had last time. "It seems the eatherway has me a little under today." 

"Hey now, if you're actually feeling like you're going to get sick you have to tell me," Senku warns. That's the last thing they need right now. The season is bound to give way to illness, it's unavoidable, but it's less than ideal. 

"Don't worry Senku-chan, I just feel a little worn out," Gen answers as he shrugs his coat a little tighter around his body. Senku gives him a worried look that Gen waves away, so they continue the game. 

He's so busy thinking of what types of natural remedies he can throw together for the mentalist or anyone else who might come out of this storm sick, too little time to spend on much else unless it's absolutely necessary like the cure all had been for Ruri, to realize what's happening in front of him until they're already some lengthy moves into the round. Once again his observation skills have failed him. And frankly it's embarrassing. 

"Gen you-" Senku has finally realized there's several stones missing from the board, both his own and Gen's. "What did you fucking do this time?!" 

Gen just chuckles as if he hadn't been using Senku's concern about the weather getting him sick against him. Like the devious bat bastard Kohaku has started to call him lately. "Whatever do you mean, Senku-chan? I'm innocent!~"

"Spit it out, mentalist, I know you stole more pieces!" He points at the board then at Gen, who bats his eyes cutely at Senku as if that'll prove he hasn't cheated once again. Senku did tell him to do it, but he didn't expect it would be this difficult. 

Another thing Senku definitely doesn't expect at all is for Gen to open his mouth, the four black and white stones tumbling out into his palm. " What the fuck?! Gen what the hell?! "

Gen just bursts out laughing as if Senku isn't staring at him like he grew a second head. "Oh what I wouldn't do for a camera to capture your expression, Senku-chan! It's implysay marvelous!~" 

"Why did you- how did- you ate the fucking pieces?! " Senku kinda wishes he could see his own face, it has to be as ridiculous as it feels. Somehow it can't be nearly as ridiculous as the trick Gen just pulled. Can it?

"I couldn't resist! This game was just too tempting!~" 

"Gen don't just fucking eat rocks!" Senku scolds him but it sounds so outlandish when he says it out loud that he can't stop himself from laughing at it all. 

"I didn't actually eat them, I'm not a child!" 

"When the hell? The sneezing?" Senku manages after a minute. "You had me worried!"

"Aw how sweet," Gen coos, wiping his saliva off his hands and mouth on a handkerchief that came out of nowhere, then wrapping the stones he spit out in it. "Worrying about lil old me.~" 

"You have issues," Senku retorts blankly. 

"I never said I didn't," the mentalist replies cheerfully. 

He's so fucking ridiculous.

The rest of the afternoon is spent trying to solve more and more of Gen's antics, each one more outlandish than the last. At one point he replaces Senku's stones with flower buds in a swift flourish, and he can't really figure out how Gen got ahold of fresh buds in the middle of a storm. Another time he makes all the game pieces disappear with a handkerchief, rendering the round unplayable. Senku has all but given up actually trying to solve anything by the time Gen tips his head to the side and the missing stones tumble out of his ear. 

"If I had a deck of cards you'd be entirely out of your depth," Gen says forlornly. The checker board has long been pushed aside, along with it the remnants of ramen that had been just enough for lunch, in favor of simply watching Gen perform small tricks with the game pieces and the assorted mystery items he keeps in his coat. Senku hasn't been able to stop laughing at how silly it all is. He feels like a kid at a sleepover, has for the past two days.

"You're gonna have to wait till we actually make paper. And even then there's no telling if we can spare the material," Senku points out. Though he does file away the idea for later. 

"What's the ointpay of paper if you don't-" Gen cuts himself off, head tipped as if listening to something-

"The rain stopped!" they say in unison. Senku stands to open the door, the light of a clear sky streaming into the shed. 

"Looks like our day is just getting started, mentalist." 

Chapter Text

Gen reluctantly follows Senku out of the shed, leaving behind the comfort of the dimly lit space. The sun is high in the sky but there's still enough hours of light left to get something done. So of course Senku is going to want to take advantage of that.

The scientist makes a beeline for the lab, so Gen stays on his tail, minding his step for any puddles that might have formed. He looks up at the lab roof as they get closer, disappointed to see the nets full of wet plants clumped together in a soppy mess. He has new scars and absolutely nothing to show for his effort. 

"Don't sweat it, mentalist," Senku reassures as he looks at Gen over his shoulder. "We can start over." 

"That's exactlyyay what I didn't want to do, Senku-chan," he whines, following Senku into the lab. 

The entryway is a bit muddy but the lab didn't suffer any damage. He wonders why there's no door, just the heavy pelt curtain Senku has him tie so they'll stay open, but decides to save the thought for later. Senku is already reaching for the shelves and he can feel a new workload creeping up on him. 

"What will we do today, Senku-chan?" 

"We're gonna pick up where we left off," Senku says as he passes Gen a small stack of neatly organized hides and a charcoal pencil. "We finished organizing but I need everything logged. Now that the storm has passed, Chrome and Kaseki could be back any minute, and I need the lab ready so we can get to work right away." 

Gen takes the stack, flipping through them. It's full of neat columns detailing all the items in the lab, scrawled out in Senku's nearly illegible handwriting. It's cramped and small, strokes quick with little care. Gen has to squint to decipher some of it. He can feel Senku watching him.

"....You can't read it can you?" 

"Oh, I can read it. It's just god awfulyay," Gen answers, looking back up to meet Senku's annoyance. He detects a hint of bashfulness. It's unexpected. First the hair, now this. 

"Your insults know no end," Senku rolls his eyes, then gestures to the wall with mostly empty glassware and assorted materials. "Log that side, write down what it is then just jot down the-" 

"The amount and the shelf number, and then update stuff already in here too, right?" Gen interrupts, amused by the surprise on Senku's face as he nods. "Sounds easy enough." 

"If you don't know what something is just ask," Senku says, picking up a similar stack of hides as he turns to the other wall of shelving. 

They work quietly for a while, the task easy enough. Gen finds himself having to ask what something is quite a few times, but otherwise it's slow and steady. He's still lamenting the failed attempt at drying the plants, knowing he'll have to climb up there to clean it up and start over, but at least it's a task for the next day. 

Gen can't help but hum as he works, it's just a habit that doubles as a way of setting the pace, and like the previous times Senku has already fallen in step with his movements. Only this time there's no complaint, no pointing out how obvious the beats per minute are. He's beginning to enjoy spending time quietly like this with Senku despite the menial work. 

Gen is ever the opportunist however, and since Senku has his back turned, busy handling chemicals that are most likely hazardous, now is the perfect time to restock his personal stash of materials. He only takes a few things he knows he can put to good use, careful to adjust the numbers in the log accordingly. 

Unlike Chrome, who will probably complain at some of his materials being taken but not do more than put up a fuss, Senku is likely to punish him somehow should he notice something is missing. Getting on Senku's bad side isn't ideal, so he has to be extra careful. Especially when it comes to numbers, the scientist's specialty. 

Gen has a plan, one that will rely on the paper working, but doesn't seem particularly impossible given the limited tools he has to work with. He made a checker board in an hour. This will take more time, but he's more resourceful than people think. The fake blood bags had surprised everyone, hadn't they?

As long as I can think of a selfish enough excuse again this should be smooth sailing.

___

A few hours roll by uneventfully, the sound of steady work filling the calm of the lab. Gen is humming and for once he's glad for it, too tired to talk. Senku wouldn't consider himself chatty, more of a listener, but right now he doesn't have the energy to even do that much. 

Despite getting ample rest thanks to the storm, he's still pretty worn out. Gen's tricks and their games helped his mind unwind but the few days of inactivity weren't enough for his body to catch up. So when Suika rolls in to let them know dinner will be brought out to them come sundown, he's thankful Gen is the one who talks to her. 

Suika sticks around for a while, asking Gen a slew of questions about the implements on the wall he's taking inventory of. The mentalist does a pretty decent job of explaining things to the girl despite having basically no scientific knowledge. It's more helpful for Senku than he wants to admit, and will probably have to find a way to compensate Gen for this eventually.

It isn't till Suika leaves for the village again that Senku realizes something he should have months ago, when Gen first poked his head around the day they first served his infamous foxtail ramen. Something that quickly became so normal for Senku that he didn't question it anymore. Something that would - should - be a problem for someone from the modern world. Language.

It stands to reason that after three thousand and seven hundred plus years language would evolve far beyond modern Japanese. Especially considering these people were descendants of the members of the Internal Space Station. Who, alongside Byakuya's native Japanese, spoke fluent English and Russian. 

Then Senku remembers Gen's comment about language evolving not that many days ago, around the campfire with Chrome over dinner. The night Gen reminded him paper is an easy tool to make. He specifically pointed out language evolving in the context of the hundred stories, but the mentalist should have realized as soon as he arrived that first day, when Kohaku had a weapon to his throat, just how much things had changed. 

Even Senku had struggled for a moment when he first met Kohaku, worried for a while that communication between them would be impossible. They had fallen into step easily and quickly, but only because Senku already had an ear for English and was able to fill in the linguistic gaps from there. There were hiccups where explaining something gave him a headache, but it was becoming less frequent as he began to understand their language. Gen on the other hand hadn't tripped over his words for a single second. 

That was so many long months ago, and Senku hadn't exactly had time to think it over with everything that needed to get done to cure Ruri and win over the villagers. But now that he had the time to think, to analyze what was in front of him- How the fuck is that possible-?

He doesn't realize he stopped moving a while ago, holding a corked beaker and staring blankly at the shelf at eye level. Not until Gen clears his throat from behind him, catching his attention. 

"You alrightyay, Senku-chan? Need a break?" Gen asks tentatively, and Senku realizes that every time they've been alone Gen was speaking Japanese. Yet as soon as someone from the village was part of the conversation he switched to the blended language like it was nothing. 

"Gen, you speak English don't you?" Senku asks, and it's not really a question. He knows the answer already.

The mentalist looks confused for a second, but nods. "It's my econdsay language. I learned it so I could perform shows in North America." 

"Can you read and write it, or only speak it?" Senku had taught himself to read and write it as a kid to better communicate with foreign scientists, but his spoken English was rusty and thick with an accent. It was enough to make things work and that's all that mattered.

"All of the above," Gen replies in flawless English. This fucking bastard.  

"Any other languages?" 

"A few others, kinda," Gen replies hesitantly, still looking a tad confused by his questions, head tipped as if trying to assess Senku's line of thought. He isn't being direct and it's annoying. 

"But not Russian." 

"Nope." 

"Then tell me, mentalist," Senku questions, crossing his arms. "How the hell did you pick up the villagers' language so quickly?"

Gen sets down the hide he's holding onto the lab table, leaning his hip against it as he'd done a few times before. "Honestly, I'm not sure what you mean." 

"Now's not the time for games, Gen." 

"No games, Senku-chan. I really don't know how to explain that," Gen holds his hands out in front of him, a bit defensive. "Sure it sounded odd when I first heard it, but I kind of expected it to be different from modern Japanese. I obviously had zero intel to go on when I showed up to spy for Tsukasa-chan, but since he did tell me how long it had been since we were all petrified it was easy enough to assume something would be different about their spoken word." 

Senku shakes his head, more at himself than at Gen. Of course the mentalist would know to think of something like that. He's hiding something from Senku, about himself and his knowledge, that he obviously doesn't want to be upfront about. It's irritating yet so interesting, Senku almost doesn't want to pry it out of him.

"That's one thing, but actually understanding them is another. It should have been impossible for you," Senku says, and it's obvious bait he wants Gen to take. They've been playing a strange game of tag lately, but it's Senku's turn to be it. 

The mentalist seems to hesitate, an unreadable expression flickering across his features for a moment, but it's gone in no time. Gen fixes him with a look he's never seen on the mentalist's face before. Even his posture changes, back straightening noticeably. Senku doesn't know what it means. "Not impossible. This isn't like a language evolving over the span of several thousand years with outside influence. Picking up loan words and coming into contact with other cultures does more than people realize to change the way a language is used, and eventually it becomes near incomprehensible from its origin. A lot of modern languages changed in just the span of a few hundred years. Written word helps tremendously in understanding structure and evolution, but also has its own effect on how the language can change. But since these people don't have any of those things influencing them, and it's been far longer than just a few centuries, it's obvious that their language evolved slower in this contained environment." 

Gen pauses with a sigh and Senku has to remind himself to fucking breathe. He hasn't felt this excited from a conversation in a long time. The checker game was one thing, it required action from both sides - it was a dance. One where Gen was leading, but Senku was still falling in step with. This? This is Gen flexing his knowledge the same way Senku does when he's explaining a scientific theory or experiment. It's raw intellect and talent he hasn't seen in anyone else since he broke out of stone. Not even Tsukasa was at this caliber.

"That slow progression, coupled with the additions of English and Russian when this language was born, gives enough insight to work backwards - or forwards, I guess? - to understand how the sentence structure works," Gen continues. He looks irritated but Senku can't figure out why. "Obviously the meaning of each word is trickier but after understanding each different sound it's not that complicated to piece together. But what do I know? I'm no linguist, so take that with a grain of salt."

"But you didn't know it originated with English and Russian mixed in with modern Japanese. So how could you throw that together so quickly?" Senku probes, feeling like he's poking a sleeping bear with a stick. 

"I heard you speaking it," Gen answers as if that makes any sense. "I didn't stop to think about it too hard." 

This fucking guy.

"Gen, how could the fuck could that be enough to-" Senku is cut off by a voice coming from the clearing outside. 

"Ah, it seems Kohaku needs us," Gen says quickly, ducking out into the sun before Senku can stop him. Ever the escape artist.

Why is he avoiding this?

___

Gen thanks his lucky stars for Kohaku's appearance, all too eager to get away from Senku's interrogation. He once again feels like he's said too much, shown too many of his cards. The scientist is eerily good at getting him to talk. 

While Gen understood why Senku was fishing for answers about being able to speak the villagers language, he wasn't exactly thrilled to explain himself. He valued his secrecy, and lying to Senku only got him so far. There was something about the scientist's earnestness that weakened his defenses. He had met wholesome, sweet, and kind individuals before but lying to them came easy. This was different.

If I'm not more careful, all of my plans will blow up in my face like one of Senku-chan's experiments gone awry.

"Gen, Senku, we need extra hands at the village," Kohaku explains as he gets closer to where she stands by the fire pit, hands on her hips in a stance that commands attention. Gen has noticed she's good at drawing eyes to her when necessary. "Some of our kanoes came loose from the docks during the storm so we're busy retrieving them. Can you two help with dinner? We're running late." 

"Of course, Kohaku! That's easyyay enough," Gen replies before Senku can try to object. He's deeply grateful it's not any hard labor. Without turning to check if Senku is behind him, he follows after Kohaku. Doesn't have to check, the footsteps are unmistakable.

They stop at Chrome's shed to collect the dirty pot and dishes, Kohaku carrying everything back easily even when Gen offers to help her. Her stubbornness is more charming than I'd like to admit. It's actually rather cute.

At the village Kohaku directs them to a hut that smells of fresh vegetables and drying herbs, and unfortunately the oily stench of fish. She leaves them to it, headed to help at the docks. Inside a few of the elderly are working on cooking dinner, a task that's usually divided between whoever is free. Someone beckons him to help chop the fish that's already been scaled and deboned. Gen removes his coat, rolls up his kimono sleeves, and gets to work. 

Senku doesn't follow him inside, tasked with tending to the fire pit outside, which he's kind of grateful for. The scientist was a master with chemicals, but if his foxtail ramen is anything to go by he isn't exactly a good cook. At least out there he can't somehow fuck up the stew. 

Chatting with the village elders is pleasant. They're easy to talk to, less worried of his untrustworthy nature and more predisposed to say exactly what's on their minds. Gen had been hired to perform at quite a few events where the majority of his audience was many decades older than him. They all loved a pretty face and smooth talker. 

If only getting on everyone's good side was that easy.

___

As Senku tends to the fire pit beside the hut, he listens to Gen's easy conversations with the elders while they prepare for the stew. He hasn't exactly dropped the topic from earlier, still miffed they got interrupted. But this is an opportunity to observe how Gen handles himself in the village's language now that it clicked how smoothly Gen was managing with something he really shouldn't be this good at this soon. 

He's not sure what all they're talking about inside, paying less attention to the context and more to the way it sounds. The inflection in Gen's voice, how he detects no accent. Senku knows his own is thick, and would be embarrassed by the difference if he cared enough. 

By the time Gen comes out of the hut carrying skewers of cubed fish, followed by two elderly women holding trays of ingredients, Senku has enough data. Now he just needs to find an opportunity to talk to Gen without the mentalist deflecting or totally leaving the conversation. Considering how good Gen is at changing the topic, it's gonna be difficult.

"How's the fire coming along, Senku-chan?" 

"Should be hot enough," he answers as if he doesn't know the near-precise temperature. Gen just smiles, the kind that he wears around the villagers. Senku knows by now that it isn't his real smile. Had seen genuine expressions flicker across the mentalist's face more than once in the past week, whenever they were alone. It leaves a strange feeling in his chest that he can't describe. 

He gets distracted helping carry a few things from inside the hut out to the fire, passing them to Gen wordlessly while he stirs ingredients into the massive pots that were already in place. He's not sure who put Gen in charge of actually cooking the stew, remembering how he'd insisted his own cooking wouldn't be much better than Senku's. But the way Gen adds things to the stew as if he knows what he's doing makes him think that might have been another lie. He thinks he sees the mentalist slip something into the stew that hasn't come from the trays, but doesn't stop to question it. 

It's getting difficult keeping track of what's a lie and what's the truth. Gen doesn't show his hand easily, cards held close to his chest. I can't blame him for that....but sometimes it makes things unnecessarily complicated....

Finished bringing stuff out to the fire, Senku focuses on washing the earthenware and utensils in a bassinet inside the hut. He can see Gen through a window, and can hear him still chatting with the elders. He has insisted on taking over stirring all of the stew pots to allow the elderly women to rest, and it strikes Senku how odd Gen looks with his sleeves rolled up.

He had seen Gen shirtless. When he was attacked by Magma, then when he was trying to inspect the scar on his abdomen a few nights ago. Had touched his sides during their childish fight like it was nothing. The memory makes Senku feel....well, he doesn't know how to describe it. Yet somehow Gen with just his arms exposed, with other people around to see, seems different. Not a good different.

Why am I even thinking about this? Why do I fucking care-

"Fuck-" he whispers. A bowl had slipped out of his grasp and shattered against the edge of the bassinet, sharp shard cutting his hand between his thumb and forefinger. He applies pressure to it with a rag, cursing himself for being so clumsy. Cursing Gen for taking over his thoughts.

No one else is in the hut with him anymore, so Senku looks for a first aid kit on his tool belt to patch himself up so he can continue working. He makes a mental note to prepare more of them and distribute them to every hut before winter rolls in. They're essential, even if they are a bit scarce. 

Once he's bandaged up he realizes it wouldn't exactly be sanitary to finish cleaning the earthenware without gloves. Of which there aren't any in the hut. He sighs the kind of sigh he keeps hearing from Gen as he discards the broken pieces. Rubber gloves are out of the question, something he hopes he'll be able to make one day should the right resources turn up. He'll have to make some with hide for the people who usually cook, like the kind he uses at the lab. Thick and sturdy, leather that becomes pliable with time.

"Psst, Senku-chan, there's a pair in my coat," Gen gets his attention from the other side of the window, making him jump. He didn't realize he was being watched. 

"T-Thanks...." he manages to stutter out, more awkwardly than he'd like. Gen just gives him a thumbs up then returns his attention to the stew pots. As he turns to find the mentalist's coat on a hook by the door he wonders when the hell Gen got ahold of gloves from the lab. Oh that bastard, when we were taking inventory. What else did he take?

Senku opens the coat and finds the gloves easily in a hidden pocket. He's tempted to inspect the mysterious sealed bags, curious what Gen might have taken from the lab, but decides against it. It feels like crossing a line. Too intimate. He slips on the gloves and returns to the bassinet, washing bowls silently, head heavy with racing thoughts. Unfortunately most of them involve a certain mentalist. 

Once he's done washing everything the stew is already ready, so he passes the bowls to Gen through the window to fill up. Some of the village children come to help, tiny hands no longer needed at the docks, so Gen hands full bowls off to the kids two by two. They scamper off, and he praises them kindly when they return from each trip around the residential area. 

Eventually the adults who were rounding up the kanoes return, forming a line in front of Gen to take their share. The sun has set, and someone lit torches to illuminate the village. One by one the bowls fill up, some people taking their meals to their huts, others settling in at a fire surrounded by log benches in the center of the residential huts. 

When they're finally done, he and Gen are the only ones left. Senku is half expecting the mentalist to take his meal out to the fire, maybe go sit with Kohaku, but instead Gen walks around and into the hut. 

"Eat up while it's still hot," he says as he passes Senku his own bowl, then takes a seat on a nearby stool. 

"Yea, thanks," he mumbles, staying standing, back pressing into the edge of a table. If the stew tastes better than usual he pretends he imagined it.

"It's too cold out there," Gen says to his unspoken thoughts. They eat silently, the sounds from the crowd outside filling in through the open door. Senku doesn't mention the coat sitting on the hook. 

Chapter Text

Night is thankfully uneventful. Senku doesn't go asking questions that make Gen stir with frustration again, which he's grateful for. They go back to the hut and climb into bed quietly. If they lay their bedrolls a little closer together than before, he doesn't say anything about it. 

The next morning, after breakfast, skies free of gray clouds, work picks up at the village. The rhythmic sound of hammers falls in tune with the humming Gen uses while twisting wires with the village children at the clearing again. Knowing how much of it Senku needs, it's only obvious they're going to be at this routine for a very long time. He's going to have to switch up the tune he's humming, find some stories to tell, to keep it from becoming monotonous. Maybe have Ruri visit during their breaks to help keep the kids entertained, or perform some tricks for them. 

Senku is busy at the lab with god knows what. He told Gen they'll free the nets on the roof of their failed attempt later. He's not particularly looking forward to it, the disappointment of the failed attempt still fresh in his mind, so he tries to enjoy the less strenuous work with the kids while he can. 

Playing babysitter is undoubtedly easier than whatever task Senku will saddle him with. Plus, the children are kind. The questions they ask of the old world aren't nearly as loaded as what the adults ask. They're quicker learners too. He wonders for a moment how hard it would be to slip them language lessons. Should they win the war, communicating with people from the old world would quickly become difficult. Teaching the adults would take too long, so perhaps-

Gen's thoughts are cut off when a strangled voice comes from the forest path. 

" It's....finished....after...days of working through....the night....! " it's Chrome, crawling into the clearing on hands and knees. 

Gen is quick to stand and rush to his side, and so is Kohaku who had been turning filament nearby. Together they take his arms to hoist him up. He looks like a fucking mess, and Kohaku voices as much. Senku has come out of the lab at the sound of the commotion and his face mirrors what they're all thinking. What the hell had Chrome been up to during the storm?

"Bring him some water, Senku-chan," Gen calls out. Kohaku is taking most of Chrome's weight, but he stays with them just in case. He's unsteady on his feet and even though Gen knows Kohaku can throw grown men over her shoulders like potato sacks, still wants to help. 

Suika beats Senku to the water and brings it over quickly. She passes the bamboo cup to Gen and he holds it to Chrome's lips, insisting he drink. Chrome doesn't object. 

"What the hell are you talking about, Chrome?" Senku asks once he's in front of them. 

"At....the river...." he manages to get out between labored breathing, chest rising and falling heavy with strain. 

Gen immediately sees the gears start turning in Senku's mind. The scientist is quick to sprint down the forest path, Suika on his tail. Kohaku hoists Chrome onto her back, and Gen reluctantly follows them all. 

Halfway there Senku is quickly falling behind and Gen has to remind himself that the scientist has less stamina than even himself, so he does the only thing he can think of given the excitement and anticipation coloring Senku's otherwise stoic face. Gen grabs his wrist and pulls him along. He doesn't hear words of protest.

Once at the river the invention Chrome and Kaseki were working on is obvious. They explain themselves, excited despite their exhaustion. Only to be cut off by an even more excited Senku. "It's a water wheel!" he exclaims, and no one misses the disappointment on Chrome and Kaseki's faces. 

Luckily they bounce back quickly when Senku says they can make use of this, praising them both for their hard work and ingenuity. Senku keeps the details of what they're going to do to himself, just telling the crowd, which now includes a curious Kinro and Ginro as well, to head back to the clearing. They're going to get to work right away. 

Everyone turns to leave, but Senku looks like he's still trying to catch his breath from the quick race out to the river. Kohaku turns to see if they're following, eyebrows quirked in curiosity. Gen just waves her off. "Senku-chan needs to take a few measurements, we'll be ackbay soon!~" 

Thankfully she doesn't object, and soon everyone has disappeared down the path, chatting excitedly about what Senku might be planning. Gen turns his attention back to the scientist now that they're alone. He finds Senku hunched over, hands on his knees. 

"How'd you know I needed to measure anything?" Senku huffs out, glancing at him over his shoulder. 

"Just a hunch," Gen replies, which is an obvious enough lie to make Senku smile. "Do you need anything? Water?" 

"I'm fine," Senku says, taking deep breaths.

"At least sit down, Senku-chan," Gen gestures at the shade of the trees lining the riverbank. "Just for a little bit." 

Senku just nods, so Gen leads him to a large tree at the mouth of the trail, overlooking the water wheel and flowing river. They sit in silence beside each other for a while, basking in the calm breeze. Gen watches the river, alive with the excess rain from the storm, pushing the massive wheel like it's nothing. 

He does have to admit Kaseki and Chrome really surprised everyone, especially Senku. He glances over and is glad to see the rise and fall of his chest slowing, beads of sweat on his forehead fading away. Gen was a bit winded by the short run, but Senku is more fragile than that. It's a strange contrast to his mental resilience. 

"How are you not fucking dying?" Senku gets out in gasp, voice low and hardly audible over the rushing sound of the water wheel. 

"I'm not as weak and shrimpy as you," Gen jokes lightly. It makes Senku snort, a sound he's starting to find cute. Which is surprising, Senku isn't exactly his type beyond the rather attractive level of intelligence. But the way he blushes comes to mind and yea, okay, he is kinda cute. 

"Shove it, mentalist." Okay, maybe not that cute. 

"Yea yea, whatever Senku-chan. Just hand over the measuring tape and tell me what to do," Gen holds out his hand, waiting. Senku gives him a look and digs the measuring tape out of his tool belt, pressing it into Gen's open hand with annoyance. He gives some instructions and Gen stands to get to work. Senku warns him to watch his step. 

"I'm not as clumsy as you," he says as he starts measuring, calling out the numbers to Senku. He doesn't write them down on anything, so he's probably memorizing them. 

"Yea? What about on the roof-" 

"That was not my fault and you know it," Gen shoots him a glare.

"Sure, whatever you say," Senku smirks from where he's seated in the shade. He's slowly starting to look better, less agitated.

"If anyone's to ameblay it's you for bringing over lunch!" which isn't exactly wrong, but isn't exactly right, and they both know it.

"Oi! Wouldn't that make Kohaku guilty too?" Senku balks.

"She's exempt for rescuing me.~" Gen punctuates it with a wink.

"So you're picking favorites now?" He stands, coming closer to the edge of the river where Gen is measuring for god knows what invention.

"My only favorite is yours truly!~" he gestures at himself with a curt bow. Senku just rolls his eyes, arms crossed as Gen continues measuring. 

He issues verbal corrections a few times, and Gen tries to keep up. Then at one odd angle that Gen apparently can't get right Senku reaches out and grabs his wrist a bit roughly in an attempt to correct him.

"Hey now, Se-" Gen involuntarily takes a step back, but the motion throws him off balance, pulling Senku closer and causing him to collide roughly with his side. Before he knows it they're both falling towards the river. 

The last thing he sees as his head dunks under the roaring water are Senku's red eyes, wide with panic. 

___

The rush of the river in his ears is deafening. Senku thinks he hears Gen calling out but it's impossible to tell. He tries to get his bearings, but something is tugging at his back- 

"-an, can you hear me?" Arms wrap around his torso, hefting him out of the water. When his head breaks the surface he sucks in as much air as he can, lungs desperate. It takes him a minute to realize he's upright, standing in the waist deep river, leaning against something solid.

"That's it, just breathe. I don't think you swallowed much water, you're going to be okay," soothing words come from behind him. After a while he starts to cough, rocking forward as anything he took in comes back out. Faintly he feels a hand on his back, rubbing circles patiently. 

"That's it, you're alright," Gen says, still in that soothing voice that Senku doesn't want to admit is helping his panicked thoughts settle. Eventually his breathing returns to normal and he's able to stand fully again. "Poor swimmer, I take it?" 

The comment is annoying but he doesn't have the energy to reply, so Senku just shakes his wet hair and grins when Gen complains behind him. The mentalist has let go of him, so he turns and- " You look like a drowned rat. " 

Gen just pouts at him, white bangs sticking to his face, coat heavy on his small shoulders. "Well whose fault is that?" 

"Yours, I think," Senku answers as he and Gen trudge to the riverbank. The water is still warm for the season, but despite that the air feels cold on his skin, clothes uncomfortably heavy. "What were you going to do if I was actually drowning? Hell, how did you manage not to?" 

"I know what a drowning person looks like and you were absolutelyyay not it," Gen retorts, getting to the bank first. He climbs a few steps out then reaches a hand to Senku. He takes it and Gen starts to pull them both out of the river.

"You'd make a shit lifeguard," Senku snaps and Gen looks genuinely mad for once. 

"I'll have you know I just saved your life!" and he's right, kinda. Senku doesn't know what to make of that.

"No one asked you to," Senku says plainly.

"I'll throw you back into the fucking river you ungrateful cretin, I swear to God!" Gen threatens, and he looks like he means it. Sounds like it too, if his uncharacteristic swearing is anything to go by. Still, he finishes hoisting Senku all the way out of the water, falling flat on his ass from the momentum. 

Senku falls on his knees beside Gen and after a tense stare down they both break out laughing. This shit has to stop happening, this is the second - no, third - accident Gen's been in since he joined the kingdom.

"You owe me, Senku-chan!" Gen says through his laughter.

"Yea yea, I'll make you more cola or something," Senku waves him away. 

"Cola isn't gonna cut it at this point," Gen says in a tone he can't quite understand. The words make Senku freeze, but when he glances at Gen the face he sees is unguarded and amused. 

"The fuck do you want then?" Senku asks, trying to fight off the sudden nervousness creeping up on him. Gen's moods turn at the flip of a switch, something he isn't used to yet. It's becoming hard to remember that the mentalist was someone he had feared, someone who could have turned him in to Tsukasa so easily. It's just as illogical to think Gen could still be that. No, he's too involved in this now. Too invested. I have to stop worrying about this.

Gen's lips curl up and he has to resist from bracing himself for the worst. "I'm not telling.~"

" What- "

"You're smart, Senku-chan. You'll figure out what I want eventually," Gen teases as he stands, shedding his dripping coat. 

"Oi, mentalist, that's not fair!" Senku spits out, standing and following Gen who's already walking away. 

"I never said it was, my dear scientist!~" Gen holds his coat in the crook of his arm as he peels back his kimono, letting it hang from his obi around his waist. He looks exposed again, like he had the previous night. Only it's different this time. They're alone- 

Senku shakes his head a bit to dislodge the thought. His hair is still dripping, and his toolbelt is especially heavy around his hips. Even his shoes are puddled on the inside. He stops to take those off before following Gen the rest of the way.

The pair leaves a wet trail behind them as they walk. Gen matches his slower pace and he's thankful for it. The run out to the river to find out what Chrome and Kaseki had built was too much. Now, soaked to the bone, he struggles not to drag his feet. The only sensation keeping Senku moving are the cooling droplets of water on his skin. He's getting cold.

Just like all the other times, Gen doesn't look nearly as bothered. This is getting ridiculous. How is he okay-?

"I said it eforebay and I'll say it again, I'm not as shrimpy as you," Gen says lazily, watching him from the corner of his eyes. It almost makes Senku's skin crawl to be read so easily. "I'm just good at holding my breath underwater." 

"Did you swim a lot or something? Don't tell me you were actually a lifeguard?" Senku's curiosity is hard to ignore, even when he feels like shit. 

"Mh, nothing like that. I don't exactly know how to save others, only myself, so forgive me if I did omethingsay wrong," Gen eyes him as if assessing his reaction. "I was an escape artist, Senku-chan. Make of that what you will.~" 

Senku feels like his brain short circuits for a second. Gen's riddles are tedious - while Senku usually avoids beating around the bush, Gen is the type who plants a whole maze. When his thoughts finally catch up with his mouth he almost hesitates to speak. "Tanks of water? Not with locks I hope-" 

"Bingo! Ten billion points!~" Gen cheers, and Senku feels his skin go pale at the revelation. "Tanks of water, with locks on the tank. And handcuffed too, for good measure.~" 

"Mentalist what the hell? Don't people die doing that shit?" he asks, more than a little alarmed. 

"Well yea, it does happen. Especially if you're being too ambitious," Gen just shrugs nonchalantly. The motion looks different without the added bulk of his kimono and coat. Less.... just less.

"First juggling knives, now this shit? Did you have a death wish?" Senku might not buy into Gen's tricks as easily as most do, but he's well aware of the dangers behind larger stunts. And Gen really doesn't come off as the type to be into putting himself in danger. It's another ruse isn't it?

"The more elaborate the escape, the more unforgettable the performance! I wasn't at the stage where I was using ealray handcuffs though, I was still practicing on that. But the locks on the tank were real," Gen says as if that's any reassurance. "It's not like I'll be doing stunts like that any time oonsay, though. You need the right equipment and trained assistants to pull off something that dangerous." 

I have to stop learning shit about him like this. It's quickly moving past alarming and directly into just really fucking annoying. Senku runs a hand through his wet hair, trying to get it out of his eyes as if that'll help clear his thoughts. "Next thing I know you're gonna tell me you locked yourself in boxes of swords for fun." 

Surprise flickers across Gen's face. "Actually, funny you should say that...." 

"What the fuck do you mean funny I should say that? " 

"Senku-chan, tell me, where were you when you were petrified?" Gen asks, and Senku can't tell where this is going. 

"I was just at school," he answers tentatively. He's not sure when they got onto the main path, but the clearing isn't far now. 

"Ah, how oddly undanemay for you. I was on set filming in front of a live audience," Gen pauses, letting the anticipation build for a little too long. "I had just escaped a box of swords." 

" No fucking way-! "

Gen grimaces slightly. "I couldn't make that up even if I tried. World's worst magic trick, if you ask me. And I'd wager the last one of the modern world." 

"Please tell me the swords weren't fucking real," Senku almost pleads. This is just too much.

"I told you before that all my prop weapons were real if I was unassisted, didn't I?" 

"Gen holy shit....I thought your thing was supposed to be mentalism, what's with all the death defying stunts?" Senku wonders aloud.

"What's more of a mind game than cheating death?~" Gen winks at him. His voice is as sing-song as always, only this time it really does make his skin crawl. Senku feels goosebumps rise on his neck and arms. 

Before he can answer they've made it to the clearing, and Kohaku spots them first. She gives them a once over, and Senku remembers they're both disheveled and soaking wet. "What on earth happened to you two? We didn't even leave you alone for that long!"

"It's his fault," they both say pointing at each other. 

Kohaku just shakes her head at them. "Modern men are so troublesome."

Chapter Text

The remainder of the afternoon goes by rather quickly once everyone has lunch. He and Senku dry off at the lab and change their bandages, then Gen is left alone with Kohaku to deal with the plants on the roof. Senku is coercing a very exhausted Chrome and Kaseki into making something for his secret plan, for which Gen seems like he won't be needed. 

From the looks of it the gears in Senku's brilliant head are turning at full speed.

Kohaku gets up on the roof this time, neither her or Senku wanting Gen to go through the trouble like last time. They don't phrase it as nicely, but it's clear as day to Gen. They're both watching out for him. It's rather sweet, even if Senku-chan and Kohaku are horrible at expressing themselves directly when it comes to this kind of thing.

They get everything off the roof easily enough, most of it falling off the slope when Kohaku removes the nets. Gen passes her a broom so she can sweep off the remainder while he cleans up the mess on the ground to dispose of it. 

The entire time they're working Gen feels eyes on him from above. Kohaku is watching him and he can't quite place why. Ah, right, she's never seen me like this.  

His coat is draped over a stool in the lab, drying for the second time in as many days, so he's down to his kimono and undershirt. The kimono hangs from his waist still, and he's since undone the top few holes of his shirt, leather tie hanging freely. Kohaku had seen him practically naked back when they treated his wounds after he was attacked, but this isn't the same.

It's by the light of day, unkempt and uncaring. Or, well, as uncaring as Gen can make it seem. He's not exactly comfortable like this. Much less with Kohaku staring holes into his bare shoulders. 

Why did it have to be her....?

"Say, Kohaku," Gen calls out to her to hopefully distract both of them. To stop the pink on his skin from expanding past appearing like a sunburn. Any redder and it'll become obvious he's blushing because she's staring. It's not his style. "Does Ruri have a curriculum for telling the hundred stories?"

"Curriculum....?" Kohaku pauses sweeping to eye him curiously.

"A lesson plan, like a specific orderyay or time during which she tells the stories to the village. Like by season, or even a specific day of the week," Gen explains and is glad when her features smoothen in understanding.

"No, I don't think so. Some are seasonal, but I think the rest come up when she deems them relevant," she answers, leaning into the broomstick. "Why?" 

"I think it would be entertaining for the children to listen to her stories during breaks between coiling wire," Gen answers as he bends down to continue picking up the plant debris, tossing it into a nearby basket. Ruri had come to visit a few times before, but he hoped to make it a recurring thing. "They're bound to tire of my humming at omesay point." 

"I like your humming. It's pleasant," Kohaku says very frankly. Gen is glad he's facing away from her now. His skin feels hot, and not because of the sun.

"Why thank you my dear!~" he says, glad his voice comes out even. Oh, what this girl does to me....

"I can speak with Ruri-nee about it tonight, if you'd like," Kohaku offers. "She's still resting today, the storm had her quite tired."

"I would appreciateyay it, thank you!" Gen says, shooting her a smile once he feels his skin return to normal. Kohaku only replies with a nod, and they continue to work quietly.

It's not the same type of quiet as working alongside Senku, but it's not unpleasant. It's actually quite nice in its own way. Kohaku is rather steadfast so seeing her slow to a more rhythmic pace is a welcome change. Gen allows himself the simple pleasure of humming, and is happy when Kohaku falls in step with a smile that gives him butterflies.

Dinner is uneventful too. Senku and Chrome look like they want to skip it to keep working, but Kaseki drags them both to the fire pit despite their complaints. It makes Gen and Kohaku laugh. The scientists are two of a kind. 

Gen has mostly air dried entirely now, save for a few patches on his pants that are still damp. His coat is another story altogether, but at least he's able to pull his kimono back on properly. Senku had it worse. His makeshift lab coat - it was more of a dress, but Gen had never pointed it out - had taken most of the burden so he had to borrow a set of clothes from Chrome. They're baggy on Senku's smaller frame. It makes him look more awkward and gangly than usual. He has to stop himself from staring while they eat. 

He looks so small.... Gen pauses mid slurp of his noodles. Wow what a brilliant observation Gen! ....I'm seriously losing it, I need to do something about this soon.

___

Chrome and Kaseki had been a bit of a hassle to work with. Senku wants to chide them for overworking themselves, especially during a fucking storm, but he knows he would have done the same. He'd be a hypocrite to say anything to them about it. 

After dinner everyone returns to the village as he, Chrome, and Gen return to the storage shed. Somehow it doesn't feel right calling it a shed at this point. Chrome lived here on his own for years, then Senku claimed half the floor space for himself. Now Gen stayed here too, even if it hadn't been long. 

Senku's never really been the sentimental type, though, so calling it anything but a shed….simply isn't happening. 

They start undressing down to what they usually sleep in, save for Senku who's still stuck with Chrome's spare clothes. Instead he lights the coals and a few oil lamps while the other two move about. It doesn't take long for Chrome to spot the checker board on a shelf and question them on what it is.

"It's a game from the old world called checkers," Gen answers him as he places his folded clothes on a shelf. "I made it during the storm to pass the time. I hope you don't mind I borrowed a few of your materials.~" 

Chrome looks genuinely mad for a moment, then confusion contorts the lines of his face almost comically. "How do you play?" 

Senku notices Gen looks like he suppresses a sigh. Chrome is none the wiser. "I upposesay it's still a little early for bed. Maybe I can teach you." 

Unlike last time when Gen was teaching Kohaku - something that had gone pretty smoothly after she calmed down from the, uh, incident - Chrome is another thing altogether. He's loud, gets offended quickly, and is all around a fucking pain. Senku can tell Gen is struggling, wilting under the intensity. 

This is kind of pathetic....

Not to say Gen isn't trying, but he's clearly tired and showing it for once. It had been a long day for everyone, but Chrome has more energy than Senku and Gen combined. He had bounced back from looking completely strug out when he crawled to the clearing, to rocking energetically as he helped Senku with the mystery project. 

He's literally running on the high of completing the water wheel. Chrome's gonna crash soon but it definitely won't be tonight.

Which is more of a problem for the mentalist than it is for Senku. He actually does feel bad. Gen is probably at the end of his rope after what happened at the river. I still owe him for saving me, even if it was a half assed rescue....

"Oh this is so baaaad!" Chrome exclaims his signature line as he loses to Gen on their first real playthrough. Which Senku usually didn't mind, but right now the volume is too much. Even Gen flinches. 

Senku's had enough of watching the mentalist suffer. He lets out an irritated tch as he gestures for Gen to pass him the board and game pieces. Chrome looks put off till he speaks. "If you want a real challenge then play against me. That is, if you think you can win." 

Chrome immediately gets fired up. Senku knows he's lying through his teeth, Gen is better at this game than him, but Chrome has a thick enough skull for lies like this to go right over his head. He's taking a page right out of Gen's book by taking advantage of someone so gullible, but he can live with it. 

Gen mouths a relieved thanks over Chrome's shoulder, and all he can do is nod back. Senku gestures to Gen's bedroll when Chrome isn't looking, too preoccupied with making his next move, and the mentalist takes the hint. He just has to hope Chrome won't be too loud while Gen attempts to sleep.

Luckily it seems Gen is a heavy enough sleeper that once he's tucked away in the bedroll, pressed up against a shelf, he doesn't stir. Eventually Chrome tires of playing, seemingly satisfied when Senku lets him win their round of checkers a few times. They both turn to bed, extinguishing the oil lamps and falling into their bedrolls at last.

Senku ends up in the middle this time. He hopes that come morning Chrome doesn't roll onto him again. He's clingy no matter who he ends up next to and it's annoying as hell.

When he falls asleep his dreams are a maze of gurgling water, nonsensical games, and a dizzying blue-gray light. 

___

The next day Gen manages to dodge getting pulled into whatever Senku's mysterious project is. The work repairing the village is nearing completion so Senku has other capable hands to rope in. Besides, after how poorly he slept the previous night he kind of wants to avoid Chrome for a bit.

Gen fortunately gets help too. Sapphire, one of the sparkling sisters, comes to the clearing with the children to twist wire. She's a bit of a flirt, but she's a type he's used to. Gen tells stories of his days on TV to pass the time instead of humming. It makes dodging her advances easier, too preoccupied being amazed by his tall tales to devote any energy to hitting on him. 

He doesn't necessarily mind, per say. It is flattering, but he's not really in the mood for it right now. One thing Gen doesn't miss from the old world is how persistent people could become in their advances. Sapphire wouldn't really understand it, but being on the less savory side of a parasocial relationship was draining. Whenever he was met with people who acted too friendly, or invaded his personal space with their own projection of who he was to them, he tended to lose his steam. Gen had had enough of that for several lifetimes. 

Besides, his coat hasn't dried all the way through and the missing layer leaves him particularly wary around others. 

After lunch Kohaku shows her face around the clearing and Gen welcomes her presence openly. "Dearest Kohaku, what brings you here today?~" 

"Repairs in the village are almost complete so I have some free time. I spoke to Ruri," Kohaku says, leaning over his shoulder to observe his hands at work with the wires. "If you're able, she's free to meet with you now to discuss the curriculum." 

The way she repeats the word with a pop is satisfying to his ear. He smiles up at her sweetly. "If Sapphire here doesn't indmay taking over my duties for the rest of the day, I'd be happy to join you and Ruri," Gen says, turning his best smile to his assistant, tossing in a wink for good measure. "Would you mind? I'm sure the children enjoy your company as much as they do mine.~" 

"Oh of course! I don't mind at all!" Sapphire chirps with a light blush rising on her cheeks. Gen almost feels bad for it.

He thanks her profusely, promising to pick up his stories another time, then follows Kohaku back to the village. He's very glad for the change of pace and opportunity to stretch his legs on their short walk. The ordeal at the river had left him sore all over, not to mention Chrome's boisterous voice reverberating in his skull while he tried to sleep. 

He hasn't spent much time with Ruri, but from their few interactions Gen already has a fair amount of respect for her. She holds herself well, commands a unique presence, for someone who had been on the brink of death for so much of her life. Her soft spoken nature makes her easy to get along with despite her magnetic aura. 

Kohaku leads him into her hut on the farthest island where he finds Ruri seated on the stoop of the chieftains throne. A throne that technically belongs to Senku now, but he doubts the scientist will ever actually sit in it. 

"Gen! It's lovely to see you again!" Ruri greets cheerily as he enters the warm space. 

"Ruri, I'm atefulgray you're taking the time to talk to me. I understand the storm left you feeling a bit under the weather, I hope you were able to rest," Gen says with a tinge of concern in his voice. Although she's been cured of her illness Ruri will undoubtedly pay for it for the rest of her life. Her constitution is fragile and she'll remain more prone to illness than most, body weakened by what almost killed her. 

She takes his sympathies to heart and invites him to sit beside her. Kohaku bids them farewell when a voice outside calls for her assistance, so it's just the two of them for now.

"Kohaku told me you had questions about the hundred stories?" Ruri asks once he's comfortably seated.

"I was curious if you teach them in any particular order," Gen says, cutting right to the chase. She isn't someone he needs to lead on with a more roundabout conversation. "Kohaku told me some were seasonal, but that most merely come up when they are relevant to something currently happening." 

"Yes, while it is my duty to pass on the full knowledge to the village, every priestess has had her own method," Ruri explains to him. "I find it most effective to tell certain ones to the children often, but I do save others for situations that call for more specific knowledge. Like seasonally, or ones that pertain to survival. It's how my mother told them, she used to say that they would stick in people's minds better that way."

She's on to something, actually. When she reserves certain stories for relevant situations she's forming an association between what's happening in the moment and the knowledge she's passing down. Whether it's a positive or negative association depends on the context of the situation and its corresponding story, though.

"The stories you tell the children, when do you like to cover those?" 

"Usually it's easier when they're in groups. Like the other day before the storm, while twisting the wires for Senku's invention," Ruri says, and he's glad they're on the same page.

"If you're feeling well enough for it in the coming days, would you like to join me again? I think it's a onderfulway opportunity to pass down your knowledge while keeping the children's minds busy," Gen offers. He's certain she'll accept, but he doesn't want to push her too much. "If you're interested, I can even help you update some of the stories with more accurate modern information," he says with a pause, assessing her reaction. She only looks intrigued. "I don't doubt your memory, but somewhere along the way there might have been a miscommunication. Now's your opportunity as the current priestess to make sure it's as accurateyay as possible!~"

Ruri beams at the idea. "I would like that! Now that we have an understanding of what we used to call sorcery being science, I think refreshing the stories as necessary to be more correct to modern standards would be lovely. There's no time like now to shed our old misconceptions of the world and our history!" 

"I'm glad we can agree on that!"

"Recently Chrome mentioned to me an invention you were working on for Senku," Ruri ponders. "Paper, I believe? He said we could use it to document the stories. Is that true?" 

"Ah, that would be a grand idea," Gen says as he thinks over everything that would be involved. "We haven't made any paper just yet, our first attemptyay was washed away by the storm, but it should be doable. As you narrate them to the children I could transcribe them for you." 

"I think that would be stupendous! I wouldn't want to trouble you if it's too much work though," Ruri says patiently as if sensing his trepidation.

"It's no trouble, sweet Ruri, no trouble at all," Gen reassures. He doesn't want to burden her with the minutia. There's a lot to be said of language, translation, and god knows what else. But seeing her face light up at the idea melts his heart just a little. She's been through a lot, Ruri deserves something to liven her spirits. Even if it costs Gen some weeks of his time and some ounces of sanity.

"If you're free tonight, why don't you come over for dinner? I can tell you the stories for the children," Ruri suggests enthusiastically, clasping his hands in her excitement. "That way you have a better understanding of them and you can help me make the necessary revisions before we start compiling them." 

"That works for me! Hopefully Senku-chan doesn't run me ragged with his mystery project so I can get the paper rolling againyay," Gen laughs softly. It's meant as a joke, but he really does hope he'll have the energy for this.

Chapter Text

It takes three and a half days, but finally the first phase of the project is complete. Senku takes a moment to look over his allies - no, his friends - faces. He wants to savor their reactions for once. 

"Blowing the age of manpower out of the water is...." he connects the wires and watches their expressions change in amazement as sparks fly. " The age of machine power! "

Chrome and Kaseki whoop in excitement at the accomplishment, and even Gen sings praise. But they're not quite done yet. 

"The all-critical electricity is only coming in at a trickle. We need a container to store it," Senku explains. Luckily only Gen deflates at the statement. 

On the way back to the clearing everyone is chatting excitedly, Chrome and Kaseki's voices louder than the rest. Senku falls to the back of the group, some paces behind, and eventually Gen slides up beside him. 

"So this is what you've been working on, hm? I must say I'm impressedyay Chrome thought of the water wheel on his own. And before you thought to apply it no less," Gen says, side eyeing him. 

It's the first they've spoken since the day they fell in the river. They hadn't even seen each other at breakfast the next morning, Senku had opted to skip it. Senku tends to take his meals into the lab, but the last three days Gen hadn't followed. The mentalist instead stayed outside, crowded by one or all three of the sparkling sisters. Sometimes Kohaku too. And every day since then Gen had disappeared from the clearing each night right before dinner.

Senku doesn't bite this time. "Yea whatever, talk all you want, mentalist. I had Kaseki make the drying racks so you're getting back to work on the paper." 

"I take it you won't be joining me," Gen says, and it's a statement not a question. He looks less worn out than he had when spending nights with Senku and Chrome, maybe wherever he's disappearing to each night is a more peaceful place to sleep. 

"Absolutely not. Take your entourage with you to collect the weeds," Senku says, making Gen roll his eyes at the implication. "He made the clippers too so it'll go by quicker." 

"I still have to convince them to do manual labor, you know," Gen says forlornly. "It's definitely more uelinggray than the wire." 

"Eh, I'm sure you can manage, mentalist," Senku smirks. "Or have you lost your charm?" 

"Oh please, Senku-chan, charm never fades," Gen says, pulling a pink flower out of his coat sleeve with a dramatic flourish. "It's just a matter of time before they realize what I've cajoled them into, and at that point I can pin the ameblay on you.~" 

"Why do I have to be the bad guy here, huh? You're the one flirting with them," Senku points out. He sees the way the three sisters hang on Gen's every word.

Gen looks surprised by Senku's observation. Upset even, if he's willing to call the slight frown that. "I'm not leading them on if that's what you're thinking."

Senku just shrugs. The only things he knows about romance come from movies his friends convinced him to sit through and gossip he'd overheard at school. And Taiju and Yuzuriha's very obvious crushes, but they never actually acted on it till it was too late. 

Gen fills the silence for him. "They're sweet girls, but even I have my limits Senku-chan." 

It makes Gen sound more human than normal. Considering how much glamour he usually uses to veil his intentions, it's a little strange. But he has a point. Anyone could see that the sparkling sisters were getting on his nerves. "Why don't you just tell them to leave you alone? They can work in silence. Or you can just find someone else to work with you. Put that charm to good use." 

"At this point I really can't tell if you actuallyyay find me charming or if you're just mocking me," Gen says, twirling the flower stem between his fingers. "They don't mean any harm, they're just too wrapped up in the appeal of a modern man to realize their own feelings towards me don't run that deep." 

"Then why do you sound disappointed?" Senku doesn't understand this kind of thing, feelings are too messy. It's the whole reason he had needed Gen to join the kingdom in the first place. 

"Once they realize it they'll decide I'm not worth the energy anymore," Gen shrugs without a care. "I'm not disappointed per say, but it'll leave me without anyone to talk to while I work besides the children." 

"And your point is....?" 

"My social battery operates differently than yours, Senku-chan," he explains, no hint of the condescending tone people usually took on when talking to Senku about this kind of thing. Gen is only patient, just like he had been when teaching Kohaku how to play checkers. "I thrive on social interactions, it refills my energy. I'm aware you're the opposite, you like time alone to decompress, or with someone you can talk to one-on-one. It's less strenuous for you and lets your thoughts flow smoothly. I do better in group settings, it's revitalizing to me the way it's draining for you." 

"Do the kids just not count?" Senku asks as he takes in the information. He stores it, not really knowing what to do with it. 

It makes Gen chuckle softly. "While I do enjoy spending time with them, I do prefer groups closer to my age range. I've become more of a teacher to the kids than anything else. It's why I haven't totally osedclay off from entertaining the sisters' company quite yet." 

They've arrived at the mouth of the clearing and as soon as the three girls spot him, they're waving at Gen to rejoin them at the circle. 

"Gen! Come show us some magic tricks!" Ruby calls out to him eagerly.

"Gladly, my dear!" Gen replies sweetly in the tone Senku now recognizes as being his stage voice. He turns back to Senku, voice lower this time, continuing where he left off. "Although that doesn't doesn't mean I don't value my alone time. Or the one-on-one company of a certain intellectual.~" 

Senku is still trying to process what that means when the flower Gen is holding is tucked behind his ear in one swift motion. He freezes, trying to understand the look on Gen's face. His smile is the same one as always, but his eyes are softer. Senku has never seen them like this before. 

"See you later, Senku-chan.~"

Then he's gone, swarmed by the three sisters and the children in the circle. 

Senku feels heat rising on his face.

___

Gen busies himself with performing small tricks to entertain his forming crowd. They're easier to impress than anyone from the modern world like Senku, so he doesn't have to put much effort in. 

Convincing the three sisters to accompany him the following day to gather weeds is also relatively easy. They don't exactly understand what the project is for, but they're eager for his undivided attention so being alone with him, without the children present, is appealing enough to sway them. Gen just hopes he can tolerate it, they're very persistent. 

I'd rather go with Kohaku and Senku.

Gen has to wonder when he started favoring those two above the other members of the kingdom. Kohaku is one thing, he's vastly aware he has developed a mild infatuation with her. He has no intention to pursue it, but it's there. Senku on the other hand is a difficult question altogether. He's rude and pushy, and despite Gen putting effort into softening him around the edges to benefit the scientist's mental health, well. Getting close to him on a personal level was never the intent.

Still, he's someone from the modern world. I may have shown a bit more of myself to him than to most, but the circumstances have called for it.

Ruri would also make for good company, but she doesn't have the strength or energy for long hours of labor. He's been enjoying their chats over dinner immensely. Next to Senku, Ruri was easy to talk to. Conversation flowed easily between them. It got to the point that first night that they'd kept talking far past dinner, the hundred stories long left behind, and she had ended up inviting him to spend the night. Evading Chrome's booming voice and clinginess was a bonus.

They had repeated the routine since then, wrapping up the night with tea before turning in for bed. Gen was considering bringing the checker board this time to teach her how to play as well.

Teaching Kohaku had gone well - Chrome not so much - but he got the impression Ruri would surpass both of them in no time. Her memory served well for that type of thing. She should be able to follow patterns in the game in a similar manner to Senku. Gen was getting excited just thinking about it. 

Dinner time comes quickly. Senku sticks to his lab, preparing for whatever it is that needs to happen for the last stretch of the project, so Gen chooses not to bother him. Chrome eventually slips into the lab too, so at least the scientist has the company of a like minded friend. 

Does Senku-chan consider him a friend? It's not like he's totally alienated from the idea of becoming close to others that way, but based on what I know of Taiju. Well. Senku-chan kinda got roped into that relationship. 

The children are filing back to the village for the night, hungry and tired, as are the sisters. Gen follows them, only parting ways after picking up dinner for himself and Ruri. Kohaku had never joined them, and frankly he isn't sure where she goes most nights. Probably wherever Suika does. 

Ruri is already waiting for him at the top of the stairs to her hut when he arrives. "Gen! I hope you've had a nice day!" 

"I have, actually!" Gen waits until he's at the top of the stairs to avoid sounding winded. "Senku-chan put on quite the demonstration at the river today. I'll tell you all about it.~"

"Oh that's fascinating!" Ruri exclaims once Gen has explained to her all he knows about electricity and what that could mean for the village. Obviously he doesn't know Senku's exact plans, but it's not too hard to guess. 

They're already halfway through their meals, settled around a small table in the center of the room. The door has been closed against the chill of the night, a bucket of coals warming the space. He feels cozy and relaxed. "Knowing Senku-chan he'll come up with unique ways to applyyay electricity for everyone's benefit, even methods I can't think of," Gen says, sipping on his stew. "Not that he'd admit it." 

"Senku is much kinder than he lets on," Ruri agrees with a soft smile. He can tell she's thinking of the cotton candy stall. 

"He's too stubborn to do so, it's something he has in common with Kohaku," Gen says lightly. It's no jab, just the simple truth. 

"They're both kindhearted people in their own ways. It does make me wonder what type of people his friends are. You've met them correct?" 

"I have," Gen answers, remembering Taiju and Yuzuriha and their loyalty to each other and their friend. "Although I couldn't exactly spend time with them, anksthay to Tsukasa-chan, I got the impression they were very kind and hardworking people." 

"I think we're all lucky that Senku has such strong bonds with them," Ruri remarks wistfully. They've finished their meal, so Gen clears away their bowls, setting them aside with the tray to take back in the morning.

"Taiju in particular has a strong character. He reminds me so much of Chrome," Gen winks playfully at her. The light blush that colors her features is oh so sweet. Gen knows Ruri isn't someone he can fool easily with his mind games, but she is someone that's easy to tease. Her crush on Chrome is the most obvious page in her book. 

"He must be very tenacious then," Ruri says, unable to hide her deepening blush at her own words. She stands to serve their usual tea, and Gen doesn't push her any further. But he does file away the idea to discuss her crush eventually. He had learned from Senku that Taiju and Yuzuriha hadn't made their relationship official, no matter how glued at the hip they seemed, and he suspected Ruri and Chrome would be headed in the same direction if they didn't get a little guidance. 

I don't have the desire to play matchmaker, but I am willing to lend Ruri an open ear should she desire it.

"Say Ruri, would you like to play a game?" Gen asks, changing the subject. The checkerboard weighed heavy in his coat and the night was still young.

___

Genus Chrysanthemum, in the family Asteraceae.

Senku tries to forget....whatever that was. He tucks the pink flower into his toolbelt, pressed into a folded up diagram, and wills himself to ignore it's there. The batteries are more important. 

Senku eats his dinner at the lab with one leg bouncing with eagerness. Unsurprisingly Gen doesn't join him, too preoccupied with the sparkling sisters. Chrome does, and his chatter makes for alright background noise to his thoughts. He gets interrupted here and there by Chrome's questions about the batteries, but he manages for the time being.

Now that it's been pointed out to him, Senku notices more about the way Gen behaves himself around the three women. He's not just mildly annoyed by their advances, no. He's professional. Gen carries himself like the entertainer he is around them. He might be enjoying being social in general, but he isn't showing much of himself to the trio. There's a wall up that none of them even notice.

So how did I....? Sure it had to be made a bit more obvious to him, but Senku can tell now. It comes as a surprise no one else seems to notice. Does he want me to see it-?

Senku discards the train of thought rapidly.

"Wanna play checkers before bed?" Chrome asks enthusiastically as they return to the shed. 

"Yea sure," Senku answers with a nod even though he's not particularly in the mood to given how much of a brat Chrome had been when Gen was teaching him how to play. Chrome was incredibly smart, sure, but he was awful at anything competitive. 

When they get into the shed Chrome lets out a sound of dismay. "The board is gone!" 

Senku has to suppress a snicker. Wherever Gen had been disappearing to at night, well, it seemed like he found a new opponent. "Oh well, that's a shame. Guess we're going to sleep early." 

"Who could have taken it?!" Chrome exclaims a little too loudly for Senku's liking. 

"Who do you fucking think, dumbass? Gen is the only other one who comes up here usually," Senku says as he lights the coals and some lamps. 

"But why would he take it? The only other person who knows how to play is Kohaku," Chrome says, disappointment thick in his voice.

"Then that's gotta be who he's been staying with," Senku shrugs. 

Chrome's face nearly bursts into flames. "Gen?! With Kohaku?! Oh he's so bad! Do you think theyre-?!" 

And, well, that isn't exactly what Senku was getting at at all. "No, you fucking idiot, he's probably just staying with her to avoid your annoying ass. You snore and you're clingy when you're asleep." 

Chrome protests, but Senku doesn't have the energy to argue with him. He's suddenly far more tired than he was a few minutes ago, and his body refuses to move when his head hits his pillow. 

But now that it's been pointed out to him, Senku can't shake the thought from his head. While Gen always put on his performer mask on around the sparkling sisters, around Kohaku he was more himself. More genuine. 

It makes falling asleep difficult.

The next morning he takes breakfast to the lab again, trying to keep his thoughts in order. It's more difficult than he'd like. Once he's finished his meal, there's no time to waste. Corralling Chrome and Kaseki is as easy as usual, it doesn't take much to get them interested in their next project. 

What Senku doesn't expect to see is Gen returning from the forest path several hours after lunch, one of the three sisters leaning into his side as he helps her walk. She's limping- 

"Senku-chan, Chrome, if one of you could get us a first aid kit I would greatly appreciate it," Gen calls out to them, the other two sisters peering worriedly behind him. 

"What happened?" Chrome asks, jogging up to them to help support the girl's other side and take some of the weight off Gen. "There's a kit in the lab."

"Ruby here tripped over a tree root," Gen explains as they walk her there. "I think she may have sprained her ankle." 

The other two sisters set their heavy baskets of weeds at the entrance to the lab as Chrome and Gen take her inside. Senku excuses himself from Kaseki, who's finishing up the glass bottles for the batteries, and follows them all into the lab. Gen is already on his knees in front of Ruby, inspecting her swollen ankle. 

"Here I can-" Senku begins, but Gen cuts him off.

"No need Senku-chan, I have first aid ainingtray," Gen says with a wink. That's news to him. Then again, any time Gen had changed the bandages on his own hands, or the one on Senku's, he had done so skillfully. 

Senku steps aside a little reluctantly to let him work, and Chrome ushers Sapphire and Garnet out to give him room to move. In no time Gen sends Ruby away with a wrapped up ankle and instructions to keep it elevated. Her sisters help her return to the village. 

"Since when do you know first aid?" Senku probes when Chrome goes back to work with Kaseki. 

Gen shrugs, heading outside to where the four baskets had been discarded haphazardly. "Why is that any surprise to you, Senku-chan?" 

He just rolls his eyes. Chrome and Kaseki have the bottles covered for now, so he helps Gen bring the baskets around behind the lab. They're not totally full, but combined it's more than he and Gen had gathered on their own during the first attempt. 

Senku had asked Kaseki to make the drying racks on wheels, so Gen will be able to move them into the lab at night or whenever the weather looks sour. He helps Gen start loading up the racks with the weeds. They work silently for a while, no humming filling the air quite yet. Then Senku remembers his conversation with Chrome. 

Should I bother asking? He'll probably dodge the question if I'm too direct….

"Oh right, mentalist. You're gonna have to make another checker board for Chrome," Senku says, careful with his tone so as to not sound accusatory. He's just curious. He keeps his eyes on the work in front of him, spreading a handful of weeds out on an empty rack. "He's mad you 'stole' it to go play with Kohaku." 

"Kohaku....?" 

"Isn't that who you're disappearing to spend the night with lately?" Senku asks, looking up against his better judgment.

Gen turns to face him, almost scandalized. There's red coloring his cheeks in a way he's never seen on the mentalist before. "I haven't been spending my nights with Kohaku! That's where you two think I've been?!" 

"If not Kohaku then who-?" Senku's brow scrunched, growing more confused by the second.

"I've just been spending the night with Ruri-" 

" Ruri?! "

Chapter Text

Gen stirs the large pot over the fire absently, occasionally readjusting his grip on the wooden dowel. Boiling the weeds for the paper was possibly the most mind numbing part of the whole thing. He glances over at Senku, who's waiting for Chrome and Kaseki to return from getting some materials from Kaseki's workshop, a blueprint of some kind in his hands. 

He's getting a bit bored, and only the children are at the clearing today. The fire he's toiling over is behind the lab, out of earshot, instead of the one they usually have meals at. Kaseki had graciously set up a full workspace for Gen, complete with tables and log benches, knowing it's going to be long and tedious work. 

So he decides to stir a different pot. "I can't believe you thought I was shaking up with Kohaku of all people." 

Watching Senku splutter out of his thoughts and shoot Gen a glare is the most satisfying reaction he could have gotten. "I did not think that." 

"You sure implied it," Gen points out. The conversation had ended rather abruptly the day before. Chrome and Kaseki needed his help with the glass making again, so Senku had scurried off, leaving Gen to sit with the implications among the baskets of weeds. He'd ended up going back to Ruri's that night just to get the chance to think things through. 

" Chrome is the one who implied it," Senku argues. "I just repeated what he said to me." 

"Chrome accusing me is one thing, but you?" Gen has to laugh. "I didn't take you for such a ossipgay! First the sparkling sisters and now this! What do you take me for huh?"

"Well you dress like a-" 

"Ah ah, no! Don't go there!" 

Senku rolls his eyes at him, crossing his arms with a huff. "What the hell have you and Ruri been up to anyway? Other than teaching her to play checkers." 

"If you can keep your projects secret," Gen gives him a devious smirk. "So can I!~" 

"Fine, whatever. Just don't let it get in the way of the other work you have to do," Senku groans at his avoidance, turning back to his blueprints. "And don't let Chrome get the wrong idea about you and Ruri." 

"I wouldn't eamdray of getting between those two lovebirds," Gen reassures him. "What's stopping them anyway? Besides Kokuyo of course." 

Senku shrugs. "Probably the same shit that's stopping Taiju and Yuzuriha. Which is idiotic honestly." 

Gen already knows as much, and he really does have to agree with Senku. It's kind of sad in a way. "Ah, young love. So nebulous and complex. And tiresome." 

"Would have thought you'd be into that kind of thing," Senku says absently as he makes corrections with charcoal to the diagram. 

"I'm not saying I'm not," Gen sighs. "But when you've spent half your life hounded by people who tell you they love you, when they hardly know you, it loses its flair." 

Senku seems surprised by the admission, but Gen figures if anyone understands unwanted advances it's the scientist who routinely has women swooning at his feet. Even if he doesn't always notice. 

"Then what about you and Kohaku?" Senku asks nonchalantly. The question makes Gen jump. 

Has he seriously noticed that-?

"Whatever do you mean, Senku-chan?" Gen tries to play it off. 

"I may not understand romance, but I'm not a fucking idiot," Senku looks up from the hide. "You like her." 

Gen stops stirring, pushing down rising panic. He never meant for his interest in the huntress to become so obvious that even someone so emotionally out of touch like Senku would notice. "I really have no idea what you mean-" 

"Cut the crap, Gen. If you keep that up you'll be no better than any of the lovestruck fools we know," Senku rolls up the hide in annoyance, setting it aside next to Gen's coat on the log, and turns to face him fully. 

Gen's shoulders slump, there's no easy way to back out of this conversation. Especially since he got himself into it. The honest route isn't his favorite, but sometimes the situation calls for it. "It's not what you think, Senku-chan. I may be interested in her, but it's a fleeting thing. It'll pass eventually." 

The scientist seems even more surprised that Gen is being frank with him about his feelings, which would be far more amusing if it was any other topic. Gen adjusts his rolled up sleeves and starts stirring again. "Besides, I know full well Kohaku isn't interested in me." 

"How on earth could you know that?" Senku asks, perplexed. It makes Gen chuckle, albeit a bit bitterly. 

"I'm a master of the human mind, my dear scientist. It's plain as day to me," Gen answers simply. "Kohaku trusts me about as far as she can throw me. Actually wait- that's pretty far-"

"That is pretty fucking far, mentalist," Senku snorts. 

Gen thinks for a moment. "As far as she can throw Magma-chan?"

"That's still far." 

"Whatever, you know what I'm trying to say."

"Okay, fine, let's say she really isn't interested. How can you assume your own feelings will just go away?" Senku sounds genuinely curious, so Gen knows he won't be dropping the topic any time soon. 

"I'm not assuming anything, Senku-chan. I know myself well enough to know how I get when I'm infatuated with someone," Gen explains in the most calm voice he can muster. "Do you understand the difference between an infatuation and genuine love?" 

Senku seems to think for a second, then shrugs. "Love is just a chemical reaction. What else is there to understand?" 

Gen is certain he feels a piece of his own soul die and make its way to hell. Of course that's how Senku conceptualizes this kind of thing. He can't be mad, he knows everyone experiences these things differently, but it makes trying to explain it feel like talking to a brick wall. 

So he tries a different approach. 

Normally Gen doesn't like to be this direct, but it tends to work better with Senku than the more roundabout methods he usually uses. "Senku-chan, humor me for a second. Are you perhaps aromantic?" 

The deer caught in the headlights' look doesn't fit Senku at all, but it's the closest thing he can think of to describe the expression on the scientist's face.  

___

"I didn't think anyone else knew what that was," Senku says, the words out of his mouth before he can stop them. Gen just gives him a small smile.

"This is me you're talking to, Senku-chan. I'm not just anyone.~" 

Before Senku can reply, Chrome and Kaseki return, calling out to him from the clearing. 

It's his turn to pull a disappearing act. 

He grabs the blueprints and gets out of there without turning to see Gen's face. He doesn't want to know what kind of expression he has right now. Pushes the conversation out of his head for the time being.

The batteries are finished in no time, but they still need to build a wheelhouse to protect everything. Senku had sent Titan, Carbo, and Argo with blueprints to start construction, but other hands were still needed at the village. Now that he's free, he heads that way with Chrome and Kaseki so they can get everything done as soon as possible. 

It's when they all return to the clearing for dinner at nightfall that he sees Gen again. The conversation from that morning pops up in his mind. Being read so clearly by someone was still uncanny. Not that Senku was hiding anything, but being so seen....was strange, to say the least. 

And by him of all people….

The kids are already disappearing towards the village, and Gen is tending to the fire alone. When Gen spots them he gets their attention with a wave. "Chrome, could you come here for a moment?" 

Slightly confused, Chrome breaks away from the group and jogs over to the mentalist. Kaseki chuckles heartily beside Senku. "Ohoho it seems our sorcerer is up to something!" 

That makes the other men laugh, and Senku has to wonder what Gen is getting up to when he sees Chrome blush. Kaseki and the other men say their farewells, following after the children. When Senku gets closer to the chatting pair they fall silent and he still can't figure out what's happening. 

"Sorry Senku! I'll send someone with dinner, I uh-! I have somewhere to go! Right, that's it-!" Chrome splits out awkwardly, then runs after everyone else, almost tripping over his own feet in his haste.

"Gen the fuck did you do?" Senku questions, hands on his hips.

"I haven't done anything, Senku-chan," Gen sings with a placating smile. Senku has to roll his eyes. This scheming bastard I swear.

"Chrome won't be coming back at all tonight, will he?" Senku guesses. 

"Probably not," Gen shrugs. He sits at one of the logs and Senku sits beside him with a tired sigh. 

"You just can't help yourself from meddling, can you?" Senku stretches his arms out, sore from the heavy lifting getting the wheelhouse built. 

"I do not meddle , I just get the ball rolling," Gen insists. "Sometimes all that's needed is a little udgenay in the right direction.~" 

"That's literally meddling, mentalist," Senku chuckles. 

"So what if I opdray a suggestion here or there? There's no harm in that." 

"After what you said earlier I didn't peg you for the matchmaker type," Senku recalls how Gen seemed so put off by their friends awkward dance around each other, calling it tiresome. Guess he decided to do something about that.

"Oh no, I efuseray to play matchmaker, that's too much. I'm not trying to accidentally upset anyone or create unwanted animosity," Gen waves away the idea. "All I did was suggest Ruri invite Chrome for tea, maybe play checkers together now that they both understand the game.~" 

"So she's using you as the middleman now?" 

"I offered myself as the middle man," Gen corrects. 

"The fucks the difference between a middle man and a matchmaker at this point?"

"There's absolutely a difference!" Gen says, a tinge of irritation in his voice. "Anyway, Senku-chan, you're going to want to play against Ruri at some point." 

"Is she getting good?" Senku asks, raising his brows curiously. It would make sense that Ruri would be good at strategy games, she's got the memory to store that type of information easily. It also helps that Gen is a great teacher.

"Better than just good, she's going to wipe the board with my face at the rate she's going," Gen practically brags. It's clear he takes pride when his students excel at what he's teaching them. It brings another question to the front of Senku's mind.

But before he can ask Kohaku arrives with dinner for them. She and Gen chat for a moment, but when he asks if she plans to stay she declines. "We're going hunting first thing tomorrow morning, I have to prepare." 

"Who's going with you?" Senku asks. He knows they're a bit short staffed beginning the preparations for winter, what's left of repairs, and whenever Senku needs some muscle for a project. Kohaku answers a few of his questions, then she leaves them to their dinner. When she's gone Senku tries not to laugh at the sappy look on Gen's face. To anyone else it wouldn't be obvious, but Senku has steadily gotten better at reading Gen. "Dude, close your mouth, you're practically drooling." 

"I am not drooling!" Gen startles out of his daze, almost spilling his stew on himself. 

Senku laughs openly at his fumble. "She literally showed up with two bowls and you still asked if she was going to stay. You're losing it, mentalist." 

"I was being polite, Senku-chan," Gen retorts. "Not like you know anything about that." 

"Being polite is a waste of time," Senku insists.

"Is not." 

"Is too." 

"How did Taiju and Yuzuriha ever put up with you long enough to befriend you?" Gen asks with a hint of mockery in his voice.

"That's Taiju's fault, he wouldn't know boundaries if they smacked him in the face," Senku says, recalling his childhood friend's boisterous and overly eager nature that had pulled both him and Yuzuriha into Taiju's orbit. "He plows right through them like they don't exist." 

"He absolutely eemedsay the type who can soften up just about anyone," Gen agrees. "Watch us plan out this war and by the time we get to the empire Taiju and Tsukasa-chan are best pals." 

Senku has to laugh at the mental picture. "If Tsukasa hadn't killed me, he and Taiju would be getting really chummy for sure." 

"God yea, I almost forgot about that," Gen says. His tone changes from joking to something more serious. "Those two are carrying such a heavy burden right now."

"Yea, but they'll be fine. If anyone can do it it's those two," Senku says with confidence. He misses them, absolutely. But given the circumstances, well, this is where the chips fell. 

"You have Yuzuriha on a secret mission, don't you?" Gen asks, and Senku really needs to stop being surprised that the mentalist figured something like that out. 

"Yea, she's reconstructing any of the statues Tsukasa breaks," he says. Gen's look of shock is priceless.

"Is it even possible to bring people back after they've been destroyed….?" Gen asks in disbelief.

Senku just shrugs. "I have no idea. But once we win this war ten billion percent we have to find out." 

Gen seems to think about it for a moment, brows scrunched. "I suppose if anyone can pull that off, it really will be Yuzuriha. Though she was under a lot of pressure." 

"Yea, I figured. But she'll manage," he says. He knows she's capable of finding a way.

"Tsukasa-chan had her trying to fulfil impossible requests from each person he revived. I guess he figured one way to appeal to people ouldway be with clothing made to their taste," Gen says, stirring what's left of his stew.

"Yea like your fucking coat?" Senku smirks. "Who the hell asks for purple dye in the fucking stone age?" 

"I'll have you know I didn't ask for this!" Gen insists pointedly. "Tsukasa-chan told her to make it for me when he revived me. He must have read the biography in one of my books, it mentioned my favorite color is purple." 

"He was seriously trying to butter you up huh?" Senku says with a hint of pity. Tsukasa put his faith in the wrong person. Which clearly paid off for him instead. Getting Gen on his side was probably where Senku used up all his luck, given how shit everything else turned out. 

"He really was. I don't think he wanted to resort to reviving a professional psychologist, they would have been outside the age range he deems deserving of his twisted ideals," Gen says, voice dipping low. "If you hadn't played dead so onvincinglycay I wouldn't even be here right now." 

"Oh I wasn't playing. I literally died. Taiju and Yuzuriha revived me with the miracle water," Senku says bluntly. It's the simple truth, even if it sounds outside the range of believable science. He wouldn't buy it if it hadn't literally happened to him.

Gen's jaw drops almost comically. It would actually be funny if he didn't look so spooked. "Senku-chan you can't be serious...." 

"I wouldn't lie about that. He snapped my neck," Senku shrugs, unconsciously reaching a hand to where the leftover piece of stone had been that saved his life. "Broke my servical plexus like a fucking toothpick. It's not like it hurt, I didn't feel a thing."

Gen laughs but the sound is distant, bitter to Senku's ears. "He seriously sent me on a ghost hunt." 

"Ghosts aren't real." 

"Says the dead man walking."

Chapter Text

If Gen wasn't having a crisis before, he sure is having one now. 

Senku-chan had actually been dead....

In the quiet of the night, beside the crackling fire and under the starry sky untouched by man for millenia, Senku had uttered his confession like it was nothing to him. Nothing to him that death gripped him, tore him from this earth, erasing him from existence. 

Yet he was still alive and breathing the very same air as Gen. 

It made his chest ache in a way he had never felt before. Dull, but full of spikes that dug into him every time his lungs filled with air. It was hell.

It takes all Gen has to control the anxiety he feels building up inside of him, to supress the urge to reach out and touch Senku to make sure he's really there. 

Senku seems to notice the shift in his composure, but doesn't bring it up. He's thankful for that. Gen doesn't want to face what he's feeling just yet. Would rather avoid it altogether if possible, but he knows better than anyone that he can't do that. Shouldn't do that.

So he sets it aside for later. 

Even if his dreams are clouded by it that night. Nightmares where Gen is attacked by Magma in the clearing. Only he becomes Senku, and Magma becomes Tsukasa. The spear turns into an arm, reaching for his neck through the darkness. The snap of bone and flesh is deafening. The blinding light of death is too warm to be welcoming.

Despite Senku sleeping in the bedroll meere feet from him, Gen has never felt as alone as he does that night.

I knew I was handling this poorly....but I didn't realize it was this bad....

Come morning, Gen wakes up some hours earlier than usual, even before Senku rises. It's still dark outside, no hint of the morning sun. The shed suddenly feels suffocating. So he pulls on his coat, skipping the kimono, and slips outside. 

There's a slight chill in the air that wasn't there the day before. The leftover heat of the summer months is fading, and despite already being fall it's true colors would finally be completely taking over in no time. As much as he's looking forward to it, Gen's mood is too sour to enjoy it just yet.

Gen wanders to the treeline near the forest path and sits beneath the tallest tree he can find. The sounds of the forest sooth his racing mind, even if just a little. Birds chirping in the canopy above, bugs scuttling in the grass, the beating heart of nature surrounds him. Out here, alone, he imagines what it could have been like for Senku. Waking up in an empty world void of the touch of humanity. Can't conceptualize the dread at all.

It must have been beautiful….terrifyingly beautiful….  

He's not sure how long passes when a small party of villagers comes out of the thick fog. The hunters, leaving early for the day. He waves at them, plastering on his showman smile. They pass him by with silent nods, but Kohaku breaks free from the group to come up to him.

"Gen! What are you doing up?" she questions, voice low but not nearly a whisper. 

"I didn't eepslay well," he says sheepishly. He doesn't want to admit why exactly.

"It happens to the best of us, I suppose," she says with a small sigh. 

In the dark morning she appears larger than usual, more fearsome. A bow and quiver are slung over her back. Maybe he imagines it, but she looms as if she's channeling her inner predator. It's very becoming. Alluring even.

He laughs softly, and she leans in to ruffle his hair. The way it makes him shiver goes unnoticed. "Try to get some sleep if you can. Senku will be up at sunrise and you know how he is. I don't think he'll cut you much slack." 

"Worry not, my dear huntress. I'll head back to bed shortly," he promises even though he doesn't fully mean it.

"At the very least go lay down and rest, or I'll make you," she threatens lightly. It puts a shadow of a smile on his face. 

"You wouldn't dare.~" 

"Try me!" 

They both laugh quietly, then she's off, speeding down the path to rejoin the other hunters. Soon enough they disappear, melting into the fog. He wonders what type of prey they'll bring back. Knows that whatever it is will be caught by her skillful hands, making it all the more savory. 

Gen sighs, resigning himself to trudging back up to the shed. 

Senku is thankfully still asleep. 

When Gen curls into his bedroll again he feels just a tad less weighed down than he had some hours ago.

___

Senku can't shake the way Gen had looked at him over the fire the night before. Not as he, Chrome, Kaseki, and their borrowed hands work on finishing the wheelhouse. Not as they sit by the riverbank for lunch. Not as they chit chat and throw idle banter around.

His expression reminded him too much of Taiju and Yuzuriha's faces when they revived him with the miracle water. Only his friends had been expressing relief and joy amidst their sorrow. They were in pain, but they were rejoicing. 

Gen....he just looked lost. 

Senku had never seen him so torn down like that.

....And it was my fault.

Shouldn't Gen be glad Senku survived? Or just indifferent? It's not like they knew each other before, in their old lives. They met on opposite sides of this war Tsukasa tossed them into. They had been enemies, in a sense.

But calling him that doesn't feel right anymore. Senku had doubted their alliance for a time, but every moment since then Gen had stepped up to the plate without fail when he was needed. Even when he wasn't, he was nearby at attention, ready to fill in any gaps left behind in Senku's haste. 

He was like the glue keeping everything together. Invisible unless you knew it was there. Instrumental to preventing everything from falling apart. An essential cog in their machine. 

Yet Senku was practically using him as a pawn, much like Tsukasa had. Looking back at their interactions, had he ever really treated Gen like he did his other friends? Had he cared enough to? Did Gen consider them friends the way Senku did?

A guilt he doesn't understand gnaws at him no matter how occupied he tries to stay. 

Chrome catches on, giving him a few concerned looks when he gets distracted by his thoughts, but says nothing. Senku isn't even sure what he would say if Chrome confronted him. How does he even begin to explain what happened the night before? How does he explain his guilt at making a joke that didn't sit well with Gen? How does he explain that he doesn't understand why Gen got upset?

It's too much.

The wheelhouse is complete by sundown, so they return to the clearing as a group. Everyone heads for the village, including the children who were twisting wire, escorted by Garnet. Senku doesn't see Gen anywhere, so he calls her over to ask if she's seen him. Gen had practically vanished around breakfast time.

"Oh, yea, he's behind the lab!" she points towards the paper station. "He's been working there all day." 

That's surprising, since Gen is the type to skip out on work whenever possible. Then again, that was usually a way to cover up his diligence so others wouldn't notice his dedication to perfecting a task. Senku thanks her, then steals himself before heading around the lab. 

He feels he owes Gen an apology. Even if he can't explain why. Feels it in his gut. 

He usually ignores that less logical part of him but this time it doesn't feel right to. 

"Oi Gen," he calls out, twirling his finger in his ear. Trying to play nonchalant isn't his thing, but he isn't sure what else to do. "You here?"

He gets no answer, but when Senku rounds the corner he sees why. The fire is still going, but the pot and its contents have already been moved aside. Gen is slumped against one of the logs, legs pulled tight to his body, dozing quietly. He suddenly looks really small, fragile almost.

Senku has to stop himself from going and shaking the mentalist awake. 

The night air has a sharp chill it hadn't had recently, the first signs of the weather changing, so Senku finds a pelt from the shed and brings it down. Placing it over Gen's shoulders feels strange, intimate. More so than so many other things they've done, things that feel small to him, that Senku knows most people consider beyond the boundaries of what normal friends do. Like the pillow fight, like the way they can argue without actually getting mad, like the way they dance around each other in the lab or playing checkers. The way their spaces intertwine, personal bubbles overlapping. To Senku it's nothing. It's the way he is with his closest friends. But he knows most people don't feel the same. It's something he doesn't understand, and probably never will. 

But this one gesture. The desire to shield Gen from the cold. To protect him. It feels…. like something more.

He's glad when the other doesn't stir. He stares for a moment too long, unsure what he's trying to find in the mentalist's sleeping form. Then he leaves for the village. If he takes too long there might not be enough dinner left for either of them. 

When he gets back, Gen is still sound asleep. Senku sits on the log the mentalist is leaning against, sets down their steaming bowls, and gently nudges his shoulder. "It's time for dinner, mentalist. They made ramen today." 

Gen doesn't stir so he tries again. "Gen, wake up, you need to eat." 

"Mh...." the sound Gen makes is small, hardly audible, but it's enough of an acknowledgment.

"Gen, dinner is getting cold," Senku says with another soft nudge. "Wake up mentalist." 

Gen seems to finally wake up, body becoming alert, shoulders tensing. After a moment he looks up at him through bleary eyes, blinking away the sleep. When his vision finally focuses, his posture relaxes again. "Senku-chan....?" 

"You fell asleep on the job," Senku chides. He picks up their bowls and passes one down to Gen. "Eat up, you need to recover your energy." 

"Forgive me," Gen says quietly as he accepts the bowl. "It seems I didn't get enough rest last ightnay." 

Senku doesn't push the topic. He forgets sometimes, past all the glitz and glamour, that Gen is only human. His illusions make him forget there's a real person beneath those many masks, that he has needs just like anyone else. Just like Senku himself.

For as observant as Senku has become of the mentalist, Gen does all he can to divert from being seen. 

They eat in silence for a while, only the slurping of their noodles filling the space between their ears. Eventually, when he's halfway through the bowl, he spares another look down at the mentalist. Gen's eyes look lost, not quite like the previous night, but not totally there either. Like his mind is elsewhere and he isn't coming back soon.

Fuck....I'm no good at comforting people. What is it that Gen does when I get stressed out....?

"So what do you wanna make with the paper first?" Senku tries, cringing at how awkward it sounds as soon as the words are out of his mouth. His voice cutting through the silence feels out of place.

Gen chuckles, turning a bit to look up at him. He hasn't taken the pelt off his shoulders. "Trying to istractday me, Senku-chan? You know that's my specialty.~" 

"No idea what you're talking about."

"Oh please, you're an open book to me, dear scientist," Gen says as if it isn't obvious. Somehow he guesses that right now it's only a half truth. 

"Everyone's an open book to you, you're a mentalist. It's what you do," Senku points out anyway.

Gen pauses to prod at his noodles. The icky green noodles that are growing on Senku despite how bitter they are. A lot of things he didn't expect to like are growing on him lately. "Not everyone, unfortunately." 

Senku isn't sure what to think of that, but Gen moves on before he can formulate a response. "The first test paper will be ready tomorrow, by the way." 

"Shit, you work fast," Senku says, surprised. 

"No time to waste right?" Gen winks coyly. It doesn't come off as playful as usual, but at least it's a sign he's coming back to himself, albeit slowly. It's a step in the right direction. "The first batch is already on a drying rack." 

Senku immediately looks up to see one of the racks doesn't have weeds on it anymore, but thin rectangular sheets he makes out in the low light of the fire. He suddenly feels revitalized from his long day of manual labor, energy zapping through the fog in his mind. "Nice job mentalist!" 

"Thank you Senku-chan," Gen says softly, a smile working its way onto his face at the praise. It lessens the dullness in his eyes a little bit. "You don't get to see it until it's ready though.~" 

"Wh-"

"Nope!"

"But Gen-"

"You put me in charge of this project so I get to set the rules," Gen says, smile turning into a smaller version of his signature smirk. 

"Fine, fine," Senku concedes, if only so he can see Gen come back to himself. 

His apology is long forgotten, dying in the back of his throat.

Chapter Text

Gen starts the day feeling revitalized. All the heartache and stress he felt the day before had fizzled out, leaving him for once light on his feet. Weightlessness permeates his body.

Thanks to Kohaku and Senku. 

Gen had never let himself become so affected by the actions of others, by their emotional states. To not only absorb negative emotions, but let himself be healed by comforting gestures? Unheard of.

Who am I becoming? 

He decides not to question it for now. Too much introspection never did anyone any good. Getting lost in your own mind is far too great a hazard. 

After breakfast, during which Senku seems to meet his eyes more often than usual, the scientist leaves for the waterwheel with his spare hands. Chrome has a spring in his step Gen is glad to notice. And alongside a less worried seeming Senku, Kaseki seems revitalized by their energy as well. He's happy to see it. 

Today he busies himself with the paper. The sheets had come out far better than he had expected, sturdy enough to write on even when he presses the charcoal pencil into it with deliberate force. It should stand up well to Senku's furious scribbling when he's lost in thought. 

A fair amount of Gen's secret stash of materials hadn't survived the fall into the river, so he takes the opportunity now that Senku isn't around to slip into the lab. He adjusts the logs accordingly before going back out to his station. 

Briefly he thinks of how strange it feels to call anything in this stone age his. Besides his clothes, nothing else felt....his. Nothing felt like he owned it, like it was specifically for him. But this paper making station is his. It's organized to his liking, it was built just for him, it was his. 

How strange. Laying claim to anything in this new era....

Gen brushes the thoughts aside and prepares the next batch of plant fibers for boiling. Now that he has a basic idea of how to do this he can play around with the consistency some. While he waits for the water to boil, he sets out his materials and gets to work on a particularly special project. It takes a bit of experimenting, some light cursing here and there. But he makes it work.

Once he's satisfied with the results he nabs the itemized log from the lab. Hopefully Senku-chan doesn't mind.

___

The last phase of the wheelhouse project, the gears to power the furnaces, gets finished pretty quickly. They're done sometime after lunch, and Senku can only guess the word spread. Repairs at the village have finally finished, so that means nearly everyone who can make the trip to the river is present. Even Gen turns up among the crowd, praising the automation of the iron making process. 

Kokuyo points out how, now that repairs are done and there's hands to spare, the village can finally focus entirely on winter preparations. Once everyone trickles back down the path, to the clearing and beyond to the village, the only sound left is that of the waterwheel. 

Suddenly, everything slows down. 

Before the push had been to keep things moving as fast as possible and do as much as they could every single day. But now. Well. They still have a long way to go, but they're not running at top speed anymore. 

Senku's brain feels like it's turning into mush for a bit. Burn out from the constant push forward - the uphill climb he had been at since he woke up in this stone world - tugs at his energy. Things, feelings he had been stamping down, threaten to spill back up all of a sudden. 

Then there's a voice to his right that makes him instantly relax.

"You've pulled off uiteqay the feat, Senku-chan," Gen sings, a genuine smile on his face. The defeated look that had been clouding his blue eyes the day before is thankfully gone. He looks himself again.

He shrugs, trying to ignore how much better he feels with the mentalist beside him. "Don't go thinking this means less work for you, you're not getting a free pass that easily." 

"Oh please, this is me we're talking about," Gen chuckles. "I'll find a way around your arduous plans one way or another.~" 

"Yea, sure, you always have a trick up your sleeve," Senku says as they begin to walk, no malice in his words. 

"You know me so well!~" 

For a second he wonders if he really does.

Gen hides so much of himself. It's impossible to tell sometimes what's a mask and what's not. Senku shoves that line of thought aside quickly. This is his friend. Letting those types of things cloud his mind wasn't gonna help anyone. 

"Say Senku-chan, mind accompanying me for a ightslay detour?" Gen asks after a few minutes of easy quiet. 

"Huh? What for?" 

"It'll be quick, I promise," Gen says, pointing in the direction of the field of foxtail millet. 

"Sure, whatever," he agrees. What could Gen want with that?

"Thank you, Senku-chan.~" 

They walk the rest of the way in silence. When they arrive at the field he thinks Gen is going to stop, but he keeps walking past it, towards a small grove of trees at its edge. The mentalist's eyes light up in a way he's never seen before, pure joy and excitement radiating from him when his eyes land on the orange blooms on spindly branches.

"They're finally blooming!" Gen says cheerily as they get close to the first tree. He pulls a pair of clippers from somewhere inside his coat and hands Senku a medium sized basket he didn't even realize the mentalist had been holding. "Do you mind?" 

Senku wordlessly takes the basket, and Gen gets to work clipping the small flowers from the lowest branches.

"I spotted these when we first went out to the sunflower field, before the ormstay, but when I came out here with the sparkling sisters they weren't in bloom yet," Gen explains, adding sprig after sprig of the brightly colored flowers into the basket. "Orange osmanthus fragrans, better known as sweet olive!~"

Senku hadn't seen this side of Gen before. Sure, he knew the mentalist liked flowers. He knew they were often part of his magic tricks, and they even came in handy when they were up against Magma, then again with Hyoga. He vaguely recalls Gen mentioning the meaning of nightshade, his favorite flower, at the time. But this is almost something else. Gen loses himself in listing fact after fact about the flowers until the basket is nearly overflowing. Senku can't get himself to interrupt even for a second. It's too captivating. 

"They're wonderful for teas and perfumes thanks to the peachy smell - though some people suggest it's more like apricot - but they're also used for rice wines," Gen concludes as he sets the final sprig in the basket. 

"Since when are you a horticulturist?" Senku asks, breaking out of his daze. Listening to Gen was....refreshing. It filled his mind with a pleasant feeling that reminded him of Yuzuriha whenever she went on a tangent about textiles. It was something he could listen to for hours. And the mentalist kept surprising him with new skills he didn't know the other possessed. New wells of knowledge to explore.

"It's just a hobby of mine, nothing serious," Gen waves, putting away the clippers and taking the basket from him. 

"So what are you planning to do with these?" 

"I'm thinking tea," Gen answers as they start walking to the main path. "Perfume if I'm feeling ambitious.~" 

"I swear if you take over my lab to make fucking perfume, I'll hand us both over to Tsukasa," Senku threatens lightly. 

"I won't push my luck," Gen laughs heartily. The sound is music to Senku's ears compared to Gen's demeanor the previous night. 

"Did you garden a lot?" Senku asks after a pause. The mental image of Gen covered in dirt, sitting on his knees under the hot sun as he tends to flowers, seems strangely amusing. But somehow it fits how diligent he is under all the lavish dishonesty. Not the manual labor, but the patience to grow and cultivate something by hand. 

"I wanted to," he says with a wistful sigh, "but I was usually too busy. I did have a few plants in my apartment though. In the hustle and bustle of show business....it was oothingsay.~" 

They chat about it as they return to the clearing, Senku doing more listening than talking. He's not used to the roles being reversed like this. He's usually the one talking the ear off of whoever was willing to listen to his long and seemingly endless rants. Like Taiju who listened intently even if he didn't understand, and Chrome who definitely didn't understand but wanted to learn. It wasn't often someone was able to chew his ear like this.

But with Gen he doesn't mind. Welcomes the change.

___

That night the hunting party returns to the village with plenty of wild game to go around, and the crowning piece is a bear so heavy it takes four to carry the dowel it's tied to. With repairs finished and the grueling work now automated, the village roars to life with celebration. It's even more lively than the celebrations of the grand bout, the sound of drums and shell ocarinas traveling across the lake with soul. 

Senku doesn't object at all, much to everyone's surprise, and soon enough Gen finds himself wedged between Chrome and Kohaku at the grand bout arena that's now alive with dance. This time he doesn't object when a cup brimming with potato sake finds its way into his hands. 

If there's ever a time to let loose, it's now. 

He loses track of Senku somewhere between the sparkling sisters teaching Gen a traditional dance and his coat disappearing over Kohaku's shoulders. Sees him again when Suika pulls the scientist into a circle with the other children. Loses him once more at the bottom of his second drink. 

While taking a break, stretched out on a log beside Kohaku, head on her lap while she absently plays with his hair, Gen tries to remember a time he felt this free. This uninhibited, the burdens of the modern world behind him. Nothing comes up. 

Granted, he is pretty drunk.

But in the modern world he only drank at stuffy dinners with people who could advance his career, sipping very slowly at his glass. Or at parties among people he kept more than an arm's length away. Here, under the vast expanse of the sky, with his heart beating alongside the steady sound of drums and dancing feet, he was among friends. 

Funny, I don't really remember when I let myself get this close to any of them.....  

"....and then I leapt on its back and broke its neck in one go!" Kohaku boasts loudly, recalling a really jumbled version of the hunting expedition. 

"Kohaku sweetheart, that doesn't make any ensesay," Gen says, trying and failing to keep track of her story. 

"It's eyes were practically glowing, you should have seen it, Gen!" Kohaku keeps going, the drink in her other hand tilting dangerously every time she makes a grand gesture. 

"Right right, owingglay eyes, yeah that totally makes sense," he says, faintly wondering when he became so close with the huntress. 

"And then Mag- oh- Gen, look, look!" she exclaims, shaking his shoulder. Gen turns his head in the direction she's gesturing with her drink, fighting back vertigo at the motion, and eventually his eyes fix on what she wants him to see. 

Ruri and Chrome are dancing together in the middle of some other couples, bodies close, hand in hand. They seem too caught up in each other to notice anything that's happening around them. All smiles, shoulders shaking with jovial laughter any time they trip over each other.

It puts a smile on Gen's face, and on Kohaku's too when he spares a glance up at her. 

"You did something didn't you, you bat bastard," Kohaku looks down at him.

"No idea what you mean," Gen says, peering up at her through his tousled bangs. 

"Oh yea, you totally did something."

"Did not."

"They're different lately," she says, voice coming out in a whisper. 

"That's good isn't it?" 

"Yea....yea it is," she smiles wider, eyes glistening with what Gen thinks is perhaps years of pent up anxiety. To finally see her sister happy and healthy, well, that's got to be a lot. The sight makes him sober up just a bit, her display of emotions stirring something inside his chest.

Gen sits up, scooting up beside her, chin landing on her shoulder and arm around her waist as they watch the pair for a while. She doesn't push him away. Maybe when he was completely sober this would set his heart racing, but right now he just feels calm. Peaceful. 

Then he spots Senku on the other side of the arena, trapped between Ginro and two of the sparkling sisters of all people. He looks like he's begging for a way out as the girls try to pull him into a dance while Ginro eggs him on. It would be funny if Senku didn't look so stressed out.

Kohaku has followed his line of sight and lets out a loud snort when she figures out what's happening. "Should we go rescue him?" 

Gen thinks about it for a long second, a smirk slipping onto his face. "Nah." 

Kohaku hollers a laugh, almost spilling the contents of her drink in her amusement. "You just want to see him suffer!" 

"And what if I do?" Gen answers with his own loud laughter. 

They break out into pathetic giggles when Garnet and Sapphire each grab one of Senku's arms and Ginro pushes him into the circle of dancers from behind.

"Okay okay, maybe we ouldshay save him," Gen relents, snatching Kohaku's drink and slamming down what's left. Her sound of protest goes ignored.

"You get Senku, I'll get the sisters," Kohaku says as they stand, leaning against each other a bit wobbly. Gen nods an agreement to the plan.

Senku sees them approaching as they take a wide berth around the outskirts of the arena, and the plea for help is obvious in his eyes. "Say, Senku-chan, I saw some sciencey thing over that ayway that I think needs your expertise!~" 

It's a shit rescue line, but Senku takes the opening anyway. "Right, yea, I should uh-! I should go look at that. Lead the way mentalist-" 

"Why don't you two dance with me instead?" Kohaku purrs, slipping between Sapphire and Garnet as Gen pulls Senku away by the wrist. Her strong arms circle their waists and Gen doesn't miss how both girls blush. Even Ginro looks flustered just watching them.

Well okay that's one way to do it. 

___

"You owe me," Gen says without looking back, tugging Senku along over the bridge and away from the arena. "And Kohaku too." 

Senku's head feels like it's spinning, but he puts one foot in front of the other on the swaying bridge and somehow makes it to the other side in one piece. Gen laughs at nothing ahead of him, steps swaying ever so slightly. He looks strange without- 

"What happened to your coat?" 

"Oh oops," Gen says surprised, looking down at himself as if just then realizing he's not wearing it. "Guess Kohaku still has it. Oh well, no getting that back now." 

They've made it to the residential area, that's much quieter and less alive. Only a few people linger, at their doorsteps, tumbling home from the festivities or bringing their children to bed. The chill of the night air feels stronger here. Senku shudders at the occasional gusts.

Gen hasn't let go of his wrist and they're still walking. He's too light headed to say anything. His second cup of wine was a mistake. So was the first. 

It's when they get over the second bridge that Gen seems to realize he's still holding Senku's wrist. 

"Oh, whoops, that can't be omfortablecay," Gen says absently. He lets go for a moment, only for his hand to slip into Senku's, locking their fingers together.

"Hey-" Senku starts, but can't think of how to finish that thought. His brain can't keep up. He doesn't let go or pull away.

They walk like that until they arrive at the clearing.

"Should we start a fire?" Gen asks, tapping his chin.

"We should probably go to bed. Probably." 

"Okay fire it is!"

"You're drunk, mentalist." 

"Aren't you too? I can smell it on you Senku-chan," Gen says with a chuckle. "Does that count as underaged inkingdray?" 

"I'm well over three-thousand and seven hundred-something years old, dumbass," Senku points out as Gen pulls him towards the fire pit. He can't think of the exact number right now. "So are you." 

"Right, of course," Gen says with an eye roll that looks like it makes him dizzy. 

"It's simple math."

"That's definitely not simple."

When they stop in front of the firepit Gen looks like he already forgot why they're there. Senku can hardly remember either.

"Oh! I didn't show you the paper," Gen exclaims excitedly, pulling Senku away towards the back of the lab.

"No shit, we got kinda busy."

"Right? I didn't think I could stomach bear meat but it was pretty good," Gen remarks, remembering dinner.

"Too bad we don't have better seasoning," Senku laments. He usually doesn't care about flavor but even he's gotten tired of only having salt. 

"Ugh, I'd kill for some pepper."

"That's how wars start." 

"God you're right."

"Spices are a powerful tool."

"Think anyone will join our side for some pepper?"

"Maybe."

"Bear has to astetay better with pepper."

Senku has to laugh. "At least it wasn't lion." 

"You've had lion?" Gen asks. "Oh right Tsukasa-chan killed one didn't he?" 

"Eh, I had some in Africa before," Senku says as they round the corner to Gen's workspace. 

"In Africa?" 

"Ebola," he says as if that answers the question.

"Right right, ebola." 

Gen only lets go of his hand when they get closer to the table. He unwraps a leather pouch and takes something out, blocking it from Senku's view. "Go start the fire Senku-chan.~" 

He does as told, missing the warmth quickly leaving his hand. 

When it's alive and flickering Gen turns around from tinkering at the table. Senku only sees the glimmer of excitement before something is pressed into his hand.

Is this-

"Tada!~" Gen exclaims, blowing softly to make the curls of paper spin. The pinwheel turns lazily, coming alive with the inertia. 

Senku can't hold back the laughter that bubbles through him. Of all the things for Gen to make with paper first, he wasn't expecting a child's toy. So simple but so playful. 

Gen laughs with him, bright through the dark of the night. Senku wants to listen to that sound forever. 

"Really mentalist, you keep surprising me!" 

"That's the goal, Senku-chan!~" Gen winks, plopping down on one of the logs. He has a second pinwheel in his hand that Senku hadn't noticed, and he blows on it, laughing as it spins endlessly.

Through the haze in his mind Senku remembers something he meant to have ready once the paper was finished, and heads towards the lab. Gen calls out to him, but he ignores it. He stumbles a few times, catching himself on the wall of the structure, but eventually he makes it back to the fire pit with the prize in hand. Gen's entire body lights up with energy when he sees what Senku is carrying.

" Cola! " 

Senku passes him the bottle, then sits beside Gen with his own. They pop the caps and toast to- to?

"To science?" Gen offers with a smile.

" To science! " 

The silence that follows is warm, pleasant, like the way he had felt when Gen held his hand. He could live in it. Could let it wrap around him forever. 

At some point Gen starts describing the hunting trip, embellished by a very drunk Kohaku, but most of the words go in one ear and right out the other. "She swears she broke its neck herself, Senku-chan, snapped it like a toothpick!" 

The words make him startle out of his haze, head whipping to look at Gen, pinwheel coming alive with the sudden movement. He doesn't find any hurt and upset there like before. "Like a toothpick?" 

"Like a toothpick," Gen repeats with a nod, and there's an understanding there that Senku holds on to.

"Yea right," Senku snickers, relaxing again. 

Gen's head is turned up to the sky, to the twinkling stars above. Senku can't help but notice how they reflect in his blue eyes. Like they've always lived there.

"Is there a bear constellation?" Gen asks quietly, bottle of cola discarded. He blows on the pinwheel even though he isn't looking at it.

Senku turns to follow his gaze, to the night sky that's brighter than any he's ever seen before. "Two of them, ursa major and ursa minor," he answers, making Gen gasp in surprise. He starts listing the stars that make up each, and the mentalist listens attentively. 

Somewhere along the way their hands find each other again. Fingers interwoven, warmth trapped between their palms. They fall asleep like that long hours later, leaning against each other, the names of distant planetary objects dancing through their dreams. 

It's the best sleep Senku's had since he woke up in this new world.

Chapter Text

Not much of anything gets done the next day. 

Not after the festivities that leave most of the village hungover and sleepy. Gen doesn't really mind, he's nursing his own headache. He'd felt like he sobered up a decent amount when Senku broke out the cola, but then the two of them fell asleep on the cold hard earth with a log as a pillow and now his neck is screaming in agony. 

Senku doesn't look any better. His naturally wild hair is plastered flat in places while the rest sticks up as usual. It makes his head look like a trampled meadow. Gen gets a flick on the forehead for saying as much, which only aggravates his headache. 

I'm never touching a drop of alcohol ever again.

They eat breakfast quietly in the lab. Gen had sacrificed himself, fetching it for them since Senku looks more zombie-like than he feels. Luckily the village was pretty quiet. The children have overslept and only a few of the elderly that turned in early toil about. 

After they eat, Gen's head lands on the glass surface of the lab table and he refuses to move. The cool sensation does wonders for the pressure behind his eyes. Senku doesn't say anything of it. 

"Senku-chan, do you happen to have any angoverhay cures you haven't bothered mentioning?" Gen asks weakly, voice muffled by the table.

"There aren't any, dumbass. Most home remedies aren't proven. All we can do is treat the symptoms," Senku answers bitterly. "We already slept, we ate, we're staying hydrated. But we don't have caffeine or painkillers so there's not much else to do."

"Eriouslysay?"

"Yup. Alcohol is metabolized in our bodies by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase. As it breaks down ethanol, it forms acetaldehyde, which is a carcinogen and a p-"

"I get it, I get it. We've poisoned ourselves and now we have to ride it out," Gen interrupts. He's too tired for this.

"You can go dunk your head in the river," Senku offers, snarky as ever. 

"I thought I was the practical joker here."

Eventually Gen gives up. He feels grimy and sore all over. Sitting there isn't helping any, but he doesn't think he can get any sleep. So he gets up and makes for the exit. 

"Where are you going?" Senku asks through closed eyes. He's had a blueprint open in front of him for the past hour but hasn't touched it. 

"For a walk," Gen says with a yawn. "And to find my coat. No idea where I lost it." 

"Kohaku has it," Senku groans, rubbing at his temples. 

"Why does Kohaku- you know what, never mind. She probably remembers why," Gen says as he leaves. Senku just warns him not to miss lunch. 

It's not that he can't remember the whole night, but there's definitely bits and pieces that have blurred together into one sloppy colorful mess. Gen might not have Senku's incredible memory, but enough of the night is leftover for him to know that at some point he had grabbed Senku's hand. They'd woken up that way, but since the scientist didn't make a big deal of it Gen hadn't either. 

His coat though, well, he doesn't even remember taking it off. Much less giving it to Kohaku. Or did she take it? 

Gen hadn't seen her when he had gone to fetch breakfast, but he tries the village first anyway. Maybe she spent the night with Ruri.

Or maybe not. Gen finds, past the mess in the trampled arena, a mostly empty hut. The only occupants are a sleeping Ruri, and a very unconscious Chrome dozing with his head on her lap. Gen backs out of the hut quietly. He'll have to tell Kohaku what he saw whenever he finds her. 

Kohaku isn't with Suika, so the only place left to look is beyond the boundaries of the village. I did say I was going for a walk, well, two birds one stone.  

The quiet of the woods is welcoming, the fresh air cooling his mind just a bit. He's not sure what direction Kohaku could have gone in, so he decides to go towards the wheelhouse and start from there. 

It's when he's halfway there that he hears the sound of metal against stone breaking through the reprieve of nature. It's coming from a less trodden and much narrower path, one Gen has never been down before. He pauses at the mouth, listening to the sound for a bit longer before deciding to investigate. 

What he finds is surprising. Gen hangs back to observe for a bit. The sound is coming from two large knives striking against a boulder as Kohaku parries with it. She looks focused, in a state of mind Gen can't begin to comprehend. 

He doesn't bother hiding. Just leans his shoulder against a tree, arms crossed, and waits until she notices he's there. Gen senses a shift in her demeanor, but it's easily half an hour before she acknowledges he's watching. It's when she takes a break, sheathing the knives and pausing for a drink of water. She waves him over and he takes that as his cue to step into the boulder and moss filled clearing. 

"Training through your hangover? Really Kohaku, your energy is urprisingsay," Gen says as he gets closer. 

"There's no time for being idle," she answers, moving to sit on a nearby boulder where he spots his discarded coat. Gen takes a seat beside her on the cold stone. 

"Not even a throbbing headache?" 

"Absolutely not!" Kohaku laughs, and her high spirits would be contagious if he didn't feel so much like shit. 

"If only I had your energy.~" 

"Maybe if you trained with us you would." 

"You know better than anyone that is absolutely not appeninghay." 

"Ha! Yea, you're too weak to keep up." 

"You wound me!~"

"As if, you skip out on work whenever you get the chance," Kohaku says, poking his shoulder roughly. All he can do is laugh. 

"Tell me dear, what's really got you out here?" Gen asks after a while. Kohaku isn't someone he has to tiptoe around much. Although she isn't keen on being sentimental, she's not entirely out of touch with her feelings. She just holds them close, giving that piece of herself only to those she trusts. Gen isn't sure if he's one of them, but at the very least he's willing to try. 

She's quiet for a while as if contemplating her words carefully. When she finally speaks it's soft, quietly carried by the wind. "Ruri-nee and Chrome, you saw them last night." 

Gen hums in affirmation. It's one piece of their festivities he hasn't forgotten. 

"She's been cured," Kohaku sighs. "But Chrome has become invested in this war with Tsukasa. He won't let himself truly be happy just yet." 

Gen sighs with her. She's right after all. Chrome, as much as he may care for Ruri, is just as self-sacrificing for his friends and his people. Even when they cast him aside for so many long years. It's something he has in common with Kohaku, and Gen can sort of see where this is going. 

"We have to win this," Kohaku continues, voice distant but serious. "I have to be prepared."

"A day of estray never hurt anyone," Gen says softly, although he does understand where her drive is coming from. 

"There's hardly any time for that. Training will become more difficult come winter," Kohaku insists. "I have to be ready." 

"And you will be," Gen says, reaching out to tuck her bangs behind her ears. "Rest won't change that." 

"But-" 

"But nothing, Kohaku," he says a bit more firmly. "Rest is just as important. It doesn't make you any less strong. If anything, it makes you more valiant for knowing when enough is enough." 

Kohaku searches his face as if trying to find any hint of trickery, but there isn't anything to find. He's being earnest with her. Gen cares about her, even if he never planned to.

After a moment it seems she gets her answer and visibly relaxes. A smile creeps up on her face, warm like the sun. "Thank you, Gen. You're a good friend, even if you try to hide it." 

"I have no idea what you eanmay.~" 

She laughs, loud and bright. His infatuation evaporates on the spot, carried away on the wind with the sound of her voice. All that's left behind is admiration. And, much to his surprise, an unexpected friendship.

Now Gen is forced to face something he's been ignoring for a while. 

___

Senku wonders for a bit how much it would be worth the effort to look for camellia sinensis, the species of evergreen whose leaves produce tea. Wonders if Gen knows what it looks like. The caffeine might come in handy. The teas the village made were actually herbal infusions, made from fruits and other plants. Like the sweet olive Gen found. Not even the cola had any actual caffeine in it. 

He discards the idea after a while. Too tired to think about it.

Senku tries to focus on the blueprints for their next project, but it's useless. The wine was definitely a mistake. 

So he switches gears and starts to organize the lab. It hasn't been long since the last time Gen helped him sort everything, but some things are out of place and the menial repetitive work will give him something to do through the fog that's heavy in his mind. He puts the blueprint away and looks for the lab log, but can't find it. 

Did Chrome move it?

After searching the shelves twice he doesn't find it. Right when he's about to give up, maybe go find something else to do, he spots something that wasn't there before. A rectangular package, wrapped in cloth, wedged between two boxes.

Who could have....?

Senku takes it off the shelf and unwraps it, then almost drops it in his surprise. It's a leather bound notebook. It's simple, but it's sturdy. Did Gen make this?  

Senku opens it, and inside each page is filled with the mentalist's neat handwriting. It's the lab log, transcribed onto paper. Perhaps the first bound words in millennia. 

That bastard! He didn't even tell me he was making this.

He tries to bite back the grin forming on his face but it's impossible. He's getting too excited, the feeling of exhaustion fizzling out like a flame. In its place is a warmth Senku had only found in Gen's hand clasped in his. 

___

Kohaku hadn't seen the improvements to the wheelhouse the previous day, having arrived late with the hunting party, so Gen takes her there. She's just as impressed as the rest of the villagers had been.

"He's done incredible things for this village," Kohaku says with awe. "Sometimes I doubt his ambitions will even be possible, and then he does it anyway." 

Gen can only nod in agreement. 

"He's been more motivated since you got here," she says more quietly.

"Senku-chan is just glad to have a modern indmay to bounce ideas off of," Gen says as they watch the water turn the wheel. The day they fell in the river felt far away all of a sudden. Kohaku doesn't respond, so they admire the achievement in silence for a while. It's comfortable, but he's craving something else. Something....different.

When she finally turns to return to the village Gen follows until they reach the beginning of the path that leads to the foxtail millet and sweet olive grove, and beyond it the sunflower fields. 

Kohaku notices him slowing down. "Gen?" 

"Go on ahead, I have something to do," Gen tells her, tucking his arms closer to his body. She had thankfully returned his coat and the added layer makes him feel more like himself. 

"I could stay with you," she says carefully.

"Don't worry, I won't be long," he rejects the offer. "Besides, you'll want to talk to Ruri and Chrome about last night.~" 

Her ears perk up, and when he winks she gets the message. "Don't miss lunch, sorcerer!" 

"Wouldn't dream of it.~" 

They part ways, and as much as Gen was happy with where he stood with Kohaku, he needed some time to clear his head. To sort through his thoughts. To contemplate where he stands with their resident scientist. 

When Gen arrives at the sunflower field he walks to the very middle and lets himself fall back into the grass, face towards the sky. It's bright and blue, welcoming. Very few clouds loiter, only the sun beating down on his skin. After running through some breathing exercises to help himself relax Gen finally has to face the inevitable. Eventually, almost regrettably, Gen knew his infatuation with Kohaku would run its course. He's happy with where it landed them, amazed even. To allow himself to become close enough to someone to call them a friend....

It's new. It's exhilarating. It's. It's a lot of things. 

But it has pulled back the curtain, exposing his illusions. 

Gen's greatest illusion, if he's in the mood to joke about such a thing. 

Lying to myself.

Gen knew, even before they met, that Senku was someone to be admired. Someone unique, a once-in-a-lifetime type of person that you never meet again. Granted, at the time, he thought Senku was dead. Tsukasa had revived him specifically to confirm the scientist was gone from this earth. But a sliver of hope had bloomed in his chest when he saw the carving on the tree outside the miracle cave. That the twisted world Tsukasa dreamt of wasn't the only path. 

Then he found Senku alive, and his decision had practically been made for him. 

Fate perhaps, or destiny, had urged him to strike a deal - a flimsy one, but a deal nonetheless. Things that Senku absolutely didn't believe in, would probably laugh at. But Gen is no scientist, all he has to guide him are the fragile tendrils of emotions the human mind uses to explain itself. So fate, or destiny, or maybe even divine intervention. It's all he can cling to. 

Senku would surely laugh at him for it. That evil sound that crawls under Gen's skin and gets him excited for plans that sounded impossibly ridiculous. Like the cotton candy machine, or the phone. Or the Edison bulb that had burned with unsung hope into a darkness that was no longer permanent. 

But Gen would welcome that laugh, that quirky smile, even if it meant making himself the butt of every joke. Even if it meant playing dumb and trying to skip work so he could get scolded. The laugh of a mad scientist whose goals sound so grandiose but are said with such conviction that Gen can't help but believe they'll all become reality one day. 

He shouldn't have let this happen in the first place. 

Gen had always errected walls around himself as high as he could reach. It was self preservation. It was a way to protect himself from being seen, but also to keep himself from getting so close to someone that he eventually became disappointed in what he found. 

Yet around Senku he had exposed pieces of himself he had never shown anyone. Pieces he wasn't fond of, and pieces he liked but kept secret just to have something to himself. Bits of his being that had never seen the light of day before. 

It should have felt scary, to expose his true self like this. To let anyone get this close. But Senku wasn't just anyone. Gen let him in all on his own, letting down the drawbridge as soon as the scientist came knocking.

Oh.

I've been letting myself unravel, just for him....

It's what let Gen become close to Ruri, to Kohaku. Senku had waltzed in, and he left the door wide open behind him. And Gen couldn't even be mad about it. 

He always thought that one day, when he was old and gray, crows feet in the corners of his eyes, he would allow himself to love.

To find his equal. 

To accept the horrifying temptation of being known. 

But he's still young, as young as this new era he was so rudely woken up into. An era of possibilities, even for someone like Gen. Finding his equal wasn't outside the realm of possibility anymore. There were seven billion people on earth, cast in stone or not. Gen prided himself on making the impossible believable. On blending the line between reality and fiction. He's a magician at his core.  

But it's not magic that tore down his defenses. 

It's science.

In the dry and cold desert of life, an oasis had bloomed just for him. Ripe with new friendships, new opportunities, and with love. A love that quenched a thirst he hadn't realized he was suffocating in until he tasted the relief. A love that washed down all his fears and sorrows as if they were just grains of sand in the wind. A love sweeter than anything he'd ever tasted, sweeter still than the cola that sealed their fate. 

Although Gen isn't certain if it's mirage or miracle, he's too curious to turn down the opportunity. Too selfish not to want to claim it for himself alone. That oasis is none other than Senku Ishigami.

He doesn't make it back for lunch.

Chapter Text

They've begun work on the lightbulb, but so far each attempt has been a failure. They fail, and try again. Rinse and repeat. After a week and a half it's becoming exhausting mentally, but Senku has other projects lined up to keep them occupied in between. One of the more important ones being for the winter preparations. 

Senku takes a break in the lab while he sends Chrome to fetch a few things from the village. Kaseki is too busy blowing glass to be disturbed, a reluctant Carbo as his assistant, insisting he doesn't need the extra help from either scientist. 

He flips absently through the logbook, making corrections here and there as he plans their next move. As much as he tries to stay focused, part of him keeps getting distracted. Senku didn't anticipate missing writing on paper of all things. 

And Gen gave him that back. 

The mentalist is outside, kneeling in front of the children and Ruri, entertaining them with magic tricks as he takes his own break from making paper. Senku watches for a bit. Gen sticks to simple tricks, like what he used when he was cheating at checkers. Easy sleight of hand, which to the kids must seem like actual sorcery. For one trick he makes two handfuls of pink flowers disappear and in their place pinwheels reappear. 

The children cheer with glee as Gen passes them out, one for each kid. The final pinwheel goes to a grinning Ruri. He'd scold the mentalist for slacking off, but the thick stack of paper sitting on a shelf is hard to ignore. It's grown quickly. Guess I can't complain.

When he finally stands to go back to the paper station, Gen catches his eye and smiles. He's been doing a lot of that lately. Not the fake ones, his actual smile.... 

Senku briefly remembers the warmth he'd felt holding Gen's hand. A warmth that seeped through his whole body. It was nice, but it stirs something else in him he tries to push down. No time for that. 

"What are you up to today, Senku-chan?" Gen asks as he steps into the shade of the lab. 

"Planning for the winter," he sighs.

"Seems like the lightbulb is giving you oubletray," Gen says apologetically. His eyes travel to the lab log on the table, but he hasn't taken credit for it, so Senku hasn't mentioned it either. It's another game of his, it seems.

"Eh, that's just how it is. We'll get there," Senku shrugs.

"Science is like that I suppose," Gen agrees. He wanders further into the lab, examining the shelves. "Say Senku-chan, you have a mortar and pestle don't you?" 

"Yea, what do you need that for? Your tea?" 

"Mhm, the flowers have finished drying so I thought I'd make some," Gen hums. "Poor Ruby re-injured her ankle so I figured it could make a nice pick-me-up."

For Ruby? Really mentalist, you don't need to feed me an excuse for this.

"How'd she manage that, wasn't she on bedrest as per doctor's orders?" Senku snickers. Gen just rolls his eyes at the jab.

"Just like us, she got a bit unkdray during the festivities. Apparently when she saw her sisters dancing with Kohaku she tried to join," Gen explains, hiding a laugh behind his sleeve. 

"Wash it after you're done," Senku instructs, pointing toward the correct shelf. 

"Thank you, dear.~" 

Senku hardly has time to register the words before Gen swipes the mortar and pestle then disappears. 

Dear....

Not 'dear scientist'. 'Dear'. He's only ever heard Gen call Kohaku and the sparkling sisters that pet name. 

Dear.

___

After turning the basket full of sweet olive Gen had harvested into the tea he had been craving, and delivering a small portion to a very greatful Ruby, there's not much else to do for the day. The last batch of paper is drying out on the racks, beneath a tarp Kaseki had graciously made to shield the whole workspace from the elements. Everyone else is busy, so there's little opportunity to find someone to goof off with. 

So Gen wanders back to the clearing, fully expecting Senku to give him a new task for him to complain about. 

"Gen, get over here," Senku calls as he gets closer, hoisting a basket onto his back.

"What are we doing now, hm?"

"We're gonna go ahead and help the village prepare for winter," Senku answers, holding a second basket out to Gen. He takes it and slips it on as they head back toward the bridge.

"What will we do to help? Neither of us are exactly hunters, Senku-chan." 

"Canning. They've figured out how to preserve meats and fish by smoking and drying them. They've even used earthenware to preserve foodstuffs for longer by burying it in underground ice boxes during the winter months. But canning takes things to the next level," Senku explains as they arrive at the bridge. He turns right, following a small path alongside the cliff edge.

"Will we be using the glassware Kaiseki has been making?" Gen guesses. They're not exactly rolling in enough metal for traditional cans. He's glad to see surprise color Senku's features.

"Ten billion points, mentalist!" Senku looks excited again, something Gen enjoys seeing light up Senku's otherwise stoic features. It's this type of energy that motivates those around him and gets them invested in these ridiculous plans of his. Even I couldn't mimic something this authentic. How charming….

"The villagers do a lot of foraging but that becomes useless once the snow is too thick and most fruits aren't in season. So we need to make preserves. Fish and boar only gets you so far."

"Ah right, I remember you mentioning this was a problem Tsukasa-chan's people would run into uicklyqay," Gen says, tapping his chin. "Overhunting the area was it?"

"Yea, they don't have the means to store food long term even if they forage, and the more they hunt nearby the further out they'll push any wild game," Senku explains. "Technically we're jarring, but it's the cousin of canning. I already have Chrome getting ready to can fish and meats, but you're gonna work on preserving fruit." 

"Oh?" 

"Since they don't really last long the village has never bothered trying to keep fruit during the winter months but-" 

"Ah I get it now, jams and jellies?" 

"You catch on fast," Senku snickers. "You've seen the farms on the cliffside right?"

"Actually I haven't been out this way," Gen answers. The path slowly becomes an uphill climb.

"They've got root vegetables growing. Like potatoes, carrots, and daikon," Senku continues. "But last time I came out here I saw persimmon trees a little ways off. They should be ready for picking." 

"Let me guess, I'm coming along ecausebay you're too short to reach the branches?" Gen teases. They've arrived at the small vegetable patch, but keep walking further into the treeline in the direction of the persimmon trees.

"You're hardly taller than me." 

"But I am taller." 

"You can't brag about that." 

"I can and I just did," Gen chuckles when Senku jabs his side with his elbow. 

They find the trees easily. Six of them stand alone among the evergreens, branches heavy with the plump orange fruits. They set the baskets down and start filling them from the lower branches of the nearest tree. Gen hums as they work, and Senku seems to enjoy it. 

Ever since he was forced to acknowledge his own feelings, butterflies flutter in his chest when they're together. None of the infatuations Gen had experienced before felt like this. He knows it's different, new, and it's oh so sweet. 

This is love.

He wants to savor this feeling forever. Hates himself just a little for denying himself the pleasure of experiencing this. For burying it away and using other things to mask it. Whenever he catches Senku's eyes the feeling amplifies. He's lucky he's good at controlling his own emotional responses. Otherwise he'd probably be a blubbering mess. 

But this is Senku, and Gen knows better. I doubt he'll ever love me this way, but so long as it doesn't get in the way of our friendship....I can live with this.

The baskets fill quickly, even when they take a few breaks to rest their arms. There's still space in Senku's basket, but the remaining persimmons are out of reach on any of the trees. He jumps to try and pull a branch lower, but fails miserably. 

"Senku-chan, please, you're going to hurt yourself," Gen says between tiny giggles. "Let me handle it." 

Senku looks miffed but doesn't object. Gen sheds his coat, tossing it at the scientist, before leaping up and catching the branch. For him it's effortless. It's thick enough to look like it can support his weight, so Gen uses the trunk of the tree and some well placed footwork to hoist himself off the ground. After he has his torso on it, he hoists himself up with his arms, swinging a leg over to straddle the branch. 

"Oi Gen-!" 

"I'm not going to fall, if that's what you're thinking," Gen says. "Besides, it's not that far off the oundgray." 

"If you fall, this time it really will be your fault," Senku scolds. He seems put off, but not angry.

"Right, right, I'll be careful.~" 

Gen leans forward on the branch and gets the remaining persimmons from it off, plucking them and tossing them down to Senku below. Then he makes quick work of the fruits hanging above him. There's still more in higher branches but he's not willing to risk getting those. When he slips his leg back over the branch Senku looks like he's ready to catch Gen, it makes him laugh. He won't admit it but he's rather protective.

Gen gets off the branch easily, only stumbling a step or two when he lands. Senku steadies him with a hand on each shoulder. "Easy, mentalist."

"Thank you dear.~" 

"Yea whatever," Senku huffs, hesitating a second before letting go. Gen can only smile. 

___

"This will be a test batch," Senku explains as he hoists the basket onto his back. "We'll come back for the rest if it works out." 

"So what made you decide we absolutely needed to harvest these?" Gen asks as he puts his coat back on.

Senku is a little surprised he didn't bring it up sooner. There were other larger groves of fruit trees elsewhere, and they could have sent just about anyone else to go gather fruit for the preserves. But there was only this small handful of persimmon trees, probably a remnant of someone's garden. It's a little embarrassing to get caught like that. 

"They're rich in manganese and provitamin A beta-carotene, plus they have high levels of dietary fiber. It'll be good during the cold months," Senku tries to cover up. He knows it's a weak excuse.

"Of course that's what you'd think of," Gen smiles. He doesn't sound judgemental.

Senku sighs, knowing he can't keep it secret. "These are Yuzuriha's favorites." 

Gen's face changes quickly from surprise to something softer. It makes Senku squirm just a bit. "How sweet of you, Senku-chan."

Senku doesn't reply, so they walk in silence for a while. But Gen is Gen, and eventually he has to say something. "You love her a lot, don't you?" 

"Taiju's the one with a crush on her," Senku replies without looking at the mentalist.

"That's not what I eanmay and you know it." 

The basket suddenly feels twice as heavy on his back. Those feelings he's been shoving down for months, for longer than Gen's been around, threaten to come back up again. He struggles to push it all down.

Gen seems to notice, watching him from the corner of his eye. Senku knows he can't hide this forever. Much less from the mentalist. 

But it's too much. He still has so much he needs to do. So he takes a deep breath and shoves it all back down again. 

Gen doesn't say anything.

The basket doesn't get any easier to carry.

Luckily they arrive at the clearing without incident, so they drop the baskets off to the side of the lab. Kaseki is still working on the jars with Carbo, and Chrome has joined them. He doesn't have anything else for the mentalist to do, so Gen goes to keep Ruri and the children company twisting wire. 

Chrome breaks away from the craftsman, so he and Senku work on preparing the fruit. They need to get the lids on the jars right in order to create the vacuum seal that will make everything last. This will be their test batch before they can anything more valuable like vegetables and meats. 

Senku's gaze keeps wandering over to the mentalist. The sound of his humming, faint from the distance he's at, is still audible. Eventually Chrome notices he's getting distracted when he puts a persimmon without the brown calyx removed in the wrong pile. 

"You've been staring at him a lot lately," he comments. It makes Senku drop the fruit he's holding. 

"I haven't-" 

"I'm a lil slow but I'm not an idiot," Chrome scoffs. "You've been staring. What gives?" 

Senku sighs, not really sure how to explain. It has nothing to do with Gen himself, just-

"Wait- do you-?" Chrome starts, surprise wide in his growing grin.

"No. Absolutely not," Senku interjects. Having to explain that, and to Chrome of all people, is less than ideal. 

Chrome doesn't look convinced. "I thought he liked Kohaku though?" 

"That's what he told me," slips out before he can stop it. Senku curses himself, hoping he can fix this fast. "Shit. Listen, he never said it was a secret, but just. Don't say anything, okay?" 

"If I said anything they'll both kill me!" Chrome exclaims, and honestly he's probably right. Moreso about Kohaku, but Gen would get his revenge somehow. 

Senku has to laugh. "They'll kill me too, dumbass." 

The two of them joke around loudly for a while, drawing the stares of Ruri and Gen. Neither try to approach, thankfully. Laughing with Chrome eases the weight Senku is feeling, but only for a little while. With anyone else goofing around was just that, but Chrome's loud personality has reminded him of Taiju since day one. 

And eventually, unfortunately, the weight comes back. 

I have to do something about this.

That night Gen disappears with Ruri and the kids for dinner, so they don't see each other again until a few hours past nightfall when everyone is turning in for bed. Gen returns from the village alone, seemingly deciding to spend the night in the shed with Senku and Chrome. They follow their routine like usual and go to sleep early. No checkers, no stories of the old world. Just three tiered heads hit the pillows, heavy with exhaustion. 

Only Senku can't sleep. After several hours of tossing and turning in his bedroll, the weight is too heavy. It feels suffocating, like it's pressing down on his chest and preventing him from breathing. 

Senku can't take it anymore.

Quietly, so the other two don't wake up, he grabs his coat and slips away into the night.

___

Gen wakes up at some ungodly hour of the night, shivering. The nights have grown much colder, so he sits up looking for a second pelt to pull on. When his eyes adjust to the dark, Chrome is to his right, fast asleep and snoring lightly. On his left, Senku is gone. 

Gen initially thinks nothing of it, it's nothing unusual. After he locates an extra pelt he still can't fall asleep, far too cold. So he lays in the dark, keeping his thoughts preoccupied with plans for the next day in hopes that his body will eventually cave. 

Well over an hour passes and Senku doesn't return.

Chapter Text

The rushing sound of the water wheel gets Senku out of his head for a while. The gurgle of the river isn't quite deafening, but it's loud enough to drown out his thoughts. It's the type of white noise he needs right now. Gives him temporary relief.

It doesn't last as long as he'd like.

The heavy weight on his shoulders hasn't gone away. If anything, it just feels heavier. It's maddening, exhausting. It's like all the things he had been keeping at bay for the past year- it's longer, he knows it, but it doesn't feel real - suddenly can't go away. Won't leave him in peace. Won't give him any form of respite.

Senku doesn't even know where to begin unraveling his thoughts. He's not an overly emotional person, but even he can't deny this less rational side of himself exists and is practically demanding his attention. He's only human. But having to tackle his feelings is foreign and uncomfortable. 

Every time Gen was nearby - ever since the night they first held hands, under that brilliant night sky that smiled down at them - that warmth he felt being around the mentalist just kept getting worse.

It was a good sensation, he won't deny that. One that had grown over time as they'd become friends. It sat in his chest and permeated his core in a way that made him feel safe, understood. It wasn't something he experienced often, Senku had never been close to that many people to begin with. But when he did allow someone in, it was genuine and welcoming. A feeling he enjoyed, albeit in small doses. 

But this is something more. It's tainted, bittersweet. He can't savor it without unpacking all the baggage he's been trying to pretend he isnt carrying. 

Gen reminds him too much of Taiju and Yuzuriha. 

Chrome and Kohaku had both become good friends, people that Senku trusted. They were family, if he had to put a word to how he felt about them. But there would always be an underlying gap in their relationship that was hard to ignore - they didn't understand the nuances of the old world. He couldn't fault them for that, but it made certain things difficult to navigate.

Gen, on the other hand. Well, there was no gap to speak of. They'd fallen in step with each other since day one, and the more they got to know one another the closer they had become. Granted, Gen was a bit pushy at times, but Senku hadn't put much effort into resisting him getting close. If anything, he was the one probing at the mentalist half the time.

It was a dance. One where Gen was leading, but Senku was still falling in step with. 

It was uncanny occasionally, to be seen so clearly by someone, but Senku had known that could happen. Gen is a mentalist, and a damn good one. What started off as an advantageous skill, Senku had eventually realized was more a part of Gen's personality than he let on. It was simply in his nature. 

But there's still that weight blanketing all of the good things. It's painful, and Senku can't ignore it anymore. 

Doesn't know what to do about it.

A shiver passes through his body, the brisk night air reminding him of where he is. Senku hadn't brought anything extra with him, just an oil lamp he snatched off a shelf before leaving the shed. With no pelt to fend off the cold, his coat is hardly enough. He should go back, but he doesn't think he'll be able to sleep at this rate. So he leans back, the roof of the wheelhouse cold even through his clothes. If he's not careful he'll risk getting sick. 

He can't hold it all in anymore.

The hot tears that stream down his face, the ones he had been staving off for as long as possible, practically burn. They do nothing to soothe the goosebumps rising on his skin. Only makes him feel worse.

Above him the vast night sky is the same as it had been when he broke free of stone - untouched. 

___

Gen tries to go back to sleep, he really does. But Senku's absence seems so unlike him. The more seconds tick by the more he gets worried. He doesn't know what time it is, but Chrome hasn't stirred and it's still pitch black outside.

Eventually Gen makes his decision. 

He gets dressed quietly so as not to disturb Chrome, which is difficult anyway so he's not too worried, and slips out of the shed. Gen brings one of the pelts he uses as a blanket, knowing the night will be particularly cold, and a single oil lamp. This feels like a rescue mission and he'd rather be prepared. 

Gen makes a quick stop at the lab, borrowing a few things from the shelves. He's careful not to make a mess, weary with the little light his lamp provides. Once he's sure he has everything he needs it's not too hard to figure out where Senku could be. He takes off down the forest path towards the river, hoping nothing unsavory is lurking in the dark. His footsteps are careful but quick, mostly leading him from memory. This night is particularly quiet, the sounds of nature muted by the wind. 

Eventually Gen arrives at the wheelhouse. The dull light of an oil lamp atop the roof tells him he's in the right place. 

He readjusts his grip on everything he brought, then approaches carefully. Gen doesn't want to startle the scientist in case he hasn't noticed the light of his own lamp approaching. There's a thin ladder attached to the outer wall of the wheelhouse, so he goes up to it. From there he can somewhat see Senku, gaze turned towards the sky.

"Mind some company up there?" Gen calls quietly, but loud enough to be heard over the water. Senku startles, seemingly caught off guard as he snaps out of his haze. 

"Gen what-" 

"Is that a yes? It's a little muddy down here, my feet are getting wet," he says with a small smile. Senku just nods when he recovers from his surprise, so Gen carefully scales the ladder. Miraculously he doesn't drop anything. Senku reaches out a hand to steady him, holding Gen by the elbow until he's settled beside the scientist. 

"How'd you know where I was?" Senku asks, voice raspy. Now that Gen gets a better look at him what he sees makes his heart ache. 

He's been crying....

"Just a hunch," he answers softly, keeping the sorrow he feels bubble up tamped down. Now's not the time for that.

Senku doesn't reply, so Gen focuses instead on everything he brought with him. The peak of the roof is flat for a handful of inches before meeting the slope, so he sets it all down there. 

"Gen, why the fuck did you bring a kettle-?" Senku questions, face shifting from blank to confused. Gen takes his reaction, any reaction, as a small victory. Better that than total numbness.

"Because I don't want to freeze to death," he answers. Gen takes the pelt that's wedged in the crook of his arm and holds it up. "You must be cold. May I?" 

Senku hesitates, but nods. So he tosses the pelt over Senkus shoulders, tucking it in around his body gently. "There, now for-" Gen pauses, pulling two cups out of his coat. "Some tea.~" 

Senku looks like he wants to laugh, but stays quiet. When he does speak again it's as Gen presses the steaming cup into his hands. "Mentalist....you didn't have to come after me." 

Gen pours his own cup and just shrugs. "I know." 

The scientist huffs, puffy eyes turning back to the stars above. Gen follows his gaze, and they sit staring at the twinkling sky for what feels like an eternity. He wouldn't mind at all, under different circumstances, sitting out here beside each other for endless hours. But the circumstances won't be changing any time soon. So Gen gets ready to do what he does best. 

"What's on your mind, Senku-chan?" 

___

Senku can't find a way to answer. 

The warmth of the tea in his hands, of the fruity peach-apricot smell of each sip, soothes the ache in his body just a little bit. The pelt around his shoulders protects him from the chill of the night. But neither of them compare to the warmth he feels now that Gen is by his side. 

The very feeling that he's been trying to escape. 

"It's nothing," he says weakly, knowing Gen will probably push it anyway.

"Hm, nothing you say?" Gen replies, and does push it as expected. "You're a horrible liar, dear." 

Senku would have reacted to the pet name any other day, but right now he doesn't have the energy. Deep down he knows Gen will drop it if Senku really wants him to, but there's a part of him that asks him to press on. The less logical part of him, that part that's begging to be let out. "All of this...." he begins cautiously. He can feel Gen turn to look at him, but doesn't take his eyes off the stars. "All of this is too much...." 

"The war?" Gen guesses. 

"The war, curing Ruri, the fire, the fucking lightbulb, the petrification-" Senku cuts himself off. That bubble in his chest is threatening to burst.

"You've been through a lot, Senku-chan," Gen says softly. "It's normal to get upset." 

"I don't have time for that," he argues. Knows it's just an excuse. 

"Feelings don't operate on a schedule you can manipulate at will," Gen explains. There's no condescension, no judgment in the way he talks. "When they come up there's no easy way to get rid of them. You have to work through them." 

"But-" 

"But nothing. Science doesn't have shortcuts does it?" Gen quizzes. Senku just scoffs in response. "Exactly. Neither does the human mind."

"It's a waste of time," he grumbles. He feels put on the spot, but Senku can't bring himself to end the conversation where it's at. His gut tells him to keep going.

"You may feel that way, but your emotions exist for a reason," Gen chuckles lightly.

"Why then? Why am I-" Senku can't bring himself to say it. 

"Hurting? It's only natural, Senku-chan," Gen says. "You experienced something traumatic. Everyone responds to trauma differently, but eventually those emotions will surface and you have to tackle them one way or another." 

He doesn't like hearing it, but even Senku can't deny the logic. It feels useless in a way, applying logic to something as illogical as feelings. But that's the purpose Gen had joined the kingdom to serve.

"You may find it illogical, but emotions serve a purpose," the mentalist says as if reading his thoughts. At this point Senku can't get mad about it anymore. 

"Doesn't mean I have to like it," Senku sighs. He hates it a lot actually.

"That's fair," Gen snickers. 

"So what do I do? How do I-" he cuts himself off again. Talking about it makes it all feel too real. And to Gen of all people. That warmth-

He feels more than sees Gen shrug, and the gesture makes him feel like he's not gonna like what he hears. "You have to ride it out and find a way to cope."

"But Gen-" 

"Senku-chan, you've lost your father. You've lost your friends. You lost your life . You've been dodging the stages of grief for as long as you can," Gen says with a more serious tone. It makes him tear his eyes away from the stars to look at the mentalist. "I helped you keep it at bay for as long as possible, but it's time now."

"You- Why would you do that-? " the revelation makes his skin prickle with unexpected anger.

"I've only been doing what you wanted me to do."

"When did I ever say I wanted this-" 

"You didn't, but you projected it. I can read you, Senku-chan," Gen replies easily. As if they're not discussing the very thing that's been ripping him up from the inside out.

"Why? Why the fuck?! " Senku doesn't want to get angry, especially not at Gen, but he can't hold it back anymore. 

"Because you're important," Gen insists, fixing him with a firm look he's never seen from the mentalist before. It's soft around the edges, but doesn't falter. "And not just as our leader, or for the fate of humanity, so don't try to argue that's my only reason. You're important to me . I don't know how you really feel about me, and frankly right now I don't care. At this rate....you're a friend to me. That's worth protecting, isn't it?"

"Gen...." he can hardly wrap his head around his words, almost flinching away at how raw and earnest they sound. The bubble in his chest bursts, the warmth, the compassion, Gen gives him dealing the final blow. 

The tears start again, this time far worse. What starts as a slow trickle becomes sobs that wrack his whole body. In no time his vision becomes blurry, Gen melding into a black and white smudge. Senku feels Gen touch his hands, gently prying away the remnants of his cold tea. When he sets it aside he doesn't let go, only holds his hands tighter. It's the only thing keeping Senku grounded. Otherwise he feels like he'll drift away like a helium balloon, lost to the stratosphere. 

"That's it, you're okay. Let it out," Gen whispers gentle encouragements. "You're safe, Senku-chan, you're okay."

With each word Senku feels warmer, as if Gen is transfering all of his body heat through his palms.

This time it doesn't hurt. No, this time the warmth feels like it's trying to chase away all of the negative thoughts that swirl through his head. 

He's not sure how long passes, for once the endless stream of counting grinding to a halt in the back of his mind. All he knows is that, eventually, Gen comes back into focus. The dark blue eyes that watch him are cloudy, only this time Senku can tell it's just a reflection of how he feels. Gen is simply his mirror. 

It's a reminder yet again of what's been bothering him. Only this time no more tears fall. He's just left with all the raw emotions he had been avoiding. 

"Feeling a little bit better?" Gen breaks the silence. Senku just nods. "Okay, good. You'd be fascinated by the way crying helps regulate the chemicals in your brain." 

The comment makes the corners of his lips inch up just a little bit. Said as if Gen hadn't caught him with streaks of tears on his face earlier. He lets go of one of Gen's hands to rub at his eyes, but doesn't dare let go of the other. Doesn't want to lose that warmth.

"I just....I miss-" Senku can't bring himself to finish the sentence. 

"Your father?" Gen asks gently. 

Senku shakes his head. "No I- I mean. I miss him, I do. But....I know he's dead and there's nothing I can do about that. I thought for a while maybe he had been petrified too, but it was just false hope…." 

Gen just listens patiently. In the light of their oil lamps he looks softer, the sharp lines of his bicolored hair and his scar minimized. The cold wind doesn't seem to bother him. He's a stable force in contrast to Senku, who feels like he's falling apart.

So Senku keeps going. "Taiju and Yuzuriha....they're the only family I have left...." 

Understanding dawns on Gen's face. "You're worried Tsukasa-chan will hurt them." 

"What if he decides they're not useful anymore? What happens to them if we- if I lose this war?" Senku struggles to say. Each word feels heavy on his tongue. 

"He won't hurt them," Gen reassures him. "Tsukasa-chan wouldn't take a life without a reason." 

He knows Gen is right, but it doesn't make the worry go away. "If anything happens to them I- it'll be my fault...." 

"Senku-chan, you can't pretend to control an outcome outside of anyone's control," Gen sighs. "I don't doubt that we - that you - will win this. But until that happens, well. You have to accept the uncertainty of the future." 

His shoulders slump, slowly deflating under Gen's words. He knows it's just the simple truth, but to hear it - and from Gen. "I hate this." 

"I know you do. Anyone would." 

"Do you know what the probability of all of this happening is?" Senku barks out a coars laugh. "It's so slim, it's ridiculous." 

"Don't forget to factor in your horrible luck," Gen chides softly. 

"At this point I'm starting to think luck is real," he sighs. "Why'd it have to be me?" 

"I don't know why, but I can tell you one thing. If anyone can do this, if anyone can pull off the impossible, it's you," Gen pauses as if making sure Senku is looking at him. "But you don't have to do it alone."

"The more people I involve the more people can get hurt," he grimaces. He hates that he's brought the village into this. 

"That's true, but they're already on your side. Chrome, Kohaku, everyone trusts you and your science," Gen persists. "And I do too." 

Senku has to laugh, it comes out arcid and bleak. "Great! A scientist, a mentalist, and a whole stone age village against an idealistic strongman with nice hair! It's like something out of a bad skit." 

"Senku-chan we're just two stupid teenagers headed into war with another stupid teenager who happens to be a murderer," Gen chuckles darkly. "This is a bad skit."

"God you're right. Taiju loved watching cheap comedy like that with my dad, it was so fucking annoying," he recalls almost fondly. 

"It sounds like Byakuya got along with your friends really well," Gen says, a smile in his voice. 

"They always ended up at our place, he already had the futons ready even when I didn't say they were coming," he says, that now familiar warmth only becoming deeper with each word. "Yuzuriha would bring ingredients and help him cook. It somehow always turned into a movie night."

"They're family to you, so they were family to him too." 

"Yea, something like that." 

"You'll see them again soon," Gen reassures him. "When all of this is over." 

"Right, yea, when we defeat Tsukasa with cotton candy and ramen," Senku snorts.

"Hey now, don't forget the cola!" 

"Sounds like a buffet at this point." 

"Right?~" 

They both burst out giggling, slowly at first, then madly as if the fate of this stone world wasn't lurking around the corner. Bit by bit the weight on Senku's shoulders melts away. It's as if Gen made it all disappear, like an act of magic. 

"We should probably head back soon," Gen says once their laughter dies down. 

"Probably," he agrees. But he doesn't want to move.

Doesn't want to let go of Gen's hand. 

That is, until a particularly strong gust tosses the mentalists bangs and Senku can see him trying to suppress a shiver. So he reluctantly lets go, ignoring the loss of warmth, and silently holds open the pelt. Gen looks surprised, but takes the invitation with a sweet smile. He scoots closer, and once the pelt is over both their shoulders Senku finds his hand under the layers again. 

They sit together, under the stars, until the oil lamps fizzle out and the sun peaks its rays over the horizon.

Chapter Text

A week passes without a word said between them about what happened on the roof of the wheelhouse. Not about the way they huddled closer under the pelt as the cold took over. Not about the way they never once let go of each other's hands, even when they finally left the rooftop shortly after dawn. Not about the way they spent the rest of that day side by side, working in peaceful science.

But something has shifted between them. 

Gen notices it quickly. Senku doesn't seem to lose himself in a haze any time something comes up that could remind him of Taiju, Yuzuriha, or even Byakuya. If anything, those small reminders seem like they energize him. Spark the drive to reach their seemingly impossible goal so he can reunite with his family at the end of this war. It's like kindling to a flame.

And when he looks at Gen, he no longer looks distant and pained. Instead of remembering his friends with remorse and sorrow, he's able to savor the memories fondly. Able to live with the uncertainty of the future.

Not to say that he's cured Gen contemplates as he prepares materials for his secret project. But he's coping better. He released all that pent up tension.

Ruri is waiting for him at the clearing, glowing with excitement. The long awaited transcription of the hundred stories has begun, and each time she sees him with his notebook she grows more enthusiastic. 

"Gen! I can't wait to get started!" Ruri exclaims, clasping her hands together in glee. Her voice is a little too chipper for the early hour of the morning, but he can't bring himself to be mad about it. "I have the perfect story for today!"

"I can't wait to hear it!~" Gen replies with a grin, only wishing he could match her energy more authentically. 

He does have to admit she has a wonderful storytelling voice, drawing the attention of all those who hear her gently spoken words. She would have made a fantastic performer in the modern world. It makes him wonder if, one day, when all of this is all over, they could put on a play together. She would make a fantastic narrator. 

Gen doesn't exactly try to hide the notebook while he works, but every time Senku passes by he avoids drawing attention to it. It's not like his project is a real secret, but the scientist doesn't know what he's up to and it's probably for the best. No need to involve him in the mess Gen got himself into. 

By the time the afternoon rolls around, a few hours after lunch, Ruri takes her leave. She's grown tired and understandably needs some rest. Gen breaks away from the circle as well, going to take refuge in the lab. Senku and co are still working on the lightbulb outside, struggling it seems but diligently trudging through it. So the lab, rather than his station behind it, provides a slightly more private sanctuary.

Gen pulls up a stool and gets to work making corrections in his notebook. It's easy to get lost in the tedious work, deciphering the village's language and it's evolution. He gets so distracted that he can't tell how many hours have passed when a voice cuts through his thoughts, making him jump.

__

"Oi Gen-" Senku starts, then stops when the mentalis jumps in his seat. "Cool it, it's just me. The fuck are you doing?"

Gen looks surprised, quickly glancing at the notebook open in front of him as if trying to decide if he's going to cover it up. He seems to realize it's too late for that, letting out a deflated sigh. 

"Giving myself a eadachehay," he relents. 

"What-?"

"I may have gotten a little bit in over my head with Ruri and I's project," he admits, sounding defeated.

"Which is what exactly?" Senku questions, sitting at the stool across from the mentalist. He and the others are taking a break from the lightbulb for the remainder of the day, something he didn't exactly want to admit was making it overall less frustrating when they failed.

"Well, you see," Gen begins tentatively. "Chrome may have gotten the idea in Ruri's head that once the paper was ready we could use it to write down the hundred stories...."

"Wh- are you serious? They're not even in Japanese anymore," Senku points out. Does he seriously think this is a good use of his time?

"When Ruri brought it up I didn't have the heart to squash her dreams, Senku-chan…." 

"Gen, what the fuck." 

"Listen, I didn't exactly expect it would be this ifficultday," he laments.

"No shit, mentalist. They don't have a writing system for you to work with, how do you expect to pull that off?" Senku asks, crossing his arms on the tabletop. Gen is intelligent and his proficiency in language is obvious, but this has to be too much even for him.

"Hey now, you're not the only one who has outlandish plans around here," Gen snickers. "I figured I would just translate them into Japanese. That way they remain legible when we win this war to anyone besides us."

"So where are you stuck?" Senku presses, ignoring the way Gen sounds certain they'll win. He appreciates the confidence, he really does, but doesn't want to dwell long enough for the negative thoughts to surface again. 

"Translating this is a bitch. The words rooted in Japanese and English I can make heads or tails of. But whenever there's a word that's derived from Russian, or some amalgamation of Russian and the other two languages, I literally have no idea how to translate that," he explains, eyeing the page in front of him as if trying to curse its very existence.

"Shouldn't it be a direct transition if you already know what the spoken word means though?" Senku asks. He's no linguist, he struggled enough as it was learning the language. But neither is Gen, who picked it up quicker and hardly had an accent.

"You'd think it would be that simple, but there's still sentence structure to think about," he says, pushing the notebook across the lab table. "It's a mixture of three very different languages, although it evolved in a contained environment it's still very different from what was spoken in the modern world. Grammar is important to preserving its integrity here, especially when it comes to the stories." 

Senku takes the notebook, flipping through the pages for a moment. Gen's neat handwriting is cluttered by small notes and corrections made in the margins. It's rather detailed, more so than he expected. It's methodical and incredibly well thought out. Byakuya would have been impressed by what Gen's done with his stories….

"You were literally just scolding me the other day for overworking myself. What the hell are you doing?" Senku sighs after he's done looking it over. 

"Hoping to preserve a shred of this world's new history now that everything else is long gone, I suppose," he answers wistfully. "And I was not scolding you." 

"We'll revive historians and linguists for that, mentalist," Senku insists. "You don't have to do this." 

"I know.~" 

"Wouldn't it be easier to teach them Japanese?" 

"I may have already started doing that too," Gen admits sheepishly.

Senku crosses his arms with a huff. For someone who claims to be lazy, he's so much more hardworking than he lets on. But I wasn't expecting him to be this sentimental. He's impossible sometimes. 

"By the way, Senku-chan," Gen says as if hoping to change the subject. "Did you come here looking for omethingsay?" 

"Ah, right. I was looking for you, actually. Kaseki made something for you," Senku says with a smirk. He pulls something out from his toolbelt, watching Gen to assess his reaction.

"How exactly is that for me?" Gen questions doubiously, eyeing the metal spiel Senku holds up. His face suddenly lights up with realization. "Wait no- you don't mean-"

"You're gonna lead a team on a special mission, mentalist," Senku snickers, setting the spiel down with a clack on the glass tabletop. "We're on the hunt for sap!" 

Gen's face pales. Senku is sure he's remembering the incident he had recounted as a funny story, from the happenings at the empire, around the time he first joined the kingdom officially. "Pray tell, dear, why exactly am I the one in charge of this....?" 

"You're the horticulturists," Senku chuckles darkly, as if this is some type of personal vendetta against Gen. It's not, but yanking the mentalist's chain is fun.

"It was a hobby, Senku-chan, a hobby-!" 

"Yea, whatever, you have the skills so you're going to put them to use."  

Which is how, the next day, he meets up with a dejected Gen in the clearing. He's holding a basket full of dyed reddish twine. Kohaku and Ginro join them as he explains the mission. He and Gen will be on the lookout for sap-producing trees like maple and pine, marking them with the twine. The other two, armed with a ladder and hammers, will work on setting up the spiles and buckets, placing them high off the ground to avoid drawing any dangerous wildlife too close to the village. They head into the patch of forest directly behind the lab and Chrome's shed, Gen leading reluctantly. 

"So what's this sap thing for anyway?" Ginro asks as they walk through the evergreens. The canopy above is already alive with hints of red and orange foliage dotting the perpetual greenery surrounding it.

"It can be used as glue, for waterproofing, or even candling. But we're collecting it for medicinal purposes," Senku explains.

"Medicine? Oh, like cold remedies?" Gen questions as he ties a strand of twine onto the first tree he's found. 

"Can't be losing time getting sick," Senku answers. That's not his only reason, and Gen must know as much, but thankfully doesn't push it. 

They chat among themselves as they work, Ginro and Kohaku eventually falling behind setting up the spiles and buckets on the already marked trees while he and Gen trudge further into the woods in search of more. Kaseki had been quite generous with how many spiels he made. 

"So what kind of medicine are you akingmay? Lozenges?" Gen asks after a bit of silence. They've fallen out of earshot of the other two. Anything that might be carried by the wind would be drowned out by the sound of the hammers against the tree trunks.

"Nah, cough syrup will take less time," Senku answers. He's taken the basket of twine, passing a strand to Gen for the next tree. "It'll be good to have around the lab though. Sap is a natural antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and astringent. We can use it for first aid. Even as a glue to close small wounds." 

"My, I had no idea it had so many uses," Gen remarks. "At least you're not trying to make shampoo." 

"Is this you trying to get me to make luxury bath products?" Senku questions. In his opinion Gen doesn't need anything fancy, he always smells like flowers anyway. A sweet scent that's filled Chrome's shed and clings to all their bedding. One Senku carries with him, on his coat, that even stands against the stench of strong chemicals. It's become comforting, in a way.

"Aw come on now, Senku-chan, omeonesay is bound to switch sides for some nice soap or shampoo," Gen huffs. "I'm sure even the villagers would like it - so long as there's no sap involved, that is."

"Can you imagine if any of that got in Kohaku's hair? She'd kill me," Senku laughs. 

Gen laughs along with him. "I'd rather grovel at Tsukasa-chan's feet than face her wrath!" 

"You and me both, mentalist!" 

Work flows smoothly as they joke around. Eventually enough trees have been marked and set up with the buckets for them to collect the appropriate amount of sap Senku has calculated he'll need for their test batch. He had instructed Gen and Ginro to check the buckets the following day, so come morning the two of them head into the woods again.

The persimmon preserves had worked, thanks to some fiddling around with the consistency of the fruit jellies Gen had played around with the last few days, so Senku is occupied starting the process of canning vegetables with Chrome. Should they collect enough sap, Senku considers leaving some for Gen to use for the next batch of fruits.

"Okay I think I lost you," Chrome says through a large yawn. "So these moving picture things show you something people are doing?"

"Yea so, they're put in order frame by frame to depict movement. That's called a movie. That's the old fashioned way of producing a film though," Senk elaborates, trying to keep things simple enough to follow. He still struggles with describing modern technology without it getting overly complicated, but not dumbing it down too much to where it gets boring or even patronizing.

"Wow, that's so bad! So people really had all these ways of telling stories?" Chrome asks, contemplating the explanation.

"Just wait till we bring back- hey wh- what was that sound- " Senku says, turning to face the forest. The space they work at isn't far from the patch of forest where they were collecting sap. Which is why when the commotion starts Senku is one of the first to react. Two loud voices, yelling incomprehensibly, start getting closer. One muffled, one frantic.

"Is that-" 

" Gen-! " Senku all but curses as the mentalist stumbles out of the treeline with a bucket wedged over his head. Ginro is on his tail, shouting apologies.

"Gen-! I- I- the bucket-! It was an accident I swear-!" 

Senku drops what he's doing, nearly breaking the jar he was holding in the process. Chrome is right behind him. "Mentalist stop moving, you're gonna get hurt!" Senku calls out. Thankfully he must have heard at least some of that through the wooden bucket, because he freezes in place.

"Ginro what the hell happened?!" Chrome questions once they're closer. Senku grabs Gen's shoulders to steady him.

"I- I- The ladder- I slipped and Gen was holding it- and I- the bucket-!" Ginro stammers out, gesturing wildly.

Chrome and Senku piece the story together, exchanging a look that says Ginro is absolutely fucked. This is the second time he's had an incident with Gen. The mentalist isn't gonna let him get away with it that easily.

"Hold tight, mentalist. You can breathe right?" Senku asks after giving the bucket an experimental tug. Feels relief when he gets a small nod in return. "Okay, we're gonna have to break the bucket, just give us a sec." 

Senku instructs Chrome to fetch Kohaku, and Ginro follows after him with his tail between his legs. She'll be able to destroy it swiftly so as to not hurt Gen. The bucket is stuck on tight, any sap that had collected in it pooling on the mentalist's shoulders. 

Kohaku comes back with the two men and visibly has to stop herself from laughing at what she sees. They sit Gen on a log stool and step back so Kohaku can work her magic. She stands behind him and draws her knife, and even though he can't see it Gen seems nervous. 

"Don't worry, you poor bat. I'll get you out of there," Kohaku reassures him with a firm pat on the arm. She's swift, slicing the bucket away with a motion too fast for Senku to follow with his eyes. 

As soon as the halves of the bucket fall away, Gen immediately bends in half, hacking up a glob of sap. Senku quickly comes to his side, rubbing his back as he coughs it all up. He spares Gen the discomfort of facing the others right away, sending Chrome and Kohaku to deal with the remaining buckets of sap, and Ginro to get the fuck out of the way. 

"You okay, mentalist?" Senku asks after a few minutes. Gen looks up at him through the sticky mess that clings to his face, brow scrunched in annoyance.

"What do you think, Senku-chan?" 

"Right, I'll take that as a no," he snickers. While some of the sap had escaped the bucket, a good amount had stuck to his hair and face.

Yikes. He's gonna hate me for this. Senku wordlessly takes Gen's hand, helping him stand, and begins leading them towards the forest path. He puts up little resistance, but it's not like Gen can exactly see where he's walking. Yea, he's gonna hate this.

"Senku-chan, where are we going-?" 

"To the river," Senku chuckles. Gen immediately tries to pull his hand away, but he doesn't let him.

"Wha- no- no no noooo-" 

" It's bath time, mentalist! "

Chapter Text

Gen weakly attempts to tug his hand out of Senku's grip, but it's useless. He can hardly even see where he's going with all the sap dribbling down his eyelids, sticking to his lashes like an amber paste. The scientist in front of him is his only guide as he's dragged down the forest path, presumably to the spot in the river where the villagers usually bathe.

"S- Senku-chan I'm f- fine!" Gen pleads weakly, knowing he absolutely isn't. 

"You're not and you know it," Senku calls him out immediately.

"We just b- bathed yesterday m- morning!" Gen practically cries. The village's routine of going to the river twice weekly was perhaps one of the few things Gen always looked forward to. He doesn't ever plan to admit it, but he occasionally sneaks away extra days to bathe in total privacy. He's sure Senku's soap reserves would be quite telling of his little secret if anyone looked close enough to notice an additional missing bar or two. 

But right now he's actually growing quite horrified. He knows the consequences of sap, having seen first hand how it had destroyed someone's hair. Gen wouldn't consider himself too vain, but his hair is something he's always tended to diligently, and the idea of it becoming so severely damaged? It strikes real fear in him. 

He knows this needs to be fixed, and fast, but just the thought alone is overwhelming.

"Consider this a spa day then," Senku snickers, only slowing in his pace a little bit. 

Gen protests all the way to the riverbank but he receives no reply from the scientist. He knows that they arrive when he feels the ground beneath his feet change from trodden dirt to wet pebbles with the occasional muddy patch of grass. Senku eventually stops and- 

"Alright mentalist, take your clothes off," Senku says, letting go of his hand and tugging at the front of his coat. 

This is absolutely not the context I ever wanted to hear those words in. Why does this keep happening? First during the storm now this-!

Gen lets out a loud sigh, reaching up to nudge Senku's hands away so he can shed his coat. It falls somewhere behind him, and Gen laments the horrible state it must be in as he undoes his obi, relying on muscle memory. Senku seems to grow impatient once the kimono is off though, pushing Gen's hands aside to undo the undershirt himself. 

"We have to be quick, mentalists," Senku says, almost with a hint of pity. "You don't want it to ruin your hair right?" 

"Can it even be saved at this point....?" 

"Yea, it can," Senku answers, helping him shrug off the shirt once the leather tie lacing it together is fully undone. "But like I said, we need to be quick. If it starts to dry it'll be harder to get out." 

"Soap isn't enough though, is it?" Gen asks, unable to supress a shudder at the cold autumn wind. 

"That's why I brought vegetable oil," Senku informs almost evilly. "Pants off too. There's no sap on em, so you'll be able to put em on again when we're done." 

"V- Vegetable oil?!" Gen shrieks more than asks. He complies though, stripping them off while Senku holds his elbow to keep him steady. He hears Senku's toolbelt hit the ground with a dull thud. Then the sound of his coat and shoes as they fall beside Gen's own discarded clothing.

"Told you before didn't I? Oil helps break down the sap. When we started canning Chrome and I made some with sunflower seeds," Senku explains calmly, a stark contrast to Gen's panic. Once they're both  down to their underwear he's briskly yanked towards the water. 

"You can't be erioussay!" Gen yelps as his feet collide with the cold river. 

"Ten billion percent serious, mentalist!" Senku practically cackles. 

He drags Gen further into the water until they're about thigh deep, then pushes Gen's shoulders down to make him kneel in the water. It's nearly freezing thanks to the season, sending shivers through his body. The villagers have been discussing switching to bathing at the hot springs recently, and right now he mourns the hot waters he could be sitting in instead. 

"Dunk your head in the water and start scrubbing," Senku instructs. 

Gen reluctantly does as he's told, not really having another choice. Normally he'd relish the feeling of cool water refreshing his skin, but right now it's practically torture. The sticky sap clings to his fingers as he scrubs at it and he can't imagine it's getting any better. The cuts on hands have long since healed, otherwise he's not sure how he would be able to clean up. Senku had said the sap could be used for small wounds, but the thought alone is quite repulsive. At the bare minimum he manages to get some of the sap out of his eyes.

Then Senku uncoarks something behind him, filling Gen with a sense of dread. 

The vegetable oil feels slicker than the thick sap had as Senku poars a generous amount over his head. The mix of sensations is god awful. He thinks for a moment that it can't possibly get any worse. Then Senku speaks up again.

"Stay still, mentalist," he warns, then there's hands in his hair that nearly make Gen recoil away from the touch. But he manages to stay put, and is surprised by what he feels.

For one blissful minute Senku's fingers scratching against his scalp are gentle, working the vegetable oil in carefully. Gen relaxes at the touch. He normally can't stand people touching his hair, but the friends he's made in this stone age were an exception, particularly Kohaku and Ruri. Senku even moreso. It feels tender, in a way, to receive attention like this from the object of his affection. It stirs those familiar butterflies in his chest in a way that Gen could sing ballads about, unideal circumstances be damned.

Then he feels the teeth of a comb, and when it catches on a glob of sap Gen sees red.

" Ow, ow! That fucking hurts! " Gen practically howls. Each time Senku works the comb through his hair he wants to scream in agony.

"What happened to your high pain tolerance?" Senku questions, with a snarky tilt that makes Gen grow more irritated, ignoring his protests of pain.

"You're pulling my fucking hair , it's not the same!"

"Stop fucking squirming, you're gonna make this more difficult than it needs to be," Senku warns. 

"You try having your scalp ripped off one chunk of hair at a time and see how well you can tolerate that!" Gen hollers, but tries to resist pulling away lest he really make it worse. 

Senku works the comb through his hair diligently despite all of Gen's squirming and complaining. Eventually it stops catching on sap, until the larger globs are virtually gone, washed downstream by the river. With it goes any ounce of pride Gen had left. 

___

Senku leaves the mentalists' side for a second to fetch a bar of soap from his discarded toolbelt. He brings it back into the water, handing it to Gen to scrub at the remaining sap now that it's mostly gone. Gen's managed to get it all off his face, and now that he can see again keeps shooting daggers at him as if this is in any way Senku's fault. 

If he's this mad at me for the vegetable oil he's gonna eat Ginro for dinner.

He takes the bar of soap back once Gen lathers his hair, then passes him the comb so he can finish the job himself. Good thing I made the comb the other day. I was planning to give it to Gen when we switched to bathing at the hot springs, but oh well.

Senku takes the opportunity to get what sap and oil has clinged to his hands off, rinsing it off in the water. It leaves a bit of residue, but nothing horrible. When he looks up again though, Senku has to practically force himself to look away. 

He's seen Gen naked before, they both bathe with the rest of the villagers who have zero qualms about nudity. And it's not like Senku experiences attraction the same way most people do. No, this is almost worse in his opinion. Gen is busy washing his hair, still kneeling in the water. Under the brilliant light of the sun his pale skin almost glistens. Where Senku has tanned somewhat from his year and some change in the wilderness, Gen's many layers have mostly shielded him from the same fate during the past summer months. He's like a statue, all sharp angles and smooth planes. His long white bangs cling to his neck, now only a little soapy. Not even the rough scars on his torso, barely visible above the waterline, distract from his natural beauty. 

He's pretty.

Senku feels his face erupt with an unwelcome blush, blistering hot. He's lucky Gen doesn't notice, eyes shut while he gets the remaining soap out with the help of the comb. It's perhaps one of the few times luck has ever been on his side. 

Not even holding hands had made him react like this. 

Senku takes a deep breath, quick to bury away what he's feeling. Gen himself had shown him how stupid he'd been to lock away his strongest emotions, but this is a different feeling altogether. It's not painful. If anything, it feels a lot like the warmth he normally feels around the mentalist. Only it's much more powerful.

There's no time for anything like that.

He's so distracted that Senku almost misses a small detail he'd faintly noticed while combining the sap out of Gen's hair. 

"Say mentalist," he begins. Gen hums an acknowledgment. "You sure the white half of your hair isn't dyed....?" 

"Why do you ask?" 

"Well," he says cautiously. "It's been quite a few months since Tsukasa revived you, right? Almost six and a half to be exact." 

"Yea, and....?" 

"And you're absolutely sure you didn't dye it just before the petrification?"

"Senku-chan, what's your point?" 

Senku suppresses a sigh. He doesn't know how Gen will react, but if the sap fiasco was anything to go by it won't be good. "Your roots should have grown out by now. But they're all white on your right side." 

" THEY'RE WHAT?! " Gen screams, eyes shooting wide open, nearly dropping the comb in his panic. 

"Mentalist relax, it's not a big deal-" 

"Not a big deal?! You're basically telling me this is ermanentpay!" 

"We don't actually know that-" 

"It should have grown out by now, you said it yourself!" 

Senku takes in Gen's panicked expression, and honestly he doesn't know what to do. He can't begin to comprehend caring that much about his appearance. Sure, his own hair was a bit of a sore spot. Senku had faced a bit of bullying for it when he was a kid, but he had been quick to get over it. Other people's opinions aren't something to dwell on for too long.

Yuzuriha had sometimes complained about her looks, comparing herself to the other girls at school or to models in magazines. Which had led to some experimental makeup science, out of a combination of curiosity and the desire to help his friend, that had ultimately destroyed his microwave and several tubes of her mom's lipstick. He'd gotten in trouble with Byakuya for that one, but hadn't come out of that mess with any better of an understanding than before he got into it. He just didn't get why looks mattered so much to people. 

But it mattered to Gen, and right now he's regretting bringing it up at all. 

"Come on, if you're done get out of the water," Senku says since he's not sure how else to go about this. "It's too cold, you'll get sick." 

Gen's shoulders slump, and he stares at his rippled reflection in the water for a solid minute before he stands and makes his way to the riverbank. Senku follows him out of the water. Wordlessly he fetches two rags from his toolbelt, passing one to the mentalist so they can dry off. They towel off in silence, Gen's sour mood nearly palpable. Senku's not sure how he can turn things around. He's not good at this kind of thing.

What do you do when the person who understands emotions best is the one upset? How do you cheer up a mentalist?

Senku rolls the thought around in his head while he dries off his arms and legs. He's not paying too much attention to what Gen is doing, when something in his peripheral catches his attention. When he looks up, the mentalist is holding the comb up for him to take, not bothering to hide the pout that has formed on his face. 

"Keep it," Senku says, rejecting the outstretched hand. "It's yours." 

"Huh-?" 

"I made it for you," he elaborates, the words out before he can rephrase them to something less direct.

"Wh- for me?" 

"That's what I said, isn't it?" Senku huffs. 

"Oh-!" Gen exclaims quietly. When he actually meets Gen's eyes, he's surprised to find astonishment, and the faintest hint of pink on his cheeks. The pout that was there, and all the tension and discomfort he's been carrying since the bucket landed on his head, seem to melt away right before Senku's eyes. In its place emerges a gentle smile that's brighter and more welcoming than the sun itself. "Thank you, Senku-chan.~" 

Something inside Senku stirs as he watches Gen return to drying off without so much as waiting for his reply. 

Is that all it takes?

"....It's dyed by the way." 

That makes him pause as he's shrugging his coat back on. "You're joking." 

"Nope. It was my manager's idea," Gen replies with an abysmal sigh as he inspects his sap covered clothes. 

Senku tries to imagine Gen without the white half of his hair, and honestly it doesn't seem to fit. Maybe he's just gotten used to his bicolored head because he never met a different Gen. But the contrast between black and white suited him incredibly well. 

It's charming, if he had to put a word to it. 

___

Gen has to stop himself from appearing too giddy over the comb. 

A comb of all things.

The gesture is small, but the idea that Senku's made a vanity tool, and just for him, is a little too exciting. He could have used hygiene as an excuse, could have come up with something clever to cover up his real intentions like he usually does, but he hadn't. Senku was direct about this. 

Gen instead focuses on his soiled clothing. Like Senku had said, his pants hadn't suffered at all. His undershirt hadn't gotten much on it either, surprisingly. Gen is able to scrub that off with just his fingers and quickly redress. But the kimono and coat are covered in globs that are already starting to dry. He pockets the comb for now, choosing to focus his energy on saving his clothes.

"Senku-chan, could I see the soap again?"

He wordlessly passes over the bar, then when Gen takes it to the riverbank speaks up. "Shouldn't you try the oil?" 

"I think that might just make it worse," Gen sighs, kneeling beside the water and starting to lather the material. "I'm not well versed enough, but I'm pretty sure this is too porous to handle oil." 

"Fair enough, don't risk it," Senku agrees. 

Senku sits beside him as he works. The kimono luckily seems salvageable. Any sap that may have started to stain is easily masked by the pale yellow color. His coat is another story, having taken the brunt of it all. 

"You don't have to wait for me, you know," Gen says quietly after a while. 

"I know."

It sounds like an apology, one he doesn't need to give. Gen's misplaced anger had been swept away already. Downstream, just like everything else. He's only left with those butterflies again. Senku's kindness is quiet, gentle. Warm.

His reflection in the water doesn't bother him as much as it had only moments ago.

Chapter Text

The village fairs through one final thunderstorm before making the official transition to cold weather wear. Senku keeps things simple, just like the villagers do. Aside from the thick swath of fur on the inside of his winter coat, which is longer and brushes the top of his ankles, he's added a pair of pants and a shirt underneath.

Although he knows that the villagers are used to this type of weather, and it's still technically fall, part of him is surprised to see Kohaku still bares her arms and legs. He knows though, that should he ask, she'll just say it's for ease of movement in combat. She's practical to a fault like that. It's one of the things that made her easy to get along with. 

Gen had been in a rather down mood since the incident with the sap, seeming to relish the reprieve the storm that kept them indoors for four days offered. Chrome probably couldn't tell, what with how cheerfully the mentalist carried himself. But Senku's known him long enough to be able to read him somewhat. Gen's many masks can still fool him, but the ones he wears loosely are easy to see past. 

The three had kept occupied playing checkers, telling stories of village life and the old world alike, and trying to decipher Gen's magic tricks. All in all it wasn't horribly spent. They were in good company. And when the clouds disappeared and the autumn sun came into view they had emerged from the shed relaxed and revitalized for the next leg of work. 

Unfortunately for Gen, getting the sap out of his normal attire had proven difficult. The kimono came out fine, but his beloved purple coat had suffered a pretty bad stain. He hadn't complained about it too much, but Senku could tell it had upset him. The way he hung it up out of the way and kept his eyes diverted from that general direction was telling enough.

I'll have to try with alcohol once the storm is gone Senku had thought to himself when he first noticed what was bothering the mentalist. He wasn't sure how he could sneak the coat away without Gen noticing or saying something, but he wanted to at least try. The way the mentalist moped, although subtle, made him want to help. Though he would never admit it to anyone.

It's when Gen is dragged away by Kohaku sometime after lunch, to go see the leather workers who make everyone's clothing and bedding, that Senku has the opportunity to try cleaning up the coat. He had visited them that morning, so he's already squared away. Gen probably won't need it depending on what he's given to wear, but even if it'll be some time till he wears it again there's only the one of this coat and it seems to be something he cherishes. He's left it behind, following Kohaku in only his kimono even though it must be uncomfortably cold. Knowing Gen he'd rather be seen without it and suffer the chill than walk around with a pesky stain. He still doesn't get it, but appearance has value to the mentalist.

Senku just hopes Chrome doesn't question him as he uses the lab table to deal with it. 

He spreads it out, using a couple of boxes to weigh the coat down so he can concentrate on the area most affected on the shoulders. Surprisingly the hidden pockets within are all empty. Using a well worn bone tool he had borrowed from the leather workers, Senku works the alcohol into the material. It takes a lot of elbow grease and some long hours, but at some point the bits of amber sap that still cling to the purple start to chip off in clumps. It was probably best he didn't try the vegetable oil first. Just as he feels like he's making progress, now down to just the thin film that seems like it seeped deeper into the pores, a voice at the entrance of the lab gets his attention. 

"Oi Senku, Kaiseki's taking a break for the rest of the day, is there anything you need me to-" Chrome says absently as he enters past the door flap. He cuts himself off when his eyes land on what Senku is working on. "Hey is that Gen's coat? What are you doing with it?" 

Senku almost doesn't want to admit what he's up to, but he's not much for lying and there's no real merit to hiding it. "Cleaning the sap out." 

"Uh, okay, but why?" Chrome questions with a head tilt, coming up to the table to see what he's doing. 

"So he doesn't bitch and moan that it's ruined," Senku says, setting down the bone tool to stretch his sore arms. 

"Okay but, can't you just make him do that?" Chrome points out, which is unfortunately a much more logical way to go about this. Which Senku hadn't considered, too focused on getting Gen out of his mental rut.

Chrome looks at him as if expecting an answer, and Senku has to give one or risk this quickly getting uncomfortable. It's a weak reply, however. "He has other shit he's busy with." 

"No, he ain't that busy, he's been- oh! " Chrome exclaims suddenly, as if coming to a realization Senku hadn't. "It's cuz you like him, isn't it?!" 

"I- what?! " 

"I know I asked you already and you said no, but you're kinda a bad liar-" 

"What on fucking earth gives you that idea?" Senku asks, fighting back from snapping at Chrome. He shouldn't be getting angry about this. It's illogical, this is just a misunderstanding.

"I mean I see how you look at him sometimes, and you do treat him different too," he explains with a simple shrug. 

"If by 'different' you mean worse than the villagers, I don't know what your idea of 'like' is," Senku grumbles. He flexes his hands, knuckles tight from holding the tool.

"Naw, you're nicer to him than to anyone else," Chrome says, grabbing a stool and pulling it up to the table. "Like with the paper you just let him do whatever he wanted, he made those spinny things for the kids-"

"Pinwheels."

"Yea yea, the pinwheels. And the comb thing you carved was for him too. And the-" 

"Okay, enough, enough, I get it," Senku laments, hanging his head. 

"Hey I'm not, like, judging you or anything. If that's who you like I'll support you," Chrome tries to reassure him. "He likes Kohaku though so I don't wanna go getting your hopes up." 

"Chrome I don't like him," Senku says, rubbing a hand over his face. 

"Seriously? I'll believe you, but I dunno if anyone else will."

"Wait- how do you even have the concept of what homosexuality is?" he asks, eyeing his friend curiously.

"Homo-what-?" Chrome stumbles on the word, looking at him like he's grown a second head.

Senku groans, grabbing a stool of his own. Byakuya must have included a story about acceptance and love and all that shit if the idea of Senku being attracted to another man doesn't phase Chrome. But either some of the words were lost as the language evolved, or he had used more generic terms to keep things simpler. "Buckle in, Chrome, I'm gonna give you a crash course on sexualities."

By the time Senku finishes his explanation  Chrome seems to have come to another realization. "So the feelings Garnet and Sapphire have for Kohaku is homosexuality?" 

"Yea, you're on the right track," Senku nods. "Hey wait, since when do those two like Kohaku?" 

"Heh, since she danced with them when we celebrated finishing the wheelhouse and the hunters came back with the bear," Chrome snickers. "They were pretty impressed, apparently she's the one who took it down." 

Senku has to roll his eyes at that. "Both of them like the oposit sex as well though, so thats?" 

"Uh, bisexuality?" Chrome guesses.

"Ten billion points," Senku chuckles. He's kept his explanation simple, excluding a great number of identities for the sake of keeping things brief. He figures that once they start reviving more people, should the topic come up again, he can expand on this. Hell, Senku didn't even touch gender identities. Too much nuance - it's a topic for later. 

"Okay so, I get it now, but what I don't get is why you keep saying you don't like Gen," Chrome pouts, resting his chin in his palm.

"That's what I'm getting to," Senku sighs, somewhat dreading the next part. "There's more orientations than just heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual. It's complicated, there were a lot of words used in the modern world to describe these things. Overall it's a spectrum." 

He pauses, hoping Chrome is following. His friend looks a little lost, but not put off. If anything this topic must be interesting in the same way other modern world topics are. Thinking about the village's society and the lessons Byakuya left behind, they thankfully already have an understanding that experiences varied amongst different individuals - people loved who they loved - and all Senku did was reintroduce the words to explain that. 

"I'm on the aromantic spectrum. This refers to people who never, or very rarely, experience romantic attraction. For me it means it only happens sometimes, under certain circumstances," Senku continues to explain carefully. He doesn't specify that the circumstance in question is the close bond derived from friendship. He doesn't want Chrome to misunderstand. People in the old world were great at taking it the wrong way when he explained he was demiromantic, which had led to more than one tarnished friendship. Senku doesn't think Chrome will take it negatively necessarily, but he doesn't want to leave room for confusion. 

Ironically Gen would be better at explaining this without a millimeter of doubt.

"Oooh okay," Chrome hums, thankfully just absorbing the information as it's presented to him. While he probably couldn't relate to it or fully understand it, this alternative experience must be intriguing to some degree. "So it doesn't matter to you if it's a man or a woman, that means crushes only happen sometimes for you?"

"Pretty much," he shrugs. Senku deliberately leaves out that he's also asexual. Explaining split attraction was hard enough in the modern world, even Byakuya had been more than a bit lost. Chrome means well and his natural curiosity for the world around him is refreshing, but Senku really doesn't want this to turn into an impromptu sex ed class. He has his limits. 

"So....Gen doesn't fall into that 'sometimes' or-?" 

Senku briefly considers if hitting his head against the glass tabletop would be worth the headache.

___

"Come on, you bat," Kohaku says with a cheer in her step as she practically drags Gen over the first bridge.

"My, so eager today!~" Gen exclaims, trying to keep up with her pace. He hasn't seen her this upbeat in quite a while. 

"No idea what you're talking about!" she says, throwing him a wicked smirk over her shoulder.

"Of course not," he replies with a chuckle. Wonder what's gotten into her today, I'm just fetching some new attire.

Gen doesn't poke or prod at her, just basks in her electrifying energy. It's nice to see her so happy. Kohaku tends to wear her positive emotions loudly and it's easily contagious. Which is nice, the incident with the sap had put him in a rather down mood. His hair had been saved, albeit sticky and particularly fragrant for a few days, but his coat had suffered the consequences. Such a shame he may not be able to save it. 

It's when Kohaku leads him right past the hut wherein the villagers are collecting their new attire, or repairing clothing from the previous cold season, that Gen grows confused and a tad suspicious. What could she be up to?

Kohaku wordlessly guides him over the second bridge, and heads directly for Ruri's hut. She leads him up the steps quickly, almost causing him to trip. She only lets go of his hand when they land at the open doorway. 

"Ruri-nee! We're here!" she calls out into the hut.

Gen hears shuffling from above, then Ruri pokes her head down from the ladder leading to her room. "Kohaku! Gen! Stay right there, I'll be down in a moment!" 

"Hm," Gen hums, eyeing Kohaku curiously. She looks like she's nearly trembling with how excited she is, rocking back and forth on her feet. "Now, what are we doing erehay sweetheart?"

"You'll see," Kohaku promises, flashing that grin again.

Soon enough Ruri makes her way down the ladder, carrying something bundled in her arms. "Okay I'm ready, Kohaku!" 

Before he can speak Kohaku comes up behind him and covers his eyes with her hands, making him gasp. Their height difference makes it a little awkward, but he can tell she's determined to hide whatever it may be from him. It only fuels his curiosity. "What's happening-" 

"If you and Senku can keep sneaky secrets, so can we, sorcerer!" 

He hears some rustling, the pitter patter of Ruri moving around. Can practically feel Kohaku's heart thumping against his back. In another situation he might be filled with dread, but all he feels is the rush of anticipation.

"Now, Kohaku!" 

"Ta-da!" Kohaku and Ruri say together as the hands fall away from his face. 

" Oh-! " 

What he sees nearly draws tears from his eyes. Ruri holds up a large fluffy coat, something that could practically swallow him whole with how massive it is. It's leather has been meticulously and oh so very carefully dyed purple, an almost identical color to his usual coat that's been ruined by sap. 

"What do you think, Gen? I heard about what happened to your coat the other day, and since we're already switching to warmer clothing I thought we might be able to replicate the color," Ruri explains, beaming up at him. 

"Making wine for Senku a while back gave us the idea to use grapes for making the dye, we worked on it during the storm," Kohaku continues, peeking out from behind him. 

Gen reaches out to touch the fuzzy edges of the coat, and it really does take all he has to hold back from letting the tears that fill his vision fall. The thoughtfulness, the care, put into this gift fills his heart to the brim. He's seldom received anything so touching in his life. 

"I love it," Gen whispers, at a loss for words. " Thank you! "

"You're welcome!" the sisters say in unison. Kohaku pulls him into a hug, arms tight around his waist from behind, and Ruri loops her arms around his neck, the coat becoming trapped between them. He's startled for a moment, but hugs them both back, the chill coming in through the door chased away by their warmth. He has never had authentic friendships in his life that filled this void before. Gen had no idea what he had been missing all along. 

"Try it on, you bat," Kohaku says when she pulls away.

"Please do!" Ruri pleads, taking a step back and placing the coat in his hands.

"Gladly!~"

After chatting with the sisters over tea as they explain the process of making the coat, and modeling it for them, Gen's spirits are through the roof. It does in fact swallow him up with how massive it is, but one or both girls must have noticed he prefers to dress in oversized clothing. They've even gone and made him a pair of loose pants to match, and the coat itself has a myriad of hidden pockets within. All of it has him absolutely overjoyed. 

Gen sticks around for a few thrilling games of checkers at Kohaku's insistence, but decides to leave once night falls some hours later. He stops by the hut where the elderly are serving up dinner, only grabbing three bowls since he spotted Kaseki chatting with the leather workers. 

Once over the second bridge, Gen can make out the light of oil lamps emanating from within the lab, cutting through the darkness of nightfall. He approaches carefully, not wishing to disturb the scientists who are probably still hard at work. Gen peeks his head around the door flap, and what he sees makes his heart stutter in his chest.

Senku and Chrome are distracted talking about plans for the next day, and laid out on the table in front of Senku is Gen's soiled coat. The blonde is scrubbing at it meticulously with a bar of soap, as if trying to salvage the damage done by the sap. 

Oh-

Somehow, although the gift of his new winter attire had been incredibly moving, this strikes a different feeling in Gen altogether. It's those same butterflies that he's grown familiar with, only far stronger. As if the love he feels for Senku has multiplied exponentially in the span of an instant. 

It's overwhelming in the best way possible.

Gen ducks back out of sight, knowing his presence hasn't been noticed yet. He takes a moment to steel himself, to calm down the fluttering in his chest. Then he backtracks a few paces, and announces his arrival. 

"Chrome, Senku-chan, dinners here!~" he calls out. As much as catching Senku in the act would be exciting, he knows the scientist well enough to understand this was probably not meant for his eyes. 

When he comes into view of the entryway again, he's proven right. The coat has vanished from the table, and everything else on it has been haphazardly pushed aside, leaving behind two awkward looking scientists. Gen pretends not to notice.

"Hope you're hungry, tonight's meal is fish stew!~" 

___

Dinner is eaten peacefully in the lab. Gen does most of the talking, which is probably a good thing. The conversation with Chrome had been more than awkward for Senku, but his friend somehow manages to keep shut about it, quickly getting carried away by other topics. Eventually, when they've finished eating and just chat quietly, Chrome decides to turn in early, leaving Senku and Gen alone. 

Which unfortunately is probably his idea of playing wingman. 

How many times do I have to tell him I don't like Gen like that?

"Goodnight Chrome!" Gen calls after the retreating figure. 

"We shouldn't stay up too late either," Senku says, hoping Gen gets the message. 

"Probably not, but I'm not eelingfay particularly tired," Gen says with a shrug. 

"You didn't exactly do any kind of backbreaking work today, mentalist," he points out. His eyes land on Gen's new coat, and for the first time since the mentalist showed his face since leaving that afternoon, Senku notices the color. "Wh- who did you bribe into dying your coat fucking purple?" 

"I did not bribe anyone! Really Senku-chan, who do you take me for? I'll have you owknay this was a very thoughtful gift from Ruri and Kohaku," Gen informs him quite proudly. He stands, does a theatrical twirl, sending the puffy coat billowing, and ends with a mock curtsey. "What do you think?~" 

Gen looks beyond satisfied, fur at the necklike practically tickling his chin. He's entirely swathed in the material. Under the low light of their oil lamps the purple makes Gen's features stand out more than normal, sharper but softer at the same time. A contrast only he could pull off. It finally clicks in his head why Gen looks so off when his arms are exposed, but so much more himself when he's covered up like this. Why seeing Gen with his arms bare triggers something almost protective in him. It's more than just looking vulnerable. It's the same as how Senku doesn't like to be touched.

Gen doesn't like to be seen.

"It suits you." 

Chapter Text

Gen doesn't want to call it a crisis, he really doesn't. Emotional turmoil, certainly. That's an acceptable enough description, if a little strong.

Keeping his feelings bottled up until the right moment is something he's, unfortunately, quite good at. It's in no way ideal, and leaves him feeling a bit bitter the more time goes on, but he can manage it for now. Still, Gen doesn't want to let these emotions fester and become an actual problem. He's doing the very same thing he told Senku not to, but he intends to deal with it as soon as possible.

So he devises a plan to slip away for a while, to have some time to himself. 

Four days after he spotted Senku working on his coat, after the other two occupants of the shed were fully dressed and had slipped away, Gen had idled behind a bit. He hadn't found an opportunity until now, but he'd woken up just a hair later than the other two, creating an opening. He also had the excuse of having one too many ties to do up his attire to fall back on. Especially now with his winter coat as an added layer.

All it takes is a quick search of the shed. He finds his usual coat carefully rolled up at the very far back of the shelf where he usually stashes his personal effects. As if placed there as discreetly as possible, behind the checkerboard. When Gen unrolls it, it's nearly immaculate. All traces of sap are gone, as are all the stains. The purple color is a bit faded where the sap had collected, worn away by whatever Senku had used to get it all out, but that can be easily amended by a new dye job. 

Senku-chan really did fix it for me....

And that's where the pesky emotions come into play. The gift from Ruri and Kohaku had been downright overwhelming. Gen understands the chemistry of the mind, and he knows very well the cocktail of chemicals he had been flooded with upon receiving his new coat. They produced an abundance of joy that he didn't really know what to do with. Gen's never let himself get this close to others, and now that he has he's really starting to enjoy it. 

But it chips away at whatever is left of his mask, and it leaves him feeling defenseless in a sense. Which is where the care put into mending his old coat, the tenderness of the gesture, comes in. 

So when he finally gets the chance, while Chrome and Senku are busy doing god knows what, Gen slips away down the forest path. He's supposed to be working on several more batches of paper, they won't be able to make nearly as much once it starts snowing so Senku wants him to get ahead of the season. Unfortunately he and Chrome use a lot of it, and rapidly. Even recycling what they didn't need anymore took up time. 

But right now he needs to decompress. 

His feet carry him all the way to the sunflower field, a place he's starting to find rather comforting. There he curls up beneath the shade of the treeline. Back pressed against a trunk, legs tight against his body, tucking them into his coat. The breeze is crisp, but the furs keep him warm.

Then he cries. 

A type of cry he's never experienced before. One full of love. For Ruri's empathy. For Kohaku's compassion. For Senku's kindness. For all the friends he would have never made had the world never fallen apart. For the people who keep him moving and the ways they've improved his life tenfold.

His only company are the tall blooms that watch with smiling faces - there aren't any statues in this area to judge him with blank unseeing eyes. Just the sunflowers. Watching as if with mirth at Gen's ignorant belief that he could never know love this kind, this generous. Could never feel this deeply and genuinely.

He lets it all out.

Gen doesn't hold any of it back, not even when the sunflowers and the blue sky above blur together in his vision. Not when the hot tears are cooled by the autumn air before they reach his neck, leaving unpleasant trails behind on his skin. Not when small hiccups leave his mouth, muffled only by the wind.

No, it all comes out. 

He falls apart entirely.

And when it stops, he breathes. Slowly, in and out in measured beats, until he feels his body relax again. 

What's left behind is a sensation of relief. He was never this person, not in the old world. But now he's certain that version of Gen is long gone. He's changed, underneath his many masks, undergoing a metamorphosis. 

He's been born anew. 

___

They've shelved the lightbulb project for the day, still struggling with creating the necessary vacuum to ensure the bulbs shine bright without burning out. Chrome takes a shot at the wire with some of the kids, Ruri right by his side. They laugh happily, all bright smiles and jovial giggles. The sight brings a smile to Senku's own face, one he doesn't try to hide. 

Kaseki is occupied melting shards of shattered glassware down for recycling into jars for canning, assisted by Carbo, so Senku slips into the lab. He'd noticed Gen's new outfit was missing a vital component. The mentalist might complain about it, considering he walked around barefoot all the time, but now that it's nearing winter Gen needs some fucking shoes. 

I refuse to deal with him if he gets fucking frostbite.

Senku's definitely lying to himself, but he really doesn't want it to come to that. So he's gone and thrown together a pair of leather boots for the mentalist, lined with fur. It's nothing fancy, but it'll get the job done. All he was waiting on was the chance to do up the final stitches with a new bone needle he borrowed from the leather workers - the first he'd been using Senku had made himself, but it broke in no time at all. Yuzuriha definitely wouldn't approve of his handiwork, but it's the best he can do. The shoes most of the villagers wore weren't going to cut it for a modern man, and the leather workers were busy as it was, so he took matters into his own hands. 

Now to find him and get Gen to actually wear them.

Senku initially assumed Gen was behind the lab at his station, but when he gets back there and ducks under the tarp there's no sign of him. The pot he uses to boil plant fibers looks like it's been recently used, but the fire is long dead and all his tools have been neatly put away. There's a batch of newly pressed sheets drying on the racks. But no Gen in sight.

Senku comes back around to the clearing, trying to figure out where the mentalist could have gone. He walks up to the circle, and when they see him approaching Ruri and Chrome jump a few centimeters away from each other. They're both blushing, nervous eyes looking anywhere but at each other. It reminds him of how Taiju and Yuzuriha would get when caught leaning into each other's personal space.

"Do either of you know where Gen went?" Senku asks, cutting to the chase so he can leave them to it, no desire to distract them nor make them feel uncomfortable.

"Nope, haven't seen him since this morning," Chrome answers, scratching his cheek sheepishly. 

"I did, he went towards the forest," Ruri chips in. "That was some time after lunch, I think he was alone." 

"Thanks," he sighs, rubbing the back of his head. 

"What'd you need him for?" Chrome questions. Senku just holds up the boots in response. "Oh-!" 

"Oh my, I can't believe Kohaku and I didn't think to make him any shoes," Ruri laments. "I'm sure he'll really appreciate those, Senku!" 

"Heh, I think so too," Chrome agrees with a dramatic wink. It makes Senku grimace. 

"Yea, whatever."

Once he's on the forest path, the giggling behind him picks up again. It's nice, knowing that Ruri and Chrome have grown closer, finally free from the shadow of death that had followed them for so long. Perhaps the pep talks Gen had undoubtedly had with the priestess were working to embolden her advances somewhat. Senku knows Chrome won't act on anything until they win this war, but it's progress.

Now where could Gen have gone?

For a moment Senku thinks maybe he's at the wheelhouse, but discards the idea quickly. The rushing sound of the water wheel was his escape, not Gen's. Knowing the mentalist, if he came out this way, he'd go somewhere more peaceful. Somewhere he can be among something he loves. 

So he tries the sweet olive grove. 

Once he's past the foxtail millet, the grove comes into view, but Gen is nowhere among the stout trees still dotted with orange colored blooms. So where-? Ah, the sunflowers then. 

Senku heads further up the trail that winds its way to the sunflower field. He'd sent Gen out here with the sparkling sisters to collect weeds several times already, but he knows this is a place Gen likes to spend time alone at. Occasionally he would linger behind, sending the sisters on ahead. He also knows Gen takes extra bath days, and when he does he comes out here instead of the village's usual bathing spot further downstream. Has seen the yellow, orange, and red petals clinging to his skin and coat as clues of where he's been. Knows his soap reserves occasionally lack a bar or two here and there. 

He's sneaky, but not that sneaky.

Senku makes it to the edge of the field, but initially doesn't see Gen anywhere. Then he spots a purple mass nestled in the treeline to his left. The figure is curled up, limbs tucked in tightly, and for a second he thinks Gen is napping. But then he sees his shoulders shaking slightly, and a pang of dread hits him. Is he crying?

Gen doesn't seem to have noticed him, so Senku approaches carefully, so as to not startle him. But when he inches closer it seems he's already been caught.

"Trying to sneak up on me, dear?~" 

"As if," Senku sighs, coming to stand directly in front of him. "What are you doing out here?" 

"Just eedednay a break," Gen answers quietly. When he looks up at him, Senku is caught off guard. The mentalist looks like he was crying at some point. His eyes are puffy and red. Streaks of long ago shed tears mar his skin. 

"Gen-" Senku gets out, but doesn't know what to say. Can't figure out what could have sent the mentalist out here to cry about. All he knows is Gen must have come to the sunflower field to be alone, so no one would notice something was wrong. 

It makes Senku feel like an intruder. Like he shouldn't have come chasing. But that illogical part of him speaks up. He can't ignore what's right in front of him, especially if this is his friends cry for help.

"Hm?" Gen hums, as if ignoring the state he's been found in.

"Is- are you okay?" he tries, uncertain. Tries to think of what Gen had done for him, but doesn't know how to execute any of it.

"Perfectly fine," Gen fibs. They both know he's lying, but there's too little room left for Senku to reply. "What did you come out here for, Senku-chan?" 

You Senku wants to say. Doesn't know how that'll play out. Before he can answer, a particularly strong gust makes them both shiver, causing Gen to curl up further into himself. That must have been why his shoulders were shaking, from the bitter cold wind. Then he remembers what he's holding. 

"I swear if you get frostbite, I'm going to deliver you to Tsukasa myself," Senku huffs, kneeling in front of him.

"What-?" 

He just silently holds up the boots. The mentalist looks surprised, but Senku doesn't wait for a response. He snags Gen's ankle from under the hem of the coat, dropping the left boot so he can focus on slipping the right one onto his foot. The motion throws Gen off balance, making him let out a tiny yelp. 

"Sen-!"

"You need shoes," he says, focusing on getting the boot on without hurting Gen.

Dully he notices that although the mentalist is always barefoot, the sole of his foot is only somewhat callused. It should be surprising, but it's just a testament to how well Gen takes care of himself. When he's done, ready to take the other foot, he glances up and is surprised to see Gen is watching him intensely, blue eyes wide with an emotion Senku can't understand. His face has taken on a dusty shade of red, blush sitting high on his cheeks and quickly inching down his neck. 

Senku has to look away before the same happens to him.

___

It feels like something out of a fairytale.

But Senku is no prince charming. He's the classic mad scientist, wild hair and crazy experiments to match. Ambitious, steadfast, and daring to a fault.

But Gen is no fair maiden incredibly down on luck. He's a magician, a trickster of infinite faces. A turncoat, walking a fine line between the light and the darkness.

They're the archetypal antagonists of any other story. 

But this is their story. 

As he watches Senku slip on the second boot, Gen can't suppress his reaction. The tenderness behind the gesture, even if Senku didn't intend for it to come off this caring, is undeniable. It reinflates that bubble of emotions in Gen's chest, and makes it burst again within the span of a single second. 

There's no such thing as true love. Gen knows that better than anyone. There's no one individual handcrafted just for you, no soulmates to complete you like a puzzle piece. But there is such a thing as fate. Be it as a lover, a friend, or even an enemy he's certain that he and Senku were meant to meet at least once in their lifetime. Probably never would have if humanity hadn't come to a standstill three thousand years ago. 

The tears that come down this time are softer, smaller. Quieter. Not at all competing with the loud beating of his heart. Senku still notices them when he looks up again despite how invisible, translucent, they make Gen feel. 

"Gen I-" the scientist starts. "Are you-" 

"I'm alright, Senku-chan," he reassures, unable to suppress a smile. "The boots are nice, they're quite armway."