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Senku didn’t realize the amount of truth Gen’s title of “mentalist” held until four years after he broke free from the stone.
They were well on their way to completely depetrifying humanity and confronting the source of the apocalypse. It had been a hard couple of years, of course — they’d made their fair share of enemies, but most of those turned into friends anyway. Every day he was grateful that Tsukasa and Dr. Xeno both eventually switched to his side. It would be impossible to list all of the ways they’ve helped.
Gen, of course, played a huge role in this.
Really, Gen has played a huge role in… everything.
Every so often, when Senku and Gen were huddled up in that old observatory together, where the telescope Gen helped build for Senku for his eighteenth birthday still sat even though they had the technology to create something far more sophisticated, Senku felt a pull that he’d never experienced before. Tonight was a night like that, where Senku was wallowing in emotions he’d never had to deal with before that stupid, pretty mentalist came along, while said stupid, pretty mentalist sat obliviously beside him.
Yes, there was the obvious crush that Senku had on him, and has had on him for longer than forever. There wasn’t some cheesy moment where he looked over at him and realized — he was well aware of these feelings nesting in his chest ever since they first cropped up. It was never a surprise to him, really. The thing was, even in the old world, Senku was fascinated by Asagiri Gen in a way that he couldn’t quite explain. There was something about him that was magnetic. Everyone knew that he was a fraud magician, there was never any question about that. All his shows were rigged as shit, even his books were total garbage. Even his most hardcore fans weren’t fans of his ‘magic’ or ‘mentalism’. Instead, it was his charisma and personality that drew them in.
...Senku was unfortunately all too familiar with that fact. He spent an embarrassing amount of time watching Gen’s interviews, occupying different servers and message boards dedicated to Gen, even going to a real-life book signing. Stupid.
This meant that meeting Gen in the Stone World was a trip and half. On the one hand, Senku was mortified just being in the presence of Gen with the knowledge of everything he’d done. If Gen noticed or somehow knew about Senku’s borderline-obsession, he didn’t say anything. Thankfully, he was merciful enough for that. In fact, Gen almost seemed more fascinated with Senku than Senku was with him.
On the other hand… Asagiri Gen of the Kingdom of Science was entirely different from Asagiri Gen the fraud magician, and Senku found himself more drawn to Gen than ever before.
Gen’s image as a vain, snarky mentalist was only half-true. He was self-concerned, of course, but only on the surface — once Senku started looking closer, all of Gen’s supposedly shallow actions hid deeper, selfless intentions. Once he really settled in, even that “shallowest man” front started to dissipate. It was impossible to miss all the ways that Gen cared for the Kingdom of Science and each of its citizens.
For example, from the moment Gen showed up, he took a particular liking to Suika. Significant portions of each day were spent with the young girl, exploring the woods together or chattering about her day. Senku didn’t notice until recently that the first place Gen went in the morning was to find Suika and have breakfast together, and the last place he came from every night was apparently Kaseki and Suika’s hut too, where he braided her hair and told her whatever stories from the old world that he could remember.
(It made sense, he didn’t know why it didn’t occur to him earlier. After Suika’s parents passed, Kaseki had taken her in, and as it turned out, Gen had joined their little family too. Senku made a mental note to rearrange the huts so they could be closer — maybe a joint hut? He’d have to figure it out.)
The subtle ways Gen cared for Senku himself didn’t escape him, either. Well- at first they did. Amidst the war with the Empire of Might and everything else going on, Senku was apparently too tired to pick up on it. It took reuniting with Taiju and Yuzuriha and them pointing out Gen’s actions for it to really click for him.
If that wasn’t enough, it turned out Gen’s image as a fraud magician was only half-true, too.
Senku was here in the observatory again, staring at Gen like he hung the stars while Gen peeked through the telescope at whatever constellations Senku pointed out. His slender hands reached up to guide the telescope into place, delicate fingers that hid wicked callouses wrapping around the eyepiece to steady it. A soft smile washed across his face, close-lipped and content. The white half of his hair was almost glowing in the light of the moon. He’d have to figure out how it got that way someday, maybe run some tests on it or something if Gen would let him-
“I would, but I could always just tell you, weirdo.” Gen said suddenly, not looking away from the telescope.
Senku peered back at him, wide-eyed. “Wh-“
“My hair?” Gen asked. That soft smile was frozen on his face.
He desperately replayed the last minute in his mind. He didn’t say that out loud, right? Had he been saying all of his thoughts out loud? Maybe Gen was using some kind of mentalist trick-
A low chuckle snapped him back to the cold reality of the observatory. “I’m flattered that you think I’m that skilled, Senku-chan.”
Senku glared at him, a little frightened, but intrigued more than anything. This was a situation that required delicacy and control; their resident mentalist had a tendency to flee during off putting conversations. He opted for a very intelligent, “...what.”
“I resent that, y’know,” Gen teased, fake sniffling and dabbing the corners of his eyes with his sleeves. “I’m not flighty, I just know how to pick my battles.”
“Gen,” Senku rounded on him, suddenly grabbing him by the shoulders and looking straight into his eyes. His eyes flashed momentarily with shock, but it vanished as soon as it came. “What are you doing? ”
They stared at each other for a moment, sizing each other up in the way only two people who know each other far too well could do. It wasn’t uncommon for Gen to catch him off guard, but this was something else entirely. Senku could sense Gen’s teasing fading rapidly; it was something akin to a sigh of relief. As much as he loved the games they played, there was something so freeing about knowing he was really seeing Gen in earnest.
Gen’s brows drew together slightly, his lips tightening just a few millimeters’ worth, but that small give was more than enough. His voice was quiet, almost embarrassed. “I really thought you would’ve figured it out on your own, Senku-chan. I waited for so long to see if you would.” Senku kept quiet, refusing to indulge in any more beating around the bush. This was usually the easiest way through the maze of Asagiri Gen — smoke him out with resolute silence. “...fine. I can sort of read minds.”
“Sort of?!“
“I know it sounds crazy, believe me, but do you really think I’d try and pull something like this on you? ”
Senku knew the answer already. Gen was a mentalist (a clairvoyant now, he supposed), not an idiot.
His head snapped up suddenly, his eyes locking onto Gen’s again. “Hold on. Hold on- so that means-”
Gen’s eyes flicked away and he hunched into the fuzzy collar of his coat sheepishly, bringing those stupid fuzzy sleeves up to hide the blush rising on his cheeks. It was confirmation enough. Every thought Senku had about Gen and his piercing eyes and silver tongue and musical voice that settled into Senku’s subconscious every time he popped into the lab, all those memories that flashed through Senku’s head, all the message boards and servers and merch . It was all on full display for Gen this entire time. Even now, he looked over and saw Gen’s blush steadily deepening and wow, that… that was a sight. This… this could be interesting.
A smirk crept across his face and the mentalist’s eyes widened as he connected the dots. If Gen already knew everything, then that meant Senku wouldn’t have to hold back, right? He wouldn’t have to be embarrassed of and hide those thoughts, because Gen had known all along and was still here every night with Senku. It wouldn’t be that big of an issue, then, if Gen was aware of how often he imagined taking Gen’s hands off that telescope one of these nights and pulling their bodies flush together, wondered what Gen would say, what noises he would make if Senku pressed his lips to Gen’s, one hand tangled in Gen’s hair, the other-
“Senku-chan, that’s dirty!!” Gen squeaked and shoved Senku’s shoulder before tucking his hands back into his sleeves and shielding his face again. Senku’s amused grin widened even further and Gen scrambled back, yelping when he bumped into the observatory wall. Senku let out a bark of laughter as he crawled after him and used the brief moment of distraction to cage Gen in, palms slamming against the wall inches away from either side of the mentalist’s head. “What-”
Where do we go from here, Gen? Senku’s thoughts coursed through his mind like an electric current as he towered over Gen.
“How am I supposed to know?!”
He inched closer, filling Gen’s field of vision entirely. You’re the mind-reader here, you tell me. Their breaths mixed in the charged space between them, which was rapidly disappearing as Senku drew closer and closer, which meant it was impossible to miss when Gen’s breath hitched and stopped entirely. He was so close, closer than Senku had ever been to him before and it was downright intoxicating . Gen’s eyes flickered around, searching for answers like they were mapped out in the darkness of Senku’s blown pupils.
Quicker than Senku could process it, Gen closed the distance between them, sealing their lips together, and the tides shifted again. He fisted one hand in Senku’s hair, his grip just shy of painful as he pulled Senku down so he slotted neatly between Gen’s parted thighs. He swallowed down Senku’s gasp and frankly, Senku wasn’t sure if it was one of shock or relief that this was finally, finally happening. God, they’d known each other for almost four years and Senku had been infatuated with him for literal centuries, why hadn’t they done this sooner?
When they finally untangled themselves from each other a good ten minutes later (Senku didn’t even know kisses could last that long, he really didn’t know anything about kisses), they only pulled back far enough to look at each other, unwilling to completely separate. Senku’s hands were still buried in the soft layers of Gen’s overcoat. Warmth radiated off of the other man, probably off of Senku, too. He could stay here forever, honestly; the thought of settling in and falling asleep for the night surrounded by Gen made his stomach flip.
Gen laughed softly. “I didn’t take you for the sentimental type at first, Senku-chan. I know emotions can be… uncomfortable, but I really poured my heart out to you during your birthday that first year. Every word I said was the complete truth, so you really have nothing to be embarrassed about.” He tucked a tangled strand of hair gently behind Senku’s ear.
“So…” Senku fidgeted with the inner lining of Gen’s coat, his voice growing softer. “Where do you want to go from here?” He swallowed heavily; somewhere, buried deep, was the silly, sentimental feeling that Gen had always been shrouded in a magic of his own creation, and now Senku knew that, at least to some extent, it was true.
Gen sighed and gently tipped Senku’s chin up, forcing Senku to meet his gaze. It was incredible how one look from him could always calm him down. “Senku, you don’t have to be a clairvoyant or mentalist to know my answer.” He softly pulled him down, connecting them again, and Senku smiled against his lips. He was right.