Work Text:
After a round of gambling, Ukyo and Gen sat at Francois’s bar on their way to California. The ship was going to take another 40 days or so to get there, but Gen didn’t mind. After everything, he and the rest of the Kingdom of science went through. Some time to relax is just what they needed. People were partying, drinking (Non-alcoholic), and gambling their hearts out. Gen didn’t mind all the loud noise. It almost reminds him of all the parties he used to attend.
“And every cocktail fits its guest perfectly,” Ukyo commented. “In fact almost too perfectly like Pisces falling right into place,” Ukyo turned in his barstool to look at his mentalist friend. “In other words, ever since Ryusui and Senkuu started fighting...,” Ukyo said in a more hushed tone. “It’s been a cumulative effort to get everyone on board with the quicker Voyage plan. “Could A certain mentalist have planned this whole thing…? It’s a funny theory anyway,”
“Utter nonsense dear Uyko chan. You’re overthinking it. Why would I set up a game where I’d lose?” Gen scoffed playfully. “However, I will say this. I was giving it my all and then some in that Poker game,” Gen rested his arms on the bar in front of him. “It wouldn’t have been so exciting otherwise…,” Gen sang.
He really did give it his all. Even if it was planned. Even if it was all just a show. Gen had fun. Caught up in his own trick.
How silly.
“..My loss was a bit frustrating. My dear Senkuu,” Gen squinted his eyes and looked out at the sea next to him. It didn’t feel as empty as it once had. With friends and his dear Senkuu… Ya it didn’t feel as empty. When Ge was first called on to the ship he was sure it’d be boring looking at the empty sea a bunch and at times it was, but a lot of the time, Gen wasn’t alone.
“Almost sounds like you’re praising him,” Ukyo teased.
“Who me?” Gen sang.
Gen was a devious person and a bit of a liar, better than he used to be but still, expressing how he really felt was difficult. Being open… vulnerable…. It was still all a bit new.
“Hmmm, maybe it was,” Gen hummed soberly.
“Is that why you look at him with such caring eyes master Gen?” Francois asked from the other side of the bar.
“Or why you two seem so close?” Ukyo chimed in.
There was no doubt in Gen’s mind that Senkuu was important to him. All the praise in the world didn’t explain how he felt for the other. Gen just smiled and took another sip from his drink.
“Well, I’m going to call it a night. Night you two,”
“Yes, goodnight,”
“Good night,”
Gen hopped off his barstool and made his way to his quarters below the deck. It seemed Gen wasn’t the only one that was tired.
“Gen..?” Suika opened her door and rubbed her eyes.
Suika was sent to bed an hour ago. After she finished up Francois’s drink for her.
“Ahhh Suika chan, what are you doing up so late?” Gen questioned.
“Suika couldn’t sleep,” Suika yawned.
“Too much excitement for one night?” Gen asked.
“Yeah maybe,” Suika agreed. “Can you tell me a story?” The little girl looked up at Gen with hopeful eyes.
“Of course Suika chan. Is there one you wanted to hear?” Gen asked.
“Hmmh,” Gen opened her door more and let Gen in. Suika laid down on her bedroll and pulled the blanket over herself. Gen sat down next to Suika. “What was being a magician like?”
The simple answer to the question a bunch of late nights and partying when he had free time. It was fake. A bunch of fake smiles and overall sweetened lies.
“It was fun,” Gen lied. “You’d learn a bunch of new tricks to show people,”
“Really?”
“Oh yeah, A learned on a trick that let my saw people in half and put them back together,”
“Did it hurt them?” Suika asked.
“Oh no, that was part of the trick. The participants didn’t feel any pain,” Gen explained.
“When we get back. Awnnn, Can you show us?” Suika was drifting off to sleep. “When we get back,”
“Of course Suika chan. We just need a few things and then we’ll go home,”
“I- hope so..,” Suika drifted to sleep.
Honestly, Gen had no idea of how long it would take but he believed in Senkuu. It was blind unconditional trust.
I almost forgot what it felt to trust another so much.
Gen still sat there next to Suika. She had grown. Not much but she had grown. Had it really been years since Gen first met the others? Gen patted the top of Suika’s head.
Knock knock
Gen looked up to see Senkuu standing in the doorway.
“There you are,” Senkuu said in a hushed whisper.
“Aww miss me?”
Senkuu sat next to Gen. “I just saw you and beat you in a game of poker,”
“Came here to gloat?” Gen raised an eyebrow. “Or maybe… someone is jealous their boyfriend wasn’t on their team?” Gen hummed. “I said I was Orry- say,”
How much Gen had come to love saying that word
“In your dreams,” Senkuu scoffed. “You would’ve cheated anyway,”
“Ouch, how could you be so cruel Senkuu chan” Gen acted hurt. “I’d never,”
“Tchh,” Senkuu clicked his tongue. “I thought you were supposed to be good at lying,”
“Hey, after the whole thing with Mozu, don’t even,” Gen rolled his eyes.
“Silver tongue mentalist,”
“Know it all scientist,” Gen leaned to rest his head on Senkuu’s shoulder.
“Tired?” Senkuu asked.
“A little,” Gen admitted.
“Come on, let’s get you to bed,” Senkuu shook Gen off his shoulder. “We have things to do in the morning,”
“When do we not,” Gen sighed.
The two stood up and quietly walked out of Suika’s room. Making sure not to wake her.
They closed the door on their way out. Senkuu and Gen made it to Gen’s room and Gen rested on himself on the bedroll. Senkuu sat next to Gen but didn’t lay down with him.
“Hmm Senkuu chan?” Gen yawned.
“I’ll join you in a bit,” Senkuu said.
“Hmhh ok,” Gen got comfortable and pulled the covers closer.
Gen seemed so peaceful. Eyes closed, light breathing, soft smile.
Peaceful.
But for how much longer?
.
.
.
“Oh, I know! That would splash some revival fluid on- ,” Chrome pointed at the bottle in Senkuu’s hand.
Seemed like he already knew the plan. Senkuu had planned for himself to be the one to wake up and revive everyone. Like in the treasure island. It took Senkuu a second to understand why all eyes were turned on him. Or why he was falling backward. Or the ringing in his ears. It all happened so fast Senkuu didn’t even notice he had hit the ground. What he did notice was the almost unbearable pain that started in his shoulder that shot through his body. The shattered parts of the revival fluid’s clay container scattered around him. A warm liquid started to run down Senkuu’s mouth. Senkuu could only assume it was blood. He didn’t have the strength to check.
A muffled voice screamed. What, Senkuu couldn’t make out or ever who’s it was. Kaseki, Chrome, and Gen, all three were looking over him. Gen to his left, Chrome to his right, and Kaseki left to his knees right where he was standing. Chrome was shaking Senkuu’s shoulder. He was shouting something. Kaseki didn’t seem to dare say anything. Gen was saying something.
Senkuu
Senkuu’s other senses were heightened. He felt Gen’s warm hand grab his hand and pull it close to his chest. Senkuu had only seen Gen genuinely cry a few times. His pride only let a few tears drop, but now, Gen cast his pride away as he begged for Senkuu to say something. Senkuu could only blink to let Gen know he heard him.
“Hey come on Senkuu!” Chrome kept shaking him. “Not yet ok? Just stay there and I can-!”
BANG BANG
Senkuu knew damn well what the noise was. Even as muffled as it was.
No…
Something drew the three’s attention away from Senkuu. The cry was faint but Senkuu could tell who it was.
Senkuu slighted his head to look at Gen, still unable to speak.
“Gen, I need you to promise me something,”
“Hmh?”
Gen and Senkuu were on their way to South America. They’d finally got a few moments alone.
“If something happens to me again, you’ll take charge,”
“Wh-What?”
“I need to know. Out of everyone I trust you the most,”
Senkuu expected an outburst of some sort, but when Senkuu looked at Gen. Gen nodded.
“I understand Senkuu,”
Gen eyes looked back at Senkuu. They didn’t need words. Senkuu knew once Gen looked at him, Gen understood.
“Chrome!” Gen snapped. “Get to the base of the tower now!”
Chrome rushed to his feet along with Gen to the tower. Senkkuu couldn’t see anything up the night sky and tower above him. Maybe he was lucky. It was all just yelling and gunfire. He saw Gen place the revival fluid on the catapult. His hearing was coming back to him.
“Grab that final bottle!” an older male voice shouted.
Senkuu could almost laugh. The pain in his left shoulder wasn’t stopping him. The look his former mentor must have had. Scared? Surprised? Maybe angry? Xeno was just out of Senkuu’s blurred sight.
“Argh,” Senkuu heard the cries of his teammates followed by the sound of gunfire.
Senkuu clenched his eyes closed. He wasn’t going to let himself cry.
“Catch on yet Xeno?” Senkuu mumbled through the blood. “Make scientific revival fluid rain down on us,”
Damn it my body’s done. Can’t move a millimeter.
“Suika…,” Senkuu tried to say in a normal volume.
“You’re the only one who can get to the base of the tower. You wanna be helpful right?”
Senkuu was so glad Suika couldn’t fully see him like that. How much pain he had already put her through…
Suika just nodded before she started to run. She dashed away. Senkuu almost felt proud.
Then that’s it.
“Heh heh,” Senkuu tried to laugh without choking on his own blood. “Bye for now Xeno. Could be days or years until humanity revived again. But we’ll meet again. So until that day, see ya,”
Senkuu closed his eyes. He was on death’s doorstep. The only thing keeping him from opening the door and entering was a sudden flood of green light.
What is it? The third time? Heh, I’m going to miss the scar.
Soon Senkuu couldn’t feel anything anymore. Not the ground below him of his clothes against his skin. He could no longer move. He was just laying down again. In the dark void.
1
2
3
.
.
.
44000
44001
44002
Half a day had passed. Senkuu kept counting. It wasn’t so hard. After you count for 3700 years you get used to an endless string of numbers ticking down, but after 3700 years in pure darkness… You might not like the dark as much. Senkuu had only told a few close friends about his dislike for the dark. Kaseki had made Senkuu some candles to help him sleep better. It wasn’t much at the time but Senkuu was starting to kiss the light.
.
.
.
112056
112057
112058
31 hours had passed. Even on his worst days in the lab someone always dragged Senkuu to sleep, Normally Gen, but a few times Kohaku did when she was worried for her friend. Senkuu was still fading in and out trying to stay awake.
.
.
.
1208055
1208056
1208057
13 days, almost 14, Senkuu was still counting. Suika might not know what date it is when she finally wakes the others up so it was up to Senkuu to count…. Or if worst comes to worst… He needed to stay awake.
.
.
.
3456468
3456469
3456470
40 days. Senkuu’s brain was adjusting to the time. He was no longer fading in and out. Senkuu’s clock seemed to tick by on its own now. Senkuu wasn’t even really thinking about it.
3456471
It was getting easier. But maybe that wasn’t such a good thing.
.
.
.
8456465
8456466
8456467
97 days… He didn’t know what he expected. He believed in Suika, but she was still a child. Those two thoughts fought in Senkuu’s mind.
She’s a kid.
She’s more than capable.
Why did you let her do that? She’s not safe on her own.
It was our only opinion.
There’s always another opinion.
.
.
.
15496265
15496266
15496267
179 days. Senkuu was starting to worry more, even though he tried to ignore it. Back when Senkuu was first frozen he didn’t have to worry about anyone. He knew Taiju wouldn’t drift because he still had to confess to Yuzuirha and Senkuu assumed Byakuya had also been turned to stone, but now he had something to worry about.
.
.
.
43464930
43464931
43464932
Senkuu had a lot of time to think. It was over a year now. A year to think alone. At first, he could ignore it and keep thinking about counting but with nothing else but darkness and his thoughts to stimulate his brain…
The whole reason this happened was because they wanted corn. How did it go so wrong? Was it when Gen was captured? When Luna joined their side? When they kidnapped Xeno?
No matter what Senkuu thought it always circled back to one thought.
Why was he the leader?
Sure they had the 5 generals but they had trusted him with what to do next. No, expect him to know what to do next. Senkuu was learning that trust the others had for him had changed to blind trust. He had sent the America team on a suicide mission and that was hinging on they could pull it off or not. He had so much to say sorry for. To everyone. That was one of the few things keeping him awake.
I need to apologize to the others.
.
.
.
63361992
63361993
63361994
Senkuu wasn’t normally one to ask “If only” but 2 years had passed…
If only I had planned better
If only I had moved quicker
If only we hadn’t-
If they never came to America any of this would’ve happened. He wouldn’t have to leave Suika with not only the burden of his goals but the burden to save the only family she had left. Family… Suika didn’t even remember her parents. They had died in a famine. Suika wanted to be helpful to others ever since then. Soon the whole village had adopted her. When they set sail to Treasure island she had grown closer to the others. Even once calling Kohaku mom on accident.
And again Suika’s family was there but just out of her reach…
Damn it.
.
.
.
96457661
96457662
96457663
3 years.
The former happy memories of the kingdom of science were seemingly turning bitter. The other’s smiling faces were turning to frowns… If he could recall their faces. Even close people in Senkuu’s life… He was forgetting their faces. Times they had fun together soon felt like spite. Like they hated him and him alone. At his failure. One he could have prevented but didn’t.
96457664
96457665
96457666
96457667
The numbers kept ticking.
96457668
96457669
96457670
He could stop counting.
96457671
96457672
But he didn’t want to.
96457673
No
96457674
He shouldn’t stop. He couldn’t let the others down. Not after all his failures.
He'll make it up to them. He has to. The guilt and responsibility; both of those feelings were his to own. Surely, the Kingdom of science was working harder to keep themselves awake. No way he could stop. All the now-bitter memories, the endless numbers, and the self-doubt Won’t stop Senkuu. When he wakes up he had a lot to apologize for. To everyone. It was illogical. Senkuu knew that. How he felt didn't affect the outcome.
but,
Everyone has to be alive because he still needed to apologize to them!
.
.
.
97152365
97152366
97152367
9715-
Sck!
3 years. After 3 years, 2 weeks, 5 days, and 10 hours, the darkness cleared.
“Senkuu?” Senkuu heard a voice call for him.
Senkuu could move his arm finally. Senkuu sat up, breaking the stone fragments that were around him. Senkuu once again felt the fabric of his tunic brush against his skin. The tunic has deteriorated more than Senkuu thought.
Senkuu turned his face to the person who called his name. He almost didn’t recognize her. The blonde hair had grown much longer. She had grown much taller but still had the watermelon mask on.
“Senkuu?”
“Hey there Suika,”
Suika looked like she wanted to say something but didn’t have the words. All she could do was pull Senkuu in for a hug and let out all her worry. Her tears dripped onto Senkuu’s shoulder.
“H-h ow long..?” Suika mumbled.
“3 years,” Senkuu replied. “You did a good job Suika,” Senkuu patted the younger teen’s head.
“I tried so many times…,” Suika sobbed “I-I missed you all s- so much,”
“You did good,”
“T- thank you,” Suika tried to get a hold of herself.
“Hey Suika,” Senkuu spoke. “I’m sorry,”
“I forgive you…,” Suika whispered, hugging tighter. “I’m just so glad you’re awake,”
Days passed as the two started collecting more nitrate acid from a cave they found. Senkuu would’ve loved to set up a lab but for right now his main focus was to survive until they could wake up someone else. Remembering how hard it was to keep yourself alive in the stone world Senkuu felt even more proud of Suika.
Senkuu and Suika sat around a fire and ate some vegetables they had found.
“Heh, Almost like old times,” Suika weakly laughed.
“Ya, almost,” Senkuu replied with the same bittersweet feeling.
“Remember when Gen told me and the others about how you woke up,” Suika asked, scared of the silence.
“Yeah, that mentalist didn’t want to do his job,” Senkuu half heartily scoffed.
“I thought it was so cool… but now, It was scary wasn’t it?”
Senkuu wasn’t used to hearing Suika talk about such serious things. He was still getting used to that Suika wasn’t the same person he knew.
“It was,” Was all Senkuu knew what to say.
“But hey, now we’re going to wake the others up and it wouldn’t be as scary,” Suika tried to lift the mood.
“Ya, I still can’t decide who to wake up first though,” Senkuu thought out loud.
“Huh? You’re not waking up Gen first?” Suika questioned.
Senkuu sighed. There was a part of him that did want to wake the mentalist up first. He missed the mentalist voice, his smile, the way Gen lit up a room when he walked in, but Senkuu knew Gen would disagree with waking him up first.
“The mentalist would be 10 billion percent unuseful here,”
“Ohh I thought you two-,” Suika trailed off.
“Ya, I miss him, but Gen has his special set of skills and labor is not one of them,” Senkuu explained. “He’d kill me if I made him do manual labor,” Senkuu snickered. “Plus, you want to see Ryusui and Kohaku right?”
“Yeah,”
“Wahh?!” Taiju’s eyes shot open once light finally reached them.
It took a second for his eyes to adjust. It was a bit blurry but he was able to make out the shape of his best friend Senkuu and a cracked watermelon.
“Wake up you big oaf,”
The stone that covered Taiju’s body started to crack. As Taiju stood up. “AUGHH!” Taiju shouted. “Senkuu Suika!”
“Hey there you big oaf,” Senkuu smiled.
“Taiju! You’re awake!” Suika cheered.
“Woah, Suika you got taller,” Taiju marveled. “How long has it been?”
“3 years 3 weeks and a day,” Senkuu replied. “We got work to do so don’t I hope you rested well,”
“Yeah! Leave it to me!” Taiju shouted.
It was no longer just Taiju, Senkuu and Suika. The kingdom of science had so far required; Kohaku, Ryusui, Chrome, Kaseki, Chelsea, and Luna.
Senkuu was taking a small break from his lab to go walk around and clear his head. It had been a few weeks now and still, not everyone had been depetrified yet… and some just simply didn’t make it. Senkuu didn’t give himself time to grieve with the others. He had work to do after all. When he was done then maybe Senkuu let himself process how he felt.
Without even realizing Senkuu had walked to where Gen was propped up. He had walked this trail so many times he hadn’t even thought about it… Senkuu had memorized almost every detail of Gen’s statute. From his closed eyes to Gen’s relaxed posture.
“You’d probably know just what to say, wouldn’t you, mentalist?” Senkuu asked, knowing there was going to be no response in return.
“You miss him huh?” A feminine voice asked.
Senkuu looked over his shoulder to see Kohaku walking to him.
“Where were you stalking me?” Senkuu questioned back.
“I wasn’t,” Kohaku replied. “I just saw you walk this way and knew where you were going,” She explained. “You know we have enough people maybe next-,”
“No,” Senkuu shook his head. “Right now we have a job to do. We don’t need Gen’s skills right now,”
“Don’t say you don’t miss him,”
“I didn’t,”
Kohaku sighed. “I understand then. You love him that much huh?”
“Yeah,”
.
.
.
Next were Ginro, Francois, Ukyo, and Matsukaze. The only one left was Gen. Senkuu had decided he wanted to be the first to greet the mentalist. It might have been selfish but after a month and a half, it felt right. Senkuu poured the fluid on Gen’s statue and waited a second or two, his heart thumping in his chest, for Gen to depetrified.
Ccrkkk
The stone started to crack. The first piece that fell from Gen was a fragment around Gen’s left eye. Senkuu watched as Gen blinked his eyes open, getting used to the light. Soon the rest of the fragments fell. Gen used his arm to shield his eyes from the light.
“Geeez Senkuu chan, the suns’ in my face,” Gen groaned.
How much Senkuu had missed that nickname.
“I missed you too mentalist,” Senkuu smirked.
“Oh did you now?” Gen put his hands together in his roughed up yukata. “You’re being surprisingly honest,” Gen stepped forward Senkuu before stopping 1 foot away. Gen reached up his hand and drew lines on Senkuu’s face with his finger that followed Senkuu’s old scar. “You look so different without it,” Gen commented.
“Don’t like it?”
“I’ll miss it for sure,” Gen hummed.
While Senkuu did enjoy Gen’s witty banter he just had to get something off his chest. “I love you,” It was hardly the first time Senkuu had told Gen that, but it just came out so naturally. As if Senkuu didn’t even need to think about saying it.
“Hahaha,” Gen softly laughed, lowering his hand to cup Senkuu’s check. “Even more honest than I remember,” Gen shook his head slightly. “I love you too,” Gen pulled Senkuu’s face closer to his until they were only a few inches apart. “Know it all scientist,”
“Silver tongued mentalist,”
“Looks like we managed to pull it off,”
“It was do or die after all,”
Their lips brushed as they talked. Senkuu titled his face slightly. Gen pulled him closer before there was no space between the two’s lips. It had been years, but the kiss felt as natural as ever. Gen resting one of his hands on Senkuu’s face and the other on his chest. Senkuu had his arm around Gen’s waist. The kiss was soft and slow.
This is so disgustingly sweet.
The two of them pulled away for air. Gen was catching his breath when he seemed to notice something behind Senkuu and quickly tensed up.
Senkuu looked behind him and there was Suika and Chelsea trying to hide behind a bush but their hats gave them away.
“Suika, Chelsea,” Senkuu grumbled, a bit embarrassed.
“S- Sorry!” Suika squeaked. “I didn’t mean to,”
“I knew you two were married!” Chelsea called out in English.
“We aren’t married,” Senkuu corrected.
“Awww I lost the beat with Luna,” Chelsea sighed.
Gen started to burst out laughing. “Oh that’s right Luna! Senkuu chan how dare you cheat on me,” Gen wiped away crocodile tears.
“You can’t be serious-,” Senkuu deadpanned. “Gen you know I’m gay,”
“I don’t want to hear it, you cheater,” Gen playfully pushed Senkuu away.
“Why did I miss you again?”
“My wit and charm?” Gen tilted his head so innocently.
“That’s not it,” Senkuu pretended to be deep in thought.
“Ude- rayyyyyyyy!”
Thank you so much to my friend @senkhore on Twitter for the idea!