Chapter Text
A voice.
A voice that Kenji had heard a lot when he was little and started hearing less and less as time went on resounded over the swamp, stopping all of them, especially Kenji, in their tracks.
He couldn’t believe his ears. Certainty that the cadence and tone were just similar to a certain someone were all he had to suspend his disbelief, but the moment the coiffed hair and sharp suit emerged from the fog, completing the picture that is Daniel Kon, aka Kenji’s Dad, aka the one he spent the last few days resenting, his world simply stopped turning and nothing else mattered but the two of them.
His dad’s eyes met his, and for the briefest of moments, Kenji thought he saw something unpleasant behind the man’s eyes.
But all of a sudden, his brows upturn and he’s rushing towards Kenji, pulling him into a hug. A confused Kash stands in the distance, but Kenji ignores him.
The hug isn’t the warmest, nor is it the most comfortable. But he’s squeezing him tightly and Kenji feels like he's being enveloped by the man. Certainly a Daniel Kon hug, then. He hasn’t felt his father hug him like this since his mom’s funeral, and suddenly Kenji is eight again, and his father is his whole world.
He spent their whole trip from Nublar thinking about how much he hated that his dad just left him there- how he didn't look for Kenji and that he had to escape that hell by himself. Well, with his friends, but with no help from the man. He hated the idea of going home, back to the luxurious and house that brings little comfort since his absentee father is never there.
But, he's here now.
Maybe being on the island simply made him jaded, clouding his judgment. Maybe he’s simply been apart from him too long. Maybe, now that they’re reunited, Kenji can finally have that relationship with him he had all those years ago. This is his father after all. How can Kenji stay mad at him?
The resentments are forgotten. The pain is ebbed. All he can feel is the man he wanted nothing more than to be loved by hugging him for all his worth.
Kenji finally returns it, wrapping his arms around him and smiling into his shoulder.
“I never thought I’d see you again.” His Dad tells him as he pulls away, giving Kenji a once over.
“Me too.” Kenji sighs, smiling up at him.
Then suddenly, his friends make themselves known. Well, Sammy does.
The information that his dad is apparently the CEO of Mantah Corp, aka the guy who runs this awful island, become the topic of conversation, everyone relaying their grief, recounting one bad thing after another. Kenji doesn’t say a word.
“Are you aware he tried to kill me?!” Mae practically screams.
His fathers face scrunches up and turns to Kash and starts laying into the freak. Despite what Darius told him earlier, Kash doesn’t back down. In fact, the guy tries to sicc the BRADs on them, their red eyes piercing the veil of the fog. Kenji is once again on the defensive, his hands instinctively searching for Ben’s behind him. He chances a glance at his father.
The man looks positively unbothered.
On a single command, he turns the BRADs off, surprising everyone, but none more than Kash, who looks positively frightened. Kenji admits, he always thought his dad was smooth, but that was a boss power move and he can’t help but smirk at the display.
Kash, like all frightened animals, runs for his life, but not before knocking Mae to the ground in the process. Kenji’s instincts kick in and he tries to apprehend the guy himself, but before he even gets a step, a strong arm is holding him back.
Another command and suddenly Kash is brought down and apprehended by the BRADs. Just as suddenly, that commanding voice, the one Kenji was admiring not seconds earlier, is directed at himself.
“What were you thinking? I just get you back and you’re needlessly risking your life?” The tone is familiar, as he’s received earfuls about his grades in much the same way, but the context of the conversation, that his dad cares if he gets hurt, humbles Kenji immediately.
“Hey, guys?” A soft voice rings out. Kenji turns towards the source and sees Ben holding Mae in his arms, Yaz next to him. “Mae’s not doing so well. I think her wounds opened up.”
His father is back in business mode, and tells them how it’s going to be: Mae is going to the Med Bay, Kash will be locked away, and the rest of them are to go clean up. Kenji tries to follow the man, but he insists he goes with the others to clean up. Kenji can’t help the pang of disappointment- he just reunited with his father! He wants to spend as much time with him as possible. Plus, if he helps him, maybe he can show him how much he’s changed since he last saw Kenji.
But hearing the others hype up the investor suite, which he's sure will be very well equipped, has Kenji convinced that washing up doesn’t sound like a bad idea.
“I have so much to tell you.” Kenji tells him, happy that this nightmare is finally over.
“And I can’t wait to hear all of it.”
This. This is exactly the kind warmth and care he remembers when he was much younger. He craved it for years, the affection and praise and attention from his dad that seemed to drift away after losing his mom.
Kenji finally has his dad again.
“Everything is going to be okay, guys.” Kenji says aloud, mostly to himself.
He chooses to ignore the very tiny voice inside him that says it’s all too good to be true.
---
The walk to the compound is quiet. Sure, there were dinosaur cries echoing in the jungle, but it was straightforward and without incident. No tiptoeing, no sneaking, no dodging robots. Just a leisurely walk through a (relatively) lovely jungle.
Everyone seems excited to get there, a promise of comfort and safety easing their minds.
Everyone, that is, except Ben.
At first, Kenji excused it as the shorter teen’s natural disagreement with comfort, something he never really shook off even after reuniting with them all. Ben's bunk back when they were on Nublar had only a sheet between him and the wood, and the guys slept like a baby. Heck, Ben constantly tells them how ‘soft’ they are if they so much as complain about a mosquito bite. Comfort and luxury don't seem to agree with the shorter teen.
By now, though, he knows Ben much better. Whatever it is that’s on his mind, it’s not in apprehension of a queen sized bed- which, if they have anything less, Kenji will make a stink about. No, whatever is bothering Ben has to do with Kenji specifically, if the way he’s staring at him almost nonstop is anything to go by.
Kenji lets Brooklynn and Darius lead the pack- and hangs back to walk alongside Ben. Just like earlier, said teen is watching his every move, and Kenji’s not-so-subtle shift has him raising a brow at him in curiosity.
“What’s up?” Ben asks.
“Oh, nothing. I just wanted to walk with my boyfriend.” Kenji says smoothly, his energy still high from earlier. Ben doesn’t match that energy, much to his chagrin. “I think the question is, ‘what’s up’ with you?”
Ben turns away at that, his eyes trained forward. He doesn't say anything for a minute, but after a quick glance at Kenji and a soft sigh, he answers.
“Earlier, I saw you almost… lose it.”
“What?? What are you talking about?”
“Earlier, when your Dad showed up--”
“My Dad? What about him?”
“It’s just– “ Ben shakes his head. He looks up at Kenji, blue eyes meeting brown. “You know what? It’s nothing. I’m just tired. Seeing things.”
“Oh. Okay…?”
Well, that was random.
Regardless of how strange that was, the fact that Ben was concerned for him is not lost on Kenji. He reaches for Ben’s hand and takes it into his own. The other’s cheeks visibly light up at this, and Kenji smirks at the reaction.
“I’m grateful you’re watching out for me. But I’m okay. Really.” Ben gives his hand a squeeze at that, and Kenji returns the favor.
When they reach the compound and emerge from the elevator onto the previously inaccessible second floor, everyone takes off in different directions to explore. Ben’s exclamations of individual bedrooms has everyone scrambling to choose one. Kenji has never been here before, but as someone who’s spent many years living in swanky quarters, he immediately goes for the one at the end of the hall- Corner window, less neighbors who could wake him up, close to the exit; ideal really. He opens the door and is met with the sight of a queen-sized bed in a full suite. Good. As it should be.
Darius follows him in and takes a load off on the couch by the window. Kenji goes straight for the vanity, because of course he does, and discovers a top of the line razor.
“Hey, D.” Kenji pokes his head out. “Found this bad boy in the bathroom.”
“Nice. Are you finally gonna shave all that face fur off?”
“Excuse me? I happen to think I look very mature with my beard.”
“Hardly a beard, Kenj.”
"Har har." Kenji brings the razor to his face but before he can do anything, he stops, giving himself a look. “Hmm. What if I shave it off and just look like ‘Old’ Kenji?” Caught in two minds, Kenji puts the thing back and heads towards where Darius is sitting.
“Well what’s wrong with that?” Darius asks him as he takes his seat next to him.
“Please, don't act like 'Old Kenji' wasn't a piece of work. Look, I... I want my dad to take me seriously, y’know?”
“What do you mean?”
“After... After my mom was gone, he wasn’t around a lot,” an understatement, his mind unhelpfully supplies, “But it’s not like I was the model son, you know? I... I get it. Now, I just want things to be different between us.” He looks Darius in the eyes. “Because.. I’m different now.”
“You are.” Darius puts a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “But if you're worried about it: shaving that gross, scraggly fuzz won’t change that fact.” Kenji laughs at Darius' phrasing.
“You really don’t like it, huh?”
“Nope.”
“Ben does.” Kenji lies, though his voice is smug as he says it.
“That’s cuz you’re dating.”
“True enough.”
They both burst out laughing.
Kenji is so glad they were able to reconcile completely. Darius really is like a brother to him, and even though it was his own insecurities that drove a wedge between them, he’s grateful to the other for forgiving him so easily. Kenji doesn’t know what he’d do without him- Darius having been his rock since the very beginning. Even before the Indominus incident, Darius was always there for him, even though Kenji acted like a jerk.
He'll never mistreat him again.
He’s never going to take Darius for granted again.
---
“How did you even color your hair? Does my Dad keep dye in the rooms?”
“Psh. No. I had the packet of hairdye in my pocket the whole time, and I was waiting until we had a proper shower to touch up my roots.”
“Wow. And I thought hiding my contacts was bad.” Kenji says smugly.
“Please, don’t act like you didn’t shave the moment you had access to a razor.” The girl shoots back.
“Fair point.”
“Gotta say, I think I’m gonna miss the chinfuzz.”
“That’s cuz it reminded you of your Pops, right?” Kenji teases. Brooklynn puffs her cheeks out indignantly.
“Shut up.”
“Sorry.” He smiles good naturedly, earning him one in return from the now fully-touched-up pink haired girl.
Kenji and Brooklynn sit at a table in the lounge, chilling while the others enjoy what the room has to offer. Sammy and Yaz look behind the bar- for what, he doesn’t know- while Ben and Darius play Snooker. He gave up trying to explain that it’s different from Billiards and Pool, but the two shortest teens are having fun doing whatever, so he leaves them be.
Ben is no longer staring Kenji down anymore, but he admits, he can feel his boyfriends eyes on him at times. He remembers that the roles were reversed when Ben first came back to him them, and he suddenly understands how strange a feeling it is. Not unpleasant, no, but certainly something that doesn’t go unnoticed.
The double doors open and in comes his dad. He… doesn’t have the best news. He relays that they’re going to have to settle in, since it isn’t safe to go home right now. The man not so subtly implies that things will go bad for him and Kenji if they were to make a fuss, which makes sense- at least, he thinks it makes sense- but Kenji grimaces at his friends all the same, begging them to just go along with it.
All of them are dying to go home. They thought they’d be going home very soon. Now they’re being told it’s going to be another few days.
When everyone reluctantly agrees, relief floods through him. A lingering guilt remains, but he guesses that’s to be expected.
Once again, he chooses to not feel Ben’s eyes watching him as he follows his dad outside.
---
Kenji is practically bouncing as he relays to his father the amount of times he almost died in the last six months. It's messed up, he knows. Still, his dad did say he wanted to know what he went through, so he’s choosing now to do so. So far, he only covers the dinosaur incidents, choosing to omit the several humans who have tried to kill them. He’s not sure he should scare the man by letting him know it wasn’t just genetically engineered dinosaurs that made his life flash before his eyes.
But as he lists off the things he’s faced off against, and his father remains unresponsive as he works, he is once again reminded of his life until now, though the context is now different.
There were many times he would excitedly tell his dad things- stories about his day or something he learned in school- only for the man to be so engrossed in his work to pay him any attention. After a while, he just never bothered to try. Kenji knows their relationship isn’t the same as it was back then, but standing here, being ignored, he feels like a kid again and that not much has changed since then.
“I must be boring you, huh?” Kenji says dejectedly.
Immediately his dad snaps his attention to him.
“What? No, no. I want to hear all about it. I just… Have a lot on my plate. For instance, how did Kash have all this time to prepare and not even get the cameras working?” His dad shakes his head ruefully. “There’s so much to do in two days.”
Oh?
“Why? What happens in two days?” Kenji asks, confused.
“Oh. I thought you knew already. The investors are coming and we have a presentation.”
Huh?
He can’t mean…
“Wait, are you…? Are you still doing dino-fights?” Kenji asks incredulously.
“Yes…? That’s what Kash was supposed to be setting up.”
“But you said we weren’t doing things Kash’s way anymore.”
“I did, and we aren’t. Kash drove up their aggressiveness with drugs, made them fight for his own amusement- nearly to the point of death. He's supposed to be protecting these assets."
The word 'assets' doesn't sit well with Kenji.
“But-”
“Kenji. These investors aren’t your run-of-the-mill guys in suits. They’re the kind of people you don't want to be on the bad side of. They expect dinosaur fights, so that’s what we’re going to give them.” His father says this so calmly and matter-of-factly, like he didn’t just say something horrifying.
“You can’t do this.” Kenji says defiantly.
“I have to.” His father responds with the same cool cadence.
“Why?” The man sighs at the question before returning his attention to Kenji.
“Mantah Corp has no idea this island exists. I have to turn a profit before they realize the money I funneled here went missing.”
Kenji can’t believe what he’s hearing. He knows his father was always a risk taker when it came to business, even if didn’t understand the nitty-gritty details, but this? This is insane.
His dad probably senses his mood because suddenly he’s crouching down a bit to be eyelevel and puts a steady hand on Kenji’s shoulder. Let Kenji point out he’s taller than his dad. The fact that he has to crouch to look at him says that Kenji has subconsciously made himself smaller- a side effect of always trying to please his father and conform to his wishes. He immediately straightens his back and doesn’t break eye contact before he speaks.
“It’s wrong, dad.”
“Is it?” The man sounds a bit irritated now. He also straightens himself out and removes his hand from Kenji's shoulder. “It’s just dinosaurs being dinosaurs. I’m not going to drug them like Kash did.”
Kenji is about to protest further when a BRAD interrupts him. His father returns his attention to the drone it was fixing.
“Besides,” He continues, not even looking his way. “Weren’t you just telling me about all the times you barely escaped from them?”
Kenji, feeling bold, puts himself on the other side of the drone to get his father’s attention so he can argue his point more.
Which turns out to be a mistake.
Suddenly a familiar screech sounds and Kenji almost has his head removed by a Raptor. His dad was able to snatch him away in time and the newly repaired drone prevents the thing from trying to harm them further. As soon as it's clear they aren't in any immediate danger, his father gives him one of his superior looks.
“See? They’re mindless killing machines that want to kill anyway.”
Kenji, who knows better, who’s seen the different sides to all these creatures, who he’s cared for and saved a dozen times over, doesn’t say anything more.
In front of his father, who’s point was unceremoniously proven, Kenji can do nothing but be an obedient son.
---
When he gets back inside the compound, he finds Darius, Yaz, and Ben sitting dejectedly at one of the seating areas. He notes the way Ben seems particularly down, his head laid flat on the tabletop.
“Hey… what’s wrong?” Kenji asks hesitantly as he approaches the group.
“Big Eatie won’t eat.” Darius supplies. “She’s really missing her daughter.”
“If we could reunite them, I bet she’d feel better.” Ben chirps, finally raising his head. The moment the other’s eyes meet his, Ben's stress seems to lessen, his shoulders relaxing a bit. Kenji heart starts beating faster at the thought that he has that effect on the other.
Too bad Kenji has some pretty crappy news to tell them.
“So, uh, there’s something–”
The double doors open again, and Kenji low-key fears it’s his dad, here to drop even more disappointing news. Thankfully it’s their missing friends Brooklynn and Sammy.
Apparently, the pair were on their own little adventure, one that involved talking to Kenji’s dad. Sammy excitedly relays that her family is doing great, something they all knew she was worried about, and that she has Kenji’s dad to thank. She turns to Kenji and gives him a hug- a way to show thanks to his family he guesses. Kenji ‘Touch-Starved’ Kon is not one to turn down any physical affection, so he returns the hug.
“Yeah, my dad is pretty awesome, huh? Maybe that means he’ll listen.”
Oh crap. He didn’t mean to say that out loud.
“To what?” Brooklynn asks.
Well, here we go.
Kenji takes a deep breath before speaking.
“The island still needs investors. He’s still doing the big dinosaur fight showcase.” He doesn’t even finish his sentence before Darius and Ben immediately speak up, anger plain on their faces.
“What??”
“He can’t do that!”
“Yeah, he thinks that dinosaurs will fight each other anyway, so… why not make money off of it?” He posits, knowing full well how horrible that sounds.
“But they’re so much more than that!” Brooklynn yells behind him.
“I know, I know. He… just doesn’t know them like we do. But if we can show him there’s another side to them-”
“Maybe he’ll change his mind?” Darius finishes for him.
“If we don’t get eaten first.” Yaz so helpfully tacks on. Though, it's hard to argue with that considering how often that seems to be the case.
Despite the dig by Yaz, Kenji does have a plan in mind. Though, it does involve potentially getting eaten. He refuses to look at Yaz as he tells everyone said plan, knowing full well she'll give him a look if he does.
---
By some miracle, Kenji’s dad was willing to give his plan a chance. They all met at the forest biome where they’ll release Big Eatie. Part of his plan, unfortunately, involves them luring Little Eatie to them, and that means Track Star Yaz and Jungle Boy Ben have to be the ones to do it.
Kenji may have held his boyfriend's hand longer than necessary before the other went off to fulfill his part of the plan.
His dad almost ruined said plan by stopping Kenji and siccing a BRAD on the T-Rex, but once again, Kenji got him to trust him, and the rest of their plan unfolded near perfectly.
Darius, an absolute genius, was able to use Mae’s research tablet to communicate clearly with Big Eatie. Ben and Yaz come back with the other dinosaur in tow, and Big Eatie and her daughter reunite and preen, paying the rest of them no mind.
He nearly jumps on Darius as he hypes him up, the pair running on pure adrenaline from what they just did.
“Dude! Your plan worked!”
“Not without you, it didn’t! You literally talked to a T-Rex. Like, it listened to you!”
“It did! Haha!” Kenji puts an arm around Darius as they share another laugh.
Ben and Yaz make their way to them and the four embrace. Kenji doesn’t miss the way Darius and Ben share a moment, nor does he miss the way Ben smiles up at him. Kenji smiles as well, earning him a nudge in the stomach from Yaz.
When his Dad, Brooklynn, and Sammy join them, he and his dad seem to come to an understanding. Well, how can the man deny what Kenji is telling him when the proof is behind him? The dinosaurs are not ‘mindless killing machines.’ Kenji practically sings when his dad says they can come up with something else for the investors.
He also says he’s proud of Kenji.
It's the first time he's ever said that. Ever.
Those are words he’s been dying to hear for as long as he can remember, and here his dad is, looking at him with eyes he’s never seen before, telling him how much he admires what he did.
Kenji’s heart swells in a way it never has before and he very little could make him feel happier.
---
A cheer of “To Kenji!” rings in the lounge, the six former-campers raising their spoons as a sort of toast. Brooklynn and Ben, who sit on either side of him, have an arm around him as they do. They all raided the freezer and decided to celebrate Kenji’s plan's success with an impromptu ice cream party.
After some light conversation, and relaying to the group that his dad is entrusting him to help with the presentation, they all turn in for the night. Kenji is ready to hit the hay himself when he feels lithe fingers and a strong grip hold him back.
Ben.
“Hey.”
“Hey, yourself.”
“I’m so proud of you. You were so stressed when you were explaining your plan, I was worried you’d blow a fuse.” Kenji laughs at that.
“Well, since everyone did their jobs well, it worked.”
“Aww, c’mon. I know you’re dying to take more credit than that.” Ben teases. Kenji playfully rolls his eyes.
“Okay, my plan was good, huh?”
“The best.” Ben wraps his arms around his midsection, pulling him close. Kenji wraps his arms around Ben’s shoulders, chuckling as he does.
“Hey.” Ben says, into his chest.
“Hmm?”
“I know we have our own rooms here and all, but… I thinking maybe we can- I don't know.”
Kenji smirks.
“Are you saying you wanna share my bed or something?” Kenji teases, his turn to rile the other up.
“Mind out of the gutter, City Boy.” Ben chides. “I just meant, maybe we can sleep out here? We can use the couches. It… reminds me of the camp back on Nublar, and frankly, I don’t think I could sleep in one of those… ugh, beds.”
Kenji knew he was going to say that about the beds. He doesn't mention it.
“I don’t mind, babe.”
---
Ben knocked out almost immediately after the turned off the lights and settled in, making Kenji smile at the sight. The pair are sitting next to each other, Ben’s head resting against his shoulder. The couch is honestly not that comfortable, but just being with Ben brings him peace, so Kenji finds he can’t complain.
Before he can feel sleep take him, the doors open and in comes Darius and Brooklynn, blankets and pillows in hand. Kenji pretends to be asleep, only one of his eyes cracked open. The pair seem to share a quick conversation upon discovering him and Ben, but finally make their way to them. Brooklynn settles in on one of the other couches, actually lying down, while Darius approaches him and Ben for some reason.
He closes both eyes, not wanting Darius to catch him still awake. For a second, he's confused because nothing seems to happen. Then, he’s surprised as Darius places one of the blankets he brought over the both of them, then he makes his way back to where Brooklynn is. Kenji is touched by the action, wishing he wasn’t pretending to sleep so he could thank the other.
When he cracks open his eye again, he sees the other two sleeping already- Brooklynn on the couch and Darius on the ground next to her.
Kenji smiles before he closes his eye for real.
He pointedly ignores the sound of Sammy and Yaz laughing as they too enter and take a spot with the rest of them.
It warms his heart that they all had the same idea- though he isn’t sure if he’s happy or concerned that they can’t seem to sleep without the others nearby anymore.
It’s whatever.
Kenji feels the most content he’s been in a while, tomorrow promising him another chance to impress his father… and maybe, doing something with Ben while he’s at it. What it is they'll do, he isn't sure, but he knows that since they no longer have to fear for their lives- or the lives of the dinosaurs- he wants to spend some alone time with his boyfriend.
Maybe he'll even come out to his father. Who knows?
He’ll think about it more when he wakes up, he decides. For now, he listens to everyone’s soft snores that slowly but surely lull him to sleep, as they have done for months.
