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Gen’s sleeping habits had changed a few times throughout his life. He was a light sleeper from when he was a kid to his teens. The smallest things like the house settling would wake him. (much to the annoyance of his parents who had to deal with his late-night practicing)
But then came the stone world and Senkuu’s hellish labor- Not even the early morning construction could wake him. It was often Senkuu or Chrome who had to get him up.
Finally, at 30, Gen returned to being a bit more of a light sleeper. Granted, his apartment settling didn’t wake him up like it would’ve in the past but a pair of feet walking out of their bedroom did.
Gen peaked his eyes open out of habit, but when he realized there was no glaring light to protect himself, he glanced around for the cause of his sudden stirring. Judging by how dark it was…
Dec 25th 5755
2:56 am
Every time.
His fiance’s side of the bed was empty and the door suddenly was not closed. Gen flopped over an arm to Senkuu’s side.
Still warm. Probably got one of his late-night ideas again.
Gen rolled over and laid his head back down on the pillow. Maybe if he got to sleep quickly enough, his body wouldn’t count it as an interruption to his sleep cycle. Gen took a deep breath that filled him and circulated through his body before exhaling. Everything felt just right. All that was left to do was shut off his brain and let the drowsiness take over.
…
Too late. He already used too much brain power.
For as long as Gen had lived with Senkuu, anytime Senkuu got one of his late-night ideas, he would turn on at least one of the lights in the kitchen. (Or a candle back when)
It could’ve been a trip to the bathroom except their bathroom was attached to the bedroom.
“Hmnggg,” Gen groaned as he shifted the blankets off himself.
It was possible it was some kind of third option that Gen was forgetting about in his delirious state but there was a chance it wasn’t.
Gen grabbed his phone by his bedside and used the light from that to guide himself out of the mess of suitcases and canvas bags that was their bedroom.
The main hallway was a bit easier to navigate since their windows helped illuminate the path a little better. Gen was still waiting to see some kind of dim light as he got closer to the living room, but it was still just as dim.
Is he even here?
Gen peaked his head into the living room. At this point, he was ready to go back to the bedroom and check if Senkuu had somehow managed to just roll out of bed again. However, against the light of Tokyo’s never-ending nightlife was the outline of Senkuu’s leafy green hair.
Sat on the couch basking in only the lights of the street below. No sound of a pencil feverishly being put to paper. No rambling into a voice recorder. Not even taps on a screen of any kind. It looked like Senkuu was petrified in place.
“Senkuu chan?” Gen called, part of him was scared he wouldn’t get a response.
“Hmh?” Senkuu turned. “Oh- hey- Gen,” Senkuu’s words sounded like his mouth was trying to catch up with his brain. “Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you,”
Gen’s shoulders eased. Senkuu wasn’t doing anything in character but at least he hadn’t been turned to stone. “Ehh it’s fine,” Gen yawned as he flicked on the lights in the living room. Which also clicked on the lights of the Christmas tree. “Though if you were really worried about waking me… sssshould’ve turned on a light or two,” Gen sat by Senkuu. “You know, at least make it look like you’re working,”
“Heh I’ll keep that in mind,” Senkuu smirked.
“Ya, next time you…?” Gen trailed off.
“Just thinking of the old man,” Senkuu finished. “Think of how he's going to adjust to the new world and all,” Senkuu chuckled. “Probably going to be a hell of a shock to be in the stone world one moment and then a new modern age,”
“Well that’s kinda what we did but in reverse,” Gen pointed out.
“Right,” Senkuu shook his head like there was some kind of fog in there.
“So you came out here just to picture Byakuya’s reaction to the new modern age?” Gen loved him but why Senkuu thought he could get a lie passed him was beyond him.
“I just… I know it’s already we said the miracle was both of us having Christmas off but guess I was hoping for another,” Senkuu shrugged. “He’s back in time but we aren’t,” Senkuu sighed. “Each year that passes, another he’s not here,”
Senkuu always had a mission to revive everyone from the old world with the notable exception of 6. Byakuya and the other astronaut were the only ones Senkuu could not save. Regardless of how skilled Yuzuirha was at putting statues together or Tsukasa’s excavation skills, time itself had claimed Byakuya and the others.
Gen never thought to mention how there was no way Senkkuu meant everyone, but Senkuu meant everyone since the beginning. Of course, time travel was bigger than any project they had taken on. It was one thing to re-establish existing technology and another to make an entirely new field. The road map was being made, revised, and revisited as they went.
And as patient as Senkuu was- it was still his dad. And the clock was ticking.
“Was hoping to have him here for Christmas but… didn’t end up working out that way,” Senkuu looked out to the windows next to him. “I never got why he liked it so much but he did,” Senkuu’s smile grew on one side. “It’s not like we had any family to spend it with. It’d be just the two of us. But for some reason, he’d break out all the decorations he could find,” Gen looked around the loads of decorations that hadn’t been there years previous.
“If Byakuya is anything like you, and I know he is, the chance just to have one more Christmas with you is enough,” Gen hummed. “And I know you miss him but it’s not a matter of ‘if you can’, just a matter of ‘when you can’,” Gen reminded. “Even if that’s when both only have white hair,”
“Ehh hopefully before then,” Senkuu leaned on Gen’s shoulder. “Kohaku’s already bothering me about the date and all that,”
“She’s just worried about you, that's all,” Gen leaned on Senkuu’s head.
“And you?”
“I think old man Kaskei already knows I’m going to ask him to be my best man and you know how he is. Giving him something to look forward to, unlimited energy,” Gen snickered at the thought of him ripping through any kind of suit he made.
“I’m almost there Gen, I promise,” Senkuu took Gen’s hand.
“Never doubted you Senkuu,” Gen slotted his finger’s between Senkuu’s. “The others would say the same thing as well. Even Xeno if you managed to squeeze it out of him,”
“You’d have to ring it out of him,” Senkuu snorted.
“Kinda like to see that,” Gen hummed.
“What’s a side project or two?” Senkuu replied. “Call it a late Christmas gift,”
“In the morning,” Gen interjected before Senkuu’s brain ran away with him and next thing he knew there’d be actual blueprints for a human ringer—Gag or not.
“In the morning,” Senkuu agreed. “Another thing to show Byakuya that’ll blow his mind,”
“Time machine isn’t enough?”
“He went to space first. Got a lot to make up for,” Senkuu noted. “He’s probably made that face he did whenever I made his wetsuit. You should’ve seen it. Eyes all big and his mouth would be completely on the floor. Always thought every invention was better than the last,” That wasn’t anything Senkuu hadn’t said about his dad before. Wasn’t anything Gen would ever stop Senkuu from saying either. “Even if it exploded. Never stopped him from trying me to keep trying,” Senkuu’s breath taken in with small gasps. “Even when I was frustrated, and by the time I’d figure it out, he was first to congratulate me,”
“He will,” Gen corrected. “It’ll be the first thing out of his mouth when you see him again,” Gen didn’t miss how droplets soaked into his clothes. “Maybe not a Christmas miracle but hey- your birthday isn't too far away. Maybe some birthday candles will do the trick,”
“Tchahha,” Senkuu’s laugh came out, choked but nevertheless a laugh. “Yes cause that’s the next logical progression,” Senkuu leaned forward to catch his breath. “Next you’ll say to wish on a shooting star,”
“I mean have you tried it?” Gen bumped Senkuu’s shoulder.
Senkuu just cracked up more with tears welled up in his eyes. How much Gen wanted to reach out and hold that smile in place.
“Don’t need to. I got science for that,” Senkuu brushed the tears out of his eyes.
“What a Senkuu-esque answer,” Gen commented. “Going to get back at it?”
“In the morning,” Senkuu echoed. “Should probably get some sleep before Taiju and Yuzuriha’s Christmas party,”
“Who knew if you put the two most festive people together you’d get the ultimate Christmas party,” Gen stretched out his arms. “ You want to talk about Christmas miracles, they even convinced Sai to take some time off and fly in,”
“Going to be a pain getting all these gifts down though,” Senkuu looked at the pile under the tree.
You could almost see where their arms had gotten tired of wrapping amongst the pile.
“We’ll find a way,” Gen dismissed half-heartedly. “Now, I’m going back to bed,” He yawned. “You coming?”
Senkuu sat for a second. “I’ll be there in a bit,”
“Kay,” Gen pushed off the seat as he stood.
“Night Gen,” Senkuu looked up at him. With all the love and reverence a human could muster up and then some. Didn’t help that the reflection of the Christmas lights looked like little stars in Senkuu’s eyes. “What?” A small laugh followed his words.
“Nothing,” Look any longer and his heart may explode. “Night Senkuu,” However it did spill over into 1 small kiss. “And Merry Christmas,”
Gen could see the gears turning for one of Senkuu’s smart comebacks but- “Merry Christmas,” Maybe some other time.