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Xeno checked his appearance in the mirror and walked away, then backtracked and checked again. His tie was straight, his suit jacket and shirt were pressed, and his pomp was perfectly styled and combed. But all his tedious grooming could do nothing to hide the sunken look of his eyes and the shakiness of his hands.
Stanley would know. Just a quick once over would tell him everything he needed to know. That the past few years of his absence had been hell for Xeno. Not because Senku and co. were mistreating him, although twelve hour work days seemed a bit cruel and unusual, but because Xeno had missed Stanley so much that it hurt.
He lifted his left hand up and watched as it trembled slightly in the air for a moment before shoving it into his pocket. Xeno had never been so anxious in his entire life. He felt nauseous, but he didn’t know whether it was because of the nerves or because he had skipped breakfast. He didn’t have an appetite because of the nerves, so that was definitely the root of the problem, but there was nothing he could do to remedy the situation in such a short amount of time.
Heavy raps on his front door echoed throughout his cabin, tearing Xeno’s attention away from his anxiety for a moment, only to make the knot in his grow tighter once he realized who was waiting for him outside. Xeno took a deep breath and made his way to the door, turning the knob and stepping out into the afternoon sun.
“Ready, Xeno?” Senku asked him.
They were all standing there, an entire group of people. Senku, Chrome, the magician, the old man. Xeno was not to be trusted, but did the peanut gallery really have to tag along to watch him and witness this? Chrome and Kaseki had not a clue in the world, but Gen was looking at him with eyes glazed with sympathy. Xeno's jaw clenched in annoyance.
Xeno put on his best poker face he could muster and slipped both hands in the pockets of his jacket. “Lead the way,” he answered.
On they went down the mountain to the cave that Xeno had not dared go near until this moment. He hadn’t set his eyes upon the statue since he was revived for the second time all those years ago. Xeno’s mouth ran dry at the sight, his limbs growing stiff with fear.
There Stanley stood in all his glory, stoney and gray, but standing as tall as he could for someone who spent his last moments resigning to defeat. Stanley looked content as he stood frozen, posing to light up a cigarette that had withered away years prior. The look on his petrified face sent a cold shiver down Xeno’s spine.
Never in a billion years did he think that he would actually be afraid of Stanley. It wasn't him necessarily that Xeno was afraid of. Stanley loved him no matter what, that was one thing Xeno could always be certain of, but having to face him again after all this time terrified him.
Xeno had gone long periods of time without seeing Stanley, but this was different. This time, it was Xeno’s fault. It was because of him that they had been separated for so long. Because of his misdeeds. He didn’t regret anything he had done for a second, only that he wished that his actions didn’t result in Stanley’s imprisonment. Xeno couldn’t pinpoint what his fear stemmed from, but perhaps he felt that for all Stanley gave him, Xeno deserved nothing of it.
Senku nudged Xeno’s side and held out the vile of revival fluid, something Xeno was not even allowed to think about until this very moment and now Senku was serving it up to him on a silver platter. Xeno took it wordlessly and took a step toward Stanley. He raised the vial above Stanley’s head and poured out the entire contents before stepping back.
A second passed. Then a few more and Xeno held his breath, waiting for a reaction. Then, there was a subtle crack followed by even louder ones as the stone encasing Stanley began to crumble, revealing his warm skin and piercing amber eyes.
Stanley brought his fingers closer to his lips like he was going to take a drag from a cigarette, only to realize a second later that it wasn’t there. He looked down at himself like he couldn’t believe he was even alive before looking up and locking eyes with Xeno.
“Xeno,” he said, framing his name like a question. There was nothing of anger or hatred behind his eyes. In them was nothing but relief and joy.
“St—“ Xeno began, by the name caught in his throat. He stepped toward him, shakily and unsure about himself.
Stanley held out a hand to him, a worried look beginning to etch on his face. It was that concern in his eyes that shot right through Xeno’s heart.
“Stanley…!” Xeno squeaked before throwing his arms around his friend and beginning to sob into his bare shoulder, unable to hold back anymore. So much for trying to hide it. He was a fool for thinking he could manage to keep it together, but Xeno could never hide what he felt when it came to Stanley.
Stanley held him fast, wrapping one arm around his back and cradling Xeno’s head with his free hand. He let Xeno cry for a few seconds, gently petting his hair in an attempt to be supportive, but quickly grew impatient and frustrated.
“Xeno, what happened?” Stanley asked worriedly in a hushed tone. “What happened?” he repeated a beat later, but with a more stern tone. Xeno could feel Stanley growing tense, the anger practically radiating off of him. Not directed at Xeno, but at the onlookers. Senku and company.
“Nothing!” Xeno said hurriedly, releasing Stanley from his death grip of a hug. “Nothing,” he repeated in a whisper, reeling Stanley’s attention back to himself. The last thing they needed was a repeat of what landed them in this situation in the first place.
“I just…” Xeno took a deep breath. There was so many things he wanted to say, but couldn’t find the correct string of words to bring all his thoughts together into a coherent sentence. “I’m sorry, Stan,” he ended up saying. For everything he wanted to say, that was the only thing he needed to say.
Stanley didn’t say anything at first, perhaps it was because it was the first time he had seen Xeno so torn down. There had been times before, but nothing as devastating as this. It was a frightening and shameful sight. At least, that’s what it was to Xeno.
But Stanley quickly overcame the shock. He brought his hands up to Xeno’s face and gently wiped the tears away from his cheeks. “Cut it out, man. You’ve got nothing to be sorry for,” Stanley said softly. “Bet they didn’t let you wake me up out of the kindness of their hearts, huh?”
Xeno looked over his shoulder. Everyone had their backs to them, trying to grant them some courtesy of privacy, but not having the ability to actually leave the cave due to the circumstances.
He turned back to Stanley, laughing as he sniffled and wiping away the remaining wetness on his face. “Of course not,” Xeno chuckled because it was only thanks to the sea captain’s sacrifice that Stanley was back in the flesh. If Ryusui had not been so righteous, it probably would’ve been another few years until Stanley was revived. Then where would that leave Xeno?
“Then tell me what’s up, man. What do you need from me right now?” Stanley said, rubbing Xeno’s arm. He kept his voice low, not wanting the others to hear him.
Stanley’s eyes bore into his, ready to take on any role Xeno needed him to. Xeno wanted nothing more than for Stanley to continue comforting him. For Stanley to bring him back to their cabin and just hold him. To tell him over and over again that he’ll never leave him again.
But there were people waiting and counting on them. People that were awkwardly standing at the entrance of the cave, waiting for them to finish up so they could get down to business. As much as Xeno hated bending the knee, they had more important matters at hand than his own feelings.
Xeno took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, regaining his composure. “I need you to listen to what they have to say,” he answered.
The corner of Stanley’s mouth quirked up, forming a lopsided smile. He rubbed Xeno’s arm as a last gesture of comfort. “We can talk more later. Okay?”
Xeno returned his smile. “Okay," he whispered.
Stanley let him go and took a step back, clearing his throat to get everyone’s attention. “You revived me and didn’t have the decency to give me some proper clothes?”
It was only then that Xeno realized that there was nothing covering Stanley’s honor but a bunch of branches and leaves that were barely clinging to him.
Gen hurried over, the only one brave enough to approach either of them after that scene, and handed him the pile of clothes that were made in preparation for his revival. “For you, dear Stanley,” Gen sing-songed, presenting the clothes to him as if Stanley were a king.
He snatched the clothes from him and began dressing while Gen joined everyone else where they stood, still looking away so they could let Stanley get dressed without prying eyes.
Now dressed, Stanley looked just like his old self again, perhaps more knightly than ever, like he had never disappeared from Xeno’s life. The sight alone threatened to bring Xeno to tears once more, but Stanley’s words helped him keep it together. There would be time for tears later, but for now, they had business to attend to.
Xeno took the pack of cigarettes that he had made for this occasion and tapped it against his palm, allowing a lone cigarette to stick out from the rest.
Stanley plucked it from its place before resting it between his lips, leaning over and allowing Xeno to light it for him with a match. With a slow exhale of smoke carefully aimed away from Xeno’s face, Stanley asked, “What’s the job?”