Chapter Text
Science makes many things possible, for example flying into space, producing electricity or even medicine.
However, none of this could cure Gen Asagiri's illness.
No matter how many medications were prescribed, or physical therapy, or even operations were performed, it turned out that Asagiri Gen was incurable.
Gen has been in the hospital for a good three years now, and is a very well-known person there. But he didn't expect anything else. After all, he's still a TV star and mentalist, so the attention doesn't bother him at all, he even has a lot of fun.
When he was checked in for the first time, Gen couldn't even be properly examined because the nurse had too many questions, which really got on his nerves. That's also the reason why he now has personal doctors and nurses.
Gen has settled in very well in the three years. He gets warm food, even if it's not the best quality food which hes used to...
But he can't complain.
The best thing, however, is that he gets a bottle of Coke every Sunday from his specialist, Dr. Xeno.
Gen sees him as a very capable doctor, not only is he a scientist, he also has three doctor titles,
Gen often tries to make small talk with his doctor to find out what kind of person he is, but Dr. Xeno is very... good at keeping his privacy to himself.
"Tell me, Xeno-chan, how old are you again?"
"Old enough, Asagiri"
"Xeno-chan, how long have you been a doctor?"
"For a long time."
"What music do you listen to, Xeno-chan? I really like pop! Perfect music for dancing, don't you think?"
"I prefer other types of music."
...
Gen finally gave up after a month, and actually liked to talk about himself when his doctor was around.
Just as he was about to start talking about his all-too-brilliant card tricks, Xeno interrupted:
"Do you know that you're getting a new doctor now. He's a trainee, and I'm his mentor. Behave yourself, will you, Gen?"
Xeno had an icy look that fell on Gen, who was sitting comfortably in his bed and suppressing a twitch.
"Oh no, xeno-chan! You're my favorite doctor~" Gen dramatically raises his hands and falls back into his bed. You can see in his slimy grin, however, that he is not serious at all.
"You're misunderstanding, kitty cat, He's like my student, he wouldn't, no he couldn't replace me." Xeno had his smug grin on his face, which made Gen just roll his eyes.
This doctor thinks too much of himself.
Gen's new doctor was... weird. Gen could have sworn that he was secretly Dr.Xeno's wise child.
How did he come to such a conclusion? Very simple!
"Hello, my name is Senku Ishigami, I'm an intern and I'll be observing you most of the time." His cool voice and eyes already said that he showed no interest in Gen, which only shocked him, he is Gen Asagiri! The magician! Mentalist! TV star!
"Senku-chan, then? How great!! I'm Asagiri Gen, call me Gen, OK?" Gen emphasized his name more than clearly to give Senku a hint as to why he is so IMPORTANT.
"I already know that. Xeno told me every detail. For example, that you have been here for three years, that you get a Coke every Sunday and that, as I said, your name is Asagiri Gen. Don't babble so much and take your medication, OK? I don't want to ruin my internship because of someone like you." The leek rolled his eyes and scratched his neck.
...
Gen's posture said more than enough, one hand dramatically on his heart, his mouth wide open and his eyes playfully wide...
"I beg your pardon?" said the straight haired person
"Take your pills and sleep."
Gen gasped dramatically... you could see fake tears gathering in his eyes as he looked at his new doctor, what a drama queen.
"That's so mean... imagine Senku-chan, I'm in the hospital because of depression and suicide risk! Xeno-chan won't be happy!" Gen had to suppress his grin as he saw his doctor's eyes widened and his mouth opened..
"Well, you'd better apologize-" The boy couldn't finish his sentence as his doctor started to laugh hysterically, he had one hand on his stomach and kept hitting his own knee while he laughed himself silly..
"What- what's so funny?? Your resignation??"
"No, but your stupidity. You're here because of a Tumor, not because of depression, Asagiri Gen"
The leek boy laughed, even though he knew 100% that this was probably not a situation where anyone should laugh. Gen couldn't hide his grin anymore.
"That was all part of the show, my dear Senku! You've proven yourself, you can be my doctor"
Gen was slimy.
in moving closer, as close as he could from his bed, to Senku, who was sitting next to his bed.
"It's not like I need your confirmation, but thanks." Senku tilted his head in playful respect before moving away. He hates physical contact, especially when it's unnecessary.
Senku wears a white coat with jeans like all the other doctors, his hair is up like he's a mad scientist, which honestly made Gen giggle when they first met him.
Gen, on the other hand, wears a long patient type of gown, it's a light purple instead of the typical blue. It was probably made especially for him...what a brat.
His head is wrapped in a few bandages, half of his hair is white and there is a scar under his right eye that goes down to his chin. Gen had a seniced needle in his left wrist that is connected to the IV rod. Gen's scar is a little darker, which is why Senku thinks it's maybe a few years old.
After a few minutes it became so uncomfortably quiet that the kitty cat sighed heavily.
"You don't have any questions, doctor?" Gen tried to make his smile seem credible, but it just looked tired.
"No, I can imagine everything about you, because of my head." Senku said as he pointed to his brain with his index finger.
It made Gen smile a little,
"Oh yeah? Then...tell me why I have this scar." Gen grinned charmingly and rested his head on his right wrist, while pointing to his scar under his right eye with his other hand.
Maybe things will get fun between them after all?
"It's very simple. To judge why the scar is a bit darker, I think it was created a year ago... you can see that quite easily because the scar formation is not yet completely finished. Which should be in a total of 2 to 3 years. I can see how deep the scar is, which is what makes it dark. The scar is also rather crooked, even a half circle in the middle. There is not much that can create a scar like that, so I'm assuming the worst and say someone attacked you, probably with scissors or a knife, am I guessing correctly?"
The leek boy blinked when he saw the wide eyes of the kitten-like boy.
"Wow. Senku-chan! Tell me, are you related to Xeno?!" Gen was suddenly very excited and kicked his feet, he loved his specialist very much, in his own way. (FATHERLY DEAR VIEWERS.)
"Nope. No chance." Senku had a smug grin on his face, as his theory was proven correct. However, he also valued privacy, so he didn't ask about the case. He would find something on the internet anyway.
"Xeno is an arrogant one, of course I value his knowledge, which is why I listen carefully to every class, but he really makes me laugh in person. I mean, have you seen the claws he wears every time???"
Gen laughed
"Oh yeah, that's how he is~ Xeno-chan, loves to look scary, that's also why his coat is black! He says he likes the scared faces of the children whenever he goes to the children's station. Isn't he just the funniest man on earth?"
Senku frowns
"That's not how I imagined him."
"Xeno-chan is weird, that's why I like him so much! Did you know he's engaged?" Gen had come closer to Senku's ear when he whispered the last part...he doesn't want his overly nice specialist to know about it.
The good intern widened his eyes
"Really?? A man like that can have a love life?" Gen noticed how genuine the confusion on his face was.
"Nope. Lie, it's just his 'best CHILDHOOD friend' but believe me, a big lie!"
"Why did I think so?"
Senku sighed.
"I shouldn't be making small talk with you, boy." Senku grinned and settled more comfortably in his chair.
"Boy? I'm pretty sure I'm older than you." Gen had a serious expression, which only made Senku smile.
"Are you, kitty cat?"
..
Gen had a short circuit.
Gen already thought that Senku was a bit attractive. Even though his hair looks like a leek, he is quite smart, his eyes are pretty and his features are soft, not to mention his voice.
So when Senku addressed Gen by his actual nickname among doctors (actually only among Xeno.)...and in such a flirtatious tone...
He noticed the heat gathering in his cheeks and quickly tried to hide it with a grin. "Kitty cat, then? Oh Senku-chan! I didn't know you were that kind of guy~" he laughed it off, knowing that he can only hide his embarrassment very easily...but Senku is a loser when it comes to emotions and doesn't notice it.
"Guy what? I heard Xeno calls you that. Isn't that your nickname? You already kinda look like a abandoned kitten."
Senku added with a teasing grin.
"What- by xeno-chab it's different, he is like an owner, it is friendly. I don't know you, so with you it is more flirtatious. But I'm not complaining about such a handsome man~"
And so Gen was able to witness his young doctor blushing.
"...that was definitely not what I meant..." muttered Senku, before he got back to his all too familiar grin
"Xeno? Owner? Seriously?"
"You don't understand, and don't think it's something romantic. Xeno-chan is like a second father to me!!"
Gen clapped his hands together to get Senku's attention again,
"Aha...great"
The idea of Xeno as a father sent a shiver down his spine.
Just as Senku was about to explain to Gen why a scar takes so long to heal, the door was violently...no, rather unexpectedly slammed open.
"Gen, my favorite kitty cat, how are you?"
A tall man with very light blonde hair and purple lipstick entered the room...
He would have expected Xeno to be in the room, but only saw a newbie.
"Who are you now?"
The man asked.
"I should ask you. Visitor time is already up" Senku looked at his watch.
"Oh Stanley-Chan! I'm fine~ Thanks for asking, but I know what you want to ask, no, Xeno-chan is not here. He's in surgery. That's why his too-great... drum roll please... intern Dr. Senku-chan is monitoring me! Isn't that so exciting?? He believed everything I say!"
Senku ignores Gen's babbling, because it's so unimportant.
"Xeno's student? Hah..., as if, this guy is so into his science he has no time for students, or me..." Stanley sighs at the memory, but is back on topic after a second.
"Whatever. Did he bother you, kitty?"
Senku shudders as he suddenly feels a strong look piercing his face.
"Ah Stanley-chan~ you're so cute! But no, he's so nice, so smart too, aren't you, Senku-chan?"
Senku was so distracted by Stanley that he was only half listening to Gen.
"Eh..yes, of course." He cleared his throat
"I'm Senku Ishigami, as I said. Dr. Xeno's very dear and best, smartest student." The intern said with his typical grin.
"Oh, of course." Stanley yawned, it's already later than he thought.
"Could you go now? I think we can get along fine without you." Stanley spoke up,
Stanley is not amused at all by Xeno's so-called best student, unlike Gen.
"Um? No. You would have to go. Visiting hours are over" Senku is clearly annoyed.
"I'll stay." It wasn't a question, but without a doubt an order. Senku swallowed, he had clearly understood that he shouldn't mess with a guy like that, Gen just laughed awkwardly
"Stanley-chan, you're so funny, of course you can stay, you're like Xeno's personal dog" Gen tries to present himself in a funny way, but all he gets is a cold look and a 'pfff' from his new doctor.
"That's very exaggerated. We're best friends, he's more like a little boy that I have to guard so that he doesn't blow up the hospital." Stanley shrugs his shoulders and is just about to put a cigarette to his mouth,
"Don't you dare take such a poisonous substance near a patient."
Gen claps his hands together in joy
"Oh xeno-chan! What a party, everyone is here! Now all that's missing is Kohaku and Ukyo, don't you think?"
Senku is clearly overwhelmed by the situation. Which makes Gen smile a lot, "Tell me, good intern, are you bad with people, huh?" Gen giggled and gently hit Senku's shoulder, waking him from his daydream.
"I just don't like it. But it's only Dr. Xeno, there's no reason for me to be nervous."
And no matter how much Senku tries to hide it, Gen sees his hands shaking a little.
When Xeno snatched the cigarette from his good friend, he spoke up.
"How was it, Gen? No problems? How are you feeling?"
He stared deeply into Senku's soul with every line.
"Oh, how nice, I feel great, but I'm a bit hungry, when is dinner coming again?" Gen held his chin to appear thoughtful, which he definitely isn't.
"In about 15 minutes, mentalist."
Senku had learned every plan by heart to look good in front of Xeno, he thinks a lot about his teacher, and didn't want to screw it up under any circumstances. How sweet.
"It's nice that you appreciate my old job so much," Gen mocked sarcastically.
Sometimes he misses his old career. In reality, he really missed making people amazed and laugh, so everything felt a bit emptier, but Xeno and Stanley are a very good distraction and just as funny, if not a thousand times funnier, than anything he did on TV.
"You studied psychology, right? So I assume so. Why don't you show your known skills. Since the good Asagiri Gen is so brilliant." He mocks
Gen is very conspicuous, and he's enjoying it too. But okay,
bet.
"Mistake, my dear student," sighed Xeno, putting his fingers to his temple to ease the headache he had from the strenuous day. (He had to talk to people. Very complicated and complex, and also very exhausting.)
"Hah, of course! The good mentalist and magician Gen will show you, my dear Senku!"
Gen smiled and sat up, the bandage on his head coming off a little.
"First of all... you studied not only medicine but also physics."
Senku's eyes showed a little admiration, but it quickly disappeared.
"Aha, good guess." Senku grinned and just sat sincerely, staring straight into Gen's eyes.
"Sure. Secondly..."
Gen just watched Senku very closely. From head to toe, from left wrist to right shoulder, and vice versa, from his amazing hair to his pretty face, from lips to his reddish eyes-
The good mentalist has let himself be distracted. When even he noticed it, his gaze drags to the side, his hands are nervous.
Xeno doesn't miss that, and neither does Stanley, of course, they look at each other briefly before they have just a slight smile on their lips,
Stanley starts to slowly tap on one of the wooden tables in Gen's room, morse code i see...
He's so special.
'You saw that too, didn't you, darling?'
Xeno took a moment to write the message and starts tapping his watch,
'of course. How sweet.'
---
"Mentalist? Hello?"
Senku started to get impatient after Gen was just so distracted.
"Ah- I'm sorry, my dear Senku-chan~ Secondly... you still live with your parents."
At this, Senku's eyes widened a little, but speaks up immiadtly
"Very impressive, yes, I still live with my old men, but he's in America for a while."
Senku scratched his neck as he told it casually, Gen smiled gently
"That's nice, but don't you want to know how I found out??"
Gen was practically bursting with excitement, so Senku couldn't just say no... he just nodded briefly.
"Great! Well, it was actually quite simple.. your tie is a bit disheveled, which means either you're too incompetent for it or your father hasn't managed to teach you yet. So I had to think about it more until I noticed your cute socks. With lots of pirates on them? So that tells me that the socks are very old and you're not prepared to take care of yourself yet, then of course it's about your fingers, you have lots of bandages on them, they're so neatly applied you've never done it yourself, with one hand. So I went all out and said: you still live with a parent, in this case your old man, aren't I the coolest?"
Gen beamed with pride, as he probably hasn't burned out after all this time. He dramatically put a hand to his forehead to radiate how great he is.
"Not bad. I'm surprised. Well done" Senku smiled and supported his own face with his fist. The kitty boy looked over at Senku, his smile is so gentle, his words so expressive, that Gen's stomach feels so warm.
But that's only because he hasn't received a compliment in years, right? Yes. 100%
He would never find an intern who is exactly his type and has exactly the perfect personality of cheekiness, cleverness and kindness attractive.
---
"We should now leave our dear patient to go to bed. We've been here far too long, especially you, Stan." Xeno looked annoyed at his old friend, and then at Senku
"Give Gen his sleeping pills, you can do that, right? I'll take our guest outside."
When Xeno finished the sentence, he grabbed Stan by the collar and pushed him out of Gen's room.
Now they were alone again. Just him and his new doctor.
"Haha..well, my pills are up by the cupboard on the left" Gen pointed to the cupboard on the other side of the room, he would get up and get them himself but Xeno didn't allow him any kind of mobility.
Senku nodded before taking an orange container full of pills and coming back to Gen's side. "They're right? They look like them anyway."
Gen giggled at his caution, he's so cute.
"Senku-chan you're so cute when you're careful, but yes they are. Give me two right away okay?" Gen massaged his own temple in tiredness.
Senku frowned.
"That would be over 10 mg of Zolpidem, I shouldn't give you that."
"Oh, I've always done that. Xeno always gave me one and then I got another one, it really helps me sleep. I need it, okay, my dear Senku? Don't worry about me~" Gen tries to laugh it off, but he can feel Senku's worried eyes on him.
If he looks at it properly now, Gen does look tired. His eye sockets are dark and deep, his lips are pale and dry, his posture is very slack. Maybe he really needs them to sleep better?
Senku sighs before giving in.
"Here, little princess." He said teasingly and gave Gen a pat on the head
"Ouch, that hurt, Senku-chan~ But thank you."
Senku watched as Gen swallowed both tablets in one go with water.
"Good night, mentalist.." whispered the leek-like intern before closing the door.
"Good night.." mumbled the seriously ill Gen before finally closing his eyes.
He felt calmer than ever.
Is this going to be like every night now?