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“Ever since the beginning, even before we met, I've always liked you, Senku-chan.”
Senku only has his eyes for science. Ever since he was young, his meaning of love revolves with the wisdom beyond the universe, the discovery in every experiment, and the knowledge from research and profound human studies.
Yet, the moment Gen told that, his heart suddenly skipped a beat. Before he could think of what to respond, the mentalist uttered his remarks.
“I know you would say it's gross.”
“Yes, it's gross.”
They are standing on each other side, with the telescope in between, while they gaze at the moonlight that illuminates within the observatory.
Senku actually never treated his birthday like any other of his birthdays. For him, it was an ordinary day when he'll receive more science-related technologies and equipments from Byakuya, and eat on a fancy ramen shop with a bowl of a premium noodle ln the menu.
However, the scenario 3700 years after, exactly on the night of his birthday— his perspective changes.
"This feels like," observing the place with astonishment until his eyes landed to the mentalist, Senku softly grin with his thoughts, "home."
Since then, Senku began questioning his relationship with Gen.
At first, he was assessing if their bond is a platonic adventure— if the mentalist's liking to him is just pure adoration to him and the science itself. After all, Gen would still listen to his yapping about the science explanations and reasoning, despite his obvious disinterest with such complicated matters.
Senku never gave meaning to Gen's gesture at all— since he thought, romance was impractical, the most irrational thing for him to do.
Until, the bullets from rifles rain on them. The first time he witnessed the mentalist cried seriously, the first time he let down his walls, the first time he felt the fear of losing him— the first time he thought the world would end without him telling how much he cared for the mentalist.
Of all the moments they spent together, Senku realizes his feelings for Gen in the middle of life or death situation.
And after years, in the midst of their fight against Whyman, he just professed his love to Gen.
39, 446, 157 seconds.
He assumes they were still on the moon, waiting to be rescued by whoever they are. Senku trusts the whole Kingdom of Science— they would definitely come to save them, no matter how long it takes.
If only their rocket didn’t explode and their resurrection watch wasn’t destroyed, they were already at the Earth, like what was originally planned. Well, it's a better option to be petrified given that they'll suffer from hunger due to shortage of food supplies at the moon.
Yet after turning into stone again, it was odd he felt eager to be depetrified as soon as possible.
“I have counted seconds for 3700 years. Why is it hard for me to keep on going this time?”
Inside the darkness, his inhuman mind continued counting each passing seconds.
But with that, the memory of him confessing to Gen in the most crucial situation made him feel cringe... or regret, particularly. He even heard him responded before the green light totally covered him.
Yet, does that imply the feeling is mutual? Was that actually an appropriate response to a common poetic confession? If only he was straightforward that time and told Gen how much he realizes his feelings for him, then he would feel, at least, at ease.
When the count reached 39, 446, 189 seconds, there was a familiar light in front of his eyes.
There was the sound of a crumbling stone as he attempted to move his body. He blinked his eyes until he finally saw clearly his surroundings.
“You work too quickly.”
A familiar phrase he told years ago came out of his mouth as he met his professor’s eyes. He learned that they were inside the facility where certain personnel are only allowed.
“Who would know your spaceship would land on the sea?” Xeno chuckled.
“Only a few have known you already arrived since most of the citizens are busy with their hellish labor. Maybe now that they knew I’m reviving you, they would just patiently wait outside until you show up,” Xeno also informed, sighing tiresomely.
“Hellish labor, you say,” Senku smirked. “So, that’s why you depetrify me here?”
“Well, it’s much better than reviving you in front of the citizens. I’m not doing a magic show,” Xeno laughed.
As they both shared a faint smile, Senku began to feel his heartbeat gradually pounding.
While his gaze was wandering in each corner of the facility, he silently uttered, “Good thing, you know I prefer it this way.”
He might be a mad genius, but he is actually dumb when it comes to dealing with his feelings.
“Looking for someone?”
Senku flinched when he noticed his professor’s teasing tone.
“W-well, uhmm..”
He could feel the tip of his ear turning red. He picked his ear as he usually does; this time to furtively hide the fact he is blushing.
“Who’s our savior then?”
He diverted the topic— he was never ready to talk about his feelings with someone else, specially to his professor who happened to be his dad’s former companion.
“Them,” Xeno chuckled as he proudly pointed at the other petrified astronauts.
It was an unusual gesture from him, Senku covered his mouth while chucking, “Really? Reviving me first?”
Senku’s laugh grew louder as his glance stopped at Suika and Chrome's petrified figures.
“How irrational,” he smirked.
“So you are,” Xeno teased back.
“What do you mea-”
Senku got the hint beyond Xeno’s words. He was there when he confessed to Gen. Not that he cared if they heard him— it's a declaration anyway. If Senku wanted to love and be loved without any hindrances, the first step was to let the world knows that his heart screams Gen's name alone.
“We should revive them now. Your kingdom is waiting for you outside.” Xeno gently smiles at him and brings out the other revival fluid doses.
“Yeah.”
“Maybe, he was also waiting outside,” is what Senku thought.
When all of the astronauts were revived, they stepped outside the facility altogether.
A warm and tight embrace from his friends showered him, which he didn’t dodge. He savors the moment since he almost perished in outer space.
The citizens were gathered around him. And in exchange, Senku wore the smile he usually gives them. Though his eyes were wandering, looking for someone who was not present.
“You did it!” Most of them cheerfully scream.
Oddly, there was a hollow inside Senku's chest.
The victory was theirs, yet, he doesn’t feel like celebrating it.
Later, he escapes from the crowd, and willingly gave the spotlight to the greediest person living in the stone world. Kohaku noticed him, though she hasn’t told anyone as she immediately understands why.
“Jealous?”
The girl next to Kohaku freaked out as she muttered those words. Though people around them were puzzled as to whom Kohaku pertaining it to, Luna got the hunch that it was meant for her.
She shook her head, keeping the response in her mind, “I would, if we hadn’t broken up—and if I’m too oblivious with their mutual feelings.”
Meanwhile, Gen was all alone at the hut.
There are specific moments when he isolates himself away from the Kingdom of Science, from the people, to his friends and comrades— all to gain his composure without exposing his frustration to his peers. He doesn’t want any of them to become suspicious of his strangeness, given it was such a predicament to him as a mentalist.
“Tsuki ga kirei, desu ne?”
That phrase never left his mind at peace ever since the day Senku confessed to him.
Why would he even confess in the middle of a crisis? Was it a prank? Or a mockery? Is it to ridicule him? What does he supposed to do if ever they meet again? Will they ever meet again?
"Does Senku-chan even know what does it means?"
Gen could not consider if he's lucky that the people at the operation room that day didn't heard clearly Senku's confession. Or maybe, they just pretended to not care because all of them are focused with the mission.
Honestly, he misses him. So much that he never cared how the world think about his personality, his behavior, his feelings for the scientist.
He literally spends all of his days learning new magic tricks to entertain the children. He helps the crafts team, particularly Yuzuriha, with the pile of laundries and knitting new wardrobes for the newly revived citizens. He learns how to bake and cook with Francois, including of making his favorite cola. He teaches mentalism hacks to Sai. He even reconcile to Luna, whom he never anticipated was a sweet and thoughtful companion.
While he spends most of his time on leisure while still being useful to the kingdom, Gen would spare a moment, an hour or a day, to isolate himself.
Gen loves Senku so much, that he isn’t ready yet to face him. After the spacemen got petrified on the moon, after the rescue team departed almost a month ago, he still had no idea how the mission was going, or if there was a chance for them to be saved.
“Argh!” He sighed frustratedly.
He narrowed his eyes when he heard the sudden noise outside.
As he peeked through the window, Gen could notice the crowd vanishes from a distance. He was tempted to ask them what’s going on, not until he unintentionally heard them yelling different declarations yet similarly connected.
“They were here!”
“Senku and the others are here! They have gone back to Earth!”
“They are home!”
He slammed his back at the walls. Gen was trying his best to hide; even though his presence was inconspicuous in the first place.
“Since when?” Is what he asked himself.
Everything is so sudden.
He stayed in his position until the voices and the crowd itself completely subsided. Instead of joining them, he remained on his place. Luckily, he wasn't forced to come with them and welcome the valiant spacemen and the brave rescue cadets.
For some reasons, by instincts, his feet dragged him to his special place— the place where the date of his birth, and the depetrification date of the scientist, is engraved. It was quite far, and it took him for a meantime, given that he didn't take any vehicle to go there.
Before he could even reach the tree, a familiar figure caught his attention. His heart beats louder, and his body burns up while it felt numbing. The moment Gen had a full, clear view of the figure, his eyes began to well up, and his lips that quivers prevented him to speak the language he's been wanting to say for years.
"Yoh?"
Gen was stuck on his place, looking straight to the shining red eyes that reflects the sunlight in the dusk. The words that attempting to escape his lips were finally freed.
"I love you, Senku-chan."
His heartbeat echoed in his ears. He ignored if his face is burning red, as long as he met the scientist's eyes.
And as a mentalist, he should not be mistaken— his crush, more likely, the guy he pined for years, is looking at him with yearning stares, as if he is gazing on the moon, the one he loves so dearly.
He would still be at daze if Senku didn't caught his hands, and gently holds it to place it on his chest. Gen could feel it too; the vibration of Senku's heartbeat.
"Me too," Senku finally spoke, "I love you, too, Asagiri Gen."
Soon, as their fingers intertwined, the scientist lift the mentalist's chin.
"Since when?" Gen asked, confirming if Senku's feelings for him were genuine.
"Since you built me the observatory," Senku kissed his palm, "Too bad, it's still under renovation."
"Yeah. They almost forgot to finish that one when they diverted their duties on crafting another spaceship," Gen mentioned.
"That explains why."
Senku pulls him closer to his face. They were now only an inch apart.
"Sorry, it took me so long," Senku whispered with a sense of regret on his voice. He was pertaining to his confession and his late realization to his feelings, which the mentalist immediately understood.
Gen slightly shook his head, reassuring the scientist that waiting for him is not much of a big deal to him, "I'm glad you still came into my life, Senku-chan."
And as their eyes partly shuts, their lips gradually met— as if they are waiting for each other for a long time. Senku's hand travels from Gen's chin, to his cheeks, then the back of his head. While Gen's arms were wrapped around the scientist's neck.
Before their first kiss goes deeper and more intense, they tore apart, their forehead are still in touch.
"I didn't know that you're a good kisser~" Gen jokingly stated.
"Why? Have kissed anyone other than me?" Senku teased back at him.
"No," he moved his long white bangs to hide his blushing face, then proceeded, "You're my first."
"Really? I thought you have experience?"
"That's harsh, Senku-chan! I do have a bad reputation, huh?"
He only acted annoyed to prank the scientist, but Gen didn't expect an answer to his teasing.
"You're beautiful, enough to charm everyone to like you. Of course, I'll assume you've hooked up with a lot of lovers before."
"He thinks, I'm beautiful?"
Gen remained speechless, as Senku reassures him, "And I never had a serious relationships before. So, I call it quits."
"Serious relationships, huh?"
"What?"
"Nothing," Gen chuckled as he cupped Senku's cheeks. "I know, you dated girls for your personal gains."
Senku was about to retaliate, when all of the sudden, he remembered he was once married and divorced to Ruri, and he was once in relationship with Luna.
"I'm sorry," Senku held the hand that was on his cheeks, and looked at Gen with guilty eyes.
Gen only laughed in response, "I know, I know. To make it up to me, you should stop giving me the most hellish labor?"
Senku giggled back, "I can promise to pamper you with lots of cola, but the hellish labor, you say? I can't be so sure about that."
"Doi-hiii~"
The night already came when they decided to walk to the bar, the place near the beach and former empire of might's base. The party was held there.
Inside and out, the people are busy drinking alcohols, dancing with the lights, and singing along the loud music. Meanwhile, they are holding each others hand as they entered the bar, ignoring the looks from the casual they passes by.
"Senku."
"Is."
"Holding."
"Hands."
"With."
"Gen?"
Aside from being flabbergasted from seeing them together, Nikki, Minami, and Homura was more surprised to the scientist's gesture of affection, that they spoke from word-to-word. Regardless of feeling shy all of the sudden, Gen remained his grip to Senku's hand, who was predictably never had any sense of embarrassment.
"What's with you, guys? Is this your first time seeing someone holding hands with their lover?"
His blunt response earned a shock reaction from everyone who heard him, including Gen who was utterly surprised with his straightforwardness.
"L-lover? Does that mean, you're finally with Gen?"
"Finally?" Gen raised an eyebrow to Ukyo as he repeated the specific word that caught his attention.
"So it means, I won the bet? I told you, they're in love," Chelsea enthusiastically told.
"Ha ha! I never thought I would say this, but this is the first time I lose a bet," Ryuusui laughed while snapping his fingers, "Not bad, Senku, Gen!"
Same with Ryuusui, Taiju shouted cheerfully to greet his friend, "Ooooooh! Congratulations, Senku, Gen!"
"Shut up, big oaf!" Senku complained, avoiding the hug from his friend while pulling Gen closer to him.
"I honestly believe Gen is more sincere when it comes to relationships. I doubt Senku was the same," Kohaku told.
Nikki then reach Senku to lecture him, "Senku, I am warning you. Be nice to Gen!"
"Yeah. Don't treat him like your past lovers," Kohaku added, pertaining to the advantages the scientist had taken on his previous relationships.
"Senku-kun, take care of Gen, okay?" Yuzuriha gently spoke.
"You, too, Yuzuriha?" Senku finally uttered.
Gen was the only one who got awkward to the situation. Senku, on the other hand, was able to handle the situation casually.
"You… Argh. Okay, fine," with his ear blushing, opposite to his familiar evil smirk, Senku glared at them, "As long as you don't interrupt us on our precious time, you are free to do or think whatever you want."
He smiled intimidatingly, "Understand?"
"Possessive much."
Luckily, the loud noise covered up Sai whispered utterance, leaving it unheard, except from Ukyo's ears.
Under the night sky, the shy Gen and fierce Senku, they danced as if there's no one in the dance floor. They swing their arms, sway their bodies, and spin their legs to follow each others rhythm.
Sai is watching how Senku's left hand were at Gen's waist and his right hand was grasping the latter's left hand; Gen's right arm was laid delicately on the scientist's shoulder.
As he drank a shot of his drink, the person beside her initiated a conversation.
"They're obviously made for each other, aren't they?"
Sai scoffed before he took another shot, "How come we didn't notice it before?"
Luna rested her chins on her palm as she stares at the lovers on the dance floor, "Maybe, they've been always like that. We just failed to notice because we assume we had a chance."
"Chance, huh?"
"I'll consider myself lucky tho. Even it's a political relationship, we still have moments together."
"So, you're saying, I'm unlucky?"
"Well, of course, it's calculated and unserious."
As soon as they were served a glass of customized drink, Sai and Luna turned their gaze on Francois, who was silently serving their guest on the table. Then, they exchange gazes.
They shared a brief moment of laughter before they raised their glass. And as they made a toast, they once again smiled to each other.
"Maybe, we should become breakup buddies?" Luna suggested.
"Breakup? I didn't get a chance to break up with Gen because we never even got into relationship."
"What? Breakups doesn't exist within ex lovers," Luna protested. "So?"
Sai replied as he sips into a glass of his drink, "Fine."
Two years later.
The humanity is finally restored. The modern living from the 21st century is gradually reviving, even surpassed by their new era. Aside of the infrastructures and constitutes, the civilization is recovering.
After the plane touched the ground, the people at the arrival area spreads their banner to welcome their friend.
"It's been a long time, huh?"
Gen, who was waiting for his husband's arrival, stand firmly as he regained his composure. Senku flied to abroad months ago for the science expedition. The scientist may love him so much, but he knows that science is an important matter that he should not abandon.
After all, science is what made them closer, what leads them into something greater.
They still call each other on regular basis. Like any other lovers, they cannot be separated. Their bond was stronger than before when they were partners in crime. Though there are times that misunderstandings and lover's quarrel can't be prevented, they still make it up to each other until the problems were resolved.
The familiar green hair standouts from afar. And without hesitation, he dashed towards him, jumping to give him a hug. Luckily, Senku catches him, and swinged him around before he carefully released from his embrace.
"Okaeri." (Welcome back.)
Senku kissed him on his forehead, then whispered his response, "Tadaima." (I'm home.)