Archive of Our Own ^beta

At this point, Sai shouldn't be phased about anything happening in the world. Humankind got petrified, then free of it, then needed to start from scratch to go to the moon, then everything is not settled down at all for the amount of hurdles they need to face for the birth of a new era since apparently the only problem about Why-man is that they are too smart that it just went over their head that humanity may not want to be petrified in the first place. Really. Nothing should surprise him.  Not the chaos, not the amount of work, not the danger. And yet, Sai can't sit still. 

He keeps pinching the bridge of his nose, sighing at close intervals with heavy breath. He is very tired. His eyes are begging him to go to sleep, but his brain simply won't allow him. Well, Sai would inject caffeine directly into his heart if that is what it takes to stay awake anyway. The room is busy. Carlos and Minami are busy with their each communication devices, Sai already forgets  which team they are responsible for: is it Senku team who are focusing on detective work, or Xeno team who are focusing on direct searching effort? Ukyo and Leonard are gluing their eyes on radar, communicators ready in their ears if other teams focusing on another area are seeing anything. Sai should've been dealing with their code input for maintaining their private AI supporting the search, but he was told to stay still and rest, so Chrome and Suika and the other engineers took over his work.  

Yes, they told him to get away from the current progress to take some breaks, but none of them say anything when Sai just sits uncomfortably at the table in the communication main base. Really, they know how worried he is.  

Because his little brother is missing and it has been five days.  

Ryusui is a grown adult, yes, but he is still Sai's younger brother. It's not helping that the last interaction they have is Sai ignoring his good morning fax, thinking they would meet anyway later that night to have dinner. A dinner that Ryusui organized to talk about some engineering stuff that Sai has never cared enough about. It gets even worse once they realize Ryusui is gone against his will : there were traces of resistance around the field of the crashed car he drove with the day he was gone, if the scattered cartridge cases of unloaded bullets from Ryusui's personal gun wasn't enough to tell.  

"Your brewed palm sugar ginger, Sai-sama." 

Sai blinks at a mug of puffing drink placed in front of him. He didn't remember he asked for it. He peers up, staring at Francois with a question on his face. 

"I took the liberty to find an alternative to ease your nerves," Francois' voice explains to him.  

"Oh," Sai responds blandly. Maybe he should thank them for the consideration, but he just can't focus on anything. Pathetic. 

Francois does not move from their previous position, standing right next to Sai with a tray tucked neatly in their arm. Oh, Sai realizes that they are not going away unless he takes the drink. Unwillingly, he draws the mug closer and takes a sip. 

He needs time to wallow after all.  

It isn't too hot nor cold, just the right enough temperature to send the heat into his stomach. In a way, it is calming. Sai refuses to indulge into its comfort though.  

"Thanks," he says in hope that Francois will leave him alone. 

They, in fact, do not.  

"Must certainly, Sai-sama," Francois still says, unmoving and unwavering.  

Sai sighs and starts sipping his drink again. "You will not get off of my face, won't you?"  

Francois smiles. "Do you perhaps need that?" 

It almost pisses him off. "No." Because despite everything, Sai needs someone to accompany him.  

"I will be happy if I can accompany you until you stress lessen even a little," Francois says again. "I have sourdough bread in the oven for another fifteen minutes." 

"Sourdough?" Sai frowns. "When did you get the time?"  

Francois doesn't answer, instead they sigh in fondness.  

It takes a few seconds for Sai to remember that Francois always prioritizes service. And if preparing any meal and drink—doesn't matter how time consuming it is—can contribute to the search, then Francois would do it without complaining.  

And maybe Sai also wants to believe that it's one of Francois's ways to wait for Ryusui. Because no one loves Francois' homemade baking and meals more than him. It will be wonderful if Ryusui goes back home and is greeted by still puffing dinner. 

The drink in his hands is starting to lose its puff. Sai sighs and gulps the whole thing down before it can get cold. It was comforting enough for him to let out a breath of relief.

He is so tired.  

"I hope it can help you relax," Francois hums as they collect the empty mug. 

Sai laughs tiredly. "I can't ever relax when it comes to her." 

Francois just nods at him in sympathy.  

Because really, Sai doesn't need people to remind him how many people hate his little brother when the said brother is still missing, but there was not much he could do when the matriarch of the Nanami family just forced her way to the data center room to meet Sai. He let her in because he really thought she was worried, since Ryusui is still part of their messed up family tree.  

Well, she was indeed worried, just not about Ryusui's wellbeing, but instead the reputation of the Nanami family.  

Then again, Sai and Ryusui aren't even allowed to call her mother or any maternal name variations in that matter, so honestly, Sai should've known better. 

(Honestly, Sai really thought Ryusui had gotten rid of his habit from childhood on calling her mother. Imagine his surprise when his little brother welcomed her after three thousand years with a warm, excited greeting by calling her mother. Father was so enraged that he yelled at Ryusui's face. As if it was not Ryusui who freed them from the petrification and prepared them the most refined clothes not many could afford in this age. Sai was just glad Gen—or anyone from their peers, really—was not there to hear the kind of stuff their own family were saying at Ryusui, because, hell, you shouldn't say stuff like that to anyone. Ryusui of course didn't mind any of the scolding because he kept doing whatever he wanted.) 

Sometimes he wonders if it is really his fault to expect his family to act like a normal family even for once? It's not like Sai and Ryusui, or anyone in bloodline, were abused in the house. They even still got monthly pocket money that could buy twenty modest houses three thousands years before. They were free to do whatever they wanted as long as they didn't get in the way of Nanami corp's growth.  

But, still.

"He should be ashamed of himself for letting this happen to him again.”

Ruri was truly the gift from heaven for catching Chrome as soon as possible before he could start yelling at the matriarch's cruel remark. Not that Sai could blame Chrome. She was rude after all. 

(It's not like she still has the same power like she used to have. Ryusui is basically the richest man in the world right now, with Drago having bigger value than the recently revived Yen and even Dollar. Nanami corp is able to exist again simply because Ryusui shares his Ryusui corp assets with them in disguise of some kind of business trading. Ryusui is technically at a higher hierarchy than any of them, if only he cares about any of that. And yet, she still acted like she owns the world.)  

Sai sighs again. At least his headache is getting better. Huh, he had a headache? Whatever.  

Honestly, the whole sudden visit was horrendous. Sure. Sai still feels apologetic to the people who had to witness it. But what nudges him the most is the fact that this is not Ryusui's first kidnapping. He took the chance to ask Francois about it when she and her troupes finally left the room, turned out this is the fourth time it happened. The number is high if you think about Ryusui's young age (he was still 20 before the petrification for crying out loud), and yet that was not the shocking part. It is the realization that Sai had never heard anything about it.  

Surely Sai would hear any of it for ever happening, at least one of them! It's Nanami Ryusui they are talking about. It should be the talk of the whole Japan, but Sai had never heard of it. Why?  

"Because they believed Ryusui-sama's affairs didn't worth the attention of the public. As such, the matters were treated internally with utmost secrecy." Sai had never seen Francois talk without looking at their conversation partner before.  

It was that bad, huh. 

Sai knows that he and Ryusui were and still are isolated from the main family, he just didn't expect that would also mean that they were isolated from each other.  

No wonder Chrome and Suika kicked him out of their working room. He must've looked so distressed.  

"Being angry like this as if it was not my decision to take myself away from him," Sai murmurs to himself. Because, really, what did he expect?  

Francois probably heard it, because of course they did, and they paused their breath. "Sai—sama—" 

"YEAH!" Carlos suddenly exclaims loudly. Sai, Francois, and everyone in the room whip their head quickly to him. "They found the location!"  

Sai stands up so quickly that his chair tumbled down to the floor without care. "You sure?" 

"The track is easy enough to find once we got the clue," Ukyo speaks instead as Carlos goes back focusing on the team he is responsible for. His headphones are still on and his eyes are still trained to his monitor, not wanting to miss anything. "Senku and Gen were busting their brains to find that final piece." 

Sai is curious about the clue they found to get this far, but he will ask about it later. Followed by Francois, he quickly gets himself closer to Minami and Carlos, who both decide to just plug out their headphone and switch to speaker. Carlos stays in line with the team, while Minami switches her line to the data center team.  

"Okay, we are ready to assist," Suika's voice calls from the data center line. 

"Scouting, Kohaku and Moz are in," their specialized morse codes are transmitted from Carlos's speaker. Oh, Carlos was responsible for Senku's group.  

There is a few minutes of silence. 

"Infiltration, Max, Senku, and Kinro are in." 

Another pause. 

"Going dark." 

Sai holds his breath.  

A few minutes. 

From one digit to two.  

Carlos and Minami stay focused.  

Francois excuses themselves to tend to their kitchen duty. Sai understands.  

It is almost reaching twenty eight minutes thirty nine seconds, then— 

"Beam."

Everyone freezes.  

"Why-Man!" Minami shouts after the short pause. 

"Petrification for individual Nanami Ryusui is on," the mechanical voice announces from the data center line.  

No one will see the light aside from the target. Sai hopes if Ryusui is awake then he will get comforted by the light, because surely they already reach him to activate the beam, right?  

There is static in Carlos's line, a sign they are switching the communication method.  

"Tell Yuzuriha, Joel, and Luna to prepare the restoration room," Senku's voice greets them. It sounds urgent and straight to the point. "No outsider." 

For Senku to ask specifically Yuzuriha, Joel, and Luna means the work required detailed skills. That means something needs to be done to Ryusui's statue. That means... something is happening to Ryusui. 

"Do not ask," Gen's voice stops Sai from asking. "Just, focus. We get him. Ryusui-chan is going to be okay. I know he will. If Kohaku-chan's strong grip on his statue is anything to say otherwise." 

That almost makes Sai laugh. "Okay," he breathes. "Okay."  

"I already asked Xeno to tell his husband to pick us up," Senku's voice sounds smaller, away from the mic. "Be there in 2 hours max."  

"Okay."  

It is going to be okay.  

Compared to three thousand years, two hours shouldn't feel that long, but it did. It felt so long that when their footsteps are finally heard in the lobby of the private Ryusui's building, Sai almost lets out a relieved breath. Kohaku is carrying Ryusui's statue on her shoulders like he weighs nothing and immediately bursts through the door into the spacious room they prepared. And then she is gone, leaving the others outside the room. Inside is already filled with the skilled team. Sai shouldn't worry.  

It's just that he may not know exactly what kind of treatment they need to do to Ryusui's statue, but the only thing stuck into Sai's brain is the dried blood... so much blood, both on Kohaku's clothes and on Ryusui's statue. Maybe Sai should be grateful that the statue is at the normal position, he was probably petrified while laying on the ground. That's good. That's good, right? 

"I have no idea how many bullets he has in his body, hence the operation." 

Sai blinks. He turns around and finds Senku standing next to him.  

"... bullets?" 

"Yeah," Senku sighs. He starts scratching the back of his head. "Seems like he pissed off some of them and they decided to just fuck it all. Kohaku and Moz just happened to reach him when the gunshot started." 

Then, the blood was...? 

"Turned out Mr. Stanley was being nice when they rained us with bullets because at least there were only three or five shots to kill, so when we were revived by the fluid nothing really stuck," Senku shrugs. "It will be bad if he ends up with a bullet in his kidney after it gets healed by Dr. Stone’s science."  

It feels like time is slowing down for Sai because his little brother was.... he is.... 

There is a flick on his forehead. Hard. Sai bends over covering his forehead in pain. "Wh—" 

"I told you to focus, Sai-chan," Gen smirks at him. Sai notices the blood stains on his clothes too. "He is going to be fine." Since when did Gen stand there?

Senku chuckles lightly. "If he ever kicked the bucket then it's one million percent will be when the kingdom is ending."  

"Why are you always so dramatic?" Gen rolls his eyes.  

"Some of my friends were against me once in their lifetime and my mentor was a dictator," Senku yawns and stretches his body. "Spare me a space to be dramatic, Mentalist." 

"Yeah, yeah, now shush you go," Gen pushes him into the door. "I know you are itching to check on him yourself, right~?" 

That makes Senku raise an eyebrow. "And you're not? What a cold hearted boyfriend he has."  

Gen laughs. "I will accompany my soon-to-be-brother-in-law instead to make sure he is not mopping around alone," he jokes. "Go." 

Senku stares at him for a second. "You do know I am nosy, right?" 

"Stuck your nose into anything you can find? Yeah, since day one." 

"Tch," Senku turns around. "Don't keep it to yourself for too long."  

"Sure thing~" 

Sai does not understand what they were saying. And the door is closed again, leaving Gen and Sai behind. 

Huh, where did everyone go? 

"I asked Francois-chan to drive everyone away," Gen explains without being asked.  

When did Francois even get here?  

"Oh," Sai says instead. He turns his eyes back to the closed door. There are sounds that are way too similar to drilling machines and saws, but Sai knows they will do it properly. 

That's Sai's little brother. 

Oh god, that's Ryusui.  

"Kohaku-chan said something interesting," Gen speaks. Sai doesn't turn his head, but still glances at him for a second. "She was the one finding him first."  

Of course it would be Kohaku. "I need to thank her."  

"Count me in~" Gen laughs. "Anyway, she said that Ryusui-chan tried to tell her something before he got petrified." 

At that, Sai turns his head fully to Gen. "He did?" 

Gen pauses for a moment, as if thinking what word to say.  

"What is it?" Sai presses. 

"Well," Gen sighs. "Ryusui-chan asked for Chrome-chan." 

... what? 

"You know, while waiting for the pick up we got the spare time to get some kidnappers for a little interrogation and they explained some stuff," Gen starts.  

Sai holds his breath. "Are they...?" 

"Alive? Of course. Kohaku-chan and Moz-chan are skilled enough to take them down without killing them, lucky~," Gen laughs with a heartedly voice, but Sai can pinpoint the mockery in it.  "Anyway, we asked them and they confessed they used Chrome-chan as the hostage to make Ryusui-chan behave himself."  

"But Chrome was not–" Sai cuts himself off. No. 

"They lied," Gen says bluntly. "Ryusui-chan probably suspected as much, but he didn't want to take the chance."  

"Of course," Sai mumbles in defeat. It was a cruel trick.  

"There is another thing, though I was the only one knowing it," Gen says nonchalantly that it baffles Sai. "Oh, the charm of mentalist~ People can't keep their mouth shut even if they try~" 

"Gen—" 

"I have a favor to ask, Sai-chan," he cuts him off. His eyes are drilling into him now, sharp and dangerous. 

"What happened?" Sai inquiries urgently. 

And Gen's face turned sad. "Ryusui-chan would probably be upset if I told you first but he was such an asshole to leave me out of this so..." and he closes their gap and starts whispering to Sai's ears.  

Word by word is said, and Sai is left speechless. 

He doesn't even get the chance to ask more because there are footsteps toward the lobby and many people already lost their patience to wait far away.  

Gen steps away from him, smiling at him softly before starting walking off the scene. "I will go wash up~" and then he is gone. 

Left struck by what Gen has just said, Sai stands there without making any sound. He doesn't know how long he has been staring at the door. The noises around him fade to him and everything seems so blurry.  

If what Gen said was true then... then Ryusui was.... 

"Okay, people, stop making noises," Senku scolds them as he opens the door. "We are about to revive him now, so shut up for five seconds."  

And the lobby eerily becomes quiet.  

Sai doesn't care much. He starts filling in the room, some people follow him that he doesn't really pay attention to. All he wants to see is his little brother, whose statue is laid down on the floor and already clothed with a pair of pajamas. 

Huh, seems like it was Yuzuriha's way to tell Ryusui to get some rest right after his revival. 

Senku is not that sentimental though, because he just dumps the revival liquid without any warning into Ryusui's head.  

The crack sound is audible enough, which is not supposed to happen when you're only been petrified for a few hours. Maybe it means the healing factor is working overtime to compensate.  

It doesn't take too long for the petrification to be undone. A few seconds later, and Ryusui's human skin is visible again, freed from the stone.  

Everyone holds their breath as Ryusui starts to open his eyes.  

Open his eyes, he does. But he doesn't do anything else aside from that, much to Sai's worry. There is a thick silence for a whole minute. Then, Ryusui starts sitting up, staring at the commotion around him and tilting his head. 

"I am back?"  

It is Suika who first slams herself into him with tears on her face, followed by Chrome and Chelsea. Ryusui stumbles back to the floor from the impact and he laughs. He is saved by the grace of Nikki and Kohaku who hold Taiju down, preventing him from joining the group hug considering his strong grips. 

"Ha ha! I am dying again!" Ryusui laughs.  

"DO NOT SAY THAT!" yells the entire room.  

And Ryusui keeps laughing. 

Sai feels his legs wobbling a little that he feels like he may fall down the ground if not for someone catching him steady.  

All the commotions and voices, making Sai can only blink. He peers up to see Tsukasa holding him up. 

"I think you need to rest," Tsukasa says gently to him.  

It takes a few seconds for Sai to register. "Yeah, maybe," he sighs. He feels relieved of course, but what Gen said is stuck in his head. "I think I will take a short rest, thanks."  

Tsukasa just smiles at him warmly. "Ryusui is busy enough with this amount of people, but I will help you reach him to greet him so—" 

"No," Sai interrupts abruptly, making Tsukasa raise a brow. He pulls himself together and gets away from Tsukasa's support. "He is probably tired too. I will just excuse myself and talk to him later." 

There is a pause from Tsukasa, staring at him intently. "Okay, get a good rest." 

"Yeah, I will," Sai waves. He takes too fast steps to get out of the room and the whole building, and then he runs as fast as he can toward his house. He... needs time to think about all of this. About what Gen just said to him. About what Ryusui had done.  

He trips a few times, but he doesn't stop running. 

"You haven't talked to him yet." 

Sai chokes on his coffee when Xeno suddenly appears behind him. He coughs as the small amount of fluid steeped into his breathing tube instead of his throat. God, that stings.  

"Do not do that," Sai complains. 

"I called you repeatedly and you didn't even hear me," Xeno muses.  

Ah, it seems like Sai was blanking, again.  

"So, you still haven't talked to your brother yet," Xeno says again. It's not a question. It's a fact. 

"Did he whine to you or something?" Sai frowns. 

"He never does," Xeno lets out a small chuckle. "But he did ask if you were busy."  

Sai wants to curse under his breath. 

Xeno hums at him, crossing his arms in the way only Xeno can (seriously, he needs to get over those long claws). "Are you two perhaps fighting?" 

"Of course not," Sai says defensively. "Why would we?"  

"Then what's the seatback, really?" Xeno lets out a sigh that dangerously sounds like a disappointment. "You two seem to have a good relationship before." 

"We are not fighting," Sai stresses. "I'm just trying to find a proper time to talk to him." 

And for all the stuff about elegance, Xeno truly knows a way to raise an eyebrow with such a flair. "And it took you almost a week?" he chastises. "It's longer than the amount of days he spent in captivity." 

Sai grimaces.  

"So?"  

"Why do you care anyway?" Sai asks in avoidance.  

"I won't care if my programmer keeps his focus on the work instead of staring at the wall for hours," Xeno berates him at this point. "Get your shit together." 

The sudden shift of tone makes Sai balk in surprise. "I am sorry."  

"Apology accepted, now go fix your mind space," Xeno gestures to Sai to leave with his hand. "And don't come back before you regain your focus."  

As annoying as it is to have your coworkers putting their noses on his business, Xeno has a point about him losing focus. It can't keep going on like this. He excuses himself out of the room and breathes the fresh air outside of the science building.  

Now what?  

It seems like Gen hasn't told anyone yet, meaning he was serious about his request of help to Sai. See, only Gen knows what kind of turmoil inside his head right now that Gen never pressured him to get into. But maybe it's also because Gen isn't ready to confront Ryusui about that.  

Sai takes a deep breath.  

Yeah. 

Fuck it.  

"Ryusui-sama is having lunch in the dining place near the strategy building." 

He is not ashamed to say that he jumps out of surprise.  

"Can people please stop appearing out of nowhere on me?" Sai grumbles as he tries to steady his heartbeat. 

"You're not answering my call to your name, Sai-sama," Francois defends themselves. 

Ugh, same thing.  

"Yeah, sorry," Sai sighs. "I will go there then." 

"Let me drive you there," Francois offers because of course they are already prepared for this event. The piston car is parked nicely on the road that Sai wonders how did he miss that.  

Sai sighs. "Please do." It is not that far, but he would rather do this quickly before he loses the confidence. 

Francois smiles. "With pleasures." 

The drive is uneventful. Francois is considered enough to not say nor ask anything. Sai truly needs this silent moment to gather his determination. He will ask Ryusui today. Not tonight, not tomorrow, not any other day. Today. 

He already decides to get on with it and resolve this somehow.  

Yes.  

He will do it. 

But then of course nothing really goes his way because the scenery greeting him once he enters the restaurant is Ryusui burning his hand by catching the hot kettle to prevent it from falling on his lunch companion who just happened to be Mirai. That causes a commotion too because that's The Nanami Ryusui who gets his hands scalded with a hot kettle. Everyone gasps and the server quickly gets the kettle away. Someone from the kitchen brings out a water bottle and helps cool the wound on Ryusui's hand. 

What even is this life?  

"Ryusui! Are you okay?" Mirai panicky asks in worry. 

Ryusui laughs. "It's all but a sting," he tries to calm her, patting her head with his uninjured hand. "That was close but nothing serious to be worried about, am I right?"  

Mirai is on the verge of crying but she nods anyway. The crowd are whispering in surprise but none of them get closer. Ryusui waves the man cooling his hand away, which is obliged by the man. 

"That doesn't look like 'but a sting' to me," Sai comments in exasperation. 

Ryusui quickly whips his head to him in surprise. "Sai!" he greets excitedly. "Are you not busy?" 

I never were, Sai wants to say but he refrains himself from saying that. "Your hand needs to be treated," he points at the blistered hand. Yikes, it looks hurt.  

"Oh," Ryusui quickly takes his injured hand closer to himself. "I will clean this up first, can you wait? I want to tal—" 

"What?" Sai interjects, baffled with the notion.  

Maybe he says something wrong because Ryusui's eyes widen a little. "Okay then," he sighs, "then when are you not busy?" 

"What?" Sai says again, not understanding. "Ryusui, what are you talking about?"  

Ryusui tilts his head. "What?"  

It seems like they are not on the same wavelength of conversation. Looks like it's up to Sai to clear things up. 

"Yes I want to talk with you and no you shouldn't treat your injury yourself," Sai says slowly. "We can talk as I help you treat your hand." 

It's Ryusui's turn to just stare at Sai like he has no clue what is going on.  

"Ryusui," Sai repeats, "let me help."  

"Okay," Ryusui nods, still seeming hesitant. Then he seems to remember something and turns back to Mirai who is holding back her sob. "It's already time for you to go back to school," he reminds her. "Just go. I will be fine." 

"Okay," Mirai nods. She takes her bag from the chair. "Are you sure?" 

"This is really nothing," Ryusui waves her off. "Tsukasa will kill me if I take your time away from school for too long, am I right?"  

That manages to gain a chuckle from Mirai. "I will visit later okay?" she says softly. Then, she turns to Sai. "I will excuse myself." 

"Wait," Sai abruptly says, making Mirai stop.  

"Yes?" 

Sai gestures to Francois. "Let Francois drive you to school," he offers.  

Mirai frowns. "Are you sure?" 

"Sai-sama won't make the suggestion if he is not sure of it, Mirai-sama," Francois bows to her a little. "Come, I will make sure you won't miss even a second to class."  

Mirai hesitantly nods. "Thank you," she says gratefully. She turns to Sai and Ryusui and bows them a goodbye. "Thank you for today's lunch."  

Ryusui waves at her while smiling brightly. Sai catches the wink Francois sent to him, and Sai just smiles in defeat. Of course Francois realizes his true attention. He doesn't even wait for them to be completely gone when he starts picking up Ryusui's stuff from the chair: a sling bag and his hat. Ryusui really can't go anywhere without his hat. Ryusui makes a gesture to take his stuff from him with his uninjured hand and Sai quickly wiggles away from him, what the hell.  

"I will carry them," Sai says decisively, which gains a quick nod from Ryusui.  

His little brother being this meek is so weird. Sai is supposed to be the meek one.  

"Let's just go to the safe house at the bottom of the fortress hill," Sai suggests. "Can you hold the pain that long?"  

"It's nothing, really," Ryusui answers idly. 

"Ryusui."  

Ryusui pouts. "Yes, I can handle the pain."  

Sai smiles, satisfied. He takes a note to himself to complain to the restaurant later and turns his heel out of there.  

It doesn't escape Sai how Ryusui bites down a hiss from time to time. But aside from that, the brothers walk in silence in the road leading to one of their safe houses. Well, they do call it a safe house when it's just an all purpose condo with basic necessity in it if any of the Senku gang want to rest. Everyone is busy moving around to keep the civilization running so sometimes they don't have time to go to their own house, these condos are the answer for that.  

Again, everyone is busy, so Sai is kind of hoping there is no one in the condo at the end of the hill.  

He almost blames his luck when Nikki opens the door of the condo. But different to his worry, Nikki is actually going to leave. She drapes her bag on her shoulder as she makes her way out. She bumps her first to Ryusui's shoulder gently and continues her walk. 

Well, Sai sees the way she glanced at them. Seems like she understands what's going on that she gives him a thumbs up when Ryusui isn't looking anymore. He hopes she can help to make sure no one comes to this condo today.  

Sai quickly shoves Ryusui inside and closes the door. It's still summer though it is not that hot. 

"Sit," Sai instructs, and he doesn't bother to watch whether Ryusui complies or not.  

Then, Sai places Ryusui's stuff on the chair around the dining table and quickly strides toward the first kit aids section of the wardrobe. He searches for the moisturizing gel for the scalded area. He saw the wound, it doesn't need a too complicated treatment since it's only a first degree burn. He takes some bandage rolls and towels, then walks to his next stop. He takes some bottles of cold water from the fridge. He puts everything into a tray and quickly brings them to the dining table where Ryusui sits patiently.  

"Okay," Sai takes a breath and sits in front of Ryusui. "Your hand." 

Ryusui gives him his injured hand and Sai starts working immediately. There is minimal complaint from Ryusui as Sai wipes the hand with a towel after running the water on it (the floor can handle the water just fine). Maybe Ryusui is really not comfortable with the silence that he starts talking. 

"We didn't get the chance to follow up our last discussion," he says suddenly.

Sai pauses the towel in his hand to peer up at Ryusui. "What discussion?"

Ryusui puffs his chest . "The thing we should have a dinner over," he points out. 

"Dinner... oh," Sai wants to grumble. "You mean that thing about the development of car mass production?"

"Yeah," Ryusui nods happily. "I asked around if you were busy and you seemed to not have time to reschedule."

The strength Sai needs to muster to hold himself back from gripping Ryusui's hand in his hold is incredible in his standard because what is his little brother talking about? They finally have the chance to talk and that is the first thing he wants to mention? The business as usual, really? 

"I do not want to talk about that," Sai grumbles. He needs to keep his patience intact. 

"You are not in the mood?" Ryusui has the audacity to ask.

"Obviously," Sai answers shortly.

"Oh," Ryusui hums. "How so?" 

"Maybe because my little brother just got abducted?"

Ryusui laughs. "What, just one of my bizarre adventures." 

"Do not say it like that," Sai sighs. He takes the gel and starts rubbing it on Ryusui's hand. "Really, don't. It upsets me." 

He may imagine it, but Sai swears he hears Ryusui holding his breath.  

"I am not usually like that," Ryusui says, that sounds so out of nowhere that Sai pauses his movement. 

"Yes?" 

"I am not usually that reckless," Ryusui says with a very big smile on his face that it looks hurt. "I don't usually cause trouble like that." 

Sai blinks. He feels like he misses something very important from this conversation. "What are you ..." 

Ryusui takes his hand away and turns his head aside, a smile still on his face and it somehow looks so sad. "I am a very independent adult and I can handle myself," he says. "I don't usually bother people with stuff like this."  

"Ryusui—" 

"I can take care of it," Ryusui snatches the gel from Sai's hold and puts it on the table for easier access for him to use. "It's really not that serious." 

Sai gnaws at the whole thing.  

"So," Ryusui now faces him, face soft and yet sad. "I am not going to make things inconvenient ever."  

What the hell is he talking about? 

There is like a wiring working overtime inside his brain, that Sai tries so hard to understand what is going on. As Ryusui applies the gel himself and how he still has that stupid sad smile on his face, like he is hiding something, like he is suppressing something.  

"You should go back to attend to more important things."  

Something in Sai's crack.  

"Ryusui," Sai calls slowly, gaining full attention from his little brother. "Do you... do you think you being in trouble is upsetting me? That I am upset at you?"  

It's now Ryusui time to freeze and blink at him.  

Oh. 

Oh shit. 

"What the hell?!" Sai throws his hands up to the air, making Ryusui blink cluelessly even more. "No?!"  

"No?" 

"Yeah! No!" Sai repeats because what in the name of Albert Einstein. "Ryusui, I am not upset at you." 

Ryusui blinks again. "You are not?" 

"No!"  

They just stare at each other for a moment. 

"But you look upset?"  

"Well, duh!" Sai snatches the gel back and pulls the wrist of the injured hand back to him. "I am upset because my little brother got hurt, what else am I supposed to do?"  

That seems still doesn't register in Ryusui.  

What is this? Comedy?  

Sai decides to just quickly treat the wound so they can properly talk. It's so hard to remain gentle when he is fuming in rage because what just happened? Why did the conversation just go so wrong? Where did the implication of Sai being upset at Ryusui even come from? When did they slip out of the focus of the talk?  

He huffs as he wraps the bandage on the wound neatly. Finally.  

The wound treatment is done and Sai has the chance to calm his breath. He takes a very, very deep breath and faces Ryusui directly into his eyes.  

"Ryusui, why do you think I am upset at you?" Sai asks, putting a very clear emphasis. 

Ryusui just waves him off. "Ha ha! We cleared that up, didn't we? It was a misunderstanding, that's all," he says confidently. A smile is still plastered on his face but it looks more like a flustered smile. 

Damn it. They really can't crack the problem if Ryusui remains like this. This will be a very long day. 

"This is perhaps my fault, too," Sai sighs deeply.  

There is a sound that sounds too similar to a gasp. 

"Whatever you mean?" Ryusui demands. "You haven't done anything." 

Sai laughs weakly. "Yeah, nothing at all, apparently." 

Ryusui seems to want to protest but Sai holds his hand up to stop him. 

"No, really, we haven't resolved anything from our past while it could solve a lot of problems," Sai grumbles. "You. You do know I went to India because I couldn't stand you, right?"  

Ryusui laughs. "Yeah, that was funny." 

"That was not!" Sai throws his hands into the air again. "Listen, I was wrong about you." 

There is no quip or smart answer from Ryusui. 

"I already had a prejudice against you for some reason since you were a toddler and maybe it was a reflection of how I saw the main family or whatever and it got projected into you, but!" Sai heaves. "But, I closed my door on you without even trying to give you a chance."  

"... that's not—" 

"I am not done yet," Sai huffs. "And it didn't help that you only came to me with that excuse of helping you calculate something or helping you hone your skill or whatever. Again, maybe because I never showed interest in you that you didn't know how to connect or whatever! On God, Ryusui, and I am not even religious, we never actually tried to make clear about these things."  

"What things?" 

"The thing that makes us brothers!" Sai exclaims in exasperation. "For crying out loud, how can we act like brothers if we don't talk about what makes us brothers?"  

Sai sees flashes of emotion swarming on Ryusui's face like he is not sure what to say. "I.... I don't know," he says weakly. 

Nanami Ryusui is not supposed to sound weak! What had Sai done?  

"It's just," Ryusui mumbles. "It's nice to think about having a sibling. I don't actually know what makes others as siblings aside from blood relation." 

"And that's exactly where we went spiraling for no reason," Sai sighs. He doesn't even know where he is trying to take this conversation to. "Okay, since it's difficult for you, I will start then."  

Ryusui peers up at him curiously. "Yes?"  

"I don't mind you contacting me for anything aside from work or project," Sai says without room for doubt. Ryusui seems surprised. "See, this is what I am talking about. Why do you always assume you need reason to hang out with me? The time we spent together was honestly fun but if you only came at me with a project then what should the kid me think? It's always calculating things, working on stuff, sharpening skills, who cares? We are not colleagues in a workplace. You can ask me for a piece of apple juice to listen to you talk before going to bed and I will be down for it! Well, I mean, as long as I am not busy with work, but you get my point!"   

"Oh," Ryusui mumbles. "Oh." 

Sai sighs again. "Really, these things," he wants to scream his lungs out from the stress. It can wait. "And you, why did you even revive me in the first place?"  

"Why are you asking that?" 

"I told you my perspective on our relationship, you should do the same so this conversation will not end up spiraling into something that is not," Sai explains.  

Ryusui doesn't seem convinced enough, but well, it's Ryusui. He smiles confidently anyway. "We needed the potential people to join our ranks to complete our mission to the moon. And you are so smart that you will be an amazing asse—" 

"Ryusui, be serious." 

"I am serious." 

"Do not try to downplay this," Sai reprimands him. "In this kind of conversation you need to be honest with me." 

"I am hon—" 

"No, you are not," Sai says sharply. "You are never honest with me. Or anyone. Yes, everyone can read you like an open book at this point, including me, but there is some stuff I don't understand and I won't understand if you don't try to be honest with me." Sai feels like he will need a week hiding under his bed after this conversation ends because he doesn't remember he ever has this amount of confidence and demands talking with anyone ever. Not even when he taught a bunch of insufferable college students back in university. "Now, let me ask you again, why did you revive me? There are many potential people you do know, and even some Nanami family members are part of that. Why me?"  

Ryusui seems to hold his breath. Then, he smiles softly and gently this time. "Mother is the type of leader with skill that can move mountains, but she can't even drink water from the soil. It needs to be the overpriced clear water without minerals and we couldn't afford to split the focus to accommodate her only," he says it so softly that Sai doesn't think Ryusui is trying to make fun of her. He genuinely cares about her. "Father is scared of bugs too much, he would just use too much repellent. Each of our siblings have their own limitations to be revived in the stone age, like Hiroshi can't even swim and he also hates clothes made from animal skin. Yuri would rather starve herself than eating anything without her favorite cured butter. Everyone needs special accommodations that I could only provide once the civilization is safe from petrification's threat. They could just adjust but I didn’t want them to struggle too much. Well, I knew you wouldn't fare well without a computer but I assumed your math skill could go through that." 

There is a silent "and" in that sentence that Sai frowns at Ryusui to continue. 

"And," Ryusui lowers his voice, as if he is shy to say it. "I don't want to be much older than you." 

Silence.  

"I think I was jealous of Kohaku for being able to not be older than Ruri," Ryusui adds. "It's the usual thing about her. She can just say anything and accidentally inspire others." 

"Ah, so that was the reason," Sai nods. He can't admit that he feels a little bit flustered by that. Happy, but flustered. He fakes a cough. "So far this talk is useful." 

"It is?" 

"Yeah," Sai piques. "Now you know that I am fine to spend time with you even without practical reason, and now I know that you want to stay as a little brother forever, at least to me."  

Ryusui laughs. "That's a way to put it," he sings. "Okay, then, this was good," he announces and starts standing up. 

"No, we are not done yet." 

Ryusui sits back right away.  

"This is so weird," Ryusui complains.  

"What, you're not used to talking openly like this with people?" Sai teases. 

But Ryusui just stares. "Just how many things do we need to talk about?" he asks impatiently.  

"I want it to be a lot, but," Sai shrugs, "you look uncomfortable." 

"I do not." 

Sai smiles. He can tell Ryusui is getting nervous. His little brother has a very good intuition, something that no one can compete with. It has helped him in many situations, alerting him when something is going south. It won't be a surprise if Ryusui realizes there is a sense of foreboding in their talk. There is an inevitable topic that will be brought up and Sai knows Ryusui is not going to like it.  

It's kind of fun to tease him like this, if not for the real problem they need to address. 

"We can just talk later," Ryusui proposes. He is using that diplomatic smile of his.  

Unfortunately, Sai is already immune to Ryusui's charm. "You really think I can get this courage again later?" he asks in amusement. They both know he will not.

"Why are you always so pessimistic? I like that about you, though." 

"It's just who I am, and thank you."  

They stare at each other again in silence.  

"I'm going," Ryusui decides and stands up hastily. He is taking fast steps but Sai quickly grabs his wrist, the uninjured one. "Hey!"  

"See?! This is what I am talking about!" Sai starts yelling. He is not sure why need to raise his voice but it feels right. 

"There is nothing to talk about!" Ryusui insists. "We can do stuff more productive than this!"  

Sai makes a show to let out a very loud gasp. "What's more productive than fixing up some misunderstandings with my own brother?" he gawks. "I thought you care." 

"Well, yes, but this talk has nothing to do with it, doesn't it?" Ryusui bites.  

When was the last time they argued like this? Had they ever argued like this? Has Ryusui ever talked back to him like this? 

"It does!" Sai pulls Ryusui closer to him while Ryusui tries to wriggle away from him. "It has everything to do with it!"  

Ryusui rolls his eyes. 

How dare he.  

"We are not in the right mind to talk now let's just—" 

"OH FOR FUCK SAKE!" Sai explodes. "My little brother didn't know I do not despise him!"  

Whatever Ryusui tries to counter with, Sai cuts him off. 

"I didn't know my little brother liked me that much he didn't want to grow older than me! I still don't know what kind of show my little brother used to watch! I don't know if he prefers pizza with cheese crust or sausage crust! I don't know a lot of things about my little brother that I failed to notice that he also doesn't know much about me!" Sai heaves his breath, glaring at Ryusui who is now silent. "I failed to make him know that I care about him so much, that I failed to prevent him from thinking that he can just let himself get hurt in my stead." 

Ryusui's face falls. "Sai, I don't—" 

"Gen found out about it," Sai quickly tells him.  

He sees how his little brother's shoulders drop. "Of course he did."  

Sai sighs. "You know that's not the point."  

Ryusui shrugs. He tugs his arm again, testing if Sai would let go. Sai does not.  

"There was a miscalculation," Ryusui starts. "I didn't expect their group to be that grounded and spread all over the place. I thought it was just a group of five or something."  

"And that made it okay for you to jump into a death trap?" Sai is not impressed. Sai still holds his grip steady because Ryusui's arm is not staying still. "Ryusui, you could've died." 

"But I didn't, am I right?" Ryusui stares at him blankly. "It's done. I survived, the syndicate got taken down, everyone is happy."  

"Dammit, Ryusui," Sai curses. "How am I supposed to be happy about this?" 

Because it should've been Sai who got dragged to the revenge scheme against Nanami corp, not Ryusui. 

The story was short from what Gen had said. The group initially sent a threat letter to Sai, demanding him to go to some place alone, targeting his skill and intel of the main branch. But somehow, Ryusui was the one who showed up, and that was how he ended up being kept captive for five days straight. 

The story about what happened during those five days seems too much for Sai to hear, so he prefers to skip it. Later, he said to himself, I will get into it later after this one is solved. 

All in all, it sounds stupid, because why would Ryusui go alone instead of asking for help? As the man who kept boasting about safety and efficiency, Ryusui clearly acted so out of character that day. Gen asked this favor to Sai, to figure out why Ryusui did what he did, because, in Gen's own words, they would just hit a dead end if it were Gen to ask Ryusui directly. 

(Those two are so different in a way that is so similar. Ryusui who always boasts about his desire and dream, convincing people to believe how honest he is about his wants, only to hide his vulnerable side tightly behind the locked door. And then there is Gen who always tries to tell people how he doesn't care that much and how he always maneuvers his conversation to get what he wants, that he can't help but lie most of the time. Sai honestly can see why Gen thinks it will be impossible for him to crack this case.)  

"How can you just decide to risk everything without telling anyone," Sai says sadly. He can feel how heavy his voice is right now. Because this is his little brother who almost died over him. Over someone like Nanami Sai. "At least do it for more important things."  

Suddenly, Ryusui laughs. He laughs so hard that it seems to shake his stomach too much that he needs to bend down a little to ease the shaking. There are tears at the corner of his eyes as he wipes them with his free wrist.  

The whole scene stuns Sai in confusion. "What's so funny?" 

"And they said we are too different to be brothers," Ryusui chokes on his own words in between his laughing. "Fine." He heaves a too big breath and goes back to his seat.  

Sai follows suit to his own seat while stares at his brother dumbly.  

Ryusui wiggles his wrist again in Sai's grip, but instead of getting away, he just shifts it slightly so that they are now holding hands instead. 

"What a mess," Ryusui muses with a smile on his face, a much gentle one.  

Nothing makes sense to Sai now.  

"You want me to be honest, hm?" Ryusui prompts, which Sai answers quickly with a nod. "Promise to not laugh." 

Sai frowns. "Sure?"  

"Haha! You agreed without asking. Seems like you really fried your brain today. I like it!" Ryusui chirps. Then, his smile gets thinner. He shifts his hand to give a squeeze back to Sai's hold. "I was being stupid." 

"What?" Sai blurts in surprise.  

All he gets as a response for that is a short chuckle from Ryusui. His little brother takes a deep breath and starts again. "When I saw the letter, I thought you also already got it that you went your way to meet their demand. So, in fear of you doing something stupid, I immediately jumped to my car and sped up," he admits softly. "Along the way to the meeting point, I realized you wouldn't be able to do that because you're not a morning person. At least not earlier than me." 

"Hey!" Sai comments in protest. He can wake up in the early morning okay. Just not everyday.  

But Ryusui continues. "I could just go back and make a plan, probably keeping you in the dark," he shrugs when Sai gives him a look, "but somehow I didn't want to. I just wanted to meet these people and ask them what they want to do with my brother. I wasn't thinking." 

And the story stops there. 

"That's it?" Sai asks.  

"If you want to ask about how they made Chrome as a fake hostage to me, I can elaborate, but I don't think that's what you're asking," Ryusui grins at him.  

Just the mention of whatever happening to Ryusui is already sending shivers to his spine. "No," Sai sighs. "But really, all that, because of your impulsiveness?" 

"I am honestly as surprised as you," Ryusui easily adds. "I put pride in my decision making skills. Even I didn't believe I could be that reckless."  

Sai is completely flabbergasted now. "Ryusui, this does not make anything better."  

"It does not," Ryusui agrees. "But it is the honesty you asked for, am I right?"  

Now, Sai doesn't know what to say.  

"Senku always said that love makes you do illogical things," Ryusui chuckles. "Maybe my case was just one of the examples." 

Sai squeezes the hand in his hold. "Love?" 

"Love comes in many ways, they said," Ryusui hums. "I know that because I do love you. You are my brother." 

Damn.  

Maybe Sai shouldn't blush this much, but it seems like the honest Ryusui is too dangerous for the world to witness. Oh, how he hopes Ryusui will not start saying this to the main family because clearly they will start making a problem out of it. None of them know what familial love is.   

He is curious how others will react if Ryusui tells them straight that he loves them, though. Thinking about someone, let’s say, Hanada Nikki being confronted by the fact that Ryusui loves her is so much fun.

(Sai knows what Ryusui means by love. How his desires never stomp to possession. His wants and dreams go beyond a fairy tale about one happy ending. He wants everything, and he loves everything. 

And Sai loves this Ryusui too.)  

"Well, I do love you, too," Sai says out loud, because it's not fair to let Ryusui be the only one victor in this honesty competition.  

Ryusui laughs again. His laugh sounds so amazing this time that Sai laughs along with him. They laugh so hard they need to let go of their hold to help dealing with the shaking of their own laughter. It's really about everything and nothing, and laugh they do. Sai wipes the tears from his eyes, and subdues his voice. Fyuh, how tiring to laugh that hard. Ryusui smiles at him too, then, he throws his glance away. 

"This whole honest thing is really hard to do," Ryusui speaks with a low voice. "It's not my thing." 

"I think that's fine," Sai comforts him. "Your usual self is already shining brightly even if you have the shades you want to hide. I know others already figure you out to embrace that part of you without being invasive." 

"You think so?"  

"Yeah," Sai nods. "It's just that you need to be honest when the time calls for it."  

"I think I can do that much," Ryusui accepts. Then, he mulls over something again.  

Sai waits. 

"This is probably my last honest thing to do today, so," Ryusui's voice is getting smaller.  

"Yes?"  

There is a pause. The summer air is hot, but all Sai feels is a striking cold spread throughout his body. Ryusui is looking at him, eyes heavy and glistening. He is smiling in a way Sai has never seen before. And he speaks, slowly and shaking.  

"I am scared."  

Five days. 

It was five long days. 

"I have nightmares sometimes and... I was there again— and—" 

Sai moves as fast as he can.  

Because it was five long days.  

Five very, very long days.  

"I am scared." 

Ryusui's voice is muffled into Sai's shirt. His hands reach to the fabric on Sai's back, gripping to it like his life depends on it, the pain from the scalded wound forgotten. And Sai pulls him closer to his chest, embracing the shaking that is now unleashed without any cover. His shirt is getting wet and this is really an awkward position to hug someone, but Sai holds his little brother even tightly.  

Because it was five long days. 

(Illustrated by Jerusha / Tamago_SillyEgg on Tiwtter/X)

Sai hasn’t left his room for three days now. He still accepts guests, and Ryusui spent so much time talking to him in that room, but Sai kept himself hidden under his blanket during their chat. 

“I can’t believe I said all that,” Sai meek voice cried to Ryusui, as if he was just sobering up from drinking. “No regret, but oh my god who did I think I am?” 

Maybe Ryusui should feel worried about Sai practically being a worm on his own bed, but all he did and still does is laughing at his brother’s misery. 

And maybe he shouldn't have done that because the karma is biting him in the ass now. 

It would be so much better if his friends scold him for the stupid stunt he pulled and move on, but they do not. They take it to the next level that makes Ryusui wonder if they really in need of therapist for each of them.

Then again, if they have a normal stage of sanity, he does not think they could survive for this long, considering just how many fatal situations they had been in. 

So here he is, sitting on the softest sofa he had ever sat on in this stone era inside the very spacious room full of meals, snacks, drinks, and fluffy blankets and pillows. He is put into his favorite pair of long soft pyjamas especially made by Yuzuriha, so high quality that he can feel his skin breathing so loosely. In his hand is Francois’ newly invented drink that contains a light soda and some syrups that Ryusui doesn’t have time to dissect. This would be so much perfect relaxing hang out if not for the giant presentation board showing him the ninety fourth slide of Ishigami Senku’s new science project called How To Bring Personal Tracking Device Into The Stone World Starting From The Smart Computer. One may think he is planning to start a stalking agency, but all of that is about how to make sure whatever happened to Ryusui to never happens again. 

Ryusui needs to remind himself again how his kidnapping has traumatised his whole peer because it has been three hours since Senku started talking. Oh, had he mentioned that Senku hand wrote and drew all of those slides? When did he even start working on this stuff… 

Well, he has been reminding himself about it the whole day since Tsukasa and Matsukaze dragged him to this room and Chrome started yelling at him with snots and tears on his face the moment their eyes met. No, Ryusui, you shouldn't have done that, Chrome wailed and screamed, I will never forgive you if you die and decompose into a skeleton without saying anything! because apparently it was so important for Ryusui to not turn into a skeleton for whatever reason (does that mean his fantasy about being cremated after his death for his ashes to be spread all around the world is out of the options?) 

This whole thing may seems like an entertainment for some people or certain someone, and by certain someone Ryusui clearly means Stanley because that heavy smoker chose to abandon his cigs for five long hours (yes, that how long he had been stuck here because  Senku is not the only one doing the presentation) just so he can witness Ryusui’s turmoil. He is such an asshole but Ryusui respects the dedication. Kohaku is busy munching on her snacks next to Stanley after switching shifts with Tsukasa because apparently they have shifts for this. Even Homura, the one who is supposed to be on another side of the city with Hyoga, is sitting silently with a note in her hands. Is she going to report whatever happens here to Hyoga or anyone? What is this? At the corner, Suika, supported by Chrome and Francois, is busy organizing her slides because of course she also prepares her thoughts to share. If it’s another value of being careful and how to tell your friends about it tedtalk like what Chrome, Kinro and Soyuz presented before, Ryusui may need to call it a day and ask for this to continue any day but today.

Ryusui has a foreboding feeling that Xeno is somewhere near the building to join this little presentation fairs as the closing performance and Ryusui really, really wants to jump out of the window. 

But he can’t.

His entire being is bound to this room. Not by rope or chain or any kind of restraint he had to endure during those days, nothing but a small, weak hold in his hand.

Gen is not really about all that physical affection, since it can be overbearing for him being all that self-claimed mischievous bastard. It took time for Ryusui to convince him that yes Ryusui wanted him that way and yes being close to him is not suffocating at all. But now his hand stays there and Ryusui doesn’t dare to shake that off. Ryusui would walk off from the sofa, pretending to take something around the room, and Gen would follow him silently, his hand still in his without much strength that if Ryusui moves too much he would lose it entirely. He does not think Gen is trying to be manipulative with this gesture, and it makes this so much worse. Because Ryusui loves it so much and he doesn’t want it to end anytime soon, even if he needs to listen to this potentially twelve hours podium of lectures. 

They haven’t talked for more than a week! Sai said Gen was avoiding him to not make a fuss so that they wouldn’t have any misunderstanding and Ryusui can understand that. And still, Ryusui misses him so much and Gen seems to think the same. 

“You know, a little kiss won’t be so bad,” Ryusui whispers to his boyfriend (Ryusui is going to marry him now if that is what Gen wants) when Senku ends his speech. Now they are helping Senku to tidy up and Suika to prepare. 

Gen chuckles a little, really weakly like he has been through a hard day. “You haven’t gained the right for that yet.”

“You are still mad?”

“Not the first time I saw you, or anyone, dying, I honestly wonder why am I this mad.” 

How Ryusui wishes he can hug Gen closer now, but thinking how long it took Gen to finally decide to lean his head on Ryusui’s shoulder, Ryusui thinks he needs to be patient. 

(Honestly, the worst thing that happened in South America is not the bullets piercing his body nor dying of bleeding out. It was how haunting Gen’s screams the moment Ryusui hit the ground. The relief he felt when he saw the beam was mostly about how he would cheat death and comfort Gen when it was all over. He didn’t mean to make Gen see him dying like that again, but alas.) 

“I have been thinking,” Gen hums, adjusting his position on Ryusui’s side. “A lot of things actually, but this one is pretty stand out from others.”

“Hm?” Ryusui makes a little squeeze to the hand in his.

“Alcoholism.”

Ryusui blinks. “What?” 

“That’s how I will cope when you finally die,” Gen explains easily like it was nothing. “See, that’s the most possible thing to happen. Crazy~~” 

“Gen.”

“I don’t enjoy drinking that much, let alone to that extent, but,” he chuckles again. “Whenever you are doing something stupid, try to remember that.”

It leaves Ryusui’s mouth open in disbelief. “Did you… did you just threaten me? Blackmailing me?” 

Gen peers up at him, smiling in a way that is so wicked and vicious. “What do you think?” 

And they say romance is dead. 

“You are so hot right now,” Ryusui admits. “Like, you always are, but, world. I wonder why did I wait that long to ask you out.” 

“Flattery won’t bring you anywhere, but fine,” Gen sighs. Then, slowly, he takes their holding hands closer to him, and adjusts the position a little to put a very tender kiss on the back of Ryusui’s hand. Then, he winks at the man, lips still close to the hand, and says. “This is all you get for today, Sweetheart.” 

Ryusui is going to jump out of the window. This time is serious. 

“If God is real, please stop them before they start having penetration in this room,” Senku groans. 

“Please,” Ryusui adds in. 

“Really? In front of my face?” 

Ryusui whips his head far too quickly toward the open door when he hears that voice. “Sai!” he greets enthusiastically, waving his free hand to his brother. Gen is already lowering their hand and acting like nothing happened. Amazing. 

Sai sighs. “And just when I decide to get out of my room.”

“Do not go back that fast!” Ryusui quickly requests.

And Sai just shrugs. “I do have a presentation to do. I will go back after this.” 

“Presentation?” Ryusui frowns, then his eyes go back to where Suika is now standing with her stick ready. 

“It is my joint work with Sai,” Suika announces happily. 

Again, when did they get the time to prepare all of these? 

“Sure,” Ryusui nods, still not sure what can possibly be the topic for these two aside from science.

“Please do not have sex when I am here,” Sai begs. 

“When any of us are here, actually,” Senku corrects him. 

“Why not, though?” Stanley suddenly chooses this time to open his mouth. 

“Just because we have a gag of having a beef with each other doesn’t mean you need to counter all of my sayings all the times, Mr. Husband,” Senku snaps. 

That makes the room chuckles and laughs. 

“Whatever, Sai, floor is yours,” Senku waves off and takes a seat next to Kohaku and leans on her. 

Okay. Ryusui didn’t know their relationship had progressed that much. 

Sai comes front, standing on the other side of Suika. Then, accompanied with a dramatic drums from Chrome (he has it since the beginning) and an enthusiastic claps from Homura, Suika take off the opening slide, revealing the title of their presentation.

Manufacture for Car Mass Production 

“I NEED SOMETHING TO DISTRACT MY MIND YOU ASSHOLE!” Sai yells as he throws the closest pillow at Ryusui who is wheezing with uncontrollable laughter.