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It all started when the science team had a bit of a mishap occur when they were building their time machine. One moment it was calm, and everyone was going about their normal way. Crome was comparing different blueprints in front of him, Xeno was standing in front of the chemicals he was mixing together, and Senku was standing in front of a basic (when is it ever actually basic) model of the thing they were hoping to create. It was fully functional, if their calculations were to be believed.
So Senku obviously had to see if it worked. What the others say be damned. Of course he knew there would be risks, but what's a little science without the risk? Looking around to make sure the others were too engrossed in what they were working on, Senku pressed the button that powered on the machine. Surprisingly, nothing happened at first and he was quite disappointed. Just as he was turning to Xeno to finally fill him in on what he had done, a bright white flash happened and Senku felt something hit his chest before everything went dark.
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To say Xeno wasn't surprised when he saw the white flash happen out of the corner of his eye would be an understatement. The same couldn't be said for Crome though, for some reason. The inexperienced scientist was making a lot of racket, shouting Senku's name. You would think that after spending so much time with Senku in his lab the boy would expect by now that Senku would do something like this. Sighing, Xeno turned to see what his past student had done now. He hoped it wasn't something too damaging.
Stanley would have both of their, his and Senku's, heads if he had to help build yet another lab because either he or Senku had blown it up again with their little experiments. If Xeno remembered correctly, they were on lab number 34. When he did finally turn around what he saw fully surprised him. There, sitting on a ground, was a baby version of his past student. Now Crome's outburst earlier made sense. Oh what had his student done this time. Looking at the powered on time machine, he had a guess.
Good lord his student was sometimes an idiot. Didn't they all agree to wait on turning on the prototype that they had made? Xeno could feel a headache coming on. Collecting himself, Xeno walked calmly over to the baby that was laying on the ground surrounded by the too big clothes of his older self. Xeno had never been one to like children, but he could admit that the chibi version of his past student was adorable.
Sighing again, Xeno picked up the child. Swaddling the babe in the cloth that surround him. Turning to Crome, Xeno took in the panicked look he had on his face. "It seems that Senku has let his impatience get the better of him, yet again." Crome came closer now, looking down at the baby that had been his mentor/equal just a few minutes ago. Reaching out, Crome poked baby Senku's face. Causing his face to scrunch up and brilliant crimson eyes to open and glare at the offending item that had disturbed his sleep.
"Wow, I haven't seen Senku look at anyone like that before." Crome said as he met Senku's childish glare. Xeno only chuckles at the look, cooing slightly at the child in his arms. The moment was disturbed by the sound of many feet pounding towards the entrance of the lab. Sharing a look, the two remaining scientists could only grimace at the prospect of the others finding out what Senku had done this time.
The first to burst into the lab were none other then Stanley and Tsukasa. Xeno and Crome watched as the examined the lab, seemingly looking for anything broken or on fire. Finding nothing of the sort, the two seemed to relax slightly. "What. Happened." Stanley growled out, a fierce look on his face. Tsukasa's wasn't much better, but there was definitely more concern showing on his face.
When Xeno went to explain he was interrupted by the arrival of more of the others. Each of them doing the same visual sweep of the lab Stanley and Tsukasa had done just moments before. All of the new arrivals let out the same breath of relief, until one of them did a head count of the scientists in front of them. Gen, ever the blunt one was the first to notice.
"Where is Senku?" The mentalist asked in a weak voice. He had noticed the bundle of cloth in Xeno's arms was Senku's clothes, but the basically mad scientist was no where to be seen. At his question the two remaining scientists grimaced once again, and the others in the room gave a double take suddenly realizing their leader was not where he was supposed to be. Chaos ensued as the group panicked, looking around the room for their missing leader.
Stanley looked around, then noticed the bundle in Xeno's arms. The sight of it made his stomach drop. Looking to the side of them to the clearly turned on machine beside them, it further dropped. "Did it work?" He asked, directing his question to the scientist he believed to be looking down at the bundle of cloth in his arms because his husband's student, past student, whatever the kid was to his husband, was gone and Xeno was sad because of it.
But as Stanley looked closer, that was not the case. Xeno did not look sad at all. Instead he had a slight smile and sparkle to his eye that he usually only reserved for those he was close to or if they interesting to him. When Xeno finally looked up at him it was confirmed that his partner was not sad at all. Stanley breathed just a bit easier at that look. If something had truly happened to his husband's student (?) then he would at least look a little disappointed that the guy was gone.
"Apparently not. At least not in the way we thought it would. Though it is truly an elegant find. It seems Senku's impatience has brought us an important find." At Xeno's explanation, the group turned to him in confusion. "Though it is sad to have lost his intelligence for the time being." As Xeno finished speaking the panicked expressions returned to everyone except the two scientists and Stanley.
"SENKU'S DEAD?" Taiju yelled from the back of the pack, tears starting to stream from his eyes. The others were in a similar situation, various questions of what happened were shouted out from the crowd as well. Stanley, knowing his husband, and his highly theatrical side, knew that Xeno was only putting on a show like the true theater he was. He needed a smoke. Pulling one out, he started to light it when, out of nowhere his husband was next to him grabbing it from his lips and throwing it away from him.
Staring longing at the wasted cigarette, Stanley asked "What was that for? I know that you don't like me smoking, but you've never had that reaction before." The others slightly blanched at the whiny tone their general used when talking about his wasted cigarette. Turning to look at Xeno, they realized that his attention was no longer on his moping husband, and was instead on the bundle of Senku's clothes again.
"Not in front of the baby Stanley. It is highly inelegant to smoke in closed quarters with the young around. We also don't know if it will have adverse effects on his lungs when we eventually return him to his previous state of being." Was Xeno's answer. In the following silence you could hear a pin drop, and the soft gurgle of what was clearly a baby that originated from the bundle of cloth Xeno was holding.
"What." At Stanley's question not question, Xeno finally caught up with what he had said. Taking in the stares he was getting from the people in the room he could tell they were all still processing what Xeno had said. Sighing, Xeno held the bundle he was holding up so the others could clearly see the crimson eyes that stared into all of their souls.
"WHAAAAAAT!" Came the various yells from across the room. The noise startled Senku causing him to glower even further at the people that surround him. "Ba." Was the only noise he made with a scrunched up face. Gen passed out, Ryuusui just stared for a second before grinning madly, Tsukasa blinked before his usual impassive face cracked and turned into a questioning the universe face, the girls, besides Kohaku, all squealed at the sight of tiny Senku.
Stanley on the other hand, looked even more forlorn. "Really? You killed my cigarette because of him? It was a perfectly good cigarette as well." At Xeno's glower, Stanley practically deflated. Gen chose that time to wake up again, only for him to pass out again when he sees Senku still in baby form. Stanley glanced over at the mentalist as he passed out yet again. " What's his problem?"
"It seems our esteemed leader has managed to turn himself into a child. I have no idea how long this will last or if this is a permanent condition. It will require both Crome and I to further look into what has happened." Xeno continued, ignoring both Gen's and Stanley's actions. The latter was now prodding Gen with his boot with a sinister smile on his face. Xeno smiled slightly at the sight, enjoying that his husband had found a better outlet for his frustrations rather than smoking.
Around this time Tsukasa comes out of his questioning the world thoughts and looks at Xeno and the now identified baby Senku with a thoughtful look. "What will we do with Senku while he is in this state?" He questions looking at Xeno for an idea. The others paused their own murmurs to think about the question.
Kohaku is the first to suggest something. "What if we gave him the village treatment?" Those who had been petrified looked confused, while those who had been born to the village nodded at the suggestion. At Xeno's confused look Kohaku further explained. "We let our children wander the village and everyone keeps an eye on them, keeping them safe." For some reason, this brings great stress to Xeno.
The idea of just leaving Senku to his own devices seems like a terrible idea, even in his current baby form. Knowing the mad genius that was his student, the baby would try to make a thermal rocket out of sticks and succeed in his attempts. "No, I don't think that would work. Any other ideas?" Xeno asked to the crowd of gathered people.
The next to offer an idea is Ryuusui. "We can raise him just as much parents did for me! Just let Francois watch him while we figure out what has happened!" The idea was met with silence. Gen, who had just woken up sighed loudly.
"If that doesn't scream emotional abuse, then I don't know what does. Hey! Quit kicking me!" The last part was directed at Stanley who had taken to kicking Gen in the back as the mentalist laid on the ground. After his vict-, fellow human moved away from him, Stanley let out a displeased sigh and a sour look appeared on his face.There goes his entertainment.
After a few seconds Tsukasa was the next to present an idea. "What if someone in this group watched him, or we took turns?" At this there was a murmurs of agreement from those who had been petrified while those who hadn't looked confused.
"How is that any different from what I suggested earlier?" Kohaku brashly asked, not understanding the difference between the two ideas. Xeno hummed a little and turned his attention to her thinking about how to answer her question. Tsukasa beat him there, answering before the past mad scientist could.
"The difference is that someone would be solely responsible for watching Senku instead of just the village passively watching him. Knowing Senku's luck, he needs a constant babysitter." Tsukasa's answer in his usual impassive voice. Those who hadn't been petrified nodded in understanding, finally understanding the necessity of have Senku under constant supervision.
"Now that that's all settled, who's going to take the brat?" Stanley asks, getting impatient and anxious at not being able to smoke around the devil incarn-, his husband's student or whatever he was. After he said it the feeling from earlier returned, and when he looked at his husband he understood why. Xeno was looking at him hopefully, with full force "puppy dog" eyes or what his husband thought that meant.
To the others it was a demented look, and they suddenly felt very nervous about Senku's safety. To Stanley though, it was very effective. Letting out a sigh, he nodded his head in assent. Thinking about it now, what could go wrong? Xeno would care for the brat and all he had to do was share a space with him until Xeno figured out how to fix Senku or if one of the others took the child. The things he did for his husband.
At Stanley's nod of assent, Xeno's smile grew even bigger. "I happily volunteer myself and Stanley to watch over Senku while he is in this state!" Immediately there were shouts of disapproval from the entire group of people, sans Xeno, Stanley, and a very disgruntled Senku. A quick glare from Stanley makes all of the disagreement disappear. "No complaints? Elegant, very elegant. Now that that's settled, you all can go back to what you were doing before you came here. I will keep all of you informed on situation as time goes on!"
After signaling Stanley to usher everyone out, Xeno turns to Crome. "Do you think you could take a look at the machine to try and find out what went wrong? Obviously do not use it again for the time being. I would like to go back to my residence so I may get Senku here settled." Crome's only response was a quick nod, fearing that if he even tried to refuse the basically order Stanley would come in and 'take care of him'.
Pleased, Xeno nods his head and walks outside to join his husband so they can head to their house with their newest edition. Looking down at Senku, who was still in his arms, he was met with a cross look on the babies face. Xeno found it positively elegant. Who new that such an expression that would normally caused the villagers to think twice about their actions could look so adorable.
"Mmmm Ba." Came the non legible noise that babies made from Senku as he glared at Xeno. Chuckling Xeno looked up from Senku to see his husband standing there with both a fond and irritable look on his face. "Can we go now?" Was the only thing Stanley asked, to which Xeno only answered with a nod. With that they started walking towards their house to get Senku settled in.
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It takes them a bit to get to there residence as they had, at the time of building it, wanted some privacy from the others of their group.When they get there they quickly go inside and take stock of the place. Stanley now has second thoughts about bringing the brat home. Their house is no where near ready to have a child in it. Looking at Xeno's face he can see the man is having similar thoughts most likely.
Xeno is the first to move, saying "Obviously we are going to have to clean up the place, but that can be delt with later. Come let's go get Senku settled." Stanley nods his head in agreement. Clearly there was no going back on this. With that they both moved further into the house. Xeno is quick to set Senku on the ground in their living room in the cleared area.
Their house was fairly clean given that Xeno was a neat freak and Stanley had been in the military where they demanded cleanliness. It's just that the things they had were not exactly meant for children. Like the bookshelf that was not anchored to the wall and was full of books that had been recently made by the scientists. Or the sharp nick nacks Stanley had taken to collecting in his spare time that made appearances around the room.
In other words, it was not baby proof as they had had no warning that they would have a child in their home for longer than Stan thought necessary. But it was worth it for his husband. Anything was of course. Looking at his husband he was a bit confused why the man was heading back towards the door. "Where are you going?"
At Stanley's question, Xeno turns to look at him with a slightly confused face before suddenly realizing he hadn't said anything to Stanley. "Ah right, your not a mind-reader. I have to go back to check on the lab to make sure Crome is doing what I have asked of him. I would also like to take a look at the machine to see if I can diagnose what went wrong."
At Xeno's words, Stanley felt his heart drop. "Who's going to watch the bra-, Senku? I thought you wanted to?" Who was going to watch him if Xeno left. Did Xeno not really think about that, that was really unlikely. At Xeno's quizzical look, Stanley thought of the only person left in the house that was an adult and could possibly watch Senku. "You don't expect me to do it, right?"
At Xeno's lack of a reply Stanley knew he had correct with his guess. "What am I supposed to do with him? Give him a beer? Talk to him about my life in the Military? Worship the ground he crawls on?" He's starting to ramble now. He isn't good with kids. He doesn't know how to interact with them, let alone take care of one.
Xeno just huffs at Stanley's ramble. "Do not do any of those. Maybe a story if you can think of one. Definitely don't give him a beer, he looks to be about 1 and a 1/2 years old right now so he can't drink alcohol. Though I am sure it would highly entertain him if you did 'worship the ground he crawls on'. I know I would of when I was a baby."
Stanley just muttered about how his husband had always been a dictator. "Besides, I will only be gone for a bit. I just need to talk to Crome and check on the machine. It shouldn't take longer an hour at most." Stanley just sighed and resigned himself to his fate. "Fine, just come back soon. You know I can't handle kids."
Xeno just smiles at his husband before turning to the baby on the floor in front of them. Leaning down he met the bored gaze of Senku who had been watching them sense he had been set down. "Now, you be good for Stan okay? I will only be gone for a minute." Not waiting for an answer, Xeno straightened and turned to leave giving Stanley a quick kiss on his way out.
Sighing again, Stanley turned to look at the child that had been left in his care. Xeno could not have chosen a worse person. In return, Senku just stared right back at him. Locked in a staring contest with the brat Stanley sat down getting comfortable. This lasted for what seemed like ages before Stanley started feeling anxious again. Damn he craved a cigarette, but Xeno would kill him if he smoked in front of his protege that was now a baby.
Deciding to get a head start on their daily chores, Stanley got up and started towards the kitchen before pausing and turning to the child on the floor. They only had a couple of dishes in the sink from this morning so it should be really quick, but was it okay to leave children this age alone for a bit? Looking around the room, Stanley looked for something that might entertain the child while he did the dishes.
Finding nothing that seemed like a good choice, Stanley thought about what had entertained him as a child or what his fellow soldiers said entertained their children. That was when he got an idea. He would give Senku one of their spoons! He had remembered that children were easily entertained by simple things and their spoons fit that category while also being some what indestructible.
Looking at the kid again Stanley opened his mouth and said, "Stay." Feeling kind of stupid nodded to himself, and turned his back on the child and walked into the Kitchen to find a clean spoon. Hopefully in the few seconds he left to get the spoon nothing would happen. It took just a bit of digging because the spoons were not in their usual place for some reason and Stanley had to go looking for them.
The entire time Stanley had been looking for the spoon Senku had not made a single peep. It kinda of scared Stanley. Didn't babies make more noise than this usually? Hurrying to find the spoon, Stanley final fished one out of a cupboard and returned to the living room where he had left Senku. What he saw caused him to freeze and drop the spoon that was in his hand. Xeno was definitely going to be killing him and it would not be a slow death either.
There, sitting exactly where he had left him was Senku, but this time the baby had a gun clutched in his tiny pudgy hands grinning like a mad man. Stanley felt several emotions. Fear, pride, and confusion are a only a few he could name at the moment. "Ah!" Senku happily chirped when he saw Stanley walking back into the room. "That's a baby Senku with a gun." Stanley stated out loud with a disbelieving voice.
Stanley looked around to see if he was dreaming. Maybe this was all a really bad dream and he would wake and get to tell Xeno all about it. Of course he would then be lectured by his husband about how such a thing could never happen. Pinching himself brought him out of that dream and back to the situation at hand.
"It's a baby Senku with a gun!" Stanley repeats as he tries to think about what to do in this situation. Then he gets an idea. "I'm calling Xeno. Wait, he would kill me if he knew." That idea is quickly squashed. Looking back at the child Stanley again repeats, "It's a baby Senku with a gun." But this time he feels a headache coming on. Maybe a smoke would help clear his thoughts.
Just as he's about to put it to his lips unlighted he turns to the kid. "Stress smoking." Is the only explanation he gives. At the kid's unimpressed stare Stanley remembers his husband again and how his husband would revive and kill him again if he smoked right now. Groaning, Stanley took it out of his mouth and put it back. "It's just sugar." He said to the baby, not knowing why he felt a bit defensive and like he had to hide what a cigarette was.
Looking at the kid again, Stanley realized that the kid looked kind of adorable holding a gun. It reminded him of pictures he had seen of himself as a kid with his dad at a gun range. "Awe, It's a baby Senku with a gun." Then he was again reminded of the situation at hand. "It's a Senku with a Gun." He reminded his self, voice full of apprehension and raised a bit in volume throwing his hands up in the air.
While Stanley was having an existential crisis at finding his charge with a gun in his hands, Senku was having the time of his life. The funny man in front of him had started making funny dance moves when he discovered that Senku had found his new toy. Within moments of having his new toy, Senku knew that if he pulled the lever thing of the bottom of the toy a thing would happen. He just didn't know what yet. Maybe this perfect practice target would help him.
Stanley suddenly had a thought. What if someone had snuck in and given the baby the gun. Turning to the child again he seriously got down on one knee and looked the child in his crimson red eyes. "Who gave that to you? Was it Gen? I will get him back for this if it was." Across the village Gen suddenly had a strong want to go on a vacation far away from the village for a bit. Just then Stanley had another thought.
Walking over to the phone that past Senku had decided to put in everyone's home for convenience he picked it up and asked to talk to Tsukasa. Getting patched to him, Stanley asked "Does the Medusa work on gun shot wounds?" He was met with silence before he heard the younger man reply.
"Yes?" Stanley hummed looking back at Senku who had turned around to be able to continue look at him still holding the gun he had found. "Oh really?" Stanley said before he remembered that he already knew that answer. "Wait nevermind, sorry got to go!" He rushed out despite Tsukasa's calls for him to wait through the speaker.
"What if I were to kick you out?" Stanley questions, looking at the baby. He is met with a gun pointed at his chest and a baby Senku smiling like a mad man. "Nevermind." Sighing in defeat, Stanley looks around the room and sees the spoon he dropped. Getting an idea, he grabs it and walks towards Senku. "How about a trade? I give you this, and you give me that?"
Quickly Stanley takes the gun from Senku's tiny hands and replaces it with the spoon. Sighing again, but this time in relief, Stanley looks down. Now his husband won't ever find out about what had happened in his absence. When he looks back at Senku there is another gun in his baby hands, and Stanley just about gives up on life right there and then.
Stanley sighs before a thought comes to mind. "I'm really stupid." Pointing the gun he had taken from Senku at Senku and feeling a little frustrated at this hole debacle, Stanley says. "It's not nice, isn't? I'm a man with a gun. What are you? You're a baby with a gun. You're nothing." Just as he's finishing speaking, Stanley comes to his senses and lowers the gun.
"Oh what am I doing. You didn't deserve that. You're just young, here take mine." Just as he's giving Senku the gun again Stanley realizes his mistake. "Oh no, It's a baby Senku with two guns." Stanley feels like breaking down right now. Covering his eyes as if he can pretend none of this happened, Stanley says "Where's baby Senku? There's Baby Senku. Why don't you leave? Why did Xeno put me in this situation?"
Walking into his kitchen Stanley sits behind the counter, hiding from Senku. "I'm hiding in the kitchen now." Then he realizes that was another mistake he made. He seemed to be making a lot of those recently. Hurrying back into the living room he sees Senku hasn't moved an inch, and still has two guns in his lap and hands. "You know, I kinda want you to shoot me." Stanley begins, looking into Senku's crimson eyes.
"That way, when Xeno revives me through petrifying me and then un-petrifying me and asks 'Oh Stanley, How did you die?' I can say I was shot by a baby Senku with a gun!" The last part is yelled at Senku. Who just widens his eyes, and then giggles at the strange man making fun loud noises at him.
"Don't laugh at me. You're a sick- You're a sick Baby Senku with a gun. Just like your older self." Stanley says before he sees that Senku has aimed the barrel of the gun at him. Quickly moving in different directions, Stanley continues to speak. "Not easy, is it? Not easy to hit a moving target, huh?" With a loud bang, Stanley is proven incorrect.
Cursing like a sailor, Stanley puts pressure on the graze the bullet had made on his left arm. He's kinda of impressed, proud even. But mainly his pride is a little hurt. "Is older you this good with a gun? I'll have to ask him when Xeno fixes you. Where did you even get the second gun? I thought I only had one gun in the house." Sighing, Stanley looks at baby Senku again.
If only Xeno was here, he would be able to take control of the situation. But no, he had to leave Stanley with this demon and check on his stupid labs. Deciding that enough was enough, Stanley walked over to Senku and tried taking the guns. He failed. Bewildered, Stanley looked at Senku again. "You know what, I'll deal with this after I patch my wound. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."
With that Stanley turned and headed to the bathroom for the primitive first-aid kit they kept in it. To busy trying to dig it out, Stanley didn't hear the front door open or another person rush in. What he did hear was talking. "Woo, no ones dead. Thank goodness. Awwwww, look at little baby Senku- AH WAIT, OH NO HE'S GOT A GUN! AGH (bang) AGH (bang) AHHHHHHH (bang, really loud thud)" Rushing out of the bathroom Stanley finds Gen on the ground in front of Senku.
There's three red holes in the mentalist's leg, and arms. Guessing from the thud, the leg was the last thing shot. Turning to Senku, Stanley ignores Gen's pleas for help. "Now I have to tell Xeno about you having a gun so he can fix this guy. I know I told you not to do anything I wouldn't do, but did you have to take that in a literal sense?" Senku just giggled happily, finally releasing the guns from his grip in order to hit Gen on the face with his hands.
Smiling at the scene, Stanley shakes his head fondly. Can never start them to early, can you. "Can you please get help? I'm bleeding out over here." Stanley glares at the man currently bleeding out on his floor. How dare he interrupt his bonding moment with the demon.
"What are you doing here anyway? Aren't you supposed to be doing something?" Stanley asks in a sour voice. Gen just blinks at him. One moment the guy (Stanley) was smiling and having a good old time, the next he was glaring at Gen as if he had caused world hunger even though he had been shot. Talk about Bipolar.
" I heard a gun shot and came to make sure Senku was okay and that you hadn't tried to kill him again." Gen answers, tone laced in pain as he starts to feel the pain of the gun shots Senku had caused. Stanley just huffs at the words. Of course they didn't trust him. Sighing he turns to the phone again, already planning his funeral in his head.
Picking up the phone, he called Xeno. It only took a bit before his husband picked up the phone. "What is it. I'm almost done, and will be back soon." Stanley tries to hide his wince, but something must have verbally cued his husband that something had happened. "What happened? Is Senku okay?"
"Ah, well, you see-" Stanley starts before he's cut off by Xeno. "What. Happened." Stanley sighs before he tells Xeno a brief summary of what has occurred. There's a brief pause before Xeno speaks again. "I'll be there in a second with the Medusa and some miracle fluid to fix Gen. But don't think you're getting scot free of this situation, you're sleeping on the couch tonight." Stanley can't help but whine at the punishment.
"But the couch isn't as comfortable as the bed, and it wasn't my fault." Xeno only hums in disapproval before he hangs up. Muttering angrily, Stanley turns to Gen and kicks him again causing the boy to yelp in pain. "This is your fault. If you hadn't shown up I could have hidden Senku's escapade with guns today." Gen just stares at him in bewilderment, and Senku laughs at the pain the other is going through.
Stanley grins at the sight. Maybe Senku wasn't as bad of a kid that he thought.
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Just as promised Xeno shows up and heals Gen with the Medusa and revival fluid, and is sent on his way without any apologies. Stanley is given a lecture about why he shouldn't have left his guns laying around where a baby could reach them. He is then left to suffer the rest of the night on the couch. The end.