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“Oh Gen, can you be a diplomat? I swear it’s not the same thing as a politician,” Gen abridged his mocking. “It’s not like you’ll have to make policy, just talk to people who do,” Even rolling his suitcase on the frictionless stone felt like too much for his arms.
He had planned to sleep on the plane rides over but between the media frenzy and rescheduling meetings he was too swamped to take anything more than a few power naps.
Sure, let's have the former wanna-be dictator run a presentation. Cause he never overreacts.
Worse part was he had to find a way to professionally say “No Xeno didn’t threaten to turn all of you to stone,” in the 3 days before his next flight out to Washington.
Pulling out his keys he had unceremoniously thrown into his pocket, he was able to breathe a sigh of relief. When he pushed open the door and the apartment was actually on the other side, and not just something his exhausted mind imagined, he swore he felt a tear shed.
“Oh shit, you’re back early?” A voice called from further in.
“Hmhhh,” Gen only bothered to pull his suitcase a few meters in the door before closing it and heading to the living room.
“They bump up your departure time?” Senkuu asked.
“Uh hum,” Gen took the spot on the couch right next to the other.
Gen molded himself against the cushions, letting out a measly groan. When he opened his eyes he quickly shut them again. He was too tired to question a stack of books on top of their coffee table. Or why Senkuu was still wearing his labcoat.
“Care to say anything else?” Though he didn’t open his eyes, he could still picture his partner’s smirk.
“I’m not talking to you,” Gen tapped Senkuu’s shoulder.
“I’ve barely said anything,” Senkuu placed his palm on Gen’s cheek and guided his head to the scientist’s shoulder.
“For recommending me as a diplomat,” Gen replied.
“Ahh,” Senkuu absent-mindedly sounded. “My bad,” He tried to still one arm as the other arm typed.
“...Glad we agree,” Gen mused for a second. “And, honestly, you should make me a hot chocolate,”
“Thought you said you weren’t talking to me,” Senkuu commented.
He shrugged. “Worth a shot,” Gen placed a hand on top of Senkuu’s still resting on his cheek. “So, what are you doing?”
“Getting ready for an interview,”
“Oh?” Well that answered his second observation. “In the living room? What about your office?”
“It was planned last minute,” Senkuu tried to shrug. “And about the office, probably best you don’t check,” And that answered the first.
Normally, he’d roll his neck to see if the office door was suspiciously the only door closed but… “I hope therefore it shall” Or however it went. “In how long?”
“In about 4 minutes, but the interviewer wanted to check the camera and audio quality, so really a minute,” Senkuu replied, clicking through tabs.
“Rueial-cay,” Gen sighed, rolling his head off Senkuu’s shoulder. “Guess I'll have to make only myself hot chocolate then,”
Senkuu humorously huffed.“Ya ya,” The two shared a quick kiss before Senkuu focused back on his laptop. Gen, with a few joints popping, pushed himself to his feet. “Oh, could you add cinnamon to mine actually?”
“Sure,”
“Oh also how did the discussions go?” Senkuu set his laptop atop the book pile.
“Probablyyy best I tell you afterwards,” Best not to sour Senkuu’s day before his first interview.
Gen headed to the fridge for the milk. Though perhaps a little more drawn out than he’d normally be. Despite having the informal title of “the restorer of humanity” Senkuu didn’t do any formal interviews. The most Gen had seen Senkuu do was talk for a bit at a press conference, but even then, he didn’t take any questions. (After all, that was usually Gen’s job)
Could be interesting. Maybe he’s gotten better at that sort of thing.
Gen took a second to pretend to pick which milk he wanted to use. The recipe called for whole but Gen was glancing between that and oat. Nothing that would stand out from a corner of an eye.
Senkuu had the camera angled so it would face perpendicularly away from the kitchen. So Gen could see Senkuu and the laptop, but the interviewer would only be able to see Senkuu.
“Ah hello! Can you hear me?” A voice asked in English.
And like that Gen figured out which label said: “whole”.
“Yeah, I can hear you,” Senkuu replied.
“Great! First let me just say thank you so much for agreeing to do this Dr. Ishigami. I’m sure a lot of people over here are excited to hear what your organization is doing,” The interviewer sounded excited but didn’t quite have the tone of nativity that usually followed.
“I hope so,” Though Senkuu might not have picked up on that.
“Course, um now, I read your email and I totally get it. We’re only here to talk about your organization. Nothing more,” The interviewer reassured. It was unprompted but still..
It’s probably nothing. If Senkuu trusts this person I’m sure he did his research.
And with that Gen tuned out their conversation in favor of trying to find where he had left the cocoa powder.
As the interview went on Gen was overheard snippets he recognized from memos and conversations with Senkuu. From the sound of it, topics the scientist was more than comfortable speaking about. (Ones that could keep a partner up till 12 at night)
Once the milk was warm enough Gen threw in a few dark chocolate chips into the mix. It was a very careful process. Add too little and the bitterness would hit like an afternote. Add too much and the whole drink would become bitter. After a few seconds of stirring, Gen brought the mixture to his lips to taste.
“Alright and while we’re here, we wanted to ask about your organization's latest presentation here,” Gen froze. Since Xeno worked with Senkuu, his presentation would fall under KOS’s scope. “Obviously, it wasn’t televised but it’s being reported that Dr. Wingfield threatened to re-petrify the other scientists in the room. Do you have any thoughts on that?” Gen and Senkuu quickly glanced at each other before Senkuu hit a few buttons on his laptop. “Dr. Ishigami? Hello?”
Senkuu sighed. “Please tell me-” Gen shook his head. “Shitttt.” He hissed.
“Hey, is there something wrong with the internet? His camera and mic cut out,” The interview presumably talked to a person off screen.
“Gen, can you still imitate me?” Senkuu quickly whispered.
“Probably, why?’ Gen whispered back despite Senkuu having muted himself.
“Pretend to be me and answer the question,”
“How would that work?”
“I-I don’t know?! Say the camera turned off or something,” Senkuu sputtered
“That’s not how laptops work!” Gen protested.
“It’s on his end then?” The interview’s voice sounded much closer now.
“Gen!”
“Fine!” Gen clicked the stove off and leaned over the back of the couch. It was only a few strides but he had moved so fast it felt like his organs were trying to catch up with him “Oh! yeah sorry, internet cut out for a second,” Gen rested a few fingers at the base of his neck. The impression was a few octaves too high and a bit wobbly.
“And your camera?” The man in the bigger box on the screen asked.
Gen finally got a look at the interviewer. His hair was greying in a few places, he had silly round glasses, and a kind smile. His image was definitely well curated, except for his eyes, which were too sharp to fit with the rest of the look.
So that’s it huh?
“Had to switch to my phone,” Gen quickly cut in.
“Alright then…,” There was a little hesitation in his voice. “Well, back to my last question, what are your thoughts on Dr. Wingfield’s comments?”
“We recognize the scientist's concerns and we’re talking to Dr. Wingfield about appropriate phrasing, but what was said was said out of a moment of frustration and not a threat from Dr. Wingfield. Of course, we understand the confusion and hope to clear up any misunderstandings in our next presentation. ” Was that a far departure from anything Senkuu would say? Yes. But who would call him on it? The interviewer trying too hard to look docile?
“Are you saying he didn’t threaten them with re-petrification?”
“Petrification was never brought up, no,” It was true enough. Xeno did just motion to Why-Man.
“And do you consider that behavior acceptable?”
“As I said, we’re talking to Dr. Wingfield about appropriate phrasing and appropriate displays of frustration,” Gen restated.
The interviewer pressed his lips a bit. “Well, It’s good to hear that,” His smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Thank you for taking the time out of your day to speak with us, and we’ll be sure to check in with you after your next presentation,"
“Thank you for having me,” Gen’s smile, however, did reach his eyes.
Like that the window closed and the light by the microphone button blinked off. After a few seconds of watching the screen, the two of them collapsed.
“So what did Xeno do?” Senkuu leaned his head over the couch’s back.
“He said everything except I’ll turn you to stone,” Gen replied.
“Helpful,” Senkuu groaned. “You talked to him about it yet?”
“No I was going to leave that to you,”
“Fair enough,”
Another short pause as they reached for the other’s hand.
“He’s not gonna believe that was me is he?” Senkuu snorted.
“I think it was a pretty good imitation,” Gen rolled his head to face the other.
“Yeah, but would it have killed you to make me sound a little more natural?” Senkuu smirked.
Gen’s eye nearly twitched. “It might! Any public thing you say I also have to deal with!” If there was ever anyone who knew how to get on Gen’s nerves.
“See, that’s why I have you do the public speaking,” Of course, it had to be the person who knew him the best.
God, one of these days.
“You’re impossible,” Gen squeezed Senkuu's hand a tad tighter.