Work Text:
The petrification was nothing like the first. This time Gen had people to worry about, that he wanted to see alive, uninjured. The last… however many years he was petrified for this time felt more agonizing than the 3700 he had to endure alone— at least then he could focus on getting himself out of it alive. Now, he could hardly think of himself. Not when Kohaku had never returned. Not when Taiju had blown up in his face. Not when Ryusui had been shot mere meters from him.
Not when Senku had been shot in front of him.
The most he could do to keep himself awake was imagine him. Waking up in the morning before him, staring at his face while it scrunched from the sun, getting yelled at for laughing at him, then getting ushered back to his hut before the others woke up too. Those few minutes he had to wait before emerging again were always the coldest.
Not knowing if either would awake this time, Gen couldn't help but wish they were able to tell the group. Able to be less secretive about it. Since they started the trip for corn, and the mess it turned into, there was barely a minute Gen was able to even hold his lover's hand, let alone get alone for long enough to sneak a kiss.
Someone was always awake, it was always too risky, not worth it to get caught… Senku's words.
Now, he wished he'd pushed harder. Forced his way into Senku's private room, banged on the walls for the rest of the ship to hear.
Was it a selfish thought? Sure. He understood the prejudice in Japan, how they may react to them being together. But that didn't stop it from hurting, him being a secret and all.
Ignoring that all, the most he wants is to be free right now, just to be able to glance at Senku's face for another second. He lost count of how many times he'd cried in his subconscious, if that was even possible.
...
He doesn't know how many years have passed until he's finally awake again. When the warm air of the day brushes against his skin. When he feels the familiar weight of clothing (well, kind of). When he sees Senku.
Senku.
He's walking around, reviving the others. He doesn't look relieved at all, not at all how Gen is feeling right now. Like how his heart feels like it’s about to beat out of his chest, how he wants to curl up in a ball and cry some more.
He can barely stomach the idea of watching as Senku revives Hyoga, and wanders off to look at the American soldiers up close, along with Stanley and Xeno. He doesn't even feel remotely himself until he's back in his regular clothing (God knows how he managed to get them back).
…
He does his best to avoid being alone with Senku until night falls.
It seems like everyone has avoided the right-hand spot beside Senku when they all gather around the fire, even Luna, and it isn't filled until the scientist himself urges him over with his eyes. They’ve semi-learned to communicate like that, to get around without actual words being said. Made it a lot easier to be sneaky.
He knows his poker face is as good as it gets, so no one asking him if he's alright isn't a huge surprise. Other than Suika, in passing, who was asking if everyone was alright after being revived. And watching everyone around the fire with big smiles, in clean clothes and no wounds… that was enough for him. And the plate of food in front of him, of course.
“Francios really does make the best food, huh?” Senku has turned his head slightly toward Gen to make the comment, and if Gen's heart didn't flutter for a beat. Damn him…
Gen nodded, thankful for the way he'd stuffed his mouth seconds prior, because he didn't have to hear his own voice shake when he responded.
While everyone finished, and some went for seconds, Gen knew the best way to get his heart rate back to normal was, of course, a Mentalist Magic Show! He didn't miss the way Suika's eyes lit up, like she was still a child in the village.
He also didn’t miss the way Senku and Tsukasa had snuck away, then Chrome following in their path. Gen was waiting, very impatiently, may he add, for a minute alone with Senku. Just to see if he missed Gen as much as he missed the other.
Such, once everyone was content with his work, he slipped away himself to catch on to the tail-end of the conversation. Something about the device being able to revive the dead, granting eternal life. As a mentalist, it was easy to see how it could go wrong.
He had already skipped away by the time they returned.
…
By the time he gets any kind of time alone with Senku, it’s nearly 3 days after he was revived and it's all hushed whispered and rushed hands. Gen had managed to slip away when Senku announced he was going to look for something in the forest. He didn't specify, no one asked, and that was Gen's cue.
Gen can barely keep Senku's mouth off his lips for longer than 5 seconds to get any kind of words out before he bites the scientist's lower lip. And if his pout isn't cuter than how desperate he's acting… Gosh, what was Gen even worried about?
“Hang on, Senku-chan,” Gen has to basically beg, his hands on Senku's chest as he pushes him away.
Gen always finds that Senku is uncharacteristically not Senku around him when they're alone, especially when he’s “deprived of Gen” (Senku's words). He sparks more conversations about regular things, touches him a lot more, looks into his eyes more. It's a little frustrating.
Senku pulls away as requested, frowning a little as his hands settle on Gen's waist, inside his robe but not undressing him. Yet.
“What, Mentalist? I know it's been 7 years, or longer, counting the boat trip, but you can't possibly have lost feelings for me, have you?” Senku looks at the mentalist like a lost puppy, begging him to not confirm his fears.
Gen's face scrunches, “Of course not, idiot! My loyalty knows no bounds, even in this stone world.” His hands come to cup Senku's face, running his thumbs over his face like he was still a statue. He was silent, even as Senku stared at him with piercing eyes.
Finally, Gen speaks again, his bottom lip quivering even as he tried to hide it. However uncharactistic Senku was with him, Gen was at least 10 billion percent more.
“You got… shot. In front of me,” he says, his voice shaking as his hands slide down to grip Senku's collar between his hands. “I know you've died many times in front of me, but this was… different. Maybe it was the guns, the corner we were backed into… but it felt too real, like… like I was going to really lose you.”
Gen can’t afford to look at Senku now, not when he's on the verge of tears like this. Definitely uncool.
Then, Senku is pulling Gen in, closer to his chest, his arms hugged tightly around the mentalist's waist. Senku rests his head on the other's shoulder, his breathing slow and slightly broken. He didn't speak, too scared, the same way Gen was just a few minutes prior.
“... I was just as scared. Knowing you were a few feet away, hearing Stanley's gun go off, but unable to see who got hit, worrying it was you. I thought I was going to lose my mind trying to keep my chill in front of Dr. Xeno,” Senku confessed, his face hidden in Gen's neck.
Gen sucks in a hard breath. He'd spent the whole time worrying that Senku was more than just hurt, his irrational feelings causing irrational thoughts. Guess the same went for Senku.
“... Guess even geniuses like you can't escape irrationality when it comes to people they care about,” Gen hummed, his arms around Senku's neck as he pulled him in just as tight.
It's silent for a few minutes, other than the sound of wildlife and the loud group over yonder. Gen can't help but think when everything would return to normal. If this would be over, just a passing fling when the world is restored. He can't help the way his heart clenches at the thought.
He buries himself deeper into the other's neck, just as Senku is doing to him.
Despite the sweet moment, Senku's hands are sneaky and relentless, especially since it's been so long.
“Senku-chan!” Gen shrieks, swatting at the hands trying to untie his clothing but not really trying to stop Senku, “You sure know how to ruin a nice moment…” he mutters, wiping the tears that managed to slip down his face.
Gen was still pressed against a tree, after all, and Senku couldn't help but take the opportunity. “I just missed you so much…” he admitted solemnly, shrugging Gen's robe off.
“Oh, whatever… you look good in red, by the way,” the mentalist smirks, pulling Senku back on him. Immediately, their lips are pressed together again.
All the worries, from both of them, melt away into a pile of clothing and hushing each other's sounds with their mouths and hands. Hands reach farther than the words they would've shared, which both are content with. And before either are aware… they fall asleep right there, under the stars. Like they haven't slept at all since they parted.
… partially true.
In the morning, when the sun rises and Gen is still bare against Senku's rising and falling chest, he takes a moment to look up at the other's face.
The way it scrunches at the sunlight, a hand flying over his face. He stifles a laugh, before reality settles in.
Suddenly, they're both up, scrambling for clothes and something to carry back, to act like they found something. They run back to the ruins, both red in the face and marks crawling up their necks. Gen's are better hidden, but Senku's are impossible to hide.
Everyone notices. No one says anything.