Chapter Text
Things had happened in quick succession after the end of Stone Wars. They had made a functional ship, visited the treasure island and came back only to set out for another voyage, this time towards America.
Now they had been on the ship for a while already. It had been peaceful until Senku and Ryusui had their disagreement on what would be the best route to reach their destination.
Luckily Senku and Ryusui were civilised people and knew how to settle their differences in a gentlemanly manner. Opening up a casino was a wonderful way to liven up the atmosphere and poker was a superior method to decide the route.
Gen had quickly volunteered himself to Ryusui's team. Of course Gen wanted to take part in the once in a lifetime high-stakes match. And of course he wanted to skew the results to his favour.
Skewing the results was also easier when no-one knew which side he was really playing on. Cardplay, illusions and lying were all his areas of expertise.
From the get go, the match couldn't be anything but entertaining. And entertaining it was.
–
After the intense game of poker the sea breeze felt good on Gen’s face.
“So, you let the Casanova win”, Ukyo stated leaning on the railing next to Gen.
“Don't tell others, I don't think they noticed.” Gen said looking at the ocean, “He was actually somewhat impressive with the cards. But I might also be a little weak when it comes to him.”
“I can see that.” Ukyo smiled. “How's the thing between you two going by the way? You've been awfully quiet about it.”
“It's a bit complicated.” Gen sighed. He thought back to the carving on the tree with Senku's depetrification date. “I mean, I've had a teeny tiny crush on him before we even met.”
“Now I'm pretty sure-…” Gen fiddled with his fingers but continued, “I think I might be in love with the guy. But we only really hook up. So there's that. I don't know what he wants for the future.”
Ukyo looked confused. “How does the master of mentalism not figure out what Senku wants? Have you tried asking him? I don't think he knows how to answer in a way that is not straightforward.”
“You know me,” Gen smiled. “I'm the greatest coward you'll find on this ship - if you don't count Ginro. I don't want to find out if the answer is not to my liking.”
“- Besides”, Gen continued, “even if it would work out for a while, I find it difficult to see how a relationship between me and Senku would last once the world modernizes again.”
Ukyo raised an eyebrow. “How come? Catastrophic much?”
“Right now things are easy because everything is so small. Everybody needs one another and we have to see each other every day. That won't be true much longer.”
Ukyo looked contemplative. “I fail to see how that would ruin chances for a relationship.”
“I know my role,” Gen answered. “Diplomacy is going to be quite important when we get more people unpetrified. It will require constant travelling and smooching. Who will Senku trust to handle it if not for the lil’ old me? And Senku will be needed here, at the very center of it all.”
“So you're pre-emptively putting a stop to it because you think you will not be able to make time for one another. Am I getting this right?”
“Close enough.”
Ukyo sighed. “I think you're simultaneously both underestimating and overestimating your value. I find it hard to believe Senku would want you gone for extended periods of time. You're useful here too. And I'm sure there will be others too who can handle diplomacy.”
“Well, this is all hypothetical anyway.” Gen said while waving his hand dismissively, “I'm not taking my chances. And I'm fine with this, easier not to have expectations. Do you want to talk about your throuple -situation or shall we move on?”
Ukyo raised his hands up and changed his tone into a placating one. “Okay, I see I have hit a sore spot. Won't bring it up again. But you know I'm here for you if you need me.”
Gen smiled again, “I know. You are a good friend.”
“Well then, I'll leave you to your moping. I'm going to check out the new bar.”
Ukyo waved at Gen and left without further comments.
Gen would need to move too, if he wanted to have a moment of peace.
–-
Soon after Ukyo left Gen alone, Gen moved below the deck. Some time later Senku found him in a secluded corner next to the lab.
“Did you let me win?” Senku asked as he closed the door behind him.
“I will neither confirm nor deny.” Gen answered.
Senku quickly checked that there was no-one else around and came to the conclusion that they were alone.
Senku crowded Gen easily against a table. “For a second I thought I truly beat you at your game but for some reason I keep finding more and more cards in my pockets. Including the king, queen, jack and ten of hearts. Also a card from the tarot deck for some reason?”
Gen hummed to himself noncommittally.
Senku continued, “You had the chance to change all of Ryusui's cards to make another royal flush, why didn't you? Did you just enjoy making me work for it?”
“It was delightful, very entertaining.” Gen smiled playfully.
“My face disagrees,” Senku pouted.
“You made your own choices by cheating with an allergenic substance the way you did. But the swelling seems to have gone down.” Gen lightly traced Senku's face with his fingers.
“Yeah.”
They stared at each other intensely while Gen continued to touch Senku's face. Gen licked his lips and withdrew his hand.
“I also kept wondering” Senku said as he reached for Gen's new necklace in return “where did you find this chain?”
“Yuzuriha said it was excess material from all the electrics they made at some point. Do you like it?”
“I see.” Senku said without answering the question. Then Senku dragged him forward by the necklace and kissed him.
“You look hot. Not just your outfit. Seeing you confident in your abilities… that somehow does it for me nowadays.” Senku whispered.
Senku then kissed him again. Gen let himself enjoy the demanding lips and the tongue that found its way to his mouth. Senku was such a good kisser now. He knew exactly what Gen liked.
Senku broke the kiss to focus on Gen's neck. Gen let out a pleased sigh.
“Senku darling, I love what you're doing to me but we really can't continue.”
Senku immediately leaned back. And lifted an eyebrow.
“This ship is too small, somebody is going to walk in on us and I think we'd rather avoid that.”
Senku leaned in once more for a single chaste kiss and then backed off.
“You're right, as always”, Senku admitted and laughed. “I didn't think about this aspect while designing the ship.”
“Of course not”, Gen laughed with him. “Maybe better that way to be honest.”
Senku took the cards from his pocket and handed them back to Gen. “When did you manage to sneak these in my pocket, by the way?”
A mischievous smile played on Gen's lips. “Before the match of course.”
“Why the tarot card though?”
“I thought the star would inspire you”, Gen chuckled.
Senku blinked at him. “Yeah, that doesn't explain anything. But I don't think I need to understand the tarot, so maybe you don't need to try to explain more.”
Gen laughed and gestured at Senku to get going. “You've got people waiting for you on the deck, you should go before someone actually comes to look out for you.”
Senku moved to the door, but turned around before opening it again. “I have some space next to my futon, if my old roommate gets cold at night.”
“You are such a darling, someday I might even take you up on your offer.”
“Are you going to come up to the opening of the bar?”
“Soon. You go ahead.”
–-
The way to America goes as smoothly as it can. They manage to weather the storms and the quiet times.
Senku and Gen sleep next to each other irregularly. Usually, when Gen manages to interrupt Senku's innovative night time work to drag him to sleep. It can't be called cuddling exactly, but it is not far from it either.
Gen could say that they have become even closer than before - although the circumstances haven't allowed them to be physically as close for several months.
They keep talking about mundane things when Senku is not in the middle of something critical. Like which college they wanted to go to and what they would have studied if they wouldn't have been petrified. Like what Gen wanted to try doing next in his show.
Gen gets to witness Senku getting tipsy for the first time. Senku starts talking way too fast about rocket building for anyone to follow. Only Taiju keeps nodding along as usual and Yuzuriha laughs comfortably.
Gen can say he has become friends with Taiju and Yuzuriha too. They are wonderful individuals. Taiju is always positive and encouraging. Yuzuriha is as funny as she is skilled with her hands. Yuzuriha helps Gen to make his pockets even more convenient for storage purposes. She also has a surprisingly good ear for gossip, which Gen learns to appreciate.
In addition to being wonderful people, Gen admires their ability to support Senku so easily, without words needed. They really know Senku very well.
Later in the evening Senku starts to seem a bit sluggish from his drink. For some reason he seeks out Gen and starts leaning on his shoulder for support while he continues to explain his views about the Higgs particle. Taiju and Yuzuriha just smile at him when Gen looks at them with confusion. Gen ends up just nodding along to Senku's explanation even though most of it goes over his head.
When Senku eventually quiets down Taiju helps Gen drag him to his bed and Senku refuses to let Gen go elsewhere to sleep.
All in all, everything is going so well.
Then they find land and get ambushed by a machine gun.