💛❤️- Read as platonic or romantic (mostly platonic)
(A/N: I feel like I could have added more to this but my brain isn’t braining)
Senku
- Another sleepless night.
- They’ve been happening more recently.
- Sometimes you make yourself stay up in hopes you’ll have a full nights rest the next day. And sometimes you simply can’t stay sleeping, nightmares and thoughts plagued your mind.
- You didn’t think there was any reason to tell anyone since everyone had their own role to play; more important things to do.
- So the nightmares were pushed to the side while you continued to do your work.
- Of course, your lack of sleep showed in the quality of work you were producing.
- There have been times you were in the middle of making something and you slowly drifted off.
- Usually the people would just laugh it off and joke about it, but Senku… he could tell something was up.
- So he pulled you aside one night and asked what was going on. Partly because you can’t be half asleep while making fragile science stuff, and partly because he’s concerned for his friend.
- You come clean. About the horrid thoughts, and nightmares that would keep you paralyzed under your blanket for nights on end.
- The first thing he thought of was to pump you full of melatonin. Sleepy pill to make you tired enough that you can’t fight against it. But obviously that won’t completely solve your nightmare problems.
- You, Senku, and a small group spent a day to gather materials and the rest was up to Senku to create the melatonin.
- During the nights he worked, he let you rest in his lab and watch.
- There were a couple times you drifted off but not too long after you jumped awake.
- Senku tried his best to calm you down with soft words. He’s not very touchy but if you wanted a hug he’ll let you hug him.
- Might be stiff the first time but after seeing how badly these dreams affect you, he throws his own discomfort out the window; you’re more important.
- The melatonin works sometimes, you can actually get a full nights rest on occasion.
- But on nights when it’s bad Senku lets you sleep next to him in his hut.
- He’ll get grumpy sometimes if you keep waking him up. He knows it’s not your fault though so he’s patient ^_^
- There have been times when he’s had to wake you up himself because he sees you struggling in your sleep.
- During those times he’ll simply shake you awake and try to ground you. Hold your hand, keep you focused on him, and say things like: “It’s okay, you’re still here with me” or “It was just a dream, I’ve got you.”
- Senku will pull you into him as your hands grip onto his clothes for support. He might even run his fingers through your hair if he finds it calms you down.
- Over all, he’s very patient and tries to find a solution to your nightmares; even if it means giving you a hug or two :>
Senku exhales deeply and releases the small screwdriver he’s holding in his right hand, and as the metal clatters quietly on his work surface, he admits to himself that for the first time possibly in his entire life, he’s having issues with concentration.
Taking a swig of long-cooled coffee in his left and smoothing out a blueprint that he’d normally have committed to memory on the desk before him, he pores over the details of his newest invention again, but as the acrid taste of double shot espresso, taken black, hits his tongue, a flash of your wide smile comes to mind instead. The vision of you practically sweetens the aftertaste. He sighs, downs the rest of his coffee, then rubs his face with both his hands. Tilting back in his chair, he crosses his arms over his chest, jittery hands that now yearn to hold something soft and warm instead of being made to work.
Love is the most irrational thing on Earth, really.
Glancing at the digital clock just above his work desk, he finds that it’s late, close to 1 am, and you’re probably long since snoozing with far better sleep hygiene than he can ever afford (although he knows better, he always does). Perhaps if he just spoke to you, he’d be able to get that natural, primitive urge for companionship out of his system, that evolutionary shackle that keeps people fitting the mold rather than breaking through for societal advancement, but he only knows that feeding that desire is akin to throwing fresh meat to an endlessly hungry horde of dogs - never satisfied, always wanting more… a loud and wanting demand in his chest that doesn’t wane.
His curious nature finally proves to be a detriment because rather than uncover the laws of the natural and advanced world, he wonders if he could know you to the very atomic level. What your likes are, your dislikes… how your heart stays tender and pliable even at the worst of times… how kindness is communicated from your thoughts to words spoken sweetly through soft lips… how you decide what to wear, what gives you comfort… if you think you’re as pleasing to the eyes and soul as he finds you…
He shakes his head as he contemplates himself wasting precious time thinking about a woman, but you’re not just any woman, are you? You’re that person who generates that specific neurochemical cocktail that keeps him preoccupied, distracted - sitting in a chair in the middle of the night wondering if you’ve slept well and if you’d be interested in him picking your brain.
He looks at his phone, then looks away. He picks up his wrench, then places it back down.
His heart races for a moment, and he looks upset at the coffee cup, now consumed to the dregs. If he could make another cup, perhaps he could regain his focus, perhaps…
He rises for a moment, sits back down, and in a split, uncalculated decision picks up his phone and calls.
And you pick up on the second ring.
“... Senku?”
Your voice lacks the grogginess that would engender guilt for waking you up in the middle of the night. His mouth opens then closes for a moment, pulse quickening faster than any stimulant could hope to accomplish, and he quickly comes up with something to say. Anything, before you lose interest and question him just as badly as he questions himself.
“I need to run something by you. Do you mind?”
He can practically sense your smile on the other end of the line and it warms him from inside out.
Whether you understand his newest contraption is moot because you listen enthusiastically and you ask the right questions and he’s delighted just by the sound of your breathing on the other end of the phone -
Appetite for you whetted, satiated, and yet never truly full.
cw: fem!Reader, POV Third Person, fluff, unedited
word count: 1.2k
◈ ᴍɪɴᴏʀꜱ/ʙʟᴀɴᴋ/ᴀɢᴇʟᴇꜱꜱ ʙʟᴏɢꜱ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ʙʟᴏᴄᴋᴇᴅ ◈
“A personal favorite, black nightshade.” Gen held up the ironically white blossom sporting a vibrant yellow center, showing it off for the both of them to admire while he twirled the severed stem in his fingers, “One I’d often use in my shows because of it’s meaning. Liar.”
With eyes not set on just one bushel of flowers. The woman next to him took a quiet moment to see more than just what the magician was showing her, “Tell me more.”
Gen’s brows pinched together making him look away from the flower in his grasp, “What?”
She cocked a brow up at him inquisitively, “What? I said, tell me more.”
“About...nightshade?”
His confusion made her snicker but quickly she shook her head and pointed at the otherwise disregarded flowers and plants around them on this miniature hike right at the base of the waterfall, “I already know about that one. Tell me about the other flowers.”
At his disposal was no florist shop he could quickly visit to conjure up the correct species with his words. And yet the renewed world was teeming with some varieties he was quite familiar with around the village of science and it’s inhabitants. Gen’s petrification scar curled up into a grin as his own lips found themselves smirking as well, “One you should know because of it’s popularity, a lily. White for a purity. But the red ones for your final goodbye to a loved one. And if that isn’t enough one bearing the color orange might as well be a gift of hatred to a foe.” Gen dug through his knowledge of flowers and recited them all as eloquently as the day he’d been turned to stone, “A hydrangea, a beautiful flower colored by it’s pH balance, may be given in conjunction with an apology or thank you letter. Collect the blossoms from a falling cherry tree and know those petals mean hope and renewal just like the time of year they bloom. Chrysanthemum very much so reflected the imperial family as it was printed on the fifty yen coin. Though we may never care about that anymore thanks to the stone age. And camellias, specifically those striking red ones, were once laid among the mighty samurais that lost their life.”
“Is there a flower you don’t know the meaning to?” She inquired with quite a bit of curiosity after Gen recited his knowledge like he had prepped for a pop quiz. It couldn’t be helped, the smile growing on her lips as the master of slight of hand and apparently flowers stopped to see his audience hanging onto every word he had. Gen’s cheeks came to life with a dusting of blush that would not be deterred even if he looked away from his audience. Who of course giggled at him and reached over to take the nightshade from his fingers, “I’ve loved flowers since I was a little girl. So I’m sorry if I’m being pushy.”
“No no no.” Gen squeaked a little as he tried to disregard her apology as nothing at all, “An engaging audience makes it all the more fun if you ask me. So-” He cleared his throat and mustered his sanity to stay a foot above his blushing complexion when looking back over at her, “What flower exactly do you want to know it’s meaning of? Warning, I may be a little rusty if it’s not native to Japan.”
What he expected was the classics. Asking about a rose. A daisy like the one school kids made chains out of. Even ready for something a little more difficult like a peony or an iris as he recalled them being popular. What he wasn’t ready for was her to immediately get up. No warning. And really no explanation to it. His brows knitted together in confusion when his hiking companion looked as though she’d lost a contact or earring with the way she scanned the ground.
“Um....what are you doing?” Gen titled his head a little unsure if he should assume she was loosing it or worse ate something and was looking for the suspect to show him.
When there was no answer but a good a-ha moment. Gen was not expecting to see her sit back down with the flimsy singular cone petal of common, over growing and weed like morning glory. One she’d pinched a bit of stem off with. And proceeded to present it to him when she sat back down on the log where they’d taken up residency.
Delicate little blue petals with it’s streak of almost pinkish color leading back to it’s stamen. The look of proud satisfaction on her face was more akin to a cat bringing home a dead bird. And not someone who’d picked one of the most common weeds that previously plagued school playgrounds.
Gen finally broke the silence without a lick of understanding, “That’s uh...”
“Morning glory.” She nodded frankly not sharing in his confusion, “Morning glory, right?”
“Yeah....it’s morning glory.” Gen untucked his hands from his robe and pointed at it almost derogatorily, “You know that’s just basically a weed right?”
“Oh I know.” She surprisingly agreed making him wonder why exactly she’d pick that, “But-” Her eyes softened staring down at the little thing when she twirled it between her fingers, “It’s important and I remember it from when I was a kid. Do you know what it means?”
While morning glory was something he’d of never bothered with in an act. It was pretty common so if she really didn’t know it’s meaning Gen was surprised, “Uh, something like, innocence and love, kids would give it to each other kind of thing. Why, did someone give you some or something?”
“No.” She said somberly which Gen was taken back by. As he stared at the flower in her grasp she took one last look at it before reaching out and tucking it behind the short pieces of black hair around his ear. Making the magician freeze with wide eyes when she sat back to inspect the flower tucked in his ear and the endearing look of worry on his face. It made her laugh all the same when Gen’s face officially blossomed in as much red as some of the flowers around them, “No one ever gave me one when I was a kid. So I hope you’ll let me give you this one now even if we’re technically a few centuries old.”
Gen not realizing he’d sucked in a breath and held it before his lungs were burning. Could not bring himself to break eye contact with the woman staring at him across the log. Only reaching up to touch the delicately soft petals of the otherwise useless weed no one spent two seconds on centuries ago. But now it felt like the most valuable flower he’d ever held in his hand.
Not removing it from his ear Gen couldn’t believe the fast one she’d pulled on him when it was his idea in the first place to try and impress her with this nature walk. Still touching the petal tucked against his ear Gen couldn’t stop the sheepish smile breaking his showman façade, “I’d love this flower so much more, if you were perhaps to have a matching one as well.”
“Well then,” She stood up from the log and offered a hand down to the blushing magician, “Our hike isn’t done yet, lets find another one shall we?”
- He’s not a big fan of physical affection, in private or not
- But just because he doesn’t hug you on his own accord that doesn’t mean he’ll push you away when you try to hug him
- However, if he’s busy working on important science stuff he’ll appreciate if you waited until later
- If you’re not a physical affectionate person then great 👍 it works out
- If you do like physical affection then he’ll try to indulge. He’d give you head pats and shoulder touches. It’s not much but it’s the best he can give without being teased about being mushy
- In private he’s close to the same except since there’s no prying eyes senku is more relaxed and comfortable giving you touches
- He’ll reach over and squeeze your hand while writing notes, or give you a quick forehead kiss as he passes by
- Overall he isn’t very affectionate but will let you do as you please and will indulge from time-to-time
Gen
- Likes PDA a normal amount, meaning he’ll gladly give you all the hugs and kisses in the world but won’t overwhelm you
- In public he likes to sneak you kisses and touches
- Sure he doesn’t care for people seeing but sneaking around feels more fun to him
- He’ll pull you aside for a quick moment where no one will see, will lay a fat smooch on your lips and push you back before anyone notices
- If he’s feeling needy he’ll be with you 24/7 wrapping his arms around you from behind and nuzzling his face into your neck
- Please kiss him, he likes surprise kisses on the nose and cheeks
- In private you can guarantee soft make out sessions
- His hands will slowly run up and down you body, he likes to feel you, to feel that you’re there with him ^-^
- Overall very soft in private but more mischievous in public
💛❤️- Read as either romantic or platonic, but there are slight mentions of flirting/ teasing
- There aren't many tricks you can do in the stone age, at least compared to how it used to be
- The most you'd learn would be slight of hand tricks, and as you know Gen is good at them
- If you ask him he’ll slightly tease you a bit first, “Oh? Does my dear wish to be like me~”
- Will happily teach you but he won't share all of his secrets, gotta save some
- In the beginning he likes to suddenly flirt with small touches
- An example would be if you're trying to learn a flower trick and you keep messing up Gen will come up behind you, reach his arms around, and take your hands in his
- He will then show you how to do the flower trick while explaining softly what to do
- But since he’s so close and you can feel his breath on your neck, it’s kinda hard to focus
- And since this guy is a mentalist, he’ll notice your reaction quite easily
- Will then feed into the reaction and teases you more. “Why so nervous? You need to pay attention.”
- Teaches you a bit of psychology as well, he is a mentalist after all and getting into someone's mind is part of the magic
- Once you got an understanding of a few tricks Gen will test you a few times by walking up to you, showing a trick, and then getting you to repeat the trick back to him
- Surprisingly a good teacher, he’s very patient with you ^-^
- If you mess up he’ll simply show the trick again and walk you through it
cw: fem!Reader x Asagir Gen, multiple povs used, Senku being Senku, pining, sfw, unedited
wc: 4.5k (don’t look at me...)
blank/ageless/minors DNI ࿐ ◕ᴗ◕✿
─gen asks for counsel from a not so well equipped friend
He set down the glass beaker so Senku could look lazily over at his cohort who’d been silent for some time now, “I’d be less concerned about your silence if you were reading...go take a manga from Ginro so it looks like you’re doing something Gen.”
“Is that anyway to treat a friend Senku?” Gen acted aghast but even that seemed off plum just enough to make Senku’s brows knit together in a scowl. The mentalist picked up on that and looked away once more, “If you’re alluding to something being wrong, just ask.”
“I’m not asking anything.” Senku went back to what he was doing. Fingertips careful to pick up the beaker as he swished the liquid around, “I’m saying it’s unnerving to have you quiet. Maybe a book would remedy that.”
“Remedy what for you or me?”
“Does it matter?” Senku gave a hint of a smile as he poured his mixture into the bigger beaker.
“Ha ha, very funny Senku.” Gen’s deadpan look of un-amusement lingered even after he finished speaking. He’d look at what Senku was doing. Little to no idea nor concerned. Only to have his thoughts drift back to play teether ball with the right way to look at it. Leaving an outside source the only reliable way he might fish out the webbing of his ever tangling mind, “Senku.”
“Hmm?”
“You say it yourself that you’re a man of science.”
Green haired man finally stopping what he was doing as it was coinvent for him. Senku dug into his ear with his pinkie, giving Gen the oddest of looks twanged with what could only be decoded as a scowl, “Was it not obvious up until this point?”
Gen’s eyes narrowed in a glare but he persisted with his trail of thought, “A man of biological science? Of the human body?”
“Well.” Senku flicked whatever was on his pinkie away nonchalantly, “Medical science is extremely fascinating and I’ve done my fair share of research into most medicinal, anatomical and other forms centered around humans as a whole.”
“So you’d say you have a grasp on the human heart?”
“Literally or figuratively?” Senku’s brows arched up at the strange question, “I don’t have the equipment to perform open heart surgery if that’s what you’re asking.”
“eriously?!-Say That’s what you think I’m getting at?!” Gen’s collective coolness broke ever so slightly at the mention of such gore, “There’s other science of the body you know! Like psychological and emotional!”
Senku tapped the end of his pencil over in Gen’s direction before going to scribble something down on his notes, “Isn’t that more your wheelhouse mentalist? If you’re asking for a memoir on your favorite psychologist to pass the time I must apologize I didn’t commit those to memory quiet like my other favorite subjects.”
“Why on earth-ay would I ask for a textbook for light reading.” Gen groaned at the assumption.
“I guess for the same reason you think coming to me for advice on matters of the heart is a sound idea?” Senku threw out haphazardly.
Gen sighed and propped his elbow up on the workbench where he sat across from Senku’s work, “Please tell me it’s not that obvious.”
“I’m not sure what the it is in this moment,” Senku didn’t look up from his notes, “But this seems like one of those times Taiju would tell me something and I wish he didn’t. So maybe go talk to him instead.”
“Wow thanks.” Gen laminated his woes through his tone. Leaning more into his elbow as he sunk into the stool he’d been sitting on for a while. Not even caring if his ass grew numb. Still racing through his thoughts as open heart surgery perhaps sounded better than wading through the muck of his mind, “Taiju is...how do I put this-”
“A doofus?” Senku spouted.
“You said it not me.”
“I did. And he’s my best friend, which is why I can say it.” Senku dotted the last line on his notes before setting the pencil down and looking across his elaborate beaker infested layout of a table top at his other friend, “That being said. Maybe I can help direct you to a more appropriate set of ears if you at least come out and tell me what’s got the master of mind games so dodgy over simple questions. And spare me the headache.”
Gen felt foolish for being so transparent. Suppose that was to blame when his emotions felt like a dumped tank of gasping dying fish writhing around in evaporating water with no one to shovel them into a bucket. He didn’t think Senku was the best choice but at this point he could only see reason as getting him out of all this. And no one was more logical than the science man himself.
“...if you were to hypothesize for a moment with me,” Gen threaded carefully on how to word it in a way Senku wouldn’t throw him out the second he spoke, “That you’re heart is sick in a way only Shakespeare and Jane Austen might have been able to correctly convey, what would you do?”
“Are you asking me to imagine being in love? Seriously?” The look of disgust was rancidly apparent on his face.
“You said you ould-way elp -hay!” Gen hyperventilated.
“Fine fine fine.” Senku could only shake his head, “And for the record, I do love thank you very much.”
“Robot Senku on the way to win over all the hearts.” Gen could only facepalm as the realized what a bad idea this was over and over again in his head.
“While I am not a robot-” Senku smiled with his hand tucked under his chin in a cocky manner, “Robot Senku does have a nice ring to it wouldn’t you say.” The clear look of disgruntled dissatisfaction of Gen’s face didn’t take an expert to know he was serious where Senku’s jesting wasn’t. Leading the man to sigh and adopt a more serious answer to his roundabout question, “So you’re asking, what would I do if I was in love? Is that correct?” Sheepishly Gen nodded. “Well...personal interests aside. Sentient and non-sentient beings for well over ten billion years have been gone on primarily with the drive to reproduce in a timely manner to assure the species continues as a whole. Humans as well as what could be constructed as a few other animals as well, have morphed that sense of biological drive into what you would consider love as a means to help promote frequent sustainable breeding practices paired with the safety of more than one parent to feed an offspring. Greatly increasing the likelihood of survival when-”
“Senku, this isn’t about ex-say or -ay eeding-bray!” Gen’s shriek filled the tent but luckily enough of the villagers were far to use to his outbursts to consider peeking their heads in on the shit show. He still covered his face, utterly ashamed to even have this conversation and the nose dive in the exact direction he didn’t want to even think about yet, “I just- Of course that’s there too...But I’m talking, I don’t know, a passionate novel that tugs at the heart strings. Those outcomes are written out so clearly in the best way but how do I execute them in real life?”
“Use your charm as a mentalist?” Senku began digging at his ear again, “Seems no easier than that you do it with everyone else.”
Gen looked down at his hands clasped together as he leaned into the bench, “...would you believe me when I say my crowd work is individual work?”
Senku gave it a thoughtful moment only to agree wholeheartedly. Much to Gen’s displeasure and dip in morale that sunk ever deeper with this conversation. The two men still sat in silence for a moment unable to connect correctly on such a topic.
“Listen...” Senku began softly, “I won’t lie, I love science so I understand the admiration of something other than myself a little. But you won’t catch me caught up in sappy emotions biologically driven by eons of selections. Take that as you will...You obviously care a lot. So, I don’t know, maybe try Kohaku? She’s a gorilla sure but even they tend to their relationships in a colony. Maybe she could help you.”
Gen looked up from his lap, “...you think so?”
Senku got up from where he’d been seated for the last six hours completing his work. Just to crack his neck and a few knuckles before walking up beside him and tapping his shoulder with his knuckles, “There’s a ten billion percent chance that you’ll probably catch your mate's attention. But to be safe...maybe talk to a girl beforehand. That’s the only advice Taiju never took me up on and well...you see where that’s gotten him.”
It wasn’t what he was looking for. But it was something. Gen finally broke a bit of a smile and raised his fist up to Senku’s to bump against his own. If the science man meant it, then maybe it wasn’t the wrong path to choose.
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“You want me to tell you what girls like?” Kohaku, having set down her things, promptly began to pick them back up as all that could be said was Gen wasting more time she frankly didn’t have.
“Wait wait wait!” Gen panicked and tried to dissuade her from ignoring him and going on her way, “I asked Senku and he was a bust! So I thought- ``A fellow girl might know...”
Kohaku’s face etched in a permanent scowl wasn’t sending a clear enough message for Gen to leave so she doubled down on sending him on his way, “You persuaded all of Tsukasa’s men to come to our side. You’re a snake in the grass with a silver tongue. I’m sure you’re slippery enough to figure it out Asagiri Gen.”
Laughing that was more like a pathetic wheeze, Gen rubbed the back of his neck and fussed with the collar of his undershirt, “Surprisingly enough my work with charm on an individual level is.....may haps not my strong suit.”
“Surprise surprise.” Kohaku said flatly with an unenthused look.
“Please.” Gen did the only thing he could think to do. Drop down to his knees and clasp his hands above his head in a desperate plea, “This is no con- Nor sleuth or even a dazzling card trick. I just- I’d like to get to know someone is all. In a way, I don’t really know how to approach in my current state of manners.”
“You mean in an honest way?” She snorted. But when the silver tongued fox didn’t rebuke her claims at his shady personality, Kohaku had a shift in her feelings. Not an honest man before her. At the bare minimum his intentions, though odd for him, seemed exactly that. Honest. One big sigh and she crossed her arm and cocked a hip, “Fine. You want my help?”
“Yes please!” Gen squealed with glee.
“Talk to her.”
Gen’s rejoice was gutted mid celebration. The color drained from his face and before her stood a ghost unable to comprehend what was said to him, “T-Talk- Just- Talking-”
“Ask her what she likes. Her hobbies. Just- Be a nice person.” Kohaku explained in truth, “Show her you have an interest in her and well if it’s meant to be then it’s meant to be. Just look at my sister and Chrome.”
“The divorcee and the hoarder.” Gen lips dipped in a frown, “No thanks if that’s the best you got I think I’ll just-”
“Your heart fills with such a passion that it feels more like a physical thing than a thing made up in your brain. So much so it makes you sick but in the best way. You never want to get better. You want to stay that way forever with the chance it might get better than taking an antidote to cure it all.” Kohaku professed her idea of affection and it was met well with Gen growing quiet. Neither confirming or denying. But the look on his somber face told her otherwise. Kohaku gathered her things and spared him one last bit of advice, “Just talk to her. Chances are she feels the same exact way.”
Gen couldn’t help the soft smile crossing his lips as Kohaku whisked past him, “A ten billion percent chance?”
“What am I, Senku?” Kohaku looked back as she shifted the basket on her back, “But yeah. I think there’s a good chance.”
A good chance was really all that he needed.
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Around the one hour mark is normally when it happened. Dinner for the large group of villagers as well as the new inhabitants of Tsukasa’s distantly dismantled army in the same spot. Gave way to a whole lot of cooking. Something you didn’t mind especially when your visitor came to sneak a bite.
“You’re late.” You set the wooden bowl with delicately washed and dried strawberries gathered earlier today in front of the familiar face, “Everything alright Gen?”
Though he looked to be elsewhere in thought. The second his name passed your lips the two toned haired man was right back at it with a bubbly as ever response, “Alright? Things are just peachy!” He said picking up a strawberry.
“Those are strawberries Gen,” You couldn’t help the little laugh he drew out of you, “The white peaches don’t come on for a little bit...I remember that for later though.”
He quickly dismissed your tentative nature to show you how much he was loving the strawberries. Even more so than usual. Though you couldn’t deny the few you snuck while cleaning the harvest did taste amazing.
“Here.” You slid across your cooking area a little lump of something that took Gen a moment to register what it was, “A scone. I snuck them in the oven this morning when the fires were still being brought up to temp. They’re a little denser than normal but hey scones in the stone world, I still feel that’s pretty good.”
Greedily Gen took a bite. Not out of starvation. Nor that it was a particularly good scone. But because you’d given it to him and the second he saw its crusted little outside he felt that familiar sickening feeling in his heart. Leaving him to just indulge and gobble it down with a few strawberries as chasers. A mouthful of food gave him ample time to search through the things Senku and Kohaku had told him. Until finally he figured out how to word it.
“Tell me,” His voice got you to turn back around from the cooking surface you were prepping on, “What’s one thing you miss most from the old world? You already know how much I miss cola...What is it for you?”
“What do I miss?” You paused your prep to give it some honest thought. There were a million things you missed. Creature comforts be damned, the slow rise of innovations from Senku made missing a long distant home bearable. Leaving one particularly petty want that just seemed to take too long over anything else, “Chocolate.”
“Chocolate?” Gen repeated a little surprise from the man who wanted a cola of all things.
“More specifically baking with it.” You motioned to the scone he’d eaten, “It’s a pain in the ass to make and not do able anymore with how many people Tsukasa revived needing to be fed. That being said...I’d give anything for even chocolate extract. It’s honestly my favorite flavor to cook with.” Your rambles got you caught off guard only to look back and see Gen staring at you almost transfixed. A sudden feeling of self consciousness washed over you and you tried to laugh it all off, “That’s petty I know! We have fresh fruit and everything. Forget I said anything. It’s a baker's fantasy.”
“Chocolate huh.” Gen plucked at his chin in obvious thought, “How long does it take to make chocolate though? It was everywhere in the old world.”
You spared a moment of thought, “Umm....at least eight days. More like ten so-”
“Ten days?!” Gen shrieked, “To make ocolate?!-chay.”
You couldn’t help giving him a funny look, “Well yea, it ferments. Then it's an entire process with the beans and drying and powder form and sugar and- Gen where are you going?”
“I’ll be back!” Gen scrambled towards the door like a mad man.
“Dinner is gonna be ready in like two hours what are you-”
“Nothing! Dinner smells amazing! I love scone! Meet me at our usual spot after dinner ok!!” Gen hauled ass off towards the science shed as much as getting a confirmation from you. But didn’t need to because he knew he’d see you tonight with something extra special.
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“You want me to do what?” Senku looked as unenthused at Gen’s intrusion as ever.
“Chocolate extract.” Gen repeated again out of breath from running all the way back to the science shed that was now more like a mini museum, “Please. Can you do it?”
Senku stuck his finger in his ear, itching it as he groaned, “We have cocoa beans just go make chocolate.”
“That takes eight days!” He lamented, “Please Senku! I know you can do it!”
“Of course I can. It’s science.” He looked at him with a no duh expression, “Question is why would I do that? I’ve got things I’m doing.”
“Senku please.” Gen clasped his hands together again no fear of begging after he’d made it this far, “Please do this for me. I have that feeling in my chest that feels like I’ve ran half way up the mountain but I don’t want it to stop- Chocolate extract is my key to that I know it- You said it yourself a one billion percent chance-”
“Alright alright alright.” Senku stopped him in his tracks, “I get it. I can whip up some in about an hour after I heat the alcohol. A quick distilled boil should be enough of a chocolate taste. On one condition.”
“Anything! Absolutely anything Senku!”
He began pouring the clear liquid into another beaker and setting to work as he glared over at Gen being an absolute fool, “Next time you wanna get all mushy on me, take it up with Taiju. Got it?”
Gen bit down on his bottom lip about ready to cry but all he could do was nod, “You got it Senku.”
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Dinner had happened. And it was a hit like always. No surprise to you when Senku didn’t show up. He’d hole away in his shed more often than not. So Ginro was sent with sending him food so the man keeping Senku village afloat didn’t starve to death. What was a concern though was Gen. He’d seem so hungry earlier but he skipped out on dinner? With the way he scarfed down that scone you swore he’d been first in line.
“Where’s Gen?” You stopped with a stack of dishes in front of Kinro and Kohaku where they were washing them.
“I haven’t seen him all day.” Kinro answered.
“Was he not holed up in Senku’s dinky little lab earlier?” Kohaku gave a look of confusion, “Or at least he was earlier in the day before he stopped to talk to me.”
“Gen wanted to talk to you?” You said a little surprised as you handed off the plates.
No master in the heart in her own way, Kohaku didn’t need Senku’s level of intelligence to know who Gen had been alluding to earlier. And she was no snake so giving out Gen’s coveted secrets weren’t on her agenda today, “Over something stupid. Did he stop by for his extra snack like normal?”
Everyone knew about Gen’s skimming off the top but you still treated it like it was a special little thing the two of you did. Still though when Kohaku mentioned that it hit you, “Shit! Can I leave this to you guys? Gen yelled something at me earlier when he was leaving I totally spaced it.”
Kinro took the plates from you and Kohaku nodded. Both of them were more than happy to let the village head cook off for a night.
And only late by a few marginal minutes. You came up on the log that had fallen awhile ago in a windstorm. It had crushed a good portion of the flowers you liked to dress in some of the meals. But what came back was still enough and you and Gen often came out to gossip and eat the flowers when everyone else was settling in for the night.
Like he’d hollered at you before dining and dashing, Gen sat with his hands clasped in his lap in the oddest way possible.
“What are you doing?” You laughed as he looked like a school kid waiting for the bus, “And what’s that?”
He followed your finger to see you were pointing at his lap. Gen didn’t answer that though when he saw a dish in your hand, “More like what’s that?”
“This?” You held it up a little and then smiled, “You missed dinner. But...I unfroze you a peach from your earlier comment. Here.” Extending the bowl out to him with the thawed white peach cut up into the size of cubes he liked. Another one of your scones from earlier set next to it with a pretty little sprig of what had to be mint on top.
Gen couldn’t help the cheeky grin bloom on his face, “Well good, this makes my gift less awkward.”
“Gift?”
From his purple sleeves he produced a murky dark liquid that frankly looked disgusting. Before you could react properly Gen popped off the tiny cork lid and wafted it under your nose as you sat next to him.
“Chocolate!” Your face lite up with excitement immediately recognize that smell, “Gen is this-”
“Chocolate extract.” He nodded, words brimming with pride and his chest even puffed out a little bit when he saw the sparkle in your eye when you took it again for an even bigger whiff of the familiar scent, “Senku said it should be about the same ratio to modern day extract but still warned to taste before adding more just in case. I just thought-”
Immediately cutting him off with a hug. Gen stiffened like a board just as your arms tightened around him. Eyes growing wide it took him a full five seconds to realize what was happening. It was only when you spoke that it all felt real.
“Thank you.” You muttered softly with a second gentler squeeze to him before you pulled away to look at him while proudly holding up the tiny little container of chocolate flavored cooking alcohol, “I love it.”
Gen looked at your lips as you spoke, almost distracted to have you this close to him. Only darting that gaze back up to your eyes. He felt his bottom lip quiver in the oddest way. Like he wanted to cry at the same moment he wanted to laugh. Just to have a goofy uncharacteristic smile make its home on his lips, “I’m glad you love it.” He replied ever so gently, unable to take his eyes off you.
“Gen.” Your voice sent a chill up his spine in the worst way, “Without thinking, what’s a chocolate dessert you miss?”
Gen scrutinized the question, “Chocolate dessert I miss...”
“I said without thinking! Off the top of your head!”
“Ok ok ok!” Gen was flush on the spot and blurted the first thing that popped into his mind that wasn’t overwhelmingly about you, “Chocolate cake!”
You raised an eyebrow at him, “Just any chocolate cake?”
“I-” He couldn’t stop the flush of color to his cheeks the moment he realized why exactly he had said chocolate cake in the first place. Gen found his tongue not wanting to unstick from the roof of his mouth but couldn’t stay silent as you arched your eyebrow further, “I- I remember that cake you made during high school, for the baking club. I tasted it when the school network did a segment for you guys in the club. It was...probably the best cake I’d ever eaten.” His gaze dropped and he looked at your hands holding the little vial of extract, “I always wanted to ask you for another cake, or at least the recipe but, we kinda got stuck in stone for thousands of years.”
“Not to mention you were kind of a jerky host.” You added in there vividly recalling the cringe worthy segment filmed that never actually brought in more club members.
Gen slowly nodded in no way he could defend that accusation, “Yeah, I kind of was a jerky host wasn’t I?”
You dwelled silently for a little while. Then reached out and placed the vial of extract back in his hands. Careful to curl his fingers around it slowly and push it back into his chest before you sat up straight and cleared your throat, “Well, nothing is stopping you now right?”
“Nothing is stopping me-” It clicked and Gen realized what you wanted him to do. Though he fumbled with his words the con man was able to get a smile out of you as he did so, “Please- Will you make me another one of your amazing chocolate cakes?” Gen offered the chocolate extract back to you with a crooked smile, “It was the best cake I’ve ever had. I’d give an entire bottle of Senku’s cola for just another slice.”
You took the extract back with your own cheek aching grin. Brushing your fingertips along his palm in a way that it hadn’t felt before. Sending your chest on a mile high hike as you sat across from him on the fallen log like any other night. You took the tiny bottle and held it close to your chest as you smiled at Gen who couldn’t seem to look elsewhere, “I’d love to make you another cake, Asagiri Gen.”
He felt his heart flutter into his throat and Gen clutched the hem of his sleeves to keep it all under wraps best he could as you went into detail about how extract is different from the real stuff. And how it won’t look the same in color but how you could mimic taste best you could until it was a long tangent of you going on about how to bake the cake he’d just asked for. There were a billion other things to talk about. But he’d never been so interested in cake in his life..
