Chapter Text
Gen had his work cut out for him.
Facts, for the audience: They won the stone war! Not a single- well, rather a single- casualty! With Tsukasa down for the count, Hyoga and Homura in prison, and a ship to build, they’re even busier than they were this winter building the phone and the car. Gen is instrumental in winning over the former empire of might, as well as motivating the workforce. Capitalism helps with that part, but they also need to build the kingdom’s funds in order to pay for Ryusui’s oil.
But that’s not the work that he’s concerned with right at this very moment.
Right at this very moment, he’s worried about a personal project that’s always sat at the back of his mind when he’s near Senku. Sure, he was head over heels for the guy, but that’s old ews-nay. And besides, Senku was far too concerned with important matters like reviving the entire world and rebuilding society to give a rat’s ass about romance- that is, if he cared about it at all. It wasn’t about getting Senku to love him back.
It was about getting Senku’s friends to like him.
Whether or not Senku ever loved anyone was immaterial, what was material was that Gen would be right by his side until such time as Senku didn’t want or need him there. So, the only thing Gen needed was the approval of Taiju and Yuzuriha. Senku’s oldest friends, practically his only family, who Gen would either be seeing every day for the rest of forever or who could quietly disapprove of him.
Usually, getting someone to like him was an easy task. Flirt a little here, flatter a little there, do a little sleight of hand, and he was getting an audience’s attention or a TV exec’s approval.
But he was looking for something a little more concrete here. They had to understand who he was, as a person, and still see him as a friend and Senku’s partner in… schemes?
Yuzuriha, at first, seemed like she would be the harder target. She was perceptive, and as pure as fresh snow. A regular high school princess. He’d noticed her skills when they were both in the empire, and seen how she kept herself quiet and productive so as not to make any waves. This coat she’d sewn him was utterly perfect, after all, with the pockets and the sleeves he needed, but… she was actually much easier to win over than he’d thought.
“I’m not modelling for you.” He poked his head into her work tent, then knelt beside a ream of dyed fabric.
“Awe, but why not?” those hands didn’t stop moving as she constructed an adorable pink skirt, “You’d look so good in this turtleneck! Oh- or a suit!”
“But Yuzu-chan, wouldn’t everyone simply fall for me immediately? We can’t have our workforce too distracted.” he posed dramatically, leaning to one side before cracking a smile at her, “-at least not too distracted to spend that hard-earned Drago at your store.”
“Oh you’re terrible.” She laughed, waving her hand, “I guess I’ll have to find another model.”
“I do believe that turtleneck would look especially good on our resident guardsman, Kinro. We’re close in height, though he is a bit broader than I am. If you have a coat over it, no one will notice a stretch in the shoulders. And a tighter chest? Might suit him~” Gen teased, then ran his fingers over some rich black fabric, “You have an eye for these things, don’t you?”
“More like the hands.” She laughed softly, “-Do you want to know how Senku and I met?”
“Do regale me.” Gen shifted to get comfortable.
“In middle school, Taiju came up to me and asked if I could make little dolls for him. I’d been making a few in crafts club, and I guess he must have seen them! I made three dolls for them to put in their model rocket. One of Senku, one of Taiju, and one of me.”
Gen observed her carefully. Why was she telling him this? She’d seen how manipulative he could be with the hemp run, the financial incentive to aid in everything. She knew he was going to analyze every word she spoke and her body language, but she seemed perfectly gracious about it.
It did kind of seem like she was emphasizing how long she’d been friends with Taiju and Senku, and how short and comparatively light his friendship was.
“That must’ve been nice~” He tilted his head.
“Oh, it was so much fun! They made it to space and everything! It’s just- I make things. Tangible, useful things. Making all these new designs for our friends has been so fun! It reminded me that it’s always more fun to make things for people. Stuff you know they’ll like. A-and I wanted to thank you for being by Senku’s side all that time we couldn’t. I was hoping to make something you could wear out at sea, but if you don’t want to model~?” Her smile was sweet.
But he could see a streak of manipulation in her, too.
“I suppose it’s only fair play. Tell you what. If you can make me some playing cards, maybe we can get Senku to help with some sort of coating. I promise I’ll never say a word about you and Taiju’s relationship. -And it’s not like I’d say no to a fun little outfit someday later, but I’m not modeling a look for you.”
Yuzuriha and Taiju were so obviously in love it wasn’t funny, but everyone knew that.
It did make her blush.
“Though really, you should just tell him you don’t mind not waiting until the world’s better. Unless you’re worried about kids?”
“Shut up!” She dropped her needle to cover his mouth, then laughed, “-Not yet! We’re gonna wait until the world’s coming back, at least, ok?”
He grinned against her hands. She really wasn’t hard to talk to at all, and earning her approval seemed more than half-done. “I’ll announce the show for you.” He said, before leaving her to it.
So the department store went off without a hitch- and Ryusui started shopping there, so they got a ton of money from the venture! Money they’d need for Ryusui’s oil. By the time the balloon was finished, Gen had his cards, and he had his sights set on Taiju.
Gen had assumed Taiju would be the easiest person in the world to impress, and the problem was, he was right. The man was as dumb as a rock, but as strong and steadfast as one, too. Being simple wasn’t a bad thing, but it didn’t exactly lend itself to understanding either Gen’s intentions or who he was as a person.
If Taiju were any smarter, he’d be unstoppable, with a resolve and stamina like his.
If he were any smarter, he wouldn’t have been Senku’s friend, because intelligence wasn’t always a good thing, and anyone normal who’d met Senku before all of this would have taken issue with his blunt, smug, and correct about everything energy.
The cards made convincing Ryusui and ‘forcing’ Chrome so easy it was child's play.
He may have accidentally terrified Yuzuriha and Taiju with the whole thing, though. Getting money for the Joker was a touch of evil genius, if he did say so himself. That evening, right after giving Chrome the card, Gen followed Senku to their tent.
They’d shared a space in the observatory for months, so when it had come time to decide who slept where, it had only felt natural for them to be together again. Lab work was wrapped up for the day, the balloon was completed, the construction on the ship continued, but as darkness fell, most people gathered around bonfires and ate, getting to know each other and taking their hard earned breaks.
“I’m going to be over at Ishigami village for a while, at least a few weeks, so I expect you to keep an eye on things over here for me.”
Which would definitely give Gen plenty of time to get closer with Yuzuriha and Taiju.
“But of course~ Do keep in touch with the phone, please, and I’m sure we can keep things running smoothly.” Gen replied easily, though his mind was back on Taiju.
Silence between them stretched for a moment, only the sound of wind and waves and muffled chatter. It wasn’t too long before Gen realized he’d been missing one of those rare and beautiful moments that Senku's red eyes and powerful attention were turned on him completely.
“Hey, Mentalist. Don’t stress about it too much. We’ll find the oil and get back here soon.”
“Oh, I’m not worried, my dear Senku, I know you will. For tonight, though? You need to sleep. When are you setting out?” Gen began to prepare their sleeping mats, fluffing his pillow.
“Just before dawn. We need all day to be sure we’re ready.” Senku started, but then shook his head, “I’ll sleep, but there’s a few things I want to double-check first.”
And Gen didn’t see his scientist again until they sent the pilot balloon up.
Watching the trio of adventurers float away seemed so profound to most of his fellow citizens, but it just made him nervous. He made sure the phone was set up and waited, pacing and watching as the ship building crew started in the morning.
That report coming through of safe arrival was like a deep breath after drowning.
So when Ukyo asked him why he’d done the whole dog and pony show of the ship design contest, he couldn’t help but chuckle. Senku’s strength came from science, but Gen only had the strength of manipulating others to fall back on. Carving loyalty in the whole kingdom did include giving people a modicum of free will, of say in how their reality was shaped.
As he watched Taiju working, he remembered something Ryusui had said to many people by now: ‘I want you’. Not in a creepy or even necessarily strange way, just ‘i want your strength’, ‘i want your skill’. Ryusui hadn’t said it to him just yet, but no doubt he’d said something to Taiju by now. Gen wanted Taiju, too. Perhaps this was a contest, though really- Gen was Senku’s, and so was Taiju, so it was almost a moot point.
People are power, and it seemed even baby Senku had known as much. Taiju and Yuzuriha were perfect allies.
Even while they built the ship to Senku’s exacting specifications, the pair of love birds were just excited about going to South America, like it was a vacation. In some ways it was pleasantly innocent, in others, it was kind of jarring how naive or optimistic they were.
“Do it again!” Taiju demanded.
In their downtime, Gen had taken to showing the little kids a few magic tricks.
“This is an easy one, I swear.” Gen did it again, slower, and spread the cards again, then flipped it, shifting his finger to push one card up subtly. Taiju took it, and then Gen pretended to think hard before saying “Two of spades.”
Because that was the card he’d pushed up.
Taiju was just so easy to impress. The kids had already grown a little bored of the whole thing, and really, they had to get back to work reconstructing some of the statues, but Gen almost felt like he was babysitting Senku’s toddler more than hanging out with his best friend.
And when Kohaku brought wheat seeds, and they started tilling the soil, Gen had to motivate the less dedicated with the idea of a ‘food king’. It was a cute little hat Yuzuriha had made, and she might’ve been trying to give it to him, but motivation trumped gift giving.
It was a good ploy.
Yuzuriha saw right through it, but it seemed like Taiju really just… wanted to make food. And when he explained, exhausted from work, that he just wanted to hasten reuniting families and the return of civilization… Gen saw it.
Taiju wasn’t a hyperactive super-helpful toddler, or even just a ‘cheatcode: infinite stamina, infinite durability’ video game character Senku used from a young age for his help.
Taiju was Senku’s best friend for a reason.
Dedication. Ambition. Hard work and foolhardy faith in humanity, and more than that faith in Senku, in Science- Taiju was no genius, but he wasn’t stupid. He wanted to help people just to help people. And Senku, for all his talk of going to hell together and his immoral scumbag streak, couldn’t help but be drawn to that idealism. Honestly, neither could Gen.
He’d assumed he’d be the one Taiju would follow in Senku’s absence, but he could see he was probably dead wrong.
Farming and shipbuilding were both long days of work, but Gen found time to talk to Taiju where he could- at meals, during breaks. The other problem (how many had he found with this?) was how Taiju and Yuzuriha seemed used to shutting up during meals. Which was fair- for a year, at least, they’d been living in the empire of might, keeping to themselves and not getting involved.
That, and getting Taiju alone was even harder.
Gen had all but given up one night, scaled up one of the stoney peaks overlooking the shipyard, and set to eating his ramen alone. If he wasn’t close to the fires, in the groups of people, he could see some dynamics more clearly- Magma and Yo’s rivalry, how similar sentiments were built up in the former imperials, the curiosity that overcame those sentiments, the close friendships that were already forming, crushes even- the gemstone sisters were beautiful in any era, he supposed, and Minami was a bombshell, while Kinro wasn’t bad to look at, though without Ryusui’s strange intense and freely spoken flirtation there was less unrest.
All told, this was a stable working condition.
He was sipping his broth when Taiju sat beside him.
“Yuzuriha says you’re good at lying. You’re smart, right? Man, if I could lie to save my life, keeping Senku’s secret would’ve been much easier. I just kept saying he was gone.” Taiju said, and then shoveled his noodles into his mouth.
“A misleading truth is often one of the better kinds of lies. Easier, too.” Gen wiped his mouth with his thumb and thought through it, “-but I’m no scientist. I lie for fun and for profit, but it’s only because it’s the only real talent I ever had. Though, when both your parents are actors, it only comes naturally to act for them.”
“Both our parents are actors? Woah, dude, that’s awesome? Would I know them? I feel like I’d remember any Asagiris I’ve seen on screen. Are they around here? Do you think we could revive them?”
Gen kicked himself for lying. Taiju’s reaction had been so cute and innocent, wide-eyed with awe, that Gen considered just keeping the lie up for the rest of his life.
“...No, Taiju. My parents weren’t actors, and ‘Gen Asagiri’ is my stage name, anyway, not my real name. My parents were a psychologist and a TV exec. One passed, the other pushed me into showbiz. I think she was in America when it happened, but she might’ve been on a plane at the time.”
Confusion, then understanding overtook Taiju’s face, and they had to eat in silence while he pieced together what exactly would’ve happened to someone whose plane crashed right after the whole world was petrified. The weathering on exposed surfaces after thousands of years meant a dim prognosis.
“I’m sorry for your loss, then- do- should I still call you Gen?”
“I’d rather you did. Sometimes, Taiju, you lie enough times, it becomes the truth. Whoever I was before I was Gen Asagiri doesn’t exist anymore, and I would like to keep it that way.” He could practically hear the gears turning in Taiju’s head, but he smiled softly, “Senku cares about you a great deal, spoke of you with fond admiration.”
“-well, yeah! I admire him, too! We’ve been friends since I can remember.”
Gen wondered what would work best next. Admitting envy, asking a question, confessing- Gen was sure Yuzuriha had figured out how he felt about Senku, but Taiju could stay in ignorance a while longer- but the simplest thing felt like a lie again.
“I hope one day I can be as close friends with him as you two. He trusts you. He trusts my logic.”
“Oh I’m sure you will. Senku wouldn’t hang out with someone he didn’t like, dude.”
Taiju’s answer left no room for interpretation or dispute.
After a few weeks, Senku helped them test the soil, and they crowned Taiju the Food King. And only a few weeks after that, Senku returned. Gen hated to admit it, but he was much more comfortable when Senku was there- a buffer of sorts between him and the pair of childhood friends. It was comfortable, to be the immoral left hand of the scientist compared to the sweet and strong and skilled right arm. But then, he left again, and Gen had to figure it out.
His work was easy these days, prevent arguments from getting out of hand, keep an eye on construction and farming, and try to win over Taiju and Yuzuriha.
Sure, he could probably just ask them if they approved of him at Senku’s side like he belonged there, but he still had to convince them that he wasn’t going to change and that Senku was better off with his help. Ukyo had understood that as soon as seen him, though, so maybe he was overcomplicating things.
He really wanted them to root for him though.
During a tea break at the shipyard, Gen sat directly between the lovebirds, his thighs touching both of theirs. Sure he was too close, and he’d just sat directly between them, but that was part of his plan.
“Hey Gen! What’s up?” Taiju laughed, holding his cup in one hand.
“I simply wanted to sit by my two favorite people in the vicinity~ is that so bad?”
Taiju laughed again, ‘gently’ patting his back. Yuzuriha immediately grew suspicious. Kaseki looked a little hurt, and Nikki rolled her eyes. Suika rocked her feet out in front of her, tilting her little melon head.
“There’s a seat over here, you know.” Nikki spoke up first.
“But then I wouldn’t get to gossip with my favorite seamstress~” Gen leaned on Yuzuriha’s shoulder, playing up the lashes and the cutesy posture, until she leaned back and laughed too.
“Oh thank you for calling me that, but I am the only one with any modern tailoring experience, so you kind of have to say that.” She pat his head awkwardly, “You still haven’t let me fix your coat!”
“It’s fine, it’s fine, you have the sails to worry about anyway.”
“Wait, so how am I your favorite person here?” Taiju asked, and Gen could practically see the puppy dog tail wagging behind him.
“Our gracious Food King, after all!” He switched tactics, playing up the eyebrows and grinning as though with no abandon, leaning on Taiju’s shoulder now, a more masculine and steadfast support, even as he set his tea down to wrap his fingers around Taiju’s arm.
Ok, was feeling up Taiju’s arm really necessary? No. Was lightly, playfully flirting with both of them necessary? No. But he glanced over at Yuzuriha, her real laughter, her soft blush, he didn’t regret one second of it. Even as Taiju got red and scratched the back of his neck bashfully, he knew- showing Yuzuriha some of his tricks, knowing she saw right through them, was going to help him out towards winning them over.
It did, however, just seem to make Taiju more bashful. He didn’t speak to Gen the whole rest of the day. He couldn’t wait for Senku to return.
So, he helped convince Minami to part with her revival fluid and set out with the couple, Nikki, and the reporter to go revive that butler. He tried desperately to guide Francois to Ryusui, but ended up trailing behind them in exhaustion. Two whole days of walking, trying to explain. He laid down while Francois baked.
They had to borrow Kaseki, and the car was rebuilt, then a mirror and a camera. So their debt was settled with Minami. Honestly, it was sweet how much she loved her camera.
Then Ryusui insisted Senku be the first model.
For all his flirtation, for all his bluster, Ryusui wasn’t conceited. He was greedy, but he wanted to own the glory he gave to others as much as he wanted glory for himself. Now that was something Gen could use.
Searching through the photos with Kohaku wasn’t hard work, for the first few days. But Fall wore on, and harvest time was upon them. Gen preferred this time with Senku to being stuck with Taizuriha, but it was only delaying his progress befriending them. Finding oil made for a good distraction.
Once they had it, and they started their oil test, Gen was all set to pour the oil into the motorboat when Taiju walked up, caught a whiff, and announced that it was a love potion.
Taiju couldn’t possibly know about Gen’s crush. He wasn’t being cruel, he didn’t have it in him. He genuinely just thought the smell of the oil smelled like a love potion. If Gen was a little harsh asking him what he meant, it had nothing to do with Gen’s crush on Taiju’s best friend.
But then Senku burst out laughing.
Gen had seen Senku laugh a few times, but rarely so adorably. Childlike, totally unrestrained. Sometimes Gen forgot that Senku was almost two years younger than him.
Hearing the message ‘Why’ repeatedly, with such an abrupt ending, was terrifying, and so was being elected as one of the five generals- Gen didn’t mind the power, but honestly, he’d almost prefer to be working in the shadows. It’s what he was good for, after all. Strategy wasn’t so hard, and he liked knowing what was going on, but he was hardly a general.
Things got busy again, between the oil fields, the mine, and the ship’s scale model- Gen was happy that Senku and Ryusui were finally on the same page, but now it seemed like his personal side project had more goals added to it: now, he had to win over Ryusui.
Really, it was that he had to win over the other three generals, but Chrome had been easy enough to win over during last winter, and Ukyo had always harbored a begrudging respect for him. Ukyo was more his friend than Senku’s, really.
Winter came again, and Gen was happy to have a break from work to do some snowboarding. (Not to mention the Dragos!)
Taiju and Yuzuriha were both busy over the winter, Yuzuriha made lots of warm and stylish clothes with leather and fur, while Taiju was primarily in charge of maintaining buildings. When things collapsed from snow, or looked weak, he was right there, volunteering to rebuild or improve things.
Often, Gen found himself at Senku’s side, where he preferred to be. They’d officially been friends for a year on Christmas, and there was no way Gen was going to make any other grand gesture like an astronomical observatory for his birthday this year, so he had to find something Senku would actually want.
Christmas was a golden Drago-making opportunity, of course, so bringing back the tradition of gift-giving and decorating another big tree were no-brainers. In the chill of midwinter, Gen began to wonder. Every night that Senku could be convinced to sleep, he slept under the same roof as Gen. Especially in the cold, they slept under the same blankets, with Gen’s robe laid overtop of them. Surely someone assumed they were an item, right?
Right?
On one chilly morning, Gen slipped out of their hut and sought out Ukyo. The former submariner still tended to keep a more military sleep schedule, rising early to check on the perimeter and key points of the operation, his pointy-shoed footprints distinctive in the snow. He usually settled somewhere high, where the noise of everyone waking up wouldn’t bother him, bundled up in a warm blanket to watch the sun reach the tents and huts.
“Ukyo dear! It is much too chilly to be out here like this. I brought you some tea!” Gen feigned nonchalance, but approached with his kettle and cups.
Without hesitation, Ukyo opened the side of his blanket and invited Gen to cuddle in, which Gen did gratefully, pressed up to the side of the older (though smaller) man.
“I was just going to ask what you were doing up, Gen. But you wouldn’t bring me tea with no ulterior motives, would you?”
“I’m hurt~ I swear it’s nothing bad!” Gen poured the tea, then settled the kettle in his lap, so their body heats were even further supplemented by the hot ceramic, “I wouldn’t approach anyone with no motives to my name, ulterior or blatant.”
“Alright, so what are your less-than-blatant motives today?” Ukyo rolled with it, a slight smile on his face.
Gen hesitated for a moment, sipping his tea. He realized just how stupid this was going to sound, but he had to ask someone. “You hear all the rumors that go around our little kingdom, and I wanted to know if any were regarding Senku and I. It doesn’t do well to let people talk poorly of their leader.”
Ukyo tilted his head, then grinned. “The rumors about you two aren’t negative, Gen. It’s not a curse to date someone not everyone trusts, and most rumors of you two dating get refuted quickly. Senku’s pretty obviously not into dating. Now, about you-”
“I don’t care what people say about me.” Gen interrupted quickly.
“-Unless it’s Senku’s friends, right?” Ukyo sipped his tea.
“Why? Have they said something?” He’d meant for it to sound unforced, but there was no way Ukyo didn’t hear the suppressed note of desperation in there.
“I’d hate to gossip about such kind-hearted people, Gen, but I suppose I should keep you in the loop on this. I overheard Yuzuriha and Taiju discussing you, and she thinks you’re a lot like Senku, and good for him. He has his doubts. Apparently, you confuse him a lot. He does think that it’s better to let Senku make his own decisions on things, though.”
Gen leaned into Ukyo’s shoulder, humming softly. He understood why Ukyo liked to watch the sunrise from this perch. “What do you think?”
“I think you’re going to get your heart broken.” Ukyo squished his cheek on Gen’s head, “-Yours is more delicate than it needs to be for who you’ve fallen for, I’m afraid.”
“Stronger than it looks, I assure you.”
It was really nice to have a friend like Ukyo. Quiet, supportive, observant, and just as cowardly as he was, though more idealistic, Ukyo always had a valuable perspective on whatever was going on. The sun turned the sea into a mirror of its light, and Gen couldn’t help but finish his tea and hug the kettle to his stomach.
“Go back inside, Gen, I’ve got this. I’m teaching some more classes this afternoon, if you want to come help.”
“We’ll see if I’m not busy. Hey, do you think there’s a gift I could get for Senku that he might actually use?”
“Not likely. Good luck trying, though!”
Gen slipped out of the blanket and carefully hiked back down to the tents, deciding there had to be something.
Senku liked his clothes, didn’t need anything fancy or pretty or superfluous, but he liked food. Everyone liked food, of course, but Senku ate all of Francois’ food greedily- he’d say something about fuel for his body, but Gen knew the truth- he was actually pretty discerning for flavors. So.
They had a larder of dried and frozen foods, which of course Gen had unrestricted access to. They also had a large number of medicinal herbs and local weeds dried up and kept just in case, and of course Gen could steal a corner of one of the lab tables for a few days. He chewed some stuff, boiled some stuff, burnt some other stuff, and in the week between Christmas and New Year’s, he created a small sachet of tea for Senku.
He didn’t even need to present it or anything, he already made Senku some tea regularly. On his birthday, Gen just made this tea instead.
As soon as Senku tasted it, he paused, then rolled the liquid over his tongue again.
“Good tea.”
“Thank you! I did work hard on it. Don’t forget to take a break for lunch soon, Senku!” Gen didn’t need any more recognition than that.
Soon enough, it was Valentine’s Day, and everyone was buying the chocolate substitute Senku and Yuzuriha had made. Gen carefully avoided any conversations about giving or receiving any chocolate personally, but sold as many as he could. It really was good for morale, after all.
Spring came and went, and Summer brought with it more opportunities for making Drago and trying to win over the people who still weren’t sure about him.
Of course, when Yuzuriha offered to make a swimsuit for him, he politely declined. A few silk scarves would be nice, but there was no way he was showing off that much skin.
Silk scarves made for such perfect magicians tools, and she seemed happy to make them.
It was late summer when the ship was completed.
Ryusui called people aboard, and for a moment, Gen was worried he wouldn’t be called. That he’d be stuck in Japan, scared out of his mind while Senku took everyone he actually needed with him. Taiju, Yuzuriha, Ukyo, Chrome- anyone but him. He tried to deflect, to say he didn’t want to go, but he gripped one thumb in the other hand under his sleeves, trying to keep his face steady.
They brought Hyoga and Homura onboard before they called him.
He even did a little cowardly speech to Senku’s impassive face, knowing there was no way Senku didn’t see right through it.