Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

After such an eventful day, there was nothing Chrome wanted more than some sleep. They had just fended off Hoyga’s attack and watching his friends in a life or death fight really wore him out. He was finishing up his nightly routine and starting to head over to his shed before Kohaku stopped him.

“Hey, can I talk to you for a second?” she asks.

“Can’t it wait until the morning. I’m tired,” Chrome yawned as if to prove his point.

“No. Don’t worry, it won’t take long,” Kohaku had already started to drag him away into the forest before he could respond, effectively ending that debate. All the former sorcerer could do was resign himself to his fate.

Deeming them to be far enough from the village to avoid prying ears, Kohaku lets go of Chrome and turns to face him. “Are Senku and Gen dating?” Chrome just blinked as he processed the blunt question.

Finally, words return to him. “Why are you asking me?”

“You’re the closest to Senku and are around him the most. Thought you would know best.”

“Why not just ask one of them directly?”

“I doubt I would get a clear answer,” The lioness rolls her eyes. “And it would be awkward if I’m wrong about this.”

“Fair, but I don’t really know,” Chrome sighs. “You know those two don’t really show their emotions.”

“But just look at them. They barely spoke a word to each other when fighting Hyoga and still had an almost perfect strategy. It’s like those two have telepathy or something.”

Chrome thought for a moment. “Now that you mention it... Gen is around Senku just as much as I am and they do seem to know what the other is thinking. I mean, Senku knew Gen wasn’t going to rat him out when he ran away, though maybe he mentioned something the night before? Those two were alone.”

The amber warrior just stares at him for a moment. “Wait… are you telling me you never saw it?”

“Hey! It’s not my fault science is too cool to pay attention to stuff like that!” Chrome loudly responds.

Kohaku, however, was completely unfazed. “You really do have tunnel vision.”

“You just don’t understand it,” The scientist huffs and crosses his arms.

“Won’t argue there,” The lioness shakes her head as she shrugs. “But that’s not the point here. This is about Senku and Gen, not science. So, do you really not know?”

“No, but I think I see what you are talking about. Gen did betray Tsukasa for a bottle of cola or something like that, but what if those are just really tasty? Like ramen?”

“Have you seen Senku make anything for anyone else for free? Usually he makes people work for just one bowl of ramen, yet Gen is still getting a lighter workload than most of us. And Senku is still making it for him!”

“But he did just save him by not ratting him out. That could just be some form of thank you or maybe something from their time.”

“He sent his friends off to be spies right after he actually did die and they saved him. That sneaky bat is different for some reason and I can’t figure out why. And neither acted like this when they first came. This only started when those two first met and is only between them.”

“They weren’t exactly ‘normal’ for their time though,” Chrome points out. “Maybe it’s something they do. I don’t know. I’m just listing ideas here.”

“Doesn’t explain how close those two are after such a short time. They just met not too long ago and Gen has already betrayed the strongest person alive who is leading a whole empire of more fighters,” Kohaku rebutts. “I don’t think cola is that good.”

“That’s just because science is really that amazing! I mean, you saw when Senku made light. Who would want to live in a world without it!?” The explorer was starting to get excited.

“I will admit I’m grateful for it, but that mostly applies to you and Senku,” The warrior reminds him. “Gen isn’t as into science as you guys and I wouldn’t be surprised if Tsukasa could have provided him more than we could. Not to mention, Magma had almost killed him at that point.”

Chrome had to give her that and agreed with a sigh. “I do have to admit that they are scarily in sync. Neither wasted a moment in my fight against Magma.”

“Pretty sure if Senku is going to fall for anyone, it would be Gen. There is no better fit for either or them.”

“There are some people in the village crushing on him, but I can’t see him returning any of it. It wouldn’t be practical or something like that.”

“Oh for sure,” Kohaku agrees. “He isn’t terrible looking and he is the chief. The main problem is his personality. That would drive most people away, and yet Gen still sticks to him like a moth to a light. Even after being worked to death sometimes.”

“And he says he hates work. It was one of his reasons to side with Tsukasa.”

“And his constant complaining,” The lioness rolls her eyes. “I get he isn’t used to it, but does he have to whine so much?”

“Leave him be. At least he gets it done,” The explorer sighs. “Maybe there is something there…”

“Did it really take you that long?”

“Shut up! The main thing now is what we are going to do. Gen will likely see through anything we try, and that’s assuming we get Senku to agree.”

“We’re going to need more than just the two of us. For now, let’s try to get more people while making sure they don’t find out.”

“Got it!” Chrome enthusiastically agrees. With that, the two head back to the clearing they call home to finally get some sleep.

And that was how the Kingdom of Sengen was made.

Chapter Text

The sun was shining high in the sky and two sisters were taking shelter in the priestess’s hut. They were drinking some tea, made from the leaves of a plant Gen had found along one of his walks in the forest. Upon Senku’s confirmation that they were tea leaves and safe to drink, Gen insisted on bringing tea back into Stone World. It was easy enough to make, so Senku just let Gen make it and present it to the villagers. Seems like everyone was lucky that some poor souls still stuck in stone had tea plants growing in their gardens and they had lasted so long since it was a hit amongst the Kingdom of Science.

“Hey Ruri, can I ask you something?” Kohaku says after a sip.

“Sure, you can ask me anything,” Ruri answers with a kind smile.

The lioness stares her dead in the eyes while she spoke, “What do you think about Senku and Gen together?”

The priestess, meanwhile, blinks before responding, “Uhh do you mean romantically?” Her sister nods curtly and waits for her answer. “Where is this coming from?”

“Answer the question first.”

“I suppose they could be a good fit,” She thinks for a moment before nodding more certainly.

“Would you like to help get them together?” The warrior’s stare softens with the reply.

“Should we really be getting ourselves involved in their private lives like that? They may not like it,” Ruri worries.

Kohaku puts her hand on the other’s shoulder to comfort her, “If they really aren’t interested, then we will stop, but it's so painfully obvious that there is something there and yet they won’t do anything! It may be for the sake of our own sanity.”

“I guess it couldn’t hurt, but why are you so enthusiastic?”

“They are perfect for each other, yet refuse to admit it. They are similar and different in just the right ways.”

“You do have a point,” Ruri sighs as she relents.

“Chrome is helping us, but we are going to need more people. I can lead you to the meeting when the time comes,” The priestess responds with a nod and takes another sip of her tea. “Do you have any vague ideas though?”

“Well, I say we should start by confirming their feelings. We could be reading this wrong and shouldn’t risk it.”

“The problem would be how. Senku may not admit it and push his feelings aside while I doubt Gen would give a straight answer,” Kohaku snorts.

“We could arrange a meeting between them and watch to see what happens,” Ruri suggests.

“Ha! Now there’s an idea!”

Her sister sighs at that, “Just don’t do anything too rash, ok?”

“I make no promises.”

“Kohaku, please. Regardless of how much you want it, the choice is still theirs’ to make in the end. Forcing love would just make it worse.”

The other had to agree to that as Ruri retells Tale 26: Matters of the Heart. It was a tale about love and relationships since Byakuya feared the village would forget about them in favor of survival. The story itself was simple enough: two men fell in love, but weren't supported by one of the families. It was their friends that gave them the care they needed. The tale had many lessons to teach, but some of the main ones were about healthy kinds of relationships and sexualities.

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Meanwhile, on the other side of the Kingdom of Science, a scientist and a craftsman were working on a project Senku had given them. The two were making small talk to pass the time easier.

“Oh ho, things sure have changed a lot around here. Not that long ago, no one would have been telling me to make things as complex as this,” Kaseki says.

“Senku sure is something, isn’t he?” Chrome agrees with a light laugh

“You can say that again. He and that Gen fellow sure know a lot more than I ever will. Wonder what they’re doing right now.”

“Senku said he was going to talk with Gen about the plans for the upcoming war, but I don’t know where they are.”

“Figures,” the old craftsman responds.” They’ll show themselves when they’re needed.”

“Actually, I wanted to talk to you about them,” the scientist pauses for a moment to make sure he uses the right words. “Do… do you think they may love each other?”

Kaseki chuckles lightly. “Why of course they do. I may be old, but my eyes can still see the spark of love.”

“When do you think they will get together?”

“Who knows. They would likely prioritize work over their own feelings, so it could be a while.”

Chrome slows down his work to keep talking, “Should we help them along?”

“If we want them to be together anytime soon.”

“I’m working with Kohaku to try and do just that. Do you want to help?”

“Oh ho, you bet I will. What’s the plan?”

“Right now, we are trying to get more people,” the scientist was excited with the extra help.

The old man chuckles again. “Well, count me in!”

Senku himself was working a little ways away, but far enough that he couldn’t hear the conversation. However, he still notices the two talking. “Hey, what are you two chatting about? There's work to be done.”

Chrome was the one who responded. “Nothing Senku! We’ll get right on it!” The other scientist huffs and focuses back on his project, leaving the former sorcerer to turn back to Kaseki. “We’re meeting after dinner in a clearing in the woods. I’ll take you there.”

“Sounds good to me.”

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The sun begins its descent into the night and, eventually, it was time for dinner. Today’s dish was cooked boar and Gen makes it even better by finding some spices. It seems the mentalist’s desire for food that isn’t bland was very welcomed in the village. People devoured the meat in seconds.

With food in their bellies and with the setting sun at their backs, it was time for the meeting. Chrome and Kaseki left first since it was easy for everyone else to just assume they had to help Senku. Ruri and Kohaku follow shortly after to have private sisterly bonding time. Little did the rest of the Kingdom of Science know that the four were leaving to work on getting their two leaders together. Only Suika grew curious enough to creep after them.

The quartet reaches an opening in the forest and sits down on the rocks to begin discussion. Suika hides in the bushes close enough to hear.

The lioness was the first to speak, “Alright everyone. Welcome to our first meeting. Now, who’s ready to get these two pinning idiots together?” The watermelon child listening in was wondering who she was talking about.

“Should we have some sort of informational spy on them? Just to confirm if they love each other and everything. We shouldn’t force anything or make it worse,” The priestess voices.

“I’m around them a lot,” The scientist takes the offer. “So I can keep an eye on them.”

“No offense Chrome, but you aren’t exactly subtle.”

“Hey! I can be!”

“Sure…..”

“It might be best if you don’t try anything Chrome,” Ruri tries to break it up. “We shouldn’t give them a reason to suspect you. It’s not that you can’t do it, but you are in a unique position we shouldn’t risk.”

“I guess you’re right,” Chrome sighs and relents. “I’m still going to be watching them though.”

“The more ears the better right?” The craftsman pipes up. “Oh ho, why not get the whole village involved?”

“We have to do this carefully to make sure no one tells them anything though. If only we had some way to do a survey or something like that…”

Suika, always wanting to be useful, couldn’t stop herself from jumping out of the bushes, startling the other four. “Suika can help!”

“Suika! What are you doing here?” Kaseki asks.

“Well, Suika saw you guys walking into the forest and wanted to know what was happening.”

“She could help,” Kohaku talks to herself. “Hey Suika, don’t tell Senku or Gen about this ok?”

“Will do!”

The warrior smiles at the child, “We are trying to get them to date.”

“You’re trying to get Dad and Papa together?” She tilts her head cutely.

That sends Kohaku and Chrome into a laughing fit so hard that tears sprouted from the corner of their eyes. Kaseki and Ruri had it better with just chuckles and giggles. Suika could only stand there confused.

“When did you start calling them that?” The priestess was the first to speak again.

“When Dad first made my glasses and when Papa started playing with me when everyone else was busy.”

“And why?” Two people were still currently dying in the background and it was only getting worse.

“Because that’s what they are. Dad makes sure Suika doesn't get hurt from his work and Papa makes sure she doesn't get bored or lonely. I don’t really know my real parents, but those two treat Suika like family.”

“It’s nice that you found someone else that you can say that about,” The craftsman was proud of both his adopted children and grandchild.

“It sure is! And that’s why Suika wants to help!”

Kohaku recovers from her laughter, “I don’t see why not.”

“Looks like we got Detective Suika on our side!” Chrome was still trying to suppress some chortles.

“Welcome to the…” Ruri pauses for a moment. “What are we calling ourselves again?”

“Wait, we don’t have a name,” The scientist groans. “Anyone have any ideas?”

“What about Get those Real Idiots Together, or GRIT for short?” Kohaku suggests.

“You really like calling them idiots, don’t you?”

“Yup.”

“Suika thinks those two are pretty smart though. Why are they idiots?”

“They are so obviously pinning, but won’t do a thing about it!” Frustration was clear in the lioness’s voice. “So it’s left for us to change that.”

“Oh, ok.”

“Anyways, what about the name?”

“I don’t believe anyone has any better ideas,” Kaseki replies and everyone else murmurs in agreement.

“Then that’s our name. Welcome to GRIT Suika.” The child cheers in delight.

“We still have two main problems for all our plans though: first, getting Senku to agree to anything and second, making sure Gen doesn’t figure us out.”

“And that’s why you brought us here. You need more members,” Kaseki says. “That old saying ‘Two heads are better than one’ right?”

“Yeah, and now Suika can ask the village.”

“Suika’s on it!” She calls out as she bounces towards the village again, leaving the others to discuss their schemes.

The fledgling Kingdom of Sengen, or GRIT as it is called now, expands and soon enough, it will spread throughout the whole village.