A long silence settled over the room after Ruri had finished her story as everyone stared at the two of you, unsure of what to say. You, on the other hand, glanced over at Senku whose red eyes were lowered to the ground – his lips curled into a small frown.

You knew that although Byakuya wasn't always around in Senku's life because of his career, both father and son had a close relationship. After all, it was because of Byakuya that Senku came to love science and despite the latter never saying much on this issue, you knew that deep down in his heart, this gift meant a lot to the scientist who wouldn't be here today if it was not for his father.

Moving closer to the green-haired teen, you nudged your shoulder gently against his and he blinked his eyes before lifting his head to meet your gaze. His lips curled into a weak smile when he saw the concern expressed in your (e/c) eyes, answering your silent question with a small shrug.

(E/C) eyes softened with understanding, and you slipped your hand into his, intertwining both your fingers before giving a tight squeeze and leaning your weight against the side of his body.

The conflict swirling in those ruby red eased up a little at your quiet attempt of comforting him and he shifted a little before returning your gesture with a press of his shoulder against yours.

Just like that, the two of you stood together – one as the support while the other sought strength – before facing the small crowd of audience head-on, ready to answer any questions that they might have.

Another heartbeat of silence passed before Suika was the first to break the bubble, her face expressing her confusion as she said, "It's such a weird story that I have no idea what it means."

"Yeah, all of humanity turned to stone thousands of years ago. You know those stone statues we see all over the place?" Chrome asked and started to explain to those who still didn't get the story, "Those are all humans. Six people, including Senku's dad, survived because they were above the sky. Everyone in Ishigami Village is a descendant of theirs, thousands of years later."

Hearing that the whole village was descendants of Senku's father and the rest of the crew, Kohaku's face was red with horror as she exclaimed, "Does that mean we're all related to Senku?"

The scientist let out a light chuckle, finding it amusing that this was the blonde's main concern from all of these as he responded, "Byakuya and I aren't blood relatives. So only legally."

Giggling, you added, "Besides, you're all hundreds of generations apart. You can't call one another relatives."

"Hey!" Suddenly, the conversation was interrupted by a loud voice coming from outside and everyone's heads turned towards the sound where one of the villagers was calling for the group to join them in their celebration below, "What are you doing up there? This is your day! It's a celebration! We have a new village chief!"

Ruri's lips curled into a small smile as she turned to both you and Senku, saying, "Shall we all go to the feat together?"

With that, all of you joined the village in their feasting. The air was filled with laughter and cheers as everyone ate, drank, and danced away to their merriment while a large bonfire in the middle chased the coldness of the night away; large smiles painting the adults' cheeks as they basked in the warm afterglow of the wine while children ran in between groups with their delighted laughter tinkling like small, silvery bells.

You were seated next to Senku, your body pressed up against his side as he wrapped an arm loosely around your waist while sipping on his liquor. Resting your head against his shoulder, you watched your surrounding with a quiet, content smile; (e/c) eyes half-lidded with drowsiness from a full belly and the warmth of the bonfire.

Your friends were enjoying themselves to the fullest and they deserved it after working so hard on making the cure-all sulfa drug and winning the hearts of the villagers. Chrome was seated not too far away from you, revelling in his drink when a drunk villager stumbled up to him with a large jar of wine.

"Drink up, sorcery user!" He exclaimed and the brunette's eyes twitched at his choice of words.

"I'm a science user—" His sentence was cut off as the man titled the jar and in one go, poured all the wine into the teen's bowl, startling him as the alcohol overflowed everywhere. "Dude!"

You giggled at the wide-eyed expression on your friend's face and Senku smirked a little around the edges of his lips when he felt you shaking against him, his arm curled tighter around your waist – pulling you into him.

You shifted your gaze over to Kaseki, whose shirt was missing and gulping down a big jar of wine, shocking everyone who watched with bulged eyes and their jaws dropping wide open in disbelief before cheering loudly as the old man finished the entire jar with ease.

Meanwhile, the former village chief was relaxing by the bonfire with his fellow guard who was offering more liquor to the other, their cheeks flushed from drinking too much.

"Please, chief," Jasper offered, causing Kokuyo to let out a merry laugh as he responded, "I'm not the chief anymore."

Panicking, the white-haired man responded, "My apologies."

Next to them, Turquoise spoke up with a forlorn expression as she sighed, "To think Ruri-sama is a divorcee, though..."

Hearing that, the blonde's pleased face fell as his upper body slumped in defeat at the reminder and Jasper glanced back and forth between his two companions, unsure if he should comfort them or not.

"It hasn't been this lively in a while," Kohaku commented with a soft smile, blue eyes reflecting the dancing flame of the bonfire as she bathed in the happiness of her fellow villagers.

"Everyone's smiling. This is fun," Suika added as she took a bite out of her meat, chewing happily.

"Yeah! I'm having fu—" Ginro piped up, a light blush dusting his cheeks which his large grin threatened to break in half when he was cut off by Kinro who grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him back so that the blonde was looking at him upside down.

"We have to guard the bridge," The brunette informed his younger brother and without a care in the world, he dragged the other towards their usual postings by the main bridge.

The whole time, Ginro was crying out in complaint, struggling to get free from his brother's tight hold but failing miserably, "No fair!"

Next to them, you hummed in satisfaction, snuggling up into Senku and whispered, "Senku, as the new village head, I expect there to be more feasts like this one in the future."

Chuckling, Senku brushed his lips softly against the top of your hair, red eyes falling shut as he leaned his head against the top of yours; a small, pleased sigh leaving his lips as (h/c), stray strands tickled his cheek like a feather.

"Anything for you, my assistant."

Both of you simply basked in each other's presence and despite the noisy atmosphere from the villager's celebration, there was an odd sense of peacefulness enveloping the two of you. Although, it didn't last long when you were interrupted by a light tapping on your shoulder.

Blinking your eyes opened, you turned towards the intruder who was none other than Ruri, an apologetic smile on her face as she said, "Sorry to disturb the two of you, but there's a place that I want to show both of you."

You waved away her excuse, a reassuring smile on your face as you rose onto your feet, pulling Senku up as well, "It's okay, you aren't disturbing us."

The priestess nodded her head and gestured for both you and Senku to follow her. Thus, the three of you left quietly with nobody noticing the group's absences until all of you were far away from the village.

Amid the starlit heaven with the moon slipping its silvery moonlight through the shade of the trees, leaking a shimmering jade, and lighting the path ahead, you and Senku followed in quiet footsteps behind Ruri as she led the journey towards the destination in mind.

Soft crickets sang their lullabies deep within the recesses of the forest while nocturnal animals pranced through the grassy field as the sounds of the night filled the air between the three of you as no one said anything.

A minute or two passed before Ruri spoke up, her voice gentle and soft to match the quiet atmosphere of the night, "The story ends with a message from Byakuya-sama. I thought you two should be the only ones to hear it."

Chuckling, Senku replied with a knowing smirk, "I figured it'd be something like that."

You titled your head to the side, a pondering expression on your face as you mumbled, "I wonder what Byakuya-san will say."

"Just as Byakuya-sama had hoped, someone took an interest in rocks because of his stories," The priestess finished with a small, fond smile after relaying what Senku's father had said.

Said scientist responded, "And that's Chrome."

"Yes," Ruri agreed, her eyes never straying from the path ahead as she reminisced her younger days where the brunette would go on all sorts of adventures and bringing back souvenirs to store away in his science shed.

Laughing, Senku shook his head with exasperated fondness, "The old man wasn't totally useless after all."

Your brows furrowed as you glanced up at the green-haired teen with a small glare, "Don't be so rude to your father, Senku!"

Said person just rolled his eyes as he flicked your forehead, saying, "He's no longer here anymore so what's the matter."

Narrowing your eyes, you rubbed at the spot on your forehead and frowned, "Have you ever heard of respecting the dead?"

Ruri watched with a small, amused smile at the bickering pair over a shoulder before facing the front again and coming to a stop when they had arrived at the destination. Seeing the blonde at a standstill, both you and Senku stopped arguing and came to a halt beside her, eyes widening in awe and surprise at the sight before the two of you.

Far from the village and secluded deep within the forest with a large cliff surrounding what looked to be a hill dotted with tombstones, moonlight shining down on the highest point through the large opening in the cliff.

"This is the village cemetery," Ruri explained as she led the two of you up to the top of the cemetery where a single tomb stood out from the rest beneath the direct glow of the moon, "It's said that these are the graves of Byakuya-sama and the other founders."

You watched as she paid her respect before lying a small bouquet of flowers in front of that tomb while Senku spoke up from beside you, "They bit the dust 3,700 years ago. Even if the story was legit, you won't find a single bone."

The blonde didn't reply to Senku's comment and instead, recited the last story in a whispered tone, "And the last of the Hundred Tales, the hundredth story..."

"...is a message from me. Hey, Senku, (Name). If you're listening to this story, it means you've broken through the petrification, maybe thousands of years from now. I'm doing great. I mean, I'm already dead by now, but...you know. I promised you a science gift, and that gift is the friends that the Hundred Tales will connect you with. The world was pretty fun, even after the collapse. With your science and your friends' help, I'm certain you can build a world that's even more fun."

You hung onto every word that came from Ruri when suddenly, (e/c) eyes widened in surprise as you felt a familiar presence. Without having to even guess, you already knew who it was, and the corners of your lips stretched into a sad, nostalgic smile as his voice echoed in your head. You knew that Senku felt the same as he slipped his hand into yours, twinning both your fingers as he held on tight, afraid that if he didn't, he would break.

"You won't lose. You've (Name) by your side and together, both of you'll rebuild civilization, from scratch if you have to, and you'll save all of humanity. (Name), thank you for staying by my son's side all these years and even though, I may no longer taste your cooking anymore, do it for Senku and others, bringing smiles to their faces as it did for me. I'm sorry but I'll have to leave this son of mine in your capable hands for a while longer. Senku, (Name), I know you can do it."

As the last word left the priestess' lips, the effect of feeling Byakuya's presence faded. The first tear broke free, and the rest followed in an unbroken stream; silently flowing down your reddened cheeks. Next to you, Senku was trembling as he tried to control himself, his free hand curling into a tight fist; blunt nails digging into his skin, the pain grounding him.

His voice was thick with restrained emotions as he swallowed the lump in his throat, his voice coming out raw and hushed as he said to Ruri, "We're going to look around before we go back."

"Okay, I'll be back at the village," Ruri replied as she stood up and turned on her heels, stopping to glance over her shoulder at the pair before leaving them to mourn their loss in peace.

The scientist's gaze shifted over to you, a quiet frown on his face as he stared at the silvery trails trekking down your cheeks; a moon glade reflection in the depths of glossy, (e/c) eyes. Pulling you into his arms at their joined hands, he cradled the back of your head as you buried your face into his chest and cried silently; slender fingers running through soft, downy (h/c) hair.

There was an air of odd silence surrounding the two as red eyes gazed at his father's tombstone, his face blank as he mumbled to himself while still comforting you, "I see. That was thousands of years ago, huh? That was when I was still alone in the darkness, counting hundreds of millions of seconds."

"That takes me back. Man...That really takes me back," A forced chuckle pushed back his trembling lips as Senku tried to appear unaffected by Byakuya's message but even the strongest man would eventually fall.

(E/C) eyes snapped open as you felt the green-haired teen quivering against you, his shoulders tensing as he wound his arms tighter around you, his nails digging into the side of your arms while he gritted his teeth in frustration.

Lifting your head from his chest, you raised your eyes to meet his and they widened upon seeing a single trail of a tear rolling down his cheek before dripping onto the tombstone below him. Your expression softened as you lifted a hand to cup his face, your thumb gently wiping away the wet treks that matched your own.

Red eyes blinked, a tear catching on his lashes as he stared into your gaze. No words were needed as both of you found comfort and strength in the assurance and affection that sparkled under the gentle touch of the moon's glow.

Both of you sank to your knees, arms still tight around each other and for the rest of the night, the two of you knelt there by the grave of the one who had inspired and touched your hearts, quiet whispers of memories with him falling from trembling lips that no longer held the edge of sadness but of peacefulness.

Moments passed in the sound of gentle murmurings and steady, soft heartbeats until all the tears had run dry and grief was turned into acceptance. Senku wiped the remaining tears on his face before rising to his feet, turning his face towards the stars that looked like scattered moondust across a scroll of inky blackness.

Still seated, you watched with your head tilted back, quiet awe on your face as the scientist grew in his confidence; his lips twisted into his trademark smirk, ruby red burning like wild flames as he shouted to the heaven where his father walked amongst the stars and planets, "I would have been screwed without your science gift. I'm happy to receive it, thousands of years later."

Then, he turned his gaze downwards to you, a hand outstretched as he beamed at you, the corners of his eyes creasing into little moon crescents; his cheeks flushed with joy, "But, I'll be even more screw if I didn't have you with me, by my side. So, you're a constant variable in my life, (Name)."

The pink in your cheeks bloomed like the first petals of cherry blossom in spring as Senku's words caused your heart to pound like a drum in your chest, so loud in your ears that you were afraid the teen could hear it.

Still, you placed your hand in his opened palm and the teen curled his fingers around yours, tugging onto your feet. The force of it had you stumbling into his embrace once more, laughter spilling from his lips as he leaned his forehead against yours.

This close, you could the swirls of red and orange highlights in his eyes and with the sound of his merriment like a long, forgotten tune, you couldn't tear your gaze away as you drowned in those depths of the brightest ruby gems found in the deepest part of earth's core.

Soon, you found yourself giggling along, caught up in the whirls of Senku's contagious happiness, the stretch of your lips reaching the crescent of your eyes. Your heart was full of love and endearment tonight, the sound of your heartbeat mimicking the morning lullaby of a songbird.

The laughter gave way to soft grins and fond looks as the two of you locked gazes, quiet breaths intermingling with each other. Then, the scientist's eyes fluttered close as he whispered, the barest hint of touch brushing across your lips, "Thank you, (Name)."

Senku opened his eyes, a soft look in his eyes which glanced down briefly to your lips, causing your breath to hitch in anticipation but the moment passed. Instead, he cupped your face and brought your forehead down to his mouth, a light tough of a butterfly wing kiss against your skin.

Even though it wasn't what you wanted, you were content as your eyes slid shut this time, basking in the warmness of those lips on your forehead; a light shudder running through your body in pleasure.

Both of you stayed in this position for a second or two longer, trying to prolong the moment before the green-haired teen pulled back. His lips twisted into his trademark smirk, with the lingering traces of gentleness still seen in the soft edges of his mouth as he said, "Come on, let's head back before the rest start thinking that we've been killed or something."

You sighed, already missing the affections from Senku but nodded your head, "You're right, we should make our way back. But before we do that, I just have one last thing to do."

You stepped out of his arms and turned to face his father's tombstone, your eyes falling shut as you bowed your head and clasped your hands in a silent prayer, 'Senku and I are gonna be just fine. So, you can rest assured now, Byakuya-san. Thank you for everything till now.'

Your eyes fluttered open, a content smile on your lips as you brushed light fingers over the man's tombstone in one last farewell before facing Senku, "I'm ready, let's go."

His gaze flicked over to the tombstone and back to you, a brow raised in question, "What did you say to that old man?"

Smiling secretly, you responded, "It's none of your business, it's between me and Byakuya-san."

"Oh, come on. Tell me." Senku complained as the two of you made your way down the hill.

"Nope," You chirped, popping the "p".

The whole way back to the village as the two of you argued back and forth, somewhere amongst the galaxy, a single star twinkled as though smiling as he watched the two teens walking beneath the moon; their intertwined hands swinging between them with each