Chapter Text
It’s when Gen shifts in his sleep that the sun fully hits his eyes, making him groan quietly and cover his eyes with his hands as he stretches.
“Rise and shine, sleeping beauty!” He looked up, eyes blinking to regain his vision to see Senku standing, hands on his hips, staring at the sky.
Also, sleeping beauty? It’s almost laughable how his stomach churned at that. Stupid Senku and his stupid words. Gen adjusted himself to sit up correctly. He yawned, tears prickling the corners of his eyes.
“Morning,” he sings, his voice a bit raspy from sleep, “May I ask what it is you are doing, dear Senku?” He was just staring at the sky for what seemed like no reason in particular; Gen had given up on trying to figure out everything that was Senku.
Senku finally looked down, and Gen couldn’t help but note the halo-like shadow surrounding Senku from the sunshine; he looked good, sinfully so.
Senku had an almost manic grin spreading across his face. “The wind has changed.”
Gen blinked. “Uh, okay? That’s—nice? I guess?” He appreciates the information, but he doesn’t see what that has to do with anything. Maybe Gen missed the memo due to the distraction that was Senku’s annoyingly attractive face; somebody with hair that defied gravity shouldn’t be hot, but here they were.
“It’s not just nice,” Senku said, his voice brimming with excitement. “It’s important. If the wind’s shifting westward this early, it means the atmospheric conditions are aligning for a stable weather pattern today, so in short, that means once again there will be no issues!”
Gen stared at him in astonishment. “You… woke up to analyze the wind?”
“Of course I did.” He picked at his ear with his pinky and blew on it.
Oh wow. How attractive.
“Of course you did,” Gen echoed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Why am I even surprised at this point? You’re so you that I can’t believe it still surprises me sometimes.”
Senku smirked, turning his attention back to the sky, this time just to stare at the clouds, “Come on, mentalist. You know you’d be bored me around.”
Gen sighed dramatically, though a small smile tugged at his lips. “Maybe,” he hummed, “so what you’re saying is that due to the winds, uh—“
“Shifting westward, meaning the atmospheric conditions are aligning for a stable pattern.” He filled in, carefully falling back down to sit across from Gen; he missed when Senku was next to him instead.
Wow, and he thought he was doing so well with his painful and embarrassing pining, but it seems to have worsened. Must’ve been because of last night.
Fuck you, Senku, seriously.
Gen blinked himself out of his stupor. “Right. So we’ll likely be picked up soon?” Senku nodded, holding out a finger directed toward the magician, “Ten billion points to you.”
Gen felt reassurance; as unpredictable as Senku could be, there was no one else he’d rather be stuck with on the open sea. He was a human Wikipedia page; without a doubt, Gen trusts Senku with his life.
“Y’know, most people stranded at sea don’t calculate the winds; they typically freak out and eat each other.” Gen looked at his hand as if checking for an imperfection. Well, there were more callouses than he had before the petrification, but otherwise, his hands were in good shape. They had to be for his line of work of mentalism.
Senku glanced at him in amused disbelief, “One, I’m not like most people, you should know this by now, two, why was cannibalism one of the first things to think about? And three, people stranded on a boat likely wouldn’t have anything to cook with and would die from the human flesh since it’s raw, not to mention if they never got rescued, they would’ve consumed their companion for nothing and killed themself due to the consumption. ” Senku seemed to take that comment in stride, Gen thought with amusement.
“Well, one, I’m well aware of how interesting you are, and two, it’s something to keep in consideration, and three, I appreciate how you took your time to have a genuine thought about my cannibalism question.” He huffed a laugh, and Senku nodded in mock seriousness.
“Of course, survival cannibalism is a high possibility for this kind of thing. Good thing I don’t tend to want human flesh.” Senku snorted, and Gen rolled his eyes and tucked his hands into his overcoat.
“Yes, thank the heavens. And as horrifying as it is, I must admit the psychology behind it is fascinating, like the Kuru disease, for instance.” Senku hummed, absentmindedly moving his hand in repetitive motions over his mouth as he thought.
“I’m more intrigued and disturbed by the neurological basis of it. Research into the brain's reward system suggests that individuals with psychopathic tendencies or impulse control disorders could potentially have impaired function in the prefrontal cortex,” Gen nodded, “which is the decision-making and moral direction part of the brain.”
Senku snapped his fingers and lazily pointed in his direction, “Right on the money! Additionally, abnormalities in the amygdala, which is the part that regulates emotions like fear and aggression, could contribute to extreme behaviors such as that. But in a situation like ours, survival cannibalism would be the only likely thing for a person to do since the mental disease of it all is a rarity, and people who even have the tendency aren’t likely going to act on it.”
Wow. They’re seriously talking about cannibalism right now; this is the oddest thing the two have ever talked about in the years they’ve known each other. Gen always had fun with trying to understand mental disorders for his entertainment. However, he can’t do too much of it since it makes him uneasy when it gets to a point.
“To add to this brilliant train of thought, a big part of it is the link between the more uncommon disorders, such as personality and psychotic disorders.” Gen moved his hands to further pronounce his words; both of them were really into this, although Senku care less for psychology. He would be lying if he said things like neurological diseases hadn’t intrigued him once or twice to the point he studied it for a moment.
This conversation was bringing a newfound curiosity; he’d be sure to talk to Gen more about psychology in future events in his free time.
“It’s been said to be viewed as an extreme manifestation of underlying antisocial personality disorder, but even then it’s still a rarity for those disorders to even avert to such an extreme.” Gen finished off with a chuckle, “Thank goodness it’s rare, or we’d be having a lot of problems in society.”
Senku snorted; cannibalism was completely idiotic, illogical, and something that shouldn’t even be put into consideration when it came to survival. You’d be taking away your humanity by taking another’s for your own. Senku felt his face scrunch in disgust at the thought.
“Alright, I think that’s enough of that, or I might start throwing up thinking about it any longer.” Gen sighed. That’s dealt with now; he’d be sure to continue their talk about the effects of things other than cannibalism.
“You know,” Gen started, moving to another topic with ease, “when we get back to the Perseus, I fully expect to be treated like a prince. Do you think they’ll throw us a party? Or is that asking too much?”
Senku quirked an eyebrow, smirking. “A prince? For what? Sitting in a boat and complaining the whole time? Yeah, you showed elegance, Mentalist.”
“Don’t sell me short!” Gen protested, holding a hand to his chest in mock hurt, “I’ve been carrying this operation with my charming face! Without me, you’d just be here with your beakers and wind patterns.”
“Wow, that sounds perfect, no phony magician whining in my ear...” Senku shot back, crossing his arms.
Gen gasped, clutching at his chest. “You wound me, Senku! Is this the thanks I get for keeping you entertained?”
“I didn’t ask for entertainment,” Senku replied, but his smirk widened. “Besides, if anyone’s been keeping this boat from being boring, it’s me. You’re just the backup act out of us two.” Well, last time Gen checked who had their show and was a known celebrity?
“Backup act?” Gen leaned forward, his grin sharp. “Oh, please! You’re nothing more than a background dancer.”
Senku snorted, rolling his eyes. “You’re delusional. I’d give you a reality check, but I think it’d shatter what’s left of your ego.”
Gen barked out a laugh before Gen could reply; a loud splash echoed across the water, cutting through their banter like a sharp blade. Both of them jolted, heads snapping toward the source of the sound.
Another splash followed, and then another, louder this time.
“Wait a second,” Gen said, his voice quieter now, a squeaking-like whistle followed by clicks filling the salty air. “That sound! There’s no way.”
Senku was already standing, his eyes sharpening as he started scanning the water, cupping his hands over his eyes, trying to spot them. A moment later, the unmistakable sleek shape of a dolphin broke the surface, jumping out of the water with an elegant arc before splashing back down, the backs of more being shown.
“It’s a pod of dolphins,” Senku smirked as he dropped his hands to his side.
Gen stood to his feet, standing beside him. The two of them leaned over the side of the boat as the pod swam closer, their sleek bodies cutting through the water with ease. One of them leaped again, its movement graceful, droplets of water catching the sunlight, sparkling.
Gen couldn’t help but smile, his voice filled with awe, “Would you look at that! I haven’t seen one in ages!”
The dolphins seemed to have been getting closer and closer, swimming around.
“I think they’re getting closer?” Gen tilted his head.
“Dolphins are naturally curious,” Senku supplied. “They probably heard us and came to check us out. They’re curious but smart enough to check it out. One of the smartest animals on the planet.”
“Smart enough to come to hang out with us, apparently,” Gen said, his grin widening. “They recognize greatness when they see it.”
Senku snorted. “Yeah, I’m sure they came all this way just for you, Gen.”
“Oh, absolutely,” Gen replied with mock seriousness, clasping his hands together. “It’s my aura. My charm is so overwhelming, even dolphins can’t resist.”
Another dolphin jumped, closer this time, the splash being large enough to have some water touch them, making Senku chuckle softly, “Maybe they’re here to give you tips. You could learn a thing or two from them.” He snickered to himself.
Deciding to ignore that, Gen bent down to stick his hand in the water momentarily. “Hey Senku-Chan, are dolphins friendly to humans?” He asked, an idea forming in his head; it was a bit out of character for him, but the idea was a fun one.
Senku, not looking away from the sea creatures, spoke, “They’re friendlier in captivity than in the wild, more cautious outside of it, but they’re naturally harmless to us, and since they haven’t seen humans in thousands of years, they likely will be curious and won’t take us as threats as long as you don’t harm, and from what I can tell, they’re Pacific white-sided dolphins. They’re known to be the friendliest species of dolphin. Why?”
The water was swimmable; it was very hot out, the water was flat, making it easy to get back aboard, and the winds were nowhere near strong enough to shove the boat away, and quite honestly, it seemed fun.
“Wanna jump in the water?” He said, already taking his overcoat off to help with the heat.
Senku blinked and turned to him, “Do I want to what?” And blinked at him with furrowed brows in disbelief.
Gen stood there, his expression relaxed, almost thoughtful, as he stared at the pod of dolphins still swimming around the boat. “You heard me. Jump in with me. Right now.”
Senku narrowed his eyes, trying to gauge if this was one of Gen’s elaborate jokes. “Did us being out here finally fry your brain, or are seriously suggesting we dive into the open ocean?”
Gen shrugged, turning to face him fully. “Why not?” he said, gesturing toward the water as he started to remove layers.
Senku blinked. “You’re serious?” Senku asked, his voice uncharacteristically hesitant.
Gen gave a small smile, his eyes glinting with a mix of mischief, “Completely. Come on, Senku. When’s the last time you did something impulsively, purely because it sounded fun?”
“I made a small bomb a month ago.” Gen whipped his head to him, “Is that what caused that small fire!?” Senku smirked and shook his head as he chuckled, avoiding the accusation.
Senku looked at the dolphins, still leaping and splashing playfully in the water, calculating something and anything.
“Alright,” Senku said finally, a smirk creeping across his face. “You want to swim with dolphins? Let’s swim with dolphins.”
Gen’s eyes widened slightly, clearly not expecting Senku to agree so easily. “Oh, wow. I thought I’d have to convince you. Are you feeling alright, Senku? No fever?” He placed a hand on the man’s forehead, ignoring their closeness for the sake of the joke.
“Don’t push your luck, mentalist,” Senku replied, lightly smacking the hand away. He started to remove his clothes before glancing at Gen. “You wanted this. You better not chicken out. That’d be so lame.”
“Chickened out?” Gen laughed, moving his stuff deeper into the boat to prevent it from getting soaked. “Please. I’m the one who suggested it. Try to keep up, genius.”
With that, without a second thought, Gen leaped into the water with a splash. He surfaced moments later, shaking water from his hair and grinning up at Senku. “I’m finally not melting!”
Senku shook his head for a brief moment before muttering under his breath. “You’re insane.” Then, with a resigned sigh, he jumped in after him.
The water was cool, a refreshing contrast to the heat of the sun. The pod of dolphins seemed unbothered by their presence, swimming gracefully around them, their sleek bodies cutting through the waves with ease, the sounds of their whistles and clicks surrounding them.
The rope connected to the boat was long, so Gen gathered it so he could grab the end. “We should tie this to ourselves just in case the boat doesn’t want travelers anymore!” Gen said, holding his wrist up to Senku, hinting at him to tie the rope to him. Senku looped it twice and pulled, nodding.
“Isn’t this nice!” Gen said, licking his salty lips, enjoying the sound of their birds flying above, the sound of the dolphins, and the small waves of the water.
Senku treaded water; his hair usually stuck up was flat. He ducked into the water and back up, his hair slicked back, and he gave Gen an unimpressed look. “I don’t know. It’s cold, salty, and now I have seawater in my nose.”
Gen laughed, “Well, sure. But look around. When are you ever going to get a moment like this again? It’s best to take advantage of things like this, Senku-Chan!”
Senku glanced at the dolphins, then at Gen, who was looking at him with a strangely earnest expression. For a brief moment, the tension of them being stranded, the challenges of the Stone World, and even the weight of rebuilding civilization melted away.
“Fine, you’re right,” Senku admitted, his voice smooth. “This is... not bad.”
“Not bad?” Gen repeated, grinning. “Coming from you, that’s a glowing review!” He laughed carefully; Senku’s gaze was intense, but before Gen could decipher it, Senku rolled his eyes, a small smile tugging at his lips.
They swam there, the dolphins continuing their playful dance around them, Senku and Gen enjoying the feeling of the water.
A particularly loud click brought their attention; a dolphin was swimming between the gap Senku and Gen had between them, its dorsal fin poking out of the water.
“Whoa! That’s insanely ose-clay!” He gasped as another dolphin broke the surface with a splash; something about the way it moved caught Senku’s attention. Its sleek, gray body seemed to hover in place for a moment, and it let out a series of sharp clicks and whistles, directed unmistakably toward the two humans in the water Senku noticed.
Senku paused before realization dawned on him, “Wait a second.”
Gen, who had been busy watching the dolphin that was swimming around them, perked up at the change in tone. “What is it?” He asked, concern laced in his voice.
“Nothing bad,” Senku muttered, narrowing his eyes as the dolphin continued its clicks. “But they are communicating. Look at how they’re positioning themselves—they’re waiting for us to do something.”
Gen blinked, glancing between Senku and the dolphins, one of which was circling slowly around the boat while the others kept their distance, playing with each other instead. “Communicating? What, like with us?” He said in disbelief.
Another series of clicks followed, this time louder and more deliberate, as though the dolphin was trying to get their attention. It was joined by a second one, which made a short, high-pitched squeal before doing a spin.
“They’re testing us,” Senku said, his voice filled with unmistakable excitement.
Gen tilted his head, utterly baffled. “Testing us? Senku, they’re dolphins. What could they possibly be testing? Our math skills?”
Before Senku could respond, one of the dolphins jumped out of the water, arcing high into the air before splashing down with an impressive display of power. It resurfaced a moment later, its head bobbing slightly as it let out a series of loud whistles, almost as if—
“It’s showing off,” Gen said, realization dawning on him after looking at the dolphin who watched them, not making another move to recreate the display.
Senku nodded, his grin widening. “Exactly. They’re trying to see if we’ll mimic them. Dolphins are incredibly social and curious. If they think we’re worth their time, they’ll keep engaging.”
Gen stared at him, then at the dolphins. “So what, you want us to... jump around and make noises like lunatics? Because that’s your department, not mine,” he teased with a grin.
Senku gave him a look and splashed him with water. “That’s more of your department, Mentalist. And yes, I’m saying we need to mimic them.”
Gen groaned, rubbing his temples. “Oh, the things I do for you, Senku.” Then, with an exaggerated sigh, duck underwater enough to do a spin and resurface.
The closest dolphin twisted its body, pausing mid-swim. It clicked softly, and if they could, Gen would believe it was almost like it was laughing.
“See?” Senku said, a triumphant glint in his eyes. “They’re reacting! This is exciting!”
“Reacting?” Gen replied, gesturing wildly. “It’s laughing at me, Senku! Mocking me!”
“Then do it again,” Senku said, his grin turning mischievous. “Give them something better to laugh at.” Gen hit the water at him.
Gen huffed but complied, this time adding an exaggerated splash with his arm for good measure. The dolphin immediately responded by slapping its tail against the water, sending a spray directly at Gen’s face.
“Oh, real mature,” Gen muttered, wiping his face.
Senku, of course, was thoroughly enjoying himself. “Looks like they’re winning this round.“
Gen gave a high-pitched whistle, nothing like a dolphin one, but he was sure they’d get the picture.
This time, two dolphins swam farther away and leaped out of the water in unison, their synchronized movements earning an impressed whistle from Senku himself. “Not bad,” he said, nodding.
“Oh, good, I’ve earned the approval of both dolphins and the great Senku Ishigami,” Gen replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
The dolphins continued their display, splashing and clicking enthusiastically. At one point, one of the dolphins swam close enough to nudge Senku’s shoulder with its beak, letting out a playful squeal.
Senku grinned, his eyes alight with pure wonder. “I wouldn’t do this at home, kids,” he said, glancing at Gen.
“A rare moment of impulsiveness from me, I fear.” Gen sighed, slicking his bangs back. “Not to mention they think we’re idiots who make funny noises. That’s another thing to put into consideration.”
Senku shook his head with a snicker. “Dolphins are one of the few species that actively try to communicate with humans. This is more than curiosity—they’re inviting us to play.”
Gen raised an eyebrow, his usual smirk returning. “Play, huh? So what you’re saying is, I’m about to win over a pod of dolphins with my irresistible charm?”
“Or embarrass yourself trying,” Senku replied, smirking, swimming closer to Gen as a dolphin swam close behind.
Another dolphin nudged Gen’s side, clicking softly, and Gen’s laughter rang out over the waves. For a moment, Senku stared at Gen’s face, his hair sticking to his face, his bare skin above the surface, water droplets lying on his skin; he shook his head as Gen looked at him to ask him a question.
Time slipped away unnoticed as Senku and Gen stayed in the water, immersed in the once-in-a-lifetime experience with the sea and one of its creatures. The mammals had grown comfortable with them, their smooth bodies brushing against their legs underwater and sides without hesitation anymore. They seemed to enjoy the feel of the humans’ hands sliding along their smooth skin, responding with soft clicks and whistles whenever they were petted; luckily, they were aware enough that the pets were a sign of affection and not harm.
Senku, his curiosity endless, rested a hand lightly on the dorsal fin of one dolphin as he spoke. “It’s amazing how much intelligence they have; they’re one of the only few groups of animals that have brains containing specialized brain cells called spindle neurons, which gives them tons of capabilities that other animals don’t have, such as problem-solving, remembering, and perceiving.”
Gen sighed fondly as Senku ranted; he truly was something else, almost cute with the way his eyes would light up at anything his brain could get his hands on.
Gen watched as the dolphin Senku was touching began to move forward slowly. Senku instinctively started to let go, not wanting to harm or startle it and cause an issue, but the dolphin stopped, circled back, and nudged his hand again, insistently.
Gen arched an eyebrow at that; Senku frowned slightly, his mind trying to make sense of the dolphin’s behavior. “I think he wants me to hold on? I could be wrong.”
“Well,” Gen said, his grin sly, “who could blame it? You’re irresistible.”
Senku rolled his eyes but couldn’t help the faint smirk tugging at his lips. “Yeah, I’m sure it’s my magnetic personality.” Gen giggled at that, his eyes catching a dolphin in the distance, jumping out of the water before diving back in.
Carefully, Senku allowed his hand to rest on the dolphin’s dorsal again, and this time, the dolphin began to glide forward, carrying him a short distance before slowing down. Senku’s eyes widened with delight, his eye sparkling with glee, as the dolphin glided him back, in front of Gen.
“Gen,” he said back, letting go of the fin, his voice alight with excitement, “this is incredible. He’s letting me—”
Before he could finish, another dolphin jumped close by, sending a massive splash of water over both of them. Senku and Gen shouted and went down for a moment before resurfacing, laughing as they wiped the seawater from their faces. In the commotion, they ended up drifting closer, their shoulders bumping together as they leaned back against the side of the boat to rest.
The two sat there quietly for a while, catching their breath and letting the cool water lap against them. The dolphins were grouping up again, farther away than they had been for the past hour or so. If Senku had to guess, they’d likely be moving on, probably over them.
“You know,” Gen said softly, breaking the silence, “I’m gonna have to add this to the list of crazy shit I’ve done since being depetrified.”
Senku chuckled, tilting his head back against the boat. “What are the other things?”
“Driving a tank is one,” Gen laughed, his head dipping down; his slowly drying asymmetrical section of hair fell with him.
Senku turned his head slightly toward him, only to realize he couldn’t fully see Gen’s face. The long strand of hair hanging down the mentalist’s cheek obscured his expression, more specifically, his smile, which Senku didn’t really like now that he thought about it, so without thinking, Senku reached out and gently tucked the strand behind Gen’s ear.
The motion was instinctive and the effect was immediate.
Both of them froze, Senku’s hand lingering near Gen’s face as their gazes locked. He stared at Gen in disbelief as if he was the one to do it. The world around them seemed to blur—the dolphins, the boat, the endless expanse of the ocean—all of it faded into the background.
Gen’s eyes flicked down for just a moment, his lips parting slightly. Senku’s breath hitched, and for a fleeting second, neither of them moved.
Huh... Any closer, and our lips could touch.
The thought hung unspoken between them, a quiet tension that felt both fragile and electric. It was something that hadn’t happened before; they’d had telling moments, sure, but nothing this tense. Time seemed to stretch, and neither of them dared to be the first to break the moment.
“Senku,” Gen finally said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Senku blinked, his hand slowly falling away. “Yeah?”
Gen hesitated, “Nothing,” he said, at last, his tone soft. “Just... you’re full of surprises.”
Senku gave a small, almost nervous chuckle. “I could say the same about you, Mentalist.”
Gen hummed, his eyes staring into Senku’s; it was weird; Senku’s eyes were a shade of red he’d never seen in another person before; most had a dark red or a light cherry-like color, nothing like Senku’s bright blood-red ones, ones that were the color of red wine.
They didn’t know when, but the two’s faces drifted closer and closer, the air between them thick with unspoken words, their faces so close it felt like the ocean itself held its breath. For a fleeting moment, everything else disappeared—the dolphins, the waves, even the boat that was tied to Gen’s wrist; the only thing that existed was the fragile silence between them.
They felt their breaths start to intertwine, their bare skin pressing as eyes started to drift shut.
But just as the world seemed to tilt, lips barley grazing, a loud, unmistakable noise echoed across the water, shattering the moment like a stone through glass, the dolphins long gone, racing toward the direction of the ship.
“Huh?” They both said in unison, their heads jerked back and faced toward the sound, squinting to the horizon, and the noise came again, distant but distinct—a low rumble, accompanied by faint movement in the water far away.
Gen squinted, shielding his eyes against the sunlight. “Wait a second... is that—?”
Senku’s eyes widened; he grabbed onto the edge of the boat, lifting himself out of the water, hair slapping against his skin, as he pointed toward the source. “It’s The Perseus!”
Sure enough, the familiar silhouette of the ship loomed on the distant horizon, its sails catching the breeze as it cut steadily through the waves.
Gen let out a laugh, relief, and amusement coloring his voice. “Well, I’ll be damned. Looks like our knights in shining armor finally showed up.”
Senku grinned, a mix of triumph and exasperation. “Took them long enough.”
The two of them exchanged a look, the earlier tension not forgotten, they’d definitely continue it another time but for the time being, it can be for another time.
The two broke into laughter, the absurdity of their situation sinking in as Senku helped Gen back onto the boat, untying the rope that was wrapped around his wrist.
Gen threw his arms out to the sky, “Oh, sweet civilization! I thought we’d be lost at sea forever. I can almost taste my sweet, sweet cola!”
Senku chuckled, shaking his head. “You and your damn cola.”
“You know me,” Gen sang, as he started to put some of his clothes on to cover up, not bothering to put his overcoat on.
The Perseus was getting closer now; they were able to hear their names being shouted across the way. The two only laughed and waved, hoping they saw the gesture.
Gen’s eyes softened as he glanced at Senku. “You know,” he said casually, though his tone carried something, “I’m almost going to miss this. Lack of work was nice.”
Senku raised an eyebrow, smirking. “You slacker, I’m putting you to work the moment we get onboard; you’ve had a long enough break.”
Gen’s jaw dropped, “You’re so uel-cray!” Senku cackled maniacally as Gen cried out.
Finally, The Perseus cast a shadow above them; their friends leaned over the edge and threw rope for them to come back on board. The moment Senku and Gne tied themselves to it, they were pulled with inhuman strength, definitely the work of Tsukasa, Kohaku, and Taiju, Senku assumes.
They were practically flung on board, stumbling on the deck, but relief overcame their senses at the lack of rocking.
“SENKUUUUUUU, GENNNNNNNN!” Taiju cried as he wrapped them into an air-crushing hug, the air leaving them momentarily.
“Get off, you big oaf!” Senku cried out, “Your stupid beararms are suffocating me!” Taiju let go with tears in his eyes.
“We’re so glad you guys are alright!” Gen winced at the volume; everyone around looked relieved at the sight of their leader and diplomat safe and sound. From the looks of it they looked pretty stressed.
“Aha! I hope we didn’t keep you waiting too long!” Ryusui called as he approached the two of them, “Can’t complain really.” Senku shrugged, and Gen huffed and placed his hands on his hips.
“Well, I sure can! Seriously, I would’ve eaten Senku if we waited longer!” Gen whined, and Senku immediately burst out laughing at that, Gen following suit.
“I don’t know what’s happening right now, but what I do know is that this idiot over here didn’t bother to check what he was untying yesterday!” Kohaku yelled, giving Ginro another hard whack to the head, to which he cried out, clutching onto his head as steam practically emitted from his head.
Kinro sighed, exasperated as Ginro yelled at him to fend for his honor, “What are you, an idiot?” To which Ginro glared at him, the two of them started to bicker.
“Welcome back. Master Senku, Master Gen, it’s wonderful to have you back onboard. I apologize for our late arrival.” Francois bowed, “I’ll be sure to prepare you a meal and beverages.”
“That’d be great!” Gen smiled cheerfully as Francois bowed once again, and they made their way to prepare; they were such an efficient worker.
“Hey, why are you guys soaked?” Chrome asked eyebrows furrowed at the sight of the duo's soaked hair and mildly damp clothes.
“Oh, we jumped in the water and swam with dolphins,” Senku said, picking at his ear, Gen deadpanned at his delivery. Way to lay that on thick.
“Wh—What!?” Taiju said in shock, and as if on cue, loud splashing and whistles were heard; Gen looked over and beamed.
“Aw Senku, look! It appears our sea friends are saying goodbye!” Senku looked overboard and smirked, “Well, how about that.”
“A dol What now?” Suika questioned as everyone leaned over to see the creatures.
The Ishigami villagers' eyes bugged out at the creatures, “Woah! The hell!?” Chrome gawked at the sight.
“Aha! Of course, you two swam with dolphins as we were coming back to get you!” Ryusui laughed as they watched the dolphins jump and arc out of the water, eventually swimming off into the distance.
“Regardless of the situation, it seems like you two had fun?” Ukyo smiled as he saw the relaxed state the two were in. Even if it was a dangerous situation, the two looked as if nothing happened.
“Don’t let the magician fool you. He freaked the hell out when we realized what was happening.” Senku poked Gen’s cheek roughly, making Gen squawk.
“Senku!” Gen screeched as he shoved him, to which Senku retaliated with a shove, “You’re lucky we’re not in the water anymore, or I would’ve put salt water in your eyes.”
The crew laughed as Gen stared at Senku in mock betrayal. Whatever happened out here on the sea, it seemed to have further developed the two, making them closer from the experience, in more ways than everyone knew.
“I think it’s best to get you two into dry clothes!” Yuzuriha beamed as she started to drag the two men down the sleeping quarters.
For the rest of the night, everyone partied (because why not?) over the return of their two friends, enjoying the day as it faded to night.
“I hope you know I’m going to work you guys to the absolute bone tomorrow.” Senku grinned evilly as he was seated beside Gen, eating a hot meal with drinks Francois crafted specifically for them.
“I knew you’d say that eventually.” Yo whined as Magma laughed at his expense, “Oh yes, I was looking forward to your return, Senku! We have a lot to do!” Kaseki chuckled, cracking his knuckles in the fleets of a day of hard work.
“That’s the spirit, you geezer!” Senku cheered as a few of the other members mentally started to prepare themselves for the torture they knew their leader was going to put them through.
“I’ll cry. Genuinely.” Gen said as he covered his face with the palm of his hands. “Good. That’s how you know the work is good.” Gen only cried out at the cruel words while others laughed. Everyone here is nothing but a bunch of traitors he tells you, traitors!
“I expected nothing less.” Tsukasa smiled softly, bowing his head once, always capable and ready for any challenge heading his way.
Slowly but surely, everyone started to trickle out to either the night watch or the sleeping quarters, the night sky shining down on them, the sea surrounding them as the wind blew with the night.
Finally, they’re home!