Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Today was one of those rare, quiet days aboard The Perseus—a day that even Senku couldn’t argue against letting everyone relax and slack off for once, much to everyone's excitement.

The winds were perfect, the crew was ahead of schedule, most of the ship’s high-maintenance tasks had been completed, and for once, there were no moral crises to address. It was a moment of calm in the storm of their usually chaotic lives, and Senku figured, why not slack off for once?

Naturally, he had no intention of spending his day lounging around like the others. His way of slacking off was working on his things.

Senku had his sights set on one of the fishing boats they’d constructed—a simple wooden thing for when they either fished or a backup plan if the ship ever went down, very unlikely but better safe than sorry.

He of course wasn’t planning on fishing or anything like that. He doubts he could even do it by himself, he admittedly doesn’t have much strength in his body for things like that.

What Senku wanted to do was take the opportunity to conduct a few experiments at sea, make some notes, and enjoy a moment of solitude away from the noise of the crew. He doesn’t mind loud noises, far from it, if anything he’s also a part of the loud noises.

So as he grabbed things to get ready to head out, waving back to Ryusui and Ukyo who were in communications with him previously, he told them that he likely wouldn’t be back for a few hours, depending on his findings.

The two wished him luck, Ryusui saluting him, and continued to loudly speak to Ukyo who winced a bit but continued to nod along with the captain’s story.

As he was turning the corner out of the room, his body slammed into another body, he almost falling backward and dropping everything until his wrist was gripped and yanked on.

He heard a familiar laugh and blinked at the person he slammed into, it was Gen.

“Ouch, that seriously hurt!” Gen laughed as he let go of Senku’s wrist and patted invisible dust off himself and tucked his arms back into his sleeves.

“I seriously could’ve gotten a concussion from that.” Senku rubbed his wrist, Gen gripped pretty hard to prevent him from falling.

“I can’t tell if I believe you or not,” Senku smirked and readjusted the bag he was carrying.

“What are you doing on this day? Not work I hope?” Gen asked, his head tilted in curiosity.

“More of a self-indulgence if anything,” Senku replied, placing his hands onto his hips, having that look in his eyes that made Gen sigh.

“So work, what a shocker.” He said flatly. Senku had weird things he found relaxing and enjoyable.

“It does not work if you’re doing it mainly for yourself is it?” The scientist quirked a brow, Gen looked amused and only shook his head.

“Never change Senku, never change.” He chuckled, Senku snorted and picked at his ear.

“Never plan to Mentalist.” Gen smiled and glanced around before sighing, today was mind numbingly boring.

“Today is such a bore, at least someone’s having fun,” Gen smirked and sidestepped to walk off to leave Senku to his activity.

But before Gen could get far enough, Senku grabbed Gen by the back of the collar of his overcoat and dragged him along toward the smaller boat.

“You’re coming with me,” he said, his voice brooking no argument. “I need an assistant anyways.” Gen couldn’t see his face currently but he’s positive he’s grinning.

“What?! Wait a minute! I didn’t agree to this!” Gen protested, though there was no real resistance, his body being dragged with no issue.

“Too bad. You’re my assistant now,” Senku shot back looking over his shoulder and ignoring Kohaku and Tsukasa as they walked past them to the other side of the ship, likely training together.

Gen could hear the two faintly laugh at the sight, what traitors.

“This has to be considered kidnapping!?” Gen called out to which he was shoved by his shoulders onto the small boat, Senku tossing him his bag which he caught with a grunt.

“Not like I can get arrested for it.” Senku shrugged as he tied one end of the rope to The Perseus, “Yo, Mentalist, tie the end over there.”

Gen reaches and scoops up the rope and loops it around with an extra knot just in case and just like that the two eventually were closer to the sea, easily able to touch it, an occasional drop of salt water hitting their faces.

The small wooden boat bobbed gently along the waves, tied securely to the back of the Perseus as it coasted forward. Gen slouched on one side of the boat, the opposite side of Senku, facing the man, his head resting against the edge with a dramatic sigh.

“Senku-chan, this is so uel-cray! You’ve dragged me away from the luxury of the ship, and for what? To bake in the sun like a dried fish?”

Senku ignored the whining as he opened his bag and started to write in his notebook, occasionally glancing at the seawater beakers set up in the boat’s center. A small desalination rig steamed faintly in the salty air.

“You’re here to help me,” Senku replied simply, not looking up. Gen gave him a flat look. No, he was wandering and was stolen.

“Help you? What do you need me to jump overboard and collect sand for you?” He held his hands to the ocean and sputtered as water hit his face.

“Stop complaining,” Senku said, smirking as he adjusted himself. “You’re not here for something meaningless as that. You’re here because I need an extra pair of hands and it’d be easier to write as I have you do the physical part.”

Gen huffed but leaned over the edge of the boat to peer at the shimmering water. It was beautiful, the way the sun made the water sparkle, the white caps folding into each other.

“Fine, fine. What exactly are you looking for out here, anyway? Something I probably won’t get I suppose?” He asked, holding up a beaker that Senku filled with saltwater, flicking a nail against it causing it to reverb.

“I’m analyzing the chemical composition of the sea,” Senku explained, Gen can sense a future rant approaching, “Seeing if it has changed over the past 3,700 years without humanity’s effect on the ocean such as salinity levels, mineral content, maybe we’ll be able to find traces of old pollutants. It’s not just for fun—it’s a snapshot of how the world adapted without humans screwing it up.”

Gen tilted his head thoughtfully. “Well I can see how it’d be worth testing, humans were always horrible when it came to pollution, it’d be interesting how different it is from then to now.”

“Now you’re getting it!” Senku replied with a grin, “Ten-billion points for you.” Gen returned the grin, the salty wind blowing through, ruffling their clothes and hair.

The two of them settled into a rhythm, Gen handed Senku things he needed, occasionally jotted down notes under his direction as Senku started to get hands-on. It was nice.

Back on the Perseus, Ginro was strolling along the deck with Matsukaze on his trial, making their way to see his brother, Kinro to bother him before his eyes landed on a rope tied neatly to the ship’s railing.

“Hah, what’s this?” The rope looked abandoned. “Man, everyone’s slacking off today!” He laughed and puffed his chest.

“What’s this even tied to?” He asked Matsukaze, who was going to answer before Ginro shrugged it off, “Whatever! Guess I’ll be the responsible one!” And without a second thought, he grabbed the rope and untied it, letting it drop to the deck. He didn’t think twice as he wandered off, Ginro distracted by talking to Matsukaze who nodded to everything he said.

Meanwhile, in the small wooden boat, Gen was lazily staring out to the sea, the only sounds being the waves, the wind, the ship, and the scribbling Senku was doing in his notebook with an almost child-like glee. Gen glanced at him, staring at the way his eyes scanned everything and anything and muttering to himself. It was adorable.

Gen took a deep breath and exhaled the fresh, salty air and looked down to the water hitting the boat only to frown and squint his eyes. That’s odd—He leaned over the edge wondering why the boat seemed to be remaining in the same spot.

“Hey, Senku-chan, does it feel like we’re not moving anymore or is it just me?” He called, not looking away from the water.

Senku glanced up from his notes to look at Gen, his brows furrowing. He looked over the side of the boat with Gen in confusion and turned around to see what the hold-up was.

His breath hitched, and Gen looked over his shoulder to see what he was staring at.

The Perseus, which should have been towering above them, which should’ve been giving them a massive shade that neither noticed was missing, was moving forward, farther and farther away.

It was almost comedic how both of them looked down to the other side of the boat and stared at the rope floating on the surface of the water where it was supposed to be tied to the ship.

Both of them turned to each other, their eyes widening in sync as the realization finally struck them.

“Don’t tell me—“ Gen begged, his hands held out in front of him.

“Someone untied the rope,” Senku finished, his voice dripping with disbelief, and his eye started to twitch.

It was silent as they stared at each other before Gen grabbed at his face.

“Oh my gosh!” Gen exclaimed, “We’re adrift in the middle of the ocean!“ he shouted, eyes shooting around him seeing nothing but blue.

Senku rubbed his temples, muttering under his breath. “Unbelievable. The one time I tell everyone to do whatever and I decide to leave.”

“What are you doing?!” Gen demanded, his voice rising in panic. “We should be yelling for help!?” He cupped his hands over his mouth, prepared to shout only for Senku to grab one of his hands and pull it toward himself.

“Calm down,” Senku said, though he couldn’t completely mask the uneasiness in his voice. He let go of Gen’s hand and stood, cupping his hands over his eyes to block the sun to see the distance of the ship, “Our voices wouldn’t be able to reach the ship even if we tried anyway.”

Gen stared at him, slack-jawed. “Need I remind you Senku that we’re in a rowboat, not a sailboat, a rowboat! We won’t be able to get back unless someone spots us or notices we’re missing!”

Senku grinned, regardless of the worrying situation, he knew they’d be eventually found. He has full faith in Ryusui’s sailor instinct, especially since they were only heading straight, all Senku and Gen had to do was make sure they didn’t drift too far out left or right and remain on the same course as the ship.

“And if it doesn’t work?” Gen asked nervously after hearing Senku’s plan.

Senku shrugged. “Worst-case scenario is that someone doesn’t notice for a while and it could take a day or two before we’re found.”

“A DAY OR TWO?!” Gen gawked, and his overcoat slipped off his shoulder as his hands waved around.

“I said worst-case scenario!” He rolled his eyes, “It’s still a possibility!” Gen cried out.

Senku only grinned, he’d be sure to give whoever untied the rope hell later, but hey, at least this would make one hell of a story later.

Chapter Text

Hours started to pass, and the two of them found themselves slipping into an easy rhythm. Regardless of the fact they were stranded, Senku still used Gen to work to continue their original task, and Gen, despite his whining, eventually became engrossed in the simple tasks Senku gave him. Measuring evaporation rates, testing the salinity of different water samples, even jotting down rough sketches of the sea life they spotted near the boat—it wasn’t exactly thrilling, but it kept his mind occupied.

It felt like those times during school or train and car rides, where you’re just staring out the window, not quite bored but not quite entertained either, just being.

Gen stretched and let out a contented sigh. “You know,” he said, glancing at Senku, “this isn’t the worst way to spend the day, I suppose. Minus the fact we’re in the middle of the ocean.

Senku huffed a laugh, setting down his book. “Definitely refreshing from the usual loudness.”

Gen smirked, placing his hands behind him and leaning back to stare at the blue-clouded skies, listening to the waves and smelling the sea salt.

The two of them sat in silence for a moment, the boat rocking gently on the waves. The sun began to dip lower in the sky, painting the horizon with shades of orange and pink.

“Well,” Gen said after a moment, “at least we have good company!”

Senku glanced at him, his lips curving into a small smile. “Yeah. Could be worse. Could’ve been stuck with Magma.” Gen couldn’t help but laugh loudly, causing Senku to follow suit.

Oh, how horrible it’d be to be stranded with someone like Magma.

As night fell, Senku’s bad luck seemed as if it hadn’t completely struck them, and they were lucky; a rare supermoon was provided for them so they wouldn’t be in complete darkness, the clouds away, nothing dimming the sky and its stars. Gen could only laugh as Senku beamed at the sight. They rarely happened, and it was incredible that tonight, of all nights, they were seeing the moon in its full glory.

The night sea always had a reputation for being eerie, a place to fear, but neither Senku nor Gen paid it any attention. They were too caught up in their little world, the small boat their temporary sanctuary as Senku and he stared at the sky.

The experiments had long since been put aside. Senku closed his notebook with a satisfying snap, leaning back with a sigh of contentment a while ago. Gen, ever the conversationalist, had taken the opportunity to shift their focus from work to talk, deciding to ask Senku about the stars, which made the scientist shoot up from his relaxed position, almost like the stars were in his eyes instead of the sky.

“I’m sure you know enough about constellations?” Gen nodded, “Not all, of course, but the zodiac signs were a definite must for my career, also a bit for my pleasure.”

Senku shook his head and chuckled, “Of course you did.” Gen placed a hand on his chest with mock hurt, to which Senku poked Gen’s side.

For a while, Senku went on and on telling Gen about all the constellations that most had never heard of; the two of them spotted recognizable ones that everyone knew. Ursa Minor was first spotted before the game of eye-spy turned into a game of makeup of your own constellation.

“That one looks just like a heart.” Senku pointed up; Gen squinted, not seeing a specific shape except random clusters.

“Huh? Where? Just seeing a cluster of gas here.” After two minutes of trying to find it with Senku’s instruction, Senku just sighed and stood, carefully stepping over the center of the boat and sitting beside Gen on his side of the boat, grabbing his hand and leaning closely to align him correctly.

“There,” Senku said, his voice lower, quieter now that they were so close. “Follow the line of my hand.”

Gen didn’t immediately reply. He wasn’t looking at the sky anymore. His gaze had drifted toward Senku, whose profile was illuminated by the moonlight, his sharp features softened by the glow. Their breaths mingled in the cool night air, close enough that Gen could feel the warmth radiating from him despite the chill of the sea.

“Still can’t see it?” Senku asked, turning his head slightly to glance at Gen; their eyes locked, firm. At this distance, they could see each other’s features more clearly, regardless of the darkness.

“I probably should’ve specified I meant a biological heart and not the shape.” Gen gave him a flat look, which made him laugh at the expression.

“No, I think I’ve got it,” he responded with a smirk.

Senku held his gaze for a beat longer than necessary, his hand lingering on Gen’s wrist before he finally let go, clearing his throat and turning his attention back to the sky. “Good. About time.”

Gen chuckled softly as he let his arm fall back to his side and looked back up at the sky. He’s right; once you look at it more abstractly and you have the idea in your head, you can see it more clearly.

“Huh, what do you know?” Gen chuckled. Senku never made a move to return to the other side of the boat, not yet.

Neither brought it up.

After another hour passed, the stargazing shifted to conversation. One story led to another, their voices carrying loudly over the quiet waves as they shared things from their past before the stone world, the time when everything was normal, a time when neither knew each other.

“—And the funniest part,” Gen said, barely able to hold back his laughter, “is that I convinced this guy that I could read his mind! He legitimately started crying! The poor waitress, gosh, the poor girl, was so confused, but Senku-Chan's look on his face, I tell you, was something I’ll cherish till I die and was so worth the troubles it had.” His shoulders shook with his attempt to cover his mouth from laughing too loud.

Senku laughed, a hand on his knee and another covering his face as he tried to hide his grin. “Oh, that poor waitress! Figured you’d do that even at a public place.”

“Of course I would!” Gen replied, a grin splitting his face, “The man was such an asshole and was dumb as a sneaker full of shit if he believed I could genuinely mind when it was so clear I was stating the obvious. My theory when he started freaking out is that he had some nasty secret.”

“Oh really?” Senku egged him on, dragging his hand on his mouth down, leaning back up from his bent-over position.

“The man screamed toxic, so the first thing I said to fuck with him more was that he was cheating on his wife, which,” he held a hand out for Senku to finish for him.

“Of course, he was, naturally.” Senku nodded along, hanging onto his every word.

“Right,” he started with a nod, “usually when it’s a man like that, I love to pull out the good old homosexual card—“ Senku scoffed and leaned back with a laugh at that.

“Shhh! Let me finish!” Gen giggled and shoved him, making the boat rock. “So I say something along the lines of, ‘I’m assuming it’s such a secret because it’s your drinking buddy’ or some shit like that.” He twirled his hand a bit, not remembering what he said entirely.

“And when I told you, the color drained from his face, and he looked at me as if he witnessed a crime.” Senku laughed and shook his head in disbelief.

“That had to be the best moment of your life.” He said, “Oh Senku-Chan, it was.” He giggled maniacally.

“You’re a piece of work, con man.” Senku teased, crossing his arms and moving to lean forward on the boat to look at the water.

Gen tilted his head, gasping dramatically. “Con man is such an ugly phrase. I prefer ‘man of many talents.’” He followed Senku to the same position, sitting close by his side, their shoulders brushing.

The two of them laughed for hours, the sound echoing out into the vast emptiness around them, their faces hurt from how much smiling and laughing they’d done.

The conversation drifted naturally to the modern world—the one they’d lost to the petrification event. They swapped stories, some nostalgic, a few bittersweet, but mostly humorous as they recounted the quirks of a world gone by.

“What I miss is convenience stores; like their name, they were very convenient.” Gen reminisced.

Senku chuckled. “Oh, what I’d do to have my random midnight runs to get drinks and snacks.” Gen laughed, nodding. “Oh, definitely, I always went there to get some cola.”

“You? Buying cola? Color me shocked,” Senku said dryly, though his grin said something else.

“What about you?” Gen asked, his gaze curious. “What was your go-to?”

Senku thought for a moment, tapping a finger against his chin. “Blue Gatorade or energy drinks.”

“Why Gatorade? It’s a good drink, but to get it frequently?” Gen tilted his head. “Well, it started because my old man was severely lacking in electrolytes; he overhydrated himself one time and needed some, Gatorade is a pretty good source to get them back, obviously—“

“Obviously,” Gen interjected, already grinning.

“I didn’t interrupt you, so you’re not going to interrupt me. Shush.” Senku snarked, glaring at him, no real heat behind the stare.

“Ok, who’s the liar now? You did five minutes“ ago—"Gen gawked at the audacity, “Shush, I'm speaking,”  his hand was placed on Gen’s face, making him sputter.

“But anyway, Byakuya had a ton of Gatorade. I’m not gonna lie; I think he probably thought he was gonna die, which is why there were so many of those things in the fridge.” Senku rolled his eyes fondly at the memory; Gen felt his grin soften to a smile as he saw the way Senku’s eyes crinkled.

“And for weeks, every time I’d get something to drink, there would be so many fucking Gatorades that it would take too long to get something else, so I ended up just grabbing one and drinking those,” he sucked his teeth in annoyance, “it was a pain in the ass to have to take most of them out, get another drink, and place them back in, so I settled for making it my drink.”

“Eventually, the old man didn’t need them anymore, and day by day they finally weren’t flooding the fridge,” Gen snickered at the exasperated look on Senku’s face.

Senku laid his chin onto his arms and dipped a hand into the water, swirling around the cold.

“I got something used to the damn drink. I started to buy it whenever I went to the store or at a vending machine.” Senku chuckled, and Gen copied Senku’s position and lay his head on his arms, staring at Senku as he spoke.

“It’s so weird because I never cared for them that much before, and they became one of my favorites thanks to my old man’s electrolyte problem.” He shook his head in disbelief and burrowed his head into his arms before placing his chin back.

Gen smiled softly; it was nice, Senku talking about Byakuya like this. He wishes he got to meet him. Especially after hearing so much about him.

The night stretched on, and their laughter eventually went to quieter chuckles and an occasional comfortable silence as the moon hung high above them, its light casting a gentle glow over their small boat. The stars blinked softly in the sky, a silent audience to their conversations.

“I miss it sometimes,” Gen said finally, his voice softer now. “The old world, I mean. Not the chaos or the endless hustle, but the little things. The things you didn’t realize were special until they were gone.”

Senku looked up at the stars, his expression thoughtful. “Yeah. But it’s not gone forever. We’ll bring it all back. Not just the technology, but the good stuff—the shit that we enjoyed.”

“You know, Senku, you’re not just a genius. You’re an optimist in disguise.” He teased, poking Senku’s cheek.

“Yeah, yeah,” Senku said, waving him off with a grin. “Don’t let it go to your head, mentalist.” Gen only hummed; he didn’t know when it happened, but their bodies were pressed close together now, and Senku could feel Gen’s hair brush against his arm as Gen’s head leaned to the left instead of when it was on the right.

Eventually, the two felt drowsy; if Senku had to guess, it was likely way past midnight now. He yawned and felt his head lull to the side, something like a cushion pressed against his head; Gen felt it too.

And suddenly it was lights out, the smell of the fresh salty water, winds cooling off their bodies, and the noise of the waves comforting them as they drifted off.

This is nice.

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!