Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“The child is cursed.”

“Shelter the cursed child here, and ruin shall be our guest.”

“He is just an infant, if we-” 

“The gods won’t look kindly on us if that one stays. Keep it here, and we all suffer. Either dispose of the child, or we will do it for you, one way or another.” 

Byakuya scowls, “I did not realize I was in a village or cowards who would sacrifice a child for their own comfort.” He pulls the swaddling cloth further over the infant's head, straightening up from his chair. 

“Do not be foolish Byakuya, that child will be the death of you.”

“Then so be it. Any man who abandons a child is not fit to be called as such.” He made a promise to the mother that he would protect this boy, though even if he hadn’t, he’d make the same choice. “I can see he’d know no peace if we stayed here, so I'll be gone by dawn’s break.”

“So be it. But death walks close behind. Pray Athena walks with you.”

Byakuya lets the door close behind him leaving him and the bundle in the chilled night air. He truly had come to love this little hamlet, but if leaving is what it took to keep his promise, then that is what he’d do.

Gathering whatever belongings he thinks he’ll need, the man checks the child bound to his chest. Fast asleep. The child was still too young to open his eyes fully but he’d still have to think on what to do until the baby understood the curse. He certainly couldn’t blindfold himself, that would put Senku in danger, but keeping the wonder of the world from him with a blindfold… didn’t feel right either. But possibly a necessity if he wanted to be around to help the kid grow up. 

He knocked on the door or the butcher, it wasn’t quite dawn, so he did feel bad about waking the man, but he had a long trip ahead of him, and food beyond what he had at his home was a necessity. The man was annoyed, and nervous when he answered the door, to which Byakuya apologised profusely. He had promised to be gone by dawn, to which they needed some food, and if he had any spare milk, even better. He had the money after all.

The butcher was reluctant but as a favor to an old friend he scrounged up what he could and wished the gods be with him. 

With that he checked his small cart one more time and they were on their way.

After a long journey Byakuya found ruins in the mountains, what must have been a city once. It was far enough away that even if the villagers changed their minds, he was multiple towns over, and therefore, not their problem. These ruins were deep enough in the woods that he doubted anyone would bother looking out this far whether for foraging or hunting, but close enough that if he made a day trip of it, he could get supplies from the nearby town if they absolutely needed it.

Soon enough he managed to build them a small house in the ruins. Nothing fancy or big, a hut really. A place to keep out the elements and sleep. It was while he was building the snakes started appearing. At first he was quick to scoop Senku up and try to keep them away, but it was when he’d placed the baby in the grass while he put up a wall that he turned to see the normally silent child giggling as one of the pearly serpents appeared to be playing with him. When he got closer he was able to notice the similarity between the scales on the child’s arms and the snakes. 

A serpent pale as bone, with a flicker of green like rot beneath the skin. At first there was only one, but over the weeks more appeared. They made him nervous, but most of all he didn’t like the way Senku’s scales and theirs looked like they could be one in the same. But he couldn’t sense any malice from them, or at least, none directed at the child, his son. So he conceded to just keep an eye on them, especially after 3 of them rose up to threaten a wild dog that wandered close while he’d been working. 

Most of all, they seemed immune to the curse. Though he’s sure that is because they are somehow linked to it. The appearance and their timing was too convenient.

By 5 Senku seemed to fully understand why the blindfold was important, especially when they head to town. Byakuya makes sure to remind him if he ever feels threatened it is his best defense until he gets a bit bigger. Of course he doesn’t make him wear it unless absolutely necessary, with how curious the boy was, he doubts he could have kept it on him anyhow.

He wanted to foster that curiosity, and taught the boy everything he could, how to read,  and what he knew about the flora and fauna. 

Senku was fascinated with anything he brought back from town so he started making a habit of not only bringing back things he needed to take care of and educate the boy, but anything he thought he might find interesting.

“I thought you weren’t a big fan of bugs.” He hums from where he was checking the growth of their potatoes.

“I wouldn’t phrase it that way.” Senku says back carefully, eyes fixated on the butterfly perched on his nose. “I just hadn’t studied them yet.”

Cicadas buzzed low in the trees, their voices blending into the fabric of the afternoon. “And you’re studying them now?”

“Yes.” He doesn’t move, frozen with his stylus gripped in his little hand and book in his lap. The drawings weren’t anything fancy, he was only 5 after all, but it was a start on his diagrams he’d likely have to redraw later. “They are actually incredibly important to nature if you watch them. They help the plants grow and spread, they are food for the smaller animals, and will eat the dead.” The butterfly’s wings flutter slightly as it’s disturbed by his breath. “Also, they don’t turn to stone.”

“They don’t?” Byakuya checks the leaves on one of the potatoes, swatting some bugs off. Perhaps he should invest in a scarecrow.

“No. I’ve been staring at this guy for a while and he’s just been flapping away.” Senku grins, “Fascinating isn't it?”

“Hmm, maybe they’re too small to turn to stone?” He glances back, watching those strange snakes coil around Senku’s neck and lap. He’s started to get used to them, but they still made him uneasy. 

“It’s certainly possible. I’d have to do more tests to be sure though.” Senku was sitting in the spot of grass near the garden that got the most sun, and for the longest. He absently wondered if some part of Senku was cold blooded like the snakes, trying to absorb as much heat as he could. It certainly seemed that way in the winter months. “They can also fly.”

“And that makes them more interesting?” Byakuya eyes the pale snake coiling up his arm. They only seemed to seek him out when they got cold, otherwise the only time they touched him was when he was carrying Senku.

“Of course. The only trait they seem to share with birds is their wings, and they both can fly. Obviously wings of some kind are a key to their flight but what else is required to make it into the air? Is it something inside them? Or is it a coincidence they both can achieve flight?” He turns his head slightly, having startled the butterfly while he was talking. Senku was quick to start making more notes and drawing new references now that he could look at his tablet again.

“Well, I look forward to your informative lecture on insects then. Perhaps your study can illuminate the best way to get rid of these damn beetles.” He shakes a few bugs off the plant he was looking at now. He had no idea what type of bugs these were, they certainly weren’t ants, but they kept chewing up the leaves.

“How do you know there are gods? Obviously there are ‘monsters’, though it’s more likely that they were some mutation in some other species then cursed or ‘a god’s offspring’ or some crap.” Senku asks as he flips through a book in the grass, a snake coiled over his shoulders and a scrappy blindfold pulled up his forehead, pushing his hair back.

Byakuya glances over out the door, a bit surprised, from where he was cooking at the hearth inside. “Well, the gods are the reason you got cursed kiddo.”

He could practically hear the boy’s eye roll, “Yeah well why are they out there cursing infants? It’s just as likely to be some weird mutation in my family right?”

“Well… the gods can be pretty petty, and I think one of your parents annoyed them. Your mother never really shared the details.” He shrugs, “Also-” He points his wooden spoon at the kid, leaning away from the fire, not that the kid was looking at him at all, “the gods have had like, loads of kids who have gone on grand quests, and even bless people.” He pauses, thinking for a moment, “Actually I heard there was some, oh what was it.. A Poseidon kid I think? Apparently he’s off looking for a winged horse right now? Pretty sure that’s some godly quest” 

“Are you sure he doesn’t just want a flying horse?” Senku hums back as he scratches something into his wax tablet, before biting the end of the stylus. Flipping to a new page he starts muttering something about birds and flight that Byakuya doesn’t catch from his spot inside the hut.

“I mean, a flying horse would be pretty cool. But all the nobles would have one if they were easy to find, that's probably why it makes a good quest.” He hums as he stirs the pot, you could never go wrong with soup. … and it was easy to make.

“Or a uh…” Senku pauses for a moment, pursing his lip as if trying to remember a word, “A fool’s errand. Someone lied to get him out of the way, and he’ll be searching until he dies.”

Byakuya stops, a bit surprised as he looks back at his son, “What’s a 7 year old doing thinking about politics? When did you get so pessimistic?”

“Probably around when you told a 5 year old that if he looked any living thing in the eyes they'd die, and that if people knew they'd probably hunt him down.” Senku states in a very matter-of-fact manner as he keeps drawing whatever picture he was working on, likely a diagram knowing him.

The man gasps, clutching his chest, “I never would have phrased it like that to you at that age! You're twisting my words. What a cruel son I have.” He sniffles dramatically, wiping a tear.

“I’m not technically your son either old man.” Senku glances back, having sat up by now with his book in his lap.

The ‘old man’ gasps again, even more dramatically and louder than the first time, “I just want to make sure you stay safe and no one takes advantage of you, but I suppose if you aren’t even my son, just some old man, then I don’t have to worry about that any more or feed you either.” He dabs at his eyes with a cloth. 

Senku, already pulling the blindfold back over his eyes, stands up, “Woah woah there let's not get ahead of ourselves.” The boy quickly enters the hut and crosses the space, leaving his book and tablet in the grass. 

“No no, after all, I don’t have to go feeding any strangers, this soup is all for me I guess.” He huffs, crossing his arms, and turning his head, not that the boy could see it.

The white haired boy sighs, “We may not be blood related which is the most obvious link of familial relations, but you have raised me, fed me, and housed me which is about as close as we can get to family without the blood.” He says almost reluctantly, placing a hand on Byakuya’s leg.

He pauses, glancing back at his boy before being unable to resist scooping him up, startling a yelp out of him. “Oh I can't stay mad at you. Where did you learn all that big language? I'm so proud of you. I knew you couldn’t hate this old man.” He sniffles about ready to start crying again.

“Agh! Gross no get off me old man! NO! I take it back! I didn’t say that!” Senku flails, pushing his face away.

“I knew you loved me Senku, your dad here will-” He gets cut off by a small hand muffling his words.

“No I didn't say that, I don't love you, release me right now!” Senku gasps as he can feel the change in Byakuya’s breathing while trying to shove him away, “No! No crying! That's gross, stop it! You’re not my father, release me!”

“How cruel to kick your own father.” 

“Then let go of me!”

“You won’t even give your poor old father a hug?”

“Not if you don’t stop crying!” Senku hisses back

Byakuya pauses, sniffling, “I’ll stop crying if you stop kicking.”

“........ deal.”

“I knew it, you do love me!” He squeezes Senku in a tight bear hug, triggering the boy to screech and thrash again.

“You shit-brained old goat!!! Release me!!!!”

Senku had all but begged him to let him come along down to the town this supply run. The kid of course argued that ‘how is he supposed to be careful around other humans if he doesn’t know what to expect from them.’ He of course reluctantly agreed since the kid was right, and it was ‘logical’ to let him get some experience around people, after all, he probably wouldn’t be around forever to protect the kid. As long as he remained blindfolded and covered up his scales, he could come along. 

Senku was a bit miffed by that, but understood the logic behind it, and agreed. Admittedly though, it didn’t go so bad. He got the supplies they needed, and Senku even got some new books he seemed delighted about. As a treat he even got him some new tools like some proper craftsmen measurement rods and some type of fresh bread roll that a woman, possibly the baker's wife, had been advertising. 

It had been a good and productive trip even if a few of the folk had asked a few too many questions about Senku’s blindfold. It was as they were about to exit town that he paused. He’d already spent a little more than he planned as a treat for Senku, being the boy’s first proper trip into town, but he’d almost forgotten the most important thing! 

Glancing down, Senku was peeking out from under his blindfold and comparing the measuring rod with his leg, before turning away from him to check a nearby post. It would probably be faster if he ran back into town to buy it and then came back so it could be a surprise. But… he didn’t want to leave Senku alone either, it could be dangerous.

“Are we leaving or not old man?” His attention is drawn back to the boy, who was now standing and facing him, rod in hand.

Then again, so far no attention had been drawn to Senku and no one seemed suspicious of them so it’s likely he’d be more than okay for a minute or two on his own. “I’ve forgotten to get something incredibly important. Would you be okay staying put for a minute or two while I run back to grab it?”

“Huh? I mean I’m just a defenseless 7 year old but yeah sure I’ll be fine.” He shrugs dismissively. “I’ll just measure more of this wall, or something so run along now.” He waves his hand, crouching back down in the grass.

Byakuya opens his mouth, well now he doesn't want to go! Obviously leaving Senku now would be a terrible idea and make him a bad parent and-

“Hey, I said get going, there’s only so many things I can measure by the gate.” He huffs.

Sighing, Byakuya rolls his eyes, “I’ll be back before you can finish measuring then.” He turns, darting back into the town back to the craftsmen shop he was thinking of as quickly as he could.

Adjusting the bag on his back Byakuya quickly heads back to the gate, Senku would be so excited about what he got him, he’s sure. He just hopes he hasn’t kept the kid waiting too long.

“– – let go!”  

Byakuya pauses, fingers tightening around the package in his hand. There was another voice, but he knew that one. It was Senku. Instantly picking up the pace he rushes back to the gate so see some grown man gripping his kid’s arm, half hoisting him up as he kicks at him.

“Let me go, you frog-bellied coward, or I’ll call the Furies to dance in your guts!” Senku growls, swinging the measuring rod at the man. They definitely would have to have a talk later about where he was learning this sort of language from.

“Your blood’s worth more than your voice. Be silent.” The bearded man growls.

“You scare donkeys, not boys.” Senku glares, though it’s hidden behind his blindfold.

“I think you should step back from my son.” Byakuya growls, pointing his blade at the man’s throat.

“He see’s oddly well for a blind boy,” The man comments back, not turning his head, “Wear’n so many layers you’d think he’s- you’re hiding something.” He looks back at Byakuya with a disgustingly smug grin, and in the same moment uses his free hand to rip the blindfold off.

What happens next happens incredibly fast, with Senku scrunching his wide eyes shut, swinging the rod at the man’s arm, Byakuya attacking, and the bearded man’s smug gaze meeting Senku’s as they snap shut.

The crunching of stone hitting stone feels deafening in the silence as he free’s his son’s arm. Wasting no time, as there have already been plenty of chances of being spotted, he scoops up Senku and runs practically the whole way up the mountain. 

Stupid, what was he thinking, leaving Senku alone? Did he get too complacent? Of course this would happen. Glancing down at the boy curled up in his arms, he’d buried his face in his shirt and his hands were balled into the fabric. He didn’t know where Senku got it, but the kid was all pride, he doubted Senku would admit he was scared. Even if he could feel how much he was shaking in his arms.

“I’m sorry Senku, I shouldn't have left you alone. I won’t do it ever again.” He rubs his back as they enter the edge of the ruins they called home.

“... Stupid old man..” He sniffles, face still buried in fabric.

“Yep, that's me.” He sighs, dropping his bag in the hut, and pulling the rod out of Senku’s hand to put that down as well. “Come on let's go look at the stars.” he hums as he heads back out the door. Passing through old mossy pillars and what used to be doorways he sits on the edge of what was likely once a fountain, now dried up and with ivy creeping down the sides. 

They sit in silence for a long while as the moon rises in the sky, air chilling, as Senku continues to hide his face. Byakuya’s eyes are turned up to the sky, watching the stars and absently rubbing circles on Senku’s back. 

Glancing down, he grins, “I could bounce my knee if you like.”

“Don’t you dare old man, I’m not a toddler.” The boy grumbles, shifting his position in his lap.

“Alright alright I won't.” He chuckles. “Well if I’m going to be looking at the stars alone, want to tell me what those diagrams you've been working on are?” Byakuya hums, thinking a conversation might distract him and calm the kid down.

“Birds.” Senku says after a moment.

“Birds?” He asks when the scaled boy doesn’t elaborate.

“How they fly and stuff. If I could, I'd like to draw out their entire skeleton and stuff too, get as much data as possible.” His breath was a bit wet still but he’d started sniffing it down.

“So you’re into birds now then?”

He shrugs, “Sorta.” He pauses for a long while. “I’m going to fly, and I think studying them is at least the first step to that, now that I’m done with bugs of course.”

Byakuya glances down, a touch surprised, “Not going to get yourself a flying horse?” He grins, practically able to feel the seven year old roll his eyes.

“Sure a flying horse would be great, but their body structure is all wrong for flight. Birds are small and round, light too. But as far as I'm aware horses are large, boxy, and, correct me if I’m wrong, but heavy as all hell.” while talking Senku had sat back slightly, gesturing with his hands as leans back into Byakuya’s arm, eyes squeezed shut with his old blindfold lost. 

The white haired man chuckles, “I guess you’re right, but there’s probably some magic involved.”

“Oh not this again. You have yet to tell me anything that sounds the least bit logical when it comes to magic. Everything works for a reason old man, water turns into gas and falls back down as rain, the earth circles the sun… or the sun circles the earth. These books can't seem to decide which- but anyways! No god moves the sun! And horses can’t fly. Probably.” He huffs, crossing his arms, “I’m going to fly and then, lift the curse,” If he could achieve flight then there's no way he’d have trouble curing himself. “That way no one can get in my way.”

Byakuya smiles, “alright alright. No magic then.” He runs a hand through Senku’s hair, “The gods may try to keep you down but there’s a spark in you they couldn’t see. One day, the heavens will bow to it, and I will be the proudest man beneath them.”

Senku’s ruby eyes snap open in surprise looking up at him, “Touch the moon Senku, the sky was never meant to keep you out. If anyone can soar through them, I’m positive it will be you.” Senku was strong, the strongest kid he knows, and with an even larger heart. The gods are fools and short sighted to have cursed such an intelligent boy. Byakuya just knows Senku will either force the world, the gods, to face him and see what he can do, even with their handicap, or make them regret dismissing him. He just wished he’d be there to see it.

Wide red eyes stare up at his fathers face. He’d never gotten a good look at it before, He’d never seen his eyes before, a gentle round brown. The moon crowned his head in silver, casting a shadow on his body.

“Old man?” 

There was a gentle smile on his face as he looked down at him.

“... That’s not funny, old man.”

The crickets were screaming as his hands ball into the fabric of his shirt.

“You’re not going to leave a kid all alone are you? What kind of guy leaves a seven year old alone in the forest, yeah?”

He’d only seen them once, and he was never going to see his brown eyes again.

“I thought you were going to stay with me Byakuya. You said you were never going to leave me alone ever again.” His voice rises as he presses his forehead against stone.

He wasn’t going to hear that stupidly annoying laugh ever again.

“How do you expect to watch me reach the moon if you’re looking at the ground, Byakuya.”

Curling up in the man’s lap he remains stationary for a long time, long enough for the snakes to find him.

“He’ll live forever now.” One hisses in his ear

“Yes, the gift to stay with us forever.” Another hums from his lap .

“I would rather he’d have stayed while also breathing.” Senku’s voice is muffled as he keeps it buried in the fabric of Byakuya’s shirt.

Ignoring the serpents, at some point he must have passed out as when he opens his eyes next the sun is warming his scales and the rock beneath him. Glancing up, he rests his hand on the side of a stone face radiating a tender smile. What happened was no dream.

Turning he gets up, sliding off the old man’s lap. Sitting there being sad any longer wasn’t practical so- He pauses, surprised as something drops to the ground, likely knocked from the man’s pocket. It was wrapped in a sort of papyrus and a string, and evidently what Byakuya had returned to town for.. Handwriting he recognized as his father’s read “Happy Birthday Senku!!” on the packaging. 

Picking it up he runs a thumb over it, double checking what he was reading. Inside was a  Folding Set of Geometric Tools.

“... Stupid old man. If you spend all your money, how are we going to buy food in the winter?”

“You’re supposed to raise me, not die. Dad.”

Chapter Text

The canopy crackles with clicks and caws as sunlight filtered down onto worn cracked stones. The old stone arms that had been frozen holding a smaller form supported him easily as he curled into the quiet clasp of stone arms. The rock was cold and lifeless, but with the touch of the sun was starting to warm his body.

Red eyes flick open, head pressed against a stone shoulder. He exhales, If he’s guessing the hour right, then it’s time for him to get to work. Pushing himself up, a snake, Sample 2, retreats, stretching to drape itself across Byakua’s statue for warmth rather than come along for the work. Sample 3 stuck with him though, poking its head up to watch the moving scenery. 

Senku gives his arms a stretch as he approaches the well. The old well in question was long since overgrown but recently he’s been taking some time to tear away the plants around it with how frequently he visits it. If he could he’d like to find away to measure how much water was in it, that way he could prepare if it starts to dry up, but he has yet to figure out an effective method as none of the books he had gotten his hands on actually explained how a well was constructed, so he could only guess. Ideally he’d love to speak with some type of craftsmen who specializes in these things, but the risk was too big. 

Pausing to yank out the stalk of some weed, a giant fennel he believes, that was in his face he reaches for the bucket. He had recently replaced the rope holding the bucket and before dropping it in, checked the crank. It was logical to check these things since it would be a pain in the ass to lose another bucket at the bottom of the well. Unhooking the now full bucket he strolls two feet to the left to his rudimentary aqueduct. He’d love to build it a bit further and let it run on its own, but until he was sure he had enough materials to make it to the miniature waterfall he found near the caves, he was just going to leave it alone. After all, even if he had to dump the buckets of water in himself, it still saved him time on watering the whole garden.

Leaving the bucket at the well he crossed to the courtyard checking the sundial, it was still early. If he was going to weed the garden, and check for pests, it would be better to do it now before midday. So heading back towards the garden he sets to work. Luckily since he takes care of this every other day or so there’s not much to worry about on the weed front, but he has yet to figure out what keeps away pests. The mice and even the ants had stopped bothering his plants as much when he started a ring of mint around them, but the birds kept coming after them and so did the other bugs. But he also noticed that if he doesn't keep trimming the mint it will start infesting the garden like another damn weed.

Senku pauses, glancing up at the sun. He’d like to work on his projects more, but it would probably be best if he goes foraging again today. He could check on the greenery he knows should be blooming soon, pick the stuff that is out that he’s running low on, and search out new materials he’ll be needing anyhow.

Brushing off his knees he glances towards his work table, his old tablet was getting pretty run down too so he’d need beeswax to refill it. He also wanted to see if he could make some sort of giant tablet he could draw large diagrams on, so he’d be needing a lot more of it. He of course would love to get some papyrus for making his own books, but that stuff was expensive and there’s no way he’d get any without going into town, so wax and wood is how it’d be.

Senku reaches an arm out as he passes a half wall for Sample 1, who indicated it wanted up, allowing the snake to coil up his arm as he heads back for the hut. The door bangs against the outer wall as he gathers his basket near the door and starts wrapping his arms. There was a next to 0 chase he’d run into anyone out there, but like hell he was taking any risks with how far he might be heading down. He didn’t need people asking about the scales and hunting him down if he could help it.

After taking a moment to wrap up his legs as well, though, he left his feet alone, before scooping up the basket and heading back out of the hut. Sample 1’s extended head bobs with each step as it watches the statue of a man that marked the edge of the ruins. He actually chases Senku up the mountain, luckily he had not called for any friends though. Senku avoided looking at it as he passes.

Sample 1 turns its head, tongue flicking out. “He can’t threaten you ever again.”

Senku clicks his tongue, “that doesn’t mean he deserved it.” He’ll head south on the mountain today, he’s pretty sure he saw a cherry tree which might be fruiting soon.

Sample 1 flicks its tongue again but doesn’t say anything else as it turns to watch the forest again.

Down the mountain he spotted a bees nest in a tree hollow, mentally marking it for later (and physically by carving on the trunk). He had collected some herbs so far but had yet to see the cherry tree he remembered. Perhaps it was further south.

The rose bush near the big oak was growing well so he should be able to collect lots of rose hips next winter. Though for now he had plenty stored away still. The birds were singing away in the trees as he tipped his head up to peer through the leaves. 

Was it an hour or two after noon? That left him more than enough time to check the grove of mulberries and get back to work on his projects. What would be really nice is if could get some oil from livestock for the aqueduct but there’s no way in hell he’d get that.

Senku grimaces as he steps over a log finding soft cold damp earth underneath which his foot sinks into. Shaking his foot he turns his attention back ahead. If he remembered correctly the mulberry clearing was about another 60 or so feet 

It was important to be careful when picking the berries, he couldn’t pick all of them or else the animals would have nothing to eat and spread, and he couldn’t just clean off one bush in one go or else it might damage the plant. Also if he picked all of them now he’d have none for later and they’d probably go bad before he can use them all. 

Branches snap and a boisterous voice says something Senku can’t quite make out, despite the volume, without the context of the conversation. He freezes, pupils contracting as his head whips in the direction of the noise. He darts around the bush kicking up dirt behind him as he peers further south.

“Are you sure this is the right direction?” A feminine voice asks.

“Of course!” The boisterous male voice from before cuts through all the forest sounds. “It was a really good meadow!”

Senku pokes his head up, peering over the bush. He could see them now, a male and a female, and they looked to be about his age. Teens, which meant the girl was almost marrying age then, if he remembered correctly? They were entering the mulberry grove. 

He ducks back down. What could he do? Should he make a run for it? Or hope they leave soon enough and just wait them out? No, that was too risky, sure they would 100% see him run, but it was better than risking them cornering him. The air around him chills as a shadow passes over him.

“They can see you.” Sample 3 hisses in his ear.

Senku snaps his eyes shut right as annoyingly strong hands yank him out of the bush. “Now what are you doing down there?” The booming chipper voice asks. “Hi! Sorry if we startled you! We-” He pauses before exclaiming loudly. “There’s snakes on you! That’s dangerous!-”

Senku steps backwards, luckily dodging whatever hands were snatching out at the snakes as he feels the wisk of air past his face. “Leave them alone.” Great, he must have knocked over the basket when this guy pulled him up as he can feel crushed berries beneath his feet. His feet will be stained at least for the rest of the day if not multiple.

“Oh! I see! They’re your friends! Sorry about that then! I was worried you might get hurt! They can be poisonous after all!” He couldn't see this guy but he got the feeling he had a stupid grin on his face.

“Hey, we really shouldn’t bother strangers.” The girl's voice says, “I’m sorry about him.”

“Ah! You’re right!” Did this mean they would leave him alone? “I’m Taiju and this is Yuzuriha! What’s your name?” 

“He wants to shake your hand.” Sample 3 whispers.

Grimacing Senku tentatively reaches his hand out. “Senku.” What is the most efficient way to get rid of them before they start asking uncomfortable questions?

A grasps his hand heartily, shaking it, “Great to meet you Senku! Now we’re friends!” He got the feeling this Taiju just looked over at the girl, Yuzuriha, for confirmation. “Oh gosh I’m so sorry! Did I knock your basket over??!! Let me get that for you!”

“Huh?” He stumbles back as an apparently large body moves in front of him and, based on his quick peek, Taiju had apparently crouched down and started collecting all of his loose mulberries. Before he could even think what to say he could feel the basket being shoved into his arms.

“I think I got all of them! I could get you a few more to replace the squashed ones!” The sentence was phrased like a question but said in a chipper matter of fact way that suggested it was going to happen anyways.

“I can pick my own berries just fine.” Senku huffs, shifting the basket to one hand to brush off his tunic.

“Oh it’s no problem!” Taiju laughs before the rustling of bushes and impacts in his basket clued Senku in that the teen was already plucking berries and tossing them in. “Say Senku, why are you keeping your eyes shut?” He asks while still plucking.

There it was. The forest around them was eerily quiet, likely due to these teens scaring all the animals off, “Well obviously because I’m blind.” Senku shrugs nonchalantly before turning, “Thank you, but I think I’ll be going now. I didn’t come ou-”

“Tree.” Sample 1 hisses, way too late.

Senku collides face first into the trunk of a tree, knocking him to the ground, once again losing the whole basket of berries.

“Are you okay?!” Did this guy have any volume other than yelling? 

“Do you want us to walk you home?” Yuzuriha asks, he can sense her crouching near him.

“I’m fine. ” Senku snaps, trying to brush off the meathead who instead just lifts him to his feet. “Don’t you two have a meadow to get to?” 

The snakes mimic his annoyance by uttering a low hiss. “Petrify them. That way they will leave us alone.” Sample 1 suggests. Senku didn’t intend to talk to them though with two strangers in front of him so he just gives Sample 1 a low disapproving hiss of air back.

He can feel his basket being offered to him, “Maybe, but I’m worried about you.” The girl apparently had picked up all his berries again.

“Yeah! It wouldn’t feel right leaving you alone! Let us walk you back! We can always look at the meadow tomorrow!”

Senku steps backwards, back hitting the tree trunk. Great, he couldn’t make a proper run for it without opening his eyes and he couldn’t risk hurting these two, but it was also dangerous to interact with them further.

“Oh yeah great idea, I mean sure even though I desperately just want to just  leave I’d absolutely love to lead you straight to my home that I don’t want you to see and prolong my interactions with you even though that’s the last thing I want.” He states sarcastically as he picks his ear with his pinky. He just wanted out of here and this is all he could think of- he needed to think up some new game plans for dealing with strangers. He definitely was slacking on those after so long without encountering any. Or at least he had no plans for dealing with such persistent idiots.

“Great! Do you live in town or on the mountain? We’ll take you there right away!” Taiju beams.

“Huh??” Senku startles before yelping as he’s scooped up. “The hell do you think you’re doing?!” He shoves at Taiju’s face, “put me down!”

“Alright let’s take you home!” The boy laughs and Senku could feel him walking in some random direction.

“Release me right now!” He keeps thrashing and before his basket can fall out of his lap someone seemingly removes it. He feels Sample 1 slide off his arm with the removal of the basket. 

“I like her.” He can hear Sample 1 hiss following a surprised squeak from the girl.

“Just think of me as your chariot Senku! I’ll get you home faster than Hermes on a hill!” Taiju laughs again.

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t take a liking to the people literally abducting me.” Senku hisses in a low voice to Sample 1. “You’re not going to put me down are you?” Senku huffs back at the boisterous teen.

“No way! Not until you’re home good buddy!” 

“Fine.” Senku sighs, shoving Taiju’s face before letting his arms drop to his lap crossing them. “I have no idea where you’re going, stop and close your eyes for me will you? Both of you.”

“Why’s that?” They both ask, stopping.

“Just do it.” The white haired boy huffs again, smacking a hand over Taiju’s eyes before opening his own tentatively, the girl closed her eyes too, good. Craning his neck he scans their surroundings getting his bearings back. “I thought so,” he sighs. “Turn behind you and go north-west up the mountain.” Annoyingly he’d have to go find that cherry tree again another time. Dropping his arms back to his lap and closing his eyes.

“I must have been going the wrong way! Sorry about that!” Taiju yells as he spins around heading the other way now.

The crunch of undergrowth beneath their feet was pretty much the only sound around with their sloppy movements prominent enough to scare off all the wildlife as they trekked. “So you live on the mountain then Senku?” Yuzuriha asks from somewhere behind him, likely walking next to Taiju.

“Yep, all my life.” He hums, not eager to give any more information to the strangers who were already about to learn the location of his home.

“... Any family?” She tentatively inquires.

Senku sighs, arms crossed and silent for a moment. “No. Not any more.” Not unless they counted the snakes.

“Hey Senku, I see part of a half stone wall ahead.” Taiju announces.

“Then you can finally put me down.” Finally maybe they would leave him alone. “I live just ahead so you can go back to your meadow or wherever.”

“If you say so Senku!” 

He can feel the teen putting him down, finally . Giving his back a stretch he gratefully steps forward now that he’s back on the ground. He’s about to make sure they leave and head on his way when he feels something being pressed into his arms. He’d almost forgotten about the basket.

“If you’re sure.” He’s pretty sure Yuzuriha might be smiling based on her tone of voice. “You should be careful though.” Sample 1 starts climbing up his arm again from the basket- it must have dropped in before Yuzuriha returned it.

“Right right, of course. I’m nothing if not the image of extreme precaution.” He hums a bit sarcastically, muttering a thanks before turning towards the ruins. He takes a quick peek under his eyelashes to gauge his exact location before trudging ahead, though when he hits another perimeter wall he pauses, glancing back to check if the two had left. He could see through his quick peek that they were waiting, giving him a smile (and an excessively loud goodbye from Taiju) before turning and heading out.

The next day he scratches up a few plans for getting the wax from the bees on his own before tending to the garden and even scratching up a few notes for a thought he had while filling the aqueduct for a wheel of water. He remembered reading something about the concept and maybe even spotting a similar structure in the city under the mountain but had yet to properly explore it or think much of it. He was considering later in the week building a few tiny craft models out of scraps when a voice cuts through the peaceful morning air.

“SEEEENNNNNKKKUUUUUUU!!!!!!” a familiar boisterous voice calls across the ruins.

Senku rubs his temple, discarding his tablet. “Unbelievable.” 

Chapter Text

“I can’t believe you actually did it.” Senku snorted, shooting a brief glance at Taiju, who was now covered head to toe with bee stings. He imagined if he limped through the village at night, some of the villagers might actually believe a monster had come to attack them.

He was surprised he had actually managed to gather the entire hive. “So how did you escape the swarm? It’s ten billion percent obvious you didn’t smoke them out, or take any precautions for that matter.”

“I ran!” He states a bit proudly, though slightly muffled from the stings.

Senku nods, arms crossed, from where he sat in front of a few books and a worn down tablet in a sunspot in the clearing.  “Right of course. Anybody can outrun an entire angry nest of bees without bringing a single one back with, and somehow leave the nest clean.” He stands up, grabbing a few loose leaves and branches, shoving them in a basket. “You’re going to need more than this but leave that nest outside the outer wall, put it on the wall or something and light a small fire under it, smoke it for at least 15 minutes, do NOT let the hive catch on fire, understand me? And then bring it back once it seems like any stragglers have left the hive. Then there should be a hive southwest of us. I marked that tree too, get that one too, but this time use a torch to smoke all the bees out alright? And then bring it back.” He states flipping a cloth over Taiju’s head, “Use that to keep the bees away from your face too, and when you get back we’ll take care of the bee stings.”

“You got it Senku!” He grins before running off.

Sighing, Senku drops back where he was sitting and through squinted eyes examines his measuring rod. He hadn’t actually thought the big oaf would do it when he said to go get him a beehive. He just figured the guy would get the message and leave him alone. Comparing the rod, he did the math in his head before scratching measurements into his new diagram. If he was getting the hives already he could at least have the frame done by the time Taiju came back.

It’s silent for a while, just forest sounds and the wind, and the clacking of a wooden wind chime he got bored and made last year. “Senku..” Yuzuriha’s voice drives across the clearing from where she sat off to the side in the shade of his hut. “May I ask about your scales?” 

It seems his arm wraps hadn’t gone unnoticed, and not like his face scales were hidden at all either. He was wondering when one of them would ask, it’d been over a week after all and he couldn’t seem to get rid of them. “So long as you don’t go shouting it to the whole dēmos.”

“Of course not.” He thought she might be smiling. He wasn’t sure what she was working on over there but the last few days she’d seemingly been bringing her own projects to work on while Taiju ran around waking the whole mountainside. “So…” She trails off, as if not sure how to phrase her question.

Senku waits before sighing. “Well, I assume I was born with them.” He states scratching another measurement into the tablet. He waits, drawing up a stand for his giant tablet design to rest on. But as she remains quiet he guesses she is either done or can’t decide how to ask what she wants to ask. “You’re not going to hurt my feelings or whatever it is you’re worried about. Just ask.

“Are… you human?”

That actually surprised him a little, causing him to pause his drawing. “As far as I’m aware. Though, I’m not sure your fellow villagers would agree.” Scratching the back of his head with the stylus he glances over the diagram- yeah that should work.

Sample 2’s head enters the corner of his vision, tongue flicking, as it reaches its head off his shoulder. “Moving.”

He can hear her standing up and walking over. Senku absently scoots back, further away, when her feet enter his line of sight, stopping in front of him. “Does it… have something to do with your eyes?” She asks, and waits. “Is it… a curse?” She waits.

The cicada’s buzz in the woods, and Senku remains silent. “I know you’re not blind, I.. kinda figured that out pretty fast. But you always close your eyes when you look at us. Is there something wrong with them?” She asks, waiting.

Senku exhales, closing his eyes as he tilts his head up to, well, not look at her. “Oh yeah, you got me. I was cursed by the gods,” he gestures with his hands as he speaks, “apparently my birth was so blasphemous that they had to make sure everyone knew it.” A sarcastic grin rests on his face, “What gave it away? Me asking you both to close your eyes when I wanted to look at something? Or perhaps when I tried running away but that oaf Taiju kept helpfully picking me up until you both were able to escort me ‘home’ and now there’s no getting rid of either of you.” He trails off head tipping down again as he lets his eyes slide across his diagram and her feet.

Her hands enter his line of sight, holding a cloth. “Sometimes… when you talk to us you go to touch your face, like to move something… I thought perhaps, maybe you usually used some kind of blindfold.” She pauses, “At first I thought maybe you just forgot it because we surprised you, you hadn’t expected to need it but… Then I thought maybe you lost it so..”

He takes the fabric out of her hands, still keeping his gaze pointed down. It was just a simple strip of fabric but it still manages to show a lot of craftsmanship. The stitches around the sides- which she didn’t even need to add, but did so to prevent fraying, were neat and incredibly small, and based on a glance at its length he’d say it was the perfect length to tie behind his head without leaving long distracting trails. The fabric was nice too, smooth, not rough. Much better than the blindfold Byakuya had made him to say the least, especially with how worn it’d been before he lost it. He runs his thumb over the cream fabric, a bit doubtful this wasn’t some kind of trick. “... Thank you.”

Yuzuriha smiles before reaching into her pouch presenting him with something else. “I wasn’t sure what color you would like so I thought white was a safe bet, but I made a few others with the scrap fabric I had around.”

Senku didn’t know what to say, staring at those strips of colored fabric. She had to know, she even asked if he was human, and knew he’d been lying. Why would she make gifts for him, continue to hang out near him, and just... Act so nice? “Why be nice to a monster like me?” He asks quietly, almost without thinking before catching himself. “Maybe if you're nice to me I won't be a threat to you, is that it? Perhaps trying to coax my favor or an attempt to get me to lower my guard?”

She crouches in front of him, keeping the distance he set, and keeping her eyeline away from his as he keeps his eyes on the ground. “I’m not sure you’re a monster.” She starts, placing each blindfold neatly folded on his tablet as she speaks. “You.. were cursed right?” She fills in the blanks, “And that curse can hurt people. But I don’t think you're evil. You’re smart, and more than that I think you’re scared, of us, of the village. And we’ve done nothing to alleviate that.” She crossed her arms on her legs, “You’re surrounded by mechanisms I've only caught glimpses of in the city, if on a smaller scale. If we could get along and talk with the townsfolk I’m sure there’s a lot you could show us.” Yuzuriha extends her hand, giving him plenty of time to refuse or move away before placing it on his knee. “I think you’ve just been alone for a very long time. I, and Taiju would like to be your friends, if nothing else. You don’t have to stay up here alone.”

A part of him wanted to believe her, desperately. That part of him did truly believe she wanted to be friends, but the logical part of him knew there was no way the town would get along with him. As soon as they find out about his curse he’d be sent away, if not killed or hunted on the spot. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll hurt you or the oaf?”

“If you do, I know it’ll have been an accident, and that’s not your fault.”

“... And if it’s not an accident?”

Yuzuriha pauses, before sighing. “Then either we misjudged your character, which is on us, we kept bothering you after all… Or, and I would hope this is the case instead, that there was a really good reason for it.”

She seemed serious, and he can’t imagine why. His train of thought stalls as Taiju’s chipper voice cuts through the air.

“I did the smoking thing with the hive Senku!!” He approaches proudly holding the basket with the hive.

Senku inhaled, composing himself and tying the blindfold on, before tilting his head towards Taiju, “That's great! Good job.” What he glimpsed of the hive from here before his vision was blocked, looked good. “Put it down over there and get on the other one, remember what I said about smoking out the bees first this time and you’ll get a treat while we take care of those stings when you’re done, alright?” He wasn’t just going to let the idiot walk home covered in bee stings, he is suspicious of their intentions, not a bastard.

“You can count on me Senku!” Taiju announces before audibly disappearing back out of the ruins.

A silence stretches between them for a moment, “what’s the treat going to be?” She asks.

“Huh?” He pushes himself off his knees, brushing the grass off once he stands. “Oh, I don’t know. Honey? Maybe some squashed fruit preserves?” He’ll figure it out later. He crosses to the hut popping open a water barrel he had around the corner, scooping some out with a bowl into a small bucket before washing his hands.

“Fruit Jelly?” 

He could hear her footsteps loosely following him, Sample 2’s head rising off his neck to look at her. “If that’s what it’s normally called, sure.” He stands up, flicking his hands off, “Here you wash your hands too.” He steps out of the way gesturing to the bucket and what is currently his only bar of sapo (latin: soap).

The brunette girl tilts her head, a bit confused, “What for?” 

“You’re helping aren’t you?” He places his hand on his hip, “I’d like to keep the wax and honey as clean as possible while we separate it.”

She’s silent for a moment. “That makes sense.” She decides, “but… how do you want me to do that?” She asks tentatively.

“Huh? What do you mean? Use the sapo and then rinse your hands off.” He furrows his brow, what could possibly be confusing about this?

“... Sapo?” Her eyes wander over the items before settling on the bar. “The white bar?”

Senku cocks his head to one side, Sample 2, who still had its red eyes locked on her, mimics the motion, “Do you not know what sapo is?”

Sample 2’s tongue flicks out in the silence, “.... ssssshe sssssshook her head.” It hisses out slowly.

A confused curiosity flickers in his mind. “If you don’t use sapo, what do you normally do?”

“... Well usually in town we use olive oil and scrape that off, and sand or clay with water for deeper cleaning.” She twisted her fingers uncertainly. 

Strange… Well that certainly was new information and opened up a few questions about Byakuya he wouldn’t be answering any time soon. “Well there’s a first time for everything, here, watch me this time” He places the bucket between them crouching down and washing his hands again, showing her how he does it. Shaking his hands off for the second time he gestures for her to give it a try, pushing his blindfold up a few fingers to observe.

“Like that?” She asks, and as she does so he catches the sure movement of her tilting her head up to look at him and drags the blindfold back over his eyes. 

He’d been trying to use it sparingly but it looked as if he'd have to start writing up a schedule soon for making more sapo. That was the last bar left from the ones he made with Byakuya. “Yeah.” He nods, gesturing for her to follow him as he heads for the beehive. “Normally we’d start with opening the hive carefully, but thanks to the oaf we’ll just make do. We’re going to remove the comb structures, cutting away parts filled with wax and honey.” He explains as he cuts, having pushed the blindfold up to allow him to work. 

Yuzuriha stands on the other side of the table watching, and holding the basket he was separating the combs into.

“Once we have it all removed we’re going to have to crush the combs to loosen the honey and then in that basket or a cloth we’re going to press all the honey out. I’m thinking we just clean off a rock and put it on top, let gravity do the work while we work on the frame.” He grins, hands covered in hive guts at this point. He lifts an arm, honey dripping off his fingers, to block her eyes from his line of sight as he looks around, he has a large clay pot around here somewhere. Spotting one he gestures to her to follow again, collecting the pot. 

He put the pot on what could only loosely be called a table, it was more like a short shelf, “Put that basket on there.” As soon as it's there he starts crushing the combs, “There should be a good sized rock I brought over yesterday by the fountain.” He points, pointedly not looking up.

Yuzuriha nods, “Got it.” She turns looking over where he pointed. She remembers seeing a fountain a day or so ago, but she only got a glance. Senku didn’t seem to linger near it while she and Taiju were around at least. Specifically she got the strict feeling that he didn’t want them to see it, so being sent to it was a bit of a surprise.

She presses her hand against cooled stone, what was likely an archway doorway at some point, and almost jumps as she feels something drop onto her arm. Her attention snapping to it she sees an eerie white snake coiling onto her arm. She needed to calm down, these snakes were Senku’s friends,... right? She swallows, composing herself, “H-hello.” She smiles at the snake. 

It just flicks its tongue at her as it climbs up her arm. “Right…” Her eyes flick away from it and back. Maybe it just wanted a quick ride, that was fine, sure. Totally. “Well I hope we can be friends.” She smiles at the snake before looking back into the courtyard.

It was probably a beautiful courtyard once with a garden, a long rectangular shape with grooves that likely homed small streams of water. Though it was all overgrown now with vines climbing up the remains of the walls and into the empty fountain. One tree had grown into one of the walls, knocking it to pieces, and another was deformed under an overhang. 

Crossing she stepped around loose stones and through what seemed to be a well worn path or trampled greenery across, up the cracked steps, and level with the fountain. The bugs hummed as the midday light streaked across bare overgrown stone. She could see what she assumed was the rock Senku wanted, flat bottomed with a curved top. It looked like it would be perfect for pressing the wax into the basket. But her attention didn't settle there.

A statue sat on the edge of the fountain, like the statue she saw at the entrance to the ruins; they both wore clothes. Though the main difference between them is that the entrance statue’s clothes were worn as if they had been sitting in the elements for a year or two, tattered and worn away. The fountain statue though? Its tunic looks old, sure, but clean and taken care of. Even the stone itself looked a bit cleaner, as if cleaned frequently. The snake drapes itself over her shoulders

She stepped towards it, looking over it from different angles, a man, and it looked like the statue was supposed to be holding something small based on the positioning of the arms. She glanced around and didn’t see anything that looked like a missing piece in the area. Crouching down, putting a hand on the statue’s knee, she was able to get a look at his face.

The man had a kind and gentle look to him. He looked like someone who made friends with everyone he met, friendly and generous. She wonders what this courtyard once was, and what purpose this statue served. Ignoring the question of the clothes, and the other doubts at her mind, he shifts her attention back to the rock. Circling the fountain she picks it up before descending the 4 steps back to where she left Senku, only glancing back once to observe the statue before exiting through the partial archway.

Senku can feel Sample 2 lift its head, looking behind him, alerted to Yuzuriha’s return while he examines the results of his crushing. Yes this should do just fine. He glances to the side as the girl steps next to him, instinctively taking a step back. “Yes, that's the one, excellent job Yuzuriha.” He grins, stepping back eyes half shut to limit potential eye contact without cutting his vision. Though an eyebrow raises slightly when he spots Sample 3 on her shoulders.

“Put that curved side down in the basket and let it start crushing it. You can go back to your sewing if you want, just make sure no bugs crawl up it, I’m going to rinse all this off me at the waterfall.” It would be a waste to use his stored water or soap with how much effort it will be to get all the honey and debris off his lower arms and hands.

“Oh! Alright then.” Yuzuriha smiles 

Senku smiles, giving her a wave before heading up towards the stream outside the ruins, following it up towards the waterfall. The air smelt a bit fresher here, damper, and more squirrels are around. Stepping into the stream a chill zaps up his body as the liquid washes over his feet. Rounded pebbles and stones shift with every step he takes, ripples scattering any minnows that made their way into the small liquid body.

With all the noise Taiju makes it has been a minute since he truly got to enjoy the quiet. A bird flutters through the branches overhead. Head tilting back he watches the sun clip through its wings, a rocky blue, cool and even. Many of these small birds lived in this area, a Thrush he believed. It settled in the branches above him, tittering in its high pitched notes. Sample 2 flicks its tongue before it starts slithering up Senku’s neck, apparently intent on disappearing into his hair. 

Senku huffs, he didn’t understand these reptiles at all, regardless it'd be best if he didn’t linger. The longer this honey stayed on him, the sooner insects would turn him into a free buffet.

Though the waterfall was small and thin it was strikingly tall. Leaning back he looks up, peering at the cliff side edge it poured down from. One of these days he should really investigate how far it goes, but it was risky climbing when there was no one to help him if he got hurt. The water ripples at his ankles as he steps through the slightly deeper pool that surrounded the source before running his hands through the water stream. 

Senku doesn’t get why Yuzuriha and Taiju are so fixated on him. She said it was because they wanted to be his friends, but why would they want to be friends with a monster like him? Like a literal actual monster. He is a Gorgon. Even if he doesn’t have the snake hair or the wings, that fact doesn’t change. It won’t ever change.

Sample 2’s head pokes down on his forehead, tongue flicking. “… on head…” 

“That’s not the same thing and you know it.” He deadpan stares ahead, scraping at the honey

Senku sighs. Why does he get the feeling that dealing with a woman like Circe would be easier then… all of this nonsense. He can think his way out of a trap like that. Eat a ‘magic’ herb, don’t transform, think of a way to beat her. Easy. 

How the hell is he supposed to convince two idiot kids he’s not worth being friends with?

Even if a part of him desperately craves their company.

Running a finger over his wrists and hands, Senku decides that they were about as clean as they would get. Giving them a flick, shaking water droplets to the side before turning away. That oaf might be back soon, and he shouldn't leave him waiting with those stings.

The sound of water on water fades as he descends, making a mental list of what he’ll need and where they are for all those stings. Given his reserves he has a few options; He should try to remove the stingers, he could clean them with some of the wine he was attempting to make which would also reduce swelling, figs are ripe now so he could go collect some leaves or sap for cooling and soothing. Mud and clay were options as well for removing the toxin but herbs would probably be a better option with them cleaning the stings, he didn’t want to get the stings dirty with mud after cleansing them after all. And the honey that he’d be bringing back with the hive would actually be perfect to help with treatment as well, as it would help healing.

“... tree….” 

Senku stops quite literally one step from walking into a tree. He’d been so lost in thought that he’d not been focusing on his path until Sample 2 snapped him out of it. He mutters a thanks, turning to step around the tree before entering back into the ruins, tracing his worn path back to his hut. 

Now if he could get get the frame started before Taiju returned then-

“SEEEENNNNNKKKUUUUUUU!!!!! I GOT THE HIVE!!!” 

A deep sigh escapes his lips as he pulls down his blindfold, he just got the honey off his hands, but it would be logical to add the other hive to the basket and rock press he had going sooner rather than later. Maybe they did want to kill him after all, this was too much damn exercise in one day.

He takes a deep breath scratching at his ear, “Wow great job oaf, and it looks like you actually smoked it this time. Good job. Bring it over here and we’ll get that honey and wax strained.” 

“Sure thing Senku! Say what-” The oaf jabbers away as he goes through explaining the pressing process once again.

After returning from his second trek to the waterfall and working on Taiju’s stings from behind the brunette as he examines his back. “Hey oaf.”

“Yeah?” He was as annoyingly chipper as ever as if he didn’t have a care in the world. He probably didn’t.

“Care to explain to me how the hell you got stung on your ears?” He says right as he presses a wine soaked cloth against one, causing the boy to jump with a yelp due to the high sensitivity of the area.

Senku could feel the eyes on the back of his neck as he tied a new extension of the aqueduct together. It was a wooden piece of shit that would rot away in a few years, but with the help of this oaf he could extend it to that small waterfall in one day. Which is preferred he calculated on his own this might take at minimum 3 days, but more likely a week when including food and sleep. As he cuts off the end of the rope he yelps, teeth crunching down on the rope held between his teeth as something is yanked off his collar.

He rubs the back of his neck scratching the spot that had just been plucked. “You know I’d say that’s about as rude as me going over there and pulling out some of your hair.” 

Yuzuriha squeaks behind him, “I thought a feather had just got caught in your top! I didn’t know it was attached!” He had no idea what sort of expression she was making, but could probably guess. 

Taiju leans over from where he was dragging more of Senku’s wood supplies, “Woah! Is that a feather Senku? I thought you just had scales! That’s cool!”

Senku, having pulled his blindfold back down, raises an eyebrow at him, “You noticed that? Only she” he points a thumb at Yuzuriha, “Asked, so I just figured you hadn’t noticed yet.”

“Yeah! But having scales isn’t so weird Senku! There’s no need to be self conscious!” He states proudly.

“It’s ten billion percent is weird though.” The white haired boy huffs back.

“Actually, why do you have feathers though Senku? I thought you just had scales.” She asks.

“Huh? Cause gorgons have wings obviously.” He states as he starts setting up the legs for the next section of the aqueduct.

“REALLY?!” Taiju yells loud enough that the village underneath could surely hear.

Senku drops his hands from his ears, blindly trying to find the sticks he dropped. “Obviously?? Haven’t you two ever seen art of or listened to what’s his face, Perceus’s tale?” He actually hadn’t seen any of the art like the ones painted on vases his father described, but he got a detailed description nonetheless.

They both shake their heads.

The three of them sit there in silence for a moment as Senku gets his hands on the sticks. “You guys, if you are doing some kind of nonverbal response like nodding, remember that I’m blind, right?”

“I don’t think either of us were paying much attention at the time.” Yuzuriha sheepishly offers. 

“Right, well no more plucking out my feathers alright?”

“Yes sir!” They both respond, a bit dramatically.

Senku rolls his eyes under the blindfold, “Alright enough fooling around back to work we have an aqueduct to build.” He huffs in a way he wouldn’t call fond, he just wouldn’t. He still had his guard up around them after all.

For some reason, today’s heat seems more brutal than the others. Thick waves hovering above the surfaces outside, the dry summer air turning even Yuzuriha’s small room into an oven. 

She pulls her chiton over her head and runs her hands through her hair, working out the knots that had gathered during her sleep that night. Her eyes were still heavy with exhaustion; she had tossed and turned the entire time, unable to stay asleep for more than a couple of hours. 

Taiju appears in her doorway, an excited grin on his face. “Yuzuriha, are you ready?” 

Just outside the wall, Yuzuriha’s mother scolds him. “Taiju, you know you’re not allowed back there! Only women and slaves can enter the gynaikon. You need to return to the andron with the other men, or wait for Yuzuriha in the courtyard.”

“I don’t mind. Besides, it’s just the two of us right now,” Yuzuriha told her mother cheerfully as she entered the kitchen where her mother kneaded a lump of dough. She had thought the heat in the back was bad, but combined with the fire flickering in the oven and the crowded kitchen, it is nearly impossible to breathe. 

“It doesn’t matter. What will happen when we get a slave and Taiju thinks he can freely enter that area? What of any male friends he invites over someday? Speaking of, the two of you should really try to get to know the other kids your age in the village. It’s not good to be a loner.” Yuzuriha’s mother turned to give them a stern look. Yuzuriha was the spitting image of her: long, auburn hair, dark eyes, and clear, pale skin many men complimented her for. Her dad looked similar, but the only thing Yuzuriha seemed to have inherited from him was the thickness of her hair. 

“Don’t worry, we won’t be,” Yuzuriha assures her. She takes Taiju’s hand and leads him towards the door leading to the courtyard, away from the kitchen and the gynaikon. She didn’t miss the way her mother relaxes once Taiju is away from the women’s rooms. 

Yuzuriha didn’t entirely understand her concern; all they have back there are beds and sewing materials. Sure, their baths are located in the back as well, but they are well hidden from the kitchen doorway, which is normally covered with a piece of thick animal skin, anyhow. “Anyway, I was hoping Taiju and I could head to the square early today.” 

“That’s fine. Make sure to bring back some goat milk on your way back.” 

“You got it!” Yuzuriha pulls Taiju through the door, eager to escape before her mother remembers their morning chores. 

“So why are we headed up so early?” Taiju asks, slowing to walk by her side once they are far enough away. He gasps, his eyes widening with excitement. “Are we going to surprise Senku?” 

Yuzuriha shushes him, even though she knows there’s no way Senku could possibly be in the village with them. Taiju slaps his hands over his mouth and shoots a nervous look around them. “Wait, he’s not here, is he?” 

“No, but I doubt he wants the villagers knowing about him,” Yuzuriha told him. She turns to glance at their surroundings in order to make sure no one overhears them. The village is a quaint place, made up of dirt roads and huts made of cement mud, with small open windows high up in the walls for ventilation and light, and rooftops made of red terracotta tiles. 

Everyone wears chitons fashioned in various ways with belts and clips, some more stylish and clean than others. They didn’t live in the slums exactly, but their family isn’t rich, either. Taiju’s parents had died while he was young, so Yuzuriha’s family decided to take him in. Her father spent most of his time working, but whatever free time he had he saved for Taiju, while Yuzuriha is left to her mother. It was how most families functioned, and how they maintained their sacred way of life. 

Yuzuriha blinks, a red hue appearing across her face. “Sorry, I spaced out for a sec. Anyway, I wanted to get something nice for Senku. He’s never had bread before, so why don’t we bring him some sweetbread? He’s got so much jam and honey, he must have a sweet tooth!” She giggles, imagining the look on Senku’s face when they brought him the bread. She didn’t imagine he’d light up or anything, but it’d be sweet to see him caught off guard. They may have only known each other for a few weeks, almost a month now, but there is a quiet sadness about him. Not just the idea of him living alone in the mountains as the monster everyone feared, but something else he refused to talk about. 

“You’re right!” Taiju beams. “So, do you know what kind of bread we’ll bring him?” 

“Something soaked in honey. We can find something in a nearby shop I’m sure.”

Yuzuriha absently runs a thumb over the cloth they’d wrapped the bread in. The sun is climbing into the sky, no longer the early morning haze they’d woken in as the sun beats harshly down on them high in the sky. 

A red hue lights up her cheeks as Taiju carries her up the mountain. It’s a bit embarrassing, but they’d gotten distracted and lost time looking at the breads. If they are to make it before evening; let alone have any time left at all to spend with Senku before it gets so late they'll have to explain themselves to her parents, moving at Taiju’s pace is their only option.

Glancing up she can easily see his face, brown eyes focused ahead, a slight tinge of color to his cheeks, and breath steady. He’s hardly breading a sweat as his sandaled feet pound through the grass. Taiju’s face is rounded with baby fat as one would expect from their age. But looking closer now she can see the faintest hints of his maturing face underneath. In just a few years, when she hits marrying age, she’s sure most of it will be gone, replaced with the face of a man.

Yuzuriha sheepishly averted her gaze. sHe shouldn’t be thinking like that. In a few years her father will settle on a husband for her, and it's up to her to do right by him. In an attempt to clear her thoughts of such silly matters she focuses on the bread in her lap. 

Normally when they resort to this arrangement to meet Senku, she’s riding on his back. They didn't want to risk crushing the bread though, so they ended up with this positioning instead.

A grin spreads on Taiju’s face as his face slows. Turning her head Yuzuriha can see the familiar statue marking the beginning of the ruins Senku lives in. Peering between the leaves as Taiju places her back on the ground, the sun appears to be no higher than noon. Or at least she hopes. 

“Senku?” She calls out gently, poking their heads between doorways and crumbled walls, searching for the familiar mop of oddly white hair.

He’s not by the garden, the wood stack, or his hut. Cautiously, after calling his name a few times, they even poked their heads in the building, but found it bare, specks of dust glittering in the air through the arching sunbeams from the door.

Taiju scratches the back of his head, brown eyes wandering the area, noting a couple of the white snakes around. “Do you think he went up to that waterfall?” 

“It's possible.” Yuzuriha’s eyes settle on a doorway she remembers, they haven’t checked all the ruins yet. “Lets check around here a bit more before trekking up there, in case we missed him.”

Nodding, he follows after her as she leads them towards what she mentally has been calling ‘the courtyard’. The partial archway arches above their heads, briefly blocking the sun's rays. One of those snakes eyes them as they step under it, and down a step into the rectangular space.

Overgrown, like last time she’d seen it about two weeks ago, the courtyard still carried the beauty of a place that was once tended to daily. Eyes tracing the forms of trees in the shadows at the back glide up towards the dry fountain, landing on that mysterious statue. She wanted to ask about it.

Laying across the edge of the fountain in that dirty oversized tunic, head resting in the statue’s lap, is the boy they’d been searching for. Placing a hand on Taiju’s chest, she stops him from calling out as soon as he spots the boy.

She steps over a dip, what was possibly once a sacred conduit considering the structure of the majority of these ruins resembles a temple, now filled with small plants and leaning grass. Her feet tap to a stop at the bottom of the small stone steps. Only a few feet ahead of them, Senku's body is about shoulder height with her own across the fountain.

She’s noted before, but when he’s sleeping it really does become more obvious, even hidden under the tunic, how small Senku is. Even if he didn’t look it, she’s pretty sure he’s about the same as them, and yet he retains the height of someone younger. Yuzuriha think’s he’s gotten a bit taller, matching her height, since they first met. 

She draws her lips into a tight line, his face, though she can't see it with it pressed against the stone, is thin, lacking the baby fat he should have. With how the tunic hangs on him she’s sure he’s thin too. 

He’s been up here alone... 

For how long?

“Senku.” She calls out gently, watching one snake slither across his body, another lifting its head as soon as he voice reaches it. 

The boy’s body shifts, momentarily pausing as he seems to wake up before completely freezing. Dislodging a snake, who rolls off him, plopping onto the stone with an annoyed hiss, he pulls his blindfold up.

“Oh hey you two.” He quickly pushes himself up as if he hadn’t been doing anything. There's a red mark on the outside of his arm from where he’d been using it as a pillow. “I must have dozed off, the temperature over here was incredibly inviting.” It’s hard to read his expressions with his eyes covered, but the way he twists his finger in his ear, and quickly grabs up what, on second glance, was likely his lunch, implies discomfort. He’s trying to quickly brush this off and get back to work. 

“Senku,” Yuzuriha pads up the steps, the snake on Senku’s shoulders flicking its tongue by his ear, causing him to freeze where he stood up. “We got you something on our way up.” She holds the parcel out to him.

He puts the bowl in his hands back on the fountain, peaking under his blindfold via lifting the edge ever so slightly, before dropping it again, and taking the cloth. 

“Since you’ve been up here this whole time we thought you might want to try some bread!!” Taiju grins excitedly.

His thin rough fingers clumsily unwrap the bread blindly until the cloth drapes over one hand, bread poking out the other side. “You guys're getting all sappy on me? You do-” He starts to speak, falling back into his confident tone, before freezing. Nose twitching.

“It’s a Melitoutta, a sweet bread made with honey and flour. This one also has some cheese we thought you might enjoy.” She twists her fingers in front of her. Getting one with the cheese had cost just about all of their allowance, but they’d really wanted to treat him to something new and exciting. “You have lots of jams, and breads is so good with those, though normally jams are a bit expensive for us to buy. So we thought you might enjoy having something to eat with them…” Her eyes anxiously flick back to the boy, freezing.

A small track of water is running down Senku’s face from under the cream blindfold. Lips tightening into a line, he takes a small bit from the bun, as if he’s afraid of it. He rubs a wrapped arm across his face as another track falls down the other side,body shifting, as if he could hide the emotion he’s already let slip. 

“Are you alright Senku?” Taiju asks abruptly, concerned, beating her to the punch.

He swallows, trying to contain his feelings. “Yeah. Yeah I’m fine oaf.” His voice is shaky, despite trying to play it off, “The smell of this bread just brought back an old memory is all.” Blindfolded, and back to them, his gaze seems to drift back to the statue.

“I’ve been wondering…” Yuzuriha trails off, trying to word her thoughts in a way that doesn’t sound pushy or demanding. He didn’t have to answer after all. “What the statues are?” She eyes the kind looking statue on the fountain. “The one on the fountain is just in such an odd pose, I haven't been able to figure out a purpose for it…” She glances away, fingers twisting into the fabric of her chiton. 

Senku is silent for a long moment, perhaps an eternity, his shoulders tense and back turned. 

The boy releases a long exhale, shoulders dropping. Though a hint of tension still strung around his body as he turns, body fully facing the statue now, hand on his hip. His profile seems resigned, on guard. “That… would be my old man.” 

“You’re sharp.” A wry smile rises on his face. “The bread… reminded me of one of my last memories of him. Before I killed him.” Senku takes another bite of bread, snake heads arching from his shoulder and one poking out from his hair, threatening them as if they thought they would immediately turn on him. 

Senku chews slowly, running his nose with his arm. “It was stupid, but he took the baby monster into town, after it begged all morning. He treated it to exciting big books and bread before I-it, of course, managed to mess everything up. Because of course it would, that’s what monsters do.” His head rotates away again. “Trying to cheer up a 7 year old monster, the stupid old man runs his mouth just enough to startle the monster. Enough that it forgot every easy rule it learned in its 7 years of breathing and looked the old man in the eyes, turning him to stone on the spot.”

Silence stretches between them, tense as snakes stare them down. He swallows down another lump of sweet bread. “But what do you expect from a monster?” He hums, turning on his bare heel, attempting to make a quick exit.

The snakes arch, hiring as a large hand lands on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. Normally they avoided touchinging Senku without any implied permission, since he doesn’t seem to fully trust them, but they couldn’t let him run away. “I don’t really get it.” Taiju starts before they can attack him, pausing as if they understand him. “But this is about the curse right?” He asks, brown eyes boring into the back of his head. “I didn’t really get it when Yuzuriha tried to explain it, since she didn’t really know much either, But it's the curse's fault right?” 

Silence stretches between them. Taiju tilts his head, looking at the statue. “Your father right? It’s not your fault. It’s the curse that killed him. Not you.”

Yuzuriha nods, arm pressed against Taiju’s side. “You’re not a monster Senku!” She agrees. “Your father... He has a really kind look on his face. I’m sure a man that looks that kind, even now, could never have raised anything evil!” 

“Huh?” Senku turns, brushing the hand off his shoulder. “Are you both blind, or just delusional? Look at me-” He spreads his arms out, bandages slipping loosely off on arm, scales gleaming underneath. “I’m literally not even human. The only way I’d be more of a monster is if a tail replaced my legs or if I flew out of here right now to start terrorising the villagers.” 

“Senku… I think we know you well enough after a month to know if you secretly are harboring plans to murder the village.” Yuzuriha smiles, “You’re just different, not an evil monster.”

“That's right Senku!!!” Taiju chimes in with a big grin. “You’re our friend!! We know you wouldn’t intentionally hurt anybody!”

Senku’s arms drop to his sides, bread clutched in his hand. Silence settles between them. His shoulders drop. “You two are impossible.” He mutters, “More stubborn than the oxen of Heracles.” He huffs, crossing his arms. “I bet you would argue your point longer than Sisyphus argued with the stone.” 

Senku turns, plodding back towards the archway. “Do what you want. But we’re burning daylight.” He waves his free hand, his other raising the bread back towards his mouth. 

Yuzuriha and Taiju make eye contact with each other, grinning before turning to follow after Senku. “What are you working on today, Senku?” Taiju calls after him, jogging to catch up with the boy. “More aqueduct?”

“No. No not that. We finished that as far as I cared for last week. I was thinking-” Senku sighs, yapping out whatever his next plan is as they cross through the stone arch.

“Hey Senku?” Taiju asks, leaning over a half wall, eyeing the white haired boy under it.

“Yeah?” Senku absently responds back from where he is putting together the shotty model of… something. It has a triangle base but is still an unfinished prototype. 

“I’ve been wondering, but what’s with the hole over by the east entrance?”

“Hmm?” He pauses, biting the end of one of the sticks, “Oh right, that.” He starts cutting the stick apart with a small knife in his lap. “That was going to be plan 137, but I tossed it out.”

“Plan? A plan for what? Why’d you toss it out?” He frowns, tilting his head, taking the stick Senku hands him without thinking as the male continues to work.

“Escape. The idea was that if I was getting overwhelmed on all sides I could set up pits at the entrances that any pursuers would fall into, buying me time to escape.” He states simply, sloppily carving some sort of hole or curve into one of the sticks, like a spoon. “But as it turns out digging such deep holes is not something I have the time or the physical ability to accomplish, so I tossed it out.”

“Senku! You weren’t going to put spikes in them were you?? That’d hurt people! Hurting people is bad!” He exclaims, poking the stick into gorgon’s shoulder

“Huh? If it would buy me enough time to get out alive then I'd fill those pits with moray eel’s.” He shrugs, “Anyways, I don’t think they should send armies or grown men after a single child. Not only is it excessive, but monster or not hunting children is obviously not great.”

“I agree!” He grins before pausing, shoulders dropping. “About the hunting children part. Hurting people is bad!” Obviously hunting children or whatever is really bad! But if he was digging the pits to keep people from hunting a child, the child in question being Senku then uh… What did that mean?

“Don’t overthink it, oaf. Your brain can’t handle it.”

His eyes snap back to the scaled boy who has his hand held up, fingers twitching. Taiju hands him back the stick he’d been holding as he seemingly starts placing some final touches on the prototype. “Sure thing Senku!” He laughs, “You shouldn’t make traps that will hurt people though.”

Senku flicks the device, spoon-like object flicking forwards before he resets it, repeating it a few times. “Oh calm down. If this goes as planned the only one getting hurt is probably me.” he snickers darkly.

“That's bad too!!!”

Senku sat up on his mattress, a sack filled with straw and feathers, scratching the back of his head. What is he to do? One look at his tunic and anyone could see it needed a wash. It is old and a touch big on him, not that it was noticeable with how worn it was. It was Byakuya’s spare that he’d taken when he’d outgrown his old one- which he’d been using for shoddy patches or other projects. 

Regardless, normally the washing part wouldn’t be an issue, he would just go do his best based on what he remembered his dad doing and just walk around nude until it dried. That isn’t an option anymore. Taiju and Yuzuriha arrive so frequently and inconsistently that he has no idea when or if they would show up and there was no way in hell is going to walk around ass out in front of them. Not only was it improper, not that he cared much about that, but he didn’t want them to see him like that. How inhuman he is. It was irrational to think that way, he knew that. After all if they walked in on him naked that was their own damn fault or intruding on his home like this- but… It bothered him.

Samples 2 & 4 coil across his lap, slow without the warmth of the sun on their cold-blooded bodies. Senku rubs the back of his neck, sighing. “Well sitting around here won’t solve anything.” He pushes himself up, Sample 2 falling to the ground while 4 manages to hold on, it’s body coiling around his leg. 

He goes about busying himself with the garden while thinking of a solution. The latest the two usually showed up was around midday considering the oaf could scale the mountain in less than half the time it took any normal person. So he could hope that they show up late and that his tunic dries quickly. But that is risky.

He yanks out a mint plant trying to creep into his garden, they really are almost worse than the weeds. He could try wearing one of the winter cloaks or cloths while the tunic dries, but it is still too early to tell what the weather would be like for the day. If it is hot, he might end up having to wash it as well, and with their thicker materials, he has a much harder time washing them.

Picking up Sample 1 on the way he heads up out of the ruins until he reaches the small waterfall, the aqueduct finally reaches this far, he flips down the end, allowing the fresh water to reach it and travel all the way back to his garden down in the ruins. Senku tilts his head up, If there was a pool somewhere as the source of this stream he could perhaps bathe and wash his tunic there where the two wouldn’t find him. Until now he’d never explored it since scaling this all on his own had been too dangerous without anyone to help, and he’d yet to find a safer way up. 

It was something to think on at least. Turning he closes his eyes listening to the breeze in the leaves and song birds starting their day. That should be enough. He flicks the end back up, cutting off the flow of water. He didn't want to drown his garden after all. His bare feet sink into the moistened earth around the edges of the stream as he makes his way back to the ruins. Byakuya had never bothered much with getting him sandals since he’d just keep growing out of them, and the old man’s are still too big for him. If he had the opportunity to get away with looking around the city safely he might want a pair, but honestly at the moment he was used to being barefoot. Other than the idea of keeping sharp objects away from his feet, it just seems wholly unnecessary.

Raising an arm above his head as he ducks under a branch, Senku considered waiting one more day before washing himself and his tunic. After all, if he got up early enough he could likely get the whole fiasco over and done with before they arrived. Could he get his tunic dry by midday? Shifting gears he makes a b-line for his wax board. He clicks his tongue, right he had his catapult plans drawn up here, he had to leave those alone... For now.

Turning again he heads for the hut, his wax tablet was inside. He didn’t need these bird diagrams right now anyways, he would just redraw them later regardless so he scrapes away with the back of his stylus until his slate is clean once more. Now… What he needs is a way to dry his tunic faster. Squeezing the water out with his hands helped the sun dry it faster, but he can’t get much out on his own.

He needs to run tests. Senku grabs some of what remains of his old tunic and some extra scrap cloth before heading outside again to grab the bucket he has set under one of the aqueduct spouts. Crossing his legs in the middle of the clearing he lays out his tools; water, clothes, tablet. Now how was the wringing achieved? Picking up the scrap tunic he dunks it in the water, letting it drip for a second before squeezing it out with his hands. Water came out, but not much. Is there a more effective way then?

He tried squeezing, twisting, and crunching the fabric in different ways, and they were all effective to varying degrees. If he implemented this exact method he probably could be dry and dressed long before they arrived, but there has to be a more efficient, less strenuous method considering how, even sitting, worn out he felt just from that. A way to wring it out without any physical effort.

Senku scratches his forehead with the back of the stylus, it was well past noon at this point and there was still no sign of the village duo. But he has multiple concept drawings, some were completely nonsensical and illogical- impossible really. Others had some real potential.

The machine that twists the cloth for you could work, but he had a feeling it would just rip everything apart. The crushing machine was just ridiculous and illogical, but, the rolling one might work? Right now it just seemed as dumb as the rest but if he could create pressure between the rollers, unless just having a small opening would do the job, it just might work. If he could figure out a mechanism that would let him twist them in the same direction.

“Hey Senku. What are you working on?” 

Senku all but screams, throwing the tablet, and as an afterthought yanking the blindfold down before turning. “Hades, don’t scare me like that, Yuzuriha. I could have killed you.” He huffs, pushing off his knee to head after the tablet. 

“4 more steps to your right.” Sample 4 hisses, coiling around his thigh.

“Sorry about that.” She says in a sheepish manner behind him, “I thought you heard us.”

“Morning Senku!!” Taiju chipperly greets from behind her.

“Whatever.” He huffs, fingers tapping the earth until they close around the tablet. He brushes it off absently, turning back around to face them. “I’m just drawing up a new idea, that's all.”

“What is it?” She asks.

This was the exact conversation he was trying to avoid. “Nothing too important. Just a thought.” He pauses, finger tapping on his chin. Something that rotates? He’s seen something like that in the city. He’s been wanting to take a stab at making one, though considering the size of the project, now might not be the time. Even if it could give him a clue on the drying device. 

“... Have either of you seen a device where two objects move in union?” Senku asks absently.

Silence stretches between them, he can't tell what they’re thinking blindfolded.

“... Like wagon wheels?” Yuziriha asks? They seem genuinely stumped.

“Hmm…” Senku tilts his head, before sighing and rubbing the back of his neck. “Sort of? But not quite what I was thinking.” But that definitely is how he wanted each of the rollers to potentially move. The issue is turning them together.

Maybe he could turn one with each hand at the same time?

He’ll have to think on it.

“Damn it!” Senku kicks a basket across the clearing instead of the device he’s spent the last two days failing to build. He runs both his hands through his hair, pulling in the strange as he paces back and forth. None of these ideas are working. He’s sure he can figure out this ‘rolling’ system, he knows he can. But the answer just isn’t coming to him.

Sample 1 bobs its head, not commenting, but Senku can tell it's mocking him.

Rubbing a hand down his face he looks back at the poor excuse of a tool. Perhaps he’s been overthinking its construction. Perhaps he doesn’t need to create any ‘pressure’ between the rollers, just put them as close together as he can and perhaps he could tie them together so they both spin at the same time?

He’ll try one more time, but no matter what he has to wash his tunic tomorrow. He’s started tracking dirt onto his mattress.

“... Are you alright?” Yuzuriha asks, currently tucked up against the side of the hut in the shade.

Senku jumps, crap he forgot she was there. How did he forget that? Sample 1’s eyes bore into him, body coiled around his neck. Unsaid message clear. Sample 1 has always been a little bigger than the others, white body thicker and longer. ”No.” Senku hisses back under his breath. 

“Yeah. I’m perfectly alright” Senku twists his pinky in his ear, creating an air of nonchalance. “Just frustrated with how long this project is taking me. Pretty sure I should have finished it like, yesterday.” He shrugs, “But I’ll get it.”

Yuzuriha is quiet for a long moment, “That's good.” Another pause. “I’m sure you’ll get it.” 

“Yeah…”

He didn’t finish by nightfall. 

Rolling over on his mattress Senku gets up with a groan. The Snakes are still completely out, dawn light barely creeping in. He never wakes up this early. It's not warm enough usually, but if he relied only on warmth to wake up he’d fall into a coma and die early into winter.

With this early a start he could bathe and wash his tunic easily before the duo arrived. Even if it was uncomfortably chilly. Senku glances out the door to gauge the time. The sun should be showing itself by the time he’s ready and up at the waterfall so it might not be horrible.

Digging through a chest his father built he pulls out the winter tunic, just in case. He didn’t think he’ll need it, but after last time there’s no way in hell he’s getting caught unaware ever again. Folding the thick fabric on his arm, he scans the small room for- there it is. He scoops up a bowl, dropping his usual stuff in, the strigil, the sapo, a scrap cloth for the sapo, a random blindfold, and a small container filled with oil.

He glances around the room, double checking he isn’t forgetting anything, eyes settling on the bed with a sigh. Senku drags the blankets over the protesting, cold snakes. They immediately bury themselves deeper where it's warmer.

Snorting, Senku scoops the bowl back up and heads out of the hut. Rubbing his arm he considers briefly going back for his bag shoes. It’s normally not this cold this early in the summer in the morning. Would the day be cold? That will make drying take long- He shakes his head, no, the previous days have all been brutally hot, it’d be strange if it suddenly flipped to being cold.

Senku ducks under a branch as he hits the river, following its edge up towards the waterfall. The birds are only just starting to wake as he steps through dewy grass and over jagged stones. In the leaves he spots a small owl, still awake before it disappears deeper into the trees.

At the waterfall he places the winter tunic on a larger stone, dropping his bowl on top. He drops his tunic next to the rock in the dirt, he’ll be washing it next anyhow, before grabbing for the container of oil. His father once mentioned that athletes would usually apply the oil, then exercise or before scraping it off, apparently it improved their abilities. Senku had doubts, but he’s sure the process could be studied, perhaps the oil did improve their training. 

Regardless, he is no athlete, so after making sure he’s gotten himself plenty covered he waits a minute, eyeing the cliff again. Maybe he can convince Taiju to help him take a look up there, with the oaf around he’s sure they'll be able to scale it just fine. After deciding he’s waited long enough he picks up the strigil next- his father said it's better to let the oil soak in a bit. 

Scraping the oil off he winces as he drags the metal over the scales on his sides. Examining it more closely he can see a layer peeling away. No wonder he’s been so itchy lately, his scales are molting again. Putting the bronze strigil to the side he plops onto the grass, picking at his scales. If he can get it all off now he won’t have it floating around in his tunic, or driving him insane all week. 

Using the strigil to help scrape at the scales when skin becomes stubborn it takes him until the sun is properly creeping through the trees before he’s satisfied with the state of his scales. It is definitely morning now and yet it still looks dark and cool thanks to the overcast clouds. He hopes they'll clear up by the time he’s drying his clothes.

After he’s done with the strigil and oil, he grabs the cloth and sapo, heading for the pool. It’s never been very deep, terrible or bathing if you want to submerge yourself, but it’s always been good enough for his uses. Leaving the sapo to the side for a moment, he walks, ankle deep, through the water until the freezing waterfall is running over him. It’s a small stream compared to the waterfalls he’s heard of, but it drenches his hair, briefly blocking his vision more than well enough.

Huffing Senku pushes his unruly hair out of his eyes, ignoring the way he shivers and wants to escape the water flow. He’s never been very good with lower temperatures. Retrieving the sapo he suds up the cloth and makes quick work of cleaning his body before running soapy hands through his hair. That should be more than fine.

Judging by the approximate position of the sun through the clouds, it’s likely well into the morning. And yet still no sign of the clouds clearing up. Senku sighs, he really has the worst luck doesn’t he. Maybe the idiots won’t even stop by today, then he could dry his tunic in peace.

Taking a moment while he’s here he flicks the end of the aqueduct down, waiting about a minute for the garden to be completely watered before flicking it shut. A shiver runs down Senku’s spine as he strolls back towards his things, the morning air doing no favors for his internal body temperature while wet. Stacking his stuff back in the bowl he sets it aside before grabbing his tunic.

He holds it to the air, looking the fabric over, it really had been a while since he’d washed it. Normally he avoided the process since he didn’t seem very good at it no matter what he tried. Senku’s eyebrows scrunch up, frustration rising in his chest. Why hadn’t he been paying more attention when his father explained it? Sure, his father was no expert, he remembers well how uncertain he’d sounded explaining the washing process, but even uncertain directions would be better than winging it. 

Crouching next to the pool, Senku tentatively dumps the fabric into the water. He’s supposed to soak it… scrub it or something else rough with something like rock and… rinse it? That’s how he’s been doing it for so long, but it's never quite worked.

The ghost of the sun rises above his head, finally cresting the clearing when a voice cuts through it. “SENKUUU!!” The cheery voice of the oaf. “”We thought you might be over here!!” He laughs, closing the distance between them and the clearing.

Senku’s eyes widen, an electric, sick feeling rising in his stomach. He can't be seen. Not like this. Dropping the cloth, eyes scanning the area for options. Making a quick decision he darts for the rock, dumping the bowl to the ground as he clumsily pulls the winter tunic over his damp body. 

He, of course, trips and tumbles to the ground, half covered. Scrambling to pull the rest over him he grabs at the bowls, looking for his blindfold, still not willing to risk turning them to stone. 

“No need to rush on my account.” Taiju grins, now standing in the clearing. 

Peering out from under the edge of the cloth as he toes it behind his head, water already soaking into the fabric, “And what about Yuzuriha?” Senku asks with a sigh, spotting her with her eyes averted, one hand holding a basket, the other grabbing Taiju’s chiton to guide her. 

Taiju makes a surprised motion with his body, he can’t tell what exactly from under the blindfold as he cautiously stands up, readjusting the tunic until it’s straightened, ignoring whatever the two are up to for a moment.

A part of him wished he had brought the snakes with. At least he wouldn’t be completely vulnerable then, if their behavior really is an act. “You guys are certainly up early. Wanted to escape your chores?” He smirks, hoping to distract them. 

Taiju laughs, “Maybe! But I got most of my stuff done already, checking the field, weeding, the fence, scarecrow, and for pests, along with milking the goat! It was all pretty easy to finish early, getting up before dawn.” He stares as if it’s perfectly normal. “And Yuzuriha can take more of hers up here.” The sewing, right. 

Yuzuriha still seems a bit flustered as she pokes her head around the clearing. “I thought so.” She hums, “Senku.” 

Senku swallows, a twisting, crawling feeling settling in his gut. His deflecting isn’t working. “Yeah?” 

“You’re missing a few steps.” Digging in her bag she strolls across to the abandoned tunic, holding a small container in one hand. Plucking the sopping mass out of the water with the other, she glances around, spotting the bowl before frowning. “We need a bucket or barrel, something we can soak it in.”

Beaming, Taiju turns, “There’s buckets by the hut!! I’ll go get one!“ he exclaims before charging off.

Arms crossed, Senku cautiously turns his attention to Yuzuriha. His own discomfort aside, maybe Taiju didn’t get a good look at me before I covered up. He can assume since Taiju is an idiot, that is why he didn’t mind or care about seeing him, despite how inappropriate it could be considered, or how he looks. 

But that doesn’t explain Yuzuriha’s behavior.

She seems way too ok with approaching him. Why is she so relaxed? He opens his mouth to ask, something, why she- both of them really, are still here, he’s practically told them everything, they’ve seen him, what steps is he missing, why are they putting up with him at all. He’s basically done nothing friendly since they showed up and instead has been putting them to work. Most people wouldn’t go along with that. 

But before he can get any words out he can feel Yuzuriha enter his personal space. He can't see her, but by her footsteps stopping in front of him, and the way his nerves stand on end as she gets too close, scream at him. Senku stumbles backwards, wanting more space, distance from her, catching a glimpse of her feet under her ankle length chiton, fabric edges wet from stepping in the stream.

“It’s... ok to ask for help.” Her tentative words halt him. 

If she could see his eyes, she’d see the way they scrunch up in confusion at that. But all that's visible is the way his mouth pulls into a tight line. “Why would you want to help me?” They claim they want to be friends, all these nice platitudes that sound nice in the moment. But if he sits on it, sleeps on it, it makes no sense. Why actively seek out danger? Why risk themselves for no reward? Senku can see no logical reason for all this song and dance. Even betrayal would be swifter.

She pauses, her reaction unseen to him. “Because you're our friend." From the edge of his blindfold he can see her hand hovering over his arm. 

Senku tenses, swallowing a lump in his throat, but doesn’t move away. He knows it’s stupid, he’s terrible at understanding humans, people, that this will probably backfire, but he wants to trust them. 

Yuzuriha’s hand lands on his upper arm. Her body runs at a much higher temperature then his as the heat radiates across his already chilled arm. The air-drying is doing no favors towards his internal body temperature.

“I got the bucket!!” Taiju cheers as he runs back into the clearing. Senku is unable to tell what sort of nonverbal conversation the two have as silence stretches between them.

“Senku, you're really cold! You know if you stay wet and cold too long you could get sick.” Yuzuriha suddenly pouts.

“Senku’s getting sick?! That's no good!” When did Taiju get so close? He can hear Yuzuriha nodding- what is she playing at? “Don’t worry Senku! We’ll warm you up!!” Taiju proclaims before his arms clasp around him.

“Wha-?! Let go of me you oaf!!” Senku yelps, kicking as the boy actively lifts him up. The brunette’s arms grasp around him tightly, heat radiating off him like a furnace. Hindering his flailing, another set of arms clasps around, and presumably the oaf, as Yuzuriha joins in on what is quickly devolving into a hug fest. “Agh. I don’t understand either of you!” Sensing no immediate danger aside to his dignity, Senku goes limp. 

He hadn’t realized exactly how cold he’d gotten after their ambush. “You both are going to get wet.” He half mutters as his still wet hair clings to his face and neck. “What kind of idiot barges in on a guy bathing anyhow.” 

“That’s ok! We’ll dry!!” Taiju cheers, giving Senku a squeeze, causing the boy to wheeze. 

“That’s not- ugh.” Senku rolls his eyes under the blindfold. There’s no point in arguing with an oaf. The longer they stand there hugging him the more his ears start to burn. “Agh! Enough already!” He wriggles, between them, the winter tunic, and the sun finally peaking its head out of the clouds above them he's going to melt, wet hair aside.

Brushing himself off like his ears aren’t still burning, he turns back to face them. “So what is it you wanted that required the use of my bucket?” Senku asks, arms crossed.

Yuzuriha’s face lights up, clapping. “It’s understandable you didn’t know,” she starts, grabbing his arm and tugging him towards the water, “Washing is women's work, men just aren’t any good at it.” Taking the bucket from Taiju, she fills it with water, and instead of grabbing the sad, sopping wet mass of tunic she picks up the small container she pulled out earlier. 

“Wood ash or clay is best, mix that into the water,” Yuzuriha pours some of the ash into the bucket, mixing it with her other hand as she talks, “You let the clothes soak in it for a while though-“ She seemed excited to talk about something she is knowledgeable on. 

Focusing on the knowledge aspect and not… everything else helps calm down Senku’s prior embarrassment. Even if a small amount of shame flickers at the back of his mind about being unable to do such a simple task on his own. That he’s been doing it wrong. 

“If you have any particular bad stains, urine should be mixed in as it’s incredibly effective. Personally, when there’s stains I think that step should be done first, then soak it in the ash, but mom says that's wasteful.” She shrugs, swirling the tunic around in the bucket, making sure it soaks up all the grey water, squishing the fabric here and there. “Anyways, we let this sit for a bit, then-“ Yuzuriha pauses, looking over the surrounding area, setting on a selection of rocks, “we’ll beat the fabric and let it dry.” She hums. “But, in the meantime we can get some other stuff done.” She stands, pulling a startled Senku with.

In a whirlwind of sudden assertiveness, both boys are dragged along on a ‘housewife’ lesson as Yuzuriha whisks them back to the ruins, having them collect up some food, and gather around the fire. Neither of them are unfamiliar with cooking, especially not Senku, but his knowledge is incredibly limited. 

“With what we have we could make a soup, or…” Yuzuriha trails off looking at the array of vegetables, fruit, meat, some spices, and jelly. “You always eat soup but…. If we just had some bread, or maybe-“ she places a hand on the side of her head. “Senku, we really need to get you a non-soup meal option.”

“Huh? I eat fruit and the jelly.” He points lazily at the apparent offenders. He also has been trying to dry meat for winter or just general snacking as well. “I get plenty of variety.” Technically a lie, he’s tried experimenting with meals sure, but the only actual ‘dish’ he knows how to make are soups. Cooking and seasoning the meat and otherwise eating it plain doesn’t really count as anything, and hasn’t learned much on how the vegetables can cook. He’s been prioritizing nutrients and plain old hunger over doing anything fancy with the food, and the fruit, jelly, and honey, make a nice treat or snack. Especially in the winter. He especially appreciates that unlike the jelly, the honey seems to last indefinitely so long as he seals it completely. His oldest surviving jar has yet to go bad.

“That’s…” Yuzuriha sighs, deeply. “Let’s just start with something simple.” She decides, putting the fruit adjacent aside to be put away. Quickly she begins butchering some of the vegetables, tossing them into Senku’s only actual pan with some of his oil and herbs on the fire, she gives specific instructions, making sure both of them pay attention. Soon enough the vegetables are turning a golden color and she pours them into a bowl and drops the cut meat in next. 

It’s mid afternoon by the time all three of them are sitting outside the hut with a bowl of cooked vegetables, seasoned meat, and a pan cooked potato. Unfortunately Senku doesn’t get to eat more than a single bite before Yuzuriha is dragging him off to go beat his tunic. They had to get it drying while there’s still sun after all. 

“After beating and hanging it to dry, if we had the materials or had the money to buy perfume, we’d freshen up the garment next. But that’s just extra.” Yuzuriha hums as she spreads the tunic over the makeshift drying rack Senku had set up that morning. 

Exhausted, Senku drops back into his seat, eager to finally eat. “I get it, I get it. A lot more goes into washing clothes than I thought.” He groans. And cooking, he thinks a bit more privately to himself. Sure he knew in theory that cooking is difficult, and practice really, but he just hasn’t given it much thought. His priorities never had been flavor, just not dying.

Beaming, Yuzuriha drops down between him and Taiju, collecting her own food. They spend a moment in peaceful silence before Taiju pipes up again. “So what’s that thing you’ve been making Senku?” 

Ah right. He’d forgotten about that. There isn’t really any point in hiding it at this point. “I was trying to make something that would help dry clothes faster but I’m not very close.” Senku shrugs. 

“That’d be amazing!” Taiju grins, bowl already empty.

“Something that dried clothes would be great in the winter.” Yuzuriha agrees.

Senku exhales through his nose, smiling. “… I’ll keep at it then.” 

Senku rubs the back of his neck as he looks over the items arranged in front of him on the ground. Some dried meat, rope, knife, jelly, winter tunic, basket pack, flint, water, cloth shoes, and a laurel branch for his teeth. That should be more than enough, he’s not going to be gone any longer than a week after all. If anything he’s more concerned about his garden.

“Would you two be able to check on the garden while I’m gone? It doesn’t have to be every day, just pop up, make sure it's watered, and there’s no major problems like weeds overtaking them, or large pests destroying it.” Senku rattles off as he shoves most of his belongings into a bag. 

“I could come with! We could bring back a lot more shells and you wouldn’t have to be gone so long!” Taiju offers, again.

“Taiju, how would Yuzuriha explain your absence to the village? It’d be one thing if it was a day or two total, but the walk down there will take a minimum of two days, same coming back. That's 4 days you’d be missing. They might send out search parties, and even if they don’t find you or me, that will most certainly discover the ruins, and I won’t be able to go back.” Senku sighs, pulling the basket pack onto his back. If he actually managed to fill this whole thing there’s no way he’ll be able to walk a whole day carrying it. 

Admittedly, a part of him did want the oaf’s help, if the oaf went alone for example he could likely be back within 3 days tops, but it is too risky. Taiju also has no idea what they are collecting so without him there, it wouldn’t matter. He could also just bring a smaller basket, but the more shells he brings back now the further off he can push going back. The less trips he takes to the sea, the better, even if it sucks extra hard for him in the present.

Taiju’s shoulders drop, “I suppose you’re right.”

“How about if you do a good enough job taking care of stuff here I’ll give you a jar of the jelly.” Senku smirks, Sample 1’s head bobbing up from his neck, eyeing the two. 

“We’ll take good care of everything, don't worry Senku.” Yuzuriha smiles.

“Fantastic. Well, see you two in a week then.” He waves in a lazy manner, turning to head south. Better get moving now than to put it off. He could take a shorter route walking in a straight line south, but the further east he goes the closer he gets to the city and town. He’ll be more likely to run into humans. And that’s out of the question, so sticking further west as he treks down will be best. 

At their persistence he gives them a final goodbye before disappearing into the trees. Pushing his blindfold up he tracks his location as he steps over the rocky terrain. Sample 2 pokes its head out of his back as he stops to pull on his shoes. With those on he can spend less time watching the ground and more ensuring he’s following the most efficient path.

Creeping into the afternoon, Senku munches on a bunch of freshly ripe grapes he picked on the path. Now if he remembered correctly he-

“SENKUUUU!!!!!!”

Senku coughs, grabbing his throat as he straight up inhales the grape he’d been eating. After spending a minute doubled over coughing; spitting the grape on the ground he shakily breathes out, dragging his blindfold down. Turning around just in time for the oaf, who 100% isn’t a hallucination, to stop next to him.

“I’m coming with you.” Taiju grins, already pulling the basket off his back, trading him for the smaller one he carried with.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Senku hisses, “How is Yuzuriha supposed to cover for you?” 

“Don’t worry about it! She’s got it covered.” He roughly pats Senku’s scapula, sending him forward a step. “Now let's get moving!” Taiju cheers, already plowing ahead.

“Now hold on! I didn’t agree to this. You have to go back!” Senku calls after him, hurrying after to keep up, trying to stop him. Already his plan is falling to pieces. “Taiju!” 

Senku collapses into the grass, wheezing. 4 days straight of brake-neck paces and already they’re back. Unless this is the underworld. This could even be Tartaros. Is this what the Tartaros feels like? 

The belly of Sample 1 smoothly glides up his neck and over the back of his head as the snake goes out of its way to climb over him before disappearing into the grass. 

The ground is still spinning, his whole body burning, when a straight up bucket of water is placed in front of his face. Dizziness disregarded Senku eagerly sits up, not caring whether it was drinking water or garden water, and tips the bucket over his head, drinking down as much as he can while also drenching himself.

Taiju laughs, chattering away, though Senku’s attention is not on him. He takes a deep breath, eyes closed as he attempts to have the worlds stop spinning in front of his eyes and keep what little food, and now lots of water, he has down in his stomach.

“Your back already?” A surprised voice comes from behind them. 

“Yuzuriha!!!” Taiju cheers, rushing over to give her a big hug. They laugh and chatter out of Senku’s line of sight as the boy himself continues to focus more on not hurling.

“All thanks to the oaf.” Senku swallows, mustering up his usually nonchalant tone. “The idiot insisted on moving full speed at all times.” 

A horrified look rises on the girl’s face. “Taiju! You could have killed him!”

Taiju’s eyes widen, "Senku kept up! I even carried him for a while on the way there!”

“That doesn’t mean you can't take breaks!” Yuzuriha huffs crossing towards Senku. “You must be starving, let's get something made for you. And Taiju, you go put those shells away.” She adds without even looking at him.

Pulling Senku to his feet she guides him to a seat inside his hut while she moves  about cooking something. “You don’t have to do that.” He exhales after a while. “Admittedly Taiju powered through the trip a lot faster than I was comfortable with, but we finished a lot more efficiently because of that.” He leans on his left hand, “It’s... nice being back sooner and the oaf happily slowed down whenever I needed it. Though he promised not to mention the part about carrying me.” He clicks his tongue, annoyed. 

A small laugh escapes Yuzuriha as she stirs something in the pot. Based on the smell she seems to be making soup. “Well I’m glad you two are safe and back regardless,” She hums.

“Yeah.” Senku hums back, closing his eyes under the blindfold. He wouldn’t say it, but it was nice hanging out with Taiju, just them guys. Even if the pace the oaf set was more brutal than Hector’s away from Achilles. He’s sure in Hector’s sandals Taiju’d have actually escaped the warrior, if he chose to run at all.

Senku jolts as a bowl is placed on the table in front of him with a clack. Had he dozed off? Rubbing his eyes, he takes a peak under the blindfold. His stomach rumbles at the smell of vegetable soup with a rabbit bone broth wafting into his nose. Sample 2 lazily slides out of his tunic and curls across his lap as Senku scoops up the bowl. 

Yuzuriha returns as he is digging in, he hadn’t realized just how hungry he’d been. She sits by the fire, placing her own bowl in her lap to eat. Judging by the rapidly approaching volume of his voice, she’d stepped out to give Taiju his bowl. 

Soon enough though Taiju charges excitedly into the hut, not wanting to eat alone, plopping on a box with his bowl, already chattering away. He seems intent on recounting their entire trip, which Senku is happy to allow, not in the mood to waste his energy on the matter. Though he does correct any inaccuracies or exaggerations. A warm feeling, not connected to the heat of the soup, rising in his chest. Making the sapo could wait, perhaps even until tomorrow.