Steps to survival

Chapter 22 : Irrelevant Feelings

After I had settled my coughing I tried to ease the burning by massaging my chest with my open palm. Suddenly Ginro let out a distressed scream.

"Get it away from me!" He scrambled backwards on his hands and knees.

"Calm down, Ginro! It's okay! You're safe! There's no one there!" Kohaku did her best to reassure him. We all quieted down at the sound of something plunging into the pool of liquid, half of a bird wing was protruding out of the liquid before sinking in like it was getting swallowed up by quicksand.

"Whoa, that bird just melted," Kohaku gawked.

"All right, what's going on with the water here?" Chrome said his voice breaking uneasily.

"It's got something that was discovered by an alchemist way back in the eighth century," Senku answered. "But during my time, it served as the foundation for a wide variety of chemical industries."

"Sulfuric acid," I murmured again.

*time skip*

"We can't make the medicine for Ruri without this dangerous stuff?" Chrome spoke over Ginro's soft whimpering.

"Not only that, we're gonna need it for all types of chemistry. It's essential further advancement."

"Well, then, we'll have to brute force our way through to gather some," Kohaku explained kneeling down throwing a bag of glass bottles over her shoulder.

"I'm not afraid to risk my life if it'll save my sister's. I should be fast enough to-"

"No," I interrupted her mid-sentence, Senku grabbed her shoulder.

"Here's a story from back in our day," he made us sound like old people. Well, we are technically over 3,000 years old.

"There was a research group that went to an area of sulfuric acid like that one. The man in front knelt down for a moment, probably just tying his shoes," I cringed knowing where this was going, I think my mother told me about it once.

"The poor guy was dead. He'd knelt right into an invisible cloud of hydrogen sulfide. It sounds crazy, but it's true," said Senku. Way to go, he scared them all, they didn't even cover up the fact that they were shaking in their boots.

"Humans don't stand a chance when mother nature wants us dead. You can be ridiculously fast, but it won't make a difference." My eyes watered as I felt a sneeze coming.

"So what in the hell are we supposed to do, Senku? I have to save Ruri no matter what!" Kohaku pointed to him irritably, a smile grew on Senku's face.

"There's still a way for us to do this. I know just the thing. We'll make a gas mask," as if on cue I ducked my head into the crevice of my arm and let out a high pitched, quiet sneeze. Everyone's attention drew to me. I just shrugged and sniffled, standing up straight.

"Are you sick?" Kohaku inched towards me and I shrugged not really knowing the answer.

*one week later*

I sniffled, the sound echoing off of the walls to the shed. My body felt slightly weaker, I gazed up into the sky watching the dimmer stars that have littered the sky unevenly. After a few minutes, I stood up deciding that it was time that I went to bed.

Just as I opened the door and stepped one foot out, I was grabbed at the hips and nudged back into the warmth. Senku guarded the door, obviously not willing to let me go out.

"You're going to sleep in here from now on," he stated. I tilted my head in an instant, smirked lightly.

"Oh, why's that?" He placed a hand on his hips as if contemplating the answer to my question.

"You're sick. I'll grab your sleeping bag," before I could respond, he was out of the door. I sighed, Chrome entered cautiously eyeing me.

"What's the matter with you?" He shook his head and sat next to me.

"What're you doing in here?" I hummed thoughtfully for a second.

"Strangely enough, Senku is forcing me to sleep in here, with you two," he nodded before snatching his sleeping bag.

"I mean you are sick so I'm not really shocked," he chuckled before shuffling around and facing the wall, falling to sleep in just a few seconds. Snoring loudly mind you. I waited for a for few minutes until Senku reappeared in the door.

He grunted and launched the sleeping bag at my face. "Whoa, easy tiger. What's up with you?" He remained quiet and sat down next to me in a calm manner. I felt some tension that was barely noticeable, it made me shift uncomfortably.

I tucked my legs into the sleeping bag and leaned against the wall. Senku did the same.

"I... don't know," he sighed and tiredly let his head fall onto my bare shoulder. His hair stroked my skin, it was strangely soft, though I was more shocked that he would make such a humane gesture. I mean, he's probably just tired but he's not someone I'd expect to do that. All the tension I had felt before slowly melted into a comfortable silence.

I let out the breath I had been holding in and let my chin rest on his hair, I curled my legs tightly and allowed myself to drift off.

I blinked taking in my surroundings, then I remembered that I had slept in the shed with Chrome and Senku. My shoulder felt oddly cold, the shed was empty except for myself laying on my back. How did I get in this position?

Senku's pov

After my agreement with Chrome I stalked off, my muscles feeling tense, I quickly climbed the ladder to the shed. I stopped at the sound of a sneeze, most likely Kai. I quickly walked through the now-open door and pushed her back gently, my hands resting on her hips.

My mind became conflicted for a moment with thoughts tossing around wildly. "You're going to sleep in here from now on," I said blocking the door.

"Oh, why's that?" I placed a hand in my hip, pausing for a second at the smirk playing on her lips. What the hell is she smirking at? I pushed my mischievous thoughts away.

"You're sick. I'll grab your sleeping bag," I rushed out awkwardly. It took a few minutes but I located her sleeping bag, I reached for it but clenched my hand and crouched. Staring at it.

I know exactly what I'm feeling and why I am feeling it. It's never happened before, I was convinced at some point that I was asexual until she came around. How am I meant to act? I hate not knowing the answers to my questions. Usually, I didn't even have questions to ask, but here I am.

Am I thinking logically? I shook my head, banishing these weird thoughts and grabbed the sleeping bag. I quietly entered the shed, seeing Chrome sleeping peacefully by the wall, Kai was staring at me.

I threw the bag at her face and chuckled silently so that she couldn't hear. "Whoa, easy tiger. What's up with you?" I grunted at her addressing me so casually.

I sat down swiftly as to not disturb her, I sat silently for a few moments.

"I...don't know," I sighed at myself, I basically threw my legs into the sleeping bag and settled beside her. I glanced over to her, I examined her body and clothing. I saw that she had made her makeshift dress shoulderless so that it ended at her collarbone. I set my head on her shoulder tiredly and blushing, she rested be chin just above my forehead, conflicted, I fell asleep shortly after.