Rhythmically Inclined

Chapter 13

Kim woke the next morning before the boys. She layed there listening to them snore softly, moving only when Chrome kicked her feet in his sleep. She sat up and rubbed her eyes then gazed at their sleeping forms. Chrome was spread out, arms and legs everywhere while Senku was curled in a ball, the only thing showing from his sleeping bag was his hair and a hand cradling his face.

She added a few more pieces of kindling to the dying coal, sighing. As terrible as the situation was, as a whole, life could have been worse. The people Senku had found and was now chief of, were more than generous to help out the Mondern Timers. All in all starting over was going fairly well. She frowned at the flames.

But, what was to come? As her and Gen had discussed the other day, with more people comes more problems. Sitting at the back of their minds, they knew people could be cruel and greedy. What should happen if the wrong group was revived? Those that only cared for their own personal gain with no regards for those around them.

They, those in charge, had to come up with some sort of system to deal with a situation like that.

Who was in charge? Obviously Senku, since he was chief, but no way they'd have a patriarchy here in this new world. They'd have to figure out a way to have a committee of people with the interest of making this new world better and have the best for those around them at the forefront of their minds.

Senku squirmed in his sleep, grunting. She smiled softly before laying a hand on his head and patting it. Hoping to soothe any sort of nightmare he was having. He settled down and she was enveloped in her thoughts again.

What were the chances of her being revived at the same time as those she shared most of her life with? Astronomical, surely. And to be reunited with her oldest friend... She unconsciously ran her fingers through Senku's hair, unaware he had woken up.

She stared intently at a random spot of the tent. Senku watched, trying to gauge what was going on in her head. He frowned. Kim was such a worrier, always over thinking things. But, it was one of the things that fascinated him about her. She would think things over and try to see everything from all points of view. Thus, why he enjoyed debating with her so much. She challenged his way of thinking, his reasoning. She would think with her head and her heart. She'd almost always chose to argue the emotional point of something.

And yet, they're last true argument, it was him trying to get her to see her situation from the outside. She was so adamant that no one, man or woman, should have to deal with a toxic relationship, yet she couldn't see her own predicament. It was the only time he truly lost his temper and he had been on the receiving end of hers.

He closed his eyes as her fingers massaged his scalp. He wanted to apologize for his words, but she needed to hear them. Whether she'd have listened to them or not, she needed to know how much he hated how she was being treated and manipulated.

Kim sneezed suddenly, causing him to jump.

"Sorry!" She laughed quietly. "I didn't mean to wake you." She removed her hand and tucked it under her blankets.

"It's fine." He muttered, unwilling to admit to himself he wanted her to keep playing with his hair.

"It's still dark if you wanna go back to sleep." He shook his head, stretching.

"Sun will be up soon. Plus I'd like to finish up on the blueprint for our ship." He fixed his hair and crawled out of his bag. "Why are you up?" She shrugged.

"Couldn't sleep anymore." He raised an eyebrow before folding his sleeping stuff. "Got a lot on my mind"

"Like what?"