Chapter 12 ; Trio winter

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"Senku"

He turn to look towards the entrance where her head was visible as she held clothing on her hand.

"Oh you have finished the coat." He observed the structure and size as he checked it out "Just like I instructed." he smirked at her work as she showed a soft brown color coat with fur. It was a coat and skirt-like layer for extra warmth, plus the pants she made.

"Yes, I'm already doing Taijus. I should be able to finish it by today or tomorrow morning"she placed the coat on top of the table he was working on. "Taiju is still out, he should arrive soon."

"After we make the coats, use the scraps to create more blankets." He enjoin feeling how bad the winter would be as the cold was worsening.

"Yes captain" she smiled as she left the room to continue working.

As she compromised with Senku, she achieved to finish Taiju's coat. They didn't have more animal skin to continue working, so she would have to wait to accumulate more material. She also had to make some boots for themselves.

She didn't even have shoes she realized, she had grown accustom to walk on the ground without any layer protecting her, but it was only matter of time she would step on the wrong place.

They'll have to hunt more at this pace. Nairobi will also suffer from the cold, what could they do to keep her warm? "Should we hunt more?" She inquired.

"Yes, we'll go on a hunt tomorrow" he said as he looked at the weather. "The days just get colder. It is essential to gather our resources as much as we can."

She sat beside him, her arm touching his, seeking his warmth. The air was already getting vapor from their breath, since the temperature had dropped drastically as the sun began to hide. "Hot or cold" she murmured.

"Hot"

"cold" she replied as she leaned her head on his shoulder closing her eyes. "It feels great to snuggle in your blankets as you feel the warmth conquer your body...Why hot?" She asked as she looked at his crimson eyes.

"I am able to do more experiments during the heat, but it goes the same with cold. Both are good with me"

The fire heat and Senku's coat were warm and soft. Her hand would be more warmed up if she could cuddle it with his.

But that would be weird, and stepping over the boundaries especially when he wasn't being witty.

"Can I" she spoke out as she kept her eyes close and listened to the fire cracks.

There was silence as she didn't finish her phrase.

"What?"

"Nothing"

"What is it?" He rubbed his neck a sign he was getting annoyed or stressed.

"Nothing really" she looked at him with certainty.

He sighed. And in a minute later her hands were being held together. "This weather is getting colder every 9 hours. At this rate we won't be able to gather our needs." He began to gently rubbed her clapped hands with a calm expression "where is big oaf, he should be here by now"

"True. I hope he is good" she sweetly confessed as she looked towards the forest.

He let go of her hands and her happiness sustained at receiving his touch even for a moment.

Her hand looked for his hand, interlocking her fingers with his.

"Oi"

"Don't make heat with my hands when you'll leave it cold." she pouted as she 'angrily' huff and laid her head against his shoulder again as he shook her hand but her hold was firm causing his hand to be stuck, so he sighed in frustration.

"I'll keep my hands warmer this way" she explained as her chibi-like form popped out.

He placed their hands on his lap, his face expression vanishing.

"I just want the heat" she closed her eyes "It's all in the name of science~" she sang out.

He looked at the short girl who was staring at the fire with red cheeks from the cold. Her eyes calm and glimmering with certain happiness. They rested as they stared at the fire cook their meal.

"I'll go look for Taiju. He's taking too long" she softly said for the fourth time finally deciding it was time to look for him.

"Let's go"

"SENKUUU"

"He's here" he smirked.

"I wouldn't know, he's too quiet" she chuckle at her own sarcasm, smiling at Senku for a long lapse of time and then at Taiju who approached closer.

"We are lucky look!" Taiju showed the two deers that were found caught in Senku's traps. Then he set down his basket filled with fishes, and edible plants he haphazardly gathered.

Senku smirked "Great work, Taiju"

She was placed to sort out the plants and Taiju went to feed Nairobi as Senku worked in his science lab.

———

Senku was being asked by the big oaf if Taiga disliked him. He said that he had noticed how she never really joked when he was around.

"I'll ask her about it!"

"Don't try. She trusts you. That beauty is the tigress, the fact she doesn't hiss at you like a wild animal and speaks around you shows it. Just give her time to adjust."

"Hiss?" She asked out the nowhere which caused Senku to have another heart attack.

Once he recuperated his soul he spoke "Like a wild animal"

"At least I have a heart" she stuck her tongue out. She then smiled at Taiju. "I do trust you Taiju, it's just not...mmMM... very common for me to have people around me. I am not accustom to having friends and I'm not very skilled at it." She shrugged with a giggled, giving a comprehensive smile to Taiju.

"Since when were you here?"

"Not very long~" she sat down next to him "beauty?~" she sweetly smiled with a small blush heating her cheeks.

"Mute. I said mute bubble head"

After that day, Taiju understood she was a reserved girl unless you win her trust and affection. Yet, it wasn't obviously the same affection she gave to Senku, the one a Taiju received was friendly. On the other hand, he could see how his friend's eyes shined every time he looked at her.

———

Since Taiju already had his bed, each slept on their own bed. Yet, at times Taiga did end up on his bed to seek warmth from the cold.

She would always shyly ask to sleep with him, and he would just make space for her.

He would jump when he felt her cold feet and she would laugh knowing well what she was doing.

"Senku, why did Taiga-Chan end up sleeping on your bed?" Taiju asked one night as Taiga slept on her own bed.

Senku turned to look towards Taiju who was walking toward his own bed. "It was necessary to gather sleep"

But the question wasn't answered for Taiju, his expression said it all.

"I was sensitive. A period of time I was really sensitive, and Senku was really kind to help me calm down and come through and to also to not deprive from our precious sleep"

"What happen Taiga-Chan?"

She laughed "...I don't know" she giggled as she looked at Senku who had a 'don't remind me' face.

"Are you feeling better?"

"yes, I am. Thank you for asking" she smiled.

———

"Do you like Taiga-Chan?" Taiju asked as Taiga was working outside making her own coat and boots for the boys.

He was caught off guard as he was placing another swallow into the shelf. "Stop saying nonsense, big oaf"

"You have a soft spot for her."

"I ten billion percent do not!"

"Taiga-chan holds your hand, and sleeps beside you. You give her attention and reactions you wouldn't give to anyone. Your eyes brighten up and you look at her differently too!" He got closer to Senku as his eyes got bigger and closer to his face in curiosity.

"Do I?" He cockily asked as he continued moving despite the conversation.

"You do" he stated innocently as he was oblivious to his friend's disregard and denial.

"..."

"Guys!"

They both jumped.

Now it was two up for the scares.

"Taiju, can you give me a feet over here." She smiled brightly "I want to see if the size is right"

"Yes Taiga-Chan!" They both exited the science hut leaving a thinking scientist behind who soon returned to it's experiments until a Taiga came hugging him around his neck and placing her head on top of his making his hair to part to the middle.

"Any advances, Doctor genius?"

"No. Not yet"

"Come on, let's eat" she murmured as she straightened and squeezed his shoulder leaving him sitting down doing his last fixes on his trial.

———

Cold. It was really cold. Senku breathed out making white vapor dance in the air as he stared the ethanol drip down into a pot.

Taiga sat beside him as she hugged his arm attempting to seek warmth. "It's cold. I'm glad we made a few blankets for Nairobi"

"You really care about her a lot."

"I do. And you do too" She commented "Taiju should be where Yuzuriha is by now...." she shook from cold as she snuggled more into his arm "this. This would be...our first hug"

"It isn't our first hug. And you are holding into my arm like it's the end of the world, we aren't hugging. In a more detail case, you would be the one huggi-"

"Shhh" she shushed "I know you love it"

"I don't mind it anymore"

"You love it. I get it"

"That was not what I said."

She gave off a small giggle. "I know."

"Senku" She called out as. She had been facing the fire the whole time as she closed her eyes and opened them once in a while to stare at the snow and pot filled with a purple liquid.

"Yeah?"

"...you're really..." she turned to look into his red maze he had for eyes "...really...really sweet"

He held the eye connection for a long time as his eyes showed curiosity and surprise. He turned away and they kept staring at the dripping liquid as they spoke at random times. Enjoying the silence most of the time as they held each other's arms.

"You're foolish" he finally decided his words to the anterior scene.

"Huh!" She turned around to look a him forgetting about the cold and all "you're foolish!" She growled and angrily pouted as she let go of his arm.

He smirked as he looked down at her "You're foolish to think I am sweet, there is no reason for you to say that. A man doesn't prai-"

"I just said you're sweet...because you are sweet."

"You got no logic at all Tigress. You're like a barbaric, savage female of the Stone Age." His face was full of enjoyable tease as he stood up and placed his hands on his hips.

"Where does that come from!" She pouted even more as she stood up and placed her arms beside herself like a spoiled kid making a fuss.

"Your wildness..."

Her head had to tilt up to look at the tall boy who looked down at her and leaned forward in defiance.

"You're so short I have to lean down"

"You're just too tall" she roared back.

He ignored her words as he poked his ear. It was his pleasure to tease her. He did it many times with the continuous subject about her being a savage female of the Stone Age within other matters. She usually fell on his teasing. Other times, she just turned the tables.

"SENKUUU"

———

They were near the beach. Senku was kneeled down. His pants damping in cold water as he searched within the snow.

Clams! He clapped the hands underneath his chin like a a crab rubbing its beard. He then showed it to the big boy beside Taiga.

In a quick movement he was being razored by the pale hair boy using clam to pull out the hair.

Taiga laughed at the pain the poor boy went through and how he was left all ached on his cheeks.

While Senku was laughing his ass off hitting the floor and holding his stomach as he wallow around the floor.

At night, her hand wiggled its way to a pale place.

"TAIGA" he whispered in a yell when he felt the stinging cold in the nape of his neck.

She laughed as she hugged him tight. "You're warm"

"And you're cold"

"You're so evil" she giggled "Poor Taiju" she whispered.

"It's for his good too"

"What do you mean?" She raised her head to peak over the hill his body made to look at his face.

"He has always been concern on his appearance. Especially when Yuzuriha jumps into the formula."

"You wanted to keep him tidy for when she sees him"

"Yup" he laid body up enjoying the warmth the tigress gave off in that harsh cold. She snuggle closed, belly down, and placed a hand and her head on his chest. Knowing they would have their whisper conversation.

"Also because he looked like an old man"

She giggled "now that I think about it." She raised her head "you didn't grow a beard" her hand touched his cheek in curiosity.

"I don't grow it. I haven't"

"Your hair has indeed gotten longer too"

Her hands roamed the white and green strand of his front hair. "...You look handsome as well when you got your hair down..."

He raised his brow with incredulity. "I prefer this hairstyle best"

"I can see. Everyday at school... You always wore it that way." She began to push down the hair which made Senku to complain slightly in mutterings.

"Shhhh~ush! You'll wake him up" she sweetly yelled in their low volume.

"That big oaf wouldn't wake up even with your screams"

"Ha!?" She grinned "screams? What kind of plans you got for us tonight huh?~"

"Maybe kicking you out my bed if you keep up with your dirty pick up lines" he playfully kicked her multiple times as he looked at her with dead pan face.

She finally finished placing his hair down. "Yes, look. It has grown"

"On the other hand, yours is a tangle mess." He pointed "emphasizes your barbaric personality"

She made an 'o' with her mouth to demonstrate wry.

"You're a cold hearted man!" She playfully yelled.

"I only state facts" he showed a knot on her hair.

She had forgotten to braid her hair after leaving it down for awhile causing her hair to tangle even more.

She laid down again feeling the cold temperature. Their entrance curtain contained the air slightly out, but it was freezing. They had to even dig out snow to make space since the snow height was about meters high covering the entrance of the science lab and any path.

"I don't want to cut it." She whine in their whispered conversation "I smell terrible. You smell awful"

"Then go to your bed"

"It's cold and lonely over there." She snuggle more into his coat "you are like my teddy bear" she seriously murmured as she drew shapes on his chest.

———

Senku kicked out a pot in frustration. It didn't break.

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