Constant Variable (Senku x Reader)

23: Voices Over Infinite Distance

"We've come so far, building a scientific civilization from scratch in this stone-riddled world. The strongest weapon in modern warfare, delivering voices over infinite distances..." Senku began, the corners of his lips curling into a wide smirk before facing everyone, "The cell phone is born!"

"Yeah!" Everyone cheered and threw their arms up in the air as broad grins spread across their faces, threatening to split their cheeks into halves.

"Our voices are going to travel across the skies and far into the distance," Ruri commented wistfully, sapphire-blue eyes glancing upwards to the sky as two birds soared overhead.

"It's so strange," Suika added next to her.

"Yeah," Kohaku agreed, her cheeks flushed with happiness before turning to the scientist and asked, "So it's great that we're sending our voices over long distances...But how are we going to hear them?"

Silence hung in the air, except for the occasional breeze that blew by as both parties stared at each other; neither saying a word. Then, Senku blinked and smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head as he answered, "Whoops! We're going to need another one."

Hearing that, everyone collapsed onto their backs in disbelief and shock apart from both you and Gen who just looked unimpressed by the whole situation as though both of you expected it.

"You kept quiet about that on purpose, didn't you?" You sighed and rubbed your forehead where you could feel an oncoming headache. "Because people might give up if you told them we need to make two."

Instead of apologizing, the green-haired teen just grinned cheekily, "Tee-hee."

You let out another exasperated sigh and just shook your head in disapproval at your boyfriend's antics, knowing that anything you said would just go through one ear and out the other. So, why bother?

Thankfully, the scientist saw this coming and had already prepared a backup plan. Dividing the group into two, he instructed one of the groups to head over to the priestess' hut in the village with a megaphone while the other group stayed behind at the observatory with the phone.

In the meantime, you stayed with Senku and helped him to lay out the cables that would connect both ends. As he rolled out the wires across the main bridge, you asked, "So, we don't need another phone?"

"We do need another one to make it work as a cell phone," he answered, his gaze not leaving the cords which he continued to lay carefully so that it wouldn't get caught on any loose boards. "But if we run a long cable, it should work as a phone."

"Ah, I see," you hummed thoughtfully before asking again, "So, the voice will come from Chrome's end at the observatory, but Ruri won't be able to answer him?"

"You're right," your boyfriend replied as the two of you reached the priestess' hut where Ruri and the majority of the villagers were located at. Soon, the wires were hooked up to the megaphone and both groups were connected through the cell phone.

Standing up, Senku moved to stand next to you and slipped his hand into yours, his fingers curling over yours as he mumbled, "Now, let's test this thing out and hope that it works."

You squeezed his hand in comfort and glanced over at the scientist, smiling gently, "I know it'll work."

Hearing the confidence in your voice, Senku couldn't help but be reassured as he hummed in agreement, "Yes, you're right."

Meanwhile, back at the observatory tower with Chrome and the remaining villagers, said brunette was staring at the megaphone in his hands with excitement as he mumbled to himself, "Ruri can hear me if I talk through here, right?"