#senku

The moment the third period came to an end, Senku dragged you out of class without saying anything. You had grown used to it, hence you let him tug on your wrist softly without asking questions. 

He guided you swiftly through the bustling hallway. The two of you reached his locker, and before you could peek to check what he was reaching out for, he handed you a small milk carton. It was still cold.

He clicked the roof of his tongue out of annoyance. “Your glucose levels crashed halfway through the third period. How many times do I have to tell you not to skip breakfast?” 

You gave him a cheeky smile, already familiar with the gesture. “Thanks, Sen. I woke up late again, okay?” 

Behind the two of you, Taiju and Yuzuriha watched the interaction. Both were clearly shocked, however, for two completely different reasons. 

Taiju aggressively pointed at the milk carton in your hands, “Senku! How did you keep it cold?!” 

“Insulated water bottle and ice. She won't drink it unless it's cold.” He said so casually while reading something on his phone. 

Yuzuriha, however, wasn't curious about the science behind the cold milk carton. No, she was curious about the scientific explanation as to why you acted as if this was normal. How Senku acted as if this was normal. 

“Was that really normal? I don't think it was…” she asked when it was just the two of you; her voice remained soft and polite. 

Senku had made his way to the science laboratory while Taiju was eager to see another fascinating experiment of his. 

You hummed, “Yeah, that's just how Senku has always been. I call it his acts of science. He says it's to keep me efficient.” 

Senku always did things like that. He had a knack with his small gestures, weaving them into the fabric of your daily life.

It wasn't strange or new to you. Not really. Not when he's been consistently doing it for years. 

⋆⭒˚.⋆

You constantly complain about headaches almost every afternoon, especially during study sessions. Muttered complaints fell from your lips easily, and rubbing your temples became a habit. 

“You're dehydrated.” You heard him say from across you while working with a circuit board, one that was too complex for you to understand. It wasn't a question; it sounded like a statement from his observation.

You lift your head up, tired eyes meeting his striking red ones. With a weak smile, you muttered out, “Thanks for the diagnosis, doc.”

“Tch.” 

He didn't say anything else as he pulled out a water bottle from his bag, followed by a pack of electrolyte powder. 

He pushed the opened bottle forward, the bits of electrolyte powder already dissolving into the water. “You’re inefficient when your body is malfunctioning.” 

You gave him a knowing smile before he continued to work on his circuit board. Senku's focus returned to it, or so you thought. 

“And your caffeine intake is garbage. Stop consuming it like a lifeline.” 

Your smile faltered. “Hey, you're acting like you don't drink coffee too, genius!” You retorted, frustration lacing your tone.

Without even glancing up from his circuit board, he shot back, “Unlike someone, I don't rely on it to function properly.”

You threw an eraser at him, to which he dodged effortlessly, a smirk tugging the corner of his lips.

Still, despite your banter, there was an undeniable truth. Senku always seemed to notice everything before you did.

Yet you never asked. That was just the way he was—always too observant. Always a step ahead.

Right?

⋆⭒˚.⋆

The science laboratory always smelled like chemicals, metals, and something burning whenever Senku felt like it. 

It was enough to remind students passing by that Senku Ishigami was inside—most likely taking something apart or fixing it, mixing chemicals, or accidentally blowing something up. 

The laboratory wasn't just occupied by him; there were multiple other students working on something. Though they were never as over-the-top as the ones Senku worked on.

In the middle of it all sat Senku, who had recently cleaned up after a chemical experiment. The sleeves of his lab coat were now rolled, revealing his forearms as he worked on the blueprint of his next rocket model. 

The room around him hummed with conversation, though most people knew better than to interrupt him while he worked. 

Which was why a question from another student caught everyone off guard. 

“Hey, Senku.”

“What?” He replied flatly. 

The student hesitated briefly before pointing at Senku's wrist. “What's with the hair tie?” 

Every head in the science laboratory turned immediately because now that someone was brave enough to mention it, there really was a black hair tie looped around his wrist. 

It wasn't unusual at first. Not until people started noticing months ago that Senku always had one on his wrist. They assumed it belonged to him, perhaps to tie his hair during experiments—but no, his hair defied the laws of physics. 

And he never used it. Not even once. 

The student leaned back against the table, a grin on his face as he asked, “You got a girlfriend or something?” 

The room instantly erupted as the question flew out of the students’ mouths. 

“No way! Senku? Seriously?” 

“As if! You really think he has any time for romance?” 

“There's no way, are we talking about the same Senku Ishigami?” 

“That's what a hair tie means, though!” The student argued defensively, pointing at Senku's wrist. “It's literally a thing, guys wear them when they're taken.” 

Senku didn't even bother to look up from the blueprint he was working on, though an irritated look was evident on his face. 

“Dumbest thing I've heard all day.” 

“So that's a no, Senku?” 

“Tch, idiots. Use your brains for once.” 

That unfortunately didn't answer anything. However, everyone seemed to be too interested and eager in the conversation. 

“So is it someone's?” A student from a corner asked. 

Senku finally looked up from his blueprint, clicking the roof of his tongue. “Obviously. Why would I use one when my hair defies gravity and is never in the way?” 

The room went silent before, 

“OHHHH?” 

“No way?!” 

Senku looked far more annoyed after hearing their reactions, which, unfortunately, only encouraged everyone further. 

“It's basic efficiency." He deadpanned. “Unlike you idiots, I account for predictable patterns to avoid unnecessary situations.” 

Then, the doors of the science laboratory suddenly opened. 

“Senku?” Your voice cut through the room of chaos, completely unaware of the chaos you've interrupted and caused. 

Everyone turned to the door, not just Senku. 

You blinked, feeling uncomfortable at the unexpected attention from everyone. “Why is everyone looking at me like that?” 

“No reason,” half of the room replied in unison before pretending to focus on their work again. 

You frowned suspiciously, eyes settled on Senku as your facial expression asked him questions. He didn't say anything, just stared back as you walked towards him. 

You stopped next to him and allowed the suspicion to simmer down as you remembered the reason you were there. “Do you have a hair tie?” 

Without saying a word, he lifted his wrist toward you, as if by muscle memory. Your fingers moved automatically and reached out for it. 

“Lost another one? You're too careless, idiot.” 

You ignored his remark, and with one smooth motion, you slid it off his wrist before tying your hair with practiced ease.

“Thanks, Sen.” You gave him a grin. “I'll see you after school.” 

“Hm.” 

Senku returned to his blueprint without saying anything else the moment you left. 

The room stayed silent for three seconds after you closed the door behind you before erupting into chaos once more. 

“What was that?!” 

“I knew it was her!” 

Senku ignored their loud chaos, his hand already reaching out for the pocket of his pants, and pulled out another hair tie, slipping it onto his wrist. 

“Tch, you people are seriously annoying.” 

⋆⭒˚.⋆

You never questioned Senku's acts of science. Never. Not even when Yuzuriha’s teasing became a little too frequent. 

It was normal; you were used to it for years. Why bother to question it now?

The sound of rain suddenly falling from the skies sliced through your reverie. You halted, staring at the building window next to the staircase, before a groan escaped from your lips. 

“Great. Just great.” You had forgotten your umbrella. Although you always forget to bring it, this time was different. You had asked Senku to go home without waiting for you. The same guy who never forgets to bring an umbrella and checks the weather forecast. 

You made your way down the stairs, and your mood was a perfect match with the gloomy weather outside. 

“Took you long enough.” 

Your head snapped up toward the familiar voice, and your gaze immediately landed on him, Senku. One hand in his pocket while leaning against a wall near the staircase.

Your mouth fell open in shock. “Sen—?! What are you doing here?!” 

“I was waiting for you, what else?” He answered casually. Too casually, as if you didn't ask him not to wait for you. 

He walked closer to you, his lab coat hanging on one shoulder while his bag hung on the other. An umbrella settled on one of his hands. 

“I told you not to wait!” 

“And?” 

“It's raining, and it's late!” 

“Yeah, no kidding. I'm not blind.” 

Without waiting for your response, he threw the lab coat on your shoulder, catching you off guard again. “Wear it, you'll get cold if you don't.” 

You frowned, yet slipped on his lab coat. “You should've gone home.” 

“Yeah, and leave you here with a 10 billion percent chance of being stranded? You never bring an umbrella or check the weather forecast, idiot.” His tone was completely matter-of-fact, like the answer should've been obvious.

He watched as you struggled with the sleeves. He clicked the roof of his tongue before walking closer, hands already hovering over yours. 

“You're hopeless.” He spoke with a tone that was softer than before. Then, with quick, efficient movements, his hands adjusted the sleeves and collar of his lab coat. 

Your breath got caught in your throat for a brief moment because of the proximity. “You really didn't have to wait for me, y’know?” Your voice sounded small.

“You get sick too easily. You have the immune system of a Victorian child.” The tone of his voice remained soft as he buttoned the coat properly, ensuring it was secured around your body. 

You laughed at the last part, eyes admiring the way his hands moved with the same precision he had when working on an experiment. 

He took a step back after he was done. "Besides, Byakuya would never let me hear the end of it if he found out I left without you.” 

You grinned, already hooking your arm with his. “Yeah, he would probably say he raised you better than that. Let's go home, Sen.” 

That evening, the two of you walked home through the wet streets and drizzling rain. Yet you remained dry. Senku's lab coat protected you from the raindrops as well as the umbrella he held tightly above the two of you. 

You never said anything regarding the proximity or the gesture. You were used to him acting like this. It was normal in your vocabulary. 

⋆⭒˚.⋆

Your mother's loud knocking on your bedroom door finally woke you up from your slumber. 

“Aren't you hanging out with Senku today? Why are you still sleeping?” She asked as she entered your room, eyeing your sleepy figure, who had just woken up.

“Hang out with Senku…?” 

Your eyes shot open in realization. You were supposed to help Senku purchase an engine component for his new rocket model today.

You immediately got out of bed, nearly tripping over your blanket, and ran straight to the shower, one of your hands grabbing your towel on the way there. 

“Be careful!” Your mother yelled out of concern.

After a shower, you scrambled to get ready. Your clothes were everywhere after you forgot to prepare an outfit the night before. After selecting one, you searched for a pair of socks before rushing downstairs. 

“Senku's already outside.” Your mother said as she watched you hastily put on your socks, hands already reaching out for your sneakers. 

You bid your mother goodbye, already making it past the front door. Your eyes spot Senku, who was waiting for you. 

He turned right before your hands fell to your knees for support, panting and out of breath after you practically ran while getting ready. 

“You should consider using an alarm.” His voice was laced with amusement as he knelt down, hands already reaching out to tie your shoelaces. 

“You could've tripped over your shoelaces again.” 

Your heart skipping a beat didn't help you at all. It was normal, you swore to yourself. He fixes your shoelaces all the time. It was just efficient.

Your breathing finally returned to normal. “I did, I slept through it.” 

He chuckled before standing up, hand reaching out to flick your forehead. “Idiot, did you sleep late again?” 

You raised a brow, hitting him playfully. “You're one to talk, genius.” 

⋆⭒˚.⋆

Senku's experiments were a constant source of fascination. You were always interested and could hardly take your eyes away whenever he was mixing his colorful array of chemicals in the lab.

“You're too close,” he said, voice edged with concern.

“Huh?”You replied, momentarily distracted.

Before you could process his warning any further, you felt Senku's hand grab your wrist, pulling you behind him right before the Erlenmeyer flask erupted,  bubbles frothing violently at the surface.

Your eyes widened in curiosity as you peeked from behind him. “Whoa,” 

His grip never left yours, never loosened; it remained steady around your wrist.  “Exactly why I told you not to stand too close.” 

You couldn’t help but chuckle softly, “You say that every single time, Sen.” 

“And you're stubborn every single time.” He countered back, his grip tightening around your wrist, ensuring you wouldn’t inch any closer.

His grip felt firm, protective, and undeniably comforting. It felt like a silent assurance that you were safe in his presence. You didn't question it; after all, Senku always did things like that, didn't he?

⋆⭒˚.⋆

One of the perks of living near Senku meant you could always crash at his place, and Byakuya allowed you to do so. Especially whenever he's busy training to be an astronaut on the other side of the world. 

The living room of the Ishigami household was lit by the television screen across you, as well as the faint light coming from the windows. Senku's presence was near and grounding as the two of you watched another move that you picked, of course.

You didn't realize you were crying—not at first. The dialogues bled with a soundtrack that was clearly designed to hurt you slowly. 

Beside you, Senku exhaled through his nose. He couldn't comprehend why you kept choosing movies that clearly tugged at your heartstrings.

“Statistically speaking, you've chosen emotional damage 6 times in a row.” He spoke, voice flat as he stared at the screen with a look of boredom. He wouldn't be watching these movies if it weren't for you.

“Shut up, Sen.” You laughed through your flowing tears. Your voice was shaky as the soundtrack was starting to affect you harder. 

That was when he finally looked at you, a frown appearing on his face as he saw the tears streaming down, your hands already hovering above your eyes to rub them. 

You were crying again. Rubbing your eyes on top of that, too. 

“Stop doing that.” He said immediately, tone firm.

You blinked, “Huh?” 

“Tch,” his hands reached out, pulling yours away from your face before you could even process it. His grip was gentle, quick, and precise. 

“You’re going to irritate your corneas if you keep rubbing your eyes,” he continued, as if a doctor was scolding their patient. “Damage delicate blood vessels, make the inflammation worse— do you want me to continue?” 

He warned, and you shook your head. “I'm just—” 

“Crying and rubbing your eyes.” He finished for you, clearly unimpressed. 

His hands never released your wrists. With a sigh, he pulled them down gently. “Why do you always choose movies that do this to you? It's stupid.” 

You opened your mouth, ready to argue and defend your choices. “It's part of the experience, Senku.” 

“Yeah, right, I believe you,” he mocked softly. 

He shifted closer, hands releasing your wrists. And with the same irritating precision he used for everything else, he reached out for your cheeks, gently wiping your tears away with the pad of his thumbs. 

His touch was careful, almost too careful. As if it were another adjustment made to a system that had slightly fallen out of equilibrium. 

“The movie wasn't even great,” he muttered, yet his thumb didn't stop. “Crying over a predictable plot outcome?” 

You glared at him with angry tears, yet he smiled in return as you lunged to attack him. 

“Stop watching them with me if you're only going to judge me, you menace!” 

His chuckle filtered the dialogue from the movie, letting you tug at his hair all you want. 

“Who will stop you from damaging your eyes if I stopped?” He countered casually—too casually, as if it was a natural response. 

You halted, your hands frozen in his hair for a moment before he gently pried them away. 

“What?” He asked, red eyes already staring into yours, the light from the window behind you reflecting on it. “You're acting like I don't do it often.” 

Right. He does. He does it so often that it has always felt natural. And somewhere along the way, you stopped noticing it entirely. Perhaps you’ve noticed, yet dismissed the thoughts. Never allowing yourself to look further into what those actions actually meant.

Because it was Senku. 

Senku Ishigami, the genius who treats inconveniences as problems to solve for the sake of efficiency. However, he was also the boy who remembered things nobody else did. 

And still, despite everything, you never called it anything else. It was just Senku's acts of science. You chose to dismiss the feeling of your chest tightening painfully as the realization was coming closer. 

No, it was just his acts of science, right?

⋆⭒˚.⋆

Wrong. 

You were wrong, utterly wrong. Or at least you thought so, as the realization refused to be dismissed any further after being buried from years of excuses, the familiarity of routines, and the comfort that you understood Senku's nature. 

Because that was easier. It was easier than confronting the terrifying realization that maybe everyone else had been right all along. 

Perhaps it was never purely about science. Maybe it wasn't just about efficiency, logic, or the fact that Senku disliked being unable to solve inconveniences. 

Maybe—

Your breath got caught in your throat again, between your tempting realization and the reflex to push it down. The thought settled painfully; it felt almost impossible to make it go away. 

Your memories weren't much help either, as they replayed endlessly without permission, refusing to stay harmless. 

The reminders, the way he noticed things before you did, the way he was always prepared for your inconveniences as if he had already calculated them, the way he always remembered. 

The realization was everywhere, taunting you dangerously. You could see it in everything you dismissed as his acts of science.

Which was why the sight of the small metal tube of lip stain on your hands felt almost unbearable as it weighed and catalyzed your realization. 

“Try it already,” Senku spoke from his desk chair across from you, who sat on his bed, your usual spot. He sounded mildly annoyed at your silence. 

You couldn't really blame him. You've been silent for too long, buried in your thoughts that refused to go quiet. 

It was almost funny, really. A lip stain was all it took to catalyze your realization. However, it wasn't just any lip stain. It was a replica of the one that you've been searching for endlessly for the past few weeks. 

The same lip stain you cried over with embarrassing levels of devastation after losing it, especially since it was discontinued everywhere. You could recall the countless times you brought it up whenever you were with Senku. How the shade was your favorite since it suited you so well, and how you couldn't find any alternatives. 

“You…made this?” You spoke out softly, finally finding your voice again.

He clicked the roof of his tongue. “Yeah? Why are you acting so surprised as if I hadn't made things before?” 

Your eyes refused to leave the lip stain in your hands. The metal surface felt cool against your fingers. You noticed the engraving of your name on the packaging, which wasn't like the packaging of your previous lip stain with stickers that wore out easily after a few uses.

You heard the wheels of his desk chair roll closer towards you. “I changed the packaging since you always complained about the lettering wearing off easily.” 

“How did you remember the shade?” You looked up at him, and your eyes immediately met his again. He was already looking at you. 

He gave you his signature laugh. “That was the hard part. Learning cosmetology was 10 billion percent easier. I had to rely on information and pictures online, as well as yours.” 

“I would've finished it within a week if you had tested out the shade samples yourself.” He smirked, “Byakuya kept whining that it'd ruin the surprise.” 

You tilted your head, “Byakuya knew about this?” 

“Of course. He caught me watching a cosmetology crash course at 2 AM.” 

You found yourself laughing at his response. Your grin was wide, so wide that it made your cheeks hurt. You were genuinely so happy.

You kept smiling even when you were no longer laughing. Senku raised a brow, mirroring the previous tilt of your head. “What?” 

“You're—” your grin appeared again, your cheeks were really starting to hurt. “You're so sweet, Sen.” 

He paused in disbelief. “Hah? What are you talking about—” 

Your sudden hug caught him off guard, and your added weight pushed the desk chair backward slightly. Your arms were wrapped around his neck, one hand still gripping the lip stain tightly. 

“Thank you, Sen. Seriously, I don't know how to thank you enough.” 

He clicked the roof of his tongue again, acting annoyed, yet the smile on his face said otherwise. As well as his hand that steadied you against him, returning the hug. 

“You can thank me by actually trying it. How else am I supposed to know I got the shade right?” 

The grin on your face remained as you pulled away. “Okay,” your voice became strangely soft. 

You were about to use your phone screen as a mirror when Senku reached out to grab the lip stain from you. “It has a built-in mirror. Less hassle.” 

You stared at him in awe. “Oh my gosh, you really considered the design of the packaging.” 

He shrugged, handing the lip stain back to you. “The original design was inefficient. You would need a separate mirror each time.” 

He didn't say anything else as he watched you apply it to your lips. A satisfied smile formed on your face, and Senku nearly exhaled in relief. He didn't fail; he succeeded in reviving your favorite lip stain. 

Your eyes shifted to meet his again, your smile refusing to leave your face. “How do I look, Sen?” 

He paused for a second, “The same but with a different shade of lip color.” 

You gasped and hit him playfully. “How rude! You learned cosmetology but not about how to compliment a girl?” 

He shrugged, leaning back in his chair. “Why would I waste my time with the latter?”

You rolled your eyes before admiring the shade with the built-in mirror. “You could at least say I look prettier.” 

“You always do,” he responded too quickly, without any hesitation in the tone of his voice. It was too straightforward, as if he were reciting a fact.

You short-circuit for a few seconds, cheeks burning up slightly as you look away.

“You're really amazing, Sen...” You mumbled, admiring his creation while trying to ignore the warmth from your cheeks.

“Yeah?” A quiet chuckle escaped from him. 

“I've built rockets, and this is what impressed you the most?” He added, a teasing grin on his face. 

“Well, this one is the most unexpected thing you would do, y’know?” 

He shook his head with another chuckle. “You're welcome.” He moved himself using his chair, a hand reaching for a notebook on his desk. “I haven't tested the transfer resistance yet, but it stains better than the original.” 

“Why not?” 

“Do you expect me to wear it?” 

You laughed out loud, “Wouldn't you do it for science?”

“Nice joke.” He deadpanned. “I did it for you, not for science, idiot.” 

Somehow, that confession hit harder than anything else. 

“The Senku Ishigami is doing something that isn't for science? Is the world meeting its doom soon?” you joked mockingly. 

“That's worse than the previous one.” He deadpanned again. 

You giggled, hands reaching out to pull his chair closer to you, a mischievous idea had already appeared in your head just seconds ago. 

“What are you doing?” 

You didn't answer. Instead, you tugged his head down, closer to your face. With a swift motion, you pressed a quick kiss on his cheek. 

You pulled away, satisfied with your results. There was a clear mark from the gloss, yet no pigment. The only pigment you found was the burning ears of Senku, dusted with a faint red. 

“Results concluded, it's transfer proof.” You grinned at his frozen state. “You can log the results in your notebook now.” 

A teasing smirk formed on your face as you eyed his silent and flustered figure. “You good, Sen?” 

“Yeah…” he muttered out after snapping out of his frozen state, voice low as he turned away from you to reach for a pen. 

Oh, you were savoring every moment. That was your payback after he made you spiral over his acts of science.

Perhaps the two of you wouldn't talk about it further for now. However, you were—as Senku would say it—10 billion percent sure there's time for that in the future. 

For now, you'll mainly appreciate his acts of science, or his way of showing that he cared far more than you thought. 

⋆⭒˚.⋆

Bonus:

“Where did you learn how to make cosmetics, Senku-chan?” Gen’s curious question hung in the air, capturing Senku's attention. 

The scene unfolded in front of the two of them, along with Suika and Soyuz, who were gathered around Amaryllis and you. Together, you were meticulously applying makeup on Kohaku’s face in preparation for the selection. 

“It's chemistry, mentalist.” His gaze briefly flickered towards Gen and deadpanned. 

Gen sweat dropped. “Yes, but I never expected you to touch that part of chemistry, Senku-chan…” 

The scientist shrugged, dismissing the comment. And before Gen could question him further, you suddenly walked to Senku with a bright grin on your face. 

“Sen, can you make my lip stain again? I've been missing it lately.” Your eyes sparkled with enthusiasm, something Senku could never say no to.

‘Ah.’ Gen's question had been answered the moment the words fell from your lips. The mentalist wasn't even surprised anymore. ‘So this is the so-called acts of science Yuzuriha-chan was talking about.’

"But dear Senku, aren't you worried you might be left behind in survivability progress?" Gen hummed, stirring his tea with a spoon, letting the warmth dissipate into the air. After a few seconds, he lifted the cup and took a small sip, delighted with the sweet floral taste. He should get more of this variation.

Senku scoffed at that. What is the mentalist trying to say here? Survivability progress, really? "Your point is?"

"Chrome and Ruri are about to welcome their second child, and even Xeno has adopted more than 6. Not to mention Ryusui with his third, while you…" Gen smiled slightly, tilting his head in a pretence mock. "You know, single and available." He took another sip of his tea, perfectly warm and lovely.

Chrome, who was turned down earlier, puffed his chest proudly, thanking Gen for backing him up. He's a happy man, especially at the mention of his wife. He could name all the things he loved about her, and it would probably end after a few weeks of nonstop yap. To be loved is to be seen, they said.

"It was never a competition, mentalist. Besides, I have far more important things to worry about than to dabble in a love quarry." He retorted. Quickly finishing his bento to get his butt to work as soon as possible. He had a list of stuff that needed to be done before evening, and couldn't afford to waste his time on idle chatter.

The lunch continued with Gen adding some workplace gossip, while Chrome would tell about his struggle in handling his family, with Ruri being extra clingy at home. Meanwhile, Senku would occasionally nod his head and mutter a few yeses and mock reassurances here and there. Once everyone had finished their food, the three went to their separate sections of the lab.

The day blends into calculations, meetings, and 10 minutes nap every few hours. Senku may be a great scientist, but he is also a human; that means he was not excluded from normal human needs such as food, rest and perhaps even desire. And as if the world is on his side, he received a call from a certain someone not so far from his workplace. He holds the mobile in one hand while the other is busy calibrating the titration curve.

"You're not resting? It's your evening nap hour, isn't it?"

He shoots, no warm greetings whatsoever. Well, he doesn't need to; those questions alone are warm enough for you. He could hear your amused giggle at the end of the line, so he smiled at that. The sound of you laughing somehow soothes him. He sets down the apparatus to shift his focus to you completely. It's not like he could calculate with his mind in the cloud.

"I tried, but your daughter won't stop kicking." You huffed, partially annoyed, but your hand unconsciously moved to gently rub your growing belly. The due date is around the corner, and you're no different from Pinocchio if you said you're not afraid; your nose would surely grow a meter at every word spoken.

"She has been particularly active these days, hasn't she?" He hummed, checking the watch on his wrist. It's almost time to punch out. He picks all the important documents and keeps them in the drawer before sliding his bag around his shoulder. "I'll be home in 20 minutes. Crave anything?"

You thought about his question for a moment. You're not particularly hungry, nor are you full either. This is hard. "Maybe something light? Preferably from the Nanami's. Their chef made the best food." You added. After another quick convo, he ended the call to leave the building. The drive home was quiet, save for the car wheezing like an old man at every bumper.

Senku stops by Nanami's and gets himself — well, gets you — an ice cream and hash browns. Thankfully, he doesn't bump into the owner, or else he might invite him for a drink, and he would definitely need to decline the man's offer. Ryusui was never the type to back out easily. With the food in hand, he returned to the car and proceeded to drive home.

Right turn, left turn, a roundabout, a highway, left turn, and finally, he's home. He parked the car and went inside using a key he had duplicated months ago. You always told him to just let you open the door for him, but he insisted on having his own key, so that you don't have to get up from wherever you are in the house just to open the door for him.

"You're home." You waddled to him from the kitchen, a mug of chrysanthemum tea in hand. He takes off his shoes and coat, then hang it by the door before approaching your slow figure. He engulfed you in a hug, to which you were about to return when the baby kicked again. "Ah!"

He let go of you after hearing your pained wince. "Has this been going on all day?" He holds your face in his hand, as you nod.

He handed over the paper bag of food to you to get on his knees. He then patted your belly with his hand, "You got one hell of a kick, kid. Don't bully your mother too much. That's my job." He chuckles to himself.

You pout. What a meanie. Unbothered by the consequences, you tug his hair in rebellion. If he's going to play devil tonight, who are you not to fight back? You're no saint, and he knows that. Should've thought this through when he decided to come inside months ago. Whose fault was it? His, obviously. Plus, you were at the laboratory to work under Xeno once again, not to mother this man's child.

But that was long ago, and he thankfully owned up to it and courted you not long after the incident. Some may wonder: how the hell did Xeno's junior from before the petrification even end up with THE Senku Ishigami? Well, you two met at one of the conferences and were paired for a research project. Yada yada, since millennials had passed while you were petrified, the younger man somehow went from Byakuya's adoptive son to your senior. Such unfairness.

Not like you have ever bothered to know either guy before the Medusa event. The name Ishigami was never in your dictionary until he pounded into you on the lab table that night. Uh, crazy lore.

"You want it?" He suddenly asked, way too nonchalant to your liking.

The thing was, you two hadn't been active since the pregnancy due to his worrying that he might strain you further. For someone who had never cared about anyone — especially during manual labour — he is somewhat gentler when it comes to you. But it's not like you don't want to do it; rather, he had just come home from an 11-hour shift, and he surely needs a rest after such a long day.

You scrunch your face at his question, and he blinks at your reaction. Did he say something wrong? The two of you made it clear that hair tugging means sex, so why act disgusted now?

"What?" He stood up, arms wrapped around your waist. "Besides, it offers benefits. An intercourse could help reduce the potential of going past 37 weeks—"

You shut him up with a kiss. There it is, no more science talk. Senku melts instantly and holds the back of your neck while the other remain on your back. Now he went tongue-to-tongue, fighting for dominance. Just because he always lets you have your way doesn't mean he'll give up easily, especially now. So he guides you slowly until your back hits the dining table, then with that twig strength, he lifts you to sit on the table surface as he takes his space between your legs.

Deliberately, his fingers crawl their way under your nightgown until his forefinger reaches your undergarment. You hummed softly between the kisses, urging him to go further. He smiled against your lips and bite it, earning himself a gasp from you.

"Ouch… you're mean." You whined, pulling away from the kiss. He chuckles under his breath, going in for another kiss when suddenly, his phone vibrates from inside his work bag. You turned your head to the sound coming from the living room. "You're not going to answer it?"

He sighed and let go of you before striding to get his phone. Who could possibly call him right after work? He made it clear that no work call is allowed after he punched out, especially on the day before the weekend. Without much thought, he answered it.

"Ishigami's here."

"SENKU!!!! IT'S ME, TAIJU!! MANNN I FINALLY GOT YOUR NEW NUMBER!"

Yeah. Great, big Oaf doesn't really listen, does he? There's a reason why he changed his number, and this is one of them. No use dwelling on it now, better to get this conversation over with, quickly.

"Yo, what is it that ya need, big oaf?" He said in disinterest, pinky subconsciously picking on his ear, rubbing that one spot to calm his nerves.

"YUZU—" But then, he heard Taiju's shouting was cut off by Yuzuriha's more gentle voice.

"Hello, Senku. We are planning to do a gender reveal party in 2 weeks and were hoping you could make it. Are you free that day? Chrome said your schedule has been rather packed lately."

Senku thought about it for a moment. Your due date is approaching, and he has requested a week off for an unrevealed reason from Xeno. That unrevealed reason is being by your side to welcome your child. If he were not to attend Taiju's important day, would it rise suspicous? They were the best of friends since childhood, and to randomly not attend is definitely not a wise choice.

"I'll check it with my assistant after the weekend. No promise, though." He answered. This might be the best excuse he could come up with. Yuzuriha thanked him and ended the call. Senku rubbed his face, sighing softly. This is the con of having a secret partner.

The good thing is, he got to protect you from being surrounded by those who see him as a god for rebuilding humanity, or those who wouldn't stop obsessing over everything he did in his life. Yet, that means he needs to lie even to his closest circle. He can't have all the good parts of life, can he? Curse his bad luck.

"Is everything alright?" You called from the dining table, getting down slowly to waddle to him.

"Just Yuzuriha and Taiju. They're doing a gender reveal party soon, and I don't think I'll be attending." He holds your arms to stabilise you and guide you to sit on the nearby couch.

"Couldn't you tell them about us? I'm sure they won't do anything funny about it." You tried to assure him, but he shook his head. His hand found your belly, gently caressing it.

"I trust them, yes. But I know Taiju; he's not going to be discreet about me having a partner or being a father. Plus, I don't want to burden Yuzuriha with information that carries so much weight." He explained, pulling your head to rest on his shoulder.

"Then, how long will this be a secret?" You hummed softly, to which Senku shook his head.

"We'll let them know after our daughter is born, and once you're stable. I thought about possible post-partum depression, and planning to hire someone to care for you and the baby while I'm away for work. Though they need to go home before I return, to not cross paths." He nodded to himself, drafting his schedule in his mind.

Your finger traces his chest as he mumbles, not really listening to him. As if realising he's losing your attention, he stands up abruptly; that caught you off guard. He turned to you for a moment without saying anything before leaving to take the food he bought earlier. Then he returned to his seat next to you.

The two of you began to eat your snack. He dipped the hash brown into some chilli sauce and fed you. Second bite, dip, third bite, dip, fourth bite; but out of nowhere, he accidentally smudges some sauce on your chin. You were going to wipe it with a tissue when he leaned in and stuck his tongue out.

The wet organ then glided over your chin suggestively before he captured your lips into a slightly spicy kiss, thanks to the sauce. He held the back of your head, pulling you deeper into the kiss as his tongue mines its way into your mouth like a miner, touching every surface he could reach. He hummed into the kiss, loving the warmth of your skin.

He gently pushed your shoulder against the backseat, then he slowly slid you to your side to lie you down on the couch instead. Caging you under him as he got on all four above you. He needed to be quick with whatever he had planned, not wanting to put too much pressure on your back. Using his knee, he spread your legs apart without breaking the kiss.

He broke the kiss to take a deep breath, then dived in without giving you a chance to dominate him like you usually do. He feels like handling you today; besides, he shouldn't tire you too much, so yeah.

His hands made their exploration, mapping every patch of your skin with his fingertips. It's not unfamiliar, as he had long memorised every single coordinate. But every experience feels different to him, as if no matter how many times he mapped you, he'll never feel truly satisfied. Like a thirsty scientist in search of water in the middle of a desert.

With his left hand, he slid it under your sleepwear, letting it climb over the soft, bouncy hills. While his right hand continue it's dive until it reaches the first obstacle, a patch of cloth with an obvious wet spot in the middle of it. Hm, curioso?

His index finger pushed the undie open like a curtain and slid in a middle finger, followed by his ring finger. He slid them in till the base of his fingers so easily, thanks to the lubrication from the kiss alone. Who would have thought a simple kiss could get you all wet? Maybe you were sexually frustrated over the past few months of not getting anything.

The hand that was previously fondling your breasts made its escape through your collar. He gripped your chin, holding your face before pulling out of the long kiss. Trails of saliva that connected you two dripped onto your chin. He then used his thumb to smudge the fluid over your lips; a flushed smirk on his face at the sight of you so… drunk of kisses.

After seeing that you were ready, he started pulling his fingers in and out of your… pussy lips. Wet squelches filled the room as he plunged his fingers into you rhythmically while his thumb continued to rub in circles. You were squeezing him like a vice, it's tempting him to go faster, just to see how fast he could make you—

"Mhm—!"

Before you could gasp out in pleasure, he swallowed your moans with another round of kisses. Gushes of arousal fluid squirted out of you, wetting the couch, yet Senku's hand remained steadfast in its pace. Instead of slowing down, he somehow went faster, increasing his speed. His palm was basically clapping your clit like he was giving it a round of half an applause. Get it?

You squirmed, overstimulated by his fingers alone. The fact that he was relentless didn't help. You gripped his shirt, unsure of what to do with yourself. On one hand, you want him to continue, yet on the other hand, you want him to keep going, to make you feel good. Decisions, decisions.

Before Senku could pull his fingers out, another gush of fluid popped out of you, but this one is a lot thinner than your first orgasm. Confused, he inches his fingers to his nose, sniffing them. It smelled different; he had a hunch what it could be, but he couldn't confirm it without a taste test. With that, he suckled his fluid-stained fingers.

And instead of tasting like lactic acid like usual, this fluid tasted… sweet, mineral-like. His eyes widened in surprise as panic began to set in. He looked at your half-conscious state from being overstimulated and quickly adjusted your nightwear to cover you properly, and rushed to your shared bedroom to pick up your bags of clothes in case of emergencies.

After throwing the bags into the car, he went back in, picked you up and ran out of the house. If one was wondering what got him so worked up, your water just broke, thanks to his aid. Orgasms truly are the best support when it comes to labour, aren't they?

In the morning of the next day, Yuzuriha and Taiju were going home from a prenatal check when they saw a familiar leek head walking into the maternity ward. In his hands were bags of food and beverages. What is Senku doing in the hospital? Could he be visiting a friend? Though, isn't maternity wards usually don't allow visitors?

"That's weird." Taiju rubbed his chin in confusion. He couldn't comprehend seeing Senku in here. He'd never seen the guy coming here before during Yuzuriha's prenatal checkups.

"Hey, do you think what I'm thinking, love?" Yuzuriha smiled at Taiju. She had some ideas in her head, but rather not voiced it outloud until the scientist told them himself. Maybe he had his reason for keeping this a secret, and she respected it.

"Senku must have really loved children, or he's helping around!" Taiju laughed proudly. Happy at the thought of his friend being a very kind person. Yuzuriha nodded in reply, not denying or agreeing with his statement. Time will tell, anyway. There's no need to think about it too much.

Meanwhile, with Senku, he set the food and beverage on the bedside table. You were nursing your daughter. Though sometimes she would randomly unlatch and cry, which was stressful, but Senku was always there to calm you down or handle her. He sat at the edge of the bed, hands rubbing your arm softly,

"I think I saw Yuzuriha on my way here." He muttered, not too loud to disturb other mothers, but loud enough for you to hear him. You hummed, blinking sleepily at him. He understood the sign and picked the baby from latching to your breast. Then, he set her in the baby incubator.

After that, he helped you sit up properly before explaining, "I bought some sushi. They should be safe. I made sure to ask Francois to make it specifically for you and told them to keep it a secret."

"Thank you, darling." You smiled at him, to which he let out an unamused cough into his palm as his ears began to change colour. There's a reason why you two rarely use pet names. Either way, as long as you were happy, he would let this slide.

It's not like this marriage will remain a secret any longer, so he'd better get used to it. Especially when being called in public places. The great Senku Ishigami may look nonchalant to the public's eyes, but only you, his wife, know what was hidden beneath that calm exterior.

© asuna-luino 2026

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