Work Text:
Senku's project advisor closed the door as he exited the meeting room. The leek-haired man's phone vibrates, reminding him he was on a call.
"Taiju? Oh, sorry about that." Senku presses his phone to his ear, talking to the man on the other side. "Don't worry about it! And that's amazing, Senku! Congrats!" Taiju's boisterous voice rang loud, making Senku put some distance between his phone and his ear.
He let out a laugh, trying not to feel too smug about it. "Yeah, well, it's no big deal. It was almost to be expected with the amount of work I contributed into the project."
He smirks, leaning on a wall while the conversation continues. "That's true... then I assume that Yui’s okay with it?" He hears Taiju ask and raises a brow.
"Yui?..." He licks his lips in thought, "What do you mean?"
Taiju's line goes quiet for a moment before Senku hears his voice again, "Does Yui not know? Oh, well, I just mean... don't you ask your partner first before agreeing to those kinds of things?"
Taiju pauses before continuing, "Since its a big deal and you had agreed so quickly, I assumed you already talked about it with her."
Senku's reply is only him humming in thought. "Though if I was in that situation, Yuzuriha probably won't be mad anyways so I can't imagine them being any different... oh well!" He couldn't believe that Taiju, that oaf, of all people was giving him something vaguely like relationship advice.
It was true that Senku had agreed rather fast when the project advisor had approached him, he was on the phone with Taiju when it happened so it was only natural that his friend had overheard everything. Senku was offered a seat in the latest mission, a project he'd also contributed a lot towards. For him, it was a no-brainer to accept, it was a great opportunity after all. It's not like it'd be his first time flying off to space either, so... was it really necessary to bring it up to Yui first? The thought hadn't crossed his mind. Though now that Taiju had pointed it out, it left him conflicted.
Senku was almost completely lost in thought when he heard Taiju speak again, "Oh, Senku! Yuzuriha's calling me down for dinner so I gotta go. It was nice catching up!"
Senku's eyes found the clock hanging on the wall opposite to him, realizing Taiju was right, he hasn't even noticed. "Yeah man, have a good one." The call ended.
Senku brought the phone down from his ear and stared at his lockscreen. The clock on his phone had also read 7:22 PM. His eyes drifted to his wallpaper, looking at the photo he had set as his wallpaper. It was a photo of Yui posing next to him wearing their highschool graduation robes, taken after the ceremony.
He sighs, Taiju's words was bothering him more than it should. Why was it gnawing at him? He turns off his phone and rubs his temple, the bright lights were starting to get to him too. Perhaps it'd do him some good to come home early, and have that chat with Yui too while he's at it.
The apartment was quiet when Senku entered, but not silent. He could hear Yui was home, if the mood lighting turned on was not enough evidence of her presence.
"I'm home..." Senku announced, closing the door behind him as he loosened his tie. Upon entering the living room, he immediately spotted her by the couch. The warm glow of the floor lamp was the only thing illuminating the room, but it was enough for Senku to see the scattered mess across the coffee table.
Yui, who was sorting through folders, looked over her shoulder with shock to see him. "Senku! You're home early?" Not waiting for a reply, she immediately picked up some documents laying on the couch, adding it to the pile on the coffee table instead. Tucking them away to make space for him to sit.
Senku was about to argue. One, that it wasn't an early time to be home and two, that she didn't need to bother. But he shut his mouth instead, sitting next to her, and compared to the time he'd usually go home- it was early.
"If I'd known, I would've cooked us dinner." Yui smiles, discarding the folder to focus on him instead. "Oh! have you actually eaten dinner yet? If not, I can-"
He sighs, cutting her off. "I ate at the office, it's fine."
Senku leans into the couch, relaxing. Yui copies him, "Alright, that's good..." She let out a satisfied hum.
What once would've warmed his heart with appreciation for her understanding nature, now tugs his heartstrings.
It slips into his mind again, he'd forgotten about it briefly on the commute home. But it's here again. There was this doubt that it shouldn't be like this. Then again though, it's not like it was actually something to complain about. Other people would probably die to have a partner that wouldn't complain even if they always get home from work late, even if they always missed dinner, or go on work trips without asking for permission first.
He sighed and ran his hand through his scalp. Of course, it doesn't escape her.
"Was work extra tough today?" He turns to look at Yui, only to find the gentlest eyes paired with the warmest of smiles. The look of love he's ever so familiar with, Yui never looked at him with anything else but love in her eyes, and it made his chest feel tight.
Yui doesn’t push him for an answer, recognizing the look of distraction on him. His mind was always running. "I'll get us something to drink." She stands up, heading to their kitchen. And Senku was left with his thoughts. Again.
Well, he came home with a concept of a plan. Talk to Yui about what he was feeling. Because he had never struggled to voice out what he felt, ever.
Lies, of course. For someone who is always telling other people to just verbalize what's on their mind, Senku certainly struggles when it was his turn. It was inefficient, and the heavy feeling on his tongue was mocking him.
It reminded him why it took years to even admit he had romantic feelings for Yui. He can hear her soft humming coming from the kitchen and it reminds him of how long they’ve actually been together. From quietly working together in the school's science club, to staying up during the late nights to finish college assignment and now living under the same roof.
Their relationship was never rocky, steady, in fact. They’ve always been together, always the other's constant and Senku had grown comfortable with that. But now there was this lingering thought that won't leave him.
He might've continued spiraling but the feeling of cold glass pressing on his cheek brought him out it, "Huh?"
"Something's on your mind, isn't it?" Yui asks him, handing him the glass of water while she sipped her own.
Senku puts off answering the question by drinking his own, but decides to speak up in the end. "...I got invited to join the mission."
She hums, "The one you were working on? Mhm, that sounds great."
Right, see? What Taiju said, it was unfairly making his stomach sick. Got him thinking about "normals," something he hadn't done since he was in middle school and wondering if there was something wrong with him when he struggled to feel romantic attraction towards other people. Something that seemed to come so naturally towards his peers.
But, he thought for sure things were surely different now. Senku got comfortable with that. How can he not? It came so easy with her.
Yui had accepted his entirety without struggle, and with welcoming arms instead. When Senku had first mentioned to her about his struggle with intimacy, she didn't even have a hint of surprise on her face.
Throughout the relationship, Yui never asked for more than what he gave. But what has he given her? The guilty feeling that he’s been lacking is what weighs him down, Taiju only made him remember it was there.
Senku eyes her sitting next to him, rubbing her eyes as she look over some documents. So normal couples even bother asking to go away on business trips? Well, a space mission isn’t a typical business trip but… semantics.
If Senku had missed the note on that, what else had he missed out on that the average conventional couple did?
“Are you…” Senku starts, licking his lips. “Are you okay with that?” His hands wetter from sweat than the condensation from the glass of water.
Yui looks at him weirdly, “What.” She chuckled. “Well, yes..? Why wouldn't I be?”
He wasn’t nervous about the possibility of her not being okay with it, in fact he doubted it was even a possibility at all– and she had just confirmed that.
“You never usually ask anyways?”
Senku placed the cup on an empty spot on the table. “I hear it’s what other people do.” He spoke, slower, words feeling a little heavier than they usually do. “…ask for their partner’s opinion.” He clarifies.
She hums absentmindedly, “Doesn't mean we have to, it’s fine. Why would I ever want to hold you back from what you enjoy?”
Those comforting words send Senku spiraling once more, why did Yui immediately go to assure him? It felt wrong to him. He wasn’t the one who needed it, he should be the one comforting her instead. Tell her that it was okay to hold him back, to selfishly ask for his company instead of going some place else. Instead, he was being comforted for his own shortcoming.
“No…” He stands up and sighs. “You don’t hold me back.” He affirms. “If anything, don’t you think I'm the one who holds you back?”
In a softer voice, “Senku…” She calls. “Where is this coming from?”
Senku runs a hand through his hair. “You can ask me to stay with you.”
“I don’t understand…” Yui shakes her head, “Do you not want to go?”
He wasn’t stupid, he knew there was probably a better way to get what he meant across but right now… the words hung heavy and Senku couldn’t find strength to reach them.
“No, I- I do…” he stammers out. “I'm just asking what you- you…” he pauses, trying to catch his breath. “You're just okay with this?”
Yui stands, brows furrowed and concern plastered on her face. “Yes?” You let out a sigh. “C’mon Sen, what is it really?”
Senku wills himself to calm down, the beating of his heart slowing down. “Taiju… that oaf, mentioned something about talking to your partners and it- it just got me thinking about you.”
Have I not before? He thought. Why was this the first time I had thought to ask first?
His eyes drift down, no longer looking at who was standing in front of him… in shame? Embarrassment?
“Asking your partner before agreeing to business trips?? I didn't even know about that. What else do I not know?”
His voice, now full of frustration, was getting louder. “Just how much have I actually been holding you back? Dates, romantic evenings, affection… don't you want it? Why don't you ask me for it?”
For a second, Yui doesn’t say anything. His outburst probably caught you the girl guard. “I… because…” She starts.
He doesn't see it but, she was looking at him so tenderly. “I never minded it. I mean, asking for those kinds of stuff, they would just get in the way right? And… science has always been your priority, something I never really wanted to get in between of.”
Get in the way? No…
Despite having a drink of water not long ago, his throat felt strangely dry. “No, that’s… you can tell me. I wouldn’t choose science over y-“
“You don’t have to say stuff like that.” Yui takes a step forward towards him, entering his field of vision once more. “I'm more than happy just being with you.”
Senku shakes his head in disagreement, placing his hands on her shoulder. “No, let me… hold me accountable if I’m not enough.” Desperation was obvious in his voice as it trembled, why was this harder than rebuilding humanity from scratch?
He opened his mouth to speak but she’d had beaten him to it. “Sen, I have always loved you for who you are. I never needed you to change.”
“It's always been fine if I came second, or if there were things I couldn't have. As long as it meant I could stay by your side.”
Senku’s hands, that found their place on Yui’s shoulders, fell to his side. He pulled away, took a step back and averted his gaze. He felt like he was about to collapse any second now. “You're wrong…” He whispered, finding his own voice too weak. “I can-“
…
He couldn't even find the words. How could he convince his own partner when he couldn't even convince himself? Maybe Yui was right. Maybe it was foolish to even think otherwise, maybe it would’ve been better to just brush it off and think nothing of it, to just keep going with the way things were.
“Sen, I love you. Its okay, really, don't need anything else.”
But as Senku’s eyes find the ever gentle smile on Yui’s face, he just couldn't give up, couldn't just let it end there, and he’d have to be maimed before he would even consider backing down.
It was late into the night now. A couple of hours had passed since the… argument? Disagreement? Could it even be called that? Regardless, Senku’s mind was a little clearer now. That isn't to say his frustrations had disappeared though, no, if anything it was stronger now. If Senku had to describe it, it would be like the frustration that came with trying to solve an equation when all the principles weren’t given, leaving him to find it on his own.
He was leaning on the kitchen counter, pondering by himself with only the warm kitchen lights to accompany him. Yui had already gone to bed, no doubt that the unexpected outburst he threw at her had worn her out. Ironic, as it was the same thing that was currently keeping him wide awake now.
The more he thought about it, the more he couldn't accept it. Though he also knew that denying the facts is just being stubborn. It was true that science has always been what he put, it was true that no matter how much time would pass, Senku would probably always struggle with feelings and affection. But what wasn't true was that there was nothing he could do about it.
It was on Senku’s third attempt that he managed to launch a rocket beyond the earth’s atmosphere, each one taking a grueling amount of patience, research and care. He was going to be damned if he was going to be defeated by his inexperience with romance. It was time to do things his way, because he’d rather fail in his attempts for hundreds of times than potentially lose something good, the one thing that kept him anchored.
With a fire in Senku’s eyes, one that usually only showed when he got his hands on a new discovery, he would look at Yui soon enough, brand his usual cocky smirk that tells you he knows something you don't and show her just how much he can achieve for her. He clenched his fists, he was going to prove he deserved to let her stay.
The office has been busy with preparations. Senku was supposed to be focused on running simulations for the launch to happen with zero casualty, but really, he was running simulations in his head for something else. He was no stranger to having to go through plenty of trial and error when doing something for the first time, and now he was stumped with having to figure out how to romance his own partner.
If he had it his way, he would’ve just tried anything and everything, it was the fastest way to get accurate information on what works and what doesn’t. It’s a little shameful that he doesn’t even know, actually.
He truly felt like he had gone back in time to when he was still a fumbling highschooler trying to figure out how to woo the person he was admiring. Though, arguably, he was still fumbling and trying to figure out to woo Yui- it’s just that, now he was older. Wiser? that’s debatable. He has plenty of experience under his sleeve with rocket launching and outer space research now but probably still in the same place he’s always been when it comes to love.
Even now, that word still rolls off his tongue in a weird, unnatural way. Love.
What did love mean? What did it mean to love? Senku feels slightly silly thinking about it, such questions felt like they would really only come from a pubescent girl trying to sound deep. Still, Yui made it look simple. When he tries to recall all the things Yui had done to show him love, he would fill up a notebook trying to list it all down.
Acts of love he so graciously repays by coming home late and droughts of affection.
Senku sighs, feeling dejected by his own neglect. He runs a hand through his hair, unintentionally glaring at the screen in front of him. He had gotten barely any work done and he hadn’t even gotten far on the other heavy topic that was weighing him down. Perhaps it was time to take a break.
The scientist moves to stand, finding his way to the nearest vending machine. It was lunch time now anyways, even if he was usually known for prioritizing work above all else, it wasn’t going to be unusual to step away.
Actually, would Yui have eaten lunch by now too? He thinks as he pushes the button for a can of cold coffee and inserting the exact number of coins for it. It drops and he picks it up, though he doesn’t open it just yet. Instead, he takes out his phone from his pocket and pulls up her contact.
His thumb hovers over the call button for a second before ultimately pressing it. Senku hoped she weren’t busy. His phone vibrates in his hand, the call ringing. While he waited, he opened the canned coffee and leaned over a nearby wall- just in time for Yui to finally pick up.
“Senku?” Yui answered, dragging out the last syllable of his name. She sounded cheery. Though, it’s not like the woman was ever known for being upset for long periods of time even if they had gotten into what you’d essentially call a disagreement just a few nights ago.
Senku grunted out a reply, “Hey.” Clearing his throat before taking a sip of his coffee.
“What’s up? Did you need something?”
“Did you eat lunch yet?” He answers the question with another question.
“Ah? Mhm, not too long ago …why?”
“I’m just asking.” He mumbles, throwing away the empty can of coffee in a nearby trashcan.
Yui giggles, “What? Is something up? Have you finally inhaled too much fumes?” She teased.
He smiles to that. “So, I can’t just ask you that? Whatever happened to making small talk?” Senku swears he almost choked on air while trying to form a coherent sentence. Since when did a casual back and forth make his palms sweat?
“What.” Senku can hear her laughter through the phone. “You’re being so weird, when have you ever made small talk? If you need something- “
Maybe it was the taunt, but now Senku had felt like he had to bite back to that. Why can’t he just do it for the sake of it? He ought to prove he can do such things soon.
He licked his lips, “Yeah, maybe I needed some of your attention?” His voice cracked at the end, and Senku couldn’t be more thankful it was only a voice call. He so badly wanted to bury himself for that fumble of a line delivery.
However, he was then snapped out of his self-deprecation when he hears Yui yelp.
“WHAT.” Senku presses the phone closer to his ear to hear muffled coughing from the line but quickly has to pull it away again when Yui starts rambling at louder volume. “WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU. ARE YOU SICK…”
“S-seriously! You can’t just say stuff like that, what is wrong with you- you should get checked out, I think the fumes have actually entered your brain-“ Yui doesn’t stop, spouting at an incredible speed, no doubt flustered as well.
He smiles at the thought. Well, he might’ve not given the best line delivery but it seemed to at least worked out anyways.
“I gotta go.” Senku cuts her off. He didn’t actually have to go but it was time to retreat for now.
“H-huh? Oh okay…” Yui stutters out, still taken aback.
“Seriously… what the heck.” He hears her whisper before ending the call.
A win is a win. Senku thought, huffing out a laugh. That little unplanned, stunt he pulled had gained him some confidence. If earlier he was feeling stuck on how he should go about his whole plan about romanticizing his own long-term relationship, then now he feels a little more certain.
Perhaps it was going to be good, perhaps it was even going to be fun.
And if anyone saw Senku walking back to the office with an evil smirk and a dangerous glint in his eyes? No, they didn’t.
Unfortunately, breaking habits never come easy.
In Senku’s defense, the workplace was getting busier. With the launch date coming closer and closer, the need to double check and eliminate any potential of something going wrong. The tiniest wirings needed to be inspected over and over again, hundreds of simulations that needed to be ran through and in case something does go wrong- safety measures that needed to be taken.
And thus, Senku came home late once again. To no one’s surprise, really.
He felt specially exhausted as well too, something he usually wouldn’t think much of as he’d normally be coming home feeling quite content. The blanket of exhaustion would be his proof of a well spent day at the lab. But today, he’d wanted to go home early for the sake of spending time with Yui and it’s been ruined.
The unmoving traffic was not helping either. He sighed, glancing at his phone to check the time again as if it’ll make it a difference. A chuckle coming from the man beside him had caught his attention, however. “In a rush to get home, Senku?”
Xeno, who had offered him a ride when the older one noticed they were leaving at the same time, looked at him with curiosity. “You’re usually the last one to leave. How unexpected to see you rushing to get home for once.”
Senku hid his impatience with a smile. “Heh. You’ve been watching me that closely, Dr. Xeno?”
“Hmph, it was merely an observation.” The older one retorts. “Perhaps, there’s a special occasion today?”
He looks away, leaning against the window instead. “Nah… nothing like that.”
The traffic finally moves and the car reaches a more familiar area. It’s completely dark out now, all the buildings in the area had turned on their lights and the streets was far less busy now compared to how it would be during an earlier time. Everyone seemed to be on their way home now.
“We’ll be nearing your block soon.” Stanley, whom had been driving for them, assured as the car came to a stop again- the last red light in the way of Senku reaching home.
He gripped his phone, debating if he should just go for it as he eyes the screen of the traffic signal counting down 120 seconds. “Actually, I’ll just get off here.”
“Are you sure?” The man beside him asked.
He hurriedly made sure he got all his belongings before replying, “Yeah, this way you won’t have to take an extra turn either.” He put his hand on the handle, ready to exit. “Thanks for the ride.”
“Well, get home safe.” He hears Xeno say as he closes the car door.
Senku didn’t know why he was rushing home. Why had every minute mattered now when it didn’t before? Well actually, he did know why. It was just hard to admit. It was a mix of reasons, between wanting to competitively prove something and genuinely wanting to show that he can love something else that wasn’t work- that no, he wasn’t just a man drowning himself in chemical compounds and scientific equations, he too can do something in the name of love.
Which was quite hard to prove now that he can’t even manage to come home early.
Ever the man with no stamina, he’s already breathless from speedwalking and climbing a couple flights of stairs. He opens the door to the apartment and is greeted with the absence of light. Had Yui already gone to bed? He shuffles around and tries to feel around the walls where he remembered the light switch was. After awkwardly palming the wall, he eventually manages to smack the switch on.
Senku hears a scream and flinches. His eyes hadn’t even adjusted to the sudden bright light yet but is already trying to look for Yui, worried she somehow managed to get hurt.
“Ugh… Senku? Is that you? I just got flashbanged…” His eyes eventually land on the clumsy woman who was laying on the balcony floor for some reason.
He frowns, wondering what it was that she was up to. It was worrisome, why was she laying on the balcony floor with no lights on? It was a small balcony, just big enough for a couple of chairs so someone could hang out there in case they needed some fresh air, and on the occasion- where they hanged laundry to dry.
“What are you doing? Freak.” Senku questions, squatting down near Yui.
She tilts her head to look up at him, with a big goofy grin. “I’m trying to let my eyes adjust! It’s common practice to let your eyes to get used in the dark for at least 30 minutes first before doing any stargazing.”
“Although… now I’ve been flashbanged, thanks to you! I think I’ll have to restart.” She pouts.
Senku sighs, standing up. “And laying on the floor also helps with that?” He pulls one of the chairs closer to them and signals Yui to stand up and sit on the chair instead. “Sit on a chair like a normal person. Isn’t the floor cold? If you get sick, I’m not taking care of you.”
He hears her groan before moving, “Research says that floor time is great, actually.” Her voice slightly fades as Senku walks away, turning off the light switch from the hall.
Research? He lets out a dry laugh. “Uh huh, I’d love to read that study.”
The scientist can barely hear Yui mumbling out some complaints when he enters their bedroom. Senku puts down his stuff on the floor somewhere, careful to avoid knocking down a random furniture from how dark it was. He squints his eyes, trying to find a blanket. When he spots one, he snatches it and walks back to the balcony.
The balcony lets in a bit of light at least. The moon illuminating Yui’s figure. He slows down, quieting his footsteps as if he was trying not to scare a small animal. Perhaps he was scared that if he made a noise, he’d somehow scare her away into disappearing- away from him. He frowns.
Senku drops the blanket on Yui inelegantly before taking a seat on of the chairs as well. “Ah! That scared me…” Judging from her laughter, it didn’t actually. Yui wraps the blanket around her better than Senku did, a smile on her face.
“Andromeda is supposed to be visible to the naked eye tonight, it’s great!” She exclaims.
Senku looks away from the night sky, staring at her instead. “You know we have a telescope, right?” He says as a matter-of-fact, raising a brow.
“Yeah, but this is still different! There’s just something about actually spotting it with your own eye, you know?” Yui insists, looking up with a sparkle in her eyes.
“Not really, I mean I see these galaxies on like a regular basis from our telescopes. It’s almost a chore now.” He states dryly, leaning back.
Yui pouts, “Boo.” She sticks out her tongue as taunt. “Okay, we get it, Mr. Astronomer Scientist!”
“You’re looking at one of humanity’s potential doom. Unlike other galaxies, Andromeda moves towards us. If the sun doesn’t explode first, then we’ll be wiped out when the Milky way and Andromeda inevitably collide.” Senku smirks, explaining dryly as if he wasn’t talking about the wipeout of humanity.
“Well, that’s for the future. For now, it’s just beautiful to look at.” Yui shrugs, used to the somewhat deprecating comments he would make.
And Senku looks at her. Really looks at her.
He can admit that Andromeda looked beautiful up closely. Well, closer than from Earth’s surface anyways. On land, Andromeda looked like just an average star. Maybe slightly bigger and fuzzier- almost blurry. But that was about it, he didn’t think it was anything to celebrate about.
“Oh! I think my eyes are adjusting… I can see a lot more stars now.” Yui chirped. “And soon, Andromeda!”
Right now, it wasn’t any star or galaxy that held Senku’s gaze. It was her. Senku chalked it to fatigue, too tired to lift his head and look at the stars, so instead he admires the woman next to him. Whether anyone would buy that excuse doesn’t concern him. It was just easier than admitting to the whole universe that he found her beautiful, so he tucks it inside his chest with a poor disguise.
Senku can’t actually recall the last time he had properly looked at Yui like this, too busy looking at microscopes most days.
Time has passed; they’ve been together for a long time now. They’ve grown out of their baby face, developed a few wrinkles and deepened smile lines. Both have respectively gone far in their careers, and have entered a stable spot in their life long enough for them to say that it has become mundane.
Mundane…
Perhaps that’s why Senku got complacent in their relationship. It was just something he put at the back of his mind, repeating that he’ll get to it later yet making no plans to actually go through with.
He frowns and glances away, finally choosing to look up instead. His eyes immediately spotted the distant galaxy, Andromeda. It was terribly small from this distance.
“Can you see it yet?” The scientist asks only to find Yui scrunching her face in an effort to squint harder.
She grumbles. “No, am I blind?”
He can only snicker, “Idiot, you’re looking at the completely wrong direction.”
Yui lets out a drawn out, “Huuuh?” Senku stands up and moves behind her. He wraps an arm around the back of her shoulder as he crouches near her level and points.
“Focus your eyes on that area.” He instructs. “See that fuzzy thing that kinda resembles a star?”
Yui lets out a small gasp after realizing, “Woah. That’s it?” She questions. “It looks so… normal. That’s a whole galaxy? It just looks like a slightly stretched out star.”
Senku smirks, “Why do you think it took so long for the existence of other galaxies to be accepted? It’s only been a hundred years that people started comprehending that the Milky Way was only one of the thousands of galaxies out there.”
“And that’s gonna crash into us one day.” The girl giggles. “How unthreatening.”
“Uh huh. Let me know if you still think that way when you see it up close.” He quipped.
Yui hums in thought, “I don’t know… We’ll be old and wrinkly by the time it comes for us.”
“I’ll be surprised if that’s all we’ll be, decomposed is more like it.”
A comfortable silence blankets over them, quietly admiring the cosmos in peace. We’ll be old and wrinkly, huh? Senku found he didn’t hate the thought.
“Senkuuu…” Yui whines. “Wake! Up!”
The man groans in protest. “Ugh.” He lifts up his head and rubs his eyes in frustration. “What.” Senku deadpans. He looks over to Yui, still clad in her pajamas and obviously looking like she’s also just woken up.
“Why are you still here? Aren’t you supposed to be at work by now?” She hurriedly questions. “It’s already 7’o’clock!”
Senku groans again and falls back to the bed, slightly grumpy from having been woken up. “I don’t have to go in early today, they’re preparing a few training stuff for the people who’s gonna get on board.”
“Oh.”
Yui scratches her head sheepishly. “Sorry… you usually leave so early, I kinda panicked. And plus! You didn’t say anything about it.”
Too sleepy for a coherent conversation, Senku just babbles a response, already closing his eyes again. “Alright, well, just go back to sleep then.” Yui says as she moves to leave the bed.
Before she can, Senku throws an arm around her. Not totally keeping her in place, Senku’s stick arms being too small for that. “Huh? Why?”
“Silly, I have work.” She blinks, confused as to how he forgot.
Defeated, Senku lets out a third groan. It was super rare for them to wake up at the same time. Usually, the scientist had to wake up much earlier in order to immediately get back to work. But now, all he wanted was a lazy morning and Yui was threatening to leave. It was cruel.
“No one’s gonna die if you’re five minutes late.” He complains.
Yui laughs, mocking his distress. “Wow. I never thought I’d ever see the great Ishigami asking for morning cuddles.”
Still, the whining seemed to have worked as Yui slid back under the blanket with him. A win is a win. Senku cheered in his head.
They laid together quietly, warm and cozy. And he was so close to slipping back to dream land when he felt Yui shift again. “Okay but like, I really do have to get ready now.” She whispers. As much as Senku wanted to protest more, he let her out of his grip now.
He hears the bathroom door open when Yui enters it and decides to also get up now. Granted, he could’ve kept sleeping. He wasn’t needed at work anytime soon, lest he volunteers himself for physical labor. Still, he drags himself to the kitchen.
Routinely, he made himself his usual pot of coffee and steamed some milk for Yui- knowing she wasn’t one for the bitter drink. He settles her cup at the dining table while he sat and sipped his drink. He can hear the water from the bathroom has stopped now. Yui was most likely going to come out of the room soon after getting dressed.
After thinking through some simulations in his head, Yui comes out and walk towards him. He hands her the cup of milk. “Careful, it’s hot.” He warns, knowing she’ll still probably burn her tongue anyways.
And she did, “Ah. Oops.” She sticks her tongue out as if that’ll make it feel better.
Senku can only huff in disbelief, “Idiot.”
He watches as Yui blows air into the hot milk, cooling it down, when an idea presents itself to him. It immediately paints an evil grin on his face. He doesn’t usually do it, but the opportunity is just far too tempting, far too amusing.
Yui eyes him weirdly as he lets out a stream of evil, low chuckles. Senku pays her no mind. “Shouldn’t you get going soon? You were so worried about being late earlier.”
“Huh? Oh, right.” She tests the temperature of the milk and after confirming it was at a much tolerable level, she quickly gulps it down. “Thanks!”
Yui moves quickly, grabbing the last of her things before heading towards the door. Senku, who was in no rush, places both of their empty cups by the sink. “Are you leaving now?” He calls out.
“Hm? Yeah!” The girl answered, putting on an extra outer layer of clothes by the door.
Senku walks over, putting his plan into motion. He leans on the wall and crosses his arm, failing to hide his smirk as he was preparing to drop a bomb.
“No goodbye kiss?”
It was amazing to watch Yui completely freeze in motion, face morphed into horror and red like an apple. “E-excuse me?” She chokes out.
Senku holds back his laughter, keeping up the act of composure. “Hm… Just gonna leave me to take care of the house all day for nothing in return?” He teased.
“O-okay? First of all, I sincerely doubt you’re going to do anything productive before leaving for work too. Second! Yeah, you’re not going to be here all day. So, I don’t know what you want, good sir.” She rambles, blurting out words faster than she can think in an attempt to conceal how flustered she was.
And this time, Senku couldn’t contain his laugh. He steps forward, going closer to her. “A goodbye kiss would be nice.”
He thinks that, if Yui was a volcano- she would’ve definitely erupted from embarrassment by now. “Since when! You’re acting crazy-“
“Since now.” He cuts her off.
She squawks in disbelief. “I swear- they actually did something to you in that lab. A failed experiment or something, and now you’re all weird and crazy.”
He shakes his head. “You can just say no. Why do I have to be dragged into a conspiracy theory?”
He smirks in triumph, knowing he’s won when Yui couldn’t find any other rebuttal to make. Just quiet and red, debating whether or not she should take the bait. “I swear, I’ll be the one who turns crazy with how you’re acting crazy lately.” She huffs.
Yui takes a step towards him, closing a bit more distance. If Senku’s heart wasn’t beating so loudly in his ears, he might’ve just heard the curses she was spewing under her breath before finally kissing him on the cheek.
“There. Happy?”
Not quite. Senku cups the girl’s cheeks before she could move away and presses his lips with hers. He hears her little squeal as he deepens the kiss, and it makes Senku’s heart do a little backflip and a twirl as a landing pose.
When they part, Yui was so red it would’ve been concerning under any other circumstance. Though, Senku doesn’t say anything about it, he was sure he probably looked the same.
They quickly take a step back from each other. Senku letting out a little cough and Yui suddenly being really interested on fixing her bangs. “Well, uh… you should go.” He broke the silence first.
“Yeah, I- yup! I’m gonna go…”
They awkwardly shuffle for a few seconds, Senku moving out of the way to let her out. “I uh… I’ll see you later then.” Yui croaks out, turning to leave.
The door closes and Senku almost keels over right there and then. WHAT WAS THAT!
A kiss was just a kiss, lips on lips. It held no purpose, not even in recreation. The only reason it holds any significance was because humans decided it had one and oh god- Senku was spiraling. In an attempt to calm himself he was now rationalizing what a kiss was. Senku doesn’t know how other people manage to kiss in a relatively casual manner without going on the verge of a heart attack.
But in terms of a trial, it certainly didn’t end as an error. Although he realizes, maybe he should’ve thought about it more before going through with it. After all, when was the last time they had a proper kiss like that?
Senku lets out a sigh as he crashes on the couch, feeling slightly weak in the knees. He can still recall how hard his heart was beating, and was still in fact trying to calm down.
He definitely wasn’t the biggest guy on physical touch as a love language. Physical intimacy wasn’t necessarily scary, no- he didn’t fear it. More like, it made him squeamish? To him, it just came so *unnaturally. Hence, never getting any proper “practice” for it and hence, never getting properly used to the act. It was just another pointless endeavor the alloromantic did for the sake of it.
Yui was the only partner he’s ever had. Every first time he had was with her, and it was something. Which might sound bad to anybody else but, for him- it was just hard to consider special. Still though, what made this “goodbye kiss” so different from all the other times to the point he felt like he was going to burst like a supernova?
When he recalls all the other kisses he’s shared with her, they never really felt like that. Small, quick pecks at the lips that really felt more like formality. Though, he guesses it wasn’t always like that. The closest thing he could compare it to was the feeling of anticipation and uncertainty he felt during the early days of their relationship.
When they were still experimenting and approached love with a curious hunger. So, was it the eagerness to comprehend that made this recent one so explosive? The need to prove something with scientific evidence? Senku admits he initially thought of the plan as just another part of finally being a little more conventional with their relationship but…
It’d gone so well it would be a shame to boil it down to just that. But why?
Senku closes his eyes. What was it that makes a kiss so tender and explosive that couples did it so regularly despite not having any real purpose? And what had he been doing wrong before that it became something so mundane to the point it was something he avoided?
When did it become something he just disregarded? And how can he ensure that never happened again?
He was going to need another cup of coffee. Thank god he had a few hours to kill.
A few weeks have passed and the launch date was getting closer and closer. So close in fact, that it was going to be the day after tomorrow. And for the first time, Senku was dreading it. He did not want to leave.
He was just starting to really enjoy spending more and more of his time with Yui. Senku wonders when the distance between the two of them actually grew, memories of being peas in a pod during highschool flooding him. Was it when they entered college and had gone into different majors? Or was it when either one started getting flooded with work- drowning and sinking deeper into more work that was covered up with the excuse of pursuing passion? Or maybe, it was only ever Senku whom had assumed there was even a distance to begin with.
Because now, as he looks at her and her smile, he can’t find any semblance of a distance. He feels closer to Yui than he had ever before, and greed whispers to him that he wants to be even closer.
In a last-ditch effort to spend his remaining time with Yui, he had made reservations for the two of them at this fancy place that had recently opened. They’d even dressed up for the occasion, ditching the usual comfy clothing for something slightly uncomfortable in exchange for looking better.
And looking better indeed was his partner standing beside him as they waited for their names to be called. Huh, names… The hostess was going to call out a reservation for Ishigami and Kinzawa once there was a table ready.
Senku snaps out of his thoughts when Yui taps him on the shoulder. “Are you really sure it was okay to not attend the celebration?” She asks.
The celebration for the launch, it was also being held tonight in order to congratulate those who had worked hard on the project. It would be crowded, with journalists and plenty of flashing lights from photographers trying to get the latest gossip.
“I told you already, no one’s even gonna notice I didn’t attend.” Senku assures, his pinky locating his ear out of habit. “It’s just a bad excuse to sip wine and act snotty.”
Yui purses her lips, “Well, alright.”
A beat passes. “You’re much better company anyways.” He says, refusing to look at her. His cheeks had a light dusting of pink on them.
“And pretty.”
The compliment slips out of Senku before he even realizes it.
The woman beside him can only laugh. He pouts, he gives a heartfelt compliment and this is what he gets? “Not even a thank you? Just going to laugh at me instead?”
Yui snorts, “It just feels weird hearing you say it.” She laughs lightheartedly, “I guess, I’m just not used to hearing you say stuff like that.”
And Senku leaves it at that but his thoughts don’t. Why was it weird? Why couldn’t it just be the most natural thing in the world?
Senku can admit though, it did feel weird to do all these things. But it wasn’t bad… Yes, it was still unnatural and foreign to him, but at the same time, it felt like something he wanted to continue. Like a new discovery he wanted to keep studying. It felt overwhelming at times, and he found himself wanting to pause time for a few seconds every now and then just so he could recollect himself. Still, he didn’t wish to leave. He wanted to stay, soak in the moment and replay Yui’s laughter just to enjoy it, even at the cost of his dignity.
He'd sincerely wished he’d done this sooner and more often. He’ll be sure to make up for lost time.
Eventually, the two of them are seated and was handed a menu. It was certainly a nice place. Despite having the capabilities to seat more customers, the restaurant chooses to give plenty of space between tables instead- making it scarce and each party having their privacy.
Yui is seated just across the table from Senku, the candle at the table illuminating her features. He watches her skim through the menu, as she purses her lips while trying to decide on an entrée. She looks up to catch his gaze and smiles, “Sen? Have you already decided what you’re getting?”
The two of them converse easy, helping each other decide what looked good or not. They flag down their server and state what they’re having. The server gives them a pleasant smile and claims they’ll be back with their food before finally leaving the two of them alone again.
Yui catches Senku’s attention, “Psst, Sen.” She smiles when his attention lands on her. “Do you think the food will actually be good?”
He raises an amused brow, “Are you having doubts?”
“I mean…” She drags out the last syllable in ponder. “Isn’t it usually a gamble when it comes to a place like this? It’s either the food doesn’t actually taste good or the portion size is abysmal for its price.”
Senku snickers. “If you wanted to go to a greasy fast food place instead, you could’ve just said so. No need to disguise your picky eater trait by placing the blame somewhere else.”
“I am not!” Yui pouts. “If it does end up good then you’ll never hear me complain again. But if it’s bad, then I’ll have told you so.” She stuck up her nose.
“Besides, it’s your money wasted anyways.” She grins.
Senku crosses his arms at the comment. It was true of course, but what fun would there be if he just let it go? “Oho, why do you even have a job then? If you’re just going to be a freeloader.”
Yui quips, “For fun! What else?”
They continue to banter, not even noticing the time that was passing as it was quickly filled with smiles and laughter. Still, their food had finally arrived.
The entrée wasn’t bad… not bad enough to stop eating. It was the main course that had them in a laughing fit, covering their mouths in an attempt to not disturb the other guests from their behavior. It wasn’t bad, nor was it good.
The food had been terribly mediocre.
They weren’t even quite sure what they were looking at when it was first served to them. How could food look cooked and raw at the same? The food was obviously cooked but from the lack of anything, it had managed to look raw.
Yui was holding her stomach from the laughter. “I can’t… I just- WHAT is this…” She pokes at her food in emphasis. “It looks like they just boiled everything and called it a day! Not a SPECK of seasoning is on it…”
Senku couldn’t even manage a response, too busy trying not to die from laughter. “Senku! Are you even listening… Pft- I mean, just look at it!”
When he does look at it, he ends up letting out a howl of laughter. “O-okay, stop… stop talking…” He wheezed. “I can’t breathe-“
He wipes off some sweat from his forehead in an attempt to calm down. Trying to help, Yui passes him a glass of water, which he gladly took and downed.
“I wonder if the water was boiled too-“
And that was it. Senku Ishigami had died from laughter.
The server assigned to their table had eventually noticed the commotion and had come over to ask if anything was unsatisfactory. Yui, not having the heart to be honest just kept quiet as best as she could, placing a hand over her mouth and hoping the shaking of her shoulders didn’t make it obvious she was one push away from bursting out laughing. On the other hand, Senku whom had been tired out from nearly dying of laughter just waved the server away.
Confused but unwilling to ask any more questions, the server leaves them be.
“What do you say we just leave?” Senku suggests, resting his chin on a propped up hand.
“Awe, but what about dessert?” Yui pouts, feigning disappointment.
He flashes her a smile, taking out his wallet and stack of cash that more than covers the cost of the bill and tip. “We can get something from the convenience store on the way home.”
Yui giggles in satisfaction. “Sounds like a plan.”
Senku stands, extending a hand for Yui to take. “Now, come. Let’s go before someone notices.”
Senku was pretty disappointed that their dinner hadn’t gone exactly as he planned. Next time, he’ll be sure to read a couple of reviews before settling on a decision.
They were at home by now, still clad in their fancy attire, sitting at the couch as they wind down. Yui was leaning on Senku’s shoulder, humming a soft tune while scrolling through her phone.
He clears his throat, catching her attention. “Listen, sorry it didn’t work out tonight…” He frowns, voice getting quieter at the end. Scratch that, he wasn’t just pretty disappointed, he was massively disappointed. He had hoped that things would end well tonight as it was essentially their last before Senku had to leave. A disappointing, heavy error that weighed his heart down.
Yui breaks away, sitting up straight. “No… it wasn’t even your fault.” She chuckles as a brief memory of what happened flashes in her mind.
She falters for a second before continuing. “Actually, I should be the one to apologize.”
Senku eyes her, confused. “Remember when you had brought it up? About how I shouldn’t have accepted being second on your list?” He winces for a second at the reminder but lets her continue anyways. “Well…”
“Yeah.” She smiles gently, looking at him in the eyes. “I’m sorry, Sen.”
“I was just… I always want to be your biggest supporter, and if it turned out that I was ever getting in between you and your passion- it would’ve broken my heart. I want you to reach all the dreams you have, so I let myself come second, I insisted. That’s why when you came to me, suddenly proposing the idea of prioritizing me… I got scared. What if I caused you to slow down?”
Senku mutters her name, brows furrowed. Yui shakes her head, and it makes his heart ache. “And, I always knew that conventional romance wasn’t your thing. That was another thing I would never want to pressure you into. But I guess I was so tunnel visioned on that I ended up brushing it off when you wanted things to change.”
Yui presses her forehead to Senku’s, “And look at you. You’ve proven me so wrong. You’ve treated me so well these last few weeks…”
“It’s been barely anything…” He whispers, emotions welling up at his throat.
She pulls away, tucking her hair behind her ear. “You should give yourself more credit, Dr. Ishigami.”
Senku’s hand twitches, the urge to cup her cheeks and kiss her silly was strong. But his stomach had other plans, growling from neglect. “Pft-“
“Tsk, seriously?” He deadpans, scratching his neck in disbelief.
Yui calms herself down from giggling, “To be fair… I’m also hungry. We barely touched our food earlier.” She stands up, heading for the kitchen. “No worries, I’ll whip us up something deserving of 3 michelin stars!”
He sighs, leaning back to the couch in defeat. “If it has salt- I’m sure it’ll already be ten billion percent better than what we had earlier.”
He almost dozed off while waiting for whatever his partner was preparing in the kitchen, but the moment the aroma hit his nose, he was completely awake. He stands and makes his way to where Yui was only to find her stirring in the seasoning pack to two cups of instant ramen- ah, a delicacy indeed.
“Wow. Well that definitely has sodium in it.” He remarks dryly.
His partner chuckles, “Oh I’m about to undo all the training they had you do with some bad, bad diet.” She passes him his cup, still steaming, alongside a pair of chopsticks.
He smiles; heart filled with warmth. All those trials and specially tonight’s error had been well worth it. There was no greater reward than slurping instant ramen in the kitchen while dressed in a well-tailored suit with his partner.
It just made the fact that he had to leave all the more bitter. Ironic, considering a few weeks ago he hadn’t given staying at home an inkling of thought.
No, a few weeks ago, all Senku saw was intricate, delicate wirings and calculations of numbers that exceeded him more than he’d like to admit. Now, he bathed in the warm kitchen light, heated from the inside by comfort food and sharing laughter with the person who’s been with him through it all- the same person he now has to separate from.
Yes, it was his decision. One that Senku was allowed to regret but also wouldn’t take back. He looks at Yui, seeing the same girl he would share unhealthy instant ramen back when they were suffering through long nights in their respective majors. The girl that wanted nothing more but to support him.
It tore him apart. Because now, he just wanted to slow down for once and walk by her side instead of leaving for a vast, empty space. Sure, there were sights out there that no human has ever even seen yet but where was he going to find Yui’s bright smile and red cheeks in the endless stars if not right here at home, beside him?
Maybe that was the importance of asking your partner first.
Senku left early the next morning. He hadn’t woken up Yui when he did. He felt bad, they had stayed up relatively late last night and he had to leave after only a few hours of sleep already. So, he let her rest instead.
The launch wasn’t until tomorrow’s dawn, but everyone involved had to be at the site for all the preparations and precautions that needed to be taken. It wasn’t Senku’s first rodeo. He had already managed to be a part of multiple projects like this one in the past, with his impressive genius of course.
Despite the rest of the city still in slumber, there were already plenty of people at the site running around with work to do. At least, that’s what Senku would assume. Considering there was a party thrown last night, it was also highly possible that a good majority of the team was still recovering from hangover.
See, Senku had made a detour. He figured; it wasn’t like the site was going to go up in flames if he was an hour late and, in his defense, it’s not like he did it on purpose. Not totally anyways. But this antique store had caught his eye on the way, it was the only thing that was open and had its lights on in the desolate streets. And like moth to a flame, Senku had stopped his commute to take a look.
The warm lights that the store used was perfectly highlighting the stock they kept, painting each item in a golden hue. It carried a scent that was comforting and nostalgic, of old books with a hint of dust. Soft music played from, what Senku would guess, a jukebox. It didn’t sound familiar, something that probably would never play in radios nowadays, but not a popular classic either that anyone would’ve known- it was most likely just an obscure song that the owner loved during their youth.
He really should just leave now. There wasn’t really anything here that was worth getting an earful for. Still, his feet remained planted for just a second longer, admiring all kinds of trinkets that the store carried.
It wasn’t until he was about to leave that something had caught his eye. Just a few steps away from the door, there was a shelf he had missed when he first entered. It was relatively empty compared to the rest of the shelves, housing only a few items. One of which was a jewelry box.
The box itself was rather big, holding all kinds of accessories. Though it was an antique store, the other items were well maintained, except for this one. Senku guesses it had been there for a long time now, untouched, the untrained eye probably dismissing it. And he couldn’t blame them, from the first look, most of the jewelry was rusted or in bad condition. Unless people were specifically looking for worn out jewelry or hoping to repurpose the metal, there really weren’t going to be any customer buying anything from it.
Senku exited the antique store, fidgeting with something as small as a coin in his hand. He tried to pay for it at first, but when he brought it to the counter, the old man tending to it just waved him off. It was most likely because the item had been too small or dirty, perhaps feeling a little too bad to charge anything for it.
Senku doesn’t dwell too much on it, just playing with the item as he continued on his way.
One would probably think that it gets busy when you’re outside of the Earth’s atmosphere, and it does, but not enough to occupy all the hours. Once the routine of monitoring, maintaining and reporting was done, Senku had just enough time on his hands to wallow in his thoughts.
Senku had spent a good portion of his life looking at the moon, wondering what mysteries it held and the vastness of space beyond it. But now, he finds that he’s always looking back at Earth, relishing its familiarity instead of the unknown that the rest of the universe around him held.
Science had advanced far enough that communication between those in Earth and those outside of it was no longer impossible, but it was still kept limited for various of reasons. Resource management, the occasional delay, risks of interferences and such held him back from talking to Yui like he would if he was just a few miles away from her.
So instead of risking the chances of getting a scolding for wasting resource and causing delays, he spends his time fidgeting with his new antique when the urge to mindlessly talk with her sprouts. It had a considerable amount of tarnish and built-up dirt that covered its true color.
The spacecraft thankfully had stuff he could use to return it to its full glory. A simple salt bath in aluminum foil had already done wonders for the tarnish, and a bit of elbow grease to get rid of the stubborn dirt stuck in the nook and cranny had it sparkling in what he assumes had been years.
Senku wonders whose hand it had belonged to before him. Perhaps the old man that was attending the antique store he got it from? Or perhaps someone had surrendered it there a long time ago. Did it always belong in that jewelry box or was it just eventually placed there when there was no space anywhere else?
Well, no matter, it was his to give now.
The rest of the month that was spent in that spacecraft was unworthy to Senku. After all, the revelations that would come after was what they were going for anyways. Him and the rest of the crew were only there so that once the spacecraft would be fine on its own, everything would go well.
So once word got to them that they were being prepared for return had reached Senku’s ears, he was basically buzzing with anticipation. It was time to go home.
The camera flashes that were getting in between him and getting home was thoroughly irking him, still he tried to not show it too much, good media meant more budget after all. But the exhaustion of landing back on Earth was really weighing him down, figuratively and literally. Gravity felt heavy.
It was important they received an immediate check-up after landing, so while Senku wanted to just insist he was fine so that he can go lay down at home, he gritted his teeth and let the medical team do their work.
Thankfully, someone had finally come to escort them out of the scene, ushering the media away so a path could form. Him and the crew were then brought to a more secluded area, seated in wheelchairs to avoid any accidents in case a disorientation spell was to happen.
Senku just quietly let everything happen, just hoping all of it would go faster. He spots Xeno and other familiar faces monitoring and helping the process go smoothly. Obediently answering all the questions the stationed doctors were asking him while they helped him out of the heavy spacesuit, careful not to shock the body.
Eventually, he’s assisted to a private room where they helped him lay down on a bed. After a more intensive interview about his state, they finally leave him be.
He lets himself close his eyes for a second.
The peace however, does not last long as it’s interrupted by a series of knocks. The door opens and he tilts his head to see who it was.
There Yui was, carrying a bouquet of flowers in her arm. “Hey, Sen.” She called, softly. “You’re back.”
His eyes widen, certainly not expecting the sudden appearance. He doesn’t let it show for long though, a curious expression quickly replacing it. “And who let you in here?” He snickered.
“I’ll have you know it was Dr. Xeno who invited me here.” She quips, laying the flowers at the bedside table. “What? Not happy to see me?”
The opposite. Senku had such a big smile painted on his face, the expression was one he couldn’t suppress. “I was just about to get some shut eye, you know? Way to ruin my beauty sleep.” But he tries and hide it anyways, relying on his sarcasm as his usual line of defense.
A line of defense that easily crumbles as Yui flashes her a smile of her own. “Yeah, well, I think you’re plenty beautiful even with dark circles.”
“Though, the jet lag must be insane. From all the way outside of Earth’s atmosphere to here.” She jests.
Senku lets out an amused chuckle. “Not quite, not like there’s any day or night out there anyways.” He lets out a groan, sitting up.
“Oh… Are you really sure you should be sitting like that?” She worriedly asks.
“You act as if it’s my first time.” He smirks, smugness evident on his face.
Yui can’t help but laugh in amusement. “Ok genius, we get it.”
Senku was glad that the medical team hadn’t bothered to link him up to a heart monitor, because good god his heart was beating fast now. The weight in his pocket was reminding him of the existence of a certain object. All of a sudden, he felt sick and on the verge of hurling. If it does happen, at least he had the excuse of blaming gravity. It doesn’t slip by Yui’s keen eyes though, try as he might to pretend that he was feeling fine. “Are you sure you’re okay? You look pale.”
The scientist prided himself in being able to plan ahead. It was necessary after all, in his field of work, an error could mean death so it was only natural that there had to be extensive planning throughout the whole thing.
However, he was still human. He had impulses.
During the month he had spent floating in space, Senku had plenty of time planning out scenarios on how he would ask the question. Each with its own elaborate details and scripted lines. But now, desperation was clawing at him, specifically his pocket, screaming at him to just man up and do it already.
Worried from not receiving an answer, Yui offers to call someone in. “I’ll go get a doctor, okay?”
Before she can get far, Senku grabs a hold of her wrist, effectively not letting her get far. Because yes, after spending a month away from her with minimum communication- even just leaving the room felt too far from him.
“No, I don’t need a doctor.” He manages to croak out; his throat filled with anxiety.
He knows it’s sudden, after all this was not the plan. Not even close to it. Plans of waiting for a few months, plans to establish a more stable foundation before even entertaining the idea had been all thrown out the window now.
With a weak push, Senku stands up for a second.
“S-sen! I don’t think you should be doing that- sit back down-“ Yui panics, holding him by his shoulders in case he toppled over.
Kneeling down was even harder but he eventually manages to get down on one knee, taking all of his strength. Though it did get easier to manage once he found his balance. Yui shakily takes her hands off him, stepping one foot back.
“Senku?” She calls out, voice audibly shaky.
His heart almost backflips out of his throat when he couldn’t feel the item on his pocket for a second, letting out a sigh of relief when he finally finds it. His hands were not only incredibly sweaty but trembling too.
Senku wishes he could be one of those people who manages to voice out a whole speech, vocalizing their feelings without any difficulty, but he just did not have it in him. “You already know right?” He lets out a weak laugh as if it’ll mask the fear he was feeling.
Before all of this, he couldn’t even ask Yui what her thoughts was on him leaving and now, he was asking her to stay with him forever.
He wills himself to stop shaking when he holds out the ring. The same ring he had found a day before leaving, the same ring he had painstakingly cleaned and took care of when he should’ve been writing reports.
Senku could see the other’s tears welling up in her bright eyes, he should apologize afterwards for all the heart attacks he’s been causing to the woman lately. But not until after this latest one.
“I’m sure this is sudden for you but I had plenty of time to think about it, way up there in space.” He smiles. “And it’s not exactly a space rock but…”
“I do hope you’ll say yes. Yui, will you marry me?”
Yui doesn’t let him entertain the idea that she’ll ever say no, quickly nodding her head. She whispers out a yes through her tears, crouching down at his level to wrap her arms around his neck.
Relief had washed over him, wrapping his own arms around the girl.
Unfortunately, gravity was still heavier than what he was used to. He quickly lost balance and the both of them end up on the floor. “Ugh, okay. I might actually need a doctor now. I think I hit my head.” He deadpans.
Yui lets out a laugh, smiling through her tears. “I can’t believe you. I’ll get mad if I find out they’ve actually replaced you with a different Senku…”
He can only huff in disbelief. “The ring is not on your finger yet. I could take it all back if I wanted to.”
She shakes her head. “No, no. I didn’t say anything.” She takes back her comment. “Give me!”
Yui waves her left hand in front of him, not minding the fact that they were still very much on the floor. Senku can only laugh at her, sliding the ring on her finger anyways and placing a tender kiss on her cheek. “Here woman, you better not lose it.”
No errors here. It had gone completely successful, and despite all the trouble he had to go through, Senku would’ve done it all the same. No elaborate plan or scheme would’ve beaten the euphoria he was feeling. He’ll gladly endure tomorrow’s back pain for laying on the floor if it meant holding his future wife for many more years to come.