Hypothesis (Senku x Reader)

You

You carry a tray of snacks and a coffee mug up the stairs. Senku has been in his lab all day and you haven't seen him leave once. Softly knocking on the door, you hear a muffled reply that grants you entry.

Senku is at his desk, pouring over a swath of papers, mumbling to himself. Books are open all over the floor that you carefully have to step around. You notice the massive star chart on the far wall has thumbtacks strewn across it. You wonder what he could be deciphering. It seemed like Senku already knew all there was to know about the stars in the sky.

Senku looks your way in greeting before turning back to reference the chart. He scribbles notes on a sticky pad, pulling sheets off every now and then to stick them up. He chews his pencil, furrowing his brow and grumbling.

"Have you eaten today?" you ask, setting down the tray on the edge of his desk. Senku glances at the food, disinterested, but accepts the cup of coffee.

"I'm fine. I'm about to have a breakthrough on--" Senku is cut off by a loud gurgle from his stomach.

"You can't live off coffee," you say. "Take a break. Eat."

Senku groans as you push him away from his workspace. You sit him down at a less cluttered table, moving rulers and pens out of the way. Bringing the tray of snacks over, you find Senku pouting into his mug.

"Having trouble?" you ask.

"I just can't figure out what I'm missing. It doesn't make any sense and it's driving me crazy," sighs Senku, sinking down in his seat. Normally he would elaborate his grievances at nauseum, but he only sat and stared at his coffee. His stomach gurgled again.

"Food helps you think, did you know that?" you say, teasingly. Senku reluctantly eyes the tray of food before he begrudgingly starts eating. The two of you sit together silently, accompanied only by the low hum of the lab equipment and the crunching of chips. Senku glances at you for a moment.

"...Thank you," he says softly, looking away. Your cheeks turn pink. It always feels good when your lab partner praises your efforts. If you didn't look out for Senku he probably would have starved to death by now. He always had severe tunnel vision when it came to an exciting new discovery. You watch him as the gears keep turning in his head, his gaze far off from you. Suddenly, you see a spark in his eye, and he jolts upright.

"Shit. I'm missing a critical measurement. That's the problem," Senku leaps up from his seat and grabs his coat as he rushes out of the room.

"Senku?!" you call after him.

"I need to run into the city! I'll be back in a minute!"

"Wait! I'll come with you!"

"Grab my triangulator, will you?" he says as he runs down the stairs.

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In the city, Senku stops every block to take a measurement. You stand a pace away from him to keep others passing by out of his way. Senku loved people, but he certainly got grumpy if they were idling by while he was working. You watch him scribble numbers onto a notepad before continuing to the next block.

"It's nearby," he mumbles, looking up at the sky. Flipping through his notes, he lets out a delighted "aha!" and points across the street to a huge oak tree.

"The park?" you ask.

"That tree. Let's go," he says.

Crossing the street, you both enter the city's little park, walking through the grass to Senku's destination. A young couple is standing exactly on the spot he wants to reach, aggravating him. They are busy kissing and giggling under the branches of the tree. Senku leers at them.

"You think you could get them to leave?" he says to you in a low voice.

"You could politely ask them to move," you retort.

Senku scoffs, "They're too entraced by their pheromones. But..."

A wicked grin crawls across the scientist's face. He points to a squirrel flitting between the branches of the tree as he bends down to scoop up a handful of acorns from the grass. You know he is planning something devious.

He tosses an acorn at the squirrel. It clacks against the branches, getting lost among the leaves. The squirrel looks and chitters at Senku, mildly annoyed at losing an easy snack. Your friend tosses another acorn, this time into the open bag of the woman sitting beneath the tree. The squirrel leaps to retrieve it. The couple screams as the squirrel drops on them. In a panic, they quickly gather their things and run off, the squirrel squeaking after them. Senku laughs, kneeling to offer the upset animal the rest of his acorns. You gawk at him. Sometimes he could really be a menace.

You watch the couple run out of the park, slowing their pace as they reach the street. They're laughing together now, arms entwined. The sight of it makes your heart ache.

You and Senku have been lab partners--his words--for a while. You love being able to live with him and help him whenever he asks. You know he isn't interested in typical romance, but he does show his affection in different ways: the way he excitedly babbles on about a discovery he's made, whether you understand it or not; the way he makes sure you always have a tidy place to work, even if he doesn't; the way he pokes fun at you when you're worried over nothing.

Sometimes you do worry. You worry he doesn't want you around, not really. But he always notices when you get melancholy. He will gently pinch your cheek and bring you out of your slump by bluntly reminding you that he doesn't want to live with anyone else in his lab. If you're feeling particularly blue, he will embrace you snugly for a few minutes. That always helps.

Sometimes you wish he would hug you more. He always feels so far away when he's deeply invested in a project. He has allowed you to cuddle with him once or twice before, but that was a practical decision to keep warm when the heating unit broke. Wanting more from him made you feel sad and guilty. The both of you had discussed things like this before, but you never wanted to ask too much of Senku. It would feel like you were forcing him into it.

You tell yourself not to dwell on things he isn't. You allow yourself a pitiful sigh before clearing your head. He's your friend and you love him as he is. That's what's important.