~Time skip: 1 week~
Kyoya looked over towards his desk. Senku hadn't come to the company for over a week at that point. Was he disgusted with his confession? Did it really matter when things were clearly different now? He sighed heavily then leaned back in his chair. Senku was certainly strange, but this was a whole new level.
Senku never responded to texts. Sometimes he wouldn't even read them. Calls were either never answered or declined on the spot. Was he giving up on fake dating? He himself didn't really care, but he'd lose his warding charm.
"Sir, Akito is coming to visit in an hour. Should I go down to greet him?" asked Mei quietly.
"No. Keep him out. have everyone lock all doors and windows. I don't want that freak anywhere near me." replied Kyoya as he got up to secure his own doors and windows.
"Did he do something to you...?" she asked as she waited for an employee to pick up.
"Ishigami isn't here. I don't want to imagine what Akito will do." said Kyoya as he stared out at the view before him.
Time had passed quickly since they went to the riverbank. To him, it felt like yesterday he decided to side with Senku. He had engraved the moment Senku asked about his feelings deep into his mind. Just what in the world was Senku doing?
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Senku was snapped out of his daze by a loud thud. His robot had collided with the wall. Another crash sounded, causing him to look. His drone hit the ceiling and crashed to the floor. The scent of something burning filled his nostrils. He looked around and saw his notes had caught fire. He quickly moved them and put the fire out, wondering how things got this chaotic within the span of a few seconds of spacing out.
He powered everything down then slumped down in his chair. He kept himself holed away in the room, only leaving if he needed to replenish his stock or grab something from home. His mind had been foggy ever since their chess game. He couldn't make heads or tails of the feelings he got. Clearly he was uncomfortable, but it felt different.
His phone started to ring. It was Kyoya. Could he answer him? Every time he heard or saw his name, he'd become nervous and start to panic. He felt small, exposed even. Senku finally answered at the last minute.
"Thank god you answered. Where are you? Akito's going to be here any minute. I locked down my company because you aren't here." complained Kyoya as he paced around the room.
"Did you call... just to talk about you and your problems?" Senku asked, feeling a heavy negative weight.
"No. I want you to get your ass here. Wasn't it your grand idea to continue this charade to make him suffer?" Kyoya seethed, unbelieving that Senku was arguing with him at a time like this.
Senku moved the phone away from his ear. He hung up. Like brother like brother. He wondered if Kyoya knew how much he was like Akito. Senku turned his phone off then leaned back against the chair. The brief conversation they had surprisingly made him feel drained. He closed his eyes and exhaled lightly. A nap sounded good.
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Senku opened his eyes and found the room dark. How long did he sleep for? He didn't want to know. The time might send him into shock. He cracked his neck and back as they felt a bit stiff. Sleeping in a chair definitely wasn't a good call. He turned on the lights and noticed the room was messier than usual. Was it the mess left from earlier? Senku started to clean up, wondering when he cared about whether it was messy or tidy.
He placed the box on the shelf then looked around the room. He was able to see the island in the room now. It amazed him how much room there actually was now that everything wasn't strewn about. His mind drifted back to Kyoya who sounded stressed over the phone. Should he have gone? He admitted to saying he wanted Akito to suffer, but he was going to do it at his own pace. He was the one who should be controlling Kyoya, not the other way around. Though, it didn't matter at this point. He wanted to stay as far away from Kyoya as possible.
The island and floor were completely clear of tubes, parts, beakers, nuts, everything. It was time he faced reality a bit and actually get a full time job, especially if he wanted to keep away. Experimenting would have to be label a hobby when that time came.
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Senku locked the door for the night and wondered if he should sleep or stay up and watch something. He froze at the sound of footsteps. They weren't his. He ducked into one of rooms and found it to actually be a closet. The footsteps came closer then became faint as they walked further down. He looked around for anything he could use as a weapon.
He no longer heard footsteps. Did they leave or go into a room? He was about to move with his weapon in hand when a voice spoke.
"He's probably home..." the voice muttered.
The footsteps rang in his ears once more, growing louder as they approached. Senku swung the door open, not realizing Kyoya was in its path.
"What the hell..." Kyoya groaned.
"Kyoya..." Senku whispered, poking his head out from behind the door.
"You're here. In a room." commented Kyoya as he rubbed his nose.
"Closet actually." Senku corrected. "Why did you come here?"
Kyoya looked at him in silence. Did he want him to guess? Or was he thinking of a way to phrase in a rude way?
"I was worried about you." said Kyoya quietly. "You didn't sound like you."
"I'm perfectly fine. I'll stop by once in a while. Just need some time to work on my experiments." lied Senku as the door prevented Kyoya from seeing his shaky legs.
"Well, if you say so." he said as he stood up. "But, I'm not leaving yet. Not until you tell me how you've been doing and eat. Have you eaten?" Kyoya asked as he approached Senku.
Senku promptly hid himself in the closet. Kyoya would tease him endlessly about his current state. They both pulled on the door, Kyoya wanting to know why he hid himself. The door flew open, taking Senku with it and into Kyoya's arms.
"You're trembling like a leaf... Are you cold?" asked Kyoya worriedly as he pressed Senku to his chest. "Let's get you home. You have a heater right?"
Senku blinked rapidly at the sudden changes in his body and Kyoya's attitude. Both were equally confusing. He let Kyoya carry him, his mind completely focused on the feelings inside of him. It couldn't be that. But it could be. How could he be sure they weren't? How could he be sure they they were? He hated not knowing and the last thing he wanted was for Kyoya to find out.
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Senku hungrily ate then felt embarrassed at his etiquette compared to Kyoya. Kyoya met his gaze then smiled. Senku briefly choked on his food. He was going to die at this rate.
"You've been so quiet. It's a miracle." said Kyoya sarcastically.
"Yeah." Senku muttered as he took the last bite.
"What happened while we were apart? You look better than before now..." muttered Kyoya, leaning over to pinch his cheek.
"Stop that." hissed Senku.
"Why? Is my sweetheart getting embarrassed?" joked Kyoya.
"Yes..." Senku muttered unintentionally.
Kyoya blinked at his response. Did he hear correctly? They didn't need to pretend at the moment, yet here he sat as if they had to.
"Senku... I was just joking around. We only have to pretend around Akito." said Kyoya quietly.
"Huh? What are you talking about?" asked Senku in confusion.
"You just... my joke..." Kyoya stammered, unsure of how to proceed with it.
"Weirdo..." Senku sneered. "Oh, when will Akito swing by again? I have a great plan for pissing him off."
Kyoya weakly smiled as Senku seemed to have gotta his pep back. Food always seems to be the cure all for mood swings. He couldn't help but wonder if Senku was really okay.
