My Own Science (Dr Stone Senku x reader)

Relationships...Always with those

When Senku accepted your confession, he took a giant step into unknown territory. And he noticed the changes right away. But it was so...so weird!

This one time you were all having lunch together, you were sitting in front of him, everyone was having a good laugh and chatting, even Senku joined in on the joke sometimes.
And then, you both locked eye contact. It happens sometimes, but this time it lasted for five whole seconds! No one noticed because they were too busy eating or listening to one of Ryusui's monologue about money/women (it's always one of those). Then you smiled and looked away, casually continuing to eat.

But Senku was not being casual about it! He looked down and wondered about what just happened. Because something just happened there, which was weird considering *nothing* happened! But his guts were screaming the opposite.
For a man of science like him, suddenly experiencing things like these almost daily was really strange and out of his comfort zone.

It was like discovering a new element, but you can't experiment on it. Well, you could, if you were a fuckin psycho which he was not.
Fortunately he quickly found a way to deal with this relationship upgrade. In his science-loving brain, he rationalized everything.

You can't experiment on something like this, because it's not a thing, it's a change of state, a change of reaction (from platonic to romantic)! And what do you do then? You observe it!
But, even then it didn't really go anywhere, it's hard to stay objective and have an outside point of view when you are part of the test subjects. He began to write a journal, with entries about all the time he spent with you and it made him feel things, all the possible reason to trigger such emotions (though, most of the time, there were a bunch of question marks written), he even tried to link his emotional reactions to reasons outside of your relationship, psychology style. Again, didn't really go anywhere.

And of course because he couldn't have worst luck, you found that journal!
He came over to your house to chill after working all day at the building site, on his way home he realized he forgot his entries at your place. And he groaned, cursing to himself. He could see it from here: some big stupid misunderstanding will happen where you'll get mad and yell at him for 'playing with your heart' and it'll just be a big mess. He quickly turned around and walked back to your house with big steps, hoping you haven't read anything yet.

But, of course you did. You see a stack of papers written by Senku that you can understand, and with *your* name written all over it?! You bet you'll read all of it!

You flinched when he stormed back in and you both looked at each-other with big eyes. A moment passed and you decided to break the silence before it becomes awkward.

"You wrote a diary?"
"It's a journal!" he quickly said before sighed. "Look I know what you're thinking, and before you get all worked up and we argue for no good reas-."
"Dude, chill." you smiled. "I'm not mad at all."
He frowned, his eyes slightly narrowed. You seemed to be taking this well...maybe too well.
What was going on?! Were you planning something?! You knew something he didn't and he didn't like that!

Seeing that he was on his guards, you smiled and gestured towards the seat at the table, across from you.
"Senku, sit down."
"Why?"
"To talk."
"We talked right before I left."
"Yeah but this time it's to *talk* talk."
"Oh god no."
"Just sit down! Trust me."
Doubtful of your calm behavior, he slowly sat across from you. You smiled.

"I get that you have questions," you opened your arms. "go ahead and ask. I-I may not be an expert, but I know my fair share about relationships."
He blinked twice, processing what you just said. He held his chin, hesitating if he should even ask you about it.
"If you don't want to, that's okay." you said.
"...no it's fine."
Another moment passed, and eventually, he talked.

"I just don't get it. We're doing the exact same things we're doing when we were just friends. We hang out together, we work together. The only difference I see is that now I got used to your hugs."
He paused for a short second and glanced at you. You were patiently listening and nodding along. He continued.
"Then why does it all...feel, so different? I don't understand."

You took a second to think it over then said.
"Y'know, being a couple changes things."
"But how though?" he frowned, not accepting this as a valid answer.
"Uh..." you chuckled, thinking you really were not an expert on this, and shrugged. "I don't know, it's a couple thing, it's all about feelings."

"For example," he leaned closer. "that time at lunch when we looked at each-other for five whole seconds."
"Five seconds, really?" you mumbled.
"What was that all about?"
"Uh..."
"You smiled at the end, why?"
"I..."
You looked down. You figured that if the two of you were really having that kind of conversation, mind as well be completely honest. You blushed.
"I just reminded myself as to why I like you, I guess..." you played with a lock of your hair. "It was all subconscious of course, I didn't realize it in the moment."

You looked back at him, he was thinking really hard, but he seemed to have accepted that answer. You pursued your lips.
"I actually also have a question."
"Really?" he looked up at you. "What is it?"
You looked down.
"...Did you accept my confession because of Ryusui's?"
Senku thought for a moment.
"In a way yes." your eyes widen slightly. "It made me realize that..."

"That what?" you looked at him, this time he was avoiding your eyes. "That you like me?"
"Nah, I knew that for a while."
"Wha-wait! Since when?!"
"I don't know exactly when it started, but there was a moment when I realized it."
"...and when was that?"
"When I found your statue." he said, then realized something. "No it was not the reason why I revived you. The explanation I previously gave you is legit."
"Good." you nodded. "I would've been honestly mad otherwise. But then, what did you realize?"

"...you went through a lot of things. I guess I...felt," by the way he said that word, you could tell he wasn't using it often in this context. "as if you were...leaving?"
"Like, drifting away?"
He nodded slightly. You were baffled, both by his answer and by the fact that he actually answered with such honestly.

You wondered if he would've said yes even if Ryu didn't asked you out. But you didn't ask, you knew he wouldn't know and also because you were scared to know the answer.

"I think I understand." you said, nodding. "But Senku, you don't have to wrack your brains over it, maybe you'll get used to it like you did with hugs."
"But is that really okay with you?" he looked at you. "Aren't cute couple things your jam?"
"Of course, but I don't want you to force yourself." you smiled. "I know you put all your energy into that 'yes', I'll take it. I can't ask you for more, it's like that observatory for your birthday!" your expression softened. "Even now, you're opening up, we're communicating. I'm already so proud of you for that. I'm very grateful."

He blinked twice, at that moment he realized something.
Well shit, he really did like you.
Of course, he already knew that but, he never put that thought into words. And he didn't know he liked you that much until now.

"Well damn." he ran a hand through his hair, smiling. "Guess I just wasted all that energy and paper for nothing."
"I say, if it got us to have that conversation, then it was totally worth it!"
You smiled at each-other. You stood up.
"Come here." you opened your arms as you walked towards him.
He stood up and you both hugged.

"You're brilliant, you know that." he mumbled.
"Aww~. You're brilliant too." you smiled, squeezing him.

A moment passed, then you let go.
"What do we do with these now?" you pointed at the stack of papers.
"I'll just use them for fire. Throwing them away would truly be a waste of paper." he said as he picked it up. "Well, goodnight."
"'Night."
You watched as he walked towards the door.

"Wait Senku!"
He stopped in the doorway and turned back at you.
"U-um..." you hesitated, suddenly very nervous. "Like, when we said 'you're brilliant' to each-other, it became a thing now right? So like, when we say it now, does it...does it have another meaning? Because I know we're still not good at this stuff so I just want it to be clear and I don't know if you..."
Your voice died down. Senku just looked into your eyes, not saying anything. Yet you knew he just gave you an answer. Your face became red.
"Oh! Okay! Cool! Cool cool cool. Sweet, awesome." you smiled like an idiot.
He smiled and walked out.

That night, you both slept very well.