The Science of Connection (Senku Ishigami x Reader)

The morning is crisp and clear, and you find yourself standing at the edge of the village, watching as Senku, Chrome, and Magma gather their supplies for the cave expedition. They're preparing to leave for the caves in search of tungsten, an essential element for the next phase of Senku's radio build.

Senku looks determined, his usual cool and collected demeanor in place, though there's a flicker of something softer in his gaze when he notices you standing there. He offers a brief nod, and for a split second, it feels like the air around you shifts, as though the moment carries more weight than either of you is willing to admit. You can feel your heart give an unexpected flutter, but you quickly shake it off, brushing it aside as just the weight of the situation. After all, they're heading into the caves, and they'll need all the focus they can get.

"Stay safe," you call out, your voice breaking the silence of the morning.

Senku glances back at you, his expression unreadable. "We'll be fine. You focus on what you're good at, and we'll do the same." He turns back toward the group, his confident stride barely faltering as Chrome and Magma follow suit.

The rest of the day is filled with movement and chatter as Gen gathers the village's best workers to help build the observatory. The task is monumental—nothing like anything they've done before—but it's all in the spirit of fulfilling a dream. A dream that Senku once had before the world turned to stone. He used to speak of the stars as if they were within his reach, and you can only imagine how much this would mean to him. The observatory is a way for the village to show him that they understand, even if the stars seem impossibly far away now.

The wind blows cold through the village, but the energy is high. Everyone is focused, building the framework with determination. The villagers are working with a sense of pride, knowing that this will be something meaningful—something that celebrates Senku's past.

You find yourself working alongside the others, lifting heavy beams, securing the structure with ropes, and guiding others into position. The task is tiring, but it's rewarding. The observatory is beginning to take shape, rising above the village like a beacon.

As you're helping secure the framework, Gen suddenly approaches, a gleam in his eye.

"You know (Y/N)-chan," he began, his voice quiet enought that only you can hear, "It would be a good idea if you made something more personal for him."

"What do you mean?" You blink, surprised.

"This observatory is a birthday present for Senku from me and the village." A sly grin playing on his lips. "I think you should make him something personal. A gift from you, something meaningful."

You're a little caught off guard. A personal gift? For Senku? The idea of giving him something that isn't related to his science feels... different. But Gen is right. He's done so much for the village already, and the observatory is a beautiful gesture, but it doesn't speak to the deeper connection you've started to feel for him. Maybe something small, something personal, would be the right choice.

"I'm sure you can come up with something," Gen says with a wink, and before you can protest or ask for more details, he's off to check on the workers, leaving you alone with your thoughts.

As the day moves on, you continue to help with the observatory's construction, but Gen's words keep turning over in your mind. What could you make for Senku? Something that would speak to his past, to the dreams he held before the world turned to stone. You want it to be something unique, something meaningful.

The answer comes to you as you look off to the horizon—the night sky, something Senku always spoke of. You recall the way he used to talk about stars and planets as if they were just waiting for him to reach out and touch them. What better way to honor that than with a pendant made from lapis lazuli, a stone that resembles the night sky, speckled with gold flecks like distant stars?