The Science of Connection (Senku Ishigami x Reader)

The warm aroma of freeze-dried noodles filled the air, mingling with the crisp bite of winter. The Kingdom of Science gathered around the fire, bowls in hand, relishing their latest scientific achievement. This breakthrough—instant ramen—meant survival for the upcoming war: a portable food source to sustain them against Tsukasa's Empire.

Senku, seated at the head of the group, slurped his noodles at lightning speed. "Not bad for the first instant ramen in thousands of years, huh?" he said, smirking

Laughter rippled through the group, but it was cut short when Kinro, ever the vigilant guard, set his bowl down with a serious expression.

"Are you positive these friends of yours are actually safe?" Kaseki's gravelly voice cut through the warmth of the gathering.

"They've been embedded in the enemy's army the whole time. Sounds dangerous to me," Kinro added, his golden eyes narrowing.

Gen, lounging nearby, twirled his chopsticks absently. "I've met them a couple of times, sure, but I wouldn't go so far as to vouch for them..." His voice remained playful, but a thread of unease laced his words.

You exchanged a glance with Senku. Of everyone here, only the two of you truly understood Toji and Yuzuriha. You knew them before the world had turned to stone, and you had witnessed their loyalty firsthand

Taking a steadying breath, you spoke. "They haven't changed. They've been risking their lives for us the entire time."

"Relax. I don't have one millimeter of worry. They're fine, I'm sure." Senku looked toward the horizon, his expression confident. "There's no way Taiju and Yuzuriha would let themselves croak that easily."

Magma grumbled, "Still doesn't mean I trust 'em completely."

Senku shrugged. "You don't have to. You just have to trust me."

A tense silence followed, until Ginro abruptly leaned forward. "Wait, wait, wait! If they're close friends of Senku and (Y/N), that means they must be super smart too, right? Like, crazy science geniuses! Oh man, I bet they already have a bunch of awesome inventions planned—"

You couldn't hold back a laugh. "Pfft—Ginro, no, that's not—

Next to you, Senku choked mid-slurp, coughing violently. Chrome immediately pounded him on the back, while you struggled to contain your giggles.

Ginro blinked, bewildered. "Uh... what?"

Senku, finally recovering, exhaled sharply and shook his head. "Genius scientists? Heh. Not even close." He set his bowl down, turning to face the group. "Toji and Yuzuriha aren't scientists. They don't know the first thing about chemistry, physics, or mechanics."

Ginro's face fell. "Wait... what?"

"They don't need to be," Senku continued, his tone softening. "Because what they do know is survival. Adaptation. Helping others."

The fire crackled as Senku leaned back, gazing at the sky. "Before the petrification, Toji was an athlete—physically strong, sharp instincts, the kind of guy who never stayed down for long. Yuzuriha, on the other hand, was an artist—patient, skilled with her hands, crafting and sewing with incredible precision."

"So..." Chrome scratched his chin, leaning in. "What about you two?"

You froze. "Huh?"

Chrome grinned. "What were you and Senku like before the petrification? You knew each other, right?"

You tensed, fumbling for an answer. "Oh, um—"

Senku, of course, had no such hesitation. "(Y/N) was conducting a behavior study on red pandas," he said, a sly grin playing on his lips. "She wanted to understand their social structures, interactions, and how they adapted to human presence."