Chapter Text
Senku was at the newly restored NASA. His excitement wasn't great. The whole time travel moment. Byakuya was nothing but bones.
So.
He and Xenos were laughing stocks for the time travel tries. But Xenos still wanted to come to their event. Senku didn't get it. He almost didn’t come, but that seemed like giving into their bullying. He had enough of bullies.
Then? He saw someone he hadn't really thought about in years. “Friday noodles.”
She hadn’t seen him, until he said that. “Senkuu?”
Luna Wright. All good in the world again. Except that two familiar faces were still following her. He had noticed them at Taiju's wedding. He was busier focused on other things, but now it was right in front of him. And this time, he didn’t have exciting things to focus on. So.
She noticed his disapproving looks. “Apologies,” she said. “Lesser of two evils.”
“What do you mean, Miss Luna?” Carlos said.
“I didn’t know you would be here,” she said to Senkuu. “I guess I should have figured you would be involved in NASA.”
Maybe. Maybe not. “A little Déjà vu for you, isn’t it?” It was a similar event like this where she had been petrified.
“I was invited,” she said. “Doctor Xenos wanted to see me.”
Xenos wanted to see her? For what? Huh. “So, did you evolve?”
She smirked. “I evolved slightly? I am not where I once was anymore, but I still haven't found the one.”
“Funny. I think I am evolving too.”
“You don't look as cheery as you usually were. What's wrong?”
“Huh? Oh. The noodles suck here.” Luna was smarter than a lot of people knew. “Turned out my greatest next thing to get excited about? Did not pan out.”
“Oh. The time machine. For sure, Senkuu?”
“Ten billion percent sure,” someone from NASA laughed toward him.
“That was hella rude,” Senkuu called him out. “Didn't someone teach you to have manners?”
“Didn't someone teach you that time travel was impossible?” He said right back.
“At least we tried. We took mankind to it's highest chance.” Senkuu wouldn’t deny it.
“More like its greatest downfall.”
“I am so sorry.” Luna shook the man's hand. “What part did you play in bringing everyone back again from Stone World?”
“I helped here.”
“Yes, but, what did you contribute? Where are you in your accomplishments to the Stone World? Were you on the maiden voyage of the Perseus? Were you part of the Kingdom of Sciences personal village?”
Heh. That shut him up. He even walked off.
“You see everything to its fullest, no matter how small the matter, Senkuu,” she responded. “Lending me Kohaku really helped back then.”
It was a coward’s move, but Senkuu could tell she needed help, and he wasn’t gonna be enough. So, yeah, he had Kohaku stay. She was even supposed to show her more fighting techniques. “Kohaku’s useful in fighting.”
“Oh. Is she here tonight?” Luna asked.
“I don’t think so.” Kohaku. She was always beside him, since Ishigami village. “She’s still involved in the Kingdom of Science but parties like these aren’t her bag.” They weren’t even his. He was there because he wasn’t going to let others think he couldn’t handle his own failure.
“Miss Luna Wright?” Xenos came straight over and shook her hand. “I am thrilled that you and your family could come.”
Thrilled? Why was he so thrilled?
“Thank you for the invitation. I was just catching up with my . . . Senkuu.” She caught herself.
Heh. “Habits die hard.” She called him boyfriend more than anything else back then.
Back then, he wasn't against romance, he just had no time for it. His mind flowed obsessively through the steps to free humanity. Being stuck as the boyfriend just because she saved his life didn’t help. It was more of a political thing, the reason he even bothered for so long.
He watched her leave and speak to someone else she recognized.
"I thought you said you were not coming tonight?” Xenos pointed out.
“Well? I thought about it and decided I would.” He wouldn't let the asses get him down. Maybe he did not get time travel, but he did get the Stone World unpetrified. That counted for something.
“Fine.” Xenos was fixing his sleeves.
“Why are you interested in Luna?” There was no reason he should have spoke with that much regard to her.
“Because. She is an elegant answer to what I need,” Xenos answered back.
Need? “What do you need from Luna Wright?”
“I am still a man, Senkuu. Besides science, there is one thing man is for.” He was fixing his hair. “Sorry. I am stealing your old fake girlfriend.”
What? “What do you mean?”
“She's pretty. She became a decent medical specialist. Those are just bonuses, her family has multiple geniuses in it. Her grandfather is not even the most exceptional in her line. Children with her will keep a family lineage smart as a whip. All in all, an elegant choice.” Xenos stared at her. “Quite elegant.”
He was gonna what? “She won't go for you.”
“On the contrary, she likes bright science men,” he answered. “We aren’t petrified in stone anymore, Senku. Time is moving. If I start now, I could probably have at least a few children with her taking over for me in my future. Descendants are important, especially with everyone that was lost. The biggest and brightest to move us on, will come from future sons and daughters.”
That irked Senkuu. It shouldn't. She could choose what she wanted. She wasn’t into physical stuff though. At least? She did say she evolved. How did she evolve? Was she okay with that now? Did it scare her, or disgust her back then? “You don't get Friday noodles.” It popped out. He had no idea what that meant. “I don't know why I said that.”
“When a scientist has a massive problem, that problem becomes their world. When that major problem ends, then a scientist comes back down to the level of man. I know, I have been through both boats more than once in my lifetime.”
Mmmm. “I don't like it.”
“Being a part of man is also a part of science.”
That wasn’t what he meant. He watched Xenos start to head off. He headed in the opposite direction of Luna though. Senkuu watched him shake . . . “Her grandfather’s hand.” Of course he wasn’t going to ask her straight on, he was going to use stupid connections.
Hmph. “No use standing here.” If Xenos wasn’t meeting her head on, he’d take the opportunity to warn her.
“Friday noodles.” Why’d he do that again? He was supposed to say Luna.
Luna smiled at him. “Hi again, Senkuu.”
“Listen,” he said seriously. “Xenos is bad news, through and through.” He shook his head. “Don’t get involved with him.”
“Involved with him?”
“He’s going off to talk to your family line. They are probably going to try and convince you to give him a chance. He doesn’t have your best interests in mind,” he tried.
“I don’t understand, Senkuu?” She didn’t get it at all.
“He sees the math, not you,” Senkuu warned her. “Your family is full of geniuses. That kind of thing is rare. He wants to use his connection to you, just for his future science children.” He expected something for a reaction.
He wasn’t expecting that.
“Dr. Xenos is interested in having a baby with me?” She fidgeted her fingers. “Uh. That’s good maybe?”
“What do you mean that’s good maybe?” In what world was him using her like that considered good?
“He’s really brilliant,” she pointed out.
“The brilliant cool man is your type is not a good enough reason.” He glanced toward Carlos and Max too. “You are surrounding yourself with the wrong people.” She may have earned her medical academics now, but if she was still toting everything? Kohaku should have beat them up. She had asked. He didn’t want to mess with the problem anymore. Clearly, he should have.
“Usually you don’t get excited like this except with science, Senkuu. I know how Xenos was in Corn City. I also know how he was when he joined us.”
“When the world got lost in the shuffle, he asked his medical student he controlled to do what?” Senkuu almost glared at her. She was not this stupid.
She tightened her fingers around her purse. “Do you remember how you told that you being my boyfriend wasn’t going to last forever? That people evolved? I already warned you that I knew that too, because I might want kids one day.”
Oh. That’s right. “Is that how you evolved?”
“Well.” She was starting to blush. “Not just that. Um. I got over some of my fears . . . using Carlos.”
What? “You. Did. What.”
“Not like, major. I don’t know if I want major. With him. At least. I’ve gotten better at basic intimacy. Hugging. Kissing. More intimate touches. He lets me practice with him.”
He glanced back toward Carlos. So that’s why he was still around? Practice. “Scientifically, it makes sense. You are trying to get over a fear, and someone is willing to help you get past it.” On the other hand, it was that scumbag! Why?
“He understands. I told him finally that it wasn’t his fault for the rejection, it’s just that I didn’t like intimate things so much,” Luna said. “I don’t know if I’m good enough for any of . . . of what Xenos might want though.”
No. She wasn’t.
“I don’t know.” She squeezed her purse harder. “I was already digging into how the invitro programs were going.”
“Much better idea.” He could back that up. “You’d be great as a mom, but you would suck with Xenos.”
“But?” She rubbed her ear lightly, her double colored hair falling against them a little as she took her hand back away. “I don’t know if I could complete a . . . a loop with him.”
Right. Her weakness. She was working through things with Carlos (worst idea ever), but yeah. Xenos referred to her being pretty. “Highly doubt he’s wanting in vitro either. It’s good you’ve been working on your erotophobia, but your genophobia is still keeping you tied.” Yep, he saw her really curl up. “We are talking your future with Xenos, we are naming it. Am I right on the names, or am I wrong, Luna?” He could accept that he was wrong too, but they needed to start somewhere. She wasn’t going to make a disasterous decision because she was avoiding language.”
“Nothing ever happened to me, it was . . .”
Yeah. “I don’t need details to understand the science behind your cognitive behavior, Luna. You already know where it comes from. You are working on it.” With the world’s worst partner. “With Carlos.” Why was Max around then? Nope, not the focus. “Taking on Xenos. He’s. A great scientist. Not a great person. Your kids might not grow up so kind with him around, and he will stay around. Even if you two don’t work out, I guarantee he’ll be there.”
“He’d be there though. They’d have a father that was interactive in their lives.” That didn’t dissuade her at all.
“Miss Luna?” Carlos came over. “Are you still speaking? Your grandfather wants to see you.”
Sure, of course he did. For Xenos to introduce everything, which she still wasn’t-
///“The one thing that kept me alive through all those thousands of years, was the thought of not being single.”///
Her thought. Her repeating thought. The thing that made her make him a boyfriend for saving his life. “What’s Max for?” It popped out.
She didn’t answer right away. “I don’t do anything yet. As I get better. I will . . .”
Her genophobia, she planned on working through it with Max. Yeah, of course, why else would he be sticking around watching Carlos make out with Luna if he wasn’t promised something too?
“You already figured that out, Senkuu,” she noticed. “I better go see what grandfather wants.”
Senku watched her walk away. She was going to pick Xenos. Who wouldn't? He was going to be there in her kids lives. Xenos never had any interest before. The aging thing he mentioned. Xenos was in his late 30's now. Teaching a kid while they were growing, majority being in the first fifteen years or so. 45. He wanted more than one, pregnancy took away almost a year, too young to learn at 1 or 2.
50's. Xenos’ future scientists would come mostly around when he was in his 50's.
Thats if everything worked like a charm. The human body wasn't a clock that just said success, had children. If there were complications, it might drain another 5-10 years. In that case, he might be in his 60s first.
He was also using a more direct access.
If Senkuu actually wanted children? He would have to learn romance that he was terrible at. Select someone compatible. Know chances were low he would do everything perfectly. Keep trying. Get better at dating and his skills.
If he assumed he was more average, he could get someone in 5-10 years to marry. Try 10 for average. Baby decision was usually not right away, maybe 2-3 years in a marriage or so.
So maybe around 33 or so for the average. For someone who didn't know romance, he would need to add a heavier handicap. Maybe 5-10 slowdown. So 40-45ish. Then waiting to get pregnant, hard or easy. Maybe 3. 43. A good 15 years.57ish. 47ish if he was lucky.
The timing wasn't too bad, if he wanted that sort of thing. Someone to raise and teach science. Like Byakuya had done with him. Byakuya. Who was long gone. No more lessons. No more Ishigami’s, just him.
He looked over toward everyone there. A lot of people were brought back. Yuzuriha’s family. Taiju’s family. They were there to see their wedding.
No worries. No one would be there for his weddings. Any celebrations. No one was there for going up in the rocket. When he unpetrified the rest of humanity. Anything really. He was the last Ishigami. “I don't want that, but romance is ridiculously hard.” While he pursued, it would also interrupt his own scientific pursuits, slowing it down.
Yeah, he had to keep going. That would put a dent in the time that he actually pursued too. He didn't think about that.
Shoot. Most women were not going to like how much he liked science either. Even strangers at first thought he was too intense. The village had a lot of problems with him. Without Chrome, getting the village would have been impossible.
That would probably lower chances even more. Yeah, the factoring was getting worse.
Meanwhile? Friday noodles never had a problem, he was the - “great boyfriend. Wonderful boyfriend. Best boyfriend. Perfect boyfriend.”
A bit of an evil smirk probably appeared on his face. “I am going to keep her safe from Xenos, and cheat myself to another Ishigami much faster.”
This was it. He could feel it.
His answer was Luna Wright.
Oh, that was . . . tough! Senkuu never made things tough like that at all. He was always the safe guy just talking to her and eating noodles. This time? He knew her problem and named it out loud. He was giving her a lot more of his time to discuss things. Instead of science, she and Xenos was his absolute focus.
Halfway through she already knew she’d been blushing but it just grew heavier. They didn’t dance around with words and innuendos, she said the things she was actually doing. She wasn’t planning on any of that tonight, nor was she planning on this thing with Xenos.
He’d be a good father who would teach his kids. Senkuu thought that was bad, but that was good. If things didn’t work out between them, then they would still have a father that cared about them and stayed in their lives. That was something that she wasn’t going to get from in vitro. It would be just her. Which she was fine with, but what a better opportunity for them.
But Senkuu was coming out of his shell because of Xenos. He was that against it. Senkuu was a bright and clever man. Xenos wasn’t the kindest soul alive, but he also wasn’t the worst. He did have her work for him in Corn City, but he also used his brilliance to make the world sustainable before Senkuu appeared.
She smiled as she arrived, taking a seat next to her grandfather. Xenos was not seated yet, but he was coming over.
“Hey.” Senkuu appeared and took the empty seat next to her.
Oh. Damn. She was blushing again, she knew it. She squeezed her bag again. He wasn’t going to make this decision easy, he was going to make it as hard as possible. It didn’t help that he had always been the most wonderful boyfriend on Fridays with noodles.
“I was going to sit there, Senkuu,” Doctor Xenos said.
“I guess I got here first,” Senkuu said back to him.
“Surely.” Doctor Xenos politely sat on the other side of her grandfather. “I don’t think it matters much when you got here.”
“I’ve gotta believe it does,” Senkuu said back to him.
Her poor purse. If it was alive, it would be dead by now.
“Hello Luna,” her grandfather said to her. “I was talking to Doctor Xenos not long ago. I believe he has a proposal that makes some sense. I know you’ve been thinking about things around the same line as him.”
Ridiculous. Damn it. He should just let this happen with Luna. He wasn’t involved. It wasn’t his problem. He warned her, but everything Xenos wanted with her, was going to be reciprocated. Except one important thing.
Something that had been frying it’s way into his skull. As of yet, he didn’t say anything. He was stangely in an emotional sort of failure state still. Not the best state to be in, with decisions like these. But. He would win.
He’d be judged like hella crazy by everyone. He didn’t know how the Kingdom of Science would take it. It wasn’t the first time he did something that they really didn’t understand.
It did come down to science though. He never thought things with Luna, would come to simple science. Even simple science though, could change lives forever. It wasn’t a light decision. It didn’t guarantee any happy ending. But, it did . . . it would affect him greatly.
Luna had been a quick detour on Friday night for noodles. She was the weird woman who was using him as her shield, while acting with others like he was her boyfriend because she saved his life. She was useful for political gain. That was the extent.
Then the first time she tried to convey things. She didn’t give everything away, but he got the point. She wanted someone safe she could have a romance with, but didn’t demand other things.
He was the perfect fit for her. He was the perfect boyfriend.
Now. No one was saving his life. He already gave his warning, he could wash his hands of the whole thing. Xenos definitely didn’t appreciate him there, and after what he was going to bring to the table, they definitely would not be working on any more tasks together.
It was ten billion percent ridiculous. But. Mankind did evolve. He wasn’t fifteen in school anymore, waiting to see if Taiju would tell Yuzuriha his feelings. In fact, he was probably closer to the age of Doctor Xenos, when he had been petrified now.
Right. Science itself was ridiculous. He was ready for this.
You know? At least Dr. Xenos went through her grandfather politely, and at least he wasn’t actually acting like he simply fell in love. He was laying it all out in the same way. He wished to spend his days with someone wonderful. He wanted children. He would teach his children everything he knew about science.
It all looked good on the surface. If it was just that, Luna would ten billion percent say yes. She wanted kids. Xenos would stay in their lives as a good father. But, there was more than that to it and Luna wasn’t going to say it.
Which would give him the win. “I have another proposal,” Senkuu said as he raised his hand. “I’d like to address with you, Miss Luna Wright, another idea.” He stood up. “You can have in vitro with me.”
What?
“What are you doing, Senkuu?” Dr. Xenos warned him.
“You don’t have to worry about completing any loops with me. No stress,” he said again. “You can let science handle that part, and I’ll stick around in their lives to make sure they become good people of the Kingdom of Science.”
What? Did her ears just hear that? Giving her some extra time to warn about Xenos, she completely could see that. It was weird, getting his undivided attention, but she could see why it was important enough to him before. But this? This?!
“Get excited. You just landed yourself a boyfriend again,” Senkuu said.
This was. What was this? This kind of decision took time to make, what was he even doing, declaring it out like that? Because he was Senkuu. Because it’s the way he did things. Well, this wasn’t a light topic. She stood up. “I am ten billion percent sure you can shove that where the sun doesn’t shine, Senkuu.” She bowed and walked away.
Okay. Well, he did just have Friday noodles with her, he wasn’t a mind reader.
“I believe that was a pretty firm answer,” Xenos said. “Some things you don’t quite declare as loudly in that way.”
Right. Too showy to her. He followed her, but found himself being stopped by of all people? Max. “Let me through.”
“Nuh uh. I heard that crap,” Max said to him. “You can go cool off your heels, Miss Luna doesn’t need any of that.”
Senkuu moved away. It was obvious she would head for a more out of the way location. He just had to reason where the most out of the way locations were. There weren’t many. If he had embarrassed her enough and she didn’t plan on coming back?
He headed toward the entrance and saw her. “Luna.” She didn’t want to look back, so he moved faster to her. “Luna Wright, give me a chance to explain things better.”
“I’m not a science project, Senkuu,” she declared. “This isn’t a competition with Dr. Xenos. This is my life, and my future. You need to take whatever that declaration had been, and be serious.”
“I always start big endeavors that way,” he said. “This isn’t small, it is a giant endeavour.”
“That you were thinking about for how long?”
Damn. “About fifteen minutes.” She was starting to leave again. “It’s a better option, Luna. I don’t go back on things.”
“I don’t get it,” she said. “Why have you . . . even cared that much? I get that you were scared that Dr. Xenos would trick me in some way, but we’ve already had a discussion about it. So why are you doing this?”
Why. “Byakuya was bones. He was the man that raised me, I lost my parents. If time travel worked, then there was no chance that would be the case. He’s gone. Everything we restored here, is all that will ever be.” It wasn’t an answer. But in a way. “I learned from him.”
She visibly softened. “Oh.”
Not only that. “Mankind evolves.” Senkuu knew he had been stuck in a science loop for too long. He never moved out of that loop for anything else. Maybe it was a form of cheating Xenos, what he was doing now. Luna really was perfect for practice, but he didn’t want to say it that way. It wasn’t just relationships either, he’d always been more isolated from how he treated others. Science brought him into the fold of mankind. Otherwise. “I still don’t think I’m gonna be perfect boyfriend material. I haven’t evolved that much.”
“I’ve seen evolution so far,” she said. “I’m? I’m not, not considering it anymore.” She gave into that much. “But this isn’t something to be decided in fifteen minutes, Senkuu.”
It was a start. If he could get a yes from her, get this done, get closer to her. Maybe he could finally knock Carlos and Max away. Maybe? Maybe he’d even take their place. Maybe. Did he want to take their place? Did he want to just start the next future scientists?
It was hard to say. But one thing was sure.
Evolution.