Constant Variable (Senku x Reader)

7: Where Two Million Years Have Gone

"Will you stop moving so much?" He grumbled and you froze with your blanket still grasped in your hands. "I can't sleep with all the rustling and shuffling sounds you're making."

You didn't reply straight away as you slowly let go of the blanket and laid as still as possible in your sleeping bag before uttering a quiet apology. "Sorry, it's just that I can't sleep and thought lying on my side instead of my back may help. I didn't mean to cause any disturbance."

Hearing the genuineness in your voice, Senku didn't have the heart to get mad at you. So, with a soft sigh, he said, "It's fine. I wasn't upset or anything. Just go to sleep."

You let out a small hum in agreement, snuggled deeper into your sleeping bag and before you knew it, you were off to dreamland. Maybe it was due to today's events finally catching up to you or it could because you finally felt assured knowing that Senku wasn't going anywhere anytime soon after nearly losing him today; whatever the reason was, it left you feeling relaxed enough to fall into a deep slumber.

When Senku heard nothing besides the occasional mumble from whatever dream you were having that night, he flipped onto his other side so that he was facing you. His face softened as red eyes traced your face, a small smile creeping onto his lips when your nose scrunched up slightly before relaxing again.

He watched your slumbering figure for a while more before his focus shifted to the new third party who was currently sleeping upright, her back leaning against the tree with her daggers held tightly in both hands as though she was ready to strike someone the moment she sensed anything unusual.

And Senku didn't doubt that fact one bit. Shifting again, he was now facing said person and with furrowed brows, he commented, "What are you, a new species of hominid that sleeps with a sword?"

Without even opening her eyes, Kohaku was quick to reply, proving the scientist's theory about how she wasn't fully asleep and rather was simply just resting while still being aware of her surroundings. "It's because you started talking about relationships."

Her eyes snapped open in the next second, narrowing into a distrustful glare as she turned to look at Senku. "I like the way you live, but I don't trust you yet. I take care of myself, and this habit is a result of that. Don't take it personally."

With his back facing her once more, the scientist responded. "I'm not enough of a hero to assault a lioness willy-nilly. Hurry up and get some sleep."

"Lioness?!" Kohaku let out an offended protest and jumped to her feet, no longer in her resting period as she went on an angry rant. "I have feelings, too, you know! You live like a gentleman, but your foul mouth is of another dimension. I think I might accidentally kill you someday."

However, Senku wasn't frightened by the threat, not one bit as he calmly replied with his eyes closed. "Then go to sleep before you cause any accidents. I don't want to get killed twice in the same day."

Kohaku blinked once, blue eyes glowing in the firelight as she observed the green-haired teen in silence for a moment before asking quietly. "You're fighting against that long-haired man, aren't you? I'll help you."

Senku opened his eyes and his gaze slid over to the blonde who went on before he could even utter a single reply. "I can't just back down, either."

"Yeah." He sat up with a small smile on his face, red eyes softening with understanding. "That's why I'm making a nation of science. First of all, I need manpower."

"So you want allies," Kohaku responded as she rose to her feet and let out a chuckle. "Then why don't you come with me?"

"You have more of your lion buddies, huh?" The scientist questioned with a smirk.