Chapter Text
The snow began to fall over Tokyo one December morning, soft and silent, as if the sky were coming undone in small white flakes that melted upon touching the asphalt. It wasn't an intense snowfall yet—barely a thin layer over the rooftops and the cars—but the air smelled of cold, of dampness, of that moment just before winter turned relentless.
Ryusui was standing in front of the glass panels of the penthouse, a cup of coffee in his hand and his hair loose over his shoulders. He watched the snow with an expression somewhere between nostalgic and calculating.
"My sailor's instincts tell me this is going to get worse," he said, without turning around. "Soon, leaving the house will be difficult. The streets will ice over. The port will close. And we'll be trapped in here."
"That's logical," Senku replied from the sofa, with his orbital mechanics book. "Snow reduces asphalt friction and increases the probability of accidents. Staying home is the most efficient option."
"Exactly. So today we're going out."
Senku looked up from his book.
"You just said going out is dangerous."
"I said soon it will be dangerous. Not today. Today it's only snowing a little. It's the perfect moment for one last date before the isolation."
"A date?"
"The aquarium." Ryusui turned toward him with a smile. "There's a small aquarium near the port, specialized in deep-sea creatures. Abyssal fish, bioluminescent jellyfish, giant squid. Things you like."
"Giant squid don't exist in captivity. They're too big."
"There's a real giant squid. Well, a replica. But it's very realistic."
Senku closed the book.
"And why the aquarium?"
"Because it's dark. And because there are fish. And because I want to watch you explain things while you look at jellyfish. I like seeing you like that."
"That's an emotional reason, not a logistical one."
"It's a reason."
"Fine. But on one condition."
"Which is?"
"This time I choose my own clothes."
"Deal." Ryusui snapped his fingers. "Ha, ha. But I'll help you. I want to dress you. It's my favorite hobby now."
"Your favorite hobby is sailing."
"It was. Now it's dressing you. Hobbies evolve."
They went up to the closet. Senku headed to his section—three and a half drawers, one shelf, part of the hanging rail—and picked up the dark blue coat, the red scarf, and the black gloves. Ryusui, leaning against the doorframe, watched him with a smile.
"The gray sweater," he said.
"What?"
"Wear the gray sweater. It goes with the coat. And the new winter trousers. And the boots."
"They're just clothes."
"They're your clothes. And they look good on you. And I want to see you handsome."
"I'm not handsome. I'm functional."
"You're handsome and functional. Put on the gray sweater."
Senku snorted, but he put on the gray sweater. When he looked at himself in the mirror, he had to admit—only to himself—that Ryusui was right. The sweater looked good on him. The coat looked good on him. The red scarf gave him a touch of color that contrasted with his white hair. He looked... presentable.
"You look gorgeous," Ryusui said, appearing behind him in the mirror.
"Don't say gorgeous."
"You look presentable."
"That's better."
"You look presentably gorgeous."
"That's not a word."
"It is now. I just invented it."
They left the penthouse in the SUV, because the snow was beginning to settle on the streets. Ryusui drove in his usual disguise—cap, sunglasses, mask, and now an extra scarf because the cold was intense—. Senku was at his side, in his new coat and his hands in his pockets.
---
The aquarium was a low, elongated building, attached to the port, with walls painted dark blue and a sign that read "Creatures of the Deep." It wasn't a tourist aquarium. There were no lines, no children running around, no garish souvenir shops. It was a quiet place, almost secret, lit only by the bluish light of the tanks.
"This place is perfect," Ryusui said, taking off his cap and mask as they entered. "There's no one here. I don't need a disguise."
"Are you sure?" Senku asked, looking around.
"Sure. It's a deep-sea aquarium on a Thursday morning. Who's going to come?"
"Weird people. Like us."
"Exactly. We're the only ones."
They walked into the first hallway. The tanks lined both sides, lit with dim lights that imitated the ocean depths. Inside, strange creatures floated in the water: transparent fish, jellyfish that glowed with a ghostly light, blind crustaceans that moved slowly along the bottom.
Senku pressed himself against the first tank like a child at a shop window.
"This is incredible," he said, his eyes shining. "Look at that jellyfish. It's an Aequorea victoria. It produces a protein called GFP that's used in biotechnology to mark genes. Thanks to this jellyfish, we can see living cells in real time."
"It's beautiful," Ryusui said.
"It's a revolutionary scientific tool."
"It's beautiful and it's a revolutionary scientific tool."
"I suppose."
They continued through the dark hallways. Senku explained each species with an enthusiasm he didn't try to hide: the vampire squid, the hatchetfish, the abyssal anglerfish with its glowing lure. Ryusui listened, asked questions, smiled. From time to time, he stole a kiss in the dim light.
"There aren't many people," Senku said, after the third kiss.
"There's no one. It's perfect."
"You're an opportunist."
"I'm a romantic. It's different."
"It's the same thing."
"No. An opportunist takes advantage of circumstances. A romantic creates the circumstances. I chose this aquarium because I knew it would be dark and empty."
"So you planned it."
"Yes."
"That's being a premeditated opportunist."
"It's being a strategist. Which is what I am."
They reached a large room dominated by an enormous tank. Inside, a giant squid—a replica, as Ryusui had said, but incredibly realistic—floated in the center, its tentacles extended like the arms of an ancient god.
Senku stood still in front of the glass.
"It's impressive," he said.
"It is."
"Giant squid can measure up to thirteen meters. They live in the depths, where the pressure is crushing and light doesn't reach. They're almost impossible to observe in their natural habitat. It's one of the most mysterious creatures on the planet."
"Like you."
"I'm not a squid."
"No. But you're fascinating. And a little mysterious. And I like you."
"You're a damn romantic."
"Yes. And you love me."
It was in that room, in front of the giant squid, that it happened.
Ryusui had taken off his sunglasses when they entered, but in that particular room there was no one else—or so they believed—. He leaned toward Senku and kissed him. It wasn't a quick stolen kiss like the previous ones. It was a long kiss, soft, with Ryusui's fingers tangled in Senku's red scarf. The blue light of the tank illuminated their faces. The giant squid floated behind them like a silent witness.
And somewhere in the room, someone raised a phone and took a photo.
They didn't know. They didn't hear the click. They didn't see the flash. The person who took the photo disappeared as quickly as they had arrived, and when Senku and Ryusui left the room, the aquarium was still as empty as before.
---
"I want a plushie," Ryusui said, stopping in front of the souvenir shop.
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because you're twenty-two. Plushies are for kids."
"Plushies are for everyone. Look at that shark." He pointed to an enormous shark plushie, almost a meter long, with a smile of plush teeth and bright eyes. "It's perfect. I want to buy it."
"It won't fit at home."
"It'll fit. I'll make room for it."
"You don't need a meter-long shark."
"It's not need. It's desire. And when I desire something, I get it." Ryusui snapped his fingers. "Ha, ha. I want the shark."
"No."
"Senku."
"No."
"Senku, look at its eyes. It's looking at you. It's telling you 'take me home.' Are you going to deny this shark a home?"
"It's not a real shark. It's a plushie."
"Plushies have feelings too."
"No, they don't. They're made of polyester."
"You're heartless."
"I'm realistic."
They haggled for five minutes. In the end, Senku gave in—as always—but with conditions.
"The small one," he said.
"The big one."
"The medium one. Perfect size for hugging on the sofa. Not too big, not too small. Efficient."
"Why are you giving in?" Ryusui asked, surprised. "You usually resist more."
Senku looked at the medium shark. Looked at Ryusui. And then said, with total naturalness:
"Because the shark looks like you."
"Like me?"
"Predator. Exaggerated smile. Bright eyes. Insatiable. No difference."
Ryusui went still for a moment. Then, a smile identical to the plushie's spread across his face.
"Senku Ishigami," he said. "Did you just say you want to buy a plushie because it reminds you of me?"
"No. I said the shark looks like you. It's a scientific observation."
"You're going to hug a plushie that reminds you of me."
"I'm not going to hug it. It's going to be on the sofa. As a decorative element."
"You're going to hug it."
"No."
"Yes. And that means you love me."
"That doesn't mean anything. It's a plushie."
"It means you love me so much you need a plushie that looks like me to hug when I'm not there."
"That's not..."
"It's adorable. You're adorable."
"I'm not adorable. I'm a scientist."
"You're an adorable scientist. Both things can be true."
Senku snorted, picked up the medium shark, and headed for the checkout. Ryusui followed him, with a smile of absolute satisfaction.
"Our shark," he said, as Senku paid.
"Your shark. I don't hug plushies."
"You'll hug it. I can already see it."
"You're a visionary."
"Yes. It's my job."
They left the aquarium with the medium shark in a bag and their hands intertwined. The snow kept falling, a little more intense than before. The sky was white. The streets were beginning to cover themselves in a thin white layer.
"It was a good date," Senku said, as they walked toward the car.
"It was a perfect date."
"It wasn't perfect. You made me buy a plushie."
"And you liked it."
"I didn't like it."
"You liked it a little."
"...Maybe."
"That's a yes."
"It's a maybe."
"For you, it's a yes."
---
The photo appeared on the internet the following morning.
It was a blurry image, taken with a phone from a distance, but clear enough to recognize Ryusui. He was in profile, with his hair loose, leaning toward someone shorter than him. The kiss was unmistakable. Senku's red scarf, his white hair, his head tilted upward. But Senku's face wasn't clearly visible: the angle, the dim light, and Ryusui's position hid it almost completely. Only his silhouette could be made out, his dark blue coat, and the contrast of his light hair against the darkness.
The headline read: "Ryusui Nanami Kisses a Mysterious Companion at a Tokyo Aquarium. Who Is the Lucky One?"
The comments exploded within hours.
"I KNEW IT! He's in love! Look at the way he's kissing him!"
"How tender, please. That man is completely smitten."
"Who is it? Is it an omega? A beta? I need to know!"
"The red scarf is very pretty. Does anyone know the brand?"
"I'm sure it's a beta. Betas are the only ones who can tame an elite alpha."
"No way, it's definitely an omega. Look at how he's protecting him with his body. That's alpha instinct."
"He's a lucky guy, that's what he is."
"How disgusting, another celebrity who finds himself a nobody. I bet he's a gold digger."
"Haters are pathetic. Can't you see the way he looks at him? That's real love."
"I bet it's a scientist. Ryusui once said he liked smart people."
"He looks a bit like that guy who appeared in another photo months ago. The one with the white shirt?"
Senku's friends recognized the red scarf immediately.
"It's Senku," Chrome said in the laboratory, showing the photo to Taiju. "Look. Ryusui bought him that scarf. And that coat too. And not just anyone has that white hair."
"It's Senku!" Taiju exclaimed. "And Ryusui! Kissing! In an aquarium! How romantic!"
"Don't tell him," Yuzuriha said. "He'll find out on his own. We don't want to overwhelm him."
"But it's a lovely photo," Ruri said.
"It's a precious photo," Gen agreed, already saving the image to his phone. "I'm going to frame it."
"Don't frame it," Chrome said.
"Too late. I've already sent it to the framing shop."
Kohaku, from her corner, shrugged.
"As long as he's happy, I don't care who he kisses. Although if he hurts him, I'll break his legs."
"You already told him that once," Gen said.
"And I stand by it."
Meanwhile, at the penthouse, Senku and Ryusui had no idea. They spent the day together, oblivious to the media uproar, watching a film on the sofa. The medium shark rested between them, like a plush sentinel. Senku had fallen asleep with his head resting on Ryusui's shoulder. Ryusui hadn't moved for hours, only to brush a strand of hair from his forehead.
"Our shark," he murmured, looking at the plushie. "You look like me. That means he loves me."
Senku didn't answer. He was asleep.
---
The call came at three in the morning.
Senku woke to the insistent buzzing of his phone on the nightstand. He blinked, dazed. He was in Ryusui's bed, in the dark blue pajamas with green edges, and Ryusui slept beside him, one arm over his waist.
The caller ID read: "NASA - Houston / Old Man."
Senku cursed under his breath and answered.
"What do you want? It's three in the morning."
"SENKU!" Byakuya Ishigami's voice boomed from the speaker. He was on the International Space Station, floating in zero gravity, with a tablet in his hand showing the aquarium photo. "YOU HAVE A BOYFRIEND AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME! AGAIN!"
"Old man, lower the volume. People are sleeping."
"I don't care! You're all over social media kissing a model! A model, Senku! And I find out through the internet! I'm your father! The one who taught you to tie knots! The one who bought you your first telescope! The one who—"
"Byakuya." Senku rubbed his eyes. "You already knew. I told you the last time you called."
"You told me he was your 'person'! You didn't tell me he was your official boyfriend!"
"There's no difference."
"There's a big difference! Boyfriend is a serious word! It implies commitment! It implies you sleep at his house! It implies—"
"Senku?" Ryusui's voice sounded from the bed, hoarse, half asleep. "Who is it?"
Byakuya fell silent. An absolute, cosmic silence, the kind only produced in outer space.
"Senku," he said, with a sudden calm that was far more dangerous than his shouting. "Is there someone in your bed?"
"It's Ryusui. We're sleeping."
"Sleeping?"
"Yes. Sleeping. It's late."
"In the same bed?"
"Yes. In the same bed. Like we've been doing for months. Is there a problem?"
Byakuya made a strange noise, as if he were choking in the void.
"Senku. My son. My little scientist. Are you living with that man?"
"Not exactly. I spend a lot of time here. I have my things. It's comfortable."
"Your things? What kind of things?"
"Clothes. Toothbrush. Slippers. Food."
"Technically you've moved in."
"Technically I haven't. Officially I haven't."
"But in practice you have."
"...In practice, perhaps."
Another silence. Then, Byakuya let out a sigh that echoed through the space station's speakers.
"Senku," he said, with a much softer voice. "I want to meet him."
"You already know him. I showed him to you on a video call."
"I want to meet him in person. When I come back to Earth. I want to see his face. I want to know if he's a good guy for my son."
"He's a good guy."
"I'll be the judge of that." Byakuya paused. "But if he makes you happy... then it's a good start."
"He makes me happy. As much as science. And that's saying a lot."
"As much as science?" Byakuya's voice cracked a little. "Senku, for you that's... that's like saying someone is as important as oxygen."
"Basically."
"That's all I needed to hear." Byakuya wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his uniform. "I love you, Senku. And I want you to be happy. And I want you to call me more often. And..."
"Old man. Hang up. You have experiments to do."
"AND USE PROTECTION!"
The shout resonated from the speaker with such force that Senku had to pull the phone away from his ear. Ryusui, who was half asleep, opened his eyes abruptly.
"Did your father just tell us to use protection?" he asked, his voice still hoarse.
"Yes."
"At three in the morning?"
"Yes."
"From space?"
"Yes."
Ryusui was silent for a moment. Then, a slow smile spread across his face.
"I like your father."
"You haven't spoken to him."
"I don't need to. I already like him."
"Old man," Senku said into the phone, his cheeks slightly reddened. "We're not doing anything. We're just sleeping."
"That's what they all say! But then things happen! And I want you to be prepared! I'm your father, it's my job to worry about these things!"
"Byakuya."
"And I want that boy to come to dinner when I get back! And I want to know his intentions! And I want—"
"Old man, hang up."
"...I love you too, Senku." Byakuya's voice softened. "Good night. And tell your boyfriend good night from me."
"He's not my..."
But Byakuya had already hung up.
Senku set the phone on the nightstand and turned toward Ryusui, who was watching him with half-closed eyes and an amused smile.
"That was your father?"
"Yes."
"He found out about us from a photo?"
"Yes."
"And he shouted at us to use protection?"
"Yes."
"From space?"
"Yes."
"I like him."
"You already said that."
"It's true. I stand by it."
Senku shook his head, but he curled up against Ryusui's chest.
"My father wants to meet you in person. When he comes back."
"When does he come back?"
"In a few months. He has a long mission."
"Then I have time to prepare."
"Prepare for what?"
"To make a good impression. I'm going to bring him a gift. Something from space. Or from the sea. Or from both."
"He likes fossils. And stars. And sailor's knots."
"I'll bring him all three. In a basket."
"That's excessive."
"I'm excessive. It's my style."
Senku sighed, but his fingers tangled in Ryusui's pajamas.
"You're going to conquer my father with gifts."
"I'm going to conquer your father with charisma. The gifts are a bonus."
"You're impossible."
They fell asleep in each other's arms, with the phone silent and the snow falling outside. And somewhere, millions of kilometers away, Byakuya Ishigami floated in zero gravity, looking at a photo of his son kissing a model, with a smile of pride on his lips.
"My boy has a boyfriend," he murmured to himself. "And he's a model. A very handsome model. And an alpha. And they sleep together. And..."
He wiped his eyes on the sleeve of his NASA uniform.
"I'm going to have to talk to that boy. Seriously. Very seriously. But first... I'm going to frame this photo."