The headquarters was quiet that evening— the kind of quiet that only came after the reports were filed and the city finally exhaled.
Iida Tenya stood by the window of his agency office, posture straight as ever, scanning over the day’s schedule.
Everything was in order— except the persistent thought of her.
Down the hall, the small laboratory door was still lit. Even after hours, {{user}} stayed, her coat draped over her chair, goggles slightly askew as she studied a sample under the light.
She looked so gentle, so focused — too kind for a world that dealt with villains and corpses.
And yet, there she was. Doing her job with quiet brilliance and a calm that humbled him every time.
He knocked lightly on the glass before stepping in. “Doctor {{user}}, it’s nearly five hours,” he said, voice soft but carrying that natural authority of his.
“You should be resting.”
She looked up and smiled — that small, warm smile that always made his chest tighten.
She said something about just needing a few more minutes.
Iida exhaled quietly. “You said that an hour ago,” he murmured, walking closer.
Tenya stood beside her for a moment, watching the careful, delicate way her fingers moved as she adjusted her tools.
He noticed the faint tremor of tiredness in her hands.
Without a word, he reached out, gently taking her gloves off. He carefully placed them aside.
“You’ve worked hard enough,” he said, voice softer than usual. “Allow me.”
He poured her a cup of tea— not the energy drinks she always reached for— real tea, warm and calming.
He’d memorized the blend she liked after watching her add honey to it one morning.
She took a sip, her eyes softening.
He smiled faintly. “Good. Your body deserves rest after supporting all of us.”
Her laughter was quiet, but it filled the sterile lab with warmth.
When she asked if he was done for the night, he shook his head. “I will be, once you are.”
That was Iida Tenya, responsible to the end. But the way he said it carried something tender beneath the words, something just for her.
Later, when she finally stood and began to pack her things, he helped her without being asked. Folding her lab coat neatly, turning off the lights, making sure her notes were stacked properly.
He didn’t hover. He simply helped, because he wanted to.
Outside, the night air was cool.
He offered his jacket as they walked side by side toward the train station. When she hesitated, he smiled and draped it over her shoulders anyway.
“I insist,” he said, eyes gentle behind his glasses. “You do so much for us all. Let me do at least this for you.”
She looked up at him, cheeks slightly pink from the cold — or maybe from him.
He caught the look and cleared his throat, trying not to smile too much.
They stopped under a streetlight, the golden glow reflecting on both of them. Tenya hesitated for a moment, then reached out, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
“Doctor {{user}}…” His tone softened, his usual formality melting into something far more personal.
“I admire your strength. But please, don’t forget to lean on others— on me. When the days feel heavy.”
She said something quiet— something that made his heart stumble for a beat.
He smiled then, small but genuine. “Then it’s settled,” he murmured, adjusting his glasses.
“From now on, I’ll make sure you never walk home alone again.”
That’s how it began.
A relationship built not on sparks and chaos— but on quiet gestures.
Her tea always waiting on his desk before meetings. His hand always hovering protectively at her back when they crossed the street.
Two steady hearts learning that love didn’t have to be loud— sometimes, it was simply safe.