Golden Time

After a long morning helping Kaseki out, Gen was finally taking a break. He couldn't help but smile as he walked through the forest while humming a song to himself. He was on his way to Chrome and Senku's lab to check what they were up to when something caught his eye.

There was one of the village girls animatedly talking to Senku. Sapphire if he remembered correctly. This on itself wasn't all that surprising considering that Senku was the chief. However, there was a palpable tension in the air and the telltale was that, even if the girl was smiling and blushing shamelessly, Senku had his shoulders tense and a clearly uncomfortable expression on his face. As he got closer, he soon learned what was going on.

"I thought I'd make you dinner," she was saying, hearts practically popping from her eyes. "Do you like fish and potatoes?"

"No, I really..." But there was no use. Senku knew that pretty well and sighed in frustration. He put a palm on his face, mumbling how stupid, illogical and 10 billion percent annoying love was.

"Hi~!" a sing-song voiced startled him, "Senku-chan!"

Why the fuck was Gen winking at him?!

"My-boy-friend" Gen continued, making a heart shape with his fingers and then pretending to shoot a gun right into his direction "du!"

Of course, Gen was meet with expressions of shock and disgust. But he continued with his act, walking until he was right beside Senku and put an elbow over his shoulder.

Senku noticed how his disgustingly sweet expression changed into a more familiar sly face. He smiled, finally understanding what was going on.

Gen you genius bastard!

"He's my boyfriend" He smiled innocently.

"No one can be between us~" Gen continued singing mockingly. "We're lovers from a past life."

"Yeah! I was a shepherd in a past life," Senku continued, putting his arm around Gen's figure, and if he blushed a little bit while doing the gesture, he would just say it was to make the lie more convincing.

"Right?" Gen smiled sweetly. "And I was a nun at a convent," he added in a less sweet way, looking right into the poor village girl's eyes.

He could almost guess what she was thinking as she sweated nervously.

What's a shepherd?

And what's a nun?!!?

"Whatever they are... GROSS!!!!" she finally exclaimed, running away.

As soon as she was out of sight, Gen sighed and relaxed. Senku reminded himself that there was no logical reason for him to continue holding him so he let go. The cringy thought of Gen fitting in his arms perfectly never once crossing his mind.

"...you want cola?" he offered as a way of thanks, forcing himself to ignore how warm his face felt.

"Of course~" a very happy Gen answered.

Neither of them knew that that would be the start of the rumors around their relationship.

* * *

It wasn't long before he would need Gen's services again. For someone who was used to being so unpopular in the old world, this was getting ridiculous.

"You sure don't want to stay? We could definitely use more men like you," said a woman from the Treasure Island as they prepared to depart. She put a hand over his shoulder and smiled seductively as she leaned uncomfortably closer.

His clear words of disinterest didn't seem to deter her and, unfortunately, Kohaku wouldn't come to his rescue this time. She was busy talking with Amaryllis, who looked briefly towards his direction and smiled mockingly. Apparently, she no longer believed the act they pulled together when they first met and found his new predicament rather hilarious.