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It had been Gen’s fault, really, considering he was the one who gave Chrome the idea in the first place. The Robotics team needed funding due to the recent experiments he and Senku had been doing, technically without university approval, and their first few fundraising attempts hadn’t exactly panned out.
“I told you a car wash in a walkable city was a umb-day idea,” Gen sing-songed from his place on the sofa, scrolling through his phone.
“I figured Tsukasa and Kohaku would’ve been big draws,” Chrome huffed, chewing on one of the leftover brownies from their failed bake sale. Usually a solid plan for college students, except for the fact that his and Senku’s reputation for science experiments and pranks had made most of the campus leery of trying anything edible branded by the Robotics team.
“And I said you’d have had better luck just having people pay to look at them.”
Chrome slammed his hands on the counter, “That’s it!”
Gen jumped, nearly dropping his phone, “Huh?”
“People paying to look at them!”
Senku looked up from his place at his laptop, brow raised, “Eh?”
Blinking, Gen slowly sat up, a sly smile crossing his face. “Chrome-chan, you’re not uggesting-say what I think you are?”
Chrome beamed, opening his mouth.
“A sexy calendar? How daring of you,” he laughed, fluttering his eyelashes theatrically. “I can see it now, Scientific Hunks and Hotties - though I’ll leave it to you to ask Kohaku-chan to pose wearing a lab coat and nothing else,”
Chrome’s entire face went beet red, “What? No!”
“Senku-chan would obviously be for January, start the year on a high-point,”
Senku rolled his eyes, “Pass.”
“That wasn’t my idea at all!” Chrome shrieked, waving his arms emphatically. “I meant like- like people just looking at them! Like a… a date auction like that fraternity did last semester!”
Senku’s typing stopped dead.
“A date auction,” Chrome repeated firmly, face still flushed, “people pay to go on dates with the hottest or, uh, most interesting people connected to the Robotics team!”
“That’s… arguably worse,” Senku replied flatly.
Chrome bounced on the balls of his feet, “No, think about it! You know plenty of people would pay big to go out with Kohaku or Tsukasa! Or, okay, maybe not Hyoga 'cause he’s a huge asshole, but it’s a proven method!”
Gen hummed, “I’m actually curious how far you’re willing to take this, Chrome-chan.”
“This is asinine,” Senku scowled. “We’re not auctioning our friends off like we’re in some glorified mating bazaar.”
“But just think of how much we could make! We could finally afford the parts for the plasma chamber! And maybe replace the computer we liquefied last semester. Gen, you’ll do it, won’t you?”
“Host it? I’d be ha-“
“No, be in the auction.” Chrome gestured at him, “You’re always turning people down when they ask you out, makes you a hot commodity. Supply and demand!”
Gen shifted awkwardly and gave a small laugh, “I don’t think-”
“So we’d have Gen, Tsukasa, Kinro, Kohaku,” Chrome continued to rattle of names, counting on his fingers, “Senku-”
“Absolutely not, I am not encouraging this.”
Chrome rolled his eyes, “Fine, but even without you we’ve got plenty of people, right Gen?”
Gen hesitated, gaze flickering towards Senku who was back to typing with his usual aggressive clacking. “Well… I suppose if it’ll benefit the eam-tay and we have very clear expectations for what is permitted on the dates, then I might consider participating.”
Senku snorted and Chrome cheered, pumping his fist. “Awesome! This gives us a real shot considering how popular Gen is!”
—
While Senku found the idea itself annoying, the planning phase was a literal nightmare.
Within 24-hours of announcing the event, the foot traffic in the science building had nearly tripled, and while the constant interruptions were annoying enough it was only made worse by why they were interrupting him.
“Yo, is it true you guys are doing one of those date auctions?” some third year engineering student asked, leaning far too casually in the doorway.
Chrome puffed up excitedly, “Yeah! It’s a fundraiser for the Robotics team, it’s gonna be so bad.”
The guy nodded, “So you taking volunteers to be auctioned off or…?”
“We picked in advance so people know who to expect. We’ve got about ten people in all, including Tsukasa, Hyoga, Kohaku, Nikki, Ukyo…”
Giving a low whistle, he nodded appreciatively. “Decent spread on that buffet… You guys gonna have Asagiri host it or…?”
“Gen? He’s one of the bachelors, I’m gonna host,” Chrome beamed, obviously excited at the opportunity.
“No fooling? I was thinking of going if he was hosting but if I can bid on him, I’m definitely gonna be there. Guy’s a total smoke show, a chance to get him alone’s worth a couple hundred in my book,”
The pencil in Senku’s hand snapped, the sharp crack cutting through the room like a gunshot.
Senku stared down at the broken pencil as if it had personally betrayed him before slowly, deliberately setting the two halves on the desk.
“Uh… you okay over there, Senku?”
Grunting, he shoved his notebook aside and pushed himself to his feet. “Getting a drink,” he practically shouldered the engineering student out of the way as he stalked into the hallway, grumbling under his breath about horny college students and the declining IQ of those around him.
–
As time passed, it only seemed to get worse.
Fliers went up across campus, Gen’s joke about a sexy calendar coming somewhat to fruition in the photos taken promoting each possible “date” - courtesy of Minami from the journalism club.
Kohaku perched against a desk in a tight pencil skirt and lab coat, curves and muscles clearly on display. Tsukasa and Hyoga posed shirtless under lab coats, muscles defined and oiled up enticingly while they pretended to do experiments with beakers and flasks filled with colored water. They’d even managed to convince mild-mannered Ukyo to participate, though he’d gone for a much more sedate presentation - fully clothed and posed wearing his archery kit but still garnering some attention.
“I knew Gen was gonna be the big draw,” Chrome crowed as another group paused next to his poster.
Senku grit his teeth and pointedly didn’t look at it - he’d already committed the picture to memory.
Similar to Ukyo, Gen was fully clothed - but it was the pose and the look on his face that made Senku’s pulse pick up. Tight black trousers and a tighter button up shirt in his signature lavender, the top few buttons open to bare a triangle of pale skin. He was sprawled on the floor with his head towards the camera, hips cocked to one side and the line of his legs miles long.
There were books and beakers and papers spread around him haphazardly, one hand poised near his head and the other somewhat held out with a pair of safety goggles loosely clutched in his fist. Senku wasn’t sure how they did it and he wasn’t about to ask, but somehow the lighting had made Gen’s eyes stand out more than usual. The stormy gray was deeper, bluer, practically boring into whoever walked by from the wall, demanding attention.
“Hell, I’d trade my left nut for a date with him,” one of the students said with a low whistle.
“You and everyone else on campus,” his friend agreed. “Looking like that? I definitely wouldn’t kick him out of bed for eating crackers.”
Senku scowled, the sound of a high five and cackling snickers raising his hackles further.
He’d known Gen was popular in the same way he knew Tsukasa was popular, but for some reason hearing people talk about how attractive they found Tsukasa barely pinged on his radar. With Gen it was like driving bamboo skewers under his fingernails.
People always talked about how charismatic and approachable Gen was, how easy he was to talk to. Yuzuriha said he had a sort of air about that was magnetic and made those around him feel confident and more self assured, and even Kohaku would grudging admit that he was way hotter than he thinks he is.
Gen always brushed it off, either with a self deprecating comment or by pretending not to notice.
Which somehow made it worse, because Senku noticed.
Noticed how people lingered just a moment longer than necessary when Gen spoke, the way eyes followed him across the room. Gen never directly encouraged it, never led anyone on or flirted too seriously, but he never shut it down either - seemingly comfortable with the attention in a way that made Senku’s skin itch.
“Hey, where you going?”
Senku hadn’t even noticed he’d started walking until Chrome called after him, gritting his teeth so hard his jaw ached. “Forgot something in the library. I’ll catch you later.”
—
Two hours later, Gen found him in the chemistry lab, where Senku was absolutely not hiding out to stew.
“There you are, Senku-chan~” he drawled, smiling impishly as he approached the worktable. “Are you still sulking about the auction?”
Senku scoffed, not looking up from his notes, “If by sulking you mean being properly annoyed by how gross our fellow students are, then sure.”
“Oh come now, it’s all in good fun.”
Gen hummed at Senku’s irritated snort. “Yeah, sure. Fun. Selling you guys off to horny idiots is exactly what I think of when coming up with a good time.”
Rolling his eyes, Gen leaned his hip against the work table. “It’s not even like they’re real dates, just dinner or a movie on our dime. Honestly, we’ll be lucky to break even after it’s all said and one-day.” He gave a half-hearted shrug, “Everyone knows how this all works, and even if they didn’t I doubt anyone’s dumb enough to try and get handsy with Kohaku-chan,”
“It’s not Kohaku I’m worried about,”
Gen quirked a brow, “You’re right, Tsukasa-chan is a delicate flower. Maybe we’ll send you with him as a chaperone? Protect his honor? Since you’re not participating…”
“That’s right, I’m not,”
“I still think it’s unny-fay that this fundraiser is for the Robotics team but neither of the main members are up for grabs,” Gen mused. “Chrome-chan has his role, but there’s still time to add one more achelor-bay~”
Senku didn’t dignify that with a response and Gen smirked.
“You clean up rather well, Senku-chan. Run a brush through that hair and put on a clean shirt and I think you’d get plenty of attention. I know I’d bid for you,” he teased.
“Fuck off,”
“Whaaat, I’m being erious-say! You’re quite the lady and gentleman killer from what Yuzuriha-chan says about your high school days. At least one confession every other week or so?” Gen clucked his tongue, “Just how many broken hearts have you left in your wake?”
“I already told you I’m not doing it. If you and the others want to make fools of yourselves, knock yourselves out but leave me out of it.”
Gen paused, Senku’s tone sharp and biting, rare even when Gen was being purposefully obnoxious. “…I was just joking-“
“Well, it’s not funny,” Senku snapped, roughly shoving a folder to the side and leveling Gen with a scowl. “Shit like this might be great for guys like you, but the rest of us have some standards.”
Straightening, Gen’s smile thinned, tone lowering. “What do you mean guys like me?”
Senku sneered, “It means if you need someone to pay you to go out with them, that’s your business.”
It felt like the temperature in the room dropped by several degrees and Senku could see the hurt flicker in Gen’s eyes for the briefest of moments before he gave a cold laugh.
“So that’s what you think of me?”
“Gen, I-”
“No, no, it’s fine,” Gen pushed away from the table, straightening his shirt and stepping back. “Message received. I’ll let the others know you’re definitely not participating - wouldn’t want you to have to lower your standards.”
He walked out without another word, leaving Senku staring after him. It felt as if all the anger and irritation had rushed out of him like a deflating balloon, his gut doing something weird and unpleasant.
Senku let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding, running a hand through his hair and down his face, “Fuck…”
–
The day of the auction came, the campus auditorium buzzing with a far larger crowd than any of them expected.
The wood-working instructor Kaseki had assisted in creating a makeshift runway, the drama department roped in for lighting and sound, and Chrome looked like he was going to vibrate out of his skin in excitement.
Despite his vehement protests to the very idea of the event, Senku found himself sat near the back with his arms crossed and jaw tight. He told himself it was just to make sure that nothing went off the rails or risked drawing more attention from the faculty to look closer at what they were going to be using the funds for, but the knot in his stomach said otherwise.
Gen hadn’t texted him since their argument in the lab, had outright avoided him the afternoon before when he caught sight of him in the hallway.
It wasn’t even a week but it was the longest stretch of time they’d gone without talking since they’d met.
It hurt more than Senku wanted to admit.
The auction started with Hyoga who earned polite applause and a few cheers from a small but dedicated fan base on the gymnastics team and a respectable sum of money.
Kohaku followed, causing a veritable bidding war between three upperclassmen athletes, settled when two of them pooled their money together to outbid the third.
Kinro and Taiju each garnered some decent attention when it was their turns, Kinro’s awkward shyness and Taiju’s bombastic earnestness one right after the other practically giving the audience whiplash.
Tsukasa managed to bring in slightly less than Kohaku had but enough to raise his eyebrows - especially when the winning vote was a trio of girls pooling their money together and practically jumping for joy at their victory.
Senku watched restlessly, leg bouncing and teeth worrying his lips as Chrome took up the microphone again.
“Our next bachelor is majoring in psychology with a minor in gender studies. He loves cola, bad reality TV, and is sure to show you a magical night - welcome Gen Asagiri!”
Gen stepped on stage and the atmosphere in the room changed. He was wearing the same outfit from the poster and in motion it was somehow even worse - better? - highlighting the litheness of his build and the delicate dip of his waist. As always, he exuded confidence on the stage, charisma oozing and smile dazzling as he blew a kiss to the crowd to riotous cheers and laughter.
Senku’s fists clenched tighter.
Chrome started the bidding at the same fifty dollars everyone else had, but it climbed far more rapidly than even Kohaku’s round.
“Five hundred!”
“Five fifty!”
“Six fifty!”
A man near the front wolf whistled, “Give us a spin, sweetheart, show us what we’re paying for!”
Senku practically growled at the way Gen’s smile faltered - just barely, and too quick for most people to notice. Gen recovered quickly and laughed it off, making some sort of deflecting comment that had the audience cheering, bids continuing to rise.
One of the men a row ahead of Senku turned to his friend, “Can’t believe a guy has legs that nice, it’s a crime.”
The other man snickered lewdly, “You’re tellin’ me - you ever see his magic show? Guy can fold himself like origami - wouldn’t mind the chance to get those legs over his head.”
Something hot and sharp flared behind Senku’s ribs.
“Eight hundred!”
“Nine hundred!”
The bids kept climbing, the two idiots in front of him continuing to cackle back and forth.
“You see his picture on the flier? Tell me that guy doesn’t suck dick like a hoover,”
“Oh hell yeah, you don’t give that look without practice. This ain’t the first time he’s been paid for his company, guarantee it.”
Senku was on his feet before he realized it.
“Two thousand!”
The auditorium went dead silent:
Chrome’s eyes bulged, “S-Senku?!”
Gen startled, looking over the crowd and squinting against the spotlights to try and find him.
A few people laughed nervously, assuming it was a joke, heads turning towards Senku in surprise and confusion. After a brief pause a hesitant voice rose up, “T… twenty-one hundred?”
“Three thousand,” Senku countered firmly, voice flat and furious.
No hesitation, no theatrics.
Chrome stuttered, looking between Gen and the crowd for a few long moments before clearing his throat. “Uh, three thousand… do we have thirty-one hundred?”
The auditorium wisely stayed quiet.
“Three thousand going once… going twice…” Chrome hesitated, pleading with the crowd for someone else to bid before slumping his shoulders. “Sold for three thousand.”
The gavel came down with a sharp clack and a smattering of applause came from the crowd. Senku ignored it, staring daggers at the two men in front of him looking back in shock and a bit of terror.
Gen stepped off the stage and Chrome tried to switch gears to announcing their next bachelor, but Senku didn’t bother listening to the introduction as he started side stepping towards the aisle to leave the auditorium.
Kohaku regarded him coolly but with an amused tilt to her lips as he slipped backstage, “You do realize this whole thing was to make money for the Robotics team, not spend it, right?”
Senku was about to give a smartass response when he caught sight of Gen hovering uncertainly near the dressing rooms. Suddenly the realization of what Senku had done caught up with him and he felt heat creep up his neck and to his ears, a lump forming in his throat.
Pushing past Kohaku he awkwardly cleared his throat, “Uh, so, I know what I said the other day was shitty and me, um, doing what I did sort of undermines what I’m about to say but I don’t actually think you need to be paid to date someone,” he winced, avoiding looking at Gen’s face in embarrassment. “I was… jealous. And stupid.”
He wasn’t sure how he expected Gen to react, but he knew laughing definitely wasn’t it.
“You are… so bad at this,” Gen sighed, shaking his head fondly. “You got jealous so you called me a hooker?”
Senku startled, “What? No, I didn’t-” he cut himself off, stuttering for a moment. “Okay, yeah I did, but I didn’t mean…” He could feel heat creeping back up his neck and clenched his jaw. “I couldn’t stand listening to people talk about you like…”
“...like?”
“Like they could take what I was too much of a coward to ask for.”
Gen regarded him for a long moment and Senku struggled to maintain eye contact, able to sense the others hovering in the peripheral and absolutely eavesdropping on their conversation. He considered dragging Gen into one of the dressing rooms for privacy but decided against it when it occurred to him how that would look.
Gen seemed to realize the same, glancing over Senku’s shoulder and giving an unimpressed look to whoever their audience was.
“Did you ever wonder,” he said suddenly, Senku’s attention snapping into focus, “why I always turned people down?”
Senku blinked, “Uh… not… really? Cause you didn’t like them?”
“Because I was waiting for you to get your head out of your ass and ask me out yourself.”
The heat flaring up Senku’s neck spread to his hairline, breath catching in his chest and whooshing out of him in one big burst at the same time. “Huh?”
Gen smiled, small and fond and exasperated in a way Senku had only ever seen directed at himself. His heart skipped a beat.
“I figured if I flirted with you directly you’d freak out or pretend not to notice, so did the next best thing and waited.”
Senku’s mouth opened. Closed. Opened again, only for nothing to come out.
“Probably wouldn’t have had to turn people down so often if I could just tell them I was already taken, but noooo, Mr. Rocket Science didn’t pick up on all the hints I was dropping. It was honestly a little insulting, being told how attractive you are by everyone except the one person you actually want to hear it from,”
“I… you could’ve just said something?” Gen gave him a flat look, eyebrow raised, and Senku winced, knowing exactly how that would’ve gone down. Hiding his face in his hands, he groaned softly. “So you’ve been turning people down for… months? …Years? Waiting for me?”
“Mhm.”
“And then I went and accused you of…”
“Yep.”
“And then I publicly dropped three grand like a total lunatic instead of just talking to you?”
Gen’s smile widened, laughing softly. “You’ve never been the type to do things the easy way.”
Peering up past his fingers, Senku looked at Gen for a long moment. Really looked at him - not the Gen on the posters or the one on the stage soaking up applause, but the one in front of him. Hands in his pockets, shoulders relaxed, regarding him with an openness that made something in Senku’s chest ache.
“I don’t want a date because I paid for it,” Senku said suddenly, hands dropping to his sides.
Gen raised an eyebrow, head tilting as he gave him a slow up-down. “Pretty sure there’s no refunds.”
Scrubbing his hand over his face again as if he could physically reset his brain somehow, Senku huffed. “Yeah, I know… that’s not what I want.”
The teasing expression on Gen’s face softened just a touch, curiosity bleeding through. “Then what is it you do want, Senku-chan?”
“I want you to go out with me because you want to. Not because a bunch of idiots thought they could buy your time and I showed them up.”
Gen watched him closely and Senku fought off the instinctual response his body had to expressing emotions of blue-screening, words clipped but honest as he pushed through.
“So, I’m asking. Properly.” He paused, squaring his shoulders. “Will you go on a date with me?”
For a moment Gen didn’t say anything. Then he laughed, a soft breathy sound, as if something had finally settled into place. He reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose, shaking his head.
Senku shifted awkwardly in place, able to feel his ears burn as the seconds passed, anxiety beginning to rear its ugly head.
Then Gen looked at him, eyes bright and smile brighter. “Yes, Senku-chan, I’ll go on a date with you.”
The tightness in Senku’s chest loosened so abruptly it almost made him dizzy. “Really?”
“Really.” Gen reached forward and poked him in the sternum. “But you did also win the auction, which means you owe me two dates now.”
The poke lingered longer than was strictly necessary and Senku was viscerally aware of the point of contact. Aware of everything, really, the scent of Gen’s cologne, the muffled sound of cheering from the auditorium behind them, the way his own pulse kicked up when his brain unhelpfully pointed out the way Gen licked his lips.
“Two dates,” he echoed dumbly.
Gen smirked and Senku suspected the other man knew exactly what he had been thinking because he made a point to lick his lips again before stepping back. “Mm, minimum. I’ve waited a very long time, after all.”
Senku swallowed, “Then let’s go now.”
It was Gen’s turn to startle and later Senku would regret not being able to really appreciate surprising him for once. “Now?”
“No reason to wait any longer,”
Gen laughed, shaking his head in disbelief but his smile was wide. “Alright. Let’s go.”
Senku nodded and started walking, pointedly ignoring the whoops and jeers from Kohaku and the others.
That was tomorrow Senku’s problem to deal with.
—
Tomorrow Senku was more like three-days later Senku, and he wasn’t sure if the delay was better or worse.
Better because their first date had become a date weekend. It was almost exactly like their usual hang outs - takeout eaten while sprawled on Senku’s sofa, bickering over what to watch or what game to play. But this time, the space between them was smaller. They sat closer, Senku got to enjoy the weight of Gen leaning against his shoulder as the first night wore on and Gen didn’t have to make an excuse to leave when it got too late.
Worse because despite how relaxed he’d felt walking into campus with Gen by his side, hands tucked into the pockets of one of Senku’s hoodies and looking perfectly at home in it in a way that made Senku’s chest puff up, the feeling of eyes on them had his hackles rising and annoyance tugging at his expression.
Gen nudged him with an elbow, sidling closer with an amused hum, “You look like you’re going to ombust-cay,”
“I don’t like being stared at,” Senku grumbled, not pulling away.
“Well,” Gen glanced at a pair walking past, very clearly whispering to one another and pointing at them, “you did cause quite the ectacle-spay. Not every day you see someone drop three thousand dollars out of spite.”
“It wasn’t spite-“
“There you two are!”
Senku stiffened by instinct just as Chrome barreled towards them, eyes wild and face red with exertion. He skidded to a stop in front of them, folding forward to brace his hands on his thighs as he pants for breath.
“Told you to answer his texts,” Gen muttered to Senku, rolling his eyes.
Before Senku could reply, Chrome straightened and shoved him in the shoulder. “Hey, what the fuck-“
“You dick! You literally spent more on Gen than Tsukasa, Kohaku, and Hyoga got combined!”
Senku cringed, “Yeah, I’ll figure out how to-“
“You’re lucky that Nanami guy is obsessed with Ukyo, he tossed out five-k out the gate for him and then just kept bidding against himself when no one else did.”
“…huh?”
“It was fucking weird.” Chrome shook his head in disbelief. “It was like he was insulted no one else was bidding on him but didn’t realize it wasn’t because it was Ukyo but because no one else could afford to outbid him?”
Gen and Senku stared in disbelief. After a moment Gen cleared his throat. “So… how much did he end up paying for dear Ukyo-chan?”
“I called it at twelve thousand,” Chrome replied, “it was getting uncomfortable. Ukyo looked like he was going to puke.”
Senku choked on his spit. “Twelve?”
Chrome looked between the two of them for a long moment before locking on the hoodie Gen was wearing, eyes widening in realization. “Wait, are you two…?”
Gen reached over and took Senku’s hand, leaning his head to rest on his shoulder. Senku definitely didn’t blush. “Yep.”
“Dude, did you really spend three thousand dollars to finally confess?”
Senku bristled, “The hell you mean finally?”
Chrome grinned like he’d won some secret lottery. “You know, finally? Like finally after all the hints and the flirting and the eye fucking you finally did something about it? Dude, you weren’t even a little bit subtle.”
“Eye…? I was not-”
“Oh you so were,” Chrome interrupted, grinning obnoxiously. “I sort of expected you to freak out privately when you finally realized you liked Gen, you never pegged me as the big showy PDA sorta guy.”
Gen grinned, “I must say it’s doing onders-way for my self esteem that he publicly declared me worth three thousand dollars.”
“That wasn’t-” Senku sputtered, pausing to let out a deep breath before trying again. “You know what I meant.”
Gen squeezed his hand, thumb brushing over Senku’s knuckles in a way that made his brain short circuit. “I do. And for the record, I would’ve said yes for free.”
Senku’s ears went red and Chrome made a loud retching noise. “Just for that, Senku actually has to pay the club three thousand dollars. For pain and suffering.”
“Yeah, yeah…” Senku muttered, shoulders hunched as he tried to hide his flushing face in the collar of his shirt. “I’ll take care of it.”
Laughing softly and clearly delighted in Senku’s misery, Gen leaned in to murmur in his ear. “Careful, Senku-chan, keep blushing like that and people are going to think you’re the cute one in this relationship.”
“I am not cute.”
Humming skeptically, Gen pointedly looked over Senku’s flushed ears and the way he was pointedly not making eye contact. “I dunno… you look pretty cute from where I’m standing.”
Chrome gave another theatrical gag, practically doubling over with his finger in his mouth. “Disgusting, I’m going to class.”
“Good,” Senku snapped. “Stop being annoying and go learn something.”
Flipping him off over his shoulder, Chrome jogged away and the moment he was gone the ambient noises of the campus rushed back in. Senku shifted his weight awkwardly, suddenly acutely aware of how many people were still staring at them.
Gen noticed immediately.
“C’mon,” he gently pulled him down a side path toward the older buildings - quieter and less trafficked. Senku followed easily, not letting go of Gen’s hand, and neither mentioned it.
They walked in a comfortable silence for a bit, gravel crunching under their feet and Senku’s shoulders slowly relaxing as the murmur of the campus faded into something distant and manageable. Gen swung their joined hands idly between them, looking perfectly at ease.
“Was-” Senku cleared his throat, caught off guard by his own voice and able to feel his cheeks heating back up. “Was… I supposed to… um… we didn’t…”
Gen looked at him patiently as Senku stumbled over his words, lips twitching as he continued to struggle.
“Kiss you,” he finally forced out, flushed to his hairline and eyes closed against the embarrassment of voicing his thoughts. “I… wanted to. And we haven’t… Yet.”
There was a long pause and Senku was about to open his eyes when he felt gentle pressure on his lips. The kiss was soft, almost embarrassingly so. No fireworks or dramatic flare, just Gen’s lips on his, Gen’s thumb brushing against his knuckles reassuringly.
Senku made a sound he would later deny ever producing.
When Gen pulled back, Senku blinked his eyes open, staring at him in disbelief. Gen smiled, “Huh, so that’s what all the fuss was about.”
Letting out a shaky breath, Senku grinned, “Are you saying it wasn’t worth three grand?”
Gen laughed, full and bright, “Oh, no, this?” He stole another quick kiss because he could, “This is priceless. Definitely worth waiting for.”
Able to feel his ears heat up again, Senku did the only thing he could think of and jerked forward to kiss him again. Gen made a soft, surprised sound but recovered quickly, tilting his head just enough to fit against Senku better, free hand sliding up to rest lightly at his collar bone. It wasn’t demanding, just grounding, like he was anchoring Senku in the moment instead of letting him spiral off into his own head.
When they finally broke apart, Gen stayed close, smile unmistakably pleased. “Look at that, turns out you’re not all talk and errible-tay impulse spending.”
Senku swallowed, painfully aware of how close they were, “Shut up.”
“Make me.” Gen laughed, softer this time, bumping his forehead lightly against Senku’s and giving him another peck.
“You’re… really annoying when you do that,” Senku muttered, trying to sound exasperated but failing miserably.
“And you’re really cute when you do that,” Gen kissed him once more before stepping back, starting down the path. “This doesn’t count as our second date, you still owe me one.”
“Wh- huh?” Senku stumbled after him, trying to match his pace and aware of the lingering heat in his cheeks and tingling in his lips. “Already?”
“Yup, faster we get to the second, faster we get to the third.” Gen glanced back over his shoulder, winking at Senku slyly. “And after finally getting to kiss you, I’m efinitely-day looking forward to the third date…”
Eyes widening at the implication, Senku sputtered, tripping over his own feet. He scrambled to catch up, hand brushing against Gen’s just long enough to send sparks of awareness up his arm. “Th-third date? Already planning that far ahead, Mentalist?” he tried to sound snarky, but the way his heart was doing cartwheels in his chest made it difficult.
“Of course,” Gen replied, taking hold of Senku’s hand and lacing their fingers together, “need to make sure you get your money’s worth, don’t I?”
Senku panicked for just a moment before he caught sight of the wide smile on Gen’s face, the light in his eyes, realizing it was a joke. “Y-you’re ridiculous.”
Gen’s only response was to laugh, bright and high in the crisp autumn air. Their fingers remained intertwined, shoulders brushing every few steps as they walked along, and somewhere in the back of his mind, Senku realized - three thousand dollars had never felt like such a bargain.