Disclaimer: I don't own Dr. STONE. Clearly.

Authoress' Note: Another fandom week approaches! This time, it's for overall ships. Should make for a fun week! I look forward to seeing what other fans will create, but for now, I hope you will enjoy this fic, and all others I submit for TKS' DCST Ships Week!

Day 1: Cuddle/Kiss

The Big Deal

"What's the big deal with kissing, anyway?"

The sudden question threw Gen Asagiri for a loop, although it wasn't just the words that caused this reaction. It was who it was coming from, too: the resident huntress of the Kingdom of Science, Kohaku, who was sitting to his right upon the log they were sharing as a seat, leaned over with her face in her hands and elbows upon her lap, lips formed in an inquisitive pout.

"Ah, what brings forth such a question, Kohaku-chan?" the mentalist asked in return, regaining his composure after nearly spitting out the water he was sipping on this warm, summer day, "You aren't usually the one pondering about such affections."

She didn't turn her head towards him, keeping her eyes out over the camp that formed at the base of the former Tsukasa Empire stronghold, watching out over the members of the Kingdom working and interacting with one another. It wasn't as though the pair of them didn't have work to do themselves, but were merely taking a break away from the main hustle and bustle in order to cool down and gain some brief peace, hence why they were sitting upon one of the logs that Kohaku had dragged back from the forest with the rest of their gathered supplies at their sides.

Her pout seemed to deepen as she caught sight of one of the Gemstone sisters – Garnet – laughing and flirting with one of the revived from the Tsukasa Empire. She couldn't hear anything being said, but she could see that the two were acting rather chummy with one another, in the silly romantic ways she had seen the elders act from time to time.

"I keep hearing talks about couples and dates and first kisses throughout the camp. I guess it's nice that our village is growing, and that humanity is thriving, but... I don't really get it. Seeing people like the Gemstone sisters acting like fluttery airheads, or some of these big lug soldiers turning bright pink... is this what young love is or something? Elders have said that a few times too. But I don't really understand the big deal about it."

Gen chuckled to himself, looking out over the scene as she was, "Ah, I suppose romance can seem very strange to someone who has spent her life training how to fight and hunt, and not much else."

Ocean eyes sent him a sideways glare, and he chuckled again, albeit more from fear this time. "I'm not saying this is all you do, Kohaku-chan, I swear! However, you do focus on it rather intensely, that perhaps it hasn't allowed you to understand the finer points of hormones and romance that others have been able to explore," he tried to classify his remarks in hopes that she wouldn't unleash her wrath upon his delicate form.

"... I guess not," she muttered in response, ignoring the sigh of relief that came from Gen's lips as her ire cooled, "It's not as though I don't understand love or any of that. I used to cringe at how lovey-dovey my parents got at times, and I know how much Ruri and Chrome like each other and how painfully oblivious the both of them are about it. But... I guess I just don't understand why it's so powerful."

She sighed as she leaned back, stretching her long legs out further as palms rested against the log. "I've heard stuff like how your stomach gets butterflies in it, or how your heart starts to race, or how tingling your lips feel after a kiss, and other really weird things. I get some of those feelings when I'm facing off against an enemy, so what makes them different when you're with someone?" she asked, a gust of wind blowing her blonde bangs softly across her face, raising a hand to brush them back from her view.

Gen observed her cool expression, seeing the general curiosity upon her face, showing her genuine effort in wanting to understand the sights and noises around her. Her attention turned towards her ally, "Have you ever experienced those things, Gen? Like having your lips tingle after a kiss, or butterflies in your stomach?"

He pondered on the answer, placing the flask that he was holding onto on the ground by his feet. "Hmm... I can't say that I have ever felt the butterflies in my stomach, but the tingle on your lips? It had been quite a long time, but yes... Yes, I can recall such a feeling," he replied with refreshing honesty, "I think, in particular, it was my first kiss that caused the feeling."

He gazed upon her with playful coal orbs, "There is something rather powerful and sparking with the first kiss in any relationship. The idea of being the first time you crossed the line with something that you have started to feel something more for, someone that perhaps you have started to see a future with, opening the door with that one display of affection... while I have never experienced such a relationship, I'm very aware of the feelings one can have that comes from that sort of personal intimacy."

"Would you like to one day? To experience such a relationship?"

"I should say that I do, yes."

Kohaku blinked, still keeping a bit of her pout but now it had faltered a bit with surprise from Gen's answer, before she sighed and turned away, "I see. Well, sounds like it's all something I won't really get until I try it myself. Not that I see that ever happening, but maybe."

"Aww, why do you say something like that?" he sing-songed, wondering why she would say the last line at all.

"Well, it's like you said. I focus too much on training and fighting. For good reason!" she exclaimed the last bit, before a tinge of sadness joined her smile, "So that makes it hard for me to really focus on romance. But... you know what people call me. I can't imagine many people being attracted to someone that's called a gorilla. Besides greedy people like Ryusui, or perverts like Ginro. Neither of whom would I want to get involved with that way."

She stretched her arms out towards the sky, as if to try and push away the negative feelings off of her shoulders, putting her arms back down and resting palms against the wood again. "Guess I shouldn't be so down on myself, huh?" she questioned with a short but strained laugh, noticing the furrowed brows and soft frown on Gen's face, "Sorry about that. I'm sure the last thing you're really interested in is hearing a bunch of this sort of stuff anyway."

"The subject doesn't bother me, although, yes, to hear you share something like that did surprise me a bit," the mentalist brushed off her comment with a shrug.

To hear the huntress speak in such tones caused an odd spark to light in his mind. While, yes, he had come to understand why those around her had come to give her such beastly nicknames and why it may be hard to look past her freakish strength and quick-to-anger approaches, Kohaku was giving herself too little credit. She was a beauty in her own right, one that would rival the models of the modern day. The beauty wasn't just on the outside, but on the inside as well, shown in the affections and care she shares with those she loves. If he could be so frank, she was almost the perfect woman in many ways: one that was confident, beautiful, strong, loving, and sweet. One that any man worth his salt would want to make his own. Even a self-serving man like him...

Frown turning into a devilish grin as an idea formed in his head, one that would come at great benefit to the both of them. "But, if you are really wanting to figure out the answer to your question... I may be able to help."

"Eh? How's that?" she asked, quirking a thin brow upward curiously.

He chuckled low in his throat, bringing one hand up towards her face, curled fingers brushing up against the base of her chin, barely touching the skin but it was enough to make Kohaku freeze. He liked seeing her react like that, he discovered quickly. "Will you allow me to answer you?" he questioned, not wanting to reveal his plan as to not cause her to react out of shock or surprise.

She nibbled softly at her bottom lip, pondering what her answer would be. She was more than sure of what Gen was offering to her. But did she really want to have her question answered by him? It wasn't as though she didn't trust him, despite how they had started out, nor was Gen unattractive by any means, and certainly being kissed by him would be better than someone like Ginro. But should her first kiss really be with him? Based on what everyone keeps talking about, the first kiss seems like it should be with someone really special, and sure, Gen is special to her like Senku, Chrome, or Suika, but he's not special like that. Not to mention what she knows of his character. She wasn't sure what it was that he wanted, but he wouldn't be offering his assistance if it didn't have some sort of benefit to him.

Still, the more she stared into his dark cerulean eyes, the more she became curious of his offer. Perhaps kissing him wouldn't be so bad, plus it answers her question now instead of maybe never...

Slowly, she nodded her head, giving her silent permission to his inquiry, and he smirked wider in response.

The hand at her chin slightly moved, fingers now gently pressing against her right cheek, coaxing her with delicate pressure to lean closer to him. Kohaku could start to feel her heart racing as he also leaned in, being able to feel the soft puffs of his breath against her face, bottom lip quivering a bit in anticipation of what was about to come. Her eyes fluttered closed, almost as though she was afraid to see how close he was getting to her, noticing how long his lashes were as her last observation before she fell into the darkness.

She nearly jumped from her seat as she felt the feather-soft pressure of his lips against hers, testing the waters of this foreign place, breath catching in the back of her throat as he pressed further, aligning with her entirely and sweetly. He didn't force her to react in return, but she tried by instinct, shakily attempting to return the pressure with her own. She swore he was smirking at her response, as if amused by her awkward return, and he rewarded her with a little more passion, and she nearly jumped again by how intense such a gentle action.

Her mind being filled with a flurry of strange but thrilling thoughts. Like how weirdly soft Gen's fingers were against her skin, and how dry but not unpleasantly so that his lips were. How she could faintly taste the salt of sweat caused by the summer heat, and how cool her face was feeling in his shadow despite knowing that she had to be a bright pink right now. She was sure that her lips were not tingling, but there was sparks flying up her spine, a feeling unlike any she could ever recall before.

Without really thinking about it, her body shifted in order to face him a lot more, and her hands found themselves reaching out to touch him, finding no resistance or hesitation from him as her palms met his chest. She was almost surprised to feel his heartbeat against her palms and noticing it was not sped up at all, but he was a mentalist, after all. He could easily control his bodily actions due to his years of training, she had to remind herself of that, as she didn't want to listen to the little nag at the back of her head telling her that this isn't anything important to him.

This kiss is merely a way for her to understand why it was a big deal to other ladies in her village. It didn't mean anything to him, and it shouldn't to her. Yet, the way these sparks were flying through her, the careful and charming way he was treating her, it was hard for her to not want to think that maybe, just maybe, this was something more meaningful than it should be.

After several seconds in this state of exciting bliss, the sparks died as he pulled away, the sound of a snap between their parting lips sounding extra loud to the huntress' ears, and now there was an unfamiliar feeling of emptiness filling up her chest and she couldn't figure out why that was. Still, she had no time to question it as her eyes reopened and she caught the breathless sight of Gen's smile, a smile she could tell was more genuine and sincere, and she almost swore that his cheeks were tinged pink like what hers were.

"Did that answer your question, Kohaku-chan?" his inquiry came out more like a sweet whisper, something too intimate for what this really was, and she nearly shivered in reaction to his tone.

She pulled back from the grasp he still held on her face, leaning back and turning her head in an effort to not falter further under that powerful gaze of his. Shaking fingers reached for her lips, finding them just a smidgen swollen than they were before, "Y-yeah, it did... You're way better than that th-than I thought you'd be."

He laughed sharply, unguarded, almost as though he was happy to hear such a compliment. "I am a man of many talents, after all, my dear. But I am happy that I was able to help you settle your curiosity," he replied, flashing his canines in glee over seeing the usually dominant huntress acting so flustered and embarrassed.

Just as he wanted.

He reached for the flask he had discarded, taking another swig of it with a refreshed sigh afterwards. Kohaku couldn't help herself as she eyed his lips around the neck of the flask, turning away before he could catch her. How strange it was that a simple kiss now had her like this. And a kiss from Gen, no less! The damn mentalist... he may have tried to help her, but she felt like she had been tricked somehow. Even though she allowed it to happen. After all, she could've said no!

… But she didn't want to say no.

"I suppose we should be starting to head back to camp, right? It won't be long, I'm sure, before Senku-chan sends someone like Suika-chan to come and find us and trying to figure out what's taking us so long," he replied, bringing her out of her reverie.

"O-oh... yeah... Yeah, you're right," she replied with a shake of her head, standing up from the log but not making the effort quite yet to pick it back up, nor the other log she was carrying.

Instead, she kept her eyes on Gen's back, watching as he put the flask back into the bamboo-weaved basket that was carrying a variety of materials from the forest that were easier for him to carry, turning away again when she swore he could sense her gaze upon him.

"Before we go back, though... can I ask you another question?" she finally worked up the courage to ask him something else that now burned at her mind, stopping him in the moments before he placed the basket on over his shoulders.

"Of course. What is it?" he replied earnestly, almost a bit too eager to hear what she may have to ask.

"If... if I asked you to kiss me again, would you?" she stammered at first, but the question was clear as day, lapis eyes wavy and disturbed as she gave him a sideways glance, face still hot and pink and heartbeat racing as it did in the seconds before the kiss.

He blinked, surprised by the words that left her lips and how shaky her voice sounded, but also a bit hopeful. Like she was hoping that he'd say the answer she was wanting. He knew what that answer was, and he laughed again, tossing his head back, the white split of his locks flying past his vision in a flourish. He knew the answer... because he wanted exactly what she wanted as well.

"I would," he replied simply, and Kohaku flinched out of surprise.

Her head turned, taking one step closer to him, "If I asked you to kiss me for a third time, would you?"

He, too, took a step towards her, "I would."

She couldn't stop herself from reaching out to him again, shaking fingers entangling themselves into the cloth of his overcoat. "... And a fourth time?"

He reached for her as well, returning his fingers to their place on her cheek, caressing her skin with loving care. "As many times as you'd like me to, Kohaku-chan."

Her eyes began to half close, reaching up on her toes just enough to counter for the few inches of difference in their height. "... And if I asked you to kiss me now?"

He chuckled lowly, eyes half closing as well. "I would."

The darkness fell to their vision again, lips meeting again, and this time Kohaku was more prepared to return the affection, and Gen hummed in response, causing her to be the one to smile against their connected appendages. She was still more than sure that he was doing this merely out of a means to assist her – and probably taking some strange enjoyment for himself – but she couldn't resist the feelings that were sparking up, fading only briefly when their lips parted but coming back stronger when they met again.

Her hands moved from gripping his coat to sliding around his neck, with his taking a place around her waist, and she shuddered at how extra warm his body heat was through her dress. She now got it. Why all of the girls were all fluttery and jittery when it came to talks of first kisses and flirting and romance, and why they treated it all like it was some sort of huge, thrilling, life-changing event. She understood almost all too well. However, her understanding was starting to come with more questions, questions that would certainly take her down a more intimate path. One that she could only take with someone very special to her.

And she almost hoped, at least in this moment, that it may be him that she takes that path with. But she would never say it. After all, this was Gen. He wasn't someone to get so attached to another person like that. Little did she know, however, that the gears were already turning in his mind, a piece of him not wanting to let go of the buxom beauty within his grasp.

He may have given her her first kiss, but she had started to become his first love. And he was feeling sure that she would be his one and only. He could only smirk at that thought as he grew his grip tighter around her waist, causing her to squeal in the most delightful way. Ah, yes... he would make sure that he would be the only one to take her down that path. Just as she wanted.

- end -