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“Hello Demon Cyborg, we’re very honoured for you to have joined us on the show for an interview today!” Genos muttered a quick greeting before the way too enthusiastic host continued, “We’ve asked the viewers today which questions they’d most like to hear answered by you, so here we go: what do you look for in a partner?”
Genos had finally accepted to be interviewed. It might not have been exactly what fitted his reputation as the brooding Demon Cyborg, but the HA insisted and Saitama said it might be a good way to get a little more money. He looked in his junk mail at his interview requests and picked the first one he saw, which he now regretted.
It seemed that the audience didn’t really care about things like his hero work, though he did expect that after receiving literally thousands of fan letters asking to be his boyfriend. Every time he felt exasperated and sometimes ridiculously embarrassed at what they said. Besides, he’d think, snorting derisively, I already have my heart set on someone.
“What I look for in a partner? I look for someone who is brave and good." he said, picturing Saitama in his mind, “The people who are good because they want to be and want to help.”
“That’s interesting, wha-”
“The people who always try hard and are strong and courageous. The people who value those weaker than them because they know they’ve done their best. The people who don’t care what others say because they know what they’re doing is right. The people who…”
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
Saitama had nothing to do, as always. There were no monsters to fight, no sales to go to, and all of his friends were busy. King was at a con, Mumen was doing his daily rounds, and Genos was taking an interview. Hmm, should I watch that? I don’t really have anything better to do… He picked up his TV remote and clicked it on.
“-all seems to be awfully specific, Demon Cyborg. Are you in love?”
There was a pause, and then, “Yes.” Interested calls rang out throughout the crowd and once they began to lull, the interviewer carried on.
Saitama perked up at that. Genos fancies someone? I never knew he’d even do stuff like that, but I guess he’s the same as the rest of us. I wonder who they are…
“What are they like?” Genos raised his head again as his eyes literally shone brighter at the question, feeling delighted to have an opportunity to say good things about his sensei.
“They’re brave and courageous. They’ve saved my life many times and would die for them a hundred times over, even though I would never ever need to. They’re also incredibly kind and love to help people. They’re never jealous or bitter because they don’t get the recognition they deserve and don’t get annoyed at me because I am praised more than them despite being their lesser. One of their most notable traits is their incredible, unbeatable strength. They’re probably the strongest person in the world!”
Saitama had mostly tuned out what Genos was saying, but he caught a few particular phrases. Is he… talking about me?
“You’re in love with King?!” Saitama felt horrified at this prospect, though he wasn’t sure why.
“No! The person I love is much stronger than King.” Gasps echoed through the crowd.
“That’s a large claim, though I’m certain it’s accurate for someone like you. Demon Cyborg, what does being in love feel like, for a cyborg like yourself?”
“Just the same as anyone else, or so I think. Of course, I don’t know other’s experiences with it though. For me, however, I feel warmth in my metaphorical heart when I’m near them, all the colours seem more vivid when they’re there, whenever I’m near them I know that I’d do anything for them and they’d do the same for me.” There was a large amount of ‘aww-ing’ from the audience at how cute it all was.
Hmm, do I think of anyone like that? Saitama thought after hearing that description. I mean, there’s Genos, but that’s just because he’s my friend…
“You know that ‘they’d do anything for you’, so does that mean you’re in a relationship with them?”
“No,” Genos said quietly, lowering his head a little.
“That’s a shame, hopefully, you will be with them one day, they sound like a wonderful person.”
“We won’t be. They’d never be interested in me and they’re far too good for me.” Saitama felt a rush of both relief and… another feeling he couldn’t exactly name, but it didn’t feel good. Hey, that definitely means it’s not me. I’m not too good for Genos, he’s in a league of his own for god’s sake.
“Someone who wouldn’t be interested and is ‘too good’ for a handsome S-Class hero? That’s impossible! Who on earth is this girl?” Genos sat silently for a second, before very formally responding,
“You seem to have it mistaken. You see they’re… not a girl.” Shock rippled through the crowd. There were some outraged shouts, mostly angry about him being gay, before Genos continued, “That’s why he wouldn’t be interested. Besides that, I am just his disciple.”
“Disciple?”
“Yes, he is my sensei.”
Saitama’s blood ran cold yet his heart felt strangely warm as he thought, holy shit, it is me!
Some of the audience were still indignantly shouting at him for his interest in men and within the cacophony of heckling, he heard a certain shout.
“I bet your stupid ‘sensei’ is just a weak piece of shit!” Genos was up in an instant, glaring directly into the eyes of who shouted it. People began to hush as they sensed the pure rage emanating from him, and the only sound was the low hum of his incinerators starting up.
“You dare insult my sensei?!”
Someone needs to calm him down or this is going to get ugly, Saitama was thinking, as he watched the proceedings play out live.
The man looked intimidated by Genos but began to shout again. “I mean what I said! I’m not scared of you, you homo! That man’s probably just a cunt who uses you!”
This is bad. Saitama got out his phone and tried to call Genos before he realised his phone would obviously be off. Instead, he jumped out and ran, since no one in the TV studio seemed to be doing anything to try and calm Genos down.
“No, he’s not!” Suddenly there was a gust of wind that blew through the television studio, and someone dressed in yellow, too blurry to properly make out because of their speed, was standing in front of Genos.
“Sensei!” Genos immediately lowered his arm as even more shouts rang throughout the audience.
“He’s your sensei?!”
“Hey, isn’t that the Caped Baldy? He’s a massive fraud!”
“Yeah, he destroyed City Z!”
“How can he be an S-Class’ sensei?!”
“How could such a handsome hero love someone so ugly?!” Genos looked like he was going to retaliate before Saitama spoke quietly to him.
“Calm down, Genos, just ignore them.” Genos nodded, as he lowered his arms to his side. “Do you wanna leave?”
“Yes, sensei.”
“Good, let’s go then. Because I- we need to talk.” The cyborg felt dread wash over him. He’s going to tell me that he’s not interested, that I’m just a friend, that he’s ‘not into dudes’, that he wants me to leave, that I’d never be good enough for him. They dashed out of the studio and back home as these thoughts plagued Genos incessantly.
Once home, Saitama invited Genos to sit down as he did.
“Genos…” Saitama paused, uncertain of how to continue.
“I’m sorry sensei!” Genos shouted, bowing so low he was practically grovelling, “I didn’t mean to!”
“Genos, why are you apologising?”
“Because I made a mistake and I’m so deeply sorry sensei! Please forgive me!”
“Genos, forgive you for what?”
“I fell in love with you!” Saitama felt like his heart had stopped. He already knew, but having Genos say it so bluntly and so emotionally to his face caused shock to permeate him. The only sounds were Saitama’s quickly beating heart and Genos’ loudly whirring fans, which seemed to boom through the tense silence.
“You really do…?”
“I’m sorry sensei! I’m unworthy to be your disciple!”
“Genos, stop apologising!”
“I’m sorry sensei!” Saitama let out a loud sigh of exasperation.
“Genos, listen I- please don’t cry!” Tiny drops of oil fell and stained the carpet as Genos silently cried, still hunched over bowing.
“But I’ve ruined everything! I’m so sorry sensei!” Genos’ voice broke on the last word, as he began to sob.
Saitama reached over to the side to grab a towel for him. He passed it over, and the cyborg just buried his face in it.
“Listen, I… I’m not really good with stuff like this but… I think that maybe I might… like you a little.” Genos whipped his head up from the towel so fast Saitama was worried he’d damage something. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out, just a curl of steam. He sat there, staring with an open mouth for a minute or so before he could finally speak.
“Y-you really do?” It was all too good, Genos couldn’t believe it to really be so.
“Yes.” Suddenly, the cyborg launched himself forwards and wrapped his arms firmly around the other hero. Saitama awkwardly returned it, not used to physical contact and affection, but started to relax in his grasp after a few seconds. Neither wanted to let go, so they just sat like that for a few minutes, before Saitama spoke. “Hey Genos,”
“Yes, sensei?”
“You can’t really keep on calling me ‘sensei’ if we’re going to be dating, can you?” After he didn’t reply for a few seconds, he spoke again, “Genos? Why aren’t you-? Oh.” The last sound of surprise was caused by moving so he could look into the other’s eyes. ‘ERROR’ was shining in bright yellow text overlaying a black sclera. “Shit, are you okay?” The text changed to say ‘REBOOTING’ now, and he let out a breath of relief.
A few minutes later, “Sensei?” Genos said quietly.
“Genos, you’re back! That’s good, you worried me for a bit there.”
“I’m sorry, sensei!”
“It’s okay, but didn’t you hear what I said? You can’t call me ‘sensei’ if we’re going to date.” Genos froze, staring with large eyes. “Don’t you dare crash again!”
“We’re… going to date?”
“Of course!” As Genos was still frozen, a terrible thought consumed Saitama, “Do you not want to? Genos, I’m so sorry for assuming you did-”
“I love to date you more than anything, sensei!”
“Saitama.”
“Yes, sen- Saitama.”
They shared a smile.
Saitama was all the Demon Cyborg needed in a partner.