Full Color

by NanakiBH

Summary:

Ever since Genos appeared, something began to change.

Notes:

This is a good ship. A ship I can dedicate 17k+ words to, apparently.
This was inspired mostly by the ED song... which I listened to over 80 times while writing this.

“It's even cold in here... What's with that? Why do they call this place a 'hot station'? Why isn't it hot?”

That innocuous question suddenly seemed to be of the utmost importance. After walking in the snow, freezing with nearly every step, they made it to the convenience store. He'd expected to find some respite from the cold inside, but it was hardly the oasis he was seeking. Even the young man behind the register was wearing a sweatshirt over his uniform.

“Actually, I think it's called a hot station because of its popularity, sensei, not because it's warm,” Genos suggested, looking thoughtful.

Saitama was glad that he'd taken his question seriously, but the answer turned out to be so obvious that it made him wish Genos hadn't bothered explaining it. English wasn't among his list of specialties.

“Anyway, here's the list.” Taking off his gloves, he dug a hand into his pocket, pulled out the list Genos had written, and thrust it at him. Because of Genos' habit of writing down everything he said, the list had gotten quite long – half of it things they didn't even need. “I've got the dish soap and toilet paper. I don't think we're going to find what we need for dinner here, though...”

Genos gave the list a look and nodded. “You're right. We're almost out of everything at home. Maybe we should've gone to the super market instead...”

That was farther and would have meant more walking which would have been annoying, but Saitama couldn't let himself continue complaining about the cold in front of his pupil after he's told him about how he'd withstood the cold of multiple winters to reach his strength. They could run there... But that would make his ears cold.

He'd already paid his dues. He'd obtained his strength. He didn't have to keep putting up with winter's goddamn snow anymore if he didn't feel like it.

He needed an excuse.

“I don't feel like making dinner tonight. You shouldn't buy fresh food if you don't plan to use it right away. How do you feel about picking up something ready-made?”

As he'd hoped, Genos looked impressed with his alternative.

“You're right, sensei. It's good to allow yourself a break once in a while, isn't it?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

With Genos in tow, he went to the back wall to browse the refrigerated case. He quickly found something for himself and waited as Genos made a big deal out of deciding. Technically, he didn't even need to eat, but he never acted like he was doing it just to keep up some sort of human act. He had been fully human once, after all. Even though he didn't have to eat, it seemed like Genos simply enjoyed eating in his company.

It was kind of nice, in a way, especially knowing that he wasn't doing it for his sake.

“Sensei?”

He'd been spacing out... Genos noticed and was looking at him with concern. That look was so frequently on his face, but Saitama didn't know why. He didn't think he was someone who warranted so much attention.

“I've decided,” Genos said, holding up the bowl he'd picked. Looking back at the list in his other hand, he made a face. “Most of these other things are at the super market. Do you want any snacks? ...I didn't write it down, but I recall hearing you say that you missed having bananas. Did you want to get some?”

He said that? He couldn't remember, but Genos seemed to think they were important.

“They'll be too expensive here. This isn't the right place for that.”

Creeping into his space, Genos took the shopping basket from him and started off ahead of him. “Don't worry about it. I have a feeling they'll make you happy, so I'll get them for you. As an S-rank, this much isn't a burden on my wallet.”

So he was going to be in his debt... For bananas...?

He seemed awfully glad to do it for him, though. Sometimes he didn't understand what Genos was thinking, but that was alright. It was worth enduring the unusual ways he showed his kindness in exchange for his company – and his rent money. And, once he thought about it, he really did have a taste for bananas. It had been quite a while since they had them.

With a bunch of ripe bananas resting in the basket, they finally went to the register.

The disinterested Owson employee looked up from scanning their items when he reached the packaged lunches. “Would you like these heated?”

Saitama shared a look with Genos.

“It's fine,” they said in unison.

The employee backed up slightly, giving them a strange look, but recovered quickly and scanned them and put them together in one bag.

Odd...

“I mean, they'll just get cold while we're walking home, so it would be better to warm them up once we get home, you know?”

Saitama didn't know why he felt the need to explain it to the kid. He didn't look like he cared, but that look he gave them pissed him off for some reason. As he watched him wordlessly scan and pack the rest of their things, Saitama crossed his arms over his chest and just tried to think about restoring some warmth before they headed back outside.

It wasn't even December yet. The weather had no right being so cold.

“Here.”

He glanced to his side and found a metal hand extended to him. The second he realized what Genos was suggesting, he grabbed and held his hand.

“Whoa, this is great! How could I forget that you're like a portable heater? I should've been holding your hands on the way here...” When they were doing things like watching TV at home, he often found himself gravitating toward Genos. It had to be because he was so warm. The cold didn't effect him at all. “I hope you don't mind if I hold your hand on the way back.”

Genos smiled. “Of course not. It was my offer.”

For just a second, he pulled his hand away to put his gloves back on, then slipped his hand back into Genos', feeling the warmth radiating from his palm. It was probably just in his mind, but it felt like it traveled all over his body; a surprisingly pleasant feeling.

That kid was still giving them that look. In fact, he was looking at them even more strangely.

Maybe he'd never seen a cyborg before... Or maybe he recognized them.

That was probably it. A lot of people became dumbstruck in front of heroes.

Once they were rung up, Genos paid, but Saitama insisted that he at least allow him to handle the change. The odd look on the kid's face probably persisted because he wasn't used to receiving exact change. That was the true crisis the people were facing – no one was willing to pull a few extra coins from their pocket anymore to provide change for their cashiers. Those people were making things difficult for everyone.

It was the worst when a cashier had to open a whole new roll of change to refill the register drawer...

What did they make those coin sleeves out of? Some sort of indestructible plastic? Someone probably died waiting for a cashier to open one of those things.

“Here you are. Thank you. Please come again.”

The young man behind the counter bowed his head as if he were trying to avoid their eyes and pushed their things across the counter toward them.

“Thank you very much,” Genos returned politely.

Genos took one bag, Saitama took the other, and their hands remained linked in between as they left the store.

The blustery evening wind was there to greet them the second they stepped outside. Hearing the way it made him sharply draw a breath, Genos moved a little closer, pressing his arm up against his. Chuckling, Saitama leaned against his side as they walked down the sidewalk, greedily seeking more of the warmth that soaked through his glove to his palm. He felt like he was being a bother, but, when he glanced to his side, he found a smile on Genos' face that was warm enough to reach straight through him.

“H-hey... What's that face about, huh?” he asked, nudging him gently.

“Hm? Nothing,” Genos said, lightly shaking is head. “It just makes me happy whenever I can be of some use to you.”

“Oh. I see.” He looked so earnest when he said it, Saitama felt like he was obligated to say something else. Rolling his head back, eyes traveling the sky as it turned from a brilliant pink to starry black, he silently sought the right words. Eventually, he simply settled upon, “You are pretty useful.”

It was the most honest thing he could think of, but that didn't feel like the right response. At least Genos appeared to be satisfied.

Before he could give it any more thought, they suddenly came to a stop, Genos' firm grasp on his hand anchoring him back to where he'd stopped. Curious what made him suddenly stop like that, Saitama looked around. There weren't any monsters, which was a relief when he was just interested in getting home to eat. From the convenience store, there were a bunch of different stores on both sides of the street that they had to pass on their way home. Most of them had already strung up lights and placed fake trees inside their windows.

A girl dressed in some sort of low-cut Santa costume was trying to hand Genos an ad, but he was pointedly ignoring her in favor of a display of scarves and hats they had outside the door.

“Sensei, come have a look.”

He was standing right next to him, holding his hand. What other choice did he think he had?

“Find something you like?” he asked.

Genos had a decent eye for fashion. Looking between him and the display of various knitted hats, he imagined that he would look good in just about any of them. For a moment, he wondered if Genos had always looked that way or if the professor had given him an appearance he'd chosen for himself. Either way, his looks had to give him an advantage in the popularity ranking.

Turning to Saitama, Genos studied him with a very serious expression. Taking his hand away from his, setting down the bag he held in the other, he picked up a blue hat with a thick knit and turned back to him with it. Saitama wasn't able to get a word in edgewise before it was pulled snugly over his head.

“There,” Genos said proudly. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he opened the camera, put it in reverse, and held it up so Saitama could see himself. “It looks good on you.” He glanced away as he took it back. “Even better than expected.”

Saitama thought it looked alright. “Huh. I thought you found something for yourself. I don't know if I need a hat...”

“Of course you do,” Genos insisted. “Think about it. You lose most of your body heat through your head. Normally, the purpose of having hair is to hold some of that heat in. The reason you're so cold is probably because of how much heat you're losing. This hat would serve a very functional purpose for you.”

“Why is it always about my hair...” Saitama muttered.

The hat did look alright, though. When he tried to pick out one on his own, he always found them too itchy, but the one Genos picked for him had a soft lining inside of it that felt very comfortable. And it was warm. It even covered his ears.

From nearby, a sound drew his attention and he leaned around Genos to have a look. Two young women stood on the other side, huddling in the doorway with their phones in their hands. They looked like office ladies who must have just gotten out of work. They were giggling, but the second they noticed him looking, they closed their mouths and pretended not to be looking. That was the second time that night he'd received that sort of reaction from someone and he was starting to get suspicious.

“Hey, Genos,” he said quietly, keeping his eyes on them. “What's up with them?”

It seemed that Genos hadn't noticed them until they were brought to his attention. “They're probably fans,” he said, paying them little mind. The two discretely held up their phones and snapped some pictures as Genos adjusted and fussed with the hat some more. It fit fine. He didn't have to do that. It was like he was doing it for them. “They like seeing us together,” he explained.

“Huh? Really?” He thought no one even knew who he was. Maybe hanging out with S-ranked Genos really had done something for his popularity. If that were the case, the other heroes were going to start accusing him of riding on Genos' coattails again, but it wasn't like that could be helped. They lived together, so it was only natural that they would end up going places and getting seen together. He wanted to earn his own fans, but Genos did say that he was happy to be of use...

“Because we're always together, they see us as a set now. The fact that you're only B-rank makes you seem mysterious and intriguing to them.”

That made some sense. “I see. They have no idea that I'm your teacher, though. They're going to get the impression that I'm just a B-rank mooching off of his popular S-rank friend. Isn't that awkward? That might be worse for me. I don't know how I'll climb the ranking if they start to see me as just your sidekick.”

“That's not it at all,” Genos said, placing his hands on either side of his face. Saitama could hear the sound of their cameras going off like crazy. He could only imagine what sort of strange pictures of them were going to start circulating the internet, but Genos' hands were warm and difficult to resist. “They see us as partners!”

There was some quiet screaming next to them.

“...Oh, so like equals? That's alright then.”

Even the girl in the Santa costume had stopped handing out ads and had turned to stare at them.

Feeling suddenly overwhelmed by their attention, Saitama swatted Genos' hands away from him and took off the hat and shoved it back at him.

Genos looked confused for a second, but shook it off quickly. “I'll go pay for this inside. Give me a second.”

“Yeah, yeah. I'll wait here,” Saitama said.

As Genos ran inside, Saitama picked up the bag he left behind and went to stand nearby, keeping himself out of the way of other customers. People kept going in and out of the shop, so he doubted that it would've been warmer inside. There wasn't a point in following him, and he didn't want to encounter any more odd people. Even as he stood there at the corner, doing nothing but holding their bags and trying not to freeze, those women were still trying to sneak stealth pictures of him.

He felt conflicted, unsure of whether he should chase them off or let them continue. He wasn't even wearing his hero suit... How many people online were going to recognize him without his suit if they posted those pictures? The thought was a little depressing.

But, for some reason, he felt like he could trust Genos' fans. They weren't like the boisterous fans that other heroes had. Genos' fans were quieter, more respectful. It annoyed him that they were taking pictures, but at least they weren't bothering them for autographs.

...A part of him really wanted them to ask for his autograph, though – even if being a hero was just his hobby.

“E-excuse us...”

Finally!

He tried to act cool as he regarded the two women as they timidly shuffled in front of him. They looked at each other, having a silent conversation with their eyes before one of them decided that they should be the one to speak.

“Can we ask how you met Demon Cyborg?”

It surprised him, hearing someone call Genos by his hero name. He was so used to calling him by his regular old name, it sounded impressive to hear someone else refer to him that way. The association had chosen a good name for him. Genos couldn't be farther from a 'demon', but it made him sound like someone to be reckoned with.

Their question wasn't as easy as it sounded. The memory had almost slipped from his mind.

“Let's see...” he muttered, searching his memory. The two of them looked at him expectantly, holding their breaths. It made him feel like he should make up something instead, but the truth was wild enough. “Well, I remember I had just lost my clothes. He was taking on a monster, but it really ripped him up. Even though it was a weak monster, he was in pretty bad shape. It looked like they had been going at it for a while, but it only took me one hit to take it out.”

It looked like they didn't believe him, but that was the truth.

“You were naked?” one asked.

“Wait, so... He weakened the monster for you first, right?” the other asked.

Saitama shrugged. “Maybe. I can't remember. It wasn't that strong, so Genos might've been able to take care of it on his own if he'd been more careful, but I was the one who finished it off. After that, he decided to become my follower.”

They still weren't believing him, but, thankfully, Genos chose that moment to emerge from the store. Without even a word to the women first, he took the hat out of the bag and put it on Saitama's head. He took his share of the bags from him and put his hand back in his.

“There you go, sensei. Warm again?” he asked.

“Yeah, it's good. Thanks.”

With a shaky hand, one of the women raised her phone and took another picture.

“He said it...” the other said, sounding mystified. “He really does call him 'sensei'...”

Confused, Genos raised a brow at them. “Well, yes. Saitama-sensei is my teacher, after all.”

“Is it true that he rescued you?” she asked, eyes wide. Saitama was feeling really lost in the middle of their conversation.

Genos flashed them a smile, then directed that same look over to him. “Sensei saves me all the time. I owe him everything. If he hadn't been there that time, I probably wouldn't even still be here. I'm doing my best to learn from him, and then hopefully I'll become someone who can save him, too.”

“It's fine. Really. I don't need saving,” Saitama said, but no one seemed to hear him.

After Genos was done talking, the women clung to each other and started sobbing. “Thank you!” they cried. “Thank you so much!”

And then they ran off, just like that, clinging to each other and wailing all the way down the street.

Once they were out of sight, Genos turned around, holding his hand, and started guiding him in the other direction as if none of that had just taken place. Feeling like he was losing his mind, Saitama whipped his head around to confirm that they'd been there. That had happened. There was definitely something strange about that conversation, but Genos acted like it was normal, and it seemed to be exactly what those women wanted to hear if that reaction was anything to go by.

Staring at the side of Genos' face, he let out a slow, long, confused breath. “Genos... What the heck was that?”

“Hm? What was what?”

He was acting too natural – so natural that it was unnatural. “That!” Saitama said emphatically, gesturing his hand with the grocery bag back toward where they came from. “Why the heck did they run off crying like that? Were those tears of joy or what?”

“I know, right?”

Saitama stopped, tugging him to a stop with him. The other people on the sidewalk made faces at them and diverged like a stream around them. He couldn't even think of the words to respond with for a minute, dumbfounded.

“That wasn't normal at all!” he yelled. “I don't get it!”

That concerned expression was back, but it gradually softened into one of Genos' carefree smiles. Under normal circumstances, Saitama didn't have any particular feelings about that look, but, at the moment, it felt condescending. “What's there not to get? I already told you, sensei. They like seeing us together.”

It couldn't have been that simple. “They didn't act like that when I talked to them...”

Gently, Genos squeezed his hand to get him moving again. Reluctantly, Saitama followed. At the least, he didn't want to let go of his hand.

“I'm sorry... I hadn't considered your position, sensei. Perhaps it is different for you if you aren't used to speaking with fans. It requires a little bit of research beforehand. When we get home, you should go online and see what they say about us in the Hero Association forums. I have an account on there, but I use a different name so no one knows that I'm reading what they're saying. It's a great way to get an inside look at what your fans think and expect from you. Until you feel like you've got a grasp on it, I could handle the talking, if you'd like.”

People were strange, so maybe it really was more complicated than he thought...

Being aware of one's fans was a part of being a hero, too.

“Okay. That's fine. You seem like you're good at it, anyway,” he said, the image of those women clinging and sobbing still stuck in his head. If making women cry was a part of socializing with the fans, then he felt comfortable leaving that to Genos. To him, being a hero was about finding exciting, challenging opponents. It didn't matter how many people appreciated him for what he did.

His eyes were drawn back to Genos' face.

It didn't matter, really.

As they kept walking, he found himself moving closer and closer to Genos, forced up against his side by the many people walking around them. As long as Genos wasn't bothered by their closeness, Saitama decided he wasn't going to say anything about it, busy leeching his heat. When they weren't talking, Genos was always very quiet and observant, looking at both sides of the street. With that little smile on his face, he was no doubt enjoying the Christmas scenery.

Even though he was such a responsible and disciplined person, there were still times when he seemed like a kid. It was refreshing.

“What do you think of this time of the year, sensei?” Genos asked.

“The cold sucks,” was Saitama's immediate response. Predictably, his answer made Genos chuckle.

In the past, he would've said that he hated everything about it. There was no one who gave him gifts. Enduring the cold was difficult. Getting sick was annoying. He couldn't even go to the convenience store on his own without running into happy couples holding hands in the snow. That sort of careless happiness had annoyed him the most.

It wasn't like he was jealous or anything.

He just absorbed himself more and more in his hobby and let those feelings disappear. Though, looking back, he wasn't sure why he no longer felt that way.

The warmth he held felt like it was unraveling something.

The sun had dipped beneath the sky. When he looked at Genos, he could see the lights reflected in his black eyes like stars.

“Hm?”

He blinked. Genos must have caught him staring. “Nothing,” Saitama said. “You like the lights, don't you?”

“I do. I like this atmosphere. I like the way the white snow shines with the different colors of the lights. It's a really busy time, but it makes me happy to see people walking around like this, even when a monster might show up at any minute-”

“Don't say things like that!” Saitama said, looking around frantically, expecting to see a monster attacking. “What's wrong with you? Any time someone says something like that, a monster tends to show up!”

Genos tilted his head, looking amused. “We could take care of it.”

They could. That was true, but he also didn't feel like being bothered. He rather enjoyed the way their night was going and he didn't want anything interrupting it.

Thinking about that gave him an idea. They would be home soon, but a part of him didn't want to go back just yet. As long as he had Genos near him, he could stay out for a while longer.

Lifting the hand holding the groceries, he pointed toward the next street corner and Genos followed where he was looking. “If you like the lights, we should visit the park. They always decorate the trees for Christmas.”

At first, Genos looked surprised that he would make a suggestion like that, but his face lit up happily once he realized he was serious.

When Genos wasn't around, Saitama would've gotten what he needed at the convenience store and trudged straight home to his cold apartment to eat his packaged lunch. If he needed something else from the super market, he would've just forgotten about it. It would've been too much of a hassle. And something like visiting the park just to see the lights? It wouldn't have even crossed his mind.

Come to think of it, he sort of enjoyed them too. Or maybe it was just because of Genos.

A lot of the things he did felt like they were 'just because of Genos' lately, but it didn't annoy him in the slightest. In the beginning, he thought it would be a pain to live with someone else.

It was a little frightening how well Genos had blended into his life.

Those were the kinds of things he thought about as they made their way toward the park. There was a lot of snow – enough to cover their boots. It sparkled as they passed by, changing with the light from store fronts and street lamps. His boots kept his feet from getting cold, the warmth in his hand had risen all the way up his body, and his new hat kept it there. He could feel it in his face, warming up his cheeks.

Yet, there was a conspicuous hollow feeling that he only noticed when he began to think about those things. Noticing the warmth made the past seem much darker and colder in contrast, but he still couldn't figure out what had changed. There was a lightness there too, but it didn't seem to have any business being there. That hollow feeling felt familiar. That was the part he was used to.

That was the part he knew. Anything else made him feel...

“This was a great idea, sensei!”

Genos let out an impressed laugh as he excitedly hustled forward, pulling him along. Almost stumbling in the snow, Saitama caught himself and hurried to catch his pace so he wouldn't get pulled onto his face.

There were just as many lights as he expected there to be. All of the trees lining the path through the park were decorated with lights of blue and white. They blended in with the white of the snow on their branches, making the snow itself appear even brighter. As he expected, it didn't do a lot for him, but Genos seemed to enjoy it as much as he thought he would. All Saitama had to do was give him a tug to remind him to slow down, otherwise he would've run off like an excited puppy.

“Do you want to walk through?” Genos asked, pointing at the path. When Genos looked at him, though, his hand faltered and he lowered it back to his side. “Sensei?”

Saitama's thoughts were still elsewhere. To be honest, “I just want to sit,” he said.

Those eyes that looked at him, filled with concern – he still didn't understand them at all.

Genos' eyes suddenly widened like he came to a realization. “You must be hungry. I'm sorry... It's because you went out of your way for me that it came to this.” He looked over his shoulder at a cart in the near distance with a small line of people waiting by it. “There's a vendor right over there. I'll get something for you and be right back. You should find a place to sit and relax.”

He was already gone before Saitama could say anything.

He didn't have to. That wasn't it. He was always assuming things and running ahead.

Out of nowhere, his mood had plummeted and he couldn't figure it out. Genos might've known him even better than he knew himself. Sometimes, he thought that was the case.

He hadn't had anything to eat since that morning, so maybe... Maybe that was all.

As he looked for a place to sit, the cold wind pushed at his back as if to annoyingly remind him that it was still there. With each deep footprint he left in the snow, the warmth in his hand faded a little more until he became unbearably aware of the cold. It was just a mild annoyance, but it made him wish that he could punch the cold. He wanted to punch that hollow space and make it disappear.

Maybe there just hadn't been enough strong monsters lately...

Maybe...

Putting his arms around himself, he tried to gather his wits about himself and earnestly searched for a place to sit. Some ways away, he spotted a swing set within sight of the cart where Genos had gone. The paths were clear, but snow had completely blanketed that part of the park. There was a boy playing with his father nearby, tossing snowballs around. It was probably a place for kids, but it looked like it had been a while since anyone had taken a ride on the swings, their saddles stacked with snow. The benches nearest to him were already taken by obnoxiously affectionate couples, so he didn't have any choice.

However, as he approached, that boy he saw ran ahead of him and dove onto one of the swings. He didn't even bother to brush the snow off of it first. His pants were going to get totally wet... That was definitely the most irritating part.

Sighing, Saitama didn't even bother to take another glance at the benches and went straight for the abandoned slide. In the winter, no one was going to use that thing. It was shaped like a large, round bear... or a cat or something. There was a short set of stairs for kids to climb and the slide came down out of the bear-thing's mouth like a tongue. It was ugly, but it looked like a seat to him.

Setting his grocery bag down next to it, he leapt onto the top of it. After clearing the snow on top of it with his boots, he sat down between its ears, letting his legs dangle over the front.

Genos found him shortly after he sat down, returning to him with something in his hands. Putting his own bag down next to the one Saitama left at the base of the slide, he jumped up onto the top of it with equal ease and took a seat next to him.

“What'd you get?” Saitama asked.

One was placed in his hands. “Crepes. I've never had one before. I hope it's alright with you.”

“Yeah, sure. More importantly – this is your first time eating a crepe?” Without taking his eyes off Genos, he took a bite into it and found his cheeks tingling a second later with the sweet taste of bananas and cream.

That Genos... He always had his interests in mind.

Tentatively, Genos took a bite out of his, then smiled. “It's good!”

“Of course it is...” Saitama sighed, shaking his head. “I can't believe you've never tried them before. I'm surprised there was someone selling them out here too, but I guess it figures. It's a popular item for couples on a date, and this is the season for couples. Even if it's freezing out here, they must be trying to maximize their sales.”

He took another bite. The taste of banana seemed to be helping.

Genos stared at his own crepe. “Popular on dates...? Well, then I guess this turned out to be an unexpectedly good choice.”

Indeed, it was nice to eat something warm and sweet in the snow. That had to be why his mood was improving.

The boy on the swing waved his arms around and his dad went over to give him a push. Even as a hero, he didn't feel like he had an obligation to protect the people of the city, but, sitting beside Genos, watching the scene of a father and son playing in the snow together, he couldn't help but feel like his earlier thoughts had been too harsh. Something about having Genos at his side melted a layer of frost off his heart.

“It's nice, isn't it?” Genos asked. He must have noticed him watching them. “Have you ever thought about having children, sensei?”

Before he could give it the thought it better deserved, Saitama was already laughing at that question. “Me? I don't know. I don't see it.”

“Really?” Taking another bite, Genos looked at him, chewing thoughtfully. He swallowed, stared for a second more, then pulled his eyes away to the father and son, acquiring a distant look. “I have the feeling you'd be a really great father. You're strong, but you're also a much gentler person than I think you realize. If you have the patience for someone like me, I imagine you'd be great with kids.”

“I knew it. You're just a big kid, aren't you?” Saitama joked, elbowing him in the side. Finding that side to be warm, he scooted closer so he could lean against him.

Rather than laugh, Genos seemed like he took what he said to heart. “Maybe I am just a kid to you. But when I'm with you, I feel like there are endless things that I have yet to learn. That's a feeling I enjoy, so, even if it means I'll never stand on your level, I want to always feel that sense of discovery.”

Saitama had no idea what he was talking about, but it sounded deep. How was he supposed to be the teacher when his student sounded that much wiser?

Finding himself surrounded by a silent moment, Saitama let himself think about his question. No matter how hard he thought about it, he couldn't see himself with a kid anywhere in the foreseeable future.

“For now, you're probably the only kid I have room for then. I don't know how long I'll be able to continue being a hero, but I know that I want to keep fighting stronger and stronger monsters. The whole hero business has always just been a hobby to me, so I don't think I care about a thing like 'peace' or settling down. If I could, I'd just keep doing the same thing until I'm old and wrinkly.”

“That's possible,” Genos agreed. “There are a few older heroes like Silver Fang. Especially with your strength, you could be a hero for a really long time if you wanted.”

A bitter thought entered Saitama's head. “Besides, if I wanted kids, I'd need to have a girlfriend first.”

For reasons unknown, Genos looked positively scandalized. “Sensei, you know that there are other ways to have children, don't you? Not having a girlfriend specifically isn't a problem.”

Saitama took another bite and talked around his mouthful, staring at him with his eyes narrowed. “Myeah, okay, but suppose I suddenly had a kid. Who would I raise it with? I can't do that all by myself and you can't stay with me forever.”

Genos was quiet, immediately giving Saitama the feeling that he'd said something wrong.

Feeling unsettled, stomach turning slightly, Saitama reconsidered what he said.

Ever since Genos started living with him, he hadn't thought about the day when he would have to leave. From the moment he arrived, he was just there. He became a fixture of his home; a constant thing in his life.

That may have been the thing that frightened him so much about him, yet he hadn't been able to place it until that moment.

“I... I can't?” Genos asked.

What was he supposed to tell him?

At some point, Genos must have assumed that he could keep staying with him indefinitely, and, at some point, Saitama realized that he must've also acquired the same idea.

He liked having him there. He liked his presence and his company. He liked having someone else to cook for. He liked hearing his voice. He liked knowing that there was someone waiting for him at home, and he liked being able to tell someone 'let's go home'.

If Genos weren't there...

“Uh...”

That hollowness was opening up, made wider by the fear of abandonment in Genos' eyes.

“Uh...” He tried to smile like it was nothing, but he knew it couldn't have looked convincing. “J-just kidding! I, uh... I just wanted to see how you would react. You know... Since it's only natural that you'll stay with me. Because we're... partners.”

That felt like the right thing to say, finally, but something about it still felt a little off.

Genos released a relieved breath. Folding back the wrapper, he set his crepe down in his lap and wrapped his arms around Saitama's shoulders, pulling him close. “Thank goodness. You really had me worried for a minute there, sensei.” From that moment, Saitama began to count the seconds, but he quickly lost track. Without a doubt, however, Genos had held him for much longer than usual.

His thumb caressing the back of Saitama's neck, Genos pulled back for a moment to look at him fondly. Then, without any prior warning, he leaned in and placed their lips together.

Again, Saitama counted the seconds, but it seemed like a worthless effort. Genos had never kissed him before. Any amount of time seemed unusual.

Holding his cheek, Genos rested their foreheads together and said softly, “I love you, sensei.”

Saitama almost dropped his crepe. In fact, he almost fell off the top of the slide. Had Genos not kept an arm around him, he was sure that he would have. That was the last thing he would've expected to hear.

And yet, it all made sense.

Everything that seemed confusing suddenly made sense because of those three words.

They weren't just partners, as heroes.

They were partners.

“Genos,” Saitama said, feeling the blood drain from his face. “Genos, how long have we been in a relationship?”

Putting a thumb to his lower lip, Genos hummed, thinking – which proved it. He wasn't just imagining it. If Genos had to think about it, then that meant that they absolutely had to be in a relationship – yet somehow, he had totally been left unaware.

“I don't know. I don't think we ever agreed upon it out loud. I think we just ended up like this over time, like a natural progression. I think it was better this way than if we'd decided to change anything about our relationship. We don't have to worry about acting in a specific way.”

True, he might've felt it, but he hadn't realized that they were actually dating.

He was probably going to need a while to fully get used to the idea. Although, if it were like what Genos said, then he might've already gotten used to it without realizing. Apparently they had progressed into a relationship without obviously changing anything else about the way they acted towards each other. It might've just been another instance of Genos running ahead and deciding something on his own without consulting him first, or... Maybe he let him.

“Sensei?” Genos' warm palm touched his shoulder. “Are you still cold?”

Not at all.

“You better finish your crepe before that gets cold,” Saitama said, lifting his own.

“Oh, you're right!”

Genos went back to his crepe and the warm hand disappeared from Saitama's shoulder. The place where it had been was noticeable; a deep and indelible warmth left behind. Lightly, Saitama touched the spot. It wasn't the sort of warmth he could feel through his gloves, but he was sure it was there.

As he silently ate, swinging his feet back and forth anxiously on top of the bear slide's head, he watched the other people around them. It really didn't annoy him anymore when he looked at the lovey-dovey couple cuddling on the bench. Even the ones walking and holding hands didn't bother him. And as he watched the boy jump from the swing and run to greet his mother who brought a crepe for him and his father, he didn't feel any emptiness.

Those were things he didn't need in his life. From day to day, he could keep living just the same without any of that. To be strong, they weren't necessary.

But the hollow place where those things hadn't been seemed like it became a lot smaller once Genos came along.

The taste of banana and cream was so sweet, he couldn't help it if it made the corners of his lips turn up.

Once they were finished, he stood up, feeling like the king of the slide, and jumped down into the soft snow below. He waved a hand, indicating that Genos should follow, but blanched in horror when Genos launched his entire metal body at him instead. He could've caught him. There wasn't anything that stopped him from catching him... But he allowed himself to get plowed into the snow.

“I'm sorry! I thought you were saying you would catch me!” Genos apologized, his face an inch away.

Saitama closed his eyes. “That's...” That wasn't what he had been indicating at all and he couldn't believe that Genos had actually made that mistake, but he was already willing to forgive it. “This is fine. This is... This is a date, after all, isn't it?”

“It did turn into one, didn't it?” Genos agreed, sitting up over his waist.

Since he was already in the snow, Saitama decided to make the best of it and make it look intentional.

“Here, check this out. One super strong snow angel coming right up.”

He waved his arms around quickly in the snow, blasting snow out of the way. He was pretty sure he hit some passers-by with it, but the thought just made him laugh. Excited to see his teacher's creation, Genos got off of him and stood back. He looked so impressed, it made Saitama curious to see it as well.

Being careful not to ruin the middle of it, he pulled himself into standing with just the strength of his legs and hopped out of the snow angel to stand next to Genos. When he was little, he tried making snow angels, but they always ended up looking like a sloppy mess. This one, however...

“This is the best snow angel I've ever seen.”

Genos would probably compliment him on anything, but Saitama had to agree. It was one hell of a snow angel. It seemed that he'd drawn some attention when he flung all that snow around. There were the people he presumed were the ones he hit with it, but they didn't look angry. Rather, they were gaping at his handiwork. Even that little boy from earlier came running over to see what they were fussing about.

He threw his arms open wide with an amazed exclamation. “It's so big! Are you the one who made this, mister?”

Saitama looked around and realized that the kid couldn't be talking to anyone else. “Huh? Yeah. You like it too?”

The boy tramped around it. His boots flecked snow into its immaculate wings with every clumsy step he took, and Saitama had to bite his tongue to keep himself from saying anything about it.

“If you could make one this big... Are you a hero?” the boy asked.

“Oh.” So that was why he was so interested. “Yeah, I am,” Saitama said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I knew it!” he cheered. “I saw the way you got on top of the slide with just one jump! Which hero are you?”

There was no way he could give him his hero name, so, simply, he answered with, “Saitama. There's a lot I can do with just one punch.” To illustrate, he punched the air between them and blew the kid's hat straight off his head. Giggling, the boy went to retrieve it and excitedly ran back to his parents to tell them about him.

As he and Genos picked up their things, Genos gave him a look.

“Why didn't you give him your hero name?”

Saitama adjusted his hat over his ears and grabbed Genos' hand. That much should've been obvious, but Genos really seemed to love making him talk about his lack of hair. “Just let me have this, Genos. 'Saitama' is fine. I've told you before, haven't I? Hero names and ranks and all of that don't mean a lot to me.”

Genos nodded understandingly. “Saitama-sensei is so modest.”

Taking a quick glance at his hand in Genos', he realized that he must've grabbed it without even thinking about it. He only wanted to hold his hand because it was warm, but having the new knowledge of their relationship made him realize that other people must have seen it differently. The reason the cashier looked uncomfortable... The reason those women were such big fans... Under that new perspective, he wasn't sure how to feel about it yet, but he knew that it didn't stop him from enjoying his warmth. He had been able to hold his hand confidently before, so that didn't have to change, whatever meaning it had.

“Anyway...” he muttered, pulling his eyes away to the path ahead, flanked by decorated trees. “We can get home if we keep going this way. Have you seen enough lights?”

“I have, thank you. I'm glad we went this way.” Genos squeezed his hand gently and looked at him. “By the way, I thought that was pretty amazing, what you did back there.”

Somewhat lost, Saitama asked, “The snow angel?”

Genos laughed. “Yes, that was amazing too, but I'm talking about how you handled that child. I think you just made yourself a fan. He's going to tell all his friends about you now. It's just like what I said earlier.”

It wasn't necessary for him to remind him. Saitama recalled that part of their conversation. In retrospect, he felt like his answers should have been a lot different. Interacting with kids wasn't as hard as he thought, but he couldn't raise a kid all by himself. With Genos, though... It sounded ridiculous, but not too far-fetched. If all he had to do was look after a kid the same way he looked after Genos, Fubuki, and King, then maybe he would make an okay dad.

...No, that couldn't be right.

He was getting caught up in Genos' method of simplifying things to an absurd degree.

“M-maybe someday,” he concluded.

“Really? You'll consider it?”

Yeah. “You've given me enough to think about tonight as it is, though. I hope you're satisfied with a 'maybe'.”

“That's enough. I was only curious.”

Shit, he looked so happy. He was way more than curious. That smile on his face... Those were the same lips that kissed him a while ago. Genos took everything he ever told him seriously. Every word he spoke to him, he treated like something special. Feeling the heat rising up under the collar of his jacket, steaming his face, he realized that Genos was going to tuck away that 'maybe' and hold onto it for a long time, always remembering.

Genos' eyes were on the sky, filled with white and blue light. “Sensei,” he said softly, “did I surprise you before, when I kissed you?”

Saitama wasn't going to be happy if he'd also picked up a habit of reading his thoughts.

“I'm sorry, sensei. I should've realized... If you wanted your first kiss to be something more special, you should have told me.”

What.

“That's not...! That wasn't- ...That wasn't what I was thinking at all!” he yelled, unwilling to neither confirm nor deny what he said about it being his first kiss. That part was irrelevant. He could care less about whether it was 'special'. What mattered was the fact that it had come out of nowhere. “Next time you get it in your head to do that ...give me some kind of warning first. Next time, I don't know how I'll react, and I don't want to break you on accident.”

Looking like a man who knew when to take a threat seriously, Genos nodded mutely. “O-okay.”

Then that was that. But Saitama didn't like seeing him so tight-lipped and nervous. It didn't suit him at all. It was Genos' fault for assuming things, but he was just as much to blame for being so oblivious. To be fair, they were both idiots.

By the time they reached the street again, it had started to snow, little white flakes delicately falling as far into the night as they could see.

Squeezing Genos' hand, Saitama moved them a little quicker. “Come on, Genos. I still want those noodles. Let's go home.”

“Yes, sensei!”

---

Back at home, they shook off the snow outside before coming inside. Once they were in, they took off their boots by the door and hung their coats. Even indoors, taking off the hat that Genos got for him made Saitama realize how cold his head felt. He had the feeling that Genos wouldn't judge him if he decided to keep wearing it at home, but he didn't want to risk hearing any more comments about his head.

Since that moment on top of that ugly slide – a moment which was surely already seared into his memory – nothing had changed. Everything proceeded as usual, to an unusual degree. More than anything else, Saitama was shocked by his own obliviousness. It made him wonder if any of the other heroes had noticed or whether Genos had informed any of them of their relationship.

Their... Their...

“Sensei, would you like me to heat yours up?” Genos asked, rifling through their bags.

He was going to need another minute to process things – preferably alone.

“Yeah,” Saitama said wearily. “Sure, go ahead. I'm just... going to go sit in the bath for a bit. I'll probably be out by the time it's ready.”

Although he appeared suspicious at first, Genos nodded. “Alright. Would you like me to wash your back for you?”

“That wasn't an invitation!” Saitama blurted incredulously. It wasn't meant to be an invitation, but he also wasn't surprised that Genos would offer, and, before, he might've even immediately agreed to let him. If he was feeling especially lazy, it wasn't half-bad to let Genos carry him from one mundane task to the next.

Seeing his crestfallen look, Saitama weakly apologized and went straight for the bathroom, closing himself in before he could torture himself with another look at that face.

Inside, he leaned heavily against the door. Half-expecting to hear Genos ask if he were alright, he stayed still for a moment, but nothing came. He somewhat hoped that Genos was also going to think about it some more. Clearly, Genos realized that they were in different positions, but he had to know that it would take him a while before he was accustomed to the idea of a relationship with him.

Nothing had really changed, though. Saitama had to keep reminding himself of that.

To Genos, there probably wasn't anything to figure out. All along, he'd been sure of his own feelings and simply assumed that Saitama was also aware of the situation. Saitama knew that it was his own fault for letting it go over his head.

At that moment, on the other side of the door, Genos was probably worrying that he had done something wrong.

Saitama didn't want him to worry over things like that; things that weren't worth worrying about.

Suddenly feeling drained, he made his way through the motions until he was sitting in the tub with the water up to his chin. The water was warm, but it wasn't anything like the warmth that walked hand-in-hand with him back home. With so much to think about, he felt unsettled inside, but that hollow place wasn't around when he tried to look for it.

He sunk deeper, his knees cresting the surface of the bath water.

It might not have been as relaxing as he'd hoped, but it was helping. He felt anxious, but he would've rather felt anxious than felt nothing at all. There was the fact that Genos made him feel something, and, no matter what that feeling was, just the fact that a feeling existed made him feel reassured.

Being the world's strongest meant nothing if he lived in the world alone. Stronger and stronger enemies all fell with one punch, leaving him with no sense of satisfaction. Maybe it was more than just a hobby, though... From monsters or villains or whatever – it didn't matter where it came from. What he was searching for was that elusive sense of satisfaction.

He wanted to share it – that ridiculous power of his.

At that realization, he stood straight up in the middle of the tub, upsetting the water with a loud splash, and shouted for Genos. Stumbling out of the bath, he threw open the bathroom door right as Genos appeared, having come running at the sound of his name.

“Sense-…?!”

Still dripping wet, he threw his arms around Genos' shoulders and pulled him into a crushing embrace. Genos let out a confused sound and attempted to return his embrace, dropping the dish towel he came running with so he could awkwardly place his hands on his back.

“Genos...” Saitama began, pressing his forehead against Genos' shoulder. “Thank you for choosing me as your teacher.”

For a second, he was afraid that he might've accidentally forced Genos into a blue screen with the way he was stammering, but as Saitama backed up, loosening his hold on him, he found Genos looking totally red in the face, his black eyes wide.

“Wh... Ah... It was only natural, wasn't it? Th-that I'd want to be your student.”

“You're kidding,” Saitama laughed. “I might be strong, but I don't know the first thing about how to be a teacher. I thought I already explained that I don't even clearly know how I came to obtain the strength that I have, much less have the knowledge of how to pass it on to someone else. And yet, even knowing that, you still decided to stay with me. What's up with that?”

Caught, still red, Genos tried to look away, searching for an excuse, muttering nonsense.

Raising his hands, Saitama placed them on either side of Genos' face, forcing him to look at him directly. “It's fine. You already told me why. I might be strong, but I'm still just an idiot who has trouble understanding himself. You already figured that out, but you're still here, and I think that's part of why I don't mind letting you stay – because it seems like you're able to see the me that I can't see. Anyway... I'm bad at talking like this so let me get to the point,” he said, making sure that he'd captured his eyes. “I'm glad that you're my student.”

He did it.

After saying all of that, he could feel his pulse in his throat.

Genos was silent a moment, then began patting his pockets. “Pen... A pen...”

“Don't you dare. If you try to write any of that down, I'm going to hit you so hard you won't even be able to remember anything that just happened.” The thought was already tempting enough as it was. It felt like he just had a really self-aware moment, but he knew that he wouldn't normally say anything like that out loud. It was way too embarrassing.

“I'll do my best to remember it,” Genos said, his fond smile returning. “More importantly, sensei, don't you feel cold?”

Saitama followed Genos' eyes down. It felt so important that he tell Genos what he had on his mind that he hadn't bothered putting on any clothes. He hadn't taken his pajamas with him into the bathroom with him, though, so he would've inevitably had to leave bathroom in at least a towel. Genos was staring at him as if it would be his only chance to ever see him naked, but he'd already seen him without his clothes before. He didn't have to keep staring like that.

“Maa... Well, this is fine,” he said, patting Genos' shoulder, smirking to himself. Before Genos could ask what he meant, he held up a hand to hush him. “If you're serious about being more than my student, then I have one condition. I want to confirm that we're physically compatible.”

“That sounds reasonable, but in what way?”

“We should do it.”

“Do what?”

“It.”

It really couldn't have been that difficult to grasp. From his cursory consideration, Saitama felt fairly sure that a relationship with Genos was something that he could manage, but he'd never thought about guys before. To complicate things, Genos was a cyborg, which sounded like its own whole category of physical attraction.

He thought Genos was a good-looking guy... That much was for sure. He had a very handsome face. But the rest of him...?

Genos dislodged himself from him and ducked around him to get into the bathroom. “At least let me get you a towel. You're going to get sick like that.” As soon as he was back with a towel in hand, he unfolded it and started drying him off with it. Unlike what one might normally expect, he didn't lay it around his shoulders. No, Genos went the extra mile, taking the time to carefully dry every visible inch of skin.

So shocked by his absurd level of attention, Saitama couldn't even bring himself to ask him what he was doing. It wasn't that bad, but with each second that passed, he felt himself heating up, thinking about Genos' level of dedication.

It was likely that Genos would do anything he asked of him.

Anything...

If he kept thinking about the lengths Genos would go to for him, he was going to get hard. He could feel it coming on. It was a strangely erotic thought and so different from what he would normally find arousing that it kind of bothered him.

“Oi,” he muttered, lightly nudging him in the side with his bare knee. “It's awkward being the only one who's naked here. We're gonna do it, right? Hurry it up before I reconsider. I'm like five seconds away from changing my min-”

Genos straightened up immediately and hung the towel on the rack. Moving with purpose, he went passed him and sat down on his knees to roll out a futon. Seeing him so determined all of a sudden, the reality of what he asked Genos to do finally began to sink in.

And he was seriously getting hard because of it.

Who was he, anymore? He couldn't say for sure, himself.

Patting the futon, Genos gestured for him to come over. Swallowing down his apprehension, Saitama joined him, sitting down on it. Having made Genos abandon his job prematurely, his shoulders still felt a little cold and damp and made him shiver. He didn't even want to look at himself, too annoyed by his body's unwitting reaction to Genos' willingness to serve.

It only got worse when Genos pulled his shirt over his head. There wasn't anything new there, but the rest was a mystery. He'd seen Genos without any clothes before, but he never thought of him as being 'naked' in the same way he would've if he had skin. There wasn't anything overtly erotic about his metal parts. On the outside, it all looked the same to him, but his heart started to pound faster as he thought about how Genos intended to have sex with him. There had to be some kind of trick to it.

As Genos stood, Saitama followed him with his eyes, his curiosity mounting.

Genos' fingers calmly unfastened his belt and jeans and he pushed them down his legs and was even thoughtful enough to fold them and place them aside with the rest of his things. Sweating, Saitama eyed the area between his legs, but... It didn't look any different to him. Genos' body reminded him of a masked hero's suit, like there should be something underneath; the outside unremarkable.

When he was finished undressing, Genos sat down on the other end of the futon, facing him.

Nervously, he glanced aside. “Sensei, which do you prefer, top or-”

“Top.”

That might've been a little too fast, but he had a preference for the moment. The speed of his answer didn't seem to bother Genos.

“Hey... Are you getting nervous?” Saitama asked. He definitely was, judging by the way his eyes kept darting around. Saitama hadn't meant to make him uncomfortable. “I know I said that I want to check that we're compatible, but I'm sure it'll be fine. ...Probably. I mean, I've never seen what a cyborg has down there. ...Y-you do have something down there, right? If you don't, th-that's fine too, I guess.”

He was going to dig his own grave. Until the words came out of his mouth, he hadn't even considered the possibility that Genos might not have anything down there. Looks could be deceiving, but it looked like there was nothing there.

“It's fine,” Genos assured him. “I do. I suppose I should stop wasting time and just show you.”

That would've been helpful, yes.

Lifting himself onto his knees, Genos moved closer to him. Holding his eyes, he reached out and grabbed one of Saitama's hands and brought it toward himself. Saitama couldn't bring himself to look where he was guiding his hand until he suddenly felt something at the tips of his fingers – something warm and soft and slippery.

Instinctively, he drew his hand away and clutched it in the other, inspecting the clear residue on his fingers.

“What is... this?” he asked. It looked a lot like what he thought it was, but he couldn't be sure. A dumb part of him wanted to put his fingers in his mouth and see what it tasted like, but he wasn't even sure if it were safe yet.

Sitting back, Genos nervously opened his legs, spreading his knees apart to let him see the place he made him touch. “It responds to my level of arousal; signals from my brain. I think it still might need some adjustments, though. It seems like it produces a little more than what would be necessary, but I suppose you should be the one to judge that.”

No, that sounded like a personal preference. Genos also hadn't really answered his question, but Saitama assumed that the substance was what he thought – some sort of lubricant.

“Genos... Pardon my French, but... That place isn't where things come out, is it?”

Eyes narrowed, mouth agape, Genos stared at him for a few palpable, unnerving seconds, then started to laugh. “No, no, it's nothing like that. In fact, I don't have anything like that at all. Everything I consume is instantly burned and used as fuel, as you know, so there's no need. You could say that this part was developed specifically with you in mind.”

“Where does it go...?” Saitama wondered aloud, mystified. Was it one-way? Had to be.

“You want to try it, sensei?” Genos asked, spreading it open with his fingers. It was black, aesthetically matching the rest of his black metal frame, but the inside and surrounding area looked smooth and soft. At least, if he put his dick in there, Saitama didn't feel like he would be running the risk of getting it chopped off or mangled by metal pieces. That had been an honest worry.

Admittedly, he was curious and wanted to see what it would feel like, but there were still other things he wanted to know.

“You don't have a dick?”

“Oh... I do, sort of.”

Sort of?!

“When you said you would prefer to be on top, I thought it wouldn't be necessary,” he explained. With an apprehensive tilt of his brows, he glanced at him, then moved one of his hands. If Saitama had blinked, he probably would've missed the way his body transformed. Following the sound of something being engaged, there was suddenly a metal dick there. There wasn't any other way to properly explain it. It was black metal like the rest of him, stiff, looked like a dick...

Saitama breathed a sigh of relief. “It matches. I don't know what I was expecting, but I'm glad it isn't something weird.”

Genos also appeared to be relieved that he was alright with it. The look he was giving him made something in Saitama's chest twist into a knot and instantly made him want to hide. That urge to change his mind and call it off was rising.

As his thoughts swirled around in a furious whirlpool of doubt and hesitation, nearing the point where he was ready to open his mouth any say that they shouldn't do it, Genos spoke up. Saitama's thoughts must have been obvious from the way he was staring, or maybe Genos had been able to hear the frantic pounding of his heart as it tried to evacuate his chest.

“It's alright, sensei. You're just checking compatibility.”

Those sounded like the words of someone who just wanted to get fucked, but Saitama also couldn't deny that he was right. That was just another way of looking at it. If nothing else had caused their relationship to change, then sex probably wouldn't leave an impact either.

On the other hand, he was afraid of disappointment. He already knew that Genos' body would be different from anyone else's, so it wasn't about that. 'Compatibility' was just an excuse.

He was more afraid that he would put his dick in him and then just... not care.

Even to him, it sounded silly, but it was a truly troubling thought.

“Sensei, lay down, please.”

“Huh?” He snapped out of it to find Genos sitting up, moving over to have him to lay down as instructed. “Wait, why? I thought I was on top?”

Genos colored. “That is correct. You still are. However, if you'll allow me...”

Figuring out what it was Genos was suggesting, he finally laid down on the futon, folding his hands over his stomach. Looking down his body, he cursed himself for still being half-hard despite all of his inner conflict. He laid down because he figured that Genos had an idea, but he didn't know whether he should trust a nineteen-year-old cyborg who probably had no sexual experience.

But it was Genos. And he looked so determined.

Sitting with his hands on his knees for a moment, Genos didn't make any moves, presumably charting his course of action, then slowly leaned over him, placing a hand on either side of Saitama's head. In a position like that, it was impossible not to look directly at him. Saitama knew what was coming, but he braced himself anyway, curling his fists at his sides as he closed his eyes and tilted up his locked jaw.

“Relax, please,” he heard Genos whisper, right before he felt his lips against his.

It seemed different when he knew that it was coming. The touch of his lips didn't give him that same shaken-up feeling that he had before when Genos had caught him off guard. Yet, despite Genos' quiet request for him to relax, it wasn't that easy. It wasn't until he felt Genos' chest, hard yet warm, pressing against his, that he let out the breath he'd been holding against his lips. Pulling back, Genos watched him attentively, giving him space to breathe before dipping his head to continue.

After about a minute, Saitama was able to grasp his bearings and put his hands on Genos' waist. That seemed to be where they belonged. His ears twitched when he heard Genos let out a small sound. He couldn't quite place what sort of sound it was, but it sounded like something sexual, whatever it was.

“Hey,” he mumbled against his mouth, leaned his head back into the pillow beneath him, “how much are you able to feel? I don't think you've ever told me. I see you get beat up all the time, but you act like it's no big deal. I know you can just get new parts to replace the busted ones, but doesn't it hurt when you get torn apart? ...Do you feel it when someone touches you?”

Genos looked at him very seriously, his mouth set in a line. “I do. A sense of contact and physical pain is necessary for proper spacial awareness, and I wouldn't be able to gauge an enemy's strength if I couldn't feel the force of their attacks. From what I can recall of my original body, what I feel now seems like a normal amount of pain, but I can only feel things on the outside. That way, it isn't painful if my parts are destroyed.”

Patting Genos' side, Saitama lifted a hand to touch his cheek, amused by the way his touch made Genos' eyes widen. “I can't believe I never noticed before. There are a lot of things about you that just seem totally normal to me. I don't even think about it.”

Genos timidly met his eyes. “Really? This body... doesn't bother you?”

Propping himself up onto an elbow, Saitama scratched at his cheek. “Well. I have yet to confirm how I feel about the rest of you, but I've never had a problem with what you look like.” He cleared his throat, willing himself to say the rest of what he was thinking. “You're a good-looking guy, you know? Cyborg or whatever – I know that I like what I see.”

Just looking at the elated look on Genos' face, he could tell that he was struggling to keep himself from grabbing a pen, wanting to write down every embarrassing compliment he gave him.

“As for the rest of you, I'm sorry for doubting that you would have a dick. If I were in your position, I'd be pretty bummed out if I couldn't jerk off, so it totally makes sense that you're fully equipped,” Saitama said, nodding to himself.

With a smile that teased the hollow gap inside him, Genos leaned closer until their lips were just barely touching. “Saitama-sensei is so understanding...”

Genos was acting like he'd just said something super romantic. Saitama couldn't figure it out, but he couldn't say a word about it as Genos' tongue prevented him from speaking. Once again, he had to remind himself that Genos was six years his junior, surprised by how skillfully he caressed his tongue. Pretty soon, if Genos kept it up like that, he was going to lose his grip on his title of 'teacher'.

It was nice, though; allowing Genos to smother him with affection. It was a strange, unfamiliar feeling, but it wasn't bad. Feeling Genos' arms around his shoulders, his weight on top of him, hearing his soft, contented breaths... He couldn't help it if he started to relax. Between the two of them, Genos had more reason to feel nervous, yet he seemed calm and focused. The difference, perhaps, was that he knew what he wanted.

That sort of reversal was hot in a way Saitama didn't want to admit.

Unwilling to be shown up by a kid, he did his best to return his kiss. If the professor Genos was always talking about was able to make the inside of his mouth feel so realistic, it made him wonder what he could do for the rest of his body. Valuing functionality over form, however, Genos' body was about ninety-nine percent metal and would probably stay that way for at least as long as it took him to get his revenge.

Releasing Genos from the loose embrace he held him in, he moved his hands from his back to his sides, stroking lightly, and cracked open an eye in the hope of seeing a reaction. As soon as he got a glimpse of him, he wished that he hadn't, going dizzy as all the blood in his brain that kept him thinking rationally went straight to his dick. There was a yell silently waiting to be released, but he didn't want to disturb the look on Genos' face; so earnest and wanton.

There was power in his hands... More than just his strength, he had the power to make Genos make that face.

Wanting to see more, wanting to see what other reactions he could coax from him, he moved his hands up his sides, fanning his fingers over his chest as Genos' tongue played with his. The metal of his chest was smooth, hard, and felt nothing like skin, but the response Saitama's touch received seemed too honest to be fake. If he brushed up against him accidentally or touched him in public, would Genos still react the same way?

The thought was unlikely, but it was still a very fine thought.

Saitama broke from their kiss. “Are you always like this?” he asked, unable to kill his curiosity.

Genos took a heavy breath and looked down at the hands on his chest. “I don't know... I think it might only be because of you, sensei.”

“You've gotta stop calling me that while we're doing this unless you want to change the way I hear 'sensei' forever.”

“Forgive me, sensei.”

It was hopeless. The word was ruined. From that point onward, he was going to get turned on every time he heard it.

That word continued to slip from Genos' lips as Saitama touched him. He wasn't sure where to touch specifically, but he seemed to be doing alright.

Just when he had finally gathered the courage to venture where he hadn't gone yet, he felt Genos' own fingers circling him. It was sort of odd to feel someone else's hand around his cock – especially Genos' metal one. His fingers were hard, but they weren't rough. Even the joints didn't pinch the way he thought they might. What he lacked in dexterity was made up for by the sweet warmth of his palm. With a little bit of lube, Saitama could only imagine what heaven his hands could feel like.

“That's good?”

He hadn't even noticed that his eyes had slipped closed until he heard Genos seeking an answer from him. Now sitting up at his side, gazing down at him, Genos brushed the fingers of his other hand over his abdomen as he loosely stroked his cock in the other. The feeling of warm metal contrasted with his damp skin and made him involuntarily move his hips. Even he he tried to hold back, it was like he couldn't help it, under a spell.

Dumbly, he nodded, watching the way his cock slid over his fingers. Whether it felt good or bad, he couldn't say for sure. It was unique. If he really had to choose, then he would have to say...

“It's not bad.”

Accepting that answer, Genos got up slightly, releasing his cock before he could get too worked up. Placing his hands on Saitama's bent, fidgeting knees, he pushed them open. If he wanted, Saitama had the strength to keep them closed, but he was too bewildered and curious to find out what he was doing. For a while, Saitama thought that he had regained control of the situation, but Genos was the one leaning between his legs, Genos was the one with a hand around his cock, dipping his head, placing his lips around-

“Wh-whoa there, Genos...!”

It was already too late at that point. Genos' lips were wrapped around the head of his cock, and, when he looked up at him, all Saitama could do was groan. He couldn't tell him to stop. There was something so innocent about Genos' eyes as he looked at him with his cock in his mouth.

Saitama's head was a mess. He wasn't thinking like himself at all and it was all Genos' fault.

Whenever Genos told him that he should come visit the professor with him, there was always one reason or another for why he couldn't go, but now he firmly promised himself that he needed to meet that man – either to thank him or to punch him. Lightly, maybe. A light punch. Genos had an incredibly talented tongue, but that man was the one who was truly at fault for making him question his sexuality.

Gradually, Genos took him deeper into his mouth, pressing his lips firmly around his cock as he swallowed him, inch by inch, until Saitama could feel the head resting against the back of his tongue. From there, he didn't know what the rest of Genos' internal anatomy was like, but he figured that everything he was doing had to be safe because he was always looking out for his well-being. Sometimes it seemed like he didn't know how to read the mood, but Genos had been fully human once, so he had to know the sort of apprehension Saitama felt in the present situation.

Just a little more and Saitama felt himself nudging the back of Genos' throat. If he felt any discomfort, he didn't show it. Briefly, Saitama wondered if he was even capable of feeling nauseous, but it didn't feel like the time to ask, and he wasn't sure if he would've been able to get his voice out anyway. His voice and even his thoughts floated farther and farther away as Genos moved his head. Pulling up, leaving just the head between his lips, Genos went all the way down again in one motion, letting him nudge his throat, then repeated that again and again.

It wasn't the fact that he was so skilled that left Saitama feeling the most dazed. It was his sheer willingness to just get between his knees without being asked and suck his dick. His heart couldn't parse it, but in his head, he knew that Genos wasn't the type to do something like that because of a sense of obligation. Genos was eager to show him his gratitude, but that wasn't his only reason.

The memory of his fingers on his cheek, of their mouths suddenly touching, of Genos' confidently whispered words, came floating back to him from the back of his mind.

“Genos,” he said, his name unconsciously slipping out. His toes curled against the top of the sheets as Genos reached the head of his cock again. That time, he stayed there a second, paying more attention to the tip, laving it with the flat of his tongue. It felt so soft and warm, and Saitama was loathe to admit that he'd never had the fortune of knowing that feeling before.

All he knew was that he wasn't going to be able to take it for much longer. He would've liked it if Genos could've used his hands a little more, but he put so much attention into the way he was sucking him and using his tongue that it hardly mattered.

“Genos,” he said again, more insistently. He felt the need to return the favor for him. It didn't feel fair that he was the only one getting to feel good.

...That was the face of someone who was enjoying himself, though.

It looked like it took Genos some willpower to pull himself away from his cock, his lips flushed, eyes glazed when he looked up to give him his attention. “Yes?” Genos asked, drawing his tongue over his upper lip.

Saitama took in a sharp breath, sweating, already feeling like he could come just by looking at him. Grasping his hand, he pulled Genos up. “I don't know what kind of crazy stamina you have, but I know I wouldn't be able to last if you kept that up, so...”

“My apologies,” Genos said, getting back onto his knees, remaining between his legs. Reaching out to him, he placed both hands on Saitama's chest and stroked gently, caressing his hands all the way down his abdomen, around his waist and hips. Saitama would've been embarrassed by such a delicate gesture, but he understood what it meant. Even though his hands were metal, Genos could feel him, and he wanted to feel him – to touch him and show him his reverence.

The way he touched him... It was like he was worshiping him.

Tracing his fingers around his skin, he wasn't hesitating – not with a smile like that.

“I really love you, Saitama-sensei,” he said, reminding him that he hadn't been dreaming.

What nonsense had he been spouting with the talk of 'compatibility'?

He wanted him. There was no question of it.

What he really wanted to make sure of were his own feelings towards him, and he felt like he was dangerously close to discovering them. Just as much as he wanted to feel something, he was afraid of feeling too much. Every time Genos looked at him, Saitama felt himself becoming more compromised, yet he wanted to chase that feeling.

They had already come so far, there was no point in getting embarrassed. He held out his hands, and Genos curiously placed his in them, raising his brows as he was pulled closer. He must've known what he wanted, but he seemed surprised that Saitama was the one to take the first move.

As his teacher, it was only right. He wanted to hold him confidently.

With Genos straddling his waist, Saitama cautiously put a hand between his legs and pressed his fingers against the place Genos had teased him with earlier. If what he'd told him could be believed, then he must have really enjoyed sucking his cock. His entrance was thoroughly soaked, some of that substance dripping down his thigh. Rubbing his fingers around the outside, he covered his fingers in the slippery substance, then tested his entrance, pressing just hard enough to determine how much resistance he'd find there.

It seemed tight... Combined with the rubbery texture, his dumb thoughts started going into overdrive again, making him wonder if it would feel more like an onahole than a real …?

He didn't even have a word for it. It was a hole. A hole made for him.

Consumed with his thoughts, he absently lifted that hand to his mouth and paused right before he brought it to his lips, his eyes snapping open. “How safe is this stuff?” he asked, rubbing his fingers together. It was clear and slippery and looked a lot like lube, so if it also tasted like lube, he was going to have to assume that it was lube.

“It's safe to ingest,” Genos said. He must've noticed the way he was considering it. He kept staring at him then too, like he was waiting for him to test it.

Well.

Whatever.

He popped one of his fingers into his mouth and kept his eyes on Genos. Even though he was the older one, he had no idea how to act sexy. Meanwhile, Genos seemed to be able to do it effortlessly, in a cyborg body, no less. Trying to imagine what Genos would've done instead only made him moan around the finger in his mouth and shift his hips anxiously.

While he thought he must've looked stupid, Genos was eating it up, holding his back straight, his hands clenching and unclenching over his thighs. Saitama hadn't given his cock much consideration yet, but he found himself staring at it, wondering how he would act once he touched him there.

Removing his finger from his mouth, eyes on Genos', he returned his fingers to his entrance and pushed two of them inside. Did he have to go slowly? Would Genos have to get used to it first before he tried to put his dick in...? He wasn't sure, but he recalled the way that Genos had willingly spread him legs as soon as he suggested that they do it. If he was willing to jump right into things like that, then it probably wouldn't be a problem.

Touching him with his fingers was more for his own benefit, to safely feel what it was like inside before he put anything more valuable in there. It seemed to have an added bonus, as Genos shivered slightly and let out a few hushed breaths as he moved his fingers within him.

Saitama may have never thought about his body in a sexual manner, but, looking at him with his clothes off, hearing him moaning quietly, watching him trying to keep himself from rocking his hips, he couldn't deny that there was something erotic about his body. Even without his clothes, he hadn't thought he was naked, but when he saw him acting that way, it suddenly made him feel like they were equal.

Parts of him that wouldn't normally be seen were on display only for him. It was something of an honor, but it was mostly embarrassing.

Inside, he felt even warmer than he did on the outside, but the thing that really shocked him was how tight he felt. Not knowing whether it could stretch, he worried about if he would even be able to fit.

After moving his fingers around for just a short while, his palm had already gotten soaked with his fluid. Removing his hand and unsure what else he should do with it, he stroked his hand over his own cock, coating himself with it.

“Okay, come here.” Placing his other hand on his waist, he brought him a little closer, aligning their hips. With his lower lip drawn between his teeth, he pressed the tip of his cock against the entrance and pressed lightly on Genos' hip, telling him to go slow.

Placing his hands on Saitama's chest to balance himself, Genos did just as he was told, careful not to go too quickly. It was as tight as Saitama expected, forcing his teeth to clench as he felt the head of his cock getting consumed in the smothering heat of Genos' body. At the worst time, he became aware of what they were doing and his cock jerked. It was so hot, so wet – he just wanted to grab onto him and thrust into him all at once. He thought he was going slow for the both of them, but it felt like torture.

“I knew it,” Genos said, sounding disappointed. “It's too tight, isn't it?”

“Might be too soon to say that,” Saitama said, his fingers twitching on Genos' sides. “Maybe you could... Maybe you should just-”

Misunderstanding him, Genos gave him an immediately apologetic look and pulled up, almost getting all the way off before Saitama stopped him, firmly holding him in place. “W-what's wrong? I thought you wanted to stop,” Genos said.

He couldn't tell him that he was already hopelessly close to coming. The inside of him was ridiculously tight, but it also felt unbearably good, the kind of good that made him feel like it would turn his brain to mush.

Genos probably hadn't been joking when he said that hole was made for him. It was Genos, after all. He wasn't good at jokes.

As he watched him, Genos slowly acquired an understanding smile. “I see... Sensei, if that's the case, you should've just said something. You shouldn't worry yourself over anything like that. Let me show you how good I can make you feel.”

That was the beginning of the end. After he heard Genos say that, he knew he was a goner. Weakly, he agreed to let him take over and prayed that he wouldn't come as soon as he started moving. Thankfully, to his relief, Genos took it slowly at first, sliding down onto his cock in one smooth movement until he was fully seated in his lap with his entire cock inside of him. There was no way to describe it better than overwhelming. His cock was already twitching inside of him, threatening to shoot, his hips burning with the desire to move and fuck him.

Moving his hands from Genos' waist, he gripped his thighs instead, hooking his fingers between the gaps in his parts. That was one advantage to Genos' body that he would never be able to find anywhere else; he'd always have something he could hold on to. Even that seemed to arouse Genos, making him wince and swallow back a moan. Grinning to himself, Saitama teased his fingers in between the sensitive gaps, feeling accomplished when he was rewarded with some moans that Genos was unable to hold back.

Genos' hips stuttered as he lifted himself up. Saitama could feel him quivering inside and his heart began to pound faster again, fearing that he'd make him come. He was about to hold him, but Genos stopped on his own, his legs shaking, his fingers curling on top of Saitama's chest.

“Are you...?” Saitama glanced down to where they were connected. He didn't know what he should be watching out for.

His fingers relaxing, hands spreading out, Genos slowly began to move again. “I'm fine. If I'm going to come, I'll let you know.”

That was good, but, at the same time, Saitama was already dying just imagining him shouting that he was coming. His cock responded so strongly to that thought that it made him want to cry. It was already enough that it felt like his cock was being surrounded by the tightest, most perfect thing he'd ever felt in his life. He didn't need any other stimuli forcing him closer to his own climax. No, he was certainly going to get there. Despite that, he wanted to watch; his eyes uncontrollably drawn back down to watch the way his cock slowly disappeared into the depths of Genos' tight, wet passage every time he moved his hips. If Genos pulled up to far, the tightness and all of that slippery fluid wanted to push his cock out. Whenever he did that, leaving only the head, it almost felt like he was penetrating him again, his cock forcing its way between his tightly-closed walls.

He had to wonder what it felt like. He'd toyed with his own ass once and decided that he wasn't brave enough to do it by himself, but he'd heard that it felt good when it was done right. It required time and patience, but whatever Genos had didn't seem to need those things. Before he even sunk onto his cock, he was already moaning just from his fingers, and it seemed like it felt even better to have the real thing inside of him. Every movement looked like it brought him an incredible amount of pleasure.

Saitama may have been close himself, but he felt pretty good knowing that he could turn Genos on that easily. He recalled what Genos said about it only being because of him, and... Well, maybe that made Saitama happy. He wouldn't admit it, though. He absolutely couldn't admit it.

Genos lifted the back of one of his hands to his mouth to muffle a gasp, his back arching as he pushed himself down hard onto his cock.

“Close...?” Saitama asked, relaxing his hands on his thighs.

It looked like he didn't want to answer as he glanced away, his eyes half-lidded, his hand still delicately held over his mouth. “I'm sorry, sensei... I must not be very good at this if I can't even last this long.”

There was no point in forcing each other to prolong it then. “Looks like it's my turn. Genos, don't hold back, alright? I won't either.”

Wide-eyed, Genos nodded. “Y-yes, sensei!”

It was time for him to get serious. It wouldn't be right to let Genos think that he was inadequate. Everything he'd done until that point was so good that Saitama questioned whether he even knew what 'good' felt like before. As his pupil, he'd more than proved himself, and even beyond that.

“Ah- Hang on. Come 'ere a sec,” he said, gesturing for him to lean down. When he did so, Saitama held his shoulders and leaned up to meet him half way, giving him a kiss. It was a quick one, but Genos looked at him with surprise. “That's just so we're even, okay? We're even.”

From just one little kiss, Genos looked like he was melting, getting a dreamy look in his eyes. For once, he was able to keep himself from saying anything that might've embarrassed him, but the happy, satisfied look he had as he straightened up on top of him made Saitama wish he were dead. It simultaneously made him feel even closer to coming, which consequently made him feel more in the mood for death.

No, he couldn't give up yet.

He'd given him fair warning, so, holding onto his hips, he pulled him down hard as he thrust up into him. Despite looking prepared at first, Genos must not have been expecting such a forceful thrust, as a loud shout immediately followed. He didn't think he was holding him too tightly... Just to be sure, he lifted his hands for a second to check if he'd left any cracks or dents. His heart was pounding so loudly in his ears, he wouldn't have even noticed if he accidentally broke him. Slowly, he gave him a few more thrusts, and Genos followed them, pressing down to meet them with a combination of pleasure and suffering on his face.

Saitama could relate.

“S-sensei...” Genos gasped, squeezing his eyes shut. The metal sound produced by his joints as he raised himself on his cock shouldn't have been so arousing.

Looking at him and listening to him letting out those quiet, pleading moans made Saitama inexplicably want to touch him even more. Pushing away his hesitance, Saitama lifted a hand from Genos' hip and placed it around his cock. It was warm like the rest of him – he wasn't sure what else he was expecting – but it surprised him anyway. It fit nicely in his palm; neither big nor small. Against his best efforts, he imagined what it would feel like to have it inside of himself. Even that had probably been modified with him in mind. He wanted to scream.

It was made of metal, so he didn't have to treat it too gently. He kept a firm grasp on it, feeling more like he was polishing something than stroking a dick. As strange as it felt to him, it seemed to be working for Genos who quivered and shifted anxiously with every pass of his hand. Thrusting into him, stroking him at the same time, it wasn't long before he felt something wet against his palm. Opening his hand, he found it slick with more of that clear fluid. Genos looked like he was too lost in the feeling to notice anything. Saitama took it as a silent sign that he was doing something right.

As he got closer and closer to coming, he wondered which one of them should come first. As the one in control, did that mean that he should come second? The sweetly constricting heat inside Genos was teasing him, goading him to come.

“Sensei, please... Saitama-sensei... Ah- That feels so good...”

Saitama held his breath. He tried to stop moving, but Genos continued to move on top of him, slamming his hips down, taking his cock as far as it could go.

“If you go saying things like that,” he muttered, breath stuttering around his words, “I'm seriously going to lose it...”

“That's fine,” Genos panted, head rolled back, bracing himself on Saitama's thighs. “Go on. Please... Inside. You can come inside, sensei.”

…

Well. He was asking for it, right?

For a few dizzying moments, his mind went completely blank, filled only with the desire to give Genos what he asked for. That body – every metal inch of it; every bolt, every wire, every circuit – was a precious part of the one who devoted himself to him entirely. In that moment, Saitama decided that he couldn't be satisfied with himself unless he overloaded those circuits with incredible ecstasy.

“Genos, take this!”

Arching his back and hips off the floor, he thrust into him one more time, coming so hard that it felt like the world disappeared around him. With his eyes closed, his fingers roughly grasping Genos' thighs, he could hear Genos panting encouraging and appreciative-sounding things. Every word felt as if it kicked his climax to a new degree until he could barely breathe, gasping hoarsely as he came inside of him.

When the smoke in his head began to clear, he slowly relaxed into the futon and opened his eyes. Genos was dripping, but he still hadn't come. Saitama, feeling like he had the strength left, knew what he had to do.

Grabbing him by the waist, he threw their weight together, flipping Genos onto his back to make him take his place.

“What are you-”

He didn't know what he was doing, honestly, but it felt right the right thing to do.

Genos shut up as soon as he saw the serious look he was giving him. Hoisting his legs over his shoulders, he thrust into him hard, his hips slamming into the back of Genos' thighs with every sharp thrust. Sweat dripped from his chin to Genos' chest and was evaporated in seconds by the heat coming from his vents. His cum and Genos' lubricating fluids dripping out every time he moved.

If he wasn't careful, he was going to end up getting totally turned on again. As it was, he was running on fumes and he couldn't imagine how he'd fair in a second round.

“Genos,” he muttered, exhausted.

As if he weren't tight enough, he felt Genos suddenly tightening up around him even more. All he wanted to do was tell him to hurry it up and come already, but whatever he did must have worked. Genos covered his face and moaned helplessly, his body tightening inside as cum splashed his chest and stomach.

Too afraid to pull out just yet, Saitama waited for the spasms inside of him to subside before he pulled out. Glistening with a combination of his cum and Genos', his cock gave a twitch as if it were mocking him.

Taking Genos' legs from his shoulders, he rested him down on the bed and got up to find the tissues. As he padded across the room, the reality of what they did began to sink in. He couldn't remember what he had been thinking when they started; why he thought it would be a good idea.

He thought that nothing would change. He thought that they were always just the same. And yet, something had...

Though, when he turned around holding the box of tissues and saw the timid way Genos was looking at him, he knew he was wrong.

They couldn't change something if it had always been that way. His chest had always tightened the same way when when he saw Genos' concerned eyes.

The only thing that changed was his perspective.

“Perhaps... Perhaps we shouldn't have-”

“Ah~ah,” Saitama sung in a derisive voice, ignoring the direction Genos was going with that thought. “Would you look at that? We really made a mess, didn't we?”

Specifically, he was talking about the mess they'd made of the futon, but Genos must have realized that he was talking about a much bigger mess than that. His brows were drawn, his mouth set flat, but once he looked down and noticed that it was still leaking from him, he shot up and awkwardly stepped away from the scene.

After he leafed a few for himself, Saitama generously handed him the box of tissues. “I don't know about you, but I don't feel like getting cleaned up again. This is fine for now. I think I'd rather just lay on the floor and watch some TV after that, you know? That was exhausting.”

“Sensei...?”

He didn't want to talk about it. It would be easier to dive back into the hollowness.

As he knelt to gather his pajamas from the folded pile, he felt a weight against his back; Genos' chest pressed to his back, his arms around his shoulders.

“We have another futon!” he said a little too loudly. The way his voice wavered – it made Saitama want to smile. “So... it's fine. I'll wait for you, sensei.”

“Idiot,” he muttered. Turning around in his embrace, with a smile, he knocked him on the forehead with the backs of his knuckles. “You totally lost the metaphor. I guess it is pretty hard to make a metaphor about a futon, though... Ah, whatever.”

Jumping back into the comfortable shadows of his heart might have been easier, but he wanted to know more of that warmth that had beckoned him out.

Erupting into a smile, Genos held him tightly, and Saitama rested his head against his shoulder. “You don't have to change anything about yourself to make me happy, sensei. The person I love already knows how to love me in his own way.”

“Hm,” Saitama mumbled against the side of his neck, his quiet way of agreeing.

Genos was the best kind of student.

Saitama let them stay like that for a little while longer before he made them part to clean up. There were parts of him that felt gross and sticky. It wasn't pleasant. At least Genos had already put his dick away. Saitama kind of wished that he could do that too.

While Genos washed up in the bathroom, Saitama put on his pajamas. Finding the remote under the table, he turned on the TV, then padded to the kitchenette and located their bag of groceries on the counter. Really, it wasn't like bananas were his favorite or anything... But with the way Genos seemed to think they were, he was beginning to feel a special fondness for them.

Right as he reached for the refrigerator door to grab a beer, his eyes fell on the two bowls of food on the other side of the counter. They'd totally forgotten about them. Or he had, at least. They probably weren't hot anymore, but that was fine. It was an extremely ordinary sight, but seeing those two bowls sitting side by side on the counter made him kind of happy.

He took a beer from the fridge door.

His eyes were a little misty as he popped the tab.

Remembering when there would've only been one bowl there, he took a drink.

Sometime later, Genos found him laying on his stomach in front of the TV, can of beer in one hand, banana in the other. Saitama suspected that Genos must have done a lot of thinking while he was in the bathroom because he came out looking super refreshed. He put on some sweatpants, but he hadn't put a shirt on yet and Saitama's eyes locked onto his chest.

When Genos saw Saitama's other food sitting untouched on the table, he gave him a look.

“I got the taste for a banana,” Saitama explained, stuffing it into his face.

Lightly shaking his head, Genos picked up his bowl and came to sit beside him. “That's fine. They're good for you,” he said as he peeled back the lid and dug in.

“Oh, that reminds me,” Saitama said, words muffled by banana. “I wanna go visit that professor of yours sometime.”

“You've finally decided to let him help with your hair? Are you finally admitting that the bananas have no effect?”

Saitama slammed his beer down on the floor and sobbed. “That's not it at all!”

Genos gave him a blank look as he slurped a noodle.

“...I want to thank him. It's because of him that you're able to feel and eat and do all these things I take for granted. Besides, he seems like someone important to you. I mean, you wouldn't even be here if it weren't for him, right?”

Gently smiling, Genos scooted closer to him and gave him a tender pat on the back. “Thank you, sensei. He's been dying to meet you for a long time.”

He wasn't smiling. The sweetness of the banana just made his cheeks tingle. That was all.

“I see,” he replied.

As long as he kept inviting people in, that hollow space inside would continue to become smaller, smaller, and smaller still, until, eventually, it would disappear.

He leaned into Genos' warmth.