Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Genos, are you in?”

Silence lingered from behind the door but only for a brief moment. “Bang… the door is unlocked.”

Bang pushed open the door and entered into the dim corridor of the apartment. “Pardon the intrusion.”

At the far end of the hallway he could see the black contour of Genos’ back surrounded by a faint white glow. The whirring of mechanical parts coming together preceded the fading of the light. And the room went dark. The only illumination came from the orange rays of the sunset trying to creep in from behind the closed curtains.

Genos stood up from the small table and went to the closet for a shirt. “Did you need something?” he asked without making eye contact.

“I was just passing through when I saw this package hanging from a tree down the block,” Bang said, holding up the large brown box with one hand. “Air mail, perhaps? I would think that by now all your mail would be forwarded to headquarters.”

“That’s not the case. Thank you for retrieving it,” Genos replied as he took the box and turned to the table.

Bang couldn’t help notice the flat tone of his polite words, which were rare for anyone to hear from the cyborg. But it was just a passing thought, and Bang watched as Genos dumped the contents onto the table and riffled through them methodically. He took only two envelopes and poured the rest back in the box without so much as a second glance.

Bang noted the two plain envelopes as Genos passed him for the door. “Anything important?” he asked casually.

“Just the regular bills. I’ll throw the rest out with the trash next time.”

Bang looked back at the open box on the floor filled with letters that were perhaps the most colorful things in the room. He felt a little sorry for the admiring writers whose words would only be known to themselves.

“Shall we go?” Genos asked, opening the door.

“Yes, it’s about time for dinner.” He stepped out into the waning sunlight, and looked over his shoulder. “I would ask you to join, but I feel I already know the answer to that question by now. How presumptuous of me.”

“Not at all. Besides I would barely be able to relax with that disciple of yours around.”

“Oh,” Bang chuckled as he walked along the railing. “I’d assume he’d feel similarly. Well, I’ll see you at the association tomorrow.”

Genos watched as the old man took a turn down the landing and disappeared. He turned back to the door and took out the keys, yet he hesitated just before locking it.

That feeling had returned as it did every time he came back to this place. And now, his visits were becoming more frequent. He pressed his hand against the wall and rested his forehead against the door. He knew he needed to get over it somehow. He closed his eyes and listened to the sharp sound of the lock as he turned the key. After all, this was not his home anymore; it had not been for two years since Sensei had gone.

Genos closed the black metal briefcase and slid it off the near-empty desk in his quarters. Pale streams of sunlight lit the edges of his coffee table and couch, but aside from that there was not much in the monotone gray room that he needed to scan over. Stepping out of the room, Genos inwardly sighed as he felt a presence come up behind him.

“Haven’t seen you around lately, Demon Cyborg.”

The mocking intonation of his name didn’t go unnoticed. Genos turned slowly to see the smirk on Amai Mask’s face, which he resisted the urge to smack with his backhand.

“If you need nothing from me, I’m leaving.”

Amai narrowed his gaze as Genos stepped past him. “You need to start focusing if you’re serious about keeping your rank.”

“What are you saying?” Genos asked with a hint of accusation.

“I mean there’s no point in your frequent excursions to that ghost town. This is where you belong now.”

Despite the words, Genos knew there was no sentiment of camaraderie behind them. “That’s none of your business. Especially from someone not even qualified to be here.”

Amai raised an eyebrow at the weak excuse and rested his gaze on the menacing one Genos shot over his shoulder. He lifted his hands mildly in the air. “Fine,” he said with a shrug. “But you know I take the integrity of the Hero Association very seriously, especially for the S-Class.”

“And I know you’re one to butt in every chance you get.” Genos continued walking down the empty hallway. He regretted wasting his time.

“Even in death, you’re still letting him hold you back.”

It was then that Genos spun around so quickly that any bystander would have thought he was ready to attack. Amai didn’t flinch in the slightest at the murderous expression Genos showed freely through grit teeth and glowing eyes.

“You need to face the facts. He shouldn’t have rushed in there. He was outranked and unprepared.” Amai walked a couple steps toward Genos. “But you aren’t responsible for his actions. And if you have any respect for the hero profession, you wouldn’t let any personal feelings affect your abysmal quota as of late.”

The whirring of Genos’ motors quieted down not because of Amai’s cold reasoning but because he knew he couldn’t afford to waste the energy. Without a glance back, he reached the end of the corridor and turned the corner out of sight.

The lobby of the Hero Association Headquarters was an expansive hollow space with walls and columns of black iron. Genos’ steps echoed and alerted the staff and other S-Class heroes, who showed either awe or disdain on their faces as they watched him exit. What was bitterly entertaining was that the higher the rank, the more derisive the expression. Tatsumaki was a textbook example as she followed Genos out the door with her steely green eyes and stone-cold frown.

Genos paid her no mind as he fastened the briefcase in a specialized compartment on the side of his motorcycle. The five hundred pound behemoth was armored in matte black steel plates along an elongated chassis that was supported by twenty-inch wheels. His retina scan activated the motor and synced with his visual sensors. He revved the accelerator and sped down one of the many freeways that fanned out from the headquarters like a spider’s web.

Riding was one of the only distractions Genos had left to fall back on. The roar of the engines combatted the thoughts running through his mind. He didn’t want to think about quotas and politics. The further he left that iron fortress behind him, the better. That was no home for him, Genos thought. It was more of a prison.

No one knew the true weight that he carried. Rather, most of his so-called colleagues undermined him and continuously questioned his commitment. But Genos knew the responsibility that fell on his shoulders. He had given everything he had left to serve as the hero he thought the world needed. That was what it meant to be the top-ranked S-Class hero.

Genos let the bike slow to a stop by the oceanside. It would have made for a nice view of the sunrise had it not been for the metal ruins that protruded from the ocean’s surface like an insect’s twisted legs. Salt and water had no doubt filled every crevice of the massive ship that led to its dilapidation. But the lack of rust on it even after two years echoed the reminder of its alien origins.

This was the place where it all happened.

No one on Earth knew more about the insides of that ship more than Genos. After that day, he had spent two months searching the debris. And being a cyborg, he had done so day and night continuously. It was only because of the Doctor that he had stopped; there was not much he could get from a ship that had self-destructed anyway. Even Bofoi could gain no new information than what he already had. Now, it stood as a reminder to humanity of what they had almost lost… and to Genos as a reminder of what he had never gotten back.

“Mr. Genos?”

Genos turned his head to the voice in front of him. It was Mumen Rider. “I was hoping to run into you,” he beamed behind his goggles. “Dr. Kuseno told me you were around here.”

Genos would have been annoyed at his father-figure for tracking his global location without his permission, but he knew the Doctor would only do such a thing when it was something important. “What’s the matter?”

“He wanted me to ask you to investigate something in X-City. He said that the sensors I planted there a while back detected an anomaly.” Mumen presented him with a small device, no larger than a finger. “You’ll find one like this.”

Genos knew that Mumen had been volunteering to do field work for the Doctor for the past few months, but the purpose of which was still unclear to him.

“I’ll leave now,” said Genos, starting up the engine again. “I’ll be there in an hour.”

“An hour?” Mumen exclaimed. “But we’re on the border of Z-City! It should take double that—” However, Genos was already no more than a speck down the road.

[Communications online]

Dr. Kuseno, Genos called mentally. I’m on my way to X-City. I’ll be there before noon.

“Genos? I thought you might still have work at the association.” The concern in the Doctor’s voice was still clear through the static. “I could always just send—”

I’m on it, Genos said flatly.

The Doctor was silent for a moment. “Alright. I’ll send you the data.”

[Communications offline]

Immediately, Genos got an alert that flashed in his vision. It detailed the exact location of the sensor that went off. It also showed a fluctuating energy pattern that flashed red on a 3-dimensional graph the Doctor made.

As he glided along the coastside, Genos could still make out the contour of the alien ship in the water. He shook his head sharply. Focus, he told himself. But the memories he tried so hard to suppress came crashing once again like unforgiving waves.

Chapter Text

Two years ago...

“Woah, what’s all this?”

Saitama glanced down at the “extravagant” breakfast laid before him on the table: rice, fish, miso soup, and…

“We’re using eggs now?” Saitama asked, lifting one of the hard boiled eggs in his hand. “They weren’t on sale this week.”

“They were,” Genos lied, finishing up the dishes. “I had to go to the supermarket on 4th Street.”

“Ah.” Saitama reached for the remote and turned on the TV. “You really didn’t have to, you know,” he said, staring blankly at the screen.

“It’s not a problem, Sensei.” Genos slowly untied the pink apron he wore and hung it on the wall as he thought of what to say next. “...I’ve noticed that you haven’t been eating… or sleeping much lately.”

“I’m just tired,” Saitama said nonchalantly.

Genos brought his own near-identical breakfast to the table and sat down quietly. It’s been months though , he thought to himself. 

“Here.” Genos looked up to see Saitama handing him a hard-boiled egg. “Look, I even peeled it for you.”

“Sensei, those are for you. I’m fine.”

“You gave me three. There’s more than enough.”

“But—”

Saitama gave Genos a side-long glance. “I appreciate your concern, Genos, but you gotta start treating yourself better. It doesn’t make it fair for me either.”

Genos looked from Saitama’s gaze to the egg he presented to him. He took it carefully as if it had been a precious gift. “Thank you, Sensei.”

“No. Thank you,” Saitama emphasized. “You’re the one that made all this. Smells great. Well, thanks for the food,” he said, putting his hands together. 

They ate in silence as Saitama flipped through the channels. Suddenly, all channels flashed a red alert with the Hero Association logo. 

“As of o’eight hundred hours this morning, dozens of unidentified flying objects have been seen above many cities all over the globe.”

The image on the screen showed several metallic vessels hovering over skyscrapers of various cities, including Z-City. The voice of the newscaster continued. “Threat level warning has been raised to ‘Dragon’. All civilians are to report to their respective underground shelters. All heroes are required to report to the nearest threat and be on high-alert. We repeat…”

Saitama and Genos glanced out the window and saw the darkening sky through the shear curtains. “They’re not too far,” said Genos.

Putting down his chopsticks, Saitama stood from the table with a grunt. “Ok, time to go.”

His shaky stance as he got up did not go unnoticed by Genos. “Sensei,” he called, following him with his eyes as Saitama walked to the closet. “Maybe you should rest for today… and go to the underground shelter.”

“What?” Saitama paused, looking at Genos incredulously.

Genos stood up quickly, looking like he had just been scolded. “What I mean is that I know you didn’t get much sleep last night or even the past week, so…”

Saitama turned to face Genos fully, letting his hero uniform hang in his hand. “Wait. Are you serious?”

Genos stood there, looking at the floor with his fists clenched. His mind was just a jumble of thoughts and concerns, and he was afraid of how Saitama would react. He hadn’t meant to insult him.

“Genos,” Saitama sighed. “I’m fine. We still have jobs to do.” He had turned abruptly to change in the bathroom before Genos could even think of saying another word. 

High above the city, a dozen oblong-shaped ships filled the sky surrounding one larger vessel in the center about the size of a stadium. Hoards of icy blue beings dove down from the ships onto the city streets, causing the ground to shake as they did. 

This was the first time Genos could remember their ghost town of a home being so populated. The small number of civilians that still lived in Z-City ran from the battlefield to the underground shelters while being escorted by B-Class and C-Class heroes. Meanwhile, he recognized a couple of A-Class heroes holding back the aliens and only one other S-Class hero in the vicinity: Tatsumaki. She was holding her own without much struggle as she swiftly gravitated the aliens into each other in midair, resounding in a satisfying crunch. 

Suddenly, one of the pale blue beings landed just meters away from where Genos was standing, and looking at them carefully, he realized that their entire bodies were made of ice crystals. They were slender bipedal beings, towering at seven feet tall with long limbs that ended with claws. And their bodies were near translucent save for their red beady eyes that glowed from deep in their skulls. 

The beast had set its eyes on Genos and ran toward him—the sound of ice crunching as it moved. Genos gripped its hands with his to hold it at bay, only for the creature to rip open its mouth into a raucous howl. From the corner of his eye, Genos glanced at Saitama’s location who simply waded through half a dozen of the beings with single hook punches. 

“Oi, Genos. I’m going up there, ‘kay?” Saitama pointed to the largest ship in the fleet, and continued walking to the center of the battlefield. 

Genos used his hand thrusters to shatter the beast’s claws before using a head butt to push it away. “Sensei!”

“Huh?”

“I… uh,” Genos hesitated not because he was afraid of what to say, but because he didn’t have the words. There was something off, and he was aware of it; but what else?

“You okay?” Saitama raised an eyebrow. “Don’t worry. You got this. I’ll be off.”

Genos wanted to open his mouth to say something again, but dropped his shoulders at the sight of Saitama too far away for him to hear. Just then, the beast he had incapacitated dove for him again and brought Genos’ focus back to the fight. 

He had defeated hundreds of ice beings over the course of an hour and by this time, he had narrowed the distance between him and Tatsumaki. She looked down at him from her position in the sky and called out as she effortlessly smashed a dozen aliens against the ruins of a nearby building. 

“Hey, what’s your friend thinking of doing anyway? He asked me to send him up there with absolutely no plan in mind!”

“He’ll be fine,” Genos dismissed. His Sensei had never relied on plans anyway. He had never needed one, he told himself. However, Genos couldn’t help but glance up at the vessel that cast a shadow over him.

Suddenly, a series of blasts was heard overhead. The massive ship above the city began to tilt slowly as all the onlookers below, both hero and alien, ceased their fighting. The blast continued, muffled by the thick shell of the ship until one large explosion broke through one of its apices. 

“It’s gonna fall!” Tatsumaki announced. She raised her hands and caught the debris from the ship in a green glow before they hit the ground. 

The force of the explosion launched the ship like a sideways rocket toward the coast. A thick line of smoke trailed it until it plunged into the water, causing a massive splash the size of a skyscraper. 

Genos watched the scene in horror. The spray of water seemed to fall in slow motion, but the resulting reverberation throughout the city snapped him back to reality. He sped to the crash using the thrusters in his palms to send him flying for blocks at a time. Just as he got to the edge of the embankment, a low grumble came from the center of the ship. One final eruption broke through the belly of the vessel. Shrapnel and ocean spray flew with such a force in every direction that Genos had to kneel to the ground and pierce his fingers through the asphalt to stay anchored. 

“Sensei!” 

When he was able to stand again, Genos dove into the ocean, resisting against the turbulence of the unpredictable current. He propelled himself to an exposed piece of the wreck and climbed in. Had it not been for the roof of the vessel being completely blasted off, Genos would be in complete darkness. Instead, he got to see water rushing from every direction down into the core of the ship from where the blast originated. 

“S-Sensei! Where are you?” He gurgled, chest-deep in murky water. Everything around him was charred black, and the alien technology that had filled the ship now looked like scrap metal. 

He swam through crevices and tread through slanted corridors that still had air in them. There were no signs of life anywhere, not even the aliens. Although with their physical make-up of pure ice, there probably wouldn’t be anything left of them to find. 

Genos searched the various floors of the ship methodically and relied on his own built-in emergency lights when submerged in black water. When he resurfaced quite some time later, he was shocked to find that night had fallen. He saw coast guard boats near the entrance he had used and swam toward them. 

“Have you seen anyone leaving the wreckage?” He barked at them.

“Demon Cyborg,” the head guard responded. “This site is now under the jurisdiction of—”

“I don’t give a damn! Answer me!” Genos snarled. The other guards reached for their sidearms, but were quickly halted by their leader. 

“You were the first at the scene. We haven’t seen anyone or anything leave this vessel.”

Genos clicked his tongue and turned dissatisfied only to resubmerge.

“Sir, we can’t—” called one of the guards.

“Leave him be,” replied the leader. “There’s no way we can stop him. And…” He glanced from the towering pillars of shrapnel in front of him to the crowd of heroes and civilians onlooking from the shore. “Looks like there won’t be much help anyway.”

Over the next forty-eight hours, Genos scoured the ship alone. Since it was known that no civilians were on board when the ship crashed, there was no emergency rescue team sent to the wreckage. Rather, the city deemed it would have been more of a waste of resources to inspect the crash as all the invaders had abruptly left when they saw their mothership fall.

“Genos, I need you to listen,” the Doctor called over the com’s.

Doctor, have you been able to analyze the data I sent you?

“Listen, my boy,” the Doctor pleaded. “You have to stop. The Association is here to talk to you. Come to the shore.”

Are you here? Genos momentarily stopped in his tracks. It had just been a few hours ago that the Doctor informed him of the city’s decision about the wreckage. There’s no way the Doctor would have needed to see him in person unless…

Did they send you here?

The Doctor paused for a moment. “Please, just come back to land.”

[Communications offline]

Genos walked through the shallow tide toward Doctor Kuseno and a group of black suits, some of whom he recognized. 

“Demon Cyborg,” one of them called. “We understand that you have been in communication with Doctor Kuseno. This is our final warning. Leave the crash site to the city. This no longer has anything to do with the Hero Association.”

“What are you talking about?” Genos spat. “A registered hero went down with that ship. It is our responsibility.”

Doctor Kuseno put his hand on Genos reassuringly. “Genos, perhaps if—”

“You’re referring to B-Class Rank 7, Caped Baldy, I assume,” the man interrupted. “Although he showed valiant effort, his sacrifice was in vain. We’re officially ruling that he died at the scene with his body unrecovered.”

Genos couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “‘His sacrifice was in vain?’ He was the only one that went on that ship and he was the one that destroyed it. He saved everyone here!”

“Can you prove that?” 

Genos blinked back, but the man continued. “How can an A-Class hero perform such a feat, let alone a B-Class hero with a mediocre track record?”

“Mediocre? You son-of-a-bi—!” Genos was about to raise his fist in retaliation, but was pushed back by the Doctor. 

“Genos, you’re tired right now. You haven’t eaten or slept in two days. But you need to stop this,” he said firmly. 

Genos shot a glance at him. “Doctor, have you finished analyzing the data I sent you?” he pleaded.

“I… I have. There was nothing on the radar.”

Genos looked down at the sand, crestfallen. He can’t be… dead. Impossible…

“Demon Cyborg, if you continue to go against the city’s jurisdiction, we’ll have no choice but to suspend you from the Hero Association.”

Genos looked to the dark water engulfing and receding over the mammoth wreckage. He knew what would be the smart choice—the choice a “hero” would make.

But logic wasn’t his companion as of late. “Do it,” Genos demanded, eyes still on the water. “I will continue my search.”

“You’ll continue to go against the city? We can have you arrested for that! Hey!” But Genos had already been a ways down the shore with Doctor Kuseno following closely behind. 

“Just leave him be,” called a voice from behind the black suits.

“Amai Mask?”

Amai kept a steely gaze on Genos’ shrinking back. “Let him do what he wants. He needs to let this out of his system before he can go back to doing what he’s supposed to.”

Every day for the next two months, Genos went back. He searched day and night, only to resurface every couple of days to rest and replenish. Knowing that he could not be stopped, Kuseno reluctantly equipped him with ideal gear for underwater exploration. 

Then one day, his visual sensors flashed red. Typically, they would be in the same orange shade of his irises. The new visual emergency display along with the sirens ringing in his ears forced him to return to land. 

What’s happening? Genos thought wearily as he collapsed on the sand. The sirens continued blaring as the harsh midday sun blinded him. Then, everything went black.

He opened his eyes to the Doctor calling to him. It had been hours already and the stars were just overhead. “Doctor…”

“Thank goodness,” the Doctor sighed, looking him over carefully. “Genos, I got the alert and rushed over here as fast as I could. Your body… it… It can’t take the strain anymore, son.”

Genos didn’t have the strength to move yet, but his eyes met the Doctor’s in a way that made him feel so small. “Doctor, I can’t find him. I… I don’t know what else to do.”

“Oh, my boy,” the Doctor said, wiping away the streams of black oil from Genos’ eyes. “You’ve done everything you could do. You’re only human, son, and so was he.”

Genos looked up at the stars through his blurring vision. He hadn’t felt this way since losing his parents. Just for a while, he wished he couldn’t feel anything at all. 

Chapter Text

X-City was a thriving metropolis. In every way, it was the exact opposite of Z-City, save for the fact that they were both next to the coast. Genos followed the map that Doctor Kuseno gave him and rode toward the city center. Every block was filled with high-risers and the wide, spotless streets were bustling with business people and the latest cars. 

As Genos made his way steadily down the road, civilians stared curiously in his direction. They weren’t looking at him, however, as cybernetics was no stranger to a city that utilized some of the most innovative and advanced technology. Rather, they stared at his nearly-armored tank of a motorcycle.

It was widely known, yet poorly understood, that X-City was the most peaceful city on Earth. Sure, monsters and villains appeared occasionally, but it was such a rare occasion that no particular incident ever stayed in the minds of the inhabitants for long. And because of that, the Hero Association barely ever needed to be involved with the city. 

Genos parked his bike at the edge of the gardens that surrounded the monumental fountain representing the heart of the city. The gardens were largely modern in its art style with grassy knolls encased with concrete blocks that were stacked like gigantic stairs. Some of these stairs had waterfalls built into them which all converged in the central rectangular fountain. Dotting the garden were concrete and iron sculptures, and one such design caught Genos’ eye. 

It was something that could only be seen if you were looking for it, and Genos reached through the wire rib cage of the humanoid sculpture to slide out a narrow cylinder with an antenna on the top. The gauge on the side was lit up to 70 percent in the red zone, matching with the data the Doctor had given him. 

Genos was tempted to use his com’s to ask him what this meant, but he figured he could get all the details when he saw him in person. He pocketed the device, as ordered, to return it to the Doctor’s for analysis. Well , he thought, guess that’s all I—

Suddenly, screams were heard just behind him, and people were running around in chaos. 

Genos made his way against the flow of civilians. A cyclone of red and blue flame traveled unpredictably up and down the center of the gardens. Rather than looking like a force of nature, Genos was sure that the cyclone had a life of its own as it made sharp turns chasing person after person. 

Genos lifted his arms next to his head and activated one of the many upgraded weapons that he received in the past year. His hands retracted into his forearms and from the center, a barrel protruded. He ran into the path of the cyclone—shielding civilians from the fire—and blasted the flames with pressurized nitrogen. 

Immediately, the cyclone began to shriek and the red and blue flames separated from each other like flying comets. Genos stepped closer with his extinguishers aimed and saw that each flame had a humanoid appearance towering at just three feet tall. They had no facial features except for darker tinted areas for eyes. 

The red flame shrieked and turned himself into a dragon-shaped stream of fire. Genos pointed both barrels at Red but felt his arms and waist get caught. Glancing down, Genos realized that Blue had sent whip-like tendrils to incapacitate him. Red used the opportunity to wrap around Genos’ head, but Genos quickly turned his extinguishers back into thrusters and propelled himself backwards, causing the twins to lose their grip and fly back.

Genos crashed into a group of civilians hiding behind a large concrete stair, shattering a piece of it. His head would have collided with the ground had he not fallen onto someone, who was hiding behind his briefcase in defense.

“Sorry…” Genos said quickly, standing to help him. “That was my fault.” 

Still, the look of panic didn’t leave the man’s face, as he lowered his briefcase. Genos mentally slapped himself. Of course people in X-City were scared of him; they probably didn’t even know his face. For all they knew, he could have been as much of a threat as their attackers. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to hurt you. I’m an S-Class hero from the Hero Association.”

Genos spun around to a high-pitched giggle behind him. Blue had grown larger to about his height and her fiery tendrils for arms shot straight for him. Genos let his arms be coiled by the flames to stop the attack, and he felt the heat conduct much more rapidly through his system. It appeared that of the twins, Blue’s fire was hotter than Red’s.

“You two are really annoying for some ‘Tiger’ level threat,” Genos muttered under his breath. He leapt into the sky to keep the civilians nearby safe while dragging Blue in tow. Several stories high, Genos glanced around for anything that could assist him, but as he continued leaping over the tops of buildings, he noticed the heat below him intensifying. He looked beneath him as Blue was now three times her size.

Genos was forced to land on a nearby roof as Blue was steadily consuming him into her flame. On instinct, Genos used the last of his extinguisher to break contact and land on an adjacent building. He took a moment to analyze Blue, who was now an amorphous blob of flame spilling over the sides of the skyscraper. 

Then it clicked. He was literally playing with fire. It was no wonder Blue had gotten larger. He had basically fanned the flames when he dragged her away from the square. So then , Genos thought. If that’s the case, then I need…

Genos scanned the area with his sensors and locked on to a nearby satellite dish. He flew to it and effortlessly ripped it off its metal supports. Using his visual sensors to calculate Blue’s distance, Genos threw the dish like a discus toward her. Just as it hovered over her, the plate was locked firmly with the roof’s surface as Genos landed on it with both feet. He felt her struggling beneath the dish as all her oxygen was being used up. Just as the sounds of Blue’s screeching quieted down, Genos felt something approaching him fast.

He leapt to dodge Red’s attack and watched as Red threw off the dish. All that was left was a charred circle on the floor with the tiniest blue flame in the center. Red knelt and reached for it slowly, but before he could touch it, it blew away with the wind. 

Genos watched Red’s every move as the creature sat there for a heavy moment. Red turned to look at him with steam rising off his eyes. He let out a broken cry and changed his form to a dragon once more, snaking toward Genos. Genos had tried to grab hold of any part of Red like he had with Blue but he was just moving too quickly. He spiraled around Genos in a tight corkscrew, whose sensors alerted him to falling oxygen levels. 

Damn! He’s trying to suffocate me! Although Genos had no lungs, his systems still required oxygen to function. And he needed to think fast. Genos loaded his GPS system to find his bearings. He wasn’t far from the shore.

Ok, that should work.

Genos ignited the thrusters in his palms and fought flame with flame. Red screeched and returned to his humanoid form. With that break in defenses, Genos caught Red by the throat and headed east. He only had a short time to do this before Red’s flames grew exponentially. 

He quickened his pace jumping over buildings when he saw the blue of the ocean just ahead of him. Red screeched beside him as he realized what was happening, helplessly writhing in Genos’ firm grasp. Genos used his hand thrusters once more to nosedive into the sea, resembling a flaming missile to the bystanders on the ground. 

People gathered on the shore and watched from office windows. It wasn’t often that X-City faced threats so it had been quite a spectacle to see a top-class hero at work. However, the stillness of the ocean’s surface kept them holding their breaths. 

“There! I see something!” 

“Look over there!”

Hundreds of pairs of eyes followed the cries. Breaking up through the shimmering waves, the hero who had saved them walked toward them. Gasps turned to cheers, and cheers turned to roars of praise. Genos raised an eyebrow at the display; never before had he seen civilians so grateful for hero work. In the back of his mind, a quiet thought formed. He had wished that his Sensei had the chance to receive the praise he was so deserving of. He could almost imagine him witnessing the crowd before him. 

And he could have sworn that his eyes had played tricks on him just then. It was like Sensei’s face could be found on any random person.

...Wait.

Genos did a double-take at that one part of the crowd. The person he just locked eyes with was the only one in the crowd not cheering. Rather they wore a look of shock that changed to weariness when they realized they were caught. When Genos took a step toward them, they quickly turned around and ran.

Genos sped through the crowd, ignoring the words of gratitude from the citizens. He saw the person quickly turn into an alley, so Genos took the long way around to cut them off.

And sure enough, he had him cornered. The person that almost ran into him was a man in a navy blue pinstripe three-piece suit with black hair that was stylishly slicked back. Genos recognized him as the same man with the briefcase from before. 

The man stood in front of him cautiously and silently before bowing and going around him. Genos didn’t turn around, but stood frozen trying to match what he saw with the memories he had stored. The height, the mannerisms, the face… It couldn’t be?

“Saitama-sensei…”

Genos heard the footsteps behind him stop as he turned to see the man’s back. “Sorry, I think you’re mistaken.”

That was the last piece he needed. That voice.

“Sensei,” Genos said. He was surprised at how calm he sounded. “You don’t have to lie to me.”

The man finally turned around to face him. The expression he wore was one that Genos was familiar with but only when they were in the midst of a challenging battle. There was a look in his eyes that was stern and determined rather than the easy-going face he usually wore.

“No, I guess I don’t,” he laughed lightly. He rubbed the back of his head and sighed. “It’s been a while. So… you up for some udon, Genos?”

Chapter Text

Genos sat on the metal table as Doctor Kuseno was working on his detached arm at a workbench nearby. Hunched over, Genos stared at the small card in his one hand so intently that it looked as if he were going to burn a hole through it with his gaze.

“So what are you going to do, son?” Kuseno asked with his back still turned. 

“I don’t know.”

“Have you talked to him?”

“Of course I have. But…”

“I mean actually talked to him,” Kuseno said, now facing him. “I’m sure you both have a lot of questions.” 

It had been a week since the reunion, and Genos had already returned to X-City twice. And both times he had visited Saitama’s apartment, but the meetings carried an air of awkwardness as if the two had always been strangers. 

“I’m still trying to understand,” Genos stated dismally. “And I don’t want to force him to talk if he doesn’t want to.”

Kuseno rose to attach the upgraded arm. “Sometimes it takes time.”

“It’s been two years…” Genos muttered. “Maybe I shouldn’t have gone to see him. He probably never wanted to be found.” He clenched the fingers of the new durable arm. 

“Genos, if that were true,” Kuseno interrupted. “Do you really think he would have given you that?” He motioned to the card in his hand. 

Genos looked down at the business card and replayed that conversation from a week ago. 

One week earlier...

“Uh… udon?”

“Oh, wait. You probably have to go back and finish up your hero work, right?” Saitama laughed uneasily to the side. There was a beat of silence. But he reached for the inside of his jacket pocket. “Well, here.”

Genos reached for the outstretched business card, and used his visual sensors to analyze it. “Taro Yamada?” He did a double-take from the card to the face. “...Isn’t that the name that’s given to unidentified people?”

“Yeah, well… That’s the name the police gave me so it just kind of stuck.” 

Genos blinked. “What?” He asked a little too sharply.

“Uh, yeah that one’s a long story, so if you don’t have time now… just call me up whenever.”

Saitama looked up to see Genos’ stone-cold stare. “Look, I’m not going to run away!” He said with his hands raised. “I live here. I’m not going anywhere.”

Still, Genos’ frown withstood. Saitama sighed and closed the distance between them until he was able to reach a hand onto his shoulder. “Hey, don’t look so distressed. The important thing is that you’re okay and I’m okay.”

“Things will fall into place,” Saitama said with a quiet confidence. 

Before Genos could think of a rebuttal, police car sirens were filling the ambiance, so he knew he had to return to the job. “I’ll contact you.”

“Sure. Good luck.”

Genos turned slowly, but sped away to where he was needed. Things haven’t changed, he thought bitterly to himself. He still wasn’t able to get a word in after all these years. 

Present day...

Genos parked his bike on the sidewalk next to the modern high-riser that matched so well with the surrounding buildings. He walked through the lobby and past the security guard, who knew him not as a friend of Saitama, but as the hero who had been keeping watch of X-City. It was blasted all over the X-City news channels that S-Class Hero Rank One, Demon Cyborg, took the time out of his busy schedule to watch over the city after its threat from the Fire Twins last week.

He took the elevator to the seventh floor and walked to the large brass door of apartment number 74. “Sensei, I’m here,” he called into the intercom. 

“Oh, great! Come on in.” Saitama held open the door for him, and Genos saw that for the first time, Saitama’s hair was down rather than slicked back.

Genos glanced around at the spacious apartment. He had calculated before that it was roughly eight times the size of the one back in Z-City. The first room he walked into was the living room which was inlaid with white marble tile along with the rest of home. This was contrasted with the black modern furniture that sat in the center of the room facing an empty fireplace. The furnishings were simple and scarce, but this maximized the spaciousness. There were a couple doors near the end of the short hallway to his left and a walled partition that divided the kitchen and dining room to his right. All in all, the place had an open and clean aesthetic and was helped by the streaming sunlight from the entire glass wall of the living room that looked out over the cityscape. 

“This is a nice home you have. I’m not sure if I said it the first time.”

“Ha, thanks,” said Saitama, leading Genos to the black leather couch. “So, what’s up?”

“Nothing much has changed,” Genos replied as he set down his metal briefcase on the coffee table. 

“That’s true. It’s only been like three days.” Saitama reclined his head against the couch backing. “Well, at least it’s Sunday.”

Genos sat on the opposite end of the couch and leaned forward with his arms resting on his legs. “Do you do anything on weekends?”

“Like a hobby? Nah, I kinda just chill and read stuff.” Saitama gestured to the tall bookcase behind him. 

“I noticed you don’t have a TV here.” Genos nodded to the empty space on the wall above the fireplace.

Saitama shrugged. “I’m not too fond of the news.”

“I see.”

“Enough about me. Do you do anything fun?”

“Fun?” Genos blinked. The words, “Genos” and “fun”, never really went together in his opinion. “Uh, well maybe… that.” He got up and walked to the window, indicating to the street below.

Saitama stood and followed his line of sight. “Eh? Wait, you mean that huge black bike is yours?” He did a double-take from it to Genos. “I never knew you rode motorcycles. Wow, Genos, that looks really cool.”

“I made it myself.”

“You’re kidding. How?”

Genos looked down at his hands. “I… had a lot of spare time at one point.”

“Oh, wait,” Saitama interjected, leaning closer to the glass. “Aren’t those guys getting a little too close to your bike?”

Genos casually glanced at a pair of teenagers hovering over his bike. “It only activates with my retina scan. And it’s too heavy for most humans to carry.”

“Oh, cool.”

“Well, I’m going to head out, Sensei.” Genos turned from the window to pick up his briefcase on the table.

“Eh? Already? Stay at least for tea,” Saitama said, following Genos.

“No, I have some Association duties to attend to. I just wanted to stop by. But thank you, Sensei.”

“Ah, right. Don’t let me hold you up,” Saitama smiled, some steps behind him. 

“That not—” Genos hesitated and was met with a curious look from Saitama. “I…” He had questions—a lot of them—but he never managed to find that final push to say them. 

“Are you sure you don’t have time to go out for lunch or something?”

“I… can’t. Sorry.” Genos couldn’t help but break eye contact.

“You don’t have to apologize. I get that you’re really busy now.” Genos felt a comforting touch on his shoulder. “Thanks for all your hard work, Mr. Top-Class Hero.”

Genos nodded his head and turned for the door. “I’ll text you.”

Genos rode away on his motorcycle back to A-City. He kept replaying the awkward exchange in his mind, and revved the engine whenever he had to snap himself out of it. This was his third failure in the past week; his prior two visits played out in the same way. Rather than visiting Saitama as a friend, it was as if he was auditing his life.

Then something clicked. Whenever Genos found himself at a crossroads where there were too many unknowns, like during missions, he relied on his reconnaissance skills. Maybe before he said something to offend Saitama, he needed to gather more information on his end. 

Tomorrow was Monday. Genos focused his eyes on the road ahead, planning his self-appointed five-day mission.

Chapter Text

Monday

Genos stopped in front of the 10-story building in downtown X-City. Looking at Saitama’s business card in his hand, he matched the address to confirm he was at the right place. He kept his eyes on the glass doors, walking to one of the side-entrances in the adjacent alley. There was no way he could just walk in with his face now being prominent on every news station in the city. 

Hacking into the keypad was easy. The building’s layout was already being uploaded to his cyberbrain and Genos made his way to the janitorial department while effortlessly avoiding the security cameras. He suited up in navy coveralls that were thankfully large enough to cover his battle arms. Adding a cap, face mask, tinted safety goggles, and leather gloves hid his identity completely. Genos pushed along an empty trash bin equipped with duster and broom, and to any outsider, he looked like he really was employed at S-Mart Headquarters—the country’s leading supermarket corporation. 

With the fifth floor as his target, Genos stepped out of the elevator into the bustling office space. It was still early morning and half the employees were not yet present but already, lively conversations were taking place. He walked around the periphery of the cubicles and past the larger offices near the walls. Each of those offices overlooked the cityscape and were tastefully designed with glass doors with names etched onto them. 

He stopped when he saw the one with Saitama’s alias name: Taro Yamada. Etched onto the door of the largest office on the floor was the title of ‘Asset Protection Manager’.

Suddenly, he heard warm greetings ringing from the elevators. People happily greeted Saitama as he entered, and he replied back to them all in kind. He was once again dressed in a three-piece suit with his hair styled back in contrast to his laid-back appearance from yesterday. Genos stood frozen as he made his way to open his office door, but before he walked in, Saitama looked in his direction.

“Good morning,” he smiled. “Thank you for all your work.”

Genos nodded silently and continued walking down the aisle. He mentally scolded himself. Never before on a mission had he been caught like a deer in headlights. Had his face mask been off, he would have been caught gawking. It had been too close for comfort. 

He spent the next couple hours blending into his surroundings by doing the one domestic skill he knew best: cleaning. After dusting off all the printers and copiers, he spent his time sweeping at different corners of the office. Lunchtime struck and many of the employees left to go out, but Saitama remained in his office typing away on his computer. And it didn’t seem like he was going to stop anytime soon. 

Genos made his rounds, taking the time to clean the glass doors and walls of the larger offices. But the entire time he kept Saitama’s office in his periphery, he did not see the door open not even once.

Does Sensei not eat?

He saved Saitama’s office for last, which resulted in Genos standing awkwardly outside the door once again. At this point, Saitama was turned toward the window on the phone. Genos saw him pinch the area between his eyes as he continued conversing, but Saitama’s eyes perked up when he saw him out the door. 

Genos considered walking away then and there but that would have been even more conspicuous. He cautiously waved one hand at Saitama in greeting while holding up the damp towel in his other, indicating his intention. A look of comprehension crossed Saitama’s face and he kindly gave Genos a thumbs-up before returning to his call. 

Genos proceeded to clean and he couldn’t help but listen in on the phone call, which was one of the most ordinary work calls he has ever heard. Saitama hung up the phone and turned to look at him, but before Genos could think of what to do next, a voice called out to Saitama from beside him.

“Hey Boss, did you get anything to eat?”

“Oh, haha. I lost track of time today,” Saitama said, greeting his employee at the door.

“Well, here. I got you some take-out from that new place that opened up across the street.”

“Thanks, man. I appreciate it. You know, things have just been getting crazy with that new security system upgrade.”

While they carried on, Genos managed to leave unnoticed. Not only was he thankful for that employee for distracting Saitama, but he was relieved that his own co-workers looked out for him. It seemed that Saitama was well-respected here, and it wasn’t simply because he was the department manager. 

Genos lingered around to the end of the work-day, finding Saitama to be one of the last to leave. Quickly discarding his disguise, Genos tailed Saitama’s bus and parked his motorcycle a couple blocks away from his apartment. He watched over him as Saitama disappeared into the lobby before speeding away back to A-City.

Tuesday

Genos donned the same janitor disguise and was about to enter the elevator when he saw Saitama earlier than expected in the lobby greeting the receptionist.

“Good morning, Ishida-kun.”

“Good morning, Mr. Yamada. Off to the gym this early?”

“You got it,” waved Saitama. He walked to the end of the lobby and entered the doors opposite of the elevators. 

Genos blinked and saw on his mental blueprint that there was a gym complex at the base of the building. He quickly exchanged his trash bin with a bucket and mop and followed Saitama in anticipation. Maybe he would find more answers here.

Genos located Saitama at one of the open-floor areas of the upscale gymnasium. To his disillusionment, he watched as Saitama proceeded to perform push-ups, sit-ups, and squats. However, his reps were nowhere near the numbers that he used to proclaim. Genos was surprised to see him already breaking a sweat. Not only that, but Saitama ended his workout with treadmill running that Genos calculated to be only 3.2 kilometers. When Saitama left to enter the showers, Genos found that he was stuck mopping the same area of floor for the past fifty minutes. 

What just happened? This doesn’t make any sense, Genos thought.

He returned for his trash bin and went to the department floor ahead of Saitama, who showed up at the same time as yesterday, now fully dressed in a suit. Genos continued his cleaning regiment from yesterday and before lunchtime, he excused himself to the cafeteria on the upper floors. 

The S-Mart building looked state-of-the-art already, but the cafeteria for employees was beautifully constructed. On one side, buffet lines and a convenience area was set up and on the other, the seating area was half indoors and half on the large balcony overlooking the city. The floors and walls were made of white tile and concrete, adding to the clean and modern feel. The myriad of round tables were paired with chrome wire chairs, and many of the employees were already gathered around them. 

Somewhat overwhelmed with the buffet and grills, Genos sped to the smaller convenience area of packaged food near the cashier. His hand hovered over the sea of nutritionally-valued meals labeled with S-Mart’s logo before randomly fishing out a sandwich and electrolyte drink.

“Good afternoon, just this today?”

“Yes… please.”

“Do you have your employee badge?”

Genos halted. Dammit , he thought. His entire cover could be blown because of his carelessness. He had come here for a simple reason, but apparently his eagerness to fulfill his goal overshadowed his logic. 

“Uh…”

“Oh, are you perhaps new? I haven’t seen you around before,” the cashier chimed. “It’s okay. I’ll give you a pass for today. Well, here you go. Enjoy!” 

Genos raised an eyebrow. “How much is it?”

“Employees have all meals included. We just need to see badges for formality’s sake.”

As Genos made his way back, a thought occurred to him. If employees got their meals included, then that meant that the reason Saitama didn’t have food yesterday was not because he was being frugal but rather because he was simply engrossed in his work. Putting together that knowledge with Saitama’s current apartment and job, Genos found it hard to believe that Saitama needed to live frugally anymore. 

Genos reached Saitama’s office and to his dismay, he found that he was still there while most of the other employees had left. Suddenly, he saw him rise from his chair to the door, causing Genos to duck quickly behind an empty cubicle. 

Why did I do that? This is embarrassing…  

He peeked his head from over the wall and saw that Saitama headed straight for the restrooms. 

With that, he moved quickly into the office, placing the food at the edge of his desk, but what struck him was the starkness of Saitama’s office. There were no personal items and instead, the room only held the base office necessities. It was much like Genos’ room at the Association headquarters except instead of dark iron structures, Saitama’s was made of white tile and glass. 

Genos left the office and retrieved his janitorial tools just in time for Saitama to appear in the hallway. As he hurried to gather his things, Saitama entered his office, but he quickly returned to pop his head out the door. 

“Hey,” Saitama called to him. “Did you see someone stop by my office just now?”

Genos stared back at him from behind his tinted eyewear and shook his head with a grunt. 

“Oh? That’s weird…” Saitama was about to turn back in before looking back at Genos.

Genos stood still at Saitama’s inquiring stare. If cyborgs could sweat, he’d be doing so right now. 

“Make sure you take lunch, okay?” Then, Saitama closed the door behind him. 

Genos relaxed his tense shoulders and his ears perked up at the sound of his phone vibrating. On the screen, a tiger-level threat was nearby, calling him to action. He mentally sighed but he knew that taking care of this was another way he could help Saitama. 

At the end of the work day, Saitama stepped out of his office and glanced curiously at the discarded trash bin sitting at the corner of the office. 

Wednesday

The work day played out about the same as the prior days, only this time, Genos remembered to grab an employee badge to get food from the cafeteria. He was glad that Saitama didn’t make a big fuss over the growing amount of food on his desk. Hopefully, he would just assume it was his co-workers looking out for him. 

Genos trailed Saitama home, but he slowed down when he saw him get off the bus near a grocery store. He was relieved to find that Saitama was taking care of himself in this way; he was concerned that he was beginning to put his job over his well-being. He always knew that his Sensei was one to care more about the greater good than his own benefit. 

Genos waited outside and watched as Saitama entered the S-Mart. That grocery chain was one that was prominent throughout the country, but it would never appear in cities like Z-City. It was considered too upscale to serve places well-ravaged by monster attacks. 

Saitama emerged from the store with two heaping bags and sat at the bus stop. Genos had the urge to play dumb and meet him—telling him that he could carry his bags home and that it was purely coincidental that they so happened to meet. However, one of the concerns persisting in the back of Genos’ mind was whether Saitama was actually glad to reunite with him or not. So he stayed put. He waited a block away on his motorcycle until the next bus came, and he finally left X-City once he saw Saitama enter his apartment safely.

Thursday

Same routine as before: gym and work. Genos was wondering if Saitama’s “easy” training regiment was to hide his identity. If he managed to run ten kilometers on the company treadmills, that may just blow his cover that he’s actually a licensed hero. And at lunch, although Saitama brought his own food while he continued to work, that didn’t stop Genos from leaving some protein bars on his desk anyway when he was out of the office. 

After work, Genos was about to follow Saitama home but was surprised when he continued walking past the bus stop. Genos trailed him on foot for several blocks until he entered a quaint convenience store. It was, in fact, the same branch as the ones found in Z-City. Through the window, he saw Saitama pick up a copy of Jump and peruse through it before disappearing to the back. Genos’ eyes perked up when he saw him return with several cans under his arm. He used his vision to zoom in on the labels. 

He mentally gagged: Red Bean Jelly Cider.

The last time he tasted the disgusting concoction was after he bought his Sensei a box of it after Saitama glanced at a can through a vending machine. He had no idea that Saitama still liked it, let alone continue to consume it. 

Saitama exited the store with a bag containing the copy of Jump and several cans. Judging by his direction, it looked like he was finally heading home. The sun had already set and the streetlights were turning on one-by-one. Genos followed him on the silent street, making sure to keep almost ten meters away from him. He was surprised that Saitama chose to walk home; it would take almost half an hour to get back this way. But that was all the more reason to make sure he got home safely.

Then, Saitama stopped walking. Genos suddenly felt the air become heavy as Saitama ever-so-slightly turned his head. “What do you want?” 

He asked in a still and piercing voice. Genos hesitated and was about to step back at the imposing aura in front of him. Layers of thoughts ran through Genos’ mind in quick succession. 

Should you just give it up now? What would your excuse be? What would Sensei think? Would he hate you more?

Just then, the sound of metal hitting the ground emerged from the alleyway between them, and a small cat stepped out of the shadows. Saitama walked toward the cat and knelt down to pet the top of its head. “Oh, was it you?” He laughed lightly. However, the stern look in his eyes remained and pierced the empty darkness in front of him.

Friday

Genos was extra careful today. It was his last day of his self-imposed mission. Yesterday had been a failure, but he supposed that his early departure was a blessing in disguise as he was alerted to another tiger-level threat that night in X-City. 

Today, even his actions carried an air of silence as he moved his broom quietly against the floor of the office. He had seen Saitama expel that threatening aura before and it was in his fight against Carnage Kabuto. He had never thought that he would ever be the recipient of such a feeling, but maybe this was the proof he needed to just leave him alone. 

From his observations during the week, it had appeared that Saitama lived a healthy, peaceful life. He had a nice place to live, a well-paying job, employees that adored him, and he had what he needed to take care of his health. If Saitama wanted this kind of life, he certainly didn’t need someone like Genos bringing in all the complications of hero business and monsters with him. 

“Hey, are you alright?”

Genos saw Saitama a couple of feet away from him, trying to look at his face. He hadn’t realized that he stood like a statue with his motionless broom in his hand for the past five minutes. 

Genos nodded and kept his head down so the brim of his cap hid his face. He picked up his things and began to walk away. 

“If… you’re not too busy,” Saitama interjected. “We’re having a celebration here at lunchtime for one of the retiring members. You’re more than welcome to join.”

Genos looked to Saitama and realized yet another reason why he should leave. Not only was he living a good life, but Saitama still continued to exude a level of kindness that wasn’t found in many people. And this kindness, Genos thought, felt like it was slowly killing him. 

Snapped back to the present, Genos knew he needed to answer. He mentally cursed; he knew he should have uploaded that voice-changing program from Doctor Kuseno. Still, his mouth didn’t move. This was no different than his recent conversations with Saitama in person. 

Say something, dammit!

“Hey Boss! The delivery lady for the cake is here.”

“Oh yeah?” Saitama asked, having trouble peeling away his eyes from Genos. “I’ll… be right there.”

Before he turned away from Genos, he added, “I’d be more than happy to have you. So stop by if you can.”

Genos watched him leave and he was grateful that the other employees were busy putting the celebration together. No one was there to notice his idleness in the corner of the room.

The celebration was heartfelt as all the employees gathered around an elderly man who was seated at a table filled with food. Saitama raised a glass of sparkling cider and stood next to him. 

“Mr. Wada, thank you for all your help over the years. You taught me so much about the job even though I started just over a year ago. I don’t think either of us here or this department would have gotten far without your guidance.” He put his drink down and bowed to him with everyone else following suit. “Thank you very much.”

Genos watched the old man from the far end of the room and saw that he was holding back tears. “Please raise your head, everyone. Yamada-kun, I simply showed you the direction. You did the journey. Thank you for treating an old man like me with as much dignity as you have.”

Then, the rest of the employees said their piece. Genos felt a gaze on him and caught Saitama looking in his direction. Genos responded with a quiet bow and walked to the elevators. He still felt his eyes on him as the doors shut behind him.

Once Genos was out on the street, his phone vibrated and alerted him to the third threat of the week. Genos furrowed his brow at the sudden increase in frequency of monster attacks in X-City, and he wondered if this was connected to the sensors Dr. Kuseno had Mumen plant in different parts of the city. He made a note to ask him about it when he saw him next. 

Genos took a final glance at the building he had just exited. This was his resolve. He would break ties with Saitama and continue to protect the city that treated him so well. This was the least he could do. Genos engaged his battle arms and flew to the source of the threat. 

The sun had set by the time Genos was done completing his report to the Association. The monster in question was no issue, itself; but the paperwork after each monster attack was the true time-consuming part. He walked back to where he had parked his bike and his eyes flashed to the person casually leaning on the seat. 

Saitama kept a stern look on Genos, but his emerging smirk lightened his expression. “I knew it was no cat.”

Chapter Text

“You were stalking me?” Saitama said a little too loudly.

“Sorry, Sensei.”

“Look, I’ll forgive you this once because I’m your friend but don’t do that again. To anyone. Ever.” Saitama scratched at the back of his head with a sigh. They walked down one of the quieter streets that branched off from the main one. “And besides, how did I not realize you were tailing me? You make noise whenever you take the slightest step.”

“Are you calling me heavy?”

“No! No, sorry,” Saitama put his hands up in surrender. “I didn’t… I didn’t mean it like that.”

“I was joking.”

“Oh… haha.” Saitama raised an eyebrow at the rebuttal. “Well, I am kinda relieved.”

Now it was Genos’ turn to give him a look. Saitama continued, “I was wondering what was going on after each of our visits. You were so reserved unlike that guy who showed up at my doorstep asking to move in. It’s good to know you’re still you.”

Genos raised his eyebrows. “You think I’m a natural stalker.”

“You really love putting words in my mouth, don’t you?” Saitama snapped. “I mean that curiosity of yours. You’re always trying to learn something.”

Genos nodded, not sure at how to feel about Saitama’s observations of him. But he was in no position to argue after being caught. After that happened, he had ended up being dragged by Saitama to get dinner. 

Somehow, Genos felt it was easier to talk to him in this moment. Probably because he knew this was the last time they would really hold a conversation as friends. 

“Here we are,” Saitama chimed. “This is my favorite udon place in the city.” He motioned to a quaint hole-in-the-wall restaurant that was half-filled with the average business person. 

After buying and giving the food ticket to the cook behind the counter, Saitama picked out a table in the corner of the restaurant.

“Are you sure you don’t want anything? It’s my treat!” Saitama continued in a lower voice. “After all, you were the one that was putting food on my desk weren’t you? I should have known you were that janitor. The windows had never looked so clean.”

“I’m fine, Sensei. I took care before running into you,” Genos said across from him.

“You sure? Not even a drink?”

Genos knew it would be in poor taste to not get something. “I’ll get whatever you’re having.”

Saitama looked to the waiter, who took drink orders, and requested two pints of beer. Soon enough, the bowl of udon was served with the drinks. While Saitama partook, he was the one who eventually opened up the conversation. 

“So, did you find out anything interesting about me? I assume that's why you’ve been observing me for the past week.”

Genos grimaced at the truth of his actions. “I just wanted to make sure of something.”

“Which was?”

“The past. And the present.” Genos felt freer with every passing moment to say what he wanted to say. “And where we stand.” 

There was not much left to lose if he were the one to give it up in the end.

Saitama stopped eating at the last part. He looked up and gave a concerning glance to Genos. For the first time, Saitama saw the guy in front of him as far away. He was aware that some of their conversations recently and even back then felt strained, but this time, it felt like Genos was letting go of something he couldn’t put a name to. 

“Sensei, what happened?” Genos looked at him with a heartbroken, almost pleading, look. Saitama put down his chopsticks and rested his back against the chair. 

“You mean you can’t tell?” Saitama looked down to the corner of the table. “Genos, I lost my power.”

Genos’ eyes momentarily widened before furrowing into a strained expression. “But how? When?” he bit back. Somehow, he had slowly realized this was the case, but he had refused to ever let it form into a concrete thought. 

“Calm down. It wasn’t all of a sudden, alright?” Saitama said simply. “I didn’t even realize it until I lost them for good.” He put his chin in his hand and pondered for a moment. “You know, I think you were on to something that morning. I was getting weaker.”

Genos remembered their last breakfast together. “Sensei, that’s not what I meant.”

“But the truth was that I was getting weaker though.” Saitama took a final swig of his beer before putting down the empty glass. “After I got onto that ship, I tore through it… with effort. But when I finally got to the leader, the funniest thing happened.”

“What?”

“I broke my hand.” Saitama looked at the palm of his right hand. “I beat him with one punch, but I saw that my hand was broken. That was the most painful thing I felt in years. The thing is, when it happened, I wasn’t even surprised. It was like ‘Oh okay, so it finally happened, huh?’” 

He looked up wearily to meet Genos’ gaze, who stared back at him in horror. “I was basically stuck on that ship. I was too tired to get out. I remember hitting the water and the next thing I knew, I woke up weeks later in a hospital in X-City.”

“And then what?”

“Well, the police found me and took care of me. Not knowing who I was, they… gave me a new identity. So, I took advantage of that and started over.”

Genos swallowed hard at his next question. “And you never wanted to come back?”

“Genos, what good would I have been at that point? And besides, I didn’t want to drag you down.” He gestured to Genos with both hands. “I mean, look at you now! You’re the number one hero in S-Class.”

“But Sensei,” Genos looked down at the table and for a moment, Saitama thought he would start crying. But he was mistaken when Genos looked at him. “Don’t you know how concerned I was about you? Hero business aside, were you really okay with leaving your friends behind? What about Mumen or King?”

“Genos…” Saitama looked down and continued in a quieter voice. “It was just a life I didn’t want to live anymore.” 

Genos struggled to keep his expression controlled. He could feel his lips quivering. Not seeing this, Saitama continued slowly.

“Of course, I’ve thought about it. Contacting you. Telling you I was okay. But what do you think would have happened?” Saitama asked in a way that was more sorrowful rather than accusatory. He pointed down at the table. “Exactly this. You would have rushed over here and try to find ways for me to go back. And now, you have more on your plate to worry about thinking about my well-being. It just didn’t seem worth the stress.” 

Saitama leaned back again and saw Genos’ unfocused look fall on the table. “Sorry that I disappointed you. That is exactly the one thing I didn’t want to do.”

“And, it looks like you’ve also changed.” Saitama attempted to make his voice sound a bit more upbeat. “I remember when you cried buckets of oil when I told you about my life before getting powers. But now, look at you. You’re the world’s strongest hero. I don’t want to sound condescending, but I’m really proud of that.”

Silence followed for some time afterwards. Saitama finished paying for the drinks and Genos nodded that he was ready to go. 

“You don’t want your beer?” Saitama noted the still-full glass.

“I don’t drink, Sensei.”

Saitama glared at him. “Why are you doing this to me? It’s probably warm now.”

Genos smiled wryly. “Sorry.”

“Well, you know how I hate wasting food.” Saitama reached over and took it. “Bottoms up!”

They both walked toward Saitama’s apartment. There was no way Genos would allow an inebriated person on the back of his bike. Fortunately, he had taken his metal briefcase from it before leaving it parked on the street.

Suddenly, Genos and Saitama both opened their mouths at the same time. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you,” they asked in tandem.

“Why don’t you go first,” Saitama laughed in a way that made it apparent the alcohol was taking effect. Genos, too, felt more at ease. Despite all that was said and the complicated emotions he had yet to sort through, it was now out in the open. However brief the feeling would last, it felt like a weight had finally been lifted.

“Ok, but don’t get mad, Sensei.” Genos casually pointed at Saitama’s head. “Is that a wig?”

Saitama stopped walking causing Genos to trail a few steps ahead. “Does it…” he said, reaching to touch his scalp. “...not look good?”

Genos caught his dejected expression and waved his hand in refusal. “No! It looks really realistic. My sensors couldn’t even tell.”

“Genos, this is my real hair!”

“What?” Genos used his vision analysis to zoom in on his hair follicles. “Since when?”

“It grew back in the last couple years. This is actually how I looked before I became a hero.”

“Even that, too?”

Saitama saw Genos once again pointing at his head. “What?” He asked annoyed, pushing his hand down. 

“Your eyes, Sensei!”

“What’s wrong with my eyes?!”

“They’re… different,” Genos tried to make his words as vague as possible now. “Before they used to look more…”

“More what, Genos?” Saitama snapped back.

Genos pressed his lips together in a flat line like he didn’t want to answer anymore. “...Vacant.”

There was a beat of silence and Saitama took a loud breath in. “Ok, well time for my question. Why do you always have your battle arms on?”

“With my job, it’s just… easier to be prepared.”

“Right. Especially in your position. Makes sense,” he shrugged. Saitama stopped and turned around to face Genos. “Hey, I know it’s late, so why don’t you crash at my place?”

“It’s no issue. It shouldn’t take long to get back.”

“Really, it’s fine. I mean, unless you really want to go back to your dorm at the headquarters.” Saitama raised an eyebrow at Genos. “You like it there, yeah?”

Genos halted in his steps and thought for a moment. He looked down to the briefcase in his hand. “Actually, it’s probably better for me to leave in the morning. So if you don’t mind.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Saitama finished up in the bathroom and was about to enter his bedroom across the hallway when he saw a faint bluish-white glow from the living room. He walked down the hallway and found Genos sitting on the floor next to the windows. Next to the outlet closest to him lie his open briefcase that Saitama recognized from Genos’ past visits. However, this was the first time he had ever seen what was inside of it.

A flat, black, triangular device—almost like a flower with three petals—lie on the floor while connected to the wall outlet. In the center of it rested Genos’ core which glowed light-blue, and it fit snugly into each petal like a puzzle piece. Saitama followed the cords from the core to the hollow gap in Genos’ open chest cavity. Meanwhile, Genos sat with his eyes closed while the soft whirring of machinery echoed throughout the room.

Saitama considered going back, wondering if Genos now had a hibernation mode; but he found he was too late when he saw piercing glowing eyes fall on him from across the dark room. 

“Sensei…”

“Hey, Genos,” Saitama greeted awkwardly. “Wow, uh… are you okay?”

“Yes. I’m just doing some routine maintenance. Sorry, I’m using your outlet.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Saitama dared to walk a bit closer. “I guess Doctor Kuseno has really upgraded your tech, huh? How is he?”

“The same as ever, but he’s fine. Thanks for asking, Sensei.” The luminous gaze followed him as he stepped but also held another emotion—like that of a wolf warding off intruders. 

Saitama froze at a certain distance, feeling his hair standing on end. “Yeah… Well, I’m going to bed. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He turned for his room.

“Good night, Sensei.”

“Good night, Genos.”

The next morning, Saitama found a note on the coffee table written in font so neat it looked like it was typed. 

Thanks for the hospitality, Sensei. Excuse me for leaving early. I had some duties to attend to.

He picked up the note and turned it over to find it was blank. He wondered why he thought there would be something else written on it. 

Saitama let his gaze linger on the spot Genos was sitting at last night, now clear of all gadgets. He wasn’t sure what to expect after their talk at dinner. He told Genos nothing but the truth, but it was all topics about himself. Come to think of it… did he ever ask Genos about what he's been up to?

He had assumed that Genos and his hero work was all he needed to know. But there were subtle things that Saitama was only now noticing about his behaviors. Did he even care enough to ask about Genos, himself?

He looked back to the note in his hand and discerned its brevity. Since when has he ever been this brief before? Saitama remembered Genos’ endless monologues and profuse explanations for anything, but now… things were different. He was different.

“I’m an idiot,” Saitama muttered to himself, clutching the note. He lost his chance when he had it. Now he was the one starved for answers.

Chapter Text

Saitama leaned against the window on the bus on his way home. He scrolled through his messages on his phone and stared at his chat with Genos. Dozens of times in the past week, he had opened his messages only to hover over the ‘Send’ button and delete. 

He was beginning to consider if his talk with Genos over dinner was the cause for his radio silence. 

He sighed loudly. Could this day get any worse…?

Just then, Saitama felt his body jolt forward as the bus came to a sudden stop. The cries of confusion were preceded by screams as the windows cracked and burst from the outside. 

Saitama joined the crowd rushing out through the doors and in the bright sunlight, he saw the wave of destruction that spread across the street onto the nearby buildings. Windows were shattered and people and cars were strewn across the ground as if an invisible force had struck them. 

Suddenly, a large shadow spread over the street and traced along the side of a skyscraper. Saitama squinted at the dark figure until his eye adjusted to see a large humanoid figure covered in colorful feathers from head to toe as large blue and orange wings spread out from their sides instead of arms. 

The bird-like being landed atop a nearby streetlight, and Saitama was able to discern feathers atop their head and a long train of feathers from behind them. Although they spoke with a human mouth, their nose elongated long enough to resemble a beak. 

“To you foolish humans.. It is I, Kingfisher—a superior specimen to you all! With my newfound wings, I vow to wreak destruction upon—argh!”

Kingfisher narrowly missed a yellow blast of fire aiming for his head. However, before he could turn to the source of the danger, his jaw collided with a pair of metal-clad boots.

He was thrown off his perch and skid head-first against the sidewalk below him. “W-Who dare—?!”

Suddenly, he felt a firm grip around his beak.

“Keep it ten words or less or I break this,” Genos threatened. 

Kingfisher used one of his mighty talons to push Genos away and took to the sky. But Genos was quick and leapt high into the air to dropkick him through a window.

Genos landed nimbly on his feet while keeping his visual sensors on any movement through the shattered glass. He held out both arms in front of him and the mechanisms around his forearms elegantly slid away to reveal dual cannons. Saitama noted that they were far larger and had more gears than the weapons he used when he first saw him. 

Kingfisher emerged from the rubble just in time to be blasted with two spheres of yellow fire. The resulting destruction reincited the screams of terror from the bystanders. People ran in all directions, but their paths were interrupted by abandoned cars, rubble, and the ongoing battle.

“This way! I’ll lead you to a safe zone!”

A familiar form on a bicycle sped past Saitama, skillfully dodging falling debris. “I’m C-Class hero, Mumen Rider. I will get you there safely!” With no option in sight, people gathered to trail behind him, but an explosion overhead stopped them in their tracks. 

“Everyone, quick!” Mumen called. “Keep forward!”

Saitama snapped out of his gawking, and turned to run with the other civilians. The debris of the building just in front of him began to drop onto the street in his path, effectively halting the traffic.

“This way!” Mumen rode to the front of the crowd and led the people safely down an alley to escape on another main street. He looked at his GPS that hovered over his watch, courtesy of Kuseno, and found an adequate place to lead people to. 

Saitama found that Mumen had led them to one of the city’s smaller parks to take cover under a bridge that crossed over a dirt trail that was lower than the surrounding ground. “Everyone, try to take cover here!”

Something in Saitama froze, and he stood staring at Mumen guiding civilians one after another under the bridge. Somehow, he couldn’t imagine being one of them—to be someone that had to be protected. 

He turned to help one of the families lower their children under the bridge and continued to help others until everyone he could see around him was safely hidden. Only he and Mumen were left up near the bridge, the latter of which sent him a curious glance. 

“Thank you,” called Mumen. “Don’t forget to take shelter yourself.”

“Uh, wait.” Saitama followed Mumen, who had just saddled his bicycle. “Let me help you find more people.”

Mumen raised an eyebrow. “It’ll be too dangerous. You helped more than enough already.”

“Please.” Saitama could feel his inquisitive stare, and wondered if he had just blown the cover he had been protecting for two years. He wasn’t completely sure why he had said that. 

Mumen nodded after a moment, and Saitama wordlessly climbed the rear spokes and held onto Mumen’s shoulders. They rode through the surrounding streets and led civilians to different safe areas, and all the while, Mumen couldn’t help but feel something familiar with how this Good Samaritan carried himself as he helped others. 

“I think you need to take cover, too,” Mumen said. “I think we got mostly everyone, but I’ll go check the perimeter again.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“I appreciate the help, but as a certified hero, I can’t let a civilian get hurt.”

“Actually… I…” 

A resounding boom occurred followed by falling debris from the building a block away from them. Saitama watched as Kingfisher emerged from the smoke, backing away from the high wall of a building that he had just slammed Genos against. He shuddered when he saw that speck of blond hair motionless over the rubble.

“Genos!” Saitama instinctively stepped forward but felt his arm being held back. 

“You can’t,” Mumen called. “You can get hurt!”

“But he’s—”

“What can you do?”

Saitama looked back to Mumen who asked him without accusation but rather pure inquisitiveness. He swallowed hard. Saitama found it difficult to admit, but in truth, there was nothing he could do to help Genos.

And the last thing he would want is to make Genos’ life more burdensome than he has already.

He looked back to the scene and was relieved to see Genos up on one knee taking aim at Kingfisher with one of his arm cannons. The resulting explosions caused the earth beneath them to shake, causing Mumen to grip onto Saitama more firmly.

“We need to go!”

Saitama reluctantly pried his eyes away from the fight and followed Mumen’s lead. Together, they took shelter at a safe zone intended for monster attacks. After a long moment of silence with no sounds of a battle, Mumen cautiously looked outside. He clicked a button on his watch and a screen hovered over it with data. “It looks like the fight is all done. We can go.”

“Hey, he’s alright, right?”

Mumen gave him a curious look. “He’s fine.”

When Saitama walked out, the sun was already setting but it looked like the parts of the city he could see were largely intact. “Looks like he kept it pretty contained. That’s amazing…” Saitama remembered Genos’ past fights when the cyborg would wreak all havoc to win regardless of the left over repercussions. 

“Thanks for your help, Mr. Saitama.”

“I really didn’t do anything,” he replied automatically. There was a beat of silence and Saitama turned slowly to Mumen. The corner of his mouth twitched. “H-How did you know?”

Mumen sighed a laugh in relief. “Not many people know Demon Cyborg’s real name.”

“Wow… That’s really something.”

Mumen slowly turned the can of soda in his hand as he mulled over all the details Saitama had told him. He now sat next to him at a ramen booth on the street with his helmet and goggles now put away. 

Saitama blinked in confusion. “You’re not mad? I thought you’d be at least…”

“What? Like disappointed?” When Saitama nodded slowly, Mumen continued. “I don’t know your life. I have no right to judge why you chose what you did. But knowing you as a friend, I feel confident in saying that you chose what you thought was best. And that’s all anyone can really do.”

Saitama stared down at his empty bowl. For a second, he thought he had the urge to cry. “Thanks,” he said quietly. 

“If you don’t mind me asking, how did Mr. Genos take it?”

“To be honest, I wish I knew. I feel like I never really bothered to get to know what he’s thinking… even before…”

Mumen looked carefully at Saitama and saw the guilt defining his features. “He’s carrying a lot on his shoulders. There must be a lot he goes through that no one else really knows.”

“I know…” Saitama took a deep inhale and raked his hands through his hair in frustration. “He doesn’t need me messing up his life now.”

“Mr. Saitama, I doubt he’s ever thought that of you,” Mumen said firmly, now facing him. “In fact, he’s probably doing a lot better now after finding you than before.”

“What do you mean? He’s accomplished so much in the last couple years. He’s never looked better.”

Mumen raised an eyebrow at this. “Is that what you really think?” Saitama’s confused stare made him continue. “It’s just…”

“Is… there something wrong with Genos?” Mumen looked down at the counter for a moment, giving Saitama an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach.

“I don’t think you have to worry about him now,” Mumen answered carefully. “I may not be the right person to answer these questions though. Sorry.”

“No, don’t worry about it!” Saitama exclaimed, trying to change the mood. “I’m glad I got to talk with you again anyway.”

“Likewise,” Mumen smiled. “And if you ever need someone to talk to, I have your back.”

Saitama looked at him from the corner of his eye and allowed a small smile to form. “I appreciate that, Mumen.”

Earlier that day...

Twenty miles away at the Kuseno Laboratory hidden within the mountains, the Doctor turned to one of the overhanging screens that flashed a red signal. It was the same energy signature that Genos had picked up when he had fought the Fire Twins, and now the same surge occurred in the same city. This was, in fact, one of several surges of energy that had taken place in just weeks in X-City—a phenomenon that puzzled the genius scientist still. 

Strangely, they all occurred just moments before Genos engaged in battle with a mysterious being. He looked to the small sensor in his hand, which was one of many that had been planted in many cities thanks to Mumen Rider. He had noticed the same red energy signatures in all the cities they were planted in but never so robust as the ones emitting from X-City. 

Doctor Kuseno clicked the small device that hung on his ear. “Genos, what’s your status?”

“Tiger-level threat just appeared. I won’t be needing any assistance.”

“Right you are. Take care, then.”

“Yes, Doctor.”

[ Communications offline ]

Kuseno stared back at the screen as the red energy signal suddenly went silent.

Chapter Text

Today was the first weekday in a while that Saitama had woken up without an alarm. While keeping his eyes on the high white ceiling, he reached for his phone and saw the time to be nine in the morning. 

Saitama thought to himself that he should just continue to sleep, and he curled himself into a ball under his thick, fluffy covers. The next thing he remembered was waking up with a headache as he noticed the more vibrant sunlight staining the walls through the break in the curtain. 

The laziness in his body was at war with the hunger and dehydration that was affecting his brain. Should I get up? I should, huh?

Saitama rolled himself out of bed and pressed a button next to the light switch that automatically rolled the curtains back, revealing the entire glass wall that overlooked the city. Yawning, he rubbed his belly while indifferently looking over the buildings and busy streets.

He sighed aloud. Well, happy birthday, you…  

Saitama draped himself over the couch as the latest copy of Jump rested on his face, blocking out the light. He pulled it down and stared at the blank space above the fireplace, wishing for once that he had a television.

What do people do on days like this?

Maybe he shouldn’t have taken a day off work today. But he also felt it would have been depressing to pretend his birthday didn’t exist since everyone at work believed his fake birthdate on his ID card. Saitama rolled over on the couch and reached for his phone on the table. He saw a message from Mumen. 

Mumen: Hey, it was good seeing you the other day! Don’t be a stranger. Stay well :)

Saitama smiled at the simple message. He couldn’t remember the last time he received a text not related to work. He quickly replied with: Same. U2 :)

When he closed the chat, he saw the rest of his logs and went past the rows of co-workers’ names until he found the name he was looking for. The last message Genos had sent him had to do with an estimated arrival time but that was from a couple weeks ago. He actually hadn’t spoken to Genos directly since then.

Saitama’s thumb hovered over the call button. Should I? I don’t want to bother him though. 

He sighed and intended to swipe down, but Saitama’s eyes grew wide when ‘Calling…’ appeared on his screen.

Oh, crap! Saitama was about to hang up the call when… 

“Sensei, is something wrong?” There was a sense of urgency in Genos’ tone.

Saitama felt his expression freeze over. It hadn’t even been two rings yet. “Ah. No, everything’s fine.” The stiffness in his voice did not bother to hide itself. 

“Are you sure? I can be over right away.”

“No!” Saitama refuted loudly. “No… it’s nothing like that. Uh…” Saitama mentally groaned at his own awkwardness. It was as if the guy he was talking to was never his roommate for almost a year. “Just calling. You know… to see if you’re busy right now.”

“I can make time.”

“Do you wanna hang ou— Oh.” Saitama was surprised at the lack of hesitation. “Oh… Well then, great!” 

“...”

“...”

“Was there anything else, Sensei?”

“Nope!” Saitama said abruptly, pursing his lips. 

“Alright, I’ll pick you up in twenty minutes.”

Saitama nodded at first but stopped. “Wait! That fast?” However, the line went dead before he could finish speaking. 

“Sensei, are you okay? You look a little flustered.”

Saitama ran up to Genos, who was leaning on his bike parked on the sidewalk outside the apartment complex. Yeah, ‘cause I had to shower, dry my hair, and change in twenty minutes , he thought while giving him a look. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, catching his breath. 

“Did you have a place in mind?”

Saitama thought for a moment. “Have you ever been to the Financial District?”

“Yes, I know where all areas of the city are.” Saitama could see that Genos was using his analysis vision to map out the city. 

“No, not that,” he laughed. “I mean like sightseeing.”

Genos tilted his head to the side, to which Saitama raised an eyebrow. “Genos, when was the last time you ever went sightseeing?”

“I’ve surveyed enemy terrain—”

“Okay. That’s fine. Let’s go,” Saitama said in quick succession. He looked to the bike that Genos positioned himself on. “Oh, are we taking this?”

“If you prefer, I can carry you,” he replied with a deadpan.

Saitama lowered his eyelids. “You’re messing with me aren’t you?”

Genos drove at a much slower speed through the city, for which Saitama was glad for. He took the time to take in the high-risers and architecture. With no personal mode of transportation, Saitama had only ever looked out at these buildings on buses. But on Genos’ motorcycle, he got to appreciate the clear blue sky overhead as the perfect backdrop for these state-of-the-art structures. 

They fortunately found a free space to park on the street. Genos waited for Saitama to get off first so he could dismount, but he turned his head when he felt Saitama still sitting behind him, looking down at the bike.

“Hey Genos, can I take this for a ride?”

“No.”

Ouch. That was swift. “Oh, come on. I’ll be careful with it.”

Genos sighed. “The bike’s not the one I’m worried about.”

Saitama reluctantly got off and turned to face Genos. “You know, today is actually a special day.” 

Genos cocked an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“It’s my birthday today,” Saitama said simply with a smile. However, it began to falter in response to Genos’ expression, which he could only describe as a combination of suspicion and confusion. 

“...Liar.” 

Jeez, are we in court? “I’m not lying. I really mean it,” Saitama leaned forward as if pleading his case. 

Genos now sat on his bike sideways, fully facing him. His head was down so Saitama couldn’t make out his expression, but he could tell enough from his clenched fists on his lap. A moment of silence stretched between them. “Sensei…” he began slowly. “Why had you never told me? …Didn’t we live together for a year?”

“Almost a year,” he corrected him. “We met just a couple weeks after my birthday.”

Then, a realization crossed Genos’ features, and he met Saitama’s gaze. “Is that the reason you called me here today? Because it’s your birthday?”

Saitama was surprised at this and reached up to scratch behind his ear. “You don’t have to make it sound so cheesy. But, yeah.”

Oh, now that’s a look. 

Saitama leaned slightly to the side to see the subtle bashfulness on Genos’ face. 

“...Okay.”

“Really?” Saitama nearly jumped. “Okay! So…”

“Do you even know how to ride a motorcycle?” Genos asked while moving aside to let Saitama take the seat. 

“Yeah, like you just turn these things and then stop to brake?” Saitama grinned while simple-mindedly twisting the handles. 

Genos pinched the space between his eyes and sighed. “I’ll teach you, but…” He glanced at Saitama from head to toe while the latter was engrossed in tilting side to side on the stationary bike. “Sensei, come with me. There’s something I need to get first.”

Saitama followed him through the bustling streets of the Financial District. They passed by several expensive shops until they came across one that sold a variety of racing gear. Genos went straight to the sales associate while Saitama lingered near the entrance, peaking at the dirt bike on display at the window. 

Maybe he needs to buy some parts? Saitama glanced at Genos, who was led to one wall of gear. Genos took a moment there before returning to him.

“Sensei, I need your help in something.” 

“Sure.” He followed him to the same wall and saw that there were a variety of motorcycle helmets resting on the shelves. 

“From here to here,” Genos indicated, pointing to the top shelf. “Which one do you like?”

“Uh…” Saitama scratched his head at the question, not having any expertise in this kind of thing. “Honestly, they all look fine to me. The only difference I see is the color.”

“That’s good enough.”

Saitama turned back to the shelf and rested his gaze on a marigold-colored helmet that had dark red electric accents on the sides. “That one looks nice.”

Genos looked to the sales associate. “I’ll take it.”

“Right away, sir.”

Saitama watched as Genos whipped out one of those famous black credit cards he’s seen in dramas… well, when he used to watch dramas. 

“I’ll take it as is.”

“Yes, sir. For the case and maintenance set…”

“You can send it to this address.” Genos turned over his palm, and a holographic screen appeared from it, revealing an address that Saitama couldn't make out from his distance. 

“They will arrive by the end of the day.”

“Put this on, Sensei.” When they returned to the bike, Genos helped Saitama strap on the new helmet snuggly.

“Wait. I thought this was yours,” Saitama pondered.

“This is for you,” Genos replied plainly.

Saitama remembered Genos’ black card. “You’re joking. Isn’t this crazy expensive? Why didn’t I need a helmet on the way here?”

“Because I trust my driving.” 

“No seriously, Genos,” Saitama said, moving Genos’ hands away. “You didn’t have to spend that much. We can still go back and get a different one. I’m sure all those helmets were good enough anyway.”

“Sensei,” Genos cut in firmly. “I’m not taking any shortcuts with your safety. Besides, you deserve that much.”

Saitama fell quiet and was thankful that the visor was tinted over his eyes to hide his expression. Jeez, how can you say such embarrassing stuff on the street…? 

“Uh, well… Thanks…”

Genos nodded curtly. “Also, don’t forget to check the mail today to get the equipment for it.”

“What?”

Ignoring Saitama’s flustered tone, Genos got on the bike and turned it on with his retina scan. “For now, we should go to a place with less people though.” He opened up the city map on his visuals and found an open yet secluded place near the docks. “That will do.”

They crossed through a few streets until they reached the piers next to the bay. One of them hosted a large empty warehouse with a wide dirt field on the side of it. 

“Are you sure we can trespass in here?”

“If anything goes wrong, I’ll take responsibility.” Genos parked the bike and got off.

“Okay Sensei, so the first thing is to kick the starter.” Saitama followed Genos line of sight to the part near his right leg. He kicked it down and immediately the bike roared.

“Woah.”

“Then, before you put it in gear by pushing this up, you need to hold this down.” Genos indicated to the left handlebar that Saitama was gripping tightly.

“What’s that?”

“That’s the clutch. If you let this go too quickly, you’ll—”

“Ahhh!” The bike sped forward so quickly that it almost threw Saitama backwards as if it were a bucking bronco.

“Sensei!” Genos ran to Saitama in a matter of seconds and held the bike down. 

“Sorry. What were you saying?” Genos could hear his flustered and nervous laughter from behind the visor. 

Genos sighed in both relief and exasperation. “...If you let this go too quickly, you’ll start speeding forward.”

“But I didn’t even touch the accelerator.”

“That’s the only thing you did right.” He could feel Saitama glaring at him much to his amusement. 

Genos covered Saitama’s left hand with his to ensure the clutch was engaged while wrapping his right arm around his waist in the event the bike shot forward again. And after a few tries, Saitama managed to coordinate the whole sequence and form loops on his own. 

“Hey, I think I’m starting to get the hang of this,” Saitama beamed.

“You’re a fast learner, Sensei. As expected,” Genos smirked. “You even moved to second gear smoothly.”

“You’re a good teacher, Genos. I should start calling you ‘Sensei’.”

Genos’ thoughts lingered on that statement, but he decided it was best to change subjects. “Is there anywhere else you want to go?” He noticed Saitama had parked the bike and sat staring into the distance. “Sensei?” He followed his gaze to a taiyaki stand across the street.

“Genos, where are you going?” Saitama saw Genos walk past him to the food stand he was looking at, and he returned with a brown paper bag.

”Here, Sensei.”

Saitama raised his visor and received the bag with surprise. “Eh? How did you know?”

“You tend to stare at things you want rather than just ask for it.” Genos said simply, to which Saitama felt his face slightly flush as he stared down at the steaming taiyaki. 

“Have you thought of a place?”

Saitama snapped out of his thoughts, and quickly looked around. “Uh, how about there?”

Genos nodded to where Saitama pointed and took the front seat. “I’ll drive.”

They rode to the edge of the city and with Genos’ skillful maneuvering, they effortlessly climbed the winding road to the top of the forested hill that overlooked downtown. They parked at the edge of the road, and Saitama got off to stand right next to the guardrail.

“Wow, this is amazing. I’ve never been up here before.” Saitama removed his helmet and took in the steadily blinking lights of the city as the sun had just begun to set. The sky was a cool blue-grey over the hundreds of buildings as the horizon over the water was vibrant like fire. The best part about it all, Saitama thought, was that it was quiet and secluded. It was like they were the only two people on the entire mountain. 

Saitama glanced from the brown paper bag and over to Genos, who leaned on the side of his bike while staring stoically out at the city. “Here, share this with me. It’s only fair.”

“Sensei, those are for you.”

“Yeah, but… you gave me a lot.”

Genos focused his gaze on him. For a second, Saitama thought he could see a hint of a smile on his face. “I want you to have them.”

Saitama paused at the soft voice that Genos spoke with just now. He couldn’t remember if there was ever a time he heard him speak like that. Saitama was glad that Genos couldn’t see his expression from the angle he stood from as he soon felt his face heating up. “Thank you,” he said quietly. “And also for today, Genos.”

“Happy Birthday.” 

Genos stared at the back of Saitama’s head as the latter had shied away from direct eye contact. Even so, he rather chose to spend the next moments looking at him rather than the expanse of scenery before them. 

The silence settled between them, but it felt more natural than uncomfortable. “Sensei, are you happy?”

“I am.” His reply was almost immediate, and Genos could see the corner of his smile as he followed Saitama’s line of sight to the city he now called home. 

Genos felt his gaze falter for the briefest moment, but he readily steeled the resolve that he had been honing for the past weeks. 

Good. That’s how it’s supposed to be.

Chapter Text

Genos walked through the maze of corridors in the Hero Association—his steps echoing along the dark iron walls as he passed. He stopped at large double doors and knocked.

“Come in.”

He stepped to the middle of the room and stared taciturnly at the woman seated in the center of a long table of association administrators. Out of context, it looked as if he were being put on trial in the presence of multiple judges.

“What is it you need me for?” 

The head administrator made no reaction to Genos’ brusque manner of speaking. In fact, she knew it would have been surprising if Genos spoke with any courtesy to any authoritative figure at all.

“We’ve made a discovery. We wanted to inform you first before we notified the rest of the S-Class heroes.” The woman turned from Genos to activate a large screen behind her. “I believe you are familiar with these crafts.”

The light from the screen forced Genos’ eyes to adjust in the darkened room, but his eyes widened when he took in the image. He fought to maintain his composure at the sight of several oblong metal ships dusting the skies.

They were the very same ships from that day—the same ones that led to Saitama’s disappearance and effectively changed both their lives for good.

“We have been alerted by our sensors,” the administrator continued. “It was confirmed that vessels containing the same fingerprint as the invasion more than two years ago have entered our solar system as of o’eight hundred hours this morning.”

The administrator folded her hands together in composure as her furrowed brows revealed a greater concern. “This fleet is five times the size of that from the last attack. We had many casualties then, so we are classifying this as a god-level threat.” She took a breath. “We still don’t know their purpose for returning as nothing was taken last time. We’ve estimated they’ll be here in a month’s time.

“What is the plan so far?” 

Genos kept his eyes steady, but it was clear that his expression was fiercely more determined than usual. After all, this was personal.

“Mass evacuations? That’s all they can think of?”

Genos sat on the examining table as Dr. Kuseno worked behind him, welding new parts as he spoke behind his face shield. 

“They said that since offensive attacks barely made a difference last time, they would focus primarily on defensive strategies.”

Kuseno shook his head. “I can tell you that those beings have the capabilities to destroy any stronghold with the power that they boasted of last time.”

“There was really only one person who could hold them off…”

Kuseno stopped in his work and pulled back his shield. “But at great cost.”

“I know. Even if Sensei had his powers, I would still be hesitant to let him fight.” Genos looked down to his lap and gripped the edge of the table. 

“Understandably. Although…” Kuseno stepped down to face Genos. “You’ve always been singularly protective of him despite his immense strength and your well-being.”

Kuseno placed his palm against Genos’ cheek as the genius scientist who was skilled enough to weld the strongest metals together now exhibited a pure fatherly act to the boy who’s life he saved. And in the end, had saved his life in return.

“I know how strongly you feel about him, but please value your own life as well.”

Genos lingered on his gaze and remembered the first day he had met Saitama. If he hadn’t run into him that day, most likely he wouldn’t be here right now.

He nodded slightly. “I will.”

The screen hovering next to them flashed red at that moment—the words ‘Warning: Red Mana Surge’ written across the screen.

“How many times is it this week?” Genos asked, walking to the monitor.

Dr. Kuseno peered at the numbers and held his chin. “These are the highest numbers I’ve seen so far.”

“It’s close to where Sensei lives…”

Genos saw the map of the signal flashed a few blocks from Saitama’s apartment. He put his shirt back on and strode for the exit. 

The Doctor noticed the rigid way he walked and knew it had nothing to do with a mechanical issue. “Genos,” he called firmly.

The cyborg stopped and turned his head slightly.

“Don’t be afraid to call for backup. I’m here.”

“You’ve done a lot of upgrades, Doctor. I’ll be fine.” He turned and disappeared around the corner.

Kuseno's gaze faltered, hoping that his true meaning would still reach him somehow.

Saitama watched, in shock, an ever-growing crack in the road beneath him. Just prior, he had heard a low rumbling sound from the outside which caused him to step onto the balcony he had so rarely used.

He gaped in amazement as a familiar black bike came swerving down the opposite end of the road, narrowly avoiding the path of the crack. 

Genos left the bike across the street and quickly locked eyes with Saitama as if he had been searching for him. The latter watched curiously as Genos took a step back into a lunge. 

Then, it clicked. Saitama shook his head at him desperately, but Genos only nodded back coolly before activating his shoulder thrusters and launching directly at him.

“No, no, no, no, no!”

Saitama held his hands out in both defense and to catch Genos. But when he opened his eyes he saw that he was effortlessly perched on the railing with both feet.

“Hi.”

“...Hi. Could you… always do that?”

Genos blinked in agreement. “I thought it might be rude.”

Saitama turned to go back inside, laughing to himself. Since when had Genos cared about manners?

“Sensei, I need to take you to a safe zone,” Genos said, following closely behind. He put his metal briefcase on the coffee table out of habit and eyed the maintenance kit for the helmet beside that.

“Is this another monster attack?”

“Yes. But it may be stronger than the previous ones.”

Saitama looked down in thought worriedly. “Is it something you can handle, or are the other heroes going to help you out?”

“I contacted the Association, so they’ll send backup. But I’ll handle it just fine.”

“But—”

Another rumbling sound was heard—the vibrations felt through the floor. Before Saitama even had the time to look around, a large shadow had taken up his vision.

Genos had closed the distance and firmly, but carefully, held his arm and waist. Even after the noise had stopped, Saitama felt a slight quaking that he realized wasn’t coming through the floor.

He broke his focus on the complex design of Genos’ clavicle to the cyborg’s unfocused gaze into the distance.

“Genos, are you okay?” He asked slowly.

Genos looked down at him with a quiet sense of unease and backed away, gently letting go of him.

Saitama could now see the flashes of anxiety in his eyes as if there was something that had shaken him up. And he had a feeling it didn’t have to do with the incoming monster attack.

The rumbling continued. “Sensei, it looks like I won’t be able to take you to the shelter after all. Do you know how to get there?”

“I do, but Genos…” he continued in a low voice. “What’s wrong?”

Genos stared at the apparent concern defining Saitama’s face. How could he bear it, knowing Saitama was the one that needed to be protected now?

“Nothing’s wrong. You don’t have to worry about anything.” He turned quickly to the balcony. “Promise me you’ll go to the shelter.” He looked back at him after climbing the railing.

Saitama clenched his jaw before sighing. “I promise… Take care of yourself.”

Genos nodded curtly before leaping down. Saitama watched as he mounted his bike and sped off down the road. Subconsciously, he rubbed the area on his arm that Genos held; an unfamiliar coldness now took its space.

Chapter Text

Saitama entered the underground compound and saw hundreds of others seated on the concrete and steel floor. The main room was the size of a sports stadium and was several stories tall while the walls had railings and doors that he could guess led to living quarters. This was his first time being in the underground shelter as living in a safe haven such as X-City caused such structures to be rarely used. 

Taking a free spot near a wall, Saitama sat on the floor and looked around to see that most people were engrossed in looking at their phones. 

“You get signal in here?” He asked a boy nearby.

“Yeah, you can watch the live drone footage of the fight going on. That’s what everyone’s watching right now.”

Saitama paled slightly at the thought of seeing Genos fighting alone on the surface. He knew there was nothing he could do from deep underground. Still, he needed to know. “Can you show me how to watch it?”

Saitama handed his minimally-used smartphone to the boy, who downloaded the Hero Association’s streaming app. Very simply, Saitama was able to watch the chaos going on above from various angles. 

Great… He thought to himself. I can watch Genos get hurt in HD…  

Saitama snapped himself out of such thoughts. It was a fact that Genos was the world’s strongest hero. There was no way he would lose. Still, he remembered Genos’ preoccupied expression before he left. Saitama couldn’t help but feel a kind of foreboding about this fight—like he was on edge waiting for something big to happen. 

He’ll be fine. He’s the strongest person I know…

Saitama focused on his screen, ignoring the anxious feeling in his chest.

Genos parked his motorcycle a block away from the source of the energy that he mapped out on his visual sensors. However, when he moved the screens aside, he could see nothing unusual about the location. With the overcast evening sky above, there were only empty streets and a heavy silence around him. Even the rumbling sound had stopped. 

He walked cautiously to the center of the intersection, converting his right hand into a flamethrower. As if it sensed his approach, the ground began to rumble and the windows of the surrounding buildings shook violently. He aimed his weapon at the ground but the next thing he felt was the concrete breaking up behind him as a large vine erupted from underneath. 

Genos leapt to narrowly avoid being wrapped by the writhing vine only to find that all the other roads leading from the intersection all had thick vines snaking out through the ground. He blasted his flames at the nearest one and could have sworn he heard screaming from it. Instead of the vine being burnt, however, it swung more wildly as fire fanned from its motions. 

Genos dodged each hit nimbly and leapt into a roundhouse kick, severing it straight through. The decapitated part fell with a loud splash to the ground as the base receded back underground. 

It’s made of water like a normal plant… Genos thought while eyeing the pool of water spreading on the ground. 

At once, Genos lifted the part of his shirt covering his navel and the overlying metal cover slid away, revealing an array of small flat devices. He removed one and quickly attached it to one of the vines before activating it. Within seconds, a burst of electricity emitted from the device, traveling to all the rest. Screaming was heard once again as the vines were wracked helplessly by the electric shock before falling motionless at his feet. 

The center of the intersection burst into a violent explosion and Genos somersaulted backwards, dodging the falling debris. Rising from the dust was a large bundle of vines several meters wide. At the top of the continuously winding plants was the upper half of a woman whose green skin matched that of the vegetation. Her hair was also made of smaller vines that continued to wrap around her torso. She had a beautiful face, and atop her head rested a large lily pad with an unopened bud in the center. 

“My, my…” she cooed, glancing at Genos. “Don’t you think that’s a bit rude?”

She raised her arms and pointed toward him. Vines shot out in that direction, but Genos predicted as such and leapt onto them to use as a direct path to her. 

“Oh, please.”

Another train of vines struck Genos from the side, tossing him to skid across the ground. Before he was able to recover, Genos became ensnared in the winding plants that steadily increased pressure as they dragged him towards the Lotus Lady. 

With his arms and legs bound, Genos didn’t even have the space to change weapons. A vine pressed under his chin, raising his face to look into the Lady’s eyes. 

“Interesting…” she muttered, holding her chin.

“What is?” Genos glared back.

“I can’t absorb any nutrients from you. You’re barely human, aren’t you? If you ever were, that is.”

Genos grit his teeth at the increase in pressure, but something caught his eye. 

That flower… When did it start opening?

His eyes swept from the bud atop the Lady’s head to the surrounding vines and saw that they were all partially open, revealing the delicate pink and white petals. Before he could put the pieces together, the vines increased their strength around him, causing his visual sensors to flash red. 

How is she getting stronger so fast? Genos thought. Though it was impossible for him to suffocate without lungs, he found it harder to control his body with each passing second.

Lotus Lady stared disappointingly at Genos’ incapacitated form. “How useless…”

Just as she momentarily loosened her vines to toss his body aside, Genos took this brief opportunity to stab his hand into the center of her chest and he let off a blast from his palm. The beam went straight through, hitting a faraway building. 

Genos breathed heavily as he looked at her form, which was abnormally bent backwards. Before he could even consider pulling back his arm, the Lady caught his forearm in her crushing grip. Genos couldn’t shake her off as she quickly melded back into one piece with his arm still caught in her chest. 

With all the blemishes of the explosion gone, she smiled back at him threateningly. “You must not want this arm, then.” 

Using her other hand, she struck Genos’ elbow joint perpendicularly causing a metallic clang. Genos watched wide-eyed as his forearm broke free from the rest of his body.

A wave of cries descended within the bunker. People watched in horror as Demon Cyborg was thrown like a rag doll while the Lotus Lady pulled his dismembered arm from her torso before discarding it, too. 

As her cruel laugh was heard through the screen, a strong quake was felt through the steel walls of the compound, inciting more screams. 

Despite this, Saitama watched his screen with paralyzed silence. He switched to a drone that shot a close up of Genos’ unmoving form on a heap of rubble, looking for any hint of movement.

No… Get up, Genos…  

Lotus Lady felt a surge of power with every passing moment. Each minute, her vines were spreading out throughout the city absorbing any organism it could capture from flora to fauna. She had been increasing her range long before the cyborg had shown himself; unfortunately, most of the humans in the city had all but disappeared from the area when she awoke. 

Where are they all off to? she thought to herself.

She smiled at the blossoming petals of the lotus flowers on her vines. The flow of power was addicting. She focused on spreading her vines as far and wide as she could. It was only a matter of time before she found the humans of this city, and then the lotuses would be in full bloom.

Genos opened his eyes to blaring red signals on his visual display. He was dangerously low on power and he was now missing an arsenal of weapons with his right arm now gone. He still couldn’t move, so he focused on allocating power to different parts of his body. 

He cut off his wireless communication abilities to send more power to his legs. He ceased power to his vocal cords and distributed the energy to the gears of his back. Finally, he severed signals from his touch receptors to bring power to his shoulder and arm. 

Genos stood slowly, targeting his gaze on the back of his enemy. It’s been almost a year since he last experienced such a difficult battle. Even now he had no strategy in defeating his foe. He wondered what the cause could be for his poor performance. He was fully upgraded and was smarter than his past self, but something was affecting him today. Was it… mental?

Genos didn’t want to admit it, but the thought of the returning alien invasion had put him on edge. He felt foolish for letting something that had yet to happen affect him so critically. Still, the first thing that ran through his mind at the sudden news was the idea of losing Saitama again. 

And the resulting fear drowned his mind and body into a quick cold plunge.

Just then, Lotus Lady awoke from her concentration. “Oh, and what’s this?” She laughed with satisfaction. “An underground bunker? Well wouldn’t that be filled with such good nutrients for my vines?” 

Genos felt that same fear surge within him like a returning tidal wave. As if in a trance, he rushed forward with his broken body. He still had no plan. All he knew was that he would never let any threat befall Saitama even if it was over his dead body. 

Lotus Lady shrieked in pain as she felt the plants beneath her be forcibly ripped apart. She looked behind to see Genos tearing layers of vines with his bare hand in quick succession, even using his teeth and the blunt metal of his right arm to aid him. He was like a rabid animal. 

“How dare you?” She roared. “Where did you get all this power?”

Still, she wasn’t able to replenish her vines in time as Genos was nearing the core. She used her last slurry of vines to grab Genos by the throat and lift him off the ground. 

She grew short of breath, and glared at him through her tangled strands. “I’ll take your head next!”

Genos hung limply in her grasp. He had expended every ounce of power. However, he still had enough energy to glance at the damage he had done, the feeling of satisfaction expressed in his eyes. 

The Lady saw this and caught sight of his hollowed out abdominal cavity before looking down at herself. A dozen metal devices decorated the crater that Genos had made.

Before she could process what had happened, all the devices went off in unison and an explosion of electricity consumed her and the surrounding buildings. The literal seed of her power that she had been protecting shattered into pieces as the rest of her disintegrated into ash. 

Saitama squinted at the pure white taking up his phone screen accompanied by the deafening sound of rumbling overhead. When the sounds of screaming and chaos died down, Saitama found that nothing but a static signal appeared on his screen along with everyone else’s. 

He desperately clicked through each drone’s camera but found that they were all the same. 

Panic set in the pit of his stomach and Saitama ran to the exit of the compound. “I need to get out of here,” he claimed to the guard. 

“We can’t allow anyone to leave yet. It may not be safe.”

“Please! I need to see if—”

“Look! It’s the Tornado of Terror!”

People throughout the compound expressed sighs of relief as a new stream of Tatsumaki appearing on the scene flashed on everyone’s screens. 

“Are we really okay then?” The guard asked a nearby person. Meanwhile, Saitama had taken the opportunity to leave without detection. 

Saitama ran through the city streets, climbing over growing piles of rubble as he neared the intersection Genos had fought at. When he arrived, he saw Tatsumaki lifting debris aside with her psychic powers, revealing an unconscious Genos underneath. 

“Genos!” Saitama ran to him and knelt over his body, looking for any sign that he was okay. Unfortunately, he knew Genos had no need for breathing or a pulse, so he held his face in his hands and called to him desperately. “Genos, are you okay? Can you hear me?”

“Who are you?” A cold question cut through the air.

Saitama turned his head slightly, now aware that he was once again putting his identity in jeopardy. “I’m… just trying to see if he’s okay.”

“How do you know his real name?” Tatsumaki floated closer, and Saitama turned his face away. “You look familiar, too.”

“I…” Saitama grit his teeth. “Maybe I should be asking what took you so long…”

Tatsumaki backed away at this. “Who does this little brat think he is?” She scoffed. “It’s not our fault he sent us a distress signal so late. No one ever comes to this obscure city anyway.”

Saitama lifted Genos to lean on his side with his left arm over his shoulders. He was done listening to this and turned to walk away. Tatsumaki looked at their backs with disdain but was called to action by other arriving heroes who were now responsible for clearing the scene. 

Saitama walked slowly at Genos’ weight. Carrying him in the past was far easier when he had his powers, but now, he wasn’t sure what he could do for him. “Don’t worry, Genos. You’ll be okay…” he tried to convince himself. Maybe he should have asked Tatsumaki for help after all. 

He kicked something with his foot and saw it was Genos’ forearm that had been snapped off during the battle. He looked to Genos’ head, rocked forward, and then back to the arm. “Uh, I’ll pick that up… I promise. Let me just…”

Saitama almost cried for joy when he saw a familiar black motorcycle a block away, still perfectly intact thanks to the armored plates protecting it. Heaving Genos onto the seat, he ran back for his arm, before going back to the bike. 

Crap, I don’t know how to start this… He thought while peering at the controls between the handles.

However, when he got close enough, a light scanned his eyes and immediately the motorcycle roared. On the display, flashed the words, “Welcome, Hero Saitama.”

Saitama looked to Genos with surprise but knew he needed to hurry. He climbed on the bike behind Genos, keeping his arms to guard him on both sides as he gripped the accelerator and clutch before speeding off. 

Opening the door of his apartment, Saitama gasped for breath as he let Genos down on the landing. Sweat had drenched through his hoodie, but he ignored the pain in his body as he walked to his coffee table. 

I knew it was here… 

Saitama grabbed the black metal briefcase that Genos always carried. Not fully knowing what he was doing, he looked at the keyhole of the case only to find that it was another retina scan that unlocked when he got close enough. 

Genos, did you predict something like this was going to happen?

He took out the pyramidal shaped device, remembering how it looked when he saw Genos use it weeks ago. “This is supposed to be open, right?” Saitama looked at it from all angles before spotting an outlet plug tucked on the underside. He plugged it into the wall near Genos, and immediately, the pyramid unfolded into a flat three-petalled flower. 

The core! That goes in here next…

Saitama unzipped Genos’ vest and waited for a moment to see if his chest cavity would spontaneously open.

“Come on!” he said impatiently. “What? Is there a retina scan here, too?!”

Saitama tried to lift the edges of the metal plates covering Genos’ chest but no luck. Exhausted, he sat back against the wall. Then, an idea hit him. 

Saitama ran to the coffee table again and retrieved the maintenance kit from the helmet Genos had bought him. Using the screwdriver as a lever, he lifted the plate off enough for him to manually pry the cavity open. 

“Yes!” Saitama stared at the glowing blue core at the spot where Genos’ human heart would have been. Carefully, he reached in with both hands and placed it in the charging device, the edges of which had lit up the same blue color as the core. 

Saitama put his ear to Genos’ abdomen and sighed in relief at the steady whirring of gears that grew stronger with each second. “I think you’ll be okay, Genos,” he said, lying against the wall. 

What just happened? With Genos no longer in immediate danger, Saitama now had the time to think about what he had just done. He had so many questions, but he hoped that he had helped him enough. 

He eyed Genos’ detached arm next to the maintenance set. Picking up the arm, he saw that it was mostly a clean break with most of the parts intact. It shouldn’t be that hard to attach, right? Saitama shrugged before reaching for the screwdriver again. Well, here goes nothing… 

Chapter Text

[ Communications back online… Analysis in progress… ]

Flashes of yellow screens and numbers appeared before Genos, checking biological data while uploading his systems to the Doctor’s lab. 

“Genos, are you okay?” A voice rang in his ears. “ I received a distress signal that you were running low on energy, but it appears that you’re recharging just fine.”

Doctor… he called mentally. I’m alright. I think I’m—

Genos pushed away all the screens blocking his vision and saw a sleeping Saitama sitting next to him on the floor. He was holding his charging station in his arms with his core plugged in. 

Doctor, I’m alright. I’ll contact you soon.

“Wait, Genos—”  

[ Communications offline ]

“Sensei…” His voice was strained, but it was enough to rouse Saitama.

He cracked open his eyes and drowsily looked down at the cyborg laying on the floor. “Oh, Genos. You’re awake. Good.”

“Sensei.” Genos, still low on energy, only had enough strength to move his eyes around. “What are we doing on the landing?”

“Ah, yeah,” Saitama laughed slightly. “I never realized how heavy you are. I got kinda worried and just plugged you in as soon as I could.”

Genos stared back with concern, but quickly closed his eyes, furrowing his brows. 

“I’m sorry. Had I been more careful, I would not have made you go through such—”

“Hey, Genos,” he interrupted. “Why do you need this?” Saitama looked down at the glowing core that was the only thing illuminating the dark corridor. “I’ve only seen this once before. And didn’t you say you get your fuel from eating and sleeping?”

Genos wished he had enough charge in his body to turn his head away. This was not something he needed to burden Saitama with; it was his problem and his alone. Still, he couldn’t lie to him. “I just… run out of energy more easily now. The Doctor has helped me supplement it with this.”

Saitama looked at him seriously like he was not one to be fooled. “Oi, tell me the whole truth. When has that huge appetite of yours not been enough? You looked like you were about to just break apart out there today.”

Genos hesitated in replying. He had told himself to not let Saitama get involved with his kind of life anymore, but Saitama’s pleading eyes put a crack in his resolve. “That’s the thing, Sensei,” he said slowly. “I don’t eat or sleep anymore.”

Saitama’s gaze shook. “Don’t… or can’t?” The lingering silence between them was his answer, and his hands began to shake slightly around the small, charging platform. “…Since when?”

Genos stared back, his eyes shamelessly showing his emotions. “Two years.”

Saitama felt a knot in his throat. “T…Two years…huh…” he forced out in a whisper. 

“Sensei?” Genos was taken by surprise when Saitama suddenly, yet carefully, rested the platform on the floor. He stood up and leaned against the other wall of the entryway, facing away from Genos. 

What was this feeling? It had gotten so hard to breathe all of a sudden. Before Genos could finish calling out for him again, he swung open the door and braced himself against the outside wall. 

“Sensei!” called Genos from behind the door. “What’s wrong, Sensei?” 

Saitama turned to look back with wide eyes and a shuddered breath. “Sensei!” he heard again. 

Stop, Genos. No more. Please. 

“Sensei!”

With that, he turned for the stairwell and bounded for the sidewalk. What was he doing? He asked himself that to no avail. Running down the dark street, he fought the urge to yell out like a maniac. He couldn’t believe he was running away. What a coward, called a voice from the back of his mind. He almost wanted to laugh at how pathetic he looked. 

There were too many emotions running through him right now. Shame, sorrow, anger, guilt. It was too much. He hadn’t remembered the last time he felt those things. It had been long enough to the point that he was too sensitive to such basic human feelings. Was this what he had lost?

Jumping carelessly over heaps of rubble, he continued on. He had asked himself long ago if he had lost something that made him human when he had first gained that ridiculous power. It was only now that he realized that all this pain was probably it. Ever since he reunited with Genos, this lingering feeling had been steadily growing, waiting to explode. Maybe it started long before that. He had done something awful, and while he had run away trying to escape all this pain, he had undeniably left Genos to shoulder it all by himself. 

He thought he was fine with his new life. But at the price of becoming just an average human again, he had cost Genos the rest of his own humanity. 

Saitama found himself hidden within the trees of a desolate forest, and he stopped at the base of one when he had exhausted his energy. Exhaling harshly, he clenched his teeth and punched the trunk in front of him. Over and over again, he continued despite his bloody and bruised hand. For the first time in a long time, he had wished just that was enough to send it into oblivion many times over. 

Genos sped down the empty freeway with the moon in the backdrop. Dangerously taking sharp turns, he tilted so low on his motorcycle every now and then that it seemed he would lose control of it any second. But he wasn’t focused on his safety right then. Instead, he replayed the same scene in his mind that had only happened moments ago. 

It had been more than an hour since Saitama had left the apartment without a word. By then, Genos had fully recharged and he was just finishing packing away his charging unit. He was honestly surprised to see Saitama act in such a way, but he knew it was due to the unnecessary news he let slip to him just now. It was his fault. He never wanted to burden Saitama with more than he already carries, and he had always tried to be mindful of his health. He grimaced at the fact that despite all the years, he had always been a worrier in any issue pertaining to Saitama. Even though he was bestowed with incomprehensible strength, Genos still worried about him. And that wouldn’t change now.

He was just about to turn for the door but stopped at the sound of it clicking open. 

“Sensei! Are you alright?” He glanced down and saw his hand covered with smears of dried blood. “Sensei, your hand! What happened?” Saitama didn’t look up let alone answer him, but he continued to walk past him to the door of his room. “Uh… a-about earlier, I’m so—”

“I’m sorry, Genos.” 

Genos blinked back and stared at him. 

“I…” Saitama started wearily. “I had no idea about what you went through. Hell, I still don’t.” He lifted a hand to rake through his hair. “I guess I’m not the same person you used to know. I don’t have the strength or the courage anymore. I’m not worthy to be called your Sensei. Anyway, you’ve already become a better hero than I could have ever been.”

“Sensei,” Genos broke in resolutely. “That isn’t true. I am more than honored to be your disciple.”

“Then...” Saitama turned his head a little to look over at him. “Why couldn’t you have picked someone else? Why did you choose me? Was it because of my strength? Because I don’t have it anymore,” he said weakly. “I can’t teach you a thing, and I’ve never been able to. And if you just wanted to be stronger, then I’m sure you could have learned under any of the heroes in S-class.”

For once, Genos was at a loss for words. He knew he had the answer within him, but once again, he imagined his weaker self from two years ago that couldn’t speak when it really mattered.

Numbly, Saitama added, “I don’t know how to handle this right now, Genos. It may be best for you if you don’t see me for a while.”

Automatically, Genos stepped forward but was stopped when Saitama held out his bruised hand to keep him at a distance. “Please,” he whispered, finally looking at him in the eye. “I just need to be alone.” With that, he entered his room and closed the door. 

Genos cranked down on the handle bars to fill his ears with the sound of the engine. The surge of emotions he felt was making it hard to think logically. Was he sad and confused? Perhaps. Angry? But at whom? All he knew was that he had never seen and never again wanted to see Saitama’s red and swollen eyes. 

He revved the motor again and let out an anguished cry so loud it could still be heard beyond the roar of 600 horsepower. At that moment, he wished he could cry tears in his stead. 

“Genos, are you alright?” Dr. Kuseno watched Genos enter the laboratory with a darkened expression on his face.

“Doctor, it’s time for that.”

The Doctor looked curiously at him, but he soon realized what he meant and glanced quickly at the project hidden under a sheet in the far corner. “It’s not ready. We can barely call it a prototype.”

“There’s no time,” Genos said coldly. “From now on until the invasion, I will need all the upgrades you can give me.”

Chapter Text

“Mass shelters have already been prepared all over the globe, and all citizens have been assigned to their zones,” the Association administrator said at the head of the long table.

Bang sat near her, next to Tatsumaki, as he eyed the empty chair across from him. This was one of many briefings the S-Class heroes received in the past month related to the incoming alien invasion. 

Genos had missed each and every one. 

“He’s the new ‘Blast’,” scoffed Tatsumaki, following his gaze.

“I’m sure it’s for a good reason,” Bang said. “That boy always does what’s best.”

“For who, though?” She rebutted. “He’s making us look like chumps.”

“You S-Class heroes will be assigned to key-points in different cities that we’ve calculated to be the most populated with vessels based on the last attack. The level of your rank correlates to the density of invaders,” the administrator continued. “With the estimated arrival time of three days, this will be our last meeting. We suggest you all make preparations as soon as possible. That will be all.”

Bang left the briefing room, planning out his final instructions for Charanko and the dojo. As the second ranked hero, he wasn’t assigned too far away from home, but that also meant it was likely to be under higher threat. Still, he felt better knowing that it was his responsibility to protect his home. He wondered if the same felt true for Genos, who was inevitably assigned to Z-City. 

Saitama looked down at the eerily quiet streets of X-City from his balcony. A majority of the citizens had already relocated to their respective safe zones, but, against his better judgement, he was still reluctant to go to his. He looked at his packed bags at the entrance, but he couldn’t make the final decision to get out the door. And it was all because he wasn’t sure how Genos would find him if he were to leave. 

It had been almost a month since they last saw each other—when Saitama had basically kicked him out. Despite his texts and calls, Genos never picked up or replied back. Saitama ruffled a hand through his hair at the heavy thoughts. He was upset at both himself and at Genos for this cold shoulder treatment. He was aware that he told him he needed space, but this complete absence was just too much. 

And everyday, the guilt grew more and more on his shoulders like it was waiting for a day to simply burst and consume him. 

He had one last idea. It would essentially ruin all that he had been building for the past two years, but he knew he wasn’t rational as of late. He opened the phone app and dialed a number he hadn’t called in years. 

“Hello?”

“Hey… King.”

“Who is this?” King’s voice on the other line grew more guarded.

“It’s… Saitama.”

“...”

“...”

“Say that one more time.” 

Saitama wasn’t sure if he was goading him threateningly or if he really wanted to hear it again. He took a deep breath. “It’s Saitama. I’m alive after all… haha…”

There was a beep and Saitama realized King had hung up on him. He looked at the words, ‘Call ended’, on the screen and sighed. “Well, worth a shot.”

However, before he could put his phone down, a video call rang. Saitama answered quickly. Before he could say anything, he saw King’s face completely take up his screen as if the latter had been holding his phone inches from his face. 

“H-Hi…” Saitama said through a twitchy smile.

King eyed him carefully, taking in every detail of his face. “Shut up,” King growled. “Answer my questions. Where did we last meet?”

“What?”

“Answer or I’m hanging up.”

“Uh… Prin—,” Saitama tried not to cringe. “Princess Bunny Maid Cafe.”

“What did I order?”

How could he forget? “...You ordered the ‘Pretty Princess Supreme Parfait’.”

“With…?”

Saitama mentally facepalmed. “With ‘Princess Bunny’s Moe Moe Mochi Hearts’.”

“I’m sorry… the what?”

Saitama knew his meaning and wanted to slam his head against the coffee table. “Don’t make me do it.”

“Well then. Goodbye, stranger.”

“Okay!” Saitama mentally prepped himself. In a high-pitched cooing voice, he repeated, “With ‘Princess Bunny’s Moe Moe Mochi Hearts...Kyaaaa!” He proceeded to make a peace-sign with his other hand and raised it to his puckered lips, which matched his cutesy eye-wink. Was this how it looked like when the waitress did it?

He held the pose for a moment but eventually relaxed his face and stared back at King’s immovable scowl. 

“...It is you.”

“You believe me?”

“I believed you from ‘Pretty Princess Supreme Parfait’.”

“What? I can’t believe you! You could have just—” 

Saitama stopped his rant when he heard tearful laughter through the phone. “You’re alive…” King choked between relieved sobs.

Saitama looked quietly at King. “I’m sorry. You must hate my guts right now.”

“I am mad at you,” King said, gaining control of his breathing. “But I’m more relieved than anything.”

Saitama spent the next few minutes explaining what had happened, and King’s range of facial expressions throughout betrayed his trademark intimidation face that he was so known for. He had made no comments during his story and any judgement Saitama was expecting from him never showed through. 

“And you got hair, too.”

“Yeah, came with the package. No powers equals my hair, I guess,” Saitama laughed.

King sat for a moment in thought. “I’m glad for Genos’ sake, at least.”         

“What do you mean?” Saitama’s confused look was met back with King’s.

“You don’t know?” King spoke slowly. “He took a leave of absence from the Association for almost a year. Actually, that’s putting it nicely. He was initially expelled.”

Saitama couldn’t believe his ears. “What? How come?”

King’s confusion grew even more. “He was looking for you against orders. He searched the wreckage of that alien ship for a couple months before announcing he needed major maintenance.”

Saitama looked down at his lap, trying to sort out fragments of Genos’ life from the past two years that were still disconnected in his mind. 

“Saitama, you look surprised. This was information that was all over the news.”

Saitama looked to the empty space above his fireplace. “I… try not to look at the news.”

King heard the dregs of guilt in his voice, and nodded with understanding. “I can tell you still have questions. I feel like Genos would be the one to talk to.”

“And that’s kind of why I called. I haven’t seen him in a month. Is he okay?”

King raised his eyebrows. “That's what I wanted to ask you. He hasn’t come to any of our meetings lately either, but we were told he was doing maintenance again.”

Saitama knew what to do next. There was only one place he could be.

“King, I have to go. Thanks for… everything. I’ll talk to you again.”

“Saitama, promise me this won’t be our last call,” King said firmly. “After all, there’s this new kitty cat cafe in M-City that I’ve always wanted to take you.”

Saitama finally broke a smile. “I promise.”

Saitama stepped out of the taxi cab and onto the side of the highway.

“You sure this is the place you want?” asked the cab driver.

“This is perfect. Thanks,” he replied, picking up his backpack and duffel bag. Saitama walked into the deep forest that covered all the surrounding hills until he came face-to-face with thick metal doors cleverly hidden within a rock formation.

He caught the surveillance camera in the corner and knew he had probably been seen long before he approached the doors.

A voice rang through hidden speakers. “Saitama, my boy. It’s good to see you doing well.”

“It’s good to hear from you, Doctor.”

Chapter Text

“I must thank you for helping and mending Genos. I was honestly surprised at how well you reattached his arm.” Dr. Kuseno led Saitama through the metal-clad corridors of the underground laboratory. “Did you have some training in mechanical works?”

Saitama shrugged and laughed. “Not really, just stuff I figured out from living alone. Honestly, I’m not sure I did that great a job. The only thing I had on me was a mini-screwdriver.”

Kuseno stopped and turned, raising an eyebrow. “Really, now…”

“By the way, where’s Genos?”

“He’s not here. He trains sometimes in remote locations, so it’s hard to pinpoint where he is unless I track him. He hates it when I do that.”

“Training? For what?”

They walked through a large expanse of a room—striking arrays of technology of unknown function filled every corner. “To test out his weaponry. He goes off for days at a time.”

Saitama heard the drop in his voice. “You don’t sound very happy about that.”

“Saitama, how would you feel if someone important to you pushed themselves so hard that you think they may be self-destructive?”

“Self-destructive?” Saitama stared at the back of Kuseno’s head as he led him to a quaint kitchenette. He poured steaming black coffee into a mug and handed it to Saitama, who took a seat at the small round table.

“He really has been protecting you,” Kuseno said, pouring himself a cup. “Even going so far as to keep you in the dark for your sake.”

He turned to lean against the counter as his gaze grew distant. “But I would be lying if I said I wasn’t hoping for you to show up at my doorstep someday. I may just be out of options to reach that boy.”

Saitama looked down at the dark, swirling liquid in his hands. “Doctor, I don’t really know what you’re saying.” 

The Doctor saw Saitama’s perplexed gaze and put his still-full cup to the side.

“Saitama, let me say this hypothetically. If Genos were in trouble, and you were the only one that could help him, would you? Even if it meant that you would have to give up the life you’ve built for yourself?”

“If he wanted me to, of course I would help him.”

“What if he didn’t want you to?”

Saitama glanced quickly to catch Kuseno’s solemn stare before looking back down to the table. To beckon Genos’ hatred and accept it? It would be a bitter pill to swallow.

Kuseno watched Saitama’s expression crumble from disheartened to broken; and he instantly felt regret at his interrogation.

“I’m sorry. These are very heavy questions. Maybe it would be better for you to return to your home once this invasion passes through.” Kuseno walked to him and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. “You’re more than welcome to stay here if you’d rather not go to your assigned safe zone.”

Saitama gave him a small smile. “Thank you. I’d appreciate that.”

When they both finished their coffee, Kuseno led him to a further part of the lab that had a semblance of natural light streaming through a dome-like window in the high ceiling. However, Saitama wouldn’t necessarily say it was bright as the window was situated at the top of a lengthy chute. The room resembled an air hangar, and as they reached the end of the railed landing, Saitama saw another floor below them full of computers and equipment. They descended a flight of stairs, and tucked into the wall beneath the landing was a door.

Kuseno unlocked the room and upon walking in, Saitama was greeted by a quaint room of cool grey concrete—not too big but enough to walk around comfortably. In the far corner opposite the door was a cot protruding from the wall, and to his left was an empty study desk. To his right, stood a metal cabinet next to a workbench and table, which was home to different types of machines used for welding and cutting. The room was simple but clean, and although it’s main source of light was a plain fluorescent fixture overhead, Saitama felt a nourishing sense of warmth and comfort here.

“I apologize for the sparse quarters,” Kuseno said. “I myself sleep in a room very similar to this… when I do sleep.”

“No, this is perfect. Thank you.”

When he was left alone to settle down, Saitama dropped his bags next to the desk and sat on the cot. He looked at the time on his phone and found that it was late evening. Even moreso, another day had passed with still no word from Genos.

The next day, Saitama entered the kitchenette, lured by the smell of frying bacon.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning, my boy.” Kuseno said, looking over his shoulder. “Come sit. I haven’t had guests for quite some time, so I’m going all out.” 

Saitama laughed lightly at the Doctor’s excitement, and he proceeded to help him by making the coffee. 

“You know, I don’t think I’ve really shared a home cooked meal with anyone in years,” Saitama mused.

Kuseno glanced at him from the side as he reached for a bowl of brown eggs. “Well, hopefully we can help each other break that streak, hm? How do you like your eggs?”

When they were both done and seated at the table, Saitama took a moment to take in his surroundings. Across from his heaping plate of bacon, hash potatoes, and sunny-side eggs, the Doctor sat with his own identical plate. Lying between them rested plates of pancakes, toast, syrups, jams, and fruit. The Doctor really had gone all out. But aside from the delicious-looking spread, Saitama felt a wave of nostalgia when he looked at the old man before him. For the first time in a long while, he felt safe—the kind of security a child would feel when beside their parents. He had almost forgotten the feeling.

“Thank you for the food,” they said in unison.

When all the plates were nearly cleared, Kuseno leaned back on his chair, happily cradling his half-cup of coffee. Saitama was lost in thought, twiddling his fork through a puddle of maple syrup. Although he enjoyed just sitting here in the moment, he needed to address the elephant in the room.

“He told me he doesn’t eat or sleep anymore.”

Kuseno opened his eyes slowly. “Did he, now?

“That must be torture. Being conscious every second of the day.”

“I feel that he’s found some reprieve in that. Sometimes nightmares are just as terrible.”

Saitama put his fork down, making eye contact. “Did he have nightmares?”

The lack of response was his answer. Saitama leaned back on his chair, putting his hands firmly on the tabletop. 

“I feel like I can answer your question from yesterday now,” he stated. “Yes… Yes, I would help him even if he didn’t want me to—even if he hated me for it.”

Kuseno saw the determination on Saitama’s face as if the latter had put serious thought into his decision.

“Then, I think it’s time to show you what you need to know.”

Saitama stood in front of a large, overhanging computer screen that the Doctor was busy typing away at. A video window opened up with an overhead view of Genos lying on a metal table.

“What is this?”

“Surveillance of Genos’ care after spending two months at the wreckage. His systems had been overloaded from the effort, and I had to rescue him from the site,” Kuseno turned his chair to face him. “For the next three months, he was in and out of consciousness.”

When Saitama looked closer, he saw that Genos was motionless from the neck down as only his head moved side-to-side. There was something shiny and black staining both his cheeks that spilled onto the table. 

He’s crying? Saitama gaped in confusion and surprise.

“When I did the diagnostic scans, however,” the Doctor continued. “...there was nothing mechanically wrong with him.”

On the screen, Genos’ eyes shot open. 

“Sensei!” he wailed. “No… You can’t be gone… please… I’m sorry…”

Between delirium and consciousness, Genos’ cries of agony echoed in the room as he continued to call for him. Saitama broke out of his paralysis at the heartbreaking screams and turned away from the screen.

“Was he like this…?”

“Every time he was awake?” Kuseno stopped the video. “Most times… yes.”

He walked over to Saitama and rubbed his back. “I’m sorry for showing you. And I’m saddened to say that this was just the beginning.”

“No, don’t apologize,” Saitama lowered his shaking hand from his mouth. “I… Please, tell me what else happened.”

Kuseno nodded. “Then, come this way with me.”

To Saitama’s surprise, they were back in the room he slept in last night.

“This was Genos’ room before he came to live with you,” Kuseno stated. “When he regained consciousness and became well enough to move on his own, he used this room once again.”

He walked to the metal cabinet and opened the doors, revealing numerous stacks of colorful notebooks. “I believe you recognize these.” 

Saitama nodded. They had been the notebooks Genos filled everyday with “lessons” he received as Saitama’s disciple.

When Kuseno had placed all the notebooks on the study desk, he continued, “There are some that he wrote here. I haven’t read them. I knew that my help extended to what I could see and what he wanted to tell me, and I knew that his own writings were necessary to recuperate.”

Saitama walked slowly to the desk and sat in the chair. Now that he knew this was Genos’ room, his body decided to move cautiously, especially at the sight of those dozens of notebooks before him.

“At your own pace. There are things in here that I know he would hate me for showing you. But as a parent, I feel like I’m at the end of my rope,” sighed Kuseno before he quietly left the room.

Saitama almost didn’t know where to begin, but thanks to Genos’ meticulousness, each notebook was numbered and dated clearly. He reached for the first few and found that the dates started from around the time they first met to when Genos had begged Saitama to make him his disciple.

Each entry was day-to-day and involved the most detailed diagrams of Saitama’s sitting posture to how he held a manga, down to the exact angle. Random phrases he said in passing were treated like philosophical quotations with an analysis following that. Saitama almost wanted to laugh at how gullible Genos used to be and how starry-eyed he was to anything he did, no matter how meaningless.

He’s definitely not like that anymore… Saitama thought with relief.

Each day was described in an essay with descriptive, flowing language. Then again, with someone as verbose as Genos, it was no surprise he could write so floridly. Their regular days of going to the grocery store sounded like they were embarking on an adventure, whereas their numerous battles against the Mysterious Beings sounded like ticks on a laundry list. 

Saitama read through the notebooks with excitement; he had never known that this was how Genos saw their daily lives. In fact, to Saitama, it was more of a pleasure reading these accounts than recalling the memories of those days, himself.

However, Genos’ observations began to take on a different tone during the winter of three years ago. The vibrant details of their lives began to dwindle to focus singularly on more dreary topics. And the cause, Saitama found to his dismay, was himself… 

January 9

Sensei got up late today. I noticed this happening for five nights in the past week. He says he just needs more rest since winter is too cold, so I’ll just take his word for it.

March 15

We’ve been having more leftovers lately. Sensei looks like he’s eating less than usual, but I’ve observed this for two months now. I asked him if he wanted me to make something else for our meals, but he says that’s not the issue and that he’s just not feeling as hungry lately.

April 5

I saw Sensei gasping for breath after our last fight in the city. I’ve never seen him look exhausted after a battle. He told me he’s alright so I’ll trust him. I don’t know how to feel about it though. Maybe I’m not pulling my own weight in fights.

May 28

Today was the biweekly sale at the supermarket. Sensei told me he would sit this one out and just stay home. I’m a bit confused. These are his most favorite days of the month and we’ve always gotten up early to go to these. Perhaps he just needs rest.

June 13

I got a call from King today. He asked me about Sensei and told me that he hasn’t heard anything from him in a while. I know they used to hang out to play video games every couple weeks but I guess Sensei hasn’t been returning his texts. I lied to King and told him he’s been busy lately. Maybe I’ll ask Sensei about it when he’s feeling better.

June 29

I got home from the grocery store a little later than usual and saw Sensei sitting in the dark by himself. When I went to ask him though, he said he just needed the quietness for a moment. I saw that he hadn’t eaten the food I left for him on the table, so it’s been at least two hours. I finally got to ask him if he’s been feeling unwell lately, but he denied it and went straight to bed. Maybe I’m not that good with words, or maybe there’s something else I’m not doing right.

July 6

As I’m writing this I’m looking at Sensei, who’s currently sitting on the balcony staring off into space. I noticed that he’s been doing this a lot lately and I wonder what he could be thinking about. To be honest, I’m afraid to ask about it. I know I’m selfish, but part of me is thinking that I could be adding to the problem. Does he find me annoying or does he hate me now? I can’t believe I’m thinking about myself when Sensei has been dealing with his own issues. But if there’s any way that I can help, I’ll do it. 

July 20

He’s thin. Today after our battle, I saw that his uniform hangs loosely on him. I asked him if he wanted to go to his favorite udon place but he said he just wanted to go home and sleep. I finally got the courage to ask him if there was something bothering him lately and he was confused by my question. I tried to clarify if it was related to him eating less and him waking up in the middle of the night, but somehow this upset him. He told me not to worry about it and that was it. I’m really worried though. As I’m writing this, I’m looking at his sleeping form across the room wondering if I can do something. But the more I try to ask about it, the more it seems like I’m meddling. I’ll just stay quiet for now, but I will be more conscious about his safety. Regardless, I will protect him.

It was nightfall, now. Saitama flipped through the rest of the notebook, confirming nothing but blank pages. After all, that entry was from the day before the invasion, and the ending of it made it all the more disheartening.

He had read a stack of entries of their daily lives from Genos’ perspective, but even still, he felt like he was the main character of Genos’ story. He looked at the remaining stack and wondered how the narrative would follow with him out of the picture.

Chapter Text

“What are you working on, Doctor?” Saitama saw the Doctor typing rapidly away at his laptop at the breakfast table.

“I’m at the cusp of finishing this research that I’ve collected from Mumen. It’s fascinating actually, it—” Kuseno stopped when he looked up and saw Saitama’s haggard form pour himself a cup of coffee. 

“I take it you didn’t sleep well, my boy?”

Saitama looked from his cup to Kuseno, feeling the strain of the bags under his eyes. “There’s suddenly a lot on my mind… I’m recalling a lot of memories now.”

“Understandably,” Kuseno said with sympathy.

“I’ve been wondering something. Why did you ever equip Genos with a self-destruct ability?”

Kuseno sighed. “I am ashamed to admit that it was by my own hands that Genos’ body has the destructive power of a bomb.”

“Then, why…?”

“The truth is, I never gave him the ability of self-destruction. He figured it out on his own.” Saitama sat down across from him at the table, listening intently. “He knew about his own composition and cleverly knew what it took to do so. I wish I could change it, but there are some vital mechanisms that Genos needs in order to live that would prevent me from doing so.”

Saitama raked a hand through his hair. “So he always had that mindset of self-sacrifice.”

“Saitama, after meeting you, he never considered doing so ever again.”

He raised an eyebrow at this before looking down at his hands. “Doctor, I don’t know if I have what it takes to read those notebooks. Reading his entries from before… I’m still processing it.” 

Saitama placed both his palms on his face and took a loud, exasperated breath. “Sometimes, I have to comfort myself with the thought of him accomplishing so much. With me gone, he went all the way to the top. There was no one to hold him back.”

Kuseno furrowed his brows. “It was the thought of you that led him there and the memory of losing you that kept him going.” At Saitama’s look of confusion, he clarified. “He never made peace with what happened, Saitama. He just needed something that helped him run away from it.”

Saitama tried to let those words sink in, but he still couldn’t fully understand the Doctor’s meaning. However, he knew where his answers lie.

The two finished their breakfast in silence, and parted ways—Kuseno to the lab floor and Saitama to Genos’ room. He looked at that imposing remaining stack of notebooks on the desk, knowing in his gut that whatever was in there would change more than he could fathom. 

He reached for the next notebook in numerical sequence, noting the five-month gap from the last entry. Upon opening the cover, he could tell that Genos’ frequency in writing was much less with entries now few and far between.

December 27

It’s been three months since I stopped the search. I’m only writing because the Doctor told me it would help, but I don’t think it does. 

February 1

I’m trying again. I don’t know what to say. I think— I’m still at the lab and I don’t know when I’ll leave. The Doctor says that I’m in no condition to go back to hero work. He told me that although all my parts are working appropriately, my mind is not. He said it in nicer words, but that was the gist of it. Makes sense I guess. I haven’t left my old room in weeks. I’m sure this will pass. It has to.

February 14

I miss him. There. I wrote about him. 

Saitama saw that the rest of the notebook was splotched page to page in dried oil, so much so that if there were any writings, he wouldn’t be able to read them. He picked up the next notebook and saw a few diagrams and letters, but once again, it had been nearly dyed black with oil. 

An image flashed in his mind. He imagined Genos sitting where he was currently, sobbing over these notebooks that he poured his feelings into. That was enough for Saitama to feel a tightness in his throat. Taking a breath, he picked up the next notebook and turned the cover.

March 6

I asked the Doctor to take out my tear glands today. He didn’t want to but it got to a point where I was losing dangerous amounts of oil from my system. At least I can write without dirtying notebooks now.

March 8

Parts are still working fine. It’s me that’s the problem. That human brain of mine is keeping me stuck here. If only I could extract it like I did with those tears.

March 10

The Doctor is becoming increasingly worried about me. He told me he contacted the Hero Association to let them know I’m taking time off for major maintenance. I know what they actually think though. But I don’t care. Someone needs to stay behind to remember the man he was. He fought to protect everyone, and they just watched him go down in that damned ship. I guess the only thought that comforts me is the fact that he can’t see me now—with how pathetic and weak I’ve become. No, maybe I’ve always been this way. Maybe I should have been the one who

Saitama turned the page to see if there was a continuation, but Genos had stopped writing that entry altogether. He shuddered to think what he was about to say.

Every sentence felt like a stab to the heart. Each passage was a test to his own sanity, and Saitama struggled to keep himself from breaking down along with the Genos described in these pages. 

March 13

I haven’t been able to digest food lately. I don’t remember the last time I vomited but it must have been when I was still human. Not to mention my sleep pattern has fallen apart. I really don’t want to sleep anymore. When I do, I only dream of him. Was he scared when that ship fell? Or when no one came to find him? Damn all those bastards that forced me to stop searching. If only I was stronger. If I had my way, I would scour the whole earth and tear every corner apart with my bare hands… What am I thinking? He wouldn’t have wanted that. Sorry, I didn’t mean it. I’m sorry. 

March 15

Sensei. I’m sorry. Forgive me.

March 16

Sensei. Please come back. I’ll be better. I won’t be weak anymore. 

March 17

It hurts to think about you. Now all of the memories I have of you don’t feel real. If you’re gone, how will I know that all the time I shared with you ever happened?

March 18

I miss you.

March 19

I miss you.

March 20

I —— you.

Saitama could barely remember the feeling of tears streaming down his face. He couldn’t remember the last time he cried so profusely, but now, the feeling was renewed as he sobbed at Genos’ desk. His tears fell onto the paper and blurred the ink of the word that Genos had passionately scratched out. 

Dr. Kuseno saw that it was way past lunchtime when he realized that he hadn’t seen Saitama come upstairs. Opening the door to Genos’ room, he found him asleep on the desk with an open notebook tucked under his arms. 

“Saitama, my boy, are you alright?” he asked, shaking his shoulder lightly.

Saitama looked at him drowsily with red eyes, but Kuseno knew better than to assume it was simply from sleep. “Why don’t you come upstairs to eat something?”

“Can I… eat here?” Saitama asked weakly, looking from him to the large stack of books at his side. 

“Okay,” Kuseno nodded. “I’ll bring you something.”

“Thanks, Doctor.” When he was alone again, he opened the next notebook.

March 27

The Doctor did some upgrades today. My core is now compatible with a charging unit. I feel better when I use it. I can go upstairs now without the emergency alert going off in my systems. I haven’t felt this much energy since before the incident. Maybe even way before then.

April 16

The core charging unit has been working great. Maybe soon, the Doctor will create a portable one so I can go outside again. He’s worried though that I may become too dependent on it as my only form of energy input. I don’t know how to break it to him, but I’ve been throwing the food he’s been giving me in the incinerator for the past three weeks. 

May 12

I haven’t eaten in six weeks now. And I haven’t slept in two weeks. I need to tell the Doctor. Sensei, I know I promised you I would be stronger, but to be honest, a part of me is scared right now. I wonder what you would say to me. I’m sure even if you couldn’t find the words, I’d feel better just at the sight of you.

May 21

The Doctor put me under today. He’d been thinking about what to do about my eating and sleep habits. I told him before the procedure to just remove the parts that did those functions. I still feel bad when I remember the look on his face. It’s just, that morning, I finally had a sense of clarity about it all. If I simply just remove any unneeded and non-functioning parts, then I’ll be a more efficient machine cyborg.

June 30

It’s now been half a year since I started writing again. And almost a year since that day. I’m feeling stronger now. No more time wasted on eating and sleeping. No more nightmares to bother me. I need to go back and do the work that Sensei would have wanted me to continue. 

August 15

I’m back with the Association now and at the bottom of S-Class. I would have been stuck in A-Class but I managed to beat that bastard Amai Mask in a duel. He didn’t look upset though and instead seemed smug about my return. Whatever. He can eat shit. I’m just focusing on getting my quota, and I’ve been thinking about new upgrades I want to tell the Doctor about.

September 14

The Doctor’s working on new blueprints as I write. Meanwhile, I’m working on designing a bike to get me back and forth to the new Association Headquarters. Apparently, they built it in the past year, but I’ve been out of touch with the news most of the time. Also, I’ve been thinking about something lately, but I’ll hold off on it for now.

Saitama found that the rest of the notebook was filled with skillfully-drawn blueprints of the motorcycle he was so familiar seeing.

Wow, he really made this all by himself. He really meant it when he said he had all that time on his hands… 

October 18

I was upgraded with new thrusters and weapons today. It’s definitely easier to store them without a digestive system in the way. The motorcycle is also coming along. Doing the hands-on work by myself definitely helps to keep the thoughts of you at bay at two in the morning.

November 23

I’m getting my quota and rising the ranks steadily. I’ve even surpassed the rank I held previously. I know ranking never mattered to you before, but I wonder if you would have been proud of me. 

December 11

It’s been four months since I returned to the Association, and they keep nagging me to enter the dorms at the headquarters. I deny them since I’m still waiting on further upgrades from the Doctor. But even after I get those upgrades, there’s still something I have planned. 

December 17

I hope you won’t be ashamed of me. I used the Association database to look you up in secret. I know it was stupid but I had that faint hope that maybe you were somewhere. But it looks like your name and face haven’t been seen anywhere on this planet. I wish that— Sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking. But at least now I know it would be pointless to look for you.

December 31

It’s been a while. It was starting to bother me that I’ve been writing my entries as if I were talking to Sensei. I need to keep it together. Maybe writing it down will remind me to do so. Anyway, the Doctor has been picking up a signal in another country that he says is familiar. I asked him more about it, but he said he needed more information first. 

January 4

The Doctor confirmed it. He found the Mad Cyborg. I feel— It doesn’t matter how I feel. I know what I need to do.

Old tear stains were wiped away with new tears. He no longer bothered to dry them anymore. Saitama saw that the next entry was more than two months later, and he performed his due diligence by looking into news articles for the first time in years. Before he heard Genos’ take on his greatest foe, he wanted to know as much as he could about his ordeal.

March 18

It’s done. I’ve avenged my family and my town all on my own. I know I wouldn’t have been able to destroy it without the upgrades before leaving, and I know that I wouldn’t have been able to get this strong if I was still the cyborg I was a year ago. Maybe some sacrifices are necessary. 

What am I saying? No. I would never have traded Sensei’s life for this… 

The point is, I’m strong now. I have never felt freer than in these last two months, but now that it’s all over… what now?

April 2

Destroying the Mad Cyborg became known throughout the world. And I guess so have I. Since it was considered a dragon-level threat, I’ve been elevated to rank one of S-Class. I wonder what Sensei would have said. If he somehow was still on this earth, surely he would have heard of what I’ve done by now, right? If he were still alive, he would have shown himself or told me something, right? 

Sorry. 

Sometimes, I still have these glitches that occur when I remember Sensei, but I’m sure they’ll go away eventually. Maybe I just need more upgrades.

June 14

Ever since I killed the Mad Cyborg and reached the top of S-Class, I don’t really know where to go from here. It’s reached a point where I feel there’s nothing left for me now. I’ve made it to the top, and there’s no one here. Actually, I’ve been feeling this kind of empty feeling (Should I call it that?) long before then. Maybe since Sensei died left. I wonder if this was what he was feeling for all those months before that day. Was this how you felt, Sensei? I’m sorry I never understood until now. If you really did feel what I’m feeling now, it must have felt so lonely even though you were surrounded by people. I’m really sorry. I should have tried harder for you. I hate myself sometimes, and every now and then a voice asks me if I should hate you too for what I’m feeling. But I know I never can. This might sound dumb, Sensei, but whenever I get like this, I remember the first time we met when you stopped me from self-destructing. I always have to keep in mind the first lesson you taught me. That my life is important enough. I promise I will do my best to keep going for as long as I can. This is my promise and goodbye to you.

July 19

This will be my last entry. I’m moving into the dorms now. I don’t really know how to end this properly but I’m leaving the notebooks here. 

They’ve served their purpose, but I can’t seem to get myself to destroy them for some reason. The funny thing is, that I know that I no longer have a human heart and I don’t fully understand the concept of one, but if these notebooks held anything important after all, it might have been just that.

Saitama touched the final page with longing. Genos had tried desperately to reach him through these pages. Now, he needed to figure out how to do the same.

It was the middle of the night when he looked at the time. He lay on the cot with the notebook on his chest. With the last dregs of tears at the corners of his eyes, he exhausted himself to sleep. 

Chapter Text

Between consciousness and sleep, Saitama eyelids fluttered against the fluorescent light overhead that he had forgotten to turn off. However, he felt his heart leap in his chest when he saw a large shadow loom over him and block out the light. 

By instinct, he sat up and backed away but as his back collided with the concrete wall, he was forced to remain at the mercy of this intruder. Then, a flash of realization crossed his face when he took the time to look upon them. He almost didn’t recognize him from his current appearance. 

“...Genos?”

Genos was known to be tall, but with his new upgrades he appeared statuesque. His battle arms were far larger as gleaming, black metal—with its elegant intricacies—flowed down to his fingers, ending as dark talons. But due to the substantial weight of his arms, they were anchored to his new, streamlined body armor—black with glowing orange between the panels. It reached down to encase the lateral portion of his thighs over his pants while the upper portion clawed up his neck to the sides of his temples. It appeared that to allow for the wires and sensors to trace along Genos’ face and head seamlessly, he needed to shave his hair into a crew cut—allowing them to converge as two horn-like appendages that swept up above the sides of his head. What stood out the most, however, was a pair of folded protrusions from Genos’ back that reached from above his shoulders to just below his calves. Saitama looked on in awe as Genos towered over him in that small room. He stood as a magnificent bringer of destruction—beautiful yet terrifying.

Any feeling of surprise was well-hidden behind Genos’ eyes, and his piercing gaze provided Saitama with a heavy dose of self-consciousness. Here he lay in his room—in his bed, no less—without so much as a warning. So much for trying to win back his favor… 

Saitama followed Genos’ gaze as his luminous golden eyes fell on the notebook that had fallen to his lap. Saitama froze, being caught red-handed, as Genos’ claw-like hand picked up the book that looked minuscule in his grasp. 

Without even opening the cover, Genos stared at the notebook for a long while. The silence was deafening, and Saitama did not dare to lift a finger as he carefully watched Genos’ expression. But, the strange thing was that it didn’t change; it was practically robotic. Genos’ steely countenance remained the same as he looked from the final notebook to its siblings stacked on the study desk, registering something.

There was no hesitation as Genos threw the notebook onto the desk and set the pile ablaze.

“No, don’t!” Saitama finally let out. He leapt out of bed and approached the fire, but it had spread all over the notebooks, keeping the metal desk unharmed. 

From Genos’ final passage—in which he had admitted these burning pages contained his heart—Saitama desperately tried to rescue at least one. But the smoke had quickly filled the room, and he had no choice but to bolt out the door, choking on air.

Hunched over and gasping for breath, Saitama watched through teary eyes as Genos slowly emerged from the smoke like a specter.

Coldly, and with no trace of concern on his face, Genos finally spoke. “So now you know, Saitama.”

The sound of his name on Genos’ lips sounded foreign to him. No honorifics. No acknowledgement of their relation to each other. Still, despite the situation, Saitama had to admit that the desire to hear Genos say his name again was no lie. “I…”

“Genos! What are you doing?” Kuseno appeared on the stairwell above them in a panic. He glanced to the dying clouds of smoke from the room as the last of the notebooks turned to ash.

Genos looked at him from the corner of his eye. “It’s good to know that my secrets are safe with you, Doctor.”

Understanding his meaning, Kuseno gripped the handrails and lowered his head. “The blame is all mine, and I won’t ask for your forgiveness. But you can’t remain blind to the path you’re walking down, Genos.”

“Is that all you called me here for? Another lecture?” Despite the obvious anger Genos must be feeling, Saitama found it hard to believe that he could keep his voice so even. 

Kuseno let out a sigh and descended down the stairs. Regardless of what was being said, they still had duties to perform. “It’s about the invasion. My calculations have led me to believe the main vanguard will not appear above Z-City like the Hero Association has assumed.” He gestured to another space in the lab. “Follow me. Both of you. This will concern you, too, Saitama.”

Kuseno typed away at a large computer within the part of the lab that resembled an air hangar. It was a very open space, and bright sunlight streamed down through the massive chute overhead.

Saitama fidgeted with the drawstring of his red hoodie as he stole a glance at Genos’ imposing form. He stood with his arms crossed as his eyes focused on the screen, completely ignoring his presence. It was no wonder why the two of them were standing on opposite ends of the lab floor.

Kuseno finally turned to them after opening a myriad of windows on the screen. One was a map of the country showing varying amounts of red markers in different cities. “From the data I’ve gathered these past several months, I’ve found that there is a correlation between the increased appearance of Mysterious Beings and surges in this energy signal that I’ve dubbed Red Mana.”

“So that’s what those sensors were for?” Genos asked.

“Yes. Mumen has been helping me by placing these in various cities.” Kuseno walked to Saitama and handed him one such sensor for context. “They’re electromagnetic sensors that detect infrared radiation from living things. This Red Mana wavelength falls within that spectrum, and it only spikes right before the appearance of a Mysterious Being. Then, it goes silent.”

“So that means?” Saitama asked, still looking curiously at the gizmo in his hand.

“This Red Mana signal can predict the moment a human turns into a monster,” Kuseno stated.

Genos and Saitama looked up at this. “So they were all human before?” the former asked.

Kuseno nodded and turned to the screen. “Do you recognize any of these people?”

Genos saw a variety of images displaying people with familiar features. One was a pair of mugshots of a man and a woman that looked alike, another was a news clipping featuring a man with a prominent nose, and the last was a long-haired woman on the cover of a scientific journal.

Kuseno continued. “The Fire Twins you faced when you first came to X-City were serial arsonists that traveled across different cities. That bird-being you fought used to to be a renown birdwatcher, who owned a rare collection of kingfishers. And the woman you fought just recently was a revolutionary biological researcher, who’s expertise was botany.”

“Their hobbies affected what they became?” Genos asked.

“More precisely, their obsessions. Whatever was most precious to that person transformed them as such.”

Saitama remembered hearing something similar when he first came across a Mysterious Being. It had been Crablante, who claimed he had eaten too much crab before transforming.

“I had Genos collect tissue samples from his fights, and their cells contained traces of human DNA.”

Saitama chimed in. “But I’m sure a lot of people have things they obsess over. Why does it only happen to some people?”

“I’m not sure but it may come from a strong desire to change themselves or their environment. These people all used their talents, good or bad, to enact change in the world.”

“So… why have so many shown up in X-City?” Saitama still felt there was a missing link in the Doctor’s research. “That’s one of the most peaceful cities on Earth. We never used to have monster attacks before.” 

“Your guess is as good as mine, Saitama. Perhaps there’s something in these cities that’s affecting these people.”

“But back to the point,” Genos cut in. “So you’re saying that the invaders will show up in X-City because they had more recent surges in this Red Mana? How is that of interest to them?” 

“At the time of the last invasion, Z-City was the city most populated with monster attacks. I don’t believe it's any coincidence that that was where the largest fleet appeared. We can only assume their motives, but my hypothesis is that X-City is the one that will be at the highest risk.”

Genos only took a second to contemplate before engaging the mechanism on his back. Saitama stared in awe as the two large appendages straightened out to the side, resembling wings. “I’m trusting you, Doctor. There isn’t any time to waste.”

Upon seeing this, Kuseno pleaded with him. “Genos, think about this. That threat last time was barely enough for three elite heroes. You have to at least call for backup.”

Genos directed his pointed stare to the Doctor, letting venom coat his words. “From who? No one will be listening.”

At once, the wings fired their thrusters, and Genos took off through the open chute in the ceiling. 

“Wait, Genos!” Saitama called out as he looked after Genos’ flying form getting smaller in the distance. Immediately, he went for the exit of the lab before Kuseno could even get a word in. The Doctor looked to the security cameras and found that Saitama had reached the outside in no time at all.

How did he get there so fast? Kuseno thought to himself.

Just then, a new Red Mana signal that was the strongest he had ever seen went off on another screen. Tracking its signal on the map, he was shocked when he found that the signal was moving from the laboratory at an alarming rate. 

Saitama ran through the forest, keeping Genos’ stream of smoke in sight. He was amazed he managed to keep up with him but couldn’t really consider it when he saw Genos turn around in his flight right back to him.

Genos landed with an earth-shattering force, causing the birds to fly out of the nearby trees. He calculated the distance from their current location to the lab and looked at Saitama with alarm. 

“How did you keep up with me?”

“I… I don’t know. I was just running after you.” Saitama looked down to his legs and noted that they didn’t feel any different. 

Rumbling erupted in the skies, pulling their attention away.

“The Doctor was right. They are at X-City,” Genos stated. “You need to go back to the lab and take cover.”

“Genos, going out there by yourself is a suicide mission. There has to be another solution.” 

“There is no other way,” Genos bit back an ever-growing anger. Saitama could see that the icy mask he had been wearing was starting to crack.

Slowly, Saitama walked closer to him. “Maybe other heroes—” 

“There are no other heroes!” Genos had instinctively pushed him back with such a force that Saitama had been pushed several meters away. He immediately regretted his action and looked to Saitama to find that the latter had managed to hold his ground.

Saitama looked down at his chest, surprised that there was no pain where he was pushed. With the force that Genos used, he would have expected several ribs to be broken already. 

Seeing he was okay, Genos lowered his arm and looked away. “As the world’s strongest hero, it is my responsibility to protect humanity no matter the sacrifice. I won’t ask you again, Saitama. Turn around, now.”

Saitama didn’t know what kind of adrenaline rush hit him right then, but he met Genos’ gaze with resolution. “Make me.”

Genos grit his teeth at the challenge and advanced toward him. He grasped the collar of Saitama’s hoodie in an attempt to pin him against a tree, but Saitama turned and hoisted Genos’ weight over his shoulder. The next thing Genos knew, he was thrown over Saitama and hit the ground face-up. 

Genos stared up at him in surprise and quickly stood up. That was a move one would only know perfectly from hundreds of battles, and Genos mentally berated himself for underestimating Saitama. Even if he had lost his powers, he still had the muscle memory of a skilled fighter. Catching his opponent’s stern gaze, Genos took a fighting stance and decided it was time to get serious. 

Activating his shoulder thrusters, he launched forward. Saitama was caught in a chokehold and gripped onto Genos’ arm as the cyborg attempted to slam him into the ground. Saitama closed his eyes at the impending impact but when the dust settled, he found that Genos had cushioned the back of his skull with his hand. His other hand was lying heavily on his chest, incapacitating him. 

To counter the force, Saitama used both his hands to push against Genos’ chest; and for a moment, he felt like he was successfully pushing him away. But Genos moved to pin down his hands at the sides of his head with his own.

Saitama tried to wriggle out of his grasp but stopped when he saw the look in Genos’ eyes. It was like he was pleading—like he had been mortally wounded from their scuffle. The robotic facade Genos had been wearing had finally broke. 

“I…” he began quietly. “I should have tried harder.”

Saitama knew that Genos wasn’t referring to their current predicament but to the very beginning—to the time described in his notebooks when it was just the two of them. 

“And I should have let you in.” He felt Genos’ grip on his wrist slacken. “I just didn’t know what was happening with me. Hell, even on a fundamental level, I have trouble letting anyone in. You did much more for me than what I could even do for myself.” 

Saitama remembered the vivid inner turmoil from Genos’ writings. Genos had tried to save him, but it would be a feat for anyone to help someone else who didn’t wish for it. “To be honest, and you can hate me all you want, but I didn’t know what was happening to me until I read your notebooks. I’m sorry you had to go through that. I’m selfish. I’m a real asshole… And here I am still talking about myself.”

Genos took in Saitama’s words very carefully, but any emotion he had felt was quickly snuffed out. “Then, I’m selfish, too.” He released him and stood. “It’s too late for this now.”

Saitama watched as Genos walked to the nearby edge of the forest and toward the highway that cut through the mountain. He had used a tree to help him stand when he saw Genos return with a torn-off piece of the guardrail. 

“What are you doing?” Saitama looked warily at the heavy piece of metal Genos held with one hand.

“Making you stay put.”

In a flash, Genos’ bound Saitama to the trunk, wrapping the rail tight around his upper body. 

“Genos, stop!” Saitama pleaded, wrestling against the steel. “Don’t do this!”

Genos took a step back, affirming his handiwork. “You’ll be safe here. X-City should be far enough away.”

“Ge—” Saitama attempted to call his name but felt his throat constrict. Was this really how it was all going to end?

Saitama felt a cool, metal hand trace the edge of his face, causing him to look up. In Genos’ eyes, he saw an immeasurable sadness—as if he was imagining a future that was no longer within reach. His fingers grazed through his hair, and his palm gently cupped his ear. It was amazing to think that the hands that were so well-equipped to destroy monsters the size of buildings were being so gentle in caressing his cheek. 

Genos slowly backed away from him, each step more pronounced than the last. Saitama watched helplessly as he engaged his flight mechanism before disappearing into the sky.

Chapter Text

A sound like thunder echoed in the skies as Genos flew closer to X-City. Past the darkening clouds, he was met with the menacing site of dozens of silver, oblong ships hovering over the empty cityscape. With haste, Genos glided to the top of a skyscraper and activated his analysis vision. 

I knew it, he thought. 

A forcefield surrounded the entire fleet, and upon closer inspection, each ship was now equipped with a wide array of artillery. It appeared that the aliens had made much progress in the more than two years since their last arrival. Genos began to deduce that whatever their goal was with Earth, it must have been quite important for them to return after being defeated the last time. 

Bracing himself down on one knee, Genos outstretched both his arms in front of him as the panels of his armor slid away to reveal rows of missile launchers. At once, Genos deployed the projectiles from his arms and back which collided with the invisible shield around the fleet. 

The buzzing sound of electricity told him that the initial assault had affected the forcefield’s strength, so Genos continued with consecutive missile attacks in an attempt to rupture the shield. By now, the ships closest to him had honed in on his location and began to shoot at him. Genos nimbly flew off the rooftop and sent a spray of bombs at the shield as he sped across it. He calculated that the forcefield had already lost more than half its strength.

Now, was the next phase of his plan. Genos landed against the side of a building before taking off from it like a launch pad, effectively crumbling the walls to dust. With increasing acceleration, he dove for the shield, arms first, as the thrusters on his wings gave more firepower. He only felt a brief electric shock as he successfully ruptured the barrier. 

The sound of static filled the air as Genos took a brief moment to look down at his hands. The new, black armor he wore was made of a synthetic alloy the Doctor had created; it was far stronger and more durable than any of the prosthetics he had ever been given. 

Now that the forcefield was gone, the arena-sized ships ramped up their attacks and shot at Genos from all angles, but he flew with such precision and speed that none had hit him. He returned the favor by sending out rounds of ammo from his cannons against the ships’ hulls. Though it took more time than he wanted, Genos managed to cause one ship to fall onto the path of another, resulting in the two to crash with a destructive explosion below. 

This is taking too long! Genos thought as he continued his assault. He managed to repeat the same degree of damage to more ships, but it was barely a quarter of the fleet that was destroyed. 

Then, from the corner of his eye, Genos saw that several ships had started to deploy troops directly to the surface. Quickly, he scanned the surrounding area for people just to be sure, but he couldn’t detect anyone nearby. 

Watching the cryo-based aliens spread throughout the streets, he found it strange that the invaders chose to send out troops when they could easily take over the earth from their ships. Just what was their goal? Why did they show up the first time and why now?

Genos mulled over his questions as he outran the ships’ blasts, but a feeling of unease began to grow within him at a dawning realization. With that, Genos left the skies and descended to the ground, knowing he needed to stop the raid before anything else.

Saitama slumped silently against the tree trunk. His unfocused gaze bore into the ground as he heard the sounds of explosions miles away. He knew that at that moment, Genos was sacrificing himself to save the world while he stood helpless on the sidelines. Would Genos survive? Logic told his brain that he would not despite the upgrades, but he had a fragment of hope that told him he would. Images of his worst fears ran through his mind. He saw Genos breaking apart—being torn limb from limb. He saw him getting caught in a blast that left behind no traces. He saw the glow in his eyes dim to nothing.

He shouldn’t have to go through this alone, Saitama thought, clenching his jaw. He’s fought so hard. He’s been put through so much. How is this fair…?

Saitama remembered their days together. The day he first met him when he strode fearlessly into battle, when he showed up at his doorstep wanting to be his disciple, when he found out he became an S-Class hero… Saitama considered himself lucky to have been able to see those moments. Genos had always been meant for greatness; he deserved nothing less.

The feelings of seeing Genos like that again overwhelmed him. Could it be possible? He had hope that it was bound to happen again. Saitama looked down when he heard a creak, and he realized the guardrail around him was beginning to stretch as he pushed forward. It wasn’t easy, but he found that the more he concentrated, the more that the rail was beginning to give way. 

Saitama felt his joints pop painfully while the edge of the rail dug deep into his skin. He began to sweat from the effort as he leveraged his body against the restraint. Stopping for a moment’s reprieve, he slouched against the railing, feeling he would pass out any second from the pain. But Saitama focused his gaze, and pushed forward with a jolt that was just enough to cause the rail to fall to his feet.

He stumbled onto the ground gasping for breath, feeling the stomach acid rising to his throat. He felt like he was about to die. And although it was tempting to lie on the ground for the next hour to recover, Saitama stood with his strained muscles and creaking bones.

The sky started to become red, and he took a heavy step toward the darkening clouds.

Piles of broken ice trailed after Genos as he clawed through each cryo-being. Combining his hand-to-hand combat with his trajectile weapon system, he was near invulnerable from all angles. 

Already he had taken out dozens of them, making sure that none had managed to stray far. If his suspicions were correct, it was absolutely vital that none were to escape.

An alert appeared on his visual display. Genos gave a hint of a smile at that. 

Finally. It’s ready.

He engaged his wings to spread out to his sides as before; but this time, glowing, golden panels descended from the arc of his wings like lava flowing from a volcano. Genos could feel the heat radiating from them, and he smirked at the few remaining soldiers left who he considered unfortunate to have survived this long.

Twisting his body in midair, in the midst of them all, Genos cut down each being as if their thick bodies of solid ice were made of paper. His wings elegantly slashed them in pieces as Genos’ speed and agility rendered them unable to attempt to fight back. 

When there was nothing left but a pool of water around him, Genos glared up at the ships that had momentarily ceased their firing at him. The glow of his wings grew brighter along with that of his armor and eyes—a testament to the fact that the power Genos needed to charge up was now fully complete. 

He soared to the sky at a speed greater than before and like a lighting bolt, he flew along the side of a ship, allowing his wing to slice neatly into the hull. Genos returned and used his claws to pry apart the metal before dropping a myriad of timed bombs within. 

By the time the explosion sent the ship off its trajectory, Genos was already well underway in doing the same to another. When he had depleted his supply, Genos used his wings to slice spirals around the ships’ exteriors, causing consecutive blasts of fire and shrapnel to decorate the sky. 

The far-larger mothership was beginning to get into view as the dozen ships protecting one of its flanks had now been destroyed. Genos had honed in to soar to it directly when a smaller ship had abruptly entered his path. At the speed he was going, Genos had no choice but to cover himself with his wings and nosedive right through the hull. 

Genos recovered quickly from his crash and put his guard up when he found he was surrounded. Activating his dual cannons in his palms, Genos fended them off as he destroyed the ship’s interior vitals. The chaos he caused inside rivaled what he had done on the outside as he tore through soldiers and machinery with lightning-fast speed. Walls had no effect on him as Genos made his own path and eventually, he found himself at the very bottom of the ship which had a different architecture from the rest of the floors.

Before him, as far as he could see, were rows upon rows of cells. The walls were made of glass and each cell shared its walls with the adjacent cells. In fact, the set up was so compact that Genos calculated hundreds of separate divisions with each being no bigger than a walk-in closet. It was like they were rooms just barely large enough to fit a single human. 

Genos froze at this. His suspicions had been correct all along. 

However, before Genos could weigh in on what he was witnessing, a large hole was blasted through the wall of the ship. He recovered his bearings and looked up to see the mothership hovering above. All of its weapons were honed in on him, and Genos watched in disbelief as the cannons charged up to take aim once again. 

The more he moved the lighter he felt. Saitama followed the highway that led into X-City, noting the deafening sounds of explosions growing louder. Although he knew taking Genos’ bike would have made the trip easier, he didn’t want to go back the opposite direction to the lab. And for some reason, the pain he felt earlier had subsided and he was able to run at such a speed that could rival that of a car. It was like he was revving up a motor within him. He hadn’t realized how he was able to keep up with Genos in the first place, but he knew that his priority right now wasn’t himself but rather…

“Genos,” Saitama grunted. “Survive.”

Genos struggled to keep his trajectory as he narrowly missed getting blown to pieces. He skidded against the side of a skyscraper, getting hit with glass and concrete during his descent. Landing on the ground unceremoniously, Genos stumbled and took cover behind the wall of the building as he could hear the mothership move into position. 

His visual display told him he had used up all of the power he had charged up in his wings, so if he were to continue it would only be back to the same attacks he had started the battle with. In truth, it would be even less now that he had expended much of his artillery. 

Genos tried to rework a new plan, but the disturbing image of those containment cells kept appearing in his mind. He grit his teeth at the fact that the true purpose of these invaders was not to take over Earth, but rather, to capture and imprison humans for whatever deplorable reason they had. That was why they needed ground troops and why they had no need to simply destroy everything in sight. 

Genos’ mind felt like it was speeding at 200 miles per hour and he couldn’t stop the negative thoughts from jumping to the worst conclusion. Within seconds, he imagined humanity locked up in those cells in all those ships never to be seen again. Among all of them, he saw Saitama as one of their captives. In fact, Saitama had been on one of those ships before. The enemy could have left and taken him right there, and there would have been nothing Genos could do about it. And even now, it could happen again as long as the invaders were here. There had to be someone to stop them—he had to be the one to put an end to all of this whatever the cost.

At that moment, Genos felt a power welling up within him, and his visual sensors began to flash red with a warning.

What’s happening?

The hurried voice of the Doctor broke through his coms. “Genos, the Red Mana…”

“What about it?” 

“It’s occurring where you’re standing right now!”

He looked around him, but Genos’ sensors confirmed there were no humans in the vicinity. “What? From who?” 

“From… you.” Genos blinked in confusion, and heard the Doctor mutter, “Was that the same signal I detected leaving the lab?”

“What?”

“Nevermind that! What were you thinking of just now?”

Genos took a brief moment as realization crossed his face. “Of him…”

A silence lingered on the other line, but the Doctor returned with his tone more even. “Genos, you have to stop this right now. I don’t know what will happen if—”

“…If I become my greatest desire.” Genos spoke like he was in a trance; the answer that he had been searching for for years was now within reach. “I’ll be strong enough, finally… to save everyone.”

Desperation tinged Kuseno’s voice. “You have to realize the ones that transformed were human! Their cells allowed for the transformation. For you… there’s nothing more you can give other than…”

Genos was well-aware of the sacrifice he was about to perform. “My brain and my core.”

“…Genos… please…”

He replied steadfastly. “If that’s what it takes, I will give everything I have.” 

To protect the earth and humanity… to protect Saitama…

The break in Kuseno’s voice was painfully clear. “Son, don’t… I—”

Genos’ eyes shook for a moment. “Goodbye… Father.”

[ Communications offline ]

Without a hint of hesitation, Genos opened the panel over his right bicep. Looking down, he watched as the metal armor of his chest slid away to reveal the glowing, blue core that allowed him to live. He placed the delicate, glass ball in the compartment of his arm and engaged his wings to soar before the mothership. 

The energy coursed through his body, and he could feel a change happening within him. Launching ahead, he watched as his clawed fist struck the apex of the ship, and a sound like a sonic boom reverberated from the impact. All the matter in front of him disintegrated in moments, and Genos watched as not only the mothership, but the remainder of the fleet behind it, ceased to exist. 

It was then that a sound so delicate like a crystal shattering piqued his ears. Genos let his tired gaze fall onto his arm, or rather what was left of it. Only his upper arm remained, and haphazardly lodged into it was his core—now cracked and flickering.

With his flight mechanism destroyed, Genos fell from the sky and saw the damage the recoil had done to the rest of his body. Everything below the waist was gone, and his torso had such a large diagonal gash that gears and wires were escaping from his wound throughout the descent. 

Genos knew he had lost all motor control, and he barely registered the impact when he hit the ground. He lay motionless on the asphalt as he no longer had the power to move his head or eyes. Still, his hearing was active as he heard the crumbling of the building he was just nearby. From his peripheral vision, he saw that a large portion of the skyscraper was toppling over—and in his direction, no less.

Genos wanted to laugh at the cruelty of his fate. He did what he set out to do; he had saved the world, and now, he was rewarded with witnessing his own demise. At least he couldn’t feel anything anymore.

Without being able to close his eyes or move his pupils, he focused his mind’s eye onto a final image—the face of the one he most wanted to see. He was safe. That’s what mattered, he told himself. And he would have chosen the same path one hundred times if the one who held his heart was alive and happy… even without him.

The darkness of the impending shadow grew upon him, and he resigned himself to the end.

“Genos!”

His ears perked up at the sound of that voice. Was he hallucinating him, now?

But a feeling of icy dread spread over him as he saw Saitama stand before him, facing the cascading tower. He was yelling something to him over his shoulder, but the sound of the rubble grew too great for him to hear. 

Saitama took a last look at Genos, knowing he was barely holding on, before focusing on the falling building. Letting out a breath, he drew his fist back. With a battlecry, he advanced forward and let the power he had been cultivating out with no restraint.

In a flash, cracks appeared throughout the skyscraper as it appeared suspended in space for just a moment. Then like a supernova, the pieces burst from the source in all directions at incredible speeds. 

It all happened in a second. Genos looked in awe at Saitama, as the latter turned to shield his body from the shooting debris. And to his horror, one such piece collided with the back of Saitama’s skull, dropping him by his side with a sickening thud.

Despite the uncontrollable chaos in the background, Genos stared at Saitama’s face just across from his own. He looked desperately for any hint of motion, but he was struck with a sinking feeling of misery as a pool of blood began to advance toward him, meeting with his own pool of black oil.

No… No, please…  

Behind Genos’ still gaze, a myriad of emotions howled in agony. The raw shock of grief felt so human and immeasurably unbearable. He had fallen into an abyss, and his only hope had beaten him to it. He held on for as long as he could before the light in his eyes dimmed like a dying flame.

Chapter Text

“Sir? You need to wake up. It’s past work hours.”

Saitama snapped awake at the sound of someone speaking over him. “Oh…”

Looking around, he realized that he may have fallen asleep on his desk again as it was already pitch black outside. He gathered his things and walked out into the empty workspace, but the familiar outline of the custodian who woke him up caught his eye.

“Wait,” he called out. “Aren’t you…?”

The man turned around, but it was a face he didn’t recognize. Saitama dropped his gaze, feeling a tinge of unexplainable disappointment. “Sorry. I thought you were someone I knew.”

He caught the bus home, and stared stoically out at the same buildings he saw everyday. He felt winded, and his mind couldn’t focus for some reason. Saitama still felt this lingering feeling as he entered his apartment. It was almost suffocating to be there in that moment, and he loosened his tie unnervingly as he placed his briefcase down on the coffee table.

Something’s not right. Something is missing here…

Saitama’s gaze fell on the empty spot on his table, but he couldn’t remember what it was that used to be there. It was something important that he was given by someone, and it had been something that had ended up helping him in a life-and-death situation. 

The maintenance kit! Where did that go?

He looked to the bookshelf and on the floor to see if it had fallen, but that along with the helmet was nowhere to be found. 

I can’t lose that! That’s all I have left from—

Saitama paused in raiding his cabinets. From…? 

Then like a punch to the face, he remembered who he had forgotten. Saitama rushed outside to hail a taxi and drove toward the hills at the border of the city.

“Are you sure this is the place?” the driver asked, pulling over on the desolate road that cut through the mountainside. 

“It is,” Saitama said, practically throwing his fare to the front seat. He didn’t know why he felt he needed to come here, but something was calling him to do so.

He ran along the edge of the road that was dotted with distant streetlights as the cityscape became visible from the side. 

“Genos!” he called out desperately. He continued to do so until he ran out of breath. “G-Genos… Where are you?”

“Sensei…”

Saitama spun around under the glow of the streetlight, toward the person that remained unseen in the darkness.

“Genos! Are you okay?” Saitama blinked at what he said in confusion. “Why am I asking if you’re okay…? Did something happen?” He felt that there was a lapse in his memory, but something Genos said irked him.

“Wait. When did you go back to calling me ‘Sensei’?”

Genos ignored his question and spoke in a lifeless tone. “I need to go far away. I want you to keep something for me while I’m gone.”

Saitama stepped out from the light and felt something cold and round be dropped into his palm. “What is it? And where are you going?”

“I can’t tell you, Sensei.”

“Why not?”

“Because you can’t follow me.”

“What does that mean?” Saitama bit back.

Still, only Genos’ voice emerged from the darkness—icy and sharp. “You don’t need to concern yourself about it.”

“You’re not making any sense.”

“Sensei—”

“Don’t call me that!” Saitama surprised himself at how quick to anger he was at that moment. When did he start to detest the name that Genos had so fondly called him in the past? Above that, however, Saitama began to feel an unfamiliar inkling of fear from Genos’ change in attitude. 

“Genos, you’re… scaring me.” Slowly, he stepped backwards under the streetlight, hoping Genos would follow him. Even in darkness, he still would have been able to see the glow of his eyes, but instead, Genos blended seamlessly with his background. “Step into the light.”

After a short pause, Genos wordlessly took a step, piercing the air with an abnormal creaking of machinery. 

Saitama’s eyes widened at the sight of Genos’ dilapidated state. He looked haggard and pieces of him were cracked, dented, or missing. The skin of his jaw was torn away, revealing the metal skeleton beneath; and the light in his eyes was completely absent—leaving nothing but a hollow, blank gaze. The most disturbing sight was the hole in Genos’ chest and the empty space where his core would have rested. 

“Genos, you’re—!” But Saitama looked down at his hand and saw the damaged core laying dead in his palm. 

Genos turned to leave, but Saitama reached his free hand toward him—still shaken up. 

“Don’t,” Genos said harshly. “And don’t follow me. You’ll only drag me down more.”

Saitama felt a crushing weight in his chest at those words. It finally happened. Something in the back of his mind had always told him he would hear those words eventually. Genos had hated him and had seen him as a burden. It had gotten so hard to breathe all of a sudden.

His hand stayed frozen in midair as he watched Genos’ form recede into the shadows. At that moment, he heard something distant—a familiar voice piercing the darkness; and he felt a hand from his periphery suddenly grasp his own tightly. 

“Saitama, please wake up!”

Saitama opened his eyes and felt tears stream to the side of his face. The light outside the window was painful to take in, and the first breath he forcibly inhaled strained his entire body.

He saw movement from his periphery and his vision focused on two familiar faces. “King… Mumen…” He was shocked that his voice sounded so hoarse.

King looked at him in disbelief as he got out of his seat. “You’re awake…” But the relief quickly washed over him as he glanced over to Mumen, who had tears forming at the corner of his eyes.

Saitama weakly turned his head to the both of them. “What happened?”

“You’re in a hospital in A-City,” said King. “Let us go get the doctors.”

“Wait…” Saitama glanced around the room hurriedly. “Where’s Genos?”

The room fell silent, and King exchanged glances with Mumen. “He’s…”

Saitama’s heart sank. “You guys…”

“He’s okay!” King broke in. “Sorry. We shouldn’t have paused like that.”

“He’s abroad, Mr. Saitama,” added Mumen carefully. “He’s on a mission in another country right now.”

“He’s… on a mission?” Saitama felt a complicated mix of feelings, but the only one he was willing to acknowledge was relief. “How long have I been asleep?”

“Take a breath, okay,” King said, holding his arm. “Four months.”

“F—four…”

King saw the pale look of panic on Saitama’s face as his eyes grew unfocused. “Mumen, get the doctor.”

“On it,” Mumen said quickly, heading out the door.

“Just breathe, man,” he said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You’re going to be okay.”

Mumen leaned against the wall outside Saitama’s room, watching King pace back and forth in the hallway. They waited while the supervising doctor and her team ran their tests.

“We should tell him,” sighed King.

“I don’t know…” Mumen shook his head and frowned. “It may not be the safest choice.”

“Why not?”

“With the threat he’s dealing with right now? This can really affect him.”

King scratched the back of his head. “Well, he’s been through worse. They both have.”

Mumen took out his phone. “I’ll call Doctor Kuseno. He’ll know what to do.”

When they were allowed to come in again, King was glad to see Saitama reclined and looking much calmer. “Oh, you probably guessed it by now, but you’re under Kuseno’s name so they won’t know your identity.”

“Yeah, I figured it out when they started calling me Mr. Kuseno,” Saitama laughed.

“Feeling better?” asked Mumen.

“For sleeping so long, I’m still pretty tired,” he said with a low laugh.

“That makes sense. We were told that you’ve been getting physical therapy everyday to keep your muscles active.”

“Yeah, thank goodness for that.” Saitama fidgeted with the hospital band on his wrist. “Why am I all the way in A-City?”

“X-City was badly damaged and the hospitals there were out of commission,” stated Mumen. “And with your condition, Doctor Kuseno made sure you got the best care possible.”

“The Doctor’s done so much for me,” Saitama mused. He looked off to the side and waited until both Mumen and King took their seats at his bedside. “Genos is really okay, right?”

“Yeah,” Mumen nodded. “A few weeks after the invasion, he was already up and out on missions.”

“Good. I’m glad.”

King heard the subtle curtness in his tone. “Don’t worry. He should be almost done with his mission. He’ll probably be back sooner than later.”

Saitama shook his head. “No… he should be out doing what he wants to do. Not here with…”

“What do you mean?”

“Uh… nothing. Sorry, I’m being such a downer right now.” Saitama took a breath in and tried to make his voice sound more upbeat. “Enough about me, really. How have you guys held up?”

“M-City survived,” King replied. “Most of the invaders appeared over X-City, so we barely had any casualties.”

“It was the same in a lot of other cities. Mr. Genos was the one who really saved us all. He apparently wiped out the entire fleet with—” It was then that Mumen paused and glanced to King.

“…With what?”

King nodded at Mumen before looking slowly at Saitama. “Uh, with One Punch.”

Saitama’s silence alerted them. They didn’t know how he would feel knowing that someone had exhibited the very power he had lost. “Sorry. Maybe we should’ve waited to say something.”

But Saitama had failed to hear them and he looked down at his own hand, now remembering how debilitated he felt after he had done the same thing, himself. “He did One Punch? He’s really okay, right?”

King was surprised at the pure concern for Genos on his face, ashamed that he had doubted Saitama for a moment. “Yeah, he’s just fine. Don’t worry. I saw him and he looked as good as new.”

Saitama relaxed his shoulders and smiled to himself. “Good for you, Genos.”

A short while after King and Mumen had left, Saitama heard a knock and saw a nurse peek his head through the doorway. “Mr. Kuseno, your father is on the line. Would you like to speak with him?”

“Uh, yes. Thanks.”

He picked up the phone at his bedside. “Hello?”

“I am—” He heard the choked-up voice of Doctor Kuseno on the other end.

“Doctor, are you okay?”

“I’m just so relieved to hear your voice, son,” the Doctor said with a heavy sigh.

“Thanks for taking care of me. I can’t even begin to pay you back.”

“You’ll never have to. You’re family to us.”

Saitama felt a warm sense of security at his words. But he wondered how Genos would feel seeing him as family. “Genos… he’s…”

“You saved his life,” the Doctor said with a light laugh. “He’s doing fine.”

Saitama let out a sigh. “I’m so relieved, Doctor.”

“It’s a shame he had to be on a mission so far away at this time, but he’ll be back soon.”

Why was everyone telling him that? Genos was the world’s strongest hero, and probably even more renown after having saved the world. He didn’t have time to babysit someone like him. Saitama was already grateful that Genos was still able to live his dream and see his father.

“Doctor, I have a lot of questions about what happened.”

“And I will provide you with the answers. But right now, my boy, take all the time you need to rest. Afterwards, come home with us. This place is incomplete without you.”

Saitama couldn’t stay asleep that night. He tossed and turned, but his eyes snapped open when his instincts told him he wasn’t alone in the room.

Sitting up, he had called out his name before he located those luminous, golden eyes staring at him from the far corner. The only other light in the room was the moon’s reflection through the window, so his eyes glowed like two fireflies in the dark. “Genos…?”

To Saitama’s relief, Genos appeared just fine. The intimidating, dark armor was gone, and the arms that he crossed over his chest were his regular battle arms. He stood like that against the wall for a long moment before letting out a discontented sigh.

“Why did you do that?” Genos vented, his voice escalating with each word. “How could you just go to the battlefield like that? You were basically asking to die.”

Saitama stared back at him incredulously as he registered his words. So this is how he wanted to do it. Saitama returned Genos’ interrogation with a stern gaze. “Look who’s talking. You went there intending to sacrifice yourself, didn’t you? How are you any different?”

“You’re still human, Saitama.”

“You are, too, Genos. Don’t give up what you have left.”

“If it means protecting you and the world, I have to do what I need to as the world’s strongest hero.”

“Since when has your job been your only role? You’re Kuseno’s son, you’re my friend. You’re not just a machine…” His head started to throb then, and as he reached up to clutch his forehead, he could have sworn he saw Genos step forward from his periphery. “I don’t know what’s going on,” he said, shaking his head. He looked up at him with pleading eyes. “Genos, where have you been?”

Genos’ eyes shook briefly, but he forced down any hopeful emotions he had. “You don’t need to worry about me.”

Saitama tensed up, remembering Genos’ familiar words from his nightmare. “Why?”

But, Genos continued to stare at the floor silently. It was then that Saitama remembered their last conversation before the evacuation. It had been at his apartment after he had found out about Genos being unable to eat or sleep. Although Genos was suffering, Saitama had pushed him away. He regretted his choice, but he had no idea Genos would give him the cold shoulder for weeks. 

Saitama looked down at his lap and spoke slowly. “It was because of what I said, wasn’t it? So because of that, you just broke off all contact? Like we were just strangers?”

“It seemed like the least painful choice.”

“For who?”

“Saitama, look at your life,” Genos said adamantly, taking a step closer. “You have everything you need to make you happy. How could you consider giving all that up after everything you went through to get it?”

Saitama stared at him wide-eyed. “You think I’m happy?”

“You told me so yourself.” 

Saitama thought about when he had told him such a thing, but he remembered the question Genos asked him on his birthday. He had meant a completely different kind of happiness back then—one that was momentary all thanks to the one he was arguing with right now.

“…I just didn’t know what I was missing.” In a quiet voice, he added, “Don’t you know what you are to me?”

Genos blinked back at Saitama’s choice in words, like he was hearing something unbelievable. “How can you say that? That doesn’t make any sense.”

“How could it not make sense?”

“Because…” Genos gestured forward to him, but stopped himself and looked away. “No, I’ve made my decision.”

Saitama grit his teeth. “To what? Leave? Destroy yourself?” 

His voice echoed in the room, and Genos took it all in stride before looking weakly at him. “Saitama, what is it you want from me?”

Genos’ low voice caused Saitama to speak with quiet resolve. “Stay. Please. Don’t just decide things like that on your own. Like you’re just gonna…”

“Like I’m just going to what?”

“Like you’re just going to up and leave without saying anything!”

“You’re the one that left first!”

The sound of Genos’ yell rattled Saitama to his core, and Genos realized the weight of his words when he looked upon his shaken form. The instant regret he felt was suffocating, and he reached a hand toward Saitama. But the latter had looked down at the blanket he clutched in his grasp, a fog of confusion blurring his eyes. 

“…What use would you have had for someone like—”

“It’s not about use!” 

Genos slammed his hands against the bed on either side of him, jolting him out of his trance. “Why do you continuously measure your worth based on your abilities? I value you, as a person. I don’t care if you’re just a regular guy… You’re the strongest person I know already.”

Saitama sat paralyzed with shock as Genos looked him straight in the eye. “You want to know the truth? I’d rather have you in my life as you are than not at all. I can’t… I can’t go through losing you again…” Despite his cracking voice, Genos spoke the last part with emphasis. “I will tell you now that I will be… unable to live.”

At these words, Saitama cried. And moreso for the fact that Genos could not. He let himself cry for the both of them in that moment. He reached out to him as he should have done on countless occasions. He had never wept so hard before, not even when he lost his parents in his childhood. His eyes had blurred from the tears and all he could see were colors. But he felt Genos’ embrace cradling his back and his head held against his chest. He was blubbering at this point, and he hoped that Genos could understand his pathetic apologies. He repeated them over and over like a mantra until his voice gave out on him. The last thing he felt before passing out was the softest sensation on his lips as his eyes fell shut.

Chapter Text

Saitama finished buttoning up his shirt as he stood next to the hospital bed that had been his home for the past five months. After a couple weeks of physical therapy and follow-ups, he had been given the OK to get discharged.

He still felt pretty weak though, and he minded the words of his overseeing surgeon as she told him he would have to take it easy for the coming weeks. Fortunately, Genos had been beside him at every doctor’s appointment to keep tabs on the smaller details of his treatment.

“Alright, I’m going to go finish the check-out paperwork. I’ll be back soon.”

“Wait.” Genos returned from the balcony and took out the jacket from the duffel bag he had brought with him. “Don’t you remember what the doctor said?”

“Uh…”

Genos sent him a deadpan stare before putting the jacket over his shoulders. “You need to take it easy. Your body may not put up with the cold yet.”

“Oh, right.” Saitama looked down at the jacket that he didn’t recognize, and he knew it wouldn’t fit Genos. “By the way, where did these clothes come from? What happened to my old ones?”

“They… ended up smelling like smoke.” Genos added awkwardly, “...because of that fire I set.”

“Ah.” Saitama pursed his lips as Genos finished zipping up the jacket.

“Sorry.”

“No, it’s fine! I’m more worried about your room.”

Genos smirked. “Don’t mind it. Anyway, I hope you don’t hate these. I tried to pick out things I thought you would like.”

“I don’t hate them. These are just my type. But… how did you know my size?”

“Saitama, I know your blood type and your retinal scan, and you’re asking how I know your sizes?” Genos asked, turning up the corner of his mouth.

“Oh… Should I know yours?”

Genos shook his head and smiled. “Are you sure you don’t need help doing that paperwork?”

“I’m fine. I can still hold a pen,” Saitama said, flashing a grin.

“Okay. I’ll be here.”

Saitama nodded and went out the door. 

Genos lingered at the doorway for a moment before turning to zip up the duffel bag on the mattress. He stopped his movements as his eyes rested on the empty bed. Now uninhabited, the room he had been used to seeing felt foreign to him. The past several months felt both like a moment and an eternity.

Five months ago… 

Blinding light assaulted Genos’ vision as he came to. It took a moment for him to realize the brightness came from the familiar overhead lights he was so used to seeing at the lab. 

Before full consciousness set in, his arm automatically reached out to the side as if trying to grasp something but to no avail. 

“Genos, are you awake?”

The worried voice of Doctor Kuseno was heard in the background, but Genos kept his eyes on the empty spot next to him. “S… Saitama… What happened to him?”

Genos turned his head at the Doctor’s silence. “Doctor… Is he…?”

“He’s alive. It’s been a week since the invasion, so we still need to work on fixing you up,” Kuseno replied, but he quietly turned to his workbench with no further explanation.

Though the panic subsided somewhat, Genos heard the stiff intonation of the Doctor’s peculiar words. “There’s something you’re not telling me.”

“Genos, the less you focus on your own recovery, the longer it will take before you can see him.” The vagueness of that statement provided Genos no comfort.

“Father, please,” he begged in a voice so small it was like a child’s. “I need to know.”

Kuseno stopped his tinkering and put down his tools. He turned from the workbench, surrendering to his paternal instincts. “He’s at the General Hospital in A-City. He… hasn’t woken up yet.”

“What do you mean?” Genos wanted to sit up from the lab table but found there were many parts of him still missing from his bare skeleton.

Kuseno went to him and put a hand on his shoulder. He looked down at Genos’ exposed core that he had finally finished stabilizing before meeting his shaking gaze empathetically. “He’s in a coma, son.”

From that point on, Genos felt discombobulated and detached from his surroundings. He could barely focus on the Doctor’s subsequent explanation. He heard pieces of what happened after wiping out the alien fleet—how both he and Saitama managed to use One Punch, but only he got the recognition; how Saitama had saved his life at the near cost of his own; and how he was fresh out of surgery fighting to survive. 

Kuseno saw the devastation on his son’s face, and he wanted nothing more than to tell him everything was going to work out—to take all of his pain away from him. “Let’s get you back to health first, Genos. He’s being given the best care right now.”

“But he’s still alone,” Genos choked out. “There’s no one there beside him.”

“I made sure that didn’t happen.” Genos was perplexed at that, but Kuseno told him that Mumen and King took turns at his bedside.

“They know about him?”

“Yes. He had contacted them fairly recently. We, of course, are keeping his identity a secret.”

Genos felt an ounce of reprieve at that. Saitama was in the best possible hands. That’s what mattered. “Okay, Doctor. I’ll focus on my care.”

Kuseno got back to work and within the next 48 hours, Genos was already up and able to walk around the lab. He had been stripped of the weaponry and armor that he had used at the invasion, and he was still trying to get used to walking and coordination again with the new body Kuseno had recast for him. 

Genos took his time descending the stairs into the vast hangar-area of the lab. He eyed the doorway hidden beneath the stairwell, feeling like it had been months rather than days since he had last been there. 

Genos stood at the doorway of his room. Even though it was his, he felt like he was entering another’s lair like he was no longer welcome. The smell of smoke still permeated the air, and Genos turned to gaze at the charred remains of his notebooks on the desk. The bed was unkempt and under it, he saw something dark resting beneath.

Dragging it out, he found that it was an open duffel bag. Genos sat on the bed, placing it next to him, and fished out a couple plain shirts. He knew very well who these belonged to, and he unabashedly buried his face in the fabric. He wanted to cry, and he wanted to do so even more as he found that there were no traces of Saitama’s scent in them. It was just the smell of ash.

Genos clutched the shirts to his chest as he lay down on the pillow he hadn’t used in years. He curled into a ball and inadvertently whimpered into the clothes he hid his face with. He knew he wouldn’t sleep, but just for a moment, he hoped that he could be taken away from this cruel reality he was now forced to live in.

It took days for Genos to regain the strength he needed to go outside. It was no wonder that the emotional turmoil had caused him to run out of energy more rapidly, so he needed to increase the frequency of his core charging. Genos remembered the days in which he was stuck in the lab for months after the first invasion as his current predicament felt dismally similar.

It was the dead of night as he silently pulled up to the General Hospital in A-City. Hiding his bike within an alleyway of the complex, Genos then analyzed the mental map of the hospital he had downloaded earlier. Locating Saitama’s room took only a moment, and Genos propelled himself to land onto the balcony undetected.

After hacking the door’s security from the outside, Genos stepped in and the clean scent of disinfectant greeted him first. The second would be the immobile form on the bed that he barely recognized.

He moved slowly around the periphery of the bed as his mind tried to process the image of Saitama’s head covered in layers of bandages with a tube going down his throat. He had never seen him look so fragile before.

Genos gripped the guardrail of the bed that was draped with tubes and wires connecting to various machines. He finally realized the full weight of his situation now that Saitama was before his eyes. The cruelty of their fate was too much to bear. One was cursed to stay awake and the other was resigned to remain asleep.

“I’m so sorry…” He struggled to speak as he kept his gaze on Saitama’s closed eyes.

“I… I never should have found you. You worked so hard to build a new life, and I… took it from you.” Despite his lack of lungs, he felt suffocated as he choked out his words. “I’m so stupid. How could I not see how much disaster I would bring to your life?”

“But even now, would you allow me to watch over you? Can I be selfish enough to make sure you’ll be okay? And when you wake up, I’ll disappear. It’ll be like we never met. You’ll go back to being happy.”

And so, Genos remained until daybreak when he departed as secretively as he arrived. This was now his nightly routine.

Some nights were harder than most.

“What did you save me for? I don’t… understand.” Genos’ raspy voice resounded in the room. He looked at Saitama's form beside him as he sat in the chair next to the bed. “I wish you didn’t. You’re the one who deserves to be here.” 

The image of Saitama getting struck by debris was cemented in his mind as well as the sight of him bleeding out beside him as he lay motionless. The memory came back now and then like a tidal wave, but he still never felt prepared for the impact. 

But it was then that he recalled something new. It was a piece of the memory that he would not have processed had he not been ruminating it for days. He now realized what Saitama had said over his shoulder before he saved him.

“You’re going to be okay.”

Genos’ mind echoed the words as he shook his head. “No… I’m not…”

Genos felt like he was going to break down any moment and for the first time, reached toward Saitama for comfort. He lightly rested his hand on his as he fought to find his bearings. But the rising emotions needed an escape, and he hunched over with his forehead resting on the bedside. Though it was true that he couldn’t let out tears anymore, that didn’t stop him from sobbing well into the night.

Other nights passed in which he couldn’t find the words. So he sat beside him and held his hand. He would take in all the bandages that still hid most of his face, and his eyes would follow the tubes that trailed from his body to the whirring machines. The rise and fall of his chest looked artificial, but it was proof he was still alive. Genos looked down at the smaller hand that rested in his. Saitama had saved him with that hand over and over in the past, and even now, he had managed to pull off the impossible and save him again. Genos still didn’t know the “how” or “why”, and it still wouldn’t matter to him if his hero didn’t return back safe and sound.

He rubbed his thumb across the back of his hand, noting the warmth that still existed there. He would never give up on him. As it was in the past, it would still be so in the present.

“You know, I thought I was doing well when we separated.” Genos recalled when he and Saitama parted at his apartment. He had been so distraught with guilt that he ran away to train remotely for weeks. He had worked hard to keep his focus on mastering his upgrades and only that. “I thought I was strong keeping my emotions in check or just not feeling them at all.”

Genos leaned forward in the chair and buried his head in his hands, gripping at his hair. “But, just the sight of you… just a few words from you was all it took to ruin me again. Right now… I’d want nothing more.”

The harsh truth was that in all the years they’ve known each other, Genos and Saitama’s time together was far exceeded by their time apart. It was as if they were star-crossed and could only meet for a moment before being ripped from one another again. And Genos was beginning to believe that this was simply how it was meant to be.

It had been two weeks since he had woken up, and Genos stepped into the room to see Saitama’s peaceful face, now free from some of the bandages. “There you are. You’re looking better.” 

He held his hand but never got closer beyond that. “I should… be going back to what I’m supposed to be doing. To prepare myself for the separation… I need to go back to my work.”

Before Genos finished dismounting his bike, paparazzi had hovered around him like a swarm. Even as he made his way to the entrance of the Hero Association headquarters, they followed after him with questions.

“Demon Cyborg! Can you explain what happened the day of the invasion?”

“Are you ready to return to work now that your repairs are finished?”

“Do you have any words for those that suffered casualties or lost loved ones?”

Genos felt that question strike a cord within him, but he continued on through the doors without so much as a glance in their direction.

In no time, Genos was assigned to a high level mission after getting screened for approval by the Association. To be safe, however, all his initial tasks had him being accompanied by another S-Class hero—much to his dismay.

Genos was thrown back with great force as he dealt with a demon-level threat in Y-City. He was about ready to jump in again when his legs buckled beneath him, and he had to brace himself against the ground. 

“Move over, brat. I got this.”

Genos scowled at Tatsumaki floating in front of him from his kneeling position. “I’m fine.”

Tatsumaki furrowed her brows at his scathing tone. “You know what? That’s your problem.”

“What?”

“Do you even care about your life? If you really don’t, maybe you should consider the people that care about you.” She turned to face him with her arms crossed.

Genos returned her glare with his own as he shakily stood upright. “You think an S-Class can afford to think about hesitating on the battlefield?”

She simply shrugged. “Why not? We’re still human.” 

Genos blinked at her nonchalance.

“Like it or not, our lives don’t belong to just us. Bang has his pupil. I have my sister. You must have someone, too.” She spoke very plainly as if the words she said were the most obvious things in the world. “Look, I’m not trying to give you a pep talk here, but I will knock some sense into an idiot when I see one.” 

Tatsumaki floated down so she was at his eye-level and spoke in a softer tone. “You put up with too much, kiddo. It’s okay to retreat sometimes.”

She turned and floated away toward the threat, but not before leaving a parting message. “And thanks. You really did save us all. So, if you really think that your life is a throwaway, then you may as well believe that all those lives you saved were just as meaningless.”

Genos strode quickly to where Kuseno sat busy at work. What Tatsumaki had told him still rang clearly in his mind, and he had rushed home to the lab when the mission was completed.

“Doctor, I’m sorry. For what I was about to do back then.”

Kuseno turned to see Genos with clenched fists and his head down. But it was no mystery as to what he was referring to. After all, the predicament of Genos’ near-death still haunted the Doctor’s dreams. “Oh, my boy… Please, just treat yourself better.”

Genos relaxed slightly as the Doctor reached up to hug him. “I’ll work on it.”

Kuseno directed him to sit down on a lab table for some routine tune-ups. After some time, the Doctor eventually broke the silence. “Son, I’m sorry I let him read your notebooks. I betrayed your trust. I understand if you can’t forgive me.”

“No, I know why you did it. You wouldn’t have gone so far if it wasn’t for my safety.”

“But if I hadn’t put such a task on his shoulders, maybe he wouldn’t have rushed out to the battlefield.”

Genos gripped the edge of the table and bowed his head. “Then, I am also to blame. I should have just let him go when I saw him again. I should have pretended he was someone else and let him live his life.”

Kuseno put his tools down and stood in front of him, securing eye contact. “Genos, do you know what he said to me when he arrived here?”

Genos shook his head. He had not yet considered what inspired Saitama to come to the lab in the first place. The Doctor continued, “He asked only about you. You still fail to see how important you are in his eyes. He would have chosen to help you regardless of the danger. That’s why he showed up here.” Kuseno looked at the ground in thought. “You two are very alike in that regard.”

Genos leaned forward with concern. “He wanted… to know about my life?” Was it out of obligation that he felt the need to come and save me? I worried him so much to this point?

“Yes, and the heartbreaking thing is that above everything else, he sees himself as a burden to you. That might be why he had always kept his distance from you.”

“A burden?”

Genos remembered hearing Saitama say something similar about himself before. It was when they first had dinner in X-City and when they parted ways at his apartment. He had thought Saitama’s words were simply expressions of his desire to leave behind his past. At the time, Genos had no idea how to respond, and now, it was too late.

Why now, when he finally had the words—when he finally had the clarity to see Saitama’s reasoning could he not tell him? Regarding how Saitama saw him, whether obligation or not, was still left to be seen. However, his words of self-depreciation may not be due largely to Genos’ presence, but rather to something that Saitama dealt with intrinsically. 

“I didn’t realize he still felt that way about himself. I thought that if I left, he wouldn’t have to feel that way anymore.” He felt Kuseno rest a hand on his shoulder.

“Genos, he’s still alive, and he needs you now more than ever.”

Genos took in the Doctor’s words as well as the meaning they carried behind them. “I need to go,” he said with urgency.

Kuseno’s smile revealed nothing but support. “Be safe.”

Genos stepped into the hospital room that night with a different air around him. He strode directly to the bed and leaned over Saitama as he clasped onto the guardrails. “I need to tell you—I need to tell you that you have never been a burden to me. I need to tell you what you mean to me… even if you won’t want to see me again after that. But more importantly… don’t die thinking that way about yourself. Please.” The words came out in a flurry and were spurred on by desperation.

Genos knelt by the bed and rested his head against Saitama’s thigh as he held his listless hand. “Saitama,” he whimpered. “Please… wake up.”

And so, the following months passed. Each day, Saitama looked healthier, and every evening, Genos would return with new words of encouragement. This was a healing process for them both. He got so used to reflecting on and expressing words of comfort to the point that it became natural. Though there were some days when hope was a stranger, he knew he was all the stronger by being able to bring it back.

Then, the Association assigned him a faraway mission. Genos had made arrangements for Kuseno, Mumen, and King to visit Saitama, so there was never a day he would be alone while he was away. He trusted Saitama and everyone else to do their part, so he was all the more adamant in fulfilling his role as well.

He had faith that he would wake up. They had been through so much together; it couldn’t end like this. Genos wondered what would be the first thing he would say to him. There was a lot he had to tell him and a lot he had to express. He didn’t hold it above himself that he would do this with grace though. He wouldn’t be surprised if he started chastising Saitama first for not taking his life seriously. But, whatever the end result, he wanted to help him see his true worth. 

Then, the day came. It was near the end of the mission when he got the call from the Doctor. Genos remembered falling to his knees as he asked Kuseno to repeat his message for fear that he had heard him wrong. But Saitama had pulled through as he believed he would. His relief could only be rivaled by his sense of duty, so he finished the mission without a hitch and returned as soon as he could. 

Present day…  

“Are you okay? You’re standing there like a statue.”

Genos turned to see Saitama at the doorway. Apparently, he had remained in the same place at the foot of the bed. “Yeah.” Quickly zipping up the duffel bag, he stepped toward him. “Are you all done?”

Saitama nodded. “Wanna head home?”

Those words rang like a bell in Genos’ ears. What had exactly felt like home to him? It certainly wasn’t the Association, and the lab had felt dismal as of late. But now, this one person—who had told him how important he was to him, who had begged him to stay—provided him with all he needed.

Genos wrapped his arms around Saitama and rested his head in the crook of his neck to which the latter returned in kind. “More than anything.”

Chapter Text

“Ready?”

Genos saw Saitama nod behind him, and he faced forward while kicking the starter of his bike. They sped down the main highway leading out of A-City as the hospital got smaller in the distance behind them.

As Saitama didn’t remember being transferred to A-City, this was a rare chance for him to take in the sights. After leaving the downtown area, they were out on a more scenic route with the ocean on the right and countryside on the left. Just then, a gleaming metal pyramid came into view.

Saitama knew this was the Hero Association Headquarters that had been built during the time of his absence. Genos had told him a lot about the details of his life in the past month. He knew very well how lonely and isolated Genos had felt living in that place. And Saitama couldn’t help but think that it was because of his own selfish actions that caused Genos to experience such things.

He turned to look toward the ocean instead, and seeing the vastness of it helped to calm him down. Regardless of how he was feeling and how much he still had to sort out, the ocean helped him feel that perhaps his problems weren’t as big as his mind made them out to be. 

He rested his head against Genos’ back, letting the sound of the engine lull him. The sun was still near the horizon—the reflection on the water more mesmerizing than blinding. He squinted through his visor at a break in the straight line of the water; but as they got closer, a massive, disjointed shape came into view.

Silver claws of shrapnel pierced through the waves like edges of a crown. In the center, lay the hollow cavity of the ship that he had buried deep in his memories from three years ago.

Genos kept his gaze on the familiar wreckage, but he felt the arms around his waist tighten. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw that Saitama had his visor buried hard between his shoulder blades.

Genos swiftly pulled the bike over to the side of the road. “Saitama?” He called, but after no response he shut off the ignition. 

It was then that he clearly heard the labored breathing that was stifled by the helmet Saitama wore. Genos dismounted and helped him remove it only to be met with Saitama’s reddened eyes and choked-up expression as his body fought against the shock and panic. Genos held Saitama’s head against his torso, blocking his view of the ruins.

“Take longer breaths,” he said, while rubbing his back. Saitama gripped at Genos’ shirt as he pressed his forehead against him. Genos continued to hold him securely before using his analysis vision to measure his decreasing pulse and respiratory rate. 

With Saitama leaning more relaxed against him, Genos hugged him tighter and mentally cursed at himself. How could he not realize he would be exposing Saitama to the place where he had almost died? 

“I’m sorry. I should’ve taken another route. I failed to realize you haven’t seen this place yet. Forgive me.”

Saitama leaned back so he could look up to meet his gaze. “No, I’m sorry, Genos.” The rising guilt had crashed into him like a wave again as he was fiercely reminded of the day that he led Genos to believe he had disappeared from this world. It was a lie that led Genos down a path of unbearable suffering with lasting repercussions while Saitama was able to turn a blind eye to his worries. In a cracking voice, he added, “I’m sorry… for running away and leaving you like that.”

Genos steadied Saitama’s shaking shoulders as he buried his face in his hands. Saitama had apologized to him repeatedly in the past month for this very issue as if he found himself so unforgivable. Genos gently raised his face and cooed the words he knew Saitama needed to hear for himself. “I’ve forgiven you long ago, and I always will. Please work on forgiving yourself, too.”

Saitama gazed up at Genos, who was haloed by the golden rays of sun behind him. It was a sight to behold, and he felt safe there in the arms that held him steady. They were the arms that had always supported him and were the same ones that had guided him out of the darkness. “I’ll try.”

Genos smiled and brushed some hair away from Saitama’s eyes. The latter blushed at the action and looked further down the road to divert the attention.

“This is… close to Z-City, right?”

“It is,” Genos replied, studying Saitama’s stern visage.

“Then,” Saitama sighed, looking away. “Let’s go back to the lab as soon as possible.”

Genos heard the crestfallen intonation of his words and nodded. They both were on their way once again as Genos longingly eyed the place they had once called home.

Once in the forest, Genos parked the bike in a hidden alcove he had made especially for it. It was a short walk to the entrance of the lab, so he slung on the duffel bag with one arm and reached out for Saitama’s hand with the other. He had told him he didn’t want him to trip over anything since he was still recovering, but even Saitama had heard through the excuse and laughed.

“Seems like all that physical therapy while you were asleep really helped. I never really saw your muscles atrophy too much while you were there,” Genos said matter-of-factly as he led him through a clearing.

“Wait. You know about that?”

Genos laughed slightly. “Why wouldn’t I?”

Saitama looked at him curiously, knowing he was missing something. “How often did you visit me?”

Genos raised an eyebrow at him over his shoulder before turning to look forward again. “Everyday.”

Saitama would have stopped walking had it not been for Genos still leading him along. Not noticing Saitama’s surprise, he continued. “I had to visit you at night though. I didn’t want any paparazzi going to your room if they knew I went there all the time.”

Saitama looked intently at the back of Genos’ head even as they approached the hidden entrance of the lab. He was completely missing everything he was saying until Genos looked back at him pointedly.

“What’s wrong? You keep staring.”

Caught in the act, Saitama looked away. “Oh, sorry.”

“I don’t mind, though,” he heard Genos say behind him. But his voice got closer with each passing word. “Didn’t I tell you? You tend to stare at things you want rather than just ask for it.”

“Huh?”

Genos turned Saitama’s face toward him and kissed him, cradling his head in both his hands. This time was different from their first kiss in the hospital, in which Genos had held him so delicately as if he were glass. And although Genos had become more direct with skinship since that day, they hadn’t yet kissed again—let alone so vigorously. It was as if Genos was starved of this sensation for the past month, and he wanted to make clear to Saitama that his untamed patience had finally departed.

Saitama stood in awe at the passion and security of Genos’ touch, and he remained as such even after Genos eventually let him go. 

“W-We're in front of your dad's place!” Saitama grew flustered as he gestured to the security cameras above the doors.

Genos shrugged. “He won’t be surprised.”

“What?”

“Indeed, I won’t,” echoed Kuseno’s nonplussed voice over the hidden speakers. “Now, are you two ever going to get inside or are you going to make an old man climb all the way up to the surface?”

Saitama stepped out of the elevator with Genos, and immediately, he was wrapped in a comforting embrace. Kuseno patted him on the back, and after the initial surprise, Saitama hugged him in return. “Welcome home.”

“How do you feel?” Kuseno asked, leaning away from him.

“A little tired actually.”

“Then, you should go rest. Genos’ room should be ready for you.”

“I, uh, I’ve been wanting to hear about your research, Doctor. If that’s okay…” Kuseno and Genos saw the worried and expectant look on his face, but they knew they all needed to cross this bridge at some point.

Kuseno led the pair to one of the main computers with a large, overhanging screen. As the Doctor typed away, Genos motioned to one of the lab tables to sit on. Saitama hoisted himself onto the surface, but he soon felt Genos come up behind him so that his back was supported by Genos’ chest. 

“Genos, what are you doing?” Kuseno asked with a deadpan.

“I don’t want him to fall off,” Genos replied nonchalantly. He rested his chin on Saitama’s shoulder as his arm reached from behind to guard Saitama’s far side. 

Saitama raised an eyebrow and noted the close proximity to the floor. “You mean… off the table?”

“Genos, you know you’re quite heavy,” the Doctor scolded.

Genos stared at Saitama in all seriousness. “Am I?”

“Uh…”

“You’re not a cat, son. Get down.”

However, Genos only hid his face behind Saitama’s shoulder, so Kuseno could just barely see the black sclera of his eyes. Kuseno put his hands on his hips and looked chidingly at him. “Genos…”

“Father…”

“You know, it’s fine!” Saitama broke in, laughing awkwardly. “This table is… pretty high up. So… yeah…” He reached up to pat the back of Genos’ head and swore he heard purring, though that may have well been his cooling fans.

“Then,” Kuseno sighed. “I leave him in your care.”

“Yes.”

“I was talking to Saitama, son.”

Ignoring the muffled laughter behind him, Kuseno opened various windows with data, reports, and video recordings on the screen. “I’ve had to use the footage from Genos’ visuals since when Genos destroyed the fleet, he also took out all the nearby drones.”

Saitama felt Genos shift beside him as he looked down to his lap. “It was because of me that you didn’t get the recognition you deserve. I’m sorry…”

“Don’t be. I don’t know what I would have done with all the attention anyway.”

Kuseno enlarged a video of Genos’ point of view fighting against the dozens of ships. “I’ve been studying the Red Mana, and I’ve been steadily filling in the gaps in our understanding of it. In fact, it is the most likely reason the same aliens invaded the earth.” 

Genos furrowed his brow. He had come to the same suspicion during the invasion at the time he saw all those containment cells.

Saitama looked at Genos when he felt his arm tense around him. “But… how is that possible?”

“I was mistaken when I thought that there was something in these cities that was affecting people from turning into Mysterious Beings. It appears Red Mana is something that solely comes from a human being. It is the manifestation of human will and strength.”

“I’m hypothesizing that the aliens locked onto the Red Mana signals and visited the cities with the most. Once they confirmed that humans were the ones that exhibited this energy, they returned to capture us.” Kuseno fast-forwarded to when Genos viewed the small containment cells packed together. 

Saitama stared at the footage in confusion. “What were they going to use humans for?”

“With an energy source like that, they may have thought that they can use humans as power sources like batteries. A foolish thing, really. For Red Mana cannot be extracted—only harnessed.”

Kuseno then skipped to the part when Genos unleashed One Punch. The screen had turned completely white before the next shot was a clear sky free of the invaders. “The both of you managed to do just that.”

“Amazing…” This was the first time Saitama saw Genos use the power he had always been searching for. But the shot flailed wildly as Genos careened to the ground and jolted when he crashed. Saitama watched intently as the shadow of the skyscraper drowned out the lighting before he showed up and destroyed the building with One Punch as well. 

Kuseno quickly stopped the video, and Saitama noted a heavy silence in the room. He realized one second later would have shown him the moment he had almost died, which meant that both Genos and Kuseno had fully witnessed what had happened to him.

Saitama glanced at Genos, who had long stopped watching, as his unfocused gaze dropped to the floor. He reached over to cover his clenched fist, and Genos snapped out of his reverie and relaxed slightly at the comforting touch. 

“Doctor,” he began. “I suppose now would be the time you could explain how I was able to use it.”

“Well, Genos, the simple answer would be because you’re human. You used the Red Mana like how other people were able to.”

Saitama remembered that the people who used it transformed based on whatever they were obsessed with. “But, Genos used One Punch. Wouldn’t that mean…?”

As if answering his thoughts, Genos locked eyes with him directly in confirmation. Obsession, aspiration, greatest desire—regardless of what name he could give to the emotions behind his eyes, Saitama realized that all of them encapsulated what he was to Genos.

He turned over Genos’ hand and interlaced their fingers as a start to reciprocating those feelings. Genos leaned his head against his, letting his features ease at Saitama’s action.

Kuseno brought up Genos’ graph of Red Mana and showed that it was identical to others. The curve rose exponentially before being cut off abruptly. “It appears, however, that Genos’ mechanical body was not able to keep up with his strong will.”

“So, that’s what prevented me from transforming into a monster?”

“That’s one theory. But, I believe the nature of One Punch, itself, is what would have prevented that transformation regardless.” Kuseno turned from the screen, addressing their confusion. “After all, Saitama did it. He has done it before, and he never transformed.”

Saitama leaned forward at this. “Eh, wait, so…”

“Saitama, when you first achieved your power years ago, I believe you activated the Red Mana and lived life constantly exuding it—hence, your overwhelming strength.”

“What would I have been so obsessed over to cause that?”

“I think… it was the essence of strength, Saitama,” Genos postulated, deep in thought. “You told me before as your disciple that ‘Human strength lies in the ability to change yourself.’ Those pure motives of yours must have kept you from becoming a monster.”

Saitama remembered saying something like that before during their fight with Carnage Kabuto. The House of Evolution was their first fight together as master and disciple. He was surprised Genos remembered that.

“I guess I did change myself. But, I had to sacrifice a lot to get that strength.” He looked down at his fist with a dismal expression. “Before I realized it, I couldn’t stand having it anymore. I… I really did feel like a monster.”

Suddenly, worry dawned on Saitama’s face at a realization. “Is it going to happen again?”

“No, my boy,” Kuseno reassured. “You’re not using the Red Mana right now.”

“Then, how did you know I used it at the invasion? What if it’s just a part of me that can’t go away?” Genos was alarmed at the tinge of anxiety coating Saitama’s words. Since when had Saitama become so distressed about his powers?

“Do you remember this?” Kuseno presented the small, Red Mana tracker that Saitama remembered him placing in various cities.

“You had this in your pocket when you left the lab. It recorded the amount of Red Mana you activated. The results were very unique.”

“This is the distribution for others who have transformed.” He indicated to the uphill graphs that stopped right at the peak. “And this is yours.”

Genos gaped at the new window the Doctor had opened. “It’s a bell curve.”

“Exactly. Saitama approaches the limit of Red Mana, but unlike others, he never breaks it. And therefore, he is able to come back.” Saitama remembered the rising boost in strength he felt before he was able to use One Punch, but he hadn’t felt it since then. Had he really been able to diffuse that power unlike anyone else?

“Saitama, this is different from the power you had before. I believe that overtime, you were able to discard that power because you eventually lost the desire to have that strength. But here, you found the need to use it once again.”

Kuseno turned to him imploringly. “Do you remember exactly what crossed your mind before you used this power?”

“I don’t… I just needed to save Genos.” Saitama looked back down in thought but felt two ardent pairs of eyes on him. “I… I know you're trying to figure out how all this works, but…” He reached up to clutch his throbbing forehead.

“Saitama!” Genos leaned in closer to see his face, but the latter turned away.

“Sorry, Doctor,” Saitama sighed. “I think I need to rest after all.”

“No, let me apologize,” Kuseno said with concern. “My explanations got a little too detailed. All of this can wait. Getting your strength back is the most important.”

Saitama frowned imperceptibly. My strength…

He let Genos lead him to the stairwell to descend, but when he saw the height from the bottom floor, dizziness attacked him. “Oh… uh…”

“Here.” Genos knelt down with the intention of carrying him on his back.

“Sorry, I might need a minute.” Just the thought of crouching over was enough to make Saitama nauseous.

“It’s alright.” Suddenly, Genos’ arm was around his back, and he felt himself be picked up effortlessly. “Just keep your eyes closed.”

Saitama did so, and the next thing he knew, Genos had landed softly in front of his room. 

“How do you feel?” Genos asked after helping him into bed.

“The dizziness is going away.”

“Then, I’ll leave you to rest.” Genos was about to turn when he saw Saitama reach a hand out toward him.

“Genos, I—” The worry on Saitama’s face began to translate into fear. “I don’t know what’s going to happen… about these powers…” Genos knelt down at the bedside, grabbing his cold hand. “Would it be good to have them? What if I can’t get them back?”

“So what if you can’t? I told you before, and I’ll say it as many times as I need to. You’re fine as you are. You don’t need any ability to prove your worth,” Genos affirmed. He took his hand and gently rested his cheek in Saitama’s palm. “You already are worthy. Always have been.”

Although Saitama knew that he would probably have to hear this said multiple times in the future, he knew in his gut that what Genos said was true. It would just take time for the rest of his mind to accept it and let it in. 

He looked at Genos nuzzling his face in his palm and realized something. This moment would not have been possible without his actions. He had saved Genos somehow. And that was all that really mattered. Perhaps that was what he had always been looking for all those years ago training alone in that apartment. Maybe the hero he wanted to be wasn’t one for the world who saved it over and over again. Even if it was just once, it was more than enough to have been somebody’s hero—somebody who saw his true worth.

“What’s wrong?” Saitama didn’t realize he was crying until Genos’ question.

“Nothing is,” he smiled. As Genos wiped away his tears, Saitama caught the back of his hand and lightly kissed the inside of his palm. “Are you busy?”

Genos felt a sudden warmth in his chest at Saitama’s return of affection. “I’ll stay here… if you want.”

He was surprised when Saitama scooted back on the bed so that his back was pressed against the wall. Genos was pulled slightly forward as Saitama hadn’t yet let go of his hand.

“I don’t know how comfortable I’ll be to sleep against.”

“Just get on here.”

Genos lay on the mattress and faced Saitama, pressing his hand against the concrete wall behind him so he wouldn’t accidentally crush him. Saitama kept his other hand hostage between their chests and closed the distance by wrapping his free arm around Genos’ torso. 

“This is nice,” he hummed against Genos’ clavicle.

Genos froze as Saitama made himself comfortable. Within moments, he had stopped moving and his breathing had slowed to a point that Genos knew he had fallen asleep. He looked down and stared at his peaceful expression while his arm moved to wrap around his back. He carefully tucked Saitama’s head under his chin and planted small kisses over his hair. He inhaled the scent that he had been longing for for three years, now thankful that he had never bothered to remove his scent receptors. Genos committed this new experience to memory—the fragrance, the touch, the warmth. This was real. They had both survived and had each other.

Chapter Text

Saitama awoke to the sight of a metal shoulder centimeters away from his face. He felt the weight of an arm draped over him as he heard the subtle tapping of a phone screen behind him. 

“You know… you don’t always have to stay the whole time after I fall asleep.”

The clicking momentarily ceased and Saitama felt Genos’ intense stare boring into the top of his head. “Did I wake you?”

“No, but if you have other things to do, I don’t want you to waste your time here,” he mumbled against Genos’ hoodie. It had been a week since Saitama returned from the hospital, and every night, Genos had been with him as he fell asleep. The strange thing was that he was still there every morning despite the fact that Genos, himself, was incapable of sleep. 

He felt a gentle hand on the back of his head as Genos tucked it under his chin. “Any time with you is never wasted.”

Saitama was thankful Genos couldn’t see his face right then. “But don’t you get bored?”

“No. I spend my time doing reports for the Association.”

Saitama turned to look over his shoulder and saw the lines of text on the phone Genos held behind him. “Wow. Sounds really boring to me.”

He heard Genos chuckle as he got up and sat at the edge of the bed. “I’ll get breakfast prepared, so take your time coming up.”

“Okay.” Saitama watched him leave before sitting up in thought. Both Genos and Kuseno have been so accommodating to him without ever asking anything in return. Although he was still recovering, he couldn’t help but feel a tinge of guilt at the idea that he was freeloading off of two people who had far more important responsibilities. 

Later that afternoon, Saitama wandered around the upper lab floor and saw Kuseno hunched over at his work bench. 

“What are you working on now, Doctor?”

Kuseno raised his head from his position and turned to him. “Ah, Saitama, my boy. I’m looking at the schematics of something I received from Genos.”

Looking over his shoulder, Saitama saw his motorcycle helmet on the table. He was wondering why Genos had asked to borrow it earlier. “Oh, what for?”

“He wanted me to make some adjustments to make it more protective.”

Saitama raised an eyebrow at this. “Seems like it does the job well enough.”

Kuseno laughed in a way that sounded like a sigh. “Well, you know him. Though, I was thinking of adding some functionality to make it more convenient. How would that sound with you?” On the computer, he opened up a new design of the helmet with the modifications.

“Well…”

“Here you are.” Genos entered the lab floor and approached them. “What do you think of the upgrades?”

Saitama stared at the screen and compared the image to the original. He reached for the helmet and slid it close to his chest. “Ah, maybe not. I want to keep it as is.” 

Even as he stared down at the red lightning design on the marigold finish, he could feel a pair of inquiring eyes on him. “It’s just… it’s my first birthday present from Genos.”

Saitama internally cringed at the cheesiness of his line, and after the prolonged silence, he hesitantly looked up to see Genos’ starstruck eyes. “What? You look like you have something to say.”

“Well… How offended would you be if I commented on how cute you look right now?”

Saitama shot him a glance. “Very.”

“It’s alright, Saitama,” Kuseno laughed. “I’ll leave it. I’ll just make you a new one from scratch.”

“Eh, but…”

“My boy, if you think this is a distraction from more important work, that is not the case,” Kuseno said with consolation in his voice. “Anything I can do for family is my priority.”

Saitama watched as the Doctor walked away unassumingly without another word. He wondered how Kuseno was easily able to address his unspoken concern, but perhaps that was what happened in a family. 

Genos caught his eye beside him, and Saitama saw him looking at the helmet in his hands. “Care to go for a ride?”

“I know I’ve said this before, but you’re really good at this.” Despite the roar of the motorcycle, Saitama could hear Genos clearly as the latter rested his head on his shoulder from behind. 

“Well, I've learned from the best.” He could feel Genos’ already-tight grip on his torso get subtly stronger in response. 

They had ridden on the main highway along the coast with the afternoon sun high above the ocean’s horizon. Saitama took the curves of the road with precision as Genos shifted his own weight to help him. 

Saitama felt a surge of exhilaration from the speed of the behemoth that Genos had crafted with his own hands. This combined with the feeling of safety from knowing that Genos was right behind him. Perhaps due to those emotions, Saitama had the confidence to face what he had been putting off for some time.

“Genos, can we make a stop somewhere?”

X-City was not quite as he remembered it. Although the bustling city life of the residents was ever present, there was a heaviness in the air that no doubt took place since the invasion. Riding slowly through the clean streets, Saitama noted that a majority of the buildings had a degree of damage—some minute and left alone while others underwent extensive repair. It occurred to him that this place would have looked like a ghost town had it not been for the people on every sidewalk performing their usual routines. 

Then, he saw it. The place that he had called home for two years was no longer as his multistory apartment complex had crumbled to less than half its size. It was completely sealed off as the site was too dangerous for any living soul to approach it. 

“I’m sorry, Saitama.” They had parked on the opposite sidewalk, and Genos kept his gaze on Saitama’s visor that was turned toward the rubble. 

“It’s alright,” he replied after a moment. “I don’t feel as torn up about it as I thought I’d be.”

“You always have a home with us.”

“That’s probably why I think I’ll be okay.” Saitama raised his visor and met Genos’ worried eyes. “Thanks, Genos.”

Saitama put the bike in gear. “There is one more place I want to visit.”

He could tell Genos observed him carefully as they approached his place of work, S-Mart Headquarters. Surprisingly, the building suffered minimal damage, and Saitama recognized a couple of his subordinates exit the building.

Despite having the visor hide his appearance, Saitama tensed up and looked away as they passed by them on the sidewalk. 

“Do you want to leave?” Genos asked quietly.

Without a word, Saitama turned the bike and parked in an alleyway several blocks away. Taking off the helmet, Saitama got off the bike and leaned against the brick wall. It had gotten hard to breathe just then, and dozens of thoughts flashed through his mind. Could he really go back? Did anyone think he had died? What now? And… what would Genos think?

“Genos, what do you think I should do?” He slowly made eye contact with Genos, who looked back at him with concern as he remained seated on the bike. “I have the choice to start over again or go back to the life I had. If I were to choose the first choice… would you hate me for that?”

Genos listened carefully, but his reply was instantaneous. “I wouldn’t.”

“But why?” Saitama was almost disappointed at his answer. “Wouldn’t you think that me doing that is a reflection of choosing to do what I had done to you… but for a second time?”

“Saitama, I would never want you to do something that would cause you pain. I could never think less of you for that.” Then, Genos grew quiet and looked down at his lap. “Even if we could go back in time and you needed to make the choice to leave your old life behind for your sake, I would accept it.”

Saitama realized something at those words. Although he was less outspoken about it, Genos did share a common feeling with him. They both felt that their own happiness was not as important as the other’s. 

Something broke in Saitama at that knowledge, and he reached his arms out to embrace Genos tightly around his shoulders. Dread dawned on his face as he lowered his head to Genos’ ear. 

“I will not abandon you, Genos.” Despite his shaky voice, Saitama spoke with a conviction he hoped Genos would understand. Although he wasn’t sure what his future held at that moment, he knew for a fact that Genos deserved better than this.

One month later…

“Good morning,” Saitama yawned as he sauntered into the kitchen.

Kuseno’s humored eyes followed his trek to the coffee machine. “Good morning. Yesterday’s work was too much?”

“Nah. Actually, I was up for a while trying to think of how to fix that issue we had.” Saitama sat at the table with two cups and slid one over to the Doctor across from him. 

Kuseno tipped his head in gratitude and took a sip. As expected, it was just the way he liked it. It was no doubt that Saitama’s improving observation skills had helped him in not only understanding others’ preferences but much of what the Doctor had shown him in the lab with ease. 

“And did you figure something out?”

“I think so. But I need to get my hands on those parts first to try it out.”

“Then, we’re in luck.” Kuseno turned on a watch-like device on his wrist and a holographic screen appeared above it, showing images of mechanical parts. “These should be arriving today.”

Genos’ voice was heard from the entrance. “I’m heading to the Association.”

“Okay, son.”

“Bye, Genos,” Saitama called over his shoulder, but he hadn’t realized that Genos was now standing right behind him. Nonchalantly, Genos leaned down and gave him a quick kiss before turning to leave.

“See you later. Don’t forget to eat the breakfast I left you in the fridge.” Genos then paused at the doorway and licked his bottom lip. “And try putting less sugar in that. It’s not good for your health.”

Saitama remained in the same position Genos had left him in when he released him—only letting his eyes move slowly from the vacant doorway to the un-astonished face of Doctor Kuseno. 

Clearing his throat, he hoped anything would distract from his undeniably reddened face. “Uh… when… when did you say those parts would be arriving?”

Saitama lifted his face shield and looked down at his handiwork. “What do you think of this?”

Kuseno came over from his work station and inspected the alloy Saitama had welded together. “Marvelous. The lines are very clean and straight.” He looked up at him and smiled. “Let’s test this out shall we?”

Just then, an alert appeared on the main computer screen. “Is it Genos?” Saitama knew that the Doctor used an algorithm to filter out any news headlines in real time that pertained to Genos. It allowed him to send immediate aid to his son should he ever need it. 

Kuseno held his chin as a live feed of Genos leaving the Association popped up on screen. “Yes… It appears he’s being followed by paparazzi again.”

Genos kept walking as the shaky camera trailed after him with reporters in tow, calling out to him. “Demon Cyborg, will you finally tell us about that power you used at the invasion? Was it from an upgrade?”

“Why haven’t you used that power in any of your recent missions?”

“Do you believe the reparations following the invasion are going too slowly?” That one got his interest, to Saitama’s surprise, as Genos paused in his steps and turned to the reporter. 

“It will take a while. The damage done to the earth was extensive, but progress is made everyday. However long it takes, we will get through this.”

Moments of silence followed after Genos’ response as even the reporters didn’t expect one—especially one such as that. “D… Do you have more you would want to say to those who have suffered losses?”

Genos dropped his gaze in thought and spoke in a more empathetic tone. “We have all lost something. Irreplaceable things that may never come back.” He then looked to the camera—his eyes, steady. “But you have to keep going… even if it feels unbearable. We have to live for tomorrow. Each day you’re getting stronger, and you deserve to see yourself at your greatest.”

Saitama stared at the screen intently, along with Doctor Kuseno. Knowing Genos’ past, his words carried a different kind of weight most people would never know. 

Near the day’s end, Saitama leaned back on the chair at the desk in Genos’ room. With almost everything on his to-do list completed, he yawned as he reached to close the laptop Genos had lent him—well, more like given to him. However, his curiosity finally got the best of him. And this was especially true after hearing from Kuseno that Genos’ never accepted interviews. 

He typed in “Genos” in the search bar but got no results. 

Right… no one really calls him that, huh?

On the other hand, “Demon Cyborg” yielded a myriad of results. The top ones were articles about his brief interview from hours ago—raving at the top hero’s motivational words. In the comments, Saitama found people wondering about what changed in Genos’ life to make him appear more approachable. To them, he “seemed more human”.

The more Saitama read, the further down the search list he got until he got to Genos’ official fan page.

“I’m back.”

Saitama slammed the laptop shut with a jolt. “Welcome home.”

Genos walked through the door and sat on the bed. “What are you up to?”

“Just… work.” Saitama could already feel Genos’ suspicious stare behind him.

“You weren’t looking me up, were you?”

Saitama spun around on the chair. “How did you know?”

“So, you were.”

He got him. “Well, it’s because I saw your interview today.”

Genos didn’t expect that answer, and he looked down at his lap with a hesitant expression. “What did you think? I’m not very good at those things.”

“I think it was great. Your words mean a lot to many people—me, included.”

Saitama watched closely as Genos’ brows relaxed, and a small smile formed on his face. It was so subtle that anyone else would have missed it. 

“Well, you don’t have to get too caught up with what you see online. Unlike you, none of those people know the real me.”

Saitama considered those words carefully, and they further reinforced the newfound responsibility he held himself to in his and Genos’ relationship. He absentmindedly ran his fingers along the desk’s surface and noted the difference in texture from the burn mark. “I’m sorry about your notebooks.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“But they were important to you. You wrote in them all the time, and, I mean… didn’t you say that…”

Genos tilted his head to the side at Saitama’s pause. 

“Didn’t you say that they contained your heart?” He looked to Genos inquiringly, but the latter simply blinked. 

“They did. But why would I need them now that I have you?”

Saitama turned away and covered his mouth with his hands. “It’s been years and he still doesn’t feel embarrassed saying things like that?”

“Why would I feel embarrassed? Are you saying you feel that way?” Of course Genos could make out his mumbling. 

“I-I wouldn’t say embarrassed…”

“Then, let me ask it in a different way.” He could hear Genos shift to walk up behind him. “Do you dislike what I said?”

“I don’t!” Saitama looked up to see his cool and collected face just above him. “I… uh… I like it.”

Another of those subtle smiles appeared on Genos before he leaned down to place a kiss on his forehead. “I know.”

Genos stood back up and turned for the door only to hear Saitama’s flustered voice behind him a moment later.

“You were just messing with me right now, huh?”

When he was alone in the room again, Saitama took out his phone. There was one last thing on his to-do list, and he dialed a number from memory that he hadn’t called in years.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Bang. It’s been a long time.”

Chapter Text

“Oh, so then we have to go through the financial department first?”

Saitama lowered the mouthpiece of his headset. “Yeah, and after approval then you can take the issue to planning.”

Several nods of comprehension shown on his laptop screen at that. “Okay, Boss, then I’ll send the info there and let you know the result.”

“I’m not the boss anymore, Takeda. You’re the new manager now.”

“Yeah, but still,” replied Takeda. “All the help you’ve given us over the past months has really kept us afloat especially after the invasion.”

“It’s still so hard to believe you’re not part of the company anymore!” Another employee chimed in.

Suddenly, the rest began to unmute their mics. “But, we were so relieved to hear you were okay!”

“Haha… thanks you guys.” I guess this means the meeting is over, huh?

Over the inquisitive voices of his former employees, Saitama heard the door slide open. Genos walked in after another long day at the Association, and Saitama tilted his head in greeting from where he sat on the bed. 

Genos realized he had walked in on another one of Saitama’s consults and he quietly sat down at the workbench that he kept his tools at. Curiously, Saitama tried to peer over Genos’ shoulder to see what he was up to, but he was dragged back to the sounds of insistent voices. 

“Boss, did you lose connection?”

“Huh?”

“They asked,” said Takeda with a laugh. “...what you were up to now.”

“Yeah, is that your new place?”

“Where are you now?”

“Are you seeing someone?”

Saitama was starting to become overwhelmed with the cacophony of questions. “Uh…”

“I… Who just asked that?” Takeda sighed, facepalming. Still, this opened the door to a new wave of questions, most of which pertained to the secretive personal life of their former boss. 

Thankfully, Takeda took his new role in stride and muted everyone in the conference. “Sorry, Boss. Everyone’s just so excited to finally get the chance to see you.”

“No worries.” Saitama was surprised at the reaction, but he could understand since he had only ever done one-on-one meetings with Takeda from when he started consulting three months ago. “Let’s set up a schedule for next time.”

Once the conference was over, Saitama sighed, leaning back on the pillow he had propped up against the wall. As he took off his headset, he commended himself for another job well done. The meeting was a success with everything on his checklist addressed. Hopefully, the team will be able to make moves on their own from here.

All this time, he failed to notice that Genos had long stopped tinkering with the tools at his desk. Genos stood and walked to him with an unreadable expression, and he sat down next to him on the edge of the bed.

“Are you finished?”

Saitama nodded, and Genos shut the laptop and slid it under the bed. Before he could ask him what was the matter, he felt Genos’ arms wrap around his back to slide him down lower on the pillows. Keeping the embrace, Genos’ mouth pressed against his in an almost desperate fashion. The kiss was deeper than their usual morning greetings, and Saitama noted a hint of tension behind Genos’ actions.

Genos abruptly broke the kiss and proceeded to hide his face against Saitama’s pounding chest while still keeping his arms tight around him. “Sorry,” Genos mumbled. “I didn’t mean to do that.”

“What? Kiss me?”

“No! I always mean to do that!” Genos briefly glanced up at Saitama before burying his face again.

Saitama fought the urge to laugh at this display but knew there was something bothering his boyfriend. “Then, what did you mean?”

Genos stayed silent for a moment before mumbling again. “I overheard your conversation… By the way, you should really lower the volume or you’ll damage your ears.”

Saitama laughed, remembering Genos’ sharp hearing. “I don’t mind that you heard. Is that what’s bothering you?”

Genos gaped at him incredulously. “Did you not hear what they were asking you? They were basically asking you out.”

“What?” Saitama scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Who did that?”

Genos stared back at him with a deadpan before turning his face away, pressing his cheek against his chest. “The fact that you’re so oblivious worries me.”

Saitama took a moment to process the meaning behind Genos’ words. As he absentmindedly caressed the back of Genos’ neck and shoulders, his hands abruptly stopped when he realized something.

“Let me see your face.”

“What? No.” Genos could feel Saitama’s prodding gaze above him and turned his head away even more.

Saitama’s hand slid from his neck to the corner of his jaw to finally rest on his cheek. “Please.” Genos could hear the humor in his voice, but he reluctantly complied.

Saitama cupped Genos’ face in both hands as he gazed upon that furrowed brow, those pursed lips, and those avoidant eyes. “Are you jealous?”

Genos was about to open his mouth in rebuttal when he saw the expectant and delighted expression Saitama wore. He mentally writhed in silence as he plopped his face back down. “…Affirmative.”

Saitama’s rich laughter flooded his ears, and the sound of it was enough to put his heart completely at ease. Afterwards, the two settled in peaceful silence for a while as Genos was lulled by the rise and fall of Saitama’s chest.

He felt Saitama reach out for his hand that he had kept closed into a fist beside him. “What happened to your hand?”

“Monster fight,” Genos stated, opening his left palm. “The frame around the barrel got damaged when I took a hit.”

Saitama sat up, forcing Genos to reluctantly sit up, too. “Genos, we have to take care of this,” he said sternly, analyzing his hand. “Does it hurt?”

Genos blinked at this. He couldn’t remember the last time someone asked him if something hurt. “My pain receptors are different from other people’s, so it’s not like it’s painful.”

“But it feels uncomfortable, doesn’t it?” 

Genos couldn’t deny that something felt off, and Saitama took his silence as acknowledgement. “Come on. Let’s go to a workbench.”

Genos followed Saitama up the stairs to the main lab floor. “I can just wait until the Doctor is available.”

“He just went to bed, actually. His new project is keeping him up ‘til pretty late.”

“I see.” But before Genos could figure out another plan, Saitama was already seated at a workstation and was indicating for him to sit down beside him. “You’re going to fix it?”

“Yup. I can definitely do this much, so I’ll help you out instead,” Saitama beamed at him.

Wordlessly, Genos took his seat and offered his hand as Saitama took it to analyze under magnifying lenses. Genos watched in awe as Saitama reached for tools by feel and got to work. 

Genos looked around at the station they were seated at and saw the particular arrangements of the tools and materials that differed from the Doctor’s. It hit him after a moment. “Saitama, is this your personal workstation?”

“Got that right,” he said without looking up. “In fact, my current project is sitting right in front of you.”

Genos saw a number of inactive cores on the table surface. “What are you doing with cores?”

“I’m helping the Doctor figure out ways to keep your core more stable and sturdy. I’m trying out different materials and welding methods.” Throughout this, Saitama was currently extracting the damaged circular frame of Genos’ palm.

“That’s amazing,” mused Genos. “I knew the Doctor was taking you under his wing, but I didn’t know he gave you such a complicated project.”

“I asked for this one, actually,” Saitama said simply. “I really wanted to know how I could help you in protecting your core.”

Genos covered his own mouth with his free hand to hide his bashful expression. He couldn’t believe how Saitama could say something so touching without realizing the weight of his own words. “Uh… Did you, um… study stuff like this before?”

Saitama replaced the metal ring on Genos’ hand and was now securing it in place. “Not really. I just did a shop class for fun in high school, but I had to drop out.”

“How come?”

Saitama said the next part as if he had recited it many times before. “After my parents died, I needed to make a living as soon as possible. That’s basically it.”

Genos looked at him with both shock and empathy. Saitama had never broached the subject of his past before. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry. They taught me a lot to sustain me. I wish they could have met you though.”

Genos felt a warmth in his chest at those words and felt Saitama’s sentiment. “I wish mine could have met you, too.”

Saitama smiled at that while peering into a magnifying lens. “Almost done.”

“Did you ever want to go back to finish what you were doing? If that’s something you want to do, then I—”

“Nah,” Saitama replied casually. “Learning from the Doctor is more fulfilling in the sense that I know it will all go to helping you. I mean, you guys are basically my family now, so that’s all I need.” He leaned back from his work on Genos’ palm and confirmed that everything was set. “Good to go, Ge—”

But he couldn’t finish speaking as Genos had used his newly repaired hand to turn Saitama’s face toward him and kiss him. This time was light and innocent, in contrast to what they had done earlier. 

“Thank you,” Genos added airily, with a glint in his eyes. “And for fixing me up, too.”

Saitama stared at him with his mouth still open. As if bewitched, he replied, “Uh-huh… anytime.”

Genos lifted his palm and admired Saitama’s handiwork. “This looks as good as the Doctor’s work. You’re really skilled, Saitama.”

“Quit it. You’re embarrassing me.”

“Why don’t we go out for dinner tonight? I need to pay you back for this repair, after all.”

Remembering Genos’ predicament about food intake, Saitama had always tried not to make a show about eating. “You never have to pay me back,” Saitama laughed. “And, it’s alright. There’s some leftovers in the fridge.”

Genos looked at him with determination and refused to relent. “Then allow me to rephrase. Before anyone else asks you out, allow me to do so first.”

Saitama almost fell off his seat. 

“I take that as a ‘yes’?” Genos smirked. 

“It’s a ‘yes’,” he replied immediately. 

“Then, I’ll pick you up in thirty minutes. See you outside.”

Saitama waited for Genos to walk away out of sight before fanning himself off with a piece of scrap metal.

Saitama sat across from Genos in a semi-crowded hot pot restaurant. Although it was summer, he could no longer fight the craving, so Genos promptly found one of best hot pot joints all the way in Y-City.  

“It looks like your consulting is going well,” Genos said as he dropped the rest of his cabbage into the broth. Although Genos could not eat, a place where you cook your own food gave off the appearance that he could. 

“Yeah, it is,” Saitama watched Genos’ meticulous cooking with amusement, knowing that he was beside himself with joy in providing Saitama with a continuous stream of food. “It’s finally picking up pace.” 

“Hopefully, you won’t have to stare at a computer screen for too long now that your finals are done, too.”

Saitama blinked at that. In addition to consulting, he had been taking online classes in anatomy and physiology to aid in the Doctor’s work, but he couldn’t remember telling that to Genos directly. “How did you know?”

“It’s not like you to fall asleep with a textbook in your hands. I figured it out.” Genos chuckled to himself at the memory of walking in on Saitama hugging a neuroscience book like a body pillow. “And your training? How is that going.”

As if his life couldn’t be busier, Saitama was thankful that his frequent visits to Bang’s dojo gave him a good reason to get out of the lab. “That’s going fine. Bang has really helped me clear my head.”

“I’m happy for you, Saitama.” Saitama looked in awe at the rare, beaming smile Genos gave him. When had Genos learned to make faces like that? Maybe he had always known; it was just that Saitama was finally paying attention.

“How’s life at the Association? You’re spending a lot of days there now.”

Genos was reminded of his long hours on site as per the Association's request, much to his dismay. “They’re still doing their investigation on the invasion, and since I was the only one who got up close and personal, I’m their primary witness.”

“Yeesh. That must suck.”

“It does,” he replied, leaning back on his chair. “But at least I can come home to you and the Doctor at the end of the day.”

They had long been done with dinner, and a moment of silence passed before Genos opened his mouth. “Want to head home?”

Saitama perked up. “You read my mind.”

“If we leave now, we can make it in time for our show.”

“Haha, don’t think too hard. We can just DVR it.”

“But, it’s more fun when we watch it live.” Saitama could see the slightest pout on Genos’ face as he said that.

They paid and headed for the door when a shy voice called to Genos. “Um, excuse me, Demon Cyborg…” They were two young girls who were clutching pieces of blank paper. “We were wondering if you had time to sign this?”

Genos turned to Saitama as if silently asking him what he should do, to his own surprise. But Saitama knew that Genos needed to work on this aspect of hero life. “They’ve been waiting. You gotta take care of your fans, Genos.”

Genos simply nodded. “I’ll see you outside.”

Saitama waited half a block away from the entrance of the restaurant. In the four months since he’s been living at the lab, he had actually experienced more of a social life than when he lived alone in Z-City. Genos always managed to find time to spend with him, but whenever they went out in public, he always had to remind himself that Genos was technically a celebrity. He wondered how Genos felt about having to switch back and forth between public and private life.

Saitama snapped out of his reverie when he realized he bumped into someone. “Oh, sorry.”

“Forget about it.”

He heard Genos come up from behind him. “Saitama, did you wait long? Sorry.”

“It’s fine. Let’s go.”

“Did you just say ‘Saitama’?”

Saitama turned around to see that the person he had run into was someone he hadn’t seen in years. “Oh! It’s Shadow!”

“It’s Speed-o’-Sound, Sonic!” The master ninja still looked more-or-less the same, but his modern style of clothing helped him blend in with the crowd.

Genos stepped in between them, not bothering to hide his death glare. “Back off.”

Sonic ignored him and stepped to the side to meet Saitama’s gaze again with crazed elation. “So you’ve been alive all this time, huh? Do you know how agonizing it’s been thinking I could never get my revenge on you?”

As Sonic stepped forward, Genos held him back with one hand on his chest. Finally, Sonic shot him a look and leaned in threateningly to speak in a taunting voice only he could hear. “And you’ve known all this time, too. Have you been hiding him to yourself or something?”

With a spark in his eyes, Genos activated his palm cannons ready to blast a hole through Sonic’s chest. But, a hand on his shoulder caused him to look back.

“Genos, stop.” Saitama kept his voice even despite the heated tension in front of him. “Look, Sha—Sonic, I don’t really do that anymore.”

Sonic raised an eyebrow at that before breaking into a cackle that caused passersby to pause and look. However, Saitama’s solemn expression withstood, and the grin that stretched from ear to ear slowly melted into a scowl. “No… You’re lying.” 

It took only a few seconds, but Sonic scanned Saitama from head to toe. Despite his different appearance, the monstrous aura he exuded was still ever present as told by Sonic’s roaring instincts.

“You’re holding something back.” Sonic said this as if in a trance, and Saitama shifted uncomfortably under his gaze that he felt could see right through him. 

It happened in a flash, but one second he felt Sonic’s grip around his collar, and the next he was being thrown in midair toward the middle of the street.

“Saitama!” Genos called. Not even his sensors could have predicted the lightning fast movements, but he stared in awe as Saitama managed to do a backwards somersault and effortlessly land on his feet. 

Sonic sauntered closer with an aura effectively halting the traffic around them. He caught Saitama’s careful gaze on him, and saw his peculiar fighting stance.

“Oh-hoh! Did someone get a teacher? Never expected that from you,” he taunted.

Genos stood bewildered at the sight of Saitama. He hadn’t expected him to take after Bang so much. Was he actually able to hold his own against Sonic? But Genos wasn’t able to focus on that for long when the crowd around him began to buzz.

“What’s going on? Are those two guys fighting?”

“Look, Demon Cyborg is here! Maybe he’s gonna stop them.”

“Let’s go, Saitama! It’s been so long!” Sonic was beside himself with unbridled joy. He reached for his well-sharpened katana that he had hidden under his long jacket. 

Saitama heard the commotion from the crowd around him. “Not here,” he said firmly. 

Sonic watched as Saitama reached for a nearby fire escape to climb to the roof of a building. “You’re not running away, are you?” He called to him, but the sudden increase in speed of Saitama’s ascent filled him with excitement and led him to chase after.

Genos watched awestruck as Saitama nimbly and quickly climbed to the roof. He saw Sonic follow soon after as the ninja bounded between the walls of the alleyway, and the pair disappeared from sight.

As he ran and leapt across rooftops, Saitama managed to dodge Sonic’s jabs from his katana. All that training with Bang had really maintained his reflexes and reaction time. He didn’t think he would have to rely on his martial arts so soon.

“Don’t be such a coward! Fight me!” Sonic leapt over him and used rapid kicks to drive him into a corner. “Finally, we can continue where we left off.”

Saitama ducked, narrowly missing a horizontal sword slash across his head. “Dude, you need a hobby…” He leapt up to dropkick above Sonic’s head. “...Other than interrupting other people’s dates!”

Sonic grabbed his ankle and the two fell off the side of the building, crashing onto a vendor stand below. Irritated, Sonic quickly recovered and glared at Saitama, who was still disoriented. “Come on! Come on! Where’s that strength of yours?”

“I told you. I don’t fight like that anymore.”

“You may not see it, but I do. It’s different, but you still have that power.” Sonic stared wide-eyed through Saitama again, sensing that aura exuding from him but stronger now. Saitama, on the other hand, froze at Sonic’s words.

“Well, if you’re not gonna show it, then I guess I’ll have to force it out of you!” Sonic dove for Saitama with his sword pointed, but he hesitated when that aura suddenly became so overbearing it was like a literal weight on him. “Oi…”

Just then, Saitama heard the sound of a familiar blast and looked up to see Genos helping him up. “Are you okay?” 

Saitama had kept his sight on Sonic’s still form on the ground as the local police began to swarm the scene. “Is he…?”

“He’s just stunned.” Genos saw the crowd growing more curious around them, and he reached behind Saitama to put his hood up. Looking at him up-and-down, he saw Saitama had his fist clenched at his side. He reached for it to inspect for injury, but the latter pulled back and dug his hands in his pockets.

“I’m fine, Genos. Let’s go home.”

Saitama turned and picked up his pace, causing Genos to trail after him. Looking at Saitama’s back like that reminded him of his mistakes from the past—and Genos told himself he would not resign himself to silence in times like these. He reached for his arm, effectively halting him in place. “Saitama, tell me what’s wrong.”

Genos kept his gaze firm on the back of his head, letting Saitama make the next move. After a moment, he turned and silently beckoned Genos to follow him to a nearby alley. Saitama faced towards a wall and Genos stood a few steps behind him.

“I don’t know what he meant when he said I have that power.” Saitama spoke with a quiet voice as he remembered the life he lived and the choices he made to get to where he was now. Ever since he got One Punch, he sacrificed more than he bargained for and ended up hurting the people he cared about.

“Genos, I don’t want to lose control of my life again. I don’t want to feel empty again.” Just when he had begun to make peace with not having his powers anymore, he was told it was still within him. It was like a curse waiting to be set free. Suddenly, Saitama felt sturdy, yet comforting, arms wrap around him from behind.

“Whatever happens, I will always be at your side.” Genos listened carefully to Saitama’s words and heard the familiar anxiety that strung them together. But they were stronger now that they had each other, and he would do everything in his power to keep it that way. He held him tighter and leaned in close to his ear, speaking more firmly. “You will never lose me.”

Chapter Text

Genos sat at the head of the long table in the central meeting room of the Hero Association. It was near the end of one of the required monthly meetings for all S-Class heroes, but Genos knew that his day here was far from over. Lightly tapping his finger on the surface, he stared stoically at the presentation at the far end. 

“And on my last note,” said the host administrator. “I want to highlight a growing wave of monster appearances—not just in this nation, but around the globe.” The graphic showed a rotating Earth with several congregations of lit areas scattered throughout. “We don’t know the cause for this change, but the rate of Mysterious Beings appearing has been higher than ever before.”

Genos stopped his tapping, and he frowned at how correlative this new information was with the Doctor’s research. 

“You ready, Doctor?”

“Yes, finally,” Kuseno laughed as he entered the lab’s main elevator with Saitama, the latter of which looked amusingly at the Doctor’s get-up. Rather than his lab coat, Saitama saw him don a tweed suit and tie, much like how someone would dress to a parent-teacher conference. 

They stepped out to the noonday sun from the camouflaged doors and stood in silence for a moment as the only thing Saitama could see were an endless array of fir trees. 

“Uh, Doctor,” he began. “Do you have a car? How are we gonna get there?”

Kuseno laughed. “Oh my boy, I never drive myself. I’ve already reserved a car to take us.”

Saitama stared with half-lidded eyes at Kuseno’s back as he walked in the direction of the highway. So that’s where Genos gets his bougie sense of taste from…

Saitama took Kuseno to an outdoor udon bar in Y-City, as the Doctor simply asked him to take him to his favorite kind of restaurant. Although it wasn’t really a restaurant, Saitama was glad that Kuseno enjoyed it. It was true that Saitama now had enough savings to enjoy high-end cuisine, but nothing brought joy like mom-and-pop shops that specialized in comfort food. 

“Saitama,” Kuseno said, after they had finished. “It’s been more than half a year since you came to live with us, but it feels like you’ve been part of this family for much longer. You’ve already done so much for Genos—and me. Still, I hope this won’t come across as a burden to you.”

Saitama turned to him, not expecting this serious conversation, but he supposed he should have seen it coming when Kuseno scheduled this outing last week. 

“Genos truly does act like his real self when he is with you. He becomes more human than the sum of his parts, and he has retained his human heart—for which, I am grateful for.”

Kuseno reached out to put a hand on his shoulder. “My meaning here is that I hope you can continue to care for him. I entrust my son to you.”

“I’ll always have his best interests. I promise.” Regardless of the worries he kept in the back of his mind, Saitama knew that he would hold true to his word, no matter the cost. 

“I know you do. Thank you.” 

Later, the Doctor’s car arrived to take him back to the lab. “I’ll see you both later tonight. I’ll have everything prepared.”

“Alright,” Saitama said with a hint of anxiousness.

“You’re going to do just fine,” Kuseno replied. “He’ll be in your capable hands.”

After Saitama saw the Doctor off, he waited at the bus stop to head over to Bang’s. Although Kuseno had offered to call a car for him to get there, Saitama couldn’t imagine bringing a fancy sedan to Bang’s zen dojo. It was then that he heard his phone ring in his pocket. 

“Hey.”

“Hey. What are you doing right now?”

“I’m on my way to the dojo. Just had lunch with dad in Y-City.”

“He went out? That’s surprising.” Genos said, as if to himself. “Well, I can pick you up from Bang’s in the evening.”

“Yeah, ok.”

Genos could hear Saitama’s stifled tone. “Are you nervous about tonight?”

“I don’t think you’d want me to be nervous,” he laughed awkwardly. 

“It’s okay if you are. The Doctor will help you every step of the way.”

“Mmhmm…” Saitama wanted to get his mind off the later events of today. “What are you up to right now? Shouldn’t they be done grilling you about the invasion?”

“It’s at the tail-end. Now, they’re researching things outside of my expertise, so the Doctor may get involved.” After a pause, Genos continued. “And, speaking of which… You haven’t noticed any Mysterious Beings around lately, have you?”

“Not more than usual,” Saitama shrugged. 

“Okay… just stay alert.”

Genos was always one to caution others before worrying about himself, much to Saitama’s dismay. “Did something happen at the Association?”

“They’ve been noticing an increased appearance of monsters lately. I’m thinking it’s somehow related to what the Doctor told us about Red Mana.”

“Oh, right…” Saitama failed to hide the concern in his voice; it was just another thing that he had to deal with sooner or later. 

“I didn’t want to worry you, but it’s probably more useful if you know this.”

“It’s good you told me. I don’t want you to worry about this by yourself either.”

There was a short silence on the other line as Genos grew bashful at Saitama’s words. “Yeah…”

“Well, the bus is here, so I’ll hang up now.”

“Saitama, I—”

“Hm?”

Saitama was about to board the bus, when Genos spoke to him with complete directness. “I miss you.”

“Eh—! U-Um…” Saitama stumbled back onto the sidewalk. He couldn’t believe Genos could just serve that so effortlessly, but he knew he was waiting on the other line. “… I miss you, too.”

The bus driver was giving him a look, so he quickly boarded. “Okay, gotta go. Bye!” He swore he heard laughter before hanging up.

Bang swiftly side-stepped and dipped to avoid the consecutive blows aiming for his head. With one final charge-up, Saitama delivered a punch at an angle that would make it more difficult to avoid. Still, Bang had gotten used to Saitama’s plan of attack and gracefully somersaulted back at a distance.

Holding his hands behind his back, Bang nodded at the bout. “Very good. Then, shall we call it a day?”

Saitama nodded with exhaustion, and Bang watched as he crouched over to catch his breath. “You’ve worked very hard these past few months. I’m curious… Is there a reason why?”

“I just want to have better control over my…” Saitama’s gaze lingered on his fist as he said this. “Uh, of my form.”

Suddenly, the door slid open and Bang’s disciple entered, looking tense. “Oh Charanko, done with errands already?”

“No, Master. It’s that cyborg,” he spat. He then looked over to Saitama. “He’s calling for you.”

“…He said something to you, didn’t he?”

“He said, and I quote, ‘Go run up the steps like a dog and fetch him for me.’”

“Oh.”

“Charanko, I’ve told you before to be nice to him.”

“Master, with all due respect, I barely said anything to him.”

Saitama gathered his things and turned to Bang. “Well, I’m gonna head out. Thanks again.”

“See you again soon.”

Saitama reached the end of the stone steps and saw Genos sitting astride his motorcycle, staring off into space.

“Hey,” he called, to which Genos’ eyes lit up. 

“How was training?”

“Eh, same old,” Saitama replied, strapping on his helmet. “You sure made Charanko mad.”

“Ugh.” Genos rarely issued vocalizations of disgust, but when he did, Saitama couldn’t help but find it hilarious. “That’s what he gets for yapping the moment he sees me.”

“Ah…” He said, hiding behind a smirk. 

They made the long drive back to the lab, and Saitama appreciated the desolate, yet peaceful, streets and highways. Usually, training would have been earlier in the day so he would have taken public transportation back home, but due to his lunch with the Doctor, training had to be pushed until later. 

It was evening when they reached the forest, and after parking the bike, they trekked through the trees to the entrance. Saitama grew quiet with only the sounds of crickets and the occasional twig crunching to fill the silence. The only lights were the full moon above them and the glow between Genos’ panels. The longer he stared at his back, the more he realized that all those lights from Genos were powered by a complex series of mechanics, all of which required the utmost accuracy to function. 

“I can hear your heartbeat from here. Are you still nervous?” Genos’ eyes shone against the shadow of the moonlight. 

Genos had stopped and turned to him, and Saitama eventually opened up. “How can you have complete faith in me?” 

“I’ve always had complete faith in you.”

Genos’ certain and immediate responses always caught him off guard. “But why?”

Saitama’s worried gaze was pierced by Genos’ imploring one. But the latter reached out to gently lift his chin in comfort. “I’ll tell you later… after it’s all done.”

Genos lowered his hand and offered it palm-up. Saitama looked from his relaxed hand to the gentle expression on his face; he envisioned that Genos would stay in this position until he reciprocated, for however long it took. Genos had always been very patient with him. Saitama put his hand in his, and together, they found their way.

In the lab, everything was prepared as the Doctor had said. All the overhead light fixtures were centered on the main lab table like a stage waiting for its performers. All the necessary machines and tools were on standby, including the main attraction: the new core that Saitama had designed. 

As if to not make a big show about it, Genos simply removed his shirt and got onto the table. Saitama was already geared up, and the Doctor had taken his position nearby in assistance. This was to be Saitama’s first lead procedure on Genos.

Kuseno reminded him once again that this was just a simple procedure to replace the core with the upgraded one, nothing more. But the more Saitama thought about it, the more he realized how delicate the task really was. Sure they tested his new design countless times on the lab floor, but would it really sustain Genos? And what if the procedure itself didn’t go well? What would he do if—?

“I’ll see you when I wake up.”

Saitama snapped out of his thoughts, and he looked down to meet Genos’ serene gaze. He said it with such certainty that Saitama could feel himself relax a bit. He only nodded back in silence, and he reached over to open the panels that protected Genos’ core. He removed the core with the same routine he had practiced for months. Genos did his part and closed his eyes while shutting down his system’s power to focus only on vitals.

Kuseno only said brief words of guidance, but they were more for reassurance rather than instruction. He had the new core in his hand ready for Saitama, and he nodded to him to indicate it was the time to disconnect the old core.

Saitama felt the heat of the main cable that he grasped, and he glanced at Genos, knowing that he was still fully aware despite appearing asleep. This was it. With another well-practiced routine, he severed the old core and the cable. But he didn’t expect the sound afterwards.

As if there were a massive drain of energy, Saitama froze at the sinking sound that filled his ears. His eyes darted to Genos’ closed eyes and he knew he wouldn’t be able to open them. The lights between each panel had gone dark, and he panicked that he had done the unthinkable. All of a sudden, past memories and regrets began to infiltrate from a shut off corner of his mind. Things that he had never been able to do, things that he had never been able to say—and now it was too late once again.

In the second that lasted for eternity, Saitama fell back to the present when Kuseno replaced the dimming core in his hand with the new revitalized one. And with just muscle memory, Saitama proceeded to connect the new core leading to a surge of power flowing through Genos’ systems. The lights from his body glowed brighter than before, and Genos opened his eyes with the same assured expression that he had before closing them.

Genos sat at his study desk with his charging platform holding his core. The new and beautiful core that Saitama had designed was more efficient in generating power, and he felt a kind of weightlessness in his body from its effects.

He could feel a pair of steady eyes on his back, and he looked over his shoulder to see Saitama peeking at him from under the covers. “Sorry. I must be disturbing your sleep.” 

“You’re not.” There was a beat of silence, but Saitama continued. “I just want to look at you.”

Genos blinked at that and automatically turned to the core. It was done charging, and he picked it up and walked to sit on the edge of the bed, handing it to him. “The new core is working perfectly.”

“That’s not why I’m looking at you,” Saitama chuckled, as he gazed at the glowing orb in his hand. “Although I am glad to hear that.” 

Genos grew somewhat flustered at his meaning. Saitama had scooted back against the wall signaling for him to lie down as well. They lay down facing each other as the light of the core illuminated their faces in the dim room. To Genos, Saitama appeared deep in thought as he focused on the intricate device he had designed. He still looked concerned despite the procedure being a success. He wanted to deliver words of reassurance, but he didn’t know for which purpose. Was Saitama worried about the core? Maybe it was the Red Mana that they still had to figure out. In truth, his life had changed so dramatically over the past year that it was hard to pinpoint just one thing, but even still—

“I’ll protect you.” 

Genos was surprised that he was not the one to say those words first. “Genos,” Saitama continued. “I will take care of you in whatever way I can.”

“Saitama… I—” Unsure of where this was coming from, Genos reached for Saitama’s wrist. “You’re trembling.”

Saitama bit down on his lip and spoke in a quieter tone. He hugged Genos’ core against his chest, almost curling himself around it. “I still dream about that day… of almost losing you.” 

The invasion. He, too, was still haunted by that day. “Why didn’t you tell me that before?”

“I want you to rely on me.”

Genos reached for his face to coax him to look at him. “I already do. More than anyone. I don’t want you to be suffering alone.”

Saitama’s gaze faltered, and he looked away again. “I’m not used to sharing my problems.” 

Genos felt like something had broken within him despite being in top condition. He watched silently as Saitama placed the core back in his chest cavity and closed the panels. Saitama kept his hands against his chest and sighed. “But, there’s no one else I’d rather talk about them to than you. 

“I… love you, Genos.”

The dim light from the charging platform cast a glow in the room, and Genos was still able to make out the growing blush on Saitama’s face. He reached over to touch his cheek to which the latter looked up to meet Genos’ gaze—one that Saitama could only describe as overflowing with affection.

Genos’ fingers traced his cheekbone while his thumb followed the contour of his lips. He wanted to remember every detail of this moment, so it would remain as vivid to him in the future as it was right now.

He leaned in closer, and Saitama moved to meet him in the middle. This kiss felt new as well as different from previous times. It was slow and careful as if neither wanted to miss out on a single electrifying sensation. Genos pressed more firmly, and Saitama accommodated by matching his breathing with Genos’ movements. They only parted briefly every now and then to allow Saitama to catch his breath before coming together again with renewed passion to explore one another. 

Genos held his body close against him, feeling Saitama’s hold on his neck. They had melded together at this point and their motions matched the other’s synchronously. Genos conveyed what he had left unsaid through his actions for he knew that at that moment, they were alike in mind. 

A realization had come to him, one that filled Genos with a contentment he never knew he’d know: He was not alone in thought or feeling. He was no longer alone.  

Chapter Text

Two months later…

Saitama woke with a start for the umpteenth time that month. It had become so often that he expected it to happen at least once a night now.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Yeah,” he groaned, turning over to Genos. “What time is it?”

Genos checked the time on his visual display. “2:38. Is something wrong?” He watched as Saitama got up to sit at the foot of the bed.

“No, it’s… nothing.” He sighed into his hands and then stood up. “I just need some air. I’ll be right back.”

Genos wanted to tell him it was already November and that the cold air was freezing at this time of night, but something about the way he spoke made him feel that Saitama would go out regardless.

He got up, too, and went to the closet to get his warmest vest. “Do you want me to go with you?” Genos asked, while draping it over Saitama’s shoulders.

“No, don’t worry. I’ll take my phone.” He gave a small smile of gratitude and turned for the door.

“Okay.” Genos watched him leave, feeling a sense of powerlessness at the wall Saitama had begun to build up over the past weeks.

Later that noon, Genos saw Saitama packing things into a gym bag. “Are you going to see Bang?”

Saitama jumped at that, not noticing someone coming up behind him. “Yeah… I thought you were going to be at the Association today.”

“Just in the morning. I told you yesterday. Remember?” Genos was watching him intently now, as Saitama still avoided making eye contact.

“Oh… right. Sorry.”

Genos saw the bags under his eyes; it was no surprise he had forgotten. “Do you want a ride there?”

“No, I’ll be alright. Thanks.” Saitama slung on his bag and started to walk toward the exit.

“What about…” Genos tried to interrupt. “…a ride back? You’ve been coming home more tired lately.”

“I’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”

“Saitama—”

“Genos, I’ll be okay,” he replied, throwing a small smile over his shoulder. “Take care of what you need to take care of. I can handle this.”

“Saitama, about that topic you brought up before…” Bang stood composed on the outdoor grounds of the dojo as he watched over his student who lay on the ground face-up, catching his breath. “Perhaps, it is the time to tell them.”

Saitama slowly opened his eyes, blinking through the sweat that had run down his face. “Do you think I’m ready?”

“I expect it’ll take more training, but I believe letting Doctor Kuseno and Genos know will help relieve you of stress. I can tell from your stamina that you haven’t been sleeping well, have you?”

Saitama rolled himself over on his side, facing away. “It’s gotten worse lately.”

“Since that incident last month… the one with Genos?” He could hear Bang casually walking closer to him.

“Yeah…” He sat up but continued to look at the ground. “I’m just worried about dropping something new on them when they’re still dealing with bigger things.”

Bang reached down and put a hand on his shoulder. “They’re also worried about you as well. As am I. My concern is that you’ll overdo your body and mind if you keep this within yourself.” 

Saitama stared at the wall just in front of him as he rested in bed. He felt like he was frozen in this position for a couple hours now so it must have been past midnight.

He kept telling himself to do what he needed to do when he got home, but ruminating the issue over and over again only left him stuck in this situation. 

“Genos…”

Genos lay behind him with his arm draped over. His hand covered Saitama’s as his thumb went back and forth caressing the back of his hand every now and then.

“Mm,” he hummed with his eyes still closed.

“What do you think of me going back to hero work?”

Genos’ thumb stopped moving, and his eyes snapped open. “What?”

“You know? Like getting my license again.”

Saitama started to grow unsettled with the prolonged silence after that. He was about to turn over, but Genos had abruptly moved away to sit on the edge of the bed, facing away from him.

“Is that why you’ve been working so hard with Bang?”

Saitama moved to sit beside him, but he had trouble seeing Genos’ face as the latter looked to the floor. “I didn’t consider going back to hero work when I started training. I can hold my own, and I think I’ve gotten pretty far, too. But, I wanted to tell you—”

Genos suddenly turned to him, his voice now beginning to escalate. “Have you been activating the Red Mana over and over again?”

Saitama blinked at this. It had never really occurred to him if he was really putting himself in danger from training. “It… doesn’t feel like anything bad is going to happen though.”

“But going back to hero work, you’ll…” His voice exuded an ounce of pleading, but Genos stopped himself and buried his face in his hands. “I…”

“Genos…?”

“Tell me,” he said steadily. “Do you have the same overwhelming strength as before?”

“I don’t. But, what I do have, I’ve been learning to control.”

“What makes you think that’ll be enough?”

In truth, he didn’t. “I want you to rely on me. You push yourself too hard.”

Genos was looking at him now with hints of anger on his face. “Because I can take it. Even if I get cut in half I can still come back.”

“That’s what worries me,” Saitama argued in response. “That someday you won’t know your limits and can’t.”

A realization hit Saitama as Genos’ current and past behavior started to make sense. “Are you worried that I won’t come back?”

Saitama wished he had held his tongue at that point because Genos stared at him with the utmost dread on his face. Genos’ shaking gaze slowly turned away from him to the far wall, not really focusing on anything.

“I… need to go.”

“Genos, wait!” As Genos stood and quickly walked to the door, Saitama trailed after him and just barely got a grasp on his arm as the former was already halfway out the doorway. “Talk to me.”

Saitama felt tension in his arm like Genos was trying to pull away, but he relaxed slightly and spoke in a choked whisper. “I still see it. You, dying in front of me. I will never forget you bleeding out beside me while I just watched. I told you before if anything were to happen to you… how could I live after that?”

Genos had looked back at him at that last part, shamelessly displaying the anguish on his face. Had Genos still had the ability to cry, there no doubt would have been streaks of oil streaming from his eyes. Saitama knew this, and he had lost all strength in his hand to hold him back. Genos pulled away his arm and walked off, as the door slid shut between them.

Genos didn’t return that night. Saitama sat at the small dining table across from Kuseno as they quietly ate breakfast. If Saitama thought today would be any different than the past few weeks then he was brutally corrected. He had actually felt less energetic and less focused than before.

“I’m leaving.”

“Alright. Goodbye, son,” Kuseno said from behind his tablet. 

“Ah—” Saitama was about to turn from his seat at the sound of Genos’ voice, but he found that Genos was refusing to make eye-contact with him as he lingered at the edge of the doorway.

“Call me… if you need anything,” he said before quickly walking out of sight. 

Saitama stared at the empty space but turned back toward the table and slumped his elbow against it. He noticed a curious pair of eyes in his direction. “What’s wrong?”

“You tell me,” Kuseno said with an eyebrow raised. “Honestly, that was more awkward to watch than your usual greetings to each other.”

Genos leaned against the balcony railing of one of the many floors of the Hero Association Headquarters. A week had passed since the conversation with Saitama, and they had barely said a word to each other. In fact, they had only seen each other in passing as of late since Genos never needed to eat and he had avoided his bedroom altogether. 

“Oh, hey Genos.”

“King…”

King joined Genos on the balcony and leaned his back against it. “Haven’t seen you around in a while. Guess you’ve been busy.” 

It’s true. Genos had practically thrown himself into his work though he knew it was immature of him. On top of that, the work he was assigned to do was something that renewed the memories he was still trying to cope with. “I suppose you know about the Association continuing their research on the invasion.”

“Yeah, I also heard they’re contacting Doctor Kuseno about it now.” There was a moment of silence, and King spoke in a voice only Genos could hear. “So then, I guess that would mean he’ll be dragged into it somehow.”

He immediately noticed Genos’ shift in mood and attempted to recant his words. “Oh, ah… I mean I’m sure the Doctor can find a way to keep that confidential.”

“Do you think it would be good for him to be brought back into all this?” Genos asked, still staring out at the scenery. 

King blinked at the directness of Genos’ question. He never would have expected the world’s top hero to ask for his input. “I don’t know. I guess it depends on how he feels about it all. I mean, if you’re worried, it’s not like he’ll be going through it all alone with you next to him. After all, they’ll probably just ask him questions.”

Genos realized that he and King were talking about different things at this point, but if he and Saitama weren’t speaking much as of late, maybe he was still reaching out to others. “Have you spoken to him lately?”

“Not so much anymore. He’s been pretty busy the last couple months with whatever he’s been up to. But, I’m sure you know all about that.”

Genos frowned slightly at this. Rather than having the answers, he had more questions than before. 

Genos leaned forward on the handlebars of his motorcycle as he watched the sun set over the horizon. The waves of the ocean were beginning to blend with shadows, and soon enough, even the shoreline would be unseen. The ruined ship still stood at the center of his view, but not exactly as it was before. He had noticed, slowly but surely, that the wreckage had begun to sink lower and break apart under the harsh waves. Whether this symbolized that what happened in the past would eventually become a distant memory for some, it didn’t matter to Genos. He would always remember what had happened and the ensuing hell that followed. As he revved the engine, he told himself that that would never happen again.

When Genos returned to the lab that night, he found Saitama alone at a workbench. Even from afar, he could see the unfocused look on his face. He was shearing apart sheets of metal, but when he reached for the next one without looking, he had nicked his hand on the sharp corner. For a split second, Genos stood in surprise that Saitama would make such a careless mistake; but what bothered him more was the fact that he had yet to react to the blood dripping onto the table.

Genos rushed up next to him and reached for his hand. “You hurt yourself.”

Saitama looked from him to the gash in his right palm, now realizing the pain. “Oh…”

Genos reached for one of the nearby first-aid kits, and tended to the wound with expertise. “Does it hurt a lot?”

Saitama shook his head and admired the neatness of the bandage that Genos wrapped his hand with. “Thanks.”

Even though he was done, Genos still cradled Saitama’s hand in his; but eventually, he carefully let it go. “Are you really serious about doing hero work?”

“Huh?” The question came out of the blue for Saitama. He had thought Genos wanted to bury what he had attempted to bring up to him a week before. “No… I’ve been thinking a lot about it. I didn’t know what I was saying. I have a lot on my plate already with the lab and consulting. That was… just a stupid idea.”

“You don’t have to lie to me.”

Saitama stared incredulously at Genos, who returned with a piercing gaze. “I’m not lying.”

“I can tell when you are,” he replied, sounding more stern. Still, Saitama had broken eye-contact, seemingly at a loss for words. 

Fine. If he didn’t want to admit to the truth, then there were other ways to get to it. And then, he’ll have to make peace with the end result.

“If you really want this,” Genos said with solemnity. “...then you’ll have to go through me first.”

“What?” Saitama wasn’t sure he heard that right. 

“Beat me in battle tomorrow, and you can go back to hero work.” 

“Are you joking? Where did this come from?” Saitama chuckled sadly in disbelief, but he knew Genos was being serious. “How am I supposed to beat the strongest hero?”

“The same way you would defeat a demon-level threat if it showed up on your doorstep. If you’re serious about doing this, you’ll have to be prepared for anything.”

Saitama looked down at the floor and spoke quietly. “Do I really have to fight you?”

“Yes.” Genos turned to walk away. “The place where we trained before. Dawn. You can take the bike.”

“No.” At Saitama’s reply, Genos stopped with an ounce of relief. However… “No, I won’t be needing it.”

Genos dropped his shoulders and sent him a forlorn glance. “Are you sure?”

They both knew that question wasn’t about the bike but rather the whole trial ahead of them. Saitama summoned his remaining amount of strength, and regarded him with conviction. “I’ll be there… Genos.”

Chapter Text

The only sound around Genos was the echoing of his steps against the granite and the occasional rocks falling down the side of the quarry walls. The sun had not yet come up and the blue-grey sky overhead cast a calming shadow over the wide, empty field. This was to be their arena. 

As it was in the past, this was the place that Genos had pitted himself against his Sensei to see how his strength measured up to him. And how the tables have turned. Now, years later, Genos had summoned Saitama to see if he could keep up with him. He already knew the answer, but he needed Saitama to accept it as well. 

The sun had broken the horizon and Genos turned when he detected a heat signature coming through the forest to this barren place. Right on time, as promised. 

“Did you run here?” Genos saw the disheveled, baggy tracksuit Saitama donned. Already he looked tired, but that may also be because he hadn’t been getting decent sleep lately.

“Yeah,” Saitama breathed out. He watched Genos from a distance as the latter walked to take position opposite of him.

“I’m not going easy on you.”

“I don’t want you to.”

“The same conditions as before. We fight until one of us loses consciousness. You broke that rule last time, but promise me we’ll go to the end.” Genos took a fighting stance and the light between his panels started to glow a fiery yellow. 

Saitama contemplated this for a moment but he, too, got into stance. “I… I promise.”

The light had steadily begun to get into view, and Saitama had to wince when the angle of it struck his eyes. However, when he adjusted his line of focus, Genos was no longer standing where he had been.

At once, he felt a sharp tug forward as Genos had yanked him by the collar with one arm. And then as if winding up for a pitch, he threw Saitama like a rag doll back further than where he was standing originally. 

For a split second while he was in midair, Saitama tried to process what just happened. By reflex, he twisted his body to land on two feet as he skid backwards from the force. Genos really meant it when he said to go all out. 

Saitama was still looking at the ground when a large shadow above him blocked out the light. Genos peered down at him with glaring eyes, and he dove for him just in time for Saitama to narrowly dodge Genos’ strike to the ground with his fist. The rock erupted in a burst of gravel and dust that shook the foundation Saitama was on even at a distance away. 

Genos slowly got up from his crouched position as the cloud of dust around him dissipated. He glowered at Saitama. “Stop dodging.”

He launched at him, sending direct hits his way. Saitama put up a defensive front, sparing no wasted effort in expertly blocking Genos’ barrage of punches. This, no doubt, was thanks to Saitama’s consistent training with Bang. Now, he had a structured form of sparring along with the natural fighting instincts he had for years. This, in combination with what he had witnessed from his fight with Sonic from five months before, gave Genos no qualms about being forceful with him.

Genos carefully observed Saitama’s line of sight, noting his avoidance. This was getting nowhere.

He abruptly changed stance and delivered a roundhouse kick to the abdomen that Saitama hardly dodged with his elbow. 

“ Nngh! ” Saitama was thrown to the side, but he quickly got up for Genos’ next assault.

However, Genos remained where he stood, a cold anger overcoming him. “Why do you look away?”

Saitama took a few seconds to catch his breath. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Genos didn’t press the issue, and just when he took a step toward Saitama, the latter spun around to run in the opposite direction. Saitama knew he couldn’t beat Genos with brute force and knew he needed a strategy, but even up to now, he was never good with those. For now, all he could do was evade and run, much to his embarrassment.

Unfortunately, the only direction away from Genos was toward the walls of the quarry. Soon enough, Saitama heard explosions go off over his head. He didn’t have the luxury of looking over his shoulder as broken rock began to cascade over him, but he knew what Genos had done. Saitama ran along the wall knowing any other trajectory would have a dangerous outcome; and he felt the power in his legs intensify, giving him a burst of speed. 

Genos had continued to blast the overhead rocks in a linear pattern, so Saitama was narrowly escaping being engulfed by the spreading landslide. Just as he was through the last tunnel of debris, the dust cleared enough for him to see Genos waiting for him at the end. 

With no time for reprieve, Genos immediately engaged him with more hand-to-hand combat, knowing full-well that Saitama was still getting his coordination back. Yet Saitama’s line of defense felt stronger than before despite the fact that he was still avidly avoiding looking at him, much to Genos’ dismay.

He must have been too lost in thought because there was a breach in his offense, and Saitama took a chance to strike back. It was hard to tell who was more surprised at the fact that Saitama had managed to land a blow squarely on Genos’ jaw. They both froze, and Saitama could hear his heart thumping in his chest.

Oh, shit.

Genos glared down at him from the corner of his eye. At once, he bent down on one knee and put his arms together out in front of him. Saitama recognized this stance, and he watched with panic as a complicated array of guns and missile launchers emerged from the surface of Genos’ arms and shoulders. The difference now was that he was staring down the barrel point-blank.

Just as the firepower glowed from all that weaponry, Saitama contemplated which direction he could run. He never expected he would do this but he turned back towards Genos and dashed. 

Genos unleashed his power, confused as to why Saitama would have ran straight for him. But he felt a weight on his shoulder and looked behind to see Saitama somersault overhead while using him as a launchpad.

Saitama landed on his feet behind Genos and soon made a sprint for it. He looked behind him to see that Genos made no movement and was still crouched on the ground. Without even turning his head, the missiles from his shoulders launched and flew backwards, honing in on Saitama’s position.

Saitama eyed them carefully and timed a twist in midair to avoid the ones aiming directly for him. However, he couldn’t dodge the ones around him, and the blasts discombobulated his hearing and balance to the point that he fell on one knee. The ringing in his ears grew louder as he breathed in the smoke and dust. 

Genos was close behind the missiles and he leapt into the air once again to land a downwards kick onto Saitama’s heat signature through the smoke. But when he made impact, it was with a firm contact against Saitama’s forearm as his other arm braced him against the ground. Genos eased his leg slightly and his visual scans noted Saitama’s slowed heartbeat and even breathing. The air he exuded was different, and before Genos could understand what had happened, Saitama gripped onto his ankle and flung him around across the ground.

Genos tumbled from the force, but he stabbed his fingers into the ground to regain traction. He looked upon Saitama with surprise as he was already standing facing him. His eyes were still closed, but he gave a slow exhale and took a stance identical to Bang’s “Fist of Flowing Water, Crushing Rock”.

There it was—the fruit of his months of training. 

“You finally want to get serious?” Genos called. 

But Saitama made no response other than rushing toward Genos to engage in direct combat once again. This time, however, they were both equally on the offensive. Through the rapid exchange of punches and kicks, Genos noticed Saitama was getting stronger and faster while his fighting style began to take on an art form.

Still, Saitama kept his gaze off-focus to the point where it was painfully obvious he was avoiding eye contact. Genos was steadily reaching the limit of his patience the more they continued. Even after all this, did he still not see him as his opponent?

Through a brief opening in Saitama’s otherwise iron defense, Genos reached across to grab the front of his jacket and pin him against the rock. 

“Look at me!” He growled, but the hostility in his voice quickly melted away and left behind only desperation. “Why won’t you look at me?” 

The whispered pleading of Genos’ words stabbed at Saitama’s heart. He was about to reply when he saw realization dawn on Genos’ face. “Are you… holding back?”

Genos’ bewildered expression was not lost on Saitama, who baffled at his claim. 

“I’m not,” he said decidedly, finally meeting his eyes. Genos knew he wasn’t lying from the seriousness of his gaze. Saitama pushed his hand away and walked around him, refusing to look back. “And I’m not gonna lose, Genos.”

They took stance on opposite sides of the field as if they were starting from zero all over again but with their conviction well-grounded. They ran to each other and met in the middle. It had come to the point where they were equally matched in hand-to-hand combat, but in only that. Had Genos chosen to equip his whole arsenal of weapons and armor like he had at the invasion, he knew no force on Earth could beat him other than the power he had harnessed himself that day. But he could never use that against Saitama; that wasn’t why he was fighting him after all.

He watched Saitama’s expression become more exhausted and strained the longer they fought. He looked as if he was at war with himself in doing this. And if Genos had to be honest, he was as well.

You hate me for this, don’t you? But I have to do this. Because I… I have to make sure you’re safe.

There were times when Saitama managed to break through Genos' defense, but he had ceased delivering blows at him. Was he reaching the limit of his stamina, or was he avoiding something?

Genos needed to end this soon for Saitama’s sake. He jumped back and aimed his arm cannon right at him. Saitama was put into a corner; he could no longer run away to escape and Genos knew this. 

But at the moment Genos began to disengage the cannon, Saitama disappeared with a flash step to appear behind him. Genos looked over his shoulder in alarm at the feeling of déjà vu.

Saitama’s hand was pulled back into a fist, aiming for his head. It was then that Genos felt an overwhelming dread enveloping him, much like the time when they had sparred here years ago when he came face-to-face with the One Punch power. Genos dropped his arms minutely at the impending force; there was nothing he could do now. He had told Saitama to fight until the end so he could go all out, but he never expected or hoped it would turn out this way. Now, despite his confusion and shock, he had no choice but to accept the present.

Keeping his gaze on Saitama’s clenched fist, he saw smudges of red bleed through the loose bandage around his palm. Ah, it opened up again. I should have wrapped that better , Genos thought to himself with a subdued calmness. When I’m gone, who will tighten that for you?

He looked to Saitama’s line of sight, and suddenly, a wave of panic surged within him. Saitama was looking at him directly now—agony and pain written all over his face. And Genos felt himself go weak when he saw those anguished eyes overflowing with tears.

Saitama broke Genos' gaze and focused onto a distant spot over his shoulder. All the power he had harnessed was released safely away from Genos—a feat that required all his focus and stamina.

At once, all the strength in his body left in a flash and he didn’t even have the strength to stand. But Genos had caught him, and they both sank to the ground as Saitama kept his head buried in his chest. 

“You win…” His throat was so dry that each word was painful to express. “But, Genos…”

Genos held him securely against himself and said nothing as he continued. 

“I need to tell you… about my power. It’s… It—”

Saitama slumped against him, and Genos turned him over to see that he had passed out. His fingers grazed the side of his tear-stained face as he cradled him in his arms. The sound of rumbling echoed and Genos turned to look over his shoulder to see the new valley that had been cut into the rock behind him. It was so large that had a town been there, it would have been completely decimated.

“No… I’m the one who lost.”

Chapter Text

Genos and Kuseno stood silently on opposite sides of a high-tech medical table, which was currently hosting an unconscious Saitama. Metal arches slid back and forth over the surface, scanning him for broken bones and other internal injuries while providing real-time stats on his vitals.

Saitama was out of his regular clothes and had been changed into a plain white tank-top and matching pants for the sake of this medical assessment. He almost looked like a lab specimen, and it was now that Genos could really see the amount of weight Saitama had lost.

Genos looked him up and down and saw there were no physical wounds on him despite their sparring. Eventually his eyes fell on the fresh bandage around his right palm that Genos had meticulously wrapped for a second time in the past 24 hours.

Kuseno turned from the computer screen to look down at the table, disgruntled. “I can’t believe you two. To do this to each other… What were you thinking?”

However, Kuseno noted the defeated look in Genos’ eyes as he stood frozen staring at Saitama.

“Nevertheless, he’s fine, Genos,” he sighed. “There’s nothing physically wrong with him. He just needs to rest and recuperate.” 

Kuseno proceeded to remove the IV drip from Saitama’s arm. “Go ahead and take him back to your room. He’ll be more comfortable there.”

Genos lifted Saitama off the table as one would be handling delicate crystal. He held him securely against him, keeping his head tucked against his neck. His pace was light and slow so as to not jar him from his sleep in the slightest. 

When he entered the room that he had actively avoided for the past week, he was surprised to find a number of his vests on the bed. They were bundled together and were half-covered with a blanket opposite the side Saitama slept on.

Genos laid him on the bed, tucking him in carefully. But as he stared from Saitama to the clothes, he was suddenly struck with a memory—that of the time he sobbed into Saitama’s shirts after learning of his condition post-invasion. He imagined, for a moment, Saitama clutching onto his clothes every night in response to his absence. 

This image, along with knowing Saitama’s acute case of insomnia, was enough to make Genos feel like he was running on empty. But as he habitually went to reach for Saitama’s face, his hand stopped and hovered in the space between them.

Was he even worthy of touching him like this anymore? Genos asked himself that and retracted his hand. 

Genos’ eyes reflected nothing but regret and despair as he gazed at Saitama’s neutral expression. He didn’t realize how long he sat there watching over him until he heard a knock at the door.

“Yes…?” His raspy voice sounded foreign to him.

The door opened and the Doctor entered. “Genos, one of your colleagues from the Association is here to see you. Come upstairs when you feel ready.”

Genos made no response, but Kuseno knew he had heard and he turned to leave to give him privacy. After a while, Genos stood and looked down at Saitama, who had made no sound or movement since.

His feet reluctantly turned for the exit as he closed the door behind him.

Upon stepping into the kitchenette, Genos raised his eyebrows at the sight of Kuseno sitting across Bang. He stood with uncertainty at the doorway until Kuseno motioned for him to sit in the empty chair beside him.

With the unexplainable, yet knowing, looks that the two of them wore, Genos knew he was the one currently out of the loop. He sat down quietly, glancing from Kuseno to Bang.

“This has to be urgent for you to invite Bang here,” Genos said plainly. In his history with the Hero Association, Kuseno had only become involved when there were dire situations. And for Bang to be given the privilege to know the location of Kuseno’s lab, it must have been quite the emergency.

“I apologize for the intrusion,” Bang said, looking from Genos to Kuseno.

“You’ve already apologized, Mr. Bang,” Kuseno said. “And you don’t need to. I’m sure you were asked here for a good reason.”

Genos raised an eyebrow at the exchange. “What are you talking about? Then, who sent you here?”

“Saitama.”

Confusion filled Genos’ mind as he struggled to articulate his next question. “W-What… but, but why…?”

“He had left me a note this morning,” Bang fished through his pocket to retrieve it. “By the way, where is he right now?”

Kuseno observed Genos’ turmoiled state and answered for him. “He’s resting right now. He can’t be disturbed.”

“I see,” Bang said, slightly perplexed, but he let it go. “He had informed me through Charanko this morning about what you two had planned to do at the quarry. I figured this note may be in relation to that.”

Bang placed a small piece of paper down on the table with a brief message followed by coordinates to the lab beneath it. 

Please contact Dr. Kuseno and Genos later today. Bang, I might need your help with this. Whatever happens, I want to tell my family everything.

Genos touched the note on the table with a trembling hand. He paled at the thought of Saitama going so far as to cover his loose ends.

“What does… he mean by this?” 

“I believe he would want me to tell you what he’s been dealing with the past few months in hopes to clarify any confusion or misunderstandings there may be.” 

Genos felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Kuseno looking at him with both concern and encouragement. There were a lot of unanswered questions about Saitama’s recent behavior, the cause of which may have been deeply rooted from long before then. Genos knew he had to do this, even if the things he would learn would be difficult to swallow. 

“Ok. If this is what he wants, then please… tell me everything.”

October, one month before…

It had been a couple weeks since Saitama had upgraded Genos’ core, and Saitama was beginning to wonder if the newfound power was somehow getting to his head. Genos was pretty gung-ho about his local missions, but did that mean that he had to leave this morning for his away mission without even saying goodbye?

Saitama had no qualms about expressing his annoyance to Kuseno at the breakfast table; and the Doctor was quick to innovate a scheme to teach Genos a lesson, given that today just so happened to coincide with an appointment with the Hero Association. Saitama went along for the ride, eventually finding himself at the front door of the Hero Association Headquarters that he had never seen up close until now. 

“Doctor, so when you said you had a plan…”

“Basic infiltration.”

He shot him a sidelong glance. “…Did Genos learn that from you, too?”

“Doctor Kuseno, welcome,” said the receptionist as they walked through the doors. “And who is this?”

“My assistant,” Kuseno replied without a hitch. He caught the suspicious look from the agent, and quickly added, “You’re free to check him if you need.”

Saitama wondered why Kuseno had asked him to wear a black suit and tie and to style his hair back. He wouldn’t put it past the Doctor to have them both dressed to the nines to go out, but with this getup, he looked nearly identical to the other agents roaming around. It all made sense now.

“No, no. That won’t be necessary,” the agent replied, not meaning to offend.

He led them through a couple double doors and down an obscure hallway, when  Kuseno halted. “Ah, I’m sorry. I seem to have forgotten something,” the old man said, as he patted his jacket pocket in puzzlement. He turned to Saitama, and smiled bashfully. “Would you be able to go back to the car and get my back-up drive? I know it’s a long walk.” Seriously, this guy deserved an acting award, Saitama thought. 

Being on the exact opposite of the acting spectrum, Saitama simply nodded stiffly without a word. As he walked off, he heard Kuseno call to him again. “Oh, and… don’t forget to bring my reading glasses while you’re there,” he said, pointing to the corner of his eyes. 

Ah, right. As Saitama turned into one of the hallways, he put on the dark sunglasses and earpiece Kuseno had given to him. Now, he truly looked like one of them. He traced his steps back toward the main lobby and cautiously approached a couple of agents standing in the corner.

“Excuse me. Uh, would you happen to know where I can find Ge—I mean, where I can find Demon… Cyborg?” He mentally groaned; he always hated the sound of that name. 

The two agents raised their eyebrows at him, and just as he thought he had completely blown away the chance Kuseno gave him, he heard a familiar voice from behind.

“Are you looking for Demon Cyborg?”

He turned to see a good-looking guy with blue-tinted hair. “Uh… yeah.” 

Oh, this is that one dude that Genos hates. What was his name again? Umai Mask?

“You won’t find him around here. He’s about to leave for a mission.”

“…Oh.” Well, mission failed. Saitama was starting to think of a new plan to get out of the building when the man walked up to him to inspect his face. 

“Are you new here? I’ve never seen you around.”

Saitama thought he may as well come clean at this point. “You caught me.”

The man laughed. “It’s fine. It’s easy for new guys like you to get lost in a huge place like this. I’ll take you to him. It’s not easy to find the helipad.”

Saitama was dumbstruck, and he followed him to the glass elevator which needed an employee badge to ascend. As they went up the dozens of floors, Saitama saw the iron fortress that the top heroes now called home. The architecture and security of the headquarters must be out rivaled by none.

“Amazing, isn’t it?” The man said beside him. “Hard to believe this didn’t exist four years ago.”

“Yeah… a lot has happened since then,” Saitama said without thinking. 

When the elevator doors opened, there was already somebody waiting for them there. “Amai Mask, sir. The Administrator would like to see you.”

“Alright,” Amai replied. “It’s just through there.”

Saitama followed where he indicated, which was a door down the hall. “Thanks.”

“Good luck.”

It was easy to sneak through that door as many workers and agents were going to and fro with equipment. The bright sunlight of the morning hit his eyes as the sight of a high tech and well-armored helicopter waited upon a higher platform. Almost immediately, he found Genos, who stood out due to his height and hair color. He was talking to a couple agents beneath the helipad as Saitama went behind one of the many equipment sheds that workers were stocking. 

As he emerged behind the shed, he found that Genos was no longer standing with the agents, who now stood there scratching their heads. 

At once, he felt someone spin him around by the shoulders to pin him against the wall. 

“…Sup.”

Genos gaped at him open-mouthed as he stared at him fixedly. “I knew I sensed that biorhythm somewhere.” He looked around them, making sure there was no one within earshot. “What are you doing here?”

“The Doctor has one of his appointments with the Association, so he let me tag along.”

Knowing his father-figure too well, Genos sighed. “He said he’d help you infiltrate, didn’t he?” He looked at Saitama with full seriousness. “But why do something so dangerous? You know the Association doesn’t know you’re…”

“Why didn’t you wake me up this morning?”

“Huh?”

Saitama stared back at him sternly. “You thought I’d be okay with you leaving for three weeks without saying ‘bye’?”

Genos eased his grip on his shoulders but stood close enough to hide him from view. “You were working until midnight last night. You can’t lose sleep because of me.”

“Trust me, Genos. I will always lose sleep because of you—especially if you don’t talk to me.” Saitama raised his hand to put over Genos’ core as the latter watched the movement intently.

There was a short pause between them. “Sorry. I’ll be sure to tell you next time.” He said this quietly and honestly; he hadn’t expected that something he considered so incidental would be seen as significant. But he knew that in their years of separation, all he had missed were the little things. 

“Yeah, next time,” Saitama smiled, content with their promise.

“But you need to get out of here before they find you,” Genos said, looking around again. “How did you get all the way up here, anyway?”

“You’ll never believe who helped me.”

“Who?”

“Amai Mask.”

Genos frowned in disgust, much to Saitama’s amusement. “You met him? What did that ass say to you?”

“Nothing. He helped me.”

“I’ll kill him.”

“Did you hear what I just said?” Suddenly, the sounds of the copter’s blades cut through the air, followed by the sounds of agents calling for Genos. “Looks like they’re calling you. But hey, at least I got to see you off.”

Saitama paused at the sight of Genos slowly looking at him from top to bottom. 

“What is it? Are you checking me out at work?” He asked jokingly.

“No… I mean, yes, I am. It’s just…” Genos leaned in close to Saitama’s ear, which had already turned red. “I feel like there’s so much I want to say.”

In what few seconds they had left, Saitama raised his arms to hug his back; but the outside sounds came spilling in. Genos reluctantly leaned back. “I have to go. Here, so you can get back.”

Saitama felt him press something into his hand. “Genos,” he said, holding his hero badge. “I’ll be here, so come back safe.”

It had been a couple weeks since Genos left for his mission, and Bang had noticed that Saitama’s vigor in training had become more intense. He stood above the outdoor stairs of the dojo as Saitama practiced forms in the area below. Each consecutive move—every sharp punch and swift kick—built upon the last in what felt like a build up of energy. In fact, Bang had begun to notice that the surrounding air was becoming heavier and a steady vibration was spreading across the gravel below. 

“Saitama—!” Bang called with concern. But before he could finish, a cacophonous boom deafened him. The next thing he knew, the corner of the dojo’s roof had been completely blasted off by an invisible force. 

Bang quickly glanced at Saitama, who stood dumbfounded as he looked from his fist to the roof and then back to him. 

“…Holy shit.”

Chapter Text

Bang gaped at the hollow space that was once the corner of his roof. “Was that…?” He heard a groan and looked to see Saitama fall to his knees. “Saitama!”

He rushed to him and held his shaking shoulders. Gasping for breath, Saitama winced up at the broken wood and tile above him. “That actually… happened, right?”

Bang stared at him for a moment, noting the profuse sweat on his brow. “Was this something you’ve been trying to achieve all along?”

“Yeah…” Saitama huffed out. “Sorry… about the roof.”

Once he was all cleaned up and a bit rested, Saitama sat across from Bang on the terrace. “I don’t want you to think I’ve been taking advantage of your training. I really appreciate all that you’ve done for me.”

Bang calmly sipped from his cup of tea and rested it in his lap. “Don’t be sorry. You know your body and powers the best. If anything that I’ve been able to teach you has helped, then I’m glad.”

Suddenly, the both of them heard loud thumping steadily getting louder. The sliding doors flew open, and Charanko emerged in a panic. “Master, what happened to the roof? Are we under attack?”

Saitama secured the tiles next to each other on the wood foundation as he sat on the dojo roof. Despite causing the destruction, he was thankful that most of his power had been released up into the sky. “You don’t need to help me. It’s my fault the roof is busted.”

Beside him, Charanko handed him the next tile unmoved.“If I weren’t here, how would you know how to put it back?”

“Good point.”

Charanko glanced at him from the corner of his eye. “So, you gonna tell that cyborg what you pulled off today?”

Saitama lightly laughed while wiping his brow in between hammering nails. “Actually, I didn’t think that far ahead. I didn’t even expect to do One Punch again.”

“Well, he’d probably be ecstatic to hear about it. He always took pride in you being his Master.”

“Yeah…” Saitama said, looking away. “Our dynamic is pretty different now.”

Charanko raised an eyebrow. “So why were you so adamant on getting this power back then?”

“I figured if I have it within me, I may as well let it out and learn to control it.” Saitama put down the hammer. “And also… maybe if all goes well, I can help Genos out some time.”

“The world’s strongest hero needing help?”

“I know it sounds weird. But you’d be surprised by how much he puts himself through and all the things he worries about.”

Charanko blinked at that. “That’s actually… refreshing to hear.” 

“Huh?”

“It’s just… whenever you talk about him, he seems more… human. It’s nice to know that stick in the mud is actually just a normal guy.” Saitama stared back at the relaxed smile Charanko wore, wondering if his own perception of Genos was something that Genos, himself, saw as well. 

On his way back from the dojo, Saitama sped along the freeway to the lab. Just then, a call from Kuseno rang in through his earbuds. “Saitama, are you on the way home?”

“Yeah, Doctor. What’s wrong?”

“Genos’ emergency signal went off. I salvaged him from the site and am bringing him back now.”

A quick rush of panic washed over him. “What? Is he okay?”

“He’s not responsive, but his vitals are still online. Please hurry back as soon as you can.”

“I’ll be there.” He revved the motorcycle further. 

Upon entering the lab, Saitama saw Genos being lowered from the chute in the ceiling. It had been the same one that he had left through with his flying apparatus on the day of the invasion. 

“Perfect timing,” said Kuseno, beckoning him over to the table Genos was being placed on.

Saitama glanced at him up and down to see that all his appendages were badly damaged with the external alloy melted away. His torso remained mostly intact, but the light blue glow of his core was peeking through the cracked breastplate. Above all, Genos’ eyes were shut with burns and fissures marking his face. “Genos…”

Kuseno returned with the crash cart that contained all the tools to quickly sustain Genos’ basic life systems and mechanisms. “We have to hurry. Come now. Just as we’ve practiced.”

Genos opened his eyes to the blinding overhead lights he had seen more times than he wanted to count. But letting his eyes drift to the side, he saw a pleasant difference in the otherwise routine scene. “Saitama…” 

Saitama turned away from the computer screen at the raspy sound. “Welcome back,” he beamed at Genos, while placing a hand on his shoulder. “We have you stabilized.”

Although he had trouble turning his head, Genos was able to see the dark circles under his eyes. “How long have you been working on me?”

Saitama glanced at the clock for the first time that night. “It’s been nine hours. Why?”

“Get some rest. I’ll be fine.”

“What? No, I…”

Kuseno came up next to him and put a hand on his back. “We can use your help, but take care of your health, too. I noticed you looked a bit worn when you first arrived.”

Saitama realized he was still wearing the same clothes he wore for his training. But, he couldn’t help but think that he had only looked “worn” due to the power he unleashed last evening. He wanted to tell Genos and Kuseno why he looked tired and how he was still okay to work, but he knew his issues were the least of their problems right now. “...Alright.”

Saitama lay in bed staring at the ceiling for what felt like two hours. If he thought that understanding Genos’ demon-level mission would put some of his worries to rest, he was brutally mistaken.

When he went back to the room, Saitama caught up on the news reports surrounding Genos’ battle. Not surprisingly, he had won and saved thousands of lives; but he had not managed to escape from the acid-spitting Mysterious Being unscathed. The drone recordings from the Hero Association made him feel sick to his stomach as Genos’ pained facial expressions were clear as day. 

When he closed his eyes, all he could see was Genos being struck with acid as he covered civilians. He saw him fighting despite his crippled limbs as no other heroes could come to assist. After all, as the world’s top hero, how many others could keep up and help shoulder the burden?

Saitama quickly turned out of bed to snap himself out of these thoughts. There was no point in wallowing what had already happened. He put on his hoodie and climbed the stairs to the silent main area of the lab.

Genos had long detected a heat signature before Saitama approached the table side. He caught the gloom in his tired eyes, especially with his hood adding a shadow. “What’s wrong?” He asked with concern.

“You’re asking me?” Saitama hadn’t meant to laugh so sarcastically.

“Sorry…”

“No, this isn’t your fault,” he quickly amended. “I’m not blaming you. I just…” Now that he had taken a rest from his work with Kuseno, who seemed to finally get some rest of his own, Saitama was able to see the length of Genos’ renovation. His limbs had been completely replaced with bare metal framework and main circuitry. His chest cavity was completely exposed with his core directly hooked up to an external generator for precaution. Regardless of what he was feeling, Saitama knew Genos was the one in need right now. “Can I stay here?”

Genos looked at him with a soft gaze. “Yes.”

He reached for his skeletal hand. “Can you feel this?”

“I can’t,” said Genos, having to glance down at the contact. 

“How about this?” Genos felt the warmth of Saitama’s hand cupping his scarred cheek.

“Thankfully,” he sighed into his palm. “Were you able to get any sleep?”

“Do I look that bad?” Saitama slightly chuckled, breaking eye contact.

Genos furrowed his brow with worry. “Saitama, talk to me. You don’t have to carry anything by yourself.”

Saitama froze up at Genos’ words. Damn the guilt. There was too much he wanted to say about different things he was now hiding, but he didn’t want to place a burden on Genos when he was already in such a vulnerable state.

“You were so close. What if I didn’t do the upgrade on time or what if it didn’t work? You could’ve—”

“I’ve had a lot of close calls. But I just try to focus on what I can do rather than what I can’t.” Genos watched as Saitama leaned his hands against the table’s edge while keeping his head down. “Sorry. Looks like that didn’t help.”

“I wish I could help you more,” he said in a whisper.

“Saitama, I’m still here because of you. And I can keep going because I know you’re safe.”

There was something about that line that added to the inner turmoil Saitama was experiencing. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but he also knew his mind no longer had the capacity to sift through such things right now. “Aren’t you uncomfortable on this?” He indicated to the cold, metal table, changing the subject.

“I hadn’t thought about it.”

Saitama moved to the seat at the head of the table, and lifted the back of Genos’ head to rest on the front of his shoulder. He rested his hands around the glowing core in a protective fashion. “Is this better?” 

Although their faces were resting in opposite directions, their lips were just across from each other. Genos watched Saitama’s half-lidded eyes hone in on his lips and he felt his hand reach over to trace his jawline. Casually, Saitama leaned in closer for a kiss so brief that the next second he was already burying his face against Genos’ neck.

Genos blinked in surprise at the action, but saw Saitama’s ears getting redder by the second. 

“G’night,” Saitama mumbled, still hiding.

Genos couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight. “Good night.” So, ‘that’ was a goodnight kiss…  

Saitama leaned against one of the wooden posts at the dojo, attempting to catch his breath. Regardless of what he did or how well he tried to duplicate his actions from three days ago, the One Punch power never emerged. “I can’t do it,” he said between breaths. 

Bang, who had already been caught up on Genos’ situation, watched him with a mindful eye. He understood that Saitama’s lack of success over the past two hours had no doubt been affected by that. “Saitama, you’ve been under a lot of stress. Genos is still recovering, so it may take some time.”

“But if it was just stress, then how was I able to do it at the invasion?” He was getting tired, and not just physically. In fact, he had been coming over everyday since Genos’ incident to replicate that power. 

“Do you remember the process by which it happened?”

Saitama looked down at his hands and tried his best to recall the events on the day of the invasion. “I know I had to charge up by pushing myself to the limits physically. And then all that built up power, I just let it go.”

Bang looked down in thought. “Genos also did this that same day. Why not try asking him?”

Saitama beelined to where Genos was when he got back, and he was surprised to see him casually sitting on the edge of the table fully-dressed and repaired. “You can sit up alright?”

“Yeah, I’m good to go,” Genos replied. He stared at Saitama’s weathered form as his sensors honed in on his biorhythms. “Your heart rate is really fast. Are you okay?”

“Well…” He said, looking away. But, Genos tapped the space next to him on the table, indicating for Saitama to sit beside him. 

Before Saitama had even gotten settled, Genos nuzzled his forehead against his temple while wrapping his arm around his waist. “I haven’t been able to feel anything in the past few days, so don’t mind me.”

“You know I smell like sweat right now, right?”

“I’m calibrating my new olfactory receptors as we speak.”

“Dude…”

Genos leaned back slightly to look him in the eye. “So, what’s wrong?”

Satiama sighed before continuing. “Genos, I know the three of us have talked a little about this before, but how did you perform One Punch?”

Genos blinked at the unexpected question, but noted Saitama’s apparent interest in asking. “The Red Mana affected me as well. It turns out I have enough human cells to let that happen. So following the pattern, I was able to embody my greatest desire.”

“The Doctor told me though that that basically had a once-in-a-billion chance of happening. Since most of my body physically cannot handle the change the Red Mana causes, I would most likely never be able to perform it again. It was a miracle I survived in the first place.”

Saitama furrowed his brow. “So, what made you overcome those once-in-a-billion odds?”

“Willpower? Desperation? I don’t know. What really ignited it all were my thoughts of you.”

“Like ‘me’ from the past doing One Punch?”

“No…” Genos’ voice fell to a whisper, and it took him a long moment before he continued. “You, getting taken away by them. And me, never seeing you again because I was too weak to stop them just like the first time. I wanted to save you, and I wanted power that would let me do that.”

Saitama watched Genos’ eyes stare off into the distance as he spoke. It was as if he was replaying the invasion over in his mind, and he doubted this was the only time he did so. In truth, Genos had witnessed the most from the invasion; he was the only one on the front line with the main battalion after all. And while he was shouldering that burden by himself, how much did he take from the battlefield that he was still at war with? 

His shaking gaze turned to his own. “Why do you want to know this?”

Saitama had no words as he stared back at him. He had just made Genos relive hell from his careless question. Something in his gut told him to say anything but the truth. But what was he to do? Lie? Genos didn’t deserve that. He didn’t deserve any of the deception he was putting him through right now. 

He looked away, but he could feel Genos’ careful stare from the corner of his eye. He had to say something. Anything. He knew Genos could tell when he was lying. The stomach acid churned in his chest, threatening to burn his throat.

Say something, dammit!

Suddenly, he felt Genos reach for the back of his head to cradle it in the crook of his neck. “Sorry,” he heard Genos say hastily. “You don’t have to tell me. I don’t want to force you to tell me anything.”

Saitama raggedly exhaled when he realized he had been holding his breath. His breathing began to steady, and he felt ashamed that at this moment, he was being comforted by someone who had been so close to death a few days ago. He squeezed his eyes shut, blinking away the dregs of tears that had begun to form.

Fuck…

Genos had saved him again.

Chapter Text

Strike after strike, Saitama sent another empty punch into the air. It had been hours and sweat had thoroughly soaked through his shirt. “What am I missing?” he grunted in frustration. 

He looked to Bang who stood a distance away on the grounds outside. “Genos… he told me that he thought about all the bad things that could happen to me if he didn’t get this power. I’m trying to do the same about him, but I feel like I’m not getting anywhere at all.”

Bang stood deep in thought for a moment. “From what you told me about the Red Mana research, it seems that Genos, too, fell into the same category as the others.”

Saitama lifted his head with his eyebrow raised. “Huh?”

“Like the previous Mysterious Beings, his body attempted to manifest his desires. To put it plainly, it seems he was able to do One Punch because he was embodying you—a being who could perform that very power.” 

Bang descended the stairs to where Saitama was still catching his breath. “However, it’s not the same with you. You’re not trying to become like your past self, are you?”

“No, I’m not,” Saitama replied firmly, wiping the corner of his mouth. After all he had been through, that was the last thing he wanted: to become someone out of touch with their emotions. 

Bang reached out to hold him by the shoulder, looking at him straight in the eye. “Then ask yourself, why do you want this power?”

That question echoed in his mind even hours later.

Why do I want this power? Is my willpower not strong enough, after all?

“Saitama.”

He looked up from the dinner table to see Genos and Kuseno staring at him with concern.

“You’re not eating. What’s wrong?”

“Are you feeling alright, son?”

“Yeah, sorry. I was just spacing out.”

Genos didn’t take his eyes off him. “You’ve been training a lot at Bang’s recently. You’re not overworking yourself, right?”

“No, everything’s fine with that,” he said stiffly. Was everything fine? He didn’t know if that was a lie or not.

“And your consulting as well?” Kuseno asked. “There’s no need to keep assisting me at the lab so often if—”

“No, really. That isn’t it. But thanks for looking out for me.” The last thing I want to do is worry you guys when just recently…

He placed down his chopsticks next to his untouched dinner. “Genos is okay now, right?”

Genos and Kuseno exchanged glances at the vague question. But Saitama continued. “You know… after the fight a few weeks ago.”

Then, the realization dawned on them—the recent incident in which Genos had to be salvaged from the battlefield. 

“Of course!” Kuseno broke in.   

“I’m fine,” Genos urged with worry on his face. “There’s nothing wrong now.”

“My boy, have you been thinking about this since then?”

“I know it sounds weird,” Saitama kept his gaze on the table. “I mean, Genos and I used to get into battles all the time, so seeing him in pieces wasn’t surprising. But now… things are different. I don’t know if it’s something I can get used to—all these close calls and stuff.”

Genos dropped his shoulders while carefully watching his expression. “Saitama…”

“Those worries will never go away,” said Kuseno. “Whenever I see Genos hurt like that, I feel like it can kill me.” Now, it was Saitama and Genos’ turn to stare at the Doctor. 

“However, it is exactly those emotions that drive me to go through whatever means I can to keep him safe and well. And now you, who also share these emotions with me, are now equipped with the mind and skills to do the same for him. You have the strongest powers to quell your own fears.”

Saitama listened carefully and felt a suffocating sort of feeling steadily creeping up on him. He rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry for making the mood so serious.”

“Nonsense. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. After all, that’s what families are for.”

Saitama had the temptation to tell them everything right then. And perhaps that would have been the smart thing to do. But there was guilt on both sides of his choice; and the reality was that incidents like those were bound to happen to Genos again, sooner than later.

How can I bring up my own problems just like that when I was the one that created them? Especially if I know I’m the only one with the solution?

Back in their room, Genos had just finished recharging his core at the study desk. He took yet another moment admiring Saitama’s handiwork before placing it back into his chest cavity. 

“Saitama, I want to ask you something.”

“Hm? Sure.” The latter sat behind him on the edge of the bed, glancing through work emails on his phone. 

Genos spun the chair around to face him. “Okay, just try not to take it the wrong way.”

Saitama found it hard to believe Genos could insult him and chuckled to himself. “Genos, ask away.”

“You’ve… You’ve been looking more tired lately and not eating as much. Are you sure you’re okay?”

Saitama looked up from his phone and caught the worry that consumed Genos’ features. Why did this conversation feel awfully familiar?

Then his eyes fell on the stain on the desk surface behind Genos—the one from the burned notebooks. Yes, they had had this conversation before. And not just once but multiple times. It was from all those times that Genos subtly tried to help him, and he had shut him down in return.

He stood up and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. “No, Genos,” he said steadily. “It’s not like that. I promise.”

Genos reached up to place his hand on his back. “Then, it seems that your stress was largely because of me. For that, I can’t apologize enough.”

“What are you apologizing for? None of that was your fault.” Actually, it’s mine…

“Saitama,” Genos said, leaning back to look up at him. “About earlier… Thanks for opening up to me and the Doctor. I know it’s not easy for you to share your problems, but it’s nice to know you trust us with that.”

Genos embraced him tightly, resting his forehead against his chest. However, Saitama was glad Genos couldn’t see the look of dread on his face.

Genos, you deserve so much better than this…

The next day, Saitama sat cross-legged on the grounds of the dojo. He had already expended the physical energy he needed by sprinting up the hundreds of steps on the mountainside, so all he needed was to focus on how to release that power.

The words that resounded loudly in his mind were those of Kuseno’s. He asked himself why he had learned all those skills under the Doctor’s tutelage. For him, was it really just to quell his own fears or for…?

What was the One Punch power for?

Saitama sighed and opened his eyes. No, he was overthinking all of this. All the times he had activated the power were spurred on by feeling. Taking a breath, he closed his eyes and started over. 

This time, he didn’t force himself to think about anything but let his mind wander however it wanted to. 

There was Genos on the lab table unconscious. Limbs damaged. Core exposed.

At the invasion, Genos lay unmovable on the ground. Severed in pieces. 

He saw Genos from his nightmare with hollow eyes. His dead core lying in the palm of his hand.

Relax, he told himself as he took a deep inhale. Again…

Saitama began to envision new memories of Genos, but these ones began to form in a different light.

Genos’ broad back as he sped on the motorcycle he built with his own two hands.

There he was on the news, being interviewed after saving a whole town.

Back at the lab, he stood in that cozy kitchenette happily preparing dinner.

And although he didn’t sleep, there Genos lay in bed with his eyes closed—getting the peaceful rest he so deserved.

Then, Saitama felt it. The same surge of power he felt on the day of the invasion. 

Saitama opened his eyes and stood, looking at the sky. His clenched fist followed his line of sight and from that, the force of One Punch cut through all the clouds overhead, bathing the once shady mountain in sunlight. 

He sighed in relief but felt his knees give way, and Saitama needed to use his forearms to brace his fall so he didn’t faceplant. He wheezed onto the gravel as his whole body shook from exhaustion. Then, he felt someone support him by the shoulders, and he looked to the side to see Bang with a similarly shocked expression. As if lost for words, Bang simply nodded to him with a smile on his face to confirm to Saitama that he really did pull it off. 

On the terrace, Saitama lay on the floor squinting from the now sunny weather that was thanks to him. He could barely move, and from that, he and Bang both knew training was done for the day. 

“Within a day, you figured it out. Remarkable,” Bang stated, sitting next to him. “How did you do it?”

Saitama thought for a moment before replying. “You asked me why I wanted this power. But that’s the thing—I don’t. I don’t want anything because it’s not about me at all.” He replayed all the memories that had gone through his mind priorly, and found that none of them were of his own image. “This power represents Genos’ wellbeing. If harnessed properly, it can keep him safe and give him the life he deserves. That’s the answer.”

The exhaustion was still eating away at him as he tried to sleep that night. Saitama could feel the aching throughout his body that had barely relented since performing One Punch. 

Genos must have noticed his discomfort as the former lightened his embrace from behind. Still, nothing helped, and Saitama got out of bed feeling like the wind had been knocked out of him.

“I just need some air. I’ll be right back.”

Genos had offered to go with him, of course, but Saitama had unfortunately gotten so used to keeping him out of the loop on this issue that he had instantly turned him down. However, that didn’t stop Genos from dressing him in his warmest vest before he left.

The moon was full and clear over the fir trees in the dense forest surrounding the lab; and Saitama thought it would be a nice night had it not been in the freezing cold of November. Still, the ruminating thoughts of what he needed to do prevented him from sleeping well the past few weeks. It was beginning to consume him like being burned from the inside.

He had finally figured out the One Punch power; all he needed to do was focus to maintain it. And once that was done, he wouldn’t have to hide it anymore. Hopefully, Genos would understand. There’s no way he would have gotten this far without his support. And so, that was all the more reasoning to further his plan about his powers. 

On the way back, he halted in his steps when he saw Genos leaning on the lab’s steel doors with his arms crossed.

Saitama approached him and no spoken communication was needed. The look in Genos’ eyes had once again affirmed to him that he would trek across the earth for his sake, and he didn’t have to give him a reason. There was no judgement or suspicion but a blind sense of trust—something that hadn’t changed since he was his disciple. 

Saitama couldn’t maintain that pure gaze and broke away. But he felt the heat from Genos’ hand on his ice cold cheek while his other arm wrapped around him in a warm embrace. 

‘Tell me when you want to. I’m always here.’

Saitama got Genos’ message loud and clear with that action. He knew that, for both their sakes, that day was going to come very soon.

That afternoon, Saitama stepped onto the dojo grounds with a different aura emanating from him. Although he still maintained the bags under his eyes, of which Bang had noticed weeks ago, he had this newfound determination.

The same method as yesterday. Focusing his mind. And like clockwork, the One Punch power emerged more seamlessly than before.

Yet, Bang watched with a heavy heart as Saitama once again staggered to the ground, out of breath. For the sake of his student, he knew that this cycle that they were in needed to be resolved soon.

“Saitama, about that topic you brought up before… perhaps it’s time to tell them.”

And so that evening, Saitama decided it was time to tell Genos everything. Finally, he could put this to rest, or so he thought.

“What do you think of me going back to hero work?”

He didn’t expect for all the warmth in the room to dissipate in seconds. He didn’t expect Genos’ barrage of questions or the fact that he had no chance to explain his powers fully before a realization hit him.

“Are you worried that I won’t come back?”

Why did he say that? Out of all things, how could he, once again, make Genos relive the trauma of losing him?

After that, it was expected that Genos would leave. That he would try to pull away from him as he walked through the door. That, thanks to him, Genos was essentially crying as he told him what he truly felt.

“I told you before if anything were to happen to you… how could I live after that?”

The door slid shut between them, and Saitama stood frozen, alone in that dark room with his thoughts howling in his mind.

He hadn’t expected that. But he should have. If he had half a brain, he should have, he cursed at himself.

A couple days later, it had become quite obvious that Genos was keeping his distance. He had not returned to their room at night, and now he was nowhere to be seen during the day.

When Saitama asked Kuseno about it, he replied, “He said he was going to be very busy at the Association from now on.”

“Oh. I see.” That was all he could muster in his trancelike state of mind.

He could barely even focus on Bang’s training later that day. It was a wonder he even managed to trek all the way there. In the back of his mind, Saitama had a feeling as to the real reason of his visit, but he didn’t want to admit it yet.

Sitting in a meditative pose, he tried to reign in focus on the thoughts he needed. But the only image that shrouded them was Genos face as he walked out the door that night.

Saitama opened his weary eyes. He looked down to his trembling hands that felt ice cold from within. I don’t … feel the power coming through anymore…  

He looked to Bang, dazed out. “I… I lost it.”

Chapter Text

Charanko stood by the outdoor terrace, passing out cups of tea to the two seated there quietly.

“Thank you, Charanko,” Bang replied.

He slid the other cup to Saitama, who kept his unfocused gaze on his lap. “Hey… just take it easy for a bit.”

“Huh? Oh… thanks,” he said, finally registering the cup next to him. 

“Did something occur with Genos?”

Charanko glanced from Bang to Saitama and back again, knowing his master already knew the answer to his own question.

“…You got that right.”

Saitama sighed, knowing the other two were waiting for him to continue. “I told him I wanted to go back to being a hero, and he wasn’t too happy about that.”

“But why?” Charanko almost sounded offended on Saitama’s behalf.

“The idea of me risking my life out there without having my old powers… terrifies him. I could tell I tore open the memories of the invasion when I brought it up. I didn’t even think about how he’d feel.” He rested his forehead in his palm. “I’m so stupid.”

“That’s not the case,” Bang replied. “With all the progress you have made that I can attest to, Genos will certainly see that you have the ability to fight and keep yourself safe as a hero. If he sees you perform your One Punch power, then—”

“I can’t do it.” Saitama stared at his clenched fist. “My power… it— It can only work if I know it can protect him. But, if just the existence of this power is enough to make Genos… feel that way…” Once again, he remembered the broken expression Genos had worn. “Then, maybe it’s better if I just forget all about it.”

A stillness passed among the group. Charanko looked to Bang, who sat with an air of reservation and a hint of sadness. 

Saitama, on the other hand, couldn’t make eye contact. He put his hands forward on the floor and bowed. “Thank you for helping me out of that dark place when I first came here. I’m sorry I couldn’t make better use of everything you taught me.”

He slowly stood up, staggering along the way to the point that Charanko was getting ready to assist him. Saitama stepped off the terrace without another word toward the long flight of stone steps to the bottom. 

Charanko glanced to Bang, who nodded to him, communicating his message. The pupil hurried away to catch Saitama already a ways down the stairs. 

“Saitama, Master wants you to know that you can come back anytime… for anything.”

Charanko saw him stop for a moment to wipe something from his eyes before he continued down. 

After dinner with Kuseno, Saitama was about to leave the kitchenette after cleaning up the table when Kuseno placed a cup of tea in front of him.

He begrudgingly remembered the dojo from earlier. “Uh… what’s this?”

“Chamomile,” Kuseno answered. “From Genos.”

Saitama frowned slightly at the second part.

“I hope you don’t mind, my boy. I mentioned, in passing, that you seemed more tired lately and he sent over this.”

“Thanks,” he replied. “I… hope it helps.”

Saitama put down the empty cup on the desk before getting into bed. He had tried this kind of tea before, but the aroma of the one he just had was so rich. Of course, Genos would spare no expense to find the highest quality. Already, he was starting to feel sleepy, and he was about to drift off when an idea came to him. 

He reached for his phone and scrolled down to the chat he had not used in the past few days. It was late and Genos would just see his text in the morning, but Saitama couldn’t help but use this as an excuse to contact him especially after the events of today. 

[Thanks for the tea.]

He clicked his screen off and placed the phone next to the pillow as he turned to face the wall. However, as if instantaneously, the phone dinged. Saitama rolled over so quickly, he almost fell off the bed as he grabbed his phone. He stared at the simple message on the screen for a long while.

[Please take care of yourself. Good night.]

Why did he think it would hurt less if Genos had just left him on “read”?

He awoke again. No surprise there. Saitama gripped the bed sheet that overlay the empty side of the bed, partly delirious. The coolness and the silence felt unnatural as so many thoughts flooded his mind within seconds. Thoughts of what had occurred and was now out of his control, thoughts of what he had yet to deal with; and feelings of guilt and shame began to creep in. 

To snap himself out of it, he sauntered to the closet, half-asleep. Blindly, he grabbed as many of Genos’ jackets as he could get his hands on and filled up that empty space on the bed before plopping down in exhaustion.

He clutched them tighter, finding the softness uncomfortable. But he buried his face into the fabric, catching that faint scent he had grown so used to. It was enough to make his eyes tear-up.

“…Goodnight, Genos.”

When he finally did go to sleep on some nights, he dreamt about him. Sometimes he could have sworn he felt someone gently caress the side of his face or lean down and kiss his forehead as Genos used to do when he left early. He felt pathetic that only a few days of this had caused him to tumble so dramatically emotionally; but he felt he was soon reaching his breaking point. The worst part was that the dreams felt too real, and Saitama would snap awake to no one beside him. It had gotten to the point where waking up with tears in his eyes became the norm. 

He felt sick. If only the headaches were the least of it, but the rising stomach acid had always found a way to remind him that he was falling apart. There were times when the nausea took its hold and he had to run to the bathroom first thing upon waking to relieve his stomach.

This half-awake state followed him at all times for the next few days. Work was daunting, whether consulting or at the lab. He knew Kuseno was growing increasingly concerned, but he had managed to convince him every time that it was simply sleep deprivation. He would have been thankful if it was only that. This really had been the longest week he ever lived through. 

“You hurt yourself.”

Saitama barely registered the pain as Genos meticulously wrapped his bleeding hand. Although a part of him was ecstatic that Genos was finally next to him, his mind was in a fog and a lurking feeling of dread began to preside over this encounter.

Were they going to talk about what happened? Saitama knew they had to at some point, but he was far from the proper mindset to have this conversation. 

“Are you serious about doing hero work?” 

Okay. So they really were going to do this now.

Saitama wondered how he felt about becoming a hero again. Despite the lies he continued to tell Genos, the latter saw right through him unsurprisingly. But regardless of how he felt about the One Punch power, the effect it’s existence had on Genos was Saitama’s true concern. Maybe it would just be easier to pretend he never gained it back.

But, Genos had turned that option into an impossibility with his ultimatum.

Saitama couldn’t believe his ears. No nightmare he had experienced in the past week could rival the reality now presented to him. 

“Do I really have to fight you?”

“Yes.”

That word cut sharper than a knife. 

Still, despite Genos’ declaration, Saitama was well-aware of the intention behind that. No, it’s not like Genos wasn’t supporting him. In fact, he was doing just that but in his own way. Saitama very well knew that Genos’ decision stemmed from his desire to keep him safe by any means necessary—even if that meant from Saitama, himself, or his powers.

And for that, Saitama held nothing against him. 

Even though Genos was keeping his distance for his own reasons and they were now at a rift, he would never stop prioritizing Saitama’s well-being. Even when all the world’s logic told Genos he was dead, Saitama read the written proof that his thoughts were consumed by only him. Nothing in existence would change that.

Saitama didn’t even bother to try to go to bed that night. Rather, he ran as far as he could—far from the reason of escaping but rather to face Genos head on. He was close to the outskirts of the city in a dense forest where no one could hear him.

If this fight was to be the last one in which he would attempt One Punch, then he would go all out. 

Over and over, he repeated the process of focusing his thoughts as he had done at the dojo. But each attempt was met with failure. He had lost count of the number of tries, but the dawn would soon be approaching. And there was still one last thing he had to do.

Saitama wasn’t far from the dojo, and at this time of the day, he knew he would run into Charanko doing his early morning errands. 

He found Charanko at the base of the stairs holding buckets of water from the nearby stream. “What are you doing here so early?” the latter asked with surprise. 

Saitama caught him up on what had occurred last night, to which Charanko stared at him incredulously. “How can he ask that of you? Especially with how your power works?”

“That’s the thing,” Saitama replied, rubbing the back of his neck. “He doesn’t know how it works. I never told him. Genos doesn’t even know I got my One Punch power back.” 

He dropped his hand. “But it doesn’t matter. The whole point of this is to show Genos that I am capable of hero work even without using my power. It’s fine that he wins.”

Charanko winced, not wanting to think about the full implications of Genos “winning”.

“Anyway,” Saitama said, handing over a folded piece of paper. “I have something for Bang, but can you give it to him later? I want to be there when I tell them everything, but I’m not sure what shape I’ll be in right after this.”

Charanko looked from the note he held to the person in front of him—bags under his eyes while being weighed down by a baggy tracksuit. He slumped his shoulders. “So then… you still can’t use One Punch?”

“I tried just now. I spent all of last night trying to do it, but…”

“Why didn’t you just say no to the fight?”

“A part of me still wants him to see that I can do this.”

Charanko finally spat the words out that he had been wanting to say since the start of this conversation. “But you’ll never beat him without using One Punch…”

Saitama heard Charanko’s well-meaning words; in fact, they mirrored the same ones that have been resounding in his own mind. “I know… But just as long as I can hold my own, maybe he’ll see.”  

He let out a sigh but put on a small smile to counter the mood. “And… I need to focus on what I can control rather than thinking about how it’ll end. I don’t plan on throwing in the towel, and against Demon Cyborg? That should say plenty.” 

Charanko watched Saitama turn and start to descend down the mountain. “Just don’t die out there.”

“Don’t worry. Genos will make sure of that,” he heard him laugh.

Saitama kept his eyes firmly forward, as each step got him closer to where he needed to be. After all, this wasn’t a fight to the death. Rather this was a fight to determine how they would live their lives from now on.

Present time…

“Let me say this, Genos. He knew that he would survive this fight. He trusted you and your abilities to ensure that.” Bang touched the note lying on the table that Charanko had given him earlier that afternoon. “This is no note of parting. It's just one person asking another for help.”

Across from him, Genos sat quietly looking down at the table surface. Kuseno noticed his clenched fists in his lap and proceeded to carry on the conversation in his stead. “So to clarify, Saitama was able to use One Punch three times in the past month?”

“The first was an accident, but the rest were on purpose. His second try was the most difficult for him to figure out.”

Genos realized something at Bang’s words as he started to put the timeline together. That was after I got injured. Did he try so hard for my sake?

He was faced with the brutal realization that Saitama’s wish was not just for himself, but to help him as well. “After each time, was he always so…?”

“Tired? He used up all his strength after unleashing the power, so we had to stop training afterwards.” Bang caught the confused concern between Genos and Kuseno. “Did something happen?”

“He lost consciousness immediately after using One Punch. He’s been asleep the whole time,” Kuseno replied.

“What? He’s unconscious? Are you saying he… used the power?!” Bang had leaned forward with panic, alerting the other two. “He had informed me he didn’t know how to harness it since…”

“...Since he found out how I felt about him going back to hero work.”

Knowing that Saitama had never fully lost consciousness in his attempts before caused Bang to hold his forehead in contemplation. “I can’t imagine how stressful this must have been for him.” 

“What do you mean by that, Mr. Bang?”

“Well, Doctor, it’s the raison d’être of Saitama’s power.” He looked solemnly to Genos. “You see, Genos, he can only build up his strength if he focuses on the thought of you, safe and well. But to do that with the goal of trying to defeat you in battle… It’s no wonder he lost consciousness.”

The gravity of what he had done finally dawned on Genos. All those times that Saitama had avoided looking at him during the battle was not because he was hiding some overwhelming power, as he foolishly thought. No, it had been just the opposite. 

Before the fight even began, Saitama had decided to go all out despite the fact that he had already decided to give up on his dream for Genos’ sanity. And all along, it was an aspiration he had for the sake of protecting Genos, no less. Saitama had desperately tried to prove his strength while cruelly faced with his ultimate weakness. It was a miracle he had even managed to succeed in the end, despite the mental and emotional burden that Genos had carelessly thrown upon him. 

Saitama’s drive was so pure, and yet, Genos had forced his hand to taint that very same inspiration.

Kuseno had long since escorted Bang out of the lab in Genos’ stead, while the latter still sat at the kitchen table in silence. The Doctor had returned to check on him, but after the weight of what they had learned together, he understood that they both would need to sort their thoughts on their own time.

It was late when Genos returned to his room. To his surprise, he saw Saitama sitting at the edge of the bed with his head cradled in his hands. 

Wordlessly, Genos rushed to him and knelt before him. Saitama looked at him with tired, red eyes as Genos delicately reached up to hold the sides of his face—feeling the pulse of his neck under his fingers. He leaned forward and kissed his Adam’s apple with desperation, trailing as far up as he could to the corner of his jaw. He sighed heavily against his skin and rested his forehead against the dip between his collar bones. They remained like this for a long while. Genos kept his grasp firm yet gentle on his neck, and Saitama inhaled the scent of Genos’ hair as he raked his fingers against the back of his head. 

“Genos…” Saitama said, catching his breath. “I need to tell you… about my power.”

“I already know.” Genos leaned back to meet him eye-to-eye. “Bang came here and explained everything to us.”

“So then you know,” Saitama sighed with relief. “Then, you also have to know that…” He reached for Genos’ face—his thumbs tracing his cheek bones. “It’s all just you. It’s only you.”

Genos felt the warmth in his words. It was enough to make his heart feel weightless as well as highlight the guilt he carried.

“I am so sorry,” Genos whispered, holding Saitama’s wrists. “I put you through something horrible, and for what? For something I don’t have any say in.”

Genos gathered Saitama’s hands and placed a long kiss on his fingers. “Who am I to tell you what you can’t do?”

“But I know why you did it. And I shouldn’t have kept it from you. Even now, I’m still not in full control of my powers. I should be thankful for what I have now. I was crazy to think I could be a hero when I gave it all up before.”

“It’s not crazy. After all, isn’t it still your dream to be a hero?”

Saitama didn’t have to consider the question for long. He knew the truth within him. “But, what if I fail? I don’t want to be—”

“You’re not a burden. Don’t ever think that way.” Genos reached for the back of Saitama’s head and pressed their foreheads together. “And besides, didn’t you say you only need to think of me to use your strength? I’m not leaving your side. I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

Awe dawned on Saitama’s face. “Yeah?”

“You are my life, Saitama. You have always been the love of my life.”

Saitama’s gaze shook for a moment, but he smiled and laughed lightly. “What did I do to deserve you?”

Genos tilted his head up to kiss him again. “You just had to find me, and you had me.”

One month later…

“Well, wish me luck.”

“Good luck, though I doubt you need it,” Genos chuckled.

“Hey, don’t jinx it.” Saitama’s gaze followed the line of incoming examinees to the entrance of the large gymnasium. This was the site of the Hero Association entrance examination. “I’ll see you later,” he said, heading to the entrance.

Genos waved at him. “I’ll be here when you get out.”

He watched Saitama until he disappeared from view. Truly, Genos couldn’t be happier at this moment—a feeling that he would have never expected just a month ago.

A lot had happened in that span of time, and Genos still had much to settle within himself. There were insecurities he needed to let go of and many questions he needed to take the time to answer. They were questions from all the way back to four years ago when he decided to pursue being the top hero after Saitama’s disappearance.

Why had he tried so hard? Why had he pushed himself so far? To escape something? He had gotten so used to running away that he didn’t even know what he was running from anymore.

He won’t ever forget the pain; it had taught him valuable lessons. He was stronger now because of it, and it was a strength that had nothing to do with upgrades. But, there was no reason to let himself suffer. Now, rather than trying to run away, he wanted to be here in the present—to enjoy the second chance at life he had been given… and with the people that made his life worth living.

And he wasn’t alone either. The Doctor had always been his support after losing his parents and after losing his Sensei, as well as all the times in between. And now, Saitama had dared to push past his own limits in hopes of sharing the burden of being the world’s strongest hero. Simply put, Genos realized he was well-loved. He had always been well-loved, and he no longer had any trouble seeing it.

Chapter Text

December, Two Years Later

“Cheers!” Four pints of beer clinked together as the foam spilled over the sides. 

“Congratulations, Saitama!” lauded Mumen.

“Here’s to your victory against Amai Mask! I knew you could do it.” King raised his glass toward Saitama, who sat diagonally from him in the booth. 

“Of course he beat him,” Genos grinned across from King. He then looked beside him, catching Saitama’s eye, as he added, “…as expected.”

“Thanks, you guys.” Saitama glanced over the three people around him, gathered together to celebrate his promotion from A-Class. With Amai Mask as S-Class’ self-proclaimed roadblock, his victory over him now made his new ranking official. “It’s gonna be new… being able to work with S-Class.” He looked to his left at Genos and remembered their nostalgic battles together from years ago. Or maybe not that new…

“I still find it so incredible that you were able to climb through the ranks so quickly—I mean—not that I didn’t think you could, of course!” Mumen chimed in.

“Well, I had the best teacher.”

Genos modestly shook his head as he reached to put his hand on Saitama’s knee. “It was all your effort.” 

Saitama could tell that if he continued to highlight Genos’ unconditional support over the past couple years, he would just return the compliments two-fold. “Well, thank you for the past two years,” he said softly while putting his hand on top of Genos’. He looked across from him at Mumen and King. “And thanks to you both as well. I really couldn’t have gotten here without your help.”

“Here’s to us still getting together like this after all these years,” King said, raising his glass again. 

The rest followed suit, and Saitama smiled at the sight of Genos finishing his pint beside him. 

A while later….

“What's wrong? Can’t hold your alcohol?” King glanced around the table to see the varying effects several rounds of beer had on his friends. 

“Pssht… Your build is what saved you…” Saitama groaned while trying to hold his head up with his hand. 

Mumen whimpered across from him with the side of his face welded onto the table surface. “Where… am I?”

Across from him, Saitama patted the top of his head. “Hey hey… rest… buddy…”

“Saitama, I think you’re past your limit, too,” Genos sighed, prying the drink from Saitama’s hand.

“No, c’mon, Genos,” he cried, trying to reach for the glass that Genos put on the far side of the table. “I’m fine…”

Then, Saitama’s eyes lit up like he was just struck with a brilliant and simple solution. “I know! We just need… to order more food!” He shakily raised himself to look over the wall of their booth. “‘Scuse me!”

“I think we’re good actually,” King added as his wary eyes followed the waiter approaching their table.

“Nah, izz my treat…”

“I already got this cov—” But, Saitama had squeezed Genos’ cheeks with one hand while he leaned over him to get closer to the waiter. 

“My treat!”

“Yes, what can I get for you, sir?”

Saitama stared at the waiter in deep contemplation before carefully eyeing each one of his companions. “Aight… guys. Let me know whatchu want.”

Genos took Saitama’s hand in his while his other hand wrapped around his waist to hold him steady. “I’ll just get one more beer,” he sighed in surrender.

“An’ you?” Saitama pointed to King. 

“Uh, the… yakitori.”

“How ‘bout you, tough guy?”

“Water…” Mumen choked.

“Ok, I know what they want…” Saitama turned to the waiter and looked him dead in the eyes.

“Yes, sir?”

“Four Ultimate Spicy Noodle Bucket Challenges.”

“Saitama!” Genos and King called in unison.

“Extra Large.”

“Yes, sir! Coming right up!” The waiter beamed and quickly set off to the chef, ignoring the cries at the table.

“Actually—”

However, the waiter was out of sight, resulting in three sets of glaring eyes back in Saitama’s direction. “What?”

“Ugh… too bad eating all of our buckets didn’t count for the free meal, Genos.”

King sauntered out of the restaurant with Mumen passed out on his back followed by Genos, who had Saitama on his. “Don’t worry about it. I knew this one was up to something,” he said as he tilted his head back to the troublemaker behind him. 

King shook his head and laughed. “Well, I’ll take my guy home. See you guys around the Association sooner than later.”

“Later then.”

A short while later, Saitama pried open his eyes to see his arms draped over Genos shoulders as the latter walked down the dim sidewalk in Z-City. 

“Finally awake?”

“What happened?”

“Well, after you ordered four bucket challenges, you and Mumen passed out after a few bites. And then, King stopped halfway, so I finished the rest.”

“Genos…” Saitama groaned against his shoulder. 

“Hm?”

”Did they still charge us?”

Genos scoffed at the serious tone of his silly question. “Only counts if each person finished it, so guess.”

Saitama didn’t respond for a moment, but sighed and said, “Well, one good thing came out of it.”

“And what would that be?”

“That you’re back to your regular appetite.” The words he spoke still slurred a little, but every word was honest. He sighed against Genos’ neck. “That’s great.”

Genos felt the weight of what Saitama said. Two years ago, even something as simple as eating was an inability of his. But, now that things had settled and Genos’ got to contemplate his new realizations and goals, he had been slowly able to return to the things that made him human. And to no surprise, Saitama had also been keeping watch over his progress diligently.

Genos secured his hold on Saitama, holding him tighter and increasing the warmth exuding from his back panels. “Are you cold?” he asked softly.

“I’m fine.”

He could tell Saitama was about to doze off again. “Just a bit more. We’re almost there.”

“Where…?”

“You’ll see.” Genos kept his sights focused forward. He knew he would not have had the courage to do what he was about to do were it not for not for the person he held carefully in his arms.

“We’re here.” Saitama felt Genos stop walking and blinked a few times to take in the surroundings. He was struck with a wave of nostalgia along with a subtle ounce of uneasiness.

“This place is…” Genos had put him down, and he looked from his old apartment complex to the ever-watchful gaze beside him. As if to answer his silent questions, Genos took out a familiar house key with that same giraffe charm attached to it.

“I used to come here to charge my core… well, when I still had to. This was the place that made me feel the safest.” He went up the flight of stairs with Saitama following closely behind. Genos was about to unlock the door when he stopped to look at him as the key hovered in his grasp. “I wasn’t sure if I should take you here, so that’s why it’s been a while.”

Saitama nodded silently at him, and Genos opened the door. To his surprise, the smell of dust wasn’t present at all, and when Genos turned on the lights, everything had been left in the same place as he remembered six years ago.

Saitama stepped forward in the main room and noted that the table they used to eat their last breakfast at before the invasion was still in the middle of the room rather than put off to the side. He knelt down beside it as Genos followed his action and sat next to him. “Here was…” This was the last time we spent together before… I… 

Genos had watched Saitama’s expression and movements very carefully as he entered, and he saw the torn look on his face as he rested his eyes on the table that Genos had used to charge his core. As if reading his thoughts, he interjected, “Saitama… This was also the place that held most of our memories back then… Bad or good, they’re still important.”

Saitama’s eyes glanced around the quiet darkness of the room. The bookshelf of his manga Genos studied like encyclopedias, the television they watched to monitor threats together, the corner Genos stashed his “heartfelt” fan mail before reading them all aloud (to Saitama’s embarrassment). There was the kitchen Genos would take over to make the best home cooked meals, and the doorway Genos squeezed through with his monstrous backpack when he asked to live here. 

Saitama laughed at the last one, much to Genos’ confusion. “That’s right. This is where our partnership started. I’ll never forget that introduction of yours.” 

He turned to rest his relaxed gaze on Genos, who was still intently looking at him. “So, what did you have in mind with this place?”

“That’s what I wanted to ask you. This is your place after all. I’m fine with whatever you want to do.” Genos took Saitama’s hand and placed the key in his palm. Saitama looked at it for just a moment, having the answer already in mind.

“Well, first things first. We need to duplicate this key.”

Genos stared at him, his eyes widening slowly at the implications of Saitama’s statement. 

Ooh, nice face, he thought, leaning in closer. But somehow, Saitama knew the question behind his eyes.

“Of course I still want you to live with me. I mean, if it’s okay with you. We practically live in your dad’s garage…”

He saw Genos looking down at his clenched fists in his lap. Saitama reached over to touch the side of his face and caught a drop of oil on his fingertip. Genos looked up at the contact, and at that moment, Saitama took up his entire vision and caught his parted lips with his.

Saitama leaned back first after a moment but still kept his hand on Genos’ cheek. “I’m not as good with words as you are, but I hope that said enough. Thank you, Genos.” He abruptly stood up from his kneeling position and walked to the door. “Well, let’s go.”

He put on his shoes but heard no movement behind him. Leaning back, he saw that Genos still sat staring at him with his piercing glowing eyes while his mouth hung open. “Genos?”

He went back out of concern and knelt in front of him, inspecting Genos for any kind of malfunction. “Are you okay?” He took in his expression and almost wanted to laugh.

“You don’t usually initiate that.”

“No way.”

“It’s the truth. In our time together, that was kiss number 3,341. And 99.74% of those times, I was—“

“Ahhh! Shut up! Shut. Up. How can you say things like that? Have you no shame?” Saitama had covered Genos’ mouth with his hands while feeling the heat rising on his face. Genos grabbed both of Saitama’s hands in his and lowered them without letting go. Saitama caught the hint of a smirk growing on his face and pondered another meaning of the “demon” in Genos’ hero name. 

“Then,” Genos hummed. “Make me shut up.”

“Fine,” Saitama said simply. “One Punch to the face coming right up.” He attempted to turn away but he caught Genos’ change in expression to one of an abandoned puppy. He sighed. You really are a demon…

He leaned toward him, grinning “Okay, but you better stop with the counting.”

Genos laughed in return. “No promises.”

It was like a movie played in his mind that night—the exception being that he had already seen this one.

He saw a home cooked meal. Shadows in the sky. A great ship and the ocean.

Darkness and the cold. Screams and delirium. Giant iron structures. Wide and lengthy streets. 

Red and blue fire. An udon shop—an unlikely place where the truth had come out.

He saw a modern apartment of white marble. The eerie blue glow of a charging core reflected on the walls.

Then, he felt the ground shaking. An underground threat. More screams, and crying, and bloodied hands. 

A red signal on a screen. Large glowing wings that cut through metal. Burning notebooks on the desk.

There was an invasion. And loss greater than victory. 

But also, there was warmth. Sharing a bed with another person. A family sitting down at a small table for dinner. Holding and hiding burdens for others. But there was pain along with that—betrayal and secrets. 

And once the dust settled, there lay the truth of his humanity. Forgiveness? For whom? Ambitions? For what? 

There was no more running away now. Now, he ran to one destination only. And at the end of it all, there was the face of the one he most wanted to see. At the end of it all, was him.

“Wake up!” Blurred vision cleared to reveal that same face hovering above him.

Genos saw the panic in his eyes and the tears pricking at their corners. “Saitama…?”

“Genos, can you hear me now? Are you okay?” The trepidation in his voice resounded in his ears, as Genos felt Saitama’s hands cradle both sides of his face.

He sat up from the floor to be eye level with him as the blanket sank to reveal their bare top halves. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Because you didn’t— You were…” 

Genos reached up to cover Saitama’s hands in comfort. But, he realized what he was about to say as the truth dawned on him—a truth that he had not experienced in six years. “I was asleep…” he said slowly.

For a long moment, the only sound in the room that Genos heard was Saitama’s quick breathing and his fast heartbeat. “How are you feeling?”

Genos’ shocked gaze calmed as he pressed his lips to the inside of Saitama’s palm. “At first, I didn’t want to wake up. But seeing you when I opened my eyes… I’m glad I did.”

Saitama broke into a small smile, finally letting relief wash over him that morning. “Then, I’ll make sure I’m the first thing you see. So you have to promise to wake up every time.”

Genos realized at that moment that everything he had once lost, had returned. His life, his humanity, his heart. Overwhelmed with the thought, he gripped Saitama’s hand firmly while the other reached for the back of his neck. “I love you,” he said desperately like he was out of breath.

“Ge—” Saitama felt a firm and hungry kiss against his lips as Genos kept him locked into place. Genos shifted his weight forward, so Saitama’s bare back was against the tatami. He lay over him as the blanket that had provided their last ounce of modesty fell to the side. 

“I love you,” Genos pleaded between breaths. “You… You are—”

They parted briefly, and Saitama realized what that warm feeling on his cheek was. He reached up and wiped the oil streaming down Genos’ face. “I know… You’re mine, too.” Saitama returned the kiss and locked eyes with him. “I love you… with every part of me.”