Work Text:
Even after weeks of visiting, Genos found the outer sections of Drive Knight’s laboratory intimidating.
The rows of empty and unused rooms were left dark. As cyborgs, neither of them needed light to see clearly, but the human worry of low visibility still scrapes at the back of Genos's neck like a phantom touch. Inside the rooms he passes, the outlines of old technology, still containing Drive Knight’s classified inventions, lay dormant, reflecting only briefly in the light of his phone screen. Genos sends a final text to Saitama, informing him of the time he planned to be back before turning off the screen and placing the device into his back pocket.
Without any distractions, his footsteps echo. The sound intermingles with the noise of machinery as he approaches the center of the laboratory complex. It's not normally so loud, but Drive Knight is aware that he's coming, so Genos takes only a moment of caution to peer inside before walking in.
A mechanical arm wielding a welding torch arcs smoothly over a sculpted piece of metal inside the fabrication module of the main lab, sending sparks gliding across the floor. The intense light would be a danger to anyone walking inside unprepared aside from Genos. He manually dims his optical input for comfort's sake as he passes the shielding wall, finding Drive Knight leaning against the railing that separated the fabrication area from the rest of the lab, monitoring the welding progress. He nods at Genos.
"Give me a minute. This section is almost finished,"
Genos joins him at the railing. The intermittent light from the torch casts harsh shadows, made even more intense by the low light settings in his eyes. Letting the settings relax, he turns to look out over the rest of the lab, curious of any changes since the last time he visited. Drive Knight shifts, his hand brushing Genos's, pulling him out of his aimless focus. Whether it was accidental or intentional, Genos takes the opportunity to curl his fingers around Drive Knight's, running his thumb over the stripes on the back of his hand. With the harsh light of the machinery reflecting clean, bright lines off the smooth black metal, his hand looks almost skeletal. It's fitting for a man so focused on the study of living things.
Drive Knight tightens his grip on Genos's hand, pulling him closer so they're shoulder to shoulder, the dull clank of armor on armor an unnoticeable undercurrent to the machinery they're waiting for.
"You're a menace to my patience," He sounds amused. "We're almost done here."
As he speaks, the arm pulls back, folding into a resting position above the table. Drive Knight lets go of Genos's hand to pick up the newly welded piece of metal sitting in front of them, still red-hot from the torch. While Drive Knight moves his project to another table already cleared for additional work in the fabrication area, Genos resumes his idle examination of the room around him. The use of heavy fabrication was new to his visits. More fragile experiments and equipment has been sequestered at the far end of the room, including an empty specimen stasis tank that catches Genos's eye.
"Is that Nyan's tank?"
Drive Knight looks up, following Genos's gaze.
"Yes," He joins Genos, looking out into the darkness of his lab. "That was one of the other things I needed to show you."
Genos pauses, gaze locked on the vague shape in the corner as if it was about to start moving. Drive Knight had been fairly clear about his intentions to eliminate Nyan. Anything else was an escape risk for a Dragon-Level threat, so he was concerned to hear a note of frustration in Drive Knight's voice.
"I assure you it's nothing bad. Just unexpected. I'll show you now, before anything else," Drive Knight beckons him out of the lab, and Genos follows, casting one final glance at the empty tank.
They walk in silence, Genos trailing behind Drive Knight, letting his caution guide him more than anything else. Despite his...close relationship to Drive Knight that's developed, it's only been a matter of weeks, and he's rarely seen the depths of the building that Drive Knight uses as his living quarters.
Ahead of him, Drive Knight keys in the code to a door that Genos is only mildly sure he's seen before. He opens the door slowly, as if something inside might try to escape. After a moment, he slips inside, pulling Genos with him and shutting the door quickly.
The lights inside the room is on, but dimmed, casting a comfortable light across the minimal furniture that sat arranged around the apartment. There's movement in the shelves that line on wall of the main room as something small jumps to the floor and skitters towards the two cyborgs, making a small chirping sound.
It's a cat.
Drive Knight crouches, and the cat rubs it's head against his knee in greeting. Genos is still, only letting his head tilt to the side in confusion. Drive Knight has never shown any interest in keeping an animal before, and the concern over Nyan's unexpected disappearance still hangs over him. As he watches Drive Knight settle onto the floor, though he notices something. The cat is spotted, with black legs, much like the missing Dragon-level threat. For a moment, Genos thinks back to Rover, sleeping in Saitama's apartment every day, eager for attention like a normal dog despite his multiple eyes and excessive teeth.
"Is that..."
Drive Knight looks up at him from his place on the floor, and nods. The cat has turned to sniff Genos's jeans and sneakers, inspecting the new visitor in its space without malice. "This was a mistake, I'll admit."
"A mistake?" Genos lowers to his knees next to Drive Knight, moving slowly, wary of bumping the small animal winding around his legs. It takes the opportunity to lean against him, wrapping it's tail around his back.
"Obtaining this animal was not purposeful. It seems to have been a side effect of the one of the stasis materials on that specific specimen."
The cat, content with its examination of Genos, returns to Drive Knight's side, placing it's front paws onto his knee to stand tall.
"I've confirmed that there are no traces of monster cells in his blood, but as I cannot fully identify what caused this effect, or if its permanent, I decided it would be best to hold onto him."
Drive Knight looks at Genos, his direct gaze intense. "I apologize." Genos waits, not entirely sure what Drive Knight is referring to.
"For not showing him to you as soon as you got here, to reduce any concern about Nyan's whereabouts. It would have been irresponsible to keep him near the laboratory."
Genos nods. Drive Knight is nothing if not comfortingly thorough about his work. If he deems the animal safe, there's very little for Genos to question. He lets his posture relax, watching Drive Knight scratch behind the cat's ears. With the worry about a threat in the lab lifted, Genos is free to watch his companion. There's a softness to Drive Knight's posture, mirroring Genos's. It's rare to see, even in the moments where the two of them are alone, and Genos finds himself content in that moment. He remains still, unwilling to disturb it before it wears through on it's own.
It does, as all moments do, the cat slithering out of Drive Knight’s loose hold, finished with it’s affection for now. Drive Knight turns to him, sitting back upright.
"Time to get to work?" Drive Knight looks around at the empty room. "Lets stay here for now."
Genos stands, straightening his spine and pulling his backpack off. The blueprints inside rustle as he places it on the low table in the center of the room, followed by the clatter of the scale model core as it falls out of its pocket.
As they settle in to work, he leans back against Drive Knight's shoulder. Drive Knight's arm wraps around his waist, gentle, but confident, and Genos smiles. As he opens the first piece of paper, however, the cat reappears, wedging itself under his arms and into his lap.
"He seems to like you."
"He should. I'll be here whether he approves or not." Genos hears a short staticky crackle and feels Drive Knight lean back softly, his version of laughter.
"I'm glad to hear it."