Work Text:
Clink.
You were a Class S Hero, just like him. You were also a teenager just like him. Except for the fact that you still considered washing dishes and buying groceries as chores instead of training . And like any kid your guys’ age, you liked to mess around and fuck with people. Which currently explained why you were throwing magnets at him with the hope they would stick.
You had an audience too. “Ooh, you missed that one.”
“Yeah, no shit Sherlock.”
Child Emperor stuck his tongue out at your reply before continuing to suck on his lollipop. The rest of the Class S heroes sat in the dim conference room either boredly grumbling under their breaths or, in Pig God’s case, inhaling a drool-worthy steak dinner. The Hero Association had called them all here under the pretenses that there was a Dragon-level threat in the area. Of course, Genos noted the usual heroes were missing: Blast, Metal Knight, and a couple others. So, as the remarkable heroes all laid in wait, they disinterestedly played on personal gadgets and other devices.
It was early on when Genos found you took a liking to throwing magnets at him. When you first sat in the conference room with him after freshly joining Class S as an exceptional hero, you had excitedly asked if he could ‘hold those souvenir magnets like your fridge at home’ while observing his metallic form up and down. From that day forward, anytime you saw him in your city or at the Hero Association’s onyx skyscraper, you would pull out a handy stack of flat magnets and flick them at him like a deck of cards.
Ding.
“YN, you have terrible aim.” The child who sat next to you watched your Hawaii magnet hit the server robot in the corner of the room, causing it to let out a slew of concerned beeps before toppling over.
“Shut it, pipsqueak, I’m working on it.” You stick your tongue out of the corner of your mouth, squinting at your target before flicking the card with your super-powered strength. It flew past an undisturbed Genos’s head, ruffling his bangs on the way by before smacking anticlimactically into the wall behind him. Saitama next to him lets out a humorous grunt before returning to drawing on the illuminated table with his gloves.
“Craaaap.” You groan and dramatically drop your head down onto the glass surface. Child Emperor pats your back reassuringly.
“One day, YN.”
“It’s gonna happen today, squirt. Just watch me.” With a newfound, unearned vigor, you whip your head up and eye Genos, who unblinkingly stares back, completely unaffected. The cyborg was used to this, and was no longer threatened by your magnet-throwing like he had been at first. In the beginning, he had taken a fighting stance after your first lob, preparing his weapons at you only to flinch in surprise when you screamed in fright. Since then, he let you have your fun, now knowing it was harmless… and a little endearing. Not that you’d ever find that out.
Genos was drawn out of his thoughts when a particularly small object made contact with his cheek, hitting it harshly before bouncing off and rebounding into Saitama’s unassuming face.
“Double kill!” you announced in a mockingly deep voice before victoriously high-fiving the ten-year-old next to you. After that win, you excitedly wiggle in your seat, already aiming another magnet at him for consecutive bullseyes.
“Go for the throat!” Child Emperor advises from beside you, pointing at Genos with shining eyes and bouncing up and down in his chair. You give him a disturbed look.
“There’s definitely something wrong with you, kid.” You shake your head but still flick the magnet from between your fingers.
Fwap.
“AW YEAHHH!” You both cry out triumphantly, fist-bumping at the success.
“YN! Child Emperor!” The director of the association enters the room and hurls dirty looks at the two of you.
“Sorry sir.” As the excitement dies down, Genos peels a France magnet away from his forehead wordlessly. Following the scolding, your face grows ashamed and you swivel away in your chair, plopping your elbow onto the table and disappointedly tucking your chin into your hand. The cyborg keeps an eye on you, quirking up the corners of his mouth as he tucks the souvenir into his pocket.
***
“You totally like Genos.”
The Class S hero stood dutifully outside of the bathroom, waiting for his master to do his business when he overheard you and Child Emperor still exiting the conference room.
“Well duh. How’d you figure that one out, genius?” Genos shifted on his feet at your confession. Did he like you back?
“C’mon YN, you’re like, way old, just tell him!”
You scoff. “I’m only a few years older than you! Anyways-”
“Still,” the child muttered under his breath.
“ Anyways ,” you interrupted bitterly, “it’s not like he’s gonna like me back. He’s totally cute, but quiet and emotionless.”
“I’m not sure I wanna hear this anymore-”
“I’m not gonna confess any time soon, and neither is he. I’m just too nervous and shy.” Your voices were growing closer and the cyborg panicked, pushing his way into the men’s room and holding the door open just enough that he could continue eavesdropping.
“Pansy-ass, just do it. He’s like a robot, what’s he going to do?”
“Shut it, you know he’s more than that. For now, I’ll just stick to-”
“Genos?” Saitama exited the stall, staring bewilderedly at his disciple. “Did you follow me in here?” He began to wash his hands while still warily eyeing the blond.
Genos stayed silent for a second, contemplating the conversation he had just overheard. You were attractive by societal standards, and never tried to purposely hurt or insult him. Plus, you reminded him of a part of himself he lost long ago. A part he could never have again thanks to his vendetta and cybernetic self. You were playful and fun-loving, and so optimistic about life that it reminded him of happier days in his old schools, surrounded by other kids who thought life would always be that easy. Memories of you throwing magnets at him stood brighter than any others that he had formed since the death of his family, and he liked it that way. He liked the effect you had on him. No, he liked you .
“Master.” Genos suddenly voiced. The bald hero hummed while exiting the bathroom, the blond trailing after.
“How do you confess your romantic feelings to a girl?”
“What the hell, Genos?!”
***
It was perfect. It was grade school, and he liked to think it reflected the same childishness of you throwing things at him to hint that you harbored a crush on him. It was a handwritten note, and Genos travelled all the way to your city to deliver it to you.
“YN,” he called out when he spotted your figure observing the streets from a rooftop. You grew scarlet at the sight of the cyborg making his way up to you. Nervously, you began to twirl a lock of hair around your finger, watching with wide eyes as he approached you intimidatingly.
“Genos.” Your voice caught in your throat as you struggled to breath normally.
“Here.” His face was blank, but you expected nothing less as he presented a folded up note to you. With trembling hands, you accepted the slip of paper and unfolded it slowly.
You attract me like my metal attracts your magnets.
You pinched yourself then closed your eyes harshly, opening them only to see the note still held those words. Looking back up at Genos, you began to giggle slightly. Then you started to laugh. It slowly grew into the elegant wheezing of dying camel as you held your stomach from the pain, your face frozen in hilarity. You didn’t stop until you saw Genos’s shoes back up slowly, and looked up to see his head turned away in shame. Quickly, you stood straight up, coughing awkwardly to disguise the remnants of your humor while wiping away a few tears that had leaked.
“I- guh,” you guffawed before covering your mouth shyly, “I’m sorry, I don’t even know why I’m laughing.” He didn’t respond or even move a muscle so you continued. “I like you too, and this,” you hold up the note, “this is the best thing I have ever gotten from somebody.” You took a couple steps toward him and almost gasped at the sight of his glowing, yellow eyes at last staring into yours. Your heart began to pound uncontrollably in response, and he came closer as well.
“Good, I’m glad.” His smile was stiff and insincere at first, but when you returned your gaze to the cheezy note, it grew soft and true. You nodded along with his words while beaming down at your shoes. Then, your eyes grew to the size of dinner plates when his hand came up and prompted you to look at him. You obeyed and watched perplexedly as he fished for something in his pocket.
“Does that mean I can keep this?” Genos whipped out something you had been searching for since last week.
“YOU STOLE MY FRANCE MAGNET!”
“You threw it at me.”
“IRRELEVANT!”