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Saitama had just gotten back to the small apartment after defeating some strange kind of chicken monster, what it was spouting off before he got fed up and punched it, he didn’t care. Genos was in the kitchen, wearing his pink apron and scrubbing the stove (for what must’ve been the 30th time that day).
“Sensei! I’m glad you’re home! How did it go?” Genos asked, starting to move to the table where his notebook lied open in waiting.
“eh, nothing exciting. It probably would’ve barely taken a flick of my finger. I brought home some chicken for dinner though!” Saitama responded nonchalantly. Best not to tell Genos where he got the chicken from.
Genos stopped and eyed his teacher up curiously, his sensors indicating something had changed but he couldn’t specify what.
“well good, maybe we can make mizutaki then?” Genos shrugged off the concern, quickly jotting down notes before moving to the kitchen again and started planning for a delicious chicken hot pot.
It was an unusually chilly fall afternoon; warm broth would be great for heating up.
As Genos finished getting the broth and vegetables ready, he heard Saitama cough once in the other room. Peering through the window opening, he saw his teacher sniff slightly, and rub a hand under his nose. The cyborg runs through his memory files, searching for another instance of this happening. He finds nothing.
“oi, Genos. How’s the hot pot coming along? I’m freezing and starving over here!” Saitama calls from his usual spot in front of the TV.
That’s when Genos realizes what his sensors were pinging about before… Saitama has a cold.
“but how can he have a cold? In the year I’ve spent as his disciple he hasn’t once gotten sick, aside from an occasional sneeze. This requires further investigation.” Genos thinks to himself.
Genos brings in the mizutaki and hands Saitama his bowl and chopsticks, ever so slightly brushing hands while doing so. In that small moment, Genos was able to get a temperature reading, 37.7°C. That’s definitely a fever.
“Sensei? Are you feeling well today?” he finally looks forward, not wanting to overstep but still show his worry.
Saitama looks up from his already half eaten bowl, furrowed brows. “Eh? I mean I feel a little tired, but there have been more monsters lately, so we’ve had our hands full. Why?”
Genos is unsure how to respond at first, trying to figure out the easiest way to explain his conclusions. He doesn’t want to go past the 20-word limit but saying it so outright might be rude.
“Saitama-sensei, according to my sensors, I believe you might be under the weather…” he looks down, somewhat nervously.
silence.
“ah, that makes sense. I was coughing a bit earlier and I thought I had a feath-uh hair caught in my throat.” The bald man admits, coughing a bit awkwardly. “well, what’s the prognosis?”
Genos straightens up a bit, relieved that he can delve further into his teacher’s condition and how to help it. “I believe you have the common cold, sensei. You seem to have a fever, cough, and runny nose.” He states, handing over a tissue.
“I don’t think I’ve had a real cold in years… what do you think could’ve caused it?” Saitama ponders, beginning to shiver slightly.
Genos gets up to grab a blanket from where they store their futons in the corner, draping it around Sai’s shoulders.
“I’m not sure what the cause is, but I remember one time from my childhood, when I was human… my mother would always keep me warm, give me broth and watch movies with me.” Genos quietly mentions, unsure if offering or reminiscing.
Saitama sees the glazed-over look on his students face and decides to roll with it. He’s sick, nothing wrong with some caretaking. “I think I would really like that.”
Genos finishes cleaning up the dishes from dinner and moves the table into its nightly spot, replacing it with their futons. He turns on the TV and motions for Saitama to join him in front of it. Once they’re both seated, Genos decides to turn up his heat expulsion system. Keeping a sick person with a fever warm can often break the fever.
As Genos starts flipping through movie choices, he notices a subtle touch against his arm. Looking over briefly, he sees that Saitama has leaned closer. Not daring to move a single inch, he pretends to not notice and continue his search for the perfect “sick” movie.
“wait! That one! I love that one!” Saitama suddenly sits up, pointing to the screen.
The movie he wanted to watch was the British 2000’s movie Chicken Run.
“sensei? Are you sure you want this one?” Genos asked hesitantly, he had never seen this movie, nor heard of it. He was baffled that of all that his teacher could’ve picked from, he chose what looked like a cheesy stop motion children’s film… about chickens.
“I saw it once when I was younger and could never find a place to watch it again, its really neat how they animate the little clay figures! We have to watch it. I’m sick so I get to pick, right?” he turns towards the cyborg, attempting his best puppy dog eyes. (as if he even had to do that, Genos would give him the world.)
“of course, Saitama-sensei. We can watch this one.” Genos resigned, happy to comply if it meant helping his master.
Pressing play, they settled in. Saitama got increasingly closer as the movie progressed, seeking warmth or comfort, Genos was battling which it was in his mind the whole time.
At the climax of the movie, when the chickens are being sent into the factory to be made into pies, Saitama suddenly grabs Genos’ hand in excitement. Just a gentle grasp, but to Genos it felt like his metal hand was melting. It suddenly rose in temperature again, he *has* to keep sensei warm, right?
By the end of the movie, Saitama has fallen asleep resting his head against Genos’ shoulder, hands still intertwined. A good night’s rest should make him feel better by the morning.
Genos didn’t move at all that night, and he could watch that dumb chicken movie intro for the rest of eternity if it meant staying just like this.