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“Remember that time you dared me to lick the swing set?” Saitama asks.
“No, I said, ‘Sensei, don’t lick the swing set,’ and you said, ‘Don’t tell me what to do, Genos.’ And then you licked the swing set.”
“Yes. You dared me to.”
Genos sighs. “Sensei, what I said does not constitute a dare.”
Saitama pokes his head out to look over Genos's shoulder. “Ah. There's an orange goo monster behind you.”
Genos spins around abruptly, hands glowing. Saitama reaches over his shoulder and flicks his finger. Before Genos can even finish powering up his hand cannons, the monster is a splatter on the pavement.
Genos relaxes. "Anyway, Sensei, I was saying that it wasn't a dare. I was simply warning you not to lick the swing set."
Saitama blinks. "Are you sure that's what happened?"
"Yes, Sensei."
"Ah."
They're silent for a moment, just looking at each other.
Saitama speaks up again. "I guess you were right to warn me, then. The swing set tasted bad."
Genos goes into an internal depression. 'Sensei does not like the taste of cold and slightly rusted metal,' he mentally pouts.
Out loud, he says, "I have to go see the doctor now. I will be home later tonight, Sensei."
Saitama responds, "Oh. Okay. See you later, Genos."
At Doctor Kuseno's Lab
"Genos, I don't understand why you want upgrades for silicone and rubber to replace certain parts of your body."
Genos looks at his hands, then shifts his gaze to his parts, or rather, his lack of parts.
"Doctor, when I first approached you for upgrades to my system, I wanted to be as strong as possible. I had no regard for the transitions and the human flesh I would have to give up in order to achieve my goal. All I cared about was my vengeance."
The doctor examines Genos's face carefully. "And now?" he asks.
Genos clenches his fists. "I have met Sensei. He saved my life, but beyond that, he has taught me so much about what it means to be human, to be alive." Genos looks up. "Doctor, am I still human? Can I still be human, with more than half of my body being metal and wires, with a heart made of steel and iron rather than flesh and blood?"
Dr. Kuseno places his tool on the table.
"Being human," he looks up at the ceiling in thought, "Is more than just being composed of flesh and bones. You may have circuitry and silicon instead of blood flowing through veins, but I know that your sensei has taught you much."
Genos stares at him expectantly.
The doctor smiles. "You said it yourself. This Saitama-sensei of yours has reminded you of your humanity. How can anyone say you are not human, when you are still capable of growth and change, when you can still learn from others and carry worry in your heart for his wellbeing?"
"Doctor..."
"I've finished your upgrades. You should head back to Saitama-san now. You said you would be back tonight, didn't you?"
Genos glances at the clock in the corner of the lab. "I should get going, then. Thank you once again, doctor, for everything."
Back at the Apartment
Saitama checks the clock on the microwave. “Genos should be back soon.”
Glancing at the boxes obstructing the doorway, he says out loud, “Maybe I should move those boxes out of the way?” He kicks the boxes to the side, not a moment too soon, because Genos turns the doorknob and very nearly trips over Saitama.
“Sensei!” Genos reaches out to grab Saitama, but Saitama lifts his head up too quickly, bumping into Genos, and they fall to the floor in an awkward tumble.
Saitama lands on top of Genos. He shifts and notices there is something… different about Genos. Saitama and Genos have hugged a few times before, and they’ve even fallen on top of each other once or twice, but every time Genos felt like a solid mass of metal and sharp edges.
This… feels rather like a pillow almost, only Genos is still firm and rather cool to the touch. Curious, Saitama presses his head further into Genos’s stomach, wrapping his arms around his waist.
“A-ah, Sensei?” Saitama does not see Genos’s faceplates heat up in a pink flush.
“You’re soft and kind of squishy, Genos,” Saitama says, rubbing his face into Genos’s side. “Is this a new upgrade?”
“It is. The doctor added some padding and insulation to my outer armor.” Genos hesitates. “Do you like it?”
“Hm. I think I’ll be hugging you more often from now on. The longer I stay in this position, the warmer you get. The insulation feels nice.”
Reassured, Genos takes a fortifying breath, not that he needs to breathe air at all, but it’s the little things that help him remember that he is human still. “The doctor added some other upgrades as well. Do you want to help me… test them out?”
“Eh?” Saitama looks up in confusion. Genos is being unusually roundabout today. Most days, Genos is the one to get to the point, rather than beat around the bush, hinting at subtleties.
“Sure,” Saitama responds. “Should we go to that desert a hundred miles east of here? How powerful is this new weapon of yours?”
Feeling his faceplates heat up again, Genos looks away from his sensei’s oblivious face. “I think my new weapon would be best suited for another location.” He coughs. “Such as the bedroom.”
Genos doesn’t see Saitama’s face go from oblivious to intensely concentrated. His eyes narrow into their battle-ready state. Unaware of his sensei’s internal thoughts, Genos shifts nervously. He opens his mouth, ready to rescind the offer, but Saitama is already sweeping Genos off the floor and into the bedroom they have shared for the past few months.
Startled at the sudden movement, Genos clings in a rather undignified way to Saitama’s shoulder and hip, his legs flailing a bit. He notices belatedly that Saitama has carried him to the bedroom and dropped him on Saitama’s own futon.
“Sensei?” He tries not to get his hopes up, but fails in the attempt. His circuits are tingling, tiny sparks of electricity racing through his wires every nanosecond. If his heart could pump blood, he knows it would be frantically beating a staccato in his chest.
“Let’s test out your new weapon, Genos.”
Any doubts Genos might have had beforehand regarding his sensei’s intentions are completely wiped out when Saitama looks expectantly at his crotch.
“Yes, Sensei.”