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Saitama lies leaning on his futon bedding, watching the ceiling and unmoving as Genos bustles in the kitchen, preparing a hearty meal for them both. Saitama raises his hand upwards, studying it and returning his hand to his side, mind busy with introspection. Studying himself to this degree and thinking a lot, he finds that his 37-year old body was exactly the same as he was at the age of 25. That fact alone disturbs him greatly and is the reason for his dark mood.
Genos soon comes to his side and sets the table for them both, but Saitama wasn’t interested in eating anymore, his thoughts having become too grim for even himself to bear.
“Saitama-sensei, food is ready,” Genos tries to appease his sense of hunger, but the depressing feeling does not leave Saitama alone. He rises from the floor to a sitting position but does not look at the food or smell the appetizing taste of it. It might just as well taste like chalk to him, because of his mood.
“Genos…have you ever thought about getting old?” Saitama asks all of a sudden.
Genos has set the table and gives Saitama a curious look. “Not really sensei. I’m now 31-years old and you’re 37.”
Saitama looks down at his hands. “That’s just the thing Genos. I should be 37 years old…but I don’t feel like it at all. Like I haven't aged a day since I was 25, when I became too strong…”
“Some people age far slower than others, perhaps it’s just due to your genes—”
“No you don’t get it, Genos,” Saitama interrupts. “It’s like I’ve literally not aged at all. It doesn’t feel right, I used to age normally before I got so strong but now…I should have some signs of aging even with good genes yanno. But I can’t find any, like my body is forever in peak condition.”
He crosses his legs and looks at Genos with a far-away expression. “I have this feeling that I don’t age anymore Genos.”
Genos' eyes widen and then he becomes thoughtful, resting his fist on his chin. “That…should not be possible, but after so many impossibilities regarding your powers sensei, I think we cannot discount the possibility of that being the case. That by breaking the limit, you’ve made yourself ageless.” Genos looks at Saitama in an entirely new light.
“Yea, I think so too…” Saitama nods and scoots himself towards the table where Genos has set the meal. He should eat, even if his depressive mood would make even eating a chore.
They eat in slightly uncomfortable silence, both thinking about how to proceed next and after they are done with their meals, Genos collects the dishware and brings it back to the kitchen, but unlike his normal routine, he does not immediately start washing the dishes and instead, comes to sit opposite of Saitama in seiza, whom he sees is looking down with a tired gaze. They once again sit in silence, Genos observing Saitama’s gaze lazily moving from his knees to around the apartment like he’s observing and memorizing it.
“Genos,” Saitama begins, which startles Genos out of his own reverie and he meets Saitama’s lifted gaze, “what do you think about our relationship?”
“I am happy with our relationship sensei. Why do you ask?”
“Well, just a thought that…if I don’t age, it’ll be me who’s gonna see everyone pass away and then not age a day myself.” Saitama crosses fingers on his lap. “It’s not…gonna be easy.”
Even Genos has to look down at that admission. “I see…”
“Even if we were to be together for our lifetime, only you get to spend the rest of your lifetime with me, but not vice versa. I don’t…know how to feel about it.” Saitama blinks and looks down, trying to not let the tears form.
“In my honest opinion, you seem troubled and depressed, sensei.”
Saitama barks a humorless laugh. “Yeah, probably.” He rubs up and down his left hand, for something to do with his hands.
“It’s just that…” Saitama’s voice takes on a somber tone, “I kinda wanted to spend my lifetime with you Genos. Grow old with you. But it’s like I’m now cursed to watch everyone…” he hesitates on the word and gulps, “...everyone I love, die on me.” He looks at Genos’ dark and glowing eyes which are so sympathetic that it breaks him. Slowly tears escape his eyes and run down his cheeks.
Genos looks away and frowns. His own brain would age normally and his looks could be changed by Kuseno-hakase to reflect his age and at some point, he too would pass as a normal death but for Saitama-sensei…that might no longer be the case if his hypothesis holds true.
Genos makes the decision to crawl closer to Saitama and envelops him into a tight hug. Saitama hugs him back and starts trembling in his arms.
“I am still lucky to have met you sensei. I don’t, won’t, have regrets about meeting you.”
“Me neither, it’s just that…” Saitama weeps, “I don’t get to spend the rest of my life with you and I have to…watch you die and be alone, once again, at some point.” More tears run down rivulets from Saitama’s eyes. “Alone, for as far as I can think. I can’t…it feels too painful to even think about…”
Genos forcibly suppresses his own need to cry, just so he can stay strong for his sensei. “You could also go back in time, sensei, if that would spare you the pain. Nobody should have to endure that kind of pain of loneliness.”
“ Don’t,” Saitama says heatedly. “Don’t even suggest that the time we spend together can just be repeated by casually going back in time. It’s not the same and I’m not one to meddle with the timeline either. I’m no lord of time, Genos.” Saitama huffs. “Not like in some tv-shows.”
Genos says nothing and continues to hug Saitama and rubs gentle circles around his back as Saitama hiccups, his tears making wet marks on his sleeveless shirt.
Saitama nuzzles his head into Genos’s neck. “I just…want to spend time with you, Genos.”
Genos answers by nuzzling him back. “You will always be able to spend time with me, Saitama-sensei.”
“Ok…” Saitama extricates himself from Genos and rubs his red eyes to stave off more tears, sniffing a few times and grabbing a tissue from the table and blowing his nose on it.
Genos stands up from his seiza. “We have some popsicles in the freezer for dessert, do you want some sensei?”
Genos’ attempts of cheering him up brings a small smile on Saitama’s face. “Yeah, why not.”
Genos rises up and heads to the kitchen, almost missing the tiny murmured words that Saitama says next, but his enhanced hearing catches all of it.
I love you, Genos.
It brings a smile to Genos’ face. ‘I love you too, sensei.’
They no longer needed words to affirm that.