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Saitama stopped walking just to kick a huge rock by his side, breaking it into pieces just before he stared at the ground as if it had insulted his mother. He started kicking the little pieces so hard they flew away in the matter of seconds, some of them getting lost in the distance, and others breaking windows and walls of abandoned houses, somehow trying to ease his own irritation.
He was upset, he didn’t know —or at least he didn’t know exactly what was it that made him so mad.
“Stupid Genos” He mumbled as he kicked the next little rock particularly hard, just to see how it drowned itself in one of the puddles the rain had left behind earlier in the afternoon.
He was still wearing his hero uniform all wet, filled with blood, dirt, and god knows what else was in it. He didn’t even took the time to take it off when he got home, he was so busy fighting with Genos over–
“What was it again? The goddamn dinner?” He asked himself, attempting to recall what had happened half an hour ago. He really didn’t remember, all he had in mind was when they started screaming at each other… That he slammed the door and the look in Genos’ face before he left…
“Shit.” Saitama muttered as he brought his feet slowly to a stop.
It was such a dumb discussion, how did it turn out like that?
Today had been one awful day. He had left to take care of a monster that the news reporter had described as “dangerous and lethal”. It was raining heavily outside, but Saitama couldn’t care less when he excitedly changed and left Genos to look after the apartment. He mentioned a sale and the huge discount they’ll make on sweets. Saitama promised he would make it to there and would definitely bring something for Genos.
He was so eager to get right into action, he won’t deny it, that when he was face to face with the weird looking fridge-guy monster, he barely contained himself. He punched the guy right through his stomach and a rain of blood fell over him.
Another disappointment and this time fake advertisement was to blame.
The monster was already a waste of time, but the people had started to shit on him for breaking the store’s wall even when he had defeated the villain and literally saved their asses. He tried to defend himself and even tried to fix the hole but he just got kicked out with complete disrespect. Therefore, he missed the sale he had promised Genos to go to and on top of all his suit was damp from head to toes with all the time he spent outside doing basically nothing. Terrible waste of his precious time he could’ve spend at home snuggling in his futon watching movies or something.
“Welcome home, sensei” He heard Genos speak from the kitchen just when he opened the door of his apartment. He could hear the water running and the clash of the dishes being washed, there was also a faint smell of food in the air. “Was the opponent worth your time?”
“Not really” Saitama quickly mumbled as he went straight to the kitchen’s cupboard to grab a bag of chips, not even bothering to take off his boots. Genos had just finished washing the dishes and he was now holding a ladle on top of the pot as he looked at Saitama with confused eyes.
Saitama didn’t say anything and ignored the eyes that stared at him with amazement, while he made his way to the living room and clumsily turned the tv on. He opened the bag of chips and started to eat them out at an alarming speed just right when Genos decided bring up a conversation once again.
“I’m about to finish dinner. Are you not feeling well? I was making udon…” Genos announced, while he stepped into the tiny space to watch Saitama ignore him completely a second time. Genos watched as he grabbed the futon with the hand he had just been eating the chips with and laid it down on in front of the television. Saitama saw the gloomy look on his face just when he flopped down into the futon, taking notice of the fresh smell on it. Oops, he washed this.
Not only the chips, but the blood, the mud, and the water dirtied the futon quickly enough for Genos to try and hide his upset expression. “I’ll clean it later” said Saitama with his eyes locked in the television. He was not even paying attention to the program he was watching, they were explaining something about earthquakes and tsunamis but he was not interested. “I’m not hungry, Genos”
Genos seemed to dwell on this one, but he decided to talk, “You are eagerly eating a bag of chips, I assume you’re just not in the mood for udon” Saitama looked up at him with curious eyes, “I’ll cook something else if you want, sensei”
Saitama groaned as he finished eating the last chip. “I’m fine, Genos. Let it be.”
“You are certainly not” He replied immediately, without a second thought. “Did something bad happen?” His concern was genuine, but Saitama was too pissed to care about it.
“I said I’m fine!” He answered with his tone displaying his obvious irritation, and never without taking his eyes off the screen.
There was silence for a few seconds and Saitama thought he could finally relax and let everything go, but Genos spoke again. “Forgive me, I didn’t mean to upset you” His voice was so stoic and monotonous, Saitama considered ignoring him again. “There is still some curry from yesterday in the fridge”.
“Dude, I said I don’t want anything. Thanks but no ” He answered once again, dropping the empty bag of chips by his side, cleaning his hands on the futon. Was he just trying to make Genos angry?
He heard him sigh. “Excuse me, Saitama-sensei, but you should clean yourself before using the futon”.
Saitama looked at him from below to contemplate his rare expression of annoyance. “It’s my apartment” he said with a carefree tone.
“I cleaned it” he replied with obvious exasperation.
Saitama stood up purposely on top of the futon, his filthy boots, leaving brown spots on it. “Did I ask you to?”
Genos looked surprised for a split second, almost hurt, but decided to say nothing.
“See? Look at this bullshit you’re telling me right now, it makes no sense!” said Saitama as he stepped off the futon and made his way to the kitchen again. “I can come into my apartment and do whatever I want with it”
“I’m just trying to do something nice for you, sensei” He mumbled, almost as if scared to say it.
“Yes, thank you, I appreciate it, but I don’t need it” He replied, looking in the fridge for a soda.
“You could at least show some gratefulness, some— respect!” Genos yelled. Saitama turned, shocked at Genos sudden outburst. He was met with a pair of scared golden eyes that didn’t match that fierce voice he used before. “I don’t think it’s fair”
Saitama laughed. “Are you serious? You don’t even pay rent! It’s the least you could do in here!”
“I’m not some sort of slave! I’m your disciple!” He demanded, a look of complete disappointment on his face. “And I do pay rent!”
“I don’t care! I literally didn’t ask for a fucking disciple, Genos!” said Saitama throwing his arms in the air in exasperation.
“You are the one who told me I could!” Genos had the face of someone who had been betrayed by the closest person he had by his side, and that was not too far from reality, actually. Saitama could’ve start to regret his words but that strange feeling of frustration told him to keep it up. “You told me it was okay to stay, I thought you enjoyed my company!”
“I’m not saying I don’t! I didn’t mean it that way!” He started, clenching his fists holding the urge to punch a wall.
Genos expression of worry grew at this and got a step closer to him. “Then what did you mean? I have no idea what’s the problem and I’m just trying to—“
“Just shut the fuck up for once!” screamed Saitama when the last of his self-control broke into pieces. “I had a shit day, I was tired and the only thing I want is to do is relax, but then you wouldn’t leave me alone!” He pushed Genos out of his way and went to the door.
Genos had the face he was about to cry, “Saitama-sensei? I’m sorry, I didn’t know—” he stopped himself, as Saitama looked at him with the most enraged expression he could manage.
“Don’t you dare follow me, Genos” And then he stepped out and slammed the door right before Genos could say something else.
Saitama kept walking around the desolated city until he reached his apartment building again, even after the sky became dark blue and there were no more birds awake to sing around the place. It was late, and he had been hearing his phone ring for the past fifteen minutes. He knew it was Genos, but what was he going to tell him? How could he apologize?
Was Genos going to leave him?
Honestly, Saitama couldn’t deny he regretted from the first word to the last. He wished with all his might he could just punch the discussion to the moon; to go back in time and let Genos pamper him instead of pushing him away with his ridiculous tantrum. He made him angry on purpose, for Christ sake! He wanted to kick his past self just for being such a jerk, such a fucking idiot. Genos had been trying to make him feel better and he now came in and— treated him like he was some disposable piece of metal.
And he was not. He was anything but that.
The phone rang again. He tried to think what to say, what to do to not lose him. He really didn’t want to go back to the days when he would lock himself in his apartment and deal with every shitty day by himself; no delicious food waiting for him at home, no tidy but cozy apartment, no sweet voice to greet him when he got back.
No Genos.
He took the old fashioned cell phone Genos had given him out of his pocket, looking at the name it displayed on the screen with tangible fear in his chest.
‘Genos is calling…’ .
He felt his stomach flip upside down as he clicked the button before putting the speaker next to his ear; he slowly started to climb up the stairs of the old, abandoned building.
“Sensei?” Saitama felt his heart shatter at the sound of his broken voice. “I’m sorry, Saitama-sensei, I really didn’t mean to upset you, I was just trying to— to be a good disciple for you. I’ll leave if you want me to I promise but please don’t stay angry at me, I’m sorry—” And he went on and on… And on.
If he didn’t feel like the literal scum of the earth before now he believed he was. Who in this world would hurt Genos? He was the most dedicated and passionate person he had met in years, he did so much for him already, he would ask for advice when in battle, and would question about sales, and make tea in the cold days and watch movies with him, he would make him a tasty breakfast and lunch and dinner and–holy shit wasn’t Genos just the best fucking guy ever?
And Saitama had just yelled that he was a nuisance. What kind of wicked asshole would do that to someone so special? God, Saitama was a fucking mess. How could this brat make him feel so much? What was he, some sort of magician?
“—and I cleaned everything again and you can use my– my futon to sleep, I don’t really need it—”
He was not even paying attention to his words anymore, just to the hollow feeling in his stomach as he heard his sobs and apologies…
“Will you come back home?” It was just a whisper, but Saitama had never heard something so loudly in his life. “I’m not implying is my home too, sensei, you said before it’s you apartment and you do whatever you want with it” And there he had to go and ruin it.
Silence fell and Saitama could feel tears in his eyes. He was going to talk but it seemed Genos had forgotten of the ‘twenty words or less’ rule,
“I’m sorry about the floor too, I stained it with oil—” he sobbed again, and Saitama’s heart dropped to hell to keep Satan some company, probably. “I’ll find a way to clean it I promise I— Are you still there, sensei?”
“I’m right here, Genos” he mumbled just before he looked at the door with tiredness “Can you open the door for me, please? I forgot my keys”
He heard a shuffle from the other side of the line, and the steps coming close to open the door. But it never did.
“You don’t want to see me this way, sensei” He whimpered.
Saitama fell silent, he sighed and run a hand through his face, unsure of what to say. “Genos, please let me see you”. He closed his eyes tightly and rested his forehead on the door.
When Saitama thought he would leave him outside for the rest of the night, his nervousness made him sweat and his free hand clenched and unclenched anxiously, he heard Genos unlocking the door through the phone call and he swore he could feel his heart stopping for a second but the door never opened in front of him. He waited for a few more seconds, his heart rate slowing down. Maybe Genos had unlocked the… bathroom door?
“Sensei? I thought you implied you were outside right now…” Genos muttered over the phone, his little sobs finally gone. Saitama looked up to see the number of the apartment written on the door immediately. He blushed in embarrassment even if no one had seen him standing there like an idiot.
“Genos–fuck I’m sorry I’m on the wrong floor” He quickly replied before breaking into a jog and running downstairs. He heard Genos break into a soft chuckle; it warmed his heart to hear such delightful sound coming out of him, like not even an angelical choir of angels singing in heaven could match it.
The moment had been so dramatic, so emotional, though. He had been so anxious for nothing, but somehow he felt relieved things were getting back to its normal direction.
When he got to right floor, he saw Genos standing awkwardly on the door frame waiting for him. His cheeks had oil smudge all over them and he looked like he had cleaned the place with his clothes instead of his hands. He looked tired and worried.
And he screamed at him. He insulted him.
He hurt him.
“I’m sorry, sensei” He whispered, as another brownish tear fell down his face and he quickly wiped it away with his hand. But he only worsened dark spots in his cheeks that he assumed were because of all he made him cry.
Saitama said nothing as he walked to him and hugged him. He snaked his arms around his neck and rested his head on his shoulder. “Silly, I’m the one who should be apologizing”
He felt Genos arms shyly hug him back, “I’m sorry, sensei” he silently cried and Saitama quickly took his right hand to try and wipe Genos’ tears away.
He shushed him softly, “Stop apologizing, Genos, I’m the one who’s sorry. Please don’t cry anymore”.
Genos was not loud, but he could feel the tears dripping into his shoulder and staining his hero uniform that was going to end up in the garbage at this rate; he couldn’t care less, anyway. All he cared right now was holding Genos in his arms and never letting go. He could feel him hugging tighter and the tears died down with the passing minutes.
“I love your food,” He randomly said while he stroked the back of Genos’ neck. “As much as I love your company,” He breathed in deeply and let out a heavy sigh. “It’s just sometimes I feel so frustrated I just get all bitchy… I promise I won’t take it out on you, Genos. You don’t deserve that, I’m sorry”
He could feel Genos hand wander around his back, caressing him slowly “Your apology has been accepted” he said, and Saitama bit his lips not to make a joke about that. He sounded like an answering machine…
His hand found his way into Genos’ hair and he lovingly stroke it while he enjoyed the softness of it despite himself. Genos hummed and nuzzled his nose in Saitama’s shoulder. They stayed like that for a while, just losing themselves in their embrace as everything else fell into place.
“Sensei” He heard him call just right before he straighten up and looked down to Saitama, his exotic golden eyes burying deeply into his soul, “Welcome home”.
Saitama smiled before letting himself fall into Genos’ arms this time, all of his dumb frustration and bottled up emotions vanishing into the thin air. He never wanted this to end, and he was damn sure Genos was not allowed to go either.
He liked this. “I’m home, Genos”