Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Fubuki is sharp-eyed. She wouldn't have gotten to where she is if she wasn't, and she knows it. However, being as well-versed as she is in the intricate weave of the social and political net that is a surprisingly large part of the hero association, she is hesitant to come to a conclusion without some evidence first.

It begins with whispers in the hallways of the association. People have seen the infamous Demon Cyborg sitting alone, daydreaming. Writing, or perhaps doodling in a journal he supposedly brings everywhere with him like some juvenile schoolboy. No one knows what he's writing or drawing or whatever, but he's very dedicated to it and refuses to let anyone come close enough to see it. He's easy enough to read though, that one, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that something is up with the aloof 19-year old. And given his popularity, everyone wants to know who managed to snare him.

Whispered rumours are one thing, those are everywhere, she wants something real, something she can actually use to her gain. And so, she plants her eyes and ears to gather more information. She's convinced it will be easy to find out the truth. And if her hunch is correct, this might turn out to be a delicate piece of knowledge, a juicy titbit indeed to dangle in front of the brat to get something back. For that reason alone, she devotes some of her energy to it. Surely the kid worries about his reputation as a S-rank hero, not to mention that silly dark, badass persona he has got going? How far is he willing to go to maintain that image of himself? Fubuki personally thinks it's an immature and unimaginative image in the first place but what could you expect from some inexperienced brat? It's a wonder he's gotten as far as he has to begin with. Maybe it's time for that luck to run out.

Seeing as Demon cyborg is S-rank while she herself is B-rank, they have few direct interactions. The last time she has gotten a good look at him was during that train ride when he ranted about something to do with crabs, of all things. Besides, she already leads a busy life. There is always someone who needs her or her opinion or something. So for the most part, she relies on what others have to tell her about him, not doing any actual research on her own.

At first, there is little to say. The kid is... elusive. Contrary to what she might initially have expected, he doesn't seem to be especially interested in socializing with, well, anyone. She's assumed that he'd be all about parties and pretty girls, considering his age and popularity. For a while, she almost thinks she's mistaken about it all. And even if she isn't, she has nothing new to go on. Besides, she's got a lot of other matters on her mind and so she almost lets the whole thing drop. Almost.

Not long after that though, her sister complains - loudly - about the latest S-rank meeting. They're sitting in a small exclusive café, trying to maintain some sort of sister bond as they do occasionally. To an outsider it might not look very successful most times when they interact like this - they are both opinionated and strong-willed - but they both know how the other one works, so it's rarely a big deal. They are used to each other. It's fine.

And so, it's not with caution but rather with barely concealed boredom that Fubuki slowly twirls the little spoon in her cup as Tatsumaki rants loudly about the latest S-rank meeting. The older sister is annoyed, annoyed enough that the plates and napkins on their table have begun to be surrounded by just the faintest hint of an eerie green light. They're not floating, not yet, but if she keeps her temper up like this, they soon will be.

"Their inefficiency disgusts me! When there's a real threat, something that could actually be a challenge, they send worthless idiots to deal with it rather than let us real heroes take care of it. And then they call us in for useless nonsense meetings instead and all we do is sit there and pretend to listen! I'm not surprised most of them didn't bother showing up this time!"

"Who came to the meeting?" Fubuki asks on auto-pilot, taking a slow sip of her coffee. Who takes the meetings the most seriously? Another small piece of information to add to her collection. You never know what knowledge might come in handy one day.

"Other than me? Old man Silver Fang, that rude brat with the hair, the fat guy. Some guy, I don't remember his name. That robot kid, not that he listened to a word they said. Just sat there with a dumb smile the whole time!"

With a dramatic huff, Tatsumaki sinks deeper into her seat, absent-mindedly floating a cookie her way and taking a large bite from it. The agitation is clear on her face, though the green light seems to have faded now that she's unloaded some of her frustration.

Fubuki, however, feels something akin to a jolt of electricity go through her. Demon Cyborg never smiles. Dammit. There is something going on there after all, she's sure of it. This time, she's going to go to the bottom of it, no matter what it takes.

Some time passes. The robot remains as elusive as always. She knows that he has a big fan club so she devotes some of her energy – or rather, some of her people – to it. They ask around. Is there a fan who has actually managed to snare the Cyborg Prince? Some pretty little thing that drew his eyes with poetic letters and silly romantic gifts?

According to her sources, that is not the case. Another hero perhaps? Maybe someone in the lower ranks? As far as her little spies can tell, the only hero he regularly interacts with seems to be that weird Caped Baldy guy. Must be an outsider then, a civilian, someone who is good at remaining hidden. He must be protecting her against the paparazzi, she supposes, now knowing how much he despises any media attention himself. Well, they'll find her sooner or later.

***

She isn't sure how it even happens, she can only put it down to him having some sort of weird... aura. It's easy to just call him oblivious, but sometimes she wonders if it's not a mask he intentionally puts on. Other times she's certain he's truly as obtuse as he appears to be, though.

Caped Baldy is an enigma.

But if nothing else, he turns out to be a surprisingly pleasant enigma. His complete lack of interest in rank or important connections is rare among heroes, but she must admit it's refreshing. It's almost relaxing, she can almost put her guard down when she talks to him. She would never admit it out loud, but she is also curious to learn more about him. To see the man behind the disastrous reputation. At the very least, he doesn't seem nearly as scheming as most try to make him out. He's definitely a tricky one to figure out.

One night after a typical dull B-rank meeting, Saitama actually invites her over to his apartment. A few friends are coming over to play some video games and eat something and she can come too, if she wants.

The invitation is laughable and yet Fubuki can admit to herself that she's curious. Well, why not? At the very least, she will learn who the guy consider to be his friends. With the way he's been climbing the ranks recently despite his rumoured inabilities, that's knowledge that might come in handy. And so she agrees to visit him.

***

It turns out that Saitama lives in an abandoned part of Z-city. Her chauffeur can only take her so close before the car can go no further in the broken streets strewn with rubble, leaving them to carefully walk the last of the distance to find the right place. When they reach the worn building, they see that it seems to be pretty much completely dark and uninhabited, save from the warm light spilling from a single window. It's a pleasant spring evening and a white curtain is slowly moving in the wind. It looks surprisingly inviting.

Fubuki nods her companion away until she has further needs of his service and carefully sidesteps the rubble strewn across the street as she walks up the dusty stairs to the right apartment. As she comes nearer, she can hear faint voices talking inside and what sounds like a faint but steady rumbling. Maybe someone is playing music?

The light spills out into the darkness as Saitama opens the door and he gives her one of his bland but genuine smiles. As she is welcomed inside she's surprised to find out exactly whom the Caped Baldy considers to be his friends. Mumen Rider is there. Well, probably isn't a soul on this planet he couldn't befriend. But is that really... Yes, it is. That is King, S-rank hero King, sitting by the TV, brows furrowed as he is completely focused on the television. His infamous king engine. That's the source of the rumbling she heard outside. She swallows carefully. King's blood thirst is legendary and it seems video games is enough to work up his fighting spirit. She'll have to be careful around him. It's well known that he is not a hero who should be angered.

Most surprising of all, however, is the sight that greets her when she steals a glance into the small kitchenette.

It's Demon cyborg.

In an apron.

A pink apron.

She shakes her head slowly in disbelief, meeting his eyes for a moment as he frowns at her before turning back to chopping vegetables. Did he, what? Lose a bet or something? She just can't fathom why the infamous Demon cyborg, always dressed in fashionable (not to mention tight, form-hugging...) clothing, a hero with a reputation of being vicious and reckless and dangerous, is standing in Caped Baldy's kitchen, placidly chopping vegetables. While wearing a pink apron. The other guests don't seem to consider it strange at all, though. Does that mean this is not the first time he's acting like this?

She isn't given much time to mull over it before she's dragged over to the TV as the friends search for a game that allows multiplayer mode.

"Yo, Genos, you want to join in? I think all of these only allow up to four players, but we can rotate if you wanna play!" Saitama calls into the kitchen while rummaging through the plastic bag, eyeing one game after another.

The answer comes quickly as the sound of cutting temporarily quiets down. Demon Cyborg peaks cautiously through the door opening, eyes focused on Saitama.

"Please don't worry about me, Sensei. Enjoy your game."

Sensei?

As the night progresses, Fubuki learns several new things.

For one thing, she learns that King is a big fan of video games. That is not something she had expected of a man who looks like he beats up monsters for fun without breaking a sweat.

She learns that Mumen is, apparently, as innocent of mind and soul as everyone thinks he is. How is that guy even real?

But most surprising, she learns that Demon Cyborg and Caped Baldy are a bit more than just acquaintances. They are in fact room-mates. And if that wasn’t enough – apparently Saitama is some sort of mentor? Teacher? to the brat. She still isn’t quite sure how that works or even came to be, but she gets the impression they are both content with it, as strange as it sounds. She tries to enquire Mumen about it and even ventures to carefully ask King what he knows, but Mumen hasn't given it much thought and King just fixes her with a cold, unnerving glare until she backs off.

***

She comes over several more times over the course of the next couple of months. Usually it’s the five of them together; sometimes Mumen or King is missing. Mostly they play video games – all of them are pretty terrible players, but they enjoy it all the same. Demon Cyborg rarely joins them; seemingly content to instead busy himself with preparing something for them all to eat and taking care of the dishes when they’re done. Fubuki has to hand it to the kid, though – he knows his way around a kitchen. She never would have suspected he was interested in cooking. Why would a robot even need to worry about food? Doesn't he run off electricity or something?

Every time, he wears that silly pink apron while he cooks, to the point she eventually no longer sees it as a weird thing but rather just part of who he is.

She does notice other weird things, though.

Like, for instance, how Demon Cyborg – Genos, that’s his name – will sometimes stop whatever he’s doing to just stop and look at Saitama while he’s talking or doing something, as if his life depended on recording his every movement. She learns one night that he apparently keeps notes on his teacher and records all sorts of things about him. She is very curious what the S-rank thinks he can learn from the B-rank. He always speaks very respectfully towards him (quite different from how he tends to speak to everyone else – from what she's seen previously, he's generally rude to most people) and treats him like someone worthy of great respect.

While they spend time together, Fubuki often takes the opportunity to ask them questions about themselves and their connections to other heroes. She is good at phrasing them in a way that makes them seem unimportant, like normal friendly chatter, but she files away everything she discovers, adding them to her spider's web of knowledge of all that goes on in the hero world. It irks her, though, that she can find out so little about Demon Cyborg. Not just on his suspected love life but in general. At the same time, his unwillingness to interact makes him all the more intriguing. What exactly is he hiding? At this point, she's convinced it has to be something exceptionally juicy. Why else would it be so hard to find out more about him?

Mumen talks about everything and anything. He answers her questions in such a friendly, honest way that she almost gets a headache just talking to him. For all that though, he doesn't seem to know a thing about hero politics and no, he has never heard anything about Genos spending time with anyone but Saitama.

King is difficult to get a read on. He's... frightening. And talks very little. Whenever Fubuki tries to question him, he will fix her with an icy stare and more often than not, she can hear the king engine begin to rumble as soon as she asks even a friendly, innocent little question. She leaves him alone most of the time.

Saitama is, as always, oblivious to an almost painful degree in most matters. One night, when she's the only guest still remaining, she gives up trying to beat around the bush and asks him outright whether he knows if the brat is seeing someone special?

Saitama replies, bland as always, that as far as he knows, he is the only person Genos hangs out with, unless you count his doctor. After some prodding he admits that sure, Genos might go out alone sometimes, but that's because he gets called to take care of some monster or other and sometimes they have to split up to catch two sales in different cities. No, he's never come home with any strange gifts from someone (unless you count his fanmail) or smelling different or with a blush on his face. As far as Saitama knows the kid can't visibly blush anyway so that's kind of a moot point.

When Fubuki gets annoyed enough to ask – demanding, really – to know who Demon Cyborg's girlfriend is, he just laughs until she gives up.

***

One night finds the five of them sitting together in the pale light from the TV, watching some old horror movie. Everyone is a bit more subdued than usual, though they are all in good spirits, just exhausted. The day has been unusually long and tiresome. Several monsters have attacked at once in different cities. It’s not a planned attack – most of the monsters were plainly too stupid for something like that – but it means efforts had to be tripled to take care of everything without people coming to harm. In short, they have all been very busy and are now quite happy to have a moment of quiet together. The atmosphere is calm, peaceful. Content. In fact, Fubuki notices, Saitama seems unusually happy tonight, for being him. Not that he is normally agitated, but tonight he’s not quite as dull as usual. There's almost a smile on his face, even when he's just sitting there, arms crossed behind his head. She finds him occasionally smiling at nothing in particular and wonders what the cause of this might be.

With five heroes in such a small area, there is not much space for them all between the snacks and sodas. They are spread out on the two futons on the floor to sit on along with a pair of blankets, but it’s not without difficulty that Genos collects the last of the plates and cups, manoeuvring between everyone, careful to not step on any toes with his own metal feet. After dropping the dirty dishes off in the kitchenette, he comes back (no apron) and glances over the small group, not sure where to fit himself.

“Yo!” Saitama motions to him, moving a little to the side and Genos looks back at him, eyes bright in the dark room. It’s not without difficulty that he squeezes himself between his teacher and the wall and Fubuki imagines that he is grateful his metal body means that he probably doesn’t have to worry about feeling physically uncomfortable on the hard floor.

It's pretty plain, she also notes, that those two seem to be pretty relaxed in each other's company, despite that weird teacher-student thing they've got going.

***

Despite being in the same apartment so many times, it takes time before Fubuki gets the chance to speak directly to Genos, alone. He always hides away in the kitchenette, it seems, or stays right by Saitama like some overzealous guard dog, so it's not easy to catch him without the other one present.

One video game night she takes the chance while he's watching the rice boil, scowling at it as if that would hasten the process. By now, she knows that his stern expressions don't usually mean much so she's not as concerned about pressing him a little as she might once have been. The others are playing some sort of racing game in the other room, their excited shouts and exclamations occasionally reaching into the kitchen nook.

"Demon Cyborg" she begins pleasantly, giving him one of her infamous smiles. The one that has melted the defence of many a man that she's needed to gain information from. He glances up at her and gives the tiniest of nods but says nothing. Honestly, sometimes she wonders if his 'dark and mysterious' persona isn't actually a case of the kid just being socially awkward. It wouldn't hurt him to, you know, show some sort of normal courtesy to a guest from time to time. Once again she considers how his robotic body makes him look so cold and stoic, not sure if that's a good or bad thing. It's hard to imagine that the brain of a 19-year old resides in there. But that's exactly what she intends to focus on right now.

"You quite like cooking, don't you?" she continues in a warm and pleasant voice, looking over to the awaiting plates and cups. It smells heavenly, as it always does when he makes them dinner.

He follows her gaze but still says nothing. Damn stubborn kids with their stubborn ways. Maybe she should try a different angle.

"From what I hear, you're a very diligent student. Please tell me, I'm curious... What exactly can Saitama teach anyone, least of all a S-rank like yourself?"

Now that lights the fire in his eyes. Interesting. She files the titbit away for future consideration. Right now she has to focus on what's happening here.

"Far more than you can imagine." A collected reply, not without a hint of pride though.

Her eyebrow quirks in genuine surprise. "Well, such as? Please indulge me."

Unfortunately she never gets a proper response. A loud shout from the other room proclaims Saitama as the victor of the race. That in itself is a rare enough occurrence that it's perhaps not that surprising that Genos immediately responds with an overjoyed "Sensei!" before all but leaping into the other room to celebrate with him.

She tries to resume her questioning after they are done eating. For the first time in all her visits, she offers to help Genos collecting the dishes and leftovers, trying to take the chance to be alone with him again. She catches him eyeing her suspiciously. Well, she supposes she can't blame him. But she'll do what she can to lower his guard.

"So. Where were we?"

Genos says nothing, carefully putting on a pair of rubber gloves over his metal hands. They match the apron in colour and Fubuki finds that she forgets what she was originally going to say. "You know, you really look like the perfect housewife in that get up" is what comes out instead. Admittedly probably not the best thing to tell a 19-year old guy that you want to open up to you... But then again, who knows, maybe riling him up will gain better results than her other attempt?

For a moment, Fubuki almost thinks she sees a hint of a smirk on his face, but it's gone so quickly that she is pretty sure she imagined it.

Instead, he scoffs lightly, flexing his right hand. ”They offer more friction. Makes it easier to do the dishes."

”I see” she smiles again, watching him lift the sponge and the first of many dirty plates, focused on his chore. Such a dedicated disciple.

”You really like him, don't you?” she ventures. It's plain who she means and Genos shrugs, not bothering to turn to look at her.

”He's Sensei."

As if that is supposed to explain everything.

”Hm. Well, rumours are going around, you know. People are very curious.”

This time Genos does turn around and for the first time ever, Fubuki catches the Demon Cyborg looking genuinely surprised. It's a funny expression on the normally so serious face and her carefully controlled smile turns a bit more genuine at the look. She can admit it, the brat looks cute when he's all uncertain like that.

”Curious... about what?” he manages, suddenly sounding a lot less confident than usual. She knew it. She freaking knew it. She's on to him and he knows it.

”Well, people see you and the way you act around the headquarters. Head in the clouds, not listening during meetings... Wearing some dumb smile any time you think about her...” She allows her gaze to travel across the room, as if thinking about someone special herself. She's certain he knows that the gig is up by now.

”Her?”

”Whoever she is, you've done a good job keeping her secret, I'll give you that much. My people have talked to other people... we've looked into your fan club... talked to heroes and the few people who claim to know you... We've come up with nothing. If you don't mind, maybe you could let me – us – know if she's a hero or not, at the very least? Just give us a little bit to go on? This 'I'm so mysterious' spiel is getting a bit old, don't you think?”

”Who... What?”

These one-syllable answers are getting old, fast. Rolling her eyes at his obvious incompetence, she takes a deep breath, rolling her shoulders in a way that seems to press her ample bosom forward, parting her lips ever so slightly with an almost hungry look on her face. Maybe the kid just needs a reminder on what this is all about.

”Your girlfriend, silly boy!”

The incredulous look on his face might have made her laugh if she isn't already getting so annoyed with his behaviour. It lasts for a moment before he – infuriatingly – seems to revert back to his regular collected frown, scrubbing the last plate with more vigour than all the previous ones combined.

”I don't have a girlfriend!"

***

Normally, she doesn't put this much energy into such a trivial little relationship involving another hero. But Fubuki is nothing if not tenacious and the young S-rank's dismissal of her demands to know only spurs her on. Besides, he is one of the most popular heroes still and she wants that leverage over him if she can get it. Damn kid is hiding something, she is absolutely certain of it now, and no one – especially not some inexperienced brat – can keep something she wants from her. She will find out who she is and when she does, she will in return press that girl to reveal everything she knows about the damn robot, just for opposing her like that. Suits him right.

***

The summer is here and with it, an almost unbearable heat.

They are sitting together on the floor as usual, forgoing the usual blankets to keep things as cool as possible. Saitama, cheap bastard that he is, isn't using his AC. To make up for it, they've met a bit later than usual, hoping to escape the worst of the heat during tonight's movie night. The dinner has been replaced with ice cream and cold drinks, but the heat is still oppressive.

All of them are dressed casually, in tank tops and shorts to stay as cool as possible. The only one who looks none the worse for wear is the kid, though she finds the way his body is continually humming like an overheated computer in the kitchen a bit annoying as she tries to focus on the movie. She can hear him all the way over here, can't the robot quiet down a bit?

”Cyborg” Saitama mumbles, head leaning back against the wall, eyes on the ceiling rather than on the screen.

”What?” She is too tired to try to appear stoic or professional or whatever tonight, tiredly pushing her sweaty hair from her face.

”He's a cyborg, not a robot” the bald one continues, voice quiet but insistent.

”What's the difference?” Tired, sounding annoyed. Robots and cyborgs are both made of metal, same thing, they're just different terms, right?

She doesn't glance up, but she hears him approach, metal feet giving him away as always. Handing them each a fresh glass of soda with plenty of ice – it's just the three of them tonight, the other two are busy – he flops down unceremoniously next to his teacher before taking a swig of his own drink. She can see his strange black throat with those cable-things move as he swallows several big gulps. He's still doing that weird humming and she assumes it's a fan or something going off inside him to make him sound like that. And while she's certain that he has heard her statement about robots, his focus is on Saitama, not her. He looks... expectant. She idly wonders what he thinks Saitama will reply with.

”Cyborgs are like regular people, they just have some robot parts, s'all”.

Fubuki might not know exactly how much of Genos is robotic, exactly, but she knows perfectly well that it's more than just 'some parts'. She is, however, simply too warm and tired to argue it further and after glancing over at the rob-, fine, cyborg, she can't bear to do it anyway. He is smiling at his teacher. Not smirking or grinning or leering. Smiling, eyes glowing with... something. Something that she immediately recognizes must be what people are describing when they talk about him sitting alone in the hallway at the association. It's that type of look.

It's at that exact moment that Fubuki gets a new hunch.

A different hunch.

And it is because of that hunch that she suddenly flies up, the heat and her own tiredness forgotten, drink almost spilling from her hand as she puts it on the floor with a shaking hand. She stares, mouth open, at the two of them who are looking back at her like a pair of deer caught in the headlights, eyes large and round and very surprised.

Fubuki is sharp-eyed. But even she can be blinded by her own presumptions. And now she is silently cursing herself, going over her thoughts and notes from the last several months, reconsidering what she's seen and heard and what she has taken from it. People see the secretive Demon Cyborg sitting alone, daydreaming with a stupid smile on his face, to the point of ignoring meetings that may well affect his hero ranking. He's writing or drawing or whatever in his journal... diary... thing. He doesn't have a girlfriend...the only person he spends time with is Saitama...

”You!” she exclaims, pointing a perfectly manicured finger at the man before her. ”It was you, all this time!”

The Caped Baldy stares back at her, saying nothing. He looks confused more than anything. It's Genos who reacts, subconsciously pulling closer to his teacher, only confirming her suspicion. It's ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous and she finds herself laughing at the whole situation.

”This is gold, you know. Pure gold. I could blackmail you both! But especially you, kid!” Go figure that this is the first thing on Fubuki's mind. Had this occurred months ago, she might even have gone through with it. But this time, it's just an empty threat, her version of a stupid joke. She's gotten too comfortable in Saitama's company. In their company. She has no reason to use them like that now. Not until she needs something from them, anyway.

Saitama is still oblivious, bless his soul. He has no idea what this is all about. The brat knows the gig is up though and Fubuki knows that if he could, he would be sweating right now. Instead, the stupid fans seem to be going even faster and she swears she sees a thin cloud of steam rising from his shoulders. Kid's weird, no other way to put it. And he still calls the other one sensei, on top of everything? Hell, that's just not weird. That's downright kinky.

She says no more, instead standing up with a well-practised flair, gently patting the cyborg on a cool metal shoulder. She then winks, thanks them for the drink and company and goes to get her shoes, ready to leave. As she closes the door behind her, she hears Saitama carefully asking his companion what that was all about.

***

After that, it takes a long time before they meet again at Saitama's apartment. At first, she wonders if they no longer want her over and she feels surprisingly hurt at that, but when the next invitation finally comes, Saitama apologies to her, mumbling something about how life's been unusually hectic for them lately with an abundance of monster attacks. From her reports via the association she knows this to be true and she feels better about it.

This time both King and Mumen are there as well and despite herself, she relaxes in the easy company of the unusual friends. It's video game night this time and King has brought a new beat 'em up-game for them all to try. Well, everyone except Genos, as usual.

When Fubuki arrives he is, also as usual, hidden away in the kitchenette. He's wearing the pink apron and barely spares her a glance as she passes by with a wave before taking her usual spot on a rolled up futon. It's much cooler tonight and she looks forward to a calm evening with friends. She never would have expected to see herself in a setting like this, never mind enjoying it, but there you go. Life can be strange sometimes. And speaking of strange, she then remembers her last visit to this apartment again and she smiles to herself.

It turns out to be a pleasant evening indeed. Dinner is excellent, everyone enjoying the brat's cooking as usual. And like always, he shrugs off their praise, eyes and ears only focused on Saitama. And Fubuki knows why now and that makes her smile again, though this time it's more of a grin. It's certainly not the first time she's been happy as she's found out some secret or other, but this is a bit different. It's still juicy, even more juicy than she could have hoped to be honest, but she has no intention of blackmailing them now. Not that she feels that they have to know that. She'll enjoy this little edge of power as long as she has it.

As the evening progresses, everyone seems to settle into a comfortable silence, broken only by the sounds coming from the TV and the intermittent shouts and cheerful exclamations from the players. Genos is done with his chores and has joined the others sitting on the floor. Just like during that very first visit that feels so distant now, the curtain is fluttering with a mild breeze travelling through the small apartment. A very pleasant evening indeed.

There's only one thing disrupting the peace. From time to time, Fubuki feels like Genos is... testing her? Gauging her? She isn't certain at first, but she does notice how he is gradually sidling closer and closer to Saitama as time passes. He's been sitting next to his mentor many times, that's nothing new, but this time it's a bit more than that.

It starts with him leaning his head on the older man's shoulder, sighing contently. Okay.

Fubuki steals a glance at King and Mumen. If they are noticing anything unusual, they aren't saying anything about it. The king engine is quiet tonight, save a few low rumbles when they are close to the end of a match, so that probably has more to do with the game than with what the others are doing.

As the sun sets outside and the apartment grows gradually darker, Genos responds by growing bolder, perhaps thinking his actions will be less visible in the poor light. He's cautious about it all the same, moving as slow as a prowling cat, surprisingly agile – not to mention quiet - for someone made out of metal. And she can't keep her focus on him all the time – she is playing the game same as everyone else, save the cyborg – so when she turns her head away from the TV until a while later and finds the cyborg no longer pressed up against the side of the bald man as much as he is sitting right there in his lap, knees drawn up, she can't help but choke just a little on her drink.

Genos throws her a quick glance sporting one of his trademark scowls (though Fubuki rather feels that it doesn't quite carry the same weight as usual when he is sitting contently in another man's lap, but whatever). She almost snorts at the brat trying to appear intimidating in his current position before glancing over at King and Mumen again, curious again to see their reaction to the whole thing.

She doesn't know what she is expecting, but it isn't them still completely ignoring the behaviour of the other two. Are they truly that oblivious, or do they not know how to react? Or... has this type of thing already been going on while she hasn't been here? How often do the others meet without her? She always accepts the invitations when she's not busy, but she knows she's missed out on some of them...

She doesn't get the chance to worry about it for long before it's her time to fight in the game again and despite herself, her competitive nature – a common trait in heroes - kicks in and she is engulfed by the game for quite some time. She does surprisingly well tonight, especially when fighting against Saitama's character, though her concentration is somewhat disturbed when the bald man mutters a loud ”Oy, stop squirming, I can't focus!” directed towards the one still in his lap, metal arms now unashamedly around his neck and a pale face pressed against his chest as he sighs in contentment.

Alright, she can admit it already, they are cute together. She still think the whole teacher-student thing they have got going on is just plain weird, but whatever. In a strange way, they seem to fit together. Both are strong and resilient and to be frank, she suspects neither of them would work well with a regular person. Saitama's blandness and Genos' intensity seem to create some sort of delicate balance that keeps both of them content and that's not even considering the fact that one of them is made more or less entirely out of metal.

As it's getting late, the excitement is gradually replaced with that relaxed feeling of being at ease that often seems to bless them when they get together like this. It's something they all treasure. And at the heart of it all, the strange bald man with his strange habits. And strange interests...

Genos at this point is dozing. It's the first time that Fubuki sees him completely relaxed and she can't help but steal occasional glances at the rare sight. His trademark frown gone, he looks surprisingly young wrapped up around the other, blonde hair messy as it's pressed up against the older man's smooth chin. Saitama, on his part, looks like he is completely at peace with life. That too is such a rare look at Fubuki has to stare at him. He deserves this. They both do.

None of the guests feel like disturbing the sleeping cyborg, so when it's time to leave, everyone tiptoes to fetch their shoes and jackets. Fubuki takes the opportunity to gently shove Mumen aside and ask why he's not said anything to her about what's going on between the two, but he just laughs quietly at her, acting like he has no idea what she's talking about. King gives her one of his usual stares and he mutters something inaudible, though she swears she sees one corner of his mouth go up into a smirk.

As they leave the apartment, closing the door carefully, Saitama waves at the trio, urging them again to keep it down with a finger to his lips. It's been a long day he explains quietly, the kid deserves some rest.

"Rematch in a few weeks, Saitama?"

"You know it, Fubuki."

As she closes the door carefully behind her, Fubuki can only just make out Saitama gently stroking the brat's pale hair, a big stupid smile on his face. 'Til next time, then.

Chapter Text

It takes a little bit of planning, but that's not something that scares Fubuki off. She's dealt with far worse before - this is child's play by comparison. She knows that all he will need is the right push and the rest will take care of itself. 

There are many heroes in the world, all with their own past and goals and methods. But they also have some common traits, traits that are perhaps essential for someone wishing to succeed in their dangerous profession. You need to know what you're fighting for. You need to have a method to get there. And you have to be tenacious to reach your goal.

Fubuki has all three of those traits in plenty. But this time, she intends to leave the third part to a certain cyborg in order to achieve the other two.

If someone had told her a year ago just how wrapped up she could become in a video game, she would have laughed in their face. But this, she knows now, is definitely no laughing matter. The game is almost brand new, it's one they've all been waiting for for some months now. They're all pretty hyped about it and spirits are high tonight, the air full of an infectious feeling of friendly competition. She is determined to win this damn little tournament planned for so long within their group of friends and she'll use anything she can to her advantage to get there. And she knows exactly what she needs to do to take care of the most dangerous competition.

The first step is to lower their guard. Lull them into a false sense of security, thinking there is no reason to be concerned. That is the easy part, that is done and over already after last month's movie night - all she had to do was to pretend to ignore them when they - or rather, Genos - got all cuddly and snuggly. Help him get into the silly notion that the two of them are all alone without a worry in the world. And with how lovestruck the brat is, as soon as he thought the coast was clear, he was all but attached to his boyfriend's lap once again, as relaxed as a sleeping cat. All that was missing was the content purring, but Fubuki muses that the soft whirr of his mechanics made up for that. Step one was a piece of cake.

Saitama is admittedly a little harder to get under the skin of. Half the time he doesn't seem to have an idea of what goes on around him - her more subtle cues and hints tend to fly whistling above his head - but also, even when he's actually paying attention to the cyborg in his arms, he just doesn't seem to be the lovey-dovey type - rarely offering to anything beyond gentle pats and playful shoves. At least while she and the other friends are over - she's quite certain it's another story when they are alone. With his hesitation to show affection openly in mind, she knows the next step will require a bit more effort on her part. Fortunately, she's well aware of exactly where her focus needs to be.

Fubuki knows perfectly well that Genos will never betray Saitama in any way. He's more loyal than a hound, that one. But she also knows that he can be a competitive little brat, always eager to prove himself, so all she has to do, really, is to make sure to phrase things the right way. Plant the right idea in his head to get him to do what she needs, in order to get what she wants.

What does she want? To be the winner of the tournament, obviously. And to get there, she knows she has to beat Saitama. And to beat Saitama, she has to distract him in order to give herself the upper edge during their match. Video games are serious business indeed!

Saitama is not usually easily distracted, but Fubuki knows that Genos can manage it just fine, given the right opportunity. He has already proven that the first time he crawled onto the man's lap while the friends were over that time and Genos' squirming kept him away from being able to focus. See, you truly never know which piece of information will one day come in handy.

Before their little tournament starts, she unceremoniously pulls the cyborg aside. Offers to assist him as he prepares the noodles, takes it upon herself to pour their drinks while the others are getting comfortable around the TV.

She can tell he's still a little suspicious of her and she also knows that he'd much prefer to handle the dinner on his own, but she is on a mission and she intends to succeed.

A challenge. She's positive that's the best way to get him where she needs him. She needs to convince the kid to help her distract Saitama, without him realising that's what he's doing. He shouldn't have any problems showing his affection by now, so all that's left is to actually make him do it.

Some people need to be convinced to do your bidding gradually, carefully. Shaping them into thinking that it was their own idea all along, talk them into seeing the greater good of it all.

"Bet you ¥1000 that you can't make Saitama kiss you in front of us all before the night is over."

...others are lovestruck 19-year olds that wouldn't know subtlety if it hit them on the (reinforced titanium, as the case may be) head.

His surprised expression lasts only for a split second before being replaced by something else entirely. She knows perfectly well that this isn't about the money, this is a matter of personal pride. His eyes are literally glowing just at the prospect of proving her wrong. Ah, to be young and in love and so ridiculously easy to manipulate.

"One thing, though. You can't just outright ask him for it. It has to be more subtle than that, otherwise it's way too easy."

His response is uttered in a low voice, almost a growl. She thinks this must be the exact same expression he wears when he's about to head into battle.

"Challenge accepted."

***

At first, none of the others suspect anything. They start off the game night in high spirits, talking animatedly over which character is the best fighter. Even King joins in the discussion now and then, favouring a well-endowed girl fighter with long red hair. Fubuki prefers the guy with the sunglasses and the slicked-back hair.

Genos as usual takes a bit of time to join them, first finishing up the dishes after their shared dinner. When he finally enters the room, Fubuki notices he's acting different than usual. He steals a couple of glances at the friends as he carefully sits down next to Saitama in a respectful seiza position. Dammit, what is the kid doing? At this rate, he'll be no use at all.

Fubuki sends him a questioning look and he scowls at her in response. His perfectly sculpted face looks no different than usual but his internal fans seem unusually loud tonight. Is the infamous Demon Cyborg... nervous?

***

As the night progresses, everyone (save Genos, perhaps) is getting more and more into the game.

Mumen is the first one out, losing to Saitama's fervent button mashing. Fubuki worries Genos might attempt to take his chance at winning their little bet then, but he's misses his chance. Things do go in a slightly more hopeful direction, however. When the bald hero flops back down after a short but intense victory dance, the cyborg follows suit and nestles himself half-sitting and half-laying on his back between the older man's legs. Okay, now we're getting somewhere at least. 

The others don't need to know it, but Fubuki has already been practising back home with her own copy of this game. King fights valiantly (engine rumbling steadily during the drawn out match, it's pretty unnerving) but in the end she stands the victor and, as she had hoped, will now meet Saitama in the final match.

She was so certain she had everything in the bag, but by now she's a bit concerned about the kid's lack of progress tonight.

"Congratulations, Fubuki" King rumbles. The engine has almost quieted down by now, more like faint thunder in the distance. He seems a bit less scary to her these days.

"Why thank you" she replies, voice smooth as silk and wearing one of her more seductive smiles. She can tell that S-rank hero King is affected by it and she files away that little snippet of knowledge. "Clearly, sometimes we all need to step up our game to stand a chance at winning" she continues and now her eyes are  squarely on the youngest person in the room. He glares back at her for a long moment, before leaning his head back to instead look up at his companion. He whispers something to Saitama who chuckles back at him but shakes his head.

"No worries Genos, I've got it!"

Before he stands up, Saitama bends his face down and places a quick peck on the cyborg's forehead. It's the first time he's shown even that level of affection while everyone has been over and Genos looks back smugly at Fubuki, clearly thinking he's won. 

As Saitama walks into the kitchen to fetch more snacks and the other two men take the opportunity to stand and stretch for a bit before the final match, chattering away excitedly, Fubuki gazes levelly at Genos sitting across the other side of the low table, eyebrows raised high as she slowly shakes her head.

"Sorry, Demon Cyborg, that doesn't count."

***

Fubuki is starting to regret putting so much faith into the cyborg (unknowingly) helping her win the tournament. She'd assumed that the popular teen would have a fair share of experience at being flirty and inviting what with his fan club and popularity ranking and all, but to her despair, the kid is as awkward as always. She almost feels sorry enough for him to offer to instruct him in a thing or two some other day, but right now she needs to focus on the match.

Saitama doesn't have a real strategy when he plays. He doesn't have the best reaction time, either, but then neither does Fubuki (as unwilling as she is to admit it) so they are pretty much evenly matched. She can feel a small bead of sweat on her forehead as she curses silently to herself. This is not good. Her character's down to less than half of his HP. At this rate, Saitama just might win this whole thing. Dammit Genos, get to work!

She spares a glance his way and to his credit, he is actually actively trying to distract the other one now, knowing his time is running out. He has wrapped his arms around Saitama's neck and is nuzzling his face into his shoulder, muttering what she can only assume are sweet little nothings. His face shows a strange mix of excitement and nervousness and Fubuki wonders if he's as shy when it comes to public affection as his boyfriend is. He didn't seem so timid that first night they cuddled with her present, though...

Maybe it's time to adjust her tactic a bit?

"Ready to lose, Saitama?" She all but purrs, trying to hide the strain in her voice. She remembers that riling Genos up can be quite effective and at this point anything is worth a shot.

"Saitama-sensei never loses!" the brat unsurprisingly defends the other. Really, kid, you're way too easy to work up.

Saitama seems too focused on the game to pay either of them much attention, despite Genos obvious attempts at expressing his affection for the man at this ill-timed moment. It's not often Caped Baldy ends up the winner during one of their video game nights and he's giving this everything he's got, stoically attempting to ignore the cyborg wrapped around him, though if you look close, you can hint a blush on his face, so perhaps he's not entirely unaffected. The tip of his tongue is stuck to his upper lip in a show of concentration and his usually bland features look unusually sharp in the dim light.

Fubuki mutters under her breath as her character takes another hit. 

"Genos!" she all but hisses, gesturing angrily towards the cyborg, all but demanding he take action. Saitama shifts uneasily as Genos slowly drags a metal hand up across a muscled chest, amber eyes locked in a look of concentration as he touches his teacher. Saitama mutters something unintelligible and grips the controller more firmly, threatening to crush the black plastic.

The trio is so caught up in the final moments of their little match that none of them have even a thought to spare to the two fellow heroes that are also sitting around the table. Mumen and King are both staring in a sort of silent wonder, absolutely clueless as to what exactly is going on between the other three.

When the loud "KO!" echoes through the apartment, Fubuki screams in frustration. She was so close. So damn close! She landed several good hits but it's just impossible to keep up with speed at which Saitama can mash those buttons. Who needs skill and strategy when you're so out of everyone else's league? It's so freakin' unfair.

She isn't the only one to yell as the match ends. While Mumen and King cheer in unison, Saitama all but flies up from his sitting position, arms in the air and proudly proclaiming himself the winner. He's so caught up that at first he doesn't realize that Genos is still hanging on to him but then he twists down, grabs the surprised cyborg by his pale cheeks and plants a kiss right on his mouth.

Fubuki swears the kid's eyes black out for a second but then he catches himself and returns the kiss, arms around his teacher's neck as his fans hum loudly throughout the apartment. 

When they part a few seconds later and both sort of flop down on the floor again, Genos turns to Fubuki, looking as horribly smug and defiant as only he can.

"You lose, Fubuki."

***

"It was a fun night" Mumen says as he ties the laces on his other boot. "It's been fun to see everyone so cheerful, especially Saitama!"

"It was definitely... something" King replies, letting his eyes wander to the others for a moment. He takes a deep breath before the engine gets the chance to start and is grateful that he manages to keep it silent for once.

Fubuki has already left. She had an odd expression on her face before she said her good byes. Disappointed that she didn't win, of course, but she had also sent Genos - man, he'd been acting weird tonight - a long look that looked surprisingly... approving. Well, you never knew with her. She had all sorts of strange ideas sometimes, who knows what was going on in her head.

King nods to Saitama and Genos as he straightens his coat and opens the door.

"Thanks for tonight, see you soon again!" Mumen offers, giving the trio a thumbs up. It's been such an interesting evening and as always he is grateful for the good company.

"Thanks for coming!" Saitama is smiling, arm around Genos' waist. The kid still looks a bit flustered but he just won't stop with that smug expression. King personally thinks he looks a little scary when he looks like that, but he keeps that to himself. 

With a wave, they step out into the darkness and get ready to go back to their respective apartments. The door closes gently behind them.

Inside, Genos begins to put away the last of the leftover snacks and empty cups. With his back turned, he doesn't see the calculating expression Saitama is throwing him. After a quiet moment, the man seems to come to some conclusion or other, shrugs and goes back to helping the other.

"Genos, do you want to tag along to that sale in Q-city tomorrow?"

"Yes, Sensei!"

Chapter Text

Genos was hopeless.

Fubuki had already known this of course, but she hadn’t quite realized the full… scope of it all. Not at first.

Demon Cyborg was not at all hopeless. Rather, he was everything he should be, in his position - a popular hero, brave and strong-willed and quiet and broody and everything a fantasizing fan could ever ask for.

The problem was, Demon Cyborg’s perfect persona was a far cry from the actual man - boy, really - behind the hero name.

Not that the HA had any problems with that - their marketing people knew a cash cow when they saw one and they had milked Demon Cyborg’s popularity to the last straw, plastering his face on every surface, including him on every web page they could, not giving a care as to whether that was something he actually wanted or not. To be fair to them, they themselves might not even realize how far off from the mark they were with the picture they were painting, given how the kid refused to do media interviews in any shape or form. No, what the public knew of him, they had dreamed up almost entirely on their own.

For starters: yes, Genos was brave and strong-willed, but it was in a kind of dumb, reckless sort of way. How often he got himself hurt was testament to that.

He was quiet, but only towards people he didn’t know or disliked (although to be fair, that appeared to be a sizeable chunk of the population), but Fubuki had (unfortunately) been forced to listen to several of his seemingly endless explanations or rants whenever she had been visiting them. Said rants were normally aimed at his boyfriend (who, to his credit, usually took them in stride), but it was bad enough to just be a casual listener.

Broody? Well, yes, that he certainly could be. He had a stubborn and grumpy streak, though she supposed she couldn’t really blame him for that, given his traumatic past. Anyone would be a bit messed up after going through that.

But all that aside there was more to him, stuff the fans had no idea about. As he had gradually relaxed in her, Mumen’s and King’s presence whenever they visited their cramped little apartment, they had begun to see his other sides, too. For starters, it turned out that Genos could actually smile! Not that often, perhaps, but Saitama was surprisingly good at wringing more pleasant expressions out of him, especially if they involved some hair ruffling or in rarer cases, a quick peck on the cheek. The way his vents would release steam after one of those like some sort of cyborg blush was really kind of endearing.

He was socially awkward, again perhaps not that surprising given what he’d been through. Spending most of his teenage years running around on his own chasing some mad cyborg likely hadn’t allowed himself to many chances to cultivate his social skills. He talked too much once he got going, he talked too loudly and he never knew When To Quit. Fubuki had an inkling it was thanks to Saitama’s god-level amounts of chill that he got along so well with Genos and his complete lack of chill all together.

All things considered, it was probably a good thing that Genos refused to do media interviews. That his fan clubs had already painted their own perfect dream picture of him.

Because, to repeat, Genos was hopeless.

“No” she said, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Remember what I told you. Start over.”

He scowled at her but did as she said, turning around and stalking over to the other end of the room before turning back to her again.

Releasing her face, Fubuki reached for her glass of red instead, taking a deep sip. She needed it.

It had originally started as an attempt at using Demon Cyborg’s popularity entirely for her own gain, to be truthful. She was well versed in the politics of the HA and perfectly aware of how much a B-rank like herself had to win from being seen around such a popular hero. She wouldn’t have dreamt of getting so close to the aloof teen before, though, nor any other S-rank. Not until she realized his connection to far less intimidating (and equally socially hopeless) Caped Baldy. A connection that had taken her regretfully long to make out fully, but at least she was making up for it now.

Well.

It had started as a way to get her into his good favour, but somewhere along the way it had evolved into some kind of Fubuki-version of taking pity on the kid.

Genos clearly needed all the help he could get.

“Relax your shoulders, sway your hips more and try not to look like you’re personally offended by every single object in the room.”

She watched his attempt at following her instructions with mild approval, if more at his spirit than the actual results. He really was trying, bless.

It had been easy to convince him, almost laughably so. Of course, by then she’d already known him well enough to know exactly what to tell him.

“You want to be good for your sensei, don’t you?”

Of course the lovestruck brat did. She didn’t have to tell him that in reality, teaching dear Genos to be flirty and captivating and to show him how to live up to the HA’s carefully constructed image of Demon Cyborg was really more about raising his popularity among his numerous, loud and demanding fans (and their wallets). The fans would want even more of him after getting such a taste and he’d turn to the person who had helped him get there for further instruction. Which was, of course, her. And she’d use that to gain some cookie points, securing her position further, getting a bit of extra green in the pocket and, best of all, have an S-rank owing her a big favour, ready to be cashed in whenever she had concocted up the best way to do so.

Really, it was a most excellent plan. So what if Genos thought the sole reason for their little… lessons were only to impress his boyfriend. It was still win-win for everyone involved.

Or it would have been, had they actually made any real progress.

“Better” she said tiredly. It was not better.

"One more time for emphasis and then we'll take a short break."

---

Frustrated, Genos sat down, using his palms to tiredly knead his eyes - almost certainly a completely psychological reaction, rather than a required physical one. "I can’t do this."

She frowned at him, at his lack of effort. He wasn't even trying!

"You have one of the largest fan clubs, you're insane to not use that! You have a lot of power!"

"I could not do what you ask for me! That would be like... I would not be unfaithful to Sensei. Not ever!"

"I'm not asking you to be 'unfaithful'! You don't have to do anything, you just... allow them to think that they could have a small chance. A smile here, a suggestive word there, maybe a lingering gaze... Just enough temptation to keep their interest, nothing more. You have no idea how dedicated your fans are, do you? They'd do anything, if they thought it would help their chances."

"It doesn't matter. There is nothing from them that I want or need. I have no reason to barter with them."

So stubborn. Time to bring out the big guns.

"Yeah? What about... increasing his popularity? You could pull the right strings, talk to the right people, whisper in their ears how much you'd appreciate their help... a pretty smile or a meaningful glance can help you go a long way, you know. If for no other reason whatsoever, consider how this is a way you could help him..."

She had him and she knew it. The vacant stare in his eyes told her all as he considered her words to himself. She gave him all the time he needed to time to mull them over before something in his expression softened. She could see the reservation still, but he knew she was right. This was, as always, the right string to pull to get him to agree with something. The kid was so damn easy to manipulate.

"I do not have... experience, in this particular type of tactic."

"And don't I know it" Fubuki muttered to herself, remembering his awkward attempts at swooning his boyfriend during previous visits to their apartment. Two hopeless cases, both of them - they were lucky to have her, really. That this would put him in her favour was just a small side effect, barely worth mentioning.

"So we'll start nice and simple, yes? You can practice on your boyfriend and report back to me and we'll go for there before we attempt anything on a larger group. Think of it like homework." She saw him perk up at the mention of 'homework'. He really had a thing for this whole student thing, didn't he? She filed away that snippet of knowledge for later.

"So what is my mission?"

---

"Hey Genos!" Saitama greeted as he stepped inside the door, instantly noticing the pleasant smell from the kitchenette. "What's cookin'?"

"Sensei!" Genos shouted, happily, before instantly chastising himself. 'Let him come to you, let him work for your attention' Fubuki had told him. 'Keep your voice low, so you can be sure he's listening'. And he'd already ruined ruined that with his very first response! Perhaps he could make up for his mistakes still? "In here" he tried, keeping his voice much lower than usual, leaving it at just below normal conversation volume.

He heard Saitama-sensei's steps on the worn floorboards as he entered the cramped space, hero suit still on and littered with dust and a few suspicious-looking neon pink blotches. Remembering the new tactic he'd been asked to employ, Genos suppressed the urge to turn and greet him respectfully and instead stayed put, the cheap plastic mixing spoon in an iron grip as he stirred the stew. "Welcome back" he said in an as low voice as he could muster, trying to sound... enchanting. "I have missed you.... so much..." he added after a moment of hesitation, making sure to stress the last part. That at least was truthful.

"Really?" Saitama said, sounding mildly surprised as he put the bag on the counter. "I was only gone for 15 minutes. I got the stuff you asked for, though."

"Ah, thank you~" Genos replied, dragging the last word out. He was pretty sure the decidedly confused look Saitama-sensei was giving him indicated he was not being successful at being flirty, but he couldn't give up so easily. "I'll have to, um... reward you later?" At his own insecurity, his voice has reverted to its regular tone and volume, if more uncertain-sounding than usual.

"Oh! Can I finally try one of those cookies?" Saitama replied excitedly. There was a special stash in the freezer, saved for an upcoming S-rank meeting for which Genos had been assigned snack-provider. They were strictly off-limits to Sensei, which of course made them all the more alluring.

"Well" Genos tried, swallowing. "I was thinking perhaps I could reward you with... something else..."  Was he doing this right? He had no idea any more. Fubuki had assured him that Saitama would know at once what he was trying to imply, but that didn't seem to be the case at all. Was the answer to be more obvious, then? After all, Fubuki had also said, another time, that with someone like Saitama-sensei, being forward was the best strategy…

"Oh?" was the only response, Saitama giving him another weird look as he put the bananas on the counter alongside the canned tomatoes. "So what, no cookies?" There was clear disappointment in his eyes. Genos would have to fix that.

"How about..." Genos said, turning quickly and resolutely, trying to think of something, anything, before his eyes fell on the fruits before him.

He'd never have been able to do this if he actually considered what he was about to do. But desperate times called for desperate measures. He grabbed a banana, quickly peeling the top half of it and shot his Sensei a look that he hoped beyond hope was seductive, before popping it into his mouth and keeping it there, as if it was actually something else. There, could he get any more obvious now?!

"Oh." Saitama repeated himself from before as his face immediately flushed crimson. "Oh…”

Not quite sure what he was supposed to do with the banana once he got to this part, Genos simply stood there, frozen to the spot and staring at his boyfriend before finally biting it off and chewing the far too large bite it as silently as he could manage as he quickly turned back to the stew, vents expelling enough steam to rival the boiling pot.

It was hard to say who was the most embarrassed, the man who was blushing from top to bottom or the cyborg who had successfully turned the kitchenette into a steaming sauna, trying to stir the stew with a mixing spoon broken in two.

In the end, Fubuki praised his creativity, while also criticizing his crudeness. "While I'm sure many of your fans would appreciate the gesture, for media interviews, you're going to have to learn to be more subtle than that, love.”

---

“So what makes a bad boy like yourself smile, hm?” Fubuki asked, actually genuinely curious about the answer. The only times she’d really seen Genos do so had been around Saitama.

“Smile?” Genos asked, as if it were an unfamiliar word. He frowned, giving it some thought. “Being with Saitama-sensei? Making a nice dinner?”

“Anything else?”

“Once I smiled when I saw a cat without fur. It reminded me of Sensei.”

“Alright. So. Those are all… reasons, but when you’re around fans, the correct answers are ‘when I think about that special someone’, ‘when I do my duty as an S-class hero’ and no comment at all, just a wink and a lingering smile. Can you remember that?”

“Yes!”

“And no shouting, we’ve been over this!”

---

The second round of ‘homework’ involved Genos flirting his way to making Saitama kiss Genos without being allowed to ask for it outright like he usually did. She figured it would be good practice for him and they had gone over looks, lingering touches, licking your lips… all the subtle (and not so subtle) things he could try to achieve his goal.

According to the brat’s report, the end result had been successful, though he had not been able to fully utilize her recommended tactic. After he had licked his lips for the third time, Saitama had asked if cyborgs required chapstick, soon followed by asking why he had been staring at him all evening looking like he when he came home from repairs at his doctor’s still half-high on anaesthesia.

At last, Genos had apparently managed to woe the other with pure pity, his sad puppy eyes at his own lack of success proving very effective, finally earning himself one of those rare cheek pecks. She supposed they’d have to count it as a victory.

The third time she gave Genos “homework” was the most successful so far. The task had been quite simple and innocent, actually, at least if it had been any other person - flirt your way to your boyfriend spending the day with you. The actual goal was for Genos to push his skills to the point of Saitama - Couponer Extraordinaire Saitama - spending his hard-earned money on something frivolous - a true test of skill - but Genos didn’t need to know that.

Apparently, they had gone to the bath house and things had been going well, quite well in fact, all up until they were brusquely kicked out and banned from showing up there again for a month. Fubuki had no idea what exactly they’d been doing, but she was proud of her student and his moxy nonetheless. It was good to know that the brat had it in him after all.

It seemed Genos’ methods would still require a fair deal of polishing before he could be labelled anything near “subtle” but even so she decided that in order to make further progress, it was time to take this to the next level.

It was time to go public.

---

The reporter could barely believe her ears when Demon Cyborg agreed to answer a few questions.

She’d climbed over the broken concrete and slipped on the stinking puddles of purple goo, nearly dropping her camera in the process, all to be the first to get close as soon as the beast hit the ground, still smoking and reeking of scorched fur. Not that she’d expected much for her troubles - she’d been among the first on the scene a few times before but Demon Cyborg had always and without exception taken off as if reporters scared him in a way monsters didn’t.

But today he stayed.

He just stood there, arms crossed and thin wisps of steam rising from somewhere on the back of his arms. He must still have been cooling down from the battle.

“Demon Cyborg!” she called, stumbling over what looked like it might once have been a sharp beak. “A few questions?”

There were already more reporters on the way, she could hear the shouts somewhere behind her. She’d have to hurry. She was immensely pleased to see that the S-rank nodded at her. “Thank you, ah, thank you!”

She stopped beside him, discreetly attempting to shake a bit of goop off her shoe. “Please tell us, was it a dangerous monster? Were you frightened?”

“No” was all he said, frown deepening further.

“What goes through your mind when you fight?”

A small breeze took the opportunity to blow across the street, ruffling blond hair in just the right way as the hero stared into the distance, as if his mind was somewhere far away. She could feel the viewer count increase.

“...I think of… that special someone..?”

She gripped the microphone so hard that her knuckles grew white. “Please… please tell us more! Who is this ‘special someone’?!”

“Oh” he said, finally turning to her and blinking twice quickly, as if only now noticing the rolling camera all but up in his face. The other reporters were running up to them now, almost drowning out his response completely. She could only hope that the microphone would pick it up. “Wouldn’t you want to know?”

And then he winked.

She was so (pleasantly) shocked, she didn’t even notice the flying gravel that hit and cracked her camera lens as he took off, arms blazing, leaving her and everyone else approaching quite literally in the dust.

---

“This is somehow your fault, I just know it” Saitama grumbled, sending Fubuki a pointed glare.

“How so, dear?” she said innocently, idly taking another sip from her iced lemon water. “It’s hardly my fault you didn’t sort your mail in time before our agreed time to meet.”

“Yeah but this is way more mail than usual! And I just know it’s ‘cause you told Genos to go to some stupid interview!”

“Pish posh. He hasn’t even been to the interview yet, so you can hardly blame me for any additional letters you might have received lately. Besides, it’ll be good for his publicity. For your publicity! Think of the potential rank increase down the line! And” - she smirked as she saw his hand clench tighter around the pink letter devoted to to “Mister Demon Cyborg Sir” - “...your increased pay check, to go with that. I’m only helping my dear, dear friends out!”

Saitama threw her a suspicious glance. “I’m still not joining your Blizzard Bunch.”

“I’m well aware of that. May I have some more water, please?”

As if on cue, Genos appeared with the flower-patterned pitcher, refilling her glass. And giving her a look that was just this side of nervous, an unusual expression for him. “I am not certain this is a good idea. I don’t do interviews.”

“Nonsense. You’ll do fine. Just remember what we’ve talked about.”

“What have you been talking about, anyway? Genos has been acting… odd, lately.” Saitama’s suspicious glare had not lessened as he watched the other two. Genos pretended not to hear him, putting the refilled pitcher on the table alongside the tray of snacks.

“Nothing you need to worry about, sweetheart. Just some tips for how to handle a televised interview. Really, trust me, your boyfriend will be fine.”

Saitama grumbled something unintelligible as he grabbed the next handful of letters. He wasn’t wrong, there had been a drastic increase in Genos’ fan mail lately and he wasn’t quite sure why. Not that he tried to find out really - he only sorted the letters for Genos to deal with as he pleased later, he didn’t open them to read anything. He wasn’t much for all that mushy stuff anyway. It was only the postcards that gave him a hint - there was an awful lot of asking Genos about who his girlfriend might be lately. Should he be offended at that?!

It’s not like they were trying to hide their relationship, exactly. It was just… neither of them were really the lovey-dovey type on most days (though they did have their moments - especially when Loverboy really got in the mood) and their public affections seldom went beyond hand holding, at the most. Saitama didn’t really care what others thought about him, but he did worry a little bit what Genos’ (frighteningly huge) fanclub would say if they knew Demon Cyborg was dating a deadbeat like himself. So no, they weren’t hiding anything… but they also weren’t proclaiming it from the rooftops. So why was everyone suddenly even more curious than usual?!

It had something to do with Fubuki, he was sure of it. For some reason they - or Genos, especially, really - had been seeing her an awful lot lately. Saitama had no idea why, but it had left Genos steaming and stuttering a lot and stuffing his face with bananas and, granted, a nice amount of making out as well as… other things… so he couldn’t really complain.

But still.

He’d give an awful lot to know just exactly what she was planning with this stupid interview.

---

"Demon Cyborg! Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview."

"..."

"I'm sure you know that we - along with all our viewers - have been hoping to see you on this show for so long! May we ask what made you finally agree to coming here?"

"I’m ready to… show more of myself to my fans..?”

The interviewer clasped her hands in excitement so that all her bracelets jingled. "I scarcely know where to begin! You have such a wonderful mysterious aura surrounding you! That reminds me, viewers, be sure to send us all your questions and we'll fit in as many of them as we can! Both our number and email address should be visible on the bottom of the screen!"

As she said this, Genos leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms with a barely concealed tired sigh. The sharp light over their heads reflected off his forearms, bouncing up to frame his face and the blond bangs that partially hid his golden eyes, making him appear almost like some kind of ethereal being.

The workload of the staff taking the calls and messages seemed to double within the minute.

"First off, of course, we're all curious of where you come from, why you wanted to become a hero?" She clasped her hands in her grip, focus completely on the one sitting opposite of her, urging him on with a big smile.

Genos' voice was almost devoid of emotion as he responded, brows knit together in his customary frown before he caught himself and attempted a more relaxed expression again. "The hero work is but a stepping stone in my quest."

"Oh, a quest! How intriguing! Please tell us more?"

"It is a quest of revenge. Let us keep it at that.”

"Oh, we understand!" An exaggerated wink. "It's all secret S-rank stuff, isn't it? How about you tell us a bit more about yourself as a person instead? There's been precious little information shared about you, it’s almost all speculations. How long have you been a cyborg?"

"Close to five years."

"Oh, I see! Well, I'm sure all our guests are very curious to learn more about everything! Do you enjoy being a cyborg?"

Genos gave her an odd look. "I needed to become strong, as fast as possible. 'Enjoyment' was not a consideration.”

The hostess turned in her seat, still not catching on to his obvious discomfort of the whole situation. Or perhaps she did, but was too well schooled to let it show. "How impressive! Well, your... mechanic? Certainly has done an excellent job. To reach S-rank so quickly!"

She paused briefly to listen to the earbud in her ear. "Oh! The first viewer question has been chosen! Which city do you come from and where do you live now? Records show you are not one of the heroes residing in City A, correct?"

"My original home town no longer exists. I now reside in City Z."

"The monster city?! How dangerous - yet befitting a courageous hero like yourself! But surely it must also be lonely, to live all alone, with no one to keep you company on a cold night?"

"I do not live alone…”

An audible gasp in the audience, many viewers shifting in their seats and murmuring amongst each other.

"Tell us more!" the reporter all but demanded. "Who do you live with? Family? A friend? A... significant other? I'm sure all our viewers absolutely must learn of this!” She didn’t need to add that his very brief interview after killing that feathered octopus monster had sparked everyone’s interest in his love life to record levels.

Genos shifted in his seat, scowling, before his expression once again softened.

"I live with my teacher."

"A teacher! What kind of teacher, if you don't mind me asking? Are they a hero also? Are they well known? Oh, this is such exciting new information! Are you all getting this, bloggers and podcasters? Some juicy information for all of us!"

"Yes, he is a hero." Genos said, sounding a bit hesitant at first before something in his expression seemed to shift. "He is the greatest hero." He let his arms uncross to rest on his lap instead.

"Tell us about him!"

Genos stared, as if he could not believe his luck at that welcoming prompt. Leaning forward, he talked excitedly for the first time during the whole interview.

“He is the strongest man I have ever met! He can level mountains, yet his touch can be as light as a feather if he so wishes. He is wise and able to think quickly on his feet to solve any situation. He has taught me so much, not just on fighting but on almost any topic imaginable; how to cook, how to clean efficiently, how to deal with ungrateful haters. His sense of fashion leaves some to be desired, but it is his blessing that he can look good in just about anything he wears, it makes me just want to grab him and… ahh…” Suddenly, he stopped. "Ah, sorry for going beyond twenty words."

"Oh, no! Please, talk as much as you want! We want all the details!" This was a most unexpected development. During his latest reply, reserved Demon Cyborg had looked… different. Softer, more animated. And last… almost hungry. This teacher… there must be something more to it and she was determined to find out what.

"Really?" It looked as if Demon Cyborg could not believe his good luck. For the first time that evening, he looked more than ready to talk.

---

Fubuki was well trained in remaining composed, cool as a winter breeze. At full control.

But she’d be lying if she didn’t admit that she was struggling to not laugh at the TV.

”He is adorable!”

”Shut up!”

Eloquent as always, she thought, smirking at Saitama. At the way his whole face had flushed red, to be more exact. His baldness only made it all the more obvious.

”He really loves you.”

”I said shut up.”

The was no venom in his voice. Only embarrassment. He should have stopped this whole dumb interview while he had the chance.

With a deep sigh, he buried his face in his hands, trying as he might to hide from the spectacle currently happening in City A.

—

The reporter could scarcely believe her fortune. Who knew that Demon Cyborg had a side like this ?

”...rivalled only by the shine of his head - which is bald, as I told you - I wrote several pages on this a few nights ago, after he had obliterated a mysterious being not even worth his time by the means of a single, beautiful punch.”

”And how did this make you feel, Genos - may I call you Genos?”

”Yes, you may. It made me feel warm inside, as if my cooling system was failing, despite this not being the case. I wish I could better explain the thoughts and feelings that fill me at times like those, but they seem to defy words...”

He was frowning again, but it was in a different sort of way now. Gone was the reservation, the aloofness. Rather it was as if he was in fact truly struggling with finding the best way to describe this… teacher of his. He had even brought a finger to his chin as he sorted his thoughts.

A buzz in her ear.

”Oh, we have another question from our viewers. They are asking… ah… if you can talk more about your ’special someone’?”

Genos looked up at the reporter, blinking as he focused on the interview again.  ”What else do you wish to know about him?”

Suddenly, several things fell into place.

The reporter offered a well-rehearsed smile as she re-evaluated all of Demon Cyborg’s answers at record speed while maintaining her pleasant expression. She truly was a professional. And she fully expected a big, fat bonus after this particular interview.

”Hm… you’ve told us about how you live together, what he teaches you, what he looks like and how he makes you feel… why don’t you tell us a bit about what you two do together in your spare time, when you’re not busy with hero work? What did you do the last time you went on a date together, for instance..?”

”Hm, I suppose the last one would have been to the bath house. We both enjoy those visits but we are currently banned from going back there...”

Cue a few wolf whistles in the back of the audience.

”Oh ho, I see!” the reporter leaned forward, winking at her guest. “Well, with the rating of this program we unfortunately cannot get into too much detail, but do tell us… what is it like to kiss this significant others of yours… ah, I don’t think we caught his name yet… you said he was a hero also..?”

“Ah, kissing him is nothing short of divine. He is conservative with his kisses but in a way, that only serves to make them all the more precious, each to be treasured. It is especially nice to see the way the blushes as he offers one, sometimes I have been successful in making him blush up to the top of his skull, something I can achieve thanks to his baldness…”

Suddenly, Genos lowered his gaze, as if uncertain.

“As to his name… his name is Saitama-sensei and yes he is indeed a hero… though he is not fond of his hero name, Caped Baldy…”

“It’s Caped Baldy?!”

---

Fubuki had promised that Genos could help improve Saitama’s popularity amongst the public as he boosted his own. Making that promise had perhaps been risky and she was perfectly aware that his reputation was… unfortunate… but in her defence, more people definitely knew who he was, now.

If nothing else, they knew him under the name some reporter had thought for some article or other - as Demon Cyborg’s Bald Beauty.

“I never thought I’d say this, but I think I prefer Caped Baldy” the man muttered, idly scratching his skull, unknowingly bringing attention to his namesake. “And I don’t know what’s worse, the people who clap their hands when we see us in the street, the ones who ask us to "do a cute couple pose" for a photo or the girls who start crying when they see me…”

“Split the difference and just feel content that they recognize you now. It’ll aid your ranking!”

“Crying teenage girls will help me… how?”

“Their tears are foolish anyway. They never stood a chance.” To further accentuate his words, Genos gave his boyfriend a hug from behind as he walked into the room, ignoring the low “oy!” that resulted in. He met Fubuki’s eyes square on as he nuzzled into the other’s neck. He’d certainly gotten more confident over time… and less awkward, too. She could pat herself on the back for that one too.

“By the way, Demon Cyborg , Hero News No. 1 magazine has asked for another live TV interview…”

“What do you think, Sensei?”

“It’s up to you, dude…”

“...they want the both of you, this time.”

“Yeah, absolutely no-”

“We’ll do it!”

Fubuki grinned.