Summary: It was simple. Metal Bat was a hero, Garou was a monster. They were two sides of the same coin. Destined to never meet. Chosen by fate itself to stay apart.

Pairing: Batarou

Rating: PG-13 (that may or may not change)

Warnings: abstractness/weirdness (thus is my writing), angst, future plot

A/N: I have nothing to say…only that I am not following comic-canon with where I am taking this story (so for those of you who have no idea what happens - rejoice)…because I honestly didn't like what happens. That is all.

P.S. I know my grammar, the title is that for a reason.

And I am not reading the comic, I only read the summary.

Disclaimer: I do not own One-Punch Man.

Chapter One: Everything's Alright

"Does your sister really like flowers?"

"Nah, not really, but ya can give 'em to her anyway..."

"But...won't she hate me for it?"

"Maybe..."

"Asshole!"

Metal Bat snorted amused, "She will like it...'cause ya gave 'em to her."

"..?"

"She really liked ya..." saying which, you could obviously see, made Metal Bat look...happy?

Garou stared at Metal Bat, but didn't inquire any further as they made it down the street.

It has been a month already and they hit it off pretty fast, didn't they? Garou still had trouble understanding how or why but...he wasn't hating this for sure. Metal Bat never once spoke about how their relationship suddenly bloomed, so...there was all the more reason for him to not think about it much.

...Although he had to admit, he was partly to blame for the start of their relationship, but he will never understand why it was as easy as it was.

Bouquet of roses in one hand, Garou slipped his other one into Metal Bat's, receiving a hit, "Don' get too forward on me now."

"The hell..? I touched you so many times and you still have a problem with public affection?!" Garou stared weirdly, then looked back down at Metal Bat's arm, covered in a cast, "How is it anyway?"

Metal Bat frowned and continued looking back at the road, "It's fine, obviously," Garou was amazed by Metal Bat's healing speed...

After Garou gave Metal Bat a serious beating, it took him weeks to get out of the hospital, during which Garou was minding his own business, trying to beat other heroes, and it was supposed to be the end of their relationship...

But as it turns out, it had only just begun.

How Garou ended up in the hospital..? Strangely enough, he was approached by Metal Bat's sister... Now, what's really interesting about this is that she saw Garou, she knew he was the one who beat her brother into a near-death state...

What was the girl thinking? Until this day, Garou had no clue...maybe he should ask her...

He was just as interesting though... Because he ended up coming with her to the hospital. At first, he told himself it was to kill off Metal Bat and maybe a few other heroes he already beat, but was being merciful by not killing them... Getting power was his objective though, not taking lives.

But no one really noticed it so far did they? All of his opponents were alive. Just so they could hate him, perhaps fear him...and try challenging him again if they had the guts.

But instead... He wasn't sure why, but... As soon as he saw Metal Bat, his original objective simply disintegrated.

He had a fucking broken arm and leg...but the sight Garou was presented with... Not only was Metal Bat up and above, but he was trying to move his arm and leg despite the obvious excruciating pain. Of course, his sister shrieked and was trying to make him stop in an instant. Obviously, didn't this idiot know that by moving broken parts he was doing more damage..?

Garou didn't move though...he remained in the doorway, leaning against the door frame, and just watched the two siblings. It was the best sight presented to him in a long time.

Garou remembered how much Metal Bat wanted him gone as soon as he saw him standing there... He still remembered his words, "What? Came ta watch yer enemy struggle? Fuckin' honorless trash..."

It was instant... A punch with words...and he sure has long since forgotten what it felt like to receive one. Was it just his words though? Or was it also Metal Bat's eyes too? They held no fear. Garou could kill him in an instant right there, but... There was no fear, only pure anger and hate.

And it was beautiful... Garou wasn't sure which other word he could possibly use to describe it.

After that, Garou visited him everyday... Metal Bat eventually accepted it, although he was obviously confused about it first and tried to kick him out.

None the less, ever since then, it felt to Garou like he never got out of the hospital...alone anyway. He didn't need to feel lonely anymore, he didn't need to kill anymore, did he? His goal was on hold. Because of Metal Bat.

And that was how their days continued...until...

Metal Bat...ah, this guy...he was a savior and a burden, both at the same time, wasn't he? They were in the beginning of their relationship, but at the same time...it seemed real. Somehow, everything between them seemed to flow flawlessly...the chemistry they shared was true as well...

But...

They have both made a grave mistake.

One they would come to regret for sure.

It was simple.

Metal Bat was a hero, Garou was a monster. They were two sides of the same coin. Destined to never meet. Chosen by fate itself to stay apart.

Garou dare said that Metal Bat started it first. It was like a hit to the gut...a very powerful hit at that, one that made Garou fly all the way to the moon and suffocate.

One of the many small monster attacks. That's all it really was. Such a simple thing.

They were walking together, they were trying to get to Metal Bat sister's piano recital. Everything was simple, they were normal.

Normal at that very second at least. Garou saw Metal Bat's smile too...a rare sight presented to him. It was all ideal. It was supposed to have been ideal.

The monster came out of nowhere. And Garou still wondered why...why it all had to happen like that...it could have been avoided, couldn't it have been?

But... Metal Bat gripped his bat and swung at the monster. Doing what a hero does. Nothing was unusual about it...

Right? Nothing was out of the ordinary.

And that was when Garou realized it that...

Indeed...nothing would ever be the same again either.

Their relationship was fragile since the start. Easy to replace, easy to leave. They never made any sweet promises, they never talked about any of this.

And this was an important matter to discuss. It was part of their very existences.

If only they talked...if only they had an established reason to make them stay together after this.

If only...they had confessed to each other.

Metal Bat attacked the monster head on, no second thought, not even a moment to spare to explain himself to Garou, say a single word to him.

And he would learn to regret that very moment, because there would be no second chance.

Fingers collided with metal, the sound reminding Garou of the screeches of the dead. The bat was not damaged, fingers were not broken, but... There was smoke, as if indicating that what was done cannot be undone...

Any reasoning could have still worked at that very moment, any explanation...

If only...

"The hell ya think yer doin', dimwit? Get outta my way," Metal Bat's eyes were wide, in both surprise and annoyance and...

He realized it then. Metal Bat realized just now stupid and blind he was all this time. Somehow, he forgot all about it... He forgot one single truth, something very important...

"...do you really think I will let you take down one of my kind..?"

Yes, this was it.

Ever since they got together, Metal Bat forgot that Garou was a monster.

They didn't move yet, a bat against fingers, looking each other in the eyes, as if silently communicating...although any line for communication was already cut at that point and they could no longer hear each other. Metal Bat was overtaken by further hate. His leg and arm haven't entirely healed yet either, but from the looks of it, they might just as well end up broken again.

"I will...warn ya...one fuckin' last time... Get outta my way, Garou," it was the first time he said his name, fire was burning in his eyes, looking straight at the one he...he...

"I can't do that, Metal Bat. You will have to fight me too...or get off the battlefield. There is no other option."

Could they have possibly reached an understanding and avoided something like this? Could this have possibly been avoided..?

No. There was just no way. They were both proud, even more so at what they were doing. And there was no way they would get off their paths, there was absolutely no way they could exist together like this.

Could they have agreed to stay out each other's way? No... As a hero, Metal Bat wouldn't ignore the destruction Garou would cause...even if it was Garou. The opposite was true too - no matter how much Garou didn't particularly care for anyone other than his objective, seeing monsters, his kind, brothers and sisters, fall by Metal Bat's hand, knowing he would always be against him...could never work in favor of their relationship.

It seems they were weak in the hands of fate, huh? But at the same time, if something like this was enough to disrupt their relationship...then it's best they stopped before it was too late.

And thus, they were stuck.

The month they spent together might as well be non-existent.

A lie.

Slowly, Metal Bat's anger subdued...and he pulled his bat away. No, he couldn't do it. Just this once in life, he would accept defeat by default. Not because he was physically not 100% yet.

But because it was Garou. And it would be ridiculous to admit that he didn't feel anything for this bastard.

He would not admit it out loud though...but this was hitting him hard inside. He could feel his heart being ripped apart already.

Or was it just his imagination? There was no way he felt so much for this dumbass.

The wind picked up at that very moment, carrying away the bouquet of roses that was carelessly dropped on the ground in the whole ordeal - long forgotten, no longer necessary.

It was as if the two were stuck in that one moment of time, everything around them disappearing. Time itself was on hold.

Metal Bat was the first one to move, closing his eyes and pulling the bat over his shoulder...then, without a single word, he left the battlefield, not looking at Garou once as he walked.

As Garou watched Metal Bat's back, he felt like something died inside of him... The further Metal Bat went - the more empty it became. But he had no idea what it was...he never once felt this way in his life. And he refused to admit that someone like Metal Bat could have such an impact on him.

What was really hitting him though was...how quiet their break up was. No matter the situation, they always bitched at each other and at that very moment, Garou's mind screamed at him to say something, ANYTHING.

But he remained silent. Much like Metal Bat.

When Metal Bat was out of sight, only then did he turn around...and went in the opposite direction, going to greet his destiny once more.

Because he knew who he was and he was going to embrace it again - being a monster.

To Be Continued...