Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

Summary: A family is all that one has. Keeping that family together even during the toughest of storms is sometimes harder than it appears.

Pairing: Genos/Kagome

Kazoku

Chapter Two:

Kagome stared. Not just normally either. She openly gaped at the sight that was now right in front of her. She knew it was rude but she couldn't help it. Blue eyes widened as her mouth hung up. Then she said it.

"What happened to your hair!?" She pointed at the now curly and frayed strands that stood up from Genos' head. The girl expected there to be fighting and that one might come back a little burned since the cyborg's power was fire, but this? This was too much. She tried hard not to laugh, she really did but in the end all she could do was hold her stomach as she cackled at the sight.

The young man's face dropped. Damn he had completely forgotten about that. They had been so wrapped up in getting everything they needed at the market before it closed that Genos had completely forgotten to straighten up. Perhaps this was a mistake. Seeing the way his teacher's ward was hanging onto the table for dear life and laughing like there was no tomorrow, he supposed so.

Saitama sighed, "Kagome-chan, you know that's rude right?"

"I-I'm sorry!" She stuttered between laughs. Taking a moment, she breathed deep. "Sorry about that Genos-kun. I just wasn't expecting it." A bright smile across her face the girl then gestured for him to follow her. "C'mon, let's at least fix your hair before you go." The blond complied silently. To be honest, he'd rather not show up at Doctor Kuseno's with such a horrid looking up-do. Plus, he was never that great at taming his hair, so just this once he'd let someone else do it. The bald man watched with eagle eyes as they meandered towards the bathroom. He didn't think that his new 'disciple' would do anything but still, he'd rather keep a close eye out on them just in case.

After the door slid closed, she turned on the facet and motioned for the young man to lean over. He obeyed and closed his one good eye to prevent water from falling into his vision. His sensors detected something cold cascading over the back of his neck and hair—insinuating that his companion had started on rinsing out his locks. The cyborg stilled as her hands suddenly came massage what was supposed to be his scalp. Her delicate fingers took care not to tug or pull too hard on the tangled tresses, fearful that it might cause him pain.

"I'll be fine. I have little sensitivity there." Genos replied. No sooner did he say that her hands were working more vigorously through the tangled mess of his hair. By the end of it, nearly every curl had been gently pulled free and back in its place.

Twenty minutes had gone by before Kagome and Genos emerged from the bathroom. His hair was wet, but for the most part combed back into place. The collar around his shirt was damp from the towel she had used to wrap around his neck.

"Thank you Kagome, I appreciate it." He stated, remembering her request that he not use any honorifics.

She grinned up at him, "No problem! Now you probably ought to get your eye fixed."

He nodded, giving her and his new teacher a formal bow. "Thank you." He stated once more before leaving their home. Kagome watched as his back disappeared through the doorway. What a kind person Genos was. She smiled then turned back to her guardian, only to see him scowling. Now where would that have come from, she wondered?

Genos returned to Doctor Kuseno's that night. The aging man was none too thrilled at the damage he had sustained during the battle against the House of Evolution. Though he was kind enough to keep his opinions to himself. Instead he listened as the teen rambled on about his sensei and the girl he met that day.

"Sensei killed her in one hit and that girl was able to sense an enemy attack even before I could," Golden eyes looked up at the man who had given him this second chance at life, "I've never seen anything like it."

The doctor nodded, "Ah I see. So am I to assume that this man has earned your upmost respect?" Genos affirmed his belief with a quick 'yes'.

"Though there is something that I find strange," The cyborg started as the older man fished around a box of spare parts. "The power I sensed from the girl, Kagome. It was different." Golden eyes narrowed contemplatively as Genos looked up at the ceiling composed of mostly wires and metal tubes. "It wasn't the kind of power you get from artificial upgrades or any inborn talent. It almost felt, raw?" He ended the statement with a question. How an attack could feel so clean was an odd thought to him. Though the doctor didn't think much of it.

"There is a multitude of people in this world. Many have powers we can't even begin to understand. Your sensei and his ward being a couple that fall into that group," The man tapped his patient's knee with a metal instrument. It twitched in response. Good, those sensors were now fully functional. "Perhaps you should bring them by the next time you come back?" Doctor Kuseno suggested.

Genos was surprised, "To this lab? Are you sure?" He questioned. The doctor nodded. He didn't give the teen much explanation but rather informed him that his body was now repaired and that he was good to go.

The cyborg returned home for the night, thoughts of Saitama and Kagome on his mind. Who were they and why were they so strong? He was desperate to know. The young man turned over to his side and rested his head on his arm. Tomorrow he'd see what he could find out, for now he needed rest.

The following morning he found himself standing outside his teacher's doorway. He knocked thrice before the door swung open to reveal a dark-haired girl. She smiled up at him brightly, clad in a soft-blue dress and matching heels.

"Welcome back Genos-kun!" She moved aside to let him in fully. "Saitama-aniki isn't here now. He said that he had to deal with a few things first." The girl laughed as she gestured towards her shopping bag, "You actually got me as I was about to head to the market."

The blond glanced at her, "I'll go with you." It wasn't like he had anything else to do. Besides, this would give him the perfect opportunity to get to know her and his teacher a little bit better. Kagome's smile brightened considerably.

"Thanks so much!" She took his hand and led him out of the apartment. Only pausing to lock the door. "I wasn't sure if I'd be able to carry everything back by myself but now that you're here I can enlist you for help!"

The young man's countenance dropped a bit. Somehow, he had a feeling that was the main reason why she was okay with him tagging along. Though he didn't feel as irritated about it as he thought he should. Instead his mind traveled down to their interlocked hands. How long had it been since he experienced the touch of another person like this? It was… nice. The rest of the trip to the market was spent making casual conversation. They talked mostly about things that were mundane or useless, but to Genos, it was vital information. Everything he could learn about them the better.

An elderly lady squinted. Her grey eyes were hazy but she could make out the shapes of a familiar girl with an unfamiliar boy. Her senses were immediately on high alert. She pulled out the contraption that was called a phone. After several seconds of attempting to send a text message, she quickly gave up and dialed the most recent number.

"Mama Bear, I've got a sighting." The woman whispered silently. She pulled her scooter around the corner of the aisle but stopped, ensuring that the unaware couple did not detect her spying.

"What'd you find Little Grass?" A voice came through on the other line.

"Little-bird and a boy are in the shop. The boy's identity is unknown. I repeat Little-bird is with an unknown boy." The urgency in the elderly woman's voice was almost comical.

"Got that Little Grass. Keep an eye on them. Old Mama Bear is going to have herself a look see at this fresh meat." With that the line ended. The woman kept on her toes as the boy offered Kagome his arm. Her brows narrowed. The way he leaned towards her, the way his eyes didn't stray from her face… a chill shot down her spine. Oh my god he was into her! Red alert! Raise the flags! The little lady blared a silent alarm on her watch. The fellow customers all dropped what they were doing and immediately took to watching the couple meander through the store.

'Mama Bear' made her rapid approach. It was time to sink their fangs into this male and see exactly what he was made of.

Piercing cobalt eyes narrowed as she took in the sight of a cyborg escorting their most favorite girl. He didn't seem to be all that threatening but as age had taught her, looks could be deceiving.

Kagome laughed as Genos attempted, and miserably failed, to stop a rack of cereal from collapsing onto the floor in a heap of boxes. The boy had accidentally bumped into the side and watched in horror as the top of the boxes began to lean. He dove forward with outstretched arms. He managed to catch a few of the runaway items but the rest fell to the ground in a messy clutter.

The woman strained her ears, hearing Kagome's response of, "It's okay, I'll let Toushi know." She watched as her little bird wondered away from the boy. Good, now was her chance. She stalked up to the unsuspecting teen, eyes hard as she glared at him.

"Ah it looks like we got ourselves fresh meat." The woman commented as she crossed her arms over her bosom. Genos shot the stranger a sharp glare. Who the hell was this old woman and why was she trying to pick a fight with him?

The aging lady circled him like a predator. Her white curls bobbed as she cupped her chin and nodded her head.

"My, you are quite well built," The word was a pointed insult, "However I don't think I've ever seen little-bird bring you around. Might you be one of those unsavory males out to steal her innocence?" The blond suddenly found a pair of fierce cobalt eyes glaring into his own golden ones. What the hell was happening right now?

"I'll have you know that we've got you surrounded boy," She motioned to the crowd of elderly that seemed so harmless just moments before. They were now approaching him, their hands hanging onto strange devices that looked like weapons. If it weren't for the fact that he could smell the elderly woman's rotten breath, he'd be tempted to believe that perhaps this was all just a dream.

His shoulders squared and his eyes serious, Genos returned the woman's ferocity with a threat of his own. "Do you really think you can beat me with that frail body?" Now the cyborg hadn't intended on causing his teacher's ward any problems, but he wasn't one to stand by either as strangers accused him of disgusting things. He had more honor than to lower himself to the level that this woman was suggesting. The very thought that she'd even accuse him of it made him burn with fury.

The woman threw her head back and laughed, "My you sure do have more spunk than the last one. Let's see how long you can hold out for." She smirked at him. A dark feeling of foreboding overcame Genos. He believed that this person was going to cause a lot of problems in the near future.

By the time Kagome returned with her manager, the group had surrounded Genos and were on the verge of tempting him to let his canon loose on them. He attempted to take a step forward but she ran up and placed herself between him and the instigator. The boy's arms accidentally bumped into her back as he was still cradling the food items within his grasp.

"Kikyou-baa! Please, Genos-kun is Saitama-aniki's disciple! He just came with me today to help out!" The teen pleaded with the grandmother-like figure. Kikyou nodded her head reassuringly and patted Kagome on her back.

"Ah so that's who he is. Why he could've just said so, isn't that right Genos-dear?" The volatile woman shot him a pointed stare. He returned it a fiercer one of his own. It was irritating. It was enfuriating. It was unacceptable. Who did this woman think she was? He was sorely tempted to blow her away with a single blast of his fires, but there were two things that stilled his hand. The first was the fact that his teacher's ward was planted firmly in between them-perhaps hoping to keep the two from going at each others' throats. The second was the fact that he had no intention of tarnishing his reputation by attacking an elderly woman. For as frustrating to deal with as the old hag was, he wasn't going to let her rile him up. Besides, he didn't quite feel like explaining to his teacher later that night why his ward might be upset should he choose to do away with the witch entirely. His body chilled at the prospect. That was not a thought he enjoyed.

Though the blond chose to say nothing, he was reassured in the way that Kagome refused to leave his side that she knew exactly what these people were capable of. His anger subsided somewhat as she calmed the older woman.

"Please don't do that again Kikyou-baa, he's really not like that." The girl's voice was soft but there was an edge of exasperation. Perhaps this was normal here? His eyes slid to the ox-sized man that his companion had mentioned was her manager. Toushi cast a blistering glare at the old woman but said nothing. The reaction was all he needed to confirm that believe.

"Sister, you mustn't agitate every boy that comes near our little-bird. You might chase away her future husband." Another woman spoke up. She looked similar to Kikyou, but she seem to lack the edge of ferocity in her expression that her sibling had.

The other woman smirked and threw her arms around Kagome, "Ah, but that's all the better. It means that I can keep her all to myself."

"You may not." Genos finally spoke. "She is Saitama-sensei's ward. She is not yours for the taking." A bright flush of embarrassment crossed the girl's face.

Kikyou released her 'darling little bird'. She walked up to the cyborg. Her eyes glared at him stiffly before roaming freely over his body. He tensed in agitation. Who did this wretch think she was? Then, without warning, a wide smile spread across her face.

"I like you." She slapped him on the back, "You're the first who's had the balls to stand up to me. Good job kid!" Kagome buried her face into her hands. Oh no, this was not good.

Kikyou then wrapped her arm around his shoulders comfortably and smirked, "Now, when are you gonna take our little-bird out on a date?" Anger boiled beneath his exterior. His connection to Kagome and Saitama were absolutely none of her concern!

"I already told you Kikyou-baa! We're just friends! Don't be so pushy!" The girl huffed as she pried the older woman away from the furious teen. She had to commend him for being able to hold back so much. It wasn't every day someone could handle Kikyou's antics and not lose their shit.

"Calm down little-bird! I was just having some fun!" Then she winked at her, "Besides, you know he's mighty fine. Might want to try a piece?" The girl's face flushed as she pushed Genos towards the counter, dozens of boxes of cereal still cradled in his arms.

"Sorry, Kikyou-baa! Gotta run!" With that, the two checked out and made a mad dash out of the store. Or rather Kagome was making the mad dash out of the store and pushing a very pissed off Genos in front of her. He cocked his head to the side as the girl attempted to make him leave. The cyborg pointed a single index finger at Kikyou and glared fiercely-silently threatening her. She laughed then took a seat up on her sibling's scooter.

"Damn, here I was hoping to set her up." The old woman snapped her fingers, "Guess I gotta trap them into it." She tapped her foot against the ledge of the motorized vehicle and smirked. Oh those two would be fun to play with.

Her sister shook her head, "You do realize that Kagome isn't quite ready to date again? Not after that last hound dog." There was a murmur of agreement. Even Toushi, who had been silently fuming the entire time, nodded. Indeed, it was way too soon.

Kikyou's smirk darkened considerably, "Then we just have to watch them. I don't think anyone is opposed to that idea?"

Kaede balked, "Watch? More like stalk." She pointed towards the stash of barely hidden weapons under the racks, "Keep the back up ready in case he pulls a double-cross like that hound."

After that group dispersed. Toushi glanced between the pile of cereal boxes that were left abandoned by Genos and the objects that had quickly become the bane of his existence. He swore, if his store didn't rely so heavily on that group to buy from them, then he'd have kicked them out long ago. He didn't need another visit from a federal agency investigating an illegal weapons charge. That was a fiasco he'd rather not deal with a second time. Shaking his head, the ox-like man set to work on cleaning the mess the crowd left behind. Damn customers.

"Who were those people?" Genos queried, his ire still not yet gone. His jaw twitched at the memory of that vile woman spewing her venom at him. The very image made him want to burn something.

"That was Kikou-baa, Kaede-baa and their little band of friends." Kagome sighed as she interlocked her fingers with his again. It was such a strange contrast. Through the sensors that the kind doctor installed in his hand, he could feel the softness of her skin against the hardness of his artificial limb. The feeling brought up hazy memories of his parents holding his hand like this. It was so similar, yet so different. In that single moment he almost felt normal again. Almost.

She continued, "They're a lot of elderly folk who aren't keen on moving away from Z-city no matter how much it gets attacked. They've been hardened by monsters before and aren't afraid to give people the what-for." The dark haired teen sighed, "They've taken a bit of a liking to me and can be a bit overprotective. Lately they've gone so far as to call themselves the B.A.O.P Squad and have heralded a movement of chasing away any man who's come near me."

The blond quirked his eyebrows, "B.A.O.P. Squad?"

Kagome laughed, "It's short for Bad Ass Old People Squad." His expression deadpanned. Somehow that fit them perfectly. "Also, Saitama-aniki wasn't impervious to them either."

He looked at her curiously, "What do you mean? Wasn't he the one taking care of her? Why would they have a problem with him?"

Kagome shrugged but smiled, "I'm not sure what happened exactly but Aniki said that he would rather learn to fly over a burning volcano in one second than be near Kikyou-baa again."

Now the cyborg was intrigued. Did that woman really affect his teacher so much and in such a negative way? He'd have to get to the bottom of what the old hag did and avenge his teacher.

"Anyways, sorry you had to go through that. I didn't think they'd be there today." She offered an apologetic smile, "They're usually around much earlier in the day."

Genos shook his head, "Their behavior is not your responsibility." He meant every word he said. It wasn't her fault that the Kikyou woman was a senile old bat out for blood.

Kagome small smile grew into a wide grin, "Thanks! Now, lets go make some food I guess. Seems that due to the commotion that we only ended up getting cereal."

The blond bowed his head, "I apologize. I was not thinking when we checked out. I sort of took them with me." She laughed again and gently pat his shoulder reassuringly.

"No one can blame you for that! Now, let's just head back. I'm sure Saitama-aniki is home by now." They returned home in a comfortable silence. As he walked next to her he realized that that was the second time today she made him feel… human. How odd.

A/n: Okay, I had way too much fun with the BAOP Squad. You will definitely see more of them later! They're a bit of a hidden force sometimes that can be a monster when provoked. Anyways, let me know what you think!