Disclaimer: I don't own jack!
Pairing: Genos/Kagome
Song Drop(s): Way Down We Go by Kaleo; Castle by Hasley
Kazoku
Chapter Ten:
Saitama stared at the girl standing in his doorway. Her face was pale and dark circles permanently sagged underneath her eyes. She stood awkwardly with a small, yellow pack slung over her shoulder. Her clothes were drenched from the pouring rain as was her backpack. A flash of light followed by the tell tale clap of thunder startled the two neighbors.
"Can I stay here tonight?" Although it was a question, they both knew that she didn't need to ask. The dark-haired man opened his door fully to let the teenager in. Kagome shook off the remnants of water from her person.
"You should shower first. You might get sick otherwise." The twenty-year-old took her bag from her, "I'll throw your clothes in the dryer. They should be ready by the time you get out." She nodded at him, trudging quietly through the darkened corridor to his bathroom. Saitama let out a deep sigh as he heard the water run. How many fights was that this week? Five? Six? He lost count. It was only the third day into the new year and it was as if those two could never get along.
The young man opened his friend's pack and quickly dumped the rain-soaked clothing into his aging dryer. The machine groaned, rocking back and forth at having to do any work. His dark eyes narrowed at the contraption. It sputtered before running into a semi-silent cycle. Saitama then threw the bag over one of the coat hooks hanging from the wall. They'd deal with the rest later.
When Kagome got out of the shower, her clothes had been folded neatly in front of the door. She quickly opened it enough to grab them. It was slammed shut again for another five minutes. By the time she fully emerged Saitama had made himself comfortable on the couch. He was surfing a few of the emergency channels when he turned to look at his neighbor. His eyes darkened as he took note of her clothes. He wasn't sure if it was the after effect of being in his cranky drying machine or what, but they seemed several sizes too short.
"They don't fit." The young man stated simply, pointing towards her sleeves that were now barely midway between her forearm and wrist.
The dark-haired girl's face twisted into a scowl, "That's what I said."
He felt the stirrings of rage begin. Was that what the fight was about this time? Getting her the clothes she needed? Damn, he really did need to have a heart-to-heart with Mamoru. This was ridiculous!
"Grab your things. We're going shopping." Saitama stood up abruptly. He didn't give a shit what anyone thought. That girl needed to be taken care of. If her family wasn't going to do it then he damn sure was.
"But you're already struggling aniki!" His heart softened at the nickname she had given him a while back, "I don't want to be a burden!" Kagome implored him not to waste his money on her.
The young man quickly stepped up to her. He placed his hands on either side of her shoulders and forced her to look him directly in the eyes. She'd developed the nasty habit of looking away or to the ground when someone was talking to her. It was a sign that she no longer valued herself as a person. She saw herself as beneath everyone around her. He needed to teach her to cease that habit immediately. She was absolutely worth more than what Mamoru said. Family or not, he was the piece of trash, not Kagome.
"You are not a burden." His voice was strong. Kagome's face softened as she nodded at him. He could tell that she didn't quite believe it just yet, but he'd keep at it. She needed to have someone say it to her more often. That child needed all the support she could get with a stepfather like that ruling over her.
They spent the next couple of hours at a local consignment store. Unfortunately he only had enough to buy her a single pair of clothes and matching shoes. The twenty-year-old had felt himself grow hot with anger as he watched his friend take off her shoes to try on a new pair. Large, red welts had formed over the edges of her feet from wearing the same pair for two years straight as she had grown. It left her skin swollen and rubbed raw from the friction against the confining material. The teen had tried to cover by saying it was just that pair. She'd used Band-Aids and gauze to try to keep her feet from blistering any further. However even he knew that if she wore those shoes for much longer than the risk of permanent, physical damage was likely to occur. That was what pissed him off the most. It didn't matter to Mamoru what pain this child was in, all he ever cared about was himself.
By the time they returned to Saitama's apartment, she was smiling and laughing again. It was the first thing anyone had bought her in over a year! She had happily told him so and expressed her gratitude at his intervention. Her neighbor on the other hand tried his hardest to conceal his fury. In the last six months alone Kagome grew several inches. She was just beginning to enter a major growth spurt. Now more than ever she needed a change in her wardrobe just for the sake of functionality! The teen grabbed the dark-haired man's hand and led him to his couch. The two settled comfortably onto the cushions with her resting her head against his shoulder.
Saitama flipped through the channels again. There wasn't much going on but mindless celebrity chatter. His dark eyes narrowed as he flipped back to the first station. He heard the tell tale sound of rhythmic breathing coming from his companion. The young man cast her a quick glance. She was fast asleep. Taking a deep sigh, Saitama gathered her up into his arms. The girl's legs dangled limply as he made his way across the room. Her feet were still wrapped tightly in bandages with red welts peaking out from beneath the white gauze. The old pair of shoes had been thrown in the garbage. Not only were they too small, but also the soles within had long since been torn to shreds and the rubber underneath was peeling away entirely. How had she managed to keep those things in tact for so long? It was a wonder she didn't complain to him more often about bullies considering the state of her dress. The poor girl didn't have anything!
Kagome smiled in her sleep, lightly grasping at the cloth of his suit. Gently, he put her to bed on a futon he had spread out just for her earlier in the week. The teen sighed happily in her sleep. He threw her blanket over her and watched as she snuggled into the fabric's warmth. It was such a shame that her biological father died so long ago. She rarely spoke of him, but when she did it was full of nothing but warmth and compassion. It made him wish that he had been given the opportunity to meet the man. Alas, that was never to be. Though the dark-haired man had to wonder what might've happened to her mother to cause her to marry someone like Mamoru. It wasn't natural to him that a woman would want to be with a person that treated their first born as shabbily as this.
Saitama was not a man that grew attached easily. In fact, many claimed that he was as distant and cold as a person could get before crossing into villainous territory. However there was just something about this child that made him want to help her. The young man stood. Maybe it was just because she was the only person he could call a friend. Maybe it was the fact that she often cooked him dinner and made sure that his home was taken care of without asking for so much as a dime. He never asked her to do such things for him, but she always did. She was always here whenever he got home. His dark eyes softened. In some ways, she was the closest thing to a real family he had in a long time. Maybe that was why he wanted to see her taken care of?
Saitama grabbed his phone and walked out onto the balcony. He quickly pulled up his mother's contact and shot her a brief message about the situation. Even though he was physically distant from his parents, they were extremely doting. They also had taken a great liking to Kagome as well. Since the girl was eight, she'd often accompany him home where his parents would treat her as if she were apart of their family. His mother in particular was terrible about spoiling her. So just this once, he'd rely on her to help out. That child needed it after all.
His mother's response was nearly instantaneous. It only took a few minutes to send all the required sizes that Kagome needed for a new wardrobe. His mother promised that she'd have the clothes to the teen within the next few days. Saitama sent her a quick thanks. With that finished he returned to his apartment and dressed for bed himself. The young man turned off the TV then quietly stepped over his sleeping neighbor to his own futon a few feet away. He threw his blanket back before getting comfortable. Once settled, the twenty-year-old gave one final glance at the dark-haired teen. Even if she didn't show it, Kagome was always stressed out. She never really had time to relax with her stepfather constantly picking meaningless fights with her. An idea popped into his mind. Perhaps he should take her out to eat tomorrow? There was a local, and cheap, burger and shake diner that opened up recently. Maybe that would lighten her mood somewhat.
He closed his eyes and drifted into a deep sleep. Tomorrow, he would do what he could to make her feel happy again. She deserved it after everything she'd done for him.
Saitama awoke with a start. Sweat beaded his brow. It'd been a few days since their visit to the shrine. Since then his memories would keep cropping back up as dreams. He used the edge of his sleeve to wipe away the sticky remnants of his perspiration.
He stared up to the ceiling. If he were to look at Kagome, his defenseless little Kagome, he was sure rage may have overtaken him and he'd find himself rushing back to J-City to strangle Mamoru for all of his transgressions against that girl.
It was still too early to be awake, he noted, seeing the sky becoming a touch lighter. The colors above shifted from dark purple to a little less murky shade of blue. His eyes glided to the clock where the numbers were almost too bright. The flashing lights nearly blinded him. It said a quarter after five in the morning. Saitama huffed, unaware that he had alerted Genos to his being awake.
"Sensei?" He whispered, blinking open his eyes, "Why are you up? Are you concerned over what happened?" The teen referenced the 'meeting' that had taken place a few days ago.
"It's nothing, Genos." Saitama shook his head, shifting to stand up from the futon, "Go back to bed." The floorboards beneath his feet groaned in protest.
Genos gave a small frown but nodded, "Understood, sensei." He rolled away to return to his own dream world again, making sure he had his back to Kagome. As much as he wanted to see her peaceful face, he also wanted to ease his teacher's mind by fulfilling his promise to stay as far away from her as possible. The blond's fingers curled into his fist. He'd withstand for now.
Saitama huffed again, tugging his pajama pants. His eyes fell onto Kagome's snoring form. She had long since kicked her feet out from under her blanket. Her arms were placed on either side of her head with her palms facing upwards. Any other day he would've thought of it as cute but today was different. Instead his gaze was drawn to the scarred pads of her feet. Despite intervening that day, it didn't stop the blisters that had already formed from making their permanent residence on her pale skin. The welts turned into blemishes that would stay with her for the rest of her life—a subtle reminder of her parents' failures.
The bald man leaned down and pulled the cloth back over her exposed limbs. He couldn't stand to look at it. The more he saw the more he wanted to do something he'd likely regret. The young man made his way to the bathroom to relieve himself, the floor shaking with each step he took. He'd be damned if he ever let Mamoru near her again without supervision. He left more scars on that girl than anyone could count. The only problem was that the scars he left were less physical and more emotional. Three years later and Saitama was still picking up the pieces. Though he had to admit that ever since she met Genos, his ward had gotten increasingly better. She no longer devalued herself and was smiling much more than before. He grudgingly had to admit that, that boy had a greater effect on her than he particularly cared for. Not because he didn't trust Genos, but because he knew that his girl was growing up. It was almost time for him to let go. That thought left a bad taste in his mouth.
He only been her guardian for three years yet somehow, he felt jilted on the time he had spent with her. A part of him wished he had fought for her custody much sooner. Regardless of whether they were still together or not. Staying with her family had not done her any justice. The only reason she made it as far as she had today was because he had been the one guiding her. Not Mamoru and definitely not her mother.
A fist clenched at Saitama's side as he thought to the woman's reaction to her daughter. He knew she loved Kagome. She shed tears over her and was so excited when they were reunited. But there was something in the way she continued to pick her husband over her children that burned him. Time and time again that girl had shown up on his doorstep after her mother would fail to protect her. He'd have to do damage control and reassure Kagome that she was worth something. He'd have to tell her over and over again that she wasn't just some burden that weighed them down. His heart tore into two. How many times could mother watch her mate tear her first born down before she'd step in? How many tears had to be shed in order for her to realize the mistakes she had made?
Saitama wasn't a fool. He knew that Izumi-san had her own fair share of problems—namely moving past the death of her first husband. Though her pain didn't eclipse the fact that she had failed and was currently failing her daughter by letting that man abuse her. Even if he never physically laid a hand on her, he did something far worse. He tore that girl down when she was the most vulnerable and then left her to rot. Mamoru never lifted a finger to help Kagome. If had his way, the young woman sleeping safely in his living room would still have been with them, possibly physically disfigured, from the amount of neglect that she had suffered at their hands. In all likelihood, she'd still be wearing those same pair of shoes he had tossed away that day. The thought made him furious. What right did a monster like that have to declare himself her guardian? He was no protector. He wasn't even a man!
He silently closed the bathroom door behind him as he finished his business. He padded his way back out into the living room as quietly as possible. His eyes immediately softened at the sight. Kagome had moved again. This time, she had rolled all the way over onto Saitama's futon. Her blankets had gotten wrapped up in the movement and cocooned around her torso. The girl's arms where laid directly in front of her, with her hands resting on his pillow. She cracked an eye open.
"Love you, aniki." The girl muttered in between sleepy groans. Then she closed her eyes again and fell back into her slumber.
The bald man sighed as he quickly untangled his ward. Though Genos was turned away from them, he could see the remnant of a smile spread across the boy's lips from the angle he was standing at. Normally he would've felt a tad bit annoyed. However today he chose not to acknowledge it. Instead he crawled into his futon, using his body as a nice barricade between the two teenagers. Saitama threw an arm over Kagome's sleeping form before closing his eyes. Dawn would come in a few more hours. Then he'd make the call to their landlord. They all needed a little bit of space. In particular, he needed to put some kind of wall between Kagome and Genos. No matter how hard he tried it seemed as if those two were always after each other, even in their sleep.
Kagome was the first to rise, as she had to work an opening shift at the shop. She was still a bit nervous however Toushi had messaged her over her time off. He let her know that everything was back in working order and that he'd have someone on shift with her at all times, namely Kishi, a young man not that much older than herself who was married. He had married his long time girlfriend shortly after they graduated from high school and had been with her ever since. Those two were virtually inseparable.
The dark-haired teen quickly dressed. She picked out a few ingredients and whipped up a quick breakfast for the sleeping males. Once it was finished, she wrapped up the meals and stored them away for later. Kagome cast her guardian and his disciple one last glance. Warmth spread across her cheeks as a flush of happiness went through her. She was home.
The door clicked behind her.
Most of the morning at the shop had been uneventful. However Kikyou-baa was tailing her more blatantly than ever. Kagome fought the urge to sigh as the woman's scooter nearly ran into the back of her legs. She turned and cast the woman an unimpressed stare. Kikyou smirked as she playfully revved the engine.
"Not cool." Came the teen's response.
"Give it sixty years, you'll be just like me!" The white-haired woman cackled. She zoomed circles around her little bird. "Besides, you never told me what happened with Robo Cop!" A wide grin spread across her age-weathered face. "Did you give him a nice kiss for all the effort he put into beating down those mongrels?" The teen turned red-faced.
"Kikyou-baa! Not here!" She hissed, her blue eyes darting around the shop to make sure that no one heard.
"Oh, so something did happen!" The old woman patted the empty passenger seat, "Come my Little Bird, tell old Mama Bear all about it!" And so she did. Even the part about meeting with her lost family.
Kikyou showed her wisdom by nodding her head and saying, "Ah I see. So you've set a trap?" Kagome affirmed her question. "What happens from here?" The woman's voice dropped its usual singsong tone; it was now deep and full of the seriousness that experience brought.
"We wait," The teen started, "I know that he'll try something." Cobalt eyes hardened, "So Saitama-aniki already put Sesshoumaru-san on alert just in case."
Her companion nodded again, "Yes, that is best." The older woman's countenance suddenly darkened, "Though do keep in mind that should you ever need the help, I'm only one message away." She flashed the younger female a peace sign.
Kagome laughed, "I sure will! Now, about Genos-kun…" She trailed off as her heart skipped a beat, "I think I'm…" Her voice left her as the rapid pulsing of her heart caused her to tremble.
Kikyou pulled on a teasing smile, "What seems to be the problem, my darling little bird?" She already knew but chose to wait to hear from the girl directly. Sometimes saying it aloud is best. Besides, if the boy showed up randomly to 'check on her' then it'd be even better! What a way to play matchmaker!
Kagome flustered at her implication, but didn't bother putting a brake to that, "What am I to do about Saitama-aniki? I know he doesn't want us to date."
The old woman rose a brow, "Now, I wonder why..." She hummed, "You're a growing woman, my dear. He just doesn't want to lose his baby girl." The dark haired girl looked down at her feet and shuffled them. While that was true there was also another reason that bit at the back of her consciousness. She tugged nervously at the sleeve of her shirt.
"He thinks it's too soon and I agree with him. Genos-kun doesn't deserve to be a rebound." Kagome slumped, wounding her arms around herself, looking defeated. "He deserves better."
Ah, there's that problem again. Kikyou stopped her sigh from coming forth. They needed to do some serious confidence boosting! She patted Kagome's arm, "Come with me real quick, won't you, dear? I have something I'd like you to see."
The teen took a brief glance around. She caught sight of Kishi stocking the shelves while shooting occasional glances towards the entrance. Good, he'd be able to hold down the fort while she was gone. With that she fully seated herself on Kikyou's scooter as the older woman revved the engine and sped out of the market. A tire squealed and puffs of smoke pillared up towards her nose.
When they finally stopped, Kagome had to brace herself against Kikyou to keep from flying off of the vehicle.
"We're here!" She chirped, pointing towards an abandoned shop just across the street. The teen gave her self-proclaimed protector an unimpressed glance.
"What exactly is here?" She queried, dismounting the scooter. Kikyou followed suit and led the younger woman inside.
"This used to be a shop I owned many years ago." Came the unexpected answer, "I used to sell a lot of unique things. Mostly illegal weapons." She cocked her head and winked at the girl, "So I saw my fair share of interesting characters. How do you think I became the witch I am today?" Kagome chose not to respond to that.
"However there was one person that I remember the most." Her normal playful expression turned soft, "He used to come by often. Threatened to shut down my operation a few times since he was one of those 'moral' types of people. Also a massive busy body and nosy." Kikyou's smile turned bright at the memory, "He was the only man that ever captured my heart."
Kagome felt herself smiling back at the older woman.
"However I was a bit of a stubborn idiot when I was your age," She shot her a knowing glance as Kagome flushed, "I kept turning him down over and over again. Eventually he moved on and when I was finally ready to settle down, he wanted nothing to do with me." There was a tense silence for a few moments.
"I passed up the chance to be with the person I loved because I was just so focused on my own ambitions." Kikyou moved to wrap her arms around the girl, "Don't make my mistake. Don't keep that young man waiting because you're afraid." She withdrew a mirror from her pocket, "Have a little confidence Little Bird." Time weathered hands opened the mirror to reveal an image of Kagome reflecting right back at her, "You're worth much more than you know."
Kagome fought against the tears that threatened to fall, "But… I just don't want to hurt him. What if it really is just a rebound?"
Kikyou smiled kindly at her, "Look at yourself child." She showed her the mirror again, "Would someone only interested in a rebound cry over their lover like you are now? No, dear Little Bird. What you have for that boy is much stronger. Trust in those feelings." She handed her the object. Kagome's hands shook as she looked at herself. Was t his was Genos-kun saw? Not a burden but a woman who cared for him? The tears fell noiselessly onto the ground. Maybe she was stalling for nothing. Maybe it was time to take that first step.
"You're an adult. You can decide whom you want to be with on your own," The older woman gave her a small, affectionate kiss to her forehead. "Saitama-san is just going to have to get used to you wanting to grow up. It's a natural part of life." Kagome nodded. She was right. It was time she stopped living in the past. Mamoru and his hurtful words far behind her, the teen thought to Genos and the future. The next time she saw him she'd talk to him.
The girls were interrupted as an alarm blared over the loud speaker.
"Warning a Dragon level threat has been detected! Please evacuate immediately!" Kagome paled as the words hung heavy in the air. Dragon? It'd been a long time since such a disaster level had occurred! She was distracted as her phone went off. It was a message from Genos.
I'm going to try to stop the meteor. You need to evacuate. Stay safe.
The two women shared a fearful look.
"Hop on!" Kikyou roared as her scooter flared to life. Kagome took her spot in the passenger seat. They floored it back to the market only to see a blazing comet hanging ominously over their heards.
"Oh no…" The teen trailed off. Her mouth dropped at the sight. Evacuating wasn't going to do any good. That thing was going to kill them all. She stared at her phone, holding back the tears. Had she been too late? Kikyou took her had and squeezed it reassuringly. Neither she nor the rest of the B.A.O.P. Squad had ever been the type to flee from danger. That wasn't about to change now.
Blue eyes turned towards the crimson sky. She prayed that Genos would remain safe. They watched in amazement as a spiral of rockets shot into the air. They blasted themselves into the hunk of rock threatening to crush them all beneath its alien weight. A cloud of smoke flared around the area however once it cleared it became apparent that the attack had done nothing to stop it.
Kagome bit her lip. That wasn't Genos. As far as she knew he didn't carry any missiles. Perhaps another S-Class Hero? The girl's heart stopped as a beam of light surrounded by blue electricity penetrated the air. That was her cyborg, she just knew it! Her hand clenched into a tight fist.
"Do it! You can crush it!" Kagome found herself yelling. The crowd that had gathered around them began to chant as well.
"Go Robo Cop!"
"Blast that fucker to bits!"
"Do it Genos-kun!" Kagome screamed again as the beam intensified. She hoped but alas, it was not to be. Her face contorted into horror as the light faded and the meteor kept falling. He failed.
"Genos!" She cried again, not caring that she had dropped his honorific. Even if he couldn't hear her, she'd still support him. The teen closed her eyes as her heart tore into two. They were going to die… and she never even got to tell him.
Before anyone knew what happened, the meteor split apart. Hundreds of splinters of the space rock rained down on them. Kagome screamed as Kikyou threw herself over the girl. The ground beneath them trembled and the shop that the older woman had just shown her crumbled. The old woman's hands hung to her tightly. Once the earth stood still the group slowly gathered their senses.
"Are you okay?" Kikyou inquired, brushing a stray hair away from her Little Bird's face. Kagome nodded in affirmation but didn't speak. Where was Genos? Was he alright? She didn't have to ask to know that it had been her aniki that destroyed the meteor. He was the only one who ever could have.
"I need to find him." Kagome started. She stood on shaky legs and started to walk towards the destruction. "I have to tell him."
The white-haired woman smiled, "Just wait here child, he'll find you."
Genos gave Bang a critical once over. The older man's arms were covered in red welts and blisters, symptoms of having been burned by the heat of his metallic body.
"Your wounds…" The cyborg started, guilt beginning to tear at him from the mere sight. The S-Class Hero shook his head.
"These are but minor flesh wounds. They'll heal themselves shortly." White hair rustled in the wind as large chunks of the meteor fell to the earth. Buildings trembled and turned. Heaps of brick tumbled to the unsuspecting crowd below. The blond haired teen tried to stay focused but his mind kept drifting towards Kagome during the chaos. Where was she? Was she alright? He needed to find her. Saitama wasn't with her. She was alone and likely by herself in the market. The young man took a single step forward. Broken gravel of tar crumbled beneath his foot. The thought of his teacher's ward being left unaccompanied during this time made him anxious. After everything that happened in these last couple of days, he couldn't bear the thought of leaving her alone during such a time.
He pressed his way through the crowded streets. Large chunks of space rock stuck up from the ground. Groups of people gathered in the streets. Families huddled together happily as they shed tears of joy. As he turned the corner he caught sight of a young couple running at each other full speed. The S-Class Hero's pace slowed, entranced by the image. The girl flung herself at the male. She threw her arms around his neck as he held her up by her waist. Genos watched shamelessly. That was similar to the way Kagome often hugged him. His hand twitched at his side. The desire to find her becoming stronger. Just as the cyborg was about to leave he cast one last glance at the overly excited couple. The male slammed his lips against his woman's and they were locked in a passionate embrace. The blond could only watch in shock. His mind supplemented a very different image of himself and the dark-haired girl that was currently haunting him.
He knew what he had to do but that still didn't make the journey any less difficult. His eyes hardened. If he wanted his 'relationship' with Kagome to go anywhere, then he'd need to prove himself to his teacher first. That was the only way he could ever truly make that first move. The whole trip to back to the market Genos was plagued with the image of the couple. He knew now just how desperately he wanted that with her. He wanted to hold her, to kiss her, and so much more. The young man paused in his tracks as a familiar, apple green colored building came into view.
There was a jolt in his senses that mimicked the skipping of a heartbeat. Kagome stood outside, dressed in her usual uniform of a matching apron and white button down shirt. Her hair had been tied back into a ponytail but the wind caused it to whip around freely, blocking her face from view. Genos approached.
"Kagome?" He called out softly. Said girl turned on the ball of her heel. Tears of joy filled her eyes as she rushed at him. The cyborg opened his arms as she threw herself into him. She hugged him tightly around his torso as his own arms went around her shoulders and waist. At that moment he was grateful that his body had cooled enough not to cause her any damage as he did to Bang. Since he had been forced to tear his shirt to move his core into his arm, she was coming into direct contact with the heated metal. If he had accidentally burned her, she didn't say a word about it.
"Thank goodness you're safe!" The teen cried out as she buried her face into his bare chest. His grip on her tightened.
"It was sensei. He was the one who stopped the meteor." Genos closed his eyes. Was this what contentment felt like?
She nodded, "I know, but I was worried about you." Kagome tilted her head up. Her cobalt eyes stared directly into his golden ones—searching for something. The S-Rank Hero felt her hand come up and gently caress his cheek. "You did your best." A small smile spread across the girl's face, "All that matters is that you're home safe." He didn't miss the way she had mimicked his lesson from before. Come home safe. That was what he had told her was the most important thing. Before he knew it, his arms had secured themselves around her waist. He drew her close as her hand remained on his cheek. She trailed her thumb over the ridge of skin there. The young woman's free hand moved to his chest. With her palm flat against the breastplate of his shirtless body, he began to feel the electrifying shocks from before. A puff of air blew through the vents of his body—a minor attempt to cool him before his brain could overheat. The blond tried not to let his emotions rule him, however he became distracted by the way Kagome was looking at his face…. or rather his mouth. There was a deep flush on her face. She seemed so… entranced.
His breath hitched as she angled her head upwards. Her hands stilled as his grip tightened, pulling her ever closer to him. Was this the right time? Would it be appropriate? What about sensei? Could he face him afterwards if he did? All thoughts left his mind as the teen in his arms timidly pressed her lips to his. It was soft and skittish—almost as if she were fearful of the reaction that she might receive. The cyborg's response was immediate. The arm that was resting around her waist shifted to wrap nearly entirely around her form, while the other one repositioned itself to tangle itself in her hair. Genos pressed his lips firmly against hers as he pulled her into him. This felt right. He closed his eyes as he continued to kiss her.
The kiss was firm but not frenzied. He knew that he didn't want to push Kagome. Likely, the fear of death caused the sudden desire within her. Death always seemed to have a way of brining out the passion in others. Perhaps he was taking too many liberties with his teacher's ward but he no longer cared. He wasn't about to deny her. Not now, not ever. Especially not when he knew she wanted this just as badly as he did. Her lips moved against his rhythmically and he followed her lead, letting her get comfortable with this new development. It was when she gasped that he had to force himself not to take any more liberties than he already had.
The dark-haired woman's hands moved again. The one that had been caressing his face moved to his back. The other one followed suit as her nails dug into the hard metal of his body, leaving small trails of scratch marks down his spine. An almost human chill shot through him. Kagome's torso was flush against his. He could feel nearly every part of her pressed against him. Genos once again fought the urge to deepen their kiss. He wanted so much more, but he needed her to make that transition. It'd have to be on her terms. He didn't want to be another Inuyasha or Kouga. He wouldn't force her to do anything she didn't want to.
The two only broke apart when she needed to breathe. The young woman heaved within his grasp. Her eyes were glossy and her lips were swollen. He angled his head down again silently asking for permission to continue. She obliged. This time she pressed a hand to the back of his head and encouraged him to be a bit more vigorous. The blond complied. They didn't stop until several minutes later, when her phone began to vibrate from an incoming call. Genos smiled as she blushed heavily. It was cute. He loosened his hold around her somewhat to give her ample space to grab her cell and answer the call. However he found himself being unable to let go of her entirely. His hands were definitely working against him today. They just seemed to have a dirty mind of their own!
"Yes, I'm fine." Her face lost some of its color but the glimmer of sheer joy was still etched into her features. The cyborg felt a bit of pride at that. He was the one who caused that look, not Inuyasha or anyone else for that matter. "I'll be over tomorrow. See you then." Kagome hung up the phone. She turned in the teen's arms. It was then that her flush returned in full force. "That was my mom. She wants me to visit."
Well that was a mood kill. Genos nodded at her, "I'll go with you then."
Still in his arms, the dark-haired girl blushed heavily once she realized what she had done, "Um… I'm sorry?" It was a question rather than a statement. That was the only indicator he needed to know that she didn't regret the moment of passion they just shared.
He leaned forward and pressed his mouth to hers again. This time it was soft and fully of kindness, "Don't be." He stated heatedly against her lips. Now he knew he was taking too many liberties, but damn it, it felt good! His sensei was going to kill him later.
"Maybe we should talk before going home?" Kagome breathed, though it came more as a string of words being exhaled rapidly.
"Probably so." He smiled gently at her, refusing to move his arm from her waist. Maybe now was the right time after all? "Do you wish to return to that diner? It's still open. I saw it on my way here." The blond suggested. The place was quickly becoming a favorite spot for the two of them.
The young woman nodded vigorously, "Sounds good to me." Though the redness in her face didn't fade. In fact, if he squinted, he would've almost noticed the slightly darker tint to it. A sense of male pride shot through him. Whatever happened from here on out, he was sure it would be good.
Kagome pointed to his bare chest, "Though I think we need to fix that first. I don't believe they'll serve you without a shirt. Disaster or not." He let himself laugh at the thought.
"Probably not. Shall we go shopping then too?" His expression softened at the way her face lit up.
"Sounds good to me!" Her arm looped around his waist as well. "Just follow me!" And so he did.
Saitama stared blankly at the television screen. It'd been reporting the destruction of the meteor for a while now. He was starting to get bored. Wasn't there something else going on in the world right now?
He flipped the channel, certain that he was going to find the same thing playing as well. However he was mildly surprised to see the "Celebrity Chat!" information pop up. The bald man settled on his couch and listened as the anchor babbled on about the new movie, Night of the Blood Lamb. Everyone was so gung ho about that damn thing. Maybe he needed to see it too? If only to see what the hype was all about. The image flashed again as the message "Live in Z-City!" flared to life. His expression dropped. Back to this again? Just as he was about to shut off the contraption, the reporter suddenly squealed in delight and requested the cameraman to 'capture that!'. His dark eyes narrowed as a familiar pair appeared on the screen.
It was Kagome and Genos…. And they were kissing. Passionately. Paternal rage rose within him at the sight of his baby girl wrapped up in the cyborg's embrace. Hadn't he just talked to that boy about all of this? Where were they now? How long had this been going on? Why the hell was he just sitting here!? Still dressed in his cape, the C-Rank Hero marched out of his home and to the street below. Someone had some explaining to do! And their excuses better be good too!
He followed the trail of slowly increasing reporters to the scene of the crime. His face darkened as he took note of which diner they were at. That little bastard! The bald man pushed his way past the overly excited celebrity reporters. One woman in particular was chattering away. As he passed he only caught a small glimpse into her 'expert analysis' of the situation.
"After the threat of being annihilated by a meteor, the 17th S-Ranked Hero, Genos, has been spotted kissing a young lady and brought her here to this restaurant!" She winked saucily at the camera; "Perhaps everyone's favorite cyborg has had a girlfriend all this time and decided to take her out on a date?" She rubbed her chin mischievously, "He's always been such a private person. This is a rare glimmer into the man that is Genos!" She made a gesture under the view of the camera to signal the end of the interview, "We'll keep an eye on this situation and report our findings as soon as we learn more. Stay tuned everyone!"
As Saitama passed, he grabbed the object within the reporter's grasp. The camera cracked then split apart into a thousand pieces.
"Hey! What was that for you freak!" The woman hissed. He shoved past them without saying a word. Damn leeches.
The caped man made his way into the diner. A familiar face stared back at him. The older waitress smiled as she pointed towards the couple sitting in a booth towards the back. He felt his anger rise again when he realized that his student was still hanging onto his ward. This would not do. Not at all!
Saitama had been fully intending on crashing their little 'date' when tidbits of their conversation bled into his ear.
"I don't want to force anything." Genos started as his arm tightened around her waist. Damn, couldn't he stop that somehow? He was negating himself every time he did it! "But I also won't deny that I am…" The cyborg struggled with the right word once more, "Attached to you." The offending limb refused to move. In retaliation, his traitorous fingers curled over the fabric of her shirt. Kagome's blush returned in full force.
"I know I have been… attached as well." She leaned into his chest, resting her head over his broad shoulder, "Still, I do believe that we should talk to aniki first. I don't think he'd be very comfortable given our situation."
The blond nodded, "I agree. I promised that I wouldn't push you into anything before you were ready," His used his free hand to tilt her head up. His fierce golden gaze stared down into her own cobalt ones intently, "I won't do so now. If you feel uncomfortable at all, please tell me. I won't do anything that you do not wish for."
It was then that the young man felt his sensors go off. A serious danger was lurking nearby. His head snapped around to see a fuming Saitama standing behind him. Genos was not ashamed to admit that he was more than a tad bit fearful of the furious man.
"I found you." The statement was full of dark intentions. The blond immediately dropped his arm and moved to the other side of the booth, making room for his teacher to sit next to Kagome. Said girl fought the urge to sigh at her guardian's behavior.
"Aniki, please sit down and don't make a scene." She shot him a pointed glare, "I'd rather we discuss this civilly. Besides, I like the food here! I'd rather you not destroy the place in a rampage."
The bald man grunted but complied. He crossed his arms over his chest and shot his disciple a withering glare. Said boy tried not to fear the consequences of his actions. Oh yeah, he was in deep shit.
Kagome was the first to start the conversation, "Now before you say anything, what happened today was of my choosing." She turned a sharp stare onto her guardian, "Genos didn't do anything untoward. He merely reacted to my advances." She sucked on her shake as Saitama seethed. "I don't want you to have the wrong idea about it aniki. I made that decision myself." His brow twitched at the lack of honorifics being used.
The Hero couldn't argue with her on that point, but he would still hold Genos responsible. He was supposed to have come to him directly for permission damn it!
Kagome sucked in a breath. This would be the hardest part, "We've been talking since then and agreed on a few things." She turned her gaze and implored Genos to start the next part of this conversation. He didn't miss her subtle gesture.
"We don't want to do anything without your express permission, sensei." The blond began, "However we know that we would like to enter into an exclusive relationship." Saitama glared over at the young man. He wanted to be angry with him. He wanted to blame him, yet somehow hearing that part made him unable to lash out.
"I'm fully willing to move out if that's what it takes," His golden eyes settled on his mentor's dark ones fiercely. "It's clear that we do need to establish a few more boundaries to ensure that we respect your rules."
Saitama couldn't help the snort of laughter at the back of his throat. His boundaries weren't worth shit now! Those two would find a way regardless. He was tempted to tell the cyborg to pack all his stuff when they got home and move out immediately though he stopped himself. Even in this state, he knew that much of his rage was stemming from his less rational paternal side. He needed to hear his student out first. Then he'd make his decision.
"What are your stipulations, Saitama-sensei? We'll abide by them as much as possible." The bald man couldn't find himself to argue with a determined Genos. That boy was always so intense. Now that intensity seemed to triple when it came to securing himself a relationship with Kagome. The man pinched the bridge of his nose once more. Damn teenagers!
"So to make things clear, you two plan on going out regardless. Is that correct?" They nodded simultaneously at his question. "Alright then the new ground rules will be fairly simple. No sex under my roof," Kagome went fifty shades of red while Genos' face seemed to take on an interesting look. He wasn't sure if he was thinking about such a situation or embarrassed by the thought. For the kid's sake, he'd better hope it was the latter. "Next, clothes are to remain on you at all times. If you want to strip then you'll have to do it in the bathroom." Saitama's mind supplemented him with images that he'd rather not think about, "And alone. No hanky panky in there either." Both of the teens remained silent though they were listening to him with rapt attention. "Also I don't want to come home to find you tonguing each other." A bulb went off over his head, "Think of it as being out in public when you're in my home. Do only what you'd want reporters would see. Any affection you show should be G-rated and mild a best. If you want to do more then you'll have to go somewhere else."
The older man felt a sick twist in his stomach at the thought. Why was this so hard? "Lastly," he began, "I've gotten explicit permission from our landlord to renovate our apartment. The both of you will be getting your own rooms and Kagome will have her own bathroom as well." He dark eyes settled onto them. "At no point should either of you be sleeping together while living with me. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir!" The new couple echoed together. Saitama fought the urge to sigh. What was he doing? He should be berating them and telling them that they weren't to date under any circumstances. However one glance at his ward and he could see that she was brimming with joy. Fuck, now he really couldn't say no.
"Alright, now let's eat. I'm starved." The three shared a laugh. This was the first time they'd all really gone out to eat like this. Kagome smiled as she looked between her guardian and new boyfriend. Somehow, it felt like this was how it was always supposed to have been.
A/n: Alright so that should hopefully be the last monster sized chapter for a while. Though quite a few things happened here! First we got a bit of look into Saitama's thinking and his reflection on the whole Mamoru-Izumi-Kagome dynamic. Then we got the part that's my favorite—this kiss! I will fully admit to having entirely too much fun with that scene! Now we get to see a bit of that 'awkward' adjustment stage that people go through when they move from friend status to relationship. Haha I hope you guys enjoyed! Let me know what you think 'cause you know you all are awesome! XD
Also, shameless plug coming up, go check out the new update for Beautiful Phantom's Ordinary! She worked pretty hard on it and it came out great! Feel free to shower her with love, especially for all the 'fun scenes' that she added in. ;)
As a side note, I'm momentarily pausing work on Simplicity as to help plan Ordinary. It's at a point now where we're unsure of a few minor details and I'd need those in order to continue. It takes place at a much further point in Ordinary so Beautiful Phantom and I are just trying to work out a few kinks before I finish that up. Once we get past that bump Simplicity will meet its completion!
Thanks so much for all the support guys! You are the steam to this shipping boat! XD
Beautiful Phantom's note: Minor my ass.