"Shopping day!" Saitama grinned when he finally walked out of the bedroom with Mitsumi in civilian clothes. He was in a blue zipper shirt, loose pants and sneakers. She had on a white blouse, jean shorts and sandals. Overgrown Rover was trotting along happily with them, and Blue Ripple had Inichi move his tub to the main room when he shifted back to flippers again.

"Yes! Then Neutral Grounds to visit again and see how things go," she chuckled and got a kiss pressed to her forehead.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked and cradled her in his arms. She nodded and rested her head against his chest with relief.

"What happened?" Fumio frowned from the dining table. Black Sperm looked up with concern. Kianna looked over with King now from where they sat. Even Tacki was there with Kamikaze eating breakfast with them. Orotsu glanced over from where he was stationed in the kitchen and setting up stages of food preparation.

"She had a nightmare. Wind Crane and I helped him get in to…make it better," Blue Ripple snorted. "Needless to say, he finally got to kick down the one that has hurt her after all that time."

"Yep! Kicked him. Punched him. Slapped him. Next time, though, I'll rip him apart slowly," Saitama nodded. He smiled at Mitsumi's small laugh and squeezed her close. "Maybe you can tell me what to do next time. If it happens."

"I want in!" Tsuruga said with a savage growl from where he sat on the ground with Tanktop Girl in his lap. "I want to gore that bastard open!"

"And in a dream, it won't matter if he's human or not," Tacki seemed to grin. "We'll have to get creative…"

"No. You scare me when you get creative," Kamikaze said. "But, yeah. Can you get all of us into her dream next time?"

"That would be a feat," Blue Ripple admitted. "Maybe we can try. Of course, we don't want Mitsumi to have any nightmares. But I can definitely attempt to pull more in after Saitama."

"Yep. I need to save her first. Make sure she's good. He had her naked on a metal table when I got in. I punched him away from her," Saitama said.

"WHAT?!" Tacki gaped with shock. "That bastard was ready to…?!"

"He was. He didn't get to," Saitama said. "Anyways, we plan to check out the market after eating. Anyone want to come along?"

"Hmm…" King mused at the idea. Kianna looked at him with a small grin. "Yeah. I can go with Kianna. It's been a while since I got out."

"Nice!" Kianna beamed and hugged him.

"Fair warning. You'll be signing autographs," Saitama said. That got King to sigh, but he nodded that he would be ready.

"Fubuki and Inichi are actually considering it," Mitsumi giggled at Inichi's mental agreement. "Ah! So will Garou and Lily! A family shopping day!"

"Very good," Saitama chuckled and kissed her forehead before having her sit in his lap. With the occupants in the fourth floor apartment settling to eat, Garou and Lily were having breakfast from the mound of food on the counter in their apartment space.

"I still can't get over how you eat so much," Lily chuckled.

"I know. It sort of happened when I got into my martial arts. It's a workout!" Garou grinned. "I should probably train a bit later, though."

"Do you think you can train me? I mean, I'm gonna have to do something if I start fan dancing. I need stamina," she sighed. She sat down next to him and watched him finish his fifth bowl of egg fried rice.

"I can help you with that!" he grinned and set down the empty plate. "Heh. It's…so funny now…"

"What is?" she asked and moved to stand behind him to run her hands over his shoulders. He blinked at the sensation and sighed hard. "Talk to me."

"I hunted heroes…like you…" he muttered softly. "And here I am…offering to help them…"

"You don't have to-"

"No! I do!" Garou said and turned to face her. He looked up into her eyes and found himself wincing. "You know…I just realized something…"

"What's that?" Lily asked and got pulled into his lap.

"I made it a point to beat the shit out of everyone once I got strong enough. To keep getting stronger. To prove how weak everyone around me was. To…be a monster," he muttered. "I wanted to show that heroes would never be able to defeat monsters. Especially S class heroes. They always felt so damned untouchable! I told you how I always wanted the monster to win! How heroes were so…self-absorbed…self-righteous…absolute dicks…"

"I know. And I told you I wanted to be a hero to help others. I know I only have my three-section staff. It's all I know how to fight with. It's not much, but it's something. I don't have crazy powers of any kind. I never really thought I was anything special. I just wanted to help make a difference. No matter how small it was. I never thought that monsters would ever be able to be…friends with humans! Much less…be with humans. You know?"

"I just…" he cringed and found her face looking into his.

"What's wrong, Garou?"

"If Lady Mitsumi didn't wake me up…I never would have met you…"

"Or I you."

"Yeah. I would have…just seen you as someone weak. That I could…kick around…and…it makes me so sick thinking about hurting you!"

"Garou."

"It's really funny. Now that I think about it. I'm able take most of the hits that Saitama does. I can regenerate like nothing happened. But him…not a fucking scratch on him!"

"I heard that Sweet Mask hit him, too, and didn't hurt him."

"Lava doesn't even kill him!"

"You know what else is funny?" she chuckled now. "Fan Dancer said she married her hero. He saved her from a fate that…not even I would want to wish on my worst enemy! That he's the most stupidly strong guy she's ever met. We saw him kill that monster, too! Like nothing! But…with how you're talking about Caped Baldy being so strong…I wonder if you could be…my stupidly strong monster...?"

"Huh! I could be that to you…" he blinked with a small grin at the idea.

"But…there is something that confuses me," she frowned.

"What's that?"

"How did you…become this…?" she asked softly. "How did you turn into a monster? Can you tell me?"

"You deserve to know," Garou frowned hard. "I was lured into the Monster Association. If not lured…pretty much tricked and forced to go there. All because I was proclaiming myself as a Hero Killer. They were impressed on how I was handling myself with S class heroes and wanted me to work with them. I didn't want to go to that association, though. I was my own one man team, in a sense. I declined each time I was invited by other monsters. That wasn't me. In the end…I ended up there.

"After that, I found myself pitted against other monsters when they wanted to test me. Or to subjugate me. I even bumped into one and started a fight! It was that stupid! When I was at my limit…I felt something…gift me. With power! Indescribable power! I mean…I just…I knew it was a GOD monster. It turned me into a monster. The strongest one alive! But…I realized something after fighting with Saitama…"

"What?"

"I couldn't fucking kill him much less touch him! Even as a monster! No matter how strong I was…I still couldn't fucking touch him! A hero won! Again!" Garou spat out with frustration. Then he paused at her gentle touch to the top of his head. He closed his eyes to how her fingers lightly traced the pointed parts of his hair. "I wonder…if this is how he feels…with Lady Mitsumi…"

"I know she's the only one that helps him feel again. I hear much now," she smiled softly and let him rest his head on her shoulder. He was clearly enjoying her gentle touch. "Do you still have those gifts? I mean…"

"Not all of it. I'm still a monster. You know that. I can shift my shape. I can still regenerate, but not really at the speed I had before. I just…lost a lot of the excess power I had. The speed. The rage. I was almost taken over, too! I couldn't have that. I altered my body to repel what was gonna happen. I felt those gifts get pulled away after I refused anything else. Now you see me like this. Heh. That kid. Tareo. He believed in me. I actually…helped him when he needed it, too. In return, he defended me when I got the deserved beating from other heroes. I ran off to hide and recover. Now he found me again."

"He's a good kid."

"Yeah. He is."

"I know you said your first meeting with Fan Dancer was interesting."

"I still can't believe I called her a bitch," he grimaced. "I think I told you this before, too. Saitama rightfully kicked my ass around. And I called her that after she chastised me with reason. I wanted to blow up the planet. She asked what I would do after it was done. I had no answer…so I called her that disgusting name. Then Saitama slapped me, and I went through the mountain wall from that…"

"He slapped you through a mountain?!"

"Yeah. Then a head butt after he caught my fists when I was ready to try and hurt him. The first time we fought when I was a monster…he had me helping people. Mainly directing my attacks in various ways to help and not hurt. He kept saying I should have been a hero! I always said no. I still say no. He wasn't really pissed, either. Just a bit annoyed. But when I insulted Lady Mitsumi…I saw a side of him…it scared the shit out of me. He was relentless in taking me down! I knew he could kill me…"

"He could kill anything with the power he has."

"If it wasn't for Lady Mitsumi…she saved me from him. She jumped in front of him. Said it was enough. That she…saw good in me. Saitama, though…he was still pissed! He wanted to tear into me! Then he saw how she was in cold weather. I think she did that on purpose, too. To throw him off. But…that driving rage he had…I never saw it until that confrontation. It…really scared me to death. I actually panicked…"

"Not even I would want to see that side of him. We saw glimpses when he was all red and stuff. That monster! He took out its chest!"

"Zenchu even admitted to me that Saitama is the only one that can kill him. And I know he's the only one that can kill me, too."

"Like you said to me after the monster died."

"Yeah," Garou sighed and looked at her with a small shrug. After a bit of silence, she knew it was time to change the subject a bit.

"So…what made you decide to talk to me in the beginning?" she asked.

"Eh…Zenchu said I…needed a girlfriend…"

"Really?" she asked with a small grin.

"Yeah. He mentioned you had lilies in your hair. I recognized you from that. I'm glad I did," he admitted.

"Same," she smiled and laughed softly with him. "But…when they found you in that mountain…what made you start to change your mind? To stop being a…well…a bad monster?"

"You know those white flowers in the entryway? The ones from Wind Crane's egg when it fell? The smell of them did it. Lady Mitsumi has those flowers stitched on her fans. Those fans almost ripped me to pieces, too! The scent of those flowers…it's like…I felt something lift…and break away. Things started to fall into place. It was the weirdest feeling! And then…I felt…an incredible sense of peace all through my being. Like…I was home…"

"It's good to have a place to call home."

"Yeah. When she left with Saitama…I was thinking a month before finding them. She told me to come here to City Z when I was ready. And I realized…after they left me…I had to follow them. They would help me get home…"

"And with me?" Lily asked softly.

"I…" he blinked and gazed at her with his yellow eyes. "I…"

"Yes?" she asked and blinked her bluish-purple eyes.

"I'm in love," he said and found himself kissing her hard before holding her tight to his form. When the kiss broke, he whispered, "I'm not only just home. With you…I feel…complete! It's the only way to explain it. I've never…been in love before. Never. I think…like Saitama…I never bothered with it. You know I tried once…but…"

"Garou," she said softly and blushed. "We've known each other for such a short time. I know, too…that I'm in love with you. I can't explain it, either. I don't want to explain it. I mean…I did realize that monsters…when they choose their partner…it's like…a permanent thing…"

"Lily. Will you be my life partner? Even if we don't get married? If we manage to have kids? Even if they don't happen? I mean…damn…I don't know…" he found himself getting nervous now.

"Garou…" she swallowed and pressed into him. She was also a touch nervous now. "Even if we manage to get married and have kids…even if we don't…I would never want to stop being your life partner…"

"So…that's a yes…?"

"Yes!" she finally said and got kissed in a long, loving way. "Yes! Yes…"

He lifted her in his arms and took her into the bedroom. He had this indescribable need to cement things now. It was a driving urge. An act of solid claim. It was ten minutes later after shouting with her at their peak of passion that he was finally able to think again. After silently enjoying the after-glow, she whispered, "Did you want to stay home? We could."

"We should go with them," he sighed. "I'm kinda curious if we could get a snack or two, too."

She smiled and let him kiss her before pulling away. To his delight, she chose to wear something other than a business dress suit. He really like the blue jeans and dark purple blouse. He helped fix the lilies in her hair, and she laughed when he tucked one of the white flowers in with them. Then he said, "I'll get a silk one with some of that scent on it for you."

"I'd like that," she blushed and slipped on her socks and shoes. He wore his usual white pants with a yellow sash tied around his waist and spandex tube top. He adjusted his tai chi slippers before leading her out to the others in the fourth floor apartment. More food was given to him, and he sat down with Lily next to him to share the plate.

"Hey, Tacki…ah…where are the promise rings at?" Garou asked.

"Oh! You need a set?!" Tacki asked with delight.

"Yeah. Lily and I…we're life partners now…so…" he said and grinned at the whoops of joy from the others.

"Good. Don't go back to being stupid," Saitama nodded.

"Saitama! Stop it!" Mitsumi scolded him.

"If he insults you again…" Saitama warned lightly.

"He won't," Lily said with a nod. "He still regrets that."

"Oh! I'm gonna go to our room, honey. I need to make a special ring for Lily," Tacki said and got up from Kamikaze's lap.

"What?" Kamikaze asked.

"Just ten minutes!" she said.

"No. You're not gonna use the smelter in our apartment!" he said.

"Uh, duh? No. I was gonna use it on the small porch we have outside the apartment," Tacki said and stuck her tongue out at him. "Until we get an actual place for me to make stuff like that, we have no other place to do it. Right?"

"Tacki…" he warned.

"Okay, do you want to make her a custom ring with lily flowers on it?" she asked. Kamikaze went silent and glared mildly at her. "Thought so! Just ten minutes. I'll be right back."

"I don't know what ring I'd want, though," Garou admitted.

"Titanium black band with silver etching. That work?" Tacki grinned.

"Ah…yeah!" Garou blinked at the idea.

"You want diamond chips in them?" she asked.

"If it's possible…" Lily blushed softly.

"Eh…maybe along the edges of my band," Garou agreed.

"Let me get your sizes real quick," she said and took out a series of plastic rings to get their measurements. She always had it with the promise ring box to know where it was for quick jobs. "I can make the molds and all that. It won't take long at all."

"Maybe I should get a custom ring…" King mused.

"Later," Kamikaze sighed.

"Ten minutes! Maybe twenty with gems!" Tacki grinned and ran out of the room to get the ring creation done.

"Damn that girl…" Kamikaze sighed and laughed softly.

"But you love her," Mitsumi grinned.

"Yes. I do," he nodded with agreement. "She really does keep me on my toes. I told her I always wanted that. I needed someone unpredictable. She is exactly that."

When Zenchu walked in to sit down, he was quickly told of Garou and Lily's cemented bond. He grinned and said, "Good! I'm glad it worked out!"

"You told him he needed a girlfriend and suggested me. Why me?" Lily had to ask while leaning in to Garou.

"Well…I figured he needed something to help point you out. The lilies in your hair definitely did that. Also, you had a look to you that you could take care of yourself, but you could also benefit with something more. With Garou knowing what he does, I knew he could definitely help you," Zenchu said. "You look innocent, but you know how to fight."

"That I can," Lily chuckled.

"Yeah, I can train others. And I told her I'd help her, too," Garou nodded. "I'll do some strength tests with her later to see how far she can go. Then we can build up on that when we know her limits."

"You'd do that with me?" King chuckled.

"I want Old Man to test you. I don't want him to work on Lily," Garou said seriously. "He'll know your limits right away. Lily is…my project. Only me."

"Huh. I would say the same thing with Mitsumi to me," Saitama mused and fed some chicken pieces to Overgrown Rover. "I wouldn't want anyone else to train her. Or against her. Sparring…maybe. But only so much. And I wouldn't fight against her. I only fight with her."

"Hmm…can I see how you would train with Lady Mitsumi?" Garou asked. "It might give me some ideas on how to work with Lily."

"That's a good idea. Let's finish eating and go shopping. It will still be early enough after that before Neutral Grounds, and I'll start up a training thing for couples. If you all want that?" Saitama shrugged.

"Do it, Dad!" Fumio grinned and scratched Black Sperm's back.

"Yeah. It will give me ideas with Tacki," Kamikaze nodded.

"Ah! The others also agree! Inichi told me so," Mitsumi beamed.

"I may also wish to see what I can do to help strengthen," Blue Ripple nodded. Then he looked at Garou to focus in thought.

"Is something wrong?" Garou blinked and paused.

:I CAN SENSE YOU WERE TOUCHED BEFORE. WE WILL NEED TO TALK. IN TIME. I MAY BE ABLE TO SEE ABOUT HELPING BRING ABOUT CERTAIN GIFTS. I KNOW YOU ARE…ANXIOUS ON THIS. I UNDERSTAND.:

:Thanks. It's not that I don't want to talk about it…:

:I KNOW. IT WILL NEED TO BE DISCUSSED, BUT NOT NOW. WE HAVE SOME TIME. REMAIN CALM.:

Garou sighed about the whole thing and leaned into Lily. She looked at him with concern, but he made a gesture that he'd tell her later. She nodded and hugged him to help him regain himself. He muttered, "This is what I need. Right here. I never thought I did before…"

"I'll always be here for you," she smiled and squeezed him.

"Tell me something," Saitama said after setting his empty dish aside. "Garou. I want to know."

"Hmm?" Garou looked at him.

"How would you feel if Lily said she could no longer stay with you? If she had to leave your side?" he asked. Tanktop Girl blinked and looked at Tsuruga with silent knowing.

"I…" Garou blinked and found himself starting to panic.

"You'd feel ripped in half?" Tanktop Girl asked.

"Yeah…" Garou winced.

"Good. That means you love her. We'll make sure she doesn't leave you," Saitama nodded and rose up with Mitsumi. Garou was now struck dumb. Lily was even in shock at how such a simple way it was to tell on how strong an emotion could be. Garou now looked at Lily with a look of hurt.

"I'm not leaving you," Lily vowed and hugged him tight. "It would hurt me, too. So don't worry. Okay?"

"Okay…" Garou shivered with relief.

"And so you know, Mitsumi does the same damned thing to me," Saitama said with a small smile in knowing. "It's why I don't let her go."

"Good…" Garou said and cleared his throat.

"I'm back!" Tacki beamed and handed over the new rings. "There ya go!"

"Ah! It's so pretty!" Lily gasped at the sight of delicate lily flowers of gold wrapped around a gold band with small diamond bits in their centers. Garou was highly impressed at the small ring of diamonds on each side of his new promise ring. They put the rings on each other and hugged tight.

"Not leaving?" Garou asked.

"Nope!" Lily grinned and got squeezed.

"Oh, can I get a silk white flower with that scent on it for Lily's hairband?" Garou asked. Kianna jumped up to help with that, and she left the real flower in for now to get removed later on.

"All set!" Kianna grinned.

"Good. Shopping time," Saitama said and lifted Mitsumi into his arms. Her crane fans settled on her fan belts to show they were ready, too, and Overgrown Rover was set in her arms in its tiny form.

"I'll have your other fans ready when we get back," Tacki promised and climbed up onto Kamikaze's shoulders when they got outside. With others appearing to see what was available at the marketplace, Garou kept Lily at his side. I feel like I can conquer the world now! And…for once…I don't want to destroy it. I think…I think I'll be okay. With Lily…I know I'll be just fine.