"Hnnn…?" Noriko purred, curling up on her side in the warm sunlight that spilled in through the window. The floor beneath her was hard and a little cold, but the sunlight more than compensated for it. Sleep was still receding when her left ear twitched, picking up on a faint sound similar to footsteps. She twisted into a crouched position, green eyes snapping open and focusing on the figure in the doorway to her room. Her lips parted on reflex, fangs bared, but her mouth slowly relaxed as she registered who the visitor was.
The room behind him was dark, the cyborg's body dimly lit by the light coming in from the farthest window. He studied her crouched form and took a step toward her. "Noriko, it is dangerous to sleep in a building without doors or windows."
Her stance relaxed gradually and she pushed herself to stand. "I need to get a door," she quietly agreed.
"I know that you are opposed to living with Master Saitama, but you should at least consider relocating to another building that is more secure. With Grey Corporation aware of your whereabouts and that pervert ambushing you-"
"I know. I might…look around a little later. For a place to stay." She grabbed her hooded sweatshirt from the floor and quirked an eyebrow. "Hn. Wait…pervert?" Shaking her head, the catgirl yawned and reached for her swords. Her intent was to train for a while with her blades and then search the ghost town for a new building.
"Noriko, I came to ask if you have plans this afternoon."
"Hn. Nothing…except maybe another nap later. I-I don't really want to spar, so before you try to ask-"
"Today I won two movie tickets in a raffle at the grocery store. I would like for you to go with me." Genos held up the two tickets, his expression unwavering from its usual intense stare.
She tilted her head, her tail curling slightly at the end as it lifted. "A movie…? Is Saitama-san busy today?"
"Master Saitama is free today."
"So why not ask him? I'm sure you would rather go with him anyway; he's your mentor." Noriko ran her fingers through her long violet hair, grimacing at the tangles. Train. Nap. Maybe I'll go to the convenience store and get ramen for dinner. Then I should train some more. I should be able to get a good night's sleep at this rate.
The catgirl started to walk toward the doorway with the intention of sidling past Genos to get outside. Metal fingers closed around her upper arm and she found herself glancing up into his golden eyes. "Hn?"
"I would rather go on this date with you," he stated, running a chilled fingertip along her jawline. "Will you go with me to a movie and dinner?"
Blood rushed to her cheeks, making them burn warmly. "D-date?"
"Yes. I stopped at Master Saitama's apartment before I came to approach you and I conducted some research on how best to go on a date. Will you go with me?" Genos stared back into her eyes, seeing them widen slightly. "Noriko?"
She nodded her agreement and went to put away her swords. My heart feels like it's going to beat out of my chest! The catgirl pulled up her hood to hide her pointed feline ears and left the building with him.
The walk into the city was at a rather brisk pace, set by the cyborg. Noriko walked with her head bowed, trying not to feel too self-conscious. Since the incident at the park, she had started to hide her cat features less when she went out. Though she was still nervous. Sometimes people called her a monster or they said that she should be working in a maid café. The second one was just an odd sort of insult, but the first one stung every time she heard it.
When they were seated in the movie theater, she let her hood fall back and sank low in her seat beside Genos. She bit at her thumbnail as she waited for the movie to begin, her tail twitching in discomfort. When some people tried to cross the aisle in front of them, she finally drew her legs up beneath her on the seat and let her tail rest across her lap.
"Noriko, are you alright?" The blonde turned to look at her directly and saw the pink hue of her cheeks. "Are you nervous?"
"Hn…I've never…been on a date before," she confessed. "A-and going out like this…it feels like people are staring."
"People are staring because we are heroes."
"They're staring because I have cat ears!" Noriko hissed. Her ears flattened in despair and she slouched a little more. "I'm…ruining this date."
"You are not ruining this date; we have barely started. I was going to wait for this, but I think that now is the perfect time." Genos gripped her hand gently, pulling it away so she could no longer bite her thumbnail. His metal digits laced with her slender fingers and he gave a slight squeeze. "Does this make you feel better?"
She nodded, now biting her lower lip. With her ears positioned the way they were, she could hear the people behind them whispering. They want to know why a hero like Genos is hanging out with a monster, she realized. Her shoulders drooped and felt her eyes watering. The anxiety was bad enough, but now that she knew for certain that she was being criticized, it made her just want to disappear. Does he see me as a monster? He's never said if he does or not. What if he does?
The movie finally started and she slouched further, trying to keep her ears down and out of the way of the people behind them. She barely paid attention to what the movie was about. The whispers of the people around the two heroes was making her want to crawl down into the earth and die. The tears that had begun to form in her eyes earlier now slid down her cheeks. A fang dug into her bottom lip to try to keep herself from making a sound. I'm a monster. I shouldn't be alive. I don't deserve to be in a nice place like this. I shouldn't be alive.
He saw the tears from the edge of his vision. He heard the terrible things being said by the other people in the room. Genos released her hand and immediately saw her place it in her lap, fidgeting anxiously with the end of her tail. More tears were falling, splashing onto the sleek violet fur and her shoulders trembled. The blonde slid an arm around her shoulders, startling her slightly. Her ears perked forward and she looked to him with a curious frown.
Leaning down to her left ear, he pulled her closer to his side. "Are you alright? Do you want me to take care of them?" he whispered into her ear.
She tensed at the man's words, blushing brightly when his lips brushed the edge of her ear. "N-no…they're…they're right. I know I'm a monster. I just…hn…I just wish that I wasn't embarrassing you like this."
"You are not embarrassing me." His left hand lifted her chin, her skin warm against his metal fingertips. Her lower lip quivered and he leaned down, catching her mouth in a kiss. He refused to let her break it and continue her despair. Cupping her chin with his left hand, he drew closer to deepen the kiss. Both heroes moved their lips, parting them and passionately maintaining contact.
When he finally pulled back a little, Noriko stared up at him with watery green eyes. "Genos…do you…think that I'm a monster?" she asked, her tail's tip twitching on her lap.
"You are not a monster; you are a hero," he replied firmly.
She calmed somewhat after hearing this and leaned against his side throughout the rest of the film. The feeling of his slightly chilled metal arm around her made her feel secure in a way that she had not felt in years. The whispering was still going on, but she now ignored it in favor of remembering his words. I'm a hero. He's right. I'm not a monster; I'm a hero.
When the movie ended, Genos gripped her hand and led her through the crowded theater out to the street. "Noriko, what would you like to eat now? Our date is not complete until we have eaten dinner."
The catgirl bowed her head, her heart pounding in her chest as an idea came to her. "Hn. Why don't I make something for us?"
"You want to cook?" he asked, giving her a surprised look.
She nodded. "I can't cook anything fancy, but…I can make something simple. If that's alright. You…keep taking care of me when I'm injured…and you bring me meals. It's only right if I…"
"Yes. We can get supplies on the way home."
Noriko chose not to say anything about the way he referred to Saitama's apartment as "home" as if they both lived there. Groceries were picked up and she set about preparing the meal as soon as they were in the apartment. Thankfully, Saitama appeared to have gone somewhere so they had the place to themselves.
She was slicing a cut of meat, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips. I haven't cooked for anyone since I was still fully human. I hope he likes this. I know that my family liked this recipe. Noriko sniffed at the air, appreciating the wonderful aroma of the fresh meat and the sauce that was bubbling on the stovetop. The nostalgia of the scents made her chest feel tight, a flicker of sadness in her thoughts. My family…
Arms wrapped around her from behind and heat rushed to her face, distracting her from the melancholic thoughts of her family. She bowed her head, hoping that her long violet hair would hide the blush that graced her cheeks. "Genos?"
"I am glad that you wanted to have dinner here," he admitted. "Since you have decided to accept my feelings for you, I have wanted to try things like this."
"You've…really never dated before?"
"Today was my first date. I wish that it could have been a more positive experience for you, Noriko." An idea seemed to come to him as he suddenly leaned down to blow gently into her left ear. "I can make this a positive date for you; the day is not over." He leaned down further to the side of her neck, pressing a kiss to her sensitive skin.
Her head tipped back on instinct, her fangs sinking into her bottom lip to stop a moan from escaping. The kiss sent waves of heat through her body, settling between her legs. When he pulled his face away, she fought to regain her composure. "Hnn…that…that was…"
"I have obtained blue prints for the City W branch of Grey Corporation and have determined the best strategy to infiltrate and destroy the facility located there," Genos continued.
Noriko turned, his arms still loosely wrapped around her. His hands came to rest on her hips and she frowned up at him. "Right…Grey Corporation."