Chapter 2

Recharging process complete….

When the cyborg woke up, the futon was empty with the TV still turned on. He sat up slightly from his slouching position on the wall, hearing his metal body creak in response from being in such a stiff position for so many hours. Light filtered through the curtains as the blonde stood up and stretched slightly.

A bald head poked out of the kitchen, "Oh, Genos, you're awake."

The cyborg adjusted his vision system to accompany the light in the room, "Hai, sen-Saitama."

The hero smiled, "You're getting used to it."

The cyborg nodded, changing the subject, "What are you cooking, Saitama?"

"Oh, just some fried eggs. You like them right?"

"Hai, Saitama-sensei."

He groaned, turning back to the stove, "It's Saitama!"

The hero sighed, "It's alright. I know it's hard for you to get it out of your system….no pun intended."

The blonde cyborg walked into the kitchen, "It is alright, Saitama. It does not offend me."

Saitama went back to the eggs, "You know, Genos...you're quite different."

Genos looked up.

"I mean, most people wouldn't even want to hang around me. I mean, with me being an old and bald dude-"

"That's not true!" Genos interjected. "Sensei is the most coolest in the world!"

Saitama stared at him for a few moments, before a small chuckle passed his lips and he smiled, "See, that's what I mean. You step up to defend me, even when something bad is said about me. You defend me even when I don't need it."

Genos looked at his sensei, grabbing his shoulders, "I don't care if others look down on Saitama-sensei, I will still stay by his side no matter what."

Saitama smiled, pulling Genos into a hug and felt the cyborg tense before hesitantly hugging him back. The two stayed like this for awhile before the smoke alarm started going off.

"Sensei! The food is burning!"

"Crap, Genos help me put it out!"

"Well, this is certainly different from our usual schedule." Saitama said, taking a bite out of his fried eggs and toast.

"Well, if Saitama-sensei hadn't burned the food, then maybe we wouldn't have to eat here." Genos remarked wistfully, taking a bite out of his toast.

"Hey! How was I supposed to know the food would burn?!"

Genos laughed lightly at his sensei's agitation before looking down and lightly smiling to himself.

Saitama looked at his disciple with some worry, "Hey, you alright?"

Genos looked back up, "Hmm? Oh, yes, Saitama-sensei. Gomenasai. I was just thinking."

"Alright…" though he didn't look too convinced, he believed him for his sake and went back to eating.

The blonde cyborg looked back down at his food before standing up, "Excuse me, Saitama-sensei. I need to use the restroom." and promptly left.

"It's Saitama!" he heard his sensei call after him.

Genos sighed as he stared at himself in the mirror, ruffling his blonde hair and leaving it more spiky than usual. His golden-hazel pupils stood out on his black scalea, glowing slightly in the dim lighting of the room. He poked the artificial skin on his face, as it squished slightly under the pressure of his metal finger.

He looked down at his hand, 'Being a cyborg has its downsides.' he thought, letting out another silent sigh. 'Not being able to feel as much as you could before...It feels so foreign.'

He looked at himself again in the mirror, 'But I suppose being a cyborg for 4 years now, I should be used to it...But I can't help feel like…' he clenched his fist, narrowing his eyes. 'It feels wrong.'

He opened the door, walking back to the booth.

Saitama looked up, "Hey Genos." he noticed his slightly disheveled appearance. "Uh..you alright man?"

Genos nodded, "Hai, Saitama-sensei...I just feel...under the weather, I suppose."

Saitama nodded, standing up and payed the bill for the food. The two walked out of the restaurant as Genos looked down the whole time they were walking, eyes narrowed at the ground.

"Genos.."

Said cyborg stopped and looked up, seeing his sensei stopped in front of him with a worried expression on his face.

"Hai, sensei?"

The hero rolled his eyes, "First of all, stop calling me sensei," the cyborg nodded. "And second of all, you seem a lot more depressed than usual. Is anything wrong?"

The hero had to admit that the boy was annoying at times, especially with his long speeches and the need that he must do everything perfectly for his 'sensei.' But he still cared for the cyborg, even if they had only known each other for a few months now. If something was bothering him, then he might as well find out before the blonde had any ideas of deactivating himself for some unknown reason.

Genos kept looking down, lightly rubbing his mechanical arm, "Iie, it's...nothing, Saitama…"

Now the hero was worried. Even if he had told the boy to call him Saitama instead of sensei, he never actually called him by his real name (the most he'd gotten close to was 'Saitama-sensei' and still even that annoyed him); but now the boy was calling him by his real name. And he didn't seem to want to take it back, nor did he even acknowledge the fact that he just called him 'Saitama' instead of 'sensei.'

Something was wrong.

Placing a hand on the other's shoulder, making the other look at it with apprehension, "Hey, come on. Is something bothering you? You know you can tell me."

Genos opened his mouth to say something, but quickly closed it again. Saitama could feel his core humming as steam slowly started to seep out of his arms.

Quickly retreating back, Saitama put his hands up, "Alright, I won't pressure you. Just calm down before you shut down or something alright?"

Genos nodded quickly, still looking down as he and Saitama walked back to their apartment.