Chapter 3
Saitama stared at the ceiling with vague interest. It was late at night and he was sure Genos was staring at him through the darkness again, though his body didn't want to move its place at all to check if his theory was right (even though he was sure it was, the kid was watching him like a hawk 24/7). He was thinking back to earlier in the day at the restaurant when Genos had seemed so down.
'Something is definitely wrong. He's never usually down; serious, yes, but not necessarily down. He's always doing something with his spare time...Well, mostly cleaning the house, but I'm sure he does something else!' the hero reverted his eyes sideways, trying to see where Genos was and found his golden hazel eyes staring at him a few feet away. 'Maybe something happened to him and he just doesn't want to tell me? I mean he didn't even want to clean or make dinner today. That doesn't really bother me, I mean I've cleaned and cooked before, but it's not like him to not do at least something.'
"Genos," he spoke softly, yet loud enough for the cyborg to hear with his perfect pitch functioning. "Please tell me if something is wrong. You've been down all day. You haven't been cleaning or cooking, and you keep getting nervous whenever I ask you something. Is something wrong? Please tell me."
The cyborg bit his lip, his sensors on the fritz as he tried to come up with a logical answer. The scanners projected in his eyes were beeping with alarm as they felt his core becoming too overheated, as he quickly calmed down before he accidentally self-destructed.
"Iie, sensei. It's really nothing." he finally spoke after a few tense moments of silence.
Saitama frowned, sitting up and grabbing Genos' shoulders, startling the other, "Listen! I know something is wrong, so just tell me what it is so I can help!"
Genos stared into Saitama's brown eyes, seeing worry cloud over them as he looked down, blonde bangs covering his eyes.
"I'm...I'm sorry, sensei.."
Saitama blinked as he released Genos' shoulders, "Genos, are you...crying?"
Oil dripped down artificial skin as it slowly dropped onto the carpet as light sobs passed his lips.
"Genos, why are crying? Did something happen? Please tell me!" the hero was in hysterics, trying to figure out what was wrong with his disciple.
When nothing came to mind, he did the only thing he could do. He pulled the crying cyborg into a hug.
"Genos, please tell me what's wrong." he spoke softer this time, rubbing the cyborg's back.
The other shook his head vigorously, "I can't!"
"Why not?"
A pause, before more sniffles, "I...I can't risk harming sensei….sensei means everything to me...I cannot risk losing him…"
"Genos…" Saitama sighed, pulling back slightly to gaze at Genos's face in the darkness, "I'm not going anywhere, okay? You don't have to worry about losing me, I promise."
Another small sniff was heard from the cyborg as Saitama grabbed some tissues and started to dab his face clean. Genos sat seiza style and let his sensei clean him up, eyes gazed downwards as he contemplated on what he should tell him.
"Sensei…" Genos started, making Saitama look up, "Can I tell you something..?"
"Of course, Genos," Saitama smiled easily, turning on a lamp to illuminate the room, "You can always tell me anything."
A moment of silence was heard before Genos mustered the courage to finally speak, "...I'm scared, sensei."
"Eh?" Saitama blinked stupidly for a few seconds, "Scared? Of what? Is there a new danger that you're worried about?"
"No, not that, it's just…" Genos sucked in a breath, "I'm scared...of myself."
"Yourself?" Saitama furrowed his brows, "Why are you scared of yourself?"
"I...I want to feel human again, sensei," Genos remarked, staring down at his metal hands, "It's scary…..knowing I can't feel or anything….I can't feel warmth or cold and it's...it's starting to unnerve me."
A hand placed itself over his and he looked up, finding warm brown eyes staring into his own, "Genos, you don't have to be afraid of yourself. You're fine just the way you are. You don't need to be human to feel warmth or cold or to feel anything. You're feeling something now, aren't you? You're feeling an emotion. Just because you're a cyborg doesn't mean you can't feel." he smiled, "And who knows? Maybe that Kuseno fellow can program a sense of touch in your system!"
Genos smiled as well, golden eyes gleaming as he gripped the hand in his. Granted, he couldn't feel the warmth that he knew was Saitama's palm, but he felt the strength and the steady pulse of his heartbeat. It was all Genos needed to know that he was most definitely alive, and more importantly could feel like he used to. His core heated up as he was overcome with joy, nearly crushing Saitama in a hug as he buried his face in his nightshirt.
"Thank you so much sensei!" he cried.
A laugh tore from Saitama's throat as he balanced both of them, hugging the cyborg around his waist and felt the warmth radiating from his core. He smiled and buried his face in the metal neck, nuzzling some small hairs at the nape of his neck with his nose. He heard Genos sigh contentedly as he relaxed against him, leaning over to turn off the lamp. He gently laid them both down and heard Genos's core hum.
"Night, Genos."
"Goodnight, Saitama.."
Saitama smiled.
A free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wing
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.
But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.
The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn
and he names the sky his own
But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.
I hope you all enjoyed this OPM story, and sorry for the very long wait on the last chapter. My OPM muse ran out but I recently regained it.
Poem by Maya Angelou.
Thanks for reading!