Saitama was able to wake up just enough to move into the apartment with Mitsumi to collapse on their couch to sleep more. She was nestled securely in his arms, and she only woke up lightly when Zenchu and Fumio returned to settle in.
"Is Dad okay?" Fumio asked.
"He's fine. Just very tired," Mitsumi smiled. "You can take a nap, too, if you need to."
"Okay," Fumio smiled back and was eager to do just that.
"Maybe you both should go into the bedroom. The others will be back soon," Zenchu frowned.
"You want to wake him up and tell him that?" Mitsumi grinned.
"Ah…right," Zenchu sighed and chuckled. "But you really should."
She nodded at him with agreement. She traced a finger over Saitama's chest to rouse him and whispered, "Hey."
"Hmm?" he looked at her.
"Did you want to go to bed with me? Zenchu told me the others are on their way back here. We want you to sleep for as long as you need to. No, I don't plan to leave your side," she said and caressed his cheek. "We can change out of our clothes, too."
"May as well," he sighed and forced himself to move.
"Are you sure you're feeling okay?" she asked with concern.
"I don't feel sick or anything. Just tired. I need one more hour of solid sleep," he said with confidence. She nodded and got up with him to move into the bedroom. She helped him undress, but he only wanted to wear his boxers. She slipped on a nightgown and checked herself in the bathroom. On moving into the treasure bed with him, he sighed and hugged her close.
"My bleeding is gone," she grinned softly. Now his eyes popped open.
"I'm wide awake!" he grinned and was quick to tackle her with a burst of energy. She laughed at this and let him lose himself in her warm embrace. Ten minutes later had them both sleeping quite deeply in each other's arms. An hour later had her waking up to his mouth moving over her neck.
"Saitama…?!" she blinked and gasped when his mouth claimed hers.
"I'm feeling better," he chuckled and pulled her close.
"I love you," she said softly.
"I love you, too," he said and pressed his face against her neck. "I have never felt so intensely happy with anyone before. I actually feel a sense of relief knowing that we did get married somehow. I never want to lose you. And I'll punch anyone that tries to take you away."
"I don't know if I would be able to hurt anyone, but I do know how to stall," she grinned softly to get him laughing at it with agreement. "Should we take a bath? I think we could both use one."
"Eh…maybe later. I really just want to rest with you," he admitted and sat up a bit to pull her close. "Looks like they got us another television in here."
"Did you want to watch something?" she asked and let him get up to find the remote nearby. He leaned back again in the treasure bed to let her nestle into his protective embrace after finding the remote control. She reached down and pulled up the sheets to cover them. He kissed her forehead and flicked through the channels to watch the news. He watched how the news helicopters had caught the full footage from earlier in City P. Then he saw the critical reviews with damage reports on how he attacked with Mitsumi.
"People are stupid," he muttered.
"I know. I lived in politics for quite some time. I never liked it. Can we watch a nature show?" she frowned. He nodded and flipped the channel over with a sigh of complete contentment.
"I want my exotic swimming pool," he mused.
"We can have whatever you want," she chuckled. "You even got your treasure bed!"
"True!" he said with a nod and kissed her. "Even if I don't have anything, I have you. That's all that matters to me."
"It's the same for me," she nodded and pressed into him. At a knock on the door, Saitama gave the okay to enter. Zenchu appeared with a table tray and a plate of snacks.
"Feeling better?" he asked and set up the tray.
"Yeah. I just needed that extra hour," Saitama said and snagged the offered soda. "We're just gonna lounge in here for a while."
"That's fine. Restaurant will be closing soon, so no issues," Zenchu agreed. "Fumio's still taking his nap, too. It's calm for now."
"For now," Saitama sighed and rolled his eyes. Zenchu chuckled and put down Saitama's phone to be nearby in case a call came in. "Can I throw that away? Please?"
"Love…" Mitsumi giggled. "Maybe I should get a phone again."
"No," Saitama said quickly. "I'll keep the phone. They go through me to talk to you. Or through Inichi. No more direct contact to you."
"I can agree to that," Zenchu nodded. At a knock on the front door, he left the bedroom to answer it. He did leave the door cracked open for Saitama to listen in. "Hello. Who are you?"
"Is Caped Baldy home?" a nervous voice asked.
"Maybe. Answer my question. And how did you find us? Much less get to us?" Zenchu asked. "Because if you don't answer, you're gonna piss me off."
"Great…" Saitama muttered and looked at Mitsumi.
"Civilian clothes?" she asked.
"For now," he agreed and kissed her. "Zenchu! Wait a bit! I'm checking this out!"
"Ah. You're in luck. Stay here," Zenchu said to the unknown man. Five minutes of waiting had Saitama walking over in a zipper shirt and shorts set with Mitsumi in a similar shirt and shorts outfit. She looped her hair up loosely to leave some of it down for him, and he kept her close with an arm around her waist. The larger monsters were wisely staying out of sight, and the one that Inichi had locked away in a stone cage was still hidden away neatly from view.
"Who are you and why did you ask for me?" Saitama asked. Mitsumi frowned and pressed into his side a bit more. On studying the man's face, she cringed inwardly to show she knew exactly who he was. Saitama noticed this and looked at her for an explanation.
"Oh! Ah…well…" the man grimaced.
"You're a reporter," Mitsumi said softly. "I recognize you."
"What?" the man blinked. He was wearing a large grey hat, a black coat and a business suit for traveling needs. He was clearly a reporter, and even his lanyard had his reporter badge on it.
"Yes. I am Mitsumi Takashi. My family was always around reporters. You even tried to slander my father when he did absolutely nothing to you for what they call 'up-voted reviews'. Didn't you?" she asked with a narrowing of her gaze. At the way the man's jaw dropped, she growled. "My fake mother murdered him and you laughed when we tried to report it. You were on her side to cover up everything! You even called me a liar! To my face!"
"Enough," Saitama said with an edge in his voice now. "When my fiancée gets upset, I get pissed. So, guess what? You're going to explain yourself. Right now. If you don't, I get to slap you."
"Ooh…yeah…you don't want that," Zenchu grimaced.
"It was all business!" the man said. "We were paid!"
"I told you money covers things up," Mitsumi frowned and shook her head. Now her fans boomeranged to her side from where they were resting to flick out the blades with a form of protective wrath. Saitama put up his hand to stop them and calm them back down.
"I will answer one question of yours. Just one. And then you have to leave," Saitama said with a neutral stare. "Go."
"How do you punch like that?" the reporter asked.
"I don't know. I just can. And my punch is amplified with my fiancée's attack with mine. You're done now. Good-bye. Don't come back," Saitama said and slammed the door in the man's face. The reporter was just stunned, but he turned and gaped at the sight of Inichi floating in front of him now.
"Indeed. He may be done with you, but I have my own questions," Inichi said and collected him in a bubble. "And it deals with Lady Mitsumi's family matters from before. Ah. And even Sweet Mask has some questions."
"Ah…well…" the man stammered.
"If you were with-holding evidence and information from a crime scene, that is punishable by law. Regardless of when the crime happened. Justice will be found out right now!" Inichi fumed and took him straight over to Sweet Mask's main office for some intense interrogation.
"I'm done with random people showing up at my door," Saitama said to Zenchu. "We keep talking about setting something up for the past week. We need it done now. I'm calling Genos."
"Okay," Zenchu nodded. "Oh. Inichi took away the reporter. He's likely going to jail for with-holding evidence of the murder report."
"Good," Mitsumi nodded. "All of the reporters should go to jail."
"What?" Saitama looked at her now.
"That thing paid off everybody!" she hissed out. "No one cared! No one listened! She bribed them all to turn the other way!"
"Easy," Saitama said and quickly pulled her close to calm her down. "If any other reporters show up, I'll ask the first question. How much were they paid to not report the Takashi murder? If they lie, I will slap them. If they confess, I will slap them. If they try to make an excuse, I will slap them. Only after I slap them will Inichi take them away. He can also tell me if they lie or are truly innocent of it. That will be the only way they don't get slapped."
"Okay," she nodded and leaned into him.
"And you all can go rest again," Saitama said to the hovering fans. They vibrated and swirled around him instead. "Hey!"
"They want to cheer me up," she sighed and let one land on her hand. "I know. I've been hurt for a long time. It's like I said. Every time I think I'm over it, something else comes up. It may be like this for a few months."
"Well, I'll be right there with you to take the brunt of it," he snorted and lifted her in his arms to carry her back to the bedroom to let the fans settle back down in full. "I won't stop telling you that. You know I mean every word."
"You do. I love you so much for that," she whispered and got kissed lovingly before getting gazed at.
"I'm so happy that you're my wife," he said with a smile.
"I'm so lucky and eternally grateful that you're my husband," she blushed.
"Ah…hmm…yours sounded better," he frowned to get her laughing softly.
"Oh…it's fine," she blushed again.
"I can't say things as well as Inichi, but…ah. I am officially overjoyed and astounded with delight that you are my wife!" he grinned.
"You cheated by reaching out to him," she grinned back.
"Eh…he offered," he laughed and kissed her passionately.
"What should we do now if others will be here?" she asked and pressed into his affectionate nuzzling. "Should we bathe?"
"If we take a bath, we might not get out of the bedroom for an hour," he muttered to get her laughing at him. "May as well go out there and greet them."
"I'm glad you're feeling better," she said softly.
"I'm glad your cycle is over," he grinned a touch wickedly to get her laughing again. "That nap sort of…reset me. So…don't expect much sleep tonight. Okay?"
"Ah…" she blinked and squeaked when he lifted her in his arms to carry her out to the main room. On settling back on their couch, Zenchu moved to transfer the tray from the bedroom back over to them. Saitama was now sharing a bowl of popcorn with her and flipping through the channels. She fed him a cracker with cheese spread on it to be rewarded with smile.
"What do you want to watch?" he asked.
"Maybe a pet channel. I always wanted a pet," she chuckled.
"You mean Zenchu isn't enough?" Saitama asked. Zenchu flipped him off to get a grin given back as a reply.
"You are hilarious," she laughed softly and kissed him.
"Only for you," Saitama nodded and glanced at the door when Tacki and Kamikaze came in to settle with them.
"There's a weird guy walking around the walls of our home," Tacki said and was given some fabric by Zenchu to make clothing.
"Weird guy?" Saitama frowned.
"Yeah. He bolted when he saw me, but he looked…sneaky. I dunno how else to explain it," Kamikaze said. "Bane plans to come by soon, though."
"That's fine. We had a reporter show up here earlier. He was taken to Sweet Mask by Inichi when I recognized him for covering up the report of my father's murder," Mitsumi sighed. Kamikaze's face darkened while chewing on the stick in his mouth.
"If that guy out there is a reporter, I'm going to ask if he accepted payment to cover up the old murder. I'll slap him no matter what, though. Unless Inichi confirms that guy had nothing to do with it," Saitama shrugged and took up a cold soda to drink. Then they heard a scream outside.
"Wind Crane found him," Mitsumi cringed with laughter. "He peed himself! Like…bad!"
"Aw…" Kamikaze cringed. "I'll go check."
"I'll go with you," Zenchu grinned and they both left quickly.
"Why do people act so dumb?" Tacki frowned.
"I ask myself that question every day," Saitama nodded. Mitsumi shook her head at him and got her forehead kissed as his reply. Tacki was just giggling like crazy over it. Zenchu walked in five minutes later to point at Saitama and make a thumb to the outside. "Crap…fine…"
"Do I wait here?" Mitsumi asked.
"Nope," Saitama said and got up with her to carry her in his arms. He was led to where the man was pinned down by Wind Crane and stared at by Kamikaze. "Hi. Are you a reporter?"
"Ah…well…" the man was speechless.
"Please release him?" Mitsumi said to Wind Crane. Wind Crane clapped her beak and took a step back to reveal the man who was clearly wearing the garments of a reporter for a distinguished news channel. "And don't think she was attacking you. This is private property. The moment you stepped foot on it, she defended it. How did you get into my home grounds?"
"I can't tell you," the man seemed to scowl.
"If you don't, I'm slapping you," Saitama said with a glare and set Mitsumi down to cling to him. The man gaped. "I'm Caped Baldy. My fiancée is Fan Dancer. This is also my home with her. You're snooping around. So, how did you get here?"
"I don't have to answer to you!" the man said to him now. Then he gaped at the sight of Mitsumi's crane fans flying over to her to hover. The controlling set was now in her hands, and she regarded him again with a raised brow. Wind Crane also glared behind her to show she was ready to peck him. "I was…dropped off. Certain areas are easy to climb over if there's a good story to write."
"Okay. Now, I'm going to ask you one question. My fiancée is also known as Mitsumi Takashi. Her father was murdered by her mother. Both were heavily into politics. So, were you bribed to cover it up, too, like the others?" Saitama asked with a blank stare. "If you lie, I'm slapping you."
"Ah…well…" the man stammered.
"How much?" Kamikaze growled. "Cuz' if he doesn't slap you, I'm punching you."
"Think you'll manage to bruise him?" Saitama asked.
"Shut up," Kamikaze snorted and got Zenchu laughing.
"He was bribed," Mitsumi nodded. "I recall him at a press conference. I think he was picking his nose and keeping quiet."
"I was not picking my nose!" the man colored up. Then he paused at how he responded to her. "Look…the murder was several years ago…"
"Doesn't matter. My 'mother' was a monster in disguise this whole time. Are you a monster, too?" Mitsumi asked and let her fans flick the deadly blades out. "We already found one reporter to be a monster hiding in human skin. Are you the same as that one?"
"Also, if you are a true human, you'll likely go to jail for with-holding evidence and statements," Zenchu nodded. The man's jaw dropped, and he cowered down when the fans dove and zipped around him to only cut away his pants, top and coat. Mitsumi didn't even need to dart around anyone now. The fans did all the work to keep her safe. Saitama snapped his fingers to show the reporter's skin was untouched.
"I'll take this one to Sweet Mask," Inichi said when he appeared. "There are a number of reporters that I found and delivered. He has his work cut out for him."
"Get my uncle in on it, too?" Mitsumi smiled.
"Ah! I can do that," Inichi chuckled. "And…he will gladly assist."
"Uncle?" the man asked.
"Yes. My uncle. Kiyoshi Takashi," she chuckled. The man screamed with horror and was sent away. At the questioning looks, she said, "My uncle actually owns quite a few news stations. It's how he's so well-versed in the political atmosphere. That guy worked for him. So, he lied to my uncle's face on getting any information. As well as being bribed to keep it secret. He'll be fired by tomorrow. If he comes back here, you can slap him."
"Ahh!" Saitama blinked with delight. "Apparently, there's more to you that I need to know. I expect to know all of your secrets tonight."
"Is that so?" she grinned when he pulled her close. Then he blinked when she tugged on the zipper he had on his shirt. "Why not start now?"
"I still need to talk to Genos," Saitama growled and put her over his shoulder to carry her back that way to get her squealing and kicking her feet.
"I'd do that with Tacki, but maybe after the kids are out of her," Kamikaze chuckled and followed them. Saitama put her on the couch to lay back with her and kiss her ravenously. The fans around her continued to hover, though.
"Go rest," Saitama said to them. They vibrated with protest at him. "Okay. Why won't you rest? One of you can vibrate for yes. Is there another reporter out there? Oh. There is. More than one? Crap. Okay. Do you know where they are? You do? Okay. Can you lead us to them? Good. Looks like we get to patrol our home grounds. I really want to rest!"
"I let Inichi know. He just picked up four of them and is now delivering them to Sweet Mask. How are they finding us?! Wait…" Zenchu frowned at what Inichi was discovering. "Someone tipped them off…"
"Who did it?" Saitama asked.
"We need to go down to the Hero Association…" Zenchu sighed.
"Uh…no. Who was it?" Saitama asked again.
"It was someone that monitored video feeds for City P. Instead of the guy resorting to keeping home locations secret, he decided to accept bribe money to give out where we live. All that was said was that we were in City Z. The problem is that our location is pretty much right when you enter the city. A few blocks down from the main street, that is. We will need to set up cameras all over, set up a guard at a gate and set up warning signs that the area is protected by monsters of the Hero Association," Zenchu said calmly.
"A gated community for monsters. Like a retirement home," Kamikaze mused. Tacki stuck her tongue out at him. "I never said I was complaining about it. Sad as it is, I'd rather have it this way and know my family is protected while I'm away rather than be out in the open."
"Exactly," Saitama nodded. "But it doesn't help to have strangers thinking they can just come in whenever they want uninvited. I'm done with that crap."
"What do we do now?" Mitsumi asked.
"Where is Genos?" Saitama frowned to himself and reached for his phone to call him directly. "Hey. When do you plan to come back home?"
"Oh! Do you need me, Master?" Genos asked.
"Yes. Who is willing to do a guard duty post? We had several reporters come around here. It was verified that they covered up the Takashi murder with bribes and slander. They are all getting transported to Sweet Mask," Saitama said.
"I see…" Genos said with a touch of irritation in his tone at this, too. "Shall we hold a family meeting? In one hour Neutral Grounds will be closing."
"Yeah. We need that. We can hold it outside," Saitama agreed and hung up. "Tonight we are having a big family meeting. We are gonna put a stop to this. I'm done with it."
"Got it," Kamikaze nodded.
"If there are any monsters here we need to talk to, we can do it then, too," Mitsumi said and got a kiss pressed to her mouth with agreement.
"Beautiful wife," Saitama muttered.
"Stupidly strong husband," she smiled and got squeezed.
"Damn straight," he grinned and looked over when Fumio walked into the room to sit down with them.
"Everything okay, Dad?" he asked.
"I'm fine. I just needed more sleep. We are having a big family meeting tonight, okay? It's needed," Saitama said.
"Oh! Can we do a bonfire food cookout?" Fumio asked.
"Ah…huh. Yes! We'll see what we have for it," Saitama grinned. "We can plan for that after the meeting."
"That will be sooo fun!" Tacki gasped with delight.
"Maybe a little sentient fan dancing is in order?" Mitsumi giggled softly to get Saitama looking at her with a touch of delight. "I'm sure even more amazing fan displays could be done, too."
"For performances?" Saitama mused and grinned slightly. "We could work that in…"
"I don't know what to do with my basic performance fans, though," Mitsumi sighed. "The crane fans insist to do everything."
"I wonder if Wind Crane can help with them. Oh! That reminds me! Any fans that need the flower image stitched in can come over a set at a time!" Tacki announced for a fan set to fly over to her and settle in front of her. Zenchu was able to help Fumio bring over the threading needed for her to get to work.
"Okay. We'll figure that out, too," Saitama nodded to her. "For now, here's the plan. We'll wait for the others to get back home. We'll go over what we have for a nice cookout. We'll discuss security measures in full for watching over the home. We'll talk to the new monsters with us to see what they want to do. Lastly, we'll eat and do some dancing. Sound good?"
"Sounds perfect," Mitsumi beamed and got kissed.
"Good! Until then, let's watch a show or two," he smiled and let her snuggle into his side on the couch. He was given another soda and watched the television with Kamikaze while Tacki gave the fans the flower imprint they needed. He was perfectly content to wait for the others this way. He actually preferred it.