nightmares

[scrap_metal]

Nightmares catch up with you, eventually"
continued from here

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[heroforhobby]

[It had been a lazy day. He and Genos had patrolled for awhile, but nothing but a couple light-weight monsters showed up and were easy to take care of. The rest of the time they just wandered around, chatted, ate lunch on a tall building's roof, generally had a normal day.

Saitama's been finding these normal days more enjoyable than he had in the past. There were more smiles, little in size as they were from both men, and more instances of walking closer together or sitting close when eating, practically elbow to elbow.

He tries not to look to deep into it, because it probably wasn't anything deep. But at times like now, when his mind wanders as he's sitting at the table with Genos seated dutifully beside him, writing notes as always, he finds his eyes have wandered, too, looking at the picture of them in their suits that Genos had framed and he gets a little more cheerful . . .

But then a thought strikes him and he glances over to the clock, noting the time, and he turns his attention to Genos.]

Hey, forgot to tell you. I'm probably gonna be at King's all night tonight. He has some video game thing that he needed a partner for. [A weird thing for Saitama to say, since Saitama sure did suck at games.] He said it'll take hours, so I might as well crash there.

[scrap_metal]

[ Genos looks up from his notes, where he might have been drawing Saitama just now. ]

Are you sure he's not just going to waste your time, sensei? [ Yes, sure, Genos. That's what friends are for. ] Remember to get enough sleep if you play till late hours. [ And now he's doing the doting housewife roommate routine.

It's not like he can forbid Saitama from doing such pointless things. And even if he could, he probably wouldn't. The element of laziness and fooling around is after all an inherent part of Saitama being, well, Saitama. And while Genos started to notice those details with more clarity recently, he's not irritated by them. Which is a surprise, given how goal-oriented person he is.

He finds them charming, in their own way. And part of the everyday wisdom Saitama possess. ]

[heroforhobby]

Eh, it is a waste of my time, but what else was I gonna do tonight? [He scratches behind his ear lazily, eyes drifting down towards Genos' notebook. His eyebrow lifts a little, wondering if he's seeing what he's seeing.]

It seems important to him. I think it's an old rival of his challenging him in some MMO thing? I dunno, it's stupid, but...

[This probably shows just how kinder he's become toward friendsacquaintances. Not too long ago he would have told King flat out no and spent the night sleeping away like a normal person. But here Saitama was, a man talked into it after he said "no" twice to King. But the large man had gotten on his hands and knees and begged and Saitama found he couldn't say no for a third time.

He leans in on his table a little more, trying to secretly get a better look at Genos' notebook. Was he drawing an egg...?]

[scrap_metal]

[ Genos very conveniently changes his position so he now rests his chin on palm of hand. And thanks to this his elbow also conveniently covers biggest section of the drawing ]

Seems it's important enough. [ Well, at least important enough to Saitama. Because Genos doesn't care of it's true importance to King or anyone else. ] whoever that is, kick their ass.

[ Even if it's just virtual reality, so... But hey he's trying to be encouraging ]

[heroforhobby]

[He makes a small sound when Genos clearly hides what he was doing. So it wasn't an egg he was drawing then. Or he was and he was ashamed of it.]

Don't worry, I will own them!

[That was some gaming slang King had taught him. Cool, right? And, of course, King was the one going to win this whole thing, he just needed a second person according to the rules, that's why Saitama was even doing it...

He copies Genos' change of position, leaning his face in his own hand, and points idly at his notebook with his free hand.]

Say, Genos . . . what're you drawing there?

[scrap_metal]

[ Now that interest is stated clearly Genos protectively covers entire notebook with other arm. ]

A diagram? Nothing interesting really, I've been trying to figure out some things. [ Those "things" being, how to draw clothing folds well on the figure. His drawing becoming slowly more and more detailed to be just diagrams. But that's all because of the model.

But Saitama mustn't know ]

[heroforhobby]

Diagrams, huh? That sounds really interesting.

[His pointing hand reaches over to grab at the notebook and try to ease it out from under Genos' arm as nonchalantly as possible.]

As your sensei I should check your work and make sure you're learning correctly.

[Sometimes he's amazed by how full of shit he is.]

[scrap_metal]

[ Genos tries, keyword tries to not let the notebook fall into Saitama's hands, but at the same time.. he can't try too hard or he will rip the thing in half. So it ends being snagged from under his arms, despite his best efforts.

There's very rough sketch of figure that can only be Saitama, relaxing on the floor while reading a manga. There's a lot of guidelines left, so that can still count as diagram, right?.

Once the secret is out, Genos lets it go nonchalantly, as if he never tried to hid it in first place ]

I do think that a good balance between hard work, and relaxing is one of the key aspects of your strengths, sensei. [ Yeah, that's what he's been studying here, RIGHT ]

[heroforhobby]

[He's pleased Genos gives up the notebook, though he would have happily wrestled him for it. Once it's in his hands, he leans back and holds it up to inspect the drawing closely.

He wasn't sure what he was expecting, probably literally a diagram of an egg, but he's impressed by how good it is.]

Whoah, Genos this is really good... [He flips the pages till he finds another one, more focused on his face.] You make me look too handsome, heh.

[scrap_metal]

[ Genos looks through the window, with a slight pout on his face. Oh he's pleased by the compliment, but--

Saitama was never intended to see the damned notebook. He often was questionable about his teacher's privacy, but now that he started to practice real drawing using him as a model? And lovingly rendering the view? ]

I'm only drawing what I see.

[heroforhobby]

[If he had seen these drawings not too long ago he might have been a little weirded out, but right now it pleases him. The frantic notes around them where Genos is trying to take earnest notes are a little weird, still, but mostly because it makes Saitama feel like a fraud.

So he just pays attention to the drawings.]

Sometimes I wonder if you got eyes that see things differently.

[scrap_metal]

I can change the spectrum I'm seeing world in; thermal spectrum for example. Though my default mode of vision is the same as of normal human.

[ Count on Genos to explain it in techno-babble, that yes he does sees things differently. Or rather he sees more than other people.

Literally. ]

[heroforhobby]

I don't think that explains it.

[He grins at him wryly, turning a page.]

Ah... I'm sleeping in this one. [thst makes him a little flustered for some reason, so he tries to joke:] What did you learn from th8s, hih?

[scrap_metal]

[ Genos needs to find a way to get back that notebook, otherwise Saitama might find something truly embarrassing. ]

Shading. Since you were nor moving for a longer period of time I could work and study the shadows more accurately.

[ Wait that doesn't answer the question. It's nothing really important he learned there. It's just drawing stuff. ]

Is the review over? Can I get it back now?

lol christ all the typos in that last tag i'm so sorry

[heroforhobby]

Ah, that makes sense... I had no idea who were interested in art.
[Genos had never brought it up or said he cared about drawing. Maybe Saitama should be flattered he was his test subject for it?

He flips the pages again and, oh, too late, he hits on something embarrassing. This time it WAS actually a diagram, but about his..."ticklish" spots, pointing out the ones Genos has found so far. He goes a little more red in the face and claps the notebook shut, holding it out to Genos.]

Sure, here you go. They were really good.

[But finding that diagram did remind Saitama: he needs to find out if Genos is ticklish (actually ticklish) so he can get revenge.]

[scrap_metal]

I'm not interested in art. [Genos protests and in his mind it does make a total sense. He's interested in Saitama, if he learns how to draw it's a side effect of that. But then he can't say that out loud.

And thankfully Saitama gives back the notebook without looking through it too much.]

[heroforhobby]

Then why're you trying to learn how to draw folds in clothing and shadowing?

[He asks genuinely, leaning his chin back onto his propped up hand.]

[scrap_metal]

That's because I-- [ Genos pauses and never finishes, realizing he almost admitted for what reason it was. He almost admitted it was because he wanted to design Saitama's new hero suit as well as he can.

He must quickly find an alternative answer! ]

I'm afraid I don't have a reason for that. [ He finishes casually, like this is the right answer, instead of evasive nonsense ]

[heroforhobby]

Huh, I see . . .

[He obviously doesn't see, because that wasn't an answer. But maybe sometimes there wasn't ever answer for what you like to do? And maybe it was a bit of willful ignorance on his part.

He stares at Genos curiously for a bit. Then, he asks, what probably seemed a random question:]

Hey. Do me a favor and raise your arms up, like this.

[He sat back and throws his arms up over his head, like someone going "gooooaaaaal".]

[scrap_metal]

[ Genos stares at first, wondering if to refuse or what, because that seems like so pointless thing to do. But maybe there's a lesson hidden in it. Maybe Saitama wants to check his range of movement, to move onto something important?

Or maybe he's just doing it for no reason at all. ]

Uh, of course. [ And yes, he does raise them with slight confusion. ] What's the point?

[heroforhobby]

Hold on, don't move for a second.

[He stands and walks as if to go across the apartment, but suddenly turns at speed he usually reserves for fighting and attacks the black silicon that was bared between the joint of his am and chest plates, fingers wiggling against it with surprising gentleness for how hard he had attacked.]

Tick-a-tick-a-tickle!

[He says, as if Genos were a child.]

[scrap_metal]

[ Genos did not see that coming, and lets out a very un-Genos-like howl as he clamps his arms down. Hard. All while leaning forward in attempt to get away from the assault.

It's sudden, it feels weird, fingers finding their way between the spaces of the plating. It always feels weird there, since that's where he needs to manipulate if he wants to unhook his arms - either for changing for different set, or just maintenance. But it's so much worse when it's someone else doing it.

By surprise. ]

[heroforhobby]

[It doesn't hurt, obviously, but it was a surprising reaction. And he can't pull his fingers away without force and he's not keen on accidentally tearing off Genos' arms.

His face goes still, and he stands with arms outstretched due to Genos leaning forward. He asks in monotone:]

You know why I did this, right?

[scrap_metal]

...no!

[ What have he done to deserve thiiis? Why, sensei, why? This does not look like any sort of useful training ]

That's entirely pointless!

[heroforhobby]

[He leans in to say in a low, dangerous voice into Genos' ear:]

The feather.