destinytown | (no subject)

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[ saitama's secret stash...

...is something of a misnomer. there's nothing really secret about it, for one; the man doesn't have a lot of space to work with, and everything there is to see in his home is more or less in plain sight. he doesn't have much to hide, made abundantly clear every time genos performs a thorough bi-weekly sweep of their surroundings.

sensei, this flyer is from last month...
don't mind it, it doesn't expire for a while, you know?

the coupons tend to be long-expired, but genos won't say a thing. it's better to live and let live, or on those cases, not let his sensei know so he can pick up any wanted groceries in his stead. saitama doesn't need to know the real price. if he wants to keep thinking the value is worth something in the long run, so be it. frugality is one of his dozens of virtues, anyway.

what passes for the stash is typically nothing more than the latest magazines, advertisements, and other paraphernalia well-stocked by genos to ensure that sensei is continuing to thrive. originally it started out as something of a team effort (though saitama really hadn't seen the need at the time), growing into more and more of genos's side project over time. it makes sense, what with how busy sensei is these days. there's always a squabble here, a fight there, the here association pulling at their ears all the while...

lately saitama isn't even around, which leaves his young ward to his own devices, more often than not. there's no problem in it when genos has plenty of things to study, hero duties he can catch up on, plus the occasional tune-up at dr. kuseno's lab.

which leads him to wonder: what in the world is with this growing pile of discs in the living room?

video games... genos knows of them. his years spent as a cyborg of justice doesn't mean he's forgotten the past, forgotten some of the things which used to fill his spare time. but why are they filling sensei's? surely his hours could be better spent climbing the ranks of the association, just as he encouraged genos to do. not that sensei doesn't know best; he probably has a plan he hasn't told genos of yet, doing things in his own way. sensei, after all, is the strongest man the world has ever seen. what does ranking have to do with it?

at this point it's purely speculation. they could be here due to any number of things. there's no telling they belong to saitama in the first place. it's entirely possible they might have something to do with how much time he spends around the s-class's seventh best. as for why king would be influencing him to bring home piles and piles of games, it's beyond genos's reasoning. is it for training? it has to be for training.

now he's drawn a conclusion, able to proceed with no issues. a little tidying is fine, far from unwelcome, and sensei will appreciate it. if he asks, it's very possible they could play together too, like he does with the king.

if...oh.

wait.

a lot of these don't look like they're for two players at all...

and that is how the biomechanical boy has found himself sprawled out on the floor in the middle of the afternoon, transfixed by a now-empty jewel case with a scantily-clad girl on the packaging, her moans on the television screen ringing in his ears.

training. this is for training. sensei just needed a little...brushing up on how to talk to women. judging from how genos has fared in his game so far, he doesn't seem to have the same trouble. if anything, it's been all too easy to win over this virtual girl's affections and lure her into the bedroom. surely they don't act this way in the real world, too. genos's fanclub throwing themselves at them left and right is harrowing enough! ]

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[ there it is. he's overstayed his welcome, hasn't he? they should have just eaten leisurely side by side, genos bowing out after a while with some excuse to check up on his sensei, rescue a dog from a burning building. ]

Should I go? [ he should go. he doesn't stammer, doesn't sweat—he lacks the glands for it—but he fidgets, brow clenching at sonic's restless fingers. his are jumpy, too, picking out lint, straightening out a waistband which threatens to plunge alarmingly low. ] I can leave...you must be busy...

[ given how he finished a job last night, there ought to be dozens and dozens more lined up for him. a little flesh wound like his won't be much setback. he'll be fit as a fiddle in no time. ]

[ shrugs a noncommittal shoulder, still not meeting the kid's eyes. ] It's your call. [ removes his hands either way, crossing them over his chest. ] I don't have anywhere to be.

[ which is more or less true. any mercenary work needs to be put on hold. he'd be furious if he lost his perfect kill count—not including saitama, who he's allowing to run around for a while longer. also, there haven't been any openings recently, or at least ones he feels like taking. sometimes they weren't his cup of tea; having enough cash to not even worry about brushing off the small stuff was a blessing in disguise. ]

[ neither does genos. nor do they really have anything to...do together. it isn't easy to picture what sonic's daily routine looks like around here; since he has to recuperate, will he do as sensei does, lying around in his underwear and channel surf all day? other than animals, what are his hobbies? genos is so used to taking all the questions it never occurs to him to sit on the other side of the fence for a change, find out what sonic's into, what's fun for him, past popcorn and pizza and traumatizing television dramas. ]

... [ what is he doing. he shouldn't be here. this has gotten too personal, and not only for the warmth that's already left him, fading fast from the folds of his sweatshirt.

hesitant, genos withdraws as well. he's looking at where sonic's stitches are centered, hidden by his outfit, up over tim, back and forth. ] I can...can I get you anything. [ a painkiller? ointment? an icepack to keep the swelling down? he's not personally responsible, but genos feels the need to do something more than simply exist under the watch of trained, hawklike eyes.

this could be a test too. he lacks a portion of common sense to tell. ]

[ now that gives him enough reason to perk up, standing up straighter than before. he takes the question at face value, all back to easy smiles and a more than mischievous expression. ]

Rent movies! [ leans back onto the counter again, tallying things off on his fingers: ] Popcorn, some candy... Oh! That orange juice you owe me...

[ looks like he's back to his normal, selfish self, but he definitely looks happier than he did a few seconds ago, revitalized from genos's selfless the offer. ]

Edited 2016-01-05 07:32 (UTC)

[ you had him until the end of the list, sonic. ]

You offered me juice.

[ ignores the implications, turning around to snatch his plate. there's still a little bit of omelet left, and he doesn't plan on wasting it. ]

Get some more anyway.

...! [ he's standing up straight again. this is good, this gives him a purpose; it's beginning to feel more like their regular antics, only with genos responding to it with more...enthusiasm than he normally would. ]

As you wish.

[ turns on his heel to practically run out the door, so wide-eyed and eager about it. ]

[ sonic half-expects to hear some crashing, maybe a loud thud from genos clipping a clunky shoulder into the doorway. when all that graces him is the telltale sign of a normal exit, he looks down at his patient cat, who turns up to regard her master in kind. ]

Definitely a weirdo. [ the meow he gets in response is good enough for him.

with genos long gone and running around to tend to his flippant demands, sonic's at a loss of what to do with himself, fists going at his sides as he takes a look around. well, he can at least clean off his plate, shoveling the last bit of a ketchup-covered dollop of egg into his mouth, moving to the sink to rinse, scrub, pat everything dry thereafter. that adventure takes all of two minutes, scratching the back of his neck, uncertain of where to go.

what a preposterous notion. this is his apartment, for heaven's sake. sonic can do anything he so desires, short of burning it down to ash and smoke. he'd like to avoid that from happening, and this might or might not be from previous experience...

a shower sounds nice, trusting that genos will be occupied for at least fifteen, maybe twenty minutes. the sticky feeling from sweat (from the fever, from the other sensual activities that took place) and lack of a proper scrub at his skin has his nose wrinkling, peeling off his clothes bit by bit on the way to the bathroom. sonic's used to being speedy, but he takes his time to clean every nook and cranny, wash his hair out, groom himself from head to toe. five minutes past the twenty he'd anticipated and he's out in the open again, towel wrapped around his hips, another gingerly patting at damp hair.

does he change again? the clothes that were randomly chosen might not have been washed in a few weeks, scooping his shirt up to sniff at it. no, they're fine, barely registering the confirmation before he's dressing himself again, keeping only one towel on hand while the other is tossed into his makeshift hamper (the floor, actually).

the couch is where genos will find him when he returns, taking great care in drying long, black locks, comb out any tangles that have snared and knotted. ]

[ the trip takes loner than forty-five minutes all around. there's no shortage of stores once genos leaves the neighborhood, but stupid with so many demands he feels the need to be...exceptionally thorough, moreso than usual. snacks can be bought in the same place, while the juice requires a more fully-fledged grocer, clearing out their shelf in an instant. renting videos in this day and age, on the other hand, requires a little detective work on genos's part. maybe buying a few collections would be just as good...a trashy romance trilogy, some animated features, ninja versus alien...

most men can't carry the amount of weight on their backs that genos can. it's an advantage when running errands for sensei, and it's an advantage here, confident in being able to go above and beyond in what he's been asked to do.

he doesn't even have to; sonic didn't specify the amounts of anything. the robotic hero knows he could get away with the bare minimum, probably be let off easy if sonic's still feeling charitable. there's a certain something, however, compelling him to excel, put in the extra effort for his friend's sake. this special treatment tends to be reserved for saitama, so why is it rearing its head now? is it to pad the promise of a next time, or is there a genuine sense of caring lurking underneath the surface?

genos wouldn't know. his only concern is making sure he's retraced his steps to the right aparment, bursting through the front door and barely remembering to remove his sneakers in his haste. ] Sonic!

[ what the hell is taking him so long? if he'd have know that genos was going to be so slow, sonic would have taken his time, too. so much for having some consideration…

just as he's about to pace back and forth from energy that has nowhere else to go, the door abruptly slams open, prompting sonic to twist his head around, narrow his eyes, looking quite irritated. ]

You! Do you have any idea how long I've been...

[ trails off at the sight of… whatever it is that he's witnessing. how much stuff is he carrying on his robotic person?

open his mouth wordlessly, closing it thereafter. after he's visually had his fill of the ridiculousnes standing before him: ] Was there a glitch in your system when you went out shopping or something?

Edited 2016-01-06 01:03 (UTC)

...? [ not that he can recall... ] Did I forget something?

[ it's all here and then some, blinking down at the mountain of gifts he's arranging on the floor and back up to sonic again. ]

More like you cleared out the entire store.

[ squats down in front of the pile, picking up one of… several cartons of orange juice. ]

[ oh, good, he noticed. ]

Yes. This way you'll never run out. [ it makes perfect sense. ]

[ oh, god, he was just joking—

just a moment while sonic tries to figure everything out, the meaning behind this excessively generous gesture. when nothing comes to him, he looks back up at genos. ]

I'll eventually run out. [ places the carton back where he found it. ] What'll I do then?

Edited 2016-01-06 03:38 (UTC)

I'll get more.

[ he will, don't test him. ]

Why?

[ really, he doesn't understand. ]

Because you'll be out of it.

[ isn't it obvious? ]

[ lifts up one of the boxes of pocky, bonking him on the head with it. ]

I meant why do you have to get it specifically. I can get my own juice by myself.

[ conveniently ignores both of those. he'll pick up the pocky box later; this is why you live in squalor, sonic... ]

Look. Ramune gummies. [ shakes the bag. ]

[ scrutinizes him for another thirty seconds… then he's dutifully distracted by the candy, taking it into his hands. ]

I like these...

[ there's more. chocolates, too. ]

Are these enough?

[ mutely nods. he's still perplexed at what even compelled genos to put so much effort into doing something that was said with such little seriousness...

oh well. popping open the package of gummies, he pops one into his mouth before gathering a few things into his arms, shuffling off to the couch. ]

So what kind of movies did you get?

[ genos assumed his actions spoke loudly enough for him, but maybe they aren't. if the other is happy (puzzled, but happy) with the arrangement, that's all that really matters, anyway.

with as much enthusiasm as a cyborg can flourish, genos shows off his finds: ] Unfortunately, kiosks don't have anything good to rent these days. It's trivial garbage compared to a classic like Drill Heroine or Kyoto Violence Squad, and I found a discounted bundle of the first season of an animated series where two brothers shamelessly try to win the affections of their stepsister...also, I think there is a talking dog...

[ sonic's shelves were looking bare, so filling it with video discs will probably help. ]

[ resumes his lounging on the sofa, back against an armrest while he pilfers through the goodies splayed out on his lap. ]

Sounds like the kind of crap that wouldn't end up being popular. [ pauses, because he's really interested in the assortment of chocolates neatly lined up in a box. genos really did go out of his way for all of this, but he'll never get why. ] I wanna watch that one.

[ because it's no secret that his favorite things are really bad movies, saucy reality tv, and videos he comes across on the internet. ]

Edited 2016-01-06 06:56 (UTC)

Yes. [ good idea. he'll even put it in.

it doesn't matter if genos would normally never resort to this kind of low-brow entertainment. he's seen his sensei have a good laugh over similar things every so often, just in small doses, a flash in the pan compared to marathons he's already had to put up with while sonic's in the room.

he has a hunch today's going to be another one of those, fully prepared to sit through it stoically. at least there might be men getting torn apart by drills, or a talking animal. talking animals sound better right now. ]