Chapter 9

Three weeks, 1 day, 15 hours and 29 minutes this had been going on now. Clothes going missing or being ruined, entire manga volumes stuck shut with glue, lewd or violent drawings covering the morning paper before he even had a chance to look at it (how did he draw so fast anyway?!). Saitama was at the end of his temper now. It took all he had to stay calm every time the long-haired pain in his ass did something else for the sole reason of winding him up. The worst time was when Saitama had forgotten to lock his laptop before heading off for a bath, only to come back 15 minutes later to find that the ninja had covered his public Hero Association profile with hard-core porn. That had not gone down well with the higher ups. Or the press.

This mornings offering of migraine-inducing chaos had come in the form of a rather large and very foul smelling monster leg hidden away in the back of one of the kitchen cupboards. Genos, in his futile but well-meaning attempt to dispel the smell had already used a whole bottle of air freshener around the apartment, though it still smelt like the time Pig God had come to an Association meeting after eating a substantial amount of Indian food, which apparently had not entirely agreed with him.

After throwing the second bottle of air freshener in the trash with enough force to nearly send it through the floor below, Saitama stormed over to stand ominously behind Genos.

"We need to find Panic an apartment. Now." Genos nodded up at him in wordless affirmation, though the bulging veins spreading like lightning across his Sensei's forehead gave him cause for concern. High blood pressure was a serious medical condition after all. Returning his attention to his laptop, Genos typed with a pace few humans would be able to match. Though he knew plenty of appropriate sites to look on (he had been looking for his own place before moving in with Saitama), he didn't know exactly what he should be looking for. He really had no idea about Sonic's budget, or location or style preferences, nor any idea how much space he needed. But still, an order was an order.

Said ninja was on his usual spot on the sofa, watching the whole show with his trademark snooty disinterest. In fact he was returning Saitama's heated glare with a look which could only in Genos's mind be described as the way a millionaire CEO might look at a dirty homeless drunkard. Their tense staring match was interrupted by a knocking on the front door.

Saitama huffed and stomped over, swinging the door open to find a typically cheerful Mumen smiling at him from the walkway. "Hello Saitama, sorry I haven't seen you in a while, been a little hectic lately you know?" he laughed softly.

Saitama returned the smile, feeling a little of his previous tension and irritation leave him, "yeah things have been getting pretty….interesting. You're here to talk to Genos I presume?"

Mumen looked slightly bewildered, but a knowing look came to him as he clicked his fingers. "Ahh you're thinking of that case we were working on a few weeks ago? Ah, we closed that! Did Genos not tell you? It nearly bumped me up in rank!"

The bald hero couldn't help but feel happy for Mumen, knowing how hard he worked despite having no special or unnatural powers of his own, except perhaps his determination. "Wow that's awesome man! Well, come in anyway it's not like we've got much going on at the moment."

They were milliseconds from entering the main living space when Saitama suddenly realised that Sonic, of course, was still sat on the couch. Fuck….

"Sonic?" Mumen frowned in confusion and turned to look at Genos and Saitama in turn. "You've been a missing person for over a month now. Are you ok? What happened? Why are you here?"

An awkward silence stretched over the room as Genos and Saitama made eye contact, each waiting for the other to think up some excuse. Sonic, however, was the first to talk. "Some big contract went sour and the client has had it in for me ever since, I've had to lay low for a while so I thought to myself 'where better to hide than with these two imbeciles?' No one would ever look for me here right?" Sonic gave a cat-like grin, and though to an onlooker it was very convincing, the other two residents of the apartment knew better.

"Oh? But from what I heard you escaped from the hospital in pretty bad shape. How did you end up so hurt? I didn't think there were many who could hurt the great 'Speed of Sound Sonic – Modern Ninja'" Mumen chuckled good naturedly and settled on the couch next to Sonic.

Sonic pulled a disgruntled expression and stuck his nose in the air, "it was a one off. They got lucky. That's all there is to it." He replied bitingly.

Mumen nodded his head though he looked apologetic. Turning his attention to the other two occupants of the room who were still staring at him as if he wore an explosive belt under his armour, Mumen tilted his head and smiled again, "are you two ok?"

"Yes, thank you Mumen Rider, I was just thinking about how I must prepare some extra lunch for you and Sensei-" Genos turned his head to look pointedly at Saitama who was very unsubtly staring at Sonic, "-was probably thinking about all the paperwork he has yet to complete for the Association, weren't you Sensei?"

Saitama snorted ungraciously and smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. Why did Sonic lie for me in front of Mumen? He must know he could ruin what little reputation I have left by telling heroes like Mumen what I did….is he just embarrassed?

"Er, yeah. I'm so behind."

Sonic rolled his eyes at the pathetic display and went back to scrolling on his phone.

"Mumen, would you care for some tea? I can easily make a pot for us all" Genos called from the kitchen, but Mumen rose off the sofa and smiled apologetically again, "I'd love to but I really must get back to my patrols. I was just stopping by to make sure everything was OK since I hadn't seen you two around so much." He looked back at Sonic, who continued to ignore everyone and focus on whatever was so interesting on his phone.

"Well, come round anytime, you're always welcome here. If not, we should meet up at our usual place for dinner yeah?" Saitama felt bad leaving someone as trusting and honest as Mumen out of the loop, especially since all their lies were to hide the fact that Saitama had…nearly killed someone.

I'm not a hero. I'm such a fraud.

He hoped the uncomfortable dive his heart took didn't show on his face as he led Mumen out of the apartment, though the observant ninja sat quietly on the sofa hadn't failed to notice the subtle change in behaviour.

…..

"That one." Sonic jabbed a slender finger at the computer screen.

Genos bit back his retort about grubby finger marks all over his laptop screen and instead saved the information on the apartment the ninja had picked out. He nodded his head. "I shall contact them first thing in the morning and ask if it is available for viewing."

Saitama looked up from his (currently glue free) manga and smiled.

So he's finally found a place that reaches his high standards huh? Back to relative peace and quiet for me and Genos soon then.

So why do I feel so…let down?

"-so the very least you could do is help Banana Baldy."

Saitama glanced up at the deep voice addressing him from above, sending a gormless expression into the face of a very irritated ninja,

"Were you even listening sad sack?"

Said "sad sack" smiled and shrugged. "Nah wasn't paying attention, sorry." He hoped none of his new hoodies would pay for his cheekiness…

Sonic scoffed and scowled down his nose at him, "I SAID seeing as all of this is your fault the least you could do is help me move furniture into the new apartment Baldy."

"Yeah, sure no problem", Saitama smiled again, thought apparently this wasn't what Sonic had wanted, since he stormed off to the kitchenette and started clanking things around rather harder than was probably necessary. Genos and Saitama merely shrugged at each other, more than used to Sonics bizarre responses and mood swings by now.

Saitama took the opportunity to sneak a look at the apartment Sonic had picked.

Holy crap! How much rent a month?! Can he seriously afford that by himself? Man, I shoulda been making him contribute to the food bill after all…..

"Dunno why you're so interested Baldy, it's not like you're ever gonna be invited over." Saitama looked up to see Sonic had returned and was now standing behind him, long hair released from the tie was cascading down his shoulders, oversized shirt slowly falling down a slender but strong shoulder…

"Yo what the fuck you staring at Baldy it's getting weird?" Sonic kicked Saitama lightly in the side, crossing his arms to glare down at the hero.

"I err, your top's falling…off…" Sonic followed Saitama's gaze to his bare shoulder, brow furrowing in what looked like confusion. "Yeah, and?"

Saitama, mind completely blank by this point (as usual) simply shrugged and gave his customary empty-headed smile.

"…Whatever, weirdo."

Sonic flopped back onto the sofa and avoided Saitama's gaze lingering after him.

What the fuck is up with him? Staring at me like that. It's just a shoulder it's not like I ran naked through the apartment or something!

…Hmmmmm

….

"Sensei, sensei wake up, you need to go to bed."

"Hmph?" It took a long time for Saitama's tired and bleary eyes to be able to focus, finding Genos leaning over him, hand on his shoulder. The apartment was dark and quiet, lit only by a standing lamp across the room, illuminating the apartment with a warm glow that made him want to close his eyes and relax again. Nevertheless, he sat up from where he had fallen asleep at his spot in front of the television. "What time is it?"

"Just gone half eleven sensei. I thought if you slept on the floor any longer your neck would get sore."

"Ah, yeah, thanks Genos." The cyborg nodded and padded quietly over to the bathroom to brush his teeth, leaving Saitama to come to his senses on the floor. Said hero cricked his neck and sighed, he hadn't realised how tired he had actually been. It was only once Genos left the bathroom and disappeared into his room that Saitama realised Sonic was on the sofa nearby.

"Did you need to use the bathroom-. Oh." Seems like he wasn't the only one who had fallen asleep.

How the hell is he sleeping like that? That does not look comfortable in the slightest.

Sonics head had lolled backwards and sideways on the arm rest, legs tucked up against the back rest, one arm hanging limply into open space. Saitama snorted and shook his head.

Should I move him? Genos was worried about my neck getting stiff but holy crap Sonic looks like he might actually break his spine if he stays like that much longer….

Moving over on his knees, Saitama blew on Sonics face.

Better make sure he's actually asleep and won't suddenly roundhouse me or something…

Finally deciding it was safe to risk it, he gradually pushed his arm under Sonics back and hooked his other arm under the bent knees. It was almost a full two minutes later that he finally found the courage to actually try and move the ninja down the sofa, lifting him lightly with his head supported on Saitamas shoulder. A soft black wave of hair brushed against the bare skin of his shoulder and arm, making him pause momentarily to glance down at Sonics sleeping face.

I've seen this view a lot lately.

Even so, it was quite different so close up. Touching him, no less. He allowed himself a moment to take in the smooth pale face which was furrowing almost in anger in his sleep, the eyelashes framing eyes he knew held the colour and ferocity of an impending thunder storm. Saitama jerked and seized up.

What am I thinking?! Gross.

It took all his will power to not just throw the lithe ninja down the sofa and high tail it to his room. His chest felt light and nauseous and he was beginning to sweat, small beads already making their way down his back. He retracted his arm and turned to head for the bathroom, maybe he could just forget that ever happened.

"WHOA!" He was yanked back by the wrist so suddenly he almost lost his footing, managing to twist his torso in time to save himself the embarrassment.

Errrrrrr?!

Sonic was staring up at him wild-eyed, panting hard and rough. Had it been anyone other than Saitama, the grip on his wrist would have been enough to cause serious damage, as it was he stared into the eyes of the ninja. It was only then that Saitama noticed something he had missed in his observations before; Sonic was sweating. A lot.

"Dude are you ok?" Saitama knelt down next to the sofa, arm still firmly held in the other mans unrelenting grasp. Sonic seemed unable to answer, breathing is such a rapid and ragged fashion that his even paler complexion suggested he was close to passing out if he didn't calm down quickly.

Saitama frowned and dared to gently lay his free hand on Sonic's shoulder, giving it a light squeeze.

"It's ok, you need to calm down. C'mon, breathe like me OK? In through the nose and out through the mouth…no, come on, copy me."

What….the..hell…

A strange thought came to Sonic as he tried to focus on copying Saitama and calm his panicking heart.

Why does….his face always look….so different….when he gets serious about something….

When he had calmed enough to move from his rigid position on the sofa, Sonic sat on the edge in front of the kneeling Saitama. He knew how close they were, and the fact he at some point had moved from grasping the hero's wrist and was now holding his hand only made things more awkward. But he couldn't bring himself to let go. Not yet. Not while he still felt so on edge.

A nightmare huh? Must have been a pretty bad one. Saitama looked at the silky fringe hiding Sonics eyes. He decided he'd stay there as long as it took for him to feel better. "Do you want me to make you a hot drink?"

Saitama made to get up, but the grip on his hand tightened minutely, enough to make it clear Sonic didn't want him to move just yet.

So fucking embarrassing…why did I have to have a nightmare like that now?

They stayed like that in semi-comfortable silence for a long time before Saitama was forced to shift his sleeping legs. The moment he moved, however, it was as if the spell was broken. Sonic let go of his hand, almost pushing it back at Saitama in his hast to let go of it. A light blush painted his cheeks, though whether from embarrassment or from the panic attack he wasn't sure.

"I…I…"

Saitama chuckled and stood up stretching his stiff limbs, "don't worry about it. We all have nightmares. Must have been a pretty awful one though by the looks of it, are you sure I can't get you a hot drink or anything?" Saitama studied the downcast face before him. He felt bad for being so awkward and useless at comforting people, but it wasn't like he'd had much experience with it before.

Sonic shook his head softly and ran a hand through his long hair. "No. Thanks."

Deciding not to prolong the ninjas probable embarrassment, Saitama smiled and bowed his head. "All right then, I'll head off to bed."

You can come and get me if you need me….

"You can read or watch whatever you like if you need to." Saitama berated himself internally.

Without waiting for an answer he walked briskly through his bedroom door.

Sonic was left in the soft glow of the lamp, and the silence broken only by his slightly quickened breathing. He let himself fall gracelessly back onto the soft couch and stared up at the ceiling, sweat and silent tears caressing his reddened cheeks.

Why am I now dreaming…about the Baldy's death?