Chapter Text
He and his master had good chemistry.
It was not quite the chemistry Genos wanted.
Sure, they fought well together, strategically. He dealt big, fiery blows while his master finished the battle and picked up the pieces, often of Genos. He wondered how many ways Sensei had unwittingly put him back together.
He didn’t feel worthy to be his disciple. It felt wrong to ask this man, stronger than anyone, to teach him his technique when he obviously had more important and heroic duties to perform. So why now, out of all this time, had Genos fallen for him?
It was stupid, he had thought, to fall in love.
Time consuming, riddled with problems that would only weaken him. He did not need to be weak. The Mad Cyborg still raged on somewhere, he had to keep training, improving, surpassing his goals to be able to put his demons to rest.
Love was out of the question.
Perhaps it was just admiration gone too far. Genos put his mind at ease with that notion, it was only admiration and devotion to his master. As a disciple, that was perfectly acceptable.
--------------------------
It was not solely admiration.
Genos had tested that theory several times during the week, questioning his actions towards his master on every level. During battle, he became increasingly distracted by his master’s form – each punch he landed made his breath catch in his throat. When they returned home after the fight, Genos examined his respirators for damage.
There was none.
As he cooked for his master (udon bought on sale, of course), he analyzed data he had collected during the battle, playing back footage he had recorded of his master during the fight to see if there was anything different that could have caused his odd reaction. As his sensei’s fist collided with the beast from before, he stiffened. The recording played in slow motion.
Genos’s eyes flicked over the video, taking it all in. His master’s body was incredibly muscled – obviously so even covered by his uniform – and each muscle shifted in perfect balance, making his fist connect with the monster’s head, blowing it to bits.
From the other room, sensei called, “Genos? Is the udon ready yet?”
Genos let go of a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.
He blinked his bright eyes, coming back to reality, and jolted – the pot was nearly boiling over! How could he have been so inattentive, especially with his master’s food!? He hurriedly took the pot off the stove without a word, preparing the rest of the meal in shameful silence.