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In the midst of chaos, there was only silence. Time slowed tremendously, and you couldn't help but wonder if it were God giving your eyes time to focus on the approaching figure. A haze of silver and onyx, the glow of irises that once resembled a summer's sun now crimson and narrowed in on it's target while a low, monotonous voice --much more robotic than it use to be, repeated the same mantra. It was cruel; you wanted to focus on who Genos was, not who the enemy had made him to be.

"Target must be eliminated."

You cringed, moving yourself up against a slab of rubble while the world burned around you.

Everything hurt, there wasn't a bone or muscle in your body that didn't feel weighed down by the throbbing ache of injury. With each unsteady intake of breath was a wheeze, and the silence in your swollen brain was beginning to morph into high-pitched ringing. Blood blinded your left eye, and it stung your right to switch direction. You'd taken on much more than a human should, but you wouldn't last much longer. There was no one around to help . . .

It was always a possibility that Genos would be stronger that Saitama. Seeing him face down on the ground, skin and costume sizzling, forced a broken sob to escape your lips. Neither Saitama or you wanted to be the ones to rid yourself of Genos, and perhaps that was why Saitama had held back. This forced malfunction had transformed Genos into a terminator, and you feared there was no getting through.

The sweltering heat of Genos's palm was placed in front of your face, temperatures that singed your lashes, and made the liquids on your face come to a boil. You flinched, dulled, watering orbs climbing his menacing pose to the searing, vermilion bulbs analyzing you. Even with half of his synthetic skin torn away, and the nefarious expression that he wore; even in tattered clothing and his weapons aimed at you, your heart still managed to skip beat.

"G-Gen...os..."

"Life readings at thirty-three point zero-five-seven-one percent. Chances of permanent elimination: one-hundred percent."

"Genos, please..." You croaked. "Wake up..."

"[Last Name], [First Name]: human ally to the hero Saitama. You must be eliminated."

Your sluggishly beating heart sunk down into your stomach. There had to be a way to reach him, he couldn't be all gone. Perhaps it was wishful thinking --false hope, but who were you really to him if you didn't try? This wasn't him. This wasn't the Genos you knew, the Genos you loved. Whether you died or not mattered little, as long as you tried.

"Genos," you started, trembling as you pushed yourself up off the ground, "I know this isn't you. . ."

"Halt, human--"

Slouched against the concrete slab, you smiled. His smoldering palm evaporated your tears before they could properly fall,

"Do you wanna know the first moment I k-knew I loved you?"

Your hand wavered out toward his face, but the cyborg jerked back. With a swat of your hand, his arm slammed against your collarbone and pinned you back against the wall. You choked back an agonized yelp and struggled to keep your eyes met with his while his free appendage transformed into a fiery cannon. The fresh blood oozing from your lips turned to crust,

"You were so curious about human things," you continued, voice strained and hoarse, "Saitama was the one to teach you how to be better hero, while you came to me for simpler things like cooking and how to make the p-perfect pot of coffee. Things you had yet to experience, things you had missed out on since abandoning your human life.

"I wasn't a hero, I wasn't capable of saving people, but you made me feel like I had something to offer."

Genos's eye twitched, and a hiss escaped passed his tightly clenched teeth.

"When it came down to it, you said my kindness and compassion for others could bring the most evil being from destruction," again your hand reached out, this time making contact with the fleshy side of his face, "It was the first time I heard such sincerity in your voice, and yet you went back to stirring the stew as if you'd said it a thousand times. Then you looked up and asked why my face had gotten so red,"

An unsteady giggle bubbled, "Truth is, those words still make me blush . . . Ever since then, my heart hasn't been the same. Even if I can't reach you and you kill me, it won't change the way I feel about you. I love you, Genos. . ."

Gears whirred, and the corner of the cyborg's mouth twitched against your palm. Genos choked back broken, erratic breaths, his flaming weaponry wavering in your face. The light behind his irises flickered alternately in color, but the pressure against your collar was still emphatic.

"Target m-must be eliminated . . . T-t-t-targ-get-get-get . . ."

Sparks flew and wires sprung loose from Geno's neck. Your stomach dropped,

"Genos!"

Ebony liquid leaked from the corner of his eyes while his head jolted haphazardly. The mechanical man staggered back, the release of pressure causing you to collapse to your knees. The cannon that had been threatening your existence reverted, Genos's steel fingers sinking into his scalp,

"Elimin-n-nate-nate-[N-Name] . . . [Name] . . . Love . . . [Name]."

Suddenly he froze, body sizzling and smoke wafted from the chasms in his build. Once again, there was only silence, and you held your breath for several, long seconds as Genos kept his head arched toward the Heavens, droplets of oil hanging off his chin.

And then a sob sounded.

Your eyes widened as Genos's arms were limply tossed down to his sides and golden hues made contact with yours. Absentmindedly, your hand flew to your mouth, but it was instinctive for you to crawl toward him as he took nosedive into the dirt.

With as much strength as you could muster, you pulled Genos onto his back, his head resting in your lap and you cooed his name urgently. The light in his right eye had gone out, but his left was half-lidded with a dull, amber glow; brows furrowed regretfully, expression streaked with remnants of grease.

"[Name]."

"Hi," you smiled wryly.

"You . . . are badly injured. It is because of me that--"

"It wasn't you. . . You didn't do this."

He frowned, and his chest whirred with a sigh. Cool metal softly cupped your cheek, "I am sorry, [Name]. Had it not been for you . . . Had I not heard your words, I am afraid I might have--"

"Shh. . ." You delicately brushed back his bangs, and a thumb caressed his remaining brow, "It's because of you that made me feel like I had the power to reach you in the first place."

Genos contemplated that for a moment, then met your gaze again, "I suppose . . . I am just thankful you were not eliminated.

"[Name]? When I receive the proper repairs, and your sustained injuries are healed, may I . . . May I kiss you?"

It felt as if you'd been placed in front of the lava-like heat of his weaponry again, and your chest vibrated at a rampant rate. Unable to hold his inquiring stare, you averted you eyes and only managed a bashful hum.

[Extended]

Saitama smiled as he picked himself off the ground and patted the dirt from his costume. Other than a few scrapes and bruises, he was feeling fine. He had to admit, there was something kind of heartwarming about the way [Name] was holding Genos. Maybe now that everything was out in the open, Genos would stop talking to him so much about her.

Saitama knew she'd be the one to break through, and in the end, he was glad he'd played possum.