GaroSai💖

❗️❗️ Private characterizations and plot fabrications included

❗️❗️ Original work's personal story extensions—please forgive

❗️❗️ If you don't like it, please don't criticize

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"Why do you want to be a hero?"

"Do you have a sense of mission like mine?"

The accusations echoed across the ruins, sounding fanatical and despairing.

"Hobby."

The guy across from Garou spoke, and what he said was devastating.

"It's a hobby! Got that, you bastard?!"

"Using terror to rule the world and thereby create peace—unless you can defeat me, it's all just empty talk."

"That's too difficult for you."

"Absolutely impossible for you."

"Monsters are just a compromised hobby for you."

"But being a hero is a serious hobby for me!"

"Even if only for that reason, there's no way I'd lose to you!"

One after another, sentence after sentence—like saws, like axes—chopping at the roots of Garou's already tottering great tree. How despairing. To realize absolute evil, to fulfill his obsession, he first had to get past that terrifying man—Saitama, that wall so high one could never reach the top.

The surrounding heroes were still watching the situation. Bang's gaze held an unprecedented sorrow. Everyone was watching—watching Garou, watching Saitama, watching how this whole affair would finally end.

Then Saitama helped Garou up and led him away from the ruins.

---

The two stayed in an abandoned, dilapidated wooden hut. Garou didn't speak, and Saitama didn't speak either. Garou actually still had strength—both mentally and physically. He could leave anytime he wanted, and he felt Saitama probably wouldn't stop him. But Garou didn't leave. He felt tired in that moment, swayed, and collapsed into Saitama's arms. Saitama said nothing. The smell of gunpowder from the battle still lingered on them, indistinguishable between the two. But Garou didn't care anymore. He silently buried his head in Saitama's chest. Saitama's cape had a large hole in it and now lightly draped half over Garou. Saitama raised his hand and slowly stroked Garou's head, smoothing his hair.

Silence...

Garou left. He cut his hair short, voluntarily disappeared from sight, and began to blend into society like an ordinary person, learning to work odd jobs. Saitama also left. His home in Z-City had been destroyed to nothing, so he had no choice but to slowly pick up whatever usable items he could with Genos and bring them back to the Hero Association headquarters' staff dormitory provided for heroes. The Monster Association was destroyed. Black Sperm kept calling Saitama "Master" and begged him to take him in like he had taken in Pochi. So Saitama ended up with a strange pet monkey and a strange pet dog.

Saitama was busy, but he didn't lose contact with Garou. He was busy stopping Tatsumaki, busy dealing with those suddenly appearing robot armies.

Garou was busy too. The newly established hero organization Neo had begun leading teams to hunt him down... Although Garou barely fought anymore and just did odd jobs carrying heavy objects, they clearly weren't going to let him go. During the fight, they accidentally damaged the goods. Garou was annoyed. Suiryu's armor was broken, and Garou could have taken the opportunity to teach them a good lesson, but he didn't raise his hand. He clicked his tongue, turned, and walked away. Garou saw the terrified looks in the eyes of the passersby, and he thought of Saitama. So he stopped... He definitely wouldn't get paid for this job. Looks like he'd have to find another one.

Garou took out his phone and sent Saitama a message—a simple greeting or an invitation to eat out together. That was something they did privately in their spare time. But this time Saitama just tersely replied that he was busy. Garou wasn't worried.

Garou switched to a construction site job. Those self-proclaimed Machine Gods series armored robots kept coming one after another to take him away, but Garou didn't even furrow his brow. He took care of them with a few swings of the giant steel rebar he was carrying. Then he thought of Saitama again... Garou pulled out his phone and looked at it once more. The messages were still stuck on the last time he'd asked Saitama to eat out, with Saitama replying, "Sorry, I've been a bit busy lately."

Garou's thoughts began to wander. He remembered that every time they ate out together, he'd stare at Saitama. Saitama looked a bit cute when he ate—that was Garou's internal assessment. He'd stuff anything good into his mouth until his cheeks puffed out like a hamster.

The two would kiss. The first time was Garou's initiative, and of course, afterward it was often Garou who made the first move. Saitama never refused.

At first, it was awkwardly inexperienced. Saitama could feel that Garou's kisses were restrained, like he was savoring something. Garou had a small habit when kissing—he'd unconsciously hold Saitama's hand and slowly rub the back of it.

Saitama thought that was actually quite endearing. Whenever Saitama mentioned that Garou's little habit was cute, Garou would always give a faint acknowledgment and then lightly peck Saitama's face, again and again, making Saitama feel ticklish.

These occasional moments together were like warm water—comforting and something they both needed...

But recently Saitama really had been too busy. That so-called robot army, his disciple Genos had been deceived by his once-closest "family," Dr. Kuseno. Although they won the battle, Genos wouldn't recover anytime soon...

Garou felt that he should go see Saitama one of these days. Not for any particular reason... just... because he missed him.

Entering was almost "smooth" beyond belief—if one ignored those scrapped robot guards... Garou entered Saitama's apartment at the Hero Association. He didn't use the door; anyone would know it would be locked. So Garou climbed through the window and sat cross-legged in the middle of the room as if he owned the place. Black Sperm was shocked. He knew Garou, and he knew about Garou's battle with Saitama, but he never expected the guy to so openly waltz right into "the enemy's home." Black Sperm's mouth opened and closed. He was surprised—not only by Garou's behavior but also by the fact that Garou didn't seem to care at all that two former Monster Association executives were currently staying at Saitama's place and being kept by him. As it turned out, Garou truly didn't care. He had already picked up Saitama's manga and started reading.

Saitama returned in the evening. The sound of a key turning came from the door, and Garou quickly put down the manga. Then—just as Saitama turned around after closing the door—Garou pressed him against the door, naturally wrapping his arms around Saitama's waist and leaning in to slowly kiss and trace Saitama's lips. Saitama didn't push him away. He very, very gently touched Garou's head—softly, slowly—which made Garou feel incredibly at ease.

At that moment, Black Sperm's shock was beyond words. He felt that this world had truly gone mad, and so had those two.

After the kiss, Saitama didn't mention how Garou had gotten in. Garou said they should go out to eat, and Saitama agreed. He changed out of his hero uniform and followed Garou out. Garou put on a baseball cap and pulled the brim low, but his hand had already naturally taken Saitama's. They left.

More leisurely little moments together. Perhaps they'd still be busy. Perhaps they'd still kiss. Perhaps they'd live together someday. But in this moment, they were truly at ease.