The Painter's Blood

The Moon

//this chapter is a roller coaster. Strap in, y'all.

Genos had never felt so weightless.

The world around him was endless, full of several bursts and swirls of colour. As he walked past them, they smeared and blended, spiralling into different shapes and becoming new colours.
If he needed to breathe, his breath would surely be stolen by such a landscape.

"Oh, Genos!" Saitama ran over to him, each of his footsteps creating a burst of grey marble against the... Er, lack of a ground. The colours spread out from his path, and by the time he'd reached Genos, there was a large marble floor below them. "You actually came! I was worried you wouldn't be able to make it."

Genos was confused for a moment, but a memory surfaced- something that had never happened.
"Ah, right! Am I very late?" He asked.

Saitama shook his head, gesturing around him. "Does it look like you're late?"

Stone pillars rose from the floor, extending far into the heavens. He glanced around the ballroom, the chatter of people rising around him before slowly, figures began to swirl into existence.

Yes, that's right. He remembered clearly now. Saitama was throwing a ball, and had invited Genos. When he turned back to the Count, the man was dressed in finery. Genos felt rather out of place, but Saitama's smile was reassuring.

"Well, did you come here to stand around? Let's dance." Saitama said, extending a hand to him.

"But I can't dance." Genos pointed out. Still, they began to dance together as if they'd been dancing their whole lives.
Saitama looked down at him, raising an eyebrow slightly. "Do you like the music?"

Suddenly, lovely music surrounded them. Genos could see musical notes dancing through the air, leaving blue mist in their wake. Genos nodded. "Yes, I do."

"Ah. Good. I was thinking of you when I picked it out." Saitama said softly, his grip on Genos' waist tightening slightly. "You look nice. Where did you get that vest?"

Genos looked down at himself, surprised to find that he was dressed just as nicely as everyone else. An answer emerged unbidden, but Genos felt somehow that it was correct. "A moth made it for me."

"Ah." Saitama nodded, as if this was a perfectly normal thing to hear. "I shall commission the Moth to be my new tailor."

Tornado suddenly appeared beside them, arms crossed and tapping her foot. "Why are you hosting a ball right now?! It's your bedtime, you know!"
"Ah, you're right." Saitama nodded, stepping away from Genos apologetically. "If I don't go to sleep on time, the owl gets mad. I have to go,or I'll be turned into a rabbit."

Genos nodded, watching Saitama sprint away.

Someone tapped on his shoulder, and he turned to see Saitama standing behind him, smile on his face and eyes closed lightly. The scent of flowers wafted around them, and the ballroom was replaced by a lovely garden. The sun shone vibrantly in the sky. "Genos! I tossed a coin in the fountain."

Water bubbled from the ground, the stone fountain appearing as if had always been there. Yes, it always has, Genos thought.
"What did you wish for?" Genos asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Ah, I wished for you. And here you are!" Saitama leaned in and brushed a lock of hair behind Genos' ear, looking down into his eyes. "Please, take me away from here. I hate gardens. I want to be in a kitchen."

Genos nodded gravely. Yes, this was an important task. "Of course. I'd do anything for you."
Saitama grabbed his hand, lacing their fingers together. "Show me the way."