Chapter Text
When Saitama woke, Genos was already up and dressed. Which was typical, given that he'd turned out to be a morning person after settling into a routine sleep schedule for the first time in probably five years, but this wasn't going to be a typical day.
He'd busted out the "princess clothes," for one thing. It was at least partly motivated by spite, given how much shit he got when he first arrived, but Genos pretty much exclusively wore off-the-rack. And most of that was locally made, on the advice of their PR guy.
But today Genos was in a silver dress with a built-in cloak to cover his arms, currently pushed back as Genos applied makeup.
"You don't need that stuff," Saitama said around a yawn. "You were designed to be beautiful before you were born."
"Exactly," Genos said, smiling at Saitama's reflection. "If I have visible cosmetics, like lip color or eyeliner, it appears that my genetic advantages might be the result of artistic skill rather than my family's machinations. It makes people resent me less."
Saitama didn't really get it, but it sounded like something the PR guy would say, and Saitama had learned over the last year that his advice was annoyingly accurate.
"Well I think you're beautiful no matter what." Saitama yawned again, but he caught Genos' fond expression. "I'll go say good morning to Kuroba then I'll come get dressed."
"Hurry, you have to put on your good suit. You won't have time to change before we get there."
Saitama wrinkled his nose, but he nodded. It wasn't like he couldn't play with his daughter the whole way to the capital.
The little princess Kuroba was awake, barely, taking after her father in that regard. Genos would have already been in to feed and cuddle with her, and she usually drifted off for a little bit after breakfast.
"'Morning," Saitama said softly as he scooped her up. "It's Kuroba time."
Kuroba, still about a third asleep, simply dropped her head on his shoulder and drooled.
"Yeah there she is. Sooooo heavy, oh no."
"Your highness?"
The nanny they'd hired came with a lot of certification and recommendations, but he had this frustrating fixation on protocol. It had been six months and Saitama still couldn't get him to even downgrade to "my lord."
"Yes Katsuya?"
"I've got the travel bag all packed, but I couldn't get a straight answer from the castle about accommodations. Are you sure they've got furniture?"
Saitama resisted the urge to sigh. Katsuya meant well, Saitama was certain of it. And he was great with Kuroba, taking away all the worries Saitama would have otherwise had about him and Genos working full-time. But it sure would be nice if he could grow a spine.
"They've got furniture," Saitama assured him. "And if they don't, there's stores in the city. It'll be fine."
"I can still postpone my time off and come with-"
"There's no need," Saitama said firmly. "Genos won't be doing any accounting in the capital, and you'll be back in two weeks anyway, right?" Saitama rubbed Kuroba's tiny warm back. "We can keep her alive that long."
Katsuya's shoulders slumped. "Yes your highness."
Saitama sat with Kuroba for as long as he thought he could get away with, dozing in the comfiest chair with Rover and Rex at his feet, until she was awake enough to babble at him. Then he left her with Katsuya to figure out travel clothes and headed back to his rooms.
Genos had finished with hair and makeup and laid out Saitama's clothes on the bed. Saitama ignored those and kissed Genos despite laughing complaints about his morning breath. It didn't take long to brush his teeth and shower, and then the peace of morning was officially over.
"We need to take off in forty minutes," Megane said, checking his tablet even though Saitama was sure he had their itinerary memorized. "At latest."
"Uh-huh," Saitama said struggling to make his second layer wrap smoothly.
"You'll just have time to say goodbye to your father. There won't be a formal hand-off or anything like that."
"Yeah." There had been some debate about that, Saitama remembered. The king was going to be gone for a month or more, depending on how the voting went, and though this was the first time Saitama would be officially taking his place it seemed like a lot of trouble to go to. All the protocols had been written up for Saitama to stand as Prince Regent years ago. The only thing a ceremony would accomplish was reminding people of the king's mortality.
They still had to dress up and look noble, though. A fact Saitama was deeply regretting as he tried, once again, to get his stupid shirt wrapped around his body. Genos had been watching the whole time; sitting on the bed, smiling faintly. Saitama finally gave up and let the fabric hang loose around him.
"Help."
Genos hopped up, his new sleek legs hardly clanking at all, and fixed Saitama's shirt with one smooth motion. "There. Next."
"How do you do that?"
Genos shrugged, still smiling. "I like to look at you. I know how to make you look your best."
Which wasn't what Saitama had meant, and Genos knew it, but the affectionate answer left Saitama too flustered to keep complaining.
Besides, he already knew. Genos was born and bred for this kind of thing. Supporting an alpha and looking good doing it.
Three layers later - shirt and vest and jacket - Saitama was ready to go. Katsuya met them with Kuroba securely bundled up, and the three members of their little family headed up to the helipad.
"Any messages?" Saitama asked quietly, knowing the sound of the rotors would drown out his voice for anyone without Genos' augmented hearing.
Genos, mutely, shook his head.
The trip to the capital wasn't as relaxing as Saitama hoped. He still had a few things to finish in North Toshigi, and far more things he was trying to get familiar with before taking over in the castle. It was probably a lost cause, but he was trying. At least he could hold Kuroba while Genos quizzed him.
The security guys had wanted Saitama and Genos to travel separately. If Saitama had been a target once he might be one again, and they didn't want to lose both prince and princesses in one stroke. But Saitama refused, both for financial reasons and emotional ones. He and Genos grabbed every moment they could get to be alone.
They touched down in the castle courtyard, where a photographer was waiting to take "candid" shots of the young royal family disembarking. Genos, as always, was the main focus. He'd had a jumpstart on his popularity with his debut interview at Fubuki's party last year, and it had skyrocketed when they "leaked" the fact that he'd beaten up an alpha who followed him into the bathroom at his own wedding. The public loved an underdog, and a beautiful one even more so. Megane had warned Saitama that once Genos was officially queen, history was going to forget him entirely.
Which Saitama didn't mind at all.
The photoshoot didn't take long, relatively speaking, though Saitama thought twenty minutes for probably two publishable pictures was still way too much, and then everyone had to get out of the way while the heli was refueled and double-checked for its next trip.
"Where's my dad?" Saitama asked the first person who didn't look busy. Everyone who worked in the castle always knew where the king was.
"On his way," she said. "Queen Indra wanted him to eat first."
"We're supposed to see them off."
The woman's eyes fell on Kuroba. "Why don't I help get the princess settled while you wait?" she asked, hopefully.
No surprise there; Kuroba had enough baby charm to melt the coldest heart. But that was why they had to wait.
"No thanks," Saitama said. "My dad will want to see her."
"Of course." She smiled, eyes flicking to Kuroba again, and then grinned as Kuroba let off a stream of nonsense syllables. "She's a talker!"
"She's got a lot to say," Saitama nodded sagely, which Kuroba punctuated with a shriek of joy. "Ah, there he is."
The king and his retinue looked noble and professional for all of twenty seconds, before the king spotted his granddaughter and veered off course. Most of the aides were tripped up but corrected quickly enough. Only Indra knew what to expect and followed him automatically.
"She has more hair than last time," the king said, without preamble. He held out his arms, and Genos dutifully handed over the baby.
"She can move better now," Genos said. "She doesn't spend as much time lying on her back."
"Crawling yet?"
"Not yet. She's on cereal though!"
They talked about the baby for a while, as Kuroba examined the king's embroidered collar with such a look of concentration that you'd think she was analyzing the weave.
Indra joined Saitama on the slightly-awkward sideline. "Everything's set up," she said. "Your schedule is prepared for the next week."
"Thanks Indra."
"And I made some reference notes for everybody you've got meetings with."
"Thanks Indra," Saitama said with more feeling. "Did you, um-"
"I also left a cheat sheet with the staff's names."
Saitama let out a sigh of relief. "You're the best."
"You'll do fine," Indra assured him. "It's nothing you haven't been doing in your duchy, and you've got Genos. He's much better at this than I am."
Actually, Indra seemed to have taken to her new duties like a duck to water. Being a royal spouse was basically like being a personal assistant anyway, or so Genos and Nara said. All the expectations with none of the protections a paid employee would get. But since the king had no interest in treating Indra like a wife, and had aides for everything else, Indra had been left with an empty title.
Genos did some polite snooping, reassured the aides that none of them were getting fired, and helped Indra order suits that looked professional and queenly all at once. Now Indra managed the king, the king managed the planet, and everyone involved looked like they were finally getting enough sleep.
"She's got Saitama's nose," the king said suddenly.
"Yes," Genos agreed happily. "You can tell now that her features have matured a little."
The king looked at Saitama, making eye contact with his son for the first time in months. "Do you think she'll take after our side of the family?"
Saitama knew what he meant. How aware the king was of his mental issues seemed to change at random. But Kuroba always managed to get through his fog.
"No way to tell until she's older," Saitama said. "But we're ready for it."
The king nodded, and reluctantly returned Kuroba to Genos mere seconds before she got the point of his collar into her mouth. "We'll be back in four weeks. I want reports weekly. And pictures."
"Yes your majesty," Genos said automatically. They already sent pictures of her to Kuseno almost daily, so it wasn't like it would be a burden. Genos took Kuroba's hand and made her wave. "Say bye-bye to grandpa."
Kuroba squealed.
"Good enough," Genos said.
"It might be a little longer," Indra said softly, as the rest of the travel party headed for the courtyard. "Kanagawa is going to see a specialist."
"Good," Saitama said.
"And we're going to put in a bill to get Z-1 a real name. Finally."
Saitama blinked. "Huh. It's been Z-1 my whole life. I guess I just... never realized it wasn't a name."
"It will get us more respect on the galactic scene," Genos said. "The placeholder makes the planet seem even younger than it is."
"I was thinking about Zemlya," Indra said. "Or Tzitzimitl. What do you think?"
"I like Zemlya," Genos said.
"The other one's more fun to say." Saitama tilted his head. "No idea how to spell it though."
"We'll workshop it," Indra said, sounding like she was actually looking forward to the months that would take. "Best be off! We'll call when we arrive."
Genos had Kuroba wave to her too, and they watched her jog in her new sensible shoes to catch up with the others.
"I guess that's it." Saitama rolled his shoulders. "Time for king school."
"You'll be great," Genos said, doubling down on Indra's reassurance. He leaned in for a kiss, which Saitama obliged, and pecked Kuroba's soft forehead as well.
"See you tonight. Love you."
"I love you too, my lord."
Theoretically Genos was caring for Kuroba alone until Katsuya returned from vacation. There wasn't a nanny on staff, but there were more than enough housekeepers and aides and other non-essentials who had children of their own and could assist. For today, at least, Genos focused on getting the rooms settled and going over security.
It wasn't that he really thought anyone - Green Forest or not - would come after the infant princess. But there were things he couldn't shake even a year out of the business. Paranoia that was as much a part of him now as his cyborg limbs. As long as it might save their lives one day, he couldn't bring himself to try and get over it.
So he made polite inquiries about staff passes and guard routines, with Kuroba never leaving his arms.
They'd been placed in a new suite this time, as they were on every visit, on Genos' request. He admitted that this part of it was as much trying to avoid the memories of his attempts on Saitama's life as it was safety concerns. The safety part only came into play when Genos rearranged the furniture to break up the line of sight through the windows.
Saitama didn't join them until late. Genos watched his brow wrinkle adorably as he took in Genos' remodeling, but he knew better than to say anything.
"Any messages?" Saitama asked, dropping into an overstuffed armchair.
Genos shook his head, but he answered, "One."
Saitama immediately tensed up. "What? Did they-"
"From Garou and Charanko. They want to bring Charanko's pochi to visit his brothers."
"Oh." Saitama sunk back deeper into the chair. "You told 'em we left them back in North Toshigi?"
"Yes, but I suspect that was just an excuse to come visit anyway." Genos checked that Kuroba was still asleep (more paranoia, but they wanted to keep this from her for as long as possible) then added, "The Green Forest hasn't said a word."
Saitama nodded, and blew out a long breath. "Is that good or bad, you think?"
"I told him from the start that I couldn't influence your father. If he was going to try and intimidate me he would have done it the moment they lost the elector seat, not four months later."
Saitama didn't look convinced. "I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop."
"I know." Genos reached out for Saitama's hand and Saitama - after a struggle with the chair - leaned over and took it. "It's a good thing, Saitama. My uncle knows we're in a mutually-assured destruction pact. If he moves against us we can not only kill him, but ruin the entire family name."
Saitama's thumb rubbed across the back of Genos' burnished metal knuckles. "You're sure? No sunk cost fallacy?"
"I'm sure, my lord. At least about my uncle."
Saitama nodded again, firmly this time, and dropped Genos' hand to extricate himself from his chair and went over to Kuroba's crib. Genos followed, and they both watched her sleep for a few minutes.
"She's perfect, huh?"
"Absolutely," Genos agreed.
She wasn't, by noble standards. She'd been conceived naturally so there was no way to select for more favorable genes. They'd done a scan for any serious genetic disorders before she was born, and managed to tweak out a propensity for allergies, but there was no telling if she'd inherit Saitama's depression, or Genos' obsessiveness, or if she'd be unattractive or clumsy or...
"Tatsumaki keeps saying we have to let her marry their son."
"Absolutely not," Genos said immediately.
Saitama chuckled. "I know. We know 'em too well, it feels weird."
"The very least we can do for her is make sure she doesn't have Queen Tatsumaki as a mother-in-law."
Saitama laughed out loud. Kuroba didn't stir.
Genos took his husband's arm and drew him away from the crib for a kiss. Saitama was smiling, beaming, looking happy as he always did in these quiet moments together.
"You've been overthinking again," Saitama accused him, but his tone was teasing.
"Maybe a little."
"Is it 'cuz we're here? Bad memories?"
"Not really. Not only."
"You don't have to stay the whole month," Saitama said, smile fading. "You can go back home, hold the fort."
Genos shook his head. He didn't need to remind Saitama they'd had this conversation before. Instead he took Saitama's arm and wrapped it around his waist, tucking himself up to Saitama's side. Saitama turned automatically as Genos dropped his head onto his shoulder, so Genos could feel his lips and nose as Saitama kissed his hair.
"There's nowhere else I want to be," Genos said.