Intoxicated was the best way for Saitama to describe how he felt in that dazed trip of intimacy – somehow managed without even having a single drink that evening. What started out as a powdery clash liquefied into a syrupy voyage as Nova parted her supple lips and invited him in with her warm, sweet tongue. The hunger lurking within her consequently triggered a transfusion of sorts; progressively supplementing him through every profound pump of the heart. It evoked a side of him not explored since his teenage years; a side he was so sure he'd never be capable of experiencing again. Taut fingers slipped further up her back with tentative care, feeling the texture of tiny sequins nip lightly against them – a reassuring sign that reality wasn't playing some cruel trick on him, and that the ethereal person secured in his rapt embrace was, in fact, real. Within that lasting moment, the rest of reality ceased to exist.

"Nova Star!"

It wasn't long before reality came crashing back down on the intertwined pair with a mighty, gravitational force. With the current situation having completely slipped her mind for an imperceptible period of time, the sound of her name being called made Nova tear herself from the equally stunned man and whirl around to address it.

Just then, reporters spilled into the room that had stopped snowing confetti and now looked like a herd of unicorns stampeded through and vomited everywhere – quickly turning a sweet dream into a radical nightmare.

Nova wasn't at all prepared when someone with a microphone ran up to them, sticking the offensive object right in their faces, with an entire crowd quick to follow.

"Who is this mysterious man you just kissed?"

"Isn't that Saitama? A hero?"

"What about Genos?"

"How would you define your relationship with the cyborg?"

"Someone claims Genos is your brother, is this true?"

"Uh..." Anxiously, Nova reached for Saitama's hand, taking it into hers and holding on for dear life as the never-ending bombardment of questions bounced around them from multiple sources.

"Genos, was it you who defeated the monster?"

Nova looked over and only just noticed then that Genos was standing right next to them. She had no idea for how long.

"What's with all the candy?"

"Are you two going to get married?"

"Nova, when did you learn how to fight?"

Nova's heart jumped at that one specific question that stood out from all the rest. "What?"

"I have footage!" someone yelled near the front of the mob as a phone was suddenly thrust above the sea of heads – exposing the fact that whoever the brave soul was had obviously outweighed the risks and lingered amidst the danger in pursuit of the perfect capture.

A blanket of silence immediately fell over the crowd as every one of them turned to face the lone device – regarding it as nothing less than some sort of holy artifact. A re-enactment of the scenario flashed across the screen and, sure enough, Nova watched herself as she single-handedly took down the two threats. Her hand was starting to get very clammy against Saitama's.

Everyone turned expectantly back to the pair as soon as the video stopped rolling, and before any of them could dare open their mouths again, Nova firmly said: "Listen up." Obediently, nobody uttered another word, only shoved their microphones even closer to her face – to the point where she definitely felt one brush the tip of her nose. Taking the first deep breath in a while, she continued: "You all remember the story of Saitama coming to my rescue at the station, I presume." Her eyes glanced around as she took a moment to acknowledge all the nodding heads. "After that day... I was greatly inspired by this magnificent hero that saved my life," – she gave his hand a gentle squeeze – "and asked him if he would personally teach me how to defend myself. After he agreed to it, I began training privately with him from that point onwards. Over the course of this time, I... gradually started to fall in love with him." – several people 'aww!'-ed – "So, to clear up any confusion... there is nothing between Genos and I. He happens to be Saitama's roommate, so I can see how it might've been misleading." Sure, it was a slight detour from the truth, but a white lie nonetheless.

Excitement stirred again as everyone hurriedly started chattering amongst themselves and making important phone calls upon witnessing her statement first-hand. And then, amidst the rising clamor, one person boldly proceeded to ask: "Did I hear that correctly? Can you confirm that you are in love with Saitama?" The microphones were right in her face again.

Nova's body tensed and she looked up to Saitama's spacey expression then, catching a sidewards glance in return. Somehow, his face said nothing and everything at the same time. It was that exact same face that stood out to her a short time ago as one she could inexplicably trust and rely on – something only by diving beneath the surface could she realize. "Yeah... I guess I am," she admitted with a sure smile.

"We hear that you are also receiving private training from Saitama," Nova heard someone say to Genos as she shifted her attention to the cyborg.

"Indeed."

"Are you in love with the hero as well?"

Genos looked like he was unable to process the question.

"I get it now – why you always wanna keep things on the DL," Saitama mentioned after being invited up to Nova's room once they finally reached the hotel and parted ways with Genos – not without Saitama leering warily at the receptionist who shot him a funny look as they slipped past the front desk.

"Yeah, sorry about all that... " Nova said with minor embarrassment as she'd just started preparing the queen-sized bath – the candy coating having now formed into a constrictive, hard shell that desperately needed to come off.

Saitama shrugged as he stood idly watching her. "It's cool. Are you really gonna be alright though? I mean... Genos was one thing, but now you're gonna have to deal with the story you made up about me."

He heard Nova let out a little laugh beneath her breath, and when she turned around to face him she was smiling. "It wasn't all made up," she said quietly, and he would need someone to convince him that it wasn't just the crystallized sugar on her cheeks that was emitting the glossy pink shine. While the gushing sound of water echoed off the acoustic, marbled surfaces encompassing the room, he thought back to the story she told, wondering which part she claimed to be true.

Lifting a finger to dig a piece of bubble gum out his ear, Saitama muttered: "I'm really not that magnificent."

Nova's smile widened. "You really are. But that's not what I meant." A few steps later, she was before him again and tipped onto her toes to place one more short, sweet kiss on his lips – so light and so subtle that he wondered if it even happened at all. But that alone was enough to make it click.

"So... that part where you said you – uh... love me..."

Her unmoving stare gave the answer away, but it was quickly ruined by an intrusive ring immediately splitting the thick tension expanding between them. Nova anxiously reached into her pocket and pulled out the device – her startled expression manifesting into one of instant displeasure.

"Crap. Amai Mask – "

Whether she'd planned to answer it or not, Saitama didn't give Nova that option when he yanked the phone from her grasp and tossed it mindlessly onto the bed. The star's crumbly hair was already tangled in his hands when her gaze flickered questionably back to up his, and his lips were on hers less than a moment later. The magnificent hero didn't know what came over him, but the little peck she imparted revived the primeval sensation deep within his fundamental core that he couldn't help but feel was robbed from him during the aftermath of the party. A new flame was being ignited – one similar to the flame ignited three years ago, when the journey to becoming a hero sparked ever so brightly – and, just like that, a feeling of determination and excitement pumped through his veins. It was the very same feeling that he'd been missing for so long.

Her small hands were quick to respond, gripping firmly onto his stiff waist and pulling him closer with equally matching determination. Saitama's body was reacting in ways beyond his control and he found himself submitting willingly to the star's power as she took a tentative step backwards. While actively sustaining that jelled connection, she carefully began guiding their bodies in reverse towards the running bathtub. Their clothed state was carelessly ignored as they fluidly eased their way into the large, steaming basin.

Only once they were submerged, and the caked fabrics restricting their movements softened in the water, did Nova take the plunge a step deeper. Delicate hands trickled down the front of his shirt, craftily undoing the buttons one by one with instinctual poise. Gliding her twinkling fingers over his shoulders and down his now-silky arms, the shirt floated off and she seamlessly navigated towards his trousers next. Flinching beneath her tender touch, goosebumps stippled his skin despite the heat that rose more and more with each passing second, testing the vitality of his resistance. Patience was wearing dangerously thin by the time the remaining article was lifted off, encouraging him to slide his impatient hands from her hips to her back where the zipper he hunted for unfastened with one swift tug. The dress freed itself from her body with flowing grace, and that was the first moment he willfully pulled away from their starved embrace to better digest the full composition of her purest form that he'd previously only stolen a modest sliver of. His hands slid slowly back down her sides, settling once again at her hips as his thumb glided gently over the jut of bone – confirming, once more, that she was real. The woman was stunning, to say the least, and it was then that he finally realized what had been eating him up so much inside.

"I think I love you too."

The foreign words came out before he even knew he was saying them, and his own surprised eyes shot back up to hers just as that delicious smile made a reappearance. The smile at hand was soon on him again and everything that happened after that was pure, misty magic in the making.

Harder and harder she pushed... and pushed... feeling the muscles contract... and then 'bam!'

"Hey, that's not fair! You totally let me win that time!" Nova exclaimed to the man whose eyes were wandering innocently around the room while his arm laid pinned down on the table beneath hers.

A lively clap erupted beside them as Genos sat spectating the arm wrestle victory with fierce intensity.

Locking eyes with her again, Saitama cracked a sly smile and, with her hand still in his, he gave it a chaste salute with his lips before getting up. "I'll grab more drinks."

The trio were back to hanging out in his apartment that next day, sans candy residue. Saitama had stayed the previous night at the hotel with Nova, and it was only when they were grabbing tea the next morning that he'd asked if she wanted to chill back at his. After agreeing to it, the pair spent majority of the day strolling around the city and catching up on all that transpired recently. By the evening, they finally showed up at the apartment with food and drinks in hand, only to find out that Genos had just invited King over. Killing time until then, that point arrived shortly after Saitama left the room. While he was occupied in the kitchen, Nova sprung up to grab the door.

"Hey, King!" she beamed up at the man now held in higher regard since their initial meeting.

"Yo," the pseudo-hero greeted back. "Hope you guys don't mind, but I – "

"Baldy!" a whiny voice cried out from behind the towering man, followed by a flash of green shooting right past Nova. "What's up with this dump? Talk about lame! You're such a cheap-o!"

When Nova leered expectantly back at King, he offered nothing but a shrug and sheepish grin in return.

Nevertheless, it turned out to be a fun night, but slinking beneath the surface of all the excitement was a burning dilemma that Nova would have no choice but to face at some point. The whole time she and Saitama were out gallivanting around, the conversation of what would happen next never once cropped up. Obviously, she had her own apartment to get back to in City X and was set to leave the very next day to get on with her life, inevitably leaving her in a bit of a stalemate with Saitama. Even if it was only a two hour train journey away, those two hours would only multiply into several over the course of time should they decide to take things seriously – something she hadn't really taken into consideration yet.

"Hey, you alright?" Nova suddenly heard beside her – instantly pulling her back down to earth as she turned to address the single man in question.

After taking a moment to study his mildly concerned expression, she discreetly brought up the dreaded request: "Can we talk?"

Excusing themselves from the three individuals currently engaged in another round of Hero Kart, the two of them stepped out through the crack in the sliding door, and onto the balcony.

As she leaned her elbows against the railing, Nova let her eyes wander distractedly up to the starry sky, wondering if it would be her last time seeing it from that viewpoint. The night was clear and pleasant; only a warm, gentle breeze coursed through the air, seemingly almost nudging her towards the curious man as he moved to join her.

"So... what's up?"

Nova sighed. "Well... I'm supposed to leave tomorrow." Finding the right words proved to be quite a challenge in that moment, and the way she nibbled at her lip was purely subconscious. "So, I guess I was just wondering... what'll happen with us." For some reason, she also found it very difficult to look at him, so she maintained her fixation on the expansive twinkling sky.

There was a temporary silence that passed, in which time she could've sworn she spotted a shooting star. And then, far too casually, he said: "Why don't you just move here?"

Finding the courage to face him then, Nova eyed the easy-going man with lingering uncertainty. "I dunno, that's a pretty big decision..." But the way he was staring at her failed to empathize.

"Ok." A simple solution was quickly brewing in Saitama's head. "I'll just come to you then."

Nova's eyes widened and blinked with surprise at how easily that suggestion came out. "You would actually be willing to do that?"

Saitama shrugged, showing absolutely no indication of doubt. "If you're there, I don't really care where I live."

Her gaze fell to his chest for a second as she processed what that meant; if it actually meant what she hoped it did. Locking eyes with him again, she said: "So... you actually do want to be with me?"

Saitama reacted as though someone were asking him if he wanted a million dollars for free.

"Of course. I love you."

The way he said it lacked any romantic inflection whatsoever – stated as a known fact more than anything – but it was that degree of confidence that reassured her on everything the man had to offer, time and time again. As Nova's dazzled eyes softened, she stared longingly at the unexpected hero who'd taken her completely by surprise and unwittingly smashed through the barrier around her heart with nothing more than a single punch. Unable to hold back, she leaned in and buried her smiling face into his chest.

"Hey, love birds! Get a room!" a certain green-haired girl wailed from the other side of the transparent glass door.

"You're in my room!" Saitama retorted.

When Nova felt him shamelessly reciprocate the embrace in consummation of their invulnerable unity, that was the defining moment when Nova knew for sure that they were a match made by fate.

"I love you too."

And that's a wrap.

A/N: Ahhhh, there you have it folks! I can't believe it's finally done. I am so out of words right now... What started out precisely 3 weeks ago as a fun little project just to kill time ended up going so much further than I ever imagined, and I grew super attached to it. I've never completed a whole fic before, so that in itself is a massive personal achievement. I am so incredibly grateful for all the lovely people who have supported me until the very end, I honestly couldn't have done it without you. I really hope everyone's pleased with the overall story – let me know your thoughts! The things you loved, the things you hated, let loose! I have no idea what I'm going to do with my time now, I have been completely immersed in this story and the whole OPM universe over the past 3 weeks. I'm supposed to be moving country in a month so I should really get back to reality, but fantasy land is so much more fun haha. Well, better not drag this on any longer, so, once again – thank you so much to all those that had read, reviewed, followed, and liked! Hopefully this will inspire me to continue improving and writing more stories in the future!

If you enjoyed this story and would like to see more, you can find the sequel of drabbles on my profile.