A Missing Step

The Disguised Citizen

AN: This was previously posted on fanfiction. The first two chapters will remain unedited. 

(AU because of Saitama vs Tatsumaki never happening nor did Saitama vs Fubuki. The Garou Arc still applies) 

Tap. Tap.

Where is he?" she grumbled.

She continued tapping her fingers against the table. She glanced at the clock.

He was 10 minutes late. While waiting her mind drifted towards why she was at the cafe in the first place.

-A week earlier-

Tatsumaki was walking around City Z, dressed as a civilian. She wore a long brown wig with slight curls on its tips. A pink long sleeve and a long brown skirt completed her ensemble, with the skirt hiding the brown heels she put on. Since a warning from the Association had been called out a earlier, a demon threat, she was one of the few people about. She heard a loud crash and heavy breathing. Turning around, she saw a large bear like creature. Her eyes widened, her hands were trembling and she whimpered slightly. Internally however, she scoffed at the idea of this creature harming her. As the bear's claws began to swipe down at her, a streak of yellow stopped it from touching her and the bear was obliterated.

The streak of yellow reached the ground and was replaced by a tall bald man.

"Are you alright?" Saitama asked. "Yes, thank you." Tatsumaki replied.

He nodded slightly and began walking away, before she ran up and grabbed his arm. "Wait! I want to thank you for saving me. The Grand Cafe, 6:00, my treat!"

she exclaimed, perfecting her tone to one of slight embarrassment. Saitama stared at her slightly, before reverting back to his blank face and accepted her offer.

As he walked away again, she grinned. All was going according to plan.

"Well, it will be unless this stupid baldy doesn't bother showing up." she thought in annoyance. A bell rung in the distance, not unnoticed by Tatsumaki.

She turned around slightly, her face hitting a soft surface.

"Hello. Sorry I'm late, a monster was nearby and I also needed directions."

Saitama waved slightly, a small smile on his face, as he moved slightly to remove Tatsumaki's face from his arm. He sat down in the single chair across from her.

Clearing her throat, Tatsumaki turned around to face him.

"No it's fine, I was a bit worried, that's all. Now that you're here, I want to get to know my hero more." she said, resting her hand underneath her chin, while tilting her head.

"Okay. But, how about you tell me about yourself a bit more first?" Saitama said, not picking up on her body language. She nodded.

" My name is Tamaki and I moved to City Z recently. I have heard many stories about you and wanted to see how true those stories were."

She said her rehearsed lines, in a tone of slight shyness. Saitama nodded, noticing the shyness in her voice. " Welcome to City Z. Besides some monster attacks here and there, it's not too bad." He said, a small smile on his face as he shrugged.

"Udon is pretty good and cheap, too", he teased her slightly, since the Grand Café was famed for its expensive items. A waitress walked towards their table, handing them their menus. "I'll be back in a few minutes to take your order" she said.

While Saitama glanced at the menu ("1000¥ for a bowl of udon. Must be a pretty big bowl." he mumbled.), Tatsumaki couldn't concentrate on ordering her meal as she was rehearsing her lines over and over in her head.

"All the plan is is becoming his friend as Tamaki, then while he's not suspecting anything, attack him," She paused, "But I feel like this is going down hill"

She groaned, placing a fist against her cheek. Saitama looked up

"Can't decide, Tamaki?" He asked, while scratching his cheek.

Tatsumaki gave him a questioning look, then realized she never even glanced at her menu. "Yep, heh. I'll just get the same thing as you did, I guess." She mumbled, looking awkwardly at her lap. Saitama nodded. "Ok, so two bowls of udon, then?"

"Yes." The waitress came over, interrupting their quiet conversation. "Are you two ready?" she asked, taking out her notepad. "Two udons please." Tatsumaki said.

The waitress wrote down the order and left the heroes alone again.

"So, what are your hobbies?" Tatsumaki asked, breaking the ice.

" Being a hero is a hobby, except now I'm an official one." He shrugged.

She was quite surprised at his answer and she blinked rapidly him.

She felt a small smile creep up on her face, "Well, you're pretty good at your hobby, then." As Saitama was about to reply, "Udons for two" stopped his response.

After the brief silence between them, the conversation went along smoothly.

"So, what caused you to move to City Z?"

"You want the real response?"

"Sure."

"It's really cheap."

"Yep. Rent's cheap, and a lot of sales on the weekends."

Saitama stood still for a moment before pulling out a flyer,pointing to its contents.

Saitama smiled at his slightly shorter companion, before asking, "Do you want to go to the supermarket with me then? Genos is going to be at a meeting tomorrow."

Tatsumaki, knowing she could find her way out of a meeting, agreed.

"So, see you tomorrow then?" She nodded. "Ok. See you at 8 am."

She saw his figure getting further and further. Once she couldn't see him, she surrounded herself in a green aura and flew off to her abode.

Once she reached her apartment, she took off her disguise, and hid it in her closet.

She took out her plan, checking off what she already completed.

1. Get rescued by Saitama*

2. Invite him to Grand Café*

3. Strike up conversation, enough so he's interested*

4. Ask to see him again or accept if he asks to*

5. Become his "friend"

6. Wait for the right moment

Tatsumaki smirked as she looked over her plan. "This'll be a piece of cake. After all, he asked ME to hang out again. Baldy doesn't even know what's coming."

She glanced down at herself. "And being a bit taller is a plus."

Saitama entered the apartment that he shared with Genos.

"Hey Genos, I'm back." Genos glanced up from his cleaning. "Ah, Master Saitama, welcome home." He put away the cleaning supplies."How was the 'thank you' dinner with the citizen?"

"It was a little strange, since I wasn't really expecting one in the first place." Saitama said, shrugging. "She was nice. Oh, and she's going to the sale with me tomorrow."

Genos nodded. "Good to know that you have found someone to take my place in your bargaining time. I hope she can keep up." "Two people taking on the job works out either way." Saitama stated. Genos took out his notebook, and wrote down his statement. "That is an excellent observation, Master Saitama." Saitama glanced at him scribbling away for a bit, before looking at the clock. He yawned, stretching. "Better go to sleep, gotta get up pretty early tomorrow. Night, Genos."

As Tatsumaki checked over her disguise for the next morning, and let herself fall back on her bed, a single thought rang out in her mind.

"What would be considered the right moment?"