The Z-Team is being sent on a short-term work trip. The only problem is that the destination is hours away… and the way carpooling ended up having Flambae, Prism, and Waterboy crammed into Robert’s shitty little Honda Civic… and whatever weird combination of flirting, bonding, and bullying each other is going on in the passenger seats. Not to mention Waterboy’s surprising taste in music.
This was going to be a long drive… especially when that work trip was to a conference being held by the Salt Lake City SDN— and considering how many PR nightmares they’d already caused? Things were only downhill from here.
Chad is totally an overprotective boyfriend, but nobody pacifies his rage like Herm. Chances are somethings about to be catch on fire--but Herm's always there to put it out.
He likes it, he's good at it, and if he needs it he knows how to go and get it. But when it comes to including it committed relationships...that's where everything starts to crumble.
You see, Herm is sweet. He is nice and afraid of conflict and will always try and bend over backwards for someone else before he even thinks about voicing his own needs and boundaries. And that's not a bad thing. In fact, in some ways, it's what makes him such a great hero.
But it makes it easy to take advantage of him. Makes it easy for the worst of the worst to sniff him out as a weak target.
And that's how all his old relationships started out. Someone finding him, targeting him, and bending him to their will. They're wants. They're needs.
So that's how sex comes into play. Because it's always been weaponised against him by boyfriends past. If you love me you'll let me fuck you. If you're really sorry, you'll suck my dick. If you do that again, I won't be so gentle.
So when he starts dating Chad he just assume the same thing will happen. That's just how it is when you care about someone. And Chad is kind of dominating and rough anyway. He grips the back of Herm's neck when they kiss. He pins his hands above his head when he rides him on plastic sheets. He grips his hair tight while he swallows every last boiling drop.
But hes...nice. He listens. He's a bit blunt and a bit rude but he remembers to toast Herms sandwiches. He remembers what episode of Desperate House wives he's on so they can watch it mindlessly while they eat dinner. He remembers what shampoo he uses and how much he hates wearing socks, heating the floor whenever he's standing barefoot in Chad's bathroom, brushing his teeth.
And that's a bit strange. But it doesn't make him think that sex is any different. That it can be used differently. Have different expectations in an actual healthy relationship.
So the first time they have a big fight that leaves Chad screaming and Herm crying, he doesn't think. He just does. Falling to his knees sobbing and apologising through hiccups. Hands shaking so hard as they fumble with Chad's belt. Water flowing, making his hands slippery.
And Chad is so confused he stops shouting.
Just telling Herm to quit it. To leave his pants alone. Stand up and be normal because what the fuck is he doing?
He ends up having to grab Herm's hands and hold them. Force him to stop. Sobbing and hiccuping and beging him to let Herm show him how sorry he is. That he didn't mean it.
And that's when it clicks.
The way Herm always shuts down when talking about his exes. The way he is so passive in bed even when Chad is encouraging him to take the lead. The way he shrinks when Chad knows he wants something. When he can tell he's uncomfortable.
And so he drops to the floor and just holds him. Says its ok, he's sorry too. They'll talk about it properly later but he never needs Herm to do that. That's not what sex is meant for and he really, really hopes they can talk about that later too. And Herm just nods. Sobs into his shoulder and holds him back.
Chad eases up on the roughness. Kissing him tenderly and taking his time. Letting Herm take control sometimes and checking in more than he ever has. And Herm realised sex in a relationship is meant to be something else entirely. That it can be nice and tense and slow. That it's not a demand or an expectation. That it can wait days even months. That it's not needed, but it's there for connection. For fun. He can stop anytime he wants and say no if he's not in the mood.
He hates how he can lift more than him at the gym. Hates how he's being favoured by Robert for heavy lifting calls. Hates how he can just push a car out of the way or tip a pile of rubble off someone with that stupid, innocent look of his. Skinny arms packing a punch, literally, that no one expects.
Until one day when Herm pushes him against the brick wall in the ally behind sardines. Pressing large wet palms into the back of Chad's thighs and lifting him like he weighs nothing. Lips never leaving his mouth even as the steam bellows and he whimpers so pathetically against Chad's tongue.
Then, and only then, does Chad briefly forget his hate for Herm being stronger than him.
i actually have a lot of thoughts considering herm's kinks and the ways he wants to be treated during sex? my main thought is that mostly he likes it gentle. he likes to be praised and wants to just let go of his worries and be treated like something precious. he likes when his partner gets a bit rough (mostly just getting manhandled just a tiny bit. being pinned, the pace being faster and harder, bitten, that kind of stuff) with him from time to time, but he needs to be in the certain mood for that.
buuuuut... i thought about waterboy who "likes" getting treated badly during sex because that's technically all he knows. all his exes choked him, slapped him, just were really rough with him in general and he doesn't know that he can get treated differently. he did it just so they won't get upset or mad at him.
watermech addition: when him and robert get together and they have their first time, robert is just so extra soft and gentle with herm. he kisses him and praises him so much and herm gets confused because this is "not normal" for him. herm's head just goes "why is he not being mean? why is he not calling me mean things? why is he being so nice?? what is going on????" and when they finish herm does cry a little. robert gets worried that he did something wrong, but herm just sobs out that he never got treated like this. he doesn't understand why is robert so nice to him.
already feel like deleting this LMAOOO ive never posted anything like this and it feels so weird and new but flambert took over me 💔 hoping to whoevers up there that ppl i know irl wont find this hsgsheb
The family tradition, if there is one, is dying in that suit.
(in another universe I had the patience to make the "cowl is a skull" mental image i had working. but im chuffed to have found a digital brush i vibe with)
