So I have three fics to write-> pinning this for the time being so I remember what to work on.
1. Flowers of Contempt -> in progress and several chapters posted.
To show his hatred for one King Steve, Eddie begins to weld beautiful flowers with insults imbued into them to gift Steve. Steve does not know flower language.
2. Letters from Hell-> in progress and a chapter is up
Steve and Eddie become pen pals purely out of boredom. Steve begins to tell Eddie about the Upside Down through his anonymous notes. The notes only make Eddie realize that thereâs danger at Forest Hills, and he doesnât know how to keep himself, or anyone else, safe.
3. That One Strange Night -> Waitlisted
Eddie finds Robin and Steve high out of their minds. After they refuse to tell Eddie what drug it was, Eddie turns to desperate measures to ensure this new drug doesnât steal his clientele. If it did, then Eddie wouldnât be able to support Wayne. He resolves to listen to Robin and Steveâs conversations, and he finds out more than he ever meant to.
So Buck gets injured, as per usual (you can use the lightning strike) everyone is stressed and Eddie begins CPR.
Except he gives the 2 ventilations by mouth, no face mask, just lips to lips.
And Hen is standing behind, half brought out of her focus on getting Buckâs heart beating again because Eddie really did not need to do that.
That is not in their protocols anymore and Hen is holding the bag valve mask and 02 that they should be using.
But no, because through roughly 5 sets of CPR, Eddie is doing mouth breaths. Which they arenât supposed to be giving anymore. Right.
When they finally get spontaneous return of circulation and Buck is alive again, Hen just starts psychoanalyzing Eddie because what straight man breaks protocol to get his lips on his best friend?
He used a less effective strategy⊠and just⊠wow thereâs nothing gayer then going âthe cure to your lack of life is these lipsâ
AN: Iâm becoming an EMT now, weeewoooo and thought of this during our CPR class.
Okay for all the fics on what Buck was taking. A lot of people theorized it was prescribed for anti-anxiety. But I have an alternative.
The pills are an anti-convulsant.
Given Buck was struck by lightning and shocked with a cattle prod, issues controlling his muscles could be preemptively treated using drugs like Valium.
Valium is also used for anxiety attacks but is given in higher doses to work as anticonvulsants, explaining why Buck has enough of the drug to be able to abuse it.
The pill shape also matches the ones shown in the episode (though I know this doesnât mean much given that a lot of pills look the same)
I just donât see Buck opening up enough to be prescribed the meds for anti-anxiety (with the amount he was given). But I can see both opioids or anti-convulsants being possible.
Edit: I saw someone found that one of the pill bottles was Vicodin so check for opioids.
Thatâs my theory, Iâd love to hear what other people think.
I thought buck was being so dramatic in the diner with the whole âkill meâ speech and for a second I thought it was unrealistic.
Then I realized Iâd do the exact same shit, and probably have done something similar.
Heck. I was yelling in public how my roommate was going to kill me because she compared how I looked in the snow to the montage of the dead wives in movies.
Flambae and Robert were married before Flambae went to jail. Robert was heartbroken at putting away his own husband.
In the wake of Flambaeâs imprisonment, Robert is alone to care for their newborn daughter who was born the day Flambae was incarcerated.
Part 1
Available on AO3 Here
âŠ.
Getting Sharjeela from daycare had a sort of tenseness. His daughter hadnât picked up on it, but Robert was sorting through what to even say to his daughter.
Her papa had âgone awayâ. And now he was back.
How do you explain that to a four year old?
Then there was the added issue of Chase, who never met his husband and had no idea about anything except that he had been locked up.
All the photos and remnants of their time together were in a locked box or a storage unit.
With his daughter skipping beside him, he made his way back to his workstation to get Chase. He had washed his face, so hopefully it wasnât too red and blotchy. And he had grabbed a spare uniform shirt, given that Zahir had snotted all over the shirt he came in with.
Despite Sharjeelaâs rambling, Chase looked suspiciously at Robert who was silent. His eyes traced down his strained arm which held his babyâs hand.
Chase opened his mouth to speak, but Blazer whipped around the corner.
âWe should all talk.â She paused for a moment. âConference room A is open.â
Robert followed, his daughter trotting happily behind him.
When they got into the conference room they sat Robert down, who quickly hoisted his daughter into his lap.
âIâd like to say that was the best shift the Z-Team has ever had.â She smiled shyly, a way completely unbecoming of her image as Blond Blazer.
âEven with Invisigal and other members trying to go rogue?â Robert probes.
âYes. Thatâs a problem they have.â Blazer tapped her lip.
âI want to meet them all, on Monday. They think Iâm disposable so theyâre going to keep ignoring me.â Robert pauses. âIf you want me to fix the Z-Team, I need to be in charge.â
âWell, this is different then I expected.â Blazer chewed on her lip slightly.
âWe were going to have you cut someone.â Chase laughed out. âI was hoping to cut them all, but unfortunately Blazer has the same amount of hope as Lenny with Georgeâs gun to the back of his head.â Robert rolled his eyes and Blazer pursed her lips at the reference.
âJust give me some time to actually get to know the team.â Robert rubbed the bridge of his nose, his daughter tugging on his arm. âWe were lucky that Zaâ Flambae stopped Invisigal. She was banned from Grannyâs and really shouldnât have been there in the first place.â
âI really have a lot of hope for Invisigal.â Blazer says plainly, her strangely placed faith in the lowest ranking member of the Z Team mildly irritating Robert the more she affirmed it.
âBut what about everyone else? Donât they matter too? The heros that do their job with minimal screwing around.â Robert ran his fingers through his daughterâs ponytail. âFlambae, Malevola, Punch Up. They do their jobs. Why should I spend all my energy babying Invisigal?â Robert took a second to breathe. âIâll evaluate them all, set standards and those that fall behind get cut.â
âOkay, we hired you to help the Z Team, Iâll step back.â Blazer nodded, standing up. She put out her hands placatingly, then left. The door thudding closed quietly after slowly drifting shut. Leaving Robert and Chase with Sharjeela.
âWhatâs the minimum number of points the employed heroes get?â Robert asked blankly.
â100â Chase recited easily.
âOkay, so a minimum of 100 or else they get cut. Iâll give them some adjustment time, maybe see if I can have some of the employed heroes talk about how to increase scores.â Robert moved Shar over to his hip, bouncing her slightly as he walked to the door.
âAlso, while weâre here.â Robert moved back to the table, setting Sharjeela down on it.
âSharâs other father is back in the picture. I agreed to let him meet her.â Robert said quietly, leaning towards Chase so his daughter wouldnât hear.
âI thought he was in prison.â
âHe was.â Robert paused. âHeâs out.â
âThe only felons we have working here are on the Z Team.â Robert nodded, affirming Chaseâs suspicion.
âAnd only one is from Afghanistan.â Chase seethed slightly. âYou telling me that smarmy fââ His eyes slide over to Shar, whose attention is fully occupied clicking a pen. âIs my grandbabyâs father?â
âYes.â Robert nodded.
âAnd you married him?â Chase leaned in as he spoke.
âYes.â Robert nodded, again.
âSober?â Chase asked with a raised brow.
âYes.â Robert rolled his eyes at Chaseâs implication.
âWhy?â Chase waved his hands around, looking mildly scatterbrained at the news.
âHe was the love of my life.â Robert replied solemnly with a sigh.
âWhose fingers you cut off.â Chase folded the two fingers Flambae had lost.
âHe doesnât know that.â Robert shook his head slightly, glancing at his daughter who had taken out her clips, dark strands falling into her face.
âYou married him, and didnât tell him you were Mecha Man?â
âWell to be fair, he didnât tell me he was moonlighting as an arsonist after his shifts at the bar.â Robbery shrugged.
âAt least it isnât thumbilina or bat face.â Chase shrugged.
âWhen am I going to have to deal with him?â Chase rubbed his hand over his face in fatigue. âYou said he was meeting her.â He clarifies, gesturing vaguely in Sharjeelaâs direction.
âIâm coming in early on Monday to see him, is it possible we could come in like an hour earlier?â Robert asked slowly, watching as Chase huffed.
âFine, but I want to be there.â
âWhy?â
âAdult supervision. Also if he gets too hotheaded, you donât have powers.â Chase ducked his head slightly, almost reminiscent of his Track Star pose.
âZahir is not abusive.â Robert snarled slightly at the accusation.
âYea, but I remember those times after you visited him. Youâd get shitfaced and cry, babbling about how angry he was and how he didnât care about your baby.â Chase stated evenly. âI donât trust someone who did that to you. I donât trust someone who didnât spare a thought for their newborn.â
Robertâs jaw tightened. No matter how much his concerns angered him, he wasnât wrong.
âOkay.â
The drive home was tense, Sharjeelaâs rambling the only thing to break up the silence.
When they got home, Robert started to cook. Lazily starting on Hamburger Helper as his daughter crashed on the couch, laying belly up like a beached whale, with her hair loosely falling around her head.
Robert couldn't resist taking a photo.
When the smell of Hamburger Helper woke her, Robert was near elbow deep in the pan, dutifully scraping the bottom because he didnât want to burn it.
She padded towards the kitchen, sitting in the dining room and looking over the counter behind her at her father.
âDaddy, is it ready yet?â Robert shook his head before answering.
âNo, it's not ready yet.â
âDaddy, do I get powers too?â Robert startled a bit at the question.
âWhat do you mean?â
âThose other kids, this morning. They had powers.â She fumbled a little. âDo I get too?â
âMaybe, your other dad had powers. You could be like me or like him. Or something else entirely.â Robert shrugged.
âI want blondie powers.â Robert finished scraping, he turned down the heat and covered it before washing his hands and walking to his daughter.
âBlonde Blazer?â Robert questioned, making Sharjeela nod furiously. âWhy?â
âSheâs pretty.â Shar traced the wood grain on the chair.
âShe thinks youâre pretty too.â Robert watched her eyes light up.
âReally?â She nodded to herself. âI am very pretty.â
âYes, you are.â
She was quiet for a bit. And then Robert watched as she tottered off, hearing the zip of her bag opening and rustling for a significant amount of time.
Then she bubbled back around the corner.
âSee my drawing?â Shar questioned, already pushing her artwork towards him. It was slightly crumpled from her little hands.
âOh sweetie, thatâs amazing.â Shar jumped a bit in her seat.
âItâs you daddy.â She pointed at the abstract stick figure on the page.
âYou made daddy look so good.â Robert nodded, grabbing a magnet and placing it on the fridge.
âNo, you need to do your words first.â He walked the few paces to the table, pulling a stack of flashcards.
She groaned. âThen? After?â She buried her face into her arms, muffling her words.
âYes.â
Robert flicked through the flashcards, allowing her to read the short words.
âShe doesnât need to know how to read yet.â Chase remarked dryly.
âMy dad did it with me, it helps her get ahead in reading.â Robert justified, watching his daughter struggle through making the right vocal inflections to say cat.
When she finished, it was conveniently only a few seconds before he was even supposed to take the food off the stove.
He took it off the burner, using a wooden spoon to divvy it up into three bowls. He stuck an ice pack in Sharâs to help cool it down, mixing it in before removing it, leaving it warm to eat. He quickly rinsed off the ice pack.
He balanced the hot bowls, serving Chase and Sharjeela first before going back to get his own.
His daughter immediately dug in.
Robert hesitated, letting out a half breath, half interruption.
âSharjeela?â
His daughterâs head perked up.
âDo you know how you have another dad?â Chase stopped moving, watching as Sharjeela nodded.
âYea, papa. He's not here now.â She shrugged.
âThatâs right, but heâs gonna come back soon.â Robert nodded slightly as he spoke.
âI can see him?â She smiled, flashing her pearly white teeth at her father.
âHeâs going to come see you on Monday.â Robert paused. âWeâll need to get up early and then we can go see him.
âPAPAAA!â Sharjeela cheered, before redevoting all her attention to the Hamburger Helper.
âWell, she doesnât seem to be concerned about it.â Chase replied dryly.
âI hope it stays that way.â
âŠ..
It did not stay that way.
In fact, it was the exact opposite of not concerned.
It was 6 am and his daughter was demanding that she try on half her dresses to pick out the one her papa would love the most.
He had to veto that princess dress because he knew Sharjeela would start itching uncontrollably if she tried to play at daycare with it on.
It had been half an hour of zipping up dresses and a lot of frustration on both Robert and Sharjeelaâs behalf.
Finally they had settled on something comfortable, a little pale green dress covered in foliage designs. Daisies bloomed all over her dress and the neckline featured cloth butterflies climbing around her collarbones.
Robert zipped and buttoned the dress and Shar twirled and didnât screech about it looking bad.
She turned around, looking up at her father.
âBraid?â She traced her hairline, and wow did he regret letting Veronica (Vitality) come over and braid her hair.
Robert brought his daughter to the sink of the bathroom, brushing through her hair with a wet hairbrush. The wet hair at least made it easier as he made a mini waterfall braid, gradually adding more hair as he moved across her scalp, making what was essentially a small braided headband across her hairline. Thankfully this style also kept her hair conveniently out of her face.
He wiped her face with a wet towel, then gave her a toothbrush, allowing her to scrub her teeth while he buttoned his shirt up.
His daughter smiled brightly at him. And Robert opened the drawer, pulling out a butterfly clip, attaching it to the end of the braid, covering the elastic.
Sharjeela leaned over to the drawer, picking out a sparkly chapstick. Quickly uncapping it and moving her uncoordinated hand to attempt to put it on.
Robert quickly caught her, taking the chapstick and applying it carefully. Sharjeela turned to look at herself in the mirror.
âPerfect.â
Her mouth screwed up a bit, eyes darting over her appearance.
âWill papa like?â She turned back, her glowing brown eyes peering up at him.
âPapa will love you.â Robert kissed her forehead.
âYouâre perfect.â Robbery parroted back to her, his face stretching into an affectionate smile.
Sharjeela nodded, an overly serious expression on her face and determination twinkling in her eyes.
Robert picked his daughter up and placed her gently on the floor.
She skipped around, way too awake this morning. Meaning sheâd likely crash and fall asleep by midday.
She ate breakfast very quickly, gulping down her orange juice before running and grabbing her bag.
Robert quickly cleared the table, grabbing two containers of Hamburger Helper from the fridge for himself and Chase.
By the time they had packed themselves into the car, the sun was finally peeking out, but a majority of the sky was shrouded in darkness.
Sharjeela was uncharacteristically silent, choosing to pensively stare out the window during the entire ride to work.
When they were about halfway there, Robertâs phone buzzed.
Zahir: Iâm here.
Robert nervously gulped in anticipation for what was bound to happen in just a few minutes.
When they pulled in, Robert had to pull himself up from his seat. He went on autopilot, unfastening Sharjeela from her seat and instead of putting her on the ground, propped her up on his hip and headed towards the doors of the desolate SDN building.
Robert followed the few lights that were on, leading an unsettling trail to the employee break room next to his cubicle.
Robert felt Sharjeela push her face into his shoulder, peeking out slightly when they entered the bright break room.
Zahir sat in one of the seats, black hair cascading down his shoulders and wearing another one of his silken button ups.
Chase shut the door, locking it and taking his position like a gargoyle. Back pressed to the door as he glared at Zahir.
Sharjeela peeked out again, looking at Zahir.
The second they made eye contact, Zahirâs face softened and his eyes sparkled with tears.
âJoon-am.â Zahir whispered to himself in disbelief. He blinked rapidly to dispel the tears clouding the vision of his baby girl.
Robert crept over slowly, placing her gently in front of her Papa.
Her dress unscrunched and swung slightly back and forth. She peeked up at Zahir, her gaze dropping down to her own hair and then back up at his.
âPapa?â Sharjeela reached out towards his hair and Zahir bowed his head, allowing her to run her fingers through his hair.
With his head down, Robert saw as teardrops fell on the floor, hidden from his daughterâs view.
Zahir wiped the tears off his face, peering up at his daughter from under his hair which partially shielded his face.
âYes?â Zahir whispered back to his daughter.
âYouâre back.â She smiled at him, putting a hand on his knee and attempting to climb up to him.
Zahir glanced at Robert, fingers twitching towards his daughter. Robert nodded, and Zahirâs fingers slowly wrapped around their daughterâs waist, tugging her up to sit on his lap.
âYouâre staying now, right?â Sharjeelaâs feet stretch across his thighs, fingers clutched in his soft shirt.
âYes, Iâm staying. Forever.â Zahir nodded furiously, the arm supporting her back tightening.
After a few moments of basking in each otherâs presence, Zahir readjusted his daughter. Moving her to face him.
He cupped her face, eyes flickering over every feature. He committed each small detail to his memory reverently.
âSpark pretty?â She questioned, eyes boring into her Papaâs.
âYou are the most beautiful creature Iâve ever seen.â Zahir smiled, tears carving paths freely down his cheeks.
âWhy sad?â Sharjeelaâs face twisted in distress at recognition of his tears. She shifted, wrapping her Papa in her arms and furiously squeezing.
âNo, Joon-am. Iâm just so happy. I love you so much.â Zahirâs arms bundled his daughter tighter. He focused on imprinting her into his memory, holding her as close as possible, hearing her heartbeat and breaths.
A scuff drew Zahirâs attention for a moment. Looking up in time to see Robert wiping tears from his eyes.
Chase glared at Zahir suspiciously, eyes lingering slightly above his head.
Sharjeela burrowed closer into her Papa, folding her body into his chest, cheek resting on his shoulder. Her fingers moved, slithering her small palm into Zahirâs and intertwining their fingers.
Zahir felt her small body relax, melting on top of him as her breath evened out. He leaned down and kissed her forehead.
âWaârmâ she muttered, eyes flickering closed.
Zahirâs expression morphed minutely, he looked star struck, face glowing with joy and wonder as he cradled his baby.
He looked up at Robert, a blindingly tender smile stretching his cheeks.
Robert looked at them, momentarily seeing a much younger Zahir with a swaddle in his arms looking proudly at his husband as if to say âlook what we madeâ.
What should have been. The cool grief of it all rolling over Robert momentarily.
They stood there in silence. Chase eventually ambled over and sat at the table, Robert did so as well, but pulled up a chair next to Zahir.
Robert leaned slightly on his husband. Heat radiating from Zahirâs body and flickers of sparks flying off his hair.
The heat retreated for a second, Robert looked up at Zahir and gave him a stink eye.
But Zahirâs soft smile just twitched and he tilted his head towards his shoulder.
Robert took the indication, scooting himself closer and burrowing into Zahirâs side. Once Robert settled, Zahir warmed himself back up again. Robertâs body relaxed on reflex and he found himself similarly drifting to a murky place between wakefulness and sleep.
The faint jingle of the door brought Robert slowly back into wakefulness. Stirring him only for a second.
He glanced around the room, but found nobody and the door still firmly shut.
Zahir found himself reluctant to move, his husband at his side and his daughter cradled in his arms. A profound sense of rightness warmed his heart, he just didnât know how he could ever let go.
Zahir felt both their heartbeats, drumming peacefully against him.
Robertâs was familiar, the strong beats played a soothing song against his arm.
Zahirâs fingers pressed gently into his daughterâs wrist, feeling her blood thrum rhythmically under his fingers. The life flowing through her veins, because she was here. His baby.
In this moment he had everything.
He glanced out and, watching as the shaded windows gradually grew lighter as people began to arrive.
And now, heâd have to part with it. Temporarily, he prayed.
Because if he did enough, instead of going back to his apartment alone, heâd have this every night.
He felt the weight of his world in his arms, and didnât know how to disturb her. Instead, he nudged Robert gently, whose eyes quickly flicked open.
He groaned, but quickly took note of the increased brightness.
Then he looked at Zahir who wore a pained expression. Arms slightly tightening around his daughter.
Work was starting.
âYou can carry her down to daycare with me.â Robert whispered, a soft smile dancing on the edges of his lips. He stood, guiding Zahir to do so slowly as well.
He readjusted his arms, catching where her weight shifted. He dutifully followed Robert, who led them through the winding halls of SDN before finally arriving at the daycare.
Zahir stayed, staring at Robert, pleading etched into his eyes.
âStop by at my desk for lunch, we can go eat with her.â Robert offers.
Zahir nodded firmly, then he leaned down and peppered his daughter's face with kisses. Her nose scrunched and her big brown eyes opened drowsily.
She stretched like a cat, her back, legs, and arms all pushing away from herself dramatically.
âPapa?â She muttered, eyes focused solely on Zahir.
âItâs time to go to daycare.â Robert reminded her. Her face scrunched up in annoyance.
âWhat about Papa?â She mumbled in a slightly accusatory tone.
âHeâs coming to see you at lunch too.â Robert reassures her.
Sharjeela looked up at Zahir, arching a brow at him.
Zahir confirmed it with a nod. âIâll be there Joon-am.â
A smile spread across her cheeks, wiggling a little to hug her Papa tighter. âI love you, Papa.â She whispered to Zahir before loosening her grip and fidgeting until Zahir set her feet carefully on the ground.
Robert glanced at Zahir, stifling a giggle at the fact that flames flickered around his ears.
Zahir didnât notice, his total focus on Sharjeela as she hugged Robertâs leg.
âLove you, Daddy.â She smiled up at Robert, slowly creeping towards the door but struggling to turn away from them.
Finally the door opened and shut. The sound of it closing echoing through the hall.
Robert turned to head back to his desk, but a hand wrapping around his bicep stopped him.
Robert glanced back, eyes meeting with Zahirâs teary ones. Zahir moved slowly, telegraphing his movements as he moved Robert against the wall, arms wrapping firmly around him and Zahirâs face ducked into Robertâs shoulder.
âThank you, just thank you so much. This is the best day of my life.â Zahir choked slightly on his words, fingers curling into the fabric of Robertâs shirt. Zahirâs quick breaths blew unnaturally warm on Robertâs shoulder.
âThe best day of his lifeâŠâ Robert mulled over his words. âAnd itâs only 8:30.â
Robert squeezed him back gently.
Zahir reluctantly pulled himself away, quickly wiping any salty dryness from his face.
âWe have to get back, I have to get the Z Team together for a meeting.â Robert said with forced professionalism.
Zahir nodded, trailing behind Robert until he picked up his headset, automatically connecting to all available members of the Z Team.
âHello, it is Robert Robertson, your dispatcher. Please meet in Conference room B by 8:50. Donât be late.â Robert looked back up at Zahir who wasnât dressed in his hero attire.
Robert clicked off his headset and set it down.
âDonât worry about changing, Iâll give you 20 minutes after the meeting to get ready.â Robert stated before walking to Conference room B, giving Zahir a moment to collect himself.
The Z team slowly filtered in, they looked exactly like their photos, which was helpful as he reflected on the information he had regarding each of them.
Malevola appeared seconds before it hit 8:50. Robert glanced at the door, Flambae still wasnât here yet.
Robert sighed, rearing himself up to speak when the door was pushed open and Flambae entered. Still in his casual clothes but looking less puffy eyed and red then before.
He dropped into the closest open seat next to Prism who had been eyeing Robert suspiciously the entire time.
âOkay.â Robert started. âBlonde Blazer and Chase were planning on having me cutting one of you.â
A ripple of discomfort surged through the room.
âBut, unfortunately, Chase and Blazer are no longer in charge of you all. I am.â
âWhat fucking super hero group did you come from? The fucking geek squad?â Prism laughed, her eyes holding a sharpness that wasnât in the slightest humorous.
Flambae perked up, eyes widening in shock at Prismâs jab. His husband was never a heroâŠ
but he was here, meaning he was.
âIt doesnât matter where Iâm from Cardi-C. Iâm here to see who can make this program work.â Robert paused. âSo Iâm not just cutting one of you, Iâm cutting everybody who doesnât start making a hundred point average in the next three weeks.â
Discontent ripples through the room. Mumbled objections and sarcastic comments buzz around the room for a moment.
âMost people when they look around this room would see a bunch of villains, not even the super kind, just regular ass vanilla fucking villains.â Robert paused scanning over the faces of each person sitting at the table.
âLuckily for all of you, Iâm not most people. When I look around this room, I seeâŠâ
His gaze landed on Flambae.
âFear.â Robert begins to move around the table. âYouâre afraid that youâre going to fuck it up again. Like the last time someone gave you a shot, and the time before that, and the time before that.â He punctuated each repetition.
âYouâre afraid of letting people down again, youâre afraid of letting yourself down.â Robert took a steadying breath. âIf you want this time to be different then those other times, Iâm here to help.â
âIâm not just going to leave you by yourselves. If any of you feel youâre struggling to meet the minimum number of points, Iâll arrange a meeting with a higher ranking hero of your skill set. That way they can advise you on how to increase your performance.â
âAny physical issues, weâll design a device tailored to your disability to help you succeed.â He stared at Invisigal.
âAnd if any of you have issues with other team members, come to me. Anyone caught sabotaging another member will have an automatic 20 point deduction from their score for each offense.â
âPlay by the rules and work hard. Then none of you will be shoved back in your cells and left to rot.â Robert turned to leave, glancing back at the room to deliver one last thought.
âYouâre phoenixes, so show me what redemption looks like.â Then Robert leaves, ignoring the chatter perking up behind him.
Flambae leaves seconds later, looking at Robertâs back for a moment before darting to the locker room.
His mind raced. âHis husband was a hero? How could he have not known?â
âWhy hadnât Robert told him?â
His mind hopped back and forth from different possibilities. Unfortunately all riding a one way track to the fact that a confrontation with Robert could lead to Sharjeelaâs removal from his life.
So they had both been lying.
At least Robertâs reasoning had been admirable, a hero. Making the world a better place for their daughter. Flambae struggled to breathe, splashing his face with water to force mental clarity.
âWhatever is going on, he has to be careful.â
He didnât want the strand of hope, which had pulled him out from that prison, to snap, leaving his husband and daughter out of reach.
AN: Joon-am translates to my life btw <3
So, Zahir is going to have some fun âą~âą Iâm already halfway through the next chapter and Iâm probably going to post it tomorrow, maybe today if I get enough motivation.
So, if you canât tell, I donât really like Invisigal? Sheâs a traitor who rides the line and waits for a strong wind to sway her one way or the other. I also donât like blazer going âlol cut someoneâ while having him give special attention to Invisigal. So I fixed the bits that annoyed me.
Invisigal has a pretty important scene next chapter which confirms some of yaâlls suspicions on when sheâs there or not. Feel free to guess which ones, I did leave clues.
This is pt 1 of a flambert fic based on a concept from @dirtycombatboots
Linked here
A Spark ~3100 words
Flambae and Robert were married before Flambae went to jail. Robert was heartbroken at putting away his own husband.
In the wake of Flambaeâs imprisonment, Robert is left alone to care for their newborn daughter who was born the day Flambae was incarcerated.
(Starts at the bar scene in the beginning of the game)
Available on AO3 here
âŠ..
When he saw Zahir again, he initially didnât recognize him. The dark bar cast shadows on his face and his blazing eyes were covered by a pair of sunglasses.
And it was a hero bar? The last place he expected to find his ex husband? Husband? They were still married on paper, just separated.
When Zahir spoke, Robert was pulled back to when he first visited him in jail. His anger filled ramblings about Mecha Man scared Robert, his rage at his own husband taking so long to visit. Zahir hadnât let Robert speak, crafting fatalistic endings for both Mecha Man and himself. Interrupting every word Robert tried to interject.
Robertâs visiting time ended and Zahir hadnât asked once about their surrogate. The one that was due 3 days ago, but had gone into labor a little early forcing Robert to choose between his husband and their child.
He had chosen their daughter, their Sharjeela, their little spark.
Robertâs guilt had been overrun with rage. Whatever this man in front of him was, was not his husband. This was not the man he had a child with.
It had taken forever to get a sitter that he trusted with his one week old baby. Eventually calling Track Star for the first time in forever, who listened to Robert intently as he explained her barely formed routine with a questioning twist engraved on Chaseâs face.
The flickers of the despair he experienced that night tightened his chest.
Zahir was acting the same way and he couldnât help but overlay his mad rambles from his time in prison on the way he spoke to Robert. He scarcely heard the hate soaked words his husband threw at him.
The emotional weariness Robert felt lead to him throwing water to douse his husbandâs flames. And then his husband was swinging at him and before Robert could move to defend himself, Zahir tripped and lost his tooth to the bar.
His first night out since waking up and thatâs how it goes.
Great. Now he was scared as to what Blonde Blazerâs proposition entailed.
When they met outside and she explained the job to him, he was pleasantly surprised.
âWe could rebuild the MechaMan suit and pay off all the hospital bills from your fall.â Blond Blazer smiled at him, her patented billboard smile painted on her face as she tried to convince him..
âHow much will I be making?â Robert interrupted, rubbing his fingers on his brow as he mentally calculated childcare expenses.
Blind Blazerâs eyes widened and she startled slightly at his question.
âSorry, I just have a daughter I need to care for.â Robert shrugged, slightly embarrassed at sounding so money hungry.
âIf we wait on the MechSuit, we could definitely increase your salaryâŠâ she paused, rubbing her chin thoughtfully before speaking again. âAlso, we have a daycare at SDN. Free of charge.â
Robert relaxed slightly at the news. âWell, when do you want me in?â
âIdeally tomorrow.â Blonde Blazer seemed a little apprehensive at her own words in the face of the fact that Robert was a father.
âSure.â Robert shrugged, and then Blazer was gone.
Robert kicked his feet a bit over the ledge before pulling himself up and attempting the roof access door.
Thankfully, it gave way.
He made his way awkwardly through a small pizza place at the bottom of the stairs. He waved at the older woman staring at him apprehensively.
He exited and sighed again at his long walk home, only slightly reassured by the fact his little girl was at the end waiting for him.
âŠ
Robert didnât sleep much. He fitfully replayed what little he could remember from him and Zahirâs conversation. Each time he tried to sleep, he couldnât help but remember the endless prison visits that had eventually dwindled off as Robert realized Zahir wasnât going to even ask about their kid or listen to a word Robert had to say about her.
Finally he gave into tiredness and fell asleep. Seemingly only blinking before he was woken up by Chase throwing a shirt and pants at him, and the pitter patter of his four year old daughterâs footsteps.
âShar?â
Those little steps approached, and Robert was met with the blessed sight of his daughter. Her black hair tied back in a lopsided loose ponytail and hair clips clutched in her fists. She was already dressed, a new skill she had thrown fits to acquire but now used to visually assault her fatherâs eyes with sparkly shirts with cute dogs on them.
He kissed her forehead before sitting up and taking the clips from her.
âTurn around, let me fix that.â Sharjeela bounced between the pads of her feet as she turned around. Giggling at the sensation of Robert gently pulling out her hair tie and retying it. He swept away some of her baby hairs and fastened them down using her red clips.
She bounced around a little once he let her go, turning around so Robert could check her hair.
âDaddy.â She looked at him very seriously before dramatically pointing at her own head. âHair Good?â
Robert laughed. âYea baby, your hair looks good. Youâll be the prettiest one there.â He scooped her up, struggling slightly because of the coma weakness, but securing her on his hip as he walked to the table. He set her down, pouring her some Cheerios and milk and dumping food into Beefâs bowl. Chase came in, allowing Robert to leave and get himself ready.
âGampy!â Chase huffed at the name like he always did.
Robert busied himself by showering and dressing himself quickly. When he came back out, his daughter had her backpack on and was singing âRainbow Connectionâ very poorly. Beef watched, wagging his tail in joy at the last few moments before his family left for work.
âShar-shar, ready to go to work with daddy?â His daughter cheered, bouncing so hard that Robert was afraid sheâd give herself whiplash.
Chase had a car, and now that he worked with him, Robert appreciated this fact significantly more. He dutifully strapped in his daughter before opening the door to get in the passengerâs side.
Then the car rolled forward.
âChase.â Robert groaned. Taking a few steps forward to attempt to get in again. Only for the car to pull forward again, leading to his daughter bursting out into laughter.
âHey, keep up.â At that, Robert half jumped into the seat, pulling the door shut a second before the tires began to roll again.
Sharjeela was laughing in the back seat, giggling uncontrollably and struggling to huff air back into her lungs.
He was again assaulted by the sound of Rainbow Connection, now coming from the speakers in Kermitâs nasally tone.
Robert glared at Chase, whose eyes sparkled with mirth.
By the time he got to work, his ears were slightly irritated but he was not much worse for wear.
They walked into SDN and were greeted with a trail of water and a man failing at tying his tie pretty spectacularly.
Robert looked over at him and then back at Chase.
âIâll go get Blazer, you do whatever weird hero complex crap youâre thinking of.â Chase shrugged, continuing through the doors at the other end of the lobby.
Robert made his way over to the man, his daughter trailing behind him, peeking out from behind his leg.
âYep, that is not right, that is not right-â the man rambled to himself as he just twirled the tie around himself.
âHey, just let me help you with that.â Robert sat next to him.
The man slightly recoiled, âNope that is not- necessary.â He was interrupted by Robert taking the tie ends and pulling him forward. His daughter climbed next to him and leaned against Robert.
âItâs soaked. You nervous? Big job interview?â Robert questioned as he began to fix the manâs tie.
âNo. I meanâ Yes, but no yes as is moreâ-my powers make everything we- moist. Waterboy is how they call me..â Waterboy perks up, noticing Sharjeela. âOh, hi? Little one.â He looks back at Robert who smiles at him.
âSince we skipped the whole introducing ourselves. Iâm Robert, this is my daughter Sharjeela.â Robert finished fastening his tie.
âShar-Sharjeela. Thatâs aâ- itâs a really nice name.â Waterboy fumbled over his words, but Sharjeela didnât seem to notice, smiling at Waterboy. âIs that name froâ somewhere? Sorry to ask.â
âItâs an Arab name, her other father picked it out before we separated." Robert leaned away slightly from Waterboy to pull his daughter closer.
âOh- Iâm so sorryââ dumb of me to ask.â Waterboy scrambled.
âNo, itâs not an issue. Her father was from Afghanistan, so we wanted her to be connected with some of her heritage.â Robert smiled at his daughter who grinned thoughtlessly back.
Footsteps approached and Robert looked up to find Blazer walking up to them.
âOh I wasnât sure youâd show up.â
Waterboy floundered a little, standing up to greet her. âUh. Wowâ Blazer. Blonde. A real heroâ
âOh sorry, but I need him for something.â Blond Blazer tapped on Robertâs shoulder. Robert turned to face her, ushering his daughter off the couch.
âHi missy.â Blazer leans down to greet Sharjeela. âWhatâs your name?â
âShar-jeela.â She replies confidently, nodding at herself in confirmation.
âAww, well isnât she the cutest.â Blazer cooes, turning back to Robert.
âShe takes after her father.â Robert chuckled, blushing slightly at her words.
âAnyway, Iâll show you where youâll be working and then we can drop Sharjeela off at the daycare.â Blond Blazer nods before going around the office and pointing things out. Sharjeela nervously grabs his hand.
Robert notes the locations of the important things, mostly paying attention to his daughter as she grips his hand.
He specifically notes the bathroom because he kinda needed to go.
Finally he meets Chase in the records room. Who pulls up a program to show him his team.
He flicks through the profiles quickly, noting important information and attempting to ignore Chaseâs unknowing jabs as his ex-husband.
He flicks past Flambaeâs profile quickly. Spending his time distracting himself with the other herosâ information.
Robert was obviously not a fan of that, given that she was, you know, an assassin.
âDaycare time, if youâre done looking at Prismâs profile.â Blazer gave little jazz hands, which she directed at his daughter who seemed plenty amused and ignoring Robertâs blank stare.
She led him down the winding halls until they reached a secluded corner of the building. She opened the door and saw a myriad of children playing games and bouncing around.
âSharjeela, you ready honey?â Robert leans down to her, who wraps herself around his neck in a tight hug.
âNo, Daddy, can I stay with you?â She whines, burying her face in his shoulder.
âNo, you canât. But Iâll come visit you for lunch and we can hang out.â Robert reassures her. She pouts, but nods and accepts his answer.
âI love you daddy.â She clings a little tighter, pressing a kiss into his shoulder.
âI love you too sparky.â Robert kisses her on her cheek.
A daycare attendant comes over, reaching out to his daughter who reluctantly lets go after one last squeeze and takes her hand after Robert nods approvingly.
Robert stands, turning around to find a watery eyed Blazer. She sniffles a little.
âThat was so cute.â She coos, unswayed by Robertâs attempt at a glare with his own similarly misty eyes.
Robert just begins to walk to his work area, unsure of his cubicle, but spotting Chase over the dividers.
Chase perks up and waves him down.
âNow, new dispatchers start taking calls immediately because the turnover rate, especially with the Z Team, is too damn high to spend all our time training you.â Chase gestures at the cubicle next to him.
âThis is your workspace, Iâd say decorate how you see fit, but I already got something for you. And if it doesnât stay on that desk, you and I are going to have fucking a problem.â Chase hands Robert a picture frame. Robert canât help but smile as he recognizes the photo of them from Sharjeelaâs 4th birthday.
Chase has Sharjeelaâs hand under his own and is helping her push her dadâs head into the cake instead of the nice family photo Robert had been promised. Sharjeela's eyes catch the light in the photo and look like molten gold instead of her regular brown.
âThanks Chase.â He props the photo next to his computer. He gazes at the photo for a few seconds.
âNow if you get all fucking sappy on me, I will let Shar touch your eyelashes to wake you up.â Robert scoffs at Chaseâs threat.
âThatâs the evilest thing you ever let her do.â Robert glares at him.
âWell? Maybe if you had woken up after the first three fuckin tries I wouldnât have let your daughter go all eldritch bitch from the ring on you.â Chase disappears behind the divider.
Robert boots up the computer. And is greeted with a map, the simulation Blonde Blazer had him to earlier is nearly identical, except this time itâs lined with different heroes.
He flicks on his headset and speaks. âHey team. This is your dispatcher, Robert Robertson. Iâm starting my first shift-â
Laughter explodes on the other end of the line. Sonar starts listing different ways to say his name. But all the noise stops when Prism shouts.
âWAIT FLAMBAE, IS THIS YOUR ROBERT ROBERTSON?â
Zahirâs voice comes out small and strained. âYes.â
Prism screeches, woooing. The whole line joins in with either screeching or confused vocalizations.
Robert watches as the icon changes on the screen, indicating a private conversation.
âHey Bobert, can we talk after this shift?â Flambae says quietly.
âYea, sure.â Robert breathes out.
âI missed you.â Flambae whispers, almost unintelligibly.
âYea, me too.â
Then Robert flipped back to the other line. Sonar was talking about how Flambae lit the last dispatcher's car on fire and Flambae was silent.
Robert couldnât help the bit of disappointment crawling into his chest at the mention of Zahirâs criminal deeds.
But otherwise the shift went surprisingly well.
He got to see his daughter for a few minutes at lunch. Apparently she was fascinated by some of the other kids in her room with powers.
She split a Twinkie with him and then he went back to his desk.
He felt like he was really getting a hand on this whole dispatching thing. The hacking was easy thanks to years of experience with the Mech suit.
The only incident that happened was Invisigal attempting to go to Grannyâs but being beat there by Flambae instead.
Robert struggled not to admire Zahirâs intervention. His old sentimental feelings about his husband were hard to ignore as they bubbled up.
But when the shift was up, he went to the break room for a minute before going to get Sharjeela. Sonar was in there, randomly screeching, but Robert just got himself a cup of water to help his dry throat.
Zahir stalked in, he wore his civilian clothes, a silken looking red shirt with loose fitting pants. He shot Sonar a glare that left him groaning at walking out before closing and locking the door behind the bat man.
Robert waited for Zahir to speak, watching as he nervously fidgeted.
âIâm sorry, Iâm so sorry Robert. I ruined everything over my stupid temper.â Zahir choked. âI was going to contact you once this Phoenix program thing worked out. I wanted to show you I could change, for you.â His head dropped shamefully. âfor our baby.â Zahirâs whimpered, his eyes growing misty, quickly filling with tears which spilled down his cheeks.
âI justâ I just wanted to fix everything.â Zahirâs breaths turned ragged, his shoulders jumping as a heaving sob broke from his lungs.
Robert struggled to look at Zahir, his heart aching as he watched his husband cry, wanting to help fix it against all rationality.
âWhy did you do it? All of it.â Robert questioned firmly.
âI was always doing it. I was lying to you, I was so angry and I didnât want you to see.â Zahir sniffled. âThen my father found out.â Robert picked up on the unsaid âabout usâ. âand he started calling andâ the things he said. It made me so angry, so I went to the mall and burned it. He just made me feel so fucking worthless, I couldnât think. And then MechaMan caught me and I just kept getting angrier. I was so mad and I wasnât even sure what I was mad at anymore.â
âThen you stopped coming to see me.â Zahirâs shoulders shook. âAnd I didnât even notice that our Babyâs due date had passed.â Zahir curled into himself. His mumbled apologies were unintelligible as he sniffled and let out broken sobs.
âHer name is Sharjeela.â Robert said plainly, casting his gaze away from Zahir.
âThank you. Thank you, thank you so much.â Zahir repeated in a mournful tone.
Zahir looked up for a second, taking a few steps closer before apprehensively reaching towards Robert.
Robert caught the shine of Zahirâs ring on his finger.
Reluctantly he gave into sentiment and allowed Zahir to wrap his arms around him. Zahir pushed his face hard into Robertâs shoulder and gripped him so tight as if Robert could just disappear.
âI know you donât forgive me, but I promise Iâll do everything to earn it. I just want our family back, Azizam.â Zahir trembled under Robertâs arms.
Tears finally fell from Robertâs eyes, but he tried to brush them off with his hand.
Robert stayed in the near silence for a few moments. Mulling everything over.
âIâll have to talk to her, but come in early Monday.â
Zahir pulled back slightly, but his grip didnât falter. His orange eyes bore into Robert.
âI can see her?â Zahir questioned in disbelief.
âAs long as you donât light my car on fire.â Robert chuckled wetly.
Zahir stared into Robertâs eyes with a look of abject wonder. His hands slipped away from Robertâs sides and slithered upwards until they cupped his face. His thumbs darted out to tenderly wipe away Robertâs tears.
Zahir leaned in closer, his breath ghosting over Robertâs lips. He waited, only a few millimeters away from Robert.
Robertâs heart swelled, warmth filling his chest and his aches temporarily soothed because oh how he had missed his husband.
Robertâs arms readjusted themselves over Zahirâs shoulders and he pulled him in, closing that last bit of distance between them.
It was so much better than he remembered.
Robert could almost hear his wedding bells again.
AN: wow Iâm such a fucking sap. Jesus Christ. Part 2 coming soon because god I love the drama.
I hope I did your concept justice @dirtycombatboots <3
I want a divorced Flambert fanfic. Everything the same except Flambae and Robert were married. Flambae doesn't know Robert is Mecha Man and it was a part of their marital problems. So so many problems that they couldn't resolve like functioning adults because they are idiots. Robert left because he couldn't deal with Chad's moods anymore and it was a reason Flambae lost his shit a got busted by Mecha Man. Yes, during divorce Robert cut his husband's fingers off and put him in jail. Yes, Flambae blames Mecha Man for his divorce because he thinks they could work through issues and stay together if he wasn't in jail. And a few years later Flambae's new boss is his ex-husband. Basically the whole fanfic would be Chad and Robert figuring out their mess and reconciling. Additionally, they could be not actually divorced because process wasn't finished properly (too much bureaucracy, not enough mental energy to deal with it, one wrong document and voila, papers not processed) so technically still married but separated
The Serum at Vandlabs isnât quite what Robert and Flambae expected. Unfortunately for them, some flighty grad students exposed Flambae and Robert to an experimental treatment. Now, they must handle their mandatory quarantine together. (Takes place during episode 5 but Robert pursues neither romance route).
Part 1
âŠ..
âTell me you did not send anyone to Vandlabs for the robbery.â The voice comes clear over the phone, a stark contrast to the panicking or monotone reports he was used to.
âI did, why?â Robert replies slowly, eyes flickering to the Vandlabs on the map where Flambaeâs mission review was waiting to be viewed.
âGreat, so super heroes in a chemical bath.â The woman on the other end groaned. âDo you know if they followed biosafety procedures?â Robert could hear her foot tapping on the other end.
âWhat are the biosafety procedures?â Robert questioned apprehensively.
âWell, that answers my fucking question.â Another grumble. âYou need to call them and get them isolated. They need a quarantine and for the love of god DO NOT LET THEM COME IN CONTACT WITH ANY OTHER SUPER HEROS!â
Robert quickly swapped lines, immediately relaying what he had learned to Flambae..
âFlambae, donât come inside the building. Land in the grass patch and avoid all other heroes.â
Instead of a response, all he got was white noise.
âFLAMBAEâ Robert seethed into the microphone. The white noise continued to crackle in his ear as he frantically tried to think about his next steps.
Prism should be back.
He jumped from his seat, running the few paces it took to get to the break room.
âPrism?â Robert called from the doorway.
âThe fuck you-â Her head whipped around, bicolored hair swaying slightly as she fixed Robert with a glare.
âWhen Flambae flies back, where does he come in?!â Robert questions frantically.
âThe fuckin back entrance, itâs drafty as fuck back there, and itâs good to cool off in.â Prism scoffs, rolling her eyes before immediately returning to her phone.
Robert was gone before she finished.
When Robert finally burst through the back entrance, he found Flambae staring into the wind.
âFlambae, why the fuck didnât you answer?â Robert stressed, moving towards the fire hero quickly.
âI was over the ocean? Does your little bitch brain not understand what happens to electrical equipment when it gets wet? I tucked it away.â Flambae sassed in response, leaning against the wall.
âWell, apparently youâre a walking biohazard, so letâs get you away from the building full of superheroes.â Robert grabbed Flambaeâs bicep and dragged him away from the building and into the small patch of grass that ringed the building.
Robert swapped the channel back, âHello? Are you still there?â
âYes.â The response mildly shocked Robert, half not expecting her to be on the phone.
âIâve got Flambae, heâs away from SDN Headquarters.â Robert relayed, smushing his heel into the damp dirt below him.
âYou sent a Flame hero?â A strained sort of humor was present in her voice.
âYes?â Flambae took more interest in the conversation, leaning closer. His breath ghosted against Robertâs clipped ear.
âPoor bastard⊠Look, the drug is meant to stimulate the immune system to help fight cancer. But, Supers tend to not have the proper response to it. Since Flam-bae has come in contact with it, he absolutely can not interact with other superheroes. Normies that have been contaminated also canât come in contact with Supers either as they could have a reaction.â She stated, flipping easily from sympathetic to professional.
âSo what do we do?â Robert sighed.
âDonât go near anyone. Iâll be back soon and get you guys some immunosuppressants to prevent your NK cells from doing too much damage.â
âWhat does N.K. mean?â Robert asked, his eyebrows furrowing slightly at the unfamiliar term.
âNatural Killer.â Robert tensed.
âExcuse me, what? Why does the Red Ring want this stuff?â He implored frantically.
âMy guess, they probably read the report on the effects. They probably figured it would start pandemonium? We didnât know someone in our testing group was a super, his acid sweat mixed with panic shut down an entire hospital wing. Effects vary based on the power.â Robert could nearly hear the shrug in her voice.
âThis natural killer stuff wonât hurt us right?â Robert fretted, another humorless laugh bubbling in his throat.
ââŠâ
Flambae grabbed the mic, knuckles pressing into the side of Robertâs mouth. The sides of their heads pressed together. Flambaeâs cheek touched Robertâs and radiating unnatural heat.
âExcuse me, CAN YOU ANSWER THE QUESTION?â Flambae yelled. Robert winced at the small flecks of spit landing on his face.
âLook, itâs a simple question with a deceivingly worrying answer. The immunosuppressants will stop damage by NK cells, so donât worry about it.â She huffed a little. âOur biosafety officer is headed your way for decontamination.â
Thankfully the summer air plus Flambae meant standing outside was actually quite nice. Robert regained his presence of mind as the adrenaline faded. He quickly got on the phone with Blonde Blazer and relayed what little he knew about the situation to her.
âYour poor girlfriend.â Flambae sighed. âTiny and dysfunctional dick, and now bio-hazard.â He provided the visual aid of his pointer and thumb pressing closer to each other until only a millimeter was left between the pads of his fingers.
âShe is not my girlfriend.â Robert asserted, glaring at Flambae for his invasiveness.
Flambae laughed dismissively, it cut off suddenly, prompting Robert to turn and look up at Flambaeâs face.
âFuck, I had a date.â A slight scowl slipped onto Flambaeâs face as he pulled out his phone and seemingly began to text.
âWell, more time for you to get your tooth fixed at least.â Robert chuckled quietly, half nervously and half guiltily scratching the hair at the nape of his neck.
âWell at least I have dates. What do you do, sit alone at home, alone and you cry about being a fucking Normie?â Steam curled off Flambaeâs lips as his snarl deepened slightly.
âOkay, okay. No need to get hot about it.â Robert chortled slightly at his own pun. âYouâre under the influence of strange drugs, so you deserve some slack.â He waves dismissively in Flambaeâs direction.
Flambae rolls his eyes.
Robert looked up at the surprisingly clear sky, which usually had heroes fluttering to and from SDN headquarters.
A few white trucks pulled into the lot. Instead of the hazmat suits Robert would expect, they were clothed semi-professionally with masks.
A man approached, beckoning Flambae and Robert closer. They both moved somewhat apprehensively towards him, taking in the manâs grey, thinning hair and medium stature.
âHello, you both need to go through some decontamination procedures. Thankfully we just need to clean you both off, the contaminant was mild but weâre mostly worried about making sure Flambae doesnât absorb any more of the drug.â The older man gestured between the two of them and landed in Flambaeâs direction.
The man then led them back to the side of a truck where a tent had been propped against the side. They stepped on the thin plastic sheet on the floor and entered the tent.
âPlease remove all clothing.â A firm voice demanded.
Robert quickly whipped off his shirt and pants. He hooked his thumbs in his underwear before pausing, remembering Flambaeâs presence next to him. He glanced slightly at Flambae, quickly noticing that he was entirely naked already with his black hair cascading down his back, falling smoothly over his muscles. Robert hurriedly averted his eyes and pulled off his underwear.
The men, now in hazmat suits, held shower heads. Flambae was ushered ahead. Robert gave up on averting his vision, looking at the man ahead of him to get a read on what he would also have to go through.
Flambae flinched at the cold water, which Robert guessed felt even cooler given the fact he had been on fire for 20 minutes a short while ago. Steam curled from his skin and Flambae was then being scrubbed with a brush, covering his skin in frothy soap. Surprisingly, he looked somewhat unbothered by this. Robert watched as the crew treated Flambae indelicately, but efficiently. They shouted occasional orders at him, making him lift his arms and spread his feet apart. Flambaeâs face tensed when they passed the brush over his dick, but they quickly moved on to his thighs.
âTurnâ
He quickly complied and then his back was being scrubbed down. Once they were finished, he was drenched in more water to wash off the soap.
Then Flambae was ushered forwards and Robert took a few steps before being similarly drenched in water. The brush surprised Robert, despite expecting it. He jumped, panic slightly flashing in his brain whenever it rubbed a sensitive spot or touched his dick.
âTurnâ Robert quickly complied.
In no time and also an eternity, he was being rinsed off and stepped through to the next section of the tent where towels were being shoved into his hands and he quickly wiped himself off. When he attempted to cover himself with one he was promptly reprimanded.
âDrop the towel once you are done with it.â
Robert was mildly horrified to drop his towels with Flambaeâs, but luckily he didnât stay naked for long. He was dressed in an oversized gown and pushed into the warm summer air outside the tent.
He was guided to a gurney next to another where Flambae sat. He took his place on the other gurney as a paramedic fluttered between the two of them, taking vitals and asking a battery of basic health questions.
Her lips pursed when she looked at Flambaeâs temperature readings.
âWhatâs your resting body temp?â She questioned professionally.
â100â Flambae replied curtly, he only received a nod from her in response.
âOkay, weâre bringing you two to the hospital for a few more tests.â She signaled someone else and then they loaded the men into an ambulance. âMy partner will be in the back with you.â
Another paramedic jumped in the back with them. He quickly secured them before closing the doors.
Robert sighed, letting his eyes and shoulders droop.
âDonât close your eyes Bob bob, I might decide to strangle you for sending me on that motherfucking mission.â Flambae threatened, his voice getting lower the more he spoke.
Robert fixed him with a glare.
âIf you werenât a Normie, you might actually look like anything other than a small posturing wet weasel. Unfortunately, you look like a pathetic little weasel.â Flambae unnecessarily commented.
âYouâre off the usual topic of my dick. What, your curiosity satisfied? Was it everything youâve been dreaming of?â Robert snarked in return.
âWell- uh.â Flambae became progressively more red as he tried to come up with a rebuttal. He huffed out a breath of steam and his face grew progressively more flushed.
âThatâs what I thought.â Robert remarked in the wake of Flambaeâs silence.
The paramedicâs eyes, on the other hand, were jumping between the two, despite his stony expression.
When they got to the hospital they were immediately separated. Robert zoned out as he was treated, being poked, prodded, and squeezed in ways he had learned to tune out. Eventually, once they finished, Flambae and Robert were moved back into the same room.
âŠ
âSorry it took so long to get here, I was in a conference out of town.â A woman walked into their room, she looked more like a warehouse worker than a doctor. âIâm the one you talked to over the phone, I apologize for the actions of my staff. Some of the new grad students freaked out and contacted SDN instead of following proper biosafety and radioactivity protocols.â
âRadioactivity?â
âThe dosage was minor, but as a precaution youâll both need to isolate for a week. Youâll be put on a course of immunosuppressants to control any adverse effects of the treatment. Any side effects will likely be minor. Chad, you should avoid using your powers as you may lack your previous control until the treatment has run its course.â She took a breath, refocusing on them expectantly. âAny questions?â
âYea, what are those Natural Killerâ He paused and waved his hand randomly. âwhateverthefucks you were talking about before?â Flambae asked in a slightly more strained tone than usual.
âOh, theyâre a type of immune cell that kills tumor cells. Overactivity leads to inflammation, tissue death, and swelling. But the Tacrolimus should prevent any further damage, my one note is to avoid grapefruit and other medications while taking it.â She paused, taking a breath. âYour charts both came back good, so nothing majorly wrong. Iâd recommend someone to monitor Chad at home and care for him as he may experience some minor adverse effects.â
âAny other questions?â She prompted, but neither man responded.
âOkay, well youâll be monitored tonight and discharged tomorrow morning.â She smiled, but the smile quickly slipped off her face. âIâd like to again apologize for this oversight, our lawyers will be in contact with SDNâs to negotiate your compensation and the student employee will be punished accordingly.â She nodded and then left.
Robert broke the silence in the room.
âWell, that went well.â He deadpanned.
Flambae opened his mouth to respond, but then a woman walked in. She was dressed in business casual attire, she had midlength hair and blue eyes.
âOn behalf of SDN, Iâm here to let you know you will both be off work for 7 days starting tomorrow. Since your personal belongings were damaged doing your job, you will be compensated for their loss and your phones will be replaced.â She smiled pleasantly. âWeâll provide you both with a car to drive home.â
âWho are you?â Robert asks dryly.
âMandy, I work in management. Itâs nice to meet you both.â She smiled and Robert could help but find her incredibly familiar. But, she was already leaving before Robert could get a better look.
Apparently Flambert is what it takes to get me back into the game. Not enough content so I have to make my own.
Anyone who wants to be tagged, let me know. Itâs on AO3 too, here
I saw the Vandlabs mission and thought âdoes nobody care about biosafety?â Anyway, I made it radioactive too because it justifies a quarantine so I can make them be gay. Itâs not overly accurate on the actual procedure but the science is very grounded in reality.
Life update, For anyone who was already following me. I might return to my Steddie fics? Idk. They deal with some topics I was trying to deal with and rehashing them. Iâm in a support group and trying to figure out therapy. Iâm doing well but college and work keeps me busy. Iâll look at them again and might have another chapter out soon.
Eddie realizes he has feelings for Buck, but he doesn't know how to make a move or how to flirt anymore, so he just starts wearing sluttier and sluttier tank tops in the hopes of enticing Buck into making a move first
