"Is this your first time visiting since..."
Since they arrested Shroud?
Robert smiles in a way that doesn't reach his eyes. "I told myself I didn't deserve to show my face until I put his killer behind bars. āI wonder who's been tidying up in my place."
The tombstone is simple. Clean. Discreet. No one would ever guess that this is where Mecha Man Astral lays, to one day be forgotten.
"Probably Chase. He always had good things to say about your old man. Could be Royd, too."
"He talked to Royd for an hour," Robert huffs, incredulous.
Flambae shrugs as he picks at an imaginary piece of lint. "You told me that's more than you two ever spoke, so," - his gaze drifts back over, settling on Robert's profile - "Get to it. You got shit to say to him."
Yeah. Yeah, he does. Robert hesitates.
A warm hand rests upon his shoulder, jostling Robert out of his paralysis. He moves slow, so the hand can follow, as he kneels down and places the bouquet of white and yellow chrysanthemums down.
Robert talks about wrecking the suit. About Z-Team. About how reckless and rowdy and full of life his team is. About his apartment furnishings. About Beef being kidnapped (read: adopted) by Chase.
"āand I wish you could have been here, to see all this happen. I know. I've talked your ear off, but there's one more thing I need to tell you."
With a deep breath, Robert places a hand atop the one at his shoulder and smiles when Flambae's grip heats up by a modest degree.
"I found someone, someone to love the way you loved umma. His name's Chad. You'd have hated him, until you realized he's great with cars, then you'd have loved him more than your own sonāwhich, he's pretty great, not gonna lie, so I wouldn't hold it against you."
Tears start welling up in both their eyes but Robert just laughs through them. "Shit... I wanted to tell you I outgrew this, too..."
Sniffling, Robert continues, "I, uhh... I figured I'd tell you this nowāI'm getting married."
This is, of course, news to Flambae, who pulls his hand back and croaks out, "You fucking wouldn'tā"
But Robert is already down on one knee and Flambae's like, "I cannot believe your bitch ass is proposing in a cemetary," - "I like to keep things classy," - "All right, fine! Yes! Now get up before someone sees us, you unbelievable selfish piece ofā"
Robert kisses him. Parting on a quiet cathartic sigh, he murmurs, "Thank you. For coming with me to do this."
Flambae makes a noncommital noise, only to press a kiss against Robert's temple. "Yeah, well, figured you were long overdue for this."
Sixteen years come and go, just like that, feeling lighter upon Robert's shoulders.
