WE JOKE. WE LAUGH, WE SUPPRESS OUR TRAUMA

23 | whatever day I'm having, Flambae is probably having a worse one | writing sometimes!

[mechabert]

Robert’s eyes scanned around the meeting room.Flambae’s space was vacant. “Wait, where’s Chad?”

His team’s postures stiffened at once. Various excuses rang from them all, at the same time.

“Uh… Car! Practice. Car practice.”

“I don’t know who that is. Is that the new guy?”

“This pepperoni looks so good. It’s like the Van Gogh of pizza. Kinda sad. Speaks to me.”

Phenomaman clearly looked at war with the unspoken pressure. And the pressure won.

“For the past couple of months, Flambae has been engaging in acts of vigilantism alongside his family and has asked us not to divulge this information to you. We were bribed with donuts in exchange for discretion,” He hung his head shamefully. “…The donuts have won.”

Robert blinked before scoffing. “Yeah, right.”

Or!

Vigilante! Flamefam AU I love you <333

[pillow-boi]

Ages ago I said I would draw more dispatch SO HERE IT IS 🙌

[pinrelin]

Not entirely sure if I like it. I might give it a few retouches tomorrow and see how i feel about it. This was supposed to be a powerswap doodle but it ended up turning into a silly fit exchange.

my first ever dispatch fanart and it took me 3 days, but hey, Flambae in heels, okay? also Prism is gorgeous im on my hands and knees for her

[mechabert]

Realized I never drew Beef before and that HAD to change

[flamberttext]

hello!!!!!! So I loved the one piece you made about Robert texting like beef and I thought that was so cute and was wondering if you could make more of those like maybe “beef” saying how much he likes Chad and that chad is a good dog dad cause come on Chad must have some insecurities underneath all that sass and ego no pressure ofc!!!!!!

[mechabert]

Chad: BOB BOB THIS ONE’S FOR YOU!! *misses*

[mechabert]

First time trying grayscale colouring!! Mayhaps??

[makaira-art]

Shitposting about Robert Dispatch again

(Blanket permission for any voice actors/writers to go ham. People have been begging for the latter)

Inspired by this post:

image description below

[Robert sighs, taking off headset, and slumps in his dispatching chair]

Flambae, walking over to Robert’s desk and leaning over with one hand on the back of the chair: puppy want a treat?

Robert, sliding hand down face tiredly: puppy want a fucking break from it all

Robert, tilting his head and opening his eyes: … ?

[camera pans out to Flambae pointing at Beef on Robert’s desk]

Flambae: … I was talking to Beef.

[Beef barks]

[Z-team over comms]

Invisigal: Robert oh my god I’m crying

Prism: ha HAAA get it bestie

Waterboy: con— um, congrats?

Flambae: SHUT THE FUCK UP

inspired by: image of tumblr post that reads “anonymous asked: puppy want a treat? reply by infectiouspiss: puppy want a fucking break from it all”

[flamberttext]

first time requester :D

what about a text conversation between a drunk flambae and robert BUT flambae thinks he is texting prism. flambae is texting about how he wants to marry robert and being gushy about it because he thinks he's texting prism, but robert is there reading these a little stunned and says he'll give an answer later. flambae wakes up, hungover, and has to deal with the consequences of his drunken actions lol

[mechabert]

Robert who loves Flambae’s place.

Loves it a lot, actually. It’s not particularly tied to the endless amount of resources Flambae is adamant he has free range to.

It’s not really the size, either. Robert grew in big empty houses before. This one is the perfect equilibrium.

It’s the family photos all over the walls. The pictures of Flambae and his father working on cars, smudged with oil and grease, the sun beaming on them.

It’s his niece’s recital schedule, her dental appointments carefully written down in bullet points. It’s the drawings of ‘mica man’ in that adorably messy style, covering the fridge.

It’s the dorky flame magnets on his refrigerator, spelling out ridiculous self-affirmations in janky places.

It’s the slippers for the team. Coop’s are the fluffiest. His are the warmest.

It’s the materials and fabrics and sketches all over. Some for outfits. Some of Beef. Robert steals those.

It’s not that they’re dating. They insist they’re not.

It’s just that Flambae has different coffee brands on hand, just in case Robert doesn’t leave.

It’s just that Robert never had to mention liking sweets, and there’s a fresh pack of Twinkie’s everytime he’s there.

It’s just that there’s an extra tube of toothpaste in Flambae’s bathroom, next to pretty, absurdly priced colognes.

It’s just that sometimes, he says ‘I can’t wait to go home’ and immediately thinks of Chad.

And sometimes, he doesn’t leave immediately.

Sometimes, he stays long enough that he experiences Chad waking up.

“Bob-Bob,” there’s something sweet about his voice, raspy and thick with sleep still. About that heaviness in his eyelashes, downcast and long and blinking slow.

About the frizz of his hair, which tickled Robert all night when Flambae held him. He didn’t move once. “Where’s the dumpling.”

“Chewing your shoes or planning world domination. Hopefully it’s the shoes. “

And he watches the way Chad rolls his eyes.

Watches that slow tug of his lips, melting in something warmer. Something that makes Robert full and hungry and fulfilled at the same time.

“Eat something before you leave.”

“Do I have to leave at all?”

“…Don’t ask stupid shit. Sit down.”

Robert holds him from behind the whole time. Neither of them mention it.

[s0rinarl]

clingy...

[p0p-vulture]

Oooouughhh don't mind me, I'm just imagining Flambae being recognized as a hero by some younger kids...... and the kids throw up a three-fingered salute....... and for a moment Flambae thinks they're making fun of him.... but his teammate points out that, no, dude, they're emulating you because they think you're cool........ and he stops to take a photo with them before heading back to base 🥺🥺🥺

[waterbrand101]

I feel like sometimes people forget Flambae is a loser pretending to be cool(admittedly also guilty calling myself out) Canon Flambae tries to be suave and do the arm on the wall next to Roberts head move, accidentally elbows the wall, reel back ends up tripping and falling down 30 flights of stairs and then gets up like "Meant to do that😎✨️🔥"

[cherryviolets]

They YEARN for each other so much, my god..

[mechabert]

Personally, the ‘Flambae being shocked to learn Robert Lore tm’ trope is so fun, but consider:

Robert is the new guy at work. Outside of his file, he knows close to nothing about Flambae unless it’s said through passive conversation over the comms.

Meanwhile, Flambae is shown to be surprisingly thoughtful about remembering people.

Him knowing Golem has an interest in flower pressing, remembering Prism doesn’t like pets (with bad attitudes!) and noticing enough about Robert that he’s able to make a connection between him and Mecha Man before the rest of the team.

Not to mention: He doesn’t like NOT knowing things about people. It’s not far fetched to say he’d remember small things about Robert.

So I raise you:

“You NOTICED that? You REMEMBER that?” Meeting “yeah! You’re nice to know.”

MIND YOU.

It’s not that Robert doesn’t care!! It’s just that Flambae accidentally hides information very efficiently.

He doesn’t even mean to. He just ASSUMES everyone knows.

For example:

Robert, at Flambae’s place for the first time: Hey, do you have a coaster or something for my drink?

Flambae: Yeah, just use this thing!

Robert: … This is a laminated thermodynamics degree.

Flambae: Oh yeah, they gave it to me while I was in college. I was just doodling my suit the whole time, idk

Robert, trying to keep track of his boyfriend’s origin story and being hit with 86 side quests at once:

[enderon]

Flambae is like: Who gives a shit about my career when my fat tits and fucking super powers are right here??

It's so funny if he doesn't share this shit cause he genuinely just does not see it as important or interesting compared to other things about himself.

This is a man with very specific priorities.

[mechabert]

I think it’s especially interesting when you consider that Chad IS open as well.

Not only does he trust the team, and consequently, Robert, by sharing personal things about his family, — which, sure, doesn’t seem like a lot, in the Team Of Oversharing TM.

But facts like his niece’s dance recitals, his positive relationship with his father and how he misses him.

Those are intimate details. Vulnerable details. The only ones we, as players and viewers, and Robert, actually know about him.

Flambae, as a character, is both himself 100% of the time, and his affections/respect is veiled the other 100% of the time.

I can’t help but think of the gym scene, where, thought roughly spoke in Asshole tm, he says he and the team need Robert. And only Robert.

He canonises Mecha Man as an actual hero despite their history, sure. But in the same breath, he also pretty much says the one guy he has the most reason to overlook is necessary.

Robert has ALWAYS been the focus.

And for someone like Robert, who doesn’t have anything besides his career in terms of identity either, that means something. Or should.

To put an angsty spin on it: Flambae focuses on his career as a hero, which is reaffirmed multiple times, because it IS the only positive aspect of his current life he has.

The other things, — his family, his cooking, him designing his suit, his interest in physics (because you can’t built an entire garment made to withstand your specific power structure without knowing SOMETHING about physics)

Those things, to him, are interesting if you don’t have the past he does. In his case, they’re just things.

He doesn’t hide them. He just assumes it’s not as important in comparison to what he can provide.

For Robert, it’s not like that. He wants to know because, in the end, he wants the people he loves to exist around him.

[arczism]

finished some of my old wips yay

[mechabert]

Chad: BOB BOB THIS ONE’S FOR YOU!! *misses*

[s0rinarl]

finally got flambae looking how I imagine him in my head