Thinking about Hobert au along with the headcanons I’ve seen on TikTok about bar tenders and club managers having horror stories about Mechaman coming in and cleaning house when an asshole gets too loud/dangerous/touchy. Thinking about how Robert might be decently famous in the LA bar/club scene not only because his game is legendary but also because he has no problem looking out for himself. Regular ass guy walks into a club, gets the number of half its inhabitants, glasses a guy who was trying to mess with someone else’s drink and then leaves. I think the bartenders of the Torrence/greater LA area have a support group specifically for him. I think he should go drinking with the Z team and have the bartender look at them with distrust and they think it’s because they’re former villains, only to realise that he’s staring at Robert like he’s just met the devil and isn’t sure what he wants yet.
When the Z Team walks into an establishment they haven't visited before, ready to get this Friday night started, they're met with distrustful looks from both bartenders and the bouncer. The bouncer is, in fact, very thorough in checking their IDs, patting them down, and scanning them with the beeper wand. More so than usual. And don't get them wrong, each one of them is used to being stared at and judged, they were villains, it came with the job.
Only thing is? This is a villain bar... And each one of the people who stared at them did so less at the 7-foot-tall demon, the dude with literal fire on his shoulders, or the 9-foot mud construct. Each and every one of them stared first and foremost at ... their dispatcher?
Robert walks in with zero issues with either the check or the pat-down, smiles indulgently at the staff, lifts his arms when prompted, and politely turns out his pockets. He isn't dressed that differently than what they're used to seeing him in, just the usual BLUE jacket, dark slacks combo (boots with the fur). Looking more relaxed than any of them were, honestly used to. He looks like he's in his element in the dimly lit room, scanning the space with a look that, for once, isn't suspicion and threat assessment and more... consideration.
There are clearly bodies that Robert's eyes linger on. Some lounging against the bar, some in the booths, a few by the walls, deep in conversation. It doesn't take long for him to bid the team adieu and then disappear in the crowd milling about without a backwards thought.
The Team can only look in admiration and frustration as they watch the game occur. In and out, to and fro. A linger here, a touch there, head lolled on someone's shoulder, a kiss pressed to someone's cheek, a fondle, grab, and squeeze between bodies. And there are some very suspicious eyes following each and every move their hoe is making.
It isn't until Robert has almost completed his circuit across the bar with what looks like a pocket bulging with numbers that Visi gets back to them from her self-imposed recon mission.
"He's on a watchlist across all of the county's bars and clubs. And not for being a creep either", she states, gulping down Flambae's whiskey and ignoring his shout of protest. The woman leans forward with glee.
"Our Hobert apparently has a delightful habit of walking into a club, getting the number of half its inhabitants," she gestured to the man in question, currently leaning against a tall guy with glass-looking dreads, "glassing any guy who is trying to mess with someone else’s drink, and then leaving with at least two people!" Visi adds with delight.
The dispatcher in question waves toodaloo at the man he was flirting with and looks at them across the room. His eyes catch on a man who's standing a little too loomingly over another one at the bar, hand shoved suspiciously into a bulging pocket. His smile widens, and he flashes some teeth before diving back into the fray of bodies.
Z Team can see the bartender reach for their phone with a sigh of grief.
