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Chapter Text

He doesn’t know his real name, his given name. He’s not sure if it’s because he doesn’t have a given name or is it because he has forgotten it, nor does he care that much.

He’s agent Stone, and that’s enough of a moniker for him. He has been Agent Stone for as long as he can remember, training under the government to be top-notch at what he does, the best of the best. He wipes the floor on the shooting range, aces all the tests and exams they throw at him and earns his place in the rank. He has assassinated famous figures, breaks into secured buildings, and makes a name for himself in the circle that knows his name.

He’s agent Stone, and he’s being assigned to Doctor Robotnik. 

He doesn’t know Doctor Robotnik very well, other than the bare essentials. The only bare essentials he got is the name and the fact that he has 5 PhDs and is a genius apparently, there’s absolutely nothing on his file other than that.

With the name though, he can find out a few things just by listening. God, the man’s reputation precedes him, words being thrown around including but not limited to: maniac, egotistical, narcissistic and so on. And at that moment Stone knows full well what type of person the doctor will be, simply because he has seen it one too many times. People who are full of themselves, blinded by their own ignorance while in reality, they are nothing. Everyone is the centre of the universe until he puts a bullet through their heads, a clean shot and done.

He’s ready to have to put up with ego the size of the amount of secrecy the US government keeps but with nothing to back it up, a dog with all barks but no bites. 

The second he makes eye contact with Doctor Robotnik, the assumption changes to a fancy dog with all barks but no bite simply because trailing the doctor are three flying drones, drones that he has seen before. Drones that have exploded buildings and murdered, drones that are used to spy on the Russian, drones that are efficient and lethal. 

His grip on the hidden gun tightens then relaxes. No need to get work up this soon, it’s just three drones, anyone important enough to the government has them. The president has them, and he can take the guy out but he fancies keeping his job and life thank you very much.

Then he catches part of the conversation, catches Doctor Robotnik goes “I don’t need another assistant, and I would think that you know that after the 12th try. No one can be better than my badniks. Need I remind you who runs things around here?” while gesturing at the drones who move closer, nuzzling into his gloved hand, and Stone pauses. 

First of all, another assistant? 12th try, 12 others before him who have been with this guy? Why can he just- wears down 12 people who must be as good as him like this?

The comment about his "badniks" answer Stone’s question. He by no mean is stupid, and oh- the fact that he’s standing in front of the creator of something that lethal, someone who also creates most of the security system, the missile, the laser, the satellites because of course, it’s from the same person, everything dawns on him. 

Ok, a dog with all barks and bites then, because he knows better than to mess with someone who invents about 90% of what the government is using. People don’t whisper about his inventions much as they do about his attitude, and the most Stone can get out of talks is that Robotnik is a smart man. 

He might have underestimated how smart the doctor really is, and at the same time, he understands why Robotnik doesn’t need any assistant or human assistant at least. Stone knows full well he will just slow the doctor down, the same way he knows the sky is blue and the government won’t let this drop because they are stubborn bastard who doesn’t know they’re poking at a sleeping dragon. A sleeping dragon who, to his surprise, suddenly turns toward him with a raised eyebrow. 

He swallows, standing a bit straighter. 

“Is this who you’re giving me?” He asks, disgust shows throw his voice with absolutely no attempt at hiding it. “Well, at least you have some standard, picking the best of the worst. Lowlife, all of you. Fine, I’ll play along, fucking hell. Can we have a moment?”

The man who was talking to Doctor Robotnik only shoots him a nervous glance before nodding quickly and sprints out of the room, leaving him alone.

“Pin yourself against the wall.”

He pauses, processing the weirdest command he has ever received before pushing himself back with slight hesitation. Doctor Robotnik only looks surprised for a split second before a grin spreads across his face like the cat that got the canary. 

“Human beings are unreliable and stupid and I care very little about them,” He starts, approaching Stone with every word until he’s right in front of him, staring straight at him and through him. He, for once in his life, feels trapped and helpless. “They will only slow me down, you will only slow me down Stone, and it will do your best to remember that. Got it?”

“Yes, sir-” He chokes out, before letting himself take in a breath when Doctor Robotnik moves away from his personal space. 

“Make yourself useful and get me a drink,” He says, dismissing him with ease like he’s used to doing it. He probably is. “If I don’t see you in my lab in 5 I will be very disappointed, agent.”

Him, a top agent, reduced down to a bubbling intern who has to make coffee. How humiliating, but Stone nodded anyway because he knows better than to say anything back without risking everything.  He hurries up to the break room where the coffee machine is and hopes that he can guess what the doctor likes in his drink. Hell, he might not even like coffee in the first place, but personal experience has taught him that everyone in this godforsaken place needs the caffeine anyway.

Doctor Robotnik, as of right now, hates human, black coffee and only slightly hates black coffee with 3 sugars. 

The first one he practically told Stone during their first meeting, the second one he knows when Doctor Robotnik takes a sip of the drink, and without a moment of hesitation throw the rest of it to the ground. He’s only thankful that the doctor doesn’t throw it on him, the suit he has on today is rather comfortable thank you very much. He has been ordered to go and get something drinkable, and on his way out he catches mutters of it being too bitter so the obvious solution is to add sugar.

When Doctor Robotnik takes a sip and doesn’t promptly spit it out, only frowns, shrugs and then takes another, he internally cheers. It’s not a job well done, but it is a step in the right direction and that’s as good as any. 

He does even more petty little chore that the doctor deemed as unworthy of his time too, like fetching all the paperwork, dealing with said paperwork, getting drinks, standing in the corner and don’t you dare disturb me Stone or I will show you pain your little mind can’t even begin to imagine- the last one explaining why he is indeed doing that. 

He is used to standing idle, and like every other time he is forced to stand around, he looks around his environment. Doctor Robotnik’s lab is like a fever dream, a replica of those evil lairs he would only see in TV completed with bots racing about. It’s always so active, at all times something is moving, something is being worked on- Doctor Robotnik going from analysing something to fixing up his robots to taking a sip of the coffee before getting back to swiping through digital holograms in the air. It’s fascinating, seeing him work.

Everything is so fast, it’s hard to keep up with. And as to be expected, Doctor Robotnik is fast in his everything, his movement and trains of thought and he is so productive it’s like watching a machine at work. And that might be the only comparison that’s worthy of the doctor: a machine. 

There are spare movement in the way he gestures his hand widely, big arcs in the air as he speaks to himself, there are seconds where he blinks like he has just snapped out of a trance, moment of imperfection that Stone knows Robotnik would hate, but he is as close as a human can get to a machine. As close to diligent and restless as one can get.

And Stone watches, observes. It’s one of the areas he excels at, observing and picking people apart, and his eyes follow Robotnik throughout their first day working together.

He chuckles to himself. Working together- more like Robotnik working and him being useless in the corner like a kid getting a time out. 

Still, Stone doesn’t learn anything that he hasn’t already known beside the fact that he likes his drink sweet. Doesn’t know why other people before him quit or maybe get kicked off by Robotnik- his commands are rather simple to follow if only a bit annoying. There are worse things to be annoying about, like how little he knows compared to how much Robotnik might have already known about him. He’s smarter, so much smarter than Stone and maybe he has figured Stone out in the first 5 minutes, as expected. He wouldn’t be surprised.

The second day, he clocks in earlier than expected and makes a cappuccino for him and a latte for Doctor Robotnik. He does seem like someone who will enjoy a simple cup of cappuccino, and he’s a bit excited to see how it will go. 

With a sigh, he grabs the cups and walks to the lab. The door opens when he gets close, and he notes with amusement that that wasn’t the case yesterday. Brushing that thought off, he continues in further, beyond the various mechanical components to where he sees the silhouette of Doctor Robotnik. He’s leaning back on his chair, nodding along to the loud music playing from all around as he shifts through holographic designs of weapons and robots that Stone has never seen before. 

He clears his throat, and eyes flicker up to meet his own with a raised eyebrow. He does it so easy too, almost like he is used to looking questioningly with a hint of “I’m better than you” in his eyes and Stone politely smiles back. “Your drink, sir.”

Doctor Robotnik keeps the expression, reaches out and grabs his latte. 

He’s not about to complain, of course not, but his hand, now empty without the latte cup, twitches. But he keeps the smile on, wordlessly standing there and watches as Robotnik takes a sip of the drink, nods to himself and takes another. 

“You haven’t poisoned me yet,” He points out, amused like it’s an inside joke that Stone doesn’t know. “Strange.”

“Why would I?” He asks back, and Doctor Robotnik chuckles audibly this time, taking another sip of the latte and letting out a content sigh. 

“Don’t ask questions you don’t want to know the answer to, agent,” is the reply that Stone gets, and he doesn’t elaborate on anything else, merely turns back to his work. 

To be fair, he thinks he does know the answer to that specific question at least. The government might consider him too risky to keep around, or the people before him might get sick of the Doctor already. 

He still isn’t sure what got them to quit, but he doesn’t think that he wants to find out. What he does want, however, is to outlast them because he is the best at what he does, and this won’t be any different.

The second day, he still stands there and watches Doctor Robotnik works on this and that. He doesn’t trust Stone with anything here, he realises about 3 hours into standing in the corner, because of course he doesn’t. If he’s in his shoes, he wouldn’t trust a stranger with complex machines that he so clearly loves.

And that’s another thing - Doctor Robotnik loves his machine. He speaks to it while he works, and there’s a hint of pride when the robot actually does work, and Stone finds it just a bit ironic. For someone who loves machines, and clearly wants to be one, he is still so human in his interactions. 

He doesn’t want to chuckle, fear that his slightest interference will result in things he doesn’t want to know about, but it is just a bit funny and endearing.

The third day, he fucks up.

It’s an accident, of course it is because no one in their right mind wants to piss of Robotnik, as Stone has learned. But he has tripped on the many wires, and normally he doesn’t let a loss of balance to fuck him up that much, the fact that he is holding two cups of latte doesn’t help at all. 

The short story is that he trips and spills the drink and learns his lesson at the end of the day. 

The long story is that he trips and spills the drink on an unfinished drone that he has seen Doctor Robotnik tinkering about with yesterday. There’s a second where his own mind short-circuited the same way the water is probably short-circuiting the exposed chips and wires, and he swears under his breath for being so clumsy.

And then swears again when he realises there’s a drone in front of him, floating and staring into him with its digital lense. 

And then swears the third time when there’s the sound of machines whirring and then there’s a gun being pointed at his face.

He’s not one to swear, being polite has always been a better strategy, but he does swear the fourth time when he feels himself getting pushed over, forward and his hands shot out automatically to stop himself from colliding head first into the wet robot. He doesn’t need to turn around to know that it’s Doctor Robotnik with his foot on Stone’s shoulder, his shoes digging into him and keeping him there in a weird not quite kneeling position on the floor. 

“You fucking nitwit,” Stone hears, the insult sounds faraway. Cold, clinical, and that somehow makes it worse. “Is it so hard to not fuck things up, or do you agents always acting like an imbecile?”

It’s a yes or no question, one he answers with “I’m sorry, sir.”

The pressure on his shoulder increases and he wants to flip around, to turn the tide. He can easily do it- or perhaps not so easy when there are more drones floating to him and surrounding him. He gulps, squeezes his eyes closed as if not looking at those will somehow make them disappear.

“You see, this is why I don’t keep fucking pets around- always fucking everything up and can’t even do anything to make up to it, huh?” Doctor Robotnik continues, before he leans down, closer to him until he can feel the hot breath on his neck. “Stone Stone Stone, whatever shall I do with you? Action has consequences, don’t you know?”

He tries his best to nod in his position but doesn’t want to answer the previous question. Yet Doctor Robotnik keeps pressing down, harder and harder, waiting and Stone breathes out. “Anything you deem suitable, sir-”

He wonders if he has said the wrong thing when the tense silence stretches after his answer, only for it to break when Doctor Robotnik chuckles and laughs, the sound getting more hysterical as the seconds passes until he calms down. “Oh, anything huh? You really are just a dog, aren’t you? Running around trying to please everyone,” He carries on, and there’s still a hint of delight in his voice.

He almost shocks himself when he nods. Almost, because maybe deep inside he knows he is a people pleaser. Maybe he’s doing this out of spite or doing this for himself. “Yes sir, I’m sorry sir.”

“You should be,” Doctor Robotnik says, and the pressure disappears. It leaves him dizzy, and when he opens his eyes there aren’t an army of drones staring and aiming at him anymore. “Go fetch another drink Stone, and maybe this time don’t trip over your own incompetence.”

The last thing he sees when he steps out of the room is Doctor Robotnik bending down, and the robots that he has just spilt a drink on float up like nothing has happened. Despite himself, he breathes a sigh of relief. At least he doesn’t fuck up any of the doctor’s work, though to be fair he definitely isn’t that dumb to make a drone that isn’t waterproof.

The third, fourth and fifth day goes by smoothly. He’s still reduced to background noise, standing there and doing virtually nothing, or at least nothing that’s worth his time at least. Drinks, paperwork, occasionally fetching something for Doctor Robotnik. He’s more careful of not fucking up, and on his break, he digs around with the previous assistants who have some experience and learns more about his job.

Don’t touch the doctor, one said, gesturing with his 4 fingers. 

Don’t interrupt him, another said, with a stutter that definitely isn’t there during his previous encounter working with them, almost like they’re afraid to speak again.

Quit, the third said, with no elaborate explanation. 

That only makes Stone wants to stay, out of spite to prove himself that yes, he can and will be the best at being Doctor Robotnik’s assistant. 

Two weeks after working with Doctor Robotnik, he corrects himself. He is staying out of spite, but he’s also staying out of fascination. The joy and excitement of watching him work keeps him bouncing on his feet, the second-hand passion he feels when the laser gun works, shooting through material that only Doctor Robotnik knows the name of but it must be very sturdy if it makes him giggles out of joy. 

He gets why Doctor Robotnik is so high on energy now, so animated. The adrenaline at watching the missiles fire, following its projection first with eyes and then with the satellite of his design too as it sails and explodes a target at a testing site so far away has to go somewhere, and for the doctor, it goes into his dance as he puts his playlist on again.

In those moments, when their eyes accidentally meet Stone sees that passion again, and he smiles a genuine smile. 

On the eighteenth day of working as Doctor Robotnik’s assistant, he presses the trigger and kills a man for even trying to harm the doctor. He knows there are drones around, knows that everything is under Robotnik’s control because he always has control over the situation, but it doesn’t stop him from pulling out his gun and fires. 

It’s simple, really. He has seen the movement first and has acted accordingly. 

Doctor Robotnik is maniac, egotistical, narcissistic but he’s a genius. He’s also something wild and free and new, something that Stone doesn’t know that he needs. He stays out of spite at first, but he has a feeling it has turned to devotion at this point. 

Either or, it’s worth it to see Robotnik turning around before a large Cheshire grin breaks across his face. Stone thinks he even catches a hint of surprise, fleeting like that first day before it’s replaced with the same amusement he holds when watching the doctor. There’s something else in there too, something he can’t quite tell, but then Doctor Robotnik turns back and keeps walking, and Stone…

Well, he follows. 

Chapter Text

The 133rd day of working with Doctor Robotnik, he finally nailed down the type of coffee the man likes. Latte with steamed Austrian goat milk is the way to the doctor’s heart apparently, or at least it’s the one he tolerates more than his previous attempt.

He has gotten used to the routine of getting there a bit early, making two drinks for them before taking his time strolling to the lab. It’s even a bit calming, and his mind can drift as he waits for the coffee and milk, as he falls back on muscle memory of pouring them in and as a finishing touch, makes a little heart. It’s harder than Stone thought, but he got the hang of it after his 7th attempt or so. 

And it isn’t something he has to do, god knows Doctor Robotnik couldn’t care less about the way his drink looks, but maybe he’s just feeling like trying something new. A bit outside of his comfort zone - he isn’t one for art, though maybe you can argue that the way he kills is a whole art form in and of itself, but this kind of art is outside of his comfort zone. Perhaps for that exact reason that he wants to try it, and Stone chuckles.

Doctor Robotnik might be influencing him a bit outside of their work hours.

Well, who is he kidding, the doctor influenced him a lot, in small ways. How to let yourself go, to just dance to the music like no one’s there, to try things out, break the mould and what not- Doctor Robotnik is very good at being himself, unapologetically, while Stone is essentially chained to the government. 

He was right, Stone is a dog. 

Well, he is always right. He is a genius after all, a fact that goes without saying but gets proven every day anyway. Stone realises after his first month that he would trust Doctor Robotnik with his life because he is never wrong with his calculation and hypothesis and testing. He can stand still in the lab and doesn’t feel like everything around him will explode at any given moment, simply because Doctor Robotnik would never let that happen. He won’t be killed when he’s around Doctor Robotnik unless Stone being dead is what the man wants. In which case he will accept his death, because what can Stone do against that- 

Doctor Robotnik is leagues above him, so far away, and he knows resistance is futile. 

A practical god inspiring him to step out of his comfort zone more, what a weird situation that Stone never thinks he will find himself in. 

But it is what it is, and he adds the finishing touch on the heart. Stone gives himself a second just to watch the white heart floating about and smiles. It looks great today, and he quickly grabs the drinks and goes. 

The last thing he wants to do is to get there late - he does not want to know more about the doctor’s creative punishments. Last time, after getting picked up by one of the drones with its muzzle pressed to the back of his neck, Doctor Robotnik had ordered the drone to fly him around the open testing site because if he’s late he might as well take the next hour off to enjoy the scenery. 

It was raining. 

He was also upside down. 

Yep, breaking the mould indeed - he can just subtract the money from his paycheck but no, flying exercise it is. 

Fortunately, he does make it with one minute to spare, and the door opens as he approaches. He steps through, smiling wide as the familiar sight of the lab greets him: drones floating around minding their own business, machines working away in the background with a calming white noise, Doctor Robotnik at his table, his music playing loudly. 

He’s not dancing around this time, just sitting down and working away at a new design if He Has to guess. It is the familiar shape of his badniks there showing on the hologram, and Doctor Robotnik is very concentrated, not even noticing him when Stone is standing right next to him. He doesn’t let that bother him too much, it’s a normal thing at this point.

He just places the cup down, being mindful of the scattered files across the table, the keyboard and other mechanical parts. Doctor Robotnik, without prompt, reaches over and takes a sip and Stone waits with bated breath. He has been trying so many different recipes and combinations of latte and he can only hope the doctor will like this one.

“What’s in this Stone?” He asks, voice monotone like he’s deep in thought, and he takes another sip. Some of the milk stays on his moustache, and Stone only takes a second to snap out of that trance to register the question.

“Austrian goat milk, sir,” He answers, and Doctor Robotnik nods. There’s no more question after that, no comments but he finishes the drink faster than usual, before holding his hand out. Stone sighs and passes him his own cup too.

Not that he minds that much, it’s nice to see Doctor Robotnik enjoys something made by him. 

He also doesn’t get yelled at the whole day, so Stone would consider that a success.

The 327th day, he got an order from his higherup to keep a closer eye on Doctor Robotnik. He isn’t sure why, but he obeys anyway. To be fair, it is what he has been doing since the start, watching the doctor like a glorified babysitter. In a way he kind of is a babysitter, what with “go get some drink Stone” and “fetch me my coat Stone” and “Get the wrench- no not that one are you blind or just plain stupid Stone” and you get the point.

He does his job, as usual, doesn’t piss of Doctor Robotnik at all, and even got ordered to stand next to him as he rants about how low the average IQ of everyone here is, can’t even follow simple instruction and he swears why is he still here, his talent is so wasted spending his time in this corner of the world.

Ah, he gets why he got told to keep a closer eye on Doctor Robotnik. The government are worried that he will go rogue, Stone guesses, but he doesn’t say anything and just nods along even when it is him that the doctor is insulting. When he’s done, he takes a sip of the latte and wipes the milk off his moustache, before getting back to work as Tunes of Anarchy get shuffled.

As he works, Stone lets himself have a moment to think the situation over. He’s essentially a spy right now, and Doctor Robotnik is making it incredibly easy for him to get all the information he needs. A peek over the shoulder plus his memorisation is enough, but he doesn’t. 

He doesn’t want to betray Doctor Robotnik, Stone realises. Is it because he is scared of the consequences, or is it because the doctor has grown on him, he doesn’t know. 

What he does know is that whatever plan they have to get rid of Robotnik won’t work. If they even have any plan at all, he ideally thinks, before blinking back to reality. It wouldn’t become of him to be distracted on the job now, would it?

The 349th day, his suspicion is proven correct. They are worried about Doctor Robotnik ditching them, about him fucking off to Russia or something instead of staying a loyal dog to the US. 

They don’t have a good plan, unless you count using a few SWAT teams against Doctor Robotnik is a good plan. Which it is not, the badniks can destroy those in 3 minutes max. He doesn’t say that to his higherup when they lay out the plan, keeping a neutral face and nods when he has to. 

Doctor Robotnik will destroy them, and Stone will watch as the fire dances.

The 350th, he tells Doctor Robotnik of the scheme. He makes sure no one is listening in, as if anyone can do that in the first place. The lab is the most secure place here, it’s a safe haven for the doctor and he will ensure that there is no scum finding its way in.

But yes, he tells Doctor Robotnik because only a fool would think that anyone has any chance against him. And while his intelligence gets insulted on a daily basis, he’s not that much of a fool.

He’s standing next to Robotnik, sipping on his own latte as the doctor writes lines and lines of code at lightning speed. How would he even broach the subject anyway, just tell Doctor Robotnik that people are planning to get rid of you seem too forward, but the doctor also likes forward. 

As it turns out, he doesn’t even have to say anything because Doctor Robotnik has already spun around on his chair, looking at Stone like he’s one of his many experiments. The piercing gaze makes him want to squirm, but he stands still. 

“You’re distracted,” Doctor Robotnik starts, and he nods. No point in denying. That would just be digging a deeper grave for himself. “Really, I don’t blame you, it must be boring standing around and watching me work on formulas you wish you could understand. Is that what a dog feels like, watching its owner?”

It’s one of Doctor Robotnik’s favourite insults/comparisons for him, and Stone nodded. “Yes, sir.”

He cackles at Stone, reaching up and patting his head before his hand trails down to grab at his tie. He gives a pull, and Stone obediently follows along. “But you are more distracted than usual, Stone. What’s going on in that small, almost non-existing brain of yours, Stone?”

“I- um-” He stutters, and Doctor Robotnik gives his tie another tug. 

“Hurry up, I don’t have all day to entertain your kind.”

“They’re planning to kill you off sir,” He rushes out, squeezing his eyes close- He does not want to see Doctor Robotnik’s expression at the news, but that doesn’t stop him from hearing another burst of hysterical giggle. Well, that’s one way to react to your demise, he guesses. 

The laughter quiets down, and when he opens his eyes again he can see Doctor Robotnik still has a wide wide smile on his face. His eyes are even a bit misty, and he brings a hand up to wipe the tears off, before looking at Stone again. He isn’t sure what the doctor has seen, but it makes him giggle again and he clears his throat. “Sir?”

“Oh Stone, you’re saying that as if I don’t know it already,” Doctor Robotnik says, and the moment the words left his mouth there’s the familiar click of the gun from behind him. He gulps, not daring to move, nor does he put up any resistance as Robotnik drags him down all the way until they’re at eye level. “They forget that I have ears everywhere. My robots are everywhere, Stone.”

“Of course, sir-” He chokes out, and Doctor Robotnik grins. 

“Which begs the question, why did you tell me?” He continues, and with a final tuck and a swift kick at his ankle that he isn’t expecting, Stone falls down to the floor. He grunts as his body collides with the smooth metal surface, shutting up immediately when he feels Doctor Robotnik’s shoes pressing down on the back of his shoulder again. “You must know about my camera, you can’t be that stupid - is this you turning yourself in, hoping you won’t get punished?”

He gulps. “No, I’m not that stupid, sir. I-”

“You what Stone?”

“I know the correct side to pick, sir.”

An uncomfortable silence covered the room, and he’s too afraid to disturb it even with his breathing. One wrong move, and he’s a goner, and Stone prays for the best. Doctor Robotnik isn’t saying anything, he doesn’t want to say anything and he can practically hear a pin drop. Or well, Stone corrects himself, a gun drops. Right in front of him, and when he flickers his eyes up he sees a drone staring back down. He looks down again at the gun again. “Doctor Robotnik?”

“Pick up the gun, Agent,” He states, more like commands and he scrambles to obey. It’s a normal gun, a familiar weight as he picks it up that somehow calms him down. His hands stop shaking when he holds the gun high, his trigger finger lazes along the side. “And stand up, you look pathetic down there.”

He does, his knees almost buckle just from the stress but he somehow stays up. He doesn’t look straight, doesn’t look up but fingers from under his chin push gently and he follows until he’s facing Doctor Robotnik properly. He has gotten off his seat, standing right in front of Stone right now- so close that they’re almost touching and he might be the only one that has gotten this close to the touch-averted doctor - and his knees might actually give in at this point. 

He knows Doctor Robotnik is a maniac, egotistical, narcissistic genius, but he has never seen him so threatening like this. 

Before, it was the theatrical spice that somehow lessens the effect, making him looks like a cartoon villain more than anything. Right now, with him looming over Stone, the google on his face catching the light and from the reflection he can spot drones moving behind him- He swallows again. 

And then Doctor’s Robotnik hands go down, closing around his own and brings it up again until the muzzle is pointing right at his head. It’s going to be a killing shot, he knows it will be, and the doctor knows it too because why else would he move it there. There’s a smug look on his face, one that Stone can barely see with how blurry his vision is but he knows it is there.

Everyone is the centre of the universe until he puts a bullet through their heads, a clean shot and done.

Doctor Robotnik is, undoubtedly, the centre of the universe, of his universe. 

“There’s your free chance Stone, come on,” His voice is gloating, it is always gloating but underneath it all there’s this ticking bomb waiting to go off. “Take. The. Shot.”

If it isn’t for the muscle memory drilled into him years after years, his hand would shake. 

“Come on Stone~” He sings songs, to a tune of a song that Stone has heard from the playlist, one that he knows. One that he has tapped his feet to whilst standing in the corner, watching as Doctor Robotnik bounces around the room, lost in his own world and movement. “You have a free chance to save the country here. Pull the trigger.”

He lets out a giggle, a nervous one that probably doesn’t sound right at all with the way it’s mixed with a choked sob. “I-It should be press the trigger, sir-” He says, before shifting and firing out of the window. His stand is perfect- he doesn’t even realise he has shifted into that but then again, muscle memory, and his aim is true, but there’s no damage on the glass. 

There is, however, a small click.

No bullet, he realises.

Doctor Robotnik doesn’t say anything, just staring at him with a look of wonder, fascination, the same look Stone has been directing at the Doctor all this time. It makes him feel seen, for once after almost a year of working under him and Stone relishes in that once in a lifetime gaze. 

“Go fetch me a drink, Stone,” Doctor Robotnik says, and there’s a tone in his voice that Stone doesn’t dare to describe as soft. But the drones around him didn’t fire, the many hidden traps and systems didn’t activate and most importantly, he’s still alive, so he nods. 

“Yes sir.”

“And be fast, we got a lot of work to do.”

We. 

He doesn’t know when did he work for Doctor Robotnik instead of working for the government, when did the change happen- it must have been gradual enough that maybe even he himself doesn’t notice until he has to choose. 

If he has to pick a time though, the first kill seems poetic enough.

But he works for Doctor Robotnik now, and the “we” gives Stone a warm fluttering feeling. And that’s all that matters to him.

Chapter Text

The 389th day of working under the doctor, Stone feels like he’s closer to Robotnik than ever. Instead of being asked to just stand in the background, Stone’s being dragged along more with him even if it’s to pick up certain materials that the doctor doesn’t trust the government to handle.

Which, fair enough. It’s not paranoia if they’re actually out to get you is how the saying goes, Stone thinks to himself. 

Still, the weird intimacy is almost baffling to think about. He, out of all people, is allowed to touch the badniks (even if it’s only to clean them) and it may seem trivial but he knows first hand how protective Robotnik is of his inventions. He has seen a lesser man getting murdered in cold blood for mishandling a drone after all. He, out of all people, is allowed to actually talk in Robotnik’s presence and it may be wishful thinking here but the doctor actually takes what he has to say into consideration.

Well, rarely. Most of his inputs are responded with “As if I haven’t think of that already Stone, keep up or get lost” or “You’re insulting me just by opening your mouth, Stone” but when he does get a good idea, Robotnik would pause, nods to himself, before continuing his monologue. It isn’t a compliment, barely an acknowledgement, but it isn’t dismissive. 

If Robotnik’s easy to please, a well-aimed compliment or two is enough to stroke his ego then Stone’s easy to satisfy: a nod, a gaze that doesn’t look past him, a genuine smile like one that’s being directed at him right now when he hands the Doctor his daily latte.

He smiles as Robotnik takes a sip, licking his lips before going in for another. 

“Is it to your satisfaction sir?”

“Doubting yourself now, Stone? I would have higher hope for you, but it seems like even your self-esteem is lower than the president’s IQ,” Doctor Robotnik snarks back at him, his voice rising with every word. “Of course it is, I love the way you make them!”

It’s as close to a compliment that he will ever get, and Stone’s smile got a little wider. He quickly takes a sip of his own cup, hiding his happiness- not that he really needs to when Robotnik has already turned back to his current project. It’s a surveillance drone kind of day today, probably at the request of the government because they are in the US after all. Eyes everywhere, it’s just something Stone has gotten used to. 

Working for Doctor Robotnik only reinforces that statement and he doesn’t even want to think about how many cameras the man has trailed after his footstep. He’s possessive of his things, and Stone’s rather sure that he is Robotnik’s.

Usually, he would be annoyed, maybe even angry when he’s referred to as an object to be owned like that. Doctor Robotnik has said enough time that he’s the government's dog after all, and each time there’s a small pang of irritation.

The fact that he is Robotnik’s, however, warms him inside.

The 400th day, Robotnik blows up the base. It’s a grand explosion, calculated to go off at the perfect time and started on the west end of the place. It gives them ample time to go to the plane the doctor made himself, checking everything over just in case, before hopping on.

They even have enough time for Robotnik to walk away from the explosion, slowly putting his glasses on as the red-trimmed coat flutters from the resonating burst of wind. 

When Stone finally settled in his seat, seatbelt on and ignored Robotnik’s eye roll, they took off. The last he ever sees of the base is a group of uniformed men looking up at their aircraft, talking into a radio before Robotnik presses a button and suddenly they’re off. The view outside blurs into blots of colour as the speed increases, and he lets out a relieved sigh.

It isn’t like he’s doubting Doctor Robotnik, but it is still an exhilarating experience from start to finish. 

On day 390th, Doctor Robotnik specifically tells him to keep everyone away from the lab, he doesn’t need any nosy bastard digging into his work. Stone, of course, obeys though it’s not like he has to do much. Routinely there are explosions echoing through the door, and every employee there walks through with curious and fearful gaze. 

No one even dared approach the door, much less trying to get inside.

On day 394th, Doctor Robotnik tugs him by the tie, pulling him along to the newest flying machine prototype. The thing has a sleek, modern design with a few red accents in places from what he can see, though Stone’s more nervous about what he can’t see. It looks too close to some older designs that he knows there must be something hidden in there, a surprise that separates this one from the rest.

The whole day he stands there and watches Doctor Robotnik works, and every now and then he got called up to assist but most of the time he’s just chilling to the side. 

On day 395th, Doctor Robotnik spins around on his chair and lays it all out for him. How the explosion will be set up, how not only will he explode the place, oh no- he’s hacking into all of his previous technology that has been used by the government and shutting it off. How he will leave the base ruined and the country in chaos, and how they will fly off to a secret base he has been hiding from the radar.

Stone smiles, nods, and asks will he need to pack anything. 

That’s as solid of a “Yes, I’m coming with you,” as he can get, and he can tell Robotnik gets it too.