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Robotnik could feel the electricity in the air, could almost taste the energy coming off that stupid blue hedgehog. He was so close.
"Give it up, Egghead!", said hedgehog shouted as he dodged a laser beam shot from Ivo's ship.
Robotnik pressed a few buttons angrily, grinning as one blast hit the ground right above Sonic and caused the rodent to stumble.
"Ha!", Ivo barked, slamming another button and watching with glee as a metal claw shot out and caught the hedgehog around his middle.
"You were saying?!", Ivo boasted, a maniacal glint in his eye as the claw brought Sonic up to the ship and Ivo came face to face with the blue runt.
"I. Caught. You!"
Sonic grunted, disoriented, and Ivo's grin widened as Sonic shook his head to focus and then jerked in surprise when he saw that, yes, Ivo caught him.
"Bzzt! Looks like your luck's run out, huh? Too bad your little family isn't here to save you."
Sonic grit his teeth, and Ivo only felt his excitement grow when he watched green eyes turn bright blue and electricity start to crackle over those quills.
"What are you gonna do?! You've got nowhere to run, you're trapped!", He cackled, feeling like he too was buzzing with raw power, on top of the world. Victorious!
"Ten."
Ivo froze and tilted his head.
"Nine."
His eyes widened. Counting?
"Hey, that's my move!", he grouched, pressing a button to bring Sonic closer. They were now eye to eye, a mere five inches apart.
"Eight."
Ivo bristled. Ok, he'll play this game, but he'll do it better!
"Seven!", He barked, hand hovering over another button. He wasn't sure what this button did, he wasn't looking, but he knew it would be destructive.
"Six.", the runt clipped, more electricity running over his form.
"Five!", Robotnik hissed.
"Four."
"Three!"
"Two-"
"One!", they said in unison, and Robotnik growled, foregoing the button in favor of grabbing onto the little menace. He had been testing his patience and it was finally time for Ivo to win. No machines, just one on one, man to alien hedgehog.
He reached over and was about to grab Sonic's shoulders and throw him into a cage for containment, but the second he grabbed onto him and the claw released him, Sonic curled up into a ball.
A ball of razor-sharp quills that instantly cut through his gloves and stabbed his palms, his fingers, and a patch of his arms.
He screeched and let go, head spinning momentarily from the pain, and all he could manage was to scoff, "Hey, that's playing dirty!"
Sonic didn't reply, just glared at him, and then he curled up into a ball again, and this time, when the electricity started to rumble over him, Ivo didn't smile.
"Wait--"
Sonic smashed into his ship, and the error message on his screen was immediate.
"Hey, I spent a lot of taxpayers' dollars on this, don't you care about --"
He crashed into it again, this time leaving wires exposed and sparking.
Another hit and Robotnik finally got himself together enough to try and get control of the ship and escape.
"Get lost, Eggman. I have a lot going on right now and I don't have time to beat your butt, ok? If I see you again, I'm not gonna go easy on you.", Sonic warned, but it only served to make Ivo angry. Seething.
"Oh, that's how it is?! Too busy for me!? This isn't a play date, I'm your enemy! Of all the lowdown, dirty, insensitive -!"
The ship stuttered to life and rocked to the side, cutting Ivo off and tossing him out of his seat momentarily.
Sonic had the gall to roll his eyes at him and didn't say another word before speeding off, leaving Ivo with a broken ship and a fading line of blue leading out to the edge of town.
"SONIC!! GRAAAH!", Ivo screamed, slamming his fists down on the console. He allowed himself a few moments to shout, fuss, and complain to let his anger out. Another unsuccessful attempt. Of course. No-no, he was Doctor Ivo Robotnik! This blue rodent was no match for him, he was just a cockroach. He was almost impossible to kill and kept finding ways to evade him. It wasn't Ivo's fault, it was Sonic's. Stone would tell him that too.
Speaking of...
Ivo hit a button on his torn gloves, surprised when it worked and a broken hologram screen zipped to life above his wrist. An icon of Stone appeared on the screen and in another moment came a muffled, "Hello? Doctor?"
"Stone!", Ivo greeted, "Prepare my latte and get the first aid kit...I'll be needing it when I get back.
"Doctor? Of course, but what happened? I can get you if you need-"
"No need, Stone. The ship is damaged but it'll get me back. I'll be there in fifteen."
"Yes, sir. Be safe."
"Mm.", Ivo hummed before hanging up and starting the dangerous flight back to his lab.
He grumbled the whole way, and once the ship made its shaky landing, Ivo hopped out and kicked it, biting his lip at the pain now throbbing in his foot.
This day couldn't possibly get any worse.
No hedgehog. No ship. And where was Stone with his latte? He needed it after such a disgraceful battle.
"Stone? Where are you?", Ivo called as he walked inside. He shrugged out of his coat and winced when the material snagged on his torn gloves. Oh, right, he needed first aid too.
"Get over here, Stone! I need that...latte..."
He trailed off when Stone came around a corner suddenly, silently, and was face to face with Robotnik. Ivo cleared his throat and looked from him to the cup in his hands.
"Sir? I'm so glad you made it back safely. Here's your latte and-oh, your hands!"
Robotnik frowned when the latte was set down on a nearby counter and Stone came over to inspect him.
"I'm fine, Stone."
"No, you're not, look at these cuts!", Stone fussed, gingerly reaching out to flip Robotnik's hand over to see his palm. He winced.
"Sir, we need to get you out of these gloves and patched up right away."
Robotnik felt flush with the concern and care in Stone's voice. Emotions always overwhelmed him, because he didn't understand them, but Stone was always showing them around him. It was almost nice. Mostly annoying.
"Yes, I'm aware I need medical care, that's why I had you get the kit ready, but I'm fine enough to have my latte first. You wouldn't believe the day I've had. I need it."
Stone shook his head, and Ivo glared.
"What?"
"Sir, this is more important. Please, come with me to the washroom and I'll take care of this in no time. I can make you another latte once you're taken care of."
Ivo's glare morphed into a frown, and he turned his head to the side. His hands did hurt, and the way Stone was pleading made Ivo want to give in, especially because it was for him. Stone was begging to take care of him, and that made his heart flutter.
"Fine. Lead the way."
"Thank you, sir."
Stone led him into a washroom, and he had Robotnik sit down on the edge of a tub. The space was as sterile as possible, so Ivo didn't get upset at the request.
Stone kneeled before him and opened the kit and took out a pair of scissors.
Ivo let his hands hang in front of Stone, and soon his gloves were being snipped off. All his beautiful work going to the trash. Stupid hedgehog. He was lucky Ivo knew how to remake these gloves easily.
"So, what happened, sir?", Stone asked as he got the last of his gloves off. Ivo stared at his hands, at the cuts he hadn't been able to see before.
"The stupid hedgehog.", he provided, glaring at his hands. "He curled up into a stupid ball and his quills cut me! He also damaged my ship, and, get this, said he didn't have time for me!", Robotnik ended with a shout of indifference, not noticing when Stone dabbed a cotton ball of alcohol to a deep cut.
"He doesn't have time?! Who does he think he is? It was disgusting, Stone! Ow!"
Stone clicked his tongue in sympathy and took the cotton off, tossing it into the trash.
"Disgusting indeed, sir. How dare that hedgehog say such a thing. Do such a thing! He's the scum of the Earth, sir."
Another ball full of alcohol was pressed to his hand, and this time Ivo winced.
"I'm sick of it, Stone. Sick of it!"
"Of course, sir. I am too. Sick of seeing the damage done to you. Your hands...If he were here I'd draw out his death, sir."
Ivo hummed in appreciation.
"In time.", he promised, "But his defeat is taking too long! He keeps evading me!"
Stone threw a few more cotton balls away and reached for the gauze.
"It's not your fault, sir."
Ha! He called it!
"You're a genius, you're powerful and amazing, and Sonic can run fast. That's all. And he has those other two. The fox and the echidna. They're alien space porcupines, it's just taking us a moment to learn their weaknesses. We'll get them soon, Doctor."
Robotnik sighed and shrugged, watching as his hands were wrapped carefully.
"Too true, my dear sycophant. So, what's the damage? Two weeks?"
Stone had finished wrapping his hands and softly held them in his own. "Yes, sir, and we'll need to change the dressings tomorrow, but, you know what would help you heal quicker?"
Robotnik huffed. "My latte?"
"No, sir.", Stone mumbled before leaning forward and placing a gentle kiss on the back of Robotnik's hand. Before Robotnik had the time to register what was going on, Stone kissed his other hand and sighed.
"A kiss to make it better.", Stone explained, looking up to gauge Robotnik's reaction.
Robotnik's face was flushed and Stone could easily tell, he was sure of it. His cheeks were burning. These emotions again! Ugh. This time, though, he'd say the pleasantness outweighed the awkwardness.
"Do it again.", Robotnik ordered, voice slightly wavered.
Stone's eyes widened but he was soon smiling, and he leaned forward to place a few more kisses on the backs of his hands. His fingers.
Robotnik watched him happily, content with the attention.
"You know, I also hurt my right side, just below my ribcage. Got flung into the side of the ship."
"Oh, dear. Let me see.", Stone fussed, and he gently prodded the area. "Here?", He asked and Robotnik nodded. Stone carefully lifted his shirt and frowned at the bruise forming.
"My poor doctor.", He said, briefly checking for any serious damage before leaning in and kissing the skin lightly. "You deserve so much better than this."
"I know. My head hurts too. Most likely from the same treatment. Being tossed around gave me a fair share of bumps and bruises."
"I'll get you Tylenol.", Stone began as he shuffled to lean up and place a kiss on Ivo's temple. "Are you sure you want coffee? It could make your headache worse. I could make you tea instead?"
Ivo closed his eyes at the kiss and sighed. "No, I'm sure. Feel free to make me tea later, though."
"Ok, sir. Anywhere else I should be aware of?"
Robotnik clicked his tongue.
"Hm. My mouth hurts too. I bit my tongue when I kicked the ship earlier."
Stone swallowed and Ivo watched his pupils dilate. Ho ho, someone was eager to get a kiss. It's only natural, though, that Stone would want to kiss the smartest, most amazing man in the world. That, and Stone admired him for who he was, just for being him. It was confusing but he was certain of it.
He would admit he felt a similar way.
"Oh, sir, let me kiss it better."
Robotnik puckered his lips in invitation, and in another moment Stone's lips were on his.
And Robotnik was somewhat embarrassed to find that the second Stone kissed him, he knew it was the best he's ever had. Soft, warm, eager, lovely lips were moving against his, helping him forget the day.
"I'm feeling better-", Robotnik mumbled in between kisses, humming when Stone nodded and kissed the corner of his mouth.
"I'm so happy to hear that, Doctor. I am too. So much better."
"And-", he kissed Stone's nose, and Stone made an adorable squeak, "I'd feel even better resting in my bed with my latte. You can join me if you'd like. Kiss every inch of me better so I can be at my best. Would you like to?", He asked, voice honest and level, looking Stone in the eye.
Stone grinned and nodded, standing and helping Ivo up, careful of his hands.
"I'd love to, sir."