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Chapter Text

  It wasn't the first time Robotnik had drunk suspicious liquids without supervision. When it happened, Stone always found him in different states, from almost drunk to painfully ill. The Agent hated seeing his boss put his life at risk so often.

 This time, however, things got out of hand quickly and under Stone's supervision.

 Robotnik had been working on a truth serum for weeks, constantly failing and starting over as his frustration rose to astronomical levels. Stone increasingly feared for the Doctor's well-being, as he refused to eat, drink, or even sleep as much as his body would allow.

 He would surely collapse at any moment, and Stone was prepared to nurse him back to health if necessary.

 And it was on a busy evening in the lab that everything went wrong.

 Stone knew he should have stopped Robotnik from taking the serum. They both knew that it was nowhere near safe for consumption, and its chemical composition was completely different from what it should be, but only a surprised yelp left his lips when Robotnik drank the entire vial and put the test tub on the counter with a bang.

 "Doctor, are you alright?" The Agent asked, concern dripping from his voice.

 Robotnik gasped and shuddered. With a hiss, he faced the Agent.

 "Wall. Now."

 Stone swallowed but promptly obeyed the Doctor. In a rehearsed gesture, he braced himself against the nearest wall with one hand on his chest. Soon, Robotnik was inches from his face, snarling and furious. A long speech about his uselessness and observation skills began and having been through it countless times, Stone let his gaze wander over the Doctor's face instead of listening to his cutting words. He was a mess. His hair was out of place, his face was red from the continuous effort to insult him, and his mustache was twitching wildly as he spoke.

 "... and don't think for a second that-" Robotnik suddenly fell silent. Stone focused his gaze again.

 "Doctor?"

 The redness of the Doctor's face turned from a healthy color to a deep scarlet in seconds, making Stone frown. His hand hesitated on the tight space between them for a moment before resting on Robotnik's forehead. He cursed softly as he felt the alarming temperature. Something was wrong with his eyes too. Standing so close, Stone could see that Robotnik's eyes had darkened and blurred, with pupils almost twice their original size.

 Realization hit Stone like a brick. The Doctor had drugged himself on purpose and his already decaying body was reacting quickly. Too quickly and too intensely.

 "Have I mentioned how invaluable you are to me, Stone?" Robotnik suddenly purred, his smile almost saccharine, and stepped further into the Agent's personal space.

 What?  He thought, pressing himself against the wall even further.

 "You're the only human being I think about," he murmured. His gloved hands went around Stone's waist and pulled him close. The Agent let out an embarrassing little sound.  "The only one intelligent enough to understand me,” he sighed. “Even your snarky and petulant little comments make me want to push you against a wall myself." The man smiled once more, his eyes alight with something that could only be described as passion. "I love you, Stone."                 

 That was it. Stone felt his chest tighten and his brain melt. He would die right there, listening to his oldest crush openly say that he loved him. He stared at Robotnik with wide eyes, his heart was pounding in his ears. A small rational part of his brain, however, intervened before he could do something reckless.

 "You're drugged, sir," he replied quietly, hoping Robotnik wouldn't notice his trembling voice.

 Robotnik just stared at him with half-lidded eyes as his hand wandered around the Agent’s waist to the small of his back repeatedly, displaying unusual tenderness and care. Stone was getting more and more nervous as the caresses progressed, feeling the warmth of the Doctor's hands even through the gloves and layers of clothing.

 To his horror, Robotnik leaned even closer, chest to chest and noses touching, earning a gulp from Stone. Was Robotnik really going to kiss him? He couldn't let that happen; it would be unacceptable.

 "Doctor, stop."

 Stone commanded, placing both hands on the older man's chest and preventing him from going any further. Instantly, Robotnik froze. The Agent breathed a sigh of relief even though the Doctor's eyes were still firmly focused on his face, shining, and ridiculously dilated. Robotnik watched him with curiosity and a tad bit of frustration.  

 "The truth serum went really wrong this time," Stone thought aloud with a pained tone. The Doctor frowned. He didn't like the implications in his Agent's voice. "Apparently, you've invented a love potion, Doctor. Brilliant as ever." Stone smiled proudly despite the circumstances.

 Robotnik, noting Stone seemed a little less upset, perked up as well.

 "I love the way you smile, Stone," Robotnik whispered affectionately. The tone was so alien that Stone couldn’t help but snort.

 "And what a love potion!" He laughed, but his laugh came out desperate and disbelieving. If Robotnik kept smiling at him like that, his heart would stop. "Doctor, can you sit down for a moment, please?"

 "Why?" He asked, tightening his grip on Stone’s waist.

 "Because you are extremely drugged. Your body is on the verge of collapse, and I would like not to have you on the lab floor if possible. Please?" He explained gently.

 Of all the reactions Stone could have received, Robotnik's frown at having to get away from him was the most unbelievable. But, even with a scowl, the Doctor obeyed him, sitting quietly on the chair Stone used to do his job. The Agent couldn't help but miss the hands on his waist or the previous closeness as he walked around the lab quickly, collecting all the information he could about the serum. Robotnik, from his chair, watched him with yearning in his eyes.

 What a mess. I should organize the Doctor's files better from now on. He thought, searching through hundreds of files on the main computer and countless holographic screens scattered around it.

 "Stone?"

 "Ah!" Stone jumped.

 Robotnik had risen from his seat and hugged him from behind, his head resting firmly on the Agent's hair. A shiver ran down Stone's back at the unexpected contact.

 "What happened? Are you all right, Doctor?" Stone wanted to turn to look at Robotnik’s face, but his arms held him in place with no chance of moving. It exhibited a kind of possessiveness that was much more like the usual Doctor and Stone’s mind briefly lost focus.

 "You've been away for a long time," he muttered, voice muffled by hair as he nuzzled more into it.  

 "I left for five minutes. And you could see me from where you were sitting, sir," he replied, scandalized, but amused all the same.  

 "I missed you," Robotnik pressed his cheek into Stone's hair with a satisfied smile.

 "I'm in the same environment as you, Doctor," he smiled, placing a gentle hand on Robotnik’s.

 "It doesn't matter," Robotnik squeezed him tighter, causing Stone to become slightly short of breath.

 With a sigh, Stone squeezed into the Doctor’s arms to finally face him.

 "Okay. I need you to go sit in your chair until I clean up this mess," he commanded, serious and imposing all of a sudden. Robotnik looked down at him, surprised.

 "But-"

 "Go sit down, sir," he whispered, no less firm, but with a persuasive undertone that made the Doctor take a deep, steadying breath.

 Robotnik walked to his seat, but not before leaving a small kiss on Stone’s forehead, his mustache tickling and getting a little messy from the contact. He put his hands together on his legs and crossed them, waiting.

 Stone spent the next fifteen minutes mentally cursing his boss in all sorts of languages and contexts, not only because the whole situation was bound to explode in his face later, but because all the data they had about the serum was in the Doctor's brilliant mind, and he hadn't written down a single piece of information. It was a habit that Stone had tried to stop for months, to no avail. And it finally backfired on them.

 As a heavy sigh left his lips, Stone turned to look at Robotnik. The man had been in the same position for many minutes and was watching him with genuine interest and a smile curling his lips. His hair was still terribly out of place and the blush seemed to be permanent as the serum still coursed through his veins. It would have been a wonderful sight if Stone hadn't been on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

 “As usual," Stone began tiredly, "you forgot to write down any useful information about the serum and we'll have to wait for the effect to wear off naturally."

 "You know, I've always been amazed at how much you care about me," Robotnik said, sounding frighteningly sincere. Stone swallowed. He wasn't remotely prepared for more serum-induced lies. "Your loyalty is remarkable, and you have the brownest eyes I’ve ever seen. They always shine so beautifully when you look at me. "

 "Doctor, stop," Stone muttered, taking a deep breath and looking anywhere but Robotnik.

 "So eager to please, to be by my side," he whispered, voice low and laced with adoration.

 "Doctor, please," he stared at the other with burning eyes, his throat closing and mouth dry.

 "I would destroy the world for you-"

 "Stop!" Stone begged, not noticing how badly he was shaking. He gave a trembling sigh. "No more words until the serum wears off, understand?"

  The Doctor stared at him with wide eyes and closed his mouth in a thin line, nodding vehemently. Robotnik looked worried, and Stone sighed again, feeling guilty. That type of care would never be directed at him in normal circumstances.

"Sorry, Doctor. I didn't mean to raise my voice," he muttered, closing his eyes for a moment. "Can you wait here while I bring you something to eat? The better your body is, the quicker the effect will wear off, okay?"

 The Doctor nodded again. Whatever was in the serum made him tame and ten times easier to look after, despite his constant need for affection. It didn’t sit well with Stone. He wanted his Doctor back.

 "Good," Stone smiled weakly and got a beaming grin in return.

 While the Doctor ate, Stone finally felt the situation coming back under his control. Leaning on the Doctor's computer desk with his arms crossed, he watched Robotnik eat calmly. It was a rare sight, so much so that Stone was half-hypnotized by the way he held the fork and balanced the plate on the other hand.

 True to his word, Robotnik hadn't uttered a sound since the little incident and Stone couldn't have been more grateful. The physical touch was bad enough, but hearing his boss say those lies out loud only hurt his heart. It was ridiculous, he was aware, but Stone didn't know how he was going to look Robotnik in the eye after this whole thing was solved.

 When an empty plate was held out to him, Stone snapped out of his thoughts.

 "Well done, Doctor," Stone praised and, realizing how happy Robotnik looked at the simple compliment, decided that the situation wasn't all bad. It would be agonizing to be in the other’s presence and not be able to touch him or make him smile the same way when the effect wore off. But, for now, he would indulge in what he could.

 Putting the plate aside, Stone approached the Doctor and placed a hand on his cheek. When Robotnik leaned into it and left his own above, Stone felt his chest tighten.

 "I hope the serum erases your memories too, Doctor," Stone whispered with a strained voice.

 The Doctor frowned. He didn't want his memories to be erased. He wanted to tell Stone so many things, but he had to keep his promise. An idea popped into his mind, and he stood up, pulling Stone with him. The Agent stumbled after him while Robotnik turned on the lab's speakers with a click of his control gloves. The soft sound started to echo and bounce off the lab walls.

Stone felt his body tense up. He wasn't a good dancer, and dancing with Robotnik of all people was a challenge he wasn't prepared for. The circumstances were less than ideal, and so many things could go wrong-

 Robotnik took his hand, holding it gently. Instinctively, Stone put the other on his shoulder and felt the warmth coming back to his waist as Robotnik placed a gloved hand there.

 “Doctor-”

 Stone was suddenly swaying from side to side as the music progressed. The Doctor had his body loose and urged the Agent to do the same with an amused look. He sighed and followed the other’s lead.

 It might not be the right time

 The lyrics started, and Robotnik changed the swaying from side to side to back and forth, stepping in and out and smiling softly as Stone quickly picked up his pace. He let go of the Agent’s waist, grabbing his hand and matching their arm movements with the steps.

 I might not be the right one

But there’s something about us I want to say

‘Cause there’s something between us anyway

 Stone slowly felt a smile creep up his face as the Doctor guided them with small steps through the lab.

 I might not be the right one

 Robotnik stopped, firmly retook hold of Stone’s waist, and dipped him slightly, a small, warm smile on his face.  

 It might not be the right time

 He brought them back up again, spinning Stone slowly in place as the other laughed. He resumed the back-and-forth steps, this time with the Agent much more relaxed and following the rhythm with ease.

 But there's something about us I've got to do

 Some kind of secret I will share with you

 The Doctor rested both hands on Stone’s waist, bringing him closer, swaying smoothly from side to side again.

 I need you more than anything in my life

 I want you more than anything in my life

 I'll miss you more than anyone in my life

 “I love you more than anyone in my life,” Robotnik sang along in a low voice, closing his eyes and enjoying the rest of the song with Stone in his arms.

 The Agent couldn’t do anything but move with him, trying to gulp down the ball that formed inside his throat. The song ended, but Robotnik didn’t let go of him.

 “You weren’t supposed to talk, Doctor,” Stone sighed, chest tight.

 “Hm. Yes,” he answered, opening his eyes to stare at the top of Stone’s head. “But only until the serum stopped working.”

 Stone looked up at him, almost hurting his neck in the process due to the speed. Dark eyes stared back at him, with no hint of anger. Pupils back to their normal size, or at least close to it as black still occupied the better part of his eyes. Robotnik was clearly biting down a teasing smile if the way his mustache covered his lower lip was anything to go by.

 “I- You-”

 “Eloquent as always, I see,” Robotnik snorted, squeezing Stone’s waist softly. “I do appreciate the attempt to protect my honor, Stone, but everything I did wasn’t due to the influence of a… love potion,” he cocked his head, mocking the absurd notion that he could produce something so childish as a love potion.

 Stone was stiff inside his arms, unaware of how his hands were almost crushing the Doctor’s shoulders with his grip.  

 “No, it was a truth serum,” he explained, uncharacteristically patient. “I only exaggerated on the amount of truth.” He looked away for a moment, ears turning a pretty shade of pink. “And I may have miscalculated the intensity of it, too.”

 “So… you remember everything?” Stone asked.

 “Why wouldn’t I? It was designed to force people to tell the truth, not to forget everything they said under the influence. It is a good idea, I’ll give you that,” he hummed, thinking about the possibilities of an improved version. He felt Stone try to get away from him and moved his hands to his back, bringing him closer into a hug.

 “Doctor-”

 “Shut it, Stone,” he said, nuzzling into the side of Stone’s head, this time significantly less intense. “I don’t have a way of taking everything I said out of your tiny little brain just yet, but I will figure it out if you don’t stay quiet.”

 Stone promptly closed his mouth. He wasn’t about to provoke the Doctor after that disaster.

 “You do know that it was all true, don’t you, Stone?” He whispered into Stone’s ear, fragile and a bit shaky.

 Silence.

 “Well?”

 “You told me to stay quiet, Doctor,” Stone replied. Robotnik groaned.

 “Why are you like this?” He complained, distancing himself from Stone to look him in the eye.

 “You said you liked my snarky comments, sir,” he said with a shy smile. “And that I was intelligent, and that you liked my eyes, and-”

 “I know what I said, Stone,” he growled despite his obvious amusement. “I’m well aware of everything I did. And everything you did.”

 At that, Stone gulped. Robotnik rolled his eyes.

 “Oh, come on, Stone,” he teased. “You really thought I didn’t know about your… feelings?”  The Agent looked away, and Robotnik found that he didn’t enjoy that pained expression on his Agent’s face.

 “I… I’m sorry, Doctor,” Stone sighed. “I can hide it away better so it won’t influence my job. I can avoid it entirely, I promise. You won’t have to worry about my-”

 “Stone, did you hit your head while we were dancing? Did you hear absolutely nothing I said to you in the last hour?” Robotnik stared at him with wide, disbelieving eyes.

 The Agent stayed quiet, looking away. Robotnik squinted, trying to find any indication of a joke or prank Stone might be pulling at his expense, but he only found tense shoulders and a frown so controlled the man could be mistaken for a real stone. He shook his head, laughing to himself.

 “You are a real marvel, Aban,” he snorted, lifting Stone’s head, and kissing him with confidence.

 Stone inhaled sharply through his nose, eyes widening as the hand on his back pulled him even closer. Robotnik’s eyes were closed, and his mustache ruffled Stone’s beard. The Agent didn’t have time to reciprocate before Robotnik pulled away.

 “Do you believe me now, you idiot?” He asked, licking his lips. Stone looked at them and then up again.

 “Yes, Doctor.”

 “Oh, goodie! Only took you an hour, a truth serum, and a kiss,” he mocked. “Honestly, Stone, even for you this is absurd- hmph!”

 Stone pulled the Doctor down by the nape of his neck, eager to kiss him senseless after the most stressful day of his life. Robotnik wasn’t going to complain. He smiled into the kiss, thinking of a way to make Stone drink the other vial of the serum he had hidden away.

 He wanted to hear love declarations and world-ending promises coming out of Stone’s mouth, too.

Chapter Text

The serum, Robotnik found, had a much different effect on Stone.

 He had slipped most of the liquid into Stone’s coffee when he was out of the lab, leaving it on his desk to cool down after the first sip. The serum had no color, no smell, and no detectable taste. Robotnik was rather proud of that accomplishment.

 When the Agent returned, he placed his hand on the Doctor’s shoulder for a moment before returning to his desk; a habit he had developed since their relationship changed. Stone always made sure to warn when he was back by touching him or making noise so as not to startle him out of any task by accident. It was incredibly considerate, and it increased the Doctor’s mood exponentially. He didn’t reprimand Stone when it happened the first time, so the Agent took it as a sign to keep doing it. The soft touches and warms “I’m back, Doctor!” always managed to curl his lips into a fond little smile.

 It was becoming a problem. He was never this affectioned, never this open, even if, from an outsider’s view, nothing seemed to change.

 He heard Stone sit down and immediately paused the music on his headphones, silently listening to soft sounds of sipping and a content sigh. He didn’t stop typing nor move to face the Agent, as it would attract his attention, but his ears were fully focused on anything Stone did.

 He waited.

 And waited a bit more.

 By the fifteen-minute mark, when Stone did absolutely nothing out of the ordinary, he finally spun his chair to face him. Stone was typing a mile a minute, sitting straight and composed as always, and taking little gulps of the serum-laced coffee from time to time. The only unusual thing Robotnik could pinpoint was the way Stone’s foot jumped up and down on the floor with moderate speed.

 With a frown, the Doctor took his headphones out, put them on his neck, and crossed his arms. Maybe Stone was having a delayed action? Or the little sips he took weren’t enough? He cocked his head, thinking.

 “Doctor, can you stop staring at me, please? It makes me nervous,” Stone asked, without looking in his direction, and promptly drank a little more of his coffee.

 At that, Robotnik’s eyebrows went far up his forehead. Stone had never asked him something like that, in that tone. It sounded confident, but apologetic all the same, and it made no sense.

 “And what makes you think I’ll stop, Stone?” He asked, curiosity leaking from every syllable and undermining the threatening tone he wanted to convey.

  Stone’s leg stopped for a moment, as did his typing.

 “The fact that you like making me feel all sorts of things, but never uncomfortable,” he said, resuming his task.

 “You-” Robotnik spluttered, feeling his ears burn. He raised one finger, opened his mouth, and then shut it again. “Fair enough,” he said after a beat, turning his chair back around.

 The serum was working at a much slower pace, he concluded. Stone would’ve never told him such bold words otherwise. He was a little relieved, truth be told. A lovesick and forward Stone would be quite difficult to manage.

 The phantom feeling of a hand on his face quickly made the Doctor put his headphones back on, trying to drown his thoughts and unwelcome mental images.

 It was after the whole cup was gone that the effects truly started to make themselves known.

 “I’m going to kill someone I fucking swear,” Stone growled and heaved a loud sigh, pushing his hands into his eyes and turning his head to the ceiling.

 Instantly, Robotnik choked on his coffee and had a minor coughing fit. A few hours had passed, and they both worked in absolute silence since. The Doctor spun around again, yanking his headphones off – which had no music playing for quite some time – and stared at the Agent with wide eyes.

 “What did you just say, Stone?” He asked, still holding back a few coughs.

 The Agent turned to face him as well, going limp on his chair as his hands hung outside the armrests. He let his head fall to the side as he gave Robotnik a tired look.

 “You were not supposed to hear that, Doctor,” he muttered. The exhausted tone alone made the strangest thing twinge in Robotnik’s chest. “I want my bed, and my pets, and a fucking decent night’s sleep for once.” He complained, closing his eyes.

 The Doctor just stared. He knew, of course he knew, how hard Stone worked, and the lengths he went to have the perfect track record that was required for people like them. But Stone never, in the almost decade they worked together, voiced his discontent or exhaustion in such an aggressive manner.

 He frowned, got up, and walked towards Stone with measured steps. This was new territory, and Stone was completely unpredictable as of now. Robotnik stood in from of the chair, took a deep breath, and opened his mouth.

 “­You can go home, Stone,” he said. “I can finish everything here in no time.”

 “And leave you alone while you work yourself to death?” A scoff. He opened his eyes again to look up at the other. Despite his tone, Stone’s eyes held nothing but understanding. “I know what you’re trying to do, Ivo.”

 The use of his name made Robotnik bite the inside of his cheek. Yes, a lovesick Stone would be a problem, but a domestic one was so much worse. He clenched his hand, feeling the control glove’s soft material squish and bend.

 “I don’t remember giving you permission to use my first name, Stone,” he said half-heartedly.

 Stone raised an eyebrow, and wasn’t that a sight.

 “Do you want me to stop?”

 Silence.

 “I need an answer, Doctor,” he pushed, straightening himself up on the chair, now having to strain his neck to look up at Robotnik.

 “…You can use it, but only when we’re alone,” he muttered.

 “Okay. Thank you, Ivo,” Stone gave him a small, but sincere smile, reaching for the hand Robotnik didn’t notice he was still clenching. He held it gently, and guided it to his own face, closing his eyes once more.

 Robotnik could only watch, bewildered by the situation. Why did he let Stone say his name? Why was he willingly giving up control of his hand for Stone to use as he pleased?  By instinct, his thumb started to move, rubbing the Agent’s beard softly. His neck was starting to ache from looking down, but he couldn’t disturb what was happening. He refused.

 “I know this must be difficult for you, Ivo,” he started, voice low, sounding ever so kind. “And I’m thankful for the effort, even if I’m undeserving of it.”

 At that, Robotnik frowned, but his finger didn’t stop. In fact, he adjusted his hand to cover the whole side of Stone’s face.

 “What are you talking about, Stone?” He hissed.

 “You deserve so much more than me,” Stone whispered, not daring to open his eyes. “More than a human, imperfect and flawed.”

 Robotnik wanted that damn serum out of Stone’s system. How dare he doubt his self-worth when Robotnik went out of his way to keep him around? Did Stone forget all the things they went through? All the dangerous missions, tedious meetings, and all-nighters?

 “Stone. No- Aban,” he called. “Look at me.”

 The Agent sighed and opened his eyes, making it so much more difficult for Robotnik to ignore the way the deep brown was blurred by water. His free hand went to the other side of Stone’s face as he crouched to his level, knees protesting at the effort.

 “I don’t need a truth serum to say that you’re the most important person in my life,” he started, gulping despite his determination to voice everything he thought Stone should know. “You’ve been by my side for years now. Do you think I would let some worthless idiot be my Agent for so long?” He raised a brow.

 “No, Doctor,” Stone whispered back, breath trembling.

 “That’s right!” He smiled. “And that makes you…?”

 “Not a worthless idiot,” Stone deadpanned, the smallest hint of a smile curling the sides of his lips.

 “Bingo! Nicely done, Aban,” Robotnik squished Stone’s face, resisting the odd urge to kiss his squished lips. “Now, how about we wrap everything and go home?”

 “We?” Stone said, a bright grin replacing the intense sadness. Robotnik gulped again, still not used to the way Stone openly showed affection in the strangest ways.

 “Yes, we,” he smiled. “I’ve had enough of this place for today as well.”

 Robotnik started to get up but felt his knees almost locked. Stone, noticing right away, grabbed him by the arms and pulled him up gently. He could feel the heat of the Agent’s hands, the firm grip of his fingers.

 “Careful,” he said worriedly, all the distress from earlier melting away in favor of assisting the other. “You need to be more careful, love,” he muttered. “I would hate to see you hurt.”

 All Robotnik could do was brace himself against Stone as the Agent placed a hand on his hip, confident that his touch would not be turned away.

Oh, he would never drug Stone again.

 Not without his consent, of course.