Work Text:
From the moment Stone laid eyes on Robotnik he could tell that this wouldn’t be a normal position - this wouldn’t be like other official desk jobs even though he more than likely signed up for one within the agent career. He had expected a ruthless desk jockey job or something akin to a super spy; this was none of that.
When he first laid eyes on Dr Ivo Robotnik he couldn’t help but describe himself as mesmerised.
A hard-working man who set himself a task to be one of the best, or even yet THE best, at everything: from mechanically enhanced biotechnology to the way he meticulously combed through his hair every day, he was enamoured by the man before him. Others would have called him crazy, maybe even a little foolish - he had been warned by many, many officials that Robotnik’s assistants didn’t last long. But unlike the others he didn’t find those words ominous, he found them more of a challenge. He would make the doctor like him, no matter what.
He was going to stay by Ivo’s side.
At first he started with small acts of service; he did his work as diligently as possible and tried to avoid small talk finding that the Doctor didn’t seem to care for casual conversations - he studied him like one would study a painting by Davinci, a masterpiece he would never be able to touch, but one he found extravagant anyway. His heart beat a little faster whenever he was addressed, like a lost puppy to an owner he followed the Doctor every day, translating for him and becoming the helpful assistant he was meant to be. Others would detest the idea of being beneath someone so crass, but Stone knew there was more to the doctor than met the eye - he knew that deep inside he wasn’t as cold as he seemed.
He began to make little gestures that he thought the Doctor might like, taking the time out of office hours to pick up some food for the other or make him a coffee; he had noticed how little the other seemed to consume while infatuated with his own work, tinkering diligently and making the robotics he took pride in seem as simple as dreaming up the idea. But he knew better, he knew that despite the seemingly effortless work he would notice the way the other cursed and spat - burning his hands or electrifying himself for the millionth time that day alone. Every time Stone would make it a task to grab some burn cream and apply it to the small injuries, taking care not to anger the Doctor further.
However, after a while, he started to notice that instead of the uncomfortable twitches of his hand, fighting against the touch and wanting to get back to work, he had started to relax, the Doctor had started to find himself relaxing around his Agent. Something Stone, admittedly, was quite proud of. He never thought he’d fall in love with his boss, he would tell you that you were crazy for ever thinking that - but his head swam with thoughts when Dr Robotnik was around, his eyes dilated and his respiration hit critical rates. He couldn’t help but feel his hands become clammy as he held the other’s hand softly, though the other didn’t even seem phased by the gestures. It left him wondering if he was truly going mad.
That was until that fateful day.
April 17th, exactly 18:05 - the weather was cooler than usual with spots of rain, though Stone believed it just made the atmosphere cosier as he sat at his coffee machine, starting to steam the Austrian Goat milk that Robotnik had specifically imported. He had come to find out that the Doctor refused to drink anything else, almost like a petulant child refusing vegetables from his mother. He acted as if a drop of cows milk would kill him. Though he had to admit, he couldn’t exactly judge, if someone messed with his coffee recipe he would also be quite cranky, especially doing the Doctor’s work.
As he finished the final touches of his foam decor he was brought out of his thoughts by a loud expletive, followed by the sound of something falling on the floor - of course, he was to expect that the Doctor had thrown one of his many disobedient machines, so imagine Agent Stone’s surprise when it was, in fact, the Doctor a pile on the floor instead of one of his metal amalgamations.
Without hesitation Agent Stone put down the coffee quickly on the other’s workbench, making sure not to spill a drop before rushing to Robotnik’s side, propping the other off as he observed the smouldered colour of the other’s fingertips. Another electrical shock he supposed - how bothersome.
“Doctor! Are you alright?” he asked in a hushed but worried tone, watching as the other’s moustache seemingly smoked with the leftover currents going through his body. Or, of course, that could perhaps be his imagination, he wasn’t quite sure.
“Completely fine, Stone. I’m not enervated - the badnik was simply being mutinous, nothing I can’t handle,” the Doctor responded quickly, his tone strong and annoyed, though Stone could pick up the undertone of softness that lay there. He had gotten quite accustomed to the Doctor’s way of speaking. Sophisticated yet complicated, it would take a genius to decipher him as Stone had - maybe that made him a genius by association.
“Of course you can handle them, what I’m most concerned about is your hands, Doctor. They seem raw, would you like me to bandage them for you?” Stone asked in good faith - although, he knew exactly why he had asked in the first place. If it was up to Robotnik he would fry his fingers to crisps, he was a buffer to try and stop the inevitable nerve damage and arthritis that would take hold of his boss’ hands.
“Did you make my coffee with steamed austrian goat’s milk?” he asked, seemingly not acknowledging the other’s questions for the moment, more concentrated on the beverage that was going to keep him up past normal human hours.
“Ah, yes, Doctor. It is ready on your workbench at a perfect temperature,” Stone said proudly, helping the other off the floor as he sat him back down in his work chair, a quaint smile on his face as he made a small mental note - don’t ask Robotnik about anything if he is hyper fixated on his coffee.
Of course, Stone loved making his coffee at any time of day, he found it quite a passion to make others’ beverages (even if the point of the beverage is to slip the Doctor his scheduled Schizophrenia medication in the morning). It was a hobby of his he took pride in, and he was ecstatic that the Doctor also took interest in that same passion - even if it was for entirely different reasons.
As the other settled back in his work chair, the Agent’s hands twitched, his small smile a little nervous as he watched his employer fiddle with his palms, looking over the damage of the skin - it was charred, second degree burns at the worst. Of course, it was nothing the Doctor hadn’t gone through before, however, Stone couldn’t help but find himself wanting to help him once more, grab him even without permission and take his hands in his - eyes locked as they fought for dominance over the situation - No! He shouldn’t be thinking about that…
At least not during his shift.
“I’ll be fine, Stone,” the voice snapped his head back to the situation, the Doctor’s muscles tensing as he tried to hide the small reactions to his injury, to an untrained eye he would seem completely fine and composed. But to Stone… No, Stone knew the Doctor down to a single twitch of his moustache. He knew…
“Doctor I would advise you to-” Agent Stone was cut off by a scoff, followed by defiance.
“Must I repeat myself, Agent Stone? Or can you use those holes on either side of your head?” Robotnik grumbled, his eyebrows furrowing as he glared up at the other slightly. “I said I am fine, you can-”
“No! You are not okay.”
Now it was Robotnik’s turn to be taken off guard, to be interrupted. The Agent had never raised his voice at him like that before, though Stone had to admit he was quaking in his boots on the inside.
“What did you just say to me?” Robotnik snarled, standing up from his chair quickly (and quite dramatically, Stone would add). “I am your superior, you listen to me-!” The man hardly had time to finish his sentence as his assistant pushed him back down onto the seat quite roughly, the other’s hand gripping the backrest and leaning over the other menacingly. No - he still had his sickeningly sweet smile on, his kind eyes seeming to be filled with determination and… Well maybe something else.
The Doctor, on the other hand, was shocked into silence, not that Stone was counting on it. But he made what he had to do a hell of a lot easier. “No. You are going to stay here and I am going to take care of you, understand? You cannot work while your main tools are malfunctioning, now can you Doctor?”
Robotnik looked at his hands in slight defeat before looking back up to his assistant, sighing heavily as he dropped his head to the side, slouching back on the seat in a small act of defiance. “Fine… But this is the only time you may talk to me like this, you understand Agent?”
“Of course, Doctor,” Stone said politely, straightening up and patting himself off as he moved to grab the first aid kit that they kept in the van right next to the medication and defibrillators. This was NOT the first time this had happened, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. But at least the injury didn’t seem too bad this time. Some cream and bandages would clear it up well.
“Hands,” Stone demanded as he knelt in front of the Doctor, taking his pale hands in his own, the palm side up as he inspected the injury. It was nothing bad, minimal damage from an electrical shock like that. He quickly began to work, diligently wrapping the hands in tight bandages after applying some burn cream, his eyes flicking up to see the Doctor’s annoyed and disgruntled face from time to time.
“What seems to be troubling you, Doctor?” he asked, humming quietly as he prompted the other to speak.
“My coffee is going to be cold at the pace you work…” the Doctor grumbled. That sentence alone made Agent Stone chuckle, looking up at his employer with a gentle look, a fondness in his eyes as he spoke to him.
“Don’t worry… I’ll always be here to make you another.”