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It wasn’t like Stone remembered it was Valentine's Day as well as a random Friday. He wasn’t paid to keep track of holidays only of the Doctor’s schedule. Really, he didn’t care about the pay, he enjoyed taking care of the Doctor’s every move. Stone absolutely delighted when things went smoothly and according to plan, he liked seeing the sly smile on Robotnik’s face when everything slid into place. He liked it when the other man would glance his way with a wave of his hand and say, “Excellent Stone,” even when it would usually mean later he’d get hit in the stomach for something minor.
But he’d become extraordinarily good at his job. It was what he was most proud of, and honestly, he was made for it. It wasn’t just that he had always had a little fixation on organisation and uh, maybe serving others, but the man he served made it all a thousand times better. Being an agent was good and all, he got to use his degree, and his technical and physical skills and of course, he was always given his instructions by higher-ups. This role just happened to be even better, by a very large margin, like infinitely better, everything he’d ever dreamed of.
Robotnik was at the heart of that, he already took pride in his ability to be the only man ever employed by the Doctor for longer than week. Take that into account alongside he’d initially just been there to wrangle him in line alongside the government and worked his way up into not only managing that aspect of the Doctor’s life but his schedule for everything, making his coffee, working on his robots. Honestly, that was the highest honour of them all, that the Doctor trusted him anywhere close to his technology.
Yet Stone was only human, unlike the Doctor who was perfection embodied, he was bound to slip up. A meeting, a faraway meeting mind you, on Valentine's Day. Stone still refused to accept responsibility for that particular mishap! Although Robotnik had not shut up about it since he realised.
They had been working in Robotnik’s remote lab, middle of the woods, hidden away, technically the government had the rough coordinates to its location, but it would still be pretty hard to find even then. Stone obviously knew the way there like the back of his hand, so did the Doctor, who knew everything. But the point was, it was far away from their usual government assigned labs, not that far away from the nearest town, but still distant enough to be a nuisance.
It was nice there, Stone got to live with the Doctor when they went there for testing. It was like a mystical haze of domestic harmony, or disharmony depending on the Doctor’s mood, settled over them. Stone made them breakfast each morning instead of just coffee, and the Doctor had a semblance of a sleep schedule, all due to Stone’s influence. No all-nighters when your resident henchman carefully calculated your caffeine intake and not subtly herded you to bed each night. Stone got to watch the Doctor work in his best possible environment, practically alone, yet not alone enough to accidentally kill himself by forgetting human necessities. No annoying other agents to frustrate them both, and excellent kitchen for Stone to cook to his heart's content and get them to eat things other than Robotnik’s favourite mystery slop that had ‘all my necessary nutrients’ in it. It was lovely, it was Stone’s favourite time of year.
It just so happened that there was a meeting with a certain government official that Robotnik was heavily, heavily advised to attend a few towns over. A nice meeting place. It was originally on the 13th, but Robotnik had requested it be moved a day, and everyone agreed with not much fuss under the condition it was in the afternoon rather than evening like originally planned. Neither man had questioned that. Seemed fair, Robotnik would complain about anything given the chance, but Stone didn’t care.
So dutifully they got in the car and drove to the meeting. It was bland, the usual, discussions about budget, what technology this specific area of government required, simple stuff, Robotnik could get it all done within two weeks and with barely any budget. He didn’t say that of course, they would milk the government for all they were worth for projects of their own.
As the day went on, Stone looked around, a lot of women wearing nice dresses today. Pinks everywhere too. He even saw a man walk past with a bouquet, could be an anniversary. Stone felt like there might be something he was missing after he saw the third man walk past with a bouquet. Then a couple holding hands, grinning and laughing with each other just outside the café where the subdued meeting took place. Stone didn’t actually sit in on them, though he could hear everything the Doctor said and was ready to step in at any minute. Sometimes the Doctor needed him to translate so to speak, normal people talk.
Even as they walked back to the car it continued to nag Stone, it was becoming evening, and he saw the hearts in the windows of the stores they passed. Did it always look like this? He didn’t think so. Odd. More couples too. At least Stone assumed they were couples, maybe not best to assume, could just be two good friends for all he knew- oh no they were kissing. Hmm.
It continued to bug him. But he never figured it out. It was only on the way back Robotnik had realised, been the one to clock it. It was as he looked down at the coffee Stone had made him with its customary drawing with hearts surrounding it. Stone had done the drawing at the café, taken over the machine from a very confused barista for 5 seconds in order to get the perfect order. The Doctor could be allowed to have an evening coffee after an incredibly annoying meeting, even if it meant he would stay up late.
About the hearts, look, if Robotnik never questioned it, why should Stone stop? It was fine.
“Stone I am beginning to recall there’s something else that’s happening today,” Robotnik muttered to himself, staring, almost glaring at the coffee. “Don’t tell me, it will come. Something to do with, coffee? No, International Coffee Day is October 1st.” The Doctor made a long humming noise as he wracked his brain. “Hearts. Definitely hearts.”
“Oh, if they bother you I’ll stop drawing them,” Stone stuttered, the Doctor had never ever brought them up verbally before. Let alone the drawings he often did of the other man, or their Badniks.
“Silence Stone I’m thinking,” Robotnik announced, almost slapping a hand over Stone’s mouth but seemingly thinking better of it, the other man was driving. Stone was a pretty good multitasker; he probably would have handled it. “Hearts, hearts, what do hearts mean Stone?” He asked, contradicting his earlier order immediately.
“Uh,” Stone didn’t want to answer that. He really didn’t. “Uh, they pump blood around the body?” Surely Robotnik would appreciate the scientific answer.
A loud groan, “No, you dolt, pop culture, amongst the common people what do they symbolise?” Robotnik was likely rolling his eyes right about now.
Stone felt like he was about to start sweating as he kept his eyes firmly fixed on the road. Maybe this was a new and unique torture method. “They symbolise love and romance, sir.” Stone stuttered out, not daring to so much as glance over at the Doctor.
“Bingo Stone that’s it! It’s Valentine’s Day. How did you forget that?” He said, before taking a gulp of his coffee. It was nearly time to turn the headlights on, evening drew on and the sun began to set.
Stone was not about to point out that the Doctor had also forgotten it. For the whole day in fact. He certainly didn’t have a death wish. He merely responded, “I’ll remember to input popularly celebrated holidays in the calendar.”
“Ugh, I don’t care about that definitely do not add it to the calendar, but this would explain why those pathetic annoying imbeciles wanted an early evening. Go give meaningless gifts to their husbands and wives to make up for a loveless marriage.” Robotnik groaned, he went silent for a while, staring out the window and drinking his coffee, Stone still felt like he was having a heart attack. How did he manage to forget? Dear god, he’d made the other man a coffee with hearts on it. If Robotnik had been even 1% less oblivious to the general customs of romance, he would have mocked Stone into eternity. As it was, he already wasn’t safe.
“You know Stone,” Oh please no, “If you truly didn’t recall this moronic holiday, I would find it safe to assume you have a distinct lack of a romantic life,” Robotnik mused, grinning, but Stone was just glad he didn’t mention the hearts again, “My poor little henchman all alone, not a paramour in sight,” He said in a sing-song voice.
Stone really, really had to try hard not to remind Robotnik he had also forgotten. Although if Robotnik had a lover Stone would likely be the one to schedule their dates anyway. So, he was deeply aware Robotnik was single, all alone, with a distinct lack of romantic life as he had put it. Guiltily, Stone was happy about this, he didn’t think he would be able to handle it if the Doctor had a lover. “You would be right as always Doctor,” Stone said with pretend enthusiasm.
“No one you’ve set your pathetic devoted heart on then?” The Doctor teased, and Stone was really beginning to sweat. He did not need this line of questioning in the car all alone. He did not need Robotnik even getting close to the truth.
Half the time Stone was convinced Robotnik knew already, that Stone was head over heels in love. It was really the only rational way to justify most of his behaviour, therefore it made logical sense for the Doctor to deduce it. Then the other half of the time the Doctor managed to be so utterly oblivious that it wiped away all Stone’s worries in an instant. Like the time he called Robotnik darling and Robotnik had not noticed it at all. Somehow completely missed him. He had only responded “Speak louder Stone or don’t speak at all,” and Stone had gotten away scot-free. A miracle.
Stone responded hesitantly, he didn’t want to downright lie because the Doctor would instantly clock it, but saying it outright was a nightmare too. He did not need the Doctor to react poorly today of all days, he didn’t need to be fired, or mocked, or yelled at, or any variation of terrible thing. “I, uh, not for Valentine’s Day.” Good enough.
“And whyever not? You’re so desperately and horrifyingly devoted I’m sure a woman would be delighted with you.” Then he made a disgusted face, “Ugh, I’m never complimenting you again Stone. I take it back. They should all run. You don’t have time for it anyway, too busy with moi.”
“You took the words out of my mouth Doctor, too busy,” He said, with a smile, “Besides, I’m not exactly,” was he about to come out to his boss on Valentine's Day? Should he jump out of the car right now before the words come out of his mouth? Too late, “I’m not really into women.”
Robotnik responded immediately, but not how Stone expected “Ouch! First, I compliment you, now I’ve fallen into the heteronormative traps of average man. How much worse can it get Stone?” He said, “I will revise my statement if you were free, I’m sure any man would be delighted.” He still sounded hesitant while saying it, as though he hated the idea of paying the other man a compliment, “Yet, they cannot have you.”
“They can’t?” Stone felt like he was going crazy. Perhaps the closest he’d ever get to Robotnik claiming him, so to speak.
“Obviously not. You’re mine.” Robotnik said, and Stone was really not expecting him to be that direct. He nearly had a heart attack then and there, and it really was fate that this was when it had to happen.
The car broke down. No cell reception. Just to make it even better, they had been instructed not to bring any Badniks with them this trip. Clearly, they ignored these instructions but there weren’t any big enough to transport them the rest of the way, not without waiting an hour for them to get there due to the time it would take for Robotnik to program that instruction in. In that time, they could just walk back.
After cursing out the air for about five minutes Robotnik gave into circumstances, it took Stone much less time, his poor heart was still going at a dangerously high bpm. He could use a brisk walk in the nice cool air of evening, the sun had mostly set now, but it was bright enough to see well. He placed a note of their car’s coordinates in his phone and took a deep breath.
“Looks like we’re walking sir,” Stone said, voice slightly higher pitched than usual, due to stress.
Robotnik let out a growl of sorts, “Fuck you Stone,”
Stone would have said ‘Yelling will not fix the car’ but then the Doctor might just start throwing things, so he gave up on that approach. “Logically It would take longer to wait than walk back. It should be around 45 minutes.” He had done a lot of walks in this area, even in the dark he knew it perfectly.
“You expect me to walk home in the cold and dark with you?” Robotnik squawked. The cold wasn’t so much an issue, Stone always kept extra clothing on him, he reached into the back of the car and brought out a scarf, tossing it to the Doctor who made another squawk before putting it on. He was already wearing gloves, his giant coat and good boots. He was in no danger of freezing to death. He just didn’t like walking that far.
Robotnik was the master of quick power walks through buildings, he would get there faster than any other man, but long distance was not his style. Anything further than 5 minutes was too far. Stone on the other hand actually enjoyed running and going on walks. The Doctor would call him crazy for this, but Stone actually found the speed Robotnik could get up to when just walking around even crazier.
“Yes sir,” Stone said, unwilling to take opposition. He was not okay with abandoning the Doctor here, and he was also not okay with waiting for over an hour in the cold without moving. “I can guide us, don’t worry,” Maybe he shouldn’t have added that last part.
“Oh, don’t worry Stone? Don’t worry? We’re stranded in the woods you imbecile!” Robotnik yelled at him,
Stone turned in the direction they needed to head, it was practically a straight line with no creeks or any major obstacles in the way. Could be pleasant even, if the Doctor didn’t yell the whole time. “Sir the longer we don’t walk the longer it will be before we’re back, you can yell at me on the way,” He compromised,
Robotnik continued to make grumbling noises, but as Stone began walking with an amount of confidence into the moderate darkness he followed without further protest, “if you get us lost, I will kill you,” Robotnik grumbled
“That’s fair sir,” Stone responded as they continued, aside from Robotnik's general mutterings to himself the first ten minutes were passed in relative silence.
It was as they were passing through an emptier field, and Stone was looking up at the sky scattered with thousands of stars that Robotnik spoke properly again, “Stone, did you actually forget Valentine’s Day or were you merely hiding it from me,” He said, as though he’d been wondering it for a while.
“I did forget Doctor. As you said yourself I don’t really have much reason to remember it.”
“Do I really keep you away from normal society to that extent? Now this is not an invitation to find yourself a boyfriend agent, because I certainly would not approve it-“ Stone couldn’t help but let out a small giggle at the idea of Robotnik denying him a boyfriend, “I’m serious Stone, no boy toys. But I had not considered this before. I suppose we are in each other’s company most of the time.” He said,
“We are Doctor,” Stone agreed simply. Nothing to deny there, it was all true, if Stone had his way every second of the day would be spent in the Doctor’s company. But at that point, it was more likely for the Doctor to try and kill him.
Robotnik went silent for a few moments before speaking again, “Do you find an issue with that,” Stone whipped his head around and the Doctor wagged a finger at him as they both continued through the woods, “Now be honest agent. I could maybe find a workaround. I’m feeling particularly generous tonight, despite your abject failure on two fronts.”
Stone allowed himself to continue staring at the other man, whose scarf was up so high it was covering the entire lower half of his face, merely letting his eyes peek out over the top. He felt a jolt of affection rush through him for the Doctor, a painful and all too familiar feeling. “Doctor I would not want to spend a minute away from you I did not have to,” It was dangerously honest.
Robotnik scoffed, “And now you sound pathetic again, I know I’m the most brilliant thing the human race ever created but you are a mere man Stone, your undying loyalty must have strings.” It was like a foregone conclusion, couldn’t a man be blindly loyal in peace? Without his evil genius of a boss trying to figure him out like a particularly difficult riddle?
“You’re a genius sir, I’m sure you’ll solve that mystery,” Stone said,
He heard the other man do a quick run in an effort to keep up with Stone’s pace, now walking alongside him, he gave Stone a quick punch in the arm. “Unbelievable. You are unbelievable tonight.” He grumbled.
It was Stone’s turn to start asking unprompted questions, it felt a lot safer when it was like this, when Robotnik had already started them down that path. When they weren’t in the lab where they usually were, they were safe out in the big wide wilderness. “I don’t think you’ve ever brought up Valentine's Day before sir, I didn’t have any idea you worried this much about it at all.” Worried was a strong word, more like intense curiosity.
Robotnik’s arm brushed his as they walked, Stone’s traitorous heart skipped a beat, “I don’t worry about it, Stone, I couldn’t care less. It’s not like I have any lovers either as you know.” At least he was accepting his own circumstances now, “It just struck me as fascinating in the moment.” He muttered. They were walking so close, they had infinite space here yet they were still side by side.
“Have you ever had a Valentine?” Stone asked, glancing over at the Doctor, his cheeks were red in the dim light, that was from the cold, yet Stone’s mind ran with it anyway.
Robotnik laughed, a bright and light sound, “Absolutely not, have you?”
Honesty, why not? “A few, one in kindergarten, my boyfriend in college,” He was not expanding on the boyfriend, “A friend of mine while training to be an agent asked me. I was too scared they were asking for a date, so I lied and said I already had one. I still feel bad about that.”
Robotnik’s eyes lit up with delight, “Devious little heartbreaker! How terrible of you, lying to get out of a situation. I’m proud, even if it is the most juvenile thing I’ve ever heard.” He said, before humming to himself and continuing his train of thought. “You know Stone It appears I’m in quite a good mood. I shouldn’t be. I should be strangling you.” He said, and Stone was certain that if he wasn’t in such a good mood he would be. Or throwing things. Or pinning him to something to scream abuse. He had zero idea why the Doctor was in this good mood, frankly the night had taken a terrible turn. Now the Doctor even felt like sharing personal details about himself, which he did anyway, and regularly, but this felt different. Probably because he was allowing Stone to share too without shutting him up. “I used to despise holidays such as this, but it feels almost painfully cliché to mock this one as I have. Half the world’s population does that to it already.”
“And if there’s one thing you are not sir, it’s basic.” Stone grinned, “I agree, why not celebrate it?” Celebrate was the wrong word. Alarm bells went off in his mind. He should have said accept the holiday not celebrate it.
“Celebrate you say? Is this your convoluted plot Stone, get me stranded alone and strangely joyful and ask me to,” He waved a hand in the air, strangely unwilling to say it. If Stone had thought he was just going to mock him, he was mistaken, the Doctor seemed almost embarrassed saying it. Even as a way to make fun of his henchman.
Stone spoke for him in the end, unwilling to let the thought linger incomplete, “Be my Valentine?” He finished, as though prompting the words from the Doctor.
“Why Stone, I thought you’d never ask.” The Doctor grinned, laughter clear in his voice, he brushed against Stone’s arm again.
It was all a trick. Stone had been successfully fooled. His face went red, and he looked up at the sky to avoid the Doctor’s devious eye. So many stars, infinite possibilities, the trees stretching up into nothingness only to be greeted by a beauty never truly captured in words.
Yet despite the loveliness of nature, Stone couldn’t help but look back at the Doctor, and really, two could play at that game. He reached out and grabbed the Doctor’s hand, lacing their fingers together, and walking faster back home to avoid seeing the Doctor’s likely shocked expression.
He didn’t want this, he didn’t want the Doctor to even guess at his feelings, let alone to make fun of them in this way, he couldn’t handle that. He didn’t want to see that sly smile on the Doctor’s face, he could handle infinite discussion of hypothetical dates, of past dates, but the Doctor mocking the mere idea of them being together? Stone would rather be home as quickly as possible even if it meant he had to drag him.
“Running away is no way to treat a date Stone,” Robotnik puffed, almost reading his mind, “Surely we’re nearly back now, slow down you madman.” He grumbled, breathless.
“Around ten minutes left sir, but it would be faster at this speed,” Stone replied, legs moving swiftly and feeling the drag of Robotnik behind him.
Suddenly Robotnik stopped still, and Stone nearly fell over from the connection of their hands. “Stone, you are being ridiculous, surely you don’t find the idea of being my false date for a stupid holiday that insulting?” He said, tone curious,
“No sir, of course not,” Stone said, shocked the Doctor could even imply such a thing.
Robotnik raised an eyebrow, “So why are you literally trying to run away,”
“I’m not!” Stone squeaked out; he was a horrible liar sometimes.
Robotnik looked down at their conjoined hands, then he looked back up at Stone, and back down, and the cycle repeated a few times more before he began staring intently at Stone, eyes narrowing. “You put hearts on my latte.” He said.
“I always do sir,” Stone responded, now quite desperate to be back in the safety and normality of the lab.
“That only adds to my point, you are holding my hand.” He said, adding another item to the list, “You wish to spend every day with me of your own admission, and I know very well when you’re lying to me.” He said, stepping closer, if Stone wasn’t scared of being accused of running away again, he would have scrambled backwards. “Your face became flushed as though from intense physical effort when I first mentioned Valentine's Day. You overreact to my clear jokes about it.”
“Doctor, please,” Stone was looking anywhere but his eyes, it felt like begging for mercy.
Robotnik reached his other gloved hand up and grabbed Stone’s jaw, leading to a small gasp escaping the other man, “Forgive this experiment, but I must confirm this hypothesis.” The Doctor announced in a dear deadpan voice before very clumsily kissing Stone’s cheek. Stone let out a horrifyingly strange noise as he did it, a mix between a squeak and another gasp. He felt himself go even redder, almost dizzy from the unexpected contact. Even the brief touch of the other man's lips was enough to drive him drunk on affection. The Doctor pulled back quickly, eyes narrowed and scanning over Stone’s very still body. “Interesting.” He said, “Not a negative reaction.”
“You were expecting a negative one?” Stone breathed out, incredulous. He felt light-headed, his mind blank just for a moment.
“It was 50/50, you could have been falsifying half of these pieces of evidence and the other half could be read as embarrassment due to not liking the idea rather than the idea of me finding out,” Robotnik explained clearly, like it was just another day in the lab and not perhaps the best or worst day of Stone’s life. It remained to be decided.
Stone just stared at the Doctor for a moment, who didn’t elaborate on his point, merely looking like he was deep in thought, “So, what now?” He said, leaving it entirely up to the other man. He was not about to spill his entire heart out when the Doctor figured it out all by himself.
Robotnik hummed, “You know what Stone? I just don’t know.” He said, and honestly, that was the most startling possible option. The Doctor always knew. That was his whole thing. He knew, he always knew everything. He was the most brilliant genius of all time, with an IQ incalculably high. A track record of endless intensity, infinitely perfect. “Do you know how frustrating that is? I am the smartest man to have ever lived yet I have not considered this eventuality in nearly enough detail.”
“You’ve considered it?” His heart really couldn’t take all of this introspection on the part of Robotnik. Stone needed answers.
“I’ve considered everything Stone,” Robotnik said, scolding his henchman for doubting him, “But really this was quite unlikely. I had labelled myself as generally undesirable many years ago. Alas, there must come a time when even I, the great Ivo Robotnik am proven wrong.” Then, he shrugged, “New circumstances call for new tests and experiments, one must always be willing to adapt,” He announced, before dramatically turning to smile at Stone widely, “So Stone, I will be your Valentine.”
Stone’s mind was still boggling at how the Doctor could ever think of himself as undesirable when it finally stopped on the word ‘valentine’ and lit up again like fireworks had suddenly gone off. “What?” He said hopelessly, sounding very stupid indeed, no wonder the Doctor got so frustrated with him.
“I’m not repeating myself.” Robotnik was deadpan now.
His brain was still not comprehending this, he repeated out loud, “You want to be my Valentine? The holiday you were disparaging for nearly this entire time, and the thing you strictly said I wasn’t allowed to do.” Stone just wanted to confirm he wasn’t going crazy. He felt like he was going crazy. This whole day was crazy. The Doctor looked deeply unimpressed with him.
Robotnik brought their conjoined hands up and waved them at Stone, jerking his arm around in the process, “Observe, have I tried once to escape your sweaty grasp? No, no I have not.” He said, and Stone watched him as he continued using their arms to gesture about, “Is it generally uncomfortable to have prolonged human contact of this sort due to the unusual contraction of muscles in the hand and the conduction of skin against skin, or in my case leather? Yes, it is. Very much so.” He leaned in again, their noses almost touching, and Stone took a sharp breath, “I am putting myself through this nonsensical discomfort to please you, and only to please you. Does that answer your questions?” Robotnik said,
“Yes sir,” Stone responded, barely a whisper. To please me. To please me. He wants to make me happy.
“Good.” Robotnik nodded, eyes flickering down to Stone’s parted lips and glaring at them for a moment. “No, I don’t want to try that yet,” He announced suddenly, “I suspect I won’t enjoy the sensation, but we can run tests,” then he dragged them forward and onward to home.
Stone’s brain had still yet to keep up with this series of events, but his heart was beating fast and hurt in an entirely different way. It was bursting with sheer delight and happiness, and when he finally processed the implication of what the Doctor had just said he almost tripped over thin air. He felt like he was incredibly drunk, giddy with happiness and almost giggling as he followed the Doctor like a loyal puppy, walking unsteadily as he went.
They made it back in record time, at least for that final stretch, not counting the break in the middle. A very successful day in the end, if you asked Stone his opinion on the matter. He’d never seen the Doctor so okay, even pleased, to have their plans go awry. Even after his complaints their hands stayed conjoined the rest of the evening, and maybe a few more experiments of similar sorts were pencilled in for later dates.
Despite what the Doctor had said earlier, he decided to put Valentine's Day in their calendar for next year, just in case. Never hurt to be prepared after all, Stone certainly wouldn’t miss it again.