Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Stone sat curled in the doctor’s plush brown chair with the blanket he had crocheted all those years ago spread across his lap. The man brushed his shaggy, unwashed hair from his face as he bit into a frozen burrito from the brand Robotnik had liked best. Sauce dripped into his wild, untamed beard but Stone didn’t have the energy to wipe it away. His mustache had also grown long at some point because it just made him feel wrong to trim it. It was another link to his doctor that he needed to keep intact. He craved any and all connections that he could recreate because it felt like maybe, just maybe, Robotnik was still with him. 

His desperation had caused his depression to spiral even worse. Stone rarely left the doctor’s chair, despite the badniks' sad, begging beeps. They wanted him to get up, to act like himself again, but Stone just couldn’t find the energy. 

He only wore Robotnik’s clothes. At first the baggy sweatpants and shirts had been too big on the agent’s frame, but over the months of binge watching La Ultima and depressingly stuffing his face with junk food, Stone found the clothes fit snuggly now. Maybe a little too snuggly, but honestly who would care at this point. It’s not like Stone had visitors. While the badniks looked sadly at him, they still snuggled up to his plush waistline so he wouldn’t be completely alone during his darkest time. 

Most days he even skipped pants. He wouldn't have even gotten dressed or changed clothes had the badniks not insisted he at least shower. Usually he would opt for too small boxers that were even worse than his stolen pants. They were all ratty and falling apart, but he didn’t have the time to buy new ones before and he didn’t have the energy to do so now. The pair he had chosen today had a ripped seam on one side. Instead of the maroon bathrobe Robotnik had worn around the Crab, Stone wore the red coat the doctor had worn during his second fight with Sonic. The agent had patched up the burn marks with crochet flowers before his third encounter with the damn hedgehog. Robotnik was supposed to be wearing it when he was in the ark but had left it behind in the crab in favor of an outfit Gerald had made him.

Stone was thinking about Gerald because a character in the movie wanted to steal Juan and Pablo from Gabriela. He balled his hands into fists and frowned but couldn’t find any energy to do something about it.

He was just a lost sad sack of an agent who couldn’t even bring himself to grab the remote to skip to the next episode. It made him feel sick to know this was what his life had turned into, but Robotnik was gone and this time he wasn’t coming back. He was completely alone and had no reason to bother trying anymore.

So Stone continued to sit in his chair, in his clothes, with his favorite junk foods, and watch his favorite telenovelas just to feel close to him again. So far all it had done was make him unkempt, fat, utterly broken, and heavily depressed.

Tired eyes almost went unseeing as Gabriela and Juan danced around the scene.

He pulled at the sides of the doctor’s coat to bring it more securely to his body so he could be enveloped in what little he had left of the doctor. He used to be able to wrap it around himself completlyy, when had that changed? Not bothering to investigate, Stone brought part of the coat up to his face and inhaled. Robotnik’s smell had almost completely faded from the jacket. It broke his heart, and he started feeling like he had almost lost Robotnik again. 

He was silently crying while people kissed on screen when the whole crab started to shake. An involuntary whine escaped his mouth as his stomach was jostled while his mechanical home rose out of the water. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling after he had done nothing but continuously chew on burritos all day just so his mouth would taste like Robotnik’s. 

The crab stopped moving when it hit the surface of the water. Either GUN had found him and was coming to kill him in fear that the agent was going to take over the Robotnik legacy or this was the badniks' final, last ditch effort to make him go outside. He kept his ass squarely in his chair, pulling his knees up to his chest and trying not to break down again. He wasn’t going to budge from the place Robotnik had spent most of his time.

The agent heard a tentative “Stone?” echo through the crab. 

It was his voice.

What a cruel joke his mind was playing on him. Stone knew it had to be a hallucination. A fresh wave of tears cascaded down and mixed with the old tear tracks he had yet to wipe away. His own mind still tormented him with the sound of footsteps and his voice calling out his name again.

It wasn’t him; Robotnik was dead. 

Silently, Stone buried his face in the back of the chair, the cushion hid his crying from the badniks, he knew they were still morning too and didn't want to make it worse for them. They had essentially lost both fathers on the same day.

Stone closed his eyes, slumping down with thick tears rolling down his cheeks. He felt soft hands on his back. It felt nice. It was the first time something felt nice in a long time.

He didn’t remember anything else after that.

When Stone woke in the fold out bed for the first time in months, the first thing he noticed was that the crab’s main room had been cleaned. He laid in the warm, soft bed for a long time, waiting to wake up again back in the chair surrounded by a moat of take out trash and junk food wrappers. 

When that never seemed to arrive, the agent got up and wandered around looking for who could have possibly cleaned the crab.

Catching sight of himself in a shined surface, he grimaced. His binge eating had really taken a toll on his body, his beard was shaggy and matted, his eyes were sunken, and his hair was crazed and reached his chin.

Walking into the kitchen, Stone found Dr. Robotnik in the agent’s old apron. He turned to notice the agent frozen in the doorway.

Stone had too many emotions running through his mind and he found he was unable to do anything as his face slipped into a confusing mass of facial expressions that couldn’t be identified.

Robotnik walked up to the agent with his arms wide and made a weak little “tada”. His own face was covered in guilt.

The agent’s bottom lip trembled as he stumbled forward and collapsed into Robotnik’s arms with a wail.

Robotnik immediately started trying to sooth him, “I’m sorry agent, I should have gotten back to you sooner, and I did try, I promise. Hey, hey it’s ok, it’s going to be ok…”

Pulling back Stone realized what a compromising position he had been found in. Robotnik could want to leave him again. A rush of horror went through him, “I’ll be the best agent you could ever dream of, please please just don’t leave me again!” Stone could feel his tears begin to fall again. He knew it was pathetic, but he was also so desperate. He needed Robotnik, he needed him to stay.

“Stone! Stone, I am not going anywhere. You are still the best agent I could ever want, and I am so so sorry for not believing you. I should’ve trusted you.”

Robotnik half way lowered his arms as he talked seeing that Stone wasn’t moving, “I’m sorry for having the revelation that I love you and that I was a shitty friend about a minute before I exploded.”

That might have been the wrong thing to say at the moment, because it only made Stone look sadder. Robotnik tried to pull him back into a hug but the agent only wiggled and tried to look at him. The doctor looked miserable as he tried to console the man he had broken so badly.

“I’m all gross.” Stone knew it sounded childish the moment he said it.

“I don’t care. But yeah we could both use a shower.” Robotnik, “Together, for old times sake?”

Stone agreed, desperate for physical contact and because he wasn’t getting a shower any other way.

As Robotnik guided him through the main room, Stone saw the chair remained the same but the empty take out containers were gone. Their crocheted blanket he had made was folded on the seat.

“You cleaned up in here.”

“I did, the crab was a bit of a pig sty, no offence. It was a bit of an eye opener to how I used to live, so I wanted to take care of it before you woke up. I can’t believe you let me sulk like this, agent.”

“You quite literally hissed at me when I tried to pick up a week old pizza box so I left you to your greasy take out empire.” The agent leaned against Robotnik's side again as they walked.

Robotnik hummed and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

When they got to their small bathroom Robotnik stripped off his disgusting outfit from Gerald and threw it in the trash.

Stone messed with the hem of his shirt and hesitated as he watched Robotnik prepare the water for their shower.

Robotnik looked over at him sympathetically, “Hey, Stone, I’m going to do what you used to do. Is that ok?”

Stone nodded his head once. Robotnik gently slid the jacket off his agent’s shoulders, folding it up and putting it on the counter. Then he tugged at the hem of the shirt to lift it over Stone’s head. 

Stone winced as Robotnik saw the full extent of his binge eating. His gut stuck out from his abdomen with visible angry, red stretch marks that were clearly fresh. His thighs and hips weren’t any better off in his opinion because they were peppered with slightly silvery stretch marks that had popped up earlier in his depression snacking. They were just a little thicker than his boxers so there were red indents from where the fabric ended circling each leg. His sides had widened out too and had puffed up into a muffin top that sat over the waistband of his, frankly, trash boxers. 

Robotnik tucked a finger into the hem and raised an eyebrow. Thinking the doctor was alluding to the fact that he had gotten fat, Stone blushed in embarrassment and looked away.

“This is unacceptable, agent, this is just trash. The waistband is going, they are falling apart and you're spilling out! This cannot be comfortable at all, Stone.”

The agent looked up in surprise.

“Either you get yourself some better underwear or I will, but the second this comes off they’re going on top of that suit,” Robotnik pointed at the trash for emphasis. 

Stone felt tears well up again. He had missed being ordered around of course, but something about how the doctor’s tone was softer and he was actively trying to take care of Stone started to heal the agent’s shattered heart.

Instead of telling Stone not to cry, the doctor hugged him again and began softly whispering, “let it all out, agent, you’ll feel better.” over and over until the agent in his arms stopped shaking.

Guiding him into the warm spray, Robotnik wondered if this was how Stone had felt while he had suffered after the fall. The doctor felt powerless to help his agent.

As Stone stood in the warm water he seemed to curl up, making himself as small as possible. 

Robotnik gently rotated the agent, there wasn’t enough room in the shower for both of the men to comfortably move around each other. The doctor began to massage the shampoo into Stone’s long hair. He gently rinsed it out before checking to see if Stone was ok.

The agent gave a little nod so Robotnik continued on and began to lather his back with a different soap. Letting his fingers run along every inch of skin, Robotnik attempted to massage Stone. It had always made him feel better while he was recovering. When his fingers ran along the softer skin around Stone’s waist, the agent flinched and started to pull away.

“Stone?” 

“I’ll lose it all, sir. ‘M sorry for letting myself go like this.” Stone mumbled as he pressed himself into a corner of the shower. The soap still clung to his body as Robotnik tried to reach out to comfort him.

The doctor had to take a second to process what Stone was even talking about. He was hurt that Stone had moved away and it came out as anger accidentally when he spoke, “You are depressed, Stone! The hell are you apologizing for? Just because you have a belly now doesn’t change anything. Damn, man, stop worrying and let me take care of you!”

Stones looked more broken somehow as he admitted, “I don’t know how,” in a faint voice.

“You don’t know how to be cared for?” Robotnik felt his heart break for the agent, any anger and shock melted from his body as he looked at Stone.

He looked like a wet cat as he stood in the corner, terrified and so unbearably sad. His hair was in his face and his scared arms were wrapped around his pudgy body as he looked down at the tiled floor.

“Well, I don’t know how to take care of someone,” Robotnik admitted after a moment of thought, “so maybe we could learn together?”

Stone looked at Robotnik, really looked at him for the first time that day, and nodded. He stepped closer, letting Robotnik continue to wash the soap off in silence.

When they were out of the shower and dried off, Robotnik spoke again, “Can I give you another hug, Stone? You look like you are about to shatter and this is the only way I know to comfort you,” Stone hesitated, until Robotnik added, “please, Stone. Is this about your belly? You still loved me when I got fat and depressed, why do you assume I don’t love you when the same thing happens?”

Stone didn't have a good answer, so he let Robotnik wrap his arms around him.

“See? This is why I am the genius, Stone,” Robotnik tsked affectionately as he ran his hands through the agent’s damp hair, “Now come on let’s find you some clean clothes. Maybe head back to the couch.”

Stone nodded, today had been a lot for him already. He just wanted to curl up next to the doctor and close his eyes, but clothes were probably good too. He was feeling cold and self conscious.

Both men lay on the couch in their own pairs of Robotnik’s pajamas. Stone had stolen a pair and the doctor had just decided to go ahead and put a pair of his own on, the day had been emotionally fraught for him too.

Robotnik skimmed through Netflix while Stone got comfortable. He wasn’t used to being held so he laid down awkwardly at first. As he adjusted, the agent rested his head on Robotnik’s shoulder, and let the rest of his body fall against Robotnik’s side. The doctor had successfully wrapped an arm around Stone's side and let it rest on his waist. He was careful not to squeeze the agent, knowing full well that he was still fragile.

When Robotnik scrolled to the most watched shows, he said, “I see we choose the same shows to binge.” 

“It made me feel closer to you. I needed to feel like you still lived here at first and then it all just spiraled downwards from there.”

“Is that why you ate so many of those chips that I love and you hate?”

“At first, but they grew on me after a while. I like the bbq ones.” Stone’s voice grew quiet as he continued to share little details from the months when Robotnik was gone while he spoke around the main issues.

The doctor sat and listened as Stone talked, holding the agent close to his side.

“I missed you, sir.” Stone said, moving his head closer and wrapping his arms around Robotnik.

“I missed you, too. The second I was conscious, my only goal was to get home to you, my agent.”

“How did you survive?” Stone asked finally, after a few long minutes of silence.

“I’m not sure. All I know is that I said goodbye to you, everything went bright, and then it was eight months later in a corn field. I knew I had to find you.”

Chapter Text

Stone’s depression wasn't instantly gone when Robotnik returned, but gradually his smile returned as the doctor proved time and time again that he wasn’t going anywhere.

Waking up together in the same bed for the first time really cemented for Stone that Robotnik was really here. And here to stay.

The agent rolled onto his side and lay still as he watched the doctor sleeping beside him. His mustache fluttered with every breath as the agent attempted to snuggle closer. Robotnik sleepy reached out and grabbed the agent by his love handles, yanking him into an embrace. 

“Mmm. Soft,” mumbled Robotnik in his sleep as he nuzzled his nose into Stone’s plush chest. 

The agent looked down to see the doctor kneading his soft skin.

He felt a wave of self consciousness start to wash over him until Robotnik let out a happy little sigh and sank deeper into his chest. His face was almost tucked between Stone’s manboobs as Robotnik had started calling them. The agent couldn’t help but smile. It was small, it was still slightly sad, but it was a soft smile nonetheless.

The agent ran his fingers through Robotnik’s mustache. The doctor was real, he was here, he was snuggling with his tits. Mm. That sure was a new sensation for Stone. 

He had gotten so used to only having the badniks as companions that feeling the warm body of Robotnik in his arms made him cry tears of happiness. He hoped Robotnik wouldn’t wake up and take it the wrong way, but unfortunately the doctor began to stir when he felt a tear hit his bald head.

“Hzzut?” He mumbled into Stone’s chest as he tried to push up and get his bearings, “why sad?”

“I’m not sad, sir, I promise. I just, I love you, sir, and I really am still coming to terms with the fact that you are here with me now. It’s been so long since I have felt happy,” Stone remembered all the times he had wanted to hug Robotnik when he was feeling depressed after the fall but wasn’t allowed. He looked down at the sleepy man and pulled him just a little bit closer, “thank you for coming back to me, sir.”

“I never plan to leave your side ever again, Stone,” the doctor said earnestly, even if a bit of the serious tone was lost because his chin was resting on Stone’s left pectoral.

He reached up to run a hand through Stone’s hair, “I’m never letting you go ever again.”

——

New routines were made as the pair tried to settle into a rhythm like the one they used to know. 

The agent had started constantly following Robotnik around the crab. The agent was clingy, constantly needing to be within touching distance of the doctor. He was desperate for physical contact, anything to remind him that Robotnik was still here and safe. The doctor willingly stood near or kept a hand on Stone’s shoulder or thigh to bring comfort to him. He was desperate for his happy agent to return, it hurt his heart to see how badly Stone had suffered alone.

They weren’t partners, not officially, but Robotnik had gotten loose with the praise he handed out to Stone. He made sure to say good job to everything his agent did because of how Stone’s eyes lit up. The agent seemed so happy to hear the praise that Robotnik scoured the internet for possible nicknames of endearment that he could start calling Stone just to hammer home the idea that he was loved.

Among the classics like barnacle, my agent, and Sycophant, Robotnik also started calling Stone my love. 

Stone still only wore the doctor’s clothes, but he did wear the new boxers Robotnik had bought him as promised. It was not for lack of trying. He had offered to get Stone some better fitting clothes, but the agent still wanted his comfortable sweats and shirts. 

One morning he walked into the kitchen to see Robotnik attempting to make scrambled eggs. They had turned out a bit more fried and omelet-like, but nothing some melted cheese couldn’t fix.

The coat was still draped around his shoulders like a cape as he leaned against Robotnik’s side 

“Doctor, can you wear this for a bit?” Stone asked as he took off the coat.

“Sure. Can I ask why?” Robotnik asked, even though he was already sliding his arms in. 

“I wore it so often when I was… yeah, that it stopped smelling like you,” Stone mumbled

“Oh, sycophant, come here,” Robotnik pulled Stone into his arms, “yes, I will wear the coat for you, but I need you to know that I am not going anywhere. You are my real family, not that asshole who might have shared 25% of his DNA with me.”

Stone clung to Robotnik, simply breathing in and out. He felt bad that he needed constant reassurance from the doctor, but it still felt good to know that Robotnik was willing to remind him as many times as he needed.

——

The first time Stone laughed, a full belly laugh, was at a stupid joke the doctor had made over dinner. Robotnik felt like his heart had skipped a beat. Here was this perfect man before him laughing until tears ran down his face about a dumb joke about ducks.

Robotnik was stunned. Stunned by the joyful outburst, stunned by how he cried as he laughed, stunned by the way his whole body moved as he threw his head back to cackle.

Stone calmed down, wiping away the happy tears with the back of his hand as his laughter slowed to a chuckle.

Robotnik decided at that moment he needed to kiss him. Standing up and circling the table, Robotnik gently pressed a soft kiss to the agent’s forehead. Both men were all smiles as Stone yanked the doctor into his lap and began peppering kisses along his face. Stone’s lap was still just as strong as before but infinitely more comfortable for Robotnik. The doctor squirmed so that he could wrap his legs around the agent while Stone looked up at the doctor with a genuine smile that reached his eyes. It had been so long since Robotnik had seen that bright, toothy smile, and it was even more beautiful now.

After dinner, Robotnik asked if Stone wanted to feel more like himself again. When the agent gratefully nodded he got out the clippers and made Stone sit on the same chair he had used for his end of depression haircut that was really more Stone sensually shaving his head than a trip to the barber shop. 

He used the clippers to clean up Stone's beard so that it was short and precise again but they both decided that leaving the mustache longer was the best course of action. The doctor even used some of his mustache wax to curl the ends a little bit so that they would match. 

Then Robotnik circled around behind Stone to work with his hair. Instead of cutting it off to the original length, he shaved just the bottom half to give the agent an undercut. He gave a quick trim to even it up and remove the many many split ends, before Robotnik pulled half of the longer top part of his hair into a bun and let the rest curl around his face for a half up half down look.

When Stone saw himself in the hand mirror that Robotnik held up, he studied himself.  His beard was trimmed just how he liked it, the hair was new but a definite improvement to the tangles and mats. His mustache looked like Robotnik’s. Using the mirror to glance at Robotnik who was still standing behind him, he could see the way his partner smiled at him. He felt happy. He felt like himself. He felt like he belonged by Robotnik’s side. He also felt like a Robotnik with his new mustache. 

The doctor left to put the razor and clippers back in the bathroom. Stone took the opportunity of his partner’s distraction to take a good look at the rest of himself. Twisting the mirror, he used it to show how his body lay differently. Pinching the side proved that his belly was there. It was pudginess that was probably never going away. But maybe he didn’t want that?

“You look good, agent, stop prodding yourself,” Stone looked up at Robotnik over the mirror. 

“It's so different, because I wasn’t really present enough to notice when I started getting chubby. I know I’m fat, I know you don’t mind, and I know I don’t mind either. It just doesn’t… feel like me, really. The haircut helps sir, really it does, I just," Stone trailed off as he slapped his hand against his belly in a mimic of how Robotnik had used to do back before the ark, “I guess I am not used to all this yet.”

Robotnik nodded solemnly before gesturing at Stone’s gut, “May I?”

“Be my guest,” the agent replied, unsure of what Robotnik was planning but happy to let the doctor do whatever he wanted. Spreading his arms outward to show him that he had full range of touch.

Robotnik knelt in front of Stone, and gently wrapped his arms around Stone’s waist and brought his face close. He began to press kisses along the soft skin of Stone’s stomach.

Stone’s face went maroon and he gripped the sides of the chair as Robotnik continued on until every inch of his agent’s plushness had been coated in kisses.

“Is that better?”

“Improving, you're going to have to do it again. Maybe several times. Everyday,” Stone said as he looked down at Robotnik who was resting his cheek on the agent’s belly. He had actually started to feel better, something about how tenderly Robotnik had kissed him.

Robotnik chucked but did start kissing him again. After a good ten minutes he asked, “can we move to the couch first? My knees hurt.”

Stone tucked his arms through Robotnik’s and they stood in a weird fashion just so they didn’t have to stop hugging each other as they moved to the couch. Stone was laughing, Robotnik was smiling as he felt the joy radiate off his agent for the first time in a long time.

Plopping down on the couch, Robotnik partially tugged his agent into his arms so Stone had his legs thrown over the doctor’s lap while still sitting on the couch himself.

Robotnik rested a hand on his thigh, only to give a little squeeze and exclaim, “You have thighs!”

“Yes? Always had them, sir.” Stone chuckled.

“Haha, very funny, glad to see you feeling better. I meant that they’re all squishy now! Damn, Stone, your body must love you.”

“Are you saying I have curves in all the right places?” His tone was teasing. 

“Uhhh, can’t say yes without sounding like an asshole catcaller, but I do like how you look, and I am also very jealous that depression made you all curvy and all I got was this big fat bell-ay! He slapped the side for emphasis.

Stone giggled again, “Just for the record, I like your belly, sir,” the agent said, feeling warm and safe as he leaned against Robotnik’s side. His head rested on the doctor’s shoulder, his hand running along the aforementioned round belly.  

“And I like your’s sycophant, and I like your’s.”