Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

His head throbs, and he sighs dramatically.

His agent has been gone for a full 48 hours. That is 48 more hours then his agent should be separated from him.

This headache has lasted for over half of that time, and he hasn't gotten a single thing done.

He makes sure to sigh louder than normal when he hears a knock on the door, his way of telling the universe that he's done with its shit.

Slinging the door open, he sees Walters and an unfamiliar person.

“Robotnik, This is your new agent.” As soon as Walters finishes his statement he almost runs away, fitting.

“Agent Ramerez, pleasure to be at your service sir.”

A tall tan woman, in a suit and tie stands infront of him.

He looks down at her extended hand and turns around, slamming the door in her face and walking away.

“They sent my file to your email; it should have all of my details on it.”

He shakes his head in disappointment, they should know he wont check his email thats stones job.

Throwing his head up in the air, he groans and opens it.

“Dr. Robotnik, recently the agent assigned to you has gone on a government sanctioned mission. Due to confidentiality reasons, I will skip the details. Agent Stone has been honorably discharged as of [REDACTED]. Regardless of this loss, we are aware that you require an agent. Agent Ramerez will be your primary agent for the foreseeable future.”

What the hell? Honorably discharged?

He opens the agents file and reads.

Aban Stone

Incident report [REDACTED]

On mission [REDACTED], we suffered 2 casualties and 5 injuries. All of the affected (physically, mentally) have been honorably discharged, excluding those who were still able to work.

*Higher clearance needed to access further details.

An odd feeling ebbs its way through his veins. Not worry- he's Ivo Robotnik he wouldn't worry about a human. After a moment a new feeling floods his chest. Rage.

His agent would never let anything happen to him that he hadn't planned for; that's the only way he had survived that long under Robotnik's employ.

Something feels very wrong to him here.

He pulls up the agent's vitals and location.

Of course he was right, all of his vitals are normal as to how they normally would be! The location makes him raise an eyebrow, a small town in oregon.

If stone is healthy but just gone, this may have been some way to punish him?

The mobile lab roars as he turns it on.

He sets the route for Agent Stone's location and begins to work on designs for a new badnik, and before he knows it he has arrived.

Entering a code to turn the babies on, he looks at the agent's vitals as the badniks surround him.

Still stable, if not a little lower, however- it matches with his regular sleeping patterns.

He walks up to the door and knocks, the badniks swarming behind him. The door opens, and he sees a very tired agent in pajama pants and a grey sweater.

Robgotnik looks over him with eyebrows raised, but before he can make any rude comments, badnik P4R1 leaves the small group of badniks and nuzzles its front against the agent.

The man looks down and smiles at it, “Aren't you just the cutest!”

He looks up at robotnik and tilts his head.

“Um hello, is there something you need?”

“You. Where on earth have you been!”

Robotnik searches stones face and all he sees is confusion.

“I dont think we are on the same page here, do you want to come in?”

Robotnik sighs, “Fine.” Stone opens the door, and he walks in.

The house is surprisingly home-like, with paintings and pictures strewn about the walls and tables. Stone leads him to a couch that sits against the wall, and sits in an armchair opposite him with a coffee table in between.

“Would you like something to drink?”

He notices that Stone is supporting himself on a cane as he closes the door.

“Yes.”

Stone looks at Robotnik for a moment, waiting for him to elaborate, and then leaves the room.

When the a- ex agent is gone he gets more time to look at the room. It seems to be a well used room, alot of the smaller details dont seem to match, most likely from coming from seperat places- but even as the picture frames or decorative coasters dont match they seem to pull together the feeling of a home instead of a magazine.

He comes back into the room with 2 mugs, handing one to robotnik and sitting in the chair across from him.

“So, what is your story?”

Robotnik tries to take a drink but finds it is horrifically sweet tea, rather than his signature latte with steamed Austrian goat milk!

“What do you mean what is my story? I'm here to find why you aren't at the lab and bring you back forcibly if needed.”

The man's eyes widen, and he takes a breath, standing and extending a hand to Robotnik.

“My name is Aban. I do not currently have a job, unless you count being a free babysitter.”

“Your title is Agent Aban Lee Stone. Agent of Doctor Ivo Robotnik.”

When aban realizing he isint going to shake hands with him he sits back down.

“I am sorry, however, I-I don't know what you are talking about, I spent most of my government time working for someone else.”

Robotnik raises an eyebrow and has to stop himself from talking another drink before he speaks.

“Who did you work for?”

“I don't think I'm allowed to tell you this. I worked for the government.”

Robotnik sighs and groans.

“Of course I know y- P4R1, please hand me my government identification.”

P4R1 trills and tips it onto Stone's lap, sitting next to Stone on the arm of the chair.

“Thanks, Pari.” Stone picks up the card and reads it, resting his hand ontop of P4R1.

Robotnik raises an eyebrow, and the ex agent begins talking.

“I worked primarily under lieutenant [READACTED]. Rarely would I be given assignments from Commander Walters.”

“Why were you discharged?”

Stones breath hitches for a moment and he, seemingly absentmindldly begins to pet the badnik next to hiim.

“I dont remember much of hit, however i saw the tapes. I-uh was sent on an assignment. I was supposed to be leading it because, apparently I had a good reputation. But I lost it. They didn't have audio, but it seemed that someone said something to me and I lost control of myself. It ended with me critically injured and some of my squad dead.”

“For an injury so recent you seem to be awfuly cleat minded and active.”

Stone smiles over a grimace.

“I have not had my medication in a bit because i cannot physically open the lock box its in, my family has been out for a bit so they couldnt help either.”

“Pain medication?”

Stone nods.

“After you knock your brain around a bit and get severely beaten, it causes some issues. It also has some medication for infections in it but i suppose i will be fine.”

Robotnik raises an eyebrow and stands.

“You have an infection?”

“Unfortunately, they cut my leg quite badly-”

“Where is the box.”

“Down the hall second door on the left, should be on a dresser.”

Robotnik walks and finds that it is a simple code, which he figures out quickly and brings the contents to stone.

“You arent allowed to die do as you need.”

Stone uses his cane to pull the medical kitt out from under the table, then leans down to pick it up. He opens it and looks over to robotnik, who is looking at stones expectantly.

Fine he supposes he dosent need privacy. This guy is a doctor and is government-related related maybe he was sent to help him.

He rolls his pant leg up to his upper thigh and starts to unwrap the gauze that sits above his knee.

His breath hitches as he sees the deep and infected wound, he's never been good with blood stuffs. Reminding himself to take a deep breath, he pours some hydrogen peroxide on it.

Tears prick his eyes as the peroxide does its job.

He moves to begin rewrapping, but is interrupted by his observer.

“You are only using hydrogen peroxide? No wonder it is looking quite frankly horrible.”

Robotnik stands up and sits on the coffee table in front of Stone, picking up some antibiotics and putting on a glove from the sterile pack.

“It doesnint look like you have gotten the majority of the care you would need for something like this, when was the last time a doctor examined it?”

“Before I left the building, however I have had several incidents since then.” He looks down at Robotnik as he starts to gently apply the medicine to his wound, going slowly.

Robotnik stays silent until he is finished, only talking again once he has started to rewrap the wound.

“Incidences?”

Aban smiles, “the first few days i didint have my buddy,” He pats the cane that is leaned against the chair. “And it does not like when i put my body weight onto it.”

“So you reset any progress your body may have gotten healing wise how many times?”

“Probably two-ish”

Robotnik's eyes widen as he stands up and looks down at him.

“And why did you not go to the doctor here when that happened?”

“You’re a doctor you should know how expensive things like that are now.”

Robotnik rubs his face with his hand and sits back down across from him.

“You do understand that the title doctor does not mean it has to be medical? Right?”

Stone fixes his pants and looks up at him with a tilted head, so similar to how it was just a few days ago.

Robotnik igors the slight sting in his chest.

“Oh? What do you do?”

“I am G.U.N.s robotics worker. I make all of the good equipment they have.”

A look of slight amazement and pride goes over stones face.

“That's amazing! Did you make all of these little guys?” He looks over at Pari who is still resting next to him and the rest of the badniks, who are on the couch with their father.

“Yeah.” How can the man who had dedicated all that he is forgotten him like this? Gods, he knows it's not Stone's fault, but he can't help but feel- angry. He certainly doesn't feel hopeless, or like all of the years of loneliness that went away when Stone came into his life are going to become his normal again.

“Do you have a plan for work when you recover?” Robotnik really does hope that Stone will want to go back, but Stone doesn't even remember him. Why would he want to go back to the place where he almost got killed?

Stone laughs, a sound that is normally so familiar but sounds so wrong here.

“I will probably just be a secretary or something, i like sorthing things- if you give me an like inbox of emails, the entier thing will be color coded and sorted into folders so fast i love it.”

Robotnik knew that already, their shared email was quite pretty and always well sorted.

“If you didn't have to go out on missions anymore, would you want to go back to being my agent?”

Stone looks a little confused at him, then his eyes widen.

“How long did i work for you?”

Robotnik is a little confused by his question, but answers, “5 years.”

Stone smiles and stands up, “I will be right back!”

Robotnik stares in confusion as he tries to walk- fails, grabs his cane, and then leaves the room excitedly.

He hears mumbling and then a shouting voice, “Can you come help me!”

Before he knows it, he is in the room and out of breath- goodness, why did he go that quickly? He sees Stone standing in a bedroom over a few boxes, and then sees him pick up a plain black leather book.

“For most of my life i have kept records- a diary of my day to day life. So, i may not remember but i have the last 5 years of me knowing you here!”

Stone shows Robotnik that on the spine of each one there is a year, and they find the most recent one.

“Dear Diary,

Today the docor asked me to help him with one of his machines! I got to help put together a badnik! Although we also had a meeting, which I don't think he liked much. But! He got out of it by yelling at me (drawn smirk). Look me in my eyes. (a drawing of eyes side by side) I have horrible things to say to you-”

As Stone reads it out loud horror slowly grows on his face. Holy fuck.

Robotnik looks over to stone, jaw dropped.

“Agent, i-”

Sotne buries his face in his hands.

“The government provides therapy for its workers.”

 

Stone pickes it back up and flips through the pages quickly and another look of horror crosses his face, and he throws the book into the corner of the room.

“Uh yeah I think it is safe to say I know you. Wow.”

Robotnik looks at Stone. “You said that you had books for all 5 years?”

Stones face drops but he nods.

They spend the next few hours going through his books, and they find that Stone's infatuation with the doctor had started before he started working for him!

Stone spends most of this time cringing at his past self.

He thinks he is safe when they come across a book that, instead of a year, just says “Practice” on it.

He really is not.

The book opens, and as he flips through, he sees that .on.every.single.page Is the same thing.

“Agent Aban Lee Stone Robotnik A-A.L.R-S”

“Did you make the i in robotnik dotted with a heart? In practice for a professional signature?”

Stone smiles and flips to a page towards the end of the book.

“There isn't on all of the variations!”

Stone sighs, feeling safe here for some reason.

“I think it is safe to say that I at least didn't hate you.”

“You say after showing me a book that was just you wanting to marry me.”

He shakes his head, amused.

“If it is an option, i would like to work with you again. i still have problems and may need to learn some things again- i understand if you dont want me-”

“If I don't want you?” He says voice slightly raised in an incredulous tone.

“Stone i tracked you down and came to your house with a swarm of deadly robots because i wanted to find you. Do you not remember what i said at the beginning of all this?”

Stone smiles and quotes “Im here to find why you arent at the lab and bring you back forcibly if needed. Which is something insane to hear when you don't know the man who just walked into your house.”

Robotnik glances at the notebooks and back at him, “Like you can speak against being insane.”

“Seriosly. Though. I would have to be retrained in every special skill I had. There is a chance that my memories will come back, but you shouldn't bet on it.”

“Come back to the lab.”

He wants to tell Stone that he may not have patience for others, but he would wait an eternity if Stone would spend the rest of his life with him.

“You won't have as many duties as you used to, and I have medical training. Under my care you will heal faster, and you will be safer.”

Stone knows that he should feel scared, but today he has felt safer than he ever remembers.

“When can I start?”

“The mobile lab is outside.”

“Would you help me pack some of my things?”

“How else would I be able to finish reading everything you wrote about me.”

Stone laughs, and they get started.

That night, Stone sleeps in the bedroom of the lab.

That morning, Robotnik was greeted with the smell of steamed Austrian goat milk he had missed so.

It may take a long time, but he knows that even if the stone he knew never comes back he would love this version all the same.

Chapter Text

[The timeline where as soon as Stone got sent out on a mission, he was given Agent Ramerez.]

Robotnik rubs his face and throws his arm in the direction of the “break room”.

“Just- Shut up. Go make me coffee, quickly!”

She walks back into the room, looking up at him with a smile, before passing it over. Looking down into it, and seeing that it is instead a black sludge.

“God, have you ever made coffee before!”

He sighs and throws the cup onto the ground, it breaking into pieces as it hits. The only thing this woman has done in the past few days is fuck everything up. Why couldn't they have just left him alone for the day his agent is supposed to be gone.

“No, sir, at my last assignment, my boss refused to drink anything except for her drink. I haven't really worked with others, so I haven't learned if you show me, then I can probably do it?”

The gall of Commander fucking Walters to send someone who can't even make a decent cup of coffee. This is the only reason he is upset: he certainly doesn't miss his agent or anything.

[Over an hour later, he is working on a new code for the badniks.]

“What are you working on?” She leans over his desk and looks at his screen.

“The solution to world hunger.” He says, sarcastically rolling his eyes and typing some more.

Her eyes widen with a smile, and she says, “That's amazing!”

He stares blankly at his screen as he processes how stupid she is. “The amount of sarcasm you just missed is truly astonishing.”

She looks around the room with eyebrows scrunched.

“What do you do for work then?”

“Take a look around the room, and just try to use your mind for once in your life.”

She looks around the room and begins speaking, “I thought you just kind of did whatever the government wanted you to.”

He is surprised that she got anything right.

“For once, you seem to have succeeded. I make all of their good robotics stuff.”

“You don't grow things?”

Taking his eyes away from the screen for the first time, he looks at her with a confused expression.

“No. I hate most things organic.”

He has to stop himself from saying all.

“Does it count as organic if it's made in a lab?”

He sighs and starts typing again.

“There is no need for them to have me grow anything; I am a roboticist.”

“But there is so much you could do with that! You could make humans using collected DNA and take away the rights of reproduction from the average person, so that the only way people can have a child is through the government, which picks and chooses all of the genes and traits that they want- that seems like something you all would like?”

Robotnik blinks. What the fuck?

“I am worried that you say I would like that for one, and for two, you can't even make a decent coffee- why on eart-”

He stops himself and rubs his face with his hand. Why can't Agent Stone be back already?

She frowns. “I thought the government loved taking away people's rights?”

Pulling up the physical health file on her that was recorded as soon as she stepped into the lab, he began looking for any brain damage.

A few fresh burn wounds, some almost cracked bones, no head damage, and- a tracker? Of course, someone put a tracker on this thing.

He soon realizes that he can't say anything.

He pulls up his tracker on stone and sees that he is in some small town, probably raiding it or whatever barbaric deed the government wants him to do.

The sound of quiet laughing fills the lab and he looks over at the agent, who is smiling and covering her mouth with her hand.

“My old boss was amazing.” She says, looking as if internally she is giggling and kicking her feet.

She is looking at the screen, where it shows the tracker.

“That has horrid implications. Go sort emails or something.”

[Agent Ramerez goes away and texts someone]

A: So uh like as long as i dont name names im good right??

M: Oh what did you do?
M: If you fuck this up i will kill you.

A: [Smirk] now i wanna try less.

M: If you fail i will remove you from everything.

A: wait when i left you were working on a memory programing thing o.O

M: I was, and i think you know what the risks are now?

A: You are so evil! Yeah i know now

M: i can smell your pathetic face from over here. Shut up

A: i love you i will try to not mess it up i promise. this guy is a bit coo coo for coconuts

M: Which is why you were perfect! Now go back out there.

[Robotnik's machines catch the signal and translate it for him; this does not help his confusion over the agent.]

[Next section]

Walters,

I hope you are aware that I will be getting Agent Stone back. However, if you have to give me a temporary replacement, can it have the intelligence of a primate? I don't think she knows where she is, much less how to make a decent coffee. Or whatever you keep sending me agents to do.

- I .
Robotnik

Robotnik,

While we understand your concern, we are pained to say that there aren't any other agents available for this mission. Agent Ramerez was an excellent soldier. Once you take the time to talk to her about what you want, then I'm sure things will work much better.

-Walters
Commander

Robotnik sighs and fights the urge to slam his head against the table.

[After the plot of chapter one]

Walters,

I recommend that you reinstate Agent Stone's employment. He and I are currently on our way to the labs.

-I .
Robotnik

[In the mobile lab as they drive home]

The music fills the mobile lab, bouncing off the walls.

Robotnik grabs Stone's hand, making sure that he has stable support before he begins to sway them and sing.

“I like the way you smile at me, I felt the heat that enveloped me. And what I saw I liked to see, I never knew where evil grew.”

Stone laughs, smiling and letting himself be swayed lightly.

“My friend told me to keep clear of you, but something drew me near to you! I never knew where evil grew, evil grows in the dark!”

Stone sings back to him.

They dance slowly and exchange lyrics and laughs over the music.

Robotnik,

It is an unwise decision to have Agent Stone begin working again after he has been injured on duty. This may be a matter that we should discuss in the next meeting.

[Back to Robotnik emails]

-Walters
Commander

Walters,

It would be a poor decision to leave him without proper medical care as well. I would hope that your opinion on this matter wouldn't change when I inform you that when I was reviewing the footage from the lab on 4-18-1984, I found something rather worrying. A meeting? We could discuss the footage in the meeting if you wish?

-I .
Robotnik

Robotnik,

After discussion with the higher-ups, we have decided that as long as he sees Nurse Barbra once a week, it will be ok for him to start employment again. Additionally, that footage means nothing to me Robotnik.

-Walters
Commander

Walters,

It seems an update removed all footage before 2000. Fortunately, all files that have been tampered with will be saved. Low blow. You will get what is coming to you one day.

-I .
Robotnik

[Stone and Robotnik arrive back at the labs]

Robotnik throws the door open, and Stone follows behind him.

“And this is our labs!” He widens his arms in a showing-off motion.

Stone looks around the very clean lab with a smile, then tilts his head when he sees a person in the corner.

“Who is-?”

When she hears him talk, she smiles and puts the broom she was sweeping with against the wall. She looks both of them up and down, excitedly and walks towards them.

“You’re back! And alive!”

“Of course we are alive, you-”

She walks up to Stone and looks him in his eyes.

“If you ever need someone killed, tell me.”

Stone looks at her with a very confused expression, but slowly nods.

Stones' phone vibrates once, and Agent Ramerez gets several notifications at the same time.

“You're robotniks again!”

Robotnik raises an eyebrow.

“Well, I know he was never not yours-”

Her phone rings, and she starts walking out of the room while she answers it, standing outside the door.

“Wifey!- yes we have two alive old men- yes they are robotnik and stone i got the right ones- yeah i did see all of the camera footage- yeah i know hes insane- no hes not as insane as you- oh are we still getting lunch with uh professor lichen?-”

A very loud voice rings out from the phone that they previously could not hear.

“Home Now.”

Agent Ramerez flinches, but her tone makes it clear she is very happy.

“Owie! Yes ma’am!”

Robotnik and Stone look at each other, both confused about what on earth just happened.

Stone walks over to the broom and holds it up slightly.

“There is a supply closet, second door on the left.”

Stone smiles at him and puts it back. Normalcy is so overrated.

[More emails]

Agent Stone,

Your employment has been reinstated under the same rules as it was before, excluding mandatory health exams from Nurse Barbra. Issues with this may be discussed via email or at a scheduled meeting.

-Walters
Commander.

Commander Walters,

I thank you for reinstating my employment. I would like to schedule an appointment to discuss my roles as an agent, as they may be impaired by my injuries. However, for the time being I am okay with these terms. I believe that productivity will return once I do. The doctor may speak for me in regard to my job, for he knows more than I do at present.

-Agent
Stone

Agent Ramerez,

Your employment under Robotnik has been terminated as of [REDACTED]. We apologize for the inconvenience. You will return to your previous assignment.

-Walters
Commander.

Commander Walters,

I understand why i was assigned to hiim, after reviewing the camera footage of him with his last agent. However, he is less insane then i thought thank you for this opportunity.

-Agent
Ramerez

And then uh stobotnik kiss, stone gradually gets his memory back and uh they love eachother.