Work Text:
He was perfect. Much better than the last guy Herman dated. Stalked if you ask his parole officer. His state mandated therapist said he was making progress though. Herman had been a fool to think Kyle was his soulmate. The blond had been nice and all but he was nothing compared to Robert.
Herman liked to take care of things, people more specifically. He took good care of his grandma like any good grandson should. Before Kyle had betrayed and dumped him he had taken care of him too. Made sure he was eating properly, kept his dirtbag of an ex away by 'sending a message' to his home, he even came over at night and watched over him when he slept.
Kyle was a traitor though. After everything Herman had done for him he called him a creep and had him arrested. He even got a fucking restraining order!
Herman had been a fool to love him but it didn't matter. Thanks to Kyle he had gotten into the Phoenix program and met Robert.
Even knowing he was Mecha Man Robert had been unassuming at first. Herman was ashamed to admit it now but he hadn't given the man much thought until he offered him a position on the team over Phenomeman of all people. Clearly Robert had been too shy to approach him romantically but that was ok, Herman understood how hard it was to confess those kinds of feelings to someone.
Robert was so sweet. Always trying to cheer him up and telling him what a great job he had been doing on the team. The obvious flirting was a little embarrassing but how could Herman ever tell the freckled angle to stop.
When shroud kidnapped Robert he was furious, both at the man himself and his therapist. She had told him if he loved someone he needed to give them space to grow and make their own decisions. He had followed her advice and only allowed himself to follow Robert to his bus stop after work. If she hadn't told him that he could have kept him safe! He would have made sure Robert got home ok and was sleeping safely in his chair (something Robert needed him to fix) before he had gone home.
He always made sure Robert got home safe after that.
Herman had learned a lot from his experience with his traitorous ex, like how people don't make as much of a fuss about your behavior if your unassuming. His stutter already helped a lot with that. He found if he slouched and played into the whole "pathetic grannies boy" thing people didn't pay as much attention to him.
Robert always did of course, after all they were in love.
Herman was over the moon when Robert had told him that he was a 'great kid' and that he should 'be proud of yourself'. It was practically a confession! Just not quite yet, Robert was so shy when it came to saying his feelings out loud. That was ok. Herman could wait. He was a very patient man.
Still he didn't want to risk anyone else getting their dirty hands of his darling angel so he made sure to show Robert how he felt.
He brought him lunch once a week and always made it himself. He liked mixing his own water into the bottle of juice he always included. It was like he was kissing the man in secret.
That wasn't all of course. He spent all of his free time with Robert. Sometimes the shorter man wasn't aware of this but it was for him own good. The guy at the pet store he bought beefs food at (premium blend for adult dogs) had needed to be punished for daring to look at Robert with dirty, lustful eyes. Herman had made sure to leave a puddle for him to slip in that evening. He was delighted with the sound his arm made when it broke from the awkward landing.
Slowly but surely Robert was getting braver with his affections. The lingering touches and soft smiles meant the world to Herman. Herman could have cried when the dispatcher asked him if he wanted to go on a date. His cheeks had been slightly flushed and a smile teased at his lips. Herman of course said yes.
He planned the perfect date. Robert had smiled the entire time and when the night was over he let Herman walk him home so he didn't even have to hide in the brush to make sure he was safe. He even kissed Herman before heading inside for the night. It was bliss.
It wasn't long before he was addicted. Anytime he wasn't taking care of Grandma he was with Robert. On dates, at work, watching him sleep from his balcony.
He liked it slip in at night with the key he had made while Robert thought he was with Grandma. He used the time to carefully trace his hands over Roberts body. The sedatives he had been crushing up into his dinner was doing wonders for his sleep schedule.
He would allow his hands to wander over every inch of his boyfriend then he would kiss him over and over, taking his time to taste every inch of Roberts mouth. He always tastes sweet.
Sometimes Beef would growl or wine at him for invading his owners personal space. The little dog couldn't help it of course, he was far too dumb to know better. That didn't excuse him for interfering however. A chocolate bar was more than enough to take care of the little nuisance.
Robert had of course been distraught by his best friends sudden and seemingly unexplainable death. He spent the whole afternoon crying into Hermans shoulder while the latter cradled him in his arms. It was so nice to hold him without the little rat in the way.
He of course shed his own crocodile tears -an easy task with his abilities- and invited Robert to stay with him over the weekend. "I don't want you to be alone while your grieving"
Robert agreed so easily.
He looked so perfect laying in Hermans bed, wearing Hermans shirt as pajamas. It was exactly as it should be.
It wasn't hard to keep Robert at him house, when he told Grandma about how much he loved the man and how desperately he wanted to keep him here she was more than happy to help. She suggested he kidnap Robert like she has done with his grandfather. "He'll be safer if he's locked up" she had told him. It was definitely tempting but Herman knew Robert would get antsy if he were locked up. It was better if Herman just kept him close.
After nearly a months worth of excuses and 'accidents' it was easy to convince Robert to move in with them. He was still so upset about Beef he was more than vulnerable enough to sway.
Herman had never been happier.
Next he did some tinkering with the astral pulse. He didn't really understand how it worked but he didn't need to understand to break it. Royd was there when he did it. The shocked expression on his face as he blew up the pulse along with him was priceless. With the pulse destroyed and no one left to remake it Mecha Man was no more. Robert would have to needlessly risk his life for people who didn't deserve to even lick the dirt from his shoes.
Robert fell into a deep depression because of that but it was ok, Herman was there for him. It took a few months bit Robert was starting to act like himself again. Herman made sure to remind him how much he had been able to help the z-team as their dispatcher. It wasn't long before he started working as a dispatcher again.
Robert was back behind a desk where he belonged. Safe from the harm that came with being a hero.
Herman would do anything for Robert.
Luckily the z-team wasn't an issue. Herman could do with less of them but none of them had become a liability yet. They could stay for now. He had plans for each one of them of the need ever arose.
Herman would always keep Robert safe, if that meant isolating him entirely or locking him up like Grandma had suggested them so be it. Robert was HIS and Herman always took good care of what belonged to him.