Chapter Text
‘What a fucking day…’ Robert looked at the tvs through the glass ignoring his surroundings. he sighed while his fore head was pressed against the glass, the people being broadcast were ruthless.
He took in the harsh words as he picked his face up off the glass while still intently watching the tv.
“Haah I really f- CRASH.
The glass next to him shattered, he quickly flinched protecting his eyes.
“Hey assholes! WHAT THE FUCK?! you could’ve gotten glass in my eyes… that’s pretty fucking disrespectful.”
Robert quickly scanned the truck and people, They were loading up a bunch of tvs.
“Listen just put the shit down. And I won’t tell the police look no harm no foul, We can all walk away happy.”
A guy with a red ski mask turned, still holding a tv.
“Aye! who’re you callin’ assholes, asshole?!”
Some dickhead swinging a crowbar around quickly joined the conversation.
“Hey, I’ll handle this idiot keep loading. We’re outta here in thirty, and who the fuck are you ?”
“I’m someone with nothing to lose right now.”
The man holding the crowbar sighed.
“Damn it Come-on You look like you just came outta the hospital, I mean buddy you’ve got a fucking sling! You’re hurt, you’re not thinking straight you don’t wanna fight someone who knows where every punch is coming from.”
“Yeah actually just came outta a coma so.”
‘Punch with my, right or my left’
Robert inhaled as he threw a messy overhand left, it hurt his left arm significantly he focused on the pain for too long. A quick punch hit him, stamped with a kick to his front knocked him down the others ran to start the beat down.
‘I’m going to get fucked up.’
Robert received a hail of attacks, he desperately tried covered his face, yet hits still slipped through his thoughts became messy. His left face rung with pain then his right despite it all he grabbed a punch and hit hard with his left.
The guy to his left that’d been hounding him was thrown up as if he’d been punched, Robert was confused but followed the flow and back fisted the idiot to his right.
He noticed the red ski mask man, getting up as he was still being kicked. he’d gotten up with a fury, the guys leg was coming down like a sledgehammer, it was gonna hurt.
The stomp was somehow deflected and the guy received a brutal blow to the side of the head, the woman who’d be getting free licks this entire time stumbled back, uncertain.
“He’s a hero!”
Her next words had gotten stuck in her throat as he back away.
as he got up his eyes lazy and his vision blurred, he stumbled a little he looked around but he was beaten and tired. Enough to realise too late that the first guy he punched had gotten up running at him with a crowbar.
‘Shit.’
As he braced and put up his left, the hit never came, he watched the crowbar stay still midair. Still he didn’t waste time Delivering a final pissed off punch.
the crowbar just floated there as he admired it, he heard a shimmer and watched a purple light surge across the air.
“Holy shit, did I just awaken my superpowers!! That’s what you’re thinking right..”
a woman with mischievous brown eyes, short spiky layered hair, a small silver ring in her septum, she gave him a pouting look, it quickly turned into a grin. Her arms were crossed mixed with a confident stance.
she pushed him.
“Come on mecha dick you totally thought that, almost didn’t recognise ya without the mask but the big ol M for… fuck there was a joke there…somewhere.”
She lightly kicked the shoulder of one the robbers playing around with his unconscious body.
“You know, I thought you were gonna get fucked up way worse at the start there but you kinda impressed me.”
Beyond her the truck screeched away. Robert grimaced, he turned his head to the side and scoffed.
“Hey they’re getting away…” Robert laughed his worried expression fading. “actually yeah, whatever I thought this was all too good to be true.”
Her smile faded, replaced with a confused look. Her smile quickly re-appeared.
“Hey thanks for helping me, you know I would’ve dealt with them myself I was really saving my energy for that second half. You clearly saw that right?”
His expression shifted as he realised something.
“Wait how long were you watchin-.”
“Yeah yeah people get away sometimes, just stay still lemme fix this arm.”
She walked up with a serious face.
“Wait wha-.”
She grabbed his left arm which had been dislocated along the way.
“Hey I can do th- aoww ahh have you ever done that before?“
She leaned to the side with her hand on her hip.
“Figured it couldn’t have been any different to the movies ya-know, anyways you look kinda fucked up, but in a sexy way If that makes sense.”
She squinted looking at his face. Which was red from punches, his nose and mouth bloody.
Robert squinted as well looking at her with a confused yet playful expression.
“uh thanks, I guess? I agree a black eye would really just wrap up your look. really though thank you I appreciate the help.“
she squeezed his cheeks and looked at him with a scowl.
“Dude stop tryna ‘thank you’, me or whatever, just think of it as karma for all the heroic shit you’ve done.”
‘Okay we’re just gonna touch my face.’
she wore a complicated expression before fading out of view.
Robert reached out trying to catch her.
“Hey wait listen, Maybe… w-”
He looked around and retreated his hand, squeezing his fist his body slumped as he started walking to his coat.
He admired the alluring night, the shattered glass on the streets, the bright street lights he looked up into the night sky. Lamenting his inaction.
‘I should’ve said, “lemme thank you with a drink.” Or something.’
He took a seat on the curb. His eyes emotionally watery.
‘Who’d wanna stick around me anyway.’
still looking into the sky as he heard something, a faint whoosh.
“Hi.”
He looked around him, then a figure appeared in the night sky. His expression dipped a litte before quickly changing.
invisigal stared at mecha man and blond blazer talking, she held her breath with a furrowed eyebrows and a grimace.
‘I was gonna show myself I- *humph* it’s probably better this way, who wants to- argh whatever.’
The next minute went by quick Robert flinched at the sound a bin tumbling in an alley. Taking him away from his daze, His expression turned confused. He felt himself want to get up and check if…
“So was this all you?”
His slightly down head rose slightly.
“Oh uh.”
“What’s on your mind, did someone get away?”
She rose in the air looking around in all directions.
“Yeah actually two I think… in a white moving truck, uh that’s all I got. I definitely couldn’t make out licence plates with the beating I took.”
“how Professional, you know I didn’t think you could handle a group.. Without the suit and all?!”
“Well uh..”
He looked around for a finale time sighed and spoke begrudgingly.
“Yeah alot of people don’t expect the guy in the suit, to actually fight. But it comes up more often than you’d imagine or even want.”
‘She must’ve wanted to stay hidden, for some reason.’
.
“Fuck fuck fuck.”
she kicked a dumpster again and again. Pulling at her face and spinning around.
“I should’ve said something like- fuck I don’t know and then she comes in and fucks everything up.”
She closed her eyes hard, her hands pressing into the side of her head.
She sighed going invisible, she held her breath for a long time.
At the end of the night, Robert climbed down the sign he’d been left on after getting a confusing offer.
‘What was I thinking, I deserve to climb down from here.’ He thought with a sigh
After he got down with somewhat aching muscles he dragged his hand across his face, Robert looked down at beef and smiled.
In a weird crooked voice
“Robert it wasn’t a big deal just sleep on it and everything will be fine.”
He scratched beef.
“You always know what say lil guy.”
He quietly laughed at his own absurdity.
*
why can’t I stop thinking about that moment?
What was blazer talking to him about?
She sighed heavily unable to sleep soundly.
The night cascaded over Torrance, the quiet hums of cars and night life made for good noise.
The sun reached her closed eyes making them twitch, she tried to ignore the light invading her eyelids. grasping at her half sleeping state ultimately it forced her awake, she slumped over tired.
Invisigal quickly pulled herself out of her own stupor somewhat excited about what would happen today, she had already decided to spy on blazer for info on mecha man.
She got up quickly completing her morning routine to a half asked standard, no time! she had to be on time for once today was actually interesting.
Walking through SDN doors, her lungs nearly collapsed. she found an area with no eyes and quickly caught her breath.
as she walked out to the lobby and saw him, mecha man. she couldn’t help but smile at the now ridiculous looking outfit.
‘Really a utility belt, Batman wannabe.’
she unknowingly took a breath causing a somewhat loud shimmer sound, she instantly went back to the comfortable invisibility.
Robert turned around with a startled jump, he narrowed his eyebrows turning back to his conversation.
flambae walked in eyebrows toasted and all.
Invisigal watched as mecha man hid from flambae, she watched in slight confusion. Interesting?
Finally blazer approached the doors, invis went behind the blacked out doors to Catch a breath and follow them as they entered.
the doors swung open, she followed them carefully slipping through every door unnoticed. mecha man seemed as if he knew someone was near, it made visi somewhat nervous.
finally she sat down as they entered the conference room.
“Take your clothes off.”
‘Woah getting right into office sex?!’
“Uh what’s happening right now?”
his voice was somewhat gruff, confused.
“We don’t want too many people knowing your mecha man, Robert. A lot of our dispatchers are former hero’s and all but it’s just better to keep your identity to a few.”
She threw him a shirt sloped her shoulders and turned her head.
“I remembered you being bigger.”
‘Haha brutal.’
She spoke in a giddy voice “I was a little tipsy, listen it’s gonna be great.”
Mecha man took off his mask slowly.
“I’ve never felt silly wearing this.”
“Until now ?”
“Yeah genius I was trying to imply that with the silence.”
‘I wonder how their date night was?’
“Okay it worked get dressed you’ve gotta meet somebody.”
Invisigal couldn’t help but snicker, mecha man sharply turned to the noise making her freeze.
‘Holy shit can this fucking freak stop doing that?’
“Is everything alright? Oh sorry should I turn around or what do you… should I just close my eyes whatever makes you more comfortable.”
‘Fucking pervert, how dispicable watching a new employee get undressed.’ she shook her head with a smile.
“It’s fine I don’t mind.”
Invisigal raised an eyebrow, well if you don’t mind then. She watched as he stripped down his body mirthed in a myriad of scars.
Blazer was saying something but invisigal focused on mecha mans scared body, wondering if she had caused a few of those herself. his bruised body twisted as he continued, she watched silently.
“It may not look like it but I’m flexing every muscle in my body right now.”
“Really?”
“Okay well you didn’t have to say it like that.”
‘god do these idiots actually have some chemistry.’
“I-I wanted to say again I’m sorry about last night. I regret the way I conducted myself, it was a… mistake a complicated mistake I can go into the details with you… later.”
‘Did they seriously fuck last night?’
Invisigals eyebrows contorted again and again while a couple of different senerios ran through her head. Her cheeks flaring up.
“Listen it’s on me I uh… it was kinda pathetic on my part haah listen let’s just forget about it, I haven’t had a night out for a while it’s my bad.”
‘He finish too quick? Wow they really did, didn’t they? what a couple of sluts.’
“No listen- Robert I just uh let’s keep things professional here at SDN.”
“right, that’s why you brought me to a conference room to strip down in front of you profesh.”
He threw his uniform to the side landing flat on the air.
“Are you serious?” Blazer spoke in a unsurprised yet exhausted manner.
‘Well that’s unfortunate.’
Invisigal looked at both of them then ran fast dashing for the door, she smacked into the doors.
Blazer picked the up the jacket.
“Who locks a conference room? So uh, you two fuck or what” she spoke in a raspy voice finally inhaling her asthma puffer at the end.
She looked at Robert with questioning eyes he was confused. he covered his chest and had a complex expression.
His voice had gotten a little deeper he spoke with apprehension “we kissed, but it was very innocent.”
“Oh like cheek innocent or tip of your dick innocent, I mean you two make it sound like, some wild sex.“
“Okay stop, first of all, we did not kiss, you kissed me. Second of all it’s none of your freaking business.”
She nodded while positioning to get up.
“Woah she cussed must’ve been a good one, wait so you guys kissed after meeting each other for how long ?”
She maintained eye contact with Robert mouthing the word ‘slut’ as she rose.
Blazer sighed.
“Once again he kissed me, but Robert this is invisigal. She… is apart of the phenoix program.”
Visi shot a sharp glance at Robert slowly shaking her head in disappointment.
“We take former super villains such as herself. And rehabilitate them to renter society to use their powers for- are those my earrings.”
“Well they look better on me.”
She handed them back quickly. She crossed her arms looking at Robert through her eyebrows.
“A Washed up dad bod superhero with no superpowers.. can’t t wait…”
“His identity, that’s staying between us. He’s still mecha man but that can’t get out and if it does I’ll know who it came from.”
Blazer looked kinda angry as if she was ready to do something.
“Woah calm down homelander, don’t laser me in the face or anything.”
Robert let out a subtle chuckle.
“Woah look at you laughing, tryna get in my pants already? who knew mecha man was such a playboy. Anyways why would I tell people our dispatcher is some washed up fucking failure?”
“Okay ouch, I thought you’d be a little nicer. You stuck me as a saviour when I first saw you.”
She flashed him a small smile
“Regardless I’m here to help, that means help in any aspect. Listen anything you need hero wise I’ve got that covered. You have a chance to turn things around, bring some good into the world, and I’ll support you in whatever way possible. so that by the end of all of this you turn out to be a pretty good hero.”
she put her hand just below her chest and pointed at him.
“Are you hearing this? Help in any aspect, support me in any way possible. for a second there I thought you were offering me some pre dispatching sex, to get the engine started ya know.” She faced Robert squarely. “they did a study on that. it really works too myth-busters… if you need to realllly think it over.”
She gave him a wink
She turned to look at blazer.
“and I’m pretty sure he winked at me when he gave that speech too. I see why you like him, I mean look at that drip what is that look? Best buy fight club?” She looked him down with creased eyebrows “fuckin’ hot.”
She pushed open the doors while inhaling her asthma puffer and turned invisible.
They both stayed silent for a second.
“We have a weekly ranking list for all the hero’s in the company.”
“Aand she’s at the bottom.”
“She called herself invisibitch when she was a villain.
“yeah I thought invisigal felt kinda corny for her.”
Blazer crossed her arms with a deadpan face.
“Really the name was my idea, just get your shirt on playboy.”
After the moment settled. Robert stood in the silence.
Suddenly the doors opened, making Robert jump.
But nothing happened.
Robert looked around him.
“Invisigal.”
He wasn’t met with a response, Robert got intoduced to SDN by blazer and kept asking good questions slowly learning about the environment. eventually he needed a bio break.
He walked into the bathroom choosing a urinal somewhat looking around him, he finally calmed down and relaxed.
‘Come on no way, she’d just stand there watching me in the men’s bathroom right?’
Someone else came in and used the urinal right next to him. A guy who seemed like a giant.
“Ohhh brah I almos’ went in my pants. Aye you dis Robert people talking about wassup bruddah my auntie named me Roy but people call me royd.”
‘Do I really fist bump this guy.’
Eh fuck it, he fist bumped royd
“Alright good to meet ya brah.”
“Likewise.”
after a playful jab about the seven footers name he went to the records room which had been mentioned by blazer.
Still he felt eyes on him he couldn’t stop thinking about this invisible girl.
‘Should I ankle tap this motherfucker? he probably wouldn’t be able to tell right? he deserves it. god he annoys me.’
As he walked his ankle seemed to give out, and he tripped pretty hard without falling over. He looked around, unsure about what just happened.
He shook his head and entered the records room.
A old man got down and hugged him.
“Look at this skinny latte prick, your bones kid seriously you gotta eat more. You here to whip these assholes into shape or what.”
He heard blazer behind him
“That’s the idea.”
He pushed the old man off him.
“Why is this happening.”
“What it’s a hug not a handjob lighten up.”
“Be that as it may I’m still a little confused wanna help me out here?”
“Oh right because I’m fucking old decrepit man and shit watch this, this jog ya memory.”
He did his classic superhero pose.
‘Captain gingyu’ invisigal silently chuckled to her own jokes.
“Track star? Holy shit.”
He instinctively went in for a deep hug.
“Yeah ya fucker. Why you accepting hugs from old motherfuckers you don’t know, oh hey and they call me chase around here so keep it… ya know.”
“Sure right, chase, yeah, got it.”
“It’s been what ten-fifteen years.”
‘That long?’
Blazer couldn’t help but talk.
“Has it really been that long?”
Chase laughed.
“Yeah I reached out to this little piss-ant, when his dad passed. Then he got to duckin’ me like he owed me money.”
Robert shyed away turning his head slightly.
“Yeah I was in a weird place.”
“I understand kid it was hard on all of us, so I can’t imagine what you went through.”
Robert smiled.
“Yeah so what’s up you gonna tell me why you look like black Einstein?”
“hahaha sorry. I never noticed.” Blazer spoke in an easy tone.
“Fucker it’s the powers. I could move fifty times faster than the average person but I didn’t realise till it was too late that I was aging fifty times faster when I used my powers. Now I’m moving slower than piss to keep the old ticker from poppin’ on me.”
Robert’s face contorted into a grimace
“That’s a cruel fate chase, What kinda awful shit did you do to deserve that.
Chase laughed.
“Yeah that’s how I know karma ain’t shit, that’s the kinda drawback some fucking warlord deserves. I was Tryna help people and I get done like a fucking’ chump.”
“So I guess you’re the one person I can’t complain to about losing my suit.”
Invisigal looked at the dusty shady room, I shouldn’t be here I don’t deserve to be in this conversation. fuck I’m starting to feel bad for him.
“You better not, I would resurrect your fucking father, and throw him into a god damn woodchipper in front of you if it meant getting my powers back.”
Chase flailed his arms around while Robert could help but turn away in laughter.
Blazer lowered her arms.
“Jesus Christ chase.”
Robert joined in.
“Wow.”
“What? Ofcourse I’d let Robbie have one little I love you before I-before I extinguished the life from his eyes.”
Chase grabbed onto Robert in laughter.
Invisigal couldn’t help but watch.
Blazer raised an eye brow.
“Was he always like this.”
“Aha yeah pretty much.”
“Yeah yeah enough of this feelings shit let’s introduce you to your team of fuckups.”
The screen illuminated and conveniently a spot to left was open on the left side. Invisigal would need to Catch a breath first though.
that subtle shimmer sound happened again, Robert looked in that direction as invisigal walked through the doorway. She saw Robert staring at her, as if he was saying your not supposed to to be here.
“Look at the fucking screen dickhead.”
“Oh yeah fuck sorry.”
“So here’s sonar a Harvard grad.”
‘Who even is trackstar I need to search all this shit up on my break.”
As she kept thinking and in a daze. Her name came up snapping back her attention.
“Invisigal who you met. Turned herself in a few months ago and entered the program on the condition we didn’t ask questions.”
“That’s a little suspicious no? Atleast she turned herself in right.” He mumbled the second half.
“Yeah she’s suspicious alright, a criminal who turns invisible and doesn’t like to Awnser questions. What tipped you off Sherlock?”
“Hey you know she could be listening right now?”
As he said that invisigal ran her finger across chases throat. So lightly that he couldn’t tell.
He grabbed his throat massaging it lightly.
“Can become invisible while holding her breath, asthmatic, abrasive, aloof, a loner, thief. Shit chase looks like you two got some drawbacks huh. Atleast she hasn’t killed anyone.”
Chase snarled.
“Yeah that we know of, this invisible fuck could slit someone’s throat at any time and we wouldn’t have the faintess clue.”
Blazer hit Robert’s shoulder.
“Paying a little more attention to this one huh. But chase seriously, she has good intentions like Robert said she turned herself in, she wants better.”
Robert laughed awkwardly.
‘Fucking geezer, He’s always on my case.’
she walked out of the room before she did something drastic to chase.
‘I’m being dramatic just calm down they might say something else important plus I could learn more.’
she walked back trying to control her emotions.
After it was all done they gave a tiny speech about how the z team were fuck ups and they could use a Miracle.
Visi watched as blazer squeezed Robert’s shoulder.
‘Gah everytime I see them do something it makes my stomach flip why am I so fucking jealous.’
“Could you show him his desk.”
“Sure.”
As she walked off chase stood stiff.
“What’s that arm squeeze about.”
Robert turned back with an audacious expression.
“You want one? Here mmm.”
He squeezed chases arm.
“Fuck off.”
Chase pushed him away while walking off.
A woman’s soft voice spoke out. “Can I get an arm squeeze too.”
Robert looked around with furrowed eyebrows.
“Uhh invisigal.”
Visi couldn’t help but smile. Leaving him with no Awnser.
She quickly went down to the waiting bay at SDN. Her late night finally hitting her.