Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Alright team, great shift today. Especially considering the circumstances. Have a nice evening, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Bye Robert.”

“Fucking finally. I really need a bath.”

“Anyone want to go out for drinks?”

“Count me in. After this day-”

Reaching up to turn off his headphones Robert cut off the chatter from his teammates. How some of them wanted to go out for drinks again after what had happened last Friday was beyond him. Not that a drink didn’t sound quite tempting right now.

Leaning back in his office chair Rober let his head fall back, closed his eyes and let out a tired sigh. Today’s shift had felt like it had lasted forever and he still couldn’t believe that they had survived it with only two failed missions and nothing more than a few scrapes. It really was a small wonder, considering that many of their team members were still a bit banged up from their little… adventure at the Sardine three days ago.

That and of course the fact that they had been one man short.

Robert laid his right forearm across his eyes, taking a deep breath. He probably should have expected that Flambae would have a rather… heated reaction to his revelation of being Mecha Man, considering their shared history. And yet it still surprised him that the other had actually been ready and willing to kill him, would actually have succeeded if it hadn’t been for Golem’s fast reaction. Of course Robert had known that the two of them hadn’t had the best relationship, but to think that that the other would go that far… Especially since it had somehow felt like they were starting to get along better lately. Sure, the majority of their conversations still consisted mostly of bickering and Flambae still made sure to come up with all kinds of ridiculous nicknames bordering on insults for him. And yet it had felt like somehow lately Flambae’s taunts had been lacking actual heat, no pun intended.

While it had been obvious that none of the Z-Team had liked him when he had started his work as their dispatcher, with Flambae Robert had been sure that the other man had actively hated him. But over time he had had the feeling that Flambae’s hate had turned into some kind of reluctant acceptance. It had almost seemed like the only reason the other had kept up the constant insults and taunts was to keep up some kind of appearance. And there had also been the rare moment now and then when they had actually seemed to get along.

So had Flambae really wanted to kill him or had he simply lost his temper in the heat of the moment? After all the other was a real hothead, not pun inte-… well, okay, maybe a little bit. And considering how many wordplays there were that linked temperament to heat and fire, it maybe shouldn’t come as that much of a surprise that ‘the one that controlled the fire and the flame’ had some self-control issues. Was it possible that Flambae’s powers had an influence on his behaviour?

“Rough shift, huh?”

Lifting his arm from his face Robert looked to the right, pulling down his headphones to hang around his neck. Chase was looking over the little divider between their desks, watching him with a mix between amusement and sympathy.

Robert gave the other man a wry smile. “Had better, had worse. Although it did go surprisingly well considering that Flambae didn’t show up.” Robert would never admit it to the arrogant bastard’s face, but Flambae was one of the strongest members on his team. “I’m still damn glad that it’s over.” What a week. And today was just Monday.

“Fireboy didn’t show up? You think he’s still salty about you being Mecha Man?”

“He tried to roast me alive. So yeah, I think it’s safe to say he’s pretty pissed.”

“He better pull himself together soon. SDN doesn’t like no call no shows, especially on the Pheonix Program.”

Robert grimaced. “Yeah, I guess.”

Right, that was something Robert had not considered at all so far.

To him it might be understandable why Flambae had not shown up for work today. The revelation that he was Mecha Man seemed to have hurt Flambae a lot more than the rest of the Z-Team. And considering their history Robert couldn’t really blame the other. (Although he still had been a bit hurt that Flambae had actually tried to kill him.) And even though Robert had really hoped that Flambae would show up so that maybe they could have a chance to clear the air between them and hopefully move past it, he had not been too surprised when Flambae had not reported for duty this morning.

But SDN would probably be a whole different story. Somehow Robert couldn’t imagine that SDN would care about the reason for Flambae’s absences, hurt feelings not being a legitimate reason for calling out of work (not that Flambae had actually called). All they would see was a villain on probation that had not shown up for his shift. Just how many days would the higher ups tolerate this before they decided to kick Flambae off the Phoenix Program?

Flambae might be a real ass at times, but getting him kicked off the program was the last thing Robert wanted. Especially considering that it was also partly his fault. At least a little bit.

“On second thought…” Hearing Chase speak brought Robert out of his thoughts. “That guy probably starts more fires than he puts out, so maybe having him kicked off the team wouldn’t be that much of a loss in the end.”

Robert definitely had to disagree there. A week ago things might have been different. And while it was true that Flambae was still quite unpredictable, he was probably the one that had made the most progress from all the members of the Z-Team. If only the other could get a proper handle on his temper…

Robert thought back to the news article he had come across on Saturday. At first he had almost scrolled past the headline mentioning a big fire, but something had made him click on it in the end. According to the article there had been a huge fire in an abandoned factory building outside of town on early Saturday morning. The building had been so secluded that by the time the fire had been discovered, the whole building had been ablaze. And yet, by the time the firefighters had arrived at the scene about ten minutes later, the fire had been completely gone. According to the news the building had been completely gutted, the walls still hot, so there was no question that there had indeed been a fire very recently. And then there suddenly wasn’t anymore. According to the firefighters’ press officer they had no idea how the fire was extinguished, couldn’t find residues of any kind of extinguishing agent. As a last note the article mentioned that the building was scheduled to be demolished in two weeks, so in the end no damage had been done.

Robert didn’t know why, but somehow he had a feeling that Flambae was involved in it. A huge fire that suddenly vanished? And it had happened shortly after Flambae had flown off after his failed attempt at killing him. Yeah, too much of a coincidence.

Robert looked at Chase.

“Hey, Chase. Can you do me a favour? Can you take Beef for tonight?”

“What, you gonna go out for drinks with the team again?”

“I think I’ve had enough of that for a while. No, there’s something I need to take care of and I’m not sure when I’ll be back.”

Chase shrugged. “Sounds mighty mysterious. But sure, I’ll take him.” Robert watched Chase bend down behind the divider. A moment later the other man reappeared with Beef lying in his arms, scratching the little dog’s belly. “What do you say, Beef. Want to go home with uncle Chase again?”

Beef gave a happy yap, excitedly wiggling on Chase’s arm as he was enjoying the man’s belly scratches.

Robert gave the other man a grateful smile. “Thanks, Chase. Just… please don’t spoil him too much, yeah? He already gets more than enough treats while we’re at work.”

Chase looked at him, a stern expression on his face. “Hey, you asking me for a favour? You’re not gonna get to dictate the details. Understood?”

Robert rolled his eyes. “Fine. Just… take care of him, yeah?”

He wasn’t even sure if Chase had actually heard him as the other man had already turned around and walked off, quietly talking to Beef as he was scratching the wiggling dog’s belly. He definitely wouldn’t have to worry about Beef tonight.

But there was somebody else he was actually starting to worry about maybe a little.

Looking around the office Robert noticed that most people had gone home for the day and those few that were still there weren’t paying any attention to him. Turning back to his computer Robert saw that the rest of the Z-Team had logged off for the night. Perfect.

It didn’t take Robert long to activate Flambae’s tracker and pinpoint his position at…

“The Sardine?”

Ah shit, really? Of course Flambae had to choose the damn bar they had had their big fight at only three days ago. He was actually surprised that Flambae was even allowed into the bar after what they had done to it.

Robert knew that the reason why Flambae didn’t come to work today was probably because he didn’t want to be anywhere near Robert, so him tracking down the other man was mostly likely a really stupid idea. And yet Robert somehow felt it was his duty to make sure that Flambae would not get kicked off the Z-Team because of this. He would give this one shot to talk things out with Flambae. And if that didn’t work, then he could at least say that he had done everything that was in his power.

-x-

Half an hour later Robert was walking through the entrance door of the Sardine. He was honestly a little surprised how easy it had been to get inside, the bouncer just giving him a quick once over before opening the door. After the ruckus they had cause three days ago Robert had expected the bouncer to tell him to fuck off. Maybe it was because he was dressed differently? Instead of his SDN shirt and dress pants Robert had opted for this gym clothes, a hoody and sweat pants, this time to hopefully make him blend in a bit more. So maybe the bouncer simply had not recognized him? But then, it was a different bouncer than Friday and Flambae was also inside, so maybe this guy simply had not gotten the message about the guys that had started a fight and destroyed half of the bar.

Whatever it was, Robert was glad that he had gotten inside without any problems. Now he only had to find Flambae.

Since it was Monday night the bar wasn’t quite as packed as it had been last Friday, so it took him no time at all to locate the other man, the bright orange on his suit hard to miss. Flambae was occupying a booth in the corner of the room. He was lounging on the bank, back against the wall and a bottle of something most likely alcoholic on the table.

A little nervous Robert made his way over to the other. This could go so many ways of wrong. If Flambae decided to attack him, nobody here would come to his help, no Golem to step in front of him to protect him from Flambae’s fire. But he had already come this far, he might as well do it now.

Robert stepped up to the table. Flambae’s head was resting on the wall behind him and he had his eyes closed. Either the other was ignoring him or he hadn’t noticed Robert yet. Flambae really had to be sure of himself to sit with his eyes closed in a bar like this.

Robert cleared his throat. “Hey, Flambae. Can we talk?”

Flambae’s eyes opened, looking at him for a moment before he sneered. “Fuck off, Mecha Bitch.”

Of course. Not that he had expected this to be easy. “Come on. I’m sure there’s something-”

Robert was interrupted by Flambae’s fist hitting the table loudly. Flambae leaned towards him menacingly, his eyes narrowed angrily.

“What about ‘fuck off’ did you not understand, bitch? I have no desire to talk to you. And if you don’t leave me the fuck alone I will incinerate you. So fuck off!”

Robert could see the heat in Flambae’s eyes. The other wasn’t simply angry, he was furious. And probably moments from literally exploding. Yeah, it was probably better if he left.

He sighed. “Alright, I’ll leave. But I want you to know that despite what happened on Friday I still see you as part of our team. And I hope that you will come back to us before SDN decides to kick you off, because it would be a shame to lose you.”

Robert gave the other a moment, but when Flambae didn’t react he turned around and walked off. Now he really wanted a drink, but he would not do that at the Sardine. The faster he was out of here the better, before someone recognized him after all.

Robert couldn’t help but feel disappointed that Flambae was refusing to even talk to him, but hey, at least the other hadn’t outright attacked him again. Small wins, right? Actually he had been surprised that Flambae had not burst into flames at all. Sure, the other had threatened to burn him, but there had not been an actual flame anywhere. That was quite unusual considering that Flambae usually started to burn whenever things got even a little bit heated.

Robert pushed open the door, exiting the bar.

His attempt at convincing the other to come back to the team might have been futile, but at least he was able to say that he had tried. Maybe Flambae would show up at work on his own tomorrow or maybe he had decided to quit and go back to being a villain. Whatever it was, it was up to Flambae now to-

Something heavy barrelled into his right side, shoving him into the dark alleyway to his left.

Shit!

Robert felt his breath leave his body as his back hit a dumpster. He quickly ducked to the side, avoiding the punch that was aimed at his head, while at the same time he brough up his knee into his attacker’s stomach. The man doubled over with a pained gasp.

Robert was just about to use the opportunity to throw a punch of his own when the side of his face exploded in pain and he was thrown against his attacker. Fuck, of course the guy was not alone.

For a moment Robert stumbled, pushing the first attacker away from himself as he desperately tried to keep his balance and stay on his feet. When getting attacked, the last place you wanted to be was on the ground.

He felt another punch land on his side and one graze his shoulder before he managed to bring some space between himself and his two attackers. He just needed a moment to collect himself. He was pretty sure that he would be able to defeat those guys, even banged up as he still was from his last fight, but for that he had to get out of the defensive.

Looking up Robert saw the two men standing a few meters away from him. One of the them had the telltale red shine of a Red Ring member on his throat and Robert was pretty sure that he remembered the guy from last Friday. The other was the bouncer from earlier. Ah, so that was the reason why the other had let him into the bar just like that instead of sending him away.

The first guy looked at him with a sneer. “I’m gonna kill you, you fucker.”

Robert rolled his eyes. “Dude, you already tried that last Friday and I’m still here. So what do you think will be different this time?”

“This time you’re all alone, without your superhero friends to protect your Normie ass.”

He shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant while thinking about how to best go about this. “If you’re so confident about it then come here and try your luck.”

Robert watched the bouncer pick up a steel pipe from the side of the alley. From what he had seen of the two men so far he should be able to defeat them, unless they pulled out some kind crazy ass super powers. Not that he had much of a choice since the two were standing between him and the entrance of the alley.

The bouncer took a step and raised the pipe. Robert took up a fighting stance, preparing himself for the attack that was about to come.

That was when from the corner of his eye Robert could see a glint. Instinctively he dodged to the side, trying to avoid what was probably a knife or sword, but he wasn’t quite fast enough. A sharp pain shot through his right upper arm as the knife sliced through his flesh.

Fuck! So there was a third guy. Just how many attackers were there? Suddenly his chances at winning this fight were looking at lot worse.

Whirling around Robert threw a kick at knife guy, sending him crashing against the wall.

He had to back off a bit, he could not allow these guys to surround him.

Robert saw the iron pipe coming towards his head and dodged to the side, barely avoiding it, only to have Red Ring guy ram his shoulder into Robert’s stomach again, sending him to the ground. Robert let out a pained cry as his back hit the hard stone floor, Red Ring guy landing on top of him.

Before Robert could collect himself he already saw a punch coming for his head. Raising his right arm Robert tried to block the punches while at the same planting his left foot on the ground to use as leverage as he slammed his right knee into the guy’s back to hopefully make him stop and give Robert the opportunity to get him off his chest.

But Red Ring guy was tough and he barely reacted to Robert’s kicks. And even worse, behind Red Ring guy he could see bouncer guy lift the pipe, ready to bring it down on Robert’s head.

This was going to hurt.

Only that the hit never came because the moment bouncer guy was about to bring down the pipe something rammed into the man’s back, something that was burning brightly, sending the guy stumbling forward.

Before Robert really knew what was happening, Red Ring guy was lifted off his chest and sent flying in the same direction as bouncer guy before they were followed by a huge stream of fire.

What…

Suddenly there was movement towards the mouth of the alley, knife guy. But before Robert even had a chance to do anything, he realized that the man wasn’t coming towards them to attack but rather running away. Looked like knife guy had decided that it wasn’t worth the trouble now that someone with superpowers was involved. Or it could be the fact that his two companions had just started screaming from being enveloped in flames. A few moments later Robert could see the two men running past them, trying to escape the flames that were following them.

“Yeah, that’s right you fuckers. Run away like little cry-babies.”

And just as if to make a point, a fireball was sent after the two, exploding at the entrance to the alley.

Damn, that had been a close call.

His mind still trying to catch up with everything that had happened in the last few seconds, Robert looked up at the man standing next to him. “Flambae?”

The other looked down at him, huffing. “What’s wrong, Bob Bob? Did you expect somebody else?”

“No, not really.” But he had definitely not expected Flambae either. Especially not after what had happened in the bar only minutes ago. “What are you doing here?”

“What does it look like? I’m saving your flat ass.”

Robert rolled his eyes. Of course. “Well, my flat ass thanks you.”

Flambae’s gaze flittered away from his for a moment. “Tch. Yeah, whatever.” There was a moment of silence before Flambae looked back down at him. “Need a hand?”

With a small, grateful smile Robert held out his left hand, allowing the other man to pull him to his feet. He let out a small gasp as the movement made the left side of his hip protest painfully. Shit he must have landed on it earlier when Red Ring guy had tackled him for the second time. Robert didn’t like to admit it, but two fights within three days might be a bit much for him.

“You’re hurt.”

Looking up Robert found Flambae staring at his right arm. Looking there himself Rober saw that the sleeve of his hoodie was soaked in blood. Carefully moving his arm Robert was pretty sure that nothing important had been hit, but judging by the amount of blood and how much it hurt the cut would probably need stitches. Great. At least it looked like the hit to his face had not done any serious damage expect making his cheek hurt like a bitch.

“I don’t think it’s too serious, but I should probably go and take care of it.” Cuts on your arm always were a bitch to take care of since he only had one hand to work with, especially when it was his right arm. But he didn’t really feel like going to the hospital either, he would probably have to wait hours there to get it taken care of.

He looked up at Flambae.

“So, thank you again for coming to my aid. I’m not sure I would have been able to handle those guys on my own.” Probably not. “And I hope that I will see you at work tomorrow?” Surely Flambae wasn’t still sulking after what had just happened. Robert could not imagine that Flambae would have helped him if he was actually as angry at him as he had looked earlier. Plus the other had sounded genuinely worried just now.

Flambae scoffed. “Don’t be an idiot, Bob Bob.”

Before Robert had a chance to ask what the hell Flambae was talking about his world suddenly shifted as he was picked up bridal style. He looked up at Flambae with big, surprised eyes.

“Whoa. What the hell are you doing?”

Flambae looked down at him. “Your arm needs stitches. And with the way you moved just now I am sure it is not the only injury you have. So I’m taking you somewhere where we can take care of all those things.”

One of Robert’s eyebrows rose. ‘We’?

Flambae’s arms around his body tightened and his face turned upwards.

“And now shut up and hold on.”

A moment later Robert could feel the radiating heat of Flambae’s flames coming to life and before he knew it they had taken off into the sky.

This was far from the first time he had flown over the city. Not even the first time he had done it being carried by someone with actual flight powers instead of inside his Mecha Man suit. And yet it somehow felt different. To think that it was Flambae carrying him, the guy that three days ago had still tried to kill him… All Flambae had to do was let go of him to drop him. With how high they were at the moment there was no way Robert would survive the fall. And yet he wasn’t worried about that at all. He just knew that Flambae wouldn’t do that. Maybe it was the way those strong arms were holding him tight against the other’s wide chest. The heat that was radiating off Flambae’s body that was keeping him warm despite the fact they were quickly flying through the cold night air.

Only yesterday the idea of Flambae carrying him through the sky like this probably would have had him nervous and maybe a little uncomfortable. So Robert was actually surprised to realize that he felt strangely calm at the moment. Maybe it was the adrenaline that was rapidly fading after the fight, leaving his body feeling weak and exhausted.

Closing his eyes, Robert let his head rest against Flambae’s shoulder. It was not like there was anything he could do at the moment anyway.

He thought that he could feel Flambae freeze for a moment, but when there was no taunting comment he decided that he must have imagined it.

-x-

Robert opened his eyes when he felt Flambae slow down and descend a few minutes later. Looking around them he realized he had no idea where they were. This wasn’t SDN or the hospital. It also wasn’t his own apartment, not that he had expected Flambae to know where he lived. That only left one option.

“Is that your apartment?”

He looked down at the balcony they were obviously headed for. It was mostly empty, offering enough space for Flambae to comfortably land on.

“Yeah. I’m sure I have all the stuff we need to take care of your injuries.”

Flambae landed on the balcony Robert had assumed would be his. The other then set him down, a lot more carefully than Robert had expected, before he opened the door and entered his apartment.

Robert hesitated. He was seriously surprised that Flambae had decided to take him to his own apartment. Except for their trip to the Sardine last Friday all their points of contact had been strictly work related. So stepping foot into Flambae’s apartment felt strangely… personal.

“Are you waiting for a personal invitation, Bob Bob? Come in.”

And so Robert stepped through the balcony door, closing it behind himself.

Looking around what looked like a combined living and dining room, Robert was surprised to realize that it looked strangely… normal. He wasn’t sure what exactly he had expected Flambae’s apartment to look like, considering the other man’s personality, but the apartment looked just like any other apartment: a dining table with four chairs, a big, comfortable looking couch, a big TV, a stereo system and a gaming console. There were even a few plants. The only thing that made it very obvious that this was indeed Flambae’s apartment were the pictures on the walls. Big, almost poster sized pictures of Flamabe in all kinds of poses. Most of them were of just Flambae, but he could also see one of him together with Prism. These two really had to be ‘besties’, considering she was the only other person that Robert could see on any of the pictures. Robert couldn’t help the small smile as he looked at the different pictures. Of course Flambae would have pictures of himself all over his apartment. And he had to admit that they weren’t half bad. For how annoyingly arrogant Flambae could be, the other was indeed very good looking. Of course he would never tell Flambae that, the other was already insufferable enough.

“While I can fully understand how totally captivating my good looks can be, I would suggest that we take care of your wounds first. You can go back to admiring my pictures afterwards.”

Robert’s head whipped around to look at Flambae who was standing in what looked like the doorway to the bathroom, looking at him with an amused smirk. He felt his cheeks heat up a little at being caught staring at the pictures.

“Yeah, sure.”

He walked over into the bathroom where found Flambae looking through a small cupboard. The other pointed at a small stool.

“Sit down and take off your hoodie, let me take a look at your arm.”

Robert didn’t even hesitate and simply took off his hoodie before sitting down on the stool. He still wasn’t quite sure what made Flambae want to help him take care of his wounds, but he sure wouldn’t complain not having to do it himself.

With his hoodie off Robert could take a closer look at the wound on his arm. It seemed to mostly have stopped bleeding by now, which he took as a good sign. Grabbing his hoodie Robert used it to wipe off some of the blood. That thing was ruined anyway.

“Alright. Let me see what you…”

Hearing Flambae trail off mid-sentence made Robert look up at the other man, only to find him staring at his exposed chest, a dark frown on his face. Robert had a pretty good idea what was going on in Flambae’s mind.

He gave the other a wry smile. “That’s what happens when you’re a normie that tries to be a hero.”

Flambae’s gaze snapped up to his. The expression on his face was one that Robert had never seen there before.

Robert was actually surprised by the other man’s reaction. He had half expected Flambae to mock him, to tell him that this was proof that normies shouldn’t play hero and instead should leave it to those with real powers, but the taunts never came. Instead Flambae was strangely quiet, seemed almost unsure. And when he finally spoke his voice was unusually calm.

“Is that the reason you became a dispatcher at SDN?”

“No. Just like I said during the press conference, after the explosion my suit was beyond repair. At least beyond what I was able to do. But SDN offered me a deal, I would work as a dispatcher for them and they would help me repair my suit. And as you can see I accepted.”

That answer seemed to surprise Flambae. “So you want to go back out there once your suit is repaired?”

There was only one answer to that. “If we can manage to repair it then yes, I will go back to being Mecha Man.”

Once more Flambae’s gaze went to his chest, roaming over the myriad of scars and bruises on his skin before looking back at his face. “Maybe you should reconsider that. I mean you’re not half bad as a dispatcher. Definitely better than the last one.”

Robert looked at Flambae for a moment. One of his eyebrows rose and a small, amused smile spread over his face. “Is this about you not wanting to get a different dispatcher or are you actually worried about me?”

Flambae’s eyes went wide before he quickly looked away, grabbed Robert’s right arm and started to wipe off the dried blood with a wet cloth that he must have been holding the whole time

“Shut up.”

Robert’s smile widened. He wasn’t quite sure what exactly was going on with the other at the moment, but he had to admit that a flustered Flambae was almost… cute.

They spent the next few minutes in a strangely comfortable silence as Flambae carefully cleaned the blood from his arm while Robert used the opportunity to take a good look at the other man.

It was strange to think that it was indeed Flambae that was taking care of his wound after possibly having saved his life. The same man that had been taunting and mocking him ever since he had started his work at SDN. The same man that had tried to kill him only three days ago. Robert wasn’t sure what had changed or if this was just a temporary reprieve, but it proved that there was more to Flambae than the hot-headed bully that most people saw him as.

Which other sides of himself had Flambae been hiding all this time? Would he allow Robert to see more of them? Somehow Robert was starting to get incredibly curious to learn more about all those different sides because he just knew that there was so much more to discover.

When he was done wiping away the blood Flambae put down the cloth and took a closer look at the wound.

“Seems like you were lucky there, Bobert. This doesn’t look too bad. But I think it’s better if we stich it anyway.”

Flambae released his arm and turned around, rummaging through the medical supplies he had in his cupboard.

Looking into the cupboard Robert could see numerous band-aids, bandages, creams and tinctures.

“You have a surprisingly well stocked first aid kit for someone that probably doesn’t need it much. Thinking back to your fight against Mecha Man, most of my attacks didn’t seem to have much of an effect on you.”

Flambae froze for a moment. He didn’t turn around but his voice sounded strained.

“You mean except for the two fingers you cut off my hand?”

Robert grimaced. Yes, except for that.

It was definitely not his proudest moment and he really wished that he would have done things differently back then. But he also knew that he had done it because he had seen no other option. Flambae was strong, his fire was powerful and most of Mecha Man’s attacks had had barely any effect on him. If Robert hadn’t done it, Flambae would probably have roasted him alive in his suit.

Robert knew that in that moment he had not had another choice, but would Flambae see it the same way?

Robert was still thinking about how to reply when Flambae suddenly turned around and took hold of his arm again. “But you’re right, I usually don’t need it much. But I do have some friends that are not as lucky, so I always have the basics at hand.”

Robert looked at the back of Flambae’s head while the other gently disinfected the wound. “You care a lot more about others than you want to make us believe, don’t you? I’m starting to think that deep down you’re actually a really nice person.”

“Didn’t I tell you to shut up?”

Damn, this time Robert would almost swear that he could see a hint of a blush on Flambae’s cheeks. This was actually kind of fun, maybe he should try it more often. Kill them with kindness. And it also seemed to be pretty effective at shutting the other up.

But all jokes aside, the reason he was even in this mess, why he had gone to the Sardine, was because he had wanted to talk to Flambae, to clear the air between them. And while the other had sent him away earlier without giving him a chance to actually say anything, now was probably the perfect opportunity to do it.

“Thank you again for saving me. And for all this, bringing me here and taking care of me even though you didn’t have to. After my confession of being Mecha Man I wasn’t sure you would even talk to me again. I mean your reaction was rather… intense. Not that I didn’t kind of expect it, considering our history.” And yet it had still hurt. Sure, even while working together at SDN they had not really been friendly, there had always been friction, all kinds of bickering and of course the noodle incident. But Robert had thought that there had at least been some kind of mutual respect.

At first Flambae didn’t reply. Instead the other turned away and put down the disinfectant. Then he picked up a needle and thread and turned back to Robert.

“Do you want something to numb the pain?”

“No, it’s fine.”

Did that meant that Flambae had decided that they would not talk about it?

Robert watched as Flambae threaded the thread through the eye of the needle before he once again bent down over Robert’s arm. Flambae took hold of his upper arm and set the tip of the needle against the skin next to his wound.

Robert flinched as the needle pierced his skin. These were the aspects of being a hero that nobody ever really talked about.

“Then why did you come to me? You know that the Sardine isn’t safe for people like you.”

“I had to try to talk to you. You didn’t show up for work. I wanted to make sure you wouldn’t get kicked off of the Pheonix Program because of what happened between us.”

“You mean me trying to burn you alive?”

“After finding out that I am the one that cut off two of your fingers.” Was he actually defending Flambae’s actions? Maybe more like trying to explain them.

Flambae made the second stitch.

“Yes, that is also what I thought at first.”

Robert frowned. “What do you mean?”

“At first I also thought that I was so angry because I found out that you are actually that Mecha bitch.”

A third stitch.

“So you’re saying that’s not the reason?” What else could it be?

“No, it’s not.” Flambae looked up at him. “I trusted you.” For several long moments the other held his gaze, as if to emphasize the point, before he turned his attention back to Robert’s wound, making the fourth stitch.

“At first we all thought that you were a real bitch and that you wouldn’t last two days as our dispatcher. But you were tougher than we thought. And even as a normie you wouldn’t take any shit from us. Then you started with the whole Phoenix rising from the ashes spiel, which so does not work for me by the way, considering that fire can’t hurt me. But it made us feel like you believed in us, that we could trust you. That we were a team.”

Robert was starting to understand. But he still didn’t think that any of this was his fault. “I never lied to any of you. And you must have known that there was more to me than just some random civilian without powers.”

The fifth stitch. One more and they would be done.

“Of course we knew that there had to be something else, we’re not that stupid. But to think that you’re that Mecha Bitch.”

When Flambae looked up at him he actually looked hurt. Robert had never seen the other show this kind of emotions before.

“When you told us I got so damn angry. At first I thought it was because you were that fucker that I hated so much, all those things you did to me.”

Robert wanted to point out that most of the things that he ‘did to Flambae’ were a direct reaction to what Flambae had done to him, but he kept silent. Flambae was just about to open up to him and if he talked now, the other would probably clam up. And so he just waited for Flambae to go on.

“But later, after I had calmed down a bit, I realized that it was because I was hurt. And of course I know it’s stupid, we have only known each other for not even two weeks, but I was actually starting to trust you.” He grimaced. “To think that all that time I didn’t know that we had met each other before. It makes me feel so stupid now to think that I talked to you about Mecha Man several times. And you never said anything, trying to make us believe that you are just some dude. But then you come and tell us that you are actually Mecha Man. Talking about trust and opening up to each other and all that bullshit. But to me that confession just felt like a betrayal. Especially since I-”

But suddenly Flambae just stopped mid-sentence, his mouth snapped shut and his eyes went wide. Then the other looked back down

Robert furrowed his brow. “Since you what?”

“Nothing.”

Robert actually let out a small hiss of pain when Flambae made the last stitch with a little more force than was probably necessary. He could see the move as what it was meant as: a distraction. There was something that Flambae didn’t want him to know but that he had almost spilled just now. Robert knew that whatever it was, it would probably help him understand the mystery that was Flambae’s mind. But somehow he doubted that Flambae would just tell him, at least not now. Asking now would probably just anger the other man and that was something Robert would prefer to avoid. Not because he was scared that Flambae would attack him again, but because Flambae seemed unusual tame today and he did not want to ruin that. So Robert decided not to prod more and instead ask something else that had been on his mind.

“It was you that burned down that old factory, wasn’t it?”

He didn’t know for sure, but he couldn’t really think of a different explanation for a suddenly disappearing fire. And judging by the way Flambae seemed to freeze for a moment Robert knew he was right.

Robert watched as Flambae cut of the thread. The other then turned back towards the cupboard and took out a bandage that he started wrapping around Robert’s upper arm, covering the wound.

“I needed something to let off steam. I don’t know what I would have done otherwise.”

“So you decided to burn down an abandoned factory. A remote building where nobody would get hurt and that was about to get demolished anyway. And once you were done, you extinguished the fire before anyone could get there.”

“As you know I am not a villain anymore. At least I try my best.”

“I know that you do. That’s why I went to look for you today. I didn’t want these… disagreements between us be the reason you’re get kicked out of the Phoenix Program.”

Flambae didn’t reply. Robert watched as the other man fastened the bandage with two bandage clips.

When he was done with the bandage Flambae turned towards the cupboard once more, picked up a small something and threw it towards Robert.

“For you hip. I’ll be right back.”

Robert awkwardly caught the small something and looked down. It was a small blue and white plastic pack, one of those instant ice packs that got cold when you pressed them. So Flambae had noticed that he had hurt his hip and had given him an ice pack to cool it.

Robert squeezed the ice pack, it took only a few seconds before he felt it get cold.

Pressing the ice pack against his hip Robert leaned back against the wall behind him. What an evening. First the attack on him and now… whatever this was. Not only had Flambae come to his aid earlier, something that had seemed rather unlikely considering what had happened last Friday. But the other had also brought him to his own apartment, had treated his wound and was now… well, Robert actually had no idea what Flambae was doing at the moment, but he was pretty sure that it wasn’t anything ‘bad’. For a reformed villain with anger issues he sure had proven to be a surprisingly caring person.

Robert let out a weak chuckle. Now all that was missing was Flambae making him dinner.

He let his head fall back against the wall and closed his eyes. He could hear Flambae moving around in another room. Robert really couldn’t tell what else this evening would bring.

Maybe a minute or two later he could hear steps coming his way, soft steps, which meant that Flambae must have ditched his boots.

“Here, you can have this. It’s the smallest one I have.”

Robert opened his eyes and immediately drew in a sharp breath. Fuck, Flambae looked hot! Not only had the other ditched his boots, he also had switched from his ridiculous hero suit to grey sweatpants and a white t-shirt. He also was barefooted and his hair freely flowing down his back instead of in his usual ponytail.

Sure, the suit was tight and sexy and left little to the imagination, but this? Somehow these plain clothes combined with the open hair just made the other look so god damn gorgeous it should have been illegal. It made him look less like a flaming asshole and more like a normal person. A normal person that looked good enough to eat.

Not that Robert was ever going to tell him that, Flambae’s ego was big enough already.

“You alright there, Bob Bob? You want some painkillers after all?”

Somehow hearing the other’s voice snapped Robert out of his trance. Shit, he could not let the other catch him staring.

“No, thanks. I’m fine.”

Looking up he found Flambae looking at him with a questioningly raise eyebrow. But luckily for Robert it didn’t seem like Flambae had caught on just what exactly was going on in Robert’s brain at that moment. And other parts of his body. Crap, he really had to get a grip of himself.

Robert looked at the item Flambae was still holding out to him. Taking the item Robert realized that it was a black t-shirt.

That was… surprisingly thoughtful.

“Thanks. I-”

But he was rudely interrupted by his own stomach which had apparently decided that it was the perfect moment to remind him that it had been a while sinch lunch.

Sheepishly Robert looked at Flambae. “Sorry.”

The other scowled down at him. “Let me guess, you did not eat dinner before coming to the Sardine.”

“No. Didn’t want to risk you going somewhere else in the meantime.”

Flambae rolled his eyes. “It’s not wonder you’re so skinny. All that training will not be of any use if you don’t have a proper diet.”

Without waiting for a reply Flambae suddenly walked off, muttering something under his breath that Robert couldn’t understand.

What… It would probably take him weeks to analyse Flambae’s behaviour from this evening. All the things the other had done that Robert would never have expected. To him Flambae was less predictable than lottery numbers.

Letting out a small sigh at the absurdity of the whole situation Robert looked down at the t-shirt he was still holding. Seeing no reason not to do it Robert put on the t-shirt, grimacing a little as he realized just how big it actually was. Flambae might have said that it was the smallest one he had, but on Robert it still looked like a small tent. Or like a girl wearing the clothes of her boyfriend, his mind supplied rather unhelpfully.

Suddenly there were clanking noises coming from the next room. Still holding the ice pack against his hip Robert followed the sound to what turned out to be the kitchen.

The first thing Robert noticed was a tight ass clad in grey sweat pants. Flambae was bent over, rummaging around in what seemed to be the fridge, sticking out his ass for Robert to admire.

Taking a deep breath Robert closed his eyes for a moment.

Crap, he really had to quit that. Lusting after Flambae was a catastrophe waiting to happen.

Trying to distract himself Robert looked around the rest of the kitchen. It was a nice kitchen, one that seemed way better equipped than he would have expected from someone like Flambae. Was the other actually into cooking?

On the counter he could see two plates, a cutting board and a knife.

“What are you doing?”

Flambae replied without leaving his position halfway inside the fridge, placing an item on the counter next to himself now and again. “What does it look like? I’m making us a some sandwiches. My fridge is mostly empty since I wasn’t really in a mood to go grocery shopping the last few days and I don’t really feel like cooking right now anyway.” Straightening Flambae closed the fridge door and turned around. For a moment the other just seemed to look at him before blinking twice. “Anything sandwich-related that you won’t eat?”

Still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that Flambae was now actually making him dinner, all Robert could come up with was “Uh, I don’t think so.” Which was mostly true, he wasn’t a very picky eater. Which was good because his cooking skills were basically non existent and he just ate whatever he could get his hands on whenever he was hungry.

Flambae turned towards the counter holding all the ingredients and cooking utensils, picked up the bread and knife and started cutting slices. “Great.” He pointed at a bottle with water and two glasses standing on the counter. “Why don’t you take these to the living room and turn on the TV? I will be with you in a few minutes.”

For a moments Robert just stood there and watched Flambae prepare their sandwiches. It quickly became obvious that the other man indeed was no stranger to cooking. Who would have thought?

Eventually Robert did as he was told, grabbed the bottle and glasses and went to the living room. Sitting down on the couch he poured water in both glasses and put them down on the table. Then he picked up the remote control from the small couch table and turned on the TV to the previously watched channel, only to find it go to…

“The cartoon channel?”

He could hear Flambae shouting from the kitchen. “What you got against cartoons, bitch? They’re fun.”

“I have nothing against cartoons. It’s just not what I would have expected from someone like you.” Not at all.

Steps were coming his way. “Oh yeah? And what did you expect?”

Robert shrugged. “I don’t know, the porn channel? Or maybe some crappy fashion show.”

Flambae stepped up next to Robert, holding out one the plates he was carrying to him. He scoffed. “A fashion show? I don’t need some dumb fashion show. I already have excellent fashion sense, thank you very much.”

Robert looked at the other, one eyebrow raised in question. “Really? Didn’t you design your suit yourself?” He accepted the plate. Looking down he found a huge sandwich on the plate, topped with at least half a dozen toppings. He felt his mouth water.

Flambae sat down next to him with his own sandwich, smirking haughtily. “Like I said, excellent fashion sense.”

Even though he demonstratively rolled his eyes Robert couldn’t help but smile. Sitting next to each other about to eat the sandwiches that Flambae had made for them and bickering about clothes, somehow this felt so… mundane. Robert almost wondered if his attackers had actually knocked him out and this was just a weird dream.

They ate their dinner in silence, the only noise the TV and the occasional laugh from them when something funny happened on TV. But Robert was only partly watching the show, most of his attention was actually on the man sitting next to him who seemed to be completely absorbed in the cartoon.

When he had gone to the Sardine earlier he could not have predicted the way this evening would go. But Robert did not regret any part of it. The side of Flambae he had seen this evening, a man that was looking out for his comrades, took care of their wounds and fed them… If they hadn’t talked about some things that he was sure only the real Flambae knew about, he would have been convinced that the man sitting next to him was an imposter. But no, it simply seemed like deep inside Flambae there was actually a decent person. A person whose company Robert was actually starting to enjoy greatly.

Maybe it was because Flambae had been drinking at the Sardine earlier (although if he was actually drunk then he was hiding it well) or maybe it was because they were in private, just the two of them. Whatever it was that had brought out this side of Flambae, Robert hoped he would see more of it, because he sure could get used to this. Not necessarily the taking care of him or making him dinner part, although that also was quite nice for a change. It was the spending time together, like now. No violence, no arguing, just some friendly banter that they both could enjoy or comfortable silence as they ate their food.

Robert didn’t have many friends, even less that he would actually call close friends, so he wouldn’t mind having one more. And who knew? If Flambae was willing maybe there was a chance they could actually become friends?

Eating the last bite of his food Robert put the plate down on the couch table. That had to be the best sandwich he had ever eaten. Maybe he should actually start buying groceries, making a sandwich couldn’t be that hard, considering how little time it had taken Flambe to make them. And it was probably cheaper than buying take out. “Thanks for the food. That was really good.”

Flambae rolled his eyes. “Only you would be gushing over a sandwich. But judging by that crap you usually eat I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”

Robert gave the other a sheepish smile. “You’re actually right there. I know that I do have zero cooking skills, but maybe I should at least try to make myself some sandwiches now and then. I mean if I can operate the Mecha Man suit then I should be able to figure out how to assemble a sandwich, right?”

Flambae huffed. “How have you even survived so far?”

He shrugged. “Coffee, twinkies and pure stubbornness.”

“Spoken like a true hero.”

Flambae put down his empty plate on top of Robert’s before turning back to him

“Since we’re done eating, I can take you home if you want. But you’re also welcome to crash on the couch. Your choice.”

He didn’t even hesitate to reply. “The couch is fine, thanks.” Not only was this couch a lot more comfortable than the garden chair he was sleeping on in his own apartment, but that wasn’t the actual reason. He simply didn’t want to leave yet, felt too comfortable in Flambae’s presence.

Flambae seemed a little surprised by his response, or maybe the fact Robert had not hesitated with his decision, but he didn’t say anything. Instead he just gave a small nod and went back to watching TV.

For a few minutes Robert also tried to focus his attention on the show, but there were still so many questions running around in his head. He had no desire to destroy the current easy silence between them, but he just needed to know.

“Can I ask you something?”

He could see Flambae freeze, obviously just as nervous that whatever Robert was about to ask would break this newfound truce between them.

Flambae turned towards him, the expression on his face one of forced indifference. “You can ask. But I don’t guarantee that I will answer.”

Fair enough.

“Earlier at the Sardine you sent me away because you didn’t want to talk to me. But when I got attacked right after walking out the door you suddenly were there to help me.”

Technically speaking it wasn’t really a question, but Robert could see that Flambae had understood what he was getting at.

“It wasn’t a setup, if that is what you’re thinking. After you left I… I felt bad for sending you away like that. Despite what had happened on Friday you came to the Sardine, alone, because you wanted to help me. So I decided to go after you. When I stepped outside I couldn’t see you, but I heard noises of a fight. I went to investigate and found you fighting those three goons.”

“In that case I’m really glad that you had a change of heart.” It might just have saved his life. At the least it had saved him a lot of trouble and injuries.

“Me too. I wouldn’t want to get another dispatcher again. I only just somewhat got used to you. Who knows what that new guy would be like.”

Robert smiled. “Of course.” Yesterday he might have believed that. But after everything that had happened today he knew that it was more than the other not wanting to get used to another dispatcher. “I’m so happy that I could save you that trouble.”

That had been the easy question. The second one had the potential to be a lot more problematic.

“What were you going to say earlier?”

For a moment Flambae’s gaze flickered away. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Liar.

“In the bathroom, when you explained why me being Mecha Man felt like a betrayal to you.”

Next to him Flambae let out a long breath. “You never give up, do you?”

“If I did I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Flambae raised one eyebrow. “You mean beaten up and sitting on my couch, watching cartoons?”

Robert rolled his eyes. “Very funny. And don’t try to change the subject.”

“You won’t like the answer.”

“Maybe, but I want to know anyway.”

Flambae didn’t reply immediately and for a moment Robert was starting to think that the other would simply refuse to answer. But then Flambae let out another deep breath, his gaze going to the side again before settling back on Robert.

“The reason why it felt so much like a betrayal to me is because the last few days before it, for some completely inexplainable reason, I maybe have started to… like you.”

Robert blinked. That… What?

“And with ‘like me’ you mean you want to be friends or…”

Flambae didn’t reply, but the expression on his face was answer enough.

“Wow. Okay. That’s… not what I had expected.” He had no idea what he had thought the answer would be, but definitely not… this.

Was Flambae actually serious? Could this be real? Of course there was always the possibility that Flambae was just fucking with him, but Robert did not believe that. Flambae could be a massive ass if he wanted to and he was no innocent when it came to playing pranks, but this just did not seem like a prank, not with how the evening had gone, unless Flambae was a way better actor than Robert had given him credit for.

So if it indeed was real, did that mean that… what? That Flambae was attracted to him? Or was there more to it? Considering the way Flambae had worded it, talking about ‘liking’ him, it seemed to be more than just pure physical attraction.

Was that the reason for Flambae’s unusual behaviour this evening? For the way he had taken care of Robert’s wounds, made dinner for him and had in general been nice in a way that Robert had not expected him capable of? It definitely would be a plausible explanation, considering most of their previous interactions had been either arguments or actual fights. It made him wonder how much of that had been genuine and how much had been pretend. Was it possible that all that animosity between them had simply been sexual tension? That sure was a wild thought.

Not that Robert could deny that the he was attracted to the other, Flambae was a damn sexy bastard and his body had no problem reminding him of it more than he would like. But so far that thought had always been way too absurd for him to entertain, after all this was still Flambae. But now…

Was it possible that this evening could change things? And if yes, did he even want that? Because, once again, this was still Flambae. Few people were able to rile him up like Flambae did. So was this actually-

Movement in front of him pulled Robert out of his thoughts. He wasn’t sure whether it was because he had been silent for too long or if it was something else, but Flambae had suddenly stood up.

“Whatever, I’m going to bed.”

Without looking at him Flambae walked past the couch and over to only room Robert had not been to yet, closing the door behind himself. That had to be the bedroom.

For a moment Robert had considered stopping Flambae from leaving just like that, but then he had decided against it. He really had no idea what to say to Flambae anyway. And so Robert just let his head fall back against the couch, closed his eyes and let out a long breath. What a day.

Suddenly there was the sound of a door being opened, but instead of footsteps all he could hear was a soft thud before the door was closed again. Turning around Robert looked at the ground in front of the bedroom door, only to find a… folded blanket?

Something warm fluttered in Robert’s chest. Even in their current awkward situation Flambae had thought of him and given him a blanket because he knew that Robert would be spending the night on his couch.

Robert got up from the couch and went over to the blanket. He picked it up and put it on the couch. Then he picked up their plates and carried them to the kitchen. Somehow it felt like this was the least he could do.

When the dishes were done Robert went to the bathroom and relieved himself. He didn’t like that he wouldn’t be able to take a shower of brush his teeth, but he did not want to go rummaging around in Flambae’s bathroom more than he had to. Afterwards he went back to the couch, turning off the lights on the way there. He took off his shoes, picked up the blanket, laid down on the couch and pulled up the blanket to his shoulders. For a while he tried to watch the cartoon that was still playing on TV (or maybe it was a different show, Robert couldn’t tell) but after a few minutes he decided that since he wasn’t able to concentrate on it anyway, he might as well turn it off and try to go to sleep.

Turning onto his back Robert stared up into the darkness.

Flambae and him… looking at their history such a thought should be considered madness, and yet…

Robert laid right forearm across his eyes and let out a frustrated groan. As if his life wasn’t complicated enough already. He should just have gone home after his shift.

-x-

Robert was woken up by the sound of something sizzling in a pan and someone softly humming a tune that Robert didn’t know. Opening his eyes Robert looked over to the balcony door. Judging by the light it had to be shortly after sunrise. Way too early for his liking, but since Flambae was already up and bustling around in the kitchen, he might as well get up and see how things were going this morning.

Stretching his arms over his head Robert shuffled to the bathroom. He quickly relieved himself and splashed some water onto his face, drying it off with the part of his discarded hoody that was still free of blood. He looked into the mirror, trying to somehow tame his hair by combing through it with his fingers. What time was it? Would they have enough time to go by his apartment for him to have a quick shower and brush his teeth or would he have to go to work like this? It probably depended on what mood Flambae was in this morning.

Well, time to test the waters.

Walking over into the kitchen Robert saw Flambae standing at the stove, his back to Robert.

Robert felt a little relieved when he noticed that Flambae was already wearing his flame suit. Surely that meant that the other would come to work again. That was good. Now the only question was whether they were still good or if they would be going back to arguing all the time. Only one way to find out.

“Good morning.”

Flambae answered without looking at him. “Morning.”

Not necessarily cold, but not really cordial either. Looked like Flambae was still a little miffed about last night.

“You’re making breakfast?”

“Sure am, Captain Obvious. Scrambled eggs. One more decent meal before you probably go back to that junk food you seem to love so much.”

Well, that answered the question whether he would get any of that food. With how last night had ended Robert had not been so sure about that.

Flambae pointed to a coffee pot standing on the counter next to him. “There is fresh coffee if you want.”

Hearing the magic word Robert quickly walked over and poured himself a cup. He picked up the cup and leaned against the counter next to Flambae, already feeling his spirits rise at the delicious smell of freshly brewed coffee. Taking a careful sip of the hot liquid Robert let out an appreciative hum. Wow, this was so much better than his own coffee or the shit they had at the office. Maybe sandwich ingredients weren’t the only things he had to get.

Looking up from his cup he found Flambae watching him with a strange expression on his face. He gave the other a small smile.

“This is damn good. Is that the reason you never drink the coffee at work?”

Flambae grimaced. “I really don’t understand how you can drink that shit at the office. It’s downright nasty.”

Robert shrugged. “I agree that it’s not the best, but at least it gets its job done.”

Flambae just shook his head before he turned back to the pan. “You really need higher standards for you food, Bob Bob.”

Taking another sip from his coffee Robert looked at the scene in front of him. The pan with the scrambled eggs on the stove, two plates with slices of bread next to it. And Flambae who looked like he had done this a hundred times before. (And maybe he had. Robert was starting to think that the other man actually cooked regularly. He had to ask Flambae about that at some point. But not now. Right now there was something else on his mind.)

Robert couldn’t hold back a small smile at how serene and peaceful the whole thing looked. And that was something, considering this was still Flambae. But here in the soft morning light this looked like a scene out of a dream. And once again the thought came to Robert that damn, he could get used to this.

He took another sip from his coffee, slightly bigger this time, and gathered his courage.

“Aren’t you curious what I have to say to about last evening?"

Again Flambae replied without looking at him but the tension in his body was more than obvious. “You already did that yesterday.”

“But I didn’t say anything.”

“That was already answer enough.”

He sighed. “Really, Flambae? You’re dropping something like this on me and won’t even give me any time to fully process it before you slink off all butthurt?”

Flambae put down the spatula with a little more force than was needed before turning to him. “Alright, fine. You had one night. Say what you want to say.”

Robert gave the other man a quick once over before he smirked. “I’m saying that if you ask me, your ass actually looks a lot better in those grey sweatpants from yesterday than in your suit.”

Flambae’s seemed to freeze, his eyes going wide. “What?”

“I’m saying that I really like it when you wear your hair open instead of in a ponytail.” His smirk softened and turned into a smile. “And I’m saying that I would like to see more of the man I met yesterday evening. The one that made me really start to enjoy his company.”

Flambae looked at him unbelievingly for a moment before suddenly his eyes narrowed. “Are you fucking with me?”

Robert cocked his head to the side and gave the other his most convincing innocent look. “Not yet. But after a date or two we can talk about it.”

Still looking at him suspiciously Flambae leaned in a little closer as if it would allow him to figure out whether Robert was telling the truth. With how close they were Robert had to really look up now to be able to keep eye contact. It was probably meant to be intimidating, and under different circumstances it might have been, but right at this moment all Robert could feel was an excited shiver running down his spine as his heart started to beat just a little bit faster.

Setting his coffee down on the counter Robert reached up and wrapped his right arm around Flambae’s neck. Standing up on his tiptoes Robert slightly pulled down Flambae until they were face to face, allowing him to capture Flambae’s lips in a soft kiss.

For one short moment Flambae seemed to freeze, but then Robert felt two strong arms wrap around his body, one around his upper back and the other around his waist, pulling him against the other’s wide chest as he eagerly started to return the kiss.

Robert let out a small moan as he was almost lifted off his feet as Flambae straightened. Fuck, the other was tall. And so hot! Was Flambae’s body temperate always this high or was it a side effect of their kiss?

With his free hand Robert reached behind Flambae’s head to his pony tail and pulled off the hairband before he buried his hand in the other man’s long hair. He really liked it when Flambae wore his hair open, so much easier to hold on to the other.

Flambae let out a sound that sounded almost like a growl and turned them around, pushing Robert with his back against the counter. By now their kiss had gone from soft to enthusiastic to downright hungry. Damn, but Flambae could kiss. Maybe the other’s huge ego wasn’t all that unfounded.

It was Robert that eventually broke their kiss, running out of oxygen. Flambae didn’t fare much better and for several long moments they were just trying to catch their breath.

Opening his eyes Robert looked at Flambae’s face mere centimetres from his. He could see a fire in the in the other’s amber eyes. Not a literal one, even though that wouldn’t have surprised Robert at all. It was lust, desire, while at the same time there was also something almost.. soft there. It made warmth pool in his belly to know that it was all because of him.

He took a deep breath.

“Flambae?”

“Yes?”

“It think the eggs are burning.”

Flambae’s eyes went wide and he quickly let go of Robert, turning to the stove and pulling the pan off of the active burner.

“Shit.”

Robert watched as the other turned off the burner, grabbed the spatula and divided the scrambled eggs between the two plates. They were indeed quite dark, but definitely edible. Still he couldn’t help it.

“And here I thought you were a good cook with how you talk about food all the time.”

He picked up his coffee again and cradled the still warm cup between his palms. It was a poor replacement for the heat of Flambae’s body that he was already starting to miss.

Flambae huffed and opened the fridge, taking out a pack of butter. “Shut up, Bob Bob.” He held up the butter to Robert with a questioning expression. Robert gave a small nod. Flambae then picked up a knife and started to spread butter on the bread slices.

“Burnt scrambled eggs, really? Is this the food you’re trying to win me over with?”

“Did anyone ever tell you that you’re an annoying little bitch?”

“I mean don’t they say that burnt stuff gives you cancer? So I’m not sure if that’s actually still healthier than my twinkies.”

Flambae looked over at him, glowering. “You’re just lucky you’re so damn cute.”

Robert just grinned and gave the other a small wink.

Flambae gave another small huff, but Robert could see the humour in his eyes. Oh they were going to be glorious together.

He watched as Flambae put away the butter. With everything prepared Flambae picked up the plates and turned towards him.

“Just so you know, the first five dates will be me teaching you how to cook. You’re not gonna keep eating that vending machine crap on my watch.”

Robert hid his smile by taking another sip from his cup. That was something he could definitely live with.