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It’s easier to settle into the Z-team than Robert’s expecting. Easier to settle into dispatching than he’s expecting. And it’s actually kinda… fun. Sure, it’s nothing like going out in the suit himself but there’s something about it that just feels nice. He feels like he’s helping, without the fear of getting hurt or the stress of upholding a legacy. He’s not sure how he’ll feel if things start getting serious, not sure if he’ll be able to sit here at a desk and tell someone else to risk their life, but that’s a problem for future Robert. Current Robert’s having a pretty chill shift.
“Yo, man,” Flambae’s voice draws his attention to the masked photo on his screen, but the ‘returning’ label over his half-hidden face makes it clear he doesn’t need any help, “word in the hallways is you went on a date. That true?” Robert raises an eyebrow, even though no one on the team can see him. That’s not what he was expecting to be asked about. How did Flambae even hear about that? Waterboy did see him and Blazer last night, but he didn’t strike Robert as the gossiping type. Then again this team could sniff out gossip from a simple ‘hello’.
“You jealous or something?” He asks, knowing a direct dismissal of the claim will only add to the teasing. “Look, if you want to grab dinner all you have to do is ask.”
“Yeah,” Flambae draws out the word, “you’re not my type.”
“Probably for the best, my boyfriend’s not very good at sharing.” Robert hums and then winces at the shriek of a response that gets him.
“Boyfriend?!” Despite the ear damage suggesting Sonar, it’s Prism he’s hearing. “Since when did you get a boyfriend?”
“It’s really not any of your business.” Robert reminds and lets the silence hold for just long enough for the team to get pissy before he continues, “but three years ago.”
“Okay, but you 100% went on a date with Blonde Blazer last night.” Invisigal claims.
“I 100% did not do that.” Robert rolls his eyes. “Whose saying I went on a date with Blonde Blazer?”
“I, uh, um, w-w-was that not a- d-d-d- ah, um was that p-platonic?” Okay so it was Waterboy. At least he probably wasn’t trying to start anything by mentioning it.
“It was very platonic.” Robert says. Or it was, after he mentioned said boyfriend and set the record straight… maybe ‘straight’ isn’t the right word. Still, it was a perfectly platonic dinner with a friend.
A friend that actually understands the weight of the mask. The exhaustion that comes with always feeling like half a person – at best – and the fear of disappointing people when they learn the truth. Secret identities aren’t exactly rare, but they’re not universal either. The Z-team barely has them. Sure, Flambae and Coupe hide their faces enough he wouldn’t recongize them on the street – well, Coupe he might but Flambae’s mug shot wasn’t on file, apparently part of his agreement to work with SDN – but Robert knows all their legal names. He got the finer details of their arrest warrants when he didn’t quit after his first week – which was, technically, just one day. Chase has a secret identity but Robert’s known Track Star and Chase interchangeably since the day they met. It’s different. But with Blazer – with Mandy – it was… you know, it was just nice to see his own fears reflected back at him.
“Does she know that?” Flambae asks, tone a little more accusatory than Robert feels is necessary. Damn, if this is what Flambae thinks of him as Robert he really is going to burn him to a crisp when he finds out about Mecha Man.
“Well, she speaks English pretty well and I did say the phrase ‘I have a boyfriend’ so I think she got the message.” Robert says.
“You sure she doesn’t think you’re lying?” Sonar asks. “Usually when people tell me they have a boyfriend, they’re lying.”
“Why I’m not even surprised that happens to you?” Robert hums, a little distracted as a new mission pops up on his screen. As soon as he hears the request he groans. “Flambae, did you set fire to a refinery?” Robert thought they were passed this shit.
“I would never blow up a refinery, okay? They smell like shit.”
“Yeah, we know this Robert guy is a front. Who are you, really?” Robert lets the question sit for a minute, prepared to blame the concussion if anyone calls him out on it. Really, it’s just a harder question to answer than it probably should be.
Who are you?
There’s a lot of ways he could answer it. He knows what answer the team is looking for and he knows the risk of giving them that answer – hard not to when the risk is sitting right there, turning his back to Robert and pulling down his mask to bite into a burrito.
We all have to pay for who we used to be.
Robert takes a deep breath. Risks be damned, this team is about trust. He just… has to trust the team won’t let Flambae kill him.
“For the record, Robert isn’t a front.” He starts. Robert was more front than person, a few years ago, but that feels more intimate to admit than his hero persona. “I haven’t been lying to you guys every time I sit at the desk I just… haven’t been completely honest. Largely because I’m starting to like you lot and I’m not sure you’re going to like the whole of me. But the difference between this team getting by and this team being great is trust, so you should get to know all of me. Even the parts you might not like.” He can’t help the way his eyes dart to Flambae’s back as he says it. He’d think the man wasn’t paying attention, if not for how tense his back has gotten. Robert looks away and takes a deep breath. “Um, I’m Mecha Man.”
“No fucking way.” Punch Up reacts first, standing and staring with wide eyes. “Can’t be.”
“Could be.” Mal says although she doesn’t sound fully convinced.
“That’s like, a real superhero.” Prism chimes in. “Like, that’s some fucking A-team shit what the fuck are you doing with us?”
“I already knew.” Invisigal says with a touch of a smirk. “Told you guys I saw him changing the first day. Dumbass showed up to dispatch in his costume.”
“Blazer didn’t exactly give me a manual when she hired me.” Robert defends. Which, you know, she probably should have but he can’t really blame her for expecting him to quit too soon for it to matter.
“I uh, a-a-a-alread- um, me too.” Water admits, nervous where Visi is smug.
“For real though, why the fuck are you our dispatcher?” Prism repeats her question more plainly and Robert supposes there’s no harm in answering. Even if Flambae still hasn’t even looked up from the food he’s no longer eating.
“SDN’s repairing my suit.” He says. “I guess they figured that’s enough incentive to put up with your bitch asses.”
“Don’t act like you don’t love our bitch asses.” Sonar says.
“Yeah, we’re fucking delightful.” Mal adds cheerfully.
“Eh.” Robert makes a so-so gesture with his hand as the team laughs. It should be enough to ease the tension in his chest. They’re taking it well. Even the fact that Visi and Waterboy already knew doesn’t seem to both anyone.
Except Flambae is still silent.
Robert takes a second to ground himself and then pokes the metaphorical beast. “Flambae?” Better to get this over with, right?
“What?” The fire-powered ex-villain snaps.
“Just… checking in. Kinda surprised at how well you’re taking this.” Robert admits.
“And people say I’ve got an ego.” Flambae huffs. “I don’t care. Mecha Man means fucking nothing to me.”
“Really?” Prism asks before Robert can. “Don’t you guys got a history?”
“Oh?” Sonar perks up at that.
“What? You guys date or something?” Golem’s question makes Flambae flinch.
“I arrested him.” Robert explains. “And, uh… cut off his fingers.” He isn’t surprised that gets a reaction of whistles and ‘oh shit’s. “I’m sorry about that, by the way. For the fingers, not the arrest.” Not an apology he wants to give in front of everyone, but an apology that needs to be given.
“Water under the fucking bridge Bobbo.” Flambae claims. “Really couldn’t care less.”
“Are you sure?” Robert presses because this seems way too good to be true. With a huff, Flambae pulls his mask back up and turns around, stalking closer to him. Robert braces himself for violence but it’s not a fireball that Flambae offers him.
It’s a handshake.
“The name’s Chad.” Robert stares at the hand a moment, then looks up to Flambae, then back to the hand. “You get fucking brain damage in that fight or something?” Huffing a laugh, Robert finally takes the hand to shake it.
“Robert. Nice to meet you.”
“Damn right it’s nice to meet me.” Chad states and finally the tension starts to ease.
“I’m uh, Courtney.” Visi chimes in and before Robert knows it, the entire team has shared their names. Technically he already knew them – he’s pretty sure they know that – but somehow it feels like so much more, hearing them said this way. Eventually they settle back into eating, although Robert notes that Flam- Chad doesn’t touch his half finished burrito again.
“What?” He asks. “I can know your name but not your chin?” Chad scoffs.
“Hey, I’m just looking out for you.” He claims. “I’m irresistible. Don’t want to cause problems between you and that boyfriend you’re pretending to have.”
“Yeah, when are we gonna meet this mysterious boyfriend of yours Robert?” Mal asks and Robert winces.
“Hopefully not until after I tell him about my deal with SDN. He knows I’m dispatching for them but I haven’t told him the details yet.” Not about the suit, and not about the Z-team. Robert’s not sure which news his boyfriend would take worse – the fact he wants to get back into the suit that almost killed him or the fact he spends his days surrounded by ex-villains now.
Who’s he kidding, it’s the former. It’s definitely the former.
“Aw, you ashamed of us? Don’t wanna tell your straight lace boytoy you’re hanging out with the wrong crowd?” Invis- Courtney teases.
“I give him enough reasons to worry about his blood pressure.” Robert brushes her words off. “God, the guys honestly a saint for putting up with me.” Especially after the coma. Robert still can’t believe the guy spent months – literal months – waiting at his bedside. Nevermind all the recovery that came after. That’s still coming. “I do not deserve him.”
“Oh my god, we get it, you’re gay.” Chad huffs, tone a bit more clipped then usual. A bit more annoyed. Robert doesn’t call him out on it. Chad could be acting a lot worse.
“Bi, actually.” He corrects.
“Damn, can’t believe Flambae is biphobic.” Sonar teases, squeaking when Chad sends a burst of fire his way. The team quickly dissolves into their usual bickering. Robert doesn’t engage too much, the adrenaline of the fight and his reveal quickly fading away, but he enjoys it all the same.
Maybe he should introduce them. His boyfriend might not like that Robert’s working with ex-villains – and he definitely won’t like that Robert’s thinking of being Mecha Man again – but he’d be thrilled to hear Robert’s actually making friends. Good friends. Even if they all have the emotional maturity of a bunch of pre-teen boys. Honestly, Zahir would fit right in.
He doesn’t get to introduce them at the house party. Khadija is sick and Zahir is spending the night with her to help.
“This is what happens when you decide to show up at someone’s house unannounced.” Robert points out when Mal complains that she wanted to meet the guy.
“At this rate we’re going to start betting on whether or not this guy is real.” Courtney says.
“You wouldn’t be saying that if you saw what my apartment looked like move we moved in together.” Robert claims. “I think he called it ‘serial killer chic’.”
Chad arrives right as the parties ending and only hangs around long enough to hear what happened between Courtney and Chase. Zahir sends him a text to check in while he’s cleaning up but doesn’t actually get home until late. By then Robert is already at SDN, desperately clinging to Beef and hoping that Chase will be okay.
Robert doesn’t want to die, and he definitely doesn’t want to die like this. Hanging up like cattle in a butchers shop – cut up like one too – with his father’s gun pressed against his head. He never got to introduce the team to Zahir. Won’t get to say ‘I love you’ or ‘goodbye’. Won’t know if Chase makes it through alright.
The gun doesn’t fire, but Robert doesn’t feel any sort of relief. Elliot’s still got his finger on the trigger. Even when he realizes Robert’s telling the truth, even as he says ‘she played us both’, he’s still ready to kill Robert.
The room is starting to get warm. Which is odd, right? Warmth isn’t exactly a side effect of bloodloss.
Something bursts through the door behind him. Robert can’t turn his head to see what – or who – but Elliot’s attention is immediately drawn.
“Ah, the hot head.” The who now? “I wondered which of you would get here first.”
“Get the fuck away from him.” Robert knows that voice. Zahir? No, no that makes no sense. The room is starting to get unbearably hot. Right, Chad. What is Chad doing here?
“I don’t think you’re really in the position to be making demands.” Shroud claims, lifting the gun again.
“The difference between you and me Shroud, is I don’t need a gun.” Chad threatens. Something to Robert’s right catches fire and the Red Ring goons around it startle and shift uncomfortably, looking between their boss and the clear signs that Chad’s prepared to burn the building to the ground with all of them in it.
“It’s cute SDN thinks they can dress you up like a hero.” Shroud chuckles. “This, this right here is some real villain shit.” He steps back, lowering the gun and gestures for his crew to start retreating. They don’t hesitate. “I already got what I needed.” He turns and gives Coupe a nod. Robert braces himself but the knife doesn’t embed in his skin, it’s aimed far too high for that.
Fuck.
The ground isn’t that far away but Robert can do nothing to brace himself. He’ll be lucky if all he gets is a headache.
Except he doesn’t hit the ground. Chad snaps forward, catching him before he can sustain any further damage even though it means letting Shroud and Coupe escape with the rest of the Ring.
“I’ve got you.” Chad assures, gently lowering him on to the ground. Something about his hold registers as odd, but Robert’s too busy feeling the blood rush from his head to notice what. God, pins and needles sucks. Might be- oh, no definitely not worse than the cuts. Those hurt more.
“My- ah, my knight in, firey armour.” Robert manages as he tries to catch his breath.
“Stop fucking talking, you’re injured.” Chad snaps, burning away the ropes around Robert’s wrists. Robert doesn’t even feel the fire on his skin. Damn, where’s this control on missions?
“I’m-” Robert gasps as he tries to sit up, his chest throbbing so badly he can’t even pin point what hurts. Chad’s hands immediately settle on his back, trying to help. “I’m, pretty sure I’ve been- injured the entire time, I’ve known you.”
“You better fucking not have been.” Chad snaps which Robert thinks is a bit uncalled for, given they’ve only really known each other a couple months. The pyro moves carefully but Robert still winces as he’s lifted into the man’s arm. “Sorry.” He mutters and he actually looks apologetic. Actually looks concerned.
“You just saved my life, no apology needed.” Robert says. Chad doesn’t seem so convinced. He carries Robert outside, mindful of every sharp breath and quiet gasp. More mindful than Robert expected, more mindful than he deserves given he arrested Chad. Given he cut-
There are ten fingers pressed against his back as Chad starts flying them away from the Sardine.
Two of them don’t radiate any heat.
“Flambae.” Robert says and something about his tone must concern Chad because he quickly lands on a billboard nearby, setting Robert against it and checking over his injuries like something’s gotten worse. Robert lets him fuss – hyper aware of the two, cold fingers that aren’t meant to be there – and tries to catch his breath.
“What’s wrong?” Chad asks when nothing immediately stands out as worse.
“How did you find me?” Robert asks. Ten fingers go still against his sides and Chad’s amber eyes widen before darting away.
“I’m just that fucking good Bob-bob.” Chad claims, neither his voice or his face carrying the confidence he needs for that lie to land. Carefully, painfully, Robert raises a hand to touch the cold fingers on his side.
The metallic fingers on his side.
“Ch-” He can’t say it. The name feels like ash on his tongue. “Flambae.” He tries but it still doesn’t feel right. The ex-villain’s shoulders tense, practically up to his ears, and Robert tries a third time. “Zahir.”
Flambae crumbles.
“You didn’t come home for dinner.” He mutters. “And then you didn’t answer your phone and I… I checked the Life360 thing I made you get two years ago.” Robert lets out a small, broken laugh and then a much louder groan of pain, curling in on himself which really only makes it hurt more. Flambae- Zahir tries to help but Robert pushes his hands away.
“How long?” He asks even though he doesn’t really want to know the answer. Even though he already thinks he does.
“The whole time.” Zahir admits. And wow. Nothing Shroud’s done to him has hurt this much. Actually, no, that’s a lie. He’s pretty sure this is how he felt when he first heard the Uncle Elliot shot his dad. “Robert-”
“Don’t.” Robert cuts him off. He doesn’t want to hear it. He can’t. “I need to find Visi.”
“What?!” Zahir snaps. “Who gives a fuck about Visi? You need to go to a hospital.”
“I’m fine.” He’s not, he’s not even the slightest bit fine, but it doesn’t matter. “She has the Astral Pulse.”
“Fuck the Astral Pulse, you were literally tortured.” Zahir growls.
“And right now that’s not the thing that hurts the most.” Robert snaps back and all the anger evaporates from Zahir’s face, replaced with heartbreak. Which really doesn’t seem fair to Robert, given he’s the one that’s been lied to for the last multiple years.
“I’ll look for her.” Zahir says. “But after we get you to a hospital or SDN or something. Please.” Before Robert can reply, something explodes. Something big. Zahir flies up to get a better view but even from where Robert’s sitting he can see the bright flames. He can hear the second explosion.
And the third.
Fuck.
Despite the pain – emotional and physical – Robert pushes himself onto his feet. There’s no time to find Visi, no time to deal with Zahir being Flambae, the only thing that matters is the fact the Red Ring is attacking.
“Hey.” He calls up, drawing Zahir’s attention and reaches out his hand. “SDN. Let’s go.” Zahir looks down at him and then back at the city and then sighs.
“This is not what I meant.” He mutters, but he carefully lifts Robert into his arms anyway and flies them over.
It’s over.
Robert has the Astral Pulse again, Shroud’s in prison, and the Red Ring has been – if not completely destroyed – decimated. He’s pretty sure he’s meant to be feeling some sort of way about it. Happy. Relieved. Proud.
Mostly Robert just feels tied.
“Hey.” Shroud’s attack was a great distraction from the truth but now here is it, standing right in front of him without the mask and looking more nervous than Flambae ever looks. More nervous that he’s ever seen Zahir either. Robert sighs and takes a long sip from his drink.
“Hi.” Why didn’t he question it more? He thought they looked similar but he just… did he just not want to see it? Did taking those fucking prosthetics off really make that much of a difference?
“I owe you an explanation.” Zahir says, not moving any closer, and Robert huffs a laugh.
“Yeah.” He says. “You do.” He takes another deep breath then gestures with his head. Zahir moves quickly, leaning against the car hood next to him before Robert can change his mind. “So is your name Zahir? Or Chad? Or is fucking Flambae the best option here?” Is the first thing Robert asks. Maybe because it’s an easy question, or maybe because it feels like so fundamental a fact it’ll decide everything right now.
“It’s Zahir.” Flambae claims. “I mean, not legally. My parents thought an American name would help me out but, Zahir’s what my family calls me.” Robert knows that. He’s met Zahir’s family. Did they know too? “It’s what you call me.” Zahir adds, quietly.
“Why do I call you anything?” Robert asks. “I mean, seriously. If you knew, then… then why? Why all of it?” Zahir doesn’t answer right away. He looks down at the robotic fingers on his hand – the ones Robert made for their first anniversary – and just stares for a moment. Robert waits, as patient as he can be, until Zahir gets his thoughts together.
“It was meant to be revenge.” Robert expected that. It still hurts to hear. “Mecha Man took fucking everything from me and I just… I wanted to take something back. I followed Mecha Man to the warehouse one night and then I followed you for like, a week, but the only thing you actually fucking cared about was your cow so I thought, you know, if I got close maybe I could find a different angle. If we were friends maybe you’d tell me something I could use.”
“Friends.” Robert repeats. That’s not the word he’d use to describe them.
“That’s all it was supposed to be!” Zahir claims. “I wasn’t… I wasn’t meant to fall in love with you, okay? It just fucking happened. One minute I was thinking about what I could take from you and the next I just… I wanted to give. Anything, everything.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Robert asks. “I told you I was Mecha Man. You could have said something then.”
“And lose you after three months?” Zahir scoffs. “At least this way I got three years.”
“It wouldn’t’ve hurt so fucking much if you’d just told me.” Robert argues.
“What part of I don’t want to lose you do you not understand?” Zahir snaps and then forces himself to take a deep breath, to calm down. “I didn’t want to hurt you.”
“You literally just said that was the plan.”
“That’s not-” Zahir groans and takes another deep breath. “Look, I’ll… I’ll talk to Blazer about leaving the Z-team and I’ll get Khadija to grab my things from the apartment. I just… I just need you to know I love you, okay? No matter what this started as, you are the best thing that happened to me, Robert. Mecha Man was the best thing to happen to me. I know I fucked up, I know I should have told you, but that’s on me. None of this is your fault.” Robert doesn’t know what to say to that so he doesn’t say anything. Zahir waits but when the silence stretches into a full minute, his shoulders slump with resignation. He opens his mouth to say something else before thinking better of it and moving to leave.
Robert doesn’t let him, grabbing his wrist before he can take a full step.
“The fingers aren’t going to last.” He says. “I didn’t make them with Flambae’s flames in mind.”
“I know.” Zahir says, clearly a little confused. “Why do you think I don’t wear them as Flambae?”
“I… I don’t know how long it’ll take me to make new ones.” Robert’s mouth feels a little dry as he says it. Is he really saying this? Suggesting this? Zahir has been lying to him. But…
“You don’t, you don’t have to do that.” Zahir says, confusion giving way to hope. Robert swallows.
“I know.” He says. “And I’m not saying I’m like, 100% okay with this. I think I’m kinda too exhausted for strong emotions right now. I just…” He bites his lip, hesitating. “You’re the best thing to happen to me, too.” Zahir’s breath stutters. He turns so they’re face to face and Robert finally looks up, finally sees all the emotion in Zahir’s eye. The fear, the hope, the guilt. All the things he knew would make him cave the second he saw them.
“Can I kiss you? Please?” Zahir asks, ungrabbed hand reaching up to caress Robert’s cheek. Robert looks past him to the Z-team. They’re all talking and celebrating, but Robert knows at least some of them are paying attention. Even if none of them look like it.
“They’ll have questions if you do.” He says.
“I don’t care if you don’t care.” Zahir assures. Robert’s eyes dart to the Z-team and then back to Zahir. He drops the wrist he’s holding but before Zahir can panic, he settles his arms over the man’s shoulders.
“Well, it’s not really a victory unless there’s a big, dramatic kiss afterwards.” He says, pulling Zahir closer by his shoulders. The ex-villains laugh is muffled against Robert’s lips and then he’s shifts his head a little and he’s kissing Robert properly. Desperately. Robert swallows every fear Zahir has felt since the Sardine, every stress he’s been trying not to let Robert see, and when they finally part there’s a distinct lack of noise coming from the Z-team.
“Don’t think this means I haven’t forgotten your injured.” Zahir says. “The second we’re done here, I’m shoving you into an ambulance.”
“Sex in the back of an ambulance? Didn’t know you were into that.” Robert teases and this time it’s his laughter being muffled as Zahir kisses him again.
Chase is going to come over any minute and demand an explanation. The Z-team will have their own questions. HR too, probably. But that’s a Future Robert problem. The only thing Current Robert cares about is the feeling of Zahir’s lips against his, and ten fingers around his waist – two of them metallic.