Chapter Text
"Holy shit." Robert wraps his arms around himself and shivers as they exit the airport. "Seattle is so much colder than Torrance."
"It's snowing." Flambae notes, wrapping an arm around Robert's shoulders as he looks up at the dark sky, a gentle flurry of snow drifting around them. "I don't know if I've ever seen snow."
"Wait, really?" Robert finds that surprising.
Flambae shrugs. "I've only lived in warm cities. Besides, my powers and snow didn't seem like they'd match."
"What do you mean?" Robert laughs. "You'd just melt all the snow. Sounds wonderful to me."
"Robert, Chad!"
Both men turn towards a familiar face, his car parked by the Arrivals area, along with many others waiting to pick up their loved ones. The man waves with a bright smile, hurrying over to them.
"Hey, David." Robert greets warmly, allowing David, aka Clockwork, to pull him in a hug. He does the same to Flambae. The man is only a little bit shorter than Flambae, and his dark brown hair is windswept but somehow it looks deliberately styled that way. He's dressed warmly in a grey turtle neck and black trench-coat, looking like he just stepped out of a K-drama.
"It's good to see you both." The hero leads them to his car. "I heard about the engagement! Congratulations."
"Thanks." Robert's cheeks flush a pretty pink, and Flambae squeezes him closer, a rush of affection filling him. "How've you been?"
"Oh, same old." David shrugs, helping them load their suitcases in his trunk, but really Flambae could handle it on his own since they only brought two carry-on luggages. "Just constantly working."
"I hear you." Robert nods. "I'm sure protecting a big city like Seattle isn't easy."
"It definitely has its challenges." David smiles. "But I was born and raised here, so I love the city. Wouldn't trade it for the world."
Robert thinks of Torrance, and how it became so much more of a home to him in the past few years. He grew up protecting it as Mecha Man, watched his dad and his grandpa protect it, but it was always just a given, a sense of duty. Ever since joining SDN, meeting the Z-Team, moving in with Flambae, he loves Torrance more than ever. "I definitely know how that feels."
They get into David's car, Robert in the front and Flambae begrudgingly in the back. David drives them to a very high-end hotel, and gets out to walk them into the bright lobby.
"Holy shit." Flamabe whistles, looking around. "This is a nice hotel. You sure SDN is paying for this?"
David laughs. "I made sure. You guys are high profile heroes, we're honored to have you here."
"Right, because heroes from Torrance are considered high profile in Seattle." Robert jokes, but David shakes his head.
"You are high profile. I mean, the two of you saved Torrance from near destruction two years ago." David shoots Robert a meaningful look. "It's as impressive as hero work goes."
Robert manages a tight smile, suddenly feeling the throb of his stump against his prosthetic leg. He and Flambae rarely bring up the topic, letting the past stay in the past, but that doesn't mean he doesn't still think about it. Thankfully, he hasn't had a nightmare about it in a long time.
David helps them check in, since he has their information from SDN. Once they get their room keys, David pats them both on the shoulder. "Alright, I'll come pick you guys up at nine tomorrow. Sounds good?"
"Yeah," Robert returns his smile. "We'll see you then."
"Have a good night!" David waves goodbye as he heads back to his car. Robert and Flambae head towards the elevators to go to their room. Unlocking the door with the card key, Robert can't help but admire the huge room, the walls a pristine white and lit up warmly. They place their carry-ons in the corner, slipping off their shoes at the doorway.
"Damn." Robert nods approvingly at the place. "This is nice."
"Why're there two beds?" Flambae scowls, glaring at the offending furnitures.
"Well, SDN probably just thought we'd be normal coworkers." Robert shrugs, taking off his coat and hanging it in the closet.
"...We're not sleeping separately, are we?" Flambae glances nervously at Robert. They haven't slept apart in nearly two years, and he sure as hell won't start now.
"Why not?" Robert replies teasingly, flopping down on the bed next to the floor-to-ceiling windows. He tilts his head innocently at Flambae, a smile playing on his lips. "I hear sleeping separately is good for couples."
Flambae rolls his eyes before lunging at the smaller man, knocking him back. Robert is giggling as Flambae peppers kisses across his face. "Yeah? Well you won't have a fiancé anymore if you do that."
"Really?" Robert challenges, cupping Flambae's face. "I don't think you'll be able to leave me even if I don't sleep with you."
"It's cold." Flambae tries, nearly a whine as he nuzzles into Robert's neck. "And I'm hot."
Robert sighs and lets himself melt into Flambae, feeling his warm lips trace down his throat. Well, he can't argue with him on that, he is hot.
"Okay, big guy. Let go of me so I can shower." Robert is tired. They came here right after a normal work day, and despite the short flight of three hours, he would very much like to just pass out.
"We can shower together." Flambae wiggles his eyebrows suggestively, hands trailing. Robert slaps it away, earning a yelp.
"Not tonight, baby." Robert quickly presses a kiss to the man's lips as consolation. "I'm really tired."
Flambae sighs, but nods and removes himself so Robert can head to the bathroom. Flambae helps him reorganize everything so it's within reach for Robert, as he removes his prosthetic leg and enters the shower, sinking down on the shower bench built into it. It's a good thing SDN remembered to request him an accessible hotel room.
Robert relaxes against the warm spray of water, letting the day's fatigue get washed away. Flambae pokes his head into the bathroom, "Want me to wash your hair?"
Robert can't help but smile, even though he raises a brow questioningly at his fiancé. "How're you going to do that without getting wet?"
"I'll just get wet." Flambae rolls his eyes but Robert shakes his head.
"Thought I said we're not showering together. If you have separation anxiety, just sit on the toilet seat."
Flambae doesn't appreciate being talked to like a child, but he sits down anyway with a grumble. Cute. Flambae is chattering about something related to Alice, scrolling through his phone, as Robert cleans himself, humming and giving one-word answers every once in a while. Once he's done, Flambae helps him get out, toweling him off before helping him hop back to the bed. They've gotten used to the routine, and while Robert can do it fine on his own on days where Flambae is out late, he knows Flambae likes feeling useful, so he lets him help.
Robert changes into his sleepwear before sinking into the soft bed, sighing contentedly. Sitting in a plane, despite the short duration, really fucks with his chronic pain. Flambae goes to shower, and Robert doomscrolls on his phone, eyelids growing heavy.
It isn't long before Flambae is back, drying himself quickly with his powers and slips into bed with Robert, wrapping his arms around the man, kissing the back of his head. "Should I turn off the lights?"
Robert hums in confirmation, setting down his phone on the bedside table and getting comfortable as Flambae goes to turn off the lights. His arms are back around him in a second, and Robert sighs into Flambae, warm and toasty.
"G'night, Bae." Robert says sleepily, feeling Flambae's lips trail the shell of his ear.
"Night, azizam." He murmurs, pressing a kiss to his cheek.
"So these are Shroud's augments?" Clockwork eyes the different pieces of tech Robert brought with him from Torrance.
"Yep. One of our engineers, Royd, has spent the last three years deconstructing and studying them. Lately he's been trying to build new augments from his blueprints to see if he can recreate them." Robert lays out all the notes and blueprints Royd has made over the years.
"Hm." Clockwork examines the blueprints, picking up one of the augments and turning it around in his hands. "I assume Blonde Blazer has already tried going to Shroud directly to ask about them?"
"Shroud won't talk." Flambae replies. "As far as we know, Blonde Blazer and some other higher ups have tried to get him to talk several times. He just won't."
"I got this one from one of my team members, Invisigal." Robert picks up her old augment, handing it to Clockwork. "It supposedly was going to increase her lung capacity—she has asthma—but it stopped working after she did his dirty work."
"So they can be controlled remotely." Clockwork nods, taking notes of his own. "I see. That is actually incredibly helpful, it ensures no one can get too overpowered with these."
"What is SDN planning to use these for?" Flambae asks.
"Just to enhance our superheroes. To be honest, we've been getting pulled quite thin lately, we're hoping if we can implement augments, it'll increase productivity."
Robert nods, "Makes sense. Productivity would be through the roof with these."
"God knows Seattle needs it." Clockwork lets out a tired chuckle, shaking his head. "We can send them out to other branches too, New York, Chicago, Atlanta...It would do a lot of good, if we can get them to work."
"What about your powers?" Flambae raises a brow, leaning against the table. "You think these augments can make you turn back time without consequences?"
Clockwork frowns, mulling over it. "...I'm not sure. To be frank, I'm too scared to try. Enhancing superpowers like super-strength or," he gestures at Flambae, "fire powers is one thing, but once you start messing with time, things get incredibly messy."
"Glad you're on the good side, then." Robert chuckles. "Would hate to have you as an enemy."
Clockwork laughs. "I suppose so."
Robert and Clockwork continue to talk for the next few hours about the augments, and Flambae near loses his mind out of boredom. They're technically in Seattle for work, sponsored by SDN, but they're not here to go out on the field. Flambae tagged along only because Robert volunteered to do it.
"Bae," Robert gives him a nudge, the taller man shooting upright in his chair.
"Huh? Where's the fire?" Flambae wipes the drool from the corner of his mouth.
Robert laughs, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. "Sorry, love. I know it's boring. You can go back to the hotel first, if you'd like."
Flambae scowls, shaking his head. "I'm not going back alone."
"Would you like to go out on the field?" Clockwork asks, massaging his eyes and taking a break. "Since it's snowing and icy, your powers would be very helpful. Only if you want, though!" Clockwork gives him a small smile. "I don't want to make you work on this trip."
Flambae perks up at that, standing. "You know what? I'll do it. Anything is better than sitting here." He stretches his arms, waking up his stiff muscles.
"Great!" Clockwork gestures for Flambae (and Robert) to follow him. They lead them to their dispatcher floor, the place much bigger than Torrance's. He goes to a cubicle, tapping against it gently to get the dispatcher's attention.
"Hi, Lily. Would you like to dispatch our guest hero here, Flambae? He has fire powers and is happy to help."
The lady, looking in her late twenties, dark hair tied up in a neat ponytail, looks over with wide eyes. She looks rather intimidated by Flambae, but nods. "O-Oh! Yes, of course. That's no problem."
Flambae glances at Robert, looking surprisingly uneasy. Robert smiles, taking his hand in his. "What's wrong, Bae?"
Flambae leans over to whisper in his ear so that neither Clockwork nor Lily can hear him. "You think she'll be able to dispatch me well?"
Robert chuckles, giving his hand a squeeze. "If you listen well. What, you can't accept any dispatcher besides me?" Robert raises a brow teasingly, and Flambae scoffs, hiding the flush blooming across his cheeks.
"As if." Flambae crosses his arms, puffing out his chest. "I'm amazing and regardless of the dispatcher, I succeed in all missions."
Clockwork seems pleased. "Perfect. I'll take you to the launch pad and we can get you started."
At the launch pad, Robert pulls Flambae in for a quick good luck kiss before waving goodbye as Flambae flies off into the snowy sky. It's a bit ridiculous, but Robert feels his absence immediately, already wishing he had insisted Flambae stay with him.
"Well, shall we head back?" Clockwork asks, and Robert nods, following him back to his office.
Clockwork busies himself with tinkering the augments. The one he's working on deconstructing is like a bracelet, the red light flashing ominously whenever he twists the screwdriver into it.
"You got it to work?" Robert asks, eyeing the tech carefully.
"Almost." Clockwork nods at the blueprints. "Royd's notes are very detailed. It's amazing that he's figured out how most of them work." There's a rush of pride that fills Robert at the compliments for his friend.
"Royd is amazing." Robert sits down beside Clockwork. "He single-handedly fixed my suit. Twice."
"The Mecha Man suit?" Clockwork's dark eyes sparkle. "Now that's something I'd love to take a look at one day too. Maybe next time I visit Torrance."
"I'd be happy to show you." Robert grins, "I think Royd would love to chat with you too."
They fall into companionable silence as they each begin to pour over Royd's notes and tinker with the augments. The soft click click click of metal is rather soothing. After a while, Clockwork sits back, turning the augment in his hands. The red light seems to be on, not flickering anymore.
"You think it works?" Clockwork asks, frowning.
"Maybe?" Robert takes the augment, scrutinizing it. "It's hard to tell whether it's just the light that works or the actual mechanics. Want to test it out?"
Clockwork looks uneasy, shifting in his seat. "Robert..."
"You can try going back a minute or two." Robert pulls out his phone, setting a timer for one minute. "Nothing big."
After mulling over it, Clockwork nods, steeling his expression. "I guess that won't hurt." They wait for the minute-long alarm to ring before Clockwork slips on the augment on his wrist, taking a deep breath and—
"You can try going back a minute or two." Robert pulls out his phone, then blinks and frowns. "Wait."
"It seems to be normal?" Clockwork glances down at the augment. "I think my powers are working normally, no enhancements."
Robert is still reeling from the time travel, even if it's just a minute. He went back months last time, but he was in no state to care about the wooziness or disorientation back then. "Fuck..." He shakes his head, as if he could shake the feeling from his head. "Uh, let me see." Robert reaches for Clockwork's augment, taking a closer look at the mechanics that seem to be whirring, indicating it's functional.
Robert frowns, beginning to tinker with it.
"Oh, wait, Robert—" Clockwork starts to say, but they both feel it.
A zap.
"Fuck! Robert!" Clockwork looks at Robert with wide, terrified eyes a second before the world disappears.
Robert groans awake, his whole body aching. He sits up, glancing at his surroundings.
He recognizes the apartment. The apartment he hasn't been in for the past two years. There's no couch, no lamps, just bare. Why the fuck is he here?
He tries to stand, pressing his left knee against the floor and preparing to raise himself onto his prosthetic leg but—
He has both legs.
He stares down at himself, kicking his right leg about, the sensation now foreign to him. It's slowly starting to dawn on him exactly what happened. He scrambles to search his pockets, looking for his phone. He finds it, staring down at the screen, at the date and time.
June 14, 2019, 5:32PM
Robert balks, blood running cold. He went back six years!?
No, no, this can't be happening.
He begins pacing about his apartment, raking his hand through his hair in distress. How does he get back? Should he go find Clockwork? Surely since he's been sent back in time, it means Clockwork was also sent back in time. Robert's stomach twists as he takes in his old, barren apartment. Jesus, how did he live like this? As he was six years ago, he was already pretty broke. He's not sure he can even afford to fly to Seattle right now. Besides, he has no idea where Clockwork lives, only that he works at SDN.
And why this date, in particular? Was it just random? Robert tries hard to remember, but his memory is spotty, at best.
"We've got a 451 here." Robert's radio, which is hooked up to the police line, sputters to life on the table. He hasn't used the radio since he exploded that first time and had to retire as Mecha Man. Robert scrambles to grab it, his mind suddenly clicking into place.
Code 451 means arson.
Oh god no.
Robert slips into his hero suit and races to the garage where his mech suit is stored, jumping into it and rushing out the building in one fell swoop. He can hear officers requesting backup from the radio, his heart pounding loud in his ears.
It can't be, can it? But there's already a certainty in Robert's gut that today is that day.
He arrives in front of the burning mall, police cars surrounding the area already, some straggling civilians still being evacuated. On instinct, despite not having done this in a while, Mecha Man jumps into action, helping the police guide people away. Once he's sure every last one of them has been evacuated, Mecha Man rushes into the building, despite officers yelling at him not to.
It's all too nostalgic, a sense of déjà vu.
He enters the burning building, searching for Flambae. His suit beeps a warning, sensing movement around him. In a flash, a burning torch of a person shoots straight for him, slamming into the mech's shoulder and knocking him back a little. Robert remembers this, he also remembers fighting back.
But instead, he crosses the mech's arms over its body in a shield, tanking each of Flambae's hits. He knows he won't be able to last very long like that, and Flambae is strong, as much as he hated admitting it back then.
"Flambae!" Mecha Man yells out, trying to get the villain's attention. "I'm not here to arrest you, I just want to talk!"
Flambae ignores him, slamming into him again and again, zipping about the ruined building. This isn't going to work, nothing he says will get through to Flambae right now.
Robert fingers his engagement ring, made of tungsten and sapphire to match Flambae's, though the other man's is decorated with ruby instead. Strangely, he's still wearing it despite having gone back in time, a blessing as it seems to calm him a little. His hand trembles, knowing the risk, but he refuses to fight back. So he takes the plunge and opens the suit's hatch, raising his arms in surrender. There's a high possibility Flambae would burn him alive, but he'll take any chance he can get.
Heart thundering in his chest, Robert squeezes his eyes shut and waits for the heat and pain.
But it never comes.
Flambae pauses in front of him, the fire surrounding his body going out so Robert can properly see the man. He looks confused, taken aback by Mecha Man's show of surrender.
"Flambae." Robert breathes out, exiting the mech suit very slowly. "I'm not here to harm you. Please, can we talk?"
"I have nothing to say to you." Flambae growls, hands erupting in flames. Still, Robert doesn't move.
"I-I have things to tell you." Robert tries, wracking his brain for anything to say that would placate Flambae. "Actually, I need your help."
The flaming man scoffs incredulously, watching him carefully. "Mecha Man needs my help? Yeah, that's rich."
"I'm serious." Robert continues, trying to sound as sincere as possible. He takes a tentative step towards Flambae, flinching when the man's fire grows in warning. "Let's just exit the building first, yeah?"
"What, just so you can drag my ass to jail?" Flambae lets out an incredulous laugh. "I'd rather kill you here."
"You won't kill me." Robert says evenly.
Flambae is taken aback, his eyes widening before they narrow into slits, a scowl on his face. "What makes you think that?"
"Because no one died." Robert gestures at the building. "All these people, and not one person died. You're kind, I know you are."
Flambae balks, taking a step back. "W-What the—Who the fuck do you think you are?"
"Let me help you first." Robert insists, taking another step forward. "Listen, there's a back entrance where the police aren't stationed at. I can show you the way out."
Flambae stares at him for a long moment. The heat and smoke is becoming unbearable for Robert, but the stubborn man stands his ground. He's not leaving until Flambae leaves, and it seems like Flambae is starting to realize this.
Once Robert begins to break into coughs, Flambae groans and curses, setting himself on fire again. Robert's stomach sinks, thinking he failed, but Flambae barks out, "Well? Show me the fucking exit, already!"
It takes Robert a second before he scrambles back into his mech suit, piloting it towards the back exit, Flambae following behind. They break out and fly off, Mecha Man leading Flambae to a safe, secluded place where the police won't find him.
It's a miracle that Mecha Man manages to land safely, because once the suit touches ground, Robert is rolling out of it, coughing and coughing, gasping for breath.
"Jeez," Flambae stands beside him awkwardly, not sure how to help. "You okay?"
"Fine." Robert chokes out, giving another cough. "Just...give me a sec."
To his surprise, Flambae comes to pat his back, rubbing gently. "Just breathe, nice and slow."
Robert tries, taking deep inhales and feeling his lungs protest. He might've inhaled too much smoke, and his head is going fuzzy. "F-Flambae..." He tries to look up at the man, his lover, now six years younger. His eyes are blurry, which is annoying because Robert wants to see the man clearly, he so badly wants to see the difference in their appearance.
"Mecha Man?" Flambae's voice feels far away, a ringing in his ears. "Oh fuck."
Robert falls to the ground and the world fades away.