Chapter Text
One month before Mecha Man´s fight with Shroud
An incessant ray of sunlight, sneaking in through the crack in the blinds, made Robert slowly stir from his sleep, eyes squinting open as the incoming light woke him. He turned his head slightly, getting away from the offending sunray. With a low grunt, he ran his hands over his face, trying to rub the sleep from his eyes as his mind tried to catch up. Pulling his palm from his eyes, running it down his face, he frowned as he looked at the ceiling above him. It looked nothing like the one he was used to waking up to in his sorry shoebox of an apartment.
With his brain starting to turn its wheels, Robert completely pulled his hand away, intent to let it fall next to him, only to bump into something. Something soft. And warm to the touch. And feeling suspiciously like a shoulder. A shoulder of another person.
Robert froze up, and with bated breath, he carefully turned his head, having the sight next to him making him curse softly. There, just mere centimeters from his face, he was greeted with the vision of long dark hair, splayed across silky orange pillows and broad shoulders that were moving slightly with a telltale sight of the other person´s deep sleep. Robert stared dumbfounded, mouth falling open as he took in the figure next to him, his brown eyes following every curve he could, taking in the man lying next to him on his stomach with arms under his pillow, facing away from Robert. Even without moving, Robert could see from the side the long red coming down from the man´s shoulder blade to his ribcage, jumpstarting a clear memory from last night, of how Robert dragged his nails down that muscular back as his bed fellow nailed his prostate in a brutal session of thrusts. The low ache coming from Robert´s backside dispersed any lingering questions of what his current bearings were, clenching his hole, glad that despite the rawness, he didn´t feel any wetness seeping out. Small relief, that whatever happened, they likely used protection.
The man next to him suddenly moved, just slightly shifting his sleeping position, but it was enough to prompt Robert into a quiet escape. He wasn´t into the awkward small talk that would inevitably take place if his bed partner woke up, wanting to avoid the painstaking, stiff conversation that occurs in the morning after a one-night stand. He cast one last look over those broad planes of skin that disappeared somewhere around the hips under the duvet and carefully started shifting his body towards the edge of the bed, snaking from under the covers. Chill immediately hit his body, making shivers run down his body as he all of a sudden realized how warm he was whilst still in bed a moment ago. However, with his mind firmly set on the task of slipping away unnoticed, Robert didn´t pay much mind to it, spotting what looked like a bundle of his boxers kicked off by the bedroom door. Years of training made his footsteps light as he moved on the floorboards, internally thanking his lucky stars that none of them creaked as he made his way towards his underwear. Soundlessly bending to grab it, he risked one look at the man he had left sleeping on that king-sized bed behind, but not seeing much else over the jut of his muscular arm, his face hidden in a crook of his elbow. However, he did not have time to feel rueful about it, standing up to cautiously open the bedroom door just to slip out swiftly, and equally cautiously closing it behind him.
With an exhale, he quickly scanned the new room around him, taking in the open space of what was a living room connecting into a kitchen. Even despite being barely lit by the still weak morning light, Robert could still observe the cosy setting of the other man´s home, a big couch with a bunch of soft-looking throw pillows, a cluster of house plants by the window, some books here and there, and a kitchen that actually looked used in, cooking utensil he didn´t even know the name of on the visible in countertop containers by the stove, clearly there for a quick convenience.
It was a lovely home, Robert thought as he began searching for the remainder of his yesterday´s clothing, which wasn´t that hard, seeing his clothes were scattered like bread crumbs from the entrance door. He hastily started throwing them on, his jeans and white T-shirt with his dark-blue hoodie, not even bothering to try to put on his socks, just stuffing them into his pockets. He turned to look where his shoes went last, eyes roaming the ground as they landed on a heap of fabric hanging over a nearby chair that caught Robert´s attention. Something about the pattern was familiar to him, and with rising dread, he decided to have a closer look, picking the fabric up and unfolding it with both hands.
Robert´s whole body froze in shock as he stared at a spandex suit he knew all too well, black fabric with bright flames lining the deep Vee cut in the front and at the ankles. He cursed under his breath as he threw the suit on the nearby couch, moving with renewed urgency to get out of that place. He found his sneakers, hastily tying them as he quietly bolted for the door.
With a click, he closed them behind him and started making his way out of that place, moving with speed to leave the apartment building in record time to put as much distance as quickly as possible between him and the man who would definitely incinerate him if he found out who Robert truly was. Navigating through the unknown part of the city, he made it back home in like an hour, collapsing with relief as soon as he got into his own apartment. He immediately slid to the floor just so he could be cannonballed in the next second with a black and white chihuahua, the little dog yapping excitedly and licking his owner´s face with all the energy Robert wished he had.
“What´s up, little guy? Did you miss me?” Robert spoke to Beef, his voice coming in more rough than he expected. Then he cringed because he remembered thick fingers holding him by his scalp while he got his face fucked. Yeah, no wonder his voice sounded coarse. Shaking his head, he stood up and picked up Beef´s leash. He was glad he had taken Beef for a walk last night before going out on his stakeout, so he didn´t fight a full bladder and pee all over the carpet whilst waiting for Robert´s return. Staying the night out was definitely not something he planned on, Robert thought to himself as he walked down the street, Beef happily walking by him, every ten seconds sniffing his favorite spots. Robert watched on, letting his dog take his time while his mind kept racing with events of the past night.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, he remembered walking in the Honkers, the dingy bar in the seadier part of the city of Torrance, known for catering to a much more unsavory clientele. Robert knew of it before from the gossip circulating among supers, a shady place where villains and criminals liked to go for a drink and more, divulged to him the hero Striker on one of the LA supers galas when they and some others were hiding from the crowd. Some other hero complained that a place like that should outright be closed down; however, Striker, the hero who worked most closely with the regular police forces, disagreed with him, saying it was useful for a place like that to exist, that they knew where to monitor criminal movement and could keep an eye out for particular individuals of interest. Another hero, Lawman, also raised a point that if the bar was busted, a new one would open somewhere else, and they, the supers and police alike, would have to look for it either way. Robert found himself agreeing with his two colleagues, finding a practical reason in knowing where to look when in need. That´s what brought him there last night, coming in to see if he could spot the guy who called himself Toxic.
Through his extensive detective work, Robert knew Toxic was somehow connected to Shroud. Whether it was as a supply runner, some informant link, or like an actual member of Shroud´s group, Robert did not know yet. However, the line of connection was definitely there, Toxic coming up at places of Shroud´s interest, which made Robert sure that he was his next best chance of getting closer to discovering where Shroud´s hideout was.
With that in mind, he left his Mecha Man suit at home, heading out in his regular normie clothes, wanting to look inconspicuous, plain ol boring.
Watching as Beef raised his hind leg to piss on his tenth tree, Robert had to retrospectively admit that his choice of outfit was an utter failure. The moment he walked inside the bar in his dark blue hoodie and sneakers, he was very much sticking out like a sore thumb; everyone else there dressed in leather and spikes made him stand out significantly. Proof of that was the way every patron stopped to stare at him as he walked past them. However, he didn´t let his unease show on his face, schooling his features into a neutral mask as he made his way over to the bar and plopped down on a barstool with cracked vinyl. He got as comfortable as possible on that thing, pulling off the hood from his head and doing his best to pass up for someone who belonged there. With an even voice, he ordered himself a glass of whiskey neat, wanting to look like someone who came there to just nurse his woes inside the malted liquid. He hoped the deep dark circles under his eyes were helping his case, but by the raised eyebrow the mean-looking barman was giving him, he wasn´t sure how well he was passing. But he was determined, and no one was actually approaching or bothering him, so he figured he would make the most out of it.
He did not look around, just discreetly glancing from time to time at the mirror behind the displayed bottles of various alcohol, intently listening to the conversations around him, taking in the raised voice and occasional shouts whilst drinking something that dared to call itself whiskey. The burning taste running down his throat was the only thing making his current surroundings bearable. By the time he finished his second glass, weariness came settling down on him, the months on a wild goose chase coming up to him, ready to knock him on his ass. He was so tired, but more than that, he was angry, so angry, and the muddy golden piss in his third glass actually started tasting good.
“If I were you, I would slow down, pussycat. This ain´t a good place to get blackout drunk for someone like you,” came an accented voice from behind him, and that´s the point where Robert´s night started to spiral downwards. He had a thing for sexy accents.
“Yeah? And what´s it to you?” the undercover hero shot back, turning on the high chair to take a look at the owner of the voice just to freeze the second he laid his eyes on him. He was met with amused amber eyes and an infuriating set of eyebrows, an arrogant smile, and a figure many would kill for. Robert looked the man up and down, taking in his black pants and black and dark gold shirt with a baroque pattern, unwittingly lingering on the man´s exposed skin, a large part of his pecks on display from how he let his shirt hang unbuttoned into a deep Vee. A sudden question popped into Robert´s mind: what would feel softer to touch if he ran his fingers through it, the man´s chest hair on display or the long mane he had pulled into a loose ponytail at the back of his head. His tipsy-ass brain urged him to reach out and find out, the grinning man standing close enough for it to be possible.
Robert could swear he saw him before, but for the life of he couldn´t place him.
“Careful there, kitten, I fucked the last person who looked at me like that,” the newcomer let on, his voice flirtatious as he hopped on the barstool next to Robert´s. Something in Robert snapped, not being someone who backs down from a challenge. “Are you threatening me with a good time?”
The other man just whistled. “So the kitten does have claws,” he said as he motioned for the barman to pour them both another round. Robert eyed him suspiciously; however, refusing the drink might have looked weird to the patrons around them, making Robert accept the bigger man´s offer. Though before he could take a sip, the other man stopped him, his voice rolling from his lips in a way that made Robert give him his full attention. “That´s not the way to drink with someone,” he said, a wolfish smile playing on his lips as he raised his rock glass to Robert, looking him deep in his brown eyes until Robert returned the gesture, clinking their glasses together. The man, however, did not take his eyes off of Robert, looking straight at him as he brought his glass to his lips, swallowing the whiskey without making a face. Robert mimicked his actions, taking his own sip of the liquor and feeling the heat in him rising.
Unsurprisingly, that first round turned into two and then three; the man unexpectedly pleasant company and a nice change of pace from Robert´s usual crowd. There was no doubt about what he wanted from Robert, leaning into him, even going as far as hooking his left hand around the backrest of Robert´s chair just to pull him closer, the barstool legs barely squeaking against the floor as the man dragged Robert closer, his enhanced strength on full display, making Robert swallow weakly. The hero knew for a fact that the man next to him would have no issue pinning him down. And holding him like that. Up close, Robert could smell his cologne, something deep and rich, prompting Robert to unconsciously rub his nose against the man´s exposed throat, his whiskey-loosened inhibitions staying silent as he breathed in the man, eliciting a rumble from him. His left hand possessively sneaked onto the small of Robert´s back, resting there idly as he called Robert all sorts of pet names, looking overly pleased when Robert´s cheeks tinted red.
Robert noted the long-haired man wasn´t overly pushy, nor did he make Robert feel uncomfortable or queasy; his touch welcomed and surprisingly warm as he ventured only as far as Robert allowed him. He raised his other hand, stopping centimeters away from Robert´s face, waiting for Robert´s assent before swiping his thumb over Robert´s lower lip, claiming a stray whiskey drop was there, just to pull away his hand to suck the thumb in between his lips, making Robert swallow dryly. The rest of his fingers were balled into a fist, and Robert, like hypnotized, couldn´t tear his eyes away from the sight of the man´s tongue running over his thumb, the obscene gesture leaving no doubt of the man´s intentions.
Something about the man´s earnest desire for Robert made the hero down the remainder of his drink. It's been months, too many to even bother counting, since he last had sex, too focused on chasing the shadows of the past with his dog as his only companion. However, now there was a man before him, a man who looked like if asked he would snap Robert in half and fuck with an inch of his life if the bulge in his pants was anything to go by.
With his mind made, Robert leaned in, letting his hand rest dangerously high on the man´s thigh. “I think you should make good on your word,” he said, squeezing the man´s leg in a way there would be no mistaking the meaning of his words. The wolfish smile he got in a reply made him want to roll his eyes, but he did not protest as he was suddenly being pulled from his seat, the man throwing a couple of crumpled banknotes on the bar. Robert had no luck spotting Toxic, and the months of being strung up from anger and the blind desperation of his pursuit made him crack. He needed to let it all out; he needed that release that would make his mind go blank, and even though sex wasn´t even remotely on his mind when he went out that evening, the prospect was more appealing with every passing second. Especially as he watched the other man´s body move, his broad shoulders strained his shirt´s fabric while the pronounced globes of his ass made Robert clench his fingers into a fist. Yeah, he needed this.
When standing outside, the man called them a taxi, using the minutes they waited to let his hands roam Robert´s hips, sneaking them in under the fabric of Robert´s T-shirt so he could splay his fingers there. At the same time, he peppered Robert´s neck with kisses, his five o´clock shadow scratching Robert´s sensitive skin while his palms left warm trails everywhere they touched. The hero moaned quietly, letting his body be explored after so long felt unbelievably good. He almost felt mournful when the taxi finally came for them, making them pause what they were doing. However, as the next minutes showed, the presence of the driver was no deterrent for his partner, who spent the entire ride kissing Robert senseless in the backseat, cradling the hero´s face with one hand while his warm tongue was resolutely opening Robert´s mouth, the heat between them palpable as Robert started losing his head with how warm the other man felt against him.
By the time the taxi let them out at their destination, Robert´s lips became actually swollen, shiny from spit and the long-haired man looked beyond smug as he opened the car door for them, the taxi driver shaking his head at them, muttering something under his breath. They did not pay him even an ounce of attention as both of them became overcome with a sudden urge to reach their destination as fast as possible, running up to a decent-looking building, where Robert presumed the other man´s home was. The guy kept on rambling, running his mouth, but all Robert´s brain could really register was the slope of his strong jawline and how those lips were just moments ago on him, prompting Robert to push the man against the elevator´s wall even before the door had a chance to fully close, kissing him hungrily while pushing a thigh between the man´s legs. In an instant, his ass was being squeezed, the man giving as good as he got.
When the elevator opened once more, Robert wasn´t at all prepared for what was to come, letting an undignified yelp escape his mouth as the man, with no warning, hoisted him up, showing the full scale of his power as he started effortlessly carrying Robert towards his apartment´s door. Only years of physical training allowed Robert to react in time accordingly, hooking his legs around the other man´s frame at the same time as throwing his hands around those broad shoulders, fullheartedly pressing his entire body against the muscled god.
“Stop grinding, or I´ll fuck you right here in the hallway,” spoke the man darkly, his accented voice heavy with arousal. “Do you think I give a fuck about who might see if I'm moments away from blowing my load from how good you feel in my arms?” he asked, strengthening his hold on Robert´s ass as he kept carrying him down the hall, his hands searing into the fabric of Robert´s jeans.
Robert just stared at him, lost for actual words, the only sound coming from his mouth was a pleased whine the second the bigger man singlehandedly opened his apartment and briskly kicked the door shut behind them. From then on, things got out of control immediately, the two men instantly on each other, kissing and pulling, Robert tearing the stupid shirt open, buttons flying all over, presenting him with the feast the other man´s body was. His hoodie did not fare better; soon lost somewhere in the apartment along with the rest of his clothes, leaving him bare on his knees as he sucked the man´s cock with fervor. His fingers were holding with dear life onto those muscular thighs as his lips worked to take in all that massive length of that uncut cock, his throat working around the entire thing as he tried to swallow it whole. It was messy and sloppy; his head moved by the man´s hands tangled in his hair, fucking his face as he whispered sweet nothings above him.
Thats it kitten
Take me
Fuck
Look at you
So fucking hot
Could fuck you like for the rest of my life
The taste of the man´s come hit him at once, coating his entire throat, forcing Robert to swallow around the length. He gladly did so.
“Fucking hell, kitten, could you be any more perfect?” the man above him asked in an awed whisper as his cock slipped out from Robert´s lips, leaving behind a spit line that broke as soon as Robert smacked his lips, trying to catch with his tongue any remaining drops of come. The sight must have been a lot for the muscly man because in the next second Robert was being dragged to his feet and promptly walked into what must have been the man´s bedroom. There, before he could even try to look around, he was pushed onto a bed, followed by the hungry beast his partner turned out to be.
As Robert kept remembering the night he just spent in the unknown man´s bed, his ears kept turning an even brighter shade of red, blushing uncharacteristically as he had to admit that was the absolute best sex of his life. With every resurfacing memory of how that unknown man had handled him, fucking him over and over until Robert was nothing more than a whimpering rag doll, crying out from overstimulation every time the man rammed his cock into him.
Robert stopped himself with a frown, Beef giving him a puzzled look from over where he was waiting for Robert to fill his dog bowl. They made it back home from their morning walk a few moments ago, and, like on autopilot, Robert went to prepare Beef´s breakfast, completely lost in his thoughts.
No, not an unknown man. Not at all.
It was what, two and a half years ago? When he, as the Mecha Man, handed over a villain arsonist to the authorities. His right hand heavily bandaged after their fight, during which Robert cut off his little and ring fingers.
“For fuck´s sake,” cursed the hero, banging his head against his kitchen cabinet. Now he's done it, having a one-night stand and not even realizing that the guy he had slept with was the same one who was almost three years ago dragged away screaming that if he ever saw Robert again, or better to say, Mecha Man, he would set him on fire.
With a groan, he finally gave Beef his filled-up dog bowl, leaving the chihuahua to enjoy his breakfast in peace while he went to his bathroom, needing to take a shower. He switched the lights on and started pulling his crumpled clothes off. He did not really think to look, but then he caught a glimpse of himself in the bathroom mirror and his entire body halted. He slowly turned fully towards his sink, above which was the mirror was hanging, to take in wholly the sight he was making.
His entire body was littered with love marks, his neck, his collarbones, his shoulders, teeth indents around his nipples and on the inner side of his thighs, his back and ass faring no better. If someone didn´t know any better, they might have guessed he was attacked instead of fucked to the point of tears. With wide eyes, Robert noticed the bruises forming on his hips, tentatively running his fingers over them. They were hand-shaped, a memory of strong fingers digging into Robert´s flesh as the long-haired man held him in place.
Robert hesitantly inspected his own body, noting the sole three finger marks on his left hip.
The hero did not care to ask after his partner´s name last night and didn´t even offer his own. He didn´t want to know. He knew they were gonna sleep together and that would be the end of it, no need to exchange real names or other such pleasantries.
And yet, there he stood in his crappy little bathroom, his hand covering the damning mark on his hip, knowing full well who actually left it there.
Hell, now he was even more glad than before he managed to wake up first and make his escape before things could get heated. Admittedly, the fiery man had no idea who Robert was without his suit, but Robert didn´t trust that he could keep a straight face the moment he would realize who his bedpartner was.
Shaking his head over his own stupidity, he decided to go on with his business as usual, stepping into the shower to wash away last night´s recklessness. It would be okay, he decided as he turned on the water, after all, the arsonist had no clue about who Robert was, and they will never see each other again, so no actual harm. All that will remain will be Robert´s memories of those strong arms guiding him on that massive cock and the voice that made Robert shiver with every word pressed into his skin.
As the Mecha Man washed himself, he once more ran his hand over the marks on his hips.
Flambae, Robert whispered, at last uttering the other man´s name.