Chapter Text
After a long, long full shift today, Robert found himself at a bar with his Z-teamers. Not Crypto Night or Sardine, some random place with a karaoke stage that Alice had picked out solely for that purpose. A place with rich brown woods and plaid cushioning on the booth seats. A neighborhood place, somewhere you'd bring your normal coworkers from your normal job. Robert smiled to himself when he thought about how this was his crew's back up choice.
Robert sat nursing his whisky as he watches Malevola and Sonar take turns shooting at a pool table, evidently to Sonar's chagrin as the small crowd around them cheered when Mal scored another goal. Punch-Up and Coupe sway through some generic love ballad with enough 90's synth and toms to give a man food poisoning from how saccharine it was. Robert looked on in pleasant suprise, he didn't take those two for karaoke people, especially not the sappy kind. The drinks had been flowing for at least an hour and a half now, if the analog clock Robert tried to read through his swimming vision was to be believed.
flash of orange in his peripheral caught his attention. He spun his stool to the side to see Flambae had taken up the bar stool next to his.
"Heyy Mecha-bitch, still drinking alone right now? Cuz you-you know... you'rre a bitch?"
Flambae had clearly also had his fill, as his hair tie had migrated to his wrist; long, silky strands framing his face. He was wearing an orange button up with about one too many buttons on done, which was extremely on-brand for him. The Z-Team had all agreed to change into normie clothes after work since they weren't going to a bar for supers, but Robert hadn't gotten a good look at him since they'd gotten here. His drunk brain certainly wasn't opposed to the view, even if it was less than one he usually saw at work. Maybe it was the change in clothes that got him, Robert was never much of a spandex guy.
"I'm enjoying myself.. asshole. I I am having a great time taking the. sights !"
Robert flexed his fingers around his glass, which immediately shot ice cold strands of pain up his wrist. Fuck, fuck, fuck, why now?
His chronic pain had been acting up especially often this week, as he'd stupidly, stupidly forgot to pay his heating bill on time. Only a day late, why the hell did the heating company not turn his hot water back on for the past 6 fucking DAYS??? And in the damp, windy, just shy of slightly-too-cold Los Angeles winters, it had been wrecking havoc on his joints.
"Hah!! Sure you aree." Taunted the swaying Flambae "How much hauve you had.. had to drink. bitch?"
"mmn... I wanna say.. this is my third??"
"Danmmm and you you're wasted just fromm that? Fukin light weight, mec Mecha-man.
"You look... pretty bad your self, pret- ..pretyyy drunk."
Flambae lit up as he stared into the liquor selection behind the bar "Hah!! Rob-roberto roberson the third ! Thhird drink! Fuckin bob-bob number thhree bitch haHAahah!" Flambae cackled wildly, a sight which Robert never thought he'd see from sober Flambae. He's gotta be really gone at this point, but then again so is Robert.
Robert took the last gulp of his drink before cringing at the ice cube that hit him square on the lips. His whole face tensed in pain.
Why the fuck was the A/C on?? All Robert's brain could focus on was how cold he was, how stiff he was. All he can think of right now is needing a hot shower, stat.
Wait a minute? Flambae had a flat? A flat with running water? In his daze, the dots connected in his head. Flambae's hot right? H-he has flames and all that. His showers gotta be like the hottest fucking shower ever, right?
Robert realizes this was kind of a weird thing to ask his technically subordinate, but something about the look in Flambae's eyes as he laughed about nothing in particular makes Robert's inebriated mind take the lead. All he had to do is just ask.
In a perfect, sober, responsible Robert world, he would've said something along the lines of, "Hello, my respected and platonic co-worker. I would like to ask you if I could take a shower at your place before I head home for the night, as the hot water in my apartment has unfortunately been shut off. I can't stand another ice cold shower because my joints have been acting up so badly this week that I'm willing to ask this mildly embarrassing favor from you of all people."
Instead, the words that tumbled out of his mouth as he clung onto Flambae's shoulders were " I... You. . my shower....Im so Cold.... Please~"
Flambae sputtered, nearly toppling his glass "hOooly fuck, woaw I'd-I'd. oh my shit " He looked Robert up and down, he broke out in a toothy grin "ehhh why the fuck not. I am neverr geting this fuckin chance again !!"
Robert wasn't really sure what he'd meant by that, but was too pressed by the idea of finally, finally getting into Flambae's nice, warm shower.
"Oooh thank god, thank you thank youuu. you have no idea how much I needed this"
"Nnhm, keep talking like that and ....and fuck. mh. Whatever."
Robert felt himself being ungracefully lifted into Flambae's strong arms. He closed his eyes and nuzzled into the warmth. Finally, warm, warm. Robert knows that sober Robert would've mentally pushed himself off a cliff before he was caught dead doing that, but drunk Robert was too chilled to the bone to give a shit.
He felt Flambae steady himself, and exhale a breath onto the skin of Robert's forearm.
"Ey!" Flambae called out to the Z-teamers, "Mecha Fuck had tooo much to drink.. so I am. taaking him home. yeah"
A chorus of ooooohs and goodnights echoes behind Robert as the door closed and the cold air hit roberts skin. he can feel Flambae take off into the skies.
The gentle flames warm his tired body back up. He feels like he could stay in this sensation forever. Flambae is so warm, so strong and firm, Robert feels protected from the onslaught of winds around him. Makes him forget that Flambae of all people is doing him such a nice favor of lettnig him borrow his shower. Robert closes his eyes again and smiles. No... maybe he likes that it's Flambae.. way more than his sober self would ever admit. The fact that this asshole would go out on a limb, just for him, its weirdly endearing.
As Flambae came to a stop and landed to the ground, Robert opened his bleary eyes to see the sight of what Flambae's apartment looked like. However, the sight only met him with confusion.
"Wait is this my balocny?"