Chapter Text
It was another average frigid winter day. Bright and sunny yet nippy in temperature, too dry for snow but perfect for a thin layer of frost to glaze the grass making it crunchy under foot fall. Inside the isolated lab though, the temperature was just right for the lean, eccentric genius. An even 78 degrees (F). Warm to some but Stone had gotten used to it over the four or so years he'd worked directly under the chaotic roboticist, now finding it quite the comfortable temperature.
Stone was busy tidying up the Doctor’s bedroom, the private space in the same building as the current working lab. Ivo had convinced G.U.N. to let him secure his own laboratory far off the typical government sites. His direct supervisor Commander Walters had become accustomed to his harshly anti-social personality, not taking too long to figure out that the man truly hated people; not kind of, a lot. The unpredictable, often physical, mood swings of uncontrollable weapon of a man made the other government employees uncomfortable to say the least. He also noticed that Robotnik himself worked much faster with complete isolation. Well... nearly complete isolation. Then in came Agent Stone, Walters had been trying for years to find an agent he could assign directly under Robotnik for assistance and protection. So when the genius didn't outwardly despise this one particular man when running yet another batch of agents in another month-long field test, both parties consistently standing unusually close for the introvert's usual standers; it was a match. And Walters finally had the security needed to give Ivo his own dedicated space to work uninterrupted.
Stone smiled quietly as he lent rolled the last of the Doctor's dark colored trench coats, smoothing it out with his palm in a final check for perfection. Robotnik deserved perfection, just like him. The genius never made a mistake, all his projects were state of the art, his edgy style a nice complement to his self-centered personality, his space organized with a strict sense of order and flow. It was Stone’s job to maintain that perfection. Perfectly clean, perfectly comfortable, perfectly safe. The agent himself was a bit of a perfectionist, performing his role with a deadly seriousness. He had been a part of G.U.N. for as long as he could remember, whether it was consensual or not was destroyed and erased from official records a long time ago. He had been part of the structure even in his formative years, the life of an agent natural and needed in his middle age. Even if he had actively hated nearly all the coworkers he’d met over the years, he would never leave. He needed the identity, the purpose, for all intents and purposes he lacked one of his own. Little in the way of hobbies, no official identity on public record, no family, no connections to civilian life. He would drown on his own.
Stone shut the closet, a quiet beep sounding from his smart watch. He lifted his wrist, pulling back the suit sleeve to read the alert. He already knew. It was five minutes till the Doctor’s latte time. With a metaphorical skip in his step, Stone made his way to the nearby kitchen unit with urgency. He found purpose in serving Doctor Robotnik, his world revolved around the man, both professionally and otherwise. When they first met Stone had written him off as another self-righteous prick with an undeserved ego, loud with no brain cells to back it up. It was a common flaw found in government personnel. But Robotnik had more than enough brains to back up his monstrous ego. The man was truly an invaluable weapon to the agency, an anomaly in efficient weaponized creativity. He proved it every day, even on the smallest, most mundane assigned projects. Cranking out revolutionary new technology on the casual, bored to tears as he did so.
The agent stopped at the counter of the espresso machine, beginning his personalized, perfected latte routine catered squarely to the Doctor’s tastes. When he was part of the group of agents working under the man, he quickly caught on to the rough genius's particular needs and quirks. He was physical, violently so at times. He expressed himself with his hands, to talk and to reprimand. Understandably so, this wasn't enjoyed by a majority of the assigned government personnel. Over the first week of shadowing the other agents had begun giving the Doctor more and more space between them, standing father and farther back. But Stone remained at the policy instructed distance by the Doctor’s side. He didn't mind the physicality, he had been injured far worse far more frequently on several different missions; The Doctors affectionate violence was warmly received. Stone rarely found people he tolerated, much less enjoyed, so to have this certifiably brilliant man put his gloved hands on him so frequently... it was welcomed at the very least. Eventually, over a few weeks of shadowing closely to the Doctor, Stone noticed that the older man started calling for him by name, requesting his personal back up on a one-liner or to relay a message. The Doctor slowly closed the professionally recommended distance between them on a more and more frequent basis, until it was implicitly expected that Stone would be a grab away beside the genius. The other shadowing agents seemingly more than content on hovering uselessly in the background. Trash, all of them. Stone hated the un-earned selfishness of most people; their job was to protect and serve the greater man. The other agents were just making themselves deadweight inconveniences by being so far away. Pathetic.
The latte finished brewing, his signature hand sourced goats milk adding a distinct sweet aroma to the coffee as Stone finished his daily edible art atop the surface of the cup. Perfection. Satisfied, the agent made his way to the far side of the lab where Robotnik was working on his latest assigned project in a small off shoot of the building, an isolated “workstation” if you would. Stone's heart fluttered as he walked across the building. He was consumed by the Doctor. Infatuated to the point of sickness but content in being an unrequited tool for the man to use as he saw fit. The agent was focused on becoming invaluable to Robotnik, kept closer to him than anyone else.
Entering the room, Stone saw the Doctor hard at work, stylish protective goggles down as he soldered the metal on the robot. The agent could tell that the man was bored out of his mind with the issued project, yet still affording it his unadulterated attention, invested in making the machine as flawless as everything else he touched. Feeding his own pristine track record. Stone had learned to read the Doctor fairly well over the years, though there was always room for improvement.
He set the cup and saucer delicately down on the work bench at a distance as to not interrupt Robotnik's paramount work, a bubbly yet politely volumed “Your latte, Doctor.” as the ceramic met the bench. Instantly after the words left Stone's lips there was a distinct,
“Ca-click”
Stone stood up straight, momentarily caught off guard by the seemingly purposeful noise. It came from the Doctor, no doubt, though the man hadn't even lifted his head to acknowledge the agent's presence, much less stopped working on his tedious mandatory project.
“Thank you, Stone.”
Caught off guard for a second time in less than a second, Stone tripped over his tongue from the whiplash. The Doctor had never thanked him so directly before. “O-of course, Doctor.” He fumbled out.
Robotnik stopped soldering the joint of metal on his creation, tossing the tool carelessly down on the bench somewhere without a care as he straightened up out of his hours long hunch. Stretching his arms high above his head, groaning loudly as joints popped all over. “You know what, I think I actually want a break.” Ivo breathed out as he relaxed his arms back, spinning in his swivel chair to face his speechless assistant. Removing the goggles from his face and placing them with care down on the desk.
Stone blinked. “A break, sir?” Robotnik never took breaks, he hardly slept. From when Stone arrived to the lab at daybreak till when he left a little after sunset, the Doctor was always hard at work on some sort of machine or document. Stone hadn't even ever seen him pause for--
“I'm hungry too. Agent, go make me a sandwich. I want a BLT with exactly four slices of bacon, perfectly cooked with and even balance of crisp and chew. I want one leaf of lettuce on each end of the sandwich to keep the bread from getting soggy. Two slices of tomato ¼ an inch thick and use the kewpie mayo not the American kind. Be sure to toast the bread.” Robotnik instructed in a nonchalant manner, grinning oddly. “Don't fuck up my instructions, Agent.”
“Yes, sir.” Stone answered obediently, turning on his heel to exit the room. “I’ll hurry back from the store so you don't wait too long--”
“Unnecessary, the ingredients are already in the kitchen. I expect my food in my hand in ten minutes.” Ivo interrupted, leaning back in his chair, elbow resting on the arm rest to support his head.
He had this... mischievous grin plastered on his face that was throwing Stone off. He’d seen that expression on the Doctor before, typically it was reserved for when he was purposefully messing with someone to get a reaction, running an experiment with a live, unknowing subject. Was Stone... a test subject right now..?
“Yes, sir.” The agent answered as he left the room. He beelined straight for the small kitchen unit, another decent stroll across the laboratory. Just as Robotnik had said, all the ingredients were in the appropriate places inside the cabinet and fridge. Standing out in sealed, new condition amongst the sparse, partially used condiments and instant meals. So, this was a pre-planned experiment. He thought, though he didn't give it another pause as he got to work. He never questioned the Doctor, even if he was being played with that was fine by him. He would always indulge that brilliant man in whatever way he wished, Stone would live up to Robotnik's expectations.
It took him exactly 8 minutes and 16 seconds to cook the bacon perfectly, the toaster taking care of the bread while he worked, leaving the professional with little time to assemble the actual sandwich and rush back to the across lab, entering the workstation with a brisk walk somewhere between goofy and graceful. Robotnik turned off the soldering tool in his hand and dropped it on the bench once more, sliding it further away from him with a dramatic emphasis as he again swiveled in his chair to face Stone. The grin far less devilish than before, but still hinted on his face. Stone came to a stop at Robotnik’s knees, placing the aesthetically arranged plate politely in the Doctor’s raised right hand. With a swipe of his left hand fingers, Ivo pulled up the timer he had set on his Control Glove.
“Four seconds to spare. Cutting it a little close, aren't we?” He taunted as he sat the plate on the workbench, lifting the top slice of toasted sourdough bread as he began to inspect the meal.
“My apologies, Doct--”
“Ca-click”
That sound again, Stone thought. He sucked in a sharp breath when he felt the sudden light pressure of a firm hand on the side of his pants covered thigh.
“Made exactly to my specific instructions. Perfect as always, Stone. I expected nothing less from my agent.” He cooed in a teasing tone.
Stone flushed hot in the face, his body going rigid as he could do nothing but stare down at the Doctor, the older man flashing that big, toothy smirk as he swiveled back to face his bench. His gloved hand smoothly sliding off the stunned agent’s thigh with firm, full contact all the way through until the touch ended at his fingertips. Stone let go of the breath he unintentionally held, blinking twice rapidly to pull his mind back together.
“Careful Agent, you're damn near drooling.” Robotnik remarked with a full mouth as he started in on the perfectly made sandwich, turning his head to the side as he instinctually reached his free hand out to search for a drink. He paused mid chew. “Stone.”
“Yes, Doctor?” The agent replied evenly.
“I finished my latte a while ago, be a dear and go fetch me some water, won't you?”
Stone nodded at the back of Robotnik’s head. “Right away, sir.” He turned and left the room, returning less than a minute later with a chilled, pre-opened bottle of water, placing it and the cap next to the crumb covered plate.
“Ca-click”
Stone again felt the firm warmth of the Doctor’s thin hand on his thigh, this time sliding up the length of his leg until it came to rest on the crest of his hip, giving it a tighter, suggestive squeeze.
“Good boy.”
The agent flushed again, the heat spreading down the back of his neck to his shoulders. He saw it this time, Stone caught a glimpse of the dark colored matte ring on Robotnik’s left hand. It was hard to see encased around the Doctor’s equally dark black Control Gloved finger, but he caught the action from the corner of his eyes. Was that a dog training--
“-clicker..?” Stone whispered under his breath.
“What was that, Agent?” Robotnik asked pointedly, lightly tugging his assistant’s hips forward.
Stone swallowed thickly. “My apologies, Doctor. My internal thoughts slipped out. It was nothing relevant.”
Robotnik hummed suspiciously as he finished chewing another mouthful of the nearly finished sandwich, placing the food back on his plate and following up quickly with the bottled water after he swallowed. Finishing half the liquid in one go with a dramatic, refreshed sigh. He released Stone’s hip from his grasp, using the same hand to cap the open bottle.
“Ah, I see.” He sang. “Don't waste my super important brain power on your worthless inner monologue, Agent, or next time there will be consequences.”
“Yes, sorry Doctor.” Stone replied quietly, his skin still heated in the temperate lab air.
Robotnik slid the plate and bottle further aside on the bench out from in front of him, then dusting the remaining crumbs from his gloves onto the floor as he again picked up his tool. “I’m done with my break, get these dishes off my workstation.”
“Yes, Sir.” Stone answered simply, gathering the plate, bottle, and empty latte cup in his hands, making a mental note to come back and sweep this room before he left for the night. As he approached the automatic doorway, the lab doors clearing out of his path. Robotnik called out.
“Oh Stone.”
Stone shifted his head to the side before the Doctor continued.
“Before you give the lab perimeter another sweep, go ahead and shoot Walters an email. Tell that old bag to set up a meeting for tomorrow, his new toy should be done before the end of the night.”
“Yes, Doctor.”
---
Stone continued his workday as usual. He finished tidying up the Doctor's bedroom, sent out the requested email and organized a meeting with Walters's secretary for 9am the next morning, and was now running a sweep of the outside perimeter. It was nearing sunset, the sky starting to bleed into a romantic orange, the dying leaves in the surrounding tree line dancing in the frosty winter breeze. As Stone walked the all too familiar routine path around the moderately large, isolated building, his mind was swimming.
That was a dog training clicker. The Doctor was marking his satisfaction like Stone was a dog. Like he was his dog. The agent blushed. Then were the “thank you” and the touches the Doctor’s version of a... reward? Stone covered his mouth with his palm as he continued to walk the perimeter, his blush darkening as he replayed the kind, off-brand tone in the Doctor’s voice when he thanked him. He replayed the sensation of the Doctor’s hand on his thigh; the unusually kind, gentle touch from the usually chaotic, rough genius. It left tingles on his skin. Even now, a clear exciting tail where it traveled sensually up to his hip. He focused on the firm pressure when the Doctor squeezed him; strong, thin hands. The sensation of his lower half being tugged forward by the man he so desperately wanted, the fantasies it brought up...
Stone stopped moving, completely enveloped in his own head now, his face burning hot in the uncaring winter air as another thought crept into his mind. The Doctor knew... he could use putting his hands on Stone as a viable reward. Stone made an involuntary noise at the realization, having to now purposefully breath as he began to feel smothered from the heat. The implications. How much did the Doctor know? How far was he willing to go? Was his experiment concluded or...
Stone was yanked from his thoughts by an odd sound. Lowering his arms to his side, his mind switching professionally from overwhelmed to deadly clear in an instant, his decades of agent training and experience kicking in like second nature. He scanned his surroundings with his thorough eyes, listening intently for whatever noise he heard before. Then he realized; he heard no birds singing, no bugs buzzing. So far from the inner city, the silence was unnerving. Nature doesn't lie, they weren't alone. Danger hid in the tree line nearby. Stone withdrew his gun from the shoulder holster under his suit, holding it in both hands at his side, safety off at the ready.
As he continued to scan around him, he quickly made his way back to one of the many lab entrances. Pulling his badge from his inner suit pocket, he quickly swiped it across the access panel, the secure door unlatching with a heavy “Chunk”. The agent swiftly duct inside, pulling firmly on the door until he felt the latch re-lock with the same metallic “Chunk ”. Stone reapplied the safety to his weapon before securing it back in his holster, nearly sprinting to the small room Robotnik was last working in.
As Stone approached the automatic doors they slid open, just about smacking face-to-face into the Doctor as the man sauntered carefree out of the work area. Robotnik jumped dramatically with a yelp, startled.
“ GAH--!! Agent Stone, you scared the be-jesus out of me—HEY!” Robotnik called out as Stone wordlessly turned and sped walked away in the opposite direction, the Doctor jogging behind after not getting a response to his call out. “Don't fucking ignore me!” He growled angerly, grabbing Stone’s shoulder roughly as the agent stopped at the center control computer.
“I'm very sorry, Doctor.” Stone started, sparing the older man an apologetic glance as he immediately turned back and began furiously working on the computer, Robotnik watching intently over his shoulder. Stone continued. “I need to lock down the lab immediately, something isn't right, sir.” As he finished that sentence, he also finished typing the final security code into the correct prompt on the wall sized screen, a nearby clear box popping open on the long, busy control panel. A large red button in the center. As soon as the case popped, Stone slammed his palm down on the lit-up button.
The once blinding clinical white lights fell into a less intense red throughout the entire building. A single “Whoop” of a low-pitched siren sounded loudly, heavy slamming of thick metal gates falling to guard the multitude of entrances leading into the laboratory echoed in the distance.
“And what exactly is wrong, Agent?” Ivo questioned, bristled at the fact that he was still out of the loop while someone other than himself had their hands all over his toys. Stone made a few quick presses on the control panel and pulled up the many live feed screens onto the oversized monitor. His mouth pulled into a thin line as he inspected the many small displays.
“More assassins.” He breathed out. “Doctor, it looks like the same agency from last month according to their uniforms.”
Robotnik scanned over the fifty or so screens, finally catching the faintest hint of movement in one. He could barely see the reflection of a human figure slightly swaying in the polished metal of the lab walls, steps away from the now impenetrably guarded entrance. The roboticist cleared his throat nervously. Even though attempts on his life and kidnapping for government ransom weren't at all uncommon, seeing the danger so close to his doorstep would always be nerve wracking. No matter how consciously Ivo tried to fight it human nature was strong, and being hunted would always be man's original fear. He clinched his jaw, teeth bared in a scowl
“How annoying, I really hate humans--”
He could barely finish his curse before the lab fell dark, pitch black with the exits and accompanying windows hermetically sealed. Before either man could comment on the new development, the backup emergency lights flicked on; Few and far between, dim lights, but sufficient to at least see in the secured laboratory.
“They cut my power?! Those motherfuckers!!” Robotnik hissed at the poor excuses for ceiling lights.
“They’re learning, sir... None of the previous agencies have been able to find and destroy your underground powerline.” Stone informed with a stoic though lightly concerned expression, glancing at the Doctor to convey the seriousness of the situation. Robotnik immediately dismissed the others concern with a wave of his hand as he turned and walked away from the central computer.
“Who cares. They didn't make it in this time, same as always. The shutdown has already been set; Even with zero electricity, those steel-reinforced modular concrete gates won't budge a centimeter until the power is back and the clear code is given into the system. It’s done, those gates are like 6 inches thick. The dumbass, lameo ass-assins lose again.”
Stone jogged to catch up with the Doctor, the obvious worry in his face still not satisfied.
“But sir, our current lab is well outside any well-populated area.”
“So?” Ivo bit back.
“Our cell phones are out of service. Without any internet how can we inform G.U.N. that service is needed to restore power?”
Robotnik stopped in his tracks. Spinning fully to face Stone, grabbing him by the knot of his tie in a fist and jerking him forward, a sway away from his own face.
“Did you send that email to Walters?” He asked in a hushed, dangerous tone.
“O-of course, Doctor.” Stone answered in an equally quiet whisper, purposefully choosing not to nod in agreement to ensure their lips didn't meet.
“Then when we miss our meeting tomorrow, they're going to come a-looking. And when they can't get in, they're going to fix the powerline. Simple.” He finished with an aggressive shove, releasing Stone’s tie as the shorter man stumbled to catch his footing. “I want you to write up a detailed report on what transpired just now, that way when that old bat inevitably asks for it tomorrow we can throw it in his face along with this stupid project and move on to something actually worth my time.”
“Yes, Doctor.” Stone sighed, his boss slipping into another part of the lab. He looked back to the black wall of a screen, a tight hold still on his well-trained nerves. We may be fine tonight, he thought, but any progress on others getting their hands on the Doctor was a major concern in his book.
Before starting the report on today's incident, Stone followed through with another, this time far more meticulous, sweep of the lab's inner limits. Double and triple checking all possible entrances and exits of the building. They were all secure; shut tight to where no residual natural light could seep through. After that initial concern was addressed, Stone performed another extensive search of the inner areas. Closets, hallways, corners; not a single area went unchecked despite how difficult it was to see at times due to the dim emergency lights, the small, concentrated light on his gun helping immensely with this inconvenience.
After nearly two hours of a thorough search, Stone was satisfied. He then headed to the closet-sized room down the hall from the Doctor’s bedroom, a room that Robotnik allowed him to convert into an office of sorts. A single square-shaped cheap desk sat in the center, the room barely sized to accommodate a short four drawer file cabinet and wooden chair in addition. Stone pulled out and sat in the creaky chair, opening the second drawer in the cabinet and laying a single blank copy of an incident report on his small desk, a pen already placed nearby. He positioned his weapons flashlight towards the white wall directly in front of him, the brightly colored surface dispersing the light more evenly in the closed off room. The agent began to manually write up his report.
---
A time later Stone concluded his report, placing the pen neatly atop the shallow stack of papers and leaving them squarely in the center of his desk for tomorrow. He pulled back his suit sleeve to read his watch. Nine minutes till 11pm, typically his clock out time... though tonight would be a little different, he supposed. Stone had no issue working past “working hours”, especially for the Doctor. There's nothing he wouldn't do for the Doctor.
He stood, turning off the small light on his gun to conserve the battery. Stone let his eyes readjust to the dimly lit building as he made his way to the kitchen closet, quickly snatching up the broom and attached dustpan as he continued back to the presumably occupied workstation. Despite the unexpected excitement of the day, the ever tidy and attentive man hadn't forgotten the crumbs littering the Doctor’s otherwise pristine floors.
Stone walked through the automatic doors to see Robotnik fastening an outer shell to his creation, securing the tiny bolts with a specialized screwdriver. Robotnik peeked over his shoulder before turning back to his work.
“Took you long enough. Are you done with that report?” He teased as he finished the final tightening twist on the bolt, tossing the tool from his hand as he swiveled slightly to the side to allow Stone to get a better view of his latest perfect machine in all its glory. Stone stopped at the Doctor's side, broom still in hand as he smiled brightly in response to Robotnik’s quiet showing off, feeding the older man's ego like always.
“Yes, Doctor.”
“Ca-Click”
Stone could feel the heat rising in his face before the Doctor had even taken his hand in his own, raising it to his face and pressing his mustached lips to the agent’s bare knuckles, the intense eye contact melting the man’s very soul. The cruel genius watching the agent’s every detail, nothing but a toy to be played with as the other saw fit.
“Good.” Robotnik spoke simply, leaving the dark skin pressed to his lips as he praised, his voice purposefully lowered in a sultry tone. Stone was rendered properly speechless, jaw open, eyes wide and captivated. It was the most breathtaking, romantic gesture he’d ever experienced, even if that wasn't the Doctor's intentions. The roboticist’s icy lips pressed so purposefully to his scarred skin, the contact searing his nerves where they connected. It was too much. It wasn't enough. The three second interaction felt like an eternity as Robotnik removed his hand from Stone’s, the agent’s arm falling reluctantly back to his side.
Robotnik turned back towards the workbench, tone as casual as ever, as if the otherwise intimate act meant nothing more than a simple thank you. “Go ahead and do what you came in here to do.” He instructed, turning his attention back to the nearly completed project.
Stone forced a breathless “Yes, sir...” as he shambled over slightly to Robotnik’s left, sweeping up the crumbs the best he could in the low light. He kneeled down, gathering the dirt and crumbs in the pan, then walking the short distance to the nearby trashcan. As the particles fell freely into the bin below, the professional heard a creak of movement from the chair. As the last of the dust left the pan--
“Ca-click”
Stone lost hold of the contents of his hands, both falling to the floor with an echoing clatter as he braced himself against the bench under the sudden weight. The Doctor’s body pressed lightly against his back as he loomed over him, gloved hands joining his on the bench on either side, trapping him under his height. The agent’s mind went hazy, vision unfocused as he stared straight ahead at nothing.
“D-doctor..?” He stuttered.
“Attentive as always, sparing no detail even without direct instructions.” Robotnik lent down further, relaxing more of his weight on the man below as he inched his mouth closer to the others burning ear. Ivo could feel the pleasant heat radiating off the now meek agent through the layers of clothing. “Thats why I favor you, Agent Stone. Obedient and loyal to a fault like the dog you are.” He purred in a hushed tone, encasing one gloved hand over the younger man’s near trembling one, the agent gripping white knuckled to the bench surface. Robotnik could hear an audible gulp from the professional below. He smirked, knowingly.
“..Is that why you’ve b-been... training me today, sir..?” Stone struggled to form a sentence, his cognizance drifting away in his head. Dizzy, overwhelmed, hot. Robotnik hummed, purposefully brushing his cold lips along the tip of the agent’s red ear, eliciting a breathy sigh and physical shutter from the growingly flustered assistant.
“Mmmm... So you noticed? I'm not surprised. My personal Agent is the best, after all.”
Another, deeper shutter from the shorter man as he bent further down on the bench, lightheaded.
“I knew you’d indulge me. You always do. I figured it’d be a mutually rewarding experiment between the two of us.” Robotnik again ran his free hand up Stone’s thigh with the same light squeeze, stopping his grip at the crook where his leg and hips met and pulling his lower half back against his with force. Stone dropped properly to his elbows on the supporting surface, forcing in a deep shaky breath. “How badly do you want to be my chew toy?” Ivo teased cheekily, briefly nipping Stone’s ear, earning a proper, quick moan from the man.
“B-badly, Doctor--!” He gasped, shutting his eyes tight, trying to grasp any professional dignity he had left. He had none.
Robotnik sneered with his own self-satisfaction, finally standing up straight and removing his hands, releasing the quivering man to fall at the knees to sit on his heels. Still gripping tightly to the edge of the counter as he braced his burning forehead to the cool cabinet in front of him, scrambling to regain his lost composure. Robotnik took a few steps back, settling back into his chair with a playful plop.
“I can’t see outside but I'm pretty sure your workday is over, Agent. Why don’t you go make yourself some food and head to bed, it's going to be a long day tomorrow.”
Stone forced himself to stand, watching the Doctor as he spoke, that same familiar, mischievous grin returning to his face as he watched Stone’s every move in the dim lighting. The agent grabbed the broom and pan on the way up, connecting the two back together as he lowered his gaze to the floor. He couldn’t stand to look the Doctor in the eyes anymore, God only knows what kind of expression he was making. Well... God and the Doctor.
“..y-yes, Doctor. Thank you, sir.” He managed as he hastily ducked out of the now stuffy room.
With wobbly knees and uncomfortable pants, Stone stopped briefly in the kitchen to put the cleaning supplies away. Closing the closet door with his palms, resting his head against the painted wood as he tried to stabilize his emotions. What was that?! He thought loudly, his entire body feeling like it was on fire. So the Doctor knew everything. He knew how much Stone wanted him. If he didn't before, he knew now from Stone’s response.
“How badly do you want to be my chew toy?”
“B-badly, Doctor--!”
Stone gave his busy head three harsh bashes against the unfortunate cabinet door, trying to erase the humiliatingly honest response from memory by force. To no avail, of course. The truth was out in the open; Both Robotnik’s sadistic, dehumanizing experiment and Stone’s eager, consensual participation. For better or worse, the experiment was far from over.
Stone felt an odd smile creep across his own face as he walked over to the fridge. Opening a fresh chilled water bottle, downing it in one go, his body finally feeling some relief from the soul incinerating heat. Despite how humiliating this experiment was, the professional couldn't deny for even a second how excited he was to see the results himself. He was already the government’s dog, broken down from decades of harsh training and torture. It’s not too surprising that he’d cope by developing a fetish for this sort of headspace. And there's nobody he’d rather submit his body and soul so dehumanizingly to more than the unmatched, flawless Doctor Ivo Robotnik. There was no going back now, might as well lean into it. Stone couldn’t wait for tomorrow.
He trashed the empty bottle, looking around the kitchen with a clearer head. He wasn't hungry, not for food anyway. The stress and excitement from today destroying any appetite he may have grown throughout the long workday. He might as well go to sleep. There was no further work to be done, with the power off he couldn’t get ahead on any new projects or email threads. The lab was polished clean, not a crumb out of place thanks to him. Not to mention the Doctor had already dismissed him for the night. Thankfully, Stone thought. He needed time for his shameless erection to dissipate; the Doctor's mischievous smirk wouldn’t help with that.
So then, where was he supposed to sleep? Robotnik’s bedroom was out of the question. Stone was sure he’d be more than beaten for being so presumptuous. And regardless of the physical consequences, he knew the genius valued his personal space and privacy. Stone would never want to rob the Doctor of his comfort. So then, where else? There were no couches in the lab. No soft furniture other than the one bed. There were no spare blankets or pillows either, so making a floor pallet wasn't an option. Stone let out a huff through his nose as he made his way out of the kitchen. The only place he could think of that wouldn’t make him inconvenient to the Doctor was...
He opened the door to his small, cramped “office”, closing it behind himself and sitting immediately in his rickety wooden chair, he had no space to do anything else. Stone yawned as he folded his arms on the desk, laying his head down as comfortably as he could. He shivered. With all the excitement going on tonight, he never noticed how cold it had gotten in the dark, powerless laboratory. Thinking about it, it was the dead of winter. It was freezing outside, it made sense it would start to freeze on the inside with no heating system going. With an uncomfortable grumble, he did his best to be content and will himself to sleep. It took some time, but he eventually managed.
---
Until the trained agent awoke with a start, his weapon instantly trained on the open door before he even realized he was awake, sleep sunken eyes unfocused and blurry as he tried to identify the intruder in the poor, nearly useless emergency lights.
“What are you doing sleeping in here, Agent?” A familiar voice questioned. Stone lowered his gun, blinking rapidly in an attempt to see more clearly.
“Doctor?” He called out tentatively in a gravelly voice.
“Yeah, who else? So again, why are you fucking hiding in here?” He questioned more aggressively, an odd pacing to his words.
“I apologize, Doctor, I didn’t know where else to sleep.” Stone replied as he blindly replaced his gun in its holster, rubbing his eyes roughly with his free palm. It didn’t feel like morning, but some time had definitely passed. It must have been around 3- 4am. Robotnik made an annoyed “ Tsk” sound as he shifted slightly to open up more space in the doorway.
“Well, I do owe you one last reward for catching on to the assassins and protecting me so efficiently.” The roboticist trailed off. Stone perked up physically at the word "reward", cringing inside at how truly trainable he was. “Lets go, don’t waste anymore of my elusive beauty sleep.” Robotnik quipped, leaving the doorway. Stone shot up, the old chair tipping over with a loud clatter as he rushed out of the already closing door.
“I’m sorry, where are we going, Doctor?” He inquired, delirious from still being half asleep.
“Shut up and do what you’re told!” Ivo bit back as he sped walked down the short hallway, arms folded around himself tightly. Stone followed, trailing shortly behind him. Pausing when Robotnik entered through their destination's doorway, the flushed heat returning with a vengeance. The agent was fully awake now.
“..Your... bedroom, Doctor..?” He thought out loud.
“SHUT THE FUCK UP AND GET IN HERE!!” Ivo ordered sternly.
Stone jumped. Realizing his mistake he rushed inside, practically slamming the door behind him. He entered to see Robotnik removing his shoes and socks while still trying to stand, a clumsy sight. Stone remained stiff and frozen in place, unsure what his “reward” entailed exactly. He had some ideas, but...
“Hurry up and take your shoes and jacket off—AND DON’T GET ANY UNNECESSARY IDEAS!” Robotnik added loudly as he turned and caught sight of Stone’s obvious expression. The professional was rarely in control of his face around the other man. “I know you’re nothing more than a mutt at your core, but I expect you have some restraint. Do anything not commanded of you and this experiment ends. Permanently. Do you understand, pet ?”
Stone swallowed the embarrassment in his throat at the casual use of the pet name, also at the fact that the Doctor knew could use termination of the dehumanizing experiment as a threat against him.
“Of course, Doctor.” He answered obediently, moving to remove the extra layers. Stone swiftly removed his shoes, socks, tie, suit jacket, and gun as well as its accompanying shoulder holster. Placing everything neatly near the bedside on the floor, suit folded. He raised his head in time to see Robotnik crawling into bed. Trench coat, long sleeved shirt, and shoes all off and abandoned the floor haphazardly, reveling his rarely seen body conforming sleeveless undershirt. Stone stared, studied. The tight, breathable fabric of the undershirt emphasized the modest toned muscle of the Doctor’s otherwise thin body. The dark brown color almost perfectly matching his dark brown dyed hair and mustache, highlighting his pale, smooth freckle peppered skin practically glowing in comparison to the deep colored fabric. As the Doctor pulled the covers over himself, Stone noticed he even took off his Control Gloves. This snapped the agent out of his trance. It was shocking, like seeing an ankle in the Victorian era.
Stone approached the edge of the bed tentatively as Robotnik shimmied to the far side closest to the wall, unsure on what exactly he was being asked to do. He could hear the Doctor’s audible shivering as he bundled himself in the thick blanket, teeth chattering against his will. After a moment he looked over to Stone, frustrated.
“WELL?! Stop staring like a pervert and get in here!” He ordered.
Stone blinked, it clicked. The Doctor was cold. His reward was... cuddles? He smiled brightly, nerves at ease. He could keep the Doctor warm, there were no feelings attached to it from the other man, he was just cold. Stone’s whole purpose was to serve the genius’s every need; this was just business as usual with a little added bonus. Stone gleefully pulled back the blanket and hopped into the nest, laying the covers back over his own cold legs. He shifted closer as he laid down on the mattress, leaving some space between them so he could wait for a proper invitation.
Robotnik flipped to face towards the agent, instinctually shuffling closer to the radiating mass of warmth. He stopped moving at Stone’s side, close but not touching. His forehead as close as possible without making contact, dark combed hair brushing lightly against the side of Stone’s forward-facing cheek. They both laid still for a few awkward minutes, Stone resigning himself to this distance for the remainder of the night, more than happy with the outcome. To be able to share a bed with Doctor Robotnik in any capacity was an honor. The man typically didn’t even allow people to tap him on the shoulder, so to be invited—no, commanded into his bed... It was it’s on unique flavor of hot.
Stone’s ego swelled as he closed his eyes, letting out a shivering cold sigh as he enjoyed sinking into the comfortable, soft bed. The pale warmth the blanket provided was already 10X better than the desk. Stone felt Robotnik lift his head slightly from the mattress, now looming over his shoulder.
“Are you cold?”
Without opening his eyes, Stone answered with an exaggerated shiver. “Yes, Doctor.” Stone knew Robotnik decently by now, the proud man always did better with an excuse when he was embarrassed about feeling weak.
With a considerable delay, the Doctor continued. “..Get closer and get warm... That’s an order, Agent.”
“Yes, sir.” Stone complied with a purposefully neutral face. He turned on his side to face Robotnik, the only way to get closer was to actually touch him. He moved to wrap his arms around his shoulders, shimming slightly upwards so that he could rest his chin in the taller man’s thick hair. “Is this okay, Doctor? I know you don't like to be touched--”
“Just shut up and do what you need to do...” Robotnik interrupted stiffly, leaning his forehead fully into the invitingly snug warmth of the crook of Stone’s neck.
Stone didn’t say another word, only fully wrapping his arms around the Doctor’s upper half and pulling him in tighter against himself, bodies now properly flushed together. Ivo sighed a heavy, comfortable, sleepy sigh, now leaning his full weight against Stone. The roboticist was startlingly frigid to the touch, icy skin on his nose and arms zapping a large amount of Stone’s own accrued warmth. Though he didn’t mind in the slightest.
“..you’re freezing, doctor...” He whispered quietly against coffee colored hair, making as much physical contact as possible to warm the Doctor faster.
Ivo murmured in response, already drifting off to sleep in the secure heat of another beating heart. “..iron deficiency anemia is a bitch...”
Stone hummed in acknowledgement, consciousness fading as his own sleep returned to claim him back. The smell of cheap ivory soap and burnt metal filling his senses, face buried in soft, silky hair, his wider frame easily enveloping around the other man when height wasn’t a factor, the two men fully relaxing into each other. A true dream come true and he’s still awake, Stone thought to himself, amused. He decided to indulge himself as he drifted off, pretending that this was romantic, intimate, and purposeful. Loving. That the command came from a place deeper than the genius being freezing cold and using Stone as an organic heater. If the power was on they wouldn’t be like this right now. Ever, probably. Stone would be in his government issued apartment, alone. The Doctor would be here, more than happy with his central heating system. Stone’s momentary indulgence faded quickly.
Robotnik was just cold, and Stone was just a tool. Stone had always been happy to be a tool to the Doctor before, why wasn’t he content now? Why did he feel the need to yearn for more? This truly was a dream come true, why couldn’t he just stop dreaming? Stone took another deep breath, squeezing the now sleeping man in a close hug. Too close to the sun, he could feel the illusionary rays of sunshine painting his skin, imaginary displays of affection. So close. So far. He’s had a taste of what actual love from Robotnik could feel like... He thirsted for it more than water.