I EXIST AGAINST MY WILL

Chad and Robert met during a cooking class each night was exploring different cultures and food. Robert fell in love with the spicy food Chad would make him. Chad fell in love with the Korean food Robert would make. Them often traveling across California trying new things. Things started falling apart after the wedding. Chad's sister had gotten sick so he started spending more time with her and his niece Robert understood. So he started working different jobs to help support the 3 of them. Often cutting back on things he needed to help them. Until Chad found Roberts mask and acused him of cheating with Mecha man blue. Which lead to Flambae trying to burn down a mall to draw Mecha man blue out. Causing the fight that made Chad lose his fingers. Robert crying in the suit while arresting him. Robert continued to support Chad's family until he got out. Then Robert vanished thinking Chad would heal better without him.

Victor Robert met during his earlier days of Mecha man blue. He answered a add for a dude looking for a chill roommate. At first they fought like cats and dogs. Fighting over shared space and who got to use thing's first. Until one extremely cold winter. When Robert bursted through the door holding a extremely cold puppy. The landlord cut the heat. Robert and Victor were focused to snuggle together for warmth. Slowly growing closer over those freezing days taking care of tge sick puppy. They lived off soup and snuggles for a week straight. Shortly after the 2 of them couldn't be apart from each other. Adding in Victor's bed mysterious got ripped in too. As there relationship grew so did there new puppy beef did. Only for a year after the wedding. Robert over hears a fight. Victor had with his mom. Her screaming about Victor putting off going to Harvard to play house with a broken boy. Screaming how his father pulled so many strings to get Victor into school. Robert quickly packed his things and left a note saying I love you Vic but I don't want you to hold back your dreams of Harvard. Robert would rather watch Victor rise above everyone else and leave him behind. Not realizing he triggered Victor fall into hard core drugs and college partying.

Robert didn't know what to expect seeing a dude broke into his apartment drew a circle and tried stabbing him. Luckily the little bit of blood the dude got actually did summon a demon. A pretty chill one. She quickly sent the dude flying into one of her portals. Then healing him. It was her first time being in American. So Robert had fun showing her around California. He later found out her name was Mal. They ended up traveling up the Oregon coast trying different candy shops and visiting some of the famous water falls. They ended up happily married for 3 years until Mal had to go back to Australia to take care of her sick dad. Robert gently breaking up with her because he couldn't follow her to Australia Mecha man waz needed after Shroud broke out of prison.

Chase thinking he’s talking about Flambae: Yeah he complains a lot about to supposedly ruining his marriage. Sounds like BS to me but…

Robert: That was a huge misunderstanding and miscommunication…Look I’ve never had an office job or what is and isn’t appropriate but is it going to be a problem if I had a relationship with members of the Z team?

Blazer: There’s nothing against company policy but HR (Mr whiskey) will probably want to know just for a record so we can ensure no favoritism or harm is being done to either party.

Robert: Got it. Who’s HR?

Blazer brings me whiskey in all his glory to the room. And has chase wait outside for a moment.

Mr. Whiskey: nice to meet you Robert I’ve heard good and incredible amusing things about you from Chase. Now what this about you having a previous relationship with someone from the Z team?

Robert: Members. 4 of them to be exact. Umm the first was with Victor or I guess so at now. It was early on in my career as a hero. We were roommates and when the heat got turned off abd it was cold I found my now Dog beef and we would cuddle for warmth after that we were together but then I overheard that he was putting off going to Harvard to stay with me. I packed my things and left a note saying I don’t want to be the reason he doesn’t go as far as his brilliant mind can take him.

Then it was Alice or Prism. We met at a music store and swapped recommendations and we were happy until she got discovered. Her manager told me I was holding her back so I left because she deserved better.

After that it was Zahir or Flambae we met at a cooking class. Things got serious but then his sister got sick I started doing more side jobs to help pay for her treatment and got sloppy. He found my mask and accused me of cheating on him with Mecha man. That’s when he burned down the ball to draw him out. I accidentally cut off his fingers and I well I couldn’t face after that. I kept helping with his sisters bills until he was out of prison.

Finally I met Mal, some idiot accidentally summoned her I front of home and she helped kick his ass. Since she had never been to the US before I offered to be her guide things were good but then she had to go back to Australia to look after her sick dad and I couldn’t follow her because Mecha man was needed and Shroud had just Escaped….

So yeah that’s how I had at least on my side 4 serious relationships with people I’m now supposed to send on missions?

Mr. Whiskey takes a long sip.: Thank you for your honesty. I will handle things on my end if they are Rude to you talk to me, or Galen if it isn’t recorded on the Coms. He’s your best bet if you need a second person to back you up.

Walks back to Blazer and Chase saying you didn’t tell me your boys got game. Before walking away.

Robert finishes his basic training and ignores Chase as he tries to figure out who Robert was in a relationship with.

Robert: Good morning I am your new dispatcher Robert Robertson…..

Bobert? Bob-bob? Robo? Bertie?

Who?

Robert: Yes it’s me and I am willing to talk later during lunch for now please focus on listening to me.

It’s when suddenly 3 members become very compliant and bae (who still thinks Robert was maybe cheating but learned after he got out that he continued to help pay for his sister’s bills during his incarceration he lost a lot of anger) that chase goes to suspicious to horrified.

Chase: You have horrible taste in partner Robert.

Robert as Mecha man became a anonymous sponsor for Victor when he heard he fell into hard times. Often sending home-made packages off stuff to Victor during prison hacking the system to make it seem like his parents sent it despite learning after he got they didn't. Robert even sent a homemade blanket that he swears demanded a blood sacrifice to make.

Mal Robert helped with getting permanent visa for the united states. So she can return later on hopefully with her father. Even looking up a huge list of different states and things to go do in them. Robert had happy memories of his dad traveling across country with him during the summer when Robbie was to busy being Mecha man. Including a homemade soup to send with her and a book full of his family recipes she loved.

Alice Robert when he could would often ore order her albums including her limited edition stuff. Wrote fan mail about how much he loved her music and shows. Often sending little plushies he made for her knowing food wouldn't be trusted because of all the weirdos. He would also travel to see her performances until her manger banned him despite him never showing his face to Alice.

Ok so the best thing to do is have an honest comment conversation with Robert. No problem. Sonar tracking down where Robert lives and sees the only things in the apartment are a lawn chair, the Mecha man armour, and things for beef. (Anything else or important is in a storage unit like mementos from each relationship)

Robert coming out of the bathroom: Victor why are you on my balcony?

Victor totally overheard Robert was Mecha man earlier but he wants him to admit it when he’s ready.: You left so fast we didn’t get a chance to talk.

Robert winces: Sorry. I got punched in the face because Visi thought I was leading her on except I didn’t realize she was flirting. Medical told me to go home and not strain myself.

Victor nods: Bae’s sister told him you work in the Mecha man armour can I see it up close? *points at the Mecha the only thing stopping him from coming inside being the balcony door*

Robert hesitates but opens the door for Victor. Beef immediately runs up to him looks overjoyed at seeing his favorite bat again.

Victor: How’s my favorite Beefy boy! *spins beef around while really trying to get a better look at the whole apartment trying to figure out why it’s so bare* You don’t have to talk to all of us at once. But can I at least tell Mal? She was really worried about you.

Robert: yeah go ahead.

Mal immediately makes a portal and walks thru. Robert doesn’t even get a chance to say anything before Mal pulls him into a hug. So she can check him for damage.

The conversation that follows includes the two managing to robert to admit he’s broke, his salary is under review, and he’s in medical debt before the two of them just pick robert and beef up and carry them back to the apartment they share while texting Bae and Prism details.

Robert tries to argue but he’s warm in comfy clothes and their couch is already better for his back than the Lawn chair ever was so before long he’s passed out and snuggled between his ex lovers.

Mal looking between Robert and Victor: Ya know, I’m not sure Prism or Bae would feel the same but I wouldn’t mind sharing Robert.

Victor looks at mal surprised but really thinks about Robert. How happy they were and how much it hurt when he left. Honestly even existing in the same space as him is a dream come true…honestly he would mind either…if he can keep Robert close and safe in any capacity that’s enough for him….

Victor: Let’s talk about it in the morning…I need to finish going thru Robert’s mail and pay off any debt he has. *holds up the mail he grabbed before leaving.* Also we are NOT letting him stay in that apartment the way it is. Plus there was no food for Robert to eat! And knowing him he’ll feed beef and starve himself without thinking twice. And that besides the fact that he just got out of a coma.

Mal: COMA?!?

Robert: shifted in his sleep.

Victor: I overheard him mention it to chase. Appearently He was the one who recommended Robert for the job…

If so then Mr whiskey and Galen are getting free entertainment! Meanwhile chase is ready to pull his hair out! Why is his lil bro like this?!

Imagine someone says something gross or Perv-y about one of them Robert will not give them a chance to say anything else.

Robert: I am only going to say this once. Never imply something like that again. They along with EVERY member of theZ team has incredible potential that I am determined to help them achieve. That punch was a warning next time I won’t be so nice.

Everyone of them is blushing furiously at that point. Mr whiskey after checking with Galen only details also sides with Robert, and only gave him a warning and asked him to at least give a verbal warning before throwing a punch.

I wonder if they try to make an unofficial schedule about hanging out with Robert since they aren’t sure if he’s interested in continuing the relationship. But boy do they want to try!

Bae invites Robert to watch his niece who really misses him, have a soccer game.

Mal and Sonar were hoping to get coffee with him before work.

Prism wants to check out this new dog friendly restaurant she heard about after work.

Bae: just I need to make it up you~

Robert: Careful there Zahir. If you keep talking like that people are going to think you still want me.

Everyone:…are you serious?

Mal:Robert, all of us have been trying to see if you were willing to be in a relationship again.

Robert: what?

Alice: Roberto none of us ever got over you. You are a stupidly wonderful and thoughtful partner. Hell most of what got us sent to jail and the Phoenix program happened after our time with you ended.

Robert:…what? But you all deserve better…

Victor: OK so trying stir up old feelings and testing the waters isn’t really going to work…

Prism is angrily typing on her phone.: I just got screenshots of what my Asshole Manager sent to Robert to convince him to leave me. I should have run him over with my Car. Bastard thought HE WAS A BETTER CHOICE!?!?!

Mal leans over to read it and also gets angry.: let me know if you want him to be stuck somewhere unpleasant. If I pick the right spot not only will he suffer but nobody will find the body. All I need is his address and an alibi….

Alice: I’ll take u up on that later rn we need to figure out how to help Robert understand how wonderful and desirable he is. I thought our lil outings and drinks might lay the groundwork but all it did is make him run after he realized he was talking out loud.

Zahir: It wasn’t useless. Now we know the cause of what makes Robert think he’s not enough! It’s all MECHA MAN ASTAL’S FAULT!

Victor: Agreed. Speaking of which how’s finding a way to either bring him back to life or at least his spirit so we can make him feel a fraction of what he did to Robert, Mal?

Mal: I’ve been asking around I have a few leads but nothing concrete yet.

Visi is about to angrily text back when she actually pauses to think about it. She does like Mandy…hell a small part of her wanted to make her Jealous by getting with Robert….:…you would help me get with our boss?

-slams it open-

-as dust and plaster coat the ground and wonder how I got into your house, I, jovial as ever, place an arm around your shoulders-

You, yes you. I need practice drawing the old men. Ya see, I need doodle ideas. Platonic/rival/romantic cuttletavio ideas. I am not as well-versed but I would like to be. Just send them in an ask.

give that knife/sword fight survivor nerve damage. give the character who was shot in the gut a stoma. give that fire survivor lung damage and an oxygen cannula. give that leg injury survivor a cane. give that starvation survivor gastroparesis. give that spinal injury survivor a manual chair or powerchair.

First thing to make clear about this idea is that it isn't ABO and Robert isn't trans. Robert is a normal cis guy, but he still ends up pregnant because of a meta ability. Which sounds ridiculous, but honestly, not every meta gets the nice clean genetic lottery of fire powers or invisibility or super strength. Some people just get strange, wildly specific abilities, and in this case somebody got the ability to make a body capable of pregnancy.

Flambae just taking charge and coop getting blazer… make this flambert

+anon

Tw for: Childbirth, Pregnancy, Trans Masc Pregnancy/Birth, Cryptic Pregnancy, and just general medical ickiness.

Writing under "Read More":

The very first thing Flambae does is drop Robert’s body out of shock. He snaps out of it upon hearing Robert’s winded groan and very quickly gathers him up again, but he definitely just fucking dropped him like a sack of potatoes, and it’s something he’ll be teased relentlessly about in the far, far future when they can all joke about this without crying.

I figure this is pre-relationship, but Flambae has already started to catch feelings by this point, and it really fucks him up (even more than it already would have) to have to watch Robert die.

He can’t stop thinking about how cold Robert was. He held him the entire time he was dead, and that unnatural cold just threw him into further panic. It’s worse now that he’s back he’s back he’s back he’s back but he’s still just as cold as he was when he was gone gone gone gone. 

When Robert comes back, it always takes a few minutes for his body to start warming up again (no heartbeat=no blood flow=no warmth), and Flambae insists on holding him until he’s a normal temperature again, using his own heat to speed the process along. He can’t shake the nagging thought that if Robert stays cold, he’ll die again.

For the rest of that night, right up until they all pass out in a heap on Robert’s apartment floor, Flambae’s glued to his side. He keeps complaining when anyone else takes him away for a tearful (sobbing) hug, insisting that they’re all crowding him when really he’s the one shoving himself into Robert’s space every few minutes. 

Robert doesn’t mind; the coldness after coming back always intensifies the ache, and Flambae’s heat is soothing. He lets the hero bully his way up next to him and act as a space heater, and Flambae takes his approval and runs with it. He hovers around him, sometimes reaching out and physically drawing Robert closer, sometimes just standing without touching, emitting waves of comforting warmth. 

And he continues to do so for days, weeks, past the point where it stops making sense, past the point where it stops being appropriate. He no longer hovers; instead he practically throws himself at Robert like he can’t help it. He just shows up out of nowhere in the bullpen or the breakroom or a crowded bar and bodily drapes himself over Robert, clinging on for a few minutes before pulling himself away and quickly reverting to his usual bluster. 

They get a few weird looks, but Robert chooses not to say anything, assuming Flambae’s still traumatized from watching him die. He figures if this is what Flambae has to do to soothe himself, it’s far from a chore for Robert to endure it. It’s actually really nice; Robert naturally runs cold, so the heat is welcome—on most days.

(There are a couple days when a heatwave hits Torrance and Robert has to temporarily put a stop to the clinging, and Flambae spends those days moping around the office, pouting glaring at Robert from across the room.) 

All in all, Robert's relatively unconcerned with this particular coping mechanism.

Meanwhile, Flambae is definitely still traumatized by Robert’s death. Sometimes he wakes up in the middle of the night half convinced Robert is still gone, and he can't go back to sleep until he calls him and hears his voice.

But he also just wants to be closer—to touch his skin, to run a hand through his hair, to ward off any interested parties warm him up.

Okay sorry @visuky I had to put this here because you really got me thinking and I have a stupid amount to say and I don’t think it’ll fit in a comment

So Robert’s normally pretty quick on the uptake in matters of attraction—the problem is that all of Flambae’s weird behavior can be directly traced back to Robert’s death. That’s when the clinginess started, that’s when Flambae began hovering around him, and that’s when Robert started feeling amber eyes on him whenever he enters a room. 

And Robert is smart, okay, he’s connecting things. He knows Flambae has a history of anxiety, and he also knows that while he’s never killed anyone, his profile listed his birthplace as Herat, Afghanistan. 

He doesn’t know when Flambae immigrated to the US, but he knows that Afghanistan has been pretty consistently embroiled in armed conflict since the 70s, and that it’s possible Flambae witnessed some traumatizing things as a kid. It’s not too far of a leap to assume that Robert’s death brought back some disturbing memories, and that Flambae is using Robert to cope with that. 

It doesn’t help that since Flambae’s in such deep denial, that dumbass is doing everything he can to make it look like he doesn’t actually care about Robert. When he isn’t clinging to him, he’s on the opposite end of the spectrum—calling him a bitch, insulting him, making fun of his (nonexistent) dating life and scrawny body. He’s trying really hard to make everyone think he’s not into Robert at all, and since he never showed any outward indication of attraction before Robert died in front of him, Robert firmly believes him. 

He’s also not the only one to have picked up certain habits after Robert’s death. When they go out to bars, Coop and Punch Up tend to sort of guard their group, watching for threats even as they drink and have fun. Malevola stays close by, just in case Robert needs healing, and Sonar always keeps one ear turned toward Robert’s direction. They all refuse to let him leave a bar by himself—one of them always takes him home and makes sure he gets inside. 

So even when Robert does start to feel something for Flambae—when he finds himself admiring his body or tracing the cut of his neckline with his eyes or itching to touch his long hair—he doesn’t do anything about it. Flambae is a valued member of his team, and he refuses to take advantage of his trauma. 

It makes sense, since Robert never? had anyone witness his deaths before, I feel like he’d be pretty torn up about inflicting this trauma to Flambae and the team.

While some of them had dealing with death before (either killing or seeing people be killed), it might have been the first time for some of the crew to see someone (or someone close to them) die in front of them.

I’m thinking Waterboy of course, but also Prism or Golem, or even Sonar (EDIT: I just remembered that Sonar might have eaten people before u_u). They had lesser charges compared to the others, so they might not have been in close quarters with death before.

Robert would be more accommodating of their meddling, I feel, no matter how bothersome they might be, to ease his guilty conscience.

For Flambae, like you said, Robert knows enough about him to guess why it shook him so much. For someone who needs to always be in control, having Robert die right in front of him must have triggered memories.

When Robert starts having feelings, I’m sure the guilt is back tenfold: not only did he give the man PTSD flashbacks, but his touch starved mind is equaling Flambae’s response to trauma to affection. And since Flambae’s made plenty sure to state to whoever might listen that he did not like Robert, Robert’s going to sit in his feelings and his guilt and not do a thing.

Robert’s immortality is his oldest and most well-kept secret. No one has ever seen him come back to life—there were a couple times a villain killed him in a fight, but they got out of there before really seeing the aftermath and just chalked up Mecha Man’s continued survival to him not being as injured as they thought 

But no one he knows personally has ever seen him die, and he never really considered how traumatizing it would be. He’s so used to the whole resurrection thing that he’s gotten numb to how actually fucked up it is

I’m thinking Flambae was the only one there when Robert actually died, since that creates an angsty little bond between them, but it definitely wasn’t any less disturbing for the others to see his body when they got there

I think there’s even more angst possibilities if we imagine that, instead of this being the first time certain team members have seen someone die, it’s the first time someone they care about has died as a result of their inaction. Maybe they were fucking around and weren’t where they were supposed to be, so when they got the distress call it took them longer to get there than it should’ve. Maybe Flambae himself just barely made it in time to watch Robert die, while the others arrived not long after 

I think this would hurt a lot more because there would be a lot of guilt/personal accountability tied up in it. Specifically I think it would hit Malevola and Waterboy the hardest as the two healers of the team (if Waterboy has his holy water spit thing). They’d constantly be thinking of what they could’ve done to help Robert if they’d just been a little earlier, if they’d just gotten to him before he took that last breath 

Also in keeping with your original idea, I do think this might be the first time Waterboy has seen death like this (depending on what the situation is with his parents), so it would affect him really badly. Like a lot of people, I headcanon that everyone on the Z-Team has mandatory therapy sessions, and I think specifically Waterboy (but probably a few others as well) is going to be double booked for the foreseeable future 

So yeah, everyone’s acting way more affectionate/hypervigilant around Robert than usual because number 1, they’re just glad he’s alive, but number 2, they feel intensely guilty/responsible for his death in the first place 

So Robert’s seeing all of this behavior from the others, and Flambae’s behavior doesn’t appear that different aside from lasting a lot longer, so he just assumes it’s more trauma. Maybe he thinks it’s just especially bad for Flambae because he was the only one to have to watch him die (again, connecting back to Robert’s assumptions about his childhood)

And Robert’s feeling guilty for causing all this strife in the first place (because of course he blames himself for dying in a way that traumatized other people), so he’s that much more careful not to show it when his feelings start to change. Even if he really, really wants to.

Meanwhile Flambae’s fighting internal demons trying to convince himself and everyone else that he doesn’t like Robert Like That at all. He just wants to be around him and protect him and scare off any potential girlfriends/boyfriends and touch his hair and trace his freckles and—

Basically the premise is that, when Shroud kills Robbie, he doesn’t just take him out. He gets the Astral Pulse and the Mecha Man suit. Robert never gets either. There is no Mecha Man Blue in this universe, no inheriting the suit, no getting to carry on his father’s legacy, no tragic hero path where he still has that armor between himself and the world. Shroud takes the Astral Pulse and uses it to turn himself and the Red Ring into an absolute nightmare in LA, building stronger power sources, better weapons, and eventually augments that can strip people of their free will.

As for the suit, Shroud doesn’t wear it. He tore it apart for scraps years ago. The only piece he kept intact was the helmet, because of course he did. Just Robbie’s helmet kept like a fucked up trophy. So Robert doesn’t even get the comfort of knowing his father’s work is out there somewhere waiting to be reclaimed. It was gutted. Used. Repurposed. The face was kept.

And since Robert never becomes Mecha Man, he becomes something much worse.

He fakes his death, ditches being Robert Robertson, and starts going by Blue when he’s out and about. Not as a vigilante name, just as the name he uses because Robert is supposed to be dead and staying dead is the only thing keeping Shroud from coming after him directly. He’s 16 when all of this starts, and for the next 15 years he turns himself into this awful little urban legend in the Red Ring’s walls.

He never gives himself a name, but people start calling him Stray, and he just kind of accepts it because whatever, names are tools. The Red Ring starts talking about him like a bad omen. There’s a stray in the vents. The Stray hit another shipment. Don’t leave that access point open, that’s how the Stray got in last time.

He’s not a clean heroic vigilante either. He’s leaner and fitter than canon Robert because he had to be, but still small-framed and scrappy rather than some big polished brawler. He fights like an animal. He bites. He hacks, steals, sneaks, sabotages, crawls through vents, uses knives and tasers and broken glass and whatever else he can get his hands on. He has way more scars because there was never a suit protecting him. He’s also done a lot of bad things over the years. Tortured people for intel, stolen, manipulated, sold his body for money and information, all of it. And he’s horrifyingly casual about it, because to him that’s just been his life for 15 years.

He's basically turned himself into a tool for killing Shroud and doesn't think about what that cost him because if he does, he’ll probably fall apart.

Then he ends up crossing paths with the Z-team during a Red Ring compound mission. He’s there stealing intel, they’re there to take the place out quietly, and both sides assume the other is Red Ring. He actually manages to take down Punch Up, Prism, and Sonar through dirty tricks and being a prepared little freak, which is insane for a powerless guy but also very much not sustainable. Golem finally gets him contained and starts suffocating him, and that’s when Flambae recognizes him.

Because Flambae and Stray have history.

Years earlier, Flambae was doing hired help for the Red Ring and ended up fighting Stray during one of his infiltrations. Just like in canon, Stray was responsible for Flambae losing his fingers. But in this version, Flambae doesn’t resent him the same way he resents Mecha Man in canon. Because, not only did Stray not send him to jail, but losing his fingers eventually got him close with his sister again, which helped push him out of villain work and toward accepting the SDN’s Phoenix Program offer. So Flambae is, in a weird way, kind of grateful to him.

Robert, meanwhile, is absolutely not grateful for Flambae.

Because Flambae left him with horrific burn scars across his back. Bad enough burns that Robert had to hunker down for months to recover, which meant missing Red Ring opportunities, losing leads, and falling behind Shroud.

Which is great because Flambae’s interest in him makes sense way before Robert is ready to deal with it. Flambae knows Stray as the vicious little bastard who changed the course of his life, and once they’re forced into each other’s orbit again, he starts seeing past the teeth and knives and alley cat behavior into the damaged, brilliant, furious person underneath. Robert keeps trying to push him away, but Flambae is one of the few people who can actually take what Robert throws and throw it right back. He doesn’t flinch, doesn’t pity him, doesn’t try to soften him into something easier. He just stays.

Robert has no idea what to do with that.

Their dynamic starts out so hostile. Robert resents him, Flambae needles him, and everybody else has to suffer through the world’s worst tension. But the thing is, Flambae being sharp back actually makes him safer to Robert than people who are too gentle too fast. Robert knows how to survive anger. He knows how to survive roughness. What he doesn’t know how to survive is someone being angry with him and still staying.

As for the rest of the AU, the Phoenix Program is different because the SDN is desperate. Shroud and the Red Ring have taken out so many heroes that the SDN starts recruiting villains with the promise of expunging their records if they help fight the Red Ring, no pulling anyone out of prison. The Z-team are basically the people crazy or desperate enough to say yes.

Prism joins because Shroud tried to force her into being his propaganda face, and Flambae encouraged her to take the Phoenix Program offer with him. Sonar got himself way too deep into Red Ring financial work and went to Malevola for help getting out, so she joined the program with him. Coupé joins because she learns the Red Ring is augmenting assassins who refuse them and stripping away their free will. Punch Up did Red Ring work a while back, decided it had gotten way too monstrous, and had been ducking them for years by the time he and Coupé joined. Golem was found and used by the Red Ring until Invisigal grew soft on him and got him out, so he joins because he wants to take the Red Ring down and help her.

Invisigal is still Red Ring in this AU because the Mecha Man explosion never happened. The team eventually captures her, Robert tortures her for information, and Golem is the reason they don’t just kill her or leave her behind. She ends up becoming a spy for them and eventually joins the Z-team after everything is over, which leads to her and Robert becoming weird, volatile friends.

Waterboy also gets hired as a hero immediately instead of starting as a janitor because the SDN can’t afford to be picky. He was supposed to go to another team, but Robert meets him, initially judges him for being pathetic, then very quickly sees too much of his younger self in him and gets weirdly possessive. So Waterboy becomes Z-team because Stray has apparently adopted him and no one wants to argue with the feral man with knives.

Chase and Robert are also way more volatile here. Chase is overjoyed and devastated to find out Robert is alive, but Robert is furious with him in a way that is deeply unfair and very much trauma brain. He blames Chase for not being there, not finding him, not saving him, not stopping him from becoming this. Eventually Chase gets badly hurt because of a decision Robert makes, and that’s what finally cracks Robert open enough to admit that what he really wanted was for Chase to have been there when everything was at its worst.

But

(This is a ramble post, please bear with me and my unorganized adhd thoughts lol)

He tried being a hero, but he became Mecha Man at 16. He was hurt, angry, a kid.

People liked Astral better. People didn't like that the new Mecha Man acted like an angsty teen. People didn't like that sometimes, people would get hurt because of the New Mecha Man.

So, Robert stopped being a hero. Started out as more.. Anti Hero? He wasn't a villain, hated Shroud, knew in his heart that if push came to shove, he would kill Elliot Connors. No question about it.

Then it started getting worse, he started doing more dangerous shit. Building explosives and weapons, making the Mech more lethal, doing all this stuff.

He never wanted to hurt people, but thats where it led. He became a proper villain by the time he was 19. 3 years, and that was it.

He's more the mad scientist type. Like Shroud, he can make augment type things but he really only uses them on himself or the mech. He builds inventions, the Mech is incredibly dangerous.

The news calls him "Mecha Man Red." He thinks its corny as fuck, but doesn't have a better name. He doesn't exactly name his inventions.

He's seen many articles about him. How he ruined his family legacy. He's seen interviews with Track Star about how he's so disappointed in Mecha Man, and how he strayed from his family.

That one stings the most, really. Didn't Chase understand? Chase saw how he grew up, how he pretty much raised himself.

He's still responsible for Flambae's fingers. Still responsible for Flambae going to jail, its just. Not heroic. Mecha Man is spiraling, Shroud broke out of prison and he's going crazy trying to find him. Flambae was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Flambae loses fingers and goes to jail, Mecha Man loses his mind.

The mech still gets blown up, but Robert doesn't end up in a coma. He takes whatever parts he can, stuffs them in his apartment, and hides out there. He can barely go out to get food for himself, the only reason he leaves his apartment because of Beef.

Hey, he might be a villain but animals haven't hurt him. Let a man have his dog. Beef is the only thing that keeps him going, most of the time.

And then he ends up getting jumped. By a bunch of thugs in skittles colored ski masks. Normally he'd be able to take care of it no problem, but he hasn't been eating right, he hasn't worked out, he's been hiding out in his apartment. And Blonde Blazer saves him.

They're talking, Robert is nervous but he's pretty sure she doesn't know who he is. She does. She reveals it very quickly.

The only reason she doesn't arrest him? Chase has a soft spot for him, still, and Robert has been talking about his dog.

She makes him an offer. Join the phoenix program as a dispatcher, learn to be a hero and mentor, help the z team, stay out of prison. Or, he can go to jail.

He chooses the former, obviously. He's unstable, especially without Beef. If he can't be with Beef? Man, he'll get worse.

He gets an ankle monitor to watch his location, he hates it, but if he messes with it, he'll probably go to prison. And its only Blazer who has his location, he made sure of it. Well, and Royd when they get closer.