Just a fan who can barely write

Getting Sharjeela from daycare had a sort of tenseness. His daughter hadn’t picked up on it, but Robert was sorting through what to even say to his daughter.

Her papa had ‘gone away’. And now he was back.

How do you explain that to a four year old?

Then there was the added issue of Chase, who never met his husband and had no idea about anything except that he had been locked up.

All the photos and remnants of their time together were in a locked box or a storage unit.

With his daughter skipping beside him, he made his way back to his workstation to get Chase. He had washed his face, so hopefully it wasn’t too red and blotchy. And he had grabbed a spare uniform shirt, given that Zahir had snotted all over the shirt he came in with.

Despite Sharjeela’s rambling, Chase looked suspiciously at Robert who was silent. His eyes traced down his strained arm which held his baby’s hand.

Chase opened his mouth to speak, but Blazer whipped around the corner.

“We should all talk.” She paused for a moment. “Conference room A is open.”

Robert followed, his daughter trotting happily behind him.

When they got into the conference room they sat Robert down, who quickly hoisted his daughter into his lap.

“I’d like to say that was the best shift the Z-Team has ever had.” She smiled shyly, a way completely unbecoming of her image as Blond Blazer.

“Even with Invisigal and other members trying to go rogue?” Robert probes.

“Yes. That’s a problem they have.” Blazer tapped her lip.

“I want to meet them all, on Monday. They think I’m disposable so they’re going to keep ignoring me.” Robert pauses. “If you want me to fix the Z-Team, I need to be in charge.”

“Well, this is different then I expected.” Blazer chewed on her lip slightly.

“We were going to have you cut someone.” Chase laughed out. “I was hoping to cut them all, but unfortunately Blazer has the same amount of hope as Lenny with George’s gun to the back of his head.” Robert rolled his eyes and Blazer pursed her lips at the reference.

“Just give me some time to actually get to know the team.” Robert rubbed the bridge of his nose, his daughter tugging on his arm. “We were lucky that Za— Flambae stopped Invisigal. She was banned from Granny’s and really shouldn’t have been there in the first place.”

“I really have a lot of hope for Invisigal.” Blazer says plainly, her strangely placed faith in the lowest ranking member of the Z Team mildly irritating Robert the more she affirmed it.

“But what about everyone else? Don’t they matter too? The heros that do their job with minimal screwing around.” Robert ran his fingers through his daughter’s ponytail. “Flambae, Malevola, Punch Up. They do their jobs. Why should I spend all my energy babying Invisigal?” Robert took a second to breathe. “I’ll evaluate them all, set standards and those that fall behind get cut.”

“Okay, we hired you to help the Z Team, I’ll step back.” Blazer nodded, standing up. She put out her hands placatingly, then left. The door thudding closed quietly after slowly drifting shut. Leaving Robert and Chase with Sharjeela.

“What’s the minimum number of points the employed heroes get?” Robert asked blankly.

“100” Chase recited easily.

“Okay, so a minimum of 100 or else they get cut. I’ll give them some adjustment time, maybe see if I can have some of the employed heroes talk about how to increase scores.” Robert moved Shar over to his hip, bouncing her slightly as he walked to the door.

“Also, while we’re here.” Robert moved back to the table, setting Sharjeela down on it.

“Shar’s other father is back in the picture. I agreed to let him meet her.” Robert said quietly, leaning towards Chase so his daughter wouldn’t hear.

“I thought he was in prison.”

“He was.” Robert paused. “He’s out.”

“The only felons we have working here are on the Z Team.” Robert nodded, affirming Chase’s suspicion.

“And only one is from Afghanistan.” Chase seethed slightly. “You telling me that smarmy f—“ His eyes slide over to Shar, whose attention is fully occupied clicking a pen. “Is my grandbaby’s father?”

“Yes.” Robert nodded.

“And you married him?” Chase leaned in as he spoke.

“Yes.” Robert nodded, again.

“Sober?” Chase asked with a raised brow.

“Yes.” Robert rolled his eyes at Chase’s implication.

“Why?” Chase waved his hands around, looking mildly scatterbrained at the news.

“He was the love of my life.” Robert replied solemnly with a sigh.

“Whose fingers you cut off.” Chase folded the two fingers Flambae had lost.

“He doesn’t know that.” Robert shook his head slightly, glancing at his daughter who had taken out her clips, dark strands falling into her face.

“You married him, and didn’t tell him you were Mecha Man?”

“Well to be fair, he didn’t tell me he was moonlighting as an arsonist after his shifts at the bar.” Robbery shrugged.

“At least it isn’t thumbilina or bat face.” Chase shrugged.

“When am I going to have to deal with him?” Chase rubbed his hand over his face in fatigue. “You said he was meeting her.” He clarifies, gesturing vaguely in Sharjeela’s direction.

“I’m coming in early on Monday to see him, is it possible we could come in like an hour earlier?” Robert asked slowly, watching as Chase huffed.

“Fine, but I want to be there.”

“Why?”

“Adult supervision. Also if he gets too hotheaded, you don’t have powers.” Chase ducked his head slightly, almost reminiscent of his Track Star pose.

“Zahir is not abusive.” Robert snarled slightly at the accusation.

“Yea, but I remember those times after you visited him. You’d get shitfaced and cry, babbling about how angry he was and how he didn’t care about your baby.” Chase stated evenly. “I don’t trust someone who did that to you. I don’t trust someone who didn’t spare a thought for their newborn.”

Robert’s jaw tightened. No matter how much his concerns angered him, he wasn’t wrong.

“Okay.”

The drive home was tense, Sharjeela’s rambling the only thing to break up the silence.

When they got home, Robert started to cook. Lazily starting on Hamburger Helper as his daughter crashed on the couch, laying belly up like a beached whale, with her hair loosely falling around her head.

Robert couldn't resist taking a photo.

When the smell of Hamburger Helper woke her, Robert was near elbow deep in the pan, dutifully scraping the bottom because he didn’t want to burn it.

She padded towards the kitchen, sitting in the dining room and looking over the counter behind her at her father.

“Daddy, is it ready yet?” Robert shook his head before answering.

“No, it's not ready yet.”

“Daddy, do I get powers too?” Robert startled a bit at the question.

“What do you mean?”

“Those other kids, this morning. They had powers.” She fumbled a little. “Do I get too?”

“Maybe, your other dad had powers. You could be like me or like him. Or something else entirely.” Robert shrugged.

“I want blondie powers.” Robert finished scraping, he turned down the heat and covered it before washing his hands and walking to his daughter.

“Blonde Blazer?” Robert questioned, making Sharjeela nod furiously. “Why?”

“She’s pretty.” Shar traced the wood grain on the chair.

“She thinks you’re pretty too.” Robert watched her eyes light up.

“Really?” She nodded to herself. “I am very pretty.”

“Yes, you are.”

She was quiet for a bit. And then Robert watched as she tottered off, hearing the zip of her bag opening and rustling for a significant amount of time.

Then she bubbled back around the corner.

“See my drawing?” Shar questioned, already pushing her artwork towards him. It was slightly crumpled from her little hands.

“Oh sweetie, that’s amazing.” Shar jumped a bit in her seat.

“It’s you daddy.” She pointed at the abstract stick figure on the page.

“You made daddy look so good.” Robert nodded, grabbing a magnet and placing it on the fridge.

“Humburger Helper now?” Shar smiled deviously.

“No, you need to do your words first.” He walked the few paces to the table, pulling a stack of flashcards.

She groaned. “Then? After?” She buried her face into her arms, muffling her words.

“Yes.”

Robert flicked through the flashcards, allowing her to read the short words.

“She doesn’t need to know how to read yet.” Chase remarked dryly.

“My dad did it with me, it helps her get ahead in reading.” Robert justified, watching his daughter struggle through making the right vocal inflections to say cat.

When she finished, it was conveniently only a few seconds before he was even supposed to take the food off the stove.

He took it off the burner, using a wooden spoon to divvy it up into three bowls. He stuck an ice pack in Shar’s to help cool it down, mixing it in before removing it, leaving it warm to eat. He quickly rinsed off the ice pack.

He balanced the hot bowls, serving Chase and Sharjeela first before going back to get his own.

His daughter immediately dug in.

Robert hesitated, letting out a half breath, half interruption.

“Sharjeela?”

His daughter’s head perked up.

“Do you know how you have another dad?” Chase stopped moving, watching as Sharjeela nodded.

“Yea, papa. He's not here now.” She shrugged.

“That’s right, but he’s gonna come back soon.” Robert nodded slightly as he spoke.

“I can see him?” She smiled, flashing her pearly white teeth at her father.

“He’s going to come see you on Monday.” Robert paused. “We’ll need to get up early and then we can go see him.

“PAPAAA!” Sharjeela cheered, before redevoting all her attention to the Hamburger Helper.

“Well, she doesn’t seem to be concerned about it.” Chase replied dryly.

“I hope it stays that way.”

…..

It did not stay that way.

In fact, it was the exact opposite of not concerned.

It was 6 am and his daughter was demanding that she try on half her dresses to pick out the one her papa would love the most.

He had to veto that princess dress because he knew Sharjeela would start itching uncontrollably if she tried to play at daycare with it on.

It had been half an hour of zipping up dresses and a lot of frustration on both Robert and Sharjeela’s behalf.

Finally they had settled on something comfortable, a little pale green dress covered in foliage designs. Daisies bloomed all over her dress and the neckline featured cloth butterflies climbing around her collarbones.

Robert zipped and buttoned the dress and Shar twirled and didn’t screech about it looking bad.

She turned around, looking up at her father.

“Braid?” She traced her hairline, and wow did he regret letting Veronica (Vitality) come over and braid her hair.

Robert brought his daughter to the sink of the bathroom, brushing through her hair with a wet hairbrush. The wet hair at least made it easier as he made a mini waterfall braid, gradually adding more hair as he moved across her scalp, making what was essentially a small braided headband across her hairline. Thankfully this style also kept her hair conveniently out of her face.

He wiped her face with a wet towel, then gave her a toothbrush, allowing her to scrub her teeth while he buttoned his shirt up.

His daughter smiled brightly at him. And Robert opened the drawer, pulling out a butterfly clip, attaching it to the end of the braid, covering the elastic.

Sharjeela leaned over to the drawer, picking out a sparkly chapstick. Quickly uncapping it and moving her uncoordinated hand to attempt to put it on.

Robert quickly caught her, taking the chapstick and applying it carefully. Sharjeela turned to look at herself in the mirror.

“Perfect.”

Her mouth screwed up a bit, eyes darting over her appearance.

“Will papa like?” She turned back, her glowing brown eyes peering up at him.

“Papa will love you.” Robert kissed her forehead.

“You’re perfect.” Robbery parroted back to her, his face stretching into an affectionate smile.

Sharjeela nodded, an overly serious expression on her face and determination twinkling in her eyes.

Robert picked his daughter up and placed her gently on the floor.

She skipped around, way too awake this morning. Meaning she’d likely crash and fall asleep by midday.

She ate breakfast very quickly, gulping down her orange juice before running and grabbing her bag.

Robert quickly cleared the table, grabbing two containers of Hamburger Helper from the fridge for himself and Chase.

By the time they had packed themselves into the car, the sun was finally peeking out, but a majority of the sky was shrouded in darkness.

Sharjeela was uncharacteristically silent, choosing to pensively stare out the window during the entire ride to work.

When they were about halfway there, Robert’s phone buzzed.

Zahir: I’m here.

Robert nervously gulped in anticipation for what was bound to happen in just a few minutes.

When they pulled in, Robert had to pull himself up from his seat. He went on autopilot, unfastening Sharjeela from her seat and instead of putting her on the ground, propped her up on his hip and headed towards the doors of the desolate SDN building.

Robert followed the few lights that were on, leading an unsettling trail to the employee break room next to his cubicle.

Robert felt Sharjeela push her face into his shoulder, peeking out slightly when they entered the bright break room.

Zahir sat in one of the seats, black hair cascading down his shoulders and wearing another one of his silken button ups.

Chase shut the door, locking it and taking his position like a gargoyle. Back pressed to the door as he glared at Zahir.

Sharjeela peeked out again, looking at Zahir.

The second they made eye contact, Zahir’s face softened and his eyes sparkled with tears.

“Joon-am.” Zahir whispered to himself in disbelief. He blinked rapidly to dispel the tears clouding the vision of his baby girl.

Robert crept over slowly, placing her gently in front of her Papa.

Her dress unscrunched and swung slightly back and forth. She peeked up at Zahir, her gaze dropping down to her own hair and then back up at his.

“Papa?” Sharjeela reached out towards his hair and Zahir bowed his head, allowing her to run her fingers through his hair.

With his head down, Robert saw as teardrops fell on the floor, hidden from his daughter’s view.

Zahir wiped the tears off his face, peering up at his daughter from under his hair which partially shielded his face.

“Yes?” Zahir whispered back to his daughter.

“You’re back.” She smiled at him, putting a hand on his knee and attempting to climb up to him.

Zahir glanced at Robert, fingers twitching towards his daughter. Robert nodded, and Zahir’s fingers slowly wrapped around their daughter’s waist, tugging her up to sit on his lap.

“You’re staying now, right?” Sharjeela’s feet stretch across his thighs, fingers clutched in his soft shirt.

“Yes, I’m staying. Forever.” Zahir nodded furiously, the arm supporting her back tightening.

After a few moments of basking in each other’s presence, Zahir readjusted his daughter. Moving her to face him.

He cupped her face, eyes flickering over every feature. He committed each small detail to his memory reverently.

“Spark pretty?” She questioned, eyes boring into her Papa’s.

“You are the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen.” Zahir smiled, tears carving paths freely down his cheeks.

“Why sad?” Sharjeela’s face twisted in distress at recognition of his tears. She shifted, wrapping her Papa in her arms and furiously squeezing.

“No, Joon-am. I’m just so happy. I love you so much.” Zahir’s arms bundled his daughter tighter. He focused on imprinting her into his memory, holding her as close as possible, hearing her heartbeat and breaths.

A scuff drew Zahir’s attention for a moment. Looking up in time to see Robert wiping tears from his eyes.

Chase glared at Zahir suspiciously, eyes lingering slightly above his head.

Sharjeela burrowed closer into her Papa, folding her body into his chest, cheek resting on his shoulder. Her fingers moved, slithering her small palm into Zahir’s and intertwining their fingers.

Zahir felt her small body relax, melting on top of him as her breath evened out. He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

“Wa’rm” she muttered, eyes flickering closed.

Zahir’s expression morphed minutely, he looked star struck, face glowing with joy and wonder as he cradled his baby.

He looked up at Robert, a blindingly tender smile stretching his cheeks.

Robert looked at them, momentarily seeing a much younger Zahir with a swaddle in his arms looking proudly at his husband as if to say ‘look what we made’.

What should have been. The cool grief of it all rolling over Robert momentarily.

They stood there in silence. Chase eventually ambled over and sat at the table, Robert did so as well, but pulled up a chair next to Zahir.

Robert leaned slightly on his husband. Heat radiating from Zahir’s body and flickers of sparks flying off his hair.

The heat retreated for a second, Robert looked up at Zahir and gave him a stink eye.

But Zahir’s soft smile just twitched and he tilted his head towards his shoulder.

Robert took the indication, scooting himself closer and burrowing into Zahir’s side. Once Robert settled, Zahir warmed himself back up again. Robert’s body relaxed on reflex and he found himself similarly drifting to a murky place between wakefulness and sleep.

The faint jingle of the door brought Robert slowly back into wakefulness. Stirring him only for a second.

He glanced around the room, but found nobody and the door still firmly shut.

Zahir found himself reluctant to move, his husband at his side and his daughter cradled in his arms. A profound sense of rightness warmed his heart, he just didn’t know how he could ever let go.

Zahir felt both their heartbeats, drumming peacefully against him.

Robert’s was familiar, the strong beats played a soothing song against his arm.

Zahir’s fingers pressed gently into his daughter’s wrist, feeling her blood thrum rhythmically under his fingers. The life flowing through her veins, because she was here. His baby.

In this moment he had everything.

He glanced out and, watching as the shaded windows gradually grew lighter as people began to arrive.

And now, he’d have to part with it. Temporarily, he prayed.

Because if he did enough, instead of going back to his apartment alone, he’d have this every night.

He felt the weight of his world in his arms, and didn’t know how to disturb her. Instead, he nudged Robert gently, whose eyes quickly flicked open.

He groaned, but quickly took note of the increased brightness.

Then he looked at Zahir who wore a pained expression. Arms slightly tightening around his daughter.

Work was starting.

“You can carry her down to daycare with me.” Robert whispered, a soft smile dancing on the edges of his lips. He stood, guiding Zahir to do so slowly as well.

He readjusted his arms, catching where her weight shifted. He dutifully followed Robert, who led them through the winding halls of SDN before finally arriving at the daycare.

Zahir stayed, staring at Robert, pleading etched into his eyes.

“Stop by at my desk for lunch, we can go eat with her.” Robert offers.

Zahir nodded firmly, then he leaned down and peppered his daughter's face with kisses. Her nose scrunched and her big brown eyes opened drowsily.

She stretched like a cat, her back, legs, and arms all pushing away from herself dramatically.

“Papa?” She muttered, eyes focused solely on Zahir.

“It’s time to go to daycare.” Robert reminded her. Her face scrunched up in annoyance.

“What about Papa?” She mumbled in a slightly accusatory tone.

“He’s coming to see you at lunch too.” Robert reassures her.

Sharjeela looked up at Zahir, arching a brow at him.

Zahir confirmed it with a nod. “I’ll be there Joon-am.”

A smile spread across her cheeks, wiggling a little to hug her Papa tighter. “I love you, Papa.” She whispered to Zahir before loosening her grip and fidgeting until Zahir set her feet carefully on the ground.

Robert glanced at Zahir, stifling a giggle at the fact that flames flickered around his ears.

Zahir didn’t notice, his total focus on Sharjeela as she hugged Robert’s leg.

“Love you, Daddy.” She smiled up at Robert, slowly creeping towards the door but struggling to turn away from them.

Finally the door opened and shut. The sound of it closing echoing through the hall.

Robert turned to head back to his desk, but a hand wrapping around his bicep stopped him.

Robert glanced back, eyes meeting with Zahir’s teary ones. Zahir moved slowly, telegraphing his movements as he moved Robert against the wall, arms wrapping firmly around him and Zahir’s face ducked into Robert’s shoulder.

“Thank you, just thank you so much. This is the best day of my life.” Zahir choked slightly on his words, fingers curling into the fabric of Robert’s shirt. Zahir’s quick breaths blew unnaturally warm on Robert’s shoulder.

‘The best day of his life…’ Robert mulled over his words. ‘And it’s only 8:30.’

Robert squeezed him back gently.

Zahir reluctantly pulled himself away, quickly wiping any salty dryness from his face.

“We have to get back, I have to get the Z Team together for a meeting.” Robert said with forced professionalism.

Zahir nodded, trailing behind Robert until he picked up his headset, automatically connecting to all available members of the Z Team.

“Hello, it is Robert Robertson, your dispatcher. Please meet in Conference room B by 8:50. Don’t be late.” Robert looked back up at Zahir who wasn’t dressed in his hero attire.

Robert clicked off his headset and set it down.

“Don’t worry about changing, I’ll give you 20 minutes after the meeting to get ready.” Robert stated before walking to Conference room B, giving Zahir a moment to collect himself.

The Z team slowly filtered in, they looked exactly like their photos, which was helpful as he reflected on the information he had regarding each of them.

Malevola appeared seconds before it hit 8:50. Robert glanced at the door, Flambae still wasn’t here yet.

Robert sighed, rearing himself up to speak when the door was pushed open and Flambae entered. Still in his casual clothes but looking less puffy eyed and red then before.

He dropped into the closest open seat next to Prism who had been eyeing Robert suspiciously the entire time.

“Okay.” Robert started. “Blonde Blazer and Chase were planning on having me cutting one of you.”

A ripple of discomfort surged through the room.

“But, unfortunately, Chase and Blazer are no longer in charge of you all. I am.”

“What fucking super hero group did you come from? The fucking geek squad?” Prism laughed, her eyes holding a sharpness that wasn’t in the slightest humorous.

Flambae perked up, eyes widening in shock at Prism’s jab. His husband was never a hero…

but he was here, meaning he was.

“It doesn’t matter where I’m from Cardi-C. I’m here to see who can make this program work.” Robert paused. “So I’m not just cutting one of you, I’m cutting everybody who doesn’t start making a hundred point average in the next three weeks.”

Discontent ripples through the room. Mumbled objections and sarcastic comments buzz around the room for a moment.

“Most people when they look around this room would see a bunch of villains, not even the super kind, just regular ass vanilla fucking villains.” Robert paused scanning over the faces of each person sitting at the table.

“Luckily for all of you, I’m not most people. When I look around this room, I see…”

His gaze landed on Flambae.

“Fear.” Robert begins to move around the table. “You’re afraid that you’re going to fuck it up again. Like the last time someone gave you a shot, and the time before that, and the time before that.” He punctuated each repetition.

“You’re afraid of letting people down again, you’re afraid of letting yourself down.” Robert took a steadying breath. “If you want this time to be different then those other times, I’m here to help.”

“I’m not just going to leave you by yourselves. If any of you feel you’re struggling to meet the minimum number of points, I’ll arrange a meeting with a higher ranking hero of your skill set. That way they can advise you on how to increase your performance.”

“Any physical issues, we’ll design a device tailored to your disability to help you succeed.” He stared at Invisigal.

“And if any of you have issues with other team members, come to me. Anyone caught sabotaging another member will have an automatic 20 point deduction from their score for each offense.”

“Play by the rules and work hard. Then none of you will be shoved back in your cells and left to rot.” Robert turned to leave, glancing back at the room to deliver one last thought.

“You’re phoenixes, so show me what redemption looks like.” Then Robert leaves, ignoring the chatter perking up behind him.

Flambae leaves seconds later, looking at Robert’s back for a moment before darting to the locker room.

His mind raced. ‘His husband was a hero? How could he have not known?’

‘Why hadn’t Robert told him?’

His mind hopped back and forth from different possibilities. Unfortunately all riding a one way track to the fact that a confrontation with Robert could lead to Sharjeela’s removal from his life.

So they had both been lying.

At least Robert’s reasoning had been admirable, a hero. Making the world a better place for their daughter. Flambae struggled to breathe, splashing his face with water to force mental clarity.

‘Whatever is going on, he has to be careful.’

He didn’t want the strand of hope, which had pulled him out from that prison, to snap, leaving his husband and daughter out of reach.

AN: So, Zahir is going to have some fun •~• I’m already halfway through the next chapter and I’m probably going to post it tomorrow, maybe today if I get enough motivation.

So, if you can’t tell, I don’t really like Invisigal? She’s a traitor who rides the line and waits for a strong wind to sway her one way or the other. I also don’t like blazer going ‘lol cut someone’ while having him give special attention to Invisigal. So I fixed the bits that annoyed me.

Invisigal has a pretty important scene next chapter which confirms some of ya’lls suspicions on when she’s there or not. Feel free to guess which ones, I did leave clues.