Chapter Text
Today was Robert’s first day as a dispatcher at the Superhero Dispatch Network, and he was standing in a crowded meeting room with his new team. He technically already knew his entire team, the Z-team, due to Blonde Blazer and Chase briefing him on everyone in the Phoenix Program.
The Phoenix Program is a glorified rehabilitation for former villains trying, and for the most part failing, to become respected heroes. Most of them want to improve themselves. Even then, they made their last dispatcher quit. Says a lot about them.
Here they all were, either staring at their phones or actually looking over at the heroes and waiting for them to say something so they could all get out of there.
Sonar sat slightly slouched in his chair, the half man half bat, all freak, as he calls himself. Harvard graduate who won’t shut the fuck up about it, even though he doesn’t even use his degree for anything. He’d somehow spiraled into drugs and crime shortly after graduation, as if graduating from Harvard made him immune to legal consequences.
Flambae leaned back in his chair with his legs up on the table, the flashy reformed fire villain who had multiple arson charges on his permanent record. Robert had crossed paths with him before joining SDN. Flambae was missing two fingers and one of his front teeth, props to Robert.
Invisigal sat in her chair with her arms crossed. She called herself Invisibitch before SDN, the reformed villain who can turn herself invisible when she holds her breath. A huge drawback that she had was asthma, which limited her ability to use that power. She really is a bitch and is super snarky towards everyone. Robert had met her earlier when he was changing, and she got to see him in his underwear.
Punch-Up was the only one who seemed interested in what the heroes standing up front had to say. He was a short man, like midget short, and was by far the friendliest former villain there. According to his profile, a sorceress granted him the strength of 10 men in exchange for his height.
Malevola stood leaning against a wall, half demon who was allegedly born in Australia. There was very little information on her, mostly because she had never been caught. Her ability to open portals pretty easily made her almost impossible to track down.
Golem stood awkwardly near the corner, literally just a sentient hunk of clay and dirt. He wasn’t nearly as malicious as the other villains, mostly for the fact that he didn’t really understand crime. Most of his charges on his record are lesser crimes than the others due to his size.
Prism was sitting on her phone, occasionally clicking her tongue. She was probably the most peculiar one out of all 8, as she was a former pop-influencer turned villain. She was quite literally flashy, as she manipulated light rays to flash at other people.
Coupé was sitting in the chair, occasionally looking up to glare at Robert. She was a former mob assassin with 68 confirmed kills. She has wings that are made of razor-sharp blades, used to kill her targets. She says she is a changed woman.
All 8 of the reformed villains, alongside Robert, Blonde Blazer, and Chase, were in the meeting room.
“This is Robert Robertson III, your new dispatcher,” Blonde Blazer announced, breaking the slightly uneasy silence. “Please don’t drive him to quit. He’s our last hope.”
The entire Z-Team burst into immediate laughter and insults.
“The third?!” Flambae cackled out between laughs. “Your mom must’ve absolutely hated you!”
“Yeah, sure,” Coupé added dryly, wings shifting with every laugh she let out. “Robert Robertson III is a totally believable name of a hero turned dispatcher.” She paused, waiting for Robert to say Blazer was joking about his name. “Oh, you’re actually serious?” She laughed harder.
Robert stood there, oddly calm, not seeming to be too bothered by their insults and laughter. His name and the laughter that followed it were the absolute least of his problems.
“How about all of you fuckin’ assholes shut up and let him talk?!” Chase snaps, already on his last bit of patience that’s left in him. After another half a minute of laughter slowly dying down, they had completely stopped.
“Yes, uh, thank you, Chase,” Robert said, rubbing the bridge of his nose briefly before straightening himself. “As Blazer so graciously said, I am your new dispatcher. Don’t worry, I won’t be leaving anytime soon. Must to any of your guys’ dismay.”
He paused, scanning the entire room.
Robert had noticed that a certain bat was paying especially close attention to him. Sonar has been staring quietly at Robert, throwing a chuckle or two after his name was said, but, for the most part, staying calmer than most of the others on the Z-Team.
“You may think that just because I look like the average Joe kinda guy and I’m gonna take your shit, you’d fucking wrong. I believe that a hero isn’t just saving people or getting people to respect you; it’s about acting like one. Believing you are one. You have to make others believe it just by talking to you.” Robert continued, glancing at everyone around the room.
Blonde Blazer and Chase both looked at Robert, thinking he was going to say something else, but he didn't, and they nodded to agree with him.
“Well, that's all,” Blazer said after the short silence. “Your shift starts in 10 minutes. Behave with Robert, please.” Groans echoed across the room, while Robert sighed quietly; already done with putting up with all of their shit.
Both Chase and Blazer leave the room, wanting to be prepared for the upcoming shift.
“Well, let's hope for a good shift everyone,” Robert states before leaving the meeting room shortly after the other two.
As Robert left the room, he noticed the bat rise almost immediately and quickly walk behind him. He assumed that Sonar was also just excited to leave that meeting room.
Robert was heading to the restroom, wanting to fix his hair and shake off the remaining nerves before his first shift started.
Sonar followed closely behind him. Robert didn’t think much of it, still thinking that the bat was just coincidentally following him while wanting to do what Robert felt like he needed to do.
The dispatcher had barely a second to react after Sonar placed his hand on his shoulder before he was shoved gently to the tiled wall.
Robert looked up at the slightly taller man, startled.
Sonar didn't say anything and just stared at Robert. He leaned in, and before Robert could process what was happening, their lips met.
It took the dispatcher a second to process what was happening before melting into the sudden kiss. Before he could stop himself, his arms slipped around Sonar’s neck and grabbed the neck of his collar.
The kiss was weird; it wasn't necessarily wanted or unwanted. Sonar's snout was pressed awkwardly against his lower face, fangs peeking out. It looked like it should be uncomfortable, but it was really the best feeling for Robert.
Robert let the bat dominate the kiss. Sonar deepened the kiss, brushing his tongue over Robert’s lips, asking for permission. Robert opened his mouth slightly while the bat’s tongue slipped into his mouth.
Sonar moved his hands off the wall and onto Robert’s hips.
After another minute, they broke away from each other, and both were breathing slightly more heavily.
“No one needs to know about this,” Sonar muttered, wiping his snout and looking away from the man he was just making out with.
Robert didn't remove his arms from the bat’s neck, pulse racing.
“That was…” He swallowed. “The best kiss I think I’ve ever had.”
Sonar dug in his pockets for a second, pulling out a wrinkled slip of paper and handing it over to Robert.
“My number. We can talk later. Shift’s about to start.”
Robert checked his watch. Two minutes until the shift started.
Sonar left without another word. Robert followed shortly after him.
During the entire shift, the dispatcher couldn’t focus correctly.
His thoughts kept drifting back to Sonar and the kiss, the suddenness of it, the intensity, and one question just couldn’t leave his mind.
Why did he kiss me after just meeting me…?
When the bell finally rang and everyone returned, the day was over.
Robert stayed just a bit longer afterward, finishing up some paperwork he put off until the end of the day. He sat at the desk, shoulders hunched slightly forward as he was writing. The sooner he got this done, the sooner he could get home to Beef.
He didn’t notice Sonar come up right behind him before the bat’s hand rested on his shoulder. Robert jumped and quickly turned around.
Sonar stood there, again, just staring at him. Seemingly with no expression.
“Hey Robbie.” The bat says, breaking the awkward silence between the two. “I kinda just wanted to apologize for earlier.”
“I don’t know what came over me in that moment,” He rubbed at his neck. “You just looked so good in the meeting room, and I –”
“Don’t be,” Robert interrupted. “I liked it.” He smiled at Sonar. The bat’s eyes grew slightly wider, his ear flicked, and his posture seemed to loosen up.
Robert pulled at Sonar’s tie, bringing him down to meet his lips. It was just a short kiss, nothing rushed or desperate. They were lucky that they were the last two in the office, besides Blazer, who was in her own office.
When they pulled apart, neither decided to speak right away. They just stood there, looking at each other.
“So,” Sonar started, breaking the small silence. “Are we like… Together now?”
“Only if you want to be,” Robert responded, smiling gently. “Which I am guessing you do.”
“Fuck yeah!” The bat exclaimed quietly, pumping his fist in the air once before catching himself. “I mean, cool, cool.” He cleared his throat momentarily, straightening his tie and standing up straight.
“There is one thing,” Robert adds. “We cannot let the others find out. I can’t deal with them once they start running their mouths.”
“Yeah, yeah. Of course. Anything for you, Robbie.” Sonar responds in agreement, nodding quickly.
The way the bat said it made Robert’s chest tighten. Sonar took a step back, giving Robert a bit of space.
“I’ll text you later,” Robert says.
“I’ll be waiting,” Sonar responded before turning around and leaving the office.
Robert sat there for a moment, watching Sonar leave before going back to finishing up the paperwork on his desk, smiling.
He finished up and went to Blazer’s personal office to give her the paperwork before leaving.
The cool wind outside gently hit him in the face, and Robert’s heart started to beat just a little faster as he realized that tomorrow is gonna be a little better.
But as he thought, he was worried that he would already fuck this up. He pushed that down and headed back to his apartment.