Chapter Text
If only I had just stayed in bed all day…
Mandy stared down at Herman like he was changing colors. Maybe he was, a new inconvenience of his powers or something. She crouched down to his level, hands on her knees. Herman had seen faces like hers before, flinching into sympathy and pity to hide their underlying disgust. A natural, human reaction to a freak like him.
“Killed him? What are you talking about? Robert’s fine! Well, as fine as someone who totally got the shit beat out of him but—”
“Wait what? H-he’s okay?” Herman felt a whole day’s worth of air surge back into his lungs. His intrusive thoughts screeched to a halt at the confirmation of Robert’s safety. He’s ok.
“Yes! Yes. He explained everything, don’t worry. He wanted me to tell you he was all good and get his homework. What’d you do to get him to actually start taking his schoolwork seriously?” Mandy laughed to herself, brushing her thighs off as she stood up. She extended a hand to Herman, for a second time today, helping him back to his feet.
“I…I’m not—sure. I don’t—I don’t really…” Herman glances at Mandy from behind his bangs, watching as she eyed him uncertainly and turned towards the main entrance.
“It’s no biggy. Do you want to see him?” Mandy asked offhandedly, opening the door for Herm. Herman, unsure of what to do next, ducked through the doorway, stuttering through excuses of why Robert wouldn’t want to see him.
“You guys are friends, right? I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. Might actually do him some good.” She flashed him her signature press-release smile before gesturing to a rundown, grey hatchback. There was another figure sitting in the front seat, tapping their fingers impatient against the steering wheel. The driver’s side window rolled down comedically slowly, revealing a middle-aged black man with a displeased glare.
“Amanda, who the hell is this?” The man pulled his sunglasses down his nose to study Herman closely, his intense eyes sending shivers up the younger man’s spine.
“Chase, we’ve talked about—”
“H-hi! M-m-my n-name i-is—” I’m gonna throw up again…
“Ohhh, Harvey, right? Robert’s little fuc—friend… Well, get in,” the man huffed, rolling up the window again.
“It–it’s H-Herman—”
"Just ignore him. He’s a pain in the ass, but he’ll warm up,” Mandy grumbled, rounding the car to hop into the passenger’s seat. Herman followed her lead, taking his place behind her in the second row.
“I’m Chase, by the way. Robert’s uncle, not like it’s worth anything. He never calls or anything, ungrateful brat.” Chase rolled his eyes in the rearview mirror, turning the key to start the car. The older man chatted away, spewing insults and curses as he explained all the ‘fuckups’ he’d had to save Robert through in the past ten years like it was casual chit-chat. Herman did his best to be attentive, but he was far too worried about soaking the backseat (and seeing Robert), which in turn only made him drip more.
“Chase, can you please be quiet? Herman’s already stressed out as it is, he thought Robert was dead until I came and told him otherwise,” Mandy glanced back at the younger man, who was fidgeting with his hands and worrying his lip between his teeth.
“Dead? That’s fucking stupid, Robert’s a dumbass but he’s not that much of a dumbass,” Chase tapped his fingers again against the wheel as they stopped at a red light, his eyebrows pressed together in annoyance. Herman just wished he could get out of the car; it was all too much for him. Too many new noises, smells and social expectations.
“I…I didn’t kno—wasn’t sure. He…he was blood—hurt. Bad.” Just thinking about the fight made him nauseous…Don’t think about it, don’t remember. Just shut it out. He’s ok. It’s ok.
“Well, he’s fine, just a bit worse for wear. Don’t get your panties in a twist,” Chase chuckled, even though Herm found the situation anything but funny. Each of Chase’s crude jokes made him redder and redder, he wasn’t used to this kind of treatment or language from adults.
“Kid, stop steaming up the car, you’re fucking with the mirror!”
“S–sorry…”
After what felt like a millennia, they pulled into the hospital parking lot. The building reminded Herman a bit of his school; brick, old and imposing. They parked, then walked in through the automatic double doors into the lobby. The whole building smelled sterile, a burning kind of feeling that was unnaturally pure.
Herman had always been sensitive towards scents, even more than his other senses. The blazing overhead lights, excessive beeping and chattering combined with the harsh chemicals made his head spin. He was thankful they could go to Robert’s room after they were each checked in as visitors.
Normally, they wouldn’t allow so many people in at once, but since Robert was getting discharged in a moment anyways, they were more lenient. The nurse at check-in gave Herman’s drenched state a harsh double-take before handing over their visitor stickers, their eye twitching as Herm’s sticker failed to adhere to his damp shirt. No matter, the trio made their way to the elevator anyway.
Robert was on the third floor, situated far away from the main staircases and elevator. They started down the cold white hallways, Mandy leading at a brisk walk with Herman trailing close behind. Chase dragged his feet like a child, muttering incomprehensible remarks as they went.
Robert’s hospital room was small, lit only by a tiny window covered with blinds. All of the thin curtains that had once surrounded his bed had been pulled away, revealing his sleeping form. The teen was curled up on his side, breathing softly between monitor beeps. It was the most relaxed Herman had seen him, his normally tired face was smooth and placid. Robert’s shaggy brown hair fluttered over his forehead, and his hands curled up close to his face, clutching the thin hospital blanket. He looked so small, all of his fight and personality melting away as he slept.
A soft, fluttering part of Herm wanted to reach out and touch him, feel the warmth of his skin in contrast to the cold hospital air. To run his fingers through his hair and smooth all the injuries from his face. Such a disgusting, vile part of him. A part he pressed back up into his ribcage, forcing it to sit in silent vigil behind his aching heart. Herman longed to touch everything that he would destroy, as if it would not melt away like paper between his slick fingertips. He always was a greedy, misbehaving thing, his mother had told him. Instead, he would slice at himself to keep his emotions from dirtying up everyone else, a small price to pay to prevent disaster. Born to be untouchable and touchless.
Herman was jostled from his thoughts as Mandy rounded the bed to shake Robert awake. He bit his lip to keep himself from stopping her, from begging her to let him live in peace for just a moment more, but the rational part of his mind won over the obsessive. Robert woke with a jolt, brown eyes flying open with a violent intensity, staring directly through Herm with the fearful fire of a caged animal. The metal bed jostled loudly as Robert sat up, groaning with the motion.
“Jesus, Mandy,” he choked, his voice deep and harsh from sleep and repeated blows to his neck. Robert rubbed the sleep from his eyes, his hands still bandaged and red. Herman did his best to blend into the wall, but his shifting presence caught Robert’s eye.
“Herman? What are you doing here?” Robert looked at him, his eyes softening slightly. Herm was able to take in the extent of his injuries now; there were many deep cuts, now stitched, with one large gash running across his nose. Both of his eyes were bruised, and his lips were swollen and crusted with blood. Robert’s throat was bruised as well, with a boot-shaped mark lingering between his exposed collarbones. The teen looked even more exhausted than usual, any restfulness of his sleep seemingly gone the moment he awoke.
“Hi. S-sorry, I can go—leave, if you w-want.” Shoes squeaked on the tiled floor as Herm shuffled anxiously.
“No, stay. Please. Thank you for coming,” Robert smiled, chipped teeth visible behind bruised lips. Herm did his best to return the gesture honestly, but his usually bright smile was wobbly, his heart heavy with worry. The room is still, Mandy looking between the two teens thoughtfully, the quiet only broken by the beeping of the machines.
The silence was broken as Chase entered, twisting open a Dr. Pepper and drinking a swing. The older man took his place on a stool at the base of Robert’s bed, sighing and side-eyeing Robert casually.
“Did you end up getting any sleep? They’re gonna discharge you soon.” Chase took another drink of his soda; Robert licked his lips jealously.
“Yep. Feeling a bit better. I think the rest of the sedatives wore off. I’ll be all good once I’m back home and out of this gown,” Robert laughed weakly, plucking at the blood and sweat-stained hospital gown that clung to his bony chest. He released the thin material and huffed, his face downturned and facing away from Herman.
The whole room felt tense, an unspoken conversation brewing, like the drop in barometric pressure before a storm. Herman just hoped that Mandy and Chase would wait until he was gone to rip Robert a new one, he wasn’t sure what mistakes he’d make if he had to witness that.
A soft knocking disrupted their stewing, a young doctor waited in the doorframe holding a clipboard.
“May I come in?” She asked, her cheerfulness contrasting the depressive mood in the room.
“Sure, sure.” Chase moved aside as she shuffled in, her cleanly pressed lab coat sticking out like a sore thumb in the dark room.
“Robert, I’m glad to see you are awake again, how are you feeling?” The doctor addressed Robert, looking up past her clipboard at the teen. Robert shrugged and brushed the matted hair from his face.
“I’m ok. Still sore. The meds definitely helped, thanks.” Robert reached to touch the back of his neck, a nervous tick Herman had noticed often even from his short time of knowing the other teen.
“That’s expected. I’m going to send you home with a couple days’ prescription, and if you’re still experiencing pain beyond that, you can come back in and we’ll do another exam. Your concussion isn’t too bad, but you’ve had other head trauma before, so we want to keep an eye on that. You’ll also want to refrain from any strenuous activity for the next couple of weeks, and try to limit your alcohol and nicotine consumption–”
“YOU’RE SMOKING AGAIN?!” Chase pushed past the doctor to get up in Robert’s face. “Have I taught you fucking nothing!? Robert!” Robert turned away from Chase sheepishly.
“Mr. Robertson–” The doctor reached out to pull Chase back, but the older man stepped out of her reach.
“He’s not—”
“Ah hell nah—”
Robert and Chase spoke at the same time. They shot each other a heated look, before Chase continued.
“I’m not his dad, so don’t ‘Mr. Robertson’ me,” Chase hissed, going to grab at Robert’s collar before the teen ducked to avoid him.
“Chase please, can we talk about this later?” Robert mumbled, worrying the bedsheet fabric between his fingers.
“Fine, but just because wetboy is here and I actually want you to keep a friend for once.” Chase backed off, learning up against the far wall and crossing his arms.
“Don’t call him that,” Robert growled, his normally level voice dipping into a deep, angry baritone. Herm hadn’t even noticed Chase made a rude remark until Robert called attention to it. Why is he defending me, it’s no big deal… Herman felt himself flush again, hoping he wasn’t steaming.
“Sheesh! Don’t bite my fucking head off. Just listen to the doc.” Chase held his hands up defensively. Mandy looked between Robert and Chase, her face expressionless, long over their childish bitching.
“Anyhow, Robert. That’s the gist of it, I printed out some sheets with information about your recovery and future cosmetic recommendations for your teeth. They should be ok for now, but you’ll likely have to go to an orthodontist or dentist to get them repaired. You should also stick to a liquid or soft foods diet, just for the time being.”
“I’ve also included some pamphlets for local psychiatrists and therapists, as well as an addiction recovery program. Feel free to look at them if you’d like, no pressure of course. Hope you have a nice day, a nurse will be in shortly to prepare you for discharge.” The doctor gave one final, much weaker smile before setting a packet of papers at the foot of Robert’s bed and leaving the room.
Chase opened his mouth to speak, but Mandy grabbed his arm. “Chase, not now, please. Let’s go wait in the lobby until Robert’s ready to leave.” Despite his protesting, Mandy dragged the older man out into the hallway with a strength unusual for her stature. Herman admired her musculature, more noticeable now that she’d tied her sweatshirt around her waist. He was sure Mandy was someone beautiful; was she someone special to Robert besides just a friend? Stop thinking like that! That’s so weird…
Herman turned to follow Mandy and Chase out to the lobby but heard a soft voice behind him.
“Please, stay?”
He turned, Robert was staring at him from his hospital bed, looking much smaller compared to the rough-around-the-edges teen he had met the day before. His light gown and blankets swallowed him, covering most of his scars and bony limbs. The shorter man’s eyes were glassy, sad and pliant.
“Oh! O-of course.” Herman moved to sit on the stool Chase had occupied earlier, curling his thin legs up into himself in order to fit properly. Robert watched him, his whole body curled in on itself. He looked like a predator caged, so tired of fighting and ready to snap at any hand which approached him. But for now, he only observed silently, breathing shallow.
“S-sorry to c-come by—stop by una-announced…” Herman picked at his gloves, rubber fingers squeaking softly.
“’s fine. Sorry about Chase.”
“It…it’s ok. N-nothing new.”
“It’s not ok. You shouldn’t have to deal with that.” Herman could tell he was being sincere, but Robert was the only one who thought that way. He didn’t have the energy to explain to the older teen that regardless of how ‘nice’ he thought he was, the world would always view him as an inconvenience.
“Sorry you got hit—beat up.”
Robert chuckled, “Now that's definitely not your fault, those guys have had it out for me for months. You just got caught with me at a bad time. Hopefully you don’t think I’m a huge loser now, I promise I normally win my fights.”
Herm hated the way Robert’s confidence made his stomach flip. “N-no! You-you’re good. N-not a loser. B-but no more f-fighting, please.”
Robert just looked away, a guilty smile curling his stiff lips awkwardly.
The two teens sat in awkward silence, Herm rocking back and forth slowly while Robert picked at the bandages on his arms. A nurse appeared soon after, giving Robert a quick once-over and giving him the ‘OK’ to leave, before leaving again in a rush.
Robert got out of the bed slowly, wincing as his bare feet touched cold tile. Now fully exposed, Herman could see the rest of his injuries. There were fresh and faded scars littering his exposed arms and legs, some deep enough to warrant stitches, the telltale circular scars outlining some of the nastier injuries. His knees were badly bruised and scraped up, and more shoe-shaped bruises marked his forearms and legs.
Robert hobbled around the bed to a chair which held a fresh change of clothing that Mandy had brought. Herman watched as Robert began to untie the back of his gown, slowly maneuvering to expose his upper back and shoulders. He only recognized that the other boy was stripping once the bandages wrapping around his ribs became exposed, and the gown began to drop to the ground.
With a squeak, Herman turned around to face the wall, averting his eyes from the almost naked Robert. The tips of his ears burned with embarrassment. He’s so tired he didn’t even realize I was here…
“Oh shit, sorry Herm, used to stripping in front of the doctors and such. I’ll let you know when you can turn around.” Robert called over his shoulder, Herm nodded even though they couldn’t see each other. Herman did his best to distract himself from the sounds of rustling fabric and groans of pain, but the room was so sterile and quiet every movement reverberated around his head.
“Okay, all good now.” Herm turned back to see a fully dressed Robert, looking more like his usual self in a hoodie and jeans. They gave each other nervous smiles as they left the room, intent on getting out of the hospital as quickly as possible.
The drive back to his apartment was painful, physically and mentally. Firstly, Chase would not stop lecturing him on the importance of maintaining his physical health (like he was one to talk, using his powers despite their toll on his body), making the headache he’d gotten once he had stepped out into the bright hospital hallway even worse. Robert also felt his pain meds wearing off, and since they were packed away in his duffle bag (which had been thrown in the trunk to quote: make room for stringbean here), he’d have to suffer the half hour drive unmedicated. Finally, he was dead tired, and his nerves were shot from being on edge all day. He had worried that someone would let something slip about his alter identity, and that would be another mess he really couldn’t deal with.
Thankfully, Mandy was doing her best to placate Chase and do damage control, turning the music down and the air up. Herman, bless his heart, huddled on his side of the backseat, curled into himself to keep as much distance between him and Robert. Robert knew the other teen was anxious about his powers, but the emotional nature of the situation made him leak even worse, which only made his anxiety worse, thus perpetuating the cycle.
When they finally arrived in front of the apartment complex, the sun was setting and the lamps along his street were flickering on. Robert was the first through the front door, sighing as he soaked in the familiarity of his apartment. Mandy, Chase and Herman followed closely behind, Mandy carrying his duffle bag over her shoulder.
“You couldn’t even carry your own bag?” She muttered sarcastically, swinging the bag around to her front to hand it off to Robert.
“I’m in pain, remember? Now gimme the pills.” Robert played up his sass before making grabby hands at the bag. Mandy chuckled, dropping the bag into his outstretched arms before walking further into the apartment. Chase followed suit, commenting on how filthy the place was and calling him out on the dirty glasses he had left in the sink.
“Hey I wasn’t expecting company okay? Normally it’s better than this,” Robert lied, rummaging through his bag in search of the orange pill bottle. Herman stood hesitantly in the doorway, sticking his head into the room to look around curiously.
“Dude, you can come it, you’re not gonna fuck anything up.”
“Ah! O-okay.” The tall man ducted through the doorway, fiddling with his shirt absently as he entered the apartment. Robert sighed at his nervousness, he was so worried about taking up any space. Robert was thankful for him; Herm had functioned as a barrier between himself and Chase, even if just for a couple of hours. Having someone else around for such a painful experience was nice, Herman had no expectations for how Robert was behaving. It was a breath of fresh air compared to Chase’s (and his father’s) standards, and his fear of failing them.
And, hell, the guy was sweet. Highly considerate, not pushing any boundaries, and doing his best to keep Robert company after he asked. An out-of-character moment for Robert. sure, but presence was comforting in the cold hospital, and Herm hadn’t seemed to mind. And then there was the steaming. Robert hadn’t thought about how far Herman’s powers extended, just assuming the teen was cursed to be soaked forever, but when he turned back from changing to see trails of vapor ascending from his friend’s back, he couldn’t help but smile. Before then, he had been kicking himself for changing without warning the nervous man, but clearly Herm felt just as bad as he did. It was even more endearing because Herman didn’t seem to notice his predicament, turning back around to face Robert with the same timid smile he had grown used to in the last 24 hours.
Shit! It’s only been 24 hours…Don’t go getting attached, you still have plenty of time to fuck this up…
Upon finding his pill bottle and unscrewing it to take his next dose (he wished he could have taken a double dose, but he wanted to ration it until the next prescription came in), Robert kicked his shoes off and dropped his duffle bag by the door. Mandy had made herself busy throwing away empty chip bags and cans from a small pile that had accumulated on the counter. Chase had disappeared into the room which held the Mecha Man suit, careful to slip in while Herm’s back was turned and scooping up Robert’s discarded mask on his way.
Despite all of the shit he put him through, Robert was thankful for his mentor and friend. Chase had been a stable presence up until the last few months, a change that mostly occurred due to Robert’s own inaction, ignoring calls and visits from the man. He valued his opinion too highly to let him see the depths to which he had fallen following his father’s passing, too strong headed to accept his help. Imagining his face if he were to find Robert passed out drunk or covered in bruises was too much to bear, so he hid himself away from all the people who cared about him.
“Do you think you’ll be able to go back to school tomorrow? Mandy told me about your deal with your principle,” Chase said as he exited the spare room, wiping his hands on his pants and locking the door.
“How’d you find out about that?” Robert asked Mandy, who was leaning up against his dining table, smiling softly.
“Oh, I got to talking with Mr. Kim’s secretary, she let me know what the situation was. Then Herman came down and well…” She trailed off, glancing at the red-haired man who looked readying to melt into a puddle.
“Ah! Y-yes! Miss M-Mandy came a-a-and picked me—grabbed me and took me to you—to the hospital! No i-issues!” Herman was definitely not telling the whole truth, but Robert wasn’t going to press.
“Wait, you just took him out of school?” Robert hoped Mandy wouldn’t get in trouble, despite her heroine status.
“Oh yeah. I guess I didn’t ever ask…well, schools over by now anyways, and it turned out okay.” Mandy shrugged. “I’m sure Herman’s parents will be understanding.”
Herm gulped audibly, shaking slightly. “Yep!”
Robert didn’t really believe him, if Herman’s disposition was anything to go by, but it was late and he wasn’t ready to get into a fight about it. He sidestepped past Herm to grab a granola bar from a shelf above the sink, opening the wrapper and devouring it.
“R-Robert, what about w-what the doctor said?” Herm reminded him softly, looking down at him through thick eyelashes.
Robert swallowed, shit I totally forgot…, then slowly touched his teeth with his tongue. ”Oh yeah, whoops. My teeth feel ok, but thanks for reminding me. I really gotta be more careful. Thanks for looking out for me.”
Herm nodded, a familiar blush rising up his neck to his cheeks. “Mhm-hmh!”
The moment was interrupted by a muffled ringing coming from across the room. Chase reached in his pocket to find his phone, flipping it open and accepting the call in a fluid motion.
“Yes, Chase here.”
The other end of the call was too quiet to hear, despite Robert’s nosiness.
“Yes, she’s with me.” Mandy perked up, setting down the empty cup she was cleaning.
A pause, Chase’s face twitched.
“Okay, we’ll be there within the hour. Thank you.” He ended the call.
“Mandy, we need to leave now. Emergency.” Mandy nodded solemnly, turning back towards the front door.
“Robert, I’m sorry we have to leave like this. You know how it is. Will you be okay on your own for the time being?” Chase’s shift into tenderness was jarring. Robert was still on edge from the hospital, waiting for the older man to give him a brutal reprimand.
“Uh, yeah, I guess. Don’t worry.” What else was he going to say? Robert assumed that Chase and Mandy had just been called away on hero business, and it’s not like he was going to stop them, and he was far from healthy enough to try and assist.
“Chase, do we both have to go? I’m worried about leaving here alone.” Geeze, thanks Mandy. Robert knew she came from a place of love, but he was a grown man, he could take care of a few scratches and bruises.
“Yeah. Seems pretty urgent.” Chase turned his head up to the ceiling, deep in thought.
“Guys, just go. I’ll be fine.”
“Robert, you could have died if those boys were any rougher. You have a concussion for Christ’s sake. This isn’t something you can just shake off. Stop acting like you’re invincible.” It was rare for Mandy to chew him out like this, but even if she didn’t express her care verbally, Robert knew how much he meant to her.
She didn’t have much family left to rely on, and it wasn’t like they were the kind of people to show that kind of softness. Her love was in her selfless actions, her gentle touches, her endless energy and time for him despite her position. Hearing her say that, however, did something to sober him up a bit.
Mandy sighed, looking at Robert intensely. Then she turned.
“Herman, I know this is a big ask, but would you be able to stay with Robert for the night?” What?!
Herman looked just as surprised as Robert felt. “Huh? Me?”
“I know you and Robert don’t know each other very well yet, but you seem like a trustworthy guy, and I really don’t want Robert choking to death on something. I wouldn’t normally ask this of anyone, but we don’t have many options right now.” Mandy looked to Chase for confirmation, who just nodded. While it wasn’t ideal, it was not like they could call a nurse or anyone to watch Robert, and their concerns were legit.
The trio turned back to Herman, awaiting his answer.
“You don’t need to, if it’s too much,” Robert said, trying to keep the edge of apprehension out of his voice.
He was completely split here. On the one hand, inviting the other teen to sleep over was a big ask for their new friendship and a potential risk. But without monitoring, the risk of Robert re-injuring himself was higher, hell he disobeyed the director orders of the doctor within five minutes of walking through his front door. There was another, whispering part of him that was secretly excited to have someone to spend time with, even if that time just involved passing out in his unmade bed.
“I can do it.” The soft but sure voice cut through Robert’s thoughts. “I-I n-need to go—head home first. B-but I can b-be back in—soon.” Now that sounds more like him.
“Thank you, boy, I knew you were a good one.” Chase walked past Herm, giving him a hard pat on the back.
Mandy looked between the two teens. “Robert, you call me if anything happens. Leave your phone so Herman can use it, too. Herman, thank you. I hope we can get to know each other better, you seem like a nice guy. We can drop you off at your house, so you don’t have to walk.”
“T-thank you.” Herman turned to Robert, looking down at the older teen, “I’ll—I’ll be back. Soon.” He then turned and followed Chase out the front door.
“Seriously, Robert, Call if you need anything, I’ll figure out a way to get here.” Robert could tell Mandy wasn’t happy about leaving, even if he would be in Herman’s care. But there was nothing either of them could do, hero work came before all else, an oath they understood far too well.
“I will. Thank you Mandy, please be safe.”
“You know I always am.”
With that, the three closest people in his life left: His surrogate sister, his former babysitter-turned-uncle, and his tutor.