Chapter Text
There was nothing for a moment, pure emptiness, it didn’t feel like pain or the weight of a nuclear core, not that anyone had ever survived that to be able to tell Robotnik what it might feel like, quite inconsiderate really, he could have been at least a little more prepared. Really someone should have thought to write down the experience while they were dying horribly, why did he agree to any of this? He didn’t care about the world, only…
Well, it didn’t matter now did it, he was dying, or dead, he wasn’t really sure how long these shields would hold, he said what he needed to, Stone heard, he hoped Stone heard. He should have said more. It would never be enough.
Then it happened, a sudden force, the feeling of being pushed and suddenly, dislodged. He wasn’t there anymore, the machine it was gone, everything was gone. The fires were gone, the fear burning inside him, the grief. There was nothing left, only emptiness, he felt so tired, so tired. Just to close his eyes, only for a moment…
Now, Doctor Ivo Robotnik was too logical to think this was the afterlife, because if it was that would be some kind of cruel joke. But this certainly did look like his old laboratory. The same old trustworthy blue screens surrounded him. Sterile benches, chairs, the same labelled gearboxes and circuit boards and unfinished projects. It was eerie, if his memory wasn’t as perfect as it was he would be confused how he even remembered it in this much detail.
Fuck, his back really hurt. Everything did now he thought about it, he was getting old. Human weakness. He was still so tired. Looking up from the floor was certainly a weird angle, he should try and get up soon maybe, he had no idea how long he’d been out. Now that he thought it over this was definitely not the afterlife if he was still feeling the aches and pains of regular human existence, not that he was ever stupid enough to think it was the afterlife, he was too rational for that.
“Doctor?” Stone. It was certainly Stone. That same reassuring yet always slightly nervous tone, like he wanted to be there yet never knew quite the right thing to say. It was a lie though, Stone did always know the right thing, even when it was stupid. “Who are-“ He cut himself off, stupid and not self-assured Stone.
The Stone he knew would have come straight out with the questions guns blazing, ‘who are you? What are you doing here?’ each with a gun to the head of the intruder until he got the answers he needed. Okay maybe he would be a little nicer than that but he still got the job done, he had no idea why Stone had gone silent.
He wondered how Stone managed to save their old lab, how he even managed to find him, why he even would after he… After he left him behind. Hold on why did Stone say, ‘who are’ as if to say ‘who are you?’ because clearly he knew who he was, at least he should, he’d only been working for Robotnik forever and a day. He’d only been living with him for years and been his loyal henchmen. His one true friend.
It was definitely time to get up. Assess the situation and the like. With a grunt of effort he would forever deny making, he pushed himself to his feet, swaying slightly, and turning to face- okay this was a little troubling. He looked… Different. Different how? The Doctor wracked his exhausted mind for a moment before a bell went off in his head. “You look awfully young Stone,” Robotnik said, voice slurring slightly without him realising. Then he frowned, leaned closed to the other man, he did look awfully young didn’t he? Why, what was noticeably off about this Stone. “You haven’t even gotten that slight notch on your left ear from the Badnik a year ago, this is a little worrying, isn’t it?” Robotnik reached out and grabbed Stone’s jaw, tilting his head slightly, and the other man, mouth agape, just sort of let him.
Suit: One he had had tailored for the other man 7 years ago due to the fact his old classic one of the same material had been obliterated by an accident with a Badnik. It was made with nearly the exact same proportions but a little extra room in the arms, Robotnik had always noticed they were too tight for adequate movement, especially considering they had gotten bigger from excessive physical labour.
Hair: Cut slightly shorter than it was in present day, a personal choice made by Stone and one that while he noticed, he’d never comment on.
Face: Less worry lines, softer skin, younger, definitely younger. Robotnik did not realise just how close he was holding the other man until Stone let out a little gasp as they almost brushed noses.
Conclusion: this was certainly not the Stone he had just left behind, this was a Stone approximately 5 years younger and less exhausted, or more, who knew? Not him and his tired mind. “Doc, Doctor? Is that really, are you?” Stone stuttered out, “Are you my Doctor?” squirming in his hold, in a sudden jolt of fear Robotnik let go of the other man like he had been electrocuted.
“No kidding Stone, I don’t look that different,” He said. Total lie. He knew that very well. He looked bafflingly different. “Yes, I’m Robotnik, Doctor Ivo Robotnik,” he said. Even his Stone had done a double take after the Mushroom planet, but he had recovered a little better than this Stone. More practice. “To give you the benefit of the doubt, from my examinations of your physical form I seem to have been displaced around five years. A few things change in that time.” No expanding upon that. Not yet.
Stone stared at him for a moment before asking, “Why have you been displaced Sir? Is my- I mean, is this timeline’s Robotnik still here?” My, an interesting choice, the second time he’d used that pronoun, Robotnik wondered if Stone had always thought of him that way, a belonging to be kept safe and protected, it was a nice thought. “Why did, what happened to you?” Stone stuttered out, beginning to worry over him, giving him a once over, and Robotnik thought he looked surprisingly fine for a guy who had been nearly killed at least 7 times that day and definitely exploded in a nuclear disaster in space. Or not, because he didn’t explode, he was here, and there was no way this wasn’t real.
He suddenly felt rather dizzy, thinking about it, maybe whatever had happened had done more of a number on him than he first thought. Without meaning to he stumbled back against the cool metal desk behind him and Stone rushed forward without thinking twice to catch and hold him upright, “Doctor,” Stone said, voice low and frowning at him, “Is there anything I can do? Is there anything wrong?” He asked, voice holding such a note of genuine concern that Robotnik almost wanted to laugh.
What’s wrong with me? Stone if only you knew. “Running theory, dislodged from my timeline due to the power of a nuclear core explosion, unstable, was able to hold it off for a while during which time a flying hedgehog took us further away from earth to avoid destroying the planet.” That about summarised the events of the last half an hour, unless he had unaccounted for time when he was out cold. His watch was broken, his gloves weren’t connected to this tech, and they were likely mildly fried. He looked down at his hands and slipped the gloves off his hands, flexing out his fingers, seeing what appeared to be ash or grime on his skin.
Stone watched him with fascination and in silence for a moment, before hesitating and speaking again, “What… What do you need me to do?” Stone said, only slightly stumbling over his words, his tone held conviction though.
So obedient, unwilling to express his own opinion, this was the old Stone, the one he left behind long ago. Really It wasn’t more than a year, but it was such a different year compared to the others. He hadn’t been without Stone for more than two since he’d met him, being without for eight months felt like madness, after that… Of course everything had been different. Who was Robotnik kidding? He couldn’t bear to be without Stone again. What had he been thinking today. I left him behind. I left him…
He looked at Stone in a new light. He had always known some way somehow he thought of Stone differently to everyone else in the world, but really he’d ignored that for the most part. What good was it dwelling on something that could never be? But here and now, seeing this Stone still so devoted to him, despite knowing nothing of the future to come, of what he’d do to him, of anything at all. “You are a fascinating man Agent Stone,” Robotnik breathed out, and Stone seemed vaguely startled by the statement.
To be fair he’d been vaguely startled the entire time, he clearly was incredibly ill-equipped for this situation. “Sir?” He just said, and Robotnik gave in, clearly this Stone was not in the headspace to handle an emotional and confusing future version of the man he knew.
“Take me to myself?” Robotnik said, half kidding, consumed by his own thoughts and nausea still pulsing through him in waves. “Please,” he added, a small smile playing on his face, Stone looked wary and worried, god he must be a wreck. He would give anything to wake up back in the crab, have everything be a dream, for all his brilliance he didn’t even realise his own grandfath- but he was dead now. It was over.
Stone kept a hand on his arm, leading him out of the section of the lab, Robotnik instinctively felt himself reach for the other man’s arm the way he had thousands of times during his recovery when he felt unsure of his footing. Stone was always there, and even without a shred of understanding of what was happening, Stone was still there for him.
“Stone, this won’t make much sense to you I’m afraid, but thank you, for all of it.” Robotnik mumbled, as Stone supported him down the hall, he really was seconds away from passing out again. “I don’t know where I’d be without you,” He added softly, it was what Stone deserved to hear, not ‘you and I are done’ what had he been thinking?
The only person who ever truly cared about me…
Really, he was taking all of these circumstances quite well. He had been what? Sent into the past by an unknown force beyond his comprehension, not even one of those stupid rings like the Mushroom planet, he thought he was sacrificing himself, that he would die, that he’d never see Stone again.
Now what? He was there with a Stone from years before, who didn’t even know who that blasted hedgehog was. There was a solid 90% chance he would never see his Stone again, and that was the most generous of odds, the 10% being made up of access to his lab in combination to his own brainpower. Yet, his older self knew less, it was a simple fact of his ever increasing intellect.
Stone was staring at him, he knew that, “There’s no need to thank me Doctor, I would do anything for you, there’s no trouble, are you sure you’re okay?” Stone said in response, he sounded even more worried.
“Always asking so many questions,” Robotnik sighed, he was smiling though, even as Stone pushed forward and opened the sliding door to the next segment of the lab Robotnik knew so well. He mindlessly fell to his side as Stone’s grip loosened, knowing the chair would be there, and it was. The benefits of a perfect memory, he slid down into it and immediately felt better. He shouldn’t be standing at the moment he decided.
He looked up at Stone, who’s hand was still at his arm, and gently with his other hand pried it gently from where it grasped Robotnik’s arm with a tight concern, and brought it gently to his lips, pressing a kiss to the back. Stone’s mouth fell open slightly as he looked in shock back at the Doctor, before suddenly standing up straighter to attention.
Hearing your own voice was a sort of alienating experience, usually Robotnik loved the sound of his own voice, even in recordings, it was a glorious feeling to hear yourself speak when you were the smartest man in the entire universe. Not when it was your younger and more stupid self speaking though, and in your voice.
“Care to explain what I’m looking at Agent Stone?” It was cold, harsh, and genuinely startled. Robotnik didn’t blame his younger self, if he saw Stone getting this treatment from someone he’d likely tear them limb from limb, he’d wanted to do that to that horrid police officer, scramble his brain and see how he liked it. Tie him up and never let him free. Something like that.
Robotnik took a deep breath, steeling himself for this experience. He supposed it would be remarkably similar to his experience from just a day earlier with un-dearly departed Gerald Robotnik, but in reverse, because he was the old one now, and he was certainly feeling it. “It would be rather difficult for him, considering he doesn’t know either.” He said, voice steady despite his exhaustion, “I’m not going to bother disguising the situation I’m in. That would be an insult to your intelligence. To phrase it in the simplest of terms, I am you five years into the future, I suspect my travel here was facilitated by the hedgehog, the nuclear blast, or both, in any case it was against my will. I ask for assistance in returning to my time, I do need no actual help other than access to this laboratory.”
“And why are you touching my assistant?” The other Robotnik said, venom in his tone, a little too quickly, not even bothering to react to the rest of the information sent his way.
He couldn’t help but roll his eyes, “Wow, a genius can’t be even a shade appreciative of a dedicated and loyal henchman anymore, I never would have remembered that I was this foolish and sentimental.” He said, before letting go of Stone’s hand.
“I would argue you are the sentimental one, Stone, move out of the way.” The other Robotnik said, and Stone dutifully fell back till he was standing behind the younger version of himself. “You claim to be me, from the future,” He said dryly.
“Yes, I believe that’s rather evident,” He was a little fed up with having to explain this at all. Really he was surely smart enough to figure out a trick when he saw one, this was no trick. “Will you allow this arrangement or not? In the end it’s your lab.”
The younger Robotnik glanced at Stone, who was still standing silent and flushed behind him, “I have been meaning to examine the possibility of time travel.” He said, “That is not a yes. How do I know you’re me? I would not allow myself to get into this miserable state,” He said, hesitant, reluctant. Robotnik suspected that would be the case.
'Miserable state' was right, Robotnik wanted to go to sleep for a hundred years right about now. “For your information it’s been a very, very, very trying few days, also my moustache is infinitely superior in this form.” Robotnik reached over to the holographic keyboard to his left and began typing, and within a few seconds the Badnik’s scattered around the lab were at attention and the other version of himself stood up suddenly with a hiss, “Does that about cover it, or do I need to start listing off facts too?”
His other self eyed him suspiciously just for a moment, before beelining over with a few quick strides, pushing the silent Stone out of the way and against the wall as he moved, leaning down and clutching the sides of the chair he sat in, doing a close up examination much like what he had just done to Stone.
“Fascinating, we do appear to have exactly matching genetic structure, you’ve just aged. No hair is certainly a choice.” Robotnik allowed his younger self to reach out and touch his face, poking at him as though he was a scientific specimen. In all honesty, he was too tired to fight back.
“Do you, do you need me for anything sir?” Stone said suddenly, from behind them, causing younger Robotnik, maybe he should just call him Robotnik and he could own his first name. Yes, younger Robotnik would be Robotnik and he would remain Ivo, he believed himself to have become personable enough for that. He had friends, maybe, at least he did a good deed, Stone cared about him. His Stone would never call him Ivo though, he hadn’t allowed that, maybe it was time.
Robotnik didn’t look up from his examinations. “Where’s your Stone then,” It was directed at Ivo, rather than answering a single question of Stone’s. “He didn’t get transported with you?” He sounded slightly incredulous, as though that was ridiculous, surely Stone would have been by his side.
Ivo glanced past Robotnik and up at the younger Stone, “he, he wasn’t there with me,” he said softly, and Robotnik frowned at him. “He was on earth,” Ivo added, as though that made anything clearer.
“On earth?” Robotnik repeated curiosity in his voice, he continued prodding at Ivo as though he was another experiment, running tests. Ivo had done much the same thing when he met his grandfather so he didn’t really blame himself. It was just built into them.
Ivo closed his eyes just for a moment, picturing his Stone’s face the last time he saw it, smiling bright as he was told to babysit the hedgehog, he heard Stone’s voice in his mind as he begged to let him protect Ivo. “We were separated. It’s none of your concern.” He said quickly, avoiding the look of the still lingering Stone.
“He was killed?” Robotnik said, his voice sounded bored but sort of curious, Ivo was instantly vaguely horrified with himself.
“What? How did you get that from what I said, he’s fine, he’s in London somewhere,” Ivo waved a hand about, “But five years in the future. That’s the key point here, now will you allow me to use your laboratory to create a time machine or not?”
Robotnik scanned him up and down one final time, pushing back from the chair and extending a hand, “Upon consideration, sure, nothing else that exciting is happening at the moment. So long as I get to work on it. We have a deal.” He said,
Ivo reached out, bear hands touching the familiar leather of his control gloves, and firmly grasping his own hand, “Whatever it takes to return to the correct timeline.” He said simply. To return to Stone, to find him, to give him a proper apology, everything he deserved.
“You’re also not allowed to order my Stone about, he’s totally 100% off limits forever. Find your own sycophant if you must.” Robotnik added quickly before pulling his hand away quickly and shaking it as though to remove the sensation, turning around to be face to face with his Stone, “You belong to me, get it?” He jabbed a finger into Stone’s sternum causing the other man to almost topple over in apparent shock.
Well that was a sudden decision, he was sort of relying on some assistance from Stone, he often was. The devious agent had snuck his way in and made himself invaluable. The assistance was mostly for such things as coffee and reminding him to consume sustenance during his experiments, but he was also generally helpful when it came to finding things he’d misplaced. Ivo looked over to Stone who’s eyes were following Robotnik as he stalked down the hallway they had just gone down, likely going to begin rummaging for supplies which may work, Ivo knew they already had a vague schematic for what he was thinking of creating, it was made a few years before even this and he recalled exactly where and why he’d left it. Power supply for one as a major issue, and a subject to identify a timeline, both of these had suddenly been solved by his arrival, and by his handy trick of ensuring he had a quill on him at all times. It should still work.
Stone had turned to him without him realising as he’d been deep in thought, and Ivo suddenly looked up to see those bright and worried eyes now fixed on his face, “Don’t look so concerned agent, you can return to routine schedule within a few days.” Perhaps even quicker if they were particularly good at working together. Signs pointed to that being the case, considering they were the same man.
“Forgive me, Doctor, but you seem… exhausted,” Stone said, hesitating before saying the final word as though it could lead to an outburst. In previous times, it would have, but it was an incredibly accurate summarisation of what he was feeling at that moment. The nausea was still present, and every ache and pain was too, he better get his hands on some numbing medication posthaste or he was about to drop into a 12 hour sleep.
Ivo pushed himself up with a sigh, “Right you are Stone, I never appreciated how often you could be right.” He muttered, moving himself down the hallway leaning against the wall in order to catch up with whatever schemes Robotnik had started on.
“Thank you?” Stone replied, it was more of a question than a statement of gratitude. Ivo couldn’t help but smile. So much less assured than his Stone, while he had always done things within the Doctor’s best interest, the best follower any man could have ever asked for, and taken initiative where necessary, he was previously even more subservient than he remained in the current day.
Ivo let out a small laugh, “You are adorable Stone,” He said softly, he made it to the end of the hallway notably without Stone’s help despite the other man remaining constantly at his side. He opened the secure door and stumbled through before collapsing in the nearest possible chair again. Robotnik was scurrying about, he already had the schematics Ivo knew he would find again before him, finding various drawers and table tops and storage containers to remove electronic parts from.
Robotnik turned to Stone pointing at him accusatorily, “Latte, now,” He said effectively shooing the other man out of the room before he had a chance to do anything. “Now what’s your deal? Did we get grievously injured or have you just become horrifically unmotivated? All that about ‘ohh I need to return to my timeline’ drivel,” Robotnik was grumbling as he sorted through each piece of his puzzle.
"I never knew talking to myself could be this dull, if you got displaced in time and all you had to do back there was talk to yourself when you had rather important business in the present, wouldn't you want to get back?" Ivo responded,
Robotnik glanced back at him again with evident distain, "No, I'd want to explore. All you seem to want to do is be lazy and sleep. My future doesn't exactly look bright." He responded,
The schematics were simple to an extent, it wasn’t some giant machine it was more like a brain scanner, teleportation device brain scanner thing. He didn’t have the scientific terms in his mind right now. He had never actually tested it. That was a slight lie he tested it on one of his bots, not a human, and it did manage to get it to go forward in time about 5 minutes, but it also killed the power in the facility for 2 weeks. Nightmare!
“As my Stone loves to remind me, even I am prone to making the occasional error after not sleeping for 72 hours.” Ivo responded, leaning back in the comfortable chair, he decided this would be where he drifted off that night. He’d done so thousands of times in office chairs. If he found a desk to lay his head on it would be even better. “I am going to take his advice, and rest.”
“Rest? I’d like you out of here as soon as possible. You clearly don’t recall any of these events currently taking place but I have some very interesting tests coming up, far more interesting than any frankly mind-numbingly dull drama you have going on.” Robotnik grumbled, "Still, I must wait a while as they mature before my experiments can begin, but I want you gone by then."
“Not even a little interested in the time travel capabilities of one very depressed and angry hedgehog?” Ivo grinned, saying it like that made Shadow seem highly ridiculous. His whole life had become ridiculous the second those brightly coloured nightmares were involved. No more respectable if insane government agent on the world’s stage, merely getting repeatedly humiliated by a hedgehog. He couldn’t find it in him to care that much in that moment, he’d saved the world with those critters. Shadow had saved him. Tails and Knuckles had helped him. Stone…
Robontik didn't respond with more than a huff as he kept working.
Ivo sighed, “I know you don’t care, we didn’t care for a very long time, in fact it took so long I can’t even pinpoint when we did start to care. That is most unusual for us, you know that very well, better than me. But now I do care. I feel it urgently and almost painfully how much I care.” Robotnik scoffed as he said it, “I need to get back.” Ivo said, running a hand down his face, how tired he was. All he wanted was to be back in the crab. For none of this to have ever happened. If only he’d stayed with him. “Stone likely believes I’m dead.” He added,
“Remember our own protocols you ignoramus, if it appears I’m dead, set up the secret lab and wait,” Robotnik shrugged, he had begun to piece things together, sitting cross-legged on the floor like a child putting together a Lego set. “Stone will remain loyal to us forever, he belongs to us,” So self-assured, entirely certain of that being true. Ivo was certain too, to a point, he’d seen it himself. Stone had waited for him, dutifully, patiently, Stone had nursed him back to health, but now…
Ivo watched him from the chair, moments away from drifting off, “Sometimes I feel more as though I belong to him,” he mused, and suddenly he had never felt more sure of anything in his entire life.
The following few days had their moments. Primarily spent on the machine. Stone of the past had stayed away from him, or perhaps his past self had ordered that to be the case. Considering how territorial he had been Ivo was beginning to suspect the latter was the real answer. He still felt a horrific level of dreariness he hadn’t felt since the last explosion that nearly killed him, his mind was not working at its usual 100% capacity, if he was to take a rough estimate he would say it was around 75% and rising by each day.
He had been helping, as much as Robotnik would let him help, he seemed far too engaged by this project for a man who constantly complained about it. They were way ahead of schedule and he was starting to suspect Robotnik wasn’t sleeping at all. He was about to ask Stone if this was the case one afternoon when he walked into the lab to see Robotnik sprawled out on the floor, schematics in hand and clearly asleep. Interesting. He remembered the days in which he did this regularly. Stone would often come and wrangle him into a more comfortable position but sometimes he was too volatile and had to be left alone to sleep as long as possible. Once he’d tried to pencil in designated power nap times but it had never gone according to plan.
“Oh, he’s asleep,” A voice from behind him, he inadvertently jumped at the sound. Stone was carrying two lattes, and looked at him with a sort of wide eyes innocence that Ivo recognised as more of a defence mechanism than genuine innocence.
He put a hand to his chest as though clutching his heart, “Fuck Stone, I had forgotten how light on your feet you are,” He said, smiling,
Stone just blinked at him, “You don’t like to be disturbed when working sir,” That was true enough, he used to be incredibly frustrated when Stone’s presence distracted his concentration on various projects.
“I’m sure I’ve also yelled at you for being so silent countless times,” Ivo replied,
Stone gave a small smile, “Not countless, maybe about 17 times.” He shrugged, before holding out the coffee before him, “It was for my Doctor, but I’d really rather he keep resting. I’m not certain he’s slept since you’ve arrived.”
“It’s incredibly likely,” Ivo agreed, “We should leave him alone I know better than anyone how easy it is for me to wake up,” He turned to the door and added, “Actually, you may know better than even me.”
He walked down the hallway with a much steadier gait than previously, making it to the other side of the lab, with Stone’s small kitchen and a facsimile of a breakfast table. Stone had been following behind him, he knew he would be, he had a slight frown on his face as though he wanted to ask a question but was too scared. Ivo just looked at him as he one again relaxed into one of his lab chairs.
It took a while but suddenly Stone spoke all in a rush, “Why do you touch me less- No that’s not the right question,” He was fidgeting now, Ivo almost felt the urge to laugh at the absurdity of the statement, of course that would be what Stone noticed. “Why are you nicer to me?” is what he settled on,
Stone was right in the first half, aside from his initial examination of Stone to gauge what year it was and Stone helping him down the hallway that first night he hadn’t touched the other man at all. “For one Stone, I don’t touch you because part of my deal with my younger self is to leave you be, secondly, you’re not my Stone.” Stone was just frowning harder, “He was you, but you are not him,”
“We’re the same person, sir, I don’t see why, why it would be different.” He said, voice soft, almost nervous, “Do you, are you angry with me? In your time? Or, am I mad at you?”
Ivo’s eyes widened, “Absolutely not Stone, well maybe to that second part, I don’t know. I’m gone, can’t ask him. Let’s just say we didn’t leave on the best of terms, at least on my end.” He stared down into his latte, Stone had drawn something on it like he usually did, he saw the outlines of hearts blurred. He had destroyed it before seeing it properly by taking a sip, but it was there. “My being, as you put it, nicer to you has nothing to do with that, things change Stone, in the future. We don’t keep going the way you and he are now forever.” He says, waving a hand, “It shifts, changes.”
Stone was looking at him like he was some mystical god, in a way he was since he literally knew the future, but it was more than that. Desire, desire to know things he shouldn’t, to have all his dreams answered. Ivo felt a sting of dread at whatever Stone may say next.
“Are we…” He trailed off, eyes wide, “Who am I to you, Doctor?”
Ivo had absolutely no idea how to answer that. Whether he even should answer that. In an ideal world, he would have fixed this whole less himself without involving his past lives, it could mess up his entire timeline. Yet Robotnik was right, he clearly didn’t remember this happening, so it must sort itself out, it must.
What could he settle on? What could really encompass what Stone meant to him? He couldn’t say he… that he cared about him, that would feel like a betrayal to the Stone was scared he’d never get to see again. He couldn’t say they were friends, that he was still just his henchman, that he nursed him back to health that he waited for him for months and months and suffered and just kept going. That he was a man that would do anything for Ivo and that it took far too fucking long for Ivo to realise what that meant. What that meant to him, that he didn’t know where he’d be without Stone, that he loved his lattes, the way he made them.
Ivo sighed, a deep and painful one, he couldn’t say anything, nothing would really work to explain what was between them. He sensed this Stone knew that too, they had a similarly peculiar dynamic even then.
What were they now? Henchman and villain, sycophant and boss, employee and employer with a lot of extra layers? friends? Stone was surely just as confused by all this as he was yet he just kept going with it for a horrific amount of time. Ivo never really appreciated Stone’s undying conviction before now.
“I don’t think…” Ivo started, and Stone immediately looked away,
“You don’t think you should say, do you?” Stone said, completing the Doctor’s thought. His voice was composed, and that earlier thrill of excitement of curiosity had left him now.
Ivo nodded, “Would it help if I say that I’m not sure either of us know either?”
Stone gave a small smile, “It would. I’m sure if I asked the Doctor that same question, he would call me a good-for-nothing waste of a paycheck without hesitation. The hesitation means more than you realise.”
“Au contraire, I certainly do realise, I have been playing this game for far longer and understand the rules better than any man alive.” Ivo grinned, taking another sip of his drink, it was made perfectly, his heart hurt at the thought. As he sat across from a false version of the man he so adored and missed he wondered how on earth he would fix the mess he’d made.
What would Stone say to him when he got back? Where would he even find him? Dread curled in his gut settling there and making itself at home. Yet, what could he do except wait and work patiently.
It took another day. Then it would be all over with. Ivo worked tirelessly alongside Robotnik, Stone lingered around the lab more that last day, bringing them tools and being used as somewhat of a verbal punching bag by Robotnik.
“Stone you moronic worm this is a wrench, when did I ever, and I mean ever ask for a wrench?” Robontik yelled out, Ivo was finishing some programming work and looked over with a vague feeling of unease.
While he certainly still loved yelling at his sycophant this felt a little strange. He had no plans of changing their dynamic entirely no matter how he was treating this Stone at the moment. So what if he was being weirdly nice right now? It was the overwhelming guilt of leaving him behind motivating that not a genuine change of fundamental character.
Stone hurried over with a screwdriver quickly, “You asked for it around two minutes ago sir,” He responded, shirt sleeves rolled up and somewhat sweaty, he had been sent to dig through a pile of scrapped project parts for some very specific items, only being recalled to hand technical objects to Robotnik who in contrast was in perfect form.
Robotnik gently whacked the other man with the wrench, “I’ll wrench you in a minute, have you found the part yet? I cannot continue without it, Stone,” He dropped the tool, missing Stone’s hand and letting it clang against the floor, then he grabbed the other man’s tie and pulled him so close they almost kissed.
For Ivo, this felt like some horrible out-of-body experience, a nightmare perhaps. Or a dream. He knew logically he himself had done this thousands of times to Stone, hell, it was technically him doing it right now, but he still felt a weird and uncomfortable twinge of jealousy that he was not the one holding his hapless henchman in that moment. He watched with almost a feeling of being a voyeur on a scene not meant for his eyes, vaguely sick as he watched Stone swallow and his eyes very, very, very obviously drop to Robotnik’s lips.
How the actual shit have I been so blind this entire time? Am I the moron here? Ivo’s head was spinning and he had completely lost track of the programming.
“I didn’t even realise it was possible to have an IQ that dangerously low, it always astounds me how you continue to be so utterly stupid,” Robotnik hissed, before pushing Stone back with a strong shove, “If you don’t find that part in the next five minutes I’m throwing this mug at your head.”
Stone didn’t even seem that phased, “Yes Doctor, sorry,” He said, straightening his tie as though it was a completely normal day. It was a normal day. Aside from the intruder watching them in mild horror.
“And stop apologising you imbecile!” Robotnik shouted as Stone scurried out of the room. “What are you looking at?” Robotnik snapped at Ivo, who blinked at him still in mild shock before deciding no, he would not be bullied by a younger and more stupid version of himself.
“You, obviously,” Ivo replied, deadpan, “At some point, we must realise if we make a show of ourselves the natural, base, human reaction is to watch.” He said, before going back to typing, he heard Robotnik make a strange growling noise before going back to work without comment.
It was done shortly after that, Stone did indeed manage to find that part before the designated time was up and therefore avoided his muggy fate.
Done was a strong word, none of them had tested it, yet there wasn’t much time for test subjects. No test runs, nothing. If Ivo got fried now, how much would it be? Everyone back home already thought he was fried. Blown into a million pieces thousands and thousands of miles away from earth. Alone.
Ivo was just considering this when Robotnik clapped a hand on his shoulder, since when did he do that in the past? Was he trying to be friendly? Very strange. “I assume you have a plan for how to power this monstrosity?” Robotnik grumbled gesturing vaguely at their machine. It looked done. It looked like their typical sleek and perfect invention. It could kill them.
He couldn’t help but smile as he reached into his pocket, despite having changed clothing at least once in the few days he was there in the lab he always ensured it had never left his side. It still worked too, excellent news on the time travel front. He wished he wouldn’t have to leave it behind in order for this trip to be successful, but alas, you win some and you lose some. “Let me introduce you to my little friend,” He said, unveiling the electric blue quill.
“A blue pointy stick?” Robotnik stared at it, deeply unimpressed.
Ivo waved it in the air, “Wrong! A hedgehog quill, a freak of nature and my worst enemy gave me this only a few days ago in my time and you’ll be delighted to hear it is the most potent power source in the known universe.” He grinned as he put the quill to his tongue in a familiar, almost comforting motion, immediately having that same jolt of electricity course through him. Ever reliable.
Robotnik was watching him with a morbid fascination, “You are enemies with a hedgehog? I had believed your mention of them was a poorly formed insult rather than an accurate description of what you dealt with.” He said, reaching out to grab the quill but Ivo pulled it away, waving a finger at the other man.
“That I am, I am not expanding upon that, now let me complete our finishing touches here,” He grinned, grabbing the two connecting clamps he had carefully installed in his machine. “If the power blows out don’t say I didn’t warn you,” He said before cheerfully connecting the clamps, and sure enough with a sudden blast of electricity, it went dark for a moment, before the lab’s lights began to flicker back on, and their glorious machine began to glow, power flowing through it.
“How- Doesn’t matter, the quicker you get in this machine and out of here the quicker I can experiment on this thing. In, in,” Robotnik practically shoved Ivo towards the machine, slapping the headpiece of him.
Stone was watching on in amazement before he spoke up, “I hope you find him, your Stone, I mean,” He said, voice soft.
Robotnik whipped around to face him with a frown, “No kidding he’ll find him, don’t be so absurd. Now stand back my overly optimistic sycophant, papa has some work to do.” He began inputting the controls, immediately focusing on his new task.
“I will find him, any message you want to send?” Ivo said with a smile, they both knew that he wouldn’t remember this, if he didn’t remember before it even happened, but it was a nice thought.
Stone shrugged, “No, not really,” He said, before considering a moment longer, “Give him a hug from me?” He suggested, knowing full well the hug was more for his own benefit if it was from the Doctor rather than being anything meaningful coming from his past self.
“Of course,” Ivo replied softly,
“Oh for crying out loud shut the actual fuck up you sentimental halfwits,” Robotnik exclaimed, “I’m pressing the button, goodbye now, see you never, to hell with you and all the rest,” Robotnik said and sure enough as he inputted the final controls Ivo watched with a sense of excitement as he pressed the big red button. It had to be a big red button. Why wouldn’t it be a big red button?
He held his breath for a moment, and with a sudden jolt it all went to black as the buildings power fizzled out, then a flash of blinding light blasted through the room, short-circuiting the machine, and when Ivo opened his eyes. He was still there.
It didn’t work, it didn’t work I’m trapped here forever, I’m never seeing Stone again-fuck what now? Then, with dawning horror as he glanced around the darkened room only lit by the red lights of his machines, he realised something else that sunk an even deeper hole in the pit of his stomach.
Stone was there, reliable as always, he’d fallen over from the blast and was currently finding his bearings again, much like Ivo was, but that was all. There was no one else but them in the room.
Robotnik wasn’t there.