Chapter Text
"Alright, good job out there Sonar, Malevola. Police'll be there in under two minutes and then you both can head back in."
Robert finally was able to pull off his headset as the last heroes finished up their mission of the last shift. For a Thursday, it had been surprisingly busy, several break ins, multiple fires, and an investigation into possible Red Ring stragglers. There was a throbbing in the back of his skull as the calls had kept coming in and the team of ex villains kept complaining that coffee and sugary treats hadn't been able to aid. He took that moment of quiet, trying to decide if it was worth spending a little extra for a proper dinner that would objectively help with his head or just chuck a few pills and just get something out of the vending machine before he leaves. Before he could decide, the silence is broken.
"Oh- R-robert s-sir! Did they- are you d-done?" Waterboy asked quietly, placing a cup of coffee on Robert's desk. The ceramic was dripping, but it looked like none of Hermans water had splashed into the cup, six creams and four sugars looking heavenly right now. He never told anyone how he took his coffee, since Robert knew he'd be teased for how cloyingly sweet he took it by the team, but Waterboy had noticed. The hero always seemed to have a cup ready when he needed it most.
"You're my hero, thanks Herm. Was on the verge of death." Robert took a sip, not too hot, just warm enough, perfectly sugary. "Just finishing up here, what can I do you for kid?
"Oh- uh- w-well- I was- Can I- I h-have- a reque- f-favor t-to ask. Of y-you. R-robert. Sir. P-please."
"Yeah, of course, what's up?" Robert gave a comforting smile so Herman would continue. They had once had a janitor closet confessional about how much Herman hated asking things of others, no matter how insignificant, so he was glad he felt comfortable enough to ask for whatever this was. And not that he'd say it out loud, and frankly it was something everyone already knew, but Waterboy was his favorite of the Z-Team, so he'd be willing to do whatever he could without any hesitation.
"I uh...I know it's- can I r-request- I n-need- Can I g-get...take Friday o-off?" The taller hero was wringing out his hands nervously despite the fact it was simply PTO. Robert hadn't understood the concept of paid time at first, but now he was in charge of properly scheduling and approving times. The idea of this being a favor was confusing for a moment, but then Robert couldn't remember Herman ever not being at work. Even the day after he had broken his arm in the field, he still had come into the office anyway, insisting he could do janitorial work if he wasn't allowed to be dispatched. Not that Robert had any right to judge that type of slightly unhealthy work ethic.
"Friday? Yeah, that's no problem. I'll push the approval over to Blazer, but consider next Friday off." It was end of day, so he started to jot down a note to submit the request in the morning, not wanting to stay too much longer.
"Oh- that's not...n-not n-next week. I mean th-this Friday R-r-rob-sir," he squeaked out. That complicated things.
"You mean tomorrow?"
"I'm s-sorry it's sh-short- I know I n-need to submit- p-put it in ear- in a-advance, b-but something...p-plans got changed l-last min- suddenly..."
"Shit. That's really last minute. HR or whoever keeps tracks of this stuff is really strict on the one week policy. Blazer left already too..." Robert pinched the bridge of his nose. If Herman had come at the start of the day, he could probably work an arrangement out with Mandy, but since it was already closing time, there wasn't much he could do. He dared to glance up at Waterboy, who looked on the verge of crying or passing out or both. He really did want to help the kid out, his options were limited though.
"Is this maybe something you can reschedule? Or maybe skip?"
He was surprised when his distress and panic shifted almost into disgust, like the dispatcher suggesting he skip whatever he was doing was the most offensive thing possible, shaking his head and splashing the cubicle unintentionally with the water soaking his red hair.
"I need to go."
There was no stutter or rewording. The nerves were still clearly there, his adams apple bobbing as he gulped, but he looked surprisingly determined. He had a feeling that no matter what he said, Herman was going to be absent from work. He sighed, picking up his pencil again.
"If Blazer or HR asks, you requested the time off last week, I just got busy and completely forgot to push the paperwork through." He wrote down last week's date with Herman's name and badge number onto the sticky note. He crumpled it up and put it in his desk for tomorrow. "If it was anyone else, they'd get a big fat no, but I trust you not to make this a habit. Consider tomorrow approved."
"Th-thank you s-so- I appreciate- th-thanks Robert!"
Seeing his face light up, cheeks flushed and grin wide, he rarely saw Herman this happy, almost giddy. Robert thought it was honestly pretty adorable and was glad he could help the kid out, even if he'd probably have to deal with HR chewing his ear off on paperwork. Probably half the team actually given how busy today was, Friday usually worse.
"No problem bud. You have me curious though, what do you even have going on?"
"O-oh... I d-dont- I'd r-rather not- It's p-p-personal..." Herman's smile shrank, still present, but uncomfortable. "I'll see y-you- have a g-good- great weekend boss-Robert. Th-thanks again."
As he turned to leave, he lurched forward as he slipped in his own pooling moisture, something he hadn't done in a long time. There was a strangled laugh as he righted himself and scurried out of the bullpen, tall frame eventually leaving sight as he turned a corner.
It wasn't physically possible for Waterboy to stop leaking, but he had been getting better at controlling it over the last few months. Clearly asking for tomorrow off had been nerve wracking if he had been dripping badly enough to puddle.
Thinking on it, Robert really didn't know much about Waterboy personally. He was awkward, kindhearted, hardworking and struggled with his self confidence, living with his grandmother and who knows how many cats. He had stomach problems and he was perpetually wet. And that was about it. All he knew was some basic information that majority was on his bio and medical records. Of course, that's not how he learned those things, but he really didn't know him as well as he thought, and now it was going to bug him.
He grabbed his bag, tossing in his half eaten treats for snacking later and a few papers Mandy had asked him to look over earlier. He looked in the mug Herm had brought him, wishing there was more than a few drops left. He'd wash it in the morning. Somewhat reluctantly he made his way out of the building to go home. The Mecha Man suit was in top working order but SDN was strict with their policy on when Robert could both use and work on the suit. There were no longer the sleepless nights working on it with Royd, or pushing himself to the brink by himself piloting.
His fingers curled, knuckles itching for a fight he had been deprived of for months. Shroud had been the last person Robert had fought, before he had been taken back into custody. No Mecha Man, no hero work, not even a proper bar fight. He wished he could be fighting again, getting his fists bruised instead of going home to fall asleep instantly because his head hurt too much and his back was popping unpleasantly.
For a brief second, the thought of Waterboy in a bar fight was conjured up, gangly and clumsy and stuttering, shaking Robert out of his spiraling. He snorted to himself as he rode down the elevator.
Herman didn't really seem like a bar type person, he was always quiet and mostly sober when the team included them in their weekend events, and though he knew Waterboy could fight, now better than ever, he remembered the guy when the fight at the Sardine broke out, petrified in the corner, staying out of all the violence.
It didn't suit Herman's cute personality to pick fights and drink, but he still couldn't think of what Herman might actually be doing tomorrow. No hobbies or interests came to mind. There was a pang of guilt, it wasn't his business to know about what he did with his PTO, but he should know more about him at this point.
'Thanks f-for listen- l-letting me talk Robert. I'm g-glad t-to have- happy y-you're - we're friends.'
They had been sitting in the janitor's closet as usual, where all important, heartfelt conversations happened. Robert didn't really remember what this particular conversation had been about, but Herman had cried and talked and leaned up against him, soaking his shirt, but it was something he had been fine with. The conversation ultimately hadn't been anything different from normal, hadn't been really memorable, but the one word stuck out to Robert at the time, stuck out now.
'We're friends?' Robert had been surprised, though with his tone of voice, Herman had been quick to shrink in on himself.
'O-oh! I'm s-sorr- apologize! Th-thats- I had thought...are we not?' There had been pain and confusion and humiliation in those grey eyes, big and watery with his goggles around his neck. Robert had gone in with a soothing hand on the shoulder.
'Hey, hey, it's alright, yes, we're...yeah we're friends Herm.'
'Are y-you sure? You d-dont sound sure...I get it.'
'Im sure, Herm. I just...how do I say this without being incredibly depressing. I think you're my first actual friend.'
'Huh? M-me? But wh-what about Ch-chase?' The look of shock and disbelief was plain on his face, almost laughably so. Robert had indeed laughed.
'Chase is more family, you know? I don't eat melons and have closet time with him, it's a different thing.'
'i g-guess so. I don't know i-if this- is it m-more or l-less depress- sad? ...That y-you're my first- first friend t-too?'
'Well Herm, I'm glad we're friends.'
'M-me too Robert.'
Monday morning, Robert decided. He would go up to Herman while he was doing unpaid cleaning in the breakroom, take off his bulky headphones, and ask him what he was listening to, his favorite podcast, his favorite musician.
He'd be a better friend.
Herman grumpily pulled himself out of bed on Friday morning, his alarm blaring at seven am. Despite the early hours he put in as SDN's janitor and his rather optimistic presenting personality, he was very much not a morning person, not fully awake. He rubbed the damp palms of his hands into his eyes, the pulled back his soggy covers.
The fog of sleep was lifting and he couldn't help but smile, small at first, then wider as he got out of bed, remembering he didn't have work today, that Robert had approved his time off. He stripped himself out of his pajamas, tossing them into the bathroom hamper, grabbing his hair dryer from under the sink. Careful around the outlet, he plugged it in, knowing he was in for a long few hours of drying, but it'd all be worth it for tonight.