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“Your hair looks like shit.”
“That’s because I trained harder than you, skinny bitch.”
Silly arguments like these in the locker room after working out aren’t uncommon for them. Robert finds it rather amusing how defensive Flambae can be about his hair. Well, the guy always looks handsome, but it’s fun to mess with him.
“It looks messier than usual.” Robert points out with a smirk on his face, staring at the loose strands of hair that have fallen out of Flambae’s ponytail. It may look handsome, but not when they still have to work. “Want me to brush it for you?”
“In your fucking dreams.” Flambae mumbles loud enough for Robert to hear, saying it pretty much immediately like his life depends on it or something.
“I will be careful.” Robert reassures him, casually brushing his fingers through the superhero’s raven hair, making sure not to accidentally tug on it. “Promise.”
He doesn’t notice the blush appearing on Flambae’s face.
“Fine.” He eventually answers, glancing away from his dispatcher. “Just be careful, or I will burn your next lunch.”
Having his answer and ignoring the small threat, Robert grabs the brush from the bench before positioning himself to stand behind the superhero. He first gently takes the out of Flambae’s hair, putting it on his own wrist before brushing the raven locks.
“I want that back.” Flambae clarifies, saying it calmer than usual, pointing to his hair tie that’s around Robert’s wrist. It feels quite nice, the feeling of someone else brushing his hair, especially someone familiar.
Even when that someone is his former arch enemy who he very slowly starts to like. But no fucking way will Flambae ever admit that out loud.
“You will.” Robert reassures him, continuing to brush his colleague’s hair. “You have nice hair for a certifiable dickhead. What shampoo do you use?”
“None of your fucking business.”
”I’m just showing interest.” Robert says surprisingly calmly, if only to piss the other man off even more. “Learn to take a compliment.”
”Not if they’re from you.” Flambae mutters, though not sounding all that convincing. “If you’re planning to style it in a shitty high ponytail, I’m going to kill you.”
”You already tried.” Robert simply answers as he puts the brush down on the bench, ignoring the threat entirely despite their past history. Taking the hair tie off his wrist, Robert swiftly styles the hero’s hair in a neat bun. As much as he wants to braid it, Robert prefers not to get toasted anytime soon. “There.”
Flambae doesn’t waste any time getting to a mirror to check if his dispatcher isn’t attempting to humiliate him. But to the hero’s surprise, it actually looks good, better than he expected from his dispatcher. Flambae can’t help but sigh in amusement. Huh, if he wasn’t wearing his superhero uniform, he looks like he’s about to go to some fancy dinner party.
”And? Did I pass?” Robert asks, walking over to stand next to his colleague just to see his reaction. Well, he’s only asking due to the hero’s little threat of toasting him, but still.
“Barely…” Flambae just answers, keeping it at that, trying to hide the small smile creeping up on his face.
“No thank you? No gratitude after helping you?” Robert teases him a little, wanting to mess with the flaming hero for once. “A little ungrateful for a superhero, don’t you think?”
That finally has Flambae turn around and face him, looking at him with an unreadable expression. It always has Robert wonder just what that fireball is thinking.
What the dispatcher doesn’t expect however is for the hero to take a few steps towards him and gently take ahold of his chin, making him look up at the taller man. The soft touch has Robert speechless, his face heating up when he feels Flambae’s thumb brush over his cheek, the former villain’s eyes still on him as if he’s considering something.
Fuck, any longer and Robert is going to lose it.
”No.” Flambae finally answers, brushing his thumb over Robert’s cheek one last time before letting him go, walking right past him to grab his stuff and exits the locker room before the dispatcher can even process what just happened. “See you later, bitch.”
Robert stands there for a good long moment, wondering whatever the fuck that was. The affection felt nice, despite the person that gave it to him. No, especially the person that gave it to him.
Robert sighs, a slight smile creeping up on his face when the recent memory resurfaces.
Fuck, is he glad he made that offer…