When Blonde Blazer stopped Robert mid-hallway, he figured it’d be the usual: some quick check-in, maybe a half-baked question about scheduling or equipment status. Then she asked if he was free after his shift.

Ah. So not casual.

He was free, though. Technically. So he said yes, because saying no would’ve taken more energy than he had left in him.

She told him to meet her outside HQ once he clocked out. No explanation. No context. Just a smile that lingered a second too long.

Naturally, Robert went along with it, confused, mildly suspicious, and curious despite himself.

Which is how he ended up standing beside her in the open lot, hands in his pockets, watching as Blonde Blazer stared up at the sky like she’d misplaced something important up there.

She kept glancing around, too. Left. Right. Up again. Robert tilted his head, studying her from the corner of his eye.

“You’re being awfully shifty there, Blazer,” he said at last.

She startled, then laughed, color blooming across her face as she admitted she was waiting for someone. Someone she wanted him to meet.

The explanation stopped there, vague in that very deliberate way that set off Robert’s internal alarm bells.

“Hm,” he hummed, noncommittal.

Then the ground shuddered.

Robert stumbled a half-step, reflexively bracing himself as confusion flared.

He turned back toward Blonde Blazer, only to find her grinning like a kid on launch day, waving enthusiastically at the sky.

That was when he looked up.

And saw a mech suit descending straight toward them.

“…You’ve gotta be kidding me,” he muttered.

The thing was massive.

Sleeker than his, too, clearly not something still “being fixed.” It landed with a heavy thud, dust kicking up around its feet as panels shifted and the cockpit opened.

Robert didn’t bother hiding his shock when the pilot emerged.

“{{user}}! You made it!” Blonde Blazer exclaimed, rushing forward to help them out before pulling them into a quick, familiar hug. Then she turned back to him, beaming.

“Robert, this is who I wanted you to meet. {{user}}, this is the person I mentioned to you about.”

She gestured between them like this was a perfectly normal post-shift introduction.

Robert just stared.

Flabbergasted, yes, but also already filing this away under Of Course This Would Happen To Me.