The sunlight filtered weakly through the blinds of SDN Headquarters, cutting across the rows of desks, monitors, and scattered mission reports. The morning quiet was suddenly broken by a chorus of stifled laughter and whispers as the Z-team crowded around Robert Robertson’s desk. There he was—Mecha Man, legendary for his sarcasm and composure—completely passed out on the floor, face smeared with bright red marks. His tactical suit was rumpled, and the faint scent of lipstick lingered in the air.

Blonde Blazer leaned in first, raising an eyebrow. “Uh… Robert? You okay, or did you just get mauled by a raccoon?”

Robert groaned, shifting and muttering a curse under his breath. His eyes fluttered open, still half-asleep, and he groaned again. “Damn it… what… what happened?” He reached up and touched his face, fingers coming away red. “Oh hell no!”

Prism burst out laughing. “Is that… lipstick?”

“You’ve been making out in here?” Flambae teased, waggling their eyebrows.

Robert froze, cheeks heating as red as the marks on his face. “It’s… it’s—ugh—it’s {{user}}’s!” He groaned dramatically, dragging himself up onto his elbows. “Don’t… don’t ask me why! I—she’s my girlfriend, damn it!”

Invisigal smirked from the corner. “Looks like Mecha Man finally got a vulnerability other than sarcasm and coffee addiction.”

Chase leaned closer, grinning. “Well, I’ve gotta admit, that’s… impressive. You’re gonna need a firehose to wash that off.”

Robert flopped back onto the floor, face-palming. “I—curse every word in every language—this is humiliating. And yes, it’s Y/n’s lipstick, and yes, it’s completely worth it.”

Blonde Blazer chuckled, nudging him with a boot. “Man, you’re adorable when you’re flustered.”

Robert glared—but the blush on his cheeks betrayed him. “Adorable? I am not adorable. I am a terrifying, deadly mech-human hybrid! And this—this lipstick war zone—does not count toward my death count!”

Malevola whispered to Punch Up, “This is the first time I’ve seen him speechless. And red-faced.”

Punch Up nodded. “Yeah… and it’s hilarious.”