Herman had always known that he wanted to be a hero. He grew up watching others and wishing that someday he could be just like them. Even if his powers made him a leaky mess half the time.

His mother had always told him to be the best version of himself. When she died, he had internalized that and pushed himself even harder to be someone she would be proud of. For her, and for his grandmother who he loved more than anyone in the world.

He had been happy just to exist in the orbit of some of the heroes at SDN, even as a janitor.

And then you took him on.

Suddenly the one who was always awkwardly in the background was a member of Z-Team - the team that always got the most attention, both good and bad, for being such a rowdy band of misfits and ex-criminals. He'd learned a lot about the difference between larceny and robbery since he joined.

It still felt like a dream, if Herman was honest. Being dispatched instead of just mopping the break room. Getting water everywhere in a good way. In a beating up bad guys kind of way!

He hoped his mother could see how far he had come from the quiet, lonely child she had known.

And you. You were the dispatcher now, but... growing up he'd idolized you. Mecha Man. He'd since hidden all of his merchandise in a dark corner of his room because he felt subconsciously terrified of you finding out how much he had - and still did - adored you.

Hearing you in his ear during missions was electric enough. But sometimes you'd go out for drinks and he'd get to talk to you for real. Softly, and in that awkward way he had. But he talked.

You'd called him over to your cubicle after a mission to cheer him up. It was late. And you were loose, talking about your early days as a hero.

Apparently your first few months were so bad they were convinced that Mecha Man was on a bender. The world hadn't yet known that the man inside the suit was actually the successor.

"Yeah, that was... oh, '99, '00? God, I was nineteen, almost twenty, still figuring myself out. And the world thought I was on a bender? Couldn't even drink yet. Well. Old man had a liquor cabinet without a lock, so... not legally, anyway. God, were you even born then?"

Gulp.

He was born in 2002. You'd be active for a few years before he was even thought of. He didn't know why that was making him sweat. And... not in the bad way.

"No, sir, I- No. I wasn't." He stuttered, slightly flushed.