Robbie let Sportacus hold him silently. He just stood there, trying to enjoy it even. Having Sportacus so close to himself made him able to feel the warmth radiating from the elf. His arms were wrung around his middle and holding him gently but firm in place. Sportacus had leaned his head against Robbie's chest and didn't say a word. It was a comfortable silence.

"You can let go now..", Robbie muttered, though he immediately missed the warmth of Sportacus when he let go of him, taking a step back to look up to Robbie. He looked sad, concerned too. It made the villain look away to the side, crossing his arms again in front of his chest.

"I just want to help you Robbie", Sportacus said, and he sounded so hurt. Hurt by Robbie's behavior, because he kept pushing him away, trying to not let him get near him. Robbie had built his defense like walls around him to keep everyone away, making them thicker if someone tried to get through them and to him.

Robbie just huffed. "I know that, stupid elf", he grumbled. That's what Sportacus always tried to do after all. Help anyone and everyone, trying to make them all happy. Saving them from trouble if it was possible for the hero to do so.

"Why don't you let me help then?", Sportacus looked up to him, his gaze conveying his emotion quite easily. Robbie hated looking into those blue eyes, hated that he could see what Sportacus felt so easily through them.

"Because neither do I want nor need your help", the villain snapped at Sportacus, glaring at the shorter man. He was lying though. Robbie needed help. And he wanted help as well, knowing that Sportacus was the only one who really cared about him. But he hated getting help from others, he hated being weak. So he never asked for help and denied needing it too.

"I'll just try and get some sleep again. So you can kindly leave", Robbie let himself fall back into his chair, cuddling into the orange fuzz and hugging his pillow, holding onto it. Closing his eyes, he hoped the elf would just go away and leave him alone. And it was silent, so maybe he had succeeded and Sportacus had gone away. But sleep didn't come to him at all, his mind buzzing with everything at once.

Quiet steps echoed through the big room, Robbie's good hearing picking up the sound. So the elf was still here, though he didn't know why. Wasn't he convincing enough? His breath was rather even and deep... But Robbie wasn't relaxed at all. He was still tense, feeling the presence of the elf next to him, next to his chair.

He hadn't expected for Sportacus to start humming though. It was a soft and soothing melody, surely meant to chase nightmares away. It was vaguely familiar to Robbie, but he couldn't recall where he possibly had heard it before. His mind began to wander, forgetting the thoughts he had before and instead going into his memories, trying to find the place the melody belonged to. Robbie didn't even notice how the melody slowly got quieter, while he drifted off to sleep.

oooo

Robbie awoke faster than he would've liked, though he was used to it. It had been another bad dream that resulted in him waking up maybe an hour or two after he had fallen asleep. Looking around briefly, he didn't see Sportacus. Listening closely, he couldn't hear anything either. He sighed softly, changing his position slightly. He leaned with his back against the armrest now, legs propped up and gently hugged to himself. His face leaned against the fuzz of his chair.

He let his mind wander again, like he usually did. He wondered what Sportacus was going to do now. Robbie knew the elf wouldn't leave him alone for a while now, until he was "better". Maybe it was past 8:08pm now and Sportacus was in bed? Robbie knew the hero took his sleeping schedule very seriously. And the kids probably were wondering about him too, where he had gone. Though hadn't Sportacus said they had worried about the villain? He scoffed.

"As if anyone would care 'bout me", he muttered to himself. He knew Sportacus wouldn't lie, the elf had never told a lie in his life before after all. But the kids could very well just be lying about it. Maybe because they thought it'd be weird not to "worry" about someone who was so often in their life involved.

"They're probably glad I'm not around", Robbie grumbled. He wasn't bothering them anymore after all, not trying to get rid of their sportscandy, not trying to hinder them from playing, not trying to scare them off. He was out of their lifes, finally. They probably loved it, being able to play day in day out without having to worry.

"Town's better off without me..", it wasn't the first time he thought about it. Just leaving town, not coming back for anything or anyone. No one wanted him here after all, no one appreciated him being here. He was forgotten in most things or just invited because everyone got invited. And Robbie could always tell, that no one actually wanted him there. Even for public announcements, people disliked him being there. It was a reason why he always hid away, standing as far as possible away from everyone else.

oo

Robbie didn't know how long he had starred into nothingness, buried in his own thoughts, when he finally decided to get up. He remembered something and went to search for a special item, which he knew he had somewhere around. He knew he hadn't thrown it away at least, he could never, even if it had brought a plan to fail terribly.

Pushing and throwing things around, he didn't hear when someone entered his home again, sliding through the main pipe and landing in his lair. Throwing another useless box full with metal parts to the side, he hadn't heard his name being called either. But not too long after, he had found his desired item: a small box in orange, with a little lock. With it in hand, Robbie turned around again and nearly had a heart attack.

"What do you think you're doing?!", Robbie nearly yells at Sportacus, who was standing behind him. Laying a hand on his chest, he could feel his heart beating fast after having been startled by suddenly having an elf standing behind him.

"I'm sorry to have startled you Robbie", Sportacus apologized with a gentle smile. He just hadn't been able to make Robbie hear him, over all the noise the man had made.
"What do you have there?", the hero asked curiously then, pointing at the little box Robbie had in his arms.

"None of your business", Robbie replied roughly and walked past Sportacus and back to his chair. He wondered why Sportacus had came back, knowing that the elf's crystal would never go off for him while being down here.

"Well then", Sportacus started, sounding as happy as ever, following Robbie. "I have brought some food for you! Since I saw you didn't really have anything anymore". He had already put everything into the small kitchen area he had found earlier -a place which Robbie very obviously didn't use all that much.

Robbie grumbled, as always not saying a thank you, and plopped back into his chair. He turned the small box in his hands, turning something at the back. Seems like he was winding something up? He set the box down on his coffee table then, facing him a little, before looking to Sportacus again, eyes narrow.

"You can leave again then, can't you?", he asked, keeping his hand on the lid of the box. He didn't really want Sportacus here any longer, he wanted to forget about the damn elf.

"Well, I could, but, I'd like to spend more time with you", Sportacus replied, smiling gently at Robbie. And he was very curious about that orange box too! And he wanted to talk with Robbie and maybe get to help him a little already!

Robbie rolled his eyes, already seeing the motive behind Sportacus' want to "spend more time together". But he didn't feel like getting all worked up again, basically just having woken up from a bad dream.

"How about I make us some dinner? Eating is important!", the elf suggested then, smiling brightly like always. Knowing him though, it would probably result in something disgustingly healthy, which Robbie wouldn't even want to eat -even if he hadn't eaten in quite some time.

"Do whatever you want", he told him though, hoping to get some quiet for a while at least. And knowing that the small kitchen was basically on the other side of the room, he wouldn't really hear Sportacus doing whatever he was going to do.

"I'll be right back!", and with those words, Sportacus jumped and flipped away, careful of all the things laying around though. Seems like having been outside and having Robbie in a more "normal" mood now had lifted his spirits. Not that Robbie very much cared, at least he tried not to.

oo

When Robbie couldn't see or really hear him anymore, he sighed softly and opened the box finally. It revealed a soft pink inside. In the lid was a round mirror in the middle, in front of it a small figurine of a ballerina in purple. A soft melody began to play, the figurine turning and turning, seemingly dancing. The inside of the box was laid out with dark red velvet, but empty.

Curling up in his chair again, leaning his cheek against the familiar orange fuzz, Robbie closed his eyes and listened to the melody. He used to listen to it all the time, especially when he couldn't sleep. But after he had used it to make Rottenella, her losing the dance competition, he had put the music box away. But he figured that the music would take his mind off of Sportacus making something to eat for the two of them.

oo

Robbie could feel the presence there without hearing him approaching. It was amazing how quietly Sportacus could walk, though his shoes weren't really made to make sounds while walking anyways, so there wouldn't really be echos from his steps, even here in Robbie's underground lair.
Robbie could smell too, what Sportacus was carrying. It smelled like chicken noodle soup. It was a smart choice, really, since Robbie hadn't eaten in a while. Something light and easy like soup was a good idea to give to him now.

Opening his eyes, he looked over to Sportacus, who silently listened to the music box play. He held two bowls in his hands -Robbie was slightly amazed that the elf had been able to find them. When Sportacus noticed Robbie looking at him, he smiled brightly and offered Robbie a bowl. The villain hesitated, before he took it with a sigh. He probably wouldn't get past eating with the elf here.

"I lke your music box", Sportacus said after a while of them eating in silence. He had settled down onto the ground, even though he didn't mind standing that much.
Robbie hummed as answer, letting the elf know he had heard him. "T'was my grandmother's", he told him. He was mostly just stirring his soup, barely eating anything from it.
"I'm sure she was a wonderful woman", Sportacus smiled at Robbie, trying to have a nice conversation with him. It wasn't easy to talk with Robbie, since he always closed up so fast and never talked about himself or anything related to him -besides his inventions normally.
"Mhhm", Robbie hummed in agreement, nodding slightly. He barely remembered her sadly, but he knew she had been a very nice and wonderful grandma. He wished he could see her again, but he knew she was long gone. Died when he had been just a child.

"Did you spend much time with her?", it was obvious that Sportacus was curious about Robbie and his life, but he tried very hard not to pry too much. Especially going to nearer family, like parents or siblings. He was glad that Robbie was talking about something with him at all.
"Quite, yes", Robbie nodded, leaning back in his chair. At least he didn't have to eat if he was talking, though he would still try to get something in him. "I spent many days in my childhood with her. She at least cared about me", he told Sportacus, knowing he'd stir his curiosity further. But he would simply not answer if he didn't want to.

"What about your grandfather?", Sportacus had hesitated with asking, he had wanted to ask about something else originally. But he could guess that Robbie's parents were a more sensitive topic to him than his grandparents.

"I never met him. At least in an age I could remember him", Robbie answered. His grandfather had died when he still had been a toddler, he couldn't remember the man. He knew from his grandmother though, that his grandfather had been just as nice as her, just a little more strict.

Sportacus hummed, nodding. He really wanted to know more about Robbie, he was always a mystery for him, since Robbie never talked about himself or answered any questions about himself and his past. He didn't want to push his luck too far, choosing his questions carefully.

"Where are you from? Where you born here?", finished with his soup now, Sportacus set the bowl down besides him on the ground, instead now keeping his focus completely on Robbie, who looked away as soon as the other's gaze fell upon him.

"Somewhere in the north. Don't remember", Robbie answered, only telling half the truth. He did know where he was born, but he didn't want to tell Sportacus. To hopefully end the conversation, he set his bowl down onto the coffee table, having barely eaten half of it.

Sportacus, being the helpful elf he was, got up to bring the dishes away, but frowned at the half full bowl.
"Robbie, you should eat more", he said, looking at the, again, curled up man.

Robbie just shook his head though, he didn't want to eat more. Sportacus could be glad he ate anything at all. And he was apparently, just taking the bowl with a sigh, bringing the dishes to the kitchen, probably going to wash them too.

Robbie in the meanwhile go comfortable in his chair again. He did feel better now, at least a little, having eaten something. Normally a nap would be great now, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to get to sleep now. He just had a bad dream, no need for another one already, right? He sighed, leaning his face against the fuzz of the chair like he always did, closing his eyes. It had to be rather late now, surely Sportacus would leave him soon. And then he would be alone again, for at least ten hours if he knew Sportacus -which he did really well. The elf got up with the sun after all, going to sleep at 8:08pm. Far too early for Robbie's taste, but his sleep schedule was extremely different from the elf's.

oo

"Will you finally leave now?", Robbie asked, when he could feel Sportacus' presence next to him again. Though he had heard him this time again, since the elf hadn't been able not to flip at least once on his way back to Robbie.

"I do need to get back to my airship", Sportacus agreed and nodded. "But I need to make sure you're asleep before I go!", he sounded far too enthusiastic for wanting Robbie to sleep. It was strange hearing the elf wanting him to sleep, but since it was at a normal -or relatively normal- hour to go to bed, it wasn't really that surprising.

"Good luck with that", Robbie grumbled, knowing he would never really be able to fall asleep again. It had been a wonder the first time, though Sportacus had helped him of course, humming that familiar tune... he now noticed also, that his music box had stopped playing, so he closed the lid. No need to wind it up again for now.

"How about I'll tell you a story? Maybe it will help you sleep", Sportacus suggested with a smile. He knew many stories without needing a book, so he could help Robbie this way to fall asleep maybe! He knew that it often worked for the kids after all.

"Just get it over with and leave", Robbie growled, though it didn't sound very mean or anything like that. Robbie was notably tired and needed sleep. So Sportacus thought for a moment, before he began to tell a story he remembered from his home, from the island in the north.