Exactly ninety minutes later Stone gently tapped Robotnik's back with both hands. "Doctor, it's been ninety minutes, time to wake up."

He felt remarkably calm. A good hour and a half of agitated thinking while holding one's crush in one's arms and not being allowed to go anywhere, move much or make any noise did wonders to tiring the panicky side of one's (vacationing) brain out. Stone felt much more like a functional human being again, which he rather thought he needed to be in order to survive the inevitable conversation that was lurking just around the corner.

In fact, he was feeling cautiously hopeful about the entire thing now, because while the doctor had certainly been a bit sleep-delirious, he wasn't in the habit of saying nice things without meaning them. Idle vitriol or threats? A daily occurrence. But compliments, positive remarks or plans to follow up on an idea? Those he meant. This in turn meant that Stone had to talk him out of sudden marriage proposals and see if he'd be interested in dating instead.

There were many things about that thought that made Stone wonder what his life even was, how it got like this, and which deity he should be offering his eternal servitude to.

Robotnik made a little "hmmng" noise that had Stone smiling widely and his heart burning brightly, and then Robotnik stretched his shoulder blades back for a second and popped his neck, but made no move to get up yet.

This was actually the first time Stone was still in the bed when the doctor awoke. At the hotels he always sneaked out of the bed to go for an early morning run, take a shower, and order breakfast before Robotnik even woke up. This was rather a novelty.

He idly stroked the doctor's back with one hand, curious if it would still be allowed after the sleeping was over.

"Are you trying to put me back to sleep, Stone?" Robotnik asked, voice gruff. He lifted a hand from Stone's side and rubbed his own eyes, yawning as he did. Stone wanted to embrace him and never let him go.

"I'll stop if-"

"No."

Stone continued stroking the doctor's back, smiling. "Alright. How about a little chat while we're here?"

"Mmh. You promised me breakfast, although the time being what it is I guess it would be brunch. I want an omelet. Parmesan and fresh herbs. Maybe tomatoes. Do we have any mushrooms left?"

"There's a single large one left, but I'll need to check if it's still good. Do you want a garlic baguette to go with the omelet?"

"Are you stupid? Of course I want one, have I ever not wanted one?"

"My bad, sir. Did you take your meds at any point this morning?"

"...That explains a few things I chalked up to sleep deprivation. The emergency stash is in the mobile lab."

"I'll get them the first thing, sir."

"What kind of a ring do you want? Material, gemstones, width?"

The conversational whiplash had Stone accidentally twitching his fingers in a sudden movement that made Robotnik jump a little and then shift up to his elbows to glare at him.

"Sorry, doctor", Stone said, and was extremely aware of how close their faces were. Mind you, he had been here before, but usually the topic was his many failings as an agent, assistant, and human being, not marriage. He cleared his throat and hoped his face wasn't as brightly coloured as it felt like. "I don't want a ring at this time, sir. I think marriage would be jumping the gun."

Robotnik narrowed his eyes, looking vaguely offended, and sat up properly. On top of Stone. Straddling his waist. This did not help Stone's face colour problems, thought coherency, or composure.

"You're turning me down?" Robotnik asked, and crossed his arms. He actually sounded a bit hurt. Or like his pride was wounded? Or maybe he was insecure? Stone hadn't seen the doctor display any of those feelings before, so it was hard to judge. Regardless, the feeling there was a bad one and he needed to course correct, stat.

"Not turning you down, no. Only the marriage proposal. I'd be happy to date you and then move in with you if it works out", he said, gesturing with his hands and then not knowing where to put them after. He awkwardly settled them on his stomach, all too aware of the fact that the doctor was following them with his eyes.

"Dating is a waste of time, I'm not going to change my mind", Robotnik said, uncrossed his arms, and grabbed Stone's hands. He placed them on his knees, then let go and crossed his arms again. Stone rubbed the knees with his thumbs and did his best to pretend this was an everyday occurrence. At least the doctor couldn't be too wounded if touch was still both welcome and mandatory.

"About dating?"

"Don't be obtuse; about you", Robotnik said, uncrossing his arms to poke Stone's chest. "If you're always within my reach, I'll never have to voluntarily touch anyone else again to satisfy the needs of my flesh prison. I hate physical contact, and I loathe touch initiated by other people even more than reaching out myself, but I like touching and being touched by you. Perhaps it's because I've grown used to it by now or maybe it's because you only ever touch me when it's permitted. Regardless of the reason, your touch has gone from repulsive to enjoyable, so if a romantic relationship is required to secure permanent access, I will do it."

That was simultaneously the least romantic come-on Stone had ever experienced and the sweetest thing the doctor had ever said to him.

He adjusted his assessment of Robotnik's orientation from vaguely asexual to probably aromantic asexual. This surprised him a lot less than he expected. It also disappointed him a lot less than he would have thought – if he had been told point blank about it when he met Robotnik, he probably would have given up any romantic notions from the start like he did with straight men. As it was, he was being offered a romantic relationship despite the doctor's interest seeming to start and end with 'un-gross touches', and he found himself completely fine with the concept.

He did want clarification on the boundaries, however.

"May I kiss you?"

Robotnik looked surprised. His gaze dropped to Stone's lips, a little frown appeared, then he made a face (Stone tried to not take it personally), then he seemed to wrestle his expression back to neutral, and finally he looked Stone in the eyes again. "Not on the lips, but otherwise permission granted."

It was too bad Robotnik was sitting on Stone's waist, because he really would have liked to take him up on his offer immediately. "Only when we're cuddling or are other times acceptable as well? Obviously only when we're alone and you're not actively busy."

"Ask me. Either with words or with a gesture."

"Come down here now?"

Robotnik spent several very loudly ticking seconds just staring at him with an unreadable expression, then he put his hands on both sides of Stone's head and bent forward to where Stone could reach him. Stone's hands immediately abandoned his knees and wrapped loosely around his shoulders instead as he pressed a tentative kiss on Robotnik's cheek, then another one on his mussed up mustache, and one more on the side of his jaw. Upon making eye contact with the doctor again he saw wide brown eyes staring at him in astonishment. He wondered if anyone had ever kissed Robotnik like that before, or if it had just been so long he had forgotten what it was like. Or maybe he had hated it before. Regardless, it was now Stone's personal goal to kiss the doctor so often he got so used to it that he could no longer live without.

Robotnik's eyes flitted around Stone's face, then he leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss high on his cheek and pulled back up to a sitting position – Stone's hands dropped to the sides – looking… self-conscious maybe? Some vague flavor of embarrassment or awkwardness anyway. It was absolutely precious and the smile on Stone's face was so wide it almost hurt.

"...I was promised brunch", Robotnik said, averting his eyes and scrambling gracelessly off of Stone. A tactical retreat, if you may.

Stone looked forward to the day when Robotnik would give him kisses with his usual confidence and dominance. In the meanwhile, he was going to enjoy the hell out of this shy and unsure doctor. He would never be able to use those words out loud or he would definitely end up in the meat grinder and be served to his co-workers, but he could think them in the privacy of his own head. At least when the doctor wasn't looking at him and reading his thoughts from his face.

"Right on, sir. We can discuss the moving in as you eat."

"And the ring."

"Not happening, ask again after a year or so."

It didn't take a year.