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Robert had a fantastic way of combatting the effects of the Joy in the water. He'd gone and done some research. There was no amount of Joy potion in the world that could have spared Robert the jaw clenching heartbreak and horror that he experienced earlier that day.

It did, however, give him the strength to push the heartache away long enough to decide it was time to talk to Petra. He'd been putting it off for as long as he could.. but she deserved to know.

He both wished he didn't have to be the one to tell her, and felt relieved that he could be there for her when she found out. His body cringed at the mere thought of Petra finding out about.. this.

Maybe all of this was just a bad dream. Maybe they would wake up tomorrow, back in their bed at home, waking up to yet another boring, normal day. He could kiss her back until her eyes opened, and turn her around to- this was a terrible time to be reminiscing about that, Robert Morris. He tried to take on a serious face - which disturbingly still looked too cheerful despite what was on his mind, and entered Petra's training room without so much as a knock.

"Want something better to kick, sunshine?" He grinned at her, took in her sweaty, tightly clothed form, and started reminiscing again.

STOP IT, he told himself. That should be the LAST THING on your mind right now.

Coming closer was the last thing Petra should have done when Robert looked like this. Especially not in public, unless she wanted it right there in the training room. And that smile of hers, that smile that made him think of better days, it wasn't helping him focus. He took one step back, quietly locking the door behind his back without much thought behind the action.

"Yeah, well-" He cleared his throat, as it sounded a little too husky, and tried again. "Well, you know me. I can't resist wanting you, especially when you look like this." She mentioned his promotion, and he breathed a staggered sigh of relief - it was a welcome distraction from the base and lusty feelings that were commanding his actions and words. He really had to get a hold of himself today, it was important.

So he took hold of the distraction. A fancy twirl around made the jacket flare, and he posed dramatically for effect. "You are correct. No thanks to Clarice, I am now one step up. Your superior, huh?"

Damnit.

There it went again.

He stepped up to her and wrapped an arm around her body - oh God, why did she have to be so sexy when she glistened from a workout? That was just wrong, she should be gross, he should be grossed out, goddamnit. But all it reminded him of was the way her body glistened when he had her-

You are a disgusting creature.

If anything could have killed his boner, that was it. He silently thanked Jezebel for the insult and sagged, before hugging Petra to him. "So, beautiful. Did I hear you singing just before I came in?" His grin was a mile wide at the thought.

Oh, God. Petra knew better than to tease him when he was like this. She knew better, unless she wanted it. And when he felt her kiss against his sensitive skin, and the burning trail she left as her hands brushed up his chest, he was undone. There was a growl that started in his throat, threatening to rip past his lips when she tried to dare him to abuse his power. What power? He had no power over her, not even after his promotion. It was clear she had all the power over him at this very moment, simply by making him think he was in control. By giving him the illusion. The dirty, dirty illusion.

"Ugh. <******** this." The little games she played as she turned and tried to get away was met with exactly the reaction she must have expected to get. Robert was a simple man, easily manipulated into giving in to his darker desires, just as he was that very moment. His hand clamped down on her arm, in a forceful grab, and he pulled her back to face him, before reaching under her with his other arm and hefting her up in it. It was a move that left her flying inches up into the air for the briefest of seconds, while his hands let her go and slung themselves under her knees, pulling her body around him. He grabbed her with reckless abandon, bending in and capturing her lips in a kiss that promised retribution for her actions.

And then he surged forward until they found a wall, and pressed her up against it.

What was he here to talk about with her again? He couldn't even remember.

Robert was not careful. He was not kind. He was pressing Petra against that wall with very little caution, every time he grunted like an animal and leaned in for another kiss. His lips were everywhere, hungry for the taste of her salty skin. But most of all, his eyes were closed, and his mind was out of order. Not a single thought managed to pass through his head, because he didn't need to think to do this. It was why he was so good at it.

His teeth grazed against her neck, and bit down, tugging the skin away to leave marks of possession. Finally, his arms checked his hold for sturdiness before pulling her away from the wall, and carrying her off - though it was unclear where.

He pulled away from her finally, his glazed and lusting eyes searching the room wildly for - there, he managed to grunt out to himself, as he stomped towards the benchpress, and laid Petra down on her back against it. No amount of decorum seemed to stop Robert anymore. In fact, as far as he was concerned, nothing will.

Did you bring protection?

Except that.

Robert groaned, this time a painful sound as he pulled away and sat back on his haunches. He looked like he could almost cry, and his hands covered his flushed face in agony. "Fuuuuuuck." He growled. "********, ********, ********, actually Robert, it would be quite the opposite.

Robert lifted his hands away from his face, and pressed one of them against the one that she placed on his cheek. His eyes were heavy with guilt, and they refused to look at her.

He had one chance. One chance to forget everything Clarice had said, everything he had read, and give in to his carnal desires right there on the benchpress. His other hand dropped to the edge of her pants, the thumb riding along the edge, threatening to dip in. He wanted to rip those damn shorts off with his ******** teeth, and it just made his face crumple in agony further.

But he would never forget what he knew. It was burned in his mind like a painful brand.

"I didn't bring protection." He practically whined, his eyes tightly closing as he slumped in failure. He could hardly move, he was so torn between his overwhelming arousal and his overwhelming guilt.

How was he going to tell this to her now, after all of this?

It was the and that finally broke him, and he crumbled right off the bench, falling to the floor and burying himself in his hands. He was crying, that much was certain. His body rocked back and forth, and suddenly a burst of laughter tore through his sobs. "It sounds so stupid when I say it like that, don't it?" He muttered, bringing his hands up to his eyes and wiping the tears away roughly. Then he looked up at her, red-rimmed and pathetic, and took a deep breath.

"There's something I gotta tell you, sunshine. And it sucks. It sucks real bad. I don't like bringing you bad news, but there ain't no way around it. All I want you to remember is that no matter what, I'm right here." His arms rose half-way up, reaching for her. "I'll be right here with you, every single day for the rest of my life." His fingers curled inward, gesturing for her to come in his arms. "Come here."

"You SHOULD be scared." Robert practically whined out. "We shoulda been scared from the moment we showed up in this place. No, from the moment that goddamn a*****e Cael showed up at our doorsteps. Mother ******** should have had us running, instead of luring us in. Ain't NO MONSTER OUT THERE WORTH THIS s**t-"

Robert had always seen the positive light of Deus Ex Machina. From the very beginning, all he'd done was try to follow their rules, fight their battles, and try to enjoy himself despite giving up his entire life, sans Petra, for this place. He'd even made a few friends along the way, and for the most part, he kind of liked it here.

After all, Deus was the only reason Petra had given him a second chance. He owed this place everything.

And now he would give it all up to let her go back to the way things were.

"Clarice and I had a little chat. About, like, ugh, please, baby. I need you in my arms, I'm not strong enough to talk to you about this unless you're in my arms."

He practically tried to pull her into his arms, just so he had something to hold on to while he said these awful things. "She told me about the problem hunters have with having kids. The details are really ******** up, but the bottom line is.." His breath caught. "The bottom line is, lady hunters can't have babies. Cause our weapons mess 'em up. The bottom line is, Petra..."

He remembered briefly what Clarice had said, and tried to hold on to that one, small glimmer of hope. "It's gonna be you and me, forever. But that's it."