((OOC: This is backdated to before the new recruits hatched))

Despite all of the other assignments that Robert dreaded, pod observation was one he felt most comfortable with. It was quiet, and usually alone, and all he had to do was watch things and make sure that nothing interesting happened. It was the perfect time to catch up on some sleep, or read a good boo- Robert snickered at the very idea before it could finish in his mind, and the sound broke the stillness of the room like a knife.

He was always tempted to knock on the pods and see if anyone woke up. In fact, someone must have seen that look on his face - because they took extra special care in explaining to him just how easily he could kill someone by waking them up prematurely. I got it, I got it, he told them, trying to remain calm despite just how hard they were drilling these rules into his head. He was a loose cannon, a hot wire that couldn't be controlled very well by the rest of the Life Hunter team, and to be quite honest he was sure they wanted him transferred ASAP.

Why don't you try the Sun Hunters, some nameless coat had inquired. They got to beat stuff up, and they certainly didn't sit around doing smart-people-stuff all day.

That's what he'd called the work of the Life Hunters. Smart-people-stuff. He really didn't belong.

So why hadn't Robert transferred? What was keeping him working with the nerdiest of nerds, in a setting so stifling that he was sure he was going to accidentally learn something if he wasn't careful?

"Petra misses you. She won't admit it, but I can tell."

Robert was sitting in a chair, which leaned against one particular pod, as it always did when he came to do his chore of pod observation. He was looking up at the feed, and smiling at one particular sleeping face.

Roberta.

"So we got into some heavy s**t recently. Maaan, we fought this, like, giant dragon thing. You don't even know, kitten. I think you would have enjoyed it, but-"

Robert turned to the pod itself, and ran his hand against it, patting it gently.

"I'm glad you're still sleepin', kitten. You stay safe in there until me and Petra have killed all the monsters. You just sleep, babydoll. We'll make this world safe for you to come back one day."

Robert picked up the clipboard file on Roberta Walker, flipping through it carefully. Everything seemed normal - vitals hadn't changed, nothing had changed. She was fit as a fiddle, just.. asleep. Just like he wanted.

The feed showed him every single face of every single sleeper in the room. He started wandering his eyes from monitor to monitor, dread clutching his stomach. They all looked healthy enough, and he knew they were safer in there than they were out here, but.. that could have been him. Could have been Petra. Could have been Poe.

He wished Poe had stayed asleep. He hadn't even seen his sister since before the fight back in that weird a** house - he had no idea if she was even still alive.

If she had stayed asleep, at least, then... then, he'd know.

He patted Roberta's pod again.

"One of the head guys around here, this chick named Aria? Turned out she was a spy or something, and she was the one who turned into the dragon. Like s**t I ain't even kidding!" He roared in laughter as he leaned against Roberta's pod with his chair, his eyes crinkling in amusement as he stared back up at her face on the monitor once more.

But, when all of the laughter had left him, all that remained was quiet contemplation.

"You're all right in there, aren't you, kitten?" He murmured quietly. "I don't remember it hurting.. they don't make you suffer, right?"

He waited, as if the sleeper beaming back at him from the monitor would open her eyes and answer.

He waited.

A very faint, melancholy smile kissed his lips as he looked at her for a minute too long.

"Petra's not the only one who misses you, Roberta."

As soon as he'd said it, he felt the pangs of regret. His eyes searched the room, carefully, guiltily, as if there was something about his actions that deserved punishment. He rubbed his face down with one hand, and the melancholy sweetness was gone, replaced by his normal, cheerful self.

"But that's all right, ain't it kitten? You know I'm too tough to go around missin' chicks like that. Besides, you'll be back one day to chew us out for letting you sleep in and miss all the fun, I'm sure."

He got up off his chair, and started doing rounds, checking each pod to make sure nothing interesting was happening.

"When the world is safe again."