Chapter Text
Robert has chronic pains. He's aware of such, as much as he's aware of his daddy issues, probable generational debt and seasonal depression. Which means he remembers any of it whenever it's inconvenient and he can push all of it away until it has the chance to rear it's ugly heads again. Such a chance as is today, with the weather turning colder on short notice and all of Robert's limbs immediately disagreeing to cooperate.
Well, not all of them, but most of them for sure. 15 years of Hero work and running on pure spite would do that to your body, Robert muses.
With a grunt and a sigh the Hero gets up, cursing all the stretches he skipped even when knowing better and all the fights he recklessly picked and fought. But he also knew if given the chance, he would fight them the same way all over again.
The choices he made in the past were the reason he is where he is in life right now, even if his body is actively cursing Robert out for everything he's ever done.
Getting up, getting dressed, petting Beef and feeding his friend, turning on the coffee machine and then freshening himself up in the bathroom happens all on autopilot, because while his body was damaged it was still working somewhat and Robert made sure to make most of it.
What wasn't on autopilot - yet - was filling the coffee into a travel mug, a gift from Malevola, dark blue and sturdy and a welcome change from the usual colorscheme of gifts Robert usually gets, the Z-Team having unanimously decided that any gift ever that they gave as a team had to be hot pink or something in that direction. Jokes on them, the bunny slippers that have an eyesore and a half are something Robert wore most in the safety of his home, as they are incredibly comfortable and his floor is cold, sue him.
Coffee and mug secured, the dispatcher made his way to his door, pulling one of the many jackets that made home on a hook Punch-Up and Coupé had installed at some point and all of the team decides it was free real estate. Sadly for them, if they wanted any jacket back they needed to get them back themselves, Robert said from the get go he would not play delivery boy for the others if they forgot anything on their nights in where they abused his poor home as a central base of hanging out.
With that amused thought Robert pulled on a jacket, the flame decals on the sleeves making the owner rather obvious, although why Flambae ever needed a jacket? Don't ask Robert for he didn't know. Probably having something to do with an outfit for the night, making him look more hot or something, he guessed.
And Flambae was probably the last of his team who would whine about a missing jacket, so Robert didn't feel any remorse parading it around.
Slipping in his second shoe and bending down to clip on Beef's leash, Robert's back reminded the man of it's particular hated of being needed today and that Beef probably should walk on his own. With a mental shrug the Hero picked up his companion anyway, slowly straightening up and giving the puppy some extra pets, the dogs tounge lulling out happily while Beef's tail motored around as it did whenever the little guy is happy.
Phone in one pocket, keys in the other, his backpack over one shoulder and beef in his arm Robert set off to work, careful in his steps. The world wasn't cold enough to be frozen just yet, but it was cold enough to be uncomfortable and Robert didn't want to risk any spills to be pro-active and be a slipping risk already. Robert's own knees were greatful for the pace, his back still complaining about the extra weight of one beautiful beefy boy.
The walk towards the office went by easily enough despite the cold and the wiggly Beef in his arms, who walked a whole 20 steps between home and the office, and then decided that was enough, getting picked up.
The air inside the building was nice and cozy, Robert noted as soon as he opened the door. The warm air was wholly welcomed, the dispatcher letting out a happy little sigh, his shoulders relaxing a bit as he stepped inside.
On his way to the elivator he politely nodded at the secretary, not that they have ever talked really, but it never hurt to be polite to the people working with you. The only exemption being the Z-Team, of course, but they were a whole diffrent can of worms.
Robert reached his desk soon enough, setting Beef down gently, who instantly made his wiggly little way to Chase' desk, as expected. Shaking his head a little Robert pulled off the borrowed jacket, hanging it over the back of his chair and set down his backpack, getting his wallet from it and makes his way to the backroom. He planned on starting his day off proper with a fresh cup of breakroom dirt, also called coffee, and a twinkie if they had restocked the vending machine already, which Robert hoped they did.
The breakroom was busy already with a few members of his team despite it still being quite early.
Offering a rough good morning and being met with crumbling and a singular creative curse, Robert made way to the coffee maker. Pleased he noted that someone started it already, pouring himself a cup and making way to the vending machine. He didnt get far though, being intercepted by Coupé, the Heroine looking down at Robert with a slight frown, which looked diffrent enough from her usual resting face that it made Robert raise an eyebrow.
"Good morning, Coop.", he greeted, taking a sip of the coffee, looking at the other curiously.
"Robert.", Coupé answered with a slight nod, cool as always and raised a book that went unnoticed just moments before. "I have just finished reading this Novel and I am sure you would find enjoyment in reading it aswell.", she said, pushing the book into Robert's free hand, the brunett fumbling a little to grab it properly.
"Thank you.", he answered a bit hesitantly but genuinely, one of the ex-assassins favourite hobbies having become to talk Robert into reading more and it worked somewhat, more or less. He couldn't exactly keep up or understand everything Coupé was so passionate about with the stories but he was sociable enough to keep up with her enthusiasm and had enough media literacy to get the appeal of the books.
"The author announced the sequeal for in a few weeks, I would like for us to read it together", she asked of Robert, looking actually a bit shy about it and that was actually a bit endearing in the other's eyes.
"Well then, I better get reading", he just hummed, taking another sip of his coffee and tucking the book under his arm, taking a step forward and to the side to get past Coupé but got literally turned around by the other. Robert blinked but went easily, Coupé's hand on his lower back and pressing him forward, the dispatcher going willingly thanks to his confusion, being lead out of the breakroom.
"Very well, I shall catch up with you during lunch. You can start reading before we start, yes? Punch-Up has offered to get us lunch so we have more time.", Coupé guides him smoothly, all but kicking Robert out of the room before he could get his snack and he accepted his fate easily, simply sighing over his missed breakfast and nods, giving her a "Sounds good."
Atleast I got my coffee, Robert muses on his way back to his desk. It wouldn't be the first time he skipped breakfast and the promise of proper lunch did make it easier, though in the end it seemed like Robert didn't need to mourn his sweet treat too hard. A paperbag laid on his desk, the logo of a bakery down the street clearly visible and Robert looked left and right, trying to find the culprit.
Nobody of his team was in sight though, and Robert shrugged, sitting down and opening the bag. Inside was a breakfast burrito which got pulled out easily enough. He raised it to his mouth, gave the food a little habital sniff and with a shrug bites into it, the food still slightly warm and everything about it rather welcome overall.
Pushing the paperbag to the side an unopened package of painkillers get revealed and Robert raises his eyebrows at it yet again, chewing slower while judging the medicine. Probably just a precaution, he figured, the Z-Team having taken upon themself to have a stash of painkillers somewhere on Robert's desk always because they knew he wouldn't ask for it unless he was basically crawling past deaths door. Atleast that's how the Team reasoned to him when placing the tablets on his desk the first few times.
Shrugging Robert opens his top cupboard to throw the painkillers into it to join the usual stash of little pick me ups he's forced to keep nearby, like snacks and other knicknacks that got forced upon him, only to stop and frown. His painkillers inside the cubby was still full enough, not warranting a refill in the slightest so why is a new pack laying on his desk?
An arm reaching over the devider from the left placing down a sealed waterbottle got him out of his musing, getting Robert to look up and come to see Sonar, the bat hybrid grinning at his dispatcher.
"Morning Bobert! I see the others got you the good stuff this time!", the Bat greets cheerily, "The Best of them Legal Drugs you can get, really! And they should settle really nicely with your breakfast today, wow, how things just seem to happen! Cool isn't it? Anyways, I better get going now. Hey, if you don't need all of your Drugs, keep me in mind yeah?", Sonar rambles on, throwing a finger gun at Robert and then quickly scurrying off again, leaving the retired Hero slightly more confused and a bit irritated actually. But, he might have a point.
With a deep sigh Robert put down the burrito, picked up the water and took two tablets, knowing he'd be hounded down by his team sooner or later if they're this attentive to him this early in the morning already.
He quickly finishes the food off, then puts his headset on, the computer having started up by now and the show was ready to get rolling.
"Good morning Team. Thank you for the food even if it was not necessary. Let's get this day going, shall we?", he greeted and the shift began.