Work Text:
Okay, Simon. Deep breaths, just like you practiced. Pull up one of those meditation videos.
There you go. Any work comes with a bit of stress, the important thing is knowing how to handle it. Now, let's put that winning smile back on.
Willow still seems on edge, but you've followed all the procedures for how to connect with troubled subordinates and she's always insisted it's fine. You just have to trust in the procedures and take her at her word.
Maybe it's just been too long since you did some proper team bonding. You pull up the calendar and look for the next time when everyone will have a solid hour free... ah, there we go. Next Thursday at 0200. It'll be like a sleepover!
You don't have a full plan yet, but you let everyone know to keep the time clear, just in case anything comes up. Now to see about picking an icebreaker...
Oh, the first few responses are in! They don't seem very happy about this, do they. You assure them that it'll be worth it. You're great at this stuff.
Xander and Mason are trying to say it conflicts with an important sporting event. You point out that they'll have plenty of chances to play League during their assigned rest periods.
A notification grabs your attention. Did Ollie finally get back to you?
No, just another check-in from up top. You shouldn't be surprised, you know Ollie must be very busy to go this long without a word to his boyfriend. But he'll respond eventually, and you're sure he's eagerly reading all the updates you've been sending him. Regardless of what he said last time you talked, when...
You shake your head. Come on, Simon, you just got yourself together!
Really, you all need this as much as Willow does. Especially Ella - it's easy to see that she hasn't been doing great either. Savannah has been quiet about her feud with Xander and Mason, but you can't shake the feeling that it's still eating at her. Ezra is always a bit distant, but something feels off with him, too. And Riot must be bored if they're talking about running Doom on corpses.
And as much as you hate to admit it, even you haven't been at your best lately. You feel the most at ease when you can busy yourself with research - when you have your eyes on the prize of the brilliant future you're all working towards, a future of conquering death and waste. But you know better than to let anyone on your team rely on that alone, and you're the leader! You all need connections to stay sane, at least for now. But with everything you're doing for neuroscience, maybe even that could change!
Perhaps some time outside will help clear your head. There's something comforting about facing those fears while they chase away all your other troubles. And you do have to keep monitoring the situation down there.
You take a pod back down, down to the hole. It's right where you left it, and just as much bigger as expected. But... something else is different.
Hunger. Why are you hungry? Wait, no. It's not you that's hungry.
You have to get out of here. You have to...
What?
What?
Oh.
So that's where he's been.