#benchedhero

They done benched bachira, along with niko and chigiri

Listens to him, weighing Robert's words, only to take away the simplest solution.

"I don't have to touch you..." probably shouldn't be that openly affectionate in the first place. This was the workplace, they had to cooperate and couldn't let people think she was playing favorites.

"In fact..." a sigh, trying her best not to touch her blonde hair and fall into the old habit of fussing with it when anxious, "yeah, yeah...I'll back off" a confident nod, thinking that was the answer. " I didn't know it bothered you that much"

A part of her felt betrayed though, hadn't he accepted in the past? Him letting her take his mask off? One incident after another, which in the past had felt natural to her, didn't think about it till now, but if it was going to be a bone of contention knew it had to stop. She had to control her emotions, anything budding or tempting her had to die here and now.

"Sorry for not cluing into that before now."

"Mr. Wayne's interested in putting up more funds for the Phoenix Program." -- was the pitch in Blonde Blazer's office.

You could take the kid out of the street, but you couldn't take the street out of the kid. He looked vaguely uncomfortable in the black suit he'd been forced into. His blond hair was swept back and away from his face, but he kept swiping a hand through it as if he was used to bangs getting in the way. The frown on his face was almost permanent, barely twitching despite Blonde Blazer's smile.

Terry felt out of place in the bullpen between uniformed staff and costumed superheroes. He'd asked Bruce why he couldn't just come as Cyberbat in the first place. This was a superhero organization, so it wouldn't have been weird. But Wayne gave him the look that said he wasn't budging and Terry had no choice. It was public knowledge that "Bruce Wayne was the financial backer of Batman", which meant Wayne Enterprises had money in the JL as well. Why not dip into SDN? Bruce was always a sucker for a good rehabilitation project.

"And this is our dispatcher for the Z-Team, Robert Robertson."

Terry wondered if the guy had even been given a heads up. Blue eyes gave a brief once over of the seated red head. Thin, tired, a gnarly scar off the ear. He'd been told the dispatchers were former heroes themselves. For some it was obvious in their movements. Little tells. And others? Robertson looked as normal as everyone back at the manor when in their civvies.

"Hey. Terry," he said holding a hand out. Blazer took that as her cue.

"Have fun shadowing!"

The office was buzzing with excitement for the upcoming holiday, paper hearts hanging from the ceiling and flowers covering some of the desks. Blazer was trying to make everything as even as possible as to what gifts some people were getting, but there was only so much to be done when some desks were overflowing and some were empty.

Kate was very studiously pretending like none of it mattered. It didn't, really, but glancing to the side and seeing a bottle of alcohol and a single hersheys kiss was starting to make her annoyed. It wasn't her place to decide who deserved what on Valentines day, but she was particularly offended by the spread Robert had accumulated.

@benchedhero asked: ★★★

Do You Like Me ?? 🥺🥺🥺 || Accepting !!

A team player, eager to help and plays well with others. If one were to have a backward glance at Mandy's work history and school years, they'd see cooperation as a key component. Naturally, this spirit of nothing was impossible if people worked together, drew SDN's attention.

In turn, Blazer felt indebted. Not many got the chance she was given, getting on the ground floor of something brand new. So, when the idea was floated that she could try her hand at recruiting new talent, jumped at the chance.

Was easily losing her eagerness the more they talked. Well, she talked while staring at the suit, blue eyes staring at an answering hue, the light hurt her eyes though so couldn't hold her stare. Wished the guy would come outside, open a port or something and talk to her. At least see inside, to gauge his reaction.

Floating there in silence was getting to reach a point of awkward Blazer didn't think there was any coming back from.

Her proposal presented, laid bare before the man piloting the armor, still hadn't heard a thing.

'Can he hear me in there?' she wondered, anxiety and curiosity playing ping-pong with Blazer's confidence.

"So, what do you say? Personally, I think you'd be welcomed at SDN with open arms. Everyone already knows Mecha Man and admire how long your family has protected LA."

Blazer briefly swallowed her pulse. Why did this feel so nerve wracking?

He's famous. The suit is famous. That's why.

She was a new talent. Just starting out. Now, felt like she was flinching away from the blue glow of a newly emerged kaiju or someone from outer space who that had crash landed and hadn't stated their intentions yet.

"You could work with a team, would free you up to..." to do what?

Blazer resisted the urge to roll eyes at herself, sick of her own failings. Wanted so badly to fit into the mold of hero classic, only to find being cheerful was wearing on her worse than an actual fight would.