Turn Out The Lights

What Happens In The Workplace Is An OSHA Violation

Aizawa and Isamu left about an hour before I did, and once I was settled in at Fat Gum Agency, I decided I could take a look at my phone. I try to avoid it when I have company, just because I know that if I respond to one email suddenly it'll become twenty emails and a conference call, and I just don't think that's fair to the people who've just come to see me. I opened my phone to see not only a ton of emails about moving into our warehouse but also a handful of missed texts and calls from Kayama and Yamada, asking about where Aizawa was. I sent a text to each of them informing them he was on his way home, that he'd been with me. Kayama replied first, letting me know that he was supposed to be home for his birthday dinner. I apologized and told her I had no clue, that he'd asked to come over a week ago and I thought nothing of it. She said that I shouldn't be stealing him away from the rest of his friends, and I reminded her that she still had my car. Her texts finally stopped and I was able to go back to getting into costume for work.

Patrol went well. Suneater asked if we could work together and I agreed, figuring it would be a nice change of pace. We captured ten instant villains and I interrogated them while Suneater took down their information. Fat Gum called the night a little early, stating that he'd taken a rough hit and needed to recuperate. We followed his lead and headed back to base. After we were out of our uniforms and back in the common area, Tamaki asked if we could talk.

He stared down at his hands, "June, you're a girl."

"I happen to be, yes." I pulled Miso onto my lap and started scratching her.

He laughed softly and smiled down at his hands, "Yeah... Uh, if someone told you they like you- No, wait. What would be the best way for someone to confess to you?"

I tried to compose my words as coherently as possible, "Well, Tamaki, not every girl is the same. Just like not every guy is the same. So, what I like might not be anything like what they like. Most people prefer something that's not so public and not so forceful. Maybe just a note slid to them or a text or something."

He seemed to be absorbing the information while he sat there. Eventually, he started talking again, "But if they were like you? Like what if their tastes were similar to yours?" I sat for what seemed like forever, trying to give him the best answer I could. I guess waiting put him on edge though, "If it makes you uncomfortable you don't have to answer."

I waved off his concerns, "Oh no, of course not. I guess I'm just not sure how to put what I'd like into words? Does that make any sense?"

He turned red and stared at the floor, "Would it make it easier to show me?"

I giggled and waved him off again, "I think I can figure it out, don't worry. I think that the best confession is one that comes from the heart. Maybe one full of emotion and passion would be good? Maybe they could invite me to their recital or performance or something, and while they came down from the high of their show they came to me and told me how much and why they loved me. Or like me, whatever they're feeling." He seemed much more attentive to that set of information, "Does that sound stupid? I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound silly."

"No! No, not at all. I don't think it's silly, I just uh. I guess I just wasn't expecting that from you."

I lifted Miso up to my face and gave her a few kisses. "I'm sorry I didn't live up to your expectations. What did you think I'd be into?" He turned beet red and shook his head before standing and wishing me a good night. I shouted a goodnight back at him as he climbed up the stairs to the bedrooms.

After a little while, I followed his lead and dragged Miso to my room to head to bed. Miso burrowed under my blankets and fell right asleep, but I couldn't stop thinking about the day. I thought about how Aizawa spent hours talking about Yamada's new boyfriend and how much he disliked him, Kayama's insistence that he start dating again, and other problems they threw at him. We explored the house and he even asked to see the greenhouse since the garden was dying as the temperature dropped. I told him about how I grew ingredients for product testing, and he smiled at me. I felt that anxious feeling in my gut again and tried to brush it back. Apparently, it wasn't working because he touched my arm and brought my attention back to him. He asked if I was okay, and suddenly a wave of calmness washed over my mind, a glaring contrast to the violent thumping in my chest. Just thinking about it I felt the warmth of his hand and his smile heating me up and decided that I wouldn't need the comforter to sleep.