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"Mr. Gardner, this is hardly appropriate workplace behavior." Max Lord was stern as he looked at Guy from across his desk. Beatriz was standing with her arms crossed, glaring at Guy from the right side of Max. J'onn was on his left rubbing their head like another headache was coming on. Max was holding Beatriz's phone which had the damning text messages pulled up.
"Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
"You know that those texts weren't meant for Fire right? If those were the biggest boobs I've ever seen I must've been blind."
Everyone in the room groaned. Beatriz shouted oh my god with more disbelief and anger than J'onn thought possible. "Guy," Max said through a clenched jaw while pinching the bridge of his nose, "you do realize this is a formal meeting reguarding your tendancy to harass your teammates. Which could result in your suspension or permanent expulsion from the team."
"What!" Guy shot up in his chair. He may be abrasive and blunt but he hadn't been harassing anyone. "Who have I been harassing?" he demanded
"Well for starters there are these messages to Ms. Da Costa."
"I told you that was an accident. I even told her it was an accident. I know she's gay."
"Yes," Max continued, "I see the 'whopps wrng nummber lil trashed rn' followed by a winky face with a tongue out emoji and a bottle of champagne popping emoji. Regardless Ms. Da Costa is concerned that these message were meant for Ms. Olafsdotter."
Guy groaned. He couldn't believe she was pulling this shit.
"And then there is Booster," J'onn said. "I agree with Fire when she says your behavior is, inappropriate."
"God. It's a joke. Bring Booster in. He'll tell you." Guy crossed his arms. This was so annoying.
"Very well. J'onn will you tell Booster Gold he can come in now," said Max.
"No need. He's been outside with his ear pressed to the door the whole time." J'onn smirked as they heard a defensive "Hey!" from the other side of the door.
"I thought you said you weren't going to use your mind reading on your teammates!" Booster exclaimed as he walked into Max's office. Guy could see Tora peeking inside from her seat next to the door. She smiled and gave him a little wave. Guy sunk down in his chair. God she was cute.
"I would hardly call what I did mind reading. More like a telepathic sonar."
"Anyways..." Booster said as he sat down, "what's up Maxwell?"
"We've called you in here to give an account of any harassing behavior Mr. Gardner has displayed towards you."
"Oh that. Well, it all started after we slept together."
Max actually raised his eyebrows at that one. Guy glared as he heard Beatriz mumble something about Barda owing her a trip to Bloomingdale's with a smirk on her face. "And when was that? For the record," Max clarified.
"Hang on let me check." Booster pulled out his phone closing a text conversation with Ted. It was all emojis. Guy saw something about a pumpkin, a knife, and fire. Booster quickly scrolled through his phone, turning it so none of them could see the screen. "It was last September. About a week after this branch of league was officially formed."
"Wow," Beatriz said shaking her head.
"Oh shut up," Guy replied.
Max held up his hands gesturing for them to be quiet. "Please, Booster, continue."
"Yeah. So we slept together. It was just a one night stand. Afterall I didn't travel all the was from the 25th century just to fuck cute superheroes." Booster chuckled, following it up with one of his Dazzling Smiles™. The joke didn't land.
"As I was saying." Booster coughed. "I told Guy that I didn't want to do it again even though the sex was great. I mean really good. And his use of ring work, I mean—" Guy kicked him.
Max and J'onn were once again rubbing their temples while Fire was trying and failing to hide the glee on her face from learning this juicy bit of gossip. Guy could already hear the lectures he was going to get from Hal, John, and Alan if this meeting ever ended.
"But poor Guy," Booster continued, rubbing his leg. "I just don't think he got the idea. He just can't seem to keep his hands off of me." Booster chose this moment to drape his arms over Guy's shoulders. "He just so sad and grumpy all the time and can't connect with anyone on a personal level that he clings onto the last persons he's fucked like a-"
Guy shoved Booster off of him, forcing him back to his own chair. "You're. Not. Helping," Guy said through gritted teeth. "The 'flirtation' between me and Booster is nothing." Guy rolled his eyes as he heard Booster gasp in a fake hurt voice. "Besides even if it was serious its no worse than what Booster does with Beetle."
"How dare you bring him into this." Booster was in full theatrics mode at this point.
"Oh boo hoo. He's too old for you anyways."
"Technically you're all too old for me because I'm at least negative 400 years old at this time."
Max sighed. "J'onn can you please take Booster Gold into another room and try to get a serious statement from him since he can't seem to manage one with an audience present."
J'onn led a reluctant Booster out of the room as Max turned to address Beatriz. "Ms. Da Costa, if you would be so kind as to follow them out the door. I would like to speak to Mr. Gardner privately."
"Ugh. Fine." Beatriz walked out of the room, annoyed she wasn't going to be able to play spectator any longer.
Max waited until the door shut behind her. "Now Guy, there haven't just been complaints from Beatriz. Guests at our last recruitment drive have also complained as well as ones from our funds drive."
"Hey, weren't you the one who told us to got out there and give them some incentive?" Guy asked, not afraid to point the literal and metaphorical finger.
"Ahem, yes, well," Max said adjusting his tie. "That wasn't quite what I had in mind."
"It worked, didn't it? Worked for Beetle and Booster too if I remember right."
"Ok. Ok. Just try to be professional in the future. I will make sure Booster and Beetle get the same memo." Max actually took a note of this.
"Gotcha," Guy threw him a double pistols. "Are we done here or..."
"I actually want to talk to you and Ms. Olafsdotter still. To make sure everything is on the up and up. Could you let her in?" Max said, gesturing.
Guy got up and opened to door to find Beatriz still in the hallway talking to Tora. "Hey. Lord wants to talk to both of us now."
"Oh." Tora looked back at Beatriz as she got up. "We can talk about this more later."
Beatriz sighed. "Ok."
Tora walked past Guy and into the office. Guy made a face at Beatriz. Smoke was coming off of her hands as Guy followed Tora through the door.
"Ms. Olafsdotter, I assume that Booster Gold was giving you an earful as he eavesdropped earlier." Max was in full business mode.
"Yes, he might've done that," Tora said with a soft smile.
"Well then, just to reiterate, we are all here because Ms. Da Costa came to me with concerns about Mr. Gardner's behavior around yourself, Booster Gold, and most recently herself after he sent her these text messages." Max turned the phone so that Tora could see.
"Oh my god. Guy... how did you manage to send three messages without realizing it was to Bea? Our names aren't even near each other in an address book."
Guy folded his arms and looked at the floor. "I may or may not have most of my contact names as emojis."
Tora let out a small laugh. "Cute."
Guy turned red.
"Ahem," Max coughed. "If we could continue please." The two of them straightened and faced Max. "Normally I would've waited for either you or Booster to come to me. But Ms. Da Costa's reports of Mr. Gardner's behavior along with her comments about how you wouldn't even know about a sexual harassment policy prompted me to take action."
"Oh, don't worry Max. I'm not as naïve as I used to be. I've come a long way since Beatriz and I were in the Global Guardians. I assure you that if Mr. Gardner's behavior," Tora glanced at Guy, who quickly looked away. "If his behavior had bothered me I would have come to you."
"I'm glad to hear it." Maxwell Lord shifted forward, folding his hands in front of his chin. "And let me assure you, that if it should become unwanted, we will deal with him." Max looked Guy directly in the eyes. "Being a powerhouse of the team does not allow you any excuses for your behavior. Anyone can be replaced."
A shiver ran down Guy's spine. He saw something in Lord's eyes that unnerved him.
Tora broke the silence, her voice pitched differently, like she had felt something off too. "So... Mr. Lord. Are Guy and I good to go?"
"Yes. I suppose this does end this meeting." The menacing tones melted away from Max's voice. "Oh, Tora. Could you please return Beatriz's phone to her? Thanks."
"Yeah. Sure." Tora caught the phone as it was tossed to her. She was still a little shaken by Max's sudden shift as she walked out of the office. Guy quickly followed her, eager to leave. Though if either of them had taken one last look, they would’ve seen Max bring a tissue to his nose to stop a small drip of blood.
Beatriz was no longer in the hallway. "She probably went to the gym," Guy said. "She looked like she needed to blow off some steam."
Tora frowned and spoke to Guy. "I want to apologize for Bea's behavior. She forgets that while I may be ignorant of some of the finer social customs of the big wide world, I am able to handle myself. She's just trying to protect me."
"It's ok." Guy grabbed his own arm. "It can be nice having someone look out for you."
"I really did have a nice time on our date the other week. The first two were certified disasters. But this one was nice."
"Yeah. I, uh, had a good time too." There was a brief pause. "The show wasn't exactly the kind of sentimental stuff I go for but whatever." Guy shrugged, trying to waive away the genuine feelings behind his first comment.
"Guy." Tora was looking intently at him right in the eyes. "Are you telling me it wasn't you I heard getting all choked up while watching Wrath of Khan in the rec room last week?"
"Um..." Guy stepped back, making a mental note not to get in front of that stare again. "That might have been me."
There was a buzz followed by the chorus of Rebel Girl. Tora looked down at the phone in her hand. "I better get this back to Beatriz." She put a hand on his shoulder and kissed him gently on the cheek. "See you later, you big softie."
Guy watched as Tora walked down the hallway. He stood quietly in the moment, soaking in the warmth of that interaction.
"Booster!" J'onn's exasperated exclamation brought Guy out of his thoughts. The door to the office they were in was closed but Guy could still hear J'onn's plea. "If you don't give me a serious account I'm going to have to have do a memory read on you. And I think we'd both prefer it if you and Gardner were the only ones who remembered that night."
The exchange had Guy chuckling all the way back to his room.