[indent]"Huh-" Li blinked as he was cut off but then bit his lip to keep himself from saying anything else and just nodded in response to King Stag. He took a quick shot of the hero up close as he prepared to take off, getting--at least in his opinion--a rather epic action shot of King Stag as he lifted up into the air, the still early morning sun shining off his carapace and sparking across his wings in a dramatic flash of color and light. A triumphant smile, he waved after the hero, before turning and taking off back up the street.[/indent]

[center][h1][b]Later that day...[/b][/h1][/center]

[center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/hGnzT9Yj/cubicle.png[/img][/center]

[center][h3][b][color=f7976a]12:43 PM ─ Get through this hell[/color][/b][/h3][/center]

[indent]As expected, Mr. Roberts, Lilian's direct supervisor, had not been thrilled with his late arrival and, as a result, Lilian found himself being assigned the absolute [i]worst[/i] stories to cover before he could get started on the coverage of the battle earlier. There was yet another [i]joke[/i] article on Cuckoo Cacao--this guy was old news [i]over ten years ago[/i], and yet he [i]still[/i] somehow made the headlines. The freak had robbed another Starbucks. Seemed to be his kink lately. Then there was a story about '10 Tell-Tale Signs Your Significant Other Has a Secret Identity!' All a bunch of over-dramatized stereotypes, no surprise there. There was a story about the chief of police holding some kind of fundraiser. [i]Big whoop.[/i] Then lastly was the story about Commeround attacking city hall in response to funding to the hospital being cut in favor of providing additional funding to the police. Why did it always come back to the police? Of course, Lilian glorified Commeround and portrayed him as a hero. Anti-hero or not, surely anyone could agree that underfunding the hospital was a fair reason to wage war on city officials. If Hal didn't like it, well, he shouldn't have asked the writer who favored the [i]anti-heroes[/i] to write a critical story about an [i]anti-hero[/i].

Sometime after noonish, Lilian was still working on the ridiculous Cuckoo Cacao story, having mistakenly put that one off for last out of lack of interest, but at just two paragraphs in, he was burned out from writing. Checking to make sure no one was watching, he connected his camera to his computer and began uploading the pictures he had taken, panning through them once they were saved to mark the ones that needed editing for touch-ups. He smiled at the snap-shots he had managed to get, admiring the precise captures of both King Stag and Gamma-Burn. Eventually, he came to the pictures of Gamma-Burn without his mask and he stopped, frowning at the images as he took in the detail of the supervillain coughing up blood.

Leaning back in his seat, Li bit his lip as he drummed his fingers on the desk. They were, [i]by far[/i] priceless shots. Ones that would surely get him amazing hits if he used them in an article, but... They were also extremely damaging. The pictures showed a weakness of Gamma-Burn that no one knew. They showed that Gamma-Burn wasn't an unbeatable force. They showed that Gamma-Burn was still [i]human[/i]...er...numan. Most importantly, though, they were pictures he shouldn't even [i]have[/i]. Sitting back up, Li snapped his fingers a few times, fighting with his own thoughts, then gave a heavy huff before trashing the pictures. He'd keep the ones on his camera. Those were his, but for security's sake, he decided it was best that no one knew about them.

It was right about then that the sound of a throat clearing roughly broke the tranquility of Lilian's messy little unprofessional cubicle and drew his attention away from the computer. Sure enough, it was his boss, and Li was quick to meet his judging gaze with a hard scowl.

"Can I help you, Mr. Roberts, sir?" Li asked dully.

"Since you seem so keen to slack off, Mr. Amie," the man started, "Why don't you take on the honor of making the office lunch run today?"

[i]The office lunch run.[/i] Lilian despised the office lunch run. It was a proposal made some months ago by one of the office brown-nosers presented as a means of keeping writers on task, by having one person run out and grab lunch for everyone. Li had rejected the idea, complaining that it was unfair to whoever got stuck making the run. As a result, Lilian had been given the so-called 'honor' of taking on the responsibility nearly three days out of the week for every week following. As a result, Li had to pick up the slack by writing off the clock as, per company policy, staying after hours was not allowed. Man, he hated this company.

With a huff, Li got up from his seat, rolling his eyes as he said, "Fine, whatever, I could use the fresh air. I think I'm still [i]irradiated[/i] from this morning. Y'know. When I ran into the heat of the battle between Gamma-Burn and King Stag and got an amazing set of pictures for a story we [i]could[/i] have had out before the major press [i]if only[/i] I wasn't stuck writing about the mascot of Cocoa Puffs? Yeah, some fresh air will probably do me some good right now."

Mr. Roberts' judging gaze grew more venomous, "I could do without the sass, Mr. Amie," he growled.

Lilian only gave a 'mmph' in response and the older man rolled his eyes before handing Lilian a folded piece of paper. [i]The orders.[/i] Lilian just prayed that everything was at least somewhat close by. After all, he kinda didn't have a bike anymore. Shoving the list into his pocket, Lilian bumped past his boss, effectively shoulder-checking the man on his way out.[/indent]

[center][h3][b][color=f7976a]1:07 PM ─ Go on a lunch rush--[i]I guess[/i][/color][/b][/h3][/center]

[indent]Out on the street, Lilian walked along through the crowd on his way to one of the places on the list. It was the furthest away, so it made sense to go there first and work his way back. Plus, this place was the one ordered by the absolutely [i]noxious[/i] co-worker, Joshua Halbert. The very man who brought about this stupid office arrangement. Lilian didn't feel an ounce of guilt that Josh's shitty $10 burrito would be absolutely cold by the time he got back to the office. In fact, he [i]relished[/i] in the thought.[/indent]