Reaching for the Stars

Chapter 30: Internship Report

Warning: This chapter contains sexual themes and one mention of suicide.

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"This is everything, right?"

Tom put his phone back in his pocket. "Yep. Just the monthly report."

"No letter from the company or anything else?" Max asked him.

"Nope, unless you want to meet your dreaded department supervisor again." He teased the large dog.

The shepherd shuddered.

"Or, you know, I could go with you to make sure you're safe." The wolf added.

Max then pulled him into his arm. "Next time, you're gonna be there when I'm asking for her signature."

Tom chuckled a bit nervously. Things were going smoothly. He was being subtle, of course, but Max replied positively to all his advances. With laughter, maybe, but it was a lot better than a blank stare or even a disgusted face.

The big dog didn't push him away, he kept embracing him as they walked towards the lecturer's room, even pulling him closer. Tom could only look away with a small blush on his face as he was being pulled even closer to the dog's solid mass.

"You sure Mr. Beck's still in his room? It's almost 21."

He really wanted to put his hand around the dog's waist and hug him back but it'd be weird. "Yeah. He's just texted me." Maybe he should settle for closeness for now. "Oh and he's got some snacks."

Max petted his head. "Good thing we got the same internship mentor, right?"

"I know right."

He had said some really, really sweet nothings before—so sweet he was sure they'd give him diabetes—but Max still bought it positively. The worst one was, "you're always going to be there for me, right?" to which the dog answered with a big grin, "of course I am".

It had only been a month, for fuck's sake, yet they seemed to have reached the very-close-but-not-quite-boyfriends stage. It was fine; he could now see things more clearly. He had realised that now he had something, someone worth fighting for.

However, he was still afraid. Things were sure going very smoothly now, but what if Max realised his intention all along and then decided to leave him? What if he decided to bully him? Or worse, think that he didn't exist?

And now that he was going to be in one of his episodes, he was going to be overly pessimistic. Great; good job, life. Now he wondered if he had a knife sharp enough in case Max decided to think he didn't exist. He looked at his left wrist; he couldn't have a repeat of that time.

Well, looking at the dog's easy smile and lazily waving tail, he seemed to be content enough.

As Octo said, time would tell.

When they arrived at Mr Beck's room, Tom knocked at the door softly. Max released his embrace, which made him sigh a little. Perhaps it was for the best since he was sure he looked somewhat flustered.

"Come in!"

They both entered the room. Mr Beck was at his desk with several piles of essays on it. "Sir," the wolf greeted him and nodded softly.

"Hey, you two." The deer chuckled a bit and beckoned them to come closer, taking his eyeglasses off. "Sorry, I got essays to review. Been too busy with graduation stuff so this got tossed aside. Come here, have a seat and sit down. Have some snacks."

"Thanks. You know you can just give 'em all an A and you'll be good to go." Max joked.

"Believe me, I'm tempted to do just that."