TOUCH OF HOPE (MxM) (Completed)

48. Aunty knows best

- Then nobody would notice.

- I'm serious. – he whined. – Do you think I would look good or not? From zero to ten.

Adam freed his arm, evading his grasp and in a second Collin found his nose gripped between Adam's knuckles, lightly shaking his head.

- You're so insistent.

- Cute or not? – he pressed with a nasal voice.

Letting his arm fall down with a mix between a sigh and a grunt, Adam grabbed the plastic tub.

- Either. – Adam said as he began to walk away.

- Huh?

- Blond or as it is.

A smile so big it hurt took Collin's lips. Skipping his way across the room, he swerved to Adam's path, making him halt mid-step. He stood there for a few seconds before talking, just because he liked to see the frustrated line form between Adam's eyebrows.

- So... - he dragged out the word, lacing his fingers behind his back while shifting his weight from one foot to another. – do you mean that I'm always cute?

It was reaching for a compliment, but Collin could admit he wasn't above it when it came to Adam. His supervisor rolled his eyes and scoffed, but it didn't go by unnoticed how he hadn't out-right denied it. Collin couldn't and wasn't interested in stifling his happiness.

- I'll take that as a yes.

Adam sighed in frustration but instead of attempting to deny anything, he walked past him. Collin turned on his heels but stayed put, just watching Adam.

As expected, neither of them had referenced what had happened a week before in the machine room, but that didn't mean it wasn't a constant presence, at least for him. He had frozen the moment Adam's lips touched his and he replayed it time after time in his mind. Every time he was with Adam all he wanted was to pull him in and kiss him senseless. Except when Adam was being a hard-ass, then Collin wanted to hit him. And then kiss him senseless.

The sound of the door opening, veered Collin's attention, watching with a smile as Jane entered the room. She looked between them as she took off her heavy jacket and hung it on the hanger.

- What's with the silent? – she asked. – I leave for a few of weeks and you two go mute?

- Adam's shy.

Adam's head turned to him, eyes narrowed to slits.

- No, I'm not. You were just being a brat.

- Jane, you'll never guess what happened while you were out. – Collin interjected with a few excited claps. He looked at Adam, gesturing with his head towards Jane. – You tell her.

- Should I be afraid? – Jane asked.

– No, no, it's a good thing. C'mon, tell her.

Adam tried to act as if it was a chore, but the pride in his face was apparent.

– Last week the results finally came outright. – he announced. – In the span of a week alone we were able to catch up a lot of work.

Collin grinned as he watched Jane's eyes round.

– Cool right? – he pressed his thumb against his chest. - And I helped.

She didn't respond right away, gaping at them. Collin didn't fault her, she had been almost as involved in Adam's work as them. After a few short seconds, she finally reacted with a baffled smile.

– I can't believe it, that's amazing. – her gaze fell on Adam, arching an eyebrow. – But I wished I had been here to celebrate with you guys. Hadn't we agreed that you would take a break until I returned?