PLEASE VOTE: I know many people forget, but the votes are what boosts the story so more people can find it. I really want this novel to rank again, so if you voted it would mean A LOT to me. (If you have the patience of voting on the previous chapters, I would really appreciate it! )
Every chapter I will shout out someone, as a thank you for reading! If you want to be the next shout out, you just have to VOTE and leave a COMMENT (anything you want to).
Before continuing: THANK YOU SO MUCH for the reactions I've been getting to the last chapter. I usually get around 60 views on the first chapters of a chapter, but that one had 120+ 😭 And so many comments! Thank you so much! ❤❤❤
This week's shout out: alinefaleiros ! Thank you for reading/voting/commenting and for your support 😍 It means a lot 🥰
Collin's feet barely touched the pavement as he ran, a hand clutched to the messenger bag so it wouldn't fly around.
Luckily for him, there were practically no people on campus on a Saturday to further delay him. Unluckily for him, he was on campus on a Saturday and he was late.
As he approached the parking lot the image of a slender man leaning on a car slowly became more detailed, until he was close enough to see the way the man watched him with a slightly raised eyebrow.
Reaching the other, the younger man halted, bending forward to support his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. Still bent, but with the levels of oxygen slowly returning to normal levels, Collin looked up to Adam, who maintained the same expression.
- You are late.
Not quite defeated, the younger man looked to the watch on his wrist, only to frown at the other in exasperation.
- It's just five minutes.
- After the accorded time. - Adam completed. - Therefore, you are late.
Collin rolled his eyes, standing straight.
- Can't you let it slide? I'm not used to waking up so early on the weekend.
He shrugged, turning to open the car.
- You are the one who agreed on coming.
The intern blew out some air in annoyance, but knowing he was in no position to argue, he silently stomped to the passenger side, entering the vehicle. On a usual situation he would have argued back, but this time Adam was actually doing him a favor on letting him tag along.
That day he would be accompanying his supervisor to some fancy laboratory one hour away, so he could pick up something Collin hadn't really made the effort of memorizing. Although he would much rather be asleep, he had no choice but to make that deal in turn of being allowed to skip one day and half of the internship, on the count of having extra rehearsals for the play.
Colin was quite surprised when Adam proposed the deal, instead of the cold "no" he expected. Although their relationship had become better since the intern decided he would make his supervisor swallow his words, there was still some remaining tension left.
Regardless of tension, there they were, trapped in the same vehicle for one hour.
They had just left the campus when Collins blood sugar level remembered of something. He grabbed the bag laid at his feet and laid it on his lap, opening it.
- Did you have breakfast?
From his peripheral vision, he could see de driver glance at him, with brows lightly curled in confusion.
- Breakfast? I did.
Still without worrying to look at the supervisor, Collin nodded, searching the bag to take out a package of miniature Oreos. Unfortunately for him, the producers of those bags must have had a different concept of "easy to open ", which was not helping his increasingly weak hands.
- There's a Swiss Army Knife on the glove compartment.
The hungry man didn't even glance at the other, hurrying to open the compartment and retrieving the object, finally opening the bag. The simple sweet smell was all that was needed for a smile to appear, and after the first few, the grumpy humor had almost completely dissipated.
Holding the container towards the driver, Collin wiggled it to catch the others attention, while he placed the multi-use object back in the glove compartment. He had yet to close it, when he felt a hand entering the bag he offered, with a polite "Thank you".
The intern looked to the side, only to see his supervisor eat firstly one of the cookie parts, followed by swiping portion of the cream, finishing by putting the remaining of the cookie whole in his mouth.
Collin smiled at the scene and, although he had made no comment and Adam being focused on the road, the driver still curved an eyebrow.
- What?
- What, what?
Another brow lifted with the response.
- Why are you smiling at me like that?
- You eat the Oreos like the commercial.
The manner one eats cookies might have bee nothing more than an insignificant detail, but Collin couldn't help but find amusing that his stern supervisor would eat them as children did on the TV. Collin had the same habit and would probably have done it was he not starving.
Adam glanced at him with his comment.
- Are you trying to tease me?
Collin shook his head, grabbing one more.
- No. - very carefully he separated the first tier, living the rest untouched. - I do the same.
As if proving what he had just said, the younger man proceeded to eat the first part, followed by the entirety of the cream and lastly the other wafer. Adam was able to spare him some glances, as there wasn't much traffic on the highway, arching the infamous brow.
- Do you eat all the cream at once?
- Yeah. - he looked with curiosity to the driver. - Don't you?
Adam shook his head.
- You have to lick part and then eat the rest with the other cookie.
Collin's brows leaned inwards, as he took another Oreo from the bag.
- Why?
- Logic. If you eat all of the cream on its own, you will feel the flavor of the cookie and the cream. If you only eat part of the cream and the rest with the other cookie you will get to taste the cookie, the cream and the mixture of both.
Curious with the theory delivered in an academic tone, Collin looked the Oreo on his hand.
First one layer of cookie. Then, lick off part of the cream. Lastly, the rest.
When the young man finished his attentive study of the eating process, his eyebrows curved as he turned to the driver.
- You were right.
His acknowledgment caused a very rare amused expression on the supervisor. Collin swept his eyes through the smile he rarely got to see and questioned himself if Adam rarely smiled just when working with him or if it was a rare occurrence in general. Regardless, it was a pity for the supervisor looks. Although they weren't exactly on good terms most of the time, Collin had never thought of his senior as bad looking, and a smile really added to it.
- Years of experience, kid.
The intern immediately scowled at the unwelcomed nickname. Smile or not, he still got on his nerves.
- I'm not a kid.
Adam rolled his eyes at the objection, but Collin could tell the annoyance wasn't there. The junior didn't know whether to be pleased with it or mad that he wasn't being taken seriously.
Apart from the initial Oreo debate, there wasn't much more conversation during the almost hour-long trip.
Once or twice Adam would request his opinions on the GPS's indication, or Collin would sometimes ask if it was okay for him to change the radio station. To his surprise, the two of them had similar music tastes. He had expected his supervisor to listen to some type of indie music, or maybe the recordings of interns crying, but it turned out Adam appreciated a quality girl band.
An hour later, the two men exited the car and Collin looked up to the building in front of him. Who knew investigation buildings could be that imposing? It wasn't tall per se, but its parallelepiped shape was long, with its grey walls almost fading into the cloudy sky.
Adam passed by, only stopping to glance back at him.
- Kid, let's go.
Collin immediate glared at him, but he was already by the door, waiting for him.
When they entered, Adam instructed the intern to wait for him by the waiting area and made his way to the reception. The younger of the two did as he was told, taking a seat on the ottoman provided and grabbing one of the magazines laid on the small table. The magazine was clearly a science magazine, so Collin only swept his eyes through the pages, mostly reading titles and seeing the photos on it.
Sometimes he felt guilty about his lack of interest in the area he was studying. It wasn't as if he completely hated science. Regardless of what it appeared to other people, he was conscious of how important it was and how much people like Adam and Jane worked on it. The truth was Collin had always been stubborn, and being forced to study something immediately put him against the subject.
His thoughts were interrupted when an acrylic rectangle with the word "Visitor" began dangling in front of his eyes. Looking up at Adam, who already had a matching visitor pass around his neck, the boy grabbed the card, putting it on.
From the reception, Collin followed his supervisor to the lift, all the while looking around at the space. When the doors closed and they started moving, the intern looked to the slightly taller man beside him.
- What are we doing here?
Adam looked him back with a faintly curved brow.
- I've already told you.
- I don't remember what we have to pick up.
The door opened and Adam stepped out, making Collin assume for a moment that he would be ignored, again. But before the rage could take place, Adam slowed his pace to wait for him.
- We came to pick up a centrifuge. - he explained once the younger reached him. - They bought a new one and we can take the spear.
Collin arched his eyebrows.
- They will let you take it? Why?
- The professor is the director of the research centre, so they are giving it to us.
- But if it's just a centrifuge, why did I have to come along? - Collin asked with a small head tilt. - Is it that heavy?
Once again, Adam spent a few seconds without answering, but this time the intern decided to wait before assuming he would be ignored. And, eventually, the answer did come. Although it wasn't what Collin expected.
- I wanted company. - he replied without looking at the other or changing his expression.
The intern was so caught by surprise that he had nothing to say, which was not something that happened often.
Adam, the all mighty supervisor, the man who had drowned him in work and had barely allowed him a smile, exchanged days of his internship for the company?
There was no more time for that conversation, as Adam stopped in front of a door. Collin also halted his pace and looked to the door's number, smiling at it.
- 2.30! Almost the same number of the lab.
The supervisor was about to knock but paused to look up at the number as well.
- Hm, I guess so. - with a glance at the younger, he arched a brow. - I had my doubts that you would know the number of the lab.
Collin frowned at the jab, crossing his harms.
- Of course, I know. - a smile quickly covered his lips. - It's the same as my birthday.
The conversation once again came to a halt, when the door in front of them opened to show a small balding man with grey hair and glasses, dressed in black pants and a button up shirt tucked in.
The small man smiled at both of them, stepping out of the office.
- I thought I heard you. How are you, Adam?
The supervisor smiled back politely.
- I'm good, thank you. And the Doctor?
- I'm just as well. - he responded, switching his attention to the intern, smiling to him too. - And who do we have here?
Collin smiled at the kind man that had to tilt his head back to look the younger men.
- I'm Collin, Adam's intern.
- It's a pleasure. - he greeted, before turning his attention back to Adam, and showing a small guilty smile. - I'm sorry Adam, but the centrifuge isn't ready to be taken.
- Hasn't the new one arrived?
- It as, but there has been a problem with the booking of it, and a colleague of mine will need to use the spare in a few hours.
- I see... Should I come back tomorrow?
The older man shook his head appearing genuinely guilty about making them waste their time.
- There's no need for your drive to be of waste. The centrifuge should be ready after lunch. Do you think you could wait until then?
With the suggestion, Adam turned his face towards the intern, with a questioning look, as if asking him if he had anything against the wait. If Collin were to be honest, he did mind wasting more of his weekend there, but he knew enough not to say it, agreeing instead.
- Great. - the man smiled, closing the office door and locking it. - Why don't you go to the mall? It's a five-minute drive and I can call you once the centrifuge is ready.
The word "mall" was all Collin needed to switch his excitement on, immediately turning to his supervisor, grabbing the sleeve of his jumper and pulling it lightly.
- Yes! Can we go? Please!
Adam showed more surprise than annoyance at Collin's pleading. The intern gathered that that was probably the first time he acted like that with him, but he couldn't care less. There was a mall!
Eventually, Adam looked back at the Doctor, assuring they would be waiting for his call and beading his goodbyes. The intern did the same, still not letting go of the supervisor's sleeve before both men made their way back to the elevator.
Not happy with the lack of response to his request, Collin showed a pout and tugged at the sleeve, once again. Adam rolled his eyes without facing him but didn't push him away.
- What?
- We are going to the mall, aren't we?
- Do you expect me to sit in the waiting room for hours?
Collin smiled at the indirect answer, finally letting go of his grip. If there was anything that could cheer up his day, it was a shopping centre!
- Do you want to have lunch right away?
When no answer came his way, Adam looked up from his phone, searching around for his lazy yet hyperactive intern. They had just walked into the mall after parking the car, and somehow that brat had already escaped.
Adam was quite annoyed when the Doctor told him they would have to wait a few hours for the centrifuge to be free for them, but there was nothing they could do about it, so he agreed that the best thing to do was to wait.
When he heard about the mall five minutes away he immediately assumed it was the best option, but Collin hadn't even given him the chance to agree, latching to his arm right away and pleading like a little kid. Adam was quite surprised at the time with his intern's informal reaction. Since Collin had started showing some level of effort on his internship and Adam did the same about trying to hold back his temper, their relationship had become... Less bad? Still, his junior had never behaved like that with him, tugging at him with the biggest smile and later pouting at him like a child. But what really caught him by surprise was that he actually found that really scene adorable. Annoying? Of course. But adorable none the less.
His eyes eventually located his intern, not far away from him, looking at a beauty store display. Saving his phone back in the pants pocket, Adam approached the younger man.
- You should say something before disappearing like that.
- Those lip tints look really cute! - he didn't even bother to look away from the display, smiling and pointing. - Let's go in.
Not waiting for agreement, the younger man made his way inside the store, leaving his supervisor to enter calmly behind. There was no need for him to follow the intern, but he happened to be interested in that store as well.
Colin wasted no time approaching the lip tint display, already busy swatching the second color in the back of the hand when Adam reached him. Once four different shades were swathed, Collin turned to his senior, showing the lines of color.
- Which one?
Adam took his hands to his pockets and looked down at the hand presented to him. Collin wouldn't wear makeup daily, at least that he could tell, but something he had noticed was his intern's interest in light lip makeup.
- Don't you already have orange and red?
The intern looked at the colors, as if only now aware of his own collection.
- That's true... Then the pink or the burgundy?
- The burgundy looks the best in the Winter.
Collin took another couple seconds analyzing the colors, but eventually smiled with a decisive nod.
- Then this one.
Adam couldn't help but be entertained by that level of child-like happiness over a lip tint.
At the beginning of the school year, he had assumed that behavior was a way for Collin to call attention to himself, but he was slowly considering that maybe that was truly the intern's personality.
The childish smile was erased, however, replaced by a small pout and inward curving brows. Curious, Adam followed the line of sight until he came across the price tag.
This kid didn't check the price before getting all excited.
It didn't look that expensive to Adam, but he presumed the income of a scientific researcher with a doctoral scholarship wouldn't be the same as a second-year university student.
A sigh left the young student's pouty lips as he put the package back on its place before cleaning the back of his hand with the tissue provided.
Although clearly sadden about the price, Collin insisted on checking the rest of the store, quickly skipping to the following display. Adam didn't follow him, instead wandering in the opposite direction to check the displays marketed as skin care.
He would vaguely analyze the products marketed, all the while stealing glances at his intern.
A few days before, when Collin had requested to trade two internship days, Adam knew the boy didn't expect him to agree. The boy's face when he proposed trading those two days for a simple trip to pick up material was incredibly amusing, so much so that Adam had to force himself not to chuckle.
He didn't consider himself a cold person, but Collin could act so spoiled and childish, even in the laboratory, and that wasn't acceptable in any serious setting. But, at that moment, they weren't in a professional setting, so Adam didn't see any reason not to let the intern have his fun.
And he did look happy, testing almost every item on the shelves with that childish smile on his face.
Adam heard his phone ring on his pocket, letting him know he had received a text. Wondering if the centrifuge was somehow already free for them, he checked the text, only to see it was just one of his friends texting the group chat, proposing a get together that night to drink and catch up. After responding, Adam checked the time. It would probably be the best option to have lunch before the restaurant area was flooded.
He hadn't snacked on anything apart from the Oreo Collin had offered him in the car and, know that he thought about it, Collin should be even more hungry, seeing as he had only eaten those cookies the whole morning.
That thought caused a pull at the corner of his lips, recalling that there had been now two instances when Collin offered him his food.
Adam supposed the intern had picked up on his propensity for skipping meals when absorbed into work, and that was why Collin had asked him if he had had breakfast that morning.
With that thought in mind, the man looked to the face cream he had recognized as the same he used, grabbed it and made his way to the display they had first been at. Minutes later, he approached his intern, touching him on the shoulder.
The boy turned around with his eyes immediately caught by the bag on his hand.
- Did you buy anything?
- I needed face-cream. - he responded indifferently, checking the time once more. - We should have lunch before it gets too busy.
Collin agreed and, after cleaning his hands with the tissues, the two men left the store, making their way up the escalator to the restaurant area.
Because it was early and they were only two, they easily found a table and took turns buying their food. The meal went on without much of a conversation. Adam had just finished his meal when he received a call from the Doctor, informing him the centrifuge was no longer needed and could be taken.
Before making their way to the parking lot, the two men bought bubble tea, with Collin choosing the pinkest drink they had, named "Sakura blooming", while Adam, an eternal chocoholic, opted for "You make me so choc".
Feeling a pair of eyes on him, the taller of them looked the boy beside him, only to see a pair of puppy eyes staring his drink. Adam arched an eyebrow.
- If you want to try it you can just ask, you know?
The scolding tone wasn't registered by Collin, who instead of looking the least guilty, smiled openly.
- Can I?
With a not so annoyed sigh, Adam simply offered his drink without looking.
Collin excitedly took a sip from the other's beverage, but that excitement was quickly replaced by a surprised expression.
- That's so sweet!
Adam looked him curiously before returning his gaze to the drink.
- Is it? - he took another sip. - I guess. I like really sweet stuff.
- Really?
The surprised tone caused the doctorate student to re-arch an eyebrow at the intern.
- Why the shock?
Collin didn't back down in the slightest, actually smiling amusingly and shrugging at his glare.
- I didn't expect the mean scientist to have a sweet tooth.
The comment caused a frown to appear on Adam's face.
- Expecting you to do your job and be responsible isn't mean.
- But you didn't need to scream at me just because I dropped something. - the younger insisted, now scowling at him. - And you always make me do research outside of the lab, even though I've never seen you use it.
Adam felt his bad temper raise at the tone in which he was being spoken to. That brat hadn't even thought about apologizing for not taking his job seriously and still had the nerve to accuse him.
Regardless of the anger, he still had enough consciousness to remember they were in public. With some effort, he let out a harsh sigh and looked ahead.
- I didn't scream at you because you broke something, I screamed at you because you were being careless the whole time and, as if it that wasn't bad enough, you were about to grab pieces of shattered glass covered in potentially infectious material that could very well tear the gloves and make you sick.
The intern was about to say something, but Adam stopped him with a hand movement.
That kid had just accused him of being cruel and oversaturate him with work and he wasn't about to let that go by without giving him a piece of his mind.
- And all that work you nag about. Did you forget you have to turn in an internship report for evaluation by the professor? She can be all smiles but that woman is one of the most demanding evaluators from the whole university. All the research I make you do are things I know the professor will want on the report and that you won't be able to do if you leave it to the last minute like I know you would if I didn't give you a deadline!
Once he was done with his speech, Adam had to take a deep breath.
He had never been one to let others words get to him, but having Collin accuse him of taking pleasure on making the intern work on his free time when Adam himself had, various times now, stayed up late or occupied his meal break to correct those papers, got on his nerves.
When he felt controlled enough to face the intern without bursting again, he looked to the side, seeing the intern stare him in surprise, with round eyes. For a few moments Adam sort of expected Collin to apologize right then and there... But things with that junior could never be that simple.
- Then why didn't you tell me? I can't read minds!
- I never expected you to assume I'm just despicable!
Silence.
In a tense atmosphere, the two men stubbornly kept walking, drinking their bubble tea and not talking or looking each other until they reached the car. On the vehicle, Adam placed his beverage on the cup holder in silence and was about to turn on the car when a bag of mini-Oreo was thrown onto his lap.
Confused, Adam glanced at the bag and then to the passenger seat where Collin distractedly played with the zipper of the messenger bag on his lap, looking down on it.
After waiting a few seconds, the driver concluded an explanation wouldn't come of his own accord, so he grabbed the bag, still looking at the other.
- What's this?
- Oreo.
- That I know, but why are you giving it to me?
Instead of a verbal response, Collin kept his eyes down, shrugging forcing Adam to remind himself he was mad and avoid smiling at the borderline adorable behavior.
Looking once more at the bag of sweets, Adam couldn't hold in a hushed scoff.
This kid is trying to apologize.
It was a childish way of doing it, but he could appreciate the intention.
Knowing it was the most mature thing to do, the supervisor accepted the truce symbol, saving it in the space provided on the door.
- Thanks.
Not expecting any response, he returned his attention to the car, only for a low voice to interrupt him, again.
- I brought the extra for you.
He glanced at Collin, not sure he had heard correctly.
- What?
The intern's head lifted a bit, still looking at the zipper, while his lips formed a subtle pout.
- I thought you could have skipped breakfast so I packed it for you.
Perhaps, under other circumstances, Adam would have suspected Collin was only saying that to get on his good side, however, the boy had asked him about his breakfast as soon as he had gotten in the car. Besides, Adam knew enough about his intern to know he wouldn't be putting his pride on the line to please him.
This time Adam just couldn't hold in an amused smile. That brat was unpredictable.
Discreetly, Collin glanced at him from the corner of his eyes and, seeing the "mean scientist" smirk at his admission, a smile took form on his lips as well. A smile he attempted, and failed, to hide behind the straw of his drink.
- Isn't the Doctor waiting for us to pick up the damn thing?
Adam lifted a brow, but his smile wasn't completely gone, so he was conscious his tone wouldn't be menacing.
- Watch the language.
- Isn't the Doctor waiting for us to pick up the damn centrifuge?
The joke earned Collin a light slap on the back of the head.
Later that same day, Adam's car pulled up in front of the dorms building and the driver watched as Collin hung his bag on the shoulder and took his hand to the door handle, looking at him.
- Don't forget, I won't be interning on Monday and Tuesday.
Adam nodded, but before the younger could leave, he remembered something.
- Wait. I have something for you.
Under Collin's curious eyes, Adam picked up the paper bag from the back seat's floor, retrieving a certain beauty item from it. Without any ceremony, the supervisor extended the colorful small box towards his junior.
Collin immediately grabbed the lip-tint, with a wide-eyed expression and a smile from ear to ear, analysing it excitedly before looking back at his supervisor.
Recognizing the touched glimmer in those brown eyes, Adam concealed a smile, moving his hand dismissively.
- Save the thanks and just give me the papers I told you before the deadline.
The younger one kept his smile, nodding affirmably before packing the present and exiting the car. However, instead of closing the door right away, Collin leaned forward to see the driver.
- I will be in a play at the end of the semester.
Adam looked him back, not understanding the motive for the statement. He had already been notified, ever since Collin got the part that the boy wouldn't be able to intern that day because of the preparations for the premier.
- I know.
- Will you come to see it?
The doctorate student was undeniably caught off guard by the indirect invite, blinking a few times.
- I... will see what I can do.
- Cool. - the junior smiled as if he had confirmed his presence. - See you on Wednesday.
With that, he closed the door leaving Adam to watch as he happily skipped his way to the inside of the building.
Now alone, the supervisor finally smiled openly, shaking his head.
That brat really can be adorable.
Please remember to VOTE!
Vote+Comment for a chance at being next week's shout out.
So, there's progress on Collin/Adam ship. What do you think? 😏
Random question for those who wouldn't mind answering: If this book was some day published, would you buy it? (it's really just a random question, but I'm curious 😅)
Thank you for reading!!!