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If someone passed by that laboratory, they would be pressed to guess someone was inside. The anticipation was palpable and, apart from the faint noise from the machines, silence filled the space. Surprisingly, that was a good thing.
Before Jane had left to attend some scientific stuff abroad, which Collin had never bothered to understand, she had convinced Adam to wait until she was back to help them before trying again and Collin had supported the suggestion. Technically speaking, Adam didn't need the results to be what he had hypothesized to present his thesis, but he should be able to theorize what might have gone wrong which would be easier with two brains and a half thinking about it. Besides, Adam needed to take a break from that and, even not working on that stubborn part of the experiment, somehow there was always something that needed to be done at that lab, so he wouldn't be skipping his responsibilities.
That had been the plan that Collin and Jane had agreed to and forced Adam to go along with, so, the previous Friday, a week after Jane had left, Collin had gone home for the weekend, happy knowing that Adam would be getting some much-needed rest.
On Sunday, however, a gut feeling had him text Adam some random question about the discussion in his internship report. It had taken hours for his supervisor to finally reply and Collin just knew. Adam hadn't lied when Collin asked if he was at the lab and Collin had scolded him properly, although he could imagine Adam's amusement at the messages.
That Monday, Collin hadn't been due at the internship but after his morning classes, he had taken to the lab where, of course, he found Adam. His nagging was barely heard apart from a few indulgent nods and his supervisor even had the audacity to pat his hair when he was done. Eventually, Collin concluded his scolding would be useless so, he kept doing it, but with his lab coat on and helping.
It was clear Adam had a good feeling about this attempt but refused to let the excitement come to the surface. Even now, hours later, the sun already set, Collin could see how absorbed Adam was in what he was doing, so he kept quiet as he discarded the melted ice on the sink.
– Don't you have class tomorrow morning? – it was Adam who broke the silence minutes later, appearing by his side. – You should go home, you haven't even had dinner yet.
Collin turned to his supervisor, resting his hip against the balcony.
– Look who's talking. You spent the weekend here.
– You're really enjoying having an excuse to nag me, aren't you?
- And I'll enjoy it while I can. – he showed a cheeky smile. - I'll stay here and help you and, in turn, you buy me dinner, how about it?
Collin had to squirm away as Adam reached forward to pinch his arm. He glared at him with a pout as he caressed the harmed area.
– That hurts.
– You were being a brat.
The alarm sounded, shifting Adam's attention to turn it off. He placed the phone back on his pocket as he sauntered around Collin, halting behind him. The intern's heart jumped, feeling Adam's hands lay on his shoulders, pushing him forward towards the machine.
- Let's finish this so we can eat.
Hearing the hurry in his voice, Collin faltered and finally stopped mid-stride. Turning around, he squinted at a curious Adam, pressing his index on the supervisor's chest.
- If this still doesn't go right, you have to take a break until Jane comes back. – at Adam's hesitancy, Collin pushed further into his chest. – Promise or I won't talk to you anymore.
- Is that a threat or a promise?
Adam showed a fake grimace in response to the weak slap on his arm, which Collin ignored, reinforcing his glare. He neither appeared intimidated nor tried to stifle his smile but nodded nonetheless, laying his hand over his heart.
- I promise. Can we work now?
With a last strong look, Collin agreed, returning to the centrifuge.
For the following two hours, he grew to regret his decision to not insisting on going to dinner earlier. They did so many replicas Collin was sure he had dislocated his thumb from pipetting so many samples but Adam wanted to make a sure a small mistake wouldn't ruin everything.
To Collin's surprise, Adam didn't scrutinize his work too much. He would check on him regularly and would help him if Collin was having some trouble, but he didn't hover over him at every second, even though this attempt held so much importance to him. Only when a step required substantial experience, Adam would take full control, which Collin was more than happy about. He would stand back and watch the way Adam's brows cinched, the line that formed between them as he focused, the way he squinted and hummed small noises when in deep thought.
When the time came, they made their way to the central machine room, where the most advanced and biggest machines that were shared by the whole department were. As Collin followed his supervisor through the long halls, his gaze never left Adam. He could feel how hopeful Adam was, but that could be either a good or bad thing.
Entering after Adam, Collin put down the sample box next to the machine as Adam turned ON the computer connected to it. Once Adam took the chair, Collin sat on the desk, looking down at him as the old computer took its time.
Leaning back on the chair, Adam sighed.
- These computers are antiquities.
- You must feel at home, then.
In a brisk movement, he grabbed Adam's wrist, stopping him from pinching his thigh. He squinted at Collin's grin, not letting go of his arm just yet.
- Can't handle the truth, old man?
- Forgot that I dictate part of your grade, kid?
- Is that a threat?
- It's a warning. – with the slightest hint of a smirk, Adam rotated the seized arm, gripping Collin back. – Get up. It's a desk, not a sofa.
Resisting the pull, Collin pouted at his supervisor.
- But I'm so tired.
- You were the one that chose to stay. – he tugged at Collin's arm again. – Come on, get up.
Tilting his head back, Collin groaned in annoyance, yet obeyed the order. Adam's hand left his wrist, which he wasn't exactly keen on, but he had little chance to notice it as Adam got up from the chair. Curious, Collin looked at him, only to have his supervisor gesture for him to take the seat.
A smile stretched across Collin's lips as he accepted the offer.
- I don't know why you're so happy. – Adam rounded the chair, placing his hands on the back of it and leaning slightly forward, over Collin. – I just want to see if you know how to deal with the program. You should by now.
Collin smile didn't dwindle, tilting his head back to face an upside-down Adam.
- You try to sound mean when you're shy.
Adam rolled his eyes at him, taking a hand to Collin's head, forcing him to look at the screen that had finally decided to load. Although he very much wanted to, he didn't extend the teasing.
Under Adam's instructions, he tampered with the program's settings, with his supervision insisting on explaining the meaning of each to excruciating detail as well as the reason for their selections. Even though they had done that countless times and Adam had never felt it necessary to give such a lecture, Collin chalked it up to his over-achieving personality. However, once there was no other possible topic in need of an explanation and Adam decided it was crucial to double and then triple check the machine, there was only one reason possible.
After minutes of watching him scrutinize every part of the machine, even some wires Collin wasn't sure anyone knew the function of, he finally decided it was enough. He reached for the hand Adam rested on the desk as he leaned over to check if the machine was correctly plugged in, which had him pause his movements.
– Stop stalling. – Collin spoke in a soft voice, studying the response. – It's going to go well.
– But what if it doesn't?
Adam straightened his back with a sigh, gazing at the screen with fearful eyes. It tugged at Collin's heartstrings. He wished he could assure the worst possible outcome wasn't a possibility after all.
– I'm so behind schedule I won't be able to present my dissertation if these unexplainable errors keep happening.
– But I've read what you already have and it's a lot. Can't you do it with that?
- Maybe to get my degree, but I need to impress the jury and the professor if I want that job. – he rubbed his face with both hands for a second, gliding them then to his temples. – And I really do.
- And you will.
Letting his arms fall back to his sides, Adam looked down to him with a weak smile.
- Thanks, kid, but you don't know that.
- If they don't want you then they're dumb. – Collin declared, lightly hitting the desk with a side-fist. – And they'll be crying when you win the Nobel Prize.
That did restore the honesty to Adam's smile, so Collin added a decisive nod.
- Nobel Prize, huh?
- I'll be at least three Tonys and an Oscar in by that time, but I'll try to take some time to see you receive it.
Adam scoffed, trying to hide his smile as he shook his head, again holding Collin's head and turning it to the screen.
- Then let's get started so I can begin working on my acceptance speech.
Prompted by Adam's decisive tone, Collin made one last silent wish before clicking the start button. With some start-up noises, the tension in the room increased along with the slow loading bar. One by one, the six slots began being filled. The first one made sense. The second one too, as well as the third. When the program froze for a moment, a hand materialized on Collin's shoulder. Not looking away from the loading sign, his hand met Adam's, squeezing lightly.
Finally, the spinning circle disappeared and at once, the three last slots were filled. It took a few seconds for them to assimilate the numbers, staring the screen down in silence. Collin's heart contracted in his chest.
After what felt like an eternity, Collin's whisper broke the silence.
- It worked.
He couldn't believe it. It had actually worked.
- It did. – as a breath of disbelief dissolved into the air, a smile gradually grew on their lips, filling Adam's voice with excitement. – It worked! It fucking worked!
As if he had sat on a spring, Collin sprang to his feet, spinning around. Neither of them knew who did it, but it didn't matter as they found themselves engulfed in a tight hug, spinning around between laughs and cheers.
- We did it! – Adam screamed to the empty room.
Holding on to the other's shoulders, Collin leaned slightly back, smiling with just as much happiness.
- I knew you could do it! I knew it! I told yo---
It happened too quickly. One second he was talking and the other his eyes were wide, his heart stuck in his throat, his face between Adam's hands. It didn't last and their lips only touched for a fraction of a second yet once Adam pulled back his eyes appeared about to pop off and his mouth hang open with just as much shock as Collin's.
They stood there, gaping at each other in the frozen time. If it weren't for the heat on his cheeks and the horrified look on Adam's face, he would have convinced himself he had just imagined it.
But he wasn't imagining things and he hadn't gone crazy. Adam had just kissed him.
The full realization turned his heart into a pneumatic hammer. Adam didn't appear much better, suddenly stepping back, hands awkwardly hanging mid-air as random sounds that were meant to be words left his parted lips.
– I'm... – was the first thing possible to make up from that stammering mess. – I'm sorry. I... Don't know what came over me.
Collin had imagined that moment more than he would admit, but at that moment his mind was in a knot and he found himself with a burning face, tingling lips and dry mouth. Unable to function, he just nodded in silence, still staring at the fumbling man in front of him.
Adam wasn't faring any better, eyes fleeting, looking anywhere but him. Fumbling hands moved from his sides to the pockets of the lab coat, only for one to leave right away to massage the back of his reddened neck.
– I'm... – Adam cleaned his throat. - You can go ahead and take the rest of these samples to the freezer downstairs. We'll meet at the lab.
Unable to master a more complex reply than a nod, Collin turned on his heels, picking the styrofoam box filled with ice that held the samples. He was about to leave the room when something popped into his head and his steps came to a halt. Looking over his shoulder, their eyes met, bringing along a wave of butterflies. Ignoring it, he gave his best cheeky smile.
– You're still paying for dinner, right?
Just like he wanted, his impertinence seemed to revive Adam. He rolled his eyes at Collin, but there was a slight curve to his lips.
- The internship isn't paid, you know?
- Pretty please?
Adam sighed, gesturing dismissively for him to resume his way.
- Put that on the freezer before I change my mind.
With a large smile, Collin nodded, stepping out of the room. He walked a few meters, mumbling to himself, just in case Adam could hear him. Once he passed the door at the end of the hall, the humming came to a stop and his body finally quit fighting the shakiness in his legs, falling back against the wall beside the door. Feeling his heart in his throat, he leaned his head back, staring at the ceiling. One of his hands reached inside the box, holding a hand full of ice just for a few moments before taking the cooled hand to his scalding cheek.
In the middle of the hall, as he heard the drumming in his chest and an open smile gradually grew on his face, Collin reached an executive decision.
Screw it. I'm going to chase him.
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