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This week's shout out: buenasnochas !! Thank you for your kind and supportive comments, they really make me happy! I hope you keep enjoying the story <3

At any moment now, Collin would nag him for a break, Adam was sure of it. After over eight months of being around Collin, one would start to recognize the cues. It would start discreet enough: a few soft sighs, feet occasionally dragging on the linoleum floor, movements growing languid. Adam, spotting this from a mile away, would take the obvious course of action and ignore him, taking every drop of entertainment he could from it. As the minutes passed, Collin would become more and more impatient and sighs would become louder, feet heavier and movements more zombie-like.

That was the current situation and Adam was enjoying every second as he clicked from research paper to research paper on his laptop. However, as entertaining as it was to provoke Collin, it was becoming increasingly hard to focus on his work with that incessant grumbling in his ears.

- You have something to say? – he finally acknowledged his fussy intern, not looking away from the screen.

His question was all the incentive Collin needed to let go of his work and turn to him.

- I'm tired. – he whined.

- Shocking.

- Haven't we worked enough already? – Collin continued, ignoring his remark. – You already handed-in your thesis.

Adam didn't reply right away, making sure to save all of the work and papers before turning on his chair to face Collin. He spotted a tear in Collin's glove, which wasn't surprising at that point.

- First of all, - he began. – I gave my thesis to the professor so she could proofread it, I still have until the twenty-fourth of this month to submit it to evaluation. - Collin opened his mouth to say something, but Adam silenced him with a hand gesture and continued. – Secondly, the work in scientific research is never done. Finishing something just means you have more time to work more on other projects.

Collin's face contorted at his statement.

- There's no way I'm ever gonna work in this field.

- Aren't actors also constantly working?

- Yes, but science is yucky.

- Watch it, DiCaprio.

- It's yucky to me. – Collin corrected, not even pretending to mean it. He looked at his hand, removing the tore glove as he walked up to Adam. – But back to what matters: can I take a break?

- You haven't finished preparing the medium.

Collin's eyebrows met, along with a pout and crossed arms. - You always make me do the boring stuff.

- It's almost like you're an intern. – he teased. – Besides, all of this is boring for you.

Without contradicting what Adam had said, Collin resorted to laying a hand on his shoulder, shaking him lightly.

- But I'm tired. – he whined, dragging out his words.

The corner of Adam's lips twitched at the scene, but he stifled his smile, rolling his eyes instead. - You've been here for one hour. – he pointed out. – I've been here since eight in the morning.

- But you're a PhD student, you're like a zombie anyway.

Adam couldn't deny that, so he just took Collin's hand off his shoulder, nudging him towards the balcony he had been working at. – That stuff needs to get done. – he said. – You can take a break when I do too.

Collin let out a few silent cries as only he could, but obeyed, stomping and nagging his way back to the counter.

- Why don't we have more people working at the lab? – Collin asked more to the room that to Adam directly. – My friend May has a full lab at her internship, here we're just three and Jane hasn't even been that much around lately.

- That's not true, you've met other people from the group.

- Those random people who come in sometimes?

- Those random people – Adam emphasized, – are still part of the group. They're just working in collaboration with other laboratories, that's why they're never here.

Collin put down the container he had picked up, turning back to him and resting his lower back on the counter. – Is that what you're gonna do at that fancy research centre?

This time, Adam didn't suppress the small smile that took his lips.

- That wouldn't be a collaboration, it would be a full-time job. – he said. – And we still don't know if it's going to happen, I---

- Yeah, yeah. – Collin waved a dismissive hand at him. – You're just a workaholic nerd who's also the centre's director favourite student. Clearly doomed.

- My thesis still has to be up to part. – he said, deciding to ignore the 'nerd' part. – But, talking about due dates, have you fixed everything I told in your report?

Collin's smug look disappeared in place of a tense smile. – You know what? – he pointed at the material with his thumb, turning back to the counter. – You're right, I should finish this.

- Collin. – Adam dragged out his name in a warning. – Your report is due on the eighteenth max and you said you have other work in the meanwhile. A week will fly by before you know it and the professor isn't forgiving.

Adam watched Collin's shoulders slump with a sigh. He turned back around, yet his eyes didn't meet Adam's, sliding his hand back and forward over the counter's edge. – I know.

That tone, defeated and low, had Adam worried. He stood up and walked to Collin's side, placing a hand on his back.

- Hey, kid. – he spoke in a soft voice. – If you're having trouble with your report we can find a way to fix it. If you want I can reserve an afternoon to help you.

- It's not that...

- Then, what's the problem?

Collin raised his head, and although he still wasn't looking at Adam, he could now see the faint moping expression in his face.

- You told me to fix a lot of stuff. – Collin said. – I was really proud of it, but when you sent it back the whole thing was annotated with things to change.

Hearing the explanation, the concern in Adam immediately eased up and he felt himself smile. – That's it?

Brown eyes darted up to him in a deep frown and he found his chest on the receiving end of a slap, which was more humorous than hurtful.

– Don't laugh at me, I'm serious.

- I'm not laughing. – he said although he knew the amusement was clear in his voice as he took his hand away from Collin to massage the light soreness in his chest. – But you made it seem like it was something awful.

- And it is. – Collin crossed his arms, lowering his gaze to the floor where he drew imaginary lines with his foot. – I was really proud of it.

- And you should be. – Adam's smile grew with the confusion in Collin's eyes. – You did a great job, kid.

- But... you made me change so much stuff.

- Small things, though, – Adam pointed out. – There will always be something to improve, and I want you to have the best grade you can. You worked for it.

A toothy smile washed away the scowl on Collin's face, joining his hands behind his back and swinging his torso from side to side. – Does that mean you're going to give me a good grade?

Adam rolled his eyes. Of course, Collin would take the chance.

- I'm not going to be the one grading your report.

- No, but the rest of my work accounts to like fifty per cent of my final mark, and you're the one grading me in that area. – Collin nudged their shoulders with a big smile on his lips. Adam knew he was supposed to find it annoying. – Don't forget all those times I did extra work.

- I won't. – Adam made it a point to smile, getting closer to look Collin straight in the eyes. – Just like I won't forget your performance at the beginning of the year.

Collin's smugness vanished and Adam didn't resist the temptation to mess up his intern's hair and watch the surprise turn into a scowl. Collin pulled away, fixing the mess of strands, glaring.

- The start of the semester doesn't count. – Collin stated, adjusting his bangs that partially covered the line between his brows. – We didn't get along back then.

- Us not getting along would never affect your grade, but you can't expect me to give you a good grade just because we're close, that wouldn't be fair either.

Once again, Collin's demeanour changed in a split second, back to a wide smile. That couldn't be good for Adam.

- What? – he asked.

- We're close, is it?

Adam could swear his eyes almost rolled to the back of his sockets. How did it always come back to that when it came to Collin? His ability to latch onto to the smallest things Adam would say was impressive. If he had such a sharp hearing when it came to school, he wouldn't have needed any tutoring.

Regardless, he wasn't about to have that conversation. Instead, he grabbed Collin's shoulders, turning him to his work station.

- Making medium, now. – he said with a slight tap on the back of Collin's head, promptly ignoring the over-dramatic noises of pain. – When I take a break, you can have one too.

- That's it, then. – Collin faked a cry, taking his own hand to his chest over his heart, scrunching up the lab coat's fabric. – I'm doomed to waste away in between these walls, forced to work until exhaustion takes my young life, - he paused, using the back of his wrist to wipe away non-existent tears. – Tell my parents I love them.

- I don't get paid enough.

Collin stopped his performance, glancing at Adam with arched eyebrows. – You get paid for being a supervisor?

- No. – Adam gestured to Collin's work with his chin as to tell him to start. He didn't start. – I would probably have tried it sooner if I was.

- You haven't had an intern before me?

Adam shook his head, leaning his hip against the edge of the counter, careful with the material on it. – Never wanted to.

- Why?

- Too much work, too little time. – he said. – When you have an intern at your disposition, you can either be the type of supervisor that uses them to do a bunch of stuff you don't want to do or you can give your best to help them improve, - he showed a close-mouthed smile. - It might be hard to believe, but I try to be the second.

Collin's features softened, – It's not hard to believe for me.

Anything Adam had planned to say next evaporated from his mouth. He had expected some cheap jab that he would then reciprocate, but Collin had thrown him a curveball that had heat rising up his neck. Trying to be as discrete as possible, he took his hand, cold from being on his laptop for hours, to alleviate his burning ear. – Good. – he cleaned his throat as he stood upright, ready to book it back to his desk. – We should go back to work, you need to finish that.

- You're shy again.

Adam's head snapped back to Collin, who looked more than satisfied with himself. – I'm not shy. Why would I be shy?

Collin's smile grew, - I don't know. Why are you shy?

- I'm not, - Adam reached for Collin's head, turning him to the material in front of him. – Now work.

Just as he finished talking, Collin's head turned back to him, smiling as if Adam had spoken to a wall. At that moment, it really felt like it.

- If you never accepted interns, why did you accept to supervise my internship?

- You're just trying to stall so you don't have to do your work.

- Maybe, - Collin said. – But I still want to know.

Adam sighed, but, knowing Collin wouldn't let go until he got an answer, he relented.

- Not a lot of people, especially second-year students, have the guts to ask for an internship with one of the most ruthless professors in the department, – he explained. – Whoever it was, was either really dedicated or had slacked in getting an internship and had no other choice.

He paused, giving Collin a meaningful glance to each he responded with the least regretful smile. Adam scoffed to himself, pressing down a smile and continued.

- Since the other's wouldn't be at the lab much this year, the only options when the professor told us there was a student interested, was me and Jane. At first, I wasn't interested, but then I remembered Jane's... - his eyes wandered for a second, searching for the right word, - ...methods of supervision and I changed my mind.

His choice of words didn't lessen the surprise that raised Collin's eyebrows. He stepped closer to Adam as if there was a sudden need for them to be quiet in the otherwise empty room. – What do you mean? – Collin lowered his voice to a whisper. – Is she secretly mean?

- Is not that she's mean... - Adam trailed off for a moment, looking at the curiosity in Collin's eyes. As a supervisor he wasn't supposed to engage in gossip about a colleague with his intern, right? It was expected of him to keep some level of professionalism.

A surge of memories from when the results had come out right weeks ago came out of nowhere and slapped his hypocrisy right in his own face. Adam was quick to shove that memory back to the depths of his mind along with the shiver of embarrassment that threatened to crawl its way to his face.

- Jane's really nice. – he rushed to continue before Collin could catch on to his cringe induced state. – But if you think I overwork you, you wouldn't last a day with her.

- Jane, Jane? – Collin asked. – That Jane?

- Last year she had an intern, a masters' student, and even I pitied the poor girl. – Adam told him. - The professor had Jane preparing and teaching some classes to the first years because she was busy at the centre, so the intern had to double her workload. Some days I had to tell her to go home and finish things myself because it was getting too late and she had a two-hour commute.

Collin blinked his doe-eyes. - So you accepted being a supervisor because you didn't want that to happen to another intern.

There was no intonation of a question, but there was a gentleness in his voice that had Adam scratching the nape of his neck. – I guessed that if the intern ended up being the hardworking option they would be of good help and if they were a slacker I could try to shape them up. – he shrugged. – I would take it as a challenge.

Collin showed a smile more mischievous than sheepish. – Was I a challenge?

Adam scoffed, shaking his head to himself as he began walking back to his desk.

- 'Was', he says.

What did you think of this (half) chapter?
Isn't it so happy?... For now?

(As you all probably know because I won't shut up about it, this semester is killing me and I barely have any time to write, so I can't tell you when part 2 will be up. I'm so sorry, I know it's really annoying. I hope you don't quit on this book, I swear I'm doing my best <3)

I usually announce on my profile when I'm going to post if you're interested :)

Thank you for reading!