Another short one-shot in my Assistant AU.
I'll try to write longer ones when I have a chance!
Thank you to everyone who's read and left comments so far!
"Neutron! I told you not to use the iron sulphate!"
"I think I know a little bit more about how to run my own design than you do, Vortex."
"Oh please, you basically hired me to learn more than you about your own designs so I could point out your mistakes."
"I'm perfectly capable of catching my own mistakes—"
The solution bubbled over, spreading all over the table. He shrieked. "That wasn't supposed to happen!" He cried out in frustration.
"No shit, Sherlock!" Cindy ran to his cupboard to retrieve the dilution agent before the solution burnt a hole in his table. She doused the solution with the clear green liquid and breathed a sigh of relief as it hissed and bubbled.
"How did you even stay alive before I got here? At this rate, I'm surprised you haven't died yet or at the very least, botched up the furniture…"
"I almost did die a few weeks ago." He said quietly, solemnly recalling the memory.
Cindy gasped. "I'm sorry Neutron, I—I didn't know."
"My last assistant was sort of negligent…she wasn't paying attention to the flaws in my particle map and one of the structures electrocuted me."
Cindy touched his shoulder sympathetically. He immediately looked at her, and she awkwardly retracted her hand. After a moment, he offered her his palm. She flipped it over to find black marks and scars covering the backs of his fingers, running all the way down to his coat sleeve.
"Neutron, these are bad. Who was this terrible assistant of yours?"
"It doesn't matter." He looked ahead at the wall. "You won't make that mistake. I trust you."
Cindy's heart rate doubled.
"Really?" She shyly tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. He nodded.
"You're by far the most observant assistant I've ever had."
"Hold on, this is a moment to cherish. This may be the first and last time you compliment someone other than yourself."
"Ha ha Vortex. Now get back to writing up the data tables."
"I already finished them." She handed him a clipboard complete with ten sets of charts.
He raised his eyebrows.
"Your productivity level has tripled since you first started working for me."
Cindy smirked. "I can be very productive when I want to be, Neutron."
"Very well then, you've earned a break."
Her eyes lit up. "I'll be back in fifteen minutes." She walked towards the stairs and then changed her mind and turned around. Jimmy glanced up at her, sporting a perplexed look. "Time is ticking, Vortex. You only have fourteen minutes and twenty three seconds left—"
"Do you want to come with me?" She managed.
He scoffed. "Don't be silly, I'm on a deadline. And I don't take breaks."
"Maybe if you took breaks, you'd make less mistakes because of fatigue or carelessness."
"Thirteen minutes and thirty six seconds." He tapped his watch.
"You're hopeless, Neutron." She rolled her eyes.
Right as she was about to make her way downstairs, Jimmy called her name.
"Cindy?"
"Mhmm?" She turned around.
"Thanks for asking me. No one's ever asked."
"Don't mention it."