Chapter 13: Not giving up that easily

"Ok, deep breath in," Ada inhaled deeply through her nostrils and exhaled loudly out through her mouth, "everything is going to be fine. You're an adult. He's an adult."

She adjusted her shirt and smoothed out the non-existent creases on her trousers as the lift ascended to the lab and she mentally prepared herself.

Regardless of what he'd said (and how) the night before, she had tidied up the mess they left and busied herself with putting away all the equipment. After she had cried for a bit. To the movie, of course.

But after going home and only sleeping for a few hours, she decided. They were both reasonable, intelligent people and despite his protestations after, he had kissed her back.

What could she do anyway? Quit and never return? Go on to another job?

No. She wouldn't bury her head under her sheets and go back to sleep, pretending to be sick and cower away.

The lift 'pinged' and she took one more breath.

"No turning back now," she mumbled before stepping out when the doors opened and walking with confidence. She used her badge to get in and walked in…only to stop at the sight of Otto and a strange young man seemingly in the middle of an interview. If the folders of paper and briefcase were anything to go by.

They both turned at her entrance but did not say hello.

"Bao, thank you for your time today," Otto turned back to the man and held out his free hand, "I will call you later for an update."

"Thank you, Doctor Octavius," the young man bowed his head respectively and shook his hand, "I look forward to hearing from you."

Ada stepped to the side and busied herself with some books on her desk whilst the young man left. She wasn't about to have a very personal conversation whilst there was a stranger there. He looked like the type that would go blab to the supervisors about it.

As soon as the lift doors 'pinged' shut, she cleared her throat and tried to remain aloof.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. Can-"

"It's alright, he was here for an interview," Otto had his back to her as he walked to his desk, and she knew he was making it awkward. Even his claws weren't looking at her.

"Interview? Someone doing a story on your work?"

He paused and for a moment, she thought he hadn't heard her. But the topmost claw, her 'friend', turned and looked…almost mournful? If machines could look sad, it was doing a very good impression.

She felt an odd tug at her heart, even before he spoke.

"It's for your position."

He turned to her and finally looked at her. He had that same cold, polite expression on his face as the day they'd first met.

She felt hot and sick all over.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I think we can both agree that your time here was well spent, but it's better for you to move on. I can give you good recommendations," he shuffled through the papers in his hands and turned away from her, "and will of course make sure your references are-"

Ada hadn't waited for him to finish. The moment he turned away, it was as if the blood that had fallen down to her feet, rushed straight back to her head and she saw things much more clearly than she had ever done. She marched quickly to him and interrupted him with one 'swish' of her hand, the papers fell slowly to the floor and Otto shut up.

"Don't."

He almost couldn't bear to look at her again, but the tone of her voice brokered no argument.

Angry eyes met his and he couldn't help but think of lovely she looked.

"Don't you dare."

He took a deep breath, noticing tears threatening to spill out of her eyes.

"Don't you DARE talk to me like that and not even be bothered to look at me!"

"Ada-"

"I came here to talk to you like an adult. I came, expecting a sensible, serious conversation about our feelings and I find that you're interviewing people for my job. A job that I worked hard to get!"

She took a step back, allowing him to turn, but made sure she could still reach out and touch him. He almost expected her to poke him in the chest, but she kept her hands to herself. For now.

"A job that very nearly killed me months ago and that I have kept and loved. A job…which I am not letting go over YOUR struggles and issues."

"Ada, please-"

"When were you going to tell me? When I walked in? At the end of the day? Or would you have just made security keep me out when I came in tomorrow?!"

He could only put his hands in his pockets and felt his entire body slump forward. He just couldn't fight with her about this, but logic stated they would never work.

"Ada…I don't know what you want me to say. But I know that we can no longer work together after last night. It was a terrible mistake, and I shouldn't have taken advantage of you."

"Advantage? I kissed you! I'm not some silly little girl with a crush, I," now, she reached out and touched him, her hand splaying flat against his chest, "kissed YOU because I wanted to. And regardless of what you're doing now and calling it a mistake, I know you kissed me back because you wanted to."

He nodded.

"I did. But Ada, that's the issue. Look at me," his hands came out of his pockets and opened out for her to look at him, "I'm the same age as your father. You've got your whole life ahead of you and I…I've had my life."

She had never heard him sound so despondent.

"Why do you make it sound like you're dying? So, you're the same age as my father. And?! You've not influenced me, pressured me…you've not done anything untoward. You've had the greatest respect for me. You've been my boss, my teacher…my friend."

She stepped back closer to him, her hand moving from his chest to his cheek. He gave in to temptation and leaned into her touch, just for that moment. Hoping…praying, somehow it would last.

"I can't stand here and pretend what happened last night didn't happen."

"Ada," he trailed off and reached up, taking the back of her hand in his own, attempting to pull it away.

"Oh, for god sake."

Ada had other ideas.

Pushing herself forward and throwing her arms around him, she kissed him and held tightly around his neck.

It was not as gentle as the one from last night, but full of force and passion and he actually stumbled back in surprise.

Though this time, once he'd gathered his wits, he grabbed onto her arms and kissed her back.

'Oh, to hell with it.'

He felt her strong grip around her back and then around his waist and he was impressed by her strength.

When she finally loosened her grip and he was able to pull back, he had to restrain himself from going straight back to kissing her.

A small part of his brain was still working.

"We can't."

"Why not? And don't say it's because of your age or because we work together."

Otto didn't have a smart retort. Those were his two (very valid) reasons, but logic was losing. She could already see him trying to come up with an excuse.

"Alright. Say you do fire me. If we don't work together, would you go out with me? Or would you just use the age as an excuse?"

Otto sighed, shook his head, and tried to take a step back.

"Ada, give me some space, I have to think, and I can't do that clearly with you holding on."

"I-oh," she smirked and looked down at her side, "I thought you were holding me a bit tight."

He furrowed his brow and looked where she had, realising one of his machines had wound about them both twice and was currently keeping them together. Tightly.

"Alright, enough of that."

It retracted reluctantly at his command, but he didn't step back. Not when Ada's hand held the back of his head tenderly.

"I hate to sound like a teenager, but I'm a very complicated person," his own hand moved to smooth the side of her neck, noting her goosebumps.

"…You have robotic arms attached to you that cannot be surgically removed…you've had a rather colourful past marred by your own personal demons and mental health issues, but you've made amends for that and there's an age gap between us. I don't really see what's complicated."

'She's got you there.'

"You're too smart for me, Ada," he was unsure of his own actions, but leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss against her lips.

She did not deepen it but struggled to stop herself from kissing him.

"Have I told you that I love it when you say my name like that?" She told him between quick pecks.

"I'll have to say it more."

He pressed his forehead to hers and sighed, knowing it was no use.

'Resistance is futile.'

"You realise we're going to have to keep this a secret from the superiors? I don't know if any would approve."

"I don't care about them. I just care about you. And if we must keep it secret for a bit, so what?" She placed her hands flat on his chest, "A little bit of excitement between work."

He chuckled and placed his hands uncertainly on her waist, purposefully thinking, 'don't move' over and over in command to his claws.

"I think I've been a bad influence on you."

"Oh, contraire. I think it is I who have been a bad influence on you."

"Thank God."

They kissed one last time, lingering on one another's lips, and ignored the outside world. For now, it was just them.