Lab Rats: Glitching Hearts (Chase x Adam)

Respite

Adam finished toweling off, wrapping the fluffy white cloth around his waist. He gulped dryly, attempting to steel himself for the inevitable conversation that he knew was going to happen. He entered the mentor quarters to find Chase sitting on the edge of the sofa with his elbows on his knees, resting his chin on his clasped hands while staring at a turned off tv with glassy look. He didn't even seem to notice his older brother entering the room. Maybe he didn't want to.

"Chase, we need to talk," Adam began, his voice hesitant as he approached his brother. He could feel the weight of Chase's gaze as it shifted upon him, and he braced himself for the inevitable confrontation.

Chase looked up, his eyes meeting Adam's with a mixture of uncertainty and apprehension. "Yeah, we do," he murmured.

Adam took a seat beside his younger brother, his heart pounding in his chest as he prepared to lay bare his feelings. "I just want you to know that what happened back there..." he trailed off, unable to find the right words to express himself.

Chase nodded pensively, waiting.

"It's just...my bionics glitch sometimes when I feel...a certain way....and Douglas said I have to take care of it or else I could explode or something.

Chase made eye contact with his brother and allowed himself to giggle. The way Adam looked so genuinely worried about exploding....bless his sweet, innocent, dimwitted heart.

"And I really don't want to explode so I...went to take care of it...." the older boy continued, carefully choosing his words.

Chase pressed his lips together as he felt heat wash over his face. Finally, he found courage to speak. "First of all, Adam. You're not going to explode. Second..."

Adam stared blankly, chocolate eyes wide.

"...I get it. We all have our quirks, right? I'm a guy too-"

"barely"

"Shut up -and besides, it's not like you can control it. I'm sure you haven't felt the touch of a woman in ages," Chase laughed in a dry, nervous manner.

Adam furrowed his brows in an "that's offensive" look.

"First of all, I have more experience than you, Chasey, and second I thought it was obvious that I wasn't thinking about a girl in there. I was thinking about you" he stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. And well, it was, given that he had moaned Chase's name. Chase stared bewildered. He obviously knew that, but he wanted to play dumb for both their sakes. Guess Adam couldn't figure that out, the stupid bastard.

Adam's admission hung heavy in the air, the weight of his words sinking in between them. Chase's eyes had widened in surprise, his heart skipping a beat at Adam's unexpected confession. He had suspected, of course, given the circumstances, but hearing it confirmed out loud sent a jolt of electricity through him.

"You were thinking about me?" Chase echoed, his voice croaking as he struggled to process Adam's revelation. He couldn't deny the flutter of excitement that stirred in his chest at the thought, but he also felt a wave of uncertainty wash over him. This was uncharted territory, and he wasn't sure how to navigate it.

Adam nodded, his cheeks flushing slightly as he met Chase's gaze. "Yeah," he admitted, his voice barely above a murmur. "I couldn't help it. You were just... there, in my mind, and I couldn't shake the thoughts."

Chase's mind raced as he tried to make sense of his own emotions. He had always felt a deep connection to Adam, a bond that went beyond mere brotherhood, but he had never dared to entertain thoughts of anything more. Now, faced with Adam's confession, he couldn't possibly ignore the stirring of desire that simmered beneath the surface. Not this time.

"Adam, I..." Chase began, his voice trailing off as he searched for the right words to convey the tumult of emotions swirling inside him.

Just at that moment, Bree strode into the room, looking visibly exhausted. Her shoulders were slumped and her steps heavy. She let out a sigh of relief as she plopped down right between her two brothers, not even noticing the tension in the air.

"Ugh, finally back," she muttered, running a hand through her hair. "That field trip felt like it lasted forever."

Adam and Chase exchanged a quick glance, silently communicating their shared sense of relief at Bree's arrival. They both turned their attention to her, offering silent support as she vented about her day.

"Mr. Davenport just talked about himself as usual. The kids are finally unpacking in their dorms."

As Bree recounted her day, Adam and Chase shared a silent agreement to table their conversation for now. They both plastered on reassuring smiles, necessary to shield their sister from any unnecessary worry.

"Yeah, sounds like a long day," Adam chimed in, his voice light and casual. "Glad I didn't have to go."

Chase nodded in agreement, adding, "But hey, you made it through. That's what counts, right?

Bree nodded, too tired to notice how unusually sweet her brothers were being. "Yeah, I guess so, and at least we don't have to train the rest of the day" she replied, happy to be home.

"Hey, is Leo still at Mission Creek?" Chase asked.

"Yeah, for the rest of the week. Tasha wanted some 'mother son time'" Bree explained with finger air quotes. The three siblings immediately burst into laughter. Leo would not hear the end of this, that was a promise.

"Poor Leo....wanna play his video games and eat his secret stash of snacks?" Adam asked, finally at ease.

"Wait, how do you know where he keeps his snacks?" Bree questioned.

Adam snorted in response. "Have you met me?" 

Chase and Bree happily agreed. For the rest of the morning, Adam and Chase chose to not to worry about their earlier exchange. As the three siblings settled into the familiar routine of spending time together, the tension that had lingered in the air began to dissipate. With each passing moment, Adam and Chase found themselves relaxing, their earlier conversation fading into the background as they focused on enjoying the simple pleasures of each other's company and stolen candy.

As they immersed themselves in Leo's video games and snack stash "TOP SECRET DO NOT EAT - ESPECIALLY YOU ADAM", laughter filled the room, banishing any remnants of unease or uncertainty. For a brief moment, everything felt normal again.

Lasers fired on the screen, then Bree's voice interrupted their concentration. "That reminds me. Anyone wanna explain why there's a burnt hole in my bathrobe?