The Daylighter Apprentice

Chapter 6 - Don't Bare Your Fangs At Me, You Little Fucker

It's raining as I make my way to the lab. I'd left my rain coat at home as it was sunny when I left, but typical British weather: it didn't stay that way. The rain lashes down and obscures my vision, making the walk to the lab tedious and thoroughly unpleasant.

When I reach the lab, Matthew takes one look at me and scowls.

"What in gods name happened to you?"

"I got wet. It's raining outside." I reply bitterly, hanging up my leather jacket and going to shake my hair but stopping when I catch sight of Matthew's face.

"Are you a fucking dog? I don't think so, so don't even think about doing that Dominic. I'll get you a towel." He stalks off and returns a second later with a black towel.

"Thanks." I say, taking the outstretched offering and rubbing my hair dry.

"Don't mention it." Matthew grumbles, walking across to the experiment we set up yesterday.

"Jeez, what's ruffled your feathers?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. Matthew shoots me a cold look but sighs and answers civilly all the same.

"Ugh, stress. I have to put forward our finding so far in under an hour and if it's not good enough, I have to start from scratch." Matthew puts his heads in his hands, groans but stands up again, trying to keep his cool.

"Oh. Shit. Is there anything I can do to help?" I offer but the only response I get is a shrug.

"I don't know. Until I know the verdict with the elixir, I can't say if I do and if so, how you can help." He sighs, shrugging out of his lab coat and into a tailored suit jacket. It fits him so well and I have to drag my eyes away as his long fingers fasten a black tie around his neck. I note that today, he's swapped the black shirt for a crisp, white one but the black trousers have stayed.

"We didn't have to dress up smart, did we?"I ask nervously. Matthew stares me up and down and despite it being an innocent gesture, I feel myself heating up under his scrutiny.

"Well you could have worn something better than jeans and a t-shirt. The jeans can stay but I insist you change the shirt. There's no time for you to go home so you can borrow one of mine." Matthew says and the thought of wearing one his shirts distracts me from answering his question.

"Dominic?" Matthew clicks his fingers in front of my face, snapping me out of my reverie and back into the real world.

"Oh, um yeah. That's great. Thanks." I smile.

"Good. I'll give you a blazer too so you look at least half way presentable. This is the first council meeting I've been to with an apprentice and you're not going looking like a scruff." He sounds almost excited as he bounds off back into the dark at the other side of the lab. He comes back with a freshly pressed white shirt and black dress jacket and hands them to me before pointing to where he's just come from.

"Down there, second door on the right. It's the bathroom and you've approximately 10 minutes to get ready. And do something with your hair... You look like a drowned cat."

"Thanks for the compliment." I smirk, following his directions and from behind me I hear him call:

"Don't mention it. Compliments are free to give and receive; it costs nothing to brighten up someone's day." I turn my head just in time to see him flash me a sarcastic smile. I laugh shaking my head and entering the bathroom.

The bathroom is minimalist affair- just a sink, shower, mirror and toilet encased in 4 walls of blue paint. The floor is tiled much like the rest of the lab. I catch a glance of myself in the mirror and laugh. Matthew was right, I did look like a drowned cat.