Humans Are Encountered

Curiosity

Zork'ak had noticed a way of thinking among the humans called 'curiosity.' It was similar to the 'what if' situation but looked more to the answer of something. When xe walked into the laboratory, xe found the humans gathered around the bench. They had discovered a new compound in the collection site and were now subjecting it to extreme temperatures.

"What is the projected product?" Zork'ak asked Kai.

She shrugged. "I read in the uploaded notes that extreme temperatures created volatile reactions. We just wanted to see."

"Out of curiosity?" Xe asked, assuming that would be the explanation. She nodded. Xe could partially understand this method of thinking as the Klyls did often conduct experiments to find unknown products. However, they did it out of efficiency, and the humans often simply seeked an answer, hoping it to be physically entertaining.

Steve was holding a glass container, a productive material wrapped around his hand as he lowered it into a box with water vapor flowing out of it. As he lowered it, the humans leaned around watching. The compound began expanding rapidly and suddenly burst, causing glass shards to fly. There were minor cuts, but the humans laughed, saying that the experiment was quite fascinating or 'cool.' Then Zork'ak noticed the material around Steve's hand turning red.

He pulled the soaked material off his hand, blood dripping off it. The glass had sliced Steve's hand open, and the laughing ceased. Adam's face immediately switched to worried, and he reached for Steve's hand.

"Let me see." Adam's voice sounded like it was being constricted.

Steve was holding absorbent material against his hand. "No, I'm fine."

"Steve, just let me see."

"No, Adam. You're not a doctor."

Adam nodded, quietening. Xe could see it, though, the way his throat bobbed.

"Quit being so stubborn." Carrie reached for his hand, and he let her have it. Xe thought xe were the only one that noticed how Adam's face paled, how it looked as if he had been in physical pain. He turned quickly, exiting the room, and Zork'ak followed. Adam was rushing down the hallway, rounding a corner, when xe reached out to hold his arm.

Adam turned around, clenching and unclenching his jaw as he looked down at xem. "I can't stand this."

Zork'ak grasped Adam's hand. "I understand."

He slipped out of xer grasp and ran his hands over his short hair. "I just-I thought I could take it, you know? The longer I've been around him, I just can't. I want too much, and it feels like I'm choking."

Zork'ak nodded, understanding this feeling, too. "Adam-"

"Adam!" Jessica was running down the hallway. "Adam!" She turned the corner and skidded to a stop when she saw Adam and Zork'ak standing together. "What the hell happened?"

Adam shrugged. "I just needed to get out of the room for a moment. I felt a little warm."

Jessica crossed her arms. "You looked like someone had punched you in the gut."

"A wave of nausea from the hot flash."

Her eyes narrowed. "No. You were trying to look at Steve's hand, and when he snapped at you, you looked like...like it hurt." Her eyes widened now, her voice slowly piecing together what happened. "When he let Carrie touch him and not you... Adam, you like Steve."

Adam lurched forward, grabbing Jessica's shoulders. "Jess, shut up. No."

"You do." Adam was shaking his head. "Adam, it's okay. You don't have to deny it."

"He can't know." His voice was breaking now, his eyes wide. "Please, Jess."

"Adam, I think you should tell him."

"I can't. He won't-" Adam inhaled sharply. "Steve won't like me back Jess, and I can't, I just can't do it."

"Adam, you don't-"

He stood up quickly, completely rigid. His skin was palling by the moment, and when Zork'ak looked around the two, xe saw Steve standing there. His eyes were wide, his mouth slightly open.

"Steve, it's not, I just-"

"Is that what that was about?"

"No, Steve, I just, let me explain."

Zork'ak reached down to touch Jessica's shoulder. "Let's go for a walk," xe said to her. She nodded, following xem down the corridor.

"How long have you known?" She asked once they were far away.

"Since Steve broke his leg."

She thought for a moment, chewing on her lip. "I suppose we should've noticed then. He was so frantic to save him. Adam's just always been that person. He's a worrier and tries to take care of everyone." She looked up at Zork'ak. "It makes sense, though. They are so similar."

"It does. Adam was concerned that it would create a problem in the group dynamic."

She nodded. "I suppose it could depending on how Steve reacts. It could be quite a mess."

They walked a while longer, finally looping back around to where the laboratories were. Steve and Adam were no longer in the hallway.

"Well," Jessica paused in the doorway, "let's see what kind of mess there is now."