Chapter 20 – A Complicated Life

I was wrong.

"Why is the goddamn coffee jar closed so tight?" I fumed as soon as Aahmes arrived that morning. "I was craving for a cup all night but couldn't pry that blasted cover off!"

"I already placed some beans on the coffee machine," he said as he started fixing breakfast. "You should go back upstairs and change your clothes."

"I'm already dressed."

Aahmes stared at the same loose shirt and boxers I was wearing yesterday.

"Would you like me to help you change?"

"I don't need to change. I'm comfortable like this." I rub my eyes and stifle a yawn. "Is my coffee ready yet?"

I fell asleep in the lab last night since I didn't have my coffee. In fact, I was rudely awakened by Aahmes earlier, with my head on my laptop and the A, R and G keys stuck to my face. He even scolded me for leaving my bunsen burner burning all night.

"Here is your breakfast."

Finally!

He placed a big mug of steaming coffee in front of me, followed by a platter of pork and beans with bacon, sausages and eggs. My stomach growled in anticipation!

"Well? Aren't you gonna eat?" I asked when Aahmes simply sat at the other end of the table.

"I already ate," he replied, "and I only cooked enough food for you."

"You can't just stare at me while I stuff myself," I insisted.

I took a small plate and placed some bacon and sausages on it, as well as some buns, and slid it across the table towards him.

"Thank you."

"So," I asked as we ate, "what happened to that nullifying spray of yours?"

"I decided to drop it," he replied. "You were right, it was not worth the trouble of extraction. I could just as easily use my pheromones as it is, rather than placing it in a bottle."

"What were you planning to use it for, anyway?"

"It is easier to explain that I have a calming agent in my disposal," he explained, "rather than being caught as a dominant omega by directly using my pheromones."

Hmm, I guess he has a point there.

"Is that the same reason why you invented that foul smelling stuff to shoo dominant alphas away?"

"Yes, it is much easier than incapacitating them. It was a good thing that Dr. Heathlow was already drunk when I put him to sleep."

"Wait a minute," I stare at him in disbelief, "are you saying... that time at the company dinner..."

"Yes. He was too much of a bother, so I put him to sleep."

I burst out laughing.

"Ha! Serves him right! Did that fucking bastard really think he can mess with a DOME?!"

"That is why there is no reason for you to worry about me," Aahmes pointed out. "I am fully aware of what I am doing. I can take care of myself." I stopped laughing and stare at him.

"That's no reason for you to enter the cave of that bastard on your own!" I told him. "What if he feeds you something? What if he they gang up on you?"

"I doubt they would do anything in a work place full of close circuit cameras," he went on, "but thank you, none the less, for your concern."

Aahmes sneered at me. I'm starting to think that weird grimace looks cute.

"Hmph!" I shook my head. "Who said I was concerned about you?" I retorted. "I still haven't forgiven you for what you did to me! And remember, you need to keep 10 feet away from me! No touching! No entering my space unless I call for you!"

"Yes, of course, Professor," he answered with a sneer.

My minions were all overreacting when we arrived at the lab that morning. They were actually crying out of worry from what they heard from the grapevine.

"Sir Eric! We're so glad you're okay!" cried Pedro.

"We're all glad you're still fine!" they wailed.

"Does this look fine to you?" I raised my hand in a cast and pointed at the bruises on my face.

"But Sir, the rumors going round the company was that they took you out in a stretcher!" wailed a distraught Pilar.

"That's right, Sir, we thought we wouldn't get to see you again!" sniffed an intern.

"Did you honestly think that a mere alpha could bring me down? Ha! Think again!"

"but, sir, today's our last day as interns," a minion reminded me.

"Oh, it's that day already?" I mumbled to myself.

"Sir, we're all gonna miss you!"

I raise my arms in alarm as all 6 inters suddenly placed their arms around me!

"`Oy, `oy, that's sexual harrassment!" I cried out in complain, but the little idiots just laughed at me. Pedro and Pilar even joined them in their folly.

"Since this is the last day, why don't we hold a farewell party for our interns?" Aahmes suggested from where hw stood, several meters away from us.

"Haa?" I glared at him, "Our work has already been delayed, and yet you're suggesting a farewell party for my minions?"

"You are in no condition to work, anyway," he pointed out. "Can you even see through that left eye of yours?"

"My right eye is !"

"Sir! You should rest a while to avoid being stressed!" said Pilar with a big grin on her face.

"Do I look stressed to you?!" I bickered.

"Sir, I'll get a reservation, where do you want to eat?!" offered Pedro.

"Pizza!" my minions chanted as one, and there was nothing for me to do but to let them have their way.

They dragged me out of the lab and into the nearest mall, ordered four large pizzas, four platters of pasta, five baskets of chicken wings, and other stuff I can't be bothered to remember.

Well, at least they looked happy.

"Sir, when I graduate, I'm gonna join your team for reals!" said an intern with long hair who looked like she came out of a Japanese horror movie. "Please wait for me! Don't look for other researchers before I can get in!"

"Yeah, yeah, ask my Habibi about that stuff," I answered absentmindedly as I ate some pizza.

"I shall take note of it," Aahmes replied from the other end of the long table we occupied.

"Me too!" the other interns pipped in.

In fairness, this is the first time my interns showed any desire to actually work under me. Usually, they end up dropping out of the program before the two months is through. This is the first time that my minions number more than the fingers in my hand.

Now, my two researchers...

If I'm not mistaken, Pedro's past his six month probational period and would soon be a regular employee if he decides to stay.

He may be an alpha, but at least he's easy to push – I mean, train and knows for to properly follow instructions. In short, He's not a dick headed bastard like his alpha peers.

The same goes with Pilar. She might be a big flirt at times, but she's quick at the uptake and also quite flexible. A little more training and she would also be the perfect gopher.

I guess soon, I can actually say that I have a real team of my own. It is rather irritating to train new minions whenever someone decides to quit.

"Let's make a toast!" Pedro raised a glass of iced tea to the air. "To the best professor in the world!"

"Idiot!" I huffed. "This is for our mi- I mean, interns! TO think that they lasted all 8 weeks under my supervision!"

"Waaah! Sir, we're reaaally, reaaally gonna miss you!"

We went our separate ways after the farewells.

Aahmes drove me back home and strictly forbid me from staying in the office.

"And why not? I argued on our way home. "What's the difference between staying at home and staying in the office?"

"Because you would most definitely stay up all night if you stayed in the office," he stubbornly replied.

"And do you honestly think that I would sleep at home?" I couldn't help but laugh.

"Yes, because I am staying over tonight."

"Ha?!" I glared at him. "Sez who?!"

"Last night you left the bunsen burner on. Just what do you think would have happened if the fire blew out and petroleum gas filled your lab?"

"I-it's not like the fire would just blow out!" I insisted. "There's hardly a draft in my lab! That would never happen."

"And who will make you coffee?"

"I can do it myself! It's your fault for closing the coffee jar too tight!"

"How about dinner and breakfast? Who will cook for you? Wash the dishes? Wake you up when you fall asleep in the lab?"

"I can do all that! I've been doing it for years. I've never depended on anyone else before!"

"Never the less, I have decided to sleep over, at least until your hand gets better."

"What? Then what's the use of moving out in the first place?"

"You're right. I should just move back in."

I stared at Aahmes in disbelief.

Did he just talk me into asking him to move back in?

Well, it's true that I've been used to living on my own ever since I started working in the US, but...

"I-I guess it can't be helped, then," I mumble. "I never told you to move out in the first place." I added in a whisper.

Aahmes looked surprise as he turned to look at me.

I looked angrily back with a pout.

"Then... do you mind if we go by my hotel first?"

And that was how the perverted omega came back to my house.

In truth, I can't really understand how his absence for two days had affected me.

The house seemed too large and empty even with all the worthless junk he bought to fill it up. I keep unconsciously waiting for snacks and coffee while I'm busy at work, and I keep looking at the doorway, expecting him to burst in and drag me to bed while I'm doing experiments in the wee hours of morning.

That's why I decided to stay in the office, come Sunday night.

Just when did things turn this way? When did my life get so complicated just because Aahmes came?

"Um!"

I kicked Aahmes' leg as he was opening the front door.

"Ow!" napatingin s'ya sa `kin. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing. You just piss me off." I kicked him once more. "Hurry up. I still have some stuff to work on."