Work Text:
Chris McLean is stressed out.
Most of his interns are in critical condition in the hospital after testing the challenges he had planned for his campers. Weak!
Anyway, he remebers that interns dont get interviews, they submit auditions (because I, the author, say so). So he boots up his computer and pulls up the unwatched auditions, and presses play. The first 15 or so interviews were your standard awkwardly professional auditions sent by people who'd just graduated high-school and wanted to get work expirience for their resumes. Chris doesn't really care much about interns being interesting people, so he'd probably hire them.
But then he clicks on the next video. It looks like a young teen in the video, probably a little too young to be legally working, but pretty much nothing in this production is legal, so he'd let it slide. The kid in the video looks female, but the short fluffy hair covering her eyes makes it a little hard to tell. Chris hits play on the video.
"Hey! My name is Adam, I'm a 14 year old boy and I'd like to be an intern." Huh. Chris could've sworn Adam was a girl. Sure sounds like one. But then Chris notices the blue, pink, and white nails.
Ohhhhhh. The kid is trans.
Whatever, Chris hardly cares. His interns can identify as whatever they want as long as they're doing the job.
The recording continues, "I have no work expirience yet, but I've read that most interns on this show usually test out the challenges or something to make sure people won't get injured doing them. I'd be perfectly fine with doing that, no matter how dangerous it is. Really, I'll do ANYTHING. You can throw me in a room with a bear or off a huge cliff or something, I don't care as long as I'm getting money and work expirience!" Adam said with a grin. It was hard to tell if he's joking or not. He then says, "And if I die or something, I promise not to sue."
Chris pauses the video. This is the best audition he's ever seen in his life. A little cynical with the assuming he'd die part, but still! Chris LOVES not getting sued! And with a show like his, he'd DEFINITELY need people who are willing to not sue after dying.
... Joking, of course.
And although Adam couldn't sue even if he wanted to after death since he'd be too dead to, Chris liked the "I'm Not Gonna Sue You" mentality that Adam displayed.
Anyway— Without a second thought, he sends the kid an email saying he's hired. Child labor laws are stupid anyway.
~~~
When Adam got that email saying he got the job, the boy was ecstatic. He was working for very minimal pay, but minimal is better than nothing. Besides— he's only 14 right now, he'll have better jobs in the future.
Probably.
Nevertheless, Adam started packing his clothes right away to go work there and test out cool and dangerous shit! He's getting a pretty good deal. Besides, he probably won't get injured or anything else. Even if he does, he'll shake it off. Boy, he can't wait!
About a few days later, Adam arrived at the island. He hops onto the dock and is greeted by Chris McLean himself.
"Adam, what's up!" Chris fistbumps Adam.
"Hey, uhm— Sir? Mr. McLean..?" Adam said in a questioning tone, unsure how to formally address someone. Chris grimaced.
"Don't call me that, makes me feel old," he said in a half joking half serious tone. "Just call me Chris. Everyone else does!"
"Uh- okay... Chris." Adam nervously fidgeted with his duffel bag strap in silence. It was a light bag since it was just a few pairs of clothes and his phone, but in this scenario it felt heavier. Meeting his new boss was way more intimidating than he'd anticipated.
McLean ignored Adams discomfort, clapping his hands and speaking energeticly. "Alright! So— we've got your first challenge to test here all ready for ya'. Think you can handle it?"
Adam chuckled a bit, being internally thankful that there wasn't anymore silence. "Wouldn't be here if I didn't."
"That's the spirit!" Chris said with a grin. He points to direct Adam's attention to the huge cliff on the other end of the island. "Your first task is to jump off that cliff into shark infested waters! There's a little spot in the water where we're sure theres no sharks, so try to aim for that when jumping. Cool?"
Adam thought for a second, wide eyed, trying not to feel nervous. He shouldn't be nervous, this is a GREAT first task! He'd always wanted to jump off of something and be free falling for a good second. And if he survives, great! He gets paid! If he doesn't, also great! He never has to worry about anything again because he'd be too dead to worry!
After taking a deep breath, Adam nodded. "Yeah. Cool."
~~~
It's been a few weeks since Adam had arrived. He'd adjusted after only a few days, and the crew loved him. He was polite, he laughed at or cracked his own jokes, and he didn't get into anyone's way. Even Chris had taken a liking to him! He doesn't express it much outside of a few "good jobs" and messing up his hair, but Chris does like him. Especially since he got his job done well.
A little too well, some might say.
"That kid is weird," Chef Hatchet muttered while cooking up some abomination. It was late at night and most of the studio had gotten off of work for the evening. Chris was leaning against a wall and checking his nails while Chef cooked, only half listening. "What kid, Adam?"
Chef nodded, not lifting his eyes up from his pots and pans. "That's the one. Kids got a death with or somethin'. Did you see how eager he was to be jumpin' off that cliff? I didn't even wanna do that, but he sure did."
Chris looked down for a split second, almost feeling the emotion that some people would call "worry." Not Chris, though. Chris McLean doesn't worry about people other than himself and maybe Chef. Especially not some snotty little 14 year old INTERN.
"So what? It's not like he's gotten seriously injured doing it or anything, just a few bumps and bruises," Chris argued. Chef sighed. "Injury or not, that boy is not right in the head. Nobody who doesn't have a serious death wish flings themselves into harms way at any given opertunity."
Chris scoffed, concealing his own stupid concern. "FINE. If you're really that bothered, I will go check on him!" Chef grunted in acknowledgement as Chris walked off, muttering "The things I do for you..."
Chris made it over to the area where the interns (who weren't dead yet) lived. It was a small building out of sight from the rest of the island. Some of them worked together, some of them had their own offices that doubled as bedrooms. Great conditions! In Adam's case, it was the latter.