That’s a tough call, honestly.  I mean, Melkor is, despite all appearances, damn good at math, but Mairon is an absolute whiz.  If it was classroom, conceptual math, Mairon would have it in the bag.  If we’re talking applied math and physics, though?  They’re both good in their own ways.  Mairon can think through complex computations and problem-solve little nitpicky things like no one’s business.  Melkor is good at coming up with hands-on solutions to mechanical problems.  They’re good at math and physics in different ways, and it makes them a great business team.

As for Mairon seeing Melkor at work…

               “Woah,”
said Mairon, standing in the doorway, hand still on the doorknob.  Melkor was sitting on the living room floor, chewing
absentmindedly on the pencil in his hand, papers scattered in a three-foot
radius around him.  

               “Hey,”
said Melkor, not looking up.  “There’s
leftover Chinese in the fridge if you want it.”

               Mairon
closed the door and hung his bag on the hook in the hall.  “What are you up to?” he asked, walking over
to where Melkor sat, stopping short of the outer circumference of paper debris.

               “I’m
reviewing some designs for new body structures,” Melkor said.  “All the results came in today.”

               “And
you’re reviewing them?”

               “Hey,”
Melkor said, looking up at last, managing an affronted scowl.  “I do some work here and there.  You know, when they need someone with an
actual brain.”

               Mairon
laughed.  “Okay then, Poindexter,” he
said.  “What’s the verdict?”

               “I’m
not sure,” Melkor said, frowning and looking back at the paper in his lap.  “I had a team on each design, and I have to
go through each one of their results packets to make sure I have all the
numbers I need to make a determination.”

               “Sounds
like some serious work,” Mairon said.

               “Don’t
make fun,” Melkor said.

               “I’m
not,” said Mairon.  He mostly meant
it.  

               “I’ve
been trying to sort through these packets for an hour,” he said, annoyed.  “They’re in no distinguishable order.  I can’t even find half the shit I want to
compare.”

               “I
would sympathize,” Mairon said, “except that I’ve gotten similar input from you
about seventeen times too many.”

               “Shut
up,” said Melkor, with no real venom in the words.  “Just let me bitch, will you?”

               “Here,”
Mairon said, plucking a page from the piles in front of him.  “I see stress testing on this page.  Let’s start there.”

               “I’d
love to,” Melkor said.  “Except I think
packet number three forgot that section.”

               “Then
that one’s out for testing,” Mairon said.

               “Fair
enough,” said Melkor.  “Which one do you
have?”

               “Four,
I think.”

               “Here’s
two,” Melkor said, handing him a page.  “And…”He
looked around for a moment.  “Here’s one,”
he said, picking up another page.  They
spread the pages out on the couch, and Melkor turned around to look at them,
Mairon leaning over the arm of the couch to help.  

               “Are
you kidding me?” Melkor said, making a noise of disgust.  “Look at this.”  He jabbed a finger at submission number
one.  “They did one replicate.  One!  What
the fuck kind of determination can you make from one replicate test?”

               “None,”
Mairon said.

               “Idiots,”
Melkor said, shaking his head.  “I swear
to God, my whole department is full of morons.
How do these people even get degrees?”

               “Easy
killer,” Mairon said, trying to stifle a grin.

               “Is
this what it’s like to be you?” Melkor asked, rubbing his eyes.  “Just constantly reminded that everyone
around you is way dumber than you are?”

               “It’s a
struggle,” Mairon said, laughing.  “Although,
I have to say, it’s much more entertaining when it’s not happening to me.”

               “Now
you know how I feel,” Melkor said.

               “Touche,”
said Melkor.  He sighed, running a hand
through his hair.  “I feel like I need to
sit my whole department down and give them a crash course in how to do
statistics for fucking dummies.”

               “I’d
pay money to sit in on that class.”

               “Oh,
yeah?”

               “Oh, a
hundred percent,” Mairon said, absolutely serious.  “First of all, seeing you teach a class would
probably be the funniest fucking thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”

               “Hey,”
Melkor said, affronted.  “I’m good at
math.”

               “Oh, I
know,” Mairon said.  “But watching you
try to explain it to people would be priceless.”

               “I
mean, that’s fair.”

               “On the
other hand,” Mairon said, “I probably couldn’t actually handle sitting in a class,
watching you teach.”

               “Why
not?”

               “Because
watching you do actual work and say smart math stuff is, uh, how do I put this
delicately?  Oh, right.  Really
fucking hot.”

               “Really?”
Melkor said, sitting back on his heels and giving Mairon a look.

               “Absolutely,”
Mairon said, nodding solemnly.

               “Well, then,”
Melkor said, standing up, a mischievous grin creeping onto his face.  “Sounds like you need some private
instruction then.”

               “I like
the sound of that,” Mairon said, reaching out to run a hand slowly up Melkor’s
chest.

               “Want
to start now?” Melkor asked, taking Mairon’s hand and kissing his palm.

               “Very, very much,” Mairon said, putting his
hand to Melkor’s face, stroking his cheek with his thumb.

               Melkor
took Mairon’s hand and pulled him close, heedless of the papers scrunching
under their feet.  Mairon put his arms
around Melkor’s neck, pressing himself to Melkor’s chest, and kissed him, his
fingers curling in Melkor’s hair, pulling gently.

               Melkor picked
him up, and Mairon wrapped his legs around Melkor’s waist, kissing him
again.  “Come on,” Melkor said, his voice
gaining a rough edge as he started down the hall.  “I know exactly where I want to start.”