Disclaimer: I do not own the Asari, Drell, Salarians, Turians, Krogan, Quarians, Keepers, Protheans, Volus, Sangheili, Unggoy, Protoss, Burmecian, Clavat, Goron, Selkie, Dwarf, Gnome, Draenei, Tauren, Angara, Geth, Togruta, and the Humans and the Terrans, and some of the characters, I only use them for my storied, but, I do own Ryan and Malia.
Author's Note: Be advised that my use of English writing skills are not of very high standards, but I will definitely put in my best efforts to write properly and if you do not understand something let me know. Also, this story will contain Human x Anthro, and Interspecies Relationship, don't like don't read.
"..." = character's Speech
It was a warm day on planet Koatov that it is larger than Earth, having a diameter of 15,273 kilometers, compared to the 12,756 kilometers diameter of Earth. The sun's rays beat down, gracefully upon a 6.601 million square feet headquarters where many races like the Asari, Drell, Salarians, Turians, Krogan, Quarians, Keepers, Protheans, Volus, Sangheili, Unggoy, Protoss, Burmecian, Clavat, Goron, Selkie, Dwarf, Gnome, Draenei, Tauren, Angara, Geth, Togruta, and the Humans or Terrans gathered. Koatov is one of, if not the most important headquarters for the Gaia Empire and their allies as well as the main supplier of military and civilian spacecraft, and the location of their largest and most active shipyard. It is also where the Gaia Empire and their allies most elite troops, trained, and it is the place which they return after a hard day of missions.
Inside of one of the building that it is a 3,000-square-foot two-story gym building was a male Terran named Ryan who is a tall, tan-skinned muscular male Terran at least around at 6 feet 1 inch tall with a high cheekbones with a short dark-brown spiky-hair pointing backwards with a dark-brown thin shaved/styled ring beard, dark-brown eyes, and a scar across his face. Ryan was shirtless wearing only a pair of fingerless brown-gloves, brown-worker boots, and a tactical-trousers. Meanwhile, another human male named Jacob Taylor who was standing up was watching, Ryan doing the weightlifting workout. Ryan was lying on a bench-press doing weightlifting with sweat coating on his body as he took a deep breath as he mentally prepared himself to lift the bar. Closing his eyes, he felt the weight of the iron pressed up against his back shoulders as he was lifting and lowering the bar up and down. Ryan gripped the bar, swallowing a grunt as he lifted the bar in the air before lowering it down.
"Come on, Ryan..." Jacob said as he was standing up with his arms folded tightly across his chest while he was watching Ryan lying on a bench-press doing weightlifting, "You've dated girls before. Why is Malia any different?"
Ryan was shirtless wearing only a pair of fingerless brown-gloves, brown-worker boots, and a tactical-trousers. He was lying on a bench-press doing weightlifting with sweat coating on his body as he took a deep breath as he mentally prepared himself to lift the bar. Closing his eyes, he felt the weight of the iron pressed up against his back shoulders as he was lifting and lowering the bar up and down. Ryan gripped the bar, swallowing a grunt as he lifted the bar in the air before lowering it down.
"Because, Malia and I have a history as friends, not as two people that have romantic feelings for each other..." Ryan muttered in response as he continues lifting the bar before he lowers the bar down, "So, we'll always just be just friends." He panted as his muscles throbbed from the heavyweights of the bar as he continues lifting it and lowered it.
"Yes, but you don't want to stay friends with her, am I right?" Jacob quietly asked as he was smirking.
Ryan gasped as the grip on the bar slackened and the bar nearly dropped on his face, but he quickly managed to regain his strength long enough to put the weight-bar back on its stand, he then sat up from the bench-press panting as he looked at Jacob.
"It's not like anything would happen between us anyways..." Ryan quietly said while he was still panting for his workout, "We know each other too well." He said before he grabbed his bottle of water and took a drink from it, "Besides..." He said before he took another sip from his bottle, "How do I know she won't reject me and I'll just end up making a fool of myself?" He said but he was a bit taken aback when a humored chuckled escaped Jacob's mouth.
"You may not have noticed this, but..." Jacob said still with a smirk on his face, "You're not the only one that has a look of admiration in your gaze whenever you're both in the same room."
"What are you talking about?" Ryan asked as he grabbed his towel and wrapped it around his neck as his eyes widened slightly in surprise.
"Malia really likes you..." Jacob quietly said still with a smirk on his face, "She has for a while, and I know you like her too."
"I don't... She doesn't... but..." Ryan stammered and looked at Jacob in astonishment, "She really likes me?"
"Oh, don't tell me you never noticed it..." Jacob said in astonishment, "I know she likes you very much." He said, "But... She's too nervous to tell you because of the race difference between you two." He said, "Just make the first move, will you?" He quietly said as he glared at Ryan who was still sitting in the bench-press.
"I can't just go to her and tell her that I like her more than a friend..." Ryan said as he ran his fingers through his hair before he sighed heavily, "She will think that I'm the biggest idiot and she then will not like me." He said, "Besides." He said before he stood up from the bench-press, "It's not normal for two people of two different species to date and I think it's best to stick with what's normal!"
"I don't know why you are worried about that..." Jacob said with a small laugh on his voice, "That did not stop someone like our friend Garrus and Renata to be together, or Asyr and Gavin to hookup." He said with a small smile on his face, "And then me and my girlfriend Erall who is a female Draenei we've been dating for three years." He quietly said and Ryan felt flush in embarrassment over the conversation and with his relationship with Malia, so he took a quick sip from his bottle of water, "So, don't even deny the fact that you like Malia too."
"I don't..." Ryan said as he felt flush in embarrassment before he took another sip from his bottle of water, "As I told you... She's a friend."
"You two are too close to be just friends." Jacob said and Ryan rolled his eyes and took another sip from his bottle of water with a small noise of annoyance, "I knew you two cared about each other!" He said with a smirk on his face, "Everyone could see it!" He said, "Even I know, and I'm completely oblivious." He said and then there was a brief silence between the two friends as Ryan's mind was racing and he was also speechless, "Malia loves you, and she will be so excited if you finally grew the balls to ask her on an actual date." He said, smirking at his friend.
"Malia and I have been friends for three years..." Ryan said with a small noise of annoyance on his voice but still feeling the flush, "If I tell her I want to take her out on an actual date, I can ruin it forever." He said, "Besides, Malia has stated before that she's not interested in a relationship. So it's better for us to stay friends."
Jacob was about to reply when he was interrupted when he heard the door slam open, and both men glanced over at Malia who is a female Burmecian who stands approximately at 6 feet and 1½ inches tall with a upperback-length green-hair, turquoise-blue eyes with a slender curvaceous yet well-toned and well-endowed body with gray-fur around her body. Malia was wearing a sky-blue yoga pants and a sky-blue Yoga Push-up Bra Top that bares her midriff, and a pair of dark-blue fingerless combat gloves, she was making her way toward them while she was holding a small sealed container on her hand.
"Hey, guys!" Malia greeted as she then stopped not to far from Ryan.
"I have to use the bathroom..." Jacob said suddenly with a smirk on his face before he looks at Ryan, "Remember what I told you, Ok?" He said this before he winked at Ryan.
Jacob then ran toward the exit and Malia look at him in confusion before disappearing through the door while Ryan rolled his eyes.
"What was that all about?" Malia questioned as she looks at Ryan.
"I have no idea." Ryan replied before he sat on the bench-press.
"Anyway, here." Malia said as she gave Ryan the small sealed container.
"You brought lunch for me?" Ryan said as he was pleasantly surprised, "Thank you." He said as he took the plastic box from Malia who then sat beside him on the bench press, "You know, you really are a considerate person."
"Well, it's well past lunchtime..." Malia quietly said as she looks at Ryan, "So, I thought you must be hungry."
Ryan smile and opened his lunch, he saw that it was a grilled chicken breast sandwich, "Here." He said as he offered half of his sandwich to Malia who looks at him as she was pleasantly surprised.
"No that's alright... I don't need to eat now." Malia said politely.
"You sure? It wouldn't be polite to eat while you have nothing." Ryan said with a small smile on his face.
"It's ok, I don't mind. Besides... I... Got that for you." Malia said before she looks away.
Ryan smiled and nodded, "Thank you." He said before he bites into his lunch.
Malia then stood up and got into the plank position and started doing push-ups effortlessly, up, down, up, down, up, down, up, down. Ryan who was continue eating was watching her muscles contract and relax over and over. He likes how Malia look, she is an attractive young grown female Burmecian with a girlish yet well-toned figure and slightly taller than Ryan. Though multiple people have commented on her ladylike beauty, Malia is an unabashed tomboy and spends much of her time doing workout and dressing on boys clothes. Ryan also likes her personality, she is a very emotional, strong-willed and emphatic person who puts all her heart and effort into the things she does. She is stubborn and straightforward, often calling others out for their weaknesses and delusions, but she is a bit more tactful with her honesty.
Malia is also a quiet and collected female Burmecian with a serious but courteous demeanor; strictly disciplined and extremely rational, she rarely relaxes when on the job and is usually tasked with keeping her colleagues on track. Though from the outside she might seem strict, rigid, and even a little mean, Malia is not as cold and distant as she may appear. Those close to her know that there is more to her than her no-nonsense attitude; beneath her professional aura is a kind soul who understands the difficulty of carrying a heavy burden. Ryan was still sitting on the bench-press eating his lunch and watching Malia silently doing a push-up. If nothing else, he had to admit that she is an extremely fine specimen of the female physique a very near perfect if he was to be completely honest with himself.
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After a minute of doing push-up and Ryan eating his lunch, Malia could feel her arms shaking for so much push-up she was doing. Her muscles felt like they were liquefying, but she was still doing push-ups slowly by going, up, down, up, down, up, down, up, down, but then, Malia stopped doing the push-up and laid down on the floor panting.
"Malia?"
Malia lifted her head, chicory eyes widening at the call, "Huh?" She asked, brushing her long green hair from her face and look at Ryan who was beside her.
"Are you alright?" Ryan asked as he helps her to sit up.
"Mm..." Malia hummed with a faint nod and then she tucked her hair behind her ear, looking away, "Yeah... I Fine." She replied as she was panting and almost breathless.
"Don't push yourself too much..." Ryan quietly said as he lifted his hand to her shoulder and squeezed it, "Take a break." He said and Malia nodded obediently, "You need to look after yourself."
"I do know my limits!" Malia said still panting for air.
"Clearly, you don't!" Ryan said as he sat beside Malia, "You keep pushing and pushing until you crack. That's dangerous."
"Yeah..." Malia replied still panting for air as she looks at Ryan, "But all the training paid off, didn't it?" She puffed a little with pride.
"That's as well as may be..." Ryan said, "But if you'd pushed yourself too hard, too much in training, you might have jeopardized yourself." He said, "And we need you at your best." He said and Malia tried to speak but he raised a hand to stop her, "I know what you're going to say." He said before he sat up straight and pointed out his index fingers on either side of his head and then dropped his voice and said, "'It was just this one time'..." He said and Malia chuckled at his poor impression of her, "Well, I call BS on that because I know it's not." He said as he then looks at Malia, "You push and push, and we don't notice at the time, but..." He quietly said, "Not this time."
Protesting was pointless, so instead, Malia chuckled and gave a tiny nod, "Okay, I admit defeat." She said as she was still panting, "I pushed it too far."
There was a brief silence between the two friends, as they were sitting in the floor side by side from each other until Ryan look at Malia again and spoke up, "You know, it's been a little while since there's been any mission for us." Ryan said getting Mali's attention,"This base isn't even a base right now. It's more like a little hangout spot, though I'm not complaining, I like spending time with you guys."
"You're right... There hasn't been any use for us in quite a while..." Malia replied still panting for air, "But, I think I could get used to just being normal." She remarked playfully and Ryan smiled a little returning the smile, "This life of a soldier takes up too much of my time..." She said, " I'm so tired of all this stuff. Fight after fight after fight..." She said before she makes a small sigh, "I've been dreaming of working and living as a plain person, without the responsibilities... The loneliness... Of a soldier!"
Ryan let out a small laugh, "That makes two of us." He said and Malia chuckled, "What made you become a soldier?"
"My mother..." Malia answered, "Captain Orlia Farron." She said, "She kinda forced me into this." She said, "All my family are soldiers in the Gaia Empire."
"It must be hard to have family in the army." Ryan said and Malia gave him a nod.
Malia then stood up from the floor and look at Ryan, "Anyway, I see you later." She said before she walked toward the door of the gym.
"Hey, Malia..." Ryan said as he stood up and quickly took a step closer to Malia who quickly turned around to look at him, "I was wondering..." He began as his breath nearly caught in his throat and he decided to let the question slide from his mouth and get the initial awkwardness over with instead of drawing this situation out, "Would you... Would you want to have dinner with me tonight?" He asked as he rubs the back of his head, "In Dripping Drizzles?" He told her carefully as his eyes never look away from hers, "Just... You... and me..." He said, "As a date."
Malia watched Ryan for a few moments before exhaling in surprise and answering with a dumbfounded, "Oh... oh, uh..." She dumbfounds said as Ryan bit his lip, patiently allowing her to think of a response, "I... A date..." She nervously said but rather than questioned, her head bobbed a little but Ryan couldn't tell if it was a nod, "I guess that's sort of... Ummmm I don't know actually..." She nervously said while laughing quietly, "I mean, it can happen now, between the two of us... I mean, you... Can ask me on a date... Because the missions and stuff are down." She nervously said as she was fumbling between words, "So that means we can go out to dinner and just act like normal people that...?" She said but then she paused when Ryan pressed the palm of his hands against her shoulders and smiled genuinely at her.
"Is that a yes?" Ryan asked with excitement in his voice.
Malia watched Ryan for a few moments as his good mood easily rubbed off on her so she returned the smile and she then nodded, "Yeah..." She responded with her voice quiet but also beyond thrilled, "I... I will go with you." She said as her heart thudded faster.
Ryan smiled and his hand slipped from her shoulders, "Great. That's... Yeah, great..." He said, "I'll pick you up at 7, then?"
"7... 7 it is." Malia replied with a smile on her face.
Jacob conveniently came back into the gym at that moment to see both Malia and Ryan gazing adoringly into each other's eyes. Although he obviously knew what the intense eye meant, he couldn't say no to the idea of having a little bit of fun with the two, so he shaped his face into a look of confusion.
"What did I miss?" Jacob asked with a smirk on his face as he walked toward them which causes both Malia and Ryan to pull away from each other.
They both said in unison, "Nothing!"
They stared at each other for a few more minutes before Malia realized she probably looked like an idiot, simply staring at the male Terran, "Er, I should go... See you later." She said before she walked away to the gym door feeling proud of herself.
"Bye." Ryan whispered as he watched Malia leaving the gym.
End of Part 1