Author's note: I did not give a detailed description of John or Jane because I assumed that every Mass Effect fan is familiar with the looks of the official Shepards. Though, I imagine Jane a bit younger-looking and with a bit higher pitched voice because of her age in my story.
„It's none of my business."
The loud music filled his head. The usual, rhythmic beating and… additional sounds.
Why is this popular in all the clubs?
Well, he wasn't actually fooling around in an ordinary club, but in Purgatory itself.
The biggest shot on the Presidium with its multiple levels and unique atmosphere. Purple and blue everywhere, decorated by some red spots. Vibrancy. Lots of people, lots of species.
It didn't take long for his head to start spinning, so right now he was sitting in one of the bars that Purgatory housed.
What's the name of it again? ...
He looked up one more time. „Blue Heaven."
Now that's ironic.
He sighed. It's probably because of the asari bartenders… which explains why there are so many human males around.
"I can't believe we never came here before," Kiriyama said. "I should be here… all the time."
John quietly snorted.
"Heyyy, look at that sweetie!" Kiriyama jogged him.
John looked at his friend with an untouched expression.
"No, don't look at me, look at her," Kiriyama insisted and pointed his finger at someone on their left side.
John sighed, then looked around. That asari with the pink paint on her face. Again. He looked back with the same expression. Kiriyama shrugged.
"I'll never understand how you can be so… unaffected by asari."
John grinned. He sipped from his drink and turned his head in the opposite direction from the asari.
There she was. Having fun with her friends; Caroline, the asari Adarenys and the turian Narhus. Well, Jane was certainly better at making friends with aliens than he was. Not that he held any personal grudge against them… he'd just spent less time among them than she had.
"Bah, I'll never have a real shot with asari," Kiriyama whined. "well, maybe with one under a hundred, but that would kinda feel like being a pedophile."
John rolled his eyes at him.
"You see, this is one of the reasons I wish to stay unaffected by asari."
"Then what are you affected by, dude?" Kiriyama asked him. "Aaand by the way…" he pointed at Jane with his head, "could she be affected by… me?"
Excuse me.
John glanced at him with a dismissive expression.
"Whaaat, you don't think I'm her type?"
"How should I know?" he lifted his drink to his mouth. "It's none of my business."
Right.
He knew a lot about Jane, but he never asked about her romantical interests. As far as he knew, she could be after a hanar.
Though, that wasn't very likely.
"I could try to date quarians," Kiriyama continued his lamentation about not getting laid. "but seriously, who really knows what's under each of those suits? "
"Or you could court a krogan. They don't care that much for brains, as I've heard."
"Screw you, man!" Kiriyama said, then finished his drink.
John shook his head and did the same. As he put down his empty glass, he noticed Adarenys approaching them. She reached them before he could think about fleeing the scene.
"Hey." The Asari leaned on the bar counter. "We are going to dance. Care to join us?"
"Hell yeah." Kiriyama stood up and stared at Adarenys with adoration.
"Have fun." John winked.
Adarenys pleadingly stared at him.
"I don't know if you ever saw me dancing, but you probably don't want to," he added, trying to hit a very persuasive tone.
The Asari rolled her eyes, then turned around. She waved her hand at Jane. John buried his face into his palm.
"Dude, if you want to disappear, get up now," Kiriyama muttered.
But it was already too late. As John looked up, Jane was already there. He stared at her with a sullen expression as she leaned on the counter next to Adarenys.
"Jane, your brother wants to disappear in the crowd again, like the last time," the asari divulged.
"Do we really have to do this?" John asked stolidly before Jane could open her mouth.
As a result, her eyebrows rose, but then she giggled.
"You can spare me wasting my breath if you just stand up and come," she teased her step-brother, "and I know that you don't actually want to just sit here.
Not HERE and with THEM, that's for sure.
John sighed again. As he was trying to avoid eye contact, he caught a glimpse of a hanar passing by behind Jane. He always wondered what the hell a hanar did to amuse itself in a nightclub. Jane's face came closer so he was forced to stop imagining a hanar dance scene.
He stared for a second at the disturbingly low neckline of the purple dress she was wearing, then he finally looked at her face.
Her eyes were practically begging him not to ruin the fun.
"Can't I just promise that I'll still be here after you're finished?" he asked reproachfully, but he had already gotten off the barstool.
Adarenys straightened up with a contented expression on her face, then grabbed both Jane's and John's arm and pulled them towards the dancefloor.
"I am going to regret this," John murmured, and he quickly caught Kiriyama's arm and dragged him between himself and the asari. "… Stop grinning like an idiot."