Author's Note: This is a gift for the lovely liifestream on tumblr, who loved a get-to-know-you post about my Tess Shepard so much that I had no choice but to write this one shot.
"Commander? Is this a human rite performed before battle?" Tess opened her eyes to find the asari scientist, Liara, curiously watching her in her downward dog position. Tess had been so focused on the movements and the repetition of the deep breaths that she hadn't heard the door open. She walked her hands back until they were flush with her feet and then slowly rolled to a standing position, letting her spine stretch as she reached up and then back down with a deep breath. Liara was silent as she waited patiently for her answer.
"Hi Liara." Tess smiled and stretched an arm across her body, hugging it tight to her chest with the other. "It's a form of exercise called yoga."
"I know I am only an archaeologist," Liara flushed a little, "but wouldn't a more intense physical training regimen that included cardiovascular and strength exercises be more beneficial, given your current occupation?"
Tess chuckled. "Not that kind of exercise, though it certainly helps keep me limber."
"I do not understand," Liara countered, her face scrunched in a confused pout. "To what purpose do you do this yoga then?"
"I started doing it after Mindoir. It was a way for my doctors to help me cope with the anxiety and nightmares."
Liara took a step back, her eyes widening in alarm as her hand came up to her chest. "I apologize, Shepard. I did not mean to intrude on a private moment."
"It's okay, Liara. It's something I do now to keep me calm and focused. You're not intruding, I promise."
"If you are sure." She hesitated before continuing. "Perhaps next time, you might allow me to yoga with you?"
That was the start of the SR1's weekly yoga sessions. Liara, sincere in her request, had been the first to join Tess. The young asari must have discussed it after the fact with Dr. Chakwas because, the next week, the Normandy's doc had arrived with Liara and asked if she might join as well. Tess wasn't surprised to learn that the calm doctor was a yoga enthusiast. She was surprised, however, when both Tali and Garrus had shown up the following week. They'd had to move the activity from Shepard's quarters to the empty comm room to make space for the five of them. Tess discovered that Garrus was surprisingly flexible, at least for an alien his size. Tali, on the other hand, was not as limber and tumbled on to the floor during many of the positions. She was determined though and, other than a muttered Quarian curse, she continued to work at her alignment and balance.
Word spread and more people approached Tess, prompting her to send out a ship wide email, inviting anyone who wanted to join. Future sessions would take place in the cargo bay to make sure there was room enough for anyone who wanted to participate. Wrex was never anywhere in sight for yoga. The first time the group had shown up in his space, Wrex had grumbled at the intrusion. Apparently, the krogan wasn't good at checking his messages. He'd snorted a brusque "pass" and lumbered to the elevator, only returning back to the cargo hold once everyone had vacated the large space again.
"This is dumb," Ashley grumbled as the group of them stood scattered about the room. She snorted. "Mountain pose, my ass. We're just standing here."
"Quiet, Chief." Kaidan whispered to her, though in the otherwise silent room, he might as well have spoken in a normal tone.
Ashley's grumbling quieted, though Tess could still hear the faint mutterings under the marine's breath. Her gunnery chief had been less than enthusiastic when she'd finally joined them and usually found at least one thing to complain about every session.
After their second session, Tess had pulled Ashley to the side before she could file out with the rest of the crew.
"Chief, you know this is optional, right?"
"Yeah." Ashley shrugged.
Tess waited. Ashley said nothing and pulled a sip from her water bottle. Finally Tess spoke again, fighting to keep her exasperation concealed. "If you don't enjoy it, why do you do it?"
The soldier's eyes dropped to her feet for a second. "Vakarian bet that I couldn't keep up."
"You're doing it for a bet?" Tess stifled a chuckle. Leave it to the two of them to gamble on yoga. The muscles in her face tightened. Their bet was a distraction that was counterproductive to the entire process. "If you don't stop disrupting people, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
That had been a few weeks ago and, although Ash had quieted her discontent some, they had yet to make it through a single session without some form of protest falling from the younger marine's lips. Tess closed her eyes and took a deep breath, willing the distraction to fall away. She would talk to Ashley again today, but not until they were done. She led them through the positions, content to focus on the pull of air through her lungs and and the steady rhythm of her heartbeat.
As she led them into warrior pose three a sharp shriek reached her ears, wholly shattering her concentration. She tilted her head to the side and opened one eye. Tali wobbled on her one leg as she tried to keep her body parallel to the floor as the pose called for. Ashley was giggling, her right hand still extended toward the quarian's midsection.
"Williams!" Tess snapped.
At that moment, Tali's balance failed her and she toppled to the floor in a graceless heap. Tess pulled herself to a standing position, unable to keep the flutter of anger at bay. The others dropped their position when she did and Kaidan moved to help Tali to her feet.
"Sorry, Skipper!" Ashley laughed again. "I just wanted to see if she was ticklish under that suit."
Tess crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her gunnery chief. "Out."
"What? It was just a joke, Commander!" Ashley protested, but Tess refused to budge.
She lifted a hand to the elevator. "I said, out. I warned you. From here on out, you're banned from any future yoga meetings."
A low rumble filled the large space as Garrus chuckled. "Pay up, Ash."
Ashley stared daggers at him and his mandibles twitched in amusement as he stretched out a hand. With a violent sigh, she stalked to her locker without another word. Her movements were swift and jerky, perfect complements to the scowl on her face as she wrenched the door open. A credit chit sailed through the air and crashed with a loud bang at Vakarian's feet before Ash stormed into the elevator. Her middle finger was the last thing the group saw before the door shut behind her.
Tess ignored the rest of the credit chits changing hands. It seemed Vakarian and Williams hadn't been the only ones placing bets. She dropped back to a high lunge to start the sequence over and pushed her frustrations out with a deep exhale. They, too, would pass.