It was field day, universally loved by students and teachers. Unless you had been forced to coach, in which case it was awful and seriously how did she get pulled into this? Liara made it a point to stand tall and try to not pluck at the bottom of her shorts as if they would magically grow a little longer as two groups of students heaved on opposite ends of a rope. Liara didn't understand it, the game was simple but in her opinion it was also silly. After having voiced that opinion to Jane, and having been thoroughly mocked by the human, and having demonstrated her own strength by picking up and tossing said human, Liara had kept her mouth shut. Goddess forbid that in a day and age with air cars, medigel, omni-tools, and the haptic interface that one asari dare to stand between teenagers and a twisted piece of twine.
Jane, meanwhile, appeared to be relishing the entire exercise and the day itself. Liara wasn't surprised by this; in fact she had counted on Jane's distinct love of physical education to take over allowing Liara to shirk her duties on planning this whole event. Jane stood with her favorite whistle hanging around her neck, apparently seriously watching and judging this tug-a-war competition. Liara had offered to help judge this particular event since the alternative had been judging a set of relay races with Tali. While Liara usually liked spending time with the quarian, she did not like hearing a bunch of poorly disguised jabs at Liara's poor excuse of flirting with Shepard. The idea of spending a whole two hours being ribbed was not exactly savory, so here she was. Silently standing with Jane. Could be talking, but isn't with Jane. Wondering if she could possibly make their friendship any more awkward, with Jane.
Still, it was with Jane in public. Baby steps were needed to go from dedicated friendship to romantic relationship. She just needed to find some of that famed asari patience instead of constantly reinforcing a platonic friendship or arguing with the other woman. Liara still felt her ire rise when thinking about dodge ball.
Shepard blew her whistle as the flag was pulled to one team's side, the opposing team having gotten dragged across when one of the students tripped and pulled across the grass. There was a cheer from the winning side and a lot of glaring from the losing side as they shuffled off to another activity. As the next group was supervised by Jane and got lined up Liara half glanced back at the line. Elissa and Amala stood at the front, and Liara felt her crest tingle as she noticed them quietly talking and laughing. Those two were subdued trouble, well meaning, but trouble.
Jane returned to her side after starting the match, and shifted slightly closer to her. "Don't look so happy to be here T'Soni. I swear you'll make someone burst into tears with that glare."
Liara felt a small frown develop and glared out of the corner of her eye. "I'm not glaring, and besides those two are at it again I'm sure."
Jane followed Liara's line of sight and laughed a little. "Double trouble causing you some heartache?"
"When are they not?" Liara scoffed lightly. "Well, besides when you are causing me trouble that is."
"Oof! Wow, rude." Jane said with a small smile, although her eyes were glued back onto the rope.
Liara rolled her eyes and focused again as two groups of teenagers appeared to be actively looking to rip each other in half with the rope. At least there were no krogans this time, a few rounds back a hulking pup Liara was sure had to be in someone else's class had simply hauled everyone, her team included, across the field until Shepard's whistle sounded. There had been a delay as Jane struggled through a fit of giggles.
With this memory fresh in her mind's eye Liara heard what sounded like someone being hurt, her head snapping over to the line where Amala was animatedly talking with Sara. Elissa took a step forward and began to wave enthusiastically towards her. Liara glanced over at Jane who shrugged, and then slowly waved back. Liara's hand still fell long before Elissa's and she was about to break eye contact out of the sheer awkwardness of the whole situation when Amala suddenly hit her friend in the back of the head. Liara had a second to be shocked at the display before noticing that Jane was already stalking over to them.
Liara was pretty sure that Jane's favorite hobby was breaking up fights between krogan, followed closely by her love of breaking up fights between anyone else, which was nearly tied with her love of starting fights. Liara signaled the students on the rope to stop and jogged to catch up with her coworker. United fronts!
"Ok ladies, anyone want to explain to me what is going on over here?" Jane asked using her no nonsense voice, before huffing and looking at Elissa. "Halevi, stop waving, it's gotten creepy."
Liara sent a warning glare at the two girls trying to disappear into the crowd before prompting them again. "Well?"
"Friendly discourse!" Elissa's dark skin was only getting darker as she spluttered, "Debate! For class, debate class, about, uhm, uh, about stuff and things."
Liara bit her tongue as the other girl's gaping jaws gave away the lie. She could feel a wave of pure amusement from Jane as she struck her 'I am pretending I don't buy it' stance. All it triggered was memories of Jane standing in an airlock with Javik as they argued and Liara lifted a hand to cover her mouth.
"Oh yeah? Debate class on stuffing and things." Jane looked at her with fake annoyance and real exasperation. "Care to be more specific Ms. Halevi? Maybe Ms. Yatoi, "Jane made a gesture at the asari maiden, "would like to add something on this since her avid…rebuttal caught my attention."
Liara watched as the young woman's face crumbled in seconds as she burst out, "We were talking about you two! I mean, is it true you two met on an Alliance ship or was it in college?"
Jane looked at her in surprise, obviously unsure what to say here. Liara tried to not burst into laughter all over again. As an archeologist she liked to think she knew something about digging holes, but these two appeared to be a bit enthusiastic about digging it deeper. She gave a shrug and coughed to cover her own dying laughter.
"Because, it's a big debate we have, in debate club. We choose topics and things that we're familiar with and everything." Amala continued with more confidence.
Liara wondered if they could repurpose the rope to pull these two out.
"How we met?" Jane's voice was mechanical, her default when all she wanted to do was laugh until she turned blue but knew it would be inappropriate.
"Yes, mm-hm." Elissa added while gulping and sweating buckets, eyes darting around looking for any out she could see.
Liara was fully prepared to sit back and enjoy this. If one person enjoyed mildly torturing people verbally, it was Jane Shepard. Really, her only regret was not having a drink and snack to watch the show. That was the exact moment that Liara heard a massive crack and a roar behind her as two krogans began to head butt one another. Jane lit up even as she threw out a halfhearted, "I should go." Whistle blowing she began to physically separate the two.
Liara found her eyes traveling over Jane's arms as she exerted her superhuman strength. This was probably the only reward Liara would need for field day this year. Jane being confident and showing off her fabulous arms. Pulling herself together, Liara turned back to the obviously relieved students.
"I would suggest coming up with a plausible cover story, with a bit less room for interpretation and need for a friend to bail you out." Liara managed to not smile as Elissa's eyes nearly popped out of her head. A second more and Liara thought about how they had met.
Liara had been lost and exhausted, her team swept underground and blocked in for the last few days. She had actually only come out to consult with the crew, classes were scheduled to start soon after and no matter how much Liara wanted on the dig team she did have a contractual obligation to fulfill for teaching. She could still remember hearing a scrapping and tapping sound, following it down one of the many tunnels that crisscrossed the site and seeing light. Rushing up, well as fast as her broken leg allowed, and seeing the face of an unknown human. Red hair pulled into a tight bun, sweat rolling down her face and covered in dirt. The woman gave a shout to whoever was there with her, and reached out to Liara. A warm and rough hand wrapping around hers.
"We met when Shepard saved my life, she was in the Marine Corps and I was teaching at Serrice University. I hope this helps settle your debate." Liara turned and began the laborious process of breaking up a mob that wanted to watch a famous Verbal Shredding ala Shepard. Shoulders shaking in repressed laughter, knowing that she'd left the girls in a worse state than she'd found then, and head shaking in wonder at the school body's obsession with violence Liara sounded her own whistle. Liberal use of biotics wasn't necessary but Liara enjoyed herself anyways.
A/N: Most of these will not so closely follow chapters I wrote in SST. I once again stalled out writing that story and wanted to re-read chapters to get myself going. This happened instead so why not post it? If I have to drag it from the depths I will post a new chapter for SST this week. :)