College Effect Redux
Chapter 3
Disclaimer: I'm still putting these, because reasons. But all the disclaimers Ive ever written apply to this chapter too.
Jane opened the door to their unit, walked in and flopped on the couch. Garrus had walked her to their building, and it had been a pleasant stroll, but she was mentally overwhelmed. The biology professor had been so scatterbrained; she kept repeating information five or six times, but never in the same order. She was also worried about John. He could be hot headed and he liked to bend the rules. She groaned into the couch cushion, because honestly she was just kidding herself. John loved to break the ruled when it suited his purpose. A knock sounded on the door frame.
"Can I come in? The door is open" That too soothing voice made her shudder with disgust. She'd had to deal with the psychiatry doctor that sounded just like that after losing part of her family in a raid. It was always that same soothing voice, and then hospitalized. At least until she had practiced neutral face and I'm-all-better rhetoric.
Without turning her face, "Hi Kaidan. Come in. I'm afraid I won't be good company." She heard his laugh to her muffled response, and forced herself to sit up to repeat the words.
"I feel that sentiment. I'm pretty sure I'm going to have a migraine from Biotic training."
"Wait. You're a biotic?" Ahe looked at him curiously, not having met a human biotic before. Or any biotic for that matter, that she knew of. It didn't come up much in conversations. His throaty chuckle sounded nervous, and she flushed (Damn heat regulators). "I'm sorry . I've just never met one before. A..a biotic. We heard stories, how biotic implants are compatible with those who have eezo poisoning. Are you going to die?"
"I… well I don't think so. I feel fine to me. Mostly anyway. I guess they're still working out the kinks for human physiology. A lot of first gen humans went insane or did die. These new versions are more stable. There's still instances of madness, but less outright death." He spoke matter of factly, about death and poisoning. It was admirable, and yet creepy.
"So Ashley. Is she?" Kaidan shook his head no.
"She's career military. Family military."
"Oh." It was all she could say. She just didn't feel a kinship with him. He was nice certainly. Definitely cute, with a nice derriere, but he still set her on edge. It wasn't fair to him, but it was there in the back of her mind.
"So, has your brother called you yet? We were going to head to a club after classes. He was going to invite you." Bless her brother! He was probably going to make excuses for her, because too many people while she was like this led to unpleasantness. She could deal with it if she was mentally prepared, but class had taken away that preparation.
"I can't tonight. I didn't sleep very well, and class was difficult to follow. I'm going to have to do my reading and then pass out. Who knew school could take all your mental agility away!" She laughed, fake to her own ears, but Kaidan just smiled in return.
"Oh, yeah! Well, next time then. Don't be a stranger, ok?" She nodded and he left the apartment, latching the door behind him. She had been an awful hostess, he'd stood the whole time, and Jane hadn't offered him anything. She fired off a message to her brother, letting him know what had happened so he wouldn't contradict her, then she went to her bed and slept the sleep of the truly exhausted, or passed out.
One Week Later
Jane jogged on the treadmill, sweat trickling down her back, struggling to keep her breathing even. Stupid coping strategies! She'd probably be better off beating something, but scientists were POSITIVE this released endorphins, and she would feel fantastic. At the moment she felt her legs burning. Her lungs and throat were burning. Pretty much everything was parched and/or on fire. It certainly didn't feel "good". She'd have to get some music and double up on the positive psyche help. Finally, the treadmill began slowing for the cooldown and stopped completely. She pulled in a shaky breath and stepped, or tripped if you will, off the infernal machine. Before her floppy legs could betray her further, a set of very strong arms caught her.
"Thanks." She caught her balance and looked up at: "Garrus! Hi! How are you?"
His mandibles flared in that turian grin. "I'm doing great. Came in to hit the punching bag for awhile, maybe lift some weights. It helps keeps me quick."
He had walked her home every day they had had class together. Pseudo suspicious, she gave him the evil eye. "Wait a minute. Are you following me?"
"What? I suppose you could say I follow you home, except I'm more next to you, and not really following."
She chuckled at his so serious expression. "I'm sorry. I was teasing you. How often do you come to the gym?" He gestured to the hanging bag and she stood behind it to "steady" it, although if it hit her, her legs would betray her. He started a series of rapid jabs an dchops.
"Every day I'm in here. I was the top hand to hand combatant in my unit during training, and I want to keep that up." An idea hit her. She wasn't last in hand to hand, but bottom ten for sure.
"Would you train me?" He stopped hitting the bag to look at her.
"What? Why?"
"Well we're lab partners right? Maybe we could be partners for hand to hand too. I could learn a lot from you and it would be way more fun than that torture machine." She muttered under her breath "besides, I have to be here anyway."
He cocked his head a little to the left. "Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why do you have to be here anyway?"
She felt the dull arc of resignation. Turian hearing was freaking cringeworthy apparently. "I;m supposed to use exercise a coping mechanism. For stress. My group therapy team tells me it's scientifically proven to make you feel better. Frankly, I feel worse, and sore. Or worse because I'm sore. Probably the second one."
He mulled it over, and Jane watched him consider. "I don't know. A weakling human as a sparring partner…" Jane was about to unleash righteous indignation when his mandibles fluttered wide. "Ok. Partners." She smiled, elated, because he'd said yes, and he didn't pry. She knew it would come up sooner or later, but she would do anything to continue feeling semi normal by delaying the looks of pity.
"I'm wiped out for the day. Will we start the same time tomorrow?"
"Sure, but keep holding the bag. It might benefit you to watch the motions we will put in practice tomorrow." She nodded, and moved behind the bag again. She watched his jabs and chops, high to low to mid. After he did the motions a few times slowly, he began picking up speed, putting more power behind each thrust and swing. He was certainly in peak physical form. What was she thinking! She hoped she was still red from exercise, so Garrus wouldn't notice the of… embarrassment. Yes, that was it.
After he had finished up; "Four is good right?"
"Yes, that would be great!" She was still slightly breathless. Maybe she should get tested for asthma or something.
"I'll walk you back to your building."
"You don't have to! I've been there before, on my own and everything!"
"Yes, but I enjoy your company." He flared his mandibles in the disarming Turian grin, and Jane felt that asthma, it HAD to be, flare up again.
"OK." She capitulated with a smile that she kept the entire way home as they chatted biotiball, school work, and how the Citadel was starting to feel more like home. She knew weightier topics would come, but for now it was enough as they walked side by side.
As she and Garrus approached, John came flying out of the building, and she could guess he'd been watching for her. He looked mad. Disappointed. "Jane! Where have you been? I messaged you, and you can't be bothered to let me know you're even a live, and then you come waltzing up with that cheating bastard of an alien?! Get inside. Now."
She didn't see Garrus move, but she felt it. It was a loosening of muscles, and a ready energy. John squared up to throw a punch, and probably fight dirty. "No! John, no! Garrus, please!" She put herself between them, hoping neither would start a brawl with her there.
"Jane…"
"John! He's my lab partner, and my gym partner. Dr. Rydecki said I should start going remember? Three to five times a week."
"Yeah, but I was going to take you." He sounded like a sulky child. "I just… took Ashley out to lunch first." He trailed off.
"With no message." She prompted him.
"With no message," he repeated. "But he's an alien! A turian!"
"But he's also number one in hand to hand class. He's going to tutor me. And.. I can make choices John." She turned to look her brother right in the eye. "Even if I make a mistake, which I'm not saying this is one, you've made plenty yourself." Standing up to her support system, confronting her brother, was the hardest thing she had done since she had stayed silent during the raid. Her heart was pounding, and she knew if this didn't stop quickly, there would be panic.
To her surprise, John backed down. "I can't say this is over sis. But I will be there for you." She hugged her brother tightly. "So you want to come out with Ashley, Kaidan, and me?"
"No, because you're a meany head. She laughed and let go of her brother, and turned. "Four pm." She offered her hand and he took it in an approximation of a handshake and nodded. The coiled readiness had dissipated.
"Four. I'll see you then." He headed towards his own home, and John grabbed her around the shoulders.
"Come on. You need a shower. How many classes do you have with him?" John steered her up to the unit, grilling her the whole way on turians, group therapy, and feelings. It was nice to be loved.