Academy Era tie-in for In a Wounded Dawn. For Trektober 2024: Day 1, 'Academic Rivals'


General Biochemistry (And Other Indignities)

Professor Vrba hands back the biochem essays and Kathryn, who is never not the top of the class, steals a glance at Tom's score, and groans.

"How does this come so easily to you?" she demands.

"I don't mean for it to," Tom apologizes, unhelpfully.

But he hangs back after class to go over her work, and she wants to be annoyed except that their hips bump as they lean back against their desks; he traces a line of data and the tips of his fingers graze hers; and she supposes that tying for the top grade… might be okay.