solo_sword | Room 313, Monday afternoon

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Room 313, Monday afternoon

After class, Jaina had gotten in some time in the flight shed, which was nothing unusual. She'd just wanted to blast some things away, really. It was cathartic. She hadn't been too social this weekend, though it did seem like half her galaxy was slowly making its way into town. Also, that guy who looked like her dad. Ben was the part she still couldn't get over, though, and while she would never ever voice the thought, she was almost relieved that he was from an alternate reality and not her future. She felt horrible about it, because that was a reality where Jacen had survived, but she didn't like the way it sounded for anyone involved, really. So, basically this weekend had brought up a lot of things she hadn't wanted to think about.

When she got back to her room, she started going over her handouts from class. She wasn't a notetaker at all, but something told her she could really use something that came from at least one of her classes.

[Open door, open post.]

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John ran into the room, slamming the door behind him, before leaning against it to pant, "I'm being followed by pink, fluffy basketballs that want to bite me."

Jaina couldn't help it. She cracked up laughing.

There was a pounding at the bottom of the door. "Do you hear that?" John was very serious about his attack. "They might gnaw through the door!"

"Then they get thrown against a wall," she said, still smiling. "I'm sorry, that was just possibly the best entrance I ever could have hoped for."

"I'm glad my peril entertains someone," John complained, moving to find himself someplace to sit.

"Fluffy pink basketballs, huh?" she asked, eyeing the door.

"You want me to let one in?" John headed back toward the door.

"I think I trust you to be telling the truth on this," Jaina said. "Besides, you might get bitten and no one wants that."

John raised an eyebrow. "Hey, just because I sought refuge in here from rapidly multiplying pink balls doesn't mean I can't keep myself from getting bit."

"You said they were trying to bite you," she pointed out. "As you slammed the door and panted..."

"Well...they were chasing me and I didn't want to get bit and when I kicked one it turned into two and I slammed the door to stop them from getting to you," he explained.

"Oh, so you were just protecting me," she nodded, of course believing that really.

"Exactly!" John nodded. "No need for you to have to exert yourself in defense."

"I'm glad you're so concerned about my safety," she said, a touch dryly.

"Not that you can't take care of yourself, you just shouldn't have to all the time," John added.

"Especially against fuzzy pink things."

"Right. Because apparently they are too cute to die," John complained.

She waved him back towards the bed. "But they're gone now. Or at least they have a barrier blocking their path."

"Right. So tell me about your classes," John said, flopping down beside her.

"The Art of War," she said. "Looks to be interesting, and Ben, Tahiri and Myn are also in it, which shows you the state my galaxy is usually in."

"Oh fun," John said, his face showing that he thought it to be just about the opposite. "So it's a working sort of class for you."

Jaina shrugged. "It's useful and I like what Lady Atreides has to say. What about you, have any yet?"

"Physics," John rolled his eyes. "Some guy thought it was Physical Education."

She frowned, doubting that for a moment. "That's talent," she decided.

John nodded. "Yeah, let's hope that keeps the class from being sleep inducing."

"Why take Physics if you're going to fall asleep?" she wondered. Then again, she'd never really had the option to do something like that before Fandom, and by then being awake was habit.

"I had to sign up for something," John shrugged. "And at least Physics isn't hard."

"Physics isn't hard?" she repeated. She loved that he could say that.

"Is it?" John asked, not sure what the right answer was here.

"I hated that subject," she said. "Well, didn't hate, but it wasn't exactly easy. I could maybe blame my tutor."

"Who was your tutor?" John wondered. "The motion part's actually kind of interesting." If you're a dork.

"One in a long string till I went to the academy," she said, waving it off. "We didn't go to school, so that was how we learned everything."

"I was lucky enough to avoid tutors," John said. "But not boring classes."

"At least you were well-rested," she pointed out.

"I was," John grinned. "I should seriously consider signing up for classes with the sole purpose of napping."

"I'm sure that'd go over really well when you have so many open days in a week..."

"Yeah, besides I'd miss out on the interesting stuff." Someone was looking forward to Tuesday's class.

"What's the interesting stuff?"

"I'm taking two physics classes this semester," John told her. "Tomorrow is Introductory Superhuman Physics."

"You're taking two?" Again, she hadn't even really thought of the one as being easy.

"Well, the second one just sounded hilarious," John reasoned. "You're a superhuman, sort of, so it's like studying the physics of how you do the things you do."

"Well, I wouldn't call it superhuman," she said, but she was kind of impressed at that reasoning.

"It is if I'm your definition of basic human," John replied, always forgetting he wasn't exactly normal.

"But you stick me in a room with a ysalamir and I'm exactly like anyone else," she pointed out.

"Every superhero has their kryptonite," John pointed out.

Jaina frowned. "Their what?"

"Thing that makes them not so super," John clarified. "Like Really Strong Guy Who Can Fly. And the Fabulous Foursome."

"I think we're venturing into a topic I just can't understand," she admitted.

"Meaning I should stop trying?" He ventured.

"Or explain more thoroughly, which I realize I might end up wanting to take back," she teased.

"Okay," he could try that. "So, like the ysalamir, kryptonite takes away the super powers of Really Strong Guy Who Can Fly. It makes him like a normal, not-super person."

"Okay, followed that," Jaina nodded.

"So, just about every superhero has some weakness like that," John said. "At least in the comics."

"Does it really count as a weakness if it's an animal I'd really rather have nothing to do with?"

"Yes, because your enemies can, and likely will, use it against you repeatedly," John replied. "Which is why most heroes keep their weaknesses a secret."

"Unfortunately that's not an option in this case," she said.

"Well, nothing's perfect," John shrugged.

"I appreciate you trying," she said, even if she could still make arguments. She thought most of them could still be shot down anyway.

"So what else are you taking? Anything good?" John asked.

"Leadership." Another shrug. "People keep getting on my case about it, so at least now I can say 'Look, I took a class.'"

"Do they think you need practice giving orders?" John wondered.

"I don't think they think I'm in the place to give orders," Jaina clarified. "I think a lot of that's from Karal, though."

John frowned, "From Karal how?"

"He's Unhappy with me, and last I talked to him, seemed to be waiting for me to start throwing Force lightning around. I'm avoiding him," she said simply.

"You're kidding me." That was not on.

"He's entitled to his opinion. I'm just not interested in listening to how much danger I still am from the dark side from someone who knows nothing about it," she said. Granted, she wasn't interested in hearing it from those who did, either.

"Maybe I should talk to him." And by talk he meant glare.

"I don't know how much good it would do," Jaina said. "He seems pretty set on thinking badly of me, and that's his problem, not mine."

"It is his problem, but maybe he could use a reminder of how we treat friends," John decided. "Especially when stuff seems to be piling up."

"Stuff seems to be piling up?" she repeated.

"Well, you talked to Ben, right?" John assumed they'd heard similar things about Jacen. "About his master and all."

It was sort of scary how serious she could turn so fast. "Yeah. He told me."

"Well, that's kind of the stuff," John said. "Even if it's some other universe, that can't be easy information to know."

"In some reality, Jacen survived. I'm glad for that." Which she was, there was just way more to it.

"Naturally," John agreed. "Still different, though."

"Nothing I can do about it," Jaina said. "It's just the way it is."

"Okay." He wasn't going to push. "Ben seems like a cool kid."

"He does," she said, but there was a pause. "I already worry about him."

"Why's that?"

"I think he follows too blindly," she said. "He doesn't question the orders he probably should be questioning."

"You two must've talked for a while," John replied.

"Yeah. I figured if it's an alternate timeline, there's no harm in asking questions. Took up some time."

"No harm?" John grinned. "It's possible some things will be the same, you know."

Jaina almost winced. "That's okay, I don't mind screwing my personal timeline then." If, you know, she made it that far. Which she knew she wouldn't.

He knew nothing of making it that far. "You're good with change?"

"That kind, yeah," she said. "Did he tell you anything about me in his time?"

"Yep," John nodded. "But more about other stuff. We have a lot in common."

"Oh?" Trying to change the subject from herself? No, never.

"He's not entirely thrilled with your grandfather." And he stabbed the popstar.

"Who is?" No, it was a totally serious question.

"Well, there were a lot of people at his wedding," John pointed out. "Maybe they were hired."

"Or on the bride's side," she countered.

"He did manage to get a bride."

"I still have no idea how that happened," Jaina said. "And I don't think I want to."

"Must be dirty," John decided.

She stared at him in horror before she could form the "Ew!"

John laughed, reaching out to pat her shoulder. "Sorry, that's probably not the mental image you want." He was so helpful.

"No! Not even close!" she said, swatting at him.

"So we'll not ever think on that again," John promised, trying to think of a new topic. "I'm uh...taking a cooking class this semester."

"Oh, so you can make dinner again," she said. Because he owed her for that.

"Only if it counts for credit in class," John replied. As if he was doing extra classwork ever.

"That's something for you to work out with your teacher but I'm taking something in return," she warned.

"Something?"

"Yes. I'm not too picky but that was a low blow," she nodded.

John considered the truth of that. "How 'bout I buy you a drink to make you forget?"

"It'd have to be a really strong drink."

"Oh, it wasn't that bad," John said.

She glared at him. Yes, it was that bad.

"I'm sure I could think of worse."

"I can hurt you," she warned.

"But you wouldn't." He was certain.

"Not if you keep any of those worse thoughts to yourself."

He was silent. All thoughts kept to himself.

"That just terrifies me, you know," she told him.

He raised his eyebrows questioningly. Still silent.

"That you apparently have so many thoughts you have to be quiet for an extended period of time."

"I wouldn't want to mentally scar you accidentally," John replied. There were enough people in Fandom to do that already.

"I appreciate it. Though a subject change does the same job," she pointed out.

"I tried that! You took it right back."

"How?" she asked, entirely clueless.

"I started talking about class and you started talking about me owing you," John reminded her.

"Well, you do," she said stubbornly. Honestly, she didn't care, but she'd sort of missed arguing over nothing. She'd had far too many somethings to argue about lately.

"Maybe I do, but do you see how this takes us back to the bad images of your grandfather that you didn't want to think about?" He sort of liked making it worse.

"If this results in me forever being too grossed out to ever have sex again, you only have yourself to blame," she warned, wondering if he was looking to get bruised.

"Right, because you don't enjoy sex enough to do everything in your power to repress those thoughts," he countered.

Oh, completely, but she put on her best doubtful look. "You think so?"

"Oh no, I see where this is headed," John said, shaking his head. "Do not turn this into a 'let's see how long we can go without sex' sort of game!" Because it would not end well.

"I wasn't trying to," she assured him. "Like I need to be crankier."

"Good," he said pointedly, reaching to pull her into his lap by her legs. "Even if I think you're cute when you're a little cranky."

Settling herself in his lap, she slid an arm around his shoulders. "You must be loving me lately then."

He slung his arms around her. "Don't you know it."

"I love hearing that," she said with a little smile. It was a bigger admission than she made it out to be.

"Do you?" John smiled in return.

"A little," she said, still trying to downplay.

"Is that because you're so little?" John teased.

"You're not winning a lot of points today," she decided.

John feigned sadness. "Aww, there goes my chances of winning a new car."

"Sorry to trash your dreams like that," she said, patting his shoulder.

"That's okay. It was a coupe anyway and I'd hate for my head to brush the roof all the time."

Jaina watched him for a moment before breaking out into a grin. "I have no idea what we're talking about again."

"So you grin," John laughed. "I like the result even if communication is a problem."

"It's not like you've never seen me smile before," she pointed out.

"Well, maybe I like it when you do."

"Then keep me doing it."

"I'm working on it."

"And you're obviously off to a great start," she pointed out.

"Any ways you know of keeping that going?" he asked.

"Hey, you're the one apparently in charge of my more positive facial expressions," she teased.

John was amused. "Wow, I get to be in charge of something?"

"I can give you this one thing," she mused.

"I promise I'll take care of it daily," John said, leaning down to kiss her cheek.

"Of course, I don't see you daily now," she said, just to be difficult.

"That...could make this difficult. Maybe I should store up smiles."

"I think that could be interesting," she said, mostly wondering how he'd do it.

"So, let's see another smile on that pretty face of yours. Maybe if I get enough, you won't have to see me for a whole week." He was kidding, of course.

Jaina pointed to her mouth, which was in the opposite of a smile at that.

"I take that as a sign that you like seeing me," John smirked.

"Maybe occasionally," she said, all casual-like.

He poked her side lightly. "Occasionally?"

"All right, often," she amended.

"That's acceptable. Even if I like going to the gym often," he teased.

"And yet how often do I see you there?"

"Rarely. Our timing is off."

"Mm. I'm probably in the flight sim by then. Or class." Why did she have a feeling she was going to start wondering where he was at random moments?

"We must just miss each other all the time," he remarked thoughtfully. "You know, there's a way to fix that."

"Homing beacons?"

"...No." John put his curiosity on hold. "You could just stay with me." He said it casually, making it sound as unimportant as he could.

"I do that quite a bit," she said, taking the casual at face value.

"Enough that you could do that all the time and barely notice a change." He was perhaps too subtle at the moment.

She frowned, looking at him more closely. "Are you asking me to stay stay?"

"It's not like it'd be all that different from now," he pointed out.

"Yeah," she admitted, and gave him a little smile. "I can't right now, though. Not yet."

If he'd asked before Myrkr, she probably would have said yes.

"Okay. Why not?" He really didn't think he snored that much to be a problem.

Well, for once, it'd be bad to move in and then die right away, but that wasn't the whole reason. She sighed a little and said, "I still need that separation. I think it'd be so easy to get caught up in us and this if I did that, and I can't do that when I haven't found my own balance again yet."

"I'm not trying to hover," he said. "I just...you know, like having you around."

"And I like being around," Jaina said honestly. And she was honestly really thrilled that he even asked. "I just need to work on me before I subject you to me full time like that."

"Consider the offer on hold, then," he replied. "And you can take me up on it whenever you're ready." How weird was it that he was the one ready for relationship steps?

"I'm remembering that," she said, leaning in to kiss him lightly.

John raised an eyebrow at her. "Was that supposed to be a kiss?"

"Well, if you're not happy with it, I suppose we can try again," she said, trying to be mocking when she was trying not to smile.

"Yes, let's try again," he said, leaning in to do just that.

She leaned in to kiss him again, harder this time, just to make sure it passed standards.

Inara rushed into the room, slamming the door behind her, glancing down at her feet, and breathing a sigh of relief.

"Hello," she greeted Jaina, as if there was nothing out of the ordinary. "How was your first day of classes?"

"Introductory," she answered, looking up from her notes. "Problems?"

"Pink and green and fuzzy with sharp teeth, but they don't seem to have followed me in," Inara shrugged. "Um, don't hit them."

Jaina nodded slowly. "I'll keep that in mind. No hitting fuzzy things."

"It makes more of them," she explained, going to sit on her bed. "So, introductory? Anything or anyone interesting?"

"Diplomacy class. We're learning about The Art of War, so yes," she said, setting her notes down.

"How can you learn about war and diplomacy? Isn't the point of one to avoid the other?"

"I think it usually doesn't work out that way," Jaina said. So sad, she was bitter so young. "I'm more focusing on the tactics and war stuff, personally."

"Do you get tired of always thinking about war? It sounds so exhausting to me."

"I'll stop thinking about it when it's over," she said, a little shortly. It was sort of hard to explain the whys of that to someone who could still say that after a year.

"Right, sorry," she said, reaching for a book.

If Jaina thought too hard on it, she was likely to start getting upset. It might have even been a sign of how much she'd grown that she was able to get up and say, "I'll be in the gym."

"All right," she said, wishing she understood any of what Jaina was going through, but unable to find a way to ask. She wasn't sure it was any of her business anyway. "I can find someplace else to stay, if you need me to."

"No, don't worry about it," Jaina said, going for the door. "I'll find somewhere else."

"If that's what you want."

"It is," she said, and left the room, needing to work out the frustrations that apparently were still there. Fuzzy things be damned.

Evey peeked into the room. "Hello, have the little fuzzy things eaten you?"

"Not yet," Jaina said, craning her neck to look at her. "I think they know better."

"I had been worried," she admitted with a small smile, stepping into the room. "How are you?"

"Okay." It wasn't really an answer, but it'd do. "Getting used to classes again, all that. What about you?"

"Well enough. Any new relatives or lookalikes thereof show up for you amongst the new kids?" she asked, watching her.

"My baby cousin is fourteen now," Jaina said. "Along with my brother's best friend and a pilot who apparently knew of me when I was three." That'd be a yes.

"At least it isn't as though you're prone to surprise at these things now," Evey offered.

"Is that a good thing?" she wondered.

"Depends on how you view it," she said after a moment. "On the one hand, I'd be a mess if anyone I knew arrived, I think. On the other, getting used to that sort of thing must take a fair amount out of you."

"It's weird," she admitted. "A lot like a family reunion of people I barely know sometimes."

"Or those who look like them," she said self-consciously, smiling.

"You know, I honestly don't count you in that," Jaina said. "Maybe it's because I just never knew my grandmother, but it's so much easier to keep you completely separate."

"That's fortunate," Evey said, smiling softly. "How are things at home, in any instance? I'll happily take a monosyllabic answer if that's easier."

And that was all it took for Jaina to go tense again. "Not good."

Hey, two syllables.

Evey stayed quiet for a moment, before saying, "So, any interesting classes this term?"

She knew better than to ask more.

"Art of War and Leadership. There's a theme," she answered, happy for a change of subject. Technically.

"I have Leadership as well," Evey said, smiling slightly. "And Chemistry, which is remarkably like something I'd take at home. It's nearly alarming, the normality."

"You weren't expecting it?" she asked.

"Since I've been here, I don't think I've taken a single class that I'd take in a normal secondary school," she said, shaking her head. "My home isn't terribly different from here. Just twenty years in the future, and on another continent. Encountering something so domestic and familiar is a bit startling."

Not knowing what normal classes actually were, Jaina asked, "Something you can get used to, though?"

"I'd rather not," she said honestly. "I'd rather not go through culture shock twice, you know?"

"Yeah, I get that. Especially when it's this much culture shock."

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Room 313, Monday afternoon

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