The humidity was unbearable. It made the locker room more uncomfortable than it was, and taking into account the number of warm, sweaty bodies wriggling about in too small a space, that was no small achievement. As if Physical Education wasn't bad enough as it is.

Goddess, Liara would have hated the class. But even the right to abhor the one subject she was subpar in was taken away from her. More than that, it had become the highlight of her week.

It was all so terribly embarrassing, frankly.

Liara glanced at Jane, who was several lockers away from the bench the asari was sitting on, tying her short hair back into a ponytail. Lest it distracted her during class, Liara assumed. Why the human wouldn't shave it off, as she'd seen some of her fellow schoolmates do, Liara had no idea. She'd look just as stunning without them, wouldn't she? Although she must admit, the fibers do emphasize the attractiveness of her features, in a way Liara just can't quite descri—

Liara closes her eyes. Looks away. Breathes.

Athame above, if she had been caught staring…

She stands up and composes herself. Uses her hands to unconsciously wipe away non-existent creases on her shirt and shorts.

A whistle slices through the room's chatter, and the locker room slowly empties out. The nerves Liara always gets whenever she stares at Shepard transform into something akin to mild dread, if there is such a thing.

Ah, yes, the word she was looking for was anxiousness. Right.

Goddess, she hopes it isn't dodgeball today.

/

As luck would have it, today's sport was, indeed, dodgeball.

Coach Victus picked out Tali and Garrus Vakarian as the two captains, and after an intense match of Rock, Paper, Scissors—an archaic human game that was surprisingly entertaining—Tali had won, and had chosen Shepard as her first pick.

(Shepard was always first pick, if not the captain herself. She was just so damningly good at everything.)

Liara was her second, after Garrus chose Ashley Williams, due to some ancient, unwritten code that Tali said stated that you always had to choose your friends in situations such as these. Liara was sceptical at first of such a code existing, until she'd learned that it was a figure of speech more than anything.

(She's learned to be less literal about things after befriending the quarian, goddess bless her.)

While the captains continued building up their team, Liara walked to Tali's side. Shepard was already standing to her left, and as Liara passed by she gave her her signature lopsided grin. She had to will the blood to stop rushing to her cheeks.

"Hey," Shepard said.

"Hello."

"Do you want me to warn you if a ball comes your way this time, or should I just let you handle it?"

"Oh. I, uh…"

The risk of Liara blushing was increasing by the second.

Of course Jane remembered it. The last time they had dodgeball, someone in Liara's team threw the ball at he accidentally. There was a high probability that Liara could have dodged it, but Jane called her out and told her to duck. Hearing Shepard say her name distracted her, leading her to get hit square in the chest. She was mortified, to say the least, even if Jane helped her stand up once she got her wind back.

As if sensing her inability to form a single sentence, Shepard continues. "I'm pretty sure I startled you the last time. I get into this headspace where I start shouting commands at teammates, so I sorta have to remind myself that there are people who'd rather I don't do that."

Jane smiles sheepishly after the last sentence, and Liara cannot comprehend how someone so attractive could look so adorable.

"It's fine," Liara replies, managing not to stutter, for which she is incredibly grateful for. "This time I'm prepared for people to scream waterfowl at me."

Shepard snorts. "Waterfowl," Liara hears her muttering under her breath.

The human looks at her in the eye and grins. "You're cute."

Goddess.

Shepard thinks she's cute.

Kaidan Alenko stumbles into the space between them, looking to have been shoved by Jack, Liara's unwitting saviour. Shepard goes to her, probably to tell the girl to play nice, letting the asari free to melt into a puddle of feelings.

Shepard thinks she's cute.

Liara sighs, albeit happily. It is pathetic, she admits, but Shepard thinks she's cute, so it evens out.

As soon as everyone's been picked, Victus sounds the whistle, and the air is immediately filled with flying spheres.

Liara's aim is enough, and her agility is above average, but she's usually among the first half to be knocked out of the game. As allies and enemies alike fall around her, however, she finds herself among the few still standing. She wonders if the compliment she was paid had anything to do with that.

She manages to take out Emily Wong, and with no one else targeting her she allows herself to take a breath. Without prompt, her eyes land on Jane.

Shepard is a sight to behold. Four members of the opposite team have flanked her. Jack and Williams close in on her, and Jack lets loose her ball, with Williams following suite a few seconds after. Shepard jumps to evade Jack's throw, and when she lands she rolls immediately to avoid William's. Here as her back is turned Garrus throws his ball, and had it been anyone else it'd have been over. Shepard however, somehow manages to sense the projectile behind her, and spins away. The krogan Grunt takes opportunity to throw a ball at her head, but Shepard ducks, and it whizzes overhead, towards—

Well.

Miniature supernovas burst into existence in front of Liara's eyes, as the ball hits her right in the face. There is a brief period of lucidity, where she wonders if the krogan had used his full strength, and if so would it lead her into a coma, before pain rattles her head and she falls on all fours.

Her mind swirls and throbs, and the motions do not alleviate even when someone calls to her.

Gently, her head is made to lie on someone's lap. She wonders who it is, why she can't see them, until she remembers that her eyes are closed.

She blinks, squints, but the image is still blurry and unfocused. Still, she knows who it is. She'd know those eyes anywhere.

"I didn't know you were a quadruplet Jane. Wonderful."

Four Shepards. Three more people to be hopelessly infatuated with.

Maybe one of them will take pity on her.

Her head hurts.

"T'soni, you alright for the walk to the clinic? Or should I call the doctor?"

She opens her eyes.

She didn't remember closing them.

An old turian's face comes into focus.

Maybe if she blinks it'll be Jane again.

She blinks.

It's still him.

"Ugh," she groans.

Arms shift under her.

"I think it's better we call Doctor Chakwas, Coach."

Filtered voice. Tali.

"I can…I can walk Tali," Liara forces out.

"Coach," she adds.

Her head is still throbbing. She sits up, uses Shepard's shoulder as leverage.

It's very firm. Shapely. She likes how it feels.

"You have lovely shoulders Jane."

"I—"

Liara stands up. Stumbles. Shepard is quick to catch her.

"Sorry," she says.

"Li, you need someone to walk you there. Shepard, are you—"

"I can take her, it's no problem."

She feels her arm being moved, made to hang over Jane's shoulders.

They really are lovely shoulders.

She leans into her side.

"Shepard, stay with her until I get to the clinic. I'll have Williams grab your bag."

"Yes Sir."

"T'soni, I'll be there once I dismiss the class. Zorah, you okay with her things?"

"Yes Sir." Hand on her shoulder. "I'll drop by after, Li."

Is the throbbing getting better, or worse?

"Thank you, Tali."