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Kelly's work-out clothes hug her body tight, a one-piece suit that clings to her flesh as the sweat from their warm up glistens bright beneath the holy ship lights. She cracks her knuckles, faces Alara. "Okay," she says. "Ready?"
Alara looks to the side. Her own uniform had synthesized about one size too big; it hangs loose around her skin, exposes too much of her. She cannot be this visible; they don't need--or want--to see her like this; no one wants her like this. Kelly is only teaching her to make her feel better about not understanding human culture; she has better things to do than wrestle around with Alara on the simulator floors. Last time they tried boxing, and Alara split her lip, the blood a kind ruby red as it flooded over and around and out of Kelly's mouth, a few teeth clattering to the floor. She doesn't want to be here; no one ever does.
"What did you say this one was called?" Alara asks.
"Wrestling," Kelly replies. "We don't have to---"
"No! No, it's not that. It's just, um. I just don't want yet another one of these sessions to end in me carrying you bridal-style down to Dr. Finn's office, so..."
Kelly looks at her, smirks, her lips curling up. "You don't have to worry about that," she replies. "I'm never getting married again. You can carry me girlfriend-style."
Alara freezes, feels like soon-gone prey from the days before synthesis. She looks at Kelly, expects her to mumble something like I didn't mean it like that, that came out wrong...
But she only looks at Alara, and she looks at Alara with innocence. She doesn't know. She will never understand. When she gazes at Alara, it is with concern and preparation; she really does want to teach Alara how to wrestle. It isn't mere pity.
What the fuck.
Alara attempts to force laughter, but it comes out like a thick, humiliating cough. She shakes her head, composes herself. "Right," she says. "I'll just... be careful."
Kelly assumes a wide stance. "Just follow my lead," she says. "The goal is to pin me down. Which is probably like, I don't know, tying shoes for you guys." She pauses; stiffens; her eyes flash with fear, and Alara suspects that she is remembering just how strong a Xelayan is compared to a human. "Maybe we should move on to something else---"
Alara's eyes go wide and wild. She siphons all force out of her arms and into her heart, fluttering and hammering and thrumming her body into a warm embarrassment as she tackles Kelly to the ground. She manages to do so without shattering Kelly's spine into shards, without her strength bleeding through to stain, but even with her newborn gentleness Kelly does not fight back; she immediately yields, crumbles beneath Alara.
She bites her lip, and then her expression twists, her tongue darts out, and her mouth closes. It folds into an awkward smile.
"Who could've guessed," Kelly says. "You're a natural."
