Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“That was pathetic, Alenko,” Vyrnnus spat, “We’ve been at this for 2 weeks and the best you can manage is one little shockwave barely strong enough to move a damned chair?” Kaidan glowered at his mentor as he wiped the blood from his nose with his sweater sleeve. “Have you even been paying any attention to what I’ve been teaching you?”

Teaching. Right. More like torture.

Kaidan bit back a snarky remark. He knew from personal experience what happened when a student dared back talk Vyrnnus, it’s not a mistake he was willing to repeat again. 

Kaidan took a deep breath, trying to control his anger. “Yes, sir.” He spoke through gritted teeth.

”Then you’re either lying or just incredibly stupid,” Vyrnnus scoffed, “Having biotic abilities is a privilege and you humans are lucky to have them, but you’re all too ignorant to understand how to properly use them. It’s pathetic! None of you are worthy enough to have this gift,” this time he directed his rant to all the students.

Vyrnnus liked to remind them how lucky they are, but Kaidan sure didn’t feel lucky. On the contrary, he felt like he was cursed with his biotic abilities because ever since he discovered he had them, everything just seemed to go downhill. His parents assured him that joining the BAaT program was for his own good, that it was the only way he could learn how to control his abilities. But so far he’s been dealing with nothing but torment by some turian veteran that held a grudge towards humans and his parents could be none the wiser because he hasn’t been able to contact them for several months at least.

Kaidan zoned sometime during Vyrnnus’ rant, until the turian finally dismissed them. None of the students, including himself, wasted anytime getting the hell away from him.

~•~

“God. Meatloaf again?” Caleb grimaced at the grey looking meat on his plate as he poked it with a plastic fork. 

“Just be glad he didn’t starve us to death,” Kaidan muttered bitterly, remembering the time Vyrnnus took away their ‘food privileges’ for six days straight. 

“So it’s either starve or die from food poisoning?” Caleb scoffed, eyeing his food with disgust.

”Pretty much,” Kaidan shrugged, before biting into an apple. 

Caleb took a bite out of the meatloaf and grimaced. “Oh god,” he gagged.

“Just pretend it’s steak,” Spaz chimed in with a smirk and took a seat next to Kaidan. “That’s what I do anyway,” he shrugged and started to dig into his plate.

Kaidan scoffed, “Uh, yeah. It’s kinda hard to do that when the food tastes like ass.”

”Hey, man. You are what you eat,” Spaz quipped with a shit eating grin earning an elbow to the rib from Kaidan. “Ow. Dick.”

Kaidan rolled his eyes and went back to munching on his apple.

”Hey guys!” Sofie approaches the table with Rahna, both girls taking a seat across from Kaidan. Sofie had a wide grin on her face; One Kaidan only ever saw when she successfully pulls something biotically. Her chipper mood was a contrast to the boys’ moody attitudes. “Guess what?”

All she got in response were grunts and an unenthusiastic ‘what’, the boys were either not paying attention or scarfing down their food, but her smile didn’t falter. “We’ve got a new kid.”

That got their attention. ”How do you know? What’s their name? Is it a girl or boy?” Caleb inquired, excitedly.

”God, please let it be a girl…” Spaz commented with a hopeful sigh, his food seemingly forgotten.

“Vyrnnus made me hand him blankets and a uniform,” Rahna explained, “He didn’t tell me his name, though.”

”Did you talk to him at least?” Kaidan asked.

”Well.. I tried, but,” Rahna frowned, “He didn’t want to talk me.”

”I can’t say I blame him,” Kaidan shrugged, “I didn’t really want to talk to anyone when I first got here.”

”True… but you at least answered questions,” Rahna said, “But I don’t blame him either. It’s hard being away from home and not everyone wants to be comforted when they’re sad. Sometimes you just want to be alone, people deal with things differently.” 

Of course Rahna decided to be understanding and kind even when she didn’t even know the person. Someone could insult her and she’d just brush it off and sympathize with them because maybe they are just having a bad day. It was one of the few traits Kaidan admired about her.

Spaz huffed a laugh, “Wait, hang on. So this dude flat out ignored you?”

Rahna shook her head, “Not necessarily. I asked him for his name and if he needed help settling in, but all he said was that he didn’t want to talk and that he should go.”

Kaidan arches a brow, “… Go where, though?”

Rahna shrugs, “He didn’t tell me. To his dorm, maybe?”

”To the bathroom?” Spaz suggested, “That’s what I would say if I needed to take a shit, but didn’t want to just come right out and say it,” he shrugged, earning disgusted groans from the girls.

”You’re so gross, Spaziano,” Sofie grimaced, shaking her head. 

”Oh, come on. Like you don’t ever use the bathroom,” Spaz countered with a mischievous smirk.

”That is so not the point and you know it!” Sofie snapped, face red with embarrassment.

”Just saying, it’s perfectly natural, no need to be ashamed of your own asshole,” Spaz replied and sipped his juice.

Kaidan sighed, narrowing his eyes at Spaz. “Really?”

”When Spaz is here you know the conversation is bound to head in a weird direction eventually,” Caleb shrugged, unbothered.

~•~

After dinner, Kaidan started to walk to his dorm, eyes not exactly focusing on where he was going as they were glued to a book he’s been reading for the past couple of weeks. 

He was so engrossed in his book when suddenly someone bumped into him, knocking the book out of his hand.

Kaidan gasped and turned to apologize to the person he collided with, “I’m so… oh-,” he paused when he realized it was a boy he’d  never seen before. He looked to be around Kaidan’s age, maybe even a little younger and he looked back at Kaidan with these bright ice blue eyes; Kaidan felt so small under his steely gaze, despite being a couple inches taller than the other boy. Kaidan found himself at a loss of words, mesmerized by this stranger.

It was only when the guy bent down to pick up the book Kaidan dropped that Kaidan finally snapped out of his trance. 

“Thanks..,” Kaidan said, he could feel heat rising to his cheeks when the boy handed him his book back. He tried to ignore the butterflies in his stomach, but they became harder and harder to ignore the longer this boy looked at him. 

“Uh- you’re the new kid, right? I’m Kaidan,” Kaidan surprisingly managed to speak without stumbling over any words.

The boy looked Kaidan up and down, scrutinizing him, making Kaidan even more nervous. “Johnny,” he responded.

“Nice to meet you,” Kaidan gave him a polite smile, even though he really just wanted to run to his dorm; Being around Johnny made him extremely nervous. Maybe it was the unreadable expression on his face, or how his blue eyes made him feel like they were piercing into his soul.. All Kaidan knew was that he wanted to walk away and get away from this kid before he made a fool out of himself.

“I should go,” Johnny said, obviously uncomfortable and uninterested in continuing the awkward exchange. Well, obvious to Kaidan at least.

”Oh. Y-yeah, of course,” Kaidan stammered, not expecting that response. Johnny didn’t wait for Kaidan to finish his sentence and began to walk away, “Sorry for walking into you.”

Johnny paused and looked over his shoulder, furrowing his brows in confusion and uncertainty before going back to a neutral expression. “Whatever,” he grunted before walking away. 

Jesus, that was awkward.

~•~

“Hey man,” Caleb nodded up at Kaidan from his small desk before turning his attention back to writing in his notebook. 

“Hey,” Kaidan nodded before settling into his bed, the springs screeching when he sat back on the hard mattress. “You doing homework?” He asked, opening his book and going back to where he left off before he bumped into the mysterious new student.

Caleb shook his head. “Nah, finished it already,” he said, “I’m.. just writing a letter to my mom,” he said softly, uncertain. As if he was afraid of being judged. Kaidan looked up from his book, arching a brow. He was a little offended that his friend/roommate thought he would judge him for something so trivial, but he understood Caleb’s insecurity. No one in BAaT had any contact with their parents, Conatix and the Alliance made it that way because they needed to isolate the students from their families. Cutting off any communication was a good way to do that and convincing their families that biotics were dangerous was a good way to make parents not even want to get in contact. So any letters written would never be seen, but that didn’t stop some students from writing them. Kaidan didn’t really see a point, it seemed like a waste of time and kind of… depressing.

“That’s… cool,” Kaidan looked back down at his book, not knowing how to respond without coming off offensive or critical.

Caleb sighed and put down his pencil before shifting in his chair to look back at him. Kaidan noticed how Caleb winced when he turned around, but he didn’t pay it too much mind.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

”Look, I know it’s weird and stupid,” Caleb said defensively.

”I didn’t say anything-“

”No, but you were thinking it,” Caleb accused, glaring at Kaidan.

”No, I wasn’t. I just,” Kaidan sighed, closing his book, “I guess I just don’t see the point of writing a letter that isn’t going to get read.”

Caleb shrugged, pushing his glasses up, “I don’t know, man. Coping mechanism, I guess. It feels good to pretend sometimes.”

”But doesn’t it suck after you’re done writing it? Coming back to reality and realizing it won’t even get sent?” Kaidan asked, confused.

”I mean, yeah. But sometimes you need to be naive and delusional,” Caleb said, “because face it, Kaidan, our reality fucking sucks.”

Kaidan let out a small bitter laugh, “Yeah.”

”So if I wanna be a naive dumbass every once in a while and pretend my mom will actually read the letters I write, then I’m gonna do it,” Caleb shrugged.

”Ignorance is bliss,” Kaidan mused.

”Exactly.”

”So,” Kaidan sat up on his bed and leaned back against the headboard, “What happened today that made you want to escape reality?” Kaidan asked, “Was it the meatloaf?” He teased, earning a small chuckle.

“Nah,” Caleb’s smile slowly turned into a frown, “It’s Jared,” he glared at the door, as if said person were standing there. 

“Again? What’d he do this time?” Kaidan asked, concerned. He knew Jared was an ass that liked to take his anger out on other people, he never bothered Kaidan though, maybe because Kaidan was two years older and much taller than he was. Jared tended to target people he knew wouldn’t fight back and unfortunately, Caleb was one of those people. Caleb was very quiet and reserved, didn’t like confrontation or violence. His calm nature made him an easy target.

Instead of replying, Caleb stood up from his chair and faced Kaidan. He looked down and lifted his shirt up, revealing a giant bruise on his rib cage.

”Oh shit,” Kaidan exclaimed, getting up from his bed to examine the angry black and blue bruise. He cringed, “Dude, you need to see the nurse.”

Caleb shook his head. “I already asked Vyrnnus. He said if nothing is broken, then there’s no need to see the nurse,” he frowned, “And that I need to ‘man up’.”

Kaidan sighed and shook his head. “Of course he did,” he muttered bitterly, “Why did Jared do this? I mean, besides the fact he’s an arrogant prick.”

Caleb lowered his shirt, “Honestly, it was kinda my fault. He was already in a shit mood when I went to talk to him,” he said before he lowered his gaze, “Picked the wrong time to ask for my notes back,” he muttered.

“I’ll talk to him,” Kaidan assured him confidently.

”And say what?” Caleb scoffed, “Tell him to stop picking on people? No offense, you can be pretty intimidating when you want to be, Kaidan, but not even you can talk him out of being an asshole.”

“Well, if he doesn’t listen to reason, I’ll kick his ass,” Kaidan insisted, determined. He wasn’t going to let Jared get away with this. No way.

Caleb shook his head. “Stopping violence with more violence? Come on, Kaidan. That’s not you.”

Kaidan frowned. He was right, Kaidan wasn’t a violent person, never was, never will be. It was unsettling how quick he was to consider beating someone up. He was better than that. Violence was never the answer, he knew there were other ways of dealing with things. This place was draining him, making him forget who he was before he got there. Who knew being isolated from society could turn you into a completely different person?

Kaidan sighed and sat down at the edge of his bed, leaning on his forearms resting on his thighs. “Fuck this place,” he huffed, sounding almost defeated as looked down at his feet.

”Yeah,” Caleb sighed, sitting at the edge of his own bed, facing Kaidan, “He’ll get what’s coming to him.”

Kaidan scoffed, doubtful. “Sure. Some day.”

”The new kid is his new roommate and from the looks of it, he doesn’t really seem like the kind of person that lets people push him around,” Caleb speculated.

”Yeah.. I met him. Sort of,” Kaidan said and laid back on his bed.

”Scary dude, right?” 

“Yeah…,” Kaidan sighed, thinking back to their awkward encounter and how nervous he got around him.

”He’s got the whole-,” Kaidan heard a small grunt as Caleb laid back on his own bed, his voice slightly strained, “The whole quiet tough guy act going on,” he said, “Well.. hopefully it’s not just an act. For his sake.”

“We’ll see,” Kaidan replied, staring up the ceiling.

Brain Camp might just get a little more interesting.

Chapter Text

It’d been a week since Johnny arrived to the station and it turned out Kaidan and Caleb were wrong about him possibly putting Jared in his place because Johnny seemed to be getting along rather well with Jared and his merry band of idiots. And it shouldn’t have been surprising, Johnny was his roommate, but Kaidan was still disappointed. He had been observing him a lot, more often than he would ever admit, and Johnny didn’t strike him as the type of Jared would hang around with. Johnny was everything Jared and his friends pretended to be; tough, confident, brave and he didn’t need to put others down to prove it. Even Vyrnnus had a hard time controlling or intimidating him, but Johnny complied eventually. Kaidan doubted it was out of fear; if it was then he did a damn good job at hiding it. 

Kaidan wasn’t surprised when nearly everyone tried to talk to him and befriend him. That was usually how everyone got whenever there was a new kid; the girls were especially interested in Johnny, and Kaidan doubted it was just because he was new. 

He didn’t get a chance to talk to him after their awkward encounter, but he was okay with that, he really didn’t want to make a fool out of himself again. Plus it didn’t seem like Johnny even wanted to talk to him, the guy didn’t even so much as look his way. Kaidan couldn’t help but think maybe he creeped him out with their last conversation. If you would call it that. Maybe he just wasn’t interested in talking to him. Kaidan didn’t care though.

Well.

Maybe he did.

It bothered him a little bit. 

More than he’d ever be willing to admit.

It wasn’t that he had a crush on him, he just thought Johnny was interesting… and that he had pretty eyes. That’s it.

It felt like hours before class was finally over, the students were dismissed to go outside to walk around and stretch their legs. There wasn’t a lot to do outside though, it was just a small field of mostly dry grass surrounded by a big wall, keeping them from the outside world, a nice way to remind students they were trapped in the station with no way to escape. 

Kaidan didn’t spend too much time outside, much to Rahna’s disappointment. He just wasn’t in the mood to deal with Spaz teasing about him being Kaidan and Rahna’s third wheel (even though they weren’t dating) and he was way too irritable to be around Sofie’s bubbly personality. She was being extra bubbly that day because apparently Johnny talked to her, she said he called her cute.

And that made Kaidan’s migraine worse. Definitely not because he was jealous or anything; she was just being too talkative, too cheerful. Plus, he knew it wouldn’t be a good idea to be around anyone, Kaidan wasn’t exactly friendly whenever he got a migraine and he really didn’t want to snap at any of his friends over something stupid, so he decided to head back to his dorm, hoping he could sleep off the migraine.

“Kaidan!” 

The loud yell made Kaidan wince and he stopped in his tracks before he turned around to see Caleb jogging towards him. 

“Hey,” He greeted breathlessly when he caught up to Kaidan.

”Hi,” Kaidan replied, hoping his roommate wouldn’t notice the irritation in his tone, “What’s up?”

”Do you have your notes from last week?”

Kaidan nodded, “They’re back in the dorm.”

“You wouldn’t mind if I use them, right? I need to review them for tomorrow’s test,” he asked.

“Go for it,” Kaidan shrugged before narrowing his eyes at him, “Wait. What happened to yours?”

Caleb looked away and rubbed the back of his neck, “I.. um, I lent them to Jared and he still hasn’t...,” Caleb sighed and shook his head.

That prick.

Kaidan frowned, “He still hasn’t given them back?”

Caleb shook his head, avoiding his gaze, probably embarrassed. “I’m probably never getting them back,” he said, “It’s fine.”

”It’s not fine,” Kaidan snapped, “You’re getting your notes back today. Where’s Jared?”

Caleb looked back up at Kaidan, eyes wide, shaking his head. “No, Kaidan, it’s fine. Don’t get involved. Last thing I want is for you to get in- Kaidan!” Caleb called after him, but Kaidan was already on his way to Jared’s dorm. Usually Kaidan might’ve listened to Caleb and not get involved, but he really didn’t have the patience for that shit.

~•~

Kaidan stormed inside Jared’s dorm and found him sitting on his bed playing cards with two of his friends, Alex and Parker, sitting on the floor and cackling like hyenas, intensifying Kaidan’s migraine. Kaidan noticed Johnny was there too, sitting on his own bed, but he seemed more interested in the cards in his hands than whatever the other boys were laughing about, he could tell by the way Johnny stared so intently at his cards and the little wrinkle between his knitted brows as he concentrated.

None of the boys seemed to be aware of Kaidan’s presence.

”Jared!” Kaidan shouted, grabbing their attention. 

All of them, except for Johnny, glared at Kaidan, but Kaidan didn’t give a damn and glared right back. 

“What the hell are you doing in here, Alenko?” Jared snapped. 

“Give me Caleb’s notes. Now,” Kaidan ordered, cutting straight to the chase. He didn’t have patience for Jared’s shit.

Jared and his friends looked at each other for a brief moment before they burst out laughing, it was an attempt to throw Kaidan off, but all it did was worsen his migraine and fuel his anger. He crossed his arms and scowled. Johnny stayed silent, watching the scene unfold. 

”Oh man. He sent his boyfriend here to get his shit,” Alex grinned wickedly.

”What a pussy,” Parker laughed, earning a smirk from Jared.

”Yeah.. I’m still using them.. soo.. No,” Jared shrugged.

Kaidan clenched his fists and stepped forward, causing Alex and Parker to stand up, preparing for a fight. “I don’t care if you’re still using them. I want them. Now,” Kaidan seethed.

Jared stood up from his bed and slowly walked over to Kaidan.

”Listen, Alenko. I don’t got beef with you. I suggest you leave now before that changes,” Jared warned with a scowl. Kaidan realized that he could probably end up fighting him. Had he been alone, Jared would’ve handed him the notes; he would’ve argued, sure, but he wouldn’t have been stupid enough to fight him one on one. But since Jared was with his friends, there was no way he was just going to do what Kaidan said, especially not after the way Kaidan came in. He couldn’t let his friends think he was weak. Plus, Jared knew Alex and Parker would back him up.

It would’ve been a smart idea to walk out and just return later when Jared was alone, but Kaidan didn’t have the patience for that. 

So instead of leaving, Kaidan approached Jared, getting in his face. “I’m not leaving until I get those notes back,” he sneered.

“Just beat his ass, J,” Alex snapped.

”And then beat up his boyfriend,” Parker mocked.

Jared glanced over his shoulder at his goons before looking back up at Kaidan, “Last chance to leave, Alenko,” he warned smugly.

”It’s not happening,” Kaidan glared.

Jared huffed a laugh.

”You asked for it.”

Jared cracked his neck and Kaidan took a deep breath, preparing himself for a fight when-

“This is so fucking stupid,” He heard Johnny scoff and everyone turned to look at him, shocked, especially Kaidan.

”What?” Jared hissed.

”Just give him what he came for,” Johnny snapped, “You that insecure about your rep that you can’t just return some damn notes?” 

“I’m not giving them back just because you-“

Johnny growled, tossed his cards on the ground and sprung forward to Jared before the other boys could stop him, his swift movements made Kaidan flinch, he thought for sure Johnny was going to lunge at him. Johnny harshly grabbed Jared by the shirt, yanked him back and gave him a shove for good measure, pushing him away from Kaidan. “Where are the fucking notes?” He demanded, his voice low and threatening.

Alex and Parker were about to approach Johnny to pull him away, but Johnny glared at them and activated his biotics, his whole body glowing a brilliant blue, making the other boys back off.

Johnny turned back to Jared with a menacing stare, the biotics making his eyes flare like blue flames, and Kaidan felt like a moth to his fire because he couldn’t look away even if he wanted to.

Johnny was stunning and terrifying.

No one said a word and Kaidan thought it was strange how the silence made him even more uneasy than the possibility of having to fight Jared. 

It felt like an eternity before Jared finally spoke and it was only then when Johnny deactivated his biotics.

“They’re…,” Jared swallowed nervously, “They’re on my desk,” he said finally, all that confidence and bravado he had when Kaidan first came in was gone entirely, replaced by fear and cowardice.

Johnny walked over to the desk, snatched the notes, and handed them to Kaidan.

Kaidan was at loss of words, he didn’t know what to say, he was grateful, but he was stunned, he wasn’t expecting him to get involved let alone side with him.

Johnny locked eyes with Kaidan, glaring at him, not as menacingly as the stare he directed towards Jared just seconds ago, but it was enough to elicit a small shudder from Kaidan, he hid it. But only barely.

”Out,” he said, motioning his head to the door. Kaidan nodded and wasted no time exiting the room, leaving Johnny alone with Jared and his goons. 

Yet, something told Kaidan that Johnny wasn’t the one that was in danger.