The lobby of the UNSC Spartan II extended training building was looming, intimidating, and filled with the newest batch of medically advanced Spartan recruits. Already grouping together in cells and conversing many of them had their life battle partner picked out. The receptionist at the desk ignored them with eloquence.
A short, dirty blonde, blue eyed thing stood in the corner, fidgeting as she scanned each and every person in the concrete and steel lobby. It was Adrian Wren, eighteen years old, and top of the basic training program in the book knowledge sense. She was the smartest one in the room in the areas of everything but combat. Her reflexes and instant battle problem solving was below par, and she knew she wasn’t the UNSC’s pick for sending on the field, yet they still sent her through the Spartan II program.
While fiddling with the side seams of her black jumpsuit uniform she took special attention to a specific person across the lobby. Ryan Jaeger, easily could be described as tall, dark, and handsome, yet he was so much more as Adrian knew. He specialized in combat, his marksmanship rivaling that of Master Chief, yet his studies were sad. Most of the others in the room would steal glances at him but never looked him in the eye.
Adrian was redirecting her focus on his face when he turned and looked straight at her from across the room. His brilliant green eyes wouldn’t let her escape his stare until she physically turned away, squirming in her seat against the wall. Just as she glanced back up Ryan was standing before her. A shiver went through her as he sat next to her.
Neither one said nothing as Ryan continued to look at her and she focused on a grease stain on the concrete floor. She finally mustered up enough courage to speak.
“When is the orientation meeting?” she squeeked, barely audible above the crowd.
A small smile creeps on his face, “Relax sweetheart, it’ll be soon.”
Adrian only nodded, falling silent once again. Usually she wasn’t so shy but with such a large crowd of people it made her even more nervous than she usually is.
“In fact, if you want. We can ditch this meeting ad do ‘other things’,” Ryan suggested. She looked at him dumbfounded by the audacity of skipping a mandatory meeting.
“I... I don’t think that would be a wise choice,” she looked away.
Ryan took her right hand, holding it gently, “But it would be the fun choice.”
Letting him have her hand, she nodded her head towards the conference hall, “Don’t they need us in there?”
“Would it matter if we were just a tiny bit late?” Ryan chuckled, “You won’t regret this.”
“I... I guess. It is our last day of freedom essentially,” Adrian said, “What would we do?”
Ryan stood, holding out his hand, “How does a walk in the city, or what’s left of it, sound?”
Looking back at the conference hall then to him Adrian took his hand and he lead her out. Walking nonchalantly past the patrols to the gate entrance to the base they gave a quick salute to the guard. The marine gave an all knowing smile returning the salute.
The section of city they were in was deserted, battle torn, and already showing signs of Mother Nature taking back over. Tall grass forced its way between the cracks in the pavement, vines wound themselves up walls and into broken windows. Ryan and Adrian strolled through jungle of building corpses, he took her hand with a smile from her.
“How can it be so calm after so much carnage?” Adrian wondered aloud.
“The battles have to end some time, along with the lives of those who fight,” Ryan answered.
Adrian stops, facing him, “If we had had a choice to join the program, what would you be giving up?”
“I’d give up everything, simple to protect civilian life,” Ryan chose his words slowly, “What about you?”
“I.. I’d rather not say,” she let go of his hand.
“Do you want to talk about it?” he pried.
“No, I don’t,” she started to walk off with out him.
“Ah shit,” he ran after her, “Adrian wait, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you upset. Will you give me another chance?”
She looked him over, raised an eyebrow, “Yes I will... If you can catch me!”
She took off running through the barren streets. Ryan gave a laugh, ”Oh so now you wanna play.”
Chasing her down Ryan quickly catches up. Rebounding off of buildings, ramps, any physical object they ran through. Adrian couldn’t shake him no matter how many jumps, flips, and crazy maneuvers she tried. They laughed together as they picked up speed, then Adrian ducked into a doorway. Ryan, without thinking, ran in and was clothes-lined by a pole that Adrian easily avoided with her shortness.
Glancing behind her Adrian saw him hit the ground hard. She turned around quickly and kneeled at his side. Ryan wasn’t moving, barely breathing.
“Ryan?... Ryan!” Adrian unzipped his black jumpsuit, ripped his white shirt up and could already see a bruise forming. She leaned in close and opened one of his eyelids to see if there was a visual response. At that moment Ryan grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her to her back, getting on top, taking her by surprise.
“My turn,” he whispered then kissed her softly. At first Adrian was in shock, but she wrapped her arms around him, returning the kiss. He pulled away slightly putting his forehead to hers.
“How about some real fun now?” he snickered, slowly unzipping her jumpsuit, exposing her undergarments. It took her a bit to figure out what he wanted, but when she did know, she didn’t do anything to stop him. Instead, she embraced the situation, and helped him with the zipper, making them kiss again, only longer and harder this time.
Two hours later they return to the lobby, the orientation meeting just getting out. Sergeant Yards, the speaker at the meeting, raised a questioning eyebrow at the two returning Spartans but said nothing, leaving the lobby. The other recruits also looked at them with curiosity, but a few figured it out and spread the rumor of sexy time.
“I’m... so embarrassed,” Adrian blushed, turning from the group.
“Let them be jealous, we’re not the ones who had to listen to a boring CO,” Ryan squeezed her hand gently. He watched as the girls split from the guys, preparing for the tour of their new base location, “Off to the barracks, can I see you tomorrow?”
Adrian nodded and turned to leave with the girls when Ryan pulls her back, holding her close in a hug, “Can I have a good bye kiss?”
On her toes Adrian gave him a quick peck, then wriggled out of his arms. But yet again he pulled her back, “A real kiss.”
She smiled and kissed him long and hard then left before he asked for another. The other girls giggled with her, asking all about her walk on the other side of Spartan protocol.
Ryan joined the guys, who in disgust, avoided him claiming he was a lucky SOB for getting action during a mandatory meeting. He just shrugged and replayed the last two hours in his head as the tour began.
The only thing he could tell the other guys was, “Its good to break rules sometimes.”