Maybe This Time, by terrie01
Title: Maybe This Time
Author: terrie01
Summary: It's a new school year.
Words: 1,000
Rodney looked across the desk. "Okay, the exam isn't going to be any worse than usual. Which means no more than one fourth of class should flunk."
"One fourth?" Julie asked.
"At the most. Mainly, it's students who think they're smart enough to coast. Frankly, I'm smarter than all of them, and even I'd have to at least do the reading. Now, I try to have at least three study sessions prior to the exam. Those are by sign up, so you won't have to show if no one signs up. I'll need a list of times that will work for you at least a month before finals. Any questions?"
Julie bit her lip and said, "Is it true your last TA quit because you made him cry?"
From the door of Rodney's office came, "It's true, but don't let that scare you. McKay's bark is way worse than his bite. Plus, the guy was coming down with the flu, so it's not like that's a normal thing."
"And this is Professor John Sheppard, from the mathmatics department," Rodney said. "He shows up from time to time to gloat about the fact that undergrads take his course because they think he's cute, rather than because he actually knows what he's talking about."
"You're just jealous that I've gotten professor of the year."
"Sorry, but my sights are aimed a bit higher. Like the Nobel. Not to mention, unlike you, I have tenure, so I don't need to worry about getting awards like that."
Julie's gaze bounced back and forth between the two professors. "Um, why don't I take a look at the material you gave me, Professor McKay, and then get back to you with any questions?"
"Hmm? Oh, yeah, fine." He waved her away. "So, John, you up for lunch?"
"That's actually why I stopped by. Lizzie said she'd meet us at the café. Figured I'd better stop by, make sure you actually get there."
"Fine, fine. Let me just grab my…" Rodney looked around his office. "What was I going to grab?"
"How the hell should I know?" said John. "Do I look like a mind reader?"
Rodney looked him over. "No, you look like an underwear model in the witness protection program."
"Cute. Grab your briefcase and let's go."
"Briefcase!" Rodney snapped his fingers. "That's what I was trying to think of."
"Good for you. Now, let's go. I'm starving."
As the exited the building, John said, "So, new TA? What'd they offer her?"
"Tuition waiver and a stipend that makes me wonder why the department keeps claiming they're broke."
"Easy. They keep giving all the money to your TAs."
"I suppose. Anyway, I think she'll work out. The only problem is that she's married. If she gets pregnant before the end of the school year, I'm going to be pissed."
"Keep saying stuff like that and someone's going to claim discrimination."
"Oh, please." Rodney rolled his eyes. "Discrimination implies a particular target. I'm more of an equal opportunity asshole."
"Can’t argue with that."
Lizzie already had a table at the café. "How are my two favorite boys? The year off to a good start?"
John straddled his chair. "Rodney has a new TA."
"Rodney always has a new TA. This one any good?"
"She'll do. She better, anyway. I'm not dealing with all those undergrads on my own."
Lizzie leaned forward. "Tell me something. Why did someone who hates students as much as you do go into teaching?"
"Easy. I don't have to wear a tie."
The waitress came and took their orders. This took longer than it should have, since Rodney needed to give instructions that not only should his food not have citrus in it, but no citrus should allowed near it, in order to prevent cross contamination.
"So, John, what's your year look like?"
"Like I'm going to be meeting with students at the student union, not my office."
"Ouch," said Lizzie. "A lot of co-eds?"
"A good dozen in my intro level class. And all of them with a predatory look in their eyes. I'm starting to think I need to get married just for protection."
"Speaking of marriage," Lizzie jumped in, "I met the perfect guy."
"Let me guess. Tall, dark hair, rugged…"
"Not for me, silly. For Rodney."
Rodney choked on his coffee. "Excuse me?"
"I ran into him in the parking lot. He's Czech. The accent is adorable. Anyway, he's an electrical engineer with a background in computer science and was just hired. You have to meet him."
"An engineer? Oh, please, that means he's nothing more than a glorified mechanic."
John snorted. "You deride mathematics as for people who are afraid of things that have to do with the real world, but turn around and say engineers are mechanics. Is there any pleasing you?"
"Why are you two worried about pleasing me? Can't we go one month without you trying to set me up on a date?"
John shrugged. "We're hoping getting you laid improves your personality."
"C'mon, Rodney," Lizzie said. "One date. Just one. It can't hurt, can it? Please? For me?"
"If I say yes to this one date, will you leave me alone for the rest of the semester?"
---
Rodney took a look in his mirror. Grey shirt, charcoal jacket. Nothing overly fancy, but good enough for a nice restaurant. He may have let himself be talked into a date he didn't want, but at least he was getting a decent meal out of it. Juno's did an amazing steak.
The door bell rang. With one last look in the mirror and a deep breath, Rodney went to answer the door. He opened the door to find his date standing on the step. Zelenka was a bit shorter than him, with light brown hair framing his face. Small wire-framed glasses perched on his nose. Rodney swallowed. Okay. Maybe Lizzie had some good ideas after all.
Author: terrie01
Summary: It's a new school year.
Words: 1,000
Rodney looked across the desk. "Okay, the exam isn't going to be any worse than usual. Which means no more than one fourth of class should flunk."
"One fourth?" Julie asked.
"At the most. Mainly, it's students who think they're smart enough to coast. Frankly, I'm smarter than all of them, and even I'd have to at least do the reading. Now, I try to have at least three study sessions prior to the exam. Those are by sign up, so you won't have to show if no one signs up. I'll need a list of times that will work for you at least a month before finals. Any questions?"
Julie bit her lip and said, "Is it true your last TA quit because you made him cry?"
From the door of Rodney's office came, "It's true, but don't let that scare you. McKay's bark is way worse than his bite. Plus, the guy was coming down with the flu, so it's not like that's a normal thing."
"And this is Professor John Sheppard, from the mathmatics department," Rodney said. "He shows up from time to time to gloat about the fact that undergrads take his course because they think he's cute, rather than because he actually knows what he's talking about."
"You're just jealous that I've gotten professor of the year."
"Sorry, but my sights are aimed a bit higher. Like the Nobel. Not to mention, unlike you, I have tenure, so I don't need to worry about getting awards like that."
Julie's gaze bounced back and forth between the two professors. "Um, why don't I take a look at the material you gave me, Professor McKay, and then get back to you with any questions?"
"Hmm? Oh, yeah, fine." He waved her away. "So, John, you up for lunch?"
"That's actually why I stopped by. Lizzie said she'd meet us at the café. Figured I'd better stop by, make sure you actually get there."
"Fine, fine. Let me just grab my…" Rodney looked around his office. "What was I going to grab?"
"How the hell should I know?" said John. "Do I look like a mind reader?"
Rodney looked him over. "No, you look like an underwear model in the witness protection program."
"Cute. Grab your briefcase and let's go."
"Briefcase!" Rodney snapped his fingers. "That's what I was trying to think of."
"Good for you. Now, let's go. I'm starving."
As the exited the building, John said, "So, new TA? What'd they offer her?"
"Tuition waiver and a stipend that makes me wonder why the department keeps claiming they're broke."
"Easy. They keep giving all the money to your TAs."
"I suppose. Anyway, I think she'll work out. The only problem is that she's married. If she gets pregnant before the end of the school year, I'm going to be pissed."
"Keep saying stuff like that and someone's going to claim discrimination."
"Oh, please." Rodney rolled his eyes. "Discrimination implies a particular target. I'm more of an equal opportunity asshole."
"Can’t argue with that."
Lizzie already had a table at the café. "How are my two favorite boys? The year off to a good start?"
John straddled his chair. "Rodney has a new TA."
"Rodney always has a new TA. This one any good?"
"She'll do. She better, anyway. I'm not dealing with all those undergrads on my own."
Lizzie leaned forward. "Tell me something. Why did someone who hates students as much as you do go into teaching?"
"Easy. I don't have to wear a tie."
The waitress came and took their orders. This took longer than it should have, since Rodney needed to give instructions that not only should his food not have citrus in it, but no citrus should allowed near it, in order to prevent cross contamination.
"So, John, what's your year look like?"
"Like I'm going to be meeting with students at the student union, not my office."
"Ouch," said Lizzie. "A lot of co-eds?"
"A good dozen in my intro level class. And all of them with a predatory look in their eyes. I'm starting to think I need to get married just for protection."
"Speaking of marriage," Lizzie jumped in, "I met the perfect guy."
"Let me guess. Tall, dark hair, rugged…"
"Not for me, silly. For Rodney."
Rodney choked on his coffee. "Excuse me?"
"I ran into him in the parking lot. He's Czech. The accent is adorable. Anyway, he's an electrical engineer with a background in computer science and was just hired. You have to meet him."
"An engineer? Oh, please, that means he's nothing more than a glorified mechanic."
John snorted. "You deride mathematics as for people who are afraid of things that have to do with the real world, but turn around and say engineers are mechanics. Is there any pleasing you?"
"Why are you two worried about pleasing me? Can't we go one month without you trying to set me up on a date?"
John shrugged. "We're hoping getting you laid improves your personality."
"C'mon, Rodney," Lizzie said. "One date. Just one. It can't hurt, can it? Please? For me?"
"If I say yes to this one date, will you leave me alone for the rest of the semester?"
---
Rodney took a look in his mirror. Grey shirt, charcoal jacket. Nothing overly fancy, but good enough for a nice restaurant. He may have let himself be talked into a date he didn't want, but at least he was getting a decent meal out of it. Juno's did an amazing steak.
The door bell rang. With one last look in the mirror and a deep breath, Rodney went to answer the door. He opened the door to find his date standing on the step. Zelenka was a bit shorter than him, with light brown hair framing his face. Small wire-framed glasses perched on his nose. Rodney swallowed. Okay. Maybe Lizzie had some good ideas after all.