A/N Pretty simple and straightfoward: Olivia Shepard is staring down the barrel of the Omega-4 relay, and Tali pays her a visit that evening. Sex ensues. Lots of exploring each other's bodies and the like. A little cute, if I'm to be honest. It's second person, so if you don't like that (which 99.9% of the time I hate it too) then sorry fam. It just worked better this way.

I fucking love Tali.

It's late and you can't think. Or really see, even, so you toss aside the datapad and scrub your eyes with one hand, trying to rub away the exhaustion and the stress. All it really does is clear up your vision a bit more, leaving the rest of those damned weights still hanging around your neck. You recline back in the chair, as uncomfortable as it is, and shoot a longing glance at your still-pristine bed. Could strip off this uncomfortable and constricting uniform, slide under the silk coverlet and just pass out for a while. Forget about the galaxy, about the Collectors, about the Omega Relay. Just have a few hours of black. And maybe wake up the next morning at least a little less tired, a little more energy. A little less exhaustion to cover up around the crew. Even around Garrus and Tali, as hard as it was. You know they'd understand, god knows. But even though they're friends, hell, family, you just…can't. The walls you built years and years ago still tower so high above, and you know there's no way through them. But you know you couldn't sleep anyway.

Maybe in the past that kind of mindless oblivion sleep offered was a thing to look forward to. But now…all it reminds you of is death. Freezing above Alchera. Listening to the trickle of oxygen run out. Feeling your body go numb. Feeling…nothing. There's that jarring gap of two years you can't shake. Can't remember anything, not a thing. After you closed your eyes on the stars, the next thing you remember is a blurry recollection of waking up to Miranda and Wilson working on you, and knocking you out again. Miranda said that was only a few weeks before you were properly awoken. And the worst part is: you can feel it. That gaping hole, that enormous maw of empty time in your life. Feel it, even, reaching back from the past. Whispering to you every day. Every fight.

And here you go again, down that road. You jolt upright, shoving the chair away to stand and you pace your quarters. The only light is from the fishtank and you take a moment to pause there, leaning forward and resting your forehead on the cool glass. The little darters scoot back and forth, down on the gravel the fantastically ugly stone-fish gives you a wall-eyed stare. The coolness of the glass leeches into your head, draining away a little of the tension. Only a little.

Then there's a quiet knock at the door.

A knock, huh? No one knocks, you just use the com to buzz in. Or if you're Tali or Garrus, just waltz on through.

'C'mon in,' you say, and don't take your eyes from the fishtank. Probably Chambers. Or something. You hear the hiss of displaced air, then quiet footsteps, then again another hiss and clank as the door closes.

'Shepard?' the voice you hear is quiet, low, and the sound of the accent brings a reluctant smile to your face.

'Hey, Tali.' You push away from the tank, turning to face your purple clad friend. Your…well, something more, now. Maybe.

'I…well I was down in engineering. Couldn't sleep, you know. I needed something to do…and I couldn't focus. At all.' Tali's hands come together, long fingers twisting together in her classic tell.

You snort a laugh. 'I can't really focus on anything either.' She seems to brighten a little.

'I kept thinking about the last time we…talked there. Kinda hard to forget…' She's right about that, you think, and this time the reluctant smile shifts into a more genuine one.

'Yeah, sorta was.' The ghost feeling of her skintight suit is on your fingertips, when you'd slipped a hand behind her to cup her butt and squeeze.

'Well…' Tali continues, her fingers really going at it. 'I was thinking…Olivia…well, I took some, urhm, immune boosters. And uh, some herbal treatments. And well..oh keelah, I'm terrible at this…'

For a moment, you feel the gears in your head grind, grind, grind, turn over. Immune boosters? Herbal treatments? What? What's she…oh. Oh. OH. And you feel a bit of heat rise into your cheeks, watching Tali cover her mask with one hand.

'And here I am stuttering like a moron and I didn't even think about how tired you must be, and…and...and keelah, I still have trouble not calling you Shepard and…' Tali trails off, because frankly the look of her standing there all flustered and adorable and also probably something else too is too much for you to take and you cross the distance between you in one smooth stride and pull her into your arms. Your cheek brushes against the fabric of her hood and you feel/hear her sigh against your shoulder, muffled by her mask.

'And I am sick, sick of this stupid mask and this stupid suit.'

'So am I.' you say. It's possibly the most earnest thing you've said in your life. You talked Saren into shooting himself. He blew his brains across the walls of the Council Chamber but that – yeah, you weren't half as serious as you are right now with a quarian in your arms. The walls are still there, frowning about Being Shepard, but this…this isn't the time.

'And I just can't…Olivia, I can't go into the mission tomorrow without this. I want to see you without this stupid mask in the way. And…I want you to see me. My face.'

You step back, hands on her shoulders, an arm's length away.

'Tali…I, wow.' You know how huge this is for her; after all, those long story-telling nights on the SR-1 weren't just for kicks. You know how serious this is for any quarian and even though she's practically family and you know she'd in an instant lay down her life for you and you her, this kind of trust…well. You feel a touch of heat behind your eyes and dammit if you have to swallow down a bit of a knot.

'This is huge, I know. Are you sure? I mean, I'm not even a quarian, and I don't want you to-' You stop, surprised, as Tali reached out a single long digit to press against your lips. She takes a deep breath and you can see her shoulders square a little.

'Olivia Shepard, you were right. Everything you said, you were right. I never think about what I want. And I shouldn't always, either, because I'm a quarian, and that's how I'll always be. But it doesn't have to be all the time. And Olivia, right now, I know what I want. I want the woman I love to see me, see me.' For a minute you can't do much but stare in wonder. Who is this new, assertive, Tali and what has she done with my friend?

'Then, Tali'zorah Vas Normandy,' you breathe, 'show me how these catches work.' And your heart is absolutely pounding as Tali reaches up to cover one of your hands with hers, guiding it behind her mask, under her hood, to a little metal curved pin. And she guides your finger in, to depress it, and you feel how she slides your fingertip along the depressed pin, to click a button. And you hear it click, too, a bit of a hiss and clack. And she takes your other hand, and repeats it again on the other side. You burn every last motion into your brain like it's the most important thing in the world. Y'know, maybe it is.

Then she guides both your hands to the very edges of the mask, where you can feel a slight lip when there was nothing before but a smooth joining of metal. She releases your hands to rest hers on your shoulders.

'Ok.' She whispers, almost inaudible. So you hook the lip with your fingers and you slowly tug, the mask coming with you without really any effort, like it was meant to, and you hear the slight hiss of a breaking seal and then the mask is free in your hands. Tali trembles a little and her hands fist against your shirt. And then you lower the mask.

For a long moment all you can see are shining silver eyes. Then you break free, and it's hard to breathe for a moment. Short locks of matted down black hair frame an pale grey face with light, delicate features. High cheekbones sit right below her shining eyes, and smooth curving black tattoos, or something similar sweep up from the end of her eyebrows into her raven hair. And aside from her shining, slightly slanted eyes and the soft wave of the tattoos, she looks so startlingly human. Sure you had read extranet articles about quarians, how they resembled humans the most of any alien species, down to the hair, but to actually see it…in person. And so…you want to dismiss the word as inadequate, but no other one can come to your foggy mind: beautiful.

Tali's looking up at you, wetness welling in those shining eyes, her smokey pale cheeks blushing pink and your dumbfounded mind can only think: huh, so they do that too.

You hear a clunk as her mask hits the floor, but it doesn't register your hands are open until you reach out and stroke her cheek, hardly even believing this is happening. Standing here, in your quarters, touching, seeing Tali's face. Her skin is so soft under your fingertips, almost unbelievably so. Like silk, like satin, porcelain smooth.

'Beautiful…' is all you can whisper and Tali pulls you close, hands still fisted in your shirt and for the first time, when your faces come together, there's no cold mask in between.

Her lips are soft, warm. For a moment, there is only a feather brush of them against yours. Then you wrap your arms around her, one hand sliding under her veil and her helmet to tangle into her short hair and her lips are on yours and yours hers as the universe is completely gone for a few minutes, lost as you are in the warmth and sweetness of her mouth.

When you pull apart, both of you almost gasping for breath, you rest your forehead on Tali's, looking into those brilliant eyes only a few inches away. There's tears tracking down her face, yours too, now that you think about it, and she shines a shakey smile at you.

'Olivia…I can't even say…' You lean in and press another, smaller kiss on her lips.

'Nothing to say, Tali.' For moment, there is nothing between you but breathing and the feeling of her breath on your skin.

'No, I…I need to. Olivia, I-I love you.' Your heart skips a beat, there, but she goes on. 'After everything…Sovereign, the Geth…Alchera,' the pain in her voice at the name wrenches at you, but you can't interrupt. Not now. 'my father, Cerberus…everything. I didn't think I could really…ever have anything like a normal life. Or be close to anyone. Let alone you. Keelah, ever since day one in that alley…'

You can't deny it anymore, you can't shove it away, you can't let this one drop. Everything in your life flashes past your eyes, and you hear the groaning of the foundations as your mental walls tremble and threaten to fall. But after Alchera…after hearing Tali on the comm one last time. After the feeling of seeing her on Freedom's Progress…you can't let that shit go unsaid. There have been so many times, and so many people. They all slipped away, and that voice is shouting, screaming in the back of your head 'Holy shit, don't curse Tali too!' but in this moment you are Olivia, not Shepard, and there can be no doubts.

'I love you too, Tali.' You whisper back and the look on her face will be with you until you die. Which could be tomorrow. She pulls you to her again for another long kiss and when you break apart again, she finally untangles her hands from your shirt, leaving it rumpled and wrinkled, to reach behind her neck to undo the final fastenings holding the helmet to her suit. She pushes the veil aside and you help her slide the helmet off. She shakes her hair free of its matted tangle, combing her fingers through it, smiling shyly as your eyes follow every move. When they're done and her hair is hanging loose around her face in a void-black halo, you take her hand, you guide her to your bed. As you sit, she stops, staying standing, legs interwoven with yours. You can feel her hesitation, and you drop your hands to her waist, resting on broad hips. You look up at her and she down at you.

'Hey, we can do anything…or nothing. Just don't…don't go back to your quarters tonight, Tali. I don't want to be alone right about now.' She smiles down at you.

'If you put it that way…I don't really want to be alone either.' You scoot backwards on the bedspread, turning to lift your legs up and lean against the pillows as Tali slides down next to you. She scoots up under your arm, head pillowed on your shoulder.

'Here, let me take off my glove.' Holding her hands up above the both of you, you watch as she presses firmly on the sides of her wrist, just below the joint and there's another quiet hiss. All it takes is a quick tug, then one glove joins her mask on the floor. She holds her hand up, looking at it like it's the first time. You reach your own up to mirror hers.

Strange hands, quarians. Like turians, with the three fingers, but where turians have the impressive claws, quarians have the comfortingly human rounded fingers, a nail on each. Her fingers are longer too, longer than a human's, by maybe an inch or so. She turns her hand, you press them together, your five to her three, relishing the feel of her skin on yours. She turns her head to look at you, and the smile from before is radiant. When you shift your hand, her fingers can weave right in, and it's like you were made for each other. And still her skin feels so soft and you can only imagine, a little self-consciously, how rough and hard your battle-worn hands must be.

'No so different, huh.'

'Not really…' She pulls you in for another kiss, this time, with her own hand tangling into your hair and you know the feeling of someone else's hair on her skin must be incredible. She quickly shucks her other glove, and hoists herself up on her elbows, above you and looking down. Wordlessly, she reaches out to tough your face, and you can't help but shiver as her finger, light as a feather, strokes down from your forehead along your cheek to your jaw and to your neck. And Tali's expression is one akin to awe, full of childlike wonder, looking down at you as she explores your face with her hands. Almost like a blind woman seeing for the first time. Having to know, to feel, that it was real.

'It's real, Tali. I'm here. Always will be.'

'It's just…you feel so different. So new. Wonderful. The haptics never-' She swoops down for another quick kiss but you wrap your arms around her and pull her down atop you, feeling the way her body molds onto yours. Feeling her curves meshing against yours. And she laughs, making you wish you could record that sound, hear it forever. But instead, this time you let some of the fire smoldering in your chest feed a kiss, capturing her lips, deepening it, one hand cupping her head, the other stroking her lower back through the damned suit. And for her part, Tali returns the heat, her tongue clumsy against yours, her mouth fumbling in its own attempt to transmit the need she has to be feeling. When you pull apart for air again she stays so close her nose touches against yours. Kid might be new to this whole thing, but she's trying.

'Olivia…I want to feel you. All of you…' You grin up at her, eyes sparkling.

'Right away ma'am.' And she blushes adorably at that, at Commander Shepard calling her 'ma'am'. She pulls back, drawing up her legs to kneel next you as you prop your back against the pillows. You reach down, taking the hem of your shirt in your hands, where, with one quick motion, you draw it up and over your head to toss aside. When the cloth obscuring your vision for a moment is gone Tali is almost looking away, her face beet red. Sure, you're now only wearing your bra, but you've never been terribly self-conscious or shy in the past. Kind of hard to be, when working your way up the armed forces from enlisted ranks. Not many private showers along the way.

But to be honest, here, in the half-light of her cabin, all alone with Tali, you feel almost shy as she looks sideways at you.

'Hey,' you say, reaching out to touch her chin, drawing her back to facing you fully. 'Take your time.' The crimson shade tinting the alabaster of her cheeks doesn't dim but she scoots closer, sliding into her former position, albeit half-sitting now.

'I'm ok.' She says, 'it's just…well, keelah. You're still kinda Commander Shepard.' When she sees your mouth open to protest, she cuts you off.

'I know, I know. It's just…I've imagined this for years, and now…oh keelah I'm all flustered and stuttering again.' A slow grin finds its way across your face.

'Why, Miss Zorah, did you say you've been fantasizing about me?'

'What! No! I mean, yes, but…! Olivia!' The ice is broken again, with the teasing remark. You kiss her cheek as she reaches a shaking hand out to stroke one of your scars, the big one across your abdomen. The ones that runs all the way north across your breastbone to your clavicle. The one where Miranda said they'd really mucked around in.

'So many scars…' Tali breathes as her finger ghosts up your belly, between your breasts. You can't help but twitch a little when her hand strokes across your collarbone.

'Ah, sorry. A little uh, sensitive there.' Tali keeps staring at your chest, but her hand strokes across the same spot, and you can't help but twitch again. And, god above, Tali giggles. It's a brand new sound, one you sure as hell want to make happen again.

'A little sensitive, Olivia?' she trails another finger across your collarbone, again, and the same little curl of heat shoots its way down your spine to your core again. Tali giggles again, this time leaning down to press a kiss with her feathery lips, soft and sweet, right there. Her breath, hot, washes across the tops of your breasts.

'Mm, a little bit.' You say, keeping your voice level. Just the sheer act of lying here, shirtless next to Tali as she slowly explores your chest is erotic as all hell, and now…mmph. It's all you can do to stay still. She giggles, a little tinkle of sound, and resumes her exploration of you. Tracing every scar, feeling the outlines of your abs, ghosting over the dip of your hips. She seems so entranced by your skin and you can't help but think hey, fuck it. You reach down and at your sudden motion, she jerks her hand back. You unclasp the button on your pants, undo the short zipper, work them off your hips and rear, sliding them down your thighs and you pull your legs up against your chest, to kick them off your feet. Socks quickly follow suit, and then you stretch out again, wearing nothing by uniform boyshorts and a bra.

Yeah. There's definitely a damp spot on your underwear. Tali doesn't seem to notice, or if she does doesn't let one as she looks at you, worrying her bottom lip with bright teeth. She swallows deep, leaning in to plant a short kiss on your lips before breaking away to climb off the bed. You're about to follow, to reach out and grab her elbow, ask what's wrong, when you understand. She undoes the triple belts around her waist, unclasping them, then reaches behind her to work some odd clasps behind her. You fall back on the bed, entranced. On her own part, Tali's face is screwed up in concentration. It's one hell of an intricate process…and maybe one you can help with next time, you think, with a sudden thought of -I wonder if I can undo those with my teeth- that makes you rub your thighs together as she shucks off the arms of her suit as their own separate sections. Her arms free, you let your eyes glide over the smooth muscle in her biceps, and the curve of her shoulders. Then she turns away, facing the wall, her back to you. You see the suit shift, a grey line of skin appear along her waistline. And she struggles for a moment, pulling each arm free, before she lifts the suit up and over her head, letting it fall to the floor.

Your breath catches in your throat as you look over Tali's bare back as she fiddles with the rest of her suit. The sleek curve from shoulder to her hips; the smooth arcs of muscle and the little dimples to either side of her lower back. A smooth expanse of more ashen skin, threaded by the same black tattoo lines, with a few knotted scars mixed in. You feel a slight pang at those; most probably had happened after she met you. All the fights and the struggles she'd been with you through: all of it etched indelibly into your skin and hers. But, then, a fair amount of rational thought is banished as Tali smoothly leans over to undo her boots, and for once, you openly and honestly can stare at her rear.

And honestly - it makes you a little self-conscious. For another species, Tali has one hell of an ass. One that frankly makes you a bit envious. And more than a little hot too as she shifts and there's that subtle wiggle and god that gap in between her thighs, where you just want to bury your face and die happy. You've glanced at it for months now, always chastising the weakness of a lingering stare and reminding yourself that it was your friend you were ogling. The other night you just hadn't been able to control yourself when you pulled Tali in for a hug, both of you raw and vulnerable and suddenly aware of each other's affections. A quick handful. Couldn't help it.

Now you can devour her with your eyes, as lecherous as you like. Whatever Tali is doing keeps jostling her body, keeps her butt waving in the air before you. God, you swear. I am going to bite that. One day.

She straightens off as two clunks announce her boots have joined what must already be a growing pile of discarded suit. She hooks her thumbs into her waistband where for a minute she pauses before taking a deep breath and slowly working them off. More and more ivory skin comes into view, and then her rear slides free of her suit with what frankly should have been an audible 'flomp', jiggling as it comes free and Tali kicks her pants off.

Okay, you might need to change the sheets. The light heartbeat between your legs beats a whole new pulse, and you shift your legs a bit, feeling empty and tense.

Tali slowly skootches backwards toward the bed before her legs hit it and she lowers herself down the perch on the end. Still she doesn't turn toward you or face you. She wraps her arms around herself and you feel your stomach drop out. Is she regretting this? Is she ashamed? Oh god, I didn't push her too much, did I? You hoist yourself up, kneel behind her, reach out a tentative hand to her warm shoulder. Her skin is so incredibly smooth under your touch (you'd kill for that), every last particle long since pressed down into porcelain submission by her suit. Tali leans into your touch, rubbing her cheek against your fingers. Well, that's a good sign. You scoot right behind her and lean forward to press your chest to her back, your face into her hair. Slowly, you encircle her with your arms, covering her arms with yours in a protective embrace.

'You ok, Tali?'

She gulps and you realize she's weeping.

'It's…I'm….keelah, being stupid…I know you're not wearing a suit and we're both so far from wearing suits right now…but we're linking our suits and I…I…I…it's a lot right now.'

'Hey,' you whisper into her hair. 'Everyone's a little nervous their first time.' You plant a kiss on the back of her neck, nuzzling against her soft skin.

'Not nervous. Overwhelmed. I don't even know what to do…but I can't think of anyone in the universe I'd rather be with than you, Livi.' You pause planting a slow line of kisses along Tali's bare shoulders.

'Livi?'

She laughs, a little nervous. 'I figured…ah, thought well, I always thought Livi was a good way to shorten your name. Like how you call me Tali instead of Tali'Zorah. If it's not alright, I-' You cut her off by pulling her into a kiss. It's an awkward one, over her shoulder, but you nonverbally confirm it is really fucking alright if she calls you that.

A nickname. Never had one of those. Not one that didn't start with an 'S' and end with 'D' and have a 'hepar' in the middle.

Never had a quarian naked in your arms either, of course.

She leans into the kiss, drawing it out and slowly she turns herself toward you until her breasts press against your own bra. You smile against her mouth and pull back a little.

'This isn't terribly fair.' A quick click of a clasp and you toss aside your own bra. This time you let yourself really get a good look at her. Her breasts are small and high, quite a bit smaller than your own fairly generous chest (to each their own blessing, you guess) with slightly darker grey little caps that are tense and peaked, but without any real nipple. Her own abs are a challenge to yours, though minus all the scars. The same dark markings trail down her body, short branches arcing from a midline that runs from neck to pubis. You're gonna have to ask what those are later, they're clearly artificial.

As you follow her body lower, that's when you finally realize she is literally hairless. None on her arms, legs, anywhere. Sort of makes sense quarians would be hairless - it would be nothing but a nonstop nuisance in environmental suits. Only place they could have hair would be their heads and kept short. But there is is, down between her legs: the slightest view of smooth lips. God but you want to ravage this quarian.

A light touch snaps you from your short reverie as Tali slowly cups your breasts in her own hands. The three fingered touch is deliciously alien and you lean back, letting her explore them slowly. And it feels good too, her smooth skin over your breasts, her fingers sliding over and caressing your nipples, so foreign and strange and well, perfect. Three little fingers, so tentative and cautious. Nothing like the flings you've had in the past when you'd be practically down each other's throats, mauling breasts and crotches and hungry for a quick fuck, to cum and cut the tension and move on.

'Big,' she says absentmindedly, then realizes and blushes. Can't help but laugh – she's not wrong. You reach out, and slide a hand from her waist to her breast, keeping your eyes locked on hers. 'Not that different…' you say, as you watch in awe as so simple a motion almost makes Tali's eyes bulge, choking on a shaky gasp and her hands let your breasts fall to brace against your shoulder.

'Ke-e-e-elah Livi…' she breathes, almost moans. 'That feels…amazing.' You let both hands find her hips and you pull her to you, letting her breasts press against yours, her body mold onto yours, as you lie back. She gasps, moaning deep in her throat and shutting her eyes, clearly lost in the feeling. Once you're laid fully down and Tali is lying atop you, her weight hardly noticeable, you brush her lips with yours as she opens her eyes.

'It's so intense…keelah, Livi, I want you. Livi, please.' The sound of her words spilling out in almost a moan is everything you need.

'Here, Tali,' you roll so she's on her side next to you. 'Just trust me.' She opens her eyes, and the silver light of them burns into yours with sudden intensity.

'Always.' You lean in for a kiss, together your mouths clashing for dominance, tongues against each other, lips giving way. You slide one hand to curl around her back, holding her to you and your other hand slides down her chest, caressing her breasts, twirling around her…nipples, hoping they're the same. She gasps and her breath hitches in her mouth where your own greedily devours the sounds. Yeah. Close enough.

Slowly, slowly you work your hand further down, taking your time to caress her stomach, feeling her twitching muscles just beneath skin, before you slide down her navel, down between her legs. But you avoid her labia, stroking down the inside of one thigh as she moans long and high into your mouth. You slide your hand back up, a single finger circling just around her folds to her other thigh and caressing there too. Tali's body, with a mind of its own, is bucking toward your hand and her mouth finally escapes you, her head falls forward, pressing into your shoulder as a long stream of muffled quellish spills out. It's the sound of her voice, husky and in that incredible, lilting, language that convinces you. In one sudden move, you slide two fingers across her lips and you gasp at how hot and wet she is, mouth suddenly dry at the thought. You want to taste her, wear her thighs as earmuffs, but maybe it's a bit fast to go there. Tali though…her back arches, hard, pressing her breasts into yours, her hands grasping hard at your back, her head snapping off your shoulder with a wide-eyed soundless inhalation.

It's all too much - you feel your own arousal slowly dribbling down one leg and you can't wait either. You push aside her folds, feeling the warm rush of liquid against your fingers and luckily, everything seems to be pretty much the same down there. Without issue you find the sensitive little bundle of nerves, oddly shaped, and you run your thumb over it, This time Tali lets out a quiet shuddering moan/gasp... Her eyes lock with yours and you think she wants to say something, her mouth working but no words coming out. So all you can do is smile back at her and keep moving your fingers against her, up and down her slit, your thumb caressing her clit. She's already shaking; her body bucking against your hand, hard, her head lolling back, eyes squeezed shut, mouth working and no sounds coming out. God, you think, she's already this close and we've barely started the night. You keep rubbing her with your hand and slowly, slowly, beg entrance with an index finger, prodding up, creeping inside of her, feeling her tight, slick vagina around you. This brings another short, sharp cry, an actual sound, as she bucks wildly against you, her walls tightening and shuddering around your single digit. You pause to let her ride it out, whispering nonsense and stroking her hair with your other hand. It's a short orgasm, a little one, but dear lord, you think. She's a fire-cracker. Dimly, something about overstimuli to a quarian or some such runs through your mind but it doesn't matter at all right now. The shaking puddle of incredibly adorable, sexy, quarian in your arms right now is.

When the quaking dies off a little and she manages to open her eyes to meet yours, you give her a quick kiss on the lips.

'I..you…just..that was….I don't even have words…' she breathes, voice high.

'You ain't seen nothing yet.' Your promise is quiet, smoking. She smiles: a lazy, happy smile.

'So show me.' You kiss her again, bite her lip, toying just lightly with your teeth and she squeaks. And that squeak quickly becomes a drawn-out moan as your hand starts moving again. In barely minutes she's shaking and bucking hard again, a little extra attention to her clit turns her into another quivering mess. This time, you pull her closer as she rides out the waves, kissing her neck and along her jaw to her mouth as she shudders in your arms. Before she can fully recover you go again, this time, adding another finger inside her, reaching deeper, hoping, praying that human/quarian biology is that similar.

When your fingertips slide across a different textured patch deep inside her, in a different place than you know and almost curled totally around her insides (wow, what that must feel like) - Tali jolts as if electrified, a gargled cry bursts from her lips, eyes so wide it'd almost be comical if you weren't so appallingly horny. You can't suppress the feral grin that plasters itself across your face.

You're going to ruin her.

'Hold on tight.' You whisper to her and if she hears you she makes no sign, eyes focused (as best you can tell through the glow) on somewhere around the corner of the ceiling and wall and a thousand miles past it.

With your two fingers massaging her most sensitive depths and your thumb pressing and sliding against her clit, your other two fingers against her lips; you bring your other hand up, taking her chin in a light grip and pulling her face, her lips, to yours. Something primal has taken over and you assault her mouth with yours, hand keeping a firm grip on her, preventing her from escaping your mouth and tongue. Her own hands dig into your back, six fingernails gouging into you and she could cut you, scar you, but you'd be the happiest woman in the galaxy, knowing her marks are on you. That she was yours, and you hers.

Your fingers slide and stroke and press against that place deep inside her and her impressive thighs wrap around your hand and legs, squeezing tight, her body bucking against you as if to get your hand even deeper. Your hand on her jaw, tight, holding her to you, keeping control, her nails digging into your back, your mouth clashing on hers, devouring the hitching cries and shouts bubbling from her throat. She's bucking harder and harder around your hand, her walls squeezing tighter and tighter, and then- every muscle in her body freezes. Her eyes fly open, wild, unfocused. And you pause your motions too, knowing the indescribable feelings coursing through her body to let her coast that edge.

And then you thrust your fingers, one last time, one deep push, and your thumb presses her clit, and your fingers massage inside her, and she breaks. She falls to pieces in your arms, every muscle jerking and contracting. Her back is arched so much it has to be painful; eyes squeezed shut, nothing but a high-pitched, nearly inaudible whine tumbling from her lips. Her body almost painfully tight around your hand, bucking wild, uncontrolled. There's a rush of warmth and wet around your wrist, her hips snapping back and forth even as you keep your grip on her/in her, demanding more, greedy to keep her flying as long as you can. Her shining eyes snap open once, then roll back in her head just as you manage to withdraw your hand to wrap one arm around her, holding her close, before giving in to your own urgent needs. Your hand, still coated past the wrist in Tali's sticky fluids goes straight to your own core, as you shove your boyshorts out of the way. You're already so incredibly aroused from the past few minutes, and the sensation of Tali orgasming uncontrollably against you is too much. A few quick strokes across your own lips, before pushing three fingers into your hungry body and a few moments later you're gone too, an orgasm far more powerful than any other achieved in so short a time blasts across your consciousness as the coiled spring of tension deep in your core explodes in waves across you.

When you finally come down off of it, Tali's gazing at you lazily through half-lidded eyes. Her face is glowing and when your eyes meet she smiles a sated little grin.

'Keelah, Livi. That…I don't even want to try to put it in words.'

'Not bad for a first time, huh.'

'More than I ever imagined.' You lift up one of her hands, and brush your lips over the back of it. She giggles again and you smile against her skin.

'My pleasure, Ms. Zorah.' You bring your hand to your lips and keep her gaze as you slowly lick your fingers clean. You've tasted women before, and men, but quarian: that's new. And…kind of tasty, actually. Tali flushes a deep red, the only real color on her body and you smirk.

'That is…that is a lot hotter than it should be,' she whispers. You lean over and kiss her nose.

'Maybe later.' She snuggles closer, burying her head against your neck, sweaty hair tickling your nose.

'Mmm, I could lay like this forever.' She murmurs.

'Me too…except for these, uh, wet spots.' Tali laughs, the sound vibrating into your body from hers.

'I'm way too tired to be self-conscious.'

'Stay here,' you say, and extricate yourself from the tangle of limbs. She flops boneless against the bed, facedown on the comforter. As you gather a fresh one from the closet, stopping in the bathroom to dampen a towel, you can't help but admire the sight of her pale body played naked and boneless in contentment across your bed. There's an intensely satisfying feeling, knowing you fucked her that well.

I made that, you think with a grin.

You help her slide off the comforter as you pull it off the bed and toss in a pile on the floor, then you slide the sheets down far enough to slide under them, helping Tali to do the same. She watches you through heavy lidded eyes as you stick out your tongue, wiping your hands off and then your thighs and groin. When you do the same for her, she gasps even at that quick touch.

You lie down, pulling her against you, as you relax on your back. She sprawls her upper body and one arm against you, pillowing her head against your shoulder.

'Love you, Livi.' She mumbles in the dark, her breath ghosting over your breast.

'I love you too, Tali.' But she's already asleep, and you hear the quiet breathing of your lover in complete contentment.