Lovers, Verbatim

It takes me a few seconds to find the right encryption code on my omni-tool for the door to my apartment. It's a pain in the ass sometimes, but the extra security is definitely worth it. Just in case. That's my motto. Better to have something and not need it, rather than need something and not have it, right? I check my omni-tool again, wanting to see the time. Midnight, of course. Fuck me. I finally get the door to my apartment open, and step inside. After making certain the door seals properly and quietly, I slowly sink down to sit on the cold floor. Who the hell woulda thought there'd be so much damn paperwork? It's not like a war just ended. Only it did, and I was scared shitless the entire damn time. Not necessarily for my own safety, though. I honestly never thought a desk job at the Alliance would be so stressful. Filing, and typing, and sorting. It feels like it never ends. More and more keeps piling onto MY desk. It's like I'm the only one in the fucking office. I literally swear NO-ONE gets as much work as I do. As soon as I'm sure my legs won't shatter into pieces if I even attempt to stand, I get up. At this point, I couldn't care less, about anything really. I was just dying to get some damn shut eye. I toss my briefcase on the couch, as well as my jacket and tie. I sigh as I stop in the kitchen and pour myself a glass of water. Getting home late sucks ass, did I mention that? I quickly gulp down my water, before pouring myself another glass. Thank god I'm off tomorrow. There's no way in all of hell I could stand another day of that fucking mayhem right now. I just want to sleep.

I put my cup in the sink before continuing on through my apartment. I don't dare turn any lights on, so I walk by quietly in the dark, taking in the sights. Half bathroom, spare bedroom, living room. I finally get to my bedroom, and see the door slightly ajar, just enough for a draft to breeze through the room. I quietly open it, and step inside. Taking off my button up dress shirt, dress pants, and dress socks, leaving me in nothing but my underwear and plain white t-shirt. I haphazardly toss my clothes at the foot of the bed before averting my attention upwards, to the figure on the mattress. I nearly burst out laughing as I see my turian girlfriend lying face down on the right side of the bed. Her right arm and leg hanging off slightly. I manage to suppress my laughter into a light chuckle, before I pull down the covers on the left side of the bed to slide in. I scoot over to her, and throw my right arm over her carapace, before cuddling up next to her, my face planted in her neck right at the spot where it meets her cowl. I inhale deeply, taking in her somewhat musky, sweaty scent, before sighing, and finally closing my eyes. She must have been training today. A light frown falls over my face. I know she can take care of herself, but that doesn't stop me from worrying. After the war ended, the races unanimously decided to work in tandem for a bit longer. There were still small pockets of Cerberus operations that needed to be shut down. She'll be deployed soon, again. Though I take comfort in the fact that her operation to take out a Cerberus operation somewhere in the Aethon Cluster won't be anywhere near as dangerous as her deployment back to Palaven when the Reapers' first hit. I was never more scared than the day I lost contact with her, though. Palaven command shut down all civilian comms, To and From. They needed to be able to communicate within the Hierarchy without any issues. I understand it, but that doesn't mean I was happy about it.

I hear the deep rumble of her sub-harmonics, and open my eyes. I silently curse myself for waking her, she'd probably had a rougher day than me. As I feel her begin to roll onto her side to face me, I scoot back a few inches away from her. As I pull my face from her neck to look at her gorgeous face, I'm greeted by purple colony markings and dark grey face plating. Her mandibles flare up in a smile, as she yawns deeply, the vibrations from her second set of vocal cords make my skin crawl, and I love it. Every single time. She finally opens her eyes, and they meet mine for the first time since earlier this morning.

"Hey." She states simply, maintaining her perfect, beautiful smile the entire time. I can't help but reciprocate her actions. I bring the arm I had wrapped around her body up to her amazing face, caressing her mangled left mandible, as I smile back at her. She'd lost about 40 percent of her mandible when a piece of shrapnel from a Reaper grenade whiffed her face. She'd nearly lost her eye as well, but thanks to modern medicine, the medics managed to save it. Luckily her squad was attentive enough of each other's wellbeing. I knew. I'd read the reports. She brought her left hand up to stroke the side of my face as well. Her blunted talons raked lightly across the side of my face as she purred, which only made my smile grow wider.

"Sorry sweetheart, I didn't mean to wake you." I apologize as I rub her mandible in between two fingers. She responds positively to my actions, purring a bit louder now, and attempting to rub her face into my hand.

"Don't worry about it. I actually got home a bit early today. Around six thirty." She states matter-of-factly. The look in her eyes only serves to further amplify her current emotional state. I could tell she was glad to see me.

"Ya? How was your day?" I ask tenderly, genuinely interested.

"Same old, same old. Long." She chuckles. "Yours?" She asks.

"Long, boring, you know. It's getting better, though." I say as I move my forehead to touch with hers. She groans in delight and leans into the gesture. "Sorry I've been getting home so late. It's been killer this week. But… since we're both free tomorrow, I figured I could make you some breakfast? Maybe we could go out and do something?" I spitball. I've been wanting to do something recreational for a long ass time now. She responds to my question by purring louder still, wrapping her arms around my body, and pulling herself closer. Pressing her body tightly against mine, I ask, "Or, you know, we could stay in bed all day. It's up to you though, of course." She chuckles and stares into my eyes. Her green orbs meeting my blue ones. I run my hands along her back, pulling them up until they rest on the back of her head, caressing the soft hide of her turian equivalent of a human scalp. "You're so beautiful." I whisper gently. She visibly shivers at my words, whimpers lightly, and I feel her grip on me tighten still.

"You always know just what to say. I swear if I weren't so damn tired I'd be on top of you right now. Probably fucking your brains out." She says unceremoniously. I chuckle at her bluntness and vulgarity. Must come from the military, but then I'm just as bad. Who knows?

"Is that a promise?" I ask curiously.

"Maybe." She says plainly. "If you do a good job with breakfast. Try not to burn the apartment down." She chuckles again. I smile at her again, and maneuver my hands to massage her shoulders. She sighs and melts into my touch. It feels great knowing I'm the only one who ever gets to see this side of her. My cute, loving little turian here at home, and badass Hierarchy commander on the battlefield. But I can't stop thinking about her next deployment, it still scares me a little.

"I need to ask you something, Ralka." She looked at me inquisitively. My voice dropped to a more serious tone. She looked a bit worried, maybe.

"What is it Brenden?" She asked.

"I know you can't promise anything, I get it. I do. But please, just tell me you'll come back alright. Every time you leave, it's hard. Y'know? Like, it could be the last time I'll see you…" I trail off, distracted by the soft look on her face. She briefly presses her lips to mine, before pulling back to look into my eyes again.

"It'll be alright, love, I promise. I'll come back, retire. Maybe we move somewhere else, hmm? Don't worry about me, just do your boring ass desk job." She grinned at me. Her words reassured me, but I couldn't let her talk about my job like that, even if what she said was true. Someone has to do it, that was my rationalization. I never really liked living on Earth anyhow. Not since the Reapers' hit. I've not been able to look at anything the same. That might not change just by moving somewhere else, but you never know.

"Hey, that's not fair. My job's a pain in the ass. Someone's got to file all the paperwork for the shenanigans you grunts get up to." I smirked.

"Ya, ya. I've heard this one before. Just remember I've got to file reports too, buddy. It's not just shooting stuff for me anymore." She said, laughing a bit. I noticed her eyelids were struggling to stay open, as were mine.

"We should probably get some sleep. Might have a big day tomorrow." I winked at her.

"You wish, perv." She said, playing hard to get. I chuckled a bit at her answer, before giving her a quick peck on her hard lips. She responded by moving one of her hands to the back of my head, holding me in place as she slithered her long tongue into my mouth. I sigh gently as I feel her long, flexible muscle massage my shorter, stubbier one. I move my tongue to rub against hers as she explores my mouth gently. I open my eyes for a second to see her expression. It's one of pure bliss, her eyes lightly closed, moaning soft enough so she thinks I can't hear or feel her. I break off the kiss, figuring it's time to get some rest, before we get any further. I'm greeted by her mandibles and brow plates arranged in a sort of pout.

"You're no fun." She said plainly. I laugh at her response, before wrapping my arms around her again. She returns the gesture, squeezing me tighter than I've ever remembered her doing. I sigh lovingly, before tucking my head under her chin, and beginning to speak.

"Maybe in the morning. Goodnight, Ral. I love you." I say sincerely, kissing the base of her neck. She sighs gently.

"G'night. Love you more." She said sweetly. Out of all the things I've experienced in my life so far, nothing is better than holding your lover in your arms as you both drift off to sleep.