AN: Match Made In Purgatory universe, Aria/Tevos/Shep/Liara. This is not my usual fare, but I think I managed to keep everything consistent and in-character with my little playground. A reader very politely requested a story with Shepard fucking Aria's ass while both of them were strapped, and although it's not my thing at all, I enjoyed writing this much more than I expected. It pushed a lot of my limits, but I'm proud of myself for stepping outside my comfort zone. I think you will very much enjoy this, even if the scenario itself doesn't appeal to you. You'll want to read it for the banter if nothing else (and the sex is pretty damn hot too). I'm eager to hear your thoughts, and I'll be back to your regularly scheduled program of dom-as-fuck Aria soon. I need to write some seriously hardcore Aria/Tevos D/s to cleanse my palette after this.

. . .

An Exercise In Trust

. . .

'Are you sure you still want me to do this?'

Even though Shepard's voice was coming from inside her head, Tevos cast a searing look over her shoulder and turned to meet her eyes. Shepard's face was flushed, and loose strands of her choppy red hair clung to her cheeks and throat, but she looked slightly more nervous than aroused. Her breaths came a little too fast for the pace of her thrusts, and Tevos could feel each frantic spike of her pulse through their mental connection. She had only initiated a shallow meld, but Shepard's apprehension was too obvious to ignore.

i'Are you worried because you don't want to do it, or because you think she'll kill you?'

The movement of Shepard's hips faltered. 'Um...'

Tevos turned back and buried her face in the nearest pillow, trying to hide her amusement. If Aria saw the smile on her face, she would know something unusual was going to happen. Her bondmate was obviously distracted with Liara if the passionate sounds coming from the other side of the bed were any indication, but she did not want to take any chances. Everything would fall apart if they lost the element of surprise.

'I promise she won't kill you. She's been asking for this for a while, and I really don't care to indulge her. I thought this would be an elegant solution.'

Shepard began thrusting inside of her again, but she did not seem convinced - she barely even seemed to be paying attention. Compared to their previous round half an hour ago, it felt like she was fucking on autopilot. 'Double promise?' she thought, reaching around the side of Tevos's hip to search for her clit. She spread her thighs, shivering when Shepard's rough, calloused fingertips slid over the slick ridge. Autopilot or not, Shepard knew what she was doing. 'Because if Aria kills me, Liara will… I don't know, but something worse.'

Tevos stifled her laugh in the pillow, but it traveled across the meld. 'Everything will be fine, Shepard. If the bragging rights aren't enough to convince you, I promise to make it worth your while...' She squeezed down around the length of Shepard's cock, rocking back to take the thick shaft as deep as possible. Heat and pressure slithered through the meld, and when Shepard let out a sharp groan behind her, and she knew she had won.

'Fuck! D-don't do that, Tevos. I can't go through with it if you… if you make me...'

The falter in Shepard's voice and the fullness in her cock were so tempting that she almost kept teasing, but in the end, she decided against it. Shepard was doing her a favor, after all. It wouldn't do to be rude. 'Pity. I'll have to finish with you later. Now, if you'll excuse me...' She withdrew from the meld as gently as she could, giving Shepard one last mental caress as she left the human's mind.

Without someone to cling to, the pounding between her legs grew worse. Her clit twitched beneath Shepard's fingers, and the tender spot along her front wall began to throb as the head of Shepard's cock hooked against it. She tore her face away from the pillow and groped forward with one of her hands, searching for bare skin. As soon as her palm found flesh, she reached out again, curling around a new mind and gently asking for entrance.

It was granted almost immediately. A powerful wave of need crashed over her, and she gasped as the ache inside of her doubled. Liara was nearly beyond words, threatening to tumble over the edge with each of Aria's thrusts. They were even further along than she and Shepard had been, and every second was sweet agony. 'Thea, please… I - I can't...'

Tevos gripped Liara's thigh tighter and opened her mind, sharing the sensations coursing through her body. There was no need for words. She and Liara came together, feeding from each other's desire. Somewhere in between shudders, Tevos opened her eyes, making a gift of the beautiful picture she saw. Aria was stretched out on top of Liara, clinging tight to her hips, driving forward with every ounce of strength in her body. They shared a perfect rhythm, and Tevos fell into it herself, clutching down hard around Shepard's cock.

Shepard stiffened behind her, and Tevos feared that she wouldn't be able to hold back, but somehow, she managed to keep going without tipping over the edge. The thrusts felt even better while she was wrapped in the warmth of Liara's mind - almost familiar and comforting instead of just pleasurable. She let them carry her through each wave, sighing as the all of the tension inside of her finally released in a flood of warmth.

At last, Tevos stopped shaking. Her hand found one of Liara's, and they shared a happy, satisfied look. 'Thank you,' Liara thought. 'I really needed that. Aria should be ready now... she was just about to meld before you took me first.'

Tevos laughed. 'It was a pleasure.' And it truly was. Even without the haze of lust, Liara's mind was a fascinating place. It was murky and deep, with dark pools she didn't dare enter. Several scars marred its surface, earned through pain far beyond her years. But beneath everything else was a core of innocence, a beautiful sweetness that had nearly made her cry the first time she reached out for it. Aria would always be home, but over the past few months, she had come to find Liara surprisingly comfortable, especially right after the tingling, playful burn that was Shepard.

A little reluctantly, Tevos severed the meld to focus on her flustered bondmate. Aria had started untangling herself from Liara's trembling body, but paused to give her an irritated glare. "What the fuck, Thea? You didn't even let me come first! That orgasm was supposed to be mine."

Her smile did not falter. "You've already had plenty of chances to meld with Liara tonight. We have something different in mind."

Aria jerked back, pulling out of Liara and sitting on her heels. "We?" she asked, her eyes narrowed with annoyance. "You mean all three of you?" She glared at them all suspiciously, but Tevos was pleased to notice that the length of her cock was still swollen and glistening. In that state, she could be talked into almost anything.

Liara started smiling too, although she hid her silent giggles behind her hand. Shepard was not so subtle. She laughed loudly, and the sound was tinged with nervousness. Aria's face twitched. "Shepard," she growled, fixing the human with her most intimidating glare. "What the hell is going on?"

"Um…"

Tevos hurried to salvage the situation. She shifted across the bed, straddling Aria's thighs and reaching up to frame her face with both hands. After a slow, deep kiss that stole the breath from her lungs, she slid her fingertips over Aria's strong shoulders, stroking the tense muscles of her back. "We have a surprise for you," she purred, nipping at the swell of Aria's bottom lip. She pushed her hips forward, deliberately rubbing herself along the underside of Aria's cock

"A surprise?" Aria reached for her waist, trying to ease her down onto the thick shaft of the toy, but Tevos remained where she was, refusing to move any closer.

"You'll like it, I promise. But I need you to close your eyes and do everything I say."

"If this is some kind of trick…"

"No trick," Liara said, unable to hide all of the amusement in her voice. "We're your friends, Aria. We wouldn't do anything horrible to you." Shepard just cleared her throat and averted her eyes, still blushing fiercely.

Tevos gave Aria one last lingering kiss, scratching along her sensitive neckfolds and down between her shoulderblades. "Please, Aria?"

At last, Aria gave in. "Fine," she huffed, flopping backwards onto the bed. She tucked her arms behind her head and struck a casual pose without bothering to turn the right way on the mattress. "Well? Do whatever the fuck you're going to do before I change my mind."

Tevos sighed, giving Aria an exasperated but affectionate shake of her head. "Flip over, love. I need you on your stomach." Aria rolled her eyes, but complied with the request. Before she could lower herself back onto the mattress, Tevos put a hand in the middle of her back, urging her to stay on her hands and knees. "Just like this," she murmured. "Close your eyes, and if anything happens that you don't like, you can use your safe word."

"Yeah, right," Aria grunted, but Tevos wasn't fooled. Every inch of her bondmate's body was still tight, and the muscles along her back and thighs looked ready to snap at the slightest touch. She ran her hands along Aria's sides, trying to coax her into a more relaxed state. Finally, Aria let out a shuddering breath and closed her eyes. "Go ahead. Surprise me."

Tevos slid one of her palms over Aria's hip, reaching between her legs and circling the thick shaft of her cock. It throbbed against her palm, and she felt its tip twitch as her thumb skated over the slit. "You were close, weren't you?" she teased, stroking the swell of Aria's ass with her other hand.

Aria cracked her eyes open and shot her a dangerous look. "And you're looking to get punished later, aren't you?"

"You're the one disobeying orders," Tevos reminded her. "Keep your eyes closed."

With a great show of reluctance, Aria shut her eyes again. Once Tevos was certain she wouldn't peek, she gave Shepard a look, silently urging her to kneel behind Aria. Shepard obeyed, although her movements remained hesitant as she climbed across the bed.

Aria's spine stiffened when the mattress dipped, and her head shot up. "What's going on?"

Tevos gave the length of her cock another slow stroke, squeezing hard enough to ease a few glistening drops from its tip. "Just making some adjustments," she said, trying to sound as reassuring as possible. At the same time, she nodded Liara toward the bedside drawer, mouthing further instructions at her. She knew from experience just how much a little lubrication could help things along.

Unfortunately, the sound of the drawer opening made Aria even more suspicious. "Wait, what is she getting? That's Liara, isn't it? What's she doing?"

"She'll be finding me a gag if you can't keep quiet," Tevos said. Normally, Aria was fairly obedient on the rare occasions that they switched roles, but she was obviously uncomfortable displaying any signs of vulnerability in front of Liara and Shepard. The muscles in her shoulders had tensed up again, and she trembled harder with each new sound. Tevos leaned down, whispering beside her crest in a voice too low for Shepard and Liara to hear. "Just trust me."

Aria exhaled, and the line of her body relaxed. She gave a soft, silent nod in answer.

Once she was certain Aria was calm enough, Tevos reclaimed her hands, ignoring the groan of protest that followed. She bit her lip, allowing herself a moment of regret as she stared at the slick, dripping shaft of Aria's cock. Her azure clenched with jealousy, but she put her own desires aside and turned away as Liara handed her the small, clear bottle. Her soft blue eyes were dancing with laughter, and Tevos gave her a look, warning her to hold off a little longer. She found the mental image amusing herself, but she didn't want to scare Aria again until Shepard had gotten started.

She popped open the bottle's cap, drizzling a generous amount over her fingers and joining Shepard behind Aria. As an afterthought, she offered her hand to Shepard just in case she wanted to take over, but the human shook her head emphatically, shifting further back. Tevos considered stopping to check in with her, but when she caught Shepard glancing at the upturned swell of Aria's backside, she remained silent. There had been more than a hint of desire behind Shepard's nervousness during their meld, and she was certain that once she got them started, they would be more than happy to continue on their own.

"This might be a little cold," she warned as she ran her clean hand up along Aria's thigh, preparing her for the intimate touch. "Just hold still…"

Despite the warning, Aria flinched as soon as her fingers made contact. She let out a soft whimper, and a second later, her lips curled in annoyance. Even without a meld, Tevos knew she was chastising herself silently for the slip. She paused before pressing in, circling the ring of muscle at Aria's entrance and giving her a chance to use her safe word, but it never came.

"You know, this is surprisingly appealing," Liara teased. "I've learned to enjoy Aria's… intensity… but it's nice to see her helpless for a change."

Tevos felt Aria's muscles clench around her finger, and she stroked a soothing hand along her lower back, trying not to enjoy her annoyance too much. "It is a rare sight," she admitted, drawing her wrist back for a testing thrust. Although her bondmate was still shaking with tension - and probably more than a little angry embarrassment - she was able to slip forward easily, and it didn't take much effort to work in a second finger. Aria was incredibly tight around her, but there was very little resistance as she pushed deeper. "We should make the most of her good behavior while it lasts. I give her about ten minutes before she throws me off and flips me over."

Shepard snickered, and Aria groaned. "Fuck. Not you, too. I know T'Soni's probably laughing her ass off behind me, but please tell me Shepard isn't enjoying this."

Tevos smirked as she studied Shepard's face. The Commander seemed much less hesitant than when they had started, and she watched each thrust with obvious interest, tugging at her lower lip with her teeth. Instead of looking nervous, she appeared almost eager. "Oh, Shepard is definitely enjoying this," Tevos teased. "Probably even more than Liara."

"And I'm not laughing anymore," Shepard murmured. "I'm not used to seeing you this way, but…" She paused to clear her throat, and a shiver ran through the muscles of her stomach. "But it's actually pretty hot."

Aria opened her eyes, and this time, Tevos didn't reprimand her. Instead, she removed her fingers, using her other hand to reach through Aria's skin and into her soul. What she found there was intense, a confused tangle of fear and desire, but she knew exactly which threads to follow. Aria's mind was almost as familiar to her as her own. 'It's all right to want this,' she thought, unravelling the first knot. She sent an image of Shepard - kneeling behind Aria, lining up their hips, pressing forward, sinking inside...

A spike of desire that was not her own shot through the joining, burning as it settled between her legs. 'You scheming little bitch. I thought anal was still off limits for now.'

Tevos smiled. 'For me, not you. I might not be interested in fucking you, but Shepard certainly is...'

'And it's going to give T'Soni blackmail material for the next century.' But beneath the complaint, Tevos could feel Aria's doubts begin to clear. The more she thought about the idea, the more appealing it became. 'Fine. I'll try. It has been a while.'

'You don't have to sound so sulky,' Tevos teased. 'This is for you, after all.'

'Just…' Aria clutched her a little tighter, drew her a little closer. 'Promise you'll meld with me when I come. I don't want her in my head for this. It's too much.'

The request didn't surprise her. 'Of course.' With one last surge of love and comfort, Tevos withdrew, floating back into herself and blinking to clear the haze from her eyes. Sometimes, Aria's presence in her mind was enough to blot out the room. She focused on Shepard and shifted back on the bed, making room for her behind Aria's hips. "Go ahead, Commander. She's all yours."

Aria looked as though she was about to complain, but anything she might have said died on her lips as Shepard moved closer. Tevos felt a spark through the lingering tendrils of the meld the moment their skin touched, and her heart rate picked up speed. She pulled back even further, allowing Aria some privacy, but could not tear her eyes away. She hadn't expected to find the sight so entrancing. Although she was heavily invested in her image of Aria as a dominant lover, especially when they were using toys, removing herself from the scene allowed her to sit back and admire it without disappointment.

"You know, you really do have a great ass," Shepard said, her voice dropping even lower. "I thought so the first time I met you. Those pants didn't leave much to the imagination."

Aria snorted. "Glad you approve of my fashion choices, Shepard."

Tevos watched intently, swallowing down a tight lump in her throat as Shepard's fingers stroked up along the side of Aria's thigh. Experience had shown her just how good those fingers felt and just how powerful the twitching muscles beneath them were.

"Well, it's true." Shepard's hand stopped at Aria's hip, squeezing there in a surprisingly tender gesture of reassurance.

Aria stiffened again, but not in fear. Tevos recognized the set of her face. She was defiant. The slope of her brow was tense, and her lips pressed together into a hard, thin line. "All right. Enough with the flattery bullshit. If you're going to fuck me, then go ahead and fuck me. Goddess knows Tevos won't do it."

"You sure?" Shepard asked, folding a hand around the length of her cock and lining it up. Wetness pearled at the tip, sliding down over the ridge of its flared head. "I don't mind going slow…"

"That's not how I want it." Aria rocked her hips back, urging Shepard to start pushing inside. She threw a challenging over her shoulder, and Tevos shook at the burning stare. She was all too familiar with it, and she said a silent prayer for Shepard. The poor human would need all the help she could get. "Shut up and start before I flip you over instead."

"Well, if you insist…"

Aria's jaw tightened, and her fingers curled in the sheets. A hiss skated through her teeth, but she lifted her hips just a little further, allowing Shepard to start pushing inside. "Does it sound like I'm insisting?" she snapped. "I'm demanding. Hurry it up."

Shepard did not waste time. She surged forward, clutching Aria's hips in a bruising grip. A groan scraped in her throat as she started to push. "Fuck," she mumbled, gazing down along her stomach to stare between their bodies. "I'm getting there. Show a little patience."

Tevos couldn't help herself. She shifted sideways, trying to find a better view. What she saw sucked the breath from her chest. Aria had already started taking the tip of Shepard's cock. The widest part of the ridge was stretching her open, pushing past the tight ring of muscle. Both of them glistened with wetness, trembling at the pressure, waiting for the moment when Shepard would finally…

At last, the head of Shepard's cock sank inside. Both of them let out twin breaths of relief, and Tevos was surprised to hear a third sigh next to her cheek. She tore her eyes away from Shepard and Aria to see Liara kneeling beside her, watching just as intently as she had been. "It's almost beautiful, isn't it?" Liara whispered. Tevos searched her face, looking for the amusement she had seen before, but it was nowhere to be found.

Tevos turned back to continue watching, swallowing around the thickness of her tongue when she noticed that Shepard was over halfway buried. Her thrusts weren't gentle, but they were slow, and her gaze remained fixed on Aria's body, searching for any sign of discomfort. "There's no almost about it," she whispered back. "I wasn't expecting it to be, but..."

But even though it wasn't a scenario that immediately tapped into her desire, she couldn't help but respond to it. As Shepard finally hilted herself and lined up her thighs with Aria's, as Aria squeezed her eyes shut and let her lips fall apart, dragging in heavy breaths, as both of them discovered a shared rhythm and started moving as one, Tevos admitted to herself that maybe she had been wrong. There was something strangely beautiful about seeing her bondmate in such a different light. Her eyes darkened, and a tingling sensation swept up along the back of her neck, but she resisted the temptation to peer into Aria's mind and discover exactly what she was feeling. It was still too soon. She wanted to give her at least a little time to adjust first.

"Fuck," Shepard blurted out, breaking the spell. She jogged her hips, gaining confidence quickly, each stroke a little smoother and deeper than the last. "You're really enjoying this. I can feel you pulsing. Clenching down around me."

Aria's let out an annoyed puff of air, but she continued to arch her back, rolling into Shepard's thrusts. Her muscles strained beneath her skin, hard and unyielding, but her shape and movements were soft, fluid, and undeniably graceful. Tevos's heart skipped a beat. The sight of Aria's raw power being channeled in a different direction, forced to yield instead of bubbling over the surface, was more appealing than she had expected.

"You don't have to sound so fucking smug about it," Aria said. Tevos had expected a growl, or even a low, dangerous purr, but instead, her bondmate's voice was shaky and a little uncertain.

Shepard grinned. She gave another thrust and paused at the furthest point, laughing when Aria squirmed against her. "Oh, yeah, I definitely do." One of her hands pushed down along Aria's thigh, raking over the smooth skin. "I bet if I just reached around and…" She changed direction, shifting back up to wrap her fingers around the base of Aria's cock.

Aria's entire body locked up. Her breathing shifted to ragged, uneven pants, and she nearly lost control of her arms and fell forward onto the mattress. "Shit," she mumbled, trying and failing to remain still as Shepard's hand started stroking along her shaft. "Stop that."

Shepard stopped, but she didn't let go. "Why?" she asked, leaning further over Aria's back. She braced herself on one arm, keeping up the motion of her hips as she scattered a few kisses over Aria's spine. "Don't tell me the Queen of Omega is embarrassed?"

Aria's eyes snapped open, and Tevos gasped at the intensity of her stare. Her cheeks burned with a deep flush, and a thin layer of sweat had gathered at her temples. But Aria wasn't looking at her. She was looking at Liara. And Liara was staring right back with a soft smile on her lips, eyes hooded with lust. "I'm not embarrassed," Aria insisted, but it was clear that she was lying even as the length of her cock twitched in Shepard's loose fist.

Liara remained silent, but Shepard continued teasing. "You're such a liar. I can feel how tense you are." She started pumping her hand again along with her hips, and this time, Aria did not protest. "So… why? Is it because you're vulnerable like this?" The lilt to the word made Aria's jaw bunch, but she remained stubbornly silent. "Or because a few minutes ago you were completely in charge, fucking my bondmate as hard as you could, and now you're bent over with my cock in your ass, trying not to beg me to go faster?"

Tevos shared an impressed look with Liara. Shepard was always an excellent lover, but normally, she was more physical than verbal. She relied on silent strength and raw energy to make other people submit. She overwhelmed - she didn't tease. But Tevos knew that she had chosen the right approach. If Shepard had met Aria's stubbornness with brute force, she never would have gotten through, but the probing questions already had her trembling.

"If you want begging to stroke your ego, fuck Tevos," Aria panted. "You won't get it from me."

"Don't worry." Shepard slowed down, shifting the rhythm so that Aria couldn't get used to it. "You're not going to beg me." Aria breathed an audible sigh of relief, but Shepard wasn't finished. "You're going to beg her."

Tevos smiled as Aria's eyes darted toward her. The look on her bondmate's face was just a little terrified, and she almost wanted to lean forward and kiss the surprised circle of her lips. "Really?" she teased, sharing another glance with Liara. Aria's eyes continued burning into them both. "That would be a nice change of pace, Shepard. But are you sure you can get her to do it?"

Shepard gave another pull along the length of Aria's cock, and a low laugh vibrated through her chest as wetness ran along the tops of her fingers. "Definitely. Just give me a minute."

And it really didn't take more than a minute. Tevos watched in delighted surprise as Shepard carefully peeled away each of Aria's defenses. When Aria tried to control the rhythm, Shepard stopped moving her hand, even bending down to nip at her shoulder when she fought too hard. When Aria squeezed her eyes shut, Shepard pulled almost all of the way out and stayed there until she opened them, although she kept her face tilted toward the mattress. When she pressed her lips together, trying desperately to remain silent, Shepard shifted their positions, pushing Aria down flat on her stomach and pulling her thighs apart for more leverage.

At last, Aria lifted her head. Her eyes swam with blackness, and Tevos felt her heart lurch in her chest. She knew that look. Even though everything else about this scene was different, the desperation that shone in Aria's eyes just before the meld was exactly the same. Since she could tell that Aria was nearly beyond words, she gave Shepard a small nod, urging her to give one last push.

"Well?" Shepard panted, breathing heavily across Aria's neck. "Anything you wanna say, Your Majesty?"

Aria grunted. She fought against Shepard's grip. She even bit down on her lower lip, struggling to keep the words at bay just a little longer. But finally, she gave up. "Tevos… please?"

Tevos did not have the heart to make her wait. Aria was closed to breaking, and she wanted to be joined with her when it happened. She left Liara's side and reached for one of Aria's strained shoulders, running her fingers along the tight flesh and gripping down just above her arm. "Go ahead. Embrace eternity."

Aria's mind swallowed hers, eclipsing all of her thoughts.

Fullness. Stretching, throbbing fullness that made her want to crawl out of her skin. Each flutter of Shepard's cock pushed her closer to the ragged edge of bliss. Each thrust threatened to send her tumbling over the edge. It wasn't what she wanted - or, at least, she didn't want to want it. Something about being bent over made her queasy and sick to her stomach even while it made her shiver. But it was what she needed.

She had no options. Shepard had her pinned to the bed. She couldn't even reach down to ease the ache between her legs. All she could do was squirm, trying her best to rock back into each pump of Shepard's hips and forward into the mattress. It wasn't enough, but at the same time, it was too much. She was too exposed. Too out of control. So embarrassed that her face burned and her eyes stung with frustrated tears…

'Aria. I'm here. It's all right.'

'Thea...' Aria pulled her close, clinging to her in desperation. 'Fuck, I can't -'

'But you want to,' Tevos thought. She dove into the tangled mess of Aria's feelings and started unraveling them, coaxing out the pleasure and pushing back the uncertainty. She guided Aria's mind back toward the physical, away from her embarrassment. She reached deep into the meld, sharing the sensation of Shepard's thrusts, the urgency behind her rhythm. 'She's about to come...'

Aria clenched down, bucking hard against the mattress. 'Fuck. I want her to.' The admission was followed by a wave of relief, and Tevos gasped at the sudden release of emotion.

'Then let her. We'll share it together.' She gripped Aria's shoulder even tighter, grounding her in their connection as the pressure pounded harder and harder…

Aria's release hit first. A sharp, high-pitched cry broke in her throat as the heavy, thick pulses of her release trembled through her azure. All of her muscles clenched down, forcing out a flood from the tip of her cock. Tevos shared in each shudder, gasping as heat splashed across her stomach… Aria's stomach… the lines were too blurred to tell. She gave up trying to separate the sensations and surrendered, letting all of Aria sweep her away.

Finally. Coming. Her breath came a little easier with each burst of warmth. Her control had slipped away, but it didn't matter anymore. The length of Shepard's cock was still buried inside her, all the way inside her, sealing them together as it shivered and… They couldn't help it. They came a second time, still clinging desperately to each other. Shepard's cry of release wove its way into their thoughts, and somehow, Aria manage to squeeze down, drawing out as much heat from the spilling shaft as she could.

At last, the moment ended. Tevos pulled back from the sensitive ball of nerves that was Aria's soul, but she refused to part from her bondmate entirely. 'Are you all right?' she thought, soothing the strained muscles of Aria's arms and shoulders as she lingered at the outskirts of her mind.

'Yes. I'm fine.' Aria sucked in a heavy breath, breaking the surface of the meld and dragging both of them the rest of the way back to reality. Before the last ties pulled apart, she lifted her lips for a kiss, and Tevos bent down to take them. 'Thea, I love you...'

'I love you, too.'

Slowly, they pulled apart, easing back into themselves. Aria spoke first, turning to look over her shoulder. "Not bad, Shepard. I didn't think you had it in you. It's my turn next time, though. I'll show you how it's really done." The confident lilt was back in her voice, and Tevos smiled. This was the woman she had fallen in love with. Perhaps, with a little time and patience, she would be able to meet this particular need of Aria's herself after all. The shift in personality had not been nearly as drastic as she expected.

Shepard rolled her eyes, but she grinned as she started to shift back. The shaft of her cock slid free with a slick pop, and Aria let out a soft sigh of relief. "Yeah, sure. Whatever you say, Aria. If it makes you feel better…"

"Just shut up," Aria grumbled. "I could still decide to kill you for breaking Omega's rule."

Shepard kept smiling, completely unintimidated. "I can't believe I was scared of you. Once I got started, you were a total pushover. Liara gives me more of a challenge most nights."

Aria's skin began to glow with wisps of energy, and Tevos hurried to defuse the situation before it could escalate. "Enough. You've worked out your sexual tension. Why don't both of you go and clean up? I expect you to make this up to me… and Liara later," she added, finally glancing over in Liara's direction. What she saw nearly made her burst out laughing. The look on Liara's face was a perfect blend of shocked delight and smug satisfaction.

"Oh, they don't have to make anything up to me," Liara purred, her voice even throatier than usual. "Witnessing that was reward enough."

"Really?" Aria's tattooed forehead lifted in surprise. "I didn't know you were into anal, T'Soni."

"I can take it or leave it… but watching you take it was the highlight of the evening."

Aria's biotics flared up again, but Tevos gave her a much harder shove before she could respond. "Shower. Now," she ordered, and Aria obeyed, although she muttered angrily under her breath as she limped to her feet and staggered toward the bathroom.

"Here, let me help," Shepard offered, hopping up after her and supporting her with an arm around her waist. To Tevos's surprise, Aria tucked a hand under her chin and drew her in for a quick kiss. It didn't last long, but it was full of affection, and she found herself smiling at the sight.

"Thanks, Shepard. You know. For-"

"Yeah. I know."

Together, the two of them left the bedroom and headed for the shower, leaning close to whisper in low voices.

Tevos sighed and shook her head. "They're terrible, aren't they? Arguing and competing one minute, plotting the next."

"I think it's sweet," Liara said.

"It is," Tevos admitted. "You know, Shepard is one of the first real friends she's made in centuries. She told me so. That's why Aria's always arguing with her. It's a sign of respect."

Liara smirked, lounging back against the pillows and curling onto her side. "Really? Then what does that say about her opinion of me?"

"You drive her crazy." Tevos's eyes followed the soft curve of Liara's stomach, sliding down just far enough to linger on the swollen, parted lips of her azure. Her stomach twisted itself into pleasant knots. Sharing Aria's orgasm had been emotionally intense, but not quite as physically satisfying as she would have liked. "Maybe not just her," she murmured.

Liara noticed where she was looking immediately and spread her legs, tilting her hips up to offer a better view. "But not in the same way, I assume?"

"No…" Tevos glanced toward the bathroom door. She could hear the hiss of water coming from inside, and tiny wisps of steam seeped out from under the door along with a few low groans. She suspected that Shepard and Aria would be a while yet - at least long enough for her bondmate to earn back some of the control she had ceded. "Aria can never decide whether she wants to strangle you or fuck you," she admitted. She shifted onto her hands and knees, sliding up along Liara's body and straddling her hips. "I just want to fuck you."

Liara smiled, urging her to lie down and hooking a knee around her waist. "Please do. I think the two of us have earned it."

The End

. . .

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