Prompt: Aria/Shepard from TBE verse. Morning after.

"Shepard?"

Shepard groaned, pulling her pillow further over her head. She knew that voice, and despite the pleasing accent, she didn't want to hear it. Whatever Miranda needed, it would just have to wait. Her skull was throbbing, her mouth tasted foul, and there were parts of her face she still couldn't feel.

"Shepard, get up."

It's like the damn Lazarus project all over again, she thought. 'Shepard… Shepard… Wake up, Shepard.'

A soft hand on her arm finally forced her to abandon her hiding place. She peeked out from beneath her pillow, blinking her blurry, aching eyes until Miranda's figure came into clear focus at the foot of the bed. Disgustingly, she was fully dressed, and she didn't have a single hair out of place. She had even brushed her teeth, judging by her smile and the light scent of mint as she leaned down.

"Why do you look so happy?" Shepard moaned, sniffing and rubbing at her nose to clear some of the early-morning stuffiness. "What time is it? And why did you wake me up?"

"I didn't drink myself stupid, it's almost afternoon, and because your guests are threatening to riot over breakfast."

The previous evening's events suddenly came rushing back to her. Tali doing impressions on the table. Garrus 'calibrating' the shower. Grunt, Wrex, and Aethyta comparing head-butting techniques. James and Ashley's flirtatious push-up contest. Poor Samantha blushing and stammering as Jack and Aria compared their prized leather jackets…

She propped herself into a sitting position, wincing as fresh scratch-marks screamed up and down her back. As she moved, her legs brushed against something warm beneath the covers. Her memory was a bit hazy, but she distinctly remembered Liara promising to take care of breakfast in return for certain favors. She glanced over, expecting to find her bondmate still asleep, but the lump beside her was the wrong shape, and the forehead peeking out from underneath the covers was intricately tattooed.

Aria. Shit. No wonder I'm sore all over. I thought it was just the ryncol.

Shepard cast an embarrassed glance at Miranda, but she only smirked and shook her head. "Don't feel too bad. Ashley had to ask Aethyta to get her underwear down from the kitchen light fixture, and Grunt woke up with his head in the toilet."

The warm body beside hers shifted, and Aria glared at them both with narrowed eyes. "And I suppose you woke up at your desk with an alphabetized pile of paperwork in front of you?" She paused to give a long, luxurious stretch, not caring when the sheets slid down to pool around her waist. "Shit, Lawson, you're worse than my bondmate."

"Where are our bondmates?" Shepard asked, taking the opposite approach and pulling the covers up to her chin. Even though Miranda had painstakingly rebuilt every inch of her body, she wanted to preserve what little remained of her modesty.

Miranda nodded her head toward the master bathroom. The hiss of running water behind the door wasn't enough to muffle a few low groans. Shepard blushed, but Aria just rolled her eyes. "Those are hangover sounds, Shepard. Besides, after what the four of us did last night, I don't think either of them will have the energy for another round until after breakfast."

Shepard rubbed awkwardly at the back of her neck. Now that she was awake, her memory was a lot clearer. She wilted under Miranda's knowing stare, even more embarrassed than before.

"Speaking of breakfast," Miranda said, deftly changing the subject, "I took a poll downstairs. Everyone who doesn't feel like throwing up wants something light."

"Could you bribe James into making eggs again?" Shepard asked, giving Miranda a hopeful look. "I, um… I think I'll need a few minutes to clean up, and I don't want to keep anyone waiting."

"You might want to put some medigel on that bruise under your eye while you're at it," Miranda said. "What happened?"

"Don't ask," Shepard mumbled.

Aria's answer was a little more specific. "Knee to the face. It's harder to fit four people in a bed than you might think."

Shepard groaned. "Could you turn around for a second, Miranda? I think I should, um, go…"

"Go?" Aria purred, sliding closer and flinging an arm around her waist. The warmth of her body had Shepard shuddering against her will. "Go where? The bathroom's occupied, and I'm not finished with you yet."

"But—" Shepard cleared her throat to keep her voice from wavering. "Miranda… breakfast…"

"Breakfast can wait," Aria whispered, warm breath tickling the shell of her ear. Shepard fisted the covers as hot lips skimmed her pulse point. "Miranda can join us or get lost."

To Shepard's horror, Miranda actually seemed to consider the invitation for a moment before shaking her head. "I think I'd better keep an eye on the others. I saw Jack and Aethyta talking before I came up to get you, so something's bound to be on fire when I go back downstairs."

Aria stopped teasing long enough to give Miranda a careless shrug. "Your loss. Get out, unless you want to watch."

"Next time, Aria. Try not to keep Shepard too long. She has host duties." With that parting comment, Miranda left, running a hand through her already-perfect hair.

Once she was gone, Shepard focused on Aria. "Did you have to do that? And I remember how I hurt my face, but what the shit did you do to my back?"

Aria didn't show an ounce of remorse. "You wouldn't have fucked me if you didn't like it. Now, hurry up. Our bondmates already have a head start on us."

Shepard tilted her head toward the bathroom door. The sounds drifting back into the bedroom had become a lot more interesting, and she suspected Tevos and Liara's shower would take a while longer. She turned back to Aria and grinned. "What the hell. Just don't kiss me. My mouth probably tastes awful."

"There are other places I can kiss you besides your mouth," Aria pointed out, rolling on top of her and pinning her to the mattress. "Just try not to scream too loud. I don't want to deal with any smug comments from Aethyta over breakfast, and that cute comm specialist of yours might actually faint."