"Hello Garrus," Shepard announced as she passed him in the corridor.
"Shepard," he replied with a tilt of his head, his pace quickening.
Tension was mounting aboard the Normandy, that much was clear to Commander Shepard. Everyone else might put it down to the stress of the Collectors battle that was fast approaching, but Shepard prided herself on her intuition. She had never been one to ignore her crewmates or her diverse team members, which just wasn't her way. So she knew that by ignoring the proverbial "elcor" in the room she was allowing this to mount and if she had been true to herself she would have noticed how everyone was reacting to the tension.
It had all started when she had recruited Thane Krios on Illium. He himself was a lovely, calm natured Drell. The fact he was an assassin didn't even seem to register with most of the crew, for looking at him you wouldn't believe he could inflict such damage and destruction. Nevertheless of his previous occupation, no one could say a bad word against him, for he went out of his way to be a decent contributing member of the team. He regularly ate his meals with the others from the crew, he talked about the many planets he had visited and all about his training as a boy to become a "weapon", a trained killer. He had many a debate about religion with Yeoman Kelly Chamber, arguments of the pros and cons of science and medicine with Mordin, of weapons and battle with Garrus, Jacob, Zaeed, Grunt and Jack. Although he spoke a lot, Commander Shepard realised with her natural intuition, that he never really told much about himself. Especially of things that really mattered to him, for she knew what really mattered to him.
Honour was the strongest feeling she felt when she joined Thane in the Life Support room. Every evening she joined him once the others had gone back to work, and every evening she felt like she chipped away another part of his armour that he had surrounded himself in after the death of his wife. Shepard found their conversations had always been deep, emotionally charged, tentative almost. She knew what it was like to erect a barrier and then being left unsure of how to detonate it. So yes, she felt honoured when his eyes lit up as she entered the room and sat on the chair opposite. She never knew what they would talk about when she arrived, but somehow it just worked, that they could each bring out an old memory condemned to the back of their minds. It felt like therapy they later agreed, that, somehow they had made a connection and it just felt right when they talked.
Somehow though it had gone from being calming and Shepard's favourite time of the day to talk about other things of the past, to suddenly more intense and innocent questions now held a double meaning. In some ways she was glad to have found a friendship with the mysterious Drell, but she was aching for something more, of which nature she didn't know herself. What she did know was that the tension aboard the Normandy, was probably of her own doing for everyone was giving her knowing looks, and Mordin had even sent her information regarding Drell/human "relations". She had been beyond mortified as she read up on the occasional side effects of a physical relationship with Drell, and it wasn't just because she was getting sex advice from Mordin himself, it was more down to the fact he had know what she was thinking before she even knew herself.
Shepard finally reached the elevator and hit up to go to the Tech Lab. Upon entering, Mordin stopped his work and indicated for her to come in saying as he was clearing his desk "Shepard! A surprise, nice of course. Ill? No, I can see you are fine. Worries you wish to express? I'm here if needed. Here about the advice I sent about," he coughed, "Advice on Drell relationships?"
She could almost feel the facial twitch of a grin on her face. The whole damn situation would be laughable if it wasn't so serious.
"Yes, I'm here about that..." She started.
"Out of line? I mean no offense. It's a hard time, I just figured that... You would like the information in case you had any worries. I prepared pain meds in case you find... discomfort in the size of the Drell appendage, or the unusual ridges that adorn it. With your skin barrier modification I highly doubt you will be affected by the rash of prolonged skin contact, but prepared in case." He mumbled out, eyes down cast most of the time on his busy hands.
She swallowed and took a breath or two before replying, "Mordin, what on Earth would make you think me and Thane would even... engage in such an activity?"
"I'm wrong?" He asked shocked, hands motionless, eyes directly looking at Shepard in the eyes. "I thought for sure that you both were partaking in open flirting in the mess hall this week? Or did I get the signs confused?" he asked generally puzzled.
"I... I'm not sure. We're friends Mordin, nothing more." She stated firmly.
"Friends, yes. For now. Great comfort to be found in friends. I consider you one Shepard, would you agree?" he asked.
"Of course Mordin, why do you ask?" she said, left eye brow slightly raised.
"Well I'm merely opening your eyes. We are friends, but we do not flirt. Grunt is a friend, but I do not see you both exchanging longing looks. Although if you was, I do remind you that Human/Krogan mix is never good. Disastrous for the human partner, and not physically satisfying for the Krogan who has a need of rough dominance to enjoy the process." He rattled on.
Shepard waited 'til he finished then roared with laughter, the thought of her and Grunt flirting let alone anything more made her eyes water with mirth.
"I'm sure you will never have to worry about that Mordin, ever." She said, the evidence of her laughter still shining in her eyes.
"Very well then, I'm beyond glad to hear that. You need to decide if Thane is someone you see more than a friend. Like I mentioned, just "friends" do not flirt." He gave a little shrug, and looked back at his computer. "Anything else? I'm in the middle of trying to calculate some samples we got from the last planet we visited. Most fascinating."
"No, I'll leave you to work. Thank you Mordin, I'll think on what you said..."She started walking towards the doors.
"Oh and Shepard? This never leaves these walls, so do not worry," he smiled, and waved her goodbye.
Upon leaving Mordin's office she stalked quickly towards the elevator, avoiding Kelly at her desk. Hitting the button for the third deck, she stepped out purposefully towards Garrus who was sitting down alone in the mess hall. Gardner was busying himself with the preparations for dinner, and Garrus was looking at a data pad clutched in his talons.
She coughed an indication as she approached Garrus Vakarian, her long time friend and crew member. He had been avoiding her of late, and she really needed him right now so this was a good as time as any to bite the bullet.
"May we talk? In private?" she asked with an anxious smile on her face.
"Of course Shepard!" he answered, standing out of his seat and leading the way to his personal working area.
He asked EDI to seal the doors, and then he finally turned to her, his blue eyes fixed firmly on her own.
"So Garrus..." She started, a lazy smirk reaching her lips, "Avoiding me huh?"
He chuckled slightly, and stepped forward to lean against the frame of the doorway on the opposite side she was on.
"Only slightly," he said, a guilty expression crossing his face and his eyes averted hers for a few seconds. "Nothing you've done of course Commander, it's more... The whole situation has got the ship on edge."
"What situation?!" The Commander asked, highly worried now.
He looked at her again and snorted back another laugh. "Wow, you really are in denial. I'm talking about you and Thane, Shepard."
Her brow frowned as she asked, "What about us?"
"The two of you are creating enough sexual tension that the whole ship is either feeling anxious or goddamn tense with the two of you! It's like a nasty infection you can't really shake off... For every time we come in to contact with you both at the same time, it starts again and now we are frustrated, due to the physical action you both are obviously avoiding." He said, face serious.
Shepard was quiet for a while, shock evident on her face. She was trying to piece together all the weird looks and the distance she was getting from her other team members. Oh gosh, she thought, is it that obvious?
"I guess... I just never thought about it properly... I didn't know that things had become so out of control, I promise to rectify this immediately. For the sake of the ship... and myself I guess. No more denial," she winked at Garrus, who was shaking his head with a slight smirk.
"Good luck... I'm guessing Mordin filled you in on the 'do and don't' facts?" he said, shaking slightly with laughter.
She blushed a deep shade of maroon, turned, and opened the door. She could still hear Garrus' laughter as she arrived outside of the Life Support door.
"Siha," he murmured, as he pulled himself out of his meditations on the floor for a brief second. He hadn't even opened his eyes to look, to the surprise of Shepard.
"Thane..." she said quietly, walking further in and leaning against the metal table, only a step distance away from him.
Leaning back on her hands, she looked down at him on the floor. He seemed peaceful and at ease the complete opposite of her feelings she realised. As he opened his eyes, she had decided to hop aboard the clean empty table with her legs folded as is she too was going to join in the meditation.
A minute passed then Thane said quizzically, "I take it you're not here to pray with me. Siha, what is on your mind?"
"You never did tell me what it meant..." she thought aloud.
"True, I did not," he nodded slightly and then finally fixing his eyes on her completely. "It's the name of one of the warrior-angels of the goddess Arashu. Fierce in wrath and a tenacious protector, she is someone of whom I see you have a great likeness to."
Shepard bowed her head slightly in silent thanks. "It is a beautiful name, one of which I will always cherish."
"A beautiful name for a beautiful woman, I believe it to be a perfect match." He commented, rising off the floor and standing directly in front of her. "You still did not answer my question."
"I..." she was thoughtful for a second, eyes cast past his to gaze outside the window at the life support tanks and such. "I'm here because I'm compelled to Thane. It's like I've been wondering around lost and blind, then suddenly there is light and I feel safe... I know I've been found. Do you understand what I mean?" she asked him, her face a mask of seriousness.
"I know plenty of which you speak about my Siha. I've been lost for all of my existence mostly, I've only ever know brief moments of completion... of a sense of being right and connected with the world, with anyone..." he stepped closer, the front of his thighs brushing against the edge of the table where her legs lay crossed.
She looked down, as his hands lightly rested on top of hers that was above her knees. His hands were cool to the touch, much softer then she imagined they would feel like. She turned her hands over in his, so that their palms connected. He softly commented on how hot her palms were and laced his fingers with hers, making her middle fingers operate the same as his so that they were the same. Glancing at his face she saw the intensity of his dark green eyes, pupils large as their hands stayed entwined. After a few moments he looked down at their hands and pulled hers towards his lips, just skimming the back of Shepard's hands lightly across his full soft lips, kissing each individual knuckle gently as if he could hurt her.
"Why do I feel like I can't imagine life without you in it Thane?" she breathily asked as he unfolded their hands and nuzzled his cheek in one of her open palms.
He ignored her question as he continued between kissing her palms and nuzzling them against his firm cold cheeks. He kissed them one last time each then released her hands and braced his palm down either side of her waist on the cold table top.
"Would it seem a weird answer if I mentioned too of how much I love life with you in it?"
Thane's left hand came up to caress the right side of her cheek tenderly, his eyes unblinking and intense. Her reaction had been to move her face slightly so that she could kiss his palm, to which he purred a response.
"Siha… I'm not a deserving man for your affections. Please, let me do the right thing and stop this now." He said voice deeper than usual with an emotion that was new to her to hear.
"Don't you dare say that or even think it Thane! The thought of anyone else…"
She took his hand into hers and kissed them, this time with a little more force as though to prove a point. He purred again, and it gained volume as she nipped lightly on the underside of his wrist at the point his tight leather suite ended. To her he smelt incredible of everything she found attractive and masculine, primal even. Leather, fresh cut grass, and a spice she couldn't remember the name of. It all seemed appealing to her right then, she just hoped he felt the same. The very last thing she wanted was one of them weird cross species sexual encounters that are horribly embarrassing and then they would be stuck trying to avoid each other for the rest of their time on the Normandy. No that is not what the Commander Shepard wanted at all.
Thane looked down upon her as she started to unzip the sleeves of his tight suit and continue kissing and tasting his skin. He remained still while his deep moans occasionally pierced the quiet of the room. As she reached his elbow she stopped and looked up into his eyes, almost questioning if they should go further. She didn't want to rush him or repulse him for she knew that Drell woman although similar, were not completely the same. For one they didn't have breast or any type of hair on the body at all. Shaving had been the last priority on Shepard's list since being awoken from the Cerberus ship she was repaired on, but luckily she always took time in the shower to leave her legs and under arms smooth, she just preferred it that way.
Without breaking eye contact he reached down and placed his hands firmly underneath her crossed thighs. He uncrossed her legs, letting them lower naturally to the floor. He nudged her legs apart with his knee, and then his hands glided up tortuously slow, until they reached her hips. He pulled her closer to the edge so that their waists were connected, his hands still on her, the skin underneath almost burning through her casual suit due to desire. With this close position they were about the ideal height for their lips to finally meet. The kiss was tentative at first, but wrought with desire and a hidden passion. He's grip on her waist tightened as legs snaked around his hips pulling him practically on top of her. His throat emitted the most delicious sound possible; a feral tortured groan.
It was like she had unleashed him, and he knew nothing but this sensual creature before him, alien yet familiar. He had to know her, all of her. Right here, right now.
The second kiss they shared was so unlike the first, it completely took Shepard's breath away. He was more forceful, his lips claiming hers, his hands roaming her back and hair as if he wanted to touch and assert his dominance over every inch of her available skin. Her pelvis ground against his harshly as his lips unmercifully licked and kissed behind her ear and down her neck. Her moans were erratic, sounding foreign in her own mind but she couldn't control them.
He stopped kissing her abruptly and she was left looking disheveled and completely wanton in his eyes. This look was one reserved for him, he grinned with pride. He lowered himself to the ground in a kneeling position, her legs unhooked themselves and draped down his sides as she lay with her back against the table. He quickly unzipped her right boot and quirked his brow as her sock underneath. Obviously Drell didn't wear socks she thought.
She giggled slightly and mentioned for him to remove them, which he did quickly still looking at them oddly. He caressed her warm feet with his fingertips, watching as they flexed and responded to his soft ticklish touch. She was giggling again, completely unlike her. Too girlish, but she couldn't control that either.
"It seems Siha, that I've found a sensitive spot…" he murmured.
Before she could respond he was blowing on the underside of her foot, causing her to laugh and groan; a tormented sound. He did this again and she withered trying to pull her foot away. He grasped it tighter around the ankle determined to not release her. Instead of blowing, he then took to assaulting her foot with his tongue, causing her back to arch over the cool contact on her flushed skin. She was impatiently trying to grab onto his shoulders to bring him back up but he wasn't having any of that. Stopping his proceedings with her foot, he turned to the left foot and removed the other offending boot and sock. His hands found her waist again and she gasped as he suddenly tugged her trousers and pants down in one swift maneuver. They lay discarded on the floor around his feet, the lower half of her fully exposed to him. She blushed furiously and crossed her arms over her face as he surveyed her body, hungrily taking in all of her curves and soft tanned skin. His hand gently touched her bare skin on her hips, his eyes focus completely at the junction between her thighs which she was keeping firmly shut.
"Siha don't ever be embarrassed… Not with me."
He rose off the floor and took her wrists into his hands and removed them from her face. She opened her eyes and looked at him, her face flushed red and totally desirable to him. He loved her quiet strong assertiveness when they worked, but here… Were they are alone and there is no need to be strong, he loved her shyness and uncertainty even more.
He pulled her towards him and kissed her again, making sure to convey his feelings for her, his desire and love. He never wanted her to doubt for one moment how he felt. He felt a tugging around his middle and understood that she was trying to remove his clothing too. In one fluid motion he stripped himself of his upper suit without once having to break the kiss. Her hands sought out all the contours of his solid shaped chest, his skin cool, silky and firm against her warm slightly moist palms.
She broke the kiss reluctantly, wanting to see more of his beautiful patterned skin. The colours of him alone made her gasp, the intricate layout of him was something to marvel at she knew he was beyond handsome in her eyes. Her fingers lightly followed the lines on the skin of his chest, which rose and fell expectantly as her fingers worked lower and lower. He seized her hands just as she reached his trousers. He let them go after a few heavy breathes, and she unbuckled his trousers and watched as he stepped out of them.
Shepard's eyes widened and her mouth opened slightly as she gazed upon him. Mordin has been right, she might be needing something later for pain relief. He shifted self-consciously watching her facial expressions.
"You… I mean, we don't-"
She cut him off abruptly with a finger to his lips. She caressed them fascinated with that exotic line in the middle that just compelled her to kiss him again. He purred, his hands roaming her body again, this time caressing her aching breast. He tugged her top off hastily, both of them now understanding each other's needs. She reached behind herself and helped him unhook the bra and gasped as his lips enclosed over a nipple, briefly tugging it with his teeth then returning the favor to the other.
"Thane…" she sobbed as his fingers took advantage of her loosened legs.
He started stroking her, somehow his fingers finding all the right triggers causing her to arch against his body and reach out to stroke his sensitive neck area. He hummed against her neck, his lips placing feverish kisses as his fingers probed more between her legs. She was practically incoherent, she was desperately holding onto the wrist of his hand that was bringing about her self destruction. He ignored her tight grip and broken sobs as she started to shudder against him.
"Now! I can't…" she cried.
He understood absolutely. He grabbed her legs quickly, and roughly entered her body. She groaned against his ear as he wrapped her legs behind his back and continued to allow her to adjust to his size and unusual ridges.
He breathily asked her in a strained voice if she was okay, she responded yes and he pulled out partially and then filled her again slowly. Her cry was ragged and unrestrained and luscious to Thane who had heard so much death and destruction, but this here was beautiful, something he would remember always. Something to take away all the bad thoughts he had created over the last few lonely years.
She felt exquisite, tight and moist all at the same time. It was a feeling he had never experienced before, and as he pounded into her inviting body he knew she had ruined him for anyone else. Her cries sounded like music, her damp flushed skin against his cool skin made him feel alive, and her long hair flowing over his shoulder was doing unmentionable things to his back. He had never understood the reason for hair, but right then he was glad she did have some.
Her body was tightening against him, almost painfully so he realized. It was a feeling he had never known was possible, but yet it felt so great and he almost regretted that he hadn't crossed paths with Shepard years before. She started to cling firmly onto his shoulders, all the while begging him to push her over the edge.
"Siha..!" he gasped as they both reached their climax at the same time.
His head slumped forward to rest against her heaving chest as they both shook from the power of their release. Protectively his arms tightened around her, this was his woman now, his main focus after his son. Nothing else quite mattered right now, for having her here in his arms was more than enough. He didn't know what his future held, but one thing he promised to himself and to his Siha in a quiet voice; this couldn't be their only encounter, and he would stand for no harm to come to her while he still had air in his lungs.
Stroking the side of his face in a soothing slow motion, Shepard reflected on his words.
"Aboard the Normandy I found my home, my friends, and my purpose. One thing I didn't expect to find was my completion… I found that in you Thane. So while there is breath in my body I will protect you. I will cure you, and love you for as long as you want me to."
He squeezed her towards his form more, a possessive growl emanating from the back of his throat. She felt him deliciously hard between their bodies, a lustful grin crossed her features.
Rest didn't appear to be entering either of their minds for a while it would seem.