I myself prefer Garrus but this is a dedication to my sister. Hope you enjoy. =/
Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect or it's characters. Bioware does though.
~~~X~~~
Aro Shepard didn't understand.
It was particularly irritating not understanding something when it was practically a requirement in her job to understand another persons reasoning or motivations. To help people.
She understands a person's need for closure at the death of a loved one. She understand the desire for revenge. She had often entertained the idea herself. If she could just get her hands on the Illusive man, she might kill him. Everyone was dead because of him. Her god damned unit. Kahoku. All those test subjects. Dead. She understands this.
But she hadn't died because of him. Hell no, she lived because of him. Her hell returned in the form of an angel, light in the offered hand, a knife at her back. And damn the galaxy for needing her.
She was a commander, the savior of the council. She was a Spectre, the police of the galaxy unbound by regular law. A law-enforcer above the law? Ha! She had survived Mindoir and Akuze and a reaper (to the face). A Reaper. Survival was her business and not even death could take her.
Aro snorted in amusement. No wonder anything that fought her tended to die. You can't outlive the survivor after all.
People didn't touch her. She was the Commander Shepard and no one dared to touch the Commander. No one had ever reached out in an attempt to comfort her. No one had ever given her a hug. No one had ever squeezed her hand to let her know they were there for her. She was a legend and legends were untouchable. You don't hug legends.
Until him. That silly drell male down in life support.
Obsession Shepard understood. She was under the impression that everyone had one(no matter how well hidden). Protecting life and the stability of the galaxy was her obsession. She had let Kaidan die even if she (kinda) loved him, because Ashley was with the salarians and saving her saved the majority. And she was content in her decision even if others hadn't been.
It was Thane's obsession she didn't understand. Or his motive. Nor his reasoning. Hell, why not just admit it? She didn't get him.
That first time he grabbed her hands he shattered her(perceptions and misconceptions).
He was always touching her after the suicide mission. Whether it was his hand in hers or his hand at her waist or his hands in her hair (he loved her hair). And he was always there. Whether there was beside her, or behind her, or merely with her.
'Why? What did he gain? What did he want?' She had bluntly asked him. Determined to understand.
His response had succeeded in shattering her again.
He was willing to reach out to a legend simply because even a legend needs something to support it and he cared for the woman behind the legend. He wanted her. He had to know she was alive. And she really wasn't going to complain.
For that...she loved him.
Maybe...just maybe legends weren't untouchable.