A/N: so, I was listening to this awesomely nostalgic song whilst playing Mass Effect. Result? read on...
19:46 [Standard Earth Time]
Sunday 15th February 2185
Normandy SR-2
Deck 3 - Crew Deck
Mess Hall
Commander Shepard gave a long, contented sigh of relief as he sat back in his chair.
Less than a day ago he and his team had gone through the Omega 4 Relay, and they had all come back; that was no easy feat.
Less than 24 hours ago Shepard had told the Illusive Man where he could shove his idea about keeping the Collector's Base, and in doing so severed all ties between him and Cerberus.
The celebrations had started immediately.
The area between the Medical Centre and the XO's quarters had been turned into a dance floor, and Mess Sergeant Gardner's once shining galley worktop had been turned into a bar, with the drinks supplied by a certain Japanese thief's (probably stolen) minibar. The lights had been dimmed and a disco ball had been precariously hung from the ceiling, and late 20th century human music was playing over the Normandy's speakers. A few people were up on the dance floor, dancing to the music.
Shepard smiled to himself as he watched Garrus try to copy the moves of a once-Cerberus crew member who seemed to know what he was doing. His chair was turned towards the dance floor, and he was sitting at the mess table, with a few others. He glanced across the table to Tali'Zorah, his new lover; however, nobody on the ship besides from them knew it. She was gazing intently all around the room, clearly trying to take in as much of the human culture as she could. Her three-fingered hand was resting on the table, one fingered absent-mindedly tapping it in time to the music. She didn't notice Shepard looking at her.
Shepard looked all around the room. Most of the crew seemed to be enjoying themselves, either dancing or drinking, and talking amongst each other. The mood was casual, and light-hearted, and the volume level of the chatter was almost on par with that of the music.
Shepard looked back at Garrus, who looked completely absurd waving his arms in the air, and moving his turian head back and forth. Shepard broke into a massive grin, and raised himself slightly off his chair. He cupped his left hand to his mouth, and yelled out
"WHEW! GO GARRUS!"
the particular turian looked over at Shepard, and narrowed his eyes at Shepard. He looked quite comical with his eyes like that, but actually still kind of frightening. Shepard sat down again heavily. The turian continued dancing.
Shepard saw Tali in the corner of his eye, she was staring at him now. He turned to her, smiling.
"So, how do you like the music?" he asked politely. She looked away, out over the semi-crowded dance floor.
"It's alright, I guess," she said, uncharacteristically casual. The final bars of the current song played, then it ended. Garrus looked around at the speakers, looking kind of disappointed. Shepard's eyes went wide as the opening notes of the next song played. Tali looked at him in concern.
"Shepard?" she asked, somewhat worried. "Is something wrong?"
Shepard looked over at her. He smiled, remembering the title of the song.
"No, nothing's wrong," he said. "Just wait till you hear this song…"
Shepard noticed the Normandy's pilot, Jeff 'Joker' Moreau, climb the stairs to the corridor leading to the Main Battery. He looked quite drunk from the way he walked. Shepard watched in amusement as Joker turned around, and began swaying slightly from side to side as the song played. Then, Joker broke into karaoke, singing some revised lyrics to the song, using his beer can as a microphone.
"J-*HIC*-Joker doesn't fear the Reapers," he sang drunkenly. Shepard broke into a massive grin as the pilot continued to sing. "…nor do the crew of the Normandy,"
A few people caught onto what was happening, and stared at their drunken pilot, grinning at this drink-induced act.
"We can be like they are," yelled Joker off-key. "Come on, baby! Don't fear the Reapers! Baby, take my hand! Don't fear the Reapers! Baby I'm yo maaaaaaaan! La la la la la la la…"
Shepard was doubled up in silent pearls of laughter. To hear Joker wrecking such an awesome song was hilarious! Quite a few people were also laughing at Joker's expense.
Shepard was quite sad when the song ended, and Joker staggered down the stairs, after thanking all his "loyal fans" out there and wishing them all a merry Christmas.
A new song started playing. Shepard went REALLY wide-eyed at this, not just because it was awesome, but with memories, as the opening bars played. Some unseen singer/s could be heard.
"Huh huh huh hu-uh huh…"
Shepard's mind filled with memories of lazy Sunday afternoons on board a ship, with both of his parents. He could remember watching his parents through eye-covering fingers as they slow-danced around the room to this song. Yuck, he had thought at the time, that's soooo soppy! I will never, ever, ever, EVER do anything like that!
Shepard's child-like promise was broken as he stood up, and walked around the table.
"Huh huh huh hu-uh huh…"
He held his five-fingered hand out to Tali.
"Care to dance, Miss Zorah?"
She gazed up at him, unsure what to do.
"Oh- oh, yes... definately..."
She put her own hand into Shepard's, and felt herself being gently pulled up by him. They walked together, hand-in-hand, the short distance towards the centre of the dance floor.
"Huh huh huh hu-uh huh… I know this… much is… truuue…"
Putting his left arm around Tali, and in his right still holding her hand, the two of them began to slowly rotate and sway, moving gently around the all but vacated dance floor, in a slow dance.
"Huh huh huh hu-uh huh… I know this… much is… truuue…"
People were looking at them.
People were whispering to each other.
Let them, both Tali &Shepard thought in unison. I don't care who knows."
Shepard stared through Tali's purple visor, right into her luminous eyes.
Tali stared back into Shepard's blue eyes.
Things seemed just so… perfect.
A/N: The song is "I Know This Much Is True" by Spandau Ballet.
Oh, and the one before it is "Don't Fear The Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult.
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