Album
This one takes place sometime during Mass Effect 3, after the turian Primarch's son dies. Inspired by the scene in the second to last Harry Potter movie when Harry and Hermione dance.
Erin Shepard sat at her desk. Her position was rigid with her feet rooted to the floor and her hands gripping the armrests. She squirmed around, resituating over and over, though no position was relaxing. She tried the bed next, though it did not bring her any comfort either. Shepard struggled to fight the recurring urge to pace around or exercise her fidgetiness away, because the good Doctor Chakwas had informed her that her constant mental and physical activity was only making her more restless and, consequently, more tired. The problem was that trying to stay still was quickly driving Erin Shepard crazy.
Seeing a good soldier die never got any easier; in fact, it seemed to be getting harder lately. The turian Primarch's son had earned her respect even before he gave his life for the mission. Having to personally break the news to the Primarch, who was a guest aboard her vessel, was not a pleasing experience. Shepard jumped off the bed, strode three laps around her cabin, and then parked herself by a wall. She rested her forehead against the cool metal and let out a depressurizing sigh. For a moment, her mind returned to a comfortable pace and she was able to process a few immediate, low-stress thoughts. For instance, she knew it was around that time when she made her rounds to personally visit the crew. Shepard decided to check up on Liara first. The scientist, also her girlfriend through thick and thin (mostly thick), had accompanied the commander on that mission with its disheartening finale. The soldier decided it would be a good enough idea to see how Liara was handling the aftermath.
When Shepard made it to Liara's cabin, she courteously knocked first.
"Come in," came the other woman's voice, muffled through the barrier of the metal door. The doors pulled back and allowed entry. The commander's footsteps were soundless against the tiles as she walked in. She watched the asari scientist, whose brow was furrowed in deep concentration that was so characteristic to her. The asari seemed so buried in work and oblivious to the commander's presence that Shepard wondered if her girlfriend even realized she told her to come in, or if it were just a subconscious skill she had picked up. Either way, Shepard took the opportunity to watch the asari. Eyes of a very captivating blue reflected the holographic interface of a terminal, which her fingers were busily floating across. She stood with both feet in line, her knees unbent, and her back arched forward slightly. Now and again Liara's eyes would narrow at the terminal, or she'd bite her bottom lip. Shepard had observed the woman at work enough to know that these were her problem-solving faces.
Shepard would have looked on a bit longer, but Glyph approached.
"Hello, Shadow Broker," the charismatic drone greeted. Apparently Liara still hadn't fixed the error with Glyph calling everyone the Shadow Broker. At the sound of the drone's voice, Liara resurfaced from the depths of her endless work and spotted Erin Shepard for the first time.
"Hello," Shepard said, not back to the drone but to her girlfriend.
"Oh, Shepard. I'm sorry, I didn't know you were there."
"You let me in, you know," Shepard told her, smirking in forgiveness.
"I did? I don't even remember. I've just been—"
"Busy," Shepard supplied, probably for the hundredth time. "I know." Liara smiled apologetically, sadly. There just wasn't enough time for pleasure; they both knew that. Shepard's work for the day had ended with the mission, though Liara's work never let her off so easy. During every waking hour, the scientist was on her own mission with those many terminals of hers to discover any advantage the galaxy could use against the Reapers. So Liara reluctantly went back to her assiduous researching.
In the pit of her stomach, Erin knew this was not right. It wasn't fair that they had to spend the last weeks of their lives working, fighting, and fearing. When Shepard felt tired, which was almost always nowadays, she just gave herself tough love; Life's not fair, she told herself. But she couldn't ever think that way when it came to her friends and her crew, especially Liara. Shepard would take an even heavier load for herself if it meant her crew could have but a moment of happiness. Lately, that mentality wasn't working for her; Shepard finally discovered her limits. She overstepped these limits quite often, too, and the physical and metal consequences were incapacitating.
Watching Liara drowning in data was not right. This couldn't be how the asari spent her last weeks, maybe last days. This compelled Shepard to step closer to the asari.
"Shepard." Liara sighed her beloved's name when she felt her hand on her shoulder. Shepard could see in the blue woman's eyes that she was conflicted; Liara wanted to be able to have a moment with her lover, but knew that it would be better spent finding a way to even the odds with the Reapers. For once, though, Shepard did not relent. The hand she had on Liara's shoulder moved down to clasp her blue hands. Before the asari could think about protesting, the commander shushed her quietly. With both her hands holding Liara's, she lead the other woman away from the data terminals.
Shepard wasn't much of a dancer, for sure, but she started swaying her hips and shoulders from side to side anyway. Whether or not Liara was a good dancer Shepard did not know, for she had never seen her dance.
"Come on," Erin said in a way that was both pleading and encouraging.
"I—there's data I need to—"
"It'll still be there in a few minutes, Liara."
Thankfully, something clicked in the asari. For the first time in a long time, Erin saw those blue lips stretch into a smile that was not sad nor apologetic; it was shy and even a bit nervous. She saw that familiar adorable asari who she had fallen in love with what seemed like centuries ago.
"I'm really not much of a dancer… if that's what you're doing right now," Liara joked with a coquettish grin. Shepard gasped in mock offense. This elicited a small but delightful giggle from the scientist that vaporized a load of weight off the commander's chest.
"Well, I'd like to see you try," Shepard prodded in jest.
It wasn't long before their compassion for each other warmed the atmosphere. The idea of doomsday escaped them while they swayed back and forth, stepping to and fro and gently pulling each other's arms this way and that. It was a carefree, medium-paced impromptu dance (if it could even be called a dance) that swayed around the room. Liara tripped into the commander's arms once, and Shepard accidentally bumped one of the monitors on the wall. Both instances, along with every hilariously terrible dance move tested by the participants, caused loud and delightful laughter that had been so underused the last seven months. There was no music, only the fluttering drum of their heartbeats.
Neither Erin nor Liara were aware of how much time had passed before the dancing slowed almost to a stop. The movement had decrescendoed until the two had their arms laced around each other while very gently rocking side to side. Shepard could hear Liara's soft breathing in her ear. Liara brought a hand up to stroke the commander's newly cut hair. Erin burrowed her head into Liara's shoulder and let herself be lulled by the other woman's repetitive touch and breathing. It was otherwise silent, until the asari whispered to the commander.
"Erin, I know I spend all of my time working, and I know you understand why I do it, but I just want you to know that… Well, if I could I'd spend every waking moment with you."
Shepard's hands took hold of Liara's. "I know, me too," she consoled the guilty asari.
"More importantly, Shepard… I love you." She stepped back and looked into the commander's eyes. She noticed they were glossy. Shepard grinned.
"I love you too," she whispered. She pulled the asari closer to her again, and met her with a kiss. "I'll always love you."