Shepard sat on the couch in her quarters, reading a book on the female 21st century philosopher Rosalinda Mikus. She talks about the war situation in Afghanistan which ended in 2014 by then American president Barack Obama. Shepard was interested in philosophy, that's why she often spoke to Thane. It gave her seclusion, it gave her hope. She'd often relax with Thane, meditating. He said it'd help calm her nerves. Because of Thane she now reads philosophies on women, war, and robotics or artificial intelligence.
"Commander, Lieutenant James Vega is here to see you" EDI said to Shepard. She looked up from her book and put it on the coffee table in front of her, getting off the couch she patted down her outfit and looked at the door.
"You can come in" she yelled, with the door sliding open. James gave Shepard a sheepish smile and rolled his head. "Hello Vega, what can I do for you?" She asked him. He sat down on the couch and waited for Shepard to follow him, she did and she sat in her previous position.
"Do you know if you can give me massage? Like the ones you gave me when I was your bodyguard?" He commented. She hadn't done it in a while and she liked giving James a shoulder/neck/head massage because he was always still, always relaxed (when he's around her). She nodded with a quiet 'mhm'. James took off his shirt and threw it on the bed, with Shepard grabbing some unscented oil. "It seems you have come prepared" Shepard laughed.
"Vega, of course I do. I'm the ships masseuse, you should know that!" James laughs and waits for Shepard to sit back down he lies his head on her lap and she uses a small amount of the oil and rubs it on her hands and she begins to rub at his shoulders making small movements. "So, why am I needed to be your masseuse today?" She asks in question. James' eyes were closed, he was already in relaxation mode. Shepard smiled, remembering the same face he gave when she first tried it out on him a week after they met. He was tired and she wanted to try it on someone.
"Just the usual stress you get from fighting reapers and Cerberus operatives." He sighed. Shepard began rubbing down from James' ears, down his neck towards his chest and half way down his arm to go back up and rub circles against his back, up behind his neck and then to his ears to rotate the procedure again, she would sometimes use her knuckles against his rough skin that was bruised and batted. She laughed and smiled knowing how that felt.
"Yeah, didn't think what you'd be getting into that after you met me now did you Lieutenant?" She asked with a smirk. She heard a chuckle from Vega until it was cut off from a moan. She gave another laugh at how relaxed her friend was. She continued to rub small circles using her thumbs and her knuckles on his shoulders.
"Not really Lola, but you didn't think you'd be giving massages to one of your squad members huh?" She loved it when he called her Lola, at first it was odd and she didn't know why he'd be relaxed and not call her by her real name. Most people went with Shepard or Commander which she was okay with, but James was all different to her. Now drying off her hands she started to give James a facial massage, she didn't want to get his face oily but she still had a little bit of oil due to James' skin being quite tough. Tracing the scars he had on his face, she would have to question why he has them, maybe they were the scars from Fehl Prime all those years back.
"Of course James, but we've spent what six months together? Of course something was going to happen" she said smiling to herself. James smiled as well remembering the times he spent in Shepard's cell. They played Chess (even though James was terrible, with Shepard only slightly better than him), she read philosophical books sometimes written by Plato and Aristotle, or Peter Singer and Alan Turing. James was often confused by the things Shepard would read out and that's when he blacked out of the conversation. Shepard knows now not to talk about philosophy around James.
"What were you reading?" James asked not looking at the book but he noticed it after he took his shirt off, he didn't catch the name before he closed his eyes in relaxation of Shepard's hands.
"A philosophy on war. Especially the war that happened in early 2000 that ended in 2014." Shepard was waiting for a snore but nothing came. "Can I ask where you got the scars on your face?" She asked trailing the scars before rubbing circles in his forehead and cheeks.
"Some were from previous battles of husks, and the like, the one across my nose is from Fehl Prime. Thought I was going to die, but the Asari woman I was with uh- she helped me heal my wound." James said remembering what happened. He then frowned remember what exactly happened when he was in the ship. "We're gonna win this right?" James said sitting up, this alerted Shepard.
"I uh…" pausing, she grabbed the towel next to her and wiped her hands on it believing that they were finished. "Yes James. We will win this" she said with confidence.
"Are you sure? I mean, I don't want to lose anyone. Not you Lola" he was now worrying. Shepard chuckled and nodded her head. Grabbing the book and finding where she left off she marked the page.
"Yes James. I promise you. I will not leave you" James sighed and leaned over her looking at the page she was looking at. "Would you like me to read to you?" she asked knowing he'll leave. He didn't move.
"Sure" this shocked Shepard. James smiled and kissed Shepard on the lips. Kissing back, Shepard put the book down and put her hands behind his head. "I always believe in you." He admitted after they pulled back from kissing.
"James I will not fail you" he gives her one more kiss and moves back so he can lay on her head whilst she reads about the ethics of war, and the war on terror. Listening to her voice gave him chills, he smiled to himself and relaxed in her lap knowing that he'd be safe with Shepard.