Summary: Shepard used Joker as bait at the sushi restaurant, and the irony of that was not lost on him. While he understood, and really didn't have an issue with it, after the fact, he did have every intention of using it against her if he could. Fluff warning.

A/N: Written by request for tbsnihon who had a hankering for Shoker fluff. Also, I don't see Joker as a delicate easily-breakable flower, just for the record.

Disclaimer: Mass Effect belongs to Bioware, I'm only playing with their universe. I do not own the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. I do it for the love of the game, the world, and the characters; and because they stuck with me long after I turned the game off (and back on, and off, ad infinitum).

Baiting

When Joker arrived at the apartment, Ashley was leaving. The Spectre grabbed him by the collar as they met at the door and glared at him harshly.

"Be nice," she growled in warning. "She just got attacked by someone's fucked up Plan B. Shepard doesn't need you jumping her case."

The pilot tried hard to look offended. He was not there to jump the commander about anything; he just wanted to make sure she was doing okay after all was said and done, and maybe, just maybe, see the façade of command drop long enough to hold the woman he loved. But Ashley didn't know about that. Jeff did, however, appreciate the protectiveness of Shepard's friends, even though none of them knew the underlying reasons he was there. That was just the way Joker and Leah preferred it, too. He had been in love with Leah Shepard so long it was tough to remember a time when he didn't. And they had been hiding it every step of the way-first for regs, then safety, and regs again.

"Just give her a break," Ashley reinforced with a poke to the fleshy part of his shoulder.

"Ow," he feigned, rubbing at the site. He shook his head at her as the door closed. The series of chirps redirected his attention.

"Hey, you!" Leah greeted with a tired, but genuine smile as she rested her chin on the back of the sofa.

Moreau wanted to wince at the bruising on her face and neck, but instead returned the loving smile she had given. "Damn, it looks like you kicked your ass."

Shepard laughed lightly and beamed up at him as he leaned on the back of the couch. "Yeah, apparently I'm tougher than I thought."

"I always said you were a BAMF, and a dead sexy one at that."

Another laugh-it was a sound he treasured more than anything, and he loved drawing them from her.

"I just have one thing to say about all that craziness," he said, leaning toward her. His green eyes met her darker emerald gaze as his fingers moved down her neck. "You used me as bait."

She bit her bottom lip as the smile lit her eyes. "But you were such tempting bait," she purred, rising to her knees as her fingertips walked up his arms. Then Leah ran her hands down his chest. "I mean I can't resist. It was damn near certain they wouldn't be able to either."

"I'm not sure that's going to work on me this time," he replied, almost convincingly enough to fool himself. "I mean they shot at me."

"You've been shot at before."

"When flying a ship, yeah. But then there's lots of metal and other people between me and the bullets."

Her eyes darkened for a moment and they both recalled another time when he had been under direct fire, but neither mentioned it.

"You don't even have a scratch on you. Guess they thought you were too beautiful to injure, too."

He chuckled at her. "Still not sure I forgive you for using me as bait."

Her nose brushed the tip of his as she closed the distance between them. "And there's nothing I could do as penance?" she murmured in that husky tone that vibrated down his spine and made the temperature in the room shoot up a few degrees. Her eyes locked on his as her lips brushed his with every breath she took; it made him palpably aware of just how shallow her breathing was in that moment.

"Commander, are you trying to seduce me?"

"Mmhmm," she hummed. Her hands cradled his head as she planted light little kisses on his face, avoiding his lips. "Is it working?"

"I don't know. There were an awful lot of people with guns looking at me. I might be traumatized."

"Aww. We can't have that now, can we?" Her lips met his with teasing little pecks.

"No. We can't," Joker agreed, grabbing the back of her neck and pulling her mouth to his more fully.

Shepard's hands moved down his chest in a familiar and telling way. When she pushed the shirt over his shoulders, he reluctantly let go of her. Warm, open-mouthed kisses seemed to sear his flesh, while he caressed her bare arms, careful to avoid the fresh bruises where he could.

"I've missed you," she whispered against his ear, her warm breath on his skin, setting his nerves alight.

Moreau leaned back and looked at her curiously. "How so?"

Leah swung one leg over the back of the sofa and climbed over to stand in front of him, pressing her body to his as her fingertips glided lightly over his bare shoulder. The smolder in her gaze hinted at the answer to his question.

On the ship, things were all business between them, always had been. They always felt it was a necessity. Early on, they had gotten so good at hiding the nature of their relationship that they could come and go together and no one suspected a thing, they still didn't.

Joker kissed her softly, savoring the feel of her in his arms as he admitted, "I've missed you, too."

"And I'm sorry about using you for bait. I just needed the distraction. I figured they'd scope you and ignore you." Her arms slid around his chest and Leah nestled herself against him.

Pulling the clip out of her hair, he ran his fingers through it. "I know. I'm fine with it. Just giving you a hard time."

"I know, but I still feel bad about putting you in harm's way," she said, cuddling his chest.

A kiss on her forehead made her hum approvingly and squeeze him. Joker skimmed his fingers along her jaw and guided her lips to his again. It started gently, but it had been weeks since the two of them had managed to get off the ship at the same time and even then they had only managed a few minutes alone before Hackett had hunted her down with a lead on Cerberus he needed chased.

Part of him hated the system they had devised, but neither of them wanted the repercussions, so they suffered through everyday separation and savored the moments they stole. Joker had suggested a change after Cerberus recommissioned Shepard and the Normandy, but Leah had vetoed the idea. She had said that the last thing she wanted the Illusive Man to know was just how important her pilot was to her. The fear in her voice and her eyes had been palpable and gut-wrenching. Joker had no desire to lose her either, but until that moment the pilot had not realized just how much he meant to her. So he acquiesced.

Then the Alliance got involved again and the same old regs came into play. After what the military did to all of them, especially Shepard, and with the Reaper Invasion, Joker found it hard to give two shakes about anybody's regulations. But Shepard did, and Joker loved her, so he conformed to the Uniform Code, on the ship, at least.

The pilot broke the heated kiss and buried his nose in her hair as he hugged her tightly. "So about this penance," he whispered.

Leah giggled and looked up at him, that sultry blaze was back in her green eyes and it made his body react. "What did you have in mind?"

He cocked an eyebrow at her, thoughtfully. "I might have to think about it. There were an awful lot of guys. And my ship got stolen."

"Uh, it's my ship. Thank you very much," Shepard corrected as Joker leaned against the back of the sofa.

"Yeah, sure it is," Moreau retorted.

"What am I going to do with you, Flight Lieutenant?"

He lopped an arm around her waist and pulled her flush against his chest. "One thing does come to mind, ma'am," Joker noted with a playful smirk.

"And that would be?" the curvy blonde asked as her arms looped around his shoulders.

Jeff swept the hair away from her ear and sucked on her earlobe before he whispered, "Ride me like you're being chased."

Her laugh was heady and intoxicating. She grinned down at him, as if considering the merits of the suggestion. "That is the type of penance I can get on board with," she chuckled as she grabbed him by the belt and tugged him toward the stairs.