This story is my first ever one shot and a nice break from my cureent self insert story. So please, read on! :P
A quarian technician hummed a unintelligible tune as she smoothly glided her nimble fingers from one area of the illuminous panel to another, completely engrossed with the lines that captured the form of the giant sparkling Tantalus drive core in front of her.
Footsteps approached her from behind and her heart started to hasten, could it be?
Turning around she almost stumbled. Dammit girl, calm yourself down it's just the commander, my commander –she couldn't help but think of what his attitude towards her if she were human, if he could see her in a beautiful form.
"Hi, Tali" he toothily grinned. The innocent smile caused Tali to blush wildly, thank god we have polarised visors she praised her ancestors.
"Hi commander" she finally managed to stutter out, if her helmet hadn't filtered her voice, he would have surely heard her nervousness like a giant bomb on a deserted field. She thought.
"Shepard" he corrected her.
"Shepard" she corrected herself, berating her own nervousness.
"Yes?" he asked.
Tali's head momentarily recoiled? "what?" she asked.
"You called my name. I presume you have something to ask?" he smiled back.
That Bosh'tet! She thought. He's playing with me!
"How you coping with the engine? Is it giving you a hard time today?" he jokingly ask, before she could respond, he always knew how to stir her up. And when to leave her slightly angry at him – to him, it was fun and he enjoyed a little fun with his crew members every now and then. It took away the strains of constant battle, as his drill sergeant used to say. But yes, he knew how to make women angry and he knew how to tease them as if it was almost second nature, so well that even he didn't know when he was doing it.
And she fell for it, placing hands on hips, "Commander, you should know by now that i am a Quarian and an engineer at that" she boasted.
"A cute one too" he added, all smiles. She almost faltered just then, but her pride kept her from doing so.
"I have been offering suggestions of what could be changed to improve efficiency and reliability and there is still so much more to learn about this technology!" she enthusiastically squealed.
"Sounds like you're on top of things" he complimented once again.
"I am grateful for the training i received, i hope to one day bring something important back to my people" she hopefully reflected as her head ever so slightly looked downwards, her thoughts not entirely with her people.
Placing a hand on her upper arm, Shepard comforted her, "don't worry Tali, I'm sure we'll find something that will help your people, something that will make your heart skip a beat" he reassured.
And skip a beat her heart did at the soothing calmness of his touch, she willed it to stay there for just a little longer, but her moment was short lived as she felt the commander's touch edge away.
"Well, i'm going for lunch now, wanna join me?" he offered.
How could she say no? But she then noticed the sudden glares of a few of the human female engineers, regretfully she turned down his offer. "Sorry, commander. I have some work that needs finishing, maybe another time?" she hopefully put in.
But then Adams came in, "Don't worry Tali, we've got it all sorted down here" he reassured her, but she declined once again, realising that nothing special could ever be produced from their casual conversations – only a greater longer for him that could never be fulfilled, one that her heart started to ache for.
"No, these tasks need to be done. It would not be right to burden the crew with my unfinished duties." She pressed, hoping that she didn't offend them too much.
But Shepard just smiled, "Alright Tali, i see that you're a possessed by your work and i'm glad that we brought you aboard. I just hope you find someone one day who can match your zealous attitude towards your work. "He joked and complimented her at the same time.
Tali could only stand there and gawk at him. How could he say that? She smiled.
And as he left for the corridor, she thought about what he had said, "I just hope you find someone one day", her heart skipped again at the touch of his hand on her arm. "One day" she fantazisingly whispered to herself. "One day."
So what do you think? Good? Bad? Okay?
This hasn't been beta'd and i've only spent barely 20 mins on it, but i wanted it out fresh and untriffled by constant changes and stuff.
But yes! Rate! Review and comment! :D
thanks
antique_nova