Works as a standalone, but also one of a series: Observation and Engineering, John, The Sound Of Silence, Oblivious, Solace, Loved & Lost, Belonging, Once More, With Feeling, and Mutual Respect.

Just a little idea I had when I saw the "sticking up for a quarian" scene on the Citadel.

{To those following the stories: This is officially the tenth Shep/Tali story I've written! Wow... Sorry that updates have been a little off-schedule recently - working hard to sort that one out. After this one, it's back to Fridays.}

Pleasant Surprises

She knows he tries to keep a varied squad, and she loves machines - the look, the sound, the workings, of them - but the boredom is getting to her. She sighs at the thought of Shepard and the others planet-side, without her.

She jumps at the sound of Joker's voice over the intercom, breaking the silence. "Hey, Tali. Thought you might wanna see this."

Is he... laughing? Frowning under her mask, she steps into the elevator, pressing the button for the CIC.

She approaches the pilot's chair slowly, hearing raised voices, before realising that they sound filtered, with static mixed in. Not natural, then.

Joker is reclining in his seat, a smirk nearly splitting his face; he jumps up at hearing her footsteps, turns to her, and it widens. "Got a video feed from the Citadel."

She approaches the holographic screen at the controls slowly, hardly believing her eyes. Is that... John?

"... This is an important quarian rite of passage. She is doing something selfless to serve her people, something ingrained in her culture, and you call her a vagrant?" He steps into the C-Sec officer's space, fully aware that he's intruding, glaring at the man.

Unfortunately, the officer's looking equally angry.

He tries not to sigh at the vague threats about bringing him in, the man's pathetic, prejudiced attempts to throw his weight around. The moment he hears the word "Spectre", he clams up, obviously thinking that this will be the end of his career.

Shepard will make sure of it.

Tali is still staring in amazement, digesting the lecture the officer was given. "I... never knew he knew so much."

Joker snorts. "Uh, yeah. Ash had to sit through his 'findings on quarian culture'." He sucks air through his teeth, shaking his head. "I swear, the guy reads too much."

Tali's voice is small, surprised. "No, he just... listened to me."

Shepard's just sat down with a datapad in the Loft when there's a knock at the door. So tired that he's half-convinced he's about to fall over, he tries not to slouch too much as he walks to the door controls. His face brightens when he sees who his visitor is. "Tali." He usually comes to see her in Engineering - what's she doing here? "This is... a surprise."

She steps awkwardly into the room, looking around. "I saw what you did on the Citadel."

"Um, sorry about that." He can't even look into her helmet - he's pretty sure he made a spectacular idiot of himself defending - well, trying to defend - Lia'Vael's honour.

"It was... nice, actually."

He's surprised, finds himself smiling.

"I didn't know you'd listened to me talk about... things." Her voice is small, nervous.

He shrugs. "I may have looked at the extranet a little, too, but most of it... You research humans, so why not the other way round?"

She thinks for a moment. "I guess so." She looks him in the eye, and he meets the glowing orbs behind her mask, the smile obvious in her voice. "Thank you, John."

He smiles, shrugs, and secretly berates himself for irrational feelings that will never bear fruit.

For now, that's all he can do.