Dinner for three
(Because thinking up title's wasn't hard enough)
This is a little (ha!) prompt for my friend MK who inspired me to write a little differently than usual.
Fluffy
The cool Presidium air filled Shepard's lungs, it was so different from the cramped up space of the Normandy. It was time to stretch her legs, to have a little freedom. It was a rare thing these days with the war with the Reapers and the constant nagging from the Council. When would they learn? Well, Shepard knew exactly, and once they did she'd be there to pick up the pieces because who else's job was it? No-one's except hers. (She would never let Garrus or the rest of her crew hear say that, but Shepard knew the end goal, one that was her at the forefront, leading the grunts into a battle that had only one outcome).
Her heavy boots struck the white pristine floor with each step. Thane had wanted to meet, wanting to talk about things. His email had been lacking in context as usual and as normal Shepard was nervous. The childish nerves that had seemed to plague her around him, the girlish blush that crept along her cheeks when he flirted (or perhaps he was just being friendly?) and the somersaults of butterflies that made her feel sick. She had grown out of that a long time ago, or at least she thought she had. She never fraternized, she never liked having attachments. But there she was, waiting patiently for the only, not even human, man to make an appearance, to capture her vision and make her high from the very air he breathed.
Shepard scoffed, no, on the outside she was the stern warrior that made the hardest decisions, dealt life and death like she had the hands of a god. She wasn't a little girl that dressed up as princesses and played with dolls, (As a child she was the kind to set the dolls hair on fire and pretend it was a grenade). Always dreaming of the Alliance lifestyle, to not be tied down by a significant another that distracted her, which she had to worry about. Except, that lifestyle came with a price, one which given the choice she would never change. She had met Thane. The only bright star in a universe full of burning suns and suffocating dark space. The light he emitted would never burn out. She'd personally see that it didn't.
"Siha," The low hum of his voice brought her tumbling out of her thoughts. He frowned, "Are you well?"
"Oh," Shepard pushed hair from her face and straightened out her uniform. Act normal, "Hi."
Thane gave her a curious look, one eye ridge raised; he clutched his fingers together in front of him, an action which Shepard attributed to patience.
"Kolyat," Shepard looked at the floor before turning her gaze to Thane's son.
"Commander, it is good to see you again after such a long time," The Drell replied, repeating the same expression as his father and then shuffling from his right foot to the left.
"Siha, I thought it might be nice for you to join us for dinner," Thane broke the silence, not the unpleasant kind, but the sort that made gooseflesh rise on her skin, like the room had suddenly got too cold or way too hot. Except this was the Presidium and she was acting a fool, and instead of being the Commander she was a rush of heat grasping for the slithers of touch the Drell offered to give. The only thing holding her back from launching herself onto him was the fact his son was standing next to him with a disapproving look.
"Sure, I heard there was a nice sushi place not too far from here," The Commander regained her posture and moved to Thane's side, "Or do you have something else in mind?"
Thane cleared his throat.
"Kolyat has picked a restaurant that caters for both Drell and human tastes," He began before leading the way, "A rare find."
"The Citadel has yet to fully embellish Drell lifestyle and culture Commander," The rasp of Kolyat's voice was similar to his father's, slightly less gruff but he might gain that with age, "Here, we are few and far between."
"I'd like to see that change," She replied a smile tugging at her lips. There were many things she would like to change her, and yet it was not in her power to do so. Saving the galaxy? Sure why not. Having a say in what gets built on the Citadel? Yeah, leave that to the politicians.
They walked in silence through the Presidium, Shepard following Thane, her footsteps falling heavy behind his light footed ones. He was too graceful and she was too clumsy. Shepard missed having him on the ship. She missed the quiet talks in the dead of night when the rest of the crew was asleep. She missed the foot rubs he would give her after a long day of hard work (or just paperwork if she pleaded enough). Most of all she missed how he seemed to be the only one to make a decent cup of tea.
And the kisses and whispers that came with it.
"Shepard?" Thane's hand brushed her lower back and she swallowed hard. Yes, perhaps she missed his touch too much. The damn bastard had no idea what he was doing to her. She caught his gaze and black orbs filled with something she couldn't quite place stared back, "What do you want to drink?"
Thane stood by the bar, his hand on her back, their hips touching. Kolyat was seated at a table a few yards away, eyeing them both suspiciously.
Ryncol. Something potent enough to knock her out and make her stop acting like a fool.
"Something fruity," She breathed, leaning over the bar further to look at the bottles lined in a row in a cooler.
"I know just the thing," The Asari bartender flashed her one of those glamorous white smiles that made the Commander jealous. She should have taken up Chakwas' offer on tooth whitening.
Thane grabbed her glass before she could take it and waited for both his and Kolyat's before moving towards the table. She frowned and squeezed herself into the chair between the both of them. She reached for the menu, scanning through the blue text on the screen. Words stuck out at her, names of things she hadn't come across. Was this what Drell ate? Shepard scanned through the menu again, something sounding like fish, oysters, Varren steaks?
Shepard found the meal appetising, the conversation slow yet exciting. She listened to Kolyat talk about his work with Bailey, how he was helping to rid the Citadel backstreets of crime and doing all the admin work that was left over after a day's work. She listened to Thane talk about his time relaxing, happy to be off the Normandy for a while but looking forward to coming back. He spoke of visiting the doctors, pleased that Kepral's hadn't caused anymore significant damage. Shepard was more than glad to hear that he was coming back aboard her ship (and Joker's too, but only because he demands it so).
The 'something fruity' made her skin tingle, feel lightheaded and spread warmth through her bones. She couldn't stop smiling, and jokes were flowing from her mouth with little constraint. After the food was gone she began teasing Thane to his dismay, ganging up on him with Kolyat's help. The bond between them had grown stronger with the time they had spent together and she was glad for that. She loved seeing Thane happy, perhaps he wasn't the smiling type but his body language showed it. He opened himself up to Kolyat, expressing himself in ways that he hadn't even done with her.
"-So we danced for a while and then she-"
"Blasto!" She let out, pointing at a screen that had transitioned from a Turian bathing product advert to the film trailer. Wide-eyed she glanced around the table, heat rising to her cheeks as both Drell gave her a curious expression. "Don't tell me you've never seen Blasto?" Her mouth fell open, "Thane, when you get back on ship we're going to marathon the movies and you're going to love it." He wouldn't, but she'd still make him sit there and suffer in silence whilst she enjoyed the stupid jellyfish prancing around.
"We have to see it," She insisted after they remained in silence, "Now."
"Siha, really?"
"Yes!"
"If you're buying Commander," Kolyat piped up. Shepard tossed him a toothy grin and jumped from her seat.
"To let you guys witness the brilliance of Blasto? I'd give my right kidney for it."
"No need for such an extreme Commander."
"Really Siha?" Shepard heard the playfulness in Thane's voice and she pouted her lips at him.
"Don't tell me you wouldn't."
He was about to answer her, shaking his head in the way he always did. She grasped onto his hands and encouraged him up, pulling Kolyat too and pulling them towards the direction of the theatre.
300 credits it had cost her. Not that money really mattered but after buying snacks (which cost more than the tickets) she scornfully wished she hadn't offered to buy the food too. The theatre was empty, the white canvas the omni-projector shone on stretched across the entirety of the room. Shepard flopped down into seats relatively near to the front and set up her snacks in various places around her. Drink, closest. Food: a packet of Citadel chocolate (Shame they didn't have any Earth chocolate) to her right, and a bag of weirdly shaped sweet popcorn on her left. Kolyat did the same and Thane took rest without anything to nibble on whilst the film started.
As the lights darkened she felt his hand move along her thigh and she smiled. She turned to him, the opening credits reflecting in his dark eyes. He was looking at her, clocking her expression. She moved her fingers into the gaps between his, hers widening to accommodate his fused ones. She wanted to say something, to appease him, to tell him that she missed him but it seemed to slur in her mouth. The 'Something fruity' still hadn't waned and Shepard remained (What she had been when she had just been a recruit in the Alliance) a mumbling incoherent teenager that couldn't tell her foot from her mouth if there was enough drink inside her.
She settled instead for a squeeze of his fingers, a small smile and the graze of her lips across his. He seemed surprised but relinquished to her touch. She hoped he had missed her as much as she did him.
"Blasto doesn't even know how to shoot the gun properly," Kolyat scoffed after the movie ended. He crumpled up the packaging his food came in and slurped down the final drops of his drink.
"And do you know how to shoot that gun properly?" Shepard leaned over her seat and nudged his shoulder, teasing him.
"Yes," He swallowed, "I'd offer to show you but you're Commander Shepard and nothing could impress you."
"Bah!" She laughed, "You'd be surprised." She caught sight of Thane's expression and pretended not to notice.
"Still, I could shoot better than the jellyfish with wobbly arms," He crossed his arms, "You and me Commander shooting cans, best shot wins whatever they want, loser has to..."
"Climb the Krogan memorial in the Presidum butt naked?" Shepard's eyes glimmered with wickedness.
"Done."
She laughed. She'd go easy on him, in fact she'd let him win. Climbing the statue wouldn't be so hard, trying to not get arrested and put in lock up by C-sec would prove a more different challenge. Still, she could pretend it was some undercover Spectre business.
In almost disappointing silence Kolyat and Thane walked her back to the station where the Normandy was docked. The giant jutted out in glorious fashion, and she looked out at the window at it, pride swelling in her chest.
"Commander," Kolyat was back to his reserved, formal self, "It was nice to see you. When you next dock on the Citadel again I would like to meet up," He smiled then, "For Blasto re-runs."
"I wouldn't miss that chance," Shepard replied with a smile and shook the Drell's hand. She turned to Thane waiting for him to say something.
"Siha," He started, taking hold of her hands and walked her towards the docking bay doors, "I wish to join you again on the Normandy but I must still spend time with Kolyat, not all old wounds have healed. I would not expect them to have done so."
"Take your time Thane," She wouldn't rush him, however much she craved his presence beside her she'd let him complete the tasks he made for himself. She'd just get into stickier situations and he wouldn't be there to help her get out of them, the unfortunate crew now had that task.
"I miss fighting by your side," He was quieter, his voice rougher. She squeezed his fingers and gave him a reassuring smile.
"Really?" She joked, "I thought it was such a pain rescuing the damsel in distress from heavy gunfire."
"Not when you're begging me to save you."
Shepard lost all air in her lungs.
"Krios, I didn't think you were in the mood for such quips!" She rasped.
"Only when we're alone Siha," The corners of his lips tugged into a smile and Shepard, in the heat of the moment (if there was ever such a thing) kissed him.
"Then I look forward to all of our alone time when you get back on my ship." Her fingers grazed the ridges of his neck and a noise rumbled from his chest to his throat. He mouthed something, eyelids flickering like he was reliving a pleasant memory. Shepard could recall many.
Shepard pressed herself closer to him, filling the contours of his body with her own and kissed him, her tongue running along his bottom lip. He made a similar noise and brushed his own, rougher, so different from a human's, along hers.
"Would be my pleasure Siha."