Liara awoke to a curious smell. She couldn't place it. She heard sounds in the kitchen, and she wondered if the smell was food. With alarm, she quickly rolled over to alert her bondmate that someone was in the kitchen. With greater alarm she saw the bed was empty. Liara would have normally been pouting inwardly that she did not get to see Shepard wake up, but this was hardly the time.
When they first moved in together officially (after most of the galaxy's war had been cleaned up), Liara would feign tiredness, after they made love, of course, and simply watch Shepard sleep. Liara would watch how the woman's body rose and fell with breath, see her muscles move as she would switch sleeping positions, the pure, static body statuesque. Liara had truly believed that she would never see Shepard alive again, despite the commander's promise to always come back. People like Shepard weren't supposed to survive, because they gave everything they had to give, because they were pitilessly sacrificed by the petty, small lives that took without thinking, because such heroes as Shepard weren't meant to see their visions, so ahead of their time, realized during their time. In a way, Liara had found the fates a little merciless in letting a legend live to see her story become a myth, to see the far-from-perfect struggle of the galaxy she gave everything to protect. Even so, for months Liara didn't sleep, so hungry she was to see Shepard in the flesh, alive, with her own two eyes. Three years later, Liara still loved to see Shepard wake up.
In confusion Liara sat on the bed, trying to ascertain where her bondmate was. It seemed logical that the offender making noises and smells come from the kitchen must be Shepard, but what the Goddess was Shepard doing in the kitchen? She got up, a little wobbily, and peeked in to see Shepard, fully dressed in military casuals (which was most of her wardrobe still), and holding a curious, round, metallic shape with a handle, holding it over the stove-device. Liara assumed Shepard was heating this metallic shape, and saw something round and tan resting in the metal-object. She was perplexed and fascinated. Shepard was cooking. Shepard was human cooking. What was Shepard cooking? The smell was partly coming from Shepard's strange actions. The kitchen was warm. Liara enjoyed that Shepard was causing this warmth. She watched in utter fascination, wondering if she should get her omni-tool and research Shepard's human-cooking-actions, when Shepard, sensing another presence in the room, turned and gave Liara a heart-melting smile.
"Good morning" Shepard said, her voice deep and welcoming. Liara slowly padded over to Shepard and to hug her...what was the human word? Husband. She snuggled into Shepard's shirt, curiously relaxed. Shepard turned to embrace Liara, stroking her back, then turning back to her human-cooking-activities, saying, "Dr. T'Soni, I believe you are still naked." Liara looked down in surprise and saw that truly, she was wearing nothing. Giving Shepard a I'm-sure-you-don't-mind look, and getting back a I-am-definitely-not-complaining look, Liara went to change. She saw a glimmering ring on the nightstand, her... "wedding band." Sometimes Liara would wear it to bed at night, but usually she didn't want to risk it. Diamonds were a very hard and sharp earth-element, and she got very...active with Shepard at night. She slipped the beautiful gem on to her slender finger. She rather enjoyed this particular human ritual.
Liara came back to the kitchen, sitting down at the table, saying "I believe that is Dr. Shepard now, to you" as she started filing through her data pads and checking for updates from her contacts. "I suppose..." Shepard said and idly used a flat, equally shiny metallic object to flip the strange round tan food in the strange round metal base, "Although, all that you and the rest of the galaxy call me is Shepard, so that might become confusing." Shepard turned, now holding two steaming plates, furrowing her eyebrows a bit; she hated it when Liara would work at the table, or in bed. Such a mood-killer.
Liara looked down at her plate of food. "What is this?" She asked mystically as she poked the food with her fork. "Pancakes" Shepard said, "They've been around for a while on Earth." "I did not know you knew how to cook, Shepard" Liara said while testing the softness of the pan-cakes. "Pancakes and eggs are really the only thing I know how to cook," Shepard said with a shrug. "This yellow, squishy food on the left of the plate are 'eggs' then?" Liara poked that food as well. She wrinkled her nose. She knew species eating other species eggs was common in the sapient races, but she admittedly found the idea perturbing. Shepard nodded, "Oh! Almost forgot." She whipped around, then reverently and slowly placed a clear bottle with a glowing, amber fluid inside on the table. Shepard stared, mesmerized. Liara, for Shepard's benefit, stared as well, figuring this most be an important object. "What is it?" Liara whispered, trying not to break the moment. "Pure. Maple Syrup." Shepard murmured back, "I had it imported all the way from Earth." Shepard poured the important syrup on her pan-cakes and Liara followed suite. Obviously, these pan-cakes were a human delicacy.
Liara forked a small piece into her delicate mouth. It was...spongey...but sweet. Liara raised her eyebrows, "Shepard, this is delicious!" Shepard beamed with such childish delight that Liara secretly decided she would compliment Shepard's cooking from now on regardless of the taste. She finished the cakes and nibbled at the eggs. They were disgusting, rubbery, but Liara was determined to eat Shepard's food. Shepard, who had already moved on to seconds, didn't notice. Shepard stared intently into the kitchen table while she chewed, with a sigh, she said pitifully, "Liara, I need a job. What is a 'Savior of the Galaxy' supposed to do?"
Liara had guessed as much. Shepard had adamantly announced her retirement from both being a Spectre and a Commander, saying she intended to live the rest of her life out peacefully, but Liara knew these intentions would be short-lived. She nibbled again at her food, and said bemusedly, "You could always open a restaurant." Shepard actually laughed. "Call it 'Savior of the Galaxy,' or, 'The First Human Spectre's First Human Restaurant'" Liara continued while Shepard laughed harder, "And the restaurant will be known across the galaxy for the best pan-cakes and eggs" Shepard was undone at Liara's weird pronunciation of pancakes. She started pounding the table with her fist and laughing from her belly.
Liara kept staring down at her plate, and said quietly, "Or, would you consider being a father a full-time job?" That stopped Shepard so fast she almost choked on her laughter. Liara stared steadfastly into her human's beautiful eyes. She really hoped their daughter would have Shepard's eyes. "Liara..." Shepard finally managed to say "You're..." Shepard stared, unable to finish the sentence. Liara simply nodded. This was probably the part where Shepard would crush her lips with a passionate kiss and they would be occupied the rest of the day celebrating their successful sex with more sex. Humans were funny that way, not that Liara minded at all.
Shepard suddenly got up from her chair, and as Liara braced herself she was surprised to see Shepard kneel down beside her and simply rest her head upon Liara's belly. This simple action was profound enough to make Liara shiver inwardly. Shepard had no idea how simply being near Liara made her whole system stir. To see the woman who killed reapers with her bare hands kneel so tenderly and submissively at her lover's feet made Liara's heart throb. "A baby..." Shepard said simply and happily. Liara smiled and started stroking her bondmate's hair, "Our baby, Shepard" she said soothingly, "Our baby."