Note: Don't worry, there's still a "boss battle" this chapter, except it's just a little smaller than ten elcor. The shooting range will be next chapter, but at the moment I need more spiders to scare Tali and Shepard.
"If there are now arachnids on Rannoch, and insects and arachnids aren't native to the ecosystem, they could utterly ravage the wildlife of Rannoch. It would cause a grave imbalance and would likely trigger mass extinctions and plague-like consequences." HOLY SHIT! I JUST KILLED ALL OF THE QUARIANS! I better kill those eight-legged bastards off quick. When I made it the geth that made them, I was under the opinion that they were trying to help the planet by making insects that could pollinate flowers, and bring life er... something, to Rannoch- Ah hell I don't know, I just wanted spiders. So, geth = good. My knowledge of science in general = bad. :D And I'm not even sure if in this story the geth survived or not, I suppose I'll let them live, idk.
As usual, thank you all for reading, reviewing, favoriting and following.
Shepard stood alone in his bathroom, the door open to reveal his and Tali's bedroom, a white cover placed carefully and neatly atop the bed. A single light on in the bathroom, that gave light to half of their bedroom, shown from above the mirror Shepard stared at. He examined his shirtless body, the large scar that covered from under the right ear, down to the right of his collar bone. He lifted a hand, to trace the feel and length of the scar. It was discolored from the rest of his skin, whiter at some parts, and darker at others. It had the texture of a splintered tree branch, and was numb in the spots it covered.
He frowned to himself in the mirror, lowering his hands to examine lesser scars, that he usually paid no mind to. Smaller scars sparsely covered his torso, decorating his muscled body, smooth complexion, and white skin with reminders of past wounds. He again paid no mind to these minor details and instead moved a hand up to his face, feeling a rough and prickly feeling on his jaw. Tali liked the facial hair Shepard had, at least she did until she actually felt it against her lips and face. Ever since then, she ordered him to keep his face clean, or he would receive no "loving" as she put it, from her. He humphed to himself and reached for his shaver, but stopped the movement when he heard a sound bellow from downstairs. "Shepard!" Tali scream was heard from the living room she was supposed to be at.
Shepard threw the shaver down lazily into the sink, and bolted through both doors, the bathroom and bedroom door to get closer to his wife. He doubled down the stairs as fast as his wounded leg would let him move, feeling the pain surface again, and silently cursing it as he quickened to his wife's aid. He hopped off the last stair, and ran into the living room, turning his head left and then right to look for Tali. "Over here." She whimpered, her voice almost a sad tone. She was hiding behind the couch, shyly waving a hand to Shepard. "It's by the TV." She squealed, violently prodding her gray finger in the direction of their television.
He slowly edged his way closer to her, keeping an eye on the television, looking for any sign of movement. Nothing big was seen near the TV, so he checked her with his eyes for a joking expression, but she wasn't joking. "The spider!" She cried aloud, again shoving her finger toward the TV. "It must have followed us back here."
I thought I smashed it? Shepard pondered, his pupils looking up as he remembered back to the cave, where he destroyed the spider with a single stomp of his foot. Maybe it attached to the grooves of my shoe? He thought, then shaking his head and walking closer to the TV screen.
"Don't get too close! It can smell your fear!" Tali sneered at the spider's supposed location, and then quickly ducked her head back behind the couch. Shepard jokingly rolled his eyes at her, and looked back to the TV.
Shepard approached the side of the Television that Tali pointed to with caution, but saw no spider. Tali's head popped back up to see him. "Did you get it?" She said, her jaw trembling and teeth chattering with fear. He shook his head to her and continued to scan the side of the TV.
An odd discoloration of orange stripes, in the shape of a diamond were stuck to the side of the electronic device. He stuck his head out, looking closer at the stripes he saw. The stripes belonged to the spider Tali saw, it was black and orange, almost hidden on the black TV if not for the orange it had. It was no bigger than a bean, and wasn't moving, rather it stayed glued to it's spot. Shepard pressed his thumb against the spider, hearing it crunch beneath his hand. He pulled away, and stared at the dead bug, mushed against the side of the television.
He stuck the same thumb out to Tali, and gave her a smile. It's dead as dead. He mouthed, lifting a foot to leave his spot, but noticing Tali trembling and pointing another finger at the dead bug.
Shepard turned his head to see the dead bug's body, only it wasn't dead, and had doubled in size. He jolted his head back in shock, let his lips twitch, and stepped farther away. He heard a hissing sound come from the bug, and it tried to scurry away. Shepard lunged forward, and swatted his hand at it again, hearing another crunch. The bug was near flat again, but started to shake and popped up, doubling in size a second time. Shit. Shepard swore through his breath, and tried to chase the small monster, but it escaped him. Not good. He thought, his head scanning the floor, walls, and ceiling for the large bug.
He saw something the size of his hand crawl behind a desk, it's eight feet making tapping sounds on the hard flooring. Shepard usually didn't have problems with spiders, but a spider that big, that was a different story. He backed away quickly from the desk he saw it hide under, and took his place beside Tali. He knelt down by her, as she shook, terrified and scared. "Please tell me it's dead." She whimpered, the tone of her voice suggesting she already knew the answer. All Shepard did was look at her, and she knew the answer. "Son-of-a-bitch!" She screamed, and shot her hands up to cover her mouth, in fear of the insect hearing her.
Shepard smiled, but only for a second at her use of a human swear, and then returned to a feared look. "It couldn't have gotten far right? I mean, it's only the size of a nail, what harm could it do?" She said, her back to the couch, and waiting on Shepard's non-verbal answer. He shook his head at her, not knowing how to tell her that the beast roaming around in their room could double in size and was now as big as a rat. "What's," She shook her had at him. "Mean?" Saying it in a stressed tone, wondering what he meant by it. He gave an exaggerated shrug to her, not having time to give a real answer.
"Wherever it is, I don't see it out... there..." She slowed her speech, and gulped, turning slowly and staring above Shepard's head. "Ahhhhhhhhh!" She squealed in a high and piercing tone, scrambling to her feet, and leaving Shepard alone in the room. Shepard reached a hand out for her, but it did no good, she was out of the room before he could ask her why. Her feet stomping up the stairs, screaming all the while she ran.
He heard a wet clicking sound above his head, sounding like sopping and slimy talons tapping each other. Shepard looked above his head slowly, seeing the spider, now the size of his own head, twirling above him on a line of it's silk web. It clicked two pairs of fangs against each other, different from an Earth spider that has a single pair. Shepard did as Tali did, and speed for the stairs. He didn't make it far, before the pain in his leg returned, this time with a longer hurt. Shepard collapsed to the floor next to the living room doorway, only feet from the hallway and stairs.
He gripped at his leg, cursing it under his breath, as he stared hopelessly at the incoming spider. It's sharp pointed legs were pure black, and ticked at the floor as they slowly scurried to him. It's eyes a dozen, and as red as rubies. A soppy liquid oozed from it's fangs and mouth, brown colored and dripping onto the floor. It's legs tapped and ticked against the hard black floor as it inched closer to Shepard, if spiders could smile, then this one was smiling. It was in some ways better to fight a giant spider than one this size, since a giant spider could gobble you up without actually digging into your skin, but this one would poke and stab until you were all but dead and then it would eat you living. Shepard's thoughts were filled with what it would do with him, and what it would do to Tali once it got passed him.
He tried to crawl away, the pain in his leg slowly wavering again. Maybe I can get to a knife in the kitchen before it gets me, or maybe... His thoughts interupted as his advance on the kitchen was halted by two gray, warm, and smooth pillars. His wife's exposed legs, looking up to see her, she held a shotgun steady at her waist, and squinted her eyes at the bug. "Stay away from my husband, you creepy, eight-legged, scurrying, bosh-tet spider." She let out the mouth-full of words, a small smile took to the corner of her lips, as she had the upper hand now.
The large insect roared at Tali, it's former hiss now a sound of pure evil. The brown spit that clung to it's fangs twirled and dropped as it growled at Tali. It's back four legs planted firmly on the floor, it's front four were pointed to Tali in a threatening manner. It leaped for her, screaming a monstrous sound as it engaged. Tali let it come no further than the tip of her gun before she fired, her arm jolting a little with the kick of the gun. It's body flinging to the opposite side of the room, and splitting into different pieces. It's brown spit and white blood sputtered from the barrel of Tali's shotgun, and painted the floor around them.
Shepard slowly stood to his feet, his leg trembling slightly. "If I would have taken my shotgun with me the first time we wouldn't have had to go through this." She pointed out, giving Shepard an I told you so, smile. She stood the gun up against the door-frame, taking a quick look at the carnage the shotgun blast had caused. Different colors of the bugs liquids were draped around the room, and pieces of it laying on the floor.
Shepard gave her a nod and smile, his eyes studying her face as it changed to a large and full smile.
They both seemingly had the same reaction and instinct to the end of their conversation and smiling. Their lips attacked each other, and their hands grappled onto each other's faces. Tali pulled on and curled her fingers through his shaggy black hair, her eyes closed as her lips and tongue still fought Shepard's. Shepard's hands placed lightly over the sides of her face, covering part of her ears. Her hands left the top of his head, and moved to his jaw, feeling short hairs on it. She didn't stop her onslaught of kissing, instead she spoke to him in between breaths and kisses. "Shouldn't- you- shave- soon?" She asked, between breaths and went straight back to kissing him afterward, not giving him time to answer.
He pulled away from her, only for a second to answer. He gave her a single nod, and then turned towards the bloody living room next to them. Shouldn't we... He said through his breath, asking her if they should clean up the mess first.
"I told you, that if I got you in my grasps, I wouldn't let you go until I'm finished." She said, cocking her head at him, and grabbing back onto him. "And I'm not finished." She purred, twisting him around, and lightly pushing him onto the steps of the stairs. He obliged her and sat down on the stairs. She grabbed the bottom of her blouse, and pulled it over her head, revealing her purple lacy bra, fitting tight against her chest. She threw the white cloth at Shepard, hitting him in the face. He threw it off, landing against the corner of the stairs, and gave Tali an annoyed smile and eye roll. "Now we can finish that last thing on our to-do list for today." She said, smiling and working on the button and zipper of her white shorts.
Yes we can. Shepard mouthed to her, watching her shimmy her shorts down her legs, and gave a wanting smile.
"This can be an early present." She said seductively, kicking her pants away.
For what? Shepard asked, still smiling like a fool. Tali stopped removing her clothes, and the smile she had on her face disappeared. Shepard didn't know what she was talking about, but if he didn't play his cards right, he was going to be a lonely man for a few nights. I'm just kidding. I know. He worded, smiling large but falsely, as he pondered what the hell the present was for, and who it was for. The smile returned to her face, and she lunged for him, straddling him with her legs, resting them around the outside of his. She grabbed his face with her palms, and smothered his face with her lips.
"I knew you wouldn't forget, I just knew it!" She yelled, hyped up to no end. She continued kissing his face, his forehead, lips, cheeks, and even his nose. "I love you Shepard." She purred again, nearly strangling his shocked body with a hug.
He didn't reply, for his mind was set on why she was so happy, and still wondering what the special thing was she was talking about.
Note: Tehehe. Bet you thought it was gonna go further that that, didn't yah. Didn't yah! Well too bad.
Next chapter is probably going to be the shooting range, and then something else, and then Fleet and Flotilla Three.
If you liked it, yah! If you didn't, aww... Either way, tell me why. Thank you for reading.
And one more thing, the reason I'm not going in depth about Shepard's appearance, is because he's the default and same as in game, but with longer hair, idk why but yeah.