Same deal as before. Rare pair combinations prompted by the KMeme. Filled here.


Jack/Thane

Someone's Siha

It isn't till after they come back through the Omega Relay that she brings it up. They're doing some maintenance work down in cargo bay together, where the Oculus had wreaked havoc when she surprises even herself by speaking.

"So, what the fuck is that Siha shit you throw around Shepard. It mean babe in lizard or something?"

He turns to look at her, regarding her coolly. That look in his eyes is enough to remind her that he is one of the galaxy's most successful assassins. She's no shrinking violet, but still...probably best to remain in his good books. At least for the next 12 months.

"It is an endearment of sorts, yes. You are on the path to understanding Jack, but you are not there yet. If you keep growing under Shepard's tutelage, as well all are doing, even I, then you will be worthy of the title some day. Just as Shepard is my siha, you will become someone else's."

She doesn't know why, but she blushes at that, just a little. Fucking lizard.


Kaidan/Ashley

The Massage

"Ohh yeah, eltee, that's the spot right there. Work it." Ash sort of semi-moans as she speaks, and Kaidan has no choice but to look up and glance around the empty cargo bay in the off-shift. No one's there but Wrex (rumbled snores in the far corner), and the two of them. She had wrenched her shoulder and back going toe-to-toe against a Thorian creeper, and he'd innocently offered a massage. This was not what he had intended.

She lay on the bench below him, topless with her back to him, broad-shouldered and muscles gleaming. His fingers pressed into hard flesh, the scent of her shampoo drifting up to him. Navy standard suddenly felt like expensive aphrodisiac. He felt her relax more under his ministrations, and he can't suppress a momentary flash of pride. While Shepard spends all his free time hanging around Liara's office, Kaidan has found himself more and more taken with woman they'd rescued back on Eden Prime. The way she can shoot the head of a husk at double the range he can. The way she takes no shit from anyone, and isn't afraid to disagree with her CO if she has her reasons.

"Ahhh, you got magic hands, eltee." Another semi-moan brings him back into the present. She's turned her head to the side, closed her eyes and has pleased smile on her face. He adjusts his pants slightly, trying to make it less obvious why they're tight, when she opens her eyes and looks straight at his groin. Then there's a lazy, lustful smirk on her face as she meets his semi-panicked eyes.

"I say eltee, I don't usually fraternize up the chain of command," her voice was smoky, and he felt his blood throb through his veins, "but I look forward to breaking the regs with you, sometime."

It wasn't a question, but an assertion and Kaidan didn't doubt he'd go along when she decided it was time. He lets himself smile at the thought, back at her.

"Look forward to it...Ash."


Kolyat/Tali

Enough For Now

She spots him at Thane's funeral, sitting apart from the rest of the crowd. Even though she's never met him before, he's the only other drell and the youngest person there as well. He's praying, so she stands slightly behind him and waits. On the other side of the aisle, Shepard and Garrus swap stories about Thane's prowess and what he taught them, about how he almost stopped Kai Leng in his tracks. Vega looks disbelieving.

"You're Tali'Zorah? My father spoke of you, sometimes." His voice is soft, tinged with sorrow.

"Yes. I wanted to tell you how sorry I am. Thane and I...spoke sometimes. About you. About my father. About fathers in general." Her voice is soft in turn, and she places a three-fingered hand on his shoulder, squeezes gently.

"I only wish he had come back to my life sooner." He gets up and turns to face her. "I want to get out of here. Please." She can't resist the plea in his voice, and they sneak away out of a side door.

"Thane loved you. He came back for you. He found a road back to you from a life of war and death. My father...couldn't manage the same." They walk side by side, arms occasionally brushing, looking for a bar where they can both get a drink.

Later, she wakes up in his arms. Shared grief, shared fear, shared memories aren't enough for a relationship. But its enough for tonight. Its enough for now.


FemShep/Ashley

Shepard's Fear

"My mother wants to meet you."

They're lying in bed, sweat cooling, muscles relaxed and skin still tingling from that post-sex comedown. Jane has her arm around her, tracing faint patterns in her skin, but stiffens suddenly at Ash's statement. Ash smiles. Shepard is fearless in the face of a Reaper or a horde of husks, but whenever she mentions matriarch of the Williams clan, her lover suddenly gets nervous.

She rolls over to look Jane in the eye, brushing dark brown hair behind her ears. They're both professional soldiers, lean and hard women, and Ash loves to trace out the ridges defined in Jane's stomach, occasionally with her tongue, just now with the tip of her fingers.

"You scared, skipper?" She keeps her tone light, but looks into Jane's green eyes as she speaks.

"No. Maybe. I don't know." She rarely shows such vulnerability, and Ash feels a fierce joy in her heart that Jane opens up to her like this.

"Relax. My sisters love you. Abby's convinced you need a corset for your next birthday. Sarah appreciated you came to the memorial service. My mom knows you avoided her that day." Jane guiltily looks away, and Ash grins again. Jane has many great qualities, and being painfully honest is right at the top of the list.

"I just...what if she doesn't like me? Like us?" There's a hint of fear in her voice, and Ash plants a soothing kiss on Jane's belly button. She knows that her lover is skittish about families. Growing up without one on the streets of Earth has definitely left its mark.

"She'll like you. She'll love you. She can't not."

"And she won't...she won't mind that I'm a woman?"

Ash can't help letting a chuckle escape, even though Jane's eyes are hooded with genuine worry.

"Relax, skipper. She's religious, not a bigot. I'm a big girl, and bringing home my badass saviour-of-the-galaxy girlfriend will only add to my brownie points."

Shepard does relax. The tension that had set into her shoulders at the start of the conversation flows out, and she pulls at Ash's shoulders and meets her halfway for a kiss. Lips meet softly, then the kiss builds, tongues dancing, and Ash runs her thumb over one of Jane's nipples, suddenly hard and then two of them are lost in each other, all thoughts and fears and nerves left far behind.


Garrus/Ash

The Bet

"Heard you had a little competition with Shepard today?" Her innocent tone doesn't fool Garrus, and he turns to face her, leaning back against his console.

"Yeah. Now I got my favourite spot on the Citadel. Shepard saves the galaxy, but I'm the best damn shot on the Normandy." He preens only a little bit, mandibles quirking, flicking a little bit of dust away from the left shoulder of his armour in an universal sign.

"Oh reeeaaaaaally? Shepard spends most of her time charging things in the face and shooting them with a shotgun. Not exactly a marksman." The challenge in her voice is unmistakable, laced with a hint of humour, and something else. Smokier.

"Time and place, Williams. You, me, a couple of Vipers. Lets settle this." He lets his confidence show. She doesn't back down. He knew she wouldn't.

"Lets make it interesting. Put your money where your mouth is, Vakarian."

"Money?" Oh shit, there's his mouth, running away from him again.

"Why soldier, you got something else in mind?" Their eyes lock. His spine sort of...freezes over. He vows to himself to win this little competition. He always did like to savour the last shot before the popping the heatsink after all.