Persephone sat quiet in the back of the shuttle, the borrowed armor a bit uncomfortable, making her have to tug in places. Shepard said they would get her outfitted with her own, but for now, standard issue Alliance armor would have to suffice. James stood at the other end, hand up and grasping the cargo netting stretched across the ceiling. Turbulence caused the shuttle to buffet every so often and she could hear Shepard and Cortez talking up at the helm.
"Nervous?" She looked up, seeing James standing close and she shrugged.
"A little, I guess."
"You'll be fine." He said, "Shepard said you're on support duty; barriers and shit?"
"Crowd control, too." Persephone said, "Thinning the herd, so to speak."
"Well don't thin this herd and you're good." He said and she snorted. His armor was heavy plating, making him look even more massive in the chest and shoulders, narrowing down to a tapered waist and trim hips, balanced out by heavy braces around his thighs. An assault rifle was secured on his back, a shotgun in the clips against the base of his spine and she touched her own pistol lightly, Shepard having insisted that she carry a gun even though she was a poor shot. The Commander had programmed a blade into her omnitool, showing her how to activate it if she needed to.
"We're approaching the LZ." Shepard called back and Persephone stood from her seat, going to move around him to the hatch. The shuttle bucked and Vega wrapped an arm around her waist, gloved hands going to the steely plates on his chest as he pulled her against him to steady her. Heat rushed to her face as she looked up at him, and she cursed the fact that she had put her hair up in a twist, as she was unable to hide her blush. He stared down at her, unfairly hazel eyes darted down then back up as she wet lips suddenly dry, his arm tightening around her waist. She could swear she felt the heat of his hand even through his glove and the high density weave of her undersuit.
His lips pulled into a small smirk as he looked down at her and he leaned in so he could whisper without the others hearing.
"You're flaring." He said, "Your eyes have gone a little...swirly."
"It's n-nerves." She stammered and his smile widened. "About the mission."
"About the mission." He repeated, "Right." She wanted to grab him and kiss him, see for herself if his lips were as soft as they looked, but he was just playing with her. Empty flirting that didn't mean anything. The reality of it hit home and she pushed away from and around him, joining Shepard as she came from the front. This feigned interest he kept showing was just a game to him, that much was obvious. He was toying with her whether for his own amusement or for some other reason, she didn't know.
It was time to start distancing herself from him before she got hurt.
The shuttle didn't so much as touch down as hover within jumping distance of the ground and the hatch lifted. The heat and dust of Tuchanka was quick and oppressive and Persephone gave a moment's pause before she followed Shepard and Vega out of the shuttle, dirt and rocks crunching under her boots.
"There's a Turian platoon somewhere in these ruins along with Reaper patrols." Shepard said, "EDI, can you get us a line to Lieutenant Victus?"
"I can try, Shepard, but the connection is bad."
"Lieutenant Victus, this is Commander Shepard of the Normandy, I need you to send up a flare so we know your location." She said and there was a small boom before a flare arced into the sky. "I see it, we're on our way, just hold tight."
"Lola?" James asked.
"They're pinned by Reaper forces and there's pockets of soldiers along the crash path." She said and pulled the rifle from her back, activating her tech armor. "Let's move out. Persephone?"
"I'm ready." She said and Shepard gave her a nod before they started moving forward.
Persephone mostly stayed away from her pistol, using her biotics to defend the others. She Threw Marauders over cliffs or into crumbling pillars, used Warp fields to tear apart Husks and put a Barrier on James when he decided to rush off by himself, Shepard's sound of frustration letting her know that this has happened before.
She projected a biotic field over a group of Turian soldiers, the blast from the Harvester against the barrier feeling like a punch to the chest.
"Persephone!" Shepard called out, "We got forces inbound, get to cover!"
"If I move, the barrier will drop!" She called back.
"Now, Persephone! That's an order!" Persephone's shields buffeted as she was fired upon by Cannibals and Ravagers and just as the VI in her visor beeped at her to let her know her shields were about to fail, she dropped the barrier and let out a biotic wave, blasting the Reaper forces away and falling back behind cover.
"You okay, kiddo?" Shepard called over to her.
"I'm fine!" She responded, her implant searing. The Harvester flew off and she sat there a minute while Shepard checked the soldiers' status. James came over and reached a hand down and she took it, letting him help her to her feet.
"You alright?" He asked and she nodded. Pulling open a pouch on his belt, he dug out a fruit bar and handed it to her. "Eat this, you're looking a little pale."
"Thank you." She said, taking it from him, ripping open the wrapper and taking a bite. "Ugh, cherry."
"Well I'm sorry, linda, we didn't have any strawberry pineapple ones." He said with a smile, "Someone ate them all."
"Well why'd you have to go and do that, Vega? Rude." She teased back and he gave a small chuckle.
"Hold still, you have bit of um...dirt on your-" He reached out, holding the side of her jaw as his thumb brushed dirt off her cheek. His thumb slowed then stopped as he stared down at her and there was a small tug as he pulled her closer even as he leaned in.
"You guys good?" Shepard's voice snapped the moment and they pulled away from each other, Vega looking away.
"We're good." He said, clearing his throat, and Persephone moved away from him, munching on her fruit bar as her cheeks flamed, not even tasting the slightly chemical cherry flavor anymore.