The door to the bathroom suddenly opened, Ken and Gabby half-falling through it. "Occupied!" Kasumi called cheerfully, regarding the engineers with amusement.
She'd never stoop to matchmaking, but she loved being right.
"Dammit, Kasumi!" Daniels yelped, looking around. "I didn't know you were here!"
"Here in the bathroom or here at the party?" Kasumi asked sweetly, trying not to give full-vent to the laugh threatening to choke her. "And in one of Shepard's bathrooms? For shame!"
It was a spectacular color, play of colors really, that Gabby's face underwent. Even Donnelly looked a little embarrassed.
"It's not what you think!" Gabby insisted, going from red to purple.
"It's not?" Ken asked innocently.
Daniels closed her eyes and seemed to count to ten. "You know…I'm sure there's something broken on the Normandy. And if there isn't…I'll make something." She straightened her uniform, turned on her heel (slamming into Ken in the process), sidestepped Ken, then exited the bathroom.
Ken watched her go.
"Aren't you going to follow her?" Kasumi asked.
"What? Yes. Just…not right this second," Ken answered distractedly, as if it took a lot of his attention not to do so immediately.
Ah, yes. It would look so delightfully suspicious if they disappeared together. Still chuckling, Kasumi slipped past Ken and out into the house in time to hear Gabby—still suspiciously pink—making her excuses and goodbyes to Shepard.
Kasumi didn't think Shepard was aware that Ken and Gabby were taking a step; she looked more concerned than anything. Eventually, Gabby got loose. A few minutes later, Ken excused himself as well—at which point Kasumi actually saw the lightbulb over Shepard's head click on, only to be immediately unscrewed and put away so she wouldn't have to acknowledge it.
Kasumi slipped upstairs after snagging a handful of snacks. It was one of the more fun parties she'd ever attended, even if she declined to take an active part. She enjoyed being an observer more than a participant.
Besides, if C-Sec or someone raided the party, better if they didn't find her here. Not that she could think why anyone should raid the party; maybe it was just a thought of habit.
She could tell which room Shepard wasn't using…and she could hear someone in the bathroom attached to it. If she had to guess, Javik the Green, who hadn't been seen since Jack was declared the Queen of Hard Liquor. Somehow, Kasumi didn't think the Prothean was sulking over the loss. It didn't sound like sulking going on in there.
She slipped into the next bedroom. This one was definitely Shepard's and, unless she was much mistaken, also Alenko's. Good for them. Alenko struck her as a fairly decent fellow, and it was obvious to anyone with eyes that Shepard was a super-massive chunk of his whole galaxy.
She hoped they both came through this alright.
Anything else you need, Doctor?
No, sorry. We're down to spools of flight line and cans of elbow grease.
That had to mean the Crucible was almost finished. Kasumi absently munched on a few snack puffs, then pushed thoughts of the Crucible and the Reapers out of her fore conscious and into the little drawer she usually kept those thoughts in. Right now, it was a party, and she was determined to enjoy it.
And find out exactly what kind of girl Shepard really was. EDI had prevented this sort of investigation on the Normandy, but this was an apartment on the Citadel. There was no one to stop her.
The underwear was very basic…except for a couple of pairs on the top right, placed as if they didn't get used frequently, but so they would be visible at a glance. Lavender, silky, lacy little things, too, not at all what Kasumi expected Shepard to own. She'd honestly expected Shepard to be camouflage (or at least standard issue) from the outside in.
It was good to know there was a bit of girly-girl in there—
Kasumi flinched when the door shut. Turning, she saw Shepard leaning against it, her eyes closed. "Don't freak," she announced.
Shepard flinched at the unexpected voice, then relaxed. "Hey, Kasumi. Enjoying the party?"
"Oh, loads." Kasumi turned off her stealth generator. "Taking a break?"
Shepard nodded. "Got a bit of a headache."
"Parties when you're not used to them can do that. But it's a good one you've pulled together."
"Thanks. I see you've lost no time snooping. Seriously? You're going through my drawers?"
If only she knew. "I go through everyone's drawers. Except Garrus'. Not really a turian thing." Kasumi winked.
"Sounds reasonable. Not that I ever really wanted to know that about Garrus."
"If I tell Tali, she might just combust."
"Please don't. I need my best engineer in working order," Shepard chuckled, then moved to sit on the bed.
"Do you need things a little more quiet? You took a painkiller, yes?"
"Yeah. I say it's just tension, but Alenko actually had something at the ready for me, so maybe I need to talk to Dr. Chakwas."
"Here. Sit on the floor."
Shepard slowly obeyed. Kasumi perched on the bed behind her and began to knead at her shoulders. "Definitely tension. You're really locked up. You need a professional to work you over. I know a place here on the Citadel."
"Whatever you're doing, I can feel it working," Shepard grimaced.
"I'm not a professional, but I can do a little. How bad are these tension headaches, and do you know what's causing them?"
"On a scale of ten, four."
"Shepard, you've died before, and I imagine it was painful."
"Okay, six for a normal person, and yes, I know what's causing them." Her tone indicated she wasn't going to talk about it. Wasn't going to, but most likely simply couldn't. "I just have to hold it together until then."
"It's going to be okay, Shepard."
"Yeah. So gimme the name of that place you like. I might stop in before things get started."
