Title: The Bane of Flowers

Characters: Liam Kosta, Sara Ryder, the cast of Mass Effect Andromeda

Pairing: Liam/Sara

Rating: Teen

Disclaimer: I do not own anyone/anything from the forum Mass Effect. Bioware and EA own Mass Effect and its characters. There is no copyright infringement intended. I do not make any profit/money or take any credit.

Summary: It was stupid. He was stupid.

Yet, here he was. Jealous every time she giggled when she looked at the flower.

Timeline: Saving Vorn/Seed Vault and agreeing to take the flower to Kesh. (Committed to Liam). Before the Archon Ship.

Warning: Jealous!Liam, Idiot!Liam, Oblivious!Sara, Drack is literally just in the background, rolling his eyes at the idiots.

Author's Notes: This came to me after I saved Vorn and agreed to take the flower, picking the choice that made her say Vorn was adorable, and I had Liam in the party, and it made me…wonder.

Part of 'Dreams and Faith' Series

The Bane of Flowers

It was just a flower.

Sure, it was a flower that Vorn had grown.

But it was just. A. flower.

Liam lowered his data-pad onto the counter when he heard Sara giggled, looking up to see her brushing her fingers over the soft petals, with that look on her face.

Usually, any flowers would be kept in the bio room, but Sara put the plant on the crates next to the room, where it seemed to be mocking him.

And annoyed Gizmo, the pyjack, since being on top of the crates was one of his favourite places to be.

It wasn't even a flower meant for Sara. It was a gift to Kesh, something that made Sara call Vorn adorable and made him burn hot with jealously before he smothered it down when she spun around with the pot of flower held carefully in her hands.

It was stupid.

Yet, here he was, watching her smile softly at the flower, a light in her eyes he had never seen before and jealously twisted in his gut, making him feel guilty and stupid.

It was just a flower!

Sara turned around, one last stroke of the petal, and met his gaze. A bright smile lit up her features and he felt his own smile answer, watching as she walked over to him.

"Hey."

It dawned on him that it was the first time he had seen her with her hair down from its ponytail. Well, not exactly the first time but still, it was the first time and it struck him at how…soft she seems to look.

Sara came to a stop in front of him, resting her hip against the counter and looked up at him with an expression he had only seen in private.

Relaxed. That was the word he was looking for. She looked relaxed.

He liked seeing her like this. Relaxed. She never got to relax. He chanced a glance at the flower behind her and wondered if it had relaxing properties.

"…busy right now, huh?" her voice brought him back and he looked down to see her concerned dark blue eyes staring back at him.

"What? No, I'm never too busy for you," he assured her. She arched an eyebrow.

"Wow, and here's me thinking you were miles away." She teased him.

"Just thinking," he muttered, drawing a curious look from her.

"Penny for your thought?"

"Is that even still a thing? Can we still use pennies in this galaxy?" he found himself asking.

Sara's curious look turned to one of amusement as she pressed her lips together, clearly struggling not to laugh.

"Liam, is there something on your mind?"

"Nope." He popped the 'p' and sighed as she nodded, her eyes twinkling.

"Alright." Laugher was clear in her voice. "We're heading back to the Nexus to pass on some news and for me to do some updates." She leaned in and brushed against him. "Meet you at Vortex for a drink?"

"Sure." He nodded, swallowing back his desire as she shot him a teasing smile, pulling away and walking toward the catwalk with an extra sway in her hips.

She always did know how to tease him then he felt a scowl replace his smile when she touched the flower on the way by.

"You're an idiot," Drack muttered next to him, appearing from wherever he had been hiding. Liam shot him a glare. "I'm not the one feeling jealous of a flower!"

"I'm not jealous!" protested Liam. "Not over a damn flower."

"Right." Drack chuckled. "That's why you keep expecting it to burst into flames every time you look at it."

"Aren't you supposed to hate that flower? Considering it's for Kesh, from Vorn?" he reminded and got a dark scowl in return.

"Don't think I don't know what you're trying to do," Drack fired back. "And it's not working."

"Sure thing, old man." Liam shrugged. He glanced at the flower once more before bringing up his data-pad.

He had work to do. And he wasn't jealous of a flower.

Now he was beginning to get annoyed. The flower kept nagging at the back of his head.

It felt like every time he turned around, Sara was there with the flower, giggling, and looking soft and vulnerable, and it was so stupid. How can one possibly be jealous of a flower?

By the time they reached the Nexus, Liam felt like he was going to crawl out of his skin with annoyance. Anything to get away from the flower when he reached the docking bay and saw Sara carefully holding the pot.

He bit back a resigned sigh when she turned to look at him and smiled at him before turning to the others when they started to group around them, all of them clearly eager to get off the ship for some shore leave time.

"Alright, we're docking for a little while longer this time since I have a few things I need to do. So, feel free to wander. No getting in trouble."

"What's the fun in that?" Peebee protested.

"Fine, fine, get into trouble all you want. No calling SAM. He's not bailing anyone out." She stuck her tongue out at Peebee, who just returned the sentiment and Liam rolled his eyes.

It really was amazing how responsible and logical Sara could be, yet when she was with Peebee, it was like another side came out and when he was in the party with those two…he was the mature and responsible one and it really shouldn't scare him as much as it does.

"So, I'm off to see Kesh, and Addison, and Tann…and to help nail Spender to the wall! Wish me luck!" She waved a free hand as she darted out the Tempest, leaving behind a bewildered group.

Gil was the first one to break the silence with a chuckle.

"Who wants to bet on what she'll have fun doing the most? Nailing Spender to the wall, calling out Addison regarding Spender and the Three Sabers, or giving Kesh the flower?" He held up a book. "I have 50 credits down for Spender."

"Put me down for Addison," Cora gently bumped shoulders with Gil. "Addison keeps rubbing her up the wrong way. No way Addison isn't going to try and downplay her part in either Spender or the Three Sabers." She left the Tempest.

"Good point." Gil opened his book and quickly pencilled in Cora's bet.

"Nailing Spender. She hates that guy. I still can't believe she's hasn't rubbed it in Morda's face that the Krogans believed the lying weasel," Peebee spoke up.

"That's probably because she doesn't want to make the situation worse." Vetra sighed, "Though I think she's stowing it away to use at a later date, should Morda try and step out of line."

"Peebee for Spender. How about you Vetra?"

"Addison for sure. If the woman would learn to stop annoying Sara, she'd get much further." Vetra and Peebee made their way off the Tempest.

"I'm not voting," Drack told them as he walked by them. "Because I'm off to help nail Spender to the wall and hope I can gift his head to Morda." He chuckled darkly.

That left Liam with Gil.

"How about you Liam?" Gil turned to look at him before he grinned. "Oh wait, you don't bet."

"The flower." Liam surprised even himself as Gil's smile slipped, awe clear on the other man's face. "Put me down for the flower."

"Ho-oh!" Gil quickly pencilled him in, and why wasn't it weird to see Gil with a pencil? "Insider's information?"

"No, just…a feeling." He shrugged before making his way off the ship. Instead of heading straight to the Vortex for his usual drink, he decided to wander, to take in the sights.

He still couldn't believe the difference between now and when they had first arrived at the Nexus.

Back then, it had been dark and empty, hope all lost. Now, it was bustling.

He watched as the Angara mixed with the Milky Way species. Saw Jaal as he conversed with the Asari from the Culture Exchange as they walked into the building.

Watched as Vetra watched the dock people.

Watched as Kallo and Suvi chatted animatedly as they walked together, Suvi's grin bright and teasing, Kallo's resigned features.

He watched as Gil quickly dodge some guy determined to catch up with him, disappearing within the tram and made a mental note to ask him.

Peebee had already disappeared toward the Hyperion, having now made her spot there.

Liam made his way up to the second level and settled at the railing, looking down at the sights.

This is what they had brought to Andromeda. Hope. It's what Sara had brought to the Nexus.

He knew she still grappled with her decisions, was still unsure of herself and what she meant to everyone. Still balancing the pressure on her shoulder as a Pathfinder, and as Alec Ryder's daughter.

He once overheard Kallo ask why Sara always tried to find a way to please people.

Curious, he had looked over at the two of them to see Sara shrug and mumble something under her breath, not really giving an answer. Kallo merely turned back to piloting, respecting Sara's need for privacy.

Yet Liam had seen the answer on her face.

Because the black mark of being Alec Ryder's daughter had carried forward into Andromeda despite the promises of a fresh start.

And it made him hurt for her. Had made his heart tightened and anger surge through him.

If only people would stop seeing Alec Ryder's daughter and start seeing Sara Ryder.

The one who pushed forward trying to make Heleus a better future for everyone. The one who had to carry everyone's doubts on top of hers.

He hated that she doubted herself. He hated seeing her second-guess her actions, hated seeing the way she over-thought something.

She had only really taken the plunge twice in the time he had known her.

When she shot the Cardinal in the back – he agreed with the Moshae, that Kett had deserved far worse than a quick death – and when she kissed him – she kissed him - when they both needed comfort, a moment to feel real and to forget what they had seen.

But other than that, she kept herself professional, even when they spat in her face, then turned around and demanded her help.

He had seen that sharp edge she kept hidden though. The others didn't see it but sometimes, it would slip through, and it made him wonder how deep the cuts she could create if she would just let go and spoke what was on her mind.

But at the same time, it terrified him.

If she let that edge come through…would she lose what made her Sara Ryder?

A familiar figure out the corner of his eye caught his attention, and he turned his head.

Vorn was standing the corner, talking with Dr Camden, a botanist who had asked Sara for some cultivation samples.

He grinned as he remembered Sara arguing with SAM over the differences – or lack of difference – between a gardener and a botanist.

And, yep, here comes Sara with a bounce to her step. Her light brown hair had been pulled back into its ponytail. Out of the way and professional looking and damn it if it didn't make him want to tug on it just to see how she would react.

Probably with a roll of her eyes and amused smile. He always seemed to get that reaction from her, and some quick-witted remark that had him doing a double-take at her smug expression and shaking his head, amazed when it came to her.

He watched as Vorn said something to Dr Camden that made the botanist gesture crazily and Sara laugh, drawing a grin from Vorn and another twist of jealously in Liam's gut.

Liam sighed as he dropped his head, shaking it, wondering what the hell was wrong with him.

They were committed; said they weren't playing games anymore. He had refused to be the clingy boyfriend back when they had that moment, saying it wasn't what she needed.

And it wasn't what she needed. She needed someone to have her back, and he managed it.

Yet, here he was, jealous over a damn flower and the Krogan she called adorable.

How pathetic could he be?

"Hey!" he blinked and turned to see Sara rounding the walkway heading toward him with a smile and he smiled.

"Hey, you."

"Thought we were meeting at the Vortex." She came to a stop next to him, gently checking his hip with hers. "Dutch asked after you when he saw me. Thought something had happened to you. Of course, Anan had to tell him that I had you tied up in my room."

Liam chuckled as Sara rolled her eyes. "It's not funny, Liam. You didn't have to deal with Dutch demanding I let you go." That made Liam laugh even harder, and she nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. "Watch it, Kosta, I can still ditch you."

That sobered him up, but he kept the smile on his face, amused at the thought of Dutch arguing with Sara over him being tied up.

Knowing Dutch, he took it literally which would have meant a flustered Sara trying to fend off Dutch and dealing with Anan's teasing jokes.

"So, why are we up here instead of the Vortex?" she asked him.

"I thought I'd come up here and take in the view." He looked back out. Sara settled on to the railing next to him and she smiled.

"Yeah, it's one heck of a view." He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

She was beautiful.

"So, how did things go with Spender and Addison?" Liam decided to change the conversation.

"Eh." She wrinkled her nose. "Addison tried to cover up the Three Saber thing, but I overruled her. Told her to let everyone knows what happened. She said it would cause friction with the Angara and I told her it would cost us down the line if we covered it up."

Vetra was really on the money when it came to Addison. Liam shook his head.

"And Spender, did you finally get to nail him to the wall?"

Sara rolled her eyes.

"Kandros arrested him and hauled him into Kesh's office – since that is the only place we can interview people, apparently. The leaders aren't too happy with the mess."

"And Spender?"

"Spender tried the whole 'they threatened me' line until I pointed out that he was playing everyone to get what he wanted. And that everyone fell for it and they had no one to blame but themselves. Addison is kicking herself over it. She says she should have acted when I brought it to her but." Sara shrugged. "Too little, too late."

"So, you had to pass judgement on Spender, I guess?" he was beginning to get annoyed with the way everyone passed it down to Sara whenever they had a big decision to make.

"Yep, exiled him. He's currently kicking and screaming as Kandros drags him out." She shrugged. "He liked playing both sides, he can learn what it's like when you don't have a good side."

"Wouldn't want to be him."

"Not if someone decides to switch the papers and send him to Elaadan." She gave him an impish smile and he sighed.

"I'm not even gonna go there." He shook his head.

"Probably a good idea." She nodded sagely. "Best to have deniability." He shot her a look and she smiled. "Liam, there is a lot of people who hates Spender. Hell, the Comm expert all but jumped for joy when I told him I was investigating Spender."

"And Addison wondered why she never saw it."

"She never wanted to see it. That's the problem. They all knew he had an attitude problem. And he was playing them all. I found his notes. He was causing friction between Tann and Vetra's replacement. Was constantly reminding Addison that the Krogans left to keep her unhappy. They were all blinded by what they wanted to see that they never saw what was happening."

Sara sighed then rolled her shoulders, clearly trying to get rid of the tension in them.

Liam stepped behind her, his hands going to her shoulders and gently rubbed his thumbs into the muscles, eliciting a soft sigh from Sara as her head dropped forward.

"You're too good to me."

"Pff." He leaned forward and kissed the back of her neck. "Never. Just making sure you get to be Sara, and relaxed."

"With very magical hands," She near purred, making him laugh.

"All for your benefits," he assured her, and she laughed, making him grin and press down a little harder, getting a soft moan from her before she pulled away, shaking her head.

"Nope, you're not distracting me." She turned to look at him.

"Hmm, shame," he shrugged, and she gave him a baleful glare and poked him in the stomach, making him laugh as he came to stand next to her again

"Did you get round to giving Kesh the flower?" he asked, turning to face her, resting the side of his body against the railing. Sara wrinkled her nose.

"Krogan are so bad at accepting gifts unless it's some form of weapon." A fond smile crossed her lips.

The same smile she always had when she looked at the flower. "She scoffed at the gift. Said Vorn was wasting his time growing flowers." She looked at Liam. "I threatened to take the flower back. She yanked it out of my hands, protesting and told me not to tell Vorn that she thought it was sweet."

"Hmm, guess she liked it then."

"I guess even Krogan can fall for that kind of charm."

"What charm?" Did he sound defensive?

"The sweet romantic one." Sara sighed happily. "Though the thought of a Krogan being romantic is kind of…weird? I guess." She shrugged.

"I guess some people like that, huh?"

"What? Being wooed by a flower named after you by a cute guy who tells you that the flower never had a chance back in your home-world, but it has a new chance, just like them?" She smiled. "Yeah, most people like that kind of thing."

"So, it was a big deal?"

"For Vorn, it was. For Kesh…I think it's a new thing for her. Even though she's not like most Krogan since Drack said she liked to read ever since she was young, she was still brought up by Drack and I don't think Drack has a romantic bone at all." She scoffed. "I don't think Drack even knows what romance is."
That made Liam laugh at the thought of it, remembering the old man going off on a rant over how Vorn and Kesh had gotten together, and how in his day, they didn't just do what they wanted. There were traditions before they started courting.

"I guess they are kind of creating their own path, just like us." He murmured.

"Liam Kosta!" she gasped. "That was so sweet." He rolled his eyes even as he felt his cheeks heat up only for his eyes to widen in surprise when Sara leaned up and kissed him.

Wow! The last time she kissed him like this, they ended up on his couch. She very rarely initiated anything. Not that he was really surprised, she was reserved, and he could sense the underlying pain in her history.

And yet it took a flower to make her happy?

"Alright, out with it." She pulled away from him, staring up at him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Out with what?" his eyebrows rose at her sudden change in attitude.

"Like I haven't noticed the attitude regarding the flower, Liam. I'm not stupid."

"There's no attitude," he defended himself, his hands going to his hips.

Sara just glared and he cracked, his hands sliding off his hips. "Fine, there is an attitude with the flower. But it's stupid. You don't need to worry about it."

"Worry that my boyfriend seems to be acting weird about a flower?"

Boyfriend? His heart thudded a little. Sure, they were now serious, made a commitment and everything and yeah, he thinks he might be a little head-over-heels in crazy love with her but they never really stopped to put a title on their relationship.

"Liam!" her voice brought him back and he looked at her frustrated features. "It's just a flower."

"It made you smile," escaped him before he could think about it and groaned. Why did he always have to put his foot in his mouth?

Sara just stared at him, her lips parted and dark blue eyes wide before she blinked.

"You…you were jealous? Of a flower?"

"It's stupid. I know it's stupid. I'm stupid." He groaned. "But you just seemed…happy. And I haven't actually seen you that happy like that. I mean, I kind of have but I haven't?"

Sara just chewed on her bottom lip. A sign that she was waiting for him to explain.

"You were happy. Whenever you looked at the flower. You were happy. It made you happy and I…don't seem to make you that happy…" He grumbled lamely.

Sara blinked again before she started laughing. Actually laughing. Tears coming out the corner of her eyes laughing.

Liam gaped at her, bewildered before he looked around to see people were now looking over at them curiously. He just gave them a sheepish smile before his hands went to his laughing girlfriend's hips, holding her up.

"You're attracting attention," he told her, his voice low. He was very well aware of how shy Sara could get when she had people's attention when she wasn't expecting it.

She tried to stifle her laugher, shaking her head when she caught his eye.

"You were jealous of a flower." She laughed again and he sighed, wondering if he would ever get over this.

"Right now, I'm just hoping you're not going to hold it against me for the rest of my life."

Finally, her laugher settled, she placed her hands on his shoulder, moving in close and she smiled brightly.

"Liam, you make me happier than you know. So happy. A flower can't compare to that. Trust me."

"So why did it make you smile?" He hated feeling insecure.

"Because it reminded me of my parents."

What? Liam's confusion must have shown on his face because she smiled.

"Dad used to get mom flowers whenever he was an idiot and forgot something. When I saw the flower, it made me flashback to when I would see my dad show up with a bunch of flowers and a sheepish look. Mom would be so amused."

Sara shook her head. "Mom told me, once, that SAM had taken upon himself to remind dad whenever he made a promise and forgot. So whenever Dad showed up with flowers, it was because SAM chastised him."

"I did not chastise your father. I merely reminded him of his promises," SAM cut in and Liam was amused to notice that SAM sounded defensive.

"My story, SAM. Butt out," Sara teased.

"I am merely pointing out a fault." Now it sounded like SAM was pouting and Liam couldn't get over how human SAM was beginning to sound since joining with Sara.

"Protest noted. Now go away and find someone else to bother."

"…fine."

Liam arched an eyebrow at Sara who rolled her eyes amusedly.

"He may, technically, be older than Scott and me, but I still have the big sister role down." That made Liam grin.

"So, the flower reminded you of your parents. Now I feel stupid."

"It's not your fault that you didn't know why I was always smiling at the flower. I must have looked crazy to everyone, especially Jaal."

"Cora seemed to get it."

"Hmm."

"What?"

"Well, Cora was close to my father so I wouldn't be surprised if she was there for some of SAM's 'reminders'," she carefully spoke so she wouldn't invoke the AI. "Besides, she likes flowers too."

"You know, I wouldn't have expected that from Cora," he told her as he gently swayed them.

"Don't let Cora fool you. She's a softy under all that armour." She winked. "And please don't be jealous of Cora." She grinned as he rolled his eyes at her.

"I'm not gonna be jealous of Cora." He scoffed. "So…what was the flower? It must have been something like what Vorn created."

"Myosotis," SAM informed him, coming back to the conversation. Sara giggled at Liam's confused expression.

"Forget-me-not." She smiled. "Inside joke for my parents."

"So…the whole thing was just a trip down memory lane about your parents?" Now he felt even more of a jerk for being jealous.

"In a way. But at the same time, Vorn was just being adorable. Every time I saw the flower, I was reminded how…hopeful he looked when he asked me if I could take the gift to Kesh."

"Hopeful?" Now that he thought back on it, she was right.

The way Vorn had asked Sara to take the flower…he could see that Vorn had been scared in a way, almost as if he was expecting Sara to reject helping him with this sweet gesture.

And it dawned on him. How could he have missed it?

Easy, you were jealous, came Drack's voice, mocking him.

Everyone saw the Krogan as brutes. Good for war and fights. Nothing else. People liked to see them as weapons, as tools. Not as people, with emotions and dreams and hopes.

Sara agreeing to Vorn's request, even going as far as to tell him that he was adorable and the eager way she reached for the flower had only helped her relationship with the Krogan.

And yeah, he might be more than just head-over-heels crazy in love with this girl.

Just when he thought he couldn't be any more amazed by her, she would go and do something like this, and he would fall even deeper into the rabbit hole.

"You're such a dummy." She cupped his cheeks and pulled him down for a kiss, slow and sweet and damn it if he didn't feel himself harden as she pressed herself up against him.

His hands slid around her waist and up her back, holding her close to him. She hummed and he shivered before she pulled away, her hands slid down to cup his neck.

"I like you the way you are, Kosta. Jealously and all." She grinned as he rolled his eyes.

"You're lucky I like you, Ryder."

"Hmm. I know." She reached up on tiptoes and kissed him again. "And you're adorable too."

Oh, well, maybe it wasn't so bad being jealous of a flower.

The End

Ha! I actually had fun writing this. I hope you guys liked it. (and to be honest, it really wasn't supposed to turn into a Liam monologue about Sara…hey, gotta go where the flow takes you, right?)