silenced rumors

chapter four: No worries.

It was a rational thought. Liara thought and thought and thought but was still brought to no answer. Did Shepard like her? Even if the blonde did have a "crush" on her the even bigger question would be, is she going to get asked out? Liara had never kissed anyone or hugged anyone intimately, the farthest she had ever gotten to doing something…frisky? Was holding hands, and that was with Shepard. And it wasn't like they walked around the school or other places with their hands locked swinging them back and forth as they skipped down the hallway. It was just out of consolation, save for that time in the diner that they went to that very morning for breakfast.

"And here is m- hold on." Shepard picked up a pair of boxers lying on her floor and threw it a nearby hamper. "Lovely room…feel free to snoop. Mi casa es su casa. Or something like that."

Liara never thought she would see shepard's room, unless she was looking through a window up in a tree somewhere. For research…of course. The room was smaller than her own but it was cozy. There were posters of video games and movies liara had never heard of, all of them things possibly from earth, various guitars hanging on the walls that were filled to brim with awards and trophies and a little drum set in the far corner, Her bed was slightly unmade but liara didn't mind. She could just picture herself lying down in the big comfy queen size bed, or maybe her and Shepard wrestling and playing around in the dark…or something a little more gentle. Liara looked at the pictures beside shepard's desktop terminal, she picked up the picture, a little smile stretching across her face and also a little laugh she tried to contain.

"Oh god, I should've hid that instead of my underwear." Shepard laughed. "I think that's when I uh…" Shepard came up behind liara. "I was siiiix? Maybe seven. That's my dad by the way."

Shepard had been missing of her two front and bottom teeth, she had some sort of brown stuff smeared over her mouth and cheeks and she still was smiling, as if she didn't have a care in the world. The blonde man beside her suffered the same chocolate covered fate as he smiled aimlessly.

"I think this is what I would call cute." Liara smiled.

"So you do think I'm cute?" Shepard said coming a little closer.

Liara faced Shepard with a slight blush across her cheeks. "Perhaps…"

Shepard cocked a brow, "Yeah? Well…" the blonde caressed liaras burning face. "If that perhaps is leaning towards a yes…then the feeling is VERY mutual." Shepard's thumb grazed liaras bottem lip, "Did I tell you how beautiful you look?"

"No, But I would not mind hearing it." Liara whispered.

Shepard lifted the asaris chin, taking her other hand, placing it on her lower back and bringing her body closer. "You're beautiful." Shepard leaned close to liaras neck, "And I want you know that."

Liara shivered as shepard's breath tickled her neck, she writhed in the blondes arms making Shepard smile down at her. "Goddess…" liara said feeling as little but light headed. She could feel a warm feeling building in the pit of her stomach.

"Close your eyes. Your beautiful blue eyes." Shepard whispered.

Liara obeyed, she closed her eyes. She could feel shepard's face inches away from hers. "Sh-"

Shepard silenced her, "Sh…now, open them."

Liaras eyes fluttered opened, she was staring up at the ceiling. Her body was completely relaxed but also slightly throbbing in pain. She felt her forehead was also throbbing, she winced as she tried to sit up, falling back immediately onto the soft bed beneath her. She took in her surroundings, the lights were off and the only light was from the street light from outside the window, but she could make out it was definitely not her room, but shepard's.

"Shepard?"

The asari could hear footsteps coming from down the hallway. She tensed up at the sound, praying to the goddess above it wasn't that crude Daniel. She listened closely when the foot steps sped up stopping at the door to shepard's room.

The door opened slowly, eventually opening all the way revealing shepard. Liara sighed in relief. The blonde flipped on the lights keeping her eyes trained on the asari on her bed.

"Glad to see you're awake.." She said speaking softly as she closed the door, She dangled a greasy bag of food. "Bacon cheeseburgers? I know you like bacon by the way you devoured it at that diner." Shepard laid her sunglasses on her dresser beside the door.

Liara blushed, she felt so vulnerable. She had just woken up, no telling how bad she was looking and she couldn't even stand from the pain in her body. "Wh-what happened?"

Shepard bit her lip, walking to the bed. "Long story short, you were teaching me how to perfect my lift…I lifted you and I didn't know how to catch you once you fell." Shepard sat down beside liara. "How ya feelin'?"

"No shepard's that is not what I meant." She said getting a little angry. "Did Daniel hit you again?" She said staring at the other bruise under the blondes eye.

"Yeah he did but it's alright…anyways!" Shepard smiled opening the bag and pulling out a huge cheeseburger. "You're gonna love this." Shepard handed her the burger, liara took it slowly still looking at the ugly purple mark. "You look really pretty when you just wake up by the way." Shepard sighed as she kicked off her shoes. "But then again you always do."

Liara blinked. Her brows furrowed with nothing but confusion and concern. "Shepard? Are you sure you are okay?"

Shepard pressed her lips together, "Hm. I think I'll be okay. I always am…let's just drop it. That'll make me feel better."

"Alright…" Liara mustered up the energy to sit up against the bed frame. "Thank you. Although, if you keep feeding me like I am a krogan then I'm not sure you will think of me very likely afterwards."

Shepard laughed, she got up and began to strip. "From what I heard you're one fourth krogan…"

Liaras eyes widen, she didn't know what to do, stare at the half naked Shepard in front of her or respond. "I…uh." She tried not to look by focusing her eyes on the burger. "I'm sorry. Excuse me?" She said forgetting totally all about what Shepard said.

Shepard threw her pants and shirt into a hamper, putting on a tight tank top and gym shorts. "I went to your house and your dad told me that you were part krogan. Hm, I guess we know why you're so feisty now." Shepard teased.

Liara took a bite of her cheeseburger, automatically falling in love. "While I have never been describe as feisty, I will not deny that I'm partly krogan on my fathers side."

"Yeah, that's true you're more flirty than anything." Shepard laughed.

Liara smiled cheekily, "I think I can say the same to you."

Shepard turned on her tv with a gasp. "Me? A flirt? Stop it!" The blonde flipped off the lights. "Good thing we don't have school tomorrow, you can stay here tonight, but I will say it can get pretty hectic in the morning."

"Your mother would allow us to sleep in the same room? Is there a guest room?" Liara said stretching her slightly less in pain body.

"Yeah. I mean sure you can get pregnant." Shepard said lying down beside liara. "But were not doing that…but as big of a flirt you are I might want to sleep with one eye open."

Liara laughed, letting herself relax. "I think I have made my feelings towards you clear Shepard."

Shepard turned on her side to face liara, "Oh? Is this about your blasto panties?"

Liara finished off the rest of her burger. "We are to never speak of that again."

"I don't know Li that's going to be pretty hard to forget, I never notice how much of a cute little butt you have." Shepard teased.

Before liara could respond with a sputtering excuse for a sentence, shepard's omni tool activated and began to ring out throughout the room.

"Incoming call from Miranda."

Shepard sat up giddily, "I've been waiting for this call all day." Shepard looked at liara. "How do I look? Am I okay? Wait what am I saying?" Shepard accepted the call with a huge smile on her face.

There she was. Miranda Lawson, looking more than beautiful. More than gorgeous. Words couldn't describe the beauty that she emitted when she was even just a face on a screen. She was smiling just as big as Shepard was when they saw each other. Liara was so envious of the "ice queen", the way Shepard looked at her with nothing but adoring eyes and nothing less, the way Shepard smiled even though her love was so far away. Liara wanted that. She needed that, but only from Shepard.

"God Miri, I miss you so much." Shepard swooned. "I just want to…feel you And smell you and be with you and just… just look at you and listen to you bitch about my underwear always lying around. Even though you secretly like wearing my underwear."

Miranda chuckled, "And there's that sense of humor I miss. I miss you too baby." Miranda cocked her head to the side, taking a double take "What the hell happen to you? Was it that low life son of a bitch Daniel?" She said almost reaching out to touch Shepard.

Shepard frowned , "We'll talk about it later. I promise. But enough about my health, how Australia?"

"We better or I'm coming back to the citadel to choke him to death with my biotics." The raven haired girl said becoming a little dark. Miranda sighed, "Anyways, bloody blazing hot. But you know what will make me feel better?" Miranda smiled.

Shepard wiggled her brow, "I think of a couple of things." Shepard teased, her voice becoming a little more huskier.

So they were still together? They are still together. That's why Shepard never dated anyone. Wow, who knew they loved each other this much that they are willing to sacrifice their freedom to just call each other theirs even from billions of miles away.

"No you perve." Miranda giggled, "Watch this cheesy scary movie marathon with me tonight? We haven't done anything like that since I moved, it's been too long."

Shepard bit her lip, "Sorry babe, I…i have company. They're staying the night."

Miranda folded her arms. "They? Do you mean she?" Her face harding.

Shepard rubbed the back of her neck letting her blond locks cover her eyes. "Well, you know technically she's monogender. Soooo really she's neither boy or girl. But she does have the female reproductive organs yes. Buuuut-"

"Addison." Miranda said holding up a hand, "Who is she?"

Shepard winced, "Liara."

Liaras heart was pounding through her ears. She didn't know Shepard and Miranda were "technically" still together, everyone had thought they had broken up. Did she over step boundaries that she didn't even know existed? It would have been a nice heads up from tori if she had of known about Miranda and Shepard. It actually hurt liara, she really thought her and Shepard were going to turn into…something. But now that Miranda's back in the picture- scratch that, it was like liara had a picture of her and Shepard in a frame only to take it out of the frame and find out that the portrait was folded and the folded half had Miranda on it. So basically she should say now that's she's seen the full picture, there was no way her and Shepard could be.

Miranda nodded, "Hm. Nice girl. Where is she?" Miranda deadpanned.

"Right beside me." Shepard frowned, "You're not mad at me are you Miri?"

Miranda paused, "…No, why would I?"

Shepard felt her body ease when she let out a sigh. "Good, you had me-"

"It's not like I love my girlfriend dearly, and want to spend time with her but instead she would rather be with another girl instead of her LOYAL girlfriend." Miranda snapped. "Oh wait that's exactly what's happening!"

"Jesus Miranda. I'm not gonna do anything…freaky." Shepard said.

"Do I Addison? I've been at that bloody school! All those girls will kill just to be with you! And now you have one of them on your bed?!" Miranda said, her voice becoming a little more hostile.

Shepard rolled her eyes, "I'm not doing this right now."

"Right. You're perfectly right, I'll talk to you when you realize what's important SHEPARD." And with that Miranda ended the call, the only sound was the disembodied beeping of the omni tool, topping off the anything but comfortable silence between Shepard and liara.

"I'm sorry." They both said.

"For what?" They both said again.

Shepard laughed, "You go first."

Liara smiled with a nod as she looked down at her tangled hands. "Right. I'm sorry for potentially destroying you and Miranda's relationship."

Shepard pressed her lips together, "Yeah. No worries though…her and I aren't really…together."

Liaras heart fluttered, "Really?" She said sounding a little to excited, "I mean I…I just though from hearing your phone call that you two were still romantically involved."

"It's complicated…but isn't it always?" Shepard laughed, "I feel like I'm missing my other half when she's not here. You know that saying that the glass is half full not half empty? How could you be full anything if you don't have your other half?"

Liara furrowed her brows. "I think…I think I understand." Liara smiled. "I didn't expect you be like this when I first met you Shepard."

Shepard chuckled, "Like what?"

"Emotional. Pleasant. Caring. Thoughtful." Liara blushed, "Charming…"

Shepard grinned, "Stop flirting with me gosh! Liara you big flirt, I'm gonna tell my mother you're trying to get hot with me!"

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Liara was too tense, she could feel Shepard only inches away from in the dark quiet room. Her heat and presence caressing liaras back, it was more soothing than it sounded though, She could always feel herself about to drift off but immediately opening her eyes when she felt shepard's burning stare on her again.

"Liara?" The voice was quiet and calm. But it shook liara like a hurricane.

Liaras heart skipped a beat."Yes?" She said almost unable to hear.

The blonde paused, "Why aren't you sleep?" It was odd question, maybe it was the way she said it or how it was worded, but it was sensible.

"I-I do not know…are you having a hard time sleeping as well?" Liara whispered.

"A little." Shepard said just as quiet.

It wasn't awkward, it was beyond comfortable. So comfortable that it was weird, it felt almost too natural.

"Shepard, if you do not mind me asking, why do you have so many scars?" Liara said meekly.

It got even quieter. So quiet that you could hear the little buzz you hear when it's beyond silent in a room. There was a wall of tension between them, the air so thick liara could choke on it if she breathed to fast.

"I have a dark past liara. It hasn't always been the best but I made due with what I had for the sake of my family. I keep it all behind closed doors, but I guess…I could let you know." Shepard sighed, "I trust you. I grew up on earth back in London, as you know, but what you don't know is I was…in a gang. I did some pretty bad stuff that I'm not proud of. But throughout the times where me and my gang would run through the streets I would get a little cut up from time to time, some serious. Some not."

Liara turned to face Her friend, "Shepard."

The blonde wiped away some stray tears that ran down her jaw onto the bed. "I guess I'm not how you imagined me now huh?"

Liara didn't say anything, she wrapped her arms around the blondes torso tucking her head into the crock of shepard's neck. She was surprised at her own actions as much as Shepard was. Even in her blasto panties that she had to sleep in she felt bold.

Shepard began to unwind when she felt liaras heart beat was also beating fast. She wrapped her arms around liara snuggling closer. She was so soft, softer than Miranda. Her skin had been smoother than Shepard had imagined just because she didn't have those little hairs that humans did, which felt amazing against shepard's slight rougher skin. Liara breathed deeply, inhaling shepard's slightly scented skin, and partly because it had felt so good and such a relief to be in shepard's muscular arms. She completely would have no problem staying like this forever.

"Thank you." Shepard whispered. She tilted the asaris head up to look into her eyes. "Really."

Liara smiled, "No worries…" her stomach was in knots and she could barely feel her body as it went numb, she could have sworn that the room was not only spinning but drifting through the galaxy, swaying back and forth through like a boat in the water. She had a tearing feeling in her stomach, it wasn't painful just the feeling of anxiousness making her stomach flip and toss. Like as if someone had been tickling her from the inside with the lightest feather. Her heart was no longer in her chest but in her throat filling her ears with the fast bumping.

"A-am I really awake?"liara sputtered, Knowing what happened the last time that she had been in this very situation it had only been a state of comatose.

Shepard chuckled, her eyes switching back and forth to liaras eyes to her plump blue lips. "I was thinking the exact same thing."

There was hesitation, Shepard was definitely on the verge of kissing liara even though she knew it would start nothing but problems, and besides they were friends. Good friends! Nothing more, nothing less. She didn't want things to be awkward between them because she truly enjoyed liaras company and she was such a sweet person, even her lips were almost as irresistible as a free million dollar check.

"We better get some sleep…I was hoping garrus and tali would meet us for breakfast and we could go see the new blasto movie. Tali suggested it." Shepard said nonchalantly, letting go of the asaris chin.

Liara blinked, of course tali did. "That…that actually sounds nice." Liara laid there stiff, not knowing if it was okay to return to shepard's welcoming neck crook after they had both felt a little uneasy about the almost kiss.

Shepard smiled, tightening her hold on liara. Pulling her closer. "Good. Just some friends going out to have a good time."

Liara laid quietly for a second before easing into shepard's touch. The asari laid her legs closer to Shepard's, burying her face in the blondes neck. "Yes. Friends."

She didn't care if her and Shepard remained friends forever, as long as she didn't mind doing this every night and always being with her. It felt better than amazing being in shepard's arms, she fit so perfectly, like she was made to be here for the rest of her life.

Liaras eyes widened when she let out a small moan involuntarily, she blushed when she heard a little laugh coming from her friend. Shepard massaged liaras rigid but surprisingly soft crest, taking the fringe between her index finger and thumb.

"Sorry. I've just always been so interested in these." Shepard grinned when liara arched slightly against her even though she tried her hardest not to. "Does it feel that good?"

Shepard was human. Liara had to take that into consideration, she didn't know how intimate the asari crest could be. If only she could stop moaning long enough to tell her, but something made her not want.

"Goddess…yes." Liara whispered breathlessly.

Shepard felt a pang in her stomach as liaras breath tickled her neck. She could feel the asaris burning cheeks against her skin. It was official. There was definitely some sexual tension between them.