Shepard carefully picked up the heavy wine bottle. Do they even make blue wine?
Tali grabbed one of the tubes and twisted off the cap. Vapor rose from the depths of the container, wafted through her olfactory filters and made her heart skip a beat.
Jerking the tube away she asked, "Do you think this is safe to drink? I'm not even sure this is wine."
Shepard glanced at the note on the tray, equally concerned. Then he chuckled, brushing off the thought. Like Mordin would try to make us horny or something.
"I'm sure the note is meant as a joke. Mordin has an interesting sense of humor. We can-"
A growl from his stomach interrupted him.
Tali laughed. "Maybe we should eat first. It's not good to drink on an empty stomach anyway."
"Good idea. What do you want to order?"
"Let's go to the hotel's restaurant. We've been stuck in here all day, not that I haven't enjoyed every second, but it would be good for us to go out for a while. And we can bring the wine with us."
"You'll have to put your suit back on."
There was no sadness as Tali turned to smile at him. "It doesn't matter, Shepard. As long as I'm with you, it doesn't matter."
They soon found themselves sitting at a private table out on a balcony overlooking Nos Astra. A railing circled the edges, occasionally separated by a thick column that attached to the roof above. A white curtain blocked the inside of the hotel that an asari waitress occasionally passed through.
Tali wasn't much of a wine drinker so she'd stored two of the three tubes in their kitchen and they sent the rest back down the little elevator with instructions to be set at their table. The hotel staff did this without batting an eye.
The single tube and bottle of wine now sat on one side of the table as they finished their food.
"Mmm, that was very good."
Shepard reached across the table to grab her hand and squeezed lightly.
"I'm glad you liked it."
Tali was wearing her favorite purple cloth over her suit. It seemed designed to look good in any situation, be it shooting synthetics or sitting in an expensive restaurant.
Shepard didn't have many formal clothes, but Tali really liked the dark-purple collared shirt that he wore with black slacks and black shoes.
"Ready to try the wine?" Tali picked up one of her tubes.
Shepard opened his bottle and poured the blue liquid into a glass. He swirled it gently, watching it intently before bringing it to his nose to smell. The hair on the back of his neck stood up.
His eyes flicked to Tali. "You first."
Tali snorted. "Coward."
She inserted the tube in her helmet and took a small sip. She winced as the cold liquid entered her mouth and slid down her throat. Almost instantly after swallowing, a flare of warmth warped through her from head to toe. It disappeared just as suddenly but left her nerves tingling.
"Keelah... I like it. I think." She looked at Shepard. "Now you."
Shepard cautiously took a sip. It was cool going down his throat. He wrinkled his brow, confused, until a pleasant warmth spread throughout his body. Woah.
Tali noticed he shivered. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, this is nice." He raised his glass and Tali brought her tube close.
"To us," Shepard said simply, eyes on Tali.
"To us," she whispered.
As they drank, the fluid washed seductively through their systems. Shepard poured another glass, Tali continued to sip.
Their feet brushed under the table, their eyes glanced away as a shock rippled through them.
The more they drank, the more they felt pulled toward each other. Their eyes met again. Thoughts of each other were brought to the forefront of their minds while the rest were washed into the background and further into nonexistence.
A tension built between them so strong and pungent that when the asari waitress stepped through the curtain she immediately backed out.
Tali finally finished her drink and set the tube down, knocking it over with shaky hands. She didn't see it roll off the table, didn't hear the thud as it hit the floor. All of her senses were completely and utterly locked on the man across the table.
Whether he was getting drunk on the wine or on Tali was hard to tell. Each swallow warmed him, but as he stared at her he became hot, so hot he couldn't feel the breeze that ruffled his clothes. He poured another glass. The need he felt for her was magnified as the liquid rushed down his throat. It was the most addicting drug.
Tali fidgeted in her chair, Shepard tugged at his collar. They were sweating.
His bottle was half empty when the wine glass slipped from his fingers to the floor.
The loud crash caused both to bolt out of their chair as if struck by lightning. Shepard thrust the table aside, overturning even as he lunged for Tali. He carried her across the balcony and shoved her against a column as the table landed on its side with a bang.
Tali threw legs around him, the heat of his body nearly melting through her suit.
Shepard's fingers were a vice-like grip on Tali's waist as he pressed his pelvis into her. He could have come right then and there, but even in a drunken haze of lust he would not forget about her.
"Hold tight, Tali. Feel me through the suit."
She moaned loudly, her hands gripped his shoulders and she pulled his arousal tight against her.
Something in the back of Shepard's mind reminded him of where they were, but only enough to tell him to switch off Tali's audio output.
Her muffled sounds of pleasure reached him as he spread wet kisses over her mask.
Tali watched his mouth move just out of reach, her lips parted and turned moist as Shepard's hot breath fogged different areas of her mask. The throb between her legs made her shudder with each forceful thrust of Shepard's hips, whimpering as he pushed harder against her.
"Are you wet for me, love?" he whispered.
"You have no idea," she moaned.
Her muscles were taut but they would not give her relief, her suit was too constricting. Shepard couldn't hold out much longer.
"Grab the column," he gasped.
Too far gone to be confused, she reached back and held on with all her strength.
Without breaking their rhythm, Shepard grasped her rear and stepped back, taking her waist and legs with him. He held her pelvis snug against him and gyrated himself into her.
Tali moaned as the new position allowed them a wider range of motion and her hips tilted for him to grind right where she needed it.
Legs gripping him hard, sweat dripping from her brow, breath ragged, her body finally seized up and let go so fiercely it was a wonder the column didn't break. Her cry of pleasure, easily heard from her helmet, caused Shepard to groan and shudder as he released himself.
Tali felt his arms around her as her hold on the column slipped. He picked her up and rested their bodies against it.
If they thought this was the end they were horribly mistaken. The drink was still in them, the heat did not dissipate. A humid fog of arousal clung to them, making it difficult to breathe. Tali pulled out a cloth and wiped the smudges from her visor before returning it to one of her suit's many pockets.
"Tali...Tali we need to... to get back to the room," his whispered urgently by her helmet.
She knew he'd had more wine than she did. Knew that she would have to take charge in order to get them to the elevator.
Tali turned her audio output back on, dragged in a deep breath and tried to make her words sound soothing even as her voice shook. "It's okay, John. Here..."
She placed her hands on his shoulders and gently pushed him back. Then she grabbed his hand and turned, pulling him behind her.
He was lulled by her soft words, trusting. Like an ocean wave the initial rush died out and slowly pulled back, deceptively tranquil as it gathered strength for another push.
He went willingly, letting her pull him through the curtain and out of the restaurant. His eyes were on her as she guided them through the hallway of the hotel. The stares of those passing by went unnoticed as Tali walked boldly toward their elevator. A seductress leading her captain.
Shepard was not being dragged physically by her, as their arms were slack. He was mesmerized by her. Not by the intricate design of her turban or the sway of her hips or the movement of her legs as she walked-no, glided- ahead of him. It was just... her.
Tali glanced over her shoulder. Knew he would see the smile she gave him. He squeezed her hand.
Glowing eyes from the depths of a purple veil entranced him.
They got to the elevator, the doors opened.
The tranquility of the moment was thoroughly torn asunder as Tali spun, seized Shepard by the collar, and yanked him inside with a sharp gasp.
The doors closed and they lifted.