A/N: This was actually a scene in one of the Chapters that I took out. I regret it now. I thought it would be funny if Jack tricked Shepard into doing something for Miranda that she didn't even want. The black hair part came from when I imported her from ME1 to ME2 and the blonde hair in that game looks horrendous so I had to change it to black. So this came out. Still cute. There will be a connecting segment that will be up very soon. Probably when you're reading this. XD Anyways, what do you think?
"Shit," Shepard grumbled as she wiped her jet black hands on her shirt. She had to admit, she had no clue what she was doing.
She panicked when she heard her door open; she knew it could only be one person. The only one person who could come in whenever she wanted.
"Shepard?" Miranda paused, "Shepard where are you?"
The clicks of her heels could be heard as Miranda rounded the corner into the bathroom to find Shepard in her usual white tank top and black tights. The only difference now is that she had black… something, smeared all over her. The Operative was confused until she looked up at the woman's hair that was black with only a few small blonde patches remaining.
"Sidney, what the hell are you doing?"
"This is completely explainable. Probably."
Miranda sighed, "You're explanation can wait, let me help you. Also, way to destroy the tank top I had ordered for you."
The Commander scoffed, "I have twenty identical ones in the drawer. I think it will be okay."
Miranda scowled as she pushed Shepard down on the toilet seat, "Hold your arms up." Shepard did as instructed as the raven haired woman pulled the ruined shirt off her. She grabbed Shepard's arm, pulling her over to the sink, rinsing off the excess dye.
When she was done, she put a clean towel over her head, drying her hair.
"You're an idiot, Shepard. Why are you dying your hair? I thought you loved your blonde hair."
Shepard's face turned pink, "I… I do."
"Then why dye it jet black? This doesn't make sense."
"Well… Jack and I were playing Skyllian Five last night…"
Miranda sighed into her hand, "This is off to a horrible start."
"Anyways, we had a bet. If she won, I had to walk around the ship in my underwear for a day, and if I won… She would tell me something about you from the deepest depths of the Cerberus databanks."
The woman narrowed her eyebrows, "I still don't understand what that has to do with anything."
"Jack told me…" Shepard paused, "She told me you used to have blonde hair and that when you fled your father's grasp, and you dyed it black because you liked it better. And since then you've hated blonde hair," Miranda was shocked by the genuinely innocent look on her Commander's face, "I thought… maybe you'd like me more if I dyed it black."
Miranda rolled her eyes, "Jack is a bastard, Shepard. My hair has always been black, but even if it wasn't, why would Cerberus have that in my file? It's completely unrelated."
Shepard furrowed her brows, "I… That makes sense. Bitch."
The officer smiled, walking over, "Anyways, my feelings have nothing to do with your hair color."
"So… do you mind if I stay blonde?" Shepard looked up.
"Uh, no I don't. But you've pretty much screwed your hair over. I'll have to dye it completely black for a while until you can bleach it back."
Shepard's shoulders fell, "You're kidding me."
"Unfortunately, I am not. But luckily for you, we're docked at the Citadel. I'll go out and get another box. Move, and you will not be happy when I get back. Understood."
"Understood," Shepard grumbled.
When Shepard stepped out of the bathroom after washing the black splotches off her skin, Miranda was impressed with her handy work. Though, she had read the instructions, and she was almost sure that the Commander had not.
As Shepard pulled on a new tank top, her eyes fell on Miranda, "You're staring, you know. I know it looks bad."
Miranda was surprised; she hadn't even realized she was staring. But the black of her hair had added something to Shepard. She couldn't put her finger on it though.
"It's not bad. It's lovely, really."
Shepard rolled her eyes, "Yeah. You sound so sincere."
It finally hit Miranda, until now, Shepard had been cute. She had been attracted by Shepard's undeniable charming personality, as well as her ability to be utterly adorable. Now with her newly black hair, and haircut that gave her an edge with side bangs, she looked… hot. It was a side of Shepard she had never seen.
Even though she'd never say it out loud she tried to convince Shepard of her newfound attractiveness. Her green eyes suddenly seemed more piercing than they usually were.
"You look fine Commander. Please, just trust me on this one, alright?"
Kasumi knocked on the door, "Hello? Is anyone in there? And don't lie, I hear you in there."
Miranda unlocked the door, letting Kasumi into Shepard's cabin. The raven haired woman immediately went back to Shepard, who was currently getting prepared for her heist with Kasumi that night. Miranda had managed to fix her hair into an acceptable cascade of waves for the party.
The thief smiled, "Ah, someone is looking hot."
Shepard shot her a glare, still eating her creamsicle.
"Miranda… Why does she have a popsicle?" Kasumi held back her laughter.
The officer shrugged as she finished her hair, "It kept her quiet… There, Shepard, you're done. You look ready to hold a bank robbery." Miranda added, laughing a bit to herself imagining Shepard robbing a bank.
Kasumi smiled, with Shepard on her side, it was going to be an easy job, "Well, Ms. Alison Gunn, I'll be waiting in the shuttle."
When she left, Miranda took her popsicle, motioning for her to put her shoes on. As she turned around, the officer took a bite; she could see why it kept Shepard quiet.
"Like Kasumi said, you're going to need to use some charm. This shouldn't be hard, just be you. And don't introduce yourself as Shepard."
Shepard shot her a smile as she left.
Miranda sat writing up a few reports when it occurred to her that she hadn't spoken to Shepard since she had gotten in from her heist a few nights before.
"EDI, Where's Shepard?"
"Miss Lawson, from my scans she is in Port Observation."
"Of course."
Miranda stood up, making her way to the room where Kasumi insisted on living. Though, she had decorated it much better than Zaeed in her opinion. He was the only member of the crew that particially intimidated her.
When she came in, she saw Shepard standing by the Shutter Controls, opening and closing them methodically as she a sip of liquor.
The Cerberus Officer sighed, "So this is really what you spend your time doing in here?"
When no one answered, she looked to Kasumi who was reading one of the novels off her shelf, "Is this really what Shepard does?"
The thief turned, looking at Shepard, then back at Miranda, "Keeps her quiet." She said smirking.
Miranda rolled her eyes, walking over to Shepard, "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. The first thing you asked me when we boarded the Normandy was 'How did you get the walls so shiny?'."
Shepard smiled, "It's nice to see you too, Miss Lawson."
"Oh shove it, Shepard. I just came to talk to you." The newly black haired woman smiled, looking over at Kasumi, "Give us a minute?"
The thief nodded, booting up her greybox. Shepard looked back at Miranda, "Now sweetness, what would you like to talk about? Current events?"
Miranda sighed, "You are incorrigible. Don't call me sweetness either."
"You know that's why you love me. Anyways, I kinda wish I had one of those things. Those grey-who-whatists."
"A greybox? And why?"
"Well… it'd be nice if you could look back at everything like that. A lot of my memories are starting to get hazy. I don't know. Seems like it'd come in handy. And of course, why wouldn't you want me? You could look at me whenever you wanted to."
"I think I get enough of you already."
"Ouch, that hurt." Shepard playfully put a hand over her chest.
Miranda let a sly smirk cross her face, "Why don't we go up to your cabin, I'll… make it up to you…"
Shepard smirked, "Lead the way… Operative."
As they were leaving they heard Kasumi call after them, "Commander's a player!"
Miranda's smirk fell, "She heard us the entire time."
"That's right… sweetness."
Shepard could only laugh.