"A Turian and a Quarian...reaaally?" Ashley snorted.
"I don't know, I thought it was nice." Kaidan replied, diplomatic as ever, making Ashley roll her eyes at him even as they walked up the slight slope of the path away from the comm room and towards the combat information centre and the galaxy map Ashley had grown to like.
They had just finished watching their latest movie – watching one had become something of a tradition of theirs, a way to ease down after a mission – on the comm room's holographic projector. Usually used for the team to plan different missions or reporting to the council, it doubled quite nicely as a holographic wide-screen. It wasn't a proper holographic surround-system...but sometimes one just had to slum it.
Unfortunately it had been Kaidan's turn to choose a movie.
Ashley preferred a good action flick – there was nothing better then a few virtual explosions to ease you away from still hearing the real ones – or failing that the classic 'Titanic' which made her well up every time – and which Kaidan hated. Sucker for happy endings as he is...
But Kaidan preferred calmer things, often detective stories, which Ashley had to admit, were kind of nice... But also those brainless romantic comedies...and in this case...a pure romance story... Ashley shot Kaidan a puzzled look, but the man was innocence itself as he looked back at her, despite her being sure she had seen him fiddle with something behind his back...
He had chosen not to show it to Ashley though..she felt oddly disappointed...and relieved at the same time, about that... Shaking her head she dismissed the annoying contradiction within her chest and managed another snort: "You would. But really, a Turian and a Quarian...eww. I mean it's weird enough to cross-breed. But those two races...it's just weird."'
"You'd think it would make more sense to switch the Turian for a human?" Kaidan asked, tone oddly low.
Ashley paid it no mind though: "No, it's ridiculous!" She shook her head again, realizing they had reached the door but that none had pressed the button to open it, she did it with another shake of her head: "I mean have you listened to Tali? That stuff is difficult enough for them without the partner being another race! If the Turian was doing one of those promiscuous Asari instead...then yes, sure." Note to self, keep an eye on little Miss Scientist.
Kaidan coughed, stumbling as they stepped out of the room, making Ashley pat his back with a grin. His voice was steady though as they rounded the corner, arms waving to enhance his point: "'Fleet and Flotilla' wasn't about 'doing' one another, it was a deep story about importance of character and overcoming obstacles of cultural differences, a story of grief and forgiveness..."
"Bo the fucking hoo." Ashley snorted for a third time. "And I still can't believe the choice of aliens...that's like mating a...an attack dog and a kitten."
"Don't tell Garrus or Tali you said that." Kaidan chuckled as they came round the corner, the two coming to where the path broke between the door leading downstairs that Ashley would have to take and the one leading to the cockpit Kaidan would head for for some simulations with Joker. Both stopped, neither willing to part just yet.
Leaning her back against the wall next to the door she knew she'd have to take Ashley crossed her arms over her chest, regarding Kaidan with a raised eyebrow and a smirk: "Well I wouldn't...but who knows with you? Going to rat me out?"
To her immense pleasure Kaidan's face coloured just a bit as he leant against the wall in front of the door to the comm room – a wall Ashley never understood the purpose of – he too crossing his musculuar arms in front of him as he looked back, trying to look serious: "Oh I don't know...protocol really does not say, but since I'm such a great guy I just might..."
Ohh...intriguing. Ashley chuckled. "Riiight, you dislike Garrus too much to do that for him..." She smirked at the way the man grimaced at the Turian's name, always finding the way the nice and understanding Kaidan disliked the Turian entertaining. "...and Tali's too cute to hurt that way...but sure, if you think you can demand something of me...go ahead...try it..." She shot him a wink. "...I dare you."
Something caught in Kaidan's throat, the man looking as if he'd choked on something, then he shook his head, regaining control over himself as he managed a polite smile: "I wouldn't dare."
"Afraid?" Ashley taunted, another irritating mix of disappointment and relief coursing through her even as she said it.
"Cautious." Kaidan quickly replied, glancing away for a moment, then smiling back at her. "One can never tell with you...you're...volatile."
"So now I'm a bomb?" Ashley's eyebrows shot up even as she tilted her head back, a shadow of a smirk on her lips: "Thinking me dangerous, hmmm...?"
"I...what..." Kaidan groaned, hand coming up to his face, rubbing his temples, Ashley's jab of fear that she had triggered one of his – even to her they were scary – migraines quickly subdued as she saw the smile on his lips: "There's no winning with you..."
"True, better just get on your knees and surrender." Ashley retorted, grinning at the mental image of that muscled biotic kneeling in submission. It wasn't too unpleasant...
Michael.
Ashley's gaze moved past Kaidan, his reply a mumble as she saw the Commander through the hologram of the galactic map, coming from the cockpit with his head bowed. An orange datapad was in his left hand, a datapad that he gestured at as he talked to Navigator Pressly, the balding navy officer bobbing his head in agreement even as he frowned in worry.
The pair turned right, then came to a stop near the galactic map, annoyingly keeping the hologram of the galaxy between her and them as the two men faced one another, hands gesturing as they talked.
With a sigh of shame Ashley glanced at Kaidan, finding the man turning his head to look at what had distracted her. Dammit...every time...it's not fair to Kaidan...or me actually... She shot Michael a glance, ever since their fight he had been nice and friendly...but hadn't sought her out as often as before...almost outright avoiding her at times it felt like. Instead he hung around safe and innocent little Tali , his wingman Garrus or even Mr strong and silent Wrex...while offering her scraps in comparison. Ashley grimaced in irritation. Coward.
Kaidan, of course, made no judgement about her being distracted and unfocused. Damn that kind man... Instead he looked back to her after a long look at the two talking men, one a giant gesturing at a datapad while talking – eyes holding that hint of coldness telling them he was deep in his work – and the other an ageing officer nodding more and more with only a few comments, the worried frown on his forehead slowly easing away. Kaidan nodded, looking pensive. "Yep, always another mission, the Alliance wants these Geth bases gone and apparently Michael is temporary General of the entire operation." A sigh escaped him as his shoulders slopped: "It's a bit rude to dump all of this work on one man, especially when he's already on a mission for the Council."
"The Geth are part of his mission." Ashley grunted back, feeling a little defensive, the memory of Eden Prime still painfully fresh in her mind, not to mention that implying Michael was wasting his time was just...wrong. "He's hoping for Intel obviously, and it's not that much work, he only has...what...thirty marines to juggle around?" It wasn't much of a shock that the Alliance had sent a few squads into this black-ops...but a little more that they had put them under Michael's command.
"With drone scouts, five transporting frigates, two clusters of star systems to search through, artillery, supplies, a ship not equipped for such a command and secrecy of all those things a top priority." Kaidan shook his head emphatically. "I mean he isn't allowed to write anything down, that datapad will be deleted soon...all stays in his head...and if he forgets something someone will die...I wouldn't want that job."
"He can handle it." Ashley shrugged, then grinned. "Haven't you heard the commercial for the dramatization of the Skyllian Blitz? He's Commander Fucking Shepard..." The grin widened at the line a cold mission-focused Michael would never utter even as she felt the old giddiness of the wait for the movie to hit the theatres worm itself into her gut. "...besides, he's like Tali, he thrives on working like this."
She looked back at Michael, finding the officer deleting whatever had been on the datapad as Pressly briskly walked away, the old officer looking emboldened with whatever Michael had told him even as the Commander himself wheeled to face one of the computers around the galaxy map. Leaning forward the man began to tap away, eyes cold and narrowed, hunting...she could practically see him calculating, making plans over two clusters of stars with the same precision and calmness as if he'd been fighting out in the field...
It honest to God made her legs a bit weak to see it... Many men have tried it, but he's the first one I wouldn't mind if he tried taming me...God...I'd want him to succeed...
"I know..." Kaidan's words rocketed her out of the fraternizing thought, making her cheeks turn crimson, though the man didn't notice, pensive eyes focused on the Commander, causing a barb of shame pierce her haze. "...but at a certain point...I'm just worried." Kaidan isn't the taming type, he's just...a good man...God I'm an awful person... The man shrugged, finally looking back to her: "I haven't seen him sleep for ages, heck...he doesn't eat that often any more either, if you don't call gulping down porridge as you read reports 'eating'."
"It is food." Ashley shrugged, trying to ignore her own worry at the words. It was easier for her, it was Michael after all...worrying about him was like worrying about gravity failing...you just didn't. "And aren't you being all protective and worried?" She shot him a smirk. "You big softie."
Kaidan shot her a raised eyebrow, then shifted where he stood as he smirked back: "I can get hard when I want to...Chief."
Ashley actually blinked, surprised that Kaidan for once dared to speak back, surprised and pleased. Her smirk turned into a grin as she shot back: "Oh? Is that a fact?"
Kaidan stepped away from the wall, arms coming down to his sides as he shot her an obviously false stern look. "I can, don't test me."
"Hmmm..." Ashley pretended to consider the 'dire' warning, looking up at the ceiling, index finger coming to tap her lower lip...then looked back to the Lieutenant as she decided. Always be bold. She fixed her gaze on him, then demonstratively let it slide down over his torso, then further down as she muttered: "I bet you can..."
Kaidan somehow managed to stumble, despite standing still, a low throaty sound escaping him. Looking up Ashley was not the least surprised to find his face reddening, her face splitting into a smile of victory, only for Kaidan to retort: "Hey now, by that logic you wouldn't be hard, and we both know you're a hard-ass."
Ashley scoffed. Not the best retort...but what can one expect from Mr purity? Though I'm amazed he dared this...must have a bad influence on him. "So you're saying I'm hiding my junk down front?" She glanced down at the front of her trousers, then turned slightly so as to glance over her shoulder and down on her hip. "Or that my ass is hard?" She turned her gaze back to Kaidan, grinning at his nervous fidgeting: "Because either thing can be tested..."
"Erm..." Kaidan muttered, looking at his feet, biting his lower lip, nervous. ..."I didn't mean...I didn't intend to insult you..."
Ashley stepped away from her wall, smirking even as she let her gaze move to Michael, watching him as the Commander turned to one of the women at the controls to the computer, the man towering over her as he pointed at the screen, demanding results...and getting them. God...I want... "Oh? A once in a lifetime offer to test my cushioning and you don't dare feel it? Or are you afraid my junk will bite you then?" She chuckled, taking a step closer.
"Well...no, but...erm...we're friends."
His voice was small, and was easily ignored as Ashley took another step forward, watching Michael as the powerful figure held out a hand, pointing at something on the galaxy map with narrowed eyes, as if his dangerous eyes could see the system already...and felt her breath shudder. "There's friends and then there's friends...and a superior officer showing me my place would be...most interesting..."
"Well I don't...you can't be...Ashley that's just crazy..."
"I feel a little crazy..." Ashley muttered low, heart in her throat as she watched Michael summon up three men with a bark, gestures hard and sharp as he sent them running to perform his orders, the alpha...Kaidan's breath just brushing against her made her shudder. "...a hard officer...slamming that crazy out of me...I could...need that..." Her tone was nearly desperate at the last words, yearning as she continued to eye her hero, so close, yet so far away...
Kaidan loudly swallowed. "I..." A small shift of his feet...
...and Ashley remembered where she was. A blink and she took half a step back, hiding her blush behind a feigned grin of confidence as she forced herself to look back to Kaidan, finding the officer still looking at his feet, too nervous to look back at her, which had been her only saving grace. If he had seen where my eyes went... Shame, relief irritation with herself, irritation with Kaidan, it all mixed within her. "Relax jedi, just messing with you." The man looked up, a hint of relief in his eyes, annoying her.Relieved are you? "Wouldn't want to dirty the rule-book you no doubt sleep with." She snorted, took another step back, arms once more crossing over her chest.
"I don't sleep with it..." Kaidan muttered, looking away, a strange look in his eyes... Huh? Ashley watched, perplexed, curious. Then it was gone, the man looking back at her with an unsure smile. "And I'm not a jedi."
"Whatever." Ashley shrugged, but smiled at him none the less as she turned towards the door. "See you buddy..." She couldn't help but smirk as she moved for the door, adding an unnecessary sway to her hips. "...this ass is out of here..."
There was a muttered curse behind her just before the door closed...and Ashley's smirk turned into a grin.
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Thanks to Abydos Jackson for her great help.