A/N: The song that Shepard and Joker get naughty to is "Yeah" by Usher. As you've probably deduced from my song choices thus far, I'm not a huge R&B/Hip Hop fan, but Usher is an exception. You can't listen to that song and not want to be naughty. The song Shepard sings is "Alive" by Adelitas Way.
Lastly, this chapter earns its M rating for explicit sexual content. You've been warned.
"All night long, I said all night long
I been thinking
About how to get your clothes on the floor
All night long, I said all night long
I been drinking
About how to get your panties on the floor
So let's get it over and just get naked
With sweat dripping down your little back
I'm a holy roller and I own a spaceship
So let me take you for a little ride"
Spaceship - Puddle of Mudd
"Shepard, let's go!" Joker called up the stairs for what seemed like the millionth time. "We're going to be late," he added, for good measure.
"You don't even know what time the reservation is for," Shepard hollered down at him.
"Well, I assume it's soon since you made me start getting ready hours ago," Joker retorted. Only silence greeted this and he sighed impatiently.
At around six o'clock, Shepard had prodded Joker off the couch and into the shower. He hadn't complained, since she'd joined him, but she'd warded off all of his attempts to sidetrack her, and he'd emerged clean, but frustrated. He'd only been half-dressed when she'd shooed him downstairs so that she could commandeer the bath and bedroom. He'd finished his ablutions in the smaller half bath and he'd been fully dressed and waiting for almost an hour now. His patience was wearing thin.
"Are you sure you don't need some help or something?" Joker inquired. He had one foot on the bottom stair when Shepard appeared at the top. All coherent thought fled as he gazed up at her, awestruck.
Shepard started hesitantly down the stairs as Joker soaked her in. She was dressed in an emerald-green dress, cut low in the front. It was floor length, with a slit to mid-thigh up one side. Her hair was curled and pinned loosely so that it fell softly against her face and neck. Dangling earrings sparkled against the ebony locks. As she drew closer, he could see her makeup was dramatic and flawless, causing her skin to glow and her eyes to sparkle. Her lips were red and enticingly plump. When she reached the bottom, Joker took her hand and twirled her around, slowly. Her back was bare, with only two thin straps crisscrossing it from shoulder to waist. Finally, she stood facing him and gazed at him, expectantly.
"You are breathtaking."
A huge grin split her face. "Really?"
"Indubitably."
"Kaz helped me get ready." Shepard glanced back, up the stairs.
"Kaz is here? But, when? I didn't hear…"
"Hi, Joker," Kasumi called, still invisible to him.
"Hey, Kaz."
"Does Shepard look gorgeous, or what?"
"Ravishing," Joker replied. Shepard was starting to blush at all the compliments.
"You don't look so bad yourself," she said, straightening his tie. "Wait…oh my god. You shaved!" Shepard ran a wondering palm over his smooth cheek.
"Yeah, well, I figured it was a special occasion and all." Joker shrugged.
"You look so sexy! And so young! Not that I don't like the beard," Shepard added, hurriedly. "But wow." They grinned at each other, impressed with themselves.
"Yes, yes," Kasumi mocked as she finally appeared at the top of the stairs. "You're both beautiful. Illium's next "It" couple. Now hurry up and get going before you really do miss your reservation."
"Wait! One more thing," Joker said as he reached into his pocket. It felt good to be able to use his right hand again. The doc had stopped by earlier that day and given him permission to remove the splint – an early birthday present. "I have something for you."
"For me? But it's your birthday."
"I know, but I saw it and thought you would like it." Joker gave her the box and watched with eager anticipation as she opened it. Her jaw dropped when she saw the necklace.
"Oh, Jeff," Shepard breathed. "It's stunning."
"Here, put it on," Joker encouraged. Shepard took it out of the box and unclasped it, turning so that he could fasten it around her slender neck. When she turned back to face him, he saw that the pendant fell perfectly into the hollow of her throat and matched the dress flawlessly. He felt pretty pleased with himself. Shepard's fingertips stroked the jewel wordlessly, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears of gratitude. Kasumi broke the silence.
"That is some rock. Definitely worth stealing. Good job, Joker."
"You like it?" he asked Shepard, unable to tear his eyes away from his date.
"I love it. Thank you." Shepard kissed him, tenderly.
"All right, kids. That's enough of that. You two run along now, and have a good time." Kasumi shooed them towards the front door. Jeff extended his arm, and Shepard took it with a shy smile. His thirtieth birthday was off to a great start.
When they were seated in the cab, Shepard said, "I need to make a quick stop. It's on the way."
"Really? Why? Do we have time?"
"I promised Aethyta that I would stop by Eternity. She's holding something for me. I'll only be a minute."
"Okay."
They arrived at the taxi stand and climbed out. They attracted more than a few glances, dressed as they were, but Joker didn't mind the attention. He had a gorgeous woman on his arm. Let 'em stare. They climbed the stairs to Eternity and went inside, where Aethyta was working the bar.
"Well, don't you two look nice? What's the occasion?" the matriarch asked as they approached.
"It's Jeff's birthday. We're on our way out to dinner," Shepard explained.
"Oh, yeah? Where you headed?"
"Palermo's."
"Oh, swanky. Figured you didn't get dressed like that to come to this fine establishment," the asari cackled.
Shepard grinned, indulgently. "I was wondering if that item I ordered came in."
"Oh, right, right. I think so. Let me check." Aethyta disappeared, and then rematerialized quickly. "Yep, it's here. It's in the storeroom. Follow me." She came out from behind the bar and started across the room.
"I'll wait here," Joker said as Shepard trailed after the bartender.
"No!" Shepard yelped, startling them both. Then, more calmly, she said, "I mean, I might need help, um, carrying it."
Joker looked at her, quizzically. What the hell could she be picking up on their way to dinner that was so large and heavy she couldn't carry it? And what was she planning on doing with it once she had it?
"Okay," Joker said, dubiously, and fell in next to her as they crossed the room.
Aethyta stood in front of the storeroom door, fumbling with the access card. She finally opened it onto pitch darkness. "I know the switch is here somewhere," she said, apologetically, as Shepard and Joker stepped closer. Then the lights came on, and Joker had only a moment to register a room full of people before everyone yelled, "Surprise!"
It was an hour after their arrival, and the party was going strong. Shepard had already shed her heels. Joker's suit jacket was hung over a chair somewhere, and his tie was loosened. A small stage had been set up at the end of the room, and Mordin was playing DJ. The salarian was well suited for the job with his endless patter and extensive knowledge of music from all over the galaxy. Long tables lined the sides of the room, piled with food that was clearly marked with toxicity information for the various species. A platoon of wait staff kept the alcohol flowing. Joker would no sooner finish a beer than a waiter would appear with another. Not that he was complaining.
He and Shepard had started making the rounds of the room together, but they had quickly been separated. He spotted her now, surrounded by her team, as if they were all trapped in her gravitational field. Garrus - who still looked like he had a stick up his ass - stood unarmed, but ever vigilant, on her left; while Thane - his dark, reptilian eyes blinking rapidly, the rest of him utterly still - flanked her on the right. In direct contrast, Tali and Kasumi talked and gestured animatedly, contained within the inner circle. Jack stood off a pace or two, slouched, trying to maintain her aloofness. Jacob and Miranda hovered around the edges of the group, the Cerberus outsiders who could never fully be trusted. Samara was the only one absent from the gathering, engrossed as she was in conversation with Liara at a nearby table.
It was all so reminiscent of high school. Thirty years old, and Joker still wasn't part of the cool crowd. But he was fucking the head cheerleader, he thought to himself, and the analogy made him smile.
As if feeling his gaze on her, Shepard suddenly glanced up and returned the grin. His attention elsewhere, Joker jumped when a voice spoke from right beside him.
"The commander looks lovely tonight," Chakwas said, following his line of sight.
"That she does," Joker agreed.
"Happy birthday, Jeff," she said, wrapping him in a warm embrace that he returned willingly.
"Thanks, Doc. Thanks for being here."
"Of course. I wouldn't have missed it. I'm so happy that things have worked out for you two."
Shepard appeared next to him. "Hey, Doc. Having fun?"
"I certainly am. It's a wonderful party." She gave Shepard a quick hug, as well. "I'm going to make the rounds," she remarked as she departed.
Joker looked at Shepard's glass. "What is that?"
"It's a special drink Kasumi invented for the party. Do you want to try it?"
"It's pink."
"Just try." Shepard held it out to him.
Joker took a sip, and then grimaced. "Ugh. It even tastes pink."
Shepard giggled. "It may be pink, but it's potent."
"I think I'll stick to beer, thanks." Joker motioned toward the other side of the room, where the engineers Ken and Gabby were standing together, their posture somehow more intimate than usual. "What's going on there?"
Shepard made a big show of mock innocence. "What do you mean?"
"What did you do?"
"Nothing. There weren't enough one bedroom apartments for everyone, so some people had to share a two bedroom. Daniels and Donnelly spend so much time together that I didn't think they'd mind."
"Meddler."
"Hey, it was Kasumi's idea. I just went along with it." Shepard took another generous gulp of her pink concoction.
Miranda approached with the usual neutral expression on her face. "Joker. Happy birthday." For one frightening moment, it looked like the operative might hug him, but then she seemed to reconsider and held out her hand, instead.
Joker shook it. "Thanks, Miranda."
She nodded stiffly and marched away. Joker turned to Shepard. "Brrrr."
"Hey, that's about as warm and fuzzy as the Ice Princess gets. Consider yourself lucky."
Suddenly, a new song began that made Chambers squeal with delight. She grabbed Kasumi by the hand to drag her onto the dance floor. Kasumi, in turn, dashed over and took hold of Shepard. Shepard tried to shake her off, but the thief was having none of it. Surrendering, Shepard hooked an arm around Jack's waist on the way by and yanked the scowling biotic along with her. Gabby took hold of Miranda while Tali corralled Liara, and soon all of the women in the room were out on the dance floor, except for Samara and the doctor.
Ken tried to join them, but Gabby pushed him away, laughing. He came to stand next to Joker, shaking his head. "Now, ain't that a sight to see?" he asked in his Scottish lilt.
It was a riot of interspecies female flesh, and it certainly was something to witness as they gyrated to the music. Liara and Kasumi were grace in motion, lithe and coordinated. Gabby and Kelly were average dancers, but attractive women, and that made up for a lot. Jack thrashed around violently while Miranda looked rigid and uncomfortable. Tali couldn't seem to get the beat of the human music, but she made up for that with enthusiasm. Shepard, as always, had two left feet. Joker grinned as he watched her move. She couldn't dance and she couldn't drive, but he loved her, anyway.
Ken said, "She got you good, didn't she?"
Joker looked at him questioningly.
"The party," he explained. "You weren't expecting it."
"Oh. No, not at all. She even told me she was planning one, and I still never suspected."
"Women," Donnelly replied vaguely.
The song segued into another dance number, and Kasumi broke from the group to grab Jacob by the hand. She led him out onto the dance floor. Kelly captured Garrus, while Gabby retrieved Ken from Joker's side. He glanced up to see Shepard making a "come hither" gesture to him from the dance floor. Joker shook his head, but she moved closer, nodding.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah…yeah, yeah, yeah, let's go."
"No dancing, remember?" Joker asked when she was within earshot.
"I'll be gentle," Shepard assured him, tugging him closer by his loosened tie.
"Conversation got heavy, she had me feeling like she's ready to blow (watch out)
She was sayin' come get me, so I got up and followed her to the floor
She said baby, let's go"
Shepard wrapped her arms around Joker's neck and pressed her body tightly against his. She started moving to the beat, and it occurred to him that the way she danced felt much better than it looked. His hands slid down her bare back to her ass as he glanced surreptitiously over her shoulder at the other couples on the dance floor. There was no daylight between any of them and not one of them was paying any attention to him and Shep. And wait…was that Tali getting down with Mordin by the DJ station?
"So she's all up in my head now
Got me thinking that it might be a good idea to take her with me
Cuz she's ready to leave (let's go)"
Shepard turned in his embrace, grinding sensuously, and he swayed carefully along with her. Body heat radiated off of her as he inhaled the erotic musk of shampoo, perfume and sweat rising from the nape of her neck. His palms were splayed against her middle, holding her tightly, before slowly slipping lower to grasp her thighs. His fingertips grazed smooth, bare skin through the slit in her dress. She raised her arms overhead and wrapped her hands around his neck, exposing more of herself to his exploring caresses. This wasn't so much dancing as sex, fully clothed, and that was just fine by him.
"The way she (get low),
I'm like, Yeah
Just work that out for me
She asked for one more dance
And I'm like, Yeah
How the hell am I supposed to leave?"
Shepard spun around to face him, crouching low and then sliding up the length of his body. Then they were eye to eye, faces flushed, lips parted, and if they hadn't been in public, Joker would have thrown her against the nearest wall and taken her right there, broken bones or not.
The song wound down and Joker released his grip on Shepard slowly. "You might want to stand there for another second or two, or it could be embarrassing for me."
Shepard chuckled softly and kissed him in a way that didn't help the situation at all. "Don't you worry, birthday boy. I'm not going anywhere."
Later, Joker wasn't able to remember who started it, but someone broke out the karaoke, and the party took a turn for the ridiculous. The tracks stored on the computer were old – probably because they were cheap to purchase and there wasn't a lot of call for earth music on Illium. Jacob was the most talented singer of the bunch. Kelly warbled through some pop numbers. But when Mordin broke out the show tunes, Shepard stepped in and reclaimed the microphone.
"I should probably do this before I'm too drunk – what the hell is in these drinks, anyway, Kaz? – and now seems like as good a time as any. I want to thank you all for being here tonight to celebrate the birth of our cantankerous - but lovable - pilot, Flight Lieutenant Jeffrey Moreau. Better known to all of us as Joker." Some whistles and catcalls, as well as scattered applause, greeted this. Joker nodded, acknowledging them.
"I've known Joker a long time," Shepard continued. "He isn't always soft and cuddly. But I wouldn't be standing here today if it wasn't for him. And I know most of you can say the same. I consider myself lucky to know him better than most. He's the most talented helmsman I've ever seen. He's smart and intuitive. He's dedicated. He's loyal.
And let's not forget handsome and sexy, too. C'mon, ladies…is he hot in that suit or what?" Enthusiastic cheers from the ladies intermingled with jeers from the guys. Kasumi ran over and pecked him on the lips. From the stage, Shepard pointed at her in mock outrage. "Back off, woman! He's mine." More laughter as Kasumi shrugged and scurried away.
"But in all seriousness," Shepard continued as the commotion quieted, "I can't imagine my life without Jeff in it. He makes me crazy, but keeps me sane. He makes me laugh, but keeps me focused. He never tries to change me, but inspires me to be the person that he believes that I am. He keeps me grounded…figuratively, if not literally." A few chuckles. "He's my best friend, and the reason I'm able to keep fighting even when defeat seems inevitable."
"So, to give him a birthday present that I know he will enjoy, I'm going to humiliate myself in front of all of you." Shepard nodded to Mordin, and he started the music.
"What if I told you that I think you're perfect?
Beautiful sky in your eyes, it's so worth it
I know you make me feel alive
What if I told you that I'm in forever
Nothing to hide, yeah, I'll go wherever
You will go
You make me feel alive"
Maybe it was the alcohol - which had already blurred the edges of reality, making everything soft and out of focus - but the room seemed to fall away, and there was only the music, her voice, and the emotion behind it. The feeling intensified when Shepard stepped down from the stage and stood before him, never breaking eye contact.
"And I'll be hanging on every word you say to me
Hanging on a feeling that I get, 'cause you make me
Laugh a little louder
Love a little harder
And I feel alive when I'm with you
Every time is something new
Never knew what love could feel like
Until I walked away the first time
And I feel alive when I'm with you
Deep inside is something true
You're the only reason I fight
You're the best thing in my life"
Shepard choked a little on the last line and glanced away for the first time. Joker took her hand and she inhaled deeply, visibly regaining some composure.
"What if I told you that I'll never hurt you
Always be there for you to hold on to
I know you make me feel alive
And every single second's a lifetime memory
I'll be holding on each moment, 'cause you make me
Laugh a little louder
Love a little harder
And I feel alive when I'm with you
Every time is something new
Never knew what love could feel like
Until I walked away the first time
And I feel alive when I'm with you
Deep inside is something true
You're the only reason I fight
You're the best thing in my life"
The song ended, and for a moment they just stood there in utter silence. Then Joker took her in his arms and dipped her, pressing his lips to hers, and the room erupted in applause as Shepard, laughing and crying at the same time, kissed him back. When he finally let her up and they broke apart, Joker kept his forehead pressed to hers, wanting to prolong the intimate moment just a while longer.
"Thank you," he said, wiping a tear from under her eye with his thumb.
"You're welcome," Shepard sniffled, grinning. "Sorry if it was off key."
"I love you so much."
"I love you, too. Happy birthday." Shepard gave him another quick kiss, and then nodded toward the stage. "Your turn."
"Okay, but don't expect any singing."
Joker took the microphone from her and climbed onto the stage. He cleared his throat once as he looked out at the gathering. Some of the women still looked weepy, the way people often did at weddings. Damn Shepard. If he got all emotional in front of this crowd, he'd never hear the end of it.
"Well, first, I want to say thanks to all of you for being here to help me celebrate my birthday tonight. I know most of you are here because Shepard threatened or bribed you, but I appreciate it, anyway.
Shepard said a lot of nice things about me earlier – most of them deserved; some of them probably not so much so. One thing she was right about is that she and I have known each other for a long time. You all know I'm not one for speeches – hell, I'm not much for talking, at all. But I want to tell you a little story about the way things were in the beginning.
Most of you know that I graduated first in my class in flight school – I've never been shy about sharing that. What you may not know is that despite that, I had a hell of a time getting a permanent assignment when I graduated. I got into the military on a physical exemption – a waiver, basically – and that was the first thing that CO's would see in my file. Why take the number one guy who can't walk, when you can get the number two or three guy who can? Most of them didn't want to be bothered. When I did get assignments, they tended not to last very long. In retrospect, my sunny disposition might have had something to do with that.
Anyway, it was Captain Anderson who handpicked me to helm the Normandy. He wanted the best and he didn't care about the rest of the bullshit. He never showed the slightest interest in me as a person, and that worked great for me - until he turned the Normandy over to Shepard.
Suddenly, she was coming by the cockpit all the time; saying hello, asking questions. I couldn't figure out her angle. Yeah, you're all laughing now, but back then, I didn't know anything about her. Finally, I decided that she must have found out about my condition from my file and was trying to catch me doing something wrong so that she could get rid of me.
So, the next time she came by, I tore into her. I went through my whole rant, and when I was done, she looked at me with concern and said, 'What are you talking about? Are you sick?' After I managed to pry my foot from my mouth, I realized what a colossal error in judgment I had made.
Over the next few weeks and months, I learned a lot more about Shepard. She'd grown up in circumstances more difficult than I could imagine; lost more than any one person should. And yet, she took the time to get to know not only me, but the entire crew, because she cared about us - what we thought, how we felt. She had more reason than anyone to be guarded with people, and yet she was always approachable and non-judgmental.
It made me stop and take a hard look at myself. In a lot of ways, my disease had defined me. But Shepard made me realize that maybe that was because I had let it. Maybe there were people out there who were willing and able to see beyond it. And maybe it would be worth it to take a chance and find out.
So, yeah, I'm not the most warm and fuzzy guy, and I never will be. But if I am even remotely the man that Shepard seems to think I am – and over the years, I have come to trust her judgment – if I am the kind of man who deserves to have friends like you" Joker looked around at their faces, "or who deserves the love of a woman like you," he looked at Shepard, who once again had a tear running down her cheek, "then it's all because of her. She inspires me to be a better person, not the other way around.
Thanks to her, I am lucky enough to be spending my 30th birthday with all of you – my crew mates, and friends. So, thanks again for being here. Cheers!"
Joker raised his glass to the gathering, and someone called "To Joker!" A chorus of cheers arose in response as the crew surrounded him, supplying pats on the back, hugs, and well wishes. The music started again as Shepard squeezed in next to him and he wrapped his arm around her. They stayed like that, talking and laughing, surrounded by their compatriots, late into the night.
By the time they climbed into the cab to go back to the apartment, they were both giddily drunk and intensely horny. They kissed and groped, alternately giggling and swearing as they were thwarted at every turn by the confines of the space and their restrictive attire. When they arrived at their destination, they staggered out, and hurried quickly to the elevator. Once inside, Joker pressed her against the door, trailing frantic kisses along her neck and collarbone. Purring eagerly, Shepard pulled his shirt free from his pants and tore violently at the buttons. He was vaguely aware of the sound one made as it pinged off the metal wall. So much for his new clothes.
The doors opened, almost spilling them into the empty corridor. They reeled along the hallway, crossing the few feet to the door, unwilling to break apart for even a moment. Shepard fished in her bag for the key, coming up with it and simultaneously dropping the clutch on the ground. She got the door open, kicked the bag through, and pulled Joker over the threshold as it slammed closed behind them. And then he was the one trapped against the entry as she slid his jacket off and tossed it aside. The tie was yanked loose, followed closely by the damaged shirt. He slipped a finger under first one dress strap - sliding it across her smooth, bare shoulder - and then the other, and when she took a step back, the garment slithered to the floor. She stood there in nothing but the necklace he'd given her and those high heels, and Joker was literally consumed by lust. There was no coherent thought; just persistent, animalistic need. Shepard gazed back, flushed with desire, lips parted and swollen from kissing, and he could see that she was feeling the same.
Joker was aware that this was one of those occasions that called for wild abandon – if he'd been capable, he would have picked her up and pressed her against the door, and he knew she would have enjoyed it. It was an aspect of her physical nature that he'd always felt lurking right beneath the surface when they made love, something they'd never been able to explore. But tonight, he felt like throwing caution to the wind. This wildly beautiful and sensuous woman was mad with passion for him, and he'd be damned if he was going to let the opportunity go to waste. The situation just required a little creativity if they were both going to survive it intact.
Joker pushed off from the door, gathering her in his grasp and steering her toward the dining area. Their lips locked again as he kicked off his shoes and Shepard fumbled with his belt. She let out a small "Oomph!" when her hip met the lip of the table, but she continued to work at the waistband of his pants. Her hands slipped under the loosened garments and he was finally free of the last of his clothing.
Shepard moved to lift herself onto the table, anticipating his intentions, but Joker stopped her with one word. "No." He turned her around, bending her over, pressing her to the table with his not inconsiderable upper body strength. His hands gripped her wrists, pinning her, as he nipped at her neck and shoulders with more force than usual. She writhed under him, moaning, aroused by the subjugation, as he'd known she would be. He released her hands as he slid his tongue down her spine, and then tangled his fingers in the hair at the nape of her neck. He gripped tightly, holding her in place, as he slipped his other hand between her thighs. Shepard's body convulsed as his fingers skimmed hot, moist flesh, barely making contact.
"Oh, god," Shepard gasped.
"You like that?" Joker asked as he teased, touching her everywhere except where he knew she wanted to be touched the most.
"Fuck, yes. Oh, god. I want you inside me now."
"You want this?" Joker removed his hand and slid his arousal between her legs without entering her. He was instantly enveloped in her warmth and wetness. Shepard moaned and writhed against him, but she was utterly at his mercy.
"Yes. Yes! Fuck me, please. Jeff, I need you now."
Joker had intended to prolong the torture, but dammit, when she said his name like that, he couldn't wait any longer. In one smooth motion, he drove into her, and she cried out in pleasure and relief. He put his hands on her hips, holding her in place as he stroked in and out, burying himself as deep as he could. Shepard's hands were splayed atop the table, unable to get a grip on the smooth surface. But still, she encouraged him with moans, groans, and incoherent exclamations until he realized that if they continued at this pace, it was going to be over much too soon.
Using all of the willpower available to him, Joker withdrew, eliciting a cry of protest from his partner. He pulled Shepard upright and turned her around, coaxing her to hop up onto the table with his hands under her thighs. She obliged, wrapping her arms around his neck, then reclining into a prone position as he guided her backwards. He slowed the pace, lingering over her breasts, licking and sucking first one nipple, then the other. Shepard had her eyes closed and head thrown back, her hands gently grasping his head as he pleased her. He slid lower, trailing kisses between her ribs to her belly button. He wanted more than anything to taste her and drive her wild with his tongue, but this arrangement wasn't conducive to that endeavor. He would have to hunch uncomfortably or kneel, and neither option was appealing. Instead, Joker grasped one of her legs by the ankle and placed it on his shoulder. Shepard regarded him through heavy-lidded eyes as he lifted her other leg into place.
Joker grazed fingertips over the smooth muscles of her shapely calves, stepping forward until her knees rested on his shoulders. He licked and nipped at the inside of her knees and thighs, savoring the tender flesh. Her skin broke into goose flesh in response. He grabbed her by the hips, dragging her closer, so that her ass was hanging off the edge of the table. He pressed forward until his tip just barely made contact with her cleft. Shepard sucked in air as he entered her again, slowly this time, barely penetrating before withdrawing. He continued gradually, filling her a little more each time, until he was once again buried fully within her. He was painfully hard now, throbbing, and he knew there would be no stopping this time. He started to move faster, increasing the rhythm, and Shepard met him stroke for stroke. She placed her heels against his chest, showing some admirable flexibility, allowing him even deeper inside of her.
Joker felt the familiar pressure building, the delicious anticipation of release, and closed his eyes. He heard Shepard say, "Yeah, baby, that's so good. Yeah, there. Right there. Don't stop." His fingers clenched around her thighs as he concentrated on following her request - maintaining the same angle; the same cadence. He was breathing hard; could feel the rivulet of sweat trailing down his neck. Shepard started making the sounds she did when she was close; little mewls of pleasure, coming in faster succession. He was fighting it now, trying to give her time, when he heard the scream begin in the back of her throat and build to a crescendo as she climaxed. Joker let himself go, shuddering with release as small explosions of light flitted across the back of his eyelids. His cry mingled with hers as they moved together, trying to prolong the ecstasy for as long as possible. Finally, he slowed and then stopped, supporting himself on exhausted and trembling legs.
Shepard scooted more securely onto the table and eased her limbs from his shoulders. She sat upright and reached for him. Her arms wrapped around his waist and her legs hooked behind his knees as she pressed her cheek to his chest, holding him tightly. Joker stroked her hair and softly rubbed her back as their breathing gradually returned to normal. The alcohol and exertion was catching up with him now, making his limbs feel leaden, and he wondered how he was ever going to make it up the stairs.
Shepard eventually turned her face up to his, resting her chin where her cheek had just been, and he leaned down and kissed her gently. "Hey, Shepard?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you want to get married?" Joker hadn't been planning it, not really, but right then, in that moment, he knew it was what he wanted – to be with her always.
Shepard went utterly still as her eyes searched his, clearly looking for the joke. Finding none, she said, "Married?"
"Yep."
"You want to get married?"
"To you. Yes."
Shepard paused for an uncomfortable amount of time, during which Joker was uncharacteristically unable to deduce even an inkling of what was going through her mind, but then she said softly, "Okay."
Joker hesitated, afraid he'd heard her wrong. "You're saying yes?"
"Yes." Shepard beamed up at him. "I'm saying yes." Joker released the breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding, a bubble of laughter escaping his lips.
They kissed again, and then some more, and by the time they finally made it up the stairs and fell into bed, Joker was nearly incoherent with fatigue. But he was also flush with emotions he barely recognized – joy, hope, contentment – and he reflected briefly that it had not only been the best birthday, but perhaps the best day, of his life, before he sank into a deep and dreamless slumber.