Sorry for going AWOL with this one for so long! This chapter is shorter, but I think I need to make them a bit shorter if I want to update this EVER. Thanks so much for reading and thanks for your patience if you're returning!

Context: If you haven't done/seen the Wrex bonding time Citadel DLC stuff at the bar in the Silver Coast, this might not make sense. It's hilarious! Go watch/play it XD

WREX

"Ok, Wrex," Shepard huffed after peeking around a corner on the Silversun Strip. "I think it's safe."

"Are you sure, Shepard?"

The krogan looked downright petrified. If Shepard hadn't just witnessed possibly one of the most terrifying things she'd ever seen, she'd very likely be laughing at him. Or hitting him. As it was, she just wanted to get him the heck out of there. "I didn't see 'em, Wrex, but damn their fast. Who knew? We better just hope we lost them and hit it."

Wrex still looked hesitant.

Shepard was pretty sure if he didn't krogan up soon, she'd lose her grip on reality. Wrex was the guy she could always count on to face anything—a freaking Reaper—and do it laughing. She put on her Commander Shepard voice: "Damn it, Wrex if you don't move your ass I'm going to get Liara down her to teach you how to have a proper bloodrage! Now MOVE!"

Wrex snarled and growled. He pumped his fist into a palm and pushed her out of the way. "I AM KROGAN!" he yelled, lumbering down the stripway's path for her apartment with his shotgun at the ready (making more than a few people shriek and duck out of the way).

Maybe you shouldn't have shouted THAT. Shepard grinned. Nothing stopped Wrex when he had that fire in his eyes. Thankfully they weren't far from safety—they'd be fine once they reached the apartment. She wasn't kidding about calling Liara—she knew if their adversaries followed them inside, her favorite asari was still at the apartment where she'd left her and could more than help.

Just as they reached the arcade, she spotted the enemy. Far worse was that several of the enemy spotted her and Wrex.

"Shit!" she yelled and ducked behind the Kepesh-Yakshi game table. A spray of shotgun pellets slowly took the table apart. "Damn it!" she hissed. She brought up her omni-tool, deciding it was time for help. She was about to make good on her threat to call Liara, but the fear of the Goddess was suddenly put into her. She'd told her bondmate she wouldn't be doing anything dangerous with Wrex tonight. After thinking for a few seconds of who else was nearby she smirked and pulled up her omni-tool again.

The call was answered with nothing but a low, sneering chuckle. "Shepard."

"Grunt!" Shepard yelled above the gunfire. "Wrex and I could use some help!"

"Finally!" Grunt laughed. "A chance to show that old man who's the better krogan."
"Yeah, awesome! Good for you. Get your ass to the damn arcade!"

"Already on my way, Shepard," Grunt chuckled and cut the feed.

The table was barely holding up under the constant supply of bullets, but she needed to stay in a defensive position for now. "Wrex?!" she barked into her radio.

"What, Shepard? I'm a little busy! It doesn't help that we can't shoot back!"

"I didn't know you were so chivalrous, Urdnot!" She laughed in to the radio. "They're seriously pushing it, Wrex. If I didn't want the krogan to expand, I'd—"

"So do something!" he barked back.

Just then something happened for them. Grunt exploded into the arcade and the gunfire ceased for a second as the enemy reassessed the situation.

One of them yelled "It's the tank-born!"

Another: "He's Okeer's legacy!"

Another: "Surely Commander Shepard doesn't claim them both!"

Still another: "Get him!"

Grunt looked like he was staring down Aralakh, the Eye of Wrath, as it dawned on him why he'd been called. Shepard didn't want another squadmate, she wanted a diversion. "Shepard! You'll pay for this!" Then without another word, Grunt and the enemy—an army of female krogan—disappeared in flurry of gunfire and shouts out to the main strip.

The commander stood and dusted herself off. One thing people never tell you about gunfights is you get covered in any and everything that's in the middle. She applied some medi-gel to a scratch that a bullet had left on her cheek, just missing her.

"So," Shepard said pointedly to Wrex as he stood up. She scowled with her arms crossed over her chest as she scolded him. "You decided that since you were getting laid a little too often you'd try to convince the female clans that I had claimed you? How'd that work out for ya?"

Wrex shrugged and put his shotgun on his back. He sneered at her and chuckled. "It worked until they teamed up."

"Thank the Goddess you already knocked Eve up," Shepard chuckled back. "I think I would have shit my pants if she'd come after me."

"Heh heh," Wrex gave a low, rumbling laugh back. "Now that's a fight I'd like to see someday."

Shepard rolled her eyes. "Not me. Come on, Wrex. You owe me a drink after that shit."

"Silver Coast?" he suggested.

Shepard frowned. "No way. Pergatory's shit, but it's better than that place. Aria stole the casino's last shipment of booze anyway," she grinned, remembering a spectre grade approval she'd made that was probably responsible for that rather fondly. "Besides," she rubbed the back of her neck before darting her gaze from one side to the other as if expecting an ambush. "If Liara heard any of that, I better get the hell out of here."

As soon as she spoke the words, she found herself in a stasis bubble from the shoulders down. She gulped. "Li?" she questioned, peering over her shoulder. She wasn't sure if it was a relief to see that her assailant was her bondmate or not.

Observing the wreckage of the arcade, Liara looked furious. "Shepard? What is going on? What happened? Is it more CAT6?"

Shepard spoke as best she could. "No, not this time. Wrex..uh…" she stammered, truly unsure how to tell her bondmate what had happened.

"Wrex?" Liara looked to him for an explanation.

"Surprised you don't know what's up already, T'Soni," Wrex chuckled.

Liara rolled her eyes, but with a smile. He always found a way to disarm her from any seriousness. "Wrex if you weren't one of my favorite people in the galaxy—"

"I'd be in a stasis bubble, I'm guessing," Wrex laughed at Shepard who glared back.

Liara smirked as she followed his gaze toward her bondmate. "No, this particular form of punishment is reserved for those that require special treatment."

"Hey!" Shepard was offended by the pair of them.

Liara raised a challenging brow and approached the bubble. "Excuse me, Miss Commander Shepard, do you feel I am being unreasonable?" She motioned around the wreckage that was once the arcade. Bits of ceiling were still falling down.

Shepard's eyes went wide in fear and she shook her head violently back and forth to ward off any further punishment.

Liara narrowed her eyes. "I believe you promised me you would not, and I quote, 'blow anything up' tonight. Honestly, Shepard. The poor arcade owners. They'll lose a lot of business while they rebuild."

Shepard hung her head, adequately shamed. She whined as she spoke "But Liaaaarra! It was Wrex's fault!"

Liara turned to the krogan, crossing her arms sternly. "Wrex, is this true?" she asked in a tone that made Shepard certain her bondmate would be the more formidable parent if they had their little blue babies someday.

Wrex hung his head to match Shepard. "Yeah," he deflated.

Surprising both the soldier and the warrior, Liara laughed. "Do I even want to know?"

Shepard gave her a small smirk as she dared to lift her gaze. "It's a pretty good one, actually."