It's the Little Things

It's Hard on the Nerves

"Shepard, he's going to be here anytime now!"

I was nervous. Okay, nervous was an understatement. I was more like a prisoner about to be electrocuted, and the executioner's hand was on the red button. I was jumpy. Sparks. I guess Vega's nickname for me was appropriate.

"How do I look?"

I jumped at Shepard's voice as he walked out of the closet.

"Man, Tali, you've got to calm down."

"H-how far did I jump?"

Shepard stared at his button down black shirt doing up his buttons with an open mouth. "To the moon."

"Keelah."

"How do I look?" he repeated.

I looked him up and down. As good as he looked, I didn't much care about the way his shirt hugged his arms and broad shoulders. I didn't much care about his tan casual slacks and the way his ass looked with them on. I was too nervous to care.

Okay, I was lying. He looked good. Damn good.

"Great. Very good, Shepard," I said, bouncing on my toes.

"What's the problem?"

"Well, he hasn't seen my face yet. It's… weird. Like, I mean it's going to be weird."

I couldn't help but think that he would see this as an act of intimacy. I mean, I'd known him for years and other than Shepard, he was my closest friend. I trusted him.

"Tali, it shouldn't be weird. At the grocery store yesterday, half the quarians weren't wearing their masks. You didn't wear a mask."

"I know, but those are strangers."

"Well, most of them knew who we were."

I snapped, "You know what I mean."

"Not really."

I sighed.

"Okay, it's just that he's never seen my face before and… I've been working with him for years now."

"Take a breath, Tali."

I gulped air.

"Again," he said, resting a hand on my shoulder. I still couldn't get over how warm he always was. I took another breath.

"Now, do you feel better?"

"Keelah, no."

Shepard groaned.

"Do I look good at least?" I asked, wanting an opinion.

Shepard grabbed my shoulders and stood back. He gazed at me with his Neptune blue eyes. Shepard could take any situation, no matter how grand, analyze it, and come to a solution, but the way he looked at me, it was like he couldn't quite grasp me. It was wonder and awe that I saw. He didn't even have to answer my question because I could read his face. It told me I was beautiful.

"Stunning."

I had my hair pulled back in a black pony tail. I had to look up what a pony was when I consulted Kasumi on hair styles, but that is not the point. I wanted to dress casual, so I wore a robin's egg blue summer dress with yellow polka dots. I quite liked wearing shorter dresses. I had a bunch of purple ones but I got this blue one to try out a different color. I like blue. It's nice. Keelah, he likes blue too! Maybe I should wear something else.

"I don't think this dress is purple enough. What if he thinks I'm copying him?"

"Tali, you look great. He won't be bothered by what you're wearing. He's not like that and you know it." Shepard ran a hand through his stubble. "I didn't know you were ever going to be this feminine," he laughed.

"Me too."

Keelah, what am I doing?

"Well rest assured, you're fine looking."

"Good," I said. "I want to look nice, I think. Actually, I don't really care how I look. What's come over me lately, Shepard? Dresses, really? Tali'Zorah vas Rannoch wearing summer dresses!" I sat on the edge of the bathroom's tub. "This isn't me. Or maybe it is now that we don't have to wear suits? Keelah, I'm rambling." I pointed a finger at Shepard. "You know what I need? Some oil stains on this pretty little thing." I looked down at the dress. "Let me go into the shed and reach my hand into the lawn mower and paint myself."

Shepard laughed as he put a dab of cologne on his neck.

"What are you doing?"

"I want to smell nice."

"Shepard, he won't care about that!" I looked around "Plus, you know that stuff turns me on."

"It's not for him, Tali," he said. Shepard's glacial stare made me weak at the knees.

That's when I heard it.

"Ding dong."

"He's here!" I shouted and stood.

"Tali, calm yourself."

"I haven't seen him since the end of the war. It's been, what, a year or so?"

"C'mon, let's get the door."

I threw both hands to my sides to stop from wringing out the blood. We had cleaned the house and had the same soundtrack from Flux playing through the speakers, which Shepard bought me all those years ago. The sun was low in the sky and the day had been a hot one. Shepard jogged to answer the door, obviously more excited that I was. He unbolted the latch and I pulled the skirt down below my knees afraid I chose something that was too high. Shepard swung open the door and extended his hand. The sun was behind him. I couldn't make him out quite yet.

"It's good to see you, Commander."

The voice brought back so many memories.

Both figures stood at the door, hands gripped tightly.

"I'm just going to say 'screw the formalities' right about now," said the man at the door.

"Roger that," said Shepard, his voice tighter than a sailor's knot.

The man at the door let go of Shepard's hand and went in for a hug.

"Shepard, it is damn good to see you again!"

"Garrus Vakarian, it has been too long!"

Wow, it's been a while, hasn't it? Well, a lot has been happening in my life, all absolutely wonderful and better that I ever could have hoped for. I have been writing, but in a different genre for school and have been told by a published author and professional writer my writing is amazing. I am now in the works (very early stages) in writing a novel which I plan to publish. I haven't had much passion for Mass Effect recently, especially since the endings of Mass Effect 3 and the lack of popularity of The Aurora Prophecy (which is my best fanfiction by far. Go read it. When? Right now) but I helped my girlfriend build a gaming PC and got her absolutely hooked on Mass Effect. Remember the good old days when all we did was Mass Effect, that be reading fanfiction, playing the games, or rifling through the forums? She's just like. She's struck some sort of new passion in me for the universe and here I am now, writing more fanfiction. I hope you enjoy these new short stories coming out as I'll continue this one for a little bit. Thanks everyone!

Very best,

RAGE