"Back in their 17th century, aristocrats were pressured by the standards of their society that they needed to maintain appearances that would reflect their rank and status. Even though, at the time, it was a commonly accepted practice to shape teeth out of nathak, this aristocrat had her prosthetic teeth shaped out of ivory - before keeping her teeth fixated together by using a kind of gold wiring."

"Jesus," Gale whistled, then grimaced. "That just sounds fuckin' painful. Appearance shouldn't mean that much. Why are all rich folk so goddamn weird like that?"

Liara chuckled with a meek shrug. She decided not to delve and elaborate the machinations and pressures placed on those high on the 'ranking' ladder - she didn't want the Commander to realize she'd been on that ladder with mother, once, and to be thought less of. She focused on her lesson and flicked to her next slide to show pictures of the aristocrat's skull, as well as the fixed teeth.

"Wow, y'really can't tell which ones are her fake teeth," the vanguard noted.

For a moment, Liara stiffened and put all her effort into keeping a blank face. She was trapped, her gaze glued to the slide. It was beyond obvious which were the fake teeth. The natural teeth were pointy, while the prosthetic was a rectangle. Perhaps to a human who didn't exactly go around checking every species' teeth, it was difficult to determine-

"Did I fry your brain, doc?"

With great reluctance, T'Soni took the risk that her expression may very well expose her. She looked over, her brow arching with surprise when the Commander began laughing.

"Oh, tides take it all... I really need to work on my expressions, don't I?"

"Aye, jesus, I didn't mean to do your mind in like that. I was bein' a smartass, y'know? Sarcastic." Gale rocked off the couch and came up to the slides, jabbing a finger at the rectangle. "These look fake as fuck. Ain't no way the rest of their fancy schmancy society bought this as fuckin' real. She suffered for nothing. Didn't y'mention she had some kind of peri... Peri-disease?"

"Periodontal disease, yes." Liara instinctively took a step back for space, not at all used for the human to be interactive with the lesson. She went to the next slide, though her words floated away from her as she stared at the pictures of different angles. Her lesson was renewed upon coming to the dentist known to have serviced several kings in that century, and she cleared her throat. "According to this dentist, and perhaps one of the sources that added to the pressures of aristocrats, was that he theorized speech would be depraved if one lost their teeth. Back then, eloquent articulation was expected, to become as natural as breathing."

"Is that why it's still beat into ya? It's natural to you, innit?"

"What?" Liara looked back at the vanguard with confusion, caught off guard that the lesson's focus had now been entirely shifted - worst of all, on her.

"These lessons are nice and all, doc, but I'm tired of hearing about rich folk. How come they survive history too? So I'd rather learn about you. You were rich, but you left it, didn't you? Why?"

"H-how... How do you surmise that?"

Gale grinned as she turned. "One thing we got in common is that we've both studied rich bones, just different reasons. I learned how they walk, and how they're easy marks."

True to her nature, she'd gotten up in the face, her hands sliding along the archaeologist's hips. She'd been frozen stiff in an instant. Breathy laughter warmed her face, and soon there was a thin rope bracelet swinging in front of her face. A silent cry burned in her throat as she tried to make a swipe to take it back, but the pickpocket's hands would smoothly sway away every time. She yelped when a firm arm wrapped around her hips for a different purpose and pulled them close, feet pressing against the insides of hers to move her until her back was pressed to the observation window pane.

"It's not even fancy jewellery, but you wear it like 'em. You walk like them, talk like them. And I heard Matriarchs are the pinnacle of asari society - your mom's a Matriarch. I took a look at that degree of yours in your room, looked up that school, wasn't surprised to learn it was one of the fanciest fuckin' schools you could go to. So why'd you leave it?"

"Could we discuss this, p-perhaps... Not like this?"

Flustered, Liara pressed herself firmly against the pane when the human got closer to her burning face. She stammered pitifully, squeezing her eyes shut as she succumbed to her fierce blush. The nearing presence taunted and jeered with breaths pattering over her lips, but no pressure pressed against them. The proximity was ready to make her crack.

Then Gale backed off, and the rope bracelet chafed a little as it slid back onto Liara's wrist.

"You're rich folk, but you're different - because you look at dirty rats differently."

There was an ominous gravelly rub in the way the human's tone had shifted. The mental image of the rabid varren eyes surfaced before Liara opened her eyes to confirm that they were there. Her brow pinched with concern as she observed the vanguard's rough movements, huffing as she'd plopped on the couch. What was the cause for this shift in this atmosphere? Was the Commander truly that perturbed by the nature of recent topics over her archaeological discoveries?

Unsure of how to approach this, or how to explain it all off, Liara stood. She looked down and fidgeted with her bracelet, unearthed from beneath her suit. "How did she even know I had this? My suit's always been over it. Even I've forgotten it's there." She plucked away at it, then stashed it under her suit again. She knew she couldn't stall, that the brash human across from her was already walking along the edge of the cliff, forcing herself to be patient for an answer.

One thing was clear: this topic made both of them uncomfortable.

"I'm not used to sudden changes in mood," Liara confessed quietly. She lifted her gaze, but what she'd seen had sent her running off to look outside the window pane, watching stars meander by them as they travelled to their next destination. "I don't know what to say."

"Aye, s'pose it's sudden, but even I got a limit, doc. I've been hearing about rich folk all the time. The only time I heard about rats like me is when I learned about the maggots and worms that dine on us after we die. So I'm switchin' up the topic for today. I want my lesson to be on you."

That turned up the heat in the asari's cheeks and she fixated more firmly on what was out in space, turning around to face the pane instead. "I-I don't like to talk about myself."

"Yeah, I gathered that," Gale chuckled wryly. "Attention is somethin' rich folk usually gobble up."

"Stop stereotyping me. I am not the 'rich folk' like the ones you sneer at in the Presidium," Liara hissed with annoyance, an abrupt rush of heat surged as she threw a glare over her shoulder. She immediately caught on to her transgression and slithered away back to looking at the stars, embarrassed for her break in equanimity. She knew better.

She was supposed to, anyways.

"Has it ever occurred to you that not everybody wants to fall in the category they've been born in? That they don't want to remain trapped by the things expected and imposed by birth?"

Anger still guided her, and she was struggling to come to terms with this break. She wanted to explain, but she wasn't in the state of mind to do so calmly. She needed to table this discussion for a different day, to recollect her composure. She knew she'd be saying things she didn't mean, or rather, in a regretful manner for doing so, so heatedly.

By the Goddess, though, Gale knew how to push buttons sometimes.

"It has occurred to me, yes," the human stated with such cheekiness, as if she was daring and demanding retribution.

"Then let that answer suffice, at least for today. Perhaps someday-"

"Is that the end of the lesson, then?"

"If you're more inclined to interrupt me and antagonize me, then yes."

Laughter, that usually lifted her spirits, now gnawed on her instead. She'd turned and crossed her arms as she watched with hurt, the way the vanguard was still so casual about it all. She didn't seem the least bit perturbed for her transgressions. That she'd even remained in such high spirits was only adding more insult to injury. Gale bounced up from the couch and did her usual thing of not respecting space, coming close again. Liara held out her hand and shook her head firmly.

Thankfully, finally, Gale at least respected that.

"Aye, sorry for riling you up, love. I went about that all arseways, I did. It's just..." Gale struggled, groping for words. Her expression flickered by a myriad of emotions, where she seemed to want to entertain mischief, but somehow found a measure of being serious. Her confession only added to the eternal confusion that T'Soni seemed to be condemned to.

"I just want to figure you out. I feel like if I do, I can figure out me then."

Information slowly digested now that the factor instigating unwelcome thoughts had settled down. Liara observed, her heart sinking when the Commander's mood suddenly changed all over again. It was so difficult to keep up with how fast-paced and flighty she was, some days - like today. It was Gale's turn to fidget, but she had nothing to fidget with on her own hands.

Tides damn it all, why did she have to figure to fidget with the asari's hands instead?

"No stealing," Liara blurted.

"I'm not," Gale chuckled, and that audacious smile returned - even met her eyes - for a minute. "I didn't before, either. Just liberated it for a bit."

"Mm hm."

"Don't ya think that thing wants to breathe? Shouldn't tuck it away under your suit. It's a nice bracelet, even for rope." An obnoxious thumb passed over the cuff of the archaeologist's suit. "You're being cruel to me, doc. It's a crime trying to stay so bloody mysterious to the one who just wants to do an expedition herself."

Expedition?

"You wish to go on an archaeological dig with me?" T'Soni inquired, and she immediately regretted it with the way those emerald eyes darkened to a hungry jade.

Hungry for knowledge, right?

...Right?

Huskiness drenched every word, and it seemed the Commander was sincerely fighting to stay on the path she needed, rather than wanted. "What do you see when you think of me?"

A dim-lit room with machines as lighting, the tea set behind, the coffee spilling from Gale's cup.

Ferocious fire clawed at the base of the archaeologist's throat. She stammered for a more suitable answer, something that was concrete that the Commander needed, not wanted.

After what felt like centuries passing by, she'd settled for the first acceptably innocent thought that crossed her mind.

"I-I see a human," came the lame answer.

Emerald orbs widened a little, and it wasn't for good reasons. Gale stared blankly, though the way her mouth struggled not to grin must've coincided with the way her belly must've been aching with trying not to laugh over the universe's most wooden-headed answer to date. Bless Shepard for finally having deciphered that space was a need for the archaeologist to function, though not without falling apart with perhaps the most crooked smirk - still fighting valiantly not to grin and laugh.

Something suddenly changed again. Gale's eyes softened, and her smirk melted into an affectionate smile.

"You're barmy, love."

With not much context to work with, Liara could only deduce that she was positively hopeless for having pointing out something so simple-mindlessly literal. But... It seemed like it meant something to Gale, and that this something meant a lot. It sent the asari's brain into overdrive as she furiously worked to deduce the mystery behind that instead.

Simple-mindlessly, Gale leaned in and captured the archaeologist's lips, moving carefully slow as she'd braved grabbing onto T'Soni's shoulders - but not to keep her in place.

It felt more like hanging on a lifeline instead.

All Liara could think about was the taste of the Goddess-awful rations they'd resorted to consuming. She'd squeezed her eyes shut extra tight as she tried to ignore the fierce warmth throbbing throughout her entire face. She urged and coaxed her hands to reach back in return, giving all the moral support and supportive words she could think of. They had minds of their own and remained glued to her hips. She was frozen stiff, unable to even reciprocate the way the human had attempted to make this a sensual experience.

Goddess, she knew she was messing this all up when she mustered the courage to open her eyes - soon to learn what the human saying 'curiosity killed the cat' had meant. There were frequent amused looks that Gale had shot through half-lidded eyes, as if opening them just to make sure Liara still had her soul inside her body. She felt like it had abandoned her so long ago, and with it, her mind.

Awkwardness began to creep in, or so she felt - knew that it was due to her. The hands on her shoulders had squeezed and massaged encouragingly. Gale had even stopped moving her lips and remained still, as if she elected to just watch and wait on T'Soni.

"Stop that," Liara blurted.

"I have," the vanguard lilted cheerily.

"No. That. Whatever you're doing right now."

Gale smirked. "I have."

"No you're not. I can hear you teasing me."

"Maybe in your mind, you are. I promise I'm not, love." She leaned back in, but didn't touch.

That millimetre of distance between their lips was murder.

"I'll wait here 'til I'm not scary anymore."

"What is that logic?" T'Soni breathed incredulously.

Logic that didn't get a chance to blossom.

≤Commander?≥

Oh, Gale looked as if someone murdered her glass of whisky and punched her target for her.

"Why these examples?!" Liara nearly cried out loud.

Thankfully, the vanguard leaned back and looked up at the ceiling, visibily disgruntled. "Yeah, Joker? What d'you have for me?"

≤ETA to Sharjila is in an hour, Commander. Navigator Pressly requested records from the comm buoys and said recent logs have shown a lot of unregistered vessels operating nearby.≥

"So we've found where our pirates are holed up, good. Anything I should know about Sharjila before planetfall?"

Navigator Pressly's voice came on the line. ≤Yes, EVAs are discouraged.≥

"Understood. I'll assemble the ground team and get ready now."

Joker and Pressly signed off. Liara was left, crippled by a new curious intrigue - one that did not seem to cripple the Commander. She'd followed after Gale who abruptly took off with a brisk pace, and couldn't resist asking. "Why are extravehicular activities discouraged?"

"Beats me," Gale shrugged as she folded her hands behind her head, leading them to the hangar bay. "But if Pressly says don't go outside, then I'm just not gonna go outside. Simple, innit?"

"But why? What would happen if we do?"

"I mean, I'd say go for it and find out if you're dyin' to know," the vanguard shot a cheeky smirk over the shoulder. "But then you'd probably die after you know, so, y'know. That'd suck. I like ya more when you're breathin'," her grin grew, "Makes it more fun when I get t'be the one who stops it."

T'Soni sighed, ignoring her blush over the casual flirtations that clearly increased in frequency recently, for whatever reason. A mystery for another day. As for Sharjila's hazards, she knew she wouldn't get the information she wanted from one who would sooner be mischievous rather than enlightening. She had a strong feeling that even if Gale had known, she'd dangle it like bait on a stick and torment before sharing - and that's if she'd actually share. The archaeologist elected not to provoke temptations without resistance, and made it her own personal mission to find out before her boots were on the ground - the mako, rather.

Groans threatened to spill out of her the second they bubbled harshly in her chest. They were condemned to stay trapped in the mako with a maniac driver.

Whatever hazards plagued Sharjila would not be as treacherous as that.

"Fascinating!"

Liara was stuck on radar duty - not that she minded - as the rest of the ground team went in to investigate what was probably another abandoned base. This time, she utilized the mako's atmospheric analyzers and ran a quick test, enlightened by the readings that exploded in front of her.

No wonder even this forced Gale to plan and organize accordingly, before exiting the mako to rush for the base.

"Sharjila seems to have a very dense atmosphere of ammonia and oxygen. Its temperate surface is mainly composed of alumina with deposits of sulfur. So that must mean it has an extensive silicon-based, oxygen-breathing ecology. Silicon dioxide is typically a respiratory by-product of a world's higher animal forms, so heavily populated areas would be covered with fine silica dust." Her gaze panned over the radars that monitored the weather. "High-speed surface winds, often laden with abrasive silica dust would be cause enough to present a hazard, though thankfully not immediately fatal. In areas where the wind deposits a great deal of silica, though, footing would be extra treacherous. This must have been what Navigator Pressly determined and why he discouraged EVAs. Interesting!"

Delighted to have finally found out her answers - and without dying to boot, the perfect bonus - Liara was able to settle down. For now. She'd relaxed in her chair and decided to take out her mug of tea from her pack, wishing she could feel it's warmth eek into her fingers through her suit, but alas. She'd settle for nursing it and relishing the warmth slithering down inside of her instead.

Comm-chatter noted nothing spectacular, and T'Soni struggled not to smile whenever she'd listen to Tali's reports. Upon exiting the mako, the quarian was always fully-animated and enthusiastic. Upon realizing that doom was fast returning, the soul was sucked right out of her. The archaeologist set aside her tea and prepared herself when the team announced they were leaving the base. She coordinated with Gale to erect a kinetic barrier at the hatch and open it on command, stepping aside for the team to barrel in quickly. Liara slipped a firm hand around the quarian's arm to steady her, leaning to whisper words of encouragement.

"The next base isn't far."

"Thank Keelah..."

They'd taken their seats, and Liara disengaged the mako's barrier after she'd closed the hatch. Garrus climbed up into the cannon cockpit, and they all prepared for the initial jaunty jerk of the mako revving to life. The archaeologist wisely sealed her mug as tight as she could and stowed it back in her pack, then held onto her dashboard for extra support.

It became a mantra for her too, to chant inside her head.

"The next base isn't far."

What she failed to further analyze, however, was their new handy-dandy 3D technology map of the terrain - and what she failed to further speculate was that, even with the help of this technology, Gale would elect to blast through whatever would be the shortest route possible, mountains in the way or not. Liara refused to break, however, even with the dying wails of the quarian behind her seat. Yet another bout of mental trauma engraved in their minds and their stomachs.

She swore she heard Garrus mutter: "Someone get me out of here..."

"Someone needs to have a very important conversation with Gale," Liara inwardly noted. She'd blanched further from the thought, realizing what that truly meant.

"Goddess... That means me. Why does it always have to be me? What have I done to deserve any of this?"

It was a duty she was tempted to forsworn, but she couldn't take this torture of hearing how miserable her team was - and the maniacal cackles at the pilot seat as the thrusters were engaged, full-throttle, to maintain this momentum so they wouldn't somersault right off this mountain and crash at the bottom.

"Traitor," the quarian groaned pitifully. "You said it wasn't far, but you forgot to mention the worst part."

"I'm sorry," Liara urged. She had to suck in a breath when her stomach recoiled viciously at another kick of the thrusters. "I truly am so, so sorry, Tali."

Centuries passed by before their rigorous torture session was over, and they'd finally arrived at the base - or near it. They'd suddenly stopped and Gale whistled. "Woo-ee, there's our pirate base alright. I'm countin'... Five vehicles. It's gonna be jam packed in there." The vanguard looked over the shoulder of her seat, her grin an honest display of how she felt about this all. "Ready to kick some slaver arse and be dashin' heroes? We gotta keep an eye out for Nassana's sister, Dahlia."

"Perhaps we can negotiate for her safety?" Liara offered.

Something in Gale's eyes shut off then. She shook her head before she'd turned back in her seat, revving the mako. "I don't talk with pirates anymore."

"Is this why she reacted the way she did to her old gang, on the Citadel?"

It was a question for another time, a more appropriate time - where she'd sneak in the mako bits too - and she tabled her curiosities for now. She prepared herself for battle as she fixed her helmet on and checked her equipment, distracting herself from the mako racing towards the base. She was certain Gale would enter the base like a storm, and that Liara would probably be the only one ensuring the mako would remain as a safe uncompromised vehicle to return to.

"How do we get along again?" A small smile pulled at the corner of Liara's lips. "We're very much opposites - but perhaps that's the source of strength in our team dynamic."

Garrus carefully dropped down from the cockpit, holding onto the swinging handles for dear life until they'd screeched to a halt. They engaged their weapons and Gale erected the mako's barrier before they'd open the hatch. As expected, she'd barrelled out like a ferocious hurricane. T'Soni was quick with what she'd needed to do and worked in tandem with Tali to secure the mako, both jumping up to pull the hatch down.

There was almost a sense of giddiness in the adrenaline that flooded her body now, to keep up with the Commander. She connected to their comm-frequency, a smirk daring to dance with her words. "Mind your recovery, Commander."

Though nothing could be seen beyond the thin visor of Gale's helmet, the way her own words danced back painted a vivid picture of what her expression must've looked like now.

≤Yes mum, thanks mum!≥

Awkwardness settled in the mako now, and the ride back to the Normandy was thankfully extremely short with Joker sparing them and landing nearby, now that the planet was secure and devoid of every pirate organism possible. Gale had been steaming, and there wasn't a lid slapped shut on it. Her helmet was tossed aside and there was a sleuth of curses that couldn't even be translated properly through Liara's implants. She watched with concern, though with silence, just like the others.

Nobody dared to question the nature of the premise Shepard headed in with, if she was surprised that Dahlia was a slaver instead of a hostage.

"Whoever enlisted the Commander on this is going to regret to be on the receiving end of this, soon," Liara noted worriedly. She had her own gripe upon realizing that Gale was manipulated into this, and her heart sank when she'd also realized that the vanguard didn't seem surprised that she was manipulated, though still incensed by it.

"I'm a fucking Spectre, I should've fuckin' known! Fuckin'... I ain't no goddamn different, all these years. Garrett was right." Gale hissed, the mako wheel squeaking in protest from the force of her grip. "That fuckin' Nassana cunt is gonna get a taste of me fist, I promise. I'm supposed to be chasing Saren instead of wasting time tying up loose ends for rich fucking pricks. Why the fuck is that part never recorded in history 'bout them, huh? I bet they've all been shite since the dawn of fucking time, but they're all gold wires and fascinations."

T'Soni felt a slight jab, though shrunk in her seat. She'd known where these particular complaints were coming from, and elected to keep quiet about it when Tali and Garrus murmured their confusions amongst themselves.

"They call us rats dirty, but they're the ones that ain't got no problem poking the rats to make 'em do all their dirty work. Wonder why us rats are so dirty then, huh? Fuckin' wankers!"

Tension never left even when the mako rolled up into the Normandy and parked abruptly, with no care where it was supposed to actually be. Gale had breezed out and never bothered to collect what gear was thrown on the ground. With uncertainty, Tali began to pick up the pieces, breaking Garrus and Liara out of their stupors as they'd gone to help. They all submitted their equipment back to the armoury for inspection, decontamination and decommissioning.

None had words, but Liara felt Tali looking over at her more and more often. The asari sighed.

"I know. I'll talk with her - but after she calms down. I don't believe she'll hear me, or our concerns, if I try to approach right now."

Resolve that wavered the entire time, for she dearly wanted to go talk to Gale now and try to settle the human down, but... This seemed very near and dear, and more things that Liara had missed before in the rec room were now as stark-clear as the window pane, where one look through it was all she needed to tell exactly what she saw, now.

Chatter on the Normandy System reverberated throughout the hangar bay, and she'd grimaced when she heard that the Citadel was their next destination. She had a strong inkling that it wouldn't be for what the human had promised her, but rather what was promised to be done to Nassana. From what information T'Soni had known, the asari was a diplomat - and punching her would surely yield far-reaching consequences rather than old gang members in the forgotten Lower Wards.

"Surely Gale wouldn't, right...?"

Something politely informed her that the vanguard - in her language - wouldn't give a fuck for the consequences right now.

There was a dull ache beginning to form and throb in Liara's mind. Earlier, them being the opposites was the source of strength in their dynamics. Now? She couldn't help but feel like it was a weakness, a burden. A morbid thought taunted her that she was the leash to the rabid varren. Her shoulders sank wearily. She despondently headed to the rec room, her brain a chaotic mess as she brainstormed what to say to Gale to calm her, soothe her, and distract her.

No lessons popped up in mind now. T'Soni didn't particularly enjoy that they've been weaponized. They were supposed to be simple matters of intrigue, to sate curiosities, and now they were used as fuel to stoke embers ablaze once more. She could understand why, but...

"Will this happen every lesson, now? And why is this troubling the Commander so much, now?"

This kind of brain-aching thinking, the archaeologist didn't revel in. It was entrenched in negativity rather than enthusiasm. Her heart sank more and more, especially when she'd entered the rec room - and found that it was too late to turn around and run away, with dull jade eyes fixated on her presence immediately.

They stared at each other. Gale seemed to have been pacing about. The laser pointer was in her hands.

She wasn't breaking the equipment, was she?

Liara forced herself to step in so that the doors would slide shut and re-grant them privacy once more. She braced herself for the hurricane to blow through her next.

"I'm sorry, doc."

Winds changed abruptly, as usual. T'Soni was beginning to learn that she couldn't expect a foundation, a steady consistency. She tried to keep her surprise and her emotions neutral, for she was also beginning to learn that it seemed to help Gale stay focused on reflecting rather than reacting. She braved the walk to the couch and her nearing proximity seemed to be a trigger of sorts, watching as the flighty human maintained a certain distance between them with a facade of a smile painted on to hide uncertainties.

"Must not've been charming to see me lose my shite like that, huh? So... I'm sorry. I should've known better. I'm a Spectre, after all, gotta be a leader. Not a kid throwin' tantrums."

Liara sat on the couch, observing to see just how much distance Gale felt she needed. It was challenged, at times, as this silence stretched between them. The vanguard didn't seem to know what to do or say, and it also appeared that this tormented her greatly. She looked down at the laser pointer in her hands and fidgeted, her mouth opening and closing.

Nothing ever came.

With a sigh, Gale seemed to give up. She set the laser pointer back in the board's cubby. Before she could retreat, T'Soni decided to broach the space. She smiled reassuringly when there was an obvious moment where the vanguard wanted to maintain this distance between them, and mustered the courage to blow away her own anxiety as she'd grabbed Gale's hand.

"To answer your question before," Liara murmured, "I see a human."

This time, though, it wasn't just literally.

For a moment, the dullness in the eyes had sparked to life. It was beat down and stowed away, as if hope wasn't allowed, as if skepticism was the only thing permitted to exist. The way Gale's fingers intertwined and tightened had betrayed that. She seemed to struggle even more to stay still, then, and there was a resounding thud as she'd stepped back to force her back against the window pane. She stared at their adjoined hands, a bitter smile quirking her lips.

"Help me figure you out, doc. Please."

"Are you at war with yourself because of how you perceive me, yet still... Possess feelings for me?"

There was an honest nod, then, and Liara tried to beat down the sting that she was still perceived as 'rich folk' to be sneered at. She bravely reached to collect the vanguard's other hand in her own, lifting them to be between them.

"Then perhaps you should be at war with your perception, rather than your feelings."

Eyebrows pinched adorably as the vanguard looked up at her with sharpening eyes, the life in them slowly returning - and with annoyance to boot. "You're really not gonna make it simple, are ya?"

At that, an audacious smile of her own came to dance upon her lips, and Liara shook her head with a chuckle. "Of course not."

"Aye, of course not," Gale rolled her eyes sardonically. "Why would you? Your brain isn't wired that way. Man... Why'd I have to go and get chummy with things that make my brain hurt?"

"I do not know, Gale. Why did you have to go and do that?"

"Can we please stop answering with more questions and give that thing I'd like to call: actual answers?"

"Reflection gives you an answer from deep within, with no influence from outside - such as influence from me. I can only answer to what I think and feel, Gale. And so I remind you: I see a human." She tightened her fingers and pulled herself a little closer. Her cheeks were already heating up. She faltered, and her gaze fell to be fixated on their hands. "I do not see a dirty rat. So I must ask you, then... A question for you to reflect on, a question to challenge your perception."

Hopeful hands broke their connection and cupped her jaw, raising her head so that they'd made eye contact. She was almost interrupted in her thought process when Gale had gone ahead and kissed her, and she'd thawed a little with relief to not be the one to initiate and cross the valley of that terrifying millimetre.

Something sparked inside of her when teeth gently bit her bottom lip and pulled, a need that compelled her to seek out something to hold. She pressed in a little harder, sought out to grab the vanguard's wrists, and broke the kiss as she'd touched her burning forehead with one she'd found wasn't that much cooler than hers. She knew she was asking for trouble, for an honest truth that she was sure would set her face alight - but by the Goddess, she refused to let fear dictate her all the time.

"What do you see when you think of me?"