Quills, Steel, and Sunshine

"This is amazing!" Kolyat clung to the railing separating him from the more than one and a half kilometer drop.

The sun shone on his scales, really bringing out the splashes of teal and blue in a way Jasmine never saw on Kahje. Wind tugged at his jacket, making the tails flap and slap against his thighs. Miniature dust devils swirled around his boots before petering out again. Everything about the moment was perfect.

Jasmine grinned, and pushed her sunglasses up higher on her nose before attempting to tame her ponytail, gone wild with the breeze. Maybe she felt a wee bit smug, even though Arizona wasn't her choice of destination. It wasn't as if she had any sort of ownership over Earth, but it was her homeworld.

He pushed up on his toes and leaned further over the railing, and as if they were all called into action at once, everyone grabbed for Kolyat. Jasmine, Thane, and Rone were closest to the kid, but it was Thane and Jasmine who managed to catch hold of him and tug him back, forcing his feet flat on the cracked, dry ground.

"Careful," she chided, letting him go again.

Looking every bit the teenager he was, Kolyat gave her a look that made it clear just how ridiculously overprotective he thought she was being, but his face smoothed back out almost as quickly as his father's might've. Brow twitching, she scoffed softly. A part of her actually felt a little impressed with how quickly he caught and corrected the display. Probably because if he hadn't, Rone would've seen and scolded him. As it was, she didn't think anyone but her caught the look. Ironically, being on the receiving end of the expression thrilled Jasmine. It meant he felt comfortable in her presence; she'd gained his trust.

"My apologies," he muttered to no one in particular and turned his attention back out at the Grand Canyon. "The extranet said the Grand Canyon was formed over several million years from water and wind erosion. I find it difficult to imagine how water and wind can create something so massive."

"All night, Jasmine," Drali whispered to her, elbowing her gently in the ribs. "All night."

She grinned at him and bumped him with her shoulder. "But see how happy he looks?" she asked, voice just as soft.

Drali smiled at her and nodded before turning his gaze back to his nephew. "This was a great idea." He put his arm around her shoulder and tugged her against his side. "I'm glad you called, Sister."

She studied his profile for a second, warmth in her heart and a smile on her face. "So am I, Brother."

"I hope we see a black bear," Kolyat said as they hiked through Coconino National Forest.

Jasmine snorted and glanced his way. "I don't." She wiped sweat from her forehead and shooed away a grasshopper that landed on her shirt. "Though seeing a jaguar or a mountain lion in the wild would be pretty amazing. At least until it decides we're dinner."

Rone chuckled and planted his makeshift walking stick in the grass and dirt for support before stepping up and over a large, sunbleached rock. It was pretty obvious he wasn't accustomed to walks in the woods, or really nature in general. She wondered how long it'd actually been since the last time he'd left the domed city on Kahje. But he was a good sport, issuing not a single complaint the whole time. Drali on the other hand ….

"It would be amazing," Kolyat said and then paused. He tipped his head to the side as if straining to hear. Seeming to zero in on the sound, he turned and pointed. "Look!" His voice raised an octave and his face lit up with his excitement. "I think it is a porcupine!"

Jasmine followed the direction of his finger and narrowed her eyes. It took her a second, but she caught sight of something when it moved in the underbrush about eighteen or so meters away. Unfortunately, her human eyes just couldn't quite pick out the details amongst the bushes, fallen branches, and other forest debris, but it looked a bit bigger than anything she really wanted to have to deal with up close and personal.

Thane moved a little closer, standing just behind Jasmine, a solid, reassuring presence at her back. A moment later, the creature waddled out where she could get a better look at it, and sure enough, it was a porcupine. It snuffled at the ground as it went, seemingly oblivious to their presence. Not that a porcupine could've outrun them if they'd wanted to catch it, but who in their right mind would try to chase after a porcupine?

She took Thane's hand, gently squeezing his fingers, and led him forward a few steps so she could prop her other elbow on Kolyat's shoulder. "You're right. Good catch."

He glanced at her, a giant grin on his face, before returning his attention to the porcupine heading downhill.

"It's a rather ugly thing, isn't it?" Drali said, the distaste obvious in his voice.

"I don't think so," said Theodus. "But I tend to admire creatures with such … unexpected survival mechanisms."

Jasmine glanced over her shoulder at the two men, finding their reactions curious. She supposed she'd never really considered what she thought about porcupines, other than she really didn't want their quills in her skin, but she didn't think they were ugly. She turned her attention to Rone. "What about you, Rone? Do you think it's ugly?"

Rone chuckled and met her gaze before studying the animal again. "I think it is fascinating."

Snorting, she turned her attention back to the porcupine. "Most humans won't let you get away with avoiding answering a direct question like that, you know."

"Then I shall be grateful you are not most humans, Sister," he said, voice dry, but when she glanced his way again, the corner of his mouth turned upward in a slight smirk.

She grinned and then looked at Thane, arching an eyebrow. "And you, Husband?"

Deadpan, he said, "I am also grateful you are not most humans, Wife."

She chuckled and tugged on his hand, urging him closer. Closing the little space between them, he let go of her hand to rest it on her opposite hip, instead, pressing her against his side.

"I have no opinion on the quality of their appearance," Thane said, leaning close to brush his lips over her cheekbone, "but I do agree they are fascinating, and I find their defensive quills to be admirable."

"I think they are cute," said Kolyat, looking at Jasmine with a question in his eyes.

She grinned and shifted to put her arm around both of his shoulders. "I do, too."

The porcupine ambled on, moving behind a boulder. Giving Kolyat one last squeeze, she let the boy go. It made her happy how comfortable he'd become with her displays of affection. It made her feel more legitimately like they were family. Turning as a group, they continued on.

"There is no need to fear the predators of this forest." Kolyat glanced back at her after a few more meters. The sunlight filtering through the branches of the trees cast patterns of shadows across his face. "Father is a biotic. I am certain he could frighten them away and keep us safe."

Thane's hand twitched in hers, the air around him suddenly filled with electricity. She squeezed his hand and brushed her thumb over his, taking half a second to evaluate his reaction.

'Keep us safe'. That has to carry a lot of weight for him.

She pursed her lips as if debating the validity of Kolyat's statement before nodding. "He's really brave, too. I bet you're right." She might've mentioned that both she and Thane were armed, as well, but that was probably better left unsaid.

Thane finished his exercise routine and stood, using a towel he'd draped over a chair in the bedroom to wipe away the sheen of sweat and excess venom from his face and chest. He turned around to find Jasmine watching him, a familiar hunger in her eyes. He smirked, knowing he'd never tire of seeing lust for him written all over her face. Indeed, he may have made it a habit to wait to do his routine when she'd be present because he knew she 'enjoyed the show'. He felt much the same about her, savoring the opportunities to watch her graceful movements.

Her gaze slowly roamed over him before settling on his eyes. She smiled and then dropped the datapad in her hand on the side table. Reaching behind the table, she pulled out a long, wooden box. Surprised and momentarily confused—he had no idea she'd hidden anything back there—he tilted his head and raised his brow ridges.

"This was delivered today," she said, setting the box on her lap and turning it to face her. "I wanted to wait until we were alone to give it to you. Don't worry, it's nothing risqué, just not really appropriate for Kolyat to see."

"Indeed?" He draped the towel over his shoulder and moved to sit on the corner of the bed directly across from his wife. "Siha, you've already given me so much in celebration of my birthday. You needn't give me anything else."

"Oh, hush." She snorted, slowly raising the hinged lid. "It's a practical gift, but I get to spoil you all I want. It's a consequence of marrying me."

He chuckled and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Very well." He still couldn't see what the box held, but he was a patient man.

"So," she said, slowly turning the box on her lap until it faced him, revealing two, sheathed daggers, "I've been thinking about getting you something like this for a while. I figured it was a good time to go for it, being your birthday, and all. And I know you broke one on Akuze. They're not the same, of course, but they're good quality. The best Earth has to offer."

She gently cleared her throat and lifted the larger, heavier looking of the two from the box and turned it over in her hands. "This one's made from German steel which has less carbon, so the metal is softer and less prone to chipping or breaking. It's bulkier and not as sharp as a lot of blades, but … hell, I'm sure you don't need me to explain the usefulness." She chuckled and shook her head, gaze returning to the dagger still in the box. "The other is made from Japanese steel. It's lighter, thinner, and incredibly sharp, but has a higher carbon content." She held the hilt of the dagger in her hand out to him, a hopeful smile on her face.

He accepted the weapon, taking a moment to study the bundle of small, star-shaped flowers carefully burned into the top of the leather sheath. They tugged at his memories, taking him back to the evening on the Citadel when she made them dinner in her apartment.

Floral fragrance in the air. It's pleasant. Subtle yet distinct. I see no flowers anywhere. Her boots scrape softly across the kitchen floor. Clothing rustles with her movements. She's left me to myself, a sign of her growing trust. Giving me leave to look over the few personal effects she decorates her living space with.

There isn't much. A datapad next to the vidscreen. A test of trust, perhaps. Mass-produced oil painting on the wall. Abstract shapes, vibrant colors. Much like the clothing she prefers. There's a lamp on a small table, the base carved, the shade decorative. Unlikely to be a part of the apartment's standard furnishings. Light sparkles against glass, my attention shifts downward to a white candle on the table. I move closer, and the floral scent grows stronger. I wonder how much stronger it would be if I light the wick. I won't, of course, it would be rude.

Pick up the candle, smooth glass and the dry feel of paper against my fingertips. I turn it in my hand, find a label with small, white flowers shaped like stars. Jasmine. Printed in bold letters across the label. She approaches, her footsteps nearly silent. Her warmth at my back, then she appears in my peripheral, standing at my shoulder. I smile, hold up the candle. "Jasmine?"

She grins, displaying rows of straight, white teeth. "It's not vanity, I swear." Arm brushes against mine, she taps her fingernail against the label. The contact is audible and sends vibrations through the glass. "The plant is called jasmine." Shrugs as she lowers her arm. "I like the way it smells."

It was a night filled with longing and uncertainty; a time before he knew the taste of her tongue in his mouth or the feel of her warm embrace. Later, it was a night filled with terror and pain, but the next day brought with it the start of something so beautiful.

"Jasmine," he said, identifying the flowers and running his fingers over the fine leather, and then he glanced up at his wife. "You had this made special?"

"I did." She smiled and nodded her head at the knife. "Look at the blade."

He unsnapped the sheath and pulled the dagger free. The light glinted off of the metal, polished to a mirror finish, but the curve of the double-edge distorted his reflection. Another, single jasmine flower artfully engraved into the steel sat next to the hilt. It was small and discreet, just above the crafter's mark. He smiled, thinking of it as his wife's mark, and he turned the weapon over in his hand.

Getting a feel for its weight, he agreed the blade itself was thicker and heavier than most daggers he'd wielded. It felt comfortable in his hand, though, and it was well-balanced. The leather cording enhanced his grip in addition to adding to the aesthetic. Undoubtedly, it would do significant damage when thrusted, even against some armors and bone. He doubted it would've broken from coming into contact with cybernetic implants in his target's skull as had the one he broke on Akuze.

"This is quite impressive," he said, flipping it into an underhanded hold before twirling it upright once more. It wasn't the most astounding quality of metal or craftsmanship he'd ever seen, but it certainly surpassed most weapons he'd owned over the years. It was a weapon he'd feel proud to carry.

"I'm glad you approve." She winked at him when he looked up. "Here, let's see what you think of the other." Picking up the second dagger, she balanced it across her palms like an offering and extended her hands to him.

He sheathed the first and sat it on his thigh before taking the other from her hands. The brown, leather sheath carried the same pyrographic markings of jasmine. He unsnapped it and slid the blade free. Long and slender, the single edge looked razor sharp. It was definitely designed for slashing, and would, undoubtedly, slice very deeply with minimal effort. It was a weapon designed for precision and speed, something that could kill a man before his brain registered the danger. Conversely, should the wielder be skilled enough and have the mind to do so, such a blade could prolong someone's death, creating intense suffering.

It, too, carried a jasmine flower next to the crafter's mark and the handle was likewise wrapped in leather.

Perhaps he should find such thoughts about an object, which was also designed to remind him of his wife, to be disturbing. He did not, however. Instead, he imagined, for a moment, having had the option to use one of her blades to kill the man who beat her mercilessly on Benning. He'd died so much more swiftly than he'd deserved. If Thane had used a blade gifted to him from her, one with her marking, it may have felt a little more like justice.

"These are beautiful weapons, siha." He carefully resheathed the blade. His thoughts had gone dark, and he just wanted to hold her in his arms. "Made more beautiful by bearing your mark and more precious to me for having come from you. I will do my best to use them in ways that honor you."

Abandoning the chair, she sat the wooden box in her place and then took a seat next to him on the bed. She reached up, resting a hand against his face, gentle fingers tracing the ridges of his cheek before moving down over his frills. He closed his eyes, a soft rumble of pleasure in his throat, and leaned into her touch.

"Use them in ways that keep you alive and always coming home to me, Thane." Her voice was so gentle, yet there was something so raw, so vulnerable just beneath the surface, it demanded his attention.

He opened his eyes again, meeting her gaze, and he knew dark thoughts haunted her mind, too. He picked up the box and returned the daggers to their designated places within the lining. Closing the box once more, he carefully sat it next to her datapad and then turned to face her fully, drawing his left knee up onto the mattress.

Hooking a finger beneath her chin, he held her there as he leaned forward and captured her lips with his. They were soft, yielding easily to him, following his movements and parting with renewed desire. He gathered her into his arms and pulled her onto his lap before threading his fingers through the hair at the base of her skull. Tightening the hand into a fist, the pressure well practiced and perfect, he drew a hungry, needy whimper from his wife.

"I spoke with Malcolm last night," Drali said, keeping his voice low as he and Jasmine followed behind the others, pausing here and there to take a closer look at one exhibit or another.

"Yeah?" She arched an eyebrow and stopped in front of a display with a scaled down model of the Viking 1 lander. Skimming the information on the standing plaque in front of the display, she tried to actually take in the details about the first successful mission to land on Mars, but Drali's words bounced around inside of her brain like one of those ancient pinball machines they'd seen at the front of the museum.

It made her happy to know Isaac and Drali were still seeing each other, even if only through vidcalls at the moment. Apparently, Isaac still used an alias with Drali, but that didn't mean things weren't serious for him. She knew her former handler wore his heart on his sleeve, and she saw first hand the way he'd melted for Drali's charms.

"He asked me to tell you to enjoy yourself," Drali said, drawing her attention fully back to him and flashing her a victorious grin, "and to stop worrying about him."

Snorting, she shook her head. "Who says I'm worried about him?"

But she was, and Isaac damn well knew it. Drali probably damn well knew it, too. Hell, the whole galaxy did.

She wasn't exactly a control freak, but uh … it did kind of freak her out when she had no control in a situation. She hated not knowing where Isaac was or what danger he faced. She especially despised knowing that she'd put him on Cerberus' radar. How could she not worry about him? How could she not worry about all of them? Hell, even Ares agreed she was responsible for the team when it came to their war on Cerberus. She was the one who pulled them all together; she was the one who'd kept them all together. So, she needed to be the one to keep them all alive.

Drali waved a hand and shrugged. "I'm just the messenger." They walked in silence for a moment, but then he asked, "Are you?"

Jasmine sighed and pressed her lips together. "Maybe, but mostly just because it seems to be the only way my mind knows how to process the absence of people I care about."

Drali hummed and nodded. "I worry about him, too, sometimes."

She glanced up at him and saw the tightness to his jaw and eyes. "Did something happen?" she asked, his expression making her chest tighten. "Did he look okay when you talked to him?"

"I'm sure he'd be happy to hear from you himself." His ocular scales blocked all sight of his eyes, but she didn't need to see them to get the message he was trying to subtly convey.

Swallowing against the sudden knot in her throat, she took a deep breath and nodded. "I'll try to give him a call, later."

"Jasmine?" Kolyat stood in front of a tall display case, but he'd turned toward her, blocking whatever was in the case.

She slipped a smile onto her face and tried to tuck all thoughts of Isaac back into their own little box, tucking it away on her mental shelf to deal with later. Quickening her pace, she lifted her eyebrows and asked, "What's up?"

"Father reminded me that many of your favorite foods originate on Earth. I recall you listing several you thought I should try when I came to visit." He paused and glanced toward Rone who stood a couple of displays away, looking at photographs with Theodus. Turning back to her, Kolyat pitched his voice a little lower and asked, "May we go somewhere that has French fries after the museum? Or maybe the beef with broccoli? I would like to try them."

"Absolutely!" Her smile suddenly felt infinitely more genuine, and her stomach decided to grumble in agreement, too. "In fact, I saw a place on the way here that has a buffet with several different styles of food. They'll have all kinds of good stuff for you to try. And probably only about a third of it will be considered healthy, so your dad and Rone will hate me, but they'll let me get away with it because this is your first visit!"

Thane smiled and shook his head in dismay. This made her grin even wider, and Drali laughed, tossing an arm over her shoulder. Kolyat, however, looked at her as if she were either a mad woman or a superhero. Either would do.

Acutely aware of the odd looks cast in their direction by the crowd of diners and servers, Thane remained vigilant. He'd managed to convince himself to relax just enough to enjoy the food and conversation with Jasmine's urgings, however. She'd referred to the restaurant as catering to 'the working class' and assured him that if anyone there truly had an issue with his or his family's presence, they'd most likely choose a direct, confrontational approach as opposed to any sort of ambush attack.

In other words, she and he both would be more than prepared to deal with the problem before it came close to reaching his son. Then, she reminded him that most humans generally weren't known for their etiquette—except for her, of course. She'd made him laugh despite himself, and perhaps that was her intention from the start.

He watched from the table as Jasmine led Kolyat back through the buffet lines, stopping to point at one dish or another and then discuss for a moment before inevitably encouraging the server to pile whatever it was onto Kolyat's plate. Every now and again, she'd tip her head back in laughter, and the sound carried over to their table. Each time, it loosened the tension coiled inside of Thane just a little bit more.

"He greatly enjoys her company," Rone said from his spot next to Thane.

"Indeed, and she, his." Thane glanced briefly at his brother before turning his watchful gaze back to his wife and son.

"It pleases me that she reached out to arrange this visit. I think it has been good for all of us." Rone seemed to consider something for a moment before adding, "Although, I confess, my thoughts often stray to Kelena."

"Of course they do, Brother." Drali took a drink of his iced tea. "But it's good you are here with us, either way."

Rone chuckled and nodded. "I am grateful for the opportunity to learn more of Earth and to get to know Jasmine better. I believe she is growing more comfortable in my presence, as I am in hers."

"Indeed." Thane glanced at Rone again. "It has been amusing to see hints of your more playful side showing through."

Rone chuckled, frills darkening ever so slightly. "I suppose she makes it easy. She is much like Drali in this way."

Drali laughed, dipping a chip into his bowl of salsa. "I find I like the comparison."

"I have thought before that I am lucky to have met her before Drali, otherwise, I fear she'd be quite taken with him." Thane met Drali's grin with his own as he spoke, and then his gaze shifted back to Kolyat and Jasmine.

The two appeared to be content with what they had on their plates and were returning to the table. Jasmine met Thane's gaze, and her face lit up. He prayed she'd never stop looking at him like that for as long as he lived, and he wished he could look at her the same way for the rest of her life. It saddened him to know that, eventually and inevitably, he would make her a widow.

"Hey, Sunshine," Isaac said, voice soft, a hint of … something coloring the words. It was difficult to say what, because the gash cutting down from the corner of his forehead and slicing through his left eyebrow drew all focus. Medi-gel covered the cut, but it'd probably leave a bit of a scar. His cheek was swollen, the area around his eye discolored. He looked like shit, but it was all superficial.

Puffing her cheeks, Jasmine held her breath a moment before letting it out in a rush. It wasn't nearly as bad as she'd feared—at least what she could see, anyway. "Hey, Bossman," she said, working to keep her voice steady. "So, you look great."

He smirked and then pushed his lips out until they brushed the bottom of his nose. "Drali tell you?"

"Nope." She shook her head. It wasn't a lie, not really. "He just gave me your message. Figured I'd call you and see you're okay for myself. How bad is it?"

Swirling a finger in front of his face, he said, "This is the worst of it. I got smacked in the face with a foundry hook hanging from a chain. At this point, it probably looks worse than it feels."

She pursed her lips and nodded, fighting back the inexplicable urge to cry. "If you need me, I don't give a damn who I do or don't work for, you let me know. I mean it, Isaac," she said, cutting off the dismissal she saw forming in his eyes. "I will be there on the first ship out, and the Alliance will never know you saw me. I'll forget whatever details I might pick up about your assignment, I promise. And, you're not my handler anymore, so don't give me any of that, 'It's my job to keep you safe, not the other way around,' bullshit."

His jaw twitched, but his rebuttal died on his lips. After a moment, he bobbed his head in that special, rhythmical way of his. "I hear you, Sunshine. The same goes for you, too."

"I'm glad to hear it." She smiled, warmth spreading through her chest and relaxing the tension in her neck and shoulders. "How's Raúl?"

"He's alright." Isaac leaned back in his chair and nodded. "I'm not with him right now, though. This," he said, gesturing at his face again, "happened during the extraction of another one of my phantoms."

"Ah." She tipped her head toward her shoulder. "Are they okay, too?"

There was an awkwardness talking to him, especially over vid, since she resigned. She really hoped they found their new normal and learned to relax back into their rhythm. Not only did she need him to take down Cerberus, but he'd become her best friend. It'd crush her to lose the closeness, the trust they'd developed.

"They will be." He nodded. "So, Drali said you and Theodus planned out some sort of surprise for Thane's birthday," he said, probably one part actual interest and one part changing the subject before she asked the wrong questions. "How's he doing? Tell him I said 'Happy Birthday.'"

"He is thoroughly surprised." She grinned and propped an elbow on the table in front of her before resting her chin in her palm. She'd let him change the subject, she was better off not knowing too much, anyway. "We took him sightseeing across the galaxy, hitting up his favorite place and a few places I wanted him to see. We're on Earth now, in Arizona. Theodus and I called in his family as a surprise."

"Why Arizona?" Isaac's damaged brow started to lift but it only made him wince.

She shrugged. "I let Drali and Theo pick the location. We visited the Grand Canyon and did some hiking in Coconino National Forest yesterday. Drali thinks porcupines are ugly, by the way."

Isaac laughed and turned his chair back and forth a few times. "They are kinda ugly."

His laughter acted like a soothing balm, reassuring her everything between the two of them was just fine, and they'd figure it all out.

"No, they're not," she said with a huff.

He laughed again, grinning at her when it faded. "If you say so, Sunshine. You going home after Arizona? It'd be a shame not to go with you already being so close."

"Yeah." She nodded. Home. It still felt strange to think of it as home, especially with Karin gone, but she'd stopped fighting the idea. "We'll do some planning for the wedding ceremony while we're there." Thane was her home now, too.

"You haven't been back since Karin died." Despite the blow his words dealt, his voice and eyes were soft, filled with compassion. He sat up straighter then leaned in closer to his omni-tool. "It's going to be hard for you, no doubt. I know you'll have Thane with you, but if things get rough and you need to talk, call me, alright? I don't care what time it is."

"Okay." She stuck the tip of her pinky between her teeth. Obviously he was worried about her relapsing again. She was, too, but that was a simple fact of her life. She'd always be worried about a relapse.

"Jasmine." He frowned, pinning her down with his gaze.

Pulling her pinky out of the way with an amused snort, she said, "I promise, Bossman."

"You know, I'm not really your boss anymore." He gave her a soft smile. "Are you going to think of something else to start calling me?"

"Nope." She shook her head, smile widening despite the hint of sadness and nostalgia taking root in her chest. "You'll always be 'Bossman' to me."

He bobbed his head, relief he didn't otherwise express settling into his rich, brown eyes. "Good, 'cause you'll always be my Sunshine. I love you, you know that, yeah?"

"I love you, too." She nodded and swiped away a rogue tear. "Well, I should probably get some sleep, but before I go …. What do you think about us finding a more discreet spot for us to set up a—I don't know what you'd want to call it—base of operations, or whatever? So we can have some working space as a group like we did on the Citadel, but something more defensible and less public. We can figure out the costs together, I don't expect or want you trying to take it on yourself. I'm just asking do you think it'd work? Is it feasible?"

Humming, he nodded. "I don't see why not. I might actually have a couple of places we could use, already. I'm sure Raúl or one of the others can bury the records good enough to make it even harder to trace back to my holdings. Give me a call when you're done with your wedding planning and are ready to get back to work. We'll hash it all out, then."

"Alright." She nodded and smiled. "Night, Bossman."

Something about the way he looked at her, the softness of his smile, brought memories of her father to mind. "Night, Sunshine."