#EDI Tools

[ds4u]

In today’s digital-first world, businesses are under immense pressure to optimize operations, reduce costs, and improve partner communication. EDI Software Solutions have emerged as the backbone of digital transformation, enabling secure and standardized data exchange across systems and partners through electronic data interchange. From healthcare EDI to supply chain automation, the scope and relevance of EDI systems are expanding fast.However, not all EDI solutions are created equal. The right EDI tool can make a monumental difference in efficiency, compliance, and collaboration. Whether you're integrating with EMR software solutions, EHR software solutions, or simply looking to enhance B2B integration, this guide outlines the top 10 must-have features in a modern EDI software solution.

[littlebellesmama]

Why Germany Is Still Struggling with Digitalization – A Real-Life Look from Finance

Working in Germany, especially in a field like Finance, often feels like stepping into a strange paradox. On one hand, you’re in one of the most advanced economies in the world—known for its precision, engineering, and efficiency. On the other hand, daily tasks can feel like they belong in the 1990s. If you’ve ever had to send invoices to customers who insist they be mailed physically—yes, by…

[capnsoapy]

To counter the sentiment of diversity quotas being bad, permit me a tangent about the BBC? British panel shows had* a laddish reputation (being >80%** men), so in 2014 they stopped allowing all-male panels.

And everyone did* the same moaning about political correctness killing comedy just as Dropout fans are apparently doing now(?), but like, it had an effect? Both short-term by having more women on-screen and long-term by giving more women a chance to break into the industry. Back in 2013 less than a third of guests were women, last year it was almost 50%**.

* Past tense but it's still an extant problem. Just reduced.

** Comparing episodes of HIGNFY WILTY and QI which aired in 2013 and 2024. In 2013, 72 men and 29 appeared as guests (all regulars were men). In 2024, there were 71 men, 56 women, and 3 nonbinary, with one woman as a regular.

it’s low-key crazy how, when transfem fans pointed out how infrequently there are transfems on Dropout, the wider Dropout fandom immediately shifted to calling us hysterical bitches demanding a diversity quota. This fandom is genuinely so so much more conservative and anti-trans than you consider yourselves, and maybe it’s time you listened to some more marginalised voices within the fandom?

[pathologicalreid]

put a bow on it | s.r.

in which Spencer is in charge of doing both of your daughters hair in the morning

who? spencer reid x fem!reader category: fluff content warnings: twin dad!spencer AND girl dad!spencer. twin jealousy. word count: 1.5k a/n: twin dad!spencer!!!! a pathologicalreid first!! this one goes out to arya because she let me ramble about this idea lolololol

The pout that was being reflected in the mirror reminded him of you. At another time, he would’ve found it cute, adorable even, that one of your daughters had adopted your mannerisms, but right now, he was running late. 

He’d spent hours over the past week assuring you that you didn’t need to move your appointment this morning and he was more than capable of getting the girls off to school on his own. Breakfast was easy enough—they liked his french toast more than yours anyway—and the girls were old enough to lay their own outfits out the night before, but what he hadn’t anticipated was what happened after their teeth were brushed and he was handed two combs. 

It was something you enjoyed, individualizing the girls’ hair every day before school, but aside from a classic ponytail, he wasn’t well versed in styling their hair. Naturally, a ponytail wasn’t going to cut it today. 

“I wanted mommy to curl it,” June insisted, pointing at the curling iron that was neatly hung away from the reach of tiny hands. She’d been the first to scowl at the offer of a ponytail, insisting that her hair had to be done precisely the way she wanted it. 

Eyeing the hot tool warily, Spencer quickly tried to put together an excuse that the five year old would accept, but he came up empty. “I don’t think I should use something hot until mommy shows me how to use it,” he tried to explain. 

As if on cue, June tilted her head to the side curiously and asked, “Why not?” 

Admittedly, he had walked right into that one, but he sighed and scrambled for the answer, “Because you might get hurt.”

Big, brown eyes stared up at him, waiting for further explanation to satisfy her inquisitive nature, but instead of it coming from him, it came from her twin, standing on the other side of the counter. “It’s like the stove,” Edie offered, trying to climb up on the bathroom counter and frowning when Spencer gently tugged her down. 

Realization flooded June’s eyes, “Oh, you need an adult to use the curler.” She rattled off the answer that made sense to her. 

With both girls standing on their respective stepstools—engraved with their names and bedazzled by Aunt Penelope—Spencer took a deep breath. “Exactly,” He conceded. “So, what do you want me to do with your hair?”

“Braids, please!” Edith piped up with her request, but those were outside of Spencer’s skillset. You’d been teaching him how to braid the girls’ hair, but it was difficult to find the time and to get to stay still. Fruit snack bribery only got you so far. 

June looked pensively in the mirror, shrugging off her frustration about the curling iron and looking up at Spencer, “Can you do a half-pony?” 

“I can’t, but I appreciate your manners,” he responded to Edith first before turning to June, “Can you show me what a half-pony is?” He asked, making a note of the hairstyle jargon that he was getting a crash course on. 

June nodded happily, pulling strands of her hair back from her face and gathering them at the back of her head in her little fingers, “And then you do a bow.” 

He frowned slightly, “A bow?”

Junie beamed, “Yeah, a matchy bow.”

Spencer was familiar with the tote filled with bows that you’d invested in over the years, he was convinced they had a bow for every outfit. “Can you pick a bow?” He moved the tote on the counter in front of her, hoping to solve the issue of needing a matching bow by having her choose one on her own. He turned his attention to Edith, who had traded expressions with her twin and now bore a pout. “What’s wrong, honey?” 

“I wanted braids,” Edie explained, dragging her fingers down each side of her head to show that she wanted french braids. Disappointed tears welled in her eyes, and the fact that Spencer couldn’t fix the issue broke his heart. 

He frowned slightly, “Hey, no tears,” he cooed. “What if I try to do little braids?” His offer was a carefully calculated plan, using words that he’d heard you use before when talking about the girls’ hair. These weren’t french braids, little braids would start at the base of her neck and go to the ends of her hair. 

Woefully, Edith nodded, fiddling with the cuff of her sweater while she eyed the bows her sister was deliberating on. “Can I have a bow too?” 

“You can have two if you’d like,” Spencer proposed, “One for each braid.” He accepted the bow that June was holding out for him and slid the tote over to Edith. 

June gaped at his offer, “I want two bows!” 

Somewhere, he had misstepped, “She gets two bows because she wants two braids, you only wanted one pony.” He was fairly certain he was approaching pigtail territory, and his almost never turned out even. 

“I want two!” June exclaimed, waiting a moment before speaking up again, “Please.” 

Spencer nodded reassuringly, “Okay, but no more changes,” he told her, knowing she was already on her third hairstyle of the day. 

She nodded happily at his compromise, producing the matching bow that she had already fished out of the tote for him. June teetered on the balls of her feet excitedly at the prospect of getting pigtails while he sprayed her hair with detangler, just barely starting to comb her hair back for the pigtails when she flinched away from him. 

His heart jumped for a moment, fearful that he’d pulled too hard on her head, but he relaxed when she spoke up, “That’s not how mommy does it.” 

No, he supposed it’s not how you would do it, but then again, you would’ve been able to curl her hair the way she wanted, avoiding the realm of pigtails entirely. “Trust me on this,” he tried to reassure her despite his rapidly dwindling confidence. 

June put her head back in place, letting him brush her hair back before parting it down the middle. He glanced up at the mirror, watching Edith as she took her own brush in her hands and started raking it through her hair. “I’ll do yours in a minute, Edie,” he told her, not wanting her to feel like she had to do it on her own. 

“She always goes first,” Edith whined, slightly out of character for your bashful daughter. Spencer frowned slightly, not realizing her had conformed to the general order of things. 

“Cuz I’m older,” June countered pointedly, glancing up at her father to gauge his reaction to her claim, but Spencer remained stone faced. Both of you had decided to refrain from revealing which twin is older, and it’s saved you from dozens of arguments along the way. 

Spencer hummed, wrapping the first elastic around June’s hair, “I’ll let mommy know, and you can go first tomorrow.” 

Junie huffed at his dedication to keeping the secret, but her scowl turned into a grin when she saw her hair. A golden rush of victory led to a sigh of relief from him, clipping her bows to her pigtails while she bounced in excitement. He had a sneaking feeling she didn’t act this way when you did her hair, meaning all of this joy was solely for him. 

When it was Edie’s turn, Spencer still combed through her hair, even though she had done most of it on her own. She fiddled with the peeling laminate of the bathroom counter while he braided her hair, talking himself through the process—left, center, right, center—and hoping he wouldn’t get them mixed up. 

June was unable to stand still any longer, so Spencer told her she could go watch cartoons until it was time to leave. “Is she older?” Edith mumbled slightly. 

Spencer shrugged, tying off her braid with a bow that previously belonged to a doll, “Does it matter?”

She sighed in a way that only a five year old could, “Guess not.”

“You’re still twins, you were born on the same day,” Spencer tried to explain in a way she would accept. 

“Is that why we have the same birthday?” She asked, fumbling through her words—birfday. 

He hummed a confirmation, “Yeah, because your birthday is the day you were born.” He tied off the second braid before leaning down and pressing a kiss to the crown of her head. 

She was quiet for a moment, he thought she was pondering birthdays, so he was surprised when she whispered, “Daddy?” 

“Yeah, baby?” He responded. 

Pointing at her hair, Edith gave him a sympathetic look while silently showing him the huge chunk of hair that had been left out of the braids.

“I think mommy’s gonna have to give me another braiding lesson,” he told her, unraveling the braid so he could try it again. 

Edie nodded mournfully, “I think so too.”

[starstruckbyacomet]

Bullying – BoBs' Reason behind It, and Their Last Straw (probably)

BoBs have used every reason and tool they can think of to trash Tommy and to bully Lou online. A lot of their excuses could be broken easily, makes them look stupid, manipulative, or (most often) both. But they don't care.

Why do BoBs keep bullying Lou?

Because they think this strategy has served them in the past, several times.

They have bullied the actresses who played Buck's or Eddie's love interests: Gabrielle Walsh (who played Ana Flores), Megan West (who played Taylor Kelly), and Edy Ganem (who played Marisol). After the bullying, all the actresses had their characters broke-up with either Buck or Eddie.

They also bullied Kristen Reidel, then showrunner from Season 2 to Season 6, because Kristen has mentioned that she only viewed Buddie's relationship as platonic (link). After the interview was published (and the subsequent bullying happened), it was announced that Tim Minear would come back to the show, and took back the showrunner's mantle from Kristen Reidel.

Has the bullying strategy actually served BoBs in the past? NO! Because of the following reasons:

According to Tim Minear, Buck has been queer-coded at least since Season 2 (link). It means Buck would date a man at some point on the show. Until Buck dating a man happened on screen, it was logical to assume that every relationship he had with women would not last. The break-ups had been planned by the writers all along. There was no need to bully anyone to make them happened.

Right after Shannon's death, it has been coded that Eddie had unresolved feelings toward his late wife. Several clues: Eddie's confession that he was upset about Shannon's request for a divorce, his reluctant to open a dating app which he had downloaded himself, his half-hearted efforts to meet women (golfing, hiking, forced blind date), and his panic attack over the prospect of marrying Ana Flores. When he started to date Marisol, Eddie had not yet addressed his unresolved feelings. From the beginning, it was very possible that there would be a break up with Marisol in the horizon. It's reasonable to assume that Eddie would not have a lasting relationship until he addresses his issue. Bullying the actresses had nothing to do with the break-ups.

Tim Minear's return as the showrunner is most likely part of the deal between ABC and Fox. 9-1-1 is Tim's own brainchild. It is reasonable that ABC has wanted Tim to come back, to ensure the quality of the show. Kristen Reidel being bullied was not the cause of Tim's return.

However, too many positive coincidences apparently have made BoBs cocky and overestimated their power. The power that they don't actually have, as implied by Tim Minear who had said that the online responses had not reflected at all the number of viewerships shared by the network (link).

So, what's next for BoBs?

With Buddie goggles on, canon Buddie seems really close right now:

Buck has been out as bisexual.

Eddie will address his unresolved feelings about Shannon, and his supposed Catholic guilt, on the next episode (8x06).

The next steps would be: free from his mental burden, Eddie will realize his attraction to Buck. They will confess their love to each other. Buck will dump Tommy. And finally, Buddie canon ever after.

Is the above scenario going to happen? ABSOLUTELY NOT, because:

1)) Tim and Ryan have a mission with Eddie's current storyline: to break the stereotype that men who open up about their feelings must be weak, or gay.

Imagine what will happen if some straight boys / young men who grew up with toxic masculinity watch Eddie talks about his feelings, then watch him comes out as gay several episodes later. They will think 'talking about feelings = being gay'. This only perpetuates the stereotype Tim & Ryan want to break.

2)) The show made Eddie read a swimsuit magazine in front of half-naked Buck in a hospital setting.

This painfully shoehorned scene is a not-so-subtle way to show the audience that Eddie is sexually attracted to women, not to Buck.

3)) Viewership numbers show that General Audience loves Tevan, while on the other hand, BoBs have bullied Tim Minear and his actors. Why the hell would Tim replace Tevan with Buddie?

4)) There are tons of other reasons which I couldn't possibly list one-by-one. But you get the gist.

As predicted, BoBs are fully determined to ignore the above reasons.

What will be BoBs' last straw, probably?

From Buddie shippers' POV, once Eddie is free from his unresolved feelings and his Catholic guilt, there is nothing substantial in the way of canon Buddie. Buck has openly admitted his attraction to men. Now it's Eddie's turn.

If Tim Minear wants romantic Buddie to happen, then it's the right time. There is no reason to not make Buddie canon.

Unless, there is only one reason left. It is...

Tim actually DOESN'T WANT Buddie to be canon.

How do we know this?

Because he will give Eddie another FEMALE LOVE INTEREST,

which is something he doesn't need to do, because like Buck, Eddie will finally be free....

It's been 7 years already, how many more years he wants to drag this story on....

The longest slow-burn queer love-story must have been breaking all kinds of records by now...

Oh, I can't wait to see BoBs' reactions when this happens 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣.

[rebeccathenaturalist]

*deep breath* This, folks, is EXACTLY why I am writing The Everyday Naturalist. Because it's not enough to have an app. You HAVE to know how to use multiple identification tools and have keen observational skills if you are going to safely forage or otherwise identify things in nature.

Here's the deal. Apps are a tool. They are not infallible, and they should never, ever, EVER be your only tool for identifying mushrooms and other organisms. This goes even moreso for when you're trying to determine whether something is edible or not. I go into more detail about why apps should never be used by themselves in this article that I wrote a few months back, but let's explore a bit more about how an app works.

Any identification app has access to a particular database of pictures and other information for various species. In the case of my favorite app, iNaturalist, it draws from the over 156 million (and growing) observations of animals, plants, fungi, and other living beings that have been uploaded to it over the years.

When you upload a photo to an app, your phone usually inputs the date, time, and GPS location automatically, though these can be updated manually if need be. Then the app's algorithms sift through the database looking for species that are found in the same location at the same time of year, and which have similar photos.

Notice that I said SIMILAR, not identical. Many organisms, to include many fungi, have varying appearances based on subspecies, life stage, and other factors. And there are a lot of species that have close lookalikes, whether we're talking birds, wildflowers, mushrooms, etc.

So the algorithms then use their search results to give you their suggestion(s) of what most closely resembles the organism you are trying to identify. Some give you one answer; others, like iNaturalist, offer you a list to choose from, and may also qualify their response with "We're not sure, but these were found nearby" or something similar. The first one on the list is NOT always going to be the correct answer. However, the app doesn't have reasoning skills, and all it can do is play match-up and then produce suggestions based on that. (Yes, other iNaturalist users can come along and comment on your observations once you've uploaded and saved them, but you always want to carefully assess their claims, too.)

There are several toxic mushrooms that are implicated in poisonings on a regular basis; among them are what I call the "deadly Amanitas": the death cap (Amanita phalloides) and the destroying angels (A. bisporigera, A. ocreata, and A. verna.) In addition to these species' respective native ranges in Europe and North America, some have managed to make their way to other parts of the world. This includes in Australia, where there is a current investigation underway over a woman who fed several family members deadly Amanitas, three of whom have died.

These poisonous mushrooms have several edible lookalikes. As one example, while matsutakes (Tricholoma matsutake) are often brown, they may sometimes appear white, especially if the brown layer has peeled off. And field mushrooms (Agaricus spp, especially A. bisporus and A. campestris) are also large white mushrooms, though their gills and spores tend to be brown rather than the white of Amanita species.

Still, someone taking a picture of a large white mushroom--especially if they neglect to take another picture of the gills (the more pictures you take, the better)--could easily end up with an app telling them an Amanita is an Agaricus. Or they might read that some people think it's safe to eat Amanita muscaria if you parboil it long enough, and assume that other Amanita species are the same way (one of MANY reasons I do not advocate for treating A. muscaria as an edible.)

So--again--DO NOT USE APPS AS YOUR ONLY ID TOOL. Use them in conjunction with multiple field guides, websites, other foragers, etc. Practice using these tools and developing a critical eye before you go out foraging. Be super cautious, and when in doubt, throw it out.

And my inbox is ALWAYS open, as is my email (rebeccathenaturalist(at)gmail(dot)com.) You can ALWAYS email me with questions about field guides, apps, and other resources, and I am also happy to look at pictures of mushrooms (and other living beings) you're trying to identify, whether edible or not. You might need to give me a few days to reply, but I will get back to you. Don't use ME as your only source, either; I'm just one person. But I can point you to online groups that are also good resources.

[sol-consort]

Do you think in the mass effect universe, there's like porn of every alein race having sex with humans, like a human fetish almost? I'm asking because when I was romancing Garrus in ME2 Mordin said something about sending over videos to shepard's room that would help her have sex with him, and I'm like 'what does that mean?' Are there like a lot of interspecies alien porn? Also circling back around to stuff Mordin said about the turian cum will it definitely cause an allergic reaction or is there just a chance of it? If yes, can I just swallow and have an epipen on hand?

"Can I just swallow and have an epipen on hand?" having finished typing the last paragraph of your very professional worded letter, you navigate through your omni-tool as you press the final confirmation required to send the letter directly to the Turian Embassy, signed - a very concerned human.

The next day, the Turian public affairs and foreign relationships ministry, in collaboration with the Blue Talon healthcare ministry, ensure the widespread of the Turian-Human sexual educational pamphlet... alongside complimentary epipens to all humans affected.

I'd be very disappointed in humanity if there WASN'T a porno category for us at least a couple of years in the aftermath of first contact.

Humans already have produced so much porn–the anal section alone would cost you an entire lifetime to watch through, and you wouldn't even make it halfway through the category. We've been making porn since ancient times, be it oil paintings, statues or written erotica.

There will be a flood of human porn into the galactic web once we connect our Internet to their network. And that's just human on human action!

The asari, undoubtedly, dominate the industry. The first ever published alien on human video was with an asari. The first couple hundreds were, the other species simply haven't warmed up to us yet.

However, the first homemade porn video between an alien and a human was with a turian. The first contact war forced the two species to get closer by virtue of beating the shit out of each other, it came to no one's surprise that it turned into hatefucking after the council put a stop to fighting.

The turian government tried to deny it and keep it on the down low. But seeing how human microbes being deadly to turians, and that the turians themselves found the humans irresistible and much more breedable than they'd ever admit, the government was forced into action to protect the wellbeing of its people.

Insiders encouraging the widespread of human porn, paying pornsites to host educational videos and information about a turian could safely fuck a human. "Spit, never swallow," becoming an unironic slogan used in this campaign.

Unawarly, in an attempt to preserve whatever remains of their dignity by making this whole operation an open secret; the turian government have laid the very first stones into tha paved stairwell of making the turian population to be the highest consumers of human porn.

Be it Turian/Human or else. Hell, a lot of them prefer the Asari/Human videos, claiming it's like watching their two favourite things fuck. What's better than one candy bar? Two candy bars! smushed together. In bed. The human on the receiving end preferably because turians still get a special thrill from watching the humans act submissive and be put in their place.

-

At the end of the citadel mission in ME3, the devs unawarly made something very funny canon. If you're femshep and never romance anyone else through the entire game, you will wake up in bed with Javik.

This means that, canonly, the only prothean pornagrophy video to ever exist on the galactic web (Shep's house has cameras which are connected to the cloud) has been with a human.

If that doesn't cause a massive spike in the human category and make us truly rival the asari who have been oversturating the market for so long, I don't know what else does.

On a side note: geth and AI like EDI might consider the human/vibrators category to be of massive interest.

The whole myth of "did you know human women have no refactory period? They can orgasm indefinitely" spreads like widefire amongst the other races. Suddenly, everyone wants to test this out, asari scientists keep sending appeals to the human embassy despite continuous rejection.

-

For the human/turian safe sex, I think making out is off the table. Even without the whole microbes thing, I'm not sure how their peak with metal plates could've worked with our soft, easily injured lips. The skin on our faces is where it's thinnest. It's very easy to scratch and scar.

Not only does Mordin mention sending you some videos, but Garrus himself brings up the fact that he watched some videos and is now ready to...relieve out stress together, if you want.

Turian cum might be bad for you to digest orally, probably trigger your immune system into a false alarm. However, luckily, the immune system is not allowed in your reproductive organs! Just a precaution fail safe measure in our design so that your immune system doesn't end up accidentally hurting your reproductive ability when it invetabily fucks up, as immune systems tend to do on occasion, also see: pollen.

So you can get creempied by Garrus–and turians in general, no risk of death, allergy, or pregnancy!

As far as I know, besides the asari being a joker card that's compatible with every race, the drell are the only safe-ish species for humans to consume all of their fluids. Be it cum, saliva or...even tears! It will only get you high. No other species experiences that with them tho, so imagine the mindfuck that is to drell.

Suddenly told that your whole existence is a psychedelic to humans, that you could get one on cloud nine by a simple kiss.

[reallyquitestrange]

MERRY CHRISTMAS YA HEATHENS

"Major Alenko, You have an Urgent message in your inbox" The electronic voice of EDI startled him from his own thoughts. Memories from his Christmases on Earth, specifically the one he'd spent with Shepard. Before Alchera. If it weren't for the Reaper threat they might be back on earth now, cuddled in front of the fire at the Alenko Cabin.

"Thank you EDI." He says to the empty room. It still hadn't quite felt normal to talk to a full fledged AI, let alone the one that had put him in the hospital just months before. Granted, that wasn't EDI, just the body she now inhabited. To the pleasure of Traynor and Joker.

He opens his omni-tool checking the blinking message from Shepard in his inbox. He immediately shoots to his feet, sucking in a sharp snort through his nose, his face feeling hot.

[m3l3fic3nt]

Lazarus ReRising

Prologue — Priority: Earth

London was a fractured monument beneath a heavy sky, its once-familiar silhouette torn apart by war. The city lay in ruins, skyscrapers shattered into jagged shards of glass and steel, their frames twisted by Reaper artillery. Pockets of smoldering fires cast flickering orange glows across collapsed streets, where chunks of concrete and debris littered the ground like fallen relics. The air was thick with the acrid tang of burnt synthetics and ozone, the fallout of relentless electromagnetic pulses cracking atmosphere and metal alike.

This was the end.

Commander Iris Shepard moved like gravity itself pulled harder with every step. Her N7 armor cracked at the shoulder, her face bruised and cut, grime trailing down her jaw. Every breath was pulled through pain, every step pressed into the fractured concrete like she was leaving the last of her weight behind.

Ahead, the Conduit shimmered, a piercing beam flaring through the wreckage, tugging at her like fate itself.

Behind her came the sound of boots dragging.

Behind her, two figures refused to fall back.

Garrus Vakarian limped, half-dragging one leg, blue blood dripping from a cracked thigh plate. Kaidan Alenko kept pace, jaw tight, his biotic field sputtering erratically from exhaustion. Neither looked ready to keep fighting. Neither had any intention of stopping.

Shepard activated her comm.

"Alliance Medevac, this is Commander Shepard. Coordinates confirmed. Immediate extraction: Vakarian and Alenko. Direct order. Priority one."

Kaidan’s voice cut across the open air. "Negative on that evac!  We’re not leaving."

The medevac’s shriek howled over their heads, engines venting smoke, descending fast.

"You don’t get to make that call," Kaidan snapped, his voice taut and cold. "You said we finish this together!"

She turned to face them. Her expression didn’t waver.

"You’re wounded. You’ve done your part."

"That’s not your decision," Garrus snarled. "We’re not—YOU’RE not doing this alone, Shepard!"

The medevac thudded onto the cracked street behind them. The ramp dropped, metal groaning under its own weight.

Her voice was ice.

"This is not up for debate."

Kaidan stepped forward, shoulders squared. "I’m not leaving you again."

Shepard’s hand went to his chest, not soft, not gentle, but firm. Holding him back. "You are. That’s an order, Alenko."

Medics approached, shouting over the storm of wind and engines. Garrus pushed one off, claws curled, talons twitching as if he could claw his way back to her side.

"Iris," he said,  voice shredded. "Don’t do this!"

She looked at him, just for a second.

And then to Kaidan.

"I love you."

The words fell between them, quiet but unbreakable, a tether in the chaos.

Neither man moved. Neither knew who the confession was meant for, and yet both felt its weight.

The medics seized their moment, hauling them both aboard. The ramp hissed shut behind them.

-----------------------------------------------------

A wave of ancient synthetic energy burst from the Crucible, sweeping across the battlefield in a blinding surge. Reapers shattered into nothingness, their colossal forms undone in an instant. Geth froze mid-stride as neural links snapped, leaving hollow shells in eerie silence. EDI’s AI matrix fractured, her consciousness snuffed out in the surge

The blast hit everything.

Systems across the fleet buckled. Shields failed. Engines died choking. Weapon arrays spun into error before going dark. The purge was clean, devastating. It spared no tech—everything synthetic fractured, everything dependent trembled.

In orbit, starships shook. Consoles sparked, processors glitched in looping panic, and power cycled unpredictably. The Normandy groaned as critical systems failed in bursts of static. Omni-tools flared and shorted out. Cybernetic implants hissed. Biotic fields snapped, their energy fracturing like broken glass.

Below, Earth burned beneath a bruised sky. Ash rained in slow spirals. The air reeked of scorched metal and molten circuits. Fires danced through skeletal ruins, their glow warped by pools of coolant and cracked fusion cores. Wind swept through the broken streets, carrying sparks and silence in equal measure.

-----------------------------------------------------

Above, the Normandy hung battered but unyielding, a sentinel orbiting a broken world. Its hull bore scorch marks and impact scars from the Crucible’s backlash, panels sparking faintly under the strain. Power flickered along conduits and control panels, each electronic beep a reminder of how close they had come to annihilation.

Joker’s hands were white-knuckled around the controls, jaw locked, face drawn into something neither grief nor panic, but the stunned middle ground between. EDI’s console beside him was dead, cold, and silent. Her absence hung in the cockpit like a body not yet removed.

The Reapers were gone.

So was she.

-----------------------------------------------------

Below deck, the medbay was heavy with silence, thick and unyielding like a shroud. The flickering lights cast unsteady shadows that crawled across walls stained with smoke and scarred by static burns. Machines pulsed weakly, caught in broken rhythms, while the vents struggled in vain against the copper-scented air, dense with blood and sorrow.

The floor bore witness in dark stains, crimson merging with cobalt, tracing the desperate path where Kaidan and Garrus had been dragged.

Kaidan sat curled on a cot, ribs wrapped and aching, his fingers twitching like they wanted to fight a war that was already lost. Garrus leaned back against the bulkhead, armor cracked and jagged, claws flexing with the same restless energy that could not find release.

Neither spoke.

Not yet.

Because what could they say?

Because the end came without relief or closure.

Because Shepard was somewhere below, caught in the ruins of a choice no one could undo.

[assmeffect]

Mass Effect Women driving HCs

men here

Liara: we know she's a backseat driver, is very careful when she does drive. has surprising road rage, gets frustrated when people arent as good of a driver as she is.

Ashley: aggressive driver, serves through traffic like crazy. not afraid to lay on the horn when she's frustrated. is the type to get loaded into street races.

Miranda: a very good driver, took driving lessons and low key shames people who haven't. militant about passengers wearing their seatbelts. Will text or phone call while driving though.

Tali: I don't think the flotilla ships are big enough to have anything more than a rudimentary public tram. she doesn't have a license and has no desire to drive.

Samara: a surprisingly agressive driver, serves around other cars but at least she uses her turn signal. Will not accept criticism about her driving.

Jack: never got a license but drives anyways. do not let her drive it will not end well. Would rather start a car chase than pull over for police. has a "how's my driving" sticker with Shepard's phone number

Traynor: i honestly think she has too much anxiety to drive. but also hates letting Shepard drive, she's scared for her little gay life.

Kelly: one of the best drivers here, ignores her omni tool, uses turn signals, generally does everything right. very talkative while she drives, but will get distracted and forget to turn where she's supposed to.

EDI: EDI was programmed to pilot the Normandy, not drive a car. so I don't think she'd be a good driver. uses ship terms to refer to parts of the car.

Vetra: another very good driver besides the fact that she doesnt use her seatbelt. absolutely does not let Sid get away with not wearing hers though.

Suvi: regularly rear ends other drivers because she's distracted. probably best if Ryder does most of the driving because Suvi isn't a huge fan.

Peebee: blasts music with the windows closed, you can feel your whole body vibrate woth the bass. likes to street race and would probably get into drag racing as a result. has truck nuts on her car ironically.

Cora: second best driver, like Gil she's very careful about following the rules of the road. thinks anyone whos honking is honking at her. I can see her being kind of a car buff, and being interested in customizing her car.

[dark-elf-writes]

Reborn responded by stealing a kill and its open season since.

Thane is the best teacher for murder and while he’d rather not have his kids follow him… Murkuro is the only one he knows he can’t talk it out of. Might as well make him terrifying.

Meanwhile Chrome is attatched at Joker’s hip and no one knows why.

The two do them are locked fin an eternal rivalry that everyone else thinks is hilarious. At least until Thane and Shepard show them how it’s really done.

Thane doesn’t want his children following in his footsteps. His life had already left a dark stain on Kolyat’s childhood. Had already ruined something that should have been joyous. But Thane was already lost to it. Born and molded into the weapon he became. He could no more choose a different profession than he could choose to become a Quarian, it was intrinsically linked to who he was. He had tried once, and it had only made everything worse.

Kolyat had just a touch of it. Just enough that it almost ruined him, but his siha had helped guide him to a kinder path. Chrome and Tsuna at least had no taste for it, at least until it became necessary. Chrome preferred to spend as much of the Normandy’s shore leave as she could in the cockpit with Joker and EDI, soaking up every bit of information she could about flying and even more information about Joker himself. Tsuna, on the other hand, had always been his mother’s shadow, preferring to learn her hacks and drones since he didn’t have her biotic talents. At least not until he could work out a way to use his flames instead of biotics.

Mukuro, however, breathed violence in the same way he did. The boy was raw, untested, and heavy handed where he didn’t need to be, but with a few tweaks and nudging to turn his skill into a tool to protect rather than destroy Thane could wake him from his battle sleep. If not him then Tsuna and Chrome who were the only ones that could make Mukuro smile like he meant it.

Either way he would be there. Guiding. Leading. Helping.

[a-fantastic-time]

EDI slowly walks into Shepard's room, hesitating for only a moment before walking confidently in. She looks to the commander and clears her throat to get their attention. "Commander? May I ask you for some assistance regarding a sensitive research topic? I'd normally seek out independent research material, but I'm afraid I will require first hand account information for this." She looked normal for the most part, naked in her robotic body but this time there were a few noticeable differences. She had a nipple on each breast, and while her crotch was normally smooth metal it now had a small slit with a clit, having given herself not only a primary sexual organ but secondary sexual characteristics. She made no attempt to cover her breasts or her pussy, allowing the commander to look as much as she wanted. @citadelredlightdistrict

Jane stretched as she walked into her captain's quarters. having just fully clocked out for the evening. She had done her rounds, gave everyone orders to follow, and had finally earned some decent R&R for a good eight or so hours. She had changed out of her uniform, and was now in a pair of baggy N7 sweat pants, and a black bra. Figuring she could air herself out for a bit, before taking a shower and possibly going to bed early.

Although that train of thought was crashed suddenly, when a voice that wasn't coming through her omni-tool, or her room's speakers sounded not too far behind her. Causing her to jump and turn around with her hands ready to fight. Only to take a breath and sigh after seeing EDI.

"Oh...EDI, umm. Sure I suppose we can chat. You could have just talked to me through my communicator like normal." She said not noticing the difference just yet. Stepping closer and smiling. "What is it that you need?" It was only when they were only a few feet apart, did she notice her body being more anatomically correct than normal, especially now that her chest and ass were a bit more full and jiggly. She gulped and looked down, showing very little restraint in trying to look so obviously at her naked form.

[innepttia]

@spookyvalentine has FOUR sets of “50 questions about Shepard” list and this is the third!!

Maeve Shepard

First 50 Questions | Second 50 Questions

TW: mentions of alcohol abuse & canon typical death

(Art by tumblr: @/milton-chamberlain)

1. How often does Shepard use the omni-blade?

Omni-blade, not a lot but it’s her favorite weapon to use (ok I know this is contradictory but just go with me). Omni-tool – ALL THE TIME.

2. What does the Virmire Survivor think of Shepard?

Ashley! I think she wishes they were closer, because they really would get along if they both gave it a shot. If Shepard didn’t die, they’d probably have become besties at some point and perhaps Shepard could have still soothed over some of that xenophobic nature of Ashley’s.

3. Top three comfort movies:

Howl’s Moving Castle

Princess Bride

Shallow Grave

4. How many languages can they speak (without the translator)?

Oh, I love that Spooky has asked this in the Mass Effect discord we’re in because I already know the answer now!!

English, ASL (which doesn’t really count for translator-use), and – in my own HC – spacers have a language similar to The Expanse’s Belter Creole.

5. Does Shepard keep a log/journal?

No. Which is a boring answer, but no.

6. What kind of driver is Shepard?

I like to HC that she actually would rather have others drive so she can tinker with something. So, instead of driver, she’s a passenger princess.

7. Shepard witnesses a petty crime. What is their response?

She ignores it! Maeve really cultivates an air of: “If this doesn’t affect me, then I don’t care.”

8. Revenge, or the high road?

REVENGE, BABEEYYYYY – but only in her head because she’s a busy lady and doesn’t have time to really properly act out her revenge.

9. What will always distract them?

Thane, Thane, Thane, Thane, alcohol, Thane, Thane, Joker, Thane, Thane, Thane, etc.

10. Does Shepard ascribe to any sort of faith?

No, but she becomes interested in Thanes.

11. Fondest childhood memory?

By ME2, she isn’t sure her childhood memories are really hers, so she tries to forget them.

12. Most embarrassing adult memory?

In ME2, before Thane’s romance was locked in, she got so drunk one day and drunk-messaged Ashley trying to flirt with her. Then when that was completely rejected, she went straight to Zaeed to try and flirt with him, but she became so distracted in the garbage compactor that she missed her one chance with that old merc. Joker was 100% watching the vid feeds and EDI was monitoring her messages to Ashley.

13. What does Shepard choose to do about Gavin Archer?

THIS mothafuckin guy THIS GUY ohhhhh my god. I think canon choice was “your brother is going to Grissom Academy and you can fuck right off” but the unhinged, more correct choice is: iron pressed against his temple and ending it all then and there for Gavin.

14. Is Shepard the type to gossip?

If it’s gossip with Kasumi, yes, because Kasumi has the best tea and tells the best story. Anyone else, probably not.

15. How does Shepard react to Garrus’s Archangel reveal?

I’m just going to go with the canon-neutral reaction.

16. What was the N7 program like for Shepard?

This was when she was A Good Soldier and A Good Person (pre-ME1), so it went pretty well, all things considered. She was focused and driven and wanted to be the best she could be.

17. Go-to karaoke song?

ANOTHER ONE I CAN ANSWER BECAUSE OF DISCORD thank god. This song because it’s mostly shouting instead of singing:

Fire Woman – The Cult

18. What choice does Shepard make on Rannoch?

Okay so, this one might get me a lot of hate BUT I’ve always accidentally (I’m so serious about this) picked the option here Tali throws herself off the cliff. Like, I’m not joking. It doesn’t matter how many years are between play throughs, or if I’m like, OKAY THIS TIME…!!! I always manage to pick that option. In an AU, I’d really like for the Geth and the Quarians to make peace and build the planet together and I’m just inept at making Good Choices.

19. Which kind of reaper do they think is the ugliest?

That stupid Human-Reaper from ME2.

20. Can they dance?

She can sway to music really well.

21. What is Shepard’s relationship with Hackett?

Mostly annoyed at him. In her eyes, Hackett is up there with TIM.

22. What’s their alignment? Paragon, renegade, a mix…

Renegade all the way. Light up her face with scars.

23. Got any allergies? How bad?

No, because I honestly just won’t remember she has them.

24. When’s their birthday, and how old are they?

Canon birthday and canon age!

25. Trash talk or potty mouth

BOTH!

26. What’s their temper like?

Flares hot, but then it dies down pretty quickly because she’s either smothering it with alcohol or she’s already moved on to the next crisis.

27. What does Shepard think of Bakara?

EVEEEE and not my clone named Eve!!!!! She adores her and will do anything for her.

28. A reoccurring nightmare:

Indoctrination. She can’t shake the feeling that, even after everything, she’s indoctrinated.

And Moon’s Haunted fic.

29. Which news correspondent/journalist does Shepard bring on the Normandy? What’s their relationship like?

Diana Allers and it’s a relationship of: Maeve forgets she’s there until Diana reminds her.

30. Who’s got the biggest crush on Shepard?

Ummm ME!!! Hmm definitely Joker in all 3 games, Garrus in 1 and 2, (and finally a HC) the Geth (and OC) she messages all throughout ME3.

31. What kind of relationship do they have with Dr. Chakwas? Which doctor do they bring her on board for 3, and why?

Good! They’re drinking buddies, except Dr. Chakwas is obviously less unhinged about it.

32. Who has Shepard’s grudging respect?

Javik & Zaeed.

33. Reaction to the window over their sr-2 bed

Kill Bill sirens.

34. Does Shepard want children?

Not just no, but hell no.

35. What does Shepard consider their greatest mistake?

Joining the Alliance.

36. Did Shepard enjoy the heists with Kasumi?

Yes, this was her favorite mission. I think I mentioned this in one of the previous 50 questions, but she was excited for the heist. She was excited to dress up and to have even the slightest potential to not kill anyone.

37. Does Shepard ever play matchmaker?

Ngl, I like Liara and Javik together so I’d like to imagine she helped with that somehow.

38. A silly daydream:

While she was on house arrest after ME2 and before ME3, she daydreamed that Joker would come visit her and they’d rekindle whatever they had before.

Or, she’d imagine Thane would come rescue her like a damsel in distress.

(god these aren’t really “silly” are they?!)

39. What kind of media do they consume the most?

Tech news, but she’s pretty off mainstream media content. She prefers to spend time with her crew in person.

40. Favorite ice cream flavor

Cookies and cream.

41. If Shepard has a LI, what would they say are a couple of Shepard’s flaws? And strengths?

I think we all like to imagine our LI’s being over the moon about our Sheps, and my HCs are no different.

Thane sees her as the spitting image of one of his goddesses. She’s strong, relentless, ruthless, and determined, which are all qualities he admires. In private, she’s soft and a puddle of mush most of the time. I like to think he enjoys taking care of her (e.g. blanket over the shoulders, a good cuddle session, sharing food).

Her flaws come through pretty starkly in all these sets of 50 questions: she can make REALLY poor choices, she can get tunnel vision on certain missions, she can be too brash.

42. Are they quick to laugh, or slow to smile?

Okay, I’m probably going to be annoying with this but I’m going to say both to this one too (like the potty mouth or trash talking one). I think she’s quick to laugh, but it isn’t always genuine. She’ll laugh when she feels like there’s a social cue she needs to meet. She’s slow to smile because those would be her true, genuine feelings.

43. What does it take to earn Shepard’s trust?

Most people have her trust from the beginning. She doesn’t feel like she has time to be untrusting, so her initial trust is easy to get. As long as that isn’t broken, then all’s golden. If the initiate trust is broken then it’s near impossible to get it back.

44. Top three people Shepard thinks are hotties:

Samara

Nyreen

Zaeed

+Thane because he’s her Li so that’s a given

45. What’s the easiest way to gross them out?

Throw up. THAT’S ALL hahahaha but fr gross.

46. What are some of their favorite combo moves with team members out on the field?

Oooohh this is embarrassing for her and me. I always forget team members and Shepard can do combo moves together, so I never do it. So lets go with: she’s a lone wolf who likes to do her own tech combos herself.

47. Can they forgive easily, or are they the type to hold a grudge?

Neither! She’d rather just forget.

48. Does Shepard have a good sense of direction?

She relies solely on her HUD that she doesn’t know anymore!

49. Did they enjoy their party on the Citadel?

Yes, it was nice getting everyone together, but she really missed Thane.

50. What is Shepard’s ending?

Maeve, beloved, goes full destroy ending, which includes destroying herself. I’ve talked about this a lot in the server so I’m not going to get too much in the weeds but… she’s very content with this choice.

+1 …got any kinks?

*looks back at question 33* yes – a choking kink whoops

[omniblades-and-stars]

WIP WHENEVER

Tagged by @commander-krios

and I'll tag @stormikins, @sparatus, @thetrashbagswasteland and @teamdilf

I keep hoping posting more pieces of this will make my brain do writing good and finish a chapter. Here's a bit of Holding On To Hell:

✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧

“Massani, not that I’m not glad you survived, but how did you find my number?” Curt, he should have expected as much. Not as though he enjoyed getting surprise calls from people he barely tolerated either.

“Yeah, don't weep for joy just yet. No time for manners or explaining. How fast can you get to the coordinates I just sent you?” Zaeed worried at his omni-tool display, checking and rechecking that his message went through. Communications were still spotty, and he didn't have the luxury of a connection to EDI to clean things up for him.

An eternity passed in the span of a couple of seconds before Miranda Lawson responded, “If I pull some strings, I can make it in a few hours.”

“Well, pull 'em.”

Miranda sighed, “What's this about, Massani?”

His patience was wearing thin, there were too many machines making too many noises and too many people panicking about things he cared very little to not at all about all around him. “We found her, Lawson. She's alive, for now.”

“Condition?"

“Bad doesn’t do it justice. Burns, cuts all over, broken bones, looked like a bomb went off on top of her. Found her under enough building to crush a krogan.”

“Is she conscious, speaking?”

“She was. Tried to talk when we pulled her out of the rubble. She blacked out and it's been touch and go since. Any time she's tried to talk, it's just noise.” Zaeed took a deep breath in through his nose and exhaled through his mouth. “They're inducing a goddamn coma.”

“Do they have any neural-implant specialists there?” Miranda's voice had taken on a far more urgent tone.

“It's a fucking field hospital, Lawson. There's combat medics, and a trauma surgeon who looks like he might blow his brains out any second,“ he emphasized while looking at the harried doctor who jumped from patient to patient like he was being pulled around on a wire. “Alliance is spread real goddamn thin.”

Miranda nearly cut him off with, “I'm already on my way. Two hours.”

“What happened to “a few hours”?”

“I pulled the whole spool.”

[ladykailitha]

All My Roads Lead Back to You Part 18

All right, my lovies, this is the last chapter. There will be an epilogue and then the story is done. Thank you all who joined me down this amazing AU. It’s been a blast.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17

***

Turns out what they were going to do the night of the gala was Mandy was allowed to invite her bandmates over for a party. There was going to be snacks and pizza and movies. They could stay up as late as they wanted and Eddie and the Grants were even okay with their sons staying the night for a sleepover.

When she learned that the event was going to take place the Saturday after her finals, she was sooo glad that she had listened to her dad and agreed not to go. Trying to study and do her finals during the week from hell, would have straight up killed her.

Edie also had to grudgingly admit that the party sounded way more fun than waltzing around in high heels and a pretty dress with people that were only trying to schmooze to get money out of other people. No parents, just her and her friends having a blast.

Plus she had fun prom, why would she want to go to boring prom?

But she helped her dad pick out his suit for the event. He looked hot in it.

“Is Mr Munson coming?” she asked as she tried to decide between a black pocket square and the white one.

Steve sighed. “He’s been invited every year by Uncle Dusty for the last ten years, and he’s never came, so the chances aren’t good.”

Edie pouted. “That’s too bad. That outfit he wore the prom was kickass. I was looking forward to seeing what he would come up with for a more formal event like this.”

Steve smiled at the memory and blushed. “Me, too.”

She bumped him with her shoulder. “Have fun anyway even if he doesn’t come. You work hard for this every year. Have fun with it.”

He kissed the top of her head fiercely. “I promise you’ll be my plus one next year.”

“You better!” she teased. Her eyelids half closed. “Or...and hear me out, your plus one could be a certain metal producer...”

Steve blushed even darker. “Do you think I’m ready?”

The teasing smile slid off her face and she sat him down. “You know your therapist is going to say that’s something for you to decide, but my opinion is that you are. You have worked so hard these last few months and while there have been a couple of low points, it’s clear you’re better equipped to handle that.”

Steve let out a shuddering sigh. “Yeah. You’re right. I can’t wait to be perfect, because that’s never going to happen. But I’m getting all the right tools and we know how to communicate better now.”

Edie sat down next to him and she picked up his right hand. “You know, it’s so strange not seeing that ring on your hand anymore.”

Steve thumb rubbed the underside of his ring finger instinctively. “It’s weird for me too. I used to panic in the morning thinking I’d lost it only to remember that it’s in the safest place for it. Back on Eddie’s finger.”

Edie smiled. “I think you have your answer, Dad.”

He smiled at her. “So it seems.”

*

Eddie was as dressed up as much he tolerated. He wore skin tight leather pants with chunky boots. His black silk shirt was tucked loosely into the pants with a black and silver belt that had chains dangling off it artistically. The shirt was only part of the way buttoned and showed off the many chains and necklaces around his neck. He wore a suit jacket with the sleeves rolled up to show off the bracelets and bangles on his wrists. All of his rings were on today and a single upside down cross dangled from his left ear.

In short, he did not belong here. He had even said as much to Dustin and Suzie six times already.

And he was about to add a seventh. “Look at these people, Dustin! Her necklace probably costs more than my entire outfit.”

Dustin rolled his eyes. “She also probably rented it for the night. Chill out, dude. You’re making me nervous and I’ve been to every one of these things.”

Eddie sighed. “How the hell did I let you talk me into this anyway?”

“Because it’s a cause you feel strongly about,” Dustin growled. “It’s about getting music and music education into deaf and hard of hearing schools. It’s about sharing music in new and exciting ways for people who might not otherwise get the chance.”

Eddie sighed again. “I’m surprised this charity is as popular as it. I’m seeing legit movie stars here, man.”

Dustin looked around for a moment and then points to an actor with thinning hair and glasses. “It’s because of a little movie he did, that came out like a month after the charity was formed.”

Eddie’s eyes followed to where Dustin was pointing and there was Richard Dreyfus talking to Steve Harrington and he gulped. “Oh.”

Suddenly the whole night made sense. Steve had come out hard of hearing in August of ‘95 and that December ‘Mr Holland’s Opus’ came out. Forming a charity when he did was brilliant. But that was Steve, he was intuitive that way.

He wave his hand Steve’s direction. “This is exactly why I shouldn’t be here. Look at how well Steve blends seamlessly with actors, musicians, and sports stars alike.”

Steve was wearing a gem tone blue suit with a black button up and matching pocket square. He had a glass of something bubbly in his hand as he laughed at something the renowned actor was saying.

Dustin pushed Eddie’s shoulder. “Dude, you must have been to a ton of these parties for your music, why are you freaking out now?”

That brought Eddie up short. He had been to a ton of these kind of things before. Just never with Steve looking like he’d walked right off the pages of a fashion magazine.

“What if I say or do something that makes him look bad?”

Dustin frowned. “Who? Steve?”

Eddie nodded, lips pursed. “He worked so hard for this, I don’t want to come bumbling in and wreck it for him.”

Dustin’s expression softened. “You can’t do any worse than the actress in ‘99 when threw wine at the wrong guy thinking he was her ex and then tried to strip so that she could drown herself in the punch bowl.”

Eddie blinked. “That didn’t really happen, did it?”

“Oh yeah,” Dustin said. “It was a nightmare.”

Eddie tilted his head to the side and thought about it. “Huh. I guess you’re right.”

Dustin rolled his eyes. “How many times do I have to be right in order for you to believe me?”

“He really needs to check his ego,” a warm voice came from behind them.

Eddie turned around and smiled fondly. “It’s his tone, right?”

Steve grinned. “Always.”

Eddie came forward and hugged Steve. “It’s good to see you.”

Steve pressed his face close to his. “I’m so glad you made it.”

Eddie’s heart started beating wildly in his chest. He felt like they were on the cusp of something great.

“Not gonna lie,” he said fondly, “shit like this always terrifies me.”

Steve only stepped back far enough that they weren’t cheek to cheek anymore but still hugging. “Me, too.”

Eddie’s smile was soft. “Yeah? Then we can be nervous together.”

Dustin huffed out his annoyance. “Unless you two want to be all the talk of the gossip rags tomorrow, you may want to put a little bit of space between you.”

Steve and Eddie laughed, but they only moved so that they were standing side by side with one arm around each other’s waists.

Dustin rolled his eyes again. “I take it back, I don’t want you two as a couple, you’ll be insufferable.”

They both grinned.

“There are so many famous people here...” Eddie whispered, practically plastering himself against Steve’s side.

“Who do you want to meet and I’ll introduce you,” Steve said with a smile.

Eddie chewed on his lip a moment before whispering it in Steve’s ear.

Steve chuckled. “Sure thing, sunshine. We can start there.”

Dustin just shook his head as he watched them walk away. Suzie came up to him with a glass of champagne and glass of juice for her.

“You not drinking tonight, honeybee?” he asked her as he took his glass from her.

She shook her head with a smile. “Found out this morning when the doctor’s office called to confirm it.”

Dustin turned to her, his eyes wide.

“It appears the last insemination worked.”

He took her drink from her and both of their glasses on a nearby table. He hugged and kissed her. “We’re having a baby?”

She nodded shyly, rubbing her belly gently. “They want me on bed rest starting in a couple of weeks, to make sure it really takes. But yes. We’re having a baby.”

“I love you,” Dustin whispered.

“I know.”

*

Eddie was actually starting to have fun. Steve was a malicious gossip and he weaponized that fact to make Eddie laugh.

He was trying to hide his giggles in Steve’s neck when Robin and Viv came up to them.

“You two look cozy,” Viv said with a grin.

Eddie straightened up and looked at her with curiosity. “Oh hello.”

“Munson,” Robin greeted.

Eddie looked over at her then back at Viv.

“Two pretty birdies,” he said with a smile.

Robin laughed. She had forgotten in the years of hurt and separation how funny he was.

“Viv,” she said, “This is Eddie Munson, music producer. Eddie, this is my fiancee, Viv.”

Steve and Eddie looked at each other in shock.

Steve scooped her up in his arms and twirled her around. “Oh my God! I’m so happy for you. When did this happen?”

He set her back down and immediately Viv took her hand. “I proposed this morning. It’s not going to be official until tomorrow.”

“Congrats,” Eddie said with a soft smile and gentle tilt of his head.

“We wanted you to be the first to know,” Robin told Steve.

“I’m honored,” Steve said. “Now go have fun.”

They nodded, but Robin hesitated a moment before giving Eddie a hug. “I’m sorry.”

He hugged her back fiercely. “Me, too, Birdie. Me too.”

Robin nodded and Viv and she walked off hand in hand.

Steve turned to Eddie. “I think you just got the best friend seal of approval.”

Eddie blinked. “You think?”

Steve tried to fight back the smile but failed. He nodded.

“That’s good to know.”

They stood there, warm and content by each other’s side. Then the DJ started up and people began to dance to the music.

“Dance with me,” Steve breathed into Eddie’s ear.

Eddie looked into his eyes and then nodded.

Steve led them to the dance floor and he took Eddie’s hand in his and placed the other on Eddie’s shoulder. Eddie’s remaining hand was warm on Steve’s side.

Steve sighed and laid his head on Eddie’s shoulder.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Eddie said softly. “Getting tired?”

Steve nodded and buried his face into Eddie’s neck. “I usually sleep it off over the next couple of days.”

“You work too hard, baby,” he murmured into Steve’s ear.

Steve sighed and let Eddie rock them back and forth to the music. He wasn’t sure if it was luck, Robin paying the DJ off, Jeff paying the DJ off, or just the DJ noticing their little dance, but the next song was a slow song too.

After a moment or so just moving in a small circle, Steve murmured, “I’m ready now.”

Eddie reared his head back to try and get a better look at him, when it hit him. “Yeah?”

“Like I told Edie,” Steve whispered, “I can’t keep waiting for the perfect moment. The time when I’m one hundred percent better. Because I know I’ll never be. And that’s not fair to you or to me. So this is me saying yes.”

He lifted his head up to gaze into Eddie’s eyes. He must saw something he liked, because he was pressing his lips to Eddie’s.

Eddie cupped Steve’s cheeks and deepened the kiss as Steve clutched at his sides.

“I think we were always meant to be here, sweetheart,” Eddie whispered back.

“All my roads were always going to lead back to you, sunshine,” Steve admitted. “I love you so much. I always have, I think I always will.”

Eddie kissed him again just as fireworks started going off.

They broke off giggling, just holding on to each other as the ridiculousness of kissing to fireworks got to them.

Jeff came over and patted them both on the shoulder. “It took you guys long enough.”

Eddie playfully pushed at his friend. “I had to go through all that to get to here, man. I don’t think it would have worked otherwise.”

Steve nodded. “I think so too. Young idiots in love wouldn’t have been the same as two people loving each other and growing together as mature adults.”

Jeff nodded and then gathered them both up for a huge group hug.

“Hey, what would you say about getting the band back together?” Jeff asked Eddie. “Gareth’s on board.”

Eddie shook his head. “We’d need a bassist and I wouldn’t want to tour with some stranger.”

Jeff grinned. “Well the thing about that…” he looked over at Steve.

Steve pointed at himself in confusion. “Me? I mean I know how to play the bass, but...” he turned to Jeff slowly. “You rat bastard, you’ve been teaching me how to play for this very reason!”

Jeff threw his head back and laughed. “You better believe it, Stevie boy!”

Eddie’s eyes narrowed. “You have been playing quite the long game, Jeffrey Nicholas Lawrence.”

Jeff grinned, rubbing his hands together. “Just wait until you hear what I have planned!”

Steve and Eddie looked at each other and then burst out laughing.

“Yeah, all right,” Steve said with a fond shake of his head. “Let’s hear what you’ve got.”

Eddie put his arm around Steve’s waist and listened to his best friend talk about touring after their kids graduated from high school and how it would all work with a smile.

Moving back to Indiana was the best idea Jeff ever had.

***

Epilogue

A note about Suzie’s pregnancy, when you’re told you can’t have kids you think any missed period is just stress. Then after the third month of not getting her period she went to the doctor and they told she was pregnant (from personal experience).

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[husband-steve-cortez]

Ezra: *100% srs* I mean all you need is decent shields and armor and they aren't throwing around shit so I don't really get the hype around biotics. Also I can make a fucking knife with my omni-tool or just smack them around with pyrotechnics and honestly if I cared to I could customize my omnitool to generate as much force as a biotic punch. That's not even getting into just overloading their shields or just plain frying their brains with electricity or actual fire. And like yeah anti-gravity fields are cool or whatever but you can just hit them with cryo bombs or again fire and also I can hack tech and barriers? Again omni-tool just bust it open and overclock for shield generation, or you can just fucking use tech armor, even Alliance Sentinels barely use biotic barriers, I mean I don't understand why everyone acts like Combat Engineers don't do fucking everything that everyone else does and has to keep up with latest tech updates, honestly I'm giddy that EDI can help with some of that even if she has to focus on maintaining the ship

Miles: My body is a weapon.