#alec ryder x ellen ryder

[ziskandra]

Fic: Crosstalk

Neither of them have been very good at conversations.

MASS EFFECT | ALEC/ELLEN | WORDS: 1359 | RATED: T (AO3 LINK.)

Alec.

We need to talk.

The text swims before his eyes. Despite his general lack of finesse when it comes to the world of social courtesies, Alec knows those words, together, are never followed by something positive or complimentary. There had once been a time when he didn't dread messages from his wife, but they've left those wonder years far behind. No longer is their relationship a welcome respite from the other pressures of life, but just another responsibility, demanding his attention.

Another way in which he fails to measure up.

There's a twinge of pain at his temple as he looks at Ellen's words again. He's just returned to the Citadel after a long journey, for God's sake. He doesn't need this. Not now. But is there ever an ideal time for these conversations?

His hands sweat unbearably in his gloves as he types out a response. What about?

Ellen's response is immediate, and the single word settles at the bottom of his stomach like an anchor forged from dread.

You.

This is it, isn't it? She's going to tell him she's leaving him, that she wants a divorce, that she doesn't love him anymore, that she never loved him in the first place—

Before he can stop himself, his mind races ahead, jumping from possibility to possibility, exponential calculations formed in the fraction of seconds. And yet every formulation brings him to the same conclusion: a world without Ellen. The thought knocks the wind from his lungs and it's suddenly difficult to breathe. What is happening to him?

He's so overwhelmed by his rapid-fire thoughts that he almost misses the ding announcing the arrival of another text.

And the kids.

Relief floods through his veins, and he hates it. Whatever's wrong with the twins, whatever Ellen needs of him, he's sure they can surmount the obstacle together. He might not be winning any father of the year awards any time soon, but he's confident in his capability to protect his kids. That's what a dad does.

It's only in hindsight that he realises the fact his mind didn't immediately jump to their children might've been a warning sign.

*

Upon his return to their apartment, the scent of freshly brewed coffee wafts into his nostrils. It's the real stuff, too, with honest-to-god Earth beans, not the reconstituted crap found on the average Alliance cruiser. Gratitude churns with anxiety in his gut: Ellen had always been so attentive to his preferences even as he struggled to remember the basic details like her favourite colour or birthday without outside assistance. "I'm home," he announces into the empty living room, the words foreign on his tongue. Truth be told, this place still doesn't feel like home—nowhere does. He's spent so much of his life in motion, he struggles to sit still, struggles still with grappling the concept of settling down, putting down roots. But Ellen had argued it wasn't good for the kids to move so much, not when they had other options.

So Ellen had taken the twins to the Citadel, and Alec... Alec visited when he could, feeling all the while more akin to an ungainly house guest than part of a family. He pushes that thought back down from wherever it had surfaced. There’s no point in dwelling upon his regrets, his mistakes: he’d be here all day, and he doesn't have the time to waste. Ellen doesn't respond immediately, but Alec doesn't mind it. It gives him a moment to re-examine his surroundings, all at once familiar yet foreign. He could've sworn the last time he was here there'd been more artwork on the walls (Sara had always been an avid painter), but the signs of other household inhabitants are around him nonetheless: an empty chocolate bar wrapper (Sara's sweet-tooth), a pair of muddy sneakers (Scott's? Maybe? They seemed large), a bottle of beer. Now, whose was that? Ellen didn't drink beer—at least, he'd never known her too. And surely the twins—

Wait, just how old were they again? Fatigue clouds his recollection as he feels his headache building, and he rubs angrily at his temple as though his own pain is just another enemy he can defeat. And then, from just outside the door in the hallway, the most beautiful sound in the world: his wife's voice. "There you are."

*

They settle down at the kitchen table, and with a shaking hand, Ellen places his coffee cup down before him. Now they're facing one another, it gives Alec his first opportunity to look at her, really look at her. He's immediately struck by how tired she seems. Neither of them are strangers to long nights, both of them the type of person to put in long hours when inspired by a new project, but this isn't the type of exhaustion from a few weeks of burning the midnight oil. It's stronger, deeper—the sort that permeates the very bones.

It's the sort of fatigue that even Alec can't ignore. He reaches across the table to hold her hand. "Ellen? What's wrong?" A slight smile tugs at the corner of her lips, but her eyes stay tired. "I didn't ask you here to talk about me." He immediately knows she's blowing him off, but he also knows better than to push the point for now. For all Ellen complains about his stubborn streak, she has a considerable one of her own. He takes a breath, and gives her hand a squeeze before withdrawing it to cup his drink, take a sip. The coffee helps. "Okay," he answers simply. "And the kids?" "They're alright. You know what teenagers are like. Well..." She trails off, her gaze drifting aside to the discarded beer bottle. "Adults now, too." He closes his eyes, tries to block anything but the aroma of coffee. Eighteen. Of course. His kids are eighteen.

He should've known. He should've known it would be about this. "Ellen," he starts.

Her tone lowers furiously. Dangerously. "You missed their birthdays." Despite himself, he gives into the impulse to jump to the defensive. "I sent a message—" Ellen's lips thin into a sharp line. "No. You promised you'd be here." "You know what work—" She interrupts again. "No! I'm sick of those same old excuses. I'm—" This time, she breaks off in middle of her own sentence into a series of hacking coughs.

But something in his head catches on those two words. I'm sick. The pieces of the puzzle fall into place. The way his hand reaches over the table this time could be more accurately described as a dive. Frantic, desperate. "Ellen," he repeats, more gently this time. "What's this really about?" She averts her gaze and it feels like a punch to the face. "I need to be sure," she whispers to the empty space by her side. "I need to be sure the twins will have their dad if anything happens to me." The final missing piece is in his hand, just waiting to be put down. But he doesn't want to. They're not ready. He's not ready.

They were supposed to have so much more time. And yet, he’s squandered it. All in the service of the Systems Alliance. And for what? He realises, too late, that all the medals in the world are not worth a fraction of just another more day spent beside his wife. "Are you going somewhere?" It's all he can bring himself to ask; his voice sounds distant to his own ears. "Not willingly." Her voice wavers, and Alec's had enough. He jumps to action, springing to his feet and bounding to the other side of the table to embrace his wife. To be where he belongs. "Ellen," he begins, "I'm so—" She shakes her head. "Don't. Don't say it. Don't say sorry. Just. Promise me, Alec. Promise me you'll take care of the twins." He can barely hear her words over his racing mind: even his innumerable previous calculations had never considered this. But he’s only human. Fallible.  He presses a kiss against her hair. "I promise," he says. "I'm not gonna let anything happen to you."

[fereldanwench]

Sara Ryder Master Post

✧ BASICS ✧ Full Name: Sara Elizabeth Ryder Pronouns: She/her Date of Birth: 28 Mar 2154 Place of Birth: The Citadel (Widow System in the Milky Way) Height: 5'11" (180 cm) Weight: ~160 lbs Body Type: Absolutely shredded Eye Color: Light blue Hair Color: Dark bronze brown

✧ PERSONALITY & SKILLS ✧ MBTI: ISTP Training: Operative Combat Profile: Infiltrator

✧ RELATIONSHIPS ✧ Father: Alec Ryder Mother: Ellen Ryder Brother: Scott Ryder (born 2157) Closet Friends: - Vetra Nyx - Jaal Ama Darav - Nakmor Drack Partners: - Jonathan Barrett (ex-fiance; remained in the Milky Way) - Keri T'Vessa (ex; fling) - Reyes Vidal (ex; fling) - Dr. Harry Carlyle

✧ NOTES ✧ - This is an updated version of the Sara Ryder I created in 2017/2018. Her personality and pre-Andromeda history hasn't changed too much, but she is older during the events of the game (about 31). - She and Scott are not twins; she's the eldest sibling by about 3 years. However, he has his shit together way more than she does, lmao. They have a great relationship, and Sara considers him one of her best friends. - Sara is very much Alec's daughter--Smart, curious to a fault, tough, ambitious, and does not like being told what to do. (Don't tell her that, though.) - She met the basic requirements for N7 training back in the Milky Way, but was denied officially due to her pattern of insubordination in the Alliance. The real reason was political--aka because of her pariah of a father. She still holds a grudge about it. - Sara and Harry met about a month before leaving for Andromeda--Alec invited (well, insisted, really) Harry to join them at the Ryder family compound for some pre-launch training and SAM assessments.

Tags and relevant links updated under the cut:

Last updated: 10 Jan 24

✧ SARA'S TAGS ✧

👩‍🚀 oc: sara ryder

💖 fave: sara ryder

🖼️ art: sara ryder

🔖 fic: sara ryder

✨ oc inspo: sara ryder

💑 ship: harry x sara

💖 fave: harry x sara

🔖 fic: harry x sara

✧ CHARACTER SHEETS & MEMES ✧

Aesthetic Builder

About My OC (out of date as of this post)

Bold the Traits/Aesthetics

OC Relationships

OC Negative Traits

[commander-krios]

world building wednesday

Esther Ryder

B A S I C S

full name: Esther Alicia Ryder

gender: Female

sexuality: Lesbian

pronouns: she/her

O T H E R S

family: Alec Ryder (father), Ellen Ryder (mother), Finlay Ryder (twin brother)

birthplace: The Citadel

job: Archaeologist, The Andromeda Initiative 

phobias: snakes, thunderstorms

guilty pleasures: Cliff jumping

M O R A L S

morality alignment?: Neutral Good

sins - lust/greed/gluttony/sloth/pride/envy/wrath

virtues - chastity/charity/diligence/humility/kindness/patience/justice

T H I S - O R - T H A T

introvert/extrovert: Esther is very much an extrovert. Probably more so than even her twin. She’s a people person, social and friendly. She easily makes friends and pulls people into her bubble.

organized/disorganized: As an archaeologist, she needs to be organized. It helps her do her job and help others do their job as well.

close minded/open-minded: She’s always been open minded, especially about other species. She knows most aren’t like humans and tries her hardest to not judge before getting to know someone.

calm/anxious: She can be anxious at times, but she’s mainly calm. 

disagreeable/agreeable: Esther is agreeable to a point. If it makes sense, if it achieves an objective, if things are done in the proper manner, she’s will do things without complaint. If something is not correct, she will let you know without an issue.

cautious/reckless: Oh she’s a reckless one. Not with her life, but with her actions. She lives her life to the fullest, not wanting to miss a moment. It was the one point of contention between her and Alec, but he knew that she had good intentions.

patient/impatient: She is a lot more patient than her brother. And most of that has to do with her brother. Her job helps her practice patience as well.

outspoken/reserved: She’s always been known as an outspoken woman, most of it due to her father. He wanted her to be her best self and to stand up for herself when others weren’t taking her seriously. She owes a lot of her career to her father’s advice and guidance.

leader/follower: Esther isn’t the type to want to lead. An expedition is one thing, that’s where she shines. But she doesn’t like making the decisions. If something went wrong, the responsibility would be too much to bear.

empathetic/unemphatic: Esther is definitely more empathic than her brother. She’s always been sensitive to the pain of others. Sometimes, it is taken advantage of, but it’s never truly bothered her.

optimistic/pessimistic: Her optimism for finding a new life for the galaxy was what guided her into the Andromeda Initiative. She wants everyone to have a chose to live their best life and that helps her continue doing what she does best.

traditional/modern: Modern. Her family was never very traditional.

hard-working/lazy: Esther doesn’t know when to stop working. She enjoys what she does so much that it isn’t even like work to her. It’s Vetra that actually gets her to slow down and just breathe for once. 

R E L A T I O N S H I P S

otp: Esther x Vetra Nyx

ot3: none

brotp: Esther & Liam, Esther & Peebee, Esther & Drack, Esther & Suvi

notp: Esther x any man

[omegastation]

MEA soulmate AUs (I know I know, soulmates can mean many things and as a concept it's kinda eh, but I love thinking about soulmate AUs, I can't help myself. Consider this part 1, I also did soulmate AUs for the trilogy here):

-Everyone has the name of their soulmate written on their wrist. The name disappears when the soulmate dies, leaving only blank skin. Alec goes to great lengths to hide the fact that Ellen's name is still written on his wrist. He thinks about the Initiative not finding his body seconds before he dies and is reassured. His secret is safe. -Scott's name appeared on Cora's wrist when she was 18. In the years that followed, she met a lot of 'Scott's. None of them were the one she was looking for. When she meets Ryder, she doesn't have to ask to see his wrist. She knows. There isn't a single doubt in her mind. It's him. -The name on Sara's wrist is Vetra. They have discussed this Vetra a LOT. When they were younger, Sara kept asking him questions. 'Who do you think she is? What do you think she looks like?' Scott had no idea but loved discussing her. When he meets Vetra, he knows she's his sister's soulmate.  Turians don't have names written on their wrist like humans do. It's always in a different place, which means he can't verify it for sure. Still, the name is unusual and it doesn't take a genius to figure out why someone like Sara would love Vetra. Scott doesn't rush it though. He waits to see if he can trust Vetra. A month or two after she has joined the team, he realizes it's time. "I have something to tell you. More like someone to show you." He leads Vetra to the Hyperion's medbay where Sara is lying on a bed, her eyes closed. Vetra stares at her like she recognizes her, like she's familiar. He felt exactly the same when he met Cora. "That's your sister," Vetra says. He nods. "Yes, Sara. Doctor Carlyle thinks...well, we know she's there but not when or..." He swallows. It's hard to talk suddenly. "Or if she's going to wake up." Vetra carefully puts her hand on Sara's arm and turns it very gently so her wrist becomes visible. Scott has seen the name on that wrist a million times but this time it's special. This time Vetra sees it as well.   "Sara," she whispers. "I've been looking for you." He leaves the medbay soon after. Vetra needs the privacy. Outside, Cora is waiting for him. "Hey," she says. "Hey," he replies. He can tell she wants to touch him but doesn't, in case people might see them. Today, Scott doesn't care. Not when he feels like his heart is breaking and he's missing his sister so much it's hard to breath. He squeezes Cora's hand. They stay like this for a while. -Lexi is a ball of anxiety, Peebee thinks, and it's starting to piss her off. "Will you relax? He's going to be alright, you can stop the fussing!" Lexi flinches, as she always does when Peebee gets like this. Still, it's been three days. Enough is enough. "Seriously. He's okay, you know? It takes a bit more than a fight to kill Drack." "I know, Peebee," Lexi says. She stares at the machine keeping Drack alive, no doubt checking his vitals for the billionth time. She doesn't say it but Peebee hears it anyway: 'I can't help myself.' Peebee wonders if the others know. Probably not. The only reason she herself knows is because she's been snooping. She shouldn't have, to be clear, but she was curious. The database had always been accessible to only a few Asari but it wasn't that hard to hack it. The secrets inside... She found out that one of the Matriarch had the Illusive Man as her soulmate and sent the info to the Shadow Broker months ago. They kindly told her they already knew. That had been funny at the time. And obviously, she took a copy of the database with her. It was too valuable to let it go. Andromeda was a new galaxy, but that didn't mean that the names would be erased. No one would start from scratch when it comes to this. So she had searched for Lexi and found her information there. Asari usually had multiple soulnames, but Lexi only had one: Drack. Peebee didn't understand it at first. Why him? After seeing Lexi whispering soft words to Drack when he gets injured, she starts to get it. Or rather, she realizes that her own understanding of their love story matters very little in the long run. And in the end, love might not always be a matter of choice. If it was, maybe the system would be more fair. Maybe an Asari, someone who is supposed to have all the time in the world, wouldn't fall in love with a Krogan near the end of his life. Maybe. She thinks about the name written on her own back. A single name, that she has come to love and fear at the same time. The truth is, she’s not good at this. Sometimes she hates how alike Lexi and her are.

[lolsanddrugcartels]

I JUST HAD TO FIND OUT ALL IN A SPAN OF FIVE MINUTES THAT ALEC RYDER SPOKE TO MY BOYFRIENDS DAD, CASTIS FUCKING LISTENED TO GARRUS BECAUSE GARRUS TRUSTED ME AND THAT WAS ENOUGH FOR CASTIS, THE BENEFACTOR PEACED OUT BECAUSE OF REAPERS, EVERYONE IN ANDROMEDA THINKS US SHITS IN THE MILKY WAY ARE DEAD, AND MY FUCKING MOTHER IS IN CRYO?! FUCK YOU BIOWARE I CANNOT HANDLE THIS

[hobgoblinsandpeachfuzz]

Alec and Ellen first meeting on earth pt. 1

[seigephoenix]

SpecRec Fic Masterlist Part 2

SpecRec Masterlist Part 2!  There is one more list to go after this one before I’m done with posting all the works/treats I did for the exchange.  I had a lot of fun writing for SpecRec, and I plan on doing it again next year as well. Maybe next year won’t have so many treats, but we’ll see.  I want everyone to have at least 1 fic of their rare pair ship as a treat.

 Sunrise – Fshep/Traynor Rating: T

Summary: Some domestic fluff featuring a post-war Shep and Traynor.

Link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11700114

Pet Policy – Urz & FShep Rating: G

Summary: Shepard brings Urz onto the Normandy for some pet inspired chaos.

Link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11609388

Treasured Partner – Evfra/FRyder Rating: M

Summary: Evfra sends an email to Sara to have her join in on a special spot on Aya.

Link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11603166

A Present for You – Harry/FRyder Rating: M

Summary: Harry has a surprise for Sara on the Hyperion.

Link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11582667

Take You to Rio – Alec/Ellen Rating: T

Summary: A take on how Ellen and Alec met in Rio.

Link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11554086

Letters to You – Falere/Liara Rating: T

Summary: It all began with an email, but there's no telling where the future will take them.

Link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11524899

Movie Night Interrupted – Kandros/FRyder Rating: E

Summary: Sara invites Kandros to the Tempest to enjoy some downtime before she has to go off on Pathfinder duties again.

Link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11521260

Cold Voeld Nights – Evfra/FRyder Rating: M

Summary: Evfra and Ryder have to ride out a storm on Voeld together. Things get a little heated between them.

Link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11509434

[becky-helene]

Random thought re: Ryder Family Secrets and Cora

So I've been having this constant persistent thought/idea concerning the revelations in Ryder Family Secrets, figured I'd share. So, I'm thinking Ryder (male or female) has mostly only shared everything with their sibling. Obviously there's the stuff about Ellen, and given you can tell sibling about first hearing about the Benefactor after they wake up, I'd imagine there continues to be full disclosure between the Ryder twins. They're sticking together in any future secret uncovering. I think Benefactor knowledge is just kept between the twins, but maybe they expand the circle of trust regarding Ellen to Harry and Lexi. The twins need help from medical folks to figure out any cures or treatments for Ellen, and those are two doctors the twins trust and relied upon throughout the story. I'm thinking Ryder would also let in 1-2 other people on the Ellen secret: maybe their LI, and Cora (or only Cora if bro!Ryder's LI is Cora). Even though Cora's come to accept Ryder being made Pathfinder instead of her, and believes she wouldn't have been a good Pathfinder, Ryder can tell she's still hurt and confused, and doubting herself if she believes Alec saw in her the things that wouldn't have made her a good Pathfinder. So, imagine Ryder bringing Cora to the cryobay, and telling her about "Elizabeth Reilly", and reassuring Cora that Alec never doubted her, and maybe Cora, astounded by Ellen being alive and touched that Ryder's telling her all of this, finishing the thought and reiterating what SAM had said, by acknowledging that Alec wouldn't want to cure/wake up Ellen, only to have to tell her one of her children was dead. She still believes Alec made the right choice passing the role of Pathfinder to Ryder; even if on the surface it had more to do with keeping Ryder alive for Ellen's sake (and his own, obviously, since absentee dad or not, I doubt Alec would be willing to let his kid die), maybe his belief in Ryder blazing a trail and being a good Pathfinder is something that made passing on the role and the secrets he'd kept easier to do and have no doubt in his kid's ability, which allowed him peace of mind in his last moments. If it's sis!ryder or an otherwise unromanced Ryder, Cora thanks her for trusting her with this, and more importantly, caring about her enough to want to reassure her about Alec's motivations. If it's a romanced Ryder, I'm imagining there'd still be the above mentioned reaction, and also some teasing like "well, a cryobay certainly isn't how I ever imagined the whole 'meeting boyfriend's mom' thing going on....let alone I didn't imagine it'd be possible with her having died...." and then a cute moment of Cora wondering if Ellen will like her, and Ryder wrapping his arms around her and saying his mom will love her. And in the end, in both friendship or romanced scenario, Cora switching to concerned mode and telling Ryder she's here for him/her (or both of them, since regardless of which Ryder she's closer too, she'd care about them both, be it her friend's sibling or boyfriend's sister) if they need to talk about Alec keeping such a huge secret from them all of this time. Anyway, just a thought that'd been floating in my head that I thought I'd share

[cousinslavellan-archive]

A. Ryder: Log #5

The Roekaar are a threat - one Jaal needs help with, and Aria’s more then willing to do what he needs her to.

She doesn’t mean to break down after talking to Scott, to let it out - but sometimes, you just have to let yourself cry.

Being held by the alien you’re slowly falling for helps.

Jaal x Ryder, Pre/Early Relationship. Spoilers for Jaal’s loyalty quest and game in general.

Also posted on AO3 ->  http://archiveofourown.org/works/10609884/chapters/23531679

When Jaal asked Aria for help dealing with the Roekaar, she agreed immediately.

It had been a couple of weeks since they'd started flirting - if Aria could even call her terrible attempts flirting - and of generally just getting to know each other beyond the basics they'd needed to work together.

He was such an interesting, dedicated person; even if nothing happened, she wanted to know him, to be worthy of the trust he'd shown her so far.

There was no consideration needed when he asked for help; she would take every opportunity to prove that not all humans were bad.

"Akksul is their leader." Jaal explained while they were suiting up, passing Liam his gun before reaching for his own rifle, "We were... friends. Fellow students of the Moshae. And then he was captured by the Kett. Now, he hates all aliens; including humans."

"I really don't like the Kett." Aria couldn't help mumbling, earning a quiet 'hear, hear' from Liam and the tiniest of smirks from Jaal, "I'll do whatever I can to help, Jaal."

"Thank you, Ryder. First, we must find my sister, Thaldyr, on Havarl. She may be able to lead us to him."

Havarl itself already seemed to be thriving, if only because the people seemed brighter, somehow, less stressed, and Aria was happy she'd made the decision to find the Vault the last time they'd been on the planet.

That happiness dwindled as they approached the nav point only to find it surrounded by Kett, vivid anger rising even as she let lose her biotics and flung two of the bastards into nearby trees.

They cleared out the enemies quickly - she and Jaal made a damn good team, and no matter how much Liam snarked about her biotics, he was a great squad mate- and hurried on to the building, SAM helping to decode the lock.

Inside was pitch black and barren, seeming empty... until Aria caught the faintest of exhales from the back, as though someone were struggling for breath.

She flicked her light on and slowly approached the back corner, breath catching when she spotted the wounded Angara they'd come looking for.

Thaldyr nearly hissed at the sight of her, breathing labored, "Don't touch me."

"I just want to help." Aria kept her voice soft, her hands down, not wanting to startle the woman any more then she was.

"Your wounds..." Jaal had stepped up behind her, eyes locked on the woman, "they're... self inflicted?"

"The Kett. I can't go back. I won't - ah-!" Thaldyr cut off in pain, chest heaving again.

"Hush now, sister." Jaal stepped in closer, taking her hand between both of his, "The Kett are dead. They can't take you. We won't let them."

"You sound like him." Thaldyr wheezed, watching Jaal, "So confident. So sure."

"You mean Akksul?" Aria nearly whispered, not wanting to push the poor woman.

"He saved me. Gave me a chance to live... and die on my own terms."

"We need to find him, Thaldyr."

Thaldyr stared at Jaal for another long moment before taking a last breath and letting her head drop back against the wall, eyes closing as her hand slipped from his.

Jaal took a deep breath as he turned away, expression one of anguished sorrow, "Isharay, brave one."

"Even in the end, she was devoted to him." Aria silently wished Thaldyr peace, sad and angry that yet another death had been caused by the Kett, "That's loyalty."

Jaal scoffed angrily, "And Akksul's using that devotion to spread hate. The only other person who could reach him... is the Moshae."

He made an annoyed sound then, and Aria turned to give him a look, "What?"

"I was hoping to keep her out of this. She's always had a blind spot when it comes to Akksul." another sigh, and then Jaal turned, heading back out the door, "Come on. Let's go."

Aria glanced back at Thaldyr once more before following after Jaal, hoping - perhaps foolishly - that hers would be the last death they would see for a while.

For Jaal's sake, if not my own.

 Aria steps back onto the Tempest and breathes a sigh of relief at the quiet that greets her, for once glad that no one if there to see her.

She loves her crew, and on any other day she would be seeking them out, wanting to catch up with everyone, maybe head down to the Vortex with Liam and Vetra, since they would be docked at the Nexus for a couple of days.

But not today.

She'd just been down to visit Scott - still in a coma, still lying silently on his bed on the Hyperion - but this time she'd been able to talk to him, through SAM.

And like a fool, she'd told him the truth; about their father's death, about Habitat 7, about everything. Because he deserved to know what he would be waking up to, some day, and she'd never been good at lying anyways.

It had hurt him, and that had hurt her.

Aria is emotionally and physically exhausted, and she still feels like she's going to start crying.

So no, she's not in the mood for alcohol and socializing today.

She wants quiet. She wants calm.

She wants coffee.

You're a worse addict then Mom was. Aria muses quietly, and that thought just makes her sad all over again.

She walks quickly up through the sliding doors, hearing her Pyjak rumble from somewhere in the hold, heading through the quiet hall towards the Galley.

The ship is so quiet that Aria figures everyone else has headed out onto the Nexus, which leads to her almost running right into Jaal the moment the Galley door slides open.

"Shit, Jaal, I'm sorry, " Aria takes a step back, feeling foolish, "I didn't realize you were here, I thought everyone had gone down to the Nexus."

"Ah, no, I decided not to." Jaal almost looks nervous, which makes her curious, "I thought, perhaps, you and I could... talk, once you were back. As we have had little down time, and..."

His gaze drifts to the counter and Aria follows it, surprised to see the coffee pot full and giving off the slightest hint of steam.

"...Liam showed me how to use the... coffee pot, is it? I am unsure if I managed to brew it correctly, but thought I would try."

How are you real? Aria keeps the question to herself, for now, feeling suddenly lighter, smiling as the smell of the coffee hits her, "It smells great, Jaal. Thank you."

"You are most welcome, Ryder." Jaal steps back so she can get to the coffee, and she hears him shifting as she open the cupboard to dig out her favorite mug, "Though, if you'd rather be alone, of course, I understand, I can go-"

"Stay, please." Aria manages a tiny smile for him once she's fixed herself a mug, sliding into the table wrapping both hands firmly around it, "I like your company, Jaal."

"As I enjoy yours," he seems pleased, and then unsure, moving closer to the table but not sitting down yet, "Liam... mentioned that you were visiting someone, on the Nexus? You seemed rather melancholy, I wondered..."

Jaal hesitates, clearly trying not to overstep any bounds, and that makes her smile a bit wider.

Aria takes a sip of her coffee, lets the warmth of it settle her, before answering "My twin brother, Scott. He's in a medically induced coma."

"Oh?" Jaal takes a seat, now that he's sure he's not bothering her, and even though they're not side-by-side she can feel the heat of him, the Angara taking up almost the entire side of the table.

She nods, "He was in stasis, same as me. We'd just gotten to Heleus - they'd just woken me and the other members of the Pathfinder Team, Cora, Liam - when we hit the Scourge."

"The Hyperion was alright - just needed to reroute some power, keep a closer eye on the Scourge - but Scott's pod had been in the middle of de-icing, and that power flux had screwed with it."

"He's alright, but they had to put him in the coma to prevent any brain damage from the pods malfunction... and they don't know exactly when he'll wake up. That's up to him. But I was able to talk to him, today, through SAM. And I... I told him about Dad."

Jaal tenses, and Aria stares down at her mug, grip tightening on the warm ceramic.

"You never said what happened to your father." he questions softly, curious but clearly willing to drop the subject if she wants to.

"He was the Pathfinder," she mumbles, memories flashing in her mind, "He led us down to Habitat 7, crash landing like we all did when the shuttles got hit. He knew exactly what he was doing, got us to the Remnant structure there, interfaced with it... and then we got blown off the platform."

"My helmet shattered, I couldn't breathe... all I remember is struggling, my vision and mind slowly going blank, Dad saying... something..."

"And then I woke up in SAMnode," Aria blinks back sudden tears, the memories still stinging, "Dad had given me his helmet, and sacrificed himself to save me. He transferred SAM to me, and made me Pathfinder in his place. I wasn't trained for this, Jaal; Dad was. Compared to him, I'm incompetent."

"You are not incompetent, Pathfinder." SAM argues through their private channel, "Your father would be proud of the things you have already accomplished."

"You are many things, Aria Ryder," Jaal's voice draws her attention, soft but serious, "Incompetent is not one of them."

"Thanks, Jaal." she manages, smile watery.

"And... what of your mother...?"

"Mom died years before we went into stasis. She'd contracted a disease from working with Element Zero for so long, and... we couldn't find a way to cure her." Aria laughs, the sound somewhat broken, "Ironically, my exposure to so much Element Zero while she was pregnant with me and Scott is why I have such powerful Biotic abilities. It's like a consolation prize."

"But... if you've been exposed to it, could you not also contract this disease?"

He sounds so legitimately terrified that Aria can't resist reaching for his hand, giving it a quick squeeze, "No, Jaal, I can't get it. Mom worked with Eezo for years; I'm barely ever near it. Don't worry."

Jaal nods, returning the grip on her hand for a moment before a pensive look crosses his face, "As you know, Angara are much more... free with their emotions then humans are, so while I would like to offer you comfort, I do not know...?"

Noting that he's shifted closer and one arm is lifted as though to wrap around her shoulders, Aria gets the point, managing another smile, "Humans like hugs to, Jaal."

Jaal takes the opportunity to wrap his arm around her shoulders and pull her against his side, the other coming around her back as Aria sighs and lets her head rest on the high point of his chest, her own arms loosely returning the embrace.

It's nice - she doesn't really remember the last time she'd been hugged, not this snugly, at least - and yet the tears are suddenly back, threatening to fall even as she squeezes her eyes shut and tries to push them back, to just enjoy being hugged.

Until Jaal leans down and bumps his head against hers, voice tender "If you need to cry, Dearest, do not hold it in."

That does it; Aria buries her face further in the soft material of his Rojfinn and lets the tears fall, so sick of holding it in and pretending she's okay, that she knows what she's doing.

Jaal just lets her cry, arms a comforting loop around her, one big hand stroking up and down her back.

Eventually she calms down, sniffling a little as she pulls back and wipes at her eyes, "I got your Rojfinn all wet, Jaal, I'm sorry."

"Do not worry about that, Aria; are you feeling better?"

"I am." she sniffs, pulling back and trying to smile a little, "Thank you, Jaal."

"You are most welcome."

Aria blushes a little, realizing how close they still are to each other, before straightening at the distinct sound of people,  out beyond the Galley doors.

"The others are back." she murmurs, wiping again at her eyes, not really wanting the rest of the crew to see her in such a state.

"I can play distraction, if you like?" Jaal offers, already releasing her so he can stand, grin reassuring, "Give you time to hide away, for the night?"

"Thank you, Jaal," she breathes, giving him an honest smile, "You're amazing."

"No, Dearest - you are."

He's gone before she can respond to that, face heating up as she listens, briefly, to the chorus of greetings from somewhere in the ship.

Aria's quick to refill her mug with fresh coffee and retreat to her quarters, locking the doors just in case.

She sips the coffee for a while, flicking through reports and emails that have come in, occasionally checking the stat screens for Eos, Havarl and Voeld - all shining at 100%, all safe and sound, for the time being.

You're falling for an alien, Aria muses as she crawls into bed sometime later, the lights dimming automatically, And it's... not nearly as scary as it should be.

Another thought pops into mind, and she's smiling as she curls up beneath the blankets, dozing off quickly.

I'll have to introduce him to Scott, when he wakes up.

[mistresstrevelyan]

Theresa Chiara Ryder is my fav of course! Ryders are usually underrated and deserve more love tbh. Theresa is super sweet and awesome with her love of Tudor things. Plus, she and Persephone is now a ship I love!

AHHHHHHHHH thank you!!! Tessa really is such a sweet girl and once I’m done with this forever replay of the DA games I’ll get to the ME games and replay all of them. Have I mentioned that Katja (Shepard) had a crush on Alec (Ryder)? He was her N7 mentor and she was just in awe. Nothing happened ofc (Alec was forever in love with Ellen plus he’s no creep) but the FEELS!

And Tessa x Persephone (Ryder) is Canon now, they’re married in an AU!

[ziskandra]

Fic: Between the Lines

Fandom: Mass Effect: Andromeda

Relationship: Alec Ryder/Ellen Ryder

Summary: Upon the Initiative's arrival in a brand new galaxy, Alec Ryder's worst fear comes to pass.

Tags: Alec Ryder Lives, Ryder Family Secrets, Dysfunctional Family, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Grief/Mourning, Unreliable Narrator, Character Study, POV Alternating

Rating: T

Words: 3359

Excerpt:

Read the rest on AO3

[poweredbycoffeeandwine]

Christmas in July/12 Days of Christmas (10/12)

@lechatrouge673, my love! Here it is, you asked for Camille Ryder x Liam Kosta visiting family for Christmas, and I have finally done it! *hugs and kisses*

This fic has major spoilers for Ryder Family Secrets. If you haven’t completed this mission in ME: Andromeda, don’t move past this point! You have been warned! (Someone please tell me if the read more link doesn’t work on mobile)

Merry Christmas, Mom - Camille Ryder x Liam Kosta - Mass Effect Andromeda Canon Verse - Angst with a heaping of fluff - 990 words

________________________________________________________________

The strange looks cast in her direction during early morning excursions to the Nexus medical bay decreased with the frequency of her trips. Only Dr. Carlyle and Dr. T’Perro really knew why she visited the cryo beds, other support staff surely thought she was out of her mind, but never commented on her behavior. Who wouldn’t be a little eccentric given all she had been through. Perhaps they assumed she had a friend still considered “non-essential” who she talked to, or maybe they thought she liked the quiet. Surely nobody would be searching for the Pathfinder in that area of the ark. 

She shuffled into the silent, dark hallway still pajama-clad in goofy Christmas slippers. She’d left her blanket, not wanting to appear more ridiculous, but donned her terrible sweater. Camille was never going to let Liam get rid of it, despite the threats. She cracked a small smile, and stopped in front of the cryo bed she could now find with her eyes closed.

Her fingers grazed the metal, cold and smooth. Ellen Ryder, brilliant biomedical and cybernetic researcher–her mother–lay inside under the alias Elizabeth Reilly. Camille suspected what people would say, how they would judge if the truth of her mother’s status was brought to light. She was supposed to be dead, but her father couldn’t let her go. Here she was, terminal illness due to eezo exposure, hidden but alive because of the power Alec Ryder had wielded. So many others had left family, people they loved behind for lesser reasons. Ellen Ryder should not be on this ship.

She sighed, sunk to the floor, back to the cryo bed, arms on her knees. “Hi, mom,” she spoke aloud, “sorry it’s been so long. I’ve been busy.” She waited for the response she knew wouldn’t come. “Merry Christmas.”

She looked around, the hallway echoed in the stillness, sterile and without color or cheer. “I know it doesn’t look like your favorite season. I guess doctors aren’t keen on decorating. Do you remember our silly decorations? The glitter and lights? Scott and the goofy jingle bell slippers and necklace he refused to take off? The way dad always pretended to be a grinch, but secretly loved every second of the holiday?”

Ryder sniffed, tipping her head back against the surface of her mother’s resting place, “I’m sorry. I didn’t come here to make us sad.” She shook her head at the idea that her mother was actually able to hear her, let alone be affected by her emotions. 

She took another deep breath and continued, “I’ve met someone.” She blushed thinking about the prior evening, the time she spent with the man who made her giddy beyond reason, who kept her in the light with his carefree ease. “His name is Liam. He’s handsome, funny, strong and compassionate. I think you’d like him.”

Camille imagined what it would be like if she’d fallen in love back on Earth. She would have told her mom immediately, begged her for help keeping it from dad until Liam was ready to meet him. She chuckled thinking what could have happened if the fearsome Alec Ryder employed the scare tactic on Liam. Would he have been intimidated or maybe just rolled with the punches laughing all the while?

“He helped me save the Arks, fight the Kett. Liam keeps me balanced…” she hesitated then chuckled, “probably sane, too.” Ryder closed her eyes, she thought of the last Christmas she’d had with her mom, pictured her face, the smudge of flour on her cheek lips pressed together as Scott stole another cookie. Ellen was always so cheerful, optimistic, happy. Thinking of her then, knowing she was trapped in cryosleep was almost more than she could take. Her voice wavered, “Uh…he asked me to marry him, after a battle. He was probably kidding, riding high emotions and such, but I’d like to. I mean, if he was serious.” 

“He was, you know.”

She jumped to her feet, embarrassed at not having heard him approach. “God, Liam, really? You scared the shit out of me!”

Liam walked slowly towards her, though he’d had the decency to get dressed-wearing a soft green sweater and jeans paired with his favorite sneakers-he still had a sleepy smile on his face. “Camille, I love you. The moment you sat across from me in the med bay, waking up after 600 years, all I could think about was how I could get you to talk to me.” He took her hands in his, kissed her knuckles, and smirked when he caught sight of the ugliest sweater in existence. “I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life. I shouldn’t have waited so long to ask proper.”

He looked at the cryo bed, touched the surface just as reverently as Camille had, “Merry Christmas, Mrs. Ryder, ma’am. If she’ll have me, I promise to take care of your daughter, to keep her safe, happy, and from becoming a cranky recluse.” He looked back to Ryder, a hopeful look on his face, “Unless that’s really what she wants. I couldn’t dream up a better partner for this life. Camille Ryder,” he pressed a gold ring, small diamonds forming crescent moon wrapped around a sapphire, into her hands, “will you marry me?”

Her heart thudded, a grin spreading across her face, she would deny crying later to anyone who asked, though she was sure they wouldn’t believe her, “Liam Kosta, I thought you would never ask again.” She kissed him with everything she had, holding him tightly. 

He broke their kiss, his bright smile infectious, “If we don’t leave now, I’m going to do something foolish, and I’ll never be able to look into your mother’s eyes. That wouldn’t do considering we haven’t even met yet.”

“We wouldn’t want that,” she replied as she marched him towards the exit, waving goodbye at her mother. She’d come back after they celebrated properly. 

[commander-krios]

world building wednesday

Finlay Ryder

B A S I C S

full name: Finlay Jacob Ryder

gender: Male

sexuality: Bisexual

pronouns: he/him

O T H E R S

family: Alec Ryder (father), Ellen Ryder (mother), Esther Ryder (twin sister)

birthplace: The Citadel

job: Biotic, Former Alliance Soldier, The Andromeda Initiative, Human Pathfinder

phobias: none

guilty pleasures: motorcycles, photography, playing guitar, cooking

M O R A L S

morality alignment?: Neutral Good

sins - lust/greed/gluttony/sloth/pride/envy/wrath

virtues - chastity/charity/diligence/humility/kindness/patience/justice

T H I S - O R - T H A T

introvert/extrovert: Finlay was raised to intermingle with society, especially politicians and military. He knows much about that and in the end, it’s made him very talkative. He has a charismatic and friendly demeanor that makes others reveal a lot about themselves.

organized/disorganized: This is something he’s always been bad at and after he’s made Pathfinder, he actively tries to make it a priority. But he just isn’t the type of person who is built to be organized.

close minded/open-minded: He tends to be open minded more than not. 

calm/anxious: Being thrust into the role of Pathfinder has made him more anxious, losing his ability to be calm under pressure. 

disagreeable/agreeable: Finlay is agreeable during most times. He knows that most people can be reasoned with or an agreement can be made with the right chips on the table. 

cautious/reckless: He’s more on the reckless side. He likes to jump off of cliffs for fun. A lot of that type of stuff has to be tucked away because of his Pathfinder role, but he enjoys doing crazy things, especially as a biotic.

patient/impatient: Can be both, but patience tends to win out more often. Part of his soldier training.

outspoken/reserved: Very outspoken, sometimes to a fault.

leader/follower: His training as an Alliance soldier has helped him take the Pathfinder role, but it wasn’t his first choice. Surprisingly, he ends up being a good leader.

empathetic/unemphatic: Empathy was one of the things he’s had a lot of experience with, especially because of his mother. She was the most empathetic person he knows.

optimistic/pessimistic: Despite all of the loss he experienced on the path into Andromeda, he’s kept his optimism and determination. 

traditional/modern: He’s always looking towards the future. Tradition, he believes, keeps you stuck in the past.

hard-working/lazy: He’s always been lazy, except when it comes to his job. When he puts his heart into something, he’s as hard working as they come.

R E L A T I O N S H I P S

otp: Finlay x Gil Brodie

ot3: none

brotp: Finlay & Peebee, Finlay & Jaal, Finlay & Cora, Finlay & Suvi, Finlay & Kandros

notp: Finlay x Vetra

[omegastation]

I kind of feel Alec loved his children but didn't know how to express it well. But that doesn't mean the twin would see that. I may be projecting my own family on it a little though, because Alec reminds me a lot of my own dad. I know he means well, but my sister just can't see that he cares in his own way. I kind of imagine the same for my Ryders. SisRyder knows Alec loves them, but BroRyder not so much.

Yeah. I agree with you about Alec. I always pictured Alec as loving his children but not knowing how to express it. And if he did express it, it wasn’t always in a good or healthy way. He did the same thing with Ellen. He’s entirely unable to let her go. He’s also unable to appreciate what he has when he has it. It’s really tragic. 

I also believe Ellen knew this about him and loved him “for” or “in spite of” this (depending on how you look at it). 

[musically-magic]

OC Meme Tag

Alright, blame @daydreamingdragonage for this.

I’m gonna tag @jen-nic @ember4lock @heroofshield and @dumatsquiet. As well as anyone who is interested in doing this!

BASICS

full name: Brette “Brett” Eileen Ryder

gender: Female

sexuality: Bi

family: Alec Ryder (Father, Deceased), Ellen Ryder (Mother, Debatable), Breck Ryder (Twin Brother, Alive). The Crew of the Tempest has also become a part of her family.

pronouns: She/Her

OTHER

birthplace: The Citadel, 2163

job(s): Pathfinder

phobias: The dark, things she doesn’t know, failing everyone, being in her father’s shadow forever, loosing the family she’s found, fears a relapse into who she had been before coming to Andromeda

guilty pleasures: Eating her stash of sweets, soft scarves that she can wear all the time, her oddly colored leather jacket, drinking herself into a stupor, gambling.

hobbies: knitting, writing poems, finger painting, making hand painted star maps, adventuring, helping anyone she meets, making people laugh.

MORALS

morality alignment: Chaotic Good

bad qualities: Thinks with her heart instead of her head, makes brash decisions without thinking things through, has no self-preservation instincts, sarcastic as hell to anyone above her

good qualities: Kind as can be, forever helpful, can find humor in a tense situation, caring to everyone, willing to prove what she says to be true

RELATIONSHIPS:

OTP: Ryder x Jaal

Acceptable ships: Ryder x Suvi, Ryder x Peebee

OT3: None

BroTP: Ryder and Liam, Ryder and Vetra

NOTP:  Ryder x Lexi

THIS OR THAT?

introvert / extrovert / ambivert

organized / disorganized

close-minded / open-minded

calm / anxious / restless

disagreeable / agreeable / in-between 

cautious / reckless / in-between

patient / impatient

outspoken / reserved

leader / follower / flexible

empathetic / unempathetic

optimistic / pessimistic / realistic

traditional/ modern / in-between

hard-working / lazy / unmotivated

[hobgoblinsandpeachfuzz]

Alec and Ellen first meeting on earth pt. 2 Dot takes after both her parents