#aurora shepard x jeff joker moreau

[commander-krios]

A Safe Place

Fandom: Mass Effect Pairing: Female Shepard & Jeff "Joker" Moreau Rating: Teen Summary: Jeff Moreau is her best friend, her safe place in a galaxy full of war. And he'll always be there to catch her. Words: 2481 Additional Tags: Pre-Relationship, Post-Akuze, Mild Gore, Trauma, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Canon Disabled Character, Scars, Healing/Recovering Injury, Survivor's Guilt

Read on AO3

September 2177, Tiptree, St. Luke System, Llewyn Nebula

As Aurora Shepard pulled the shirt over her head, her eyes were drawn to the scars trailing down her back. Red puckered scar tissue several shades darker than her skin tone twisted in a gruesome design across her back. Thresher maw acid burned into tissue, muscle. Searing pain that made her claw at her skin. The accompanying sting when she rolled in the sandy dirt in an attempt to rid herself of the acid.

Shaking the memories from her mind, she braced her hands against the sink and watched the water swirl in the bowl. It’d only been a few weeks since Akuze, since fifty marines died in a sandy mass grave, and it still haunted her at every turn.

The sight of a suspiciously flat patch of ground. The howl of the wind. The tremble of the earth beneath her feet. 

She’d never be rid of the desperate fear, of the regret she felt every time she glimpsed her reflection, knowing that there were fifty men and women who’d never have the chance again. 

Why was she spared the same gruesome fate?

When Shepard glanced in the mirror, a blank expression stared back. Dull yellow light only deepened the dark circles under her eyes, the bruises on her chin. She may have survived the maw on Akuze, but there were far worse scars she carried. She could still hear Toombs’ screams as the maw pulled him beneath the sand, fingers bloody as he tried to pull himself out. Seeing his terror, hearing her name on his lips as the sand choked him-

Shuddering, she turned away from her reflection, letting the memories fade into nothing but wisps. She’d promised Anderson not to dwell on them, fearing that she might lose herself in the past and neglect the present. She tried to heed the advice, but the dark recesses of her mind called out, tempting her back into swallowing despair.

Tonight, there’d be no sleep.

So instead, she walked.

Tiptree was never quiet.

Aurora supposed the colony was comforting in its own way: the bugs chirping in the fields, the rustling of leaves in the wind, the cry of a wild animal in the distance. It was unlike anything she’d ever seen before. She’d never had the chance to enjoy the stillness of a summer night, not when the majority of her life was spent on space stations and starships. Not when she was shuttled between missions, a helmet on her head and a commander in her ear.

She’d never seen the stars planetside before. To her surprise, they looked the same from a viewport, but that didn’t make them any less beautiful. Bright, burning pinpoints of light she would never tire staring at. 

Shepard shivered, the summer wind blowing through her thin shirt. She wrapped her arms around herself, her fingers catching the edge of her raw scars and she flinched, nearly biting her tongue as the pain seared her nerves. She’d been shot, stabbed, burned before in different situations with an array of different weapons. They all hurt like hell, but the pain easily passed with some pills and medigel. Sometimes, she would need minor surgery to remove shrapnel, but the medical technology was the best it'd ever been. Most times it didn’t scar.

But thresher maws weren’t bullets or thermal burns. 

She’d have those scars for the rest of her life.

The porch swing was cool against her skin as she sat, goosebumps rising along her arms and legs. She didn’t rub them away, fearing more pain if she nudged her scars. Instead, she rested her elbows on her knees, her face settling in her hands as she fought the urge to cry.

Jeff was so kind. After she’d woken up on Arcturus Station, he was there by her hospital bed, willing to be the one to help her through the pain and trauma. 

I owe you, he’d said. For all the times you’ve helped me.

Aurora had wanted to argue with him, but she’d been in agony and beyond exhausted, afraid to sleep alone with no protection against the shadows that lurked around every corner. He’d barely left her side since the Alliance had rescued her, the least she could do was give him the opportunity to feel useful. If it meant something to him, then it did to her as well.

In the end, it didn’t change the fact that sleep still eluded her, the terror that clung to her since Akuze refused to release its claws and let her rest.

There’d been nowhere for her stay while she recovered. Hannah Shepard had long ago sold their apartment on Arcturus, the majority of her time spent aboard spaceships working. Daniel hadn’t returned to the space station since Elysium, preferring the company of his boyfriend and their small apartment in Vancouver. And Aurora…well, she hadn’t called anywhere home for some time. 

Mr. Moreau had offered to take her in, assuring her that she could rest in the quiet comfort of Tiptree, that he would make sure no one came knocking. His wife was a doctor if she was concerned about being a burden which was a preposterous thought to begin with.

Then there was Jeff, who didn’t even have to do much to convince her to come stay in his childhood home with his rambunctious kid sister. 

Now she was sitting outside of their home in the dark, the rest of the house asleep, while she dealt with the nightmares she saw whether she closed her eyes or not. She didn’t know how long a human could go without sleep, but she figured now was as good a time as any to find out.

Rubbing her eyes, she tried to imagine something else, anything to distract her, but the only thing that came to mind was the friend who wouldn’t give up on her, no matter what happened.

Jeff Moreau was the only person who didn’t care that her mother was Hannah Shepard, or that Admiral Steven Hackett was her stepfather, or that she was a biotic. He saw her for who she was, not what she was, and the more she thought about it, thought about him, the more she realized that she was just a scared girl who relied on those that were so much better than her.

You don’t deserve him, not as a friend, and certainly not as something more.

She roughly wiped a stray tear from her cheek and glanced up at the night sky once more, her fingers drifting to the crystal star dangling from the chain on her neck. It was nights like this when she’d think of her father, of when the two of them would stare out the enormous viewing windows on Arcturus and he’d tell her which solar system each pinprick of light came from. He’d visited some of them once, a long time before she and her brother were born. 

She remembered being afraid that he regretted his choice, to stay on the space station with her and Daniel, to relegate his research to a lab and not be out among the stars like their mother was. But he didn’t.

“You and Daniel are my greatest triumphs and most beloved treasures.”

Aurora wondered if he still felt the same. If, wherever he was, he looked at her accomplishments and was proud.

Someone should be proud of her, at least.

The creak of wood planks alerted her that she was no longer alone and she tensed, ready to fight if need be. The glow of the porch light illuminated Jeff in the dark as he leaned on his crutches, his hair a mess of ginger strands, shadows hiding his face but she knew, as she gazed at him in the dim light, that he couldn’t sleep either. She only hoped it wasn’t because of her.

Her heart pounded a painful beat in her chest when he silently sat beside her on the bench, a baggy hoodie keeping him warm in the chilly night. His hands were tucked into the pockets, his gaze on the sky above, the stars a sight to behold on solid ground. Silence stretched between them, comfortable and familiar, and they slipped into it with open arms, neither needing words to feel the connection between them. 

“You’re quiet.” He said eventually, breaking through the quiet before it turned awkward. His eyes were hidden from view when she glanced at him, ignoring the painful pull of her scars. “Something on your mind?”

So much. But there was too much pain to share at this point. Besides the fact that she didn’t know where to start, unburdening her worries would only add to the issues he had. With the smallest of grins on her face, something that was impossible not to have around him, she glanced sideways at him. “That’s what my therapist is for.”

He rolled his eyes. “Let me guess, it’s the ‘best one in the Alliance’.”

“Oh, so you’ve met her too?” Aurora sighed, the anxiety untangling its vines slightly from around her lungs. She could breathe a little easier in Jeff’s presence.

“Alliance mandated therapy sessions after my run in with Nate Doyle all those years ago. That was fun.”

There was no missing the sarcasm. 

He bumped her good arm with his shoulder, soft enough that she barely moved but the touch was welcome, comforting… she didn’t realize how much she missed their easy comradery. “Come on. Spilling your guts to me won’t result in being discharged from the Navy.”

“I’m a Marine, Jeff.” 

“Hey, it’s all run by the same assholes. Just humor me. You wouldn’t believe the amount of people aboard the SSV Benjamin Davis that have no sense of humor… it’s an epidemic, Aurora.” 

“My mother commands that ship.” She said with a laugh. The sound was almost foreign to her ears, but the smile stayed.

He grinned at her in triumph. “I know.”

Rolling her eyes, she bumped him back, a bark of a laugh escaping her. It felt good to laugh, so good in fact that she felt guilty for doing so when there were fifty marines who couldn’t do the same anymore. Not when they were sinking into the sands of Akuze, nothing but putrid damaged bodies, nothing left worth recovering-

“Hey.”

Blinking back tears, Aurora realized Jeff was watching her, those green eyes she sought comfort in so many times studying every twitch of her eyes, every wrinkle in her brow, every gasp of breath between her lips.

“I’m here, Rori. You don’t have to do this alone.” He covered her shaking hands with one of his one, pressing down to help still the tremors. “We’re a team, remember?”

“Jeff, I-” She hastily wiped a tear before it could fall, hating how easy it was for her to hide behind the Shepard persona. The very one that her mother so diligently helped craft. Because if Hannah Shepard was anything, it was a woman who didn’t abide weakness in her children.

Life on Tiptree was different from life on Arcturus. It was peaceful, far from the politics of the Citadel or the Alliance military. Far from the horrors of war or death. It was tempting to consider the possibility of disappearing here. After everything with Elysium and then Akuze, she wondered if she’d get away with it… disappearing. 

She’d never do it, she knew that. Not when so much of her young life, service to the Systems Alliance had been drilled into her. Not when her father had sacrificed so much to give her a life worth living.

“I’m sorry.” 

The words slipped out before she even realized she’d said them. She flinched at how weak her voice sounded, how weak she was, even after years in the military. If her mother could see her now.

“Don’t be sorry. It’s not your fault.”

But it was. She didn’t know how he didn’t see that. After everything he knew of her, Jeff still saw the best parts.

“Don’t argue with me. Just look up.” Jeff whispered, pointing to some distant thing in the sky. When her eyes followed his finger, she saw the tail end of a comet as it completed its arc. “Shut up and make a wish.”

She considered her options, knowing what her instincts were screaming at her to say. To wish happiness for the galaxy, for peace or some other platitude that Jeff would immediately wave away with a scoff and frown. He wasn’t looking for a serious answer. He was providing her with a distraction. One she desperately needed like a lifeline.

Tapping her chin with a finger, she watched as a smile curled his lips. Good, he was hooked already. “A wish isn’t something to just blurt out into the dark like this, Jeff. It needs to be considered carefully, mulled over.”

“God, you love making games boring, don’t you?”

“Take that back right now.”

“What are you going to do? It’s not like you can tickle me without breaking at least one of my bones.” He lifted his hands, wiggling his fingers mockingly. “And your fancy superpowers are off limits, freak.”

A surprised laugh escaped her and she found that, this time, it didn’t hurt so much. “Ouch. Not holding back tonight?”

“Make a wish, Shepard.”

Sighing, she glanced up at the sky again, realizing that this was what home was. Not the place, not really. But the people she carried with her. In her thoughts and in her heart. Her father: who was now resting after a lifetime of fighting. Her twin: who was out there fighting the same battles she was. And Jeff Moreau, her best friend… the first person she could count on when the shit hit the fan.

“I wish… to have more nights like this.” 

With you.

She couldn’t say it, not when it was mushy and Jeff didn’t do the touchy feely emotional shit. But she knew nothing would be the same without her best friend.

“Well, we can but you need to promise me one thing.”

She glanced at him, eyebrow raised curiously, knowing that whatever came out of his mouth was most likely going to be insulting. It wouldn’t be Jeff if it wasn’t. “What?”

“You need to stop trying to get yourself killed, Rori. I’m too young and beautiful for grey hair.”

She laughed, resisting the urge to shove him. He was terrible, but he made her feel normal, accepted, and alive. It was selfish, but she needed him to keep going, however long that was. “That’s a tall order, Moreau. Didn’t you say you wanted to fly my future ship? How are you going to keep your luscious hair doing that?”

“With me at your back, you can’t lose.”

Funnily enough, she trusted him so much that she believed him.

[commander-krios]

Awww look what I woke up to! Aurora Shepard and Joker from the lovely @redreart. Thank you so much for the beautiful piece! 🥰

[commander-krios]

Absolutely gorgeous commission from the amazing and talented @2dmenrfine! Thank you so much for this!

[commander-krios]

If you're still taking the different ways to say 'I love you' prompts, how about “i’ll be damned if i don’t make you smile at least once today.” for Aurora and Joker?

Thank you for the prompt! <3

Read on AO3

~~~

Joker didn’t know what he’d expected to happen when he barged into Shepard’s cabin and demanded that she take some shore leave with the rest of the crew. The retrofits would be done soon and if she didn’t get out and away from the reports piled on her desk, she was going to drive herself crazy. And because he was a total idiot who loved her more than his own self preservation, he’d managed to convince her to leave the ship for an hour to eat something that wasn’t military rations.

But now that they were sitting across from each other at some fancy restaurant on the Silversun Strip, he didn’t know what to do. Joker didn’t spend much time off of the Normandy unless it involved work so a real date was entirely new territory. And a date with the infamous Commander Shepard, savior of the galaxy, was certainly intimidating to say the least.

Shit, he might’ve made a mistake.

Joker brushed a hand through his hair, grumbling about leaving his hat behind. He’d stupidly planned a fancy date, well as fancy as someone like him did, a date where Aurora could feel special and not dwell on the awful things happening in the war, but it wasn’t working. She sat across from him, dipping her fries in the sauce that dripped from her sandwich without actually eating them. Something had been digging at her all week and now that they were alone, she still wasn’t talking.

She hadn’t even grumbled over his choice of outfit: he would not be separated from his Blasto tee, but since he wasn’t an uncultured swine, the leather jacket made it classy enough. 

“Hey.” He said softly, reaching across the table to lay a hand on her arm. When she glanced up, he could see the sadness in her eyes. “Are you ok? If you don’t want to be here-”

She dropped the fry on her plate to entwine her hand with his. Shaking her head with a sigh, she attempted to smile but her heart wasn’t in it. “I’m sorry. This war…”

She didn’t need to elaborate.

“Yeah.” He squeezed her hand slightly, her hand smooth and unmarred despite being attached to a warrior. Ironic if anything was. “But I’ll be damned if I don’t make you smile at least once today.”

“Jeff…”

“Humor me. Please.”

It didn’t take long to pay for the food they barely ate and then to blend into the crowds on the main thoroughfare. The flashing neon lights might’ve annoyed him on any other night, but this wasn’t about him. It was about soothing Aurora’s mind, distracting her from the things she couldn’t control. Which, right about now, was almost everything.

“Let’s play a game. One of us picks out a person and the other creates a story about them. Whatdya say?”

“Jeff- we played this game a long time ago.” She reminded him, leaning against the walkway railing, eyes on him as he joined her. “I know how this works.”

“I remember how bad you are at it.”

Ocean colored eyes slanted in his direction and he felt excitement flutter in his stomach. First step: get her fired up and ready to kick ass. Check. He didn’t expect it to be this easy.

“Hey, I’ll be nice and let you choose first.” 

This time, she rolled her eyes. “Your chivalry never fails to surprise me.”

Hiding his smile, he rested his arms against the railing, waiting for her to start the game. After a moment of silence between them, she sighed before motioning to a spot on the farther side of the gap: an asari and a batarian in an argument. 

Clearing his throat, Joker watched as the asari flared blue for a moment, the batarian stepping back with his hands in the air. “Ooh, the asari is pissed. Her former lover was trying to make up for their past indiscretions but forgot that she was the lover that’s allergic to flowers and filled her apartment with them.”

Aurora scoffed, but no smile appeared. Dammit. “That was 100 percent lame, Jeff.”

“I’m only getting warmed up.” Joker shifted into a more comfortable position, eyes roaming the crowds around them. Then he spotted a hanar dancing to the thumping music pouring out of the casino. “How about them?”

Aurora glanced where he was pointing. She shook her head as if disappointed by his choice. “They’re dancing their way through culinary school so that one day they can host a naked cooking show with a prothean co host.”

Jeff had to keep himself from laughing, the image too hilarious and too disturbing at the same time. “You need to try better than that, Rori. That’s such an obvious answer.”

“Says the guy losing.”

The distraction part of the plan was working at least. He could check that off the list.

“Ok first, ouch. Harsh, babe. Second, I’m just getting started. Get me a new victim so I can work some magic.” 

“The only magic you have is in those fingers.” She muttered, face turned away from him.

He had to have heard her wrong. “What?”

“Nothing.” She bit her lip, fighting a smile. He almost had her and he was willing to embarrass the shit out of himself to make her happy, to get her to smile. Aurora pointed at a krogan sitting alone under an artificial tree, a bowl of noodles in his enormous hands. “The krogan? What's his story?”

Jeff smiled, moving to stand behind her, wrapping his arms around her. He leaned into her, mouth only an inch from her ear. “The krogan is imagining a world where a hanar and a Prothean have a naked cooking show with their special guest, Commander Shepard.”

With an indelicate snort, she buried her face in her hands, blonde hair cascading around her face like a waterfall. But he could hear the smile in her voice when she finally said, “Oh, you’re awful.”

He laughed, gently pulling her hands away to see the dazzling smile for himself. “It’s a great idea. Hell, I’d watch it. Maybe we should put the idea into their ear… uh whatever hanar have.”

“Jeff- you’d watch anything.” She said with a groan, but the smirk was still curling her mouth.

“The more naked, the better.” He teased, putting a finger under her chin and tilting her face so she could meet his gaze. She looked at him with such tenderness that he couldn’t imagine what she saw in him. 

“I knew you watched tentacle porn, but protheans, Jeff? Should I see if Javik might be interested?”

“You think you’re joking, but touchy feely might actually take you up on that.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek, lips lingering against her skin. “As tempting as an offer that could be, given the right circumstances, I only have eyes for you, babe.”

Aurora snorted, relaxing in his embrace. They stood there for a moment, watching people continue on to their plans as they rested in each other’s presence. Then she sighed, glancing up at him and brushing her lips against his lightly. “Thank you, Jeff. I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t here.”

“Probably be in a lot less trouble.” He teased, tightening his grip around her. “But I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”

[commander-krios]

YCH Sketchy commissions from @valkblue of Aurora and Joker! Always a pleasure to work with you <3

[commander-krios]

Look at this soft V day commission I got from the fantastic @merruschka of Joker and Aurora! It's stunning and perfect and I'm soooo happy! Thank you!

[commander-krios]

i'd follow you into hell

[commander-krios]

“What the hell were you thinking?! You could’ve been killed!" For Aurora and Joker?

Oh ho ho, my friend, get ready to have your heart broken, yeah?

~~~~

“I’ll fly the shuttle.”

It was out of his mouth before he could stop it.

She turned to look at him, blue eyes widening slightly, the only thing that showed her surprise at the request. “Jeff-”

“I know what you’re going to say, Rori, and you’re right. If a Reaper shows up, I need to be here to fly the Normandy. But I-” Joker’s voice broke and he cursed how hard this was for him… for them. She was the Commander, the Spectre, the Hero of the Citadel. She was all of those things, but the only thing that mattered to him was that she was the woman he loved and he didn’t want to see her in danger.

“Yes, there is that.”

“You can’t ask me to sit here while you go look for a Reaper killer.”

Despoina. He couldn’t help the awful feeling in his gut when he had stared down at the planet below, knowing that whatever killed a Reaper had to be just as bad as one. Whatever was down there, all the signs screamed Reaper! so loud that it practically smacked you in the head. Vic and Kaidan would be her backup, but none of that helped ease the terror in his heart.

He’d lost her once already… nearly lost her twice. He didn’t like gambling on a third time.

Even fully armored, Aurora Shepard was a tiny woman. But holy shit, she was a force to be reckoned with. Small in stature, maybe, but huge in presence. And smart as hell. On top of that, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on.

She crossed the space between them quickly, those armored boots echoing on the walkway as she did. She met his gaze, ocean blue eyes determined. “Jeff- you know that you have to. I don’t trust anyone but you to get me out if the shit hits the fan.”

“I know.” 

He knew but it didn’t make it easier.

She leaned forward, her forehead meeting his in the only touch that was skin to skin. It was the closest they could get to holding each other while she was in full armor, but he was touching her.

Please don’t let it be the last time.

~~~~

Aurora’s helmet cam was shaky, the torrential rain and gusting winds making everything a hazy gray that he could barely see through. The team, along with the shuttle, were stranded on the only object in the water they could find… an old shipwreck. Cortez was attempting a fix, but whatever pulse had hit them on the way in would undoubtedly hit them again on the way out.

“EDI, can you track where that came from?” He asked, eyes on the camera output. They had lost audio after the energy pulse, but the visual was still there, although it was hard to follow. At least the ground team hadn’t come in contact with any hostiles. Yet.

“It came from below the surface of the ocean, Jeff.”

“What? Are you sure?” That didn’t bode well. The team would have to go in the water to disrupt whatever it was. “Double check.”

“The likelihood of the pulse coming from anywhere else is-.”

“Just double check!” Gritting his teeth, he opened the comm to engineering. “Hey, Tali, any ideas on how to contact the ground team or regain communications?”

“I’m doing my best, but it’s a problem on their side, not ours.”

“Shit.”

“Jeff, I don’t think panic is warranted at the moment.” EDI harped at him from her little pedestal to his left. “Despite being stranded, the ground team is-”

Klaxons rang out, interrupting whatever EDI was going to say that was obviously incorrect. He would’ve loved to rub it in her optical sensors (face?) except when his eyes landed on the emergency readouts, he felt his heart drop out of his chest.

“Reaper incoming!”

Fingers flying over the interface, he did his best to keep the Normandy out of the Reaper’s firing range. But it seemed like the monstrosity wasn’t after them. It was headed down to the planet below.

Come on, baby. Tell me you’re alright. Please.

“EDI! Get me an open link to Shepard!”

~~~~

The moaning of the husks mixed with the sounds of gunfire and biotic explosions. A brute had appeared somewhere on the other side of the wreck. Aurora could hear it smashing crates and its allies as it tried to get closer to the shuttle. Steve was working hard on fixing whatever had taken the shuttle down so that left Aurora and her team to defend him. Kaidan was a few feet from where she stood, body glowing with the blue of his biotics, even as he aimed his rifle at the approaching husks.

Vic was on the opposite side, her SMG roaring as it fired full speed. Another group of reaper forces noticed her a second later and began to amble her way. It took only a moment for Shepard to pull on her own biotics, primed for a target. She picked one that was in the center of their enemies and let herself loose. She barrelled through the crowd of husks, sending them flying in different directions before she hit the marauder in the solar plexus. The creature crumpled under the force, no longer a threat.

Then she turned to face her next foe.

The brute had gotten closer to Vic’s side of the boat. The SMG was doing little damage to its thick hide, but her time fighting them on Menae had shown her a few tricks to taking one down.

While the energy surge had taken out long range communications between Shepard’s team and the Normandy, short range still worked fine. “I need you to focus fire on the brute, Vic!”

“What the fuck do you think I’m doing, Shepard?!” 

Aurora ignored the outburst and turned her attention to Kaidan. “Keep the husks off of me.”

“What’re you-”

She answered his unspoken question with another burst of biotic power, this time aimed at the brute. One moment she was standing over the dead marauder and the next, she was ramming her body at the brute so fast and hard that the impact echoed in the space between her and her teammates. 

Her breaths were ragged, lungs craving oxygen even as her suit tried to compensate for the sudden burst of energy and use of biotics. She had perfected the use of the charge during her time with Cerberus, but she always got a rush when she managed it. The brute was barely affected physically, but it now turned to face her as the bigger threat. She lifted her shotgun without a second's hesitation, leveling a shot at point blank range into the creature’s belly.

It howled in pain, the skin finally broken by the force of the blast. Aurora took advantage of its distraction to move to safety out of its swiping range. Once she was clear, Vic pulled out her rifle and put an entire heat sink into the wound. With another pained screech, the brute fell to the ground, now silent. 

Kaidan finished off the rest of the husks before appearing at Aurora’s side. When she met his eyes, she saw the raised brow. “Dammit, Shepard, give me warning next time.”

Aurora smiled although he wouldn’t be able to see it through the helmet. “Just keeping you on your toes, Major.”

He grunted in response. 

When Vic joined them, she walked with a spring in her step. “Who doesn’t love the smell of dead Reaper in the morning?”

“God, you’re still as irritating as ever.” Kaidan muttered, checking his heat sink before replacing it quickly. 

“I missed you too, Kaidan.” She said, bumping his shoulder affectionately. 

Aurora left their friendly ribbing to check on the shuttle and Cortez’s progress. 

“Good news is that I got the shuttle repaired.”

Aurora nodded, grateful that at least one thing was going according to plan. “And the bad?”

“If we try to leave, that pulse is just going to wipe us out again. We need to figure out how to stop whatever is doing it before we can leave.” 

“Looks like we need to find Leviathan whether it wants us to or not.” She glanced over at the sound of Kaidan and Vic’s approach. “So how do we do that?”

Before anyone could offer an idea, the sound of her comm coming back online interrupted the silence. “Commander-”

Relief flooded her at the sound of her pilot’s voice. “Joker? Is everyone ok?”

She could hear the sharp intake of breath through the comm. “We’re fine up here. The Reaper was more interested in you.”

“Or Leviathan.” Kaidan said from somewhere behind her.

“Yeah, or that.” Joker continued on, his words tumbling out in a rush. “EDI says the pulse came from below the surface. The only way you’re leaving that planet is-”

“By going down.” Aurora sighed, knowing that was the most likely case, but hoping against all hope that it wasn’t.

“There’s a joke somewhere in there.” 

“Jeff-”

“Shepard.” EDI’s synthesized voice cut in. The scolding would have to wait it seemed. “I detect an energy signature below the surface. I believe it may be Leviathan.”

“Great.”

~~~~

It wasn’t her fault.

He knew that. If Shepard had known how far down she had to go to reach Leviathan, she might’ve done something different. Or found a way to take her backup. But she’d been out of contact for longer than any of them had liked and had passed out the moment the diving suit had opened. Kaidan assured him that she was stable and more importantly, alive, but he wouldn’t believe it until he saw her with his own two eyes, touched her with his hands.

He was pacing when the shuttle flew in. Whatever Leviathan was, it had taken out the Reaper in orbit so Jeff had left EDI at the helm and went to wait for Shepard and the team to return.

Jeff, it wasn’t her fault.

Chakwas was waiting with him, medkit in hand should it be needed. She was watching him with silent eyes as he walked, limped, back and forth, trying to calm the rage that pounded beneath his ribs. He was so angry with Shepard, but under that was the fear… the terror that the oceans would swallow her.

The shuttle touched down in the bay moments later, doors opening to reveal the bright lights inside.

The fury burst from him before he could stop it, not even paying attention to who was exiting. “What the hell were you thinking? You could’ve been killed!”

Aurora stepped from the shuttle, leaning heavily on Kaidan as she did so. Blood dripped from her nose and she wiped it away. He could see a bruise darkening on her cheek, from what, he had no idea. At the sight of her, alive but bloodied, Jeff felt his legs give out from under him. Chakwas barely got her arms around him before he hit the ground.

Aurora stumbled towards him, pushing Kaidan away, taking a few steps only to fall to the ground in front of him. She pulled the armored gloves from her hands and threw them to the side, her hands shaking as they reached out for him. He was exhausted and when his gaze found Aurora’s, he could see the same exhaustion there. Hers was mostly physical, sure, but he could see the haunted look in her eyes.

“Jeff-”

“Don’t do that again.” He almost choked on the words. “I can’t watch you die again, Aurora.”

Her expression crumbled at how broken he sounded and she pulled herself closer, hand held out in front of her, a question as it floated there. Joker reached out and entwined his fingers with hers, feeling the crushing weight in his chest lighten enough that he could breathe without pain.

His fingers were pressed against her mouth, the kiss along his knuckles twisting at his heart. She wouldn’t promise that, he knew she couldn’t. 

If the war didn’t kill them both, then his heart would end up doing him in.

[commander-krios]

"I'll be back before you know it."

"I'll hold you to that."

[commander-krios]

Help, I'm obsessed with them.

[commander-krios]

IT'S HAPPENING Y'ALL... THIS MOD IS GODSENT.

[commander-krios]

"I'll find you. Okay? I promise you, whatever happens, I’ll find you, and we'll be together, and everything will be good again. "

Here ya go! Something with my Mass Effect kiddos. @thefrostyshepard also requested this. I also used the prompt: “I promised to love you forever, and that is a promise I intend to keep.” that was sent by @hunnybadgerv, Enjoy!

~~~~

Joker didn’t have to hear the armored boots on the walkway behind him to know that Aurora Shepard was on deck. Efficiency was never much of an issue for the Normandy SR-2, but once the commanding officer was walking through the CIC, it increased to levels that were unheard of. If this was any other day, he might’ve made a joke about her ass, or a million other things that would bring a smile to her face, but today was the end of the line.

The mass relay was waiting to connect them to their final destination: Earth. 

The war would end there, one way or another.

He hadn’t needed coffee that morning knowing what was coming. Adrenaline was enough of a buzz. Tapping his fingers on the armrests of his chair, he stared at the interface that hovered in front of him, knowing that the countdown was on. Soon, the relay would catch them in its pull and they would end up in Sol, fighting to save more than humanity.

When she finally began the trek to where he was waiting in the pilot’s seat, he turned to face her, a smile curling his lips despite the solemn mood of the ship. She always had that power over his mood. Ever since they’d become friends nearly fifteen years ago.

“Hey, Commander. Ready to kick some Reaper ass?”

Aurora Shepard tried to fight off the grin that his quip caused and he let out a little internal whoop! at it. I still got it.

“Is our course set?” She asked instead. The lighting of the cockpit showed the dark circles under her eyes and Joker briefly wished they had more time, even if it was just to lay in her bed in each other’s arms, but time was up.

“Yes, ma’am. Give me the go ahead and we can start the approach.”

Aurora nodded, but didn’t give the order. Her eyes were on the interface, the glow of the relay reflected on her face. He didn’t know what she was thinking, but he could probably guess. 

When she did speak, it was to ask him a question that he wasn’t expecting. “How many times have we said goodbye, Jeff?”

“We’ve never said goodbye, Rori. We know we’re coming back from this.” His voice dropped to a whisper, but the only person who would be able to hear them was EDI and the AI was not about to broadcast this moment to the crew. “We always have.”

“Not always.” When she met his eyes, her smile had faltered.

“Yeah, well, you’re standing here so I call that a win.”

This time, she laughed. It wasn’t her usual full bellied laugh, but it was enough to ease some of the tightness in his chest. “When did you become an optimist?”

“I hang out with you too much. That’s the problem. Bad influence and all that.” 

Her expression softened and his heart stuttered in response. Aurora Shepard could undo him with those blue eyes alone. “I wouldn’t be able to do this without you, Jeff.”

“Because another pilot wouldn’t have killed you?”

“Joker.”

It was a warning, he knew, but he couldn’t still help feel a small amount of guilt for what happened over Alchera. It wasn’t his fault, he knew that, but the woman he loved had lost her life because he hadn’t been good enough. He flew the fastest ship in the galaxy and he still couldn’t save her. 

She’d kick my ass if she knew I was thinking about this again.

They didn’t have much time before the relay jump so he wasn’t going to waste it on self-deprecating jokes and things that hadn’t mattered in a long time. He stood, as much as he could after having sat in his pilot’s chair for hours. With a few steps, he crossed the space between them. Entwining her fingers between his own, he lifted her hand and kissed the inside of her wrist, the only place where she hadn’t armored up yet. “I told you I was going to love you forever.  I’m not backing out on that promise. You better not either.”

Shepard bit her lip, trying to keep from laughing. “Forget optimism. When the hell did you become such a romantic?”

“Again, your fault.” With a sigh, he finally let the weight of what was coming fall on him. “Whatever happens out there, Aurora, I will find you. I will bring you home, no matter what. I promise.”

Shepard shifted closer, her fingers brushing the beard that really needed shaving now that he thought about it. “I know you will, Jeff. I trust no one else with my life.”

“Uh, you sure that’s a good-”

She cut him off with her lips on his, refusing to hear anymore of the humor that he used to cover his insecurities. He didn’t mind, much, not when Shepard… his best friend… was kissing him out of everyone else. 

If their fate was to die on Earth, then at least he’d go to his death as a man who had tasted love.

[commander-krios]

Family traditions for Joker x Aurora sounds like it could be a lot of fun 👀

I combined the Holiday prompts I received since they were all related. @darth-salem-emperor-of-earth requested Hot Chocolate for Daniel/Kaidan and @n7viper asked for Hot Chocolate for Aurora/Joker. Enjoy!

~~~~

Snow fell softly outside the window, the orchard covered in a blanket of sparkling white. Aurora Shepard snuggled deeper under the knitted blanket that Mrs. Alenko had let her borrow, watching as the flakes twirled to the ground. When it landed, it was lost amongst the thousands of other snowflakes. It was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen and Aurora had grown up on space ships with the stars out her viewport.

Jeff was curled against her, dozing in the warmth of the blanket and the fireplace that blazed a few feet away. The crackle of the fire was pulling her into sleep as well, the smells of the burning wood and the smell of dinner cooking in the kitchen a relaxing combination.

“What the hell is this?”

Aurora glanced across the room at the sound of her brother’s voice. He was staring into a mug that’d been thrust into his hands, steaming with what appeared to be something topped with whipped cream. Kaidan, ever the patient boyfriend, stuck a candy cane in the drink with a grin.

“It’s hot chocolate, Daniel.”

“Why would you want to drink chocolate?” He asked, somehow both perplexed and annoyed by it. That was just like him, to take offense to something as comforting as hot cocoa.

“You’re such a spacer.” Kaidan teased, pressing a kiss to Daniel’s cheek before continuing to the kitchen where his mother was putting the finishing touches on dinner.

Daniel watched him briefly before glancing at his mug again. His nose wrinkled in disgust as he sniffed the contents of the mug. “Why did he put a peppermint stick in it? Now it smells like the toothpaste they like too much here.”

“If you don’t want it, I’ll take it.” Their younger sister reached up and plucked the candy from his mug. She made sure to take a dollop of the whipped cream before popping it into her mouth.

Daniel slanted his eyes in her direction. “Hey! I didn’t say that I didn’t want it.”

“You hesitated.” Sabrina told him, pointing the candy cane at him. “So you lose.”

Aurora grinned to herself. Sabrina was so much like Daniel at times that Aurora couldn’t believe it. She grew up on Earth with her paternal grandparents when both Hannah Shepard and Steven Hackett were deployed, so she didn’t see much of her older half-siblings. 

“You’re a brat.” Daniel said, but a shadow of a grin tugged at his lips.

“And you’re old.” The nineteen year old retorted, skipping off to do whatever it was teenagers nowadays did. 

Aurora let out a laugh that she turned into a cough when Daniel glanced her way. Satisfied that he would ignore her, she rested her head against Jeff, enjoying the sight of the fire crackling in the hearth. Her gaze caught sight of a framed photo on the mantle, a young Kaidan standing beside his parents in front of the orchard. He was an adorable child, but that wasn’t what had caught her eye. It was the man behind him, his father. Kaidan looked so much like him now as a man, the same dark curls, the same strong features. 

She felt a twinge of regret at the man’s smiling face, guilt ugly as it reared its head again, just like it had after Tiptree, after Thessia, after the battle above Earth. She wasn’t responsible for Mr. Alenko’s death and she wasn’t responsible for the soldiers who died taking Earth back or for her mother who died an Alliance hero. She couldn’t help the immediate reaction. It was ingrained in her even years after the Reapers were defeated.

Jeff shifted beside her, yawning as he stretched, arm settling against the back of the couch. “Did they finally stop arguing?”

She bit her lip, somehow keeping the laugh that threatened to slip out contained. “You heard that?”

Jeff snorted, stifling another yawn. “It was impossible not to. For all the grumbling he does, he certainly likes people to hear it.”

“That he does.”

With a sigh, Jeff opened his eyes, the green barely discernible in the fire lit dark. When he caught sight of her watching him, he grinned. “Is there any hot chocolate left now that he knows it exists?”

“You think it’s a joke, but if you tease him about it, he’ll deny it so much that even he’ll believe he hates it.” Aurora smiled back, unable to help herself. Part of the reason she fell in love with Jeff was because he made it so easy for her to smile around him. He made it easy to be something other than Commander Shepard.

“Oh, so that means I should do it. The less cocoa he drinks, the more I get.” Pressing a kiss to her cheek, his lips lingered briefly, his beard scratching the sensitive skin. “Let’s make it a new tradition.”

“A tradition of tricking my brother into giving up things to spite you?”

“It wouldn’t be the first time and it won’t be the last.”

He had a point, but she wasn’t going to admit that. His ego was bad enough on a good day. Instead, she cuddled against him, laying her head on his chest, while he pulled her tight against him. “Can we do it later? I’m too comfortable.”

“Mmmm, sounds good to me.” He muttered, pulling the blanket more securely around them. 

Aurora knew they would have to get up soon, dinner would be done before they realized it, but for now, she was content to sit in this moment with the man she loved, knowing this was the peace they had fought so hard for.

[commander-krios]

Hatboy Project, Post-Thessia Talk: Part 3

[commander-krios]

Playing @hatboyproject and my goodness, this is so well voiced and written already. I didn’t get shots of the first conversation (which made me so happy with how sweet it was), but I’m having fun so far!

[commander-krios]

Prompt for Aurora & Joker 💖 - [ TOUCH ]:  while touching the receiver’s waist, the sender’s hand briefly dips beneath the hem of their shirt, skimming briefly across the bare skin of their waist.

“Jeff, you’re staring.”

The words broke his trance and Joker found that he was, in fact, staring. With a sheepish grin, he rubbed the back of his neck, glancing at the fireplace that was slowly starting to burn down. “Sorry, I guess I spaced out there.”

Aurora Shepard shifted closer, tossing an arm around his shoulders. Then she pulled the knitted blanket off of her lap and wrapped it around both of them. “It’s been a long day. What time did you wake up?”

“Hey, the dogs needed to go out and 3 o’clock was just as good as any other time.”

When he met Aurora’s eyes again, he found an eyebrow raised in his direction. “Couldn’t sleep?”

With a sigh, he let his body snuggle into hers, finding the warmth in his wife’s arms better than what the fire could provide. Wife… crazy how even after a year of marriage, it was still hard to believe. “It’s been tough getting used to civilian life.”

“We could invite Hilary up.” Aurora suggested, pressing a kiss to Joker’s temple. Her lips lingered briefly, her breath warm against his skin. “I’m sure she’d love an excuse to spoil the dogs.”

Joker smiled, leaning his head back on the couch so he could see Aurora’s eyes in the darkening room. “You know my sister too well.”

“If she’s anything like mine, she’ll be here whether or not we invite her.” She teased, lips brushing the curve of his ear. “What do you say? It’ll help break up the routine for a while.”

“Mhmm.” He murmured, eyes closing at the sensations that Shepard’s ministrations were sending through him. “Don’t stop doing that.”

“Doing what?” Shepard’s lips were now at his throat, brushing gentle caresses along his skin. Joker could feel the chuckle as well as hear it. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

The warmth of the blanket over his lap, of the body pressing against his, would’ve made him feel sleepy after such a long day, but the laugh in Aurora’s gaze as she pulled back was a challenge he would meet head on. She could drive him crazy by the way she looked at him alone. But Joker had his own set of tricks.

His hand dipped beneath the blanket, fingers brushing at the hem of Aurora’s sweater. Her skin was soft, warm, and she let out a sharp breath at his touch. Her mouth began trailing hot kisses down his neck again,only to stop at his collarbone. Encouraged by her reaction, Jeff’s entire hand pressed against her hip, pulling her closer so that her body fit against his.

He felt her laugh again.

“What?” He asked with a smile of his own. The sound of her laugh always made his heart soar, especially when he was the reason behind it. “What’s so funny?”

Aurora met his gaze again. Her expression was soft, so full of love that it stole his breath. “Are you trying to seduce me, Mr. Moreau?”

“Why? Is it working?” A tease, their usual dance, but he loved it all the same. He doubted he would ever tire of it.

“It always works, Jeff.” She promised him, pressing her lips to his. His head was dizzy with the scent of her lavender perfume, the taste of cocoa on her lips, and the softness of her skin under his hands. Every part of his body felt soft and hard at the same time, everywhere she touched him burning under her delicate fingers, her fiery kisses. He gripped her hips as tightly as he dared, knowing that no matter how close she was, how much skin was against his, he would never have enough of her.

Sometimes he still found it hard to believe that after the life they’d lived, they had each other in this moment, safe from anything that might try to take her from him again. 

It was a blessing that he was never going to take for granted.

Their lips still touched, hot breath mingling when he spoke again. “I love you. So much.”

Her eyes opened, the blue as mesmerizing as the day he’d met her… gaze as powerful as the biotics that hummed under her skin. It’d taken him ten years to realize he was desperately in love with his best friend. He would spend the rest of his life to make sure she knew that.

“I love you, Jeff. Always.”