#so he just laid around talking while Vetra and I did all the work

[wolf-skins]

tbh I was really disappointed with how that situation with the Krogan was handled in this game. I wanted to give them rights, like make Kesh the new director bc who the fuck cares about Tann. Instead? We just hand over a giant piece of technology that absolutely no one knows shit about, with no context except ‘potentially can be used as bomb’. 

I mean I felt like I had to do it bc the choice was ‘give it to this colony or give it to this other colony’ like??? how about no one keeps it!! we don’t know shit about the Remnant but we apparently are just supposed to play around with a drive core when we literally were never told anything about it. 

also the stupid ‘fist fight’? what was that? it was the worst thing i have ever seen bc it looked like a bad film where the actors are clearly not hitting each other but they’re still flying around and dying. And we’re just supposed to trust this ‘overlord’ who we again don’t know anything about other than she hates the Nexus. Which I mean, yeah, there for, but that was the entire conversation. It lasted maybe a minute. And now we hand her a potential weapon bc we don’t want to alienize the Krogan again, but we don’t know anything about any of the ones in-game save Kesh and Drack. 

Oh yeah, then there was that boring ‘throw back’ to the Rite like no............. it wasn’t fun or great, it was boring. The Rite in ME2 had a point, a story point, a lore point, and you got to have this bad ass fight with your companions. You do this one with randoms with three enemies you’ve probably already have had gain up on you in droves already.

I just expected more but it feels like a cheap repeat of the same story. It didn’t give me any monumental moment like fighting in the Rite in ME2 or curing the genophage in ME3. I know we wouldn’t have had that but I still wanted something better than this. Make Krogan equals politically. The entire problem was that Tann lied about letting them have more political power and say in Nexus development and shit, but instead we just..... have this thing..... like the quest was boring. A Remnant drive core from a giant derelict Remnant ship? Sounds like something huge.

No, you just run to three different point, fight a couple guys, and then do nothing. Any potential lore that we could have gleamed was null. I get you’re supposed to probably learn a lot more later but this just seemed so disappointing.

Like honestly after Havarl and Voeld the other planets become boring; rinse and repeat. Activate the vault, kill a couple guys, solve some problems, create outpost, yay! Havarl and Voeld had lore to them. A lot of it. I get that Eladeen and Kadara were about Milky Way problems but they still could have done better. We barely know anything about any of the people there. Bleh.

Thankfully after finishing a few last things on Kadara I can quit and run off to continue the main storyline bc this is starting to get boring. I mean the combat is so much fun and I love this game in general, but like other people have mentioned, Bioware is moving further from constant storytelling and worldbuilding to just trying to make big maps where you run around and dungeon crawl outside of fucking dungeons. 

Like I know they “looked into Skyrim” for inspiration but the best parts of Skyrim are that most quests have stories to them, there are many different ‘main’ quests bc of factions, but they do lack in character building bc after a certain questline is done all the characters just stop..... being anything. Bioware was different with that. And I loved it. I love Skyrim/TES games but like..... they have many main quests with various interesting characters and very unique stories. 

BW is failing on that. We get these world with ‘main’ quests, but in general it’s just........ nothing. Havarl and Voeld were exceptions bc they built on the lore for Angara and such. They could have easily done something like that for the other worlds. Give us looks into the Milky Way races that we haven’t had - like how they brought in the lore of the Ardat-Yakshi in ME2. I mean, people can argue about its concept, but it was still cool lore that was more than what we had known before. And the Justicars as well were new. 

I know I’m ranting but oadiwjadw I’m tired of spending hours doing something only for it to be just................................ battle after battle. I like the combat but I don’t want to keep attacking random places for no reason.

awdoijaowdwija I just want them to start working on focusing more on stories than building giant maps. Like I ran far east on Eladeen trying to fight the “””Abyssal Worm””” that the devs didn’t even make a point to having..... and you can go far out and its empty except one or two lil Remnant sites and you’re like, “Oh! Something hidden and fun!” Nope. No point to them. No point to the fucking weird thing jumping in and out of the sand. Shot at it, had it jump right over me, nothing. Like...... why bother with all that extra map space when you could have given me something unique and with a story to it. 

ioajwhd89oaiwd I’ll just have to see what the main quest is like continuing on bc the only way I’ll get to know anything (who/what the Remnant were, wtf is going on with the Scourge and what is it, what is the future for AI when they are melded directly with an organic brain.....) I understand I’m supposed to still have questions so they can continue but honestly bleh. I love the characters and the new stuff they brought in but I’m getting very little content with all of it. 

idk maybe I’ve just spent too much time running around doing side quests and have annoyed myself out and am ranting very long about it

It’s not a bad game at all like I have been enjoying it; I’ve just been enjoying more the story, the lore, and the characters, and BW has been trying to go for bigger maps than focusing back on those. The MEA devs said ‘no fetch and grab’ quests but like............. y’all liars. Also why does my scanner keep annoyingly asking me to scan shit I’ve already scanned? I don’t need more research data, I’ve got nothing I wanna research. I don’t want any of the weapons or armor or anything. Esp bc I end up being able to develop it all as I go along lmao.

The jump jets are awesome though. I want those to stay. And I want more time with my crew and more time with new lore and less time on running around aimlessly on a map. It’s boring. And if you give us giant, interesting shit like a giant ass dropship ruin than you better shove a ton of story into it. smh

[elfroot-and-stars]

Early Mornings (MReyder)

               It was incredibly rare that Reyes didn’t startle awake at the slightest noise, and incredibly rare that Scott didn’t sleep through the loudest noise.

               But Reyes had been exhausted when Scott brought him onto the Tempest last night. He’d barely been able to finish the drink Scott had given him, and had passed out before the two got to spend much time together.

               That was fine by Scott, though. He preferred to have Reyes get some much needed rest.

               Still, it was surprising that the door to his room sliding open and Vetra hurrying in didn’t wake Reyes. Scott winced a little, expecting Reyes to wake up and reach for his gun. But the man stayed fast asleep, head buried against the pillow and arm lazily slung over Scott’s chest.

               Vetra stopped, and Scott could see how flustered she was. He hadn’t exactly told his crew he was bringing Reyes on board last night.

               “Oh, um…” She cleared her throat awkwardly. “Sorry. I’ll just…go.”

               Scott shook his head, keeping his voice low as he spoke. “It’s not what you think, I promise. We didn’t, uh…” Now he felt embarrassed, and he didn’t even know why. “He fell asleep.” Scott awkwardly stuck a leg out from under the blanket to show he still had sweatpants on, then felt like an idiot. “Anyways, what did you need?”

               “Actually, I was going to ask you if Reyes could help with something,” Vetra said. “I need to get my hands on some parts for the Nexus. I figured the Charlatan could help.”

               “I’ll ask him when he wakes up,” Scott said, hoping she got the message.

               She did. “Thanks, Ryder. I’ll leave you alone. And knock before I come in next time.”

               She left the room and Scott turned his head to look at Reyes. He must be really exhausted if two people talking right next to him didn’t wake him up. There were times Scott accidentally woke Reyes up coming into his room where he thought Reyes was going to shoot him.

               It was nice to see him sleep in. Scott shifted a little and ran his fingers up and down Reyes’ back lightly. He’d let Reyes borrow a pair of sweatpants to sleep in, and Reyes’ skin was smooth and warm beneath his gentle touch.

               He closed his eyes, trying to go back to sleep. The room was still dark and quiet, and Scott felt peaceful as he laid there just listening to Reyes’ even breathing.

               After a while of laying there and finally giving up on going back to sleep, Scott opened his eyes. The arm looped around Reyes was starting to get sore, and Scott shifted around to ease the cramp forming.

               “Scott?” Reyes mumbled.

               “Shit,” Scott groaned. “Sorry, Reyes. Go back to sleep.”

               But Reyes blinked his eyes open sleepily. He picked his head up off the pillow, looking around the room.

               “I didn’t mean to wake you up,” Scott said, feeling horribly guilty. “Please, go back to sleep. I was just getting more comfortable.”

               Reyes put his head back on the pillow, fighting to keep his eyes open. “What time is it?”

               “Time for you to shut up and sleep,” Scott said.

               “You’re such a child,” Reyes said, rubbing his eyes. “Sorry about last night, by the way.”

               “Usually when I bring an attractive man into my room, I think something a lot more exciting is going to happen,” Scott teased.

               “Maybe tonight,” Reyes said. “I’d say right now, but I might fall asleep. Wouldn’t want to offend the Pathfinder.”

               “Hey, Reyes?” Scott said. “Are you taking care of yourself? I know I’m probably the biggest hypocrite in the world for asking that, but at least I have my crew to force me to take care of myself.”

               Reyes seemed caught off-guard by the question. He was so used to breaking his own back to run Kadara, with no one stopping to ask him if he was taking care of himself in the process.

               “I’m fine,” he said, and because he didn’t know what to do with the sudden warmth and affection pooling in his chest, he gave a tired smirk. “I’ve been busy protecting some outpost this cocky guy dropped on my planet.”

               But Scott was frowning. “I mean it, Reyes. I worry about you.”

               “I have a busy job, Scott. If I wasn’t tired, I think that would be more concerning,” Reyes said, leaning forward and kissing Scott before he could voice anymore worry.

               Scott had to be stubborn about everything, though. “When was the last time you slept through the night?”

               “Last night. I think. You still haven’t told me what time it is,” Reyes said.

               “Reyes.”

               “Don’t ‘Reyes’ me.” Reyes sighed, knowing he wasn’t going to get away with trying to dodge the topic. “Some goods we were smuggling went missing, and I’ve spent the past two weeks tracking them down and finding who was responsible for taking them.” He left out the gun fights, the three men he’d had to torture for information, and the fact that the culprits had been stealing the goods to build bombs to attack Ditaeon with. No need to worry Scott.

               “Do you need help?” Scott asked.

               Reyes was touched by the concern and earnest desire to help in Scott’s voice. “I’m a big boy, Scott. I can take care of my own business. It’s all settled now, anyways.”

               “If it’s all settled, then go back to sleep,” Scott said, kissing Reyes’ head.

               “In a little,” Reyes said, pulling Scott closer to him.

               “Reyes Vidal, Kadara’s infamous snuggler,” Scott said.

               Reyes hit him in the chest and rolled away. “Fine. I’ll mind my own business.”

               “No, no, get back here and snuggle,” Scott said sternly, pulling Reyes into his arms. “I haven’t seen you in weeks.”

               Reyes rolled back over and let himself cuddle with Scott. He missed this when Scott was gone. He missed sleepily playful mornings, and Scott’s breath ghosting across his skin, and the familiar feel of the Pathfinder in his arms. He missed Scott’s affectionate nagging and those blue eyes looking at him with nothing but love and trust.

               “Stay here again tonight,” Scott said, nuzzling his head into a comfortable spot against Reyes’ neck and kissing the skin there.

               “Your bed is pretty comfortable,” Reyes said.

               He held Scott close, knowing the Pathfinder could never stay for long. There was always work to do. Always some other planet that needed Scott’s attention.

               Scott felt Reyes’ grip on him tighten the slightest and kissed Reyes’ neck again. He hated being gone for so long. It was hard to tell just from calls how Reyes was doing. And no matter how much Scott asked him to take care of himself, he knew Reyes put his work first.

               But he was here now, and he would make sure Reyes got proper sleep. They could lay in bed together a little longer and then Scott would secure them a proper meal and take Reyes out for some stress relief.

               He peeked at Reyes’ face as his grip loosened again after a little. Reyes had fallen back to sleep.

               Scott smiled and closed his eyes. He’d do anything for Reyes. If that meant taking a bullet for him, he’d do that. If it meant making sure he got enough sleep, he’d do that too.

               Scott hadn’t told Reyes what time it was because he himself wasn’t sure. But it didn’t matter. They could sleep all day if that’s what Reyes needed.

               Content, Scott just held his sleeping boyfriend in his arms. He cherished these moments. He cherished Reyes Vidal.

(You can check out more of my work on my AO3 here!) 

[mass-effect-a-companions-react]

Jesus Christ, y'all love making Ryder Cry. ——— Jaal: He walks in on Ryder crying on accident. He didnt mean to, he original went down to their room to give them a gift he had been working on (from that time he wanted to give gifts to the entire team) when he heard them sobbing. His gift was forgotten and he rushed to thier side, finally realizing that they broke. He feels sad,learning about every thing Ryder has been though,and does his best to comfort his friend in any way they need.

ROMANCED: Jaal had realized that his darling one had always came to visit him, and not the other way around. He intended to change that. But when he heard them crying, his cheerful mood dropped. He ran to them, holing them close and rocking as he soothed them. After a bone crushing hug, and several comforting rubs and kisses, they finally told him what was wrong, his heart broke for them all over. They was so strong and brave, yet hurt, and Jaal did every in his power to sooth them

Liam: Laim wanted to find Ryder about a soccer game. It worked out so well the first time. It was fun. But when he found them curled into a little ball in the corner of the room,shaking, that plan went down the drain. He carefully approaches them, but when he heard thier soft crying, Liam both relaxes a little yet tenses up at the same time. He cautiously places a hand on their back, and if they dont flench away, he awkwardly sits on the bed with them until thier ready to talk. He’s doing his best,okay?

ROMANCED: Crying. Liam woke up to crying and an empty space. He shot up to find Ryder on the foot of the couch,weeping to herself. He calls out her name softly, and the crying slows down a little as she apologized for waking him up, wiping away her still falling tears. “It’s okay,” he says pulling her upclose to him “Let it out. You’ve been through so much. And Im so sorry.”

Cora: She had come to Ryder’s room to drop off some datapads they might find interesting as pathfinder, but she stopped In her trackes when she heard Ryder crying. Guns, she could handle. Bombs, she could handle. But tears, not so much. She slowly inches forward, and says their name, casuing her so take in their red puffy eyes and wet cheeks. They try to play it off like they weren’t crying, and she more or less let them have it. But she still asked what was wrong, and couldnt help but feel alittle guilty. Some of this was her fault.

ROMANCED: In all her time with him, Cora never thought she’d see Scott crying. He was the pathfinder. Strong, and brave, amd industractable. But as Scott played off his tears in the bathroom, she also realized that pathfinder was also just a title. And the man wearing it was, well, actually a man. And she couldnt help but feel guilty. She pressed him so hard, constantly prefers Alec in the back of her mind. It’s her Job to keep him alive, now she’s taking on keeping him happy.

PB: She had found some untouched remnant Tech, but Kallo wouldn’t go off course with out Ryder’s say so. After hours of attempted persuasions(bribing) and Kallo still said no, she sucked it up and headed to Ryder’s room, coming up with the best scenario to throw this in her favour, but she was not expecting them to be curled up un a ball. Liam was awkward,but PB is just a straight up mess. She shifts on the balls of her feet, debating on if she should go in or not. Ryder makes the decision for her. “I know you’re there, PB.” They said sitting up. “Come in. What do you need?” She shuffled awkwardly to the bed, rubbing the back of her head. “Hey, so I found this remnant Tech and Kallo wont go-and im sorry. But i cant take you seriously with snot coming out of your nose. ”

ROMANCED: Gravity. She had finally managed to tamper with POC to create an antigravity field. That way all the Zero Gav fun they have in her room can make it to Ryders room. She stormed in, POC trailing behind her, but Ryder crying was not something she was expecting. PB remaines awkward, debating on if she should go in or not,but intead of waiting for them to acknowledge her, she turned on POC’s new anti gravity function, and did her best to push herself over to Ryder, grining as she did.

She later found out that the Anti gravity feild effected the entire ship when Drack made a snark remark about how Krogans dont fly. Alot of people were angry that day.

Vetra: She needed weapons parts for upgrades, but didnt have them on hand. She had went to Ryder’s cabin to get the go ahead for Kallo to land in Kadara port,but slowed when she heard the faint sound of crying. At first, the “Awkward Turian” poked its head,but Vetra pushes it back it back and instead went into “Big Sister Mode.” She marched in with no hesitations and comforted Ryder in any way she could.

ROMANCED: She did it, she thinks. She managed to wrangle the staff out of the kitchen long enough to attempt to cook again. No more steaks,like she promised,but something simple like an egg sandwich. It came out mostly edible (she hopes), and she was excited to show Ryder. But when she hears crying,she decides that soothing him is more important than giving him food poisoning.

Gil: Drinks. He made the miatake of playing drunk poker with Ryder, knowing that Ryder sucks at it. Every time you lost,you had to take a shot. He thought it would be funny,but instead its just sad. He sighs and places hia cards face down, patting Ryders back with one hand. He brought this on himself.

ROMANCED: If romanced, Gil is a tad more sensitive to Ryder’s tears. Except this time, the were playing drunk STRIP poker. He was now cradling a drunk, half naked Scott in his arms as he weepes into his chest. Gil didnt mind, but god be damned if we wasn’t getting laid after this.

Suvi: She’s pretty sure she told Ryder not to inhale. She specifically said that. Or maybe she said it in her head when Ryder entered her lab. Either way, it doesnt matter, because Ryder was now balling like a baby on the floor after inhaling a pheromone Suvi created responding to the emotional state. Did she think Helius rocks had feelings? Doesn’t matter,because Ryder did. Suvi crept out of the lab to go and get their LI (If she wasnt it) or best friend. As well as Lexi, just in case she’s done something really terrible to them. She makes them all wear masks,just in case.

Lexi: She feels like shes intruding in her own medbay. She walked in to Ryder holding their siblings hand pouring out their heart as the tears flowed. They talked about how hard it is, and how they need and love them. Lexi backed out and let Ryder have their moment, tears pricking at her eyes out of sympathy. Her work would have to wait. When Ryder does finnaly leave, they find Lexi waiting near the door respectfully. She just pats them on their shoulder and returns to work.

Drack: Ah hell. What did he just walk into. All wanted was a drink. Findig Ryder nursing whiskey and crying in the kitchen was not apart of his plan, but he doesnt mind. Drack is actually the most comforting Krogan Grandpa ever. He rembers his days with Kesh, when she was young and tearful. Of course when confronted about it later on by a now sober Ryder,he denides it up and down. Krogans dont act like mother hens.

Kallo:He feels awkward, and he didnt even see it. He heard about Suvi’s pheromone mishap, and couldn’t help but to cringe. Thank the stars he dosent really leave the cockpit.

Reyes: Like Gil, he made the mistake of getting Ryder drunk. Filling up their cup when they arent looking. He thought it would be hilarious, not uncomfortably sad. He sat their awkwardly patting their arm as they leaned all over him, sobbing out their woes. All while we was downing his drinks in rapid speeds, hoping that he can get drunk enough to forget this. If romanced he cradles them, while still trying to drink this away, but he still cant help but to respect Ryder even more after learning everything they’ve been through.

Poor Umi. She’s so pissed as she serves, super close to cutting the two off. She cant decide who she wants to stab more. (JK,its Reyes. Its always Reyes. This is his fault anyway)

[littlewatty]

#26. Tending an injury

This was supposed to be brief. It’s not. Sorry, not sorry. Didn’t do any real editing yet, so there’s probably errors.

AO3 Link

“I’m seriously beginning to regret this decision…” Kitt hissed, slumping against a rock with her good shoulder. The muscles of her left arm were twitching, small spasms that prevented her from moving the arm in any one direction. The point where the tip of the knife where it scraped against the bone of her shoulder blade was what made it worse. It was the kind of pain that sent chills down her spine. She had turned her back on Farah for just a second, but it was enough for the Roekar to put the knife she’d murdered so many with into her back.

The rest of her team was pretty quick to her side once the coast was clear, but the cave went deep. There could be others lurking in the dark. “You should sit down, Kid, that looks bad.” Drack hoisted his hammer up over his shoulder while Vetra helped the Pathfinder sit, making sure she didn’t lean back on the blade accidentally.

“What’re you talking about? I’ll be fine.”

“The wound is superficial, and has avoided any major blood vessels. Though the bone has taken some damage, it is not fractured. If allowed proper time to heal, there should be no prolonged impairment.”

“See?” Kitt grinned at the rest of her team, but they didn’t seem convinced. Just to prove a point, she reached and grasped the blade to pull it out.

“I do not recommend this course of action, Pathfinder. Until immediate first aid can be applied, the blade must remain in place. Once removed, there is nothing to stem your bleeding and you may pass out.”

With a loud groan, she released it and just let herself rest against the rocks. “Well, we can’t just sit here and wait for more Roekar to come pouring out of those tunnels.”

“And you can’t move until Lexi has a look at you,” Vetra made the quick comeback.

“Well, Lexi isn’t here. So unless one of you has experience patching up stab wounds, we’re at an impasse.”

“If I may,” the whole reason they were there stepped forward, a glint of amusement in his eyes. “I could offer my services. Though your doctor is certainly more adept at patching wounds than myself, it seems we have few options. That leaves the two of you to clear out the last of the caves.”

“I don’t like it.”

“Come on, Vetra. If the smuggler wanted to hurt the Kid, he could have just left us.” Even though Drack was one of her longest running contacts, Vetra still didn’t seem much convinced as she clicked her mandibles.

“Why don’t you listen to your big friend there and run along, hm?”

The turian looked at Kitt, and she nodded. “I’ll be alright. We need to clear out the caves, and I can’t really go with you like this.”

“If you say so. SAM, make sure to call us if anything happens to her.”

“Of course.”

“Relax. I’m on your side.” Reyes’ smirk never left his lips while the two of them went off deeper into the caves. Drack didn’t seem to mind, but Vetra kept looking over her shoulder until they were out of sight.

“Quit antagonizing my crew,” Kitt teased him, shaking her head. “They already don’t trust you. You’re only making it worse.”

That just made him laugh. “Oh, please, Ryder. I’m perfectly likeable.”

“Perfectly.” She started to laugh, but winced when it caused the blade to move. “Guess I’m in your hands now, aren’t I?”

“Don’t say that like it’s such a bad thing.” Reyes removed his gloves and pushed up his sleeves as far as they would go while she laid down on her stomach. Instead of getting to work like she expected, he stood up “There’s bound to be supplies around here somewhere. You don’t just live on Kadara without being prepared.”

“Says the man who lives on Kadara and isn’t prepared.”

“You wound me, Ryder. After all that effort to perfectly time that explosion. Aha! Jackpot.” Kitt repositioned just enough to glance back and see him trotting over with a handful of medigel packs and some compression wraps.

“Mr. Vidal, I suggest preparing the medigel before you remove the blade, to limit the bleeding.”

“Thank you, SAM, but I do know what I’m doing.” His comment made Kitt wonder just how much experience patching up wounds Reyes had. She watched while he measured out a few arm lengths of the wraps, tore it with a knife from his boot, and then did it again. Once satisfied, he cracked open the medigel and took hold of the blade. “This is probably going to hurt. Ready?”

Kitt swallowed. “Yeah.”

“Count to three.”

“One, t– son of a bitch!” White flashed behind Kitt’s eyes as she dug her forehead into the ground against the pain. Reyes yanked the angaran blade out of her back before she had mentally prepared herself. Probably better that way, but she would still smack him for it. Almost as soon as the heat of pain erupted through her back, the cool soothing of the medigel followed.

“Better?” he asked, just beside her ear.

Kitt’s repsonse came more as a grunt than anything. “Better.” The gel foamed and began to set as she pushed herself back up into a sitting position. Every nerve inside her shoulder was firing with pain as she moved, making the world spin and the metallic taste of blood settle on her tongue. Before she realized it, Reyes had his arms around her and was helping her settle back against the rocks.

“Not so fast, Pathfinder. We’re not done yet. Take your armor off.”

For a moment, she just stared at him wondering if she’d heard him right. When he returned an expecting look it just baffled her more. “Excuse me?”

“Take your armor off,” he repeated, entirely serious. “Your doctor won’t be too pleased if they find a shotty patch job when you return. So. Take your armor off.”

“You haven’t even paid me back for the drink you owe me, and you’re already asking me to strip,” Kitt scoffed, trying not to use her bad arm as she hit the latches that held everything together. Unfortunately, she could not reach everything. “A little help?” She motioned with a finger towards the latches on the far side of her back. There was a gentle nudge, and the last few latches came free. With Reyes’ help, they lifted her chest piece up and over her head without having to move her bad arm too much. Goosebumps prickled her skin as brief shots of lightning traveled through her shoulder, but it was better than before.

Leaning on her one good arm, Kitt did her best to steady her breathing. Her mind went back to Lexi’s yoga instructions. Just focus on the in, and the out. In, and out. The pain throbbed, but it would ebb away once this was over. She just had to take it one breath at a time.

There was a brief moment when she almost yelled at Reyes again as he tore her skinsuit where the knife had gone through. “What’re you doing?”

“Relax, Pathfinder. I’m just getting a better look at your wound, in case it needs more medigel. Lucky for you, I’m good at what I do. It looks like it sealed on the first go.”

“Great, so can I put my armor back on now?”

“Not so fast. You won’t be moving that arm any time soon. Your doctor will likely agree with me on that one. So just stay still, won’t you Ryder?” Kitt just grumbled under her breath as he pressed a wad of the compression wrappings against the hardened medidgel. One band at a time, he wrapped the cloth over the wound and around her chest to keep everything in place.

“Why not just leave it up to the medigel?” she muttered after a few wraps.

“Because it doesn’t always hold. Sure, it works great now, but if the seal breaks and you start bleeding again, there’s nothing to stop the blood. This is way is better safe than sorry.”

“Yeah, but–”

“No buts, Ryder. If you make me, I will carry you back to the Tempest myself.” Kitt snapped her head around to look over her shoulder at him. Of course, the smuggler was smirking. Oh so pleased with himself.

As a result of his jests, she hushed up and allowed him to finish what he was doing. A round of tight bindings and a makeshift sling later, he finally let her stand on her own two feet again. The world tipped a little, but a firm hand on her good arm helped steady her. “Better?”

“Better.” Kitt inhaled through her nose, letting her balance settle and her nausea pass before she opened her eyes again. If he hadn’t been there, she probably would have just gotten herself into more trouble, and Lexi wouldn’t let her live that down. More likely than not, she’d have been put on house arrest until the wound healed. As it was now with Reyes’ help, she might only have to spend a few days in the port before Lexi gave her permission to go back on normal duty. Certainly a better alternative. “Thank you, Reyes.”

A smile lit up his face as she settled back against a rock to wait as the rest of her team came walking up. “A pleasure, Pathfinder. It was the least I could do after you so expertly helped clear Kadara of the Roekar. You did good. Don’t worry. I’ll let all the important people know who to thank. It was your fancy AI that did all the hard work, after all.”

Kitt snorted at him. “Yeah. Because he’s so useful in a firefight.” Profiles aside. “Buuuut, you didn’t do too bad yourself, smuggler. We make a good team.”

While she watched him, breath stuck in her throat, he took a step closer. Her eyes were locked onto his, having a difficult time looking away while he hovered so close. “Careful. I’ll start thinking you like me.”

“Would that be so bad…?” Her breath caught in her throat at her own words. Internally she scolded herself for saying that, but honestly? Reyes made her want to keep coming back to the port whether they had missions or not. Whatever was there, it wasn’t a business relationship. The hardest part was figuring out if he was just playing along.

Where he stood, so close that she could almost feel his breath on her cheeks, she wondered if it wasn’t just a game. Yet the smirk that played on his lips made her wonder otherwise. “Depends. Don’t be a stranger, Pathfinder.” And away he went. Without even looking back, he made his way up the stairs and out the entrance to the hideout. Kitt couldn’t help but watch him go. Maybe Vetra had been right when she called Kitt out before the fight. Maybe there was something going on.

[ellebeebee]

Seachange

Part Five/Nine

Part One || Part Two || Part Three || Part Four

Liam has impulse control problems, we know this.  He thinks it might be a deal breaker (yet somehow it still doesn’t deter him??)-- spoiler: it’s not.

4866 words, Liam x f!Ryder, teen rating

AO3

-

It’s not like he went out of his way to put himself in danger.

Okay, maybe there’s a bit of untruth in that statement, but look.  He couldn’t help being ‘on’ all the time.  He’d tried to switch to ‘off’ before; after all the parent-teacher meetings, the lectures, the hospital visits.  The girlfriends that got fed up with his bull.

He didn’t mean to scare people.  If he’s being honest, sometimes it surprised him when others were concerned about his well-being, when they got angry on account of it.  It’s not exactly the caring that surprised him-- more like, oh, shit, I should have considered that first.  But it was hard to think first when a clear goal sat in front of him, and the direct, simplest route was totally possible.  It just happened that most of the time that direct route was the nutty one.  The one most likely to put him in a cast or break a rib.

And the other times?  The ones that weren’t, y’know, life-and-death situations?

Well.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained, and a laugh was a helluva gain in his opinion.

And having a guy like Jaal around?  Damn, if they don’t have some fun on this constant world-shattering hellride, well, they’d all go bonkers, right?  Or Liam would, anyway.  Jaal was the same.  Yeah, at first the guy was trying to be all tough and suspicious or whatever, but they all warmed his little angaran heart.  Not a small part of which was on account of Liam, of course.  Duh.

So they had fun.  Risked life and limb.  Whatever.  So sue them.

“So, that is ‘dextro’ food,” Jaal stated, staring into the contents of the fridge.  Liam peeked over his shoulder.

“Yeah, that’s Vetra’s stash,” he agreed.

“And turians and quarians are the only dextros from the Milky Way,” Jaal reiterated.

“Yeah.  I mean, as far as I know?”

“And ‘levos’ cannot consume the same food?  Does this also extend to production?” Jaal mused, continuing to stare intently at the innocuous sealed tub of food.  Chilled air began to permeate the rest of the galley.

“Umm,” Liam hummed. “I don’t really know?  Drack and Mira use the same pots don’t they?  I think they do something when they switch?  Uhh.”

“I mean, with regards to mass production.  Are there separate ‘dextro’ and ‘levo’ factories?”

“Okay, that one’s filed under generalist-specialist info,” Liam quipped, clapping the angara’s shoulder.

They’d come to recognize that some questions during all this cross-species cultural exchange were just beyond a single individual’s experience.  That stuff they called ‘generalist-specialist.’  Or: I have no fucking clue and don’t really have an inclination to find out.

“Hmm,” Jaal just mused.

They kept staring into the fridge.  For whatever reason.

Liam cleared his throat. “Are you daring me to taste it?”

Jaal finally glanced at him and frowned. “I never said--”

“‘Cause if you’re daring me, and you think I’m not gonna do it, you clearly don’t know me well enough yet.”

Jaal looked at Liam, and his silly grin.  And he looked back at the tub of dextro food.  And he looked back at Liam.

“That is extremely stupid,” Jaal stated. “Aren’t you afraid one day Lexi will just stop treating you?”

“So what you’re telling me,” Liam said, nudging the angara out of the way, “is that you’ll let me wear the rofjinn for a whole day if I do this?”

“What?  No!”

“Deal!”

And even though he made his disgruntled remarks about the human’s intelligence, Jaal (with not a small amount of curious light in his large blue eyes) watched Liam pull the tub out and drop it loudly on the counter.  He started pulling out little individual containers full of things he half knew the names of, half had no idea how could even be digestible.  That was when Mira stepped through the hatchway.

She stopped in her tracks, and Liam froze with a large morsel of a brownish dextro something halfway to his face.

“What are you doing?” the Pathfinder asked, brow lowering.

Liam wasn’t sure what exactly overtook him at that moment.  It was like just the sight of her turned on that particular switch that was already always set on a hair trigger with him.  Oh God.  Shit shit.  It was fucking stupid, but there she was: cute as fuck, and looking at him, and yes! Give! Me! Your! Attention! Mira! Ryder!

Liam jammed his whole damned mouth with that chunk of dextro-whatever.

And it didn’t taste bad.  Sorta pudding-like texture, which wasn’t exactly great cold, but it had a brown gravy-like thing going on.  And.  Like a weird beer-y, fermented, fatty pork thing?  It wasn’t terrible at all.

“Oh my god,” Mira gaped. “Liam, don’t swallow that--”

And really, it wasn’t funny.  It wasn’t funny at all.  But he had an ultra intense impulse to laugh at the face she was making, all horrified and open-mouthed and stuff.  But he didn’t laugh.  Oh no.  That might actually be funny-- him laughing and the disgusting result with a mouthful of food.  But no, not Liam Kosta.  He’s never satisfied with just the straight gross-out joke.

Liam chewed for a good moment (“Stop, seriously!”) and he swallowed.

All the while staring her down.

Jaal made a sound half-way between exasperation and a laugh. “That was very stupid.”

Mira slapped her hands to her face, probably struggling with the exact wording for her incoming outburst.  Then she lowered her hands, and her face wasn’t the mask of anger and irritation he was expecting.  She stepped forward, grabbed him by the wrist, and tugged him out the galley hatchway.

“C’mon,” she sighed.

“And, no, you still can’t wear the rofjinn!”

And in the short walk down the hall to med bay, Liam was already getting short of breath, his throat tightening painfully.  Mira’s hand was firm on him, and he couldn’t help staring at her expression.  There weren’t storms in her eyes.  No furious squall, but a dark indrawn… something?

It was hard to think with his entire mouth on fire, though.

Lexi took one look at them from her desk, sighed, and made a straight beeline for her supply cabinet.

“I take it all that swelling is an allergic reaction?” she said dryly, facing a wall of little bottles and medical things.

“He got into some of Vetra’s food,” Mira replied.  They were talking about him as if he were some kind of dog.  She kind of pushed Liam into an examination table, which he hopped on easily.

His feet swung, and he was reminded of being a little kid.  Mum dragging him to the doctor’s and holding his hand, promising a lolly if he would just sit still for one goddamed minute.

Mira didn’t exactly hold his hand, but she did keep close to his side with her fingers on his forearm.  His head was starting to swim.  Yet he could still distinguish the knit in her brow.  He wanted to poke it.

While he was busy staring at Mira’s face and fantasizing about poking it, Lexi poked him in the thigh with a very sharp needle.

“Oww!” Liam tried to complain, but he mostly brayed like a moose.

And the fingers laid lightly on his forearm (those thin fingers with the trigger callouses) tightened.  They didn’t grip or dig in, a painful and visceral reaction, but just momentarily closed around him.  Held onto him.  As if afraid of what would happen otherwise.  It lasted only a millisecond, and she let go, resettling into her light brush across his skin.

What was that about?

He swiveled to look at her, but Lexi pushed him down into the bed, giving him her standard scolding for the umpteenth time.  She threatened to tie him down if he wouldn’t stay put while the injection did its work, and plied him with some mystery white tablet.  Mira let go of him at this point, which made the absence of her hand burn.  Pathfinder duties or something.  He caught a last glimpse of her, glancing back at him, as she exited the med bay.

He turned to see Lexi giving him a very pointed, very knowing look.

“Wha?” he asked, tongue thick and useless.

“I’m trying to decide if you’re trying too hard or if you aren’t trying nearly hard enough,” she informed him sharply.

He sighed, which caused him to choke sharply on shallow breaths.  Fully exerted, he lay back limply on the examination bed and tried to ignore Lexi’s judgment.

-

She doesn’t wear the name ‘Ryder’ for nothing.

It would surprise anyone that had only met her off the field, that had never seen her work (her being a bit of a mess out of her armor-- well.  In civvies, not-- uh, you know.)  But she knew her tactics, had incredibly agile ‘battlefield intelligence,’ and he’d once watched her clean up an entire kett squad at two thousand meters.

Plus there was SAM, so in general the Tempest’s squad felt pretty comfortable with letting her make the calls in the field (giving allowance for occasional ribbing).

And that was exactly why Liam should not have broken formation.  He’d gotten his though.  Served him right, he guessed.

He recovered from the self-poisoning pretty quickly.  Spent the night in med bay fiddling his thumbs and vegging out to a series of vids on his omni-tool, then bound out the next morning with a sincere promise to take the little bottle of tablets Lexi gave him as instructed.

They were running ops on Kadara, some of it dodgy stuff like sifting through the bullshit between the Exiles and their top assholes, trying to find the kernels of truth through all the-- you know-- shit.  Once it was clear he was no longer slurring around a swollen, foot-sized tongue, Ryder pulled him and Peebee out for the final push to activate the next vault.  They made good time in the Nomad, mostly avoiding trouble when they could (which was always Mira’s style, frankly) until they encountered a gang of trumped up bandits who thought a roadblock and a few pistols entitled them to your shit.

Should have been a quick clean-up, but it turned out that this particular gang had a skilled engineer with them, probably ex-infrastructure or something from the Nexus.  Anyway, this jerkoff techie kept alternately throwing these annoyingly small and agile drones at them and then handing off portable turrets to his assfaced friends so that they could place them somewhere incredibly inconvenient for the Pathfinder’s squad.  And, cherry-on-top, this engineer was hunkered down behind the roadblock, completely inaccessible to their bullets.

They could turn around, try another way.  But they were already on a delayed schedule for their mission to board the Archon’s ship.  And every minute, every day wasted made it more and more likely that something would go wrong, a leak would weasel its way over to the enemy.

Liam watched all this go through Mira’s eyes as they continued to trade fire with these two-bit fleabags.

She made an angry, frustrated grunt over the comm.

“This is a freaking waste of time!” she yelled.

“Yeah, no shit!” Peebee answered, blue force thrown from her fingers to pluck up a raider.

Mira went quiet for a moment, fiddling with something on her rifle.  With an oomph, she slid away from her position against the cover of the Nomad.  Liam was too busy taking potshots to watch what she was doing.

“I’m going up the ridge under cloak; flank ‘em and take out that engineer,” she announced. “Maintain this position.”

“Roger,” Peebee called, relief flooding her voice.

“Make it hurt,” Liam added.

She didn’t say anything, and he didn’t see her leave the immediate area.  Kind of the point.  He had no reason to worry; this was exactly her kind of thing, the maneuver she honestly liked to use the most.  And it was routine.  There really, absolutely, was no reason to get antsy or start getting smart ideas.

And yet.

This was Liam Kosta.

He and Peebee spent a few moments working on a real cockroach of a turret that seemed made of, like, magical phlebotinum or some shit.  Until Liam got kind of sick of it and had A Very Bright Idea.  Really, all he needed was a beer to tell Peebee to hold.

“You think she’s on the ridge yet?” he yelled.

“What?” the asari answered distractedly.

“You think she’s on the ridge-- Nevermind.  You got this for a minute?”

He didn’t wait for a reply.  Instead, Liam Kosta, ultragrade genius, pulled out two fistfuls of grenades, set off all of them, and hurled the bundle of carnage and mayhem at the raiders.  And he bullrushed through the resultant upwaft of scree, debris, and dust, towards a set of crags on the other end of the shallow valley they were entrenched in.  He ignored the outraged protests Peebee shrilled at him and hoofed it as fast as he could.

“Liam!” Mira’s voice rang over the comm. “What the hell are you--”

“Distraction!” he yelled back. “Or flanking!  All of the above!”

Except it turned out that his plan b was not the Very Bright Idea his brain had told him it was, and he should have left well enough alone and kept his ass glued where it was.  Long story short: it was a fucking mess.

His grenades shielded his sprint across the field, but they also obscured visuals for both Peebee and Mira.  When things settled back down, the raiders quickly realized their squad was completely split and fanned out to pin each individually.  Mira finally got that annoying engineer, Peebee managed to gun and blast her way to Liam, and Liam made a whole lot of noise that mostly pushed all these filthy Kadara types back to their blockade.

It was ‘mostly’ because, while he was striking what could only be termed an omni-tool bitch slap on one raider, another appeared out of nowhere and scored a glancing hit with his shitty jerry-rigged rifle on Liam’s shoulder.  He swore, and lifted his own gun-- only to watch as the turian’s throat exploded with a viscous spray of blood.  Mira’s work, without a doubt.

By the time they were mopping up the last stragglers, his suit had already internally sprayed a disinfectant on the wound and was patiently pinging him to do a field repair for the perforation.

And when they were back in the Nomad, and the adrenaline from the firefight had worn off, Liam finally became aware of the searing sharpness radiating from the wound.

“This location isn’t secure, though,” Mira was saying. “I don’t have time to deal with curious scavvers.”

He glanced over at her.  She was already starting up the Nomad again, gasing forward.  She seemed to be in conversation over a private line, her eyes staring through the vehicle’s port at some point in midair.  They hadn’t exchanged much words beyond ‘How bad is it?’ and ‘Not too much.’

“Okay,” Mira said, and then switched tones to address him and Peebee. “We’re heading to the vault; it’s not too far.”

During the ride, the Nomad’s interior mostly filled with Peebee’s pointed passive-aggressive remarks about humans and their impulsive natures.  Which Liam countered with a long, detailed list of the asari’s own incidences of impulsive behavior.  Peebee eventually just blew a wet and deafening raspberry at them, and with her sitting behind them not a little spit hit his hair.  Which he complained about.  Loudly.

But the entire time Mira kept her mouth shut and her eyes on the road.  A weird feeling in his stomach kept building, and the pain shooting out of his shoulder wasn’t easing up.  He resisted the urge to look over at the bullet graze; he’d take care of it later.

But, shit.  If he were being honest, he really, really needed Mira to say something.  Yell at him.  Shit, he hated this sort of thing.  The waiting, the silent tension.

When they reached the vault entrance, Mira parked the car.  She swiveled to look back at Peebee.

“Go on ahead.  Need to do some first aid.”

“‘First aid’?  Is that what they’re calling it these days?” Peebee smirked.

“Wh- Peebee,” Mira sputtered. “Just go on.”

“Alright, alright.”

As the asari jumped from the Nomad with all her gear thrown over her back, Mira turned herself around to go scrambling in the back for the first aid kid.

“Sooo,” Liam tried, stifling his nerves. “That was Lexi earlier?”

“Yeah,” she answered and settled back up front with the kit in hand. “She was looking at your suit’s biosensors.  You’ll need stitches, but I can do a field butterfly for now.”

She popped open the little aluminum case on her lap, and then looked up at him.  Her dark eyes studied him over the breather unit of her helmet.  She had on the ‘professional’ face; the one that threw him for a loop, because it differed so much from her usual, so easily flustered one.

“Well, you’re gonna have to strip,” she told him, waving vaguely at his chest.

“Oh-- yeah,” Liam coughed.

Don’t laugh, don’t flirt, don’t make the joke, our cams are on observation--

“Are you at least gonna buy me--”

“Liam.”

“...Right.”

They managed to get him undressed to the waist, but only after a lot of quiet swearing and they had to pop open the wing doors to make enough room.  He had to rotate in the seat to give her access to his right shoulder, and she was sitting backwards and really close, his thigh lightly leaning against her thigh.  Her reaching across him had her helm so close, his breath occasionally ghosted across that blue translucent surface.

And he couldn’t tell what she was thinking just by looking at her eyes looking at the nasty gun graze on his shoulder.

When she was finished with the dressing, he was really bursting at the seams with all this silence and uncertainty.

“Mira,” he said. “Look, about before--”

“Later,” she cut him off, putting up the first aid kit. “We’ll talk about it later.”

And before she dropped over the side of the Nomad, before she even finally turned away from him, her eyes rove over him, seeing who the fuck knew what.  Saying, with her gaze, who the fuck knew what.

And he wished he was the fuck that knew what to say to her.  Just him, just this dumbfuck right here.

-

Back on the Tempest, Lexi sewed him up and chewed him out.  And he may have exited the med bay at a jog.  He wasted some time in cargo chatting with Gil, all the while wondering when exactly the ‘later’ she’d mentioned would come around.  When a message from her popped up on his omni-tool, Liam didn’t even say good-bye to the engineer-- just walked off in the opposite direction with Gil calling annoying jibes at his back.

He walked to the pathfinder’s quarters with barnacle-thoughts growing on him like: Please don’t yell at me and Please just yell at me already.

He reached her door, exhaled heavily (‘Alright, go and take it like the experienced adult disaster that you are; not like you’ve never done this before.’), and the hatch hissed open before him.

She sat at her desk, back turned to him and reading some mail off her terminal.  Her hands were scrunching at her hair with a towel; she’d already washed off the residue of the vault’s killer fog and the sweat of running and gunning all day.

“Just a second,” she called to him.

He hadn’t been in here often; they mostly stuck to storage.  Her quarters were just… awesome though.  Plenty of space, big bed, nice couch.  The view.  The whole cluster, just lined up there for your perusal.

He dropped into the sofa and watched her.  And when she finally looked up, and finally stood and threw her towel over the back of her chair, and finally sat across from him-- he felt like he’d eaten a whole bucket of that weird piggy dextro pudding stuff because his chest was tight and there seemed a shortage of oxygen in here.

“Okay, Liam,” she said. “What’s wrong?”

And he could breath again, thank goodness-- this, he could handle.  He knew how to do this.

“Right,” he sighed, raising his hands-- as supplication or explication, it was hard to tell. “Look, I know I screw up a lot.  Like, a lot.  And I know it seems like I’m not trying, but really I am-- and you know, I mean, I know that it hardly makes a difference if I just keep pulling the same shit.  But.  But-- I mean, I guess I can’t really explain why this keeps happening; they’ve tried to tell me-- Look, I promise--”

“Liam,” she said.  And when it was clear his momentum wasn’t permitting him a pause, even for her, she tried again. “Liam.”

She took his hand into her own.  And that made him shut up, her skin still warmed from her shower and clinging to his.  And the awareness that she smelled clean and good.

He forced himself to look up at her again, meet her gaze.  The serious attentiveness of her dark, round eyes on him.

“I didn’t say ‘What’s wrong with you,’” she stated.  Her hand squeezed his. “I said, ‘What’s wrong?’”

He used to know this guy back in sixth form whose dad had a hobby flying those old mechanical planes.  With like, the two wings and everything. Once, he got to ride behind his friend’s dad, his cheeks flapping in the wind and his stomach leaping pleasantly every time they did some nutty loop-de-loop or whatever.  And he’ll never forget that feeling when they kept rising and rising, the earth a distant memory, and this heaviness in his ears popped and his head felt a bit dizzy but better.  You can’t get that in modern ships with the mass effect stabilizers and all.

But he remembered that feeling clearly, and recognized it as a lot like what he felt now.

Except on a ridiculously expanded scale.

That pop and that relief and that disorientation times a million.

That’s what she did to him, what she had him feeling.  And so it was that bit of dextro food all over again, with his throat closed up and his chest tight.  Mira had her eyes on him, so concerned and as calm as the stars.  So he needed to say something, anything.

“I’m sorry--” he started, but she shook her head.  He tried again, “Are you sure?”

“I wouldn’t be sitting here asking if I wasn’t,” she said softly.  And she still held his hand.

He ran a thumb over her skin, needing that contact, that tactile thinking process.

Liam swallowed. “I guess-- shit, I don’t know.  I’ve always been like this.  Maybe different place, different people.  But you know, always.”

“And… this particular place and people?” she asked.

She was asking for something specific, and as he watched, her eyes careened and if he pushed his fingers up just millimeters, he thought he’d probably feel the flutter in her heart through the pulse in her wrist.  And in the heat that rose in both their faces, he knew she probably needed to hear the thing he needed just as much to say.  Acknowledge.

He breathed. “I guess… Lately, I think I’ve really needed something from you.  Your attention, your regard.  I think I… I’ve gotten to the point where I need you.”

She exhaled, her lashes fluttering.  Shifting, she leaned back against the couch, and he had to fight the urge to follow her.

She gazed at him. “Can I show you something?”  When he nodded, she swiveled to look at the monitor on the wall across from them. “SAM, play back my helm cam footage from the last mission.  Fast-forward.”

“Yes, Ryder.”

Her screen was mounted a lot farther from her couch than his, and it was a lot smaller, but even with SAM speeding through the recording, it was clear what she wanted him to see: if she did not have a target on sight, then eighty percent of the time her gaze was gripped by him.  Her helmet turned to watch him load-up on grenades, kid around with Peebee.  Stared at him, his back turned, silhouetted by the lucid Kadara sun.

Her camera trailed after him, following, persistent.  Orbiting.

When her hand squeezed his, he turned back with his eyes like saucers, he knew-- and she shifted forward, gentle rustle of her shorts sliding across the couch, and placed the other hand on his cheek.  Her body shifted the pressure between them, even with an eternity of space still dividing them.  Strands of damp, dark hair swung close with their shampoo smell.

“Liam,” Mira whispered, gazing at him. “You always have my attention.  I’m always looking.”

And she hesitated.  Hesitated on the next words that she maybe wanted to say.  He didn’t blame her; he’d hardly given her much foundation to take the next leap.  Her eyes lowered, lifted again, and he couldn’t ever get enough of that face.  Dark honey and amber.  All rounded and softened.  Her fingers burned his flesh where she touched his cheek.

Her breath dropped, and she lifted from her seat on the couch, moving closer and her intention clarifying.

“Yes…?” she asked, so quietly.

He answered, simply and in his opinion best-ly, by surging forward and kissing her.

It wasn’t the first kiss.  Far from it.  And it was his biggest hope that there would be plenty more.  But if there were, and if he could he would etch this in his heart (maybe tattoo, at some point?)-- if he did end up lucky enough to have another kiss after this, and another after that, and another and another-- he would do his best to make each and every single one as good and meaningful and world-shattering as this one.

She bent into him, bent backwards and forwards like she’d already been by him and his shit.  But there’d be more-- god, would there be more, just please, please, stay like this.  Too good to him and too able and willing to go through it with him.  His throat was tight, yeah, like it had been since the day he met her, but it itched with hot emotion too.

Freely, impossibly invited, his tongue slipped through.  Sweet and warm and bitter acid of another person’s mouth.  Her hands flew up to clutch at him with fingers biting into his back, at the base of his neck.  His lips moved, in that awful and painful way that was too much and not enough, against hers-- a tidal motion, a dance of Scourge that ate and ate and ate.

And he was bending into her, whether by the strength of her sniper’s fingers pulling him under or by his own volition-- it didn’t matter, ‘cause he wanted all of it.  Fuck some of it.  He wanted all of it and then some.  Everything.

She parted from him, gasping, (a sharp little inhale, that’s all) and that sound went straight to his pants.  Somehow one of her legs was scrabbling for purchase along his side, and his hands were pushing along the bare skin of her back, threatening that t-shirt.  And somehow it was only his clinging to her that kept her from falling back into the couch-- orbiting is just the act of perpetually falling, and he was sure Sir Isaac Newton had been a psychic because he’d always be orbiting her, falling into her for an eternity and may death do us part.

When she sort of rose up though, to press into him, Liam’s thinking processes came back online.  He slowed down the ferocity of the face-devouring and slid his fingers down from their dangerous path.

Sensing his shift, she paused too, and drew back.

Neither of them could summon the amount of brainpower for words, glazed-eyed and swollen-lipped.

She slid back from him (how did she get into his lap?), pushing damp hair out of her flushed face and off her neck.

“Umm…” Liam attempted, a sheepish hand coming up to cover his sheepish grin.

“Yeah,” she said, too quickly. “I mean…”

“Yeah,” he repeated.

Although what the hell that meant, who the fuck knew.

She was further away, but her legs still rested around his; and he should move, but he really, really didn’t want to.

He tried again. “Uhm.  I hate myself for saying this, really, like it’s crazy difficult-- but I think we’ve already put the pedal to the metal enough?  Maybe, like, take it slow?”

She blinked at him; probably because he was speaking with the most obvious reluctance ever.  She snorted, grinning, and looked down.  All freckles and-- fuck.

Mira glanced back up. “Yeah.  I think that’s, like, a good idea.”

He deflated. “Well, shit, now that you’ve said it…”

She laughed outright.  And he laughed too.

They ended up staying in her quarters, watching a vid just like any other night.  And yeah, it was predictable of them, but whatever.

They had exactly what they needed.

[thatapostateboy]

can I just send a bunch for that WIP document (of ur choice maybe I have no pref) - couch, green, bed, eyes, kiss, hand, touch, soft, burnt, easy

From this meme

I went into my massive Mass Effect WIP document and had some real fun. They’re also longer than a sentence each because I got very excited

Features some AUs, spoilers, Gil/Scott, F!Shep/F!Ryder, and me gushing about my children

Couch – Sam Rydergoes to see Commander Shepard for a final goodbye

“Your troublesome brother not with you?” Shepard hummed withlaughter.

Sam snorted a little, “No, he’s too busy flirting with some cuteblonde comms specialist out on the front desk.”

“I thought you were in the science department. What bringsyou to my door?” she asked, then nodded to the couch, “You can take a seat ifyou’d like.”

Sam smiled but shook her head, “I shouldn’t stay long, Ishouldn’t even be here, but… I just wanted to say thank you, Commander. Forsaving my life that day, and the life of my team. And not just that, but savingus all from Sovereign, the geth, the Collectors. I don’t care what people aresaying, you’re a god damn hero.”

“Kid, you don’t have to say that,” Shepard leaned againstthe back of the couch, trying not to let on just how touched she was.

“No, I do,” Sam insisted, “Someone has to. You’ve been myhero ever since I saw the news vids of you when I was a kid. Although myresearch lies in geology, all of my combat training was inspired by you. Youshowed me, and so many other recruits, that battle isn’t just about who has thebiggest gun or the strongest biotics. It’s about smarts, knowing thebattlefield, being tactical. It’s saved my neck countless times… I know that Ishouldn’t have just snuck in here, and started gushing at you, but it needed tobe said. I couldn’t leave without reminding you that even though your situationis shit right now, you’re going to pull back from this, because you’reCommander Nora Shepard, hero of the Citadel, saviour of the Council, and oneday everyone is going to admire you just as much as I do.”

Green – Final mission,Sam thinks that Scott died on the Hyperion

“Is this seriously the Archon? What is he doing?” Vetraquestioned.

Without a second’s warning, the corridor they were in wentdark. They all raised their weapons in alarm, but one by one the lights startedto come back on, flicking back off and coming back on again in a pattern, greenand blue lights dancing across the ceiling, the walls and the floor.

Sam was the first to lower her gun, eyes filling with tearsas she looked around.

“What is it?” Vetra glanced at her.

“It’s Scott,” Sam whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks,fingers tracing her wrist where her blue bracelet sat, the matching one toScott’s green one, “The lights, that’s me and him; blue and green. He’s showingus the way. He… He’s alive.” A smile spread across her face as she looked atVetra, “He’s alive!” As soon as it was there, the smile was gone, and shelooked alarmed, “Oh shit, he’s alive. The Archon’s still got him!”

Bed – Pre-game, Samand Scott work at the same digsite

“Sammy…”

She rolled her eyes as the sound of her brother’s voice overthe comms in her lab.

“Saaammy… Sammy Ryder…”

“Go away Scott, I’m working,” she told him.

“Samantha Louise Ryder are you still working at this hour?”he laughed.

“One, don’t call me that, two, yes I am still working. Iwant to document everything about the samples we collected today before bed.”

“Sammy Lou, take the rest of the night off. I am bored, Iwant to hang out with my favourite sister.”

“I’m your only sister.”

“All the more reason for me to cherish your company.”

“Don’t you havework to do?” she asked.

“I’m security for a dig site full of scientists. It’s notexactly a fully packed schedule. Besides, if you come up to my post now I’vesome ice cold beers and nachos.”

She tilted her head away from the microscope, “You gotcheese dip?”

“Would I ever let you down Sammy?”

“Fine. I’m on my way.”

Eyes – AU where theRyder twins don’t go to Andromeda and join the crew of the Normandy, one shotof the morning after Sam and Shepard first sleep together

Shepard groaned softly as she woke up, realising that thewarm presence beside her had moved, her wandering hand only grasping at emptysheets. She opened her eyes to the dim light of her room, lit only by the fewlamps that she hadn’t turned off before sleep. Movement caught her eye and sheturned her gaze to the obscured figure by her desk.

“Admiring my collection?” she asked, laughing softly toherself as she watched Ryder jump.

“I thought you were still asleep,” she said.

“Right back at you,” Shepard shrugged, “Couldn’t sleep?”

“Kept trying to sneak out, but you’re a persistent cuddler,”Ryder hummed, “Was going to steal a few moments in your amazing shower thatTraynor won’t shut up about then leave, but your models caught my eye. It’s anincredible collection.”

“I’ve always loved model ships,” she admitted, “But neverhad anywhere to store them until they rebuilt the Normandy. Started collectingproperly when I was fighting the Collectors… You didn’t have to sneak out, youknow?”

“I know,” she sighed, “Still felt like I should though.

Kiss, Hand and Touch –After the final mission, Gil and Lexi transport Scott back to the medbay

Lexi and Gil eased him onto a stretcher and loaded him ontoa shuttle. Gil sat right beside him as they took off, frowning when Lexiinjected him with something.

“Anaesthetic,” she told him as they watched Scott visiblyrelax back against his pillows, “He was still in a lot of pain.”

Gil felt his chest tense up as he dreaded to think whatScott had been through, what lasting effects it would have. He glanced downwhen something warm touched his hand and he realised that it was Scott, slowlybrushing their fingers against each other’s.

“Hey Hot Shot,” Gil offered him a smile as he took hold ofhis hand properly.

“Hey yourself,” Scott mumbled, “I… I gotta tell yousomething.”

“You should really be getting some rest, Scott,” Lexi chimedin from across the shuttle.

“Gil,” he insisted, ignoring the asari and trying hishardest to keep his eyes open even though he was heavily sedated, “Really. Haveto… tell you…”

“You can tell me, then you have to get some sleep, promise?”Gil offered.

“Mmm-kay,” Scott gave a single, heavy nod, “Gil… we… weshould… get married…”

“You think so?”

“I know so…”

“And you always know best.” Lexi gave him a look and Gilgave his hand a squeeze, “You have to rest now, Scott.”

Scott closed his eyes for a moment, a smile still on hislips, before he looked at Gil again, “What… what d’you say? About marrying me?”

Gil looked down at him, heart swelling with love, “You restup, you let Lexi look after you and you get yourself better, and I’ll marryyou.”

Scott beamed, and it took all of Gil’s willpower not to kisshim senseless. He let out a mumbled exclamation of joy, and finally passed out.

Soft – Scott wakes upon Meridian and Gil tries to comfort him

Gil slipped out of his grasp again, watching him with sadeyes, “Do you need to talk about what happened to you? Sam’s tried to tell mebut… as much as she thinks she can read your mind, she didn’t go through it;you did.”

The smirk fell from Scott’s expression and he curled in alittle on himself, “Look, it’s… it’s fine. It doesn’t matter.”

“Scott Ryder, you have the worst poker face of anyone I haveever met. We promised that we’d always be honest with each other, that we trusteach other. Talk to me, I’m here for you.”

Scott sighed, “Can you just… hold me?”

They cuddled close together, Gil holding Scott in his arms.That was usually Scott’s position; he was taller, they just naturally fit thatway. But right now, this was exactly where Scott needed to be. They lay insilence for a while, content with feeling the warmth and comfort of eachother’s presence, and Gil was almost convinced that Scott had fallen asleep.Until he heard the soft vibration of Scott’s voice against his chest.

“I thought I was going to die.”

Gil lifted his head, looking down at Scott, “What?”

Scott shifted a little to look at him, “I thought I wasgoing to die… I was ready to, when I was the one with the gun in my hands; thatwas on my terms, for my reasons. It would have been quick, no pain. But once wegot to Meridian, once he started to use my implant… I’ve never felt pain likethat, he was tearing at my mind, pulling apart my thoughts to get to myimplant. I fought back, but… I didn’t think it was going to be enough. I wasnever going to see Sammy again. Or you. Or our baby… I was so fucking scared Gil. I knew that if I failed,Andromeda would die because of me. He would kill all of you… I couldn’t letthat happen. That’s the only thing that kept me going. You, our baby, ourfuture… I fought for that, and it got me through.”

“You did it, Scott, you made it through,” Gil assured him,“We’ve got a real shot at that future now, thanks to you.”

The entire galaxy was right outside their door hailing Samas their hero, and she deserved her glory, but he wasn’t going to let Scott’scontribution be forgotten.

“That’s all I want. A home, here on Meridian, some busteddown shuttle in the back yard for us to fix up and tinker with, Sam and Vetraconstantly coming over to pester us, probably with Sid in tow because you knowthat my sister has practically adopted her now, you, me, Jill, little babyBrodie-”

Gil shot him a look, “Brodie?”

“Yeah, Brodie Ryder.”

Gil laughed softly, “You’re serious?”

“Okay, maybe not the first one, Jill should get the mostinput, but somewhere down the line, I think we should have a little Brodie.”

Burnt and Easy -Extension of the pre-game scene from above

She found him sat at the edge of the cliff, legs danglingoff the edge; matching hoody on, beers and snacks laid out on one side of him,gun on the other. She flopped down beside him, picking up a beer.

“Working hard I see,” she mused as she took a sip.

“We can’t all slack off and stare at dirt all day,” hesmirked, taking a mouthful of his own.

“We don’t have it all as easy as you. How’s your latestproject coming along? Blown something up yet?” she glanced back at the littleguard station behind them that she knew was full of his various tech projects.

“I nearly reinvented the toaster earlier,” he told her,earning a snort of laughter.

“What do you mean nearly?”

“There were unforeseen complications.”

She was silent for a moment before she looked at him, “Itblew up, didn’t it?”

He nodded, “It blew up… really burnt the toast.”