#fluff uary 2022

[thelittlestboi]

Forgot Fluff-uary was a thing and got super inspired by all the fluffy hand holdin fics. so have some thoughts^ about The Iron Bulls big loving hands

[nicolasadrabbles]

You and me both

Day one of Fluff-uary 2022. I'm determined to write something every day even if it's just a little flash fic. I'll also write Shakarian and other Bioware ships.

I'll post all of them on Ao3

Day one: Holding hands.

Word count: 1,112

"Today, we celebrate the end of the Archon, the Kett, and their reign of terror. Our planets are healing, as are our people," said Moshae Sjefa, now Ambassador Sjefa, as she addressed the crowd gathered in front of the Hyperion ruins. The old ship served as the backdrop for the inaugural celebration of what the Angara dubbed Novoa Tavetara or Day of Rebirth.

Sara, the other Pathfinders, and the Resistance and Nexus leaders surrounded the Ambassador as she spoke to every member of the cluster. The last speech in an endless parade of keynote speakers.

Sjefa continued, "Today is a new day not only for Angara but for Humans, Asari, Turians, Krogan and Salarians," she paused and smiled graciously before lifting her arms. "Let our voices be heard from Eos to Voeld, from Aya to Havarl, to every corner of Heleus. We are free!"

The rumble of applause rose from the audience and echoed far beyond the borders of Meridian. The entire cluster buzzed with excitement. The people of Heleus could plan for a future free from the Kett. Even Sara was excited, despite the issue of her mother alive in stasis loomed over her.

But more than anything, she was eager to celebrate the holiday with her boyfriend. Pathfinder duties had taken her away from the Nexus for weeks, and she hadn't realized just how much she missed Kandros until now. As the speeches dragged on, Sara made faces at him and sent lewd messages to his comm through SAM to make up for lost time.

With a wave of the Moshae's hand, the crowd silenced. She paused and, with a smile, said, "Now, we drink!"

Once again, the crowd burst into cheers and hollers, hungry for a feast. Sara was about to signal Kandros to join her when Tann intercepted him. She could see the Salarian grumbling in Kandros' ear about something horribly upsetting by the look of things. Sara rolled her eyes, knowing whatever bothered Tann would soon become her problem.

"Fucking finally. Could they make those speeches any longer?" Rix muttered, nudging Ryder's shoulder. He pointed to the plates of food circulating. "I'm starving. You coming?"

As if to answer him, her stomach stirred with a low grumble. "Yeah, let me just grab-" she turned to find Kandros, standing behind her with two flutes filled with a fizzy lilac drink. "Is that for me?"

Sara resisted the urge to kiss him and opted for a platonic hip bump. Only Scott and the Tempest crew knew about their relationship, and they had agreed to keep it that way until things settled down.

"You know it," Kandros handed her a glass and acknowledged Rix with a quick nod. "Pathfinder."

It was strange to hear him refer to someone else as Pathfinder. She had been the only one for months, and even then, it felt different when he said it.

"Guess I'll catch you later, Ryder. Commander," Rix responded with the same short nod. He shot Sara a strange, almost amused look before heading to the tables.

Most of the crowd had migrated in the same direction, leaving Sara and Kandros alone by the Hyperion.

Sara scanned the crowd to see if anyone was paying attention and tucked herself under Kandros' arm. "Is this a super illegal confiscated booze? You're gonna put Reyes out of business if you keep this up."

He shook his head, ignoring the reference to the Kadaran smuggler. "It's apparently some special vintage Jien Garson brought over for this kind of thing," Kandros said, rubbing her arm. "Tann stormed off just as they were serving so I'd down it before he notices cause there wasn't much."

"Don't have to tell me twice. Cheers," Sara lifted her glass and gently tapped it against Kandros' before sipping the champagne. It was light and floral and all the sweeter with the knowledge that the Director wouldn't get to enjoy it.

"So what was Tann complaining about?" she asked.

"Oh, just Salarians being named last in Sjefa's speech," Kandros responded. "He said she was openly declaring her unconditional support for Krogans by naming them first."

Sara groaned. "What an asshole. He knows we're supposed to be having fun, right?"

Kandros shrugged and finished his drink. "I doubt he knows what fun is. And that's coming from a Turian," he took her empty glass and placed it on a nearby table and held out his hand. "Come on, let's get some food before the Nakmor clan eats it all."

Sara hooked a brow and looked around. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm really hungry,"

"No," she pointed to his hand. "About this. About us."

Kandros ducked his head, so he was at eye level with Sara. "Absolutely I am. Aren't you?"

"Of course I am," Sara turned to see Tann had returned from the Hyperion offices and was looking around the stage, presumably looking for his missing drink. She returned to Kandros, who still had his hand out. "But Tann is right over there and already pissed. Aren't there regs against this?"

Suddenly, SAM interjected in her head. "Sara, Section 2.1, subsection a of the Nexus code of conduct states-"

"Not now SAM," she made a mental note to teach them about rhetorical questions.

"Forget Tann. What is he going to do, call security? That's me," Kandros pulled her close, tilted her face up with his talon, and nuzzled her forehead. "and I've decided I'm not going to pursue any action on the matter."

"I love it when you get rebellious,"

"Some might say you've been a bad influence," he purred.

Sara rolled her eyes. "Oh well."

Fireworks cracked overhead, illuminating Meridian's artificial night sky in a rainbow of colors. Wasn't Novoa Tavetara a celebration of life? A day to plan for the future without fear? For Sara, there wasn't a future without Kandros in it. They might as well start living it. Her heart threatened to beat out of her chest as she laced her fingers into his. It was a strange fit, but so were they. She looked up at him towering over her, the plates on his face reflecting the colors of the fireworks.

She lifted herself on her toes and pressed her lips to his. "Happy Day of Rebirth."

In the distance, she could hear Scott shouting for her. Next to him, Rix waved a bottle of brandy he had snuck in over his head. From the look of things, they had set up a table for drinking games and needed partners.

Sara laughed. "Duty calls, Tiran."

"You and me both, Sara," he answered.

They tightened their grip as they walked, hand in hand, to join the festivities.