James Vega x femShep (Ecplicit!) Kinktober challenge - sex in risky places!
Sienna Shepard has had a really bad day, luckily James Vega knows just how she can work off some of that frustration and put a smile back on her face! 😉
Gorgeous saucy art is by the very talented @reallyquitestrange who loves Vega just as much as me! The full version of the art in the banner can be seen in my fic below!
https://archiveofourown.org/works/60131515
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
I compiled an average for AO3 stats based on ME ship. I stratified the list for a ship from greatest to least for each variable (kudos, hits, BM, etc). I'm using median vs mean due to ease in collection and to correct for outliers. I filtered out confounding ships to better isolate the ship being studied.
Out of curiosity, since I love to read and write epics, I compared the major ships for >80,000 words. Data is less dependable since sample size is less.
Popularity Stats: The major ships, except for FShenko, consistently have the highest stats. Despite the larger sample size, Shakarian performs the same as MShenko and FShiara. The minor ships I studied were about equal. FShenko consistently had less than half the stats of the other major ships and brings up the rear, even behind the minor ships studied.
Epic-Length Stats: MShenko has nearly twice as many kudos on average as Shakarian and FShiara and three times as many as FShenko. This is likely due to the smaller number of epic-length fics available and the higher completion rate. FShiara and Shakarian are about equal. Again, FShenko takes up the tail.
Kudos/Hits Ratio: To correct for the wide range in popularity (hits), I calculated the median kudos / median hits.
With these results, it appears minor ships and FShenko fall amid the major ships. The difference in average number of kudos seems more a factor of ship popularity (hits) than a difference in reader responsiveness.
Conclusions:
Most major ships have higher stats than minor ships (unsurprisingly)
Shakarian, MShenko, and FShiara are the most popular and fall about even
FShenko is the least popular. It falls well below other major ships and is even outperformed by the minor ships I studied
Correcting for popularity (hits), the ships get about equal engagement. FShenko and the minor ships fall even with the Shakarian, MShenko, and FShiara
*** Note on ship selection: There were more m/m ships I tried to study, but after eliminating confounding ships, they had too small of a sample size (Steve Cortez/Male Shepard, James Vega/Male Shepard, Garrus Vakarian/Male Shepard). I didn't explore MShep/Female due to lack of interest, but generally, it appears to be on the low end of average kudos (20-30 range).
Another Halloween prompt fill. This one is for @vorchagirl. I wrote some fluffy Shega for you! AO3 Link
Shepard stood in the middle of the pumpkin patch trying to look as interested as she possibly could in trying to find the most perfectly round specimen. She knelt down next to a particularly large one and made sounds as though she was inspecting it as thoroughly as humanly possible. She tried not to wince as she heard a particularly piercing scream emanating from within the haunted house that was only a few yards away.
Despite her attempts to look preoccupied with the extremely important task of trying to find the most perfect pumpkin, Vega noticed her flinch when a second scream rang out. “So Lola, I don’t have to worry about you screaming like that do I?” He had a wicked smirk creeping across his face and his eyes were glimmering as he realized that he had found the great Commander Shepard’s weakness.
“Hah! No! You don’t have to worry about me. Haha!” Her laughter was forced and she could tell from Vega’s expression that he could tell just how fake it was. “I mean come on, I took down Reapers, and Husks, and Collectors, and--”
“And you’ve come up with excuses the entire day not to go in there. First you said it was cold and that some hot apple cider would hit the spot. Then you had to eat an apple cinnamon doughnut because you ‘can’t have cider without a doughnut’. Then you said that you wanted to go apple picking and I thought maybe you just really liked apples. But now you’ve been sitting here looking at the same pumpkin for the past ten minutes and I’m beginning to believe that you’re stalling.” His sarcasm elicited a defeated frown from Shepard which only made Vega grin even more. “Don’t worry Lola, I’ll protect you if you’re scared.”
Shepard’s frown turned into a defiant scowl. “Oh, well if that’s how it’s going to be. Let’s go, Vega.” Immediately regretting her words she stomped off to the entrance to the haunted house.
Vega followed after her and he rolled his eyes. He had truly never met a woman more stubborn than Shepard. He saw her disappear into the old converted barn and he picked up his pace to meet her inside. Before he reached the doors however, he saw a red-haired woman high-tailing it out of there as fast as possible.
“Oh hell no!” She shouted as she bolted past Vega, not even noticing him standing there. “Nope! I did not survive killing Reapers just to have to deal with a bunch of assholes in costumes trying to scare the shit out of me,” she mumbled under her breath.
Vega ran to catch up to her. It took all his personal strength not to burst out laughing. “You ok?” It was the only words he could manage to utter without losing his cool. “I thought you said you weren’t scared.”
“I said I wasn’t going to scream. I never said I wasn’t go to run as far away as possible and hide under a tree.” As she said it she realized she was only making the situation even more embarrassing for herself.
Vega wrapped his arm around her and sat down next to her under the tree. Shepard rested her head against his shoulder enjoying the way the warmth of his neck felt against her forehead as she nuzzled him gently.
“Here’s the deal. When I was a kid I went into a really scary haunted house as a kid and no matter how old I am, I just get freaked out. It’s weird, nothing else really gets to me but that stupid fear is just ingrained in me. We’re lucky the Reapers didn’t cover themselves in fake blood and come after me with a chainsaw or this galaxy would be toast.” She hated admitting it to him but she hoped he would understand.
Vega kissed the top of her head and smiled warmly at her. “No I get it, Lola. Stuff in your childhood messes with you. At least your’s is something that’s meant to be scary. When I was in preschool, some kid got so excited about it being time to color that he threw a box of crayons and one hit me right in the eye.”
“Wait, you mean to tell me that you’re still afraid of crayons? Even to this day?” Shepard stared at him in disbelief.
“No, I’m afraid of children around ages four or five that are armed with crayons. There’s a difference.” Now it was Vega’s turn to wear a sheepish grin.
Shepard bit her lip as hard as she could to keep from giggling. A small sound escaped her despite her best efforts and she devolved into a fit of laughter. Vega turned to face her and folded his arms. “Hey! I thought we were having a moment!”
Shepard attempted to calm herself down but seeing Vega flustered just made it that much more difficult. He reached out and grabbed her by the collar of her sweatshirt and the two began to wrestle on the ground. Vega swiftly had her pinned to the soft ground and he laid on top of her with a devilish look in his eye.
“You’re the worst.” He muttered before capturing her lips in a teasing kiss. Shepard kissed him back and gently nipped at his bottom lip. “Dammit Lola, you know what that does to me.”
“I certainly do.” There was a gleam in her eyes that excited him and he kissed her once again. This time deeper than before. It was all he could do not to tear her clothes off right there. He trailed kisses down her neck and bit the soft flesh above her collarbone.
A small moan escaped Shepard’s lips and she wrapped her legs around Vega’s waist. “I wish you could just have your way with me right here,” she whispered in a deep husky tone.
Vega’s hands trailed up her body and dipped underneath her sweatshirt. Shepard sighed and Vega looked at her triumphantly. He sat up next to her with a evil look on his face. “Weren’t you extremely preoccupied earlier with finding the perfect pumpkin? I’d hate to distract you from that.”
“Damn you, Vega,” Shepard hissed under her breath.
“Consider that your punishment for laughing at my damn crayon story.” He was smiling a big bold grin as he helped her up. Before Shepard could protest, he took her by the waist and kissed her one more time. “And consider that a promise that I’ll make it up to you later.”
“You’d better,” Shepard answered as she led him back to the pumpkin patch. “Now let’s pick a pumpkin and get the hell out of here.”
HOW MANY FICS CAN I POST IN A DAY?! AS MANY AS I HAVE UNPOSTED SITTING IN MY DOCUMENTS
Fandom: Mass effect
Pairing: shega
Words: 1,134
AO3: here
Summary: Shepard isn't sleeping again, and if she won't take care of herself, someone has to.
"Vega, you're needed on the cargo deck you left something at my work station" Cortez's voice rang through the PA on the ship. Vega cussed under his breath, but headed to the elevator regardless.
"Really Cortez? You made me come all the way down here to-" James started to say dramatically.
"Shhhh! She's finally sleeping." Cortez cut him off and James was immediately confused.
"What?" He asked, walking out of the elevator and towards where Cortez kept his work.
"Your girlfriend was down here working on requisitions and she just passed out at the station" he said, pointing to Julie's sleeping form.
"Esteban that's not funny, she's our CO." James said.
"Everyone knows you two are together it's not like you're good at hiding it. Just take her back up to her cabin and make her rest"
James opened his mouth to argue but couldn't come up with a response. He made a good point, Julie hadn't been sleeping again and it was obvious. The dark circles under her eyes grew by the day, and she always had a coffee with her on board. He sighed, and walked over to her side, crouching down. She was breathing deep, the muscles in her face slack.
"Hey Lola," He said, softly putting a hand on her back. She made a small noise that made his chest feel tight. Fuck she's adorable. "Come on let’s get you up to your cabin."
She let him coax her out of the chair, and she sleepily wrapped her arms around his neck as he scooped up her legs.
Cortez gave him a thumbs up and James rolled his eyes, heading back towards the elevator. Vega got her up to her cabin no problem, and gently laid her down on her bed. She mumbled something unintelligible and James smiled, working on untying her boots. He got them off of her without her waking up, and tucked her under the covers. He lingered just long enough to see her peacefully asleep before turning to leave. James left the captain’s cabin but paused before getting in the elevator.
"Hey EDI?" he asked.
"Yes, Lieutenant Vega?"
"Can you make sure nothing gets through to her unless it’s an emergency?"
"Certainly. Shepard has not been resting enough for her health. All incoming messages and notifications will be withheld"
"Thanks EDI"
"Of course, Lieutenant."
---
She was in that place again. With the fog, the ghosts of those who died because of her. Their voices pressed on her conscious, and shadowy forms surrounded her. They stole the air from her lungs, crying out for her to save them, but her movements were so slow, as if she were wading through molasses.
Julie woke up with a start, sitting straight up, a cry on her lips. Her hand hit the spot on her side where her pistol usually was to find that it wasn't there. She was disoriented for a minute, looking around wildly, but then realized that she was in her own bed. Wait. What? Last thing she remembered she was down in the cargo hold working on requisitions for their next couple of missions in case they didn't have time to stop on the Citadel...
"Uh...EDI?" she asked tentatively. She knew EDI could still hear her but it was weird now that she was like...a person.
"Yes, Shepard?"
"How did I get to my cabin?"
"Lieutenant Vega carried you"
"He...he what?! How long was I out?!"
"About 9 hours, Shepard"
"Nine fucking...?!" She muttered, throwing herself out of bed. "Why did no one get me up?"
"The Lieutenant asked me to withhold all notifications and messages"
"Oh did he now" Julie asked under her breath. She stomped over to her terminal and smashed the intercom button.
"Vega. Conference room. 5 minutes" She said. Julie grabbed a hair tie and threw her curls into a bun, then quickly put on a fresh undershirt and pulled on her boots. Three minutes later she was pacing the conference room, eyes scanning a datapad, catching up on what she missed while asleep. Several annoyed messages from politicians and of course more requests for finding people who have gone missing in the war. She didn't have the time to help everyone but she tried her damndest to get people the resources they needed.
"Commander?" James asked, walking into the room.
"Vega." She said, putting the datapad on the table and fixing James with a glare. He stood with his chin high and hands folded behind his back. "What the fuck, James"
"All due respect, Ma'am, but you haven't been sleeping. Cortez told me you passed out at the requisitions terminal so I took you up to your cabin." He said. Julie narrowed her eyes.
"I've been fine" she said, crossing her arms.
"Bullshit. You stumble around the ship like a fuckin zombie, you barely eat, and you keep getting hurt on easy assignments." He said, breaking his calm demeanor and approaching her.
"Mind your own business, Vega." Julie said. She was too proud for her own good, and had refused to talk to James about what was wrong. They usually had open communication and worked out together, teasing and flirting the whole time. But something happened and Julie withdrew, and then she stopped taking care of herself.
"I'm not the only one who's worried. I'm just the only one stupid enough to try and do something about it" he said. She raised an eyebrow at him but he ignored it. "Most people are a little more afraid of getting decked in the face than I am."
Shepard snorted at that. Vega sure could be reckless sometimes, but she thought they worked past his death wish.
"Lola, I want you to be my business" he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. Julie sighed, her composure crumbling. She rubbed her temples and leaned in to James' touch.
"You're not wrong. Sorry for... you know, being an ass. It's just worse now more than ever. The entire Galaxy is depending on my leadership and nothing wants to go right" she said. He wouldn't pry. Not now at least. He got her to get some rest and managed to not get punched in the face, so he was taking his victories.
"Doesn't mean you can stop taking care of yourself, Lola. You hungry?" He asked. She took a breath to settle herself before answering.
"Yeah let's go get some food. And then I'm making you help me with reports." She said, pushing him away and snatching the datapad back off the table.
"Beats putting up with Esteban complaining about my shuttle flying methods" he said. Julie shot him a glare and he chuckled. Didn’t matter to James how pissed she got. As long as his Lola was okay, he was good.
ヽ(*≧ω≦)ﾉ Finally done!! Shame on me, Shoker distracted me xDDDD
Prompt: “Don’t just stand there, help me!”
I have chosen Shega, I love James and use any opportunity I have to show it hahaha
Thanks for the prompt! hope you like it! ⁽˚̌ʷ˚̌ʺ⁾
They have rescued Eve from the salarian facility on Sur’kesh. Eve has been a surprise, a sad one because you can hear in her voice all the pain she has endured in her long life, but she has a kind soul and is the most surprising Krogan they ever met. Talking to her hasn’t helped to calm her nerves after the tense meeting with Wrex and Victus, old wounds festering. The venom of the genophage running deep and strong on their veins. She feels exhausted but has too many thoughts pestering her mind, and she knows it will be impossible to rest. With a sigh, she takes a deep breath after leaving the medbay. She needs a drink, badly.
When she reaches the starboard deck, Garrus is there with Adams and Cortez, playing cards and drinking. The biotic is the first to see her standing near the door. “Hey, Shepard. Come, sit with us.”
Taking a seat beside Garrus, she let her head fall to the table, sighing deeply. The Turian put a hand on her head, disheveling her hair with his talons. “That bad, huh? Steve, our Commander needs a drink, bring the venom.” The sound of the chair dragging over the metal floor is the only sign she got that Cortez is fulfilling the request. Soon, Garrus is pushing her shoulder, and when she sits back with a grunt, he puts a glass full to the brim in front of her face. “A toast for Eve.”
She picks up the glass and empties it with a long single gulp. Garrus chuckled beside her, taking a sip from his drink. “Want to share the news?”
Shepard looks at Steve, and he knows what she wants, offering the bottle he brought with him to the table. She grabs it with a grateful smile, refilling the glass and emptying it before answering Garrus, her right hand wrapped around the bottle. “Oh, nothing serious, just Wrex being Wrex. Is not enough that we have rescued Eve and that Mordin is working on it, no. He wants a cure, and he wants it now, not just created, but delivered.” A weak ‘Oh’ leaves Adams while Garrus just makes his mandibles vibrate, producing a low sound. “Yeah, my thoughts exactly.” The dreading feel of the impossible mission she has ahead of her is beginning to push her down, and she fights against it, drinking directly from the bottle. The rest of them seems to notice that she didn’t want to talk about it anymore and return their attention to their drinks and cards, casting sideglances to her from time to time.
Time pass and the drinks are refilled for all of them. Shepard’s face is slightly flushed, but her mind keeps running in circles around the fucking Krogan problem. With a sad sigh, she finishes the second bottle, putting it down on the table. “I’ll let you play. I need something stronger than what we have here. I’ll pay a visit to Jimmy. He always has some tequila hidden in his little corner. Good night, gentlemen.”
When she stands up, she stumbles slightly, and Garrus has to grab her arm to stabilise her. “Take it easy, Shep. Are you sure you need more booze?”
With a grunt, she pats his hand lovingly, knowing that he is just worried. “Pretty sure. Besides, Jimmy will take care of me.” The chuckle that escapes Cortez didn’t pass unnoticed to any of them, but she decides to ignore it, knowing perfectly that he knows about her feelings for the young lieutenant. “I’m fine, really. Have fun. Good night.” When Garrus let her arm go, she walks as steady as possible to the door, leaving the room and moving directly to the elevator. Her biotics and the damn augmentations that Cerberus has installed on her body are taking away part of the drunk feeling, leaving her grumpy again for when she reaches the cargo bay. Stepping into the big room, the silence around her is just broken by soft gasps and sporadic metallic sounds. Moving closer to the cubicle where James has made his little haven, she leans on the wall, ready to enjoy the show in front of her. Vega is lying on his back on a bench, the barbell on his hands loaded with an impressive amount of weight. He is doing repetitions of five before letting the weights rest in the gun rack behind his head. After so many months living in close quarters with him, she should get used to that view, but she isn’t. The display of strength, the sweat on his shirtless body, the movement of his well-defined muscles when he begins a new series… She almost forgot why she had come here. Taking a good look to him, the remaining alcohol on her brain pushes her to do something stupid. Waiting until James begins a new set, she coughs, startling him, and making the bar slip from his hands slightly, forcing him to rest the bar on his chest, fighting with all his strength to keep the weight away from his ribs.
Looking to the side, James sees her there, with a coy smile on her face. “Damn, Lola! Do you want to kill me?”
“Not exactly my plan, Jimmy.”
“Joder. Don’t just stand there, help me!” James is trying to raise the barbell from his chest, huffing with the effort and the accumulated tiredness of the workout.
The devilish grin on her face has turned wider when she moves closer. “Oh, I’ll help you, but I will want some reward after.” Closing the distance to the bench, she straddles him, sitting on his abs and taking a tiny part of the weight from him. Not enough to help him to raise the barbell, but giving him a little break to talk. “I have come to ask for some of that tequila you have hidden down here, but now…” She lets her free hand rest on his chest, enjoying the feeling of his skin on her fingers. “Now I will push my luck.”
Using his chest as leverage, she raises the barbell with her right hand, giving James the chance to push it up until it’s resting on the gun rack. “Damn, Lola–” He can’t end the sentence before she is silencing him with her lips.
For several seconds, their lips are sealed, and he didn’t move, not even for breathing. With a sigh, Shepard sits back again, hands resting on his chest to impulse her up before leaving his body, walking backwards to the hangar. She was blushing deeply, but she tries to put a smile on her face, even when is pretty obvious how fake it is. “Well, it looks that I pushed my luck too much. Let’s make as if nothing has happened, will you? See you later, Vega.”
She turns to leave before he can say a single word, grateful to all the Gods out there that the elevator was still waiting for her, almost running to hide her shame inside of it. James’ voice reaches her when the doors are closing, and she sees him coming to the elevator. She didn’t try to stop the doors, pushing the button to her floor with insistence.
When the elevator stops on her floor, she leaves it almost running, opening the door to her quarters without thinking and walking directly to the bed, falling face first on it and covering her head with a pillow. ‘Fuck, I did it. I fucking kissed him and he not even reacted to it. I’m a fool, and now I’ve ruined the best friendship I had since Joker.’ She screams her frustration against the mattress, hands pressing the pillow even harder over her head. She was so centred on her own thoughts that didn’t hear the opening and the closing sound of the door, or the soft steps that move closer. When the pillow is pulled out from her fists, she gasps and turns on her back, just to find a bemused James, still shirtless, standing beside the bed. “James! What the hell are you doing here?”
“Being the biggest strategist of our days, I expected that you didn’t need an explanation, Lola.” With a quick movement, he sits on her hips, straddling her body while his hands rest on his thighs. “You have run away before I can react. Rude, I must add.” He can see the angry frown on her face turning to one of surprise slowly. “You can’t come to my room, kiss me and then run from me.”
Turning her face away from him, she whispered softly, brows furrowed. “You didn’t return the kiss. If you didn’t feel the same–”
His hands hit the bed on each side of her shoulders, startling her, and he hovers over her, the dog tags hitting her chest. “You surprised me. I’ve been dreaming of it for months, and I can’t believe it was real. But you have been as quick as ever, and for when I reacted you are already at the elevator.” Her eyes move to fix on him, surprise written clearly on her face. When she sees the sweet lopsided grin on his face, her mouth begins to turn up. “Let’s say that I wished for something like that to happen from– well, almost since we met.”
Confidence return to her and her hands move to his chest, the right one grabbing the dog tags and pulling him down. “Then show me, Jimmy.”
He lets her guide him down, resting his weight on his elbows. “Encantado, Jane.” His full lips crashed in her mouth with the passion of months of restraint, looking and longing without any hope of making his dreams come true. When her tongue darts away, following his lower lip, he opens his mouth, entangling their tongues in a new type of dance, one that makes them moan and gasp. James moves away to catch their breath and leans his face to nudge her nose. “Have I convinced you?”
“Maybe we need to kiss a couple of times more, or maybe a hundred of times more, just to be sure.”
“As my Lola commands.” Locking their lips again, they can feel the smile on the other face, and they shared a giggle. In their minds, the same stupid thought appears, and when James moves to roll them, making Shepard land on his chest, he voices his thoughts. “Let no regulation separate–”
Her laugh fills the silence around them, and she pushes herself up until her face is in front of his, the breath of her mouth tickling his skin. “What the Reapers have joined.”
A/N - I wrote this smutty Shega fic for @v-v-sfm after I got inspired by some of their wonderful Shega renders. Hopefully the fic is okay! ^_^; (The art is a commission I got done many years ago by S-Kinnaly.)
Rating: E (super smutty)
Summary: James Vega and Jane Shepard have been flirting with each other for a while now, but things finally heat up and reach boiling point during a party on the Normandy when they decide to explore and fulfill one of James' fantasies!
Jane and James have finally settled into a life together after the Reaper War ... but something is up. James isn't acting like himself, and Jane is certain he's hiding something. The only question is what?
