#jaalmance

[gangstagandalf]

Ahhhh there’s nothing quite as romantic as watching your mortal enemy float out into space with the love of your life 💕

A little angara love for you this evening! Enjoy my lovelies!!

[becky-helene]

Getting Jaal’s important news cutscene right after Angaran Affection always makes me giggle. Such hilarious timing.

Jaal: I have important news

Ryder: *thinking* Am I pregnant? Is that why Sahuna just emailed me asking about birthing process?! Oh god oh god can Lexi do a pregnancy test? Is it possible to be pregnant already?! We just did it like an hour ago!

Jaal: *shares about having his own command*

Ryder: Oh hellllll no! I’m not raising this baby on my own!

Jaal: What

Ryder: What

[cousinslavellan-archive]

A. Ryder Log #24

Angaran’s give a gift; humans give a ring.

Jaal decides to do both.

Jaal x Ryder, Established Relationship, Post-Game. Also posted on AO3 under ‘The Misadventures of Aria Ryder’.

Fluff. Definitely fluff.

Gonna dedicate this to two lovely artists here on Tumblr this time around:

@lynngo-art again because a)srsly her design of Tela is spot on and her art is adorable go look and b)she mentioned proposals in her tags on that sketch and well... >3> ;;;

and also to @gangstagandalf for all the lovely compliments on the story and super awesome art for this series!! Go check both these awesome people out!! ♥ ♥

And also a big thanks to everyone who’s supported this work so far ♥ You guys are awesome. Enjoy the fluff! ♥

"Want to go with Auntie! Please?"

"It's really no trouble, Finn; I can give her a tour of the ship, at least."

"So long as you promise to return her before takeoff, Ryder. I fear you're becoming as attached as Tela."

"H-Hey! I wouldn't-!"

"I jest, Pathfinder. Go on, Tela, have a look around. But stay close and listen to Aria when she says it's time to go."

"Yes, Father! Auntie! Up!"

"Alright, kiddo, up we go. We'll be done in about an hour, Finn, promise."

As much as Jaal enjoys the scene before him - watching the easy banter between his brother and his beloved, seeing Aria scoop Tela up in a now-familiar motion, settling her easily on her hip - it makes slipping away all the easier, silently heading up into the Tempest and towards a specific storage room to the left of the loading ramp.

He has a specific, secret matter to take care of, after all.

Liam looks up from his seat on the couch, feigning ignorance despite the smirk pulling at his mouth, "Alright, Big Guy, what're we up to?"

Much as he normally enjoys the humans presence and considers Liam a close friend, today his faked innocence only makes him scowl. "Liam, I went over the details in the email."

The human allows to smirk to form then, leaning forwards to give him a wicked look, "I know, mate, but I want to hear you say it."

Jaal gives an exasperated sigh, making sure the door is shut firmly before turning back to his frustrating friend, "I need your help to find a ring."

"For...?"

"Aria."

"And the purpose behind this ring is...?" Liam's grin stretches at the growl that escapes the Angara, "Jaal, buddy, c'mon, this is only gonna happen once, humor me. Why do you need the ring?"

"I need your help finding a ring for Aria so that I can propose to her." Jaal rumbles, hoping to appease the human.

Going by the triumphant woop! Liam lets out, it worked.

"There, was that so hard? Now then! I got Aria's ring size from Lexi - not sure why she had that intel, and yeah she probably knows why I asked, but whatever - but I have no idea where to even start looking for a ring. So! I asked our specialist for help!"

Jaal jumps slightly when the door slides open and Vetra steps inside, looking just as done as he feels.

"Liam, really, even I thought that was overkill."

"You got the goods or not?"

Vetra shakes her head, but Jaal can tell she's grinning as she lifts her arm and steps closer, already scrolling through lists as the door clicks shut once more. "For what it's worth, Jaal, I'm happy you're asking. And I swear I won't tell Aria."

That relaxes him somewhat, "Thank you, Vetra."

"Now, what type of ring are we looking for? Standard, giant diamond?"

"No. Aria does not like diamonds." Jaal pauses, frowning, "She likes... blue gems. Nothing, ah... 'gaudy', is that the word?"

"Gotcha. Small and simple, elegant, but unique. Sounds like our Pathfinder."

Vetra brings up list after list, and the three of them end up squished onto Liam's couch, pouring over the choices - sorted so that only proper sized rings with blue stones come up.

"There's... more then I'd expected." Liam admits after a while, but Vetra only shrugs.

"Jewelry's small, light, easy to toss in a personal locker for the trip. I'm not surprised, really."

"Wait." Jaal sits up suddenly, gaze locked on the screen, "That one."

Vetra scrolls back to the ring in question, and she and Liam lean in, squinting at it.

"Definitely unique - blue stones and quartz, but none of the dreaded diamonds."

"Black band - ohhh, black gold, that's neat-"

"Where is it?"

"Let's see... last known location was... well, shit." Vetra scowls, "It's on Aya. Sold to the general merchant a few days ago, in fact."

"How the hell do you know this stuff?"

"I have my ways."

Jaal barely hears their banter; he's standing and dialing a number on his comm. the moment he knows where it is, "Vetra, have Kallo set course for Aya. If Aria asks, I am retrieving an item for my True Mother."

"I take it you have a plan?"

Jaal only shoots Liam a smirk before heading for the tech lab, where he'd hidden the other half of his gift, speaking into his comm. when the channel flickers to life, "Evfra, it's Jaal. I need a favor."

 Aria stands on the balcony of Jaal's apartment - arms crossed on the railing, breeze tugging gently at her hair - and sighs, staring fondly out over the wilder portions of the planet.

She had dutifully returned Tela to Finn only to be informed that their next stop was Aya, as Sahuna had asked Jaal to pick something up for her.

He hadn't specified what, but that was alright; retrieving something for Sahuna meant another visit to Havarl sooner rather than later, and she was more than okay with that.

Maybe she was a little too attached to his family, already... but considering their culture and how welcomed she had been, she didn't think so.

Jaal had been gone by the time she woke up, leaving her an email to say he would call her once he was finished, and to enjoy exploring as she wished.

So that's what she'd done... for a bit.

Aria had stopped into the Resistance Headquarters to check in with Evfra, who... still didn't seem to like her, per say, but there was a degree of respect in his mannerisms, now, and an almost smug sense of knowing that she wasn't sure she liked.

Then she'd checked in with The Moshae, who greeted her quite a bit more fondly then she might have expected.

"I am tired, playing liaison, but... it is fulfilling, rewarding work, such as I have not had in quite some time." the Moshae smiles a little, looking her over, "You have changed, Pathfinder. For the better. You are more like an Angara, now - more open. More in tune with yourself. Jaal has changed, to - you complement each other. I see that now."

"Thank you, Moshae."

In the end, Aria had found herself where she now stands - the balcony of Jaal's little apartment, his so long as he was considered one of Evfra's closest men, a bachelor style layout with a tiny kitchen in one corner, a decent sized bed in the other, and a small bathroom not entirely different from the human variety.

Jaal had shown her where it was and given her access during their last visit to Aya, though he admitted he'd never spent much time there, even before joining the Tempest's Crew - "Just to sleep, occasionally eat - or to think, when a day had been long."

She'd laid down on the bed for a while, enjoying the familiar scent still left faintly on the pillows, before ending up where she now stood, hoping Jaal would call soon.

I want to visit the kids again, Aria sighs, closing her eyes and bending to press her forehead against her arms, I need to learn more of their names. And I want to see Tela and the babies again. Maybe we can just spend a week on Havarl.

Fuck, when is Jill's baby due? Pretty soon. We can work on settling Meridian a bit more while Gil's on leave - oh, maybe we could spend a couple of months with Jaals family, then. I want to learn more about their culture, their family - but I don't want another Engineer on the Tempest while Gil's gone, should we ground it for a bit?

Hey everyone, holiday time, but we can't use the Tempest! Gaaaah, gotta figure that out-

A familiar beeping from her omnitool snaps Aria out of her thoughts, smiling a little as she lifts her head and opens the channel, "Hey, Jaal, all done?"

"Not quite yet." Jaal chuckles, "Do you remember the Waterfall, Aria?"

How could I forget? she wonders, cheeks turning pink at the mere memory of their time there.

"Of course I do."

"Good. Come, meet me here. I have something for you."

Aria lifts a brow, "Do I get any clues?"

Jaal only laughs, "It's a surprise."

"Alright, I'll be there soon."

Aria's out the door the moment the channel closes, trying not to look to frantic as she makes her way through Aya's streets, headed for that back pathway Jaal had led her down before.

She spots him the moment she steps out of the foliage - standing near the edge of the water, back facing her, looking as though he's holding something in front of his chest - and takes a moment to collect herself before striding forwards, grinning fondly at the familiar place.

"Okay, Jaal, I'm insanely curious now. What's going on?"

"I wanted to bring you back here. To where I first confessed my love." Jaal turns, smiling softly, the bundle in his arms catching her attention, "And where you reciprocated, and gave yourself to me. I was - and am - humbled by your love, Aria. And I have a gift for you."

He shakes the bundle out then, and Aria gasps a little, feeling giddy.

It's a Rofjinn, the same colours as his but with a little Pathfinder emblem sewn onto the right shoulder, smaller then his, built for human shoulders-

"You made me a Rofjinn." she breathes, feeling suddenly shy as he steps closer and hooks it around her shoulders, settling the material so easily that it's like it's always been there.

"You may recall, quite some time ago, when I mentioned making gifts for everyone," Jaal's voice is soft, full of affection, as he secures the clasp, examining his handiwork proudly, "And, finally, I was able to finish yours. Do you like it?"

"I love it." Aria pauses as a memory strikes, something he'd said recently, something that seemed to fit with the sudden trip to Aya, the special meeting place -

"How do Angara propose?"

"We ask. And offer a token of affection, in most cases. It can be a piece of clothing, jewelry, or a handcrafted instrument, to name a few."

Oh. Oh.

"Jaal-?"

Jaal's already sinking to one knee as her brain catches up, and her breath hitches, staring down at him with a frantic sort of hope.

Is that Angara tradition? Did someone teach him? Is this real? Is he really-?

"Aria," he says, pulling something from his pocket, face so anxiously affectionate and hopeful it can't be anything else, "Darling One. Will you-?"

"Yes!" she can't help it; the second she'd seen it was a ring her heart had burst with joy, laughing and flinging herself at him, practically tackling him and wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, kissing him joyfully, "Yes, yes, yes!"

"Aria!" Jaal is laughing even as he pushes her back slightly, manoeuvring into a sitting position with her in his lap, shaking his head at her, "Beloved, much as I appreciate your enthusiasm..."

"Yes?" she asks, tilting her head.

Jaal does his best to look serious, "You did not let me ask."

That just makes her start giggling, "I'm sorry. Go ahead."

Jaal's grip on her waist tightens, his expression shifting into one of obvious affection, "Aria Ryder. Pathfinder. Darling One. Temptress. Beloved." he pauses, lifting her left hand between them, "Marry me."

Aria blinks back tears, smiling widely, "Yes, Jaal."

Jaal's smile is blinding as he slips the ring on her finger, giving her no time to inspect it before he's nearly crushing her against his chest and kissing her soundly.

Then he's lifting her and standing and spinning her around, laughter ringing out into the air, the two of them together as they should be.

It's only after several more kisses and spins around the clearing that they head back to the Tempest, hands clasped, the looks they gather from the Angara they pass telling her the Rofjinn is not going unnoticed.

Likewise, the knowing looks of her Crew before they burst out in congratulations tells her they were in on it, too.

They set course for Havarl - Jaal had actually acquired a specific fruit for Sahuna from Aya, though the main reason had been for the proposal - and Aria only gets the chance to examine the ring after a few hours of 'private celebrations' in their rooms.

Aria lies in bed with her hand held out above her head, Jaal tucked against her side, an arm over her belly and body pressed right up against her.

"It's beautiful." she breathes, loving the uniqueness of it - a black band with two strips of stones, one set pale blue and one clear quartz - before tucking her hand against her chest and turning to snuggle into Jaal's chest, content, "Thank you."

"Only the best for my fiancée." Jaal purrs, touch turning a tad possessive, and Aria loves the shiver the word sends through her.

They arrive on Havarl and have barely stepped into the compound when Sahuna appears and spots the ring and Rofjinn, her shouts bringing the rest of the family to them.

They're surrounded by his family, welcomed and congratulated, Tela attached to her, Sahuna wondering about human wedding ceremonies, Etta not-so-quietly mentioning growing their family-

And Aria's never felt happier.

[koric]

[tiafrye]

[seigl]

WHY YES I WOULD 

(jaal doesn’t have a belly button but he still looks damn foine in a crop top)

[billowsandbreeze]

Fic: Bruises and Blush

Title: Bruises and Blush

Author: Billowsandbreeze

Rating: T for fluff, insinuating flirtations, and swearing.

Pairing: Jaal Ama Darav x Sierra Ryder

Summary: Jaal observes the crew and finds a comforting commonality.

Author’s notes: Just a fun little drabble to explore Jaal’s curiosity and growing affection for Sierra and the crew. Plus, the start of some inviting flirtation. Takes place when the Tempest first goes to Voeld. Huge thanks to @intergalactix for looking this over and letting me borrow the evolution line she suggested for Vetra.

“Fuck, that was cold. I can’t even feel my face anymore.”

Jaal chuckles at Liam’s words as the cargo bay doors close behind them. He’d had no idea the humans would be so…sensitive to Voeld’s climate, bundling their bodies almost beyond recognition to combat the elements. But even the other aliens—the Turian, Vetra, and the Krogan, Drack—had complained when they had ventured out into the snow. Perhaps the Milky Way was a much warmer galaxy than he had originally considered.

“My balls are frozen solid,” Drack says with a shake of his armor, sloughing off the ice stuck between the metal joints.

Vetra laughs over her shoulder. “It’s not like you need them anymore.”

Drack grumbles, but he’s grinning. “You always need a quad.”

Jaal’s lips quirk up as he sets down his rifle and begins to unfasten his armor. This new crew is bemusing, their comfortable manner with one another surprising him time and time again. At first, he hadn’t known what to make of them, all different in looks and demeanor. But the more he has observed, the more he sees the crafted workings underneath—the ties and relationships that allow them to function as a team. They are still strange and their customs foreign, but he thinks he’s beginning to understand.

There’s a muffled hiss, and his eyes slide to his left. The Pathfinder is unbuckling her suit, a pained scowl on her face.

“Are you injured?” He asks her in concern.

She shakes her head and smiles. “Nothing serious. Just a stray shot to the ribs.” Her smile turns quickly into a grimace as she peels away the underlining of her armor.

Jaal’s eyes widen.

The newly exposed skin on her abdomen is a sheer explosion of color—mottled blues and purples and a deep slash of green—that spreads halfway down to her hip.

“Ouch,” Vetra says, coming closer and bending down to inspect the Pathfinder’s side. Jaal blinks in surprise as the Turian pokes the skin with a sharp talon and laughs at Ryder’s flinch. “Human evolution could’ve used a few more armored plates, eh, Pathfinder?”

Ryder brushes Vetra’s hands away with a scoffing breath. “We make up for it in other ways,” she says, her brows raising.

Drack’s voice booms in amusement. “You wouldn’t survive otherwise! Humans are so…squishy.”

“Only compared to your thick skull,” Liam chimes in from across the way, leaning on a crate and crossing his arms.

Affectionate laughter soon fills the space. They are…teasing each other, Jaal realizes with a smile. It is something he can grasp, a…commonality between them so recognizable that he finds it infinitely pleasing. This form of bonding, so much like his sisters pulling at his fringe and comparing him, unflatteringly, to a kaerkyn, is finally something he can understand.

Ryder turns to him with a grin, and, emboldened, he finds his eyes drawn once more to her skin.

“Do humans often change color?” he asks, lifting a hand toward a deeply-shaded spot of purple.

“Only if you’re doing it right!” Peebee calls down as she passes by from above.

Jaal frowns, confused, but he notices Liam roll his eyes and Ryder chuckle.

Ah, another joke to figure out.

“It’s just a bruise,” Ryder says, turning to her locker, but she looks at him from the corner of her eye. “Do angara not get bruises when they get injured?”

Now he understands. The discoloration is a result of trauma.

“No,” he says. “When we are hurt, our skin hardens, protecting the vulnerability beneath.”

Her brows raise. “Really?” She eyes him speculatively, as if searching for proof of his words, and he shifts his feet, suddenly wanting to blush beneath her gaze.

Clearing his throat, he nods. “I take it humans have no such defense.”

“Unfortunately not.” She slides a thin shirt over her head, covering the bruise and the rest of her unblemished skin.

He leans closer, his voice lowering for her ears alone. “Peebee’s words. What do they mean? What must I ‘do right’ to see you change more?”

He meant it innocently enough, but he watches, fascinated, as her skin turns a brilliant shade of pink before his eyes. She is blushing, he decides, her cheeks a particularly dark red.

A small laugh escapes her mouth, and even though he thinks she is embarrassed, Ryder meets his gaze with a smirk.

“Now, Jaal,” she says, her voice quiet and teasing. “You’re just going to have to figure that one out for yourself.”

He leans back, delightfully surprised. He is almost sure she is flirting with him, and curiously, he finds his body’s natural current responding, charging higher at the very idea.

“Are you…” He pauses, trying to find the right words to express his interest. “…permitting me to do so?”

She simply smiles at him, coy—a frustratingly unclear indication of her desires. But then he considers that perhaps she is not free to show herself more plainly, not in her current role as their leader.

Stashing her pistol into her locker, Ryder steps back and gives him a slight nod. “See you around, Jaal.”

And then she is gone, climbing the ladder toward the helm of the ship. He stares after her, long after she has disappeared from sight. It is Liam settling next to him that draws him back to the present.

“Hey, man, you wanna work on a project with me?”

His words are so open and hopeful that Jaal feels himself instantly at peace. Yes, out of all of them, Liam reminds him the most of home.

Nodding, Jaal clasps him on the shoulder and, for now, pushes his burning curiosity at Ryder’s flirtations to the back of his thoughts. “Of course, my friend! What do you have in mind?”

[ashe-cat]

Me: do boys really think I’ll give up the goods just because of a few sugared words😧😒

Jaal: My darling one😚

Me: