Sara might be happy with the results of the quelled protest - other people not so much.
WC: 5,990
Author's note: Finally played the Mass Effect Trilogy and now making my way through Andromeda 💫
Sara's steps were full of eagerness as she went to the operations area of the Nexus. Her cheeks felt warm as they always did when she got a chance to speak with Kandros. Tiran, as she'd recently learned. She nearly lost her footing, tripping over nothing in her hurry to get to the turian she'd been crushing on recently. As a Pathfinder, she felt as if she should be more professional and having a crush felt so young, but there was no other word to describe her feelings.
Whenever she spoke with Kandros, it felt as if a swarm of butterflies was trying to escape from her stomach. Of course she found him handsome, but mostly it was his willingness to listen to her and give her assistance when he could - his ability to see her. So many of the other leaders had accepted her help, but would have written her off in a second if a more qualified person had shown up and was willing and able to take the job. Kandros was different.
As she rounded the corner to face him, heart light and proud of her ability to quell the protest near hydroponics, he spun to face her. Finally, she thought. She was thrilled at the opportunity to speak with him again, and hoped beyond anything that he would say he was proud of her. As her eyes flicked up to his, a rock dropped into her gut at his displeased expression. Displeased might have been putting it mildly, though. For a brief moment, old cartoon vids flashed into her mind. She thought of how anger was shown by smoke coming out of ears and thought that if Kandros had ears, they would most definitely be smoking.
She skidded to a stop, bracing herself for his anger, ready to assist with whatever he needed to keep that expression from his features when he growled, "You."
His anger was a strong enough force to send her backward, brows furrowed in confusion as he stalked toward her. He grabbed her elbow roughly and drew her through the ship until he found a supply closet in a side corridor.
"Can't get privacy anywhere in this damn place," he grumbled.
"We can go back to my room, if you like," Ryder offered.
He ignored the offer, slammed a hand on the button to open the closet and walked her forward by the arm until the door shut behind them. He let go of her and typed in a quick code, manually locking the door to prevent any disturbances. She made as much room in the closet between them as she possibly could and watched him pace in short strides back and forth as conflicted emotions swept across his features.
"Kandros," she whispered. "Is something wrong?"
"Is something wr-" he scoffed, mockingly. "You! You are what's wrong. I did not even want this job but somehow I manage to form some semblance of order and expectations for the Nexus and you come in and- and you insist on helping people."
Sara cocked an eyebrow at him and propped a hand on her hip.
"Last I checked, 'helping people' is my entire job description."
"That's not what I mean and you know it!"
She had never seen a turian as mad as a hissing cat, but he was definitely cutting it close. She imagined his fringe fluffing up in anger and stifled a giggle. He glared at her, incredulous.
"Sorry, Pathfinder, would you care to tell me what's so funny about this?"
He had only ever used her title with respect and to hear him spitting it back at her like an insult sent her over the edge.
"You're the one who dragged me into a fucking closet, Kandros! If anyone needs to be talking, it should be you!"
"We had to cut rations for APEX and now I've got a shit-ton of people pissed at me for some choice you made! You go to these protesters and instead of talking them down, which is something I thought you were supposed to be good at by the way, you offer to pull their families out of stasis meaning that now we are lower on already limited resources! I mean, spirits, what were you thinking?!"
She opened her mouth to defend herself, blinking rapidly at his unchecked anger. He threw up a hand and immediately cut her off.
"No, no. I'll tell you. You. Weren't. On your quest for great exploration, do you ever even stop to think about how your actions affect everyone else?"
A wild rage swarmed Sara and her cheeks once warmed by her excitement to see him, now heated because of her fury. If he wanted a fight, he would fucking get one. She lurched forward and shoved her hands against his chest, surprising them both when he staggered back a step.
"Of course I do! Are you serious right now?! It's all I think about. Every second of my existence is me giving of myself to everyone else. And I know that it will never be enough for anyone. Actually, It would be nice if you would calm down and thank me for all I've done for you - solving a murder, finding hackers and coordinating successful strike teams." She jabbed a finger into his chest and berated him further, "Maybe you could find a shred of gratitude deep inside that armored chest, or are some turians not taught basic manners?"
"Gratitude?" He barked. "Oh, of course - you're absolutely right. It's not like you're making my job harder in any way at all," he raged. "I spend over a year here managing everyone and trying to keep the peace and then we get stuck with you of all people. You- you're infuriating! You live with this consistent need to be hopeful and drag the rest of us along with you in your little dream bubble, consequences be damned - nevermind that one wrong move means death."
His hand slammed down onto a nearby container, causing a sharp noise that cut through the oppressive atmosphere. Their heads snapped to the source of the sound and the closet went quiet. His chest heaved as he avoided her gaze, as his fingers curled into a fist. Sara's chest felt as if weighted down, a deep drowning feeling that was now swallowing her whole. She was trying, damn it. Why couldn't he see that? The kinship she'd thought was between them quickly dissipated as she stumbled past him and began jabbing her fingers into the keypad to unlock the door. It beeped and flashed red at her to signify an incorrect attempt. After two more attempts, Kandros' hand wrapped around her wrist to stop her.
"If you try any more attempts, it will send an alert and someone will come to investigate."
His voice was weary, so worn down, a feeling that was all too familiar to her. She sniffed slightly, keeping her back to him, determined not to show the tears that had begun running continuously down her face.
"I don't care. I want out of here. Now."
His chest tightened at the tearful sound of her voice. Shit.
"No, Ryder," he sighed.
She let out a cry of distress and threw up her hands, breaking his hold, as she spun to face him.
"Why not?! You corner me in this closet and rant at me and then refuse to let me out? This is false imprisonment, Kandros!"
He growled low, but there was no menace to it, not like his outrage from minutes before.
"Just- just sit for a second. Calm down."
"I am calm!"
Her voice came out in a screech and he chuckled wearily at the sheepishness that spread over her face. It was a small space, and she turned to find a place to sit before realizing there was none besides the crate Kandros was already sitting on. He offered his hand, a soft pleasure skimming over his features when her hand slipped into his. He tugged her gently toward him and between his legs. She leaned into him, heart beating wildly as he held her close. Startled by their current predicament, they both remained silent for a few moments, hesitant to break the whatever fragile bond was forming between them.
"I'm sorry," he uttered, his voice low and gravelly. "That was unfair of me. I know how hard you work in general and how hard you work to keep everyone happy. It… it can't be easy."
"It's not," she mumbled as she traced a finger over the lights in his armor.
"I know. I get it. Just… when my people came to me and I had to tell them that we were cutting rations. I mean, everyone is waiting on someone. Everyone wants somebody out of stasis and when I have to look at my people and cut rations and tell them it'll be that much longer before they can see their families and friends… I'm just tired, Ryder."
He gave his head a small shake and pressed the side of his face against the top of her head. Their breathing was ragged, heavy and anxious, but slowly began to even out in the quiet. His free arm slipped around her waist and tugged her closer. She let out a soft gasp before leaning further into him. She squeezed his hand between hers and rubbed the back with her thumbs, easing the tension in his knuckles.
"Is this how you comfort all your colleagues, Kandros?"
Her voice had a teasing lilt as she spoke. A pleased trill slipped from his mouth as he nuzzled his face against her neck. Her easy manner was infectious and shame spiraled through his chest as he thought of how he'd just acted.
"I really am sorry, Ryder. I handled this all wrong."
She shifted in his embrace and tilted her head back to look at him. He met her eyes, repentant sorrow filling his gaze. She pressed a gentle kiss against his cheek and squeezed his hand again.
"I appreciate the apology. I know your job isn't easy and that my decisions sometimes make it harder. I hope you know it isn't intentional."
"I do, I know," he sighed heavily and shifted her so she could sit fully on his thigh.
Both of his arms wound around her waist as he pressed his forehead to the side of her neck. He inhaled her scent, smelled the standard soap provided by the Initiative, but underneath that, it was all her. It was stronger from her recent mission - she had obviously yet to shower and would likely spend the night on the Nexus before leaving again in the morning. His mandibles fluttered against her neck, teasing a soft giggle out of her. He grinned and skimmed his mouth over the sensitive spot and up behind her ear where he pressed his mouth to her soft skin.
"Tiran," she breathed.
He chuckled at the blatant desire in her sigh.
"Are we on a first-name basis now, Sara?"
Her gaze snapped to his, her mouth slightly parted.
"Are you teasing me?"
"I would never and I'm offended you'd insinuate such a thing."
Her expression took on a wry humor as she pursed her lips.
"That was very convincing," she retorted dryly. "Now that we've worked it all out, I suppose I'll see you around."
As she began to rise, he found himself tightening his hold.
"Look Kandros, this has been fun and all, but I have things to do that don't involve being trapped in a closet all evening."
"Like what?"
Desire made his voice deeper and more raspy. He felt intoxicated with the way she looked at him, and chided himself again for his stupidity at how he'd treated her.
"Like… well, you know. Important Pathfinder things."
He could feel her squirming in his hold and he reluctantly loosened his grip. She rose and dusted herself off, patting the front of her armor.
"Well, this has been fun, but I need to go. And," she glanced at the door, "I still don't know the code."
He watched her silently until his chest felt fit to burst.
"If the offer is still on the table, then yes I would like," he blurted.
Her nose wrinkled in confusion as she tilted her head.
"What are you talking about?"
He inhaled sharply as he gathered courage.
"If your room is still on offer, I'd like to go. To accompany you. Well- not just accompany but I would like to go inside it with you, if- if possible."
The corner of Sara's mouth twisted into an amused smile. She stepped closer and ran a finger down the side of his neck. He shuddered under her touch and let out a soft whine.
"All this to get in my room and you could have just asked nicely at any time and saved us the trouble," she purred.
"That's not what I- agh, nevermind," he grumbled.
In a haze, he stepped toward the door and punched in the code to unlock the door. An invisible thread tied him to her as he followed her through the halls and onto the tram that sped toward the habitation deck. He planted himself as far from her as possible, fully aware that if he moved any closer, the next person to use the tram would happen upon an event that he'd rather not anyone else be privy to.
Sara cocked her head, watching him curiously, bemused by his frazzled behavior. He fidgeted across from her in the tram and subtly shifted in his seat. His legs spread wider and caused her vision to graze over his thighs. She grinned at his discomfort and he gave an exasperated sigh before he shifted once more. He shook his head and avoided her gaze, his eyes snapping shut as he breathed rhythmically to calm himself.
When the tram doors opened, he sprang up and took off toward her room. He stalked hurriedly past too many people vying for the pathfinder's attention as he tried to keep his mind from wandering and imagining what would soon be happening behind the doors that were coming closer with every step. Sara scurried after him, struggling to keep up with his long strides. As they approached her room, she smiled politely at the security guard by the door.
"Hi! Just taking Kandros inside for some- uh, paperwork! Yes, I have some things he needs to… sign."
She giggled and ducked her head shyly as the security guard gave Kandros a knowing look. He sighed heavily and placed his hands on her shoulders to steer her into the room. With the door shut and locked behind them, he crossed his arms and leaned against the counter by the coffee machine.
"You're a terrible liar. You better hope you never get interrogated, Ryder."
Sara rolled her eyes and shook her head as she sat on one of the cushioned chairs and began to slip her boots off. She sighed in relief and wiggled her toes immediately after removing her socks.
"God, that feels good," she moaned as she slumped down into the chair.
He stiffened as he watched her eyes close in bliss as she draped herself across the furniture. With a subtle hand, he adjusted his cock, already partially extruded from his slit. He desperately needed to get out of his armor. Sara peeked at him with one eye and grinned at his discomfort.
"Well, would you like me to teach you how to play a human card game?"
"Cards? Now?"
His voice came out strangled as his cock pulsed, causing him to clutch the counter and groan in discomfort as the head rubbed against the hard plating of his armor. Sara leapt up from the chair and rushed to him, her hands reaching for his arm.
"Sorry," she laughed breathlessly, "I was only teasing you."
"I think I've been teased enough for one day," he hissed with a rueful smile down at her.
"Oh, have you? I'm not quite sure," she said with a mischievous grin.
His legs trembled as he grumbled to himself. Kandros slumped forward as he felt Ryder's taunting touch running over his armor and skim ever so lightly over the plating at his groin.
"Mercy, Pathfinder," he wheezed as he bucked into her hand.
"Beg for it," she ordered from behind him.
"I- what," he stammered.
"Beg. For. It."
The training to follow orders that had been established in him from such a young age kicked in again and he chased her touch with his hips, murmuring, "Please, Pathfinder."
His face heated beyond all reason when a desperate whine slipped out of him.
"Spirits," he groused at himself. "How old am I?"
Sara let out a soft snicker behind him.
"Old enough to know how to follow orders, Kandros," she murmured sweetly.
"Call me Tiran, not Kandros. Not anymore. Not when it's just us."
"Tiran," she breathed against his back.
With deft fingers, she began to remove pieces of his armor as soon as she could reach it. He marveled at her knowledge of turian armor but was too lust-addled to think more of it as more of his skin became exposed.
"Sara," he gasped.
Her fingers ran along the raised plating of his hips as she carefully maneuvered him out of the skin-tight suit he wore under his armor. He shuddered as her fingers swept across the vulnerable skin at his waist. So long. So fucking long since someone had put their hands on him in such a way. As she slid the suit down his legs, she knelt to kiss the backs of his thighs. His eyes nearly crossed in the haze of desire when he jolted at the feel of her tongue on the back of his knees.
"Fuck, Sara, what are you doing back there?"
He turned slightly to glance down at her and saw an innocent look plastered on her face.
"Just testing to see if turians can be ticklish, too."
He gripped the counter harder and breathed sharply through his nose. Ticklish was definitely one word for it. One could also say extremely horny and desperate for any touch she was willing to give him. His armor and body suit ended up strewn on the floor before he knew it. She rose, panting hard and eyed him greedily as he turned to face her. He was at least half a foot taller than her, so much to explore, to delight in. He gently brushed his thumb against her jaw and leaned down to rub his cheek against hers.
She responded with fervent kisses across his face. As unfamiliar as this human custom was, he had to admit it was becoming one of his favorites. Sara pressed her mouth to his and gently flicked her tongue out to tease against his. He met her eagerness with his own and clutched her tightly to him before lifting her up and turning to quickly place her on the counter top. As he leaned over her, he eyed her clothed body and rumbled with displeasure. He made quick work of removing her armor and body suit and sighed in relief when she finally pressed her bare skin to his.
Humans were such soft creatures - no protective plating or anything. He wondered at her ability to stay in one piece out in the field. As his thoughts wondered to logistics and general anatomy, Sara busied herself by wrapping her fingers around a certain bit of his. He breathed raggedly as his forehead dropped to her shoulder. He gripped her hips, unable to do anything but huff and whimper as she explored his cock with her nimble fingers.
"I've been hoping for this, Tiran."
Her eyes were bright with satisfaction as his mind worked dazedly over the day's turn of events.
"Ya know, I have a console to access the strike teams on the Tempest? But I always make sure to come back and deploy them from the Nexus," she whispered.
He grunted as her thumb rubbed over the sensitive head of his cock.
"That… nnn…. sounds like you're wasting a lot of fuel," he uttered raggedly.
Her laugh was bright and sharp and lit up his world. Her delight was contagious and he found himself smiling back in return.
She squeezed him tighter, worked him into a frenzy until he was bowed desperately over her.
"It seems like you're complaining, Tiran. I'll make a point to be more fuel efficient in the future."
He growled in frustration, fully knowing her position would take her away from the station for days or weeks at a time, but couldn't justify the extra fuel usage just so he could see her. Her hand paused the motion of tugging his hardened cock before she crossed her arms and leaned back against the cabinets.
"Are you seriously focusing on fuel right now?"
"…no?"
The responding roll of her eyes was full of disbelief as she chuckled at him.
"We can discuss fuel efficiency later maybe when we're not naked, okay?"
He nodded, heated with embarrassment and desire as he picked her up from the counter. He maneuvered carefully to the bed, avoiding the discarded armor and clothing. It went against all his prior training to ignore the mess, but he knew he was hopeless the moment Sara had smiled at him during her first day on the Nexus. Messes could wait when he had the one he'd been pining after in his arms right that moment.
Tiran was careful as he lowered her to the bed, determined not to ruin this. Sara's legs fell apart and he eyed her cunt hungrily before he cupped the back of her knees and jerked her to the edge of the bed. She yelped as she slid toward him and kicked her leg out to push at his chest. A blush had darkened from her chest all the way up to her cheeks as she avoided his gaze and mumbled, "You don't have to do that."
He feigned surprise as he glanced up at her avoidant expression, saddened by the insecurity he saw there.
"Sorry, Ryder, did you think this was for you? No, no, absolutely not. This is purely for my enjoyment and any pleasure you may encounter is just… a side effect."
She cocked her head to the side and offered a half-smile, completely aware of his ploy. Her toes nudged his chest again, more gently this time.
"A side effect, huh?"
"Exactly, now hush and let me get to work."
"But you-"
"Quiet," he hissed playfully. "I'm busy getting acquainted."
She laughed in disbelief and propped up on her elbows. He gently lifted her feet over his shoulders and began to rub the muscles all along her leg. He knew how it felt to be so exhausted from the field, all the aches and pains that accompanied it. He knew there were remedies, medicines she could get from Lexi, but he also knew that another's touch couldn't be replaced. She fell back onto the bed, stretched languidly and relaxed into his ministrations.
Her leg jerked as he found a knot on the back of her calf. She groaned and tried to squirm away. With one hand he held tight to her leg and continued to rub with his thumb, with the other, he grabbed her hip and pulled her closer to him.
"Don't fight it," he murmured. "It'll just hurt worse later."
Her expression turned almost sulky as she forced herself to relax into his touch and shut her eyes. The hand that had gripped her hip slid down further and toyed with the hair between her legs. The hair was damp, and he knew that meant she had been needing him for far longer than she'd let on.
"Do you hurt here too?"
His tone was huskier than usual and all Sara could do in response was nod and offer a muffled "mhm". She tried to squeeze her legs together to provide friction for where she ached the most and whined in distress when he refused to let her seek that relief. Unable to resist her any further, he leaned in and flicked his long blue tongue against her wetness. Her hips began to rock slowly against his face as she silently demanded more. He pulled back with a gasp and licked his mouth as he tried to find some momentary restraint to prevent himself from consuming her entirely.
Her mouth pinched tight and her eyes squeezed shut as if to hide herself away. He tapped her thigh lightly and waited until she looked up at him to begin speaking. Sara shuddered as he saw the glisten of herself across his mouth.
"Don't act like you can't speak now," he teased tenderly. "I want to hear you. I need to know how well I'm doing."
She scoffed and nudged at his shoulder with her heel.
"You said pleasure would just be a side effect."
His returning smirk was entirely wicked as he held her thighs closer to his face.
"Now listen, you and I both know that was a lie. I'm here for you and in all seriousness, I would like to know if you're enjoying yourself. Is there anything I can do to help you be more comfortable."
He watched as she scrunched up her nose in thought. Terrible poker face, no wonder she lost to Gil. Her eyes flicked up to his, unsure, and he could see she had hold of a thought she was debating on sharing. He nodded in encouragement and gently massaged her thighs to relax her further.
"I… I also like praise. Actually I was hoping that you would tell me that you were proud of me for quelling the protest… and instead you…"
Her eyes began to water and her stomach dipped as she confessed her vulnerability. It was one thing to be confided in and help others - quite another to feel so exposed in front of someone she so admired. Tiran sat back slightly, even more aware now of how his harsh words had cut at her. He eyed her with new conviction and leaned forward so he could hold her cunt against his mouth. He gently spread her folds and licked her lightly up and down before skimming against the side of that small bud he'd been told could send humans into a frenzy. She squirmed again, but this time with less discomfort and more desire instead. Her eyes were intensely focused on his as he licked gently again.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart," he rumbled. "I am proud of you. You're so… good. A good person, good at being a pathfinder. It's like you were made for it," he murmured against her core.
He teased the edge of her opening before he drove his tongue inside and sighed in relief at the whimper she let slip. He spoke softly between licks and kisses to her heat.
"Truth be told, Sara, I'm jealous. People seem to gravitate to you, to follow you more easily than I could ever get them to follow me. I wonder what kind of magic you must possess to be so… irresistible."
Her soft noises grew higher in pitch as her toes curled and her legs tightened on either side of his head. Her breath was heavy as she reached for one of his hands.
"You… hff… you are good too, Tiran."
He paused for a moment and gently squeezed her hand as he met her soft, earnest gaze. She tugged more insistently on him in an attempt to pull him onto the bed and over her. He resisted her and tugged his hand from her grasp before he went back to her folds. His tongue was becoming well-attuned to her needs, flattening and rubbing, flicking, tasting, thrusting, whatever would bring her the most pleasure. He explored her with merely his tongue before her squirming got to be too much.
He spread one hand across her lower stomach and teased at her opening with the other. His fingers slid carefully inside her tender pussy where he thrust slowly, to tease, but also to be careful of his talons. His plated knuckles rubbed until her breathing became erractic. She kicked lightly and whimpered as she reached futilely for him.
"Not- nnn- not enough, Tiran. Tiran, please."
He leaned back in and continued to thrust his fingers into her, accompanied by his tongue on her clit. He swirled around it, careful not to put too much pressure until she was writhing and crying his name softly. He kept on, refusing to let up until her body tensed and she began to pulse around his fingers. He lapped at her gently as she trembled underneath him and the flutter of her walls slowed.
He sat back on his heels, eyeing her as he licked his fingers, one hand still clasped around her ankle to keep the contact between them. He was rather satisfied with himself, with the blissful expression on Sara's face. As her breathing slowed, she peeked timidly at him and began to inch back toward the pillows. He prowled toward her, the movement of someone who knew their place in the world, knew exactly what he wanted and tonight, that was her. Tiran lowered himself over her, pressed their chests together, held himself up enough to not crush her.
She reveled in his weight on top of her, the safety it provided, and her legs wound around his hips to invite him closer. He settled in between her legs, his cock now fully extruded and nudging against her swollen lips. She began to fidget in anticipation which had him realize she was more nervous than she seemed to be letting on.
"Sorry," she muttered. "It's just been a while. 600 years ya know, I'm a little out of practice." Her eyes darted everywhere but his face. "It's just that I'd like you to enjoy yourself and I don't want your expectations to be too high because- well, maybe I could- instead-"
"Pathfinder," he barked.
Her inhale was sharp, her eyes wide as they focused on his own. He paused, unsure what he could say to calm her, to assure her he was just happy to be with her, that her pleasure would fulfill him if that's all she wished for. He might have to find a bathroom nearby before he could fit comfortably back in his armor, but he-
"Pfft."
He glanced back down at her in confusion and noticed her face flushing further as her snicker turned into a guffaw. Unable to stop his own, he dropped his forehead against hers, their chests shaking with laughter as she gazed adoringly at him.
"Sorry," she said in a hushed whisper. "I'm nervous."
"I couldn't tell," he grinned back cheekily. She shoved lightly at his chest and narrowed her eyes playfully. "Me too," he confessed, his own voice quiet between them. "Do you still want- "
"Yes."
Sara grabbed the back of Tiran's neck and pulled his mouth to hers. She pressed soft kisses across his nose and cheeks and nipped lightly at his mandibles. With a gentle nudge of his nose under her jaw, he tipped her head back and peppered gentle kisses all the way down her neck to her breasts. His tongue flicked out to circle her nipples before he grazed his teeth lightly over each one, pleased by the way she arched against him.
His cock twitched, desperate for attention and so achingly hard. He slid an arm around Sara's waist and leaned back on his heels. With his free hand, he rubbed the head back and forth over her cunt ever so slowly to tease her, and grinned when she growled in annoyance. She met his eyes pleadingly and he nodded back to her before nudging the tip inside her. She clung to his shoulders, fingers scrabbling for purchase as she opened up around him.
He used the gravity to bring her down further on him, bucking slightly when Sara began to bounce. She reached between their bodies and held him steady as he slid deeper. She was halfway down and had stopped with a whine, lips pressed to his neck as she panted desperately.
"Easy now," he murmured.
"Tiran," she whined.
"Such a troublemaker," he said with a teasing shake of his head.
She let out a desperate whine, brows crinkled in frustration.
"Hush, Sara. Be my good girl and relax."
He felt her taut thigh muscles go slack around him, making it easy for him to move flat on his back with her thighs hugging his. Having her atop him like this allowed for her to take his cock more deeply and at her own pace. She pressed both palms against his chest and rocked slowly back and forth. He massaged her legs steadily to help her thighs spread wider. She let out a soft gasp as she took more of him and he had to fight to maintain some awareness instead of slipping into a frenzy and pounding her into the mattress. Another time, maybe.
She was almost there, almost all the way. He glanced down to where they were joined and nearly spent himself at the sight. He gently rubbed around her clit, unable to hold back a wicked grin when her thighs began to tremble as she slid down fully.
"My good girl," he groaned as he shifted and felt her walls clench around him.
Her eyes sparked open as she beamed triumphantly down at him.
"Yours," she murmured with a quick kiss to his nose.
They paused together, steadied their breathing, and he watched entranced as she rose slightly and slid back down. Her hips circled over his, her breath ragged and all he could do was watch as she rode him, her eyes softening at the awed expression on his face. She slid a hand down her stomach to her cunt to rub her clit as she rose up on her knees above him. He quickly tugged her back down and swatted her hand away to replace it with his own.
Unable to stop himself, he bent his legs and planted his feet further apart to have enough leverage to drive up into her. She gasped in shock and tipped forward onto his chest, thighs wide and hugging his hips as his chest rumbled with pleasure. He grabbed her hips and ground her down onto him, rubbing her clit against the protective plating above his slit. She went breathless each time she rocked against him and tried to hurry him along.
He pinched her side playfully and shook his head, laughing softly as she whined and swatted at his chest. When he felt a familiar sensation low in his belly, he relaxed his hold on her and let her move at the pace she wanted. Her movements were jerky and hasty and wonderful and- Stars burst behind his eyelids as they snapped shut and he came inside her. The sensation of her fluttering cunt was even better as he emptied himself into her, as he heard her low moan of satisfaction before she collapsed against him.
"Tiran," she mumbled sleepily.
"Yes, sweetheart?"
Her body was limp and pliable as his talons scraped lightly over her spine.
"You have to stay. We have… paperwork."
"I'm pretty sure the guard is aware of what we were actually doing, Pathfinder."
Sara groaned and thumped her forehead against his chest, grumbling further when his laughter disrupted her. She peeked up at him through the haze of satiation and exhaustion.
"You know, if you're wanting me to be more fuel efficient, that was a terrible argument for it."
An unfamiliar swelling began in his chest, a fullness, a contentment. He gathered her against him and stroked her back softly until her breathing slowed.
It's been like ten years and I dunno if I ever posted about it, but it always annoyed me whenever people said 'I chose Raeka over the krogan because she was actually useful and I like her, the scouts were just there, they didn't do anything' when that's literally the point. The point is that they're not useful for your mission. They're just some people in a bad situation and you're the only person who can get them out before something horrible happens to them.
The krogan have only ever been valued for their use by the other Milky Way species. The Milky Way has quite infamously has never cared about the krogan as people with lives that possess an inherent worth; either you have a useful krogan or you have a problem to solve or ignore. This attitude crops up throughout the series, from Wrex on Virmire all the way up to Mass Effect 3 where you can choose to trick them into extinction in order to secure salarian military support. You can write off an entire species as a lost cause, and depending on who's in charge, you can get away with it. You can exploit the krogan for the sake of winning the war and let them all die out, all because the salarians promised their help if you help them clean up their 'mistake'. Because that's what the krogan are to them: a tool that outlived its usefulness, and has only become a problem since.
The point of the choice isn't asking the player who is more useful to your mission and the Initiative. It's asking how much you value the personhood of the krogan when they're not useful to you.
Now I want to be clear that there's nothing wrong with choosing Raeka or that choosing her means you're a bad person or whatever. Whether you chose her because she's a cool character and you liked her or because she's the only surviving original Pathfinder and you think her experience and training make her essential to the Initiative in the current circumstances, good for you. It's a video game, press the buttons that make you happy.
My issue with this whole thing is that people criticise the fact that the krogan are 'just there' and then try to come up with ways that the krogan could have made themselves useful to be worthy of consideration, and in my opinion that just shows that those people are fundamentally missing the point of why the krogan aren't of any help to you in this mission, and why they're a bunch of unnamed scouts compared to the established character of Raeka. Because they're the exact kind of krogan that always end up being left behind in favour of 'more deserving' people.
People shouldn't need to be useful to be worth saving. They're worth saving because they're people. And if you do choose to save the krogan, you're proving that Andromeda can be different, and that the krogan don't always have to be useful to be worthy of consideration. Even if that wasn't the lens you or your Ryder were viewing the situation with, that is how characters like Drack see it, and it matters to them.
The Eos harvest festival. Not the first, maybe the second or third. It's a deliberate attempt to create a tradition, everyone knows, but they willingly take part.
The crew of the Tempest have a standing invitation. The responsibilities of the pathfinders are many, no one would takes offence if they didn't come. But today, they are here.
The crew sit together, enjoying a beverage that may not be entirely authorised.
Lexi sits with the other Asari, not a slight, just a pleasant opportunity to be amongst her own people.
Shepard turns to the others.
"You guy's don't mind if I step away?" She asks.
A knowing look between others.
"No, we don't mind." Ryder tells her in reply.
She approaches the Asari.
"May I ask for this dance, my lady T'Perro?"
Lexi looks briefly to the others. No one objects. If anything they are intrigued.
"You may, my lady Shepard." Replies Lexi.
It's an old tradition, filtered through multiple different cultures, over hundreds, even thousands of years. But the intent still remains.
And they step on to the dance floor.
There are many couples there tonight, some for the first time, others of many years standing. But they only have eyes for each other.
Ryder and the pathfinders look on. It's strictly against regulations ot course, but no one cares. Not tonight at least.
The Asari observe. A few knowing nods amongst them.
Playing ME:A again and determined to finish it this time so I can see Jaal absolutely devour Ruby Ryder.
Also last time I played this it was on PS4 and holy shit, do mods make a huge difference with this game’s playability and graphics! Why is she so hot?? 🥵
