Tagged by @monsterrae1—thank you for the tag lovely. Tagging whoever wants to play along.
I didn’t want to post anything i’ve been working on the last few days as it would be a bit spoiler-y so I was going through my wip folder and stumbled upon this draft that i really should clean up, expound upon and post as it’s too good to just leave in the corner collecting dust.
Banner by the ever-talented @radio-chatter
Title: Untitled MReyder Fic aka the Ellen POV fic
Fandom: Mass Effect Andromeda
Pairing: Scott/Cora, MReyder
Other tags/warnings: very rough first draft. Ellen Ryder POV. Scott married for politics but he’s in love with Reyes. Reyes respects Scott too much to cheat with him. Pining boys in love. alternative universe. Scott whump. Hurt/comfort.
Scott wakes at Reyes’ light touch to his arm. Scott immediately reaches for Reyes which stops Ellen from speaking. There’s this look on Reyes’ face as he looks at her son.
Scott is pulling Reyes to him, “you’re here?”
“I would not be anywhere else,” Reyes tells him.
Reyes is NOT supposed to be on the Nexus. Ellen knows him as someone of significant power on Kadara that somehow seems to report to both Keema as well as maybe Evfra. He’s usually present at any big meetings and participates in negotiations for kadara.
Scott is married to Cora. While Ellen hopes that her son is happy she does note that they seem to be a perfect political pair as Pathfinder and Lieutenant.
The way her son is looking at Reyes is not platonic. Normally, Ellen has noticed that Scott usually gets on with the Kadaran Exile more than most of the other representatives. She’d marked it down to some history of him helping Scott out before Diteon was founded.
But he’s usually much more guarded at all times—now he is not.
And her son is obviously all but clinging to a man who is not his husband. A man who is very carefully avoiding all the medical equipment so he can curl as close as possible to her son, a soft call of a spanish endearment comforting Scott’s protests as he tries to pull him closer.
Scott has always just gone along with expectations. He’s made whatever decision needs to be made to be perfect—at least from the outside looking in. What he really wants personally usually does not facto in. He didn’t want to be pathfinder but he did the best he could
He married Cora when she showed interest in him—making them the perfect political power couple. Cora is aware that Scott is friends with Reyes but she knows who he really is and despises him.
To keep the peace… Scott and Reyes mostly keep things quiet.
It’s not physical—or at least it isn’t yet physical.
They both love each other but respect each other’s ‘choices’ too much because they won’t talk about it. They’re affectionate and spend time together whenever they can slip away which isn’t often.
This is a time when the barrier is breaking down.
It occurs to Ellen how picture perfect her son has always tried to be. How he would suppress whatever he really wants in order to keep the peace or make others happy. Focused on being the ‘perfect son’ ‘perfect marine’
She wonders how bad Scott took it leaving the marines—nobody has ever wanted to tell her but she knows that Alec’s actions basically got her son discharged.
Ellen watches as Scott always does what’s expected, steps up, does the jobs that need doing. She wonders how he never buckles under expectations and keeps on going.
She wishes Scott would slow down and be happy.
She’d mentioned grandkids only once but the way that Cora seemed to put it off as a ‘thing for later’ when Scott had just shut down and not answered made he aware that her son—the son that always enjoyed taking care of kids around whatever military base they were stationed at—will follow his wife’s decision regarding children. This is despite the fact that she’d always assumed he’d be the type to ge married with a child already on the way. Instead he’s married to Cora for almost five years and childless.
Scott hasn’t slowed down at all… but now she wonders… is her son really happy?
Reyes tells Scott, “Shhh your mother is asleep.”
Scott protest quietly, tugging Reyes closer. Reyes runs his hand soothingly through Scott’s hair, crooning to him. “I’m here now cariño. Sleep. I have you.”
“But will you be here when I wake up?”
The painful look on Reyes’ face is answer enough.
“I cannot—you know I am not supposed to be here. “ the answer is pained, an answer that seems to tear Reyes apart.
Scott makes a wordless protest. “I missed you. Hurt and all I wanted was you.”
Reyes’ eyes are shining in the faint light from the biobed. “I’m here now cariño. I will watch over your sleep.” He caresses the edge of Scott’s face, encouraging him to settle.
It’s so intimate that watching makes her feel like a voyeur. There’s nothing sexual about their movements but the naked love and pain on Reyes’ face tells Ellen that she’s seeing something that’s only meant for Scott.
Her son settles back down, his hand still wrapped tight around Reyes’ wrist. Reyes just watches her son sleep, still stroking his hair from the forehead to behind the ear and down to the nape of the neck. He’s curled protectively around Scott—between him and the door—and he’s barely spared a glance in her direction other than once when she’d hurriedly closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.
He stays maybe an hour, not moving from her son’s side. Just watching Scott sleep.
The indicator light of an incoming message lights up on his omnitool and he frowns as he flicks it off. Leaning down, he places a series of soft kisses on Scott’s forehead, mouth and finally the hand that he picks up from where it’s been resting on his wrist to place it gently back down at Scott’s side as he sits up. Reyes carefully disengages, movements reluctant but calculated to disturb Scott as little as possible. Scott has been sleeping deeper and more restfully than he has the entire time he’s been injured—it seems Reyes’ presence was what was required to finally get him to rest.
Ellen says nothing, watching from underneath hooded eyes as Vidal leaves as quietly as he came.
She had told Cora that she’d take the night shift—let her go back to their apartment for the night and sleep in a real bed.
Ellen spends the rest of the night thinking on if her son is happy.
Her conclusion by the time Cora and Sara arrive in the morning with her breakfast is that her son is not happy. Hasn’t been since she last saw him before Alec put her in cryo sleep.
Scott wakes up with Cora and Sara’s entrance. It doesn’t escape Ellen’s notice that he seems to be looking for someone else instead of his wife and sister, his shoulders slumping slightly just for a moment in disappointment which is quickly masked by him being a model patient as the doctor enters for his morning examination. Cora ask a bunch of questions of the doctor as does Sara.
Scott only answers questions directed solely at him. He’s distracted but unless you knew him like she did you wouldn’t notice. She notices also that Cora hasn’t noticed… or she’s choosing to ignore it.
Ellen frowns and the doctor leaves, having not made her feel any better about her son’s well being.
Sara and Cora make conversation around her, trying to be normal. Scott is mechanically eating the food brought for him, eyes dull. The only time he slips up noticeably is when Cora mentions that there was a suspected smuggling operation last night but whoever they were got off the Nexus and slipped into the Scourge before they could be caught.
The grip on his spoon is just a bit too tight and probably is hurting.
“Do you know which gang it was? Any other intel?” He asks Cora.
Cora doesn’t understand the significance of what he’s asking. “No. Possibly angaran though given the engine signature.”
Humming, Scott goes back to his breakfast—more moving it around the plate than actually consuming it. He’s had such a terrible appetite and has been losing weight he really shouldn’t. The doctor would be on him and threatening to force feed him—if only partially joking—if he doesn’t eat the rest so Ellen prods him to eat.
She would bet money that Vidal was on the ship that got away—a lot of money. She’d also bet her son was happy he’d gotten clear.
Over the following week, Scott heals gradually. It seems to be slow but she knows it’s faster than anyone else would. Her son has been altered to be the perfect soldier—Ellen helped design the implants that have been put inside him to make him the perfect fighting machine and perfect pathfinder.
She wonders if he knew what they were doing—her husband at times had been overbearing and Alec had tended to do whatever was necessary for the family… whether or not they agreed to it. She loves her son so much but can’t also help but wonder if she loved him enough growing up or hadn’t shown him how important he was to her that he felt he had to choose this—all of this.
Did she show her children what a loving relationship with your spouse looked like? Because what she sees between Scott and Cora is… not that. God knows that she and Alec weren’t that demonstrative but their love had been solid and Alec had been her soulmate. She knew why he’d done things to bring their family to Andromeda and sacrificed himself for their son but she missed him terribly.
When Scott is finally released from medbay it’s only to his and Cora’s apartment. Cora is already making noises about something needing their ‘pathfinder attention’ on Havarl.
Scott makes the appropriate noises back but it’s obvious he’s not ready to go back to work quite yet. he’s supportive of his wife. He doesn’t once ask him if she’ll stay with him during his recovery.
When Ellen asks Scott he tells her, “we’re needed out there. She can at least help them while I’m out of commission.”
Out of commission. Like a broken machine.
Her son has become the perfect little machine.
There’s none of that spark she saw between Vidal and Scott between Cora and Scott.
Cora’s a fine daughter in law. Respectful. Upstanding member of the Initiative. Powerful biotic.
Her son and daughter in law are rarely affectionate in public but Scott still brushes a kiss against her lips when she leaves but he doesn’t cling to her like he did to Vidal.
The blankness in her son’s eyes scares her.
Cora leaves. Headed for Havarl and then likely Voeld before she’ll be back. Scott is expected to take another two weeks before he’ll be back to work. He’s already started doing physical therapy, working to regain flexibility and balance. SAM is speeding his recovery beyond the normal pace.
Can’t sit still. Would overdo it without her monitoring or SAM tattling on him.
Cora is due back tomorrow when Ellen catches the tail end of a vid call. It’s Vidal on the other end. Scott is saying he’s sorry for missing their meet up on Aya—some small trade discussion thing that had been forgotten in the wake of Scott’s injury. Scott’s voice is…. It has none of that mechanical quality to it that Ellen has become so used to hearing. Scott’s shut down expressing emotions so much since he became an adult. Hearing him speak with emotion—with longing and even teasing slightly—it’s shocking.
Ellen waits until the call is done before announcing her presence. Scott looks better. There’s color in his cheeks, eyes not so dull and lifeless.
Cora returned. The dullness comes back.
Scott is cleared to return to duty.
They’re on Aya, maybe two months later. Another trade summit that Ellen managed to get herself included on as a mini-vacation but really she just wants to be with her children. Cora is also here with Scott.
Vidal greets her perfectly politely and asks after her health. If she didn’t—hadn’t seen that nighttime visit—she’d never know how it is between him and her son.
It’s at a dinner after a long day of negotiations with her son and his wife, Keema Dohrgun, Vidal and several others at the same table when Ellen realizes she can’t take it any longer.
Someone jokes with Vidal about settling down—he demurs.
Another joke is made about having kids or a woman in every port.
Scott’s grip on his spoon is so tight that it’s going to be bent when he releases it.
Cora makes a pointed joke that is a bit too sharp and at Vidal’s expense.
Scott doesn’t react. Neither does Vidal.
Ellen has had enough of this shit.
“I was hoping by now I’d have grandchildren myself. If Reyes were to have children I’m sure he’d be a wonderful father.”
Scott chokes on his water that he’s been sticking to. Cora is maybe—slightly—glowing biotic blue in both rage and embarrassment at having her mother in law rebuke her. Vidal is watching Ellen right back as she considers him.
“I have not yet been blessed with children—I need the right partner to raise our children together,” Vidal admits quietly.
Ellen likes this man more and more. He’s got more gumption than her milksop of a daughter in law who she’s not really convinced loves her son nor that her son loves his wife. She’s almost 100% sure of this after the last several months of observation.
It’s obvious to her that Scott does feel something for Vidal. Something pure. Something that makes him look alive—and her son has been doing anything but living his life for himself.
Vidal hasn’t looked at Scott but Scott is unable to look anywhere but at Vidal.
Cora is trying to defend putting off children. It’s not sounding or really working well at all. She tries to get Scott to defend her as her husband.
Scott makes a half-assed attempt but it’s obvious he’s not really trying.
Ellen, who perhaps should be laying off the angaran wine, adds, “well if you were keeping my son more satisfied in the bedroom I’m sure I’d be a grandmother by now.”
You can hear a pin drop in the silence following her comment.
Until, that is, Vidal bursts out laughing and is unable to stop.
Scott is biting his lips, trying desperately not to join Vidal.
Cora is gaping open mouthed at Ellen. “What did you say?” She finally asks, voice high pitched and strained.
Ellen, sipping this fantastic wine and deciding what the hell, “You could be more concerned about my son and your marriage rather than Heleus.”
Keema Dohrgun refills Ellen’s glass, her galaxy swirled eyes gleaming in amusement and she winks at Ellen so that Cora cannot see it. Ellen suspects that Keema—who seems very close to Vidal and possibly considers him her son—agrees with her assessment of what is going on between the two men.
Ellen always did see herself as retiring with either her son’s mother in law or Sara’s mother in law and raising hell. Keema looks like she might be a good candidate.
It’s really too bad that Evfra looks like he’s about ready to restrain Cora if she gets too upset. Alec would have told the man not to stop Ellen when she’s on a roll.
“Cora—dear,” she lays it on thick, “if you were making my son happy you’d already have had at least two children by now. Scott has loved children since he was a teenager. If there was a baby around it ended up in his arms and he was the best babysitter to be had on six different military bases. There were fights over whose kids he would watch.”
Vidal attempts to intervene, his eyes flicking towards Scott’s before meeting hers. “Ms. Ryder—“
“Ellen,” she corrects. She wants to set the tone right. None of this Ms. Ryder crap. Her future son in law can call her by her name.
“Ellen,” he says, looking like his tongue has tied weirdly on the syllables of her name, “surely you can understand wanting to have a solidly established base in Heleus prior to bring a child into this world.”
“You mean like Kadara?” She asks calmly, taking another sip of her wine.
Vidal’s eyes widen comically and his cheeks are stained with a blush that is deepening rapidly. “Ah well…” he tries.
“Kadara is doing very well,” Ellen adds observationally and holds out her glass for Keema to fill again as it’s magically emptied itself. She knows that there were artificial wombs suitable for human embryo development that were given to Kadara with the last trade package and she wants her expectations to be clear from the beginning. Vidal’s handsome enough and he’d make a good genetic combination with her son. Angaran families are large from what she’s observed… and based on how close Vidal is with them she’s sure he would be willing to have at least two or three children.
Keema interjects slyly—her eyes meeting Ellen’s with a small smirk. “Reyes you did say you wanted several children yourself. Is there nobody you would want to settle down with?”
Reyes is very carefully not looking at Scott—who is still unable to look away from him—and shoots a betrayed look at Keema. Cora has crossed her arms over her chest and the frown on her face is as deep as a canyon.
“I… the person I could see myself with is not…” he is stumbling over his words, trying to find a way to dodge saying too much but too flustered at the directness of the question to completely avoid it. “I know what I want in a life partner,” he finally corrects himself with a small grimace. “However the time has just not yet been right.”
“Maybe you just need to make the time right,” Ellen tells him pointedly.
Suspicion crosses Reyes’ face just for a moment. “That is good advice,” he says carefully.
“Yes. Time waits for no one,” Ellen agrees now that she’s gotten her point across and believe he understands her.
She seems to have broken the mood and it isn’t too long before people are dispersing. Cora has her arm around Scott’s wrist like a manacle, ready to drag him back to their rooms where she no doubt is going to have something to say about how much Ellen has embarrassed her.
Ellen asks for Scott to escort her to her own rooms—in a different section—and she’s feeling a bit unsteady from too much wine. Cora’s face colors and she gives a huff before telling Scott she’ll meet him at their room. It seems to be implied that Scott is probably sleeping on the couch or floor tonight for not backing her up.
