Okay but why couldn't Vega's pull up challenge be done with an audience around? Majority of the Normandy crew would be sweating, drooling, or both. On the other hand, consider all of the missed opportunities for interactions, banter, and trash talk. Joker and EDI would definitely be the ones taking bets.
Also, who am I kidding? Because this is totally me using the challenge as an excuse to have Tali flustered like crazy while watching her girlfriend show off. Meanwhile, Garrus is Shep’s ultimate cheerleader because look at her! Look at how strong she is! He wouldn't be able to stop bragging about her skills, especially when she stomps Vega's record into the dust.
[A short companion piece to First Impressions and An Eye for an Eye because I love Garrus & Castis interacting.]
"I just can't believe it."
Castis narrowed his eyes at Garrus, staring at him skeptically.
Garrus glared right back at him, feigning indifference.
"Well, believe it," Garrus muttered, tapping his talons against the table, too nervous for his own good. "I'm with them now, regardless of what you think about it."
Castis flicked his mandibles out into a brief, albeit smug, grin.
"Well, please," Castis hummed, leaning back in his seat, "do tell. What is it that I'm thinking, o great mind reader?"
Scrunching his nose up in disdain, Garrus huffed.
"You think it's crazy, don't you?"
"Do you think it's crazy?" Castis countered.
"Hardly."
"And are you happy?" Castis asked, catching Garrus off-guard.
"I, uh—" Garrus cleared his throat, his eyes averted. "Yes, I am. Very much so."
Despite his antics, his tone was certain, resolute.
Castis cocked his head to the side.
"Then, I'm fine with it. Although, I didn't expect you to be interested in one alien, let alone two, but wonders never cease, I guess." Castis picked up his menu, scanning the restaurant's vast selection. "Now, should I get the fish or the steak?"
Garrus watched him blankly.
"What?" he squawked, at a loss.
Castis glanced up, echoing him in confusion. "What?"
"That's it?" Garrus questioned. "That's all that you have to say?"
"Do you think I should get something else?" He started scouring the menu once more.
"No!" Garrus snapped, reaching out to take his beer in hand. "I meant, are you not going to say anything else about me being with Thane and Shepard?"
"Should I?" Castis asked, genuinely curious. "I know that it's not the most common relationship structure among turians, but I've met them both. While I might not agree with everything they say and do, they keep you safe and happy, and that's enough for me." He shrugged, then pretended to sniffle and wipe a tear away. He placed his hand over his heart, as dramatic as his son. "I always knew you'd take after your old man for something."
Spirits, Garrus needed a drink.
"What is that supposed to mean?" he snorted, lifting his glass.
Castis' eyes twinkled mischievously.
The bastard waited until Garrus took a long swig to say, "Well, why do you think your mother and I were so close with Ellen and Alec?"
As realization dawned, Garrus' eyes bulged. He sucked in a deep breath.
Of course, instead of a mouthful of air, Garrus inhaled his beer, instantly sending it down the wrong pipe.
Garrus choked. Slamming his beer down onto the table, he was sent into a coughing fit, beating a fist against his chest as he struggled for breath.
"You and the–the Ryders..." Garrus gasped.
"You know," Castis sighed, "for a detective, you can be really clueless at times."
It was just Garrus’ luck that their waitress would show up in the middle of his crisis, slowly inching her way into view while casting worried glances at Garrus.
"So!" She said, attempting to keep her voice chipper. "What can I get for you?"
"I think that I'll have the steak," Castis said with a bright grin, ignoring his son as he buried his face into his hands with a defeated groan.
Shepard kissing her partners for the first time...
Garrus: Awkward to start. After all, a turian’s mouth plates aren’t as pliable as a human’s lips. They make it work, though. She covers his face in kisses. His mouth, his cheek, his scars. He focuses more on gentle nuzzles here and there, bumping his forehead and nose against hers. Letting his mandibles flutter against her skin, especially when he finds out that her neck is ticklish.
Thane: In one word? Intense. Their lips brush tentatively at first, curious and reserved. They pull away to catch their breath for a split second, only to close the distance in the next. They can’t get enough of each other, plain and simple. Each kiss they share is like both their first and their last. Their hands wander, and before they know it, they’re wrapped up in a tight embrace.
Irikah: She thinks it’s cute how she towers over Shepard. She admires every single detail for as long as possible. Her fingers trace along her jawline and tease at her freckles. She watches with fascination as Shepard’s eyes flutter closed, trusting Irikah completely. How she leans into Irikah’s touch when she cups her cheeks. Their breath catches in tandem when they eventually do kiss, and Irikah can’t let go, doesn’t want to. She tangles her fingers in Shepard’s hair, but Shep doesn’t mind. They smile and laugh breathlessly into the kiss, both of them reluctant to part.
Tali: Both of them are practically jittery with anticipation, nervous yet undeniably thrilled. When Tali does take off her face plate, her hands are shaking at first, but Shepard reaches out to steady them. She waits until Tali meets her eyes and smiles, reaches out to caress the curve of her cheek. The instant Shepard calls her beautiful, Tali’s lips are on hers, and they’re toppling over, giggling and laughing in between each peck. Each kiss lingers longer than the last.
After a mission on an icy planet, Shepard has to deal with her shivering, teeth-chattering trio. All of them have already laid claim to her bed, her hoodies, and 90% of the blankets on the Normandy. She makes some mugs of hot cocoa for Thane and Irikah and the dextro equivalent for Garrus, courtesy of Mama Vakarian's special recipe. The instant Shep's settled into bed, they all close in around her, cold hands and feet causing her to shriek. While Garrus doesn't hesitate to drink, probably burning his tongue in the process, Thane and Irikah eye the strange human concoction before taking their first tentative sip, letting it warm them up from the inside before they take an even longer swig. They snuggle together in their cocoon of blankets, exchanging sweet kisses that taste of chocolate and marshmallows.
There, she could admit it. No one needed to pry it out of her. No one needed to chastise her for stretching herself too thin. She knew her limits. Oftentimes, she ignored them, but not tonight.
Tonight, she needed one thing, and that was to simply forget. To forget about the last two years, to forget about her own death, to forget about those she had lost or those who very lives depended on her success…
For once, she was going to be selfish. Commander Shepard was going to take a night off to enjoy herself, and the galaxy would have to wait until after her shore leave for any heroics.
After facing down an Ardat-Yakshi —and consequently watching one of her close friends and crewmates kill her own daughter— Shepard decided that she has had enough of this shithole of a galaxy for one day. While Samara returned to the Normandy to take some time to herself, turning down Shepard’s offer to keep her company, Shepard returned to Afterlife in hopes of getting her mind off of things.
She wouldn’t have minded drinking herself into a stupor, but she figured that it was best not to test her luck so soon after the last time she drank at Afterlife.
Nothing like some poison from a racist batarian to give her a little pick-me-up.
Regardless, the last place that Shepard wanted to be at the moment was on the Normandy, so she would have to do without getting drunk.
Plus, that probably wasn’t the best coping mechanism to deal with her current stress.
Strolling past the line in front of the club, Shepard ignored the cries and complaints of those trying to get in, unable to keep her lips from pulling up into a smirk. The moment she stepped into Aria’s palace, the steady thrum of bass greeted her. It enveloped and embraced her like an old friend welcoming her home, her teeth chattering ever so slightly as the vibrations settled down to her core, bone-deep.
It wasn’t long after she sat down in a booth when he joined her.
Leaning her elbows on the table, Shepard’s smile then turned apologetic.
“Thane,” she greeted, her voice sounding exhausted, even to her own ears. She regarded him slowly, lips parted. “Sorry about leaving you behind like that. I thought we would be fine with our usual setup, but Samara was worried that—”
“She was concerned that her target would go to ground and escape her if we aroused her suspicions too much,” he stated, mimicking Shepard’s posture as he leaned against the table.
“Understandable, although her concerns were unfounded. I was able to monitor the situation from the shadows easily enough, and this ‘Morinth’ was none the wiser.”
The corner of his mouth twitched upwards, there and gone within the blink of an eye.
“Nor were you and Samara,” he added.
Shepard blinked owlishly in response, narrowing her eyes.
“You’re enjoying this way too much,” she accused. To which he simply shrugged, scoping out the area with a speculative glance.
“In retrospect, perhaps.” Well, at least he admitted it, but Shepard watched his eyes eventually settle on her once more, soft and gentle. It made her melt on the inside, her breath catching in the back of her throat. “But at the time, I was—” He paused, considering. “Terrified for you, siha.”
“Thane,” she sighed, a mix of fond and frustrated. Although, it was more so the former than the latter. “I can take care of myself, you know.”
“You’re right, of course. I’m well aware of your abilities to defend yourself, Shepard. I’ve witnessed them firsthand on many occasions, yet the concern I felt for you in that instant wouldn’t let up. It ensnared me, and I foolishly fell prey to its trap.” He interlocked his fingers, shaking his head at himself. “It was irrational of me to act in such a manner. I could have jeopardized the mission. I should have trusted you, but it was a moment of weakness on my part, one that I won’t repeat.”
Shepard stared at him, her heart doing a small flip in her chest.
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” she eventually said, hesitating before she confessed to him. “It’s nice having someone look out for me.”
Her cheeks heated up, warm and flushed.
“I mean—” She cleared her throat, trying to think how best to explain. “I know the others look out for me and all, but it’s not quite the same. It doesn’t feel the same. With some of the crew, it feels more like they’re asking after Commander Shepard more often than not.”
If they even think to ask how she is doing. Usually, the crew has their own problems keeping them occupied, or they’re too busy preparing for the Omega-4 Relay to bring it up. Not that she could blame them. The whole situation had everyone on edge.
Still, it felt nice to be acknowledged, to feel as if she could actually be imperfect and human for once.
Thane cocked his head to the side, eyeing her with that keen, dark gaze of his.
“And with me?” he asked.
She shrugged, trying to brush off the intensity of her answer.
“With you, it feels more like you’re asking after Jane.”
Maybe she got swept up in the haze of indulgence that frequented such places. Maybe she was still feeling some aftereffects that lingered from her encounter with Morinth. Either way, she felt uncharacteristically reckless. They were away from the beck and call of duties and responsibilities. Tonight was all theirs, and Shepard didn’t see much reason to hold back, not when they could both die any day now.
Even in a place so packed, there was a tension —an undeniable intimacy— that blanketed the air between them. Here they were, secluded away in a shadowy corner, two dead people brought back to life. Both of them were lost souls, left floating adrift with nothing more than uncertainty waiting for them on the horizon. Few understood them like they understood each other.
What they now shared was a connection that went beyond mere friendship. Shepard didn’t know if it was love exactly, but she knew that he was something more.
Their eyes locked, and the world around them faded away, no matter how briefly.
“With you, it feels like you’re asking about the woman behind the ‘legend,’” she whispered.
When his lips parted, her gaze was inevitably drawn to them, fixated by the sight. Shepard idly wondered what it would be like to kiss him. Would his lips feel as soft and smooth as they looked? Would he kiss her tenderly at first, only to grow consumed by the passion of the moment? Would he be the one to take control, or would he relinquish it to her at the first opportunity? Perhaps it would be more spontaneous than that, simply doing what felt right in the moment.
His lips then moved, forming words, and broke Shepard’s focus.
She blinked owlishly at him, caught off guard.
“Huh?”
His lips quirked up in amusement, not even bothering to hide it this time.
“Has something distracted you, siha?” he asked, his gaze all too knowing.
The smug bastard.
“No,” Shepard huffed, lying through her teeth. “What makes you say that?”
Thane shrugged. “You simply looked lost in thought.” He paused, clearly enjoying himself. “And a tad bit flustered.”
Her cheeks warmed under the attention, somehow managing to blush even more.
“But as I was saying before—” Oh, right. He had been saying something while Shep was caught openly staring at his lips like a lov—awestruck idiot. “—I am worried about you, Jane. Not just because of your legend, your title, or the terrible burdens this galaxy has decided to impose upon you.”
She glanced away at that last part, unable to meet his gaze.
Thane didn’t give her the chance to distance herself, though. He tentatively reached out, his fingers brushing along hers with a feather-light touch. Not a demand or an order, but an offer, one of comfort.
Her heart fluttered in her chest, and she was powerless to resist the waves of yearning and desire that coursed through her. She slowly took his hand between hers, savoring the heat that emanated between their skin, but even that wasn’t enough for her. She hungered for more. She craved it. Every touch from him left her breathless, but each one only left her wanting more.
Besides, she was a little tired of them talking in such a way, always across from one another. Both of them so close, yet always with a careful distance set between them.
She wanted so badly to close it, even if only for the moment.
“Siha,” Thane continued, “I worry about you because the very thought of anyone or anything bringing harm to you shakes me to my core. Because I think of a galaxy without your light to brighten it, and I loathe it.”
Shepard tried for a laugh, but it escaped in a shaky mess.
“You say such things, but then you expect me to behave myself,” Shepard joked, squeezing his hand in hers. “Excuse me for saying, but I doubt that this little back-and-forth can last forever. At the end of the day, I am only just a woman.”
Thane cocked his head to the side, but his shrewd gaze didn’t relent in the slightest, searching her expression.
“A woman who, like everyone else, is prone to act on her desires if given the opportunity.”
A statement, not a question, but Shepard answered like it was one regardless.
“Only if that’s what you want as well.”
“Is that still in doubt?” he asked. “If it is, then I’m not as apparent in my intentions as I thought.”
“Well, I certainly wouldn’t mind if you were a bit more forward,” Shepard teased.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Truth be told, Shepard wouldn’t know how to handle him and his intensity if he took that to heart. Not that she would object, but she didn’t know if she could keep up if he put his full focus into pursuing her.
Part of her liked the chase between them, though. Even from the beginning, when they were racing to get to Nassana at Dantius Towers, it felt like a game of cat and mouse. They were always pushing, always pressing, to get ahead of the other. Adrenaline surged, exhilarating and addictive.
It would only be natural if that type of pursuit mentality bled into their personal relationship, given how much they savored it in their professional one.
Perhaps Shepard simply enjoyed the feeling of being wanted and desired. That could be it.
But there came a time when even she grew tired of the distance between them, of toying with one another without either of them actually acting on it.
She released his hand momentarily, already mourning the loss of contact the second his warmth left her. Sliding out of the booth, she got to her feet and offered her hand out to him once more. A coy grin played on her lips.
“Want to get caught up in a little bit of trouble tonight?”
Without hesitation, his hand slid into hers.
That didn’t negate the skeptical glance he threw her way, but it was enough to make her chest feel all light and fuzzy on the inside.
Thane cocked his head to the side as he appraised her.
“Just a little?” he asked, getting to his feet as well.
Jane chuckled.
“Let’s see where this night takes us,” she whispered.
With a sharp pull of her biotics, she dragged Thane forward until they were chest-to-chest. He stared up at her in amusement with a wicked smirk.
“I think that I can handle that,” he said.
Together, they ventured out onto the dance floor.
If Morinth had been right about one thing, it was the music there. Even without the drugs to enhance the experience, it had a way of burrowing inside one’s mind. The rhythmic pulses teased along one’s body like a lover's caress, made dark promises that lured them in.
As they swayed together, moving their hips in time to the song, Shepard grinned.
“You never told me that you could dance,” she breathed, the lights around them casting shadows on their faces.
His hands ghosted over her sides. The grip he eventually took on her hips grew tight.
“Maybe you don’t know me as well as you think you do,” he said, cryptic as ever.
Too bad that his smile gave him away.
“Oh, yeah?” Shep leaned in, resting her forehead against his. “Well, I call bullshit.”
Thane laughed, his voice reverberating with joy.
“Or maybe I’m just trying to impress you,” he said, amending his former statement. “Isn’t that what happens when a man has the pleasure of knowing someone as captivating as you?”
“Perhaps.” Shepard shrugged. “But there’s no need to do that, you know. You’ve had me under quite the spell since we first met.”
“Everything’s going according to plan then.”
Jane shoved at his shoulder with a playful snort.
“Really?” she teased. “Then, enlighten me. What is this brilliant master plan of yours?”
“Simple, really.” Thane gave his own biotic pull, causing Shepard to stumble closer, his arms wrapped around her waist. He brushed his lips against hers, yet refused to close the distance. She could taste every word on the tip of her tongue. “Seduce the Normandy’s illustrious Commander.”
Without warning, he spun her around in his arms, embracing her from behind.
As their bodies settled into each other, Shep could feel his breath on the back of her neck.
A shiver raced down her spine.
Shepard swallowed thickly, voice low. “Oh, is that all?”
Despite her attempt at playing casual, Thane was able to see right through her mask.
He pressed a lone kiss upon her throat, goosebumps blossoming at his touch.
“Of course not,” he chuckled. “That’s only step one.”
Jane paused, considering.
“And step two…?” She trailed off, hoping for him to fill in the blanks.
As if he would ever hesitate.
“Step two is a bit more complicated.” He traced a claw along her frame, admiring the underlying strength. “Step two involves convincing a certain oblivious turian that he should be with us both.”
Shepard tensed.
“How—”
“It’s not hard to put two and two together, siha.” He held her close, taking a deep breath. “You care for him.”
“I do.”
“And I care for him, too. He seems interested at the very least, if hesitant.”
“Hesitant about what?”
“If I had to guess, about us.” When Jane didn’t respond, he reassured her. “I don’t think he’s ever been in a relationship with more than one person before, let alone two aliens.”
“He told you that?”
Thane hummed. “Call it a hunch.”
Once Shepard processed that, she turned to him. Taking Thane’s hand in her own, she led him through the crowd of swaying bodies gathered together on the dance floor.
After they broke free of Afterlife, they stood outside, lingering by the entrance.
“Come on,” Shep said. She hurried along with Thane by her side. “If we’re going to go get mixed up in some trouble, then we better go find it.”
“You’re a terrible influence,” Thane noted.
She stopped mid-stride, turning to face him.
Pulling him in close, her lips skimmed over his, light and playful.
Before he could kiss her fully, she ducked out of range. A mischievous grin played at her lips, her heart racing within her chest.
“The worst,” she agreed.
Head held high, she eased her way backwards when he advanced. A challenging spark lit up his eyes, focused solely on her.
“Tell me,” she said. “Is there a step three to your elaborate plan? You know, once you’ve secured the affections of the man and the woman you long for?”
Thane played along with her theatrics, distracting her long enough to lead her exactly where he wanted her.
“There is.” When her back hit something solid behind her, she didn’t even have a chance to look before Thane lunged forward, his arms caging her in on both sides. “What is it that you humans are so fond of? A ‘happily ever after?’”
Shepard scoffed, raising an eyebrow at him incredulously.
“You think that’s in the cards for us?”
“You never know.”
“What a romantic,” Shepard sighed.
Glancing behind her, she eyed the skycar he had her pressed against, an idea coming to mind.
Quickly, Shep pulled up her omni-tool's interface. She might or might not have used her Spectre clearance to run an instant scan on the vehicle's registration, identifying the owner with ease.
“Well, would you look at that?” she said, showing Thane the results. “This car is listed to a private owner. Asari. Alanya Mereto. A very powerful, very established Eclipse mercenary.”
She would have loved to watch as realization dawned on him, but Shepard was already bypassing the car’s security protocols by the time he caught up.
Within seconds, she hacked her way through the automated systems, opening the door once it was unlocked.
Well, Tali, those ‘basic hacking lessons’ came in handy after all, Shepard thought, her adrenaline already pumping.
When she hopped into the driver’s seat, Thane shot her an unimpressed look. At first, Jane thought that she was in for a lecture, but he simply made a shooing motion at her.
“Move over,” he ordered. “No way am I letting you drive.”
“What?” She scanned the area behind him, huffing in offense. “Come on, Thane. We don’t have time to mess around. Someone could have seen us already and notified Mereto.”
He stood his ground, resolute.
“Garrus told me about your days in the Mako.”
That explained the attitude.
Oh, Garrus, that little—
“Fine.” Shepard grumbled, scooting over to the passenger seat. “Fine, fine, fine.” After he was in, Thane closed the door, and the car purred to life beneath them. “It’s not like we’re going to be up front for long.”
“Is that so?” Thane asked, his expression coy.
Shepard shot him a heated glance.
Reaching over, she placed her hand upon his thigh, stroking lightly along the seam of his pants. She leaned in, her breath warm across his cheek while she spoke.
“I think you already know the answer to that,” she murmured. The frills along his neck fluttered in response. “Now, why don’t you put this bad boy in autopilot and join me?”
“Is that an order, Commander?” Thane rasped.
“Only if you want it to be.”
After disabling the car's tracker, Shepard made her way to the back, admiring the luxury model's more spacious interior.
Fit for a higher-up in a criminal organization, but even more perfect for what she had in mind.
Once Thane chose one of the standardized flight paths for Omega, the car's VI took over with autopilot mode engaged. If manual mode was needed for any reason, the VI should alert them.
Otherwise, they had the ride all to themselves.
Switching to privacy mode, the skycar’s windows and windshield darkened accordingly. While no one would be able to see in, they could still see out.
And what a view it was.
Nothing compared to the man in front of Shepard, though.
Thane didn’t even so much as hesitate.
In the blink of an eye, he was straddling Jane’s lap, capturing her lips into a passionate kiss.
Jane could only manage a lone gasp before it was swallowed up by their lips, moving in tandem as one.
Shepard stroked her hands down along the expanse of his back. She caressed the leather that covered his body, his scales slowly developing a glossy sheen. Everywhere his skin secreted its venom, it took on an iridescent shimmer.
Colors shifted in the car’s low lighting. Shadows whipped through its interior as it sped along its programmed path. Shepard clung to Thane, grabbing ahold of his ass with a rough squeeze. Her touch was enough to make him gasp, desperate for more.
Shep took advantage of the opportunity to deepen the kiss. Thane parted his lips under her guidance, their tongues brushing tentatively before exploring further.
Their breaths mingled, transitioning into frenzied moans and sweet nothings.
When Thane started to roll his hips against her, Shepard returned the favor in kind.
She simply couldn’t get enough of him. Heat surged through her everywhere he touched. The slightest break in contact had her diving back in for more, powerless to resist.
The instant Thane broke the kiss to catch his breath, Shepard’s lips glided over those vibrant red frills.
Thane trembled under the attention, his claws digging into the leather seats as he braced himself.
“Siha,” he whispered, blissful and reverent.
He stared at Jane as if she was a deity in the flesh, capable of great power yet choosing to bind herself to him.
She was certain that she looked at him the same way, enthralled by the mysterious being that was Thane Krios.
Shepard cupped his cheek and pressed a lingering kiss upon his lips.
“Touch me,” she said, spoken softly against his lips before they parted.
Taking his hands in hers, Jane pried them away from the leather long enough to guide them to her breasts. She squeezed over his hands, and he took the hint, kneading over the fabric of her dress.
Thane swallowed, the air growing thick with tension.
Shepard sank her teeth into her bottom lip, watching Thane through a hooded gaze.
Her vision swam. Everything but Thane grew out of focus as her body absorbed his venom. He was the sole focal point of her very existence in that moment. Lights and shadows continued to dance in the outskirts of her vision.
Thane shoved one of his hands underneath her dress, causing Shepard to arch into his touch when his fingers traced over sensitive nipples.
He watched her intently, transfixed.
“Good touch?” he rasped. “Or bad?”
Shepard could barely breathe, let alone talk. She nodded frantically instead.
“Good,” she panted. “Definitely good.”
Carefully, Thane took a second to try and ease the straps of her dress down over her shoulders. Shepard had to shimmy a little to get one arm free before moving onto the next.
The brush of his scales against her skin lit her nerves aflame. The warmth swirled inside her, eventually settling low in her gut.
With her chest laid bare, Thane took her tits in hand once more. Thumbing over her nipples, the sharp tips of his nails scratched lightly until they tightened into stiff peaks.
Shepard moaned under her breath. The cool air of the car caressed her exposed skin in direct contrast to Thane’s heated touch. It made her squirm, rubbing her thighs together desperately.
“Please,” she begged, admittedly feeling more than a little lightheaded.
When Thane started to pull away, her hand darted out to clamp down around his wrist in a vice-like grip.
That wasn’t what she wanted! She wanted him—
“Closer,” she breathed, her stare focused upon his lips. “Don’t go.”
Something in her tone must have gotten to him. Thane’s entire demeanor softened around the edges. He leaned in, and she met him halfway as he captured her lips into a warm, tender kiss.
Resting his forehead against hers, he caught his breath in between kisses. Each time they would pull away, one of them would chase after the other’s lips for just one more.
As if “one more” would ever be enough for them.
Eventually, Thane managed to explain himself.
“I need to get out of this shirt,” he told her. “It seems like it’s choosing now, of all times, to be more bothersome than helpful.”
Where the fabric was typically flexible to suit his needs, it felt more like a hindrance at the moment. His chest couldn’t expand as fast it needed to, the discomfort slowly but surely building up with each breath.
That was enough to knock Shepard out of her stupor long enough to fuss after his well-being.
“You okay?”
Was that a serious question?
Thane chuckled, “Never been better.”
Peeling the shirt off, Thane quickly tossed it aside. His scales shimmered, now coated with venom.
Shepard took her chance to stroke her hands down along the expanse of his chest, admiring his toned physique.
Before she could venture too far, Thane stopped her roaming fingers as soon as they skimmed along the waistband of his pants.
“Not so fast,” he chided, stealing a swift peck.
His lips then lingered at the corner of her mouth. From there, he trailed kisses along the outline of her jaw, then down the column of her throat.
Using teeth and tongue, he teased at her skin with open-mouthed kisses, rushed and rough.
By the time he took one of her nipples in between his lips, Shepard was trembling beneath him. His tongue swirled in hot, wet circles while he took her other breast in hand, kneading it within his grasp.
“Fuck,” Shepard gasped, her chest heaving with every breath.
She clutched at Thane’s back, her nails digging in deep when he switched sides to give the same attention to her other nipple.
Before long, he started to lower himself onto his knees before her. Shoving at the bottom of her dress, he bunched the dark fabric up around her waist. Shep took the initiative and tossed her legs over his shoulders, her thighs framing his head.
Thane kept his eyes trained on her as he leaned in and dragged the flat of his tongue over her panties. Shep whimpered in the back of her throat, clenching and unclenching her thighs around him.
“Are you—” Shepard was cut off when he eased her panties aside, strangled on her own words. “Are you sure you haven’t been with a human before?”
Thane chuckled low, allowing the vibrations of his voice to flow against her.
“I might have done my research,” he hummed, teasing the tip of his tongue through her folds. “It probably helps that you’ll find that I’m very generous.”
“Is that so—” Jane choked when he carefully parted her lips, burying his face in between her legs to lap lightly at the wet heat of her entrance. Her hips jolted, but he used his free hand to pin her back against the leather seats. The car thrummed on in the background, an accompaniment to the sweet sounds of her moans. “C–Careful with the claws, mister!”
Thane snickered.
“I used to make it a habit to keep a couple of my nails trimmed and dull.” He pulled away, gaze dark, just enough to smirk up at her. “I see that I’ll have to pick up that habit again for next time.”
“Bold to assume there’s gonna be a ‘next time,’” Shepard said, trying yet failing to play it cool.
Thane’s eyes twinkled mischievously.
“I’m confident in my chances,” he murmured, tracing her entrance yet again.
Shepard rolled her hips in response, dragging her nails against the seats before cupping the back of Thane’s head.
Finally, he started to ease his tongue inside her, her entrance splitting open around the tip of it when—
When Shepard had a call come through on her omni-tool.
“Damn it,” she snapped, a film of sweat gathering at her temple. Pulling up the interface, she swore again. “Shit, it’s Garrus.”
Thane’s reply was instant.
“Answer it.”
Shepard blinked owlishly at that, her cheeks and chest flushed a warm, enticing red. Only, it was out desire, rather than embarrassment.
The thought alone of hearing Garrus's voice while Thane ate her out had her heart racing, her mind spinning uncontrollably.
Her thighs clamped down pointedly.
“Don’t you dare stop,” she ordered.
Thane whispered, “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
With a swipe, she answered the call, and Thane pressed his tongue in further.
Gods help her. Shepard tried her best to keep the tremor in her voice to a minimum.
“H–Hey, big guy.” Too bad her attempts failed from the start. Horribly. “What’s up?”
Garrus huffed on the other end of the call.
“‘What’s up?’” Garrus asked, incredulous. Thane explored her inner walls, Shep sinking her teeth into her bottom lip to keep the noise at bay a little longer. “What’s up is that Samara boarded the Normandy a while ago, and there hasn't been any sign of you or Thane since. We got worried.” He lowered his voice into a whisper. “I got worried.”
That shouldn’t have riled her up as much as it did. She ground her hips against Thane’s face, more insistent than before.
Tossing her head back against the seats, she sank deeper into Thane’s hold, staring up at the ceiling as she pinched and rolled her nipples between her fingers.
“Shep?” Garrus asked, confused by her sudden silence.
Good thing the feed was audio only.
For now, that is.
“Yeah,” Shepard breathed. “I’m here.” She plucked at the stiff nub until it tightened impossibly more. Thane circled a lone claw around her clit, an electric heat shooting through her body from head to toe. “Sorry to make you worry. Thane and I decided to— well, to take a break.”
There was a second where Garrus said nothing, pausing before continuing.
“Are you okay?” he asked, wary. “You sound a little breathless.”
More than a little.
“I’m fine,” Shepard squeaked, Thane thrusting his tongue inside with a wicked curl at the end. The word spilled out from her lips before her brain could stop and filter it out. “There.” Right there.
Shepard froze when she realized that she said that aloud, but Thane didn’t hesitate in the slightest, curling his tongue once more as he rubbed eagerly at her clit.
She could envision it now. How realization would dawn on Garrus, right before his eyes widened in disbelief.
“Jane, are you two seriously—”
“Yep,” she gasped, chuckling nervously. Talk about awkward… “Sorry, I guess it was weird to answer while we were in the middle of this.”
“Not ‘weird,’” Garrus said, not really knowing what to do with this information now that he had it. “Just unexpected.”
“I wanted to hear your voice,” Shep admitted, unable to resist.
She whimpered when Thane slipped his tongue free, tracing her clit with a parting kiss.
He then claimed her lips for a brief second. In that time, she could taste herself on his tongue, more so turned on by the act itself.
Once their lips parted, Thane purred out, loud enough for Garrus to hear.
“We wanted to hear your voice,” Thane corrected, adjusting himself in his now too-tight pants.
“Oh…” Garrus sounded a bit distant before repeating himself. “Oh.”
Now he was getting it.
“Well, uh, nice to know what I’m good for,” Garrus said, trying to make light of the situation.
But Thane wouldn’t dare let him tear himself down like that.
“You’re good for way more than that,” Thane stated vehemently. “Obviously, that’s a talk for another day, though.”
“What we wouldn’t give to have you here with us,” Shep sighed, “if that’s something you’re interested in.”
Thane began to suck and nip at her skin, marks blossoming in his wake. Shep arched her neck out on display, her blood pumping like molten lava flowing through her veins.
“Wait, seriously?” Garrus’s voice raised in pitch. “You want me there?”
“Yes!” Shepard gasped. Her legs fell wide open as she yanked Thane closer, struggling with his pants. “Fuck me. Now.”
“Spirits,” Garrus hissed, then paused, only to panic in the next second. “Shit, shit, shit. I’m in the mess, you two. For fuck’s sake.”
Shepard and Thane laughed into their next kiss, smiling against each other’s lips.
“And you’re only remembering that little fact now?” Thane questioned, finally easing his pants open enough for his cock to spring free.
Shepard instantly took him in hand, a tad longer than the average human but with a swollen base as well. The weight of Thane’s curved shaft settled heavy into her hand, slick with a slippery substance.
Interesting.
“Siha,” Thane growled, pressing further into her touch. “Lay back.”
“Yes, sir,” she answered, more than happy to follow his lead.
“Wait!” Garrus snapped.
Both of them immediately stopped in their tracks, frozen in place.
After a loud chime echoed across the comm channel, Garrus breathed a sigh of relief.
“Alright, I’m in the Main Battery,” he whispered, his voice low and husky. “Now, do me a favor, Commander.”
“Anything,” she said, making the promise without missing a beat.
Garrus chuckled at that.
“On your hands and knees then,” he instructed, surprisingly stern in a way that Shepard never heard before. “And that’s an order, Commander.”
Okay, that definitely wasn’t a tone he ever took with her before.
Was this the infamous Archangel who led an entire squad to take back Omega? If so, then Shepard would like to see more of him.
Shepard caught Thane’s eye, but he only flashed her a wicked grin in return.
“You heard him.” Thane gave a pointed twirl of his fingers. “Hands and knees, Jane.”
“Of course,” she said, flipping over into position. The leather creaked beneath her, but Shep got as comfortable as possible in such limited space.
Behind her, Thane rested a knee on the leather seats, hiking her skirt up higher so that her ass was more exposed. Her face heated up in response, but Shep would be lying to herself if she denied the effect the new position had on her.
Her folds glistened, warm and wet by the time Thane teased his tip along her entrance, panties pushed aside.
“I bet you both look so beautiful together,” Garrus praised. Fabric rustled, and the flanging effect in his dual tones faltered. “Nice to know the Commander can take orders as good as she gives them.”
Shepard huffed, but the sound quickly shifted into a loud whine when Thane folded himself over her, his chest flush against her back as they rolled their hips together in unison. His cock slid against her, all while he whispered sweet nothings against her temple.
Her vision swirled, but she had enough presence to focus on them.
“Fuck you, Vakarian,” Shepard laughed, breathless and woozy.
“Patience, Shepard,” Garrus said. “We’ll have our turn soon enough.”
“Hmm…” Thane pressed a kiss to her forehead, humming thoughtfully to himself. “I bet you’d have him falling apart in seconds. Imagine it.” He whispered in her ear, lips brushing lightly across her earlobe. “You fucking Garrus into the bed while I ride his face, splitting him open until he barely remembers his name.”
This time, both Shepard and Garrus moaned at the thought.
“Please.” Shepard squirmed back against Thane, reaching between her legs to part her lips. She toyed with her clit, desperate for any kind of friction that she could get. “I swear to all the gods there are, Thane Krios, if you don’t fuck me right this instant—”
Of course, he couldn’t let her get away with that, now could he?
With a lone thrust, he split her open on his cock, causing her to cry out mid-sentence.
“As you were saying?” Thane taunted.
“Fuck you,” she snapped. Bracing her hand against the window, she shoved her hips back, taking him in deeper.
“So you keep saying,” Garrus said.
“Quite the dirty mouth our human has,” Thane whispered, sparing her a bruising kiss.
“I’d be happy to show you both just how well I can use it,” Jane rasped.
Inch by inch, she sank back onto Thane’s cock until she felt his knot brush against her entrance. He coaxed her into relaxing, whispering softly in reassurance as he continued to rock against her. Slowly but surely, he eased inside, both of them trembling with restraint by the time he was completely buried inside her.
Panting, Thane reached forward. He rested his hand over hers, their fingers tangling together.
“Gods, grant me strength,” Thane grunted. Closing his eyes, he buried his face into the crook of her neck, drawing in her scent with each and every breath. “So warm, so tight…”
“I bet she tastes divine,” Garrus murmured.
It didn’t take much imagination to figure out what he was doing, not whenever the sounds he made rivaled their own.
Thane shivered at the thought.
“She does,” Thane said, sliding his cock almost all the way out. His tip barely clung to her entrance, but the next thrust sent their hips slamming together with a loud smack, wet and filthy. “So, so good.”
Shepard merely whimpered in response, squirming to take him deeper.
“Faster,” she begged. Between the lust-filled haze and Thane's venom, Shepard was unable to string together a coherent thought. “Harder. Thane, Garrus, please.”
When Thane fondled her tits, Shepard parted her swollen, red lips.
“Need you,” she mewled, that coil of pleasure winding tighter and tighter inside her. Every thrust of Thane’s hips grew sloppy and uneven, obscenely loud in between their mindless rambling. “Need you both.”
“You have us,” Garrus stated. “Spirits, I’m so fucking close…”
“Hope you’re not done after this one,” Thane said, his voice reverberating with bliss. “Because I’m nowhere near done with you two, roshun.”
“Promises, promises,” Garrus replied. “Come back to me and find out.”
“I intend to,” Thane whispered, brushing Shepard’s sweaty hair back from her face to pepper kisses all over her flushed skin.
Soon, their lips met, and their tongues explored, drowning out their moans and cries.
Each slap of their hips grew frenzied, building up to something more. They couldn’t get close enough, so far as they were concerned. Blue light surrounded them —embraced them. Their biotics fed off of each other, growing until they nearly enveloped the car in a thick haze. It made their lips and bodies tingle. Like that moment before lightning struck. They clawed and scrambled for purchase, leaving marks on each other’s skin.
When Thane angled his hips just right, Shepard pleaded with him to keep going. He started to trace her clit as he pounded his hips against hers, nailing that spot with each thrust.
The tension inside them was stretched tight to its breaking point, but Thane was determined to see her through first. He concentrated part of his biotics around his fingers, stimulating the area around her clit with waves upon waves of vibrations.
With one last, final thrust, Thane’s hips stilled when he felt Shepard’s walls clamp down around him. She cried out when she fell over that edge, the tension snapping all at once.
Her eyes rolled, unable to tell up from down and left from right.
A pure burst of biotic energy sprang forth from her body, the sheer force of it causing the skycar’s systems to overload for a split second. They started to veer off course, only for the autopilot to correct the error once the backup systems were online.
Her entire body felt like it was on fire. Each nerve was singing to life, overly sensitive while she floated on that high.
Shepard hadn’t even noticed when her arms gave out, but Thane was there to catch her the second she faltered. He caressed her throat, fingers poised over her fluttering pulse.
How easily he could kill her with just a flick of his wrist or a slice of his claws.
But Shepard trusted him, more than anything.
When she arched her neck out, offering herself up to him on a silver platter, Thane lost whatever fragments of his control that still remained.
Thrusting frantically inside her, he buried himself impossibly deep, rolling his hips against hers until his orgasm washed over him like a flood.
He could vaguely hear Garrus coming undone in the background, allowing that to spur him on as his knot started to swell.
“So good,” he gasped, chasing after that sweet, sweet release with every breath. “So beautiful. I—”
He started to pull away, but Shepard grasped at him blindly, shaking her head from side to side.
“Don’t,” she croaked, her voice completely wrecked. “Don’t pull out. Want you here, stay. Inside me.”
She was still out of it, rambling idly, but Thane wouldn’t deny her that.
Pressing their hips flush together, he soon spilled inside her with a low moan, his knot locking them into place.
His biotics flared in a much less dramatic fashion than hers, yet he still caused a flicker of interference once he finally released that pent-up energy.
Together, they rolled their hips as they rode out their orgasms.
By the time they came down from their respective highs, Jane winced when Thane eventually slipped free, wrinkling her nose when she felt come slide down her thigh.
That was, of course, until Thane leaned in and cleaned up the mess with his tongue. Her entire face burned in response.
What a gentleman.
“So, uh…” She mumbled, shifting around to fix her dress once he was done. “I guess we need to have a talk later, right?”
“Definitely,” Garrus muttered. “I still don’t entirely understand where you two even wandered off to.”
Before either of them could answer, the car jolted, and the alarms started blaring up front.
Thane and Shepard exchanged a pointed glance, Thane rushing into the driver’s seat to take control.
“What was that?!” Garrus demanded.
“Huh? What did you say?” Shepard started to make fake static noises. “Sorry, Garrus. I think our connection is breaking up.”
“Sorry!” More horrible static noises, courtesy of Shepard’s outstanding acting skills. “Can’t hear ya. We’ll have to talk later.”
“Jane, don’t.”
Shepard disconnected the call.
Squeezing her way to the passenger seat up front, Shepard scanned their surroundings, spotting a handful of cars chasing after them.
“Let me guess,” she sighed. “Mereto?”
“That’s our best bet,” Thane replied, the corner of his lips twitching in amusement. “Got a weapon?”
“Are you kidding?” She cracked her knuckles for dramatic effect. Blue and violet light swirled around her hands as she curled them into fists. The air warped around them. “I am the weapon.”
Of course, she wouldn’t be Commander Shepard if she didn’t keep a sidearm within reach at all times, but that didn’t sound as badass.
Thane shook his head at her antics.
“Then, let’s see what you can do.”
Shepard beamed at him.
“Just try to keep up. I would hate for a bunch of mercs to ruin our night.”
“Are you kidding?” Thane scoffed.
He took her hand in his. Intertwining their fingers, Thane brought their hands up to his lips and pressed a kiss to the back of hers.
“I wouldn’t trade this night for anything in the galaxy.”
I know that Pinnacle Station doesn't add anything to the overall narrative, but for a Colonist Shepard who can no longer see Mindoir as a home due to trauma? Being able to settle and possibly further terraform Inta'sei is a dream come true. Colonist Shep might have some connection to Earth since humans haven't mastered space flight for long in the grand scheme of galactic events, but it's a whole other matter to have something to look forward to. The promise of a home after the Reapers are destroyed. Something for Shep to personally cling to and fight for when it feels like all is lost.
And for a Thanemancer? Having a whole arid world to stay on, to build a foundation for the future together...
Add in Garrus and Irikah for the wholesome poly content, plus the routine visits and vid-calls from Kolyat, and it's *chef's kiss.*
Shepard laying in bed with Thane and Irikah. Usually Shep lays in the middle because she's like their own personal space heater, and they soak up her warmth like a sponge. Thane and Irikah compete on who's the last to go to sleep because they are both the types to stay up late into the night reading. Of course, Thane focuses more on the classics, poetry, the likes. Meanwhile, Irikah dives deep into research articles and scientific literature (although she has her "guilty pleasures" like fanfiction and interactive novels). Irikah will often comb her fingers through Shepard’s hair, her head in her lap, until she drifts off to sleep. Eventually, they all figure out each other’s habits, such as who hogs the blankets (Irikah, 100%), who snores and/or drools in their sleep (Shepard), when they're on the verge of having a nightmare (Thane will shift around and furrow his brow, whereas Shep will shift around and mumble under her breath). Depending on who wakes up first, sometimes they'll even have breakfast in bed together. Shepard and Irikah make the best cups of coffee, but Thane is a pro at making tea. Each meal, they alternate between some common drell and human dishes, teaching each other how best to make them.
And of course, the second they have downtime, they'll set up a vid link to check in on how Kolyat is doing on the Citadel. 🥰
